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Previous research has demonstrated that nicotine have protective role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the immunologic mechanisms of nicotine's effect have not been fully elucidated. Herein, the effects of nicotine on the differentiation of Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells were assessed. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and CD4+T cells were separated from patients with RA. PBMCs were stimulated with anti-CD3/anti-CD28 in the absence or presence of nicotine. CD4+T cells were cultured in the Th cell differentiation condition in the absence of nicotine or nicotine and alpha- bungarotoxin (αBgt) (the antagonist of nicotine) combined. Levels of T cell cytokines were detected with ELISA and flow cytometry. The expression of specific transcription factors (retinoic orphan re- ceptor c (RORc), T-box transcription factor (T-bet), and GATA Binding Protein 3 (GATA-3)) and signaling molecules (P-ERK1/2 and T-ERK1/2) were determined by Western blot. The results showed nicotine reduced IL-17A and increased IL-4 produced by stimulated PBMCs. During Th17 differentiation conditions, nicotine reduced the levels of IL-17A and RORc, induced the phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Meanwhile, nicotine increased the levels of IL-4 and GATA3 during Th2 differentiation. α-Bgt blocked the effects of nicotine on Th2 and Th17 differentiation. However, nicotine had no effect on the expression of IFN-γ and T-bet in CD4+T cells during Th1differentiation. These results demonstrate that nicotine suppresses Th17 differentiation, promotes Th2 differentiation and improves Th1/Th2 imbalance in RA patients, providing a new justification for its application in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grasses possess basal and aerial axillary buds. Previous studies have largely focused on basal bud (tiller) formation but scarcely touched on aerial buds, which may lead to aerial branch development., Genotypes with and without aerial buds were identified in switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum), a dedicated bioenergy crop. Bud development was characterized using scanning electron microscopy. Microarray, RNA-seq and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction ( RT-qPCR) were used to identify regulators of bud formation. Gene function was characterized by down-regulation and overexpression., Overexpression of miR156 induced aerial bud formation in switchgrass. Various analyses revealed that SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN LIKE4 ( SPL4), one of the miR156 targets, directly regulated aerial axillary bud initiation. Down-regulation of SPL4 promoted aerial bud formation and increased basal buds, while overexpression of SPL4 seriously suppressed bud formation and tillering. RNA-seq and RT- qPCR identified potential downstream genes of SPL4., Unlike all previously reported genes acting as activators of basal bud initiation, SPL4 acts as a suppressor for the formation of both aerial and basal buds. The miR156- SPL4 module predominantly regulates aerial bud initiation and partially controls basal bud formation. Genetic manipulation of SPL4 led to altered plant architecture with increased branching, enhanced regrowth after cutting and improved biomass yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS) thin films were directly deposited by sputtering with a single target at different temperatures, compared with the sulfurization process after sputtering the metal precursor, which is not only simplified the preparation process also the obtained CZTS thin film had good crystallinity with large grain size and dense morphology. The solar cell fabricated with the CZTS thin film sputtered at an optimized temperature of 500 °C shows a conversion efficiency of 1.87% with V oc = 580 mV, J sc = 8.47 mA/cm 2 , and FF = 37.8%, its band gap energy is found to be 1.52 eV. These results show that the process without sulfurization is suitable for the growth of kesterite CZTS solar cell absorbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents chemical equations on the article "Desymmetrization of Cyclic Olefins via Asymmetric Heck Reaction and Hydroarylation" by S. Liu and others, published in the 2013 issue of the "journal "Chemical Communications."

Pesticides are essential for the development of agriculture. It is urgent to develop green, safe and efficient pesticides. Bisindole alkaloids have unique and concise structures and broad biological activities, which make them an important leading skeleton in the creation of new pesticides. In this work, we synthesized bisindole alkaloid barakacin in a simple seven-step process, and simultaneously designed and synthesized a series of its derivatives. Biological activity research indicated that most of these compounds displayed good antiviral activities against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). Among them, compound 14b exerted a superior inhibitory effect in comparison to commercially available antiviral agent ribavirin, and could be expected to become a novel antiviral candidate. Molecular biology experiments and molecular docking research found that the potential target of compound 14b was TMV coat protein (CP). These compounds also showed broad-spectrum anti-fungal activities against seven kinds of plant fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex shock interactions and severe aerothermal loads are often encountered on the lips of three-dimensional inward-turning inlets, which presents significant challenges to the performance and safety of hypersonic flight vehicles. However, there have been few investigations on reducing the heat flux of the lips, especially when considering real gas effects. It is, therefore, necessary to investigate flow control methods that are suitable for the lips under real gas effects. Three flow control methods are implemented in this work—a passive method with the shock control bump and stagnation bulge, an active method with counterflow jet, and a combined method. The lip is simplified as a V-shaped blunt leading edge to eliminate the influence of other structures. Numerical simulations are performed at freestream Mach numbers ranging from 6.0 to 12.0. The principles and abilities of different flow control methods for reducing heat flux are compared and analyzed. Although the passive and active methods can reduce the heat flux by more than 40% at low Mach numbers, they have an apparent deficiency under strong real gas effects at high Mach numbers. Moreover, the active method causes new heat flux peaks near the nozzle and at the reattachment position of the flow separation zone. Therefore, a combined method is proposed for further reducing the heat flux. By coupling the passive and active methods, the combined method can reduce the heat flux by nearly 60%. In general, the flow control methods investigated in this work can achieve satisfactory heat flux reduction abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Progestins are used as fertility‐sparing regimens for young patients with stage 1A endometrioid endometrial cancer (EEC) and atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH). CD163+ macrophages promote estrogen‐dependent EEC development, but whether they induce progestin insensitivity remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the possible effects of CD163+ macrophages on progestin response in AEH/EEC patients. Methods: The number of infiltrating CD163+ macrophages in progestin‐insensitive and ‐sensitive endometrial lesions was compared. The effects of CD163+ macrophages on progestin responses and progesterone receptor (PR) expression in EC cells were evaluated in vitro. ATAC‐seq and RNA‐seq were combined to identify molecular/biological changes induced by CD163+ macrophages in progestin‐insensitive EC cells. Results: Increased CD163+ macrophage infiltration was significantly associated with progestin insensitivity and longer treatment durations in AEH/EEC patients. Additionally, the number of CD163+ macrophages was negatively correlated with PR expression in AEH/EEC tissues. Furthermore, the CD163+ macrophage‐mediated microenvironment and secreted cytokines downregulated PR expression and impaired the response of EC cells to medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA). RNA‐seq analysis demonstrated that CD163+ macrophages antagonized PR signaling by blocking or even reversing MPA‐regulated differential gene expression. Based on RNA‐seq and ATAC‐seq analyses, extracellular matrix (ECM) signaling and ECM‐related transcription factors, FOXF2, POU1F1, and RUNX1were identified to potentially be involved in CD163+ macrophage‐induced progestin insensitivity in endometrial cancer patients. Conclusions: We identified CD163+ macrophages as an important mediator of progestin desensitization and an unfavorable factor for the efficacy of fertility‐preserving treatment in AEH/EEC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, metabolic, and respiratory diseases, and it has become an important social health problem affecting the health of the population. Obesity is affected by both genetic and environmental factors. In this study, we constructed a diet-induced obese C57BL/6J mouse model and performed deep RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on liner-depleted RNA extracted from the liver tissues of the mice to explore the underlying mechanisms of obesity. A total of 7469 circular RNAs (circRNAs) were detected, and 21 were differentially expressed (DE) in the high-fat diet (HFD) and low-fat diet (LFD) groups. We then constructed a comprehensive circRNA-associated competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that DE circRNAs associated with lipid metabolic-related pathways may act as miRNA sponges to modulate target gene expression. CircRNA1709 and circRNA4842 may serve as new candidates to regulate the expression of PTEN. This study provides systematic circRNA-associated ceRNA profiling in HFD mouse liver, and the results can aid early diagnosis and the selection of treatment targets for obesity in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The deposition of carotenoids in chicken skin makes the skin color turn from white into yellow. The enzyme β-carotene oxygenase 2 (BCO2) plays a key role during the degradation process of carotenoids in chicken skin. Hence, the concentration of carotenoids in chicken skin was measured, and significant differences in BCO2 gene expression in the back skin between yellow and white skin and one SNP c.890A>G in BCO2 were found to be potentially associated with the chicken skin color. The results of this study showed that the c.890A>G may be used as a genetic marker in breeding for yellow skin in Chinese indigenous chicken. Carotenoid consumption decreases the risk of cancer, osteoporosis, or neurodegenerative diseases through interrupting the formation of free radicals. The deposition of carotenoids in chicken skin makes the skin color turn from white into yellow. The enzyme β-carotene oxygenase 2 (BCO2) plays a key role during the degradation process of carotenoids in skin. How the BCO2 affects the skin color of the chicken and whether it is the key factor that results in the phenotypic difference between yellow- and white-skin chickens are still unclear. In this research, the measurement of the concentration of carotenoids in chicken skin by HPLC showed that the carotenoid concentration in chickens with a yellow skin was significantly higher than that in white-skin chickens. Moreover, there were significant differences in BCO2 gene expression in the back skin between yellow- and white-skin chickens. Scanning the SNPs in BCO2 gene revealed a G/A mutation in exon 6 of the BCO2 gene in white and yellow skin chicken. Generally, one SNP c.890A>G was found to be associated with the chicken skin color and may be used as a genetic marker in breeding for yellow skin in Chinese indigenous chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A general protocol for the Suzuki coupling of both heteroaryl chlorides and tosylates with both aryl and heteroarylboronic acids as reaction partners is developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have fabricated the new composition structure high-lattice-matched mid-wave infrared Ga-free InAs/InAs 0.73 Sb 0.27 type-II superlattice (T2SL) pin photodetectors on GaSb substrates. Current-voltage and photocurrent measurements of samples were characterized with different sized mesa structures at 77 K. The resulting of mid-infrared photovoltaic detectors measured at 77 K exhibit a measured dark current density of 6.13 × 10 −4 A/cm 2 under a bias of −300 mV, a maximum differential-resistance-area-product of 448 Ω·cm 2 at −47 mV bias, a 50% cutoff wavelength of 5.1 μm, and a peak responsivity of 0.883 A/W over a mesa size of 50 µm × 50 µm. Peak quantum efficiency of 34.6% at 2.78 µm over a mesa size of 50 µm × 50 µm, 23.3% at 2.78 µm over a mesa size of 200 µm × 200 µm, and 14.1% at 2.8 µm over a mesa size of 300 µm × 300 µm are achieved under zero bias at 77 K, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human cells derived forin vitrocultures are conventionally grown as adherent monolayers (2D) which do not resemble natural 3 dimensional (3D) tissue architecture. We examined genome structure with chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) and gene expression with RNA-seq in fibroblasts derived from human foreskin grown in 2D and 3D conditions. Our combined analysis of Hi-C and RNA-seq data shows a large number of differentially expressed genes between 2D and 3D cells, and these changes are localized in genomic regions that displayed structural changes. We also find a trend of expression in a subset of skin-specific genes in fibroblast cells grown in 3D that resembles those in native tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Monolithic silica aerogels (SiO 2 ) are prepared using the tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as precursor via a rapid supercritical extraction method (RSCE). The effect of heat treatment on the textural and physical characteristics of RSCE-samples are compared with those of the other two conventional supercritical extraction method, i.e. the alcohol supercritical extraction (ASCE) and CO 2 supercritical extraction (CSCE). This new RSCE method offers many distinct advantages. The precursor recipe employs TEOS, ethanol, water, diluted hydrochloric acid to catalyst hydrolysis, and ammonia to accelerate the condensation rate. One advantage is the relative simplicity of this method: liquid precursors are poured into the supercritical ethanol drying apparatus following the hydrolysis of the TEOS and the solutions are directly sent to the supercritical extraction point of ethanol without previous aging and solvent exchanges procedures as would be the case for conventional aerogel. Thus, it is much more cost-saving and it produces little waste during the overall fabrication. The total fabrication time from mixing the precursors to taking out can be shortened to as low as 6 h, which is much less time consuming than the conventional ones (usually ca. 4–7 days). All the as-dried SiO 2 samples derived from different methods are essentially amorphous, and SiO 2 crystallization first occurs for the ASCE sample at 1100 °C. The average pore diameters of the as-dried ASCE, CSCE and RSCE samples are 12.70 nm, 14.97 nm and 13.80 nm, respectively, which is consistent with the results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. The specific surface area of the as-dried RSCE silica aerogel may reach 915.9 m 2 /g after 700 °C, which is larger than the other two samples. The thermal conductivities of the different fiber reinforced RSCE SiO 2 aerogel composites are ca. 0.027 W m − 1 K − 1 , comparable to the ASCE and CSCE aerogel composites. The RSCE method can also be well applied to the fabrication of aerogels based on other precursor recipes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by the recent discovery that the interpretation maps of CNNs could easily be manipulated by adversarial attacks against network interpretability, we study the problem of interpretation robustness from a new perspective of Rényi differential privacy (RDP). The advantages of our Rényi-Robust-Smooth (RDP-based interpretation method) are three-folds. First, it can offer provable and certifiable top- k robustness. That is, the top- k important attributions of the interpretation map are provably robust under any input perturbation with bounded ℓ d -norm (for any d ≥ 1 , including d = ∞). Second, our proposed method offers ∼12% better experimental robustness than existing approaches in terms of the top- k attributions. Remarkably, the accuracy of Rényi-Robust-Smooth also outperforms existing approaches. Third, our method can provide a smooth tradeoff between robustness and computational efficiency. Experimentally, its top- k attributions are twice more robust than existing approaches when the computational resources are highly constrained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquaculture has tremendous economic significance in distinguishing males and females in the juvenile Silurus asotus (Linnaeus, 1758) to obtain a female population with tremendous growth potential. To investigate the potential biological markers between young males and females S. asotus, we analyzed the characteristics of sexual dimorphism by measuring the 14 length traits and 9 weight indicators in an artificial insemination population at 3, 5, and 7 months. In addition, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to determine the sexually dimorphic expression of the growth hormone-1 gene (GH-1), growth hormone receptor gene (GHR), and insulin-like growth factor gene (IGF-1) in the hypothalamus, pituitary, gonad, and liver, at 3, 5, and 7 months. The results showed that in morphology, except for eye diameter and the distance between the pelvic and anal fins in 3-month fish, all other morphological indicators were significantly (P < 0.05) or very significantly (P < 0.01) different between juvenile males and females. The visceral weight, eviscerated weight, and intestine weight in females were significantly (P < 0.05) or very significantly (P < 0.01) higher than in males at 5 and 7 months. Joint static allometric analyses on 14 length indicators relative to weight showed different sex growth patterns in 3-month, 5-month, and 7-month fish. In gene expression patterns, GH-1, IGF-1, and GHR were highly expressed in the pituitary, with higher levels in females (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). In contrast, the three genes were all more highly expressed in the testis than in the ovary (P < 0.01), indicating their essential roles in testis development. Our results demonstrate that S. asotus has female-biased sexual dimorphism. The length traits related to head shapes could be the potential phenotype marker to distinguish females and males in 7-month juveniles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covalent organic framework (COF)-derived carbons have various applications in electrochemical energy storage and conversion systems. In this work, we have constructed a highly active catalyst (Ir-COF@ZIF800) for the HER and ORR by integrating multifunctional sites (Ir nanoparticles, Co–N sites and Co nanoparticles) into core–shell COF@ZIF-67-derived carbon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is difficult to make a precise diagnosis to distinguish patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) from patients with Bipolar Depressive Disorder (current depressive episode, BD). This study will explore the difference in time perception between MDD and BD using a temporal bisection task. Methods: In this temporal bisection task, 30 MDD patients, 30 BD patients, and 30 healthy controls (HC) had to categorize a signal duration, between 400 and 1600 milliseconds (ms), as either short or long. A repeated measurement analysis of variance with 3 (subject type) × 7 (time interval) was performed on the long response ratio with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Origin software was used to calculate the subjective bisection point (BP), difference limen (DL), and Weber ratio (WR). The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale for depression-17 was used to assess depressive symptoms in the patients. Results: The data showed that the interaction effect between subject type and duration was significant (F(6,498) = 4.656, p <0.001, η2p = 0.101). At 400 ms, and the long response of the MDD group was greater than HC group (p<0.017, Bonferroni-corrected). At 1200, 1400 and 1600 ms, the long response of BD group is smaller than HC group, (p<0.017, Bonferroni-corrected). The one-way ANOVA revealed significant difference among the HC, MDD and BD groups in the BP values WR values, F(2, 81) = 3.462, p = 0.036 vs. F(2, 81) = 3.311, p = 0.042. Post-hoc tests showed that the value of BP in the MDD group was less than BD group (p = 0.027) and the value of BP in the MDD group was less than HC group (p = 0.027), while there was not significant difference of BP values between BD group and HC group. The WR values in MDD group larger than the HC group (p = 0.022). Limitations: Severity of depression not divided and analyzed according to the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score. Conclusion: The time perception of the MDD and BD groups was different from that of the HC group, they overestimated short time periods. Compared with the BD group, the MDD group had a smaller time bisector, and these patients felt that time passed more slowly. The time sensitivity of MDD group and BD group were less than the HC group. However, there was no statistical difference in time sensitivity between the MDD and BD groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is essential for water splitting to produce H2 gas, and its kinetically sluggish nature involving the transfer of four electrons hinders the energy-conversion efficiency and increases the cost; therefore, there is an urgent need to explore OER electrocatalysts with high efficiency and durability. The abundant internal cavities in hollow particles can provide a larger number of active sites and promote the electron/mass transport in the OER, and thus are highly desirable. However, their large-scale facile preparation, especially for small-sized particles, remains challenging. We present herein a scalable high-frequency ultrasonic pyrolysis strategy to prepare ultrafine Fe-doped NiO porous hollow spheres as OER catalysts. In this aerosol droplet-mediated method, a 3 MHz high-frequency ultrasonic wave ensures the formation of small sized droplets and oxide hollow products. The prepared Ni0.9Fe0.1O hollow spheres with a NiO phase exhibit a uniform and small size of ∼200 nm and a wall thickness of ∼10 nm, and they are highly porous with a specific surface area of about 50 m2 g−1. The fine and hollow structure increases the OER active site number, while the synergistic effect of Fe and Ni elements optimizes the intrinsic activity. As a result, the Ni0.9Fe0.1O hollow spheres have a low OER overpotential for achieving a current density of 10 mA cm−2 (288 mV), suggesting an excellent OER performance. During potentiostatic testing, almost no decrease in the current density occurred upon catalyzing for 18 h, indicating the high stability of our catalyst, which may be because the well-crystallized NiO phase may suppress the rapid dissolution of the doped Fe in catalyzing the OER, thereby diminishing an appreciable activity loss. This synthesis strategy can be applied to other ultrafine hollow particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is one of the most prevalent mental diseases characterized by distortions in the affective sphere. By using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) technique, the current study aimed to investigate neural mechanisms associated with emotional sensitivity to reward, which represented the variation of emotional responsiveness as the degree of reward changing in individuals with depressive symptoms. We recruited 28 participants in elevated depressive symptoms (LD) group and 28 demographic-matched participants in low depressive symptoms (ED) group. After the rs-fMRI scan, participants were asked to complete a sequential risk-taking task, in which they might encounter both reward and loss. The resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) between ventral striatum (VS) and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) was associated with the emotional sensitivity to reward in LD group. Compared with LD group, participants in ED group showed weaker emotional sensitivity to reward and stronger rs-FC between VS and prefrontal regions. The current study highlighted that the functional connectivity between VS and IFG in the resting state was related to the emotional sensitivity to reward in individuals with low depressive symptoms. However, individuals with elevated depressive symptoms exhibited altered functional connectivity between VS and IFG in the resting state, which might contribute to their weaker emotional sensitivity to reward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The promotion of cellulose-based paper straws is one of the important ways to improve white pollution nowadays. However, developing composite straws that are simultaneously highly biocompatible, safe, and non-toxic and that overcome the low water stability and physical strength problems caused by the inherent hydrophilicity of the raw material cellulose has become an important challenge in the development process. In this study, a new all-natural superhydrophobic straw (CFS) made of a composite of cellulose nanofibers and stearic acid was introduced. Stearic acid is a saturated fatty acid derived from plant and animal oils. Inspired by the specific hydrophobicity of sugarcane cane peel, a green straw with both superhydrophobicity (water contact angle up to 153°) and remarkable mechanical strength (tensile strength up to 67.15 MPa) was developed by controlling the hydrophobic modification conditions of stearic acid through solvent vaporization. Furthermore, the composite straws under wet conditions had lower water absorption and exhibited excellent wet tensile strength compared to commercial paper straws. In addition, the composite straw without the addition of chemical binders avoids the defects of non-renewable products, fits into the global green development concept, and brings new strategies for the development of cellulose-based materials. [Display omitted] • Superhydrophobic CFS straws inspired by sugarcane epidermis. • CFS straws exhibited remarkable mechanical strength. • CFS straws showed the property of being easily recycled and reused. • CFS straws presented new options for plastic products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous atrial fibrillation screening trials have highlighted the need for more targeted approaches. We did a pragmatic study to evaluate the effectiveness of an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm-guided targeted screening approach for identifying previously unrecognised atrial fibrillation.Methods: For this non-randomised interventional trial, we prospectively recruited patients with stroke risk factors but with no known atrial fibrillation who had an electrocardiogram (ECG) done in routine practice. Participants wore a continuous ambulatory heart rhythm monitor for up to 30 days, with the data transmitted in near real time through a cellular connection. The AI algorithm was applied to the ECGs to divide patients into high-risk or low-risk groups. The primary outcome was newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation. In a secondary analysis, trial participants were propensity-score matched (1:1) to individuals from the eligible but unenrolled population who served as real-world controls. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04208971.Findings: 1003 patients with a mean age of 74 years (SD 8·8) from 40 US states completed the study. Over a mean 22·3 days of continuous monitoring, atrial fibrillation was detected in six (1·6%) of 370 patients with low risk and 48 (7·6%) of 633 with high risk (odds ratio 4·98, 95% CI 2·11-11·75, p=0·0002). Compared with usual care, AI-guided screening was associated with increased detection of atrial fibrillation (high-risk group: 3·6% [95% CI 2·3-5·4] with usual care vs 10·6% [8·3-13·2] with AI-guided screening, p<0·0001; low-risk group: 0·9% vs 2·4%, p=0·12) over a median follow-up of 9·9 months (IQR 7·1-11·0).Interpretation: An AI-guided targeted screening approach that leverages existing clinical data increased the yield for atrial fibrillation detection and could improve the effectiveness of atrial fibrillation screening.Funding: Mayo Clinic Robert D and Patricia E Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TGF‐β signaling is a key player in tumor progression and immune evasion, and is associated with poor response to cancer immunotherapies. Here, we identified ubiquitin‐specific peptidase 8 (USP8) as a metastasis enhancer and a highly active deubiquitinase in aggressive breast tumors. USP8 acts both as a cancer stemness‐promoting factor and an activator of the TGF‐β/SMAD signaling pathway. USP8 directly deubiquitinates and stabilizes the type II TGF‐β receptor TβRII, leading to its increased expression in the plasma membrane and in tumor‐derived extracellular vesicles (TEVs). Increased USP8 activity was observed in patients resistant to neoadjuvant chemotherapies. USP8 promotes TGF‐β/SMAD‐induced epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion, and metastasis in tumor cells. USP8 expression also enables TβRII+ circulating extracellular vesicles (crEVs) to induce T cell exhaustion and chemoimmunotherapy resistance. Pharmacological inhibition of USP8 antagonizes TGF‐β/SMAD signaling, and reduces TβRII stability and the number of TβRII+ crEVs to prevent CD8+ T cell exhaustion and to reactivate anti‐tumor immunity. Our findings not only reveal a novel mechanism whereby USP8 regulates the cancer microenvironment but also demonstrate the therapeutic advantages of engineering USP8 inhibitors to simultaneously suppress metastasis and improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. Synopsis: TGF‐β signaling is a key factor in tumor progression and is associated with poor response to cancer immunotherapy. This work shows that pharmacologically targeting the deubiquitinase USP8 can antagonise TGF‐β/SMAD signalling and improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy USP8 is a metastasis enhancer that directly deubiquitinates and stabilises TGF‐β receptor TβRII, thereby promoting TGF‐β/SMAD signaling.Gain of USP8 function promotes the secretion of TβRII+ circulating extracellular vesicles that induce CD8+ T cell exhaustion.Pharmacological inhibition of USP8 represses TGF‐β signalling and inhibits cancer progression.USP8 inhibition alleviates CD8+ T cell exhaustion and improves the efficacy of breast cancer immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the potassic rock (PR), an ore rich in aluminosilicate and alkali metal sources, was decomposed to active amorphous material in mild condition for the first time via sub-molten salt method. Low silica X (LSX) zeolite was successfully synthesized using the amorphous precursor from PRs as starting material. The effects of temperature, time, and mass concentration of alkali on the decomposition of PRs powder, and the effects of molar ratios of SiO2/Al2O3 and H2O/(Na2O + K2O) on the synthesis of LSX zeolite, were investigated. X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were employed to characterize the precursors and as-prepared zeolites. The results indicated that the highly active amorphous precursor can be obtained in (Na, K)OH sub-molten salt medium with 80% of mass concentration of alkali at 190 °C for 3.0 h. The LSX zeolite can be synthesized in 5.85Na2O:1.65K2O:Al2O3:(2.1-2.3)SiO2:(113-125)H2O system using the slurry obtained from the decomposition of PRs. Copyright © 2016 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we combine decentralized adaptive control with the fractional-order techniques to investigate the synchronization of fractional-order complex-variable dynamical networks. A new lemma is proposed for estimating the Caputo fractional derivatives of Hermitian quadrtic Lyapunov functions. Based on local information among neighboring nodes, an effective fractional-order decentralized adaptive strategy to tune the coupling gains among network nodes is designed. This analysis is further extended to the case where only a small fraction of coupling gains are choosen to be adjusted. By constructing suitable Lyapunov functions and utilizing the proposed lemma, two sufficient criteria are derived to guarantee the network synchronization by using the proposed adaptive laws. Finally, numerical examples are given to validate the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heteroaggregation between polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) and soot nanoparticles (STNPs) in aquatic environments may affect their fate and transport. This study investigated the effects of particle concentration ratio, electrolytes, pH, and humic acid on their heteroaggregation kinetics. The critical coagulation concentration (CCC) ranked CCC PSNPs > CCC PSNPs-STNPs > CCC STNPs , indicating that heteroaggregation rates fell between homoaggregation rates. In NaCl solution, as the PSNPs/STNPs ratio decreased from 9/1 to 3/7, heteroaggregation rate decreased and CCC PSNPs-STNPs increased from 200 to 220 mM due to enhanced electrostatic repulsion. Outlier was observed at PSNPs/STNPs= 1/9, where CCC PSNPs-STNPs = 170 mM and homoaggregation of STNPs dominated. However, in CaCl 2 solution where calcium bridged with STNPs, heteroaggregation rate increased and CCC PSNPs-STNPs decreased from 26 to 5 mM as the PSNPs/STNPs ratio decreasing from 9/1 to 1/9. In composite water samples, heteroaggregation occurred only at estuarine and marine salinities. Acidic condition promoted heteroaggregation via charge screening. Humic acid retarded or promoted heteroaggregation in NaCl or CaCl 2 solutions by steric hindrance or calcium bridging, respectively. Other than van der Waals attraction and electrostatic repulsion, heteroaggregation was affected by steric hindrance, hydrophobic interactions, π − π interactions, and calcium bridging. The results highlight the role of black carbon on colloidal stability of PSNPs in aquatic environments. [Display omitted] • Stability of homo- and heteroaggregation ranked CCC PSNPs > CCC PSNPs-STNPs > CCC STNPs. • Decreasing PSNPs/STNPs ratio generally retarded heteroaggregation in NaCl solution. • Reducing PSNPs/STNPs ratio promoted heteroaggregation in CaCl 2 solution via bridging. • PSNPs and STNPs underwent heteroaggregation at salinity levels of estuary and ocean. • Heteroaggregation was promoted in HA-CaCl 2 solution but retarded in HA-NaCl solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The addition of secondary ceramic particles has shown to be effective in enhancing the mechanical properties of tungsten alloys. The diverse strengthening effects observed with various secondary particles necessitate further investigation. Herein, three ultrafine-grained, oxide-dispersed-strengthened tungsten alloys were prepared using solution combustion synthesis combined with low-temperature sintering. We thoroughly investigated the influence of Al 2 O 3 , La 2 O 3 , and Y 2 O 3 on the microstructure and mechanical properties of tungsten, as well as their respective strengthening mechanisms. A detailed comparison revealed discrepancies between the yield strength experimentally measured and the theoretically predicted strength based on conventional grain refinement strengthening and dispersion strengthening theories, highlighting the significance of the intrinsic nature of dispersed oxides. Electron microscopy analysis and density functional theory calculations revealed that, compared to other oxides, the heterogeneous interface of Al 2 O 3 with W exhibited minimal lattice distortion and the highest work of separation, resulting in a robust interface bonding. The prepared W–Al 2 O 3 alloy showed exceptional performance with Vickers hardness HV 0.2 of 698.9 and yield strength of 2488 MPa. Its yield strength surpassed that of W–Y 2 O 3 and W–La 2 O 3 alloys, as well as other commonly reported refractory metal materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new comprehensive quantitative index was proposed through factor analysis. • Detailed derivation of the construction of the composite indicator formula. • 2D-COS allows the exploration of the spectral peak mechanism in complex systems. • The visualization distribution and validation of EAA content was achieved. The quality of beef is usually predicted by measuring a single index rather than a comprehensive index. To precisely determine the essential amino acid (EAA) contents in 360 beef samples, the feasibility of optimized spectral detection techniques based on the comprehensive EAA index (CEI) and comprehensive weight index (CWI) constructed by factor analysis was explored. Two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) was used to analyse the mechanisms of spectral peak shifts in complex disturbance systems with CEI and CWI contents, and 15 sensitive feature variables were extracted to establish a quantitative analysis model of a long short-term memory network (LSTM). The results indicated that 2D-COS had good predictive performance in both CEI-LSTM (R2 P of 0.9095 and RPD of 2.76) and CWI-LSTM (R2 P of 0.8449 and RPD of 2.45), which reduced data information by 88%. This indicates that utilizing 2D-COS can eliminate collinearity and redundant information among variables while achieving data dimensionality reduction and simplification of calibration models. Furthermore, a spatial distribution map of the comprehensive EAA content was generated by combining the optimal prediction model. This study demonstrated that the comprehensive index method furnishes a new approach to rapidly evaluate EAA content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Our research encompasses a comprehensive predictive model for PUFA content, spanning diverse red meat types and muscle variations. • Suggest a novel approach for using autoencoders in generating adversarial networks to tackle the challenge of creating regression models. • G2D-COS was applied to study variations among spectral bands in red meat, their response to changes, and related aspects. • It introduces a paradigm shift, shifting the focus from modeling methods to the study of the dataset itself. The establishment of a comprehensive predictive model for red meat polyunsaturated fatty acids holds profound significance for the food industry. However, challenges, such as intricate features and low chemical content bestow complexity upon this endeavor. In the study, an autoencoder-assisted generative adversarial network (AE-GAN) was used to address the intricacies of generative models in regression operations. Following numerous iterations, the AE-GAN generated samples akin to the original data. Upon the incorporation of these generated samples into training, the test set R2 values of Support Vector Regression, Random Forest and Fully Convolutional Network witnessed respective enhancements of 0.1589, 0.1482 and 0.2998. The outcomes underscore the efficacy of this novel approach in ameliorating the challenges faced by generative models in regression tasks, thereby augmenting the model's generalizability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNAzyme-based chemiluminescence assay exhibits excellent performance in bioanalysis but their operation in acid conditions remains challengeable. Herein, we constructed an acid-improved DNAzyme-based isothermal enzyme-free concatenated DNA circuit with significantly reduced background and simultaneously improved signal-to-noise ratio for miRNA detection. The chemiluminescence miRNA assay is composed of catalyzed hairpin assembly (CHA), hybridization chain reaction (HCR), and hemin/G-quadruplex DNAzyme units. The analyte initiates the self-assembly of CHA hairpins into numerous dsDNA, which triggers the subsequent autonomous cross-opening of HCR hairpins to generate long nanowires consisting of the hemin/G-quadruplex DNAzyme. The DNAzyme catalyzes the oxidation of luminol by hydrogen peroxide for the cascaded amplified chemiluminescence signal. The acid-improved property was demonstrated to be closely associated with the low catalytic activity of aggregated hemin under acidic conditions and the remained multiple amplified signal through concatenated DNA circuit. The general DNA circuit exhibited high sensitivity for miRNA-21 detection and chemiluminescence imaging under acidic conditions with a recognition hairpin. The acid-improved DNAzyme-based concatenated DNA circuit is promising to expand the application of chemiluminescence assay and provide a valuable strategy for early diagnosis and prognosis of cancer. An acid-improved concatenated chemiluminescence DNA circuit was successfully constructed for sensitive and selective detection and imaging of miRNA with significantly reduced background and simultaneously improved signal-to-noise ratio. [Display omitted] • The acid-improved hemin/G-quadruplex DNAzyme-based concatenated DNA circuit was constructed with high signal-to-noise ratio. • The acid-improved property is demonstrated to be closely associated with the low catalytic activity of aggregated hemin. • The concatenated chemiluminescence DNA biosensor exhibits high sensitivity and selectivity for miRNA detection and imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotional stability, the change of emotion response among situations, was associated with mental illness, such as depression. The current study aimed to explore the modulation of attentional deployment on emotional stability by combining functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a sequential risk-taking task. During the task, participants were asked to open a series of boxes consecutively and decided when to stop. Each box contained a reward, except one containing a devil to zero reward in the trial. When participants stopped, both collected gains and missed chances were revealed. The attentional deployment was manipulated during the outcome feedback, i.e., inducing participants to focus on the good part (GF context) or the bad part (MF context) of the decision outcome. Besides, the Control context was also set, in which the attentional deployment was not manipulated. The behavioral results showed that the emotional stability was stronger in GF context relative to MF and Control contexts. At the neural level, with outcomes getting better, activations of ventral striatum (VS) and superior frontal gyrus (SFG) increased faster in GF context than that in MF and Control contexts. In addition, in GF context, the changing of SFG activation with outcomes getting better was associated with emotional stability. The current study highlighted that focusing on the good part of decision outcomes could enhance emotional stability effectively and SFG played a vital role in this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maximizing the Pt utilization is important for the widescale implementation of Pt‐based hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts, owing to the scarcity of Pt. Here, three‐component heterostructured HER catalysts with ultrahigh Pt mass activity in which hollow PtCu alloy nanospheres are supported on an array of WO3 on Cu foam, are reported. It has been pointed out that the use of Pt counter electrode in a three‐electrode configuration in evaluating catalysts' HER performances in acidic media carries the risk of contaminating the working electrode in previous reports. Here, the authors rationally utilize this "contaminating" to "activate" low‐HER‐activity materials, maximizing the Pt utilization. As a result, ultrahigh Pt mass activity is achieved, that is 1.35 and 10.86 A mg−1Pt at overpotentials of 20 and 100 mV, respectively, 27 and 13 times higher than those of commercial Pt/C catalysts, outperforming some state‐of‐the‐art Pt‐single‐atom catalysts. The hollow sphere structure and PtCu alloying increase the number and reactivity of active sites. Density function calculations and electrochemical experiments reveal that the synergy between WO3 and Pt is also responsible for the high HER activity where the hydrogen spillover effect triggers the Volmer–Heyrovsky mechanism and promotes the rapid removal of H* from Pt to re‐expose the active sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-phase white light emitting phosphor Ba 9 Sc 2 Si 6 O 24 :Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ has been successfully prepared by solid-state reaction. The energy transfer process from Eu 2+ to Mn 2+ has been demonstrated based on the excitation spectra, luminescent lifetime and low temperature spectra. Under ultraviolet light excitation, Eu 2+ emits blue light (∼460 nm) and green light (∼512 nm), Mn 2+ gets the energy transferred from Eu 2+ and emits red light (∼615 nm). White light is obtained by tuning the concentration of Eu 2+ and Mn 2+ . Those results suggest that Ba 9 Sc 2 Si 6 O 24 :Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ can be a promising single phase phosphor for white light emitting diode (w-LED). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of candidate genes and genetic variations associated with growth traits is important for sheep breeding. Insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF1) and insulin like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) are well-accepted candidate genes that affect animal growth and development. The current study attempted to assess the association between IGF1 and IGF1R genetic polymorphisms and growth traits in Hulun Buir sheep. To achieve this goal, we first identified three and ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in exons of IGF1 and IGF1R in Hulun Buir sheep and then constructed six haplotypes of IGF1R based on linkage disequilibrium, respectively. Association studies were performed between SNPs and haplotypes of IGF1 and IGF1R with twelve growth traits in a population encompassing 229 Hulun Buir sheep using a general linear model. Our result indicated three SNPs in IGF1 were significantly associated with four growth traits (p < 0.05). In IGF1R, three SNPs and two haplotype blocks were significantly associated with twelve growth traits (p < 0.05). The combined haplotype H5H5 and H5H6 in IGF1R showed the strong association with 12 superior growth traits in Hulun Buir sheep (p < 0.05). In conclusion, we identified SNPs and haplotype combinations associated with the growth traits, which provided genetic resources for marker-assisted selection (MAS) in Hulun Buir sheep breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic bacteriochlorins, analogues of native bacteriochlorophylls, provide absorption in the near-infrared spectral region and hence are valuable for fundamental studies in photochemistry and applications ranging from solar energy conversion to photomedicine. The full realization of such opportunities hinges on access to synthetically malleable bacteriochlorins. Here, two established routes that rely on self-condensation of a dihydrodipyrrin-acetal or dihydrodipyrrin-carboxaldehyde have been exploited to prepare 6 bacteriochlorins (2 new, 4 known in improved fashion). Each bacteriochlorin contains a gem-dimethyl group in the reduced, pyrroline ring to ensure stability toward adventitious dehydrogenation. These and related synthetic bacteriochlorins have been derivatized to tailor the perimeter of the macrocycle with diverse groups, affording 9 additional new bacteriochlorins and 4 known bacteriochlorins. By direct installation and/or derivatization, the scope of attached entities in this collection includes alkyl, amino, aryl, bromo, carboethoxy, oxo, phenylethynyl, and pyridyl. The bacteriochlorins are suited for surface attachment, bioconjugation, water-solubilization, vibrational studies, and elaboration into multichromophore arrays. Altogether the synthesis of 25 new compounds (11 bacteriochlorins, 14 precursors) is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of in-situ iron-sulfide minerals through sulfate reduction is commonly used to immobilize heavy metals in sediments and waste residues from abandoned non-ferrous mines. Ensuring a consistent supply of organic carbon sources, such as small molecular organic acids, under optimal reduction conditions, is essential for effective biomineralization. In this study, we developed a technique to enhance the biomineralization (iron-sulfide minerals) capacity of native sulfate-reducing bacteria to immobilize heavy metals, using the facultative anaerobic fermentation bacterium Bacillus coagulans to bind to waste olivine, providing small molecular organic acids required by sulfate-reducing bacteria while providing more reduction conditions for remediation systems. Our results showed that, compared with the control group (Control) and the group added with medium (Cul), the groups added with Bacillus coagulans (Cul + Bio) and the combination of Bacillus coagulans and olivine (Cul + Bio + Oli), significantly increased the overlying water pH value, pH remained above 8 in the final stage of remediation, and decreased the redox potential and sulfate concentration, ORP remained −80 mV, SO 4 2− concentration below 600 mg/L at the end of remediation. The addition of Bacillus coagulans and olivine helped stabilize heavy metals Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cd by reducing their release into the liquid phase. Cd and Pb were found to be in more stable forms within the solid phase. In the Cul + Bio and Cul + Bio + Oli groups, sulfur primarily existed as more reductive FeS, accounting for 55% and 75% of the sulfur speciations, respectively. Desulfuromonadia , Desulfuromonas , Desulfofustis , and Geothermobacter have been identified in the Cul + Bio + Oli experimental group in high abundance and are capable of dissimilatory sulfate reduction. The combined application of microorganisms and waste olivine offers an effective strategy for remediating in-situ heavy metal-contaminated soils/sediments, thereby establishing a theoretical and practical foundation for employing microbial mineralization in the in-situ remediation of heavy metals in sediment. [Display omitted] • The addition of Bacillus coagulans and olivine effectively reduced the redox potential of the system. • The combination of Bacillus coagulans and olivine significantly inhibited the leaching of heavy metals. • The introduction of Bacillus coagulans and olivine strengthened the immobilization of Cd and Pb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-destructive detection of veterinary drug residues in meat products is critical for ensuring food safety and human health. The feasibility of using visible near-infrared (Vis-NIR) and near-infrared (NIR) hyperspectral imaging (HSI) system combined with data fusion for the prediction of pefloxacin residues in mutton was investigated in this study. A partial least squares regression optimization model was developed by multivariate data processing methods. The results showed that the low-level fusion (LLF) produced better results with R2 P = 0.907 and RMSEP = 0.462 as compared to individual data blocks. Furthermore, intermediate-level fusion (ILF) based on iterative retention of informative variables algorithm showed the best results with R2 P = 0.940 and RMSEP = 0.375. Finally, the visualized distributions of Vis-NIR and NIR based on the optimal model combination were mapped. The results have demonstrated that a combination of HSI with data fusion may be applied to rapidly and non-destructively detect pefloxacin residues in mutton. • Two types of HSI techniques were used and combined to predict pefloxacin residues. • The superiority of low and intermediate-level fusion strategies was demonstrated. • Preprocessing and feature extraction methods were used to seek the best combination. • Distribution map of pefloxacin was plotted to monitor the changes of mutton quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic fluid seal(MFS) is one of the most mature applications of magnetic fluid(MF) and is widely used in numerous fields. The permanent magnet is an integral component of the classic MFS and provides a stable and robust magnetic field. However, this leads to a high initial torque requirement and a noticeable separation between ferromagnetic particles and the base liquid in the presence of such a strong magnetic field. This situation results in starting difficulties and impedes the normal device startup, particularly in low-temperature environments. Moreover, a constant magnetic field fails to address fluctuating pressure. To address these issues, we have introduced a novel design for the field-controlled MFS. Through theoretical and finite element analyses(FEA), we derived the magnetic field distribution within the seal gap. Additionally, we established the theoretical range for the sealing capacity of the field-control MFS. Experimental results demonstrate that the magnetic field, sealing capacity, and starting torque all increase with higher coil currents. The reduction in starting torque is particularly pronounced at lower temperatures. By manipulating the magnetic field, the starting torque can be reduced by over 50%. The field-controlled MFS exhibits a 0.24 MPa sealing capacity without requiring cooling equipment, representing a 33% improvement in sealing capacity compared to the classic MFS without a coil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the capacity of critical flicker frequency (CFF) in discriminating cataract eyes with or without macula disease using trichromatic flickers, and to develop a model to predict postoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA).Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of macular disease. CFF threshold measurements of red (R-CFF), green (G-CFF), and yellow (Y-CFF) flickers were conducted both preoperatively and postoperatively. A generalized estimating equations model (GEE) was employed to examine the relationship between CFF threshold and 3-month postoperative BCVA.A total of 115 eyes were enrolled, with 59 eyes in the cataract alone group and 56 eyes in the cataract with macular disease group completing the follow-up. R-CFF was found to be consistent before and after cataract removal (P = 0.06), even in cases where OCT was not performed successfully (P > 0.05). Y-CFF showed the highest AUC (0.798) for differentiating ocular comorbidities. According to the GEE model, in patients with a CFF threshold below 26 Hz, the odds ratios for achieving a postoperative VA of 20/40 or better were 34.8% for R-CFF, 26.0% for G-CFF, and 24.5% for Y-CFF.CFF emerges as a promising tool for predicting postoperative BCVA, providing valuable supplementary insights when fundus examination is obstructed. R-CFF demonstrates the best resistance to cataracts, while Y-CFF exhibits the highest sensitivity both in identifying macular diseases and predicting postoperative BCVA of 20/40 or better.Methods: To investigate the capacity of critical flicker frequency (CFF) in discriminating cataract eyes with or without macula disease using trichromatic flickers, and to develop a model to predict postoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA).Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of macular disease. CFF threshold measurements of red (R-CFF), green (G-CFF), and yellow (Y-CFF) flickers were conducted both preoperatively and postoperatively. A generalized estimating equations model (GEE) was employed to examine the relationship between CFF threshold and 3-month postoperative BCVA.A total of 115 eyes were enrolled, with 59 eyes in the cataract alone group and 56 eyes in the cataract with macular disease group completing the follow-up. R-CFF was found to be consistent before and after cataract removal (P = 0.06), even in cases where OCT was not performed successfully (P > 0.05). Y-CFF showed the highest AUC (0.798) for differentiating ocular comorbidities. According to the GEE model, in patients with a CFF threshold below 26 Hz, the odds ratios for achieving a postoperative VA of 20/40 or better were 34.8% for R-CFF, 26.0% for G-CFF, and 24.5% for Y-CFF.CFF emerges as a promising tool for predicting postoperative BCVA, providing valuable supplementary insights when fundus examination is obstructed. R-CFF demonstrates the best resistance to cataracts, while Y-CFF exhibits the highest sensitivity both in identifying macular diseases and predicting postoperative BCVA of 20/40 or better.Results: To investigate the capacity of critical flicker frequency (CFF) in discriminating cataract eyes with or without macula disease using trichromatic flickers, and to develop a model to predict postoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA).Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of macular disease. CFF threshold measurements of red (R-CFF), green (G-CFF), and yellow (Y-CFF) flickers were conducted both preoperatively and postoperatively. A generalized estimating equations model (GEE) was employed to examine the relationship between CFF threshold and 3-month postoperative BCVA.A total of 115 eyes were enrolled, with 59 eyes in the cataract alone group and 56 eyes in the cataract with macular disease group completing the follow-up. R-CFF was found to be consistent before and after cataract removal (P = 0.06), even in cases where OCT was not performed successfully (P > 0.05). Y-CFF showed the highest AUC (0.798) for differentiating ocular comorbidities. According to the GEE model, in patients with a CFF threshold below 26 Hz, the odds ratios for achieving a postoperative VA of 20/40 or better were 34.8% for R-CFF, 26.0% for G-CFF, and 24.5% for Y-CFF.CFF emerges as a promising tool for predicting postoperative BCVA, providing valuable supplementary insights when fundus examination is obstructed. R-CFF demonstrates the best resistance to cataracts, while Y-CFF exhibits the highest sensitivity both in identifying macular diseases and predicting postoperative BCVA of 20/40 or better.Conclusion: To investigate the capacity of critical flicker frequency (CFF) in discriminating cataract eyes with or without macula disease using trichromatic flickers, and to develop a model to predict postoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA).Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of macular disease. CFF threshold measurements of red (R-CFF), green (G-CFF), and yellow (Y-CFF) flickers were conducted both preoperatively and postoperatively. A generalized estimating equations model (GEE) was employed to examine the relationship between CFF threshold and 3-month postoperative BCVA.A total of 115 eyes were enrolled, with 59 eyes in the cataract alone group and 56 eyes in the cataract with macular disease group completing the follow-up. R-CFF was found to be consistent before and after cataract removal (P = 0.06), even in cases where OCT was not performed successfully (P > 0.05). Y-CFF showed the highest AUC (0.798) for differentiating ocular comorbidities. According to the GEE model, in patients with a CFF threshold below 26 Hz, the odds ratios for achieving a postoperative VA of 20/40 or better were 34.8% for R-CFF, 26.0% for G-CFF, and 24.5% for Y-CFF.CFF emerges as a promising tool for predicting postoperative BCVA, providing valuable supplementary insights when fundus examination is obstructed. R-CFF demonstrates the best resistance to cataracts, while Y-CFF exhibits the highest sensitivity both in identifying macular diseases and predicting postoperative BCVA of 20/40 or better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of liver kinase B1 (LKB1) in glioblastoma (GBM) development remains poorly understood. LKB1 may regulate GBM cell metabolism and has been suggested to promote glioma invasiveness. After analyzing LKB1 expression in GBM patient mRNA databases and in tumor tissue via multiparametric immunohistochemistry, we observed that LKB1 was localized and enriched in GBM tumor cells that co‐expressed SOX2 and NESTIN stemness markers. Thus, LKB1‐specific immunohistochemistry can potentially reveal subpopulations of stem‐like cells, advancing GBM patient molecular pathology. We further analyzed the functions of LKB1 in patient‐derived GBM cultures under defined serum‐free conditions. Silencing of endogenous LKB1 impaired 3D‐gliomasphere frequency and promoted GBM cell invasion in vitro and in the zebrafish collagenous tail after extravasation of circulating GBM cells. Moreover, loss of LKB1 function revealed mitochondrial dysfunction resulting in decreased ATP levels. Treatment with the clinically used drug metformin impaired 3D‐gliomasphere formation and enhanced cytotoxicity induced by temozolomide, the primary chemotherapeutic drug against GBM. The IC50 of temozolomide in the GBM cultures was significantly decreased in the presence of metformin. This combinatorial effect was further enhanced after LKB1 silencing, which at least partially, was due to increased apoptosis. The expression of genes involved in the maintenance of tumor stemness, such as growth factors and their receptors, including members of the platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) family, was suppressed after LKB1 silencing. The defect in gliomasphere growth caused by LKB1 silencing was bypassed after supplementing the cells with exogenous PFDGF‐BB. Our data support the parallel roles of LKB1 in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis, 3D‐gliomasphere survival, and hindering migration in GBM. Thus, the natural loss of, or pharmacological interference with LKB1 function, may be associated with benefits in patient survival but could result in tumor spread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: All animals and plants are, to some extent, susceptible to disease caused by varying combinations of parasites, viruses and bacteria. In this paper, we develop a mathematical model of contact spread infection to investigate the effect of introducing a parasitoid-vectored infection into a one-host–two-parasitoid competition model. We use a system of ordinary differential equations to investigate the separate influences of horizontal and vertical pathogen transmission on a model system appropriate for a variety of competitive situations. Computational simulations and steady-state analysis show that the transient and long-term dynamics exhibited under contact spread infection are highly complex. Horizontal pathogen transmission has a stabilising effect on the system whilst vertical transmission can destabilise it to the point of chaotic fluctuations in population levels. This has implications when considering the introduction of host pathogens for the control of insect vectored diseases such as bovine tuberculosis or yellow fever. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Heat waves generally hit the Sichuan Basin (SCB) in summer, especially in July and August. This study investigates the interannual variability of mid‐summer heat wave frequency (HWF) over the SCB. The leading mode of the SCB mid‐summer HWF, which explains 48% of the total variance, exhibits an uniform spatial pattern and an increasing trend. This leading pattern mainly dominated by two factors: the mid‐to‐upper‐level height anomalies over western Europe and tropical convection anomalies. On one hand, the mid‐level height anomalies over western Europe could affect the HWF over most parts of the SCB by inducing an eastward‐propagating atmospheric teleconnection wave train to northeastern Asia, which causes a northwestward shifted western North Pacific subtropical high, leading to significant subsidence anomalies over the SCB, hence induces less cloudiness and below‐normal precipitation in‐situ. Consequently, there are increased surface solar radiation and decreased soil moisture over the region, favouring the occurrence of HWs there. On the other hand, the enhanced Philippine Sea convection and suppressed tropical eastern Indian Ocean convection excite an anomalous lower‐tropospheric cyclone dominant over the western North Pacific and southern China, which could weaken the transport of water vapour from the tropic oceans to the northeastern SCB and then contributes to decreased precipitation, favouring a higher HWF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within ultra-deep tight sandstone gas reservoirs, natural fractures indicate significant effects on reservoir performance because they can serve as storage spaces for hydrocarbons and improve the permeability. Accurate prediction of natural fractures in ultra-deep reservoirs is critical to the exploration and development of tight gas in Keshen 2 Block of Kuqa Depression. In this study, several conventional logs are selected and the R/S analysis method is introduced to predict the development and distribution of natural fractures in ultra-deep tight sandstone reservoirs. Fracture development coefficient Q is calculated based on the second derivatives of lg(R/S) function and corresponding weight of each log parameter, which matches well with linear fracture density measured from image logs. There is a positive correlation between parameter Q and fracture density, higher Q values usually indicate larger fracture density. Factors causing mismatches between calculated parameter Q and fracture density are also analyzed. Fracture dip angle, fracture filling condition, vertical resolution of logs, multiple interpretations of conventional logs, and lateral detection difference between image and conventional logs may contribute to generate those false appearances. The results in this study are expected to provide new geological references for the exploration and development of ultra-deep tight gas in Keshen 2 Block of Kuqa Depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Joint angle and frequency estimation, one of the key technologies in wireless communication and radar science, has been extensively studied by scholars. For linear arrays, this paper proposes a joint angle and frequency estimation method based on covariance reconstruction and the estimation of signal parameters via rotational invariance techniques (CR-ESPRIT). We first use the received conjugate signal to reconstruct a covariance matrix. Then, we use the least squares-ESPRIT (LS-ESPRIT) algorithm to estimate the desired frequencies. Finally, we estimate the angles according to the reconstructed matrix. The proposed method can estimate signal parameters via automatic pairing and without an additional parameter pairing process under the condition of a uniform or a nonuniform array. Moreover, this method has high estimation accuracy, excellent and stable anti-noise performance, and strong algorithmic robustness. Through a computer simulation analysis, we can confirm the reliability and validity of the proposed parameter estimation method. A comparison with other methods further proves the performance advantages of the developed method. The method in this paper can be easily applied to many signal processing contexts, such as electronic reconnaissance and wireless communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidemiological evidence shows that diabetic patients are susceptible to high temperature weather, and brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity is closely related to type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Activation of BAT under cold stress helps improve T2DM. However, the impact of high temperature on the activity of BAT is still unclear. The study aimed to investigate the impact of heat stress on glucose and lipid metabolism in T2DM mice by influencing BAT activity. High-fat feeding and injecting streptozotocin (STZ) induced model of T2DM mice. All mice were randomly divided into three groups: a normal(N) group, a diabetes (DM) group and a heat stress diabetes (DMHS) group. The DMHS group received heat stress intervention for 3 days. Fasting blood glucose, fasting serum insulin and blood lipids were measured in all three groups. The activity of BAT was assessed by using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), electron microscopy, and PET CT. Furthermore, the UHPLC-Q-TOF MS technique was employed to perform metabolomics analysis of BAT on both DM group and DMHS group. The results of this study indicated that heat stress aggravated the dysregulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, exacerbated mitochondrial dysfunction in BAT and reduced the activity of BAT in T2DM mice. This may be related to the abnormal accumulation of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in the mitochondria of BAT. • Heat stress aggravates the glucolipid metabolic disorders in T2DM mice. • Heat stress reduces BAT activity and aggravates mitochondrial dysfunction. • Heat stress may lead to abnormal accumulation of BCAAs in BAT mitochondria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass aerogel is attractive in various applications due to their renewable, biodegradable and eco-friendly advantages. Herein, a novel beta molecular sieve/carboxymethyl cellulose/polyvinyl alcohol composite aerogel (beta/CP) is prepared by direct mixing and directional freeze-drying as an efficient gas adsorbent with hierarchical porosity. The beta molecular sieve is uniformly dispersed in the three-dimensional skeleton of the aerogel. By adjusting the loading mass of the beta molecular sieve to constitute a reasonable porosity and pore size distribution, the synergistic effect between pore structures of different scales improves the adsorption performance. The experiment results of beta/CP-4 show that the CH 4 adsorption capacity can reach 60.33 cm3/g at 298 K and 100 bar, which is almost the same as that of the pure beta molecular sieve (62.09 cm3/g). The strong interaction between the aerogel and it prevents the molecular sieve agglomeration, improves the pore utilization, and also reduces the cost of using molecular sieve adsorbent. The above results indicate that the composite has good potential for application in the field of CH 4 storage. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are one of the main harmful substances produced during the roasting of lamb. In this study, fluorescence hyperspectral imaging (FHSI) at different excitation wavelengths was used for the rapid determination of total PAHs (T-PAHs) content in roasted Tan lamb. Heterogeneous two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (H2D-COS) was performed to resolve the fluorescence hyperspectral peaks. Competitive adaptive reweighed sampling (CARS), uninformative variable elimination (UVE), variable combination population analysis (VCPA), iterative retained information variable (IRIV) and interval variable iterative spatial shrinkage analysis (iVISSA) methods were employed to extract effective wavelengths to reduce data dimensionality. Partial least squares regression (PLSR), least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM) and convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithms were used to develop the T-PAHs content prediction model. For the FHSI at 357 nm excitation wavelength, the Smoothing-CARS-PLSR quantitative prediction model worked the best, with R C 2 and R P 2 reaching 0.9011 and 0.9169, and RMSEC and RMSEP reaching 0.0179 mg/kg and 0.0181 mg/kg, respectively. For the FHSI at 452 nm excitation wavelength, Smoothing-VCPA-CNN showed the best results, with R C 2 and R P 2 of 0.9199 and 0.9189, and RMSEC and RMSEP reaching 0.0175 mg/kg and 0.0171 mg/kg, respectively. This study provided a reference for the quantitative detection of PAHs. • FHSI was used for the rapid determination of total PAHs content in roasted Tan lamb. • The fluorescence peaks at different excitation wavelengths were investigated. • H2D-COS was performed to resolve the fluorescence hyperspectral peaks. • CNN algorithms were optimum for develop the total PAHs content prediction model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]