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Stimuli responsive soft actuators have gained significant interest in recent years due to their ability to move spontaneously and continuously without the need for additional energy supply. Moreover, these soft actuators possess unique advantages such as flexibility, contactless operation, and remote control, making them suitable for various technological applications ranging from bionic robotics to biomimetic devices. These features make them promising for a wide range of applications in everyday life, industries, the environment, and beyond. Due to their unique composition and structure, MXene materials exhibit a diverse range of properties including good electrical and thermal conductivity and magnetic, optical, thermal and mechanical responses. As a result, MXene materials have become attractive candidates for high-performance stimuli responsive actuators and have received extensive attention from researchers in various fields. In this review, we summarize recent advancements in MXene-based responsive actuators, focusing on multiple driving schemes such as electrical, electro-thermal, electro-chemical, magnetic, moisture, solvent, light, pressure, pH, and multi-complex systems. In addition, the performance of some other material-based responsive actuators, e.g., carbon materials, hydrogels, liquid crystals, and dielectric elastomers, are compared, and the potential opportunities and challenges are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direct trifluoromethylthiolation of terminal alkynes is an important strategy for accessing CF3S-containing compounds. Herein, we report a direct trifluoromethylthiolation reaction of various terminal alkynes employing a new hypervalent trifluoromethylthio-iodine(III) reagent TFTI in a fluorinated alcohol, either 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) or perfluoro-tert-butanol (PFTB). The reaction mechanism is proposed on the basis of experiments and DFT calculations. The sustainability of TFTI and the recovery of PFTB make the reaction environmentally friendly. And, the protocol was found to be an excellent one in the context of green chemistry based on green chemistry metrics evaluation and EcoScale score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent research paper published in Journal of Cell Biology by Chen and colleagues describes a novel mechanism by which the MAM (Mitochondrial-associated endoplasmic reticulum membrane) protein FUNDC1 (FUN14 domain-containing protein 1) regulates mitochondrial division through altered protein post-translational modifications under hypoxic stress. The authors found that in a hypoxic environment, the endoplasmic reticulum-localized deubiquitinating enzyme USP19 accumulates at the MAM and interacts with the enriched mitochondrial outer membrane protein FUNDC1, which subsequently induces its deubiquitination and promotes the oligomerization and activity of DRP1, and mitochondria eventually divide in the presence of DRP1. This article provides new insights into the regulation of mitochondrial dynamics by FUNDC1 under hypoxic condition.

The 52307 working face with large mining height in Daliuta coal mine is chosen as the research background, where there is the special mining condition in the overburden structure with a buried depth of more than 150 m and only one layer of key structure in Shendong mining area. Using the methods of similarity simulation experiment and theoretical analysis, the overburden movement law based on the arch mechanical model of plane contact block is systematically researched. The research results indicate that before the initial weight, the main key layer appears layered fracture in the mining process, and its lower rock layer becomes a part of the collapse zone. Before the initial weight, the upper key layer forms a “fixed supported beam” structure. When the beam reaches the limit length, shear failure occurs in the middle position; during the periodic weight, the upper key layer breaks into the plane contact block arch structure close to the same size. Relying on the friction between the contact planes, it has a certain displacement but does not collapse completely. The load transmitted from overburden is transmitted to the rear of the gob through the semiarch characteristics of the structure; the sliding instability and rotary deformation instability of the plane contact block arch structure are analyzed. The fracture of the key layer lags behind the mining position of the working face by a certain distance, due to the influence of the fracture angle of collapse zone in the advancing process of working face. The research results provide an important guiding significance for prediction and prevention for dynamic disaster of rock strata in working face with large mining height.

BackgroundHormones and immune imbalance are critical factors in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The alternation of immune microenvironment of oocytes may play a significant role in infertility of PCOS patients.ObjectiveThis study explores the role of follicular fluid microenvironment change in inflammatory pathways activation of granulosa cells (GCs) in PCOS women infertility.MethodsWe enrolled 27 PCOS patients and 30 controls aged 22 to 38 years who underwent IVF and collected their luteinized granulosa cells (LGCs). Meanwhile, a granulosa-like tumor cell line (KGN) as a cell-model assisted this study. Key inflammatory markers in human ovarian GCs and follicular fluid were detected by RT-qPCR, Western blotting, or ELISA. The KGN cells were treated with follicle supernatant mixed with normal medium to simulate the microenvironment of GCs in PCOS patients, and the inflammation indicators were observed. The assembly of NLRP3 inflammasomes was detected by immunofluorescence techniques. Dihydroethidium assay and EdU proliferation assay were used to detect ROS and cell proliferation by flow cytometry.ResultsCompared with normal controls (n = 19), IL-1β (P = 0.0005) and IL-18 (P = 0.021) in the follicular fluid of PCOS patients (n = 20) were significantly increased. The NF-κB pathway was activated, and NLRP3 inflammasome was formatted in ovarian GCs of PCOS patients. We also found that inflammation of KGN cells was activated with LPS irritation or stimulated by follicular fluid from PCOS patients. Finally, we found that intracellular inflammation process damaged mitochondrial structure and function, which induced oxidative stress, affected cellular metabolism, and impaired cell proliferation.ConclusionInflammatory microenvironment alteration in the follicular fluid of PCOS patients leads to activated inflammatory pathway in GCs, serving as a crucial factor that causes adverse symptoms in patients. This study provides a novel mechanism in the inflammatory process of PCOS.

In the past years, human computer interaction (HCI) research and innovation have developed substantially, leading to a number of fruitful research topics. In this paper, we surveyed the HCI research and innovation in China from a 10-year perspective. We analyzed the popular research methodology and topics among Chinese researchers, including human modeling, user interface techniques, context awareness, user acceptance and performance, user experience design, human-AI interaction, HCI applications and social influences. We also conducted a bibliography analysis on the published papers in top-tier conferences and journals, which revealed a significant rising trend, and a generally broad distribution of research types. Moreover, we described typical applications and the industry influence of the research outcomes. We concluded with implications and reflections for HCI researchers across the world and shared the future research trends envisioned by Chinese researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the influence of gas pressure on the mechanics, permeability, and energy evolution of gas-bearing composite coal is helpful to better understand the formation process and prevention measures of gasdynamic disasters. In this paper, true triaxial mechanical-permeability tests are carried out on the gas-bearing composite coal rock under different gas pressures, focusing on the influence of gas pressure on the mechanics, permeability, and energy response characteristics of the composite coal rock, and a damage constitutive model based on energy dissipation is established. The results show that increasing the gas pressure decreases the load bearing capacity, strain, pre-peak relative permeability, and deformation capacity of the sample. The greater the gas pressure is, the greater the relative permeability decreases and the greater the post-peak relative permeability increases. The gas pressure has a great influence on the energy of the sample. The elastic strain energy ratio (Ue/U) increases with the increase in gas pressure, and the dissipative energy ratio (Ud/U) decreases with the increase in gas pressure. The coal-rock composite constitutive model based on energy dissipation is in good agreement with the experimental curves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]