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Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common disease caused by reflux of gastric contents to the esophagus. Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are recommended as a first-line therapy to treat GERD. Recently, the potassium-competitive acid inhibitors have been increasingly in use in clinical practice. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of P-CABs in GERD. We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE and Web Of Science for publications regarding randomized controlled trials comparing potassium-competitive acid inhibitors to PPI monotherapy or Placebo with respect to efficacy and safety in GERD (until April 2023). The primary outcome was an absence or global symptom improvement and the incidence of adverse events in GERD. The quality of the included literature was assessed using the bias assessment tool recommended in the Cochrane Systematic Assessor's Handbook 5.1.0. We use RevMan 5.3 software for Meta-analysis, sensitivity analysis and publication bias analysis. Of the 991 screened studies, 14 studies including 4868 participants were analyzed. The ORs for the healing rates of GERD with P-CABs versus PPI/Placebo were 2.10 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.53–2.88), additionally, 1.09 (95% CI 1.05–1.14), 1.03 (95% CI 1.00–1.06) and 1.03 (95% CI 0.99-1.06) in Weeks 2, 4, and 8, respectively. The effectiveness rate of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group (RR 1.73; 95% CI 1.27–2.36). The overall OR of Incidence of adverse events with P-CABs versus PPI/Placebo was 1.08 (95% CI 0.88–1.12). Overall, the risk of bias was low to some concerns. Furthermore, sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the study's conclusion. Our findings suggest that potassium-competitive acid inhibitors is non-inferior to PPIs as therapy for patients with GERD. The safety outcomes for potassium-competitive acid inhibitors are similar to those for PPIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, 2(3),9(10),16(17),23(24)-octamethoxyphthalocyanine (Pc(OH)8) was first used to modify Cu/CuFe2O4(Cu/CFO) nanospheres, and Pc(OH)8–Cu/CFO nanocomposites with enhanced peroxidase mimetic enzyme activity was obtained compared to the performance of Cu/CFO alone. SEM, XRD, and XPS were used to study the surface morphology, phase composition and elemental analysis of the newly synthesized Pc(OH)8–Cu/CFO. Using TMB as the chromogenic substrate, Pc(OH)8–Cu/CFO accelerate the oxidation process of chromogenic substrate 3,3′,5,5′- tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) by hydrogen peroxide in three minutes. The catalytic oxidation mechanism of Pc(OH)8–Cu/CFO on TMB was comprehensively investigated through free radical and fluorescence probe experiments. Based on the excellent catalytic performance of the composite materials, a simple and fast colorimetric sensing platform for the colorimetric detection of H2O2 and glutathione (GSH) was constructed in the range of 0.6–5 mM and 2–10 μM with detection limits (LODs) of 0.35 mM and 0.55 μM, respectively. In addition, using Pc(OH)8–Cu/CFO colorimetric detection for GSH has a lower detection limit, good selectivity and high sensitivity, which is expected to become an ideal material for GSH colorimetric detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microenvironment engineering strategy has been developed to switch the CO2 electroreduction reaction (CO2RR) selectivity from methane (CH4) to ethylene (C2H4) by adjusting the coordination microstructures of trinuclear copper cluster‐based metal‐covalent organic framework (MCOF). When Cu sites are oriented to channels in Cu‐PyCA‐MCOF, methane is the main product. Conversely, when trinuclear copper sites are coordinated with OH− and H2O molecules in Cu‐PyCAOH‐MCOF nanosheets, the main product switches from CH4 to C2H4 with 50.5% selectivity and 200.2 mA cm− partial current density at −1.2 V (vs RHE). This happens because CO2 molecules can only contact active sites perpendicular to the trinuclear copper cluster plane in Cu‐PyCAOH‐MCOF nanosheets, where the Cu─Cu distance between them is 3.2 Å, favoring the efficient conversion of CO2 to C2H4 through the C─C coupling reaction. Operando infrared spectroscopy, in situ X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure spectra, and DFT calculations reveal that changing the coordination environments of MCOFs significantly stabilizes key intermediates and reduces the energies of the CO2RR. This work offers an effective strategy for enhancing CO2RR performance toward C2H4 products by tuning the microenvironments of copper‐based electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral poisoning can trigger diverse physiological reactions, determined by the toxic substance involved. One such consequence is hyperchloremia, characterized by an elevated level of chloride in the blood and leads to kidney damage and impairing chloride ion regulation. Here, we conducted a comprehensive genome-wide analysis to investigate genes or proteins linked to hyperchloremia. Our analysis included functional enrichment, protein–protein interactions, gene expression, exploration of molecular pathways, and the identification of potential shared genetic factors contributing to the development of hyperchloremia. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that oral poisoning owing hyperchloremia is associated with 4 proteins e.g. Kelch-like protein 3, Serine/threonine-protein kinase WNK4, Serine/threonine-protein kinase WNK1 and Cullin-3. The protein–protein interaction network revealed Cullin-3 as an exceptional protein, displaying a maximum connection of 18 nodes. Insufficient data from transcriptomic analysis indicates that there are lack of information having direct associations between these proteins and human-related functions to oral poisoning, hyperchloremia, or metabolic acidosis. The metabolic pathway of Cullin-3 protein revealed that the derivative is Sulfonamide which play role in, increasing urine output, and metabolic acidosis resulted in hypertension. Based on molecular docking results analysis it found that Cullin-3 proteins has the lowest binding energies score and being suitable proteins. Moreover, no major variations were observed in unbound Cullin-3 and all three peptide bound complexes shows that all systems remain compact during 50 ns simulations. The results of our study revealed Cullin-3 proteins be a strong foundation for the development of potential drug targets or biomarker for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we propose an oxygen‐containing species coordination strategy to boost CO2 electroreduction in the presence of O2. A two‐dimensional (2D) conjugated metal‐covalent organic framework (MCOF), denoted as NiPc‐Salen(Co)2‐COF that is composed of the Ni‐phthalocyanine (NiPc) unit with well‐defined Ni−N4−O sites and the salen(Co)2 moiety with binuclear Co−N2O2 sites, is developed and synthesized for enhancing the CO2RR under aerobic condition. In the presence of O2, one of the Co sites in the NiPc‐Salen(Co)2‐COF that coordinated with the intermediate of *OOH from ORR could decrease the energy barrier of the activation of CO2 molecules and stabilize the key intermediate *COOH of the CO2RR over the adjacent Co center. Besides, the oxygen species axially coordinated Ni−N4−O sites can favor in reducing the energy barrier of the intermediate *COOH formation for the CO2RR. Thus, NiPc‐Salen(Co)2‐COF exhibits high oxygen‐tolerant CO2RR performance and achieves outstanding CO Faradaic efficiency (FECO) of 97.2 % at −1.0 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) and a high CO partial current density of 40.3 mA cm−2 at −1.1 V in the presence of 0.5 % O2, which is superior to that in pure CO2 feed gas (FECO=94.8 %, jCO=19.9 mA cm−2). Notably, the NiPc‐Salen(Co)2‐COF achieves an industrial‐level current density of 128.3 mA cm−2 in the flow‐cell reactor with 0.5 % O2 at −0.8 V, which is higher than that in pure CO2 atmosphere (jCO=104.8 mA cm−2). It is worth noting that an excellent FECO of 86.8 % is still achieved in the presence of 5 % O2 at −1.0 V. This work provides an effective strategy to enable the CO2RR under O2 atmosphere by utilizing the *OOH intermediates of ORR to boost CO2 electroreduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we propose an oxygen‐containing species coordination strategy to boost CO2 electroreduction in the presence of O2. A two‐dimensional (2D) conjugated metal‐covalent organic framework (MCOF), denoted as NiPc‐Salen(Co)2‐COF that is composed of the Ni‐phthalocyanine (NiPc) unit with well‐defined Ni−N4−O sites and the salen(Co)2 moiety with binuclear Co−N2O2 sites, is developed and synthesized for enhancing the CO2RR under aerobic condition. In the presence of O2, one of the Co sites in the NiPc‐Salen(Co)2‐COF that coordinated with the intermediate of *OOH from ORR could decrease the energy barrier of the activation of CO2 molecules and stabilize the key intermediate *COOH of the CO2RR over the adjacent Co center. Besides, the oxygen species axially coordinated Ni−N4−O sites can favor in reducing the energy barrier of the intermediate *COOH formation for the CO2RR. Thus, NiPc‐Salen(Co)2‐COF exhibits high oxygen‐tolerant CO2RR performance and achieves outstanding CO Faradaic efficiency (FECO) of 97.2 % at −1.0 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) and a high CO partial current density of 40.3 mA cm−2 at −1.1 V in the presence of 0.5 % O2, which is superior to that in pure CO2 feed gas (FECO=94.8 %, jCO=19.9 mA cm−2). Notably, the NiPc‐Salen(Co)2‐COF achieves an industrial‐level current density of 128.3 mA cm−2 in the flow‐cell reactor with 0.5 % O2 at −0.8 V, which is higher than that in pure CO2 atmosphere (jCO=104.8 mA cm−2). It is worth noting that an excellent FECO of 86.8 % is still achieved in the presence of 5 % O2 at −1.0 V. This work provides an effective strategy to enable the CO2RR under O2 atmosphere by utilizing the *OOH intermediates of ORR to boost CO2 electroreduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have indicated a connection between psychiatric symptoms, specifically anxiety and depression, and gastroesophageal reflux. However, the precise nature of the link between the severity of gastroesophageal reflux disease and the severity of anxiety and depression remains uncertain. Here, we gathered 24-h pH monitoring data and baseline patient information from a cohort of 518 individuals. Additionally, we evaluated their psychological well-being using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The relationship between baseline characteristics and varying degrees of anxiety, depression, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was assessed using R software version 4.1.3 and logistic regression models. The findings indicate a statistically significant variation in anxiety levels based on gender, as well as a significant disparity in depression groups when considering age and literacy levels. Kruskal–Wallis test analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between the severity of anxiety and depression and the 24-h pH monitoring results in our patient cohort. As the anxiety and depression levels increased, the rank mean for each examination result also increased. Logistic regression modeling analysis showed that a higher anxiety level was associated with a higher level of GERD. In the presence of mild anxiety, there is a statistically significant association with a higher incidence of GERD with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.64 (95% CI 1.50, 4.64). Similarly, the moderately severe anxiety group also exhibits a causal relationship with an increased GERD incidence, with an OR of 6.84 (95% CI 3.92, 12.17). Additionally, moderate to severe depression is associated with a higher incidence of GERD, with an OR of 2.32 (95% CI 1.23, 4.37). The prevalence of GERD was greater among males compared to females (OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.51–3.49). Additionally, an elevated body mass index (BMI) demonstrated a positive correlation with the susceptibility to GERD (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01–1.14). Increasing age may promote the occurrence of GERD in patients. These findings may help to provide a better basis for psychological or pharmacological interventions for GERD patients with psychosomatic symptoms in the future, and provide a reference basis for clinical treatment of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: WeChat-based education and care program serves as a promising nursing method for relieving mental stress in parents of pediatric patients. This study purposed to explore the influence of the WeChat education and care program (WECP) on mental health, insomnia, and general state of health in parents of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. Methods: Totally, 146 parents of 73 primary pediatric ALL patients were randomized into the WECP group (74 parents of 37 patients) and standard care (SC) group (72 parents of 36 patients) to receive a 6-month corresponding intervention. Self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), self-rating depression scale (SDS), Athens insomnia scale (AIS), and 12-item general health questionnaire (GHQ-12) were assessed in parents of patients. Results: SAS scores at the third month (M3) (P = 0.041) and M6 (P = 0.032) were reduced in WECP group versus SC group. SAS-defined anxiety rate at M6 (P = 0.035) was declined in WECP group versus SC group. SDS score at M6 was descended in WECP group versus SC group (P = 0.024). However, there was no discrepancy in SDS-defined depression rate at any time point between groups (all P > 0.05). AIS scores at M1 (P = 0.015) and M6 (P = 0.021), as well as GHQ-12 scores at M3 (P = 0.007) and M6 (P = 0.001) were decreased in WECP group versus SC group. By subgroup analyses, WECP exhibited good effects at M6 in mothers, but not in fathers. Conclusion: WECP is a feasible and efficacy intervention to improve mental stress and health status among parents of pediatric ALL patients, especially in mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scrub typhus may be one of the world’s most prevalent, neglected and serious, but easily treatable, febrile diseases. It has become a significant potential threat to public health in China. In this study we used national disease surveillance data to analyze the incidence and spatial–temporal distribution of scrub typhus in mainland China during 1952–1989 and 2006–2018. Descriptive epidemiological methods and spatial–temporal epidemiological methods were used to investigate the epidemiological trends and identify high-risk regions of scrub typhus infection. Over the 51-year period, a total of 182,991 cases and 186 deaths were notified. The average annual incidence was 0.13 cases/100,000 population during 1952–1989. The incidence increased sharply from 0.09/100,000 population in 2006 to 1.93/100,000 population in 2018 and then exponentially increased after 2006. The incidence was significantly higher in females than males (χ2 = 426.32, P < 0.001). Farmers had a higher incidence of scrub typhus than non-farmers (χ2 = 684.58, P < 0.001). The majority of cases each year were reported between July and November with peak incidence occurring during October each year. The trend surface analysis showed that the incidence of scrub typhus increased gradually from north to south, and from east and west to the central area. The spatial autocorrelation analysis showed that a spatial positive correlation existed in the prevalence of scrub typhus on a national scale, which had the characteristic of aggregated distribution (I = 0.533, P < 0.05). LISA analysis showed hotspots (High–High) were primarily located in the southern and southwestern provinces of China with the geographical area expanding annually. These findings provide scientific evidence for the surveillance and control of scrub typhus which may contribute to targeted strategies and measures for the government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary restriction (DR), including caloric restriction (CR), intermittent fasting (IF), and restriction of specific food compositions, can delay aging, and the main mechanisms include regulation of nutrient-sensing pathways and gut microbiota. However, the effects of DR regimens on longevity remain controversial, as some studies have demonstrated that IF, rather than CR or diet composition, influences longevity, while other studies have shown that the restricted-carbohydrate or -protein diets, rather than CR, determine health and longevity. Many factors, including DR-related factors (carbohydrate or protein composition, degree and duration of DR), and individual differences (health status, sex, genotype, and age of starting DR), would be used to explain the controversial anti-aging effects of DR, thus highlighting the necessity of precise DR intervention for anti-aging. Personalized DR intervention in humans is challenging because of the lack of accurate aging molecular biomarkers and vast individual variability. Using machine learning to build a predictive model based on the data set of clinical features, gut microbiome and metabolome, may be a good method to achieve precise DR intervention. Therefore, this review analyzed the anti-aging effects of various DR regimens, summarized their mechanisms and influencing factors, and proposed a future research direction for achieving personalized DR regimens for slowing aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that have become a global health burden. Studies have revealed that Latilactobacillus sakei can effectively alleviate various immune diseases, including colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and metabolic disorders. Here, we obtained 72 strains of L. sakei from 120 fermentation and fecal samples across China. In total, 16 strains from different sources were initially screened in an in vitro Caco‐2 model induced by dextran sulfate sodium. Subsequently, six strains (four exhibiting effectiveness and two exhibiting ineffectiveness) were selected for further validation in an in vivo colitis mouse model. The results demonstrated that L. sakei strains exhibited varying degrees of amelioration of the colitis disease process. Notably, L. sakei CCFM1267, the most effective strain, significantly restored colon length and tight‐junction protein expression, and reduced the levels of cytokines and associated inflammatory enzymes. Moreover, L. sakei CCFM1267 upregulated the abundance of Enterorhabdus, Alloprevotella, and Roseburia, leading to increased levels of acetic acid and propionic acid. Conversely, the other four strains (L. sakei QJSSZ1L4, QJSSZ4L10, QGZZYRHMT1L6, and QGZZYRHMT2L6) only exhibited a partial remission effect, while L. sakei QJSNT1L10 displayed minimal impact. Therefore, L. sakei CCFM1267 and QJSNT1L10 were selected for further exploration of the mechanisms underlying their differential mitigating effects. Comparative genomics analysis revealed significant variations between the two strains, particularly in genes associated with carbohydrate‐active enzymes, such as the glycoside hydrolase family, which potentially contribute to the diverse profiles of short‐chain fatty acids in vivo. Additionally, metabolome analysis demonstrated that acetylcholine and indole‐3‐acetic acid were the main differentiating metabolites of the two strains. Therefore, the strains of L. sakei exhibited varying degrees of effectiveness in alleviating IBD‐related symptoms, and the possible reasons for these variations were attributed to discrepancies in the carbohydrate‐active enzymes and metabolites among the strains. Highlights: Intraspecific variations of Latilactobacillus sakei have been observed in their impacts on inflammatory bowel disease in both in vitro and in vivo models.Differences in the carbohydrate‐active enzymes of L. sakei may exert an indirect influence on the gut microbiota, consequently exerting a more pronounced effect on the short‐chain fatty acids, leading to variations in the degree of remission.On the basis of the metabolomic profile of L. sakei strains, it was found that acetylcholine and indole‐3‐acetic acid were tentatively identified as key substances that may contribute to the variations in their therapeutic efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an effective highest occupied d‐orbital modulation strategy engendered by breaking the coordination symmetry of sites in the atomically precise Cu nanocluster (NC) to switch the product of CO2 electroreduction from HCOOH/CO to higher‐valued hydrocarbons. An atomically well‐defined Cu6 NC with symmetry‐broken Cu−S2N1 active sites (named Cu6(MBD)6, MBD=2‐mercaptobenzimidazole) was designed and synthesized by a judicious choice of ligand containing both S and N coordination atoms. Different from the previously reported high HCOOH selectivity of Cu NCs with Cu−S3 sites, the Cu6(MBD)6 with Cu−S2N1 coordination structure shows a high Faradaic efficiency toward hydrocarbons of 65.5 % at −1.4 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (including 42.5 % CH4 and 23 % C2H4), with the hydrocarbons partial current density of −183.4 mA cm−2. Theoretical calculations reveal that the symmetry‐broken Cu−S2N1 sites can rearrange the Cu 3d orbitals with dx2-y2 ${d_{x^2 - y^2 } }$ as the highest occupied d‐orbital, thus favoring the generation of key intermediate *COOH instead of *OCHO to favor *CO formation, followed by hydrogenation and/or C−C coupling to produce hydrocarbons. This is the first attempt to regulate the coordination mode of Cu atom in Cu NCs for hydrocarbons generation, and provides new inspiration for designing atomically precise NCs for efficient CO2RR towards highly‐valued products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an effective highest occupied d‐orbital modulation strategy engendered by breaking the coordination symmetry of sites in the atomically precise Cu nanocluster (NC) to switch the product of CO2 electroreduction from HCOOH/CO to higher‐valued hydrocarbons. An atomically well‐defined Cu6 NC with symmetry‐broken Cu−S2N1 active sites (named Cu6(MBD)6, MBD=2‐mercaptobenzimidazole) was designed and synthesized by a judicious choice of ligand containing both S and N coordination atoms. Different from the previously reported high HCOOH selectivity of Cu NCs with Cu−S3 sites, the Cu6(MBD)6 with Cu−S2N1 coordination structure shows a high Faradaic efficiency toward hydrocarbons of 65.5 % at −1.4 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (including 42.5 % CH4 and 23 % C2H4), with the hydrocarbons partial current density of −183.4 mA cm−2. Theoretical calculations reveal that the symmetry‐broken Cu−S2N1 sites can rearrange the Cu 3d orbitals with dx2-y2 ${d_{x^2 - y^2 } }$ as the highest occupied d‐orbital, thus favoring the generation of key intermediate *COOH instead of *OCHO to favor *CO formation, followed by hydrogenation and/or C−C coupling to produce hydrocarbons. This is the first attempt to regulate the coordination mode of Cu atom in Cu NCs for hydrocarbons generation, and provides new inspiration for designing atomically precise NCs for efficient CO2RR towards highly‐valued products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: FIGO 2018 IIIC remains controversial for the heterogeneity of its prognoses. To ensure a better management of cervical cancer patients in Stage IIIC, a revision of the FIGO IIIC version classification is required according to local tumor size. Material and methods: We retrospectively enrolled cervical cancer patients of FIGO 2018 Stages I–IIIC who had undergone radical surgery or chemoradiotherapy. Based on the tumor factors from the Tumor Node Metastasis staging system, IIIC cases were divided into IIIC‐T1, IIIC‐T2a, IIIC‐T2b, and IIIC‐(T3a+T3b). Oncologcial outcomes of all stages were compared. Results: A total of 63 926 cervical cancer cases were identified, among which 9452 fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in this study. Kaplan–Meier pairwise analysis showed that: the oncology outcomes of I and IIA were significantly better than of IIB, IIIA+IIIB, and IIIC; the oncology outcome of IIIC‐(T1‐T2b) was significantly better than of IIIA+IIIB and IIIC‐(T3a+T3b); no significant difference was noted between IIB and IIIC‐(T1‐T2b), or IIIC‐(T3a+T3b) and IIIA+IIIB. Multivariate analysis indicated that, compared with IIIC‐T1, Stages T2a, T2b, IIIA+IIIB and IIIC‐(T3a+T3b) were associated with a higher risk of death and recurrence/death. There was no significant difference in the risk of death or recurrence/death between patients with IIIC‐(T1‐T2b) and IIB. Also, compared with IIB, IIIC‐(T3a+T3b) was associated with a higher risk of death and recurrence/death. No significant differences in the risk of death and recurrence/death were noted between IIIC‐(T3a+T3b) and IIIA+IIIB. Conclusions: In terms of oncology outcomes of the study, FIGO 2018 Stage IIIC of cervical cancer is unreasonable. Stages IIIC‐T1, T2a, and T2b may be integrated as IIC, and it might be unnecessary for T3a/T3b cases to be subdivided by lymph node status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing a 3D lithium metal anode has been demonstrated to be the most effective strategy to address its dendrite issue in liquid batteries. However, this promising approach has proved challenging to inherit in all‐solid‐state Li metal batteries (ASSLMBs) because of the rigidity of inorganic solid electrolytes (SEs), which constrains interfacial solid–solid ionic contact. Herein, a 3D Li anode is in situ constructed for ASSLMBs by spontaneous chemical reactions between halide SEs and Li metal. The in situ formed Li–Al alloys and well‐maintained sulfide SEs inside the 3D structure serve as continuous electron and Li+ transport pathways and facilitate the homogenous distribution of charge carriers. The lithiophilic Li alloy can regulate Li deposition behavior and enable uniform Li nucleation and deposition. Both the Li||Li symmetric and full batteries exhibit good electrochemical performance at high current density. This work provides a universal strategy and new insight perspective to construct 3D Li for high‐performance ASSLMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Circular RNAs are implicated in modulating the progression of various malignant tumors. However, the function and underlying mechanisms of circ_0005615 in multiple myeloma (MM) remain unclear. Methods: The expression levels of circ_0005615, miR-331-3p and IGF1R were tested by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction or western blot assay. Cell counting kit-8 and 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay were performed for cell proliferation detection. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle were measured by flow cytometry. The protein expressions of Bax and Bcl-2 were detected by western blot assay. Glucose consumption, lactate production and ATP/ADP ratios were estimated to disclose cell glycolysis. The interaction relationship among miR-331-3p and circ_0005615 or IGF1R was proved by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Results: The abundance of circ_0005615 and IGF1R was increased in MM patients and cells, while the expression of miR-331-3p was decreased. Circ_0005615 inhibition retarded the proliferation and cell cycle progression, while reinforced the apoptosis of MM cells. Molecularly, circ_0005615 could sponge miR-331-3p, and the repressive trends of circ_0005615 deficiency on MM progression could be alleviated by anti-miR-331-3p introduction. Additionally, IGF1R was validated to be targeted by miR-331-3p, and IGF1R overexpression mitigated the suppressive function of miR-331-3p on MM development. Furthermore, IGF1R was mediated by circ_0005615/miR-331-3p axis in MM cells. Conclusion: Circ_0005615 downregulation blocked MM development by targeting miR-331-3p/IGF1R axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the great interest in carborane-containing molecules, there is a lack of literature on the generation of central chiralities, via catalytic asymmetric transformations using prochiral carboranyl substrates. Herein, we have synthesized novel optically active icosahedral carborane-containing diols via Sharpless catalytic asymmetric dihydroxylation of carborane-derived alkenes, under mild conditions. The reaction showed a good substrate scope with 74–94% yields and 92–>99% ee. This synthetic approach facilitated the creation of two adjacent stereocenters respectively located at the α,β-position of o-carborane cage carbon, with a single syn-diastereoisomer. In addition, the obtained chiral carborane-containing diol product can be transformed to cyclic sulfate and can subsequently undergo a nucleophilic substitution and reduction to obtain the unexpected nido-carboranyl derivatives of chiral amino alcohols in the form of zwitterions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the penetration and cratering effect of reactive material composite jets, a series of experiments are carried out for the shaped charge (SC) with different composite liners damaging steel targets. The inner layer of composite liners is metal and the outer one is a polytetrafluoroethylene/aluminum (PTFE/Al) reactive material. Copper (Cu), titanium (Ti) and Al inner liners are used in this paper. The reactive material liner is composed of 73.5 wt.% PTFE and 26.5 wt.% Al powder through mass-matched ratios. Reactive material composite liners are prepared through machining, cold pressing and a sintering process. The SC mainly consists of a case, a composite liner, high-energy explosive and an initiator. The steel target is steel 45#, with a thickness of 66 mm. A standoff of 1.0 CD (charge diameter) is selected to conduct the penetration experiments. The experimental results show that when the inner layer of the composite liner is composed of Ti and Al, the hole diameters on the steel target formed by the reactive material composite jet are significantly larger than that of the inner Cu liner. By introducing the initiation delay time (τ) and detonation-like reaction model of PTFE/Al reactive materials, an integrated numerical simulation algorithm of the penetration and detonation-like effects of reactive material composite jets is realized. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the initial penetration holes on the steel targets are enlarged under the detonation-like effects of PTFE/Al reactive materials, and the simulated perforation sizes are in good agreement with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of different nuclear thermometers on studying symmetry energy are presented in sub-saturated density using the isospin-dependent quantum molecular dynamics model. Nuclear temperatures are found to depend on the symmetry energy. However, using different nuclear thermometers the symmetry energy dependence of the nuclear temperatures varies. Using the thermometer based on kinetic energy properties, the nuclear temperatures are higher for soft symmetry energy. The symmetry energy dependence is opposite for the isotope ratio thermometer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the first example of charged imidazolium functionalized porphyrin‐based covalent organic framework (Co‐iBFBim‐COF‐X) for electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction, where the free anions (e.g. F−, Cl−, Br−, and I−) of imidazolium ions nearby the active Co sites can stabilize the key intermediate *COOH and inhibit hydrogen evolution reaction. Thus, Co‐iBFBim‐COF‐X exhibits higher activity than the neutral Co‐BFBim‐COF, following the trend of F−

We present the first example of charged imidazolium functionalized porphyrin‐based covalent organic framework (Co‐iBFBim‐COF‐X) for electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction, where the free anions (e.g. F−, Cl−, Br−, and I−) of imidazolium ions nearby the active Co sites can stabilize the key intermediate *COOH and inhibit hydrogen evolution reaction. Thus, Co‐iBFBim‐COF‐X exhibits higher activity than the neutral Co‐BFBim‐COF, following the trend of F−

Free N‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) are generally prepared by treatment of imidazolium precursors with strong alkali reagents, which usually produces inactive NHC dimers. This treatment would destroy porous supports and thus make supported NHC catalysts difficult to recovery and reuse. Herein, we report the first stable CO2‐masked N‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) grafted on a porous crystalline covalent organic framework (COF). The stable NHC‐CO2 moieties in the COF‐NHC‐CO2 could be transformed in situ into isolated NHCs by heating, which exhibit superior catalytic performances in hydrosilylation and N‐formylation reactions with CO2. The NHC sites can reversibly form NHC‐CO2 and thus can be easily recycled and reused while maintaining excellent catalytic activity. Density functional theory calculations revealed that NHC sites can be fully exposed after removal of CO2‐masks and rapidly react with silanes, which endows COF‐NHC with high catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free N‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) are generally prepared by treatment of imidazolium precursors with strong alkali reagents, which usually produces inactive NHC dimers. This treatment would destroy porous supports and thus make supported NHC catalysts difficult to recovery and reuse. Herein, we report the first stable CO2‐masked N‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) grafted on a porous crystalline covalent organic framework (COF). The stable NHC‐CO2 moieties in the COF‐NHC‐CO2 could be transformed in situ into isolated NHCs by heating, which exhibit superior catalytic performances in hydrosilylation and N‐formylation reactions with CO2. The NHC sites can reversibly form NHC‐CO2 and thus can be easily recycled and reused while maintaining excellent catalytic activity. Density functional theory calculations revealed that NHC sites can be fully exposed after removal of CO2‐masks and rapidly react with silanes, which endows COF‐NHC with high catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we analyze the semileptonic decay processes of Λ b → Λ c in the light-cone sum rule approach. In order to calculate the form factors of the Λ b baryon transition matrix element, we use the light-cone distribution amplitudes of Λ b obtained from the QCD sum rule in the heavy quark effective field theory framework. With the calculation of the six form factors of the Λ b → Λ c transition matrix element, the differential decay widths of Λ b 0 → Λ c + ℓ - ν ¯ ℓ (ℓ = e , μ , τ) and their absolute branching fractions are obtained. Additionally, the ratio of R (Λ c +) ≡ B r (Λ b 0 → Λ c + τ - ν ¯ τ) / B r (Λ b 0 → Λ c + μ - ν ¯ μ) is also obtained in this work. Our results are in accord with the newest experimental result and other theoretical calculations and predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rational synthesis of hydrogen‐bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) with predicted structure has been a long‐term challenge. Herein, by using the efficient, simple, low‐cost, and scalable mechanosynthesis, we demonstrate that reticular chemistry is applicable to HOF assemblies based on building blocks with different geometry, connectivity, and functionality. The obtained crystalline HOFs show uniform nano‐sized morphology, which is challenging or unachievable for conventional solution‐based methods. Furthermore, the one‐pot mechanosynthesis generated a series of Pd@HOF composites with noticeably different CO oxidation activities. In situ DRIFTS studies indicate that the most efficient composite, counterintuitively, shows the weakest CO affinity to Pd sites while the strongest CO affinity to HOF matrix, revealing the vital role of porous matrix to the catalytic performance. This work paves a new avenue for rational synthesis of HOF and HOF‐based composites for broad application potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rational synthesis of hydrogen‐bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) with predicted structure has been a long‐term challenge. Herein, by using the efficient, simple, low‐cost, and scalable mechanosynthesis, we demonstrate that reticular chemistry is applicable to HOF assemblies based on building blocks with different geometry, connectivity, and functionality. The obtained crystalline HOFs show uniform nano‐sized morphology, which is challenging or unachievable for conventional solution‐based methods. Furthermore, the one‐pot mechanosynthesis generated a series of Pd@HOF composites with noticeably different CO oxidation activities. In situ DRIFTS studies indicate that the most efficient composite, counterintuitively, shows the weakest CO affinity to Pd sites while the strongest CO affinity to HOF matrix, revealing the vital role of porous matrix to the catalytic performance. This work paves a new avenue for rational synthesis of HOF and HOF‐based composites for broad application potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of a deep learning-based nomogram for predicting lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer: A multicenter study Oversampling methods were used to balance the ratio of LNM-positive patients and LNM-negative patients in the training cohort. (A) A lymph node metastasis (LNM)-positive patient correctly diagnosed by both DLN and gynecologists; (B) An LNM-positive patient only correctly diagnosed by DLN; (C) An LNM-negative patient only correctly diagnosed by DLN; (D) An LNM-positive patient correctly diagnosed by both DLN and gynecologists gl Subgroup analysis was performed on the data of the enrolled patients, including their clinical characteristics, the CT manufacturers, and the centers. Dear Editor, Cervical cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers in women and has a high mortality rate worldwide.1 Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is an important prognostic factor in patients with cervical cancer.2-4 The assessment of LNM before treatment is essential to guide and tailor the treatment.5,6 The morphological examination of lymph nodes via medical images is commonly used for diagnosing LNM. [Extracted from the article]

This paper presents an experimental investigation of acoustic emission (AE) time-frequency characteristics of a water-bearing sandstone specimen in a conventional uniaxial compression test. The main achievements are as follows: (1) The violent fluctuation of AE time domain parameters indicates that the water-bearing sandstone specimen is about to be destroyed. This characteristic provides a theoretical basis for predicting the failure of water-bearing rock in engineering practice. (2) In the elastic phase, the AE b value is the lowest but has a sudden increase after falling into the steady crack propagation phase. In the unsteady crack propagation phase, the AE b value is further increased. This characteristic is of great indicative value for predicting the failure of the water-bearing sandstone specimen. (3) The difference of dominant frequency among the three key points is very small, indicating that the crack initiation and propagation of the water-bearing sandstone specimen has a certain stability in the damage and failure process. But, the two-dimensional frequency spectrum structure of AE waveform signals shows that the closer to failure, the more the number of the frequency spectrum structure peaks. (4) The energy of AE signals is mainly concentrated in the first three frequency bands. The closer to failure, the more the energy proportion of the first three frequency bands is reduced; conversely, the energy proportion of the latter five frequency bands is increased, which leads to more complexity of the failure modes of the water-bearing sandstone specimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oral antibiotic therapies administered widely to people and animals can cause gut dysbiosis and barrier disruption inevitably. Increasing attention has been directed toward antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis, which involves a loss of diversity, changes in the abundances of certain taxa and consequent effects on their metabolic capacity, and the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. Treatment with beta-lactam, glycopeptide, and macrolide antibiotics is associated with the depletion of beneficial commensal bacteria in the genera Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. The gut microbiota is a reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes, the prevalence of which increases sharply after antibiotic ingestion. The intestinal barrier, which comprises secretory, physical, and immunological barriers, is also a target of antibiotics. Antibiotic induced changes in the gut microbiota composition could induce weakening of the gut barrier through changes in mucin, cytokine, and antimicrobial peptide production by intestinal epithelial cells. Reports have indicated that dietary interventions involving prebiotics, probiotics, omega-3 fatty acids, and butyrate supplementation, as well as fecal microbiota transplantation, can alleviate antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis and barrier injuries. This review summarizes the characteristics of antibiotic-associated gut dysbiosis and barrier disruption, as well as the strategies for alleviating this condition. This information is intended to provide a foundation for the exploration of safer, more efficient, and affordable strategies to prevent or relieve antibiotic-induced gut injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium (Ca) immersion treatment has been used for the preservation of Agaricus bisporus (A. bisporus) , but the effective dosage of Ca absorption has often been disregarded. In our study, vacuum pretreatment was performed to promote Ca infiltration in A. bisporus. Vacuum pretreatment (−0.1 MPa, 5 min, Vac + Ca group) exhibited a super effectiveness in promoting Ca absorption. The results of Ca diffusion simulation using COMSOL Multiphysics showed that Ca level in the center of the sample in the Vac + Ca group increased from 0.1020 to 0.2028 g kg−1 during a period of 0 to 60 min. Additionally, the effects of Vac + Ca treatment on the polyamine (PA) metabolism during a 3-day room temperature storage of A. bisporus were investigated. Vac + Ca treatment resulted in a reduction of putrescine (Put) level and an elevation in spermidine (Spd) level, suggesting that the treatment may facilitate the conversion of Put to Spd. Interestingly, a negative linear correlation between changes in Spd level and both the browning index and weight loss, while a positive correlation was found with alterations in hardness were observed. Moreover, several amino acids and enzymes involved in PA metabolism, including arginine, methionine, ornithine decarboxylase, arginase, S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, and spermidine synthase, were also affected by this treatment. Therefore, the increase in Spd induced by Vac + Ca treatment may be one of the underlying mechanisms responsible for extending the postharvest lifespan of A. bisporus. • Vacuum pretreatment could promote Ca absorption in A. bisporus. • Vac+Ca treatment increased Spd level and reduced Put level in A. bisporus. • There is a linear correlation between changes in Spd and BI, weight loss, hardness. • Increase of Spd induced by Vac+Ca may be a mechanism for A. bisporus preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of science and technology, the updating speed of electronic equipment is accelerated, massive electronic waste has been produced. According to statistics, about 53.8 million tons of e-waste were generated worldwide in 2019, which is expected to increase to 74 million tons by 2030. Printed circuit board (PCB) is the core component of electronic equipment. The surge of electronic waste leads to a large number of waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs). One ton of WPCBs contains about 80–1500 g of gold, and the concentration is 40–800 times that of gold in gold ore. Therefore, WPCBs have become a gold mine with great recycling potential. In recent years, more and more researchers have paid attention to the recovery of gold resources in WPCBs, which is of great significance to explore the economic potential of WPCBs. This review excludes smelter technology and summarizes the related processes of gold recovery from WPCBs from three aspects: physical technology, biological metallurgy and hydrometallurgy. Physical technology is environmentally friendly, biological metallurgy is more cost-effective and safe, hydrometallurgy makes up for the metal loss caused by traditional recovery technology, and has high applicability. Based on the existing technology, an environment-friendly and efficient process for gold recovery from WPCBs is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Current opinions on whether surgical patients with cervical cancer should undergo para-aortic lymphadenectomy at the same time are inconsistent. The present study examined differences in survival outcomes with or without para-aortic lymphadenectomy in surgical patients with stage IB1-IIA2 cervical cancer.Methods: We retrospectively compared the survival outcomes of 8802 stage IB1-IIA2 cervical cancer patients (FIGO 2009) who underwent abdominal radical hysterectomy + pelvic lymphadenectomy (n = 8445) or abdominal radical hysterectomy + pelvic lymphadenectomy + para-aortic lymphadenectomy (n = 357) from 37 hospitals in mainland China.Results: Among the 8802 patients with stage IB1-IIA2 cervical cancer, 1618 (18.38%) patients had postoperative pelvic lymph node metastases, and 37 (10.36%) patients had para-aortic lymph node metastasis. When pelvic lymph nodes had metastases, the para-aortic lymph node simultaneous metastasis rate was 30.00% (36/120). The risk of isolated para-aortic lymph node metastasis was 0.42% (1/237). There were no significant differences in the survival outcomes between the para-aortic lymph node unresected and resected groups. No differences in the survival outcomes were found before or after matching between the two groups regardless of pelvic lymph node negativity/positivity.Conclusion: Para-aortic lymphadenectomy did not improve 5-year survival outcomes in surgical patients with stage IB1-IIA2 cervical cancer. Therefore, when pelvic lymph node metastasis is negative, the risk of isolated para-aortic lymph node metastasis is very low, and para-aortic lymphadenectomy is not recommended. When pelvic lymph node metastasis is positive, para-aortic lymphadenectomy should be carefully selected because of the high risk of this procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titin, one of the largest proteins in humans, is a major component of muscle sarcomeres. Pathogenic variants in the titin gene (TTN) have been reported to cause a range of skeletal muscle diseases, collectively known as titinopathy. Titinopathy is a heterogeneous group of disabling diseases characterized by muscle weakness. In our study, we aimed to establish the clinicopathological‐genetic spectrum of titinopathy from a single neuromuscular center. Three patients were diagnosed as having definite titinopathy, and additional three patients were diagnosed as having possible titinopathy according to the diagnostic criteria. All the patients showed initial symptoms from age one to 40 years. Physical examination revealed that five patients had muscle weakness, and that one patient experienced behavioral changes. Muscle biopsy specimens obtained from all six patients demonstrated multiple myopathological changes, including increased fiber size variation, muscle fiber hypertrophy or atrophy, formation of centralized cell nuclei, necklace cytoplasmic bodies, and formation of rimmed vacuoles and cores. Genetic testing revealed 11 different TTN alterations, including missense (6/11), nonsense (2/11), frameshift (2/11), and splicing (1/11) mutations. Our study provides further evidence that TTN mutations are more likely to be responsible for an increasing proportion of various myopathies, such as hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure (HMERF), core myopathy, and distal myopathy with rimmed vacuoles, than currently recognized mutations. Our findings expand the clinical, pathohistological and genetic spectrum of titinopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spring viraemia of carp (SVC) caused by spring viraemia of carp virus (SVCV) can infect almost all fish of cyprinids, which bring huge economic losses to aquaculture. Glycoprotein (G), as the most important antigenic determinant protein of SVCV, is widely considered as an effective method against SVCV. In our previous study, we found that G3 (131 aa) is the potential dominant antigen epitope that induces strong immune responses similar to G protein (510 aa). Here, in order to further improve the immune effect, we reported a subunit vaccine (PEG‐G3) constructed by PEG‐modified dominant epitope protein (G3). The results of serum antibody production, enzyme activities and immune‐related genes expression showed that PEG‐G3 induces significantly stronger immune protective responses against SVCV than G3. PEG modification significantly increased the serum antibody level of the vaccine, which increased significantly after immunization and reached the peak at 21 day post‐vaccination. T‐AOC and AKP activities in the lowest concentration group (5 μg) of PEG‐G3 were significantly higher than those in the highest concentration group (20 μg) of G3. In PEG‐G3 group, the expression of almost all genes increased at least 4 times compared with the control group. After 14‐day challenge, the RPS (relative percentage survival) of the highest concentration of PEG‐G3 group was 53.6%, while that of G3 group is 38.9%. Therefore, this work shows that PEG modification and dominant epitope screening may be effective methods to improve the immune protective effect of vaccines and to resist the infection of aquatic animal viral diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 into value‐added chemicals is a promising approach to realize a carbon‐energy balance. However, low current density still limits the application of the CO2 electroreduction reaction (CO2RR). Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are one class of promising alternatives for the CO2RR due to their periodically arranged isolated metal active sites. However, the poor conductivity of traditional MOFs usually results in a low current density in CO2RR. We have prepared conductive two‐dimensional (2D) phthalocyanine‐based MOF (NiPc‐NiO4) nanosheets linked by nickel‐catecholate, which can be employed as highly efficient electrocatalysts for the CO2RR to CO. The obtained NiPc‐NiO4 has a good conductivity and exhibited a very high selectivity of 98.4 % toward CO production and a large CO partial current density of 34.5 mA cm−2, outperforming the reported MOF catalysts. This work highlights the potential of conductive crystalline frameworks in electrocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 into value‐added chemicals is a promising approach to realize a carbon‐energy balance. However, low current density still limits the application of the CO2 electroreduction reaction (CO2RR). Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are one class of promising alternatives for the CO2RR due to their periodically arranged isolated metal active sites. However, the poor conductivity of traditional MOFs usually results in a low current density in CO2RR. We have prepared conductive two‐dimensional (2D) phthalocyanine‐based MOF (NiPc‐NiO4) nanosheets linked by nickel‐catecholate, which can be employed as highly efficient electrocatalysts for the CO2RR to CO. The obtained NiPc‐NiO4 has a good conductivity and exhibited a very high selectivity of 98.4 % toward CO production and a large CO partial current density of 34.5 mA cm−2, outperforming the reported MOF catalysts. This work highlights the potential of conductive crystalline frameworks in electrocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of sequential decay on isospin dependence of isotope yield ratio temperatures is studied and a systematic study of isotope temperatures is presented for heavy-ion collisions at 600 MeV/nucleon via the isospin-dependent quantum molecular dynamics model in the company of the statistical decay model (GEMINI). Calculations show that the isospin dependence of the isotope yield ratio temperature is not affected by secondary decay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction between wheat germ polysaccharide (WGP) and gut microbiota remains relatively less investigated. Thus, this study explored their interaction via in vitro batch fecal fermentation. WGP elevated dramatically the relative abundances of Bacteroides (especially Ba. xylanisolvens, Ba. uniformis, and Ba. intestinalis), Bifidobacterium (especially Bi. pseudocatenulatum) and Eubacterium, and decreased Alistipes, Klebsiella, Bilophila and Sutterella. Moreover, the metabolomics and Spearman correlation results showed that these alterations in gut microbiota gave rise to over 13-fold augmentation in the quantities of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and indole-3-lactic acid, as well as 7.17- and 4.23-fold increase in acetylcholine and GABA, respectively, at 24 h of fermentation. Interestingly, PICRUSt analysis showed that WGP markedly reduced aging pathway, and enriched nervous system pathway. Therefore, the D-gal-induced aging mice model was used to further verify these effects. The results demonstrated that WGP had a protective effect on D-gal-induced behavioral deficits, particularly in locomotor activity, and spatial and recognition memory. WGP elevated dramatically the relative abundances of Bacteroides (especially Ba. sartorii and Ba. uniformis), Bifidobacterium (especially Bi. pseudocatenulatum) and Parabacteroides, and decreased Alistipes and Candidatus Arthromitus. These findings highlight the potential utility of WGP as a dietary supplement for retarding the aging process and mitigating age-associated learning and memory decline via the targeted enrichment of Bacteroides and Bifidobacterium and the related metabolites. [Display omitted] • WGP enriched Bacteroides (Ba.uniformis) and Bifidobacterium (Bi.pseudocatenulatum). • WGP regulated microbiota, causing the increases of ILA, GABA and acetylcholine. • WGP mitigated behavioral deficits in aging mice may by regulating gut microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Positively surface-charged carbon dots (CDs) function as electrolytes in PEC system. • CDs solution regulates PEC O 2 reduction into H 2 O 2 with high yield and selectivity. • CDs and photocathode unite into a dynamic p-n heterojunction for charge separation. • CDs adjust electronic structure and hydrophilic property of catalytic interface. • CDs incorporate active sites that reduce kinetic barrier for H 2 O 2 generation. Electrolyte modulation for tailoring photoelectrochemical (PEC) activity and selectivity is highly effective but has proved challenging. The major obstacle is lack of a universal strategy that aims for improving the system charge separation based on electrolyte optimization. Herein, we presented an idea as "semiconductor electrolyte", which was developed from the imidazole chloride delivered carbon dot (CDs), and featured for the positive surface charge. The CDs aqueous solution can accumulate H 2 O 2 on a CuBi 2 O 4 photocathode via PEC O 2 reduction reaction (ORR) at neutral pH without any traditional electrolyte. Combined with experimental measurements and theoretical calculation, the mechanism of system and function of CDs was characterized. As electrolytes, CDs solution enabled to tune the energy band location of CuBi 2 O 4. The electrostatic interaction between positively-charged CDs and negatively-charged photocathode triggered the fast charge and mass migration during PEC proceeding. As semiconductors, CDs can fabricate a dynamic p-n heterojunction with CuBi 2 O 4. These advantages facilitated the photo-induced charge separation, which contributed to the boosted photocurrent and improved stability in PEC system. As ORR occurred interface that incorporated active sites, CDs provided a hydrophilic and adjusted-electronic surface, which fascinated to confine O 2 and reduced the kinetic barrier for H 2 O 2 generation. As a result, H 2 O 2 generation was regulated with 0.44 mM and faraday efficiency over 84 % within 10 min, nearly 3 times to the commonly-used Na 2 SO 4 solution. Our work therefore provides a striking and facile strategy to tailor PEC activity and selectivity in a durable and robust pathway. Importantly, it will evoke to develop a universal protocol for regulating PEC performance by electrolyte modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple Acyl‐CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MADD), one of the most common lipid storage myopathies (LSMs), is a heterogeneous inherited muscular disorder that is pathologically characterized by numerous lipid droplets in muscle fibers due to lipid metabolism disturbance. MADD exhibits a wide range of clinical features, including skeletal muscle weakness and multisystem dysfunctions. However, MADD, as well as other types of LSM, associated with peripheral neuropathy has rarely been reported during the past four decades. Here, we present four Chinese patients affected by MADD with peripheral neuropathy in our neuromuscular center. Clinically, these four patients showed skeletal muscle weakness and prominent paresthesia. Muscle biopsy detected characteristic myopathological patterns of LSM, such as obvious lipid droplets in muscle fibers. Sural nerve biopsy revealed a severe reduction in number of myelinated nerve fibers, which is a typical neuropathological pattern of peripheral neuropathy. Causative ETFDH mutations were found in all four cases. The skeletal muscle weakness was rapidly improved after some treatments while paresthesia showed unsatisfactory improvement. The features of previously reported patients of this specific type are also summarized in this paper. We propose that MADD with peripheral neuropathy may be a new phenotypic subtype because the pathology and reaction to riboflavin treatment are different from those of traditional MADD, although further research on the precise pathogenesis and mechanisms is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pore–ion size matching between carbon electrodes and electrolytes is crucial for superior energy storage. However, it remains a great challenge to engineer carbons with perfectly compatible pore dimension for desired electrolytes. Herein we design a simple synthetic route to obtain carbon hydrangeas integrated with unique geometry, high surface areas, N/O doping, and more importantly, well-developed pore structure. The narrow primary subnanopores of 0.80 nm are exactly matched the cation sizes (EMIM+, 0.76 nm) of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (EMIMTFSI) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIMBF 4) ionic liquid electrolytes. Besides, the secondary pores of 0.50 nm are size-exclusively accessible for small BF 4 − anions (0.48 nm) but exclude larger TFSI− (0.79 nm), giving enhanced ion diffusion/adsorption kinetics. The solid-state supercapacitor based on EMIMBF 4 gel electrolyte achieves an ultrahigh specific energy of 101.2 Wh kg−1 (29.2% enhancement against the use of EMIMTFSI), superior to the most values of recently reported carbon-based supercapacitors. This study opens new horizons to develop functionalized carbons with perfectly ion-comparable pore architecture, moving toward advanced energy storage systems. Pore–ion size matching criterion is implemented to engineer N, O codoped carbon hydrangeas with perfectly compatible pore dimension for ionic liquid gel electrolytes towards advanced solid-state supercapacitors. Image 1 • A novel and highly efficient design of N, O codoped carbon hydrangeas is demonstrated. • Carbon hydrangeas show perfectly compatible pore dimension with ionic liquid electrolytes. • Pore–ion size matching criterion achieves state-of-the-art solid-state supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garnet‐type electrolytes suffer from unstable chemistry against air exposure, which generates contaminants on electrolyte surface and accounts for poor interfacial contact with the Li metal. Thermal treatment of the garnet at >700 °C could remove the surface contaminants, yet it regenerates the contaminants in the air, and aggravates the Li dendrite issue as more electron‐conducting defective sites are exposed. In a departure from the removal approach, here we report a new surface chemistry that converts the contaminants into a fluorinated interface at moderate temperature <180 °C. The modified interface shows a high electron tunneling barrier and a low energy barrier for Li+ surface diffusion, so that it enables dendrite‐proof Li plating/stripping at a high critical current density of 1.4 mA cm−2. Moreover, the modified interface exhibits high chemical and electrochemical stability against air exposure, which prevents regeneration of contaminants and keeps high critical current density of 1.1 mA cm−2. The new chemistry presents a practical solution for realization of high‐energy solid‐state Li metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garnet‐type electrolytes suffer from unstable chemistry against air exposure, which generates contaminants on electrolyte surface and accounts for poor interfacial contact with the Li metal. Thermal treatment of the garnet at >700 °C could remove the surface contaminants, yet it regenerates the contaminants in the air, and aggravates the Li dendrite issue as more electron‐conducting defective sites are exposed. In a departure from the removal approach, here we report a new surface chemistry that converts the contaminants into a fluorinated interface at moderate temperature <180 °C. The modified interface shows a high electron tunneling barrier and a low energy barrier for Li+ surface diffusion, so that it enables dendrite‐proof Li plating/stripping at a high critical current density of 1.4 mA cm−2. Moreover, the modified interface exhibits high chemical and electrochemical stability against air exposure, which prevents regeneration of contaminants and keeps high critical current density of 1.1 mA cm−2. The new chemistry presents a practical solution for realization of high‐energy solid‐state Li metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fumigation bioassays, the oviposition inhibition and repellent bioassays of patchouli and wormwood oils to T. cinnabarinus were determined in the laboratory with the methods of fumigation and repellency. Ethovision XT6 was used to analyze the effects of two essential oils at sublethal dosages on the behaviors of T. cinnabarinus. Based on the results, compared with wormwood oil, the fumigation bioassay of patchouli oil was stronger against T. cinnabarinus. In a simultaneous fumigation experiment, the effects of patchouli oil on the inhibition of oviposition of T. cinnabarinus were significantly higher (P < 0.01) than those of wormwood oil at the tested dosages. When T. cinnabarinus was exposed to the two essential oils at LD10, LD20, and LD30, the spontaneous movement tracks of T. cinnabarinus changed significantly, with the highest mobility frequencies at LD10. Moreover, the effects of exposure to patchouli oil on the spontaneous movement abilities of T. cinnabarinus were greater than those on movements following exposure to wormwood oil. Thus, patchouli oil is a promising candidate as a green vegetable, botanical acaricide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fractional differential equations have become an important modeling technique in describing various natural phenomena. A variety of numerical methods for solving fractional differential equations has been developed over the last decades. Among them, finite difference methods are most popular owing to relative easiness for implementation. In this paper, we show that the finite difference method with the Riemann-Liouville (RL) fractional derivative yields inconsistent and oscillatory numerical solutions to fractional differential equations of discontinuous problems for the fractional order α , 0 < α < 1. Such an inconsistency affects even smooth problems since the numerical solution can be regarded as a discontinuous function over grids. We show that the inconsistency inherited in discontinuous problems causes the numerical solution for smooth problems to be oscillatory under certain conditions although the magnitude of the oscillations decreases as the number of grids, N , increases. That is, although the truncation error is decaying as N → ∞ and the method is consistent for smooth problems, the numerical solution can be oscillatory for any value of N. To illustrate the inconsistency and the oscillation phenomenon with the RL method, we also consider the finite difference methods with the Caputo and Grünwald-Letnikov fractional derivatives and compare the results with by with the RL method. We also show that the integral approach for the RL method can resolve the issues of the inconsistency and the oscillation phenomenon. Numerical results are presented to support the statements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To understand the gene expression networks controlling flower color formation in alfalfa, flowers anthocyanins were identified using two materials with contrasting flower colors, namely Defu and Zhongtian No. 3, and transcriptome analyses of PacBio full-length sequencing combined with RNA sequencing were performed, across four flower developmental stages. Results: Malvidin and petunidin glycoside derivatives were the major anthocyanins in the flowers of Defu, which were lacking in the flowers of Zhongtian No. 3. The two transcriptomic datasets provided a comprehensive and systems-level view on the dynamic gene expression networks underpinning alfalfa flower color formation. By weighted gene coexpression network analyses, we identified candidate genes and hub genes from the modules closely related to floral developmental stages. PAL, 4CL, CHS, CHR, F3'H, DFR, and UFGT were enriched in the important modules. Additionally, PAL6, PAL9, 4CL18, CHS2, 4 and 8 were identified as hub genes. Thus, a hypothesis explaining the lack of purple color in the flower of Zhongtian No. 3 was proposed. Conclusions: These analyses identified a large number of potential key regulators controlling flower color pigmentation, thereby providing new insights into the molecular networks underlying alfalfa flower development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Automatic segmentation of pulmonary airway tree is a challenging task in many clinical applications, including developing computer-aided detection and diagnosis schemes of lung diseases. OBJECTIVE: To segment the pulmonary airway tree from the computed tomography (CT) chest images using a novel automatic method proposed in this study. METHODS: This method combines a two-pass region growing algorithm with gray-scale morphological reconstruction and leakage elimination. The first-pass region growing is implemented to obtain a rough airway tree. The second-pass region growing and gray-scale morphological reconstruction are used to detect the distal airways. Finally, leakage detection is performed to remove leakage and refine the airway tree. RESULTS: Our methods were compared with the gold standards. Forty-five clinical CT lung image scan cases were used in the experiments. Statistics on tree division order, branch number, and airway length were adopted for evaluation. The proposed method detected up to 12 generations of bronchi. On average, 148.85 branches were extracted with a false positive rate of 0.75%. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that our method is accurate for pulmonary airway tree segmentation. The strategy of separating the leakage detection from the segmenting process is feasible and promising for ensuring a high branch detected rate with a low leakage volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: A three-dimensional (3D) model of the pelvic vessels was reconstructed before surgery to aid in the understanding of the individual anatomy and help guide lymphadenectomy performance. Material and methods: Thirty patients with early-stage cervical cancer who were scheduled for lymphadenectomy at Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University from January 2017 to June 2017 were included. Three-dimensional models of the pelvic vessels were obtained. Results: All 3D models of the 30 patients were reconstructed successfully and were consistent with the operative findings.The most common structural types posterior to the common iliac artery (CIA) and CIA bifurcation (CIAB) were non-vessel structures (23/30 patients) and the common iliac vein (CIV) (27/30); these were observed separately on the left pelvic vein. The confluence of common iliac vein (CCIV) (29/30) and CIV (20/30) were most commonly observed posterior to the CIA and CIAB; these were observed separately on the right pelvic vein. Venous abnormalities were identified in 15 patients. There were variants in venous confluence shown to be homolateral to the CIV (2/15) and contralateral to the CIV (2/15) and CCIV (4/15). Conclusions: Three-dimensional models of the pelvic vessels can provide information on individual anatomy features that can help guide lymphadenectomy performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• O, N, S-tridoped carbon is designed via a simple benzoquinone-thiourea route. • A 3.5 V ionic liquid gel electrolyte is engineered using gel polymer as a support. • A solid-state supercapacitor yields an ultrahigh energy density of 90.9 Wh kg−1. • The elaborated electrode and electrolyte can be extended to highly flexible device. Developing advanced electrodes and electrolytes are two basic strategies to boost the energy outputs of supercapacitors, but previous studies are generally constrained to the point where only one component is focused. Herein, we report the design of high-performance O, N, S-tridoped carbon (ONSC) electrodes and a high-voltage porous gel electrolyte to construct high-energy flexible solid-state supercapacitors. First, high-surface-area (2917 m2 g−1) ONSCs with enriched heteroatoms (14.85 wt%) are synthesized based on a novel and simple benzoquinone-thiourea route to achieve a superior electrochemical capacitive capability. Second, a highly porous gel polymer is utilized to support ionic liquid of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIMBF 4) for fabricating a 3.5 V ionogel electrolyte. The elaborated ONSC electrode and EMIMBF 4 gel electrolyte enable the resultant solid-state supercapacitor with an extremely energy supply of 90.9 Wh kg−1, along with excellent cyclability (91.6% over 10,000 cycles) and temperature robustness (0–80 °C). Besides, an assembled flexible solid-state device delivers an energy density of 76.6 Wh kg−1, and manifests high flexibility with 90% retention even under a bending angle of 180°. This work presents an electrode/electrolyte engineering principle to achieve highly efficient energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reported a bifunctional catalyst TiO2/Al2O3 and Pd/Cor for one-pot liquid-phase synthesis of MIBK from acetone in this paper. The characterizations of FT-IR, Raman spectra, TEM, XPS, CO2-TPD, NH3-TPD, Py-IR and TGA spectra revealed that the TiO2/Al2O3 could possess more acid sites and especially Lewis acid sites due to the coexistence of TiO2 and Al2O3. So a higher acetone conversion 35–45% at 150 °C and 2.0 MPa pressure was achieved than ever reported for MIBK liquid-phase synthesis. In addition, the catalyst could keep active for at least 90 h on stream at 80–90% MIBK selectivity. The phenomenon of carbonaceous accumulation on TiO2/Al2O leaded to the deactivation of catalyst. Because of the coexistence of TiO2 and Al2O3. TiO2/Al2O3 could have more acid sites and especially Lewis acid sites. For liquid-phase synthesis of methyl isobutyl ketone, bifunctional catalyst TiO2/Al2O3&Pd/Cor showed higher acetone conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]