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In this paper, a mathematical ordinary differential tumor-immune model is proposed based on an immune checkpoint inhibitor, which is an innovative method for tumor immunotherapies. Two important factors in tumor-immune response are the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and its ligand PD-L1. The model consists of three populations: tumor cells, activated T cells and anti-PD-1. By analyzing the dynamics of the model, it is found that there is always a unique tumor-free equilibrium and at most two tumor interior equilibria. The nonexistence of nontrivial positive periodic orbits is established by using the new Dulac function, and then a global dynamics of the model is obtained. The conclusions of our analysis show that increasing the possibility of T cells killing tumor cells (p), early detection of tumor cells, or the use of PD-1 inhibitors to activate T cells are effective in eliminating tumor cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic hydrogenation of nitriles represents an efficient and sustainable one‐step synthesis of valuable bulk and fine chemicals. We report herein a molecular cobalt electrocatalyst for selective hydrogenative coupling of nitriles with amines using protons as the hydrogen source. The key to success for this reductive reaction is the use of an electrocatalytic approach for efficient cobalt‐hydride generation through a sequence of cathodic reduction and protonation. As only electrons (e−) and protons (H+) as the redox equivalent and hydrogen source, this general electrohydrogenation protocol is showcased by highly selective and straightforward synthesis of various functionalized and structurally diverse amines, as well as deuterium isotope labeling applications. Mechanistic studies reveal that the electrogenerated cobalt‐hydride transfer to nitrile process is the rate‐determining step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic hydrogenation of nitriles represents an efficient and sustainable one‐step synthesis of valuable bulk and fine chemicals. We report herein a molecular cobalt electrocatalyst for selective hydrogenative coupling of nitriles with amines using protons as the hydrogen source. The key to success for this reductive reaction is the use of an electrocatalytic approach for efficient cobalt‐hydride generation through a sequence of cathodic reduction and protonation. As only electrons (e−) and protons (H+) as the redox equivalent and hydrogen source, this general electrohydrogenation protocol is showcased by highly selective and straightforward synthesis of various functionalized and structurally diverse amines, as well as deuterium isotope labeling applications. Mechanistic studies reveal that the electrogenerated cobalt‐hydride transfer to nitrile process is the rate‐determining step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A metal-free porphyrin T4PP with a pyridine group is proposed as a new electrode for lithium/sodium-based dual-ion batteries (LDIBs/SDIBs). The electrochemical performance and reaction mechanism of T4PP are explored thoroughly. The extended porphyrin conjugated structure by the pyridine groups enables an excellent cycle life (5000 cycles) and a high-power density (18.7 kW kg−1). A hybrid charge-storage mechanism with the contribution of both cations and anions benefits fast charge transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: High blood pressure is one of the main modifiable risk factors for dementia. However, it remains unclear whether lowering the blood pressure effectively prevents cognitive impairment. Our objective was to explore the association between the prevalence, medication adherence and control of hypertension and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among elderly individuals in northern China. Methods: A two-stage clustering sampling method was used, and 9036 participants aged ≥ 65 years were included in the analysis. The Mini-Mental State Examination and activities of daily living were used to assess participants' cognitive function. Demographic characteristics (gender, age, marital status, education level, occupation), history and duration of hypertension, use of antihypertensive medications (AHMs) and its control effect were obtained. Results: The prevalence of MCI in all participants was 18.1%, and the prevalence of MCI was significantly higher in hypertensive subjects than in normotensive subjects (19.7% vs 16.2%, P < 0.01). Furthermore, in hypertensive patients, the prevalence of MCI was lower in those with good adherence (17.3%) than in those with poor adherence (23.7%, P < 0.01) and lower in those controlled (16.5%) than in those with uncontrolled adherence (20.8%, P < 0.01). In univariate analyses, being female gender, increased age, agriculture occupation, unmarried and widow, less than primary school and middle school were associated with MCI prevalence. The assessment of the hypertensive patients revealed the adjusted OR (95% CI) of having MCI in those with poor adherence to AHMs was 1.32 (1.14– 1.54) compared with those having good adherence. Conclusion: There is an association between the prevalence of hypertension, adherence to AHMs and MCI, suggesting that hypertensives should be screened for MCI to provide improved diagnoses and optimal therapeutics for cognitive decline prevention, especially in poor AHM adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Limited studies have reported the relationship between intestinal flora dysbiosis and clinical characteristics in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, the structure and characteristics of gut microbiota in PCOS have not been fully elucidated. Objective: To analyze the composition of the Intestinal flora population in normal-weight women with PCOS and insulin resistance(IR) compared to PCOS alone and healthy women. Methods: A total of 14 PCOS patients with insulin resistant(PCOS-IR) and 12 PCOS alone (PCOS-NIR), and 10 age- and body mass index-matched healthy control women (HC). BMI: 18.5–23.9 kg/m2. The bacterial 16 S rDNA V3-V4 fragment was amplified and sequenced. Then, the sequencing data were analyzed for species annotation, community diversity, and inter-group differences, to explore gut microbial characteristics of the subjects and their correlation with clinical parameters. Results: No significant difference in diversity was observed between PCOA and sample cluster analysis among the three groups (Beta-diversity) and Alpha-diversity. The relative abundance of Rothia, Ruminococcus, and Enterococcus was significantly higher in the PCOS-IR group than in the other two groups (P < 0.05), while that of Prevotella was dramatically decreased (P < 0.05). The abundance of Enterococcus was positively correlated with waist circumference, hip circumference, diastolic blood pressure, and insulin resistance index. Meanwhile, Rothia abundance is positively associated with waist circumference and free fatty acids. Conclusions: The gut microbial composition of PCOS patients with insulin resistance is different from that of PCOS alone and healthy women. The difference is correlated with the clinical characteristics of PCOS, with regards to insulin resistance, abdominal obesity, free fatty acids, and other indicators. PCOS-IR patients have an increased abundance of Enterococcus which potentially the intestinal environment of the host by enriching the metabolic pathways related to insulin resistance, causing the occurrence and development of PCOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple graphene-carbon nanotube aerogel composite was prepared. In this paper, we studied the three-dimensional (3 D) thermally conductive frameworks with different ratios of graphene oxide (GO) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The effects of 3 D thermal conductive frameworks with different ratios of GO and CNT on the morphology, structure and thermal conductivity of phase change composites were also studied. The results show that the 3 D thermally conductive framework has the advantages of managing the thermal conductivity of phase change composites. The obtained phase change composite with only 1 wt% of graphene-carbon nanotube aerogels showed top-quality thermal conductivity of 0.76 W/m·K. The preparation process was simple and has the advantage of environmental protection, so which was suitable for practical applications using polyethylene glycol/graphene-carbon nanotube aerogel phase change composite as energy materials, and has manageable energy conversion, storage and thermal conductivity properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

KTiOPO4 (KTP) is a classic commercial nonlinear optical (NLO) crystal, but its narrow bandgap (3.52 eV) prevents its practical application in the ultraviolet (UV) region. Many trials to widen the narrow bandgap of KTP have failed in the past few decades. A chemical cosubstitution strategy was implemented to design new members of the KTP-type family as potential UV NLO materials. First, a novel centrosymmetric KTP-type compound NH4SbFPO4·H2O with a sharply enlarged bandgap (5.01 eV) was obtained through three-site aliovalent substitution. Second, the noncentrosymmetric NH4SbF2SO4 was synthesized by the introduction of more F− anions to destroy the crystal symmetry and SO42− to replace PO43− for balancing the charge in NH4SbFPO4·H2O, which realized the transformation from a visible phosphate system to solar blind UV sulfate system for KTP-type family NLO materials. The preliminary experimental results indicated that NH4SbF2SO4 is a promising solar blind UV NLO material. The first-principles calculations revealed that the sharply enlarged bandgap resulted from the substitution of the transition metal cations with the main group metal cations and the introduction of F− anions with high electronegativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Growing evidence suggests an independent relationship between habitual snoring and metabolic abnormalities. Currently, there are few data available on the association between snoring and hyperuricemia. Therefore, we evaluated the cross-sectional association between snoring and serum uric acid (UA) concentration and ascertain the effects of different snoring intensities on hyperuricemia among Chinese urban adults in Nanjing.Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study including 7699 participants (4197 men and 3502 women) from Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital aged ≥18 years over a two year (ie, 2016-2018) period. All participants were divided into four groups based on Snoring scores. Questionnaires, physical examinations and biochemical tests were conducted. Hyperuricemia was defined as levels of serum UA > 6.8 mg/dL in males and >6.0 mg/dL in females. We used a generalized linear model to investigate the association between snoring and serum UA concentration and logistic regression model to investigate the association between snoring and likelihood of having hyperuricemia in the age-, sex-adjusted model and in a multivariable model adjusting for demographic factor, plasma lipid profiles, blood glucose, blood pressure, smoking, and alcohol consumption.Results: The prevalence of hyperuricemia was 10.05% in the studied population and gradually increased across the snoring scores (P < 0.0001). We found that mild snoring, moderate, and severe snoring intensity were associated with high serum UA in the age-, sex-adjusted model and in a multivariable model adjusting for demographic and lifestyle/behavioral risk factors. The association was insisted with the addition of variables related to clinical outcomes such as diabetes, hypertension, and high-cholesterol levels.Conclusions: Our results showed self-reported habitual snoring was associated with higher serum UA concentration among Chinese urban adults. Findings of this study indicate the significance of early detection and treatment of snoring to prevent hyperuricemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Cu–In–Se (CISe) quantum dots (QDs) with narrow tunable bandgap and low toxicity have promising prospects in photovoltaics, their application is seriously restricted by high defect density. To develop a facile synthesis method for high-quality CISe QDs, Al and Zn ions were introduced into the synthesis of CISe QDs. Compared with the incorporation of Al or Zn alone, the trap-state defects in CISe QDs can be more effectively reduced by the co-incorporation of these metal ions. The synthesized CISe QDs then were used as light harvester materials to fabricate photoanodes for constructing quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSCs). The photovoltaic performance of the QDSCs based on Al/Zn co-incorporated QDs was observed to be much better than that of the QDSCs based on Al or Zn alone incorporated QDs, which could be ascribed to the suppression of unfavorable charge combination in QDSCs. A power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 10.27% (Jsc = 27.15 mA cm−2, Voc = 0.620 V, and FF = 61.0%) was achieved on the QDSCs with Cu2S/brass counter electrodes and polysulfide electrolyte under simulated one full sun illumination, which is among the reported best PCEs of the QDSCs with a similar structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel kind of paraffin-based shape-stable phase change materials (SSPCMs) was prepared by introducing paraffin into reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) aerogel via vacuum-assisted impregnation method. The effects of ratio of rGO to CNTs in 3D network structure on morphology, structure and property of paraffin-based SSPCMs were investigated. The rGO/CNTs 3D network structure with high thermal conductivity, served as thermally conductive skeleton together. In particular, CNTs was used as a secondary heat conductive filler, which could be well dispered in the SSPCMs to conduct heat synergistically. The SSPCMs exhibited high thermal conductivity and excellent shape-stability. And the thermal conductivity of SSPCMs can be regulated by adjusting the ratio of rGO to CNTs in aerogels. These results indicate that 3D rGO/CNTs aerogels have advantages as thermally conductive skeleton, and can endow phase transition materials with stable shape, so as to realize the application of phase change materials in the field of heat dissipation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrocarbon production in the Bawu area of Lishu Depression is high. However, the Bawu area has undergone three main tectonic movements, the strata were strongly uplifted and eroded, and the fractures were extremely developed. The conditions of hydrocarbon preservation have become intricate. In this study, by analyzing isotopes compositions and geochemical features of formation water, and the characteristics of formation pressure, the hydrocarbon preservation can be deduced. The subnormal and lower normal pressure zones (away from Xiaokuan Fault) of Yingcheng and Shahezi Formations are relatively closed and more conducive to hydrocarbon preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four antimony fluoride sulfates named A2SO4·SbF3 (A = Na+, NH4+, K+, Rb+) have been successfully synthesized using a hydrothermal method by introducing Sb3+ cations with a stereochemically active lone pair in sulfates and subsequently tuning the structure through the second monovalent cations. All of the title compounds are stoichiometrically equivalent materials which share a common structural motif composed of a distorted SO4 tetrahedron and an asymmetric SbF3 polyhedron. However, the macroscopic centricities of these four compounds are significantly influenced by the size and coordination environment of cations; Na2SO4·SbF3 crystallizes in centrosymmetric space groups Cmca and (NH4)2SO4·SbF3 in Pbca, while K2SO4·SbF3 and Rb2SO4·SbF3 crystallizes in noncentrosymmetric space group P212121. Complete characterization including thermal analyses, infrared and UV-vis spectroscopy, and theoretical calculations is also reported. Powder second harmonic generation measurement for noncentrosymmetric K2SO4·SbF3 and Rb2SO4·SbF3 indicated that both of them are type I phase-matchable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs have become the spotlight of the biological community for more than a decade, but we are only now beginning to understand their functions. The detection of stably expressed endogenous microRNAs in human blood suggests that these circulating miRNAs can mediate intercellular communication. Our previous study reported the surprising finding that exogenous rice MIR168a could regulate liver low-density lipoprotein receptor adapter protein 1 (LDLRAP1) gene expression in mice. Here, we show that plant MIR156a, which is abundantly expressed in dietary green veggies, also stably presents in healthy human serum. Compared with age-matched individuals, decreased levels of MIR156a are observed both in serum and blood vessel of cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients. In vitro studies demonstrate that MIR156a can directly target the junction adhesion molecule-A (JAM-A), which is up-regulated in atherosclerotic lesions from CVD patients. Functional studies show that ectopic expression of MIR156a in human aortic endothelial cells reduces inflammatory cytokine-induced monocytes adhesion by suppressing JAM-A. These findings offer a novel vasoprotective molecular mechanism of green veggies through plant microRNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we developed a type of shape-stabilized phase change materials (SSPCMs) based on carbonized melamine foam/graphene aerogel (CMGA) as a supporting material and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a phase change material. PEG@CMGA SSPCMs were prepared by fabricating a series of CMGA double skeleton with different carbonization temperatures using freeze-drying and high-temperature carbonization, followed by vacuum impregnation of PEG into the CMGA double skeleton. The morphological structure, thermal storage property, shape stability, thermal conductivity, and solar/electric conversion behavior of the fabricated SSPCMs are investigated. The results showed that PEG@CMGA SSPCMs exhibited excellent shape stability, high latent thermal storage capacity of 181.2 J/g, thermal cycling stability, enhanced thermal conductivity with 387% higher than that of pure PEG, solar-to-thermal energy conversion capability with high efficiency of 91.7% and electric-to-thermal energy conversion capability with high efficiency of 87.3%. The results of this work provide a strategy for the design and development of high performance, multiple energy conversion forms of SSPCMs for promising applications in solar energy utilization, energy-efficient buildings, and heat preservation. [Display omitted] • CMGA double skeleton with excellent mechanical property is constructed by in situ self-assembly and carbonization. • The composite phase change materials possess excellent energy storage properties and high thermal conductivity. • PEG@CMGA 1600 SSPCMs achieve efficient solar-to-thermal conversion efficiency of 91.7%. • PEG@CMGA 1600 SSPCMs exhibit electric-to-thermal energy conversion capability with high efficiency of 87.3%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial distribution of graphene oxide (GO) nanoplatelets in a bromobutyl rubber (BBR) matrix has been tailored by exploiting the rubber latex mixing process to confine nanoparticles among latex microspheres, thus obtaining a segregated arrangement. The gas transport properties and the dielectric behavior of these nanocomposites displaying a ‘segregated’ morphology have been compared, for different filler contents, to those of BBR/GO nanocomposites in which the nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed within the rubber matrix. Relevant qualitative and quantitative differences emerge from the comparison of the properties of the two families of GO-based samples. It has been found that the segregated morphology enables a significant enhancement of the barrier properties of pristine rubber already at low levels of nanofiller loading. In addition, an exceptionally low value of the electrical percolation threshold has been detected, which is more than one order of magnitude lower than in the case of uniform filler dispersion. These effects are a direct consequence of the assembly and confinement of nanoparticles among the rubber latex microspheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ethynyl functionalized porphyrins are proposed as cathodes for organic batteries. • In-situ electropolymerization of porphyrin renders its highly stable structure. • Cation and anion are alternatively interacted with porphyrin for charge storage. • Excellent cycling stability up to 5000 cycles is achieved for porphyrin cathode. Organic materials, featuring low cost, structural diversity, and environmental friendliness, have emerged as promising electrode materials for rechargeable batteries in recent years. However, they suffer from unstable cycling performance due to their high solubility in liquid electrolytes. Herein, we demonstrated a novel functionalized porphyrin [5,15-bis(ethynyl)- porphinato]copper(II) (CuDEP) as the stable organic cathode for organic alkali metal batteries. Owing to the in-situ electropolymerization and multiple electron transfer capability, CuDEP showed highly reversible capacity, long-term cycling stability (106 mAh/g at 1 A/g after 5000 cycles), and superior rate performance in organic lithium battery. N atoms act the charge storage sites where both cations and anions are alternatively stored during the charge and discharge. In organic sodium and potassium batteries, CuDEP cathode also demonstrated stable cycling and high rate capability. This result suggests that ethynyl group functionalized small porphyrin molecule would be a promising cathode for long-term organic alkali metal batteries for green and stable energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MF/GA double-skeleton with excellent mechanical property is constructed by in situ self-assembly method. • Dual-skeleton based MF/GA@PEG SSPCMs possess superior shape memory property and solar-thermal conversion ability. • Anti-leakage mechanism of MF/GA@PEG SSPCMs is proposed. • This design strategy provides a new application of MF/GA@PEG SSPCMs in microelectronic devices. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is widely used for thermal energy storage, but its practical application is limited by its strong rigidity, poor shape stability. In this work, a kind of melamine foam/graphene aerogel (MF/GA) double-skeleton was prepared, then PEG was stably encapsulated into MF/GA by vacuum melt impregnation method to obtain MF/GA@PEG shape-stabilized phase change materials (SSPCMs). Structural characterization and performance tests were performed on MF/GA@PEG SSPCMs, including morphological observation, latent heat, thermal conductivity, shape stability, and photothermal conversion capability. The experimental results show that the MF/GA@PEG SSPCMs show high energy storage density (168.3 J/g), good shape stability, shape memory performance and excellent solar-thermal energy conversion capability with a high efficiency of 84.8%, the thermal conductivity of MF/GA@PEG SSPCMs is 161% higher than that of pure PEG. The MF/GA@PEG SSPCMs with comprehensive properties have promising application in solar-thermal energy storage and thermal management in microelectronic devices. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Proteinuria is an exacerbating factor of chronic kidney diseases, leading to glomerulosclerosis. However, the molecular mechanisms mediating protein overload-induced podocyte injury are poorly understood. Recent studies have shown that apoptosis mediated by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress participated in the progression of a variety of kidney diseases. In the present study, we investigated the role of CD2-associated protein (CD2AP) in protein overload-induced ER stress and subsequent podocyte apoptosis. Conditionally immortalized mouse podocytes were cultured in vitro and treated with different concentrations of bovine serum albumin (BSA). In addition, CD2AP eukaryotic expression vector or siRNA was transfected into podocytes before exposed to BSA. Albumin endocytosis and podocyte apoptosis were visualized by confocal microscopy. The subcellular organelles were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The expressions of GRP78, caspase-12 and CD2AP were detected by RT-PCR or Western blot analysis. It was found that albumin was endocytosed by podocytes in a time-dependent manner. Accumulation of albumin in podocytes induced ER stress and apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner as indicated by upregulation of GRP78 and caspase-12. Meanwhile, the subcellular organelles were disrupted and the expression of CD2AP was downregulated by high concentration of albumin. Transfection of CD2AP eukaryotic expression vector into podocytes increased CD2AP expression, depressed GRP78 and caspase-12 expressions, and inhibited podocyte apoptosis. In contrast, transfection of CD2AP siRNA deteriorated the above changes induced by BSA. It is concluded protein overload induces podocyte apoptosis via ER stress and CD2AP may play a crucial role in albumin overload-induced ER stress and apoptosis in podocytes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Shape-stabilized phase change material (SSPCM) are widely used as energy storage materials due to its advantages of easy preparation and adjustable scale. But the thermal conductivity enhancement of SSPCM still need to be further studied to improve the energy storage efficiency. In this work, silicone rubber (SR)/paraffin@SiO 2 (Pn@SiO 2)/graphene nanoplates (GNPs) shape-stabilized phase change materials (SPG) with different GNPs content were prepared. Pn@SiO 2 and GNPs can be homogeneously dispersed in the SR matrix due to the enhanced interfacial compatibility between Pn@SiO 2 and SR. The leakage rate of SPG composites was as low as 0.25% due to the protection of SiO 2 shell, SR matrix and GNPs. The SPG composites had excellent thermal storage properties, with the enthalpy about 50 J·g−1. The thermal conductivity of SPG composites was improved with the content of GNPs, the thermal conductivity of SPG reach 0.989 W·m−1·K−1 at a GNPs content of 10 phr. The low hardness of SPG composites above the phase change temperature can provide a more cohesive surface when applied to heat dissipation. The heat dissipation of the SPG composites in electric devices was simulated and demonstrated that the addition of GNPs made the heat dissipation rate of the SPG composites increased significantly. Therefore, the SPG composites can be applied in thermal energy storage and heat dissipation of electronic devices. [Display omitted] • The thermal conductivity enhancement of SSPCM was further discussed. • The interfacial compatibility of components in the SSPCM was enhanced by the rational strategy. • The leakage-prevention performance of SSPCM was improved with the multiple protection. • The thermal conductivity of SSPCM reach 0.989 W·m−1·K−1 due to the well-dispersed GNPs and Pn@SiO 2 in SR. • Numerical simulation was used to predict the thermal performance of SPG composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Both ethylene (ET) and ABA promoted the aroma recovery of cold-stored kiwifruit. • The pathways related to aroma synthesis were influenced by ABA or ET treatment. • ABA and ET may have different regulatory tendencies in kiwifruit aroma recovery. Cold storage (CS) combined with preservative treatment is widely employed to effectively extend the storage duration of kiwifruit. Nevertheless, the olfactory quality of cold-stored kiwifruit tends to deteriorate during the post-ripening phase. In this study, abscisic acid (ABA) or ethylene (ET) was supplementary administered to cold-stored kiwifruit (CS combined with a preservative 1-MCP treatment) prior to transferring from CS, with the aim of examining the impact of ABA and ET on aroma restitution during the post-ripening period (designated as MCP+ABA and MCP+ET, respectively). The results revealed that the firmness of the MCP+ABA and MCP+ET treatments remained higher than that of the control (CK, without 1-MCP treatment) throughout the post-ripening phase, both of which moreover promoted the accumulation of soluble solids and titratable acids in kiwifruit comparing to 1-MCP group. The ethylene production and respiration rate of the fruit treated with MCP+ET and MCP+ABA fell within the intermediate range between the 1-MCP and CK groups. Compared to the 1-MCP group, both MCP+ABA and MCP+ET treatments significantly improved the accumulation of volatile components, particularly aldehydes and ketones during the early stage, and esters during the later stage of post-ripening. The activity analysis of pivotal enzymes involved in aroma biosynthesis revealed that ABA stimulated an increase in alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity, while ET had a notable inducing effect on alcohol acyltransferase (AAT) and hydroperoxide lyase (HPL) activities. Furthermore, transcriptomic sequencing analysis revealed differential induction of gene expression in the pathways associated with aroma biosynthesis by ABA and ET, wherein they significantly upregulated distinct genes. Additionally, principal component analysis provided a more intuitive depiction that ABA and ET appeared to enhance the restoration of aroma in cold-stored kiwifruit by activating diverse metabolic pathways or key genes. In a comprehensive assessment, the present study postulates that both ABA and ET exert restorative effects on the aroma of cold-stored kiwifruit, thus offering theoretical support for aroma restitution technology in cold-stored fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The superior thermal behavior and light-to-thermal energy conversion performance are crucial for microencapsulated phase change materials (microPCMs) in thermal energy management. In this work, a series of paraffin@graphene/melamine-formaldehyde microPCMs based on graphene Pickering stabilizer were prepared by in-situ polymerization. Graphene was served as a Pickering stabilizer. We have undertaken a comprehensive study of the effects of different graphene concentrations and core/shell ratio on the microPCMs. The leakage rate test showed that the leakage rate of the microPCMs with 0.2 wt% of graphene is decreased by 93.20% than that of the microPCMs without graphene. Graphene promotes light-to-thermal conversion efficiency of microPCMs, which reaches to 90.7%. Additionally, the optical microscope (OM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to characterize the morphology of the Pickering emulsion droplet and microPCMs, respectively. Thermal properties of microPCMs were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal conductivity test. The results indicated that the latent heat of the microPCMs with core/shell ratio of 4/1 is 204.0 J g−1 and thermal conductivity of that is 0.707 W m−1 K−1. Furthermore, because of the leakage prevention performance, thermal conductivity and light-to-thermal conversion performance of microPCMs, it may be forecast that microPCMs possess significant applications in thermal energy storage management. Image 1 • Novel paraffin@graphene/MF microPCMs were prepared via graphene Pickering emulsion. • Latent heat, stability, leakage prevention performance and thermal conductivity of microPCMs are excellent. • The light-to-thermal conversion efficiency of the microPCMs is about 90.7% because of the efficiency of capture photons of graphene. • MicroPCMs possess great potential for light-to-thermal energy conversion and thermal energy storage management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inorganic hydrated salts possess high latent heat of phase transition and are promising phase change materials (PCMs). However, the issues of supercooling, low thermal conductivity, susceptibility to leakage, and phase separation significantly impediment the practical applications of inorganic hydrated salts. In this study, it is proposed to decrease the inorganic hydrated salt supercooling degree by increasing the surface roughness of the porous material and to load the nucleating agent silver (Ag) onto polydopamine (PDA) modified melamine foam (MF) by electroless plating to obtain 3D porous Ag foams, which are then utilized as support materials. The results demonstrated that the 3D porous Ag foam compounded with barium hydroxide octahydrate (BHO) can ameliorate the shortcomings of leakage and reduce the supercooling degree in the cooling process. The composite not only exhibits high enthalpy of over 248.5 J/g and high thermal conductivity of 1.82 W·m−1·K−1 but also has a low supercooling degree of 0.21 ℃. Furthermore, the composites exhibited superior shape stability and thermal cycling stability. This study provides an effective method for reducing the supercooling degree of inorganic hydration salts. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microencapsulation of paraffin with melamine formaldehyde shell (Pn@MF) shows the drawbacks of low thermal conductivity. Hence, we constructed SiO2 shells on Pn@MF phase change microcapsules by interfacial polycondensation to obtain Pn@MF@SiO2 double‐shelled microcapsules. The effect of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) contents on the performance of Pn@MF@SiO2 was discussed in detail. As the TEOS contents increased, the thermal conductivity of Pn@MF@SiO2 gradually increased, reaching up to 0.376 W m−1 K−1. The Pn@MF@SiO2 have exhibited superior leakage‐proof properties and thermal reliability through double‐shelled protection, and the highest reduction in leakage rate reached 45.06 % compared to Pn@MF microcapsules. The Pn@MF@SiO2‐3 with the lowest enthalpy still exhibit a latent heat storage capacity of more than 176 J/g, which displayed outstanding latent heat storage/release capability and good anti‐permeable property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of the study was to confirm whether preoperative controlling nutritional status (CONUT) was a prognostic factor in early-stage cervical cancer patients with high-risk factors after surgery and postoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Between 2004 and 2015, a total of 698 patients who were treated with surgery and postoperative CCRT were included in this retrospective study. The prescribed dose for postoperative radiotherapy was 45–50.4 Gy in 25–28 fractions and the concurrent chemotherapy regimen contained cisplatin or paclitaxel. Based on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the patients were classified into low (<3) and high (≥3) CONUT groups. Of all study patients, 471 (67.5%) patients were included in the low CONUT group. The low CONUT group had significantly better 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) than the high CONUT group (p<0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). A high CONUT score was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis, parametrial invasion, and poorer nutritional status, including lower body mass index (BMI) and lower prognostic nutritional index (PNI) score (p<0.05, respectively). The CONUT score was an independent predictor of DFS and OS in multivariate analysis. Notably, the CONUT score still efficiently stratified DFS in the high PNI score group (P = 0.001). The preoperative high CONUT scores indicated poor prognosis for early-stage cervical cancer patients with high-risk factors treated with surgery and postoperative CCRT. In clinical practice, patients with high CONUT score should be considered to receive consolidation chemotherapy. • Controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score was underutilized in early-stage cervical cancer with high-risk factors. • The preoperative CONUT score was a useful marker for predicting prognosis. • The high CONUT score predicted poor prognosis for early-stage cervical cancer patients with high-risk factors. • Patients with high CONUT score should be considered to receive consolidation chemotherapy after adjuvant therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: New multifunctional phase change microcapsules with paraffin (Pn) as core and GO and lead tungstate (PbWO4) as double‐shell were designed by modified GO Pickering emulsion, and the effect of GO content on Pn@GO@PbWO4 microcapsules was studied. The morphology, chemical composition, and structure of Pn@GO@PbWO4 microcapsules were characterized, and their performance was studied in depth. The Pn@GO@PbWO4 microcapsules had a dense shell and a regular spherical structure. Compared with microcapsules without GO addition, the resultant Pn@GO@PbWO4 microcapsules could demonstrate high phase change reliability and thermal stability. Most of all, the anti‐seepage performance had been greatly improved by 67.27%. The results of contact angle (CA) measurement and gamma‐ray shielding test showed that the GO and PbWO4 double‐shell multifunctional microcapsules with superhydrophobic property and good gamma‐ray shielding property and high anti‐seepage performance had great attraction in expanding the application field of phase change materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meconopsis integrifolia (Maxim.) Franch. is used extensively in traditional Tibetan medicine for its potent anti‐inflammatory properties. In this study, six cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) inhibitors were purified from M. integrifolia using high‐speed counter‐current chromatography guided by ultrafiltration liquid chromatography (ultrafiltration‐LC). First, ultrafiltration‐LC was performed to profile the COX‐2 inhibitors in M. integrifolia. The reflux extraction conditions were further optimized using response surface methodology, and the results showed that the targeted COX‐2 inhibitors could be well enriched under the optimized extraction conditions. Then the six target COX‐2 inhibitors were separated by high‐speed countercurrent chromatography with a solvent system composed of ethyl acetate/n‐butanol/water (4:1:4, v/v/v. Finally, the six COX‐2 inhibitors, including 21.2 mg of 8‐hydroxyluteolin 7‐sophoroside, 29.6 mg of 8‐hydroxyluteolin 7‐[6′''‐acetylallosyl‐(1→2)‐glucoside], 42.5 mg of Sinocrassoside D3, 54.1 mg of Hypolaetin 7‐[6′′′‐acetylallosyll‐(l→2)‐3′′‐acetylglucoside, 30.6 mg of Hypolaetin 7‐[6′′′‐acetylallosyll‐(l→2)‐6′′‐acetylglucoside and 17.8 mg of Hypolaetin were obtained from 500 mg of sample. Their structures were elucidated by 1H‐NMR spectroscopy. This study reveals that ultrafiltration‐LC combined with high‐speed counter‐current chromatography is a robust and efficient strategy for target‐guided isolation and purification of bioactive molecules. It also enhances the scientific understanding of the anti‐inflammatory properties of M. integrifolia but also paves the way for its further medicinal applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urtica laetevirens Maxim. is used extensively in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for its potent antioxidative properties. In this study, three antioxidants were purified from U. laetevirens. using HSCCC guided by online DPPH-HPLC analysis. Firstly, the online DPPH-HPLC analysis was performed to profile out the antioxidant active molecules in U. laetevirens. The ultrasonic-assisted extraction conditions were optimized by response surface methodology and the results showed the targeted antioxidant active molecules could be well enriched under the optimized extraction conditions. Then, the antioxidant active molecules were separated by high-speed countercurrent chromatography ethyl acetate/n-butanol/water (2:3:5, v/v/v) as the solvent system. Finally, the three targets including 16.8 mg of Isovitexin, 9.8 mg of Isoorientin, and 26.7 mg of Apigenin-6,8-di-C-β-d-glucopyranoside were obtained from 100 mg of sample. Their structures were identified by 1H NMR spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A kind of paraffin@graphene/silicone rubber (SR) composite form-stable phase change material (PCM) was prepared in this paper. Paraffin@graphene phase change microcapsules were fabricated by electrostatic self-assembly method, then the microcapsules were added to the SR matrix to prepare paraffin@graphene/SR composites. The microstructure of the composite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal conductivity test results show that the phase change latent heat is 53.39 J g−1 and the thermal conductivity reaches 0.453 W m−1 K−1 for the composite with 30 phr paraffin@graphene microcapsules. The microcapsules enhance the thermal and mechanical properties of SR, which can be used for thermal energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene encapsulating paraffin (paraffin@graphene) microcapsules were fabricated by electrostatic interaction-based self-assembly. An aqueous dispersion of graphene sheets charged with cation, were mixed with a water-based emulsion containning negatively charged paraffin droplet spheres to form self-assembled microcapsules. The morphology of the microcapsules was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results show that the microcapsules with a well-defined spherical structure were prepared successfully. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) results indicate that the phase change latent heat are all above 200 J g−1. With a graphene mass fraction of 8 wt%, the thermal conductivity of the fabricated composites can reach 1.73 W m−1 K−1. Attributing to the interlocking of graphene with each other, the microcapsules enable lock the paraffin in the shell thus successfully avoiding its leakage during phase change process. The prepared phase change microcapsules are expected to apply in energy storage field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract New noncentrosymmetric polymorphs, namely, α - and β -RbHgI 3 ·H 2 O, have been synthesized by conventional solution reaction. The two titled compounds crystallize in the monoclinic space groups Cc (no. 9) and Pc (no. 7), respectively. In their crystal structures, [HgI 4 ] tetrahedrons connect with each other via sharing corners into one-dimensional (1-D) [HgI 3 ] chains, and then all the 1-D chains connect with [Rb(H 2 O)]+ complexes to form the three-dimensional (3-D) frameworks. The consistent packing style results in a strong macroscopic nonlinear optical effect due to the superimposition of the microscopic second-order susceptibilities of [HgI 4 ] tetrahedra. Powder second-harmonic generation (SHG) measurements show that both α - and β -RbHgI 3 ·H 2 O are phase-matchable (type I), and the measured SHG coefficients are about 15.0 and 14.0 times that of KH 2 PO 4 (KDP). Both the compounds exhibit wide transparency from near UV to mid and far-infrared region, suggesting that α - and β -RbHgI 3 ·H 2 O are potential infrared NLO crystals. Band structure and optical property were also calculated by DFT methods. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Two new noncentrosymmetric polymorphs, α- and β-RbHgI 3 ·H 2 O were successful synthesized. • The phase transition from α-phase to the β-phase has been studied. • α - and β -RbHgI 3 ·H 2 O exhibit remarkably strong SHG responses. • Theoretical calculations have been done for α- and β-RbHgI 3 ·H 2 O. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of paraffin@poly(methyl methacrylate) phase‐change microcapsules (Pn@PMMA) were synthesized by suspension polymerization. The prepared Pn@PMMA had excellent latent heat storage and release properties (ΔHm=183.2 J/g, ΔHc=181.9 J/g), excellent thermal stability and cycle durability of at least 100 cycles. The effects of emulsifier type, cross‐linking agent content and core/shell mass ratio on structure and properties of Pn@PMMA were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The morphology of Pn@PMMA exhibited spherical profile with styrene‐maleic anhydride (SMA) as emulsifier and the agglomeration was significantly reduced. The enthalpy of the microcapsules was significantly improved with the addition of crosslinker. The anti‐permeability of Pn@PMMA subsequently further improved with continued increasing amount of cross‐linker. Besides, the enthalpy and anti‐leaking property of the microcapsules progressively reduced with the core/shell mass ratio decreased, while the thermal conductivity gradually increased. Therefore, the results showed that the Pn@PMMA with the enthalpy of 183.2 J/g and the leakage rate of 4.72 %, which displayed a high thermal reliability potential for thermal energy storage and temperature regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Cells are generally resistant to cell type conversions, but can be converted by the application of growth factors, chemical inhibitors and ectopic expression of genes. However, it remains difficult to accurately identify the destination cell type or differentiation bias when these techniques are used to alter cell type. Consequently, there is demand for computational techniques that can help researchers understand both the cell type and differentiation bias. While advanced tools identifying cell types exist for single cell data and the deconvolution of mixed cell populations, the problem of exploring partially differentiated cells of indeterminate transcriptional identity has not been addressed. To fill this gap, we developed driver-predictor, which relies on scoring per gene transcriptional similarity between RNA-Seq datasets to reveal directional bias of differentiation. By comparing against large cell type transcriptome libraries or a desired target expression profile, the tool enables the user to visualize both the changes in transcriptional identity as well as the genes accounting for the cell type changes. This software will be a powerful tool for researchers to explore in vitro experiments that involve cell type conversions. Availability and implementation Source code is open source under the MIT license and is freely available on https://github.com/LoaloaF/DPre. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two kinds of carbon aerogels, graphene aerogels (GA) and carbon nanotubes-graphene aerogels (CGA), were prepared by modified hydrothermal method. The form-stable phase change materials (PCMs) were fabricated by adsorbing paraffin into carbon aerogels. Morphology, structure, form stability and thermal property were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM),in situX-ray diffraction (in situXRD) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The results showed that GA presented wrinkled surface textures with curling edges, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were interspersed or attached to GA sheets. The phase transition temperature and the phase change enthalpy of the GA/paraffin PCM composite were 48.7 °C and 223.2 J/g, respectively. Thermal and mechanical properties of PCM composites achieved a qualitative leap with the adding of carbon aerogels. The PCM composites had a thermal conductivity of about 2.182 W/m K at the carbon aerogels loading fraction of 2 wt%. The form-stable PCM composites with high thermal conductivity and high enthalpy could be promising for thermal energy storage applications in construction field. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The storage of latent heat using phase change materials (PCM) is an effective method of energy storage. In this study, silicone rubber (SR)/graphene nanoplates (GNPs)/paraffin@SiO2 phase change microcapsules (Pn@SiO2) shape-stabilized phase change materials (SSPCM) with high thermal conductivity, low leakage rate and tunable thermal management capability are prepared by method of add phase change microcapsules and thermal conductivity enhancer graphene nanoplates. The effects of Pn@SiO2 content on properties of the SR/GNPs/Pn@SiO2 (SGP) composites were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry. The results show that the enthalpy of phase change composites can be adjusted from 25.6 to 78.56 J·g−1 by changing the addition amount of Pn@SiO2 microcapsules. Moreover, the effect of GNPs on the thermal conductivity of SR matrix is greater than that of Pn@SiO2 on SR, as a consequence, the thermal conductivity of SGP composites decreases with the increase of Pn@SiO2. In addition, the thermal conductivity of SGP phase change composites can also reach 0.567 W·m−1K−1 after the addition of microcapsules, which dramatically shortens the response time of the material in the application. In summary, SGP composites have promising applications in the field of thermal storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of paraffin (Pn)@silica (SiO2) microencapsulated phase change materials (MEPCM) were synthesized by sol‐gel process using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and silane coupling agent as precursors. The morphology and chemical compositions of Pn@SiO2 microcapsules were characterized by SEM and FT‐IR, and thermal energy storage capacity was tested by DSC. The results showed that the Pn@SiO2 microcapsules modified with 3‐methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) had a desirable phase transition enthalpy (184.12 J/g). Meanwhile, the contact angle and leakage rate of Pn@SiO2 microcapsules were analyzed, and the data indicated the contact angle of Pn@SiO2 microcapsules was significantly improved and the leakage rate of Pn@SiO2 microcapsules was reduced to different degrees by modification with silane coupling agents. The main reason is that the modification of silane coupling agents improves the wettability of silica on the surface of paraffin wax, which makes the aggregation of silica on the surface of paraffin more efficient. Among them, the Pn@SiO2 microcapsules modified by MPS showed the most significant reduction in leakage rate, which was reduced from 8.38 % to 1.24 %. Pn@SiO2 microcapsules modified by MPS not only showed outstanding latent heat‐storage/release capability with a high capacity but also exhibited good shape stability, high thermal stability and excellent phase‐change reliability and durability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microstructure of in situ Al2O3/Al composites fabricated by flake powder metallurgy (FPM) has been characterized in the current paper. The coarsening behavior of the ball-milled Al flake powders is influenced greatly by the thickness of the flakes, which in turn affects the shape and distribution of the Al2O3 reinforcement particles within the Al2O3/Al composites. Intragranular Al2O3 nanoparticles with a lamellar shape in the Al matrix could be obtained by the FPM method through refining the thickness of the ball-milled Al flakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Binary composite of graphene/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) with microwave absorption property is prepared by in situ reduction process. Graphite oxide (GO) is prepared from flake graphite by modified Hummers' method and further dispersed in distilled water to get GO solution. Then, PEO powder is slowly added into GO solution to get GO/PEO solution, and graphene/PEO composites is prepared via a facile and quick reduction process in GO/PEO solution. PEO and graphene/PEO composites are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, thermo gravimetric analysis, and vector network analyzer. The results show that graphene is uniformly dispersed in PEO matrix because GO and PEO can be uniformly dispersed at molecular level due to their water-solubility and the agglomeration of graphene can be prevented by PEO macromolecular chains during in situ reduction process. Graphene/PEO composite has better thermal stability than PEO, which can be explained by the graphene restoration of sp2 bonded carbon structure. Meanwhile, graphene/PEO composite shows excellent microwave absorption property at low grapheme content. The minimum reflection loss of graphene/PEO composite is up to −20.0 dB when the content of graphene is only 1 wt%. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:461-467, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a series of silicone rubber (SR)/thermochromic microcapsules (TC@MF)/cuprous oxide (Cu 2 O) flexible phase change composites (STC) with multi-colors and reversible thermochromic were prepared. In this composite, SR was used as polymer matrix and TC@MF with phase change enthalpy of 193 J/g was used as functional filler. Moreover, different contents of Cu 2 O were introduced to change color of composites and improve thermal conductivity and photothermal conversion. The STC composites could undergo reversible color changes from blue-violet to red with a color change temperature of approximately 52 °C. And it exhibited excellent leakage resistance with the leakage rate of STC-2 as low as 0.41%. The thermal conductivity of the STC-3 composite reached 0.33 W m−1 K−1 at Cu 2 O content of 9 phr. The STC composites were applied to dissipate heat from the battery and the maximum surface temperature was only 49.0 °C at 9.8 A discharge rate which represented 24.03 % reduction in surface temperature compared to the bare battery. This work offers an effective route for preparation of battery thermal regulation materials based on thermochromic microcapsules, which has significant potential for application in the field of battery thermal management. [Display omitted] • Cu 2 O can enhance the thermal conductivity and photothermal conversion of the composites. • TC@MF and Cu 2 O were cleverly utilized to synergistically improve the safety of the thermal management materials. • The composites exhibited excellent reversible thermochromic capacities with blue-violet to red transformation. • The composites showed efficient battery thermal management capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effects of embryo vitrification on the methylation status of the H19/Igf2 differentially methylated domain (DMD) and the expression of those genes. Design: Comparative and controlled study. Setting: A university-affiliated hospital. Animals: ICR female and male mice. Intervention(s): Day 14 fetuses that arose from copulation of male and female mice were taken as the control group. Embryos resulting from superovulation, IVF, in vitro culture, and embryo transfer were taken as the IVF group. Embryos that were vitrified were taken as the vitrified group. Main Outcome Measure(s): The methylation status of H19/Igf2 DMD was analyzed by cloning and sequencing following DNA bisulfite treatment. The expression of H19 and Igf2 was quantified by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Result(s): Loss of methylation was found in the H19/Igf2 DMD of the fetuses from the IVF group, but it was more severe in the vitrified group. H19 expression was significantly increased in the IVF and vitrified groups, as compared with the control group; however, the quantity in the vitrified group was less than that detected in the IVF group. Igf2 expression in the IVF and vitrified groups was found to have decreased significantly, whereas the Igf2 expression in the vitrified group was greater than in the IVF group. Conclusion: Embryo vitrification aggravated the loss of methylation in the H19/Igf2 DMD, and compensated for the perturbed expression of H19 by IVF procedures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Simple Summary: Cancer metastasis is still the main cause of cancer-related mortality. Peritoneal metastases are the first presentation of advanced ovarian cancer, and metastatic cancer cells tend to disseminate trans-peritoneally in the peritoneal cavity. Hypoxia is a critical factor in governing transcoelomic metastases of ovarian cancer. Therefore, targeting hypoxia appears to be a promising approach to arrest cancer metastasis. In the present work, we identified that BCL2A1, a BCL2 family member, is significantly induced by hypoxia and other physiological stresses by NF-κB signaling and followed by a gradual degradation. The upregulated BLC2A1 has been shown to enhance ovarian cancer survival, tumor growth, and tumor dissemination by suppressing intrinsic cell apoptosis. These data indicate BCL2A1 is an early response factor in the stressed tumor microenvironment, and targeting BCL2A1 may be a potential therapeutic approach in eradicating peritoneal metastases of ovarian cancer. Emerging evidence indicates that hypoxia plays a critical role in governing the transcoelomic metastasis of ovarian cancer. Hence, targeting hypoxia may be a promising approach to prevent the metastasis of ovarian cancer. Here, we report that BCL2A1, a BCL2 family member, acts as a hypoxia-inducible gene for promoting tumor progression in ovarian cancer peritoneal metastases. We demonstrated that BCL2A1 was induced not only by hypoxia but also other physiological stresses through NF-κB signaling and then was gradually reduced by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in ascites-derived ovarian cancer cells. The upregulated BCL2A1 was frequently found in advanced metastatic ovarian cancer cells, suggesting its clinical relevance in ovarian cancer metastatic progression. Functionally, BCL2A1 enhanced the foci formation ability of ovarian cancer cells in a stress-conditioned medium, colony formation in an ex vivo omental tumor model, and tumor dissemination in vivo. Under stress conditions, BCL2A1 accumulated and colocalized with mitochondria to suppress intrinsic cell apoptosis by interacting with the BH3-only subfamily BCL2 members HRK/BAD/BID in ovarian cancer cells. These findings indicate that BCL2A1 is an early response factor that maintains the survival of ovarian cancer cells in the harsh tumor microenvironment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A series of paraffin (Pa)@silicon dioxide (SiO2) microcapsules with different core/shell ratios were constructed by interfacial‐polycondensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and γ‐Methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS), and then were embedded in addition‐cure liquid silicone rubber (ALSR) to fabricate ALSR/Pa@SiO2 phase‐change composites. The SiO2 shell can avoid the leakage of Pa. Meanwhile, the in‐situ modification of the SiO2 shell by MPS can enhance the interface bonding between Pa@SiO2 and ALSR, because the C═C bond introduced by MPS on the SiO2 shell can participate in the curing reaction of ALSR. The study explored the effects of the core/shell ratio on the Pa@SiO2 microcapsules and ALSR/Pa@SiO2 composites. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis demonstrated that ALSR/Pa@SiO2 composites have dependable thermal energy storage capability which can reach to 90.7 J g−1 and phase‐change enthalpy of the composites increase with the core/shell ratio. The ALSR/Pa@SiO2 composites were found as form‐stable phase‐change materials with low leakage rate, which is attributed to the protection of both SiO2 shell and ALSR matrix. Due to the chemical interfacial interaction, the composites displayed improved mechanical strength. The composites can be used for thermal management and temperature regulation as an electronic packaging material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defects are significant for graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 , CN) in photocatalytic applications. Defective CN not only accelerate charge separation but also extend spectral response. Engineering carbon or nitrogen defects in CN has been achieved by variety of strategies, but it is still a long-term interest to develop a simple and controllable route for engineering defects in CN. Herein, we present tuning the nitrogen defects in CN by either changing the heating rate or prolonging the pyrolysis time during polymerization melamine sulfate. It was found that either lower heating rate or longer pyrolysis time lead to the formation of more N vacancies and suspended terminal amino. As a result, an optimal photocatalytic H 2 yield rate (λ > 420 nm) of 905 μmol g−1 h−1 was reached, which was 2 times higher than that of CN prepared with a heating rate of 1 °C/min and pyrolysis at 600 °C for 4 h. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In contrast to stable genetic events, epigenetic changes are highly plastic and play crucial roles in tumor evolution and development. Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is a highly heterogeneous disease that is generally associated with poor prognosis and treatment failure. Profiling epigenome-wide DNA methylation status is therefore essential to better characterize the impact of epigenetic alterations on the heterogeneity of EOC. Methods: An epigenome-wide association study was conducted to evaluate global DNA methylation in a retrospective cohort of 80 mixed subtypes of primary ovarian cancers and 30 patients with high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC). Three demethylating agents, azacytidine, decitabine, and thioguanine, were tested their anti-cancer and anti-chemoresistant effects on HGSOC cells. Results: Global DNA hypermethylation was significantly associated with high-grade tumors, platinum resistance, and poor prognosis. We determined that 9313 differentially methylated probes (DMPs) were enriched in their relative gene regions of 4938 genes involved in small GTPases and were significantly correlated with the PI3K-AKT, MAPK, RAS, and WNT oncogenic pathways. On the other hand, global DNA hypermethylation was preferentially associated with recurrent HGSOC. A total of 2969 DMPs corresponding to 1471 genes were involved in olfactory transduction, and calcium and cAMP signaling. Co-treatment with demethylating agents showed significant growth retardation in ovarian cancer cells through differential inductions, such as cell apoptosis by azacytidine or G2/M cell cycle arrest by decitabine and thioguanine. Notably, azacytidine and decitabine, though not thioguanine, synergistically enhanced cisplatin-mediated cytotoxicity in HGSOC cells. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the significant association of global hypermethylation with poor prognosis and drug resistance in high-grade EOC and highlights the potential of demethylating agents in cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of graphene aerogel fabricated by reduction self-assembly and ice template methods is limited due to the difficulties in shape control and poor compression resistance. Here, a series of polyvinyl alcohol/graphene aerogels (PGA) were prepared by the chemical crosslinking and freeze-drying method, in which (3-Aminopropyl) diethoxymethylsilane (APDEMS) used as cross-linking agent and reducing agent, reduce graphene oxide (rGO) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as supporting structural materials. The crosslinking effect and PVA enhancement effect achieved the shape control of aerogels and enhanced the compression resistance. When the content of graphene oxide is 50 mg, the obtained PGA5 hybrid aerogel has better compression-resilience properties with compressive strength of 6.26 KPa at 50 % compression. Then, PGA@PEG shape-stabilized phase change materials (SSPCMs) were prepared by loading PEG into PGA by vacuum impregnation. PGA5@PEG prepared with PGA5, had significant thermal conductivity of 0.481 W m−1 K−1, excellent energy storage performance (phase change enthalpy of 178.6 J/g) and good thermal cycling stability. Moreover, PGA5@PEG had high solar-thermal conversion efficiency of 86.9 %. Accordingly, we designed a solar-thermal water system to broaden the application of SSPCMs in the field of solar-thermal energy conversion. During the 2-h heating process, the PGA5@PEG-water system can rapidly reach a maximum temperature of 57.3 °C, higher than the pure water system (40.4 °C). PGA@PEG SSPCMs would be very promising as latent heat storage/release units for applications in solar energy storage and conversion. [Display omitted] • PGA with excellent compression-resilience properties are fabricated by chemical cross-linking. • Efficient solar-to-thermal energy conversion and storage are realized. • This design strategy provides a new idea for the application of PGA@PEG SSPCMs in solar-thermal water systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrated salt phase change materials (PCMs) have the advantages of high energy storage density and low cost, and have great application prospects in the field of phase change energy storage. However, the problems of supercooling, phase separation and leakage of hydrated salt PCMs limit their further applications. In this work, we designed and fabricated Cu-coated melamine foam (MF)/barium hydroxide octahydrate (BHO) shape-stabilized phase change materials (SSPCMs) with low supercooling. MF was used as supporting material and Cu as a nucleating agent and thermal conductivity enhancer by loading it onto MF via electroless plating. BHO was then encapsulated into the MF@Cu skeleton through vacuum impregnation to obtain BHO@MF@Cu SSPCMs. The results demonstrated that BHO@MF@Cu SSPCMs not only present very low supercooling degree of 0.12 °C and high thermal energy capacity of 247 J/g, but maintained a latent heat of phase transition of 229.3 J/g with little change in enthalpy after 100 thermal cycles. Moreover, compared to BHO, SSPCMs exhibited high thermal conductivity of 1.687 W m−1 K−1, excellent shape stability, and thermal cycling stability. In summary, BHO@MF@Cu SSPCMs with low supercooling degree were prepared by electroless plating and vacuum impregnation in this study, which provides a new strategy to reduce the supercooling degree of hydrated salt PCMs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of reversibly thermochromic phase-change microcapsules (TC@MF), demonstrating excellent energy storage and release properties, were synthesized using melamine formaldehyde resin (MF) encapsulated ternary complex consisting of crystal violet lactone (CVL), 2,2-Di-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propane (BPA), and n-hexadecanol. The microstructure, chemical composition, thermal storage capacity, thermal cycling durability, discoloration effect, and thermal regulation performance of TC@MF with different core contents were investigated in detail. With core contents gradually increasing, the chromatic aberration values (ΔE) value of TC@MF increased from 38.23 to 71.69, the melting enthalpy (ΔH m) gradually increased from 180.2 J/g to 218.6 J/g while the leak-proof performance decreased gradually. The TC@MF-2 with the best comprehensive performance has exhibited superior latent heat storage (ΔH m = 192.2 J/g), high chromatic aberration values (ΔE = 57.31), and well leak-proof properties (5.61 %). Furthermore, the thermal performance, morphology, and reversible color reliability of TC@MF-2 remained stable through 100 thermal heating and cooling cycles, demonstrating excellent thermal cycling stability. In summary, such multifunctional microcapsules can directly reflect the energy saturation and depletion states in phase change material applications through color changes. That might be conducive to expanding the value of its practical application in the field of latent heat energy storage, including smart fabrics or fibers, commodity packaging, thermal sensors, reversible thermochromic coatings and solar energy storage, and so on. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel elastic shape-stabilized phase change materials (SSPCMs) were obtained by reducing and vulcanizing a graphene oxide (GO) modified phase change latex (PCL), which is composed of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) and paraffin. GO as Pickering emulsifier assisted in fabricating EPDM/paraffin PCL. The zeta potential showed that the PCL was stable. Meanwhile, optical microscope and particle size test indicated that the average particle size was 3–5 μm. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the SSPCMs were composed of reduced GO (RGO)-coated phase change composite microspheres (PCCMs). The intact RGO coating was beneficial to prevent the leakage of paraffin. According to the leakage rate test, the leakage rate of SSPCMs were decreased. When the GO content was 0.5%, the leakage rate of SSPCMs was 0.3%. The mechanical properties test showed that the tensile strength and elongation at break were up to 2.26 MPa and 1663.53%, respectively. The comprehensive properties of the prepared SSPCM make it have great potential in the field of building temperature control. A novel elastic shape-stabilized phase change materials (SSPCMs) were obtained by reducing and vulcanizing a graphene oxide (GO) modified phase change latex (PCL), which is composed of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) and paraffin. When the GO content was 0.5%, the leakage rate of SSPCMs was 0.3%. The mechanical properties test showed that the tensile strength and elongation at break were up to 2.26 MPa and 1663.53%, respectively. Image 1 • Through Pickering emulsification method, GO modified EPDM/paraffin phase change latex is studied. • The effect of GO content on leakage rate and mechanical strength of SSPCMs was studied. • GO improves the thermal conductivity and thermal stability of SSPCMs and reduces the leakage rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase change latex (PCL) is a novel kind of phase change fluid with advantages both phase change emulsion (PCE) and latex. A series of oil/water PCLs were obtained by dissolving paraffin and ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) in petroleum ether, followed by emulsifying in water. The effects of emulsifier type, emulsifier content, homogenization rate and paraffin content on stability, viscosity and particle size of PCL were systematically investigated. The results showed that paraffin/EPDM PCL was able to be stably stored when the content of emulsifier, a mixture of 1-dodecanesulphonic acid sodium salt (DAS) and sorbitan monooleate (Span-80), was 6 wt% and homogenization rate was 16000 r/min. Afterwords, the PCL with the paraffin mass fractions (paraffin to the sum of paraffin and EPDM) from 0 wt% to 100 wt% were prepared. When the paraffin content is 50 wt%, the PCL has the most excellent stability and suitable particle size and distribution. As the paraffin content increased, the viscosity of PCL generally decreased sharply, and the PCL enthalpy value increased gradually. PCL has great application potential in the field of thermal energy transmission in chemical pipelines and building homes. • Phase change latex (PCL) is a novel kind of phase change fluid with advantage of phase change emulsion and latex. • Paraffin/EPDM PCL was obtained by dissolving paraffin and EPDM in petroleum ether, and then emulsifying in water. • The prepared PCL owns excellent stability and low viscosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]