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Background Objectives Methods Results Conclusion Apoptosis can fuel oncogenesis by the education of surrounding stromal cells. However, the function of cancer‐associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which interacted with apoptotic cancer cells, in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) progression is still unknown.This study aimed to explore the prognostic value of apoptosis and the biological effects of CAFs, interacted with apoptotic cancer cells, on OSCC.A total of 166 samples from OSCC patients were stained via TUNEL reaction to evaluate the correlation between apoptosis and clinical characteristics. Cell viability and proliferation were assessed through flow cytometry and CCK‐8 assays, respectively. Levels of mRNA and protein were examined through qRT‐PCR, western blot and immunofluorescence.Higher percentage of apoptotic cancer cells in OSCC positively correlated with more Ki67+ cells and predicted poor clinical outcomes. Conditioned medium from CAFs exposed to apoptotic cancer cells significantly facilitated cell proliferation. Co‐culture CAFs with apoptotic cancer cells dampened the phosphorylation of STING/IRF3 signaling, as well as the production of type I interferon, which was required for the inhibition of OSCC cell proliferation.These results demonstrate the interplay between apoptotic cancer cells and CAFs promotes OSCC proliferation via STING signaling, identifying a potential therapy targeted CAFs surrounded with apoptotic cancer cells for OSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To identify the surgical instrument that allows for optimal healing of tongue incisions. Methods: An Er:YAG laser was compared with different pulse energies to a conventional scalpel for the incision of mouse tongue tissues. Mice were sacrificed through cervical dislocation at 24, 48, and 72 h postoperatively, followed by extraction of their tongues for incision experiments. The healing of the incisions and expression of inflammation- and pain-related factors in the tongues were compared between the surgical procedure groups. Results: In laser-treated mice, tongue incisions healed the fastest when the laser output energy was 60 MJ per pulse. Macrophage chemotaxis toward the incisional area was triggered on the first postoperative day for the 60-MJ group, while the time for macrophage chemotaxis to the surgical area was later in the 80-MJ group. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha expression increased and then decreased in the 80-MJ group; however, it gradually decreased in the 60-MJ and conventional scalpel groups. Prostaglandin E2 expression increased and then decreased in the 80-MJ and conventional scalpel groups but gradually decreased in the 60-MJ group. The expression of transforming growth factor beta 1 gradually decreased in the 60-MJ and 80-MJ groups but gradually increased in the conventional scalpel group. Conclusion: Compared with surgical procedures using conventional scalpels, those using an Er:YAG laser with appropriate pulse energies can inhibit inflammation in the incisional area and promote incision healing. The use of an Er:YAG laser with appropriate pulse energies can alleviate intraoperative and postoperative pain in the incisional area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite solar cells (PeSCs) using FAPbI3 perovskite films often exhibit unfavorable phase transitions and defect‐induced nonradiative interfacial recombination, resulting in considerable energy loss and impairing the performance of PeSCs in terms of efficiency, stability, and hysteresis. In this work, a facile interface engineering strategy to control the surface structure and energy‐level alignment of perovskite films by tailoring the interface between the FAPbI3 film and hole‐transporting layer using 4‐hydroxypicolinic acid (4HPA) is reported. According to density functional theory studies, 4HPA has prominent electron delocalization distribution properties that enable it to anchor to the perovskite film surface and facilitate charge transfer at the interface. By enabling multiple bonding interactions with the perovskite layer, including hydrogen bonds, PbO, and PbN dative bonds, 4HPA passivation significantly reduces the trap density and efficiently suppresses nonradiative recombination. The obtained perovskite films exhibit superior optoelectronic properties with improved crystallinity, pure α‐phase FAPbI3, and favorable energy band bending. Following this strategy, 4HPA post‐treatment PeSCs achieve a champion power conversion efficiency of 23.28% in 0.12 cm2 cells and 19.26% in 36 cm2 modules with excellent environmental and thermal stabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Night shift work-related disturbed biological rhythm and insufficient sleep affect the functioning of brain activity and thus impair cognitive performance and mood state, which potentially leads to negative and even devastating results for both individuals and patients. A virtual reality (VR)-based restorative environment has shown to be an effective new technique to reduce stress and improve cognitive performance, but little is known about its mechanism of improving neuronal activity and connectivity. Methods: This is a randomized, controlled, single-center clinical trial. A total of 140 medical staff will be enrolled and randomized in a 1:1 allocation to either the VR immersion group (intervention group) or the control group. In the morning after the night shift, the participants in the intervention group will watch 360° panoramic videos of immersive VR natural restorative environments for 10 min, while the participants in the control group will just rest for 10 min. Assessments of abbreviated Profile of Mood States Questionnaire (POMS) and verbal fluency task (VFT) performances, as well as oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) and deoxygenated hemoglobin (deoxy-Hb) and total hemoglobin concentration acquired by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) will be performed at baseline (day work), the morning after night shift but before the intervention (previous) and after intervention (post). Data collected after a night shift will be compared to baseline performance as well as between the two groups. Discussion: This trial will investigate the effects of the night shift and VR-based restorative environment intervention on mood, cognitive performance, and neuronal activity and connectivity. A positive result in this trial could encourage hospitals to apply VR technology to reduce physical and mental dysfunction during of night shifts among medical staff in every department. Furthermore, the findings from this study will contribute to understanding the underlying neuromodulation mechanisms of how restorative environments influence mood and cognition. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2200064769. Registered on 17 October 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Ti-bearing blast furnace slag (TBS) and ferrochromium slag (FS) were co-utilized to prepare augite-based glass-ceramics. The synergistic effects of TBS and FS on the crystallization characteristics, glass matrix evolution, and physical properties of the glass-ceramics were investigated. The results showed that the glass-ceramics prepared from TBS exhibited insufficient crystallization ability owing to the Ti4+ entering the glass network and inhibiting the formation of a gehlenite-like Ca-rich phase. With the introduction of FS, Cr 2 O 3 disturbed the cation distribution in the glass network, reduced the activation energy of crystallization, transformed the crystallization mode and effectively increased the crystallization capacity. Moreover, the addition of FS resulted in the grain refinement of the augite phase, which improved the physical properties. With the addition of 36.89 wt% TBS and 27.67 wt% FS, the obtained glass-ceramics exhibited outstanding physical properties including a bulk density of 3.14 g/cm3, a bending strength of 173.5 MPa, and 727.3 Hv hardness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poor oral bioavailability of arctiin caused by its low water solubility is the biggest obstacle in developing it as a drug. In this work, a new water-soluble glucuronide derivative of arctiin (arctigenin-4′-O-glucuronide) was synthesized through 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine 1-oxyl mediated oxidation reaction. Subsequently, its anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated by mice acute lung injury model in vivo. The results showed that the glucuronide derivative of arctiin not only had better water solubility but also displayed improved anti-inflammatory activity in vivo, thus serving as an innovative compound in the drug development of arctiin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: As one of the mainstays of breast cancer therapy, chemotherapy inevitably induces neutropenia. In this study, we explored the role of PEG‐rhG‐CSF (pegylated recombinant human granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor) in the emergency treatment of chemotherapy‐induced grades 3–4 neutropenia. Methods: A total of 100 patients with breast cancer were randomized (1:1) into the study. Fifty patients randomized to the experimental group were treated with PEG‐rhG‐CSF after grades 3–4 neutropenia following the first cycle of chemotherapy, while 50 patients randomized to the control group received a daily injection of rhG‐CSF (recombinant human granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor). The primary endpoint was the recovery time of grades 3–4 neutropenia. Results: Compared with patients in the control group, the mean ± SD recovery time of grades 3–4 neutropenia and febrile neutropenia (FN) was significantly shorter for patients in the experimental group (grades 3–4, P =.000; grade 4, P =.000; FN, P =.038). There is no significant difference in the incidence of FN for the two groups. In the experimental group, the duration of grades 3–4 neutropenia in patients aged <60 years and ≥60 years was 2.15 and 3.20 days, respectively (P =.037). Adverse events (AEs) of any grade were reported in 37 (75.5%) and 28 (59.6%) patients from the two groups, respectively. No grade ≥3 AEs were reported. Conclusion: This study supported that the PEG‐rhG‐CSF was more effective and convenient than rhG‐CSF for treating grades 3–4 neutropenia and FN in patients with breast cancer and had manageable toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the value of quantitative computed tomography (QCT) measurement of bone mineral density (BMD) in middle-aged and elderly men with abnormal blood glucose. Methods: Total 138 men aged above 50 years old with routine physical examination were involved in the study. All participants were evaluated with serological index, BMD by QCT and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Statistical analysis was conducted by χ2 test and regression model. Results: All individuals were divided into normal blood glucose (NBG) group and abnormal blood glucose (ABG) group. Compared with NBG group, BMD detected by QCT was obviously lower in ABG group (P < 0.05). More cases with low bone mass or osteoporosis were detected by QCT measurement than DXA (χ2 = 56.618, P = 0.000), which were consistent in both NBG and ABG groups (χ2 was 33.564 and 23.250, P = 0.000). No significant difference of detection rates was found in both subgroups neither by QCT nor DXA measurement (χ2 = 4.204, P = 0.122). Regression analysis revealed that ABG was negatively associated with BMD assessed by QCT (β = -0.217, P < 0.05), which did not show statistical difference after adjusting for age. Conclusion: In middle-aged and elderly male patients with NBG or ABG, QCT manifests higher detection rates of low bone mass and osteoporosis than DXA. ABG is negatively correlated with BMD measured by QCT, which is affected by age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly monodisperse, tetrahedral colloidal particles featuring four spherical dimples arranged symmetrically one per face were synthesized via classical seeded polymerization. The depth and number of dimples on the surface of the particles could be precisely tuned by varying the operation parameters including temperature, the compound solvent polarity, and 2-ethylhexylmethacrylate (EHMA) monomer concentration. The formation mechanism of the anisotropic colloidal particles was ascribed to the phase separation of polystyrene phase and PEHMA phase. Furthermore, the obtained tetrahedron dimpled colloidal particles were assembled with well-matched spherical particles via depletion interaction and centrifugal force, forming a colloidal cluster with a well-defined complex structure. These anisotropic colloidal particles and the various structures assembled from them can be used potentially as the basic building blocks to construct multi-dimension materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Traditional carbon materials as sulfur hosts of Li-sulfur(Li-S) cathodes have slightly physical constraint for polysulfides, due to their no-polar property. Therefore, it is necessary to further enhance the affinity between sulfur hosts and polysulfides, and relieve the shuttle effects in the Li- S batteries. Herein, we report a novel vertical 2-dimensional (2D) p-SnS/n-SnS 2 heterostructure sheets which grown on the surface of rGO. The excellent electrochemical properties of SnS-SnS 2 @rGO as Li-S cathode are ascribed to the stronger absorption effect of metal sulphides for polysulfides and the smooth trapping-diffusion-conversion effect of p-SnS/n-SnS 2 heterostructure for polysulfides. As a conductive carrier for the growth of vertical 2D p-SnS/n-SnS 2 heterostructure nanosheets, rGO can protect the steadiness and enhance the cycle stability of electrode, compared with heterostructure without rGO. In addition, the built-in electric field in the 2D p-SnS/n-SnS 2 heterostructure during the discharge/charge processes can effectively accelerate charge transfer, and the charge transfer mechanism in SnS-SnS 2 heterostructure during cycling has been investigated. At a rate capability of 2C, the designed SnS-SnS 2 @rGO as Li-S cathode delivers high specific capacities of 907 mAh g−1 and 571 mAh g−1 after the first cycle and 500 cycles, respectively, which shown excellent cycling ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) is a bipolar gate-controlled device with high blocking voltage, current density, and switching frequency. The inverters composed of IGBTs can be used in the power system of spacecraft for power control and distribution. However, in the space environment, cosmic rays such as protons and γ-ray, may cause the total ionizing dose (TID) effects on IGBT, reducing its performance and even leading to degradation of the safe operating area (SOA). Many researches have focused on the impact of γ-ray. However, there are few studies on TID effects induced by proton irradiation. Also, previous studies mainly focused on the degradation of IGBT electrical characteristics caused by the TID effects. To the best knowledge of authors, there is no report on the impact of TID effects on the SOA of IGBT. In this article, in order to investigate the degradation of IGBT induced by proton irradiation, we conducted the proton irradiation experiment on commercially available 1200 V/40 A trench field-stop IGBT (TFS-IGBT) with different irradiation fluence. By using TCAD simulations, a 2D TFS-IGBT model has been set up to simulate and analyze the impact on switching characteristics and SOA. Both experimental and simulation results indicate that the proton irradiation leads to the degradation of the electrical characteristics of the IGBT, such as the negative shift of the threshold voltage, the increase of collector-emitter leakage current, and the decrease of collector-emitter breakdown voltage. Meanwhile, the short-circuit characteristics of IGBT have severely degraded, while the reverse bias safe operating area (RBSOA) has not significantly changed. • A systematic study of proton-induced TID effects on TFS-IGBT is proposed. • The turn-on process is more sensitive to proton-induced TID effects than turn-off process. • The short-circuit time has decreased by 55 % at 1.86 × 1011 p/cm2 proton irradiation. • RBSOA of proton-irradiated IGBT has no significant degradation until 1.86 × 1011 p/cm2 proton irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bone is the most common site of metastatic breast cancer, and it is a leading cause of breast cancer-related death. This study aimed to explore bone metastasis-related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in breast cancer. Methods: Four mRNA datasets and two lncRNA datasets of bone metastasis, lung metastasis and liver metastasis of breast cancer were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) and lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) in group of bone metastasis vs lung metastasis and bone metastasis vs liver metastasis, as well as the overlap of the two groups, were identified. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis and protein–protein interaction (PPI) network construction of DEmRNAs were conducted. The cis nearby-targeted DEmRNAs of DElncRNAs were obtained. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression levels of selected DEmRNAs and DElncRNAs. LOC641518-lymphoid enhancer-binding factor 1 (LEF1) pair was selected to verify its role in migration and invasion capability of breast cancer cells by wounding healing assay and transwell invasion assay. Results: A total of 237 DEmRNAs were obtained in bone metastasis compared with both lung metastasis and liver metastasis. A total of three DElncRNAs in bone metastasis compared with both lung metastasis and liver metastasis were obtained. A total of seven DElncRNA-nearby-targeted DEmRNA pairs and 15 DElncRNA-nearby-targeted DEmRNA pairs in group of bone metastasis vs lung metastasis and bone metastasis vs liver metastasis, were detected, respectively. Four cis LncRNA-mRNA interaction pairs were identified, which are LOC641518-LEF1, FLJ35024-Very Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor (VLDLR), LOC285972-Retinoic Acid Receptor Responder 2 (RARRES2) and LOC254896-TNF receptor superfamily member 10c (TNFRSF10C). qRT-PCR using clinical samples from our hospital confirms the bioinformatics prediction. siRNA knocking down LOC641518 down-regulates LEF1 mRNA expression, and reduces the migration and invasion capability of breast cancer cells. Conclusions: We concluded that four LncRNA-mRNA pairs, including LOC641518-LEF1, may play a central role in breast cancer bone metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite scaffolds with different proportions of hydroxyapatite (HA) and collagen (COL) produced different bone induction results. To examine the composite scaffolds with optimal proportion of HA and COL to achieve earlier bone induction and maximum bone formation. Composite scaffolds with the HA/COL weight ratio of 7:3, 3:7, 5:5 and 9:1 were prepared, as HA powder was added to collagen solution at 130℃ for 48 h. Then, the composites with different proportions of HA/COL were implanted into the extraction socket of right upper central incisor of C57BL/6 J mice. The bone formation of the extraction socket was observed by Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Masson-trichrome (Masson) staining at 1 and 2 weeks after operation. Five weeks later, the bone formation of extraction socket was observed by micro computed tomography (micro-CT). After MC3T3-E1 cells were co-cultured with materials of different proportions for 3 days, the number of cells attached on the surface of the materials and entering the materials were counted, and the expression of osteogenic related genes (Runx2, Ocn. Osx and Alp) was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The composite scaffolds with different proportion of HA/COL with and without mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) were implanted into the back of adult mice and cultured subcutaneously for 30 days, and observed histologically by HE and Masson staining. After one week implantation with the composite HA/COL scaffolds with the weight ratio of 7:3, 3:7, 5:5 and 9:1, there was no new bone formation in the extraction socket in mouse. However, two weeks later, new bone was firstly observed in the tooth socket with the composite HA/COL scaffolds of 7:3. 5 weeks later, micro-CT scanning showed that the total amount of newly formed bone, trabecular width and bone mineral density of the HA/COL scaffolds of 7:3 were higher than the other HA/COL scaffolds (P < 0.05). After MC3T3-E1 cells were co-cultured with different composite HA/COL scaffolds for 3 days. The number of cells on the surface and inside of the HA/COL scaffolds of 7:3 was more than the other materials, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The expression levels of Ocn and Osx of MC3T3-E1 cells were also the highest in the HA/COL scaffolds of 7:3 (P < 0.01). Bone formation was observed in the composite HA/COL scaffold of 7:3 with BMMSCs subcutaneously in mouse for 30 days, while only osteoid formation was observed in the same scaffold without BMMSCs. but bone formation was not detected in the other proportions of the HA/COL scaffolds. Compared with other proportions of HA/COL, the composite HA/COL scaffolds of 7:3 has stronger ability to promote bone formation, recruit osteoblasts to attach and enter into the scaffolds, and promote the osteogenesis of BMMSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish populations have declined in many estuarine and freshwater ecosystems in part due to the loss of habitat in recent decades. Reconstructing lost habitat for larvae fish is a potential method for recovering larvae fish populations. Three-dimensional artificial floating wetlands (AFWs) on which Phragmites australis was planted were experimentally deployed to recover the lost habitat in the Changjiang (Yangtze) River estuary from May to July 2018. The AFW area was characterized by slow velocity, high transparency, low dissolved oxygen, and relatively constant water temperature. The total individuals of larvae fish in the AFW area (12 122 in total) was higher than that in the non-AFW area (1 250 in total), and the densities of most larvae fish species were higher in the AFW habitat than in the non-AFW area. The distributions of larvae fish species were positively influenced by habitat type because they were strongly related to the negative part of the first axis of the redundancy analysis, and Cyprinus carpio and Cyprinus auratus were inclined to habitat in the slow velocity and high transparency AFW habitat area. These results indicate that larvae fish species are inclined to inhabit the AFW habitat. The use of three-dimensional P. australis AFWs would be a potential method for enhancing the habitat of larvae fish in the degraded habitats along the estuary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2D covalent organic frameworks (COFs) could have well‐defined arrangements of photo‐ and electro‐active units that serve as electron or hole transport channels for solar energy harvesting and conversion, but their insufficient charge transfer and rapid charge recombination impede the sunlight‐driven photocatalytic performance. We report a new donor–acceptor (D–A) system, PyTz‐COF that was constructed from the electron‐rich pyrene (Py) and electron‐deficient thiazolo[5,4‐d]thiazole (Tz). With its bicontinuous heterojunction, PyTz‐COF demonstrated exceptional optoelectronic properties, photocatalytic ability in superoxide anion radical‐mediated coupling of (arylmethyl)amines and photoelectrochemical activity in sunlight‐driven hydrogen evolution. Remarkably, PyTz‐COF exhibited a photocurrent up to 100 μA cm−2 at 0.2 V vs. RHE and could reach a hydrogen evolution rate of 2072.4 μmol g−1 h−1. This work is paving the way for reticular design of highly efficient and highly active D–A systems for solar energy harvesting and conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2D covalent organic frameworks (COFs) could have well‐defined arrangements of photo‐ and electro‐active units that serve as electron or hole transport channels for solar energy harvesting and conversion, but their insufficient charge transfer and rapid charge recombination impede the sunlight‐driven photocatalytic performance. We report a new donor–acceptor (D–A) system, PyTz‐COF that was constructed from the electron‐rich pyrene (Py) and electron‐deficient thiazolo[5,4‐d]thiazole (Tz). With its bicontinuous heterojunction, PyTz‐COF demonstrated exceptional optoelectronic properties, photocatalytic ability in superoxide anion radical‐mediated coupling of (arylmethyl)amines and photoelectrochemical activity in sunlight‐driven hydrogen evolution. Remarkably, PyTz‐COF exhibited a photocurrent up to 100 μA cm−2 at 0.2 V vs. RHE and could reach a hydrogen evolution rate of 2072.4 μmol g−1 h−1. This work is paving the way for reticular design of highly efficient and highly active D–A systems for solar energy harvesting and conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affine motion estimation (AME) which is newly introduced in versatile video coding (VVC) plays a significant role in the bit-rate reduction for rotation and zooming scenes. However, it brings the complexity extremely increased. In this paper, a fast AME algorithm is designed to cope with the high-complexity problem. Three crucial stages are involved in the fast algorithm, which is the optimal inter-mode decision based on the coding unit (CU) partition, the fast algorithm in affine motion search (AMS), and the fast inter-mode decision based on a decision tree. Specifically, the optimal inter-mode will be determined straightforwardly when the parent CU is checked whether it is translational motion estimation (TME). Then, three fast algorithms are made in AMS, which are early termination based on control point motion vector (C P M V), early termination of the iteration process, and fast fine granularity C P M V search. Finally, the optimal inter-mode is predicted using a decision tree based on eight essential features. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm achieves 10.20% and 10.33% encoding time-saving on average under Low Delay B (LDB) and Random Access (RA) configuration, while the BD-Rate loss is only 0.12% and 0.14%, respectively. • Propose a three-stage scheme to decrease the complexity of the affine ME in VVC. • Utilize the CU partition including parent-CU and child-CU to reduce complexity. • Propose a three-step fast algorithm for the fast algorithm in affine motion search. • Find eight key features to predict the optimal inter-mode based on the decision tree model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) are important precursors and products of atmospheric secondary pollution. The sources of OVOCs, however, are still quite uncertain, especially in the atmosphere with much pollution in China. To study the sources of OVOCs in rural atmospheres, a proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) was deployed at a northern rural site (WD) and a southern rural site (YMK) in China during the summer of 2014 and 2016, respectively. The continuous observation showed that the mean concentration of TVOCs (totally 17 VOCs) measured at WD (52.4 ppbv) was far higher than that at YMK (11.1 ppbv), and the OVOCs were the most abundant at both the two sites. The diurnal variations showed that local sources of OVOCs were still prominent at WD, while regional transport influenced YMK much. The photochemical age-based parameterization method was then used to quantitatively apportion the sources of ambient OVOCs. The anthropogenic primary sources at WD and YMK contributed less (2%–16%) to each OVOC species. At both the sites, the atmospheric background had a dominant contribution (~ 50%) to acetone and formic acid, while the anthropogenic secondary formation was the main source (~ 40%) of methanol and MEK. For acetaldehyde and acetic acid, the biogenic sources were their largest source (~ 40%) at WD, while the background (39%) and anthropogenic secondary formation (42%) were their largest sources at YMK, respectively. This study reveals the complexity of sources of OVOCs in China, which urgently needs explored further. Graphical abstract Based on the photochemical age-based parameterization method for assessing the relative contribution of different sources of OVOCs, the anthropogenic primary sources at WD and YMK contributed less to each OVOC species. Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Facile fabrication of h-BN-rGO@PDA nanohybirds via amphiphilic GO exfoliation and polydopamine situ polymerization. • Homogeneously distribution of h-BN-rGO@PDA nanohybrids in PVB matrix. • h-BN-rGO@PDA/PVB composite coating with enhanced anticorrosion performance of 2 orders of magnitude than pure PVB. Abstract Inspired by mussels' universal adhesive ability to various substrates, polydopamine (PDA) was used to bind graphene oxide (GO) and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) together to fabricate h-BN-rGO@PDA nanohybrids. The as-prepared h-BN-rGO@PDA nanohybrids were served as anticorrosive nanofillers for polyvinylbutyral (PVB) coatings on mild steel. The structure of h-BN-rGO@PDA nanohybrids were characterized by SEM, XRD, FT-IR, UV–vis and Raman spectroscopies. Electrochemical corrosion tests were conducted to examine the anticorrosion properties of h-BN-rGO@PDA/PVB composite coatings. The results show that the stacked h-BN nanosheets are exfoliated by GO. And PDA is successfully grafted onto the surface of h-BN-rGO@PDA and simultaneously reduced GO into rGO. The h-BN-rGO@PDA nanohybrids are homogeneously distributed in the PVB matrix. When the mass ratio of GO to h-BN in h-BN-rGO@PDA is 1:1, the as-prepared h-BN-rGO@PDA possesses effective aspect ratio and thus its PVB composite coating obtains the optimal anticorrosion performance with 2 orders of magnitude higher than pure PVB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlight • Sodium carbonate, sodium silicate, sodium aluminate, tetrasodium EDTA and glycine proposed as activated chemicals of CCCW. • The optimal proportion of activated chemicals of CCCW was achieved through permeability and pre-pressure self-healing test. • White crystals with an average diameter of 0.2 mm were generated in the self-healing process of CCCW. • The self-healing mechanism of CCCW was proposed based on the self-healing experimental results. Abstract Activated chemicals play a key role in the waterproof performance of cementitious capillary crystalline waterproofing materials (CCCW). We proposed sodium carbonate, sodium silicate, sodium aluminate, tetrasodium EDTA and glycine as activated chemicals of CCCW. The proportion of activated chemicals of CCCW was optimized by two key parameters evaluation of the second permeability ratio and pre-pressure self-healing rate for their self-healing ability of CCCW. Results show that sodium silicate has the most significant impact on the self-healing ability of CCCW. In the self-healing progress of CCCW, the consumption of Ca(OH) 2 (CH) and the production of Calcium Silicate Hydrate (CSH) gel, calcium carbonate and ettringite were observed through XRD and SEM analysis. The white crystals with an average diameter of 0.2 mm are produced on both sides of cracks, and consequently the cracks were healed by the accumulation of crystals. The self-healing mechanism of CCCW was proposed based on the self-healing experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water-soluble organic matter (WSOM) represents a critical fraction of fine particles (PM 2.5 ) in the air, but its changing behaviors and formation mechanisms are not well understood yet, partly due to the lack of fast techniques for the ambient measurements. In this study, a novel system for the on-line measurement of water-soluble components in PM 2.5 , the particle-into-liquid sampler (PILS)–Nebulizer–aerosol chemical speciation monitor (ACSM), was developed by combining a PILS, a nebulizer, and an ACSM. High time resolution concentrations of WSOM, sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, and chloride, as well as mass spectra, can be obtained with satisfied quality control results. The system was firstly applied in China for field measurement of WSOM. The mass spectrum of WSOM was found to resemble that of oxygenated organic aerosol, and WSOM agreed well with secondary inorganic ions. All evidence collected in the field campaign demonstrated that WSOM could be a good surrogate of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). The PILS–Nebulizer–ACSM system can thus be a useful tool for intensive study of WSOM and SOA in PM 2.5 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The purpose of this study is to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and the role of PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) patients treated with radical operation combined with chemotherapy and improving cytokine induced killer cells (iCIKs) transfer. Methods Thirteen patients who received radical resection and chemotherapy were enrolled in this study. PD-1/PD-L1 expression was evaluated in TSCC patients. ICIKs were cultured from patient-derived peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in vitro. The immunological differences underlying iCIKs transfer were investigated through phenotype, cytokine secretion and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition analysis. Results The serum PD-L1 levels were elevated in the TSCC patients. PD-L1 was detected on both human TSCC cells and tumour tissue sections. PD-1 expression was much higher on the PBMCs of TSCC patients than on in vitro cultured iCIKs. Interruption of PD-1/PD-L1 interaction enhanced the cytotoxicity of iCIKs in vitro. CD3 + CD8+ T cell proportion and cytokine IL-6 secretion decreased after chemotherapy. The infusion of iCIKs effectively reversed the immunosuppression through the upregulation of the CD3 + CD8+ T cell proportion and Th cell cytokine secretion (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-4 and IL-6). Twelve responders are currently alive (95.7+ months), another patient 83 months. Conclusion Our findings indicated that the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction contributes to the immunosuppression in TSCC patients. ICIKs transfer is an effective therapy to reverse the immunosuppression caused by surgical procedures and chemotherapy and improve immune system function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat degradation is one of the greatest existing threats to nekton biodiversity in estuarine and coastal habitats. Stereoscopic artificial floating wetlands (SAFWs) can provide new nekton habitats and have been widely used as conservation and management tools in freshwater and marine environments. In the current study, we constructed Phragmites australis SAFWs: the P. australis rhizomes were planted on the artificial floating beds, and palm slices were hung under the floating platforms to act as submerged plants. These SAFWs were anchored in the north channel of the Yangtze Estuary. To determine if SAFWs can serve as fish aggregation devices, fishes and crustaceans were sampled monthly using a bottom lift net during high-tide from July to October 2014. Our assessment was based on environmental parameters, nekton density, nekton species composition and the total length of the three most abundant fishes at the experimental and control sites. Nekton abundance was approximately three times greater in the SAFWs than that in the control habitats (108.2 ± 27.56 ind./m 2 vs. 28.37 ± 15.88 ind./m 2 , respectively). There were no significant habitat-specific differences in the size distribution of the three most abundant fish species ( Acanthogobius ommaturus , Odontamblyopus rubicundus and Eleutheronema tetradactylum ) because most of the individuals sampled were juveniles. This study demonstrates that SAFWs can form stable environments for nekton and increase habitat available to juvenile fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferrochromium slag (FCS) and titanium-bearing blast furnace (TBFS) were used as the main raw materials to prepare glass-ceramics by the conventional melting method in this study. The DTA tests and crystallization kinetics analysis were conducted to determine the optimum heat-treatment temperatures. The effects of FCS and TBFS addition on the glass-ceramics crystalline phase, microstructure evolution, and physical properties were investigated systematically. The results show that the dominant crystalline phases are Cr-containing augite and wollastonite in the glass-ceramics prepared from single FCS. With the increasing addition of FCS, though the crystallization ability enhanced continuously, a large amount of Cr-containing spinel precipitated, resulting in serious shrinkage cavities. When the TBFS was introduced into FCS glass-ceramics, the original silicon-oxygen was destroyed and the titanium-oxygen-silicon composite glass network formed. The ability of crystallization is further enhanced and the size of the grain is significantly refined. Simultaneously, the Cr-containing spinel is decreased obviously, which alleviates the shrinkage cavities and improves the mechanical properties of glass-ceramics. The final obtained glass-ceramics exhibits a flexural strength of 86.7 MPa, a Vickers hardness of 741.1 HV, a bulk density of 2.96 g/cm3, a water absorption rate of 0.36%, and a Cr ion leaching concentration of 0.66 mg/L. This study clarifies the mechanism of Cr 2 O 3 and TiO 2 in glass ceramics, which has important reference significance for the value-added utilization of FCS and TBFS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Many scales are designed to screen for obstructive sleep apnoea‐hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS); however, there is a lack of an efficiently and easily diagnostic tool, especially for Chinese. Therefore, we conduct a cross‐sectional study in China to develop and validate an efficient and simple clinical diagnostic model to help screen patients at risk of OSAHS. Methods: This study based on 782 high‐risk patients (aged >18 years) admitted to the Sleep Medicine department of the Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat‐sen University from 2015 to 2021. Totally 34 potential predictors were evaluated. We divided all patients into training and validation dataset to develop diagnostic model. The univariable and multivariable logistic regression model were used to build model and nomogram was finally built. Results: Among 602 high‐risk patients with median age of 46 (37, 56) years, 23.26% were women. After selecting using the univariate logistic model, 15 factors were identified. We further used the stepwise method to build the final model with five factors: age, BMI, total bilirubin levels, high Berlin score, and symptom of morning dry mouth or mouth breathing. The AUC was 0.780 (0.711, 0.848), with sensitivity of 0.848 (0.811, 0.885), specificity of 0.629 (0.509, 0.749), accuracy of 0.816 (0.779, 0.853). The discrimination ability had been verified in the validation dataset. Finally, we established a nomogram model base on the above final model. Conclusion: We developed and validated a predictive model with five easily acquire factors to diagnose OSAHS patient in high‐risk population with well discriminant ability. Accordingly, we finally build the nomogram model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contamination of heavy metals would threaten the water and soil resources; phytoremediation can be potentially used to remediate metal contaminated sites. We constructed the Phragmites australis artificial floating wetlands outside the Qingcaosha Reservoir in the Yangtze Estuary. Water characteristic variables were measured in situ by using YSI Professional Pro Meter. Four heavy metals (copper, zinc, lead, and chromium) in both water and plant tissues were determined. Four heavy metals in estuary water were as follows: 0.03 mg/Kg, 0.016 mg/Kg, 0.0015 mg/Kg, and 0.004 mg/Kg. These heavy metals were largely retained in the belowground tissues of P. australis. The bioaccumulation (BAF) and translation factor (TF) value of four heavy metals were affected by the salinity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen. The highest BAF of each metal calculated was as follows: Cr (0.091 in winter) > Cu (0.054 in autumn) > Pb (0.016 in summer) > Zn (0.011 in summer). Highest root-rhizome TF values were recorded for four metals: 6.450 for Cu in autumn, 2.895 for Zn in summer, 7.031 for Pb in autumn, and 2.012 for Cr in autumn. This indicates that the P. australis AFW has potential to be used to protect the water of Qingcaosha Reservoir from heavy metal contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mg-6Zn magnesium alloys microalloyed with varying Al content (0, 1, 3, 5 and 7 wt%) were prepared by permanent mould casting. The effects of Al on the microstructure and mechanical properties of as-cast Mg-6Zn alloy were characterized with an optical microscope (OM), a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectroscope (EDS), an X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and mechanical tests at room temperature, respectively. The experimental results indicate that the grain sizes do not decline obviously while the amount of eutectic phase and the secondary dendrite arm spacing (SDAS) of the alloys gradually increase when the Al content exceeds 3%. The main phases α-Mg, MgZn 2 , Mg 2 Zn 3 , Mg 7 Zn 3 , MgZn, Mg 32 (Al, Zn) 49 and Mg 17 Al 12 are found in these alloys. A higher addition of Al (≥5 wt%) causes the formation of the Mg 17 Al 12 , meanwhile, the partial morphology of some eutectic phases is modified into lamellar formation, which has an adverse effect on mechanical properties of the Al-containing alloys. The mechanical testing reveals that, the tensile properties are gradually improved within the range of 0 ~ 3%Al, and the maximum values of ultimate tensile strength (UTS, 214 MPa) and elongation (EL, 8.7%) are simultaneously obtained from the alloy with 3% Al, which increases by 21 MPa and 16.0% compared with that of the ZA60 alloy, respectively. Fracture analysis demonstrates that quasi-cleavage fracture, inter-granular and trans-granular fracture are dominant modes in the alloy with additions of 0, 1, 3 wt% Al. In contrast, the rupture mechanisms of the other investigated alloys belong to cleavage and inter-granular fracture modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource utilization of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) as alternative carbon feedstock is a promising solution to problems of both the energy supply and global warming. Herein, a biomimetic photoelectrocatalytic interface was covalently constructed utilizing cobalt-containing zeolite imidazolate framework (ZIF9) as CO 2 fixation and activation substrate, and Co 3 O 4 nanowires (NWs) as the photoelectrocatalyst. Adsorption experiments demonstrated that CO 2 could be concentrated on ZIF9 modified Co 3 O 4 NWs. The CO 2 surface concentration exhibited a 3.44 fold increment on this hybrid interface than that on Co 3 O 4 NWs. Theoretical calculation elucidated ZIF9 has the capacity for activating CO 2 molecule via binding Co atom to the O atom of CO 2 , resulting in the onset potential of CO 2 reduction 284 mV positively shift on ZIF9-Co 3 O 4 NWs than that on Co 3 O 4 NWs. At a low overpotential of 290 mV, CO 2 has been photoelectrocatalytically conversion to formate with high conversion rate of 72.3 μmol L −1 cm −2 h −1 and high selectivity of nearly 100% in liquid products. And the heterogeneous electron transfer constant was 2.096 × 10 −3 cm s −1 . This CO 2 conversion process was confirmed to be an instantaneous proton-coupled 2-electron transfer process. This work opens the opportunity for constructing biomimetic photoelectrocatalytic interface with CO 2 adsorption, activation and conversion to efficient CO 2 resource utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of supranutritional dietary selenium (Se) on selenoproteins expression in three immune organs of chickens. A total of 160 1-day-old male Cobb broilers were randomly divided into two groups and fed a Se-deficient corn-soybean basal diet supplemented with 0.3 (adequate) and 3.0 (excess) mg/kg Se for 42 days. Immune organs were collected, and effects of supranutritional Se on messenger RNA abundance of 23 selenoprotein genes and eight inflammation-related genes were compared at day 42. Also enzyme activities were measured at days 14, 28 and 42. The results showed supranutritional dietary Se depressed growth performance of chicken and down-regulated nine and three selenoprotein genes in thymus and spleen, respectively, and only Sepp1 was up-regulated in the bursa of Fabricius. Also three, three and seven inflammation-related genes were up-regulated in three organs, respectively. Supranutritional Se elevated ( P < 0.05) activities of superoxidase dismutase, total antioxidant capacity and glutathione peroxidase, mainly in early stages. In summary, supranutritional Se resulted in down-regulation of selenoprotein genes and up-regulation of inflammation-related genes in three immune organs of chicken, which indicated potential roles of those selenoprotein genes in immune organs of the chicken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of particle number size distribution (PND) and new particle formation (NPF) events in Southern China is essential for mitigation strategies related to submicron particles and their effects on regional air quality, haze, and human health. In this study, seven field measurement campaigns were conducted from December 2013 to May 2015 using a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) at four sites in Southern China, including three urban sites and one background site. Particles were measured in the size range of 15–615 nm, and the median particle number concentrations (PNCs) were found to vary in the range of 0.3 × 10 4 –2.2 × 10 4 cm − 3 at the urban sites and were approximately 0.2 × 10 4 cm − 3 at the background site. The peak diameters at the different sites varied largely from 22 to 102 nm. The PNCs in the Aitken mode (25–100 nm) at the urban sites were up to 10 times higher than they were at the background site, indicating large primary emissions from traffic at the urban sites. The diurnal variations of PNCs were significantly influenced by both rush hour traffic at the urban sites and NPF events. The frequencies of NPF events at the different sites were 0%–30%, with the highest frequency occurring at an urban site during autumn. With higher SO 2 concentrations and higher ambient temperatures being necessary, NPF at the urban site was found to be more influenced by atmospheric oxidizing capability, while NPF at the background site was limited by the condensation sink. This study provides a unique dataset of particle number and size information in various environments in Southern China, which can help understand the sources, formation, and the climate forcing of aerosols in this quickly developing region, as well as help constrain and validate NPF modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employed two different dredged sediments with adding a little NaCO and AlO to prepare lightweight aggregates (LWA) through reasonable preheating and sintering. Physical, chemical and mechanical properties of LWA were measured, and microstructure and mineral phases were examined by means of scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry. The results showed that the basic properties of LWA meet the standards of China water treatment artificial ceramisite filter material. The porous LWA mainly consist of three mineral phases which were quartz, haematite and nepheline. A thermogravimetric with Coats-Redfern model fitting method was introduced to investigate lightweight aggregate matrix during sintering process, and the activation energy ( E) and pre-exponential factor ( A) were estimated. The results indicate that under different heating rates (5, 15, 20 and 40 K min) reaction models are different from each other in different stage, the E and A for these processes are in the range of 12.59 kJ mol ~427.63 kJ mol, 2.23 s ~9.13 × 10 s, respectively, and 15 K min was considered as an optimized heating rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccination through recombinant proteins against rumen methanogenesis provides a mitigation approach to reduce enteric methane (CH4) emissions in ruminants. The objective of present study was to evaluate the in vivo efficacy of a new vaccine candidate protein (EhaF) on methanogenesis and microbial population in the rumen of goats. We amplified the gene mru 1407 encoding protein EhaF using fresh rumen fluid samples of mature goats and successfully expressed recombinant protein (EhaF) in Escherichia coli Rosetta. This product was evaluated using 12 mature goats with half for control and other half injected with 400ug/goat the purified recombinant protein in day 1 and two subsequent booster immunizations in day 35 and 49. All measurements were undertaken from 63 to 68 days after the initial vaccination, with CH4 emissions determined using respiration calorimeter chambers. The results showed that the vaccination caused intensive immune responses in serum and saliva, although it had no significant effect on total enteric CH4 emissions and methanogen population in the rumen, when compared with the control goats. However, the vaccination altered the composition of rumen bacteria, especially the abundance of main phylum Firmicutes and genus Prevotella. The results indicate that protein EhaF might not be an effective vaccine to reduce enteric CH4 emissions but our vaccine have potential to influence the rumen ecosystem of goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agglomeration of pristine multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) within a polymer matrix has largely limited the efficient conductive reinforcement of MWCNTs-based polymeric nanocomposites. In this paper, the pristine MWCNTs realized well-dispersed with the assistance of nitric acid acidified MWCNTs. The as-prepared hybrid MWCNTs were used to prepare hybrid MWCNTs buckypaper and hybrid MWCNTs/polyvinyl butyral (PVB) nanocomposites. The hybrid MWCNTs dispersion maintained good dispersing stability over 3 months. The fabrication of hybrid MWCNTs buckypaper shows that the intrinsic conductivity of the hybrid MWCNTs is 25.1 ± 0.2 S/cm, higher than the pristine ones of 23.3 ± 0.2 S/cm. The SEM images of hybrid MWCNTs/PVB nanocomposites show that hybrid MWCNTs are distributed homogenously in the PVB matrix. The conductive performance of nanocomposites is significantly enhanced with a low percolation of 0.44 ± 0.05 wt. % and a high critical exponent of 3.57. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PM is the key pollutant in atmospheric pollution in China. With new national air quality standards taking effect, PM has become a major issue for future pollution control. To effectively prevent and control PM, its emission sources must be precisely and thoroughly understood. However, there are few publications reporting comprehensive and systematic results of PM source apportionment in the country. Based on PM sampling during 2009 in Shenzhen and follow-up investigation, positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis has been carried out to understand the major sources and their temporal and spatial variations. The results show that in urban Shenzhen (University Town site), annual mean PM concentration was 42.2 μg m, with secondary sulfate, vehicular emission, biomass burning and secondary nitrate as major sources; these contributed 30.0%, 26.9%, 9.8% and 9.3% to total PM, respectively. Other sources included high chloride, heavy oil combustion, sea salt, dust and the metallurgical industry, with contributions between 2%-4%. Spatiotemporal variations of various sources show that vehicular emission was mainly a local source, whereas secondary sulfate and biomass burning were mostly regional. Secondary nitrate had both local and regional sources. Identification of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) has always been difficult in aerosol source apportionment. In this study, the PMF model and organic carbon/elemental carbon (OC/EC) ratio method were combined to estimate SOA in PM. The results show that in urban Shenzhen, annual SOA mass concentration was 7.5 μg m, accounting for 57% of total organic matter, with precursors emitted from vehicles as the major source. This work can serve as a case study for further in-depth research on PM pollution and source apportionment in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase critically involved in cancer metastasis. We found an elevation of FAK expression in highly metastatic melanoma B16F10 cells compared with its less metastatic partner B16F1 cells. Down-regulation of the FAK expression by either small interfering RNA or dominant negative FAK (FAK Related Non-Kinase, FRNK) inhibited the B16F10 cell migration in vitro and invasiveness in vivo. The mechanism by which FAK activity is up-regulated in highly metastatic cells remains unclear. In this study, we reported for the first time that one of the Est family proteins, PEA3, is able to transactivate FAK expression through binding to the promoter region of FAK. We identified a PEA3-binding site between nucleotides −170 and +43 in the FAK promoter that was critical for the responsiveness to PEA3. A stronger affinity of PEA3 to this region contributed to the elevation of FAK expression in B16F10 cells. Both in vitro and in vivo knockdown of PEA3 gene successfully mimicked the cell migration and invasiveness as that induced by FAK down-regulation. The activation of the well-known upstream of PEA3, such as epidermal growth factor, JNK, and ERK can also induce FAK expression. Furthermore, in the metastatic human clinic tumor specimens from the patients with human primary oral squamous cell carcinoma, we observed a strong positive correlation among PEA3, FAK, and carcinoma metastasis. Taking together, we hypothesized that PEA3 might play an essential role in the activation of the FAK gene during tumor metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenotypic plasticity and competitive strength are major mechanisms determining the success of invasive species and are influenced by abiotic factors. A rise in the ratio of ammonium (NH 4 +) to nitrate (NO 3 −) in soils is frequently associated with the invasion of bamboo into broad-leaved evergreen forests. However, the influence of soil nitrogen (N) chemistry on plant growth and interspecific competition in the context of invasion remains insufficiently studied. In the present work, differences in plasticity and interspecific competition between native tree species in broad-leaved evergreen forests and invasive bamboo in response to different N forms were investigated using seedlings grown in a controlled environment. We show that moso bamboo responded positively and strongly to increased soil NH 4 +/NO 3 − ratios, while the native tree species Sapium sebiferum , Camellia oleifera , and Machilus pauhoi responded negatively and exhibited limited plasticity. Native tree species growth was significantly inhibited in the presence of moso bamboo under high-NH 4 + conditions, whereas native tree species were less affected by interspecific competition when NO 3 − was supplied as the sole N source. By contrast, moso bamboo growth was significantly inhibited, followed by seedling death, in both monoculture and in mixed culture with prolonged NO 3 − treatment. All species tested exhibited significantly higher rates of 15NH 4 + than 15NO 3 − uptake, but the Michaelis constant (K m) for 15NH 4 + uptake was lower in moso bamboo, indicating higher substrate affinity. Nitrate reductase (NR) and nitrite reductase (NiR) activities showed no inducible effects in moso bamboo compared to the induction response seen in the native tree species in response to NO 3 −. Activities of glutamine synthetase (GS), glutamate synthase (GOGAT), and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) significantly increased with NH 4 + provision in roots of moso bamboo, contrasted by a less plastic response in the native tree species. Enhanced ammonification and reduced nitrification in soils is typically observed during bamboo invasion and appears to create a positive soil-plant feedback loop that, due to highly flexible and opportunistic NH 4 +-acquisition pathways, favours bamboo fitness and invasion into native forests when NH 4 + is the dominant N form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: SnO2 nanooctahedron with {221} high-index facet (HIF) was synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method, and was firstly employed to sensitive electrochemical sensing of a typical organic pollutant, 1-naphthol (1-NAP). The constructed HIF SnO2 modified glassy carbon electrode (HIF SnO2/GCE) possessed advantages of large effective electrode area, high electron transfer rate, and low charge transfer resistance. These improved electrochemical properties allowed the high electrocatalytic performance, high effective active sites and high adsorption capacity of 1-NAP on HIF SnO2/GCE. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) results showed that the electrochemical oxidation of 1-NAP obeyed a two-electron transfer process and the electrode reaction was under diffusion control on HIF SnO2/GCE. By adopting differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), electrochemical detection of 1-NAP was conducted on HIF SnO2/GCE with a limit of detection as low as 5nM, which was relatively low compared to the literatures. The electrode also illustrated good stability in comparison with those reported value. Satisfactory results were obtained with average recoveries in the range of 99.7–103.6% in the real water sample detection. A promising device for the electrochemical detection of 1-NAP with high sensitivity has therefore been provided. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Two new 3D heterometallic (3d-4f) coordination polymers {[Ln2Cu(pydc)4(H2O)6]·2H2O}n [Ln = Eu (1) and Gd (2)] have been synthesized by hydrothermal reactions and characterized by elemental analysis, X-ray single-crystal analyses, and IR spectroscopy. X-ray crystal structure analyses show that 1 and 2 possess 3D networks and strong intramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions which was confirmed by thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Tooth root development begins after the completion of crown formation in mammals. Previous studies have shown that Hertwig''s epithelial root sheath (HERS) plays an important role in root development, but the fate of HERS has remained unknown. In order to investigate the morphological fate and analyze the dynamic movement of HERS cells in vivo, we generated K14-Cre;R26R mice. HERS cells are detectable on the surface of the root throughout root formation and do not disappear. Most of the HERS cells are attached to the surface of the cementum, and others separate to become the epithelial rest of Malassez. HERS cells secrete extracellular matrix components onto the surface of the dentin before dental follicle cells penetrate the HERS network to contact dentin. HERS cells also participate in the cementum development and may differentiate into cementocytes. During root development, the HERS is not interrupted, and instead the HERS cells continue to communicate with each other through the network structure. Furthermore, HERS cells interact with cranial neural crest derived mesenchyme to guide root development. Taken together, the network of HERS cells is crucial for tooth root development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • Heterostructure PANI@SnS 2 @Cs was prepared via hydrothermal method; • The photocatalyst exhibits efficient Cr(VI) reduction performance; • The construction of heterostructure of PANI@SnS 2 @Cs enhances the reduction; • Reduction mechanism of Cr(VI) by PANI@SnS 2 @Cs is investigated. Tin sulfide (SnS 2) is an excellent photocatalyst, which is widely used in reduction of heavy metal pollutants. However, its application is hindered by the rapid recombination of photogenerated carriers. In this study, a heterostructure composite composed of PANI, SnS 2 and carbon sphere (PANI@SnS 2 @Cs) was prepared by a hydrothermal approach combined with in-situ oxidative polymerization to release the fast recombination of photogenerated carriers and improve the photoreduction performance. Compared with bare SnS 2 and SnS 2 @Cs, PANI@SnS 2 @Cs not only provides more efficient photoreduction performance, but also possesses stronger adsorption capability. In neutral solution, 60 mg PANI@SnS 2 @Cs is capable of reducing 60 mL contaminated water with a concentration of 100 mg/L Cr(VI) within 30 min of solar light. Characterizations including transmission electron microscope and UV–Vis-NIR diffusive reflectance spectra were applied to provide evidences to confirm the heterostructure and the excellent optical performance of PANI@SnS 2 @Cs. Besides, the mechanism behind PANI@SnS 2 @Cs was investigated that the photogenerated e- in the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of PANI can be transferred into the conduction band of SnS 2 while h+ in valence band of SnS 2 can be transferred into the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of PANI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Kapok (Ceiba pentandra) fiber, an agricultural product, contains waxy material that contributes to its hydrophobic–oleophilic characteristics. Its performances, as untreated and solvent-treated fibers, in deep-bed filtration of oily water containing 2.5% diesel were assessed in this study. The solvents used were ethanol and chloroform. The filtration performance was assessed through measurements of column breakthrough time, filtration rate, filtrate quality, and the amount of oil retained by the filter column at breakthrough under a constant vacuum pressure. The kapok fibers, both at its natural state and after solvent treatments, demonstrated excellent oil/water separation and filtration, for which oil was retained while water was filtered through the kapok filter column. The filtrate quality, in terms of turbidity and percent oil removal, appeared to be unaffected by the solvent treatment of the kapok fiber. The oil removal efficiencies consistently exceeded 99%. However, the filter column packed with solvent-treated kapok fibers showed premature breakthrough of the oily influent and produced less filtrate than that by the untreated kapok. The filter column packed with the solvent-treated kapok also retained less oil compared to the untreated kapok, and as a result, a quarter of the filter pore volume was not wetted even after breakthrough. This could be the main cause for the premature breakthrough of the oily influent. Apparently, the solvent treatment for impurities removal could impair the oleophilicity/hydrophobicity of the kapok fibers which was crucial for the oily water separation and filtration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Oil sorption capacity and hydrophobic–oleophilic characteristics of an agricultural product, kapok (Ceiba pentandra), was thoroughly examined. The kapok fiber has a hollow structure with large lumen. Its performance was compared with that of a polypropylene (PP), a widely used commercial oil sorbent for oil spill cleanup. The oils investigated were diesel, hydraulic oil (AWS46), and engine oil (HD40). Reusability of the kapok after application to various oils was also evaluated. Both loose (at its natural state) and densely packed kapok assemblies were examined. Sorption capacities of the packed kapok assemblies were very much dependent on their packing densities. At 0.02gcm−3, its oil sorption capacities were 36, 43 and 45gg−1 for diesel, ASW46 and HD40, respectively. The values decreased to 7.9, 8.1 and 8.6gg−1 at 0.09gcm−3. Its sorption capacities for the three oils were significantly higher than those of PP. When the oil-saturated kapok assemblies were allowed to drain, they exhibited high oil retention ability, with less than 8% of the absorbed diesel and HD40, and 12% of the absorbed AWS46 lost even after 1h of dripping. When applied on oil-over-water baths, the kapok exhibited high selectivity for the oils over the water; almost all oils spilled could be removed with the kapok, leaving an invisible oil slick on water. After the 4th cycle of reuse, the reused kapok assembly only lost 30% of its virgin sorption capacity if packed at 0.02gcm−3, and the loss in sorption capacity was much less at higher packing densities. The hydrophobic–oleophilic characteristics of the kapok fiber could be attributed to its waxy surface, while its large lumen contributed to its excellent oil absorbency and retention capacity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Kapok, a natural plant fiber, possesses excellent hydrophobic–oleophilic characteristics. Its innovative use as hydrophobic–oleophilic wall that allows permeation of oil but not water into an oil recovery well is proposed. Its performance was investigated through laboratory experiments, in which diesel was used as the experimental oil. A two-dimensional hydraulic flume was setup to physically model the oil/water separation by the kapok wall. The influences of packing density, kapok wall thickness and oil thickness on the oil recovery rate were examined. The oil permeability of the packed kapok decreased from 0.0165cm2 at 34g/L packing density to 0.0038cm2 at 70g/L packing density. The kapok wall exhibited complete rejection of water while allowed oil to permeate through. The excellent oil/water separation by the kapok wall was due to surface interaction between the kapok fibers and the oil, which resulted in spontaneous penetration and permeation of the oil through the kapok wall. The oil recovery rate increased with thickness of the oil layer in the feed stream. When the oil thickness exceeded 60mm, a constant flux of 3.8–5.0, 3.2–3.3 and 2.5–2.7L/(m2 min) could be achieved by the kapok wall of 55-, 75- and 95-mm thick, respectively, under the natural pressure gradient. The kapok wall could be reused for several wetting/drying cycles, and only lost 27% of its initial oil permeability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A natural vegetable fiber, kapok, was evaluated for its feasibility as filter material for separating immiscible liquids such as oil/water mixtures. Two types of oils, namely diesel and hydraulic, were investigated. Various simulated oily waters were prepared by mixing tap water with one of these oils to produce binary oil/water mixtures of varying oil percentages, such as 5%, 10% and 15% by weight. The effect of filter packing density on the dynamics of oil/water separation during the filtration process and the filtrate quality were investigated. Due to the hydrophobic–oleophilic surface characteristic of the kapok fiber, water could be filtered through the filter while oils were retained, causing separation of oil from water. The filtration efficiency for removal of diesel and hydraulic oil from their respective oily waters reached 100% and more than 99.4%, respectively, which showed an excellent performance of kapok in removing oils from oily waters. The hydraulic conductivity of the kapok filter was found to decrease with the advance of the oil front. The filtration rate of both types of oily waters decreased with increasing filter packing densities and influent oil contents. The kapok filter performed equally well in terms of total filtrate collected before breakthrough for the two different oils, albeit the filtrate rate could be viscosity dependent. A packing density of 0.07 g/cm3 was the optimum one for diesel and hydraulic oil removal. At breakthrough, the oil/water/air three-phase partition within the filter bed is a function of influent oil concentration, oil type, and packing density of the filter. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

As an inorganic hole transport material (HTM), nickel oxide (NiOx) is widely used in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) due to its low cost and intrinsic stability. However, on account of its poor film formation on perovskite, the low power conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability of regular NiOx‐based PSCs is a main obstacle for commercialization. Here, a solution‐processed inorganic/organic hybrid hole transporting system is developed to resolve this issue, thereby improving the PCE from 16.0% to 21.2%. Poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) is studied as the typical case, revealing that the performance improvement mainly lies in the synergistic interaction between NiOx and P3HT: 1) the introduction of P3HT improves assembly regularity and film uniformity of NiOx; 2) electron redistribution between P3HT and NiOx increases the Ni3+/Ni2+ ratio for higher hole mobility; 3) the feed‐back impact of NiOx on P3HT enhances molecular orientation of polymer chains in P3HT for better hole transport through polymer framework. Finally, the encapsulated solar cell modules with P3HT‐promoted NiOx maintains 91% of the initial efficiency after 1000 h aging at a harsh 85 °C/85% relative humidity condition. This finding provides a feasible approach for using NiOx‐based HTMs to realize high‐performance regular PSCs, paving the way for their commercialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Glass-ceramic foams were successfully synthesized entirely from silicomanganese slag and feldspar tailings through an autocatalytically induced foaming process. • The effects of silicomanganese slag contents and sintering temperatures on the morphology and phase composition of glass–ceramic foams were investigated. • The multiphase co-melting mechanism of silicomanganese slag and feldspar tailings was revealed. • The influence of the high-temperature pyroplastic state on foaming behavior and pore morphology was elucidated. Utilizing solid waste to produce foam material has become a significant direction in resource recycling. This study focuses solely on using silicomanganese slag and feldspar tailings as raw materials, utilizing a powder sintering process to produce autocatalytic foaming glass–ceramic foam. We formulated four mix ratios based on the compositional characteristics of the silicomanganese slag and feldspar tailings. The study then explored the evolution of phase formation and macroscopic pore morphology under varying preparation temperatures. Moreover, through multi-phase co-melting experiments, this work unveiled the high-temperature molten mass generation mechanism between silicomanganese slag and feldspar tailings. Our findings reveal that the glass melt generated from silicomanganese slag particles and the 'solid–liquid erosion behavior' of feldspar particles play pivotal roles in the formation of high-temperature co-melt substances. As the sintering temperature increases, the mixed powder exhibits three different states of high-temperature molten mass, which are the reasons for the evolution of the macroscopic pore structure. It is suggested that the addition of silicomanganese slag should be less than 50 %, and the heat treatment temperature should be below 1145 °C in preparing glass–ceramic foam with silicomanganese slag and feldspar tailings. The sample with 40 % silicomanganese slag and 60 % feldspar tailings, treated at 1140 °C, yielded glass–ceramic foam with a compressive strength of 1.68 MPa, apparent density of 0.279 g/cm3, porosity of 81.7 %, and thermal conductivity of 0.074 W·m−1·K−1. In summary, this study provides a novel approach for the high-value utilization of silicomanganese slag and offers an economical route for developing lightweight, eco-friendly structural materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Glass-ceramic sealed solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC): agglomeration effect of Rare-earth oxide. • Rare-earth oxide addition leads to depolymerization of the glass network structure. • The addition of La 2 O 3 to the sealing glass effectively improves viscosity and resistivity. In this paper, the agglomeration effect of rare-earth oxide has been confirmed through that the thermal properties, viscosity, crystalline phase, and high temperature resistivity of the 35BaO-(15-x)CaO-5Al 2 O 3 –10B 2 O 3 –35SiO 2 -xLa 2 O 3 (x = 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 mol%, BABSCLa) glass system were systematically investigated. With the increase of the La 2 O 3 /CaO molar ratio, the results of Raman and infrared spectra of the BABSCLa glass showed that the Q4, Q3, and Q2 units of [SiO 4 ] decrease, while Q1 and Q0 units increased in the BABSCLa glass structure, because the La 2 O 3 as the glass network modifier can create more non-bridging oxygen than the CaO. However, the "agglomeration" effect of La ions with the high field strength could adsorb the oxygen in glass to form the La–O–La (Si) bond, resulting that the glass transition temperature and softening temperature of the BABSCLa glass continued to increase with the addition of La 2 O 3 , and the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of annealed glass decreased from 11.37 to 10.87 × 10–6K–1, respectively. Simultaneously, the main crystalline phase of the BABSCLa glass-ceramic gradually changed from the low crystallization activation energy BaSiO 3 phase with 287 kJ/mol to Ba 3 La 6 (SiO 4) 6 phase with 454 kJ/mol duo to the "agglomeration" effect of La ions. The CTE of the BABSCLa glass-ceramic increased from 12.35 to 13.05 × 10–6K–1 and then decreased to 11.75 × 10–6K–1. The direct-current (DC) resistivity of the BABSCLa glass-ceramic was higher 105 Ω•cm at a high temperature of 750 °C, which had good high-temperature electrical insulation. This demonstrated the La 2 O 3 strengthening BaO CaO-Al 2 O 3 -B 2 O 3 -SiO 2 glass-ceramic system was an effective method for the preparation of hermetic glasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel route for the utilization of silicomanganese slag in the preparation of high-temperature foam ceramic materials, grounded in the unique characteristics of the slag. The phase evolution and gas generation mechanisms of silicomanganese slag was systematically investigated using thermogravimetric mass spectrometry (TG-MS), thermodynamic simulation, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Foam glass ceramic with a density of 291 ± 8 kg/m3 and a compressive strength of 2.83 ± 0.07 MPa was prepared using silicomanganese slag as a foaming agent. This research indicated that manganese and sulfur in the silicomanganese slag are critical contributors to gas generation. Manganese in the slag oxidizes to dimanganese trioxide (Mn 2 O 3) before reaching 1000 °C, and at temperatures between 1000 and 1200 °C, trivalent manganese (Mn3+) converts to divalent manganese (Mn2+) and enters the pyroxene crystal, releasing oxygen (O 2). Sulfur in the slag, captured by divalent calcium (Ca2+), forms a more stable calcium sulfate (CaSO 4) during heating and enriches the slag particle surface. As the temperature exceeds 1000 °C, Ca2+ gradually integrates into the pyroxene, prompting the release of sulfate decomposition products, forming sulfur dioxide (SO 2) and O 2. A small fraction of unreacted CaSO 4 enters the glass phase, forming fibrous crystals that enhance the compressive strength of the foam glass-ceramic through fiber reinforcement. The outcomes of this work offer new insights into the high-value utilization of silicomanganese slag and enrich the understanding of gas generation mechanisms in Mn-based and S-based foaming agents. Schematic of Silicomanganese Slag Gas Phase Generation Behavior Study and Foam Glass Ceramic Preparation. [Display omitted] • Manganese generate oxygen through redox coupling reactions between divalent (Mn2+) and trivalent (Mn3+) states. • Sulfur generate gaseous substances through a "sulfur-capturing" and "delayed-releasing" process. • Foam glass ceramic was prepared using silicomanganese slag as a foaming agent. • Silicomanganese slag forms whiskers on bubble walls, enhancing the foam glass ceramic's compressive strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Size-resolved Effective density of submicron atmospheric particles in Shenzhen were measured online using DMA-CPMA-CPC combined system. • Bimodal distribution feature of particle effective density was identified, including a main density mode and a sub density mode, by bimodal Gaussian fitting. • Particle effective density exhibited a high occurrence frequency of bimodal distribution, and two density modes exhibited opposite size distribution trends. • Effective density variation was highly correlated with the proportion of OA, sulfates and BC. Effective density (ρ eff) is one of the most important physical properties of atmospheric particles, providing important references in exploring the emissions and aging processes of fresh particles. In this study, a combined system of differential mobility analyzer, centrifugal particle mass analyzer, and condensation particle counter was used to periodically measure the ρ eff of atmospheric particles in Shenzhen from Oct. 2021 to Jan. 2022. Results showed that the ρ eff of particles with various size presented a bimodal distribution, which could be divided into main density (ρ m , main peak, corresponding to relatively dense particles after aging) and sub density (ρ s , sub peak, corresponding to fresh particles). The occurrence frequencies of ρ s of particles with diameters of 50 and 80 nm were less than 20%, but were as high as about 40% of that with diameters from 120 to 350 nm. The ρ m showed increasing trend with the size of particles, while ρ s decreased as the increasing of the size of particles. The ρ eff on pollution day varied significantly with chemical compositions. The increasing of the proportion of sulfate could promote the increasing of ρ eff , while black carbon and organic matter caused opposite effects, which may be related to various factors, including the difference of the material density and morphology of various chemical components. The ρ eff of 50, 80 and 120 nm particles decreased considerably during the new particle formation event, indicating that organic condensation was an important contributor to new particle growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusion ANXA5, a notable tumor marker, displays irregular expression in diverse solid cancers, and links to local recurrence and metastasis rates. We aimed study the expression of ANXA5 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and its diagnostic and prognostic values.520 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients in TCGA database and 124 OSCC patients in Nanjing stomatology hospital were enrolled in our study. Immunohistochemical analyses were performed using ANXA5 antibodies. Chi‐square test was used to analyze the clinicopathological features. Survival rates were determined using the Kaplan–Meier method and log‐rank test.Our results showed significantly elevated ANXA5 at the gene and protein levels in HNSCC and OSCC compared to non‐tumor tissues. Histopathologically, ANXA5 was broadly present in OSCC tumor cells and fibroblast‐like cells but absent in tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes, particularly at the invasive tumor front. Patients exhibiting high ANXA5 expression in these cells demonstrated poor differentiation, aggressive invasion patterns, and heightened lymph node metastasis risk, contributing to poorer postoperative outcomes. Remarkably, ANXA5 in fibroblast‐like cells emerged as an independent risk factor impacting survival in OSCC patients. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) highlighted ANXA5's involvement in key pathways like epithelial‐mesenchymal transformation (EMT), TGF‐beta signaling, and hypoxia, which correlated with adverse clinical outcomes in OSCC.ANXA5 emerges as a significant prognostic biomarker for OSCC, potentially influencing its metastasis via the EMT pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]