Search

The accurate identification of drug-target affinity (DTA) is crucial for advancements in drug discovery and development. Many deep learning-based approaches have been devised to predict drug-target binding affinity accurately, exhibiting notable improvements in performance. However, the existing prediction methods often fall short of capturing the global features of proteins. In this study, we proposed a novel model called ETransDTA, specifically designed for predicting drug-target binding affinity. ETransDTA combines convolutional layers and transformer, allowing for the simultaneous extraction of both global and local features of target proteins. Additionally, we have integrated a new graph pooling mechanism into the topology adaptive graph convolutional network (TAGCN) to enhance its capacity for learning feature representations of chemical compounds. The proposed ETransDTA model has been evaluated using the Davis and Kinase Inhibitor BioActivity (KIBA) datasets, consistently outperforming other baseline methods. The evaluation results on the KIBA dataset reveal that our model achieves the lowest mean square error (MSE) of 0.125, representing a 0.6% reduction compared to the lowest-performing baseline method. Furthermore, the incorporation of queries, keys and values produced by the stacked convolutional neural network (CNN) enables our model to better integrate the local and global context of protein representation, leading to further improvements in the accuracy of DTA prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prime objective of this research is to explore the impacts of import and export diversification and renewable energy on environmental footprints. In doing so, the authors employ the data of trade diversification, income inequality, renewable energy, and ecological footprints for 17 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) countries covering the period of 1995–2019. In econometric framework, the authors use two baseline empirical models based on key indicators such as trade (exports and imports) diversification index, income inequality, renewable energy, and globalization. The empirical analysis from both specifications suggests a cointegrating relation between the key variables of interest. The Long-run empirical estimates from FMOLS, and DOLS methods indicate that income inequality and import diversification increase ecological issues while globalization and exports diversification abate it. Further analysis through Granger causality highlights unilateral causal relationships running from renewable energy consumption to imports diversification, and from ecological footprint to imports diversification. The conclusions of this study stress the importance of harmonic policies, synchronization in trade, energy and resource consumption in achieving sustainable development goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum secret sharing (QSS) protocols are designed to allow a secret message to be divided into several shadows, and the secret can be reconstructed cooperatively. Motivated by the eight quantum entangled (EQE) state, a tripartite verifiable QSS scheme is proposed. It involves three agents, in four phases, i.e., shadow distribution phase, eavesdropping detection phase, measurement and secret sharing phase, verification and secret recover phase. The protocol can not only share and recover the secret correctly, but also verify whether there are dishonest participants in communication. In addition, the protocol is extended to a multiparty quantum secret sharing scheme by utilizing the unitary operations. Security analysis shows that the proposed schemes achieve the fundamental security requirements against the external and internal attackers with the aid of the quantum decoy states. It is shown that the efficiency in classical and quantum transmission is higher than the other protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile protocol is described for the synthesis of benzil derivatives from readily accessible diarylacetylene derivatives using the NH 4 I/EtOCS 2 K system. This novel protocol results in excellent chemoselectivity and provided good to excellent yields. A control experiment indicated that the reaction proceeds via NH 4 I promoted EtOCS 2 K dimerization to give the corresponding dixanthogen and subsequent dixanthogen assisted oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative explanation on the improved mechanical properties of aligned electrospun polyimide (PI) nanofibers as the increased imidization temperatures is highly required. In this work, polarized FT-IR spectroscopy is applied to solve this problem. Based on the polarized FT-IR spectroscopy and the molecular model in the fibers, the length of the repeat unit of PI molecule, the angle between the fiber axis and the symmetric stretching direction of carbonyl group on the imide ring, and the angle between the PI molecular axis and fiber axis are all investigated. The Mark-Howink equation is used to calculate the number-average molar mass of PI molecules. The orientation states of PI molecules in the electrospun nanofibers are studied from the number-average molar mass of PI molecules and the average fiber diameter. Quantitative analysis of the orientation factor of PI molecules in the electrospun nanofibers is performed by polarized FT-IR spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Poly(N‐isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogels are well known for their temperature‐dependent water uptake and release. Hence, they are ideal candidates for water management applications. However, efficiency and rate of water uptake and release, respectively, have to be optimized. Here, highly stable 3D PNIPAM sponges that show a sufficiently low density and high specific pore volume, required for maximizing the amount and rate of water absorption‐desorption, are presented. They are prepared by a top‐down approach based on freeze‐drying a dispersion of short crosslinked PNIPAM fibers coated with crosslinked PNIPAM. The sponges have low densities (4.10–21.04 mg cm−3), high porosities >98%, and high specific pore volumes in the range of 47–243 cm3 g−1 depending on the concentration of the dispersions. The sponges absorb high amounts of water (≈7000%) at temperatures below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of PNIPAM and can release more than 80% of the absorbed water above the LCST in less than 2 min. Moreover, the water‐swollen sponges are reversibly foldable, can be confined to different shapes, and have compressive elastic modulus below 10 Pa. Hence, these spongy materials are of interest not only for water management but also for biomedical applications, smart textiles, and catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Low density (≤13.9 mg cm−3), compressible poly(bis(benzimidazo)benzophenanthroline‐dione) (BBB) sponges with high temperature resistance are reported. The processing of BBB is limited due to its insolubility in organic solvents and infusibility. Therefore, the sponges are made in two steps: first, the BBB fibers are prepared by electrospinning the starting monomers with a template polymer followed by polycondensation of monomers on solid fibers at high temperature. In the second step, the BBB fibers are mechanically cut and self‐assembled from a dispersion during freeze‐drying. The use of poly(vinyl alcohol) is critical in getting self‐assembled hierarchically double‐pore‐structured, mechanically stable sponges. The sponges show very high pyrolytic stability, high compressibility (more than 92% recovery after 50% compression), very low thermal conductivity (0.028–0.038 W mK−1), and high oil absorption capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel o-carborane derivative incorporating 4-amino-phthalimide as fluorophore group 1,2-bis(4-amino-phthalimidomethyl)-1,2-dicarba–closo-dodecaborane has been successfully synthesized and characterized. The new compound is found to emit green light. Incorporation of o-carborane cluster into the fluorophore leads to a small bathochromic shift of λ abs and λ em and a slight enhancement of quantum yield. The cross-linked polymer bearing o-carborane cage is prepared based on heat-curing reaction of the o-carborane appended 4-amino-phthalimide with epoxy resin. The polymer exhibits yellow-green emission property and excellent thermal stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-density macroporous sponges with densities less than 100 mg cm−3 are both a challenge and an opportunity for advanced chemistry and material science. The challenge lies in the precise preparation of the sponges with property combinations that lead to novel applications. Bottom-up and top-down chemical and engineering methods for the preparation of sponges are a major focus of this Review, with an emphasis on carbon and polymer materials. The light weight, sustainability, breathability, special wetting characteristics, large mass transfer, mechanical stability, and large pore volume are typical characteristics of sponges made of advanced materials and could lead to novel applications. Some selected sponge properties and potential applications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Makroporöse Schwämme sind eine Chance und Herausforderung für die Chemie und Materialwissenschaften. Die Herausforderung liegt in der Herstellung der Schwämme, die bestimmte Eigenschaftskombinationen aufweisen und zu neuen Anwendungen führen. Kennzeichnend für derartige Schwämme sind geringes Gewicht, Atmungsaktivität, spezielle Benetzungseigenschaften, großer Massentransfer, mechanische Stabilität und große Porenvolumina. Bottom‐up‐ und Top‐down‐Methoden zur Herstellung von Schwämmen aus Kohlenstoff und Polymeren sowie ausgewählte Eigenschaften und mögliche Anwendungen werden in diesem Aufsatz diskutiert. Weniger ist mehr: Makroporöse Schwämme geringer Dichte aus Kohlenstoff oder Polymermaterialien sind eine Chance für Chemie und Materialwissenschaften. Geringes Gewicht, Nachhaltigkeit, Atmungsaktivität, spezielle Benetzungseigenschaften, hoher Massentransfer, mechanische Stabilität und großes Porenvolumen dieser Materialien führen zu „perfekten” Schwämmen. Dieser Aufsatz stellt den aktuellen Stand dieser Forschung zusammen mit ihren Anwendungen und Perspektiven vor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building Information Modeling (BIM) has had a profound effect on the construction industry. It has greatly improved coordination among stakeholders, enhanced productivity, and increased profits. However, many factors still limit the application of BIM in the construction industry. This study conducts a literature review to identify these negative factors. Firstly, twenty-two sub-factors are identified and classified into five categories: Technology, Cost, Management, Personnel, and Legal. Secondly, some suggestions for eliminating these limiting factors are given. Finally, the study also identifies further research directions for improving BIM theory and applying BIM technology widely and successfully. The results of this study will provide support for practitioners who are using or plan to use BIM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a serious information gap between different life-cycle stages and different BIM platforms, semantic enrichment (SE) for BIM is an important solution to address this issue. Therefore, semantically rich BIM models are of great significance for efficient construction management and BIM is facing higher semantic requirements. It is necessary to conduct SE for BIM according to the requirements of specific domains. There is still a lack of in-depth analysis and summary of the content, methods, and applications of SE for BIM in different stages during the life cycle of facilities, therefore this paper gives a comprehensive review of SE for BIM to analyze the status quo and trends from content, methods, and applications. The content and four methods of SE for BIM are summarized. The pros, cons, and applicability of each method are analyzed. Applications of SE for BIM in the life cycle of facilities are discussed comprehensively. Finally, this paper discusses the enabling technologies, Level of Development (LOD) and SE for BIM, and presents research gaps and future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The renovation of existing buildings provides an opportunity to change the layout to meet the needs of facilities and accomplish sustainability in the built environment at high utilisation rates and low cost. However, building renovation design is complex, and completing architectural design schemes manually needs more efficiency and overall robustness. With the use of computational optimisation, automatic architectural design (AAD) can efficiently assist in building renovation through decision-making based on performance evaluation. This paper comprehensively analyses AAD's current research status and provides a state-of-the-art overview of applying AAD technology to building renovation. Besides, gaps and requirements of using AAD for building renovation are explored from quantitative and qualitative aspects, providing ideas for future research. The research shows that there is still much work to be done to apply AAD to building renovation, including quickly obtaining input data, expanding optimisation topics, selecting design methods, and improving workflow and efficiency. • Providing a state-of-the-art overview of applying AAD technology to building renovation. • Presenting a comprehensive classification of automatic architectural design methods. • Analyzing the research field from functionality, energy-related performance, and economy. • Identifying current gaps and providing requirements for subsequent research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultralight cellular sponges offer a unique set of properties. We show here that solvent uptake by these sponges results in new gel-like materials, which we term spongy gels. The appearance of the spongy gels is very similar to classic organogels. Usually, organogels are formed by a bottom-up process. In contrast, the spongy gels are formed by a top-down approach that offers numerous advantages for the design of their properties, reproducibility, and stability. The sponges themselves represent the scaffold of a gel that could be filled with a solvent, and thereby form a mechanically stable gel-like material. The spongy gels are independent of a time-consuming or otherwise demanding in situ scaffold formation. As solvent evaporation from gels is a concern for various applications, we also studied solvent evaporation of wetting and non-wetting liquids dispersed in the sponge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultralight cellular sponges offer a unique set of properties. We show here that solvent uptake by these sponges results in new gel-like materials, which we term spongy gels. The appearance of the spongy gels is very similar to classic organogels. Usually, organogels are formed by a bottom-up process. In contrast, the spongy gels are formed by a top-down approach that offers numerous advantages for the design of their properties, reproducibility, and stability. The sponges themselves represent the scaffold of a gel that could be filled with a solvent, and thereby form a mechanically stable gel-like material. The spongy gels are independent of a time-consuming or otherwise demanding in situ scaffold formation. As solvent evaporation from gels is a concern for various applications, we also studied solvent evaporation of wetting and non-wetting liquids dispersed in the sponge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermoresponsive hydrogel fibrous membranes showing directionally controlled movements and surface change with ultra-fast speed are presented for the first time. They show reversible coiling, rolling, bending, and twisting deformations in different controllable directions for many cycles (at least 50 cycles tried) with inside-out change in surfaces and shapes. Speed, reversibility, large-scale deformations and, most importantly, control over the direction of deformation is required in order to make synthetic actuators inspired from natural materials or otherwise. A polymeric synthetic material combining all these properties is still awaited. This issue is addressed and provide a very simple system fulfilling all these requirements by combining porosity and asymmetric swelling/shrinking via orientation of hydrogel fibers at different angles in a fibrous membrane. Electrospinning is used as a tool for making membranes with fibers oriented at different angles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1D fibers of Bombyx mori silk fibroin (SF) and poly( l-lactide) (SF-s-PLLA) with side-by-side parallel arrangement of the two components in a single fiber made by electrospinning are presented. The side-by-side arrangement in both randomly oriented and aligned two-in-one fibers was confirmed by scanning electron and confocal laser scanning microscope studies. The molecular orientation and secondary structure of SF and PLLA were dependent on the fiber alignment and annealing conditions. The two sides retained their individual secondary structure before and after annealing without affecting each other in a significant way. The two-in-one fibers after post treatment with methanol and heat at 80 °C showed tensile strength 16.5 ± 1.4 MPa, modulus 205 ± 20.6 MPa, and an elongation at break of 53 ± 8%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single electrospun copolyimide nanofiber and aligned co-PI nanofiber belts with high strength and high modulus were prepared from copolyamic acid containing pyrimidine units. The chemical structures of copolyamic acid and copolyimide were characterized by 1H-NMR and FT-IR spectra. The morphology of the electrospun nanofibers was investigated by SEM and AFM. The mechanical properties of the single electrospun nanofiber and aligned nanofiber belts were measured by the single fiber micro-tensile test and the uniaxial tensile test, respectively. The thermal properties of the co-PI nanofiber belts were evaluated on TGA and DMA machines. The results indicated that the incorporation of rigid pyrimidine units, the molar ratio of pyrimidine/4,4′-oxydianiline and the imidization temperature played an important role in the mechanical properties of electrospun copolyamic acid and copolyimide nanofibers while the thermal properties were influenced by the molar ratio of rigid and soft components in the copolyimide main chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanically strong electrospun nanofibers at high temperature are highly desired in the aerospace industry, high temperature filtration and fire protection clothing. In the present work, highly tough poly(imide-co-benzoxazole) (PI-co-PBO) nanofiber belts with excellent thermal stability, mechanical properties and thermomechanical properties were produced from the highly viscous methoxy-containing polyamic acid (MeO-PAA) solution by electrospinning followed by thermal rearrangement. The chemical structures of the polymer nanofibers and the corresponding thermal rearrangement were confirmed by 1H-NMR, FT-IR and TGA. The mechanical properties and thermomechanical properties were characterized by a tensile test and thermomechanical analysis (TMA). The aligned nanofiber belts heat-treated at 450 °C (ANF-450) had the highest tensile strength of 559 MPa, a modulus of 11.2 GPa and a toughness of 12.0 J g−1, respectively, which were much higher than those of the pure PBO films made by thermal rearrangement. The TMA test showed that the ANF-450 exhibited a high tensile strength retention of 90% and a modulus retention of 94% at a high temperature of 200 °C. These excellent thermomechanical properties make electrospun PI-co-PBO nanofibers promising candidates in high temperature areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical properties of polyimide (PI) electrospun nanofibers could be improved by increasing imidization temperatures. However, the intrinsic mechanism on this phenomenon is highly required, which is helpful to improve mechanical properties of electrospun nanofibers by external thermal treatment. In this work, single electrospun PI nanofibers (SNF-PI) with different imidization temperatures were prepared. The nanofiber morphology was studied by SEM and AFM and the mechanical properties were measured by single fiber micro-tensile test. Polarized Raman Spectroscopy was applied to determine the PI molecular orientation in SNF-PI. The molecular orientation factor provides directly explanation on the effect of imidization temperatures on the mechanical properties of SNF-PI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrospun polyimide (PI) nanofibers possessed high tensile strength (δ), but the breaking load (BL) is very small. It is also a challenge to prepare electrospun PI microfibers from the PAA precursor in high boiling point solvents. In this work, PI microfibers with diameter more than 2 μm were prepared from their PAA-salt in water mixed with low boiling point solvent, such as ethanol. The single electrospun PI microfiber (S-EPIMF) showed excellent mechanical properties with BL, δ, modulus and tensile strain of 4872 μN, 1064 MPa, 5.6 GPa and 15.7%, respectively. The high BL allows a single electrospun PI microfiber even be able to hold a 0.5 g metal ring. The superior mechanical properties of the electrospun PI microfibers could be attributed to the high molecular orientation and crystallinity in the fibers, and the high BL is due to the large diameter of the electrospun PI microfibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultralight polymer sponges are prepared by freeze-drying of dispersions of short electrospun fibers. In contrast to many other highly porous materials, these sponges show extremely low densities (<3 mg cm−3) in combination with low specific surface areas. The resulting hierarchical pore structure of the sponges gives basis for soft and reversibly compressible materials and to hydrophobic behavior in combination with excellent uptake for hydrophobic liquids. Owing to their large porosity, cell culturing is successful after hydrophilic modification of the sponges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High mechanical performance materials at high temperature are highly desired for the materials used in high temperature industries. This study reports the aligned electrospun polyimide nanofiber belt (A-PI-NFB) fabricated from the electrospinning followed with imidization. The A-PI-NFB showed increased mechanical and thermal mechanical properties as increasing the imidization temperature. At room temperature, the A-PI-NFB imidized at 450 °C (A-PI-NFB-450) had the highest tensile strength (689 MPa) and E modulus (13.2 GPa). The thermomechanical analysis (TMA) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) showed that A-PI-NFB-450 possessed 80% tensile strength and 90% modulus when heated at 300 and 350 °C in N 2 , respectively. These excellent properties made A-PI-NFB good candidates for use in high temperature filtration, protective clothes etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Template assisted change in morphology from particles to nanofibers was shown for low molar mass amphiphilic block copolymers by side-by-side electrospinning. The reversibly cross-linkable particles and fibers could be easily obtained from the same polymeric material by choosing proper processing conditions and spinning nozzles. The conventional electrospinning with single-component nozzle provided only particles. The morphology of the particles was controlled by varying the electrospraying conditions and characterized by SEM, optical microscope, and AFM. The same low molecular weight non-spinnable polymers provided fibrous morphology by Template Assisted Method (TAM) using side-by-side electrospinning nozzle with PEO as sacrificial polymer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Heat-resistant electrospun PBO nanofibers were prepared from precursor OH-PAA. [•] The obtained PBO nanofibers are thermally stable up to 643°C. [•] The obtained PBO nanofibers have excellent mechanical properties. [•] PBO nanofibers have retention of tensile strength and modulus over 80% at 350°C. [•] Such heat-resistant PBO nanofibers could be used in high temperature fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This work highlights the usage of short electrospun fibers for the first time for the preparation of homogeneous polymer nanofiber/polymer composites and the improvement in mechanical properties by an order to magnitude compared to as-electrospun long and continuous nanofibers. Dispersions of short electrospun nanofibers can be processed by liquid processing techniques resulting in nanofiber nonwovens similar to electrospun nonwovens but is independent from the demands of the electrospinning process is one of the emphasis of this work. The re-formation of electrospun fiber nonwovens by dispersion casting of short electrospun polyimide (PI) nanofibers and the preparation of homogeneous polymer/polymer nanofiber composite films were selected as representative examples for showing the versatility of short electrospun fibers. The self-reinforced PI/PI-short nanofiber composite films were obtained from mixtures of short electrospun PI nanofibers and polyamic acid after imidization. Significant improvement of 53% and 87% in mechanical properties like tensile strength and modulus, respectively in comparison to the neat PI film was observed by using just 2wt% of short fibers. Parallel experiments were also carried out with long and continuous electrospun PI fibers and amazingly a huge difference was observed. The amount of continuously long fibers required for achieving almost the same strength was much higher i.e. 38wt% in comparison to the 2wt% required of short fibers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The use of small amounts (<5wt%) of short nylon-6 nanofibers (diameter less than 200nm) for reinforcing mechanical properties of TPU without losing its optical properties is highlighted in this work. The interaction of H-bonding type between the reinforcing fibers and the matrix polymer could provide a homogenous distribution of fibers and a strong interface leading to significant enhancement in mechanical properties (185% increase in E modulus) as shown by comparative use of TPU and PMMA as matrix polymers. The reinforcing effect of short fibers was attained without sacrificing transparency (>90% transparency in 400–800nm range) of TPU. The effective use of short nylon-6 fibers in comparison to the long and continuous fibers is also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

As the size and scale of construction projects increase, inefficiencies related to the manual operations about field data in current tracking systems are becoming an important issue. While emerging wireless technologies are providing a feasible vision of ubiquitous computing and sensor networks applicable to the large-scale construction industry, it has become even harder to select a suitable technology for tracking construction materials because of the differing functionalities, capabilities, and scope of application of the specific technology. This research proposes a multi-criteria decision-making model that leverages the decision process in choosing various wireless technologies available on the market. To justify the selection of a specific technology, a fuzzy method was adopted to provide an appropriate way to decide among five alternatives (e.g., RFID, GPS, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, and UWB). Fuzzy ranking was obtained from the aggregated fuzzy appropriate index (FAI) based on a person's point of view (optimist, pessimist, or neutral). The results showed that Wi-Fi might be a suitable solution for optimists and neutral persons, but UWB might be the better alternative for pessimists. The results of this research may assist construction engineers in applying reasonable decision-making procedures in a fuzzy environment such as construction sites, and rank the relative importance of the various criteria and alternatives specified in this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a radically distinct wireless communication approach compared to traditional narrow band systems, ULTRA-WIDE BAND (UWB) technology has been applied in various sectors and is gaining in popularity, but there appears to be a lack of systematic summary of the potential of this technology. To provide insights into UWB technology for the uninitiated reader, this paper explores the state-of-the-art research and development of UWB applications in many sectors including the construction industry without concerning the technological details. First this paper presents the key concepts related to UWB technology and a brief history of UWB. Then it summarizes the UWB's technical features which enable its popularity in industry. Finally, application examples of UWB technology in many sectors, including construction, are presented to analyze and highlight the impact on the industry performance. In the near future UWB technology is expected to become a very important component and have far-reaching impact in ubiquitous computing. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In our previous study, a kind of novel hybrid immunoglobulin (Ig)–binding proteins (IBPs) was obtained with the characteristic structure of alternately arranged Finegoldia magna (formerly Peptostreptococcus magnus) protein L (P. magnus protein L, PpL) B3 domain (B3) and Staphylococcal protein A (SpA) D domain (D). In this study, two representative molecules of these novel proteins, LD3 (B3-D-B3) and LD5 (B3-D-B3-D-B3) (LD3/5), showed substantially higher affinity for IgG-F(ab′)2, IgM, and IgA than 4L (B3-B3-B3-B3) or SpA, which were also demonstrated by surface plasmon resonance detection. Further, LD5 showed much stronger binding to single-chain Fv (scFv) KM38 (VH3-VκI) than to KM41 (VH1-VκIII) or KM36 (VH3-VλIII). Competitive inhibition studies showed that 4L alone or in combination with SpA (4L + SpA) was a weaker inhibitor than LD3/5 in inhibiting LD3/5's binding to IgG-F(ab′)2, IgM, or IgA. The computer modeling suggested that the B3-D arrangement in LD3/5 could simultaneously bind to VH3 and Vκ. Thus, our results indicated for the first time that alternate arrangement of B3 and D domains creates synergistic double-site binding to VH3 and Vκ regions of fragment of antigen binding. The different competitive inhibition pattern of binding of LD5 to scFv KM38 by 4L + SpA suggested strict use of antibody conformation for this simultaneous double-site binding. The demonstration of this novel binding property would promote to achieve the designed hybrid IBPs for useful immunological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, single‐atom catalysts (SACs) have become the most active part of the catalytic field due to their excellent catalytic activity. Among them, Ru SACs exhibit excellent performance in many catalytic applications due to their high atomic utilization efficiency, catalytic activity and selectivity, and relatively low cost. In order to understand the structure–performance relationship and potential catalytic mechanism of Ru SACs, this review summarizes the research progress of Ru SACs in the fields of electrocatalytic water splitting, fuel cells, nitrogen reduction, and nitrate reduction in recent years. The catalytic process of Ru single atom in different synthesis methods and modification strategies is summarized. Finally, some opportunities and challenges for the future development of Ru SACs are prospected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Recalcitrant DOMs were accumulated from tributaries to the main stem. • Non-normalized absorption coefficients accurately retrieved DOC concentrations. • DOM largely originated from autochthonous inputs in the headwater tributary. • The abundance of young DOM increased along the flow direction. • DOM dynamics responded to the generalized conceptual framework of the RCC. River acts as a continuum of dissolved organic matter (DOM) transport and transformation. However, underlying controls of fluvial DOM spatiotemporal variability has yet to be revealed. Here, we explored the DOM component, molecular weight and source in the Longchuan River, a headwater tributary of the Yangtze with Karst characteristic. Concentrated rainfall, severe soil erosion and in-situ metabolism primarily controlled DOM component and molecular weight in the Karst river, resulting in accumulation of recalcitrant (high molecular weight) DOMs from tributaries to the main stem in the post-wet period. We found a robust relationship between DOM absorption coefficients (a 280 and a 350) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations from a multiple linear regression model: [DOC] = 0.098a 285 + 0.591a 350 + 1.337 (R2 = 0.83, p < 0.001). High fluorescence index (FI) values (>1.9) indicated a dominant origin of autochthonous DOM. Biological index (BIX) values exhibited an increasing trend along the flow direction, suggesting a large amount of recently produced DOM from phytoplankton downstream. Our findings demonstrated that both allochthonous and autochthonous inputs regulated DOM dynamics in a river continuum with Karst characteristic, highlighting spatiotemporal variability of DOM response to River Continuum Concept (RCC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the electrochemical properties of LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 (NCM) materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), TiO2-coated Mg–Zr co-doped NCM cathode materials (MZT-NCM) were fabricated via a two-step solid-state method using Mg(OH)2, Zr(OH)4 and Ti(OH)3 as Mg, Zr and Ti sources, respectively. The electrochemical characteristics were assessed by the hybrid pulse power characteristic (HPPC) test, galvanostatic charge–discharge, EIS and CV test. Compared with NCM, the electrochemical properties of MZT-NCM as a cathode material in a pouch-cell were enhanced, especially high power performance and the stability of long cycle life. The MZT-NCM exhibits an excellent power performance of 2051 W, compared to that of the NCM, which only achieves 1736 W at 50% state of charge (SOC). Furthermore, the MZT-NCM samples deliver an outstanding capacity retention rate of 91.10% after 7000 cycles at 3C, which is nearly 10% higher than that of NCM. The modification strategy has a positive effect on the electrochemical characteristics of NCM cathode materials, which is expected to provide meaningful guidance for developing high power and long cycle life LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The flexible and self-healing supercapacitors (SCs) are considered to be promising smart energy storage devices. Nevertheless, the SCs integrated with flexibility, lightweight, pattern editability, self-healing capabilities and desirable electrochemical properties remain a challenge. Herein, an all-in-one self-healing SC fabricated with the free-standing hybrid film (TCMP) composed of the 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yloxy-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TOCNs) carried carbon nanotubes (CNTs), manganese dioxide (MnO 2) and polyaniline (PANI) as the electrode, polyvinyl alcohol/sulfuric acid (PVA/H 2 SO 4) gel as the electrolyte and dynamically cross-linked cellulose nanofibers/PVA/sodium tetraborate decahydrate (CNF/PB) hydrogel as the self-healing electrode matrix is developed. The TCMP film electrodes are fabricated through a facile in-situ polymerization of MnO 2 and PANI in TOCNs-dispersed CNTs composite networks, exhibiting lightweight, high electrical conductivity, flexibility, pattern editability and excellent electrochemical properties. Benefited from the hierarchically porous structure and high mechanical properties of TOCNs, excellent electrical conductivity of CNTs and the desirable synergistic effect of pseudocapacitance induced by MnO 2 and PANI, the assembled SC with an interdigital structure demonstrated a high areal capacitance of 1108 mF cm−2 at 2 mA cm−2, large areal energy density of 153.7 μWh cm−2 at 1101.7 μW cm−2. A satisfactory bending cycle performance (capacitance retention up to 95 % after 200 bending deformations) and self-healing characteristics (∼90 % capacitance retention after 10 cut/repair cycles) are demonstrated for the TCMP-based symmetric SC, delivering a feasible strategy for electrochemical energy storage devices with excellent performance, designable patterns and desirable safe lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thin, lightweight and flexible electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding paper composite is an urgent need for modern military confrontations. Herein, a sandwich-structured EMI shielding paper composite with an easy pavement consisting of a filter paper layer, middle AgNWs/MXene layer, and polyvinyl butyral (PVB) layer was constructed by vacuum-assisted filtration, spraying and air-drying. The middle AgNWs/MXene compound endowed the filter paper with excellent electrical conductivity (166 S cm−1) and the fabricated filter paper–AgNWs/MXene–PVB composite exhibits superior EMI shielding (30 dB) with a 141 μm thickness. Remarkably, the specific EMI shielding effectiveness (SSE/t) of the filter paper–AgNWs/MXene–PVB composite reached 13,000 dB cm2 g−1 within the X-band frequency range. This value represents one of the highest reported for cellulose-based EMI shielding materials. Therefore, our sandwich-structured filter paper composite with superior EMI shielding performance can be used in the medical and military fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes a method of synthesising pyridine, quinoline, and isoquinoline ketones using 2‐halogenated N‐heterocycles as the starting materials under mild reaction conditions. Considering the significance of pyridones in organic chemistry, developing novel, green synthetic strategies is highly desirable. The reaction employs H2O as the solvent and source of O, rendering it green, and it is simple to execute, with a broad substrate scope and an excellent functional group tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a modified wood with greatly improved mechanical properties and reduced hygroscopicity was successfully prepared. The effects of the impregnation of multi-functional composite modifier on the chemical, thermal and morphological properties of poplar wood were also studied by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA) and Scanning Electron Microscopy- Energy-Dispersive X-ray Analysis (SEM-EDXA). The multi-functional composite modifier was fabricated by methylolurea, dimethylol dihydroxy ethylene urea (DMDHEU), carbamide and silica sol. Cross-linking reaction happened between the wood cell wall and the multi-functional composite modifier. The position peaks in the XRD pattern didn't change obviously, which indicated the crystal structure of cellulose was not noticeably affected by the chemical modification. The FT-IR analysis showed that the intensity of hydroxyl (-OH) and carbonyl (C = O) absorption peaks decreased, which was attributed to the -NHCH2OH of the modifier reacted with the hydroxyl and carbonyl of the wood. Meanwhile the Si-O-Si bond and Si-O-C bond formed between the wood structure and silica sol by in-situ polymerization. The TGA curve showed the thermal stability of the modified wood. The micrographs and major elements of the untreated and modified wood were observed by SEM-EDXA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water‐ and/or temperature‐triggered polymer actuators have great potential in robotics, microfabrication and micromanipulation, cell culture, artificial scaffolds, muscles, and motors. In the past few years, a large amount of work has been carried out, and several innovative concepts have been proposed to address challenges such as actuation with large‐scale displacement in a very short time, actuation of large‐sized samples, complex 3D shaping, directional control, multiresponsive actuation, and strong actuators. Herein, the progress made in the field of actuators triggered by water, temperature, and a combination of both is presented, emphasizing the new concepts of fast and direction‐controlled actuation, the corresponding mechanisms, the associated challenges, and future tasks and perspectives. Artificial water‐ and/or temperature‐triggered polymer actuators showing complex and fast shape changes with large dimensions are possible using three‐dimensional printing, photolithography, laser writing, electrospinning and their combinations. The progress made in this field is shown with emphasis on the new concepts of fast and direction‐controlled actuation, the corresponding mechanisms, the associated challenges, and the future tasks and perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, there has been a growing demand for ultra‐thin carbonized wood films (CWF) with high shielding efficiency (SE) to replace non‐renewable alternatives. Researchers aim to enhance electromagnetic (EM) wave absorption and improve electromagnetic interference (EMI) SE in CWF materials to reduce secondary pollution from reflected EM waves. In this work, the carbonized wood composite film (CWF/EP/Co) with a thickness of 120 µm through the process of hot‐pressing and carbonizing wood soaked in a mixed solution of water‐borne epoxy (EP) and Co/Zn‐MOF (ZIF‐67/8) is obtained. The CWF/EP/Co film exhibits excellent conductivity (105 S cm−1) and demonstrates an excellent EMI SE (73 dB) at a 200 µm thickness. Remarkably, the specific EMI shielding effectiveness (SSE/t) of CWF/EP/Co films reached 15833.3 dB·cm2·g−1 in the X‐band, making it the highest reported value among all wood‐derived EMI shielding materials. CWF/EP/Co films have a high absorption coefficient (A) of 0.4, indicating their effectiveness in absorbing EM waves. Furthermore, the EMI shielding effect of the large‐scale wallpaper (170 mm×170 mm) is confirmed by finite element analysis. Additionally, the CWF/EP/Co film exhibits good mechanical properties and effective Joule heating performance. This shielding film shows promise in applications such as buildings and smart homes, providing EMI shielding and warming effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Ultra-flexible bimetallic nanowire decorated foams via facile dip-coating method. • An ultra-low filler content of 0.22 vol% for high performances. • Effective microwave absorption of −69.61 dB with ultra-wide absorption bandwidth. • Integrated multi-functional applications in one. Nowadays, functional electronic devices with excellent flexibility and thermal management capability for effective electromagnetic wave absorption are urgently in demand. Herein, a novel and highly flexible silver nanowire (AgNW)/iron nanowire (FeNW) decorated melamine composite foam (AgFe-MF) was prepared via simple dip-coating process. Owing to optimal impedance matching, synergistic dielectric and magnetic losses as well as three-dimensional porous structure, the AgFe-MF with an ultra-low filler content (0.22 vol%) exhibited an outstanding minimum reflection loss of −69.61 dB, and the best effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) could reach up to 6.37 GHz. Importantly, the EAB of long-time working AgFe-MF was enhanced to 7.01 GHz after 1000 compress-release cycles under 40 % strain. Besides, it also featured considerate Joule heating capacity and achieved a saturation temperature of over 85.7 ℃ under 2.6 V voltage. The impressive thermal isolation and long-term stability ensured the safety used as portable heater. Therefore, this work will provide a vital slight for fabricating smart wearable electronic devices with integrated anti-electromagnetic radiation and personalized thermal management performances towards potential thermal and health threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A facile "chemical blowing" strategy is developed to expand the dense and micron-scale thickness walls into interconnected carbon nanosheets. • Zn(NO 3) 2 is proved to functioned as blowing agent, precursor of template, activator, and nitrogen dopant. • The optimized thick carbon monolith with high-mass loading (∼30 mg cm−2) delivers encouraging capacitive performance in low-temperature. Biomass-derived carbon materials are promising electrode materials for capacitive energy storage. Herein, inspired by the hierarchical structure of natural wood, carbon monoliths built up by interconnected porous carbon nanosheets with enriched vertical channels were obtained via zinc nitrate (Zn(NO 3) 2)-assisted synthesis and served as thick electrodes for capacitive energy storage. Zn(NO 3) 2 is proved to function as expansion agent, activator, dopant, and precursor of the template. The dense and micron-scale thickness walls of wood were expanded by Zn(NO 3) 2 into porous and interconnected nanosheets. The pore volume and specific surface area were increased by more than 430 %. The initial specific capacitance and rate performance of the optimized carbon monolith was approximately three times that of the pristine dense carbon framework. The assembled symmetric supercapacitor possessed a high initial specific capacitance of 4564 mF cm−2 (0–1.7 V) at −40 °C. Impressively, the robust device could be cycled more than 100,000 times with little capacitance attenuation. The assembled zinc-ion hybrid capacitor (0.2–2 V) delivered a large specific capacitance of 4500 mF cm−2 at −40 °C, approximately 74 % of its specific capacitance at 25 °C. Our research paves a new avenue to design thick carbon electrodes with high capacitive performance by multifunctional Zn(NO 3) 2 for low-temperature applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The predominant adhesives currently utilized in the wood sector are sourced from petroleum. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that fossil resources possess a limited supply, and their extraction procedures can lead to adverse effects on the ecosystem. Renewable biomass resources have important application prospects in wood adhesives. This paper reviews the recent research progress on utilizing biomass to replace or modify conventional petroleum-based adhesives, focusing on the application of tannin, lignin, protein, starch, and cellulose in urea–formaldehyde (UF), melamine, phenol–formaldehyde (PF), epoxy (EP), and polyurethane (PU) resin adhesives. The symbiosis of renewable biomass with conventional petroleum-based adhesives portends substantial advancements for the wood adhesive industry. This review evaluates the substitution capacity and modification effect of biomass, discusses its application prospects in the wood-based panel industry, and predicts the future direction of biomass in wood adhesives, providing new inspirations for the development of novel green adhesives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the modern sheep production systems, the reproductive performance of ewes determines the economic profitability of farming. Revealing the genetic mechanisms underlying differences in the litter size is important for the selection and breeding of highly prolific ewes. Hu sheep, a high-quality Chinese sheep breed, is known for its high fecundity and is often used as a model to study prolificacy traits. In the current study, animals were divided into two groups according to their delivery rates in three consecutive lambing seasons (namely, the high and low reproductive groups with ≥ 3 lambs and one lamb per season, n = 3, respectively). The ewes were slaughtered within 12 h of estrus, and unilateral ovarian tissues were collected and analyzed by 10× Genomics single-cell RNA sequencing. Results: A total of 5 types of somatic cells were identified and corresponding expression profiles were mapped in the ovaries of each group. Noticeably, the differences in the ovary somatic cell expression profiles between the high and low reproductive groups were mainly clustered in the granulosa cells. Furthermore, four granulosa cell subtypes were identified. GeneSwitches analysis revealed that the abundance of JPH1 expression and the reduction of LOC101112291 expression could lead to different evolutionary directions of the granulosa cells. Additionally, the expression levels of FTH1 and FTL in mural granulosa cells of the highly reproductive group were significantly higher. These genes inhibit necroptosis and ferroptosis of mural granulosa cells, which helps prevent follicular atresia. Conclusions: This study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the high fecundity of Hu sheep. The differences in gene expression profiles, particularly in the granulosa cells, suggest that these cells play a critical role in female prolificacy. The findings also highlight the importance of genes such as JPH1, LOC101112291, FTH1, and FTL in regulating granulosa cell function and follicular development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Construct multi-scale architectures from 0D to 2D with abundant heterostructures. • Enhanced microwave absorption of −67 dB with ultrabroad absorption bandwidth. • Rich heterogeneous interfaces and synergistic multiple loss mechanisms for EWA. Two-dimensional (2D) MXene has attracted vast attention in electromagnetic wave absorption (EWA), but there remains a contradiction between maintaining impedance matching and enhancing dielectric loss. Herein, the multi-scale architectures of ecoflex/2D MXene (Ti 3 C 2 T x)@zero-dimensional CoNi sphere@one-dimensional carbon nanotube composite elastomers were successfully constructed by simple liquid-phase reduction and thermo-curing method. The binding between the hybrids as fillers and ecoflex as a matrix greatly enhanced the EWA capability of the obtained composite elastomer and improved its mechanical properties. Owing to its good impedance matching, abundant heterostructures, and synergistic electrical and magnetic losses, this elastomer exhibited an excellent minimum reflection loss of −67 dB at 9.46 GHz under a thickness of 2.98 mm. In addition, its ultrabroad effective absorption bandwidth reached 6.07 GHz. This achievement will pave the way for the exploitation of multi-dimensional heterostructures as high-performance electromagnetic absorbers with superior EWA ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Novel wheat-like Ni-coated core–shell silver nanowire using facile one-pot method. • High-efficiency microwave absorption of −61.1 dB with wide absorption bandwidth. • Synergistic effect of unique structure and multiple loss mechanisms for EWA. • Long-term operational stability for three months. Nowadays, developing high-performance electromagnetic functional materials to eliminate the ever-increasing electromagnetic pollution problem is necessary for the complex electromagnetic environment. However, the materials with high electrical conductivity are prone to secondary electromagnetic pollution due to interface impedance mismatching. Herein, the wheat-like electrically conductive and magnetic silver nanowire@nickle (AgNW@Ni) composites were fabricated via a one-pot in-situ growth method. The electromagnetic properties of the composites could be regulated by adjusting different ratios of precursors, resulting in various morphological features of the nanowire as the core with different Ni shell thicknesses. When the Ag and Ni molar ratio was 1:1.1, the AgNW@Ni composite exhibited the optimal minimum reflection loss (RL min) of −61.1 dB with an adequate effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 4.06 GHz owing to good impedance matching, abundant heterostructures, and synergistic electrical and magnetic losses. Even after three months, it still maintained an acceptable RL min value of −39.7 dB and similar EAB , demonstrating its long-term operational stability. This unique composite is expected to be applied in more actual electromagnetic protection occasions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a new strategy for the fabrication of nanoporous polymer films assembled using strong polyelectrolyte pairs in ionic liquid aqueous solutions. These nanoporous films show good anti-reflection properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mildly delignified wood showed a well-preserved wood cell wall framework, and its derived compressed materials demonstrate excellent mechanical properties and advanced functional material potential. Here, we proposed a simple yet effective approach for making strong, tough, and fire-retardant wooden laminate by a three-step process of mild delignification, infiltrating potassium nonafluoro-1-butanesulfonate (PFBS), and hot-pressing to densify the material. PFBS can be infiltrated into the micro/nano-structures of the mildly delignified wood to achieve a good flame-resistant protective barrier. Flame retardant tests showed that this strong, tough, and fire-retardant wooden laminate has a superior flame-retardant performance to natural wood. Additionally, the wooden laminate also exhibits a simultaneously enhanced tensile strength (175.6 MPa vs. 89.9 MPa for natural wood) and toughness (22.9 MJ m−3 vs. 10.9 MJ m−3 for natural wood). Given these attributes, the resulting wooden laminates are identified as promising candidates for high-performance structural applications, fulfilling stringent requirements for both mechanical resilience and flame-retardant efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the rapid development of intelligent technology and the pursuit of green environmental protection, responsive materials with single response and actuation can no longer meet the requirements of modern technology for intelligence, diversification, and environmental friendliness. Therefore, intelligent responsive materials have received much attention. In recent years, with the development of new materials and technologies, cellulose materials have become increasingly used as responsive materials due to their advantages of sustainability and renewability. This review summarizes the relevant research on cellulose-based intelligent responsive materials in recent years. According to the stimuli responses, they are divided into temperature-, light-, electrical-, magnetic-, and humidity-responsive types. The response mechanism, application status, and development trend of cellulose-based intelligent responsive materials are summarized. Finally, the future perspectives on the preparation and applications of cellulose-based intelligent responsive materials are presented for future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the problem of the serious capacity fading in lithium–sulfur batteries, a multi‐functional PEO(polyethylene oxide)/LiFSI (lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide)/PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) (PLP) gel polymer electrolyte is exploited by coating PLP on a carbon nanotubes (CNTs) based sulfur cathode (PLP‐S/CNTs) with a controlled thermal annealing process. The annealing process leads to the conformal infusion of PLP through the matrix of S/CNTs with retaining the amorphous phase of the PLP, which enhance the rate performance compared to the bare S/CNTs. The PLP coating drives the transformation of more elemental sulfur to Li2S2/Li2S without forming intermediary product by restraining soluble‐polysulfides formation. Furthermore, the PLP coating successfully inhibits the dissolution of Li2Sx (x > 4) in PEO and prevents the loss of active material in the cathode, which is confirmed by density functional theory calculations. Comprehensively, the PLP coating applied to the surface of the S/CNTs cathode exhibit significantly suppressed shuttle effect and greatly improve long‐term cycle stability of the lithium–sulfur battery. The synthesized PLP‐coated S/CNTs composite cathode demonstrates a high specific capacity of 573.6 mAh g−1 at a current density of 0.5 C after 1 000 cycles, even achieving 318.1 mAh g−1 at an extremely high C‐rate (6 C). which is unprecedented performance among the reported studies on coating technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]