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Purpose: Limited treatment options exist for unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), with systemic chemotherapy (SC) serving as the primary approach. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of first-line hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) in combination with lenvatinib and PD-(L)1 inhibitors (HLP) compared to SC combined with PD-(L)1 inhibitors (SCP) or SC alone in treating unresectable ICC. Methods: Patient with unresectable ICC who underwent first-line treatment with HLP, SCP or SC from January 2016 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The study evaluated and compared efficacy and safety outcomes across the three treatment groups. Results: The study comprised 42, 49, and 50 patients in the HLP, SCP, and SC groups, respectively. Median progression-free survival (PFS) times were 30.0, 10.2, and 6.5 months for HLP, SCP, and SC groups. While the SC group had a median overall survival (OS) time of 21.8 months, the HLP and SCP groups hadn’t reached median OS. The HLP group demonstrated significantly superior PFS (p < 0.001) and OS (p = 0.014) compared to the others. Moreover, the HLP group exhibited the highest objective response rate (ORR) at 50.0% and the highest disease control rate (DCR) at 88.1%, surpassing the SC group (ORR, 6.0%; DCR, 52.0%) and SCP group (ORR, 18.4%; DCR, 73.5%) (p < 0.05). Generally, the HLP group reported fewer grades 3–4 adverse events (AEs) compared with others. Conclusion: In contrast to systemic chemotherapy with or without PD-(L)1 inhibitors, the triple combination therapy incorporating HAIC, lenvatinib, and PD-(L)1 inhibitors showcased favorable survival benefits and manageable adverse events for unresectable ICC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synucleinopathies are a group of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn) in the brain, leading to motor and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Currently, there are no known cures for synucleinopathies, and treatments mainly focus on symptom management. In this study, we developed a single-domain antibody (sdAb)-based protein degrader with features designed to enhance proteasomal degradation of α-syn. This sdAb derivative targets both α-syn and Cereblon (CRBN), a substrate-receptor for the E3-ubiquitin ligase CRL4CRBN, and thereby induces α-syn ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. Our results indicate that this therapeutic candidate enhances proteasomal degradation of α-syn, in addition to the endogenous lysosomal degradation machinery. By promoting proteasomal degradation of α-syn, we improved clearance of α-syn in primary culture and mouse models of synucleinopathy. These findings indicate that our sdAb-based protein degrader is a promising therapeutic candidate for synucleinopathies. Considering that only a small percentage of antibodies enter the brain, more potent sdAbs with greater brain entry than whole antibodies could enhance clinical benefits of antibody-based therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an adaptive fault‐tolerant control (FTC) scheme is proposed for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems with actuator failure, in which a healthy actuator is available as a backup. Instead of monitoring the failure in real‐time, an intermittent monitoring mechanism (IMM) is proposed by designing a set of monitoring functions operating only at discrete time instants, which makes the proposed scheme more applicable for networked control systems for which the actuator status has to be monitored via network. An adaptive backstepping controller is designed with the errors being modified to include shifting functions. Once actuator failure is detected by the monitoring functions, the actuator is switched to its backup and the controller is reconfigured by updating the shifting functions so that the tracking error can be driven into the prescribed performance in a given time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sucrose non-fermenting-1-related protein kinase 1 (SnRK1) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) are highly conserved. Compound 991 is an AMPK activator in mammals. However, whether 991 also activates SnRK1 remains unknown. The addition of 991 significantly increased SnRK1 activity in desalted extracts from germinating rice seeds in vitro. To determine whether 991 has biological activity, rice seeds were treated with different concentrations of 991. Germination was promoted at low concentrations but inhibited at high concentrations. The effects of 991 on germination were similar to those of OsSnRK1a overexpression. To explore whether 991 affects germination by specifically affecting SnRK1, germination of an snrk1a mutant and the wild type under 1 μM 991 treatment was compared. The snrk1a mutant was insensitive to 991. Phosphoproteomic analysis showed that the differential phosphopeptides induced by 991 and OsSnRK1a overexpression largely overlapped. Furthermore, SnRK1 might regulate rice germination in a dosage-dependent manner by regulating the phosphorylation of three phosphosites, namely S285-PIP2;4, S1013-SOS1, and S110-ABI5. These results indicate that 991 is a specific SnRK1 activator in rice. The promotion and inhibition of germination by 991 also occurred in wheat seeds. Thus, 991 is useful for exploring SnRK1 function and the chemical regulation of growth and development in crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: Atrial fibrillation is closely associated with thrombotic events. In non‐valvular atrial fibrillation, 90% of thrombi are formed by the left atrial appendage. Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAC) can effectively prevent the detachment of left atrial appendage thrombus during atrial fibrillation, thereby reducing the risk of long‐term disability or death caused by thromboembolic events. However, the identification and management of complications in LAAC are also very important. The efficacy and safety of left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAC) in preventing non‐valvular atrial fibrillation stroke have been confirmed by multiple randomized controlled and registered studies, and have been recommended by several guidelines for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation at high‐risk of stroke. We reported an 80‐year‐old male patient with persistent atrial fibrillation. The patient underwent left atrial appendage closure surgery due to high risk of embolism and bleeding. On the second day after surgery, echocardiography showed displacement of the left atrial appendage occluder. Immediately perform removal of left atrial appendage occlude and left atrial appendage occlusion on the same day, and the patient was discharged on the fifth day after surgery without any special circumstances. This case demonstrates the feasibility and important clinical significance of using interventional surgery to remove the left atrial appendage occluder after displacement in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the effect of maternal nicotine exposure on the gene expression profiles in the liver of offspring mice. Pregnant mice were subcutaneously injected with either saline vehicle or nicotine twice a day on gestational days 11–21. Total RNA from the liver samples which collected from the offspring mice of postnatal day 7 and 21 was subjected to RNA sequencing. Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) signaling pathway enrichment analysis were conducted to identify the functions of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Four genes were selected for further validation by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). A total of 448 DEGs and 186 DEGs were identified on postnatal day 7 and 21, respectively. GO analysis revealed that the DEGs on postnatal day 7 mainly participated in the biological functions of cell growth and proliferation, and the DEGs on postnatal day 21 mainly participated in ion transport/activity. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs on postnatal day 7 were mainly enriched in the cell cycle, cytokine–cytokine receptor interactions, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and the p53 signaling pathway, while the DEGs on postnatal day 21 were mainly enriched in neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions, the calcium signaling pathway, retinol metabolism, and axon guidance. The qRT-PCR results were consistent with the RNA sequencing data. The DEGs may affect the growth of liver in early postnatal period while may affect ion transport/activity in late postnatal period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass feedstock ethylene glycol (EG) can be anodically oxidized to the high‐value glycolic acid (GA), which is widely considered as one critical raw material of biodegradable plastics. Developing low‐cost electrocatalyst to economically produce GA with high selectivity still meeting challenges. Herein, a non‐precious Co‐Ni bimetal catalysts are developed for controllable electrooxidizing EG to GA (EGOR). Through regulating the generation of key intermediate (CH2OH‐CO*) on the low‐cost catalyst surface, a successive electrooxidation from EG to GA has been achieved with high selective (96.3%) and conversion rate (>85%) at current density of 150 mA cm−2, which is on par with the reported precious metal catalysts. Through coupling with hydrogen evolution reaction (EGOR‐HER), 2.759 mmol H2 and 7.48 mmol of GA are generated at 80 mA cm−2, which also can save 27% energy comparing with a water splitting system. The synergistic effect between Co and Ni in the bimetallic catalyst has been exploited: high‐valent CoOOH sites catalyzed the generation of CH2OH‐CO* and reduce the energy barrier during GA formation; Whereas, Ni sites can effectively facilitate the formation of CoOOH and improve the adsorption of EG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three pargyline-phosphine copper(I) clusters, [Cu4(C≡C–C9H12N)3(PPh3)4](PF6) (1) and [Cu6(C≡C–C9H12N)4(dppy)4](X)2 (dppy = diphenyl-2-pyridylphosphine; X = PF6 for 2 and X = ClO4 for 3), were synthesized. Their structures were fully characterized using various spectroscopic methods and X-ray crystallography, which showed that the stoichiometry and nature of pargyline and phosphine ligands play an important role in tuning the structure and photophysical features of Cu(I) clusters. Interestingly, clusters 1, 2 and 3 exhibited red, orange and yellow phosphorescence with high quantum yields of 88.5%, 22.0% and 40.2%, respectively, at room temperature. Moreover, clusters 1–3 show distinct temperature-dependent emissions. The excellent luminescence performance of 1 and 3 was designed and employed for the construction of monochrome and white light-emitting devices (LEDs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses specifically infecting bacteria, and have been considered as a prospective substitute for antibiotics. It is necessary to evaluate the impact of phages on overall body health before phage application. This study suggests that the effects of phages on body health are complex, especially regarding immune status. Our results are informative and further improve the implementation and supervision of phage therapy. Numerous studies have demonstrated that bacteriophages (phages) can effectively treat intestinal bacterial infections. However, research on the impact of phages on overall body health once they enter the intestine is limited. This study utilized weaned piglets as subjects to evaluate the systemic effects of an orally administered phage cocktail on their health. Twelve 21-day-old weaned piglets were divided into control (CON) and phage gavage (Phages) groups. The phage cocktail consisted of five lytic phages, targeting Salmonella enterica serovar Choleraesuis (S. choleraesuis), Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), and Shiga tox-in-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). The phages group received 10 mL of phage cocktail orally for 20 consecutive days. The results show that the phage gavage did not affect the piglets' growth performance, serum biochemical indices, or most organ indices, except for the pancreas. However, the impact on the intestine was complex. Firstly, although the pancreatic index decreased, it did not affect the secretion of digestive enzymes in the intestine. Secondly, phages increased the pH of jejunum chyme and relative weight of the ileum, and enhanced intestinal barrier function without affecting the morphology of the intestine. Thirdly, phages did not proliferate in the intestine, but altered the intestinal microbiota structure and increased concentrations of microbial metabolites isobutyric acid and isovaleric acid in the colonic chyme. In addition, phages impacted the immune status, significantly increasing serum IgA, IgG, and IgM, as well as serum and intestinal mucosal IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-17, and TGF-β, and decreasing IL-4 and IL-10. They also activated toll-like receptors TLR-4 and TLR-9. Apart from an increase in basophil numbers, the counts of other immune cells in the blood did not change. This study indicates that the impact of phages on body health is complex, especially regarding immune status, warranting further attention. Short-term phage gavage did not have significant negative effects on health but could enhance intestinal barrier function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Remnant cholesterol (RC) is recognized as a risk factor for diabetes mellitus (DM). Although iron status has been shown to be associated with cholesterol metabolism and DM, the association between RC, iron status, and DM remains unclear. We examined the relationship between RC and iron status and investigated the role of iron status in the association between RC and DM. Methods: A total of 7308 patients were enrolled from the China Health and Nutrition Survey. RC was calculated as total cholesterol minus low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Iron status was assessed as serum ferritin (SF) and total body iron (TBI). DM was ascertained by self-reported physician diagnosis and/or antidiabetic drug use and/or fasting plasma glucose ≥ 126 mg/dL and/or glycated haemoglobin ≥ 6.5%. General linear models were used to evaluate the relationships between RC and iron status. Restricted cubic splines were used to assess the association between RC and DM. Mediation analysis was used to clarified the mediating role of iron status in the association between the RC and DM. Results: The average age of the participants was 50.6 (standard deviation = 15.1) years. Higher RC was significantly associated with increased SF (β = 73.14, SE = 3.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] 65.79–80.49) and TBI (β = 1.61, SE = 0.08, 95% CI 1.44–1.78). J-shape relationships were found in the association between RC levels with DM, as well as iron status with DM. Significant indirect effects of SF and TBI in the association between RC and DM were found, with the index mediated at 9.58% and 6.37%, respectively. Conclusions: RC has a dose–response relationship with iron status. The association between RC and DM was mediated in part by iron status. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings and further clarify the underlying mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this study are to investigate the structural and physicochemical properties of a novel acetylated lotus seed starch (LSA). LSA is successfully prepared using an aqueous phase method. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) proves that a carbonyl C=O vibration at 1737 cm−1 are due to the introduced acetyl groups. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) indicates that the acetylation treatment does not change the crystal structure, but reduces the relative crystallinity of starch. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows that the surface of LSA with 12% of acetic anhydride (LS‐12A) becomes the roughest. Moreover, compared with lotus seed starch (LS), the particle size, transparency, swelling power, and solubility of LSA are increased to 18.01 ± 0.66 µm, 15.30% ± 0.30%, 9.59 ± 1.78 g g−1, and 6.06% ± 0.99% at 55 °C with the additional content of acetic anhydride. However, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) shows that the melting enthalpy of LSA decreases compared with LS. This work provides some theoretical basis for the study and development of acetylated starch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin coatings are subject to scratch and wear damage in tribological applications. Scratch hardness numbers are used to evaluate scratch and abrasive wear resistance. Few studies have measured the scratch hardness of thin films, and a proper scratch hardness measurement method for thin coatings is still lacking. In this study, the scratch hardness of these DLC coatings was measured at both micro-scale and nano-scale, respectively. The micro-scratch test using a 200 µm tip is an inapplicable method because the substrate effect has dominated the scratch hardness measurement. On the other hand, a nano-scratch hardness test using a sharper tip is an effective method to measure the scratch hardness of thin coatings. Although the scratch hardness introduces a lateral force compared with the indentation hardness, it well correlates with the nano-indentation hardness. The ratio of the scratch hardness to the indentation hardness is close to 1 for DLC coatings due to the amorphous structure. It proves that the tangential force induced by scratching does not influence the hardness property. In addition, a simple approach is proposed to obtain the scratch hardness of DLC coatings qualitatively without width measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aging has a great impact on the liver, which causes a loss of physiological integrity and an increase in susceptibility to injury, but many of the underlying molecular and cellular processes remain unclear. Here, we performed a comprehensive single‐cell transcriptional profiling of the liver during aging. Our data showed that aging affected the cellular composition of the liver. The increase in inflammatory cells including neutrophils and monocyte‐derived macrophages, as well as in inflammatory cytokines, could indicate an inflammatory tissue microenvironment in aged livers. Moreover, aging drove a distinct transcriptional course in each cell type. The commonly significant up‐regulated genes were S100a8, S100a9, and RNA‐binding motif protein 3 across all cell types. Aging‐related pathways such as biosynthesis, metabolism, and oxidative stress were up‐regulated in aged livers. Additionally, key ligand–receptor pairs for intercellular communication, primarily linked to macrophage migration inhibitory factor, transforming growth factor‐β, and complement signaling, were also elevated. Furthermore, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) serve as the prominent hub for intrahepatic signaling. HSCs acquired an "activated" phenotype, which may be involved in the increased intrahepatic vascular tone and fibrosis with aging. Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells derived from aged livers were pseudocapillarized and procontractile, and exhibited down‐regulation of genes involved in vascular development and homeostasis. Moreover, the aging‐related changes in cellular composition and gene expression were reversed by caloric restriction. Collectively, the present study suggests liver aging is linked to a significant liver sinusoidal deregulation and a moderate pro‐inflammatory state, providing a potential concept for understanding the mechanism of liver aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Cemiplimab, a novel PD-1 inhibitor, exhibits significant antitumor activity against advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the cost-effectiveness of this drug for the treatment remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of cemiplimab plus chemotherapy compared to chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced NSCLC, from the perspective of the United States payer. Methods: A partitioned survival approach was developed to project the disease progression of NSCLC. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) data were obtained from the EMPOWER lung 3 trial and extrapolated to estimate long-term survival outcomes. Direct medical costs and utility data were collected. The primary outcome measure, the incremental cost-utility ratio (ICUR), was used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of cemiplimab plus chemotherapy regimen. One-way sensitivity analyses (OWSA) and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA) were conducted to assess the robustness of the results. Results: In the base-case analysis, the ICUR for cemiplimab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone was estimated to be $395,593.8 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY). OWSA revealed that the results were sensitive to Hazard ratio value, utility of PFS, and cost of cemiplimab. PSA demonstrated that cemiplimab plus chemotherapy exhibited 0% probability of cost-effectiveness.In hypothetical scenario analysis, the ICUR of two regimens was $188.803.3/QALY. OWSA revealed that the results were sensitive to the discount rate, utility, and cost of cemiplimab. PSA indicated that cemiplimab plus chemotherapy achieved at least an 11.5% probability of cost-effectiveness. Conclusion: Our cost-effectiveness analysis suggests that, at its current price, cemiplimab plus chemotherapy regimen is unlikely to be a cost-effective option compared with chemotherapy alone for advanced NSCLC patients, based on a threshold of $150,000 per QALY, from the perspective of the US payer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) affects intestinal growth, morphology, and function, which leads to poor growth performance and high mortality. The present study explored whether maternal dietary methyl donor (MET) supplementation alleviates IUGR and enhances offspring's growth performance by improving intestinal growth, function, and DNA methylation of the ileum in a porcine IUGR model. Methods: Forty multiparous sows were allocated to the control or MET diet groups from mating until delivery. After farrowing, 8 pairs of IUGR and normal birth weight piglets from 8 litters were selected for sampling before suckling colostrum. Results: The results showed that maternal MET supplementation tended to decrease the IUGR incidence and increased the average weaning weight of piglets. Moreover, maternal MET supplementation significantly reduced the plasma concentrations of isoleucine, cysteine, urea, and total amino acids in sows and newborn piglets. It also increased lactase and sucrase activity in the jejunum of newborn piglets. MET addition resulted in lower ileal methionine synthase activity and increased betaine homocysteine S-methyltransferase activity in the ileum of newborn piglets. DNA methylation analysis of the ileum showed that MET supplementation increased the methylation level of DNA CpG sites in the ileum of newborn piglets. Down-regulated differentially methylated genes were enriched in folic acid binding, insulin receptor signaling pathway, and endothelial cell proliferation. In contrast, up-regulated methylated genes were enriched in growth hormone receptor signaling pathway and nitric oxide biosynthetic process. Conclusions: Maternal MET supplementation can reduce the incidence of IUGR and increase the weaning litter weight of piglets, which may be associated with better intestinal function and methylation status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Mitochondrial myopathy without extraocular muscles involvement (MiMy) represents a distinct form of mitochondrial disorder predominantly affecting proximal/distal or axial muscles, with its phenotypic, genotypic features, and long-term prognosis poorly understood. Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted at a national diagnostic center for mitochondrial disease involved 47 MiMy patients, from a cohort of 643 mitochondrial disease cases followed up at Qilu Hospital from January 1, 2000, to January 1, 2021. We compared the clinical, pathological, and genetic features of MiMy to progressive external ophthalmoplegia (PEO) and mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) patients. Results: MiMy patients demonstrated a more pronounced muscle involvement syndrome, with lower 6MWT scores, higher FSS, and lower BMI compared to PEO and MELAS patients. Serum levels of creatinine kinase (CK), lactate, and growth and differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) were substantially elevated in MiMy patients. Nearly a third (31.9%) displayed signs of subclinical peripheral neuropathy, mostly axonal neuropathy. Muscle biopsies revealed that cytochrome c oxidase strong (COX-s) ragged-red fibers (RRFs) were a typical pathological feature in MiMy patients. Genetic analysis predominantly revealed mtDNA point pathogenic variants (59.6%) and less frequently single (12.8%) or multiple (4.2%) mtDNA deletions. During the follow-up, a majority (76.1%) of MiMy patients experienced stabilization or improvement after therapeutic intervention. Conclusions: This study provides a comprehensive profile of MiMy through a large patient cohort, elucidating its unique clinical, genetic, and pathological features. These findings offer significant insights into the diagnostic and therapeutic management of MiMy, ultimately aiming to ameliorate patient outcomes and enhance the quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the advent of the new media era, the understanding of adolescent internet addiction needs to be enriched. It is also necessary to distinguish the related factors of adolescent internet addiction at different levels to clarify the mechanisms of this phenomenon. Methods: This study used hierarchical linear model analysis to explore the effects of student-level factors and school-level factors on adolescent internet addiction, along with cross-level moderating effects. A total of 1,912 students between the 4th and 8th grades in China participated in the study. Participants completed the Self-Esteem Scale, Parents Phubbing Scale, Classroom Environment Scale, and the Diagnostic Questionnaire of Internet Addiction. Results: Correlational analyses revealed that internet addiction was found to be negatively correlated with both self-esteem and the teacher-student relationship (p < 0.01), while father phubbing, mother phubbing, and learning burden were shown to positively correlate with internet addiction (p < 0.01). Hierarchical linear model analysis suggested that student-level variables, including self-esteem, and mother phubbing, were significant predictors of internet addiction (β = −0.077, p < 0.001 and β = 0.028, p < 0.01, respectively). At the school level, learning burden significantly and negatively predicted internet addiction (β = 0.073, p < 0.05). Furthermore, the relationship between self-esteem and internet addiction was significantly moderated by learning burden (β = −0.007, p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the teacher-student relationship also had a significant moderating effect on the association between mother phubbing and internet addiction (β = −0.005, p < 0.01). Conclusions: This study revealed the relationships between self-esteem, parental phubbing, and classroom environment with adolescent internet addiction, and these findings could provide insights into reducing adolescent internet addiction from the perspective of individuals, families, and schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly active oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts, such as those containing Fe, often face the challenge of severe dissolution of active elements. Addressing this concern through the establishment of a dynamically stable interface during OER presents a promising strategy, achieved by manipulation of catalyst components. Herein, the findings reveal that Fe loss during OER predominantly occurs during the initial activation phase, marked by irreversible structural distortion that disrupts interfacial dynamical stability. By investigating the structural evolution of Fe‐containing Prussian blue analogs, serving as a model OER precatalyst, the correlation between precatalyst structural changes and interfacial dynamic stability is elucidated. Utilizing thermal annealing of CoFe bimetal Prussian blue, favorable thermodynamic conditions are induced for generating cyano vacancies within the matrix, thereby facilitating enhanced initial activation during OER. Consequently, catalytically active and stable oxyhydroxide species rapidly form at the interface, exhibiting robust interactions with interfacial Fe elements to stabilize interface dynamics. Suppression of the irreversible structural distortion responsible for active element loss during initial activation culminates in enhanced OER activity and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aging is a biological process with a gradual decline in functional capacity, and this process often enhances the risk of chronic disease morbidity and mortality. With advanced age, the immune system undergoes a process of remodeling that can lead to a chronic inflammatory state, termed immunosenescence and inflammaging, respectively. Immunosenescence is accompanied by changes in the number, proportion, and functional capacity of the innate immune cells. The accumulation of dysfunctional immune cells and the presence of low-grade inflammation can lead to organ damage and expedite the aging process. The liver, crucial in regulating the body's metabolism and immune function, is not exempt from these effects. Age-related modifications affect its immune function and regenerative abilities, potentially increasing the prevalence of age-related liver diseases. While aging's impact on the liver is relatively less severe compared to other organ systems, it still experiences an infiltration of innate immune cells and heightened inflammation levels. This review will elaborate on how aging affects the liver's innate immune cells, such as neutrophils, macrophages, dendritic cells, mast cells, and innate lymphoid cells. It will also explore potential strategies for delaying immunosenescence to alleviate these age-related changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Agulhas Return Current (ARC), as a primary component of the Agulhas system, contributes to water exchange and mass transport between the southern portions of the Indian and Atlantic Ocean basins. In this study, satellite altimeter data and reanalysis datasets, and a new set of criteria for the piecewise definition of the jet axis are used to explore the long-term change of the ARC's axis position in recent three decades. It is found that the ARC axis exhibits a significant slanting trend with its western part (35–48°E) migrating northward and the eastern part (48–70°E) migrating southward. The meridional movement of the ARC path could be attributed to large-scale wind forcing. The anomalous surface wind stress curl, by Ekman pumping mechanism, leads to positive–negative–positive sea surface height anomalies in the western section and negative–positive–negative anomalies in the eastern section, thus the ARC axis tilts accordingly, in a northwest–southeast direction. Further analysis suggests that this ARC slanting trend is more dependent on the southward shift of the downstream axis and less on the topographic steering upstream. The downstream axis is more likely to interact with the ACC fronts and its migration could dominate the local EKE pattern by changing the background circulation and energy cascade direction. For the headstream west of 35°E, the ARC axis is more subject to topography, thus the EKE change is more dominated by eddy activity processes, including shedding, propagation and merging. This study provides some new insights into the long-term change of ARC and its interaction with the local EKE variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The liver is the primary organ accountable for complex physiological functions, including lipid metabolism, toxic chemical degradation, bile acid synthesis, and glucose metabolism. Liver function homeostasis is essential for the stability of bodily functions and is involved in the complex regulation of the balance between cell proliferation and cell death. Cell proliferation-halting mechanisms, including autophagy and senescence, are implicated in the development of several liver diseases, such as cholestasis, viral hepatitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, liver fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Among various cell death mechanisms, autophagy is a highly conserved and self-degradative cellular process that recycles damaged organelles, cellular debris, and proteins. This process also provides the substrate for further metabolism. A defect in the autophagy machinery can lead to premature diseases, accelerated aging, inflammatory state, tumorigenesis, and cellular senescence. Senescence, another cell death type, is an active player in eliminating premalignant cells. At the same time, senescent cells can affect the function of neighboring cells by secreting the senescence-associated secretory phenotype and induce paracrine senescence. Autophagy can promote and delay cellular senescence under different contexts. This review decodes the roles of autophagy and senescence in multiple liver diseases to achieve a better understanding of the regulatory mechanisms and implications of autophagy and senescence in various liver diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular calcification (VC) is recognized as a predictor of all-cause and CVD mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD). VC in CKD is possibly associated with serum sclerostin. The study systematically investigated the role of serum sclerostin in VC in CKD. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols, a systematic search was performed of the PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE databases from inception to 11 November 2022, to identify relevant eligible studies. The data were retrieved, analyzed, and summarized. The hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratios (ORs) with their corresponding confidence intervals (CIs) were derived and pooled. Thirteen reports (3125 patients) met the inclusion criteria and were included. Sclerostin was associated with the presence of VC (pooled OR = 2.75, 95%CI = 1.81–4.19, p < 0.01) and all-cause mortality (pooled HR = 1.22, 95%CI = 1.19–1.25, p < 0.01) among patients with CKD, but with a decreased risk of cardiovascular events (HR = 0.98, 95%CI = 0.97–1.00, p = 0.02). This meta-analysis suggests that serum sclerostin is associated with VC and all-cause mortality among patients with CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes an adaptive event‐triggered output feedback tracking scheme for a class of nonlinear systems for which the system nonlinearities coupling with unmeasurable states satisfy a more general growth condition than those in the existing literature. To estimate the transformed state variables, a reduced‐order observer is first designed by using the gain scaling and estimation‐based techniques. Then, triggering conditions and event‐triggered control law are designed based on the dynamic gain, the observer states and the tracking error. It is shown that with the proposed scheme, the system communication and computation resources can be saved, the nonlinearities and the execution error can be compensated, and the tracking error can converge to an arbitrarily small residual set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fully stretchable photosynaptic device with low energy consumption is achieved by the intrinsic stretchability of conjugated block copolymers and the accommodation of perovskite quantum dots. The strategy emulates photosynapse functionalities and provides an artificial muscle's neural network with high recognition accuracy, thereby representing potentially major advances in soft optoelectronics. [Display omitted] Emulation of photonic synapses offers a promising avenue for developing low-energy consumption of soft electronics, neurologically inspired robotics, and neuromorphic network computation. In this paper, a fully stretchable photosynaptic device with ultralow energy consumption using intrinsically stretchable poly(δ -decanolactone) (PDL)-based conjugated block copolymers (BCPs) with perovskite quantum dots (PeQDs) is first reported. The findings reveal that selectively choosing solvents for the PDL-based BCPs effectively regulates the assembly of P3HT and the accommodation of PeQDs, leading to improved self-aggregation of PeQDs, increased grain size, and optimized interfaces between P3HT and PeQDs The BCPs/PeQDs composite effectively emulates significant features of photonic synapses, such as paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), spike-dependent and short/long-term neuroplasticity, demonstrating excellent performance, including the fastest response time (1 ms), the highest current contrast (4.9 × 105), PPF (1.93) and ultra-low energy consumption (0.3 aJ) at an operating voltage of –0.1 mV. Furthermore, the BCP/PeQDs exhibit remarkable neuromuscular synapse characteristics, including high strain and bending tolerance and spike-dependent plasticity, enabling the devices to achieve high classification accuracy in artificial neural network simulations during tensile strain. The accommodation solvent selectivity of BCP/PeQDs suggests a promising strategy for advancing neurologically soft electronics, human-like pattern recognition, and neuromorphic computation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a case study of a 24-year-old woman who presented with generalized lentigines, or brownish macules, on her face, trunk, and extremities. The woman's mother also had a similar cutaneous phenotype. Based on their clinical presentations, the researchers suspected LEOPARD syndrome (LS) and performed genetic testing, which revealed a heterozygous missense mutation in the PTPN11 gene, known as a hot spot mutation for LS. The article highlights the importance of genetic analysis in diagnosing LS and emphasizes the need for long-term follow-up to monitor for potential systemic symptoms. [Extracted from the article]

This research explores the optimal export policy of a domestic industry characterized by numerous multinational enterprises (MNEs) co-existing with cross-border ownership investments in foreign firms and exports to a foreign country. We demonstrate that the optimal export policy depends on whether MNEs make centralized or decentralized decisions in ownership investments. With decentralized decision-making, the optimal export policy can be either a subsidy or a tax, while with centralized decision-making, it is a tax. Furthermore, we examine how the optimal trade policy responds to the optimal strategy of centralized decision-making by MNEs. Our results show that under certain circumstances, the optimal trade policy is an export subsidy, and MNEs prefer to voluntarily relinquish centralized decision-making, even when they have the option to control the production levels of foreign partner firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, nine as-cast Ni-Al-Cr-Os alloys were prepared, and their constituent phases and microstructure were examined using X-ray diffraction and electron probe microanalysis techniques. The solidification paths of all the alloys in a Ni-rich corner were revealed based on a detailed analysis of the as-cast microstructure. The liquidus cube of the quaternary Ni-Al-Cr-Os system in a Ni-rich corner was established accordingly. A eutectic-type invariant reaction on the liquidus surface was explicitly identified, and its reaction can be expressed as L → α + β + γ. No quaternary invariant reaction was found in the alloys following the addition of Os. The Ni-Al-Cr-Os alloy points were then vertically mapped onto the Ni-Al-Cr liquid phase projection to better observe the effect of Os addition on the solidification path of the Ni-Al-Cr system. It was found that the addition of a small amount of Os has no significant effect on the solidification path of the Ni-Al-Cr system. Furthermore, the microhardness of each alloy, which was determined to be in the range of 207 HV to 565 HV, was found to be closely related to the phase constitution and phase fraction of the alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photodynamic therapy, in which photosensitizers locally generate cytotoxic reactive oxygen species, can treat tumor tissue with minimal effects on surrounding normal tissue, but it can be ineffective because of the anoxic tumor microenvironment. Here we developed a strategy to inactivate the mitochondria of tumor cells in order to ensure adequate local oxygen concentrations for photodynamic therapy. We conjugated the photosensitizer 5-aminolevulinic acid to the lipophilic cation triphenylphosphine, which targets mitochondria. Then we packaged the conjugate into nanoparticles that were based on biocompatible bovine serum albumin and coated with folic acid in order to target the abundant folate receptors on the tumor surface. In studies in cell culture and BALB/c mice bearing MCF-7 xenografts, we found that the nanoparticles helped solubilize the cation-photosensitizer conjugate, prolong its circulation, and enhance its photodynamic antitumor effects. We confirmed the ability of the nanoparticles to target tumor cells and their mitochondria using confocal laser microscopy and in vivo assays of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and tissue distribution. Our results not only identify a novel nanoparticle system for treating cancer, but they demonstrate the feasibility of enhancing photodynamic therapy by reducing oxygen consumption within tumors. Schematic diagram of FA-BAT-NPs for targeting the mitochondria of breast cancer cells to restore oxygen supply for photodynamic therapy. BAT, Boc-ALA-TPP; BSA, bovine serum albumin; BAT-NPs, BAT-loaded nanoparticles; FA-BAT-NPs, folic acid modified BAT-NPs; FR, folate receptor. [Display omitted] • Inactivating mitochondria of tumor cells to ensure adequate local ROS for photodynamic therapy. • Targeting nanoparticles to the mitochondria of tumor cells to restore oxygen supply for PDT. • Increasing local levels of oxygen by destroying mitochondria within tumor cells. • Triphenylphosphine as a mitochondrial-targeting molecule was conjugated with photosensitizer. • Converting photosensitizer photodynamically into additional ROS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In [S. Yang and Y. Lin, Multilinear strongly singular integral operators with generalized kernels and applications, AIMS Math. 6 2021, 12, 13533–13551], the authors of the present paper further weaken the smoothness condition of kernel functions with multilinear strongly singular Calderón–Zygmund operators of [Y. Lin, Multilinear theory of strongly singular Calderón–Zygmund operators and applications, Nonlinear Anal. 192 2020, Article ID 111699]. They defined a new class of multilinear strongly singular integral operators, and studied its weighted L p boundedness, variable exponent L p ⁢ (⋅) boundedness and endpoint estimates. In this paper, we naturally consider the boundedness of multilinear commutators and multilinear iterated commutators, which are generated by multilinear strongly singular integral operators with generalized kernels and Lipschitz functions. Our results include the corresponding results of multilinear strongly singular Calderón–Zygmund operators and classical multilinear Calderón–Zygmund operators, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The KEYNOTE‐062 trial demonstrated the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab for advanced gastric cancer (GC). The current study evaluated the cost‐effectiveness of pembrolizumab alone or in combination with chemotherapy versus chemotherapy for advanced GC from the perspective of the United States and China. And the results will provide evidence and data support for more drug selection‐related decisions and research in the future. Methods: A partitioned survival approach with three states was created for treatment of advanced GC. The survival data were derived from KEYNOTE‐062 trial and the individual patient data were generated by a specific algorithm. We fitted 21 survival functions to each treatment arm and selected the most suitable distribution type for each one. Direct costs and utility values were collected from the published, available database. Cost, quality‐adjusted life‐years (QALYs), and incremental cost‐utility ratios (ICURs) were considered as the primary measure outcomes. One‐way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the reliability of the analyses. Results: In the base‐case analysis of combined positive score (CPS) ≥1 patients, the ICUR of pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy in American and Chinese setting is $345,209/QALY and $186,802.6/QALY, respectively. And the ICUR of pembrolizumab versus chemotherapy is $473,650/QALY and $377,753/QALY in the context of the US and China, respectively. For CPS≥10 patients, the ICUR of pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy in American and Chinese setting is $483,742/QALY and $262,965/QALY, respectively. And that of pembrolizumab versus chemotherapy is $96,550/QALY and $67,896/QALY in the context of the US and China. Conclusion: Compared with chemotherapy, either pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy or pembrolizumab monotherapy is not regarded as a cost‐effective strategy for patients with CPS≥1, advanced gastric cancer in the current American and Chinese setting. But pembrolizumab monotherapy for CPS≥10 patients would become a cost‐effective option in the American setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isocoumarins and dihydroisocoumarins are important skeletons with a wide range of biological activities, such as anti-bacterial, anti-allergy, anti-fungal, anti-tumor, and anti-HIV properties. Herein, we demonstrated divergent syntheses of isocoumarins and 3,4-dihydroisocoumarins by intramolecular dehydrogenative cyclization of 2-(3-oxobutyl) benzoic acids. This transformation undergoes Csp3–H bonds and O–H bonds coupling in air using copper salt. The reactions may undergo free radical process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many plants employ osmotic and hydrostatic pressure to generate movement for survival, but little is known about the cellular mechanisms involved. Here, we report a new cell type in angiosperms termed 'contractile cells' in the stigmas of the flowering plant Chirita pumila with a much-expanded rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER). Cryo-scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analyses revealed that the RER is continuously distributed throughout the entirety of cells, confirmed by endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-specific fluorescent labeling, and is distinct from the common feature of plant ER. The RER is water-sensitive and extremely elongated with water absorption. We show that the contractile cells drive circadian stigma closing–bending movements in response to day-to-night moisture changes. RNA-seq analyses demonstrated that contractile cells have distinct molecular components. Furthermore, multiple microstructural changes in stigma movements convert an anti-selfing structure into a device promoting selfing—a unique cellular mechanism of reproductive adaptation for uncertain pollination environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2016, China launched long-term care insurance (LTCI) pilot programs in 15 cities across the country. In this Commentary, we provide an overview of these pilots regarding the target insured population, sources of financing, beneficiary eligibility criteria, and benefit design. We offer perspectives on the strengths and limitations, implementation challenges, and future prospects of these ongoing pilots. Also, we highlight the needs for addressing several key policy issues and challenges before further expanding these programs toward national implementation. These include solidifying the LTCI financing pool for independence and self-sustainability, balancing national priorities and local needs in LTCI design, reducing coverage gaps and disparities, ensuring quality of care through pay-for-performance and regulatory oversight, and strengthening independent evaluation of LTCI implementation and impacts. China is piloting public social insurance as its core long-term care financing strategy. Current long-term care insurance pilots vary greatly in program design across pilot sites. Long-term care insurance financing should move away from current over-reliance on existing health insurance funds toward independence and self-sustainability. While balancing national priorities, it is essential to design and implement appropriate long-term care insurance programs locally. China should dedicate time and resources to allow for sufficient policy learning, adaption, and evaluation through ongoing pilot programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a severe complication in cirrhosis patients with ascites, leading to high mortality rates if not promptly treated. However, specific prediction models for SBP are lacking. Aims: This study aimed to compare commonly used cirrhotic prediction models (CTP score, MELD, MELD-Na, iMELD, and MELD 3.0) for short-term mortality prediction and develop a novel model to improve mortality prediction. Methods: Patients with the first episode of SBP were included. Prognostic values for mortality were assessed using AUROC analysis. A novel prediction model was developed and validated. Results: In total, 327 SBP patients were analyzed, with HBV infection as the main etiologies. MELD 3.0 demonstrated the highest AUROC among the traditional models. The novel model, incorporating HRS, exhibited superior predictive accuracy for in-hospital in all patients and 3-month mortality in HBV-cirrhosis, with AUROC values of 0.827 and 0.813 respectively, surpassing 0.8. Conclusions: MELD 3.0 score outperformed the CTP score and showed a non-significant improvement compared to other MELD-based scores, while the novel SBP model demonstrated impressive accuracy. Internal validation and an HBV-related cirrhosis subgroup sensitivity analysis supported these findings, highlighting the need for a specific prognostic model for SBP and the importance of preventing HRS development to improve SBP prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrared sensors incorporating suspended zinc oxide (ZnO) pyroelectric films and thermally insulated silicon substrates are fabricated using conventional MEMS-based thin-film deposition, photolithography, and etching techniques. The responsivity of the pyroelectric film is improved via annealing at 500 °C for 4 h. The voltage response of the fabricated sensors is evaluated experimentally for a substrate thickness of 1 µm over a sensing range of 30 cm. The results show that the voltage signal varies as an inverse exponential function of the distance. A positioning system based on three infrared sensors is implemented in LabVIEW. It is shown that the position estimates obtained using the proposed system are in excellent agreement with the actual locations. In general, the results presented in this study provide a useful source of reference for the further development of MEMS-based pyroelectric infrared sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The streetscapes of old urban districts record the changes in urban space and the vitality of socio-economic entities like storefronts. However, prior studies of urban vitality have preferred the demand end of crowd agglomeration to the supply end of commercial businesses, while the refined application of street-view images (SVIs) and the spatial heterogeneity resulting from sectional differences among elements deserve further research. Under this context, this paper took both the alive and the closed storefronts as the objects and developed an analytical framework based on machine learning and SVIs to analyze the characteristics of the streetscape and the economic vitality, followed by a regression analysis between them with a multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) model. Our findings comprise three aspects: (1) despite the sum of the storefronts being more often used, combining the alive and the closed businesses is beneficial to reflect the real economic vitality; (2) as a reflection of the spatial heterogeneity and sectional differences of elements, the asymmetric streetscape has a significant influence on the economic vitality; and (3) although different factors from the streetscape can influence economic vitality differently, based on varied proxies of the vitality, three factors, namely, higher difference value of the signboards, higher sum of glass interfaces, and lower difference value of the glass interfaces, can benefit the economic vitality. This research can support urban physical examination and the regeneration of old urban districts for urban planners, designers, and decision-makers, and provide new perspectives and proxies as well as a more fine-grained analysis among the traditional studies on economic vitality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, the dynamics of the central–local relations vary significantly within legislative, executive, and judicial branches. In the field of law enforcement oversight, signs of cooperative federalism have emerged, presenting a drastic contrast to the unitary system. The lacking of a legal basis to directly supervise local governments forces the National People's Congress Standing Committee to actively seek cooperation from local governments. Three different approaches have been applied by the top legislature to achieve the goal. Easing the resistance from local governments through delegating the oversight power represents a move of compromise. Removing hurdles affecting law enforcement, reducing law enforcement cost, and soliciting suggestions on statutory revision from localities is a form of reciprocity. Eliminating local protectionism, enhancing cross-regional law enforcement, and sharing law enforcement experiences is an act of altruism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To measure creatine distribution in idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) patients' myocardial segments and investigate whether cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) creatine mapping can detect subclinical myocardial changes, CEST's ability was further compared with other conventional CMR mapping sequences. Methods: Forty IIM patients (53.5 ± 10.5 years, 26 males) and eight healthy controls (35.4 ± 6 years, 5 males) underwent CMR scans on a 3.0-T MR scanner. Patients with IIM were further classified into two subgroups according to cardiac troponin T (cTn-T) values: the elevated cTn-T subgroup (n = 14) and the normal cTn-T subgroup (n = 26). Cine imaging, T2 SPAIR, LGE imaging, T1 mapping, T2 mapping, and Cr (creatine) CEST were performed. Results: Cr mapping showed significantly reduced creatine in IIM patients among global myocardium (IIM: 0.109 ± 0.063, controls: 0.121 ± 0.021, p < 0.05), and decreased creatine signals were detected in all 16 cardiac segments (p < 0.05). Patients also had significantly prolonged native T1 and decreased enhanced T1 values in each cardiac segment (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference of LVEF and T2 values between IIM patients and controls. Between the two subgroups, elevated cTn-T was linked with creatine and extracellular volume fraction (ECV) values, providing a global average creatine signal of 0.107 vs 0.112 (p < 0.05) and 24.7 vs 32.4 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Creatine CEST mapping can detect early-stage heart involvement with negative LGE findings in IIM. Compared with T1 mapping, CEST provides increased sensitivity to ECV measurement, making it significantly better than T1, and a promising CMR sequence for screening subclinical myocardial damage. Key Points: • IIM patients with potential or ongoing heart involvement, elevated ECV, and reduced Cr CEST values could provide valuable information. • ECV and Cr CEST values were closely related to elevated cTn-T. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melt-blown nonwoven fabrics for filtration are usually manufactured using polypropylene, but after a certain time period the middle layer of the mask may have a reduced effect on adsorbing particles and may not be easily stored. Adding electret materials not only increases storage time, but also shows in this study that the addition of electret can improve filtration efficiency. Therefore, this experiment uses a melt-blown method to prepare a nonwoven layer, and adds MMT, CNT, and TiO2 electret materials to it for experiments. Polypropylene (PP) chip, montmorillonite (MMT) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) powders, and carbon nanotube (CNT) are blended and made into compound masterbatch pellets using a single-screw extruder. The resulting compound pellets thus contain different combinations of PP, MMT, TiO2, and CNT. Next, a hot pressor is used to make the compound chips into a high-poly film, which is then measured with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The optimal parameters are yielded and employed to form the PP/MMT/TiO2 nonwoven fabrics and PP/MMT/CNT nonwoven fabrics. The basis weight, thickness, diameter, pore size, fiber covering ratio, air permeability, and tensile property of different nonwoven fabrics are evaluated in order to have the optimal group of PP-based melt-blown nonwoven fabrics. According to the results of DSC and FTIR measurements, PP and MMT, CNT, and TiO2 are completely mixed, and the melting temperature (Tm), crystallization temperature (Tc) and endotherm area are changed accordingly. The difference in enthalpy of melting changes the crystallization of PP pellets, which in turn changes the fibers. Moreover, the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy results substantiate that PP pellets are well blended with CNT and MMT, according to the comparisons of characteristic peaks. Finally, the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation suggests that with a spinning die temperature of 240 °C and a spinning die pressure lower than 0.01 MPa, the compound pellets can be successfully formed into melt-blown nonwoven fabrics with a 10-micrometer diameter. The proposed melt-blown nonwoven fabrics can be processed with electret to form long-lasting electret melt-blown nonwoven filters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the sensitivity of data in medical scenarios, federated learning (FL) is suitable for applications that require data privacy. Medical personnel can use the FL framework for machine learning to assist in analyzing large-scale data that are protected within the institution. However, not all clients have the same distribution of datasets, so data imbalance problems occur among clients. The main challenge is to overcome the performance degradation caused by low accuracy and the inability to converge the model. This paper proposes a FedISM method to enhance performance in the case of Non-Independent Identically Distribution (Non-IID). FedISM exploits a shared model trained on a candidate dataset before performing FL among clients. The Candidate Selection Mechanism (CSM) was proposed to effectively select the most suitable candidate among clients for training the shared model. Based on the proposed approaches, FedISM not only trains the shared model without sharing any raw data, but it also provides an optimal solution through the selection of the best shared model. To evaluate performance, the proposed FedISM was applied to classify coronavirus disease (COVID), pneumonia, normal, and viral pneumonia in the experiments. The Dirichlet process was also used to simulate a variety of imbalanced data distributions. Experimental results show that FedISM improves accuracy by up to 25% when privacy concerns regarding patient data are rising among medical institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, quaternary Ag 2 ZnSnSe 4 (AZTSe) photoanodes with low and high ratios of ZnSe phase are made to understand the influence on the charge-transfer mechanisms, reaction kinetics and photoelectrochemical activities in electrolyte. Photoelectrochemical activities of 7.5 and 5.25 mA/cm2 at the given voltage of 1 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) are obtained using the AZTSe sample containing low ratio (atomic percentage of around 21% in sample) and high ratio (atomic percentage of around 37% in sample) of ZnSe phase, respectively. From the electrochemical measurements and X-ray absorption spectra of samples, the ZnSe phase can attract the light-driven electrons from the sample with low ratio of ZnSe phase (atomic percentage of 21% in sample). However, for the sample containing high ratio of ZnSe phase (atomic percentage of 37% in sample), the ZnSe acts as the recombination center and results in poor photoelectrochemical activity. With the modification of ZnO rods on sample, its long-term photoelectrochemical activity is improved due to high charge transportation kinetic and photo-driven holes accumulation on ZnO rods rather than on AZTSe sample. Our study reports a significant observation on the influence of ZnSe phase for photoelectrochemical salt-water splitting. [Display omitted] • Ag 2 ZnSnSe 4 photoanodes were prepared with selenization of Ag–Zn–Sn precursors. • Low ratio of ZnSe phase in Ag 2 ZnSnSe 4 sample has good charge-separation rate. • High recombination rate occurs at high ratio of ZnSe phase in Ag 2 ZnSnSe 4 sample. • The ZnO rod-arrays on Ag 2 ZnSnSe 4 sample can improve its stability in electrolyte. • Reaction and charge-transfer mechanisms are proposed using EIS and IMPS data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the fields of organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) and light‐emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) have improved tremendously with regard to tunable emission, efficiency, brightness, and thermal stability. Imidazole derivatives are excellent deep blue‐green light‐emitting layers in the OLED or LEC devices. This Review summarizes the major breakthroughs of various electroluminescence (EL) layers with imidazole‐containing organic or organometallic derivatives, the molecular design principles, and their light‐emitting performances as effective EL materials. The highly tunable chemical structures and flexible molecular design strategies of imidazole‐based compounds are advantages that provide great opportunities for researchers. They can provide a good basis for the design and development of new EL materials with narrower emission and higher efficiency. Moreover, imidazole compounds have demonstrated breakthrough performances in thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) properties where triplet excitons are utilized to inhibit anti‐intersystem quenching, showing great promise in breaking the theoretical external quantum efficiencies (EQE) limits in traditional fluorescent devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advantages of cobalt-free, high specific capacity, high operating voltage, low cost, and environmental friendliness of spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNMO) material make it one of the most promising cathode materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries. The disproportionation reaction of Mn3+ leads to Jahn–Teller distortion, which is the key issue in reducing the crystal structure stability and limiting the electrochemical stability of the material. In this work, single-crystal LNMO was synthesized successfully by the sol-gel method. The morphology and the Mn3+ content of the as-prepared LNMO were tuned by altering the synthesis temperature. The results demonstrated that the LNMO_110 material exhibited the most uniform particle distribution as well as the presence of the lowest concentration of Mn3+, which was beneficial to ion diffusion and electronic conductivity. As a result, this LNMO cathode material had an optimized electrochemical rate performance of 105.6 mAh g−1 at 1 C and cycling stability of 116.8 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C after 100 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AgNbO3 (ANO)-based lead-free antiferroelectric ceramics with high energy storage density show potential application in pulsed power systems. Structural heterogeneity via doping different ions offers an effective route to explore high performance dielectric materials. The effect of A-site and B-site modified ANO-based ceramics at the same doping amount of 50% on ferroelectricity was investigated. The result shows that the A/B site structural heterogeneities both improved relaxor features, which make a great contribution to the energy storage efficiency, while the B-site modification shows a more effective influence on the structure, grain growth, and ferroelectricity regulation. In this case, the optimized recoverable energy storage density of 2.6 J/cc with an improved efficiency of 87.6% was achieved in the Ta-ANO component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been found to play an essential regulatory role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through various mechanisms, particularly the endogenous competitive RNA (ceRNA) mechanism. Therefore, it is significant to explore the circRNAs in hepatoma. In this study, we constructed the ceRNA and survival network using Cytoscape. We also used R, Perl software, and multiple online databases and platforms, including Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), to perform overall survival, immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoints, pathway activity, and anticancer drug sensitivity analysis of the genes. Finally, the receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was performed to identify the diagnosis value of the genes. KEGG analysis revealed the T cell receptor signaling pathway as the main enrichment pathway. A total of 29 genes related to survival and prognosis were screened out. The findings suggest that ZNF544, WDR76, ACTG1, RASSF3, E2F3, ASRGL1, and POGK are associated with multilevel immune cell infiltration. Additionally, immune checkpoint analysis screened out the ACTG1, E2F3, RASSF3, and WDR76. It was also revealed that the WDR76, E2F3, ASRGL1, and POGK mainly activated the cell cycle and DNA damage response (DDR) pathway. The results suggest that the sensitivity toward trametinib, refametinib (RDEA119), and selumetinib correlates to the expression of WDR76. ROC analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of all genes in the regulatory axis was greater than 0.7. The identified hsa_circ_0000417/hsa_circ_0002688/hsa_circ_0001387--hsa-miR-199a-5p--WDR76 regulatory axis may provide new insights into the progression, clinical diagnosis, and treatment of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personal exposure studies suffer from uncertainty issues, largely stemming from individual behaviour uncertainties. Built on spatial-temporal exposure analysis and methods, this study proposed a novel approach to spatial-temporal modelling that incorporated behaviour classifications taking into account uncertainties, to estimate individual livestock exposure potential. The new approach was applied in a community-based research project with a Tribal community in the southwest United States to address questions on potential livestock exposure to abandoned uranium mines (AUMs). The study aimed to 1) classify Global Positioning System (GPS) data from livestock into three behaviour subgroups – grazing, travelling or resting; 2) calculate the daily cumulative exposure potential for livestock; 3) assess the performance of the computational method with and without behaviour classifications. Using Lotek Litetrack GPS collars, we collected data at a 20-min-interval for two flocks of sheep and goats during the spring and summer of 2019. Analysis and modelling of GPS data demonstrated no significant difference in individual cumulative exposure potential within each flock when animal behaviours with probability/uncertainties were considered. However, when daily cumulative exposure potential was calculated without consideration of animal behaviour or probability/uncertainties, significant differences among animals within a herd were observed, which does not match animal grazing behaviours reported by livestock owners. These results suggest that the proposed method including behaviour subgroups with probability/uncertainties more closely resembled the observed grazing behaviours. Results from the research may be used for future intervention and policy-making on remediation efforts in communities where grazing livestock may encounter environmental contaminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nearly 80% of the approved human therapeutic antibodies are produced by Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells. To achieve better cell growth and high-yield recombinant protein, fed-batch culture is typically used for recombinant protein production in CHO cells. According to the demand of nutrients consumption, feed medium containing multiple components in cell culture can affect the characteristics of cell growth and improve the yield and quality of recombinant protein. Fed-batch optimization should have a connection with comprehensive factors such as culture environmental parameters, feed composition, and feeding strategy. At present, process intensification (PI) is explored to maintain production flexible and meet forthcoming demands of biotherapeutics process. Here, CHO cell culture, feed composition in fed-batch culture, fed-batch culture environmental parameters, feeding strategies, metabolic byproducts in fed-batch culture, chemostat cultivation, and the intensified fed-batch are reviewed. Key points: • Fed-batch culture in CHO cells is reviewed. • Fed-batch has become a common technology for recombinant protein production. • Fed batch culture promotes recombinant protein production in CHO cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long‐wavelength light‐emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) are potential deep‐red and near infrared light sources with solution‐processable simple device architecture, low‐voltage operation, and compatibility with inert metal electrodes. Many scientific efforts have been made to material design and device engineering of the long‐wavelength LECs over the past two decades. The materials designed the for long‐wavelength LECs cover ionic transition metal complexes, small molecules, conjugated polymers, and perovskites. On the other hand, device engineering techniques, including spectral modification by adjusting microcavity effect, light outcoupling enhancement, energy down‐conversion from color conversion layers, and adjusting intermolecular interactions, are also helpful in improving the device performance of long‐wavelength LECs. In this review, recent advances in the long‐wavelength LECs are reviewed from the viewpoints of materials and device engineering. Finally, discussions on conclusion and outlook indicate possible directions for future developments of the long‐wavelength LECs. This review would like to pave the way for the researchers to design materials and device engineering techniques for the long‐wavelength LECs in the applications of displays, bio‐imaging, telecommunication, and night‐vision displays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]