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Persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is associated with multiple malignancies. Developing therapeutic vaccines to eliminate HPV‐infected and malignant cells holds significant value. In this study, we introduced a lipid nanoparticle encapsulated mRNA vaccine expressing tHA‐mE7‐mE6. Mutations were introduced into E6 and E7 of HPV to eliminate their tumourigenicity. A truncated influenza haemagglutinin protein (tHA), which binds to the CD209 receptor on the surface of dendritic cells (DCs), was fused with mE7‐mE6 in order to allow efficient uptake of antigen by antigen presenting cells. The tHA‐mE7‐mE6 (mRNA) showed higher therapeutic efficacy than mE7‐mE6 (mRNA) in an E6 and E7+ tumour model. The treatment resulted in complete tumour regression and prevented tumour formation. Strong CD8+ T‐cell immune response was induced, contributing to preventing and curing of E6 and E7+ tumour. Antigen‐specific CD8+ T were found in spleens, peripheral blood and in tumours. In addition, the tumour infiltration of DC and NK cells were increased post therapy. In conclusion, this study described a therapeutic mRNA vaccine inducing strong anti‐tumour immunity in peripheral and in tumour microenvironment, holding promising potential to treat HPV‐induced cancer and to prevent cancer recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Methods Results Conclusions To investigate the associations of metabolic score for insulin resistance (METS‐IR) with all‐cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD)‐specific mortality and the potential mediating role of biological ageing.A cohort of 19 204 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2018 was recruited for this study. Cox regression models, restricted cubic splines, and Kaplan–Meier survival curves were used to determine the relationships of METS‐IR with all‐cause and CVD‐specific mortality. Mediation analyses were performed to explore the possible intermediary role of biological ageing markers, including phenotypic age (PhenoAge) and biological age (BioAge).During a median follow‐up of 9.17 years, we observed 2818 deaths, of which 875 were CVD‐specific. Multivariable Cox regression showed that the highest METS‐IR level (Q4) was associated with increased all‐cause (hazard ratio [HR] 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14–1.67) and CVD mortality (HR 1.52, 95% CI 1.10–2.12) compared with the Q1 level. Restricted cubic splines showed a nonlinear relationship between METS‐IR and all‐cause mortality. Only METS‐IR above the threshold (41.02 μg/L) was positively correlated with all‐cause death. METS‐IR had a linear positive relationship with CVD mortality. In mediation analyses, we found that PhenoAge mediated 51.32% (p < 0.001) and 41.77% (p < 0.001) of the association between METS‐IR and all‐cause and CVD‐specific mortality, respectively. For BioAge, the mediating proportions of PhenoAge were 21.33% (p < 0.001) and 15.88% (p < 0.001), respectively.This study highlights the detrimental effects of insulin resistance, as measured by METS‐IR, on all‐cause and CVD mortality. Moreover, it underscores the role of biological ageing in mediating these associations, emphasizing the need for interventions targeting both insulin resistance and ageing processes to mitigate mortality risks in metabolic disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing first-principles calculations about A-B-O binary systems (A = Zr, Hf; B = Ta, Nb) and oxyacetylene ablation tests (2.4 MW/m2, 30 s), the synergistic effects of Hf, Zr, Ta and Nb elements in (Hf-Zr-Ta-Nb)C ceramic were studied. From the aspect of experimental results, the (Hf-Zr-Ta-Nb)C ceramic exhibited the lowest average linear variation rate (−1.2 μm/s) and thinnest oxide layer (∼170 μm), only half the thickness of (Hf–Ta)C ceramic (∼330 μm). From the aspect of protective characteristic of HfO 2 -based oxide layer, Ta enrichment will be easier to bring about structural instability of HfO 2 than Zr and Nb elements, attributed to the easily formed Hf 6 Ta 2 O 17 phase with relatively low melting point. As for ZrO 2 -based solid solutions, the continuous enrichment of Ta and Nb will both cause structural instability, based on the increasing trend of calculated binding energies of Ta or Nb modified ZrO 2 , accompanied by the spontaneous formation trend of Zr 6 Ta 2 O 17 and Zr 6 Nb 2 O 17 low-melting-point phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgrounds & Aims: The nutritional evaluation of pancreatic cancer (PC) patients lacks a gold standard or scientific consensus, we aimed to summarize and systematically evaluate the prognostic value of nutritional screening and assessment tools used for PC patients. Methods: Relevant studies were retrieved from major databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library) and searched from January 2010 to December 2023. We performed meta-analyses with STATA 14.0 when three or more studies used the same tool. Results: This analysis included 27 articles involving 6,060 PC patients. According to a meta-analysis of these studies, poor nutritional status evaluated using five nutritional screening tools Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), Controlling Nutritional Status Score (CONUT), Nutrition Risk Screening (NRS2002) and Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) was associated with all-cause mortality in PC patients. But Modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) did not. Of all tools analyzed, CONUT had the maximum HR for mortality (HR = 1.978, 95%CI 1.345–2.907, P = 0.001). Conclusion: All-cause mortality in PC patients was predicted by poor nutritional status. CONUT may be the best nutritional assessment tool for PC patients. The clinical application value of Short Form Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA-SF), Generated Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) and Patient-generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) in PC patients need to be confirmed. In order to improve patients' nutritional status and promote their recovery, nutritional screening tools can be used. Registration: This systematic review was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (number CRD42022376715). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have found that the digital economy plays a positive role in promoting high-quality economic development. Meanwhile, the digital industrialization and industrial digitalization have given rise to new demands and supply modes of consumption. It is necessary to analyze the role of consumption expansion in the impact of digital economy on high-quality economic development. Based on Chinese provincial panel data, we first applied the entropy weight method to construct the digital economy index and the high-quality economic development index. And on this basis, it was verified that the digital economy can positively promote the high-quality development of the inverted U-shaped structural economy. Then we separately used the mediation and the threshold effect models to analyze the role of consumption expansion in empowering high-quality development in the digital economy. Regional heterogeneity was further taken into account. The results dedicate that consumer demand and the digital economy have a partial or complete mediating effect. The promotion of high-quality development by the digital economy can be affected by the threshold of consumption expansion, which is manifested in the marginal incremental effect due to the growth of consumption supply. On the contrary, the growth of consumer demand has led to the inverted U-shape of the digital economy to promote high-quality economic development. In the heterogeneity analysis, the threshold effect also varied greatly. This research enriches the theoretical achievements and reveals the impact of consumption expansion on the digital economy affecting the high-quality development, which may provide certain reference for other countries and regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The etiologic link between human papillomavirus (HPV) and lung cancer is still controversial. Methods PubMed and Cochrane databases were searched from inception to December 2020 to identify studies on the infection of HPV in lung cancer. We calculated the attributable proportion of HPV in lung cancer by pooling the infection of cases positive for both HPV DNA and biomarkers of carcinogenesis that may be induced by HPV (E6/E7 messenger RNA or p16INK4a). Results A total of 117 studies, comprising data of 12 616 lung cancer cases from 22 countries across 5 continents, were included. The overall HPV DNA positivity in primary lung cancer cases worldwide was 16.4% (95% confidence interval, 12.7%–20.5%). HPV DNA positivity of lung cancer varied significantly by pathological type and geographic region. Notably, the expression rate of p16INK4a is significantly higher than the positivity of HPV DNA and of HPV E6/E7 mRNA (P <.05). The estimate of HPV attributable proportion defined by expression of E6/E7 mRNA was 0 and of p16INK4a was 7.3%. Conclusions The data in this systematic review is robust enough to contradict the possible participation of HPV in lung cancer carcinogenesis. Prophylactic vaccines targeting HPV cannot have the potential to prevent lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigates whether participants can establish multiple temporal references in a temporal reproduction task. The results show that participants can learn and maintain two references for the overlapping intervals with the short distribution being overestimated towards the long one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a star material in conducting polymers, a polypyrrole coating was assembled onto the surface of 316 stainless steel by an electrochemical method. In the next step, the composite layer consisting of carbon nitride nanosheets (CNNS) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) was sprayed. The corrosion manner of composite coatings in a simulated proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) environment was evaluated. The results show that the final coating generated at a voltage of 1.0 has demonstrated the optimized corrosion resistance. The polypyrrole layer improves the corrosion resistance of the stainless steel substrate, and the CNNS/PMMA coating further strengthens the physical barrier effect of the coating in corrosive solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current practices of S&T budget performance evaluation in China put more weight on efficacy than efficiency and effectiveness. This study puts forward an innovative 3E theory in the field of S&T budgeting performance evaluation based on Peter Checkland's 3E evaluation model and the existing practices of S&T budget performance evaluation in China. To unswervingly uphold and approach the new request for improving the S&T input effectiveness emphasized at the 20th National Congress of the CPC, it is a must to carry out a comprehensive S&T budget performance evaluation in the new era on the basis of the 3E theory of S&T budget performance evaluation. Additionally, this research gives detailed analysis on how to do the evaluation based on the 3E theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydraulic fracturing is a widely used technique applied in unconventional reservoirs to generate large fracture networks. Interactions between hydraulic fracture (HF) and natural fracture (NF) can impact the fracture topology and thus the subsequent productivity. Despite a large number of studies on HF–NF interactions, the HF propagation path is normally judged based on ad-hoc criteria to decide whether crossing or deflection occurs and the mechanism behind has not yet reached a unified understanding. Here, we use a phase-field model (PFM), which is based on a unified fracture propagation criterion, to investigate the influence of in-situ stress, fracturing operational parameters and NF orientation and strength. We analyze the mechanism behind different propagation patterns resulting from different kinds of NFs—non-cemented and cemented ones under different conditions. In particular, we compare the total energies between the symmetric propagation and asymmetric propagation to verify the minimum energy propagation path. Our results indicate that a higher stress anisotropy more likely leads to HF–NF crossing and a less fracture complexity. Injection rate influences propagation speed and fracture complexity. Within a certain range (30°, 45°, 60° in this study), the larger the approaching angle is, the more complex the fractures become. With the increasing strength contrast between NF and rock matrix, the material heterogeneity increases, encouraging HF to form complex fractures. Opening more strongly cemented NFs, which act as a barrier for propagation, consumes more energy than HF propagation outside the interface. Lower stress anisotropy and higher injection rate lead to higher initiation pressure, requiring more energy for propagation. Highlights: A phase field model based on a unified fracture propagation criterion is used to study the interactions between hydraulic fractures and natural fractures. The mechanism behind different propagation patterns resulting from non-cemented and cemented natural fractures under different conditions is analyzed. A parameter denoted as complexity degree is used to describe fracturing effect through the sensitive analyses. The total energies between the symmetric propagation and asymmetric propagation are compared to verify the minimum energy propagation path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Gaussian Copula is limited for nonlinearly correlation of substation equipment. • Archimedean Copula is qualified for response simulation of substation equipment. • Existing non-correlation method significantly underestimate failure probabilities. • The Copula evaluation is stable with selections of sample ground motions. Seismic vulnerability evaluations of substation equipment under multiple correlated failure modes are urgently needed. The Copula method, an efficient tool for considering the correlation between variables, holds significant potential application value. However, due to the evident nonlinear correlation between structural and functional responses of substation equipment, the effectiveness of the Copula method is adversely affected. Therefore, this study takes four seismic intensity levels, investigates the distribution and correlation characteristics of seismic responses of typical substation equipment at different levels, and demonstrates the feasibility of the Copula method. The results indicate that the nonlinear correlation features of equipment responses have a significant impact on the choice of Copula functions. The widely used Gaussian Copula exhibits evident limitations, while the Archimedean family Copula is more suitable for substation equipment assessment. Traditional methods that do not consider multiple failure modes or neglect correlation between different modes yield significantly lower seismic vulnerability compared to the Copula-based method that considers correlations. Additionally, compared to traditional non-correlation assessment methods, the Copula method demonstrates better stability, with assessment results less affected by variations in the selection of sample ground motions. Therefore, the Copula method is suitable for assessing the seismic vulnerability of substation equipment and merits widespread application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

α-CsPbI 3 nanostructures were fabricated by catalyst-free high-pressure pulsed laser deposition. The α-CsPbI 3 nanostructures grown on Si (1 0 0) substrates exhibits excellent stability without packaging in ambient air. The size of CsPbI 3 nanostructures can be controlled from micron to nanometer by adjusting the target distance. Photodetectors based on CsPbI 3 / n -Si heterojunction exhibited highly stable and reproducible characteristics. [Display omitted] CsPbI 3 with suitable bandgap (∼1.73 eV) and excellent photoelectric performance are considered promising candidates for new-generation photovoltaic and photoelectric devices. However, the phase instability of CsPbI 3 hinders its application in photoelectric devices. In this study, cubic phase CsPbI 3 nano-bricks with high stability are prepared on Si substrates by catalyst-free high-pressure pulsed laser deposition. The effects of the target-substrate distance on the morphological, structural and photoluminescence properties of CsPbI 3 nano-bricks are investigated. CsPbI 3 nano-bricks exhibits excellent long-term stability for 12 months, which can be attributed to the smaller lattice mismatch between Si (1 0 0) and CsPbI 3 (1 0 0). Furthermore, the photodetector based on CsPbI 3 / n -Si heterojunction exhibited obvious spectral response in the red band of 710 nm. This work provides a novel idea for the preparation of photoelectric devices with cubic CsPbI 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most important components of an electrical substation is its power transformer, but this component is vulnerable to earthquakes. Several studies have demonstrated the good potential of base isolation to improve the seismic resistance of transformers. However, cost-effectiveness of a base isolation system is as important to the managers of a power grid as its isolation efficiency. Therefore, to investigate the cost-effectiveness of base isolation for large transformers, the framework of this two-part study comprised: (1) shaking table testing and (2) cost-effectiveness analysis. In the shaking table testing, the isolation efficiency of a friction pendulum system for a 220 kV transformer-bushing system was validated. In the cost-effectiveness analysis, the converter transformers of a typical substation were taken as examples to calculate the expected cost in a single earthquake event and the expected total life-cycle cost with/without the base isolation. The base isolation could impart considerable economic benefits in an extreme earthquake event and significantly reduce the risk of unacceptable earthquake-induced losses during the life period. Together, these two parts demonstrated the great cost-effectiveness of base isolation for large transformers in areas of high seismic intensity, underscoring the importance of further development and applications of this technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plateau river ecosystems are often highly vulnerable and responsive to environmental change. The driving mechanism of fish diversity and community assembly in plateau rivers under changing environments presents a significant complexity to the interdisciplinary study of ecology and environment. This study integrated molecular biological techniques and mathematical models to identify the mechanisms influencing spatial heterogeneity of freshwater fish diversity and driving fish community assembly in plateau rivers. By utilizing environmental-DNA metabarcoding and the null model, this study revealed the impact of the stochastic process on fish diversity variations and community assembly in the Huangshui Plateau River of the Yellow River Basin (YRB) in China. This research identified 30 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), which correspond to 20 different fish species. The findings of this study revealed that the fish α-diversity in the upstream region of Xining is significantly higher than in the middle-lower reach (Shannon index: P = 0.017 and Simpson: P = 0.035). This pattern was not found to be related to any other environmental factors besides altitude (P = 0.023) that we measured. Further, the study indicated that the assembly of fish communities in the Huangshui River primarily depends on stochastic ecological processes. These findings suggested that elevation was not the primary factor impacting the biodiversity patterns of fish in plateau rivers. In plateau rivers, spatial heterogeneity of fish community on elevation is mainly determined by stochastic processes under habitat fragmentation, rather than any other physicochemical environmental factors. The limitations of connectivity in the downstream channel of the river could be taken the mainly responsibility for stochastic processes of fish community in Huangshui River. Incorporating ecological processes in the eDNA approach holds great potential for future monitoring and evaluation of fish biodiversity and community assembly in plateau rivers. [Display omitted] Stochastic process determines the assembly of freshwater fish community on the plateau river. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of thermal-responsive Janus particles as emulsion stabilizers in oil–water systems has attracted increasing attention in recent years. This work reported a novel Janus silica nanoparticle with one silanol side and one poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) side, which was fabricated via combining interfacial synthesis method and single-electron transfer living radical polymerization (SET-LRP) process. Their structure and surface properties were identified by SEM, TEM, 1H NMR, FTIR, and TGA. The thermo-responsive performance of Janus nanoparticles in oil–water Pickering emulsion systems was also investigated as well as their emulsification properties in both the tetradecane–water and crude oil–water systems. The solubility of both Janus and symmetric PNIPAM-modified silica nanoparticles in water presents reversible thermal-responsive properties. Notably, the Janus nanoparticles show a higher phase transition temperature than the symmetric nanoparticles because the presence of silanol on one side of the Janus nanoparticles enhances its hydrophilicity due to the stronger hydrogen bond at high temperature. In comparison with symmetric nanoparticles, Janus nanoparticles exhibit superior emulsification performance in the tetradecane–water system as a result of their lower surface tension. Janus nanoparticles also present excellent thermal-responsive emulsification performance in the crude oil–water system, showing a prospective future in industrial application as a surfactant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a green strategy was developed to prepare molecularly imprinted polymers functionalized magnetic carbon nanotubes in aqueous phase under mild conditions for cyclic adenosine monophosphate. Thanks to water solubility of chitosan, a natural polysaccharide which is rich in amino and hydroxyl groups, provided the feasibility to synthesize the green molecularly imprinted polymers for water soluble template in aqueous media. Coupled with high‐performance liquid chromatography, the method exhibited a short equilibrium time (6 min), high adsorption capacity (22.42 μg/mg), high magnetic susceptibility, and good selectivity to template molecule with the imprinting factor of 2.94. A good linearity in the range of 0.020‐3.0 mg/mL for target was obtained with a correlation coefficient of 0.9998. The limit of detection (signal‐to‐noise ratio = 3) and limit of quantitation (signal‐to‐noise ratio = 10) of the magnetic solid phase extraction method for cyclic adenosine monophosphate were 5 and 15 ng/mg, respectively. And the practical application of chitosan‐based molecularly imprinted polymers as adsorbent to isolate and determine cyclic adenosine monophosphate in real natural samples (winter jujube) was demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise timing is essential for many kinds of human behavior. When a fastest response is not required, movements are initiated at the appropriate time requiring an anticipatory temporal component. Temporal mechanisms for movements with such an anticipatory component are not yet sufficiently understood; in particular, it is not known whether on the operational level for delayed movements distinct time windows are used or whether anticipatory control is characterized by continuous temporal processing. With a modified reaction‐time paradigm, we asked participants to act with predefined time delays between 400 and 5000 ms; after each individual trial, a numerical feedback was provided which allowed correction of the response time for each next trial. Visual stimuli (Experiment 1) and auditory stimuli (Experiment 2) were used. In the statistical analyses, piecewise linear models and exponential decay models for the response variability of different delay times were compared. These analyses favored piecewise linear models; a decreasing variability with increasing delay of voluntary controlled actions was observed up to ~1 s, followed by close to constant variability beyond this delay. We suggest that precise temporal control of voluntary delayed movements is reached only after a "temporal twilight zone" of ~1 s, which apparently marks a temporal border between two different timing mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antibodies are an important reagent to determine the specificity and accuracy of diagnostic immunoassays for various diseases. However, traditional antibodies have several shortcomings due to their limited abundance, difficulty in permanent storage, and required use of a secondary antibody. Nanobodies, which are derived from single-chain camelid antibodies, can circumvent many of these limitations and, thus, appear to be a promising substitute. In the presented study, a sandwich ELISA-like immunoassay and direct fluorescent assay with high sensitivity, good specificity, and easy operation were the first time to develop for detecting porcine parvovirus (PPV). After screening PPV viral particles 2 (VP2) specific nanobodies, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) fusions were derived from the nanobodies by recombinant technology. Finally, using the nanobody-HRP and -EGFP fusions as probes, the developed immunoassays demonstrate specific, sensitive, and rapid detection of PPV. Results: In the study, five PPV-VP2 specific nanobodies screened from an immunised Bactrian camel were successfully expressed with the bacterial system and purified with a Ni–NTA column. Based on the reporter-nanobody platform, HRP and EGFP fusions were separately produced by transfection of HEK293T cells. A sandwich ELISA-like assay for detecting PPV in the samples was firstly developed using PPV-VP2-Nb19 as the capture antibody and PPV-VP2-Nb56-HRP fusions as the detection antibody. The assay showed 92.1% agreement with real-time PCR and can be universally used to surveil PPV infection in the pig flock. In addition, a direct fluorescent assay using PPV-VP2-Nb12-EGFP fusion as a probe was developed to detect PPV in ST cells. The assay showed 81.5% agreement with real-time PCR and can be used in laboratory tests. Conclusions: For the first time, five PPV-VP2 specific nanobody-HRP and -EGFP fusions were produced as reagents for developing immunoassays. A sandwich ELISA-like immunoassay using PPV-VP2-Nb19 as the capture antibody and PPV-VP2-Nb56-HRP fusion as the detection antibody was the first time to develop for detecting PPV in different samples. Results showed that the immunoassay can be universally used to surveil PPV infection in pig flock. A direct fluorescent assay using PPV-VP2-Nb12-EGFP as a probe was also developed to detect PPV in ST cells. The two developed immunoassays eliminate the use of commercial secondary antibodies and shorten detection time. Meanwhile, both assays display great developmental prospect for further commercial production and application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of this paper is to show that international peer review can work in China's context with satisfactory outcomes. Moreover, this paper also provides a reference for the practice of science and technology management. This paper starts with a discussion of two critical questions about the significance and design of international peer review. A case study of international peer review of CAS Centers for Excellence is further analyzed. International peer review may provide a solution to address the problem of quantitative oriented research evaluation in China. The case study of research evaluation of CAS Centers for Excellence shows that it is possible and feasible to conduct an international peer review in China's context. When applying this approach to other scenarios, there are still many issues to consider including individualized design of international peer review combined with practical demands, and further improvement of theories and methods of international peer review. 1) Only the case of international peer review of CAS Centers for Excellence is analyzed; 2) A relatively small number of respondents were surveyed in the questionnaire. The work presented in this study can be used as a reference for future studies. Currently, there are no similarly detailed studies exploring the significance and methodology of international peer review in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead-free all-inorganic metal halide perovskites have garnered significant interest due to their exceptional optical and electrical applications. In addition, patterned perovskite films could enhance the performance of the perovskite-based devices. In this work, the microscale cylinder arrays with various diameters were fabricated on Si(100) substrates, and the Cs3Cu2I5 thin films were deposited on the microarrays by pulsed laser deposition. Then, the Cs3Cu2I5/Si heterojunction photodetectors were constructed with Ni/Au and Au electrodes. The reflectivity and photoluminescence spectra demonstrated that the microarrays can reduce surface reflectivity and increase light absorption in heterojunction devices. In addition, the microscale arrays improved the Cs3Cu2I5/Si heterojunction photodetectors performance. As the array diameter decreased, the peak responsivity and specific detectivity of the photodetectors increased significantly, reaching 124.4 mA/W for a 4 μm array. In addition, the photodetectors on microscale arrays demonstrated improved stability with a slightly reduced response speed. The results highlight the potential for microscale structures in enhancing optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power infrastructures consist of cantilever-post facilities interconnected by highly flexible conductors, which cause weak coupling effects and significantly threaten seismic performances. However, understanding the weak coupling effect remains intuitive and empirical, particularly in terms of its formation mechanism. Using an established separation-based method, which ensures sufficient consideration of the weak coupling effect, a model of a coupled system with continuous-parameter coupling parts was examined. Most notably, complex-mode vibration was found to be an intrinsic outcome of weak coupling effects, which contributes to the seismic disadvantages. Furthermore, the transition and selective expression of vibration modes comprehensively explained the formation of the weak coupling effect. These properties contradict the preconditions of general analysis approaches, such as the well-known mode-superposition method, which, when applied to a weakly coupled system, can significantly underestimate seismic responses. These findings imply that specific awareness and appropriate consideration of weak coupling effects are required for power infrastructure analysis and design. • The lack of global vibration modes of a weakly-coupled system was attributed to its inherent complex-mode vibration. • Common methods relying on global modes will bring significant errors under the weak coupling condition. • Formation mechanism of weak coupling effects was explained via a theory of modal transition and selective expression. • Weak coupling effects will be suppressed when a largely-damped connection component is employed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitric oxide synthase 1 (NOS1) has been reported to promote various cancer processes including chemoresistance. However, the role of NOS1 in chemoresistance has remained unclear. ATP-binding cassette, subfamily G, member 2 (ABCG2) has been identified as a molecular cause of multidrug resistance in a number of cancer types, including ovarian cancer. The present study observed that in ovarian cancer cells, the expression of ABCG2 was significantly upregulated in response to cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (cisplatin/DDP) treatment, in addition the expression of NOS1 exhibited an increasing trend. Additionally, the levels of NOS1 and ABCG2 in chemoresistant ovarian cancer profiles in Gene Expression Omnibus datasets (GSE26712 and GSE51373) were higher than in chemosensitive profiles. Furthermore, overexpression of NOS1 could upregulate ABCG2 expression, and expression of ABCG2 was inhibited by NOS1 selective inhibitor (N-PLA). In assays of cell survival, NOS1 appeared to increase the potential for DDP resistance, and this effect was reversed by addition of ABCG2 inhibitor (verapamil). The present study indicated that NOS1-induced chemoresistance was partly mediated by the upregulation of ABCG2 expression. This result suggests a link between the expression of NOS1 and the ABCG2-associated chemoresistance in ovarian cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenylcarbamoyls are known to remarkably accentuate cyclodextrin's enantioselectivities. In this work, by inducing electron-donating methoxyl or electron-withdrawing bromine/trifluoromethyl moieties, three novel cyclodextrin enantioseparation materials including per(4-trifluoromethoxy) phenylcarbamoylated-β-CD CSP (CSP1), per(4-bromo)phenylcarbamoylated-β-CD CSP (CSP2) and per(4-methoxy)phenylcarbamoylated-β-CD CSP (CSP3) were prepared via thiol-ene click chemistry. The polarity tuning decorations are found to significantly influence the CSPs’ achiral and chiral separation performance. The three CSPs can easily separate toluene, 1,2-xylene and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene with the strongest retention on CSP3. In reversed-phase mode, the three CSPs exhibited completely different enantioseparation ability towards specific isoxazolines and flavonoids. 4′-hydroxyflavanone was separated on CSP1 with a resolution of 9.24 while 6-methoxyflavanone was best separated on CSP2 ( R s = 9.98). CSP3 exhibited the strongest differentiation ability towards 4NPh-2Py ( R s = 9.69). The comparison study may provide some insight into the design of functional cyclodextrin materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • PdCoO x /Zr-C 3 N 4 catalysts were prepared for low temperature dehydrogenation. • The alloyed Co into Pd enhanced the catalytic dehydrogenation activity. • The electronic state was tuned by the interfacial effect between the PdCoO x and supports. • PdCoO x /Zr-C 3 N 4 obtained 95.6 % complete dehydrogenation product under only 140℃. Liquid organic hydrogen carriers have attracted significant attention for hydrogen storage and transportation and have been extensively investigated. Pd-based noble metal catalysts have been reported as some of the most active catalysts, however, achieving an optimal Pd utilization efficiency and stability remains challenging but significant. Herein, a PdCoO x -based bimetallic oxide catalyst was prepared and applied for the low-temperature dehydrogenation of dodecahydro- N -ethylcarbazole (12H-NECZ) to produce H 2 , utilizing the following advantages: (1) the activity of Pd was enhanced by introducing Co to form a PdCoO x bimetallic oxide site; (2) the electronic state of the catalyst was tuned based on the interfacial effect between the PdCoO x and Zr-C 3 N 4 supports. Thus, PdCo bimetallic oxide formation improved the electronic transfer rate and the interaction between the support and PdCoO x , thereby enhancing the catalytic dehydrogenation activity. Consequently, 12H-NECZ was completely dehydrogenated with 95.6 % selectivity at 140 °C for 8 h, with only 2.63 wt% Pd loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this work, a novel single sulfoether‐bridged cationic per(3,5‐dimethyl)phenylcarbamoylated‐β‐cyclodextrin separation material was prepared by thiol‐ene click chemistry and characterized by using FTIR spectroscopy, solid‐state 13C NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis, which confirmed the correct structure. The separation material exhibited a good achiral separation performance for benzene homologues and phenylamine analogs, especially o‐xylene and m‐xylene, and m‐phenylenediamine and o‐phenylenediamine can be discriminated by the (3,5‐dimethyl)phenylcarbamoyl cyclodextrins. The chiral resolving ability of the separation material was evaluated by discriminating various isoxazolines, flavonoids, and β‐blockers in reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography. For isoxazolines, the material showed the best chiral discrimination toward 3‐aryl‐5‐(2‐oxopyrrolidin‐1‐yl)‐isoxazolines, where the resolution for 3ClPh‐OPr  reached 6.03. For flavonoids, it exhibited more efficient separation to the ones with more hydrophobic substituents, with a resolution of 5.93 for 6‐hydroxyflavanone. β‐Blockers were also enantioseparated satisfactorily on the material. The as‐prepared separation material is a good member of the thiol‐ene click derived cyclodextrin stationary phase family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel native cyclodextrin (CD) chiral stationary phase (CSP) with single triazole-bridge at CD C2 position (CSP1) was prepared by anchoring mono(2 A -azido-2 A -deoxy)-β-CD onto alkynyl silica via click chemistry. The effect of CD orientation on single layer CD-CSP's enantioseparation was comprehensively investigated using CSP1 (reversed orientation) and our previously reported CSP2 (C6 single triazole-bridge, normal orientation) as well as a commercial CD-CSP (Cyclobond I 2000, hybrid orientation) by separating several groups of analytes in chiral high performance liquid chromatography. It is found that the CD orientation on silica surface plays an important role in separating different racemates. CSP2 with normal CD orientation affords best separation for isoxazolines while CSP1 with reversed CD orientation better separates naringenin, hesperetin and Tröger's base. CSP2 and Cyclobond I 2000 show comparable separation ability for dansyl amino acids while poor separation was found on CSP1. Besides, molecular dynamics simulation was performed under “real” separation conditions using flavanone as model analyte to reveal the essential factors for CD's chiral discrimination behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Arterial stiffness is one of the earliest indicators of changes in vascular wall structure and function and may be assessed using various indicators, such as pulse-wave velocity (PWV), the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), the ankle-brachial index (ABI), pulse pressure (PP), the augmentation index (AI), flow-mediated dilation (FMD), carotid intima media thickness (IMT) and arterial stiffness index-β. Arterial stiffness is generally considered an independent predictor of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. To date, a significant number of studies have focused on the relationship between arterial stiffness and cognitive impairment. Objectives and methods To investigate the relationships between specific arterial stiffness parameters and cognitive impairment, elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the relationship between arterial stiffness and cognitive impairment and determine how to interfere with arterial stiffness to prevent cognitive impairment, we searched PUBMED for studies regarding the relationship between arterial stiffness and cognitive impairment that were published from 2000 to 2017. We used the following key words in our search: “arterial stiffness and cognitive impairment” and “arterial stiffness and cognitive impairment mechanism”. Studies involving human subjects older than 30 years were included in the review, while irrelevant studies (i.e., studies involving subjects with comorbid kidney disease, diabetes and cardiac disease) were excluded from the review. Results We determined that arterial stiffness severity was positively correlated with cognitive impairment. Of the markers used to assess arterial stiffness, a higher PWV, CAVI, AI, IMT and index-β and a lower ABI and FMD were related to cognitive impairment. However, the relationship between PP and cognitive impairment remained controversial. The potential mechanisms linking arterial stiffness and cognitive impairment may be associated with arterial pulsatility, as greater arterial pulsatility damages the cerebral microcirculation, which causes various phenomena associated with cerebral small vessel diseases (CSVDs), such as white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), and lacunar infarctions (LIs). The mechanisms underlying the relationship between arterial stiffness and cognitive impairment may also be associated with reductions in white matter and gray matter integrity, medial temporal lobe atrophy and Aβ protein deposition. Engaging in more frequent physical exercise; increasing flavonoid and long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid consumption; increasing tea, nitrite, dietary calcium and vitamin D intake; losing weight and taking medications intended to improve insulin sensitivity; quitting smoking; and using antihypertensive drugs and statins are early interventions and lifestyle changes that may be effective in preventing arterial stiffness and thus preventing cognitive impairment. Conclusion Arterial stiffness is a sensitive predictor of cognitive impairment, and arterial stiffness severity has the potential to serve as an indicator used to facilitate treatments designed to prevent or delay the onset and progression of dementia in elderly individuals. Early treatment of arterial stiffness is beneficial and recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A label-free biosensor based on aptamer functionalized 2D photonic crystal (SiO 2 -Au-ssDNA 2D PC) was fabricated. • The SiO 2 -Au-ssDNA 2D PC exhibited ultrasensitive for kanamycin with LOD of 1.10 pg∙mL−1. • High selectivity and anti-interference ability in kanamycin detection in milk. • The method provides an original approach for the design of aptamer biosensor platform. A novel photonic crystal aptamer biosensor SiO 2 -Au-ssDNA two-dimensional photonic crystal (2D PC), allowing label-free and highly sensitive to kanamycin (KANA), is successfully manufactured. This 2D PC biosensor was prepared via a needle tip flow method, using electrostatic adsorption to introduce negatively charged gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) into the 2D PC, combined with sulfhydryl-modified ssDNA for the rapid measurement. Benefiting from the localized surface plasmon resonance effect of Au NPs and optical response capability of PC, the biosensor has an excellent performance on quantitative analysis of KANA ranging from 5 pg∙mL−1 to 5 μg∙mL−1, with a limit of detection of 1.10 pg∙mL−1. The recovery of KANA is between 97 % and 110 % in the milk samples with relative standard deviation less than 4.8 %, which revealing that the 2D PC biosensor has the excellent performance on the KANA detection in complex conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Savannas have complex, discontinuous woody vegetation structures that vary greatly in vertical and spatial arrangement and change due to climatic, ecological and management impacts. While airborne laser scanning (ALS) data have provided detailed information on vertical vegetation structure and is widely used in ecological studies, it is lacking in availability and repeat frequency. Although the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) waveform Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensor and algorithms were optimized for measuring dense forests, it was anticipated that GEDI metrics could provide useful characterization of lower stature, sparse savannas structures. This study provided the first baseline validation of Version 2 GEDI (L2A) relative height 98 (RH98) by comparing the on-orbit GEDI-RH98 orb to the simulated GEDI-RH98 sim derived from ALS data across diverse savanna vegetation. It furthermore determined the influence of various factors on error, e.g. algorithm setting group (SGs), beam type, day vs. night, beam sensitivity, and vegetation phenology. After applying quality flags, 22,813 GEDI footprints were analyzed across 11 sites. SGs 4–6 that are aimed at dense forests had much larger errors than SGs 1–3. The phenological conditions at the time of GEDI data acquisition had a very large influence on the error of RH98 orb. During leaf-on conditions for savanna vegetation with RH98 sim < 15 m, RH98 orb was very accurate with R2 = 0.61, mean bias = −0.55 m, %bias = −11.1%, RMSE = 1.64 m and %RMSE = 29.8%. In leaf-off conditions where RH98 sim < 15 m, RH98 orb was less accurate with R2 = 0.43, mean bias = −1.47 m, %bias = −26.5%, RMSE = 2.03 m and %RMSE = 40.9%. During leaf-off conditions, the GEDI LiDAR signal at the start of the waveform may be weaker as it interacts with denuded branches and may be truncated as noise, leading to a large negative height bias. Therefore, assessments of deciduous vegetation structures should be conducted during leaf-on periods. In leaf-on conditions, GEDI's RH98 orb was very accurate between canopy heights of 3 and 7 m, with a mean bias of −0.79 m (−10%). The bias of RH98 orb was not influenced by canopy cover. Due to the GEDI LiDAR pulse width of 15.6 ns, the GEDI-RH98 data product cannot reliably estimate canopy heights of shrubs below 2.34 m and will require more complex deconvolution of the waveform. GEDI's RH98 accurately estimates the canopy height of trees between 3 and 15 m allowing assessment of canopy heights over vast savanna areas. • First validation of GEDI canopy height estimates (Relative Height 98) in savannas. • On-orbit GEDI-RH98 was compared to simulated RH98 from airborne LiDAR data. • Leaf-on vs. leaf-off conditions had a very large influence on results. • RH98 was very accurate: R2 = 0.61, bias = −0.55 m, %bias = −11.1%, RMSE = 1.64 m. • GEDI provides reliable canopy height estimates in savannas, for height classes >3 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) are primary head and neck malignant tumours with a high incidence and mortality. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in OSCC tumorigenesis are not fully understood. Methods: OSCC and paired para-carcinoma samples were collected and used to perform multi-omics study. Transcriptomic analysis was used to reveal significant alterations in inflammatory and immune processes in OSCC. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) combined with the LASSO Cox algorithm was used to identify and optimize a crucial gene signature. Metabolomics analysis was performed to identify the important metabolites which linked to the crucial gene signature. The public data TCGA-HNSCC cohort was used to perform the multiple bioinformatic analysis. Results: These findings identified a FN1-mediated crucial network that was composed of immune-relevant genes (FN1, ACP5, CCL5, COL1A1, THBS1, BCAT1, PLAU, IGF2BP3, TNF, CSF2, CXCL1 and CXCL5) associated with immune infiltration and influences the tumour microenvironment, which may contribute to OSCC tumorigenesis and progression. Moreover, we integrated the relevant genes with altered metabolites identified by metabolic profiling and identified 7 crucial metabolites (Glu-Glu-Lys, Ser-Ala, Ser-Ala, N-(octadecanoyl) sphing-4-enine-1-phosphocholine, N-methylnicotinamide, pyrrhoxanthinol and xanthine) as potential downstream targets of the FN1-associated gene signature in OSCC. Importantly, FN1 expression is positively correlated with immune infiltration levels in HNSCC, which was confirmed at the single-cell level. Conclusions: Overall, these results revealed the differential genetic and metabolic patterns associated with OSCC tumorigenesis and identified an essential molecular network that plays an oncogenic role in OSCC by affecting amino acid and purine metabolism. These genes and metabolites might, therefore, serve as predictive biomarkers of survival outcomes and potential targets for therapeutic intervention in OSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global savannas are the third largest carbon sink with large human populations being highly dependent on their ecosystem services. However, savannas are changing rapidly due to climate change, fire, animal management, and intense fuelwood harvesting. In southern Africa, large trees (>5 m in height) are under threat while shrub cover (<3 m) is increasing. The collection of multi-date airborne LiDAR (ALS) data, initiated over a decade ago in the Lowveld of South Africa, provided a rare opportunity to quantify the ability of L-band SAR to track changes in savanna vegetation structure and this study is the first to do so, to our knowledge. The objective was to test the ability of ALOS PALSAR 1&2, dual-pol (HH, HV) data to quantify woody cover and volume change in savannas over 2-, 8- and 10-year periods through comparison to ALS. For each epoch (2008, 2010, 2018), multiple PALSAR images were processed to Gamma0 (γ 0) at 15 m resolution with multi-temporal speckle filtering. ALS data were processed to fractional canopy cover and volume, and then compared to 5 × 5 aggregated (75 m) SAR mean γ 0. The ALS cover change (∆ C ALS) and volume change between pairs of years were highly correlated, with (R2 > 0.8), thus results for cover change applied equally to volume change. Cover change was predicted using (i) direct backscatter change or (ii) the difference between annual cover map product derived using the Bayesian Water Cloud Model (BWCM) and logarithmic models. The linear relationship between ∆ γ 0 and ∆ C ALS varied between year pairs but reached a maximum R2 of 0.7 for 2018–2010 and a moderate R2 of 0.4 for 2018–2008. Overall, 1 dB ∆ γ 0 corresponded to approximately 0.1 cover change. The three cover change models had very similar uncertainties with mean RMSE = 0.15, which is 13% of the observed cover change range (−0.6 to +0.6). The direct backscatter change approach had less underestimation of positive and negative cover change. The L-band backscatter had a higher sensitivity than suggested by previous studies, as it was able to reliably distinguish cover change at 0.25 increments. The SAR-derived cover change maps detected the loss of stands of big trees, and widespread increases in cover of 0.35–0.65 in communal rangelands due to shrub encroachment. In contrast, the maps suggest that cover generally decreased in conservation areas, forming distinct fence-line effects, potentially caused by significant increases in elephant numbers and frequent, intense wildfires in reserves. • Multi-year LiDAR data used to test sensitivity of L-band SAR to structure change. • 3 SAR cover change models had R2 = 0.4–0.7, RMSE = 0.15 (13% of change range). • 1 dB backscatter change corresponded to approx. 0.1 cover change. • Regional SAR-based maps of change captured management impacts in savannas. • L-band SAR more sensitive to cover change than previously estimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation and evaluation of four single thioether bridged cationic cyclodextrin (CD) chiral stationary phases (CSPs) with different spacer length, selector concentration and rim functionalities are reported. Mono-6-(1-vinyl/allyl/butenylimidazolium)-β-CDs chloride were synthesized and clicked onto thiol silica to form three novel cationic native-CD-CSPs ( CSP1 , CSP2 and CSP3 ) and a post-synthetic phenylcarbamoylation of CSP2 was performed affording CSP4 . The enantioseparation ability of the as-prepared CSPs were evaluated in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) by separating over forty enantiomers including isoxazolines, dansyl amino acids, flavonoids, tröger’s base, 4-chromanol, bendroflumethiazide and styrene oxide. Most of the enantiomers were well resolved with the resolution ( R s ) of 4NPh-OPr reaching 12.68. The effects of spacer length, selector concentration and rim functionalities on the enantioseparation were investigated. A comparison of the current CSP with a commercial column (Cyclobond I 2000) was also conducted to reveal the superiors enantioselectivity of the as-prepared CSPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dyslipidemia is an umbrella term for a range of lipid metabolic disorders in the body. This condition has been widely reported to greatly increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, threatening human health. In recent years, advances in molecular biology have deepened understanding of the dyslipidemia-related signaling pathways and specific mechanisms underlying dyslipidemia. Signaling pathways possess the ability to transmit an extracellular signal to the inside of the cell, leading to specific biological effects. Lipid metabolism disorders and lipid levels in the blood are frequently affected by aberrant alterations in the dyslipidemia-related signaling pathways. Therefore, further investigations into these pathways are required for the prevention and treatment of dyslipidemia. The present review summarizes the characteristics of six dyslipidemia-associated signaling pathways: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, farnesoid X receptor, forkhead box O, adipocytokine and cyclic adenosine monophosphate signaling pathways. In particular, specific focus was placed on previous experimental studies and reports on the intervention effects of natural substances (compounds from animals, plants, marine organisms and microorganisms) on dyslipidemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nitride–oxide based p–n heterojunctions with the n -VO 2 / p -GaN/sapphire structure was realized by sputtering deposition of VO 2 films on p -GaN/sapphire substrates. The structure and electrical properties of the as-grown VO 2 / p -GaN/sapphire heterostructure were investigated systematically. The distinct reversible semiconductor-to-metal transition (SMT) with resistance change up to nearly two orders of magnitude was observed for the sample deposited at the optimized conditions. Moreover, the clear rectifying current–voltage characteristics originated from the n -VO 2 / p -GaN interface were demonstrated both before and after SMT of VO 2 over layer, which were attributed to the p–n junction behavior and Schottky contact character, respectively. Our present finding demonstrated the feasibility of integrating correlated oxide and wide bandgap nitride semiconductors, and will further motivate research in novel devices with combined functional properties of both kinds of materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel plasmonic photocatalysts of Ag/AgCl-Bi 2 MoO 6 was successfully synthesized via a simple and mild wet-chemical process. The physical and photophysical properties of the as-prepared Ag/AgCl-Bi 2 MoO 6 samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS), electron spin resonance (ESR), photoluminescence emission spectra (PL) and surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPV). The interaction between Ag/AgCl and Bi 2 MoO 6 has been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, and which is facile to the electron transfer between Ag/AgCl and Bi 2 MoO 6 and result in the enhancing photocatalytic activity of Ag/AgCl-Bi 2 MoO 6 composite. The photocatalytic experiments indicate that the Ag/AgCl species can efficiently promote the separation efficiency of photo-generated charge carriers in Bi 2 MoO 6 , and consequently improve the RhB photodegradation activity. The 20 wt% Ag/AgCl-Bi 2 MoO 6 sample shows the highest photocatalytic activity, the degradation constant of 20 wt% Ag/AgCl-Bi 2 MoO 6 was as high as 4 times to that of pure Bi 2 MoO 6 . A possible catalytic mechanism for Ag/AgCl-Bi 2 MoO 6 is proposed, which can be attributed to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect from Ag/AgCl species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Density and the excess volumes for the binary system of DEG + 1,2-PDA. • Viscosity and viscosity deviation for the binary system of DEG + 1,2-PDA. • Surface tension and surface tension deviation for the binary system of DEG + 1,2-PDA. • Intermolecular interaction of DEG + 1,2-PDA was discussed as HOCH 2 CH 2 OCH 2 CH 2 OH...NH 2 CH 2 CHNH 2 CH 3. Under atmospheric pressure of the laboratory (88.94 KPa), the density (ρ), viscosity (η) and surface tension (γ) for binary mixture system of the diethylene glycol (DEG) (1) + 1,2-propanediamine (1,2-PDA) (2) were measured in different concentration ranges at T = 293.15 K ∼ 318.15 K. According to the basic data of ρ , η and γ , excess molar volumes values (V m E), viscosity deviation (Δη), surface tension deviation (Δγ), partial molar volume ( V 1 ¯ and V 2 ¯), apparent molar volume (V φ,1 and V φ,2) and thermal expansion coeficiente (α ρ) were calculated and fitted by Redlich-Kister (R-K) equation, the least square method and other formulas. At the same time, the interaction between DEG (1) + 1,2-PDA (2) was also discussed by Gaussian 09, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), and Fluorescence spectroscopy (FLS) etc. The results were displayed that a hydrogen bond was formed between the nitrogen atom (N) on the amino group (–NH 2) of 1,2-PDA and the hydrogen atom (H) on the hydroxyl group (–OH) of DEG, which took the form of HOCH 2 CH 2 OCH 2 CH 2 OH⋯NH 2 CH 2 CHNH 2 CH 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Polyaniline co-doped with titanium ions and protonic acid was synthesized in aqueous H2SO4 solution containing Ti(SO4)2 (pH 2), and was characterized via Fourier-transform infrared spectra, UV–vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Its conductivity was 2.8Scm−1 at room temperature (25°C), which is the same order of magnitude as polyaniline doped with protonic acid (5Scm−1). Compared with polyaniline doped with protonic acid, it showed a better redox reversibility and cycling stability in aqueous pH 4.0 media, even in an acetate electrolyte (pH 4.0). It could be a promising material for several applications due the increase of the operating pH window of polyaniline in an aqueous environment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nine sulfated defatted rice bran polysaccharides (sRBPS), with various degrees of sulfation (DS) and carbohydrate content, were prepared by chlorosulfonic acid–pyridine (CSA–Pyr) method according to orthogonal test. Nine sulfated derivatives sRBPS were obtained and their antitumor activities were compared by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The results showed that when DS within the scope of 0.81–1.29, carbohydrate content in the range of 41.41–78.56%, sulfated derivatives exhibit relatively strong antitumor activity in vitro. The optimum modification conditions were reaction temperature of 70°C, the ratio of chlorosulfonic acid to pyridine of 1:4 and the reaction time of 2h. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are playing more and more vital roles in transportation. In this work, a trajectory planning method based on a value-function approximation algorithm is proposed to address the problem of cable-suspended load transportation using three quadrotors. The purpose of trajectory planning is to reach the target position as soon as possible without the load swinging. In the proposed algorithm, the value function is approximated by parameter vector and problem-specific feature vector. The parameter vector is updated by batch method, and then the greedy strategy is used to generate the desired trajectory. Finally, the desired trajectory is passed to the quad-rotor controller for trajectory tracking. The simulation results show that the trained parameters can fit the value function. The suspended load can be transported smoothly from starting location to the different target locations. The value function in the greedy strategy finally converges to the maximum value, which proves the effectiveness and convergence of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a novel strategy to prepare molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) functionalized magnetic carbon nanotubes (MCNTs) via a facile sol-gel polymerization by adopting Cu2+-mediating interaction was presented for selective recognition of celastrol (Cel), in the traditional Chinese medicines (TCM). Firstly, template Cel, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) as monomer and Cu2+ (co-monomer) were mixed to form a self-assembled pre-complex, in which Cu2+ could coordinate with Cel. Meanwhile, APTES plays a role of bridge between APTES and Cel. Secondly, carboxyl modified MCNTs as substrate was added into the pre-complex solution. After that, a multi-step sol-gel polymerization process was occurred in the presence of tetraethylorthosilicate as cross-linker and acetic acid as catalyst. Finally, MIPs layer was formed on the surface of the MCNTs (Cel-MIPs@MCNTs) after the removal of template with methanol/acetic. The morphology and structure of Cel-MIPs@MCNTs was investigated by various characterization techniques. The adsorption performance of Cel-MIPs@MCNTs to Cel was illustrated by kinetic, isothermal and selective binding experiments. The results displayed that the Cel-MIPs@MCNTs possessed fast kinetic equilibrium time (40 s), high adsorption capacity (13.35 μg mg−1), good imprinting factor of 3.41, and high magnetic responsivity (44.38 emu·g-1), which can be used as an ideal adsorbent for rapid isolation and enrichment of target analytes. A selective and sensitive method based on Cel-MIPs@MCNTs coupling with HPLC was developed for Cel determination including a wide linear range (0.15–200 μg mL−1) with correlation coefficient of 0.9998, a low limit of detection (0.05 μg mL−1). Furthermore, the applicability of Cel-MIPs@MCNTs was demonstrated to isolate and determine Cel in TCM samples with satisfactory recoveries ranged from 84.47% to 91.5% (RSD<5.35%). The results revealed that Cel-MIPs@MCNTs offer great potential as an adsorbent for selective and efficient isolation of Cel from complex TCM samples. [Display omitted] • A facile and efficient approach to prepare MCNTs functionalized MIPs for celastrol. • The utilizing Cu2+-mediating interaction in molecular imprinting could enhance the property of MIPs. • The MIPs@MCNTs exhibit a short equilibrium time, high selectivity, rapid separation speed. • We used MIPs@MCNTs to isolate and determine celastrol in traditional Chinese medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A commercial dental porcelain powder with a composition within 5% of a patented dental porcelain: SiO2—63.40%, Al2O3—16.70%, K2O—14.19%, Na2O—3.41%, CaO—1.50%, and MgO—0.80% (wt.%) was densified using a moving laser beam, and the phase transformation was studied. A leucite-free zone formed at the center of the laser beam path when the laser densification temperature was too high. The dental porcelain was also densified using a furnace at different temperatures, and the microstructures obtained were compared with those of laser densified bodies. The materials were characterized using SEM, EDS and XRD. The formation mechanism of the leucite-free zone is identified as the dissolution of leucite particles into the molten glass followed by subsequent fast cooling. The prevention of the leucite-free zone formation is discussed in light of the established mechanism. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Using sodium chlorite (NaClO2) as an oxidant, a fibrillar polyaniline with diameters of 50–60 nm was prepared. It was characterized via Fourier-transform infrared spectra (FTIR), UV/vis absorption spectra, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WXRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), as well as conductivity. Our synthesis approach was very easy and inexpensive. The process of polymerization took less than 1 h, but its conductivity reached 2.76 S cm−1 at 25 °C. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A conducting polyaniline/diatomite composite was obtained by surface modification of diatomite using polyaniline, and was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectra, conductivity and dielectric properties. Surface area, total pore volume and pore size distribution of this composite were also measured. It was found that DC conductivity of this composite decreased with the increase of temperature from 278 to 463K. The measurements of dielectric properties showed that the polyaniline/diatomite composite had lower dielectric constant and electric loss values than that of control polyaniline in the range of measured frequency. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A fibrillar polyaniline/diatomite composite was prepared by one-step in situ polymerization of aniline in the dispersed system of diatomite, and was characterized via Fourier-transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), UV–vis–NIR spectra, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WXRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), as well as conductivity. Morphology of the composite is uniform nanofibers, which the diameters of nanofibers are about 50–80nm. The conductivity of polyaniline/diatomite composite contained 28% polyaniline is 0.29Scm−1 at 25°C, and temperature of thermal degradation has reached 493°C in air. The composite has potential commercial applications as fillers for electromagnetic shielding materials and conductive coatings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Objectives: The goals of this study were to investigate the phase transformation and microstructure of dental porcelain bodies densified via a moving laser beam and to develop an understanding of how the microstructure of the dental porcelain varies with the laser processing condition and the position relative to the center of the laser beam. Methods: A moving laser beam was used to scan and densify a commercial dental porcelain powder bed. The porcelain powder compact was also sintered using a furnace at different temperatures. The phase transformation and microstructure of these dental porcelain bodies were compared and investigated using a host of analytical instruments including scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and quantitative image analysis. Results: Based on the temperature dependence of the leucite content in the dental porcelain derived from the furnace-sintered samples, the temperature distribution in the dental porcelain body during laser densification was established. The microstructure of the laser-densified porcelain body was found to be dependent of the location relative to the center of the laser beam and the average laser densification temperature. Significance: The understanding of how the microstructure of dental porcelain bodies varies with the laser processing condition and the location with respect to the center of the laser beam was developed. Based on this understanding, the laser processing condition has been optimized to achieve the desired microstructure and densification of dental porcelain bodies simultaneously. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Polyaniline film electrode was prepared by electrochemical method, and was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The sensing property of polyaniline film electrode for chlorine ion was studied by flow injection analysis. These results show that polyaniline film electrode possesses high the sensitivity and fast response time for chlorine ion, and the relationship between logarithm of maximum response current and the chlorine ion concentration is linear: lg Imax=0.8760 lg C+45.32, in the range of 10−5 to 10−2 mol/l concentrations. Lifetime of polyaniline film electrode is about 35,000 measurement numbers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

DOI: 10.1002/jssc.202001095 The cover picture shows a green method to synthesize superparamagnetic imprinted polymer composites in aqueous phase under mild conditions. The resulting imprinted polymer displayed favorable adsorption capacity, fast equilibrium kinetics, high imprinting factor, and it also provided a special and efficient strategy for the highly selective extraction and analysis of cyclic adenosine monophosphate from actual samples. [Extracted from the article]

Under stress conditions, luteinizing hormone (LH)-mediated ovulation is inhibited, resulting in insufficient oocyte production and excretion during follicular development. When the body is stressed, a large amount of corticosterone (CORT) is generated, which will lead to a disorder of the body's endocrine system and damage to the body. Our previous work showed that CORT can block follicular development in mice. Since LH acts through binding with the luteinizing hormone receptor (Lhcgr), the present study aimed to investigate whether and how corticosterone (CORT) influences Lhcgr expression in mouse ovarian granulosa cells (GCs). For this purpose, three-week-old ICR female mice were injected intraperitoneally with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG). In addition, the treatment group was injected with CORT (1 mg/mouse) at intervals of 8 h and the control group was injected with the same volume of methyl sulfoxide (DMSO). GCs were collected at 24 h, 48 h, and 55 h after PMSG injection. For in vitro experiments, the mouse GCs obtained from healthy follicles were treated with CORT alone, or together with inhibitors against the glucocorticoid receptor (Nr3c1). The results showed that the CORT caused a downregulation of Lhcgr expression in GCs, which was accompanied by impaired cell viability. Moreover, the effect of the CORT was mediated by binding to its receptor (Nr3c1) in GCs. Further investigation revealed that Nr3c1 might regulate the transcription of Lhcgr through inhibiting the expression of Lhcgr transcription factors, including AP1 and Creb. Taken together, our findings suggested a possible mechanism of CORT-induced anovulation involving the inhibition of Lhcgr expression in GCs by the CORT–Nr3c1–AP1/Creb axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The misuse and overuse of chloramphenicol poses severe threats to food safety and human health. In this work, we developed a magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) pretreatment material coated with a multilayered metal – organic framework (MOF), Fe 3 O 4 @ (ZIF-8)3, for the separation and enrichment of chloramphenicol from fish. Furthermore, we designed an artificial-intelligence-enhanced single microsphere immunosensor. The inherent ultra-high porosity of the MOF and the multilayer assembly strategy allowed for efficient chloramphenicol enrichment (4.51 mg/g within 20 min). Notably, Fe 3 O 4 @ (ZIF-8)3 exhibits a 39.20% increase in adsorption capacity compared to Fe 3 O 4 @ZIF-8. Leveraging the remarkable decoding abilities of artificial intelligence, we achieved the highly sensitive detection of chloramphenicol using a straightforward procedure without the need for specialized equipment, obtaining a notably low detection limit of 46.42 pM. Furthermore, the assay was successfully employed to detect chloramphenicol in fish samples with high accuracy. The developed immunosensor offers a robust point-of-care testing tool for safeguarding food safety and public health. [Display omitted] • Novel pretreatment and analytical strategy facilitates the monitor of chloramphenicol. • Multilayer ZIF-8-coated Fe 3 O 4 for the enrichment and isolation of chloramphenicol. • Device-free immunosensor constructed firstly with artificial intelligence. • A biosensing strategy with ultra-high sensitivity and ultra-wide linear range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]