Search

Studying the interaction between solar flares and sunspot groups (SGs) is crucial for understanding and predicting solar activity. We examined the distribution, correlation, and flaring rates in the northern and southern hemispheres to reveal the relationship between different classes of soft X-ray (SXR) flares and different magnetic classifications of SGs. We discovered a significant north–south asymmetry in SXR flares and SG distribution over Solar Cycles (SC) 21–25. In the rising phase of SC24, the northern hemisphere's activity is significantly excessive. In the declining phase of SC24, the southern hemisphere's activity becomes significantly excessive. The total numbers of various SXR flares and SGs vary between the northern and southern hemispheres over the solar cycle. B-class flares are negatively correlated with all SGs at maximum but positively correlated at minimum. C-class flares correlate best with α and β SGs. M-class flares correlate best with β γ δ and β SGs. X-class flares correlate highest with β γ δ SGs. The flaring rate of each flare class is lowest for α SGs and highest for β γ δ SGs. The flaring rates are higher in the southern hemisphere than in the northern hemisphere. Our results demonstrate that solar flares originate from different sources of solar active regions; the high-energy flares tend to be caused by more complex magnetic fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT‐PEMFCs) are crucial in future energy systems. However, the activity and stability of the electrocatalysts are severely restricted by high temperature and phosphoric acid poisoning. Herein, PtCe alloy as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalyst for HT‐PEMFCs exhibits fantastic performance. Ce can increase the electronic density of Pt, weakening phosphoric acid poisoning and improving ORR activity. The optimized electronic structure can also reduce the dipole effect between Pt and O, which suppresses the irreversible oxidation of Pt. Additionally, the dramatically negative heat of formation in PtCe catalyst brings high kinetic barrier of metal diffusion and dissolution. With this electrocatalyst, the HT‐PEMFCs show a preeminent peak power of 605 mW cm−2 with 0.3 mgPt cm−2. After 30000 cycles of accelerated stability test, the peak power density only decreases by 31.6%, achieving the goal of Department of Energy in 2020 (<40% loss). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ubiquitous existence of microbial communities marks the importance of understanding how species interact within the community to coexist and their spatial organization. We study a two-species mutualistic cross-feeding model through a stochastic cellular automaton on a square lattice using kinetic Monte Carlo simulation. Our model encapsulates the essential dynamic processes such as cell growth, and nutrient excretion, diffusion and uptake. Focusing on the interplay among nutrient diffusion and individual cell division, we discover three general classes of colony morphology: co-existing sectors, co-existing spirals, and engulfment. When the cross-feeding nutrient is widely available, either through high excretion or fast diffusion, a stable circular colony with alternating species sector emerges. When the consumer cells rely on being spatially close to the producers, we observe a stable spiral. We also see one species being engulfed by the other when species interfaces merge due to stochastic fluctuation. By tuning the diffusion rate and the growth rate, we are able to gain quantitative insights into the structures of the sectors and the spirals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The aim of this study is to report the clinical characteristics, visual outcomes, and antibiotic susceptibilities of patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa endophthalmitis. Methods. The medical records of patients with culture-proven Pseudomonas aeruginosa endophthalmitis treated from June 2013 to December 2019 were reviewed. Results. This study included 36 eyes of 36 patients. The clinical settings included ocular trauma (15/36), corneal ulcer (9/36), postoperative endophthalmitis (5/36), endogenous (3/36), and unknown (4/36). Sixteen patients underwent evisceration, 13 patients underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), 2 patients were treated with only intravitreal antibiotics, and 5 patients did not undergo surgery. Only one patient achieved a visual acuity of 20/400, and the others had all counting fingers or below. The cultured Pseudomonas aeruginosa was 100% sensitive to gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin and, approximately 95% sensitive to meropenem, imipenem, and aztreonam. Conclusion. The visual outcomes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa endophthalmitis were very poor, and the evisceration rate remained high. Pseudomonas aeruginosa has good susceptibility to gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bioactive lipid lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), a major phospholipid component of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL), originates from the cleavage of phosphatidylcholine by phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and is catabolized to other substances by different enzymatic pathways. LPC exerts pleiotropic effects mediated by its receptors, G protein-coupled signaling receptors, Toll-like receptors, and ion channels to activate several second messengers. Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) is increasingly considered a key marker/factor positively in pathological states, especially inflammation and atherosclerosis development. Current studies have indicated that the injury of nervous tissues promotes oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, as well as excessive accumulation of LPC, enhancing the membrane hyperexcitability to induce chronic pain, which may be recognized as one of the hallmarks of chronic pain. However, findings from lipidomic studies of LPC have been lacking in the context of chronic pain. In this review, we focus in some detail on LPC sources, biochemical pathways, and the signal-transduction system. Moreover, we outline the detection methods of LPC for accurate analysis of each individual LPC species and reveal the pathophysiological implication of LPC in chronic pain, which makes it an interesting target for biomarkers and the development of medicine regarding chronic pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image-based methods for surface velocity measurements are notable due to the monitoring requirements during flood events. This method is a low-cost and secure approach that has already been commonly utilized to monitor and quantify flood events. This study applied image-based velocimetry below a Japanese dam in the Naka River basin to record the evolution of flow and sediment movement near a sediment replenishment (SR) site. SR is a typical technique of sediment management that requires high flow to erode the emplaced sediment. Consequently, in the field, three significant flow patterns, including surface flow velocity, discharge, and water depth were monitored over long periods during various flushing hydrographs to investigate SR dynamics. Hence, Large-scale particle image velocimetry (LSPIV) and Space-time image velocimetry (STIV) were utilized to accurately estimate the surface velocity distribution during two recent flood events in 2021. The flow discharge was computed based on the area velocity method at different flood magnitudes. The corresponding water depth was calculated by combining the surface velocity and dissipation rate of the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE). Finally, the results illustrated that image-based approaches are suitable for flow pattern monitoring during high-erosion periods of placed sediment. TKE utilization is a relevant approach to quantify the water depth and investigate the impacts of bed topography on the developed flow fields. This nonintrusive method with simple devices and inexpensive placement can be adopted to record flow and sediment erosion for SR purposes. • Utilizing Image-based approach to measure flow patterns during sediment replenishment implementation. • Collecting data by a PTZ camera with solar panel and 4G internet. • Performance of LSPIV and STIV approaches to calculate flow velocity and discharge at various stages of flood. • Water depth estimation based on distribution of surface flow velocity using turbulent structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Self-Supporting Honeycomb Coaxial Carbon Fibers were prepared. • The utilization rate of nuclear layer electrocatalysts has been improved. • [Ni/C]@[MoC/C]-PCNFs can expose more active sites. • A carbon fiber has a confinement effect on nanoparticles. • Self-supporting catalyst avoids the use of adhesives to achieve excellent activities. The electrocatalytic reaction mainly occurs on the surface of the electrocatalyst, while the active substances inside the electrocatalyst do not participate in the catalytic reaction. Therefore, core layer electrocatalysts with coaxial structures face lower utilization rates and a significant decrease in the number of exposed active sites, which in turn affects the electrocatalytic activity. Here, a novel one-dimensional (1D) honeycomb coaxial carbon nanofibers with MoC shell and Ni core layer (denoted as [Ni/C]@[MoC/C]-PCNFs) have been successfully prepared by pyrolysis of coaxial precursors fibers of [Ni(acac) 2 /PAN/PS]@[MoO 2 (acac) 2 /PAN]. The core layer of [Ni/C]@[MoC/C]-PCNFs) has a multi-channel honeycomb-like structure due to the pyrolysis of PS. The specific surface area of [Ni/C]@[MoC/C]-PCNFs (143.1 m2g−1) is more than twice that of the coaxial fibers with solid core structures (denoted as [Ni/C]@[MoC/C]-CNFs, 60.2 m2g−1). Simultaneously, the heterostructure formed between MoC and Ni, allowing for the adjustment of the electronic structure, acceleration of electron transfer and optimization of the electrocatalytic HER performance. The optimized self-supporting [Ni/C]@[MoC/C]-PCNFs exhibit the best catalytic activity for HER in both alkaline and acidic solutions, requiring only 84 and 160 mV to drive a current density of 10 mA cm−2. In addition, [Ni/C]@[MoC/C]-PCNFs catalyst exhibits good stability in both acidic and alkaline electrolytes. This core layer multi-channel coaxial structure designing provides an effective strategy for improving the electrocatalytic performance of catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • DESI-MSI exhibited transform or re-distribution of characteristic metabolites. • 43 non-volatiles and 12 pathways were obtained as biomarkers and key cascades. • The characteristic metabolites influenced the comprehensive flavor of oolong tea. To achieve an integrative understanding of the spatial distribution and chronological flavoring compounds accumulation, desorption-electrospray-ionization coupled mass-spectrometry-imaging (DESI-MSI) and multi-omics techniques were performed on the leaf samples collected from the enzymatic-catalyzed-process (ECP) stage of Tieguanyin oolong tea manufacturing. The result of DESI-MSI visualization indicated transform or re-distribution of catechins, flavonols and amino acids were on-going attributing to the multi-stress over ECP stage. Out of identified 2621 non-volatiles and 45,771 transcripts, 43 non-volatiles and 12 co-expressed pathways were screened out as biomarkers and key cascades in response to adverse conditions. The targeted metabolic analysis on the characteristic flavoring compounds showed that the accumulations of free amino acids were enhanced, while catechins, flavonol glycosides, and alkaloids exhibited dynamic changes. This result suggests withering and turning-over process are compatible and collectively regulate the metabolic accumulation and development of flavoring metabolites, facilitating to the development of characteristic quality of Tieguanyin tea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. To report the clinical characteristics, antibiotic susceptibilities, and visual outcomes of patients with posttraumatic endophthalmitis caused by Bacillus cereus. Methods. In this retrospective, noncomparative case series, the medical records of eyes with culture-proven Bacillus cereus endophthalmitis treated from January 2016 to December 2019 at a referral center were reviewed. Clinical features, antibiotic susceptibilities, and visual outcomes were assessed. Results. A total of 19 eyes of 19 patients were identified. Three patients progressed to orbital cellulitis. Vitrectomy was performed in 13 eyes, and 11 required silicone oil tamponade. Finally, seven eyes underwent silicone oil removal surgery during follow-up. Only two patients retained a visual acuity better than FC. Four patients underwent evisceration, and three patients had NLP. The cultured Bacillus cereus was sensitive to levofloxacin, ofloxacin, tobramycin, and neomycin at 100%. Conclusions. The visual outcomes of posttraumatic Bacillus cereus endophthalmitis were generally poor regardless of the prophylactic and therapeutic measures administered. Vitrectomy combined with silicone oil tamponade could help to save the eyeball. Bacillus cereus has a good susceptibility to ofloxacin, levofloxacin, tobramycin, and neomycin; therefore, fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides can be used to treat Bacillus cereus infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gaining precise control over the cellular entry pathway of nanomaterials is key in achieving cytosolic delivery, accessing subcellular environments, and regulating toxicity. However, this precise control requires a fundamental understanding of the behavior of nanomaterials at the bio-nano interface. Herein, we report a computational study investigating the synergistic effect of several key physicochemical properties of nanomaterials on their cellular entry pathways. By examining interactions between monolayer-protected nanoparticles and model cell membranes in a three-dimensional parameter space of size, surface charge/pKa, and ligand chemistry, we observed four different types of nanoparticle translocation for cellular entry which are: outer wrapping, free translocation, inner attach, and embedment. Nanoparticle size, surface charge/pKa, and ligand chemistry each play a unique role in determining the outcome of translocation. Specifically, membrane local curvature induced by nanoparticles upon contact is critical for initiating the translocation process. A generalized paradigm is proposed to describe the fundamental mechanisms underlying the bio-nano interface. Lin et al. investigate interactions between monolayer-protected nanoparticles and model cell membranes, and show four different types of nanoparticle translocation, i.e., outer wrapping, free translocation, inner attach, and embedment. The different translocation types greatly depend on synergism between nanoparticle size, surface charge, and ligand chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient and practical protocol for the synthesis of chromenes derivatives catalyzed by a low-loading sodium ethylene diamine tetraacetate (2 mol%) as a catalyst via multicomponent reaction is reported. A wide range of aromatic aldehydes easily undergo condensations with malononitrile and 4-hydroxycoumarin (4-hydroxy-6-methyl-2-pyrone or dimedone) under mild conditions to afford the desired products of good purity in excellent yields. This protocol has several advantages, such as mild conditions, high yields, and an inexpensive catalyzed system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PEGylation on nanoparticles (NPs) is widely used to prevent aggregation and to mask NPs from the fast clearance system in the body. Understanding the molecular details of the PEG layer could facilitate rational design of PEGylated NPs that maximize their solubility and stealth ability without significantly compromising the targeting efficiency and cellular uptake. Here, we use molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to understand the structural and dynamic the PEG coating of mixed monolayer gold NPs. Specifically, we modeled gold NPs with PEG grafting densities ranging from 0–2.76 chain/nm 2 , chain length with 0–10 PEG monomers, NP core diameter from 5 nm to 500 nm. It is found that the area accessed by individual PEG chains gradually transits from a “mushroom” to a “brush” conformation as NP surface curvature become flatter, whereas such a transition is not evident on small NPs when grafting density increases. It is shown that moderate grafting density (∼1.0 chain/nm 2 ) and short chain length are sufficient enough to prevent NPs from aggregating in an aqueous medium. The effect of grafting density on solubility is also validated by dynamic light scattering measurements of PEGylated 5 nm gold NPs. With respect to the shielding ability, simulations predict that increase either grafting density, chain length, or NP diameter will reduce the accessibility of the protected content to a certain size molecule. Interestingly, reducing NP surface curvature is estimated to be most effective in promoting shielding ability. For shielding against small molecules, increasing PEG grafting density is more effective than increasing chain length. A simple model that includes these three investigated parameters is developed based on the simulations to roughly estimate the shielding ability of the PEG layer with respect to molecules of different sizes. The findings can help expand our current understanding of the PEG layer and guide rational design of PEGylated gold NPs for a particular application by tuning the PEG grafting density, chain length, and particle size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is an omnipresent metabolite that participates in redox reactions. Multiple NAD+-consuming enzymes are implicated in numerous biological processes, including transcription, signaling, and cell survival. Multiple pieces of evidence have demonstrated that NAD+-consuming enzymes, including poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs), sirtuins (SIRTs), and sterile alpha and TIR motif-containing 1 (SARM1), play major roles in peripheral neuropathic pain of various etiologies. These NAD+ consumers primarily participate in peripheral neuropathic pain via mechanisms such as mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Furthermore, NAD+ synthase and nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) have recently been found to contribute to the regulation of pain. Here, we review the evidence indicating the involvement of NAD+ metabolism in the pathological mechanisms of peripheral neuropathic pain. Advanced understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms associated with NAD+ in peripheral neuropathic pain will facilitate the development of novel treatment options for diverse types of peripheral neuropathic pain. • NAD+ metabolism plays a major role in peripheral neuropathic pain. • The development of peripheral neuropathy involves both PARP1 overexpression and reduced SIRT1 activity. • Axonal degeneration is a predominant driver of disease progression in peripheral neuropathy. • NAMPT has recently been found to be involved in the regulation of pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

KTaNbO (KTN) nanoparticles with a perovskite structure were synthesized in orthogonal experiments under different hydrothermal conditions. Controlled sizes were generated by analyzing four variables using an orthogonal array experimental design (OA matrix): reaction temperature, KOH concentration, reaction time and solution volume. The effects of the four factors on the KTN nanoparticle size were systematically examined using range analysis and analysis of variance. The KOH concentration had the largest effect on the average size of the KTN nanoparticles. The KTN particles with a designed grain size can be obtained by controlling the four effect factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of micro/mesoporous zeolites by treating zeolite crystals with alkaline hydroxides has received a lot of interest, but fundamental understanding is still lacking. Here, we study the reactivity of a crystalline zeolitic material with various alkaline hydroxides, to close this knowledge gap. The use of ex situ and in situ small-angle X-ray scattering has allowed us to determine the reactivity of faujasite (FAU) type zeolite Y at different pH and Si/Al ratio (SAR), with a variety of different organic ammonium hydroxides. Supplemented with ex situ XRD and BET isotherm measurements, we show that the pH of the starting mixture and SAR of the zeolite significantly influence the stability of the microporous structure and the extent of formation of mesoporous material. [Display omitted] • Synchrotron based in situ SAXS. • Dependence of Reactivity of H-Zeolite Y on Silica-Alumina ratio (SAR). • Mesopore formation from H-Zeolite Y. • Effect of the pH of the starting reaction mixture. • Effect of the hydroxide system used on the reactivity of H-Zeolite Y. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hybrid films of well dispersed SiO nanoparticle in polyimide (PI/SiO) were prepared through the sol-gel processing. The pure PI was synthesized from 4, 4′,-oxydianaline (ODA) and pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA). The residual amino groups which were controlled by the reactant stoichiometric ratio reacted with the coupling agent isocyanatopropyltriethoxysilane (ICTOS) to provide an organic-inorganic bonding. A series amount of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) was then added, thus producing chemically bonded composite films. The films with different silica contents (0 wt %, 5 wt %, 8 wt %, 10 wt %, 13 wt %, and 15 wt %) were characterized by a variety of techniques including FT-IR, SEM, TGA, and tensile analysis. The results indicated that the chemical interaction between the two phases resulted in the formation of well-dispersed nanoparticles (20-30 nm) in the PI matrix, and superior thermal stability of hybrid films. The tensile measurement showed that the mechanical properties were markedly improved with incorporating various amount of silica, and the maximum of tensile strength was 105.4 MPa with10 wt % of silica concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the tensile strength of polyimide/silica composites with the covalently bonded interface (bonded PI/SiO2) is investigated by molecular dynamic simulation. It is found that the nanofiller with smaller size can bring out a larger number of hydrogen bonds and interfacial non‐bond energy in the composites, resulting in higher tensile strength. As the immobilization of the PI chains in the vicinity of SiO2, the covalently bonded interface is found to offer a greater reinforcing effect than the unbonded interface that is confirmed by the self‐diffusion coefficient. The tensile strength of 9 wt.% bonded PI/SiO2 composites is 11.34% higher than that of the unbounded composites. The tensile strength of PI/SiO2 composites is enhanced with the increase of SiO2 concentration up to critical mass percent (Xc), beyond which it will be decreased. To quantitatively predict Xc of PI/SiO2 composites, an empirical equation based on the non‐bond energy of the composites is proposed. The empirical equation showed that the Xc of PI/SiO2 composites ranged from 8.03 to 10.36 wt.%, which is consistent with experimental values. These results provided the understanding of size‐dependent covalently bonded interface structure, which would be beneficial to the design of nanocomposites with excellent mechanical performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports the advanced potassium sodium niobate (K0.5Na0.5NbO3, KNN)/polyimide (KNN/PI) functional hybrid films with 5 vol%, 10 vol%, 20 vol%, 30 vol%, and 40 vol% KNN loaded. The structure, morphology, and dielectric properties of hybrid films have been measured. The results show that the KNN fillers are well dispersed in the PI matrix. An internal boundary layer capacitance structure is formed in the composite films. The dielectric permittivity of the film is as high as 22 when the concentration of KNN filler reaches 40 vol% at 102 Hz, which is five times larger than that of a pure PI matrix. Meanwhile, the loss tangent is lower than 0.05. In addition, the conductivity is lower than 10−8 (S m−1) at 102 Hz, which indicates the excellent insulation and is important for the practical use of this kind of KNN/PI hybrid films. It is believed that the KNN/PI hybrid films could be applied in future electronic fields. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:969-974, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Methods Results Conclusions Botulinum neurotoxin injections are the most frequently performed cosmetic procedures, but conventional blind injection for glabellar wrinkles remains to have some limitations.We intend to directly inject botulinum neurotoxin into the glabella complex guided by real time ultrasound. We aim to propose a more efficient and safer botulinum neurotoxin injection strategy for glabellar wrinkles.A total of 40 subjects with moderate to severe glabellar lines were enrolled in this study to receive botulinum neurotoxin injection, either through ultrasound‐guided real time injection or conventional blind injection. Facial Wrinkle Scale (ranging from 0 = none to 3 = severe) and inter‐brow distance (from 3D scanned face images) were used to evaluate the glabellar wrinkles improvement. Paired t test and two‐sample t test were performed to analyze the within‐group and between‐group differences.The wrinkle score reduction was significant (p < 0.0001) immediately after the injection in ultrasound‐guided injection group, but not in blind injection group (p = 0.163). Ultrasound‐guided injection also showed a higher performance of wrinkle score reduction and more effective inter‐brow distance increase over blind injection at Day 0 (p < 0.0001), Day 1 (p < 0.0001), Day 21 (p < 0.01) and Day 35 (p < 0.01) after initial treatment.The results of the study confirmed that botulinum neurotoxin injection for glabellar wrinkles under ultrasound guidance achieves quicker onset of action and better final outcomes compared to conventional blind injection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method is proposed for detecting typical melamine dopants in food using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) biosensing technology. Melamine specific aptamer was used as the identification probe, and gold magnets (AuNPs@MNPs) and small gold nanoparticles (AuNPs@MBA) were used as the basis for Raman detection. The Raman signal of the detection system can directly detect melamine quantitatively. Under optimized conditions, the detection of melamine was carried out in the low concentration range of 0.001–500 mg/kg, the enhancement factor (EF) was 2.3 × 107, and the detection limit was 0.001 mg/kg. The method is sensitive and rapid, and can be used for the rapid detection of melamine in the field environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manifestation of skyrmions in the Mott-insulator Cu2OSeO3 originates from a delicate balance between magnetic and electronic energy scales. As a result of these intertwined couplings, the two symmetry-inequivalent magnetic ions, Cu-I and Cu-II, bond into a spin S = 1 entangled tetrahedron. However, conceptualizing the unconventional properties of this material and the energy of the competing interactions is a challenging task due to the complexity of this system. Here we combine X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy and Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering to uncover the electronic and magnetic excitations of Cu2OSeO3 with site-specificity. We quantify the energies of the 3d crystal-field splitting for both Cu-I and Cu-II, fundamental for optimizing model Hamiltonians. Additionally, we unveil a site-specific magnetic mode, indicating that individual spin character is preserved within the entangled-tetrahedron picture. Our results thus provide experimental constraints for validating theories that describe the interactions of Cu2OSeO3, highlighting the site-selective capabilities of resonant spectroscopies. The complex interactions in spin spiral systems play an important role for the emergence of multiferroicity and topological magnetic order. Here, the authors investigate the magnetism associated with the two inequivalent Cu positions in the model system Cu2OSeO3, observing site-specific electronic structure and associated magnetic excitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the Tb modified and adding SrTiO 3 (STO) buffer layer, the BCZT film show the excellent ferroelectric fatigue resistance, which benefits from the reduced pinning influence with lower defect concentration based on a series of experiments and theoretical simulation. • A strategy to systematically improve ferroelectric and fatigue performances of BCZT film by Tb modified and STO layer inserted using PLD method is proposed. • After modification, pinning influence can be depressed by reducing concentration of oxygen vacancy and defect dipole in films, 94.2% of polarization recovery is obtained even after 109 switching cycles. • The P r , d 33 * of modified film increase from 3.6 to 9.0 μC/cm2, 52 to 75 pm/V and loss(tanθ) decrease from 0.028 to 0.017(104 Hz) compare with BCZT grown on Pt film. The ferroelectric properties and fatigue resistance of 47(Ba 0.7 Ca 0.3)TiO 3 –53Ba(Zr 0.2 Ti 0.8)O 3 (BCZT) film can be enhanced by Tb modified and adding SrTiO 3 (STO) buffer layer using pulsed laser deposition(PLD) method. The 0.4 mol% Tb doped BCZT/STO(0.4Tb-BCZT/STO) film possesses optimal comprehensive electrical properties. Comparing with traditional BCZT film gown on Pt, the residual polarization(P r), piezoelectric coefficient(d 33 *), permittivity(ε r) of 0.4Tb-BCZT/STO film increase from 3.6 to 9.0 μC/cm2, 52 to 75 pm/V, 880 to 1210 and loss(tanθ) decrease from 0.028 to 0.017(104 Hz), respectively. During a high electric field, the degradation of P r is only 5.8% and the increase of E c is about 6.1% in 0.4Tb-BCZT/STO film after 109 switching cycles, which show the excellent fatigue resistance. The improved polarization and fatigue performances of film benefits from the reduced pinning influence with lower defect concentration based on a series of experiments and theoretical simulation. This work demonstrates the potential candidates of lead-free nonvolatile memory micro-devices applied in microelectronic industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proper control of a 3d transition metal-based catalyst with advanced structures toward oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with a more feasible synthesis strategy is of great significance for sustainable energy-related devices. Herein, carbon nanotube interconnected NiCo layered double hydroxide rhombic dodecahedral nanocages (NiCo-LDH RDC@CNTs) were developed here with the assistance of a feasible zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) self-sacrificing template strategy as a highly efficient OER electrocatalyst. Profited by the well-fined rhombic dodecahedral nanocage architecture, CNTs' interconnected characteristic and structural feature of the vertically aligned nanosheets, the as-synthesized NiCo-LDH RDC@CNTs integrated large exposed active surface areas, enhanced electron transfer capacity and multidimensional mass diffusion channels, and thereby collaboratively afforded the remarkable electrocatalytic performance of the OER. Specifically, the designed NiCo-LDH RDC@CNTs exhibited a distinguished OER activity, which only required a low overpotential of 255 mV to reach a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for the OER. For the stability, no obvious current attenuation was detected, even after continuous operation for more than 27 h. We certainly believe that the current extraordinary OER activity combined with the robust stability of NiCo-LDH RDC@CNTs enables it to be a great candidate electrocatalyst for economical and sustainable energy-related devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methanol steam reforming (MSR) provides an alternative way for efficient production and safe transportation of hydrogen but requires harsh conditions and complicated purification processes. In this work, an efficient electrochemical‐assisted MSR reaction for pure H2 production at lower temperature (~140 °C) is developed by coupling the electrocatalysis reaction into the MSR in a polymer electrolyte membrane electrolysis reactor. By electrochemically assisted, the two critical steps including the methanol dehydrogenation and water‐gas shift reaction are accelerated, which is attributed to decreasing the methanol dehydrogenation energy and promoting the dissociation of H2O to OH* by the applied potential. Furthermore, the reduced H2 partial pressure by the hydrogen oxidation and reduction process further promotes MSR. The combination of these advantages not only efficiently decreases the MSR temperature but also achieves the high rate of hydrogen production of 505 mmol H2 g Pt−1 h−1 with exceptionally high H2 selectivity (99 %) at 180 °C and a low voltage (0.4 V), and the productivity is about 30‐fold than that of traditional MSR. This study opens up a new avenue to design novel electrolysis cells for hydrogen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methanol steam reforming (MSR) provides an alternative way for efficient production and safe transportation of hydrogen but requires harsh conditions and complicated purification processes. In this work, an efficient electrochemical‐assisted MSR reaction for pure H2 production at lower temperature (~140 °C) is developed by coupling the electrocatalysis reaction into the MSR in a polymer electrolyte membrane electrolysis reactor. By electrochemically assisted, the two critical steps including the methanol dehydrogenation and water‐gas shift reaction are accelerated, which is attributed to decreasing the methanol dehydrogenation energy and promoting the dissociation of H2O to OH* by the applied potential. Furthermore, the reduced H2 partial pressure by the hydrogen oxidation and reduction process further promotes MSR. The combination of these advantages not only efficiently decreases the MSR temperature but also achieves the high rate of hydrogen production of 505 mmol H2 g Pt−1 h−1 with exceptionally high H2 selectivity (99 %) at 180 °C and a low voltage (0.4 V), and the productivity is about 30‐fold than that of traditional MSR. This study opens up a new avenue to design novel electrolysis cells for hydrogen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, light pollution has become a nonnegligible issue in our daily life. Artificial light sources with high color temperature were deem to be the major pollution source, which could induce several adverse effects on human's health. In our previous research, we have firstly developed an artificial indoor light with low color temperature (1900 K). However, the biological effects of this artificial light on human's health are unclear. Here, four artificial lights (1900 K, 3000 K, 4000 K and 6600 K) were used to evaluate some biological changes in both human (in total 152 person-times) and murine models. Compared with other three high color temperature artificial lights, our lights (1900 K) presented a positive effect on promoting the secreting of melatonin and glutamate, protecting human's eyes, accelerating would healing and hair regeneration. These systematical studies indicated that the proposed low color temperature (1900 K) light could provide several significant benefits in human's daily life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) addition is commonly employed to enhance wheat production, and the effectiveness is strongly influenced by site-specific factors encompassing environmental conditions and crop management practices. However, the current understanding fails to adequately account for the intricate and variable interactions among these factors. Consequently, we conducted a global meta-analysis to quantify the combined contributions of these factors to wheat yield, grain protein content (GPC), and water productivity (WP) and provide recommendations for optimizing N management. The results revealed a significant improvement in grain yield (14.85%), GPC (6.62%), and WP (10.79%) following the application of N. Moreover, higher N addition rates, the utilization of coated N fertilizer, post-anthesis fertilization, and multiple N applications exhibited enhanced outcomes in terms of yield, GPC, and WP in wheat systems. It was observed that applying 100–200 kg/ha of N was the optimal rate for maximizing yield, GPC, and WP. Medium soil texture and humid climate conditions showed a more pronounced increase in yield in response to N addition. Additionally, wheat yield demonstrated a stronger response to N addition benefits when the annual temperature was below 14 °C, while GPC showed a higher increase with temperatures exceeding 14 °C. Furthermore, adopting common N fertilization practices alongside irrigation and implementing pre-anthesis N addition in medium soil texture and humid climate conditions also contributed to achieving optimal wheat performance. The finding of this study serves as a guideline to support on-site N addition practice for wheat and to offer a reference to N management policy design across specific site conditions. • N application increased grain yield, grain protein content (GPC), and water productivity (WP). • Higher N addition rates, the utilization of coated N fertilizer, post-anthesis fertilization, and multiple N applications enhanced the increase of yield, GPC, and WP. • Medium soil texture and humid climate conditions showed a more pronounced yield increase to N addition. • Wheat yield responded greater to N addition when the annual temperature was below 14°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amidst increasing concern about antibiotic resistance resulting from the overuse of antibiotics, there is a growing interest in exploring alternative agents. One such agent is citric acid, an organic compound commonly used for various applications. Our research findings indicate that the inclusion of citric acid can have several beneficial effects on the tight junctions found in the mouse intestine. Firstly, the study suggests that citric acid may contribute to weight gain by stimulating the growth of intestinal epithelial cells (IE-6). Citric acid enhances the small intestinal villus–crypt ratio in mice, thereby promoting intestinal structural morphology. Additionally, citric acid has been found to increase the population of beneficial intestinal microorganisms, including Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. It also promotes the expression of important protein genes such as occludin, ZO-1, and claudin-1, which play crucial roles in maintaining the integrity of the tight junction barrier in the intestines. Furthermore, in infected IEC-6 cells with H9N2 avian influenza virus, citric acid augmented the expression of genes closely associated with the influenza virus infection. Moreover, it reduces the inflammatory response caused by the viral infection and thwarted influenza virus replication. These findings suggest that citric acid fortifies the intestinal tight junction barrier, inhibits the replication of influenza viruses targeting the intestinal tract, and boosts intestinal immune function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Log-based public key infrastructure(PKI) refers to a robust class of CA-attack-resilient PKI that enhance transparency and accountability in the certificate revocation and issuance process by compelling certificate authorities (CAs) to submit revocations to publicly and verifiably accessible logs. However, log-based PKIs suffer from a reliance on centralized and consistent sources of information, rendering them susceptible to split-world attacks, and they regrettably fail to provide adequate incentives for recording or monitoring CA behavior. Blockchain-based PKIs address these limitations by enabling decentralized log audits through automated financial incentives. However, they continue to face challenges in developing a scalable revocation mechanism suited for lightweight clients. In this paper, we introduce BRT, a scalable blockchain-based system for certificate and revocation transparency. It serves to log, audit, and validate the status of certificates within the transport layer security (TLS)/secure sockets layer(SSL) PKI domain. We designed an audit-on-chain framework, coupled with an off-chain storage/computation system, to enhance the efficiency of BRT when operating in a blockchain environment. By implementing a blockchain-based prototype, we demonstrate that BRT achieves storage-efficient log recording with a peak compression rate reaching 8%, cost-effective log updates for large-scale certificates, and near-instantaneous revocation checks for users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been reported that the incidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury is higher in an operational procedure in the thyroid and parathyroid region. Elevating voice pitch is achieved by the cricothyroid contraction, which in turn is innervated by the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (EBSLN). Due to the subtle nature and clinical variability of EBSLN damage, diagnosis may be difficult. The use of intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) as a supplement to enhance surgical identification in thyroid and parathyroid operation appeared to have collected momentum with operators. Methods: IONM clinical usage rationale, efficiency, and safety profile are discussed in this overview in thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Results: IONM usage incurred numerous skepticisms in decreasing the frequency of EBSLN or RLN injury. However, a recent article has shown the efficacy and benefits of using IONM in thyroid and parathyroid procedures. IONM facilitates the recognition of RLN and EBSLN, verifies its functional integrity, localizes the site of a nerve injury, and gives postsurgical function feedback. This technique has been successful in reducing rates of bilateral laryngeal paralysis, with the elevated safety profile for surgical patients. Conclusions: It is recommended using IONM in all thyroidectomies and in high-risk parathyroidectomies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development and design of anti-influenza drugs with novel mechanisms is of great significance to combat the ongoing threat of influenza A virus (IAV). Hemagglutinin (HA) is regarded as a potential target for the therapy of IAV. Our previous research led to the discovery of penindolone (PND), a new diclavatol indole adduct, as an HA targeting leading compound exhibited anti-IAV activity. To enhance the bioactivity and understand the structure-activity relationships (SARs), 65 PND derivatives were designed and synthesized, and the anti-IAV activities as well as the HA targeting effects were systematically investigated in this study. Among them, compound 5g possessed high affinity to HA and was more effective than PND in terms of inhibiting HA-mediated membrane fusion. Compound 5g may act on the trypsin cleavage site of HA to exhibit a strong inhibition on membrane fusion. In addition, oral administration of 5g can significantly reduce the pulmonary virus titer, attenuate the weight loss, and improve the survival of IAV-infected mice, superior to the effects of PND. These findings suggest that the HA inhibitor 5g has potential to be developed into a novel broad-spectrum anti-IAV agent in the future. [Display omitted] • Detailed structure-activity relationships were conducted. • 5g possessed significant inhibition effect on IAV in vitro and in vivo. • 5g exhibited a strong inhibition on membrane fusion through acting on the trypsin cleavage site of HA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holocene paleoclimate reconstructions and comparisons largely rely on accurate age-depth modeling. However, uncertainties in chronology, such as those caused by sparse radiocarbon dates, will hamper inter-core comparisons and correlations, and might result in misleading "cause and consequence" conclusions. This study aimed to find a solution to increase the comparability and minimize the uncertainty of wetland chronology as much as possible. Sediment cores were recovered and radiocarbon dated from the Lianhuachi wetland located in Southeastern China. Humification degree and loss-on-ignition (LOI) were determined using colorimetric and combustion methods respectively. Our data were compared with previously published datasets obtained in the same wetland. The results show that independent humification profiles from the Lianhuachi wetland displayed high similarities. This high similarity between the humification profiles allowed us to transfer radiocarbon ages from one core to another using sequence slotting correlation. Applying the humification-based chronology refinement method to all sediment cores resulted in an improvement in the correlation coefficients between the same but independently measured proxy sequences from the wetland, which suggests both the inter- and intra-core comparability was improved. Because determining peat humification degree is easy, inexpensive, and time-saving, we suggest that humification can serve as a tool that can be used to correlate different cores and to transfer published radiocarbon ages within the same wetland (peatland) or in a comparable geological setting, to establish a more robust chronology of these comparable cores. The degree of peat humification can thus serve as a relative dating technique to refine the chronology of wetland (including peatland) records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ceramic thin films of 47(Ba 0.7 Ca 0.3 )TiO 3 –0.53Ba(Zr 0.2 Ti 0.8 )O 3 (BCZT) + x ( x = 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5) mol% Tb were grown on Pt(111)/Si substrates with various annealing temperature by pulsed laser deposition. The XRD spectra confirm that Tb element can enhance the (l10) and (111) orientations in ceramic films. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) images show that Tb-doping can increase particle size effectively. The surface of Tb-doped film annealed at 800 ℃ is uniform and crack-free, and the average particle size and mean square roughness (RMS) are about 280 nm and 4.4 nm, respectively. Comparing with pure BCZT, the residual polarization ( P r ) of 0.4 mol% Tb-doped film annealed at 800 ℃ increase from 3.6 to 9.8 μC/cm 2 . Moreover, the leakage current density value of Tb doped films are one order of magnitude (5.33 × 10 −9 −1.97 × 10 −8 A/cm 2 under 100 kV/cm) smaller than those of pure BCZT films (1.02 × 10 −7 A/cm 2 ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead-free ceramics 47(Ba 0.7 Ca 0.3 )TiO 3 –0.53Ba(Zr 0.2 Ti 0.8 )O 3 (BCZT) + 0.2 mol% Tb and xCaCl 2 (x = 0.1,0.2 and 0.3 wt%) were prepared at different temperatures (1300, 1350 and 1410 ℃) by solid-state reaction method. The experimental results reveal that dopants can effectively promote the growth of grain at relatively low sintering temperature and CaCl 2 as the well sintering aid can produce a pronounced liquid phase to fill the gap between grains sintered at 1410 ℃ with 0.2 wt%. Relative densities and piezoelectric properties of samples can be improved by the introduction of Tb and CaCl 2 . Comparing with pure BCZT, the residual polarization ( P r ) and piezoelectric coefficient ( d 33 * ) of ceramics increase from 8.2 to 11.4 μC/cm 2 and 568–720 pm/V with 0.2 mol% Tb and 0.2 wt% CaCl 2 doped. The enhanced properties of samples may be related to the appearance of liquid phase which can increase relative densities of ceramics to 96% and the form of defect dipole in ceramics. Moreover, introduction of CaCl 2 makes dielectric peaks ( T c ) move to the high-temperature zone about 13 ℃ and become more and more diffuse (γ = 1.71–1.86), which may have the potential electro-caloric effect application in ferroelectrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, bimetallic-organic gel (ZrFe-MOGs) were rapidly prepared without using any toxic or harmful organic solvent, and new bimetallic oxide ZrFeO x were prepared by roasting ZrFe-MOGs directly. Then ZrFeO x nanoparticles were combined with 3D RGO/MWCNTs by a solvothermal method to synthesize 3D RGO/MWCNTs@ZrFeO x hybrid. Due to its three-dimensional structure, large electroactive surface area and more active sites, and excellent conductivity, the electrocatalytic activity of the modified electrode for the oxidation of dopamine (DA) and paracetamol (PAT) was effectively improved, and the overlap of anode peak due to their closer electrochemical oxidation potentials was solved. Under optimal conditions, the linear responses to DA and PAT were in the range of 1 − 12 μM, 12 − 180 μM and 1 − 14 μM, 14 − 190 μM, respectively. The detection limits (S/N = 3) for DA and PAT were 0.230 and 0.212 μM, respectively. The optimized 3D RGO/MWCNTs@ZrFeO x has good reproducibility, repeatability, stability, selectivity, and can be used to detect DA and PAT simultaneously. In addition, the proposed RGO/MWCNTs@ZrFeO x sensor exhibited a good recovery factor in the analysis of real drug and serum samples with a relative standard deviation of less than 5 %. Importantly, the electroactive area of 3D RGO/MWCNTs@ZrFeO x , and the 2 H+/2e- mechanism of DA and PAT oxidation on the surface of 3D RGO/MWCNTs@ZrFeO x were discussed, which provided a theoretical basis for further understanding of this redox process. [Display omitted] • 3D RGO/MWCNTs@ZrFeO x hybrid was synthesized based on the bimetallic-organic gel (ZrFe-MOG). • The proposed 3D RGO/MWCNTs@ZrFeOx can be used to detect DA and PAT simultaneously. • The proposed sensor had good reproducibility, repeatability, stability, selectivity. • The developed sensor exhibited a good recovery rate in the analysis of real drug and serum samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egg production traits are economically important in laying ducks. Genetic molecular mechanisms and candidate genes underlying these traits remain unclear. In this study, whole genome variants were identified through whole-genome resequencing using three high-egg producing (HEN) and three low-egg producing (LEN) laying ducks. The gene ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG) pathways for the genes of common differential variants between HEN and LEN ducks were determined. Frizzled class receptor 6 (FZD6) was further genotyped using the Sequenom MassARRAY iPLEX platform. The association of FZD6 gene polymorphisms with 73 egg production and weight traits in 329 female ducks were estimated. A total of 65,535 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 4,702 indels were identified across the genome. Fourteen GO terms and 14 KEGG pathways were determined for the genes of common differential variants, including MAPK signaling, Wnt signaling, melanogenesis and calcium signaling pathways, which are key functional pathways for poultry egg production reported in previous reports. Further analysis showed that 27 SNPs of FZD6 were associated with three early egg production of duck and egg weight traits, including egg production at 17 weeks (EP17), 18 weeks (EP18) and 19 weeks (EP19) and egg weight at 59 weeks (EW59). The FZD6 should be considered a novel candidate gene for egg production traits in laying ducks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the validity of the popular assumption of identical linear spring (ILS) in polymer-colloids aggregated clusters. The ILS assumption suggests that all inter-particle bonds in an aggregated cluster of polymer chains and colloid particles can be represented by identical linear springs. The assumption has been challenged by several experiments that showed the bond stiffness varies across the cluster based on the connectivity of their associated particles. Yet, the predictions of the computational models that used ILS assumption are surprisingly well-aligned with the experiments in some materials. By coupling the coarse-grain Brownian dynamics simulation to a Multi-body dynamics model, a systematic pathway for analyzing the effect of connectivity of particles on elasticity of polymer-colloids aggregated clusters is presented. ILS assumption is found to be valid for systems with a stress path formation mechanism such as close-packed polymer-colloid clusters. We found the assumption irrelevant in systems with wave-like stress distribution mechanism, such as with granular materials, sand piles and jammed systems. Keywords Mechanics; polymer-colloid clusters; Identical springs assumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Known as a common malignant tumor among children, retinoblastoma (RB) is highly malignant and has poor prognosis, damages children's vision and degrades quality of life. To identify a potential molecular mechanism of RB, we conducted this study on legumain (LGMN), which is highly expressed in multiple tumors. In this study, we found that LGMN was significantly upregulated in RB cells and was positively expressed in RB tissues. We confirmed that LGMN overexpression (LGMN-OE) can promote RB cell proliferation and inhibit cell apoptosis through CCK8 experiments and flow cytometry. In addition, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‒qPCR) and Western blot results showed that LGMN-OE could regulate the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transformation-related genes and proteins, related to tumor invasion and metastasis. Moreover, after LGMN knock down, the result was the opposite., RNA sequence analysis revealed 1159 differentially expressed genes between LGMN-OE and the negative control (NCOE), of which 564 were upregulated and 595 were downregulated. The first 10 genes were verified by RT‒qPCR based on P value and fold change. Interestingly, we found that LGMN could regulate the expression of recoverin (RCVRN)through a gene responsible for cancer-related retinopathy. We also screened and verified that LGMN partially activated the PI3K/AKT pathway in RB. Furthermore, we evaluated the effect of legumain inhibitors (e.g., esomeprazole) on RB, and the results suggest that esomeprazole may provide a reference for the clinical adjuvant treatment of RB. In conclusion, legumain can serve as an attractive target for RB therapy and hopefully provide new insights and ideas for the development of targeted drugs and precise personalized clinical therapy. • Data-based search for tumor molecular targets and open cancer database for comprehensive analysis. • Molecular techniques and bioinformatic analysis were combined to explore the role and molecular mechanism of legumain in RB. • The combination of molecular targets and clinical chemotherapy drugs can provide basis for personalized treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transformed follicular lymphoma (t-FL), for which there is no efficient treatment strategy, has a rapid progression, treatment resistance, and poor prognosis, which are the main reasons for FL treatment failure. In this study, we identified a promising therapeutic approach with chiauranib, a novel orally developed multitarget inhibitor targeting VEGFR/Aurora B/CSF-1R. We first determined the cytotoxicity of chiauranib in t-FL cell lines through CCK-8, EdU staining, flow cytometry, and transwell assays. We also determined the killing effect of chiauranib in a xenograft model. More importantly, we identified the underlying mechanism of chiauranib in t-FL tumorigenesis by immunofluorescence and Western blotting. Treatment with chiauranib significantly inhibited cell growth and migration, promoted apoptosis, induced cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase, and resulted in significant killing in vivo. Mechanistically, chiauranib suppresses the phosphorylation level of VEGFR2, which has an anti-t-FL effect by inhibiting the downstream MEK/ERK/STAT3 signaling cascade. In conclusion, chiauranib may be a potential therapy to treat t-FL, since it inhibits tumor growth and migration and induces apoptosis by altering the VEGFR2/ERK/STAT3 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The durability degradation during stack‐operating conditions seriously deteriorates the lifetime and performance of the fuel cell. To alleviate the rapid potential rise and performance degradation, an anode design is proposed to match the working temperature of high‐temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT‐PEMFCs) with the release temperature of hydrogen from palladium. The result is significantly enhanced hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) activity of Pd and superior performance of the Pd anode. Furthermore, Pd as hydrogen buffer and oxygen absorbent layer in the anode can provide additional in situ hydrogen and absorb infiltrated oxygen during local fuel starvation to maintain HOR and suppress reverse‐current degradation. Compared with the traditional Pt/C anode, the Pd/C also greatly improved HT‐PEMFCs durability during start‐up/shut‐down and current mutation. The storage/release of hydrogen provides innovative guidance for improving the durability of PEMFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The durability degradation during stack‐operating conditions seriously deteriorates the lifetime and performance of the fuel cell. To alleviate the rapid potential rise and performance degradation, an anode design is proposed to match the working temperature of high‐temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT‐PEMFCs) with the release temperature of hydrogen from palladium. The result is significantly enhanced hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) activity of Pd and superior performance of the Pd anode. Furthermore, Pd as hydrogen buffer and oxygen absorbent layer in the anode can provide additional in situ hydrogen and absorb infiltrated oxygen during local fuel starvation to maintain HOR and suppress reverse‐current degradation. Compared with the traditional Pt/C anode, the Pd/C also greatly improved HT‐PEMFCs durability during start‐up/shut‐down and current mutation. The storage/release of hydrogen provides innovative guidance for improving the durability of PEMFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antioxidants are healthy substances that are beneficial to the human body and exist mainly in natural and synthetic forms. Among many kinds of antioxidants, the natural antioxidants have great applications in many fields such as food chemistry, medical care, and clinical application. In recent years, many efforts have been made for the determination of natural antioxidants. Nano-electrochemical sensors combining electrochemistry and nanotechnology have been widely used in the determination of natural antioxidants due to their unique advantages. Therefore, a large number of nanomaterials such as metal oxide, carbon materials, and conducting polymer have attracted much attention in the field of electrochemical sensors due to their good catalytic effect and stable performance. This review mainly introduces the construction of electrochemical sensors based on different nanomaterials, such as metallic nanomaterials, metal oxide nanomaterials, carbon nanomaterials, metal–organic frameworks, polymer nanomaterials, and other nanocomposites, and their application to the detection of natural antioxidants, including ascorbic acid, phenolic acids, flavonoid, tryptophan, citric acid, and other natural antioxidants. In the end, the limitations of the existing nano-sensing technology, the latest development trend, and the application prospect for various natural antioxidant substances are summarized and analyzed. We expect that this review will be helpful to researchers engaged in electrochemical sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRDC) is a highly infectious diseases. Canine respiratory coronavirus (CRCoV), Canine influenza virus (CIV), Canine distemper virus (CDV), and Canine parainfluenza virus (CPiV) are crucial pathogens causing CIRDC. Due to the similar clinical symptoms induced by these viruses, differential diagnosis based solely on symptoms can be challenging. In this study, a multiplex real-time PCR assay was developed for detecting the four RNA viruses of CIRDC. Specific primers and probes were designed to target M gene of CRCoV, M gene of CIV, N gene of CDV and NP gene of CPiV. The detection limit is 10 copies/μL for CIV or CRCoV, while the detection limit of CDV or CPiV is 100 copies/μL. Intra-group and inter-group repeatability coefficient of variation (CV) were both less than 2 %. A total of 341 clinical canine samples were analyzed, and the results indicated that the method developed in our study owns a good consistency and better specificity compared with the conventional reverse transcription PCR. This study provides a new method to enable the simultaneous detection of all four pathogens in a single reaction, improving the efficiency for monitoring the prevalence of four viruses in CIRDC, which benefits the control of CIRDC. • Established a multiplex real-time PCR assay for testing CRCOV, CIV, CDV and CPIV simultaneously. • Excellent sensitivity, specificity, repeatability and good ability to determine mixed infections. • Providing a fast method and reliable basis for clinical diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycotoxins constitute a group of toxic small-molecule secondary metabolites formed by fungi under specific temperature and humidity conditions. The toxicity of ochratoxin A (OTA) is second only to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), which has nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, immunotoxicity and other toxicological effects on humans and animals, seriously endangering the health of human and animal bodies. Thus, developing a rapid, uncomplicated, and sensitive OTA detection method is pivotal for ensuring food safety. This study introduces a novel approach for OTA detection in agricultural products using a 3D DNA nanotweezers molecular machine. The aptamer binds to the target OTA upon present, prompting the DNA nanotweezers to transition from an "open" to "closed" state. The proximity of the two arms of the DNA nanotweezers influences the strength of the Raman signal. This innovative detection method combines nucleic acid aptamer technology with Surface-enhanced Raman sensing (SERS). The resulting linear regression equation is Y=5323.5+610.09X, and the correlation coefficient (R2) is 0.9964, underlining the method's efficacy in OTA quantification. • A method for the detection of mycotoxins using DNA nanotweezers combined with surface-enhanced Raman was constructed. • DNA functionalized AuNPs were prepared by freezing method. • DNA nanotweezers frozen gold probe can detect OTA in agricultural products. • This strategy can be used to detect other targets by changing the aptamer in the DNA nanotweezers frozen gold probes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The all-female mandarin fish (Dinggui I, Siniperca Chuatsi) was recently approved by Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China as a new strain of mandarin fish (GS-04-001-2021). Select breeding of fast-growing lines is an important goal of the mandarin fish industry. However, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with growth of Dinggui I mandarin fish remains unclear. Therefore, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed on 5 growth traits (body weight, body length, whole length, body height and body thickness) of 192 mandarin fish. A total of 49,940 SNPs were identified by ddRAD-seq. Among them, a total of 6 significant SNPs were detected on multiple chromosomes. The proportion of phenotypic variance explained for these SNPs ranged from 9.66% to 19.47% for growth traits. Specifically, 4 SNPs were associated with all traits. Several candidate genes (AKT2 , CCNT2 , EPB41L2 and CAMKMT) were identified based on these SNPs. The loci were verified in 100 individuals, indicating the reliability of candidate SNPs. Our results contribute to understanding of growth traits and the development of molecular marker-assisted selection in all-female mandarin fish. • The first GWAS analysis on growth traits of all-female Mandarin fish (Dinggui I, Siniperca Chuatsi) was conducted. • A total of 6 significant and 25 suggestive SNPs were detected on multiple chromosomes. • The proportion of phenotypic variance explained for these SNPs ranged from 9.66% to 19.47% for growth traits. • Based on these SNPs, several candidate genes (AKT2, CCNT2, EPB41L2 and CAMKMT) were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lacrimal gland adenoid cystic carcinoma (LACC) is a major orbital malignancy. The recurrence rate and mortality rate are higher in high proliferation LACC(HP-LACC) compared with low proliferation LACC(LP-LACC). In this study, miRNA microarray was used to explore the differentially expressed miRNAs profiling between HP-LACC and LP-LACC and its potential signaling pathway. Tissues from 17 patients with LACC were collected and made into tissue microarrays. Patients were divided into a high proliferation group and a low proliferation group based on Ki-67 value. HE, immunofluorescence (IF), and Immunohistochemistry (IHC) were performed on the tissue microarrays. Eight LACC tissues(4 HP-LACC and 4 LP-LACC) were made into miRNA microarrays and analyzed for miRNA profiles. Differentially expressed miRNAs were analyzed by volcano plot and heat map. Target gene were predicted using the miRWalk and miRDB for these differentially expressed miRNAs, the intersection of the results are used as targets for further gene ontology and KEGG pathway analysis.The four differentially expressed miRNAs were validated by qRT-PCR, the miRNAs with statistically significant differences validated by dual luciferase reporter and qRT-PCR. Finally, IHC was used for their downstream signaling pathway proteins.HE staining showed the presence of tubular, cribriform, and basaloid structures in LACC. IF showed the presence of CK7,P63 fluorescence expression in all three structures.Patients were divided into HP-LACC and LP-LACC based on Ki-67 median value of 11%. IHC and survival analysis showed with the increase of KI-67 ratio, the proportion of P63 decreased, and the expression of P53 increased. The disease-free survival and overall survival of the patients decreased. IHC and survival analysis showed as Ki-67 expression increased, P63 expression decreased, P53 expression elevated, with prognosis worse. Heat map and volcano plot yielded 15 differentially expressed miRNAs between HP-LACC and LP-LACC.The 15 differential miRNAs were used to predict target genes in miRWalk and miRDB databases respectively, and there were 559 target genes after intersection.559 predicted target genes obtained. Go and KEGG analysis showed that these target genes exerted important biological functions through multiple signaling pathways. Among the 15 differentially expressed miRNAs, miR-29a-3p was verified to be significant by qRT-PCR. Dual luciferase reporter and tissue microarray immunohistochemical assays validated that AKT2 was a direct target gene of miR-29a-3p. Current studies have identified differentially expressed miRNAs associated with LACCs of variable proliferation ability, and found that AKT2 is a direct target gene of miR-29a-3p, which will contribute to target gene therapy in patients with high proliferation LACC in the future. • The division of HP-LACC and LP-LACC are based on both clinical features and histopathology appearences. • MiR-29a-3p was firstly reported associated with HP-LACC. • ATK2 was identified as a direct target of miR-29a-3p. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The metabolite itaconate has both anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. However, its influence on chronic pain is unclear. Here, we demonstrated that intraperitoneal injection of the itaconate derivative dimethyl itaconate (DI) alleviated chronic pain symptoms, such as allodynia and hyperalgesia, in spinal nerve ligation (SNL) and inflammatory pain models. Moreover, intraperitoneal DI reduced the secretion of inflammatory cytokines (i.e., interleukin-1β, tumour necrosis factor-alpha) in dorsal root ganglion (DRG), spinal cord and hind paw tissues, suppressed the activation of macrophages in the DRG and glial cells in the spinal dorsal horn and decreased the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) in the DRG and spinal cord. DI boosted nuclear factor-erythroid 2 p45-related factor 2 (Nrf2) levels in the DRG and spinal cord of SNL mice. Intraperitoneal administration of the Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 abolished the analgesic effect of DI and decreased the expression of Nrf2 in the DRG and spinal cord. Similarly, administration of DI potently reversed the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory effect in microglia. Reduction of endogenous itaconate levels by pretreatment with immune-responsive gene 1 (IRG1) siRNA blocked Nrf2 expression, which impaired the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of DI in vitro. Therefore, our findings revealed for the first time that intraperitoneal DI elicited anti-inflammatory effect and sustained chronic pain relief, which may be regarded as a promising therapeutic agent for chronic pain treatment. • DI alleviated SNL-induced neuropathic pain and inhibited neuroinflammation. • Nrf2 may act as a downstream regulator of DI to exert analgesic effects. • DI also relieved CFA-induced inflammatory pain and inflammatory response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Developing near-infrared responsive (NIR) photocatalysts is very important for the development of solar-driven photocatalytic systems. Metal sulfide semiconductors have been extensively used as visible-light responsive photocatalysts for photocatalytic applications owing to their high chemical variety, narrow bandgap and suitable redox potentials, particularly the benchmark ZnIn 2 S 4. However, their potential as NIR-responsive photocatalysts is yet to be reported. Herein, for the first time demonstrated that upconversion nanoparticles can be delicately coupled with hierarchical ZnIn 2 S 4 nanorods (UCNPs/ZIS) to assemble a NIR-responsive composite photocatalyst, and as such composite is verified by ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectra and upconversion luminescence spectra. As a result, remarkable photocatalytic CO and CH 4 production rates of 1500 and 220 nmol g−1h−1, respectively, were detected for the UCNPs/ZIS composite under NIR-light irradiation (λ ≥ 800 nm), which is rarely reported in the literature. The remarkable photocatalytic activity of the UCNPs/ZIS composite can be understood not only because the heterojunction between UCNPs and ZIS can promote the charge separation efficiency, but also the intimate interaction of UCNPs with hierarchical ZIS nanorods can enhance the energy transfer. This finding may open a new avenue to develop more NIR-responsive photocatalysts for various solar energy conversion applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of Co-doped Ni–Fe spinels (NiCo x Fe (2-x) O 4 , x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.4, 1.8, 2) were prepared at optimum calcination temperature (700 °C) by the sol-gel method and then applied for the electrocatalytic oxidation over glycerol. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Tafel curve, and chronoamperometry (i-t) were performed to investigate electrochemical performance of as-prepared spinel catalysts. The results showed that NiCo 0·8 Fe 1·2 O 4 exhibited distinct redox peaks and the larger CV area (626.2 ± 0.03 μV A cm−2), lower Rct (42.42 ± 0.03 Ω) and Tafel slope (21 mV dec−1) than that of pristine NiFe 2 O 4 and NiCo 2 O 4 , signifying Co-doped NiFe 2 O 4 is beneficial to accelerate the catalytic oxidation of glycerol. Moreover, the ECSA and stability of NiCo 0·8 Fe 1·2 O 4 were also observably improved. This excellent performance is comparable to that of commercial Pt/C (20 wt.%)-SA. The enhanced electrocatalytic property of NiCo 0·8 Fe 1·2 O 4 is ascribed to the uneven distribution of oxygen in NiFe 2 O 4 structure caused by Co doping, thus forming oxygen defect sites. [Display omitted] • Co-doped Ni–Fe spinels were prepared and applied for electrocatalytic oxidation over glycerol. • ECSA of NiCo 0·8 Fe 1·2 O 4 is larger than that of pristine NiFe 2 O 4 and NiC 2 O 4 spinels. • Electrocatalytic property of NiCo 0·8 Fe 1·2 O 4 is comparable to that of commercial Pt/C. • The doping of Co can cause uneven distribution of oxygen in NiFe 2 O 4 structure. • The enhanced performance of NiCo 0·8 Fe 1·2 O 4 is due to the forming of oxygen defect sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we synthesized bimetallic Cu nanowires@Pd (Cu NWs@Pd) by a facile replacement reaction. Benefiting from the structure anisotropy, the sensor constructed by Cu NWs@Pd with diameter of 40 nm exhibited a superior sensitivity (1363.7 ± 23.5 µA·mM−1·cm−2), which is ca. 11.06-folds higher than that for analogous Cu nanoparticles@Pd. Moreover, the synergistic effect of bimetallic metal enables the Cu NWs@Pd an enhanced sensor performance. At applied potential of 0.8 V vs Ag/AgCl, the sensitivity of Cu NWs@Pd is much higher than that of analogous Cu NWs. And the enhanced factor could reach 2.41. As 0.2 V vs Ag/AgCl was applied, detection range for the Cu NWs@Pd could up to 26.0 mM, which is ca. 1.37-folds for the pure Pd NPs. The preferable performance can be extended to the detection of H2O2. This work showed the non-enzymatic sensor with wide detection range and preferable sensitivity by Cu NWs@Pd, which would provide an efficient strategy to cope with the challenges for the commercialization of non-enzymatic sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]