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Exogenous supplementation of L‐arginine (L‐Arg) facilitates the release of nitric oxide (NO) for gas therapy applications in tumor microenvironments rich in H2O2. However, direct administration inevitably leads to the premature release of hydrophilic L‐Arg in the bloodstream, potentially resulting in unstable plasma L‐Arg concentrations and subsequent adverse reactions. Therefore, it is crucial to identify efficient and stable high‐dose L‐Arg delivery carriers, albeit challenging. Here, the study has achieved high (≈94 mg g−1) and stable L‐Arg loading within a 12‐coordinated Yb‐based lanthanide metal‐organic framework (named Yb‐DOBDC, where DOBDC is 2,5‐dihydroxyterephthalic acid). Yb‐DOBDC features size‐matched apertures and oxygen‐rich pore microenvironments, securely entrapping L‐Arg through electrostatic interactions and conjugation effects, thereby enhancing the biostability of the drug during delivery. In vitro experiments demonstrate that L‐Arg‐loaded Yb‐DOBDC (L‐Arg@Yb‐DOBDC) promotes NO release upon H2O2 stimulation, and the Yb‐DOBDC framework exhibits good biocompatibility within cells. More interestingly, the near‐infrared‐luminescence‐emitting Yb‐DOBDC exhibits a “turn‐off” behavior upon gradual loading of L‐Arg, enabling self‐quantifying luminescence detection during the encapsulation process. Consequently, the L‐Arg@Yb‐DOBDC system designed in this work, with its high/stable loading capacity and self‐quantifying luminescence detection capability, holds theoretical research value and potential practical application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to address the direct impact of split households on smoking behaviour. Three types of spilt households (sole migration, couple migration, and family migration) were incorporated to explore the concise effect of different split household forms. This study also examined factors that contributed to the narrowing gap in smoking prevalence between 2008 and 2018. Retrospective observational study. Data were obtained from the Rural Urban Migration (RUMiC-2009) and China Household Income Project (CHIP2018). Analyses were conducted using chi-squared tests/analysis of variance tests and multiple logit regression. The order probit model with sample selection was conducted to correct for selection bias. Fairlie decomposition was used to quantify the contribution of individual variables to the observed differences in smoking prevalence. Smoking prevalence for all migrants decreased by 5.79% between 2008 and 2018. The results in 2008 reveal the positive and significant contribution of couple migration (coefficient = −0.4608; 95% CI = [−0.6453, −0.2762]) and family migration (coefficient = −0.3705; 95% CI = [−0.5959, −0.1452]) on the reduction of smoking; the finding for family migration remained robust in 2018. Measurable factors partially explain the decline in smoking disparity. The migration of families, working in the construction and manufacturing industries, and educational attainment were the largest contributing factors to the declining gap in smoking prevalence. The increase in family migration and education, and decrease in the number of workers in the construction and manufacturing industries, contributed to a decrease in smoking prevalence. Public policies should target sole migrants, couple migrants, individuals with lower education levels, and those working in the construction and manufacturing industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yellow thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) are indispensable for lighting, navigation, caution, and so on; however, their development is far behind those of three‐elementary‐color and white analogs, partially because of the lack of host specificity. In this contribution, spiro[bithoxanthene] (ST) and spiro[thioxanthene‐xanthene] (STX) are used as spiro skeletons to form asymmetric ternary structures through introducing two electron‐donating tert‐butyl carbazole (tBCz) and one electron‐withdrawing diphenyl phosphine oxide (DPPO) groups on different rings. The resulting hosts named STSPOtBCz2 and STXSPOtBCz2 not only inherit the steric hindrance of their spiro skeletons, but also achieve the ambipolar characteristics. Their suitable triplet energy levels (T1) of ≈2.5 eV support efficient energy transfer to a conventional yellow TADF emitter 4CzTPNBu with the T1 of ≈2.2 eV. It is shown that compared to STSPOtBCz2 with a symmetric core, the accumulated asymmetry of the spiro skeleton and the kind, number, and position of substitution groups in STXSPOtBCz2 further suppresses the emission quenching, resulting in the state‐of‐the‐art photoluminescent and electroluminescent quantum efficiencies of 93% and 30.6%, respectively. The maximum power efficiency beyond 90 lm W−1 further demonstrates the great potential of multi‐asymmetric host systems for energy‐saving practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ionic liquid (IL) and sodium montmorillonite nanoclay (MMT) were used collaboratively to improve the properties of poly(butylene adipate-butylene terephthalate) (PBAT). Based on the ion exchange interaction and the shear effect during the melt blending process, effective exfoliation and uniform dispersion of MMT in the PBAT matrix have been achieved. The exfoliated nano MMT acted as heterogeneous nucleating agent and promoted the crystallization of PBAT, causing the melting and crystallization temperatures to shift towards higher temperatures. When the IL content was 3 wt%, the maximum complex viscosity and modulus was reached, and further increase of IL led to a decrease of the viscoelasticity due to the plasticizing effect of IL. For the same reason, the synergistic effect of MMT and IL achieved the optimum mechanical properties of PBAT/MMT/IL3 film. Furthermore, the excellent barrier performance of two-dimensional MMT nanosheets decreased the permeability of oxygen and water vapor of the nanocomposite films. Simultaneously, the synergistic effect of MMT and IL enhanced the anti-static and antibacterial abilities of PBAT. Therefore, this work has a positive effect on promoting the application of PBAT in the packaging field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The NAC TF family is widely involved in plant responses to various types of stress. Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is a high-quality legume, and the study of NAC genes in red clover has not been comprehensive. The aim of this study was to analyze the NAC gene family of red clover at the whole-genome level and explore its potential role in the Pb stress response. Results: In this study, 72 TpNAC genes were identified from red clover; collinearity analysis showed that there were 5 pairs of large fragment replicators of TpNAC genes, and red clover was found to be closely related to Medicago truncatula. Interestingly, the TpNAC genes have more homologs in Arabidopsis thaliana than in soybean (Glycine max). There are many elements in the TpNAC genes promoters that respond to stress. Gene expression analysis showed that all the TpNAC genes responded to Pb stress. qRT-PCR showed that the expression levels of TpNAC29 and TpNAC42 were significantly decreased after Pb stress. Protein interaction network analysis showed that 21 TpNACs and 23 other genes participated in the interaction. In addition, the TpNAC proteins had three possible 3D structures, and the secondary structure of these proteins were mainly of other types. These results indicated that most TpNAC members were involved in the regulation of Pb stress in red clover. Conclusion: These results suggest that most TpNAC members are involved in the regulation of Pb stress in red clover. TpNAC members play an important role in the response of red clover to Pb stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-dimensional lithiophilic electrospun nanofiber framework with a Ag nanowires/polyvinylpyrrolidone (AgNWs/PVP) hybrid as a multifunctional interlayer has been designed to protect lithium metal anodes. The full cells with a LiFePO4 cathode and AgNWs/PVP interlayer have also realized excellent stable cyclability over 1000 cycles and high-rate capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Housing attainment among rural migrants has received wide attention. However, studies on the homeownership gap between ethnic minority and Han majority rural migrants in China remain unexplored. Using data from National Migrants Population Dynamic Monitoring Survey (NMPDMS), present study applies the logit regression and Blinder–Oaxaca–Fairlie decomposition method to address this. The results suggest that ethnic minority rural migrants are less likely to become homeowners than the Han majority, and that this homeownership gap may differ across various ethnic groups. Compared with the Han majority, the Manchu have a higher probability of owning a home, whereas other ethnic groups are often associated with a lower homeownership rate. Observable socio-economic characteristics play a minor role in this ethnic homeownership gap, whereas most of them are attributable to unobserved factors, such as discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caucasian clover (Trifolium ambiguum M. Bieb.) is an excellent perennial plant in the legume family Fabaceae, with a well-developed rhizome and strong clonal growth. Auxin is one of the most important phytohormones in plants and plays an important role in plant growth and development. Auxin response factor (ARF) can regulate the expression of auxin-responsive genes, thus participating in multiple pathways of auxin transduction signaling in a synergistic manner. No genomic database has been established for Caucasian clover. In this study, 71 TaARF genes were identified through a transcriptomic database of Caucasian clover rhizome development. Phylogenetic analysis grouped the TaARFs into six (1–6) clades. Thirty TaARFs contained a complete ARF structure, including three relatively conserved regions. Physical and chemical property analysis revealed that TaARFs are unstable and hydrophilic proteins. We also analyzed the expression pattern of TaARFs in different tissues (taproot, horizontal rhizome, swelling of taproot, rhizome bud and rhizome bud tip). Quantitative real–time RT–PCR revealed that all TaARFs were responsive to phytohormones (indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellic acid, abscisic acid and methyl jasmonate) in roots, stems and leaves. These results helped elucidate the role of ARFs in responses to different hormone treatments in Caucasian clover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A necklace-like structure of CuCoN 0.6 nanoparticles anchored on N -doped carbon nanofibers (CuCoN 0.6 /NC) has been prepared by electrospinning and subsequent nitridation processes as freestanding sulfur host for Li-S batteries, which boosts chemical adsorption and catalytic activity throughout detailed theoretical calculation and experimental electrochemical characterization. [Display omitted] Freestanding electrodes with high energy density and cycle stability have attracted attention on the development of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. However, both severe shuttle effect and sluggish conversion kinetics hinder their practical applications. Herein, we employed the electrospinning and subsequent nitridation processes to prepare a necklace-like structure of CuCoN 0.6 nanoparticles anchored on N -doped carbon nanofibers (CuCoN 0.6 /NC) as freestanding sulfur host for Li-S batteries. Such bimetallic nitride boosts chemical adsorption and catalytic activity throughout detailed theoretical calculation and experimental electrochemical characterization. The three-dimensional conductive necklace-like framework could provide abundant cavities for realizing high sulfur utilization and alleviating the volume variation, as well as fast lithium-ions diffusion and electron transfer. The Li-S cell with the S@CuCoN 0.6 /NC cathode delivers a stable cycling performance with a capacity attenuation rate of 0.076% per cycle after 150cycles at 2.0C and an exceptional capacity retention of 657 mAh g−1 even at a high sulfur loading of 6.8 mg cm−2 over 100cycles. The facile and scalable method can help promote the widespread application of fabrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A calculation model of radial electromagnetic force wave for permanent magnet assisted reluctance motor (PMaSynRM) with rotor slots is proposed in this paper. By introducing complex air gap relative permeance, the improved magnetic potential permeability method is applied to the calculation of electromagnetic force wave of the PMaSynRM. Considering the influence of both stator and rotor slots, the characteristics of electromagnetic force wave are analyzed theoretically. A multi‐physical coupling model of PMaSynRM is established. The natural frequency of the stator core is obtained by modal finite element analysis and modal hammer experiment. The harmonic response is analyzed by loading electromagnetic force wave into the structure field and the vibration on the housing surface is calculated. The results show that although the amplitude of electromagnetic force is small at zero‐order slot frequency, the vibration caused by electromagnetic force at frequency of stator slots and rotor slots, especially at the rotor slot frequency, is the biggest vibration source. The effectiveness and regularity of the calculation model are verified by the prototype vibration experiments. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Wall associated kinase (WAK) and WAK-like (WAKL) are typical pattern recognition receptors act as the first sentry of plant defense. But little of WAK/WAKL family is known in Rosaceae. Results: In this study, 131 WAK/WAKL genes from apple, peach and strawberry were identified using a bioinformatics approach. Together with 68 RcWAK/RcWAKL in rose, we performed a comparative analysis of 199 WAK/WAKL in four Rosaceae crops. The phylogenetic analysis divided all the WAK/WAKL into five clades. Among them, the cis-elements of Clade II and Clade V promoters were enriched in jasmonic acid (JA) signaling and abiotic stress, respectively. And this can also be verified by the rose transcriptome responding to different hormone treatments. WAK/WAKL families have experienced a considerable proportion of purifying selection during evolution, but still 26 amino acid sites evolved under positive selection, which focused on extracellular conserved domains. WAK/WAKL genes presented collinearity relationship within and between crops, throughout four crops we mined four orthologous groups (OGs). The WAK/WAKL genes in OG1 and OG4 were speculated to involve in plant-Botrytis cinerea interaction, which were validated in rose via VIGS as well as strawberry by qRT-PCR. Conclusions: These results not only provide genetic resources and valuable information for the evolutionary relationship of WAK/WAKL gene family, but also offer a reference for future in-depth studies of Rosaceae WAK/WAKL genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface settlement is one of the key engineering issues during shield construction process. In order to accurately predict surface settlement, this paper proposes a new machine learning method based on relevance vector machine (RVM), principal component analysis (PCA), and particle swarm optimization (PSO). Taking Beijing Metro Line 6 as a case study, the PCA-PSO-RVM model is used to make the prediction and compared with the prediction results of the RVM model using the same samples. In order to evaluate the reliability of the model, three evaluation indexes including mean relative error (MRE), root mean square error (RMSE), and Theil inequality coefficient (TIC) were calculated, and sensitivity analysis was carried out on them. The results show that the minimum relative error between PCA-PSO-RVM and the actual value is only 0.06%. The calculated MRE, RMSE, and TIC are 0.17%, 0.0714 mm, and 0.027%, respectively, which shows that PCA-PSO-RVM model has higher prediction accuracy, smaller deviations, and higher reliability compared with the three other models. Through sensitivity analysis, it is found that the weighted average internal friction angle (φ) has the most significant impact on the surface settlement, which should be focused on in relevant research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxia and angiogenesis are the leading causes of tumor progression, and their strong correlation has been discovered in many cancers. However, their collective function's prognostic and biological roles were not reported in gastric cancer. Hence, we aimed to investigate the effects of hypoxia and angiogenesis on gastric cancer via sequencing data. This study used weighted gene coexpression network analysis and random forest regression to build a hypoxia-angiogenesis-related model (HARM) via the TCGA-STAD lncRNA data. It estimated the HARM's correlation with clinical features and its accuracy for survival prediction. Sequential functional analyses were conducted to investigate its biological role, and we next sought the immune landscape status and immunological function variation by ESTIMATE score calculation and GSVA, respectively. Seven different algorithms were conducted to assess the immunocyte infiltration, and TIDE score and immune checkpoint levels were compared between the high- and low-HARM groups. As a result, we found that HARM predicted patient survival with high accuracy and was correlated with higher stages of gastric cancer. Various cancer-associated pathways and macrophage-related regulations were upregulated in the high-HRAM group. The high-HARM group harbored higher immune levels, and M2 macrophages and cancer-associated fibroblasts were particularly highly unfiltered. Furthermore, globally upregulated immune checkpoints and higher TIDE scores were observed in the high-HARM group. Finally, we filtered eight drugs with lower IC50 in the high-HARM group as potential drugs for the HARM-targeted therapy. We believe this study opens up novel perspectives into the interaction between hypoxia-angiogenesis and immunosuppression and will provide novel insights for gastric cancer immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Valine-glutamine sequences (VQs) interact with WRKY transcription factors (TFs), forming VQ-WRKY protein complexes crucial for plant development and response to environmental changes. Cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea) is a tetraploid from A. duranensis and A. ipaensis cross. The Arachis spp. WRKY TFs have been identified, but Arachis VQs are largely unknown. This study identified VQs in A. duranensis, A. ipaensis, A. monticola, A. hypogaea cv. Fuhuasheng, A. hypogaea cv. Shitouqi, and A. hypogaea cv. Tifrunner. The study analyzed the homologous relationships between VQs in these Arachis spp. The VQ drought-tolerant genes were detected and VQ-WRKY interactions were determined in A. hypogaea cv. Tifrunner. The results showed that tetraploid Arachis spp. retained duplicated VQs, but lost ancestral VQs after allopolyploidization. The number of VQs in A. monticola, A. hypogaea cv. Fuhuasheng, and A. hypogaea cv. Shitouqi increased relative to their diploid ancestors. RNA-seq and quantitative real-time PCR experiments confirmed that three AhTVQs tolerate drought stress in A. hypogaea cv. Tifrunner. However, evidence of VQ-WRKY interaction for drought stress response is lacking in A. hypogaea cv. Tifrunner. Nevertheless, this study identified VQ-WRKY interactions, which possibly have multiple functions in A. hypogaea cv. Tifrunner. Altogether, this study dissected Arachis VQs, providing insights into Arachis VQ evolution and drought function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important biodegradable polymer, how to achieve stable cell morphology and high cell density in the foam of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) is challenging due to its low mechanical and melt strength. To address this issue, an innovative methyl methacrylate-co-glycidyl methacrylate (MG) copolymer was designed and used as a chain extender due to its strong affinity with carbon dioxide (CO 2) during the supercritical CO 2 foaming process. The branching reaction between the carboxyl end groups of PBAT and the epoxy groups in MG enhanced the molecular weight, melt strength, and mechanical properties of PBAT. Therefore, the introduction of MG resulted in a reduced cell size, higher cell density, stronger compression stress for the foamed PBAT. The results prove that the MG copolymer is an effective chain extender for PBAT, which is beneficial to improve the foaming process and properties of PBAT for its application as package cushioning material. [Display omitted] • MG chain extenders extend the PBAT molecular chain with little or no crosslinking. • MG copolymers exhibit an affinity for CO2, rendering the foaming process very favorable. • The cell density of PBAT/MG6 foam is enhanced to 6.1 ×107 cells/cm3 and the retention rate of CO 2 is nearly doubled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a low phase noise anti-interference differential oscillator is proposed. The balanced bandpass filter with common-mode reflectionless characteristic is proposed and adopted in the differential oscillator to simultaneously achieve high group delay peak and common-mode interference noise absorption. For demonstration, the proposed differential oscillator is designed, simulated, manufactured and measured. It demonstrates that the proposed differential oscillator has a high output power of 6.67 dBm at the center oscillating frequency of 2.48 GHz, excellent second harmonic suppression of 46.01 dB, low phase noise of − 119.96 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset. The verification of the anti-interference function is performed with a differential mixer and the results show that the proposed differential oscillator can absorb external common-mode interference and effectively ensure the stable output of intermediate frequency signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is aimed at the problem of limestone deterioration and damage caused by the combination of acid rain and the dry-wet cycle in Guilin. Samples of limestone were taken to study the influence of acidic dry-wet cycles on limestone deterioration and damage. This was accomplished by performing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer measurements on the limestone samples. The study found that with an increase in the number of cycles, the T 2 curve of the rock continuously shifts to the right, but the range of movement still decreases with pH increasing values. The T 2 spectrum area, rock porosity, porosity deterioration, mass loss rate, and water absorption rate all increase with an increase in the number of cycles, but the growth rate continues to decrease, and the increase is negatively correlated with pH. After the dry-wet cycles, the mass concentration of each element in the beaker is Ca, Mg, and Fe in order from high to low, and the mass concentration of each main element in the reaction solution increases with the increase in the number of acidic dry-wet cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a perennial leguminous forage cultivated globally. Fusarium spp.-induced root rot is a chronic and devastating disease affecting alfalfa that occurs in most production fields. Studying the disease resistance regulatory network and investigating the key genes involved in plant–pathogen resistance can provide vital information for breeding alfalfa that are resistant to Fusarium spp. In this study, a resistant and susceptible clonal line of alfalfa was inoculated with Fusarium proliferatum L1 and sampled at 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, and 7 d post-inoculation for RNA-seq analysis. Among the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) detected between the two clonal lines at the four time points after inoculation, approximately 81.8% were detected at 24 h and 7 d after inoculation. Many DEGs in the two inoculated clonal lines participated in PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI) mechanisms. In addition, transcription factor families such as bHLH, SBP, AP2, WRKY, and MYB were detected in response to infection. These results are an important supplement to the few existing studies on the resistance regulatory network of alfalfa against Fusarium root rot and will help to understand the evolution of host–pathogen interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deduces an exact model of analytical calculation for the multilayer rotor eddy current losses of high‐speed permanent magnet machines based on the subdomain method. The analytical calculation model solution domain is divided into six parts of subdomains, including permanent magnet, shielding layer, metal retaining sleeve, air gap, slot openings, and windings. The Laplace equation of the air subdomain and the diffusion equation of the eddy current subdomain and the windings subdomain are established with the vector magnetic potential as the independent variable. The eddy current losses of the permanent magnet, shielding layer, and retaining sleeve of the multilayer rotor are calculated considering the slots effect and eddy current reaction. This analytical model is used to study the interfering factors of the multilayer rotor eddy current losses including the shielding layer thickness, carrier ratio, and modulation ratio. Finally, the correctness and regularity of the analytical calculation model are proved by finite element analysis and machine experiment analysis. © 2022 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We synthesized dielectric material particles by copolymerizing (-)-MnMA and MMA with benzoyl peroxide (BPO). Combining with the co-extrusion method, the dielectric chiral fiber is drawn by several meters for the first time, which has a more simplified fiber fabrication process and higher fiber drawing speed with good continuity and consistency comparing with structural chiral fiber. • Some important optical performances of dielectric chiral fiber (DCF) were tested. The results of optical activity of dielectric materials, optical power loss, circular polarization maintaining characteristic demonstrated that DCF can be used as a novel concept circular polarization maintaining fiber. Besides, the measurement of refractive index data fills in a gap in refractive index of DCF, which can not only supply the basis of analyzing the distribution of optical field and modes for transmission, but also designing DCF with different optical characteristics according to the requirements in different applications. • We designed a dual-core photonic crystal fiber with optimized parameters as a beam splitter which can separate different polarization states of light. The polarized beam split effect demonstrated that there is a potential of DCF for polarization division multiplexing in theory. Compared with linearly polarized light, circularly polarized light can hardly cause the cross coupling effect during transmission. Therefore, it is important to study chiral fibers for optical fiber communication and optical fiber sensing. However, the requirements in structural chiral fiber fabrication raise its cost. In the paper, we demonstrated the entire fiber fabrication method of dielectric chiral fiber. This is the first fabrication of long dielectric chiral fiber. We also measured key optical properties of the chiral material. The value of fabricating dielectric chiral fiber is demonstrated by its physical implementation and good performance in circular polarization maintaining characteristic. The fiber fabrication method is expected to provide a solution for low cost. Moreover, the dielectric chiral fiber supplies the potential application of dielectric chiral fiber for optical fiber communication and optical fiber sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduced a simplified thermodynamic model based on the regularized phase field method for simulating the thermally induced fractures of rocks pretreated by microwave. A thermo-mechanical model comprises three main parts developed to evaluate the fractures: the heat generation of the rock specimen is determined via the heat balance equation; the calculation of thermally induced stress is performed in the second part by taking into account the thermal stress due to temperature change; the third part calculates the fracture induced by microwave heating using the phase field equation. Combining these three parts enables simulations of rock fractures due to thermally induced stress. The first simulation is the quenching test of ceramics to validate the robustness of the phase field method in modelling the thermo-mechanical fracture. Then, examples of microwave-induced fracture are presented and discussed in comparison with microwave test results. A good agreement is achieved from the results of numerical analysis and experiments, which proves the feasibility of the proposed thermo-mechanical coupling fracture (phase field) model for the simulation of thermal-mechanical fractures. It is further found that the power level is crucial in influencing the fractures given the same energy input. More specifically, a higher power level leads to an increased non-uniformity of a thermal gradient, which, as a result, leads to a higher stress gradient and more fractures generated eventually. Furthermore, the energy utilization ratio also benefits under a more intensive microwave power level. The developed model quantitatively enriches the understanding of fractures produced by microwave irradiation and advances the application of the microwave-assisted rock breakage technique in industry and academics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescence/luminescence detection has garnered extensive attention due to its remarkable sensitivity and selectivity within the visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) spectrum. However, detection in the VIS domain is susceptible to interference from background fluorescence and internal quenching effects; the reliability and stability of NIR detection are constrained by its luminescence efficiency and lifetime. In this context, we introduce a dual-domain detection strategy under both VIS and NIR illumination, leveraging the advantages of both domains to achieve anti-interference luminescence detection of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC). Specifically, Cu2+ ions were incorporated into Yb-TCPP nanosheets (H 2 TCPP = 5,10,15,20-tetra-(4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin) and anchored at the porphyrin core of the TCPP2- ligand, forming highly dispersed Cu-N 4 sites. Notably, the Cu@MOF luminescent material exhibited a picomolar level dual-domain fluorescence/luminescence response towards TC: it activates detection in the VIS domain and turns off in the NIR domain. Largely due to this dual-domain response, the sensor showcases excellent anti-interference capabilities and reliability. When the VIS domain is perturbed, the sensor's detection in the NIR domain remains unaffected; conversely, interference in the NIR domain barely impacts the sensor's behavior in the VIS domain. Furthermore, a systematic mechanistic analysis suggests that the introduction of atomically dispersed Cu2+ sites not only enhances the acid-base interaction sites between the sensor and the analyte but also amplifies the adsorption capacity towards the analyte, effectively reducing detection limits and bolstering anti-interference capabilities. Anticipating the future, this detection strategy holds promise in offering a more cost-effective, reliable, and interference-resistant option for commercial detection, signaling a bright prospect for its development. [Display omitted] • Dual-domain detection capability toward TC has been realized in VIS and NIR luminescence region. • A lanthanide MOF with atomically dispersed Cu sites has been designed and prepared as luminescence sensor. • Picomolar detection limits have been attained with good anti-interference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Wall-associated kinase (WAK)/WAK-like (WAKL) is one of the subfamily of receptor like kinases (RLK). Although previous studies reported that WAK/WAKL played an important role in plant cell elongation, response to biotic and abiotic stresses, there are no systematic studies on RcWAK/RcWAKL in rose. Results: In this study, we identified a total of 68 RcWAK/RcWAKL gene family members within rose (Rosa chinensis) genome. The RcWAKs contained the extracellular galacturonan-binding domain and calcium-binding epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domain, as well as an intracellular kinase domains. The RcWAKLs are missing either calcium-binding EGF-like domain or the galacturonan-binding domain in their extracellular region. The phylogenetic analysis showed the RcWAK/RcWAKL gene family has been divided into five groups, and these RcWAK/RcWAKL genes were unevenly distributed on the 7 chromosomes of rose. 12 of RcWAK/RcWAKL genes were significantly up-regulated by Botrytis cinerea-inoculated rose petals, where RcWAK4 was the most strongly expressed. Virus induced gene silencing of RcWAK4 increased the rose petal sensitivity to B. cinerea. The results indicated RcWAK4 is involved in the resistance of rose petal against B. cinerea. Conclusion: Our study provides useful information to further investigate the function of the RcWAK/RcWAKL gene family and breeding research for resistance to B. cinerea in rose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oversampling ratio N and the minority class' nearest neighboring number k are key hyperparameters of synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) to reconstruct the class distribution of dataset. No optimal default value exists there. Therefore, it is of necessity to discuss the influence of the output dataset on the classification performance when SMOTE adopts various hyperparameter combinations. In this paper, we propose a hyperparameter optimization algorithm for imbalanced data. By iterating to find reasonable N and k for SMOTE, so as to build a balanced and high-quality dataset. As a result, a model with outstanding performance and strong generalization ability is trained, thus effectively solving imbalanced classification. The proposed algorithm is based on the hybridization of simulated annealing mechanism (SA) and particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO). In the optimization, Cohen's Kappa is used to construct the fitness function, and AdaRBFNN, a new classifier, is integrated by multiple trained RBF neural networks based on AdaBoost algorithm. Kappa of each generation is calculated according to the classification results, so as to evaluate the quality of candidate solution. Experiments are conducted on seven groups of KEEL datasets. Results show that the proposed algorithm delivers excellent performance and can significantly improve the classification accuracy of the minority class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scene text in natural images carries additional semantic information to aid in image classification. Existing methods lack full consideration of the deep understanding of the text and the visual text relationship, which results in the difficult to judge the semantic accuracy and the relevance of the visual text. This paper proposes image classification based on Cross modal Knowledge Learning of Scene Text (CKLST) method. CKLST consists of three stages: cross‐modal scene text recognition, text semantic enhancement, and visual‐text feature alignment. In the first stage, multi‐attention is used to extract features layer by layer, and a self‐mask‐based iterative correction strategy is utilized to improve the scene text recognition accuracy. In the second stage, knowledge features are extracted using external knowledge and are fused with text features to enhance text semantic information. In the third stage, CKLST realizes visual‐text feature alignment across attention mechanisms with a similarity matrix, thus the correlation between images and text can be captured to improve the accuracy of the image classification tasks. On Con‐Text dataset, Crowd Activity dataset, Drink Bottle dataset, and Synth Text dataset, CKLST can perform significantly better than other baselines on fine‐grained image classification, with improvements of 3.54%, 5.37%, 3.28%, and 2.81% over the best baseline in mAP, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faced with the rapid update of nonlinear and irregular big data from the environmental monitoring system, both the public and managers urgently need reliable methods to predict possible air pollutions in the future. Therefore, a multi-scale deep learning (MDL) and optimal combination ensemble (OCE) approach for hourly air quality index (AQI) forecasting is proposed in this paper, named MDL-OCE model. Before normal modeling, all original data are preprocessed through missing data filling and outlier testing to ensure smooth computation. Due to the complexity of such big data, slope-based ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) is adopted to decompose the time series of AQI and meteorological conditions into a finite number of simple intrinsic mode function (IMF) components and one residue component. Then, to unify the number of components of different variables, the fine-to-coarse (FC) technique is used to reconstruct all components into high frequency component (HF), low frequency component (LF), and trend component (TC). For purpose of extracting the underlying relationship between AQI and meteorological conditions, the three components are respectively trained and predicted by different deep learning architectures (stacked sparse autoencoder (SSAE)) with a multilayer perceptron (MLP). The corresponding forecasting results of three components are merged by OCE method to better achieve the ultimate AQI forecasting outputs. The empirical results clearly demonstrate that our proposed MDL-OCE model outperforms other advanced benchmark models in terms of forecasting performances in all cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytoplankton productivity and community structure in the East China Sea (ECS) play an important role in marine ecology and carbon cycle, but both have been changing rapidly in response to recent oceanic and atmospheric circulation changes. However, the lack of long-term records of phytoplankton productivity and community structure variability in the region hinders our understanding of natural forcing mechanisms. Here, we use the phytoplankton biomarker (brassicasterol, dinosterol and alkenones) contents as well as the ratios between these biomarkers in three sediment cores from the ECS shelf to reconstruct the spatiotemporal variations of productivity and community of diatoms, dinoflagellates and coccolithophores during the Holocene, respectively. During 9–7 ka, the ECS shelf was characterized by low phytoplankton productivity with low coccolithophore contribution, caused by the oligotrophic condition mainly owing to the restricted Kuroshio Current (KC) intrusion under low sea-level conditions, thus the lack of nutrient input. Phytoplankton productivity generally increased during 7–4.6 ka, in response to the initial intrusion of the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC, a branch of the KC), bringing nutrient from the subsurface KC to the upper layer of the ECS for phytoplankton growth. Phytoplankton productivity continuously increased during 4.6–1 ka, due to an enhanced circulation system (YSWC and Yellow Sea Coastal Current (YSCC)) driven by strong East Asia Winter Monsoon (EAWM). Significantly, high alkenone contents and coccolithophore contribution in the eastern core F11A was associated with its location closer to the warm and saline YSWC, which was suitable for coccolithophore growth. Beyond diagenetic processes which could partly account for higher biomarker contents near core tops, elevated phytoplankton productivity during the last 1 ka might be induced by more nutrient supply from the intensified circulation system driven by enhanced KC and anthropogenic activities. The latter also resulted in high dinoflagellate proportions in all three cores. These temporal and spatial changes of phytoplankton productivity and community structure in the ECS during the Holocene corresponded to different mechanisms by the air-sea interaction, providing insights into distinguishing natural forcing and anthropogenic influences on marine ecology. • We reconstruct phytoplankton productivity and community structure in the ECS. • Biomarker records reveal increased phytoplankton productivity during the Holocene. • Variations of productivity and community structure relate to air-sea forcing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The petals of ornamental plants such as roses (Rosa spp.) are the most economically important organs. This delicate, short-lived plant tissue is highly susceptible to pathogens, in large part because the walls of petal cells are typically thinner and more flexible compared with leaf cells, allowing the petals to fold and bend without breaking. The cell wall is a dynamic structure that rapidly alters its composition in response to pathogen infection, thereby reinforcing its stability and boosting plant resistance against diseases. However, little is known about how dynamic changes in the cell wall contribute to resistance to Botrytis cinerea in rose petals. Here, we show that the B. cinerea -induced transcription factor RhbZIP17 is required for the defense response of rose petals. RhbZIP17 is associated with phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and binds to the promoter of the lignin biosynthesis gene RhCAD1 , activating its expression. Lignin content showed a significant increase under gray mold infection compared with the control. RhCAD1 functions in the metabolic regulation of lignin production and, consequently, disease resistance, as revealed by transient silencing and overexpression in rose petals. The WRKY transcription factor RhWRKY30 is also required to activate RhCAD1 expression and enhance resistance against B. cinerea. We propose that RhbZIP17 and RhWRKY30 increase lignin biosynthesis, improve the resistance of rose petals to B. cinerea , and regulate RhCAD1 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate and reliable ship price forecasts can assist shipping firms, investors, and other participants to withstand risks and make profits in a highly volatile shipping market. Considering the nonlinear behavior and sophisticated interrelationship of the shipping market, in this paper, a novel multiscale and multivariable methodology based on multivariate variational mode decomposition (MVMD) and machine learning (ML) algorithms is proposed for forecasting monthly newbuilding ship price (NSP), secondhand ship price (SSP), and ship scrap value (SSV). The proposed methodology involves three main modules: (1) data decomposition by MVMD; (2) mode forecasting using ML algorithms, including multi-layer perceptron, support vector regression, long short-term memory, and gated recurrent unit; and (3) ensemble forecasts via simple addition. The novelty of this paper lies in the employment of MVMD, which is capable of capturing complicated multiscale relationships among the NSP , SSP , and SSV data by extracting multiple frequency-aligned oscillatory modes. This will largely help in the multivariable forecasting of ship prices at each timescale. With Capesize bulker and VLCC tanker as study samples, the empirical results show that the novel methodology outperforms other considered benchmark models in terms of both level and directional forecasting accuracy. This suggests that the developed multiscale and multivariable methodology is a promising alternative for shipping market analysis and forecasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ocean University of China radiocarbon accelerator mass spectrometer center (OUC-CAMS) is equipped with a mini carbon dating system (MICADAS) from the Ionplus AG. The MICADAS allows measurements of both graphite and CO 2 samples because of the design of a hybrid ion source. Also, both 13C and 14C of organic samples can be measured at the same time because a stand-alone IRMS is coupled to the MICADAS. The OUC-CAMS provides routine 14C analyses on bulk organic carbon of various types, such as sediments, particulate matter, plant fragments, and compound-specific lipid biomarkers. Here we report the performance based on continuous analysis of international reference materials of 195 graphite data and 605 gas data carried out over the 2.5 years before 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To detect the expression of sphingosine kinase 1 (SPHK1) in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and explore its biological role in the occurrence and development of ccRCC through regulation of fatty acid metabolism. Using the Cancer Genome Atlas database, SPHK1 expression and its clinical significance were detected in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect SPHK1 expression in RCC samples in our hospital. The connection between the SPHK1 levels and clinicopathological features of patients was assessed. Nile Red was used to detect fatty acids in cells. Cell Counting Kit-8 and 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine assays were performed to determine the effect of SPHK1 on renal cell viability and proliferation, respectively. Additionally, the effects of SPHK1 on the proliferation and metastasis of ccRCC were studied using wound healing and Transwell assays. Fatty acids were added exogenously in recovery experiments and western blotting was performed to determine the effect of SPHK1 on fatty acid metabolism in ccRCC. Finally, the effects of SPHK1 on tumor growth were investigated in a xenograft model. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that SPHK1 expression was upregulated in kidney RCC. OverSPHK1 expression was associated with poor prognosis for ccRCC patients. High SPHK1 expression was detected in human ccRCC. SPHK1 expression was related to clinicopathological features, such as tumor size and Furman grade. Additionally, cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were inhibited in ccRCC cells with low SPHK1 expression. In rescue experiments, proliferation, migration, and invasion were restored. In vivo, reduced SPHK1 levels correlated with lower expression of fatty acid synthase, stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1, and acetyl CoA carboxylase, and slowed tumor growth. SPHK1 is abnormally overexpressed in human ccRCC. Patients with ccRCC may benefit from treatments that target SPHK1, which may also serve as a prognostic indicator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Macroscopic three-dimensional (3D) free-standing porous all-graphene aerogel with ultralight density and high compressibility is successfully fabricated through a mild in-situ self-assembly and thermal annealing processes. The formed interconnected 3D porous graphene network, high thermal stable all-graphene composition and large porosity of aerogels made it possible to remove heat quickly during combustion, exhibiting a conspicuous fire-retardancy. Meanwhile, excellent recoverable compressibility with high strain levels of up to 75% endowed the aerogel with high sensitive strain-responsive characteristic in volume electrical conductivity, thereby opening a new way for realizing the adjustment of internal free space and electrical conductivity of 3D architecture. Based on the results, the microwave absorption performance of the graphene aerogel was effectively self-adjusted via a simple mechanical compression. The optimal absorbing value was up to 61.09 dB with a broad qualified bandwidth of 6.30 GHz at the thickness of 4.81 mm when the compression strain ratio of the sample was controlled to be 30%. Graphical abstract Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our previous study, oxocarbon molecule C 6 O 6 was adopted as the active material for the electrode of Li-ion batteries. The cycling performance of organic electrodes could be increased by polymerization or adsorption on backbone materials like graphite or graphene. We choose the second method in our research system and have proven this system has at least 155 mAh/g theoretical capacity. In this research, we systematically investigate 11 different kinds of adsorption densities of C 6 O 6 on mono-graphene sheet by density functional theory. Lenard-Jones potential is introduced to calculate the interaction on X-Y plane and adsorption and distortion energy are elucidated separately. A proper graphene layer distance of ∼7.7 Å is determined. The results imply the maximum theoretical capacity is ∼290 mAh/g with relative lowest distortion. This combined material possess 2.04 V average voltage and improved conductivity, which can be compared to traditional in-organic materials like LiCoO 2 or LiFePO 4 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the unique characteristics of West Africa was addressed. The game relationship between the owner and the port operator, and the relationship among the hub ports as well as the geography risk in West Africa were all considered. Accordingly, based on the principle of equilibrium, a mixed-integer model was established. The model could collaboratively optimize the hub port investment program (including the selection of investment targets, the amount of investment ports, and the investment quota) as well as the inland safe path setting scheme. The objective of this model was to minimize the regional integrated transportation costs. A genetic Frank-Wolf hybrid algorithm was proposed based on genetic algorithm to solve this model. The results show that the selection of investment targets in hub ports, the amount of investment ports, and the investment quota concerning security risks can be optimized by the proposed model, which can also simultaneously improve the corresponding inland safe path network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outdoor equipment failures of track circuits are usually not easy to be detected. In addition, the location of outdoor equipment failures can cause trouble for on-site maintainers. To solve the problem, this paper proposes a novel method for fault diagnosis of railway track circuits based on multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MF-DFA). Firstly, a locomotive signal induced voltage model was established based on the uniform transmission-line theory. The locomotive signal amplitude envelope (LSAE) signals of the track circuit in the normal and fault conditions were solved out. Through this model, the influence mechanism of track circuit faults on the LSAE signals was revealed. On the basis of MF-DFA, the generalised Hurst exponents and multifractal spectra of the LSAE signals were obtained. Then the six-dimensional vectors extracted from the multifractal spectra were used as the fault features. Finally, these features were input to the extreme learning machine (ELM) to identify faults. The fault diagnosis accuracy using the method proposed in this paper reached 94.2949% after k-fold cross validation. The results indicated that MF-DFA had obvious advantages in the application of track circuit fault diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) have been shown to have immunoregulatory properties in many studies. However, the mechanisms remain unknown. miRNAs are associated with many cellular processes, including immune responses. Thus, we hypothesized that miRNAs act as immunoregulators when hASCs are stimulated by inflammatory environments. Methods. A set of cytokines was used to stimulate the hASCs in the cytokine group, while no cytokines were used to stimulate the cells in the normal group. A microarray was used to obtain the miRNA expression profile of hASCs, and RT-PCR was used to validate the miRNAs that were differentially expressed between the two groups. Target genes were predicted using online databases, and KEGG analysis was performed to identify the pathways enriched by the target genes of all the differentially expressed miRNAs. Results. Five miRNAs were significantly upregulated, and 2 miRNAs were downregulated in the cytokine group compared with the normal group. We identified several immune-related pathways that are targeted individually or collectively by those miRNAs. Conclusion. Inflammatory stimuli changed the miRNA expression profile of hASCs. miRNAs may play a pivotal role in the immune response in hASCs and may be targets through which the immunoregulatory functions of hASCs can be enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dual-functional nanosheet arrays supported by carbon cloth implanted with Ni 3 N/FeNi 3 N nanoparticles have been designed as the lithiophilic-sulfiphilic hosts for Li-S full batteries, which provides a new light on propelling the development of long-cycling-life and high-energy–density batteries. [Display omitted] • A flexible binder-free host for both polysulfides catalyst and Li-dendrite inhibitor is developed in Li-S realm. • The dual-functional electrode consists of Ni 3 N/FeNi 3 N nanoparticles embedded on nanosheet arrays supported by carbon cloth. • When Fe content is 0.2 mmol, the Li-S full battery affords a superb rate capability and outstanding cyclability. Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries with high energy densities have attracted much attention as next-generation energy storage systems. However, the uncontrollable lithium dendrite growth at the anode and severe lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) shuttling at the cathode drastically hinder the commercial viability of Li-S batteries. Herein, the dual-functional nanosheet arrays supported by carbon cloth implanted with Ni 3 N/FeNi 3 N nanoparticles that simultaneously boosts the performance of the sulfur cathode and the lithium anode is developed. Computational results indicate that the Ni 3 N/FeNi 3 N endowed the cathode host with strong chemical anchoring and exceptional electrocatalytic activity for LiPSs. Through effective adjustment of the iron content, the optimized Ni 3 N/FeNi 3 N-0.2 heterostructure interface offers highly efficient bidirectional conversion kinetics of sulfur electrochemistry. Meanwhile, the Ni 3 N/FeNi 3 N-0.2 with superior lithiophilic nature guides uniform lithium deposition for inhibiting dendrite growth. Combined with these merits, the full battery (denotes as S@Ni 3 N/FeNi 3 N-0.2||Li@Ni 3 N/FeNi 3 N-0.2) with a sulfur loading (3.4 mg cm−2) exhibits a high specific capacity of 1270 mAh g−1 after 100cycles, super rate capability up to 5.0C and long cycle life of over 500cycles. This work provides a promising avenue for developing high-energy–density Li-S full batteries toward practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A bistable locally active memristor model is designed, which has different hysteresis loops under different input signals. • An HR-FN-HR neural network is proposed, which consists of a 2D FN neuron and two 2D HR neurons coupled by memristors. • An encryption scheme based on the memristors-based neural network combined with Knuth-Durstenfeld algorithm is presented. A locally active hyperbolic memristor which can generate the bistability phenomenon is presented. Based on the memristor, a HR-FN-HR neural network coupled by hyperbolic memristors is composed. By theoretical calculation and mathematical simulation, the complex dynamical behavior of memristors-based neural network is discovered, and the equivalent circuit of neural network is realized. The Hamiltonian energy of the coupled neural network is calculated, which estimates the energy released during the transition between various electrical activities. In addition, a new image encryption scheme is presented, which is the Knuth-Durstenfeld algorithm combined with DNA sequence operation. The encryption results show that the scheme has better encryption effect and stronger anti-hacking ability, which can be used in the domain of secure communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new mathematical model, optical-power-dependent model R(P), is proposed by investigating the nonlinearity of modified uni-traveling carrier photodiodes (MUTC-PD). Benefiting from this model, the harmonic power and output 3rd order intercept point (OIP3) of a photodiode can be calculated. Considering a bias voltage shift of the photodiode caused by a large voltage swing effect, the R(P) mathematical model is expanded into a voltage-related one, which is the optical-power-and-voltage-dependent model, R(P,V). The calculate results of both mathematical models are completely in accord with simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Enhanced linear and nonlinear framework for interval-valued time series is proposed. • Multi-step-ahead forecasting for decomposition-ensemble method is performed. • Multi-factor interval division can mine the internal information of the interval. • Bivariate decomposition algorithm is introduced for multi-scale modeling. • The proposed model outperforms other state-of-the-art methods. To forecast possible air pollution risks, a large number of models have been built to predict the daily average or hourly value of PM 2.5 concentrations. In fact, due to the complexity of PM 2.5 formation and the diversity of its influencing factors, PM 2.5 concentrations may fluctuate greatly during a certain period, single-valued methods cannot present this uncertainty and variability. Therefore, this paper develops a hybrid modeling framework that combines the elastic net (EN) and multivariate relevance vector machine (MVRVM) for interval-valued PM 2.5 time series (IPMTS) forecasting. Following the philosophy of the "linear and nonlinear" modeling framework, the EN and MVRVM are applied to capture the linear and nonlinear patterns hidden in the IPMTS. Different from existing studies that directly model linear and nonlinear patterns of time series, we introduce the multi-factor interval division (MFID) strategy and bivariate empirical mode decomposition (BEMD) algorithm into linear and nonlinear pattern modeling, respectively. This enhanced linear and nonlinear framework (termed MFID-EN-BEMD-MVRVM) can consider the possible linear relationship between PM 2.5 and its related factors within the intervals and model the nonlinear pattern of IPMTS at multiple scales. The IPMTS extracted from four municipalities in China are used to validate the efficiency of the proposed model. Experimental results show that the MFID-EN-BEMD-MVRVM model achieves better forecasting performance than some benchmarks and state-of-the-art models in terms of comprehensive evaluation criteria. In addition, from the application analysis, the proposed interval-valued PM 2.5 modeling architecture has the possibility of real-time forecasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MFN2 was downregulated in human kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC). • Lower expression of MFN2 was associated with an inferior tumor prognosis in KIRC. • MFN2 expression was significantly associated with immune cell infiltration in KIRC. • MFN2 overexpression inhibited the KIRC cell proliferation and migration abilities. Treatment of advanced kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) remains challenging in clinic. The functional role and prognostic significance of MFN2 in KIRC are still unclear. In this study, we first performed a bioinformatic analysis to determine the expression level and prognostic value of MFN2 in KIRC using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset, and then validated the MFN2 mRNA expression in our cohort of clinical tissue samples and cell lines of KIRC via RT-qPCR. Cox regression model was used to identify the independent prognostic factors. A nomogram was constructed to predict the prognosis of KIRC patients. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to predict the involved functional pathways of MFN2 co-expressed genes. The association between MFN2 expression level and immune cell infiltration was assessed using the TIMER and the TIDISB databases. In addition, cell proliferation and migration abilities of two KIRC cell lines with MFN2 overexpression were evaluated by MTS and wound healing assays, respectively. Downregulation of MFN2 was observed in KIRC tissues and cell lines compared to the normal controls. Kaplan-Meier curve analysis indicated an inferior survival outcomes in KIRC patients with lower MFN2 expression, uncovering the tumor-suppressive role of MFN2 in KIRC. Cox regression results showed that higher MFN2 expression was one of the independent protective factors in KIRC. Besides, function predictive analysis revealed that MFN2 co-expressed genes were enriched in the biological processes of energy metabolism and autophagy. Moreover, MFN2 expression was observed to be significantly associated with immune cell infiltration and a variety of markers of tumor infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) including multiple immune checkpoints in KIRC tissues. Finally, MFN2 overexpression significantly inhibited cell proliferation and migration abilities of two KIRC cell lines examined. Generally, our data suggested that MFN2 may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in KIRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the sixth leading cause of cancer death, esophageal cancer is threatening the life of people worldwide. Traditional treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, are facing always augmented challenges including invasion, multidrug resistance (MDR), off-target toxicity. Chemo & Photodynamic synergistic therapy represents one promising strategy for improved treatment efficiency. But it is still hindered by the lack of tumor targeting, deleterious side effects, and unfavorable microenvironment for photodynamic therapy (PDT). To overcome those obstacles, one theranostic nano-assambly drug, GCDs-Ce6/Pt-EGF, was designed and fabricated. Green fluorescence carbon dots (GCDs) with the excellent optical properties, modifiability and low toxicity were prepared as drug carrier. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) was conjugated to the nano-assembly to realize tumor specific targeting. Chlorin e6 (Ce6) in the presence of laser irradiation achieved PDT by generating proapoptosis reactive oxygen species (ROS). Moreover, Ce6 incorporated into GCDs endowed the nano-assambly imaging ability and facilitate image-guided therapy. Pt(IV), cisplatin prodrug, in the nano-assambly depleted the glutathione (GSH) of tumor microenvironment when it was reduced to cytotoxicity Pt(II). Compared with single treatment, GCDs-Ce6/Pt-EGF exhibited enhanced tumor cell killing capacity and better biosafety in vitro and in vivo , especially for EGFR bearing tumor. It paved ways for developing novel theranostic agent to be potentially applied in clinic. [Display omitted] • The all-in-one theranostic nanoplatform(GCDs-Ce6/Pt-EGF) was designed and fabricated. • This nanoplatform enabled precise diagnosis and treatment of esophageal cancer. • This nanoplatform realized tumor targeting and avoiding off-target toxicity. • The nanoplatform realized image-guided enhanced chemotherapy-photodynamic therapy. • The nanoplatform displayed excellent biosafety and tumor inhibiting capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oudemansiella raphanipes (O. raphanipes) has recently been gaining popularity due to its active and flavor compounds. In this study, the profiles of phenolics, flavonoids, non-volatile and volatile compounds of fresh O. raphanipes were subjected to cutting root (CR) and pulling root (PR) harvesting methods during different storage temperatures (5 °C and 20 °C) were investigated. The results showed that CR treatment effectively increased phenolic and flavonoid contents, maintained the sensory scores and the umami value based on e-tongue, increased more C8 volatile contents, and inhibited off-flavor acids production during 5 °C storage. The EUC values of the fresh O. raphanipes ranged from 4.72 to 23.66 g monosodium glutamate (MSG) 100 g−1, which TAVs were at a relatively high level in CR treatment than in PR treatment. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and principal component analysis (PCA) revealed statistically significant differences in different harvesting methods that affected the mushroom flavor. Eleven components were screened as taste characteristics contributors by partial least squares regression model (PLS-R) analysis, including Glu, umami nucleotides, and 1-octene-3-ol and 3-octanone. Thus, the cutting root treatment is a promising method for obtaining the high flavor quality of fresh O. raphanipes during cooling storage. • The taste components of O. raphanipes were examined for the first time. • 11 components were mainly responsible for the O. raphanipes flavor. • Cutting root treatment increased umami compounds contents during 5 °C storage. • Cutting root treatment maintained more C8 volatile contents during 5 °C storage. • Cutting root treatment enhanced more active contents during 5 °C storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photo-responsive liquid crystalline elastomer (LCE) with reduced chemically modified graphene oxide (RMGO) was fabricated and studied. Mesogenic groups modified graphene oxide (MGO) was prepared, reduced and characterised, then the obtained RMGO was mixed with an acrylate monomer containing a side-on mesogen, a crosslinker and a photoinitiator. After being oriented with magnetic field, well-defined LCE micropillar as photo-responsive actuators were fabricated from the mixture by the method combining soft lithography and photo-polymerisation/photo-crosslinking. The LCE micropillars showed reversible thermo-mechanical deformation during the nematic-to-isotropic transition temperature. Upon irradiating with red light (650 nm), photo-mechanical responses of the RMGO-containing LCE was demonstrated. This micron-sized LCE actuators can be used for remote photo-responsive devices. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A novel copper phthalocyanine-grafted graphene oxide (CuPc-g-GO) nanohybrid was prepared via in situ polymerization. Isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) and 3-aminophenoxyphthalonitrile were employed to functionalize GO with phthalonitrile moieties (GO-IPDI-CN), which was subsequently polymerized with 1,3,5-tri-(3,4-dicyanophenoxy) benzene and CuCl, forming the copper phthalocyanine between the sheets of GO. The CuPc-g-GO and the intermediates were characterized by FTIR, TGA, DSC, XPS, SEM, UV-Vis, XRD, and AFM. The results suggested that CuPc was successfully grafted on the surface of GO, and the GO was completely exfoliated after the grafting of the CuPc. And the formation of the nanohybrids effectively enhanced the dielectric constant of CuPc, which was as high as 9.04 at 100 Hz, with an increment of 116 %, when the mass fraction of GO-IPDI-CN was 10 wt%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Centromere protein F (CENPF), a protein related to the cell cycle, is a key part of the kinetochore-centromere complex involved in cell division, differentiation, and proliferation. CENPF expression is upregulated in various types of cancer and plays a role in oncogenesis and tumor progression. However, the expression pattern, prognostic significance, and biological role of CENPF in these cancer types are poorly understood. Therefore, in this study, we conducted a pan-cancer analysis of the role of CENPF, which we considered a cut point, to investigate its utility as a prognostic and immunological indicator for malignancies, especially cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Using systematic bioinformatics analysis, we investigated the expression patterns, prognostic relevance, molecular function, signaling pathways, and immune infiltration patterns of CENPF in the pan-cancer analysis. Western blot and immunohistochemistry staining assays were performed to evaluate the expression profiles of CENPF in CCA tissues and cell lines. Furthermore, Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation, wound healing, and Transwell assays, as well as CCA xenograft mouse models, were employed to determine the role and function of CENPF in CCA. The results showed that CENPF expression was upregulated and strongly linked to a worse prognosis in most cancer types. CENPF expression was substantially associated with immune cell infiltration, tumor microenvironment, genes related to immune checkpoints, tumor mutational burden, microsatellite instability, and immunotherapy response in diverse malignancies. CENPF was considerably overexpressed in CCA tissues and cells. Functionally, inhibiting CENPF expression significantly reduced the proliferating, migrating, and invading abilities of CCA cells. CENPF expression also affects the prognosis of multiple malignancies, which is highly associated with immunotherapy response and tumor immune cell infiltration. In conclusion, CENPF may act as an oncogene and an immune infiltration-related biomarker and can accelerate tumor development in CCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel iron phthalocyanine with nitro and nitrile groups (TnFePc-CN) micro–nano-structure was prepared via a simple and effective solvent-thermal route. SEM, FT-IR, UV–vis and DSC indicated that highly polar nitro and nitrile groups were successfully incorporated in phthalocyanine molecule. The strong permanent dipole moment endowed phthalocyanine with excellent microwave absorbing properties. The large microwave absorbing peak of TnFePc-CN arising at 15.8GHz, originated from polarization relaxation of the polar nitrile groups, and achieved a maximum absorbing value of −9.76dB at the thickness of 3.7mm. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In order to obtain highly flexible polymer composites with high dielectric performance, novel poly(arylene ether nitrile) (PEN)/graphene nanocomposites were prepared by a two-step method, involving facile solution-casting for dispersing graphene oxide and followed by thermal reduction of dispersed graphene oxide at 200 °C for 2 h. The results showed that the in situ thermal reduction method can help to fabricate PEN-based nanocomposites with homogenously dispersed graphene sheets and give rise to a 236 % increase of the dielectric constant between 160 °C and 200 °C of from 10.43 to 24.65 at 50 Hz. As a result of the formation of an alternative multilayered structure of PEN and graphene sheets, a typical percolation transition was observed as the content of the graphene oxide increased. The conductivity and dielectric constant followed the percolation threshold power law, yielding a percolation threshold ( f) of 0.014. The corresponding critical exponent was calculated as μ = t( t + s) = 0.83, which was in good agreement with the experimental data of μ = 0.81 as f = 0.013. This type of PEN/graphene composite with low percolation threshold can be potentially applied as novel dielectric materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]