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Abstract Ermiao wan (EMW) is a classical traditional Chinese medicine formula, with two modified versions including Sanmiao wan (SMW) and Simiao wan (FMW). These Ermiao wan categorized formulas (ECFs) are traditionally used to treat gouty arthritis and hyperuricemia. However, their potential benefits and mechanisms on diabetes remain to be explored. This study aims to investigate the overall effects and biological differences of ECFs in high fat diet (HFD)-fed mice based on network pharmacology and transcriptomics. ECFs significantly reduced body weight, improved oral glucose tolerance, decreased fat accumulation, and lowered serum insulin and inflammatory cytokine levels in HFD-fed mice. FMW had better efficacy than EMW and SMW. Network pharmacology analysis revealed that ECFs targeted functional modules associated with chronic inflammation, lipid metabolism, and glucose metabolism. Transcriptome results also showed ECFs could inhibit genes associated with inflammation and upregulated some genes in lipid metabolism. Comprehensive analysis and QPCR verification indicated the beneficial effects of ECFs on diabetes might be attributed to the regulation of Ddit3, Ccl2, Esr1, and Cyp7a1. This study provides a theoretical basis for the clinical use of ECFs.

Abstract Previous studies have shown that the zinc-responsive MRI probe, GdL1, can distinguish healthy versus malignant prostate tissues based upon differences in zinc content and secretion. In this study, mice were fed chow containing low, normal, or high zinc content for 3 weeks before imaging glucose stimulated zinc secretion (GSZS) by MRI. The distribution of zinc in prostate tissue in these three groups was imaged by synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence (SR-XRF). A zinc deficiency caused systemic and organ-level dysregulation, weight loss, and altered zinc bioavailability. Zinc efflux from the prostate increased in parallel to dietary zinc in healthy mice but not in TRAMP mice, consistent with a lowered capacity to store dietary zinc in malignant cells. This differential zinc efflux suggests that a dietary supplement of zinc prior to a GSZS study may enhance image contrast between healthy and malignant prostate tissue, thereby improving the accuracy of prostate cancer detection in man.

Abstract For di-nitroaromatics hydrogenation, it is a challenge to achieve the multi-step hydrogenation with high activity and selectivity due to the complexity of the process involving two nitro groups. Consequently, many precious metal catalysts suffer from low activity for this multi-step hydrogenation reaction. Herein, we employ a fully exposed Pt clusters catalyst consisting of an average of four Pt atoms on nanodiamond@graphene (Ptn/ND@G), demonstrating excellent catalytic performance for the multi-step hydrogenation of 2,4-dinitrotoluene. The TOF (40647 h−1) of Ptn/ND@G is significantly superior to that of single Pt atoms catalyst, Pt nanoparticles catalyst, and even all the known catalysts. Density functional theory calculations and absorption experiments reveal that the synergetic interaction between the multiple active sites of Ptn/ND@G facilitate the co-adsorption/activation of reactants and H2, as well as the desorption of intermediates/products, which is the key for the higher catalytic activity than single Pt atoms catalyst and Pt nanoparticles catalyst.

Individuals tend to move freely when there is enough room but would act collectively for their survival under external stress. In the case of living cells, for instance, when a drop of low-density flagellated bacterial solution is transferred onto the agar surface, the initially disordered movement of individual bacteria would be replaced with coordinated cell swarming after a lag phase of a few hours. Here, we study how such cooperation is established while overcoming the disorder at the onset of the lag phase with single nanoparticle tracking. Upon the spreading of the droplet, the bacteria in the solution cluster and align near the almost immobilized contact line confining the drop, forming a narrow ring of cells. As individual cells move in and out of the ring continuously, certain flow patterns emerge in the inter-bacterial fluid. We reveal high-speed long-distance unidirectional flows with definite chirality along the outside of the ring, along the inside of the ring and across the ring. We speculate that these flows enable the fast and efficient transport, facilitating the communication and unification of the bacterial community.

With the widespread application of metaheuristic algorithms in engineering and scientific research, finding algorithms with efficient global search capabilities and precise local search performance has become a hot topic in research. The osprey optimization algorithm (OOA) was first proposed in 2023, characterized by its simple structure and strong optimization capability. However, practical tests have revealed that the OOA algorithm inevitably encounters common issues faced by metaheuristic algorithms, such as the tendency to fall into local optima and reduced population diversity in the later stages of the algorithm's iterations. To address these issues, a multi-strategy fusion improved osprey optimization algorithm is proposed (IOOA). First, the characteristics of various chaotic mappings were thoroughly explored, and the adoption of Circle chaotic mapping to replace pseudo-random numbers for population initialization improvement was proposed, increasing initial population diversity and improving the quality of initial solutions. Second, a dynamically adjustable elite guidance mechanism was proposed to dynamically adjust the position updating method according to different stages of the algorithm's iteration, ensuring the algorithm maintains good global search capabilities while significantly increasing the convergence speed of the algorithm. Lastly, a dynamic chaotic weight factor was designed and applied in the development stage of the original algorithm to enhance the algorithm's local search capability and improve the convergence accuracy of the algorithm. To fully verify the effectiveness and practical engineering applicability of the IOOA algorithm, simulation experiments were conducted using 21 benchmark test functions and the CEC-2022 benchmark functions, and the IOOA algorithm was applied to the LSTM power load forecasting problem as well as two engineering design problems. The experimental results show that the IOOA algorithm possesses outstanding global optimization performance in handling complex optimization problems and broad applicability in practical engineering applications.

Plant fibers have been gradually used in cement concrete. However, the long-term performance of high-performance concrete (HPC) reinforced with plant fibers has yet to be studied. This paper investigated the degradation of sisal fiber in HPC subjected to 9 months of drying-wetting cycles. The mechanical properties of HPC specimens were tested, and the degradation of sisal fibers in the HPC matrix was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffractometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscope. After drying-wetting cycles for 9 months, the mechanical properties of the HPC specimens showed little change (within 10 %); the lignin content of sisal fiber was significantly reduced (the C1/C2 value was decreased by 68.9 %), and a portion of the cellulose was also subjected to alkaline hydrolysis, but there was no significant mineralization phenomenon. Therefore, sisal fiber reinforced HPC has good long-term performance under drying-wetting cycle conditions, but its durability under the coupling of multiple deterioration factors still needs further exploration.

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the utility of weighted amide proton transfer (APTw) MRI in three different rodent models of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods: APTw MRI was evaluated in models of diethylnitrosamine (DEN) induced HCC, N1S1 syngeneic orthotopic xenograft and human HepG2 ectopic xenograft.Results: All models of HCC showed a higher APTw signal over the surrounding normal tissues. In the DEN model, the APTw signal could differentiate HCC lesions from benign nodules. Intra-arterial administration of low-density lipoprotein docosahexaenoic acid (LDL-DHA) nanoparticles to N1S1 xenografts rapidly lowered the tumor APTw signal within 72 h. Direct injections of LDL-DHA nanoparticles into HepG2 xenografts also showed similar therapeutic responses.Conclusion: We have demonstrated the utility of APTw imaging in the diagnostic/therapeutic management of HCC.

Fe-based Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) enables the selective conversion of syngas into long-chain hydrocarbons, which can be further refined to produce highly demanded liquid fuels and high-value chemical products. However, developing novel heterogeneous catalysts for FTS with desirable performance characteristics is a challenging task, as their performance depends on various factors such as precursor, support material, promoters, pretreatment conditions and the catalyst structures. Thus, it remains difficult to understand the structure-performance relationship of FTS and to optimize the catalyst formulations and operating conditions rationally. By integrating traditional chemistry with machine learning, we herein establish intrinsic correlations among reduction, reaction conditions, phase information and the methane selectivity of Fe-based FTS, using high quality experimental data. The content of the iron phases in the post-reaction phase, particularly χ-Fe5C2, significantly influences the methane selectivity of the catalyst. Four types of additives K, Cu, SiO2, and Ca could effectively suppress the methane selectivity, most likely by promoting or stabilizing the iron carbide phases, indicated by their strong correlation. The machine learned structure-performance relationships offers new insights into the design of Fe-based FTS catalysts, and could guide the further optimization of the preprocessing conditions and various parameter factors to minimize the methane selectivity of FTS.

Solid surfaces usually reach thermodynamic equilibrium through particle exchange with their environment under reactive conditions. A prerequisite for understanding their functionalities is detailed knowledge of the surface composition and atomistic geometry under working conditions. Owing to the large number of possible Miller indices and terminations involved in multielement solids, extensive sampling of the compositional and conformational space needed for reliable surface energy estimation is beyond the scope of ab initio calculations. Here, we demonstrate, using the case of iron carbides in environments with varied carbon chemical potentials, that the stable surface composition and geometry of multielement solids under reactive conditions, which involve large compositional and conformational spaces, can be predicted at ab initio accuracy using an approach that combines the bond valence model, Gaussian process regression, and ab initio thermodynamics. Determining the atomistic structure of surfaces under working conditions paves the way toward identifying the true active sites of multielement catalysts in heterogeneous catalysis.

Abstract Single-site pincer-ligated iridium complexes exhibit the ability for C-H activation in homogeneous catalysis. However, instability and difficulty in catalyst recycling are inherent disadvantages of the homogeneous catalyst, limiting its development. Here, we report an atomically dispersed Ir catalyst as the bridge between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, which displays an outstanding catalytic performance for n-butane dehydrogenation, with a remarkable n-butane reaction rate (8.8 mol·gIr −1·h−1) and high butene selectivity (95.6%) at low temperature (450 °C). Significantly, we correlate the BDH activity with the Ir species from nanoscale to sub-nanoscale, to reveal the nature of structure-dependence of catalyst. Moreover, we compare Ir single atoms with Pt single atoms and Pd single atoms for in-depth understanding the nature of metal-dependence at the atomic level. From experimental and theoretical calculations results, the isolated Ir site is suitable for both reactant adsorption/activation and product desorption. Its remarkable dehydrogenation capacity and moderate adsorption behavior are the key to the outstanding catalytic activity and selectivity.

Photothermal Fischer-Tropsch synthesis represents a promising strategy for converting CO into value-added chemicals. Here the authors report a Ru1Co single atom alloy catalyst for CO photo-hydrogenation to C5+ liquid fuels at ambient pressure, and confirm the role of Ru single atoms in promoting CO activation and C-C coupling whilst suppressing CH x * over-hydrogenation.

The working temperature of boron-based catalysts reduces their thermodynamic advantages in the oxidative dehydrogenation of propane (ODHP). Here the authors demonstrate encapsulated Ni nanoparticles as effective subsurface promoters to enhance the low temperature activity and selectivity of the boron oxide overlayer in ODHP.

Abstract Chemical-disordered materials have a wide range of applications whereas the determination of their structures or configurations is one of the most important and challenging problems. Traditional methods are extremely inefficient or intractable for large systems due to the notorious exponential-wall issue that the number of possible structures increase exponentially for N-body systems. Herein, we introduce an efficient approach to predict the thermodynamically stable structures of chemical-disordered materials via active-learning accompanied by first-principles calculations. Our method, named LAsou, can efficiently compress the sampling space and dramatically reduce the computational cost. Three distinct and typical finite-size systems are investigated, including the anion-disordered BaSc(OxF1−x)3 (x = 0.667), the cation-disordered Ca1−xMnxCO3 (x = 0.25) with larger size and the defect-disordered ε-FeCx (x = 0.5) with larger space. The commonly used enumeration method requires to explicitly calculate 2664, 1033, and 10496 configurations, respectively, while the LAsou method just needs to explicitly calculate about 15, 20, and 10 configurations, respectively. Besides the finite-size system, our LAsou method is ready for quasi-infinite size systems empowering materials design.

Abstract Purpose Accessory navicular is accompanied by the deformity of valgus flexible flatfoot. The surgical treatment includes reconstruction of insertion of posterior tibial tendon following resection of the accessory navicular. However, this treatment could not correct completely the deformity of valgus flexible flatfoot. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of subtalar arthroereisis combined with medial soft tissue reconstruction in treating 8–14-year-old flexible flatfoot patients with accessory navicular. Methods Clinical data of 35 pediatric flatfoot patients (with 50 feet) with accessory navicular who underwent subtalar arthroereisis and medial soft tissue reconstruction between April 2013 and September 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. Anteroposterior, lateral, and hindfoot alignment radiological images were measured in the weight-bearing position, and visual analog scale (VAS), American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scale, and satisfaction degree were evaluated. Also, surgical complications were recorded. Results The average follow-up time of the patients was 30 ± 9.3 months. None of the patients presented wound complications, and no implant loosening was detected. The AOFAS and VAS scores improved significantly (P

The preferential oxidation of CO (PROX) in hydrogen is a promising solution for hydrogen purification. Here the authors report a novel bimetallic Pt-Fe catalyst with ultralow metal loading which delivers excellent catalytic activity and selectivity in PROX, while maintains good stability for a long period.

Over the past decade many researchers have applied machine learning algorithms with computational chemistry and materials science tools to explore properties of catalysts. There is a rapid increase in publications demonstrating the use of machine learning for rational catalyst design. In our perspective, targeted tools for rational catalyst design will continue to make significant contributions. However, the community should focus on developing high-throughput simulation tools that utilize molecular dynamics capabilities for thorough exploration of the complex potential energy surfaces that exist, particularly in heterogeneous catalysis. Catalyst-specific databases should be developed to contain enough data to represent the complex multi-dimensional space that defines structure-function relationships. Machine learning tools will continue to impact rational catalyst design; however, we believe that more sophisticated pattern recognition algorithms would yield better understanding of structure-function relationships for heterogeneous catalysis.

Abstract Achieving scalable synthesis of nanoscale transition‐metal carbides (TMCs), regarded as substitutes for platinum‐group noble metals, remains an ongoing challenge. Herein, a 100‐g scale synthesis of single‐phased cobalt carbide (Co2C) through carburization of Co‐based Prussian Blue Analog (Co‐PBA) is reported in CO2/H2 atmosphere under mild conditions (230 °C, ambient pressure). Textural property investigations indicate a successful preparation of orthorhombic‐phased Co2C nanomaterials with Pt‐group–like electronic properties. As a demonstration, Co2C achieves landmark photo‐assisted thermal catalytic CO2 conversion rates with photo‐switched product selectivity, which far exceeds the representative Pt‐group‐metal–based catalysts. This impressive result is attributed to the excellent activation of reactants, colorific light absorption, and photo‐to‐thermal conversion capacities. In addition to CO2 hydrogenation, the versatile Co2C materials show huge prospects in antibacterial therapy, interfacial water evaporation, electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction, and battery technologies. This study paves the way toward unlocking the potential of multi‐functional Co2C nanomaterials.

Abstract Photo‐thermal catalytic CO2 hydrogenation is currently extensively studied as one of the most promising approaches for the conversion of CO2 into value‐added chemicals under mild conditions; however, achieving desirable conversion efficiency and target product selectivity remains challenging. Herein, the fabrication of Ir‐CoO/Al2O3 catalysts derived from Ir/CoAl LDH composites is reported for photo‐thermal CO2 methanation, which consist of Ir‐CoO ensembles as active centers that are evenly anchored on amorphous Al2O3 nanosheets. A CH4 production rate of 128.9 mmol gcat⁻1 h⁻1 is achieved at 250 °C under ambient pressure and visible light irradiation, outperforming most reported metal‐based catalysts. Mechanism studies based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations and numerical simulations reveal that the CoO nanoparticles function as photocatalysts to donate electrons for Ir nanoparticles and meanwhile act as “nanoheaters” to effectively elevate the local temperature around Ir active sites, thus promoting the adsorption, activation, and conversion of reactant molecules. In situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (in situ DRIFTS) demonstrates that illumination also efficiently boosts the conversion of formate intermediates. The mechanism of dual functions of photothermal semiconductors as photocatalysts for electron donation and as nano‐heaters for local temperature enhancement provides new insight in the exploration for efficient photo‐thermal catalysts.

In this paper, the fracture toughness tests of compact tensile (CT) specimens with varying in-plane constraints were carried out. J-R curves of G20Mn5QT cast steel were firstly measured by normalization method. The results show that with the increase of crack lengths, the in-plane constraints strengthen and J-R curves drop. The fracture morphology was analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The fracture mechanism is revealed from ductile fracture through mixed ductile and brittle fracture to brittle fracture with the enhancement of in-plane constraints. Then GTN model was used to predict J-R curves of G20Mn5QT using CT specimens with different in-plane and out-of-plane constraints. The effects of f0, fN, fc and fF in GTN model on load–displacement curves, J-R curves and crack evolution process were studied in detail for calibrating GTN model parameters precisely. It is demonstrated that the numerical results using the calibrated GTN model are in good agreement with the experimental measurements, which proves that GTN model is a convenient and effective tool for evaluating the fracture toughness of materials. The increase of in-plane or out-of-plane constraints makes J-R curves descent. There exists interaction between the in-plane and out-of-plane constraints. The lower in-plane constraints strengthen the out-of-plane constraints effects, while the higher in-plane constraints are not sensitive to the out-of-plane constraints.

Abstract Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and is characterized by the degradation of articular cartilage and inflammation of the synovial membrane. Fucosylation is an important feature of protein N/O-glycosylation and is involved in a variety of pathological processes, including inflammation and cancer. However, whether fucosylation impacts the OA pathological process is unknown. Methods Total proteins were extracted from cartilage samples obtained from patients with OA (n = 11) and OA rabbit models at different time points (n = 12). OA-associated abnormal glycopatterns were evaluated by lectin microarrays and lectin blots. The expression of fucosyltransferases involved in the synthesis of α-1,3 fucosylation was assessed by semi-qPCR. The synthesis of α-1,3 fucosylation mediated by FUT10 was interrupted by the transfection of siRNA, and the effect of α-1,3 fucosylation on OA-associated events was assessed. Then, immunoprecipitation and lectin blotting were used to investigate the relationship between the α-1,3 fucosylation level of tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 1A (TNFR1) and OA. Finally, a TNFR1 antibody microarray was fabricated to evaluate the effect of α-1,3 fucosylation on the ability of TNFR1 to bind to tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Results Elevated α-1,3 fucosylation was observed in cartilage from OA patients, rabbit models, and chondrocytes induced by TNF-α (fold change> 2, p< 0.01). Our results and the GEO database indicated that the overexpression of FUT10 contributed to this alteration. Silencing the expression of FUT10 impaired the ability of TNFR1 to bind to TNF-α, impeded activation of the NF-κB and P38/JNK-MAPK pathways, and eventually retarded extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, senescence, and apoptosis in chondrocytes exposed to TNF-α. Conclusion The elevation of α-1,3 fucosylation is not only a characteristic of OA but also impacts the OA pathological process. Our work provides a new positive feedback loop of “inflammation conditions/TNF-α/FUT10/α-1,3 fucosylation of TNFR1/NF-κB and P38/JNK-MAPK pathways/proinflammatory processes” that contributes to ECM degradation and chondrocyte apoptosis.

Due to the absence of effective control measures, tea leaf spot, caused by Lasiodiplodia theobromae, can seriously reduce the production and quality of tea leaves. Analysis of the relationship between messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) of tea could help to prevent and control the disease. In this current study, high-performance sequencing of mRNA and lncRNA from tea leaves during infection by L. theobromae was conducted using the Illumina HiSeq 4000 platform. Of the differentially expressed mRNAs, 2,503 or 5,278 were significantly up- or down regulated, respectively, in challenged leaves relative to unchallenged leaves. Differentially expressed lncRNAs were also analyzed at the level of genes for the above two treatments. The numbers of significantly up- or downregulated lncRNAs were 3,403 or 1,477, respectively. Functional analysis of mRNA revealed that L. theobromae challenge can induce the upregulation of the genes of seven transmembrane MLO family protein -3, -6, -11, major allergen Pru ar 1, and so on. In total, 176 differentially expressed lncRNAs occurred in response to L. theobromae challenge as a result of cis regulation, with 146 differentially expressed mRNAs. At the biological process of defense response, the glycosyl hydrolase 9A1 gene was cis regulated by the differentially expressed lncRNA. The expression profiling and association studies of the tea host infected by L. theobromae will provide a resource for future research into host–pathogen interactions and disease resistance.[Figure: see text] Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Abstract Swarming bacteria can organize themselves into different local communities, ranging from active cell rafts to reticular biofilms. How millions of motile and immotile cells are dynamically linked together and still function as a whole is a critical interdisciplinary issue. Besides biochemical and molecular characterizations, concerns on the microscopic communication mechanisms underlying the complicated microsystem have been largely simplified to biophysics or physical interactions between individual isolated bacteria. Herein, by single‐cell tracking of fluorescent bacteria in the motile cell layer and single‐particle tracking of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in the upper fluid layer in different regions across a swarming colony of Bacillus subtilis, we studied collective multibacteria interactions, using the upper fluid as the medium, in detail. While the dynamic properties differ spatially, both cell migrations and AuNP transports in the swarming edge, the intermediate and the biofilm‐like center regions of the colony can be described with the Lévy‐walk‐like superdiffusion model. Moreover, the speed and motion range of the AuNPs are always much smaller than the bacteria, indicating that the intercellular fluid flow alone cannot explain long‐range cell‐to‐cell signaling. Referring to previous literature, we propose the presence of a decentralized two‐tier “active‐mixing” network in the bacterial community for efficient information exchange.

The selective hydrogenation of nitriles to prepare corresponding amines is highly desired in chemistry industry. Here, the authors selectively obtained secondary amines and primary amines over two types of atomically dispersed Pd catalysts supported on the nanodiamond-graphene hybrid support.

Abstract Cobalt carbides nanoparticles have great potential as novel materials in magnetic fields. However, it is difficult to synthesize single phase cobalt carbides, especially Co3C. In this paper, we propose a one‐pot wet‐chemistry approach to synthesize single phase ferromagnetic Co3C without using any alkali as nucleation solvent. The particle size of Co3C nanoparticle is about 3 nm. The magnetic properties of Co3C nanoparticles are measured at 300 K from –30 to 30 kOe. Compared with Co2C, Co3C exhibits a large saturation magnetization of 46.1 emu g–1 and a high coercivity of 1.5 kOe. Small amount of carbon and small particle size of the Co3C nanoparticle are believed to contribute to large magnetization and high coercivity. Magnetic measurements also reveal the spin glass behavior caused by the small Co3C nanoparticle at the spin freezing temperature of 43 K. This work provides a facile method to synthesize single phase Co3C nanoparticle which is applicable in magnetic field.

Bone and tissue degeneration are the most common skeletal disorders that seriously affect people’s quality of life. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is one of the most common RNA modifications in eukaryotic cells, affecting the alternative splicing, translation, stability and degradation of mRNA. Interestingly, increasing number of evidences have indicated that m6A modification could modulate the expression of autophagy-related (ATG) genes and promote autophagy in the cells. Autophagy is an important process regulating intracellular turnover and is evolutionarily conserved in eukaryotes. Abnormal autophagy results in a variety of diseases, including cardiomyopathy, degenerative disorders, and inflammation. Thus, the interaction between m6A modification and autophagy plays a prominent role in the onset and progression of bone and tissue degeneration. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge related to the effect of m6A modification on autophagy, and introduce the role of the crosstalk between m6A modification and autophagy in bone and tissue degeneration. An in-depth knowledge of the above crosstalk may help to improve our understanding of their effects on bone and tissue degeneration and provide novel insights for the future therapeutics.

Background: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) accounts for 80% of all kidney cancers and has a poor prognosis. Recent studies have shown that copper-dependent, regulated cell death differs from previously known death mechanisms (apoptosis, ferroptosis, and necroptosis) and is dependent on mitochondrial respiration (Tsvetkov et al., Science, 2022, 375 (6586), 1254–1261). Studies also suggested that targeting cuproptosis may be a novel therapeutic strategy for cancer therapy. In ccRCC, both cuproptosis and lncRNA were critical, but the mechanisms were not fully understood. The aim of our study was to construct a prognostic profile based on cuproptosis-associated lncRNAs to predict the prognosis of ccRCC and to study the immune profile of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).Methods: We downloaded the transcriptional profile and clinical information of ccRCC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Co-expression network analysis, Cox regression method, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method were used to identify cuproptosis-associated lncRNAs and to construct a risk prognostic model. In addition, the predictive performance of the model was validated and recognized by an integrated approach. We then also constructed a nomogram to predict the prognosis of ccRCC patients. Differences in biological function were investigated by GO, KEGG, and immunoassay. Immunotherapy response was measured using tumor mutational burden (TMB) and tumor immune dysfunction and rejection (TIDE) scores.Results: We constructed a panel of 10 cuproptosis-associated lncRNAs (HHLA3, H1-10-AS1, PICSAR, LINC02027, SNHG15, SNHG8, LINC00471, EIF1B-AS1, LINC02154, and MINCR) to construct a prognostic prediction model. The Kaplan–Meier and ROC curves showed that the feature had acceptable predictive validity in the TCGA training, test, and complete groups. The cuproptosis-associated lncRNA model had higher diagnostic efficiency compared to other clinical features. The analysis of Immune cell infiltration and ssGSEA further confirmed that predictive features were significantly associated with the immune status of ccRCC patients. Notably, the superimposed effect of patients in the high-risk group and high TMB resulted in shorter survival. In addition, the higher TIDE scores in the high-risk group suggested a poorer outcome for immune checkpoint blockade response in these patients.Conclusion: The ten cuproptosis-related risk profiles for lncRNA may help assess the prognosis and molecular profile of ccRCC patients and improve treatment options, which can be further applied in the clinic.

Direct dehydrogenation has been a thematic research area resulting from the energy shortage and petroleum gas upgrading scenario. Here, the authors fabricate fully exposed Pt3 clusters and correlate dehydrogenation activity with average coordination number of Pt-Pt bond.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute coronavirus disease 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus represents an ongoing threat to human health and well-being. Notably, many COVID-19 patients suffer from complications consistent with osteoporosis (OP) following disease resolution yet the mechanistic links between SARS-CoV-2 infection and OP remain to be clarified. The present study was thus developed to explore the potential basis for this link by employing transcriptomic analyses to identify signaling pathways and biomarkers associated with OP and SARS-CoV-2. Specifically, a previously published RNA-sequencing dataset (GSE152418) from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) was used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in OP patients and individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 as a means of exploring the underlying molecular mechanisms linking these two conditions. In total, 2,885 DEGs were identified by analyzing the COVID-19 patient dataset, with shared DEGs then being identified by comparison of these DEGs with those derived from an OP patient dataset. Hub genes were identified through a series of bioinformatics approaches and protein-protein interaction analyses. Predictive analyses of transcription factor/gene interactions, protein/drug interactions, and DEG/miRNA networks associated with these DEGs were also conducted. Together, these data highlight promising candidate drugs with the potential to treat both COVID-19 and OP.

In order to reduce and control the generation and development of early cracks in the concrete utility tunnel, ABAQUS finite element software was used to model the temperature field and thermal stress of early-age concrete of a thin-walled box structure. For the accuracy of simulation, the hydration heat of cementitious materials was tested by TAM air method, and the actual working conditions were used. Different curing methods were modeled, such as formwork type, formwork removal time, and curing time. Simulation results showed that steel formwork shall be selected for construction in summer, and the recommended formwork removal time was 3 days, which was better to resist temperature induced cracks. Moreover, the sooner the formwork was removed, the smaller temperature difference between concrete surface and center, but it would bring difficulties to the cooling rate control. Also, higher temperature occurred at bottom plate, especially in the junction area between bottom plate and partition wall. The maximum thermal stress was found at the junction between top plate and partition. Last but not lease, attention should be paid to the occurrence of peak temperature in 26 h, temperature difference control for 26–50 h, and cooling rate control during 2–5 days.

A trispecific hybrid, MTP (hereafter called tripsazea), was developed from intergeneric crosses involving tetraploid Zea mays (2n = 4x = 40, genome: MMMM), tetraploid Tripsacum dactyloides (2n = 4x = 72, TTTT), and tetraploid Z. perennis (2n = 4x = 40, PPPP). On crossing maize-Tripsacum (2n = 4x = 56, MMTT) with Z. perennis, 37 progenies with varying chromosome numbers (36-74) were obtained, and a special one (i.e., tripsazea) possessing 2n = 74 chromosomes was generated. Tripsazea is perennial and expresses phenotypic characteristics affected by its progenitor parent. Flow cytometry analysis of tripsazea and its parents showed that tripsazea underwent DNA sequence elimination during allohexaploidization. Of all the chromosomes in diakinesis I, 18.42% participated in heterogenetic pairing, including 16.43% between the M- and P-genomes, 1.59% between the M- and T-genomes, and 0.39% in T- and P-genome pairing. Tripsazea is male sterile and partly female fertile. In comparison with previously synthesized trihybrids containing maize, Tripsacum and teosinte, tripsazea has a higher chromosome number, higher seed setting rate, and vegetative propagation ability of stand and stem. However, few trihybrids possess these valuable traits at the same time. The potential of tripsazea is discussed with respect to the deployment of the genetic bridge for maize improvement and forage breeding.

The optomechanical crystal nanobeam resonator has attracted the attention of researchers due to its high optomechanical coupling rate and small modal volume. In this study, we propose a high-optomechanical-coupling-rate heterostructure with a gradient cavity, and the optomechanical rates of the single mirror and hetero-optomechanical crystal nanobeam resonators are calculated. The results demonstrate that the heterostructure based on the utilization of two mirror regions realizes better confinement of the optical and mechanical modes. In addition, the mechanical breathing mode at 9.75 GHz and optical mode with a working wavelength of 1.17 μm are demonstrated with an optomechanical coupling rate g0 = 3.81 MHz between them, and the mechanical quality factor is increased to 3.18 × 106.

Summary: Flagellated bacteria move collectively in a swirling pattern on agar surfaces immersed in a thin layer of viscous “swarm fluid,” but the role of this fluid in mediating the cooperation of the bacterial population is not well understood. Herein, we use gold nanorods (AuNRs) as single particle tracers to explore the spatiotemporal structure of the swarm fluid. Individual AuNRs are moving in a plane of ∼2 μm above swarms, traveling for long distances in high speed without interferences from bacterial movements. The particles are lifted and transported by collective mixing of small vortices around bacteria during localized clustering and de-clustering of motile cells. Their motions fit the Lévy walk model, revealing efficient fluidic flows above the swarms. These flows provide obstacle-free highways for long-range material transportations, allow swarming bacteria to perform population-level communications, and imply the essential role of the fluid phase on the emergence of large-scale synergy. : Transport Phenomena; Biological Sciences; Biophysics; Laser Biophysics Subject Areas: Transport Phenomena, Biological Sciences, Biophysics, Laser Biophysics

BackgroundRenal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a disease of genomic alterations, of which the complete panorama helps in facilitating molecular-guided therapy. Germline mutation profiles and associated somatic and clinical characteristics remains unexplored in Chinese RCC patients.MethodsWe retrospectively profiled the germline and somatic mutations of 322 unselected RCC patients using a panel consisting of 808 cancer-related genes. We categorized patients into three groups based on germline mutation status and compared the somatic mutation spectrum among different groups.ResultsApproximately one out of ten (9.9%) RCC patients were identified to carry pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) germline variants (PGVs), of which 3.7% were variants in syndromic RCC-associated genes and 6.2% were other cancer-predisposition genes. The most common PGV was found in VHL (2.2%), followed by FH, TSC2, ATM, BRCA1, NBN, and BLM (0.6% each). Young patients (≤46 years) were more likely to harbor PGVs. Variants in syndromic RCC-associated genes were predominant identified in young patients, while variants in other cancer-predisposition genes were found in patients >46 years more frequently. Furthermore, 39.3% (11/28) of patients carrying PGVs were detected to have somatic “second hit” events. Germline and somatic sequencing, including microsatellite instability (MSI) status analysis, provided potentially actionable therapeutic targets in 17.1% of patients in the whole cohort.ConclusionsOur results revealed that approximately 10% of RCC patients carried clinically significant germline mutations. Current guidelines recommendation for genetic testing seemed not sensitive enough to identify patients with hereditary RCC susceptibility. It is rational to promote genetic testing in RCC population.

The sparrow search algorithm (SSA) is a metaheuristic algorithm developed based on the foraging and anti-predatory behavior of sparrow populations. Compared with other metaheuristic algorithms, SSA also suffers from poor population diversity, has weak global comprehensive search ability, and easily falls into local optimality. To address the problems whereby the sparrow search algorithm tends to fall into local optimum and the population diversity decreases in the later stage of the search, an improved sparrow search algorithm (PGL-SSA) based on piecewise chaotic mapping, Gaussian difference variation, and linear differential decreasing inertia weight fusion is proposed. Firstly, we analyze the improvement of six chaotic mappings on the overall performance of the sparrow search algorithm, and we finally determine the initialization of the population by piecewise chaotic mapping to increase the initial population richness and improve the initial solution quality. Secondly, we introduce Gaussian difference variation in the process of individual iterative update and use Gaussian difference variation to perturb the individuals to generate a diversity of individuals so that the algorithm can converge quickly and avoid falling into localization. Finally, linear differential decreasing inertia weights are introduced globally to adjust the weights so that the algorithm can fully traverse the solution space with larger weights in the first iteration to avoid falling into local optimum, and we enhance the local search ability with smaller weights in the later iteration to improve the search accuracy of the optimal solution. The results show that the proposed algorithm has a faster convergence speed and higher search accuracy than the comparison algorithm, the global search capability is significantly enhanced, and it is easier to jump out of the local optimum. The improved algorithm is also applied to the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system control optimization direction, and the improved algorithm is used to optimize the parameters of the HVAC system Proportion Integral Differential (PID) controller. The results show that the PID controller optimized by the improved algorithm has higher control accuracy and system stability, which verifies the feasibility of the improved algorithm in practical engineering applications.

It is highly desired to explore cheap, non-toxic transition metals catalysts for semihydrogenation of acetylene. Here, isolated Cu atoms anchored onto a defective nanodiamond-graphene support exhibit robust catalytic performance in acetylene semihydrogenation in comparison with supported Cu clusters.

The study on the hydration process of cement-based materials is of significance since it determines the development of the macro-properties. The hydration process of high-volume fly ash (FA)-cement based materials is quite special and needs systematic study. In this study, the hydration heat release of cement paste with high volume FA were measured with isothermal calorimetry at different temperatures. The full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) value of the exothermic peak and the cementitious index (CMI) of FA were used comprehensively to evaluate the influence of FA on cement hydration. It was found that increasing the FA content and water-binder ratio retarded the hydration process for paste but did not show obvious effects on the hydration of cement. The CMI values show that raising the temperature intensified the retarding effect of FA on cement hydration during the induction period, but promoted the subsequent hydration process. According to the normalized heat release to cement, and the change of CMI values with temperature, new evidence was found that FA may not act as nucleation sites during the hydration process of cement. The result can be better explained by the topochemical reaction mechanism.

Development of fuel cells and metal-air batteries is hindered by electrocatalyst performance, which can be enhanced with uniform and atomically dispersed active sites. Here the authors report an iron-based electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction in cathodes for a zinc-air battery and a hydrogen-air fuel cell.

This study was aimed to investigate the stability of chromosomes during meiosis in autopolyploid and allopolyploid maize, as well as to determine an association of chromosomes between maize (Zea mays ssp. mays Linnaeus, 1753) and Z. perennis (Hitchcock, 1922) Reeves & Mangelsdor, 1942, by producing a series of autopolyploid and allopolyploid maize hybrids. The intra-genomic and inter-genomic meiotic pairings in these polyploids were quantified and compared using dual-color genomic in-situ hybridization. The results demonstrated higher level of chromosome stability in allopolyploid maize during meiosis as compared to autopolyploid maize. In addition, the meiotic behavior of Z. perennis was relatively more stable as compared to the allopolyploid maize. Moreover, ten chromosomes of "A” subgenome in maize were homologous to twenty chromosomes of Z. perennis genome with a higher pairing frequency and little evolutionary differentiation. At the same time, little evolutionary differentiation has been shown by chromosomes of "A” subgenome in maize, while chromosomes of "B” subgenome, had a lower pairing frequency and higher evolutionary differentiation. Furthermore, 5IM + 5IIPP + 5IIIMPP and 5IIMM + 5IIPP + 5IVMMPP were observed in allotriploids and allotetraploids respectively, whereas homoeologous chromosomes were found between the "A” and "B” genome of maize and Z. perennis.

The natural product citral has previously been demonstrated to possess antifungal activity against Magnaporthe oryzae. The purpose of this study was to screen and annotate genes that were differentially expressed (DEGs) in M. oryzae after treatment with citral using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Thereafter, samples were reprepared for quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis verification of RNA-seq data. The results showed that 649 DEGs in M. oryzae were significantly affected after treatment with citral (100 μg/mL) for 24 h. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and a gene ontology (GO) analysis showed that DEGs were mainly enriched in amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolic pathways, including the chitin synthesis pathway and UDP sugar synthesis pathway. The results of the RT-qPCR analysis also showed that the chitin present in M. oryzae might be degraded to chitosan, chitobiose, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, and β-D-fructose-6-phosphate following treatment with citral. Chitin degradation was indicated by damaged cell-wall integrity. Moreover, the UDP glucose synthesis pathway was involved in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, providing precursors for the synthesis of polysaccharides. Galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase, which is involved in the regulation of UDP-α-D-galactose and α-D-galactose-1-phosphate, was downregulated. This would result in the inhibition of UDP glucose (UDP-Glc) synthesis, a reduction in cell-wall glucan content, and the destruction of cell-wall integrity.

A novel structure of modified multi-trench fiber (MTF) with characteristics of bend-resistance and large mode-area is proposed. In this structure, each low refractive-index trench of traditional MTF is broken by two gaps up and down. Numerical investigations show that the mode field area of 840 μm2 can be achieved with effective single-mode (SM) operation when the bending radius is 15 cm. Moreover, the high order mode (HOM) suppression of the proposed design is better than that of standard MTF. The SM operation property can be enhanced with the decreases of bending radius. The proposed design shows great potential in high power fiber lasers with compact structure.

Background: Berberine (BBR) has been extensively reported to inhibit colorectal cancer (CRC) development, though its bioavailability is poor. Nowadays, an increasing number of studies have shown that BBR significantly accumulates in the intestines and could regulate gut microbiota in obesity. The purpose of this study was to further explore the effects of BBR on gut microbiota in Apc min/+ mice receiving a high fat diet (HFD). Methods: Apc min/+ mice received either HFD alone or HFD and BBR for 12 weeks. The intestinal tissues were collected to evaluate the efficiency of BBR on neoplasm development by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Meanwhile, immunohistochemistry was conducted to investigate the effects of BBR on cyclin D1 and β-catenin in colon tissues. Fecal samples were subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing. Results: BBR significantly reduced intestinal tumor development and altered the structure of gut microbiota in Apc min/+ mice fed with an HFD. At the phylum level, it was able to significantly inhibit the increase in Verrucomicrobia. At the genus level, it was able to suppress Akkermansia and elevate some short chain fat acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria. Conclusions: BBR significantly alleviated the development of CRC in Apc min/+ mice fed with HFD and restored the enteric microbiome community.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in the world. Oplopanax elatus is widely used in traditional medicine. However, little is known about its pharmacological effects and bioactive compounds. We evaluated the effects of the polyyne-enriched extract from O. elatus (PEO) on the progression of colon carcinogenesis in ApcMin/+ mice. In addition, these effects were also investigated in HCT116 and SW480 cells. After PEO oral administration (0.2% diet) for 12 weeks, PEO significantly improved body weight changes and reduced the tumor burden and tumor multiplicity compared with the untreated mice. Meanwhile, western blot and immunohistochemistry results showed PEO significantly reduced the expression of β-catenin and cyclinD1 in both small intestine and the colon tissues compared with the untreated mice. In addition, PEO treatment significant decreased the cell viability in both HCT116 and SW480 cell lines. It also decreased the levels of β-catenin, cyclinD1, c-myc and p-GSK-3β in HCT116 and SW480 cells at 25 μM. These results indicate that PEO may have potential value in prevention of colon cancer by down-regulating Wnt-related protein.

Terahertz (THz) absorption spectra of the similarly structured molecules with amide groups including benzamide, acrylamide, caprolactam, salicylamide, and sulfanilamide in the solid phase at room temperature and 7.8 K for salicylamide are reported and compared to infrared vibrational spectral calculations using density functional theory. The results of THz absorption spectra show that the molecules have characteristic bands in the region of 0.2–2.6 THz (~7–87 cm−1). THz technique can be used to distinguish different molecules with amide groups. In the THz region benzamide has three bands at 0.83, 1.63, and 1.73 THz; the bands are located at 1.44 and 2.00 THz for acrylamide; the bands at 1.24, 1.66 and 2.12 THz are observed for caprolactam. The absorption bands are located at 1.44, 1.63, and 2.39 THz at room temperature, and at 1.22, 1.46, 1.66, and 2.41 THz at low temperature for salicylamide. The bands at 1.63, 1.78, 2.00, and 2.20 THz appear for sulfanilamide. These bands in the THz region may be related to torsion, rocking, wagging, and other modes of different groups in the molecules.