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Object affordance detection aims to identify, locate and segment the functional regions of objects, so that robots can understand and manipulate objects like humans. The affordance detection task has two main challenges: (1) Due to the need to provide accurate positioning information for the robot to manipulate objects, the affordance segmentation results are required to have high boundary quality. (2) Different kinds of objects have significant differences in appearances, but may have the same affordance. Correspondingly, parts with the same appearance may have different affordances. The existing methods regard affordance detection as an image segmentation problem, without focusing on the boundary quality of detection results. In addition, most of the existing methods do not consider the potential relationship between object categories and object affordances. Aiming at the above problems, we propose a boundary-preserving network (BPN) to provide affordance masks with better boundary quality for robots to manipulate objects. Our framework contains three new components: the IoU (Intersection-over-Union) branch, the affordance boundary branch and the relationship attention module. The IoU branch is used to predict the IoU score of each object bounding box. The affordance boundary branch is used to guide the network to learn the boundary features of objects. The relationship attention module is used to enhance the feature representation capability of the network by exploring the potential relationship between object categories and object affordances. Experiments show that our method is helpful to improve the boundary quality of the predicted affordance masks. On the IIT-AFF dataset, the performance of the proposed BPN is 2.32% (F-score) and 2.89% (F-score) higher than that of the strong baseline in terms of affordance masks and the boundaries of affordance masks, respectively. Furthermore, the real-world robot manipulation experiments show that the proposed BPN can provide accurate affordance information for robots to manipulate objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the biological significance and great synthetic value of chiral lactones and their derivatives, increasing attention has been paid to developing effective synthetic methods for chiral lactones. We herein report an efficient asymmetric hydrogenation of benzo-fused ketoesters, γ-ketoesters and biaryl-bridged ketoesters catalyzed by chiral iridium complexes bearing ferrocene-based chiral ligands, furnishing a series of chiral lactones in superb yields and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% yields and up to 99% ee). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen evolution reaction on a graphene sheet at negative potential is observed using surface plasmon resonance microscopy (SPRM). It is found that oxygen nanobubbles are evolved at negative potential due to the disproportion reaction of superoxide originated from the reduced dissolved oxygen, suggesting that graphene acts as a superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimic. SPRM reveals that the catalytic sites distribute at the edge and the bulk of graphene. Atomic force microscopy suggests that the active sites for bubble evolution in the bulk of graphene are located at internal edge originated from the holes in the graphene rather than the metal oxide residues remained on the graphene sheet. The metal oxide nanoparticles on the graphene sheet are not the direct active sites but also play important roles in promoting the catalysis by increasing the superoxide concentration through an electrocatalyzed Fenton reaction. This work also presents the first experimental evidence that the catalysis of graphene is generated from the edge effect in an in operando manner. The SPRM represents a universal tool to reveal the catalytic mechanism at microscale, and it is hoped to discover more exciting reactions on nanomaterials due to its label free feature, high sensitivity, and versatility to most of materials. [Display omitted] • Oxygen evolution reaction was observed at negative potential on a graphene sheet. • This reaction was imaged at microscale in an in-operando manner. • The edge of the graphene is the active site for oxygent nanobubbles evolution. • The metal oxides on the graphene sheet are not the active sites, but promote this reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel synthetic route was developed for the construction of a chiral cis-hexahydro-γ-carboline derivative through Ir/ZhaoPhos-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of corresponding tetrahydro-γ-carboline with high yields (up to 99% yield), excellent diastereoselectivities (up to >99 : 1 dr) and enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee), and high substrate-to-catalyst ratios (up to 5000). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean saponin is one of the important secondary metabolites in seeds, which has various beneficial physiological functions to human health. GmSg-1 gene is the key enzyme gene for synthesizing class A saponins. It is of great significance to realize the visual and rapid detection of class A saponins at the genetic level. The hybridization chain reaction (HCR) was employed to the visual detection of GmSg-1 gene, which was implemented by changing the length of the target fragment to 92 bp and using the hairpin probes we designed to detect the GmSg-1a and GmSg-1b genes. The best condition of HCR reaction is hemin (1.2 μM), Triton X-100 (0.002%), ABTS (3.8 μM), and H2O2 (1.5 mM). It was found that HCR has high specificity for GmSg-1 gene and could be applied to the visual detection of different soybean cultivars containing Aa type, Ab type, and Aa/Ab type saponins, which could provide technical reference and theoretical basis for molecular breeding of soybean and development of functional soybean products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a hybrid control scheme that combines fractional-order sliding-mode control (FOSMC) with radial basis function neural network adaptive damping passivity-based control (RBFPBC) for modular multilevel converters (MMC) under non-ideal operating conditions. According to the passive control theory, we establish the Euler–Lagrange (EL) models of positive and negative sequences based on the unbalanced grid. A passivity-based controller that satisfies the energy dissipation law is designed. To enable rapid convergence of the system energy storage function, a radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) is introduced to adjust the injection damping adaptively. Additionally, a fractional-order sliding-mode controller (FOSMC) is designed. The fractional-order sliding mode surface used can improve tracking performance, and effectively suppressed the undesirable chattering phenomenon compared to the traditional sliding-mode control (SMC). Finally, combining the two control methods can effectively solve the issue of passivity-based control (PBC) being too dependent on parameters. The proposed hybrid control scheme enhances the ability of the system to resist disturbances, and improves its overall robustness. Simulation results demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of this control method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iridium/f‐Amphol‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of various benzo‐fused five to seven‐membered cyclic ketones was successfully developed, affording a series of chiral benzo‐fused cyclic alcohols with excellent results (75%–99% yields, 93%–>99% ee, and TON up to 297 000). The enantioenriched products can be employed as key intermediates or motifs for the synthesis of some important biologically active compounds, such as rasagiline mesylate TVP‐1012 used for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, the enantiomer of anticonvulsant drug eslicarbazepine acetate (BIA 2‐093). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represent ∼31% of all global deaths, and hypertension alone accounts for ∼50% of these cases. Inflammation and subsequent fibrosis in heart, kidney and brain are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in CVD patients. N-Acetyl-Seryl-Aspartyl-Proline (Ac-SDKP) is a naturally occurring immunomodulatory and pro-angiogenic peptide mainly released from its precursor thymosin β4 (Tβ4) via enzymatic hydrolysis involving meprin-α and prolyl-oligopeptidase, while Ac-SDKP degradation is primarily carried out by angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE). Keeping its immunomodulatory and angiogenic properties in view, numerous studies have focused on its beneficial effects in cardiovascular diseases. Research in the past 20 years involving heart, kidney and brain injury show that, treatment with Ac-SDKP ameliorates end-organ damage in part, by reducing inflammation, fibrosis and by promoting angiogenesis. Clinical studies involving ACE inhibitor therapy have shown increased plasma and tissue Ac-SDKP concentration, and some of the beneficial effects of ACE inhibitors in hypertension are partly due to increased Ac-SDKP content. Interestingly, these protective effects of Ac-SDKP are independent of blood-pressure regulation. This review discusses the Ac-SDKP biology in health and disease conditions, identifying its possible mechanisms of action, and explore potential use of Ac-SDKP as a novel treatment for CVDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Iridium‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of prochiral halogenated ketones was successfully developed to prepare various chiral halohydrins with high reactivities and excellent enantioselectivities under basic reaction condition (up to >99% conversion, 99% yield, >99% ee). Moreover, gram‐scale experiment was performed well in the presence of just 0.005 mol% (S/C=20 000) Ir/f‐amphox catalyst with 99% yield and >99% ee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to provide a theoretical basis and fundamental data for industrial utilization of insoluble potassium rocks to produce potassium salts, the phase equilibrium of the ternary system K 2 CO 3 -Na 2 CO 3 -H 2 O at 323.15 K, 343.15 K and 363.15 K was determined using the isothermal dissolution equilibrium method. According to the experimental results of salt solubility, the phase diagrams were constructed and the crystallization zones are discussed in detail. All of the solubility isotherms at 323.15 K, 343.15 K and 363.15 K consist of two invariant points, three univariant curves and three crystallization fields corresponding to Na 2 CO 3 ·H 2 O, K 2 CO 3 ·Na 2 CO 3 and K 2 CO 3 ·1.5H 2 O, respectively. The densities of the liquid phase of the ternary systems were investigated as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic factors have been shown to be associated with Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) susceptibility. In recent years, the role of inflammation in the promotion of tumor growth is supported by a broad range of experimental and clinical evidence. But the relationship between polymorphisms in NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and MDS is rarely reported. Thus, we conducted a case-control study, and genotyped five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (NLRP3, IL-1β, IL-18, CARD8, and NF-κB) in MDS patients and healthy controls. The association of different genotypes with patient characteristics was analyzed. Comparing MDS patients with controls, GG genotype of IL-1β (rs16944) was observed to be associated with a significantly increased risk of MDS 78/166 (48.8%) vs 26/96 (27.0%), OR = 2.1, CI (1.0–4.4). No significant association was identified regarding the rest of investigated polymorphisms and MDS susceptibility. Complex karyotypes were more frequent in patients with GG genotype of IL-1β (rs16944). Patients with IL-1β polymorphisms (rs16944) GG and GA had lower hemoglobin than those without. Patients with IL-1β polymorphisms (rs16944) GG had higher IPSS scores than those without IL-1β polymorphisms. In conclusion, our present data shows that the IL-1β polymorphisms (rs16944) GG were frequently occurred in MDS. IL-1β (rs16944) GG genotype might serve as a novel biomarker and potential targets for MDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) is the most prevalent viral pathogen of soybean worldwide that reduces seed quality and causes serious losses in yields. The accurate, rapid and early detection of SMV strains is crucial for screening SMV-resistant soybean varieties and controlling soybean mosaic disease timely. In this study, we report a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for visual and rapid detection of SMV-SC7, the major prevalent SMV strain in China, in soybean leaves. Specific primers were rationally designed and tested to detect the SMV-SC7 strain. The detection limit for SMV-SC7 can be as low as 10−4 ng/μL by the developed LAMP assay. These results were visualized by three indicators (SYBR green I, neutral red and hydroxy naphthol blue) with high fidelity. The high analytical performance of the LAMP assay was demonstrated with 21 soybean cultivars, among which 8 soybean cultivars were further inoculated with consistent results to those achieved by LAMP. This visual and rapid LAMP assay is highly promising for early detection of SMV-SC7-associated plant diseases. [Display omitted] • Early detection of SMV strains is crucial for preventing severe yield losses. • SMV-SC7 is traditionally detected by phenotype observation. • A colorimetric LAMP assay was developed for the detection of SMV-SC7. • The LAMP assay can identify SMV-SC7 earlier than phenotype observation. • The LAMP assay has great potential for field-friendly diagnostic testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extra-medullary infiltration is still one of the main causes of recurrence and treatment failure of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). Intensive studies revealed that Notch pathway plays an important role in the invasion of tumor cells. Notch pathway can be triggered by binding of Notch receptors on T-ALL cells to their ligands on bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs), which contributes to the development of T-ALL. However, the effect and molecular mechanisms of BMSCs in invasion of T-ALL cells remain unclear. To explore the effect of Notch-1 on the invasiveness of T-ALL cells, we co-cultured T-ALL cells with BMSCs (from healthy donors)/BMSCs ⁎ (from newly diagnosed T-ALL patients). The results demonstrated that BMSCs/BMSCs ⁎ promoted invasion of T-ALL cells through activating Notch-1 signaling. In particular, T-ALL cells showed a higher invasive potential in the presence of BMSCs ⁎ than BMSCs. Knockdown of Notch-1 prevented the positive effect of stromal cells-mediated invasion. Our study also showed that BMSCs/BMSCs ⁎ -induced Notch-1 activation increased the expression of matrix metalloprote inase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloprote inase-9 (MMP-9), which increased invasiveness. These results provided theoretical and laboratory basis for the prevention and treatment of extra-medullary infiltration of T-ALL cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyanobacterial alkaline phosphatases (APases) play a key role in organophosphate utilization in freshwater. Tracking the distribution of APases can provide insights into the physiological response of phytoplankton to phosphorus nutrition. Extracellular APase PhoX, one of three prokaryotic APase families, is important for organophosphate utilization. Because the existing methods only give information on bulk APases activity, the specific contribution of the PhoX is little evaluated. To develop an immunoassay for PhoX detection, the phoX gene of Microcystis aeruginosa PCC7806 was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 and the purified PhoX was used as a coated antigen for screening anti-PhoX nanobodies from an alpaca antibody library. After three rounds of panning, a nanobody 3H with the highest affinity was selected. Further tests showed 3H could specifically bind to Microcystis PhoX and be used for PhoX detection by immunoblotting analysis. Then we constructed two different fluorescent-labeled 3H, EGFP-3H (with an enhanced green fluorescent protein, EGFP) and FITC-3H (with fluorescein 5-isothiocyanate, FITC), as specific fluorescent dyes for PhoX. The fluorescence staining tests with laboratory strains and water bloom samples showed that both fluorescent-labeled nanobodies could visualize the distribution and evaluate relative expression levels of PhoX in Microcystis. The nanobody 3H could be a useful regent to develop fluorescence immunoassays for in situ analyses of Microcystis PhoX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • COF nanofilms are masked by loose polyamides to form heterostructured membranes. • The masked polyamides enhance membrane-forming ability of COF nanofilms. • The masking effect enables effective tune of the pore size. • The heterostructured membranes exhibit sharp selectivities to small molecules. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with uniform, tunable nanoporosities are promising alternatives to prepare nanofiltration membranes with homogeneous nanochannels for high-resolution molecular sieving. Due to the poor membrane-forming ability as well as the relatively inadequate strategies for pore engineering, thus far, the preparation of continuous and defect-free COF membranes with tunable pore sizes is still challenging. Herein, we demonstrate an ingenious strategy to prepare the heterostructured membranes featuring the loose polyamide networks masked COF nanofilms for precise sieving of small molecules. The loosely structured polyamides are created by the interfacial polymerization to mask the chemically stitched (chemically interlinked) ultrathin COF nanosheets. The masked polyamide with flexible, loose networks not only enhance the membrane-forming ability of the natively rigid ultrathin COF nanofilms, but also provide a masking effect that can effectively tune the pore size of the heterostructured COF membranes. Benefitting from the synergistic enhancement of the membrane-forming ability and the pore size tunability, thus-prepared membranes exhibit excellent molecular sieving performances toward various small molecules. This work is expected to provide a guidance for the rational design and controllable preparation of COF membranes for precise nanofiltration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN) has become increasingly important in petrochemical and pharmaceutical industries, demanding superior and robust membranes. Herein, we report advanced OSN processes by designing three‐dimensional covalent organic framework (3D COF) membranes through moderated interfacial crystallization. Nanoporous supports work as the moderator allowing the crystallization of 3D COF membranes. The 3D COF features sub‐nanometer and anti‐swelling channels, affording a sharp selectivity to fine targets with an exceptionally high and stable methanol permeance. Thus‐synthesized membrane exhibits a record stability against high‐concentration feeds and long‐term operation for ≈1000 h. Moreover, we unambiguously demonstrate that our membrane holds excellent practicality in purifying active pharmaceutical ingredients from organic liquids. This work reveals the great potential of distinctive 3D COFs in producing prominent OSN membranes for industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN) has become increasingly important in petrochemical and pharmaceutical industries, demanding superior and robust membranes. Herein, we report advanced OSN processes by designing three‐dimensional covalent organic framework (3D COF) membranes through moderated interfacial crystallization. Nanoporous supports work as the moderator allowing the crystallization of 3D COF membranes. The 3D COF features sub‐nanometer and anti‐swelling channels, affording a sharp selectivity to fine targets with an exceptionally high and stable methanol permeance. Thus‐synthesized membrane exhibits a record stability against high‐concentration feeds and long‐term operation for ≈1000 h. Moreover, we unambiguously demonstrate that our membrane holds excellent practicality in purifying active pharmaceutical ingredients from organic liquids. This work reveals the great potential of distinctive 3D COFs in producing prominent OSN membranes for industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) is one of the main pathogens that can negatively affect soybean production and quality. To study the gene regulatory network of soybeans in response to SMV SC15, the resistant line X149 and susceptible line X97 were subjected to transcriptome analysis at 0, 2, 8, 12, 24, and 48 h post-inoculation (hpi). Differential expression analysis revealed that 10,190 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) responded to SC15 infection. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to identify highly related resistance gene modules; in total, eight modules, including 2256 DEGs, were identified. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis of 2256 DEGs revealed that the genes significantly clustered into resistance-related pathways, such as the plant–pathogen interaction pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) signaling pathway, and plant hormone signal transduction pathway. Among these pathways, we found that the flg22, Ca2+, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and abscisic acid (ABA) regulatory pathways were fully covered by 36 DEGs. Among the 36 DEGs, the gene Glyma.01G225100 (protein phosphatase 2C, PP2C) in the ABA regulatory pathway, the gene Glyma.16G031900 (WRKY transcription factor 22, WRKY22) in Ca2+ and H2O2 regulatory pathways, and the gene Glyma.04G175300 (calcium-dependent protein kinase, CDPK) in Ca2+ regulatory pathways were highly connected hub genes. These results indicate that the resistance of X149 to SC15 may depend on the positive regulation of flg22, Ca2+, H2O2, and ABA regulatory pathways. Our study further showed that superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, H2O2 content, and catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) activities were significantly up-regulated in the resistant line X149 compared with those in 0 hpi. This finding indicates that the H2O2 regulatory pathway might be dependent on flg22- and Ca2+-pathway-induced ROS generation. In addition, two hub genes, Glyma.07G190100 (encoding F-box protein) and Glyma.12G185400 (encoding calmodulin-like proteins, CMLs), were also identified and they could positively regulate X149 resistance. This study provides pathways for further investigation of SMV resistance mechanisms in soybean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A heterostructured covalent organic framework (COF) membrane is synthesized via in situ linker exchange. Narrowed pores can be formed at the interface between two types of COFs by adjusting the linker exchange duration. The resultant COF membrane demonstrates a high rejection rate toward Na2SO4 of up to 97%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Embedding nanofillers into polyamide (PA) matrices is considered as a simple yet effective strategy for boosting the performances of thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) nanofiltration (NF) membranes. However, the NF performances are usually compromised by the inadequate interface compatibility between nanofillers and PA matrices as well as the anisotropic orientation of nanofillers. Herein, we propose a distinctive fabrication strategy for TFN membranes featuring excellent compatibility and highly-aligned microstructures. The reactive covalent organic framework (COF) nanosheets are chemically stitched at oil-water interfaces to form continuous nanofilms, and the PA matrices are then in-situ formed to encapsulate them, giving the TFN membranes. The stitched nanofilms contain two types of perpendicularly oriented pores: intrinsic apertures in COF nanosheets, and gaps among adjacent nanosheets. Together with the abundant reactive sites, the stitched nanofilms not only mediate the controllable synthesis of PA matrices, but also are covalently fused into the matrices. The aligned pores of the stitched nanosheets are capable of sieving salt ions, endowing TFN membranes with high separation precision and fast water permeation. This work demonstrates a strategy to control the orientation of COF nanosheets, which is highly desired in diverse fields not limited to membrane separation. Image 1 • Highly-aligned COF nanosheets are embedded into the PA matrices. • COF nanosheets are chemically stitched to form ultrathin nanofilms. • The stitched nanosheets function as a reaction mediator and a performance enabler. • The composite membranes exhibit a boosted water permeance and enhanced selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), with their inherent merits of specific pore size and uniform channels, have been extensively employed to produce nanofiltration (NF) membranes. However, COF-based NF towards precise separations, especially for ion separations, are often unsatisfying due to the intercrystalline defects in selective layers. Herein, a pressure-modulated synthesis method has been explored to prepare crystalline and defect-free COF membranes on seeded substrates for fast NF. Amine and aldehyde solutions are separately placed with a level interval to create vertical hydraulic pressure, which can regulate the mobility of the amine monomers and thus results in the self-repairing of defects in the COF planes and remediation of intercrystalline gaps. The abundant nucleation sites on seeded substrates promote the confined growth of COF crystallites in top layers, leading to an ultrathin selective layer with improved permeance. The resultant COF membrane shows tight methyl orange (~90.4%) and Na 2 SO 4 (~63.6%) rejections with a pronounced water permeance of up to ~44.2 L m−2 h−1 bar−1, which is ~2–10 times higher than other NF membranes with similar rejections. This pressure-modulated synthetic strategy establishes not only the self-repairing synthesis of COFs but also the controllable preparation of defect-free COF-based NF membranes, thus enabling precise and fast separation of molecules and ions. Image 1 • A pressure-modulated synthesis method was built up to fabricate highly crystalline COF nanofiltration membranes. • The external pressure precisely regulates the mobility of precursors and eliminates the nonselective intercrystalline gaps. • Abundant nucleation sites promote the conformal growth of COF crystals. • The membranes exhibit excellent water permeance and rejections to objects with a size above 1.1 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/Hypothesis: Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a class of endogenous RNAs, have emerged as an enigmatic class of RNAs. Little is known about their value in diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. We aimed to explore circRNA profiles for risk T1D in both mouse and human serum, and studied the interplay between microRNA and circular RNAs in human serum. Methods: We examined circRNA expression profiles during T1D development in nine NOD mice using Arraystar circRNA microarray. Human serum samples from 107 new onset T1D patients and 40 healthy control (HC) were used to profile miRNA expression. Furthermore, 50 T1D and 50 HC were randomly selected from this cohort for circRNA profiling using circRNA microarray. Results: 134 circRNAs in NOD mice were significantly different in T1D mice compared to normal control or insulitis (FDR<0.10029. In human serum, we identified 50 circRNAs differentially expressed between T1D and HC. By comparing circRNAs in NOD mouse model that might be homologous to human circRNA, two of the circRNAs showed suggestive evidence for differential expression between normal control, insulitis and T1D (FDR<0.2). Furthermore, 87 human serum miRNAs were significantly regulated in T1D compared to HC, 23 among those were highly negatively associated with the 50 differentially expressed circRNAs. Conclusions: We have identified a serum circRNA and miRNA pattern of T1D, and they may be a potential novel and stable biomarker for the diagnosis of T1D. Disclosure: C. Yin: None. Q. Mi: None. Funding: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (R01AI119041, R01AI108612) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Membranes with zwitterionic surfaces are highly desired in water-based separations for their distinguished fouling resistance. Herein, a facile strategy for the preparation of zwitterion-functionalized membranes is developed by coupling the pore-making and zwitterion functionalization in one step. We soaked thin films of poly (2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate)- block -polystyrene (PDMAEMA- b -PS) in the mixture of ethanol and 1, 3-propanesultone (1, 3-PPST). In this mixture, PDMAEMA microdomains were selective swollen leading to nanoporous structures with PDMAEMA chains enriched on the surface. Simultaneously, the quaternization reaction between PDMAEMA and 1, 3-PPST took place. Unexpectedly, in addition to function as the zwitterionic agent, 1, 3-PPST also contributed to the selective swelling induced pore generation. It was found that the presence of 1, 3-PPST in ethanol slowed down the swelling process at the early stage, but evidently enhanced the swelling of PDMAEMA- b -PS films in longer duration. Thus-prepared zwitterion-functionalized membranes exhibited several times higher water permeance than non-zwitterionized counterparts, which should be attributed to increased pore size and strongly improved hydrophilicity as a result of zwitterion functionalization. Moreover, the membranes showed exceptional fouling resistance because of the presence of zwitterions. Image 1 • Selective swelling and zwitterion functionalization are coupled into one step. • 1, 3-PPST works as both one component of the swelling agent and modifying agent. • Zwitterionic membranes exhibit excellent anti-fouling performance. • Separation performance can be facilely regulated by swelling durations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The detection limit was significantly improved using triethylamine as the ligands. • The catalysis is comparable to the enzyme horse radish peroxidase. • The bare ligand triethylamine is involved in this reaction to promote the formation of OH. Using triethylamine (TEA) as the ligand, we observe an extremely highly efficient catalysis towards the decomposition of H 2 O 2 by Cu2+ that is comparable to the horse radish peroxidase (HRP). The catalytic mechanism is different from the previous work, where the TEA is involved in this reaction to produce highly reductive TEA radical that can significantly promote the formation of OH at high TEA concentration, resulting in a significant improvement on the sensitivity for Cu2+ detection. This reaction mechanism is an important complement to understand the complicated catalytic pathways of H 2 O 2 decomposition, as it can significantly promote the production of OH, which is the most important pathway in sensing and wastewater treatment. It is applied for the sensitive detection Cu2+ down to 0.1 nM (or 0.1 fM 40 nm CuO NPs label) by naked eyes, which is to the best of our knowledge, the most sensitive colorimetric method without any instrument. Such a highly efficient Fenton-like (OH production) catalysis implies its wide applications in sensing and environmental science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by biological membranes with charge-gated channels that allow the transport of water and ions but restrict the undesired substances, various regulated nanofiltration (NF) membranes containing charge-gated channels have been developed for water purification. However, most of these membranes are mono-charged (positively or negatively) that show high rejection only to the corresponding co-ions but low rejection to the counter-ions, which limits their wider applications. Herein, we report NF membranes with gas-tunable charge-gated channels and high rejection to different salts on demand. The membranes are prepared by assembling a CO 2 -responsive polymer, poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate), on the surface of graphene oxide (GO). As a result of CO 2 -induced reversal of the charge sign, the membranes exhibit "self-regulation" of their surface charges. Upon bubbling CO 2 into water, the membranes are positively charged, which shows high rejection to MgCl 2. After bubbling Ar to remove CO 2 , the membranes gradually transform to negatively charged, and high rejection to Na 2 SO 4 is obtained. This study demonstrates the gas-tunable charge-gated ion transport behavior of the CO 2 -responsive NF membranes, and opens up new avenues for the design of on-demand NF membranes. New nanofiltration membranes exhibit on-demand switchable rejections toward cations and anions with the participation and departure of CO 2. Image 1 • New nanofiltration membrane was built with graphene oxide and CO 2 -responsive polymer. • The surface of nanopores can be reversibly switched between opposite charged state. • Charge sign can easily be reversed in a robust and contamination-free manner. • Ion transport behavior was dominated with the participation and departure of CO 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of 2‐oxazolones in the presence of a chiral diamine ruthenium catalyst with potassium formate as a hydrogen source and potassium carbonate as an additive in 2,2,2‐trifluoroethanol is described. A series of chiral 2‐oxazolidinones were obtained with 29%–95% yields and 86%–>99% ee's. Furthermore, gram‐scale synthesis of chiral 2‐oxazolidinone and its downstream derivatizations demonstrate the practicality of this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microporous polyamide membranes that allow lithium ions to pass through easily but exclude magnesium ions hold vast potential in the lithium extraction from brine lakes. The efficacy, nevertheless, has long been limited by a trade-off that the magnesium/lithium selectivity is received at the expense of the permeability, arising from the highly cross-linked polyamide. This work describes that rationally lowering the internal density of polyamides by embedding functionalized covalent organic framework (COF) nanosheets can boost the selectivity and permeability simultaneously. A cationic COF, TpTG Cl , is used to build transport highways in membranes, which shows the double role that not only lowers the polyamide density in a controllable way, but also strengthens the positive charge property. The resulting membrane exhibits a large water permeance of 19.6 L m−2 h−1 bar−1, along with an excellent separation factor of up to 21.3 under a high magnesium/lithium ratio of 30. This engineering strategy offers a means by which charged and nanoporous two-dimensional frameworks can be leveraged as a booster for microporous membranes enabling fast and precise ion transports. [Display omitted] • COF nanosheets are embedded in polyamides to build transport highways. • Polyamide density is lowered and positive charge property is strengthened. • Membranes show large permeance and high Mg2+/Li+ separation factor. • Membranes have the ability to process highly concentrated Mg2+/Li+ brines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Controlling epigenetic signals for mediating the homeostatic immune response in skin-residing Langerhans cells (LCs) ontogeny, maintenance, and function are largely not determined. Here, we demonstrated that the epigenetic regulator miR-23a not only plays an indispensable role for LC antigen uptake but is also crucial for bone marrow-derived LC repopulation during the inflammatory condition. During this process, miR-23a may regulate LC phagocytosis by mediating efferocytosis and endocytosis-mediated targets as well as LCs repopulation via targeting Fas and Bcl-2 family proapoptotic molecules. Instead, miR-23a did not demonstrate playing any role in LC development and postnatal homeostasis. Thus, the context-dependent regulatory role of miR-23a in LCs may represent an extra-epigenetic layer for incorporating TGF-β and PU.1-mediated regulation during steady-state and inflammation-induced repopulation. Langerhans cells (LCs) are skin-resident macrophage that act similarly to dendritic cells for controlling adaptive immunity and immune tolerance in the skin, and they are key players in the development of numerous skin diseases. While TGF-β and related downstream signaling pathways are known to control numerous aspects of LC biology, little is known about the epigenetic signals that coordinate cell signaling during LC ontogeny, maintenance, and function. Our previous studies in a total miRNA deletion mouse model showed that miRNAs are critically involved in embryonic LC development and postnatal LC homeostasis; however, the specific miRNA(s) that regulate LCs remain unknown. miR-23a is the first member of the miR-23a-27a-24-2 cluster, a direct downstream target of PU.1 and TGF-b, which regulate the determination of myeloid versus lymphoid fates. Therefore, we used a myeloid-specific miR-23a deletion mouse model to explore whether and how miR-23a affects LC ontogeny and function in the skin. We observed the indispensable role of miR-23a in LC antigen uptake and inflammation-induced LC epidermal repopulation; however, embryonic LC development and postnatal homeostasis were not affected by cells lacking miR23a. Our results suggest that miR-23a controls LC phagocytosis by targeting molecules that regulate efferocytosis and endocytosis, whereas miR-23a promotes homeostasis in bone marrow-derived LCs that repopulate the skin after inflammatory insult by targeting Fas and Bcl-2 family proapoptotic molecules. Collectively, the context-dependent regulatory role of miR-23a in LCs represents an extra-epigenetic layer that incorporates TGF-b- and PU.1-mediated regulation during steady-state and inflammation-induced repopulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isoprenoids, a large kind of plant natural products, are synthesized by the mevalonate (MVA) pathway in the cytoplasm and the 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway in plastids. As one of the rate-limiting enzymes in the MVA pathway of soybean (Glycine max), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR) is encoded by eight isogenes (GmHMGR1–GmHMGR8). To begin, we used lovastatin (LOV), a specific inhibitor of GmHMGR, to investigate their role in soybean development. To further investigate, we overexpressed the GmHMGR4 and GmHMGR6 genes in Arabidopsis thaliana. The growth of soybean seedlings, especially the development of lateral roots, was inhibited after LOV treatment, accompanied by a decrease in sterols content and GmHMGR gene expression. After the overexpression of GmHMGR4 and GmHMGR6 in A. thaliana, the primary root length was higher than the wild type, and total sterol and squalene contents were significantly increased. In addition, we detected a significant increase in the product tocopherol from the MEP pathway. These results further support the fact that GmHMGR1–GmHMGR8 play a key role in soybean development and isoprenoid biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) have attracted everlasting attentions, as their large permeance and high selectivity can be accessible synchronously. Herein, we show that covalent organic framework (COF) nanofibers serving as the nanofillers are doing better than COF nanoparticles in boosting the separation performance of MMMs. The nanofibers and the nanoparticles are synthesized and doped into polysulfone matrices to prepare MMMs. The high porosity and relative hydrophilicity of TpPa nanofibers and nanoparticles enable rapid exchange of solvent and nonsolvent during the process of nonsolvent induced phase separation, thus leading to instantaneous demixing. Furthermore, compared with TpPa nanoparticles possessing small and irregular shapes, the one-dimensional structure of TpPa nanofibers weakens the entanglement of the surrounding polysulfone linear chains, resulting in much pronounced instantaneous demixing. In contrast with the nanoparticle-incorporated membranes, the porosity of nanofiber-incorporated membranes is significantly improved. The resultant nanofiber-incorporated membrane demonstrates a high water permeance of 424.4 L m−2 h−1 bar−1, along with a BSA rejection rate of 94.3%. This work clearly reveals that porous one-dimensional structures such as COF nanofibers are highly promising in the preparation of high-performance MMMs. [Display omitted] • TpPa nanofibers and nanoparticles serve as nanofillers for mixed matrix membranes. • Incorporation of nanofibers leads to much pronounced instantaneous demixing. • The porosity of nanofiber-incorporated membranes is greatly improved. • The resultant membrane exhibits large water permeance and high BSA rejection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intrinsically charged covalent organic frameworks (COFs) afford specific ionic nanochannels for mass transport, and thus become promising platforms to design membranes with unique selectivity. However, internal electrostatic repulsion and large-pore frameworks cause significant barriers that greatly limit membrane performances. Herein, we report a novel strategy to synchronously crystallize and upgrade cationic COF membranes by ion-pairing design. Ion-paired guest molecules are involved in electric-driven interfacial crystallization to offset the charges of the ionic monomers and host frameworks. This host-guest neutralization promotes the crystallization of compact COF membranes. Lateral dimension and charge nature of guest molecules fundamentally affect the ion-pairing efficiency. Tight encapsulation of the large-sized electronegative molecules effectually narrows the molecular sieving channels, yielding a significant elevation in membrane selectivity. The membrane rejection of organic ions with a size larger than 1.2 nm thus can be improved from below 50 % to above 85 % with a water permeance of ∼10 L m−2 h−1 bar−1. Prominently, our membranes demonstrate efficient recovery and pH-dependent release of bioactive pharmaceuticals, with a release rate that is 12 times higher in an acidic solution compared to a neutral environment. This work provides an ion-pairing strategy to regulate COF membranes for pharmaceutical industries and beyond. [Display omitted] • Ion-pairing is designed to crystallize and upgrade COF membranes. • Charged additives can be encapsulated to finely tune the COF membranes. • Encapsulation of the large electronegative molecules promotes membrane selectivity. • Ion-paired COF membranes realize the controlled release of bioactive pharmaceuticals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly efficient diastereoselective transfer hydrogenation of α-aminoalkyl α′-chloromethyl ketones catalyzed by a tethered rhodium complex was developed and successfully utilized in the synthesis of the key intermediates of HIV protease inhibitors. With the current Rh(III) catalyst system, a series of chiral 3-amino-1-chloro-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutanes were produced in excellent yields and diastereoselectivities (up to 99% yield, up to 99 : 1 dr). Both diastereomers of the desired products could be efficiently accessed by using the two enantiomers of the Rh(III) catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHLs) are a heterogeneous group of neoplasm in which 90% are B-cell lymphomas and 10% T-cell lymphomas. Although T-helper 17 (Th17) cells have been implicated to be essential in the pathogenesis of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, its role in B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (B-NHL) remains unknown. In this study, we observed a significantly decreased frequency of Th17 cells in peripheral blood from B-NHL patients compared with healthy individuals, accompanied with increased Th1 cells. IL-17AF plasma levels were remarkably decreased in B-NHL patients, accompanied with undetectable IL-17FF and unchangeable IL-17AA. Moreover, Th17 and Th1 cells became normalized after one or two cycles of chemotherapy. Interestingly, in B-NHL, circulating Th17 cells frequencies were significantly higher in relapsed patients than those in untreated patients or normal individuals. Meanwhile, there was no statistical difference regarding the frequencies of Th1 cells between relapsed and untreated patients. Taken these data together, circulating Th17 subset immune response may be associated with the response of patients to treatment and with different stages of disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro RNAs (mi RNAs) play very important roles in the control of immune cell and keratinocyte development and function and are implicated in skin inflammatory diseases, including psoriasis. mi RNA miR-17-92 was reported to promote the differentiation of Th1 and Th1 cells and to regulate cell proliferation and apoptosis. Here we showed that imiquimod ( IMQ) differentially regulates the expression of miR-17-92 cluster in the mouse skin, upregulating miR-17 and miR-19 families and downregulating miR-92. To investigate whether miR-17-92 cluster is functionally involved in the psoriasis, we have generated three mutant mice with specific deletion or overexpression of miR-17-92 cluster in keratinocytes, or with deletion of miR-17-92 cluster in T cells. Interestingly, deletion or overexpression of miR-17-92 cluster in keratinocytes, or deletion of miR-17-92 in T cells did not significantly affect IMQ-induced psoriasis-like dermatitis development in the mutant mice compared with wild-type littermates. Thus, mi RNA miR-17-92 cluster may not be a key factor regulating imiqumod-induced psoriasis-like dermatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tight ultrafiltration (TUF) membranes featuring specific pore sizes are increasingly developed to bridge the gap between nanofiltration and ultrafiltration. So far, a wealth of efforts has been devoted to tackle the limitation found in TUF, but there still lacks a facile accessibility to upgrade TUF membranes with simultaneously improved permeance and selectivity. Herein, we report a large-pore covalent organic framework (LP-COF) as the building material to prepare ultra-permeable TUF membranes for fast separations. The LP-COF layers with an exceptionally large aperture size of up to ~3.6 nm are synthesized on macroporous substrates through a unidirectional diffusion method. The resultant LP-COF layers show a moderate crystallinity and low thickness down to ~60 nm, and allow ultrafast water permeation. Surprisingly, the optimal LP-COF membrane exhibits an unprecedented water permeance of ~3147 L m−2 h−1 MPa−1 with a high Congo red rejection (~92.6%), which is basically unchanged after several cycles of filtration. Moreover, the large-pore channels enable an unimpeded pass of ions, thus affording the membrane an excellent dye/salt separation competence, and largely exceeding state-of-the-art membranes. Therefore, this work opens up a new opportunity in producing high-performance TUF membranes by large-pore COFs for rapid and precise separations. [Display omitted] • A large-pore covalent organic framework (LP-COF) is designed to prepare TUF membranes. • Local nucleation and interfacial polymerization collectively promote the growth of ultrathin LP-COF layers. • Ordered channels of LP-COF membranes promise fast separations with high selectivities. • The optimized LP-COF membrane shows a preeminent dye/salt separation performance. • The extraction of nanoparticles from aggressive solvents is realized by the LP-COF membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Processing two-dimensional (2D) covalent organic frameworks (COFs) into nanofilms has gained widespread attention in water treatment. However, the designed synthesis of COF-based membranes for ion separations still remains a huge challenge though the strategies to produce COF molecular separation membranes have been greatly developed. Herein, we report the construction of bi-layered COF nanofilms for efficient desalination through a simple yet effective secondary growth. The suggested strategy is capable of easily regulating the growth of another COF layer on the pre-synthesized first layer, thus producing crystalline and defect-free bi-layered COF nanofilms with distinct laminated structures. Most importantly, the offset channels are involved at the interface of two nanofilms obtained from the first and secondary growth, which leads to a constricted effective aperture that significantly enhances the ion separation performance. Specifically, the bi-layered COF nanofilms composited with macroporous supports exhibit high rejection rates (~95.8%) to Na 2 SO 4 , observably surpassing the desalination performance of single-layered COF nanofilms (rejection<10%). This work not only develops an ingenious way to fabricate COF-on-COF nanofilms with narrowed channels by tailoring the laminated structure of 2D COFs at the film interface, but also starts an avenue for the adoption of COF platforms for membrane separations with an improved precision. Image 1 • The secondary growth strategy is developed to build bi-layered COF nanofilms. • Nanofilm structures are controllable by adjusting the synthesis conditions. • Offset structures at the film interface enable a narrowed aperture down to ~0.71 nm. • The bi-layered COF nanofilms exhibit a greatly boosted desalination performance with a reasonable flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]