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Due to its excellent electrical conductivity and stable Magnéli phase structures, cermet Ti 4 O 7 has emerged as one of the most promising materials in the fields of electrochemical application. However, the difficulties in creating high specific surface area structures, having room for conductivity enhancement when used as a conductive additive, and passivation forming TiO 2 under sufficiently oxidizing conditions limit the development of Ti 4 O 7 for practical applications. In this work, the V-doped Ti 4 O 7 hollow spheres with improved electrical conductivity and thermal stability were synthesized by the three-step approach of solvothermal reaction, oxidative crystallization, and hydrogen reduction without any surfactant or template. The formation mechanism of hollow (Ti,V) 4 O 7 was revealed by analyzing the valence evolution of V and comparing the morphology of Ti 4 O 7. The conductivity of Ti 4 O 7 and (Ti,V) 4 O 7 was compared and contrasted as functions of pressure, demonstrating the superiority of (Ti,V) 4 O 7 in terms of conductivity. Thermograms showed that the addition of V increased the complete oxidation temperature of Ti 4 O 7. Moreover, the reason for the enhanced electrical conductivity and thermal stability of V-doped Ti 4 O 7 was also revealed based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnéli phases TinO2n − 1 are a series of sub-stoichiometric titanium oxides with a unique crystal structure, and Ti4O7 possesses the highest electronic conductivity while being able to maintain excellent chemical inertness in various corrosive environments, which is a required property for electrode materials in electrochemical systems. Therefore, Ti4O7 has become one of the major substitutes for carbon materials such as graphite and shows superior catalytic activity for electrode reactions and electrochemical stability in diverse batteries and electrochemical degradation systems, following the trend of carbon-free electrodes and costing less than the advanced electrodes such as boron-doped diamond. It has been demonstrated that Ti4O7 has great potential in the electrochemistry fields, especially as an electrode carrier. In this paper, we review the research progress of Ti4O7 as an electrode material in fuel cells, lithium-oxygen batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, lithium-ion batteries, wastewater treatment, etc., including advanced fabrication technology, theoretical research, and application performance. Meanwhile, the current problems and future research directions of Ti4O7 are also pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Switch defective/sucrose non‐fermentable (SWI/SNF) chromatin remodeling complexes are evolutionarily conserved, multi‐subunit machinery that play vital roles in the regulation of gene expression by controlling nucleosome positioning and occupancy. However, little is known about the subunit composition of SPLAYED (SYD)‐containing SWI/SNF complexes in plants. Here, we show that the Arabidopsis thaliana Leaf and Flower Related (LFR) is a subunit of SYD‐containing SWI/SNF complexes. LFR interacts directly with multiple SWI/SNF subunits, including the catalytic ATPase subunit SYD, in vitro and in vivo. Phenotypic analyses of lfr‐2 mutant flowers revealed that LFR is important for proper filament and pistil development, resembling the function of SYD. Transcriptome profiling revealed that LFR and SYD shared a subset of co‐regulated genes. We further demonstrate that the LFR and SYD interdependently activate the transcription of AGAMOUS (AG), a C‐class floral organ identity gene, by regulating the occupation of nucleosome, chromatin loop, histone modification, and Pol II enrichment on the AG locus. Furthermore, the chromosome conformation capture (3C) assay revealed that the gene loop at AG locus is negatively correlated with the AG expression level, and LFR‐SYD was functional to demolish the AG chromatin loop to promote its transcription. Collectively, these results provide insight into the molecular mechanism of the Arabidopsis SYD‐SWI/SNF complex in the control of higher chromatin conformation of the floral identity gene essential to plant reproductive organ development. Significance Statement: This study provides insight into the molecular mechanism of the Arabidopsis SYD‐SWI/SNF complex in the control of higher chromatin conformation of the floral identity gene essential to plant reproductive organ development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The conflict between humans and wild animals is an inevitably negative product of human disturbance (HD). There is a transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) among wild animals, domestic animals, humans, and their food. On the one hand, if ARGs enter from humans to wild animals, they will have unknown effects on the wild animals. On the other hand, if pathogenic bacteria carrying ARGs in wild animals are transferred to humans, this might bring new diseases to humans. In this report, golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) were used as sentinel animals to test the effect of HD on the health risk of wild animals and the transfer risk of pathogenic antibiotic-resistant bacteria (PARBs) from wild animals to humans. Our result could provide a method to evaluate the effect of HD on the health risk of wild animals and transfer risk of PARBs from wild animals to humans under the eco–environment coupling system of wild animals and humans. In the future, the conflicts between wild animals and humans should be reduced. From the perspective of interactions in the human–animal–ecosystem, the study and control of pathogenic bacteria that can cause disease in animals and humans is the core content of "One Health". In order to test the effect of human disturbance (HD) on the health risk of pathogenic antibiotic-resistant bacteria (PARBs) to wild animals and transfer risk of the PARBs from wild animals to humans, golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) were used as sentinel animals. Metagenomic analysis was used to analyze the characteristics of PARBs in the gut microbiota of golden snub-nosed monkeys. Then, the total contribution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factors (VFs) of the PARBs were used to assess the health risk of PARBs to golden snub-nosed monkeys, and the antimicrobial drug resistance and bacterial infectious disease of PARBs were determined to assess the transfer risk of PARBs from golden snub-nosed monkeys to humans. There were 18 and 5 kinds of PARBs in the gut microbiota of golden snub-nosed monkeys under HD (HD group) and wild habitat environments (W group), respectively. The total health risks of PARBs to the W group and the HD group were −28.5 × 10−3 and 125.8 × 10−3, respectively. There were 12 and 16 kinds of KEGG pathways of human diseases in the PARBs of the W group and the HD group, respectively, and the gene numbers of KEGG pathways in the HD group were higher than those in the W group. HD increased the pathogenicity of PARBs to golden snub-nosed monkeys, and the PARBs in golden snub-nosed monkeys exhibited resistance to lincosamide, aminoglycoside, and streptogramin antibiotics. If these PARBs transfer from golden snub-nosed monkeys to humans, then humans may acquire symptoms of pathogens including Tubercle bacillus, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Yersinia, Pertussis, and Vibrio cholera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total syntheses of the title marine natural products have been achieved and so confirming the structures originally assigned to them. Upon subjecting agesasine A and its corresponding ethyl ester to Mitsunobu conditions, a 1,5‐cyclodehydration reaction takes place to give 2‐oxazolines. In contrast, on subjecting agesasine B to the same Mitsunobu conditions, a simple dehydration reaction occurs to give the corresponding acrylate. A total synthesis of longamide E was achieved by engaging a 1,2‐disubstituted pyrrole in a lactam‐forming reaction and this was followed by a two‐fold and fully regio‐controlled bromination reaction. A distinctly different and possibly biomimetic route was used to synthesize, via the open‐chain natural product nakamurine B, longamide B and its methyl ester. Preliminary biological evaluations of the title alkaloids and various analogues against a small human cancer cell line panel reveals cytotoxic properties that vary significantly with structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nitrogen is a macronutrient element for plant growth and development. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) serve as pivotal regulators for the coordination between nutrient supply and plant demand. Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) is an excellent plant with fast growth, and the mechanism of the circRNA-target module in response to nitrogen remains unclear. Results: Deep small RNA sequencing results of moso bamboo seedlings under different concentrations of KNO3 (N0 = 0 mM, N6 = 6 mM, N18 = 18 mM) were used to identify circRNAs. A total of 549 circRNAs were obtained, of which 309 were generated from corresponding parental coding genes including 66 new ones. A total of 536 circRNA-parent genes were unevenly distributed in 24 scaffolds and were associated with root growth and development. Furthermore, 52 differentially expressed circRNAs (DECs) were obtained, including 24, 33 and 15 DECs from three comparisons of N0 vs. N6, N0 vs. N18 and N6 vs. N18, respectively. Based on integrative analyses of the identified DECs, differentially expressed mRNAs (DEGs), and miRNAs (DEMs), a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was constructed, including five DECs, eight DEMs and 32 DEGs. A regulatory module of PeSca_6:12,316,320|12,372,905-novel_miR156-PH02Gene35622 was further verified by qPCR and dual-luciferase reporter assays. Conclusion: The results indicated that circRNAs could participate in multiple biological processes as miRNA sponges, including organ nitrogen compound biosynthesis and metabolic process regulation in moso bamboo. Our results provide valuable information for further study of circRNAs in moso bamboo under fluctuating nitrogen conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Doping Magnéli phase Ti4O7 by cation substitution has attracted some interest for modulating structure and properties enhancement, but it remains a big problem to understand how doping elements impact the thermodynamic and structural stability of Ti4O7. We utilized first-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) combined with machine learning (ML) to forecast the stability of doped Ti4O7. DFT calculations are used to model the thermodynamic and structural stability, as well as the electronic structure, of doped (Ti,M)4O7 complexes (M = Sc, Y, La, Ce, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, and W). The results reveal that even if all (Ti,M)4O7 are thermodynamically stable, the introduction of rare earth elements Y, La, and Ce causes great structural distortion. Employing Zr, Nb, Mo, and W can improve Ti4O7 thermodynamic stability due to strong bond strength and minimal lattice distortion. The relevance of 78 doping element qualities and one processing feature (doping site) for (Ti,M)4O7 stability is discovered using ML. The results show that modulus of rigidity and entropy of solid of doping atoms have the greatest influence on the thermodynamic and structural stability of doped Ti4O7, which is useful for predicting additional (Ti,M)4O7 stability without DFT calculations. At a low doping concentration, Ce-doped Ti4O7 with massive lattice distortion was synthesized, supporting the DFT results. This study not only applies to all doped Ti4O7 complexes, setting the groundwork for stability of the planned high-performance cation substitution in defect Ti4O7, but also introduces a unique way of predicting stability in defect engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selenium-rich rice samples of 52 brands were bought from supermarkets on line in China and analysed for Se with ICP-MS. The Se concentration of Se-rich rice in China ranged from 0.012 ± 0.001 to 0.558 ± 0.057 mg/kg with an average of 0.090 ± 0.092 mg/kg. Rice samples with Se concentrations below 0.04 mg/kg accounted for 36.5% of the total samples. Se concentrations between 0.04 and 0.3 mg/kg accounted for 61.6%. Taking the upper tolerable limit of 400 μg/d as the risk standard, the risk of selenium intake by selenium-rich rice was low and the risk index was far less than 100%. With the upper intake limit of 100 μg/d and the adequate intake of 70 μg/d as the risk standard, the maximum intake risk index was higher than 100%, indicating a certain risk in the consumption of selenium-rich rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multi-core fiber optical tweezers can monitor ambient temperature. • Four Bragg gratings are written on the four-core fiber end. • Temperature rise approaching dynamic equilibrium at different power levels. • It is necessary to control the light power when manipulating cells for a long time. We propose and demonstrate a multi-core fiber optical tweezers system that can automatically monitor ambient temperature. The system uses a four-core fiber frustum cone end to trap small particles such as cells, and four Bragg gratings are written on the cone end of the four-core fiber optical tweezers to monitor the ambient temperature change caused by light radiation at the fiber end of the system. This paper mainly tests the temperature monitoring function of the system when the ambient temperature changes caused by fiber end radiation. Considering that the activity of different cells will be affected when stimulated by the ambient temperature, the monitoring of ambient temperature is particularly important when the operation is carried out for a long time, especially when the radiated laser power is higher than 100 mW. This optical fiber tweezers system provides a better technical solution for the operation and application of living cells through the integration of multi-core fiber grating temperature measurement technology and expands the practical value of optical fiber tweezers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beta-glucans possess the ability of retarding starch retrogradation. However, β -glucans from different sources might show various influences on retrogradation process and the structure-function relationships of β -glucans related to the feature still remains unclear. In the study, the β -glucans from oat (OG), highland barley (HBG), and yeast (YG) were selected. Each β -glucans formed aggregate as observed by atomic force microscopy. OG and HBG with a lower M w aggregated more obviously and exhibited higher intrinsic and apparent viscosity. The two β -glucans showed more restraining effect on the short-term starch retrogradation in the sol-like test system (RVA) and the long-term starch retrogradation in the gel-like test system (DSC). However, YG with a higher M w exerted a greater retarding effect on the short-term starch retrogradation in gel-like test systems (Mixolab and rheology). LF-NMR indicated that OG and HBG increased the population of less-bound water by wrapping around the starch. In summary, the structural characteristics of β -glucan (M w and aggregation state) and experiment condition (solid content) jointly influenced starch retrogradation, because a lower Mw and higher aggregation capacity β -glucan interacted more readily with starch and inhibited more starch re-association due to the higher diffusion rate in the sol-like system. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnéli phase Ti 4 O 7 has been widely used in a range of electrochemistry disciplines due to its stable structure and excellent electrical conductivity. However, the conductivity advantages of Ti 4 O 7 as a conductive addition are not readily visible, and the conductivity of Ti 4 O 7 is significantly decreased by the presence of other titanium suboxide. The conductivity qualities of Ti 4 O 7 can be improved by V. Studies on the impact of the amount of V on the structure and conductivity of Ti 4 O 7 , as well as the mechanism of V-enhanced conductivity of Ti 4 O 7 , are scarcely discernible. As a result, the effects of different V doping levels on the structure and conductivity of Ti 4 O 7 were examined in this study, and when paired with carrier mobility calculation based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the mechanism behind V-enhanced Ti 4 O 7 conductivity was discovered. Simple solvothermal and hydrogen reduction methods were used to prepare V-doped Ti 4 O 7 at a variety of doping concentration. The conductivity of Ti 4 O 7 improved with increasing V doping, however the presence of second phase (Ti 1−x V x) 2 O 3 decreased the conductivity of Ti 4 O 7. This work is important for further understanding the optimal doping amount for V-enhanced Ti 4 O 7 conductivity and the V-enhanced Ti 4 O 7 conductivity behavior. • The conductivity of Ti 4 O 7 increases with the increase in the solid solution of V. • The presence of the second phase (Ti 1−x V x) 2 O 3 deteriorates the conductivity of (Ti,V) 4 O 7. • The maximum solid solubility of V in Ti 4 O 7 is less than 18.01 at%. • The synergistic effect between carrier mobility and carrier concentration leads to V-enhanced conductivity of Ti 4 O 7. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Membraneless and flowless zinc-bromine batteries (MLFL-ZBBs) have emerged as a compelling solution for energy storage due to their cost-effectiveness, high cell voltage, and high safety. However, challenges persist in maintaining long-term stability and efficiency, primarily attributed to the inadequate adsorption of carbon-based host materials in ZBBs to soluble polybromides. Here, we report a highly conductive, inherently polar Ti 4 O 7 as the host material and demonstrate how it improves MLFL-ZBBs stability. Density functional theory calculations suggest the electron densities of Br atoms within polybromides are significantly intertwined with Ti atoms in Ti 4 O 7 , resulting in the formation of robust Ti-Br bonding, which are absent as for carbon and bromine interactions. Visual discrimination, UV–Vis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy collectively confirm the substantial adsorption capabilities of Ti 4 O 7 towards polybromides. The Coulombic efficiency of MLFL-ZBBs with Ti 4 O 7 as host materials remain 93.8% after 2,000 cycles, which is more than three times that with traditional carbon-based host. [Display omitted] Metallic polar Ti 4 O 7 forms the strong Ti-Br bonds with the polybromides. This robust chemisorption allows the polybromides to be anchored to the cathode and not react with the cathode metal Zn, resulting in a significant increase in the stability of the membraneless and flowless zinc-bromine battery compared to conventional carbon materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The landing airbag system, a mechanism composed of thin-walled structures, is designed to ensure the safe landing of a lander. To investigate the dynamic behavior of the landing airbag with large deformations, a novel modeling approach incorporating gas exchange and frictional contact is proposed. The Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation (ANCF) is introduced to model the flexible airbag. Subsequently, the gas parameters inside the airbag are calculated by integrating the Control Volume (CV) Method and the energy conservation equation. Additionally, based on master–slave techniques, a frictional contact formulation for the thin-walled structure and the rigid plane is presented, in which the normal contact force is estimated using the penalty method, and the velocity-based friction model accounting for the stick–slip transition characterizes the tangential friction. Furthermore, the bounding box technology is adopted to improve contact detection efficiency. A series of numerical examples are performed, which demonstrates the proposed model's advantages in terms of precision and versatility. Finally, the landing dynamic characteristics of the airbag landing system for the small lunar lander are successfully revealed, and the parameter analysis for the airbag system is expected to aid the design optimization of the airbag cushioning system. • A model with good convergence and precision for pneumatic membranes is established. • The control volume method with energy conservation is used to describe gas states. • The approach considering the stick–slip transition is used for the friction. • The landing dynamic characteristics of the small lunar lander are revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern intensive cropping systems often contribute to the accumulation of phenolic acids in the soil, which promotes the development of soilborne diseases. This can be suppressed by intercropping. This study analyzed the effects of intercropping on Fusarium wilt based on its effect on photosynthesis under stress by the combination of Fusarium commune and cinnamic acid. The control was not inoculated with F. commune, while the faba bean plants (Vicia faba L.) were inoculated with this pathogen in the other treatments. The infected plants were also treated with cinnamic acid. This study examined the development of Fusarium wilt together with its effects on the leaves, absorption of nutrients, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, contents of photosynthetic pigments, activities of photosynthetic enzymes, gas exchange parameters, and the photosynthetic assimilates of faba bean from monocropping and intercropping systems. Under monocropping conditions, the leaves of the plants inoculated with F. commune grew significantly less, and there was enhanced occurrence of the Fusarium wilt compared with the control. Compared with the plants solely inoculated with F. commune, the exogenous addition of cinnamic acid to the infected plants significantly further reduced the growth of faba bean leaves and increased the occurrence of Fusarium wilt. A comparison of the combination of F. commune and cinnamic acid in intercropped wheat and faba bean compared with monocropping showed that intercropping improved the absorption of nutrients, increased photosynthetic pigments and its contents, electron transport, photosynthetic enzymes, and photosynthetic assimilates. The combination of these factors reduced the occurrence of Fusarium wilt in faba bean and increased the growth of its leaves. These results showed that intercropping improved the photosynthesis, which promoted the growth of faba bean, thus, reducing the development of Fusarium wilt following the stress of infection by F. commune and cinnamic acid. This research should provide more information to enhance sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Video streaming from cameras to backend cloud or edge servers for neural-based analytics has gained significant popularity. However, the transmission of data from cameras to a backend raises substantial privacy concerns, particularly regarding sensitive information like facial data. To offer privacy protection, visual processing techniques, such as Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), have been employed on cameras to blur and safeguard such data intelligently. However, these techniques frequently face memory challenges, particularly when dealing with high-resolution videos. In this paper, we propose PIMO, a memory-efficient visual privacy protection scheme designed to effectively blur video content leveraging adaptive slicing of frames and resolution degradation. Our extensive experimental evaluations validate that PIMO’s adaptive mechanism proficiently navigates fluctuating memory constraints. Furthermore, utilizing a content-based blur scheme, our approach can maintain an impressive mean precision of 95.2%, as compared to the original, non-blurred images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage is a serious potential complication of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke. We investigated the optimal imaging and clinical parameters to predict symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage in acute ischemic stroke patients after recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator therapy. We retrospectively reviewed 151 acute ischemic stroke patients with thrombolytic therapy, who were dichotomized into symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage group and non–symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage group. They underwent multimodal computed tomography, including the measurement of permeability surface. We compared the clinical and radiological characteristics between symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage group and non–symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage group, using univariate analysis. Receiver operating characteristic analysis and multivariate logistic regression analyses were then used to determine symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage predictors. Of 151 patients, 14 patients (9.27%) developed symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage on follow-up imaging. Relative permeability surface (infarct permeability surface/contralateral normal permeability surface) (p < 0.05) and baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (p < 0.05) were both predictors of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage. Receiver operating characteristic analysis of relative permeability surface revealed an optimal relative permeability surface threshold of 2.239, with an area under the curve of 0.87 (95% confidence interval, 0.732–1.0). The relative permeability surface was 2.239, the sensitivity for symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage was 85.7%, the specificity was 94.9%, the positive predictive value was 70.6%, and the negative predictive value was 95.5%. For low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, the optimal threshold was 2.45, with an area under the curve of 0.726 (95% confidence interval, 0.586–0.867), the sensitivity for symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage was 73.0%, the specificity was 64.3%, the positive predictive value was 67.16%, and the negative predictive value was 79.09%. Our study demonstrated that increased infarct permeability surface and low level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol can be two predictors of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage. Detection of relative permeability surface and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol may help clinicians to identify acute ischemic stroke patients with the higher risk of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage; intravenous thrombolytic therapy should be carefully performed for patients with high relative permeability surface and low low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. We may take relative permeability surface and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol into account to refine therapeutic decision-making in acute ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage is a serious potential complication of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke. We investigated the optimal imaging and clinical parameters to predict symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage in acute ischemic stroke patients after recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator therapy. We retrospectively reviewed 151 acute ischemic stroke patients with thrombolytic therapy, who were dichotomized into symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage group and non–symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage group. They underwent multimodal computed tomography, including the measurement of permeability surface. We compared the clinical and radiological characteristics between symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage group and non–symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage group, using univariate analysis. Receiver operating characteristic analysis and multivariate logistic regression analyses were then used to determine symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage predictors. Of 151 patients, 14 patients (9.27%) developed symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage on follow-up imaging. Relative permeability surface (infarct permeability surface/contralateral normal permeability surface) (p < 0.05) and baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (p < 0.05) were both predictors of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage. Receiver operating characteristic analysis of relative permeability surface revealed an optimal relative permeability surface threshold of 2.239, with an area under the curve of 0.87 (95% confidence interval, 0.732–1.0). The relative permeability surface was 2.239, the sensitivity for symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage was 85.7%, the specificity was 94.9%, the positive predictive value was 70.6%, and the negative predictive value was 95.5%. For low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, the optimal threshold was 2.45, with an area under the curve of 0.726 (95% confidence interval, 0.586–0.867), the sensitivity for symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage was 73.0%, the specificity was 64.3%, the positive predictive value was 67.16%, and the negative predictive value was 79.09%. Our study demonstrated that increased infarct permeability surface and low level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol can be two predictors of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage. Detection of relative permeability surface and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol may help clinicians to identify acute ischemic stroke patients with the higher risk of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage; intravenous thrombolytic therapy should be carefully performed for patients with high relative permeability surface and low low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. We may take relative permeability surface and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol into account to refine therapeutic decision-making in acute ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparing China's 2006 and 2015 Africa policies, this article reveals how China's political discourse has become more confident, practical, and depoliticised. In particular, this paper shows how education is allocated, promised, and embedded in China's 'shared' agenda, which is centred on development co-operation and mutual learning. It then reflects on the extent to which China may move towards traditional donors. This paper concludes that, despite fragmented convergences in the discourse and an increased recognition of a Chinese model, China maintains its distinctive role and position in the post-2015 era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A gel‐to‐crystal phase transition of a dipeptide supramolecular assembly mediates active water transportation in oils. The addition of water into ultrafast‐assembling dipeptide organogels can induce a lamellar‐to‐hexagonal structural transformation of dipeptide molecular arrangement. Consequently, a phase transition from gel to crystal occurs and in turn water is transported in the dipeptide crystal via well‐defined channels. On a macroscopic scale, water transport in the bulk system exhibits an anisotropic characteristic, which can be tuned by the presence of ions in the Hofmeister series. These favorable features enable the automatic separation of dispersed nanoparticles from dissolved electrolytes in aqueous solution. These findings demonstrate the potential of this assembled system for active filtration without external pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A gel‐to‐crystal phase transition of a dipeptide supramolecular assembly mediates active water transportation in oils. The addition of water into ultrafast‐assembling dipeptide organogels can induce a lamellar‐to‐hexagonal structural transformation of dipeptide molecular arrangement. Consequently, a phase transition from gel to crystal occurs and in turn water is transported in the dipeptide crystal via well‐defined channels. On a macroscopic scale, water transport in the bulk system exhibits an anisotropic characteristic, which can be tuned by the presence of ions in the Hofmeister series. These favorable features enable the automatic separation of dispersed nanoparticles from dissolved electrolytes in aqueous solution. These findings demonstrate the potential of this assembled system for active filtration without external pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An unprecedented strategy of a rhodium-catalysed redox-neutral cascade reaction starting from benzamides and cyclopropenones via addition of a C–H bond into a polar carbonyl group for the rapid assembly of cyclopentene spiroisoindolinones has been developed. Water was produced as the sole by-product. Metal migration and abstraction of a H-atom from the arylcyclopropenone's aromatic ring are the key steps in building the spirocycle. Two C–C bonds, one C–N bond and an N-substituted quaternary carbon center were formed sequentially in a one pot manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a new type of humidity sensor based on aligned microfibers array waveguides with high specific surface area for the sensing region. The MNF array is fabricated by electrospinning and light can be efficiently coupled into them. The results indicate that the microfiber waveguides have uniform diameter and smooth morphology. Simultaneously, the microfiber array present obvious humidity sensing properties through strong evanescent fields for the humidity of 35–85 RH % with short response time, good linearity, stability and repeatability. Significantly, this idea provides an efficient and simple way to achieve a large number of optical waveguides array in microscopic scale with excellent optical characteristics and the microfibers could find wide applications in various micro or nano scale photonic and sensitive devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Software Defined Networking (SDN) is a promising paradigm to provide centralized traffic control. Multimedia traffic control based on SDN is crucial but challenging for Quality of Experience (QoE) optimization. It is very difficult to model and control multimedia traffic because solutions mainly depend on an understanding of the network environment, which is complicated and dynamic. Inspired by the recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, we study the adaptive multimedia traffic control mechanism leveraging Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL). This paradigm combines deep learning with reinforcement learning, which learns solely from rewards by trial-and-error. Results demonstrate that the proposed mechanism is able to control multimedia traffic directly from experience without referring to a mathematical model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new dynamic model is proposed for inflatable mechanisms with friction and adhesion. • A modified master-master detection approach for rolling contact is presented. • The frictional contact considers stick-slip transition, large sliding and rolling. • An adhesion element with failure mechanism is developed. • Appropriate parameters for adhesion constitutive relationship are obtained. A new modeling approach is proposed for dynamic analysis of inflatable mechanisms with large deformations, involving frictional contact and adhesion. Firstly, the Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation (ANCF) shell element is employed to model the flexible appendage. Then, by combining the master-slave and master-master techniques, a frictional contact formulation for the thin shell and the rigid cylinder is presented, which can capture the stick–slip transition and address both large sliding and rolling scenarios. In addition, a modified contact detection approach is proposed by optimizing the contact detection region to effectively avoid mutual over-penetration and improve detection efficiency. Furthermore, an adhesion element with failure mechanism is developed. Finally, a series of numerical examples are carried out to validate the proposed modeling approach. Together with the successful simulation against the resistance controlled deployment of an inflatable mechanism, the advantages of the proposed approach are demonstrated. Moreover, the most appropriate parameters for adhesion constitutive relationship are obtained to serve the adhesion-based controller design. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different from the conventional irreversible covalent conjugations, a simple and efficient dynamic Schiff base covalent assembly is developed to construct the stable and smart dipeptide-protein hydrogels under mild conditions. Diphenylalanine-hemoglobin hydrogel is chosen to investigate the gelation formation process and mechanism. It is found that such assembled dipeptide-protein hydrogels are sensitive to pH variation, and simultaneously the proteins can be released without changing the native secondary structures from the gels. Furthermore, these adaptive hydrogels can encapsulate a series of small molecules, multicomponent proteins, and functional nanoparticles. These versatile hydrogels may find a great potential in bioapplications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel layered Na0.5Ni0.25Mn0.75O2 micro-sheets were explored as cathode materials for Na-ion batteries for the first time, which can exhibit electrochemical activity operating at an average voltage of 3.8 V (vs. Na+/Na) and deliver a reversible discharge capacity of 121 mA h g−1 at 0.2C rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Zn-ion diffusion energy barrier in the hydrogenated V 2 O 5 (HV 2 O 5) was measured. • The HV 2 O 5 nanospheres was rapidly prepared by microwave-assisted synthesis. • The HV 2 O 5 exhibits high specific capacity and excellent rate performance. • The mechanism of dual-ion electrochemical energy storage was explored. The scarce inventory of cathode materials with mild interaction between Zn2+ and cathode lattice is the main obstacle to the development for aqueous rechargeable Zinc-ion batteries. In this paper, based on the first-principles calculations, we show that the insertion of protons in V 2 O 5 effectively reduces the electrostatic interaction and the Zn-ion diffusion energy barrier in V 2 O 5 substantially decreases after hydrogenation. Hence, the hydrogenated V 2 O 5 (HV 2 O 5) nanospheres are first proposed as a high capacity cathode for aqueous rechargeable Zinc-ion batteries by microwave-assisted chemical precipitation synthesis. It is demonstrated to exhibit high peak capacities of 602 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1, high rate capacity as well an excellent cycle lifespan with a capacity retention of 86% after 5000 cycles at 10 A g−1. The mechanism of ions-diffusion in different charge and discharge states is also studied, and it proves dual-ion energy storage mechanism that HV 2 O 5 can attract Zn ions and H ions at discharging. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ubiquitination, a post-translational modification, involves the covalent attachment of ubiquitin to the target protein. The ubiquitin–proteasome pathway and the endosome–lysosome pathway control the degradation of the majority of eukaryotic proteins. Our previous study illustrated that δ-catenin ubiquitination occurs in a glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) phosphorylation-dependent manner. However, the molecular mechanism of δ-catenin ubiquitination is still unknown. Here, we show that the lysine residues required for ubiquitination are located mainly in the C-terminal portion of δ-catenin. In addition, we provide evidence that β-TrCP-1 interacts with δ-catenin and functions as an E3 ligase, mediating δ-catenin ubiquitin–proteasome degradation. Furthermore, we prove that both the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway and the lysosome degradation pathway are involved in δ-catenin degradation. Our novel findings on the mechanism of δ-catenin ubiquitination will add a new perspective to δ-catenin degradation and the effects of δ-catenin on E-cadherin involved in epithelial cell–cell adhesion, which is implicated in prostate cancer progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An in-fiber integrated fluorescence online optofluidic sensor is realized in a hollow optical fiber with a suspended core. A micro-region for fluorescence quenching reaction is built in the hollow optical fiber. By etching microholes on the surface of the fiber, the fluorescence reagents can be injected into the optical fiber and form microflows in the region. Simultaneously, indicator molecules can be excitated through the evanescent field of the suspended core and the fluorescence is efficiently coupled into the core and can be detected. In this report, the concentration of nitrite can be determined by quenching the fluorescence of rhodamine 6G during optofluidic reaction in the optical fiber. Furthermore, the results demonstrate the feasibility of the integrated in-fiber optofluidic method for trace fluorescence detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new kind of optofluidic in-fiber integrated device based on a specially designed hollow optical fiber with an inner core is designed. The inlets and outlets are built by etching the surface of the optical fiber without damaging the inner core. A reaction region between the end of the fiber and a solid point obtained after melting is constructed. By injecting samples into the fiber, the liquids can form steady microflows and react in the region. Simultaneously, the emission from the chemiluminescence reaction can be detected from the remote end of the optical fiber through evanescent field coupling. The concentration of ascorbic acid (AA or vitamin C, Vc) is determined by the emission intensity of the reaction of Vc, H2O2, luminol, and K3Fe(CN)6 in the optical fiber. A linear sensing range of 0.1–3.0 mmol L−1 for Vc is obtained. The emission intensity can be determined within 2 s at a total flow rate of 150 μL min−1. Significantly, this work presents information for the in-fiber integrated optofluidic devices without spatial optical coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flame-retardant polypropylene (PP)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) nanocomposites influenced by surface functionalization and surfactant molecular weights are studied. 3-Aminopropyl-triethoxysilane (APTES) is utilized to modify the CNTs (f-CNTs), and maleic-anhydride-grafted PP (MAPP) with two molecular weights ( [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIV-1 envelope (Env) glycoprotein is a trimer of heterodimer of gp120 and gp41, and derives from a trimeric glycoprotein precursor, gp160. Gp120 contains five conserved regions that are interspersed with 5 variable loop regions (V1–V5). Env variations in variable loop length and amino acid composition may associate with virus pathogenesis, virus sensitivity to neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) and disease progression. To investigate the role of each variable loop in Env function, we generated a panel of JRFL gp160 loop deletion mutants and examined the effects of each loop deletion on Env expression, Env cell surface display and Env-mediated virus entry into permissive cells. We found that deletion of V1 and V2 (ΔV1V2), or loop D (ΔlpD) abolished virus entry, the same effect as deletion of V3 (ΔV3), while deletion of V3 crown (ΔV3C) significantly enhanced virus assembly and entry. We further found that deletion of V4 (ΔV4) or V5 (ΔV5), or replacement of V4 or V5 with flexible linkers of the same lengths knocked out the receptor and coreceptor binding sites in gp120, but significantly enhanced the exposure of the N-trimer structure and the membrane proximal external region (MPER) in gp41. Although deletion of V4 or V5 did not affect Env expression, they negatively affected Env cell surface display, leading to the failure in virus assembly and subsequent entry. Taken together, we found that Env variable loops were indispensable for Env structural integrity and virus entry. Our findings may have implications for development of HIV-1 vaccine immunogens and therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) enhances cancer invasiveness and confers tumor cells with cancer stem cell (CSC)-like characteristics. We show that the Snail-G9a-Dnmt1 complex, which is critical for E-cadherin promoter silencing, is also required for the promoter methylation of fructose-1,6-biphosphatase (FBP1) in basal-like breast cancer (BLBC). Loss of FBP1 induces glycolysis and results in increased glucose uptake, macromolecule biosynthesis, formation of tetrameric PKM2, and maintenance of ATP production under hypoxia. Loss of FBP1 also inhibits oxygen consumption and reactive oxygen species production by suppressing mitochondrial complex I activity; this metabolic reprogramming results in an increased CSC-like property and tumorigenicity by enhancing the interaction of β-catenin with T-cell factor. Our study indicates that the loss of FBP1 is a critical oncogenic event in EMT and BLBC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Magnetic high density polyethylene (HDPE) polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) with different loadings of iron@iron oxide core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) were fabricated by in-situ thermal decomposition of organometallic iron precursors in the HDPE-xylene solution. Attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) measurement indicated that the HDPE chains were physically adsorbed onto the surface of NPs instead of forming chemical bonding during the formation of these PNCs. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) micrographs revealed that the iron core NPs surrounded with iron oxide shell were formed in the HDPE hosting matrix with good dispersion, an inter-network structure was formed when the particle loading reached 10.0 wt%. Mössbauer spectrum analysis showed that the oxidization content of the iron NPs decreased with increasing the particle loading. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) characterization demonstrated that the crystalline structure of HDPE matrix was not influenced by the incorporation of the NPs; however, fusion heat and crystalline fraction of the HDPE matrix decreased with the introduction of these NPs. The melt rheological behaviors were significantly changed as indicated by different complex viscosities, storage moduli and loss moduli between pristine HDPE and its PNCs. Magnetic property investigation revealed a soft ferromagnetic behavior for these HDPE PNCs at room temperature and the coercivity was decreased with increasing the particle loading. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrated that the thermal stability of these HDPE PNCs was enhanced in the presence of the NPs. Dielectric properties of the HDPE PNCs were also investigated and discussed in detail. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) are likely to be a key component of protective immunity conferred by an effective HIV-1 vaccine. We and others have reported that putative human germline predecessors of known human bnAbs lack measurable binding to HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins (Env), which could be a new challenge for eliciting human bnAbs. Rhesus macaques have been used as nonhuman primate models for testing vaccine candidates, but little is known about their germline Abs. Here we show the similarities and differences between putative rhesus macaque and human germline predecessors and possible intermediate antibodies of one of the best characterized bnAbs, b12. Similar to the human counterpart, a putative rhesus macaque b12 germline antibody lacks measurable binding to HIV-1 Envs, suggesting that initiation of somatic maturation of rhesus macaque germline b12 predecessor may also be a challenge. However, differences in sequence characteristics and binding properties between macaque and human b12 germline and intermediate antibodies suggest that the two germline predecessors may undergo different maturation pathways in rhesus macaques and in humans. These results indicate that immunogens that could initiate the immune responses and drive somatic mutations leading to elicitation of b12 or b12-like bnAbs in rhesus macaques and in humans are likely to be different. This has important implications for HIV-1 vaccine development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A fiber optic probe made by a three-core fiber used for particle trajectory transport. • The power of each core of the three-core fiber can be adjusted separately. • The trajectories are made up of intersecting outgoing beams. We propose an optical transport device made of a three-core optical fiber. In this device the output light beams compose the transport trajectory. The main part of the optical transport device is the fiber end which is ground at a specific angle by the fiber end grinding technology. Moreover, in order to adjust the optical power in each core independently, the three-core fiber probe is connected to a three-channel optical source through a multi-core fiber fan-in and fan-out device. Then by switching the optical power of each core, the micro particle can move along different trajectories. As a result, the proposed three-core fiber probe can be potentially used for transporting drugs or sorting particles in the field of biomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polypropylene grafted maleic anhydride (PP-MA, 2500 g mole−1) has demonstrated its unique capability to synthesize 1-D ferromagnetic hard (292.7 Oe) γ-Fe2O3 nanochains made of ∼24 nm nanoparticles vs. PP-MA with 8000 g mole−1 for the synthesis of 1-D ferromagnetic soft (70.5 Oe) γ-Fe2O3 nanochains (30 nm) made of flowerlike nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel function of maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (PP) with different backbone chain-lengths was demonstrated, i.e., in controlling the cobalt morphologies (dispersed polyhedral vs. assembled chain nanostructure), crystalline structures (ε- vs.β-phase), and magnetic property (242 vs. 808 Oe) in the synthesized magnetic PP nanocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a scheme to enhance the fidelity of symmetric and asymmetric quantum cloning using a hybrid system based on nitrogen-vacancy (N-V) centers. By setting different initial states, the present scheme can implement optimal symmetric (asymmetric) universal (phase-covariant) quantum cloning, so that the copies with the assistance of a Current-biased Josephson junction (CBJJ) qubit and four transmission-line resonators (TLRs) can be obtained. The scheme consists of two stages: the first stage is the implementation of the conventional controlled-phase gate, and the second is the realization of different quantum cloning machines (QCM) by choosing a suitable evolution time. The results show that the probability of success for QCM of a copy of the equatorial state can reach 1. Furthermore, the | W 4 ± 〉 entangled state can be generated in the process of the phase-covariant quantum anti-cloning. Finally, the decoherence effects caused by the N-V center qubits and CBJJ qubit are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To generate novel rabbit models with a large-fragment deletion of either LDL receptor (LDLR) and/or apolipoprotein (apoE) genes for the study of hyperlipidemic and atherosclerosis. Methods: CRISPR/Cas9 system directed by a multiple sgRNAs system was used in rabbit embryos to edit their LDLR and apoE genes. The LDLR and apoE genes of founder rabbits were sequenced, and their plasma lipids and lipoprotein profiles on a normal chow diet were analyzed, western blotting was also performed to evaluate the expression of apolipoprotein. Sudan IV and HE staining of aortic were performed to confirm the formation of atherosclerosis. Results: Six knockout (KO) rabbits by injection of both LDLR and apoE sgRNAs were obtained, including four LDLR KO rabbits and two LDLR/apoE double- KO rabbits. Sequence analysis of these KO rabbits revealed that they contained multiple mutations including indels, deletions, and substitutions, as well as two rabbit lines containing biallelic large fragment deletion in the LDLR region. Analysis of their plasma lipids and lipoprotein profiles of these rabbits fed on a normal chow diet revealed that all of these KO rabbits exhibited remarkable hyperlipidemia with total cholesterol levels increased by up to 10-fold over those of wild-type rabbits. Pathological examinations of two founder rabbits showed that KO rabbits developed prominent aortic and coronary atherosclerosis. Conclusion: Large fragment deletions can be achieved in rabbits using Cas9 mRNA and multiple sgRNAs. LDLR KO along with LDLR/apoE double KO rabbits should provide a novel means for translational investigations of human hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tong sheep is a kind of famous fat-tailed sheep in China, which no longer meets market demands because of the large amount of fat deposition in tail. Fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene regulates fatty acid transport and fat metabolism to affect obesity and is also reported to regulate phenotypic traits in healthy animals. To identify the insertion/deletion (InDel) variations of the FTO gene and evaluate their effects on fat-tail measurements and growth traits, 166 healthy individuals from Tong sheep were identified and analyzed. Herein, 10 novel InDel polymorphisms were founded in the Tong sheep FTO gene, which displayed intermediate polymorphism (0.25 < PIC < 0.5) and were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (p >.05). Correlation analysis of 78 Tong sheep phenotypic traits data and InDel polymorphisms showed that eight InDel loci were significantly associated with partial growth traits (p <.05), four InDel loci were significantly correlated with fat-tail measurements (p <.05). In particular, individuals with genotype DD showed better phenotypic traits than individuals with other genotypes at male sheep InDel 5 and InDel 8 loci, which had small tail-fat dimensions while having good growth traits. These results confirmed potential usefulness of FTO gene in marker-assisted selection programs of Tong sheep breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional landscape ecological risk (LER) assessment is of great significance for coordinating the relationship between land use and ecological environment, and for promoting the rational allocation of resources, and it is the basis and guarantee for achieving sustainable development. By assessing the landscape ecological risk of the Huaihe River ecological and economic zone, it can promote the development of ecological risk assessment theory, provide a scientific basis for the formulation of ecological civilization construction planning and policies, and help to strengthen environmental monitoring, planning and management, and promote the construction of ecological civilization. Based on the remote sensing image data of land use from 1985 to 2020, the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of land use and LER in the Anhui section of the Huaihe River Ecological and Economic Belt in China were explored. The results showed that: (1) The construction land showed an increasing trend, with an increased area of 4753.35 km2, whereas the cultivated land showed a negative growth trend, with a reduced area of 4487.58 km2. (2) During the past 35 years, the ecological risks in the research area showed a decreasing trend as a whole, with medium-low and medium-risk areas ranking as the main; medium-high and high-risk areas are mainly distributed on both sides of the Huaihe River and in the northern-central part of Suzhou City. (3) Moran's I values of LER in each period were showing significant spatial autocorrelation and tending to converge spatially. In the future, the ecological security pattern should be optimized for local high-risk deterioration areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary The lung harbors its basal stem/progenitor cells (BSCs) in the protected environment of the cartilaginous airways. After major lung injuries, BSCs are activated and recruited to sites of injury. Here, we show that during homeostasis, BSCs in cartilaginous airways maintain their stem cell state by downregulating the Hippo pathway (resulting in increased nuclear Yap), which generates a localized Fgf10 -expressing stromal niche; in contrast, differentiated epithelial cells in non-cartilaginous airways maintain quiescence by activating the Hippo pathway and inhibiting Fgf10 expression in airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs). However, upon injury, surviving differentiated epithelial cells spread to maintain barrier function and recruit integrin-linked kinase to adhesion sites, which leads to Merlin degradation, downregulation of the Hippo pathway, nuclear Yap translocation, and expression and secretion of Wnt7b. Epithelial-derived Wnt7b, then in turn, induces Fgf10 expression in ASMCs, which extends the BSC niche to promote regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report a dual catalytic system for the direct benzylic C–H acylation reaction furnishing a variety of unsymmetrical ketones. A benzophenone-derived photosensitizer combined with a nickel catalyst has been established as the catalytic system. Both acid chlorides and anhydrides are able to acylate the benzylic position of toluene and other methylbenzenes. The method offers a valuable alternative to late transition metal catalyzed C–H acylation reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular simulations are currently receiving significant attention for their ability to offer a microscopic perspective that explains macroscopic phenomena. An essential aspect is the accurate characterization of molecular structural parameters and the development of realistic numerical models. This study investigates the surface morphology and elemental distribution of silicon nitride fibers through TEM and EDS, and SEM and EDS analyses. Utilizing a customized molecular dynamics approach, molecular models of amorphous and multi-interface silicon nitride fibers with complex structures were constructed. Tensile simulations were conducted to explore correlations between performance and molecular structural composition. The results demonstrate successful construction of molecular models with amorphous, amorphous–crystalline interface, and mixed crystalline structures. Mechanical property characterization reveal the following findings: (1) The nonuniform and irregular amorphous structure causes stress concentration and crack formation under applied stress. Increased density enhances material strength but leads to higher crack sensitivity. (2) Incorporating a crystalline reinforcement phase without interfacial crosslinking increases free volume and relative tensile strength, improving toughness and reducing crack susceptibility. (3) Crosslinked interfaces effectively enhance load transfer in transitional regions, strengthening the material's tensile strength, while increased density simultaneously reduces crack propagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]