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This study aimed to evaluate the survival outcomes of neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy (NARCT) for early breast cancer. Female patients ≤ 80 years old with unilateral T1-T4 invasive ductal breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and radiation therapy (RT) between 2006 and 2015 were enrolled from SEER database. Baseline differences in clinical and pathological characteristics were evaluated using chi-square test. The survival outcomes were estimated by Kaplan–Meier analysis and compared using Cox hazards models. The effects of baseline differences on survival outcome in patients treated with neoadjuvant radiation therapy (NART) and post-operation radiation therapy (PORT) were circumvented by propensity score matching (PSM). Altogether 14,151 patients receiving NAC and RT were enrolled, among whom 386 underwent NART. Based on a 1:4 PSM cohort, NART was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor for breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) and overall survival (OS) for the whole cohort. However, among patients receiving breast conserving surgery (BCS) (HR 1.029, P = 0.915 for BCSS; HR 1.003, P = 0.990 for OS) or implant-based immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) (HR 1.039, P = 0.921 for BCSS; HR 1.153, P = 0.697 for OS), those treated with NART had similar survival outcomes compared with patients treated with PORT. In conclusion, NARCT was a safe and feasible approach for patients undergoing BCS and IBR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles with Ag single atoms tetrahedrally doped in the lattice are fabricated on the surface of carbon nanotubes (Ag-Co 3 O 4 /CNT) through pyrolysis of the AgCo precursor/CNT aerogel. The unique architecture modifies the electron properties of Co and Ag, which expedites the charge transfer and promotes *OOH desorption during OER. Consequently, Ag-Co 3 O 4 /CNT exhibits optimized intrinsic activity and OER kinetics. [Display omitted] • Ag-Co 3 O 4 /CNT that Ag single atom embedded in Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles on the surface of CNT was developed as OER electrocatalyst. • The lattice doping generates electronic interaction between Ag and host Co 3 O 4 , cutting down the charge transfer resistance. • The tetrahedral doping Ag atom effectively accelerates the desorption process and optimizes the intrinsic activity for OER. • The unique doping structure is also conducive to the structure and activity stability. Incorporating noble metal single atoms into lattice of spinel cobalt oxide (Co 3 O 4) is an attractive way to fabricate oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts because of the high activity and economic benefit. The commonly used high valence noble metal dopants such as ruthenium, iridium and rhodium tend to supersede Co3+ at octahedral site of Co 3 O 4 and result in great activity, the origins of admirable activity were also wildly investigated. However, bare explorations on doping noble metal single atom into tetrahedral site of Co 3 O 4 to construct OER catalyst have been reported, corresponding catalytic activity and mechanism remain mystery. Here, a promising structure that tetrahedrally substituent Ag single atom embedded in Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles on the surface of carbon nanotube (Ag-Co 3 O 4 /CNT) was presented, and its performance in OER was probed. The high angle annular dark field-scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) demonstrate the successful embeddedness of atomical Ag atom in Co 3 O 4 lattice, the resultant electronic interaction is conducive to promote charge transfer for OER. Theoretical calculations further disclose that atomical Ag dopant prefers to replace tetrahedral Co2+ rather than octahedral Co3+. The substitution Ag acts as the active site through Ag-Co bridge and facilitates the desorption process, which improves the turnover frequency (TOF) and boosts the intrinsic activity of Ag-Co 3 O 4 /CNT. Benefiting from the essentials above, Ag-Co 3 O 4 /CNT displays remarkable activity (236 mV@10 mA cm−2) and robust stability for alkaline OER. This finding offers a potential direction for the design of noble metal single atom involved Co 3 O 4 based OER electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the significance of chemotherapy (CT) among metaplastic breast cancer (MpBC), and to compare the survival outcomes between triple negative MpBC (MpBC-TNBC) and triple negative invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC-TNBC). SEER database was indexed to identify female unilateral primary MpBC diagnosed from 2010 to 2017. Patients were classified into neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) with response (NAC-response), NAC-no response, adjuvant chemotherapy, and no CT. Breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) and overall survival (OS) was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared by log-rank test. Cox regression was used to evaluate the independent prognostic factors. A 1:4 propensity score matching method was adopted to balance baseline differences. Altogether 1186 MpBC patients were enrolled, among them 181 received NAC, 647 received adjuvant CT and 358 did not receive any CT. Chemotherapy was an independent favorable prognostic factor. NAC-response and adjuvant CT had a significant or an obvious trend of survival improvement compared with NAC-no response or no CT. MpBC-TNBC was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor compared with IDC-TNBC. Among them, there was significant or trend of survival improvement among all TNBCs receiving NAC or adjuvant CT compared with no CT. Chemotherapy was of important significance to MpBC prognosis and should be integrated in comprehensive treatment for MpBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Montelukast (MTK), a potent antagonist of cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1, has shown therapeutic promise for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. Delirium, a common complication in critically ill patients, lacks effective treatment. This study aims to explore the impact of pre-intensive care unit (ICU) MTK use on in-hospital delirium incidence and, subsequent, prognosis in critically ill patients. Methods: A retrospective cohort study (n = 6344) was conducted using the MIMIC-IV database. After propensity score matching, logistic/Cox regression, E-value sensitivity analysis, and causal mediation analysis were performed to assess associations between pre-ICU MTK exposure and delirium and prognosis in critically ill patients. Results: Pre-ICU MTK use was significantly associated with reduced in-hospital delirium (OR: 0.705; 95% CI 0.497–0.999; p = 0.049) and 90-day mortality (OR: 0.554; 95% CI 0.366–0.840; p = 0.005). The association was more significant in patients without myocardial infarction (OR: 0.856; 95% CI 0.383–0.896; p = 0.014) and could be increased by extending the duration of use. Causal mediation analysis showed that the reduction in delirium partially mediated the association between MTK and 90-day mortality (ACME: −0.053; 95% CI −0.0142 to 0.0002; p = 0.020). Conclusions: In critically ill patients, MTK has shown promising therapeutic benefits by reducing the incidence of delirium and 90-day mortality. This study highlights the potential of MTK, beyond its traditional use in respiratory disease, and may contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for delirium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesized Ag@CoMo-LDH electrode exhibited distinguished electrocatalytic performance compared with most reported advanced OER electrocatalysts. [Display omitted] Modulating electronic resistance properties and enhancing both active site populations and per-site activity are highly desirable for the application of layered double hydroxides (LDHs) in the electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, a metal-support structure consisting of silver (Ag) nanoparticles supported by MoO 4 2− intercalated Co-LDH (CoMo-LDH) nanocages (Ag@CoMo-LDH) was developed using a sacrificial template method and a subsequent spontaneous strategy. The resultant hybrid was shown to be a highly efficient OER electrocatalyst in alkaline media. The required overpotential of Ag@CoMo-LDH for affording a geometric current density of 10 mA cm−2 is as low as 205 mV, which is not only significantly lower than that of separate CoMo-LDH or Ag nanoparticles but also superior to that of most developed OER electrocatalysts reported recently. The constituents and respective work mechanism of Ag@CoMo-LDH are discussed in detail. The superior performance of Ag@CoMo-LDH is related to the unique construction and the effective and stable heterointerfaces between Ag nanoparticles and CoMo-LDH, which accelerate the electron and mass transfer, provide a large number of new active sites and optimize the activity of the original sites. Impressively, Ag@CoMo-LDH also exhibited promising practical prospect on account of the remarkable cyclic and long-term stability. This finding demonstrates that pointedly integrating multiple strategies into one system is a promising way to construct new LDH-based OER electrocatalysts with synthetically improved performance, providing a promising model for developing advanced electrocatalysts in energy conversion devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer with a poor prognosis that seriously threatens women's health. There is still a lack of effective therapeutic targets for TNBC treatment. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed death protein ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors in combination with chemotherapy for TNBC patients. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) related to PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors combined with chemotherapy. Literature conforming to the research content was identified according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The endpoints of efficacy were pathological complete response (pCR), event-free survival (EFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Safety outcomes included adverse events (AEs) of any grade, AEs of grade ≥3, serious AEs, and the incidence of various AEs. We obtained odds ratios (OR), hazard ratio (HR), and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the included studies. Data analysis was performed using Review Manager software (version 5.3). A total of 4468 patients from eight RCTs were analyzed. PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in combination with chemotherapy significantly improved pCR (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.28 − 1.98, p < 0.0001), EFS (HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.48 − 0.91, p = 0.01), and OS (HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.52 − 0.99, p = 0.05) in patients with TNBC compared to chemotherapy alone or placebo in combination with chemotherapy. Furthermore, we found that the pCR rate was almost identical in the PD-L1 positive group (OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.26 − 2.16, p = 0.0002) and the PD-L1 negative group (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.04 − 2.33, p = 0.03). Among patients with advanced-stage TNBC, PFS (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.74 − 0.90, p < 0.0001) was longer in the combination therapy group than in the chemotherapy group. There were no statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups in OS (HR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.74 − 1.42, p = 0.87). In terms of safety, we found that the combination therapy group had a significantly higher incidence of hyperthyroidism in patients with early and advanced TNBC (OR, 5.76; 95% CI, 2.38 − 13.95, p = 0.0001) (OR, 7.86; 95% CI, 2.65 − 23.29, p = 0.0002). The combination of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors and chemotherapy could improve the survival and prognosis of patients with early and advanced TNBC. Combination treatment may be harmful to the thyroid; therefore, active surveillance and regular follow-up are necessary during treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field-winding-induced voltage pulsation in the doubly salient brushless dc (DSBLDC) generator leads to the field current ripple and challenges the dc power supply for the field winding. In this article, a new DSBLDC generator with stator-damper winding is proposed to reduce the induced voltage in the dc field winding. The stator-damper winding configuration is illustrated. The winding self-inductance and coupling characteristics are investigated. The influence of the allocation and dimension of the damper winding on the induced voltage suppression as well as the power generation performance is comparatively analyzed. A prototype of the stator-damper winding DSBLDC generator is designed and developed. The experimental results show that the induced voltage of the field winding is reduced by more than 90%, while the output power is nearly close to that of the conventional DSBLDC generator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic chitosan hydrogel has aroused immense attention in recent years due to their biomedical significance and magnetic responsiveness. Here, A new electrodeposition method is reported for the fabrication of a novel CuNi-based magnetic chitosan freestanding film (MCFF) in an acidic chitosan plating bath containing SDS-modified CuNi NPs. Contrary to chitosan's anodic and cathodic deposition, which typically involves electrochemical oxidation, the synthetic process is triggered by coordination of chitosan with Cu and Ni ions in situ generated by the controlled surface dissolution of the suspended NPs with the acidic plating bath. The NPs provide not only the ions required for chitosan growth but also become entrapped during electrodeposition, thereby endowing the composite with magnetic properties. The obtained MCFF offers a wide range of features, including good mechanical strength, magnetic properties, homogeneity, and morphological transparency. Besides the fundamental interest of the synthesis itself, sufficient mechanical strength ensures that the hydrogel can be used by either peeling it off of the electrode or by directly building a complex hydrogel electrode. Its fast and easy magnetic steering, separation and recovery, large surface area, lack of secondary pollution, and strong chelating capability could lead to it finding applications as an electrochemical detector or adsorbent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a surface modification technique that turns CuNi foam films with a high contact angle and non-sticking property into a sticky surface. By decorating with mesh-like biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) and adjusting the surface parameters, the surface exhibits water-retaining capability even when being held upside down. The wetting transition process of droplets falling on its surface were systematically studied using the finite element simulation method. It is found that the liquid filled the surface microstructure and curvy three-phase contact line. Moreover, we experimentally demonstrated that this surface can be further applied to capture underwater air bubbles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts with outstanding efficiency and favorable stability at all pH values is of great significance but still a dominating challenge toward the development of electrochemical water-splitting technology. Herein, CoRu alloy nanoparticles assembled in Co4N porous nanosheets (named as CoRu@Co4N) have been successfully achieved from Ru(OH)3@Co(OH)2 through a one-step nitridation process. Benefiting from the unique structure, inherent alloy properties and strong alloy-support interaction derived from the in situ transformation, the resultant hybrids exhibit superior HER activities over a wide pH range, achieving very low overpotentials of 13 mV, 44 mV and 15 mV at 10 mA cm−2 under alkaline, neutral and acidic conditions, respectively. Such activities surpass most reported electrocatalysts and are comparable or even transcendent to commercial Ru/C and Pt/C. Furthermore, CoRu@Co4N also exhibits outstanding stability during the accelerated degradation test (ADT) and chronopotentiometry. Our work provides a new approach for designing pH-universal Ru-involved HER electrocatalysts with remarkable efficiency and prominent durability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is highly desirable for porous coordination polymers (PCPs), including metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and Prussian blue analogues (PBAs), to retain their intrinsic characteristics in electrocatalysis, instead of being used as precursors or templates for further total conversion to other compounds via high-temperature calcination. Here, a S-treated two-dimensional (2D) CoFe bimetallic PBA grown on carbon fiber paper (CFP) (named S-CoFe-PBA/CFP) is assembled and applied as a highly efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalyst in 1 M KOH. The resultant S-CoFe-PBA/CFP demonstrates significantly improved OER catalytic activity; overpotentials of only 235, 259, and 272 mV are needed to drive current densities of 10, 50, and 100 mA cm−2, respectively, with a super low Tafel slope of 35.2 mV dec−1. Even more noteworthy, a current density of 90 mA cm−2 can be achieved when a potential of 1.5 V vs. RHE is applied, which is 6.4 times higher than that of commercial Ir/C in the same environment. The outstanding electrocatalytic performance can be ascribed to two reasons caused by the S-treatment process. On one hand, H+ from intermediates of *OH and *OOH can be captured by –SOx distributed on the surface of the catalyst, thus accelerating the breaking of O–H; on the other hand, partial phase transformation of CoFe-PBA leads to the in situ formation of amorphous CoSx nanogauze on the surface, and the resultant electronic interactions between the two phases contribute much to the improvement of charge transfer and adsorption for OER intermediates. This work provides a new avenue for the design of highly efficient PCP-based OER electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores linear waves' instability in nonuniform complex plasmas with dust size distribution and non-adiabatic dust charge fluctuation. For this purpose, the dispersion relation is obtained with the aid of linearizing the hydrodynamic equations governing the properties of linear waves. The contribution of physical parameters such as inhomogeneity, nonadiabatic dust charge fluctuation, and dust size distribution to the features of dust acoustic waves is examined at great length. The numerical results show that the present research results are very important in the phenomenon of space astrophysical and experimental plasmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the high efficiency of converting nitrate to nitrogen gas with ferrous iron as the electron donor, the process of nitrate-dependent ferrous oxidation (NDFeO) has been considered suitable to treat wastewater that contains nitrate but lacks organic matter. Meanwhile, arsenic immobilization often has been found during the NDFeO reaction. Thus, it was strongly expected that nitrate and arsenic could be removed simultaneously in co-contaminated wastewater through the NDFeO process. However, in the current work, arsenic was not removed during the NDFeO process when the pH was high (above 8), though the nitrate reduction rate was over 90%. Meanwhile, the biosolid particles from the NDFeO process demonstrated strong adsorption ability for arsenic when the pH was below 6. Yet, the adsorption became weak when the pH was above 7. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis revealed that the main activated component for arsenic adsorption was iron oxide in these particles, which was easily crippled under high pH conditions. These results implied that co-removal of nitrate and arsenic in wastewater treatment using NDFeO was difficult to carry out under high pH conditions. Thus, a two-step approach in which nitrate was removed first by NDFeO followed by arsenic adsorption with NDFeO biosolids was more feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An inorganic tin-based perovskite solar cell hole transport layer-free was designed. • Excessive thickness of the absorber layer affects the carrier diffusion length and recombination. • The higher doping concentration is beneficial to the increase of photoelectric conversion efficiency. • Excessive defect density leads to an increase in the total recombination rate as well as a decrease in carrier lifetime. • A higher work function may enhance the built-in voltage as well as improve the collection efficiency of photogenerated carriers. In this work, based on CsSnI 3 , we propose a hole transport layer-free perovskite solar cell(PSC), whose electron transport material(ETM) consists of TiO 2 , PCBM and C 60. The solar cell was optimized by varying absorber layer thickness, defect density, doping concentration, and working temperature, which resulted in a final structure performance improvement of about 11 %, where V OC = 1.26 V, J SC = 26.519 mA/cm2, FF = 90.19 %, and PCE = 30.17 %. Compared with the previous theoretical and experimental organic–inorganic PSCs, the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of our designed solar cells has been greatly improved. In addition, the quantum efficiency reaches up to 90 % and remains over 50 % in the near 900 nm wavelength range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The association of vitamin D status and inflammation prediabetes mellitus (PreDM) individuals has not been investigated. We investigated the association of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D 3 (25(OH) D 3 ) with adipokines and inflammatory markers in persons with PreDM. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we stratified 418 nondiabetic subjects as having PreDM or normal fasting glucose (NFG), and divided PreDM or NFG subjects into vitamin D sufficient, vitamin D insufficient and vitamin D deficient subgroups. 25(OH) D 3 concentrations were determined by HPLC. Serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleiukin-6 (IL-6) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), adiponectin, leptin and resistin were measured by ELISA. Results In the PreDM group, compared with those in the vitamin D sufficient subgroup, vitamin D insufficient subgroup and vitamin D deficient subgroup had higher concentrations of hs-CRP and leptin ( P < 0.05). In the PreDM-deficient or PreDM-insufficient subgroup, mean hs-CRP and leptin concentration was higher than in the PreDM-sufficient, NFG-deficient, NFG-insufficient and NFG-sufficient subgroups ( P < 0.05). Serum 25(OH) D 3 concentrations were inversely associated with hs-CRP and leptin concentrations after adjusted the BMI only in the PreDM group ( P < 0.05). At the multivariate analysis, hs-CRP and leptin were the major determinant of 25(OH) D 3 concentration (β = − 0.174 and β = − 0.171, respectively). Conclusions 25(OH) D 3 status in PreDM individuals was inversely correlated with concentrations of hs-CRP and leptin, suggesting their involvement in the inflammation response between vitamin D status and PreDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Our aim was to evaluate whether visceral adiposity index (VAI) could predict the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in different genders and to compare the predictive ability between VAI and other fatness indices. Methods: Four thousand seventy-eight participants including 1,817 men and 2,261 women, aged 18 and older and free of T2D at baseline were enrolled in 2010 and followed up for 4 years. New cases of T2D were identified via the annual medical examination. Cox regression analysis was used to assess the association between VAI and incidence of T2D. Receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the curves (AUC) were applied to compare the prediction ability of T2D between VAI and other fatness indices. Results: During the 4-year follow- up, 153 (8.42%) of 1,817 men and 88 (3.89%) of 2,261 women developed T2D. The multivariable-adjusted hazards ratios for developing T2D in the highest tertile of VAI scores were 2.854 (95% CI 1.815-4.487) in men and 3.551 (95% CI 1.586-7.955) in women. The AUC of VAI was not higher than that of other fatness indices. Conclusions: VAI could predict the risk of T2D among Chinese adults, especially in women. However, the prediction ability of T2D risk for VAI was not higher than that of the other fatness indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is one of the most common cancers of the head and neck region worldwide and is generally treated surgically in combination with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. However, anticancer agents have numerous serious side effects, and alternative, less toxic agents that are effective as chemotherapeutics for SCC are required. The Paeoniaceae family is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. We examined methanol and butanol extracts of Paeonia lutea (P. lutea) leaves for their potential as an anticancer agent. Both extracts decreased the proliferation of SCC cells, induced apoptotic cell death, and modulated migration, adhesion, chemotaxis, and haptotaxis in an extracellular matrix- (ECM-) dependent manner due to altered expression of several integrin subunits. Subsequently, SCC cells were subcutaneously transplanted into athymic nude mice; the extracts reduced the metastasis of SCC cells but had little effect on the volume of the primary tumor or survival or body weight of the mice. The results suggest that the extracts may hold promise for preventing cancer metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of high fruit and soybean products diet and standard diet interventions on serum uric acid (SUA) in asymptomatic hyperuricemia adults. A total of 187 Chinese adults (20–59 years old) with asymptomatic hyperuricemia participated in this randomized trial and were assigned to receive the standard diet recommended by guideline (group 1) and high fruit and soybean products diet (group 2) for 3 months. The outcome of SUA was assessed before and at the end of the intervention period. After 3 months, the SUA in group 1 and group 2 was significant reduced, whereas the SUA was not significantly changed in-between groups. These data suggest that over a 3-month period, although the high fruit and soybean products diet and standard diet interventions yield no different effects on SUA, the high fruit and soybean products dietary intervention could be an effective alternative to a standard diet for achieving clinically important reductions in SUA for asymptomatic hyperuricemia patients. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Skeletal fluorosis has become a public health issue in recent years as its serious impact on patients' life expectancy. Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) plays a key role in promoting osteogenesis. However, the mechanism of BMP2-Wnt/β-catenin axis in skeletal fluorosis needs further exploration. The RT-qPCR and western blot assay were carried out to examine the mRNA and protein levels. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. A commercial ALP assay kit was used to detect ALP activities. Alizarin Red staining was performed to measure the formation of mineralized nodules. Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) was performed to measure the methylation level of BMP2. Fluoride promoted the expression of osteogenic marker genes (OPN, OCN, OSX and RUNX2) and induced the proliferation and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells. Fluoride induced hypomethylation and high expression of BMP2. Furthermore, knockdown of BMP2 reversed the promoting effect of fluoride on osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1. The expression of β-catenin, glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), wingless/integrated 3α (Wnt3α), low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5) and dishevelled 1 (Dv1) were increased in osteoblasts treated with fluoride, however, knockdown of BMP2 reversed this phenomenon. Simultaneous knockdown of BMP2 and β-catenin significantly inhibited the differentiation of osteoblasts induced by fluoride. Fluoride contributed to proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts through BMP2-Wnt/β-catenin axis, providing a feasible theoretical basis for the treatment of skeletal fluorosis. • Fluoride promoted osteogenic differentiation in a dose-dependent manner. • Fluoride induced hypomethylation of BMP2. • Fluoride activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway via BMP2. • Fluoride promoted proliferation of osteoblasts through the BMP2-Wnt/β-catenin axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanostructuring of metals is nowadays considered as a promising strategy towards the development of materials with enhanced electrochemical performance. Porous and fully dense CuNi films were electrodeposited on a Cu plate by electrodeposition in view of their application as electrocatalytic materials for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Porous CuNi film were synthesized using the hydrogen bubble template electrodeposition method in an acidic electrolyte, while fully dense CuNi were electrodeposited from a citrate-sulphate bath with the addition of saccharine as a grain refiner. The prepared films were characterized chemically and morphologically by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The Rietveld analysis of the XRD data illustrates that both CuNi films have a nanosized crystallite size. Contact angle measurements reveal that the porous CuNi film exhibits remarkable superhydrophobic behavior, and fully dense CuNi film shows hydrophilicity. This is predominately ascribed to the surface roughness of the two films. The HER activity of the two prepared CuNi films were investigated in 1 M KOH solution at room temperature by polarization measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique. Porous CuNi exhibits an enhanced catalysis for HER with respect to fully dense CuNi. The HER kinetics for porous film is processed by the Volmer–Heyrovsky reaction, whereas the fully dense counterpart is Volmer-limited. This study presents a clear comparison of HER behavior between porous and fully dense CuNi films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesized Ag@Co-LDH electrode exhibited distinguished electrocatalytic performance compared with most reported advanced OER electrocatalysts. [Display omitted] • Heterostructure electrocatalyst that Ag nanowires shelled with Co-LDH nanosheets (Ag@Co-LDH) was constructed. • Ag nanowires and heterointerfaces offer a high-efficiency electron transportation during OER. • Co-LDH with ultrathin sheet-like structure and abundant grain boundary defects provide plenty of active sites for OER. • Electronic interaction and plentiful amorphous regions enhance the intrinsic activity of active site. • Ag@Co-LDH exhibits remarkable OER activity and superior electrochemical stability. It is highly desirable to cut down the electron transfer resistance, improve both site activity and site populations of layered double hydroxides (LDHs) for enhanced electrochemical activity of oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, the hybrid that Co-LDH nanosheets shells grown on Ag nanowires (NWs) cores (Ag@Co-LDH) was constructed and applied as a favorable OER electrocatalyst. The high conductivity of Ag NWs and heterointerface between Ag NWs and Co-LDH gravely accelerate electron transfer. Co-LDH with ultrathin sheet-like structure and abundant grain boundary defects effectively provide lots of active sites. The optimized local environment of Co atoms by Ag dopants and plentiful amorphous regions strongly enhance the intrinsic activity of active site. Therefore, the as-prepared Ag@Co-LDH demonstrates distinguished OER activity with a low overpotential of 217 mV at the current density of 10 mA cm−2, which is superior to most reported advanced OER electrocatalysts and even commercial Ir/C. Moreover, benefiting from the unique structure and stable heterointerface, Ag@Co-LDH also exhibits robust cycling stability and long-term durability proved by accelerated degradation test (ADT) and galvanostatic test, respectively. This finding provides a practical design direction for high-performance LDH-based OER electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The D405N and Y546F mutations of the human lutropin receptor (hLHR) have previously been shown to partially attenuate hCG-stimulated cAMP synthesis despite normal cell surface expression and hCG binding affinity (Min, L. and Ascoli, M. Mol. Endocrinol. 14:1797–1810, 2000). We now show that these mutations each stabilize a resting state of the hLHR. A combined mutant D405N,Y546F is similarly expressed at the cell surface and exhibits normal ligand-binding, but is profoundly signaling impaired. Introduction of hLHR(wt) into cells stably expressing the signaling inactive D405N,Y546F resulted in the attenuation of hCG-stimulated cAMP production by hLHR(wt) even if excess Gs is co-expressed. Similarly, co-expression of D405N,Y546F with hLHR constitutively active mutants (CAMs) attenuated their constitutive activity. Quantitative bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) analyses demonstrated that D405N,Y546F formed heterodimers with both wt and CAM hLHR. In contrast hLHR(D405N,Y546F) did not heterodimerize with the melanocortin 3 receptor (MC3R) and agonist-stimulated cAMP production through the MC3R was not attenuated when these two receptors were co-expressed. Taken altogether, our data demonstrate that a signaling inactive hLHR mutant (that is trafficked normally to the plasma membrane) attenuates the signaling of the cell surface localized wt or the constitutively active hLHR due to receptor heterodimerization. Our studies, therefore, suggest a novel ramification of GPCR signaling resulting from receptor dimerization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The analysis of critical states during fracture of wood materials is crucial for wood building safety monitoring, wood processing, etc. In this paper, beech and camphor pine are selected as the research objects, and the acoustic emission signals during the fracture process of the specimens are analyzed by three-point bending load experiments. On the one hand, the critical state interval of a complex acoustic emission signal system is determined by selecting characteristic parameters in the natural time domain. On the other hand, an improved method of b_value analysis in the natural time domain is proposed based on the characteristics of the acoustic emission signal. The K-value, which represents the beginning of the critical state of a complex acoustic emission signal system, is further defined by the improved method of b_value in the natural time domain. For beech, the analysis of critical state time based on characteristic parameters can predict the "collapse" time 8.01 s in advance, while for camphor pines, 3.74 s in advance. K-value can be analyzed at least 3 s in advance of the system "crash" time for beech and 4 s in advance of the system "crash" time for camphor pine. The results show that compared with traditional time-domain acoustic emission signal analysis, natural time-domain acoustic emission signal analysis can discover more available feature information to characterize the state of the signal. Both the characteristic parameters and Natural_Time_b_value analysis in the natural time domain can effectively characterize the time when the complex acoustic emission signal system enters the critical state. Critical state analysis can provide new ideas for wood health monitoring and complex signal processing, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a great challenge to explore new, abundant and cost-effective H 2 -evolution cocatalysts for realizing highly efficient photocatalytic water splitting using renewable solar energy. In this study, the ultrasmall amorphous NiWS x nanodots (ca. 2 nm) as a new H 2 -evolution cocatalyst of bimetallic sulfide were evenly anchored onto TiO 2 surface to prepare NiWS x nanodot-modified TiO 2 (NiWS x -ND/TiO 2) photocatalysts through a facile photodeposition strategy. The photocatalytic results showed that the amorphous NiWS x nanodots could obviously accelerate the hydrogen-production activity of TiO 2. Especially, the as-prepared NiWS x -ND/TiO 2 (3 wt%) photocatalyst manifested the maximum H 2 -generation efficiency of 4580 μmol h−1 g−1, corresponding to an apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) of 13%. Based on the present results, a H 2 -evolution mechanism of NiWS x cocatalyst is proposed, namely, the ultrasmall amorphous NiWS x nanodots first act as a capturer to speedily capture photoexcited electrons, and then play as an electron-transport medium to promote the hydrogen-generation activity. Considering its mild preparation, inexpensive cost, and admirable efficiency, the amorphous NiWS x nanodots can become a promising cocatalyst for potential various applications in photocatalytic field. Image 1 • The amorphous NiWS x -ND were anchored onto TiO 2 through a facile photodeposition strategy. • The amorphous NiWS x -ND as the electron capturer and transport medium to promote the H 2 -generation activity. • H 2 -evolution rate of TiO 2 can be greatly enhanced by the ultrasmall amorphous NiWS x -ND. • The amorphous NiWS x -ND can offer a new idea for developing excellent metallic sulfide cocatalysts for water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homocysteine (Hcy) and folate, involved in a common metabolic pathway supplying essential methyl groups for DNA and protein synthesis, have been found to be associated with cognitive function. Moreover, diet may influence methionine cycle metabolites (MCM) as well as mild cognitive impairment (MCI), but MCM-related dietary patterns are unclear in an older population. The study aimed to identify MCM-related dietary patterns of older Chinese adults, and examine their association with the prevalence of MCI in a large population-based study. This study included 4457 participants ≥ 60 years of age from the Tianjin Elderly Nutrition and Cognition Cohort study. Dietary data were collected using a valid self-administered food frequency questionnaire, and factor analysis was used to identify major dietary patterns in the population. MCM-based dietary patterns were derived using reduced rank regression (RRR) based on serum folate and Hcy as response variables. Compared with the participants in the lowest quartile of vegetarian pattern and processed foods pattern, the odds ratios (ORs) of MCI in the highest quartile were 0.72 (95% CI 0.53–0.98) and 1.39 (95% CI 1.03–1.88), respectively. In the MCM-based dietary patterns derived using RRR, the ORs for MCI for the highest quartile of MCM patterns I and II were 0.58 (95% CI 0.44–0.78) and 1.38 (95% CI 1.04–1.83), respectively, compared with participants in the lower quartile. Findings from this large population-based study suggested that adopting an MCM-related dietary pattern, especially avoiding processed foods, can decrease the occurrence of MCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The obtained Ru-NiFeP/NF electrode exhibited distinguished electrocatalytic performance and extraordinary durability HER and OER in acidic, neutral and alkaline conditions. • Ru doped bimetallic phosphide (Ru-NiFeP/NF) was synthesized. • Ru-NiFeP/NF characterized excellent HER activity in all pH media. • Ru-NiFeP/NF presented superior OER and overall water splitting activity. • Ru doping can induce strong electron interactions and endow a better intrinsic activity. The exploration of earth-abundant, highly active, and stable electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a vital but challenging step for sustainable energy conversion processes. Herein, a super-low ruthenium (Ru) (0.6 wt%) doped bimetallic phosphide derived from 2D MIL-53(NiFe) MOF nanosheets (i.e., Ru-NiFeP/NF) on nickel foam was developed via a continuous two-step hydrothermal followed by phosphorization process. The as-obtained Ru-doped NiFeP/NF with optimized electronic structure and enhanced electric conductivity delivers admirable performance for HER in a wide pH range, which requires overpotentials of 29, 105, and 56 mV to reach current density of 10 mA·cm−2 in acid, neutral, and alkaline media, respectively. For the OER, only requires an overpotential of 179 mV to achieve 10 mA·cm−2 in alkaline media. In a two-electrode alkaline electrolyzer, the as-prepared Ru-NiFeP/NF electrodes only need 1.47 V to yield 10 mA·cm−2, which is superior to the integrated RuO 2 and Pt/C couple electrode (1.5 V). This work highlights the rational design of MOF-derivates and electronic structure engineering strategy by heteroatom doping, which can be extended to design and prepare other high-performance MOF-based electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The double-hole rice vacuum seed meter is critical equipment for the planting precision of rice direct seeding. The effects of shaped holes and seed disturbance on the precision of rice bunch planting were investigated to improve the precision of bunch planting with the double-hole rice vacuum seed meter. A test bench with the rice vacuum seed meter was set up to analyze the trends in the quality of feed index, miss index, and multiple index of seed meters with different shaped holes at different speeds and vacuum pressures. Based on the optimal hole structure, different seed disturbance structures were designed to investigate the influence of the seed disturbance structure on the precision of bunch planting. A multiple linear regression model was established for the relationship between the disturbance structure, vacuum pressure, rotational speed, and the precision of bunch planting. Discrete element numerical simulation experiments were carried out to analyze the effect of disturbance structures on seeds. The planting precision of the seed meter with the shaped hole was significantly higher than that of the seed meter without the shaped hole while the shaped hole B was the optimum structure. Disturbance structure affects the quality of feed index, multiple index rate, and miss index. The planting precision of the seed disturbance structure II was better than the other structures. At a speed of 60 rpm and vacuum pressures of 2.0 kPa, 2.4 kPa, and 2.8 kPa, the qualities of feed index of seed disturbance structure II were 90%, 91.11%, and 89.17%, respectively, and the miss indexes were 2.96%, 1.94%, and 1.57%, respectively. At high rotational speeds, the precision of rice bunch planting with the seed disturbance structure is better than that without the seed disturbance structure. In the simulation test, the seed velocity and total force magnitude of the meter without disturbance structures were less than those with the disturbed structure. Simulation experiments showed that the seed disturbance structure breaks up the stacked state of seeds. Research has shown that the shaped hole holds the seed in a stable suction posture, which helps to increase the seed-filling rate. Seed disturbance improves seed mobility, thereby enhancing the precision of bunch planting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome the problem of the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), it is of great significance to develop an efficient and stable non-noble metal-based OER catalyst for electrocatalytic energy conversion and storage. Herein, a complex of a metal–organic framework and hydroxide is synthesized by performing a ligand etching strategy on FeMn co-doped Ni(OH)2 nanosheets in situ grown on nickel foam (FeMn-Ni(OH)2@MOF/NF). Benefiting from the unique sheet-on-sheet hierarchical structure, multi-metal active nodes and two active materials grown in situ, the resulting FeMn-Ni(OH)2@MOF/NF demonstrated brilliant OER activity with an overpotential of 199 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm−2 and long-term stability. This research will provide a new strategy for the design of high-performance OER electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The static and dynamic compressions of closed-cell ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foams with different densities were conducted under various strain rates. The stress−strain curves were processed to determine the corresponding curves of energy absorption per unit volume and energy absorption efficiency, and energy absorption diagrams were produced. The influences of density and strain rate on the elastic modulus, yield strength, energy absorption per unit volume, optimal strain, densification strain, and energy absorption diagrams were analyzed and discussed. The whole stress−strain curve can be fitted with the Rusch formula. The strain rate does not change the shape of stress−strain curve, and has little influence on the elastic modulus. There exists the optimal density of EVA foam corresponding to its maximum energy absorption efficiency. Under a fixed strain rate, the optical energy absorption per unit volume is proportional to the optical stress on the envelope line in the energy absorption diagrams of EVA foams with different densities. The change in strain rate leads to the envelope line in the energy absorption diagrams of EVA foams with a given density having the larger slope and a negative intercept where the optical energy absorption per unit volume relies linearly on the optical stress. The empirical formulas of elastic modulus, yield strength, optimal strain, and envelope lines and their slopes are derived from the tested results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobaltite systems with spinel-type structures and Ni-based sulfides are deemed to be practical and promising water oxidation electrocatalysts because of their low cost, intrinsically admirable electroconductivity and predominant durability. However, most electrocatalysts still suffer from the challenge of an increase in the loading of active materials without sacrificing the geometry area. In this work, a CoFe2O4@Ni3S2/NF composite was achieved through a series of hydrothermal and annealing processes by means of constructing a vertically stacked bilayer heterostructure CoFe2O4@Ni3S2 on a 3D porous nickel foam (NF). The structure and morphology of the as-synthesized catalyst have been characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis. The as-obtained CoFe2O4@Ni3S2/NF electrode, which possesses a vertically stacked bilayer nanosheet heterostructure, displays an improved OER performance and cyclic stability and shows an early onset potential with a low overpotential (231 mV at 10 mA cm−2) in a 1.0 M KOH solution. In addition, CoFe2O4@Ni3S2/NF demonstrates dependable durability and delivers outstanding current density of ∼15 mA cm−2 without activity degradation for 20 h. This approach provides a new insight into developing earth-abundant, low-cost and high-efficiency OER electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cesium lead iodide (CsPbI3) has attracted a great deal of attention as an absorption layer material for perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with high stability and suitable band gap (1.72 eV). In response to the problems of defect‐induced nonradiative compounding and voltage loss caused by the common perovskite layer, the common strategies of interfacial engineering, altering crystal equivalence, and other modifications involve more complex processes and higher fabrication costs. In order to simplify the process and save costs, this work has omitted the electron transport layer (ETL), while still maintaining a high power conversion efficiency (PCE). This work has simulated PSCs with CsPbI3 (electron transport layer free) and have matched Cu2O as the most suitable hole transport layer (HTL) material. By simulating and optimizing the thickness and defect density of perovskite absorption layer and the defect density of interface defect layer (IDL1, IDL2), and determining the most suitable operating temperature, the PCE of the device can reach 18.8%, which is consistent with the experimental data. The asymmetric effect of the interface defect layer obtained in this work is similar to previous research reports. This research provides an economical solution for high‐performance inorganic perovskite solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The carbon-based all inorganic perovskite solar cell with FTO/TiO2/CsPbI3/Carbon structure was designed and simulated. • The gradient doping concentration structure and gradient energy band structure was created only within the absorber layer. • The presence of the doping gradient introduces the built-in electric field, which promotes the movement of photogenerated carriers between the layers and significantly improves the efficiency of C-IPSCs. • The presence of the energy band gradient improves the energy level matching of the device and provides paths for the movement of holes and electrons. Carbon-based all-inorganic perovskite solar cells (C-IPSCs) without hole transport layer (HTL) are of great interest because of their excellent stability and low production costs. In contrast to hybrid PSCs with HTLs, C-IPSCs have not yet attained great conversion efficiency. In this work, a new C-IPSC with gradient doping structure and gradient energy band structure using CsPbI 3 as an absorber is proposed and numerically simulated by SCAPS-1D. The C-IPSC was optimized from various aspects including absorber layer thickness, doping gradient, doping concentration, defect, and energy band gradient. The optimal thickness of CsPbI 3 is determined based on the optical absorption properties. Through a thorough analysis of the energy band structure, the intensity of the built-in electric field, and the recombination rate, it is found that the presence of the doping gradient introduces the built-in electric field, which promotes the movement of photogenerated carriers between the layers and significantly improves the efficiency of C-IPSCs. In order to address the issue of energy level mismatch, we propose to construct an energy band gradient. The presence of the energy band gradient improves the energy level matching of the device and provides paths for the movement of holes and electrons. In addition to the doping concentration, and defect density, we have chosen according to the optical performance and manufacturing level. Through a series of optimization, the C-IPSC with gradient structure has an efficiency of 21.15%. This study demonstrates that gradient doping structure and gradient energy band structure have great potential in future C-IPSCs with CsPbI 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diet and chronic inflammation might play a major role in the pathogenesis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). In addition, peripheral blood leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) might mediate the relationship between inflammation and MCI risk. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate whether inflammatory potential of diet assessed by dietary inflammatory index (DII), chronic inflammation, peripheral blood LTL, and mtDNAcn were associated with the risk of MCI. Results: A population-based cohort study was conducted with a total of 2944 participants. During a median follow-up of 2 years, 438 (14.90%) individuals were new-onset MCI. After adjustment, a higher score of DII (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.056, 95% CI: 1.005, 1.109), a higher log systemic immune inflammation index (SII) (HR: 1.333, 95% CI: 1.089, 1.633) and log system inflammation response index (SIRI) (HR: 1.487, 95% CI: 1.024, 2.161) predicted elevated risk of MCI. An increased mtDNAcn (HR: 0.843, 95% CI: 0.712, 0.997), but not LTL, predicted a decreased risk of MCI. Negative associations of log SII with LTL (β:-0.359, 95% CI: -0.445, -0.273) and mtDNAcn (β:-0.048, 95% CI: -0.090, -0.006) were found. Additionally, negative associations of log SIRI with LTL (β: -0.035, 95% CI: -0.052, -0.017) and mtDNAcn (β:-0.136, 95% CI: -0.216, -0.056) were also found. Path analysis suggested that SIRI, LTL, and mtDNAcn, in series, have mediation roles in the association between DII score and MCI risk. Conclusions: Higher DII, SII, and SIRI might predict a greater risk of MCI, while a longer LTL and an increased mtDNAcn were linked to a reduced risk of MCI among the older population. LTL and mtDNAcn could play mediation roles in the association between DII and MCI risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are minimal data on the relationship between DII and MCI in an elderly Chinese population and no research has assessed the potential effect of LTL. We investigated the association between DII and MCI while taking into account the potential effect of LTL. This cross-sectional study included 3,386 participants aged ≥ 60 years of age from the Tianjin Elderly Nutrition and Cognition Cohort study. DII score was constructed based on a validated self-administered food frequency questionnaire was calculated based on the method developed by Shivappa et al. LTL was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between DII, LTL and MCI. Moreover, mediation analysis was employed to test the mediation effect of LTL on the total effect of DII on MCI. Compared with the participants in the lowest tertiles of LTL and DII score, the odds ratios (ORs) of MCI in the highest tertiles were 0.386(95% CI: 0.281-0.529) and 1.650 (95% CI: 1.232-2.209), respectively. The significant association between DII score and MCI persisted after further adjusting for LTL (OR: 1.595; 95% CI: 1.189-2.140). The link between DII score and MCI was mediated partially by LTL (βindirect effect= -0.008, P<0.05). High DII score was positively associated with MCI prevalence in an elderly Chinese population and the link between DII scores and MCI seemed to be mediated partially by LTL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A self-supporting binder-free electrocatalyst named Ni-ANS@NiFe 2 O 4 /IF-3 was successfully synthesized by two-step hydrothermal method, which possess an unique nanoflower structure and excellent OER performance and durability under alkaline conditions. [Display omitted] • The Ni-ANS@NiFe 2 O 4 /IF-3 was synthesized through a simple two-step hydrothermal method. • Nanoflower structure was formed by uniformly covering spinel NiFe 2 O 4 with amorphous Ni nanosheets. • The evolution process of nanoflower structure and its effect on catalytic activity were revealed. • The prepared catalyst showed extraordinary OER activity and stability under alkaline conditions. As a bottleneck step in electrochemical water splitting, oxygen evolution reaction (OER) seriously limits the development of large-scale electrochemical hydrogen production. Rational design and development of an efficient and stable OER electrocatalysts are of enormous importance but still challenging for electrochemical energy conversion. In this work, a unique nanoflower like electrocatalyst consisting of NiFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles wrapped with amorphous Ni based nanosheet on the 3D porous iron foam (IF) substrate (named as Ni-ANS@NiFe 2 O 4 /IF) is proposed and the evolution of catalyst morphology and its effect on electrochemical activity were explored. Profiting from the unique nanoflower structure and the coupling of ample active substances with favorable conductive substrates, the prepared Ni-ANS@NiFe 2 O 4 /IF exhibits outstanding OER activity with low overpotential of 209, 251, 270 mV to reach a current density of 10, 100 and 200 mA cm−2, and admirable long-term stability. This work may broaden a new vision and avenue for the design of efficient OER catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel porous magnetic soft materials (pMSMs) based on a poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) porous matrix filled with CuNi nanoparticles (NPs) of around 70 nm were synthesized. Initially, magnetic CuNi NPs were fabricated by the reduction of Ni and Cu ions with hydrazine hydrate in ethylene glycol medium in the absence of other capping agents. The pMSMs are subsequently fabricated by mixing CuNi NPs and PVA through freezing-drying process. The as-obtained pMSMs can respond to a magnetic field, i.e., the compressive modulus increase under a magnetic field of 0.23 T. The experimental results indicate that CuNi NPs can easily move to form chain-like structures under the application of a magnetic field. A combination of direct observation and finite element modeling has shown that under the influence of a magnetic field, chain-like aggregates of CuNi NPs lead to self-reinforcement of the pMSMs and, thus, to the increased compressive modulus. From a technological point of view, these materials with good magnetic responsiveness and moderate mechanical strength have potential applications in artificial muscle, soft actuators and drug release, to name a few. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the slow reaction kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), the electrolysis rate of water is greatly limited. Therefore, it is of great significance to study stable and efficient non-noble metal based electrocatalysts. In this paper, three-dimensional (3D) spherical V-NiFe LDH@Ni3S2 was developed by exquisitely decorating ultra-thin V-doped NiFe layered dihydroxide (NiFe-LDH) on Ni3S2 nanosheets supported by nickel foam (NF). It is worth mentioning that V-NiFe LDH@Ni3S2 exhibits an excellent electrocatalytic performance and only 178 mV overpotential is required in 1 M KOH to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm−2. Long-term chronoamperometry manifests its superior electrochemical stability. The combination of NiFe LDH and conductive substrate coupling can drastically afford abundant active sites and accelerate charge transfer, and V doping can markedly regulate the electronic structure. Therefore, the activity and durability of the electrocatalysts are greatly improved. This study may provide a new strategy for the preparation of efficient OER electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A new 3D hierarchical ZnIn 2 S 4 /g-C 3 N 4 adsorbent suitable for the actual flue gas of coal-fired power plants was synthesized. • The ZnIn 2 S 4 /g-C 3 N 4 adsorbent exhibits outstanding Hg0 removal performance and durability under wide temperature range (80-400℃). • The S atoms on the surface of the ZnIn 2 S 4 /g-C 3 N 4 adsorbent were the main active sites for capturing Hg0. • The possible adsorption process and the oxidation mechanism of elemental mercury were proposed. The mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants posed huge threatens to the human health and the ecological environment. Here, a new type of bimetallic sulfide ZnIn 2 S 4 modified g-C 3 N 4 adsorbent have been prepared for capturing Hg0 under wide temperature ranges (80-400℃). When the weight percentage of ZnIn 2 S 4 was 40 wt%, the as-synthesized 40ZIS/CN composite exhibited excellent Hg0 adsorption performance. Although the efficiency decreased after 8 h of adsorption, it could still remain at the efficiency of about 81.0%, revealing a stable cycle life. The influences of flue gas components were studied, and it is found that the presence of NO, SO 2 and H 2 O has little effects on the mercury removal performance. The adsorption capacity of the prepared 40ZIS/CN adsorbent is as high as 13.04 mg·g−1. Density functional theory (DFT) was used to investigate the interactions between Hg0 and the ZnIn 2 S 4 (1 1 0) surface. The results show that chemical adsorption was the main reason for the adsorption of Hg0 on ZnIn 2 S 4 (1 1 0) surface. The formation of Hg-S bonds was demonstrated by depicting the projected densities of states profiles. XPS and Hg-TPD analysis further proved that adsorbed Hg0 is converted into stable HgS through active sulfur sites on the surface. Therefore, this work not only proved that 40ZIS/CN is a promising material for Hg0 removal from coal-fired flue gas, but also can guide the future development of multi-component sulfide modified materials for mercury pollution remediation from various industrial flue gases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, PZT (piezoelectric) actuators and PD control (PDs' command line tool) method is selected to control the vibration of the flexible manipulator. The dynamic equations of the flexible manipulator system are established based on Lagrange principle. The control strategy of PZT actuators and joint control torque are designed. It is investigated by a Lyapunov approach that a combined scheme of PD feedback and command voltages applies to segmented PZT actuators. By comparison, only PD feedback control is also considered to control the flexible manipulator. The numerical simulations prove that the method of the designed PZT actuators' control strategy and PD control is effective to compress the vibration of the flexible manipulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Autophagy and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been the focus of research on the pathogenesis of melanoma. However, the autophagy network of lncRNAs in melanoma has not been reported. The purpose of this study was to investigate the lncRNA prognostic markers related to melanoma autophagy and predict the prognosis of patients with melanoma. Methods. We downloaded RNA sequencing data and clinical information of melanoma from the Cancer Genome Atlas. The coexpression of autophagy-related genes (ARGs) and lncRNAs was analyzed. The risk model of autophagy-related lncRNAs was established by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, and the best prognostic index was evaluated combined with clinical data. Finally, gene set enrichment analysis was performed on patients in the high- and low-risk groups. Results. According to the results of the univariate Cox analysis, only the overexpression of LINC00520 was associated with poor overall survival, unlike HLA-DQB1-AS1, USP30-AS1, AL645929, AL365361, LINC00324, and AC055822. The results of the multivariate Cox analysis showed that the overall survival of patients in the high-risk group was shorter than that recorded in the low-risk group (p < 0.001). Moreover, in the receiver operating characteristic curve of the risk model we constructed, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.734, while the AUC of T and N was 0.707 and 0.658, respectively. The Gene Ontology was mainly enriched with the positive regulation of autophagy and the activation of the immune system. The results of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment were mostly related to autophagy, immunity, and melanin metabolism. Conclusion. The positive regulation of autophagy may slow the transition from low-risk patients to high-risk patients in melanoma. Furthermore, compared with clinical information, the autophagy-related lncRNA risk model may better predict the prognosis of patients with melanoma and provide new treatment ideas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the complicated multiple electron transfer process and slow kinetics in the OER process seriously hinder the electrochemical decomposition of water, it is urgent to design and develop electrocatalysts with excellent performance and superior stability to reduce overpotential and accelerate the reaction dynamics of the OER. Herein, a unique ultra-thin nanosheet bimetal electrocatalyst NiFe-MOF/IF was synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method, and characterized by SEM, XRD, TEM, and XPS. NiFe-MOF/IF shows superior OER electrocatalytic activity in 1 M KOH electrolyte solution, and an ultralow overpotential of only 230 and 262 mV was required to achieve a current density of 10 and 100 mA cm−2, respectively, with a relatively small Tafel slope of 30.46 mV dec−1 for the OER. No obvious degradation of the current density at 10 mA cm−2 was observed over about 16 h, which indicates the excellent stability of the catalyst. Favourable activity and benign durability of NiFe-MOF/IF can be attributed to the three-dimensional high porosity conductive substrates, in situ growth of MOF nanosheets, bimetallic synergy, and unique layering. This research provides a promising strategy for the application of MOF materials in the field of electrocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, poly (hexamethylene terephthalamide)-co-polycaprolactam (PA6T/6) /organic montmorillonite (OMMT) composites were synthesized through melt-blending and in-situ polymerization. The interlamellar spacing of the montmorillonite in the composites prepared by in-situ polymerization (iPM) is larger than that of those composites prepared by melt-blending (mPM) shown in X-ray diffraction (XRD) curve, indicating intercalation of clay occurred in iPM composites. The morphology of mPM composites and iPM composites were observed taking advantage of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Both methods reveal that well-organized intercalation and exfoliation structure were formed in iPM composites while the clay in mPM composites tends to self-aggregate, which corresponded well with the XRD results. In violent contrast to mPM composites, the tensile strength of iPM composites was largely increased to 95.1 MPa with 1 wt% of OMMT content compared to that of the neat PA6T/6 (69.8 MPa). In addition, the water absorption is also alleviated by 26.8% at room temperature (23 °C) and 23.6% at high temperature (90 °C) for iPM composites while no obvious difference is observed for mPM composites, which is in consistent with the results of water vapor transmission rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing highly efficient, low-cost and superior stable electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is essential for coping with global energy shortage and environmental crisis. In this article, ACo 2 O 4 /NF (A = Mn, Zn, Ni) composites were synthesized via a facilely hydrothermal and calcination method and used as electrocatalytic water oxidation catalysts. The hybrid structure, chemical composition, oxidation state and surface morphology of ACo 2 O 4 /NF (A = Mn, Zn, Ni) has been confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray photoelectron (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) and Brunaure-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis. Such self-supported NiCo 2 O 4 /NF hybrid shows a smaller overpotential of 271 mV at current density of 10 mA cm −2 in 1 M KOH, which is comparable to most reported NiCo 2 O 4 materials (monomer or composite) for OER. Influence on catalytic activity of doping different metal ions in ACo 2 O 4 /NF was investigated systematically for the first time. Improved electrocatalytic activity of NiCo 2 O 4 /NF is attributed to the special homogeneous urchin-like structure and porous property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: The mechanism, by which vitamin D influences inflammatory biomarkers in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), is not very well known. Thus, a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was conducted to assess the effect of vitamin D supplementation on some inflammatory biomarkers in T2DM subjects. Methods: We searched randomized controlled trials from PubMed and the Cochrane Library in October 2017 and conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Either a fixed-effects or a random-effects model was used to calculate pooled effects. Results: We identified 13 studies that met our inclusion criteria. The results indicated that the vitamin D supplementation significant decreased the hs-CRP level by 0.45 μg/mL, whereas the vitamin D supplementation did not  influence the TNF-α and IL-6. Subgroup analysis showed that vitamin D significantly lowered hs-CRP by 0.34 μg/mL among trials with a daily vitamin D dose ≤4,000 IU and by 0.31 μg/mL among trials with time of vitamin D supplementation > 12 weeks. Conclusions: Vitamin D supplementation is beneficial for the reduction of hs-CRP inT2DM subjects but does not have a significant influence on TNF-α and IL-6 in T2DM subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Soil application of Streptomyces pactum enhances pepper fruit quality in the field. • Metabolic reprogramming is deciphered via transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. • Fruit metabolic reprogramming is coupled with rhizosphere microbiota reshaping. • Microbe-mediated fruit quality enhancement is clarified from an ecological perspective. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, such as Streptomyces pactum Act12, promote crop growth and stress resistance, but their contribution to fruit quality is still poorly understood. Herein we conducted a field experiment to ascertain the effects of S. pactum Act12-mediated metabolic reprogramming and underlying mechanisms in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) fruit based on widely targeted metabolomic and transcriptomic profiling. We additionally performed metagenomic analysis to elucidate the potential relationship between S. pactum Act12-mediated reshaping of rhizosphere microbial communities and pepper fruit quality. Soil inoculation with S. pactum Act12 considerably increased the accumulation of capsaicinoids, carbohydrates, organic acids, flavonoids, anthraquinones, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and phenolic acids in pepper fruit samples. Consequently, fruit flavor, taste, and color were modified, accompanied by elevated contents of nutrients and bioactive compounds. Increased microbial diversity and recruitment of potentially beneficial taxa were observed in inoculated soil samples, with crosstalk between microbial gene functions and pepper fruit metabolism. The reformed structure and function of rhizosphere microbial communities were closely associated with pepper fruit quality. Our findings indicate that S. pactum Act12-mediated interactions between rhizosphere microbial communities and pepper plants are responsible for intricate fruit metabolic reprogramming patterns, which enhance not only overall fruit quality but also consumer acceptability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Ni 0.85 Se-O/CN catalyst is multicore core–shell heterojunction microspheres. • The core–shell heterojunction structure enhances electron transport. • Ni 0.85 Se-O/CN is protected by g-C 3 N 4 , which reduces the corrosion and oxidation. • Core-shell engineering enhanced the OER catalytic activity of Ni 0.85 Se-O/CN. Efficient electrocatalysts are of great consideration for lowering the potential barrier for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The Ni 0.85 Se-O/CN multicore core–shell coated structured microspherical electrocatalyst was prepared by a simple hydrothermal method for promoting OER in alkaline solution. With highly conductive Ni 0.85 Se-O as the core and g-C 3 N 4 with abundant active sites as the shell, the electrocatalyst exhibits excellent catalytic OER performance with a Tafel slope of 82.5 mV dec−1 and an overpotential of 240 mV @ 10 mA cm−2. What's more, the catalyst exhibits excellent long-term stability, which is facilitated by the protection of the core (Ni 0.85 Se-O) from corrosion and oxidation by the shell (g-C 3 N 4). In addition, in-depth mechanistic analysis on catalytic activity of materials were performed by density functional theory (DFT). This work highlights the importance of core–shell structural engineering to improve the catalytic activity of materials and provides new possibilities for the progress of Ni-based catalysts in the field of oxygen evolution reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a highly prevalent type of dementia. The epigenetic mechanism of gene methylation provides a putative link between nutrition, one-carbon metabolism, and disease progression because folate deficiency may cause hypomethylation of promoter regions in AD-relevant genes. We hypothesized that folic acid supplementation may protect neuron cells from amyloid β (Aβ) oligomer-induced toxicity by modulating DNA methylation of APP and PS1 in AD models. Methods: Primary hippocampal neuronal cells and hippocampal HT-22 cells were incubated for 24 h with a combination of folic acid and either Aβ oligomers or vehicle and were then incubated for 72 h with various concentrations of folic acid. AD transgenic mice were fed either folate-deficient or control diets and gavaged daily with various doses of folic acid (0 or 600 μg/kg). DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) activity, cell viability, methylation potential of cells, APP and PS1 expression, and the methylation of the respective promoters were determined. Results: Aβ oligomers lowered DNMT activity, increased PS1 and APP expression, and decreased cell viability. Folic acid dose-dependently stimulated methylation potential and DNMT activity, altered PS1 and APP promoter methylation, decreased PS1 and APP expression, and partially preserved cell viability. Folic acid increased PS1 and APP promoter methylation in AD transgenic mice. Conclusion: These results suggest a mechanism by which folic acid may prevent Aβ oligomer-induced neuronal toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: The prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and its subtypes among Chinese older adults, and the contribution of vascular risk factors (VRF) and vascular disorders to MCI remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of MCI and its different subtypes, and clarify the role of VRF and vascular diseases in the occurrence of MCI. Methods: A random sample of 5,214 nondementia (DSM-IV) individuals aged ≥65 years underwent neuropsychological assessments and clinical examinations. MCI, including amnestic MCI-single domain (aMCI-SD), amnestic MCI-multiple domains (aMCI-MD), nonamnestic MCI-single domain (naMCI-SD), and nonamnestic MCI-multiple domains (naMCI-MD), was defined according to modifications of the Petersen criteria. VRF (smoking, obesity, and diabetes) and vascular disorders (myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, stroke, and hypertension) were assessed based on information through self-report and medical records. Data were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of MCI was 11.33% (95% CI: 8.21-14.43), and that of aMCI-SD, aMCI-MD, naMCI-SD, and naMCI-MD was 4.48% (95% CI: 2.24-6.74), 2.09% (95% CI: 0.80-3.38), 4.22% (95% CI: 1.38-7.08), and 0.53% (95% CI: 0.32-0.75), respectively. The prevalence of MCI is higher in women than in men. Multivariate logistic regression analysis shows that VRF and vascular diseases were significantly related to increase the odds of MCI and its specific subtype. Conclusions: The prevalence of MCI is almost 11% among Chinese older adults. VRF and vascular disorders are associated with MCI, especially naMCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims. Low serum folate levels can alter inflammatory reactions. Both phenomena have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but the effect of folic acid on AD itself is unclear. We quantified folate supplementation’s effect on inflammation and cognitive function in patients with AD over the course of 6 months. Methods. Patients newly diagnosed with AD (age > 60 years; n=121; mild to severe; international criteria) and being treated with donepezil were randomly assigned into two groups with (intervention group) or without (control group) supplemental treatment with folic acid (1.25 mg/d) for 6 months. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was administered to all patients at baseline and follow-up, and blood samples were taken before and after treatment. We quantified serum folate, amyloid beta (Aβ), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), plasma homocysteine (Hcy), S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), and the mRNA levels of presenilin (PS), IL-6, and TNFα in leukocytes. Data were analyzed using a repeated-measures mixed model. Results. The mean MMSE was slightly increased in the intervention group compared to that in the control group (P<0.05). Posttreatment, plasma SAM and SAM/SAH levels were significantly higher (P<0.05), while Aβ40, PS1-mRNA, and TNFα-mRNA levels were lower in the intervention group than in the control group (P<0.05). The Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio was also higher in the intervention group (P<0.05). Conclusions. Folic acid is beneficial in patients with AD. Inflammation may play an important role in the interaction between folic acid and AD. This trial is registered with clinical trial registration number ChiCTR-TRC-13003246. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]