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In order to solve some problems existing in the helium pressure leak detection technology of the pseudo-sealed source and clarify the calculation formula and test method, the paper deduces the helium pressure leak detection formula of the pseudo-sealed source by using the calculation formula of leakage rate and temperature, sample size and, and high and low pressure on both sides of the leak hole under the state of molecular flow. Through the research of the derived formula, it shows the actual standard leakage rate L is characterized by double value when the indicating leakage rate R is used to calculate the actual standard leakage rate L. It is necessary to carry out crude leakage detection after fine leakage detection to eliminate the existence of large leakage holes; The calculation formula given by GB/T15849 is the simplified formula of helium pressure leak detection formula under certain conditions (t1 and t2\begin{document}$\ll $\end{document}P0V/L). Direct use will magnify the rejection point and lead to misjuded results. In this paper, the influence of pressure, pressure time and purification time on rejection points under different cavity volume and qualified leakage rate has been discussed. The results show that increasing the pressurization pressure, prolonging the pressurization time and shortening the purification time can improve the indicating helium leakage rate R, so as to improve the leak detection sensitivity. When the influence of purification time is small, the pressurization pressure and time should meet PEt1≥QP02V/L2. and the selection principle of helium pressure test conditions is provided.

According to the Standard of Chinese Medicinal Materials of Shaanxi Province (2015 edition), Salvia miltiorrhiza caulis et folium is the dried stems and leaves of Salvia miltiorrhiza, which could activate blood and dispell blood stasis, clear the mind and remove annoyance. In this study, the dynamic absorption changes of phenolic acids (FS) and phenolic acids-flavonoids (FT) in rats after oral administration were studied by UPLC-TQ/MS/MS, to elucidate the pharmacokinetics of seven major bioactive components of the stem-leaf of Salvia miltiorrhiza in vivo. The results showed that the pharmacokinetic parameters of FS and FT were significantly different in normal rats and model rats. Compared with the control group, after injecting 10 % polymer dextran 500 into the tail vein to establish a model of microcirculation disturbance, the Cmax of caffeic acid decreased. The Cmax of rosmarinic acid and lithospermic acid increased. Danshensu showed a decrease in CLz/F, accompanied by an increase in both AUC0-t and AUC0-∞. The AUC0-t of lithospermic acid was also increased. These results indicated that microcirculation disturbance could decrease the absorption of caffeic acid while increasing the absorption of danshensu, rosmarinic acid and lithospermic acid. After oral administration of FT, the Cmax of danshensu and the AUC0-t of caffeic acid were increased significantly, suggesting that the presence of flavonoids may promote the absorption and exposure of phenolic acids in vivo. This study provides a reference for the elucidation of the in vivo substances and the mechanisms of action of FS and FT from the stem-leaf of Salvia miltiorrhiza.

Abstract Simultaneously generating various motion modes with high strains in piezoelectric devices is highly desired for high-technology fields to achieve multi-functionalities. However, traditional approach for designing multi-degrees-of-freedom systems is to bond together several multilayer piezoelectric stacks, which generally leads to cumbersome and complicated structures. Here, we proposed a transparent piezo metasurface to achieve various types of strains in a wide frequency range. As an example, we designed a ten-unit piezo metasurface, which can produce high strains (ε 3 = 0.76%), and generate linear motions along X-, Y- and Z-axis, rotary motions around X-, Y- and Z-axis as well as coupled modes. An adaptive lens based on the proposed piezo metasurface was demonstrated. It can realize a wide range of focal length (35.82 cm ~ ∞) and effective image stabilization with relatively large displacements (5.05 μm along Y-axis) and tilt angles (44.02′ around Y-axis). This research may benefit the miniaturization and integration of multi-degrees-of-freedom systems.

In this work, a metasurface-based radome composite (MRC) with customized electromagnetic (EM) functions is proposed. By employing a beam-scattering mechanism, high transmission at 2–4 GHz and significant radar cross-section (RCS) reduction at 8–18 GHz are achieved. The MRC prototype features a sandwiched construction and is fabricated using quartz fiber-reinforced composite (QFRC) skins, polymethacrylimide (PMI) foam cores, and silver-based frequency selective surface (FSS) screens. The calculation, simulation, and measured results demonstrated that the transmission of the planar specimen is larger than −1 dB at 2–4 GHz and the RCS reduction is less than −10 dB at 8–18 GHz. The measured results also verified that in the HH and VV polarizations, the mono-static RCS of a square pyramid (SP) specimen at specific directions from 8 GHz to 12 GHz is significantly reduced. It is believed that our finding has great application potential in stealth radome technology.

The formation of the ferroelectric domain structure as a result of irradiation by focused ion beam of [100]-cut 0.61Pb(Mg[Formula: see text]Nb[Formula: see text]O3–0.39PbTiO3 (PMN–PT) single crystals covered by surface artificial dielectric layer and with free surface was investigated. The dot irradiation resulted in formation of the wedge-like domains grown along [00[Formula: see text]] direction. For irradiation of the free surface, the domains are mainly located under the surface, while at the irradiated surface with an artificial dielectric layer the domains are located at the surface. It was shown that the subsurface wedge-shaped part of the domain is unstable and completely disappears after a month due to spontaneous backswitching under the action of the residual depolarization field. The revealed nonlinear dose dependence of the domain sizes was attributed to the distribution of the electric field using the point charge model. The domain interaction for the distance between irradiated dots below 30[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m has been revealed in all samples. It was shown that the decrease of the distance between irradiated dots in the created domain row leads to an increase in the length of the central domains, which is explained by the contribution of all injected charges to the switching field.

Electro-optic modulators, which convert electrical signals onto the transmission light, are key devices in electro-optic modulating systems. Modulation efficiency is one of the most important parameters of an electro-optic modulator, which directly determines the footprint and power consumption of the device. Generally, modulation efficiency strongly depends on the electro-optic response of the crystal. The Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3–Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 (PIN–PMN–PT) single crystal with giant electro-optic coefficient (γc) and high transparency indicates the potential to achieve greatly enhanced modulation efficiency. In this study, a prototype PIN–PMN–PT phase modulator was fabricated based on a titanium (Ti) in-diffusion waveguide, which is reported for the first time. The influences of titanium in-diffusion on the composition and domain structure of the PIN–PMN–PT single crystal were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and piezoelectric force microscopy (PFM), respectively. Finally, a half-wave voltage (Vπ) of 2.3 V was obtained using a device with 6-mm-long (L) electrodes. Furthermore, the electro-optic modulation efficiency (VπL) was calculated as 1.38 V·cm, which was approximately one order of magnitude lower than that of commercial lithium niobate (LiNbO3, LN) phase modulators. Such enhanced modulation efficiency indicates more compact device and lower power consumption, which is of great significance for electro-optic modulation systems used in micro-fiber gyroscope, integrated photonic devices, etc.

The ability to capture and record high-resolution images over long distances is essential for a wide range of applications, including connected and autonomous vehicles, defense and security operations, as well as agriculture and mining industries. Here, we demonstrate a self-assembled bistatic long-range imaging LiDAR system. Importantly, to achieve high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) data, we employed a comprehensive suite of denoising methods including temporal, spatial, spectral, and polarization filtering. With the aid of these denoising technologies, our system has been validated to possess the capability of imaging under various complex usage conditions. In terms of distance performance, the test results achieved ranges of over 4000 m during daylight with clear weather, 19,200 m at night, 6700 m during daylight with haze, and 2000 m during daylight with rain. Additionally, it offers an angular resolution of 0.01 mrad. These findings demonstrate the potential to offer comprehensive construction strategies and operational methodologies to individuals seeking long-range LiDAR data.

The limited thermal conductivity of compacted graphite iron constrains its application in brake discs. The matrix plays a crucial role in balancing the thermal conductivity and mechanical performance of compacted graphite iron. Therefore, two kinds of compacted graphite brake discs with different ferrite proportions were utilized to investigate their thermal cracking and friction performance under intensive braking conditions based on inertia friction tests. The variations in peak temperature, pressure load and friction coefficient stability were also analyzed. The brake disc with a higher ferrite proportion exhibited a lower peak temperature, attributed to increased thermal conductivity. Moreover, the elevated content of soft ferrite resulted in a greater furrow height on the worn surface, contributing to an increase in friction force and stability. As a result, both the input pressure and mechanical stress decreased. It was observed that the compacted graphite iron brake disc with a higher ferrite proportion exhibited fewer thermal cracks without compromising wear resistance. Furthermore, the results suggest that lowering the disc temperature to 210 °C–250 °C can mitigate fatigue wear and matrix oxidation, hindering the propagation of thermal cracks.

Abstract The defects within perovskite films are the fatal roadblock limiting the performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, we develop a patching strategy to obtain high‐quality perovskite film using bifunctional trifluorophenylacetic acid (TFPA). Theoretical calculation and experiments reveal that the –COOH groups in TFPA effectively passivate the deep‐energy‐level defects of perovskite by combining with Pb clusters on the perovskite grain surfaces to enhance the efficiency of PSCs, and hydrophobic benzene groups containing fluorine in TFPA are exposed to improve the stability of PSCs. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PSCs with TFPA is enhanced from 22.95% to 24.56%. Most importantly, we successfully fabricated flexible PSCs using TFPA with the high PCE of 22.65%. The devices with TFPA maintain 93.22% of the initial efficiency MPP under continuous irradiation for 10.5 h, while the devices without TFPA only retain 82.22% of the initial efficiency under the same conditions for just 5 h. Meanwhile, the unsealed devices with TFPA hold 93.59% of the initial efficiency when stored in air for 3912 h.

The brain-computer interface (BCI)-mediated rehabilitation is emerging as a solution to restore motor skills in paretic patients after stroke. In the human brain, cortical motor neurons not only fire when actions are carried out but are also activated in a wired manner through many cognitive processes related to movement such as imagining, perceiving, and observing the actions. Moreover, the recruitment of motor cortexes can usually be regulated by environmental conditions, forming a closed-loop through neurofeedback. However, this cognitive-motor control loop is often interrupted by the impairment of stroke. The requirement to bridge the stroke-induced gap in the motor control loop is promoting the evolution of the BCI-based motor rehabilitation system and, notably posing many challenges regarding the disease-specific process of post stroke motor function recovery. This review aimed to map the current literature surrounding the new progress in BCI-mediated post stroke motor function recovery involved with cognitive aspect, particularly in how it refired and rewired the neural circuit of motor control through motor learning along with the BCI-centric closed-loop.

Most piezoelectric coefficients in piezoelectric ceramics are zero, resulting in many piezoelectric vibration modes cannot be excited. Here, the authors propose an orderly stacked structure to achieve all nonzero piezoelectric coefficients.

Abstract The electron transport layer (ETL) in an organic solar cell is one of the main components that play a crucial role in the extraction of charges, improving efficiency, and increasing the lifetime of the solar cells. Herein, solution‐processed PBDTTT‐C‐T:PC71BM‐based organic solar cells are fabricated using conjugated PDINO molecules, sol‐gel derived under stoichiometric titanium oxide (TiOx), and a mixture of the same as an ETL. For PBDTTT‐C‐T:PC71BM‐based organic solar cells, a blend of organic‐inorganic ETLs demonstrates reduced bimolecular recombination and trap‐assisted recombination than a single ETL of either two materials. Furthermore, in both, fullerene and nonfullerene systems, the efficiency of the devices employing the blend ETL as compared to the single ETLs show some performance improvement. The strategy of integrating compatible organic and inorganic interface materials to improve device efficiency and lifetime simultaneously, and demonstrate the universality of different systems, has potential significance for the commercial development of organic solar cells.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a critical health issue worldwide that has a negative impact on patients’ quality of life, as well as on caregivers, society, and the environment. Positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) and neuropsychological scales can be used to identify AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) early, provide a differential diagnosis, and offer early therapies to impede the course of the illness. However, there are few reports of large-scale 11C-PIB-PET/CT investigations that focus on the pathology of AD and MCI. Therefore, further research is needed to determine how neuropsychological test scales and PET/CT measurements of disease progression interact.

In order to further improve the drying quality of potato slices, this study investigated the effects of EPD (CO2), HAD + EPD (CO2), EH + EPD (CO2), and FD on the quality and physicochemical properties of potato slices. The changes in solid loss (SL), obtained ethanol (OE), water loss (WL), and moisture content under different ethanol concentrations and soaking times were studied. The effects of WL, SL, OE, and moisture on puffing characteristics were also studied. The results show that in the EH + EPD (CO2) process, the use of ethanol and CO2 as the puffing media improves the puffing power. WL and OE have significant effects on hardness, crispness, expansion ratio, and ascorbic acid. The quality of potato slices puffed and dried by ethanol osmotic dehydration is better, which provides a new method for potato slice processing.

Abstract Background Exosomes are deemed to be an important tool of intercellular communicators in cancer cells. Our study investigated the role of PRR34 long non-coding RNA antisense RNA 1 (PRR34-AS1) in regulating exosome secretion in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. Methods Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analyzed the expression of PRR34-AS1. We assessed the function of PRR34-AS1 on the biological changes of THLE-3 cells and HCC cells. The downstream interaction between RNAS was assessed by mechanistic experiments. Results PRR34-AS1 expression was upregulated in HCC cells in comparison to THLE-3 cells. PRR34-AS1 depletion repressed HCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion as well as EMT phenotype, while PRR34-AS1 up-regulation accelerated the malignant phenotypes of THLE-3 cells. PRR34-AS1 recruited DDX3X to stabilize the mRNA level of exosomal protein Rab27a. Moreover, PRR34-AS1 facilitated the malignant phenotypes of THLE-3 cells by elevating Rab27a expression to promote the exosome secretion of VEGF and TGF-β in HCC cells. Conclusions The current study revealed a novel function of PRR34-AS1 in accelerating exosome secretion in HCC cells and offered an insight into lncRNA function in the regulation of tumor cell biology. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background Cisplatin (CDDP) is commonly used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but the appearance of drug resistance greatly hinders its efficacy. Borneol may promote drug absorption; however, synergism between borneol and CDDP in suppressing NSCLC is not clearly understood. Hence, we investigated borneol as a novel chemosensitizer to support chemotherapeutic efficacy and reduce side effects. Methods We compared viability after exposure to d-borneol, l-borneol, and synthetic borneol in two NSCLC cell lines, A549 and H460, and selected the most sensitive cells. We then assessed synergy between borneol forms and CDDP in cisplatin-resistant NSCLC cells, H460/CDDP. Next, we identified effective concentrations and exposure times. Subsequently, we evaluated cell migration via wound healing and cell proliferation via clone formation assay. Then, we focused on P-glycoprotein (P-gp) function, cell cycle, apoptosis, and RNA sequencing to elucidate underlying molecular mechanisms for synergy. Finally, we used an H460/CDDP xenograft tumor model to verify antitumor activity and safety in vivo. Data were examined using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for multiple datasets or t-test for comparisons between two variables. Results d-Borneol was more effective in H460 than A549 cells. d-Borneol combined with CDDP showed greater inhibition of cell proliferation, migration, and clone formation in H460/CDDP cells than CDDP alone. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis identified differentially expressed genes enriched in cell cycle pathways. The impact of d-borneol on CDDP chemosensitivity involved arrest of the cell cycle at S phase via p27/p21-mediated cyclinA2/D3-CDK2/6 signaling and activation of intrinsic apoptosis via p21-mediated Bax/Bcl-2/caspase3 signaling. Further, d-borneol ameliorated drug resistance by suppressing levels and activity of P-gp. Cotreatment with d-borneol and CDDP inhibited tumor growth in vivo and reduced CDDP-caused liver and kidney toxicity. Conclusions d-Borneol increased the efficacy of cisplatin and reduced its toxicity. This compound has the potential to become a useful chemosensitizer for drug-resistance NSCLC.

IntroductionAccumulating evidence demonstrates that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are associated with the development of osteoporosis.MethodsThis study aimed to investigate the effects of MALAT1 on osteogenic differentiation and cell apoptosis in osteoporosis. MALAT1 level, detected by RT-qPCR, was downregulated in hindlimb unloading (HU) mice and simulated microgravity (MG)-treated MC3T3-E1 cells. Moreover, osteogenic differentiation-related factor (Bmp4, Col1a1, and Spp1) levels were measured by RT-qPCR and Western blot. ALP activity was detected, and ALP staining was performed. Cell apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry.ResultsThe results revealed that MALAT1 upregulated the expression of Bmp4, Col1a1, and Spp1, and enhanced ALP activity. Knockdown of MALAT1 suppressed their expression and ALP activity, suggesting that MALAT1 promoted osteogenic differentiation. Additionally, MALAT1 inhibited apoptosis, increased Bax and caspase-3 levels, and decreased Bcl-2 level. However, knockdown of MALAT1 had opposite results. In MG cells, MALAT1 facilitated osteogenic differentiation and suppressed apoptosis. Furthermore, miR-485-5p was identified as a target of MALAT1, and WNT7B was verified as a target of miR-485-5p. Overexpression of miR-485-5p rescued the promotion of osteogenic differentiation and the inhibition of apoptosis induced by MALAT1. Knockdown of WNT7B abolished the facilitation of osteogenic differentiation and the suppression of apoptosis induced by downregulation of miR-485-5p.DiscussionIn conclusion, MALAT1 promoted osteogenic differentiation and inhibited cell apoptosis through the miR-485-5p/WNT7B axis, which suggested that MALAT1 is a potential target to alleviate osteoporosis.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine the audiological characteristics and validity of predicting outcomes of cochlear implants (CIs) in children with cochlear nerve deficiency (CND) based on the internal auditory meatus (IAM) nerve grading system.MethodsThe audiological characteristics of 188 ears in 105 children diagnosed with CND were analyzed based on the IAM nerve grading system. In addition, 42 children with CND who underwent CI were also divided into four groups based on the system, and their auditory and speech performance at baseline (preoperative) and 6, 12, and 24 months after CI were analyzed and compared with those of the control group (n = 24) with a normal cochlear nerve (CN) and CI.ResultsThe audiological test results showed no significant differences among the four CND groups in terms of elicited rates of distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) (p = 1.000), auditory brainstem response (ABR) (p = 0.611), and cochlear microphonic (CM) (p = 0.167). Hearing in the CND IV group was significantly better than that in the CND I group (p < 0.05). In children with CI, the auditory and speech performance of the control group was significantly higher than all CND groups from 6 to 24 months (p < 0.05) and 12 to 24 months (p < 0.05), respectively. Meanwhile, there were no significant differences between each pair group in the four CND groups (p > 0.05).ConclusionChildren with CND, including those in whom the CN was not visualized by MRI, can benefit from CI. Additionally, the IAM nerve grading system could not predict the outcomes of CI in children with CND.

Abstract The low uniformity in properties of relaxor ferroelectric crystals is a long‐standing issue in the ferroelectric community, which limits the available volume of the entire crystal boule. The aim of this study is to develop a relaxor ferroelectric crystal with improved property uniformity and excellent piezoelectricity. To this end, Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3–Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 is doped with Nd2O3 (Nd–PIN–PMN–PT) to improve the crystal performance. Along the crystal boule, the piezoelectric coefficient d33 varies from 2800 to 3500 pC N−1, and the dielectric constant ranges from 8400 to 9800, with variations of 25% and 16%, respectively. Such high property uniformity results in over 75% available volume of the crystal boule, compared to 30–50% for undoped crystals grown by Bridgman method. At the electric field of 1 kV cm−1, the converse piezoelectric response is up to 4780 pm V−1. In addition, its Curie temperature (TC) and coercive field (EC) are above 150 °C and 3 kV cm−1, respectively. Compared with Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 crystal (d33: 1500 pC N−1, TC: 135 °C, EC: 2.3 kV cm−1), the larger piezoelectricity, the higher TC and EC, and improved uniformity make Nd–PIN–PMN–PT crystals promising candidates for advanced piezoelectric applications.

Ghost imaging (GI) retrieves an image from the correlation between a sequence of illumination patterns on the object and their corresponding bucket detections. Traditionally, GI requires the precise information of the illumination patterns, which raises technology barriers on building a high-speed illumination source, limiting the scope of its application. In this study, we propose a high-speed GI system, which implements a self-correlation with a purely optical operation without determining illumination patterns. The light source is an optical phased array (OPA), built of a set of waveguide-type electro-optic phase modulators. The OPA is driven to randomly change the phases in every 200 ns, generating speckle patterns at a rate of 5 MHz. Although the speckle patterns are not predictable or post-determinable, with the help of the naked-eye GI scheme, the system in real time optically generates the images of the object at a frame rate of more than 1 kHz, which can be directly observed by eyes or using a camera. This method avoids acquiring the information of the illumination, thus providing a simple and easy way to realize high-speed GI. It also inspires a different way of applying OPAs to high-speed imaging.

In this article, we report a method for preparing an immobilized bacterial agent of petroleum-degrading bacteria Gordonia alkanivorans W33 by combining high-density fermentation and bacterial immobilization technology and testing its bioremediation effect on petroleum-contaminated soil. After determining the optimal combination of MgCl2, CaCl2 concentration, and culture time in the fermentation conditions by conducting a response surface analysis, the cell concentration reached 7.48 × 109 CFU/mL by 5 L fed-batch fermentation. The W33-vermiculite-powder-immobilized bacterial agent mixed with sophorolipids and rhamnolipids in a weight ratio of 9:10 was used for the bioremediation of petroleum-contaminated soil. After 45 days of microbial degradation, 56.3% of the petroleum in the soil with 20,000 mg/kg petroleum content was degraded, and the average degradation rate reached 250.2 mg/kg/d.

Terahertz vortex beams can be used to improve the communication capacity of radar communication systems and the resolution of imaging systems. This paper presents a deflective vortex beam generation method based on a reflective metasurface working in the terahertz band. Without the limitations of traditional methods, metasurfaces are a good candidate to generate beams carrying an orbital angular momentum in the terahertz band. First, we designed and simulated a unit cell of the metasurface. The unit cell of our design consists of two metallic (gold) layers and one dielectric layer. An almost 360° phase shift was acquired by adjusting the length of the eight stubs of the top layer. The unit cell of the metasurface was simulated by CST Microwave Studio, and the simulation results showed that the co-polarization reflection efficiencies of the unit cells were more than 90%. To avoid performance degradation due to blockage of the feed horn, we controlled accurately the directions of vortex beams based on the concept of reflectarray. To verify the performance of our design, we simulated and measured five reflective metasurfaces. The results of simulation and measurement showed that these metasurfaces could generate five deflective vortex beams in the terahertz band. The topological charges of these beams are ±1, ±2, and 3, which account for the highest energy proportion in different vortex beams.

Objective: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), a lipocalin, is implicated in many cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The effect of NGAL on endothelial cells (ECs), particularly on ECs injured because of hypoxia, is unclear. In this study, we aim to explore the effect of NGAL in an EC injury in response to hypoxia. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, we isolated and cultured mouse heart ECs (MHECs). The EC injury model was established by exposure of the ECs to hypoxia for 24 hours. The ECs were treated with NGAL (30, 60, 120, 250 and 500 ng/ml). Cell inflammation and oxidative stress were detected by corresponding assays. Apoptotic cells were stained by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) assay. Results: NGAL increased the inflammatory response at the baseline level and further augmented the hypoxia-induced inflammation response. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels increased upon NGAL treatment, which caused antioxidase/oxidase imbalance. NGAL also exaggerated hypoxia-induced oxidative stress. The cell apoptosis rate also increased in both the NGAL-treated normoxic and hypoxic conditions. NGAL also reduced endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)-nitric oxide (NO) signalling, thus decreasing the expression and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (NRF2), which was confirmed by overexpression of NRF2. Conclusion: NGAL exaggerates EC injury in both normoxic and hypoxic conditions by inhibiting the eNOS-NRF2 pathway.

Hydrazinocurcumin (HZC), a synthetic derivative of curcumin (CUR), has been documented to show anticancer potential in impeding tumor growth in several cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the function and underlying mechanisms of HZC on HCC cells, which may involve the p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. HZC was first purified and identified. HepG2 cells were then subjected to treatment with HZC or CUR of different concentrations and p38 MAPK signaling inhibitor (SB203580) to verify their effects on HCC cell apoptosis and proliferation. Furthermore, the functional relevance between HZC and the p38 MAPK pathway in HCC was examined. It was observed that 40 μM HZC exhibited the best pro‐apoptosis effect in HCC cells. HZC was found to inhibit HCC cell proliferation and promote apoptosis, the effect of which was stronger than 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU). More importantly, the anti‐oncogenic effect of HZC and 5‐FU was implicated with activation of the p38 MAPK pathway. In vivo experimental results showed that HZC inhibited tumor growth more effectively than 5‐FU through the p38 MAPK pathway. These results provide evidence that HZC exerted anti‐oncogenic and pro‐apoptosis effects in HCC cells through activation of the p38 MAPK pathway.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a common diabetic complication. Salvia miltiorrhiza has significant therapeutic effects on diabetes complications, although the mechanism remains unclear. Here, biochemical indicators and pathological changes were used to screen out the optimal Salvia miltiorrhiza multi-bioactive compounds combination. Metabolomics, transcriptomics and proteomics were used to explore the pathogenesis of DKD. RT-PCR and parallel reaction monitoring targeted quantitative proteome analysis were utilized to investigate treatment mechanisms of the optimal Salvia miltiorrhiza multi-bioactive compounds combination. The db/db mice showed biochemical abnormalities and renal lesions. The possible metabolic pathways were steroid hormone biosynthesis and sphingolipid metabolism. The 727 differential genes found in transcriptomics were associated with biochemical indicators via gene network to finally screen 11 differential genes, which were mainly key genes of TGF-β/Smad and PI3K/Akt/FoxO signaling pathways. Salvia miltiorrhiza multi-bioactive compounds combination could significantly regulate the Egr1, Pik3r3 and Col1a1 genes. 11 differentially expressed proteins involved in the two pathways were selected, of which 9 were significantly altered in db/db mice compared to db/m mice. Salvia miltiorrhiza multi-bioactive compounds combination could callback Q9DBM2, S4R1W1, Q91Y97, P47738, A8DUK4, and A2ARV4. In summary, Salvia miltiorrhiza multi-bioactive compounds combination may ameliorate kidney injury in diabetes through regulation of TGF-β/Smad and PI3K/Akt/FoxO signaling pathways.

Different from the traditional imaging methods using first-order interference, ghost imaging (GI) uses the second-order correlation, bringing many potential applications. On the other hand, GI has been suffering from low efficiency in image reconstruction due to a high sampling rate, which is a barrier for its application, especially when dealing with dynamic objects. The genetic algorithm (GA) can optimize the speckle sequence for an object and enable GI reconstruction with a few speckle patterns. However, the optimized speckle sequence of the GA usually loses the generalization and can only reconstruct the object being tested, making it far from suitable for handling a dynamic object. Here, we propose an improved method based on the GA, where we make two selection rules: the selective patterns more likely have a high response from the object, and meanwhile, the selected patterns tend to be linearly independent from each other. The optimized speckle sequence under these rules not only results in successful reconstruction but also preserves a generalization to a certain extent, enabling the GI to reconstruct the different states of the dynamic object at a low overall sampling rate. In the verification of the first frame, our method performs better based on the demonstration of various algorithms. In a demonstration of the dynamic object at 50% sampling rate, the reconstructed images are 2.1775 dB higher at 12 different frames on average in the peak signal-to-noise ratio than the random speckle sequence.

PurposeAging is a process associated with degeneration and dysfunction of peripheral vestibular system or apparatus. This study aimed to investigate the influence of aging on ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP) response rates and recording parameters using the B81 bone vibrator and compare them with air conduction stimuli (ACS) oVEMP response characteristics.MethodsIn 60 healthy participants aged 10–71 years (mean age 39.9; 29 male participants), the oVEMP response was elicited using a B81 bone vibrator and an ER-3A insert earphone. The effects of age and stimulus on oVEMP response rates and recording parameters were evaluated.ResultsResponse rates and amplitudes declined with aging using either ACS or bone-conducted vibration (BCV) stimulation, particularly in individuals over 60 years of age, whereas thresholds increased and N1 latencies were prolonged. BCV showed fewer risks of absent oVEMP response than ACS (p = 0.002). BCV acquired higher amplitudes (p < 0.001), lower thresholds, and shorter N1 and P1 latencies (all p < 0.001) than ACS.ConclusionsThe absence of an oVEMP response may be attributed to aging rather than a concurrent vestibular disorder. B81-BCV likely produces higher mechanical drives to the vestibular hair cells at safer and non-traumatic levels compared with ACS and therefore may be more likely to evoke a response in the elderly cohort, whose vestibular function and mechanical sensitivity have declined. Thus, B81-BCV stimulation is more effective and safer to elicit oVEMPs, and it should be recommended when ACS fails in the clinic, particularly in the elderly population.

Observational findings achieved that gut microbes mediate human metabolic health and disease risk. The types of intestinal microorganisms depend on the intake of food and drugs and are also related to their metabolic level and genetic factors. Recent studies have shown that chronic inflammatory pain is closely related to intestinal microbial homeostasis. Compared with the normal intestinal flora, the composition of intestinal flora in patients with chronic inflammatory pain had significant changes in Actinomycetes , Firmicutes , Bacteroidetes , etc. At the same time, short-chain fatty acids and amino acids, the metabolites of intestinal microorganisms, can regulate neural signal molecules and signaling pathways, thus affecting the development trend of chronic inflammatory pain. Glucocorticoids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of chronic inflammatory pain, the main mechanism is to affect the secretion of inflammatory factors and the abundance of intestinal bacteria. This article reviews the relationship between intestinal microorganisms and their metabolites on chronic inflammatory pain and the possible mechanism.

Only a few relaxors can be grown into crystals, which show high piezoelectricity, but their operable temperature range is limited by the low phase transition temperature. Here, the authors develop an approach to fabricate textured relaxor ceramics with elevated phase transition temperatures.

Based on L-shaped array (LSA), a variety of algorithms for direction of arrival (DOA) estimation have been developed in recent years. However, conventional methods are sensitive to the mutual coupling which may cause the performance of the DOA estimation to degrade dramatically or even fail. In order to solve this problem, a new algorithm for DOA estimation is proposed in this paper. Different from the existing algorithms, the DOA estimation of LSA with mutual coupling is achieved from the perspective of sparse Bayesian learning. A hierarchical form of the Student $t$ prior is used to enhance the sparsity of source signal and achieve excellent performance for angle estimation. In the meanwhile, the mutual coupling effect is compensated blindly by sacrificing some sensors as auxiliary components and the hyperparameters and parameters updates are obtained by the expectation-maximization method. Simulation results verify that the performance of our method is superior than that of the state-of-art methods, particularly in the scenario of highly correlated and coherent signals.

In this study, we explored the capability of coda wave interferometry (CWI) for monitoring CO2 storage by estimating the seismic velocity changes caused by CO2 injection. Given that the CWI method is highly efficient, the primary aim of this study was to provide a quick detection tool for the long-term monitoring of CO2 storage safety. In particular, we looked at monitoring with a cross-well geometry. We also expected that CWI could help to reduce the inversion errors of existing methods. Time-lapse upgoing waves and downgoing waves from two-component datasets were utilized to efficiently monitor the area between the wells and provide a quick indication of possible CO2 leakage. The resulting mean velocity changes versus the depth indicated the depth where velocity changes occurred. Combining the upgoing and downgoing wavefields provided a more specific indication of the depth range for changes. The calculated velocity changes were determined using the time shift between the time-lapse wavefields caused by CO2 injection/leakage. Hence, the resulting velocity changes were closely related to the ratio of propagation path length through the CO2 injection/leakage layer over the length of the entire travel path. The results indicated that the noise level and repeatability of the time-lapse datasets significantly influenced the results generated using CWI. Therefore, denoising and time-lapse processing were very important for improving the detectability of any change. Applying CWI to time-lapse cross-well surveys can be an effective tool for monitoring CO2 in the subsurface at a relatively low computational cost. As a highly efficient monitoring method, it is sensitive to changes in the seismic response caused by velocity changes in the subsurface and provides additional constraints on the inversion results from conventional travel time tomography and full waveform inversion.

Fructokinase (FRK) and fructokinase-like (FLN), belonging to the phosphofructokinase B type subfamily, share substantial sequence similarity, and are crucial in various plant physiological processes. However, there is limited information regarding what functionally differentiates plant FRKs from FLNs. Here, a total of three CsFRKs and two CsFLNs were identified from the cucumber genome. Their significant difference lay in the structure of their G/AXGD motif, which existed as GAGD in CsFRKs, but as G/ASGD in CsFLNs. Comparative phylogenetic analysis classified CsFRKs and CsFLNs into five sub-branches consistent with their quite different exon/intron organizations. Both transcriptome data and RT-qPCR analyses revealed that CsFRK3 was the most active gene, with the highest expression in the majority of tissues tested. Moreover, the expression levels of two putative plastidic genes, CsFRK1 and CsFLN2, were significantly positively associated with chlorophyll accumulation in the chlorophyll-reduced cucumber mutant. Briefly, both CsFRK and CsFLN genes were involved in the development of sink tissues, especially CsFRK3. CsFRK1 and CsFLN2 were recognized as candidates in the chlorophyll biosynthesis pathway of cucumber. These results would greatly assist in further investigation on functional characterization of FRKs and FLNs, especially in the development and chlorophyll biosynthesis of cucumber.

The possibility to control the charge, type, and density of domain walls allows properties of ferroelectric materials to be selectively enhanced or reduced. In ferroelectric–ferroelastic materials, two types of domain walls are possible: pure ferroelectric and ferroelastic–ferroelectric. In this paper, we demonstrated a strategy to control the selective ferroelectric or ferroelastic domain wall formation in the (111) single-domain rhombohedral PMN-PT single crystals at the nanoscale by varying the relative humidity level in a scanning probe microscopy chamber. The solution of the corresponding coupled electro-mechanical boundary problem allows explaining observed competition between ferroelastic and ferroelectric domain growth. The reduction in the ferroelastic domain density during local switching at elevated humidity has been attributed to changes in the electric field spatial distribution and screening effectiveness. The established mechanism is important because it reveals a kinetic nature of the final domain patterns in multiaxial materials and thus provides a general pathway to create desirable domain structure in ferroelectric materials for applications in piezoelectric and optical devices.

This study investigated the protective effects and mechanism of Tetrastigma hemsleyanum (T. hemsleyanum) in sarcoidosis mice. Through the integrated analysis of network pharmacology, molecular docking and HPLC, oleanolic acid, procyanidin B1 and β-sitosterol were considered to be the major components of T. hemsleyanum against sarcoidosis. T. hemsleyanum remarkably attenuated the increase of IL-6 and IL-17A, the percentage of Th17 cells by 33. 85%-63.00% and the expression of RORγt in a dose-dependent manner (P

Borneol, a traditional Chinese medicine, can enhance therapeutic efficacy by guiding the active ingredients to the target site. Reportedly, borneol improves the penetration capacity of the nasal, cornea, transdermal, intestinal, and blood-brain barriers. Although nanotechnology dramatically changed the face of oncology by targeting tumor sites, the efficiency of nanoparticles delivered to tumor sites is very low, with only 0.7% of the total particles delivered. Thus, based on the penetration ability and the inhibition drug efflux of borneol, it was expected to increase the targeting and detention efficacy of drugs into tumor sites in nanocarriers with borneol modification. Borneol modified nanocarriers used to improve drug-targeting has become a research focus in recent years, but few studies in this area, especially in the antitumor application. Hence, this review summarizes the recent development of nanocarriers with borneol modification. We focus on the updated works of improving therapeutic efficacy, reducing toxicity, inhibiting tumor metastasis, reversing multidrug resistance, and enhancing brain targeting to expand their application and provide a reference for further exploration of targeting drug delivery systems for solid tumor treatment.

In recent years, the incidence and mortality of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases have been increasing year by year, which has become global burden and challenge. Based on the holistic thinking of “brain disease affects the heart” and “heart disease affects the brain,” as well as the characteristics of multi-target and multi-path effects of Chinese medicine, Chinese medicine is more advantageous in the treatment of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. As a botanical medicine, storax is known for its resuscitation, filth avoidance and pain-relieving effects in the treatment of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. By reviewing and collating the relevant domestic and international literature in the past 10 years, we have sorted out an overview of the medicinal parts, traditional uses and chemical composition of storax. For the first time, based on the idea of “cerebral and cardiac simultaneous treatment,” the pharmacological activities and mechanisms of heart and brain protection of storax for treating cardio-cerebrovascular diseases were summarized and analyzed, showing that storax has the pharmacological effects of anti-cerebral ischemia, regulation of blood-brain barrier, bidirectional regulation of the central nervous system, anti-myocardial ischemia, anti-arrhythmia, anti-thrombosis and anti-platelet aggregation. It mainly exerts its protective effects on the brain and heart through mechanisms such as inhibition of inflammatory immune factors, anti-oxidative stress, anti-apoptosis, pro-neovascularization and regulation of NO release. On the basis of the current findings and limitations, the future research strategies and perspectives of storax are proposed, with a view to providing a reference for further application and development of this medicine, as well as contributing new thoughts and visions for the clinical application of “treating brain-heart synchronously”.

Organic-inorganic hybrid halide perovskites have been emerged as promising candidates for X-ray detectors while toxicity and instability are known issues. Here, Zhang et al. grow large size lead-free single crystals for high performance X-ray detection and imaging devices that can operate at 100 °C.

Abstract Background Astragali Radix (AR) is widely-used for improving liver fibrosis, but, the mechanism of action has not been systematically explained. This study aims to investigate the mechanism of AR intervention in liver fibrosis based on comprehensive metabolomics combined with network pharmacology approach. Materials and methods UPLC–Q-TOF/MS based metabolomics technique was used to explore the specific metabolites and possible pathways of AR affecting the pathological process of liver fibrosis. Network pharmacology analysis was introduced to explore the key targets of AR regarding the mechanisms on liver fibrosis. Results AR significantly reduced the levels of ALT, AST and AKP in serum, and improved pathological characteristics. Metabolomics analysis showed that the therapeutic effect of AR was mainly related to the regulation of nine metabolites, including sphingosine, 6-keto-prostaglandin F1a, LysoPC (O-18:0), 3-dehydrosphinganine, 5,6-epoxy-8,11,14-eicosatrienoic acid, leukotriene C4, taurochenodesoxycholic acid, LysoPC (18:1 (9Z)) and 2-acetyl-1-alkyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. Pathway analysis indicated that the treatment of AR on liver fibrosis was related to arachidonic acid metabolism, ether lipid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism and primary bile acid biosynthesis. Validation of the key targets by network pharmacology analysis of potential metabolic markers showed that AR significantly down-regulated the expression of CYP1B1 and up-regulated the expression of CYP1A2 and PCYT1A. Conclusion Metabolomics combined with network pharmacology was used for the first time to clarify that the treatment of AR on liver fibrosis, which is related to the regulation of arachidonic acid metabolism and ether lipid metabolism by modulating the expression of CYP1A2, CYP1B1 and PCYT1A. And the integrated approach can provide new strategies and ideas for the study of molecular mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicines in the treatment of liver fibrosis.

Myocardial fibrosis following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) seriously affects the prognosis and survival rate of patients. This study explores the role and regulation mechanism of storax, a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of cardiovascular diseases, on myocardial fibrosis and cardiac function. The AMI rat model was established by subcutaneous injection of Isoproterenol hydrochloride (ISO). Storax (0.1, 0.2, 0.4 g/kg) was administered by gavage once/d for 7 days. Electrocardiogram, echocardiography, hemodynamic and cardiac enzyme in AMI rats were measured. HE, Masson, immunofluorescence and TUNEL staining were used to observe the degree of pathological damage, fibrosis and cardiomyocyte apoptosis in myocardial tissue, respectively. Expression of AT1R, CARP and their downstream related apoptotic proteins were detected by WB. The results demonstrated that storax could significantly improve cardiac electrophysiology and function, decrease serum cardiac enzyme activity, reduce type I and III collagen contents to improve fibrosis and alleviate myocardial pathological damage and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. It also found that storax can significantly down-regulate expression of AT1R, Ankrd1, P53, P-p53 (ser 15), Bax and cleaved Caspase-3 and up-regulate expression of Mdm2 and Bcl-2. Taken together, these findings indicated that storax effectively protected cardiomyocytes against myocardial fibrosis and cardiac dysfunction by inhibiting the AT1R–Ankrd1–P53 signaling pathway.

Plastic waste accumulation has been growing due to the increase in plastic generation and the lack of infrastructure for recycling. One of the approaches is to treat the mixed plastic waste (MPW) through thermal processes to produce feedstocks for other applications. However, the presence of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in MPW would produce HCl during processing and has negative impacts (emission, catalyst poisoning, etc.). In addition, due to the high heterogeneity of MPW, it is difficult to generate consistent experimental data. In this study, MPW was homogenized through double compounding–extrusion and then formed into a sheet to be treated at 400 °C. The solid products at various mass losses were characterized by heat and chlorine content, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and elemental composition analysis. It was found that the thermal degradation of MPW started at ~260 °C. The chlorine removal efficiency increased with mass loss and reached an asymptotic value of ~84% at ~28% mass loss, and the remaining chlorine can be attributed to inorganic sources. A PVC de-chlorination model was developed for MPW using TGA data for PVC and MPW to determine organic chlorine removal efficiency. These results show that PVC de-chlorination was not affected by other plastics at this temperature. As the mass loss increases, the heat content first increases and then decreases. It was found that mass loss is a universal parameter for organic chlorine removal efficiency and heat content. The elemental composition analysis and FTIR spectroscopy also shed more light into the chemical changes during MPW thermal degradation.

The HIF-1 alpha subunit (HIF-1α) is a master regulator of oxygen sensitivity. This study investigated the role of HIF-1α in the energy metabolism and immune responses of hypoxic Scylla paramamosain. After hypoxia treatment for 12 h, the expression levels of HIF-1α in the hemocytes, gills and hepatopancreas were significantly upregulated. After hypoxia and dsHIF-1α treatment for 12 h, the expression level of HIF-1α in hemocytes was successfully inhibited by specific double-strand RNAs for HIF-1α (dsHIF-1α). After inhibition of HIF-1α expression, the expression levels of prophenol oxidase, ATP synthase subunit beta, and Astakine were significantly upregulated, and those of C-type-lectin and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were significantly downregulated; the activities of catalase, pyruvate kinase and LDH as well as the contents of pyruvic acid and lactic acid and the levels of apoptosis and phagocytosis in hypoxic S. paramamosain were all significantly decreased. After challenge by Vibrio alginolyticus, the survival rate was significantly lower in hypoxia and dsHIF-1α treated S. paramamosain. Since cell proliferation is an energy-dependent process, the impaired glycolysis after inhibition of HIF-1α expression might be the main reason for the significant decrease of V. alginolyticus burden in hypoxic S. paramamosain. These results indicated that activated HIF-1α enhanced the resistance of S. paramamosain to V. alginolyticus under hypoxic conditions, and the enhanced resistance may be related to the changes in important immune- and metabolism-related gene expression, CAT and PO activities, total hemocyte count, apoptosis, phagocytosis, and anaerobic glycolysis.

Abstract New structural type of 2D AA′n−1MnX3n+1 type halide perovskites stabilized by symmetric diammonium cations has attracted research attention recently due to the short interlayer distance and better charge‐transport for high‐performance solar cells (PSCs). However, the distribution control of quantum wells (QWs) and its influence on optoelectronic properties are largely underexplored. Here effective phase‐alignment is reported through dynamical control of film formation to improve charge transfer between quantum wells (QWs) for 2D perovskite (BDA)(MA)n‐1PbnI3n+1 (BDA = 1,4‐butanediamine, 〈n〉 = 4) film. The in situ optical spectra reveal a significantly prolonged crystallization window during the perovskite deposition via additive strategy. It is found that finer thickness gradient by n values in the direction orthogonal to the substrate leads to more efficient charge transport between QWs and suppressed charge recombination in the additive‐treated film. As a result, a power conversion efficiency of 14.4% is achieved, which is not only 21% higher than the control one without additive treatment, but also one of the high efficiencies of the low‐n (n ≤ 4) AA′n−1MnX3n+1 PSCs. Furthermore, the bare device retains 92% of its initial PCE without any encapsulation after ambient exposure for 1200 h.

Blockchain is making a big impact in various applications, but it is also attracting a variety of cybercrimes. In blockchain, phishing transfers the victim’s virtual currency to make huge profits through fraud, which poses a threat to the blockchain ecosystem. To avoid greater losses, Ethereum, one of the blockchain platforms, can provide information to detect phishing fraud. In this study, to effectively detect phishing nodes, we propose a phishing node detection approach as message passing based graph convolution network. We first form a transaction network through the transaction records of Ethereum and then extract the information of nodes effectively via message passing. Finally, we use a graph convolution network to classify the normal and phishing nodes. Experiments show that our method is effective and superior to other existing methods.

The dissolved oxygen (DO) level is particularly important for marine benthic crustaceans. In Scylla paramamosain, the DO level plays an important role in regulating immune and metabolic responses. The present study assessed whether the effects of hypoxia on the resistance of S. paramamosain to Vibrio alginolyticus are related to the changes in energy metabolism. In hypoxic S. paramamosain, the immune-related genes, Janus kinase, signal transducer and activator of transcription, Relish, and Astakine were significantly downregulated in hemocytes. In contrast, hypoxia inducible transcription factor-1α, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and prophenol oxidase mRNA levels were significantly upregulated in hypoxic S. paramamosain. The levels of pyruvic acid and lactic acid were significantly increased in hypoxic S. paramamosain, this may be closely related to the increases in pyruvate kinase and LDH activities. A significant decrease in hepatic glycogen was observed in hypoxic S. paramamosain, and the breakdown of hepatic glycogen might be the reason why no significant differences in glucose levels were found between the normoxic and hypoxic groups. In addition to the changes in metabolism-related enzyme activities, the levels of phenol oxidase (PO) activity and apoptosis increased significantly, while total hemocyte counts (THC) were significantly decreased in hypoxic S. paramamosain. After challenge with V. alginolyticus, the bacterial count was significantly lower in the hypoxic group than in the normoxic group, while the mortality rate was higher in hypoxic S. paramamosain. The decrease bacterial count might be associated with the changes in the metabolism of hypoxic S. paramamosain. These results suggested that the resistance of S. paramamosain to V. alginolyticus could be weakened when the host was under hypoxic conditions, and the weakened resistance might be related to changes in immune-related gene expression, THC, PO activity, hemocyte apoptosis, and energy metabolism.

The amount of waste generation has been increasing with a significant amount being landfilled. These non-recyclable wastes contain large number of fiber and plastic wastes which can be treated with thermal processes to turn them into energy sources since they have high calorific values, are abundant and usually tipping fees are paid to handle them. This paper studied the torrefaction of non-recyclable paper (fiber) wastes, mixed plastic wastes (MPW) and their blends at different ratios in the temperature range of 250–400°C through thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The solid residues after the experiments were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Significant synergy between fiber and MPW were observed at the range 250–300°C, showing both increase in the reaction rate as well as the overall mass loss. At 250°C, the maximum mass loss rate was more than two times higher and the mass loss at the end of the experiments were also much higher compared to the expected results. In addition, synergy was weakened with an increase of temperature, disappearing at 400°C. The existence of such interactions between fiber and plastic wastes indicates that the natural energy barriers during the individual torrefaction in paper waste or plastic waste could be bypassed, and the torrefaction of fiber and plastic blend can be achieved at lower temperatures and/or shorter residence times. The MPW and fiber wastes were also compounded by extrusion (to produce pellets) at 220°C with different blend ratios. The fiber-MPW pellets from extrusion were characterized by IR spectroscopy, rheology, thermal analysis and flexural properties and showed significant chemical changes from the non-extruded blends at the same ratios. From IR characterization, it was found that there was significant increase in hydroxyl (OH) group on account of the carbonyl (C = O) and etheric (C-O-C) groups. The interaction between paper and MPW can be attributed to the plastic polymers acting as a hydrogen donor during the reactive extrusion process. Synergistic effects were also found from mechanical and rheological properties.

Functional materials are of critical importance to electronic and smart devices. A deep understanding of the structure–property relationship is essential for designing new materials. In this work, instead of utilizing conventional atomic coordinates, a symmetry-mode approach is successfully used to conduct structure refinement of the neutron powder diffraction data of (1−x)AgNbO3–xLiTaO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.09) ceramics. This provides rich structural information that not only clarifies the controversial symmetry assigned to pure AgNbO3 but also explains well the detailed structural evolution of (1−x)AgNbO3–xLiTaO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.09) ceramics, and builds a comprehensive and straightforward relationship between structural distortion and electrical properties. It is concluded that there are four relatively large-amplitude major modes that dominate the distorted Pmc21 structure of pure AgNbO3, namely a Λ3 antiferroelectric mode, a T4+ a−a−c0 octahedral tilting mode, an H2 a0a0c+/a0a0c− octahedral tilting mode and a Γ4− ferroelectric mode. The H2 and Λ3 modes become progressively inactive with increasing x and their destabilization is the driving force behind the composition-driven phase transition between the Pmc21 and R3c phases. This structural variation is consistent with the trend observed in the measured temperature-dependent dielectric properties and polarization–electric field (P-E) hysteresis loops. The mode crystallography applied in this study provides a strategy for optimizing related properties by tuning the amplitudes of the corresponding modes in these novel AgNbO3-based (anti)ferroelectric materials.

Abstract Antibiotics abuse has caused increased bacterial resistance, which severely limits the application of antibiotics to the treatment of bacterial infections. Therefore, it is urgent to develop new antibacterial drugs through other sources. Dracontomelon dao (Blanco) Merr. & Rolfe (Ren Mianzi in Chinese) is a traditional medicinal material derived from Anacardiaceae with a long history of treating various infectious diseases, such as decubitus and skin ulcers. Recent research has indicated that different extracts from the leaves of D. dao, especially the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction containing flavonoids and phenolic acids, exhibit potent antibacterial activities. In this research, the combined anti-drug-resistant bacterial activities of these active ingredients were investigated. Six samples (S1–S6) were obtained from the EtOAc fraction of D. dao leaves. Microcalorimetric measurements and principal component analysis were performed on the in vitro samples. The results showed that all six samples had notable antibacterial activities. Specifically, sample S6 exhibited a prominent antibacterial effect, with an IC 50 value of 84.3 μg mL−1, which was significantly lower than that of other samples. The relative contents of main flavonoids and phenolic acids in S6 sample were confirmed by UPLC/Q-TOF-MS. In conclusion, sample S6 from the EtOAc fraction of D. dao leaves could be used as a potential antimicrobial resource in the treatment of infectious diseases. This work provides an insight into the effect of traditional Chinese medicine on drug-resistant bacteria. Moreover, the purification and characterization of the chemical compounds from the sample S6 deserve further analysis.

Hybrid halide perovskite single crystals show excellent optoelectronic properties but their small size and large thickness limit their application. Herein Liu et al. grow large area ultrathin flexible crystalline membrane of layered perovskite and demonstrate high detectivity in the flexible photosensors.