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Curcumin was reported to exhibit a wide range of pharmacological effects including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative activities and significantly prevent smooth muscle cells migration. In the present study, a novel kind of curcumin loaded nanoparticles (Cur-NP) has been prepared and characterized with the aim of inhibiting inflammation formation and accelerating the healing process of the stented arteries. Cur-NP was administrated intravenously after stent implantation twice a week and detailed tissue responses were evaluated. The results demonstrated that intravenous administration of Cur-NP after stent implantation accelerated endothelial cells restoration and endothelium function recovery and may potentially be an effective therapeutic alternative to reduce adverse events for currently available drug eluting stents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent development of nanostructured electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction has attracted much attention because they exhibit unique properties compared to their bulk counterparts. In this minireview, the latest studies on electrocatalytic CO2 reduction with a focus on the advances of nanostructured metallic electrocatalysts are reviewed and discussed. The distinct catalytic properties and potential challenges of nanostructured electrocatalysts are summarized. The behavior of nanosized catalysts in ionic liquid electrolytes is also discussed. Ideas for the design of next-generation electrocatalysts by taking the advantages of nanostructured materials are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five new coordination polymer crystal materials based on two flexible bis-pyridyl-bis-amide ligands with different spacer lengths and three kinds of aromatic dicarboxylic acids, namely [Cu(3-dpyh) 0.5 (1,8-NDC)(H 2 O)] ( 1 ), [Cu(3-dpyh) 0.5 (1,4-BDC)(H 2 O)] ( 2 ), [Co(3-dpyh)(1,4-BDC)(H 2 O) 2 ] ( 3 ), [Co(3-dpyb)(1,3-BDC)]·H 2 O ( 4 ) and [Cd 2 (3-dpyb) 2 (1,3-BDC) 2 ] ( 5 ) [3-dpyh = N,N ′-bis(3-pyridinecarboxamide)-1,6-hexane, 3-dpyb = N,N ′-bis(3-pyridinecarboxamide)-1,4-butane, 1,8-H 2 NDC = 1,8-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, 1,4-H 2 BDC = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid and 1,3-H 2 BDC = 1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid], have been hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized. X-ray diffraction analyses reveal that all the title complexes show 2D structures. Complex 1 presents a 2D network with (3,4)-connected {4 2 ·6 3 ·8}{4 2 ·6} topology. Complexes 2 and 3 display a similar typical 4-connected sql topology with different sizes. Complexes 4 and 5 show similar (3,5)-connected networks with a {4 2 ·6}{4 2 ·6 7 ·8} topology. Furthermore, the fluorescent, electrochemical and photocatalytic properties of complexes 1 – 5 have also been investigated. Complex 5 exhibits excellent fluorescent sensing behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to explore the utilization of Pennisetum sinese as cellulose source for the preparation of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC). The cellulose was extracted from P. sinese by chemical treatment and bleaching, and obtained cellulose nanocrystals by acid hydrolysis. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that CNC were rod-like with the diameter of 20–30 nm and the length of 200–300 nm. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) showed that chemical treatment removed most of the lignin and hemicellulose from P. sinese , and CNC had similar structure to that of native cellulose. The crystallinity indexes calculated from X-ray diffraction (XRD) for P. sinese and CNC were 40.6% and 77.3%, respectively. The zeta-potential analysis showed that CNC had higher stability than P. sinese had. The thermal stability was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and the result showed that P. sinese had higher thermal stability than that of prepared CNC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a promising material in the field of wastewater treatment, polysaccharide-modified flocculants have received increasing attention due to their environmental friendliness. In this study, an efficient and environmentally friendly flocculant was synthesized using a graft copolymerization reaction of dextran and [2-(methacryloyloxy) ethyl] trimethylammonium chloride (METAC). The reaction conditions were optimized at 3 mol/mol METAC/dextran, 60 g/L dextran concentration, 3 h reaction time, 60 ℃ and pH 7. The results of elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, NMR hydrogen spectroscopy (1H NMR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and viscosity measurement confirmed that the graft copolymerization reaction was successful. When flocculating a kaolin suspension used as synthetic wastewater, the flocculant showed effective flocculation performance at a low dosage. The results indicate that this cationic polysaccharide flocculant removed 98.2% of the kaolin solid suspended particles. Investigation of the flocculation mechanism showed that the flocculation process consisted of charge neutralization, charge patching and adsorption bridging mechanisms. When flocculating an E. coli culture medium, this flocculant showed high efficiency under acidic, neutral and alkaline conditions. In addition, this flocculant can be easily biodegraded by the enzymatic method. As a biomaterial, this cationic dextran derivative can contribute to future treatment of industrial wastewater and harvesting of microbial cells. [Display omitted] • A cationic flocculant based on dextran was developed. • Dextran prepared in our laboratory can achieve high molecular weight (thousands of kDa). • The dextran-based flocculant showed high flocculation performance on kaolin suspension and E. coli culture medium. • Biodegradation of the dextran-based flocculant by enzymatic method was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multi-modal deep learning approach is proposed to predict GND density in terms of electron backscatter patterns. • A specific data augmentation method termed neighboring pairs generating strategy is proposed to enhance the predictive performance. The characterization of geometrically necessary dislocation (GND) is central to understanding the plastic deformation in materials. Currently, fast and accurate determination of GND density via Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) remains a challenge. Here, a multi-modal deep learning approach is proposed to predict GND density in terms of electron backscatter patterns (EBSPs) and dislocation configurations. The proposed multi-modal architecture consists of two separated convolutional neural network (CNN) processing streams. One CNN stream aims at extracting pattern shifts from EBSPs, and the other CNN stream focuses on learning suitable representations of dislocation configurations. We also introduce a specific data augmentation strategy termed neighboring pairs generating strategy for the GND prediction task. Taking the GND density from dictionary indexing-based analysis as the target property, high accuracy is achieved on several aluminum samples. Also, our networks are robust to various forms of noise, and the prediction speed is as fast as modern EBSD scanning rates, enabling real-time GND density analysis possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We explore knowledge transfer for few-shot segmentation of novel WM tracts. • A model pretrained for segmenting existing WM tracts is given. • We derive a better network initialization for segmenting novel WM tracts. • Data augmentation is further applied with tract-aware image mixing. • Our method was validated on public and private datasets under various settings. [Display omitted] Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have achieved state-of-the-art performance for white matter (WM) tract segmentation based on diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI). The training of the CNN-based segmentation model generally requires a large number of manual delineations of WM tracts, which can be expensive and time-consuming. Although it is possible to carefully curate abundant training data for a set of WM tracts of interest, there can also be novel WM tracts—i.e., WM tracts that are not included in the existing annotated WM tracts—that are specific to a new scientific problem, and it is desired that the novel WM tracts can be segmented without repeating the laborious collection of a large number of manual delineations for these tracts. One possible solution to the problem is to transfer the knowledge learned for segmenting existing WM tracts to the segmentation of novel WM tracts with a fine-tuning strategy, where a CNN pretrained for segmenting existing WM tracts is fine-tuned with only a few annotated scans to segment the novel WM tracts. However, in classic fine-tuning, the information in the last task-specific layer for segmenting existing WM tracts is completely discarded. In this work, based on the pretraining and fine-tuning framework, we propose an improved transfer learning approach to the segmentation of novel WM tracts in the few-shot setting, where all knowledge in the pretrained model is incorporated into the fine-tuning procedure. Specifically, from the weights of the pretrained task-specific layer for segmenting existing WM tracts, we derive a better initialization of the last task-specific layer for the target model that segments novel WM tracts. In addition, to allow further improvement of the initialization of the last layer and thus the segmentation performance in the few-shot setting, we develop a simple yet effective data augmentation strategy that generates synthetic annotated images with tract-aware image mixing. To validate the proposed method, we performed experiments on brain dMRI scans from public and private datasets under various experimental settings, and the results indicate that our method improves the performance of few-shot segmentation of novel WM tracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Sulfite-based pretreatment remarkably promoted VFAs production from microalgae. • Acetate proportion of 54.5% was obtained at 200 mg S/L with time of day 8. • More and relatively easy biodegradable organics were released into liquid phase. • Sulfite-induced sulfate-reducing bacteria facilitated the acetate generation pathway. • β-glucanase, β-glucosidase, and acetate kinase activities were accelerated. Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) production from anaerobic fermentation of microalgae is generally constrained by low organics solubilization and poor substrate-availability. In this study, sulfite-based pretreatment was developed to overcome such situation. Experimental results showed that the maximum concentration of VFAs (467.5 mg COD/g VSS) and corresponding acetate proportion (54.5%) was obtained at 200 mg sulfite-S/L with fermentation time of day 8, which was respectively 2.1- and 1.9-fold of control. It was found that after sulfite pretreatment, more and relatively easy biodegradable organics were released into liquid phase, providing available substrate for acid-producing bacteria. The rigid cell wall of microalgae was destroyed, evidenced by the decreased particle size and increased surface area, which made the microalgae more accessible for subsequent hydrolysis and acidification. Meanwhile, the sulfite-induced sulfate-reducing bacteria facilitated the acetate generation pathway. The accelerated activities of β-glucanase, β-glucosidase, and acetate kinase involved in anaerobic fermentation further validated the above results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Known as the "roof of the world", 50%–56% area of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) is covered by seasonal frozen ground (SFG), which has an important impact on local and global climate change, terrestrial ecosystems, and regional energy and hydrological cycles. In this study, long‐term observational data of air and soil water (precipitation and soil moisture) and heat [surface air temperature (SAT) and soil temperature (ST)] at 30 meteorological stations were used to study the temporal and spatial changes of SFG and their possible causes for the central‐eastern QTP (CEQTP). The results showed that latitude and altitude are the key factors affecting the spatial distributions of seasonal freeze–thaw activities of CEQTP. The stations with deeper freeze depths and more freeze days are mainly located in high‐altitude and high‐latitude regions, and those with shallower freeze depths and fewer freeze days are mainly located in the low‐altitude and low‐latitude regions of the southern QTP. This may be the reason that latitude and altitude are the key factors determining the temperature distribution on the CEQTP. SAT, ST, precipitation, and soil moisture are all significant correlations with the freeze depth, freeze days, freeze start date (FSD) and thaw end date (TED), and the abrupt change years of them are also consistent; they are the important factors affecting the freeze–thaw changes (FTCs) of SFG. Among them, ST is the key factor influencing the FTCs of SFG, and the variations of monthly average soil temperature (MAST) at 0–320 cm depths are the inverse of those of the monthly average freeze depth and freeze days during the year. Using the MAST data at 0–320 cm depths and the 0°C ST threshold, the soil freeze–thaw processes at different depths on the CEQTP are revealed. Affected by global warming, SAT and ST at different depths on the CEQTP have shown the upward trends since the 1980s. Additionally, precipitation and soil moisture have also increased substantially, especially since the late 1990s. Enhancement of warming and wetting conditions from the land surface to the deep soil have accelerated the thawing of SFG, and led to the delay of FSD and the advance of TED, which further caused the reduction of freeze depth and freeze days of SFG on the QTP, especially since the late 1990s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerostatic bearings are the key component of ultra-precision machine tools, and the bearing performance is critical to the machining accuracy and reliability. The characteristics of the air film pressure field (AFPF) mainly determine the bearing performance and are closely related to parameters such as the air supply pressure, the number, and position distribution of orifices. However, the orifices of aerostatic bearing were usually assumed to be ideal for the available related research. The phenomenon of orifice blockage is common in the actual working conditions, which has great impact on the bearing performance. In this study, the AFPF characteristics of aerostatic thrust bearing was analyzed by the theoretical and experimental way with the commonly single-orifice blockage (SOB) or double-orifice blockage (DOB) cases. The air film pressure distribution, load capacity, and tilting moment are obtained for each case. The effectiveness of simulation results is verified by the experiments. The results indicates that the air film pressure decreases significantly in the area of about three orifices adjacent to the blocked orifice in the condition of SOB. Different cases of orifice blockage have different bearing tilting moment, and resulting in different bearing tilting angle. According to different bearing tilting direction and tilting angle, a preliminary prediction method of the orifice blockage is proposed to judge the different cases of orifice blockage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We propose a network that performs volumetric segmentation of white matter tracts. • The tract correlation is exploited with label embedding in the network design. • Our method was validated on public and private datasets under various settings. • The segmentation quality is improved compared with competing methods. • The improvement is more prominent for challenging tracts in challenging scenarios. [Display omitted] Convolutional neural networks have achieved state-of-the-art performance for white matter (WM) tract segmentation based on diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI). However, the segmentation can still be difficult for challenging WM tracts with thin bodies or complicated shapes; the segmentation is even more problematic in challenging scenarios with reduced data quality or domain shift between training and test data, which can be easily encountered in clinical settings. In this work, we seek to improve the segmentation of WM tracts, especially for challenging WM tracts in challenging scenarios. In particular, our method is based on volumetric WM tract segmentation, where voxels are directly labeled without performing tractography. To improve the segmentation, we exploit the characteristics of WM tracts that different tracts can cross or overlap and revise the network design accordingly. Specifically, because multiple tracts can co-exist in a voxel, we hypothesize that the different tract labels can be correlated. The tract labels at a single voxel are concatenated as a label vector, the length of which is the number of tract labels. Due to the tract correlation, this label vector can be projected into a lower-dimensional space—referred to as the embedded space—for each voxel, which allows the segmentation network to solve a simpler problem. By predicting the coordinate in the embedded space for the tracts at each voxel and subsequently mapping the coordinate to the label vector with a reconstruction module, the segmentation result can be achieved. To facilitate the learning of the embedded space, an auxiliary label reconstruction loss is integrated with the segmentation accuracy loss during network training, and network training and inference are end-to-end. Our method was validated on two dMRI datasets under various settings. The results show that the proposed method improves the accuracy of WM tract segmentation, and the improvement is more prominent for challenging tracts in challenging scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The zwitterion polymer functionalized N-enriched porous carbon nanosheets were prepared via pyrolysis and etching of pyridine-coordinated polymer for N@PCNS. Subsequently, N@PCNS was modified with polydopamine to grow the zwitterionic polymer (PEIS), thereby acquiring PEIS functionalized N@PCNS (PEIS-PCNS). The exceptional tribological performance of PEIS-PCNS was attributed to the synergistic lubrication effects of N@PCNS along with the zwitterionic polymer PEIS, which facilitates the formation of a stable protective carbon film over the worn surface via complicated tribo-chemical reaction. Meanwhile, the presence of a hydration layer encapsulated by PEIS as the boundary lubricating film proves highly conducive for friction reduction. The average coefficient of friction showed a dramatic decrease to 0.17 from 0.63, and the wear depth of stainless steel dropped 64%. Functionalized N-enriched porous carbon nanosheets were prepared via pyrolysis and zwitterionic polymer modification, the as-prepared PEIS-PCNS exhibits superior friction reduction and wear resistance performances as water-based lubricant additives. [Display omitted] • Water-based lubricant additives were obtained via covalently combining N@PCNS with PEIS. • N-enriched porous carbon nanosheets N@PCNS offer reactive sites and form carbon film. • Zwitterion polymer PEIS provides soft hydration layer as boundary lubrication. • Tribofilm and hydration layer synergistically help reduce the wear and friction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enhanced heavy metal (HM) phytoextraction efficiency of hyperaccumulating plants via plant-growth-promoting microbes has been proposed as an effective strategy to remove HMs from contaminated soil. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether catabolizing the abscisic acid (ABA) in hyperaccumulating plants via rhizobacteria can facilitate HM phytoextraction. In the present study, a hyperaccumulator, Sedum alfredii Hance, inoculated with an ABA-catabolizing bacterium Rhodococcus qingshengii , showed higher concentrations of Zn, Cd, Ni, and Pb in the contaminated paddy-grown plant shoots by 35%, 63%, 49%, and 49%, and in plants grown in mine soils by 112%, 105%, 46%, and 49%, respectively, than in the control bacteria-free plants. However, no significant changes were observed in Cu content between these plants. Furthermore, parameters indicating phytoremediation potential, including the translocation factor (TF) and bioconcentration factor (BCF), revealed that bacterial inoculation could markedly increase the efficacy of Zn, Cd, Ni, and Pb phytoextraction from the soil. Notably, the bioavailabilities of HMs in soils were not influenced by R. qingshengii ; however, the expression of transporters related to the uptake of these HMs, including SaIRT1 , SaZIP1 , SaZIP2 , SaZIP3 , SaNramp1 , SaNramp3 , SaNramp6 , SaHMA2, and SaHMA3, was upregulated. These findings indicate that R. qingshengii inoculation could increase the HM-uptake ability of plants by catabolizing ABA and may provide a promising strategy for enhancing the phytoremediation efficacy in HM-contaminated soils. [Display omitted] • R. qingshengii enhanced Zn, Cd, Ni, and Pb levels in S. alfredii. • R. qingshengii barely affected Cu accumulation in S. alfredii. • ABA levels of S. alfredii were reduced by R. qingshengii. • R. qingshengii did not affect HM bioavailability in soils. • R. qingshengii upregulated the expression of HM-related uptake transporters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). Radix Astragali (RA), a frequently used Chinese herbal medicine in the Leguminosae family, Astragalus genus, with its extracts, has been proven to be effective in DN treatment both in clinical practice and experimental studies. RA and its extracts can reduce proteinuria and improve renal function. They can improve histopathology changes including thickening of the glomerular basement membrane, mesangial cell proliferation, and injury of endothelial cells, podocytes, and renal tubule cells. The mechanisms mainly benefited from antioxidative stress which involves Nrf2/ARE signaling and the PPARγ‐Klotho‐FoxO1 axis; antiendoplasmic reticulum stress which involves PERK‐ATF4‐CHOP, PERK/eIF2α, and IRE1/XBP1 pathways; regulating autophagy which involves SIRT1/NF‐κB signaling and AMPK signaling; anti‐inflammation which involves IL33/ST2 and NF‐κB signaling; and antifibrosis which involves TGF‐β1/Smads, MAPK (ERK), p38/MAPK, JNK/MAPK, Wnt/β‐catenin, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways. This review focuses on the clinical efficacy and the pharmacological mechanism of RA and its representative extracts on DN, and we further document the traditional uses of RA and probe into the TCM theoretical basis for its application in DN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental toxicity caused by heavy metal ions is always taken seriously. Capacitive deionization (CDI), as an emerging and effective treatment method, is widely studied. Among them, the rational design and development of efficient electrodes based on high theoretical capacitance, high conductivity, and high stability have great prospects for CDI applications. In this study, a series of 2D titanium carbide oxide flakes (2D TCOs) are synthesized using a cation‐giving modulation strategy, and the interlayer spacing of materials is successfully controlled by confining cations (tetraalkylammonium hydroxides, TAAH) with different radii between layers. Interestingly, these TCOs exhibit widely varying electrochemical properties due to their different interlayer spacings. Among them, titanium carbide oxide flakes‐tetrapropylammonium hydroxide (TCOs‐TPAH) with the maximum interlayer spacing exhibits the best performance in sodium ion embedding and de‐embedding, with a capacity of 53.11 mg g−1. In addition, the capacitive removal efficiency of heavy metal ions (Fe3+, Cr3+, Cu2+, Cd2+, Co2+, Ni2+, and Pb2+) can reach over 97% within 2 h. This work presents a simple and creative strategy for the bottom‐up synthesis of oversized 2D nanomaterials, thus supporting the further development of high‐performance 2D materials in the fields of environmental and energy applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The influence of overall lifestyle behaviors on diabetic microvascular complications remains unknown. In addition, the potential mediating biomarkers underlying the association is unclear. This study aimed to examine the associations of the combined lifestyle factors with risks of total and individual microvascular complications among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and to explore the potential mediation effects of metabolic biomarkers. Methods and findings: This retrospective cohort study included 15,104 patients with T2D free of macro- and microvascular complications at baseline (2006 to 2010) from the UK Biobank. Healthy lifestyle behaviors included noncurrent smoking, recommended waist circumference, regular physical activity, healthy diet, and moderate alcohol drinking. Outcomes were ascertained using electronic health records. Over a median of 8.1 years of follow-up, 1,296 cases of the composite microvascular complications occurred, including 558 diabetic retinopathy, 625 diabetic kidney disease, and 315 diabetic neuropathy, with some patients having 2 or 3 microvascular complications simultaneously. After multivariable adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, history of hypertension, glycemic control, and medication histories, the hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals (CIs)) for the participants adhering 4 to 5 low-risk lifestyle behaviors versus 0 to 1 were 0.65 (0.46, 0.91) for diabetic retinopathy, 0.43 (0.30, 0.61) for diabetic kidney disease, 0.46 (0.29, 0.74) for diabetic neuropathy, and 0.54 (0.43, 0.68) for the composite outcome (all Ps-trend ≤0.01). Further, the population-attributable fraction (95% CIs) of diabetic microvascular complications for poor adherence to the overall healthy lifestyle (<4 low-risk factors) ranged from 25.3% (10.0%, 39.4%) to 39.0% (17.7%, 56.8%). In addition, albumin, HDL-C, triglycerides, apolipoprotein A, C-reactive protein, and HbA1c collectively explained 23.20% (12.70%, 38.50%) of the associations between overall lifestyle behaviors and total diabetic microvascular complications. The key limitation of the current analysis was the potential underreporting of microvascular complications because the cases were identified via electronic health records. Conclusions: Adherence to overall healthy lifestyle behaviors was associated with a significantly lower risk of microvascular complications in patients with T2D, and the favorable associations were partially mediated through improving biomarkers of glycemic control, systemic inflammation, liver function, and lipid profile. Tingting Geng and colleagues investigate whether lifestyle behaviours could affect microvascular complications among patients with type 2 diabetes in the UK Biobank. Author summary: Why was this study done?: Diabetic microvascular complications including diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neuropathy, and diabetic kidney disease have placed a significant disease burden. This study asked whether multiple lifestyle behaviors including waist circumference, smoking status, habitual diet, physical activity, and alcohol intake could jointly affect the microvascular complications, and whether the metabolic biomarkers could mediate the association. What did the researchers do and find?: In this retrospective study of 15,104 patients with type 2 diabetes, participants adhering 4 to 5 low-risk lifestyle behaviors versus 0 to 1 had a 35% lower risk of diabetic retinopathy, 57% lower risk of diabetic kidney disease, 54% lower risk of diabetic neuropathy, and 46% lower risk of the composite outcome. Our study found that albumin, HDL-C, triglycerides, apolipoprotein A, C-reactive protein, and HbA1c collectively explained 23.20% of the associations between overall lifestyle behaviors and diabetic microvascular complications. What do these findings mean?: Our findings support the importance of public health programs and interventions targeting at improving health behaviors in combination to ameliorate the risk of diabetic microvascular complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Chiral heteroatom‐containing bicyclic scaffolds are important pharmacophores and prevalent in bioactive natural products and drug molecules. Herein, we report a unified approach for the divergent synthesis of chiral heteroatom‐containing bicyclic derivatives by lanthanide (III)‐catalyzed asymmetric inverse‐electron‐demand Diels–Alder reactions of 2‐pyrones. These reactions occur with various readily available dihydropyrroles and dihydrofurans as dienophiles, providing a step‐economical synthetic platform for densely functionalized cis‐hydroindoles and cis‐hydrobenzofurans with excellent yields and enantioselectivities. The synthetic utility of this approach is demonstrated by the concise synthesis of (–)‐α‐lycorane and (–)‐lycorine alkaloids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser engraving is carried out on the both sides of PI film to achieve constant temperature gas monitor and early automatic self-alarm. [Display omitted] • The LIG IDEs serve gas sensor, and rectangular LIG is usable in dual-working mode. • The rectangular LIG provides a constant working temperature under a DC voltage. • The NO 2 monitor with heating condition overcomes the inability to desorb at RT. • Let the device emit an acoustic alarm once NO 2 concentration is beyond threshold. The increasingly serious air pollution problem makes the development of high-performance gas monitoring system extremely urgent. Especially for nitrogen dioxide (NO 2), which is harmful to both people and the environment. The combination of reliable real-time monitoring and early warning is of great significance yet less study. Here, we designed a laser-induced graphene (LIG)-based multi-functional NO 2 monitor and self-alarm (MMSA), in which a rectangle area is used as a dual-functional module to realize high-performance temperature condition and acoustic alarm by applying direct/alternating current voltage excitation source. The molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2) sensitive material works in concert with the LIG interdigital electrodes (IDEs), and the gas monitor achieves high sensitivity (86.81% for 5 ppm, and 22.90% for 250 ppb) and excellent recoverability, aided by the good electrothermal property of LIG, overcoming the dilemma of poor sensing performance of MoS 2 at room temperature (RT). To top it off, the thermoacoustic effect of the LIG could bring about an intuitional sound signal, and a proof-of-concept demonstrates the timely acoustic warning response of the MMSA to exceeded NO 2 concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Firstly, TiO 2 -Doped GeSe Monolayer are studied. • The introduction of dopants improves the selectivity and sensitivity of GeSe. • Doped GeSe have suitable sensing traits to perfect adsorption and desorption. • The change of conductivity is critical to production of resistive gas sensors. The detection of SF 6 decomposition species has been a crucial method of fault diagnosis for insulation equipment. Faced with problems of poor selectivity, low sensitivity and non-recyclability of existing nano-gas sensors, TiO 2 -doped GeSe monolayer is proposed. The doping of TiO 2 nanoparticle greatly improves the conductivity of GeSe monolayer and the selective for SF 6 decomposition species, SO 2 > H 2 S > SOF 2 > SO 2 F 2. Moreover, electron transfer of SF 6 is further inhibited. When gases are adsorbed, the reduction of the difficulty of electron transition ensures the high sensitivity detection in practical application, especially SO 2. Ideal adsorption energies ensure that TiO 2 -GeSe monolayer has excellent response and recovery ability, which theoretically solves the industrial problem of recycling. In addition, compared with pure GeSe and other normal 2D materials, TiO 2 -GeSe exhibits excellent sensing detection advantages. This study provides a theoretical foundation for resistive chemical sensors used in industrial insulation equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The size makes cyclo[18]carbon a suitable candidate to accommodate Mg 2 molecules inside to form stable endohedral Mg 2 @C 18. • Charge transfer between Mg 2 and C 18 forms stable [Mg 2 ]2+[C 18 ]2– ionic complexes. • Large binding energy and aromaticity indicate that Mg 2 @C 18 is a remarkable stable system. The recent discovery of cyclo[18]carbon has attracted widespread attention. Density functional theory (DFT) study was carried out to evaluate the viability of the encapsulation of magnesium dimer inside the all-carboatomic ring, that is, Mg 2 @C 18. Results indicated that Mg 2 @C 18 possesses a perfect endohedral structure. Charge transfer resulted in forming typical [Mg 2 ]2+[C 18 ]2– ionic complexes. The high stability of the complex could be due to the strong electrostatic interaction between the guest Mg 2 and the host C 18 ring. The structure and bonding properties of the C 18 ring of the system is different from those of pristine cyclo[18]carbon. Mg 2 @C 18 shows remarkable aromatic character. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with MoS 2 monolayer, the SV-MoS 2 monolayer improves the absorbability toward SF 6 decomposition products and increases the selectivity of SO 2 F 2. [Display omitted] • The investigation about sulfuric vacancy in two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide monolayer. • The adsorption behavior of typical SF 6 decomposition components on SV-MoS 2 monolayer is shown. • The physical sensing properties and mechanism of adsorption system are fully analyzed. A long-running SF 6 insulating gas decomposes without being detected in time would cause incalculable consequences, therefore, real-time monitoring towards SF 6 status is of practical significance. Currently, the gas-sensitive properties of two-dimensional materials are the focus and hotspot of gas sensor research, however, in practical situations, material preparation and device fabrication will inevitably bring about defects. Therefore, the effects of sulfuric vacancy (SV) in molybdenum disulphide are proposed and explored, and a comparative study of gas-sensitive properties (pristine MoS 2 vs SV- MoS 2) is carried out using density functional theory based on the first principles. Constructing typical adsorption models for SF 6 decomposition components on monolayer, together with analyzing the optimum adsorption structures, adsorption energy, density of states, molecular orbitals, electrical conductivity and co-adsorption behaviors. The results show that the SV brings a defective state to MoS 2 monolayer, which contributes to an overall increase in the adsorption energy for the decomposition components (the increase > 0.15 eV), making the undifferentiated adsorption effect selective for SO 2 F 2. The physical interaction between the decomposition products and SV-MoS 2 monolayer is more favorable for desorption. These results indicate it is appropriate for detecting SF 6 status in high-voltage insulation environments, with pointers to practical applications for two-dimensional materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the association of Life's Essential 8 (LE8) with the risk of recurrent cardiovascular events among patients with CHD. This prospective cohort study included 11,997 patients with CHD from the UK Biobank. The LE8 score was generated using five lifestyle factors (diet, body mass index, physical activity, smoking, and sleep) and three biological factors (blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood pressure). LE8 score ranged from 0 to 100 and was categorized into quartiles. Cox proportional hazards regression models were applied to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% CI (confidence interval). During a median follow up of 12.5 years, we documented 3366 recurrent cardiovascular events, 1068 myocardial infarction, 1829 heart failure events, 703 strokes, and 934 cardiovascular deaths. The multivariable-adjusted HR (95% CI) for the highest versus the lowest quartile of LE8 score was 0.57 (0.50, 0.65) for recurrent cardiovascular events, 0.66 (0.52, 0.83) for myocardial infarction, 0.54 (0.45, 0.67) for heart failure, 0.50 (0.36, 0.68) for stroke, and 0.46 (0.37, 0.56) for cardiovascular death. Furthermore, the population attributable fraction of the lowest to the highest quartile of LE8 score were ranged from 16.2% to 32.5% for the various cardiovascular outcomes. In addition, biomarkers including renal function and inflammation collectively explained 47.6%–87.7% of the associations between the lifestyle factors and recurrent cardiovascular events. Better cardiovascular health as measured by LE8 was associated with significantly lower risk of recurrent cardiovascular events among patients with CHD. Clinicians should prioritize educating patients with CHD on the importance of optimal cardiovascular health for secondary prevention. In addition, our findings indicated significant mediation effect of biomarkers involving of glycemic control, renal function, liver function, lipid profile, and systemic inflammation on the associations between overall lifestyle factors and recurrent cardiovascular events. • Evidence regarding the application of LE8 among patients with CHD is scarce. • Better cardiovascular health as measured by LE8 was associated with significantly lower risk of recurrent cardiovascular events among patients with CHD. • Biomarkers including renal function and inflammation collectively explained 47.6%–87.7% of the associations between the lifestyle factors and recurrent cardiovascular events. • The use of LE8 to target modifiable health behaviors may aid in reducing the population burden of recurrent cardiovascular events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the combustion process of Zhundong coal, many factors had obvious influence on slagging process. In this paper, the influence of particle system on slag formation and shedding process was evaluated. Two slags were sampled at two CFBBs super heaters which temperatures were similar and the ash particles size and concentration were different. The collected slags were separated, and the inner layer was analyzed by XRF, XRD, and Nano-CT. The results suggested that the area ratio of particles smaller than 2 μm to the region area was above 80% in each region, indicating that the inner layer was dominated by fine particles. Furthermore, the proportion of particles decreased in each region of two slags with the increase of particle size. The influence of particle system on the slag formation and shedding process was proposed. The accumulation of small particles was the cause of slag formation, while large particles had great influence on slag shedding. The presence of large particles increased the porosity and reduced the contact area between particles, the binding force between the particles was weaker than that between particles and tubes. Therefore, the fracture location of two slags was different, which made the internal surface presented different appearances. • The effect of ash particle size in gas on slagging and shedding was studied in CFBB. • The 3D structure of the slag was reconstructed by the Nano-CT technology firstly. • The large particles in slag weakened the binging force between ash particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • ADES system was developed to produce cellulose Ⅱ nanocrystals under mild condition. • ADES system was green, sustainable and could be recycled easily. • CNCs had a high yield of 82.3 %, excellent thermostability, and high crystallinity. • Electroresponsive and pH-sensitive nanocomposite films were built with CNCs assist. • CNCs played molecular bridging and nano-sized role in nanocomposite film building. Sustainable, economical, and green extraction of cellulose Ⅱ nanocrystals from lignocellulose under mild conditions is still challenging since the highly recalcitrant nature of lignocellulose. Herein, a sustainable system using ammonium persulfate (APS)-catalyzed deep eutectic solvent (ADES) was developed to produce functional cellulose Ⅱ nanocrystals (CNCs) with a high yield of 82.3 %. The obtained CNCs had excellent thermal stability (>350 ℃), high crystallinity of 76.6 % with surface carboxyl groups, and superior dispersion stability. CNCs played a role of both molecular bridging and nano-sized effect in gelatin matrix, which combined with gelatin tightly through multiple hydrogen bonds to prepare bio-nanocomposite films with outstanding electric-responsiveness and pH-sensitivity. It was proved that CNCs had remarkable reinforcing potential and effective stress transfer capacity, contributing to a 187 % enhancement in tensile strength and an approximately 110 % increase in Young's modulus of the formed CNCs/gelatin nanocomposite films when 0.5 wt % CNCs was loaded. Therefore, the study may open the door for developing a green and sustainable avenue to produce functional CNCs, and is of great significance for the building of CNCs-based functional nanocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large mammalian carnivores have undergone catastrophic declines during the Anthropocene across the world. Despite their pivotal roles as apex predators in food webs and ecosystem dynamics, few detailed dietary datasets of large carnivores exist, prohibiting deep understanding of their coexistence and persistence in human-dominated landscapes. Here, we present fine-scaled, quantitative trophic interactions among sympatric carnivores from three assemblages in the Mountains of Southwest China, a global biodiversity hotspot harboring the world's richest large-carnivore diversity, derived from DNA metabarcoding of 1,097 fecal samples. These assemblages comprise a large-carnivore guild ranging from zero to five species along with two mesocarnivore species. We constructed predator-prey food webs for each assemblage and identified 95 vertebrate prey taxa and 260 feeding interactions in sum. Each carnivore species consumed 6–39 prey taxa, and dietary diversity decreased with increased carnivore body mass across guilds. Dietary partitioning was more evident between large-carnivore and mesocarnivore guilds, yet different large carnivores showed divergent proportional utilization of different-sized prey correlating with their own body masses. Large carnivores particularly selected livestock in Tibetan-dominated regions, where the indigenous people show high tolerance toward wild predators. Our results suggest that dietary niche partitioning and livestock subsidies facilitate large-carnivore sympatry and persistence and have key implications for sustainable conservation promoting human-carnivore coexistence. [Display omitted] • Highly diverse carnivore species coexist in the Mountains of Southwest China • Sympatric carnivores show body-size-correlated dietary niche partitioning • Livestock substantially supplements large carnivores' diets in Tibetan regions Shao et al. present the first highly resolved, community-level dietary datasets of nine carnivores in Southwest China. The carnivores show body-size-correlated partitioning in prey size. Domestic livestock features prominently in large carnivores' diets in Tibetan regions, suggesting that cultural tolerance is crucial for carnivore conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macrophages, an important part of human immune system, possess a high plasticity and heterogeneity (macrophage polarization) as classically activated macrophages (M1) and alternatively activated macrophages (M2), which exert pro-inflammatory/anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory/pro-tumor effects, respectively. Thus, drug development in induction of macrophage polarization could be used to treat different human diseases. This review summarizes the recent advancement on modulation of macrophage polarization and its related molecular mechanisms induced by a number of agents. Research on the anti-inflammatory drugs to regulate the macrophage polarization accounts for a large proportion in the field and types of diseases investigated could include atherosclerosis, enteritis, nephritis, and the nervous system and skeletal diseases, while study of the anti-tumor agents to modify macrophage polarization is a novel area of research. Future study of the molecular mechanisms by which the different agents regulate the macrophage polarization could lead to an effective control of various human diseases, including inflammation and cancers. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CVD synthetic diamond plays an important role in the jewelry market due to its excellent performance and low cost. In this paper, colorless CVD synthetic diamonds produced by a Chinese company were investigated in detail with their gemological, spectroscopic, and luminescent properties compared with natural colorless diamonds. Compared with natural diamonds, CVD synthetic diamonds have high-order interference color and more apparent abnormal birefringence. The results of infrared spectra indicate that all the CVD samples are classified as type IIa, while the natural samples belong to type Ia. The CVD samples show lamellar growth and mottled luminescence pattern and have blue, orange red, purple red, and blue fluorescence, respectively, while most of the natural samples show blue fluorescence. CVD diamonds show lamellar growth structure, and natural diamonds show irregular ring-like growth structure. Thus, multiple methods combined with analysis are required to distinguish synthetic diamonds from natural diamonds. This work provides an experimental basis for the identification of CVD synthetic diamonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Fe 3 O 4 -PMAN particle was synthesized using Shirasu porous glass membrane process. • Fe 3 O 4 particles were confirmed to be embedded into PMAN composite particle via TEM. • E/MR fluid exhibits typical ER and MR behavior under electric or magnetic fields. In this study, Fe 3 O 4 -poly(2-methylaniline) smart hybrid particles were synthesized using a Shirasu porous glass membrane process, and their dual responses under an electrical or magnetic field as an electro/magneto-rheological (E/MR) fluid was investigated. The synthesized particles possessed sizes in the micron range, good sedimentation stability, and a relatively low density, along with extensive application prospects. Morphology and chemical formation of the synthesized particles were examined using TEM, XRD, and FT-IR spectroscopy. Optical images of chain formation in the presence of magnetic or electric fields were obtained using optical microscopy. An E/MR fluid composed of the synthesized particles in silicone oil was evaluated using a rheometer under enhanced electrical and magnetic field strengths, and it showed typical E/MR fluid behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Urine and semen samples were repeatedly collected among 1428 healthy men. • Urinary Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Se, Rb, Sr, and Mo showed high within-subject variations. • Higher urinary Zn and Mo levels were associated with greater sperm production. • The period of epididymal storage may be the critical window of susceptibility to Zn and Mo. Essential elements such as iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), rubidium (Rb), strontium (Sr), and molybdenum (Mo) are necessary for reproductive health. However, their associations with human semen quality remain inconclusive. To investigate the associations of urinary Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Se, Rb, Sr, and Mo concentrations with semen quality in healthy men screened as potential sperm donors and identify critical windows of susceptibility. 1428 healthy men provided 3766 urine and 6527 semen samples, which were measured for urinary essential element concentrations and sperm quality parameters, respectively. Linear mixed models and cubic spline curves were used to evaluate associations between urinary essential elements and semen quality. Multiple informant models were used to identify potential critical windows of susceptibility. Linear mixed models and cubic spline curves showed positive dose–response relationships between urinary Zn and sperm concentration and total count and between urinary Mo and total sperm count [all False Discovery Rate (FDR) adjusted p -value for trend < 0.05]. In the multiple-element linear mixed models, the men in the highest versus lowest quartiles of urinary Zn and Mo had a higher sperm concentration of 17.5% (95% CI: 2.8%, 34.2%; p -value for trend = 0.006) and total sperm count of 18.3% (95% CI: 1.4%, 38.0%; p -value for trend = 0.027), respectively. Urinary Zn was also positively associated with total sperm count in a dose-dependent manner (p -value for trend = 0.036), though the percentile difference in total sperm count between men in the highest and lowest quartile was not statistically significant (16.4%, 95% CI: −1.7%, 37.9%). These associations appeared to be stronger when urinary Zn and Mo were measured at 0–9 days before the date of semen examination (i.e., corresponding to epididymal storage). Higher urinary Zn and Mo, particularly during the period of epididymal storage, were associated with greater sperm production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The sensor attached with 20 mol.% NiO modified FeVO 4 -SE exhibited the highest response (−83 mV) to 100 ppm NH 3. • The sensor had a low detection limit of 5 ppm. • Electrochemical test methods were carried out to confirm the electrochemical catalytic activity of the sensing materials. • The sensor displayed short response/recovery time, satisfying oxygen resistance and good stability over 20 days. YSZ-based mixed potential type NH 3 sensor has a good application foreground in on-board SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) system due to its good thermal and chemical stability. In this study, we greatly improved the NH 3 sensing performance of this type of sensor to meet the detection requirement through the development of high-performance sensing electrode materials. FeVO 4 was synthesized through a traditional sol-gel method and used as basis material. In order to improve the electrochemical catalytic activity, different molar ratio of metal oxides (NiO, SnO 2 , WO 3) modified FeVO 4 were prepared. The cyclic voltammetry (CV), the linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and dc polarization (I–V) measurements were carried out to confirm the electrochemical catalytic activity of the sensing electrode materials. Eventually, the sensor attached with 20 mol.% NiO modified FeVO 4 -SE exhibited the highest response (−83 mV) to 100 ppm NH 3 and had a low detection limit of 5 ppm. What is more, the sensor also displayed short response and recovery time, satisfying oxygen resistance and good stability over 20 days at 650 °C, indicating its potential for in-situ ammonia monitoring in industrial and automotive applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Passive and active heat transfer enhancement technologies are reviewed. • Heat transfer enhancement theories are introduced. • Comprehensive evaluation of heat transfer enhancement technologies is conducted. All over the world, the nuclear reactor technology has been in the critical stage of transformation and upgrading. Also, there have been the higher requirements for the key technical indicators, such as the power level, the miniaturization and the security. According to analyzing the engineering requirements of typical nuclear reactor devices, the authors demonstrated the scientific problems and the physical mechanisms behind the limitation of thermal-hydraulic parameters, such as the fuel assembly, the steam generator, and the special safe system. Thus, the technical route of heat transfer enhancement was put forward in this paper. The technology of heat transfer enhancement referred to the application of various engineering means to improve the heat transfer performance of component and reduce the power consumption of coolant, the component temperature, as well as the device size. In this paper, the heat transfer enhancement technology was divided into the passive technology and the active technology. Meanwhile, the passive technology could be subdivided into the structure innovation technology and the surface modification technology. The active technology could be subdivided into the magnetic field technology and the electric filed technology. Based on the analyses of this paper, it was considered that the effects of different heat transfer enhancement technologies on the single-phase and two-phase conditions were quite different. Moreover, the corresponding technical development maturity and the manufacturing process were also much different. First of all, the structure innovation technology mainly included two categories: the micro-channel technology and the longitudinal vortex technology. By increasing the specific surface area of thermal component, enhancing the turbulent mixing degree of flow field, and disturbing the near-wall thermal boundary layer, the heat transfer performance of single-phase and two-phase conditions could be significantly improved. The above technology had been widely applied to many heat transfer fields, and the manufacturing technology was mature as well as diversified, which had the strong application prospect in the field of reactor core and heat exchanger without nuclear conditions. It should be noted that the technical difficulty of structure innovation technology lied in the optimization of structure design to obtain the best enhanced heat transfer performance. As for the surface modification technology, it mainly included the surface micro-nano structure technology and the surface coating technology. Moreover, it was suggested that the structural dimensions of above two technologies were far smaller than that of the near-wall thermal boundary layer, and the corresponding effects on the sing-phase heat transfer condition was not obvious. However, the above two technologies could significantly affect the bubble dynamics and the two-phase interface evolution under boiling condition, which could obviously improve the heat transfer performance under two-phase condition. In addition, the magnetic field technology and the electric field technology belonged to the active heat transfer enhancement technology, which relied on the coolant physical properties and the intervention technology of flow field. It should be noted that the above two technologies could effectively improve the heat transfer performance under the single-phase and two-phase conditions. However, this kind of technology was still in the stage of scientific research, and there was no practical engineering application. Based on the current technology development, the application of these two technologies was weak in the reactor core, and the application in non-nuclear environment was also limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We develop nested self-supervised learning for white matter tract segmentation. • The first pretext task is to predict the density map of fiber streamlines. • The second pretext task is to mimic registration-based tract segmentation. • Our method was evaluated on publicly available datasets under various settings. • The segmentation accuracy given scarce annotations is improved with our method. [Display omitted] White matter (WM) tract segmentation based on diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) provides an important tool for the analysis of brain development, function, and disease. Deep learning based methods of WM tract segmentation have been proposed, which greatly improve the accuracy of the segmentation. However, the training of the deep networks usually requires a large number of manual delineations of WM tracts, which can be especially difficult to obtain and unavailable in many scenarios. Therefore, in this work, we explore how to perform deep learning based WM tract segmentation when annotated training data is scarce. To this end, we seek to exploit the abundant unannotated dMRI data in the self-supervised learning framework. From the unannotated data, knowledge about image context can be learned with pretext tasks that do not require manual annotations. Specifically, a deep network can be pretrained for the pretext task, and the knowledge learned from the pretext task is then transferred to the subsequent WM tract segmentation task with only a small number of annotated scans via fine-tuning. We explore two designs of pretext tasks that are related to WM tracts. The first pretext task predicts the density map of fiber streamlines, which are representations of generic WM pathways, and the training data can be obtained automatically with tractography. The second pretext task learns to mimic the results of registration-based WM tract segmentation, which, although inaccurate, is more relevant to WM tract segmentation and provides a good target for learning context knowledge. Then, we combine the two pretext tasks and develop a nested self-supervised learning strategy. In the nested self-supervised learning strategy, the first pretext task provides initial knowledge for the second pretext task, and the knowledge learned from the second pretext task with the initial knowledge is transferred to the target WM tract segmentation task via fine-tuning. To evaluate the proposed method, experiments were performed on brain dMRI scans from the Human Connectome Project dataset with various experimental settings. The results show that the proposed method improves the performance of WM tract segmentation when tract annotations are scarce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Natural flavor compounds can stimulate people's senses of smell and taste; as indicators of food sensory quality, such compounds influence the acceptance by consumers. In addition, natural antioxidants are becoming popular among consumers because they are safe and have no adverse side effects. Purple corn anthocyanins are polyphenolic compounds with natural antioxidant properties that exist widely in nature. Research has shown that anthocyanins can provide extra electrons to the free radicals, preventing lipid oxidation and improving muscle volatile components. However, no information is available concerning the effect of feeding anthocyanin on goat meat volatile compounds. This was the first study to investigate the effects of dietary anthocyanins from purple corn supplementation on lipid mechanism, body composition, volatile compound profiles, and related gene expression in the longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle of goats. The current study indicates that the consumption of purple corn anthocyanin by growing goats improves mutton flavor by decreasing plasma lipid metabolism parameters and by modulating the abundance of several flavor-related genes in the longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle. The results will help to understand the mechanism of action of anthocyanins on the flavor compounds, providing the rationale for anthocyanins regulating mutton flavor through related signaling pathways of ruminants in future studies. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of anthocyanins on muscle flavor compound profiles in goats. Goats in three groups were fed a basic diet or a diet supplemented with 0.5 g/d or 1 g/d anthocyanin-rich purple corn pigment (PCP). Compared to the control group, plasma total cholesterol was significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in the anthocyanin groups. The feeding of anthocyanin increased (p < 0.05) flavor compound types and total alcohol level, whereas it decreased (p < 0.05) total hydrocarbons, aromatics, esters, and miscellaneous compounds in the longissimusthoracis et lumborum muscle (LTL). Adding PCP to the diet enriched (p < 0.05) vegetal, herbaceous, grease, and fruity flavors compared to the control group. The 0.5 g/d PCP group had increased (p < 0.05) abundance of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, but there was a decreased (p < 0.05) level of lipoprotein lipase in LTL. Collectively, this study indicated that anthocyanin can improve mutton flavor by decreasing plasma lipid parameters and by modulating the abundance of several flavor-related genes of goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a rare and refractory autoimmune disease, and Qi Shen Di Huang (QSDH) drug formulary is an in-hospital herbal decoction with proven clinical efficacy in treating MG. Currently, most of the research on the QSDH drug formulary has concentrated on its clinical efficacy, and there is a lack of systematic study on the material basis. The active compounds and their mechanism of action have not been entirely determined. Therefore, this study sought to identify the active compounds in the QSDH drug formulary and analyze the key targets and potential mechanisms. We used ultra-performance liquid chromatography Q Exactive-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QE-MS) and Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) database to identify and screen 85 active ingredients corresponding to 59 potential targets (17 herbs) associated with myasthenia gravis, and further identified AKT1 as the primary core target and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway as the most substantial enriched pathway. Molecular docking and UPLC-MS analysis identified quercetin, luteolin, wogonin, kaempferol, laccasein, and epigallocatechin gallate are the core compounds of the QSDH drug formulary. In vivo rat studies showed that the QSDH drug formulary reduced Lennon's clinical score and decreased acetylcholine receptor antibody levels in peripheral blood rats with experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis. In addition, the QSDH drug formulary downregulated P-PI3K/PI3K and P-Akt/Akt protein expression. Collectively, these findings describe the role and potential mechanism of the QSDH drug formulary in the treatment of MG, which exerts potential value by acting on AKT targets and regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and providing a theoretical reference for QSDH drug formulary application in the clinical treatment of MG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently occurs in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D); however, the longitudinal associations of new-onset AF with risks of adverse health outcomes in patients with T2D remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to determine the associations of new-onset AF with subsequent risks of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), heart failure, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and mortality among patients with T2D.Research Design and Methods: We included 16,551 adults with T2D, who were free of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CKD at recruitment from the UK Biobank study. Time-varying Cox regression models were used to assess the associations of incident AF with subsequent risks of incident ASCVD, heart failure, CKD, and mortality.Results: Among the patients with T2D, 1,394 developed AF and 15,157 remained free of AF during the follow-up. Over median follow-up of 10.7-11.0 years, we documented 2,872 cases of ASCVD, 852 heart failure, and 1,548 CKD and 1,776 total death (409 CVD deaths). Among patients with T2D, those with incident AF had higher risk of ASCVD (hazard ratio [HR] 1.85; 95% CI 1.59-2.16), heart failure (HR 4.40; 95% CI 3.67-5.28), CKD (HR 1.68; 95% CI 1.41-2.01), all-cause mortality (HR 2.91; 95% CI 2.53-3.34), and CVD mortality (HR 3.75; 95% CI 2.93-4.80) compared with those without incident AF.Conclusions: Patients with T2D who developed AF had significantly increased risks of developing subsequent adverse cardiovascular events, CKD, and mortality. Our data underscore the importance of strategies of AF prevention to reduce macro- and microvascular complications in patients with T2D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An efficient approach for C2-arylacylation of 2H-benzothiazoles was developed. • Methyl arenes directly acts as carbonyl sources. • Wide substrate scope and good functional compatibility. • Metal-free catalytic system and mild conditions. An efficient Selectfluor-oxidative protocol was developed for the direct C2-arylacylation of 2 H -benzothiazoles via the radical reaction of 2 H -benzothiazoles with methyl arenes. Selectfluor can effectively promote the oxidative cross-coupling without an external catalyst. This arylacylation reaction tolerates a wide range of functional groups affording 28 examples of the arylacylated products in 39–81% yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic and semiconducting Fe3O4/poly(o-anisidine) (POA) core/shell composite particles were fabricated by an oxidation process using Fe3O4 synthesized separately. The dispersion stability in a liquid medium and the electrical conductivity of synthesized particles were improved because of the conductive POA polymeric shell. The morphological, microstructural, compositional/elemental, and thermal behaviors of the particles were characterized using SEM with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, TEM, XRD, and thermogravimetric analysis, respectively. A smart electro-magneto-rheological suspension containing Fe3O4/POA particles with two functionalities, magnetism and conductivity, was prepared. Its electrorheological properties were investigated at different electric field strengths using a rotational rheometer. Without an electric field, the sample demonstrated typical Newtonian fluid behavior, as expected. However, while under the electric field, it exhibited a solid-like behavior, and the dynamic (or elastic) yield stress of the ER fluid increased linearly as a function of the electric field strength in a power-law function with an index of 2.0, following the polarization mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The C 3 N/h-BN is a narrow-gap semiconductor and has uniquely E-field/strain dependent and highly adjustable electronic properties. The band gap of C 3 N/h-BN heterostructure is sensitive to the strain, and keeps its semiconductor characteristics with a linear and highly controllable change rule. Electric fields can be effectively used to keep semiconductor or metal state steadily within a specified range of electric fields, suggesting a broad prospect in the area of electronic devices, such as switching devices, data storage devices. [Display omitted] • The C 3 N is bonded to the h-BN monolayer via weak vdW forces. • The band gap of the heterostructure is linearly positive-correlated with strain. • The E-field could make the heterostructure change from semiconductor to metal. • The semiconductor or metal state can be kept stable within a defined E-field range. Heterostructures are widely used in 2D material-based semiconductor industry because of their effective regulation toward certain materials for desirable performance. In this work, we have comprehensively investigated the structural and electronic properties of the C 3 N/h-BN heterostructure by means of density functional theory. Obtained results show that the proposed heterostructure is a narrow-gap semiconductor and it also has uniquely E-field/strain dependent relationship and highly adjustable peculiarity. More specifically, its band gap structure shows different trends under external E-field and strain, which shows up remarkable capability and favorable applicability in the field of semiconductor band gap engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High temperature affects egg quality and increases follicular atresia in teleosts. The present study aimed to explore the regulated mechanism of ovary syndrome of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed to heat stress. To this end, we conducted histological and biochemical analyses and integrated miRNA-target gene analyses. The histochemical analyses confirmed that heat stress promoted the apoptosis of granulosa cell and therefore resulted in increased follicular atresia in the ovary. Heat stress led to the differential expression of multiple miRNAs (miR-27e, -27b-3p, -33, -34a -133a-5p, and -301b-5p). In a luciferase activity assay, miR-33 bound to the 3′-untranslated region (UTR) of the TGFβ1I1 (transforming growth factor-β1-induced transcript 1) gene and inhibited its expression. A TGFβ1I1 gene signal was detected in the granulosa cells of Nile tilapia by immunohistochemical analysis. Up-regulation of the miR-33 of tilapia at 6 d and 12 d exposed to heat (34.5 °C ± 0.5 °C) had significant down-regulation of the TGFβ1I1 expression of the gene and protein in tilapia ovaries. An miRNA-target gene integrated analysis revealed that miR-33 and TGFβ1I1 function in an apoptosis-related signal pathway. The signal transduction of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family members VEGFA and its receptor (KDR) in the heat-stressed group decreased significantly compared with the control group. Transcript-levels of the Bax and Caspase-3 as apoptotic promotors were activated and Bcl-2 and Caspase-8 as apoptotic inhibitors were suppressed in the heat-stressed tilapia. These results suggest that heat stress increases the expression of miR-33, which targets TGFβ1I1 and inhibits its expression, resulting in decreased levels of follicle-stimulating hormone and 17β-estradiol and increased apoptosis by suppressing VEGF signaling, eventually inducing follicular atresia. In conclusion, our results show that the miR-33/TGFβ1I1 axis of Nile tilapia is involved in the follicular development of broodstock, and can suppress VEGF signaling to accelerate follicular atresia. Our findings demonstrate the suppressive role of miR-33 during oocyte development in Nile tilapia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Borehole radar is a powerful tool for detecting subsurface fractures. Fracture modeling and numerical simulation are essential means to study fracture detectability. In this article, we first propose a method to construct a single fracture model, which combines the Baecher disk model and random rough surface and includes features, such as roughness, pinch-out, and irregularity. As the precise description of the fracture raises the requirement for accuracy of the simulation algorithm, the 3-D conformal finite-difference time-domain (CFDTD) method is used in this work. Numerical simulations of a sphere and rough fractures show that the CFDTD has higher calculation accuracy than conventional FDTD. Then, we analyzed how the fractures with different roughness affect the electromagnetic wave response. It is found that as the fracture surface becomes rougher, the wave scattered by it becomes stronger, more fracture contour-related information is obtained, and the fracture morphology is recovered better. Combined with accurate fracture modeling and high-precision numerical simulation, the electromagnetic response characteristics of different forms of fractures are obtained, which provides a basis for the accurate detection and interpretation of fractures in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Study Design Results Conclusions Relevance to Clinical Practice Critical patients may experience various adverse events during transportation within hospitals. Therefore, quickly evaluating and classifying patients before transporting them from the emergency department and focusing on managing high‐risk patients are critical. At present, no unified classification method exists; all the current approaches are subjective.To ensure transportation safety, we conducted a cluster analysis of critically ill patients transferred from the emergency department to the intensive care unit.Single‐centre cohort study. This study was conducted at a comprehensive first‐class teaching hospital in Beijing. Convenience sampling and continuous enrolment were employed. We collected data from 1 January 2019, to 31 December 2021. All patients were transferred from the emergency department to the intensive care unit, and cluster analysis was conducted using five variables.A total of 584 patients were grouped into three clusters. Cluster 1 (high systolic blood pressure group) included 208 (35.6%) patients. Cluster 2 (high heart rate and low blood oxygen group) included 55 (9.4%) patients. Cluster 3 (normal group) included the remaining 321 (55%) patients. The oxygen saturation levels of all the patients were lower after transport, and the proportion of adverse events (61.8%) was the highest in Cluster 2 (p < .05).This study utilized data on five important vital signs from a cluster analysis to explore possible patient classifications and provide a reference for ensuring transportation safety.Before transferring patients, we should classify them and implement targeted care. Changes in blood oxygen levels in all patients should be considered, with a focus on the occurrence of adverse events during transportation among patients with high heart rates and low blood oxygen levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Our study was to investigate the impact of taurolactone, a novel anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic drug, on AGGF1, an angiogenic factor, and angiogenesis mimicry in patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: A total of 120 HCC patients were enrolled from the Department of Oncology and Hepatobiliary Surgery at our hospital between May 2021 and December 2022. HCC diagnoses were confirmed through imaging or tissue biopsy for all patients. The age of patients ranged from 37 to 72 years, with an average age of 64.29 ± 4.58 years. These participants were divided equally into two groups: the control group and the observation group, each consisting of 60 individuals. While the control group received standard drug treatment, the observation group was administered taurolactone treatment. Before being included in the study, all participants or their legal representatives provided signed informed consent. Patient demographic information was collected through a questionnaire survey. ELISA was used to measure the levels of VEGF and AGGF1 in patients following treatment. Western blot was applied to assess the protein expression of PDGF, Angiopoietin, and AGGF1. MRI imaging technology was utilized to assess the perfusion characteristics of tumor blood vessels in patients. Tumor vessel density was compared between patients using ultrasonography. We also conducted a comparison between the two groups in terms of progression-free survival and overall survival. Results: General patient information between the two groups showed no significant differences (P > 0.05). Of note, the observation group exhibited greatly lower levels of VEGF and AGGF1 compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the levels of PDGF, Angiopoietin, and AGGF1 protein expression were significantly reduced in the observation group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). In terms of tumor perfusion, the observation group displayed lower average and maximum perfusion volumes in tumor blood vessels compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Additionally, the observation group demonstrated delayed peak times and arrival times of tumor blood vessels in comparison to the control group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the density of tumor blood vessels was notably lower in the observation group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Patients in the observation group had longer progression-free survival and overall survival than the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: In HCC patients, our study highlighted the potential efficacy of taurolactone treatment as it effectively inhibited angiogenic factors and angiogenesis mimicry, ultimately leading to an improved prognosis for these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cervical cancer is a human papillomavirus (HPV)-related disease. HPV type 16 (HPV16), which is the predominant cause of cervical cancer, can encode miRNAs (HPV16-miRNAs). However, the role of HPV16-miRNAs in the pathogenesis of cervical cancer remains unclear. Methods: Human cervical cancer cell lines SiHa (HPV16-positive) and C33A (HPV-negative), and cervical cancer tissues were collected to investigate the expression levels of two HPV16-miRNAs (HPV16-miR-H1 and HPV16-miR-H6). The overexpression and knockdown of HPV16-miR-H1 and HPV16-miR-H6 were performed using the lentiviral vector system and miRNA inhibitors, respectively. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis and H3K27ac chromatin immunoprecipitation and sequencing (CHIP-seq) experiments were utilized to explore the roles of HPV16-miR-H1 and HPV16-miR-H6 facilitated by enhancers. CCK8, EdU, transwell, and wound healing assays were performed to verify the effects of HPV16-miR-H1 and HPV16-miR-H6 on cell proliferation and migration. Results: HPV16-miR-H1 and HPV16-miR-H6 were highly expressed in both SiHa cells and tissue samples from HPV16-positive cervical cancer patients. RNA-seq analysis showed that HPV16-miR-H1 and HPV16-miR-H6 induced the upregulation of numerous tumor progression-associated genes. H3K27ac CHIP-seq experiments further revealed that HPV16-miR-H1 and HPV16-miR-H6 modulated the expression of critical genes by regulating their enhancer activity. The functional study demonstrated that HPV16-miR-H1 and HPV16-miR-H6 increased the migratory capacity of SiHa cells. Conclusions: Our data shed light on the role of HPV16-encoded miRNAs in cervical cancer, particularly emphasizing their involvement in the miRNA-enhancer-target gene system. This novel regulatory mechanism of HPV16-miRNAs provides new insights and approaches for the development of therapeutic strategies by targeting HPV16-positive cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated and compared student self-reflections and peer feedback on academic writing tasks with respect to both content and language. Twenty-nine undergraduate students were recruited from a university in Hong Kong. Guided by self-efficacy theory, the study provided three main findings. First, students tended to give feedback based on self-reflections rather than on their classmates' work. Students with low self-efficacy tended to give feedback addressing similar areas to different peers. Second, feedback givers with low self-efficacy reported greater difficulties in generating ideas and conducting self-reflections, and therefore in giving peer feedback. The sharing of peer feedback became a source of learning for subsequent self-reflections and peer feedback. Third, high self-efficacy students were more active in seeking advice from instructors. They reported giving feedback based on both self-reflection and their peers' work at both the micro and macro levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We fabricated Fe 3 O 4 -polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) magnetic composite nanoparticles using the Shirasu porous glass membrane process and investigated the magneto-responsive magnetorheological (MR) response of them under various applied magnetic fields when dispersed in silicone oil. The morphology and structure of the particles were observed through transmission electron microscopy, Fourier Transform-infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. In addition, a typical MR behavior was confirmed when the MR fluid of the Fe 3 O 4 -PMMA nanoparticles was evaluated by a rotation rheometer under applied magnetic fields. The synthesized Fe 3 O 4 -PMMA magnetic composite nanoparticles exhibited a promising potential for application in a wide range of MR application prospects owing to its appropriate size, lower density, and better sedimentation stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A-CNF were isolated by "biological grinding" under microwave-hydrothermal. • "Biological grinding" way is green, high-efficient, low-cost, and energy-saving. • Created mechanochemical effect induced simultaneous hydrolysis and amination. • A-CNF served as both reinforcing and curing agent for epoxy nanocomposites. • Thermal management and mechanical capacity of nanocomposties was greatly enhanced. Aminated cellulose nanofibers (A-CNF) with high thermostability (>350 ℃), high crystallinity (81.25 %), and high dispersion stability were extracted from "biological grinding" biomass through one-pot microwave-hydrothermal synthesis. Worm-eaten wood powder (WWP) as the product of "biological grinding" by borers is a desirable lignocellulose for fabricating A-CNF in a green and cost-effective way since it is a well-milled fine powder with dimension of dozens of microns, which can be used directly, saving energy and labor. Generated A-CNF proved to be an excellent reinforcing and curing agent for constructing high performance epoxy nanocomposites. The nanocomposites exhibited a thermal conductivity enhancement of about 120 %, coefficient of thermal expansion reduction of 78 %, and Young's modulus increase of 108 % at a low A-CNF loading of 1 wt.%, demonstrating their remarkable reinforcing potential and effective stress transfer behavior. The process proposed herein might help to bridge a closed-loop carbon cycle in the whole production-utilization of biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a family of smart functional hybrid materials, magnetic polymer composite particles have attracted considerable attention owing to their outstanding magnetism, dispersion stability, and fine biocompatibility. This review covers their magnetorheological properties, namely, flow curve, yield stress, and viscoelastic behavior, along with their synthesis. Preparation methods and characteristics of different types of magnetic composite particles are presented. Apart from the research progress in magnetic polymer composite synthesis, we also discuss prospects of this promising research field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]