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(Ti/Zr/Hf)CoSb 0.8 Sn 0.2 compounds are promising p -type thermoelectric materials. In this work, excessive Ga and Co deficiencies were introduced into Ti 0.2 Hf 0.8 CoSb 0.8 Sn 0.2 compounds. The microstructure, electrical, and thermal transport properties were investigated in the temperature range of 300 K < T < 1000 K. The excessive Ga formed nanoinclusions with Ti and Sn at the grain boundaries. The Co deficiencies lowered the thermal conductivity and simultaneously improved the electrical conductivity. As a result, the power factor was enhanced to 3.2 mW/m K2, and the maximum Z.T. of ∼0.93 at 988 K was obtained in the Ti 0.2 Hf 0.8 Co 0.99 Sb 0.8 Sn 0.2 –0.01Ga sample, which is an increase of ∼48% compared to that of the pristine Ti 0.2 Hf 0.8 CoSb 0.8 Sn 0.2 sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • N-N6A and N-N6B exhibit excellent properties exceeding the benchmark molecule HMX. • N-N6B features the highest density among the long-catenated nitrogen systems. • The nitroamide functionality may open a new venue for molecular design of HEDMs. Fully energetic functionalization of catenated nitrogen systems is highly challenging due to the lack of incorporation methodology. In this work, two catenated nitrogen N6 structures containing six nitro groups, i.e., (E)-1,1′-bis [5-Nitroamide-3,4-dinitro-1H-pyrazole] diazene (N-N6A) and its regioisomer (E)-1,1′-bis [4-Nitroamide-3,5-dinitro-1H-pyrazole] diazene(N-N6B) were designed and synthesized. Despite the same chemical formula and azo functionality, N-N6B exhibits better overall performance than N-N6A. Meanwhile, N-N6B has the highest density with excellent detonation performance (d = 1.94 g cm−3, Dv = 9440 m s−1, and P = 39.6 GPa) among the reported long-catenated nitrogen atom chains, indicating the potential for high energy materials. Particularly, as the precursors of N-N6A and N-N6B , the mechanical sensitivities of N6A and N6B (N6A , IS = 11 J, FS = 160 N; N6B , IS = 14 J, FS = 240 N) are apparently superior to that of literature long nitrogen-chains energetic material. The different performance of these compounds highlights the effect of the regioisomeric functionalization on designing advanced energetic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNA are non-coding small RNAs that bind to their target mRNA and cause mRNA degradation or translation inhibition. MiRNA dysregulation is linked to a variety of human cancers and has a role in the genesis and development of cancer pathology. MiR-328 has been reported to be involved in various human cancers. And miR-328 is considered a key regulator in human cancer. It participates in biological processes such as proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, migration, and EMT. The present review will combine the basic and clinical studies to find that miR-328 promotes tumorigenesis and metastasis in human cancer. And we will describe the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic value of miR-328 in various human cancers. [Display omitted] • MiR-328 is differentially expressed in different types of cancer. • MiR-328 can target multiple different genes to regulate the biological functions of cancer cells. • MiR-328 can be regulated by lncRNAs and circRNAs and participates in multiple signaling pathways. • Targeting miR-328 could be a novel strategy for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this article, a rapid and cost-effective melt spinning (MS) subsequently combined with a spark plasma sintering (SPS) process was utilized to prepared n-type Bi2(Te1−x Se x )3 (x = 0.0–1.0) solid solutions from high purity single elemental chunks. The substitution of tellurium by selenium has significant impacts on the electrical and thermal transport properties of the Bi2(Se x Te1−x )3 compounds in a manner which can be well understood using a valence bond rule and the corresponding change in band gap. Furthermore, the selenium substitution effectively adjusts the carrier density allowing an optimum value of ∼5 × 10−19 cm−3. As a result, a maximum ZT of 1.05 at 420 K was achieved for the Bi2(Se0.2Te0.8)3 sample which also shows an improved average ZT of ∼0.97 in the entire measurement temperature range. By adopting the same p-type legs, the module fabricated by the MS-SPS Bi2(Se0.2Te0.8)3 material which acts as n-type legs shows ∼10% enhancement in thermoelectric conversion efficiency compared with the module fabricated by n-type zone melted ingots. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• This paper designs a fusion algorithm based on the biological rattlesnake vision imaging mechanism. • This paper introduces the rattlesnake bimodal cell working mechanism to design the visual neural network structure. • This paper introduces the mathematical model of the rattlesnake bimodal cell working mechanism. • This paper further improves the visual neural network structure to better simulate the fusion mechanism of the rattlesnake. In this paper, on the basis of the rattlesnake visual receptive field mathematical model and bimodal cell mechanism, a pseudo color image fusion visual neural network structure is designed. The visual neural network structure is composed of three stages. The first stage performs six bimodal cell fusion of source images, obtaining the six fusion signals. The second stage divides the six fusion signals into three groups, obtaining the enhanced signals such as X 1 , X 2 , X 3 , X 4 , X 5 and X 6 by feeding the fusion signals into the center or surrounding area of the ON-opponent system and OFF-opponent system. The third stage feeds the X 1 , X 3 and X 5 into the center excitation area, and the X 2 , X 4 and X 6 into the surround inhibition area of the ON-opponent system. The results are then mapped to the three channels of B, G and R in turn, obtaining the fusion image. The experimental results show that the image fusion method has superior performance. The fusion image has superior performance in subjective visual evaluation. In terms of objective quality evaluation, the four evaluation indicators of entropy (EN), average gradient (AG), spatial frequency (SF), and standard deviation (SD) are higher than the experimental results of related literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a significant risk factor for development of gastric cancer (GC), one of the deadliest malignancies in the world. However, the mechanism by which H. pylori induces gastric oncogenesis remains unclear. Here, we investigated the function of IL-6 in gastric oncogenesis and macrophage-epithelial cell interactions. We analyzed publicly available datasets to investigate the expression of IL-6 and infiltration of M2 macrophages in GC tissues, and determine the inter-cellular communication in the context of IL-6. Human gastric epithelial and macrophage cell lines (GES-1 and THP-1-derived macrophages, respectively) were used in mono- and co-culture experiments to investigate autocrine-and paracrine induction of IL-6 expression in response to H. pylori or IL-6 stimulation. We found that IL-6 is highly expressed in GC and modulates survival. M2 macrophage infiltration is predominant in GC and drives an IL-6 mediated communication with gastric epithelium cells. In vitro , IL-6 triggers its own expression in GES-1 and THP-1-derived macrophages cells. In addition, these cell lines are able to upregulate each other's IL-6 levels in an autocrine fashion, which is enhanced by H. pylori stimulation. This study indicates that IL-6 in the tumor microenvironment is essential for intercellular communication. We show that H. pylori enhances an IL-6-driven autocrine and paracrine positive feedback loop between macrophages and gastric epithelial cells, which may contribute to gastric carcinogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Bimetallic Co-Ni catalysts were firstly developed by a molecular-level engineering strategy. • The superior performance of bimetallic catalysts is unprecedentedly pinpointed via DFT calculations. • The specific yields of carbon nanocomposites and H 2 are outstanding compared to the reported work. • The carbon nanocomposites exhibited excellent electromagnetic absorption performance. The advancement in the pyrolysis-catalysis conversion of waste plastics is currently limited by three problematic issues, namely lack of efficient catalysts, ambiguous catalytic mechanism, and identification of a dedicated application of carbon nanocomposites. Herein, advanced bimetallic NiCo/MnO catalysts were developed via a molecular- and macroscale-level engineering strategy. The best conversion performance among all batches was achieved for a Co:Ni molar ratio of 1:1. When the plastic-to-catalyst ratio is 10.7:1, the H 2 and carbon yields of polyethylene conversion reached 29.8 mmol/g plas and 42.2 wt%, respectively. Density functional theory simulations rationalized the activity of NiCo/MnO catalysts in the dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons. The resulting carbon nanocomposites demonstrated excellent electromagnetic absorption performance with an effective absorption bandwidth of the representative carbon nanocomposites/wax composite of 5.12 GHz and a minimal reflection loss lower than −45 dB. This work provides novel insights for developing advanced catalysts for the pyrolysis-catalysis conversion of waste plastics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease with a complex pathogenesis. Controlled release, target ability, and multi-channel synergistic treatment are key factors associated with the success of AD drugs. Herein, we report a novel mesoporous nano-selenium (MSe) release delivery system (MSe-Res/Fc-β-CD/Bor) based on the borneol (Bor) target, β-cyclodextrin nanovalves (Fc-β-CD) with loaded resveratrol (Res). Previous experiments have shown that MSe-Res/Fc-β-CD/Bor first releases Bor by interacting with blood or intracellular esterases, allowing the nanosystem to pass through the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Subsequently, the Fc-β-CD is opened by the redox (H 2 O 2) response to the release of Res at the lesion site. We demonstrated that MSe-Res/Fc-β-CD/Bor inhibited aggregation of β-amyloid proteins (Aβ), mitigated oxidative stress, and suppressed tau hyperphosphorylation, while protecting nerve cells and successfully improving memory impairment in APP/PS1 mice. Interestingly, compared with rivastigmine (Riv) positive drugs alone, the MSe/Fc-β-CD/Bor loaded with Riv had a better pharmacokinetic index. These results indicate that MSe-Res/Fc-β-CD/Bor could be a prospective drug for treating AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orbital hybridization is a powerful tool for modulating electronic structures toward various electrocatalytic reactions. Compared to the widely reported d - d hybridization in d -block metal alloys, the p - d orbital hybridization between d -block metals and p -block elements could provide new opportunities for regulating the electronic properties and thus promoting the electrocatalytic activities. Herein, we report a distinctive p -block metalloid-regulating p - d orbital hybridization to realize the fabrication of RuSb nanobranches for bifunctional hydrogen evolution (HER) and hydrazine oxidation (HzOR), which exhibits huge potential in overall hydrazine splitting (OHzS) by utilizing thermodynamically favorable HzOR instead of sluggish oxygen evolution on the anode. To our delight, RuSb delivers an impressively low overpotential of 39 mV for HER and 252 mV for HzOR at 10 mA cm−2 in alkaline seawater. The two-electrode OHzS electrolyzer with RuSb||RuSb couple can achieve outstanding electrocatalytic activity with an extraordinarily small cell voltage of 35 mV to drive 10 mA cm−2 in alkaline seawater, outperforming the Pt/C||Pt/C couple under the same condition. Density functional theory calculations further indicate that the Sb doping can not only mediate the adsorption energy for hydrogen but also the energy barrier for the dehydrogenation of *N 2 H 3. Therefore, our work verifies the huge potential of p - d orbital hybridization for the development of a bifunctional OHzS system in alkaline seawater. [Display omitted] • p -block metalloid-regulating p - d orbital hybridization was proposed. • RuSb nanobranch for bifunctional HER and HzOR was achieved. • Small cell voltage in alkaline seawater was achieved. • Optimized hydrogen adsorption and energy barrier for dehydrogenation were confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, multiscale designed 3-dimensional (3D) rose-like Co x Mn 3– x O 4 spinel smart pre-catalysts that can self-convert into the targeted active site-rich Co/MnO catalysts were developed for the high-efficiency conversion of waste plastics. At a pre-catalyst to plastic weight ratio of 1:14, the carbon nanotube composites (CNCs) and H 2 yield can reach 41 wt% and 36 mmol·g˗1 pla. , while the specific CNCs and H 2 yield can be as high as 7.48 g˗1 cat. and 634 mmol·g˗1 pla. ·g˗1 cat. The latter is more than one order of magnitude higher than reported in the literature. Density functional theory calculations indicate that the Co/MnO catalyst exhibits excellent activity in the dissociation of alkanes (e.g., CH 4). The resulting CNCs demonstrated excellent discharge capability and extended cycling performance when used as a lithium-ion battery anode. This work revealed an innovative recipe and novel insight for developing advanced catalyst materials as the next generation catalysts for the conversion of waste plastics. [Display omitted] • Self-conversion of multiscale designed smart pre-catalysts into active-site-rich Co/MnO catalysts to recycle waste plastics. • The physical mechanism of superior catalytic performance of Co/MnO is pinpointed via DFT calculation. • The specific carbon nanotube composites and H 2 yield of the Co/MnO catalyst reach a new record high. • The plastic converted carbon nanotube composites were tested to be excellent anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: β-Zn4Sb3 compounds doped with minute amounts of Cd were synthesized by the MS-SPS technique, which involves melt spinning (MS) followed by spark plasma sintering (SPS), and the microstructures, thermoelectric and thermodynamic properties were systematically characterized. The non-equilibrium MS-SPS technique generates multi-scale nanostructures in the MS-prepared ribbon-shape samples and the resulting compacted bulk materials. These unique multiple nanostructures result in substantial reductions in lattice thermal conductivities, particularly for samples with a large number of ZnSb nanodots with sizes of 10–30nm. Meanwhile, Cd-doping remarkably improves the electrical properties of the (Zn1− x Cd x )4Sb3 compounds by a slight decrease in electrical conductivity and an apparent enhancement of the Seebeck coefficient. Therefore, the dimensionless figure of merits are significantly improved and the maximum value reaches ∼1.30 for the (Zn0.99Cd0.01)4Sb3 sample at 700K, representing ∼13% and ∼23% improvements compared with the undoped MS-SPS sample and the 1% Cd-doped melting ingot, respectively. In particular, this value shows no degradation after 10 heat cycles from 300 to 700K or 30h annealing at 680K in vacuum, whereas the ZT of neat sample decreases by ∼20% to a relatively low value of ∼1.0 after 30h annealing. The enhanced thermal stability of ZT along with the suppressing effect on the low-temperature α–β phase transition clearly indicates a large improvement in thermodynamic stability as a result of minute Cd-doping. All the above-mentioned benefits make the minute Cd-doped β-Zn4Sb3 compound prepared by the MS-SPS technique a promising candidate for mid-range temperature thermoelectric power generation applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Most of the currently used perovskite-based oxygen-transporting membranes have insufficient resistance towards CO 2 and high material costs that potentially limit their commercial applications. In the present work, a highly CO 2 -tolerant oxygen permeation membrane based on La 0.6 Ca 0.4 Co 1– x Fe x O 3− δ (x = 0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1) was designed and prepared by a scalable reverse co-precipitation method. The oxygen permeation flux through the dense membranes was evaluated and found to be highly dependent on the Co/Fe ratio. La 0.6 Ca 0.4 Co 0.3 Fe 0.7 O 3− δ possessed the highest permeation flux among the investigated samples, achieving 0.76 ml min−1 cm−2 under an Air/He gradient and 0.5 ml min−1 cm−2 under an Air/CO 2 gradient at 1173 K for a 1 mm thick membrane. A combination study of first principles calculations and experimental measurements was conducted to advance the understanding of Co/Fe ratio effects on the oxygen migration behavior in La 0.6 Ca 0.4 Co 1– x Fe x O 3− δ. The observed oxygen permeability is three times higher than that reported in literature under similar conditions. The presented results demonstrate that this highly CO 2 -tolerant membrane is a promising candidate for high temperature oxygen separation applications. Density functional theory is combined with experiment to advance the understanding of substitutional doping on oxygen transport behavior and CO 2 stability. Image 1 • La 0.6 Ca 0.4 Co 1– x Fe x O 3− δ (x = 0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1) was designed and prepared by a scalable reverse co-precipitation method. • Highest O 2 permeability under CO 2 atmosphere compared to reported values. • DFT calculation was used to advance the understanding of the oxygen ion migration behavior. • In-depth study of CO 2 tolerance and O 2 permeability for LCCF membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]