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RED (Xiaohongshu) is one of the most popular social media platforms in China. Through the act of sharing different lifestyles on this platform, young women users create and follow fashion trends that not only speak for their beauty aesthetics, but, more importantly, reveals their complex femininities. This article examines Chinese young femininities represented on RED, aiming to explore the complex interplay of social and cultural powers in the production of female subjectivities in the post-socialist context. With this point of departure, positioning RED as a culture genre to be analysed, the discussion focuses on two major female representations on this platform: "BM girls" and "Uniqlo-Sanrio girls." Drawing on Foucault's theory of "body as a site of power," this article investigates how Chinese young women, positioned among multiple competing discourses, have been framed as the "docile body" through the collective pursuit of "pale, young, and slim" in post-socialist China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SrTiO 3 (STO)-based perovskite oxide is regarded as a promising high-temperature n-type thermoelectric material. However, its intrinsic high thermal conductivity leads to poor thermoelectric properties. Using entropy engineering, lower thermal conductivity can be obtained. However, the high configuration entropy can also lead to poor carrier mobility, which inhibits electron transport and consequently reduces the electrical conductivity. Along these lines, in this work, an ultra-low thermal conductivity was obtained, which is significantly lower than the majority of the values reported in the literature, and the concept of phononic glass electronic crystal was attained at the same time. The enhanced effective scattering of phonons through the multi-scale defects gives rise to a low thermal conductivity of 1.8 W m−1 K−1 at 973K. Optimization of electrical properties due to in situ reduction at high temperature and pressure，the high-entropy ceramics possess the maximum power factor of 7.03 μW cm−1 K−2 at 973K. The application of high pressure is considered an important approach for the development of new materials with special properties. A new strategy for the composition design and in-situ reduction of oxide thermoelectric materials was provided in this work, which paves the way for the optimization and application of both the electrical and thermal properties of perovskite-based materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chip transition from continuously serrated to discontinuously segmented is one of the most fundamental and challenging problems in metal cutting. In this work, a reliable finite element model for high speed cutting of Ti-6Al-4 V was developed based on the high speed cutting experiments. The Johnson–Cook (J-C) constitutive parameters of the Ti-6Al-4 V were optimized using the response surface method (RSM) and multi-objective genetic algorithm to accurately describe the plastic behavior of Ti-6Al-4 V alloy in high speed cutting. With using the optimized constitutive parameters, the simulated chip morphologies and cutting forces match well with the experimental results in a wide range of cutting speed from 0.05 to 86.5 m/s. The formation mechanism of the discontinuously segmented chip was further studied based on the validated finite element model. The results reveal that three distinct cracks form successively in the segmented chip formation process: crack I forms at the chip root, cracks II and III initiate at the primary shear zone center and chip-free surface respectively and propagate along the direction of maximum stress triaxiality to separate the chip and workpiece. Crack I, which forms at the chip root due to the maturely evolved shear banding, is the key reason for the transition of chip formation from continuously serrated to discontinuously segmented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is highly prevalent in patients receiving dialysis. The precise mechanisms underlying PH in hemodialysis (HD) patients have not been adequately addressed. Emerging experimental evidence indicates that circulating fibrocytes may contribute significantly to this process. Methods: We measured the proportion of circulating fibrocytes using flow cytometry analysis and prospectively analyzed patients during HD from February 1, 2017, to February 1, 2022. Then we investigated correlations between circulating fibrocytes, inflammation cytokines, PH, and their affective factors that predict the prognosis of HD patients. Results: The cohort included 192 patients. During a follow‐up of 5 years, we registered 66 all‐cause deaths, and 11 patients received kidney transplantation. The incidence of PH among HD patients was 30.9%. We found that the circulating fibrocyte level significantly correlated with pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (r = 0.412, p < 0.05). In the multiple logistic regression analysis, the percentage of circulating fibrocytes was an independent predictor of PH (odds ratio [OR]: 2.080, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.539–2.812, p < 0.001). Controlling for confounding covariates in the multivariate Cox regression models, the presence of PH conferred an increased risk of all‐cause mortality in HD patients [hazard ratio (HR): 2.183, 95% CI:1.257–3.788, p = 0.006]. Conclusion: The prevalence of PH was high in HD patients and was associated with higher all‐cause mortality. Higher circulating fibrocyte level was an independent predictor of the presence of PH; these fibrocytes may serve as early detection markers and novel therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expansion energy is the main factor of coal and gas outbursts, and the gas desorption around the outburst hole is developed in variable pressure conditions. While studying the impact of moisture on gas desorption characteristics, atmospheric pressure desorption is usually used, but its characteristics under variable pressure conditions have not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, typical outburst coal samples with different water contents from the Jincheng mining area of China were selected as research objects, and the effects of water on gas displacement, desorption, desorption rate, and gas desorption index (K1) of drilling cuttings under step-by-step depressurization were analyzed by means of stepwise depressurization and atmospheric desorption experiments. The research conclusions suggest that (1) the amount of gas replacement, which augments rapidly during the inception, increases with the growth of water content under the experimental conditions, and then the rate decreases; (2) the gas desorption falls gradually at different depressurization stages when the humidity is constant, while the total desorption and the drop amplitude taper with the increasing water content; (3) the additional water enhances the desorption rate significantly only at the initial stage, but scarcely has an impact later on; and (4) the value of the drilling cuttings' gas desorption index (K1) shows a downward trend with the developing humidity in each stage of stepwise depressurization desorption. We take humidity as a variable to simulate the desorption process of coal gas around the hole when coal and gas outbursts occur in the laboratory and study the influence of water on the desorption characteristics under desorption conditions of stepwise depressurization. This provides a reference for the purpose of studying the mechanism of coal and gas outbursts from the perspective of energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of mortality in end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Fragmented QRS complex (fQRS) has been reported as a helpful marker in evaluating various cardiovascular pathologies. We aimed to investigate the value of the fQRS complex clinical decision of ESRD patients receiving dialysis. Methods: This prospective observational study included 411 patients receiving hemodialysis (HD) or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) between 2016‐01‐01 and 2020‐12‐31. The primary outcomes were all‐cause and cardiovascular (CV) mortality. Results: HD patients have elevated values of fQRS complex compared to CAPD patients (39.1% vs. 28.2%, P = 0.027). Significantly, fQRS complex in the anterior/lateral leads is associated with all‐cause and CV mortality stronger than fQRS in the inferior leads (P = 0.008). In a multivariate Cox regression analysis, HD patients with fQRS complex had a higher incidence of all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.860; 95% confidence interval [CI]: [1.032, 3.349]; p = 0.041) and CV mortality (HR = 2.989; 95% CI [1.357, 6.584]; p = 0.007). For CAPD patients, fQRS complex was also associated with increased risk of all‐cause mortality (HR = 1.593; 95% CI [1.023, 2.580]; p = 0.049) and increased risk of CV mortality (HR = 2.392; 95% CI [1.348, 4.173]; p = 0.013). Conclusions: The presence of the fQRS complex was an independent predictor of all‐cause and CV mortality in HD and CAPD patients. We suggested a potential role of the fQRS complex in CV risk strata for dialysis patients and the choice of dialysis modality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmaceutical excipient soybean oil is widely used in injections. Its main components, triglycerides, are easily oxidized due to their unsaturated fatty acyls, raising safety concerns. However, it is hard to analyze those oxidized triglycerides due to their diverse compositions and low abundance. In this study, all theoretical oxidized triglycerides were predicted and a database consisting of 329 oxidized triglycerides was constructed. Then, a novel theoretical database-assisted ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) strategy was developed to finely profile and identify oxidized triglycerides in soybean oil. A total of 106 and 116 oxidized triglycerides were identified and relatively quantified in oxidized soybean oil and long-term stored soybean oil and preparations. It was found that oxidized triglycerides containing carbonyl groups were significantly more prevalent than other forms and oxidized triglycerides with two oxidized fatty acyl chains had the highest relative abundance. Fifteen markers indicating the oxidation of soybean oil were discovered. This strategy could rapidly and directly analyze the oxidized triglycerides and assign their fatty acyl compositions for the first time. This study will improve the quality control of soybean oil and its preparations. [Display omitted] • A novel theoretical database-assisted UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS strategy was developed. • The database greatly improved the efficiency and accuracy of identification. • Oxidized triglycerides in excipients were directly determined for the first time. • The oxidation characteristic and 15 markers indicated the oxidation of soybean oil. • The study provided a novel quality control method for soybean oil and preparations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fractured zone in the overlying strata of a coal mine goaf is vital for effective gas drainage. The development height of the fractured zone is lied on the "saddle type" theory and calculated by empirical formula, while the horizontal range is dependent on the caving theory of the "O" circle. However, the height of the fracture zone obtained using the above method is usually too large, and only the horizontal boundary of the fracture zone is defined. Besides, the fracture development degree in different regions is not described. To accurately determine the stable development area of the fractured zone and locate the gas migration channel as well as gas enrichment horizon, in this paper, a geometric and mathematical model for gas extraction in the fractured zone is established based on common high-level drilling. Then, a method of investigating the parameters of the directional high-level drilling in the roof is proposed, and a solving means is provided. Taking Wanfeng Coal Mine as an engineering background, the reasonable parameters of the common high-level drilling were investigated, and the effect was verified using the directional high-level drilling in the roof of an adjacent working face. The results show that the stable extraction volumes of the two directional drilling holes is 1~1.8 m3/min and 0.6~1 m3/min, respectively, which exceeds the optimal extraction volumes of the ordinary drilling holes. The new method of determining the stable development area of the fractured zone is significant for improving the gas drainage effect of the high-level drill holes in the roof. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a small portion of tumor cells with self-renewal ability in tumor tissues and are a key factor in tumor resistance, recurrence, and metastasis. CSCs produce a large number of exosomes through various mechanisms, such as paracrine and autocrine signaling. Studies have shown that CSC-derived exosomes (CSC-Exos) carry a variety of gene mutations and specific epigenetic modifications indicative of unique cell phenotypes and metabolic pathways, enabling exchange of information in the tumor microenvironment (TME) to promote tumor invasion and metastasis. In addition, CSC-Exos carry a variety of metabolites, especially proteins and miRNAs, which can activate signaling pathways to further promote tumor development. CSC-Exos have dual effects on cancer development. Due to advances in liquid biopsy technology for early cancer detection, CSCs-Exos may become an important tool for early cancer diagnosis and therapeutic drug delivery. In this article, we will review how CSC-Exos exert the above effects based on the above two aspects and explore their mechanism of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban rail transit (URT) infrastructure is critical for the economic and social development of an economy. The construction and operation of URT systems invariably require significant investment. Yet, governments are often subjected to fiscal constraints and cannot provide taxpayers with efficient and effective rails services. Development-based land value capture (LVC), a method for funding and financing infrastructure, can support URT delivery. However, there has been a tendency to apply LVC in a piecemeal manner. Thus, an absence of a systemic strategy to assist policy-makers with the implementation of LVC contributes to the ongoing debate about its effective use to support URT. Using the lens of systems thinking, our research aims to address the following research question: How can governments create an effective LVC strategy to support the procurement of their URT systems and networks? Drawing on the experiences of three Chinese cities, we develop a systemic model that policy-makers can draw upon to ensure the successful implementation of LVC. The contributions of our paper are threefold as we: (1) summarise the threads of LVC knowledge and its associated challenges; (2) provide the state-of-art experience of three cities that are using LVC to support their URT projects; and (3) identify the underlying systemic interdependencies that influence the successful adoption of the LVC strategy to support the URT system and network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposed a three-core fiber Bragg grating (FBG) probe for sub-millinewton contact force measurement of a micromanipulator system. The probe comprises a bundle of three single-core FBGs assembled under the effect of capillary self-assembly. Theoretical relationships between Bragg wavelength and force are calculated based on the assumption of material mechanics. The experimental results show that the probe has a good linear relationship for the measurement of the radial two degrees of freedom contact force, and it is suitable for measuring the radial contact force of 0.1–1 mN. The proposed three-core FBG probe has the characteristics of simple structure, low cost, and better forming stability and sensitivity compared with the four-core structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Numerous studies have demonstrated that end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) have high myocardial fibrosis (MF) levels. Circulating fibrocytes are bone marrow‐derived circulating mesenchymal progenitors, and new evidence suggests a vital role for fibrocytes in the development of MF. This study aimed to investigate whether fibrocyte levels are elevated in patients undergoing HD and its influence factors. Methods: We carried out a flow cytometry analysis to measure the proportion of peripheral blood circulating fibrocytes in a cohort of 126 healthy control individuals and 161 subjects with HD. Cardiac function and morphology were assessed by electrocardiogram and transthoracic echocardiogram. Findings Compared to healthy controls, individuals with ESRD had significantly higher levels of circulating fibrocytes. There was a strong correlation between the frequency of fragmented QRS (fQRS) and circulating fibrocytes in HD patients. Furthermore, higher fibrocytes correlated to increasing age, dialysis age, left ventricular mass index (LVMI), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and hypertension complication. On multivariate analysis, the dialysis age [odds ratio (OR) 1.011, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.003–1.019, p = 0.006], LVMI (OR 1.012, 95% CI 1.002–1.022, p = 0.016), hypertension (OR 4.303, 95% CI 1.129–16.406, p = 0.033), and fQRS (OR 2.439, 95% CI 1.049–5.262, p = 0.038) were significant independent predictors of fibrocytes percentage. Discussion We concluded that bone marrow‐derived circulating fibrocytes were significantly increased in ESRD patients with HD compared with controls. Our data suggested that these cells might play essential roles during MF in HD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SrTiO 3 (STO) is a thermoelectric (TE) material with a wide band gap. It is usually either sintered or annealed in a reducing atmosphere to obtain semiconducting behavior. In this work, non-stoichiometric SrTiO 2.8 was synthesized by the high temperature and high pressure (HPHT) method in a reducing environment to obtain improved electrical and thermal properties. The reducing environment was obtained by the application of high pressure and due to the strong ability of Ti to capture oxygen at high temperatures. The thermoelectric properties of the samples synthesized at high temperature and pressure were studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and UV spectroscopy. The results show that with increasing of synthesis pressure, the band gap of the samples decreases, improving their electrical properties; at the same time, the high pressure also changes the micro-morphology of the samples and improves their thermal properties. The zT value of the sample synthesized at 5 GPa reached the maximum value of 0.20 at 973 K. It was found that the mechanical strength of the synthesized samples is superior to that of the traditional alloy-based thermoelectric materials. Our work shows that HPHT provides a new variable of pressure for the optimization of the synthesis process of TE materials and provides a new approach for the synthesis and performance optimization of thermoelectric materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The internal gear grease pump is a mechanical device used for transfer of high viscosity fluid. The existing clearance between the end faces of the internal or external gear and the floating side plate might cause pump leakage during operation. In order to obtain the optimal end clearance of the internal gear grease pump, the rheological features of the lubricating lithium-based grease for various temperatures are explored via rotating rheometer. Shear force and apparent viscosity are chosen as monitored experimental parameters. The experimental data is fitted to obtain grease rheological features at various temperatures. The end clearance flow field model and the leakage model are established. Fluent software is employed for solving the flow field model and exploring the effect of temperature, end clearance, and speed on grease leakage. Superior grease flow performance is observed with an increase in temperature, which makes it to easier for the grease to leak from the end clearance. With an increase in the end clearance and the working pressure of the pump, an increase in leakage is also observed. Furthermore, it is found that rotational speed also affects the pump leakage. The leakage mechanism is obtained by combining the rheological features of the grease at the end clearance. The mathematical model method is utilized to solve for the optimal value of the end clearance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-dimensional Na2(TiO)SiO4 (SNTO) nanotubes have been successfully synthesized by a straightforward hydrothermal method with the assistance of cetyltetramethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB). Herein, the influence of the Si/Ti ratio on the morphology or composition of SNTO hollow nanotubes has been investigated, and the result shows that the optimum molar ratio of the optimal morphology is 1 : 1. The prepared samples were first applied as anodes in lithium ion batteries (LIBs) for the time being and superior rate capability, ultralong and stable cycling lifespan performance were obtained. The facile and uniquely designed one-dimensional SNTO nanotube electrodes delivered a high reversible capacity of 121.9 mA h g−1 after 5000 cycles at a high current of 1.0 A g−1 without significant attenuation. The superior electrochemical properties are attributed to their special nanotube structure with a high specific surface area, which could shorten the ion/electron transport pathway, and increase the number of active sites and the contact area between the electrolyte and active electrodes. Meanwhile, the kinetic analysis of the electrochemical behaviors of SNTO hollow nanotube electrodes was carried out by performing calculations using cyclic voltammograms recorded at different scan rates, and the results showed that the obtained reversible capacity is mainly due to the capacitive contribution. This work expands the types of anode materials for LIBs, which will further promote the development of LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temperature in the high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) synthesis is optimized to enhance the thermoelectric properties of high-density ZnO ceramic, Zn0.98Al0.02O. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy show that HPHT can be utilized to control the crystal structure and relative density of the material. High pressure can be utilized to change the energy band structure of the samples via changing the lattice constant of samples, which decreases the thermal conductivity due to the formation of a multi-scale hierarchical structure and defects. The electrical conductivity of the material reaches 6 × 104 S/m at 373 K, and all doped samples behave as n-type semiconductors. The highest power factor (6.42 μW ⋅ cm−1⋅K−2) and dimensionless figure of merit (zT = 0.09) are obtained when Zn0.98Al0.02O is produced at 973 K using HPHT, which is superior to previously reported power factors for similar materials at the same temperature. Hall measurements indicate a high carrier concentration, which is the reason for the enhanced electrical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonstoichiometric TiAl 0.02 O 1.78 materials were synthesized by high temperature and high pressure (HPHT) under different synthesis pressures (3.0 GPa, 4.0 GPa and 5.0 GPa). The purpose of combined Al and Ti doping is to improve the electrical properties of the material. And the thermal conductivity was inhibited by the HPHT process. Using the X-ray diffraction to study the phase structure. Using the transmission electron microscope (TEM) to study the microstructure and scanning electron microscope (SEM) to study morphology. Also, the thermoelectric properties were studied with respect to variable temperatures at atmospheric pressure and the effects of pressure were studied relative to the sample energy gap width. It was determined that as synthesis pressure increases, the energy gap width decreases, which aids in the resistivity decrease of the sample. When the test temperature was 973 K at atmospheric pressure and the synthesis pressure of samples was 5.0 GPa, the zT value of the sample reached a maximum of 0.20. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MnV2O6 is a promising anode material for lithium ion batteries with high theoretical specific capacity, abundant reserves and inexpensive constituent elements. However, in the process of lithization and de-lithization, the MnV2O6 anode material will form an amorphous phase, leading to collapse of its original layered structure; this greatly decreases its lithium storage capacity and specific capacity and affects its long-term cycle performance. In this study, 2D accordion-like MnV2O6 nanosheets with Co-doping are obtained via a hydrothermal route. The cobalt ions partially replace the positions of the manganese ions, and the emergence of Co3+ ions is inferred to induce the formation of a built-in electric field in the electrode to enhance the electrochemical behaviour of MnV2O6, presenting a high capacity of 1005.9 mA h g−1 after hundreds of cycles. The capacitive contribution to the total capacity is investigated to obtain insight into the kinetic analysis of its electrochemical behaviour. This study sheds light on an effective strategy to obtain excellent electrochemical behavior of MnV2O6-based materials and other transition metal oxides as electrodes for lithium storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reproductive performance is a complex quantitative trait, that is determined by multiple genes, regulatory pathways and environmental factors. A list of major genes with large effect have been detected, although multiple QTLs are identified. To identify candidate genes for pig prolificacy, whole genome variants from five high- and five low-prolificacy Yorkshire sows were collected using whole-genome resequencing. A total of 13,955,609 SNPs and 2,666,366 indels were detected across the genome. Common differential SNPs and indels were identified between the two groups of sows. Genes encoding components of the TGF-beta signaling pathway were enriched with the variations, including BMP5 , BMP6 , BMP7 , ACVR1 , INHBA , ZFYVE9 , TGFBR2 , DCN , ID4 , BAMBI , and ACVR2A. Several differential variants within these genes related to reproductive traits were identified to be associated with litter size. A comparison of selective regions and published QTL data suggests that NEDD9 , SLC39A11 , SNCA , and UNC5D are candidate genes for reproduction traits. • A total of 13,955,609 SNPs and 2,666,366 indels were identified across the genome. • 3293 common differential SNPs and 439 common differential indels were fixed between groups. • Genes encoding components of the TGF-beta signaling pathway were identified to be associated with sow reproductive traits. • Fourteen candidate genes were identified to contribute to sow prolificacy and merit further investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SrTiO 3 (STO) is considered a promising high-temperature N-type thermoelectric material. However, its intrinsic insulating properties and high thermal conductivity limit the dimensionless quality factor (zT) due to its simple crystal structure and the existence of light elements. Along these lines, in this work, the optimization of the thermoelectric properties of STO-based materials was achieved by using the high temperature and high pressure (HPHT) method and adjusting the doping ratios of the La and Nb heavy elements. To enhance the doping effect, oxygen vacancies need to be formed within the sample. For this reason, titanium powder was added to the sample. Due to the confined environment induced by the high pressure, which can be attributed to the application of the HPHT method and the strong oxygen trapping ability of Ti at high temperatures, a reducing environment was attained for the samples, the latter, promoted the formation of oxygen vacancies in the synthesized samples, and semiconducting properties were achieved. The thermoelectric properties and microscopic morphology of the synthesized samples with different doping ratios of La and Nb were also thoroughly investigated. Finally, the maximum zT value obtained for the samples was 0.28@973 K. A fast, simple, and effective method for the preparation of oxygen-deficient packet-crystalline oxide materials was developed in this work, which paves the way for significantly improving their thermoelectric properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an oxide thermoelectric material, the adjustment of oxygen vacancy plays an important role in strontium titanate (SrTiO 3). Traditional synthesis methods typically necessitate post-synthesis reduction annealing to optimize its electrical properties. However, the oxygen vacancy concentration of samples synthesized by this approach may be distributed in a gradient manner. In this study, a high-temperature and high-pressure (HPHT) synthesis treatment was adopted, incorporating titanium powder into the raw material. This novel approach leverages the closed environment created by high pressure and the robust oxygen-trapping capabilities of titanium powder at elevated temperatures. It resulted in enhanced electrical properties in synthesized samples without the need for reduction annealing. Building upon this achievement, we successfully synthesized SrTiO 3 samples doped with lanthanum (La) at different pressures. The sample synthesized at 5GPa demonstrated an optimal zT value of 0.22 at 973 K. This work provides a novel approach to the effective synthesis and improved electrical properties of strontium-based thermoelectric materials. • The grain size and band gaps of SrTiO 3 were effective optimized. • Partial high pressure features of SrTiO 3 have been captured to the ordinary pressure. • The whole synthesis procedure last only for 40 min • Ubiquitous lattice defect engineering was realized in our samples by HPHT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photo-assisted charge/discharge has witnessed marked success in Li-O 2 batteries (LOBs) to overcome the sluggish kinetics of triphasic reactions at the cathode, but challenges remain to develop high-efficiency but low-cost photocathode catalysts. Herein, a photoactive electron mediator is applied, for the first time, as bifunctional photocathode catalyst in solar-assisted LOBs. The facilely synthesized tris(2,2-bipyridine) cobalt(II) complex (Co-bpy) manifests good electrocatalytic activity in dark and high photoactivity under illumination, concertedly affording an superior charge/discharge voltage gap of 0.12 V and round-trip efficiency of 97%. Moreover, a significantly enhanced charge/discharge reversibility was attained under illumination and attributed to the light-induced amorphization of Li 2 O 2 that further extends the cycle life. A two-circuit model is proposed to rationalize the better reduction of charge/discharge polarization at lower operating current density. This work not only extends the family of photocathode catalysts to small-molecule complexes, but also offers new insights into the mechanism of photoenergy storage in LOBs. [Display omitted] • Poto and electrocatalytic active electron mediator of Co-bpy is used in solar-assisted LOBs for the first time. • An ultralow charge/discharge polarization of 0.12 V is achieved with a high round-trip efficiency of 97%. • Light-induced amorphization of Li 2 O 2 lends the high reversibility of LOB. • A two-circuit model is proposed to rationalize the reduction of charge/discharge polarization in solar-assisted LOBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel underwater piezoelectric thruster with one single resonance mode is proposed. The piezoelectric thruster consists of one piezoelectric transducer and two propellers. In order to relieve the bulky problem of underwater thrusters using a DC motor as the power source, the piezoelectric thruster adopts a full-open structure; thus, the piezoelectric thruster does not need additional sealing elements. Compared with underwater thrusters using a DC motor, the piezoelectric thruster has advantages of simple structure and small volume. By using piezoelectric ceramics, the first-order longitudinal mode of the transducer is excited to drive two propellers rotating in opposite directions. A prototype of the piezoelectric thruster is fabricated and experimentally investigated; it is 22 g in weight and 124 mm in length. The experimental results indicate that when the excitation voltage of the piezoelectric transducer is 300 Vpp, the rotational speed of the positive propeller is up to 1267 rpm and the stall torque is 1.71 mN m; meanwhile, the rotation speed of the negative propeller is up to 1203 rpm, and the stall torque is 1.75 mN m. When the piezoelectric thruster is working underwater, the average forward speed reaches 106.01 mm/s at 400 Vpp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Disease causes large economic losses to the pig industry worldwidely, immunity plays an important role in the process of resistance to disease. In the present study, to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying different levels of disease resistance, we obtained the miRNA and mRNA expression profiles from the spleens of three groups of sows, including 180-day-old Queshan Black (Q-F), 3-day-old Yorkshire (Y-N) and 180-day-old Yorkshire (Y-F) pigs. The results showed that 85 miRNAs and 5093 genes were differentially expressed in Y-F vs Y-N, and 20 miRNAs and 1283 genes were differentially expressed in Q-F vs Y-F. Gene ontology analysis of these differentially expressed genes revealed their critical roles in response to immune response-related signaling pathways. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying immune diversity based on differentially expressed miRNAs and genes, the regulatory network between the node miRNAs and genes were established using Cytoscape. The results showed that the identified candidate miRNAs and genes were associated with immune response, and also indicated their potential roles in disease resistance variance between different pig breeds and stages. From the above, this research detected the key factors that were involved in disease resistance, and provide useful information for disease resistance breeding. Highlights • Constructed the miRNA and mRNA expression profile libraries of Q-F, Y-N and Y-F pigs • Screened and obtained difference expression miRNAs and genes • Integrated analysis of differentially expressed miRNAs and genes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel finger driven by single-mode piezoelectric actuator for a compact and high-precision robot hand is proposed. Three piezoelectric actuators are articulated by two sets of connecting elements to form the finger. The finger utilizes a single model of the piezoelectric actuator to generate friction force to drive the joint. Without the difficulty to adjust for the coincidence of modal frequencies, the design of the piezoelectric actuator has fewer restrictions on size and structure; thus, the finger has a compact structure. The bidirectional motion of the joint is achieved by changing the temporal phase difference of two excitation signals applied on the two adjacent piezoelectric actuators. In addition, due to the characteristics of piezoelectric drive, such as power cut self-locking and quick response, the finger has a high resolution to realize micromanipulation for high precise movement. In our design, the first order longitudinal vibration mode of the piezoelectric actuator is used to generate the friction force. By using a finite element model, the geometric parameters of the piezoelectric actuator are obtained. A prototype of the finger is fabricated and experimentally investigated, the size (111 × 10 × 10 mm) is approximately 1.5 times that of a human middle finger, and the weight is 0.11 kg. The experimental results indicate that the angular speed of the prototype reaches 6.6 rad/s, the resolution is 20 mrad, and the startup and shutdown response times are 26 ms and 7 ms under a voltage of 400 Vpp, respectively. The fingertip force is 0.27 N under a voltage of 400 Vpp. The proposed finger has a compact size and simple structure with a high resolution (20 mrad). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Community building is recognized as an important governance mechanism in business-to-business (B-to-B) electronic markets by enhancing firms’ participation in these platform markets. However, little research has been done regarding the role of incentive strategies in community building. The main purpose of this paper is to understand how to motivate merchants to participate in a merchant community with incentive strategies. Methodology: Data were collected in a community of a large B-to-B electronic platform market in China. We randomly chose a sample of 605 participants from among all merchant firms registered in this community, and track their behaviors for 2 weeks. Their behaviors are recorded based on our research design. Findings: With the empirical analysis from a community of a large B-to-B electronic platform market in China, our results show that (1) both platform and peer incentive strategies can significantly enhance community participation, while platform incentives is more effective in general; (2) platform incentive strategy is a more effective strategy as seller firm uncertainty increases; (3) peer incentive strategy is a more effective strategy as buyer firm uncertainty increases. Originality: This paper is among the first to investigate two types of incentive strategies in community building, platform level and peer level. We also investigate the moderating role of market uncertainties due to market participants from seller and buyer when examining the effectiveness of these two incentive strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In vivo optical imaging of neural activity provides important insights into brain functions at the single-cell level. Cranial windows and virally delivered calcium indicators are commonly used for imaging cortical activity through two-photon microscopes in head-fixed animals. Recently, head-mounted one-photon microscopes have been developed for freely behaving animals. However, minimizing tissue damage from the virus injection procedure and maintaining window clarity for imaging can be technically challenging. New method We used a wide-diameter glass pipette at the cortical surface for infusing the viral calcium reporter AAV-GCaMP6 into the cortex. After infusion, the scalp skin over the implanted optical window was sutured to facilitate postoperative recovery. The sutured scalp was removed approximately two weeks later and a miniature microscope was attached above the window to image neuronal activity in freely moving mice. Results We found that cortical surface virus infusion efficiently labeled neurons in superficial layers, and scalp skin suturing helped to maintain the long-term clarity of optical windows. As a result, several hundred neurons could be recorded in freely moving animals. Comparison with existing methods Compared to intracortical virus injection and open-scalp postoperative recovery, our methods minimized tissue damage and dura overgrowth underneath the optical window, and significantly increased the experimental success rate and the yield of identified neurons. Conclusion Our improved cranial surgery technique allows for high-yield calcium imaging of cortical neurons with head-mounted microscopes in freely behaving animals. This technique may be beneficial for other optical applications such as two-photon microscopy, multi-site imaging, and optogenetic modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogel sensors attained increasing attention due to their excellent mechanical and sensing properties. However, it is still a big challenge to fabricate hydrogel sensors with multifunctional properties of transparent, high stretchability, self-adhesive and self-healing ability. In this study, chitosan as a natural polymer has been employed to construct a polyacrylamide-chitosan-Al3+ (PAM-CS-Al3+) double network (DN) hydrogel with high transparency (>90 % at 800 nm), good electrical conductivity (up to 5.01 S/m) and excellent mechanical properties (strain and toughness as high as 1040 % and 730 kJ/m3). Moreover, the dynamic ionic and hydrogen bond interaction between PAM and CS endowed the PAM-CS-Al3+ hydrogel good self-healing ability. In addition, the hydrogel possesses good self-adhesive ability on different substrates, including glass, wood, metal, plastic, paper, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and rubber. Most importantly, the prepared hydrogel could be assembled into transparent, flexible, self-adhesive, self-healing and high sensitive strain/pressure sensor for monitoring human body movement. This work may pave the way for fabricating the multifunctional chitosan-based hydrogels which has potential application in the fields of wearable sensor and soft electronic devices. • AlCl 3 introduced into the system can be used as the role of solvent and ionic donator. • The hydrogels show high transparent, excellent mechanical properties, self-healing and self-adhesive performance. • The hydrogel sensor can be used to monitor various human movements and transmitting information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceramic materials with low thermal conductivity are critically important in applications such as thermoelectric conversion and thermal barrier coatings. Introducing the concept of entropy and its singular physical properties permits attainment of low thermal conductivity in ceramics, and the high-pressure synthesis conditions can also reduce the thermal conductivity of the synthesized samples by adjusting the micro-morphology. In this work, high-entropy (Sr 0.2 La 0.2 Nd 0.2 Sm 0.2 Eu 0.2)TiO 3 ceramics were synthesized by solid-state reaction at high temperature and high pressure, which significantly shortened the synthesis time. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results affirmed that high-entropy cubic perovskite ceramics can be synthesized using high temperature and high pressure. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) results show that the multi-component cations are uniformly distributed at the A-site. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results show that the pressure provided by the synthesis method can effectively adjust the microstructure of the synthesized samples. Ultra-low thermal conductivity was obtained by synthesizing high-entropy samples under high pressure; the lowest thermal conductivity of resulting high-entropy (Sr 0.2 La 0.2 Nd 0.2 Sm 0.2 Eu 0.2)TiO 3 perovskite ceramics was 0.82 Wm−1 K−1 at the test temperature of 973 K, which is the lower value of perovskite strontium-titanate-based ceramics reported in the literature at present. The high-entropy perovskite ceramics prepared by this new high-temperature and high-pressure method also have good mechanical properties, with Vickers hardness of 10.05 GPa. This study provides a new synthesis strategy for the rapid and effective synthesis of perovskite ceramics with low thermal conductivity, which is a new method for the synthesis of high-entropy materials. • The high-entropy perovskite material synthesized by the high-pressure method has ultra-low lattice thermal conductivity. • High pressure-induced micromorphological changes reduce thermal conductivity. • The whole synthesis procedure last only for 60 min. • Introducing high-pressure synthesis conditions and incorporating high entropy enhances the scattering of all phonon spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurons in the primary auditory cortex (A1) of adult animals exhibit short-term plasticity of frequency selectivity and tonotopic organization in behavioral contexts ranging from classical conditioning to attention tasks. However, it is still largely unknown whether short-term plasticity of spatial tuning takes place in A1 of adult animals and whether this spatial turning plasticity in A1 of adults is mediated by medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) as there are reciprocal connection between mPFC and auditory cortex (AC). In the present study, we used extracellular recordings to test whether azimuth tuning in A1 of anesthetized rats can be reshaped by repeated sound stimuli at neurons’ non-preferred azimuth. We also identified whether and how such A1 azimuth tuning plasticity was modulated by the neural activities of mPFC. Our results showed that A1 neurons in adult rats have azimuth tuning plasticity when repeated acoustic stimuli were delivered at the azimuth with a deviation by less than 15° from the best azimuth (BA). The BA shifted toward the exposure azimuth when repeated acoustic stimuli were played for 20–60 min and plasticity decayed within one hour. The less the angle deviated from the BA, the shorter exposure time and longer decay time were required to induce azimuth tuning plasticity. Neural activity in mPFC modulated azimuth tuning plasticity of A1 neurons as reflected by the shorter induction time when mPFC was activated by focal electrical stimulation and the longer induction time when mPFC was inactivated by drug application. Our results suggest that spatial location selectivity in A1 neurons remains plastic in mature animals and that short-term plasticity of spatial tuning can be modulated by the neural activities of mPFC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An atom-economic and efficient approach to the synthesis of 2-arylquinolines has been developed. The protocol involves an iron-catalysed cascade N-alkylation/aerobic oxidation/Povarov reaction, and the desired quinolines were prepared in moderate to excellent yields from readily accessible anilines, aldehydes, and EtOH/ nPrOH, with water as the only side-product. The aniline substrates also act as a recyclable transfer medium for EtOH/ nPrOH through an in-situ N-alkylation/oxidation process. This makes EtOH/ nPrOH an economical and environmentally friendly precursor of alkenes as well as the solvent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Members of avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) cause various diseases associated with tumor formation and decreased fertility, resulting in major economic losses in the poultry industry worldwide. To assess the status of ALV-J infection in meat-type chickens in southern China, the molecular epidemiology of ALV-J strains was investigated. A total of 265 clinical samples collected from southern China from 2013 to 2014 were investigated in this study for the presence of ALV-J, which resulted in 12 virus isolates. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 91.7 % (11/12) of the ALV-J isolates have possessed high homology to Chinese layer isolates and belong to one subgroup. One of the ALV isolates (designated GD1411-1) was relatively closely related to the ALV-J broiler isolates, indicating that the GD1411-1 isolate might be a transition strain. Several unique nucleotide substitutions in gp85 and the U3 region were detected in all 12 ALV-J isolates. This study provides some interesting information on the molecular characterization of ALV-J isolates. These findings will be beneficial for understanding of the pathogenic mechanism of ALV-J infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrical properties of the perovskite oxide thermoelectric material SrTiO 3 (STO) should be improved in order to realize its thermoelectric application due to its intrinsic insulation characteristics. The bulk STO materials usually optimize their electrical properties by annealing in reducing environment after synthesis. However, this method inevitably leads to the gradient distribution of oxygen defect concentration in materials. In this study, the combination of High Temperature and High Pressure (HPHT) method is used, and Ti powder is added to optimize the electrical properties of STO materials. HPHT provides a closed synthesis environment. In addition, with the strong oxygen-capturing ability of Ti at high temperature, the semi-conductivity of materials is performed. The thermoelectric properties of the synthesized materials under HPHT are studied using XRD, XPS, SEM, and TEM. The properties and micro-morphology of the synthesized samples with different Ti contents are investigated. The results show that, with the increase of the Ti content, the oxygen defect concentration increases and the electrical properties are significantly improved. Simultaneously, the sample synthesized using the HPHT method changes its micro-morphology and reduces the thermal conductivity of the material. The increase of oxygen vacancy concentration can also effectively reduce the thermal conductivity. Under the collaborative optimization of HPHT while adding Ti, the maximum obtained zT value at 20 wt% addition is 0.19 @ 973 K. The density functional theory calculation also shows that, compared with pure STO, the band gap of STO with oxygen vacancy decreases, which increases the conductivity. Therefore, a high pressure and the addition of Ti powder provide a fast, simple and efficient method for preparing oxygen-deficient perovskite oxide materials, which is of great significance for improving its thermoelectric properties. • The introduction of oxygen vacancies effectively improves the electrical properties. • High pressure-induced micromorphological changes and generated oxygen vacancies reduce thermal conductivity. • The whole synthesis procedure last only for 30 min • Theoretical calculations show that oxygen vacancies can significantly improve the electrothermal transport properties of perovskite-structured materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian leukosis virus (ALV) causes high mortality associated with tumor formation and decreased fertility, and results in major economic losses in the poultry industry worldwide. Recently, a putative novel ALV subgroup virus named ALV-K was observed in Chinese local chickens. In this study, a novel ALV strain named GD14LZ was isolated from a Chinese local yellow broiler in 2014. The proviral genome was sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed. The replication ability and pathogenicity of this virus were also evaluated. The complete proviral genome sequence of GD14LZ was 7482 nt in length, with a genetic organization typical of replication-competent type C retroviruses lacking viral oncogenes. Sequence analysis showed that the gag, pol and gp37 genes of GD14LZ have high sequence similarity to those of other ALV strains (A-E subgroups), especially to those of ALV-E. The gp85 gene of the GD14LZ isolate showed a low sequence similarity to those other ALV strains (A-E subgroups) but showed high similarity to strains previously described as ALV-K. Phylogenetic analysis of gp85 also suggested that the GD14LZ isolate was related to ALV-K strains. Further study showed that this isolate replicated more slowly and was less pathogenic than other ALV strains. These results indicate that the GD14LZ isolate belongs to the novel subgroup ALV-K and probably arose by recombination of ALV-K with endogenous viruses with low replication and pathogenicity. This virus might have existed in local Chinese chickens for a long time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary It is unclear how the Warburg effect that exemplifies enhanced glycolysis in the cytosol is coordinated with suppressed mitochondrial pyruvate metabolism. We demonstrate here that hypoxia, EGFR activation, and expression of K-Ras G12V and B-Raf V600E induce mitochondrial translocation of phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1); this is mediated by ERK-dependent PGK1 S203 phosphorylation and subsequent PIN1-mediated cis - trans isomerization. Mitochondrial PGK1 acts as a protein kinase to phosphorylate pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDHK1) at T338, which activates PDHK1 to phosphorylate and inhibit the pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex. This reduces mitochondrial pyruvate utilization, suppresses reactive oxygen species production, increases lactate production, and promotes brain tumorigenesis. Furthermore, PGK1 S203 and PDHK1 T338 phosphorylation levels correlate with PDH S293 inactivating phosphorylation levels and poor prognosis in glioblastoma patients. This work highlights that PGK1 acts as a protein kinase in coordinating glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, which is instrumental in cancer metabolism and tumorigenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How cancer cells absorb enough glucose to support their rapid growth is poorly understood. We have recently demonstrated that palmitoyl transferase DHHC9 palmitoylates glucose transporter GLUT1 at Cys207 to maintain GLUT1 plasma membrane localization. DHHC9-mediated GLUT1 palmitoylation supports glycolysis, proliferation, colony formation, and tumorigenicity of glioblastoma cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient and practical decarboxylative double benzylation method for various 2-picolinic acids has been established by using a bimetallic catalytic system of palladium(II) chloride (PdCl2) and silver(I) oxide (Ag2O), which offered a variety of diarylmethane derivatives with moderate to good yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium metal is a promising alternative anode for high-energy Na-based batteries due to its natural abundance, favorable redox voltage and remarkable theoretical capacity. However, unstable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) film, huge volume variation and uncontrolled Na dendrite growth, resulting in low Coulombic efficiency and limited span-life, have dragged the Na metal anode out of practical application. Herein, 3D hierarchical porous nickel foam matrix decorated by Fe 2 O 3 nanosheets (Fe 2 O 3 @Ni) is synthesized and served as a sodiophilic scaffold to reduce Na nucleation overpotential and achieve uniform Na deposition without dendrite growth. Consequently, the composite Na/Fe 2 O 3 @Ni anode shows smaller hysteresis voltage at a high current density of 5 mA cm−2 and exhibits satisfactory cycling stability with a Coulombic efficiency of ~ 99.77% (up to 1000 cycles). When in couple with Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 cathode, the full cell shows higher capacity and better cycling stability than the one with bare Na anode. The 3D porous nickel modified by Fe 2 O 3 presents a new perspective for the anode design of sodium metal battery. • 3D hierarchical porous nickel foam matrix decorated by Fe 2 O 3 nanosheets is designed and prepared. • The Fe 2 O 3 layer plays a critical role in the nucleation and deposition of sodium. • The cell with Fe 2 O 3 @Ni shows a high CE of 99.77% over 1000 cycles (4000 h). • The full cell with Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 cathode shows significantly enhanced rate capacity and stable cycle ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel CuI/l-proline catalyzed coupling reaction of 1-Boc-3-iodoazetidine with various arylboronic acids which produced aryloxyazetidine derivatives in moderate to good yields was investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A novelprotocol to synthesize tert-butyl estersfrom boronic acids or boronic acid pinacol esters and di-t-butyl dicarbonate has been successfully achieved. The cross-couplingreactions can produce up to 94% yields by using palladium acetateand triphenylphosphine as catalyst system, dioxane as a solvent. Moreover,a wide range of substrates including benzenes, pyridines, and quinolinesboronic acids or boronic acid pinacol esters can fit with this systemas well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Tumor-specific pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) is instrumental in both aerobic glycolysis and gene transcription. PKM2 regulates G1-S phase transition by controlling cyclin D1 expression. However, it is not known whether PKM2 directly controls cell-cycle progression. We show here that PKM2, but not PKM1, binds to the spindle checkpoint protein Bub3 during mitosis and phosphorylates Bub3 at Y207. This phosphorylation is required for Bub3-Bub1 complex recruitment to kinetochores, where it interacts with Blinkin and is essential for correct kinetochore-microtubule attachment, mitotic/spindle-assembly checkpoint, accurate chromosome segregation, cell survival and proliferation, and active EGF receptor-induced brain tumorigenesis. In addition, the level of Bub3 Y207 phosphorylation correlated with histone H3-S10 phosphorylation in human glioblastoma specimens and with glioblastoma prognosis. These findings highlight the role of PKM2 as a protein kinase controlling the fidelity of chromosome segregation, cell-cycle progression, and tumorigenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide, the private sector has actively participated in delivering transport infrastructure assets in cities. Typically, Private Participation in Infrastructure (PPI) approaches have been used to deliver urban rail transit (URT) systems. Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreements or variants thereof have been the procurement method of choice by governments. However, PPPs have been unable to provide governments with value for money and concessionaires with sufficient operating revenues. The corollary, in this case, has meant that governments have been drawn to consider alternative forms of financing to procure and support the economic viability of a city's URTs. Land value capture (LVC) has been identified as a potential finance mechanism that can be integrated with a PPP to ensure its economic success. There are, however, only a limited number of cities that have integrated LVC with a PPP to successfully their URT projects. In this paper, an exploratory case study approach is used to learn from the experiences of Delhi Airport Metro Express and Hong Kong's Mass Transit Rail. Consequently, we develop a conceptual model that integrates land value capture and PPPs that can assist policy-makers with the procurement of their rail infrastructure. The implications of our developed model for procurement policy are presented. • Reviews urban rail transit (URT) public-private partnerships (PPP) that utilise land value capture (LVC) • Examines the success and failure of URT's procured using PPPs with LVC in Delhi and Hong Kong. • Develops a robust model for integrating PPPs and LVC for procuring URT projects • Provides recommendations to manage better the procurement policy of URT projects [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pan-histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, trichostatin A, was found to reduce cyst progression and slow the decline of kidney function in Pkd2 knockout mice, model of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Here we determine whether HDAC inhibition acts by regulating cell proliferation to prevent cyst formation, or by other mechanisms. The loss of Pkd1 caused an upregulation of the inhibitor of differentiation 2 (Id2), a transcription regulator, triggering an Id2-mediated downregulation of p21 in mutant mouse embryonic kidney cells in vitro. Using mouse embryonic kidney cells, mutant for Pkd1, we found that trichostatin A decreased Id2, which resulted in upregulation of p21. Further, phosphorylated retinoblastoma (Rb), usually regulated by Cdk2/Cdk4 activity, was also reduced in these cells. Since these latter enzymes are under the control of p21, these studies suggest that the proliferation of cyst epithelial cells that is reduced by trichostatin A might result from p21 upregulation, or alternatively through the Rb-E2F pathway. Additional studies showed that Id2 directly bound to Rb, releasing the transcription activator E2F from transcriptionally inactive Rb-E2F complexes. HDAC inhibition was able to reverse this process by downregulation of Id2. Furthermore, treatment of pregnant Pkd1 mice with trichostatin A prevented cyst formation in the developing embryonic kidneys, showing that this inhibition is effective in vivo during early cyst formation. Thus, HDAC inhibition targets Id2-mediated pathways to downregulate cystic epithelial cell proliferation and hence cystogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High pressure increases the solid solubility of Al 2 O 3 in ZnO. • The thermoelectric properties of the sample are explained by the given band gap model under high pressure. • The whole synthesis procedure last only for 30 min. • High pressure can induce rich defects. ZnO has excellent electrical properties such as high conductivity (σ) and Seebeck coefficient (S) that are important for its thermoelectric properties and have provided the basis for obtaining improved ZnO-based thermoelectric materials by doping. In particular, the most representative Al-doped ZnO (AZO) has excellent thermoelectric performance. Although the Al doping is beneficial for reducing the lattice thermal conductivity of ZnO, the solubility of Al 2 O 3 in ZnO is limited and excessive doping of Al gives rise to the generation of a large amount of the ZnAl 2 O 4 secondary phase that limits the further improvement of the electrical properties. Thus, it is crucial to develop approaches to reduce thermal conductivity while still maintaining high electrical properties. In this work, high pressure and high temperature (HPHT) synthesis was used to adjust the ZnO optical band gap by modifying the lattice parameters of ZnO, and thereby improving the electrical properties of the sample. It was found that the optimal doping content for the samples synthesized at high pressure is different from that of the samples synthesized at normal pressure, providing a new approach for the further improvement of the thermoelectric properties of ZnO. Additionally, high pressure can promote grain refinement that is conducive to the generation of the multi-scale hierarchical structure of the sample that introduces a variety of phonon scattering mechanisms to reduce the thermal conductivity while maintaining a high power factor. The Zn 0.96 Al 0.04 O material obtained by sintering at a pressure of 3 GPa and a temperature of 1053 K for 30 min reached the highest power factor (7.8 µW cm−1 K−2) and the highest zT (0.16) at 973 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Epidemic disease is a prominent problem in intensive pig production. The spleen is a blood bank and the largest immune organ, and most of the diseases in pig farms will be reflected as spleen abnormality. The results showed how the mRNA–lncRNA expression profiles in Yorkshire spleens varied with age (seven, 90, and 180 days after birth). Our study shows that 90 days after birth the gene-expression profile of pig spleen no longer changes significantly. The results are helpful for a better understanding of the transcriptome and functional genomics of spleen tissue in farm animals and could provide reference for precision pig disease research and prevention and control in pig farms. Epidemic diseases cause great economic loss in pig farms each year; some of these diseases are characterized mainly in the spleen, but mRNA and lncRNA (long non-coding RNA) expression networks in developing Yorkshire pig spleens remain obscure. Here, we profiled the systematic characters of mRNA and lncRNA repertoires in three groups of spleens from nine Yorkshire pigs, each three aged at seven days, 90 days, and 180 days. By using a precise mRNA and lncRNA identification pipeline, we identified 19,647 genes and 219 known and 3219 putative lncRNA transcripts; 1729 genes and 64 lncRNAs therein were found to express differentially. The gene expression characteristics of genes and lncRNAs were found to be basically fixed before 90 days after birth. Three large gene expression modules were detected. The enrichment analyses of differentially expressed genes and the potential target genes of differentially expressed lncRNAs both displayed the crucial roles of up-regulation in immune activation and hematopoiesis, and down-regulation in cell replication and division in 90 days and 180 days compared to seven days. ENSSSCT00000001325 was the only lncRNA transcript that existed in the three groups. CDK1, PCNA, and PLK were detected to be node genes that varied with age. This study contributes to a further understanding of mRNA and lncRNA expression in different developmental pig spleens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introducing the nanosecond phase into thermoelectric materials is an effective strategy to improve their thermoelectric properties. In this study, the influence of nano Y2O3 dispersion on the resistivity, Seebeck coefficient and thermal conductivity of Cu2Se + x mol% Y2O3 (x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0) was investigated. Their resistivity and Seebeck coefficient have no obvious change under the combined effects of the microstructure and the energy filtering. Especially, Y2O3 dispersion can inhibit the recrystallization of Cu2Se and make the lamellar grains thinner, thus scattering phonon and reducing the thermal conductivity effectively. When x = 1.0, the thermal conductivity reaches a minimum of 0.65 W/K·m at 923 K. The dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) value of the Cu2Se + 1.0 mol% Y2O3 sample reaches 1.81 at 923 K. The study indicates that nano rare earth oxides are relatively effective second-phase that can reduce thermal conductivity, which may be further promoted for other thermoelectric materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogel sensors are widely utilized in soft robotics and tissue engineering due to their excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility. However, in high‐water environments, traditional hydrogels can experience significant swelling, leading to decreased mechanical and electrical performance, potentially losing shape, and sensing capabilities. This study addresses these challenges by leveraging the Hofmeister effect, coupled with directional freezing and salting‐out techniques, to develop a layered, high‐strength, tough, and antiswelling PVA/MXene hydrogel. In particular, the salting‐out process enhances the self‐entanglement of PVA, resulting in an S‐PM hydrogel with a tensile strength of up to 2.87 MPa. Furthermore, the S‐PM hydrogel retains its structure and strength after 7 d of swelling, with only a 6% change in resistance. Importantly, its sensing performance is improved postswelling, a capability rarely achievable in traditional hydrogels. Moreover, the S‐PM hydrogel demonstrates faster response times and more stable resistance change rates in underwater tests, making it crucial for long‐term continuous monitoring in challenging aquatic environments, ensuring sustained operation and monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]