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Low back pain significantly impacts individuals' quality of life, with intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) being a primary contributor to this condition. Currently, IDD treatment primarily focuses on symptom management and does not achieve a definitive cure. The cartilage endplate (CEP), a crucial nutrient‐supplying tissue of the intervertebral disc, plays a pivotal role in disc degeneration. This review examines the mechanisms underlying CEP degeneration, summarizing recent advancements in understanding the structure and function of CEP, the involvement of various signaling pathways, and the roles of cartilage endplate stem cells (CESCs) and exosomes (Exos) in this process. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive reference for future research on CEP. Despite progress in understanding the role of CEP in IDD, the mechanisms underlying CEP degeneration remain incompletely elucidated. Future research poses significant challenges, necessitating further investigations to elucidate the complexities of CEP. Significance Statement: This article provides a comprehensive review of the mechanisms underlying the degeneration of the cartilaginous endplate (CEP) and its role in intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). It elucidates the structure and function of the CEP, the association between CEP and IDD, the involvement of various signaling pathways in CEP degeneration, and the contributions of CEP stem cells and exosomes to this process. The CEP supplies 75% of the nutrients required by the intervertebral disc, thus playing a pivotal role in the progression of IDD. This review aims to reveal key issues and development trends in research by summarizing previous studies, and to provide directional references for future research on CEP in IDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of droplets on the solid wall is a typical free surface flow phenomenon that widely exists in nature, industry, and daily life. According to the change of the droplet's center thickness, the droplet, the spreading process of the droplet is usually divided into three unique stages: the initial droplet deformation stage, the inertia-dominated stage, and the viscosity-dominated stage with the increase of the impact time. The problem of the liquid droplet spreading under different impact conditions is simulated by the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method. Firstly, the dynamic process of droplet spreading is simulated and compared with relevant experimental results to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. Then, the effects of the Weber number and the diameter ratio of the droplet to the curved wall surface on the droplet's maximum spreading diameter and central thickness were studied and analyzed. On this basis, the key coefficient in the existing relationship between the Weber number and maximum spreading diameter is fitted. Finally, the fitting equation of the center thickness and the impact time in the third stage of droplet spreading is assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In potato production systems, runoff and erosion are major loss routes of phosphorus (P), while P loss through vertical leaching has been considered insignificant due to the poor mobility of P in soil. However, reduced water and nutrient retention capacity in coarse-textured soil as well as shallow root system of potato may result in significant P leaching beyond potato rooting zone, leading to lower P-use efficiency in potato production and increased environmental risk. The objective of this study was to evaluate phosphorus leaching in coarse soil during potato production under varied phosphorus application rates, by collecting leachate from 60 cm deep soil. Results indicated that accumulative P leaching during the potato production ranged from 0.61 to 4.67 kg ha−1, P concentration in leachate solution could reach 3.41 mg L−1, and it increased significantly with increasing P application rate. This high level of P leaching is a concern both environmentally and agronomically, and points to the importance of developing P fertilizer management aimed at diminishing P leaching and improving P-use efficiency in potato production in coarse soil worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term prediction of the degradation of key computer parameters improves maintenance performance. Traditional prediction methods may suffer from cumulative errors in iterative prediction, which affect the model's long-term prediction accuracy. Our network adopts curriculum learning and transfer learning methods, which can effectively solve this problem. The training network uses a dual-branch Siamese network. One branch intermixes the predicted and annotated data as input and uses curriculum learning to train. The other branch uses the original annotated data for training. To further align the hidden distributions of the two branches, the transfer learning method calculates the covariance matrices of the time series of the two branches by correlation alignment loss. A single branch is used in the test for prediction without increasing the inference computation. Compared with the current mainstream networks, our method can effectively improve the accuracy of long-term prediction with the improvements above. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 16 SrRNA gene high-throughput sequencing technology was used to analyze the effects of different tillage methods (A1 traditional tillage, A2 deep rotary tillage) and organic fertilizer levels (B1: 0kg⋅ha-1, B2: 7500 kg⋅ha-1, B3: 15000kg⋅ha-1, B4: 22500kg⋅ha-1) on the bacterial community structure of maize rhizosphere saline alkali soil, and predict their functions. The results showed that: (1) the interaction effect of deep rotary tillage and organic fertilizer application significantly increased the observed index, Chao1 index, ACE index and aromatic index(P<0.05). (2)The bacterial community in maize rhizosphere was mainly composed of 31 phyla and 497 genera, including Proteobacteria(37.4%-54.4%), Acidobacteria(8.6%-2.9%), Actinobacteria(5.2%-13.3%). The analysis of bacterial community showed that the bacterial community structure was similar among different tillage methods, and the abundance of bacteria was different among organic fertilizer application levels. (3)The correlation analysis showed that the soil pH value was significantly negatively correlated with ACE index, Observed index and Chao1 index(r=-0.56, P=0.004); The activity of invertase (IA) was positively correlated with ACE index, Observed index and Chao1 index(r=0.52, P=0.01). Redundancy analysis showed that alkali hydrolyzed nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, organic matter, alkaline phosphatase, sucrase and pH value were the key environmental factors affecting the bacterial community structure of corn farmland soil. (4)Deep rotary tillage combined with organic fertilizer significantly increased the gene abundance of bacterial signal transduction function in the rhizosphere soil of maize fields, such as carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, other amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate biosynthesis and metabolism, cofactor and vitamin metabolism. The functional gene abundance of soil bacteria was the highest under A2B3 treatment. In this study, the treatment of deep tillage and organic fertilizer application rate of 15000kg⋅ha-1 was the most beneficial ways to improve the bacterial diversity and function of corn farmland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photoelectrocatalytic urea oxidation reaction (PEC‐UOR) holds a great promise for the wastewater remediation and energy production. However, the low efficiency of semiconductor/cocatalysts type photoanodes for UOR restricts their applications in photoelectrocatalytic system. Herein, a new semiconductor/cocatalyst, Ni2P clusters sensitized TiO2 nanotube arrays photoanode (Ni2P/TiO2‐NTAs) for PEC‐UOR with high efficiency are developed. The 1D TiO2‐NTAs structure accelerates urea molecules diffusion and promotes CO2 gas release at the electrode interface. Meanwhile, Ni2P is also beneficial to urea molecule absorption and CO2 desorption and enable to lower the energy barrier for amine (NH) dehydrogenation. Furthermore, the robust interfacial charge transfer pathway between Ni2P and TiO2 interface promotes the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes and the transfer of photogenerated electrons from Ni2P to TiO2. Therefore, this photoanode shows excellent PEC‐UOR performance with the potential of 1.43 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) when the current density reaches 10 mA cm−2, which is much lower than that of 2.24 V versus RHE and 1.58 V versus RHE for TiO2‐NTAs and Ni(OH)2/TiO2‐NTAs, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the role of tumor microenvironment and serum differential metabolites in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) carcinogenesis, providing new evidence for ICC treatment. Serum samples from healthy individuals and ICC patients were collected for metabolomic analysis. The purine metabolites such as inosine, guanosine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine were increased in patient serum. TCGA database samples were collected, and the correlation between purine metabolism-related genes and ICC clinical features was analyzed using R language to obtain the differential genes including PPAT, PFAS, ATIC, and IMPDH2. High PPAT expression was associated with poor ICC prognosis. A PPAT silencing model in HCCC-9810 cells was constructed. The cell phenotype was examined by qRT-PCR, CCK-8, transwell, and flow cytometry, showing a decrease in IMPDH1 expression, colony and invasive cells numbers, and an increase in apoptosis. Guanosine reversed IMPDH1 expression in HCCC-9810 cells, promoting the secretion of inflammatory factors IL-6, IL-8, OPN, VEGF, and VCAM-1 and intensifying epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression in the cells. In nude mice, the IMPDH1 inhibitory drug MMF inhibited tumor growth and reduced the expression of tumor stem cell characteristic markers CD133 and SOX2. Guanosine accelerated the malignant progression of ICC inhibition of purine metabolism-related genes, PPAT and IMPDH2, suppressed the malignant phenotype in HCCC-9810 cells, and inhibited tumor growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycoside compounds have attracted great interest due to their remarkable and multifarious bioactivities. In this study, four hitherto unknown 4-methoxy-β-D-glucosyl derivatives were obtained and identified from the marine-derived fungus Metarhizium sp. P2100, including three alpha-pyrone glycosides (1–3) and one phenolic glycoside (4). Their planar structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D/2D NMR and HRESIMS. The absolute configurations of 1–3 were determined by a single-crystal X-ray crystallographic experiment, a comparison of the experimental, and a calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra, respectively. Compounds 2 and 3 are a pair of rare epimeric pyranoside glycosides at C-7 with a core of aglycone as 2H-pyrone. Compounds 1–4 exhibited weak anti-inflammatory activities. In particular, compounds 1–3 displayed inhibitory activities against α-amylase, showing a potential for the development of a new α-amylase inhibitor for controlling diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinal diseases, including intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD), ankylosing spondylitis, spinal cord injury and other non-infectious spinal diseases, severely affect the quality of life of patients. Current treatments for IDD and other spinal diseases can only relieve symptoms and do not completely cure the disease. Therefore, there is an urgent need to explore the causes of these diseases and develop new treatment approaches. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), a form of non-coding RNA, is abundant in diverse sources, has numerous functions, and plays an important role in the occurrence and development of spinal diseases such as IDD. However, the mechanism of action of lncRNAs has not been fully elucidated, and significant challenges remain in the use of lncRNAs as new therapeutic targets. The present article reviews the sources, classification and functions of lncRNAs, and introduces the role of lncRNAs in spinal diseases, such as IDD, and their therapeutic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aspergillus terreus is well-known for its ability to biosynthesize valuable pharmaceuticals as well as structurally unique secondary metabolites. However, numerous promising cryptic secondary metabolites in this strain regulated by silent gene clusters remain unidentified. In this study, to further explore the secondary metabolite potential of A. terreus, the essential histone deacetylase hdaA gene was deleted in the marine-derived A. terreus RA2905. The results showed that HdaA plays a vital and negative regulatory role in both conidiation and secondary metabolism. Loss of HdaA in A. terreus RA2905 not only resulted in the improvement in butyrolactone production, but also activated the biosynthesis of new azaphilone derivatives. After scaled fermentation, two new azaphilones, asperterilones A and B (1 and 2), were isolated from ΔhdaA mutant. The planar structures of compounds 1 and 2 were undoubtedly characterized by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry analysis. Their absolute configurations were assigned by circular dichroism spectra analysis and proposed biosynthesis pathway. Compounds 1 and 2 displayed moderate anti-Candida activities with the MIC values ranging from 18.0 to 47.9 μM, and compound 1 exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. This study provides novel evidence that hdaA plays essential and global roles in repressing secondary metabolite gene expression in fungi, and its deletion represents an efficient strategy to mine new compounds from A. terreus and other available marine-derived fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesoporous carbon materials have been widely used as hosts for sulfur encapsulation to mitigate the low electrical conductivity of sulfur, lithium polysulfide shuttle, and drastic volume changes of sulfur species associated with lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). The ideal sulfur-host composite should have an optimal content of sulfur that partially fills the pores of the host and produces the exact amount of final discharged product Li 2 S that can be completely accommodated by the pores of the host. However, accurately determining this optimal content of sulfur is a challenge and no effective method has been established. In this work, we successfully determined the optimal sulfur content for the Ketjenblack EC-600 JD (KB) sulfur host by simply characterizing sulfur-KB (SKB) composites with different sulfur contents using X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy coupled with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The LSB using the SKB with the optimal sulfur content of 52.9% showed a high specific capacity of 1535 mAh g−1 at 0.1C and a capacity of 680 mAh g−1 even at the high rate of 5C. Furthermore, it also showed stable cycling stability with low capacity decay rates of 0.05% and 0.09% per cycle over 500 cycles at 2C and 5C, respectively. [Display omitted] • A method to accurately determine the optimal sulfur content is developed. • The influence of void space in Ketjenblack pores is investigated. • A high specific capacity and stable cycling stability is achieved for lithium sulfur battery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is devoted to study the topological structure of solution sets for a Volterra-type nonautonomous evolution inclusion with impulsive effects in a Fréchet space. The evolution family generated by the operator in the principal part is of no equicontinuity. Our attention is paid to establish the R δ -structure of the solution set and geometric features of the corresponding solution map. Moreover, the long-time existence of the nonlocal Cauchy problem is also considered. Finally, we present an example to illustrate the applicability of our abstract results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a new series of azadithiolato‐bridged diiron complexes [Fe2(μ‐adtNOH)(CO)5{P(C6H4R)3}] (adtNOH = (SCH2)2N(C6H4CH2CH2OH‐p) and R = Cl‐p, 1; Me‐m, 2; OMe‐p, 3 supported by tertiary phosphines, which may be considered as the active site models of [FeFe]‐hydrogenases, has been prepared in 73–81% yields by the Me3NO‐assisted decarbonylating reactions of all‐CO precursor [Fe2(μ‐adtNOH)(CO)6] (A) with several tertiary phosphines [(P(C6H4R)3] in MeCN at room temperature. All the new complexes 1–3 are fully characterized by elemental analysis, spectroscopic techniques (Fourier transform‐infrared spectroscopy [FT‐IR] and nuclear magnetic resonance [NMR]), and especially for 1 and 3 by X‐ray crystallography. The IR and 31P{1H} NMR spectroscopic analyses have shown that the electron density of diiron center in 1–3 may be adjusted by the introduction of the different substituents (R) of the P(C6H4R)3 ligands into the [2Fe2S] cluster. The X‐ray crystallographic investigation has displayed that the typical Fe‐Fe, Fe‐P, and Fe‐C distances of 1–3 are significantly influenced by the electronic effects of the P(C6H4R)3 phosphines coordinated apically to one Fe atom, whereas their Papical‐Fe‐Fe and Capical‐Fe‐Fe angles are mainly controlled by the steric interaction between the phosphine ligands and the dithiolate bridges. Further, the electrochemical performances of 1–3 are studied and compared in the absence or presence of acetic acid (HOAc) as proton source by using cyclic voltammetry, suggesting that they are active for the electrocatalytic proton reduction to hydrogen (H2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric adenocarcinomas present elevated cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression compared to non-neoplastic mucosa. Four oxaliplatin (L-OHP)-based Pt(IV) complexes, CP-L-OHP (1), ED-L-OHP (2), KP-L-OHP (3), and SL-L-OHP (4), were synthesized with the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (COX inhibitors) carprofen, etodolac, ketoprofen and sulindac, respectively, as axial ligands to inhibit BGC-823 gastric cancer cells. Complexes 1–4 displayed comparable cytotoxicity to L-OHP, of which 1 displayed the lowest IC50 value and best selectivity in BGC-823 cells compared to normal liver cells (LO2). Complex 1 significantly enhanced Pt accumulation, DNA damage and apoptosis in BGC-823 cells. Overexpression of COX-2 can lead to a more aggressive behavior in gastric cancer, inducing metastatic and invasive processes. The wound-healing assay displayed that 1 could significantly delay BGC-823 cell metastasis with the lowest wound-healing rate compared to L-OHP and carprofen after treatment for 24 h. Interestingly, few 1-treated cells were observed to adhere to Matrigel, while the cell adhesion was hardly affected by the other treatment groups such as carprofen in cell adhesion experiments. Immunofluorescence studies indicated that 1 exhibited a longer-acting COX-2 response than carprofen alone. Carprofen (20 μM) effectively inhibited COX-2 at 1 and 5 h of treatment in BGC-823 cells, but did not work at 24 h. In contrast, 1 could retain the high inhibitory activity against COX-2 up to 24 h at least. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNA interference (RNAi) has developed rapidly as a potential "green" pest management strategy. At present, most studies have focused on the screening of aphid lethal genes, whereas only a few studies have been conducted on wing development, which is crucial for aphid migration and plant‐virus dissemination. Here, the Myzus persicae genes vestigial (vg) and Ultrabithorax (Ubx) related to wing development, were cloned. These two genes were expressed in various tissues of 3rd‐instar winged aphids. The mRNA level of vg was high in 3rd‐instar nymphs, whereas the expression level of Ubx was high in adults. The nanocarrier‐mediated delivery system delivered double‐stranded RNAs for aphid RNAi using topical and root applications. The expression levels of vg and Ubx were downregulated by 44.0% and 36.5%, respectively, using the topical application. The simultaneous RNAi of the two target genes caused 63.3% and 32.2% wing aberration rates using topical and root applications, respectively. The current study provided a promising method for controlling aphid migration to alleviate the spread of insect transmitted plant diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The ZnO nanoclusters@SiC membranes with superhydrophobic pores were prepared. • The ceramic membrane with superhydrophobic pores exhibited enhanced separation efficiency for water-in-oil emulsion separation. • The separation mechanism of the superhydrophobic pores for water-in-oil emulsion separation was revealed. Superhydrophobic (SHB) ceramic membrane surfaces have proved their superiority in water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion separation. However, the construction of ceramic membranes with SHB pores remains challenging and the interaction between the SHB pores and water droplets is still unclear. Herein, by growing uniform ZnO nanoclusters (NCs) onto the SiC grains of a symmetric SiC ceramic membrane and then grafting with triethoxy(octyl)silane, a series of ZnO NCs@SiC membranes with SHB pores were prepared. Prior to secondary hydrothermal synthesis ZnO NCs, the small-sized ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were grown onto the SiC grains via a sol–gel process. All the ZnO NCs@SiC membranes with SHB pores showed improved water removal performance from W/O emulsions compared with that of the pristine membrane. The optimal membrane with SHB pores displayed a pore size of 0.19 μm with a water contact angle of 163.96°. The smaller water droplets in W/O emulsions, the membrane pores are easier to be polluted. When separating a 1000 ppm W/O emulsion with a water droplet size of 500 nm at a transmembrane pressure of 0.5 bar, the water rejection reached 98.90 %, and the steady-state oil flux was 92.99 L·m−2·h−1. Based on the separation experiments, the separation mechanism was revealed. This work provides significant perceptions into constructing SHB pores of ceramic membranes, which might be useful for other possible applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A superhydrophobic composite membrane based on CNTs network was constructed. • CNTs networks can provide many active sites for perfluorination modification. • CNTs network endows membrane surface with slippery characteristics and reduced surface pore size. • Superhydrophobic composite membranes possess excellent water vapor flux and wetting resistance. Enhancing the wetting resistance of the membrane is crucial for consolidating the stability of the membrane distillation (MD) process, but this generally leads to the decline of water vapor flux. Herein, we developed a superhydrophobic composite membrane composed of a highly hydrophobic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) porous support layer and a functional superhydrophobic carbon nanotubes (CNTs) network. The CNTs network with high thermal conductivity not only reduces the temperature polarization effect, but also increases the effective evaporation area, thereby enhancing the mass transfer driving force of the MD process. Additionally, the CNTs network significantly reduces the maximum pore radius of the composite membrane, and the perfluorination treatment also reduces the surface energy of the CNTs network, thereby synergistically increasing the liquid entry pressure. The results showed that when treating high salinity water containing 3.5 wt% NaCl, the water vapor flux of the composite membrane increased from 20.0 LMH of the original PVDF membrane to 24.4 LMH, an increase of 22 %. Furthermore, the performance of the original PVDF membrane deteriorates rapidly when the concentration of surfactant in the feed exceeds 1.0 mM, while the composite membrane still maintains a stable water vapor permeability and salt rejection. More importantly, the composite membrane exhibits excellent resistance to wetting induced by gypsum scaling when using gypsum solution as the feed, which is attributed to its small surface pore size and high hydrophobicity. This research supplies new insights into the design of membrane structures used in MD processes to overcome the trade-off between water vapor permeability and wetting resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robust omniphobic membranes have attracted great attention in improving the continuous service performance of the membrane distillation (MD) in treating high salinity wastewater. However, the fabrication of omniphobic membranes commonly undergoes complex procedures of modification including the construction of rough structures and post-modification using low-surface-energy substances. Herein, monolithic omniphobic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes were conveniently constructed by the combination of porous membranes possess particle stacking structure generated by a one-step vapor-induced phase separation (VIPS) procedure with subsequent surface perfluorination modification. The water contact angle, soybean oil contact angle, and low-surface-tension ethanol contact angle of the perfluorinated modified membrane increased from 139.6°, 45°, and ∼0° of the original membrane to 153°, 141°, and 110°, respectively. In addition, the LEP of the perfluorinated membrane is as high as 0.32 MPa, which is higher than the 0.22 MPa of the original membrane. More importantly, the monolithic omniphobic membrane can maintain a stable water flux without deteriorating salt rejection rate during the entire MD testing due to its high specific surface area, high porosity, three-dimensional micro/nano hierarchical structure, and adjustable pore size. This study offers useful insights for constructing monolithic omniphobic membranes for efficient and robust MD processes without additional nanoparticle loading procedure. [Display omitted] • Membranes with particle stacking structure were prepared using a one-step VIPS method. • The morphology and pore size of membranes can be controlled by adjusting the polymer content. • Robust particle stacking and covalent grafting avoid the leakage of perfluorinated compounds. • Particle stacking and perfluorination endow membranes with hydrophobicity and oleophobicity. • Omniphobic membranes show excellent wetting and fouling resistance as well as water flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a nonlinear delay evolution equation with multivalued perturbation on a noncompact interval. The nonlinearity, having convex and closed values, is upper hemicontinuous with respect to the solution variable. A basic question on whether there exists a solution set carrying |$R_{\delta }$| -structure remains unsolved when the operator families generated by the principal part lack compactness. One of our main goals is to settle this question in the affirmative. Moreover, we prove that the solution map, having compact values, is an |$R_{\delta }$| -map, which maps any connected set into a connected set. It is then exploited to deal with the existence in the large for a nonlocal problem. Finally, several examples are worked out in detail, illustrating the applicability of our general results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The organosilicone is commonly used as surfactant ingredient in agriculture. Some pilot studies showed pesticidal activities of some organosilicone surfactants. This study examined the toxicity of an organosilicone, Silwet 408, to the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychusurticae and explored the field usage of this chemical in pest control. We tested this chemical on eggs, nymphs, and adults of T. urticae. We applied a two-sprays strategy to enhance the field control efficacy based on the high toxicity of Silwet 408 to nymphs and adults and the lack of toxicity to eggs of T. urticae. However, their phytotoxicity should be taken under consideration. Our study improved our understand of the toxicity and safety of organosilicone surfactants. The results provide a basis for the usage of this chemical in mite control. Organosilicone molecules represent important components of surfactants added to pesticides to improve pest control efficiency, but these molecules also have pesticidal properties in their own right. Here, we examined toxicity and control efficacy of Silwet 408, a trisiloxane ethoxylate-based surfactant, to the two-spotted spider mite (TSSM), Tetranychus urticae and its crop hosts. Silwet 408 was toxic to nymphs and adults of TSSM but did not affect eggs. Field trials showed that the control efficacy of 1000 mg/L Silwet 408 aqueous solution reached 96% one day after spraying but declined to 54% 14 days after spraying, comparable to 100 mg/L cyetpyrafen, a novel acaricide. A second spraying of 1000 mg/L Silwet 408 maintained control efficacy at 97% when measured 14 days after spraying. However, Silwet 408 was phytotoxic to eggplant, kidney bean, cucumber, and strawberry plants, although phytotoxicity to strawberry plants was relatively low and declined further seven days after application. Our study showed that while the organosilicone surfactant Silwet 408 could be used to control the TSSM, its phytotoxicity to crops should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is still a considerable gap between the actual and theoretical capacities of the commercial cathode material LiFePO4 (LFP) for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). Here, a new strategy to release the full capacity of LFP through the rocking‐chair coordination chemistry is reported. Specifically, the zinc acetate‐diethanolamine complex (Zn(OAc)2·DEA) is used as a functional binder for the LFP cathode, where the N atom of DEA can coordinate with Zn2+, Fe2+, or Fe3+. The bond strength sequence is Fe3+–N > Zn2+–N > Fe2+–N, which makes the N atom swing between Fe3+ on the surface of FePO4 in the charged state and Zn2+ of Zn(OAc)2 in the discharged state. Density functional theory simulations reveal that the adsorption of DEA reduces the surface bandgap and the energy barriers of Li+ diffusion along the [010] direction of LFP, which promotes electronic conduction and Li+ diffusion, respectively. The Zn(OAc)2·DEA‐based LFP electrode achieves a high capacity of 169 mAh g−1 at 0.2C, which approaches the theoretical value of 170 mAh g−1. The electrode also has excellent cycling performance, showing a low capacity decay rate of 0.03% per cycle over 1500 cycles at 5C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is still a considerable gap between the actual and theoretical capacities of the commercial cathode material LiFePO4 (LFP) for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). Here, a new strategy to release the full capacity of LFP through the rocking‐chair coordination chemistry is reported. Specifically, the zinc acetate‐diethanolamine complex (Zn(OAc)2·DEA) is used as a functional binder for the LFP cathode, where the N atom of DEA can coordinate with Zn2+, Fe2+, or Fe3+. The bond strength sequence is Fe3+–N > Zn2+–N > Fe2+–N, which makes the N atom swing between Fe3+ on the surface of FePO4 in the charged state and Zn2+ of Zn(OAc)2 in the discharged state. Density functional theory simulations reveal that the adsorption of DEA reduces the surface bandgap and the energy barriers of Li+ diffusion along the [010] direction of LFP, which promotes electronic conduction and Li+ diffusion, respectively. The Zn(OAc)2·DEA‐based LFP electrode achieves a high capacity of 169 mAh g−1 at 0.2C, which approaches the theoretical value of 170 mAh g−1. The electrode also has excellent cycling performance, showing a low capacity decay rate of 0.03% per cycle over 1500 cycles at 5C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conductive polymers that combine the advantages of traditional polymers and organic conductors have recently received more and more attention in applications such as sensors, smart electronics, display, and energy conversion/storage. Interface properties including conductivity, mechanical properties, and mass transport/immobilization are key factors affecting the performance of these devices. Doping engineering provides an effective method to enhance interface properties of conducting polymers and bring new functions for practical applications. In this Perspective, we review some application examples of doping-tunable interfacial properties of conducting polymers with advanced features, i.e., enhancing conductivity by doping; tunable self-assembly of conductive polymers; structure-derived elasticity and its application in flexible pressure sensors; and enhanced interfacial transport and its applications in biosensors and lithium ion battery. Furthermore, this Perspective also discusses the challenges of this field and some possible solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid diagnostic tests as an attractive alternative to enzyme immunoassay could identify hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected persons more expeditiously. The availability of high performing and quality‐assured rapid diagnostic tests are essential to scale‐up HCV screening. The study was undertaken to evaluate the performance of seven domestic HCV rapid diagnostic tests kits. The kits were evaluated by using HCV serum panels, including HCV basic panel, analytical specificity panel, mixed titre performance panel, characteristic panel, seroconversion panel, and genotype qualification panel. The results showed that clinical sensitivity, clinical specificity and analytical specificity of seven rapid diagnostic tests kits ranged from 94% (95% CI: 83.2–98.6) to 100% (95% CI: 91.5–100). Furthermore, specimens with HCV genotypes 1b, 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a, 6 could be detected by HCV rapid diagnostic tests kits, whereas specimens with genotypes 1a and 2b could not be detected. Additionally, most HCV rapid diagnostic tests kits had great performance in diagnosing different titres and/or different bands samples, but some low S/CO value specimens may not be fully detected by few rapid diagnostic test kits. In conclusion, seven HCV rapid diagnostic tests reagents presented high sensitivity, specificity, good anti‐interference and detection ability of early infection, which could meet the requirements of clinical HCV antibody screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: NiFe2O4 presents high redox activity and good promoted application prospect in chemical looping processes. However, phase segregation caused by outward diffusion of Fe cations often lead to low cycling stability for NiFe2O4. In this study, the inherent mechanism of phase segregation for NiFe2O4 was investigated deeply. The results indicated that reduction degree exhibited significant influence on the phase segregation of NiFe2O4 in successive redox cycles. When NiFe2O4 was reduced to Ni and Fe3O4 in redox cycles, NiFe2O4 displayed stable redox activity without phase segregation. As the reduction degree reached to FeO and FeNi, a needle‐like structure with Fe enrichment was formed on the surface of the first cycled NiFe2O4. In the subsequent redox cycles with deep reduction degree, both severe phase segregation and deactivation were occurred for spent NiFe2O4 sample. It can be seen that phase segregation is the main reason for the deactivation of NiFe2O4 instead of surface sintering in redox cycles. The results of this work provide guidance for the development of NiFe2O4‐based oxygen carriers with high redox performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiments on the adsorption of Re(VII) onto Tributyl phosphate (TBP) coated solvent-impregnated LS-300 resins (TBP-CSIRs) were performed systematically. The optimal TBP concentration for the impregnation was 70%. The adsorption equilibrium reached in 6 h and the saturation adsorption capacity was 24.48 mg/g. The highest separation coefficients of rhenium over copper, iron, zinc, nickel, and arsenic were 93, 412, 348, 72 and 51, respectively. The adsorption capacity maintained in 93.50% after five times recycles. A 97.57% rhenium was recovered from waste acid with TBP-CSIRs, respectively. This study would contribute to the direct recovery of rhenium from waste acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pt‐based electrocatalysts are considered as one of the most promising choices to facilitate the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and the key factor enabling their success is to reduce the required amount of platinum. Herein, we focus on illuminating both the theoretical mechanisms which enable enhanced and sustained ORR activity and the practical methods to achieve them in catalysts. The various multi‐step pathways of ORR are firstly reviewed and the rate‐determining steps based on the reaction intermediates and their binding energies are analyzed. We then explain the critical aspects of Pt‐based electrocatalysts to tune oxygen reduction properties from the viewpoints of active sites exposure and altering the surface electronic structure, and further summarize representative research progress towards practically achieving these activity enhancements with a focus on platinum size reduction, shape control and core Pt elimination methods. We finally outline the remaining challenges and provide our perspectives with regard to further enhancing their activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pt‐based electrocatalysts are considered as one of the most promising choices to facilitate the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and the key factor enabling their success is to reduce the required amount of platinum. Herein, we focus on illuminating both the theoretical mechanisms which enable enhanced and sustained ORR activity and the practical methods to achieve them in catalysts. The various multi‐step pathways of ORR are firstly reviewed and the rate‐determining steps based on the reaction intermediates and their binding energies are analyzed. We then explain the critical aspects of Pt‐based electrocatalysts to tune oxygen reduction properties from the viewpoints of active sites exposure and altering the surface electronic structure, and further summarize representative research progress towards practically achieving these activity enhancements with a focus on platinum size reduction, shape control and core Pt elimination methods. We finally outline the remaining challenges and provide our perspectives with regard to further enhancing their activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study was designed to investigate whether the playing‐back of the recorded maternal voice through the headphones to children undergoing bilateral ophthalmic surgery has clinical effects on the incidence of emergence agitation, and the anaesthesia recovery course. Methods: In this prospective, blinded and randomised study, 127 children, aged 2–8 years and undergoing bilateral ophthalmic surgery were randomly allocated to one of the two groups: group T (treatment group, listening to recorded mother's voice via headphones) or group C (control group, wearing headphones without auditory stimuli). The primary outcome was the incidence of emergence agitation, and the secondary outcomes were the awakening time, and the post‐anaesthesia care unit (PACU) stay time. Results: Children in the group of listening recorded mother's voice exhibited significantly low incidence of emergence agitation compared with those in the control group (32.8 vs. 55.6%; odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 0.39(0.19–0.80); P = 0.010). The awakening time was shorter in group T as compared to that in group C (22.9 (10.4) vs. 27.3 (13.7); P = 0.048). As results, the group T had significantly less PACU stay time with early discharge than the group C did (29.7 (12.1) vs. 34.8 (14.1); P = 0.031). Conclusions: Recorded mother's voice is an efficient method to reduce emergence agitation in children undergoing bilateral ophthalmic surgery with sevoflurane anaesthesia. Also, patients woke faster and PACU stay time was shorter in the mother's voice group as compared with the control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conductive polymer hydrogels (CPHs), which combine the unique advantages of hydrogels and organic conductors, have received wide attention due to their adjustable mechanical properties, biocompatibility, self‐healing, hydrophilicity, and ease of preparation. With doping engineering and incorporation with other functional nanomaterials, CPHs have exhibited excellent physical/chemical properties. CPHs have been widely used in various electronic devices, especially in the field of sensors due to its sensitivity to external stimuli. This review summarizes recent progress in CPHs from the aspect of the CPHs' properties and their application in advanced sensor technology. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019, 57, 1606–1621 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global economy is entering an era of digitalization and green development. While the digital economy has brought sustained growth to the economy, it has also raised concerns, particularly regarding carbon emissions. This study focuses on China's digital industry and utilizes an interregional input-output model to construct a carbon emission spillover-feedback effects model. It analyzes the transfer of carbon emission pressure between regions from the perspective of spatial spillovers and assesses the equity of carbon emissions from the digital industry. The research findings indicate:1. The hidden carbon emissions of the digital industry mainly include internal and external carbon spillover emissions.2. There is significant spatial heterogeneity in the carbon spillover emissions, with eastern and coastal developed regions being the primary areas of carbon emissions spillover, while the northwestern and central regions bear the burden of carbon emissions from other areas.3. The digital industry primarily experiences carbon emission spillovers between industries with resource and material-intensive characteristics.4. The economic efficiency and equity of carbon emissions from the digital industry exhibit a negative correlation with the level of economic development, and an overall declining trend is observed. In summary, recognizing the mechanisms and pathways of interregional carbon emission transfer in the development of the digital economy is crucial for avoiding the exacerbation of interregional environmental pressure, reshaping resource trade relationships, and achieving the goals of carbon peak and carbon neutrality. [Display omitted] • Carbon Emission Pathway Decomposition. • Exploring the spatial transfer process, path and evolution law of carbon emissions. • Studing the scale, industrial and network structure of inter-regional carbon flows. • Equity of inter-regional carbon emission transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cyclic loading experiment involving a timber-steel hybrid structure consisting of a steel frame and a novel light timber-steel diaphragm is presented to quantify the flexibility of the diaphragm and its ability to distribute lateral loads in the elastic-plastic phase of the structure. A lateral load-distribution factor was proposed, and its relationship to the ratio of the stiffness of the diaphragm to that of the lateral load-resisting elements was investigated. The diaphragm was classified based on these variables. The results indicated that the failure modes of the structure were associated with the forms of damage experienced by the lateral load-resisting elements, whereas little damage was observed for the diaphragm. The diaphragm exhibited the ability to continuously adjust the distribution of lateral loads to each lateral load-resisting element; accordingly, each lateral load-resisting element had approximately the same shear force, the same lateral stiffness, and the same lateral displacement during the loading process. As the lateral displacement increased, the stiffness ratio and load-distribution factor both gradually increased, and the diaphragm correspondingly changed from semi-rigid to rigid. At times, as the lateral displacement increased, the diaphragm rapidly became rigid, and it was unnecessarily rigid during the initial loading phase when the in-plane stiffness reached a certain threshold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Determination of Fe 2 O 3 -Al 2 O 3 oxygen carrier deactivation mechanism. • The deactivation was mainly caused by thermal sintering. • Fe segregation and enrichment at oxygen carrier surface can accelerate thermal sintering. Abstract The Fe 2 O 3 -Al 2 O 3 oxygen carrier is regarded to a promising candidate for chemical looping combustion (CLC). However, Fe 2 O 3 -Al 2 O 3 oxygen carrier was often subjected to a decrease of oxygen carrying capacity. The deactivation mechanism of Fe 2 O 3 -Al 2 O 3 oxygen carrier in chemical looping combustion was investigated over consecutive 20 cycles. The Fe 2 O 3 -Al 2 O 3 oxygen carrier exhibited relatively poor redox stability in a fixed bed reactor. The physico-chemical properties of cycled Fe 2 O 3 -Al 2 O 3 oxygen carrier were characterized by different characterization methods. No carbon deposit was detected in the reduction process, indicating that carbon deposition was not the cause for Fe 2 O 3 -Al 2 O 3 oxygen carrier deactivation under this experimental condition. The characterization results showed that the deactivation of Fe 2 O 3 -Al 2 O 3 oxygen carrier in redox cycles was mainly attributed to thermal sintering. The cycled Fe 2 O 3 -Al 2 O 3 oxygen carrier showed lower surface area, lower reducibility and oxygen mobility than that of fresh sample. After a certain number of redox cycles, Fe diffusion and enrichment at the surface of cycled oxygen carrier was observed. The surface Fe is unstable under high reaction temperature, leading to accelerate thermal sintering. A deactivation mechanism of Fe 2 O 3 -Al 2 O 3 oxygen carrier in CLC was proposed based on the Fe diffusion and surface sintering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The great interest in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) programme lies in its association with process of metastasis and invasion, which is a crucial cause of cancer-related death. Herein, we designed and reported three new NSAID-Pt(IV) prodrugs, taking Non-Steroid Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) to disrupt EMT programme and assist genotoxic platinum-based drugs as a cytotoxicity booster, to offer a class of potential anticarcinogens with a multi-functional action mechanism. The NSAID-Pt(IV) prodrugs, especially Eto-Pt(IV), highly enhanced cellular uptake with amount up to 42-fold at 3 h compared with CDDP, and greatly increased DNA damage and cell apoptosis, showing much higher cytotoxicity than cisplatin in the tested cancer cells even in A549/cis cells. Among of them, Eto-Pt(IV) and Car-Pt(IV) exhibited more excellent activity than Sul-Pt(IV), arising from their reduction-labile and favorable lipophilicity. Most strikingly, Eto-Pt(IV) markedly inhibited metastasis and invasion of MCF-7 cells, owing to its COX-2 suppression that down-regulated active MMP-2, vimentin protein and up-regulated E-cadherin. In vivo , Eto-Pt(IV) displayed potent antitumor activity and no observable toxicity in BALB/c nude mice bearing MCF-7 tumors. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • NSAID-Pt(IV) prodrugs displayed potent antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo superior to cisplatin. • NSAID-Pt(IV) markedly suppresses tumor cells metastasis and invasion via EMT programme and alleviates drug resistance. • There is no observable toxicity in the test animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Although Oriente basin has explored throughout the past fifty years, little is known about the reservoir quality and hydrocarbon accumulation of the Cretaceous Upper T glauconitic sandstones. Until recently, the Upper T has drawn attention due to the commercial oil discovery. Howerer, exploration of glauconitic sandstones is complicated and reservoir quality is difficult to evaluate based on logging and seismic data. The glauconitic sandstones developed in open marine environments, characterized by a framework of glauconite and quartz grains. Diagenesis includes compation, silica overgrowth, feldspars dissolution, iron carbonate cementation. Its porosity ranges 5–20% and less than 500 md permeability. The dominant pore type is intergranular, especially residual intergranular. Glauconitic sandstones have bimodal pore throat size distributions and complex pore geometries. The Upper T glauconitic sandstones are capped by a thin veneer of fossiliferous limestones and laminated to burrowed shales. These large-area matured source rocks close to the glauconitic sandstones are probably the source kitchen in the slope of Oriente Basin. The oil pools are very little relation to structure. A large area of continuous developed glauconitic sandstone reservoirs and adjacent source rocks form an excellent source–reservoir–cap assemblage. Differ from previous views of long-distance migration from the southwest Oriente Basin, we propose that volume flow and diffusive flow are the primary migration and accumulation mechanism for the Upper T reservoir in Tarapoa Block. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Glauconitic sandstone is characterized by a framework of glauconite and quartz. • Glauconitic sandstone reservoirs are new commercial oil discovery in Tarapoa Block. • New accumulation mechanism about volume flow and diffusive flow is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perceived destination image is rarely examined through the gaze of stakeholders other than visitors, in particular residents and tourism business operators. This hinders the comprehensive understanding of destination image and limits its practical implications for destination marketing and management. Therefore, this study proposes a multi-stakeholder approach to image evaluation to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the destination image and better inform destination planning and management. Taking Nanluoguxiang hutong tourism site in Beijing as an example, the image perceptions of residents, on-site business operators, and domestic and international tourists are compared. Questionnaire surveys with both types of tourists and semi-structured interviews with residents and business operators are the main research methods. Major between group differences are identified in the evaluation of the authenticity of this Beijing hutong area, its representation of traditional Beijing culture and whether or not it is a place in which to relax. Results demonstrate that visitors, residents and business operators share similar cognitive images of Nanluoguxiang as a traditional historical street and a special business street with Beijing character. However, the historical and cultural values of Nanluoguxiang are undervalued. Moreover, distinct differences exist between the actual motivations for visiting held by domestic and international tourists and their motivations as perceived by residents and business operators. Suggestions are made to better meet the expectations and desires of all stakeholder groups through the provision of participatory programmes and activities to enrich the visitor experience of hutongs and the hutong lifestyle while maintaining a boundary between tourists and residents' personal space to reduce unnecessary interruptions to residents' daily life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Increased EFVs and EFT could be associated with the development of metabolic syndrome. • The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is also influenced by basic demographic characteristics. Abnormally increased epicardial fat appears to be associated with an additional risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in the context of metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, evidence on the relationship between epicardial fat volumes (EFVs), epicardial fat thickness (EFT) and MetS remains inconsistent. Specific searches of electronic databases from 1 January 2000 to 31 October 2022 were independently performed by two researchers. In this study, two quantification measures of epicardial fat were included: comparison of total computed tomography–based EFVs and EFT between two groups (individuals with and without MetS), estimating standardized mean difference (SMD) with corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) through a random-effects model analysis. The heterogeneity in the included studies was explored by meta-regression and subgroup analyses. The EFVs were significantly increased in MetS subjects compared with non-MetS subjects (SMD: 1.07, 95 % CI: 0.69–1.45, p < 0.001), and the EFT was also significantly larger in MetS patients than in the Non-MetS (SMD: 1.12, 95 % CI: 0.84–1.41, p < 0.001). We compared the Caucasian and American subgroups with the Asian and African subgroups, and the EFT was greater in the former subgroups (SMD: 1.32, 95 % CI: 0.44–2.20, p < 0.001). When comparing the EFT among the age subgroups, there was a significant SMD between adolescents and adults or elderly individuals (SMD: 1.21, 95 % CI: 0.84–1.52, p < 0.001). MetS patients tend to present greater EFT near the right ventricular free wall and greater total EFVs. Increased epicardial fat, an imaging biomarker, independently affects the onset of MetS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: To explore the hemodynamic characteristics of variously differentiated breast ductal carcinoma (BDC) using the dynamic contrast-enhanced CT (DCE-CT) based CT perfusion imaging (CTPI), including the specific perfusion parameter values, and to identify potential clinical applications in the cell differentiation degree of BDC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty patients with breast ductal carcinoma confirmed by needle puncture biopsy were studied prospectively using CTPI on a 64-slice spiral CT scanner. The acquired volume data were used for calculations, mapping, and analysis by using a tumor perfusion protocol in the CT perfusion software package to measure 4 parameters namely, blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV), mean transit time (MTT), and the permeability surface (PS) area product. The different differentiated BDC with CT perfusion parameters were divided into 3 groups of high, moderate and poor differentiation. The comparison among these groups were then made using statistical data analysis software. RESULTS: The patients were categorized into three groups of 12, 13, and 15 highly, moderately and poorly differentiated ductal carcinoma cases, respectively. Comparing the perfusion parameters values of the three groups, BF, BV, and PS values increased from highly to poorly differentiated BDC cases. Differences between the highly and moderately or poorly differentiated groups were all statistically significant for BF, BV, and PS values (p < 0.05), while MTT value showed no statistical difference among the three groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: CTPI is a functional imaging technology from the perspective of hemodynamics with potential clinical applications. Three parameters of BF, BV and PS values have potential to serve as indicators of the cell differentiation degree of the breast ductal carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the cost of the traditional RFID tags, a re-transmitted chipless tag based on high Q CSRR structure working on UWB frequency band is proposed, which is composed of two orthogonal polarization transmitting and receiving microstrip broadband monopole antennas, loaded with multiple CSRR resonators. Data encoding is utilized the hybrid encoding technology by the significantly spectral signature of the high-Q CSRR resonator and the different amplitude on the same frequency point. The coding capacity is achieved 84 bits, which is far greater than other structures chipless tag. Several typical re-transmitted chipless tags based on CSRR structure are designed by HFSS software. The results of simulation and test are well agreeable to verify the feasibility of the proposed tag such tag, and it has low cost, narrow bandwidth and compact structure. It can be applied to low-cost logistics, production line management and other fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Modification of platinum (II) into lipophilic platinum (IV) compounds by introducing biologically active molecules were widely employed to develop new platinum-based prodrugs in the past decade. In this paper, two chlorambucil platinum (IV) complexes, CLB-Pt and CLB-Pt-CLB, were synthesized and displayed very potent antiproliferative activity against all the tested cancer cell lines, such as A549, HeLa and MCF-7, especially to treat the well-known refractory triple-negative breast cancer. CLB-Pt-CLB significantly improved cell-killing effect in triple-negative subtype MDA-MB-231 cells, and showed much stronger cytotoxicity than either monotherapy or combination of cisplatin and chlorambucil. CLB-Pt-CLB prodrug entered cells in dramatically increased amount compared with cisplatin and enhanced DNA damage, inducing cancer cell apoptosis. It exhibited high anticancer activity and no observable toxicity in BALB/c nude mice bearing MDA-MB-231 tumors. The chlorambucil moiety not only greatly assisted the passive diffusion of CLB-Pt-CLB into cells, but also produced the synergism with cisplatin in targeting DNA. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Chlorambucil-conjugated platinum(IV) prodrugs increased therapeutic efficacy in triple-negative breast cancer cells. • The excellent anti-tumor effect was related to the synergy of chlorambucil and cisplatin. • CLB-Pt-CLB greatly enhanced cellular uptake and modified pharmacokinetic effects. • CLB-Pt-CLB enlarged DNA damage compared with cisplatin. • There was no observable toxicity in BALB/c nude mice bearing MDA-MB-231 tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the effect of a pendant amine on a phosphine ligand on the structure and electrochemical properties of diiron dithiolate complexes, this work reports the crystallographic and electrocatalytic comparisons of three diiron monophosphine complexes Fe2(μ-pdt)(CO)5{Ph2P(NHR)} [pdt = propanedithiolate (SCH2CH2CH2S); R = para-methoxycarbonylphenyl (C6H4CO2Me-p) (1), para-methoxyphenyl (C6H4OMe-p) (2) and phenyl (Ph) (3)] with a pendant amine and one reference analogue Fe2(μ-pdt)(CO)5{Ph2P(CH2Ph)} (4). While the new complex 4 has been characterized by elemental analysis and various spectroscopic techniques, the molecular structures of 3 and 4 were further determined by X-ray crystallography. In addition, the electrochemical properties of 1-4 were studied in acetonitrile (MeCN) in the absence and presence of acetic acid (HOAc) as a mild proton source using cyclic voltammetry (CV). This may demonstrate that they are found to be active electrocatalysts for proton reduction to hydrogen (H2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study utilized air quality data on six pollutants (PM 2.5 , PM 10 , O 3 , CO, NO 2 , and SO 2 ) obtained by monitoring for one year (from Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2016) in 338 Chinese cities at or above the prefectural level, and introduced the comprehensive air quality index (CAQI). Specifically, the CAQI was used to measure the comprehensive status of ambient air quality, after which the spatiotemporal distribution of the CAQI and its spatial correlation and clustering were investigated at the month and year levels, respectively. The CAQI values were generally high nationwide, with remarkable spatiotemporal variations. Additionally, cities with higher (or lower) CAQI values were concentrated in north (or south) China, while those with higher CAQI values were also observed in west and east China. The CAQI values exhibited a U-shaped trend from January to December, with the highest values being observed in winter and spring and the lowest during summer. Moreover, particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM 10 ) is the major pollutant during most of the year, with PM 2.5 being prevalent in east and central-south China and PM 10 in northwest and north China; CAQI values are highly dependent on particulate concentrations. During summer, O 3 becomes a major pollutant and contributes greatly to CAQI, with the highest O 3 being observed in the Bohai Rim, the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, and the eastern coast of China. Finally, there was significant spatial autocorrelation and clustering of the CAQI, with spatial hot spots of CAQI being observed in southwest Xinjiang province, where air pollution issues have not received a great deal of attention, as well in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) and its surrounding areas, while cold spots for CAQI are mainly in south and northeast China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution has become a major concern in cities worldwide. The present study explores the spatial-temporal patterns of PM 2.5 (particles with an aerodynamic diameters ≤2.5 μm) and the variation in the attainment rate (the number of cities attaining the national PM 2.5 standard each day) at different time-scales based on PM 2.5 concentrations. One-year of monitoring was conducted in 338 cities at or above the prefectural level in China. Spatial hot spots of PM 2.5 were analyzed using exploratory spatial data analysis. Meteorological factors affecting PM 2.5 distributions were analyzed. The results indicate the following: (1) Diurnal variations of PM 2.5 exhibited a W-shaped trend, with the lowest value observed in the afternoon. The peak concentrations occurred after the ends of the morning and evening rush hours. (2) Out of 338 cities, 235 exceeded the national annual PM 2.5 standards (≤35 μg/m 3 ), with slightly polluted (75–115 μg/m 3 ) cities occupying the greatest proportion. (3) The attainment rate showed an inverted U-shape, while there was a U-shaped pattern observed for daily and monthly mean PM 2.5 . (4) The spatial distribution of PM 2.5 concentrations varied greatly, PM 2.5 has significant spatial autocorrelation and clustering characteristics. Hot spots for pollution were mainly concentrated in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area and neighboring regions, in part because of the large amount of smoke and dust emissions in this region. However, weather factors (temperature, humidity, and wind speed) also had an effect. In addition, southwest Xinjiang experienced heavy PM 2.5 pollution that was mainly caused by the frequent occurrence of sandstorms, although no significant relationship was observed between PM 2.5 and meteorological elements in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen carrier (OC) plays an important role in the successful operation of chemical looping process. A detailed understanding of the structural evolution of the materials is crucial to design high performance OCs for this technology. In this study, Fe 2 O 3 particles were used as oxygen carrier to investigate the morphology and microstructure changes induced by redox reaction during chemical looping process, which were performed in the single and multiple redox cycles. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Hg intrusion method and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to characterize the changes in phase composition, pore size distribution and morphology. Our results indicated that the surface area of Fe 2 O 3 particles decreased during the redox cycles even though more macro-pores (>1000 nm) formed for these particles. Sintering was attributed to the surface area decrease of Fe 2 O 3 particles in the redox process. Because of the outward Fe cation diffusion, porous structure in the interior of Fe 2 O 3 particles was formed, which led to the crushing strength of the OC particles decreased significantly. In the reduction process, the aggregation of unstable Fe 3 O 4 could cause the surface sintering of OC particles in the transformation of Fe 2 O 3 into Fe 3 O 4 . Such findings can not only explain the performance of iron-based OCs in redox reaction, but can also provide theoretical guidance for the synthesis of iron-based OCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iridium dioxide, IrO 2 , is second to the most active RuO 2 catalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in acid, and is used in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers due to its high durability. To improve the activity of IrO 2 -based catalysts, we prepared RuO 2 @IrO 2 core-shell nanocatalysts using carbon-supported Ru as the template. At 1.48 V, the OER specific activity of RuO 2 @IrO 2 is threefold that of IrO 2 . While the activity volcano plots over wide range of materials have been reported, zooming into the top region to clarify the rate limiting steps of most active catalysts is important for further activity enhancement. Here, we verified theory-proposed sequential water dissociation pathway in which the O O bond forms on a single metal site, not via coupling of two adsorbed intermediates, by fitting measured polarization curves using a kinetic equation with the free energies of adsorption and activation as the parameters. Consistent with theoretical calculations, we show that the OER activities of IrO 2 and RuO 2 @IrO 2 are limited by the formation of O adsorbed phase, while the OOH formation on the adsorbed O limits the reaction rate on RuO 2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new aluminum ion fluorescent probe (4-(diethylamino)-2-hydroxybenzylidene)isoquinoline-1-carbohydrazide (HL 1 ) has been conveniently synthesized and characterized. HL 1 exhibited a highly selective and pronounced enhancement for Al 3+ in the fluorescence emission over other common cations by forming a 2:1 complex, with a recognition mechanism based on excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) and intramolecular charge transfer (ICT). The strong fluorescent emission can be observed even at ppm level concentration of the probe in the presence of Al 3+ with 41 fold intensity enhancement at 545 nm. HL 1 displays good linear relationship with Al 3+ in the low concentration and the limit of detection is 8.08 × 10 −8  mol/L. Similar molecules with different substituents on salicylaldehyde phenyl ring were synthesized for studying the structure-activity relationship. Density-functional theory (DFT) calculations are in agreement with the proposed mechanism. It is confirmed that HL 1 could be used to detect Al 3+ ions in real sample by fluorescence spectrometry and Al 3+ ions in cells by bioimaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two chiral Cu(II) complexes of [Cu2( R-L)2](PF6)2·2C2H5OH ( 1) and [Cu2( S-L)2](PF6)2·2C2H5OH ( 2) (HL = 2-(Bis(quinolin-2-ylmethyl)amino)-1-propanol) were designed and synthesized to serve as chemical nucleases and anticancer drugs. X-ray crystallography revealed that two complexes contain chiral binuclear cations and PF6− anions. The interaction of two complexes with CT-DNA was researched via various spectroscopic techniques and viscosity measurement, indicating that the complexes were bound to CT-DNA by a classical intercalation binding mode. In addition, the two complexes exhibited remarkable DNA cleavage activity with an optimal dosage of 10 μM in the absence of any exogenous oxidant agent. Both of the complexes showed excellent in vitro cytotoxicity on A549 cell lines with IC50 values in the low micromolar range. Moreover, complex 2 could damage DNA of A549 cells into fragmentation and then induced cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner, which was demonstrated by comet assay and Hoechst 33342 staining experiment. Further research showed that complex 2 could also induce G2 and S phase cell cycle arrest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical looping combustion (CLC) is an advanced combustion technique that can separate carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) simultaneously. The recyclability and stability of oxygen carriers is very important for the economical efficiency of CLC. The major factor for the deactivation of oxygen carriers is sintering. For most CLC studies, the focus were all on the reactivity of the oxygen carriers, but very few effort was contributed to the sintering properties of the oxygen carriers. This article addressed the characteristic and decay kinetics of surface area for iron oxide in the reduction process of CLC. The results showed that increasing the reaction temperature accelerated the decrease rate of surface area for iron oxide. In addition, with the reduction degree deepening, the grain size of iron oxide increased. Sintering kinetics of surface area decay based on a power law expression model was investigated. The activation energy for surface area decrease of iron oxide in the reduction process was calculated as 89.94 kJ/mol. Sintering and oxygen vacancies creation were the two causes for microstructural variation of iron oxide during the reduction process. Sintering leads to the decrease of surface area for iron oxide, while oxygen vacancies creation results in the porous structure forming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virologic suppression with antiretroviral therapy (ART) has significantly improved health outcomes for people living with HIV, yet challenges related to chronic inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS)—known as Neuro-HIV- persist. As primary targets for HIV-1 with the ability to survey and populate the CNS and interact with myeloid cells to co-ordinate neuroinflammation, CD4 T cells are pivotal in Neuro-HIV. Despite their importance, our understanding of CD4 T cell distribution in virus-targeted CNS tissues, their response to infection, and potential recovery following initiation of ART remain limited. To address these gaps, we studied ten SIVmac251-infected rhesus macaques using an ART regimen simulating suboptimal adherence. We evaluated four macaques during the acute phase pre-ART and six during the chronic phase. Our data revealed that HIV target CCR5+ CD4 T cells inhabit both the brain parenchyma and adjacent CNS tissues, encompassing choroid plexus stroma, dura mater, and the skull bone marrow. Aligning with the known susceptibility of CCR5+ CD4 T cells to viral infection and their presence within the CNS, high levels of viral RNA were detected in the brain parenchyma and its border tissues during acute SIV infection. Single-cell RNA sequencing of CD45+ cells from the brain revealed colocalization of viral transcripts within CD4 clusters and significant activation of antiviral molecules and specific effector programs within T cells, indicating CNS CD4 T cell engagement during infection. Acute infection led to marked imbalance in the CNS CD4/CD8 ratio which persisted into the chronic phase. These observations underscore the functional involvement of CD4 T cells within the CNS during SIV infection, enhancing our understanding of their role in establishing CNS viral presence. Our findings offer insights for potential T cell-focused interventions while underscoring the challenges in eradicating HIV from the CNS, particularly in the context of sub-optimal ART. Author summary: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has improved health outcomes of people living with HIV. However, there are still challenges, especially in the central nervous system (CNS), where ongoing inflammation can lead to neurological disorders. Our study focused on understanding the role of CD4 T cells in the brain during HIV infection and sub-optimal treatment adherence. We used a model with SIV-infected rhesus monkeys to study the AIDS virus in the brain and surrounding tissues. We discovered that a subset of CD4 T cells, which are vulnerable to HIV, are present throughout the CNS. During the early stages of infection, we noticed high levels of the virus in both the brain and nearby tissues. By examining these CD4 T cells at a single-cell level, we found that they actively respond to the virus by initiating specific antiviral effector functions to fight it. Overall, our study helps us understand the role of CD4 T cells within the CNS during both acute and chronic HIV infection. This knowledge could help us develop new ways to target the virus in the CNS and devise treatments for complications related to Neuro-HIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]