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Background: Immunization is one of the most far-reaching and cost-effective strategies for promoting good health and saving lives. A complex immunization schedule, however, may be burdensome to parents and lead to reduced vaccine compliance and completion. Thus, it is critical to develop combination vaccines to reduce the number of injections and simplify the immunization schedule. This study aimed to investigate the current status of the pentavalent diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis inactivated poliomyelitis and Haemophilus influenzae type B conjugate (DTaP-IPV/Hib) vaccination in Southern China as well as explore the factors in the general population associated with uptake and the differences between urban and rural populations. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with recently enrolled kindergarten students in Hainan Province between December 2022 and January 2023. The study employed a stratified multistage cluster random sampling method. Information regarding the demographic characteristics and factors that influence decisions were collected from the caregivers of children via an online questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with the status of DTap-IPV/Hib vaccinations. Results: Of the 4818 valid responses, 95.3% of children were aged 3–4 years, and 2856 (59.3%) held rural hukou. Coverage rates of the DTaP-IPV/Hib vaccine, from 1 to 4 doses, were 24.4%, 20.7%, 18.5%, and 16.0%, respectively. Caregivers who are concerned about vaccine efficacy [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.53, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.30–1.79], the manufacturer (aOR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.69–2.49), and a simple immunization schedule (aOR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.04–1.54) are factors associated with a higher likelihood of vaccinating children against DTaP-IPV/Hib. In addition, caregivers in urban areas showed more concern about the vaccine price (P = 0.010) and immunization schedule (P = 0.022) in regard to vaccinating children. Conclusions: The DTaP-IPV/Hib vaccine coverage rate in Hainan Province remains low. Factors such as lower socioeconomic status, cultural beliefs, concerns about vaccine safety, and cost may hinder caregivers from vaccinating their children. Further measures, such as health education campaigns to raise knowledge and awareness, and encouragement of domestic vaccine innovation, which would reduce out-of-pocket costs, could be implemented to improve the coverage of DTap-IPV/Hib vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polysaccharides have multiple pharmacological activities without toxicity or side effects. In the present study, the structure, antioxidant and lipid-lowering activities of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) polysaccharides (APS) were reported. Three alfalfa root polysaccharides (RAPS), RAPS-1, RAPS-2, and RAPS-3 were isolated, purified, and characterized. The structural analyses demonstrated that the homogeneous RAPS had molecular weights of 22.60, 26.95, and 38.25 kDa, respectively. Furthermore, RAPS-1 was composed of rhamnose, arabinose, xylose, glucuronic acid, glucose, and galactose with molar ratios of 10.25%, 12.53%, 6.58%, 4.56%, 15.74%, and 36.30%, RAPS-2 comprised rhamnose, arabinose, xylose, glucose, and galactose in the molar ratios of 24.07%, 14.48%, 1.24%, 15.05%, and 39.37%, while RAPS-3 was composed of rhamnose, arabinose, xylose, glucuronic acid, mannose, glucose, and galactose in the molar ratios of 31.61%, 11.78%, 1.93%, 5.49%, 3.18%, 14.56%, and 24.63%. The SEM analysis suggested that with the increase of the molecular weight of polysaccharides, its structure is more compact and the stability is stronger. In vitro , RAPS showed strong scavenging ability against DPPH and ABTS free radicals. In addition, RAPS had potent antioxidant activity and reduced the accumulation of lipids in oleic acid-induced NAFLD in HepG2 cells, with RAPS-1 being the most effective. Furthermore, RAPS-1 decreased MDA production, improved the activities of SOD and the total antioxidant capacity of cells, demonstrating that RAPS could effectively restrict lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells induced by oleic acid by restoring the antioxidant system. Western blot analysis indicated that the RAPS-1 can activate the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway to relieve oxidative stress induced by oleic acid, thus playing a role in the treatment of NAFLD. [Display omitted] • Three new acidic polysaccharides were isolated from the roots of Medicago sativa L. • The polysaccharides exhibited considerable antioxidant and lipid-lowering activities. • The polysaccharides with antioxidant effect by activating Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited literature exists on the characteristics of early gastric signet ring cell carcinoma (GSRCC) within 20 mm. This study aimed to explore this type of cancer from several aspects, to provide guidance for early detection and intervention of GSRCC. We retrospectively collected data from 24 patients diagnosed with early GSRCC ≤20 mm in Beijing Friendship Hospital from 2016 to 2021. According to tumor size, those lesions were divided into three groups: diminutive group (1–5 mm, n = 4), small group (6–10 mm, n = 12) and intermediate group (11–20 mm, n = 8). The clinicopathologic and endoscopic characteristics of GSRCC were compared among the three groups. Treatment strategies for lesions differed according to the size (p<.05). There were no significant differences among the three groups with regard to age, sex, Helicobacter pylori infection, tumor location and macroscopic type. Lesions were often flat type and more likely to present with discoloration, uneven color, ulceration and submucosal invasion with the increase of diameter. Almost all cases showed abnormal intervening part (IP) under magnifying endoscopy. The location of early signet ring cell carcinoma is not specific, and the diminutive lesions are often flat. Abnormal IP may be the early endoscopic feature of early GSRCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of biomass resources for multifunctional bio-based waterborne polyurethane (WPU) development is receiving considerable attention. Phloretin (PRT) is considered to be a potential functional plant-based chain extender due to its unique molecular structure. Hereon, a commercial-grade castor oil-modified polyol was utilized as the soft segment. Through a molecular structure design strategy, PRT was incorporated into WPU skeleton to prepare a series of PWPU coatings with varying PRT contents. The results indicated that the addition of PRT resulted in a reduction in the length of cross-linking sites, an increase in the density of the cross-linking network, and significant enhancement of various properties, including mechanical properties, water resistance, adhesion, and anticorrosive performance. For instance, the PWPU-2 film exhibited a tensile strength of 38.2 MPa and an elongation at break of 608.8 %, while its toughness reached an even more remarkable value of 142.8 MJ/m3, surpassing all previously reported plant oil-based WPU systems. Interestingly, the water absorption rate of the PWPU-4 film decreased to 10.2 %, overcoming the challenge of simultaneously improving both water resistance and mechanical properties in plant oil-based WPU. Furthermore, the protective efficiency (IE) of the PWPU-10 coating reached up to 97.08 %. More importantly, the introduction of PRT had endowed PWPU coatings with a comprehensive range of UV shielding properties. The PWPU coatings prepared in this study have applications in various fields, such as anti-corrosion coatings, sunscreen coatings, and water-based ink connectors. These findings provided theoretical ideas for multifunctional WPU functional coatings. • Phloretin was introduced into castor oil-based WPU network. • The castor oil-based WPU films modified by phloretin exhibited strong toughness. • The castor oil-based WPU exhibited high transparency, and good water resistance. • The castor oil-based WPU showed outstanding UV resistance and anti-corrosion properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The addition of oxidants into the electrolyte of Al anodic oxidation can alter the anodic and cathodic reactions, further affects the quality of the oxide film. In this paper, the role of two typical oxidants of H 2 O 2 and Na 2 MoO 4 in the microstructure and corrosion resistance of the oxide film on 2024 aluminum alloy was investigated by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Mott Schottky plots and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The addition of H 2 O 2 increases the oxygen evolution amount on the anode Al and more oxygen can participate in the oxide film formation to improve the compactness. The addition of Na 2 MoO 4 results in the deposit of MoO 2 on the cathode plate to accelerate the hydrogen evolution reaction by the catalytic action of the MoO 2 , which further accelerates the anodic reaction to form a thick oxide film. As a result, the corrosion resistance of the oxide film is significantly improved by adding H 2 O 2 or Na 2 MoO 4 due to the promotion of film thickness and compactness. [Display omitted] • More [O] can participate in the formation of oxide film with the addition of H 2 O 2. • Na 2 MoO 4 promotes film growth by hydrogen catalytic effect of the deposited MoO 2. • Both compactness and thickness of oxide film are improved by adding H 2 O 2 or Na 2 MoO 4. • Corrosion resistance of oxide film is greatly promoted by adding H 2 O 2 or Na 2 MoO 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper(I) thiocyanate (CuSCN) is a prominent wide‐bandgap p‐type semiconductor with desirable transparency and chemical robustness. Whereas intrinsic limitations, such as its relatively low Fermi level (EF) and modest electrical conductivity, have impeded its broader application in organic solar cells (OSCs). This study introduces a novel approach to modify the electronic properties of CuSCN by inducing copper vacancies through the use of specific solvent mixtures, thereby enhancing its suitability for OSCs. The effects of two solvent mixtures, methanol/ammonia (CH3OH/NH4OH) and dimethyl sulfoxide/N,N‐Dimethylformamide (DMSO/DMF) is have systematically investigated, on the CuSCN layer. The findings reveal that these solvent systems induce a higher concentration of copper vacancies within the CuSCN film, resulting in a significant reduction of the EF and a substantial increase in electrical conductivity. These modifications have led to the improved energy level alignment with the PM6:L8‐BO:BTP‐eC9 blended photoactive layers, culminating in a marked enhancement of the power‐conversion efficiencies of 19.10% for the DMSO/DMF processed CuSCN layer. Additionally, it has observed enhanced shelf/thermal stability and thickness tolerance of OSCs based on these CuSCN films. This work not only presents a novel strategy for modifying the performance characteristics of CuSCN but also underscores its potential to contribute to the advancement of photovoltaic technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyelectrolyte-grafted ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has been proven efficient in friction and wear reduction. However, owing to the damaged molecular structure and material stability, the modified material experiences compromised mechanical and tribological properties under immersed, aqueous working environment. To achieve enhanced material strength and water resistance, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were modified and used as reinforcing agent. Nanoindentation tests and macroscopic reciprocating friction tests have shown significant improvements in mechanical and tribological properties: friction coefficient and wear rate down to 0.0086 and 5.6 × 10−8 mm3(Nm)-1 under saline-lubricated conditions, which maintained relatively stable during 120-day saline pre-soaking. This combination of strong hydration lubrication and superior material strength offers a promising design of superlubricating artificial cartilage with high wear resistance and long lifetime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoceramics may have different structural and physical properties compared to their coarse-grained counterparts. Here, we report the high-pressure study of micro- and nano-crystalline MgAl2O4 in order to examine the effect of particle size on the structural stability. A reversible pressure-induced phase transition (cubic to tetragonal) is observed in MgAl2O4 nanocrystals under non-hydrostatic pressure at room temperature, in contrast to the previously reported structural transition of MgAl2O4 at high pressure and high temperature. It is also found that the compressed MgAl2O4 microcrystals do not fracture further below 60 nm, suggesting a plastic deformation mechanism transition. MgAl2O4 with a grain size above ∼60 nm exhibits normal cracking behaviors, but shows metal-like plastic deformation behaviors below this critical size. It is implied that combined ductility and strength can be achieved in nanoceramic MgAl2O4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an efficient and environmental‐friendly strategy, electrocatalytic oxidation can realize biomass lignin valorization by cleaving its aryl ether bonds to produce value‐added chemicals. However, the complex and polymerized structure of lignin presents challenges in terms of reactant adsorption on the catalyst surface, which hinders further refinement. Herein, NiCo‐based metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) are employed as the electrocatalyst to enhance the adsorption of reactant molecules through π‐π interaction. More importantly, lattice strain is introduced into the MOFs via curved ligand doping, which enables tuning of the d‐band center of metal active sites to align with the reaction intermediates, leading to stronger adsorption and higher electrocatalytic activity toward bond cleavage within lignin model compounds and native lignin. When 2′‐phenoxyacetophenone is utilized as the model compound, high yields of phenol (76.3%) and acetophenone (21.7%) are achieved, and the conversion rate of the reactants reaches 97%. Following pre‐oxidation of extracted poplar lignin, >10 kinds of phenolic compounds are received using the as‐designed MOFs electrocatalyst, providing ≈12.48% of the monomer, including guaiacol, vanillin, eugenol, etc., and p‐hydroxybenzoic acid dominates all the products. This work presents a promising and deliberately designed electrocatalyst for realizing lignin valorization, making significant strides for the sustainability of this biomass resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating transmission rates is a challenging yet essential aspect of comprehending and controlling the spread of infectious diseases. Various methods exist for estimating transmission rates, each with distinct assumptions, data needs, and constraints. This study introduces a novel phylogenetic approach called transRate, which integrates genetic information with traditional epidemiological approaches to estimate inter-population transmission rates. The phylogenetic method is statistically consistent as the sample size (i.e. the number of pathogen genomes) approaches infinity under the multi-population susceptible-infected-recovered model. Simulation analyses indicate that transRate can accurately estimate the transmission rate with a sample size of 200 ~ 400 pathogen genomes. Using transRate, we analyzed 40,028 high-quality sequences of SARS-CoV-2 in human hosts during the early pandemic. Our analysis uncovered significant transmission between populations even before widespread travel restrictions were implemented. The development of transRate provides valuable insights for scientists and public health officials to enhance their understanding of the pandemic's progression and aiding in preparedness for future viral outbreaks. As public databases for genomic sequences continue to expand, transRate is increasingly vital for tracking and mitigating the spread of infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC) is among the most lethal tumors encountered in the head and neck and frequently involves regional metastasis. However, the mechanism underlying the aggressiveness of HSCC remains elusive. S100A4 is a well-established metastasis-promoting regulator in a variety of malignancies, but its role in HSCC has not yet been identified. Objectives: Our objectives were to explore the expression levels of S100A4 in HSCC tumors and its association with clinicopathological parameters and the clinical prognosis of HSCC and to confirm its role in the metastatic process of the HSCC FaDu cell line in vitro. Methods: We assessed the expression levels of S100A4 with immunohistochemistry (IHC) in HSCC tumors (n = 71) and adjacent normal tissues (n = 44). In vitro experiments were performed to explore the impact of S100A4 knockdown on biological phenotypes of human HSCC FaDu cell line, including migration, invasion, proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle. Results: The expression of S100A4 was elevated in HSCC tumors compared with adjacent normal tissues and positively correlated with cervical lymph node metastasis in this HSCC patient cohort. In vitro experiments showed that S100A4 knockdown significantly impaired migration and invasion and increased the proportion of cells in G0/G1 phase with no change in proliferation or apoptosis in FaDu cells. Additionally, nuclear S100A4 expression proved to be an independent prognostic indicator in patients with HSCC. Conclusion: This study demonstrated for the first time that S100A4 expression is upregulated in HSCC tumors and that this upregulation is positively correlated with cervical lymph node metastasis of this malignancy. The metastasis-promoting role of S100A4 was further validated in the HSCC FaDu cell line, indicating that S100A4 is a potential therapeutic target for HSCC. Furthermore, this study suggests that nuclear S100A4 expression could be considered a prognostic biomarker for HSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC) is among the most lethal tumors encountered in the head and neck, and currently lacks satisfactory therapeutic targets. Platelet activating factor acetylhydrolase 1B3 (PAFAH1B3), a cancer-relevant metabolic driver, is reported to play a critical role in controlling tumorigenesis and aggressiveness in several types of cancers. However, the role of PAFAH1B3 in HSCC progression has not yet been identified. Methods: The expression pattern of PAFAH1B3 was examined using immunohistochemistry in 83 HSCC tumor tissues and 44 paired adjacent non-tumor samples. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to explore its association with prognosis of HSCC. In vitro loss-of-function assays were performed to explore the impact of PAFAH1B3 knockdown on the biological phenotype of the human HSCC cell line, ie, FaDu cells. Results: PAFAH1B3 was overly expressed in the HSCC tumor tissues compared with the adjacent non-tumor samples. Moreover, high expression of PAFAH1B3 was positively correlated with cervical lymph node metastasis. PAFAH1B3 overexpression was associated with poor outcome in HSCC, but it was not an independent prognostic indicator. Furthermore, in vitro loss-of function experiments demonstrated that PAFAH1B3 knockdown suppressed cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis and disrupting cell cycle process, and the migratory and invasive capacities were also attenuated in the absence of PAFAH1B3. Conclusion: This study for the first time demonstrated the clinical value and the role of PAFAH1B3 in the biological function of HSCC. This work suggested that PAFAH1B3 might serve as a potential therapeutic target for HSCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on flexible 5-(4-pyridyl)-methoxylisophthalic acid ligand (H2L), three layered cadmium coordination polymers, namely [CdL(H2O)]·2H2O (1), [CdL(H2O)(4,4′-bipy)0.5]·H2O (2) (4,4′-bipy = 4,4′-bipyridine), and [CdL(H2O)2]·0.5H2bdc (3) (H2bdc = 1,4-benzene dicarboxylic acid), have been prepared by a rapid microwave (MW)-assisted solvothermal synthesis method. It is noteworthy that the MW-assisted method can effectively accelerate the reaction rate compared with a conventional solvothermal method. 1 exhibits a 2D layer with the quadrangle windows built from dinuclear [Cd2N2O10] SBUs and L2− ligands. 2 shows an interesting two-fold interpenetrated 2D layered structure, in which the 4,4′-bipy ligands link the adjacent sheets constructed from Cd2+ cations and L2− ligands to build a double-layered structure with rhombic windows. For 3, the Cd2+ ions are linked with L2− ligands to form a 2D layer and free H2bdc ligands penetrate into the rhombic windows of the adjacent layers. Moreover, the activated samples of 1, 2 and 3 possess excellent luminescence sensing properties for Fe3+ ions in aqueous solution with high sensitivity and selectivity, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tubby-like proteins (TLPs), characterized by a signature tubby domain, are widespread in plants and animals. To date, only plant TLPs involved in multifarious stress responses and male gametophyte development have been identified. However, studies on the molecular functions of plant TLPs are largely unknown. Results: In this investigation, the roles of a TLP from Malus domestica (MdTLP7) in response to abiotic stresses were characterized by expressing it in Arabidopsis. The expression of wild-type full-length MdTLP7 (FL) significantly increased the stress tolerance of Arabidopsis seedlings to osmotic, salt, cold and heat stress, while the expression of truncated MdTLP7 containing only the tubby domain (Tub) also showed some function. Located on a central α helix surrounded by 12 anti-parallel β strands in the tubby domain, the K190/R192 site may be involved in fixation to the plasma membrane, as shown by 3D homology modelling with animal TLPs. This site might play a crucial role in anti-stress functions since site-directed mutagenesis of MdTLP7 reduced stress tolerance. Subcellular localization showed that MdTLP7 was mainly localized in the plasma membrane in plant cells, suggesting that it might participate in the transduction of stress signals. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that MdTLP7 could improve abiotic stress tolerance not only in bacteria but also in plants. The K190/R192 residues in the tubby domain were not only the plasma membrane binding site of MdTLP7 but also played a key role in stress tolerance. These results may provide a basis for further exploring the mechanism of anti-stress functioning and downstream target genes of plant TLPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A three-dimensional (3D) zinc metal-organic framework (MOF), {[Zn 2 (μ 3 -OH)(cpta)(4,4′-bipy)]·H 2 O} n (1) (4,4′-bipy = 4,4′-bipyridine) was solvothermally synthesized base on a semirigid V-shaped multicarboxylate ligand 2–4(-carboxyphenoxy)terephthalic acid (H 3 cpta). 1 has a complicated 3D structure in which the tetramer [Zn 4 (μ 3 -O) 2 O 10 N 4 ] second building units (SBUs) are interconnected by the V-shaped cpta3− and 4,4′-bipy ligands. 1 shows good selective and sensitive fluorescence sensing effect for detecting Cr(III)/Cr(VI) ions and p -nitrotolune (p -NP). The detection limits of Cr3+, Cr 2 O 7 2−, and p -NP can reach 5.55 × 10−6, 6.91 × 10−6 and 4.01 × 10−6 M, respectively. Moreover, 1 can be recycled at least four times for sensing Cr3+ and Cr 2 O 7 2− ions. In addition, the luminescence intensity of 1 is strongly correlated with the pH value in a pH range from 2 to 12. Graphical abstract A three-dimensional (3D) zinc metal-organic framework (MOF) was synthesized under solvothermal condition by the assembly of semirigid V-shaped multicarboxylate ligand 2–4(-carboxyphenoxy)terephthalic acid (H 3 cpta) and 4,4′-bipyridine (4,4′-bipy) with Zn(II) ion. 1 shows good selective fluorescence sensing for detecting Cr(III)/Cr(VI) ions and p -nitrotolune (p -NP). fx1 Highlights • A 3D Zn-MOF has been successfully synthesized. • It exhibits highly luminescent sensing properties for Cr3+, Cr 2 O 7 2−, p -NP and pH. • The detection limits of Cr3+, Cr 2 O 7 2−, and p -NP can reach 5.55 × 10−6, 6.91 × 10−6 and 4.01 × 10−6 M, respectively. • It can be recycled at least four times for sensing Cr3+ and Cr 2 O 7 2− ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A graph theory-based method is developed for region recognition of corrugated plate. • A feature-data-template is defined to store the information of the corrugations. • An active exploring-based graph traversal strategy is used to identify corrugations. • The correct recognition rate of the regions achieves to 99.57%. A graph theory-based method is proposed to identify two types of blocky corrugations on the corrugated plate of plate heat exchangers. A graph network is established basing on the region group constituted from a defect-free corrugated plate. Each blocky region in the group is taken as a node. And a set of unique lines between the nodes are taken as the arcs. A feature-data-template (FDT) based on a four-dimensional feature vector is defined to represent the location and the attribute of the nodes. Then, an active exploring-based graph traversal strategy is proposed based on the theory of web crawler model. It builds arcs actively from the root node to the lower-level nodes by the FDT established above. Experimental results show that the CRR of sample is 97.67% and the CRR of region is 99.57%. And the time-consuming is in millisecond level. It shows great potential for the practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), namely {[Zn 3 (L) 2 (4,4′-bipy)(DMF) 2 ]·2H 2 O} n (1) and {[Cd 3 (L) 2 (4,4′-bipy)(H 2 O) 2 ].2DMF} n (2) (4,4′-bipy = 4,4′-bipyridine, DMF = N , N -dimethylformamide), were solvothermally prepared based on a rigid tricarboxylic acid 3-(3,5-dicarboxylphenyl)-5-(3-carboxylphenyl)-1-H-1,2,4-triazole (H 3 L). X-ray crystallographic analysis reveals that 1 and 2 are isostructural and both emit blue light. Notably, 1 exhibits good luminescent sensing for nitro-containing compounds and Fe 3+ ions. In addition, the emission colors of 1 can be tuned from yellow to white and to blue by encapsulating different mole ratios of Eu 3+ and Tb 3+ ions and changing the excitation wavelength. A white emission with the Commission International de l’Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.331, 0.337), which fall within the white-light region, emerges upon excitation at 340 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three layer-structured coordination polymers (CPs), namely, [Pb2(TZI)(μ3-OH)(H2O)·(H2O)]n (1), [Pb(HTZI)(phen)·(H2O)]n (2) and [Zn2(TZI)(μ3-OH)(H2O)2·(1/2H2O)]n (3) have been constructed from the 5-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)isophthalic acid (H3TZI) ligand. Notably, 1 can function as a host for the encapsulation of lanthanide(iii) ions by encapsulating different Ln3+ ions. As-prepared Ln3+@1 materials show tunable luminescent emission including white-light emission. Moreover, 1 exhibits highly luminescent sensing properties for small organic molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ubiquitin-protein ligases (E3s) directly participate in ubiquitin (Ub) transferring to the target proteins in the ubiquitination pathway. The HECT ubiquitin-protein ligase (UPL), one type of E3s, is characterized as containing a conserved HECT domain of approximately 350 amino acids in the C terminus. Some UPLs were found to be involved in trichome development and leaf senescence in Arabidopsis. However, studies on plant UPLs, such as characteristics of the protein structure, predicted functional motifs of the HECT domain, and the regulatory expression of UPLs have all been limited. Here, we present genome-wide identification of the genes encoding UPLs (HECT gene) in apple. The 13 genes (named as MdUPL1- MdUPL13) from ten different chromosomes were divided into four groups by phylogenetic analysis. Among these groups, the encoding genes in the intron-exon structure and the included additional functional domains were quite different. Notably, the F-box domain was first found in MdUPL7 in plant UPLs. The HECT domain in different MdUPL groups also presented different spatial features and three types of conservative motifs were identified. The promoters of each MdUPL member carried multiple stress-response related elements by cis-acting element analysis. Experimental results demonstrated that the expressions of several MdUPLs were quite sensitive to cold-, drought-, and salt-stresses by qRT-PCR assay. The results of this study helped to elucidate the functions of HECT proteins, especially in Rosaceae plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of wireless power transfer (WPT), dynamic wireless power transfer (DWPT) has become a key technology for solving the low driving range of electric vehicles. This study aims to alleviate the output fluctuation of the power supply rail of a bipolar transmitter during DWPT, and to meet the wide output voltage range requirement at the receiving end. Specifically, a cascaded interleaved three-level buck converter is developed as a power topology at the receiving end to effectively reduce the electrical stress of the switching device. In addition, a control method that combines active disturbance rejection control and a disturbance observer is proposed to suppress the output fluctuation of the coupling coil at the receiving end and to improve the dynamic response speed, which effectively enhances the output stability of the DWPT system. In this paper, a 30 kW DWPT experimental platform is established to verify the superiority of the cascaded three-level buck converter and the effectiveness of the proposed control method. The proposed control method has a 40% higher fluctuation suppression capability when compared with the traditional control method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent answering technology, which enables computers to solve problems automatically, is often used to develop tutorial systems, and has a wide range of application prospects. However, due to the lack of linguistic analysis and understanding methods, there are few researches on intelligent algorithms for solving kinematics problems. Developing such an algorithm is challenging, because solving kinematics problems is a complex task that includes text understanding, problem analysis, and automatic solution. To understand all these complexities involved in kinematics problems requires background knowledge. And only when an automatic solver contains a powerful internal knowledge representation system can it perform these tasks. We, thus, develop KinRob, an tutorial system for solving kinematics problems by combining neural network and ontology. Firstly, we propose an ontology for KinRob, which defines the knowledge of kinematics, and can help the robot understand a kinematics problem. Secondly, to match the text in natural language with the ontology, we propose a novel tagging scheme based on the kinematic problem understanding model in named entity recognition (NER). Finally, extensive experiments are conducted, and the experimental results show that the performance of the proposed method on a dataset of kinematic problems from authoritative sources better than the baseline algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new isostructural lanthanide coordination polymers (Ln-CPs) [Ln 2 (bpdc) 3 (DMF) 2 ] (Ln = Tb for 1 , Eu for 2 ) with two kinds of one-dimensional channels along the a axis, were synthesized by 2,2′-bipyridyl-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid (H 2 bpdc) under solvothermal conditions. With exposed Lewis acid Ln 3+ centers, 1 as a heterogeneous catalyst shows good catalytic reactivity and selectivity for the Strecker reaction affording medium to excellent conversion yields. Luminescent studies illustrate that 1 and 2 show intensive green and red luminescence triggered by efficient antenna effect of ligands under UV light, respectively. Moreover, 1 exhibits sensitive fluorescent response to Cu 2+ in DMF solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of lanthanide coordination polymers (LnCPs), namely [Ln(TZI) (H2O)5]n (1–5) [Ln = Nd (1), Eu (2), Gd (3), Tb (4) and Sm (5)], were synthesized through the self-assembly of 5-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)isophthalic acid (H3TZI) ligand and lanthanide ions. X-ray crystallographic analysis reveals that compounds 1–5 are isostructural, featuring a 1D double-chain structure. The luminescence spectra in the solid state reveal that compounds 2 and 4 exhibit the characteristic luminescence of Eu(iii) and Tb(iii) ions, respectively, while compound 3 exhibits much enhanced blue-green emission which is derived from the H3TZI ligand. Further, by introducing single dopant Eu(iii) and codopants Eu(iii)/Tb(iii) into the Gd(iii) framework, white light emission and color-tunable luminescence from yellow to blue were realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The orthorhombic O and O′ structure phases of ABO3-type perovskites possess the same symmetry and quite different physical properties. In this work, a pressure induced isostructural O′–O phase transition with volume expansion and less distortion in DyFeO3 orthoferrite was experimentally observed and studied by high-pressure x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy measurements. Up to 35.2 GPa, DyFeO3 crystallizes in an orthorhombic Pbnm symmetry structure. With no change in the symmetry group, distinct O′-phase and O-phase were verified below 13.1 GPa and above 15.1 GPa, respectively. Meanwhile, the lattice becomes less distorted and metrically pseudo-cubic on the high-pressure side. The cell volume expands by a step in the intermediate pressure window accompanied by a decrease in spontaneous strain. It is suggested that FeO6 octahedra are more compressible than DyO12 sites under pressure. This work claimed the physical mechanism underlying phonon dynamics and variation of local structure symmetry of DyFeO3, which can be considered as the basic view for RFeO3 perovskites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing the backbones of polymers with metal atoms is an attractive strategy to develop new functional polymeric materials, but it has yet to be studied due to synthetic challenges. Here, metal atoms are interconnected as the backbones of polymers to yield metal‐backboned polymers (MBPs). Rational design of multidentate ligands synthesized via an efficient iterative approach leads to the successful construction of a series of nickel‐backboned polymers (NBPs) with well‐defined lengths and up to 21 nickel atoms, whose structures are systematically confirmed. These NBPs exhibit strong and length‐depended absorption with narrow band gaps, offering promising applications in optoelectronic devices and semiconductors. We also demonstrate the high thermal stability and solution processsability of such nickel‐backboned polymers. Our results represent a new opportunity to design and synthesize a variety of new metal‐backboned polymers for promising applications in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing the backbones of polymers with metal atoms is an attractive strategy to develop new functional polymeric materials, but it has yet to be studied due to synthetic challenges. Here, metal atoms are interconnected as the backbones of polymers to yield metal‐backboned polymers (MBPs). Rational design of multidentate ligands synthesized via an efficient iterative approach leads to the successful construction of a series of nickel‐backboned polymers (NBPs) with well‐defined lengths and up to 21 nickel atoms, whose structures are systematically confirmed. These NBPs exhibit strong and length‐depended absorption with narrow band gaps, offering promising applications in optoelectronic devices and semiconductors. We also demonstrate the high thermal stability and solution processsability of such nickel‐backboned polymers. Our results represent a new opportunity to design and synthesize a variety of new metal‐backboned polymers for promising applications in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A hybrid method for residual capacity estimation is proposed. • Three new health indicators related to the capacity loss mechanism are established. • Support vector regression by improved moth-flame optimization is proposed. • Residual capacity tests of 1000 retired batteries are conducted. • The root mean square error is within 2.18% using only the first 10% of the data. Accurate residual capacity estimation of retired LiFePO 4 batteries is critically important for second-use applications but is challenging with multiple aging pathways and nonlinear degradation mechanisms. In this study, a fast and accurate residual capacity estimation method based on the mechanism and data-driven model is developed with two main contributions. First, as the basis of the residual capacity estimation model, three new health indicators directly related to the capacity loss mechanism are derived from the prognostic and mechanism model using the Levenberg-Marquardt method and Spearman correlation. Second, residual capacity tests were conducted on 1000 retired batteries to establish a data-driven model for residual capacity estimation based on the proposed health indicators, guaranteeing better universality and estimation accuracy for different types of retired LiFePO 4 batteries. To establish a data-driven model for the residual capacity estimation, an improved moth–flame optimization and support vector regression method is used; the adaptive weight and Levy flight are introduced in the moth–flame optimization algorithm to prevent the local optimal value. The residual capacity estimation results are compared with the results from three other typical methods and input health indicators. The results show that the root mean square error of the proposed method is within 2.18% using only the first 10% of the data, a smaller error than with the other methods. A fast and accurate residual capacity estimation method for retired batteries can reduce the cost and improve the development for second-use applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel organic–inorganic coordination polymer [CdCl3(CH3)3NH] 1 was synthesized by the reaction of CdCl2 with trimethylamine (TMA) at 170 °C for 5 days in ethanol and structurally characterized by means of X-ray single diffraction. The title compound affords a one-dimensional chain structure. It crystallizes in hexagonal system space group with , , , , , , , , , , the final and for 355 observed reflections with . The title compound consists of cation [(CH3)3NH]+ and anion chain , and they are combined by static attracting forces in the crystal. TG–DTA, XRD and IR data for the title compound are reported and discussed. The photoluminescent properties of the compound 1 were also investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • Co doping increases the 2D-BP conductivity by reducing band gap to 0.4339 eV. • The total hydrogen storage capacity reaches up to 18 wt% of Co-2D-BP weight. • Co-2D-BP shows a high electrochemical activity and an excellent reversibility. The effects of cobalt (Co) doping in two-dimensional black phosphorus nanosheets (Co-2D-BP) on its performance of electrochemical hydrogen storage was systematically studied by experiment and theoretical calculation. The band gap of 2D-BP was reduced from 0.9783 eV to 0.4339 eV after Co doping. The maximum discharge capacity of Co-2D-BP reached 6200mAh/g (i.e., hydrogen content reaches up to 18 wt% of Co-2D-BP weight) and about 10.3 times than that of 2D-BP. In addition, the charge–discharge efficiency of 2D-BP and Co-2D-BP can reach more than 90%. The performance improvements of 2D-BP after Co doping could contribute to promote its application in the field of electrochemical hydrogen storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent answering technology, which enables computers to solve problems automatically, is often used to develop tutorial systems, and has a wide range of application prospects. However, due to the lack of linguistic analysis and understanding methods, there are few researches on intelligent algorithms for solving kinematics problems. Developing such an algorithm is challenging, because solving kinematics problems is a complex task that includes text understanding, problem analysis, and automatic solution. To understand all these complexities involved in kinematics problems requires background knowledge. And only when an automatic solver contains a powerful internal knowledge representation system can it perform these tasks. We, thus, develop KinRob, an tutorial system for solving kinematics problems by combining neural network and ontology. Firstly, we propose an ontology for KinRob, which defines the knowledge of kinematics, and can help the robot understand a kinematics problem. Secondly, to match the text in natural language with the ontology, we propose a novel tagging scheme based on the kinematic problem understanding model in named entity recognition (NER). Finally, extensive experiments are conducted, and the experimental results show that the performance of the proposed method on a dataset of kinematic problems from authoritative sources better than the baseline algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PASP-Zn films were constructed on Q235 steel by coordination self-assembly. • PASP-Zn films can improve the corrosion resistance of Q235 steel significantly. • Corrosion resistance is related to PASP/Zn ratio, pH value and assembly time. • The assembly and protection mechanism of PASP-Zn films are proposed. In this work, an economical and environmentally friendly polyaspartic acid-zinc (PASP-Zn) film was successfully prepared on the surface of Q235 steel by coordination self-assembly, and the preparation conditions of PASP-Zn film were optimized by single factor method. The surface morphology and thickness of PASP-Zn film were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the structure and composition of PASP-Zn film were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The corrosion resistance of PASP-Zn film on Q235 steel in 3.5wt % NaCl solution was analyzed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and polarization curves. The results show that PASP film and PASP-Zn film are successfully prepared on the surface of Q235 steel, and the single PASP film is self-assembled monolayers with thin thickness and loose structure. Whereas PASP-Zn film shows a rough morphology, accompanied by appearance of a large amount of nanoparticles, and the thickness of PASP-Zn film is about 98.0 nm. PASP-Zn film exhibits much better corrosion protective performance than PASP film in 3.5 wt % NaCl solution, and the highest protection efficiency can reach 94.48 %. The excellent coordination ability between PASP and zinc ions can effectively improve the compactness and thickness of PASP-Zn film, and prevent the corrosive ions from contacting the Q235 steel surface. By adjusting the preparation conditions, a PASP-Zn film with optimal corrosion resistance was prepared in the film-forming solution containing PASP/Zn ratio of 1:8 and pH value of 5.0 for 30 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study contributes to the exploration of transition metal phosphides with specific composition and structure to enhance electrocatalytic ability. Cobalt doped two dimensional black phosphorus (Co-2D BP) with layered structure exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline solutions, and demonstrates an overpotential of 86.42 mv at a current density of 10 mA cm−2, requiring only 140.29 mv, 198 mv, and 238.89 mv to reach 20, 50, and 100 mA cm−2 respectively. The catalytic performance was stable even after 10 h using in alkaline electrolytes, demonstrating good chemical stability. Co-2D BP can also improve the catalytic performance for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). This study provides a novel strategy for the design of multifunctional 2D BP-based catalytic materials for hydrolysis. [Display omitted] • A novel strategy contributes to design phosphorylation-based hydrolysis catalyst. • Cobalt doping regulates charge transfer and intermediates' adsorption energy. • Superior lamellar structure increases the catalytic activity of hydrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High mountain freshwater systems are particularly sensitive to the impacts of global warming and relevant environmental changes. Microorganisms contribute substantially to biogeochemical processes, yet their distribution patterns and driving mechanism in alpine streams remain understudied. Here, we examined the bacterial and fungal community compositions in stream biofilm along the elevational gradient of 745–1874 m on Mt. Kilimanjaro and explored their alpha and beta diversity patterns and the underlying environmental drivers. We found that the species richness and evenness monotonically increased towards higher elevations for bacteria, while were non-significant for fungi. However, both bacterial and fungal communities showed consistent elevational distance-decay relationships, i.e., the dissimilarity of assemblage composition increased with greater elevational differences. Bacterial alpha diversity patterns were mainly affected by chemical variables such as total nitrogen and phosphorus, while fungi were affected by physical variables such as riparian shading and stream width. Notably, climatic variables such as mean annual temperature strongly affected the elevational succession of bacterial and fungal community compositions. Our study is the first exploration of microbial biodiversity and their underlying driving mechanisms for stream ecosystems in tropical alpine regions. Our findings provide insights on the response patterns of tropical aquatic microbial community composition and diversity under climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new 3D manganese-organic frameworks (1) constructed by semi-rigid 5-((4′-(tetrazol-5′'-yl)benzyl)oxy)isophthalic acid has been synthesized. • 1 possesses left- and right- hand helical O-Mn-O chains constructed from trinuclear Mn 3 O 13 N 2 units by sharing vertex and eadge along b axis. • 1 shows high stability under different pH conditions and various organic solvents. • 1 exhibits excellent catalytic properties for cyanosilylation and knoevenagel condensation reactions of various aldehydes under solvent-free condition at room temperature. A new three-dimensional manganese-based metal–organic framework Mn 4 L 2 (HL)(H 2 O) 5 , (1), based on semi-rigid 5-((4′-(tetrazol-5′'-yl)benzyl)oxy)isophthalic acid ligand (H 3 L) have been prepared and characterized under solvothermal condition. In the structure of 1 , trinuclear Mn 3 O 13 N 2 units are linked each other by sharing vertex and edge to form left- and right- hand helical O-Mn-O chains along b axis, then adjacent left and right handed helical chains are interconnected by L3− and HL2− ligands to generate a 2D layer and L3− ligands with mode II connect the neighboring layers to form a 3D network. 1 shows high stability under different pH conditions and various organic solvents. After activation, 1 exhibits excellent catalytic properties for two typical C C bond reactions, cyanosilylation and Knoevenagel condensation reaction of aldehydes, under solvent-free conditions at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degradation of lithium-ion batteries resulted from electrolyte decomposition may be indicated by the change in diffusion coefficient, D e , and concentration, C e. Although D e and C e are included in the liquid-phase diffusion process of a pseudo two-dimensional (P2D) model, these two important parameters are always inundated or contaminated when the complete P2D model is reduced. To obtain D e and C e reliably, a new parameter-lumped model of concentration overpotential, based on the reduced liquid-phase diffusion partial differential equation (PDE)in P2D model by Padé approximation, is developed with two main contributions. First, as the basis of Padé-based approximation, new analytic solutions of liquid-phase diffusion PDE are derived under the improved boundary conditions with the mass conservation principle. Second, in the proposed parameter-lumped model, the target parameters of D e and C e are grouped with other unknown but fixed parameters, respectively, which guarantees that even if the specific values of target parameters cannot be obtained, their changing trajectories can also be independently and effectively observed by lumped parameters. Finally, the simulation accuracies of reduced dynamic electrolyte concentration expressions are compared with that from other simplified methods, and the identification accuracy of the lumped parameters is verified under different working conditions. • Target parameters for electrolyte decomposition are lumped respectively. • The changes in target parameters can be identified unambiguously. • Padé approximation is applied to simplify liquid-phase diffusion process. • Analytical expression for diffusion is proposed under improved boundary conditions. • Accuracy of Padé approximation is compared with that of other simplified methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 ( HIF-1 ) is a transcriptional regulator that mediates cellular adaptive responses to hypoxia. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) is involved in the development of ascites syndrome (AS) in broiler chickens. Therefore, studying the effect of HIF-1α on the cellular transcriptome under hypoxic conditions will help to better understand the mechanism of HIF-1α in the development of AS in broilers. In this study, we analyzed the gene expression profile of the chicken fibroblast cell line (DF-1) under hypoxic conditions by RNA-seq. Additionally, we constructed the HIF-1α knockdown DF-1 cell line by using the RNAi method and analyzed the gene expression profile under hypoxic conditions. The results showed that exposure to hypoxia for 48 h had a significant impact on the expression of genes in the DF-1 cell line, which related to cell proliferation, stress response, and apoptosis. In addition, after HIF-1α knockdown more differential expression genes appeared than in wild-type cells, and the expression of most hypoxia-related genes was either down-regulated or remained unchanged. Pathway analysis results showed that differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in pathways related to cell proliferation, apoptosis, and oxidative phosphorylation. Our study obtained transcriptomic data from chicken fibroblasts at different hypoxic times and identified the potential regulatory network associated with HIF-1α. This data provides valuable support for understanding the transcriptional regulatory mechanism of HIF-1α in the development of AS in broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental/economic dispatch (EED) of power systems addresses the environmental pollution problems caused by power generation at the operational level, offering macroscopic control without requiring additional construction and remediation costs, garnering widespread attention in recent years. This paper undertakes a comprehensive review of existing EED models, categorizing them according to the control of atmospheric pollutants into total air pollutant control (TAPC) and control considering the spatial and temporal diffusion (STD) of atmospheric pollutants. In addition, various methods employed to address the EED problems, as well as the current state of research on multi-area EED models, are presented. Finally, this paper analyzes and summarizes the literature on existing EED models, highlighting the deficiencies of the current work and future research directions. Through these explorations, the authors find that controlling the EED model by considering TAPC is more suitable for general macro planning, whereas the EED model considering the STD of air pollutant emissions enables more precise and effective control. Summarizing such models and techniques is conducive to developing dispatch plans adapted to local conditions, which is significantly beneficial for public welfare and government management, promoting sustainable and environmentally friendly power system dispatch methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a brain tumor with a high mortality rate. Surgical resection combined with radiotherapy and chemotherapy is the standard treatment for GBM patients, but the 5-year survival rate of patients despite this treatment is low. Immunotherapy has attracted increasing attention in recent years. As the pioneer and the main effector cells of immunotherapy, T cells play a key role in tumor immunotherapy. However, the T cells in GBM microenvironment are inhibited by the highly immunosuppressive environment of GBM, posing huge challenges to T cell-based GBM immunotherapy. This review summarizes the effects of the GBM microenvironment on the infiltration and function of different T-cell subsets and the possible strategies to overcome immunosuppression, and thus enhance the effectiveness of GBM immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: To seek a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) with excellent performance, a novel poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) based SPE is prepared by blending an appropriate amount of microcrystalline poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF‐HFP) with PEO using a universal solution casting method. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) are utilized to analyse the samples. The crystallinity of the blend solid polymer electrolyte is significantly lower than that of the neat PEO‐based SPE. The addition of the PVDF‐HFP disrupts the segment structure of the PEO crystal region and increases the proportion of the amorphous region, thus boosting the migration of lithium ions. The results show that the electrochemical stability window of the blend solid polymer electrolyte reaches as high as 4.8 V. The initial discharge specific capacity of the solid‐state LiFePO4/SPE/Li battery is 131 mAh g−1 at 0.5 C and 60°C, and the discharge specific capacity is still 110.5 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles. On the basis of the results, the novel SPE has a widespread application prospects in solid‐state lithium‐ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of hazardous LCD is a complicated coupled process, which contains a large number of impurity metals, especially Fe(III), increased the difficulty of In(III) recovery. Moreover, the defects of the traditional extraction process, such as extractant ageing quickly, difficulty to back-extraction, and easy emulsification, seriously restricted the efficient and environmentally friendly recovery of In. Therefore, a novel adsorbent (D2EHPA/SiO 2 –P) was synthesized for the separation and recovery of In(III), and a new recovery process was developed to eliminate the defects of traditional In recovery process in this study. D2EHPA/SiO 2 –P exhibited excellent adsorption selectivity and kinetics for In(III), and the adsorption equilibrium was obtained within 3 min. The adsorption process of In(III) conformed to the pseudo-second-order and Langmuir model. In(III) on D2EHPA/SiO 2 –P was desorbed by 3 M HCl solution, and D2EHPA/SiO 2 –P still had high adsorption and desorption efficiency for In(III) after 5 times of adsorption-desorption cycle experiments. The adsorption mechanism study found that the O–H bond on the D2EHPA participated in the substitution reaction and bonded with In(III) as the adsorption site during the adsorption process. The bond order value of In–O bond was the lowest in the D2EHPA adsorbed In(III) during the desorption process, indicating that In–O bond was easy to break and desorption form D2EHPA. Finally, in the 0.1M H 2 SO 4 system, a new process of using H 2 C 2 O 4 to reduce Fe(III) in advance, and then using D2EHPA/SiO 2 –P to adsorb In(III) was designed to recover In(III) without producing toxic gas, which realized the separation of In(III) and Fe(III). Our findings showed that the developed recovery process was both efficient and environmentally friendly, which had the potential for industrial application of In recovery from hazardous LCD. [Display omitted] • A silica-based adsorbent was successfully synthesized to separate and recover In(III). • A new process was designed to recover In(III) without producing toxic gas. • D2EHPA/SiO 2 –P showed excellent adsorption selectivity and kinetics towards In(III). • Adsorbent had good desorption and reusability proved by 5 adsorption-desorption cycles. • O–H bond in D2EHPA was involved in the binding and substitution reaction of In(III). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of various chemical substances to control pests, diseases, and weeds in the field is a necessary part of the agricultural development process in every country. While the application of pesticides can improve the quality and yield of crops, plant resistance and the harm caused by pesticide residues to the environment and humans have led to the search for greener and safer pesticide formulations to improve the current situation. In recent years, nanopesticides (NPts) have shown great potential in agriculture due to their high efficiency, low toxicity, targeting, resistance, and controlled slow release demonstrated in the experimental stage. Commonly used approaches to prepare NPts include the use of nanoscale metal materials as active ingredients (AI) (ingredients that can play a role in insecticide, sterilization and weeding) or the construction of carriers based on commonly used pesticides to make them stable in nano-sized form. This paper systematically summarizes the advantages and effects of NPts over conventional pesticides, analyzes the formation and functions of NPts in terms of structure, AI, and additives, and describes the mechanism of action of NPts. Despite the feasibility of NPts use, there is not enough comprehensive research on NPts, which must be supplemented by more experiments in terms of biotoxicology and ecological effects to provide strong support for NPts application. • The advantages of nano-pesticides over conventional pesticides are summarized. • New ways of applying nanotechnology to biopesticides are introduced. • Exploring how nano-pesticides' efficacy relates to their composition. • The main mechanisms by which nanopesticides work are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Five iso-structural Ln-CPs have been synthesized from a symmetric tetracarboxylic acid. • 1 – 5 Show 2D hexagonal honeycomb structures and exhibit characteristic emissions of Ln3+ ions. • 1 Exhibits excellent sensing of metal ions and solvent molecules. Abstract A series of lanthanide coordination polymers (Ln-CPs) {(Me 2 NH 2 +)[Ln(L)(H 2 O) 2 ]} n (1 – 5) [Ln = Eu(1), Tb(2), Gd(3), Sm(4) and Pr(5)], were synthesized through the self-assembly of symmetric tetracarboxylic acid 3,5-bis(3,5-dicarboxylphenyl)-pyridine (H 4 L) and different lanthanide ions. Ln-CPs 1 – 5 are isostructural and show two-dimensional (2D) layered structure constructed from LnO 9 tricapped trigonal prisms and L4− ligands. Solid state luminescent studies illustrate that 1 , 2 and 4 exhibit the characteristic emission of the corresponding Ln3+ ions, while 3 reveals blue emission arising from the organic ligand and 5 shows characteristic luminescence emission bands of Pr3+ ions in the near-infrared region (NIR). Notably, 1 exhibits good luminescent sensing for metal ions, such as Cr 2 O 7 2− ions, MnO 4 − ions, Fe3+ ions, and small organic molecules, including acetone and trinitrophenol (TNP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel three-dimensional metal-organic framework (MOF) {[In 3 (NIPH) 3 (HNIPH)(OH) 2 ]·4H 2 O} n ( 1 ) (H 2 NIPH = 5-nitroisophthalic acid) with one-dimensional channels was synthesized and structurally characterized. Importantly, it demonstrates excellent catalytic activity for the Strecker reactions of two or three components under mild conditions. Moreover, the catalytic recycling of 1 as a representative example was explored. It can be easily separated and reused for no less than five runs with more than 80% conversion yield in catalytic ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new anionic coordination polymer (CP) has been solvothermally prepared with the long and flexible N -containing tricarboxylate ligand 5-[(3-(4-carboxyphenyl)-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)methyl]isophthalic acid (H 3 L) and zinc ions. {(Me 2 NH 2 )[Zn(L)(H 2 O)]·DMF} n ( 1 ) (DMF =  N , N -dimethylformamide) exhibits a fascinating undulant two dimensional (2D) layered structure and adjacent layers are further linked by π-π interactions to form three dimensional (3D) frameworks with the rhombic channels along the b axis, in which the (Me 2 NH 2 ) + cations are located. 1 emits blue light in solid state and possesses highly stability in different organic solvents. Moreover, it exhibits excellent luminescent sensing properties for Fe 3+ and Cr 2 O 7 2− with high sensitivity and selectivity, respectively. The K sv value of Fe 3+ ions is 2.06 × 10 4  M −1 , while 1.35 × 10 4  M −1 for Cr 2 O 7 2− ions. The luminescence quenching can be attributed to resonance energy transfer between 1 and analytes. Furthermore, the lanthanide ions doped materials Ln 3+ @ 1 are successfully prepared by cation-exchange, in which Eu 3+ /Tb 3+ codoped materials show tunable luminescence and white-light emission by adjusting different molar ratios of Eu 3+ and Tb 3+ ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal‐organic framework materials (MOFs) have the characteristics of versatile composition, high specific surface area, rich and orderly pore structure and adjustable pore size, which provide an ideal platform to develop desulfurization adsorbent and investigate the factors influencing the mercaptan removal performance. In this study, five kinds of MOFs with different adsorption sites (Cu, Ni, Zn), topological structure, pore size and defect degree were prepared and evaluated the desulfurization performance. The mercaptan adsorption capacity followed the order of CuBDC‐D>CuBDC>NiBDC>ZIF‐8>MOF‐5, and the metal site and defect were considered the main influence factors. The present study suggested that defect engineering of Cu based MOFs is a promising strategy to design efficient adsorbent for mercaptan removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) is an effective way to improve the thermal control property and service lifetime of the B 4 C/aluminum matrix composites (B 4 C/AMC) used in nuclear power field. The evolution process of B 4 C particles during the growth of PEO film was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) morphology observation, secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) chemical composition analysis. The results show that the B 4 C particles keep intact status but inhibit spark discharge in the initial oxidation stage, and then a few B 4 C particles are partly oxidized to small size and mixed into the film. After that, plenty of B 4 C particles are oxidized to B 2 O 3 and solid C which escapes from the film as carbon oxide gas under strong spark discharge. The B 4 C particles disrupt the continuity of the film due to lack of sparking on their surface at the early stage of oxidation, but the film compactness is improved with decreasing B 4 C particles in the film under high oxidation voltage. [Display omitted] • B 4 C particles keep intact status but delay spark discharge in the initial oxidation stage. • B 4 C particles disrupt the continuity of the film due to lack of sparking on their surface. • B 4 C particles are oxidized to B 2 O 3 and solid C which escapes from the film as carbon oxide gas under strong spark discharge. • Film compactness is gradually improved with decreasing B 4 C particles in the film under high oxidation voltage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The benefits of hypoxia for maintaining the stemness of cultured human bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (BM EPCs) have previously been demonstrated but the mechanisms responsible remain unclear. Growing evidences suggest that cellular metabolism plays an important role in regulating stem cell fate and self-renewal. Here we aimed to detect the changes of glucose metabolism and to explore its role on maintaining the stemness of BM EPCs under hypoxia. We identified the metabolic status of BM EPCs by using extracellular flux analysis, LC–MS/MS, and 13C tracing HPLC-QE-MS, and found that hypoxia induced glucose metabolic reprogramming, which manifested as increased glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), decreased tricarboxylic acid (TCA) and mitochondrial respiration. We further pharmacologically altered the metabolic status of cells by employing various of inhibitors of key enzymes of glycolysis, PPP, TCA cycle and mitochondria electron transport chain (ETC). We found that inhibiting glycolysis or PPP impaired cell proliferation either under normoxia or hypoxia. On the contrary, inhibiting pyruvate oxidation, TCA or ETC promoted cell proliferation under normoxia mimicking hypoxic conditions. Moreover, promoting pyruvate oxidation reverses the maintenance effect of hypoxia on cell stemness. Taken together, our data suggest that hypoxia induced glucose metabolic reprogramming maintains the stemness of BM EPCs, and artificial manipulation of cell metabolism can be an effective way for regulating the stemness of BM EPCs, thereby improving the efficiency of cell expansion in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterogeneous, sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have arisen in recent decades due to their high reactivity and oxidation capabilities for a wide spectrum of hazardous and refractory organic compounds. The presence of a rate-limiting step with a slow conversion rate from ≡Me(n+1)+ to ≡Men+ in transition metal oxides, on the other hand, severely limits the performance of PMS activation. Also, the activity of metal catalysts is pH-sensitive. Herein, we provide a promising strategy to solve these issues. In this paper, Cu/Mn–ZnO nanoparticles consisting of dual reaction centers (DRCs) with electron-rich/poor areas were synthesized by hydrothermal methods, which demonstrated high activity, stability, and reusability in heterogeneous catalysis. Characterization results (e.g., XPS) revealed that the catalysts present surface electron-rich Cu & oxygen vacancies (OVs) centers/deficient micro-areas, avoiding direct reaction with metal ions, while pollutants can be captured and preliminarily degraded by the electron-deficient areas as electron donors. As a result, the structure eliminated the influence of pH on activity in the range of 2.5–10.5 and exhibited significant catalytic activity. Using Rhodamine B (Rh-B) as the target pollutant, the degradation rate was up to 96% at 10 min. Moreover, the EPR analysis and quenching experiments revealed that 1O2 was the predominant reactive oxygen species (ROS) attacking the pollutants. Overall, the catalyst developed in this study has great potential for the treatment of refractory pollutants by activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral ischemic stroke is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and rapidly increasing annually with no more effective therapeutic measures. Thus, the novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers are urgent to be identified for prevention and therapy of ischemic stroke. Recently, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), a major family of noncoding RNAs with more than 200 nucleotides, have been considered as new targets for modulating pathological process of ischemic stroke. In this review, we summarized that the lncRNA-maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) played a critical role in promotion of neuronal cell death and inhibition of angiogenesis in response to hypoxia or ischemia condition, and further described the challenge of overcrossing blood–brain barrier (BBB) and determination of optimal carrier for delivering lncRNA' drugs into the specific brain regions. In brief, MEG3 will be a potential diagnostic biomarker and drug target in treatment and therapy of ischemic stroke in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]