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Due to the extraordinary chemical and physical properties, ternary chalcogenides with wide‐range bandgap, unique structures, and exceptional photoelectric properties have attracted great interest recently. Among them, Chromium thiophosphate (CrPS4) is a promising semiconductor with excellent optical, mechanical, and electronic properties and has a lower lattice symmetry resulting in significant in‐plane anisotropy. Here, the polarization‐dependent nonlinear optical (NLO) responses of CrPS4 flake are investigated. Based on polarization‐resolved Raman spectroscopy, which identifies the crystal axis of sample, the anisotropic linear absorption spectra, I‐scan technique, and pump‐probe measurements are utilized to investigate the optical absorption information of CrPS4. The polarization‐dependent NLO responses are found originating from the anisotropic optical transition probability. And the polar optical phonons play an important role in carrier relaxation processes. Furthermore, CrPS4‐based all‐optical switches are proposed, which can modulate the transmittance of signal light (CW laser) by changing the polarization of switch light (fs laser). This work provides insights into polarization‐dependent CrPS4‐based devices, which is important to promote the potential applications in optical modulator, versatile optoelectronic detection, and so on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rupture of vulnerable plaque (VP) are significant pathogenic factors leading to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. This study aims to construct a vulnerable plaque prediction model (VPPM) by combining multimodal vascular ultrasound parameters and clinical risk factors, and to validate it. A total of 196 atherosclerotic patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy (CEA) from January 2017 to December 2023 were collected and divided into a modeling group (n = 137) and a validation group (n = 59). Clinical information including: hypertension, diabetes, smoking history, and body mass index (BMI) was included in the analysis. All patients underwent carotid ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) examination after admission, with main ultrasound parameters including thickness, echogenicity types, stenosis degree, and CEUS neovascularization grading of plaques. Independent risk factors for VP in CEA patients were screened through binary Logistic regression analysis, and a prediction model was established along with a nomogram. The calibration curve, receiver-operating characteristic curve (ROC), and decision curve analysis (DCA) were employed to assess the calibration, diagnostic efficacy, and clinical utility of the VPPM model. There were no significant statistical differences in multimodal vascular ultrasound parameters and clinical risk factors between the modeling and validation groups (P > 0.05). Binary Logistic regression analysis identified plaque thickness, echo type, CEUS neovascularization grading, BMI, and smoking history as 5 variables entering the prediction model. The VPPM model showed good diagnostic efficacy, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.959 (95% CI 0.915–0.999). Using the nomogram with a VPPM risk assessment score of 135.42 as the diagnostic cutoff value in the modeling group, the sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and Youden index were 88.1%, 94.1%, 14.98, 0.126, and 82.2%, respectively. In the DCA curve, the VPPM model curve was significantly better than two extreme lines, indicating good clinical utility. The VPPM model constructed by integrating multimodal ultrasound parameters and clinical key risk factors has high diagnostic efficacy and is expected to be an auxiliary tool for clinical diagnosis of vulnerable plaques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rupture of vulnerable plaque (VP) are significant pathogenic factors leading to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. This study aims to construct a vulnerable plaque prediction model (VPPM) by combining multimodal vascular ultrasound parameters and clinical risk factors, and to validate it. A total of 196 atherosclerotic patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy (CEA) from January 2017 to December 2023 were collected and divided into a modeling group (n = 137) and a validation group (n = 59). Clinical information including: hypertension, diabetes, smoking history, and body mass index (BMI) was included in the analysis. All patients underwent carotid ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) examination after admission, with main ultrasound parameters including thickness, echogenicity types, stenosis degree, and CEUS neovascularization grading of plaques. Independent risk factors for VP in CEA patients were screened through binary Logistic regression analysis, and a prediction model was established along with a nomogram. The calibration curve, receiver-operating characteristic curve (ROC), and decision curve analysis (DCA) were employed to assess the calibration, diagnostic efficacy, and clinical utility of the VPPM model. There were no significant statistical differences in multimodal vascular ultrasound parameters and clinical risk factors between the modeling and validation groups (P > 0.05). Binary Logistic regression analysis identified plaque thickness, echo type, CEUS neovascularization grading, BMI, and smoking history as 5 variables entering the prediction model. The VPPM model showed good diagnostic efficacy, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.959 (95% CI 0.915–0.999). Using the nomogram with a VPPM risk assessment score of 135.42 as the diagnostic cutoff value in the modeling group, the sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and Youden index were 88.1%, 94.1%, 14.98, 0.126, and 82.2%, respectively. In the DCA curve, the VPPM model curve was significantly better than two extreme lines, indicating good clinical utility. The VPPM model constructed by integrating multimodal ultrasound parameters and clinical key risk factors has high diagnostic efficacy and is expected to be an auxiliary tool for clinical diagnosis of vulnerable plaques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies of two-dimensional (2D) aerodynamic admittance function (AAF) identification methods have basically ignored the effects of different turbulence components, which may lead to unpredictable errors for practical engineering applications. This paper presents pressure measurement experiments on thin sections with a geometric ratio of 1:50 in various turbulent fields. Based on the three-dimensional (3D) two-wavenumber theoretical analytical framework, the two-wavenumber coherence function is obtained by fitting the measured spanwise root-coherence function at the effective spacing with an empirical model. A new method is proposed, assuming that the ratio relationship between the lift AAFs due to longitudinal and vertical turbulence components of the measured model section satisfies its corresponding theoretical solution ratio relationship. The 2D lift AAFs of the airfoil section induced by different turbulence components are identified following the proposed identification framework. Consistent with the previous research, force correlation is significantly larger than turbulence correlation, and the traditional 3D one-wavenumber AAFs obtained are different in different turbulent fields. The separated 2D lift AAFs demonstrate that the contributions of u- and w- turbulence to the buffeting lift force are significantly different, and are more precise, according to the ratio between the Horlock function and Sears function. Then, the method is successfully extended to estimate the AAFs with respect to the u- and w-turbulence components of a streamlined box girder section, further validating the applicability of the identification method to the streamlined box girder. Furthermore, comparing the separated 2D lift AAFs under different turbulence fields reveals their independence from turbulence characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir is recommended for persons at risk for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) but remains underutilized. Information on which eligible groups are likely to benefit from treatment is needed. Methods We conducted a target trial emulation study in the Veterans Health Administration comparing nirmatrelvir–ritonavir treated versus matched untreated veterans at risk for severe COVID-19 who tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from April 2022 through March 2023. We measured incidence of any hospitalization or all-cause mortality at 30 days. Outcomes were measured for the entire cohort, as well as among subgroups defined by 30-day risk of death or hospitalization, estimated using an ensemble risk prediction model. Results Participants were 87% male with median age 66 years and 16% unvaccinated. Compared with matched untreated participants, those treated with nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (n = 24 205) had a lower 30-day risk for hospitalization (1.80% vs 2.30%; risk difference [RD], −0.50% points [95% confidence interval {CI}: −.69 to −.35]) and death (0.11% vs 0.30%; RD, −0.20 [95% CI: −.24 to −.13]). The greatest reductions in combined hospitalization or death were observed in the highest risk quartile (RD −2.85 [95% CI: −3.94 to −1.76]), immunocompromised persons (RD −1.91 [95% CI: −3.09 to −.74]), and persons aged ≥75 years (RD −1.16 [95% CI: −1.73 to −.59]). No reductions were observed in the 2 lowest risk quartiles or persons younger than 65 years. Conclusions Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir was effective in reducing 30-day hospitalization and death in older veterans, those at highest predicted risk for severe outcomes, and immunocompromised groups. Benefit was not observed in younger veterans or groups at lower predicted risk for hospitalization and death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPreform design refers to the intermediate geometric design between the initial tube blank and the desired product. A proper preform design can improve the formability of the tubular structure with small fillets. It is difficult to obtain a reasonable preform design based on engineering experience or trial-and-error methods. In this work, a Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines (NURBS) curve control point inversion algorithm-based approach is introduced to define and parameterize the preform cross-section profiles. The corresponding mathematical optimization model of preform cross-section shape design for tube hydroforming with low pressure is established, and an optimization procedure was accordingly proposed. In this procedure, the relationships between the design variables and responses are formulated by combining the DoE techniques with multiple surrogate models. The k-fold cross-validation strategy is adopted to quantify the performance of the candidate surrogate models on fresh datasets. The selected and verified surrogate models are integrated with the heuristic algorithm to determine the optimal preform shape. Compared to the direct hydroforming process, the optimized preform designs decreased the forming pressure of square, trapezoidal, and irregular polygonal tubes by 89.29%, 70.29%, and 32.67%, respectively. The validity of the proposed method is thus verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights The deformation behavior of uncured thermoset prepreg during hot compaction process was investigated by dividing the whole compaction process into an initial compression stage and the subsequent creep stage. At the compression stage, there existed a strain‐softening phenomenon in the temperature range of 50–90°C, indicating different deformation behavior that is mainly determined by the viscosity of prepreg. Following an appraisal of advantages and limitations of existing compaction models, a combination model consisted of a modified power‐law model including the influence of temperature and the generalized Kelvin‐Voigt model was proposed to describe the deformation behavior of prepreg during compression and creep stage, respectively. Finally, a discussion on the compaction mechanism was conducted to offer some insights into the deformation process. Strain‐softening phenomenon occurred during the compaction of uncured prepreg. Proposed combination model captures the deformation of uncured prepreg well. The percolation mechanism dominates prepreg deformation during compaction. The squeeze flow mechanism causes limited thickness reduction of prepreg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil microorganisms play important roles in vegetation establishment and soil biogeochemical cycling. Ammodendron bifolium is a dominant sand-fixing (i.e., stabilizing sand dunes) and endangered plant in the Takeermohuer Desert, and the bacterial community associated with this plant rhizosphere is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the composition and diversity of the bacterial community from the A. bifolium rhizosphere and bulk soil at different soil depths (i.e., 0–40 cm, 40–80 cm, 80–120 cm) using culture and high-throughput sequencing methods. We preliminarily analyzed the edaphic factors influencing the structure of bacterial communities. The results showed that the high-salinity Takeermohuer Desert has an oligotrophic environment, while the A. bifolium rhizosphere exhibited a relatively nutrient-rich environment due to higher contents of soil organic matter (SOM) and soil alkaline nitrogen (SAN) than bulk soil. The dominant bacterial groups in the desert were Actinobacteria (39.8%), Proteobacteria (17.4%), Acidobacteria (10.2%), Bacteroidetes (6.3%), Firmicutes (6.3%), Chloroflexi (5.6%), and Planctomycetes (5.0%) at the phylum level. However, the relative abundances of Proteobacteria (20.2%) and Planctomycetes (6.1%) were higher in the rhizosphere, and those of Firmicutes (9.8%) and Chloroflexi (6.9%) were relatively higher in barren bulk soil. A large number of Actinobacteria were detected in all soil samples, of which the most abundant genera were Streptomyces (5.4%) and Actinomadura (8.2%) in the bulk soil and rhizosphere, respectively. The Chao1 and PD_whole_tree indices in the rhizosphere soil were significantly higher than those in the bulk soil at the same soil depth and tended to decrease with increasing soil depth. Co-occurrence network analyses showed that the keystone species in the Takeermohuer Desert were the phyla Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Chloroflexi. Furthermore, the major edaphic factors affecting the rhizosphere bacterial community were electrical conductivity (EC), SOM, soil total nitrogen (STN), SAN, and soil available potassium (SAK), while the major edaphic factors affecting the bacterial community in bulk soil were distance and ratio of carbon to nitrogen (C/N). We concluded that the A. bifolium rhizosphere bacterial community is different from that of the nonrhizosphere in composition, structure, diversity, and driving factors, which may improve our understanding of the relationship between plant and bacterial communities and lay a theoretical foundation for A. bifolium species conservation in desert ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The critical value of rock failure is determined by irreversible deformation (inelastic deformation, damage, and other internal dissipation) processes and external conditions before rock failure. Nevertheless, a thorough explanation of the mechanism causing cracks in rock material has not yet been provided. The strain energy theory is applied in this work to assess the initiation of rock cracks and investigate the relationship between energy digestion and rock strength. Firstly, the uniaxial compression test was conducted on sandstone samples under quasi-static loading conditions and the results of energy evolution, non-linear cumulative digestion, and stored ultimate energy were obtained. Then, a novel algorithm for assessing the initiation of rock cracks has been put forth. The concept of energy digestion index (EDI), which is the ratio of digested energy over the external loading energy, has been developed to characterize the energy absorption capacity of rock material. The result shows a relationship between the maximum growth rate of energy digestion and the increasing rate of variable elasticity modulus and crack initiation. The mechanical characteristics and peak strength of the rock material are negatively correlated with the EDI. By monitoring the digested energy status, an evaluation of the residual strength is introduced based on the relationships, which will initiate further research into in-situ monitoring and failure prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinization is a major abiotic factor threatening rapeseed yields and quality worldwide, yet the adaptive mechanisms underlying salt resistance in rapeseed are not clear. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the differences in growth potential, sodium (Na+) retention in different plant tissues, and transport patterns between salt‐tolerant (HY9) and salt‐sensitive (XY15) rapeseed genotypes, which cultivated in Hoagland's nutrient solution in either the with or without of 150 mM NaCl stress. The results showed that the inhibition of growth‐related parameters of the XY15 genotype was higher than those of the HY9 in response to salt stress. The XY15 had lower photosynthesis, chloroplast disintegration, and pigment content but higher oxidative damage than the HY9. Under NaCl treatment, the proline content in the root of HY9 variety increased by 8.47‐fold, surpassing XY15 (5.41‐fold). Under salt stress, the HY9 maintained lower Na+ content, while higher K+ content and exhibited a relatively abundant K+/Na+ ratio in root and leaf. HY9 also had lower Na+ absorption, Na+ concentration in xylem sap, and Na+ transfer factor than XY15. Moreover, more Na+ contents were accumulated in the root cell wall of HY9 with higher pectin content and pectin methylesterase (PME) activity than XY15. Collectively, our results showed that salt‐tolerant varieties absorbed lower Na+ and retained more Na+ in the root cell wall (carboxyl group in pectin) to avoid leaf salt toxicity and induced higher proline accumulation as a defense and antioxidant system, resulting in higher resistance to salt stress, which provides the theoretical basis for screening salt resistant cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity is considered one of the abiotic stresses that have the greatest impact on soybean production worldwide. Lanthanum (La) is a rare earth element that can reduce adverse conditions on plant growth and productivity. However, the regulatory mechanism of La‐mediated plant response to salt stress has been poorly studied, particularly in soybeans. Therefore, our study investigated the mechanisms of La‐mediated salt stress alleviation from the perspectives of the antioxidant system, subcellular structure, and metabolomics responses. The results indicated that salt stress altered plant morphology and biomass, resulting in an increase in peroxidation, inhibition of photosynthesis, and damage to leaf structure. Exogenous La application effectively promoted the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD), as well as the soluble protein content, while decreasing the Na+ content and Na+/K+ ratio in roots and leaves, and reducing oxidative damage. Moreover, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) demonstrated that La prevented the disintegration of chloroplasts. Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis further confirmed that La addition mitigated the decline in protein, carbohydrates, and pectin levels in the leaves. Lanthanum decreased the leaf flavonoid content and synthesis by inhibiting the content of key substances in the phenylalanine metabolism pathway during NaCl exposure. Collectively, our research indicates that La reduces cell damage by regulating the antioxidant system and secondary metabolite synthesis, which are important mechanisms for the adaptive response of soybean leaves, thereby improving the salt tolerance of soybeans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rectangular cylinders submerged in a fluid encounter intricate aerodynamic forces, and the forces significantly influence the stability and safety of structures possessing a rectangular cross section. Although aerodynamic characteristics of these cylinders have been extensively studied, a comprehensive database cataloging these characteristics remains absent. This study conducted a large number of wind tunnel pressure testings to establish an aerodynamic database for rectangular cylinders with 2470 distinct configurations, including turbulent intensities ranging from 1% to 20%, side ratios ranging from 0.6 to 5, and wind attack angles ranging from 0° to 90°. The accuracy of the database was validated by data from the literature and wind tunnel force measurement experiments. More importantly, machine learning models were developed and have substantially expanded the experimental data, resulting in a comprehensive, continuous aerodynamic database for rectangular cylinders. By evaluating the model performance and verifying its generalization capability, the accuracy of the machine learning-augmented database is proved. This database is anticipated to serve as a critical reference for academic research and a practical reference for engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study evaluated the effect of the systemic immune-inflammation index/albumin ratio (SII/ALB) on the prognosis of immunotherapy-treated patients receiving opioids. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 185 immunotherapy-treated patients who received opioids at Xuzhou Central Hospital from 01/09/2021 to 01/09/2023. The results of related clinical data were collected during the week before the cancer patients received immunotherapy. The SII/ALB cut-off value was determined, and the relationship between the SII/ALB and clinical pathological parameters was analyzed using the chi-square test. The effect of the SII/ALB on progression-free survival (PFS) was examined using Kaplan-Meier curves and the Cox proportional hazard model. Result: The SII/ALB cut-off value was 20.86, and patients were divided into low (SII/ALB ≤ 20.86) and high (SII/ALB > 20.86) SII/ALB groups. Adverse reactions (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.108; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.061–0.192, P < 0.001) and the SII/ALB (HR = 0.093; 95% CI: 0.057–0.151, P < 0.001) were independent prognostic factors for PFS. Compared with the high SII/ALB group, the low SII/ALB group had longer PFS after opioid treatment (12.2 vs. 5.2 months, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The SII/ALB is a potentially important prognostic parameter in immunotherapy-treated patients receiving opioids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excitotoxicity represents the primary cause of neuronal death following spinal cord injury (SCI). While autophagy plays a critical and intricate role in SCI, the specific mechanism underlying the relationship between excitotoxicity and autophagy in SCI has been largely overlooked. In this study, we isolated primary spinal cord neurons from neonatal rats and induced excitotoxic neuronal injury by high concentrations of glutamic acid, mimicking an excitotoxic injury model. Subsequently, we performed transcriptome sequencing. Leveraging machine learning algorithms, including weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA), random forest analysis (RF), and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analysis (LASSO), we conducted a comprehensive investigation into key genes associated with spinal cord neuron injury. We also utilized protein-protein interaction network (PPI) analysis to identify pivotal proteins regulating key gene expression and analyzed key genes from public datasets (GSE2599, GSE20907, GSE45006, and GSE174549). Our findings revealed that six genes—Anxa2, S100a10, Ccng1, Timp1, Hspb1, and Lgals3—were significantly upregulated not only in vitro in neurons subjected to excitotoxic injury but also in rats with subacute SCI. Furthermore, Hspb1 and Lgals3 were closely linked to neuronal autophagy induced by excitotoxicity. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of excitotoxicity and autophagy, offering potential targets and a theoretical foundation for SCI diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dermatomyositis (DM) is a rare inflammatory disease. Our research focuses on predicting poor prognosis in DM patients and evaluating the prognostic significance of ferritin and Salivary Sugar Chain Antigen‐6 (KL‐6) through multivariate logistic regression analysis. Methods: Between February 2018 and April 2020, 80 DM patients at our hospital were categorized into MDA5 positive (n = 20) and negative (n = 60) groups. We conducted multivariate logistic regression to determine DM's poor prognosis risk factors and evaluate ferritin/KL‐6′s predictive value for prognosis. Results: Analysis showed no gender, age, body mass index (BMI), or lifestyle (smoking, drinking) differences, nor in dyspnea, muscle weakness, skin ulcers, and acetylcysteine treatment effects (p > 0.05). Significant differences emerged in arrhythmias, interstitial pneumonia, C‐reactive protein, albumin, and lactate dehydrogenase levels (p < 0.05). Before treatment, differences were negligible (p > 0.05), but post‐treatment, serum KL‐6 and ferritin levels dropped. MDA5 positive patients had elevated serum KL‐6 and ferritin levels than survivors (p < 0.05), with a strong correlation to DM. Combined diagnosis using serum KL‐6 and ferritin for DM prognosis showed area under curves of 0.716 and 0.634, significantly outperforming single‐index diagnoses with an area under curve (AUC) of 0.926 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Serum KL‐6 and ferritin show marked abnormalities in DM, useful as indicators for evaluating polymyositis and DM conditions. However, the study's small sample size is a drawback. Expanding the sample size is essential to monitor serum KL‐6 and ferritin changes in DM patients under treatment more closely, aiming to improve clinical assessment and facilitate detailed research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD74 is a type-II transmembrane glycoprotein that has been linked to tumorigenesis. However, this association was based only on phenotypic studies, and, to date, no in-depth mechanistic studies have been conducted. In this study, combined with a multi-omics study, CD74 levels were significantly upregulated in most cancers relative to normal tissues and were found to be predictive of prognosis. Elevated CD74 expression was associated with reduced levels of mismatch-repair genes and homologous repair gene signatures in over 10 tumor types. Multiple fluorescence staining and bulk, spatial, single-cell transcriptional analyses indicated its potential as a marker for M1 macrophage infiltration in pan-cancer. In addition, CD74 expression was higher in BRCA patients responsive to conventional chemotherapy and was able to predict the prognosis of these patients. Potential CD74-activating drugs (HNHA and BRD-K55186349) were identified through molecular docking to CD74. The findings indicate activation of CD74 may have potential in tumor immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 (BOC)/Bi 4 O 5 Br 2 (BOB)/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) Z-scheme heterojunction with promising photocatalytic properties was synthesized via a facile one-pot room-temperature method. Ultra-thin nanosheets of BOC and BOB were grown in situ on rGO. The formed 2D/2D direct Z-scheme heterojunction of BOC/BOB with oxygen vacancies (OVs) effectively leads to lower negative electron reduction potential of BOB as well as higher positive hole oxidation potential of BOC, showing improved reduction/oxidation ability. Particularly, rGO is an acceptor of the electrons from the conduction band of BOC. Its dual roles significantly improve the transfer performance of photo-induced charge carriers and accelerate their separation. With layered nanosheet structure, rich OVs, high specific surface area, and increased utilization efficiency of visible light, the multiple synergistic effects of BOC/BOB/rGO can achieve effective generation and separation of the electron-holes, thereby generating more •O 2 − and h+. The photocatalytic reduction efficiency of CO 2 to CO (12.91 µmol/(g·hr)) is three times higher than that of BOC (4.18 µmol/(g·hr)). Moreover, it also achieved almost 100% removal of Rhodamine B and cyanobacterial cells within 2 hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: In natural and agricultural situations, ammonium (NH4+) is a preferred nitrogen (N) source for plants, but excessive amounts can be hazardous to them, known as NH4+ toxicity. Nitrate (NO3−) has long been recognized to reduce NH4+ toxicity. However, little is known about Brassica napus, a major oil crop that is sensitive to high NH4+. Here, we found that NO3− can mitigate NH4+ toxicity by balancing rhizosphere and intracellular pH and accelerating ammonium assimilation in B. napus. NO3− increased the uptake of NO3− and NH4+ under high NH4+ circumstances by triggering the expression of NO3− and NH4+ transporters, while NO3− and H+ efflux from the cytoplasm to the apoplast was enhanced by promoting the expression of NO3− efflux transporters and genes encoding plasma membrane H+‐ATPase. In addition, NO3− increased pH in the cytosol, vacuole, and rhizosphere, and down‐regulated genes induced by acid stress. Root glutamine synthetase (GS) activity was elevated by NO3− under high NH4+ conditions to enhance the assimilation of NH4+ into amino acids, thereby reducing NH4+ accumulation and translocation to shoot in rapeseed. In addition, root GS activity was highly dependent on the environmental pH. NO3− might induce metabolites involved in amino acid biosynthesis and malate metabolism in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and inhibit phenylpropanoid metabolism to mitigate NH4+ toxicity. Collectively, our results indicate that NO3− balances both rhizosphere and intracellular pH via effective NO3− transmembrane cycling, accelerates NH4+ assimilation, and up‐regulates malate metabolism to mitigate NH4+ toxicity in oilseed rape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The drag and lift forces of rectangular cylinders with four aspect ratios (AR) are mitigated at a Reynolds number of 1000 using deep reinforcement learning (DRL) controlled multiple jet actuators at four corners of the cylinders in this study. Surface pressure probes are set to monitor the flow state, featuring a practical engineering solution. For each jet actuator, the control law is optimized using the powerful capabilities of DRL with the surface pressure signals as the control input and the jet velocities as the control output. Different jet configurations are tested on the rectangular cylinder with AR = 1, 2, 3, and 5 to choose the best multiple jet control configurations. The results have shown that under eight independent jets at the rectangular cylinder corners, the mean drag coefficient is reduced by 77.1%, 39.9%, 52.4%, and 2.8% for the rectangular cylinder with AR = 1, 2, 3, and 5, respectively. Furthermore, the lift fluctuation is reduced by 94.2%, 66.6%, 77.1%, and 59.8%, indicating a significant stabilization of the wake. This configuration with eight independent jets shows the top performance among these jet configurations. This study highlights the significance of the multiple jet actuation and can guide the practical application of DRL-based active flow control of rectangular cylinders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable Zn‐air batteries (ZABs) are regarded as an attractive green energy storage technology, featured with large theoretical energy densities and intrinsic high safety factors. However, hindered by the sluggish kinetics of both oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction, rechargeable ZABs are confronted with some critical challenges such as low operating voltage, poor energy efficiency, and limited cycle life. Zn‐air‐based hybrid batteries (ZAHBs), integrating the advantages of a conventional ZAB with supplementary redox reactions, have emerged as a promising solution to address those challenges. Based on working principles, the hybrid batteries can be categorized into two groups: Zn‐M/air hybrid batteries (M = Ni, Co, Ag, Cu, and Mn) and Zn‐X/air hybrid batteries (X = KI, ethanol, and urea), which can achieve improved energy efficiency and density by optimizing charge–discharge voltage. Herein, a comprehensive overview of ZAHBs is provided, including the classification, latest progress, and electrochemical properties, as well as detailed discussion of relevant mechanisms. Moreover, the perspectives and opportunities for future research in the field of hybrid battery systems are also outlined. This review shall give helpful guidance on the design and application of ZAHBs, and provide important insights into the development of new electrochemical energy storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the rapid expansion of cities, the impermeable area has increased. This exacerbated the accumulation of pollutants in road particles and made the road sediment one of the most widely distributed pollution carriers in the urban area. Urban-rural fringe is the frontier of urban expansion and the most dynamic area in the urban region, but less knowledge was available on the pollution status of the region. In this study, the occurrence, release behavior, and environmental risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) accumulated in road sediment in urban-rural fringe were systematically studied and compared with five other urban functional areas (i.e., commercial area, industrial park, residential area, traffic area, and leisure area) in Beijing, china. The concentration of ∑16PAHs in the road sediment followed in the order of petrol station (2.223 mg/kg)>crossroad (1.506 mg/kg)>main road (0.949 mg/kg)>university gate (0.841 mg/kg)>bus station (0.839 mg/kg). The PAHs concentration in the road sediment with different land use followed in the order of traffic area (3.030 mg/kg)>urban-rural fringe (1.338 mg/kg)>commercial area (0.946 mg/kg)>residential area (0.866 mg/kg)>industrial park (0.673 mg/kg)>leisure area (0.316 mg/kg). The cancer risk in the urban-rural fringe was second only to the traffic area. PAHs with low ring numbers were easier to release into the water, as indicated by that 20–95% nap could be released from the road sediment to runoff. In contrast, high-ring PAHs were more likely to accumulate in the particulate matter as <18.3% of PHE, FLA, and PYR (corresponding to 0.002–0.010 mg/kg) could be released into the water phase, which means that the removal of road sediment plays an important role in reducing pollution. Overall, this study reveals that pollution in the urban-rural fringe cannot be ignored and provides scientific data to support pollution control and risk assessment, especially for urban-rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rehmannia chingii is an important medicinal plant with immense value in scientific research. However, its mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) has not yet been characterized. Herein, based on whole-genome Illumina short reads and PacBio HiFi reads, we obtained the complete mitogenome of R. chingii through a de novo assembly strategy. We carried out comparative genomic analyses and found that, in comparison with the plastid genome (plastome) showing a high degree of structural conservation, the R. chingii mitogenome structure is relatively complex, showing an intricate ring structure with 16 connections, owing to five repetitive sequences. The R. chingii mitogenome was 783,161 bp with a GC content of 44.8% and contained 77 genes, comprising 47 protein-coding genes (CDS), 27 tRNA genes, and 3 rRNA genes. We counted 579 RNA editing events in 47 CDS and 12,828 codons in all CDSs of the R. chingii mitogenome. Furthermore, 24 unique sequence transfer fragments were found between the mitogenome and plastome, comprising 8 mitogenome CDS genes and 16 plastome CDS genes, corresponding to 2.39% of the R. chingii mitogenome. Mitogenomes had shorter but more collinear regions, evidenced by a comparison of the organelles of non-parasitic R. chingii, hemiparasitic Pedicularis chinensis, and holoparasitic Aeginetia indica in the Orobanchaceae family. Moreover, from non-parasitic to holoparasitic species, the genome size in the mitogenomes of Orobanchaceae species did not decrease gradually. Instead, the smallest mitogenome was found in the hemiparasitic species P. chinensis, with a size of 225,612 bp. The findings fill the gap in the mitogenome research of the medicinal plant R. chingii, promote the progress of the organelle genome research of the Orobanchaceae family, and provide clues for molecular breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: There are many injectable treatments for knee osteoarthritis with different characteristics and effects, the aim is to understand which one can lead to better and safer results. Methods: The PRISMA principles were followed when doing the literature search. Web of Science databases, Embase, the Cochrane Library, PubMed, and the Wanfang database were searched to identified randomized controlled trials that assessed the efficacy of corticosteroids (CSC), platelet-rich plasma (PRP), hyaluronic acid (HA), and combination therapy in treating KOA. Risk of bias was assessed using the relevant Cochrane tools (version 1.0). The outcome measure included the visual analog scale (VAS) score, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) score, and treatment-related adverse events. The network meta-analysis was performed using STATA17 software and a Bayesian stratified random effects model. Results: Network meta-analysis using the Bayesian random-effects model revealed 35 studies with 3104 participants. PRP showed the best WOMAC score at a 3-month follow-up, followed by PRP + HA, HA, placebo, and CSC; PRP + HA scored the highest VAS, followed by PRP, CSC, HA, and placebo. PRP, CSC, HA, and placebo had the highest WOMAC scores six months following treatment; PRP + HA showed the best VAS scores. PRP showed the best WOMAC score at 12 months, followed by PRP + HA, HA, placebo, and CSC; The best VAS score was obtained with PRP, followed by PRP + HA, HA, and CSC. No therapy demonstrated a rise in adverse events linked to the treatment in terms of safety. Conclusions: The current study found that PRP and PRP + HA were the most successful in improving function and alleviating pain after 3, 6, and 12 months of follow-up. CSC, HA, PRP, and combination therapy did not result in an increase in the incidence of treatment-related side events as compared to placebo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil microorganisms play important roles in vegetation establishment and soil biogeochemical cycling. Ammodendron bifolium is a dominant sand-fixing and endangered plant in Takeermohuer Desert, and bacterial community associated with this plant rhizosphere is still unclear. In this study, we studied the composition and diversity of bacterial community from A. bifolium rhizosphere and bulk soil at different soil depths (i.e., 0–40 cm, 40–80 cm, 80–120 cm) using traditional bacterial isolation and high-throughput sequencing approaches, and preliminarily analyzed the edaphic factors influencing the structure of bacterial communities. Results showed that Takeermohuer Desert with high salinity has been an oligotrophic environment, while the rhizosphere exhibited eutrophication resulting from high content SOM (soil organic matter) and SAN (soil alkaline nitrogen) compared with bulk soil. The dominant bacterial groups in the desert were Actinobacteria (39.8%), Proteobacteria (17.4%), Acidobacteria (10.2%), Bacteroidetes (6.3%), Firmicutes (6.3%), Chloroflexi (5.6%), and Planctomycetes (5.0%) at the phyla level. However, the relative abundances of Proteobacteria (20.2%) and Planctomycetes (6.1%) were higher in eutrophic rhizosphere, and Firmicutes (9.8%) and Chloroflexi (6.9%) relatively higher in barren bulk soil. A large number of Actinobacteria were detected in all soil samples, of which the most abundant genus was Streptomyces (5.4%) and Actinomadura (8.2%) in the bulk soil and rhizosphere, respectively. The Chao1 and PD indexes in rhizosphere were significantly higher than those in bulk soil at the same soil depth, and tended to decrease with increasing soil depth. Co-occurrence network analyses showed that the keystone species in Takeermohuer Desert were Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Chlorofexi. Furthermore, the major environmental factors affecting rhizosphere bacterial community were EC (electrical conductivity), SOM, STN (soil total nitrogen), SAN, and SAK (soil available potassium), while bulk soil were distance and C/N (STC/STN). We concluded that A. bifolium rhizosphere bacterial community is different from non-rhizosphere in composition, distribution, and environmental influencing factors, which will have important significances for understanding their ecological functions and maintaining biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal diseases globally, leading to chronic disability and poor prognosis. One of the approaches for optimizing OA treatment is to find early effective diagnostic biomarkers. The contribution of microRNAs (miRNAs) in OA progression is now being increasingly recognized. This review provides a comprehensive summary on studies reporting the expression profiling of miRNAs in OA and associated signaling pathways. We performed a systematic search of the Embase, Web of Science, PubMed, and Cochrane library databases. This systematic review is reported according to the PRISMA checklist. Studies which identified miRNAs with aberrant expression compared to controls during OA progression were included, and a meta-analysis was performed. Results from the random effects model were provided as log10 odds ratios (logORs) and 95% confidence intervals. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to confirm the accuracy of the results. Subgroup analysis was conducted based on tissue source. The target genes of miRNAs identified in this study were extracted from the MiRWalk database, and these target genes were enriched in Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways. A total of 191 studies reporting 162 miRNAs were included in our meta-analysis. Among them, 36 miRNAs distributed across 96 studies were expressed in the same direction in at least two studies (13 up-regulated and 23 down-regulated). Subgroup analysis of tissue source revealed that the highest number of studies was conducted using articular cartilage, where the most up-regulated miRNAs were miR-146a-5p (logOR 7.355; P < 0.001) and miR-34a-5p (logOR 6.955; P < 0.001), and the most down-regulated miRNAs were miR-127-5p (logOR 6.586; P < 0.001) and miR-140-5p (logOR 6.373; P < 0.001). Enrichment analysis of 752 downstream target genes of all identified miRNAs was performed, and the regulatory relationships among them were displayed. Mesenchymal stem cells and transforming growth factor-β were found to be the most important downstream effectors regulated by miRNA in OA. This study highlighted the importance of miRNA signaling in OA progression and identified a number of prominent miRNAs including miR-146a-5p, miR-34a-5p, miR-127-5p, and miR-140-5p which might be considered as potential biomarkers for OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We mitigate the drag and lift forces of a square cylinder at three Reynolds numbers of 500, 1000, and 2000 using deep reinforcement learning (DRL) and two different positions of a zero flux jet actuator couple based on computational fluid dynamics simulations. The jet actuators are symmetrically deployed at the leading and trailing corners of the square cylinder and tested at those three Reynolds numbers. Surface pressure probes monitor the flow state featuring a practical engineering solution as compared to velocity sensors in the wake. For each jet actuator position and Reynolds number, the feedback law is optimized using the powerful capabilities of DRL with the pressure signals as control input and the jet velocities as control output. Under leading jet control, the mean drag coefficient is reduced by 44.4%, 60.6%, and 57.8% for increasing Reynolds numbers. In addition, the lift fluctuation is reduced by 85.9%, 82%, and 86.2%, demonstrating a substantial stabilization of the wake. In contrast, the optimized trailing jet control performs much worse. This study highlights the significance of the location of zero-net-mass-flux actuation and may guide the practical application of DRL-based active flow control of square cylinders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the complexity of the pile foundation underpinning structure system and the stringent requirements of the construction process, this paper briefly describes the necessity of introducing epoxy resin reinforcing adhesive of planting rebar in the design of pile foundation underpinning beam structure to improve the mechanical properties of the reinforced beam new and old concrete joint surfaces and proposes a new type of pile foundation replacement beam system construction method by "chiseling + prestressed reinforcement + epoxy resin reinforcing adhesive". This paper uses an actual pile foundation underpinning project of an urban overpass as a prototype, designs and creates a model structure with a similarity ratio of 1/6, and performs repeated progressive static loading tests to study the load carrying capacity, displacement change, and other properties of the strengthened replacement structure, as well as analyses and distorts the overall working performance and failure mode of them. On this basis, the prototype structure's finite element analysis model was built, and the finite element analysis results were compared with the test results to obtain the mechanical properties and deformation characters of the actual pile foundation underpinning structure system corresponding to the actual underpinning beam load. This paper's study can lay the theoretical and experimental foundation for the smooth development of similar projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To observe the application effect of double‐tube negative pressure drainage in the repair of refractory wounds. Methods: From January 2020 to April 2023, 50 patients undergoing refractory wound repair in the Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery of Jingjiang People's Hospital, Jiangsu were selected. According to different treatment methods, they were divided into an observation group and a control group, with 25 patients in each group. The observation group was treated with double‐tube negative pressure drainage inside and outside the wound, while the control group was treated with negative pressure drainage inside the wound. By two‐week observation, the wound healing status and complication rate after treatment, as well as the wound bacterial clearance rate, wound pain score and patient satisfaction 3, 7 and 14 d after treatment were compared between the two groups. Statistical analysis was carried out to determine the efficacy. Results: After treatment for two weeks, the observation group showed a higher grade A healing rate (92% vs. 60%, X2 = 7.018, P = 0.008), a higher wound bacterial clearance rate (100% vs. 76%, X2 = 6.818, P = 0.03), a lower pain score (1.44 ± 0.51 vs. 2.36 ± 0.49, t = ‐6.53, P < 0.01), a higher patient satisfaction score (8.48 ± 0.96 vs. 6.64 ± 0.95, t = 6.80, P < 0.01), and a lower complication rate (8% vs. 40%, X2= 7.018, P = 0.008) compared with the control group. Conclusion: Double‐tube negative pressure drainage has a significant application effect in the repair of refractory wounds. It can accelerate wound healing, shorten treatment time, effectively eliminate bacteria, relieve wound infection, reduce complications, alleviate pain and improve patient satisfaction. Therefore, the application, promotion and research of double‐tube negative pressure drainage should be strengthened in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methylammonium (MA)-free perovskite solar cells (PVSCs) have obtained great attention recently, owing to their superior stability. However, there are still gaps in efficiency between MA-free PVSCs and MA-containing counterparts. Their stability still needs to be further enhanced for meeting commercial standards, especially the illumination stability. Here, we incorporate Zn2+ into perovskite thin films to passivate defects, successfully achieving a champion efficiency of 20.7% and reinforcing the stability of MA-free FA0.9Cs0.1PbI3 PVSCs. This study reveals that Zn-doping can increase the grain size and contribute to modulate the crystallization process. Moreover, it is found that most of the Zn2+ aggregates at the grain boundaries passivating defects and, thus, effectively restrain the non-radiative recombination in the PVSCs. These findings provide a new way of realizing highly efficient and stable PVSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Mixed cellulose ester (MCE) separator is applied to tailor the zinc deposition in AZBs based on physical and chemical effect. • The physical shunting effect by the uniform and dense pore structure can control and homogenize the ion movement. • The mechanism of physical pore effect is illuminated by comparing MCE membranes with similar component but different pore size. • The chemical guiding effect for ion diffusion is realized by the coordination between polar functional groups in MCE and Zn2+. Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZBs) with high energy density, low cost and environmental characteristics, have become the promising device for energy storage. However, uncontrolled zinc dendrite growth remains an impediment to the popularization of AZBs. The unrestricted two-dimensional (2D) ions diffusion is the main cause of the above defect. In this work, mixed cellulose ester (MCE) membrane is proposed as the separator. A dense homogeneous pore structure can achieve a physical shunting effect on ion diffusion, which can control and homogenize the ion motion. Further, the mechanism of this physical pore effect is confirmed by comparing the behavior of Zn deposition in MCE systems with different pore sizes but the same composition. As conjectured, a membrane with a smaller pore size is more favorable. In addition, the MCE contains many polar oxygen-containing functional groups that can facilitate and modulate ion diffusion through coordination. This chemical ion guiding effect, together with the above physical pore effect, gives the separator the ability to suppress dendrite formation. Zn/Zn symmetric cells with this membrane exhibit ultralong cycle life exceeding 1250 h at 0.5 mA cm−2 and 1000 h at 5 mA cm−2. And the Zn//MnO 2 battery presents excellent cycle stability for more than 500 cycles with a capacity retention of 90.67%. This work proposes MCE separators and reveals their coordinated regulation of physical and chemical effects on metal-based anodes. This will shed light on the development of high-performance separators and AZBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new utility model of RCOCCL market incremental income distribution in China under equity preference was established. • Mathematical and numerical simulation techniques were applied in research on the level of fairness preference. • Policy suggestions for improving the distribution strategy of RCOCCL incremental benefits in China. This study explains how fairness preferences affect the allocation of income based on the practices of rural collectively-owned commercial construction land (RCOCCL) entering the market in contemporary China. The theoretical model for RCOCCL's market income allocation is extended based on Fehr and Schmidt (1999), and a fairness preference model is developed for analysis. The study makes the following conclusions. First, the stakeholders are bounded rational people with fair preferences, making them eager to narrow the income gap between themselves and others. Second, the income to local governments should be increased. Third, the more willing farmers accept the allocation scheme, the higher the benefits. Overall, this study provides new perspectives on the fair allocation of income and references for subsequent research on rural land income allocation in other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith), is an invasive pest that feeds on a wide range of host plants, especially maize, threatening agricultural production and food security in China. Thus, understanding its host plant preferences is of great significance for its population prediction and management. In this study, the oviposition preferences of S. frugiperda on ten special maize and ten common maize varieties were tested, and the larval development, adult reproduction, and population parameters of S. frugiperda were also examined. Generally, S. frugiperda oviposited and completed its life cycle across all maize cultivars. However, S. frugiperda females preferred the special maize varieties over common maize varieties for oviposition. Moreover, faster growth, higher pupal weight, S. frugiperda adult fecundity, net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (r), and finite rate of increase (λ) occurred on the special maize varieties. However, the lowest oviposition preference, R0, r, λ, and longest T occurred on Zhengdan 958, suggesting that Zhengdan 958 is a less suitable host compared to the other tested maize varieties. Our findings can provide a reference for the detection of population dynamics and rational planting of maize and help to refine laboratory rearing protocols. Host plants play an important role in the growth, development, and reproduction of insects. However, only a few studies have reported the effects of maize varieties on the growth and reproduction of S. frugiperda. In this study, a free-choice test was used to evaluate the oviposition preferences of female adults on ten common maize varieties and ten special maize varieties. The population fitness of S. frugiperda on six different maize varieties was also examined using the age-stage, two-sex life table method. The results showed that S. frugiperda oviposited and completed its life cycle across all maize cultivars. Moreover, the S. frugiperda females exhibited a significantly higher oviposition preference on the special maize varieties than on the common maize varieties. The highest number of eggs and egg masses occurred on Baitiannuo and the lowest on Zhengdan 958. The egg + larval stage, preadult, pupal stage, adult, APOP, TPOP, and total longevity of S. frugiperda were significantly shorter on the special maize varieties than on the common maize varieties. The fecundity, oviposition days, pupal weight, and hatching rate of S. frugiperda were significantly higher on the special maize varieties than on the common maize varieties. Specifically, S. frugiperda had the highest fecundity, female, and male pupal weight on Baitiannuo. Moreover, the net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (r), and finite rate of increase (λ) of S. frugiperda were the greatest on Baitiannuo, whereas the shortest mean generation time (T) occurred on Zaocuiwang. The lowest R0, r, and λ, and longest T occurred on Zhengdan 958, suggesting that Zhengdan 958 is a non-preferred host plant compared to the other tested maize varieties. The findings of this study can provide a reference for the rational planting of maize and provide basic scientific information for the management of S. frugiperda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study mainly observes changes in perioperative mineral bone metabolism‐related indicators and inflammatory factors in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT), and analyzed the correlation between mineral bone metabolism‐related indicators and inflammatory factors. Methods: Clinical data were collected. The study detects mineral bone metabolism‐related indicators and inflammatory factor of perioperative patients with SHPT before and 4 days after operation. The production of high‐sensitivity c‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) in human hepatocytes cells (LO2 cells) stimulated by different concentrations of parathyroid hormone‐associated protein was detected by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR), and western blot. Results: The levels of mineral bone metabolism‐related indicators and hs‐CRP in SHPT group were significantly higher than those of control group. After operation, serum calcium, serum phosphorus, iPTH, FGF‐23 decreased, and the level of osteoblast active biomarkers increased, while the level of osteoclast active biomarkers decreased. The levels of hs‐CRP decreased significantly after operation. With the increase of PTHrP concentration, hs‐CRP level in supernatant of LO2 cells decreased first and then increased. RT‐PCR and western blot shows the same trend. Conclusion: Parathyroidectomy can significantly improve bone resorption and inflammation in SHPT patients. We speculate that there may be an optimal range of PTH concentrations to minimize inflammation in the body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polarization can provide information largely uncorrelated with the spectrum and intensity. Therefore, polarimetric imaging (PI) techniques have significant advantages in many fields, e.g., ocean observation, remote sensing (RS), biomedical diagnosis, and autonomous vehicles. Recently, with the increasing amount of data and the rapid development of physical models, deep learning (DL) and its related technique have become an irreplaceable solution for solving various tasks and breaking the limitations of traditional methods. PI and DL have been combined successfully to provide brand-new solutions to many practical applications. This review briefly introduces PI and DL's most relevant concepts and models. It then shows how DL has been applied for PI tasks, including image restoration, object detection, image fusion, scene classification, and resolution improvement. The review covers the state-of-the-art works combining PI with DL algorithms and recommends some potential future research directions. We hope that the present work will be helpful for researchers in the fields of both optical imaging and RS, and that it will stimulate more ideas in this exciting research field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) for detecting cervical lesions in women with minor abnormal cytology results (atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL)). Methods: A prospective study was conducted at gynecologic clinic from Mar 2021 to Sep 2021. The recruited women with cervical cytological findings of ASC-US or LSIL were inspected with OCT before colposcopy-directed cervical biopsy. The diagnostic performance of OCT, alone and in combination with high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) testing were evaluated to detect cervical intraepithelial neoplasia of grade 2 or worse (CIN2+)/CIN3 or worse (CIN3+). The rate of colposcopy referral and the immediate risk of CIN3+ of OCT were calculated. Results: A total of 349 women with minor abnormal cervical cytology results were enrolled. For detection of CIN2+/CIN3+, the sensitivity and NPV of OCT were lower than those of hrHPV testing (CIN2+: 71.3% vs. 95.4%, 89.0% vs. 91.1%, P < 0.001; CIN3+: 75% vs. 93.8%, 96.5% vs. 95.6%, P < 0.001), but the specificity, accuracy and PPV were higher than those of hrHPV testing (CIN2+: 77.5% vs. 15.6%, 75.9% vs. 35.5%, 51.2% vs. 27.3%, P < 0.001; CIN3+: 69.4% vs. 13.6%, 69.9% vs. 20.9%, 19.8% vs. 9.9%, P < 0.001). OCT combined with hrHPV testing (CIN2+: 80.9%; CIN3+: 72.6%) showed higher specificity than that of OCT alone (P < 0.001). The colposcopy referral rate base on OCT classification was lower than that based on hrHPV testing (34.7% vs. 87.1%, P < 0.001). Patients with hrHPV-positive ASC-US and hrHPV-negative LSIL cytology, the immediate CIN3+ risk in OCT negative cases was less than 4%. Conclusions: OCT alone or combination with hrHPV testing shows good performance for detecting CIN2+/CIN3+ in patients with ASC-US/LSIL cytology. OCT is an effective method for colposcopy triage in women with hrHPV-positive ASC-US and hrHPV-negative LSIL cytology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The highly sluggish kinetics of oxygen reduction/evolution reactions (ORR/OER) at air cathodes lead to problems such as low power density and unsatisfactory cycling life with rechargeable Zn–air batteries (RZABs). To engineer the reaction kinetics at the air cathodes, a hydrophobic–aerophilic strategy is developed to fabricate a self‐supported air cathode based on CoS/Fe3S4 nanoparticles encapsulated in S, N co‐doped carbon plate arrays (CoS/Fe3S4@SNCP). It is experimentally shown that the in situ growth of bimetallic sulfides nanoparticles on the carbon plate arrays improves the intrinsic electrocatalytic activity and electron conduction of the air cathode. Meanwhile, the ab initio molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the hydrophobic–aerophilic surface can repel water molecules to create abundant solid–liquid–gas three‐phase reaction interfaces as well as to expose Fe‐sites, which consequently promote the diffusion of reactive molecules/ions across the interface and the oxygen adsorption. As a result, the CoS/Fe3S4@SNCP electrode exhibits excellent OER and ORR activities with a smaller potential gap of 0.65 V. For the engineered hydrophobicity of the catalyst, the RZAB demonstrates a high power density of 272 mW cm−2, a narrow discharge/charge gap of 0.75 V at 10 mA cm−2, and long‐term cycling stability over 1400 h, outperforming its hydrophilic CoS@SNCP counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The reason for graft failure after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is multifactorial. Controversies remain regarding the predominant factor and incidence of failure aetiology in the literature. This review aimed to provide a meta-analysis of the literature to evaluate the relative proportion of various failure modes among patients with ACLR failure. Methods: The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and EBSCO databases were searched for literature on ACLR failure or revision from 1975 to 2021. Data related to causes for ACLR surgical failure were extracted, and a random effects model was used to pool the results, which incorporates potential heterogeneity. Failure modes were compared between different populations, research methods, graft types, femoral portal techniques, and fixation methods by subgroup analysis or linear regression. Funnel plots were used to identify publication bias and small-study effects. Results: A total of 39 studies were analyzed, including 33 cohort studies and six registry-based studies reporting 6578 failures. The results showed that among patients with ACLR failure or revision, traumatic reinjury was the most common failure mode with a rate of 40% (95% CI: 35–44%), followed by technical error (34%, 95% CI: 28–42%) and biological failure (11%, 95% CI: 7–15%). Femoral tunnel malposition was the most common cause of the technical error (29%, 95% CI: 18–41%), with more than two times higher occurrence than tibial tunnel malposition (11%, 95% CI: 6–16%). Traumatic reinjury was the most common factor for ACLR failure in European populations and in recent studies, while technical errors were more common in Asian populations, earlier studies, and surgery performed using the transtibial (TT) portal technique. Biological factors were more likely to result in ACLR failure in hamstring (HT) autografts compared to bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) autografts. Conclusion: Trauma is the most important factor leading to surgical failure or revision following ACLR. Technical error is also an important contributing factor, with femoral tunnel malposition being the leading cause of error resulting in failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of inexpensive and efficient electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reactions (ORR) remains a challenge with respect to renewable energy technologies. In this research, a porous, nitrogen-doped ORR catalyst is prepared using the hydrothermal method and pyrolysis with walnut shell as a biomass precursor and urea as a nitrogen source. Unlike past research, in this study, urea is not directly doped; instead, a new type of doping is carried out after annealing at 550 °C. In addition, the sample's morphology and structure are analyzed and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). A CHI 760E electrochemical workstation is used to test NSCL-900's performance in terms of oxygen reduction electrocatalysis (ORR). It has been found that the catalytic performance of NSCL-900 is significantly improved compared with that of NS-900 without urea doping. In a 0.1 mol/L KOH electrolyte, the half-wave potential can reach 0.86 V (vs. RHE) and the initial potential is 1.00 V (vs. RHE). The catalytic process is close to four-electron transfer and there are large quantities of pyridine nitrogen and pyrrole nitrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dermal papilla cells (DPCs) play critical roles in hair follicle development, but the underlying mechanisms that contribute to hair regeneration have yet to be fully elucidated, particularly in terms of alterations in androgenetic alopecia patients. In this study, we demonstrated that hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is suppressed in scalp tissues of androgenetic alopecia patients and potentially associated with hair follicle development. Using RT-qPCR and western blot, we found that mRNA and protein levels of trichogenic genes, LEF1 and versican (VCAN), were attenuated in HIF-1α knockdown DPCs. Under an in vivo mimicked environment in a three-dimensional spheroid culture, HIF-1α-suppressed DPCs downregulated the expression of hair induction-related genes. Finally, treatment with a HIF-1α activator resulted in the elevated expression of trichogenic genes in DPCs. This study highlights the importance of dermal HIF-1α expression in regulating trichogenic genes and provides a promising therapeutic target and a fundamental tissue engineering approach for hair loss treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fundamental assumption of flood frequency analysis is that flood samples are generated by the same flood generation mechanism (FGM). However, flood events are usually triggered by the interaction of meteorological factors and watershed properties, which results in different FMGs. To solve this problem, researchers have put forward traditional two-component mixture distributions (TCMD-T) without clearly linking each component distribution to an explicit FGM. In order to improve the physical meaning of mixture distributions in seasonal snow-covered areas, the ratio of rainfall to flood volume (referred to as rainfall–flood ratio, RF) method was used to classify distinct FGMs. Thus, the weighting coefficient of each component distribution was determined in advance in the rainfall–flood ratio based TCMD (TCMD-RF). TCMD-RF model was applied to 34 basins in Norway. The results showed that flood types can be clearly divided into rain-on-snow-induced flood, snowmelt-induced flood and rainfall-induced flood. Moreover, the design flood and associated uncertainties were also estimated. It is found that TCMD-RF model can reduce the uncertainties of design flood by 20% compared with TCMD-T. The superiority of TCMD-RF is attributed to its clear classification of FGMs, thus determining the weighting coefficients without optimization and simplifying the parameter estimation procedure of mixture distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thiol‐ene radical coupling reaction exhibits high chemical selectivity and rapid kinetics. In particular, the experiment of photoinitiated reaction has the advantages of facile operation and short reaction time. However, there are few reports on its application in macromolecular thiol‐ene coupling reaction in the presence of polymeric chains containing amine moieties. On the one hand, an amine agent itself may be involved in photoreaction; and on the other hand, amine moieties can create an alkaline environment, which may retard thiol‐ene radical reaction. In this paper, a well‐defined A(B‐L)2 type miktoarm star copolymer unit is investigated and synthesized, together with further A(B‐L)2C type one, by employing macromolecular thiol‐ene radical coupling reactions. In two copolymers, A, B, and C are poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL), poly(2‐(diisopropylamino) ethyl methacrylate) (PDPA), and poly(2‐methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) arms, respectively, and L is terpyridine (tpy) ligand group and locates at the end of B arm. Especially, the synthesis of A(B‐L)2 type molecular architecture involved that a PDPA reactant (tpy‐PDPA‐SH) contains both a thiol end‐group and pendant tertiary amine moieties. Herein, such a macromolecular thiol‐ene radical coupling reaction is investigated and a robust synthesis strategy is reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Integrin β1, as a member of the adhesion molecule family, is widely distributed in many kinds of cells and participates in multiple biological functions of the nervous system, including cytoskeleton reorganization, axon growth, and inflammatory injury. Summary: After nervous system injury, integrin β1 expressed by microglia is mainly involved in promoting inflammatory damage; integrin β1 expressed by astrocytes plays an important role in axon regeneration; integrin β1 expressed by endothelial cells mainly participates in vascular remodeling. We concluded that the function of integrin β1 depends on the location of the receptor cells. The mechanism of integrin β1, which is involved in the inflammatory response of immune regulatory cells and affects the axonal regeneration of neuronal cells, is the key to explore the repair after nervous system injury. The development of drugs targeting integrin β1 is expected to bring a breakthrough in the treatment of nervous system injury. Key Messages: This paper expounds the important role of integrin β1 in neurons of the nervous system and emphasizes the central role of integrin β1 in regulating non-neuronal cells after nervous system damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Progressive bone erosion (BE) is a prominent manifestation of structural damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study aimed to construct and validate a BE prediction model (BEPM) for RA based on musculoskeletal ultrasound and clinical risk factors.A total of 312 RA patients without BE were consecutively collected and followed up for 2 years, who were divided into BE group and non-bone erosion group, as confirmed by two radiology experts based on at least two imaging techniques. Relevant clinical information, such as anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (ACCP) antibody and disease duration, was collected. Musculoskeletal ultrasound examinations were performed on all patients upon admission. Univariate and binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify risk factors for BE and to establish the prediction model. The calibration, diagnostic efficacy, and clinical effectiveness of BEPM were evaluated by calibration curve plots, receiver-operating characteristic curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA).Binary logistic regression analysis screened four variables, including synovial hyperplasia, synovial blood flow, ACCP + , and disease duration, into the prediction model. BEPM exhibited good diagnostic performance in both the training and validation groups, with area under the curve values of 0.949 (95% CI 0.924–0.973) and 0.965 (95% CI 0.935–0.996), respectively. Using 0.376 as the optical cutoff value for BE, the sensitivity, specificity, and Youden index of the model in the training group were 86.0%, 90.4%, and 76.4%, respectively. In the DCA curves, BEPM indicated overall good population benefit.BEPM demonstrates high diagnostic performance and clinical utility, and may be a useful clinical model for predicting BE in patients with RA.Key Points• Synovial hyperplasia, synovial blood flow, ACCP+ , and disease duration are independent risk factors for bone erosion in RA patients.• BEPM exhibits good diagnostic performance in both the training and validation groups.• Combining musculoskeletal ultrasound parameters with key clinical risk factors to construct a bone erosion model is feasible.Key Points• Synovial hyperplasia, synovial blood flow, ACCP+ , and disease duration are independent risk factors for bone erosion in RA patients.• BEPM exhibits good diagnostic performance in both the training and validation groups.• Combining musculoskeletal ultrasound parameters with key clinical risk factors to construct a bone erosion model is feasible.Methods: Progressive bone erosion (BE) is a prominent manifestation of structural damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study aimed to construct and validate a BE prediction model (BEPM) for RA based on musculoskeletal ultrasound and clinical risk factors.A total of 312 RA patients without BE were consecutively collected and followed up for 2 years, who were divided into BE group and non-bone erosion group, as confirmed by two radiology experts based on at least two imaging techniques. Relevant clinical information, such as anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (ACCP) antibody and disease duration, was collected. Musculoskeletal ultrasound examinations were performed on all patients upon admission. Univariate and binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify risk factors for BE and to establish the prediction model. The calibration, diagnostic efficacy, and clinical effectiveness of BEPM were evaluated by calibration curve plots, receiver-operating characteristic curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA).Binary logistic regression analysis screened four variables, including synovial hyperplasia, synovial blood flow, ACCP + , and disease duration, into the prediction model. BEPM exhibited good diagnostic performance in both the training and validation groups, with area under the curve values of 0.949 (95% CI 0.924–0.973) and 0.965 (95% CI 0.935–0.996), respectively. Using 0.376 as the optical cutoff value for BE, the sensitivity, specificity, and Youden index of the model in the training group were 86.0%, 90.4%, and 76.4%, respectively. In the DCA curves, BEPM indicated overall good population benefit.BEPM demonstrates high diagnostic performance and clinical utility, and may be a useful clinical model for predicting BE in patients with RA.Key Points• Synovial hyperplasia, synovial blood flow, ACCP+ , and disease duration are independent risk factors for bone erosion in RA patients.• BEPM exhibits good diagnostic performance in both the training and validation groups.• Combining musculoskeletal ultrasound parameters with key clinical risk factors to construct a bone erosion model is feasible.Key Points• Synovial hyperplasia, synovial blood flow, ACCP+ , and disease duration are independent risk factors for bone erosion in RA patients.• BEPM exhibits good diagnostic performance in both the training and validation groups.• Combining musculoskeletal ultrasound parameters with key clinical risk factors to construct a bone erosion model is feasible.Results: Progressive bone erosion (BE) is a prominent manifestation of structural damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study aimed to construct and validate a BE prediction model (BEPM) for RA based on musculoskeletal ultrasound and clinical risk factors.A total of 312 RA patients without BE were consecutively collected and followed up for 2 years, who were divided into BE group and non-bone erosion group, as confirmed by two radiology experts based on at least two imaging techniques. Relevant clinical information, such as anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (ACCP) antibody and disease duration, was collected. Musculoskeletal ultrasound examinations were performed on all patients upon admission. Univariate and binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify risk factors for BE and to establish the prediction model. The calibration, diagnostic efficacy, and clinical effectiveness of BEPM were evaluated by calibration curve plots, receiver-operating characteristic curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA).Binary logistic regression analysis screened four variables, including synovial hyperplasia, synovial blood flow, ACCP + , and disease duration, into the prediction model. BEPM exhibited good diagnostic performance in both the training and validation groups, with area under the curve values of 0.949 (95% CI 0.924–0.973) and 0.965 (95% CI 0.935–0.996), respectively. Using 0.376 as the optical cutoff value for BE, the sensitivity, specificity, and Youden index of the model in the training group were 86.0%, 90.4%, and 76.4%, respectively. In the DCA curves, BEPM indicated overall good population benefit.BEPM demonstrates high diagnostic performance and clinical utility, and may be a useful clinical model for predicting BE in patients with RA.Key Points• Synovial hyperplasia, synovial blood flow, ACCP+ , and disease duration are independent risk factors for bone erosion in RA patients.• BEPM exhibits good diagnostic performance in both the training and validation groups.• Combining musculoskeletal ultrasound parameters with key clinical risk factors to construct a bone erosion model is feasible.Key Points• Synovial hyperplasia, synovial blood flow, ACCP+ , and disease duration are independent risk factors for bone erosion in RA patients.• BEPM exhibits good diagnostic performance in both the training and validation groups.• Combining musculoskeletal ultrasound parameters with key clinical risk factors to construct a bone erosion model is feasible.Conclusion: Progressive bone erosion (BE) is a prominent manifestation of structural damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study aimed to construct and validate a BE prediction model (BEPM) for RA based on musculoskeletal ultrasound and clinical risk factors.A total of 312 RA patients without BE were consecutively collected and followed up for 2 years, who were divided into BE group and non-bone erosion group, as confirmed by two radiology experts based on at least two imaging techniques. Relevant clinical information, such as anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (ACCP) antibody and disease duration, was collected. Musculoskeletal ultrasound examinations were performed on all patients upon admission. Univariate and binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify risk factors for BE and to establish the prediction model. The calibration, diagnostic efficacy, and clinical effectiveness of BEPM were evaluated by calibration curve plots, receiver-operating characteristic curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA).Binary logistic regression analysis screened four variables, including synovial hyperplasia, synovial blood flow, ACCP + , and disease duration, into the prediction model. BEPM exhibited good diagnostic performance in both the training and validation groups, with area under the curve values of 0.949 (95% CI 0.924–0.973) and 0.965 (95% CI 0.935–0.996), respectively. Using 0.376 as the optical cutoff value for BE, the sensitivity, specificity, and Youden index of the model in the training group were 86.0%, 90.4%, and 76.4%, respectively. In the DCA curves, BEPM indicated overall good population benefit.BEPM demonstrates high diagnostic performance and clinical utility, and may be a useful clinical model for predicting BE in patients with RA.Key Points• Synovial hyperplasia, synovial blood flow, ACCP+ , and disease duration are independent risk factors for bone erosion in RA patients.• BEPM exhibits good diagnostic performance in both the training and validation groups.• Combining musculoskeletal ultrasound parameters with key clinical risk factors to construct a bone erosion model is feasible.Key Points• Synovial hyperplasia, synovial blood flow, ACCP+ , and disease duration are independent risk factors for bone erosion in RA patients.• BEPM exhibits good diagnostic performance in both the training and validation groups.• Combining musculoskeletal ultrasound parameters with key clinical risk factors to construct a bone erosion model is feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foam-like carbon microspheres (FCMs) with controllable pseudo-graphitic domains were constructed via staged pyrolysis. The preferential pyrolysis of PF engenders a robust "carbon skeleton", while subsequent pyrolysis of PTFE forms a porous channel architecture, perfectly preserving pseudo-graphitic domains and bringing abundant defects/pores structure. The optimized electrode displays a well-balanced adsorption and intercalation capability, exhibiting a high reversible capacity, outstanding rate/cycle property and superb full cells application. [Display omitted] • Developing a unique staged pyrolysis strategy to tailor foam-like carbon microspheres with controllable pseudo-graphitic domains. • The perfectly preserved pseudo-graphitic domains and created rich defects/pores structures ensures efficient K+ low-voltage intercalation and fast K+ transport. • Achieving a high capacity, outstanding rate property/stability and impressive full-cells performance. • Confirming the "adsorption–intercalation" K-storage mechanism and well-balanced active sites crucial for synergistic enhancement of adsorption/intercalation kinetics. Hard carbon shows promise as a potassium-ion battery (PIB) anode, but its high capacity and rate property are limited by insufficient active sites and poor kinetics. Creating a porous channel structure offers an effective route, but such design often disrupts the development of intercalation sites critical for low-voltage plateau capacity, and may reduce the energy density of full cells. Herein, a staged pyrolysis strategy was developed to tailor foam-like carbon microspheres (FCMs) with controllable pseudo-graphitic domains by exploiting polymer with the temperature difference in pyrolysis. Such tactics perfectly retains abundant pseudo-graphitic domains and creates rich defect/pore structures, ensuring efficient K+ low-voltage intercalation and benefiting fast K+ transport. The optimized electrode exhibits balanced adsorption/intercalation capacity, delivering a large reversible capacity (386.7 mAh g−1 at 0.1C), outstanding rate performance (223.1 mAh g−1 at 4C) and excellent capacity retention (79.2 % over 2000 cycles at 4C). Additionally, the FCM-2//PTCDA full cell submits a high energy density of 198 Wh kg−1 and superb rate property/stability compared to same-type full cells. Tracked K-storage behavior confirmed the "adsorption–intercalation" mechanism and kinetic studies clarified that exact balance of defect, mesopore and pseudo-graphitic phase was crucial for the synergistic enhancement of adsorption/intercalation kinetics. This work opens up a unique method to tune the microstructure of hard carbon and offers design principles for developing practical anodes with synergistic storage behavior suitable for PIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat is an essential food source and is subjected to intense breeding efforts for increased grain yield, but stagnation in grain yield improvements has been reported in many regions. The identification of genetically linked factors impeding further progress in wheat grain yield improvement is therefore urgently required. A comparative meta-analysis of data from 66 publicly available field experiments involving multiple wheat genotypes was performed to identify traits altered in breeding programs, their relationship with grain yield, and their past and current impact on grain yield increases. Wheat grain yield can be increased by increasing either the aboveground biomass (ABM) or the harvest index (HI). However, there was no correlation between these traits since a reduction in plant height can occur with increases in the HI and overall grain yield, but with no reduction in the ABM. The combined data from 32 global datasets revealed a substantial increase in wheat grain yield from 1860 to 2017, accompanied by improvement in HI and yield components. When considering only the genotypes introduced from the 1960s to 2017, there was a linear increase observed in both grain yield and HI until the mid-1980s. However, genetic progress in HI and GY has slowed down since then. Before the mid-1980s, there was a decreasing trend observed in plant height which remained relatively static thereafter. While ABM did not exhibit significant increases during this period. After the mid-1980s, significant improvements have been observed in ABM; however, no obvious increase were observed in other yield components. Since the 1980s, there has been an increase in the aboveground biomass of wheat, while grain weigth and grains per m2 increases trending slowly, and both harvest index and grain yield have almost stagnated. Therefore, increasing grains per m2 and/or grain weight should be the major research direction to further improve the wheat harvest index and grain yield in the future. The systematic study of changes in wheat traits in past breeding efforts for improved grain yields has provided useful indicators for the direction of wheat breeding in the future. • HI kept supporting the increase in wheat yield (per unit area) after 1860. • In 1960s-1980s, dwarfing increased rapidly HI & yield simultaneously. • After 1980s, ABM keeps rising but HI slows down, leading to a yield-increase slowdown. • Increasing grain number & weight should be the future major research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, different additives (such as Bovine serum albumin (BSA), PEG 8000, calcium lignosulfonate, tea saponin, and Tween 80) were introduced to enhance the efficiency of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of NaOH-catalyzed organosolv pretreated poplar. Then the influence of two-factor additive compound on SSF was determined, only 75 mg/g BSA had a positive interaction with 150 mg/g tea saponin, which generated the maximal ethanol yield of 92.83 % with ethanol concentration of 18.82 g/L after 24 h, ascribing to the higher relative enzyme activity, free enzyme, and Zeta potential. Furthermore, with the addition of combined additives at an enzyme dosage of 8 FPU/g substrate, the NaOH-catalyzed organosolv pretreated poplar liberated higher ethanol than that without additive at an enzyme dosage of 15 FPU/g substrate. This phenomenon indicated that the use of combined additive can improve fermentation efficiency, while reducing almost 1/2 enzyme dosage. In general, this study provided a facile and efficient method for ethanol production with compound additives. [Display omitted] • BSA presented superior performance in improving ethanol among various additives. • The combined BSA and tea saponin liberated ethanol yield of 92.83 % at 24 h. • Additives enhanced the enzyme activity, free enzyme, and Zeta potential. • Additives reduced 1/2 enzyme dosage while producing more ethanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new method was developed to produce 3D cultured MSC-derived exosomes (3D-EXO). • 3D-EXO have better therapeutic effects on knee osteoarthritis than traditional 2D cultured MSC-derived exosomes (2D-EXO). • 3D-EXO delays knee osteoarthritis progression by promoting M2 polarization in macrophages. • 3D-EXO promotes M2 polarization in macrophages by inhibiting the TLR2/Myd88/NF-κB pathway. Exosomes (EXO) derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are recently shown to have therapeutic effects in preclinical models of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). However, their potential for conversion into a clinical therapy are limited by several shortcomings such as low yield and suboptimal efficacy. This study developed 3D-EXO to improve exosome yield and efficacy through 3D-culturing of MSCs, with the aim of achieving overall better therapeutic effects compared to traditional 2D-cultured MSC-derived EXO (2D-EXO). In a rat KOA model, 3D-EXO led to better preservation of bone structure and protection from cartilage damage compared to 2D-EXO. Interestingly, in vitro experiments showed no significant differences between 3D-EXO and 2D-EXO in their direct effects on chondrocytes. To explain these findings, we looked into the possible effects of MSC-derived EXO on the immune microenvironment, specifically in modulating phenotypic expression in macrophages. In vitro investigations showed that 3D-EXO increased the expression of M2 phenotype markers in macrophages to a greater extent than 2D-EXO. RNA-seq analysis revealed that expression of miR-365a-5p was more upregulated in 3D-EXO than 2D-EXO. Through micro-RNA mimics transfection, we found that miR-365a-5p acted directly on TLR2 mRNA to inhibit TLR2 translation, indicating that 3D-EXO promoted M2 polarization of macrophages by inhibiting the TLR2/Myd88/NF-κB axis. The immunomodulatory effects of 3D-EXO were confirmed by the observation that the metabolic status of chondrocytes was significantly improved after co-culturing with 3D-EXO-treated macrophages. In summary, 3D-EXO can effectively promote M2 macrophage polarization through increased expression of miR-365a-5p, which in turn improves the metabolic state of chondrocytes and resulting in overall better in vivo therapeutic effects on KOA. The findings in this study imply the development of new therapies for KOA based on MSC-derived EXO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, porous activated carbon is successfully prepared from waste apple pruning branches (PGZ), which demonstrates an ultra-high specific capacity of 505 F g −1 at a current density of 1 A g −1 with excellent rate performance (215 F g −1 at 50 A g−1). The assembled supercapacitor also exhibits excellent specific capacitance of 320 F g −1 (at 0.5 A g−1) and 160 F g −1 (at 20 A g−1), with a high energy density of 12.03 Wh kg −1 at a power density of 250.45 W kg −1 in 6 M KOH. In 1 M Na 2 SO 4 and 1 M Et 4 NBF 4 /AC electrolytes, high energy densities of 18.8 Wh kg −1 and 44.1 Wh kg −1 could be achieved. It also exhibits high reversible lithium storage capacity of 636.2 mAh g −1 at 0.2 C and retains 390 mAh g −1 after 1000 cycles. Even at 0.8 C, the storage capacity is still as high as 327 mAh g −1, with 282 mAh g −1 retained after 1000 cycles. These excellent electrochemical properties are attributed to the hierarchical porous structure of the sample prepared under the optimum conditions. The large pores in the hierarchical structure will lead to high-speed capacitive properties due to their low ion transport resistance while the small mesopore and micropore provide a large electrode and electrolyte interface, which can facilitate charge transfer reaction. These outstanding performances highlights the first example of using waste apple pruning branches as a sustainable source of raw materials for the preparation of high value-added porous carbon materials with multiple energy storage functions. • Waste apple pruning branches were transformed into high value-added porous carbons. • The porous carbon prepared under the optimized conditions with high specific surface areas and coexistence of macro-, meso-, and micropores. • The porous carbon showed ultrahigh specific capacitance of 944 F/g with excellent rate performance. • The porous carbon also showed a high reversible capacity for lithium batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Cobaltite was discovered within pyrite at the De'erni deposit for the first time. • The lattice defects provided sites for the nucleation of cobaltite within pyrite. • Cobaltite NPs contributed to the uneven distribution of Co in pyrite. Cobalt (Co) is a critical metal that occurs in many types of deposits, Co minerals and sulfide hosts are the main forms of Co occurrence. Pyrite is the most important cobalt-bearing mineral in the De'erni Cu-Zn-Co ultramafic-hosted volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits. However, the occurrence and enrichment of Co in pyrite remain unclear. In this study, a combination of LA-ICP-MS and STEM techniques was employed to conduct a detailed mineralogical investigation of pyrite in the De'erni deposit. The results revealed significant variations in cobalt content among pyrite samples from different mineral assemblages. Pyrite associated with magnetite (Mag), pyrrhotite (Po), chalcopyrite (Ccp), arsenopyrite (Apy), and bornite (Bn) (Py-Mag-Po-Ccp-Apy-Bn suite of mineral assemblages) exhibited the highest cobalt content, which ranged from 672.6 ppm to 2007 ppm. Cobalt occurs in two forms in the pyrite from the De'erni deposit: as cobaltite nanoparticles (NPs) and as a substitute for iron (Fe) in the pyrite lattice. The enrichment mechanism of cobalt in pyrite was explored at the deposit and mineral scales. The results indicate that a decrease in ore-forming fluid temperature and an increase in cobalt content may be significant factors contributing to cobalt enrichment at the deposit scale. Lattice defects may play a crucial role in cobalt enrichment within the pyrite lattice. Furthermore, the discovery of cobaltite NPs in pyrite could provide new insights for explaining the complex zonation of the cobalt element in pyrite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new method was developed to produce 3D cultured MSC-derived exosomes (3D-EXO). • 3D-EXO have better therapeutic effects on knee osteoarthritis than traditional 2D cultured MSC-derived exosomes (2D-EXO). • 3D-EXO delays knee osteoarthritis progression by promoting M2 polarization in macrophages. • 3D-EXO promotes M2 polarization in macrophages by inhibiting the TLR2/Myd88/NF-κB pathway. Exosomes (EXO) derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are recently shown to have therapeutic effects in preclinical models of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). However, their potential for conversion into a clinical therapy are limited by several shortcomings such as low yield and suboptimal efficacy. This study developed 3D-EXO to improve exosome yield and efficacy through 3D-culturing of MSCs, with the aim of achieving overall better therapeutic effects compared to traditional 2D-cultured MSC-derived EXO (2D-EXO). In a rat KOA model, 3D-EXO led to better preservation of bone structure and protection from cartilage damage compared to 2D-EXO. Interestingly, in vitro experiments showed no significant differences between 3D-EXO and 2D-EXO in their direct effects on chondrocytes. To explain these findings, we looked into the possible effects of MSC-derived EXO on the immune microenvironment, specifically in modulating phenotypic expression in macrophages. In vitro investigations showed that 3D-EXO increased the expression of M2 phenotype markers in macrophages to a greater extent than 2D-EXO. RNA-seq analysis revealed that expression of miR-365a-5p was more upregulated in 3D-EXO than 2D-EXO. Through micro-RNA mimics transfection, we found that miR-365a-5p acted directly on TLR2 mRNA to inhibit TLR2 translation, indicating that 3D-EXO promoted M2 polarization of macrophages by inhibiting the TLR2/Myd88/NF-κB axis. The immunomodulatory effects of 3D-EXO were confirmed by the observation that the metabolic status of chondrocytes was significantly improved after co-culturing with 3D-EXO-treated macrophages. In summary, 3D-EXO can effectively promote M2 macrophage polarization through increased expression of miR-365a-5p, which in turn improves the metabolic state of chondrocytes and resulting in overall better in vivo therapeutic effects on KOA. The findings in this study imply the development of new therapies for KOA based on MSC-derived EXO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]