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Introduction: Obesity, as indicated by elevated Body Mass Index (BMI), is a well-established global health concern associated with increased morbidity and mortality across diverse populations. However, the influence of BMI on individuals in Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing (AFF) occupations, characterized by unique challenges and environmental factors, has received limited research attention. Methods: Our study, a prospective cohort analysis, utilized National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 1999–2014, targeting adults above 18 in AFF occupations with comprehensive BMI data, omitting individuals with a history of cancer. Mortality outcomes were extracted from the NHANES mortality file, and BMI was segmented into eight categories. Essential covariates such as age, sex, race, and various health factors were incorporated. The statistical analysis encompassed Cox regression, generalized additive models, smooth curve fitting, and stratified analyses. Results: During 1,005 person-years with 201 all-cause and 57 CVD deaths, we observed L-shaped and U-shaped correlations of BMI with all-cause and CVD mortality, featuring a pivotal inflection at 26.69 and 27.40 kg/m2. Above this BMI threshold of 26.69 and 27.4 kg/m2, all-cause mortality association was not significant while CVD mortality was positive. Conclusions: This study highlights a unique BMI-mortality association in AFF occupations, diverging from standard patterns. The rigorous labor and environmental conditions in AFF jobs suggest that a certain range of higher BMI could reduce mortality risk. This highlights the necessity for tailored health guidelines in different occupations. Future research should concentrate on diverse health indicators and enhanced risk assessment for physically strenuous occupations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships among aging self-stereotype, sense of coherence (SOC), and social isolation, as well as further explore the moderating role of cellphone use in older adults. The 817 Chinese older adults were assessed with regard to aging self-stereotypes, social isolation, SOC and cellphone use. Results from mediation analyses revealed that the negative effect of aging self-stereotype on social isolation was mediated by SOC. Moderated mediation analyses further indicated that the path from SOC to social isolation was stronger and the path from aging self-stereotype to social isolation was weaker for older adults with a higher level of cellphone use. These findings indicated that negative stereotypes were related to weaker SOC and are associated with more severe social isolation. Frequent use of cellphones can alleviate the negative effect of aging self-stereotype on social isolation and enhance the positive effect of SOC on social isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This study aimed to investigate the association between negative aging stereotypes and goal pursuit in daily life among older adults. We also explored the roles of stereotype threat and stereotype challenge reactions in mediating this association. Additionally, this study investigated whether variations in these associations exist among older adults based on their self-integrity levels. Methods Participants were 100 older adults who completed daily measures assessing negative aging stereotype experiences, threat and challenge reactions, goal pursuit activities, and self-integrity over a week. Results More daily experiences of negative aging stereotypes were associated with greater avoidance of responsibilities in goal pursuit and less progress toward goals. Increased threat reactions and decreased challenge reactions were mediators of the association between stereotype experiences and avoidance of responsibilities, as well as that between stereotype experiences and progress toward goals, respectively. Moreover, the associations between threat reactions and avoidance of responsibilities as well as between stereotype experiences and challenge reactions were more pronounced in older adults with lower self-integrity levels. Discussion This study is pioneering in demonstrating the real-life interplay between aging stereotypes and goal pursuit among older adults. Its findings not only expand upon the literature concerning aging stereotypes, but also offer theoretical insights for the development of interventions aimed at goal pursuit. These insights have significant implications for fostering healthy aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The relationship of serum 25(OH)D levels and hyperlipidemia has not been explored in the Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing (AFF) occupation. We aimed to explore the impact of serum 25(OH)D levels on lipid profiles in AFF workers, traffic drivers, and miners. Methods: Data from 3937 adults aged 18–65 years old with completed information were obtained from the National Health and Examination Survey from 2001 to 2014. Multivariate linear regression models were used to examine the associations between serum 25(OH)D concentrations and triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and HDL-C/LDL-C ratio. Subgroup analyses for AFF workers considered age, sex, BMI, work activity, months worked, and alcohol consumption. Non-linear relationships were explored using curve fitting. Results: Serum 25(OH)D levels differed between groups (AFF: 60.0 ± 21.3 nmol/L, drivers: 56.6 ± 22.2 nmol/L, miners: 62.8 ± 22.3 nmol/L). Subgroup analysis of the AFF group showed that participants with serum 25(OH)D ≥50 nmol/L, females, and BMI <30 kg/m2 demonstrated improved HDL-C levels correlating with higher serum 25(OH)D. Serum 25(OH)D in AFF workers had a reversed U-shaped relationship with TG and TC, and a U-shaped relationship with HDL-C, with HDL-C, with inflection points at 49.5 nmol/L for TG and TC, and 32.6 nmol/L for HDL-C. Conclusions: Serum 25(OH)D levels are associated with lipid profiles, and the relationship varies among occupational groups. AFF workers, facing unique occupational challenges, may benefit from maintaining adequate serum 25(OH)D levels to mitigate adverse lipid profiles and reduce cardiovascular risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of this study were to explore the predictive relationship between sleep quality and sense of coherence (SOC) and to examine a possible moderating role of mastery in this relationship. A three‐wave longitudinal design was employed using a sample of 304 older adults aged 55–87 years old. Cross‐lagged panel analyses and moderating effect analyses showed that sleep quality can predict the levels of SOC 6 months later, whereas SOC cannot predict sleep quality 6 months later. In addition, mastery can moderate the effect of sleep quality on SOC. Specifically, the lagged effects of sleep quality on SOC in older adults who had low levels of mastery were stronger than in those who had high levels of mastery. Overall, these findings provide valuable insights for understanding the predictive relationship between sleep quality and SOC and emphasise the moderating role of mastery. Also, our results offer important implications for enhancing the SOC in older adults by improving sleep quality and mastery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older adults may be confronted with a variety of negative aging stereotypes (e.g., "forgetful," "physically frail," and "lonely") almost every day. While experimental studies have demonstrated the impact of negative aging stereotypes on older adults' cognitive performance, the relationship between multiple negative aging stereotype experiences and cognitive functioning in older people's daily lives is largely unknown. Using a 1-week daily diary study approach, the present studies examined the association between experiencing daily negative aging stereotypes and real-life cognitive functioning and the mediating role of daily negative affect. We also examined whether these associations differed in response to negative aging stereotype diversity, which refers to the breadth and evenness of negative aging stereotypes that older adults experience in 1 week. In Study 1 (n = 50), we explored the negative aging stereotypes that older adults often experience in their daily lives. These stereotypes can be seen as a measure of daily stereotype experiences. Then in Study 2, 100 older adults reported their everyday experiences of negative aging stereotypes, positive or negative affect, and cognitive failures for 1 week. The results showed that the more negative aging stereotype experiences older adults had in 1 day, the more cognitive failures occurred that day and that daily negative affect mediated this association. Further, the direct and indirect relationships between daily negative aging stereotype experiences and daily cognitive failures were significant in older adults with high negative aging stereotype diversity but not in those with low negative aging stereotype diversity. This study provides new insights for studies on aging stereotypes threat and offers theoretical guidance for future interventions for cognitive health in older adults and, in turn, contributes to promoting healthy aging in older adults. Public Significance Statement: The present studies revealed the day-to-day associations between multiple negative aging stereotype experiences and the real-life cognitive functioning of older adults. This highlights the importance of focusing on intervention strategies that are applicable to daily multiple negative aging stereotypes in enhancing the cognitive health of older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the effects of noise disturbances and system resilience, the current methods for rolling bearing fault feature extraction and degradation trend estimation can hardly achieve more satisfactory results. To address the above issues, we propose a different method for fault feature extraction and degradation trend estimation. Firstly, we preset the Bayesian inference criterion to evaluate the complexity of the denoised vibration signal. When its complexity reaches a minimum, the noise disturbances are exactly removed. Secondly, we define the system resilience obtained by the Bayesian network as the intrinsic index of the system, which is used to correct the equipment degradation trend obtained by the multivariate status estimation technique. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by the completeness of the extracted fault features and the accuracy of the degradation trend estimation over the whole life cycle of the bearing degradation data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological treatment processes are an effective method for removing the nitrogen-containing contaminants that exist in coking wastewater. However, little is known about microbial composition and keystone taxa involved in biological nitrogen removal processes. In order to improve the removal efficiency of nitrogen-containing contaminants in anaerobic-aerobic-hydrolytic-aerobic (A/O1/H/O2) system, the microbial composition and interactions of keystone taxa should be clarified. The present work clarifies the removal performance of nitrogen-containing contaminants in the A/O1/H/O2 system, identifies the microbial community involved in various bioreactors, and reveals the keystone taxa within the microbial communities. Combined the processes of ammoniation, denitrification, and nitrification, total nitrogen decreased from 248 to 31 mg L−1 and achieved a removal efficiency of 87.5% in the full-scale A/O1/H/O2 system. High-throughput MiSeq sequencing revealed that Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum in the A/O1/H/O2 system with relative abundances of 24%–50%. Thiobacillus dominated in bioreactors A and O1 with relative abundances of 2.90% and 4.44%, respectively, while Nitrospira was identified as the most dominant genus in bioreactors H and O2, accounting for 13.33% and 18.38%, respectively. The microbial community composition and co-occurrence network analysis showed that the keystone taxa belonged to Thiobacillus, Nitrospira, Bdellovibrio, Planctomyces, Desulfotomaculum , and Sphingobium , which are related to nitrogen degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to examine the relationships between self-sacrifice and hope as well as the possible intervening roles of perceived family support and attitudes to aging in this relationship among Chinese older adults. A total of 475 older adults participated in the current study. They completed measures related to self-sacrifice, hope, perceived family support, and attitudes to aging. Attitudes to aging measured the extent to which older adults hold positive and negative attitudes toward aging in three domains of physical change, psychological growth, and psychosocial loss. The results showed that self-sacrifice was positively associated with older adults' hope. Mediation analyses revealed that perceived family support mediated the relationship between self-sacrifice and older adults' hope. Moderated mediation analyses revealed that attitudes to physical change moderated the relationship between self-sacrifice and older adults' hope, and attitudes to psychological growth moderated the relationship between perceived family support and older adults' hope. Specifically, the association between self-sacrifice and hope was stronger for older adults with less positive attitudes to physical change than for those with more positive attitudes to physical change. The association between perceived family support and hope was stronger for older adults with more positive attitudes to psychological growth than for those with less positive attitudes to psychological growth. The findings can contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between self-sacrifice and hope and can aid in designing effective interventions aimed at improving older adults' hope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrolytic acidification process has a strong ability to conduct denitrogenation and increase the biological oxygen demand/chemical oxygen demand ratio in O/H/O coking wastewater treatment system. More than 80% of the total nitrogen (TN) was removed in the hydrolytic bioreactor, and the hydrolytic acidification process contributed to the provision of carbon sources for the subsequent nitrification process. The structure and diversity of microbial communities were elaborated using high-throughput MiSeq of the 16S rRNA genes. The results revealed that the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonged to phyla Bacteroidetes, Betaproteobacteria, and Alphaproteobacteria were the dominant taxa involved in the denitrogenation and degradation of refractory contaminants in the hydrolytic bioreactor, with relative abundances of 22.94 ± 3.72, 29.77 ± 2.47, and 18.23 ± 0.26%, respectively. The results of a redundancy analysis showed that the OTUs belonged to the genera Thiobacillus, Rhodoplanes, and Hylemonella in the hydrolytic bioreactor strongly positively correlated with the chemical oxygen demand, TN, and the removal of phenolics, respectively. The results of a microbial co-occurrence network analysis showed that the OTUs belonged to the phylum Bacteroidetes and the genus Rhodoplanes had a significant impact on the efficiency of removal of contaminants that contained nitrogen in the hydrolytic bioreactor. The potential function profiling results indicate the complementarity of nitrogen metabolism, methane metabolism, and sulfur metabolism sub-pathways that were considered to play a significant role in the process of denitrification. These results provide new insights into the further optimization of the performance of the hydrolytic bioreactor in coking wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccine-based elicitation of broadly neutralizing antibodies holds great promise for preventing HIV-1 transmission. However, the key biophysical markers of improved antibody recognition remain uncertain in the diverse landscape of potential antibody mutation pathways, and a more complete understanding of anti-HIV-1 fusion peptide (FP) antibody development will accelerate rational vaccine designs. Here we survey the mutational landscape of the vaccine-elicited anti-FP antibody, vFP16.02, to determine the genetic, structural, and functional features associated with antibody improvement or fitness. Using site-saturation mutagenesis and yeast display functional screening, we found that 1% of possible single mutations improved HIV-1 envelope trimer (Env) affinity, but generally comprised rare somatic hypermutations that may not arise frequently in vivo. We observed that many single mutations in the vFP16.02 Fab could enhance affinity >1,000-fold against soluble FP, although affinity improvements against the HIV-1 trimer were more measured and rare. The most potent variants enhanced affinity to both soluble FP and Env, had mutations concentrated in antibody framework regions, and achieved up to 37% neutralization breadth compared to 28% neutralization of the template antibody. Altered heavy- and light-chain interface angles and conformational dynamics, as well as reduced Fab thermal stability, were associated with improved HIV-1 neutralization breadth and potency. We also observed parallel sets of mutations that enhanced viral neutralization through similar structural mechanisms. These data provide a quantitative understanding of the mutational landscape for vaccine-elicited FP-directed broadly neutralizing antibody and demonstrate that numerous antigen-distal framework mutations can improve antibody function by enhancing affinity simultaneously toward HIV-1 Env and FP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pre-aerobic process of coking wastewater treatment has strong capacity of decarbonization and detoxification, which contribute to the subsequent dinitrogen of non-carbon source/heterotrophic denitrification. The COD removal rate can reach > 90% in the first aerobic bioreactor of the novel O/H/O coking wastewater treatment system during long-term operation. The physico-chemical characteristics of influent and effluent coking wastewater in the first aerobic bioreactor were analyzed to examine how they correlated with bacterial communities. The diversity of the activated sludge microbial community was investigated using a culture-independent molecular approach. The microbial community functional profiling and detailed pathways were predicted from the 16S rRNA gene-sequencing data by the PICRUSt software and the KEGG database. High-throughput MiSeq sequencing results revealed a distinct microbial composition in the activated sludge of the first aerobic bioreactor of the O/H/O system. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Chlorobi were the decarbonization and detoxification dominant phyla with the relative abundance of 84.07 ± 5.45, 10.89 ± 6.31, and 2.96 ± 1.12%, respectively. Thiobacillus, Rhodoplanes, Lysobacter, and Leucobacter were the potential major genera involved in the crucial functional pathways related to the degradation of phenols, cyanide, benzoate, and naphthalene. These results indicated that the comprehensive understanding of the structure and function diversity of the microbial community in the bioreactor will be conducive to the optimal coking wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive research has confirmed that negative emotions play a key role in the framing effect. Yet little is known about whether and how malicious envy modulates the framing effect. To examine the potential impact and mechanism of malicious envy on the framing effect, two experiments were conducted in which participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: a malicious envy condition and a control condition. In Experiment 1, after malicious envy was activated and measured, the participants were asked to complete a framing task. The results showed that participants in the malicious envy group made more risk-averse choices in the gain frame than those in the control group, but these two groups of participants did not exhibit a behavioral difference in the loss frame. In Experiment 2, the procedure was identical to Experiment 1, except that, after the malicious envy scale was administered, two scales were used to measure hope for success and fear of failure. Experiment 2 revealed the same effect of malicious envy on decision making in the framing task. Experiment 2 also found that malicious envy activated two types of achievement motivation. Further, fear of failure mediated the effect of malicious envy on risky decision making in the framing task, while hope for success did not mediate the effect. The relationships between malicious envy, framing effect, and achievement motivation have important implications with respect to interventions for malicious envy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have focused on the relationships among religiousness, social support and subjective well‐being in Chinese adolescent populations. This study tries to fill this gap. Using cluster sampling, we selected two groups: Group A, which included 738 Tibetan adolescents with a formal religious affiliation and represented adolescents from a religious culture, and Group B, which included 720 Han adolescents without a religious affiliation and represented adolescents from an irreligious culture. Structural equation modelling showed that only in Group A did social support mediate (partially) the relationship between religious experience and subjective well‐being; furthermore, the results of a hierarchical regression analysis showed that only in Group A did social support moderate the relationship between religious ideology and subjective well‐being. Possible explanations for the discrepancies between the findings obtained in this study and those obtained in previous studies are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proper impedance matching and strong attenuation capabilities are crucial factors for an excellent microwave absorbent. Significant attention and effort have been focused on the attenuation capabilities, whereas little attention has been paid to impedance matching, which is particularly important to design broadband absorbing materials. In this study, coin-like porous FeCo/C composites were successfully prepared by a simple carbon thermal reduction method. The Zin/Zo values of the FeCo/C composites were calculated to investigate the effects of the Fe/Co molar ratio and structure on the impedance matching. The results show that the coin-like porous samples were equipped with optimal impedance matching (Zin/Zo≈ 1) and broad frequency bandwidth. The coin-like porous structure can induce multiple scattering and extend the travel path of the waves, which is in favour of electromagnetic loss. In this way, the effective frequency bandwidth (RL ＜ −10 dB) as large as 6 GHz (from 11.36 to 17.36 GHz) has been achieved at a thickness of 2 mm when the Fe/Co molar ratio is 4 : 6. In addition, the average frequency broadband reached 5.57 GHz in the thickness range of 2–2.6 mm. We believe that this study may provide a new strategy for tuning the impedance matching for optimal broadband absorbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriate adjuvant selection may be essential to optimize the potency and to tailor the immune response of subunit vaccines. To induce protective responses against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)—a highly prevalent childhood pathogen without a licensed vaccine—we previously engineered a pre-fusion-stabilized trimeric RSV F (pre-F) “DS-Cav1” immunogen, which induced high titer RSV-neutralizing antibodies, in mice and non-human primates, when formulated with adjuvants Poly (I:C) and Poly (IC:LC), respectively. To assess the impact of different adjuvants, here we formulated RSV F DS-Cav1 with multiple adjuvants and assessed immune responses. Very high RSV-neutralizing antibody responses (19,006 EC50) were observed in naïve mice immunized with 2 doses of DS-Cav1 adjuvanted with Sigma adjuvant system (SAS), an oil-in-water adjuvant, plus Carbopol; high responses (3658–7108) were observed with DS-Cav1 adjuvanted with Alum, SAS alone, Adjuplex, Poly (I:C) and Poly (IC:LC); and moderate responses (1251–2129) were observed with DS-Cav1 adjuvanted with the TLR4 agonist MPLA, Alum plus MPLA or AddaVax. In contrast, DS-Cav1 without adjuvant induced low-level responses (6). A balanced IgG1 and IgG2a (Th2/Th1) immune response was elicited in most of the high to very high response groups (all but Alum and Adjuplex). We also tested the immune response induced by DS-Cav1 in elderly mice with pre-existing DS-Cav1 immunity; we observed that DS-Cav1 adjuvanted with SAS plus Carbopol boosted the response 2-3-fold, whereas DS-Cav1 adjuvanted with alum boosted the response 5-fold. Finally, we tested whether a mixture of ISA 71 VG and Carbopol would enhanced the antibody response in DS-Cav1 immunized calves. While pre-F-stabilized bovine RSV F induced very high titers in mice when adjuvanted with SAS plus Carbopol, the addition of Carbopol to ISA 71 VG did not enhance immune responses in calves. The vaccine response to pre-F-stabilized RSV F is augmented by adjuvant, but the degree of adjuvant-induced enhancement appears to be both context-dependent and species-specific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploiting photocatalysts with improved properties for solar-driven chemical reactions is of great significance in developing green chemistry. Here, a series of Au/CeO 2 hybrid nanofibers with different Au loadings have been fabricated by a simple method of electrospinning followed by calcination in air. The particle size and plasmonic absorption of Au nanoparticles (NPs) loaded in the nanofibers were analyzed and found to vary with the dosage of chloroauric acid in the precursor solution. The Au/CeO 2 hybrid nanofibers were used as photocatalysts for selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde with O 2 under simulated sunlight and visible light (>420 nm), respectively. The results showed that introducing Au NPs into CeO 2 nanofibers induced a great improvement in photocatalysis. The degree of improvement increased first and then decreased with the increase in Au loading, reaching an optimal level over 0.5 wt.% Au-loaded CeO 2 nanofibers. The photocatalytic reaction presents a very high selectivity of 100% for benzaldehyde, which is important for organic synthesis. The transient photocurrent responses of the Au/CeO 2 catalysts were also tested for corroborative evidence. After detailed discussion of various factors including plasmonic absorption, charge transfer, and surface activity of the photocatalyst, a possible mechanism for the photocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol occurring at the Au–CeO 2 interface was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the current study was to examine the association between body image and hopelessness as well as the roles of aging self‐stereotypes and marital status in this association in older adults. There were 821 older adults who participated in the present study and completed questionaries about body image, aging self‐stereotypes, hopelessness, demographic information (age and sex), marital status, and health status. The results showed that body image was associated with hopelessness in older adults, and aging self‐stereotypes mediated the link between body image and hopelessness. Moderated analyses further indicated that the path from body image to aging self‐stereotypes was stronger for single older adults than for those who were married. The results emphasize that older adults' dissatisfaction with their body image can enhance negative aging self‐stereotypes, which then result in more severe hopelessness. Marital relationships can alleviate the negative effect of body image on aging self‐stereotypes in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• By applying the latent class analysis, the study revealed four latent classes of sleep quality in older adults, including poor sleep quality (17.6%), inadequate sleep (13.8%), disturbed sleep (18.2%), and good sleep quality (50.4%). • Age, gender, monthly income, health-related factors, and personal resources predicted group membership and these factors showed different associations with each group. • The study suggests that developing tailored interventions, considering the differences in sleep quality in older adults, are needed to support successful aging in place. This research identified latent classes of sleep quality on the basis of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) among older Chinese adults and investigated whether some influencing factors are associated with these classes. A total of 1047 older adults were involved in this study. Self-reported questionnaires were used to measure the levels of sleep quality, background variables (demographic factors, socioeconomic status, and life satisfaction), health status (self-rated health, depressive symptoms, and anxiety), social resources (perceived friends' support and family affective involvement), and psychological resources (sense of coherence and hope). Latent class analysis revealed four latent classes, namely, poor sleep quality (17.6%), inadequate sleep (13.8%), disturbed sleep (18.2%), and good sleep quality (50.4%) in older adults. Multinomial logistic regression analyses suggested that some of the background variables, all three health-related factors, and all four personal resources predicted group membership. Specifically, age, gender, self-rated health, and hope were significant factors that could predict the membership of all classes. This study revealed four groups of sleep quality and its related predictors in older adults. Our results provided information for tailored interventions that can promote older adults' sleep quality and prevent a worsened sleep quality unprecedented situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to explore the associations between the qualities of different types of relationships in school, social support and loneliness in adolescence. Using a sample ( N = 1674) of adolescent students randomly selected from middle schools, we found boys’ loneliness was influenced by the qualities of opposite-sex, teacher–student and same-sex relationships, whereas girls’ loneliness was only influenced by same-sex relationships. Additionally, social support mediated the association between same-sex relationships and teacher–student relationships, and loneliness. Further, the quality of same-sex relationships showed stronger association with boys’ loneliness than girls’. Finally, the quality of same-sex relationships showed the strongest association with boys’ loneliness comparing with opposite-sex relationships and teacher–student relationships. These findings are discussed to illuminate the possible mechanisms by which interpersonal relationships could influence loneliness. In future research, causal relationships and other influencing factors on loneliness should be examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we explored the roles of differential social support in strengthening capability to cope with stress for positive responding against depressive symptoms and further explored the moderating role of gender with a sample of 1,674 junior high school students. Participants responded to a series of scales including their levels of perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and quality of social supports. The results evidenced the mediating roles of family and others' support in the relationship between perceived stress and depression and the mediating effects were found to fit only boys instead of girls. What's more, the moderating effect of social support between perceived stress and depression was only found in the subcategory of friend support. The moderating effect of friend support between perceived stress and depression was found to have significant gender differences. The significance and limitations of the results were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study the association between father involvement and adolescents' resilience and the roles of male gender-role stereotype and male gender-role identity were examined. Data came from three high school samples of 748 students and was analyzed with structural equation model. Results showed that the data had a satisfactory fit for the model (GFI = .95, AGFI = .94, NFI = .91, CFI = .96, RMSEA = .03), indicating that male gender-role stereotype and male-role identity partially mediated the relationship between paternal involvement and resilience. And multi-group analysis indicated that the pattern of the mediating model of resilience did not differ across gender. But gender difference did exist in the pathway from male gender-role stereotypes to male gender-role identity. This study provided a new way to view father's scaffolding role of children's masculinity formation whereby children may increase their social capabilities. The significance and limitations of the results were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of current study was to examine the relationships between resources, activity, and subjective well-being in later life. Using a national sample (N = 3,795) of older adults randomly selected from major Chinese mainland cities, we integrated the constructs of resources and activity into a structural model of subjective well-being. In the model, the three key resources, health, economic status and family relations, were specified as having direct effects on both activity and subjective well-being. Additionally, activity was specified as having a direct effect on subjective well-being. AMOS software was used to test and compare the goodness of fit of various models. The data had a satisfactory fit to the model (GFI = 0.980, NNFI = 0.959, CFI = 0.973, RMSEA = 0.049), indicating that the three resources had significant contributions to subjective well-being. Comparisons using several nested models also suggested that family relations had a stronger effect than health and economic status on subjective well-being. Further, activity was a partial mediator in the relationships between resources and subjective well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although previous studies using non- elderly groups have assessed the factorial invariance of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) across different groups with the same social-cultural backgrounds, few studies have tested the factorial invariance of the CES-D across two elderly groups from countries with different social cultures. The purposes of this study were to examine the factorial structure of the CES-D, and test its measurement invariance across two different national elderly populations. Methods: A total of 6806 elderly adults from China (n = 4903) and the Netherlands (n = 1903) were included in the final sample. The CES-D was assessed in both samples. Three strategies were used in the data analysis procedure. First, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was carried out to determine the factor structures of the CES-D that best fitted the two samples. Second, the best fitting model was incorporated into a multi-group CFA model to test measurement invariance of the CES-D across the two population groups. Third, latent mean differences between the two groups were tested. Results: The results of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed: 1) in both samples, Radloff's four-factor model resulted in a significantly better fit and the four dimensions (somatic complaints, depressed affect, positive affect, and interpersonal problems) of the CES-D seem to be the most informative in assessing depressive symptoms compared to the single-, three-, and the second-order factor models; and 2) the factorial structure was invariant across the populations under study. However, only partial scalar and uniqueness invariance of the CES-D items was supported. Latent means in the partial invariant model were lower for the Dutch sample, compared to the Chinese sample. Conclusions: Our findings provide evidence of a valid factorial structure of the CES-D that could be applied to elderly populations from both China and the Netherlands, producing a meaningful comparison of total scores between the two elderly groups. However, for some specific factors and items, caution is required when comparing the depressive symptoms between Chinese and Dutch elderly groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: During social interactions people self-monitor their behavior at least partially to conceal socially devalued characteristics. This study examined the influences of concealing academic achievement on self-monitoring in an academically-relevant social interaction. An interview paradigm called for school-aged adolescent participants (total N =86) who either did or did not have low (academic) achievement to play the role of someone who did or did not have low achievement while answering academically-relevant questions. The data suggest that adolescents with low achievement (low achievers) were more likely to tailor their behaviors according to the situational cues than did those without low achievement (non-low achievers). On the other hand, low achievers who played the role of good students (these adolescents could conceal their low academic achievement characteristics) were most likely to regulate their behaviors according to their inner cues (e.g., real feelings). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, cognitive effects relating to concealable stigma of adolescents with learning disabilities (Learning Disabilities, LD) were examined under the condition in which learning-related information was concealed. A total of 158 adolescents (78 LD adolescents, 80 NLD adolescents) participated in the present study. Results showed that: (1) the LD group in the concealed condition exhibited a higher level of suppressing learning-relevant thoughts than did those in the disclosed condition; (2) LD children in both conditions showed increasing accessibility of learning-relevant thoughts than did the NLD (Non-Learning Disabilities) group during the interview. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: On the basis of Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert (LLG) equation, an anomalous ferromagnetic resonance behavior is demonstrated in detail. Coupling between the magnetic moments produces a 3π/2 phase delay for one of the moments ferromagnetic resonance unusually, thus leads the sign of magnetic susceptibility to be opposite to that induced by the usual ferromagnetic resonance. Consequently, a left-handed material (LHM) may be formed near the low-frequency side of the resonance. Particularly, a LHM with negative value of real part of permeability only is predicted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel application of Alnico powder as a thinner microwave absorbing material was investigated. The flake-like Alnico fine powder was found to have excellent complex permeability and permittivity in the frequency range of 2–18GHz. The powder was made from extremely brittle ribbons which were produced using a single roller melt spinning technique. The dependences of the absorption characteristics on the frequency, thickness, and both the dielectric permittivity and magnetic permeability were obtained based on a model in which an electromagnetic wave is incident normal to the surface of the absorbing material backed by a perfect conductor. The samples have the largest values of and at 2GHz. A minimum reflection loss of −11.4dB is obtained at 2GHz for composite with volume fraction 60% of Alnico powder and absorber thickness of 1.8mm. The results show that flake-like Alnico powder composites can be applied as thinner microwave absorbers in S-band (2–4GHz). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

W-hexaferrite particles (Ba(Co0.5Zn0.5)2Fe16O27) have been successfully synthesized using a combination of co-precipitation and mechanical milling. These particles possess excellent hexagonal shape and are well separated from one another. The complex permeability and complex permittivity of ferrite–epoxy composite have been measured in the frequency range of 2–18 GHz. Based on the theoretical calculation of reflection loss, the microwave absorption properties of the ferrite–epoxy composite have been investigated. The result indicates that these ferrite particles have significant potential for microwave absorption applications in the future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is a lentivirus that causes persistent infections in horses. We hypothesized that high-avidity CTL specific for nonvariable epitopes might be associated with low viral load and minimal disease in EIAV-infected horses. To test this hypothesis, memory CTL (CTLm) responses were analyzed in two infected horses with high plasma viral loads and recurrent disease (progressors), and in two infected horses with low-to-undetectable viral loads and mild disease (nonprogressors). High-avidity CTLm in one progressor recognized an envelope gp90 epitope, and the data documented for the first time in EIAV that viral variation led to CTL escape. Each of the nonprogressors had high-to-moderate avidity CTLm directed against epitopes within Rev, including the nuclear export and nuclear localization domains. These results suggested that the epitope specificity of high- and moderate-avidity CTLm was an important determinant for disease outcome in the EIAV-infected horses examined. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Lipopeptide containing an ELA-A1-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitope from the envelope surface unit (SU) protein of the EIAVWSU5 strain was used to immunize three horses having the ELA-A1 haplotype. Peptide-specific ELA-A1-restricted CTL were induced in all three horses, although these were present transiently in PBMC. These horses were further immunized with lipopeptide containing the corresponding CTL epitope from the EIAVPV strain. Then, the three immunized horses and three non-immunized horses were challenged by intravenous inoculation with 300 TCID50 EIAVPV. All horses developed cell free viremia, fever and thrombocytopenia. However, there was a statistically lower fever and thrombocytopenia severity score in the immunized group. Shorter duration of plasma viral load in two of the three immunized horses likely explains the less severe clinical disease in this group. Results indicate that lipopeptide immunization had a protective effect against development of clinical disease following virus challenge. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Exploring cheap, efficient and stable electro-catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is a vital technology for seawater splitting development. Herein, we demonstrate that constructing underlying Cu 2 S nanorod arrays is crucial for improving the HER activity of surface Ni catalyst. Electrochemical results reveal that nickel coated Cu 2 S nanoarrays (Cu 2 S@Ni) on copper foam exhibits a preferable HER activity (~500 mA cm−2 at <200 mV overpotential), outperforming Cu 2 O@Ni and pure Ni counterparts. Detailed analyses indicate that the enhanced HER activity of Cu 2 S@Ni can be attributed to Ni–S interaction between surface nickel and underlying Cu 2 S nanorods, which optimizes the adsorption energy of hydrogen on the surface. Moreover, the Cu 2 S@Ni nanoarray electrode shows a remarkable HER stability, highlighting its promising potential in alkaline seawater electrolysis. • Enhanced HER performance by Ni–S interaction. • Core-shell Cu 2 S@Ni nanorod arrays for alkaline seawater. • Preferable HER activity: ~500 mA/cm2 at <200 mV overpotential. • Favorable durability in alkaline seawater for hydrogen evolution. • Optimization of hydrogen adsorption energy on nickel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hopelessness is a critical mental health issue for Chinese older adults. • Marital status, monthly income, alimony, life satisfaction, and sleep quality are significantly associated with hopelessness. • High levels of social networks can weaken the negative effect of sleep quality on hopelessness. The levels of hopelessness affect older adults' physical and mental health. However, there has been a lack of research on the hopelessness among Chinese older adults. The aims of this study were to explore factors associated with hopelessness and the moderating role of social networks among Chinese older adults. We conducted a cross-sectional study among older adults (n = 837) from nine communities in Xi'an and Beijing in China, and collected the participants' levels of hopelessness, demographic information (age and gender), socioeconomic status (marital status, education, monthly income, living status, and alimony), life satisfaction, health information (self-rated health and sleep quality), and quality of social networks. Of the participants, 61.9% reported different levels of hopelessness symptoms; 71.2% reported poor sleep quality, and 21.1% reported low levels of social networks. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that marital status, monthly income, alimony, life satisfaction, and sleep quality were significantly associated with hopelessness. A PROCESS analysis demonstrated that social networks played a moderating role in the relationship between sleep quality and hopelessness. Chinese older adults who had no spouse, had lower incomes, and were dissatisfied with life were more likely to have higher levels of hopelessness. Furthermore, older adults who did not receive financial support from their children reported higher levels of hopelessness. In addition, the worse the sleep quality the higher levels of hopelessness in older adults. However, high levels of social networks could weaken the negative effect of sleep quality on hopelessness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the effect of metastereotypes on female cooperative behaviour, and the mediating role of intergroup anxiety. Cooperative behaviour was measured by the ultimatum game, in which a responder decides whether to accept a monetary division offered by a proposer to get the corresponding amount of money or reject it, leaving neither player with anything. Study 1, through a laboratory experiment on 62 Chinese female college students, showed that female participants in a metastereotype activation group showed more intergroup anxiety and less cooperative behaviour than participants in a control group; intergroup anxiety played a mediating role between metastereotypes and female cooperative behaviour. Study 2 (n = 94) used an imagined intergroup contact technique to reduce the level of intergroup anxiety to further verify the mediating role of intergroup anxiety obtained from Study 1. The results showed that experiencing imagined intergroup contact reduced the negative effect of metastereotypes on female cooperative behaviour through mitigating intergroup anxiety. These findings revealed the possible effects of metastereotypes on female cooperative behaviour and the related possible behavioural mechanism, providing new insights into understanding women's cooperative behaviour and improving teamwork efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antigens displayed on self-assembling nanoparticles can stimulate strong immune responses and have been playing an increasingly prominent role in structure-based vaccines. However, the development of such immunogens is often complicated by inefficiencies in their production. To alleviate this issue, we developed a plug-and-play platform using the spontaneous isopeptide-bond formation of the SpyTag:SpyCatcher system to display trimeric antigens on self-assembling nanoparticles, including the 60-subunit Aquifex aeolicus lumazine synthase (LuS) and the 24-subunit Helicobacter pylori ferritin. LuS and ferritin coupled to SpyTag expressed well in a mammalian expression system when an N-linked glycan was added to the nanoparticle surface. The respiratory syncytial virus fusion (F) glycoprotein trimer—stabilized in the prefusion conformation and fused with SpyCatcher—could be efficiently conjugated to LuS-SpyTag or ferritin-SpyTag, enabling multivalent display of F trimers with prefusion antigenicity. Similarly, F-glycoprotein trimers from human parainfluenza virus-type 3 and spike-glycoprotein trimers from SARS-CoV-2 could be displayed on LuS nanoparticles with decent yield and antigenicity. Notably, murine vaccination with 0.08 µg of SARS-CoV-2 spike-LuS nanoparticle elicited similar neutralizing responses as 2.0 µg of spike, which was ~ 25-fold higher on a weight-per-weight basis. The versatile platform described here thus allows for multivalent plug-and-play presentation on self-assembling nanoparticles of trimeric viral antigens, with SARS-CoV-2 spike-LuS nanoparticles inducing particularly potent neutralizing responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between the electrolyte cation chemistry and the electrode potential according to the interface thermodynamics has been established. The detailed energy storage behaviors are also analyzed in terms of crystal field and energy level splitting. This work provides a path for designing high-energy-density aqueous battery via electrolyte strategy, which is expected to be extended to other battery systems. [Display omitted] The electrochemical behaviors of battery chemistry, especially the operating voltage, are greatly affected by the complex electrode/electrolyte interface, but the corresponding basis understanding is still largely unclear. Herein, the concept of regulating electrode potential by interface thermodynamics is proposed, which guides the improvement of the energy density of Zn-MnO 2 battery. A cationic electrolyte strategy is adopted to adjust the charge density of electrical double layer, as well as entropy change caused by desolvation, thus, achieving an output voltage of 1.6 V (vs. Zn2+/Zn) and a capacity of 400 mAh g−1. The detailed energy storage behaviors are also analyzed in terms of crystal field and energy level splitting. Furthermore, the electrolyte optimization benefits the efficient operation of Zn-MnO 2 battery by enabling a high energy density of 532 Wh kg−1 based on the mass of cathode and a long cyclic life of more than 500 cycles. This work provides a path for designing high-energy-density aqueous battery via electrolyte strategy, which is expected to be extended to other battery systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broadly neutralizing antibodies are proposed as therapeutic and prophylactic agents against HIV‐1, but their potency and breadth are less than optimal. This study describes the immunization of a llama with the prefusion‐stabilized HIV‐1 envelope (Env) trimer, BG505 DS‐SOSIP, and the identification and improvement of potent neutralizing nanobodies recognizing the CD4‐binding site (CD4bs) of vulnerability. Two of the vaccine‐elicited CD4bs‐targeting nanobodies, G36 and R27, when engineered into a triple tandem format with llama IgG2a‐hinge region and human IgG1‐constant region (G36×3‐IgG2a and R27×3‐IgG2a), neutralized 96% of a multiclade 208‐strain panel at geometric mean IC80s of 0.314 and 0.033 µg mL−1, respectively. Cryo‐EM structures of these nanobodies in complex with Env trimer revealed the two nanobodies to neutralize HIV‐1 by mimicking the recognition of the CD4 receptor. To enhance their neutralizing potency and breadth, nanobodies are linked to the light chain of the V2‐apex‐targeting broadly neutralizing antibody, CAP256V2LS. The resultant human‐llama bispecific antibody CAP256L‐R27×3LS exhibited ultrapotent neutralization and breadth exceeding other published HIV‐1 broadly neutralizing antibodies, with pharmacokinetics determined in FcRn‐Fc mice similar to the parent CAP256V2LS. Vaccine‐elicited llama nanobodies, when combined with V2‐apex broadly neutralizing antibodies, may therefore be able to fulfill anti‐HIV‐1 therapeutic and prophylactic clinical goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are widely distributed persistent organic pollutants and their monitoring in environmental media has received extensive attention. The soil matrix is complex, and efficient and simple extraction of PFAAs remains a challenge for analysts. In this work, a simple and rapid method has been developed for the determination of 21 PFAAs in soil by chelating resin-assisted extraction combined with high-performance liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Treatment with chelating resins effectively released PFAAs bound to metal ions, thereby greatly improving the extraction efficiency of PFAAs in soil. The complete extraction procedure only required 30 min. Under the optimized conditions, the quantification limits of the 21 PFAAs were from 0.03 to 0.49 ng/mL. Single PFAAs were detected in soil samples with concentrations ranging from 0.10 to 2.60 ng/g and recoveries between 70 and 126%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, we examined the relationship between math‐gender stereotypes, academic burnout, achievement goal orientation, and self‐handicapping in Chinese adolescent students. The data came from 1170 participants (552 boys and 618 girls) from four secondary schools and was analyzed with structural equation models. The results showed that the math‐gender stereotype was positively associated with academic burnout in the girls' group. Meanwhile, girls' endorsement of the math‐gender stereotype was positively associated with academic burnout through the individual mediating effect of the performance‐avoidance goal and that of self‐handicapping. More importantly, the chain from performance‐avoidance goal to self‐handicapping also played a mediating role in the relationship between math‐gender stereotypes and academic burnout among adolescent girls. However, in the boys' group, we did not find an obvious significant relationship between math‐gender stereotypes and academic burnout. The results can contribute to the theoretical system of the motivational mechanism of academic burnout, and it may also have implications on the practice of alleviating negative effects of math‐gender stereotypes on academic burnout through minimizing the tendency of performance‐avoidance goals and self‐handicapping. Highlights: Examining the direct effect of academic gender stereotype on academic burnout.An extension of Smith's STEP model in girls' group.Providing an explanation of the mechanism of academic burnout of Chinese middle school students in the Chinese context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sleep quality and perceived social support (PSS) are acknowledged to play indispensable roles in enhancing the adaptation of later life and improving the health condition and well-being of older adults. Both have received widespread attention from researchers. Some researchers have begun focusing on physical factors or health-related behaviors, such as sleep, that have significant effects on PSS. Good sleep quality has been widely established to be significantly associated with a high level of PSS. However, research on the temporal effects of sleep quality on PSS is limited, and the potential health mechanisms of the relationship between sleep quality and PSS in older adults are mixed. This study aims to investigate the temporal relationship between sleep quality and PSS, including the mediating role of depressed mood in the relationship between sleep quality and PSS in older adults. A total of 281 older adults completed the self-reported questionnaires assessing sleep quality, PSS, and depressed mood at three time-points: at intake, a 6-month follow-up, and a 12-month follow-up. Cross-lagged panel analysis using structural equation modeling indicated that sleep quality at Times 1 and 2 positively predicated PSS at Times 2 and 3, respectively. In addition, the longitudinal mediation analysis showed that depressed mood mediated the effect of sleep quality on PSS. The study found that sleep quality influences PSS through depressed mood in older adults, which enriched the theoretical basis of the field. Findings also offer some practical implications. Particularly for community practitioners, the current findings suggest that improving sleep quality can be a strategy for improving psychological health and social functioning (e.g., PSS) in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-contrast gratings (HCGs) based spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SSPPs), as a new kind of SSPPs, have been proposed recently. Here, we study their particular mechanism and characteristics by comparing them with traditional metal-type SSPPs. The different fundamental dielectric resonator modes decided by the height–length ratio R of the dielectric element are found to be the key factor of the mechanism, leading to new characteristics and providing more working modes. In low R mode, HCG-based SSPPs can work under deep-subwavelength thickness and can be easily excited by free space wave and, thus, are considered to be applied to all-dielectric metamaterial absorbers (ADMMAs). Simulations and analysis confirm the microwave absorption effect of HCG-based SSPPs as a new mechanism of ADMMAs. Based on this, a carbon black based ADMMA is designed and the simulation and experimental results verify the important role of HCG-based SSPPs in broadband absorption. It is expected that this work can give rise to further and wider studies on the characteristics and applications of HCG-based SSPPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between three parenting styles (warmth, rejection, and overprotection), coping efficacy and risk-taking behavior in Chinese young adults. A total of 719 subjects completed three instruments: the Egna Minneu av Bardndosnauppforstran, the Coping Efficacy Questionnaire and the Adolescent Risk-Taking Questionnaire. Structural equation modeling results showed that maternal warmth (negatively) and rejection (positively), but not overprotection, correlated with risk-taking behavior via coping efficacy, whereas paternal rejection and overprotection (positively), but not warmth, correlated with risk-taking behavior via coping efficacy. These results suggest that parenting styles indirectly associate with risk-taking behavior through coping efficacy in young adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we theoretically investigate properties of normally incident microwave propagation in dilute metallic ferromagnetic wire array (DMFWA) slabs with gyrotropic tensors. It is found that DMFWA may become left-handed materials (LHM) in a narrow frequency range below the plasma frequency, even the real part of the corresponding inversion permeability element is positive. Comparing with the isotropic materials having same diagonal permeability elements, due to existence of off-diagonal elements of the gyrotropic permeability tensor, the DMFWA becomes a LHM in a higher frequency range depended on its geometric structure. In addition, E, H, and wave vector Re(k) of microwave propagating in the DMFWA form an approximately left-handed triplet of vectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The adaptation of students to academic challenges in high school is crucial for academic performance. This study proposes the concept of "learning crafting," a previously under‐researched area, and investigates its associated variables. Methods: Using a diary method, we studied 187 Chinese high school students (64% female; Mage = 15.57) over a 9‐day period. We examined the effect of daily life events on learning crafting, and considered academic emotions as mediators and regulatory focus as moderators. Results: Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that daily positive events were positively correlated with learning crafting at both within‐person and between‐person levels. Positive academic emotions served as mediators of this relationship. Furthermore, promotion focus had a positive moderating effect on the relationship between daily positive events and positive academic emotions. Conversely, daily negative events were only negatively correlated with learning crafting at the between‐person level, and no additional significant relationships were identified. Conclusion: This study elucidated the effect of daily life events on learning crafting, its mediating mechanisms, and conditional factors. These results not only contribute to crafting theory, but also provide theoretical underpinnings for future interventions targeting high school students' learning crafting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As new information carriers, antiferromagnetic magnons have great potential in the fields of spintronics and quantum information. However, the strong exchange interaction between sublattice spins in conventional antiferromagnets results in their frequencies up to the terahertz (THz) range, hindering further exploration of related applications and physics. Recently, emerging van der Waals A‐type antiferromagnets with the weak exchange interaction may bring about a change. In this study, it demonstrates two distinct tunable ultrastrong magnon–magnon couplings in the gigahertz (GHz) band using this type of antiferromagnet, CrPS4, with a maximum normalized coupling strength (η) of 0.31. It establishes orthorhombic and monoclinic models for theoretical analyses, unambiguously showing that the ultrastrong coupling strength is caused by unique magnetocrystalline anisotropy rather than exchange enhancement. Furthermore, for the first time, it observes a continuous switching process of sublattice magnon chirality arising from the orthorhombic nature of anisotropy. These findings not only deepen the understanding of antiferromagnetic spin dynamics but also offer a powerful platform for building magnonic quantum systems and chirality‐based spintronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporation of traditional perovskites into reduced graphene oxide (RGO) is an effective strategy to develop useful microwave absorbents. Taking advantage of the suitable impedance of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO), a novel and available microwave absorber was obtained. Here, we showed an outstanding and stable RGO material decorated with LSMO that can be used as an active component of microwave absorption devices. The as-prepared LSMO/RGO composites adopted the merits of RGO and LSMO and provided good properties, such as a controllable dissipation ability, optimized impedance matching, and broadened effective frequency bandwidth. For example, the minimum reflection loss (RL) value of LSMO/RGO composites with a 60% loading filler ratio reached −38.81 dB with a matching thickness of only 1.7 mm. Furthermore, the effective frequency bandwidth can be as wide as 5.64 GHz, with a thickness of 1.95 mm. Therefore, this work initiates a brand new avenue for artificial research of new materials for electromagnetic wave absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, novel one-dimensional (1D) Mo2C/Co@C nanorods (MCRs), using a metal–organic framework (zeolitic imidazolate framework; ZIF-67) as the coating layer to form multi-interfaces, were formed via a facile hard template method. Compared with previous works relating to porous-carbon-based Mo2C nanocomposites, the well-designed MCRs in this study possess a double attenuation mechanism due to the existence of the dielectric materials Mo2C and remaining carbon (RC) and the magnetic compound Co. Thanks to a new design and the multiple useful compounds, the as-prepared MCRs have the features of demonstrating multi-interfacial polarization, a large surface area and highly isotropic dissipation. Hence, the samples not only inherit the excellent microwave absorbing abilities of Mo2C but they also have a broadened effective bandwidth. For example, the minimum reflection loss (RL) value of MCRs with 35% sample loading could reach −47.98 dB. More importantly, RL values of less than −10 dB can be observed from 11.08 to 17.08 GHz (an effective bandwidth of 6.0 GHz) with a matching thickness of 1.6 mm, which is much better than previous work involving porous-carbon-based Mo2C nanocomposites. Firstly, we have reasonably redesigned the samples to have good absorbing properties for practical applications. Secondly, we have paved a highly efficient and universal way to synthesize 1D microwave absorbers with multiple valuable interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pneumoviridae family of viruses includes human metapneumovirus (HMPV) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The closely related Paramyxoviridae family includes parainfluenza viruses (PIVs). These three viral pathogens cause acute respiratory tract infections with substantial disease burden in the young, the elderly, and the immune-compromised. While promising subunit vaccines are being developed with prefusion-stabilized forms of the fusion glycoproteins (Fs) of RSV and PIVs, for which neutralizing titers elicited by the prefusion (pre-F) conformation of F are much higher than for the postfusion (post-F) conformation, with HMPV, pre-F and post-F immunogens described thus far elicit similar neutralizing responses, and it has been unclear which conformation, pre-F or post-F, would be the most effective HMPV F-vaccine immunogen. Here, we investigate the impact of further stabilizing HMPV F in the pre-F state. We replaced the furin-cleavage site with a flexible linker, creating a single chain F that yielded increased amounts of pre-F stabilized trimers, enabling the generation and assessment of F trimers stabilized by multiple disulfide bonds. Introduced prolines could increase both expression yields and antigenic recognition by the pre-F specific antibody, MPE8. The cryo-EM structure of a triple disulfide-stabilized pre-F trimer with the variable region of antibody MPE8 at 3.25-Å resolution confirmed the formation of designed disulfides and provided structural details on the MPE8 interface. Immunogenicity assessments in naïve mice showed the triple disulfide-stabilized pre-F trimer could elicit high titer neutralization, >10-fold higher than elicited by post-F. Immunogenicity assessments in pre-exposed rhesus macaques showed the triple disulfide-stabilized pre-F could recall high neutralizing titers after a single immunization, with little discrimination in the recall response between pre-F and post-F immunogens. However, the triple disulfide-stabilized pre-F adsorbed HMPV-directed responses from commercially available pooled human immunoglobulin more fully than post-F. Collectively, these results suggest single-chain triple disulfide-stabilized pre-F trimers to be promising HMPV-vaccine antigens. Author summary: Immune responses to the fusion (F) glycoprotein trimer of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) could form the basis of an effective vaccine. However, the F glycoprotein assumes two conformations or shapes, prefusion (pre-F) and postfusion (post-F), and the shape of the most effective HMPV-vaccine immunogen has been unclear. Here, we use structure-based design to create a single chain version of F, which we stabilized in the pre-F shape with three additional disulfide bonds and assessed structurally, antigenically, and immunogenically. Structurally, we confirmed by cryo-electron microscopy that the three designed disulfides formed. Antigenically, the single-chain triple disulfide-stabilized F trimer was well recognized by the pre-F specific antibody, MPE8. And immunogenically, the single-chain triple disulfide-stabilized F trimer elicited high titer neutralizing responses, both in naïve mice and in pre-exposed rhesus macaques. Overall, our results suggest a highly stabilized pre-F trimer, such as the single-chain triple disulfide-stabilized F trimer that we described here, may be a highly effective HMPV-vaccine immunogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As predominant components of hemicelluloses in grasses, methylglucuroarabinoxylans (MeGAXn) are sources for the production of acidic xylooligosaccharides (U-XOS). Bacillus subtilis MR44, an engineered biocatalyst to secrete only the XynC xylanase and Axh43 arabinoxylan hydrolase is capable of processing MeGAXn to exclusively U-XOS. The present studies are directed at the explosion on direct alkaline extraction serving for production of U-XOS. Response Surface Methodology was used to optimize xylan extraction conditions on the sweet sorghum bagasse to achieve maximum hemicelluloses yield. The optimized condition was as follows: extraction time of 3.91 h, extraction temperature of 86.1°C, and NaOH concentration (w/w) of 12.33%. Crude xylan extracted with NaOH revealed a compositional analysis of xylose (79.0%), arabinose (5.3%), glucose (1.7%), lignin and ash (5.6%). After neutralization this xylan preparation supported growth of MR44, processing MeGAXn from sweet sorghum and accumulating U-XOS. The quality of U-XOS produced by MR44 using alkaline-treated sweet sorghum bagasse was comparable to that obtained from purified MeGAXn. Overall, the present study demonstrates that direct alkaline treatment of sweet sorghum bagasse is useful to improve the bioavailability of MeGAXn for MR44-mediated conversion to U-XOS with average degrees of polymerization of 11–12, providing alternative resources with applications in nutrition and human and veterinary medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic skyrmions, a new type of information carriers, are extensively investigated for their potential applications in next-generation data storage and computing. In this work, we propose a mechanical probe ring to implement the accurate manipulation of a single skyrmion by a voltage-controlled magnetic anisotropy effect, which is analogous to the manipulation of atoms using a scanning tunneling microscope. Combined with the observation process, we can use the probe to move skyrmions accurately in real time. We investigate the effects of various factors on the performance by micromagnetic simulations in order to give a guide for the design and application of this probe. We prove that this method can manipulate not only ferromagnetic skyrmions but also antiferromagnetic skyrmions, which is significant for the study of physical properties and electronic applications of those particle-like spin textures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]