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Summary: The nuclear factor Y (NF‐Y) transcription factors play important roles in plant development and physiological responses. However, the relationship between NF‐Y, plant hormone and plant stress resistance in tropical crops remains unclear. In this study, we identified MeNF‐YC15 gene in the NF‐Y family that significantly responded to Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis (Xam) treatment. Using MeNF‐YC15‐silenced and ‐overexpressed cassava plants, we elucidated that MeNF‐YC15 positively regulated disease resistance to cassava bacterial blight (CBB). Notably, we illustrated MeNF‐YC15 downstream genes and revealed the direct genetic relationship between MeNF‐YC15 and 1‐aminocyclopropane‐1‐carboxylic acid (ACC) oxidase (MeACO1)‐ethylene module in disease resistance, as evidenced by the rescued disease susceptibility of MeNF‐YC15 silenced cassava plants with ethylene treatment or overexpressing MeACO1. In addition, the physical interaction between 2C‐type protein phosphatase 1 (MePP2C1) and MeNF‐YC15 inhibited the transcriptional activation of MeACO1 by MeNF‐YC15. In summary, MePP2C1‐MeNF‐YC15 interaction modulates ethylene biosynthesis and cassava disease resistance, providing gene network for cassava genetic improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As information messengers for cell‐to‐cell communication, exosomes, typically small membrane vesicles (30–150 nm), play an imperative role in the physiological and pathological processes of living systems. Accumulating studies have demonstrated that exosomes are potential biological candidates for theranostics, including liquid biopsy‐based diagnosis and drug delivery. However, their clinical applications are hindered by several issues, especially their unspecific detection and insufficient targeting ability. How to upgrade the accuracy of exosome‐based theranostics is being widely explored. Aptamers, benefitting from their admirable characteristics, are used as excellent molecular recognition elements to empower exosomes for precision theranostics. With high affinity against targets and easy site‐specific modification, aptamers can be incorporated with platforms for the specific detection of exosomes, thus providing opportunities for advancing disease diagnostics. Furthermore, aptamers can be tailored and functionalized on exosomes to enable targeted therapeutics. Herein, this review emphasizes the empowering of exosomes by aptamers for precision theranostics. A brief introduction of exosomes and aptamers is provided, followed by a discussion of recent progress in aptamer‐based exosome detection for disease diagnosis, and the emerging applications of aptamer‐functionalized exosomes for targeted therapeutics. Finally, current challenges and opportunities in this research field are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous development of the social economy, people pay more and more attention to their own protection and maintenance, especially the quality of commodities in terms of usage of the commodity. As commonly used commodities, the quality of their new products in cosmetics is extremely important. In the rapidly developing cosmetics industry, in view of these needs and limitations, the data management method of visualization in scientific computing is introduced in this paper. Multiple risk factors in cosmetics development are established and sorted from the three perspectives of cosmetics development, production, and sales, by combining the new cosmetic product development process. The biggest risks are clarified, the corresponding cosmetic product risk assessment model is constructed, and the new cosmetic product development risk strategy and related management are realized. The simulation experiment results show that the data management method of visualization in scientific computing is effective and can support the risk management of new cosmetic product development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming is an adverse environmental factor that threatens crop yields and food security. 2C-type protein phosphatases (PP2Cs), as core protein phosphatase components, play important roles in plant hormone signaling to cope with various environmental stresses. However, the function and underlying mechanism of PP2Cs in the heat stress response remain elusive in tropical crops. Here, we report that MePP2C1 negatively regulated thermotolerance in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz), accompanied by the modulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and the underlying antioxidant enzyme activities of catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX). Further investigation found that MePP2C1 directly interacted with and dephosphorylated MeCAT1 and MeAPX2 at serine (S) 112 and S160 residues, respectively. Moreover, in vitro and in vivo assays showed that protein phosphorylation of MeCAT1S112 and MeAPX2S160 was essential for their enzyme activities, and MePP2C1 negatively regulated thermotolerance and redox homeostasis by dephosphorylating MeCAT1S112 and MeAPX2S160. Taken together, this study illustrates the direct relationship between MePP2C1-mediated protein dephosphorylation of MeCAT1 and MeAPX2 and ROS accumulation in thermotolerance to provide insights for adapting to global warming via fine-tuning thermotolerance of the tropical crop cassava. Cassava 2C-type protein phosphatase 1 physically interacts with 2 antioxidant enzymes to inhibit their activities and modulate reactive oxygen species accumulation and thermotolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometriosis (EMs) is a gynecological disorder. Ligustrazine has been reported to exert an anti-inflammatory effect on EMs. However, the underlying mechanisms are not completely understood. To investigate the effects of ligustrazine on the progression of EMs and the underlying regulatory mechanisms. Human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) were isolated from patients with EMs or control subjects. HESCs were treated with 25, 50, 100, or 200 μM ligustrazine for 1, 3, 6, or 12 h. Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were performed to determine the levels of proteins and inflammatory cytokines, respectively. The binding between STAT3 and insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1) was assessed by chromatin immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase reporter assays. The relationship between IGF2BP1 and RELA was assessed by RNA immunoprecipitation and RNA pull-down assay. Phosphorylated STAT3, IGF2BP1, RELA, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β were upregulated in EMs tissues compared with control tissues (by 1.79-, 2.55-, 1.58-, 3.01-, 2.55-, and 3.34-fold, respectively). Ligustrazine inhibited the expression of p-STAT3, IGF2BP1, RELA, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β. Overexpression of STAT3 promoted RELA-mediated inflammatory responses, while ligustrazine (100 µM) notably reversed this phenomenon. Ligustrazine also alleviated RELA-induced inflammation via downregulating IGF2BP1. STAT3 bound to the promoter of IGF2BP1, and IGF2BP1 bound to the RELA mRNA. Ligustrazine inhibited inflammation in EMs via regulating the STAT3/IGF2BP1/RELA axis. These findings propose a new agent against EMs and support the development of ligustrazine-based treatment strategies for EMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multifunctional molecular switches have attracted much attention because of their unique stimulus response behavior and advanced applications. However, precise regulation of the structure for property enrichment is still a great challenge. Herein, the first case of a single‐molecule switch BN‐S with multiple structurally tunable and full‐color fluorescent properties is reported. Interestingly, BN‐S exhibits a butterfly‐like "metamorphosis" crystal growth process accompanied by full‐color fluorescence emission (including white light, CIE = 0.33, 0.33; 456 nm → 610 nm). It is shown that this is related to the reversible B←N bonding and the tunability of the spatial structure of the BN‐S. Thus, BN‐S exhibits superior multicolor tunability in different states (solid, liquid, and film), and its applications in white‐light optical light emitting diodes (OLEDs) and multicolor fluorescent inks also show great promise. This will provide a new strategy for designing and synthesizing the development of multifunctional molecular switching materials and enriching the variety of organoboron luminescent materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strong electrochemiluminescence signals caused by the highly effective electron transfer process between SnO nanoparticles-deposited multiwall carbon nanotubes (SnO NPs@MWCNTs) composite and Ru(bpy)33쇪 observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently emerging perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) have drawn considerable attention due to the superior optoelectronic performances. However, the terrible stability of red emissive PNCs (r‐PNCs) limits their broader application in aqueous media. Despite various encapsulation methods are proposed, the preparation of aqueous r‐PNCs with facile operation and excellent durability is still challenging. Herein, aqueous green emissive PNCs (g‐PNCs) by employing water as an external stimulus to treat oleyamine‐capped CsPbBr3 PNCs are synthesized initially, and then aqueous‐stable pure red emissive PNCs by anion‐exchange reaction and subsequently thiocyanate (SCN‐) passivation treatment (SCN‐r‐PNCs) are prepared. The obtained aqueous‐stable SCN‐r‐PNCs display high brightness, outstanding stability, and extended photoluminescence lifetime. Moreover, by combining aqueous r‐PNCs and portable smartphones, a fluorescence chemosensor for the detection of aqueous SCN− ions is constructed, which exhibits simple operation, high sensitivity, high selectivity, low detection limit, and visualized sensing. This work not only provides a new and facile strategy to prepare aqueous‐stable red emissive PNCs, but also further extends the application of red emissive PNCs in aqueous‐based fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-pressure pure waterjet (WJ) technology is widely used in the hole drilling process for carbon fiber–reinforced polymers (CFRP) laminates because of its high processing efficiency and zero heat affected zones. However, the phenomena of the delamination zone and poor roundness pose significant challenges to the hole processing of CFRP laminates. In this study, the numerical and experimental investigation of a high-pressure pure WJ CFRP laminate drilling process are conducted, to improve the quality of the pure WJ drilling process. A comprehensive coupled fluid–solid numerical model based on the smoothed particle hydrodynamics method is developed to simulate the pure WJ drilling process of CFRP laminates and determine mechanism of the material removal. Thereafter, extensive pure WJ drilling experiments are conducted on two stacking sequence CFRP laminates to obtain a hole with remarkable roundness. The simulation results illustrate that during the WJ drilling of CFRP laminates, the material removal process and damage zones of each inter-laminate interface are mainly extended along the fiber direction (the direction of longitudinal Young's modulus). Water-wedging action is observed to play an important role in the damage of inter-laminate interface and propagation of peel-up and push-down delamination. Furthermore, the experimental results show that an increase in the WJ pressure contributes to the reduced hole taper and surface roughness of sidewalls. Holes with diameters below 2 mm are successfully drilled, and a roundness error of 0.05 mm is obtained for the [0/45/–45/90]2s CFRP laminate, which is 1/6 of that of the [0]16 laminate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Luminescent materials with multiple emission centers are attracting more and more attentions due to their potential applications in multicolor displays, polychromatic imaging, information encryption, and ratiometric chemical sensing. Organic molecules with phosphorescence behavior at room temperature (RTP) provide idea candidate for constructing luminescent materials with multiple emission centers, which show great potentials for application in ratiometric chemical sensing owing to its long‐lived emission and high signal‐to‐noise ratio. However, developing RTP materials with multiple emission centers and their application in aqueous solutions remains a huge challenge. Herein, two chromophore isomers (p‐N‐DPC·(PF6)2 and m‐N‐DPC·(PF6)2) based on carbazole and naphthalene units are prepared by using pyridine quaternary ammonium salt as link to improve their solubility in water and form electron deficient centers to facilitate charge transfer (CT). p‐N‐DPC·(PF6)2 displayed multiple emissions behavior, including monomer fluorescence, dimer fluorescence, monomer phosphorescence, dimer phosphorescence, and CT phosphorescence. Especially, p‐N‐DPC·(PF6)2 exhibits monomer fluorescence, dimer fluorescence, and CT phosphorescence in an aqueous solution, which is successfully applied as self‐calibrated dual ratio luminescent sensor for phosphate detection. This study not only provides a strategy to construct luminophore with multiple emissions but also develops a fluorescence/ phosphorescence dual ratio luminescent sensor in an aqueous solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoactivated dynamic ultralong room‐temperature phosphorescent (PAD‐URTP) materials with changing emission colors are attractive and meaningful but are rarely reported. Herein, a one‐pot heat treatment strategy for embedding 1‐hydroxy‐2‐naphthoic acid (1H2NA) and 2‐hydroxy‐1‐naphthoic acid (2H1NA) into boric acid (BA) matrix (named 1H2NA@BA and 2H1NA@BA) to construct PAD‐URTP materials is developed, which exhibits rapid and reversible photoactivated phosphorescence, as well as photo‐stimulated dynamic change of luminescence color. The luminescent color of 1H2NA@BA could continuously change from blue‐purple to bright cyan‐white upon prolonged 365 nm UV light irradiation, which is attributed to the combined effect of static blue fluorescence and dynamic photoactivated green phosphorescence. Significantly, it could emit over 10 s green afterglow after switching off the UV irradiation. The combination of experiment and theoretical calculation results reveal that their PAD‐URTP behavior is attributed to the energy accumulation of triplet states under UV light irradiation. Finally, a series of information encryption and a complete story of "a mouse and cake" are successfully fabricated by using 1H2NA@BA with other luminescence materials. Thus, this study demonstrates fast PAD‐URTP materials with dynamic color‐changing luminescence and opens up new possibilities as the photo‐responsive luminescent material for further mechanistic understanding and future application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic radical luminescent materials have attracted worldwide attention because of their absolute spin‐allowed radiative transition and sensitivity to the environment, which give it multiple stimulus response properties. Nowadays, how to regulate and utilize the sensitivity of radicals has become a hot and difficult issue. Here, arylphosphonium bromide salts are introduced into the molecular backbone of naphthimide (NMI) using an intramolecular counterion strategy, and prepared a novel multifunctional stabilized radical luminescent: TPP‐o‐3OMe‐NMI‐Br. Interestingly, this molecule exhibits different assembly modes in different solvents, resulting in the generation of two crystals with different fluorescence (green: G‐C; orange–yellow: Y‐C), in which the Y‐C crystalline powder exhibits excellent stabilization properties for doublet and triplet excitons, which induce the emission of orange–yellow radical afterglow, and exhibits multi‐stimuli responsiveness to external pressure (P), temperature (T) and water (W). Moreover, interesting time‐dependent photoactivated colorful fluorescence and orange–yellow radical afterglow can be observed in TPP‐o‐3OMe‐NMI‐Br@PMMA films with different doping ratios and exhibit multi‐color tunability, multiple stimulus responses, multiple data encryption, and optical information erase/write behavior. This study not only broadens the types and applications of organic radical long afterglow materials but also provides new ideas for designing new organic "chameleon" luminescent materials in the field of smart luminescence materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular profiling of protein markers on small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) is a promising strategy for the precise detection and classification of ovarian cancers. However, this strategy is challenging owing to the lack of simple and practical detection methods. In this work, using an aptamer‐based nanoflow cytometry (nFCM) detection strategy, a simple and rapid method for the molecular profiling of multiple protein markers on sEVs was developed. The protein markers can be easily labeled with aptamer probes and then rapidly profiled by nFCM. Seven cancer‐associated protein markers, including CA125, STIP1, CD24, EpCAM, EGFR, MUC1, and HER2, on plasma sEVs were profiled for the molecular detection and classification of ovarian cancers. Profiling these seven protein markers enabled the precise detection of ovarian cancer with a high accuracy of 94.2 %. In addition, combined with machine learning algorithms, such as linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and random forest (RF), the molecular classifications of ovarian cancer cell lines and subtypes were achieved with overall accuracies of 82.9 % and 55.4 %, respectively. Therefore, this simple, rapid, and non‐invasive method exhibited considerable potential for the auxiliary diagnosis and molecular classification of ovarian cancers in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular profiling of protein markers on small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) is a promising strategy for the precise detection and classification of ovarian cancers. However, this strategy is challenging owing to the lack of simple and practical detection methods. In this work, using an aptamer‐based nanoflow cytometry (nFCM) detection strategy, a simple and rapid method for the molecular profiling of multiple protein markers on sEVs was developed. The protein markers can be easily labeled with aptamer probes and then rapidly profiled by nFCM. Seven cancer‐associated protein markers, including CA125, STIP1, CD24, EpCAM, EGFR, MUC1, and HER2, on plasma sEVs were profiled for the molecular detection and classification of ovarian cancers. Profiling these seven protein markers enabled the precise detection of ovarian cancer with a high accuracy of 94.2 %. In addition, combined with machine learning algorithms, such as linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and random forest (RF), the molecular classifications of ovarian cancer cell lines and subtypes were achieved with overall accuracies of 82.9 % and 55.4 %, respectively. Therefore, this simple, rapid, and non‐invasive method exhibited considerable potential for the auxiliary diagnosis and molecular classification of ovarian cancers in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abrasive waterjet (AWJ) cutting technology has notable advantages such as high cutting efficiency and cost-effectiveness, particularly for machining difficult-to-process metal matrix composites such as SiCp/Al. However, the uncontrollable kerf shape, cutting depth, and surface quality render AWJ grooving on SiCp/Al substrate challenging. In this study, a novel method for grooving on SiCp/Al substrate using AWJ, with the aim of enhancing the quality of AWJ machining processes, is proposed. First, a predictive model based on the improved model of erosion by the impact of solid particle is established for the geometry of groove kerf profiles. Second, a comprehensive analysis is performed to investigate the influence of process parameters on the quality of grooves using the waterjet cutting mechanism, thereby identifying the optimal process parameters for achieving superior results. Finally, the proposed predictive model of the kerf depth is used to predict the groove depth in multi-pass waterjet cutting. The results reveal that the combination of machining parameters comprising 100 MPa, 500 mm/min, and two waterjet passes achieves a desirable kerf shape, lowest roughness value of 5.11 μm, and flattest bottom profile. Additionally, these parameters achieve a high material removal rate of up to 1326.17 mm3/min. The predicted depth results agree well with the five multi-pass experimental results, and the average difference between the predicted model and the experimental results is 5.24%. This study can provide crucial guidelines for the AWJ grooving process of SiCp/Al substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic stroke is a disabling and fatal disease caused by the insufficient blood supply to the brain. Stellate ganglion block (SGB) is a type of anesthesia commonly used to relieve pain. Here, we sought to identify the effects of SGB on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. The middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was established in rats. The brain injury was assessed using the 2,3,5-triphenyl-tetrazolium-chloride (TTC) staining assay and neurological score. Ferroptosis was analyzed by detecting cell death, Fe2+ content, glutathione (GSH), malonic dialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and ferroptosis-related factors. The mechanisms of SGB were assessed using the western blot. The results showed that I/R increased brain infarction and damaged neurological function. SGB decreased I/R-induced infarction and improved neurological function. Meantime, SGB inhibited ferroptosis of the hippocampus induced by I/R via the Hippo pathway. and the Yes1 associated transcriptional regulator (YAP) of this pathway was positively correlated with the ferroptosis-related solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11). Inhibition of the Hippo pathway reversed the effects of SGB on brain injury and ferroptosis. In conclusion, SGB inhibited ferroptosis of hippocampal neurons via activating the Hippo pathway and thereby alleviated I/R injury. The data provide a novel insight into the treatment of ischemic stroke and even other ischemic encephalopathies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal–organic framework (MOF) materials with aqueous stability have a good potential application in the field of mimetic enzymes. However, most of them have poor robustness in aqueous solution due to competitive coordination effects between water molecules and central metal ions. Herein, a copper-based MOF (Cu-SM MOF) was prepared using copper ions and 5-(sulfomethyl) isophthalic acid (5-SMIPA) by a hydrothermal process. Considering the similarity of coordination and morphology with HKUST-1, the aqueous stability and laccase-like activity of the Cu-SM MOF were investigated using HKUST-1 as the reference. The Cu-SM MOF shows superior aqueous stability to HKUST-1 after immersion in buffer solutions, especially under alkaline conditions. Moreover, the Cu-SM MOF possesses higher catalytic activity than HKUST-1 at a high salt concentration, high temperature, etc., because the Cu-SM MOF exhibits lower Km and higher Vmax values than those of laccase and reported mimetic enzymes. The mimetic enzyme behavior of the Cu-SM MOF is demonstrated in the oxidation of phenols, as well as in the detection of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DP) and p-nitrophenol with linear ranges of 1–100 μM and 2–250 μM, and limits of detection of 0.53 μM and 1.62 μM, respectively. Owing to the excellent aqueous stability and laccase-like activity of the Cu-SM MOF, it has great application prospects in many fields, such as the determination of phenols and the treatment of industrial wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron (Fe3+) is an essential trace element in biological organisms. Abnormal concentrations of Fe3+ in aquatic possess the potential to disrupt normal physiological and metabolic processes in living organisms. Consequently, the pursuit of developing fluorescent probes for detecting Fe3+ concentrations in water samples is highly significant. The lone electron pair on the nitrogen atom of quinoline demonstrates outstanding coordination capabilities, enabling the selective detection of metal ions through coordination. Nevertheless, the interaction between metal ions and quinoline-based fluorescent probes tends to lead to nanoparticle aggregation, causing aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) phenomena. This severely restricts the practical application of these probes. To address this challenge, the study utilizes quinoline as the foundational framework and modulates the excited-state electronic structure of quinoline derivatives through substituent effects. This facilitates the transition from ACQ to aggregation-induced emission (AIE). By integrating theoretical calculations, the paper proposes a comprehensive strategy for designing AIE molecules based on quinoline. This contribution provides innovative perspectives on AIE molecule design. Ultimately, the AIE property of the 8-MQB molecule is harnessed to develop a fluorescent probe capable of detecting Fe3+ in water samples. The fluorescence intensity exhibits a robust linear correlation with Fe3+ concentrations within the range of 5.0 μM to 0.3 mM. Moreover, the probe demonstrates exceptional resistance to interference from other metal ions. In conclusion, this research presents a universal strategy for designing AIE molecules and introduces an AIE probe for the rapid detection of Fe3+ concentrations in water samples. [Display omitted] • The modulation of quinoline derivatives' excited-state electronic structure via substituent effects shifts them from ACQ to AIE, enabling a novel Fe3+ AIE fluorescent probe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aptamers are emerging as promising molecular tools in cancer‐targeted theranostics. Improving their in vivo stability has been a critical issue in promoting clinical translation, but such efforts could lead to more serious side effects resulting from prolonged retention in healthy organs. To address this problem, we developed an environment‐responsive stabilization strategy for the selective enhancement of aptamer biostability in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Briefly, by means of the end extension of an ATP‐responsive protection (ARP) module, the designed aptamer could be protected from nuclease degradation through the specific incorporation of ATP. Based on our in vivo results, this ARP‐aptamer probe was effectively accumulated in tumors via aptamer‐based molecular recognition. It showed selectively prolonged tumor retention time, but rapid digestion in healthy organs. Our strategy should provide a new paradigm for the development of organ‐specific nucleic acid‐based imaging and therapeutic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aptamers are emerging as promising molecular tools in cancer‐targeted theranostics. Improving their in vivo stability has been a critical issue in promoting clinical translation, but such efforts could lead to more serious side effects resulting from prolonged retention in healthy organs. To address this problem, we developed an environment‐responsive stabilization strategy for the selective enhancement of aptamer biostability in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Briefly, by means of the end extension of an ATP‐responsive protection (ARP) module, the designed aptamer could be protected from nuclease degradation through the specific incorporation of ATP. Based on our in vivo results, this ARP‐aptamer probe was effectively accumulated in tumors via aptamer‐based molecular recognition. It showed selectively prolonged tumor retention time, but rapid digestion in healthy organs. Our strategy should provide a new paradigm for the development of organ‐specific nucleic acid‐based imaging and therapeutic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melatonin is an important molecule in both animals and plants, regulating circadian rhythms and stress responses. Therefore, the improvement of melatonin accumulation not only strengthens the function of melatonin but also improves stress resistance in crops. Although melatonin biosynthetic enzymes have been identified through reverse genetics previously, an investigation of melatonin level‐related genes through forward genetics in plants has yet to be performed. In this study, a genome‐wide association study using cassava natural population of 298 genetic resources identified melatonin accumulation 1 (MA1), which regulates the natural variation of melatonin levels in cassava. We found that MA1 encodes type 2C protein phosphatase 1 (PP2C1), which serves as a negative regulator of melatonin levels in cassava. MePP2C1 physically interacts with MeRAV1/2 and MeWRKY20 and dephosphorylates them at serine (S) 35 residue, S34 residue, and S176 residue, respectively, thereby hindering their transcriptional activation on downstream melatonin biosynthetic genes. Notably, MePP2C1 interacts with phytomelatonin receptor MePMTR1 and dephosphorylates it at S11 residue, repressing its binding to melatonin. In summary, this study demonstrates that MePP2C1 as MA1 plays dual roles in negatively regulating both melatonin accumulation and signaling, extending the understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying melatonin accumulation and signaling through forward genetics in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water constitutes the most prevalent impurity in organic solvents, exerting significant influence on chemical reactions and potentially leading to fires and explosions, even in minute quantities. Thus, the development of convenient, rapid, and cost effective fluorescent probes for real-time monitoring of water content in organic solvents is imperative. Although some fluorescent materials have been synthesized for this purpose, most suffer from laborious preparation processes and poor cycling performance, constraining their practical application. This study investigates the impact of hydrogen bonding on the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties of quinoline derivatives, leveraging quinoline as the foundational scaffold and its nitrogen atom as the hydrogen bond acceptor. Research findings elucidate that intermolecular hydrogen bonding of quinoline is the primary determinant of their AIE behaviors. By harnessing the phenomenon of water molecules forming intermolecular hydrogen bonds with quinoline nitrogen atoms, we devised a straightforward and rapid method to fabricate a fluorescent test paper for real-time monitoring of water content in organic solvents. Experimental results demonstrate that even minute changes in water content, down to concentrations as low as 0.5 % by volume in organic solvents, can induce fluorescence changes in the test paper, which also exhibits favorable cycling performance. This study not only explores the influence of hydrogen bonds on the AIE properties of quinoline derivatives but also pioneers the development of a cost-effective, rapid, and recyclable test paper for real-time monitoring of water content fluctuations in organic solvents. [Display omitted] • By regulating intermolecular hydrogen bonds, the transformation of quinoline derivatives from ACQ to AIE is achieved. • The hydrogen bonding strategy is further employed to design fluorescent test paper capable of real-time detection of trace water concentration fluctuations in organic solvents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: UV–Vis spectroelectrochemistry (SEC) was introduced for the first time into the study of electrochemiluminescence (ECL) mechanisms of nitrogen heterocyclic compounds. Uracil and its two derivatives, 5-fluorouracil and 1-methyl-uracil, were chosen as model molecules in the ECL mechanism study. SEC revealed that the substitution of hydrogen at N(1) and the destruction of conjugate heterocyclic ring were very important for ECL activities of uracils. On the basis, a new ECL mechanism was proposed for the uracils. The successful explanation of ECL mechanism for the model molecules by employing SEC indicates that SEC would play an important role in future ECL mechanism studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, a novel micro-electrochemiluminescent (μ-ECL) cell with volume less than 100μl was designed and fabricated. A special configuration of the three-electrode system, in which the counter and reference electrodes were integrated on a Perspex optical window while the working electrode was placed opposite to the optical window, has greatly decreased the amount of reagents required for ECL measurements. In the μ-ECL cell, large size working electrode was still applicable, which maintained ECL detect sensitivity while consuming a small amount of sample. In addition, the immobilization of the working electrode by a special adjusting device facilitated not only the detachment of the working electrode for treatment but also accurate orientation of the electrode, consequently improved ECL reproducibility. Finally, ECL of luminol in ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate was used to evaluate this μ-ECL cell. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The morphology of nanomaterials (geometric shape and dimension) play a significant role in its various physical and chemical properties. Thus, it is essential to link morphology with performance in specific applications. For this purpose, the morphology of copper metal–organic polyhedra (Cu‐MOP) can be modulated through distinct assembly process, which facilitates the exploration of the relationship between morphology and catalytic performance. In this work, the assemblies of Cu‐MOP with three different morphologies (nanorods, nanofibers and nanosheets) were facilely prepared by the variation of solvent mixture of N, N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) and methanol, revealed the important role of the interaction between the surface group and the solvent on the morphology of these assemblies. Cu‐MOP nanofibers exhibited the highest mimetic peroxidase enzyme activity over the Cu‐MOP nanosheets and nanorods, which have been utilized in the detection of glucose. Cu‐MOPs assemblies with tunable morphology accompanied with adjustable mimic peroxidase activity, had great potential applications in the field of bioanalytical chemistry and biomedicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we present our results from the SC19 Student Cluster Competition Reproducibility Challenge. The challenge entails reproducing the article entitled “Computing Planetary Interior Normal Modes with A Highly Parallel Polynomial Filtering Eigensolver” presented at SC’18, which proposes a parallel polynomial filtered Lanczos algorithm to directly calculate the planetary normal modes of heterogeneous planets. The proposed algorithm showed excellent performance with relatively low memory consumption and high parallel efficiency. In this work, we reproduce the scaling tests in that article on a cluster using Intel Cascade Lake architecture and use the proposed algorithm to illustrate specific normal modes of Mars. We compare the results obtained on our cluster with those in the original article. We also design a new metric to better analyze the results. In addition, we use the profiling tool Intel VTune Amplifier to explain our discoveries. Our results demonstrate that the given models show great scalability, which is similar to the original article. The required normal modes of Mars are also successfully calculated and visualized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is one of the most important methods for the morphological characterization and structure analysis of nanomaterials. However, the characterization of magnetic materials has always been a challenge due to limitations arising from the design of electron microscopes. To tackle this problem, advanced sample preparation technology is needed, especially for magnetic materials. Here in this work ultrathin sectioning technology (ultramicrotomy) is used for the sample preparation of magnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles embedded into a resin, where the loaded resin can be sliced into nanoscale sheets. By the optimization of the embedding method and the slicing process, nano-sheets with uniform thickness and exceptional flatness were prepared, where the nanoparticles exhibited uniform dispersion. It is shown that this technology also helps reducing the degree of pollution of the electron microscope by the magnetic nanoparticles under different electron beam irradiation intensities. Generally, the magnetic nanoparticles are more resistant to electron beam bombardment when embedded into a resin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple bromine and cyanogen substituents positional isomeric 9‐phenyl‐9H‐carbazole (PhCz) donor–acceptor system (namely p‐NN‐Br and m‐NN‐Br) displays ultralong organic phosphorescence, and exhibits unique dual emission properties (fluorescence and phosphorescence). These molecules are found to display distinct responses toward multiple external stimuli including temperature (T), excitation light intensity (I) and pressure (P), and show multicolor tunable behaviors (including the white light, the Commission Internationale d'Eclairage (CIE) = 0.33, 0.34). The unique stimuli‐triggered proportion between singlet and triplet excitons for p‐NN‐Br and m‐NN‐Br is demonstrated systematically by investigating the photophysical spectrum, scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging and X‐ray analysis, coupled with theoretical calculations. They reveal that the simultaneous introduction of halogens (Br) and pseudohalogens (CN) to the PhCz skeleton can improve the intermolecular interaction and thermal stability. Single crystal analysis shows that there are many more types of dimers and J‐aggregates, thereby stabilizing the excitation of triplet states. Moreover, these isomers have "latent" fingerprint recognition and anti‐background interference performance, which is expected to provide a new method for fingerprint identification. All in all, this strategy paves the way to a multifunctional platform for the development of multi‐stimuli responsive, multicolor regulation and smart luminescent materials with long‐lived emission at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The present work proposed a novel ECL protocol to probe the interactions between mimic enzymes and small biological molecules. Iron(II) phthalocyanine (FePc) and two imidazoles (imidazole and histidine) were chosen as model molecules of mimic enzyme and small biological molecules, respectively. The interactions between FePc and the imidazoles were probed by a sensitive luminol–O2 ECL system. Before complexing with the imidazoles, FePc can inhibit luminol–O2 ECL due to its electrocatalysis towards O2, however, after complexing with the imidazoles, FePc decreases the electrocatalysis, leading to the observation of an enhanced luminol–O2 ECL. Additionally, the proposed protocol enables detection limits of 1.0×10−8 molL−1 and 1.0×10−7 molL−1 to be achieved, respectively, for imidazole and histidine under the physiological pH condition (pH 7.4). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A novel luminescent metallacage was prepared by coordinating silver with benzimidazole tetraphenylethylene. It possesses high stability and strong fluorescence not only in dilute solutions but also in the aggregated state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometriosis is a severe disease which is associated with excessive activation of pyroptosis. Our present research aimed to investigate the function of Forkhead Box A2 (FoxA2) in regulating pyroptosis in endometriosis. IL-1β and IL-18 concentrations were assessed using ELISA. Cell pyroptosis was analyzed using flow cytometry. TUNEL staining was performed to determine human endometrial stromal cells (HESC) death. Moreover, ERβ mRNA stability was assessed using RNA degradation assay. Finally, the binding relationships between FoxA2, IGF2BP1 and ERβ were verified by dual-luciferase reporter system, ChIP, RIP and RNA pull-down assays. Our results revealed that IGF2BP1 and ERβ were significantly upregulated in ectopic endometrium (EC) tissues of endometriosis patients compared to that in eutopic endometrium (EU) tissues as well as IL-18 and IL-1β levels. Loss-of-function experiments subsequently demonstrated that either IGF2BP1 knockdown or ERβ knockdown could repress HESC pyroptosis. In addition, IGF2BP1 upregulation promoted the pyroptosis in endometriosis by binding to ERβ and promoting ERβ mRNA stability. Our further research displayed that FoxA2 upregulation suppressed HESC pyroptosis by interacting with IGF2BP1 promoter. Our research proved that FoxA2 upregulation downregulated ERβ by transcriptionally inhibiting IGF2BP1, thereby repressing pyroptosis in endometriosis. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we designed a new fluorescent oligonucleotides-stabilized silver nanoclusters (DNA/AgNCs) probe for sensitive detection of mercury and copper ions. This probe contains two tailored DNA sequence. One is a signal probe contains a cytosine-rich sequence template for AgNCs synthesis and link sequence at both ends. The other is a guanine-rich sequence for signal enhancement and link sequence complementary to the link sequence of the signal probe. After hybridization, the fluorescence of hybridized double-strand DNA/AgNCs is 200-fold enhanced based on the fluorescence enhancement effect of DNA/AgNCs in proximity of guanine-rich DNA sequence. The double-strand DNA/AgNCs probe is brighter and stable than that of single-strand DNA/AgNCs, and more importantly, can be used as novel fluorescent probes for detecting mercury and copper ions. Mercury and copper ions in the range of 6.0–160.0 and 6–240 nM, can be linearly detected with the detection limits of 2.1 and 3.4 nM, respectively. Our results indicated that the analytical parameters of the method for mercury and copper ions detection are much better than which using a single-strand DNA/AgNCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2D (two-dimensional) covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have recently emerged as versatile photoactive functional materials. Herein, three β-ketoenamine linked 2D COFs were assembled with 2,4,6-triformylphloroglucinol (Tp) and 4,7-bis(4-aminophenyl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (BTD) as the building blocks at 150, 120, and 25 ℃ respectively, leading to Tp-BTD-150, Tp-BTD-120, and Tp-BTD-25. In particular, the facile synthesis at 25 ℃ afforded Tp-BTD-25 that featured superior activity for the photocatalytic selective aerobic oxidation of benzylamine to the other two assembled at higher temperatures. Most importantly, both the stability and activity of Tp-BTD-25 photocatalyst were augmented with exogenous 5 mol% TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine- N -oxyl) to ease the transfer of electrons and protons during the oxidation of benzyl amines. Preeminently, the selective aerobic oxidation of benzyl amines into imines was established by cooperative photocatalysis of Tp-BTD-25 with TEMPO irradiated by blue LEDs (light-emitting diodes). This work underscores that crystalline 2D COFs via facile synthesis can cooperatively work with a redox mediator to steer photocatalytic selective reactions. [Display omitted] • Three β-ketoenamine linked 2D COFs are assembled with Tp and BTD as the building blocks. • The interlayer stackings of the 2D COFs depend on the temperatures of synthesis. • The room-temperature synthesized Tp-BTD-25 features significantly superior photocatalytic activity. • Cooperative photocatalysis is constructed by introducing 5 mol% of TEMPO. • Selective aerobic oxidation of amines is accomplished by cooperative photocatalysis of Tp-BTD-25 with TEMPO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of analytical method for selective and sensitive detection of gossypol (Gsp), an extraction from the cotton plants, is important but still challenging in food safety and medical field. Herein, we reported a turn-on near infrared (NIR) fluorescence detection strategy for Gsp based on a metal-organic framework (MOF), QBA-Yb, which was prepared from 4,4'-(quinolone-5, 8-diyl) benzoate with Yb(NO 3) 3 ·5H 2 O by solvothermal synthesis. The Gsp acted as another "antenna" to sensitize the luminescence of Yb3+, leading to the turn-on NIR emission upon 467 nm excitation. As Gsp concentration increased, the NIR emission at 973 nm enhanced gradually, thus enabling highly sensitive Gsp detection in a turn-on way. The experiment and theoretical calculation results revealed the presence of strong hydrogen bonds between Gsp molecules and the MOF skeleton. The developed QBA-Yb probe showed excellent characteristics for detection of Gsp molecules, accompanied by wide linear range (5–160 μg/mL), low detection limit (0.65 μg/mL) and short response time (within 10 min). We have further demonstrated that the QBA-Yb probe was successfully applied for the determination of Gsp in real samples of cottonseeds. [Display omitted] • A turn-onsensing platform was constructed based on QBA-Yb for precisely evaluating gossypol content in cottonseed sample. • The turn-onfluorescence sensing mode improves the detection sensitivity and anti-interference ability. • QBA-Yb could achieve excellent detection of gossypol with a rapid response and low detection limit in the near-infrared range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure of humans to parabens is widespread and urinary parabens are widely used as exposure biomarkers. However, are the levels of these chemicals suitable to assess exposure to parabens? We conducted an intervention study by controlling the use of personal care products (PCPs) to explore the exposure of parabens. Ten female participants were recruited who were treated with different types of PCPs during the 18-day study period. The concentrations of parabens and their metabolites in matrices of different exposure pathways (dust, drinking water and dietary food) and urine samples were determined. We demonstrated that PCPs were the major sources of parabens, accounting for >99% of total exposure. The metabolites were nonspecific to individual parabens and could not be used as exposure biomarkers. Urinary paraben concentrations were positively correlated with external exposure levels. However, poor reproducibility was observed, with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) ranging from 0.125 to 0.295 in unadjusted urinary concentrations. Creatinine-adjusting could not significantly improve the ICC values in random spot samples. After adjusting for both creatinine and kinetic models, the ICC values ranged from 0.695 to 0.886, indicating a good reproducibility. So, toxicokinetic parameters may be taken into consideration for precise monitoring of exposures for the non-persistent pollutants. • Multi-pathway paraben exposure assessment coupled with intervention study. • Personal care products are the major exposure sources of parabens. • 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid in urine is not a preferable biomarker for paraben exposure. • Adjustment by toxicokinetic models improves accuracy of exposure estimations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To obtain an electrochemical sensor with high sensitivity and good selectivity for determination of podophyllotoxin (PPT), a kind of graphene composite (rGO@TiO 2) with multi-layer structure and excellent conductivity was prepared by hydrothermal treatment of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and TiO 2 nanoparticles. The composite was characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and a sensor using rGO@TiO 2 as a signal amplification element was fabricated by in-situ polymerization of PPT imprinted membrane (PPT-MIM) on the rGO@TiO 2 modified glassy carbon electrode (PPT-MIM/rGO@TiO 2 /GCE). The structure and electrochemical performance of PPT-MIM/rGO@TiO 2 /GCE as well as the mechanism with superior conductivity of rGO@TiO 2 exceeding the ones of the mixture of TiO 2 and rGO (TiO 2 -rGO) or the pure TiO 2 and rGO were explained with different technologies. Under the optimal conditions, the present sensor showed a linear response for the determination of PPT by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) in the range of 1.0 × 10−9 − 1.0 × 10−7 mol L−1 (R2 = 0.9980) and 1.0 × 10−7 − 3.0 × 10−4 mol L−1 (R2 = 0.9991) with the limit of quantification is 1.0 × 10−9 mol L−1 and the limit of detection of 3.0 × 10−10 mol L−1. The sensor not only possesses high sensitivity and good selectivity, but also exhibits excellent repeatability and stability. It has been used to detect PPT in real samples (including Podophyllum hexandrum , human urine and human whole blood) with satisfied recoveries of 92.0%–102.3%. Unlabelled Image • Nanocomposites (rGO@TiO 2) prepared with hydrothermal possesses excellent conductivity. • rGO@TiO 2 is introduced as a signal amplification element. • PPT-MIM obtained by in-situ polymerization is used as specific recognition material. • The resulting PPT-MIM/rGO@TiO 2 /GCE shows high sensitivity and excellent selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The YNU-1 nanobelts possessing abundant free carboxyl groups was applied for wastewater treatment of Fe3+, which exhibited highest adsorption capacity of 456.37 mg/g among all previous adsorbents. • Most adsorbents own poor adsorption performance due to the less binding sites. • 2D MOFs possess more unsaturated coordination centers and accessible active sites. • YNU-1 nanobelts can be obtained facilely by immersing YNU-1 crystals in water. • YNU-1 nanobelts showed an excellent adsorption performance for Fe3+. Ultrathin metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as a novel class of two-dimensional materials for their unique properties, such as the larger surface area, enriched unsaturated coordination centers and more accessible active sites, which are beneficial for improving their performances in catalysis, sensing and separation. In this work, the MOF (named YNU-1 nanobelts) was exploited to selectively remove Fe3+ from aqueous solutions, which showed an excellent adsorption performance with the adsorption capacity of 456.37 mg/g. The value is the highest among all reported adsorbents of Fe3+, owing to the coordination between the Fe3+ and abundant carboxyl groups on the surface of YNU-1 nanobelts. The adsorption behavior can be well-described with a pseudo-second-order kinetic model, which revealed a chemisorption process. The α-Fe 2 O 3 on the surface of YNU-1 nanobelts after adsorption was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and element mapping measurements. The YNU-1 nanobelts was successfully applied for iron treatment in real sample. Our study provided a facile and efficient method for the removal of iron ions from water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The pure E/Z isomers isoniazid-substituted TPE derivatives was confirmed by single crystal, mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. • The structure-property relationships of these molecules have been systematically investigated. • The E/Z isomers possessed dramatic differences in fluorescent properties and distinct aggregate self-assembly morphologies. • Isomers exhibited diverse changes in response to stimuli. • Isomers can be used as efficient fluorescent probes for the detection of copper in the environment. Stereoisomers play an irreplaceable prominent role in life sciences. In molecular engineering, the isomers have been continuously designed and synthesized, and their interrelationships among structure-property-function have also been explored. However, the difficulties in purification and structural confirmation of tetraphenylethene (TPE) derivatives' stereoisomers hinder their structural diversity and scope of functions. Meanwhile, there were few researches on the macroscopic optical differences about TPE derivatives isomers. Herein, isoniazid-substituted TPE derivatives stereoisomers have been synthesized, as confirmed by single crystal data, mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. The different photophysical properties were caused by the introduction of functional group isoniazid on the periphery of TPE. These isomers possessed dramatic differences in fluorescent properties, and exhibited diverse changes in response to stimuli. They also have distinct aggregated self-assembly morphologies because of different intermolecular hydrogen bonding, and they can be used as efficient fluorescent probes for detecting copper. Based on the coordination-driven sensing system, the morphologies of isomers aggregates changed significantly after interaction with copper, and the stoichiometry between them is 2:1. The theoretical calculation demonstrated that they have obvious intramolecular charge transfer behavior. Our research provided a good strategy for designing different substituted groups that can produce various functions and have more potential applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A HDBB@ZIF-8 fluorescent probe has been developed by encapsulating the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) molecule 4,4'-(hydrazine-1,2-diylidenebis(methanylylidene)) bis(3-hydroxybenzoic acid) (HDBB) into the nanochannels of zeolitic imidazolate frameworks-8 (ZIF-8) for distinguishing small alcohol solvent molecules. The crystal structure and morphology of ZIF-8 are well maintained after the encapsulation of HDBB molecules. Encapsulation of HDBB into the confined nanospace of ZIF-8 not only triggered new green fluorescent emission but also endowed them with unique carbon chain length-dependent fluorescence intensity for alcohols, which has not been observed in pure HDBB and ZIF-8. This property could be attributed to the alcohol–water sorption selectivity of host ZIF-8. Moreover, a linear relationship is obtained between the fluorescent intensity of these composites and the concentrations of ethanol with a wide linear range, which could be employed as a chemosensor to detect the content of ethanol in the real wine sample. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Adaption of Skylake architecture with AVX-512 support for SeisSol simulator. • Only utilized data obtained during SC18 Student Cluster Competition. • Good consistency is found between the results in the original paper and that in our reproduction. A SC'17 paper entitled Extreme Scale Multi-Physics Simulations of the Tsunamigenic 2004 Sumatra Megathrust Earthquake implemented a new cache-aware wave propagation scheme and an optimization approach for dynamic rupture using code generation. With the clustered local time-stepping method, they achieved a 13.6 × speedup for the Sumatra scenario of the simulation code SeisSol. In this work, we reproduce the optimization approach above on Intel Skylake, a relatively new architecture, to analyze its performance. We compare the performance results obtained on our platform with those in the original paper and study the differences with a profiling-based performance tool, Arm Forge. We perform scalability experiments on our cluster with the provided dataset. The speedup is consistent with the claims in the original paper. Also, a full 500-second simulation of the Sumatra earthquake on a small mesh is successfully reproduced on our platform. We visualize the results, and the process of how an earthquake develops is correctly revealed. Additionally, we analyze the impact of hyper-threading on the performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]