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The newly identified estrogen receptor, G protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR30), is prevalent in the brain and has been shown to provide significant neuroprotection. Recent studies have linked ferroptosis, a newly characterized form of programmed cell death, closely with cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury (CIRI), highlighting it as a major contributing factor. Consequently, our research aimed to explore the potential of GPR30 targeting in controlling neuronal ferroptosis and lessening CIRI impacts. Results indicated that GPR30 activation not only improved neurological outcomes and decreased infarct size in a mouse model but also lessened iron accumulation and malondialdehyde formation post-middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). This protective effect extended to increased levels of Nrf2 and GPX4 proteins. Similar protective results were replicated in PC12 cells subjected to Oxygen Glucose Deprivation and Reoxygenation (OGD/R) using the GPR30-specific agonist G1. Importantly, inhibition of Nrf2 with ML385 curtailed the neuroprotective effects of GPR30 activation, suggesting that GPR30 mitigates CIRI primarily through inhibition of neuronal ferroptosis via upregulation of Nrf2 and GPX4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BaTiO3 thin films emerge as a highly promising material platform for integrated photonics due to their outstanding electro‐optic properties and diverse functionalities. Despite extensive studies, there remains a notable gap in the understanding of the intricate relationship between the phase structure, domain switching kinetics and electro‐optic performance of these materials. By controlling the structural phase evolution, it is possible to gain deep insights into the physical mechanisms underlying the electro‐optic performance. Here, the phase constitution of BaTiO3 epitaxial thin films is successfully tuned by the insertion of a GdScO3 buffer layer. Continuous polarization rotation paths are observed from an out‐of‐plane tetragonal‐like phase, to an intermediate rhombohedral‐like phase, and finally an in‐plane tetragonal‐like phase, achieving an enhanced effective electro‐optic coefficient of 175 pm V−1 compared to unbuffered films. Furthermore, by in situ second harmonic generation microscopy and electro‐optic measurements, the domain switching behaviors in both statistical and spatially resolved manners are examined, resulting in a clear delineation of the key domain nucleation processes. The in‐depth explorations of these structural mechanisms and kinetics inform the rational design of strong electro‐optic thin films and help in the realization of high‐performance integrated photonic devices such as electro‐optic modulators and multilevel phase shifters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease (PPNAD), as a rare kind of Cushing's syndrome, is frequently misdiagnosed. To get a better understanding of the disease, we analyzed the clinical characteristics and pathogenic variants of PPNAD. Methods: Databases were searched, and the pathogenic variants and clinical manifestations of patients were summarized from the relevant articles. Results: A total of 210 patients in 86 articles were enrolled with a median age of 22 and a female-to-male ratio of 2:1. Sixty-six (31.43%) patients were combined with Carney complex (CNC) and 94.29% were combined with osteoporosis/osteopenia. Among 151 patients who underwent genetic testing, 87.42% (132/151) had pathogenic variants. Six gene mutations (PRKAR1A, PDE11A, PRKACA, CTNNB1, PDE8B, and ARMC5) were detected in the patients. The most common mutation was PKAR1A, accounting for 79.47% (120/151). There was a significant correlation between PRKAR1A pathogenic variant and spotty skin pigmentation in CNC concurrent with PPNAD (p < 0.05). Among pregnant patients with PPNAD, those without surgical treatment and with bilateral adrenalectomy suffered from a high-risk perinatal period. However, patients with unilateral adrenalectomy presented a safe perinatal period. Conclusions: For young patients with Cushing's syndrome, especially female patients with spotty skin pigmentation and osteoporosis/osteopenia, PPNAD should be considered. Unilateral adrenal resection may be considered as an option for women with fertility needs. In view of the difficulty of PPNAD diagnosis, genetic testing before surgery might be a reasonable option. Patients with PPNAD with spotty skin pigmentation should consider the PRKAR1A pathogenic variant and pay attention to CNC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the association between cardiovascular health metrics defined by Life's Essential 8 (LE8) scores and vascular complications among individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Materials and Methods: This prospective study included 11 033 participants with T2D, all devoid of macrovascular diseases (including cardiovascular and peripheral artery disease) and microvascular complications (e.g. diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy and nephropathy) at baseline from the UK Biobank. The LE8 score comprised eight metrics: smoking, body mass index, physical activity, non‐high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood pressure, glycated haemoglobin, diet and sleep duration. Cox proportional hazards models were established to assess the associations of LE8 scores with incident macrovascular and microvascular complications. Results: During a median follow‐up of 12.1 years, we identified 1975 cases of incident macrovascular diseases and 1797 cases of incident microvascular complications. After adjusting for potential confounders, each 10‐point increase in the LE8 score was associated with an 18% lower risk of macrovascular diseases and a 15% lower risk of microvascular complications. Comparing individuals in the highest and lowest quartiles of LE8 scores revealed hazard ratios of 0.55 (95% confidence interval 0.47‐0.62) for incident macrovascular diseases, and 0.61 (95% confidence interval 0.53‐0.70) for incident microvascular complications. This association remained robust across a series of sensitivity analyses and nearly all subgroups. Conclusion: Higher LE8 scores were associated with a lower risk of incident macrovascular and microvascular complications among individuals with T2D. These findings underscore the significance of adopting fundamental strategies to maintain optimal cardiovascular health and curtail the risk of developing diabetic vascular complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the mitochondrial genomic characteristics of Acanthopsetta nadeshnyi have been reported and have depicted the phylogenetic relationship among Pleuronectidae. Combined with a comparative analysis of 13 PCGs, the TN93 model was used to review the neutral evolution and habitat evolution catalysis of the mitogenome to verify the distancing and purification selectivity of the mitogenome in Pleuronectidae. At the same time, a species differentiation and classification model based on mitogenome analysis data was established. This study is expected to provide a new perspective on the phylogenetic relationship and taxonomic status of A. nadeshnyi and lay a foundation for further exploration of environmental and biological evolutionary mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence has demonstrated that exoskeleton robots can improve intestinal function in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). However, the underlying mechanisms remain unelucidated. This study investigated the effects of exoskeleton-assisted walking (EAW) on intestinal function and intestinal flora structure in T2-L1 motor complete paraplegia patients. The results showed that five participants in the EAW group and three in the conventional group reported improvements in at least one bowel management index, including an increased frequency of bowel evacuations, less time spent on bowel management per day, and less external assistance (manual digital stimulation, medication, and enema usage). After 8  weeks of training, the amount of glycerol used in the EAW group decreased significantly (p  <0.05). The EAW group showed an increasing trend in the neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) score after 8  weeks of training, while the conventional group showed a worsening trend. Patients who received the EAW intervention exhibited a decreased abundance of Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia, while Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria were upregulated. In addition, there were decreases in the abundances of Bacteroides, Prevotella, Parabacteroides, Akkermansia, Blautia, Ruminococcus 2, and Megamonas. In contrast, Ruminococcus 1, Ruminococcaceae UCG002, Faecalibacterium, Dialister, Ralstonia, Escherichia-Shigella, and Bifidobacterium showed upregulation among the top 15 genera. The abundance of Ralstonia was significantly higher in the EAW group than in the conventional group, and Dialister increased significantly in EAW individuals at 8  weeks. This study suggests that EAW can improve intestinal function of SCI patients in a limited way, and may be associated with changes in the abundance of intestinal flora, especially an increase in beneficial bacteria. In the future, we need to further understand the changes in microbial groups caused by EAW training and all related impact mechanisms, especially intestinal flora metabolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: Pregnancy-induced preeclampsia is a severe pregnancy complication and preeclampsia has been associated with an increased risk of chronic hypertension for offspring. However, the magnitude of the overall effect of exposure to preeclampsia in pregnancy on blood pressure (BP) in offspring is unknown. This systematic review and meta-analysis was sought to systematically assess the effects of preeclampsia on the BP of the offspring. Recent Findings: Of 2550 publications identified, 23 studies were included. The meta-analysis indicated that preeclampsia increases the potential risk of hypertension in offspring. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was 2.0 mm Hg (95% CI: 1.2, 2.8) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was 1.4 mm Hg (95% CI: 0.9, 1.9) higher in offspring exposed to pre-eclampsia in utero, compared to those born to normotensive mothers. The correlations were similar in stratified analyses of children and adolescents by sex, geographic area, ages, and gestational age. Summary: During childhood and young adulthood, the offspring of pregnant women with preeclampsia are at an increased risk of high BP. It is crucial to monitor their BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: By investigating the incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among residents during a period of low transmission, this study reflects the long-term impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and identify which categories of residents are more likely to develop PTSD due to an acute infectious disease crisis, facilitating the development of targeted strategies to protectmental health after outbreaks of similar acute infectious diseases in the future. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in China from 4 to 26 February 2021. A convenience sampling strategy was adopted to recruit participants. Participants were asked to complete the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). A multivariable linear stepwise regression analysis model was used to identify which factors were associated with PTSD in residents of China. Results: A total of 2,361 Chinese residents completed the questionnaire. The mean PCL-5 score for the respondents was 13.65 (SD = 8.66), with 219 (9.28%) patients having probable PTSD symptoms. Respondents who were female (b = 0.038), had a relative or friend who had contracted COVID-19 (b = 0.041), and had poor health (b = 0.184) had higher PCL-5 scores, while the population aged over 60 years (b = -0.063), who agreed that COVID-19 information was released in a timely manner (b = -0.347), who had experienced a relatively limited impact of COVID-19 on their life (b = -0.069), and who agreed that the local prevention initiatives were sophisticated (b = -0.165) had lower PTSD scores. Conclusions: Outbreaks of acute infectious diseases can have long-term psychological health effects in the general population. In addition, health policy makers need to be concerned about and implement measures to support the mental health of vulnerable groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermoelectric materials are highly promising for waste heat harvesting. Although thermoelectric materials research has expanded over the years, bismuth telluride‐based alloys are still the best for near‐room‐temperature applications. In this work, a ≈38% enhancement of the average ZT (300−473 K) to 1.21 is achieved by mixing Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3 with an emerging thermoelectric material Sb2Si2Te6, which is significantly higher than that of most BiySb2−yTe3‐based composites. This enhancement is facilitated by the unique interface region between the Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3 matrix and Sb2Si2Te6‐based precipitates with an orderly atomic arrangement, which promotes the transport of charge carriers with minimal scattering, overcoming a common factor that is limiting ZT enhancement in such composites. At the same time, high‐density dislocations in the same region can effectively scatter the phonons, decoupling the electron‐phonon transport. This results in a ≈56% enhancement of the thermoelectric quality factor at 373 K, from 0.41 for the pristine sample to 0.64 for the composite sample. A single‐leg device is fabricated with a high efficiency of 5.4% at ΔT = 164 K further demonstrating the efficacy of the Sb2Si2Te6 compositing strategy and the importance of the precipitate‐matrix interface microstructure in improving the performance of materials for relatively low‐temperature applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are various types of land use in the agricultural and pastoral areas of northern China, including natural grassland and artificial grassland, scrub land, forest land and farmland, may change the soil microbial community However, the soil microbial communities in these different land use types remain poorly understood. In this study, we compared soil microbial communities in these five land use types within the agro-pastoral ecotone of northern China. Our results showed that land use has had a considerable impact on soil bacterial and fungal community structures. Bacterial diversity was highest in shrubland and lowest in natural grassland; fungal diversity was highest in woodland. Microbial network structural complexity also differed significantly among land use types. The lower complexity of artificial grassland and farmland may be a result of the high intensity of anthropogenic activities in these two land-use types, while the higher structural complexity of the shrubland and woodland networks characterised by low-intensity management may be a result of low anthropogenic disturbance. Correlation analysis of soil properties (e.g., soil physicochemical properties, soil nutrients, and microbiomass carbon and nitrogen levels) and soil microbial communities demonstrated that although microbial taxa were correlated to some extent with soil environmental factors, these factors did not sufficiently explain the microbial community differences among land use types. Understanding variability among soil microbial communities within agropastoral areas of northern China is critical for determining the most effective land management strategies and conserving microbial diversity at the regional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: The use of corticosteroids in chronic drug‐induced liver injury (DILI) is an important issue. Our previous randomized controlled trial showed that patients with chronic DILI benefited from a 48‐week steroid stepwise reduction (SSR) regimen. However, it remains unclear whether a shorter course of therapy can achieve similar efficacy. In this study, we aimed to assess whether a 36‐week SSR can achieve efficacy similar to that of 48‐week SSR. Methods: A randomized open‐label trial was performed. Eligible patients were randomly assigned to the 36‐ or 48‐week (1:1) SSR group. Liver biopsies were performed at baseline and at the end of treatment. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with relapse rate (RR). The secondary outcomes were improvement in liver histology and safety. Results: Of the 90 participants enrolled, 84 (87.5%) completed the trial, and 62 patients (68.9%) were women. Hepatocellular damage was observed in 53.4% of the cohort. The RR was 7.1% in the 36‐week SSR group but 4.8% in the 48‐week SSR group, as determined by per‐protocol set analysis (p = 1.000). Significant histological improvements in histological activity (93.1% vs. 92.9%, p = 1.000) and fibrosis (41.4% vs. 46.4%, p =.701) were observed in both the groups. Biochemical normalization time did not differ between the two groups. No severe adverse events were observed. Conclusions: Both the 36‐ and 48‐week SSR regimens demonstrated similar biochemical response and histological improvements with good safety, supporting 36‐week SSR as a preferable therapeutic choice (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03266146). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power information data transmission is prone to packet loss rate, and communication protocol is required to improve the transmission capacity of power information data. Therefore, a low delay transmission scheme of power communication information based on 5G networking is proposed and constructed, the power communication information data through 5G networking technology is processed and is sent to the corresponding data application module for data classification and mining, and then the information data is converted in different formats to the same data transmission format. TCP communication protocol as the communication protocol is selected for data online transmission to describe the low delay transmission of power communication information. The chaotic sequence is set based on 5G networking, and the connection weight matrix is calculated. Then the power communication information sequence is encrypted in real time according to the row column substitution rule. On this basis, the data encryption module, dynamic key generation module and shared key update module are combined to realize the low delay transmission of power communication information. The experimental results show that with the increase of the network area and the number of nodes, the data transmission volume can be gradually increased. The change range of this method is relatively small, which can effectively improve the feasibility of the low delay transmission scheme of power communication information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the monotonicity of the functions t \mapsto \frac {\sum _{k=0}^\infty a_k w_k(t)}{\sum _{k=0}^\infty b_k w_k(t)} and x \mapsto \frac {\int _\alpha ^\beta f(t) w(t,x) \mathrm {d} t}{\int _\alpha ^\beta g(t) w(t,x) \mathrm {d} t}, focusing on case where the monotonicity of a_k/b_k and f(t)/g(t) change once. The results presented also provide insights into the monotonicity of the ratios of two power series, two \mathcal {Z}-transforms, two discrete Laplace transforms, two discrete Mellin transforms, two Laplace transforms, and two Mellin transforms. Finally, we employ these monotonicity rules to present several applications in the realm of special functions and stochastic orders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that systemic inflammatory and nutritional biomarkers, along with derived indices, could serve as predictors for sarcopenia in cancer population. This study aimed to compare these predictors, focusing on the nutritional risk index (NRI) and evaluate its diagnostic value, for sarcopenic patients without cancer. Methods: This cross-sectional retrospective study included 1674 participants. Sarcopenia is defined by skeletal muscle mass index (SMI). Laboratory data reflected the values of systemic inflammatory and nutritional biomarkers, from which the derived indices were calculated. Multiple logistic regression analysis, ROC curve analysis, and the Youden index were utilized to assess the association between these markers and sarcopenia and determine the cutoff value for predicting sarcopenia. Results: Among all participants (1110 men and 564 women, mean age 61.97 ± 9.83 years), 398 individuals were diagnosed with sarcopenia, indicating a prevalence of 23.78% in China's middle-aged and elderly population without cancer. Logistic regression analysis revealed significant associations between all biomarkers and derived indices with sarcopenia. Following adjustment for potential confounders, lower NRI values were significantly associated with a higher incidence of sarcopenia. For sarcopenia diagnosis, the area under the curve (AUC) for NRI was 0.769 ([95% CI, 0.742, 0.796], P < 0.001), with a cutoff value of 106.016, sensitivity of 75.6% and specificity of 66.1%. NRI demonstrated greater predictive advantage for sarcopenia incidence in men compared to women. Conclusion: A lower NRI value was associated with a higher prevalence of sarcopenia. NRI shows promise for early, rapid, and effective sarcopenia screening, particularly in China's middle-aged and elderly male population without cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While strategies to enhance the quantum coherence of plasmonic resonances have attracted a lot of attention in the past, the advent of non-Hermitian optics carries promising possibilities in this direction, mostly of which are still unexplored. In this work, we show that the quantum coherence of plasmonic resonances can be enhanced by integrating a plasmonic antenna in a photonic cavity operated at a chiral exceptional point (CEP), where the phase of light offers an additional degree of freedom for flexibly manipulating the quantum dynamics. The few-mode quantization theory is employed to demonstrate the advantages and related quantum-optics applications of the proposed hybrid cavity in both off- and on-resonance plasmon-photon coupling. For the former case, the local density of states evolves into sub-Lorentzian lineshape, resulting in reduced dissipation of polaritonic states. On resonance, we identify two mechanisms improving the quantum yield by two orders of magnitude at room temperature: the reduction of plasmonic absorption through Fano interference and the enhancement of cavity radiation through superscattering. Our results establish CEP-engineered plasmonic resonances as a promising platform for controlling quantum states and building high-performance quantum devices. The advent of non-Hermitian optics carries new possibilities in manipulating optical response, offering alternative ways to enhance the quantum coherence of plasmonic resonances. Based on a theoretical model, the authors calculate a quantum yield enhanced by two orders of magnitude at room temperature, achieved by integration of a plasmonic antenna in a photonic cavity operated at a chiral exceptional point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental realization of strong coupling between a single exciton and plasmons remains challenging as it requires deterministic positioning of the single exciton and alignment of its dipole moment with the plasmonic fields. This study aims to combine the host–guest chemistry approach with the cucurbit[7]uril-mediated active self-assembly to precisely integrate a single methylene blue molecule in an Au nanodimer at the deterministic position (gap center of the nanodimer) with the maximum electric field (EFmax) and perfectly align its transition dipole moment with the EFmax, yielding a large spectral Rabi splitting of 116 meV for a single-molecule exciton—matching the analytical model and numerical simulations. Statistical analysis of vibrational spectroscopy and dark-field scattering spectra confirm the realization of the single exciton strong coupling at room temperature. Our work may suggest an approach for achieving the strong coupling between a deterministic single exciton and plasmons, contributing to the development of room-temperature single-qubit quantum devices. Realising single molecule strong coupling with plasmons achieving both deterministic molecule positioning and dipole alignment with the mode field has proven challenging so far. Here, the authors fill this gap by placing a single molecular emitter in the gap centre of an Au nanodimer system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Presenilin (Psn) gene is closely related to aging, but it is still unclear the role of Psn genes in skeletal muscle. Here, the Psn-UAS/Mhc-GAL4 system in Drosophila was used to regulate muscle Psn overexpression(MPO) and muscle Psn knockdown(MPK). Drosophila were subjected to endurance exercise from 4 weeks to 5 weeks old. The results showed that MPO and exercise significantly increased climbing speed, climbing endurance, lifespan, muscle SOD activity, Psn expression, Sirt1 expression, PGC-1α expression, and armadillo (arm) expression in aged Drosophila, and they significantly decreased muscle malondialdehyde levels. Interestingly, when the Psn gene is knockdown by 0.78 times, the PGC-1α expression and arm expression were also down-regulated, but the exercise capacity and lifespan were increased. Furthermore, exercise combined with MPO further improved the exercise capacity and lifespan. MPK combined with exercise further improves the exercise capacity and lifespan. Thus, current results confirmed that the muscle Psn gene was a vital gene that contributed to the healthy aging of skeletal muscle since whether it was overexpressed or knocked down, the aging progress of skeletal muscle structure and function was slowed down by regulating the activity homeostasis of Sirt1/PGC-1α pathway and Psn/arm pathway. Exercise enhanced the function of the Psn gene to delay skeletal muscle aging by up regulating the activity of the Sirt1/PGC-1α pathway and Psn/arm pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crystal structure and transport properties of GeBi2Te4 are investigated as a layered compound with potential applications as thermoelectric materials. A disordered arrangement of Ge and Bi atoms in a septuple‐layer structure is discovered through synchrotron radiation X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Neutron pair distribution function analysis revealed the presence of discordant Ge atoms with an off‐centering distance of 0.12 Å at 300 K. The thermal conductivity of GeBi2Te4 is very low due to the strong phonon scattering. This is a result of the three Einstein local oscillators coupled with the disordered arrangement of atoms. This study also explores further the structural characteristics of these materials and their associated phonon scattering processes. The effect of Sb substitution for Ge on the electrical transport properties of the sample is profound, resulting in a change from p‐type to n‐type conduction. An enhanced thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of 0.45 at 523 K in the in‐plane direction is obtained. This research provides valuable insights into the crystal structure and transport properties of GeBi2Te4, showcasing its promising role as a thermoelectric material with potential for near‐room‐temperature applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential influence of tinnitus on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality has yet to be explored. We aim to examine the correlations between tinnitus and the risk of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. We conducted a prospective cohort study utilising data from the UK Biobank. The presence of tinnitus was evaluated through a questionnaire. The primary outcome was defined as a composition of cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and mortality from CVD, as well as all-cause mortality. Cox proportional hazard models were employed to examine the associations between tinnitus and both the primary outcome and its individual components. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the robustness of the primary analysis. A total of 140,146 participants were included in the study. The presence of tinnitus was found to be associated with a higher incident rate of the primary outcome (HR = 1.057, 95%CI: 1.017–1.099, p = 0.005), MI (HR = 1.139, 95%CI: 1.061–1.222, p < 0.001) and all-cause mortality (HR = 1.053, 95%CI: 1.003–1.105, p = 0.038) after adjusting for confounders. However, there was no significant association between tinnitus and stroke or mortality from CVD. Subgroup analysis revealed that the association between tinnitus and the primary outcome was significant in females, participants with abnormal BMI, and those without hearing difficulty, depression or anxiety. Sensitivity analyses yielded consistent results. The findings from this study contribute to the existing body of evidence suggesting an association between tinnitus and an increased risk of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wallis power function is defined on \left (-\min \left \{ p,q\right \},\infty \right) by \begin{equation*} W_{p,q}\left (x\right) =\left (\dfrac {\Gamma \left (x+p\right) }{\Gamma \left (x+q\right) }\right) ^{1/\left (p-q\right) }\text { if }p\neq q\text { and }W_{p,p}\left (x\right) =e^{\psi \left (x+p\right) }. \end{equation*} Let p_{i},q_{i}\in \mathbb {R} with 0<\delta _{i}=p_{i}-q_{i}\leq 1, \theta _{i}=\left (1-\delta _{i}\right) /2 for i=1,2 and p_{1}+q_{1}=p_{2}+q_{2}=2\sigma +1. We prove that, if q_{1}>q_{2} then for any integer m\in \mathbb {N}, the function \begin{equation*} x\mapsto \left (-1\right) ^{m}\left [ \ln \frac {W_{p_{1},q_{1}}\left (x\right) }{W_{p_{2},q_{2}}\left (x\right) }-\sum _{k=1}^{m}\frac {a_{2k}\left (\theta _{1},\theta _{2}\right) }{\left (2k+1\right) \left (2k\right) \left (x+\sigma \right) ^{2k}}\right ] \end{equation*} is completely monotonic on \left (-\sigma,\infty \right), where \begin{equation*} a_{2k}\left (\theta _{1},\theta _{2}\right) =\frac {B_{2k+1}\left (\theta _{2}\right) }{\theta _{2}-1/2}-\frac {B_{2k+1}\left (\theta _{1}\right) }{\theta _{1}-1/2}. \end{equation*} This extends and generalizes some known results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Similar to conventional ocean bottom seismometers and ocean bottom cables, the attitude and position of vertical cables deployed on the seafloor should be calibrated. However, due to the effect of ocean currents, the cable attitude is not stationary. Therefore, a new method for the dynamic repositioning of vertical cables is required. The dynamic repositioning of the hydrophones on vertical cables plays an important role in accurately describing the structure of the stratum and establishing an accurate velocity model. To realize the dynamic positioning of marine vertical cables, the shot lines are divided according to time, the first break time objective equation is established and the receiver position in each time period is obtained using the inversion methods outlined in this work. By analysing the trace spacing, first break time, shot point coordinate accuracy, temporal resolution, shot line spacing and other factors after repositioning, it is found that the first break time pickup accuracy and shot line spacing are the main factors that affect the repositioning accuracy. Furthermore, the resolution is limited by the timing of a single shot line. Additionally, the trace spacing after repositioning is consistent with the actual situation, which verifies the correctness and feasibility of this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the clinical significance of the creatine kinase (CK)-MB/total CK ratio, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and red blood cell distribution width in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 196 AMI cases from our hospital's cardiology department; healthy people were selected over the same period as the control. The two groups' test indexes were compared through multivariate logistic regression analysis to screen for AMI risk factors; the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate their AMI predictive values. Results: The serum CK, CK-MB, CK index, neutrophils and NLR values in the AMI group were significantly higher compared with those in the control group (p < 0.05); however, the levels of serum lymphocytes were significantly lower compared with those in the control group (p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that elevated CK-MB and NLR levels were risk factors for AMI (p < 0.05). The ROC curve showed that the area under the curve of the NLR and CK levels were 0.917 and 0.594, respectively. Conclusion: The CK index and NLR have a clinical predicting value for AMI and could be used as a clinical auxiliary diagnostic index for the assessment of patients with AMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Degenerate semiconductors usually demonstrate a metallic‐like conduction behavior, showing limited carrier mobility at high temperatures. Herein, by incorporating B4C nanoparticles into the Cu1.99Se system, an unusual switch from the "degenerate" to "non‐degenerate" semiconducting behavior is revealed as a result of the engineered interfaces. Heterogeneous interfaces and disordered Cu2Se amorphous phases are introduced in the Cu1.99Se/B4C composites, which generate a trapping effect against the mobile Cu ions, leading to a distinctive "hump" signature for electrical conductivity. Benefiting from this rare high‐temperature thermoelectric response, a high power factor is obtained due to reduced carrier concentration and enhanced mobility, and low lattice thermal conductivity is retained because of relatively stronger anharmonic lattice vibrations. Consequently, the Cu1.99Se + 0.9 vol.% B4C sample at least achieves a maximum thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of 2.6 at 1025 K with synergistically enhanced mechanical robustness. The present interface engineering strategy may be applicable to other thermoelectric materials with ionic migration characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let p, q ∈ ℝ with p − q ≽ 0, σ = 1 2 (p + q − 1) and s = 1 2 (1 − p + q) , and let D m (x ; p , q) = D 0 (x ; p , q) + ∑ k = 1 m B 2 k (s) 2 k (x + σ) 2 k , where D 0 (x ; p , q) = ψ (x + p) + ψ (x + q) 2 − ln (x + σ). We establish the asymptotic expansion D 0 (x ; p , q) ∼ − ∑ n = 1 ∞ B 2 n (s) 2 n (x + σ) 2 n a s x → ∞ , where B2n(s) stands for the Bernoulli polynomials. Further, we prove that the functions (− 1) m D m (x ; p , q) and (− 1) m + 1 D m (x ; p , q) are completely monotonic in x on (−σ, ∞) for every m ∈ ℕ0 if and only if p − q ∈ [ 0 , 1 2 ] and p − q = 1, respectively. This not only unifies the two known results but also yields some new results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The AHA has recently introduced a novel metric, Life's Essential 8, to assess cardiovascular health (CVH). Nevertheless, the association between varying levels of LE8 and the propensity for CKD is still unclear from a large prospective cohort. Our objective is to meticulously examine the relationship between LE8 and its associated susceptibilities to CKD. Methods: A total of 251,825 participants free of CKD from the UK Biobank were included. Cardiovascular health was scored using LE8 and categorized as low, moderate, and high. Cox proportional hazard models were employed to evaluate the associations of LE8 scores with new-onset CKD. The genetic risk score for CKD was calculated by a weighted method. Results: Over a median follow-up of 12.8 years, we meticulously documented 10,124 incident cases of CKD. Remarkably, an increased LE8 score correlated with a significant reduction of risk in new-onset CKD (high LE8 score vs. low LE8 score: HR = 0.300, 95% CI 0.270–0.330, p < 0.001; median LE8 score vs. low LE8 score: HR = 0.531, 95% CI 0.487–0.580, p < 0.001). This strong LE8–CKD association remained robust in extensive subgroup assessments and sensitivity analysis. Additionally, these noteworthy associations between LE8 scores and CKD remained unaffected by genetic predispositions to CKD. Conclusions: An elevated degree of CVH, as delineated by the discerning metric LE8, exhibited a pronounced and statistically significant correlation with a marked reduction in the likelihood of CKD occurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Patients with vestibular migraine (VM) show a significant decrease in gray matter cortical regions associated with pain and vestibular processing, as revealed by head functional magnetic resonance imaging. We predict that these changes can be reflected in intentional saccadic eye movements. This study aims to establish whether there are abnormalities in intentional saccadic eye movements in patients with VM. Subjects and Methods: This is a retrospective study involving two groups of patients, including 39 patients in the VM group and 38 patients in the control group. The VM group and control group matched for age and gender were collected from Beijing Luhe Hospital affiliated with Capital Medical University, between June 2021 and May 2022. All patients received antisaccade (AS) and memory-guided saccade (MGS) tasks. Results: Compared with the control group, there were no significant differences in VM group in latency and gain of ASs. However, there were significant differences in the AS error rate between the two groups (right side 44% in VM and 32% in the control group; P = 0.041, left side 41% in VM and 29% in the control group; P = 0.011), with higher error rates observed in the VM group compared to the control group. Compared with the control group, there were no significant differences in the accuracy and final eye position gain of MGSs. However, there were significant differences in the valid saccade accurate percentage of MGS between the two groups (right side 59% in VM and 81% in the control group; P = 0.009, left side 59% in VM and 90% in the control group; P = 0.012), with lower accurate percentages observed in patients with VM compared to the normal control group. Furthermore, the latency of MGS between the two groups differed significantly (right side 677 ms in VM and 491.5 ms in the control group; P = 0.024, left side 670 ms in VM and 555 ms in the control group; P = 0.024), with longer latencies observed in patients with VM compared to normal control group. The results showed that VM disease duration had a positive correlation with the AS error rate (right: P =0.043, r = 0.326; left: P =0.000, r = 0.535). Conclusions: We found abnormalities in the AS and MGS tasks in patients with VM. The duration of VM is positively correlated with the AS error rate. Our study discovered that in addition to headache, dizziness, and autonomic symptoms, VM patients also exhibit impaired intentional saccadic eye movements, which may be related to reduced gray matter volume involved in pain and vestibular processing and cognitive impairment in VM patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep-related breathing disorder, and has become a serious threat to public health. Intermittent hypoxia caused by OSA results in a low-grade inflammatory response that leads to impaired mucosal barrier function. Claudin (CLDN) molecules are important for the permeability of the mucosal epithelium. This study aimed to explore whether CLDN molecules can be a potential biomarker of OSA. Methods: A total of 37 healthy controls and 40 OSA patients underwent a physical assessment for OSA and filled out the STOP-Bang Questionnaire (SBQ) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Clinical specimens of plasma and urine were obtained to observe the difference between OSA patients and healthy controls and diagnostic accuracy of CLDN molecules for OSA. Results: CLDN1, CLDN2, and CLDN3 molecules in plasma and urine decreased in OSA patients (both p < 0.05). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs) of urinary CLDN1, plasma CLDN1, urinary CLDN2, plasma CLDN2, urinary CLDN3, and plasma CLDN3 were 0.887, 0.724, 0.779, 0.676, 0.828, and 0.665, respectively. The AUC of urinary CLDN1 + CLDN2 + CLDN3 was 0.906 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.831-0.981). The AUC of plasma CLDN1 + CLDN2 + CLDN3 was 0.776 (95% CI, 0.645-0.878). The AUC of urinary CLDN3 + SBQ was 0.899 (95% CI, 0.832-0.967). The AUC of urinary CLDN3 + ESS was 0.896 (95% CI, 0.826-0.966). In addition, Urinary CLDN-3 was negative associated with the severity of OSA. Conclusion: CLDNmolecules are promising as useful biomarkers forOSA, which may be related to the impaired barrier function related to OSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Sepsis-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has a high mortality rate, and no effective treatment is available currently. Quercetin is a natural plant product with many pharmacological activities, such as antioxidative, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory effects. This study aimed to elucidate the protective mechanism of quercetin against sepsis-related ARDS. METHODS: In this study, network pharmacology and in vitro experiments were used to investigate the underlying mechanisms of quercetin against sepsis-related ARDS. Core targets and signaling pathways of quercetin against sepsis-related ARDS were screened and were verified by in vitro experiments. RESULTS: A total of 4,230 targets of quercetin, 360 disease targets of sepsis-related ARDS, and 211 intersection targets were obtained via database screening. Among the 211 intersection targets, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), albumin (ALB), AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT1), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were identified as the core targets. A Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed 894 genes involved in the inflammatory response, apoptosis regulation, and response to hypoxia. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis identified 106 pathways. After eliminating and generalizing, the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), TNF, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor signaling pathways were identified. Molecular docking revealed that quercetin had good binding activity with the core targets. Moreover, quercetin blocked the HIF-1, TNF, NF-κB, and NODlike receptor signaling pathways in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced murine alveolar macrophage (MH-S) cells. It also suppressed the inflammatory response, oxidative reactions, and cell apoptosis. CONCLUSION: Quercetin ameliorates sepsis-related ARDS by binding to its core targets and blocking the HIF-1, TNF, NF-κB, and NOD-like receptor signaling pathways to reduce inflammation, cell apoptosis, and oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing heat-resistant fused heterocyclic compounds is increasingly fascinating in the field of energetic materials due to their excellent energy, high thermal stability, and low sensitivity, as well as high density in general. This study synthesized a novel heat-resistant explosive based on the imidazo [1,2-b]pyridazine fused ring，3,7-dinitroimidazo [1,2-b]pyridazine-6,8-diamine (5)，using a three-step facile method. This compound exhibited a high density (1.856 g cm− 3 ) and low mechanical sensitivities (IS = 40 J, FS = 350 N). Meanwhile, it displayed a higher thermal decomposition temperature of 324 ◦C compared to conventional heat-resistant explosive HNS (Td = 318 ◦C). In addition, it demonstrated significantly higher detonation performance (D = 8336 m s −1, p = 27.25 GPa) than both TNT (D = 6881 m s −1, p = 19.5 GPa) and HNS (D = 7612 m s−1, p = 24.3 GPa). Theoretical analysis shows that the intramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions of NH2–NO2–NH2 might be the main reason for the heat resistance of energetic materials based on the imidazo [1,2-b]pyridazine fused ring. The results of this study suggest that compound 5 is a promising building block and a candidate for heatresistant energetic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA) is classified as Siewert type II adenocarcinoma at the esophagogastric junction in Western countries. The majority of GCA patients do not exhibit early warning symptoms, leading to over 90% of diagnoses at an advanced stage, resulting in a grim prognosis, with less than a 20% 5‐year survival rate. Method: Metabolic features of 276 GCA and 588 healthy controls were characterized through a widely‐targeted metabolomics by UPLC‐MS/MS analysis. This study encompasses a joint pathway analysis utilizing identified metabolites, survival analysis in both early and advanced stages, as well as high and negative and low expression of HER2 immunohistochemistry staining. Machine learning techniques and Cox regression models were employed to construct a diagnostic panel. Results: A total of 25 differential metabolites were consistently identified in both discovery and validation sets based on criteria of p < 0.05, (VIP) ≥ 1, and FC ≥ 2 or FC ≤ 0.5. Early‐stage GCA patients exhibited a more favorable prognosis compared to those in advanced stages. HER2 overexpression was associated with a more positive outcome compared to the negative and low expression groups. Metabolite panel demonstrated a robust diagnostic performance with AUC of 0.869 in discovery set and 0.900 in validation set. Conclusions: A total of 25 common and stable differential metabolites may hold promise as liquid non‐invasive indicators for GCA diagnosis. HER2 may function as a tumor suppressor gene in GCA, as its overexpression is associated with improved survival. The downregulation of bile acid metabolism in GCA may offer valuable theoretical insights and innovative approaches for precision‐targeted treatments in GCA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric field-induced second harmonic generation allows electrically controlling nonlinear light-matter interactions crucial for emerging integrated photonics applications. Despite its wide presence in materials, the figures-of-merit of electric field-induced second harmonic generation are yet to be elevated to enable novel device functionalities. Here, we show that the polar skyrmions, a topological phase spontaneously formed in PbTiO3/SrTiO3 ferroelectric superlattices, exhibit a high comprehensive electric field-induced second harmonic generation performance. The second-order nonlinear susceptibility and modulation depth, measured under non-resonant 800 nm excitation, reach ~54.2 pm V−1 and ~664% V−1, respectively, and high response bandwidth (higher than 10 MHz), wide operating temperature range (up to ~400 K) and good fatigue resistance (>1010 cycles) are also demonstrated. Through combined in-situ experiments and phase-field simulations, we establish the microscopic links between the exotic polarization configuration and field-induced transition paths of the skyrmions and their electric field-induced second harmonic generation response. Our study not only presents a highly competitive thin-film material ready for constructing on-chip devices, but opens up new avenues of utilizing topological polar structures in the fields of photonics and optoelectronics. Electric modulation of second harmonic generation finds applications in integrated photonics. Here, authors introduce electric field-induced second harmonic generation by polar skyrmions in PbTiO3/SrTiO3 superlattices with giant modulation depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ticks are important vectors of zoonotic diseases and play a major role in the circulation and transmission of many rickettsial species. The aim of this study was to investigate the carriage of Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae (CRT) in a total of 1168 ticks collected in Inner Mongolia to elucidate the potential public health risk of this pathogen, provide a basis for infectious disease prevention, control and prediction and contribute diagnostic ideas for clinical diseases that present with fever in populations exposed to ticks. A total of four tick species, Haemaphysalis concinna (n = 21), Dermacentor nuttalli (n = 122), Hyalomma marginatum (n = 148), and Ixodes persulcatus (n = 877), were collected at nine sampling sites in Inner Mongolia, China, and identified by morphological and molecular biological methods. Reverse transcription PCR targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA (rrs), gltA, groEL, ompB and Sca4 genes was used to detect CRT DNA. Sequencing was used for pathogen species confirmation. The molecular epidemiological analysis showed that three species of ticks were infected with CRT, and the overall positive rate was as high as 42%. The positive rate of I. persulcatus collected in Hinggan League city was up to 96%, and that of I. persulcatus collected in Hulun Buir city was 50%. The pool positive rates of D. nuttalli and H. marginatum collected in Bayan Nur city and H. concinna collected in Hulun Buir city were 0%, 28% and 40%, respectively. This study revealed the high prevalence of CRT infection in ticks from Inner Mongolia and the first confirmation of CRT detected in H. marginatum in China. The wide host range and high infection rate in Inner Mongolia may dramatically increase the exposure of CRT to humans and other vertebrates. The role of H. marginatum in the transmission of rickettsiosis and its potential risk to public health should be further considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Colchicine, a multipotent anti-inflammatory drug, has been reported to alleviate cardiac remodeling and improve cardiac function after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the underlying mechanism remains incompletely understood. Because neutrophils extracellular traps (NETs) enhance inflammation and participate in myocardial ischemia injury, and colchicine can inhibit NETosis, we thus aimed to determine whether colchicine exerts cardioprotective effects on AMI via suppressing NETs. Methods: Adult C57BL/6 mice were subjected to permanent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery and treated with colchicine (0.1 mg/kg/day) or Cl-amidine (10 mg/kg/day) for 7 or 28 days after AMI. Cardiac function was evaluated by echocardiography, and NETs detected by immunofluorescence. ROS production was detected using 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetates (DCFH-DA) fluorometry. Intracellular Ca2+ concentration was assessed by a fluorometric ratio technique. Results: We found that colchicine treatment significantly increased mice survival (89.8% in the colchicine group versus 67.9% in control, n = 32 per group; log-rank test, p < 0.05) and improved cardiac function at day 7 (left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF): 28.0 ± 9.2% versus 12.6 ± 3.9%, n = 8 per group; p < 0.001) and at day 28 (LVEF: 26.2 ± 7.2% versus 14.8 ± 6.7%, n = 8 per group; p < 0.001) post-AMI. In addition, the administration of colchicine inhibited NETs formation and inflammation. Furthermore, colchicine inhibited NETs formation by reducing NOX2/ROS production and Ca2+ influx. Moreover, prevention of NETs formation with Cl-amidine significantly alleviated AMI-induced cardiac remodeling. Conclusions: Colchicine inhibited NETs and cardiac inflammation, and alleviated cardiac remodeling after acute myocardial infarction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To understand the characteristics of patients in the emergency observation room, analyze the factors influencing death, and provide orientation for improving the level of emergency treatment in the hospital. Methods The data of all patients discharged from the emergency observation room in a tertiary hospital in Shanghai from January 1 to December 31, 2019 were collected. The patients were divided into the death group and the survival group based on their outcome. The clinical data of two groups were compared, and the characteristics of death cases were analyzed. Results In 2019, there were 2 211 patients discharged from the emergency observation room, including 125 deaths and 2 086 survivors. Among the surviving patients, 1 183 were discharged (accounting for 56.71%), and 903 were admitted to specialized departments for further treatment (accounting for 43.28%). The median (25th, 75th percentile) observation time was 2.50 (1.00, 9.00) days, and 1 076 patients (accounting for 48.67%) had an observation time longer than 72 h. The average age was (67.81 ± 18.87) years, and males accounted for 57.98% (1 282 cases). The death group had a higher incidence of respiratory system diseases and malignant tumors than the survival group, while the survival group had a higher incidence of nervous system diseases (P < 0.01). The frequencies of using non-invasive ventilators and electrocardiogram monitoring in the death group were higher than those in the survival group (P < 0.01). The peak period of death occurrence was mainly in the winter. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of death increased to 1 . 057 and 1 . 013 times for every 1 year increment of age and every 1 day increment of staying in observation time, respectively (P < 0.001); the risk of death for patients with two or more diagnosed diseases was 3.873 times that of patients with one diagnosis (P < 0.001); compared with patients from the clinic, the risk of death for patients from the rescue room increased to 2.877 times (P < 0.001). Conclusions The hospital should standardize the triage and treatment of critically ill and complicated patients, allocate and distribute emergency resources reasonably, and strengthen the observation of the condition. Effective prevention and treatment strategies should be formulated based on high-risk factors such as old age, respiratory system diseases, tumors, and seasonal variations to improve the efficiency and quality of emergency treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Currently, the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is progressively rising, particularly in developed nations. There is an escalating focus on the onset and progression of AD. A mounting body of research indicates that epigenetics significantly contributes to AD and holds substantial promise as a novel therapeutic target for its treatment. Objective: The objective of this article is to present the AD areas of research interest, comprehend the contextual framework of the subject research, and investigate the prospective direction for future research development. Methods: ln Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC), we searched documents by specific subject terms and their corresponding free words. VOSviewer, CiteSpace and Scimago Graphica were used to perform statistical analysis on measurement metrics such as the number of published papers, national cooperative networks, publishing countries, institutions, authors, co-cited journals, keywords, and visualize networks of related content elements. Results: We selected 1,530 articles from WOSCC from January 2013 to June 2023 about epigenetics of AD. Based on visual analysis, we could get that China and United States were the countries with the most research in this field. Bennett DA was the most contributed and prestigious scientist. The top 3 cited journals were Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, Neurobiology of Aging and Molecular Neurobiology. According to the analysis of keywords and the frequency of citations, ncRNAs, transcription factor, genome, histone modification, blood DNA methylation, acetylation, biomarkers were hot research directions in AD today. Conclusion: According to bibliometric analysis, epigenetic research in AD was a promising research direction, and epigenetics had the potential to be used as AD biomarkers and therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: An asymmetric membrane electrode based on phosphorene/MXene heterostructure-textured nanopiezocomposite was fabricated via a polar urea-assisted self-assembly strategy and additive manufacturing of the heterostructure beyond the skin effect. The merits of this novel asymmetric heterostructure-textured electrode and its intrinsic piezoelectricity were detailedly discussed. The stepwise lithiation process of phosphorene was revealed, and the enhanced electrochemical properties of this phosphorene-based nanopiezocomposite textured electrode were verified by the improved cycling stability and kinetics. Black phosphorus with a superior theoretical capacity (2596 mAh g−1) and high conductivity is regarded as one of the powerful candidates for lithium-ion battery (LIB) anode materials, whereas the severe volume expansion and sluggish kinetics still impede its applications in LIBs. By contrast, the exfoliated two-dimensional phosphorene owns negligible volume variation, and its intrinsic piezoelectricity is considered to be beneficial to the Li-ion transfer kinetics, while its positive influence has not been discussed yet. Herein, a phosphorene/MXene heterostructure-textured nanopiezocomposite is proposed with even phosphorene distribution and enhanced piezo-electrochemical coupling as an applicable free-standing asymmetric membrane electrode beyond the skin effect for enhanced Li-ion storage. The experimental and simulation analysis reveals that the embedded phosphorene nanosheets not only provide abundant active sites for Li-ions, but also endow the nanocomposite with favorable piezoelectricity, thus promoting the Li-ion transfer kinetics by generating the piezoelectric field serving as an extra accelerator. By waltzing with the MXene framework, the optimized electrode exhibits enhanced kinetics and stability, achieving stable cycling performances for 1,000 cycles at 2 A g−1, and delivering a high reversible capacity of 524 mAh g−1 at − 20 ℃, indicating the positive influence of the structural merits of self-assembled nanopiezocomposites on promoting stability and kinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jasmine (Jasminum sambac Aiton) is a well-known cultivated plant species for its fragrant flowers used in the perfume industry and cosmetics. However, the genetic basis of its floral scent is largely unknown. In this study, using PacBio, Illumina, 10Xx Genomics and high-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) sequencing technologies, a high-quality chromosome-level reference genome for J. sambac was obtained, exploiting a double-petal phenotype cultivar 'Shuangbanmoli' (JSSB). The results showed that the final assembled genome of JSSB is 580.33 Mb in size (contig N50 = 1.05 Mb; scaffold N50 = 45.07 Mb) with a total of 39 618 predicted protein-coding genes. Our analyses revealed that the JSSB genome has undergone an ancient whole-genome duplication (WGD) event at 91.68 million years ago (Mya). It was estimated that J. sambac diverged from the lineage leading to Olea europaea and Osmanthus fragrans about 28.8 Mya. On the basis of a combination of genomic, transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses, a range of floral scent volatiles and genes were identified involved in the benzenoid/phenylpropanoid and terpenoid biosynthesis pathways. The results provide new insights into the molecular mechanism of its fragrance biosynthesis in jasmine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]