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RIPK1/RIPK3-MLKL signaling molecules are fundamental in initiating necroptotic cell death, but their roles in the development of colon cancer are unclear. This study reports that RIPK3 interacted with SPOP, a component of the E3 ligase within the Cul3 complex. This interaction leads to K48-linked ubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation of RIPK3. Two distinct degron motifs, PETST and SPTST, were identified within the linker domain of RIPK3 for SPOP. RIPK3 phosphorylations at Thr403 by PIM2 and at Thr412/Ser413 by ERK2 are essential to facilitate its interaction with SPOP. Computational docking studies and immunoprecipitation analyses showed that these PIM2 and ERK2 phosphorylations bolster the stability of the RIPK3-SPOP interaction. In particular, mutations of RIPK3 at the degron motifs extended the half-life of RIPK3 by preventing its phosphorylation and subsequent ubiquitination. The deletion of SPOP, which led to increased stability of the RIPK3 protein, intensified LPS/sMAC/zVAD-induced necroptotic cell death in colon cancer cells. These findings underscore the critical role of the SPOP-mediated RIPK3 stability regulation pathway in controlling necroptotic cell death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Cutibacterium acnes is a Gram-positive bacterium commonly found on human skin, particularly in sebaceous areas. While it is typically considered a commensal, specific strain types based on single locus sequence typing (SLST) have been associated with pathogenic conditions or healthy skin. Recently, SLST D1 strains, part of phylotype IA1, have received attention for their potential benefits related to skin health. However, their genetic characteristics remain underexplored. Therefore, the whole genome of C. acnes CN6, an SLST D1 strain isolated from the facial skin of a healthy individual, was sequenced to expand the understanding of SLST D1 strains and identify genomic features that may support skin health. Data description: The whole genome sequencing of C. acnes CN6 was conducted using MinION reads based on de novo assembly, revealing a single circular complete chromosome. With the length of 2,550,458 bp and G + C content of 60.04%, the genome contains 2,492 genes, including 2,433 CDSs, 9 rRNAs, 46 tRNAs, 4 ncRNAs, and 134 pseudo genes. Previously predicted virulence proteins of C. ances were detected in the genome. Genome comparation with 200 C. acnes strains isolated from healthy facial skin revealed SLST D1 strain-specific genes and a unique variant of the znuC gene in D1 strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells offer a promising method for producing green hydrogen through the splitting of water using solar energy. However, the cost‐effective synthesis of highly crystalline p‐type semiconductor materials for PEC cells remains a significant challenge for industrial applications. Herein, a CuInS2 photoelectrode is fabricated using a scalable and economical wet chemical spin‐coating technique. To enhance the crystallinity and photoelectrochemical activity of the photoelectrode, the grain size is precisely controlled by adjusting the atomic ratio, thickness, morphology, and Ag doping. Evaluating a novel growth mechanism of CuInS2 from Cu–In–O reveals that Ag doping significantly promotes grain growth. Consequently, the CuInS2 photocathode achieves one of the highest photoelectrochemical activities (−9.8 mA cm−2 at 0 VRHE) reported for CuInS2 photoelectrodes synthesized via wet chemical methods. Bias‐free water splitting is achieved using a CuInS2‐based photoelectrode in a photovoltaic–PEC cell configuration. These results highlight the potential of CuInS2, prepared through wet chemical methods, for cost‐effective photoelectrochemical water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prominent chemical bath deposition (CBD) method leverages tin dioxide (SnO2) as an electron transport layer (ETL) in perovskite solar cells (PSCs), achieving exceptional efficiency. The deposition of SnO2, however, can lead to the formation of oxygen vacancies and surface defects, which subsequently contribute to performance challenges such as hysteresis and instability under light‐soaking conditions. To alleviate these issues, it is crucial to address heterointerface defects and ensure the uniform coverage of SnO2 on fluorine‐doped tin oxide substrates. Herein, the efficacy of tin(IV) chloride (SnCl4) post‐treatment in enhancing the properties of the SnO2‐ETL and the performances of PSCs are presented. The treatment with SnCl4 not only removes undesired agglomerated SnO2 nanoparticles from the surface of CBD SnO2 but also improves its crystallinity through a recrystallization process. This leads to an optimized interface between the SnO2‐ETL and perovskite, effectively minimizing defects while promoting efficient electron transport. The resultant PSCs demonstrate improved performance, achieving an efficiency of 25.56% (certified with 24.92%), while retaining 95.84% of the initial PCE under ambient storage conditions. Additionally, PSCs treated with SnCl4 endure prolonged light‐soaking tests, particularly when subjected to quasi‐steady‐state‐IV measurements. This highlights the potential of SnCl4 treatment as a promising strategy for advancing PSC technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multimodal emotion recognition has emerged as a promising approach to capture the complex nature of human emotions by integrating information from various sources such as physiological signals, visual behavioral cues, and audio-visual content. However, current methods often struggle with effectively processing redundant or conflicting information across modalities and may overlook implicit inter-modal correlations. To address these challenges, this paper presents a novel multimodal emotion recognition framework which integrates audio-visual features with viewers' EEG data to enhance emotion classification accuracy. The proposed approach employs modality-specific encoders to extract spatiotemporal features, which are then aligned through contrastive learning to capture inter-modal relationships. Additionally, cross-modal attention mechanisms are incorporated for effective feature fusion across modalities. The framework, comprising pre-training, fine-tuning, and testing phases, is evaluated on multiple datasets of emotional responses. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed multimodal approach, which combines audio-visual features with EEG data, is highly effective in recognizing emotions, highlighting its potential for advancing emotion recognition systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical water splitting offers an advancing approach to producing highly pure hydrogen and oxygen, motivated by the prevalence of a low‐carbon economy and the goal of a sustainable future. The customized modulation of electronic structures enables the electrocatalyst to directionally promote hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which is a promising shortcut to overall water splitting (OWS). Herein, 3D homologous WSeS/CoSeS heterojunction nanoarrays (WSeS/CoSeS NAs) and W‐doped CoSeS nanoarrays (W‐CoSeS NAs) are investigated. Abundant heterointerfaces within WSeS/CoSeS NAs facilitate HER kinetics, boosting mass diffusivity, and increasing carrier separation and transfer process. High‐valence W6+ doping into CoSeS prevents phase separation and stabilizes Co sites by charge offset effect, leading to enhanced OER. Consequently, the WSeS/CoSeS NAs and W‐CoSeS NAs reach 10 mA cm−2 at an overpotential of 43.8 and 233.3 mV in 1.0 m KOH electrolyte for HER and OER, respectively. Moreover, when asymmetrically engaged as an electrolyzer, this configuration exhibits extraordinary electrocatalytic performances (cell voltage of 1.51 V at 10 mA cm−2) with satisfying stability and mechanical robustness (over 1000 h at 1000 mA cm−2). The modulation and manufacture of reaction‐property‐oriented materials are experimentally and theoretically validated potential, illuminating the light of inspiration for multiple applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Object detection in maritime environments is a challenging problem because of the continuously changing background and moving objects resulting in shearing, occlusion, noise, etc. Unluckily, this problem is of critical importance since such failure may result in significant loss of human lives and economic loss. The available object detection methods rely on radar and sonar sensors. Even with the advances in electro-optical sensors, their employment in maritime object detection is rarely considered. The proposed research aims to employ both electro-optical and near-infrared sensors for effective maritime object detection. For this, dedicated deep learning detection models are trained on electro-optical and near-infrared (NIR) sensor datasets. For this, (ResNet-50, ResNet-101, and SSD MobileNet) are utilized in both electro-optical and near-infrared space. Then, dedicated ensemble classifications are constructed on each collection of base learners from electro-optical and near-infrared spaces. After this, decisions about object detection from these spaces are combined using logical-disjunction-based final ensemble classification. This strategy is utilized to reduce false negatives effectively. To evaluate the performance of the proposed methodology, the publicly available standard Singapore Maritime Dataset is used and the results show that the proposed methodology outperforms the contemporary maritime object detection techniques with a significantly improved mean average precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In global P2P accommodation platform operations, hosts can experience severe stress from the platform company, customers, and technological complexity. Applying sociotechnical theory, this study aims to explore platform stress in the sharing economy and verify the stressor-strain-outcome (SSO) framework. A survey of Airbnb hosts demonstrates that 'conflict with headquarters,' 'negative reviews from customers,' and 'technological complexity' influence the 'strain' of hosts. Furthermore, we verify the role of firm performance that negatively affects switching intention. It also serves as a moderator in the relationship between strain and switching intention. Focusing on platform stress, this study evaluates the concept and definition of platform stress and provides useful insights for platform business operators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly active Ir electrocatalysts based on ultralow loading for proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) applications are desirable to achieve gigawatt production levels. However, no clear direction has been developed yet to achieve that scale. Here, newly‐synthesized Ir‐based jagged nanotubes (J‐IrNTs) with the ultrahigh electrode performance of 10 A mgIr−1 at 1.6 V in a PEMWE cell at Ir loadings as low as 0.05 mgIr cm−2 are reported, outperforming previously reported Ir‐based electrocatalysts. The Ir‐JrNT also exhibits only marginal degradation in stability tests. Notably, the resulting electrode of Ir‐JrNT provides enhanced intrinsic catalytic activity and high surface area for efficient electrocatalysis, with hierarchical branching composed of interconnected multiscale channels and highly corrugated surface textures, for facile mass transport. The findings demonstrate that the jagged nanotubular structure is a promising approach for overcoming the limitations associated with Ir‐based electrocatalysts and developing sustainable advanced PEMWE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ASEAN Community-based Tourism (CBT) Standard was adopted by 10 ASEAN member states in 2016 in order to collectively promote the ASEAN region as a competitive and sustainable community-based tourism destination and to enhance sustainable tourism provision through ASEAN criteria. Among the ten ASEAN member states, Lao PDR (Laos) has a unique CBT development experience through collaboration with various international development agencies that started in 1999. Such a history brought about issues when the ASEAN CBT Standard was implemented at the provincial and district levels in Laos, including the concerns of related communities on the ASEAN CBT Standard not being easily applicable considering the state of tourism development. While the adoption and application of the regional standard called the ASEAN CBT Standard is a significant collective enforcement involving the tourism industries in ASEAN, there has been a lack of studies regarding the dynamics of the implementation of regional tourism standards at the national level. In order to fill this research gap, this study utilized in-depth interviews with seven executives with significant experiences from the government, international development agency, international organization, and private sectors. Interviewees give a diversity of perspectives on the enabling factors and challenges in implementing the ASEAN CBT Standard at the national level (focusing on Laos), which showed the complexity of CBT dynamics and necessity of good governance. The results also revealed how regional standards can be further recognized, promoted, sustainable to the key stakeholders of the Laos tourism industry, better accepted and utilized by end users, and possibly better customized according to the local circumstances for sustainable tourism development. The findings of this study evidence that collaboration among key stakeholders and the expected roles of these stakeholders are critical when implementing the ASEAN CBT Standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine toxins, which are produced by diverse marine organisms, can pose various threats to marine ecosystems and human health. Understanding their chemical structures and compositions is an important and challenging stage in the process of devising effective strategies for their management and reduction. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, alongside mass spectrometry, has emerged as the core and universal technique to achieve this task. This review highlights the role of NMR in obtaining structural data and information on marine toxins, and discusses the practical applications of NMR in the characterization of toxins. The study describes key NMR techniques, including one- and two-dimensional experiments, and discusses case studies of NMR implemented to tackle detection sensitivity and the complexities of specific toxins. Finally, the study analyzes how NMR methodologies may be advanced to improve the structural analysis of marine toxins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many machine learning applications, there are many scenarios when performance is not satisfactory by single classifiers. In this case, an ensemble classification is constructed using several weak base learners to achieve satisfactory performance. Unluckily, the construction of the ensemble classification is empirical, i.e., to try an ensemble classification and if performance is not satisfactory then discard it. In this paper, a challenging analytical problem of the estimation of ensemble classification using the prediction performance of the base learners is considered. The proposed formulation is aimed at estimating the performance of ensemble classification without physically developing it, and it is derived from the perspective of probability theory by manipulating the decision probabilities of the base learners. For this purpose, the output of a base learner (which is either true positive, true negative, false positive, or false negative) is considered as a random variable. Then, the effects of logical disjunction-based and majority voting-based decision combination strategies are analyzed from the perspective of conditional joint probability. To evaluate the forecasted performance of ensemble classifier by the proposed methodology, publicly available standard datasets have been employed. The results show the effectiveness of the derived formulations to estimate the performance of ensemble classification. In addition to this, the theoretical and experimental results show that the logical disjunction-based decision outperforms majority voting in imbalanced datasets and cost-sensitive scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During road construction, the accuracy of compaction work is critical for the structural stability and maintenance of the road. Although the plate load test (PLT) is commonly used for quality inspections, it is impractical to test every section due to time and cost constraints. Therefore, simpler testing methods are being extensively developed. This study compared quality inspection results using the commonly used PLT, the relatively simple dynamic cone penetrometer test (DCPT), the lightweight deflectometer (LWD) test, and an intelligent quality control system equipped with accelerometer and global positioning system (GPS) sensors in intelligent compaction (IC) rollers. The results showed a strong correlation between the conventional tests (PLT, DCPT, and LWD) and the values obtained from the intelligent quality control system. The correlation analysis between the intelligent quality control system and PLT, LWDT, and DCPT yielded R-square values of 0.69, 0.91, and 0.95, respectively, indicating significantly high correlations. The implementation of intelligent quality management systems in earthwork construction projects will facilitate a thorough verification of the compaction quality throughout all construction segments, ensuring consistent compaction across the project. By enabling real-time data acquisition and analysis, these systems differ markedly from traditional methods, reducing the frequency and necessity of manual inspections. This approach not only streamlines construction processes, but also enhances operational efficiency. As a result, integrating these intelligent systems is anticipated to significantly increase productivity by optimizing the workflow and resource utilization in earthwork construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discovering a competent charge transport layer promoting charge separation in photoelectrodes is a perpetual pursuit in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting to achieve high solar‐to‐hydrogen (STH) conversion efficiency. Here, a conjugated polythiophene framework (CPF‐TTB) on Ta3N5 is elaborately electropolymerized, substantiating the hole transport behavior in their heterojunction. Tailored band structures of the CPF‐TTB/Ta3N5 reinforce the separation of photogenerated carriers, elevating a fill factor of the photoanode modified with a cocatalyst. The enhanced hole extraction enables the NiFeOx/CPF‐TTB/Ta3N5/TiN photoanode to generate a remarkable water oxidation photocurrent density of 9.12 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode. A tandem device combining the photoanode with a perovskite/Si solar cell implements an unbiased solar water splitting with a STH conversion efficiency of 6.26% under parallel illumination mode. This study provides novel strategies in interface engineering for metal nitride‐based photoelectrodes, suggesting a promise of the organic–inorganic hybrid photoelectrode for high‐efficiency PEC water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent advances in high-resolution mass spectrometry have now enabled the study of proteomes at the single-cell level, offering the potential to unveil novel aspects of cellular processes. Remarkably, there has been no prior attempt to investigate single-plant cell proteomes. In this study, we aimed to explore the feasibility of conducting a proteomic analysis on individual protoplasts. Findings: As a result, our analysis identified 978 proteins from the 180 protoplasts, aligning with well-known biological processes in plant leaves, such as photosynthetic electron transport in photosystem II. Employing the SCP package in the SCoPE2 workflow revealed a notable batch effect and extensive missing values in the data. Following correction, we observed the heterogeneity in single-protoplast proteome expression. Comparing the results of single-protoplast proteomics with those of bulk leaf proteomics, we noted that only a small fraction of bulk data was detected in the single-protoplast proteomics data, highlighting a technical limitation of the current single-cell proteomics method. Conclusions: In summary, we demonstrated the feasibility of conducting a single-protoplast proteomic experiment, revealing heterogeneity in plant cellular proteome expression. This underscores the importance of analyzing a substantial number of plant cells to discern statistically significant changes in plant cell proteomes upon perturbation such as abscisic acid treatment in future studies. We anticipate that our study will contribute to advancing single-protoplast proteomics in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic microrobots and nanoparticles offer unique capabilities for medical applications by granting unprecedented access to intricate and delicate anatomical structures. Nevertheless, an intuitive manipulation approach remains a challenge due to their small size and limited feedback. This study presents a new method for magnetic microrobot and nanoparticle control that employs virtual reality (VR), creating an immersive and realistic view of the bodily anatomy and the microrobot within. This study compares three manipulation modes: a traditional mode using 2D displays, VR mode using a VR headset and touch controllers, and VR autonomous programmed maneuvering. It is shown that VR‐assisted modes reduce the manipulation time by improving spatial awareness. Nanoparticles in a VR environment are also manipulated. The proposed method will find applications in terms of intuitive, immersive microrobots or magnetic nanoparticle control in complex biological environments, thus in many medical procedures and for drug and cell delivery. The immersive nature of this approach enhances the ability of the user to perceive and understand complex anatomical structures, facilitating better navigation within delicate environments; both dexterity and spatial awareness are improved. Thus, it is shown how microrobots and magnetic nanoparticles can be controlled using immersive simulations to improve both visualization and manipulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Normalized signal intensity (SI) obtained from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been used to track anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) postoperative remodeling. We aimed to assess the effect of MRI sequence (PD: proton density‐weighted; T2: T2‐weighted; CISS: constructive interference in steady state) on postoperative changes in healing ACLs/grafts. We hypothesized that CISS is better at detecting longitudinal SI and texture changes of the healing ACL/graft compared to the common clinical sequences (PD and T2). MR images of patients who underwent ACL surgery were evaluated and separated into groups based on surgical procedure (Bridge‐Enhanced ACL Repair (BEAR; n = 50) versus ACL reconstruction (ACLR; n = 24)). CISS images showed decreasing SI across all timepoints in both the BEAR and ACLR groups (p < 0.01), PD and T2 images showed decreasing SI in the 6‐to‐12‐ and 12‐to‐24‐month postoperative timeframes in the BEAR group (p < 0.02), and PD images additionally showed decreasing SI between 6‐ and 24‐months postoperation in the ACLR group (p = 0.02). CISS images showed texture changes in both the BEAR and ACLR groups, showing increases in energy and decreases in entropy in the 6‐to‐12‐ and 6‐to‐24‐month postoperative timeframes in the BEAR group (p < $\lt $ 0.04), and increases in energy, decreases in entropy, and increases in homogeneity between 6 and 24 months postoperation in the ACLR group (p < 0.04). PD images showed increases in energy and decreases in entropy between 6‐ and 24‐months postoperation in the ACLR group (p < 0.008). Finally, CISS was estimated to require a smaller sample size than PD and T2 to detect SI differences related to postoperative remodeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of low-cost and low-power gas sensors for reliable NO2 gas detection is important due to the highly toxic nature of NO2 gas. Herein, initially, SnO2 nanowires (NWs) were synthesized through a simple vapor–liquid–solid growth mechanism. Subsequently, different amounts of SnO2 NWs were composited with MoS2 nanosheets (NSs) to fabricate SnO2 NWs/MoS2 NS nanocomposite gas sensors for NO2 gas sensing. The operation of the sensors in self-heating mode at 1–3.5 V showed that the sensor with 20 wt.% SnO2 (SM-20 nanocomposite) had the highest response of 13 to 1000 ppb NO2 under 3.2 V applied voltage. Furthermore, the SM-20 nanocomposite gas sensor exhibited high selectivity and excellent long-term stability. The enhanced NO2 gas response was ascribed to the formation of n-n heterojunctions between SnO2 NWs and MoS2, high surface area, and the presence of some voids in the SM-20 composite gas sensor due to having different morphologies of SnO2 NWs and MoS2 NSs. It is believed that the present strategy combining MoS2 and SnO2 with different morphologies and different sensing properties is a good approach to realize high-performance NO2 gas sensors with merits such as simple synthesis and fabrication procedures, low cost, and low power consumption, which are currently in demand in the gas sensor market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen (H2) gas, with its high calorimetric combustion energy and cleanness, is a green source of energy and an alternative to fossil fuels. However, it has a small kinetic diameter, with high diffusivity and a highly explosive nature. Hence, the reliable detection of H2 gas is essential in various fields such as fuel cells. Herein, we decorated ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) with Pd noble metal NPs, using UV irradiation to enhance their H2 gas-sensing performance. The synthesized materials were fully characterized in terms of their phases, morphologies, and chemical composition. Then, the sensing layer was deposited on the electrode-patterned glass substrate to make a transparent sensor. The fabricated transparent gas sensor was able to detect H2 gas at various temperatures and humidity levels. At 250 °C, the sensor exhibited the highest response to H2 gas. As a novelty of the present study, we successfully detected H2 gas in mixtures of H2/benzene and H2/toluene gases. The enhanced H2 gas response was related to the catalytic effect of Pd, the formation of heterojunctions between Pd and ZnO, the partial reduction of ZnO to Zn in the presence of H2 gas, and the formation of PdHx. With a high performance in a high response, good selectivity, and repeatability, we believe that the sensor developed in this study can be a good candidate for practical applications where the detection of H2 is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous Li monitoring is vital in ensuring the safety and treatment efficacy of probationers with psychotic disorders, such as bipolar disorder, depression, and mania. This study introduced a validated quantitative analysis method using ion chromatography (IC) to monitor Li+ concentration in urine. The methodology involved centrifuging the urine sample, diluting the supernatant with deionized water, and subsequent IC analysis using guard and analytical columns for precise Li+ concentration measurement. The method quantified Li+ within the range of 2–400 ng/mL, demonstrating its excellent linearity (r2 = 0.9983) with a weighting factor of 1/x. Precision levels below 12.8% were observed for both intraday and interday measurements with an accuracy of −5.9% to 15.2%. The detection limit was identified as 0.12 ng/mL. The method conformed to analytical standards in terms of selectivity, matrix effect, process efficiency, dilution integrity, and stability. Moreover, the method distinctly quantified Li+ while effectively eliminating interference from Na+, which had a similar retention time as Li+ with higher concentrations. Further, the developed method was successfully applied to analyze forensic urine samples of Li users, demonstrating its applicability for medication compliance monitoring using urine samples of mentally disordered probationers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomatoes contain many secondary metabolites such as β-carotene, lycopene, phenols, flavonoids, and vitamin C, which are responsible for antioxidant activity. SlSGR1 encodes a STAY-GREEN protein that plays a critical role in the regulation of chlorophyll degradation in tomato leaves and fruits. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the sgr1 null lines based on their physicochemical characteristics, the content of secondary metabolites, and the γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) content. The total soluble solids (TSS), titrated acidity (TA), and brix acid ratio (BAR) of the sgr1 null lines were higher than those of the wild type(WT). Additionally, the sgr1 null lines accumulated higher levels of flavor-inducing ascorbic acid and total carotenoids compared to WT. Also, the total phenolic content, total flavonoids, GABA content, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical content of the sgr1 null lines were higher than those of the WT. Therefore, these studies suggest that the knockout of the SGR1 gene by the CRISPR/Cas9 system can improve various functional compounds in tomato fruit, thereby satisfying the antioxidant properties required by consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fabrication of kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) thin‐film solar cells using the electrochemical deposition (ED), which is valued for its industrial feasibility, offers a cost‐effective and environmentally friendly approach to the carbon‐free and clean energy production. However, the reported power conversion efficiency of approximately 10 % for electrodeposited CZTSSe thin‐film solar cells is lower compared to the alternative methods like sputtering and spin‐coating, which is mainly attributed to the phase inhomogeneity and the rough morphology generated during the ED process. Ensuring the microscopic and macroscopic uniformity of the electrodeposited films is crucial for the improvement of the film quality and the device performances. In this review, strategies to address these challenges including the intrinsic film control such as the deposition mode, pH, concentration of metal ions, and complexing agents, as well as the extrinsic approaches such as doping, substitution of metal elements, and the introduction of interfacial layers. In addition, the prospects for the electrochemically deposited CZTSSe solar cells were presented, focusing on the promising applications in tandem, flexible, and solar water‐splitting devices. Finally, this review will provide technical insights into the ED process for preparing CZTSSe solar cells, outlining a perspective for the future development of highly efficient CZTSSe thin film solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol and cocaine (COC) are commonly co-used drugs that cause addiction and have harmful effects. Their abuse may threaten the health of the abuser and public safety by causing serious accidents or crimes. The recidivism rate of drug-related crimes closely correlates with alcoholism. Several incidences of alcohol consumption in combination with drug abuse have been reported. Here, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometric method was developed to simultaneously analyze ethyl glucuronide (EtG), a metabolite of ethanol; COC; cocaethylene (CE), an alcohol-derived metabolite of COC; and benzoylecgonine (BZE), a major metabolite of COC, to determine the concurrent use of alcohol with COC. For pre-treatment, ultracentrifugation (5 min, 50,000 g) and mixed-mode anion exchange solid-phase extraction were used to increase the recovery of target compounds and minimize the matrix effect of hair. The lower limits of quantification were: 7 pg/mg (EtG), 2 pg/mg (COC), 10 pg/mg (CE), and 1 pg/mg (BZE). The correlation coefficient (r) of the calibration curve within the quantified range of target compounds was ≥ 0.9978. The intra- and inter-day accuracies were − 6.1–9.7% and − 9.3–8.3%, and intra- and inter-day precisions were 0.5–10.3% and 0.6–14.4%, respectively. The recovery, matrix effect, process efficiency, and autosampler stability were 89.2–104.8%, 81.6–105.4%, 81.5–107.1%, and 96.6–109.7%, respectively. The novel analytical method was validated with hair samples from individuals suspected of alcohol and COC use, and the method could distinguish between independent and concurrent use. Based on the findings, the analytical approach developed in this study is anticipated to be valuable in drug and alcohol dependence tests that require the simultaneous detection of alcohol and COC abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Koreanohadra koreana (K. koreana) is an endemic species in South Korea that is listed as endangered. While the ecology and phylogenetics of K. koreana have been studied, its morphological similarity to the related species Koreanohadra kurodana (K. kurodana), can make species identification difficult. Furthermore, this has led to confusion when determining essential habitat information for the conservation of K. koreana. To bypass this issue, we have developed a non-invasive species identification method that can genetically differentiate between them. While there are already various non-invasive genomic DNA (gDNA) extraction methods that utilize the mucus from mollusks, they are limited as they require the target species to be physically located. To address this, in this investigation a method of extracting gDNA from the feces of snails was developed. The method utilized a primer set to amplify a cytochrome b fragment from K. koreana but not K. kurodana or other terrestrial snails. The feces of terrestrial snails could thus be used to obtain gDNA to a genetically usable level if collected within 5 days of excretion. This non-invasive species identification method using feces will help to facilitate genetic research without harming the endangered species and if the target species is not physically in the habitat. Moreover, K. koreana and K. kurodana could perhaps be further distinguished, using their habitat information to help facilitate essential conservation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas sensors that exhibit high sensitivity and possess astonishingly low detection limits are appealing for a wide range of practical applications, such as real-time environmental monitoring, exhaled breath diagnostics, security, medical diagnosis and the quality of food analysis. 2D tungsten disulfide/selenide is extensively investigated as a viable material for the fabrication of chemiresistive gas sensors due to its low price, high stability, high sensitivity, distinct electronics, and catalytic characteristics. To improve the performance parameters of the sensor, such as response, sensitivity, selectivity, and long-term stability, the sensing material layer of 2D-WS2 and WSe2 is modified by decorating it with different metal nanoparticles that form heterojunctions or composites of 2D material or semiconductor and carbon derivatives. In this article, we presented an in-depth review of current advancements in WS2 and WSe2-based chemiresistive gas sensors, with particular prominence on the role played by the various noble metal-decorated 2D materials and composites for high performance characteristics, including enhanced response, faster response and recovery times, reduced operating temperatures, and extremely low detection limits. We also talk about the difficulties that 2D-WS2 and WSe2 chemiresistive sensors face and their potential in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solute carrier family (SLC) transporters are expressed in the digestive system and play important roles in maintaining physiological functions in the body. In addition, SLC transporters act as oncoproteins or tumor-suppressor proteins during the development, progression, and metastasis of various digestive system cancers. SLC22A18, a member of the SLC22 gene family, is an orphan transporter with an unknown endogenous substrate. Previous study revealed that SLC22A18 is downregulated in colorectal cancer tissues and that it acts as a suppressor in colorectal cancer, although the effects of SLC22A18 variants on colon cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion are unknown. Therefore, in this study, we identified SLC22A18 variants found in multiple populations by searching public databases and determined the in vitro effects of these missense variations on transporter expression and cancer progression. Our results indicated that three missense SLC22A18 variants—p.Ala6Thr, p.Arg12Gln, and p.Arg86His—had significantly lower cell expression than the wild type, possibly owing to intracellular degradation. Furthermore, these three variants caused significantly higher proliferation, migration, and invasion of colon cancer cells than the wild type. Our findings suggest that missense variants of SLC22A18 can potentially serve as biomarkers or prognostic tools that enable clinicians to predict colorectal cancer progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultraviolet photoacoustic microscopy (UV‐PAM), based on the high intrinsic optical absorption of DNA/RNA, holds great promise for intraoperative label‐free histopathological imaging modalities. Although clinical histopathology requires high‐resolution images to observe individual cell structures, conventional UV‐PAM suffers from relatively low resolution compared to the clinical histological modalities. Notably, opto‐ultrasound beam combiners or ring‐shaped ultrasound transducers, which have been used as geometrically coaxial methods of conventional reflection‐mode UV‐PAMs, restrict the numerical apertures (NA) due to their long working distances and/or hollow structures. Here, an ultraviolet‐transparent ultrasound transducer (UV‐TUT) is demonstrated that enables high‐resolution reflection‐mode UV‐PAM by improving the NA (0.38) and consequent spatial resolution (0.47 ± 0.03 µm). The study has successfully demonstrated its superior performance with mouse brain tissue and performed photoacoustic histopathology with cancerous animal tissues. This work proposes the ultimate form of a label‐free reflection‐mode UV‐PAM system with the potential to boost the practical use of intraoperative photoacoustic histopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past couple of decades, immense research has been carried out to understand the photo‐physics of an organic solar cell (OSC) that is important to enhance its efficiency and stability. Since OSCs undergoes complex photophysical phenomenon, studying these factors has led to designing new materials and implementing new strategies to improve efficiency in OSCs. In this regard, the invention of the non‐fullerene acceptorshas greatly revolutionized the understanding of the fundamental processes occurring in OSCs. However, such vital fundamental research from device physics perspectives is carried out on glovebox (GB) processed OSCs and there is a scarcity of research on air‐processed (AP) OSCs. This review will focus on charge carrier dynamics such as exciton diffusion, exciton dissociation, charge‐transfer states, significance of highest occupied molecular orbital‐offsets, and hole‐transfer efficiencies of GB‐OSCs and compare them with the available data from the AP‐OSCs. Finally, key requirements for the fabrication of efficient AP‐OSCs will be presented from a charge‐carrier dynamics perspective. The key aspects from the charge‐carrier dynamics view to fabricate efficient OSCs either from GB or air are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As global interest in carbon-neutrality policies grows, the demand for sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels intensifies. Herein, we demonstrate functionalized lignin-based n- and p-dopants for nanocarbon materials, providing promising eco-friendly alternatives to chemical dopants derived from fossil fuels. A simple microwave-assisted phenolation of organosolv lignin introduces phenol groups, offering additional reaction sites and enhancing solvent solubility for uniform, reliable and efficient carbon nanotube (CNT) doping. To create effective n- and p-dopants, the phenolated lignin is further functionalized with amine and hexafluoropropyl groups, respectively. The aminated and fluorinated lignin-doped CNTs present the Seebeck coefficients of −48.0 and 53.9 μV K−1, respectively, confirming an efficient and eco-friendly conversion between n- and p-type CNT. Notably, this n-doping performance is of particular significance since stable and reliable n-doping is challenging due to the inherent p-type semiconducting properties of CNTs. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate a flexible thermoelectric generator using 10 p–n pairs of the CNT films. The output voltage (7.86 mV) and output power (247 nW) of the flexible generator at ΔT = 15 K confirm that the aminated- and fluorinated lignin-doped CNT films exhibit n- and p-type characteristics, respectively. This study paves the way for sustainable, lignin-based doping of carbon nanomaterials, offering a green alternative to traditional fossil fuel-derived dopants and contributing to the transition towards carbon-neutral technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A non‐precious metal‐based catalyst for water electrolysis provides great promise for cost‐effective and highly efficient sustainable hydrogen production. It herein rationally synthesizes uniform superminiature CoNi nanoparticles (2.6 nm) embedded in 3D N‐doped randomly oriented and erected porous carbon nanosheets (CoNi@N‐PCNS). Taking advantage of the large specific surface area, expedited intermediate transport, and effectively exposed active sites of the hierarchical architecture, located CoNi nanoparticles yield a high atom utilization efficiency. Density functional theory calculations indicate that synergetic and cooperative interactions inside CoNi alloy modulate the d‐band center, leading to a moderate adsorption and desorption energy of reaction intermediates, further accelerating both hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics. Accordingly, the as‐synthesized CoNi@N‐PCNS catalyst establishes superb catalytic activities for HER and OER, revealing overpotentials of 71.2 and 263.8 mV at 10 mA cm−2, respectively. Remarkably, when assembled as a two‐electrode electrolyzer, a satisfying cell voltage of 1.59 V at 10 mA cm−2, and superior stability are demonstrated, highlighting great promise toward water electrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In spite of the high potential economic feasibility of the tandem solar cells consisting of the halide perovskite and the kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe), they have rarely been demonstrated due to the difficulty in implementing solution‐processed perovskite top cell on the rough surface of the bottom cells. Here, we firstly demonstrate an efficient monolithic two‐terminal perovskite/CZTSSe tandem solar cell by significantly reducing the surface roughness of the electrochemically deposited CZTSSe bottom cell. The surface roughness (Rrms) of the CZTSSe thin film could be reduced from 424 to 86 nm by using the potentiostatic mode rather than using the conventional galvanostatic mode, which can be further reduced to 22 nm after the subsequent ion‐milling process. The perovskite top cell with a bandgap of 1.65 eV could be prepared using a solution process on the flattened CZTSSe bottom cell, resulting in the efficient perovskite/CZTSSe tandem solar cells. After the current matching between two subcells involving the thickness control of the perovskite layer, the best performing tandem device exhibited a high conversion efficiency of 17.5% without the hysteresis effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to analyze health management awareness among South Korean elementary school students in COVID-19 endemic areas. Methods. Using convenience sampling, 675 South Korean elementary school students (age 11–12 years old) were selected as participants in July 2023. Data for the study were collected via online and offline surveys between July and August 2023. The collected data were subjected to frequency, reliability, and multicollinearity analyses, independent sample t-tests, and importance-performance analysis (IPA). Results. The findings indicated the following: (1) There was no significant difference in health management performance between male and female children. (2) Children who had not experienced COVID-19 infection, had a higher level of "hygiene management" performance. (3) Among children who did not wear masks during physical activity, "mental health management" and "physical activity management" performance were higher, while "hygiene management" performance was lower. (4) The IPA matrix analysis revealed that, compared to the COVID-19 pandemic period, "physical activity management", "dietary habit management", and "sleep management" still required improvement, while "hygiene management" and "disease management" appeared to have decreased due to the relaxation of epidemic control efforts. Conclusion. As per the study's findings, schools, local communities, and families should make efforts to develop and implement preventive and individualized health management programs that consider the individual characteristics of their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Sialocele-related concurrent diseases or factors in dogs are not well documented, and occasionally, dogs with sialocele have been found to have concurrent hypercortisolism (HC) or a history of long-term glucocorticoid (GC) treatment. In this retrospective case–control study, we investigated the association between HC, long-term GC treatment, and the diagnosis of sialocele in dogs. The occurrence of sialocele was higher in dogs with HC and those receiving long-term GC treatment, that is, treatment lasting for more than 5 months. This suggests that endogenous and exogenous GCs may influence sialocele formation. Therefore, we recommend regular monitoring for sialocele occurrence in dogs with HC or those receiving long-term GC treatment. Dogs with sialocele often have concurrent hypercortisolism or are receiving long-term glucocorticoid treatment. However, their association has not been investigated. This retrospective matched case–control study investigated the association between hypercortisolism, long-term glucocorticoid treatment, and sialocele in dogs. We retrospectively reviewed the records from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2022. Records of 19 dogs diagnosed with sialocele were investigated for hypercortisolism and long-term glucocorticoid treatment. Two age- and breed-matched controls for each sialocele dog (38 dogs) were investigated for the same concurrent diseases. Logistic regression analysis was used. The odds of sialocele in dogs with hypercortisolism were 15.56 times those of dogs without hypercortisolism (p = 0.02; 95% CI: 1.54–156.79). The odds of sialocele in dogs with long-term glucocorticoid treatment (median, 8 months; range, 5–13) were 7.78 times those of dogs without long-term glucocorticoid treatment (p = 0.03; 95% CI: 1.23–49.40). No associations were found between age, sex, body weight, and the presence of sialocele. The results indicate that sialocele was significantly associated with hypercortisolism and long-term glucocorticoid treatment in dogs. Therefore, dogs with hypercortisolism or receiving long-term glucocorticoid therapy should be screened for possible sialocele. Additionally, dogs with sialocele should be identified for concurrent hypercortisolism and prolonged glucocorticoid exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional (3D) microprinting is considered a next-generation manufacturing process for the production of microscale components; however, the narrow range of suitable materials, which include mainly polymers, is a critical issue that limits the application of this process to functional inorganic materials. Herein, we develop a generalised microscale 3D printing method for the production of purely inorganic nanocrystal-based porous materials. Our process is designed to solidify all-inorganic nanocrystals via immediate dispersibility control and surface linking-induced interconnection in the nonsolvent linker bath and thereby creates multibranched gel networks. The process works with various inorganic materials, including metals, semiconductors, magnets, oxides, and multi-materials, not requiring organic binders or stereolithographic equipment. Filaments with a diameter of sub-10 μm are printed into designed complex 3D microarchitectures, which exhibit full nanocrystal functionality and high specific surface areas as well as hierarchical porous structures. This approach provides the platform technology for designing functional inorganics-based porous materials. 3D microprinting is considered a next generation manufacturing process for microscale components. Here, authors develop a generalised microscale 3D printing method to produce purely inorganic nanocrystal-linked porous materials that exhibit excellent functionality and hierarchical porosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent studies demonstrated that elevated osmolarity could induce adipocyte dedifferentiation, representing an appealing procedure to generate multipotent stem cells. Here we aim to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that underlie osmotic induction of adipocyte reprogramming. Methods: To induce dedifferentiation, the 3T3-L1 or SVF adipocytes were cultured under the hypertonic pressure in 2% PEG 300 medium. Adipocyte dedifferentiation was monitored by aspect ratio measurement, Oil Red staining and qPCR to examine the morphology, lipid droplets, and specific genes of adipocytes, respectively. The osteogenic and chondrogenic re-differentiation capacities of dedifferentiated adipocytes were also examined. To investigate the mechanisms of the osmotic stress-induced dedifferentiation, extracellular vesicles (EVs) were collected from the reprograming cells, followed by proteomic and functional analyses. In addition, qPCR, ELISA, and TNF-α neutralizing antibody (20 ng/ml) was applied to examine the activation and effects of the TNF-α signaling. Furthermore, we also analyzed the Wnt signaling by assessing the activation of β-catenin and applying BML-284, an agonist of β-catenin. Results: Hypertonic treatment induced dedifferentiation of both 3T3-L1 and the primary stromal vascular fraction (SVF) adipocytes, characterized by morphological and functional changes. Proteomic profiling revealed that hypertonicity induced extracellular vesicles (EVs) containing mitochondrial molecules including NDUFA9 and VDAC. Functionally, the mitochondrial EVs (MEVs) stimulated TNF-α signaling that activates Wnt-β-catenin signaling and adipocyte dedifferentiation. Neutralizing TNF-α inhibited hypertonic dedifferentiation of adipocytes. In addition, direct activation of Wnt-β-catenin signaling using BML-284 could efficiently induce adipocyte dedifferentiation while circumventing the apoptotic effect of the hypertonic treatment. Conclusions: Hypertonicity prompts the adipocytes to release MEVs, which in turn enhances the secretion of TNF-α as a pro-inflammatory cytokine during the stress response. Importantly, TNF-α is essential for the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling that drives adipocyte dedifferentiation. A caveat of the hypertonic treatment is apoptosis, which could be circumvented by direct activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling using BML-284. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]