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Summary: Mycorrhizal associations are key mutualisms that shape the structure of forest communities and multiple ecosystem functions. However, we lack a framework for predicting the varying dominance of distinct mycorrhizal associations in an integrated proxy of multifunctionality across ecosystems.Here, we used the datasets containing diversity of mycorrhizal associations and 18 ecosystem processes related to supporting, provisioning, and regulating services to examine how the dominance of ectomycorrhiza (EcM) associations affects ecosystem multifunctionality in subtropical mountain forests in Southwest China. Meanwhile, we synthesized the prevalence of EcM‐dominant effects on ecosystem functioning in forest biomes.Our results demonstrated that elevation significantly modified the distributions of EcM trees and fungal dominance, which in turn influenced multiple functions simultaneously. Multifunctionality increased with increasing proportion of EcM associations, supporting the ectomycorrhizal‐dominance hypothesis. Meanwhile, we observed that the impacts of EcM dominance on individual ecosystem functions exhibited different relationships among forest biomes.Our findings highlight the importance of ectomycorrhizal dominance in regulating multifunctionality in subtropical forests. However, this ectomycorrhizal feedback in shaping ecosystem functions cannot necessarily be generalized across forests. Therefore, we argue that the predictions for ecosystem multifunctionality in response to the shifts of mycorrhizal composition could vary across space and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) often occurs 3 weeks to 3 months after brain injury, which is mainly caused by bleeding of the bridging vein. For patients with ventriculoperitoneal (V-P) shunt, excessive drainage can also cause CSDH. We present a rare case of CSDH caused by shunt valve breakdown in brain injury. Case Report: We report a 68-year-old man with V-P shunt for 8 years. He presented with bilateral CSDH with disappearance of lateral ventricles nearly 1 month after a brain injury caused by being hit with a stick. After burr hole drainage (BHD), the patient's symptoms improved and lateral ventricles reappeared, but disappeared rapidly with CSDH recurrence within a short time. We considered the cause to be medium pressure shunt valve breakdown caused by hitting with a stick, which was confirmed by the engineer's test after the operation and excessive drainage of cerebrospinal fluid. BHD replaced the adjustable pressure shunt valve, and the patient recovered. Conclusion: V-P shunt is a common operation in neurosurgery, and postoperative shunt valve breakdown may lead to poor outcome. We report a rare case of CSDH caused by shunt valve breakdown due to excessive external forces, suggesting that patients after V-P shunt should pay attention to the protection of the shunt valve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: HER2-positive breast cancer (BC) accounts for 20–30% of all BC subtypes and is linked to poor prognosis. Trastuzumab (Tz), a humanized anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody, is a first-line treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer which faces resistance challenges. This study aimed to identify the biomarkers driving trastuzumab resistance. Methods: Differential expression analysis of genes and proteins between trastuzumab-sensitive (TS) and trastuzumab-resistant (TR) cells was conducted using RNA-seq and iTRAQ. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) were used to study their functions. The prognostic significance and protein levels of ARFIP2 and MSN were evaluated using online tools and immunohistochemistry. Sensitivity of MSN and ARFIP2 to other therapies was assessed using public pharmacogenomics databases and the R language. Results: Five genes were up-regulated, and nine genes were down-regulated in TR cells at both transcriptional and protein levels. Low ARFIP2 and high MSN expression linked to poor BC prognosis. MSN increased and ARFIP2 decreased in TR patients, correlating with shorter OS. MSN negatively impacted fulvestrant and immunotherapy sensitivity, while ARFIP2 had a positive impact. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that MSN and ARFIP2 could serve as promising biomarkers for predicting response to Tz, offering valuable insights for future research in the identification of diagnostic and therapeutic targets for BC patients with Tz resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Puerarin is an isoflavone compound isolated from the roots of a leguminous plant, the wild kudzu. Various functional activities of this compound in multiple diseases have been reported. However, the effect and mechanism of puerarin in improving blood pressure remain non-elucidated. Purpose: The current study was designed to assess the preventive effects of puerarin on the onset and progression of hypertension and to verify the hypothesis that puerarin alleviates blood pressure by inhibiting the ROS/TLR4/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of salt-induced prehypertensive rats. Methods: Male Dahl salt-sensitive rats were fed low NaCl salt (3% in drinking water) for the control (NS) group or 8% (HS) to induce prehypertension. Each batch was divided into two group and treated by bilateral PVN microinjection with either artificial cerebrospinal fluid or puerarin through a micro-osmotic pump for 6 weeks. The mean arterial pressure (MAP) was recorded, and samples were collected and analyzed. Results: We concluded that puerarin significantly prevented the elevation of blood pressure and effectively alleviated the increase in heart rate caused by high salt. Norepinephrine (NE) in the plasma of salt-induced prehypertensive rats also decreased upon puerarin chronic infusion. Additionally, analysis of the PVN sample revealed that puerarin pretreatment decreased the positive cells and gene level of TLR4 (Toll-like receptor 4), NLRP3, Caspase-1 p10, NOX2, MyD88, NOX4, and proinflammatory cytokines in the PVN. Puerarin pretreatment also decreased NF-κBp65 activity, inhibited oxidative stress, and alleviated inflammatory responses in the PVN. Conclusion: We conclude that puerarin alleviated blood pressure via inhibition of the ROS/TLR4/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway in the PVN, suggesting the therapeutic potential of puerarin in the prevention of hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dietary diversity has been suggested as a potential preventive measure against frailty in older adults, but the effect of changes in dietary diversity on frailty is unclear. This study was conducted to examine the association between the dietary diversity score (DDS) and frailty among older Chinese adults. Methods: A total of 12,457 adults aged 65 years or older were enrolled from three consecutive and nonoverlapping cohorts from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (the 2002 cohort, the 2005 cohort, and the 2008 cohort). DDS was calculated based on nine predefined food groups, and DDS changes were assessed by comparing scores at baseline and the first follow-up survey. We used 39 self-reported health items to assess frailty. Cox proportional hazard models were performed to examine the association between DDS change patterns and frailty. Results: Participants with low-to-low DDS had the highest frailty incidence (111.1/1000 person-years), while high-to-high DDS had the lowest (41.1/1000 person-years). Compared to the high-to-high group of overall DDS pattern, participants in other DDS change patterns had a higher risk of frailty (HRs ranged from 1.25 to 2.15). Similar associations were observed for plant-based and animal-based DDS. Compared to stable DDS changes, participants with an extreme decline in DDS had an increased risk of frailty, with HRs of 1.38 (1.24, 1.53), 1.31 (1.19, 1.44), and 1.29 (1.16, 1.43) for overall, plant-based, and animal-based DDS, respectively. Conclusions: Maintaining a lower DDS or having a large reduction in DDS was associated with a higher risk of frailty among Chinese older adults. These findings highlight the importance of improving a diverse diet across old age for preventing frailty in later life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the optimal pricing and product refurbishing decisions of an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and a retailer in a supply chain. The OEM sells the new product through a retailer, which serves as a reseller or selling agency, and then chooses whether to provide the refurbished product to consumers. By constructing four models, we obtain the following results. First, we show that the OEM and the retailer always prefer to sell a refurbished product as a monopoly. Second, competing refurbishments leads to a prisoner's dilemma in which both parties suffer greater losses compared to the no refurbishment scenario. This implies that competing refurbishments, except for product cannibalization, hinder the refurbishing industry. Finally, with different refurbishers, the OEM has different preferences for a new product's selling format. However, when the retailer serves as the sole refurbisher, the OEM always prefers agency mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In prevailing p-i-n perovskite solar cells (PSCs), solution-processible fullerene molecules are widely used as electron-transporting layers (ETLs) but they typically suffer from poor uniformity and undesirable stability issues. Additionally, a separate bathocuproine (BCP) layer is needed to block hole transfer, increasing fabrication complexity and cost. Here, we address these limitations by developing a novel polymeric ETL (named PFBCP) synthesized by polymerizing C60 with BCP. This innovative material achieves both efficient electron transport and hole blocking, while its excellent uniformity minimizes interface recombination and enhances stability. Consequently, our blade-coated PSCs utilizing PFBCP achieve a high power conversion efficiency exceeding 22% and retain 91% of initial efficiency after 1200 h of light exposure. This development not only paves the way for commercially viable PSCs but also opens avenues for future ETL design to realize even more efficient and stable PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel full state‐constrained integrated guidance and control (IGC) schema for aerial interceptors under input saturation with tunnel‐prescribed performance is proposed. To achieve an appointed‐time engagement with less overshoot phenomenon, the tunnel‐prescribed performance control (TPPC) technique is applied to generate virtual guidance laws, where the tracking of desired line of sight (LOS) angles possesses predefined‐time convergent property. For the sake of the flight safety of interceptors in a practical flight environment, the physical limitations on the flight angles and the angular rates of attitude systems are taken into consideration. The integral barrier Lyapunov function (iBLF) technique is adopted to ensure all the attitude states within a user‐defined domain. The nominal virtual commands are generated adaptively by the backstepping method combined with some novel dynamic surfaces. To further eliminate the possible input saturation, a novel one‐order auxiliary system is constructed to compensate for the discrepancy of the virtual input commands. All the signals in the closed‐loop system are strictly proven to be bounded by Lyapunov theory. The simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed IGC schema by comparison with other IGC laws. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emulsion explosives have become a hot topic in various studies due to their explosive combustion characteristics and detonation performance under different environmental pressures. The thermal safety of an emulsified matrix was studied with ignition energy as the characterization. A minimum ignition energy test experimental system for emulsion matrices was established in this research. The system simulated the occurrence of hot spots inside emulsion matrices using an electric heating wire. The effect of bubbles on the thermal safety of the emulsified matrix was studied by adding expanded perlite additive to the emulsified matrix. This study investigated the variation trend in the minimum ignition energy of the emulsion matrix under the coupled effect of bubbles and ambient pressure using the orthogonal experimental method. The impacts of two factors on the thermal safety of the emulsion matrix were studied at different hot-spot temperatures. Coupled analysis experiments were conducted on emulsion matrices containing 0%, 1.5%, and 3% expanded perlite under pressure environments of 1 atm, 2 atm, and 3 atm. The critical hot-spot temperature of the emulsion matrix significantly decreases with increasing bubble content at 1 atm and 2 atm pressures, as revealed by intuitive analysis and analysis of variance. However, at 3 atm of pressure, the bubble content in the emulsion matrix has no significant effect on its critical hot-spot temperature. The results show that the thermal safety of the emulsified matrix decreases with the increase in the content of expanded perlite and environmental pressure, and the influence of environmental pressure is more significant than that of the bubble content. This paper's research content serves as a reference for a safe emulsified matrix and as an experimental basis for establishing a production line for developing new equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a targeted nanocarrier was developed by functionalizing graphene oxide with polyethyleneimine and folic acid, intended for loading oridonin. The nanocarrier was successfully synthesized and characterized using an ultraviolet spectrum, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The nanocarrier demonstrated a remarkable oridonin loading capacity, reaching 424.8 μg/mg, as determined by ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography. In vitro drug release experiments exhibited a pH‐dependent release profile, with a higher cumulative release in an acidic environment. The release mechanism followed the Ritger–Peppas equation model. Cytotoxicity assays indicated minimal toxicity of the nanocarrier. Enhanced cellular uptake by MCF7 cells was observed for carriers functionalized with folate and polyethyleneimine. These findings highlight the potential of functionalized graphene oxide as a promising carrier for oridonin delivery in biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-dimensional metallic transition-metal chalcogenide nanowires (TMC-NWs) hold promise for interconnecting devices built on two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal dichalcogenides, but only isotropic growth has so far been demonstrated. Here we show the direct patterning of highly oriented Mo6Te6 NWs in 2D molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe2) using graphite as confined encapsulation layers under external stimuli. The atomic structural transition is studied through in-situ electrical biasing the fabricated heterostructure in a scanning transmission electron microscope. Atomic resolution high-angle annular dark-field STEM images reveal that the conversion of Mo6Te6 NWs from MoTe2 occurs only along specific directions. Combined with first-principles calculations, we attribute the oriented growth to the local Joule-heating induced by electrical bias near the interface of the graphite-MoTe2 heterostructure and the confinement effect generated by graphite. Using the same strategy, we fabricate oriented NWs confined in graphite as lateral contact electrodes in the 2H-MoTe2 FET, achieving a low Schottky barrier of 11.5 meV, and low contact resistance of 43.7 Ω µm at the metal-NW interface. Our work introduces possible approaches to fabricate oriented NWs for interconnections in flexible 2D nanoelectronics through direct metal phase patterning. Nanowires made of transition metal chalcogenides are promising as connecting elements in devices, but so far only isotropic growth is feasible. Here, the authors regulate the growth orientation of nanowires by introducing external stimuli into graphite-confined MoTe2 heterostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stable operation of thermoelectric devices requires both p‐ and n‐type materials with desirable compatibility and similar application temperature range. However, n‐type GeTe‐based materials currently have a lower application temperature range (<525 K) than p‐type GeTe‐based materials (500–800 K) due to the strong bipolar effect. Here, it is demonstrated that the bipolar effect of n‐type GeTe can be inhibited by the combination of bandgap enlargement and minority carrier filtering. Specifically, reducing cation vacancies can enlarge the bandgap, while introducing localized heavy doping areas with relatively large bandgap can generate a minority carrier barrier in the valence band to block the minority carrier transport. Consequently, a record‐high power factor (5.3 µW cm−1 K−2) and figure‐of‐merit (zT) of 0.45 can be obtained at 723 K in n‐type Ge0.46Bi0.17Pb0.37Te0.7Se0.3. This work demonstrates that bipolar suppression is an effective strategy to realize high‐performance n‐type GeTe‐based materials in the mid‐temperature range, and correspondingly extends the applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electroencephalogram (EEG) plays a pivotal role in the detection and analysis of epileptic seizures, which affects over 70 million people in the world. Nonetheless, the visual interpretation of EEG signals for epilepsy detection is laborious and time-consuming. To tackle this open challenge, we introduce a straightforward yet efficient hybrid deep learning approach, named ResBiLSTM, for detecting epileptic seizures using EEG signals. Firstly, a one-dimensional residual neural network (ResNet) is tailored to adeptly extract the local spatial features of EEG signals. Subsequently, the acquired features are input into a bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) layer to model temporal dependencies. These output features are further processed through two fully connected layers to achieve the final epileptic seizure detection. The performance of ResBiLSTM is assessed on the epileptic seizure datasets provided by the University of Bonn and Temple University Hospital (TUH). The ResBiLSTM model achieves epileptic seizure detection accuracy rates of 98.88–100% in binary and ternary classifications on the Bonn dataset. Experimental outcomes for seizure recognition across seven epilepsy seizure types on the TUH seizure corpus (TUSZ) dataset indicate that the ResBiLSTM model attains a classification accuracy of 95.03% and a weighted F1 score of 95.03% with 10-fold crossvalidation. These findings illustrate that ResBiLSTM outperforms several recent deep learning state-of-the-art approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention on customer citizenship behavior (CCB) has increased markedly in recent years for both researchers and practitioners. However, existing research lacks deep understanding of the antecedents of CCB in social commerce, especially from the perspective of seller-consumer interaction relationships. Drawing on complexity theory, this study investigated the impacts of the causal configurations of three types of seller-consumer interaction relationships (experience of parasocial interaction (PSI), social interaction, and parasocial relationship (PSR)) on CCB in social commerce. To test this proposition, this study adopted fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) on a sample of 380 experienced social commerce consumers. Our findings indicate that the combination of social interaction and PSR leads to a high CCB among social commerce consumers. Moreover, borrowing from social exchange theory, we further employed partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to reanalyze the research data. The PLS-SEM results are consistent with the fsQCA results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pre-workout supplements are popular among sport athletes and overweight individuals. Phenethylamines (PEAs) and alkylamines (AA) are widely present in these supplements. Although the health effects of these analogues are not well understood yet, they are hypothesised to be agonists of adrenergic (ADR) and trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs). Therefore, we aimed to pharmacologically characterise these compounds by investigating their activating properties of ADRs and TAAR1 in vitro. The potency and efficacy of the selected PEAs and AAs was studied by using cell lines overexpressing human ADRα1A/α1B/α1D/α2a/α2B/β1/β2 or TAAR1. Concentration–response relationships are expressed as percentages of the maximal signal obtained by the full ADR agonist adrenaline or the full TAAR1 agonist phenethylamine. Multiple PEAs activated ADRs (EC50 = 34 nM–690 µM; Emax = 8–105%). Almost all PEAs activated TAAR1 (EC50 = 1.8–92 µM; Emax = 40–104%). Our results reveal the pharmacological profile of PEAs and AAs that are often used in food supplements. Several PEAs have strong agonistic properties on multiple receptors and resemble potencies of the endogenous ligands, indicating that they might further stimulate the already activated sympathetic nervous system in exercising athletes via multiple mechanisms. The use of supplements containing one, or a combination of, PEA(s) may pose a health risk for their consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migration is an initial step in tumor expansion and metastasis; suppressing cellular migration is beneficial to cancer therapy. Herein, we designed a novel biogated nanoagents that integrated the migration inhibitory factor into the mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN) drug delivery nanosystem to realize cell migratory inhibition and synergistic treatment. Antisense oligonucleotides (Anti) of microRNA-330-3p, which is positively related with cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis, not only acted as the locker for blocking drugs but also acted as the inhibitory factor for suppressing migration via gene therapy. Synergistic with gene therapy, the biogated nanoagents (termed as MSNs-Gef-Anti) could achieve on-demand drug release based on the intracellular stimulus-recognition and effectively kill tumor cells. Experimental results synchronously demonstrated that the migration suppression ability of MSNs-Gef-Anti nanoagents (nearly 30%) significantly contributed to cancer therapy, and the lethality rate of the non-small-cell lung cancer was up to 70%. This strategy opens avenues for realizing efficacious cancer therapy and should provide an innovative way for pursuing the rational design of advanced nano-therapeutic platforms with the combination of cancer cell migratory inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The creation of hierarchical nanostructures can effectively strengthen phonon scattering to reduce lattice thermal conductivity for improving thermoelectric properties in inorganic solids. Here, we use Zn doping to induce a remarkable reduction in the lattice thermal conductivity in SnTe, approaching the theoretical minimum limit. Microstructure analysis reveals that ZnTe nanoprecipitates can embed within SnTe grains beyond the solubility limit of Zn in the Zn alloyed SnTe. These nanoprecipitates result in a substantial decrease of the lattice thermal conductivity in SnTe, leading to an ultralow lattice thermal conductivity of 0.50 W m−1 K−1 at 773 K and a peak ZT of ~0.48 at 773 K, marking an approximately 45 % enhancement compared to pristine SnTe. This study underscores the effectiveness of incorporating ZnTe nanoprecipitates in boosting the thermoelectric performance of SnTe‐based materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

P-type Fe3CoSb12-based skutterudite thin films are successfully fabricated, exhibiting high thermoelectric performance, stability, and flexibility at medium-to-high temperatures, based on preparing custom target materials and employing advanced pulsed laser deposition techniques to address the bonding challenge between the thin films and high-temperature flexible polyimide substrates. Through the optimization of fabrication processing and nominal doping concentration of Ce, the thin films show a power factor of >100 μW m−1 K−2 and a ZT close to 0.6 at 653 K. After >2000 bending cycle tests at a radius of 4 mm, only a 6 % change in resistivity can be observed. Additionally, the assembled p-type Fe3CoSb12-based flexible device exhibits a power density of 135.7 µW cm−2 under a temperature difference of 100 K with the hot side at 623 K. This work fills a gap in the realization of flexible thermoelectric devices in the medium-to-high-temperature range and holds significant practical application value. The authors fabricate p-type Fe3CoSb12-based skutterudite films exhibiting high thermoelectric performance, stability, and flexibility at medium-to-high temperatures, based on preparing custom target materials and pulsed laser deposition techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stable carbon isotope composition (δ13Cp) can be used to estimate the changes in intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE) in plants, which helps us to better understand plants' response strategies to climate change. This study focused on the variations in δ13Cp and iWUE for the different life-form plants (i.e., herbs, shrubs, and trees) along an altitudinal gradient (3300, 3600, 3900, 4100, 4300, and 4500 m) on the eastern slope of Yulong Snow Mountain, southeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The response mechanisms of δ13Cp and iWUE for different life-form plants to altitude were thoroughly analyzed in this mountain ecosystem. Results: The δ13Cp values of plants on the eastern slopes of Yulong Snow Mountain ranged from − 30.4‰ to − 26.55‰, with a mean of − 28.02‰, indicating a dominance of C3 plants. The δ13Cp and iWUE values varied among different life-form plants in the order of herbs > shrubs > trees, particularly in 3600, 3900, and 4300 m. The δ13Cp and iWUE values for herbs and shrubs increased with altitude and were mainly controlled by air temperature. The two parameters for trees exhibited a trend of initial decrease followed by an increase with altitude. Below 3900 m, the δ13Cp and iWUE values decreased with altitude, influenced by soil moisture. However, above 3900 m, the two parameters increased with altitude, mainly regulated by air temperature. In addition, iWUE was positively correlated with leaf P content but negatively correlated with leaf N:P ratio, especially for herbs and trees, suggesting that P plays a key role in modulating iWUE in this region. Conclusions: The differentiated responses of water availability for different life-form plants to a higher altitudinal gradient are regulated by air temperature, soil moisture, and leaf P content in the Yulong Snow Mountain. These results provide valuable insights into understanding the water–carbon relationships in high-altitude ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Plasma microRNAs act as biomarkers for predicting and diagnosing diseases. Reliable non-invasive biomarkers for biochemical pregnancy loss have not been established. We aim to analyze the dynamic microRNA profiles during the peri-implantation period and investigate if plasma microRNAs could be non-invasive biomarkers predicting BPL. Methods: In this study, we collected plasma samples from patients undergoing embryo transfer (ET) on ET day (ET0), 11 days after ET (ET11), and 14 days after ET (ET14). Patients were divided into the NP (negative pregnancy), BPL (biochemical pregnancy loss), and CP (clinical pregnancy) groups according to serum hCG levels at day11~14 and ultrasound at day28~35 following ET. MicroRNA profiles at different time-points were detected by miRNA-sequencing. We analyzed plasma microRNA signatures for BPL at the peri-implantation stage, we characterized the dynamic microRNA changes during the implantation period, constructed a microRNA co-expression network, and established predictive models for BPL. Finally, the sequencing results were confirmed by Taqman RT-qPCR. Results: BPL patients have distinct plasma microRNA profiles compared to CP patients at multiple time-points during the peri-implantation period. Machine learning models revealed that plasma microRNAs could predict BPL. RT-qPCR confirmed that miR-181a-2-3p, miR-9-5p, miR-150-3p, miR-150-5p, and miR-98-5p, miR-363-3p were significantly differentially expressed between patients with different reproductive outcomes. Conclusion: Our study highlights the non-invasive value of plasma microRNAs in predicting BPL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous advancement of large-scale high-grade highway construction and maintenance and repair projects, the demand for asphalt materials has been gradually increasing. As fossil materials are consumed, finding an alternative to petroleum asphalt materials has become an urgent need in the field of road engineering. This paper used corn stover tar as raw material and conducted resin treatment to prepare bio- bitumen. Based on the analysis of BOX-Behnken response surface, the resin yield was used as the evaluation index, the optimal process conditions for resin synthesis were as follows: phenolic molar ratio was 0.8, reaction time was 125 min, and straw tar addition was 10%. The results showed that with the increase of resinized products, the penetration degree of bio-bitumen also increased, which was higher than that of 70# petroleum asphalt. The ductility of B-PF bio-bitumen first increased and then decreased with the increasing of the content. However, the ductility of H-PF bio-bitumen decreased with the increasing of the dosage. Increasing the amount of bio-bitumen could reduce the softening point. The elongation and softening point of H-PF bio-bitumen were lower than 70# petroleum bitumen at 10% content, while the softening point and elongation of the bio-bitumen prepared at 20% content were lower than 70# petroleum bitumen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)-based thermoelectric materials, valued for their flexibility, lightweight, and cost-effectiveness, show promise for wearable thermoelectric devices. However, their thermoelectric performance requires significant enhancement for practical applications. To achieve this goal, in this work, we introduce rational "triple treatments" to improve the overall performance of flexible SWCNT-based films, achieving a high power factor of 20.29 µW cm−1 K−2 at room temperature. Ultrasonic dispersion enhances the conductivity, NaBH4 treatment reduces defects and enhances the Seebeck coefficient, and cold pressing significantly densifies the SWCNT films while preserving the high Seebeck coefficient. Also, bending tests confirm structural stability and exceptional flexibility, and a six-legged flexible device demonstrates a maximum power density of 2996 μW cm−2 at a 40 K temperature difference, showing great application potential. This advancement positions SWCNT films as promising flexible thermoelectric materials, providing insights into high-performance carbon-based thermoelectrics. Authors introduce triple treatments to advance flexible single-walled carbon nanotube films, achieving a power factor of 20.29 µW cm−1 K−2. High structural stability and flexibility enable the fabrication of a high-power-density flexible device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Getting distilled water through solar energy is a green and sustainable way to purify water. The reduction of the evaporation enthalpy by hydrogels greatly improves the efficiency of water purification. However, the lack of heat localization functionality leads to low energy utilization efficiency, which seriously affects the performance of hydrogel-based evaporators. Herein, inspired by the hierarchical porous channel and thin structure of cormorant wings, a hydrogel thin film with interconnected micrometer macro-pores channels is proposed for simultaneous sufficient heat localization at the evaporation interface and adequate water supply. Benefiting from the macro-porous thin film structure, a device prepared from the hydrogel film can reduce the heat loss by 88% by reducing the heat transfer cross-sectional area and achieve a sustained water evaporation rate of 4.14 kg m−2 h−1 with 98% energy efficiency under 1 sun after shape optimization. Remarkably, the low raw material usage of thin film makes the cost as low as $0.87 m−2. Furthermore, the synthesis method of this macro-porous thin film structure can be generalized to a range of hydrogels, thus serving as a universal technology for improving heat localization. This work demonstrates the application of macro-porous hydrogel thin film evaporators in green and sustainable water purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study aims to explore the influencing factors of the scientific fitness literacy of nurses and provide a strategic basis for literacy improvement. Methods: A questionnaire on the influencing factors of scientific fitness literacy of nurses was designed by the group conducting the present study; the questionnaire was based on the socioecology model and the questionnaire preparation method. The general data questionnaire and the questionnaire on the influencing factors of scientific fitness literacy of nurses were adopted to investigate nurses in tertiary hospitals in order to analyze and discuss the influencing factors of their scientific fitness literacy. Results: (1) The questionnaire on the influencing factors of the scientific fitness literacy of nurses comprised five dimensions and 36 items. The overall item-content validity index was 0.833–1.000, the scale-content validity index was 0.974, and the overall Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.955; (2) the results of the pairwise Pearson correlation analysis showed that all five dimensions were positively correlated with the scientific fitness literacy of nurses; and (3) the results of the multiple linear regression analysis revealed that five dimensions, as well as the existence of exercise habits in daily life, had a significant impact on the scientific fitness literacy of nurses (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The factors influencing the scientific fitness literacy of nurses involved all levels of the socioecological system. The methods of improving the awareness of the scientific fitness of nurses and providing opportunities for scientific fitness activities via the hospital played a critical role in literacy improvement. However, the lack of professional guidance and an atmosphere promoting scientific fitness might hinder literacy improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To summarize the clinical characteristics of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome (VKHS) combing with meningitis/encephalitis patients. Methods and Results The clinical data of the inpatients of Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2009 to December 2022 with VKHS combing with meningitis/encephalitis were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 23 patients were included in the study, of which 20 patients (86.96%) had neurological symptoms, with headache being the most common (19 cases, 82.61%), 11 patients (47.83%) had increased cerebrospinal fluid (CBF) pressure, 14 patients (60.87%) had increased CBF white blood cells, and 11 patients (47.83%) had increased CBF protein. The brain MRI mainly showed white matter demyelination (8/14 cases). Optic nerve MRI showed inflammatory lesions of optic nerve and optic papilla (12/14 cases). The visual evoked potential (VEP) mainly showed prolonged latency (10/16 cases). The optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed retinal exudation (8/15 cases) and retinal neurocortical detachment (7/15 cases). The main results of fundus photography were disc edema (17/18 cases). The main manifestation of fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) was uveitis (9/15 cases). After intravenous hormone and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) treatment, 14 patients were followed up, and neurological symptoms were completely relieved, 11 patients had good visual prognosis, and 3 patients had no obvious visual improvement. Conclusions VKHS might present with meningitis/encephalitis symptoms, and the CSF characteristics of these patients were similar to those of viral meningitis. For those with early suspicions of VKHS, CBF examination and imaging examination might assist in early diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a novel class of Rydberg-mediated nuclear-spin entanglement in divalent atoms with global laser pulses. First, we show a fast nuclear-spin controlled phase gate of an arbitrary phase realizable either with two laser pulses when assisted by Stark shifts, or with three pulses. Second, we propose to create an electrons–nuclei-entangled state, which is named a super bell state (SBS) for it mimics a large Bell state incorporating three small Bell states. Third, we show a protocol to create a three-atom electrons-nuclei entangled state which contains the three-body W and Green-berger–Horne–Zeilinger (GHZ) states simultaneously. These protocols possess high intrinsic fidelities, do not require single-site Rydberg addressing, and can be executed with large Rydberg Rabi frequencies in a weak, Gauss-scale magnetic field. The latter two protocols can enable measurement-based preparation of Bell, hyperentangled, and GHZ states, and, specifically, SBS can enable quantum dense coding where one can share three classical bits of information by sending one particle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the vertical-type submerged floating tunnel with anchor cables. Based on the characteristics of the anchor cables, the anchor cables are simplified as a nonlinear beam model with hinged ends. Disregarding the axial displacement of the tunnel body, the loads will cause displacements in the x and z directions of the tunnel body. The vibrations of the anchor cables are decomposed into three directions, and the parameter excitation at the connection point between the anchor cables and the tunnel body is taken into account. The equations of motion for the three degrees of freedom of the anchor cables are established using Hamilton's principle, and then the three equations are solved using the Galerkin method and the fourth-order Runge–Kutta method. The basic characteristics of an internal wave stratified flow acting on the anchor cables are considered, as well as the influence of the incident angle of the ocean currents on the three degrees of freedom of the anchor cables. The results indicate that (1) stratified flow weakens the first- and third-order vortex-induced vibrations of the anchor cables while enhancing the second-order vortex-induced vibrations. When considering the parameter excitation of the anchor cables, the first- and third-order vibrations are weakened, while the second-order vibration remains significant; (2) the first-order vibration of the anchor cables reaches its maximum value when the transverse oscillation frequency of the tunnel body is twice its natural frequency, and the second-order vibration of the anchor cables reaches its maximum value when the transverse oscillation frequency of the tunnel body is twice its natural frequency; (3) the downstream vibration of the anchor cables increases with the increase in the incident angle of the ocean currents, the cross-flow vibration of the anchor cables decreases with the increase in the incident angle of the ocean currents, and the axial vibration of the anchor cables reaches its maximum value when the incident angle of the ocean currents is 60 degrees; (4) stratified flow weakens the lock-in phenomenon of the anchor cables, and the influence of the 1/2 stratified flow on the vibrations of the anchor cables is greater than the influence of the 1/2 stratified flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accelerated calcium dissolution tests of concrete with different replacement rates of manufactured sand (ρms) and different contents of stone powder (ρsp) were carried out using the ammonium chloride solution. The results show that the dissolution resistance of manufactured sand concrete (MSC) is higher than that of ordinary concrete, although the ρms and ρsp influence its physical and mechanical properties. When the ρms is low, the mass loss ratio and dissolution depth of MSC after dissolution both increase with the increasing ρsp. They also increase with the increasing of ρms, but the ρsp no longer influences them when the ρms is high. The ρsp corresponding to the maximum ultrasonic velocity of MSC is different for the various ρms. The addition of manufactured sand inhibits the reduction of the compressive strength after dissolution, while stone powder has no significant impact on this. Finally, the fitting model of dissolution depth and prediction model of compressive strength of MSC after dissolution are established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local disruptions can be propagated from one firm to another in a supply network (SN) and eventually influence the whole SN. Therefore, numerous studies on SN resilience considering the ripple effect have been reported recently. However, previous studies paid less attention to this phenomenon from a network structure perspective: if a firm is facing the risk of failure, then its partners may help it to mitigate the risk of failure by collaboration during the process of disruption propagation. Specifically, how SN structures (e.g. characterised by different scaling exponents) and other parameters (e.g. redundancy) influence the effectiveness of collaboration on improving SN resilience considering the ripple effect is not clear. Accordingly, we propose a ripple effect with collaboration (REC) model to consider the aforementioned phenomenon. We also present three new SN resilience metrics to evaluate SN resilience. Then, using both generated (by a novel SN generating model) and real-life SNs, we simulate the SN resilience considering REC under random and targeted disruptions. Our results demonstrate that the effectiveness of collaboration can be affected by SN structures and other parameters, and collaboration can even negatively affect SN resilience in some cases. We also summarise managerial implications and give future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It remains a challenge to obtain biocompatible afterglow materials with long emission wavelengths, durable lifetimes, and good water solubility. Herein we develop a photooxidation strategy to construct near-infrared afterglow carbon nanodots with an extra-long lifetime of up to 5.9 h, comparable to that of the well-known rare-earth or organic long-persistent luminescent materials. Intriguingly, size-dependent afterglow lifetime evolution from 3.4 to 5.9 h has been observed from the carbon nanodots systems in aqueous solution. With structural/ultrafast dynamics analysis and density functional theory simulations, we reveal that the persistent luminescence in carbon nanodots is activated by a photooxidation-induced dioxetane intermediate, which can slowly release and convert energy into luminous emission via the steric hindrance effect of nanoparticles. With the persistent near-infrared luminescence, tissue penetration depth of 20 mm can be achieved. Thanks to the high signal-to-background ratio, biological safety and cancer-specific targeting ability of carbon nanodots, ultralong-afterglow guided surgery has been successfully performed on mice model to remove tumor tissues accurately, demonstrating potential clinical applications. These results may facilitate the development of long-lasting luminescent materials for precision tumor resection.Biocompatible afterglow materials have potential in imaging applications, but are challenging to prepare. Here the authors report the development of carbon nanodots with near-infrared afterglow, and demonstrate their use in imaging for tumour resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The numerical investigation focuses on the flow patterns around a rectangular cylinder with three aspect ratios (L/D = 5, 10, 15) at a Reynolds number of 1000. The study delves into the dynamics of vortices, their associated frequencies, the evolution of the boundary layer and the decay of the wake. Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) vortices originate from the leading edge (LE) shear layer and transform into hairpin vortices. Specifically, at L/D = 5, three KH vortices merge into a single LE vortex. However, at L/D = 10 and 15, two KH vortices combine to form a LE vortex, with the rapid formation of hairpin vortex packets. A fractional harmonic arises due to feedback from the split LE shear layer moving upstream, triggering interaction with the reverse flow. Trailing edge (TE) vortices shed, creating a Kármán-like street in the wake. The intensity of wake oscillation at L/D = 5 surpasses that in the other two cases. Boundary layer transition occurs after the saturation of disturbance energy for L/D = 10 and 15, but not for L/D = 5. The low-frequency disturbances are selected to generate streaks inside the boundary layer. The TE vortex shedding induces the formation of a favourable pressure gradient, accelerating the flow and fostering boundary layer relaminarization. The self-similarity of the velocity defect is observed in all three wakes, accompanied by the decay of disturbance energy. Importantly, the decrease in the shedding frequency of LE (TE) vortices significantly contributes to the overall decay of disturbance energy. This comprehensive exploration provides insights into complex flow phenomena and their underlying dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The three‐dimensional flow velocities within the typical pool chamber of the rectangular fishway were measured in a vertical slit bottom‐hole combination fishway by a hydraulic model test using an acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV). This was aimed to analyze the effect of eddy structures within the pool chamber of the fishway on fish migration. Based on this, a numerical simulation study was conducted using the Reynolds mean model (RNG k‐ε) and large eddy simulation (LES). Additionally, the omega (Ω) eddy identification method was used to identify the eddy structure within the pool chamber of the fishway and dissect the flow characteristics of the water body within the pool chamber. The findings revealed that longitudinal flow velocity dominated the flow in the lower bottom layer of the pond. Moreover, the flow in the middle and upper layers was more turbulent and there is a phenomenon of backflow upstream, and the flow at the orifice was a divergent jet with the main flow slightly to the right bank, forming two vortices in opposite directions on both sides of the orifice. The fish passage mainly displayed the turbulent vortex structure, which can effectively slow down the water flow and provide a resting place for migratory fish. The vortex identification method can more accurately identify the vortex structure inside the flow field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In transitional economies characterized by digital finance and uncertainty, the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impact on enterprise performance has become a core issue in the sustainable development of enterprises. The existing literature does not pay attention to the simultaneous existence of digital finance and economic policy uncertainty in transition countries such as China. This paper introduces ESG as intangible capital into the Cobb–Douglas production function, considers the impact of digital finance and economic policy uncertainty, establishes a theoretical analysis framework, and empirically tests the impact of ESG on enterprise performance using panel data of 1688 listed companies in China from 2011 to 2020. The results reveal that ESG promotes enterprise performance; digital finance strengthens the positive impact of ESG on enterprise performance, and increased economic policy uncertainty strengthens the positive moderating effect of digital finance. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the impact of ESG on enterprise performance and the moderating effect of digital finance are significant in both the eastern region and the central and western regions, but the former performs better when economic policy uncertainty increases. The research conclusion provides a policy reference for selecting appropriate digital finance policies to promote the sustainable development of enterprises with ESG as the core. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel approach to portfolio optimization in the field of finance, with a specific focus on short-term yield. Existing literature has mainly utilized fundamental data to predict long-term trends in stock prices, but our proposed methodology utilizes technical indicators based on the theory of chasing up. Furthermore, we address the non-cooperative nature of volume and price fluctuation indicators and introduce non-cooperative theory into the short-term volume and price stock selection scheme for the first time. We propose an optimization of short-term stock selection based on volume and price using a non-cooperative parallel Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model, which we apply to Chinese main board listed companies. Our empirical results demonstrate the effectiveness of our model in selecting high-yield stocks in the short term. This paper contributes to the ongoing discussion on portfolio optimization and presents a compelling solution for investors seeking to maximize their financial gains. The proposed methodology can be utilized in practical applications and has significant implications for the financial industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancer types in males and rs12621278:A > G has been suggested to be associated with this disease by previous genome‐wide association studies. One thousand genomes project data analysis indicated that rs12621278:A > G is within two long‐core haplotypes. However, the origin, causal variant(s), and molecular function of these haplotypes were remaining unclear. Materials and Methods: Population genetics analysis and functional genomics work was performed for this locus. Results: Phylogeny analysis verified that the rare haplotype is derived from Neanderthal introgression. Genome annotation suggested that three genetic variants in the core haplotypes, rs116108611:G > A, rs139972066:AAAAAAAA > AAAAAAAAA, and rs3835124:ATTTATT > ATT, are located in functional regions. Luciferase assay indicated that rs139972066:AAAAAAAA > AAAAAAAAA and rs116108611:G > A are not able to alter ITGA6 (integrin alpha 6) and ITGA6 antisense RNA 1 expression, respectively. In contrast, rs3835124:ATTTATT > ATT can significantly influence PDK1 (pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1) expression, which was verified by expression quantitative trait locus analysis. This genetic variant can alter transcription factor cut like homeobox 1 interaction efficiency. The introgressed haplotype was observed to be subject to positive selection in East Asian populations. The molecular function of the haplotype suggested that Neanderthal should be with lower PDK1 expression and further different energy homeostasis from modern human. Conclusion: This study provided new insight into the contribution of Neanderthal introgression to human phenotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Haemaphysalis longicornis is drawing attentions for its geographic invasion, extending population, and emerging disease threat. However, there are still substantial gaps in our knowledge of viral composition in relation to genetic diversity of H. longicornis and ecological factors, which are important for us to understand interactions between virus and vector, as well as between vector and ecological elements. Results: We conducted the meta-transcriptomic sequencing of 136 pools of H. longicornis and identified 508 RNA viruses of 48 viral species, 22 of which have never been reported. Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrion sequences divided the ticks into two genetic clades, each of which was geographically clustered and significantly associated with ecological factors, including altitude, precipitation, and normalized difference vegetation index. The two clades showed significant difference in virome diversity and shared about one fifth number of viral species that might have evolved to "generalists." Notably, Bandavirus dabieense, the pathogen of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome was only detected in ticks of clade 1, and half number of clade 2-specific viruses were aquatic-animal-associated. Conclusions: These findings highlight that the virome diversity is shaped by internal genetic evolution and external ecological landscape of H. longicornis and provide the new foundation for promoting the studies on virus-vector-ecology interaction and eventually for evaluating the risk of H. longicornis for transmitting the viruses to humans and animals. 4querEumuJMtVvn4JLJ-5M Video Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important forestry pest, Coronaproctus castanopsis (Monophlebidae) has caused serious damage to the globally valuable Gutianshan ecosystem, China. In this study, we assembled the first chromosome-level genome of the female specimen of C. castanopsis by merging BGI reads, HiFi long reads and Hi-C data. The assembled genome size is 700.81 Mb, with a scaffold N50 size of 273.84 Mb and a contig N50 size of 12.37 Mb. Hi-C scaffolding assigned 98.32% (689.03 Mb) of C. Castanopsis genome to three chromosomes. The BUSCO analysis (n = 1,367) showed a completeness of 91.2%, comprising 89.2% of single-copy BUSCOs and 2.0% of multicopy BUSCOs. The mapping ratio of BGI, second-generation RNA, third-generation RNA and HiFi reads are 97.84%, 96.15%, 97.96%, and 99.33%, respectively. We also identified 64.97% (455.3 Mb) repetitive elements, 1,373 non-coding RNAs and 10,542 protein-coding genes. This study assembled a high-quality genome of C. castanopsis, which accumulated valuable molecular data for scale insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Permian-Triassic transition saw extreme climatic changes that severely impacted the terrestrial ecosystem. Fossil plants, particularly fossil woods, are sensitive to climatic changes, and they, therefore, are unique materials revealing extreme environmental and climatic changes on land at that time. Abundant conifer woods were discovered in the Lopingian (Late Permian) strata of the Sunjiagou Formation in Shanxi Province, North China. The newly finding permineralized woods record the unique landscape of Lopingian North China. They represent a new conifer genus and species: Shanxiopitys zhangziensis gen. et sp. nov. Analyses of growth pattern and anatomical characteristics of the fossil woods indicate these trees grew under optimal growing conditions, and without seasonal growth cessation. However, climate signals from leaf fossils, vertebrate fossils and sedimentary evidences indicate a strongly seasonal climate in North China during the Lopingian. Thus, it is speculated that these trees likely lived in the gallery forests, which were distributed along the paleo-rivers within a seasonal landscape in the central North China block during the Lopingian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing advanced electrocatalysts toward the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) has always been recognized as the key challenge for green hydrogen production via water electrolysis due to the commonly required high OER overpotential. In this work, we report a branched FeCo-based hydroxide nanotube array (Fe–CoCH NT) synthesized by an ambient Fe-modification strategy, which could be used as a monolithic electrode for efficient OER catalysis. Its OER performance was even comparable to that of RuO2 with a low overpotential of 290 mV to attain a current density of 10 mA cm−2 due to its unique branched nanotube array structure and intrinsic high catalytic activity. Moreover, an acid–base hybrid electrolysis system was built based on this catalyst and an FeCo-based phosphide nanotube array electrode. By collecting electrochemical neutralization energy, this system just needs an ultralow cell voltage of 0.97 V to attain a current density of 10 mA cm−2 with a large decrease in energy consumption of 41.9% compared to traditional alkaline water splitting systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing numbers of studies have shown that tumor cells prefer fermentative glycolysis over oxidative phosphorylation to provide a vast amount of energy for fast proliferation even under oxygen‐sufficient conditions. This metabolic alteration not only favors tumor cell progression and metastasis but also increases lactate accumulation in solid tumors. In addition to serving as a byproduct of glycolytic tumor cells, lactate also plays a central role in the construction of acidic and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, resulting in therapeutic tolerance. Recently, targeted drug delivery and inherent therapeutic properties of nanomaterials have attracted great attention, and research on modulating lactate metabolism based on nanomaterials to enhance antitumor therapy has exploded. In this review, the advanced tumor therapy strategies based on nanomaterials that interfere with lactate metabolism are discussed, including inhibiting lactate anabolism, promoting lactate catabolism, and disrupting the "lactate shuttle". Furthermore, recent advances in combining lactate metabolism modulation with other therapies, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, photothermal therapy, and reactive oxygen species‐related therapies, etc., which have achieved cooperatively enhanced therapeutic outcomes, are summarized. Finally, foreseeable challenges and prospective developments are also reviewed for the future development of this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Muscone is a chemical monomer derived from musk. Although many studies have confirmed the cardioprotective effects of muscone, the effects of muscone on cardiac hypertrophy and its potential mechanisms are unclear.The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of muscone on angiotensin (Ang) II-induced cardiac hypertrophy. Methods and results: In the present study, we found for the first time that muscone exerted inhibitory effects on Ang II-induced cardiac hypertrophy and cardiac injury in mice. Cardiac function was analyzed by echocardiography measurement, and the degree of cardiac fibrosis was determined by the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Masson trichrome staining and western blot assay. Secondly, qRT-PCR experiment showed that muscone attenuated cardiac injury by reducing the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and promoting the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, western blot analysis found that muscone exerted cardio-protective effects by inhibiting phosphorylation of key proteins in the STAT3, MAPK and TGF-β/SMAD pathways. In addition, CCK-8 and determination of serum biochemical indexes showed that no significant toxicity or side effects of muscone on normal cells and organs. Conclusions: Muscone could attenuate Ang II-induced cardiac hypertrophy, in part, by inhibiting the STAT3, MAPK, and TGF-β/SMAD signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acetylcholinesterase (AchE) is a serine hydrolase with classical function to degrade acetylcholine and terminate neurotransmission. While "nonclassical" functions of AchE were involved in cell growth, death, invasion, etc. The expression and activity of AchE is changed in tumors, suggesting AChE inhibitors (AchEIs) may serve as potential antitumor drugs. In this study, the antitumor activity of a series of 2‐phenylthiazole derivatives originally designed and synthesized as AchEIs were investigated. One compound named A6, was screened out with superior antitumor efficacy, especially against breast cancer MCF‐7 cells. A6 significantly disrupted the amino acid metabolism and inhibited migration of MCF‐7. In addition, A6 induced apoptosis of MCF‐7 cells. To clarify how A6 affected on MCF‐7 cells, RNA‐seq analysis was conducted to evaluate the whole genome effect of A6 on gene expression. A total of 153 genes were increased, and the expression of 81 genes was decreased. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed A6 treatment mainly disrupted sterol/cholesterol pathway, Ras signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, etc. Moreover, bioinformatic analysis and cell viability test showed A6 plays anticancer role by regulating Best1 and HIST1H2BJ. These results indicate that AchEI A6 could be a potential antitumor agent for breast cancer patients and could help the development of novel therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]