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Transparent and flexible metamaterial absorbers can provide solutions for electromagnetic compatibility and electromagnetic radiation pollution. They also play key roles in platforms with optical windows that require low detectability and immunity to electromagnetic interference. Due to the lack of active adaptability to complex electromagnetic environments, early metamaterial absorbers need to be redesigned and manufactured once the application scenarios change. The new two-dimensional material graphene provides a practical technical approach for the realization of transparent tunable absorbers. In this work, we propose a polarization-insensitive dual-tunable microwave absorber based on graphene metasurface. By controlling two separate bias voltages applied to patterned graphene or continuous graphene, independent dynamic regulation of electromagnetic wave absorption frequency and amplitude is achieved. It also possesses the features of optical transparency and flexibility. The measurement results show that the absorption frequency can be shifted from 9.8 to 11.3 GHz, the peak absorption rate at each absorption frequency remains above 99.6%, and the reflection amplitude modulation can be achieved simultaneously at each absorption frequency. The proposed absorber integrates multiple modulation functions for electromagnetic waves, and the overall structure is optically transparent and flexible. Therefore, it can contribute to many practical wave absorbing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a novel strategy to enhance the high‐temperature electrical performance of the silicone elastomer (SE), while ensuring control over its thermal and mechanical properties for SiC device packaging insulation application. For the same, the ultra‐low‐content inorganic/organic SE nanocomposites are prepared and tested (at room temperature and 150°C) by grafting polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanofillers and doping organic semiconductors. It is found that grafting POSS nanofillers enhances the SE's thermal and mechanical properties. Moreover, doping the grafted SE with different organic semiconductors (ITIC, PCBM, and NTCDA) further improves its electrical properties and charge dynamics at 150°C. The optimal doping content for ITIC, PCBM, and NTCDA is found to be 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15 wt%, respectively. Among these, NTCDA exhibits superior electrical performance at 150°C. Particularly, compared to pure SE, NTCDA doping and POSS grafting reduce the electrical conductivity by an order of magnitude and increase the breakdown strength, charge hopping activation energy, and trap energy level by 65.5%, 0.20 eV and 0.73 eV, respectively. This study finds that organic semiconductors outperform nanostructures in inhibiting electron injection and immobilizing free electrons at high temperatures. Highlights: Nano‐POSS grafting enhances material properties by reinforced molecular chains.Charge dynamics is studied by space charge and current integrated charge at HT.Organic semiconductors improve electrical properties and charge dynamics at HT.Organic semiconductors outperform nanofillers in immobilizing electrons at HT.The ideal organic semiconductor doping level correlates with its energy gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large and complex forgings, serving as key load-supporting components in the fields of energy, ships, transportation, etc., require high dimensional accuracy and surface quality during post-processing. The automation of grinding for such large and complex forgings presents a common and pressing challenge within the forging industry. One of the main obstacles lies in the substantial thermal deformation and various random forging defects, making the automatic generation of grinding paths a difficult task. Here we propose an algorithm for identifying random defects in large and complex forgings. By combining the RANdom Sample Consensus (RANSAC) algorithm with the Modified Iterative Closest Point (M-ICP) algorithm, we register the standard component point cloud with the forging point cloud, thereby obtaining the point cloud representing the random defects that have to be ground. Subsequently, we classify the random defect point cloud based on defect area size and establish an intelligent strategy for generating grinding paths. Utilizing the positional coordinate information within the random defect point cloud, we directly generate robot grinding paths without relying on a CAD model. Finally, we conduct robot grinding experiments on a large and complex forging. The experimental results demonstrate that the model-free generation method for grinding paths accurately identifies the characteristics of random forging defects, efficiently plans robot grinding paths, and significantly improves grinding efficiency and quality. This approach offers an intelligent solution for the post-processing of large and complex forgings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly prevalent due to technological advancements. During rapeseed's seedling stage, UAV-generated airflow, known as wind-induced response, affects leaf movement, tied to airflow speed and distribution. Understanding wind-induced response aids early rapeseed lodging prediction. Determining airflow distribution at various UAV heights is crucial for wind-induced response study, yet lacks theoretical guidance. In this study, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was employed to analyze airflow distribution at different UAV heights. Fluid–solid coupling simulation assessed 3D rapeseed model motion and surface pressure distribution in UAV downwash airflow. Validation occurred via wind speed experiments. Optimal uniform airflow distribution was observed at 2 m UAV height, with a wind speed variation coefficient of 0.258. The simulation showed greater vertical than horizontal leaf displacement, with elastic modulus inversely affecting displacement and leaf area directly. Discrepancies within 10.5% in the 0.5–0.8 m height range above the rapeseed canopy validated simulation accuracy. This study guides UAV height selection, leaf point determination, and wind-induced response parameter identification for rapeseed seedling stage wind-induced response research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a prevalent gastrointestinal cancer characterized by high mortality and an unfavorable prognosis. While combination therapies involving surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy are advancing, targeted therapy for ESCC remains underdeveloped. As a result, the overall five‐year survival rate for ESCC is still below 20%. Herein, ESCC‐specific DNA aptamers and an innovative aptamer‐modified nano‐system is introduced for targeted drug and gene delivery to effectively inhibit ESCC. The EA1 ssDNA aptamer, which binds robustly to ESCC cells with high specificity and affinity, is identified using cell‐based systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (cell‐SELEX). An EA1‐modified nano‐system is developed using a natural egg yolk lipid nanovector (EA1‐EYLNs‐PTX/siEFNA1) that concurrently loads paclitaxel (PTX) and a small interfering RNA of Ephrin A1 (EFNA1). This combination counters ESCC's proliferation, migration, invasion, and lung metastasis. Notably, EFNA1 is overexpressed in ESCC tumors with lung metastasis and has an inverse correlation with ESCC patient prognosis. The EA1‐EYLNs‐PTX/siEFNA1 nano‐system offers effective drug delivery and tumor targeting, resulting in significantly improved therapeutic efficacy against ESCC tumors. These insights suggest that aptamer‐modified nano‐systems can deliver drugs and genes with superior tumor‐targeting, potentially revolutionizing targeted therapy in ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant‐derived exosomes (PEs) possess an array of therapeutic properties, including antitumor, antiviral, and anti‐inflammatory capabilities. They are also implicated in defensive responses to pathogenic attacks. Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) regeneration represents a global medical challenge, with appropriate research concentration on three pivotal domains: neural regeneration promotion, inflammation inhibition, and innovation and application of regenerative scaffolds. Unfortunately, the utilization of PE in SCI therapy remains unexplored. Herein, we isolated PE from the traditional Chinese medicinal herb, Lycium barbarum L. and discovered their inflammatory inhibition and neuronal differentiation promotion capabilities. Compared with exosomes derived from ectomesenchymal stem cells (EMSCs), PE demonstrated a substantial enhancement in neural differentiation. We encapsulated isoliquiritigenin (ISL)‐loaded plant‐derived exosomes (ISL@PE) from L. barbarum L. within a 3D‐printed bionic scaffold. The intricate construct modulated the inflammatory response following SCI, facilitating the restoration of damaged axons and culminating in ameliorated neurological function. This pioneering investigation proposes a novel potential route for insoluble drug delivery via plant exosomes, as well as SCI repair. The institutional animal care and use committee number is UJS‐IACUC‐2020121602. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly sensitive uncooled mid-wave infrared (MWIR) photodetectors have a very wide range of applications ranging from the sensor and image to communications. Traditional MWIR detection semiconductors require liquid nitrogen cooling to depress dark current, which impeded the wide applications of devices. Here, we report a metal electrode-enhanced double parallel BP/InSe/BP van der Waals heterostructure uncooled MWIR photodetector. The device exhibits ultrahigh light on/off ratio of 108 and a very low dark current of 0.16 pA. The competitive performance includes high photoresponsivity (R) of 27.8 A W−1, excellent specific detectivity (D*) of 3.8 × 1012 cm Hz1/2 W−1, very low noise equivalent power (NEP) of 3.7 × 10−16 W Hz−1/2, and fast response speed of τr = 3.5 μs and τd = 2.4 μs in the visible range. Notably, in the MWIR range, the light on/off ratio of ∼104, NEP of 3.0 × 10−13 W Hz−1/2, and D* of 4.8 × 109 cm Hz1/2 W−1 was realized. The work sheds light on developing a high-performance uncooled MWIR photodetector by designed band alignment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myricetin (MYR) was incorporated into pH-sensitive liposomes in order to improve its bioavailability and anti-hyperuricemic activity. The MYR pH-sensitive liposomes (MYR liposomes) were prepared using thin film dispersion method, and assessed by particle size (PS), polydispersed index (PDI), zeta potential (ZP), encapsulation efficiency, drug loading, and in vitro release rate. Pharmacokinetics and anti-hyperuricemic activities were also evaluated. The PS, PDI, ZP, encapsulation efficiency, and drug loading of MYR liposomes were 184.34 ± 1.05 nm, 0.215 ± 0.005, −38.46 ± 0.30 mV, 83.42 ± 1.07%w/w, and 6.20 ± 0.31%w/w, respectively. The release rate of MYR liposomes was higher than free MYR, wherein the cumulative value responded to pH. Besides, the Cmax of MYR liposomes was 4.92 ± 0.20 μg/mL. The level of uric acid in the M-L-H group (200 mg/kg) was reduced by 54.74%w/v in comparison with the model group. MYR liposomes exhibited pH sensitivity and could potentially enhance the oral bioavailability and anti-hyperuricemic efficacy of MYR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, ulcerative colitis (UC) has become a global disease due to its high incidence. Hyperoside (HYP) is a naturally occurring flavonoid compound with many pharmacological effects. This study aimed to develop HYP-loaded mixed micelles (HYP-M) to improve oral bioavailability of HYP and to evaluate its therapeutic effect on UC. The prepared HYP-M exhibited stable physical and chemical properties, smaller particle size (PS) (21.48 ± 1.37 nm), good polydispersity index (PDI = 0.178 ± 0.013), negative Zeta potential (ZP) (− 20.00 ± 0.48 mV) and high entrapment rate (EE) (89.59 ± 2.03%). In vitro release and in vivo pharmacokinetic results showed that HYP-M significantly increased the releasing rate of HYP, wherein its oral bioavailability was 4.15 times higher than that of free HYP. In addition, HYP-M was more effective in the treatment of UC than free HYP. In conclusion, HYP-M could serve as a novel approach to improve bioavailability and increase anti-UC activity of HYP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable Li‐O2 batteries (LOBs) are regarded as promising candidates for the next generation of energy storage devices. One of the major impediments is the poor cycle stability resulting from unreliable cathode catalysts and serious corrosion of Li anode, hindering the commercial application of LOBs. Herein, a synergetic strategy is proposed, including the design of a stable Co3Ru cathode catalyst via d‐band center modulation and the construction of a robust LiF/Sn/Li5Sn2‐PFDTMS hybrid protective layer on Li anode. Theoretical calculations reveal that the negative shift of the d‐band center provides a dominant descriptor for improving the catalysis activity and stability of Ru‐based catalysts. In situ construction of the PFDTMS‐enhanced LiF/Sn/Li5Sn2 hybrid layer possesses excellent mechanical stability and toughness, which can effectively shield the Li anode from corrosive reaction and ensure good Li+ transport. Consequently, the LOBs exhibit a long cycle life of 990 cycles (≈1980 h). This work confers the concept for high‐performance LOBs via rationally constructing stable catalysts and Li anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PYCARD (PYD and CARD domain containing), a pivotal adaptor protein in inflammasome assembly and activation, contributes to innate immunity, and plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and restenosis. However, its roles in microRNA biogenesis remain unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the roles of PYCARD in miRNA biogenesis and neointima formation using pycard knockout (pycard−/−) mice. Deficiency of Pycard reduced circulating miRNA profile and inhibited Mir17 seed family maturation. The systemic pycard knockout also selectively reduced the expression of AGO2 (argonaute RISC catalytic subunit 2), an important enzyme in regulating miRNA biogenesis, by promoting chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA)-mediated degradation of AGO2, specifically in adipose tissue. Mechanistically, pycard knockout increased PRMT8 (protein arginine N-methyltransferase 8) expression in adipose tissue, which enhanced AGO2 methylation, and subsequently promoted its binding to HSPA8 (heat shock protein family A (Hsp70) member 8) that targeted AGO2 for lysosome degradation through chaperone-mediated autophagy. Finally, the reduction of AGO2 and Mir17 family expression prevented vascular injury-induced neointima formation in Pycard-deficient conditions. Overexpression of AGO2 or administration of mimic of Mir106b (a major member of the Mir17 family) prevented Pycard deficiency-mediated inhibition of neointima formation in response to vascular injury. These data demonstrate that PYCARD inhibits CMA-mediated degradation of AGO2, which promotes microRNA maturation, thereby playing a critical role in regulating neointima formation in response to vascular injury independently of inflammasome activity and suggest that modulating PYCARD expression and function may represent a powerful therapeutic strategy for neointima formation. Abbreviations: 6-AN: 6-aminonicotinamide; ACTB: actin, beta; aDMA: asymmetric dimethylarginine; AGO2: argonaute RISC catalytic subunit 2; CAL: carotid artery ligation; CALCOCO2: calcium binding and coiled-coil domain 2; CMA: chaperone-mediated autophagy; CTSB: cathepsin B; CTSD: cathepsin D; DGCR8: DGCR8 microprocessor complex subunit; DOCK2: dedicator of cyto-kinesis 2; EpiAdi: epididymal adipose tissue; HSPA8: heat shock protein family A (Hsp70) member 8; IHC: immunohistochemical; ISR: in-stent restenosis; KO: knockout; LAMP2: lysosomal-associated membrane protein 2; MAP1LC3/LC3: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3; miRNA: microRNA; NLRP3: NLR family pyrin domain containing 3; N/L: ammonium chloride combined with leupeptin; PRMT: protein arginine methyltransferase; PVAT: peri-vascular adipose tissues; PYCARD: PYD and CARD domain containing; sDMA: symmetric dimethylarginine; ULK1: unc-51 like kinase 1; VSMCs: vascular smooth muscle cells; WT: wild-type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute myocardial infarction (MI) is one of the leading causes of mortality around the world. Prunella vulgaris (Xia‐Ku‐Cao in Chinese) is used in traditional Chinese medicine practice for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. However, its active ingredients and mechanisms of action on cardiac remodeling following MI remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the cardioprotective effect of P. vulgaris on MI rat models. MI rats were treated with aqueous extract of P. vulgaris or phenolic acids from P. vulgaris, including caffeic acid, ursolic acid or rosmarinic acid, 1 day after surgery and continued for the following 28 days. Then the cardioprotective effect, such as cardiac function, inflammatory status, and fibrosis areas were evaluated. RNA‐sequencing (RNA‐seq) analysis, real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), western blotting, and ELISA were used to explore the underlying mechanism. In addition, ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometer analysis was used to identify the chemicals from P. vulgaris. THP‐1NLRP3‐GFP cells were used to confirm the inhibitory effect of P. vulgaris and phenolic acids on the expression and activity of NLRP3. We found that P. vulgaris significantly improved cardiac function and reduced infarct size. Meanwhile, P. vulgaris protected cardiomyocyte against apoptosis, evidenced by increasing the expression of anti‐apoptosis protein Bcl‐2 in the heart and decreasing lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in serum. Results from RNA‐seq revealed that the therapeutic effect of P. vulgaris might relate to NLRP3‐mediated inflammatory response. Results from real‐time PCR and western blotting confirmed that P. vulgaris suppressed NLRP3 expression in MI heart. We also found that P. vulgaris suppressed NLRP3 expression and the secretion of HMGB1, IL‐1β, and IL‐18 in THP‐1NLRP3‐GFP cells. Further studies indicated that the active components of P. vulgaris were three phenolic acids, those were caffeic acid, ursolic acid, and rosmarinic acid. These phenolic acids inhibited LPS‐induced NLRP3 expression and activity in THP‐1 cells, and improved cardiac function, suppressed inflammatory aggregation and fibrosis in MI rat models. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that P. vulgaris and phenolic acids from P. vulgaris, including caffeic acid, ursolic acid, and rosmarinic acid, could improve cardiac function and protect cardiomyocytes from ischemia injury during MI. The mechanism was partially related to inhibiting NLRP3 activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formononetin is a flavonoid compound with anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory properties. However, its low solubility limits its clinical use. We employed microfluidic technology to prepare formononetin-loaded PLGA-PEGDA microspheres (Degradable polymer PLGA, Crosslinking agent PEGDA), which can encapsulate and release drugs in a controlled manner. We optimized and characterized the microspheres, and evaluated their antitumor effects. The microspheres had uniform size, high drug loading efficiency, high encapsulation efficiency, and stable release for 35 days. They also inhibited the proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. The antitumor mechanism involved the induction of reactive oxygen species and modulation of Bcl-2 family proteins. These findings suggested that formononetin-loaded PLGA-PEGDA microspheres, created using microfluidic technology, could be a novel drug delivery system that can overcome the limitations of formononetin and enhance its antitumor activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interconnection between urbanization, the environment, and food security necessitates an exploration of their coupling coordination to advance the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals. However, limited research directly addresses the feasibility and strategies required to achieve such coordination. This study investigates the coupling coordination and spatial heterogeneity between urbanization, the environment, and food security in China from 2004 to 2020, employing the coupling coordination degree model, the spatial correlation model, the Dagum Gini coefficient, and the obstacle degree model. The results show that: (1) the level of coordinated development between urbanization, the environment, and food security in China has significantly increased, as evidenced by a remarkable rise in the coupling coordination degree; (2) a robust positive spatial correlation is observed in the coupling coordination degree, with "Low-Low" clusters predominantly concentrated in northwest China and "High-High" clusters primarily located in southeast China; (3) inter-regional differences are identified as the primary cause of this spatial heterogeneity; (4) food security has emerged as the foremost obstacle to coordinated development between urbanization, the environment, and food security in China. Optimizing the rational allocation of natural resources across different sectors, enhancing resource use efficiency, and strengthening environmental pollution control and management have been proven to be crucial measures and key strategies for promoting their coordinated development. This study provides a novel perspective on balancing the intricate relationship between urbanization, environmental protection, and food security, which is conducive to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matrix- and metal-free phosphorescence materials with long room-temperature lifetime and high-temperature phosphorescence properties have attracted tremendous attention but seldom reported. Herein, a universal fluorination strategy was proposed to obtain a series of matrix-free fluorinated boron nitride dots (F-BNDs) with markedly extended lifetime by constructing rigid F-induced hydrogen-bond networks. Miraculously, when the F-BNDs(e) were heated to 150 °C, the afterglow was temperature-controlled and still maintained with a lifetime as long as 0.25 s. In terms of their interesting phosphorescence properties, this work actually provides a guiding strategy to realize F-BND phosphorescence materials with time-resolved and temperature-controlled lifetime encoding characteristics. Widespread applications in higher-level information encryption, time-resolved information displaying, dynamic multidimensional anti-counterfeiting and colorless security ink were demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decades, resource-based cities have played a significant role in the development of countries worldwide. China, as a representative developing country, has seen the vital role played by resource-based cities in its development progress. However, heavy reliance on resources in these cities leads to environmental issues. The challenge lies in achieving ecological innovation and enhancing residents' well-being within resource and environmental constraints for sustainable regional development. This study introduces a two-stage super slacks-based measure (super-SBM) approach to assess the ecological efficiency (EE), ecological innovation (EI), and residents' well-being (RW) efficiency of 92 sample resource-based cities in China, and presents spatial and grouping comparisons. Then, the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis method (fsQCA) is applied to identify paths and development orientations for sustainable development. The results show that resource-based cities in southwest and northwest China exhibit strong performance in EE, EI, and RW, while those in the northeast perform poorly. Growth and maturity resource-based cities demonstrate favorable development in EE and EI, whereas recession and regeneration resource-based cities show unsatisfactory development. The RW efficiency tends to stabilize after the rapid growth of the 92 sample resource-based cities. The fsQCA reveals five paths to achieving high EE, three paths for high EI efficiency, and two paths for high RW efficiency. These paths can be categorized into four development orientations: scale-oriented, economic-oriented, integrated-oriented, and transformation-oriented. These results provide essential references for the development planning and strategic formulation not only in China but also in other similar resource-based cities globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emodin is applied as an antitumor drug in many tumor therapies. However, its pharmacology performances are limited due to its low solubility. Herein, we fused erythrocyte and macrophage to form a hybrid membrane (EMHM) and encapsulated emodin to form hybrid membrane-coated nanoparticles. We employed glycyrrhizin to increase the solubility of emodin first and prepared the hybrid membrane nanoparticle-coated emodin and glycyrrhizin (EG@EMHM NPs) which exhibited an average particle size of 170 ± 20 nm and encapsulation efficiency of 98.13 ± 0.67%. The half-inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of EG@EMHM NPs were 1.166 μg/mL, which is half of the free emodin. Based on the photosensitivity of emodin, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) results disclosed that ROS levels of the photodynamic therapy (PDT) section were higher than the normal section (P < 0.05). Compared to the normal section, PDT-mediated EG@EMHM NPs could induce an early stage of apoptosis of B16. The western blot and flow cytometry results verified that PDT-mediated EG@EMHM NPs can significantly improve the solubility of emodin and perform a remarkably antitumor effect on melanoma via BAX and BCL-2 pathway. The application of the combined chemical and PDT therapy could provide an improving target therapy for cutaneous melanoma and also may offer an idea for other insoluble components sources of traditional Chinese medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

26650 LiFePO4 battery, as an ideal energy storage battery for the smart grid system, has the shortcomings of fast aging speed and large dispersion of aging trend, which is the reason for accelerating the 26650 battery system aging. However, it is noted that the 26650 LiFePO4 battery with high aging trend dispersion shows the characteristics of grouping. Therefore, to prolong the 26650 battery system life, this paper proposes a state-of-charge (SOC) and state-of-health (SOH) double-layer equalization scheme for 26650 LiFePO4 batteries based on a multi-agent blackboard system (MABS) that utilizes these characteristics. Based on MABS, the battery units with similar SOH are clustered into a group by a hierarchical-clustering algorithm. Then, SOH balancing is performed by changing the depth of charge and discharge (DOD) between groups, and SOC balancing is performed within the group. MATLAB simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed scheme in ensuring the balance of battery charge and discharge and prolonging the life of the battery energy storage system (BESS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction (ECR) has the potential to generate low-carbon fuels that can alleviate energy scarcity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In this study, we prepared a range of Pb–Zn bimetallic catalysts with a core–shell structure using a simple chemical reduction technique based on the differing activity characteristics of the metals. The highest faradaic efficiency for formate (FEformate) was achieved using Pb3Zn1 as the catalyst, with a value of 95.3% at −1.26VRHE in an H-cell (0.5 M KHCO3) and a current density of 11.18 mA cm−2. Notably, in the flow-cell (1 M KOH), FEformate exceeded 90% across a wide potential window, with a maximum FEformate value of 98.4% being achieved. The excellent catalytic performance of the bimetallic catalyst is attributed to its larger specific surface area and faster ECR kinetics, and the synergistic interaction between Pb and Zn improves the selectivity for formate production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we will explore the expression profile of circular RNA (cRNA) in gastric cancer tissues and plasma in order to evaluate its potential as a molecular marker for the detection of gastric cancer. Additionally, we will research the expression profile of cRNA in normal gastric tissue. Reverse transcription drop digital polymerase chain reaction (RT ddPCR), circRNA expression profiling, the prediction of circRNA-microRNA interactions, the design of a method for RT ddPCR, as well as the analysis of clinicopathological factors and survival outcomes are all included in the recommended approach. The results of the research indicate that some circRNAs have a distinct expression pattern in the plasma and tissues of patients with gastric cancer. In addition, a quantitative RT ddPCR approach was created, and the identification of certain circRNAs that are connected with clinicopathological factors and prognosis was accomplished. The results of this study provide significant new insights into the ability of circRNAs to function not only as diagnostic markers but also as independent prognostic factors for gastric cancer. In addition, a dye-based RT ddPCR method is shown to be an effective and economical technique for the detection of plasma circRNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its atomically ultrathin morphology and superior optoelectronic properties, graphene has been broadly studied and utilized in phototransistors, photoconductors, or heterojunction nanostructures. However, in practical devices, the disadvantages of graphene should be concerned for its high dark current, very low on/off ratio, and high-priced fabrication cost. We report the photodetecting of the graphene/insulator/silicon heterojunction. The insulator layer is optimized to achieve balanced optoelectronic properties in terms of an Iph/Idark ratio of 4.17 × 103, a responsivity of 35 mA W−1, and a detectivity of 6.39 × 1010 Jones at a wavelength of 658 nm, with low operating voltage and static power dissipation (0.84 nW). Besides, response speed and degradation in the environment are tested. The mechanisms are revealed and analyzed by I-V measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultra-broadband high-performance photodetectors (PDs) are promising for diverse applications such as communication, imaging, environmental monitoring, and sensing. However, many PDs currently face issues of slow response speed, low sensitivity, poor air stability, and high energy consumption. In this work, we demonstrate a self-powered, broadband, and polarization-sensitive PD based on a ternary transition metal chalcogenide Nb2Pd3Se8 single crystal. The generation mechanism of photocurrent (PC) was confirmed by photoresponse measurements related to laser power and temperature. The Nb2Pd3Se8-based PD exhibits the maximum responsivity of 2.74 mA W−1 and a detectivity of 4.73 × 106 Jones with a 55–60 ms response time at 532 nm and high stability under ambient conditions over 6 months. Broadband detection capabilities from 365 nm to 10.6 μm are tested experimentally. Moreover, a strong polarization-sensitive PD with an anisotropic ratio of 1.42 is achieved. This work exhibits the enormous potential of Nb2Pd3Se8 for ultra-broadband, self-powered, polarization-sensitive, and air-stable PDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pollution of freshwater environments with microplastics (MPs) has attracted increasing attention owing to their threats to aquatic ecosystems and human health. Here, we sampled and analyzed MPs from mainstream, tributary, and backwater areas in the Wanzhou section of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in impoundment and flood periods. Microplastic pollution was the most severe in the backwater areas. The average abundance of MPs reached the highest value in the flood period (5.27±3.47×107 items km−2), which was 3–5 times that in the impoundment period. In the 0.3–5 mm size class, the 1–5 mm fraction was the most abundant, accounting for more than 81% in the flood period and 68% of the total MP particle abundance in the impoundment period in the mainstream and backwater areas. However, 0.3–1 mm MPs contributed more than 50% in the tributaries during the impoundment period. Polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyethylene MPs were detected in foam, fragment, sheet, and line-shaped MP particles. White, opaque, foamed polystyrene MPs contributed 32–81% to total MP particle abundance in the watershed. Microplastic particle surfaces showed signs of damage and oxidation, and ten different elements were found. Oxygen was clustered on the surface of foam and fragment MPs. Microplastic pollution was severe in the Wanzhou watershed. Especially in the backwater areas, oxidized MPs of variable shapes derived mainly from surface runoff in the flood period and sewage discharge in the impoundment period were abundant. The results of this study contribute to understanding seasonal pollution patterns and surface characteristics of MPs in the TGR and similar watersheds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is an aggressive cancer that has an extremely poor prognosis. As well as facilitating the detachment of cancer cells from the primary tumor site, anoikis plays an important role in cancer metastasis. Few studies to date, however, have examined the role of anoikis in LUAD, in patient prognosis. Methods: A total of 316 anoikis-related genes (ANRGs) integrated from Genecards and Harmonizome portals. LUAD transcriptome data were retrieved from the Genotype-Tissue Expression Project (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Anoikis-related prognostic genes (ANRGs) were primarily screened by univariate Cox regression. All ANRGs were included in the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) Cox regression model to construct the powerful prognostic signature. This signature was validated and assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method as well as univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Anoikis-related regulators of risk score were identified using a XG-boost machine learning model. The expression of ITGB4 protein was examined in a ZhengZhou University (ZZU) tissue cohort by immunohistochemistry, and the potential mechanisms of action of ITGB4 in LUAD were explored by GO, KEGG, and ingenuity pathway analyses and by GSEA. Results: A risk score signature was constructed based on eight ANRGs, with high risk scores found to closely correlate with unfavorable clinical features. ITGB4 expression may be associated with 5-year over survival, with immunohistochemistry showed that the expression of ITGB4 was higher in LUAD than in nontumor tissues. Enrichment analysis suggested that ITGB4 may promote LUAD development by targeting E2F, MYC, and oxidative phosphorylation signaling pathways. Conclusion: Our anoikis-related signature from RNA-seq data may be a novel prognostic biomarker in patients with LUAD. It may help physicians develop personalized LUAD treatments in clinical practice. Moreover, ITGB4 may affect the development of LUAD through the oxidative phosphorylation pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of tradeoffs/synergies among ecosystem services (ESs) is highly significant for land-use planning and regional ecosystem optimization. Land-use change and topographic factors have important implications for ESs. Strengthening the comparative analysis of the capacity of ESs provided by different land-use types in specific regions, studying the topographic gradient effects of ecosystem service trade-offs/synergies with slope changes, and identifying the dominate trade-off/synergy relationship among ESs will help us to carry out ecosystem regulation according to local conditions through land-use layout optimization at a fine scale. Our research site was located in the Dabie Mountains of western Anhui Province, China (DBM), where, based on the InVEST software, R language, self-organizing maps (SOM), and GeoDA, the temporal and spatial variations of five typical ESs, including food supply, soil retention, water yield, carbon storage, and biodiversity maintenance from 2005 to 2020, were analyzed, and spatial distributions of the different ESs clusters were also recognized by using the SOM method. Moreover, the impacts of land-use type and slope on ESs, and the characteristics of trade-offs/synergies among the five ESs, were discussed. Results showed, firstly, that the total values of ESs showed a changing trend of "three increases and two decreases" from 2005 to 2020. Among the ESs, food supply, soil retention and water yield showed upward trends, with annual growth rates of 2.83%, 6.50% and 2.98%, respectively, whereas carbon storage and biodiversity maintenance showed downward trends, with annual decline rates of 0.03% and 0.07%, respectively. Second, the results showed that the Moran's I index of the total ESs was 0.3995 in 2005 and 0.4305 in 2020, respectively, indicating that they had significant spatial clustering characteristics. The Low-Low clustering regions with reduced changes were mainly in the central and northern parts of the study area, whereas the High-High clustering regions with increased changes were found distributed mainly in the south of the study area. Thirdly, it was found that cropland and woodland were the main contributors to the total amounts of ESs, but the supply capacity of ESs per unit area of woodland was the largest, constituting nearly 1/3 of the total supply capacity of the ESs. Last, the slope effect on trade-offs and synergies was significant between typical ecosystem service pairs in the study area; trade-offs were the main relationships between the pairs of ESs in the study area, which accounted for nearly 60% of all types of trade-offs/synergies during the 15 years. In addition, the spatial distributions of the trade-offs/synergies between ESs pairs were visualized clearly, and the six ES bundles were identified by using the SOM method at the township administrative scale. The identification of ecosystem service bundles is of great significance for the division of ecological functional zones and ecological regulation in the DBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Uniaxial orientation and single-grain penetration of quasi-2D and 3D perovskite films were achieved via a general thermal-pressed (TP) strategy. The TP-perovskite-based self-powered photodetectors (SPPDs) exhibit one of the best results among the 3D and quasi-2D perovskite SPPDs, respectively. These unpackaged TP-based devices exhibit ultrahigh humidity, optical and heat stability. Organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite materials have been focusing more attention in the field of self-powered photodetectors due to their superb photoelectric properties. However, a universal growth approach is required and challenging to realize vertically oriented growth and grain boundary fusion of 2D and 3D perovskite grains to promote ordered carrier transport, which determines superior photoresponse and high stability. Herein, a general thermal-pressed (TP) strategy is designed to solve the above issues, achieving uniaxial orientation and single-grain penetration along the film thickness direction. It constructs the efficient channel for ordered carrier transport between two electrodes. Combining of the improved crystal quality and lower trap-state density, the quasi-2D and 3D perovskite-based self-powered photodetector devices (with/without hole transport layer) all exhibit giant and stable photoresponse in a wide spectrum range and specific wavelength laser. For the MAPbI3-based self-powered photodetectors, the largest Rλ value is as high as 0.57 A W−1 at 760 nm, which is larger than most reported results. Meanwhile, under laser illumination (532 nm), the FPEA2MA4Pb5I16-based device exhibits a high responsivity (0.4 A W−1) value, which is one of the best results in 2DRP self-powered photodetectors. In addition, fast response, ultralow detection limit, and markedly improved humidity, optical and heat stabilities are clearly demonstrated for these TP-based devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Illumination estimation is crucial for surface detection methods based on visual image reconstruction. The luminance of the machined surface topography with desertification fractal structure is difficult to accurately describe using existing illumination models, which depend on the macrosurface geometric features and reflection characteristics. Therefore, machined surface topography illumination model under coaxial light microscopic vision is proposed in this paper for the online detection of complex surfaces and special functional surface topography in the manufacturing field. Based on light scattering theory, the luminance of the surface topography is studied under the coaxial light microscopic vision; the influencing factors of luminance of surface topography are revealed and the illumination model of machined surface topography is established. The experimental results show that less calculation error occurs when using the proposed illumination model, which can be used to more accurately describe the luminance of machined surface topography. The research results will lay a foundation for online detection and monitoring of machined surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of Pb–Sn catalysts were synthesized via facile chemical reduction for electrocatalytic CO2 reduction (ECR). The optimized sample (Pb7Sn1) achieved 90.53% formate faradaic efficiency (FE) at a potential of −1.9 V vs. Ag/AgCl. Electrochemical and material evaluation reveals that its high performance can be attributed to the rich active sites exposed by the high specific surface area of the electrode. In addition, the synergy between Pb and Sn is also a strong contributor to the high selectivity of formate. This work provides some insights into the preparation of simple and efficient ECR catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioma, in which a malignant tumor cell occurs in neural mesenchymal cells, has a rapid progression and poor prognosis, which is still far from desirable in clinical treatments. We developed a lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device for the rapid and efficient preparation of vitexin/indocyanine green (ICG) liposomes. Vitexin could be released from liposome to kill cancer cell, which can potentially improve the glioma therapeutic effect and reduce the treatment time through synergistic photodynamic/photothermal therapies (PDT/PTT). The vitexin/ICG liposome was fabricated via LOC and its physicochemical property and release in vitro were evaluated. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method and live/dead staining were used to examine the enhanced antitumor effect of vitexin/ICG liposome in cooperation with PDT/PTT, while the related mechanism was explored by flow cytometry and western blot. The results were as follows: (1) The prepared vitexin/ICG liposome was smaller in size, homogenous in particle size distribution with significant low polydispersity index (PDI), and enhanced cumulative release in vitro. (2) We found that the formulated liposome presented strong cancer cell inhibition and suppression of its migration in a dose-dependent manner. (3) Further mechanistic studies showed that liposome combined with near-infrared irradiation could significantly upregulate levels of B cell lymphoma 2-associated X (Bax) protein and decrease B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) at protein levels. The vitexin/ICG liposomes prepared based on a simple LOC platform can effectively enhance the solubility of insoluble drugs, and the combined effect of PTT/PDT can effectively increase their antitumor effect, which provides a simple and valid method for the clinical translation of liposomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluoroelastomer (FKM) has been widely used in aerospace and some particular fields, whose aging is a key problem to influence the service life of the systems. The aging behaviors of FKM in the lubricating oil have been investigated in our previous study. In this work, the influence of intentionally aged or oxidized lubricating oil (A‐O) on the aging process of FKM is reported for the first time comparing with the situation in the fresh oil (F‐O). As the oil medium aged at 200°C for different time, its color, acid number and contact angle with FKM change evidently indicating possible oxidation might occur although the Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) has little change. Then, the influence of aged oil medium on the aging behaviors of FKM was further examined. Compared with F‐O, the aging process of FKM in A‐O was significantly accelerated as evidenced by FTIR, tensile strength, mass change, DMA, and macroscopic observation. With the increase of aging temperature from 150 to 200°C, the contrast between A‐O and F‐O conditions become more prominent. Specifically, at 200°C, the crosslinking density and tensile strength of FKM in A‐O decreased by 2.2 × 10−4 mol/cm3 and 2.5 MPa compared to that in F‐O, and the mass change reached to 3.8%, which might be due to the higher amount of oil medium by diffusion into the FKM matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epoxy resin (EPR) insulations play a vital role in the insulation of modern power electronic equipment owing to their excellent dielectric properties. However, due to the high‐power density and miniaturization of power equipment which causes high heat fluxes under high voltage and high‐frequency stresses, EPR with good thermal and insulation properties is urgently needed. In this study, the polydopamine functionalized micro‐BN and core‐shell nano TiO2–SiO2 particles are dispersed in EPR to simultaneously improve thermal and dielectric insulation properties. It is revealed that the addition of micro‐nano particles significantly improves the thermal and dielectric performance. Particularly, the high thermal conductivity of micro‐BN and the dielectric barrier effect due to the core‐shell structure of nano TiO2–SiO2 are the main reasons for improved thermal and dielectric insulation performance, respectively. The EPR composite containing 3 wt% of micro‐BN and 1 wt% of nano TiO2–SiO2 exhibits the optimal performance with 0.49 W/mK thermal conductivity and the highest dielectric strength among all the samples, that is, 60.61 kV/mm even at 10 kHz and 90°C. This study found that the crucial factors are the surface encapsulation, weight percent, and homogeneous dispersion of particles in EPR, the dielectric barrier effect, thermal conductivity, and the mismatch between the dielectric constant of EPR and particles. This study proposes the optimal weight percent of suitable micro‐nano particles for EPR to produce suitable composites for high‐frequency and high‐temperature applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MoS2 is considered as an ideal electrode material in the field of energy storage due to high theoretical specific capacity and unique layered structure. However, limited interlayer distance and poor intrinsic electrical conductivity restrict its potential real-world application. Herein, an alternately intercalated structure of MoS2 monolayer and N-doped porous carbon (NC) layer is grown on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) via a chemical intercalated strategy. The expanded interlayer distance of MoS2 (0.96 nm), enlarged by the intercalation of N-doped porous carbon layers, can enhance ion diffusion mobility, provide additional reactive sites for ion storage and maintain the stability of electrode structure. In addition, the hierarchical structures between rGO substrate and intercalated N-doped carbon layers construct a three-dimensional (3D) conductive network, which can significantly improve the electrical conductivity and the structural stability. As a result, the rGO-supported MoS2/NC electrode exhibits an ultrahigh reversible capacity and remarkable long cycling stability for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) and potassium-ion (PIBs). Meanwhile, the as-obtained MoS2/NC@rGO electrode also delivers a superior cycle performance of 250 mAh·g−1 after 160 cycles at 0.5 A·g−1 when employed as an anode for sodium-ion full cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Helwingia japonica (HJ), a traditional medicinal plant, is commonly used for the treatment of dysentery, blood in the stool, and scald burns. Three major HJ species, Helwingia japonica (Thunb.) Dietr. (QJY), Helwingia himalaica Hook. f. et Thoms. ex C. B. Clarke, and Helwingia chinensis Batal., share great similarities in both morphology and chemical constituents. The discrimination of medicinal plants directly affects their pharmacological and clinical effects. Here, we solved the taxonomy uncertainty of these three HJ species and explored the discrimination and study of other traditional medicines (TMs). Methods: First, the anti‐inflammatory effects of the three HJ species were compared using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced inflammatory responses in mouse leukemia cells of monocyte macrophage (RAW) 264.7 cells. Then, plant metabolomics were performed in 48 batches of samples to discover chemical markers for discriminating different HJ species. Finally, network pharmacology was applied to explore the linkages among constituents, targets, and signaling pathways. Results: In vitro experiments showed that the QJY exhibited the most potential anti‐inflammatory activities. Meanwhile, 172 compounds were tentatively identified and eight metabolites with higher relative content in QJY were designated as chemical markers to distinguish QJY and the other two species. According to the property of absorbed in vivo, threonic acid, arginine, and tyrosine were selected to construct a component–target–pathway network. The network pharmacology analysis confirmed that the chemotaxonomy differentiation was consistent with the bioactive assessment. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that bioactivity evaluation integrated with plant metabolomics and network pharmacology could be used as an effective approach to discriminate different TMs and discover the active compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the research on the prediction of the remaining useful life (RUL) of machinery mainly focuses on multi-sensor feature extraction and then uses the features to predict RUL. In complex operations and multiple abnormal environments, the impact of noise may result in increased model complexity and decreased accuracy of RUL predictions. At the same time, how to use the sensor characteristics of time is also a problem. To overcome these issues, this paper proposes a dual-channel long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network model. Compared with the existing methods, the advantage of this method is to adaptively select the time feature and then perform first-order processing on the time feature value and use LSTM to extract the time feature and first-order time feature information. As the RUL curve predicted by the neural network is zigzag, we creatively designed a momentum-smoothing module to smooth the predicted RUL curve and improve the prediction accuracy. Experimental verification on the commercial modular aerospace propulsion system simulation (C-MAPSS) dataset proves the effectiveness and stability of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating evidence has implicated that berberine (BBR) has a beneficial effect on diabetic kidney disease (DKD), but its mechanism is not clear. The aim of this study was to assess whether berberine could alleviate tubulointerstitial fibrosis and attenuate epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and its possible molecular mechanism. High-fat diet (HFD) followed by injection of STZ was used to induce diabetic rats in vivo. After the onset of diabetes, rats were treated with either BBR or saline for 12 weeks. In vitro, the human renal proximal tubular epithelial cell line (HK-2) was exposed to high glucose, with or without BBR. The influence of berberine on renal tubulointerstitial histological changes, markers of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and (NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing protein 3) NLRP3 inflammasome expression were examined. Results showed that in vivo, BBR could significantly ameliorate microalbumin and renal pathologic changes in diabetic rats. Immunofluorescence showed that BBR could inhibit EMT. Furthermore, BBR could down-regulate the level of the NLRP3 inflammasome in diabetic rats. Consistently, in vitro, BBR suppressed high glucose-induced EMT and activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in HK-2. Our study demonstrated that BBR could inhibit high glucose-induced EMT and renal interstitial fibrosis by suppressing the NLRP3 inflammasome. BBR might be used as a novel drug to ameliorate tubulointerstitial fibrosis in DKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports an enhancement of the nonlinear conductivity, thermal and mechanical properties of micro-silicon carbide/silicone elastomer (m-SiC/SE) composites by adding nano-aluminum nitride (n-AlN) for power module encapsulation applications. The electrical properties (such as nonlinear conductivity characteristics and transient permittivity obtained from polarization current, and trap distributions obtained from thermally stimulated depolarization current) and material properties (including thermo-gravimetric analysis, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), and thermal conductivity, tensile strength, strain at break and Young’s modulus) of the pure SE, m-SiC/SE microcomposites, m-SiC/n-AlN/SE hybrid composites are investigated. The effect of the m-SiC fillers and n-AlN fillers on physicochemical properties of the SE matrix is analyzed by FT-IR spectroscopy and crosslinking degree. The measured nonlinear conductivity and transient permittivity are used for electric field simulation under DC stationary and square voltages. It is found that the addition of n-AlN fillers in the SE hybrid composite improves the nonlinear conductivity characteristics and mitigates the electric field under DC stationary and square voltages, compared to the SE microcomposite. Furthermore, the m-SiC/n-AlN/SE hybrid composite has a higher thermal degradation temperature, thermal conductivity, tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and crosslinking degree than the SE microcomposite, whereas their CTE and strain at break are lower. It is elucidated that the m-SiC/n-AlN/SE hybrid composite with enhanced nonlinear conductivity and material properties is a promising packaging material for high-voltage power modules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor mutational burden (TMB) is an emerging predictive marker of response to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies. We evaluated the correlation between clinical indicators and high‐throughput sequencing results and TMB in lung adenocarcinoma patients, with the aim of finding simpler and more economical factors as surrogate markers for TMB. The medical records, next‐generation sequencing data, and immunohistochemistry results of 340 lung adenocarcinoma patients who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between 2019 and 2020 were collected. The mutated genes were screened for, and the obtained mutated genes were subjected to functional enrichment analysis using R software. A protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was also constructed, and significant modules in the network were identified. Gene Ontology (GO) analyses were performed for the core genes. Univariate and multivariate correlation analyses were performed to judge the correlation between gene mutations and TMB. Genes with a junction mutation rate >1 were selected to construct PPI network and 13 high‐connection core genes were screened. The results of GO enrichment analysis showed that the biological processes related to mutant core genes mainly included mitotic cell cycle and cell aging. Subsequently, ATM (p = 0.006) and PIK3CA (p = 0.008) mutation positivity were identified by univariate and multivariate correlation analysis, while TP53 (p = 0.003) and EGFR (p = 0.008) mutation negativity were significantly associated with elevated TMB. The results of this study demonstrate that ATM‐ and PIK3CA‐positive and EGFR‐negative mutation status are strongly associated with high levels of TMB and have the potential to be predictive biomarkers of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in lung adenocarcinoma patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To prepare polyethylene glycol succinate-vitamin E modified pinocembrin (PCB)-loaded liposomes (PCBT-liposomes) and evaluate PCBT-liposomal pharmacokinetics and antihyperglycemic activity. The novel PCBT-liposomes demonstrated a promising application prospect as a nano drug carrier for future research. Thin film dispersion was used to prepare PCBT-liposomes. We measured a series of characterization, followed by in vitro cumulative release, in vivo pharmacokinetic study, and antihyperglycemic activity evaluation. PCBT-liposomes displayed spherical and bilayered nanoparticles with mean particle size (roughly 92 nm), negative zeta potential (about −26.650 mV), high drug encapsulation efficiency (87.32 ± 1.34%) and good storage (at 4 or 25 °C) stability during 48 h after hydration. The cumulative release rate of PCBT-liposomes was markedly higher than free PCB in four different pH media. In vivo investigation showed that PCBT-liposomes could obviously improve oral bioavailability of PCB by 1.96 times, whereas the Cmax, MRT0–t, and T1/2 of PCBT-liposomes were roughly 1.700 ± 0.139 µg·mL−1, 12.695 ± 1.647 h, and 14.244 h, respectively. In terms of biochemical analysis, aspartate amino-transferase (AST), alanine amino-transferase (ALT), interleukin-1 (IL-1), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentrations in serum of diabetic mice were respectively decreased 28.28%, 17.23%, 17.77%, and 8.08% after PCBT-liposomal treatment. These results show PCBT-liposomal preparation as an excellent nano-carrier which has the potential to improve water solubility, bioavailability, and antihyperglycemic activity of PCB, amid broadening the application of PCB in the clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: CO2 reduction to produce value‐added chemicals/fuels is generally considered as an effective way to solve the energy crisis and global warming. However, the greatest challenge to the technology is the lack of high‐performance catalysts as this process is quite sluggish under mild conditions. Herein, we have carefully prepared a series of bimetallic PbxCdy nanoparticles (NPs) as well as their monometallic counterparts via a facile chemical reduction. Electrocatalytic performances of obtained catalysts were evaluated with respect to chemical composition, electrolytic potential, and so on. All of them exhibit high performance and achieve high faradaic efficiency for HCOOH production (FEHCOOH) over a voltage window of −1.16 to −1.26 V vs the reversible hydrogen electrode (VRHE). Among them, Pb3Cd1 achieved a maximum FEHCOOH of 96% at −1.16 VRHE and a desirable stability over 12 hours of continuous electrolysis. The excellent performance of Pb3Cd1 can be attributed to the huge specific area of NPs and the synergistic effect of the components. This study shows that efficient bimetallic PbxCdy electrocatalysts have a large application potential for highly selective HCOOH production from CO2. Highlights: Bimetallic PbCd nanoparticles were synthesized by facile chemical reduction for electrocatalytic CO2 reduction.PbCd nanocatalysts performed well in highly active, selective, and stable HCOOH electrosynthesis from aqueous CO2.Pb3Cd1 achieved maximum HCOOH faradaic efficiency of 96% at −1.16 VRHE, a record as far as we know.A stable current density (>7 mA cm−2) can be kept after a 12‐hours continuous electrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pinocembrin (PCB) is 5,7-dihydroxyl flavanone and has multiple pharmacological activities, namely, anti-inflammation, anti-osteoporotic, and so on. However, low water solubility and bioavailability have hindered its application. Herein, we aimed to increase its bioavailability through preparation of F127/MPEG-PDLLA polymer micelles (PCB-M). We characterized the micelles through appropriate attributes such as analysis of particle size (PS), polydispersity (PDI), transmission electron microscopic (TEM) image, stability test, and evaluation of in vitro release of drug. After physical characterization, the respective PS, PDI, and entrapment efficiency (EE) of PCB-M were estimated to be 27.63 ± 0.17 nm, 0.055 ± 0.02, and 90.53 ± 0.01%. Fluorescence probe method was employed to measure critical micelle concentration (CMC) of PCB-M, we observed CMC was low, thereby suggesting that PCB-M had good stability. In vitro release analysis indicated that the rate of cumulative PCB release from PCB-M was greater than 90% in each medium compared with free PCB, which was less than 40%, thus pointing to a significantly improved solubility of PCB. In vivo pharmacokinetic results showed that oral biological availability of PCB-M increased 5.3 folds comparable to free PCB. The effects of PCB on osteoblasts and ALP activities were investigated; subsequently, zebrafish osteoporotic model was established with prednisolone to study the anti-osteoporotic effects of PCB and PCB-M. The results showed that PCB improved osteoporosis with PCB-M being more effective than free PCB. Finally, PCB-M can be used as a promising method to improve the solubility of PCB, while the bioavailability and anti-osteoporotic effect of PCB could be improved, thus laying a foundation for clinical use in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electron collection efficiency (CE) of the photomultiplier tube based on microchannel plates (MCP-PMT) is limited by the MCP open area fraction. Coating MCP with a high secondary yield material is supposed to be an effective approach to improve CE. Both typical and coated MCP-PMTs are developed. A relative measurement method is proposed to characterize the collection efficiency performance. Results show that the PMT based on the coated MCPs has a significant improvement on CE, a good gain uniformity and a high precise energy resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a neuronal transmembrane protein, leucine‐rich repeat and fibronectin type‐III domain‐containing protein 2 (LRFN2) can recruit and combine with N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptors (NMDARs) to promote nerve growth. Genetic studies suggest that mutations in LRFN2 are associated with various cancers. However, the role and mechanism of LRFN2 in the progression of ESCC have not been elucidated. In this study, we demonstrated that LRFN2 was significantly downregulated in ESCC tissues by qRT‐PCR and immunohistochemistry. Low LRFN2 expression was an adverse prognostic factor in patients with ESCC. Overexpression of LRFN2 effectively suppressed the proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that Wnt/β‐catenin signaling regulation was one of the most potential mechanisms and studies confirmed that overexpression of LFRN2 obviously downregulated the expression of β‐catenin, c‐Myc, and cyclin D1 in ESCC cells and tumor tissues. Further studies revealed that LRFN2 plays an anti‐ESCC role by binding with NMDAR‐GRIN2B and this effect can be weakened by NR2B‐selective NMDA antagonist‐NMDA‐IN‐1. Moreover, the bioinformatics analysis showed that the interaction of GRIN2B and GSK3β affects the NF‐κB pathway, which was demonstrated by western blot experiments. Collectively, our results indicate that LRFN2 binding to NMDARs inhibits the progression of ESCC by regulating the Wnt/β‐catenin and NF‐κB pathway, which provides a new therapeutic target for improving the prognosis of patients with ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperoside (Hyp) self-assembled polymeric micelles (Hyp-PMs) were purposely developed to enhance aqueous solubility, in vivo availability and anti-oxidative effect of Hyp. In preparing Hyp-PMs, we employed the thin film dispersion method with the micelles consisting of TPGs and mPEG2000-PDLLA3000. The particle size, polydispersity index and zeta potential of Hyp-PMs were 67.42 ± 1.44 nm, 0.229 ± 0.015 and −18.67 ± 0.576 mV, respectively, coupled with high encapsulation efficiency （EE）of 90.63 ± 1.45% and drug loading (DL) of 6.97 ± 1.56%. Furthermore, the value of critical micelle concentration (CMC) was quite low, which indicated good stability and improved self-assembly ability of Hyp-PMs. Also, trend of in vitro Hyp release from Hyp-PMs demonstrated enhanced solubility of Hyp. Similarly, in comparison with free Hyp, oral bioavailability of Hyp-PMs was improved (about 8 folds) whilst half-life of Hyp-PMs was extended (about 3 folds). In vitro anti-oxidative effect showed obvious strong scavenging DPPH capability of Hyp-PMs, which may be attributed to its smaller size and better solubility. Altogether, Hyp-PMs may serve as a possible strategy to potentially enhance aqueous solubility, bioavailability and anti-oxidative effect of Hyp, which may play a key role in Hyp application in the pharmaceutical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the retention ability of anthraquinones and flavonoids on high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) column and improve chromatographic performance, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were bound to the surface of silica spheres via amide bonding using a chemical synthesis method. Three hybrid fillers were prepared by varying the amount of MWCNTs added, and the stationary phases were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The successful preparation of the mixed stationary phases was demonstrated by comparing the changes in the surface of silica spheres before and after bonding and the changes in the absorption peaks of specific functional groups. The mixed stationary phases were filled in the empty column of the HPLC. The results of this study indicate that the columns can be prepared by CNTs@SiO2 to improve or broaden the chromatographic performance of the stationary phase and obtain better separation of the compounds. This thesis provides an idea for improving chromatographic performance with a view to playing a better role in the application of compound separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the obstruction and heterogeneity of the blood-brain barrier, the clinical treatment of glioma has been extremely difficult. Isoliquiritigenin (ISL) exhibits antitumor effects, but its low solubility and bioavailability limit its application potential. Herein, we established a nanoscale hybrid membrane-derived system composed of erythrocytes and tumor cells. By encapsulating ISL in hybrid membrane nanoparticles, ISL is expected to be enhanced for the targeting and long-circulation in gliomas therapy. We fused erythrocytes with human glioma cells U251 and extracted the fusion membrane via hypotension, termed as hybrid membrane (HM). HM-camouflaged ISL nanoparticles (ISL@HM NPs) were prepared and featured with FT-IR, SEM, TEM, and DLS particle analysis. As the results concluded, the ISL active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) were successfully encapsulated with HM membranes, and the NPs loading efficiency was 38.9 ± 2.99% under maximum entrapment efficiency. By comparing the IC50 of free ISL and NPs, we verified that the solubility and antitumor effect of NPs was markedly enhanced. We also investigated the mechanism of the antitumor effect of ISL@HM NPs, which revealed a marked inhibition of tumor cell proliferation and promotion of senescence and apoptosis of tumor cells of the formulation. In addition, the FSC and WB results examined the effects of different concentrations of ISL@HM NPs on tumor cell disruption and apoptotic protein expression. Finally, it can be concluded that hybridized membrane-derived nanoparticles could prominently increase the solubility of insoluble materials (as ISL), and also enhance its targeting and antitumor effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports an enhancement of the electrical properties of micro-silicon carbide/silicone elastomer (m-SiC/SE) composites by adding nano-aluminum nitride (n-AlN) for the next-generation power module encapsulation applications. The electrical properties, such as nonlinear conductivity, DC breakdown strength, dielectric spectroscopy, and thermally stimulated discharge current, of the pure SE, m-SiC/SE microcomposite, and m-SiC/n-AlN/SE hybrid composites added with 1 wt%, 3 wt%, and 5 wt% n-AlN fillers are investigated. The m-SiC/n-AlN/SE hybrid composites exhibit better nonlinear conductivity characteristics and enhanced DC breakdown strength than the m-SiC/SE microcomposite. Amongst all materials, the 3 wt% n-AlN addition in the hybrid composite has the best enhancement effect on the nonlinear conductivity characteristics and DC breakdown strength. However, it has the lowest low-frequency real and imaginary permittivities among the SE micro and hybrid composites. Furthermore, a m-SiC/n-AlN heterogenous interface model is proposed to explain the mechanism of enhanced electrical properties of the m-SiC/n-AlN/SE composites. It is found that higher m-SiC/n-AlN heterogenous interface barriers are constructed after adding n-AlN fillers, thereby inhibiting the charge carrier transport at low electric fields. In contrast, more conductive paths are activated at high electric fields by the contacted m-SiC fillers via n-AlN fillers, promoting the charge carrier transport at high electric fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Hydrophobic pinocembrin (PCB) was incorporated into a new nano-drug delivery system to enhance solubility, bioavailability and anti-hyperuricemic activity of the drug. Methods: We fabricated PCB loaded polymeric micelles (PCB-FPM) by thin film dispersion method and appropriately determined their physical characteristics. The oral relative bioavailability and anti-hyperuricemic activity of PCB-FPM and free PCB were observed. Results: The optimum particle size of the micelles was 19.90 ± 0.93 nm. PCB-FPM exhibited great stability within 18 days, coupled with lower cytotoxicity and higher biocompatibility. Moreover, the percent cumulative release of PCB-FPM was much higher than free PCB in the dissolution media. The oral bioavailability of PCB-FPM was increased by 2.61 times compared with free PCB. Uric acid (UA) level of rats was reduced in PCB-FPM group (200 mg/kg) by 78.82% comparable to the model control. Conclusion: PCB-FPM may become an ideal strategy to increase oral in-vivo availability and anti-hyperuricemic activity of PCB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]