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Consumers' growing awareness of environmental protection and carbon regulations enacted by the government based on strengthened environmental pressure are forcing manufacturers to curb carbon emissions. This paper considers a manufacturer investing in green technology to reduce carbon emissions under the cap-and-trade regulation, selling products to consumers through a direct channel and an online retail platform. The platform could choose to operate either in an agency mode or a reselling mode. A three-stage game is constructed to examine the interactions between the manufacturer's investment and the platform's operation mode under the cap-and-trade regulation, as well as the influences of the regulation on the interactions, and the supply chain coordination. The findings suggest that green technology investment in either operation mode leads to Pareto improvement in profits of both the platform and the manufacturer, and the investment induces the platform to prefer the reselling mode. Besides, the cap-and-trade regulation encourages the platform to opt for the agency mode, while the investment could mitigate the influence of the regulation on the platform's mode choice, with greater investment efficiency resulting in better mitigation. Furthermore, the investment could induce supply chain coordination under two modes through two different contracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the optimal vehicle fleet planning and collaboration problem for a fuel vehicle (FV) transport service provider, a commercial electric vehicle (CEV) transport service provider, and a carbon emission treatment agency under carbon neutrality. The FV transport service provider pays a fixed fee or a portion of its sales revenue to a carbon emission treatment agency in exchange for technology to reduce its carbon emissions, and it can adopt three strategies (i.e., no emission reduction, purchasing technology for emission reduction, and entrusting a carbon emission treatment agency). We derive each party's optimal fleet size, price, and profit in the three scenarios. Our results suggest that carbon emission reduction strategies may improve the market performance of the FV transport service provider. Then, we find no certain strategy is always preferable to another: the optimal cooperation strategy between the transport service provider and carbon emission treatment agency depends on the fixed technology fee, ratio of revenue sharing, government penalty, the transport service market potential, and consumer green preference, as well as the cost per CEV. This paper gives the transport service provider and carbon emission treatment agency a full picture of whether, when, and how to collaborate in green commerce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to optimize the polysaccharides extraction process from the peels of Akebia trifoliate, and evaluate its in vitro antioxidant and hypoglycemic activity. The ultrasonic-assisted extraction process of polysaccharides from the peels of Akebia trifoliate was optimized using single-factor combined with orthogonal experiment. The antioxidant activity of polysaccharides from the peels of Akebia trifoliate was investigated by using DPPH radical scavenging rate and total reducing ability as the indicators. The hypoglycemic activity of polysaccharides from the peels of Akebia trifoliate was explored using α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition rate as the indicators. The results demonstrated that the optimal ultrasonic-assisted extraction process of polysaccharides from the peels of Akebia trifoliate was ultrasound power 280 W, ultrasound time 60 min, extraction temperature 50 °C, solid-liquid ratio 1:40 g/mL, respectively. Under the optimal process condition, the extraction rate of polysaccharides from the peels of Akebia trifoliate was 5.91%±0.20%. Within the measured concentration range, polysaccharides from the peels of Akebia trifoliate had the preferable DPPH radical scavenging and reducing ability. In addition, the IC50 values of polysaccharides from the peels of Akebia trifoliate and VC for scavenging DPPH free radicals were 0.329 and 0.077 mg/mL, separately. The IC50 values of polysaccharides from the peels of Akebia trifoliate for inhibiting α-glucosidase and α-amylase activity were 0.386 and 0.307 mg/mL, respectively. This research proved that the polysaccharides from the peels of Akebia trifoliate extracted by this optimal process had better in vitro antioxidant and hypoglycemic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rosa roxburghii (R. roxburghii), native to the southwest provinces of China, is a fruit crop of important economic value in Guizhou Province. However, the changes in fruit quality and flavor during R. roxburghii fruit ripening have remained unknown. Here, this study investigated the changes of seven active components and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the ripening of the R. roxburghii fruit at five different ripening stages including 45, 65, 75, 90, and 105 days after anthesis. The results indicated that during the ripening process, the levels of total acid, vitamin C, and soluble sugar significantly increased (p < 0.05), while the levels of total flavonoids, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and soluble tannin significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Additionally, the content of total phenol exhibited a trend of first decreasing significantly and then increasing significantly (p < 0.05). A total of 145 VOCs were detected by HS-SPME-GC-MS at five mature stages, primarily consisting of aldehydes, alcohols, esters, and alkenes. As R. roxburghii matured, both the diversity and total quantity of VOCs in the fruit increased, with a notable rise in the contents of acids, ketones, and alkenes. By calculating the ROAV values of these VOCs, 53 key substances were identified, which included aromas such as fruit, citrus, green, caramel, grass, flower, sweet, soap, wood, and fat notes. The aromas of citrus, caramel, sweet, and wood were predominantly concentrated in the later stages of R. roxburghii fruit ripening. Cluster heatmap analysis revealed distinct distribution patterns of VOCs across five different maturity stages, serving as characteristic chemical fingerprints for each stage. Notably, stages IV and V were primarily characterized by a dominance of alkenes. OPLS-DA analysis categorized the ripening process of R. roxburghii fruit into three segments: the first segment encompassed the initial three stages (I, II, and III), the second segment corresponded to the fourth stage (IV), and the third segment pertained to the fifth stage (V). Following the variable importance in projection (VIP) > 1 criterion, a total of 30 key differential VOCs were identified across the five stages, predominantly comprising ester compounds, which significantly influenced the aroma profiles of R. roxburghii fruit. By integrating the VIP > 1 and ROAV > 1 criteria, 21 differential VOCs were further identified as key contributors to the aroma changes in R. roxburghii fruit during the ripening process. This study provided data on the changes in quality and aroma of R. roxburghii fruit during ripening and laid the foundation for the investigation of the mechanism of compound accumulation during ripening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we used the Sanya Incoherent Scatter Radar (SYISR) to observe the altitude profiles of traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) during a moderate magnetic storm from 13 to 15 March 2022. Three TIDs were recorded, including two large-scale TIDs (LSTIDs) and one medium-scale TID (MSTID). These LSTIDs occurred during the storm recovery phase, characterized by periods of ~110–155 min, downward phase velocities of 22–60 m/s, and a relative amplitude of 17–25%. A nearly vertical front was noted at ~350–550 km, differing from AGW theory predictions. This structure is more attributed to the combined effects of sunrise-induced electron density changes and pre-sunrise uplift. Moreover, GNSS observations linked this LSTID to high-latitude origins, indicating a connection to polar magnetic storm excitation. However, the second LSTID was observed at lower altitudes (150–360 km) with a higher elevation angle (~17°). This LSTID, observed by the SYISR, was absent in the GNSS data from mainland China and Japan, suggesting a potential local source. The MSTID exhibited a larger relative amplitude of 29–36% at lower altitudes (130–210 km) with severe upward attenuation. The MSTID may be related to atmospheric gravity waves from the lower atmosphere. AGWs are considered to be the perturbation source for this MSTID event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amidst escalating global concerns over climate change and the pressing need for sustainable development, this study conducts a comparative analysis across 24 nations that have successfully achieved carbon peaking, evaluating their socioeconomic characteristics and carbon reduction strategies. Simultaneously, it examines China's policy evolution and strategic responses within the context of its economic and urban development. The analysis reveals that countries with successful carbon peak outcomes typically exhibit high GDP per capita and advanced urbanization rates. Critical to their success are comprehensive adjustments in energy consumption structures and industrial transformation, which are supported by robust environmental policies and technological innovation. The study categorizes global carbon reduction policies into three primary categories and seven sub-categories, reflecting the dynamic evolution of policy approaches driven by global climate agendas and varying stages of national development. Strategies including legal frameworks, carbon pricing mechanisms, international cooperation, and technological innovation are critically assessed for their potential to refine China's carbon policies. Significant challenges in policy implementation are identified, particularly in aligning ambitious environmental strategies with economic objectives and managing transition costs in critical sectors such as energy and transportation. The study emphasizes the necessity of a phased policy implementation approach, which begins with enhancing public and corporate environmental awareness, advances through the promotion of low-carbon technologies, and concludes with the establishment of stringent legal and regulatory frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible multiplexing chips that permit reconfigurable multidimensional channel utilization are indispensable for revolutionary 6G terahertz communications, but the insufficient manipulation capability of terahertz waves prevents their practical implementation. Herein, we propose the first experimental demonstration of a flexible multiplexing chip for terahertz communication by revealing the unique mechanism of topological phase (TP) transition and perseveration in a heterogeneously coupled bilayer valley Hall topological photonic system. The synthetic and individual TPs operated in the coupled and decoupled states enable controllable on-chip modular TP transitions and subchannel switching. Two time-frequency interleaved subchannels support 10- and 12-Gbit/s QAM-16 high-speed data streams along corresponding paths over carriers of 120 and 130 GHz with 2.5- and 3-GHz bandwidths, respectively. This work unlocks interlayer heterogeneous TPs for inspiring ingenious on-chip terahertz-wave regulation, allowing functionality-reconfigurable, compactly integrated and CMOS-compatible chips. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Revealing the structure–property relationships is crucial for promoting the development of photochromic materials and achieving the desired function in practical applications. Herein, a series of triphenylethylene photochromic materials (TP, TP-F, TP-Cl and TP-Br) have been synthesized and their photochromic properties were investigated. Monohalogenated TP-F, TP-Cl and TP-Br display obvious photochromic behaviors in solution, the solid state and polymer film. It is found that the halogen atoms with weak electron withdrawing ability can dramatically enhance the photocolorabilities of triphenylethylene. Moreover, TP-Cl and TP-Br exhibit different fatigue processes from TP-F. The further characterization reveals that the key factor leading to the diverse photochromic properties is cis/trans isomerization of triphenylethylene. The coloration of triphenylethylene mainly comes from the photo-triggered cyclization of cis-isomers. The initial attenuation of TP-Cl and TP-Br under UV irradiation is mostly caused by cis–trans photoisomerization, rather than the oxygen-involved photooxidation reactions. Based on the controllable "turn-on" and "turn-off" photobehaviors, TP-Cl and TP-Br were applied in the photoswitchable patterns, showing an enhanced signal-to-background ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolutionary analysis showed that the GF14 family was conserved, however, there was limited evidence linking GF14s to plant height. In our investigations, we discovered a co-expression relationship between ZmGF14s and functionally characterized genes linked to plant height. In the co-expression network, we identified ZmGF14-3, a gene expression exhibiting a positive correlation with plant height in three maize varieties, we postulated that this gene could be intimately linked to plant height development. Subsequently, we cloned ZmGF14-3 from the maize B73 inbred line and overexpressed it in Arabidopsis, resulting in markedly dwarfed transgenic phenotypes. Measurements of endogenous phytohormones disclosed a significant reduction in concentrations of Gibberellic Acid 7 (GA7) and Indole-3-Acetic Acid (IAA) in the overexpressed Arabidopsis, furthermore, qPCR results highlighted a pronounced decrease in the expression levels of plant height-related genes when compared to the wild type, therefore, it is plausible to posit that ZmGF14-3 plays a pivotal role in regulating the growth and development of maize through interactions with various phytohormone-related genes. Thus, delving into the potential interactions between ZmGF14-3 and these genes holds the promise of yielding valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underpinning plant height development in maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We hypothesized that early intra-central nervous system (CNS) responses in a murine model of decompression sickness (DCS) would be reflected by changes in the microparticles (MPs) that exit the brain via the glymphatic system, and due to systemic responses the MPs would cause inflammatory changes lasting for many days leading to functional neurological deficits. Elevations on the order of threefold of blood-borne inflammatory MPs, neutrophil activation, glymphatic flow, and neuroinflammation in cerebral cortex and hippocampus were found in mice at 12 days after exposure to 760 kPa of air for 2 h. Mice also exhibited a significant decline in memory and locomotor activity, as assessed by novel object recognition and rotarod testing. Similar inflammatory changes in blood, neuroinflammation, and functional impairments were initiated in naïve mice by injection of filamentous (F-) actin-positive MPs, but not F-actin-negative MPs, obtained from decompressed mice. We conclude that high pressure/decompression stress establishes a systemic inflammatory process that results in prolonged neuroinflammation and functional impairments in the mouse decompression model. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: Elevated glymphatic flow due to astrocyte and microglial activation from high-pressure exposure triggers release of microparticles (MPs) to the circulation where neutrophil activation and production of filamentous (F)-actin expressing MPs result in a persistent feed-forward neuroinflammatory cycle and functional deficits lasting for at least 12 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the first-ever complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequence of Oxytropis ochrocephala Bunge 1874, a member of the Fabaceae family. The cp genome spans 126,996 base pairs and includes 109 genes, comprising 76 protein-coding genes, 29 tRNA genes, and four rRNA genes. Notably, the genome lacks an inverted repeat (IR) region. Additionally, we constructed phylogenetic trees for 34 species within Trib. Galegeae, employing both maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) methods. These analyses robustly support the monophyly of the Oxytropis species, evidenced by high bootstrap values (BP = 100) and posterior probabilities (PP = 1). Within this clade, O. ochrocephala exhibits a sister relationship with other Oxytropis species. Our findings provide valuable insights into the genetic makeup and evolutionary relationships of O. ochrocephala within the Galegeae tribe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study mainly investigates the relationship between class environment and attitudes towards inclusive education (IE) in China, with consideration of the impact of relevant background factors including grade, experiences of disability, academic level, area (rural vs. urban), family socio-economic status (SES), being a student leader and gender. A sample of primary school students (N = 1158) was recruited to complete a questionnaire with four scales to respectively measure students' perceptions of attitude towards inclusive education, their class environments, academic achievement level, and family SES, with a set of single-measure questions regarding other background variables. Results revealed that students who perceived class environments with better student-student relationships, better teacher-student relationships, and better discipline and order had more positive attitudes towards IE. The association between the other two class environment variables (competition and learning burden) and attitude towards IE were not significant. Students who self-reported as having disabilities held more positive attitudes towards IE than their peers. Among the background factors examined in this study, only the effect of gender on students' attitudes towards IE is significant. Last, this study also made discussion on constructing inclusive classrooms or communities for China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obesity affects approximately 800 million people worldwide and may contribute to various diseases, especially cardiovascular and cerebrovascular conditions. Fat distribution and content represent two related yet distinct axes determining the impact of adipose tissue on health. Unlike traditional fat measurement indices, which often overlook fat distribution, the Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI) is a novel metric used to assess visceral fat accumulation and associated health risks. Our objective is to evaluate its association with the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Methods: A nationwide longitudinal study spanning 9 years was conducted to investigate both the effects of baseline CVAI levels (classified as low and high) and dynamic changes in CVAI over time, including maintenance of low CVAI, transition from low to high, transition from high to low, and maintenance of high CVAI. Continuous scales (restricted cubic spline curves) and categorical scales (Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariable Cox regression analyses) were utilized to evaluate the relationship between CVAI and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Furthermore, subgroup analyses were conducted to investigate potential variations. Results: Totally 1761 individuals (22.82%) experienced primary outcomes among 7717 participants. In the fully adjusted model, for each standard deviation increase in CVAI, there was a significant increase in the risk of primary outcomes [1.20 (95%CI: 1.14–1.27)], particularly pronounced in the high CVAI group [1.38 (95%CI: 1.25–1.54)] compared to low CVAI group. Regarding transition patterns, individuals who consistently maintained high CVAI demonstrated the highest risk ratio compared to those who consistently maintained low CVAI [1.51 (95%CI: 1.31–1.74)], followed by individuals transitioning from low to high CVAI [1.22 (95% CI: 1.01–1.47)]. Analysis of restricted cubic spline curves indicated a positive dose-response relationship between CVAI and risk of primary outcomes (p for non-linear = 0.596). Subgroup analyses results suggest that middle-aged individuals with high CVAI face a notably greater risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in contrast to elderly individuals [1.75 (95% CI: 1.53–1.99)]. Conclusion: This study validates a significant association between baseline levels of CVAI and its dynamic changes with the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Vigilant monitoring and effective management of CVAI significantly contribute to early prevention and risk stratification of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pine wilt disease (PWD), caused by pine wood nematodes, has brought a great loss in ecology and economy all over the world. In China, the forest health status is also significantly affected by PWD since 1980, especially in coniferous forests and mixed forest regions. The PWD spreads very fast and can cause a healthy pine wood tree to die within a very short time. An effective way to protect other healthy pine wood trees is to discover PWD trees early. Using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) images can help people discover the PWD tree quickly and accurately, and a few automatical methods have been developed to monitor PWD trees including the deep learning methods. Because of the robust spatial-temporal transferability, deep learning methods have become the mainstream algorithms to monitor PWD trees. As we know, the training dataset is the most important material to train a deep learning model. However, there is still a lack of a PWD segmentation dataset so far. To fill this gap, in this paper, we have generated the first open-sourced PWD segmentation dataset based on very high-resolution UAV images to help the community conduct PWD monitor research conveniently. This dataset has 994 training samples, and each sample has visible bands with 512 × 512 pixels, and the spatial resolution of this dataset is 0.05 m. In order to train an advanced segmentation model, we have designed a lightweight deep-learning model for mobile devices or edge devices in this manuscript, named MobileSeg. The main feature of MobileSeg is its decoupling, which uses the re-parameterization technology to improve the model performance. Finally, a large-scale real-world scenario experiment with very high-resolution UAV images was utilized to validate the performance of MobileSeg, the experiment result indicated that MobileSeg has achieved the best performance compared with the recent lightweight segmentation models, and the experiment also proved the effectiveness of the proposed PWD dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese government initiated a pilot program to implement supported employment for people with disabilities in 2014. Since then, policies have been enacted to promote supported employment. This study explored how practitioners understand and implement supported employment for people with disabilities in China. It was found that non-governmental service organizations have mainly implemented supported employment with financial support provided by local disabled persons' federations; without a governmental guide, the small-scale folk practice presented many difficulties and unstable factors. Results indicated that the Chinese government should actively establish and improve the supported employment system and further expand supported employment practices at the governmental level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T cells play critical role in multiple immune processes including antigen response, tumor immunity, inflammation, self-tolerance maintenance and autoimmune diseases et. Fetal liver or bone marrow-derived thymus-seeding progenitors (TSPs) settle in thymus and undergo T cell-lineage commitment, proliferation, T cell receptor (TCR) rearrangement, and thymic selections driven by microenvironment composed of thymic epithelial cells (TEC), dendritic cells (DC), macrophage and B cells, thus generating T cells with diverse TCR repertoire immunocompetent but not self-reactive. Additionally, some selfreactive thymocytes give rise to Treg with the help of TEC and DC, serving for immune tolerance. The sequential proliferation, cell fate decision, and selection during T cell development and self-tolerance establishment are tightly regulated to ensure the proper immune response without autoimmune reaction. There are remarkable progresses in understanding of the regulatory mechanisms regarding ubiquitination in T cell development and the establishment of self-tolerance in the past few years, which holds great potential for further therapeutic interventions in immune-related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To confirm that CrCEST in muscle exhibits a slow‐exchanging process, and to obtain high‐resolution amide, creatine (Cr), and phosphocreatine (PCr) maps of skeletal muscle using a POlynomial and Lorentzian Line‐shape Fitting (PLOF) CEST at 3T. Methods: We used dynamic changes in PCr/CrCEST of mouse hindlimb before and after euthanasia to assign the Cr and PCr CEST peaks in the Z‐spectrum at 3T and to obtain the optimum saturation parameters. Segmented 3D EPI was employed to obtain multi‐slice amide, PCr, and Cr CEST maps of human skeletal muscle. Subsequently, the PCrCEST maps were calibrated using the PCr concentrations determined by 31P MRS. Results: A comparison of the Z‐spectra in mouse hindlimb before and after euthanasia indicated that CrCEST is a slow‐exchanging process in muscle (<150.7 s−1). This allowed us to simultaneously extract PCr/CrCEST signals at 3T using the PLOF method. We determined optimal B1 values ranging from 0.3 to 0.6 μT for CrCEST in muscle and 0.3–1.2 μT for PCrCEST. For the study on human calf muscle, we determined an optimum saturation time of 2 s for both PCr/CrCEST (B1 = 0.6 μT). The PCr/CrCEST using 3D EPI were found to be comparable to those obtained using turbo spin echo (TSE). (3D EPI/TSE PCr: (2.6 ± 0.3) %/(2.3 ± 0.1) %; Cr: (1.3 ± 0.1) %/(1.4 ± 0.07) %). Conclusions: Our study showed that in vivo CrCEST is a slow‐exchanging process. Hence, amide, Cr, and PCr CEST in the skeletal muscle can be mapped simultaneously at 3T by PLOF CEST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heterostructure integration of nanostructures, which can involve higher freedom of degree by applying two or more materials into one integrated photonic or electromagnetic devices, attracted extensively increasing attention among the communities of electrons, photonics, materials science, and engineering. However, it is still a challenging topic to realize heterostructure integration with accurate micro–nano-scale geometry in a large area. Here, we propose the secondary-deposited elevated self-assembling nanosphere lithography for large-area heterostructure integration of plasmonic metasurface. As the proof of concept, an infrared metasurface composed of Au–Ag crescent pairs is realized in the practice. By adjusting the evaporation angle, crescent pairs with different morphologies can be freely machined without changing masks. Optical characterization and numerical results show that the heterostructure crescent-pair metasurface owns uniform and stable geometrical properties and flexible capability on infrared optical field modulation. Our work enriches the degree of freedom of nano-structure-based optical devices and paves the heterostructure integrated metasurface to potential industrial applications with large dimension, low cost, and fast production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-pot synthesis of a novel mesoporous hydroxyl oxidize iron functional Na-zirconium phosphate (FeOOH-NaZrH(PO4)2·H2O) composites was firstly characterized and investigated its Co(II) adsorption from aqueous solution. Compared to NaZrH(PO4)2·H2O (65.7 mg⋅g−1), the maximum Co(II) adsorption capacity of FeOOH-NaZrH(PO4)2·H2O was improved to be 95.1 mg⋅g−1. BET verified the mesoporous structures of FeOOH-NaZrH(PO4)2·H2O with a larger pore volume than NaZrH(PO4)2·H2O. High pH values, initial Co(II) concentration, and temperature benefited the Co(II) adsorption. Kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamics indicated an endothermic, spontaneous chemisorption process. FeOOH-NaZrH(PO4)2·H2O has a better Co(II) adsorption selectivity than that of NaZrH(PO4)2·H2O. In particular, FeOOH-NaZrH(PO4)2·H2O exhibited an outstanding reusability after ten cycles of tests. The main possible mechanism for adsorbents uptake Co(II) involved in ion exchange, electrostatic interaction, and -OH, Zr-O bond coordination based on FTIR and XPS analysis. This work presents a feasible strategy to prepare novel modified zirconium phosphate composites for extracting Co(II) from solutions and providing a new insight into the understanding of Co(II) adsorption in the real nuclear Co(II)-containing wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of CEST‐based creatine (Cr) mapping in brain at 3T using the guanidino (Guan) proton resonance. Methods: Wild type and knockout mice with guanidinoacetate N‐methyltransferase deficiency and low Cr and phosphocreatine (PCr) concentrations in the brain were used to assign the Cr and protein‐based arginine contributions to the GuanCEST signal at 2.0 ppm. To quantify the Cr proton exchange rate, two‐step Bloch–McConnell fitting was used to fit the extracted CrCEST line‐shape and multi‐B1 Z‐spectral data. The pH response of GuanCEST was simulated to demonstrate its potential for pH mapping. Results: Brain Z‐spectra of wild type and guanidinoacetate N‐methyltransferase deficiency mice show a clear Guan proton peak at 2.0 ppm at 3T. The CrCEST signal contributes ∼23% to the GuanCEST signal at B1 = 0.8 μT, where a maximum CrCEST effect of 0.007 was detected. An exchange rate range of 200–300 s−1 was estimated for the Cr Guan protons. As revealed by the simulation, an elevated GuanCEST in the brain is observed when B1 is less than 0.4 μT at 3T, when intracellular pH reduces by 0.2. Conversely, the GuanCEST decreases when B1 is greater than 0.4 μT with the same pH drop. Conclusions: CrCEST mapping is possible at 3T, which has potential for detecting intracellular pH and Cr concentration in brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moiré quantum materials host exotic electronic phenomena through enhanced internal Coulomb interactions in twisted two-dimensional heterostructures1–4. When combined with the exceptionally high electrostatic control in atomically thin materials5–8, moiré heterostructures have the potential to enable next-generation electronic devices with unprecedented functionality. However, despite extensive exploration, moiré electronic phenomena have thus far been limited to impractically low cryogenic temperatures9–14, thus precluding real-world applications of moiré quantum materials. Here we report the experimental realization and room-temperature operation of a low-power (20 pW) moiré synaptic transistor based on an asymmetric bilayer graphene/hexagonal boron nitride moiré heterostructure. The asymmetric moiré potential gives rise to robust electronic ratchet states, which enable hysteretic, non-volatile injection of charge carriers that control the conductance of the device. The asymmetric gating in dual-gated moiré heterostructures realizes diverse biorealistic neuromorphic functionalities, such as reconfigurable synaptic responses, spatiotemporal-based tempotrons and Bienenstock–Cooper–Munro input-specific adaptation. In this manner, the moiré synaptic transistor enables efficient compute-in-memory designs and edge hardware accelerators for artificial intelligence and machine learning.We report the experimental realization and room-temperature operation of a low-power (20 pW) moiré synaptic transistor based on an asymmetric bilayer graphene/hexagonal boron nitride moiré heterostructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two isostructural lanthanide complexes were synthesized by solvent evaporation with 3-dimethylaminobenzoic acid and 5,5′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine as ligands. The general formula of the structure is a [Ln(3-N,N-DMBA)3(5,5′-DM-2,2′-bipy)]2·2(3-N,N-DMHBA), Ln = (Gd(1), Tb(2)), 3-N,N-DMBA = 3-Dimethylamino benzoate, 5,5′-DM-2,2′-bipy = 5,5′-dimethyl-2,2′ bipyridine. Both complexes exhibited dimeric structures based on X-ray diffraction analysis. At the same time, infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy were used to measure the spectra of the complex. A thermogravimetric infrared spectroscopy experiment was performed to investigate the thermal stability and decomposition mechanism of the complexes. Measurements of the low-temperature heat capacity of the complexes were obtained within the temperature range of 1.9 to 300 K. The thermodynamic function was calculated by heat capacity fitting. In addition, the fluorescence spectra of complex 2 were studied and the fluorescence lifetime values were determined, and the energy transfer mechanism of complex 2 was elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a common complication of premature infants, is mainly characterized by blocked alveolarization. Proverbially, the injury of alveolar type II epithelial cells is regarded as the pathologic basis of occurrence and development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. In the case of alveolar epithelial damage, alveolar type II epithelial cells can also differentiate to alveolar type I epithelial cells as progenitor cells. During bronchopulmonary dysplasia, the differentiation of alveolar type II epithelial cells becomes abnormal. Group 2 innate lymphoid cells can produce type 2 cytokines in response to a variety of stimuli, including the epithelial cytokines IL-25, IL-33, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin. Previous studies have shown that group 2 innate lymphoid cells can inhibit the alveolarization process of bronchopulmonary dysplasia by secreting IL-13. However, whether group 2 innate lymphoid cells can affect the differentiation of alveolar type II epithelial cells in the pathologic process of bronchopulmonary dysplasia remains unclear. In this study, we have shown that IL-13 secreted by group 2 innate lymphoid cells increased during bronchopulmonary dysplasia, which was related to the release of large amounts of IL-33 by impaired alveolar type II epithelial cells. This led to abnormal differentiation of alveolar type II epithelial cells, reduced differentiation to alveolar type I epithelial cells, and increased transdifferentiation to mesenchymal cells through the epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Taken together, our study provides a complementary understanding of the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and highlights a novel immune mechanism in the pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. The injured alveolar type II epithelial cells secrete a large amount of IL-33, activating group 2 innate lymphoid cells to produce the type 2 cytokine IL-13, which induces the abnormal differentiation of alveolar type II epithelial cells, inhibiting the process of alveolarization and ultimately leading to the occurrence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compared newly developed delayed‐release oral tablets (test) of 30‐mg nifedipine (NFP) with its marketed counterpart (30 mg; reference) in healthy adult Chinese volunteers to assess the former's bioequivalence. This was a randomized, open‐label, four‐period, crossover trial study including fasting and fed trials. The participants were randomly administered test or reference formulations (1:1 ratio) throughout each period, with a 7‐day washout period. In the next session, they were administered the alternate products. Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and WinNonlin software were used to evaluate the bioequivalence of the maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) of NFP and the area under the concentration–time curve (AUC). In total, 46 and 48 people participated in the fasting and postprandial trials. In both groups, the 90% confidence intervals of geometric mean ratios of Cmax, AUC from time zero to time t, and AUC from time zero to infinity were in the equivalence range (80%–125%). When NFP was administered concomitantly with a high‐fat meal, time to maximum concentration was approximately twofold earlier, absorption was approximately 4.8% less, and Cmax exhibited a slight change relative to those under fasting conditions. Moreover, no serious adverse events were recorded in the participants. The present findings confirm the bioequivalence of test and reference formulations of NFP tablets under fasting and postprandial conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma is an emerging technology applied in multiple industries in recent years. In this work, DBD plasma was used instead of a traditional heating activation catalyst and applied in the field of rice bran oil (RBO) conjugation. Linoleic acid (LA) in rice bran oil generated a series of compounds with π‐double bonds at the basic site of the catalyst and finally shed with the catalyst to produce conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Ru‐Pd/USY was prepared by the primary wet impregnation method, and Ru‐Pd/USY was treated at a power of 180 W, a discharge time of 150 s and an electrode spacing of 2.5 cm. The Ru‐Pd/USY morphology and internal composition were analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The catalyst was isomerised with RBO in a supercritical CO2 environment, and the conversion of linoleic acid (LA) in Pd‐Ru/USY RBO after DBD treatment reached 67.4 ± 0.8%, and the finished oil met the edible standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the precision and efficiency of result prediction, we proposed a parallel hard-constraint physics-informed neural networks (phPINN) by combining the parallel fully-connected neural network structure and the residual-based adaptive refinement method. We discussed the forward and inverse problems of the nonlinear Schrödinger–Maxwell–Bloch equation via the phPINN. In the forward problem, we predict five forms of soliton solutions and rogue wave dynamics under corresponding initial and boundary conditions; In the inverse problem, we predict the equation parameter using the training data with different noise intensities, initial values, and solution forms. The predicted parameters achieve a relative error of less than 1%. These results validate the effectiveness of the phPINN algorithm in solving forward and inverse problems of three-component coupled equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fall armyworm (FAA) Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) has caused considerable losses in grain production and is primarily controlled by chemical insecticides. However, frequent use of insecticides leads to the development of resistance. Cytochrome P450 in insects plays a crucial role in the detoxification of insecticides. CYP9F1 expression has been found to be induced significantly by chlorantraniliprole. However, the regulatory mechanism of CYP9F1 expression has yet to be elucidated. In this study, a target of isolated miR-23a was located in the 3' UTR of CYP9F1 in the FAA. Luciferase reporter assays showed that miR-23a could bind to the 3' UTR of CYP9F1 and suppress its expression via a site in the FAA. Injected miR-23a agomir significantly reduced CYP9F1 abundance, also improving chlorantraniliprole susceptibility, while injected miR-23a antagomir significantly improved CYP9F1 abundance and thus reduced chlorantraniliprole susceptibility in FAA larvae. These results provide a basis for research on the posttranscriptional regulatory mechanism(s) of CYP9F1 and will help further study the function of miRNAs in regulating susceptibility to chlorantraniliprole in the FAA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geometric phase metasurfaces, as one of the main branches of meta‐optics, have attracted enormous interest in the last two decades. Recently, through rotating a set of subwavelength dipole sources, geometric phase concept has been extended to near‐field regime for the control of surface plasmons (SPs). Despite this progress, puzzles and shortcomings still exist: it is curious that geometric phases equal to once and twice the rotation angle of dipole source are both reported for SP controls, and the control strategies examined thus far only work for a single wavelength. Hereby, a rigorous derivation of the SP excitation of dipole sources upon circularly polarized illumination is performed, and the rotation dependence and in‐plane coordinate correlation of geometric phase control of SPs is clarified. Moreover, a holographic approach is proposed to implement multiplexed geometric phase control, experimentally demonstrating several metalenses that can couple and steer the incident circular polarizations of four wavelengths and two spin directions to different SP focusing beams. This work will pave an avenue toward the development of integrated and multiplexed SP devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the predictive value of neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR), serum calcium, and serum albumin on the prognosis of patients with diabetic foot. A total of 156 patients who were treated in the Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from 1 January 2014 to 1 August 2020 were selected. All the patients were randomly divided into a healing group, minor amputation group, major amputation group, and death group according to their treatment outcomes. The levels of NLR, serum calcium and serum albumin in each group were examined and compared. The correlations between NLR, serum calcium, and serum albumin with the prognosis of diabetic foot were analysed to investigate their predictive effects on the prognosis of diabetic foot. The results of one‐way ANOVA showed that among the 4 groups of patients, the difference in NLR values between the healing group and the minor amputation group was slightly smaller, but they were significantly different from the major amputation group and the death group, respectively. There was no significant difference in serum calcium levels between the healing group and the minor amputation group, but the serum calcium levels of the major amputation group and the death group gradually decreased. The levels of NLR in the 4 groups gradually increased, while the albumin levels gradually decreased. Spearman's rank correlation test indicated that NLR was significantly related to the prognosis of patients with diabetic foot. The group with higher NLR had a worse prognosis in diabetic foot patients. Serum calcium and serum albumin were strongly correlated with the prognosis of patients with diabetic foot. The group with lower serum calcium and serum albumin values had a worse prognosis in diabetic foot patients. The areas under the receiver operator characteristic curve of NLR, serum calcium and serum albumin were 0.901, 0.803, and 0.816, respectively. NLR, serum calcium and serum albumin can be used as reliable indicators to predict the prognosis of diabetic foot. Preoperative diabetic foot patients with higher NLR values or lower serum calcium and serum albumin have a poorer prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spacetime light cone is central to the definition of causality in the theory of relativity. Recently, links between relativistic and condensed matter physics have been uncovered, where relativistic particles can emerge as quasiparticles in the energy-momentum space of matter. Here, we unveil an energy-momentum analogue of the spacetime light cone by mapping time to energy, space to momentum, and the light cone to the Weyl cone. We show that two Weyl quasiparticles can only interact to open a global energy gap if they lie in each other's energy-momentum dispersion cones–analogous to two events that can only have a causal connection if they lie in each other's light cones. Moreover, we demonstrate that the causality of surface chiral modes in quantum matter is entangled with the causality of bulk Weyl fermions. Furthermore, we identify a unique quantum horizon region and an associated 'thick horizon' in the emergent causal structure. Causality, the relationship between cause and effect, is a central concept in Einstein's theory of relativity. Here, authors show that a causality analogue in energy-momentum space plays an important role in describing quasiparticle interactions in quantum matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optically transparent antennas have attracted increasing interest in recent years. However, the inherent ohmic loss of transparent conductor used in antennas will always introduce degradation of radiation efficiency. It is of most importance to find the optimization between the material loss and radiation efficiency. In this paper, we design and experimentally demonstrate a high-performance optically transparent dual-polarized cross dipole antenna over 3.4-3.8 GHz for 5G wireless communication based on the characteristic analysis of surface current distribution. By making current distribution uniform on the radiators and reducing the current on the ground, the mutual coupling between the elements is alleviated, and the radiation efficiency can be optimized. The proposed antenna is fabricated with 0.118-Ohm/sq meshed metal, and the optical transparency of antenna is 81%. The proposed antenna achieves a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of less than 1.3, radiation efficiency of 72% (84% of pure copper), and a peak gain of 4.5 dBi (5.1 dBi of pure copper). Compared to current state-of-arts, the proposed antenna exhibits better performance of the figure of merit (FOM) in terms of the bandwidth, optical transparency, and radiation efficiency. Our work paves the way to diverse application of beyond-5G wireless communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cost and contamination are the bottleneck problems for the replacement of antibiotics with fermented feed. A strain of lactic acid bacteria was isolated and screened from acidified apple juice and identified as Pediococcus acidilactici using morphological, physiological, and biochemical tests and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The strain was combined with Bacillus subtilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae to ferment raw corn–soybean meal, and the two-stage fermentation process was optimized with a single-factor test, orthogonal test, and response surface methodology. Compared with unfermented raw material, the protein content of fermented feed was increased by 5.21 percentage points (p < 0.05) and the total amino acids were increased by 3.7 percentage points (p < 0.05), making it rich in amino acids essential for pigs. The high-throughput sequencing results showed that, at the species level, the highest relative abundances of bacteria in the fermentation system were those of Pediococcus acidilactici and Bacillus subtilis, and the most abundant fungi was Saccharomyces cerevisiae. No pathogenic bacteria, such as Salmonella, were detected in the fermentation system. This paper provides a feasible scheme for cheap preparation of an alternative to antibiotics, fermented feed, with uncooked raw materials. It has positive significance for promoting high-value utilization of agricultural and sideline products and improving feed cost-effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The radar constant calibration in incoherent scatter radar ion line processing is essential for the data quality and was not paid enough attention in previous studies. In this investigation, based on several experiments made by the newly built Sanya incoherent scatter radar (SYISR), we made and evaluated the ion line calibration by plasma line both in case study and statistically. The calibration factor had local time and altitude variations, due to the corresponding variations of the transmitted power, the radar gain, and the noise temperature. We obtained a mean calibration factor of 1.35 by the simultaneous measured plasma line and ion line electron density and applied it to a one-month ion line observation calibration. Through a co-located ionosonde measured foF2 evaluation, the calibration decreased the mean deviation from −1.92 MHz (−18%) to −0.33 MHz (−3%), which resulted in much better agreement between the ion line foF2 after calibration and the ionosonde results. The existed deviations between after calibration and ionosonde results were due to the uncertainties either in the used calibration factor or the ionosonde measurements. An empirical Te/Ti usage in raw electron density estimation and ignoring the seasonal and short-term variations of the effecting factors might influence the calibration performance. Using the to-be-completed SYISR Tristatic System, the performance of plasma line calibration technique is expected to be improved in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ideal outcome of wound healing is the complete restoration of the structure and function of the original tissue. Stem cells are one of the key factors in this process. Currently, the strategy of periodontal regeneration based on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is generally used to expand stem cells in vitro and then transplant them in vivo. However, their clinical application is limited. In fact, the human body has the capacity to regenerate through stem cells residing in different tissues, even without external therapeutic intervention. Stem cell niches are present in many adult tissues, such as the periodontal ligament and gingiva, and stem cells might remain in a quiescent state in their niches until they are activated in response to a regenerative need. Activated stem cells can exit the niche and proliferate, self-renew, and differentiate to regenerate original structures. Thus, harnessing the regenerative potential of endogenous stem cells in situ has gained increasing attention as a simpler, safer, and more applicable alternative to stem cell transplantation. Nevertheless, there are several key problems to be solved in the application of periodontal mesenchymal stem cells. Thus, animal studies will be especially important to deepen our knowledge of the in vivo mechanisms of mesenchymal stem cells. Studies with conditional knockout mice, in which the expression of different proteins can be eliminated in a tissue-specific manner, are especially important. Post-natal cells expressing the paired-related homeobox protein 1 (PRX1 or PRRX1), a transcription factor expressed in the mesenchyme during craniofacial and limb development, have been shown to have characteristics of skeletal stem cells. Additionally, following wounding, dermal Prx1+ cells are found out of their dermal niches and contribute to subcutaneous tissue repair. Postnatal Prx1+ cells are uniquely injury-responsive. Meanwhile, current evidence shows that Prx1+ cells contribute to promote dentin formation, wound healing of alveolar bone and formation of mouse molar and periodontal ligament. Initial result of our research group also indicates Prx1-expressing cells in bone tissue around the punch wound area of gingiva increased gradually. Collectively, this review supports the future use of PRX1 cells to stimulate their potential to play an important role in endogenous regeneration during periodontal therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers a parking slot assignment problem in a sharing economy where parking slots are spatially heterogeneous. When buyers (i.e., the slot users) park and take their cars in the reserved parking slots, environment externalities are created. We incorporate the externality costs in our winner determination model and construct a padding-based Vickrey-Clarke-Groves (PV) double auction where each buyer submits an XOR bid on his/her desired parking slots at the same price. In the PV double auction, the padding intuition is adopted on either the supply or demand side. We then propose a padding-based shadow price (PS) double auction by integrating the padding method with the shadow price method. Due to the rises in buying prices and declines in selling prices, the PS double auction is likely to realize higher auctioneer's payoff. Both PV and PS double auctions achieve incentive compatibility, individual rationality, budget balance and asymptotical efficiency. Our numerical experiments demonstrate that the proposed double auctions can realize high efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence points to the indispensable function of alveolar macrophages (AMs) in normal lung development and tissue homeostasis. However, the importance of AMs in bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) has not been elucidated. Here, we identified a significant role of abnormal AM proliferation and polarization in alveolar dysplasia during BPD, which is closely related to the activation of the IL‐33‐ST2 pathway. Compared with the control BPD group, AMs depletion partially abolished the epithelialmesenchymal transition process of AECII and alleviated pulmonary differentiation arrest. In addition, IL‐33 or ST2 knockdown has protective effects against lung injury after hyperoxia, which is associated with reduced AM polarization and proliferation. The protective effect disappeared following reconstitution of AMs in injured IL‐33 knockdown mice, and the differentiation of lung epithelium was blocked again. In conclusion, the IL‐33‐ST2 pathway regulates AECII transdifferentiation by targeting AMs proliferation and polarization in BPD, which shows a novel strategy for manipulating the IL‐33–ST2‐AMs axis for the diagnosis and intervention of BPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, environmental issues are of concern to all countries, especially for developing countries, and education on waste sorting is urgent. However, it remains a challenge to improve students' learning achievement and engagement in environmental education. Researchers have pointed out the potential of digital games for promoting students' learning motivation. In addition, the two-tier testing mechanism has been recognized as an effective tool for correcting students' misconceptions and promoting their in-depth thinking. Therefore, this study proposed a two-tier testing-based digital gaming approach. To verify the effectiveness of the approach, a digital game was developed and a quasi-experiment was conducted. The participants were two classes of fifth graders, with one class as the experimental group using the two-tier test-based digital game and the other class as the control group learning with the conventional digital game. The results showed that the digital game-based learning with two-tier testing model was conducive to students' improved academic performance compared with the conventional digital game-based learning model, especially for students in the low-level group, who were able to make greater progress. In addition, the approach was effective in terms of reducing students' cognitive load and improving their flow experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The aim of this study was to examine serum leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2) levels in osteoporosis subjects to confirm its association with osteoporosis. Methods A total of 204 adult subjects were recruited. Bone mineral densities (BMD) were assessed and blood samples were collected for measurements of biomedical parameters and the bone turnover markers. Serum LECT2 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The relationships between serum LECT2 levels and other parameters were analyzed using the Spearman correlation coefficient. Results Serum LECT2 levels were significantly increased in osteoporosis subjects over controls. We found a significantly negative correlation of serum LECT2 with BMD, 25-hydroxy-vitamin D, and creatinine and a significantly positive correlation with C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen and total cholesterol. Conclusion Serum LECT2 levels were significantly upregulated in osteoporosis subjects and correlated with the severity of bone loss. Serum LECT2 could be a potential biomarker to assess the risk of bone loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emergent axion electrodynamics in magneto-electric media is expected to provide novel ways to detect and control material properties with electromagnetic fields. However, despite being studied intensively for over a decade, its theoretical understanding remains mostly confined to the static limit. Here, we introduce a theory of axion electrodynamics at general frequencies. We define a proper optical axion magneto-electric coupling through its relation to optical surface Hall conductivity and provide ways to calculate it in lattice systems. By employing our formulas, we show that axion electrodynamics can lead to a significant Kerr effect in thin-film antiferromagnets at wavelengths that are seemingly too long to resolve the spatial modulation of magnetism. We identify the wavelength scale above which the Kerr effect is suppressed. Our theory is particularly relevant to materials like MnBi2Te4, a topological antiferromagnet whose magneto-electric response is shown here to be dominated by the axion contribution even at optical frequencies. Electromagnetic response of topological materials is described the so called axion electrodynamics which contains additional relations between the fields. Here the authors extend the theory of axion electrodynamics to general optical frequencies and apply it to a realistic topological antiferromagnet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on China's potato staple food policy, we chose potatoes as a study case to analyze the following indicators—the virtual new nitrogen factor (VNNF), the virtual new phosphorus factor (VNPF), the virtual irrigation-water (IW) factor (VIWF), the virtual total water (IW + precipitation) factor (VTWF), and the virtual greenhouse gas (GHG) emission factor (VCF) of the potatoes consumed by households in the six potato cultivation regions—by reviewing 220 publications from 2000 to 2020. The results showed that the VNNF ranged between 17.8 ± 7.8 and 30.1 ± 17.0 kg N kg−1 N in the consumed potato, the VNPF ranged between 8.4 ± 5.0 and 18.8 ± 11.3 kg P kg−1 P in the consumed potato, the VIWF ranged between 0.3 ± 1.0 and 1.8 ± 1.4 m3 IW kg−1 for the consumed standard yield (except in the three mainly rainfed potato regions), the VTWF ranged between 4.8 ± 2.2 and 9.3 ± 3.7 m3 total water kg−1 for the consumed standard yield, and the VCF ranged between 3.4 ± 1.5 and 5.9 ± 2.4 kg CO2 equivalent kg−1 for the consumed standard yield, under the conventional practice in the six potato cultivation regions. The normalization score results indicate that the northeast, northwest, southwest, and south of China are relatively more suitable regions in which to plant potatoes, based on the VNNF, VNPF, VIWF or VTWF, and VCF indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employing stakeholder signaling theory and legitimacy theory, this study seeks to resolve the nexus between corporate social responsibility (CSP) and corporate financial performance (CFP). This study focuses on the investors' response and assumes that investors may read the CSP reports through various media and obtain the cognition and attitudes of the firms involved. Therefore, media legitimacy works as an important mediator between CSP and CFP. This paper categorizes CSP into three dimensions: market CSP, environmental CSP, and social CSP. In addition, we categorize media legitimacy into two dimensions: visibility and valence (tone). We study the mediating effects of both visibility and valence for 86 listed firms in China's markets. The results show that media legitimacy does mediate the relationship between CSP and CFP. Furthermore, the mediating mechanisms differ among market CSP, environmental CSP, and social CSP. The results have important implications for theory and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a correction notice for an article titled "Chinese visceral adiposity index and its transition patterns: impact on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in a national cohort study" published in the journal Lipids in Health & Disease. The correction is regarding the first author's surname, which should be "Zhihan Lyu" instead of the previously published name. The original article has been updated to reflect this correction. The publisher, Springer Nature, maintains a neutral stance on jurisdictional claims and institutional affiliations. The authors of the article are Zhihan Lyu, Yunxi Ji, Su Xu, Chenyi Li, and Wenwei Cai. [Extracted from the article]

METTL3-mediated RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent modification that participates in tumor initiation and progression via governing the expression of their target genes in cancers. However, its role in tumor cell metabolism remains poorly characterized. In this study, m6A microarray and quantitative proteomics were employed to explore the potential effect and mechanism of METTL3 on the metabolism in GC cells. Our results showed that METTL3 induced significant alterations in the protein and m6A modification profile in GC cells. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment indicated that down-regulated proteins were significantly enriched in intracellular mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Moreover, the protein-protein Interaction (PPI) network analysis found that these differentially expressed proteins were significantly associated with OXPHOS. A prognostic model was subsequently constructed based on the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases, and the high-risk group exhibited a worse prognosis in GC patients. Meanwhile, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) demonstrated significant enrichment in the energy metabolism signaling pathway. Then, combined with the results of the m6A microarray analysis, the intersection molecules of DEPs and differential methylation genes (DMGs) were significantly correlated with the molecules of OXPHOS. Besides, there were significant differences in prognosis and GSEA enrichment between the two clusters of GC patients classified according to the consensus clustering algorithm. Finally, highly expressed and highly methylated molecules regulated by METTL3 were analyzed and three (AVEN, DAZAP2, DNAJB1) genes were identified to be significantly associated with poor prognosis in GC patients. These results signified that METTL3-regulated DEPs in GC cells were significantly associated with OXPHOS. After combined with m6A microarray analysis, the results suggested that these proteins might be implicated in cell energy metabolism through m6A modifications thus influencing the prognosis of GC patients. Overall, our study revealed that METTL3 is involved in cell metabolism through an m6A-dependent mechanism in GC cells, and indicated a potential biomarker for prognostic prediction in GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The occurrence of cardiovascular adverse events in the first year after ST-acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains high; therefore, identification of patients with poor prognosis is essential for early intervention. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of metabolomics-based biomarkers in STEMI patients and explore their functional mechanisms. Methods: Metabolite profiling was performed using nuclear magnetic resonance. The plasma concentration of Kynurenine (Kyn) was measured using ultraperformance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Major adverse cardiac and cerebral events were assessed for 1 year. A functional metabolomics strategy was proposed for investigating the role of Kyn in both vitro and vivo models. Results: The adjusted hazard ratios in STEMI patients for Kyn in the 4th quartile 7.12(5.71-10.82) was significantly higher than that in the 3rd quartile 3.03(2.62-3.74), 2nd quartile 1.86(1.70-2.03), and 1st quartile 1.20(0.93-1.39). The incidence of MACCE was significantly different among Kyn quartiles and the highest incidence of MACCE was observed in the 4th quartile when compared with the 1st quartile (9.84% vs.2.85%, P<0.001). Immunofluorescence staining indicated that indoleamine-pyrrole 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO1) was located in the CD68 positive staining area of thrombi from STEMI patients and Kyn was induced in the early phase after myocardial infarction. Kyn could trigger inflammation and oxidative stress of macrophage cells by activation of the Sirt3-acSOD2/IL-1b signaling pathway in vitro. Conclusions: Plasma Kyn levels were positively associated with the occurrence of STEMI. Kyn could induce macrophage cells inflammation and oxidative stress by activating the Sirt3-acSOD2/IL-1b pathway following myocardial ischemia injury. Kyn could be a robust biomarker for STEMI prognosis and reduction of Kyn could be beneficial in STEMI patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study compares the pharmacokinetics of amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium suspension (200 mg/28.5 mg) during fasting and postprandial conditions, and the sample adds a stabilizer study. Two randomized, crossover trials were conducted in an open‐label, single‐center study (a fasting trial and a postprandial trial). In each part of the study, the subjects were randomly assigned to receive either test or reference products (200 mg/28.5 mg) in a 1:1:1 ratio, followed by the alternative products after a 7‐day washout period. Plasma amoxicillin and clavulanic acid concentrations were analyzed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. WinNonlin software was used to evaluate the pharmacokinetic parameters (noncompartmental model). The formulations were considered bioequivalent if the geometric means of area under the plasma concentration–time curve (AUC) and maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid were within the predetermined bioequivalence range established by average bioequivalence (ABE) or reference‐scaled ABE. Tolerability was assessed throughout the study. The postprandial trial and the fasting study each had 12 volunteers. Under fasting and postprandial conditions, the 90%CI for the ratio of geometric means of amoxicillin of Cmax, AUC from time 0 to the last measurable concentration, and AUC from time 0 to infinity were within the ABE acceptance limits (80%‐125%); the geometric means of clavulanic acid of Cmax (critbound, –0.03; point estimate, 1.07) were within the reference‐scaled ABE acceptance limits, and the AUC from time 0 to the last measurable concentration and AUC from time 0 to infinity were within the ABE acceptance limits (80%–125%). Time to maximum concentration of amoxicillin was delayed 1.0 hour with high‐fat meals compared to fasting conditions. Meantime, high‐fat meals decreased the exposure of clavulanic acid by nearly 40%. No serious adverse events were found among the subjects. The bioequivalence of test and reference amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium for suspension was validated in this study under fasting and postprandial conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to evaluate the bioequivalence of the newly developed delayed‐release oral suspension (test) 40 mg esomeprazole magnesium compared to its marketed counterpart (40 mg; reference) in healthy adult Chinese subjects. We conducted randomized, open‐label, two‐period, single‐dose, two‐way crossover trials over a 7‐day washout period, comprising a fasting trial and a fed trial. The subjects were administered the test or reference products in a 1:1 ratio at random throughout each period. Then, in the next session, they received the alternate products. Liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry and WinNonlin software were used to assess the bioequivalence of esomeprazole peak plasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the concentration–time curve (AUC). Overall, 33 subjects participated in the fasting trial and 42 subjects participated in the fed trial. Under both situations, the 90% confidence interval for the ratio of geometric means of Cmax, AUC0‐t, and AUC0‐∞ were within equivalence ranges (80%–125%). In these trials, no severe adverse events or protocol violations were observed. Moreover, when esomeprazole was administered while fed, the tmax was delayed, and both Cmax and AUC were reduced. The results of this research suggest that the test and reference formulations were bioequivalent under fasting and fed states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of hospital-acquired infections caused by Chryseobacterium indologenes (C. indologenes) is increasing. This study investigated the epidemiological and clinical features of C. indologenes intra-abdominal infections in patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). In this retrospective study, 53 consecutive non-replicate clinical isolates of C. indologenes were collected and identified from the OLT patients at a tertiary care university hospital in Shanghai in 2017. Genetic relatedness of the isolates was determined by enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus polymerase chain reaction DNA fingerprinting. Antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates was measured using the microdilution broth method. Nosocomial clonal transmission of C. indologenes was confirmed by bacterial homology analysis. All C. indologenes isolates were resistant to β-lactams, carbapenems, quinolones, and aminoglycosides, and showed susceptibility to trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole and minocycline. Multivariate risk modelling revealed that ≥2 bed transfers and an operation time of ≥8 h were independent risk factors for C. indologenes intra-abdominal infection after OLT. A nomogram was constructed based on the screened risk factors, which showed good concordance and accuracy. Clonal dissemination of C. indologenes in OLT patients was demonstrated and several risk factors for intra-abdominal infections were identified. Epidemiological surveillance of this organism and extensive surveillance programs are imperative worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]