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With advantages such as low cost, high stability, and ease of production, visible light photocatalytic C3N4 with a unique microscopic layered structure holds significant potential for development. However, its hydrogen production efficiency remains low due to the pronounced recombination of photo-generated charge carriers and limited surface reaction sites. Normally, the photocatalytic performance of C3N4 can be enhanced by loading noble metals with surface plasmon resonance. It is worth noting that the size of noble metal nanoparticles has a great influence on photocatalytic performance. In this study, accurate controlling of the size and distribution of Au nanoparticles was achieved on the surface of C3N4 by introducing amino groups to improve photocatalytic performance. Results show that uniformly distributed Au nanoparticles in the range of 2–6 nm can be obtained on C3N4 with a remarkable enhancement of hydrogen production efficiency, which is about 114 times the property of pure C3N4. The small-sized and uniformly distributed Au nanoparticles can provide more reaction sites and increase the separation of photo-generated charge carriers, in turn improving Au/NH3–C3N4 photocatalytic hydrogen release rate to 6.85 mmol g−1 h−1. This work offers a facile way to enhance photocatalytic performance by controlling the size of metal nanoparticles on C3N4 precisely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient absorption of solar radiation holds the key to photothermal utilization; however, realizing solar absorber designs with high absorption efficiency remains challenging. Herein, a nickel-based metamaterial selective solar absorber with a nanopillar array structure was proposed to realize nearly perfect optical absorption over a broad spectrum. The average absorbance is up to 96% in the 300–2033 nm wavelength range. Notably, a reasonably detailed analysis of the physical mechanism of the proposed absorber was performed in this paper, attributing the exceptional broadband absorption to the concurrent interaction with surface plasmon resonance, quarter-wavelength resonance, and electric dipole resonance. The absorption efficiency declines significantly when λ > 2.5 μm, with only 20% absorptivity at λ = 6 μm in the radiation-absorbing transition region. This decline is desirable, as it contributes to reducing the emissivity in the mid-infrared range and, therefore, prevents self-radiation. The results demonstrate that the selective absorber possesses the potential to capture solar energy within a broadband, while avoiding undesirable self-radiation, thereby enhancing the integral efficiency of the solar energy conversion system. Moreover, the absorption spectrum shows insensitivity to polarization and angle of incidence. The selective solar absorber proposed here offers excellent performance with a simple structure, showing great promise in the field of photothermal conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metastasis is the primary culprit behind cancer‐related fatalities in multiple cancer types, including prostate cancer. Despite great advances, the precise mechanisms underlying prostate cancer metastasis are far from complete. By using a transgenic mouse prostate cancer model (TRAMP) with and without Phf8 knockout, we have identified a crucial role of PHF8 in prostate cancer metastasis. By complexing with E2F1, PHF8 transcriptionally upregulates SNAI1 in a demethylation‐dependent manner. The upregulated SNAI1 subsequently enhances epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis. Given the role of the abnormally activated PHF8/E2F1‐SNAI1 axis in prostate cancer metastasis and poor prognosis, the levels of PHF8 or the activity of this axis could serve as biomarkers for prostate cancer metastasis. Moreover, targeting this axis could become a potential therapeutic strategy for prostate cancer treatment. © 2024 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chalcogenide phase-change materials (PCMs) are showing versatile possibilities in cutting-edge applications, including non-volatile memory, neuromorphic computing, and nano-photonics. However, for embedded phase-change memory applications, conventional PCMs suffer from insufficient thermal stability because of their relatively low crystallization temperatures (Tx). Although doping with additional alloying elements could improve the amorphous stability, it also increases the tendency towards compositional partitioning and phase separation. Recently, a two-dimensional (2D) layered compound CrGeTe3 (CrGT) was developed as a PCM, showing a high Tx ~ 276 °C with an inverse change in resistive-switching character upon phase transition. Here, we report a high-throughput materials screening for 2D layered phase-change chalcogenides. We aim to clarify whether the high Tx and the inverse electrical resistance contrast are intrinsic features of 2D PCMs. In total, twenty-five 2D chalcogenides with CrGT trilayer structures have been identified from a large database. We then focused on selected layered tellurides by performing thorough ab initio simulations and experimental investigations and confirming that their amorphous phase indeed has a much higher Tx than conventional PCMs. We attribute this enhanced amorphous stability to the structurally complex nuclei required to render crystallization possible. Overall, we regard InGeTe3 as a balanced 2D PCM with both high thermal stability and large electrical contrast for embedded memory applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maximizing the utilization of photogenerated electrons and holes to drive the coupling reaction of hydrogen evolution with selective value‐added organic synthesis holds great potential for more efficient exploitation of solar energy. Herein, the interstitial boron‐doped CdS is synthesized by taking SiO2 as a template as well as the adsorption sites of boric acid, which contributes to the boron doping and induces the reinforced Cd─Se bonding for enhancing the interfacial interaction with co‐catalyst MoSe2. Thus, the interfacial Cd─Se bond with more electron localization provides rapid channels at the atomic level for accelerating the charge transfer with a lower energy barrier, achieving the efficient hydrogen evolution and high selectivity pyruvic acid synthesis concurrently. This work provides a new perspective in avoiding the use of sacrificial agents uneconomically and producing green hydrogen with high‐value‐added chemicals simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of morpholine salt volatile corrosion inhibitors (VCIs) were synthesized via solid-phase chemical reactions. The corrosion inhibition performance was assessed using evaporation weight loss, VCI capability, and corrosion weight loss tests. The corrosion inhibition mechanisms of the morpholine salt VCIs for carbon steel in atmospheric conditions were explored through electrochemical testing under thin film electrolytes, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and computational simulations. Morpholine carbonate exhibited higher volatility. Corrosion weight loss tests showed an >85% reduction for steel treated with morpholine benzoate or morpholine carbonate. The inhibitors' inhibition mechanism, elucidated through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and computational simulations, revealed that morpholine carbonate and benzoate form protective layers via physical and chemical adsorption on the steel surface, coordinating with iron atoms through nitrogen and oxygen atoms. Quantum chemical calculations demonstrated that morpholine carbonate had stronger adsorption energy and electron transfer capabilities, indicating superior corrosion inhibition performance over morpholine benzoate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metasurfaces have become increasingly crucial in applications involving electromagnetic beam modulation. Herein, an H-shaped terahertz (THz) metasurface based on vanadium dioxide (VO2) is proposed to achieve an equal reflectivity amplitude of approximately 0.7 and a phase difference of 180° when VO2 is in the insulating and metallic states, with the deviation less than 0.3%. The distribution of the electromagnetic field indicates that the constant amplitude inversion phenomenon is caused by the mode change from three-quarter wavelength resonance to surface plasmon resonance. The proposed metasurface unit has a minimum size of 26.6 µm, which reduces the cost of fabrication. Additionally, five feasible size-designing schemes are proposed, in which the amplitude varies in a narrow range of 0.675–0.685 with a phase difference of 180°, solving the potential problem of dimensional distortion caused by manufacturing process limitations. This structure provides a new way for the development of high-precision and low-cost intelligent THz metasurfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To gain an in-depth understanding of the diversity and composition of soil Acidobacteria in five different forest types in typical temperate forest ecosystems and to explore their relationship with soil nutrients. The diversity of soil Acidobacteria was determined by high-throughput sequencing technology. Soil Acidobacteria's alpha-diversity index and soil nutrient content differed significantly among different forest types. β-diversity and the composition of soil Acidobacteria also varied across forest types. Acidobacterial genera, such as Acidobacteria_Gp1, Acidobacteria_Gp4, and Acidobacteria_Gp17, play key roles in different forests. The RDA analyses pointed out that the soil pH, available nitrogen (AN), carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio, available phosphorus (AP), total carbon (TC), and total phosphorus (TP) were significant factors affecting soil Acidobacteria in different forest types. In this study, the diversity and composition of soil Acidobacteria under different forest types in a temperate forest ecosystem were analyzed, revealing the complex relationship between them and soil physicochemical properties. These findings not only enhance our understanding of soil microbial ecology but also provide important guidance for ecological conservation and restoration strategies for temperate forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a case of Carmi Syndrome in a neonate. Aim: To share our lessons in diagnosis of the case of Carmi Syndrome. Case Report: Carmi Syndrome is an extremely rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder characterized the coexistence of pyloric atresia and junctional epidermolysis bullosa, and with aplasia cutis congenita in approximately 28% patients. In this case, a full-term male neonate was born to a G4P2+1L1 multipara through cesarean section delivery in hospital in a non-consanguineous marriage with 4000mL of II°meconium-stained amniotic fluid. He was found extensive skin loss over lower legs and other parts, with scattered blisters and bilateral microtia. Plain abdominal X-ray revealed a large gastric air bubble with no gas distally. The mother had an intrauterine fetal loss previously for reasons unknown. The dermatologist diagnosed the newborn with Bart Syndrome, while the pediatric surgeon diagnosed congenital pyloric atresia(CPA). The parents refused further treatment and the neonate passed away about 30 hours after birth. Outcome: The neonate passed away about 30 hours after birth. Conclusion: Lessons from this case:①.Rule out Carmi Syndrome in patients with PA, and differentiate Bart syndrome and Carmi Syndrome in patients with abnormal skin manifestations. ②. For rare and/or severe diseases, multidisciplinary teams(MDTs) should be establish. ③. Genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis are necessary prior to subsequent childbearings. ④.Termination of pregnancy might be contemplated if certain indicators are revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benzoxazines, renowned for their self-curing properties, high glass transition temperature, and exceptional thermal stability, have faced environmental and biotoxicity concerns despite their remarkable performance. Combining high-performance, ecofriendly and degradable benzoxazines remains a challenge. In this work, we synthesized an entirely bio-based benzoxazine resin, 2,6-bis(3-(furan-2-ylmethyl)-8-methoxy-2-phenyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[e][1,3]oxazin-6-yl)tetrahydro-[1,3]dioxino[5,4-d][1,3]dioxine (VE-BZ), from natural raw materials, including vanillin, erythritol, furfurylamine, and natural benzaldehyde. The presence of the bis(acetal) structure, furanic structure, and benzene ring-branched chain structure in the resin confers favorable adhesive strength, high carbon residue, self-extinguishing ability, and outstanding thermal stability to VE-BZ. Moreover, VE-BZ can undergo dual-site curing and complete degradation through the synergistic effects of acid and heat, enabling its reuse in benzoxazine synthesis. The acid used for both synthesis and degradation is bio-based citric acid, eliminating non-biobased catalysts or additives from the entire process. This approach embodies a comprehensive green chemistry closed-loop process. In essence, this research offers valuable perspectives on seamlessly combining exceptional performance with eco-friendly attributes in the realm of benzoxazine resin materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cubic nanoparticles of CeO2 were partly covered on the tetrahedron surface of γ-Bi2O3 through a hydrothermal reaction and then a calcination process to construct a novel S-type γ-Bi2O3/CeO2 heterojunction. The optimized sample removed 96% of lomefloxacin and 81% of tetracycline. During the cycling test, the photocatalytic efficiency of lomefloxacin and tetracycline was maintained above 87% and 80%, respectively, for five consecutive cycles. According to XRD and Raman spectra characterization, the sample after cycling held a stable crystal structure. Holes, OH−˙, O2˙, and electrons participated in the degradation of lomefloxacin, while tetracycline was removed via the effect of the former three active substances. Based on theoretical calculation and experimental tests, the excellent photocatalytic activity of γ-Bi2O3/CeO2 came from the fast transfer of charge carriers along the S-type path. Moreover, the CB electrons of γ-Bi2O3 and VB holes of CeO2 were preserved to generate free radicals for antibiotic degradation. The colony numbers of Escherichia coli were 1.50 × 10−6 CFU mL−1 and 1.39 × 10−6 CFU mL−1 in solutions after the degradation of the two pollutants, which represents the non-toxicity of the final products. The γ-Bi2O3/CeO2 sample has a potential application for antibiotic removal from modern sewage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of computerized cognitive training (CCT) on white matter (WM) neuroplasticity and neuropsychological performance. Methods A total of 128 community older adults (64.36 ± 6.14 years) were recruited and randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. Participants in the intervention group received a home-based, multidomain, and adaptive CCT for 30 minutes, 2 days per week for 1 year. Neuropsychological assessments, diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and T1-weighted structural MRI were performed at the pre- and post-intervention visits. Results Eighty-one of 128 participants (41 in the intervention group and 40 in the control group) completed the 1-year intervention, and 61 of them (27 in the intervention group and 34 in the control group) underwent MRI scans twice. After excluding attrition bias, a significant time-by-group interaction on the Stroop Color-Word Test (SCWT; F  = 51.85, p < .001) was found, showing improvement in the intervention group and a decline in the control group. At the brain level, the intervention group exhibited increased axial diffusivity in the left posterior thalamic radiation, and this increase was significantly correlated with reduced SCWT reaction time (r  = ‒0.42, p = .029). No significant time-by-group interactions were found for gray matter volume. Conclusions Our findings suggest that conducting multidomain adaptive CCT is an effective and feasible method to counteract cognitive decline in older adults, with WM neuroplasticity underpinning cognitive improvements. This study contributes to the understanding of the neural basis for the beneficial effect of CCT for older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) with a chemically modified surface typically have a complicated chemical composition, which can significantly differ from their intended design. In this study, we systematically studied the effects of two surface modification methods on active-targeting of intracellular organelles of SiNPs: (1) the widely used step-by-step approach, which involves modifying SiNPs in two steps, i.e., the outer surface of SiNPs was firstly modified with amino groups and then these amino groups were linked with targeting groups, and (2) a newly developed one-step approach in which the ligand–silane complex is initially synthesized, followed by chemically immobilizing the complex on the surface of SiNPs. In the one-step approach, the molar ratio of reactants was precisely tuned so that there are no reactive groups left on the outer surface of SiNPs. Two essential organelles, mitochondria and the nucleus, were selected to compare the targeting performances of SiNPs synthesized via these two approaches. By characterizing physicochemical properties, including structural properties, the number of amino groups, surface charge, polydispersity, and cell colocalization, we demonstrated that SiNPs synthesized via the one-step approach with no residual linkage groups on their surface showed significantly improved mitochondria- and nucleus-targeting performances. This precise control of surface properties allows for optimized biological behavior and active-targeting efficiency of SiNPs. We anticipate that such simple and efficient synthetic strategies will enable the synthesis of effective SiNPs for active-targeting organelles in various biological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lipid metabolism changes occur in early Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Yet little is known about metabolic gene changes in early AD cortex. Methods: The lipid metabolic genes selected from two datasets (GSE39420 and GSE118553) were analyzed with enrichment analysis. Protein–protein interaction network construction and correlation analyses were used to screen core genes. Literature analysis and molecular docking were applied to explore potential therapeutic drugs. Results: 60 lipid metabolic genes differentially expressed in early AD patients' cortex were screened. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that up-regulated genes were mainly focused on mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and mediating the activation of long-chain fatty acids, phosphoproteins, and cholesterol metabolism. Down-regulated genes were mainly focused on lipid transport, carboxylic acid metabolic process, and neuron apoptotic process. Literature reviews and molecular docking results indicated that ACSL1, ACSBG2, ACAA2, FABP3, ALDH5A1, and FFAR4 were core targets for lipid metabolism disorder and had a high binding affinity with compounds including adenosine phosphate, oxidized Photinus luciferin, BMS-488043, and candidate therapeutic drugs especially bisphenol A, benzo(a)pyrene, ethinyl estradiol. Conclusions: AD cortical lipid metabolism disorder was associated with the dysregulation of the PPAR signaling pathway, glycerophospholipid metabolism, adipocytokine signaling pathway, fatty acid biosynthesis, fatty acid degradation, ferroptosis, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, and fatty acid elongation. Candidate drugs including bisphenol A, benzo(a)pyrene, ethinyl estradiol, and active compounds including adenosine phosphate, oxidized Photinus luciferin, and BMS-488043 have potential therapeutic effects on cortical lipid metabolism disorder of early AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced microwave absorption materials (MAMs) are required to have strong attenuation capability, intelligent manufacturing, and robust environmental adaptivity for diversified application scenarios. However, the effective integration of multifunctionality in single MAMs is still unprecedented challenge. Herein, the synergistic strategy of in situ growth, C–F⋯π interaction, and microwave irradiation was proposed to fabricate CoM@CoNiC–F nanocomposite. The polarity-induced rigid-flexible epoxy/multifluorination/siloxane networks were chosen as supporting materials, and the bi-continuous phase separation mechanism was clarified. Moreover, the high-resolution and complex 4D-printed objects were obtained by the DIW technology, and it also exhibited reliable dynamic evolution behavior with photo-/thermal-induced shape memory. Furthermore, the absorber exhibited excellent RLmin (−64.78 dB) and wide EAB (4.6 GHz), which was consistent with the RCS simulation results, and it benefited from optimized impedance matching and multiple magnetic–dielectric coupling. Remarkably, the MAMs simultaneously possessed robust protective-multifunctionalities with excellent mechanical, superamphiphobicity, long-term anticorrosion, and flame retardancy performance. This strategy provided an advisable guideline for designing intelligent MAMs and created infinite feasibility in sophisticated and dynamic electromagnetic wave absorption field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human papilloma virus (HPV) infection among female is the cause of cervical cancer and genital warts. In China, the HPV vaccination rate and the target population screening rate among females are low, and the aims of this study on the genotype distribution and prevalence of HPV infection were to provide more targeted strategies for the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer and HPV-related diseases. Methods: Polymerase chain reaction-reverse dot blot (PCR-RDB) was adopted for HPV genotyping test, the prevalence and 23 genotypes distribution of HPV infections among 181,705 women in Chengdu from 2013 to 2020 were analysed. Results: The overall prevalence rate of HPV infection among 181,705 cases was 23.28%, the prevalence of HR-HPV at the age group < 20 years, 60–69 years and ≥ 70 years were higher than the overall prevalence.The prevalence of HPV showed a bimodal U-shaped curve with age; the first and second peak common occurred among females < 20 years old (42.97%) and 60–69 years old (37.56%), respectively.The top five genotypes of HPV infection among females in Chengdu were HPV52/16/58/81/53. Single infection (73.26%) was the main HPV infection pattern, followed by double infection (19.17%) and multiple infection (7.57%), the infection rate of HPV showed a gradual declined as the patterns of HPV coinfections increased, low-risk and high-risk coinfection was higher in low-risk HPV infection (43.68%) and lower in high-risk HPV infection (13.59%). The prevalence of genotypes − 6 and − 81 infection was the second highest at the age group of 20 and 40–59, respectively, while the prevalence of HPV16 was the highest at the age group of ≥ 70 among 23 genotypes among the 181,705 women. Conclusions: The prevalence of HPV infections among women in Chengdu is higher than domestic certain developed citys, among the five vaccines available, nonavalent vaccine is more suitable for Chengdu females. For young females prioritizing vaccination is essential in the current context.Double screening for HPV DNA is important in middle-aged women (30–49 years), and screening should not be lacking in older women (> 65 years). Additionally,for patients with genital warts, it is necessary to screen for high-risk HPV infection and provide appropriate management and treatment. Given the limitations of this study, future HPV research should aim to achieve full coverage of the target population, and our studies should also include cellular or pathological data of HPV-positive cases, vaccination rates, and various lifestyle details. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) play a key role in regulating the host immune response and shaping tumor microenvironment. It has been previously shown that T cell infiltration in penile tumors was associated with clinical outcomes. However, few studies have reported the T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire in patients with penile cancer. In the present study, we evaluated the TCR repertoires in tumor and adjacent normal tissues from 22 patients with penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC). Analysis of the T cell receptor beta-variable (TRBV) and joining (TRBJ) genes usage and analysis of complementarity determining region 3 (CDR3) length distribution did not show significant differences between tumor and matched normal tissues. Moreover, analysis of the median Jaccard index indicated a limited overlap of TCR repertoire between these groups. Compared with normal tissues, a significantly lower diversity and higher clonality of TCR repertoire was observed in tumor samples, which was associated with clinical characteristics. Further analysis of transcriptional profiles demonstrated that tumor samples with high clonality showed increased expression of genes associated with CD8 + T cells. In addition, we analyzed the TCR repertoire of CD4 + T cells and CD8 + T cells isolated from tumor tissues. We identified that expanded clonotypes were predominantly in the CD8 + T cell compartment, which presented with an exhausted phenotype. Overall, we comprehensively compared TCR repertoire between penile tumor and normal tissues and demonstrated the presence of distinct T cell immune microenvironments in patients with PSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of multifunctional electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption materials is important for addressing the hazards posed by EMWs. Herein, we designed a polyurethane-based EMW absorption material (P6H7-B3O3-CoNC@rGo6%) with high strength, self-healing ability and highly efficient EMW absorption properties. The P6H7-B3O3-CoNC@rGo6% shows excellent EMW absorption performance with a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of −47.1 dB at 12.8 GHz, an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 4.11 GHz at 2 mm thickness and a very low filler mass loading of only 6 wt%. The polyurethane (P6H7-B3O3) and the nanocomposites (P6H7-B3O3-CoNC@rGo6%) exhibit excellent mechanical properties with tensile strength of 62.79 MPa and 22.04 MPa, respectively. Additionally, the P6H7-B3O3-CoNC@rGo6% can rapidly restore to its original state at 85 °C by the ester exchange reaction of boron ester bonds. This strategy provides a new idea for designing polyurethane-based EMW absorption materials and extending the service life of EMW absorption materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon fiber composites are widely used in machine manufacturing because of their excellent characteristics. However, their service life is affected by the surrounding environment. Therefore, it is urgent to establish a life prediction model that provides a certain theoretical basis for the basic application of actual carbon fiber composite materials. Suitable models for the storage life prediction of carbon fiber composites were established under certain storage conditions by investigating the aging behavior of the composites composed of T700/epoxy resin. The variation of conductivity of carbon fiber composites under different thermal and oxygen conditions were studied, and the reasons were explored from the perspective of the aging mechanism. An empirical model for life prediction of the thermal oxidative aging law was established using kinetic formula and linear kinetic curve method, and the aging life at 25 ℃ was predicted. At the same time, through exploring the electrical properties of carbon fiber composites, it is found that temperature and humidity jointly affect the aging life of the materials. Therefore, the wet and thermal aging life model derived by combining the Arrhenius model and Eyring model was adopted to predict the aging life under the condition of 25 ℃ and 60% relative humidity (60% RH). Residual strength model and environmental equivalent were used to predict the damp and heat aging life under different testing conditions. The life prediction is helpful to establish a sound material evaluation system and a systematic safety protection system in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of this study on human papilloma virus (HPV) 6/11/16/18 infection among females in Chengdu were to provide more targeted strategies for the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer and genital warts. In this study, the infection status of 20 genotypes was analysed by gene chip technology. The prevalence rates of HPV-6, -11, -16, and -18 infection among 180,276 cases were 0.94%, 0.57%, 3.22%, and 1.28%, respectively. The prevalence of HPV 6/11/16/18 showed a bimodal U-shaped curve with age; the first and second peak occurred among females < 20 and ≥ 60 years old, respectively. As the multiplicity of infections involving HPV6/11/16/18 increases, the infection rate decreases. The ratios of HPV16 single infection showed a yearly increase. The top five genotypes with HPV-16, -18, -6, and -11 in coinfection were HPV52/58/53/51/33, HPV 52/16/53/58/51, HPV52/16/58/51/53 and HPV16/52/58/59/18, respectively, HPV16/18/6/11 were mainly coinfected with HR-HPV. In sum, among the five vaccines available, nonavalent vaccine is more suitable for Chengdu females. For young females prioritizing vaccination is essential in the current context, while HPV screening remains an effective approach for older females. Additionally, in patients with genital warts, it is necessary to assess the presence of high-risk HPV infection and manage it appropriately in patients with genital warts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of interfacial electric field (IEF) in semiconductor heterojunction is of great significance in boosting photocatalytic hydrogen evolution through efficient separation of photogenerated charge‐carriers. However, the exploitation of IEF in type‐I heterojunction has not been proposed for designing photocatalysts. Herein, based on the density functional theory prediction, p‐SnS with different work functions modulated by Sn‐vacancy are compounded with n‐ZnIn2S4 containing S‐vacancy to form type‐I heterojunction. The optimized SnS/ZnIn2S4 photocatalyst without co‐catalysts exhibits an impressive hydrogen evolution rate of 22.75 mmol g−1 h−1, 6.23 times of ZnIn2S4. Systematic investigations reveal that the interfacial Sn‐S bond acts as a transport channel that accelerates the interface charge‐carriers transfer under the promotion of IEF originating from the significant Fermi level difference. A large difference in the surface photovoltage signal of SnS/ZnIn2S4 and ZnIn2S4 is achieved from effective photogenerated charge‐carriers separation by IEF. The new p‐n type‐I scheme of SnS/ZnIn2S4 induced by the interfacial mediation can separate the photogenerated charge‐carriers, and retain the highly reductive electrons of ZnIn2S4 for hydrogen evolution, overcoming the disadvantage of reduction potential decline in the typical type‐I scheme. This study will afford a new theoretical basis for the achievement of high‐efficiency photocatalytic hydrogen evolution through interface modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exome sequencing (ES) has been used in a variety of clinical settings but there are limited data on its utility for diagnosis and/or prediction of monogenic liver diseases. We developed a curated list of 502 genes for monogenic disorders associated with liver phenotypes and analyzed ES data for these genes in 758 patients with chronic liver diseases (CLD). For comparison, we examined ES data in 7856 self-declared healthy controls (HC), and 2187 patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Candidate pathogenic (P) or likely pathogenic (LP) variants were initially identified in 19.9% of participants, most of which were attributable to previously reported pathogenic variants with implausibly high allele frequencies. After variant annotation and filtering based on population minor allele frequency (MAF ≤ 10–4 for dominant disorders and MAF ≤ 10–3 for recessive disorders), we detected a significant enrichment of P/LP variants in the CLD cohort compared to the HC cohort (X2 test OR 5.00, 95% CI 3.06–8.18, p value = 4.5e−12). A second-level manual annotation was necessary to capture true pathogenic variants that were removed by stringent allele frequency and quality filters. After these sequential steps, the diagnostic rate of monogenic disorders was 5.7% in the CLD cohort, attributable to P/LP variants in 25 genes. We also identified concordant liver disease phenotypes for 15/22 kidney disease patients with P/LP variants in liver genes, mostly associated with cystic liver disease phenotypes. Sequencing results had many implications for clinical management, including familial testing for early diagnosis and management, preventative screening for associated comorbidities, and in some cases for therapy. Exome sequencing provided a 5.7% diagnostic rate in CLD patients and required multiple rounds of review to reduce both false positive and false negative findings. The identification of concordant phenotypes in many patients with P/LP variants and no known liver disease also indicates a potential for predictive testing for selected monogenic liver disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past few years, the photoluminescence (PL) efficiency of carbon nitride materials (CNM) in solution has been greatly improved. However, the PL efficiency of bulk CNM is still very limited. Here a bulk CNM of 2,5,8‐triamino‐tri‐s‐triazine (Melem) with efficient ultraviolet–visible emission is obtained via band structure engineering by simply modifying the calcining atmosphere in the solid‐state reaction. The as‐obtained Melem exhibits much enhanced PL with a near‐unity quantum yield of up to 98.3%, which, as far as it is known, is the highest among all CNM in bulk or solution. The enhanced PL is ascribed to the emission origin evolution from the vacancy‐defect‐dominated emission to the bandgap transition‐dominated emission. Benefiting from the high quantum yield and ultraviolet–visible emission, the as‐obtained Melem powder is successfully used for information security via silk‐screen printing. The information encrypted can be easily decrypted by a 254 nm ultraviolet lamp, while not decryptable by a 365 nm ultraviolet lamp. This research proposes a facile method for the development of highly efficient metal‐free Melem and will also provide significant guidance to the band structure engineering of carbon nitride‐based luminescent materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bimetallic metal−organic framework (MOF)‐derived multidimensional composites have garnered tremendous attention in electromagnetic wave absorption owing to their remarkable attenuation capacity. And the diversified application scenarios require microwaves absorption materials (MAMs) with robust environmentally adaptive, but efficiently integrating multifunctionality within single MAMs is extremely challenging. Herein, a multifunctional CoC@FeNiG‐F nanocomposite is fabricated by synergistic strategy of in situ growth, C–F···π interaction and microwave irradiation. The MAMs exhibit a strong reflection loss of −75.18 dB with 3.95 GHz effective absorption bandwidth benefited from magnetic–dielectric attenuation, impedance matching, and multiple‐reflection loss. Remarkably, it is first time to obtain the efficient MAMs accompanied with excellent mechanical (80.3 MPa), superamphiphobicity (153° and 151°), anticorrosion (45 d), and flame retardancy (V‐0 rating), which illustrate that the combination of CoC@FeNiG 3D‐skeleton and long‐chain perfluorinated epoxy remarkably improve robust multifunctionality and environmentally adaptive. In particular, the MAMs are assembled into liquid–solid triboelectric nanogenerator, and the output performance (19.7 V, 1.68 μA) and durability (10 000s) are obviously improved benefiting from the trap effect of carbonized MOF. Therefore, this work provides an efficient guideline for designing advanced MAMs with robust environmentally adaptive and sustainable energy harvesting performance in extreme environment application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chirality is one of the most common and significant phenomenon in nature, and epoxy resin is one of the most widely used and researched thermosetting resins, however the influences of chiral carbon in epoxy group on the performances of the cured epoxy resins have ever been hardly studied, therefore it is crucial and meaningful to explore the structure–function relationship of chirality and performance of epoxy resins. Herein, from the analysis of synthesis mechanism, the different chiral configuration with high percent enantiomeric excess (>99%) and racemic bisphenol A epoxy resins were simply prepared by controlling the chirality of epichlorohydrin. The apparent activation energy of the curing process with D230 was calculated by Kissinger method and Flynn–Wall–Ozawa method, respectively, and both results indicate that chirality have no effect on the curing reaction. We found that the secondary structure of epoxy monomer is untouched by its chirality, and they are all right helix structure. For this reason, the thermal stability, glass transition temperature, and thermomechanical properties of diverse chiral epoxy resins cured by D230 have no significant difference. Nevertheless, it was found that the optical rotation activity of chiral epoxy resins can be partially maintained after curing reaction, it manifests the cured products of chiral epoxy resins possesses the possibility of application in the field of polarized materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant cuticular wax is the covering of the outer layer of the plant. It forms a protective barrier on the epidermis of plants and plays a vital role like a safeguard from abiotic and biotic stresses. In the present study, Brassica napus L. materials with and without wax powder were observed. Genetic analysis showed that the separation ratio of waxy plants to waxless plants was 15:1 in the F2 population, which indicated that the wax powder formation was controlled by two pairs of genes. In order to identify the candidate genes associated with the wax powder trait of B. napus L., bulked segregant analysis (BSA) was performed. The homozygous waxy plants, the homozygous waxless plants, and plants from three parents were selected for establishing five DNA pools for genome-wide resequencing. The results of the resequencing showed that the site associated with wax powder trait was located in the region of 590,663–1,657,546 bp on chromosome A08. And 48 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were found between the DNA sequences of waxy plants and waxless plants in this region. These SNPs were distributed across 16 gene loci. qRT-PCR analysis was conducted for the 16 candidate genes and three genes (BnaA08g01070D, BnaA08g02130D, and BnaA08g00890D) showed significantly differential expression between waxy and waxless parents. BnaA08g01070D and BnaA08g02130D were significantly down-regulated in the waxless parent, while BnaA08g00890D was significantly up-regulated in the waxless parent. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses revealed that the BnaA08g02130D gene was enriched in lipid biosynthetic or metabolic processes. All the results in our study would provide valuable clues for exploring the genes involved in wax powder development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic functional connectivity (DFC) analysis has been widely applied to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data to reveal the time-varying functional interactions between brain regions. Although the sliding window (SW) method is popular for DFC analysis, the selection of window length is hard, and the temporal resolution is limited by the window length. The hidden Markov model (HMM) without the limitation of window length has been proven to be able to estimate time-varying brain states from fMRI data. However, HMM tends to be overfitted in DFC analysis of fMRI data because of the high spatial dimension and the limited sample size of fMRI data. In this study, we proposed an alternating HMM (aHMM) method that used the functional connectivity estimation of SW to initialize the covariance matrix of HMM and adopted an alternating HMM procedure to reduce the number of parameters during each optimization. The simulated and real fMRI resting data from the Human Connectome Projects showed that aHMM produced better robustness to noise, parameter number and sample size in DFC estimation than SW and HMM. For the real fMRI resting data of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), results of aHMM revealed that amnesia and mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) caused the CSVD with aMCI (CSVD-aMCI) group tended to spend more time on the brain state with overall weak connections and less time on the state with overall strong connections than the CSVD-controls. Moreover, CSVD-aMCI showed significantly lower connectivity amplitude and higher connectivity fluctuation than CSVD-control. In contrast, HMM did not detect intergroup differences of the connectivity amplitude and fluctuations and SW did not detect intergroup differences of connectivity fluctuations and fraction of time. The results further indicated that aHMM outperformed HMM and SW in detecting inter-group differences of temporal properties of DFC and connectivity fluctuations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Dissecting the relationship between epigenome signals and three-dimensional multi-way chromatin interactions remains a challenging problem. The emergence of high-throughput Pore-C technology offers promising hope for tackling this issue. In this study, we proposed the EpiMCI, a framework based on a hypergraph neural network, aiming to reconstruct multi-way chromatin interactions from epigenomic signals. The model obtained AUCs of 0.981 and 0.984 using the GM12878 and K562 datasets, outperforming the existing methods. The EpiMCI can be used to denoise multi-way contact sequencing data and improve data quality. The embeddings obtained from the EpiMCI reflect the exact genome structure, confirming the rationality of the EpiMCI from a biological perspective. Thus, the EpiMCI is a promising framework for reconstructing multi-way chromatin interactions from epigenomic signals and can be applied to studies related to multi-way chromatin interactions reconstruction. The recently emerging high-throughput Pore-C (HiPore-C) can identify whole-genome high-order chromatin multi-way interactions with an ultra-high output, contributing to deciphering three-dimensional (3D) genome organization. However, it also brings new challenges to relevant data analysis. To alleviate this problem, we proposed the EpiMCI, a model for multi-way chromatin interaction prediction based on a hypergraph neural network with epigenomic signals as the input. The EpiMCI integrated separate hyperedge representations with coupling hyperedge information and obtained AUCs of 0.981 and 0.984 in the GM12878 and K562 datasets, respectively, which outperformed the current available method. Moreover, the EpiMCI can be applied to denoise the HiPore-C data and improve the data quality efficiently. Furthermore, the vertex embeddings extracted from the EpiMCI reflected the global chromatin architecture accurately. The principal component analysis suggested that it was well aligned with the activities of genomic regions at the chromatin compartment level. Taken together, the EpiMCI can accurately predict multi-way chromatin interactions and can be applied to studies relying on chromatin architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clk4-associated serine/arginine-rich protein (CLASRP), an alternative splicing regulator, may be involved in the development and progression of cancer by regulating the activity of the CDC-like kinase (Clk) family. This study explored the biological function of CLASRP in colorectal cancer (CRC). The expression of CLASRP, which is associated with clinicopathological features, was analysed in CRC tissues and paired noncancer tissues by RT–PCR. The roles of CLASRP were investigated in CRC cells transfected with plasmids or shRNA through proliferation, migration and invasion assays in vitro and a xenograft model in vivo. Apoptosis was analysed using CLASRP-overexpressing CRC cells by western blotting. Clk inhibitors were used to perform functional research on CLASRP in CLASRP-overexpressing CRC cells. CLASRP was significantly upregulated in CRC cell lines, while high CLASRP expression was correlated with metastasis in CRC patients. Functionally, overexpression of CLASRP significantly promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of CRC cells in vitro and tumour growth in vivo. Mechanistically, the proliferation, migration and invasion of CLASRP-overexpressing CRC cells were inhibited by Clk inhibitors, accompanied by low expression of CLASRP at the gene and protein levels. Clk inhibitors induced apoptosis of CLASRP-overexpressing CRC cells, resulting in direct blockade of cell growth. The expression levels of cleaved caspase 3 and cleaved caspase 8 were increased in CLASRP-overexpressing CRC cells treated with Clk inhibitors. CLASRP might serve as a promotional oncogene in CRC cells and be suppressed by Clk inhibitors through activation of caspase pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detecting the association between two variables is necessary and meaningful in the era of big data. There are many measures to detect the association between them, some detect linear association, e.g., simple and fast Pearson correlation coefficient, and others detect nonlinear association, e.g., computationally expensive and imprecise maximal information coefficient (MIC). In our study, we proposed a novel maximal association coefficient (MAC) based on the idea that any nonlinear association can be considered to be composed of some piecewise-linear ones, which detects linear or nonlinear association between two variables through Pearson coefficient. We conduct experiments on some simulation data, with the results show that the MAC has both generality and equitability. In addition, we also apply MAC method to two real datasets, the major-league baseball dataset from Baseball Prospectus and dataset of credit card clients' default, to detect the association strength of pairs of variables in these two datasets respectively. The experimental results show that the MAC can be used to detect the association between two variables, and it is computationally inexpensive and precise than MIC, which may be potentially important for follow-up data analysis and the conclusion of data analysis in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Returning straw to the field, coupled with fertilizer application, is an effective means to improve the fertility of black soil in Northeast China. Previous studies have mainly focused on the physical and chemical properties of soil structure and fertility. However, few efforts have been made to study the impact of straw returning on the microbial community of black soil in Northeast China. Here, we studied the typical northeast black soil in Heilongjiang Province to characterize the effects of long-term chemical fertilizer application and straw returning on its bacterial community structure. High-throughput sequencing was conducted to characterize the bacterial community of northeast black soil under different agricultural fertilization treatments, and the main factors affecting the bacterial community of northeast black soil were revealed through bioinformatic analyses. The results of high-throughput sequencing analyses demonstrated that the main bacterial phyla in the black soil in Northeast China were Actinomycetes, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexus, and Bacteroidetes. Long-term application of chemical fertilizers significantly increased the fertility and crop yield of black soil in Northeast China but led to significant changes in bacterial community structure and a significant decrease in diversity. Although straw returning improved soil fertility, it did not alleviate the adverse effects of the long-term application of chemical fertilizers on soil bacterial communities. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that changes in soil pH were the main factor leading to variations in soil bacterial communities. Returning straw to the field based on fertilizer application can improve black soil fertility in Northeast China but fails to alleviate the adverse effects of fertilizer-induced soil acidification on the composition and diversity of soil bacterial communities. This suggests that returning straw to the field may not have a significant beneficial impact on the microbial ecology of the black soil of Northeast China. Therefore, further research is needed to establish new straw return strategies to maximize agricultural yields while minimizing ecological impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal is the primary energy source in China, and coal pyrolysis is considered an essential and efficient method for clean coal utilization. Three high arsenic coals collected from the southwestern Guizhou province of China were chosen in this study. Low-temperature ashing plus X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) was used to identify the minerals in coals. The three coals were pyrolyzed in a tube furnace in an N2 atmosphere at 950 °C, 1200 °C, and 1400 °C, respectively. Environment scanning electron microscope (ESEM), XRD, X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were adopted to determine the morphology, mineral compositions, and element compositions and arsenic contents of the coal pyrolysis ashes, respectively. It can be found that minerals in coal are mainly composed of quartz, pyrite, muscovite, and rutile. The minerals in the ashes generated from coal pyrolysis mainly contain quartz, dehydroxylated muscovite, iron oxide minerals, mullite, and silicon nitride. Oldhamite and gupeite exist at 950 °C and 1400 °C, respectively. The morphologies of oldhamite and gupeite at these temperatures are irregular block-shaped particles and irregular spherical particles, respectively. The mineralogical transformations in the process of coal pyrolysis affect coal utilization. The arsenic release rate is higher than 87% during pyrolysis at 1400 °C. The arsenic in organic matter is more able to be volatilized than mineral components. The retention time can slightly influence the arsenic release rate, and the influence of temperature is much more significant than the influence of retention time. The understanding of mineral evolution and arsenic environmental emission is helpful for the safety of high-arsenic coal pyrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a challenge to develop polyurea with high-performance and multifunctionality because the integration of functions often comes at the expense of mechanical properties. This work synthesized a novel diisocyanate with a pyrene side chain, followed by reacting with poly(propylene oxide) diamine to prepare polyurea elastomers (PPU-x). Herein, thanks to the strong π–π stacking effect between pyrene groups and the anchoring effect of the amino group, the maximum tensile strength of PPU-x reached 41.4 MPa. The large conjugate structure of pyrene groups also gave PPU-x outstanding fluorescence and UV shielding performance. More noteworthy is the fact that graphene can be well dispersed in PPU-x with such high polarity via π–π interactions, which caused the dielectric constant of graphene-modified PPU-x nanocomposites to be three times that of PPU-0.3. Furthermore, this nanocomposite was used to make a triboelectric nanogenerator. Under the action of 0.5 N, the output voltage can reach 80 V, which is expected to be used to monitor weak signals of the human body. This work opens up a new strategy for the development of high-performance polyurea and its graphene-modified multifunctional polyurea nanomaterials with wide potential applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of long-afterglow luminescent materials (SrAl2O4: Eu2+ (SAOE), SrAl2O4: Eu2+, Dy3+ (SAOED) and SrAl2O4: Eu2+, Dy3+, Gd3+ (SAOEDG)) was synthesized via the combustion method. Temperature and concentration control experiments were conducted on these materials to determine the optimal reaction temperature and ion doping concentration for each sample. The crystal structure and luminescent properties were analyzed via X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL), and afterglow attenuation curves. The outcomes demonstrate that the kind of crystal structure and the location of the emission peak were unaffected by the addition of ions. The addition of Eu2+ to the matrix's lattice caused a broad green emission with a central wavelength of 508 nm, which was attributed to the characteristic 4f65d1 to 4f7 electronic dipole, which allowed the transition of Eu2+ ions. While acting as sensitizers, Dy3+ and Gd3+ could produce holes to create a trap energy level, which served as an electron trap center to catch some of the electrons produced by the excitation of Eu2+ but did not itself emit light. After excitation ceased, this allowed them to gently transition to the ground state to produce long-afterglow luminescence. It was observed that with the addition of sensitizer ions, the luminous intensity of the sample increased, and the afterglow duration lengthened. The elemental structure and valence states of the doped ions were determined with an X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were used to characterize the samples. The results show that the sample was synthesized successfully, and the type and content of ions in the fluorescent powder could be determined. The fluorescence lifetime, quantum yield, bandgap value, afterglow decay time, and coordinate position in the coherent infrared energy (CIE) diagram of the three best sample groups were then analyzed and compared. Combining the prepared phosphor with ink provides a new idea and method for the field of anti-counterfeiting through screen printing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial photosynthesis, which converts carbon dioxide into hydrocarbon fuels, is a promising strategy to overcome both global warming and energy crisis. Herein, the geometric position of Cu and Ga on ultra‐thin CuGaS2/Ga2S3 is oriented via a sulfur defect engineering, and the unprecedented C2H4 yield selectivity is ≈93.87% and yield is ≈335.67 µmol g−1 h−1. A highly delocalized electron distribution intensity induced by S vacancy indicates that Cu and Ga adjacent to S vacancy form Cu–Ga metallic bond, which accelerates the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to C2H4. The stability of the crucial intermediates (*CHOHCO) is attributed to the upshift of the d‐band center of ultra‐thin CGS/GS. The C–C coupling barrier is intrinsically reduced by the dominant exposed Cu atoms on the 2D ultra‐thin CuGaS2/Ga2S3 in the process of photocatalytic CO2 reduction, which captures *CO molecules effectively. This study proposes a new strategy to design photocatalyst through defect engineering to adjust the selectivity of photocatalytic CO2 reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a serious threat to human health, and its underlying mechanisms remain to be further explored. Aldolase A (ALDOA) has received increasing attention for its reported association with multiple cancers, but the role and mechanisms of ALDOA in CRC are still unclear. In the current study, high expression levels and enzymatic activity of ALDOA were detected in CRC tissues and cell lines, indicating the clinical significance of ALDOA in human CRC. In addition, silencing ALDOA significantly impaired the proliferation and metastasis of CRC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, immunoprecipitation assays and mass spectrometry analysis identified the binding protein COPS6 of ALDOA. Furthermore, the promoting effects of upregulated ALDOA on CRC cell proliferation and metastasis were inhibited by COPS6 depletion, demonstrating COPS6 was required for ALDOA in mediating CRC progress. Moreover, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program and MAPK signaling pathway were found to be activated by ALDOA overexpression as well. In summary, our findings suggested that ALDOA facilitated the proliferation and metastasis of CRC by binding and regulating COPS6, inducing EMT, and activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. The present study provided evidence for ALDOA as a promising potential biomarker for CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a series of Ba0.5Sr0.5Al2O4: xEu2+ (x = 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, 0.06) nanophosphors were synthesized by a combustion method. The investigation encompassed the characterization of the phase purity, morphology, elemental composition, and photoluminescence behavior of Ba0.5Sr0.5Al2O4: xEu2+ nanoparticles. Under excitation by 303 nm and 365 nm ultraviolet light, the nanoparticles exhibited blue-green emission arising from the 4f65d→4f7 transition of Eu2+ ions. The optimal doping concentration was determined to be 2%. Notably, the nanoparticles demonstrated fluorescence lifetimes and quantum yields of 1010 ns (λ ex = 303 nm), 112 ns (λ ex = 365 nm), 10.5%, and 10.3%, respectively. Additionally, a comprehensive analysis of the band structure and electronic density of states was conducted, revealing a theoretical direct band gap of 4.05 eV for the Ba0.5Sr0.5Al2O4 host. In addition, the prepared fluorescent powder can be used to prepare fluorescent flexible films. This film does not change the characteristic emission of Eu2+ ions and has more stable physicochemical properties, which may be more suitable for use in harsh environments. Also, the fluorescent powder can be blended with polyacrylic acid to form colorless anti-counterfeiting ink that can be applied to banknotes as an anti-counterfeiting mark. A clover pattern was successfully printed using screen-printing technology, proving its potential application in the field of anti-counterfeiting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanomaterials with unique structures and functions have been widely used in the fields of microelectronics, biology, medicine, and aerospace, etc. With advantages of high resolution and multi functions (e.g., milling, deposition, and implantation), focused ion beam (FIB) technology has been widely developed due to urgent demands for the 3D fabrication of nanomaterials in recent years. In this paper, FIB technology is illustrated in detail, including ion optical systems, operating modes, and combining equipment with other systems. Together with the in situ and real-time monitoring of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging, a FIB-SEM synchronization system achieved 3D controllable fabrication from conductive to semiconductive and insulative nanomaterials. The controllable FIB-SEM processing of conductive nanomaterials with a high precision is studied, especially for the FIB-induced deposition (FIBID) 3D nano-patterning and nano-origami. As for semiconductive nanomaterials, the realization of high resolution and controllability is focused on nano-origami and 3D milling with a high aspect ratio. The parameters of FIB-SEM and its working modes are analyzed and optimized to achieve the high aspect ratio fabrication and 3D reconstruction of insulative nanomaterials. Furthermore, the current challenges and future outlooks are prospected for the 3D controllable processing of flexible insulative materials with high resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Around a quarter of annual worldwide silver consumption comes from recycling. It remains a primary target for researchers to increase the silver ion adsorption capacity of the chelate resin. Herein, a series of flower-like thiourea–formaldehyde microspheres (FTFM) possessing diameters of 15–20 μm were prepared via a one-step reaction under acidic conditions, and the effects of the monomer molar ratio and reaction time on the micro-flower morphology, specific surface area, and silver ion adsorption performance were explored. The nanoflower-like microstructure showed the maximum specific surface area 18.98 ± 0.949 m2/g, which was 55.8 times higher than that of the solid microsphere control. As a result, the maximum silver ion adsorption capacity was 7.95 ± 0.396 mmol/g, which was 10.9 times higher than that of the control. Kinetic studies showed that the equilibrium adsorption amount of FT1F4M was 12.61 ± 0.016 mmol/g, which was 11.6 times higher than that of the control. Additionally, the isotherm study of the adsorption process was performed, and the maximum adsorption capacity of FT1F4M was 18.17 ± 1.28 mmol/g, which was 13.8 times that of the control according to the Langmuir adsorption model. Its high absorption efficiency, convenient preparation strategy, and low cost recommend FTFM bright for further use in industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and convenient non-isocyanate route is described to synthesize strong aliphatic crosslinked polyureas (cPUreas). A ring-opening reaction of mixed diamines with ethylene carbonate was carried out at 100 °C, and a transurethane polycondensation was followed at 170 °C, with different amino terminated polyurea oligomers (H2N-o-PUrea-NH2s) prepared. cPUreas were prepared further through a crosslinking reaction of H2N-o-PUrea-NH2s with 1,5-bis(maleimide)-2-methylpentane. The cPUreas were characterized by FT-IR, dynamic mechanical analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and tensile test. Different curing conditions were adopted to study the influence on the properties. The cPUreas exhibited tensile strength up to 91 MPa, glass transition temperature between 96 and 182 °C, and initial decomposition temperature at over 288 °C. Aliphatic cPUreas with excellent thermal and mechanical properties were successfully synthesized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a crucial role in numbers of biological processes and have received wide attention during the past years. Since the rapid development of high-throughput transcriptome sequencing technologies (RNA-seq) lead to a large amount of RNA data, it is urgent to develop a fast and accurate coding potential predictor. Many computational methods have been proposed to address this issue, they usually exploit information on open reading frame (ORF), protein sequence, k-mer, evolutionary signatures, or homology. Despite the effectiveness of these approaches, there is still much room to improve. Indeed, none of these methods exploit the contextual information of RNA sequence, for example, k-mer features that counts the occurrence frequencies of continuous nucleotides (k-mer) in the whole RNA sequence cannot reflect local contextual information of each k-mer. In view of this shortcoming, here, we present a novel alignment-free method, CPPVec, which exploits the contextual information of RNA sequence for coding potential prediction for the first time, it can be easily implemented by distributed representation (e.g., doc2vec) of protein sequence translated from the longest ORF. The experimental findings demonstrate that CPPVec is an accurate coding potential predictor and significantly outperforms existing state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]