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The measurement of salinity and temperature is vital for ocean observation. However, due to the cross-sensitivity phenomenon of fiber sensors, traditional fiber-based demodulation algorithms are difficult to measure the dual-parameter accurately and simultaneously. In this research, a cascaded structure of a tilted fiber Bragg grating (TFBG) and a Sagnac interferometer (SI) is employed to monitor salinity and temperature simultaneously. The transfer learning-based ResNet networks (TFRes) is proposed to demodulate two variables at the same time. A total of 1680 spectral samples were collected for training and testing when the sensor was immersed in sodium chloride solution with different salinities ranging from 0% to 25% with 5% intervals and temperatures ranging from 20 °C to 32 °C with 3 °C intervals. The SI exhibits a temperature sensitivity of −1.458 nm/°C, accompanied by a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.28 °C. The sensitivity of the TFBG core mode to temperature is 0.009 nm/°C, and the sensitivity of one of the cladding modes to salinity is 0.004 nm/%. After training through the TFRes, we successfully achieved precise demodulation of salinity and temperature variations by analyzing the composite reflection spectra of SI and TFBG. The MAE amounted to 0.07304 °C for temperature and 0.07285% for salinity, outperforming traditional analyzer demodulation methods by a factor of four. The monitoring experiment of dual parameter simultaneous changes is conducted, with a temperature error of 0.18 °C and a salinity error of 0.1%. The designed sensing system is poised to play a significant role in marine physical quantity monitoring.

Developing catalysts with excellent CO2capture capability and electrochemical CO2reduction reaction (CO2RR) at a wide potential range simultaneously is significant but remains a formidable challenge. Here, two novel InMg defective trinuclear cluster-based MOFs (SNNU-41 and SNNU-42) with abundant p-block unsaturated coordinated sites were reported and exhibited good CO2capture and CO2RR performance simultaneously. Due to the suitable micropores, SNNU-41 showed higher CO2capture ability at different adsorption pressure conditions. On account of the rigid framework and the closer pband center to Fermi level, SNNU-42 accelerated the conversion of CO2molecule to C1 efficiency. Notably, via adjusting the ratio of p-block metal (In) in the SNNU-42 framework, the performance of the CO2RR was promoted drastically. SNNU-42 with the InMg (1:1.8) mixed cluster delivered an excellent Faradaic efficiency of 91.3% for C1 products and high selectivity of 72.0% for HCOOH at −2.5 V (vs Ag/Ag+) with a total current density of 77.2 mA cm–2. This work provides a possibility for efficient CO2capture and CO2RR electrocatalysts through the modulation of electronic structures and composition in MOFs.

PD-L1-positive extracellular vesicles (PD-L1+EVs) play a pivotal role as predictive biomarkers in cancer immunotherapy. These vesicles, originating from immune cells (I-PD-L1+EVs) and tumor cells (T-PD-L1+EVs), hold distinct clinical predictive values, emphasizing the importance of deeply differentiating the PD-L1+EV subtypes for effective liquid biopsy analyses. However, current methods such as ELISA lack the ability to differentiate their cellular sources. In this study, a novel step-wedge microfluidic chip that combines magnetic microsphere separation with single-layer fluorescence counting is developed. This chip integrates magnetic microspheres modified with anti-PD-L1 antibodies and fluorescent nanoparticles targeting EpCAM (tumor cell marker) or CD45 (immunocyte marker), enabling simultaneous quantification and sensitive analysis of PD-L1+EV subpopulations in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients’ saliva without background interference. Analysis results indicate reduced levels of I-PD-L1+EVs in OSCC patients compared to those in healthy individuals, with varying levels of heterogeneous PD-L1+EVs observed among different patient groups. During immunotherapy, responders exhibit decreased levels of total PD-L1+EVs and T-PD-L1+EVs, accompanied by reduced levels of I-PD-L1+EVs. Conversely, nonresponders show increased levels of I-PD-L1+EVs. Utilizing the step-wedge microfluidic chip allows for simultaneous detection of PD-L1+EV subtypes, facilitating the precise prediction of oral cancer immunotherapy outcomes.

With the combination of the N-heterocyclic carbene-PdCl2-1-methylimidazole complex and Cu2O, we succeeded in the first example of double direct C–H bond arylation reactions between thiophenes and aryl chlorides, giving the desired 2,5-diarylated thiophenes in moderate to high yields under suitable conditions, consistent with the density functional theory calculations.

Objective: This study aimed to establish a neural cell injury model in vitroby stimulating PC12 cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and to examine the effects of astragaloside IV on key targets using high-throughput sequence technology and bioinformatics analyses. Methods: PC12 cells in the logarithmic growth phase were treated with LPS at final concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, and 1.25 mg/mL for 24 h. Cell morphology was evaluated, and cell survival rates were calculated. A neurocyte inflammatory model was established with LPS treatment, which reached a 50% cell survival rate. PC12 cells were treated with 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, or 100 µmol/L astragaloside IV for 24 h. The concentration of astragaloside IV that did not affect the cell survival rate was selected as the treatment group for subsequent experiments. NOS activity was detected by colorimetry; the expression levels of ERCC2, XRCC4, XRCC2, TNF-α, IL-1β, TLR4, NOS and COX-2 mRNA and protein were detected by RT-qPCR and Western blotting. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the groups were screened using a second-generation sequence (fold change>2, P<0.05) with the following KEGG enrichment analysis, RT-qPCR and Western blotting were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of DEGs related to the IL-17 pathway in different groups of PC12 cells. Results: The viability of PC12 cells was not altered by treatment with 0.01, 0.1, or 1 µmol/L astragaloside IV for 24 h (P>0.05). However, after treatment with 0.5, 0.75, 1, or 1.25 mg/mL LPS for 24 h, the viability steadily decreased (P<0.01). The mRNA and protein expression levels of ERCC2, XRCC4, XRCC2, TNF-α, IL-1β, TLR4, NOS, and COX-2 were significantly increased after PC12 cells were treated with 1 mg/mL LPS for 24 h (P<0.01); however, these changes were reversed when PC12 cells were pretreated with 0.01, 0.1, or 1 µmol/L astragaloside IV in PC12 cells and then treated with 1 mg/mL LPS for 24 h (P<0.05). Second-generation sequencing revealed that 1026 genes were upregulated, while 1287 genes were downregulated. The DEGs were associated with autophagy, TNF-α, interleukin-17, MAPK, P53, Toll-like receptor, and NOD-like receptor signaling pathways. Furthermore, PC12 cells treated with a 1 mg/mL LPS for 24 h exhibited increased mRNA and protein expression of CCL2, CCL11, CCL7, MMP3, and MMP10, which are associated with the IL-17 pathway. RT-qPCR and Western blotting analyses confirmed that the DEGs listed above corresponded to the sequence assay results. Conclusion: LPS can damage PC12 cells and cause inflammatory reactions in nerve cells and DNA damage. astragaloside IV plays an anti-inflammatory and DNA damage protective role and inhibits the IL-17 signaling pathway to exert a neuroprotective effect in vitro.

Herein, a novel pillararene-based cavitand with fixed planar chirality was synthesized by the SuFEx reaction. As demonstrated by single crystal X-ray analysis, host–guest capsules involving this cavitand and linear alkanes with specific lengths are observed in the solid state. The formation of each capsule is driven by hydrogen bonding interactions between a linear alkane molecule and two cavitand molecules, as well as noncovalent interactions between the two cavitand molecules in this capsule.

A Pd-catalyzed one-pot sequential C–H functionalization strategy was utilized to prepare four lycorine alkaloids and one pseudo-lycorine alkaloid from the common intermediate 4. By switching the followed oxidative conditions of air, DMSO/H2O/I2, and DMSO/O2, based on the Pd(PPh3)4/K2CO3/toluene catalytic system, three key intermediates 12a, 12b, and 12cwith different substitution patterns could be obtained in a well-controlled manner. As a result, four natural products γ-lycorane, hippadine, anhydrolycorinone, and anhydrolycorine as well as a pseudo-lycorine alkaloid Δ(4a,10b)-6-oxodihydrolycorine were successfully synthesized within 10 steps through this divergent route.

In response to the growing need for efficient processing of temporal information, neuromorphic computing systems are placing increased emphasis on the switching dynamics of memristors. While the switching dynamics can be regulated by the properties of input signals, the ability of controlling it via electrolyte properties of a memristor is essential to further enrich the switching states and improve data processing capability. This study presents the synthesis of mesoporous silica (mSiO2) films using a sol–gel process, which enables the creation of films with controllable porosities. These films can serve as electrolyte layers in the diffusive memristors and lead to tunable neuromorphic switching dynamics. The mSiO2memristors demonstrate short-term plasticity, which is essential for temporal signal processing. As porosity increases, discernible changes in operating currents, facilitation ratios, and relaxation times are observed. The underlying mechanism of such systematic control was investigated and attributed to the modulation of hydrogen-bonded networks within the porous structure of the silica layer, which significantly influences both anodic oxidation and ion migration processes during switching events. The result of this work presents mesoporous silica as a unique platform for precise control of neuromorphic switching dynamics in diffusive memristors.

A series of structurally novel GluN2B NMDAR antagonists were designed, synthesized, and biologically evaluated as anti-stroke therapeutics by optimizing the chemical structure of Pierardine, the active ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine Dendrobium aphyllum (Roxb.) C. E. Fischeridentified via in silicoscreening. The systematic structure–activity relationship study led to the discovery of 58with promising NMDAR-GluN2B binding affinity and antagonistic activity. Of the two enantiomers, S-58exhibited significant inhibition (IC50= 74.01 ± 12.03 nM) against a GluN1/GluN2B receptor-mediated current in a patch clamp assay. In addition, it displayed favorable specificity over other subtypes and off-target receptors. In vivo, S-58exerted therapeutic efficacy comparable to that of the approved GluN2B NMDAR antagonist ifenprodil and excellent safety profiles. In addition to the attractive in vitroand in vivopotency, S-58exhibited excellent brain exposure. In light of these merits, S-58has been advanced to further preclinical investigation as a potential anti-stroke candidate.

Pancreatic β-cell failure by WFS1deficiency is manifested in individuals with wolfram syndrome (WS). The lack of a suitable human model in WS has impeded progress in the development of new treatments. Here, human pluripotent stem cell derived pancreatic islets (SC-islets) harboring WFS1deficiency and mouse model of β cell specific Wfs1knockout were applied to model β-cell failure in WS. We charted a high-resolution roadmap with single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) to investigate pathogenesis for WS β-cell failure, revealing two distinct cellular fates along pseudotime trajectory: maturation and stress branches. WFS1deficiency disrupted β-cell fate trajectory toward maturation and directed it towards stress trajectory, ultimately leading to β-cell failure. Notably, further investigation of the stress trajectory identified activated integrated stress response (ISR) as a crucial mechanism underlying WS β-cell failure, characterized by aberrant eIF2 signaling in WFS1-deficient SC-islets, along with elevated expression of genes in regulating stress granule formation. Significantly, we demonstrated that ISRIB, an ISR inhibitor, efficiently reversed β-cell failure in WFS1-deficient SC-islets. We further validated therapeutic efficacy in vivo with β-cell specific Wfs1knockout mice. Altogether, our study provides novel insights into WS pathogenesis and offers a strategy targeting ISR to treat WS diabetes.

Ventilation is recognized as an effective mitigation strategy for long-range airborne transmission. However, a recent study by Li et al.revealed its potential impact on short-range airborne transmission as well. Our study extends their work by developing size-dependent transmission models for both short- and long-range airborne transmission and evaluates the impact of various control strategies, including ventilation. By adopting a recently determined mode-dependent viral load, we first analyzed the role of different sizes of droplets in airborne transmission. In contrast to models with a constant viral load where large droplets contain more viruses, our findings demonstrated that droplets ranging from ∼2–4 μm are more critical for short-range airborne transmission. Meanwhile, droplets in the ∼1–2 μm range play a significant role in long-range airborne transmission. Furthermore, our study indicates that implementing a size-dependent filtration/mask strategy considerably affects the rate of change (ROC) of virus concentration in relation to both distancing and ventilation. This underscores the importance of factoring in droplet size during risk assessment. Engineering controls, like ventilation and filtration, as well as administrative controls, such as distancing and masks, have different effectiveness in reducing virus concentration. Our findings indicate that high-efficiency masks can drastically reduce virus concentrations, potentially diminishing the impacts of other strategies. Given the size-dependent efficiency of filtration, ventilation has a more important role in reducing virus concentration than filtration, especially for long-range airborne transmission. For short-range airborne transmission, maintaining distance is far more effective than ventilation, and its effectiveness is largely unaffected by ventilation. However, the influence of ventilation on virus concentration and its variation with the distance mainly depend on the specific transmission model utilized. In sum, this research delineates the differential roles of droplet sizes and control strategies in both short- and long-range airborne transmission, offering valuable insights for future size-dependent airborne transmission control measures.

A new ultrafast interrogation is proposed based on the peanut shaped tapered fiber (PSTF) interference structure and time-stretching method. The single mode fiber (SMF) is tapered by tapering machine to achieve a minimum core diameter width of 10.86 μm. Thanks to the peanut structure as a beam expander and collector, multiple high order modes have been excited. The interference between core mode and cladding modes has a high response to changes in surrounding salinity, with a salinity sensitivity of 0.302 nm/‰ and a corresponding refractive index (RI) sensitivity of up to 1800.535 nm/RIU. The time-stretching method is put forward and experimentally demonstrated. Once the femtosecond light pulse is modulated by the PSTF interferometer, the pulse light carrying information is transmitted to a dispersion compensation fiber (DCF) to achieve wavelength to time mapping and the spectrum in the time domain can be directly collected on an oscilloscope (OSC). By monitoring the time shift of salinity modifications, a salinity sensitivity of −0.128 ns/‰ and a real-time acquisition speed of 50 MHz for the sensing system is realized. The proposed salinity monitoring system has the advantages of high sensitivity, fast response speed, low cost and high accuracy. It has significant potential for real-time monitoring and timely provision of salinity data, which can help improve water quality and achieve scientific aquaculture. The proposed interrogation technology has broad application prospects for any real-time monitoring based on fiber optic interference modulation.

The identification of functional midgut receptors for pesticidal proteins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis(Bt) is critical for deciphering the molecular mechanism of Bt resistance in insects. Reduced expression of the PxABCB1gene was previously found to be associated with Cry1Ac resistance in the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella(L.). To directly validate the potential receptor role of PxABCB1 and its contribution to Bt Cry1Ac toxicity in P. xylostella, we used CRISPR/Cas9 to generate a homozygous knockout ABCB1KO strain with a 5-bp deletion in exon 3 of its gene. The ABCB1KO strain exhibited a 63-fold resistance to Cry1Ac toxin compared to the parental DBM1Ac-S strain. Intriguingly, the ABCB1KO strain also exhibited significant increases in susceptibility to abamectin and emamectin benzoate. No changes in susceptibility to various other Bt Cry proteins or synthetic insecticides were observed. The knockout strain exhibited no significant fitness costs. Overall, our study indicates that PxABCB1 can protect the insect against avermectin insecticides on one hand, while on the other hand it facilitates the toxic effect of the Bt Cry1Ac toxin. The results of this study will help to inform integrated pest management approaches against this destructive pest.

l-Cysteine is a valuable sulfur-containing amino acid with applications across a wide range of fields. Recently, microbial fermentation has emerged as a method to produce l-cysteine. However, cellular redox stress from high levels of l-cysteine is a bottleneck for achieving efficient production. In this study, we aimed to facilitate l-cysteine biosynthesis by modulating cellular redox homeostasis through the introduction of the natural antioxidant astaxanthin in Corynebacterium glutamicum. To achieve this, we first introduced an exogenous astaxanthin synthesis module in C. glutamicum. Then, an l-cysteine-dependent autonomous bifunctional genetic switch was developed to dynamically regulate the l-cysteine and astaxanthin biosynthesis pathway to maintain cellular redox homeostasis. This regulation system achieved high biosynthesis of astaxanthin, which significantly facilitated l-cysteine production. Finally, engineered strain Cg-10 produced 8.45 g/L l-cysteine and 95 mg/L astaxanthin in a 5 L bioreactor, both of which are the highest reported levels in C. glutamicum.

The octahedral sites in Co3O4usually possess better oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity, which have been identified as the active sites. Atomic cationic vacancy defects can elicit localized electron redistribution to regulate the electronic structure of the host materials. In this paper, Co3O4nanosheet arrays with cationic vacancies at octahedral sites (Vx-Co3O4) have been synthesized by a facile three-step reaction process. Density functional theory (DFT) computational results further indicate that the cationic vacancies can increase the number of electrons per Co atom and optimize the adsorption energy of the intermediate product. As a result, the optimized V0.3-Co3O4/CC electrode with abundant cationic vacancies displays excellent OER performance in alkaline electrolytes with an overpotential of 240 mV at 10 mA cm–2, Tafel slope of 72.2 mV dec–1, and superior stability, which are much better than those of the pure Co3O4and commercial IrO2.

Many populations of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticaeKoch, have developed high levels of resistance to the pesticide abamectin in China and other countries. This study developed a near-isogenic line to understand better the inheritance, cross-resistance, and fitness costs associated with abamectin resistance in the field population of T. urticaein China. We introduced the trait that confers extremely high abamectin resistance in a field-collected population of T. urticaeinto a susceptible laboratory strain (IPP-SS) to generate an abamectin-resistant near-isogenic line (NIL-Aba). This process was carried out through multiple backcrossing to IPP-SS and viaparthenogenesis and abamectin screening. Compared with IPP-SS, the NIL-Aba strain had a 25 147-fold resistance to abamectin and a high level of cross-resistance to bifenthrin (288.17-fold), an intermediate level to emamectin benzoate (42.57-fold), and low levels to bifenazate, chlorfenapyr, cyflumetofen, cyenopyrafen, and cyetpyrafen with resistance ranging from 3.18- to 9.31-fold. But it had no cross-resistance to profenofos. The resistance to abamectin in NIL-Aba was autosomal, incompletely dominant, and polygenic. Based on two sex life table parameters, no fitness cost was found in NIL-Aba. Establishing the NIL-Aba strain provides a reliable basis for an in-depth study of abamectin resistance in T. urticae. New information on toxicological characteristics and fitness cost should facilitate the management of abamectin resistance in field populations of T. urticae.

Alkyl salicylaldehyde derivatives are polyketide natural products, which are widely distributed in fungi and exhibit great structural diversity. Their biosynthetic mechanisms have recently been intensively studied; however, how the polyketide synthases (PKSs) involved in the fungal alkyl salicylaldehyde biosyntheses release their products remained elusive. In this study, we discovered an orphan biosynthetic gene cluster of salicylaldehyde derivatives in the fungus Stachybotryssp. g12. Intriguingly, the highly reducing PKS StrA, encoded by the gene cluster, performs a reductive polyketide chain release, although it lacks a C-terminal reductase domain, which is typically required for such a reductive release. Our study revealed that the chain release is achieved by the ketoreductase (KR) domain of StrA, which also conducts cannonical β-keto reductions during polyketide chain elongation. Furthermore, we found that the cupin domain-containing protein StrC plays a critical role in the aromatization reaction. Collectively, we have provided an unprecedented example of a KR domain-catalyzed polyketide chain release and a clearer image of how the salicylaldehyde scaffold is generated in fungi.

Graphical abstract: In this study, we selected four cardiovascular stent materials of high clinical interest to evaluate their biomechanical effects on PTCA to provide vascular surgeons with additional tools for selecting cardiovascular stents.

Immune activating agents represent a valuable class of therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. An area of active research is expanding the types of these therapeutics that are available to patients via targeting new biological mechanisms. Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is a negative regulator of immune signaling and a target of high interest for the treatment of cancer. Herein, we present the discovery and optimization of novel amino-6-aryl pyrrolopyrimidine inhibitors of HPK1 starting from hits identified via virtual screening. Key components of this discovery effort were structure-based drug design aided by analyses of normalized B-factors and optimization of lipophilic efficiency.

Dysregulated neurite outgrowth and synapse formation underlie many psychiatric disorders, which are also manifested by wolfram syndrome (WS). Whether and how the causative gene WFS1deficiency affects synapse formation remain elusive. By mirroring human brain development with cerebral organoids, WFS1-deficient cerebral organoids not only recapitulate the neuronal loss in WS patients, but also exhibit significantly impaired synapse formation and function associated with reduced astrocytes. WFS1deficiency in neurons autonomously delays neuronal differentiation with altered expressions of genes associated with psychiatric disorders, and impairs neurite outgrowth and synapse formation with elevated cytosolic calcium. Intriguingly, WFS1deficiency in astrocytes decreases the expression of glutamate transporter EAAT2by NF-κB activation and induces excessive glutamate. When co-cultured with wildtype neurons, WFS1-deficient astrocytes lead to impaired neurite outgrowth and increased cytosolic calcium in neurons. Importantly, disrupted synapse formation and function in WFS1-deficient cerebral organoids and impaired neurite outgrowth affected by WFS1-deficient astrocytes are efficiently reversed with Riluzole treatment, by restoring EAAT2expression in astrocytes. Furthermore, Riluzole rescues the depressive-like behavior in the forced swimming test and the impaired recognition and spatial memory in the novel object test and water maze test in Wfs1conditional knockout mice. Altogether, our study provides novel insights into how WFS1deficiency affects synapse formation and function, and offers a strategy to treat this disease.

Epidemics caused by pathogens in recent years have created an urgent need for energetic biocidal agents with the capacity of detonation and releasing bactericides. Herein we present a new type of energetic biocidal agents based on a series of iodine-rich molecular perovskites, (H2dabco)M(IO4)3(dabco = 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, M = Na+/K+/Rb+/NH4+for DAI-1/2/3/4) and (H2dabco)Na(H4IO6)3(DAI-X1). These compounds possess a cubic perovskite structure, and notably have not only high iodine contents (49–54 wt%), but also high performance in detonation velocity (6.331–6.558 km s−1) and detonation pressure (30.69–30.88 GPa). In particular, DAI-4 has a very high iodine content of 54.0 wt% and simultaneously an exceptional detonation velocity up to 6.558 km s−1. As disclosed by laser scanning confocal microscopy observation and a standard micro-broth dilution method, the detonation products of DAI-4 exhibit a broad-spectrum bactericidal effect against bacteria (E. coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa). The advantages of easy scale-up synthesis, low cost, high detonation performance, and high iodine contents enable these periodate-based molecular perovskites to be highly promising candidates for energetic biocidal agents.

Graphical Abstract:

Objectives: This study aims to elucidate the transcriptomic signatures and dysregulated pathways in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), with a particular focus on those persisting during disease remission. Methods: We conducted bulk RNA-sequencing of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a well-defined cohort comprising 26 remission patients meeting the Low Lupus Disease Activity State (LLDAS) criteria, 76 patients experiencing disease flares, and 15 healthy controls. To elucidate immune signature changes associated with varying disease states, we performed extensive analyses, including the identification of differentially expressed genes and pathways, as well as the construction of protein-protein interaction networks. Results: Several transcriptomic features recovered during remission compared to the active disease state, including down-regulation of plasma and cell cycle signatures, as well as up-regulation of lymphocytes. However, specific innate immune response signatures, such as the interferon (IFN) signature, and gene modules involved in chromatin structure modification, persisted across different disease states. Drug repurposing analysis revealed certain drug classes that can target these persistent signatures, potentially preventing disease relapse. Conclusion: Our comprehensive transcriptomic study revealed gene expression signatures for SLE in both active and remission states. The discovery of gene expression modules persisting in the remission stage may shed light on the underlying mechanisms of vulnerability to relapse in these patients, providing valuable insights for their treatment.

The features of molecularly preferable centrosymmetric arrangements exclude organic nonlinear optical (NLO) materials for second harmonic generation (SHG) when used in the solid and crystalline states, which greatly limits their applications in optoelectronic devices. Herein, a pillar[5]arene (BrP5) is used as the macrocyclic host to encapsulate NLO molecules, 4-[4′-methoxystyryl]-1-methylpyridinium iodide (OM), 4-[2′-(5′-(dimethylamino)thiophen-2′-yl)vinyl]-1-methylpyridinium iodide (DAST), and 4-methoxy-β-nitrostyrene (MNS), to alter the solid-state packing of these NLO molecules and manipulate their centrosymmetric arrangements. BrP5forms 2:1 host–guest complexes with OMand DAST, while it forms a 1:1 host–guest complex with MNS. Experimental results show that the pillar[5]arene and each of these three NLO guests form a nanocapsule architecture along with an overall centrosymmetric crystal structure. However, the random orientation of OMand DASTmolecules inside the 2:1 host–guest complex nanocapsules breaks the local centrosymmetric arrangement of the NLO molecules, resulting in strong SHG. On the contrary, for BrP5⊃MNS, the MNSmolecules inside the pillar[5]arene cavities are unable to break the centrosymmetry. They have only one determined orientation in the one-dimensional (1D) channels of BrP5, while other MNSmolecules in adjacent channels have the opposite direction. The centrosymmetry of the dipolar chains is strictly maintained with the cancellation of nonlinear polarization, resulting in the quenching of SHG. Furthermore, an ultrasound-induced host–guest crystallization method is developed for the fast preparation of these host–guest composite materials with NLO activity. This work opens a new way to construct solid-state organic NLO materials, which have potential in high-power lasers, optical switches, and imaging applications.

Objective: Cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) proliferation and extracellular matrix deposition are important features of cardiac fibrosis. Various studies have indicated that vitamin D displays an anti-fibrotic property in chronic heart diseases. This study explored the role of vitamin D in the growth of CFs via an integrin signaling pathway. Methods: MTT and 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine assays were performed to determine cell viability. Western blotting was performed to detect the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and integrin signaling pathway. The fibronectin was observed by ELISA. Immunohistochemical staining was employed to evaluate the expression of integrin β3. Results: The PCNA expression in the CFs was enhanced after isoproterenol (ISO) stimulation accompanied by an elevated expression of integrin beta-3 (β3). The blockade of the integrin β3 with a specific integrin β3 antibody reduced the PCNA expression induced by the ISO. Decreasing the integrin β3 by siRNA reduced the ISO-triggered phosphorylation of FAK and Akt. Both the FAK inhibitor and Akt inhibitor suppressed the PCNA expression induced by the ISO in the CFs. Calcitriol (CAL), an active form of vitamin D, attenuated the ISO-induced CFs proliferation by downregulating the integrin β3 expression, and phosphorylation of FAK and Akt. Moreover, CAL reduced the increased levels of fibronectin and hydroxyproline in the CFs culture medium triggered by the ISO. The administration of calcitriol decreased the integrin β3 expression in the ISO-induced myocardial injury model. Conclusion: These findings revealed a novel role for CAL in suppressing the CFs growth by the downregulation of the integrin β3/FAK/Akt pathway.

A simple and efficient method was proposed to selectively separate and recover tellurium and bismuth in an acidic leaching solution of tellurium−bismuth ore by Na2SO3and Fe powder. Then, the selective reduction mechanism was investigated by SEM−EDS, XRD, XPS, ICP-OES, etc. 99.83% Te in leaching solution can be reduced by Na2SO3with an excess coefficient of 16 at 80 °C for 10 min, and the grade of crude tellurium can reach 93.78%. Besides, the stirring action can accelerate the reduction of Te because the dissolution of Na2SO3is promoted. Subsequently, 99.39% Bi in the reduced solution can be displaced by Fe powder with an excess coefficient of 7.5 at 60 °C for 40 min, and the grade of crude bismuth can reach 92.35%. Finally, cyclic leaching of tellurium−bismuth ore was adopted to enrich Te(IV) and Bi(III) concentrations and decrease the Fe(III) concentration in leaching solution, which can efficiently decrease the consumption of Na2SO3.

Graphical abstract:

Serial time-encoded amplified microscopy can achieve ultrafast imaging speed within varied dynamic regimes. However, it has two challenges: the high-throughput data issue and low-efficiency diffraction issue. Here, we report a compact and highly efficient ultrafast optical imaging system based on compressive sensing and in-fiber grating. Our proposal is confirmed by the proof-of-principle experiment and obtains a minimum data compression ratio of 5% with a continuous ultrafast imaging speed of 10 Mfps at a field of view of 0.5 mm ${}^{\ast} 1.6$ mm. A barcode with a moving speed of 4m/s is also demonstrated for imaging and an imaging speed of 1.25 Mfps is obtained. The proposed optical imaging system overcomes the big data issue, increases energy efficiency, and paves the way for compact and highly efficient ultrafast optical imaging within dynamic scenarios.

Micro-vibration seriously affects the precision and stability of precision mechanical systems. Aiming at the micro-vibration existing in the semiconductor package positioning system, this paper first designed an active-passive integrated actuator (APIA) based on piezo-stack array, which compensated the mechanical error through the piezo-stack array to improve its positioning accuracy. Based on the APIA, a 6-PUU parallel micro-vibration suppression platform (MVSP) was designed, in which the two APIAs were combined into one and installed on the lower platform along the tangential distribution of the circle, and then the kinematic model of the platform was established. Finally, the PID control algorithm was used to conduct vibration isolation experiments on the MVSP. The experimental results showed that the MVSP had good vibration isolation performance for micro-vibration, the vibration isolation frequency band was above 5 Hz, and the attenuation of micro-vibration signals was between 18% and 64%.

Chemosensory proteins (CSPs) perform several functions in insects. This study performed the gene expression, ligand-binding, and molecular docking assays on the EforCSP3 identified in the parasitoid wasp Encarsia formosa, to determine whether EforCSP3 functions in olfaction, especially in host location and host preference. The results showed that EforCSP3was highly expressed in the female head, and its relative expression was much higher in adults than in other developmental stages. The fluorescence binding assays suggested that the EforCSP3 exhibited high binding affinities to a wide range of host-related volatiles, among which dibutyl phthalate, 1-octene, β-elemene, and tridecane had the strongest binding affinity with EforCSP3, besides α-humulene and β-myrcene, and should be assessed as potential attractants. Protein structure modeling and molecular docking predicted the amino acid residues of EforCSP3 possibly involved in volatile binding. α-Humulene and β-myrcene attracted E. formosain a previous study and exhibited strong binding affinities with EforCSP3 in the current study. In conclusion, EforCSP3 may be involved in semiochemical reception by E. formosa.

Variable stoichiometry co-crystals are important in solid-state supramolecular chemistry as they allow studies of structure–property relationships while permitting the synthesis of new scaffolds using identical synthons. In this work, we extend the concept of variable stoichiometry co-crystals into the realm of pillararene chemistry and show that this permits the rational construction of a diverse set of supramolecular structures in the solid state. Specifically, we report a series of variable stoichiometry co-crystals based on pillar[n]arenes and tetracyanobenzene (TCNB) and show that the combination of in-cavity complexation by pillar[n]arenes (n= 5,6) and outside binding with TCNBallows several types of co-crystals with different self-assembled superstructures to be isolated. The variable stoichiometry co-crystals of this study display different solid-state physicochemical properties, including colors and luminescence features. Among these pillar[n]arene-based co-crystals, we discovered unique crystallographic architectures wherein two sets of individual host–guest complexes co-exist in the solid state. These mixed co-crystal systems allow for vapochromic-based detection of n-bromoalkanes. This work highlights a new strategy for the construction of self-assembled superstructures in the solid state and for tuning their intrinsic characteristics, including their luminescent and substrate-responsive features.

In this article, we propose a novel method for temperature detection based on 1-D CNN and time-stretch method. Differing from traditional optical fiber temperature sensors that are demodulated by an optical spectrum analyzer (OSA) that needs long time to scan and a benchmark spectrum in advance, the demonstrated method can effectively solve the problem in demodulation and improve the detection speed. Besides, mapping the demodulation in the traditional spectral domain to the temporal domain through dispersion optical fiber can greatly reduce the system cost and the demodulation speed can be as high as 50 MHz. Furthermore, the designed peanut-shaped structured Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) is simple to achieve, highly responsive to temperature, and easy to be mass produced at low cost. In the range of 10 °C–18 °C, the temperature sensitivity is up to 1.038 nm/°C, and the detection accuracy is up to 99.07% after using the 1-D CNN algorithm. The proposed sensor system is expected to play a potential role in important scenarios such as temperature monitoring of military weapons and space vehicle system management and control.