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Quinazolinone derivatives are an important class of pharmaceutical and pesticide intermediates, which are generally synthesized starting with the condensation reaction between aldehydes and 2-aminobenzamide to obtain corresponding intermediates and then oxidized to obtain the products. Although some catalysts have been developed currently for the synthesis of quinazolinone derivatives, their catalytic efficiency is relatively low because only the oxidative catalytic sites of the catalyst have been focused on. Herein, we synthesized three new polyoxometalate-based metal–organic frameworks, [CuI4(4,4′-bipy)7(Hn–1PMo12–nVnO40)]·2H2O (n= 1–3), which were formed by coordinating a Cu(I)-bipy complex with different Keggin-type phosphomolybdic acids. An important feature of these compounds is that they possess proton and multioxidative active sites [Cu(I) center and V(V) center]; thus, we applied them to the catalytic synthesis of quinazolinone derivatives. The results indicate that compound 3has an excellent catalytic activity. Based on density functional theory calculations, it is speculated that protons participate in the aldehyde amine condensation reaction, which changes the reaction pathway and reduces the activation energy from 55.1 to 31.4 kcal/mol, thereby increasing the reaction rate significantly. Interestingly, Raman spectra and electron paramagnetic resonance measurements indicate the presence of CuIIOO•and •O2–during the oxidative dehydrogenation process, which facilitates the rapid consumption of 2-phenyl-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one intermediates, thereby promoting the chemical reaction to move toward the positive direction. Thanks to the synergistic effect of multicatalytic sites, compound 3achieved highly efficient catalytic synthesis of quinazolinones with 99% yield in 1 h.

Chicken is the main source of protein for humans in most parts of the world. However, excessive fat deposition in chickens has become a serious problem. This adversely affects the growth of chickens and causes economic losses. Fat formation mainly occurs through preadipocyte differentiation, and excessive fat deposition results from the accumulation of preadipocytes after differentiation. Our previous studies have found that the connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) may be an important candidate gene for fat deposition. However, its function and mechanism in preadipocyte differentiation are still unclear. In this study, the RT-qPCR and Western blot results showed that the expression of CTGF mRNA and protein in the abdominal adipose of lean chickens was significantly higher than that of fat chickens. Therefore, we studied the function and mechanism of the CTGF in the differentiation of chicken preadipocytes. Functionally, the CTGF inhibited the differentiation of chicken preadipocytes. Mechanistically, the CTGF mediated the TGFβ1/Smad3 signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting the differentiation of chicken preadipocytes. In addition, we used the unique molecular identifier (UMI) RNA-Seq technology to detect genes that can be regulated by the CTGF in the whole genome. Through transcriptome data analysis, we selected actin gamma 2 (ACTG2) as a candidate gene. Regarding the function of the ACTG2gene, we found that it inhibited the differentiation of chicken preadipocytes. Furthermore, we found that the CTGF can inhibit the differentiation of preadipocytes through the ACTG2gene. In summary, this study found the CTGF as a new negative regulator of chicken preadipocyte differentiation. The results of this study help improve the understanding of the molecular genetic mechanism of chicken adipose tissue growth and development and also have reference significance for the study of human obesity.

Cold-formed thick-walled steel members have a higher bearing capacity and wider applicability in the mid-rise buildings in comparison with the widely-used cold-formed thin-walled steel framing walls in low-rise buildings. To avoid the shortcomings of cold-forming effect, a structure with hinged or semi-rigid joint steel frame using cold-formed thick-walled steel and cold-formed thin-walled steel framing shear wall is one reasonable choices, and it will be very helpful to simplify the on-site assembling processes. In this paper, a cross-shaped joint with adjustable stiffness was proposed, and better seismic performance was investigated and confirmed by tests. By increasing the thickness of the web plates of the cross-shaped joint, the bearing capacity, stiffness, and ductility of the joint can be significantly improved, and the buckling deformation of the web plate will be reduced. Moreover, a strengthening stiffener, Type 2 proposed in the paper, has a significantly effect on the cross-shaped joint for seismic damage and intact specimens. Using ANSYS software and the SOLID185 element, a finite element model was established. With the increasing thickness of the end plate of the stiffener Type 2, both the stiffness and bearing capacity of the cross-shaped joint can be significantly increased.

The immunological mechanisms underlying chronic colitis are poorly understood. T follicular helper (TFH) cells are critical in helping B cells during germinal center reactions. In a T cell transfer colitis model, a lymphoid structure composed of mature dendritic cells (DCs) and TFHcells was found within T cell zones of colonic lymphoid follicles. TFHcells were required for mature DC accumulation, the formation of DC–T cell clusters and colitis development. Moreover, DCs promoted TFHcell differentiation, contributing to colitis development. A lineage-tracing analysis showed that, following migration to the lamina propria, TFHcells transdifferentiated into long-lived pathogenic TH1 cells, promoting colitis development. Our findings have therefore demonstrated the reciprocal regulation of TFHcells and DCs in colonic lymphoid follicles, which is critical in chronic colitis pathogenesis.

Layered double hydroxides (LDH), as a green, easy to prepare and modify material, has been widely concerned in the field of electrochemical catalytic degradation of difficult to remove pollutants in water. In our work, modified LDH material is synthesized by doping La into the lattice of CoFe-LDH based on its unique electronic structure and large ionic radius, which is used to build the particle electrode to degrade the N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) in a three-dimensional continuous flow aerated electrocatalytic reactor. The LaCoFe-LDH particle electrodes can generate more active free radicals under electric field, which are beneficial to the degradation of pollutants. The degradation effect of NPYR in the system is satisfactory, and the removal rate reached 83.3% within 90 min. According to the results of characterization analysis, radical quenching experiment, and EPR test, La doping improves the electron transfer ability of the catalyst, which effectively accelerates the redox cycle of Fe2+/Fe3+and Co2+/Co3+to achieve sustainable catalysis of particle electrodes to form free radicals, thus enhancing the degradation of NPYR. The DFT calculation results of CoFeLa-LDH show that the energy required for oxygen adsorption by CoFeLa-LDH (-6.79 eV) is lower than that of CoFe-LDH (-6.08 eV), illustrating the improved adsorption properties of the material after La doping. According to the detection results of GC-MS and LC-MS, the possible degradation path of NPYR is proposed. Moreover, the toxicity of the products after degradation of NPYR is generally reduced, indicating that the system is environmentally friendly. The study provides new insights into the design of electrocatalytic materials in water treatment.

In this work, an in situ novel MnO2/NiMn-LDH/C composite material was designed and used as a particle electrode in a three-dimensional electrochemical continuous flow system, which degraded dichloroacetamide (DCAcAm) because a suitable nickel-manganese metal ratio leads to the construction of MnO2and NiMn-LDH, and the addition of carbon contributes to the formation of a hierarchical structure. The effects of different conditions were explored by single factor experiments and response surface design experiments. A high removal rate of 89 % was obtained under optimal conditions (current density of 12 mA/cm2, flow rate of 0.5 mL/min, electrolyte concentration of 0.175 mol/L, and a pollutant concentration of 10.5 g/L). According to density functional theory (DFT) calculations, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements and free radical quenching experiments, the corresponding electrocatalytic mechanism and reaction pathways were clarified. The application of response surfaces was utilized to predict degradation performance. The results of the recycling experiments show the good stability of this electrode. Finally, the actual chlorin wastewater degradation experiment results showed that the COD and TOC of this wastewater decreased by 76.03 % and 72.41 %, respectively, after 90 min of electrocatalytic degradation. This study offers a novel theoretical framework and technical support for the control of HAcAms.

Flexible ion-conductive materials exhibit intriguing advantages for applications in flexible electronic devices. Currently, the further enhancement of their conductivity within environmental limitations is an urgent demand for the development of flexible electronic devices, yet remains as a great challenge. Herein, we report a “dual-acid” strategy, viathe encapsulation of two acids, H3PW12O40(HPW) and NH2SO3H (SA), with synergistic interaction into poly(vinyl alcohol)-glycerol (PVA-Gly) hydrogel, to achieve polyoxometalate(POM)-based flexible materials with superionic conductivity under various environmental conditions. As a representative example, the prepared PVA-Gly/HPW-SA-20% hydrogel presents an ultrahigh proton conductivity ranging from −30 °C (3.33×10−2S cm−1) to room temperature (2.78×10−1S cm−1) under ambient humidity. Moreover, the PVA-Gly/HPW-SA-20% hydrogel exhibits remarkable advantages in anti-freezing, mechanical flexibility and self-adhesiveness, making it a promising multifunctional electrolyte for flexible electronic devices. Both experimental results and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations jointly demonstrate that SA bridges HPW clusters to form a dense proton transport pathway induced by multiple electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions between SA and HPW counterparts, which contributes to the high-level proton conductivity of the PVA-Gly/HPW-SA-20% hydrogel. This work provides new insights into the design of POM-based flexible materials with superionic conductivity.

We report that constructed Au nanoclusters (NCs) can afford amazing white emission synergistically dictated by the Au(0)-dominated core-state fluorescence and Au(I)-governed surface-state phosphorescence, with record-high absolute quantum yields of 42.1% and 53.6% in the aqueous solution and powder state, respectively. Moreover, the dynamic color tuning is achieved in a wide warm-to-cold white-light range (with the correlated color temperature varied from 3426 to 24 973 K) by elaborately manipulating the ratio of Au(0) to Au(I) species and thus the electron transfer rate from staple motif to metal kernel. This study not only exemplifies the successful integration of multiple luminescent centers into metal NCs to accomplish efficient white-light emission but also inspires a feasible pathway toward customizing the optical properties of metal NCs by regulating electron transfer kinetics.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) cause biotoxicity and pose a potential ecological threat; however, their effects on plant metabolism and eco-corona evolution between NPs and organisms remain unclear. This study clarified the molecular mechanisms underlying physiological and metabolic responses induced by three different ZnO NPs with different sizes and hydrophobicity in sprouts (Vigna radiata) and explored the critical regulation of eco-corona formation in root–nano systems. Results indicated that smaller-sized ZnO inhibited root elongation by up to 37.14% and triggered oxidative burst and apoptosis. Metabolomics confirmed that physiological maintenance after n-ZnO exposure was mainly attributed to the effective stabilization of nitrogen fixation and defense systems by biotransformation of the flavonoid pathway. Larger-sized or hydrophobic group-modified ZnO exhibited low toxicity in sprouts, with 0.89-fold upregulation of citrate in central carbon metabolism. This contributed to providing energy for resistance to NP stress through amino acid and carbon/nitrogen metabolism, accompanied by changes in membrane properties. Notably, smaller-sized and hydrophobic NPs intensely stimulated the release of root metabolites, forming corona complexes with exudates. The hydrogen-bonded wrapping mechanism in protein secondary structure and hydrophobic interactions of heterogeneous functional groups drove eco-corona formation, along with the corona evolution intensity of n-ZnO > s-ZnO > b-ZnO based on higher (α-helix + 3-turn helix)/β-sheet ratios. This study provides crucial insight into metabolic and eco-corona evolution in bionano fates.

Anti-Program-Death-1 (PD-1) is a standard adjuvant therapy for patients with resected melanoma. We hypothesized that there are discrepancies in survival, recurrence pattern and toxicity to adjuvant PD-1 between different ethnicities and melanoma subtypes.

Perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) based on CsPb(Br/I)3nanocrystals (NCs) usually suffer from severe spectral instability under operating voltage due to the poor-quality PeNCs. Herein, zeolite was utilized to prepare high-quality CsPb(Br/I)3NCs via promoting the homogeneous nucleation and growth and suppressing the Ostwald ripening of PeNCs. In addition, the decomposed zeolite interacted strongly with PeNCs through Pb–O bonds and hydrogen bonds, which inhibited the formation of defects and suppressed halide ion migration, leading to an improved photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and enhanced stability of PeNCs. Moreover, the strong binding affinity of decomposed zeolite to PeNCs contributed to the formation of homogeneous perovskite films with high PLQY. As a result, pure-red PeLEDs with Commission International de I’Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.705, 0.291) were fabricated, approaching the Rec. 2020 red primary color. The devices achieved a peak external quantum efficiency of 23.0% and outstanding spectral stability.

The incidence of digestive malignancies has increased in recent years, including colorectal cancer (CRC), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and pancreatic cancer. Advanced stages of these cancers are prone to metastasis, which seriously reduce the standard of living of patients and lead to decline in the survival rate of patients. So far there are no good specific drugs to stop this phenomenon. It is very important and urgent to find new biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Purinergic ligand-gated ion channel 7 receptor (P2X7R) is ATP-gated and nonselective ion channel receptor involved in many inflammatory processes and cancer progression. P2X7R is present in many cancer cells and promotes or inhibits cancer development through signal transduction. Studies have presented that P2X7R plays a role in the proliferation and migration of digestive system cancers, such as CRC, HCC and pancreatic cancer. Therefore, P2X7R may serve as a biomarker or therapeutic target for digestive system cancers. This paper describes the structure and function of P2X7R, and mainly reviews the research progress on the role of P2X7R in CRC, HCC and pancreatic cancer.

Dysbiosis of gut microbiota is believed to be associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Ginsenoside compound K (CK), the main metabolite of Panax ginseng ginsenoside, has proven effective as an anti-inflammatory agent in IBD. However, the mechanisms by which CK modulates gut microbiota to ameliorate IBD remain poorly understood. Herein, CK demonstrated the potential to suppress the release of proinflammatory cytokines by gut microbiota modulation. Notably, supplementation with CK promoted the restoration of a harmonious balance in gut microbiota, primarily by enhancing the populations of Lactobacillusand Akkermansia. Furthermore, CK considerably elevated the concentrations of tryptophan metabolites derived from Lactobacillusthat could activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor. Overall, the promising alleviative efficacy of CK primarily stemmed from the promotion of Lactobacillusgrowth and production of tryptophan metabolites, suggesting that CK should be regarded as a prospective prebiotic agent for IBD in the future.

Gd2Zr2O7is one of the most promising new generation of ceramic materials for high temperature thermal barrier coatings. However, it still has great potential of improving thermal and mechanical properties and contributing tobetter thermal cycling performance of the coating. Doping rare earth elements in Gd2Zr2O7is an effective method to enhance its thermal and mechanical properties. In this paper, the first principles is used to calculate the thermophysical properties of doped Gd2Zr2O7with 16 rare earth elements, including modulus of elasticity, Debye temperature, minimum high-temperature thermal conductivity, high temperature thermal expansion coefficient, and fracture toughness, by which all doped Gd2Zr2O7ceramics were ranked using the entropy method. The results show that doping with Pr, Sm, Yb, and Nd showed superior comprehensive performance. Specially, (Gd0.875Pr0.125)2Zr2O7has the lowest Young's modulus of 244 MPa, Pugh ratio of 0.53, Debye temperature of 523.4 K, thermal conductivity of 1.27 W/(m·K), and the largest coefficient of thermal expansion of 9.19 × 10−6 K−1, and (Gd0.875Ho0.125)2Zr2O7has the highest fracture toughness of 2.21 MPa·m1/2.

Rapid and accurate detection of the zoonotic nematode Anisakis is poised to control its epidemic. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas-associated assay shows great potential in the detection of pathogenic microorganisms. The one-tube method integrated the CRISPR system with the recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) system to avoid the risk of aerosol pollution; however, it suffers from low sensitivity due to the incompatibility of the two systems and additional manual operations. Therefore, in the present study, the agarose hydrogel boosted one-tube RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a assay was constructed by adding the CRISPR system to the agarose hydrogel, which avoided the initially low amplification efficiency of RPA caused by the cleavage of Cas12a and achieved reaction continuity. The sensitivity was 10-fold higher than that of the one-tube RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a system. This method was used for Anisakis detection within 80 min from the sample to result, achieving point-of-care testing (POCT) through a smartphone and a portable device. This study provided a novel toolbox for POCT with significant application value in preventing Anisakis infection.

This study aimed to investigate the dose-effect of iron on growth performance, antioxidant function, intestinal morphology, and mRNA expression of jejunal tight junction protein in 1- to 21-d-old yellow-feathered broilers. A total of 720 1-d-old yellow-feathered male broilers were allocated to 9 treatments with 8 replicate cages of 10 birds per cage. The dietary treatments were consisted of a basal diet (contained 79.6 mg Fe kg–1) supplemented with 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 160, 320, 640, and 1,280 mg Fe kg–1in the form of FeSO4·7H2O. Compared with the birds in the control group, birds supplemented with 20 mg Fe kg–1had higher average daily gain (ADG) (P<0.0001). Adding 640 and 1,280 mg Fe kg–1significantly decreased ADG (P<0.0001) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) (P<0.0001) compared with supplementation of 20 mg Fe kg–1. Malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in plasma and duodenum increased linearly (P<0.0001), but MDA concentration in liver and jejunum increased linearly (P<0.05) or quadratically (P<0.05) with increased dietary Fe concentration. The villus height (VH) in duodenum and jejunum, and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (V/C) in duodenum decreased linearly (P˂0.05) as dietary Fe increased. As dietary Fe increased, the jejunal relative mRNA abundance of claudin-1decreased linearly (P=0.001), but the jejunal relative mRNA abundance of zona occludens-1 (ZO-1) and occludindecreased linearly (P˂0.05) or quadratically (P˂0.05). Compared with the supplementation of 20 mg Fe kg–1, the supplementation of 640 mg Fe kg–1or higher increased (P˂0.05) MDA concentrations in plasma, duodenum, and jejunum, decreased VH in the duodenum and jejunum, and the addition of 1,280 mg Fe kg–1reduced (P˂0.05) the jejunal tight junction protein (claudin-1, ZO-1, occludin) mRNA abundance. In summary, 640 mg of supplemental Fe kg–1or greater was associated with decreased growth performance, increased oxidative stress, disrupted intestinal morphology, and reduced mRNA expression of jejunal tight junction protein.

One type of large and intricate post-translational modification of milk proteins that has significant biological implications is phosphorylation. The characterization of phosphoproteins found in the bovine milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) is still mostly unknown. Here, label-free phosphoproteomics was used to identify 94 phosphorylation sites from 54 MFGM phosphoproteins in bovine colostrum (BC) and 136 phosphorylation sites from 91 MFGM phosphoproteins in bovine mature milk (BM). αs1-Casein and β-casein were the most phosphorylated proteins in bovine colostrum. In bovine mature milk, perilipin-2 was the protein with the greatest number of phosphorylation sites. The results show that bovine colostrum MFGM phosphoproteins were mainly involved in immune function, whereas bovine mature MFGM phosphoproteins were mainly involved in metabolic function. Plasminogen and osteopontin were the most strongly interacting proteins in colostrum, whereas perilipin-2 was the most strongly interacting protein in bovine mature milk. This work demonstrates the unique alterations in the phosphorylation manner of the bovine MFGM protein during lactation and further expands our knowledge of the site characteristics of bovine MFGM phosphoproteins. This result confirms the value of MFGM as a reference ingredient for infant formula during different stages.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is one of the most common acute abdomen diseases with increasing incidence and substantial healthcare burden. Gut microbiota disturbance, mucosal barrier failure, and bacterial translocation are identified as the dominant cause of infected pancreatic necrosis and high mortality. With the advance of high-throughput sequencing, imbalance between beneficial and facultative pathogenic microorganisms with their metabolic activities in the development of AP has been increasingly recognized, whereas it remains unclear whether dysbacteriosis is the dominant cause of aggravating AP, or merely reflecting different epidemiological or environmental factors at the individual level. This review discussed the alterations of the gut microbiota and their metabolites during AP with detailed molecular mechanisms. Importantly, it highlights microbiome-based medical therapies which influence gut barrier function and immune homeostasis to mitigate inflammatory responses in AP. Our review will provide a novel roadmap of gastrointestinal microecology in AP progression, and contribute to the future development of microbiome-based diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in clinical practice.

The autonomic nervous system dysfunction has been reported in up to 76% of stroke patients 7 days after an acute stroke. Heart rate variability (HRV) is one of the important indicators reflecting the balance of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves. Therefore, we performed a systematic literature review of existing literature on the association between heart rate variability and the different types of stroke. We included studies published in the last 32 years (1990 to 2022). The electronic databases MEDLINE and PubMed were searched. We selected the research that met the inclusion or exclusion criteria. A narrative synthesis was performed. This review aimed to summarize evidence regarding the potential mechanism of heart rate variability among patients after stroke. In addition, the association of clinical characteristics of heart rate variability and stroke has been depicted. The review further discussed the relationship between post-stroke infection and heart rate variability, which could assist in curbing clinical infection in patients with stroke. HRVas a noninvasive clinical monitoring tool can quantitatively assess the changes in autonomic nervous system activity and further predict the outcome of stroke. HRV could play an important role in guiding the clinical practice for autonomic nervous system disorder after stroke.

Four rare earth inorganic-organic hybrid compounds based on Keggin-type polyoxometalate {SiW12} with general formula [{RE(DMF)4(H2O)4RE(DMF)6}2{SiW12O40}3] (RE = La(1), Pr(2), Sm(3), Eu(4), DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide) were synthesized by the conventional solution method. Structure analyses indicate that four compounds are isostructural and are all built from three [SiW12O40]4–polyoxoanions and DMF ligands linked by RE3+. Compounds 1–4are extremely sensitive to UV light and present excellent photochromic properties, in which the coloring and fading time of samples are both no more than 2 min, and the reversible coloring-fading process can be repeated for at least 10 cycles with little fatigue, suggesting that compounds 1–4can be a series of fast-responsive and durable photochromic materials. Moreover, the solid-state photoluminescence spectra of compounds 3(Sm) and 4(Eu) display strong characteristic emissions of rare earth ions based on f–f transitions. Meanwhile, compound 4(Eu) has a longer fluorescence lifetime up to 566.74 μs. Notably, compounds 3(Sm) and 4(Eu) exhibit the switchable luminescence behavior induced by photochromism, which allows them to be used as potential molecular switches.

While quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) perovskites have good properties of cascade energy transfer, high exciton binding energy, and high quantum efficiency, which will benefit high-efficiency blue PeLEDs, inefficient domain distribution management and unbalanced carrier transport impede device performance improvement. Herein, (2-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)ethyl)phosphonic acid (2PACz) and methyl 2-aminopyridine-4-carboxylate (MAC) were simultaneously introduced to a blue quasi-2D perovskite film. Relying on the synergistic effect of 2PACz and MAC, it not only modulates the phase distribution inhibiting the n= 2 phase but also greatly improves the electrical property of the quasi-2D perovskite film. As a result, the as-modified blue quasi-2D PeLED demonstrated an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 17.08% and a luminance of 10142 cd m–2. This study exemplifies the synergistic effect among dual additives and offers a new effective additive strategy modulating phase distribution and building balanced carrier transport, which paves the way for the fabrication of highly efficient blue PeLEDs.

Lanthanide-based nanomaterials have been extensively studied, owing to their unique optical properties. Strong electron coupling intensely affects the optical properties, as a kind of interaction between the metal luminescence centers, which usually depend on the otherness in valence states and/or spin states of metal ions. Herein, we presented that the strong electron coupling between trivalent lanthanide ions (LnIII) existed in molecular cluster-aggregates (MCAs) beyond the general consideration in valence and/or spin states. We synthesized a series of lanthanide-based MCAs with the generalized formula [Ln20(chp)30(CO3)12(NO3)6(H2O)6]({Ln20}). By comparing and analyzing the characteristics of homometallic and heterometallic {Ln20}MCAs, we found a regular and controlled phenomenon of metal-to-metal charge transfer (MMCT) which is a typical expression of strong electron coupling. This observation can be attributed to the shorter spacing between metals inside the polynuclear nanosized core of MCAs, indicating that MCAs are an excellent matrix material to study the effects of intermetallic interactions of LnIII, thus tailoring even customization in their luminescence performance.

Under hydrothermal and solvent-thermal conditions, we synthesized two novel polyoxometalate (POM)-based hybrids: [CuI4(Pz)2(H2O)8(PMoVI11MoVO40)]·3.5H2O (1, Pz = pyrazine) and [(C2H8N)5(HPMoVI9MoV3O40)]·DMF·4H2O (2). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction indicates that compound 1is a three-dimensional structure consisting of Cu (I), {PMo12} anions, Pz, and water, where Cu (I) can be considered as Lewis acid sites. Furthermore, both compounds 1and 2possess favorable catalysis activity in catalyzing the conversion of chemical warfare agent simulant 2-chloroethylethyl sulfide (CEES) to nontoxic production of 2-chloroethylethyl sulfoxide (CEESO) under ambient temperature. Significantly, 1could realize 98% conversion and 100% selectivity of CEES owing to the multisite synergy in the {PMoVI11MoVO40CuI8} units in which the tricoordinated Cu (I) could interact with S and O atoms from CEES and H2O2, respectively. This interaction not only decreases the distance of CEES from peroxomolybdenum species formed by H2O2but also activates CEES.

Age at menarche (AAM) is a sign of puberty of females. It is a heritable trait associated with various adult diseases. However, the genetic mechanism that determines AAM and links it to disease risk is poorly understood. Aiming to uncover the genetic basis for AAM, we conducted a joint association study in up to 438,089 women from 3 genome-wide association studies of European and East Asian ancestries. A series of bioinformatical analyses and causal inference were then followed to explore in-depth annotations at the associated loci and infer the causal relationship between AAM and other complex traits/diseases. This largest meta-analysis identified a total of 21 novel AAM associated loci at the genome wide significance level (P< 5.0  × 10−8), 4 of which were European ancestry-specific loci. Functional annotations prioritized 33 candidate genes at newly identified loci. Significant genetic correlations were observed between AAM and 67 complex traits. Further causal inference demonstrated the effects of AAM on 13 traits, including forced vital capacity (FVC), high blood pressure, age at first live birth, etc, indicating that earlier AAM causes lower FVC, worse lung function, hypertension and earlier age at first (last) live birth. Enrichment analysis identified 5 enriched tissues, including the hypothalamus middle, hypothalamo hypophyseal system, neurosecretory systems, hypothalamus and retina. Our findings may provide useful insights that elucidate the mechanisms determining AAM and the genetic interplay between AAM and some traits of women.

Eddy current sensors are extensively utilized across various nondestructive testing (NDT) applications. The idea of magnetic field focusing (MFF) is to constrain the magnetic field distribution within a certain area for spatial resolution improvement in imaging. In eddy current testing (ECT), the sensitivity distribution is not only related to the excitation field but also to the receiving field. Therefore, the focusing of both magnetic fields toward the designated area has the potential to focus sensitivity distribution, thus improving spatial resolution in defect imaging. This article defines the “focus area” of sensitivity and investigates sensitivity focusing in ECT through coil angle variation. Magnetic fields from a single coil of different tilt angles are calculated based on the second order vector potential (SOVP) approach and the 2-D Fourier Transform. The sensitivity to permeability for one pair of coils is investigated and the focus areas of different coil systems are evaluated. Numerical and experimental results prove that higher spatial resolutions on permeability perturbations (sensitivity focusing for permeability variation) are feasible by changing the coil tilt angles.

To meet the practical needs of classified collection, graded treatment, and quality recycling of coal chemical wastewater, and in accordance with the standardization requirements of wastewater resource utilization, the Standardization Administration of China released the national standard GB/T 42,866-2023 ″Guidelines for Coal Chemical Wastewater Treatment and Recycling Technology” on August 6, 2023, for the first time. Based on the standard, this paper comprehensively and systematically sorts out and analyzes the characteristics, processes, water circulation systems, and standardization paths of units such as coal chemical wastewater collection and treatment, recycling, and the treatment of concentrated brine water, through extensive industry research. Furthermore, by integrating typical engineering case practices, this paper explains the feasibility of the paths, which provides technical guidance and experience for relevant cases of coal chemical wastewater treatment and recycling. It is also of great importance for promoting the standardized management and development of coal chemical wastewater treatment and recycling worldwide.

Treatment of industrial brine wastewater, which is characterized by multiple sources and complex water quality, poses significant challenges. Brine separation technology can effectively address the difficulties in brine wastewater treatment while facilitating water reuse and the separation and resource utilization of crystalline salts, thus providing important development opportunities in wastewater treatment. This study comprehensively and systematically reviews and summarizes the treatment processes and reuse pathways of brine wastewater based on practical investigations in different industries, providing technical guidance and experience for relevant brine wastewater treatment and reuse cases. This study is of great significance for promoting the standardization and management of wastewater treatment and reuse worldwide. Finally, suggestions and prospects for further promoting the standardized management of brine wastewater reuse are proposed.

Activated carbon has broad application prospects for treating pollutants due to its easy availability, low cost and good adsorption. In our work, nano-activated carbons (NAC) with abundant functional groups are obtained by the oxidation modification of HNO3, (NH4)2S2O8, and KMnO4, which are used to construct the particle electrodes to degrade NDEA in a continuous flow electrochemical reactor, and the influence of relevant factors on the performance of NDEA removal is discussed. The experimental data show that the optimal degradation efficiency is 42.55% at the conditions of 3 mL/min influent water flow, 0.21 M electrolyte concentration, 10 mA/cm2current density, and 10 μg/mL initial NDEA concentration. The degradation of NDEA conforms to a quasi second order kinetic equation. The electrocatalytic mechanism of NAC electrodes for removing NDEA is firstly discussed. The effects of different free radicals on the degradation of NDEA are also demonstrated through free radical quenching experiments, indicating that the degradation of NDEA is dominated by ⋅OH. The degradation pathway of NDEA and final products are obtained using GC–MS. NAC particle electrodes as the cheap and efficient electrocatalyst in continuous flow electrochemical reactor system provide a greener solution for the removal of disinfection by-products from drinking water.

Quasi-two-dimensional (Q-2D) Ruddlesden-Popper perovskites have excellent optical performance due to self-assembling multiple quantum well structure. However, Q-2D perovskites usually contain a disordered phase distribution, which results in low emission efficiency. In this work, we introduced the 2-aminohexane ligand into the Q-2D perovskite films, reconstructed the phase distribution of the films. In addition, the defects were passivated after introducing the ligand, resulting in low trap density, so as to obtain high-quality Q-2D perovskite films. With this approach, the Q-2D perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) achieved a maximum brightness of 187,869 cd m−2 and a peak external quantum efficiency of 21.6%.

In recent years, extensive research efforts have been dedicated to the investigation of CdSe/CdS-based quantum-confined nanostructures, driven by their distinctive properties. The morphologies of these nanostructures have been shown to directly affect their properties, an area which has proven to be an important field of study. Herein, we report a new morphology of CdSe/CdS core–shell heterostructures in the form of a ‘nanonail’ – a modified nanorod-like morphology, in which a distinctive triangular head can be observed at one end of the structure. In-depth studies of this morphology reveal a material with tuneable rod length and width, as well as exceptional photoluminescent properties. Following this, we have demonstrated the ability to induce chiroptical activity vialigand exchange, revealing the important role of the specific morphology, shell thickness and chiral ligand concentration in the effect of ligand induced chirality. In addition, the cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of obtained chiral nanostructures were evaluated on human lung-derived A549 cancer cells, revealing a significant enantioselectivity in biological activity. Finally, analysis on monolayers of the material demonstrate the complete absence of FRET processes. Overall, this CdSe/CdS heterostructure is another tuneable morphology of a very important nanomaterial, one which shows great advantages and a range of potential applications.

The advancement and application of nanotechnology inevitably cause the release of nanoparticles (NPs) into the environment, in particular, zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs may seriously threaten the ecological safety of plants. This review focuses on the translocation and physiological responses of ZnO NPs in plants to systematically summarize the toxicological effects and molecular mechanisms of NPs. The results indicated that ZnO NPs migrated to tissues viauptake and translocation, gradually accumulated in intracellular and intercellular spaces, and led to physiological inhibition, nutrient imbalance, and photosynthesis perturbation in plants. This abiotic stress triggered the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by perturbing cellular redox homeostasis, while the activation of antioxidant genes and alteration of KEGG pathways enhanced the ability of plants to resist phytotoxicity. Furthermore, ZnO NPs significantly altered metabolites associated with oxidative stress, antioxidant defense, membrane disorder and energy expenditure, affected carbon/nitrogen metabolism viathe TCA cycle and glycolysis pathway, and augmented cytotoxicity and genotoxicity by inducing DNA damage and inhibiting mitosis. More notably, the composite exposure of ZnO NPs with other substances is bifacial and may create potential mitigation or synergistic effects on plants in ecosystems, thus posing uncertain ecological risks. This review systematically provides clarification on the environmental fate of ZnO NPs in plants at the physiological and molecular levels, theoretical references on the toxicity mechanisms and potential risks of NPs, and directions and insights for future research to achieve strategies that minimize risks and maximize benefits.

Green synthesized titanium dioxide nanoparticles (g-TiO2NPs) have aroused widespread interest in agriculture. Nevertheless, whether they are safer than chemically synthesized TiO2NPs (c-TiO2NPs) remains to be demonstrated. Herein, the photosynthetic response of Lactuca sativaL. was evaluated by foliar spraying of 10, 100, 250, and 500 mg L−1c-TiO2NPs or g-TiO2NPs. Results indicated that NPs interfered with nutrient accumulation and the cellular redox state, and all treatments displayed inhibition of growth except the 10 mg L−1g-TiO2NP group. Photosynthetic parameters and FTIR analysis revealed that NP stress on photosynthesis was also manifested by lower photosystem activity (500 mg L−1) and disrupted Calvin cycle metabolism, but carbohydrates and proteins were more sensitive to c-TiO2NPs and g-TiO2NPs, respectively. Notably, both NPs promoted photosynthetic electron transfer (≤250 mg L−1), thus alleviating detrimental effects due to suppressed ATPase and Rubisco activity, thylakoid lysis, and chloroplast autophagy. Differently, chloroplasts were more responsive to ultraviolet (non-directly utilizable) and visible light under c-TiO2NP treatment, which facilitated the Hill reaction while posing a photo-oxidative risk to plants. In contrast, g-TiO2NPs were less phytotoxic, as evidenced by higher NADPH, ATPase activity, chlorophyll, and photosynthetic efficiency, and less chloroplast damage, where 10 mg L−1g-TiO2NPs effectively activated the plant defense system and improved light capture and conversion. Collectively, g-TiO2NPs showed lower phytotoxicity by modulating energy conversion processes in chloroplasts, which provided a cutting-edge research perspective for the application of nanopesticides.

To address the issues of poor effectiveness in traditional methods of mobile path planning, low-success rate in autonomous navigation control and long response time, an intelligent vehicle autonomous navigation control method based on speech recognition technology is proposed. The method involves collecting driver's voice signals using speech recognition technology, pre-processing the collected signals with pre-emphasis, framing and windowing techniques to obtain driver instruction recognition results. Based on the driver's instructions, an intelligent vehicle grid map is generated using SLAM technology. In the generated grid map, an improved artificial potential field method is applied to plan the intelligent vehicle's movement path, and PID control algorithm is utilised to control the autonomous navigation of the intelligent vehicle. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method plans a shorter path for the intelligent vehicle with precise avoidance of obstacles, achieving a mean success rate of 97.01% and a mean response time of 72.75 ms.

This paper introduces a flexible and uniformly‐dispersed quantum dot (QD) color filter (QDCF) fabricated for micro‐LED by photolithography. We studied the condition of PET films and concentration of QDs, the optimized QDCF exhibited high quantum yield (QY) up to over 70%, and a high optical density (OD) over 1.2. The QY increased and then decreased with the increase of the concentration.

Quasi-2D perovskites, multiquantum well materials with the energy cascade structure, exhibit impressive optoelectronic properties and a wide range of applications in various optoelectronic devices. However, the insufficient exciton energy transfer caused by the excess of small-nphases that induce nonradiative recombination and the spatially random phase distribution that impedes charge transport severely inhibit the device performance of light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Here, a faster energy transfer process and efficient carrier recombination are achieved by introducing the multifunctional additive 2-(methylsulfonyl)-4-(trifluoromethyl)benzoic acid (MTA) to manipulate the crystallization process of perovskites. The introduction of MTA not only constrains the PEA and restrains the formation of small-nphases to improve the energy transfer process but also optimizes the crystal orientation to promote charge transport. As a result, highly efficient pure green quasi-2D perovskite LEDs with a peak EQE of 25.9%, a peak current efficiency of 108.1 cd A–1, and a maximum luminance of 288798 cd m–2are achieved.

The coordination of dual-heteroatom is an effective strategy to enhance the performance of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) of single-atom catalysts. Here, we synthesize Mn-SG-500 with isolated Mn sites coordinated with two sulfur and two oxygen atoms on graphene, and perform in-depth research on the structure-activity relationship for the OER. Under alkaline conditions, the Mn-SG-500 displays higher OER activity than commercial RuO2. Combining in-situstructure analysis and theoretical calculations, we identify Mn-S2O2as the catalytic active center, on which the oxidation of *O to *OOH is the rate-control step. The improved OER activity is attributed to the redistribution and optimization of Mn charges caused by the co-coordination of S and O. This work is helpful for further structure design and performance management of single-atom catalysts with dual-heteroatom doping.

Carotenoids are involved in the formation of plant leaf color as well as photosystem photoprotection. This study showed that blue light significantly induced up-regulation of the total carotenoid content in the inner leaves of orange-head Chinese cabbage (OHCC). Furthermore, the transcriptomic analysis revealed that blue light treatment induced up-regulation of genes in photosynthesis (BrHY5-2, BrCOP1and BrDET1) and the methylerythritol 4-phosphate pathways (BrGGPS, BrDXSand BrHDR) upstream of the carotenoid metabolic pathway. Carotenoid metabolomic analysis revealed that the accumulation of several orange and red carotenoids (lycopene, zeaxanthin, β-carotene, lutein, and β-cryptoxanthin) after blue light treatment contributed to the deepening of the leaf coloration, suggesting that short-term blue light treatment could be used to boost nutritional quality. The light signal gene BrHY5-2participated in the blue light-induced transcriptional regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis in OHCC. Overexpression of BrHY5-2in Arabidopsissignificantly increased the total carotenoid content and the sensitivity to blue light. The above findings revealed new insights about blue-light-induced carotenoid synthesis and accumulation in OHCC lines. They suggested a new engineering approach to increase the nutritional value of vegetables.

In this study, the effects of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) on the nucleation and crystal growth kinetics of acephate were systematically investigated. The differential effects of PVP and PEG with varying molecular weights on the primary and secondary nucleation of acephate were uncovered. In addition, the effect of additives on the crystal growth rate was also measured, which uncovered that micromolar concentrations (4.25 × 10–5M) of PEG at low supersaturation can substantially promote crystal growth. Moreover, a cooling crystallization experiment was designed to further demonstrate the potential of PEG to promote crystal growth in practical applications. Finally, the coupling mechanism of additive-promoting crystal growth was elucidated based on the experimental and molecular simulation results. On the one hand, it comes from the facilitation of solute diffusion in solution, resulting from the additives’ attraction to solvents. On the other hand, it is from the additives’ disruptive effect on the solvation layer near the crystal surface. This might be used to guide additive selection.

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence of malignancies in acromegaly and to identify risk factors for newly-diagnostic cancers, especially the excessive growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Methods: A retrospective cohort including 1738 consecutive hospitalized patients with acromegaly in a single referral center between 2012 and 2020 (mean follow-up 4.3 years). A gender- and age-matched case-control study (280 patients from the cohort) was performed for risk factor analysis. Results: One hundred thirteen malignancies (67 diagnosed after acromegaly) were observed. The overall newly-diagnostic cancer risk of acromegaly was higher than the general population (standardized incidence ratio (SIR) 2.81; 95% CI 2.18–3.57). The risk of thyroid cancer (n= 33, SIR 21.42; 95% CI 13.74–30.08) and colorectal cancer (n= 8, SIR 3.17; 95% CI 1.37–6.25) was elevated. In the overall cohort, IGF-1 (ULN: 1.27 vs. 0.94, p= 0.057), GH (1.30 vs. 1.00 ng/ml, p= 0.12), and disease-controlled rate (34.9% vs. 45.9%, p= 0.203) at the last visit did not reach significance between patients with and without post-diagnostic cancer. In the case-control study, GH (1.80 vs. 0.90 ng/ml, p= 0.018) and IGF-1 (ULN: 1.27 vs. 0.91, p= 0.003) at the last visit were higher in patients with post-diagnostic cancers, with a lower disease-controlled rate. Elder age was a risk factor for cancer. Other metabolic comorbidities and the size of pituitary tumors were similar. Conclusion: The risk of malignancies, especially thyroid cancer, was increased in patients with acromegaly in our center. More cancer screening should be considered when managing acromegaly, especially in patients with higher posttreatment GH and IGF-1.

The Resource for Coronavirus 2019 (RCoV19) is an open-access information resource dedicated to providing valuable data on the genomes, mutations, and variantsof the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this updated implementation of RCoV19, we have made significant improvements and advancements over the previous version. Firstly, we have implemented a highly refined genome data curation model. This model now features an automated integration pipeline and optimized curation rules, enabling efficient daily updates of data in RCoV19. Secondly, we have developed a global and regional lineage evolution monitoring platform, alongside an outbreak risk pre-warningsystem. These additions provide a comprehensive understanding of SARS-CoV-2 evolution and transmission patterns, enabling better preparedness and response strategies. Thirdly, we have developed a powerful interactive mutation spectrum comparison module. This module allows users to compare and analyze mutation patterns, assisting in the detection of potential new lineages. Furthermore, we have incorporated a comprehensive knowledgebase on mutation effects. This knowledgebase serves as a valuable resource for retrieving information on the functional implications of specific mutations. In summary, RCoV19 serves as a vital scientific resource, providing access to valuable data, relevant information, and technical support in the global fight against COVID-19. The complete contents of RCoV19 are available to the public at https://ngdc.cncb.ac.cn/ncov/.

Submerged entry nozzle (SEN) clogging during continuous casting of Ti-stabilized ultra-pure ferritic stainless (Ti-UPFS) steels was systematically investigated via cross-sectional analysis and acid dissolution treatment. The SEN deposit profile was characterized as occurring in three major layers: (1) an eroded refractory layer; (2) an initial adhesive layer comprised  an Al2O3–ZrO2composite sub-layer and a dense Al2O3-based deposit sub-layer; and (3) a porous multiphase deposit layer mainly consisting of MgO·Al2O3, CaO–Al2O3, and CaO–TiOx. The MgO·Al2O3-rich inclusions did not adhere directly to the eroded refractory but were entrapped during the deposit growth. Results of inclusion characterization in the tundish revealed that the MgO·Al2O3-rich particles present in the tundish served as the primary source of clogging deposits. Furthermore, a novel cavity-induced adhesion model by circular approximation was established to explain the effects of complex inclusion characteristics and refractory material type on adhesion force. A high number of small MgO·Al2O3inclusions were expected to accelerate the buildup of clogging deposits. Improving the modification of MgO·Al2O3-rich inclusions in the size range of 2–4 µm by Ca treatment was crucial to minimizing the risk of SEN clogging during the continuous casting of Ti-UPFS steels.

On-chip waveguide sensors are potential candidates for deep-space exploration because of their high integration and low power consumption. Since the fundamental absorption of most gas molecules exists in the mid-infrared (e.g., 3–12 μm), it is of great significance to fabricate wideband mid-infrared sensors with high external confinement factor (ECF). To overcome the limited transparency window and strong waveguide dispersion, a chalcogenide suspended nanorib waveguide sensor was proposed for ultra-wideband mid-infrared gas sensing, and three waveguide sensors (WG1–WG3) with optimized dimensions exhibit a wide waveband of 3.2–5.6 μm, 5.4–8.2 μm, and 8.1–11.5 μm with exceptionally high ECFs of 107–116%, 107–116%, and 116–128%, respectively. The waveguide sensors were fabricated by a two-step lift-off method without dry etching to reduce the process complexity. Experimental ECFs of 112%, 110%, and 110% were obtained at 3.291 μm, 4.319 μm, and 7.625 μm, respectively, through methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) measurements. A limit of detection of 5.9 ppm was achieved for an averaging time of 64.2 s through the Allan deviation analysis of CH4at 3.291 μm, leading to a comparable noise equivalent absorption sensitivity of 2.3 × 10–5cm–1Hz–1/2as compared to the hollow-core fiber and on-chip gas sensors.

The mountainous terrain and warm-humid climates have fostered rich biodiversity in central China. Several national nature reserves have been listed on the World Network of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. In this study, morphological characteristics of chrysophycean stomatocysts were analyzed in a 33-cm-long sediment core from Mulong Lake, a small alpine lake in the Three Gorges Reservoir region, central China. Thirty-two morphotypes of stomatocysts were identified in the sediment core according to the International Statospore Working Group guidelines, and illustrated by SEM micrographs. Of thirty-two cyst types, four cyst types were described as new to science. These stomatocysts generally prefer oligotrophic, electrolyte-poor and cold environments. This study highlights rich morphotypes of chrysophycean stomatocysts in alpine lakes of the subtropical monsoonal region, meanwhile, our results can create a taxonomical basis for further palaeoecological study in this lake, as well as similar alpine lakes.