Search

Nanoporous gold (NPG) is a promising catalytic material for the oxidation of CO and methanol applications. However, NPGs are prone to extensive macroscopic cracking that often decrease mechanic properties of NPGs and depresses their catalytic action. To produce crack-free NPG with an ultra-finer porosity in room temperature, the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was added in electrochemical dealloying process. SDS has the effect of reducing the surface diffusion of gold which hinder the initial coarsening of ligaments and prevents interior silver atoms from being exposed and dissolved. As a result, the pore and ligment size are finer, but higher residual silver of NPG samples. NPG with pore size down to 2 nm and the ligament 4.0 nm was successfully fabricated with 13.32 mM SDS in perchloric acid solution. The surface diffusion coefficient of Au atoms was 1.6 × 10−24 m2·s−1, nearly 3 orders of magnitude smaller than that of Au atoms in the absence of SDS (2.8 × 10−21 m2·s−1). Nanoindentation results demonstrated that high residual silver content made NPG samples harder and stiffer，the specific surface areas of NPG with 6.66 mM SDS was 190 m2 g−1 by BET. This work provided very important clues on how to control the crack free ultrafine nanoporous structure of other materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonium dinitramide (ADN) has the advantages of chlorine free, low characteristic signal and high energy compared with ammonium perchlorate (AP), which is the most likely oxidant to replace ammonium perchlorate. Therefore, we conducted theoretical calculations to analyze the influence of oxidant content and RDX content on the detonation parameters of composite explosives. We compared the detonation parameters of ADN-based composite explosives with AP-based composite explosives, then verify the theoretical calculation analysis results through actual testing. The main research conclusions of this paper are as follows: (i) The detonation parameters of ADN based composite explosive are higher than those of AP-based composite explosive, in which the detonation velocity is about 3.3%~17.2% higher, the detonation heat is about 0.65% ~41.8% higher, and the explosion volume is about 1.6% ~11.6% higher; (ii) the average detonation velocity of the ADN-based explosives tested in practice is 20.4% and 3% higher than that of AP-based explosives respectively, which is basically consistent with the theoretical calculation results. However, the work capacity is lower than that of AP-based composite explosive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to clarify the combustion-supporting mechanism of fluoropolymers, this work focuses on the atomic details of the oxidation of Al nanoparticles with the fluoropolymers and O2, using reactive dynamics simulations. The results show that the combustion properties of Al–fluoropolymer composites are positively correlated with the fluorine content contained in the fluoropolymers. This is because more Al–O and Al–F bonds are formed, resulting in greater energy release, and the fluoropolymer is efficient in preventing the sintering of aluminum powder during combustion. In addition, the erosion of the alumina layer during the ignition phase results in a considerable boost in the combustion performance of the aluminum particles. Surprisingly, a micro-explosion behavior is found in Al–fluoropolymer composites during combustion, which leads to a much higher oxidation rate of aluminum powder. Our results emphasize the erosion of the alumina layer by F atoms, which provides insights into the atomic-scale reaction mechanism between Al and the fluoropolymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, based on the lift-type wind turbine, an adaptive double-drive lift–drag composite vertical-axis wind turbine is designed to improve the wind energy utilization rate. A drag blade was employed to rapidly accelerate the wind turbine, and the width of the blade was adaptively adjusted with the speed of the wind turbine to realize lift–drag conversion. The aerodynamic performance analysis using Fluent showed that the best performance is achieved with a blade curvature of 30° and a drag-type blade width ratio of 2/3. Physical experiments proved that a lift–drag composite vertical-axis wind turbine driven by dual blades can start when the incoming wind speed is 1.6 m/s, which is 23.8% lower than the existing lift-type wind turbine's starting wind speed of 2.1 m/s. At the same time, when the wind speed reaches 8.8 m/s, the guide rail adaptive drag-type blades all contract and transform into lift-type wind turbine blades. The results show that the comprehensive wind energy utilization rate of the adaptive dual-drive lift–drag composite vertical-axis wind turbine was 5.98% higher than that of ordinary lift-type wind turbines and can be applied to wind power generation in high-wind-speed wind farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to improve the device performance from the perspective of reducing ohmic contact resistance; the effects of different electrode structures and alloying parameters on the series resistance and power-current-voltage of laser diodes (LDs) have been investigated in this paper. Design/methodology/approach: Four groups of p-GaAs side metal electrodes with different metal layer arrangements and thicknesses are fabricated for the investigated LDs. The investigated p-GaAs side electrodes are based on Ti/Pt/Au material and the n-GaAs side metal electrodes all have a same structure of Ni/Ge/Ni/Au/Ti/Pt/Au. The LDs with different electrodes were alloyed at 380°C for 60 s and 420°C for 80 s. Findings: The experimental results show that the series resistance decreases by 14%–20%, the output power increases by 2%–2.2% and the conversion efficiency increases by 1.69%–2.16% for the LDs prepared with optimized alloying parameters (420°C for 80 s). The laser diode with p-GaAs side Ti/Pt/Au electrode of 30/70/100 nm has the best device characteristics under both annealing conditions. Originality/value: The utilization of this improvement on ohmic contact property in electrode is not only very important for upgrading high-power LDs but also helpful for GaAs-based microelectronic devices such as HBT and monolithic microwave integrated circuit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution is related to the development of the national economy and people's livelihoods. Formaldehyde, as one of the main pollutants in the air, affects people's physical and mental health. In order to remove formaldehyde and better protect the health of residents, it is necessary to develop efficient adsorption materials. In this study, APMDS-modified cellulose composite aerogel microcrystalline was investigated. The adsorption of formaldehyde by the MCC/APMDS (Microcrystalline Cellulose/N-(2-aminoethyl)-3- Aminopropyl Methyl Dimethoxysilane) composite aerogel mainly relied upon the reaction of the protonated –NH3+ group in APMDS with formaldehyde to form a Schiff base to achieve the effect of deformaldehyde. Meanwhile, the modification of the aerogel reduced the pore volume and specific surface area, and the average pore size increased to 14.56 nm, which enhanced the adsorption capacity of formaldehyde, and the adsorption amount reached 9.52 mg/g. This study provides valuable information for the preparation of adsorbent materials with high formaldehyde adsorption capacity for air purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To systematically evaluate the rehabilitation effect of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) on disorder of consciousness (DOC) after brain injury and compare the effects of different NIBSs. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effect of NIBS on DOC after brain injury were retrieved from the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Data, and CBM databases from inception to October 2022. The risk of bias and quality of the trials were assessed following the Cochrane Handbook of Systematic Reviews and the physiotherapy evidence database Jadad Scale. Statistical analysis was conducted with RevMan 5.4 and R Studio. This study was registered on PROSPERO (No. CRD42022371334). Results: A total of 28 articles were included involving 1118 patients. Meta-analysis showed that NIBS combined with routine rehabilitation had the highest effect than the routine rehabilitation and the sham NIBS combined with routine rehabilitation. The cumulative probability ranking results showed that the rTMS was best. The order of network meta-analysis with GCS (Glasgow Coma Scale) as the outcome index is rTMS combined with routine rehabilitation > tDCS combined with routine rehabilitation > routine rehabilitation > NIBS sham stimulation combined with routine rehabilitation. The order of network meta-analysis with CRS-R (Coma Recovery Scale–Revised) as the outcome index is rTMS combined with routine rehabilitation > tDCS combined with routine rehabilitation > NIBS sham stimulation combined with routine rehabilitation > routine rehabilitation. For patients with different conditions of DOC, the subgroup analysis results showed that rTMS improved the effect of patients with severe DOC better than those with unclear conditions of DOC, but the overall results of the two groups were not significantly different. On the contrary, the effect of tDCS on patients with DOC whose condition was not clear was better than that on patients with severe DOC, and the effect on patients with severe DOC was not significant (P > 0.05). In terms of safety, only 9 articles mentioned ADRs in the included literature, including 8 articles without ADRs, and 1 article with ADRs. Conclusion: Based on the research results of various indicators, NIBS can improve DOC after brain injury, and the rTMS is the best. Limited by the number and the quality of literature, the above conclusions need more high-quality research to verify. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2 have emerged as the dominant strains worldwide, causing the COVID-19 pandemic. Each Omicron subvariant contains at least 30 mutations on the spike protein (S protein) compared to the original wild-type (WT) strain. Here we report the cryo-EM structures of the trimeric S proteins from the BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, and BA.4/BA.5 subvariants, with BA.4 and BA.5 sharing the same S protein mutations, each in complex with the surface receptor ACE2. All three receptor-binding domains of the S protein from BA.2 and BA.4/BA.5 are "up", while the BA.1 S protein has two "up" and one "down". The BA.3 S protein displays increased heterogeneity, with the majority in the all "up" RBD state. The different conformations preferences of the S protein are consistent with their varied transmissibility. By analyzing the position of the glycan modification on Asn343, which is located at the S309 epitopes, we have uncovered the underlying immune evasion mechanism of the Omicron subvariants. Our findings provide a molecular basis of high infectivity and immune evasion of Omicron subvariants, thereby offering insights into potential therapeutic interventions against SARS-CoV-2 variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider a time fractional diffusion system with a nonlinear memory term in a bounded domain. We mainly prove some blow-up and global existence results for this problem. Moreover, we also give the decay estimates of the global solutions. Our proof relies on the eigenfunction method combined with the asymptotic behavior of the solution of a fractional differential inequality system, the estimates of the solution operators and the asymptotic behavior of the Mittag–Leffler function. In particular, we give the critical exponents of this problem in different cases. Our results show that, in some cases, whether one of the initial values is identically equal to zero has a great influence on blow-up and global existence of the solutions for this problem, which is a remarkable property of time fractional diffusion systems because the classical diffusion systems can not admit this property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As shown in Figure 1B, the growth rates of 4th- and 5th-instar larvae of gypsy moth in the GM inoculation group were significantly lower than those in the CK group, while the growth rates of 3rd-5th-instar larvae in the GI treatment group were higher as compared to the CK group. In the present study, gut microbiota and fat body metabolism of gypsy moth larvae showed two completely opposite trends in response to GM or GI-colonized I Populus alba i × I P. berolinensis i seedlings. These results indicated that the metabolic disorder of gypsy moth larvae in the GM treatment group occurred, consistent with the growth retardation of gypsy moth larvae mentioned above. Altogether, the decrease in gut beneficial bacteria and microbial function disorder is one of the main reasons for the growth retardation of gypsy moth larvae in the GM group, while the improved gut environment and the enhanced metabolic functions of gut flora are responsible for the increased larval growth in the GI group. [Extracted from the article]

Abnormal lipid metabolism often occurs under hypoxic microenvironment, which is an important energy supplement for cancer cell proliferation and metastasis. We aimed to explore the lipid metabolism characteristics and gene expression features of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) related to hypoxia and identify biomarkers for molecular classification based on hypoxic lipid metabolism that are evaluable for PDAC prognosis and therapy. The multiple datasets were analyzed integratively, including corresponding clinical information of samples. PDAC possesses a distinct metabolic profile and oxygen level compared with normal pancreatic tissues, according to the bioinformatics methods. In addition, a study on untargeted metabolomics using Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry(UPLC-MS) revealed lipid metabolites differences affected by oxygen. Analysis of PDAC gene expression profiling in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) revealed that the sphingolipid process correlates closely with HIF1α. According to the characters of HIF-1 and sphingolipid, samples can be clustered into three subgroups using non-negative matrix factorization clustering. In cluster2, patients had an increased survival time. Relatively high MUC16 mutation arises in cluster2 and may positively influence the cancer survival rates. This study explored the expression pattern of lipid metabolism under hypoxia microenvironment in PDAC. On the basis of metabolic signatures, we identified the prognosis subtypes linking lipid metabolism to hypoxia. The classifications may be conducive to developing personalized treatment programs targeting metabolic profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are three key components at the core of the mpox virus (MPXV) DNA polymerase holoenzyme: DNA polymerase F8, processivity factors A22, and the Uracil-DNA glycosylase E4. The holoenzyme is recognized as a vital antiviral target because MPXV replicates in the cytoplasm of host cells. Nucleotide analogs such as cidofovir and cytarabine (Ara-C) have shown potential in curbing MPXV replication and they also display promise against other poxviruses. However, the mechanism behind their inhibitory effects remains unclear. Here, we present the cryo-EM structure of the DNA polymerase holoenzyme F8/A22/E4 bound with its competitive inhibitor Ara-C-derived cytarabine triphosphate (Ara-CTP) at an overall resolution of 3.0 Å and reveal its inhibition mechanism. Ara-CTP functions as a direct chain terminator in proximity to the deoxycytidine triphosphate (dCTP)-binding site. The extra hydrogen bond formed with Asn665 makes it more potent in binding than dCTP. Asn665 is conserved among eukaryotic B-family polymerases. [Display omitted] • 3.0 Å cryo-EM structure of MPVX F8/A22/E4 with its bound competitive inhibitor Ara-CTP • Ara-CTP forms a strong extra hydrogen bond with Asn665 compared to dCTP • Thumb and Finger regions undergo substantial movements when binding to dsDNA Shen et al. report high-resolution cryo-EM structures of the MPXV DNA polymerase holoenzyme F8/A22/E4 with its bound substrate deoxycytidine triphosphate (dCTP) and competitive inhibitor cytarabine triphosphate (Ara-CTP). Structural comparisons reveal the conformational changes occurring during the transition from an inactive state to active state upon dsDNA binding and dCTP incorporation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have been acknowledged as a potential platform for heterogeneous photoredox cross-coupling due to their excellent chemical stability, admirable controllability, and extremely prominent surface area. However, synthesizing COFs with bidentate ligand units and utilizing active sites remain a grand challenge. Herein, we report a promising new family of 2,6-pyridinedicarboxaldehyde-bis-(p-aminophenylimine)-based two-dimensional (2D) COFs (PP-COF) using an amine monomer and classic tri-aldehydes. On this basis, dispersed Ni single-atom sites were immobilized on three-types imine-based bi-coordinated 2D COFs (Ni SAS-PP-COF) as heterogeneous dual photoredox catalysts for photo/Ni dual-catalyzed C–N cross-coupling between aryl bromides and alkyl/sulfo amines. Under solar energy irradiation, PP-COF could absorb light to generate electrons and holes, then the photogenerated electrons are transferred to Ni sites to reduce divalent nickel to monovalent nickel. Monovalent nickel is necessary to drive the nickel catalytic cycle. Due to the increased charge separation and abundant active sites, the state-of-the-art Ni SAS-PP-COFs catalyst achieves excellent catalytic performance in comparison of pristine PP-COF. The heterogeneous Ni SAS-PP-COF catalytic system not only confirms the prospect of COFs as potential photoredox/transition-metal dual catalysts, but also provides in-depth insights into the synthesis of functional COFs toward practical metallaphotocatalytic application. [Display omitted] ● Three-types imine-based bi-coordinated 2D COFs were synthesized. ● Heterogeneous catalysts exhibits high activity for photo/Ni dual-catalyzed C–N cross-coupling. ● The reaction substrate has good compatibility. ● This performance is ascribed to increased charge separation and abundant active sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chiral and achiral mechanical metamaterials are designed via spherical tiling. The 3D chiral designs show an interesting coupled compression-twisting behavior, while the 3D achiral designs show auxetic behavior. Also, besides the cellular-type chiral and achiral designs, composite-type of each design are created by adding soft matrix to the cellular designs. The designs are fabricated via multi-material 3D printing. Mechanical uni-axial compression experiments are performed on the 3D printed specimens and the experimental results are compared with finite element (FE) simulations. By jointly tailoring the chiral geometry and material combination, the effective mechanical properties and the deformation mechanisms can be tuned in a large range. In addition, a continuum-level material model was developed to predict the constitutive relationship. The results show that the material model can well predict the effective mechanical properties of the chiral 3D mechanical metamaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To investigate the exposure–response (E‐R) relationship, including exposure–efficacy and exposure–safety, of ropeginterferon alfa‐2b treatment in patients with polycythaemia vera (PV). Methods: Based on the results of the phase II trial A20‐202 regarding ropeginterferon alfa‐2b in patients with PV, E‐R analyses were performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the given dosing regimen. The E‐R analyses were based on logistic and linear regression and the relationship between exposure to ropeginterferon alfa‐2b and key efficacy and safety variables. The key efficacy variables included complete haematologic response (CHR) and reduction of the driver mutation JAK2V617F. The safety variable was treatment‐related adverse events (TRAEs). Results: A clear relationship between the exposure to ropeginterferon alfa‐2b and CHR was observed, with an increase in drug exposure resulting in an increased probability of achieving CHR. Similar CHR probabilities were observed in the third and fourth quantiles of the average concentration at Week 24. The results from the exposure–JAK2V617F model indicated that the JAK2V617F allele burden decreased with increasing exposure to ropeginterferon alfa‐2b and baseline body surface area. Exposure–safety analysis revealed a risk of AEs associated with transaminase abnormalities, which were not associated with clinical significance. Conclusions: Our analyses have shown that patients with PV treated with ropeginterferon alfa‐2b had an increased probability of achieving CHR and a molecular response with acceptable safety risks at the 250–350–500 μg titration dosing regimen. This study has provided the relevant data for the application of a biologics licence of ropeginterferon alfa‐2b for PV treatment in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relative position between the pediatric upper airway and the inhalation device during real inhalation administration has significant effects on the delivery efficiency of orally inhaled drugs. Morphological variability plays an important role in this process. However, the mouth-throat differences between adults and children were usually neglected because most of the commercial inhalation devices currently are designed for adults or older adolescents. The main objective of this study is to investigate these effects by four realistic pediatric mouth-throat (RMT) geometries. In addition, an idealized mouth-throat (IMT) model was developed to validate the numerical model and to compare with the RMT models. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed to investigate the flow pattern and deposition pattern in these models and the results were compared with the cascade impactor experiments, replica experiments and in vivo results. No significant correlation (p > 0.1) between the relative position parameters and inhaler insertion depth can be noticed among the RMT models. Notably, significant variability in the inhaler posture was observed in RMT models, especially for the S4 model. Airflow structure shows that the RMT model has a complex onset of turbulence, reverse flow and subsequently vortex formation when compared with the IMT model. The oral cavity is the region with the largest deposition fraction (DF) and deposition efficiency (DE). The DF and DE of the oral cavity are negatively correlated to the position parameter (L m) when mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) of indacaterol 150 μg was utilized as the input particle parameter. The relative position between the inhaler and oral cavity has significant effects on the particle transport and deposition. Furthermore, in silico results overestimated the lung deposition in comparison to the in vivo and experimental results when MMAD was used as input. To resolve the disparity between the in silico and in vivo results, a modified prediction method based on the cascade impactor and original in silico results was proposed and a good correlation of the relative contribution of pulmonary absorption to total systemic exposure (f lung) was found between the predicted and observed results. The findings of present work will provide useful information in understanding the particle transport and deposition in the pediatric airways for the design of inhaler. [Display omitted] • Pediatric mouth-inhaler position is unrelated to inhaler insertion depth • Oral cavity deposition negatively correlates to the mouth-inhaler position parameter • Modified prediction methods can improve the in silico - in vivo correlation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) is one of the best high-energy explosives, its application is severely limited by its high sensitivity. Herein, a composite wax-film with interfacial crosslinking anti-falling was designed and fabricated to desensitize CL-20. It was filled with nano-silica powder (n-Si), nano-graphenes (n-GPNs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as insensitive enhancers. A unique and stable core-shell composite explosive was prepared, and characterized by DSC, SEM, TEM, XRD, XPS as well as mechanical sensitivity tests. The results suggested that the functional group interaction and structural strengthening between enhancers and microcrystalline wax (MW) further enhanced the desensitization ability of the composite film for CL-20. Because of the hydrogen bonding and thickening enhancement, the CL-20 crystal was uniformly coated with a nano-composite film. Three enhancers were demonstrated to be highly compatible with CL-20. In comparison with MW@CL-20, The E a , T p0 and T b of the composites containing n-GPNs increased by >375.27 kJ·mol−1, 21.04 °C and 18.27 °C, respectively. The SEM and XPS results showed that the composite performed a complete core-shell structure with thermal softening resistance and superior coverage (98.20 %). The insensitive enhancer was also distributed and embedded in the MW-film matrix. Besides, the anti-fall and cross-linking properties of the film enable the mechanical sensitivity of the composite explosive to reach to a level better than that of WO 3 /Al nanothermite with 5 wt% polyaniline and polymer-bonded explosive (PBX) with 95 wt% LLM-105 and 5 wt% ternary composite. The heterogeneous composites demonstrated excellent mechanical safety and high energy performance. These findings can provide a reference for the efficient desensitization of CL-20. [Display omitted] • A nano-composite film based on cross-linking network enhancement was designed for explosive crystal desensitization. • The homogeneous core-shell composite explosive was fabricated using a simple and safe method. • The coating containing n-Si had a better cost advantage and a higher desensitization ability than that of GNPs and MWCNTs. • The coexistence of high energy and low sensitivity of CL-20-based composite explosives was achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation and energy release mechanism of highly reactive n-Al/F-polymer metastable intermixed composites are both desirable and challenging. In this study, we employed an optimized electrospray sampling strategy to significantly enhance the reaction activity of aluminum-based MICs, as well as their combustion performance. It is evident that the optimization of the sampling strategy yielded remarkable results. Compared to the physical mixture, MICs-1 exhibited a 7.2-fold and 9.9-fold increase in P max and P max /Δ t , respectively. The combustion rate experienced an 8.5-fold improvement, and the energy release efficiency rose from 52.18 % to 68.11 %. An analysis of the energy evolution mechanism reveals a mitigation of the reactive sintering phenomenon observed in MICs-1. The presence of PVDF facilitates the reactivity of aluminum powders by selectively corroding the alumina shell. The reaction kinetics parameters indicate that MICs-1 demonstrates characteristic three-step reaction behavior and exhibits a lower reaction energy barrier. Furthermore, ReaxFF molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate the adsorption and dissociation of PVDF on the surface of aluminum powders, leading to erosion defects in the alumina crystal structure. These defects, in turn, induce the ignition reaction. • Activated aluminum base metastable intermixed composites is designed. • The erosion-activation mechanism of pre-ignition reaction is demonstrated. • The process from surface defect formation to ignition of ANPs is verified by reactive molecular dynamics simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Improve the theory of Epipolar Focus Spectrum (EFS) and give the Sampling analysis of EFS. • An EFS-based learning framework for dense-view light field reconstruction is proposed. • The proposed method can guarantee the cross-view consistency for fulldepth/ disparity light field reconstruction. • The proposed method exhibits superior performance under large disparities. Existing light field (LF) representations, such as epipolar plane image (EPI) and sub-aperture images, do not consider the structural characteristics across the views, so they usually require additional disparity and spatial structure cues for follow-up tasks. Besides, they have difficulties dealing with occlusions or large disparity scenes. To this end, this paper proposes a novel Epipolar Focus Spectrum (EFS) representation by rearranging the EPI spectrum. Different from the classical EPI representation where an EPI line corresponds to a specific depth, there is a one-to-one mapping from the EFS line to the view. By exploring the EFS sampling task, the analytical function is derived for constructing a non-aliasing EFS. To demonstrate its effectiveness, we develop a trainable EFS-based pipeline for light field reconstruction, where a dense light field can be reconstructed by compensating the missing EFS lines given a sparse light field, yielding promising results with cross-view consistency, especially in the presence of severe occlusion and large disparity. Experimental results on both synthetic and real-world datasets demonstrate the validity and superiority of the proposed method over SOTA methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal can affect the bio-control efficiency of entomopathogenic fungi on pests, but this has not been studied in the food chain. Here, the food chain of soil- Fraxinus mandshurica - Hyphantria cunea was constructed to investigate the effect of cadmium (Cd) exposure on the susceptibility of H. cunea larvae to Beauveria bassiana (Bb) and to analyze the corresponding mechanism through larval innate immunity and energy metabolism. Cd through the food chain synergistically enhanced the susceptibility of H. cunea larvae to Bb. Cellular immunity-related parameters decreased when the Cd treatment group was compared with the control group and when the combined treatment group of Cd and Bb was compared with the Bb treatment group. Cd exposure induced hormesis on pathogen recognition and signal transduction genes of humoral immunity, but reduced the expression of effector genes. The expression of the 13 humoral immunity-related genes in the combined treatment group was lower than in the Bb treatment group. Cd exposure decreased the energy storage of H. cunea larvae before Bb infection and aggravated the disorder level of energy metabolism after Bb infection. Taken together, disturbance of innate immunity and energy metabolism improves the susceptibility of H. cunea larvae to Bb in the Cd-polluted food chain. [Display omitted] • Cd can be transferred along the "soil-plant-phytophagous insect" food chain. • Cd exposure increased the susceptibility of larvae to Beauveria bassiana. • Immunity and energy metabolism disorder were observed in Cd-exposed larvae. • Entomopathogenic fungi are suitable for bio-control in heavy metal-polluted areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoplastics pollution in drinking water has aroused wide concern, but their effects on human health are still poorly understood. Herein we explore the responses of human embryonic kidney 293T cells and human normal liver LO2 cells to polystyrene nanoplastics, mainly focusing on the effects of particle sizes and enrichment of Pb2+. When the exposed particle size is higher than 100 nm, there is no obvious death for these two different cell lines. As the particle size decreases from 100 nm, cell mortality goes up. Although the internalization of polystyrene nanoplastics in LO2 cells is at least 5 times higher than that in 293T cells, the mortality of LO2 cells is lower than that of 293T cells, illustrating that LO2 cells are more resistant to polystyrene nanoplastics than 293T cells. Additionally, the Pb2+ enrichment on polystyrene nanoplastics in water can further enhance their toxicity, which should be taken seriously. The cytotoxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics to cell lines works through a molecular mechanism involving oxidative stress-induced damage of mitochondria and cell membranes, resulting in a decrease in ATP production and an increase in membrane permeability. Referenced to nanoplastics pollution in drinking water, there is no necessary to panic about the adverse effects of plastic itself on human health, but the enrichment of contaminants should get more attention. This work provides a reference for the risk assessment of nanoplastics in drinking water to human health. [Display omitted] • Toxicity of nanoplastics on two human cells is size- and concentration-dependent. • LO2 cells are more resistant to nanoplastics than 293 T cells. • Nanoplastics induce excessive oxidative damage to these two human cells. • Enrichment of Pb2+ on nanoplastics in drinking water enhances cytotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elastic mechanical properties of bi-chiral mechanical metamaterials are explored via systematic finite element simulations. Designs of bi-chiral mechanical metamaterials with both periodic and complete random handedness distributions for various handedness ratio and domain size and length aspect ratios were investigated. It is found that in general, because of the interactions at the 'twinned' intercellular boundaries between neighboring domains, the handedness ratio, handedness distribution, domain size and length aspect ratio significantly influence the overall mechanical properties of bi-chiral designs. Specifically, when handedness ratio increases and domain size decreases, the effective stiffness and the auxetic effects increases, while the effective shear modulus is much less sensitive to either the handedness ratio or the domain size. The chirality-induced normal shear coupling effect is solely determined by the handedness ratio. An empirical mechanical model was proposed to quantify the influences of 'twinned' intercellular boundaries on the effective stiffness and effective Poisson's ratio of bi-chiral designs. In addition, both upper and lower limits of the effective stiffness and the effective Poisson's ratio of bi-chiral designs are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidants, such as oxygen, cannot easily approach the core Al due to the presence of dense alumina on the surface of aluminum particles, thereby resulting in high ignition temperature and long ignition duration. To overcome this challenge, we employed the solvent/non-solvent method using Viton A (a copolymer of 1,1-difluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene) as a coating material to prepare the core-shell Al/Viton A composite particles. An orthogonal experiment was designed to identify the optimal preparation parameters by evaluating the peak pressure in a closed vessel. The sample with the largest peak pressure was compared with raw Al and Al/Viton A (prepared by the physical mixing method) using the combustion pressure and open combustion tests to evaluate the solvent/non-solvent method. The results from the orthogonal experiment revealed that the water bath temperature exhibited the greatest influence on the coating effects. The composite prepared under a water bath temperature of 55 °C and a stirring rate of 250 rpm, using 20 mL of acetone and a 5 mL/min dripping rate of the Viton A acetone solution, were uniformly coated by Viton A, and exhibited excellent combustion characteristics. In addition, the sample generated using the optimal preparation parameters burnt more vigorously and rapidly than raw Al and Al/Viton A. Finally, the reaction molecular dynamics simulation was employed to gain insight into the effect of Viton A on the combustion of Aluminum particles at the molecular level. • A solvent/non-solvent method was developed to prepare nano Al-based composites. • Core-shell structured Al-Viton A particles were prepared via the novel method. • The as-prepared particles presented a superior combustion performance. • The pre-ignition reaction initiated and promoted the oxidation of nano aluminum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly reactive aluminum-fluorine composites with novel structures have attracted much attention in the past decades. However, there is not a specific mechanism to explain the combustion-supporting or inducing effect of F-polymer on aluminum powders. Herein, we present a systematic study of the induced reaction mechanism and propose a new elaboration. Two types of Nano-aluminum/Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (n-Al/PVDF) composites are fabricated via electrospray and mechanical mixing method, respectively. The electrospray sample excites a Pre-Ignition Reaction (PIR) between fluorine and the Al 2 O 3 shell at a low temperature, and simultaneously the specific surface area, surface element state and alumina shell structure of aluminum powders change to some extent. However, the surface structure of the physical mixture does not change significantly in the same temperature range. On this basis, we studied the relationship between the change of surface structure and the enhanced combustion performance of aluminum in electrospray sample. The results show that the combustion-supporting effect of PVDF on aluminum powder should be attributed to the corrosion of the alumina shell and the loose structure of the PIR product. The induction mechanism of Al-F reaction to Al-O reaction is that the PIR changes the structure and element state of aluminum powders surface. That is, the increase of specific surface area and the division of alumina shell significantly promote the Al-O reaction. [Display omitted] • PIR changes the chemical state and microstructure of the aluminum powder surface. • The AIMD study clarified the initial process of the PIR reaction. • PVDF participates in PIR and main reaction according to a mass ratio close to 40/60. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • NaTi 2 (PO 4) 3 /carbon is rationally designed from an all-integrated framework precursor. • Precursor is a citric acid-organic phosphonic acid skeleton chelating with Ti. • NaTi 2 (PO 4) 3 /carbon shows high capacity and superior rate capability for SIBs. • NaTi 2 (PO 4) 3 /carbon delivers an ultrastable cycling performance. Finding suitable hosts for Na+ ion storage holds the key to achieving large-scale applications of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). NaTi 2 (PO 4) 3 is widely considered to be an advanced anode material for SIBs, because of its 3D open framework, high theoretical capacity, and good thermodynamic stability. However, the instability of electrolyte/electrode interface and intrinsic low electronic conductivity of NaTi 2 (PO 4) 3 lead to the poor cycling and rate performance. In this work, an all-integrated framework with chelating Ti in a cross-linked citric acid-organic phosphonic acid skeleton is fabricated as a precursor for the synthesis of NaTi 2 (PO 4) 3 /carbon composite. The generated interconnected carbon provides extensive support for NaTi 2 (PO 4) 3 crystal. These unique structure delivers a high reversible capacity (225.8 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1), good rate performance (219.7 mAh g−1 at 0.4 A g−1, and 189.6 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1), and superb long-term cycling stability (156.0 mAh g−1 at 2 A g−1 after 4000 cycles). It is believed that this facile and effective strategy can shed light on the development of advanced phosphate electrode materials for SIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 3D printed biomimetic suture specimens under shearing load. • The effects of printing direction on the bonding strength. • An inverse method to quantify the effects of printing direction. • Cohesive interaction with mixed mode damage initiation and evolution. • SEM and sophisticated nonlinear FE simulations. The shear resistance of bio-inspired suture joints with different waviness is explored through an integrated experimental and numerical approach. Polymeric single lap shear specimens with different waviness are designed and fabricated via multi-material additive manufacturing. Quasi-static mechanical experiments are performed to quantify the effective shear stiffness and strength of the joints. SEM images show that the 3D printed suture joints fail under combined adhesive and cohesive failure mechanisms. To evaluate the effects of printing direction on the mechanical behaviors of suture joints, both tensile and single lap shear specimens are designed and printed in two orthogonal directions: parallel to the interface (H direction) and perpendicular to the interface (V direction). An inverse method was used to obtained the effective material properties of the interfacial layer printed in both directions. Nonlinear Finite Element models with cohesive interaction and mixed mode damage initiation and evolution are developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate ultra-short-term prediction plays a very important role in maintaining power equipment, preventing accidents, and optimizing dispatch effectiveness. Currently, the decomposition-integration method is widely used in ultra-short-term wind speed prediction. However, most of the existing models ignore the problem of information leakage that occurs during data processing and the effect of discrepancies between multiple decomposition sequences on the prediction results, which poses a great challenge to the accuracy of wind speed prediction. Therefore, this study proposes an improved hybrid wind speed prediction framework based on an improved decomposition method, an anti-information leakage mechanism and an enhanced deep learning algorithm. First, the original sequences are processed using improved singular spectrum analysis (ISSA) to achieve an effective mining of deep features. Second, Transformer is selected to construct the input-output relationship model between the original sequence and the feature components to form an anti-information leakage mechanism. Finally, an enhanced hybrid deep learning model is built using the concept of parallel processing, which can simultaneously process subsequences of different complexity and effectively reduce the prediction error of the model. Simulation experiments are conducted using four sets of data from wind farms located in Liaoning Province, China. The results of the simulations demonstrate that the model performs better in predictions than the benchmark model. • An enhanced hybrid wind speed prediction model has been proposed. • An improved feature extraction is adopted to effectively mining wind speed features. • Transformer is used to build mapping relationship to relieve information leakage. • A discriminative prediction network based on parallel thinking has been proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SARS-CoV-2 engages with human cells through the binding of its Spike receptor-binding domain (S-RBD) to the receptor ACE2. Molecular blocking of this engagement represents a proven strategy to treat COVID-19. Here, we report a single-chain antibody (nanobody, DL4) isolated from immunized alpaca with picomolar affinity to RBD. DL4 neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviruses with an IC 50 of 0.101 μg mL−1 (6.2 nM). A crystal structure of the DL4-RBD complex at 1.75-Å resolution unveils the interaction detail and reveals a direct competition mechanism for DL4's ACE2-blocking and hence neutralizing activity. The structural information allows us to rationally design a mutant with higher potency. Our work adds diversity of neutralizing nanobodies against SARS-CoV-2 and should encourage protein engineering to improve antibody affinities in general. • Isolation of a neutralizing nanobody targeting RBD with picomolar affinity • The high-resolution structure of the nanobody-RBD complex reveals the neutralizing mechanism. • Structure-based engineering yielded improved potency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tiger nuts (Cyperus esculentus L.) have been widely cultivated as a bioenergy crop in northern China. The value of tubers is receiving special attention, but the lack of information on how organs of tiger nuts coordinate resources to adapt to arid environments has limited the potential tuber production and diverse use. To address this knowledge gap, we experimented in the Ulan Buh Desert, Inner Mongolia (106° 33′ 28″ E, 40° 27′ 32″ N). Three fertilizer treatments were applied: zero fertilizer (N:P = 0:0), traditional fertilizer (N:P = 15:15), and additional nitrogen fertilizer (N:P = 60:15). Investigations were conducted at seedling, rhizome production, tuber formation, and tuber maturation stages. The results showed that under zero fertilizer, tiger nuts allocated biomass predominantly to propagative organs, namely rhizomes and tubers. However, an increase in leaf area or root surface area would necessitate more investment in leaf or root dry mass, resulting in diminishing returns. For biomass allocation, tiger nut responded the same way to traditional fertilizer treatment and zero fertilizer treatment, but the tuber number and yield increase under traditional fertilizer application. Additional nitrogen fertilizer stimulated shoot production through accelerated rhizome production aided by leaf area increasing. Fertilizer application can significantly increase both the number of tiger nuts and tuber yield. Nitrogen addition positively influenced aboveground biomass and enhanced rhizome tillering. Strong adaptability of tiger nuts makes the plant a suitable pioneer crop for developing marginal lands. The robust aboveground growth after nitrogen application enhances suitability for pasture utilization. Core Ideas: Tiger nuts have been promoted as a bioenergy crop in Inner Mongolia, with potential uses yet to be explored.Tiger nuts demonstrate strong adaptability in arid areas, enabling them to thrive in nutrient‐deficient conditions.Tiger nuts with strong adaptability can fully exploit their production potential in marginal lands of Inner Mongolia.Nitrogen fertilizer application plays a major role in biomass partitioning in tiger nuts in an arid ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphatases are important regulators of protein phosphorylation and various cellular processes, and they serve as counterparts to kinases. In this study, our comprehensive analysis of oomycete complete proteomes unveiled the presence of approximately 3833 phosphatases, with most species estimated to have between 100 and 300 putative phosphatases. Further investigation of these phosphatases revealed a significant increase in protein serine/threonine phosphatases (PSP) within oomycetes. In particular, we extensively studied the metallo‐dependent protein phosphatase (PPM) within the PSP family in the model oomycete Phytophthora sojae. Our results showed notable differences in the expression patterns of PPMs throughout 10 life stages of P. sojae, indicating their vital roles in various stages of oomycete pathogens. Moreover, we identified 29 PPMs in P. sojae, and eight of them possessed accessory domains in addition to phosphate domains. We investigated the biological function of one PPM protein with an extra PH domain (PPM1); this protein exhibited high expression levels in both asexual developmental and infectious stages. Our analysis confirmed that PPM1 is indeed an active protein phosphatase, and its accessory domain does not affect its phosphatase activity. To delve further into its function, we generated knockout mutants of PPM1 and validated its essential roles in mycelial growth, sporangia and oospore production, as well as infectious stages. To the best of our knowledge, this study provides the first comprehensive inventory of phosphatases in oomycetes and identifies an important phosphatase within the expanded serine/threonine phosphatase group in oomycetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purposes: Developing the cultivation and utilization of tiger nuts on marginal land is an effective approach to tackle the shortage of arable land in northern China. However, key information on their growth is unclear. This study aims to reveal the adaption potential of tiger nuts to on marginal land to help improve and adjust management practices. Methods: Three treatments were arranged to plant tiger nut in marginal land: no fertilization (N:P = 0:0), traditional fertilization (N:P = 15:15), and additional nitrogen fertilizer (N:P = 60:15). Functional traits of tiger nut and soil nutrients over three growth periods were investigated. Results: Under no fertilization, tiger nuts extended roots and toughened leaves to maximize nutrient absorption, and then quickly transported those nutrients to tubers. However, the lack of available phosphorus in the soil prevented the expansion of tubers. With the addition of fertilizers, tiger nuts produced more individuals, and their abundant belowground tissues resulted in soil organic matter increase. Under traditional fertilization, the tuber remains the main reproductive organ for tiger nuts, and phosphorus has a significant effect on the expansion of tubers. But under additional nitrogen fertilizer, the main reproductive organ changed to the stolon, nitrogen and phosphorus acted on stolons to promote their extension. Conclusion: Tiger nuts outstandingly adapt to marginal land environments and adjust their adaptation strategies according to varying soil nutrient conditions, Best tuber production will be achieved in soils with higher phosphorus availability, and a significant nitrogen proportion increase in fertilizers is necessary for enhancing aboveground production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endothelium dysfunction is a central problem for early rejection due to the host alloimmune response and the late status of arteriosclerosis in heart transplantation. However, reliable pieces of evidence are still limited concerning the source of the regenerated endothelium within the transplanted heart. We analyzed single-cell RNA sequencing data and constructed an inducible lineage tracing mouse, combined heart transplantation with bone marrow transplantation and a parabiosis model, cellular components, and endothelial cell populations in cardiac graft lesions. Our single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of a transplanted heart allowed for the establishment of an endothelial cell atlas with a heterogeneous population, including arterial, venous, capillary, and lymphatic endothelial cells. Along with genetic cell lineage tracing, we demonstrated that the donor cells were mostly replaced by recipient cells in the cardiac allograft, up to 83.29% 2 weeks after transplantation. Furthermore, recipient nonbone marrow CD34+ endothelial progenitors contributed significantly to extracellular matrix organization and immune regulation, with higher apoptotic ability in the transplanted hearts. Mechanistically, peripheral blood-derived human endothelial progenitor cells differentiate into endocardial cells via Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-mediated pathways. Host circulating CD34+ endothelial progenitors could repair the damaged donor endothelium presumably through CCL3-CCR5 chemotaxis. Partial depletion of host CD34+ cells resulted in delayed endothelial regeneration. We created an annotated fate map of endothelial cells in cardiac allografts, indicating how recipient CD34+ cells could replace the donor endothelium via chemokine CCL3-CCR5 interactions. The mechanisms we discovered could have a potential therapeutic effect on the long-term outcomes of heart transplantation. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Black scurf disease, caused by Rhizoctonia solani , is a severe soil-borne and tuber-borne disease, which occurs and spreads in potato growing areas worldwide and poses a serious threat to potato production. New biofungicide is highly desirable for addressing the issue, and natural products (NPs) from Xenorhabdus spp. provide prolific resources for biofungicide development. In this study, we aim to identify antifungal NPs from Xenorhabdus spp. for the management of this disease. Methods and results Out of the 22 Xenorhabdus strains investigated, Xenorhabdus budapestensis 8 (XBD8) was determined to be the most promising candidate with the measured IC50 value of its cell-free supernatant against R. solani as low as 0.19 ml l−1. The major antifungal compound in XBD8 started to be synthesized in the middle logarithmic phase and reached a stable level at stationary phase. Core gene deletion coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis determined the major antifungal NPs as fabclavine derivatives, Fcl-7 and 8, which showed broad-spectrum bioactivity against important pathogenic fungi. Impressively, the identified fabclavine derivatives effectively controlled black scurf disease in both greenhouse and field experiments, significantly improving tuber quality and increasing with marketable tuber yield from 29 300 to 35 494 kg ha−1, comparable with chemical fungicide fludioxonil. Conclusions The fabclavine derivatives Fcl-7 and 8 were determined as the major antifungal NPs in XBD8, which demonstrated a bright prospect for the management of black scurf disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ropeginterferon alfa-2b represents a new-generation pegylated interferon-based therapy and is administered every 2–4 weeks. It is approved for polycythemia vera (PV) treatment in the United States and Europe with a starting dose of 100 µg (50 µg for patients receiving hydoxyurea) and intra-patient dose titrations up to 500 µg at 50 µg increments, which took approximately 20 or more weeks to reach a plateau dose level. This study aimed to assess ropeginterferon alfa-2b at an alternative dosing regimen with a higher starting dose and quicker intra-patient dose titrations, i.e., the 250–350–500 μg schema, in 49 Chinese patients with PV with resistance or intolerance to hydroxyurea. The primary endpoint of the complete hematologic response rate at treatment weak 24 was 61.2%, which was notably higher than 43.1% at 12 months with the approved dosing schema. The JAK2V617F allele burden decreased from baseline to week 24 (17.8% ± 18.0%), with one patient achieving a complete molecular response. Ropeginterferon alfa-2b was well-tolerated and most adverse events (AEs) were mild or moderate. Common AEs included alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase increases mostly at grade 1 or 2 levels. Patients did not present with jaundice or significant bilirubin level increase. No grade 4 or 5 AEs occurred. Seven patients (14.3%) experienced reversible, drug-related grade 3 AEs. No AEs led to treatment discontinuation. Ropeginterferon alfa-2b at the 250–350–500 μg regimen is highly effective and well-tolerated and can help patients achieve greater and rapid complete hematologic and molecular responses. Clinical Trial Registration: This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT05485948) and in China (China National Medical Products Administration Registration Number: CTR20211664). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oomycetes are filamentous microorganisms easily mistaken as fungi but vastly differ in physiology, biochemistry, and genetics. This commonly-held misconception lead to a reduced effectiveness by using conventional fungicides to control oomycetes, thus it demands the identification of novel functional genes as target for precisely design oomycetes-specific microbicide. The present study initially analyzed the available transcriptome data of the model oomycete pathogen, Phytophthora sojae, and constructed an expression matrix of 10,953 genes across the stages of asexual development and host infection. Hierarchical clustering, specificity, and diversity analyses revealed a more pronounced transcriptional plasticity during the stages of asexual development than that in host infection, which drew our attention by particularly focusing on transcripts in asexual development stage to eventually clustered them into 6 phase-specific expression modules. Three of which respectively possessing a serine/threonine phosphatase (PP2C) expressed during the mycelial and sporangium stages, a histidine kinase (HK) expressed during the zoospore and cyst stages, and a bZIP transcription factor (bZIP32) exclusive to the cyst germination stage were selected for down-stream functional validation. In this way, we demonstrated that PP2C, HK, and bZIP32 play significant roles in P. sojae asexual development and virulence. Thus, these findings provide a foundation for further gene functional annotation in oomycetes and crop disease management. Author summary: Oomycetes are fungi-like microorganisms with differences in biology and genetics. Using fungicides to control the pathogenic oomycetes has limited effectiveness. Therefore, a detailed understanding of the oomycetes is necessary for identifying potential candidates as fungicide targets. The present study investigated the transcriptional changes in a model oomycete pathogen, Phytophthora sojae, during asexual development and plant infection. The analysis identified various types of genes with differences in expression patterns during development and infection. Further analysis focused on the transcriptome dynamics during asexual stages which exhibited more remarkable plasticity. Detailed analysis of the genes revealed stage-specific responses of a few genes and specifically identified three genes with functional relevance in different developmental stages of P. sojae, including a serine/threonine phosphatase in mycelial and sporangium stages, a histidine kinase in zoospore and cyst stages, and a bZIP transcription factor in cyst germination. Also these three genes function in different participate in multiple layers of the pathogenicity process. Thus, the study provides a reference for further research on the candidate genes, which may be used to defeat the pathogenic oomycetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past few years, immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy has emerged as a breakthrough treatment for cancers and has demonstrated inspiring effects in tumor patients with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. To allow more patients to benefit from immunotherapy, exploring novel biomarkers based on EBV-related tumors and immunotherapy cohorts was pursued in the present study. The essential biomarkers that may enhance antitumor immunity across EBV-related tumors were identified using the large-scale transcriptomic profiles of EBV-associated tumors and tumor immunotherapy cohorts. The clinical significance of vital genes was evaluated in multiple tumor immunotherapy cohorts. Moreover, the potential function of essential genes in immunotherapy was explored via bioinformatic analyses and verified by qRT-PCR, Western blot analysis, CCK8 assay and flow cytometry. Apolipoprotein L6 (APOL6) was considered the essential biomarker for enhancing antitumor immunity across EBV-positive tumors. The upregulation of APOL6 was correlated with increased response rates and prolonged survival in multiple tumor immunotherapy cohorts. Bioinformatic analyses suggested that APOL6 may enhance tumor immunotherapy by inducing immunogenic cell death. Pancreatic cancer cells transfected with APOL6 overexpression plasmid underwent apoptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis with immunogenic features. The biomarker upregulated in EBV-related tumors could further elucidate the drivers of immunotherapy response. The upregulation of APOL6 could improve immunotherapy by triggering immunogenic cell death, thus offering a new target to optimize cancer immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Voltage-gated Kv7/M potassium channels play an essential role in the control of membrane potential and neuronal excitability. Fangchinoline, a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid, displays extensive biological activities including antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertension effects. In this study, we investigated the effects of fangchinoline on Kv7/M channels. Methods: A perforated whole-cell patch technique was used to record Kv7 currents from HEK293 cells and M-type currents from mouse dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Results: Fangchinoline inhibited Kv7.2/Kv7.3 currents in a concentration-dependent manner, with an IC50 of 9.5 ± 1.2 μM. Fangchinoline significantly inhibited Kv7.1, Kv7.2, Kv7.3, Kv7.4, and Kv7.3/Kv7.5 channels without selective effects. Furthermore, fangchinoline significantly slowed the activation of Kv7.1-Kv7.5 channels and inhibited native M-channel currents of DRG neurons. Conclusion: Taken together, our findings indicate that fangchinoline concentration-dependently inhibited Kv7/M channel currents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Australian wine regions can be classified into different climatic categories; • Drier growing seasons were observed for many wine regions from 1911 to 2017; • Warmer growing season/night-time temperature were observed for most wine regions; • The climatic changes in different wine regions differed over historical time periods; • Many wine regions became less suitable to grow temperate grape varieties. Viticultural production and wine quality are profoundly affected by climate. Characterising winegrape-growing regions based on climatic variables provides scientific guidance for the wine industry in vineyard site and winegrape cultivar selection. This research used a modified multicriteria climatic classification system based on three representative indices, Huglin index, cool night index and growing season relative soil moisture to classify 63 southeastern Australian winegrape-growing regions into different climatic categories, within different historical time periods from 1911 to 2017. The pattern of changes in climatic classification over these time-periods were identified for each region and illustrated in the principal component analysis (PCA) plot. A second classification system based on growing season average temperature index was further used to identify the temperature variations among regions. Based on this, a novel grapevine suitability index was generated to indicate the suitability of growing key commercial winegrape varieties in a specific winegrape-growing region. Clear changes in regional climate across the three historical time periods were observed in majority of the studied regions with clear differences between regions. Warmer growing season, warmer night-time temperature and drier growing season were the most frequently observed trends. GST analysis showed that median temperature increased for majority of winegrape-growing regions with more extreme hot climatic conditions appearing in recent years. Some winegrape-growing regions have become less suitable for temperate winegrape varieties and may need to move to more heat tolerant varieties, while some cold regions became more suitable for winegrape production. Climatic variations were observed among non-official geographic indications (GIs), which provided the scientific basis for the possible separation of these regions. This study will assist the wine industry to better understand the climatic variations between viticulture regions, and provide guidance for the selection of the most suitable winegrape varieties within each region and the selection of regions to grow particular varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gel network structure filled with attractive nanoparticles (NPs) significantly affects the viscoelasticity of the nanocomposites, which is poorly understood and troubles industrial processes. In this work, the nanoparticle gel matrices were prepared with hydrophilic fumed silica (FS), and filled with aluminium sub-microparticles (Al SMPs) loading in the range of 10%− 50%. The effects of particle content and composition on the large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) behaviors are investigated by stress decomposition methods. Meanwhile, the higher harmonics and the Chebyshev harmonics coefficients were obtained. We found that the gels exhibit consistent progressive stiffening with particles filling, companying with plastic transformation and weak strain overshoot (WSO). With aluminum increasing, nonlinear viscoelastic responses gradually weaken in LAOS, severely decreasing the linear viscoelastic (LVE) region, and were validated by strain stiffening index S , T and high-order harmonics. In confocal microscopy (CFM) images, the aluminum particles were fluorescently labeled and found to be adhered together with FS clusters. This article could provide a perspective on understanding the flow mechanism of particulate network structure by combining morphological details and LAOS behaviors. [Display omitted] • The surface of the naked aluminum particles is adhered with the clusters in gel fuels. • Solid-liquid transition was monitored by the FT-rheology analysis under LAOS. • Addition of fumed silica and aluminum particles induces the plastic transformation. • Nonlinear characteristics are reflected by the third harmonics in the particulate gels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an innovative technology for the stimulation of coalbed methane, liquid nitrogen cold soaking can produce more fractures in coal body and effectively increase the permeability of coal seam. The pore structure distribution of coal affects the permeability of coal and determines the flow and occurrence state of coalbed methane and other fluids in coal. This paper carries out a number of nuclear magnetic resonance tests on coal samples with different coal qualities treated by liquid nitrogen cold soaking and studies the influence law of liquid nitrogen soaking on coal pore structures. It is found that the liquid nitrogen makes the T2 spectral peak shifts to the right, and the anthracite changes from interval T2 spectrum to type T2. It indicates that liquid nitrogen cold soaking in the transformation of pore size to large size improves the pore connectivity and leads to more pore structures. With an increase in times of liquid nitrogen cold soaking, the size and number of coal pore structures gradually increase, and the increasing size is on the order of anthracite > bituminous > lignite. There is a positive correlation between the peak area and the times of liquid nitrogen cold soaking. The porosity and permeability of each coal sample increase with the times of liquid nitrogen cold soaking. From the MRI images of coal samples, it can be found that the liquid nitrogen cold soaking makes the microcracks extend and forms a crack network with other cracks, thereby causing macroscopic damage. The research results are helpful to further reveal the microscopic mechanism of liquid nitrogen cold soaking on coal damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Despite the advance in therapeutic strategy, the prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is still unsatisfactory, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 9%. As a member of the S100 protein family, S100A10 has been identified as an oncogene in multiple cancers. In PDAC, S100A10 has been reported to be not only up-regulated in tumor tissues but also associated with survival outcomes. However, the specific function of S100A10 in PDAC is still unknown. Here, we suggest that S100A10 promotes PDAC cells proliferation, migration, and adhesion by activating JNK/LAMB3-LAMC2 axis in vitro and accelerates pancreatic tumor growth in vivo, indicating that S100A10 may be a potential therapeutic target for PDAC patients. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive tumors, characterized by diagnosis at an advanced stage and a poor prognosis. As a member of the S100 protein family, S100A10 regulates multiple biological functions related to cancer progression and metastasis. However, the role of S100A10 in PDAC is still not completely elucidated. In this study, we reported that S100A10 was significantly up-regulated in PDAC tissue and associated with a poor prognosis by integrated bioinformatic analysis and human PDAC tissue samples. In vitro, down-regulation of S100A10 reduced the proliferation, migration, and adhesion of PDAC cell lines, whereas up-regulation of S100A10 showed the opposite effect. Furthermore, LAMB3 was proved to be activated by S100A10 using RNA-sequencing and western blotting. The effect of LAMB3 on the proliferation, migration, and adhesion of PDAC cells was similar to that of S100A10. Up-regulation or down-regulation of LAMB3 could reverse the corresponding effect of S100A10. Moreover, we validated S100A10 activates LAMB3 through the JNK pathway, and LAMB3 was further proved to interact with LAMC2. Mice-bearing orthotopic pancreatic tumors showed that S100A10 knocked-down PANC-1 cells had a smaller tumor size than the control group. In conclusion, S100A10 promotes PDAC cells proliferation, migration, and adhesion through JNK/LAMB3-LAMC2 axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyst nematodes are one of the most important pathogens worldwide. Most cyst nematode species have been reported recently in China. From 2016 to 2020, an extensive survey of cyst nematodes was conducted in the Bashang region of Hebei Province. A total of 158 soil samples were collected, and cyst-forming nematodes were isolated from five soil samples. Morphological and molecular characterization showed that four of the cyst-forming nematode populations were Heterodera glycines (SCN), named populations of ZM, KM, CB and FN, respectively. These SCN populations were collected from Zhangbei County, Kangbao County, Chabei Management Area of Zhangjiakou and Fengning Manchu Autonomous County of Chengde, respectively, where the corresponding cyst densities were 57, 41, 103 and 31 cysts/200 cc soil. Furthermore, the populations of ZM, KM and CB were identified as race 4, whereas the FN population was identified as race 3. The cyst-forming nematode population was collected from Zhangbei County of Zhangjiakou, which was confirmed to be Heterodera schachtii (SBCN), named population ZZ, and the cyst density was 94 cysts/200 cc soil. It is a new disease of Chinese cabbage caused by SBCN based on Koch's postulates. Fourteen cultivars from five plant families were evaluated as hosts for SBCN. Chinese cabbage (cv. Linglonghuang012) and cabbage (cv. Chunwang) were suitable hosts, while celery (cv. Yuhuang), potato (cv. Helan 15) and eggplant (cv. Junlang) were nonhosts. The obtained results regarding the occurrence, distribution, races of SCN and hosts of SBCN in the Bashang region in this study provide a reference for SCN and SBCN management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract To understand the physiological response mechanisms of Lymantria dispar larvae to heavy metal stress, their host, 2-year-old Larix olgensis seedlings grown in pots, were treated with three different concentrations of HgCl2 (Hg). Hg accumulation and tannin content in larch needles were measured. The growth and detoxification ability of the larvae were analyzed after being fed on the Hg-stressed needles. The results showed that Hg concentration in larch needles increased with Hg treatment concentration increase, while the tannin content decreased. The larval body mass was significantly decreased. The responses of the larval antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes to Hg stress appeared to differ, with the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities in 4th instar larvae were significantly higher than CK. In contrast, the acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (AKP) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities in 4th instar larvae were significantly lower than CK. This result indicated that Hg could inhibit the growth of larvae along the food chain. The larval antioxidant and detoxification enzymes produced adaptive responses to the Hg stress, which might partially alleviate the oxidative damages caused by Hg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Static random access memory (SRAM) with an interleaved bitmap design is of special concern for space applications because the interleaving architecture improves the efficiency of error correction code for single-event upsets (SEUs) in a harsh radiation environment. However, most of the interleaving layout is kept unreleased from the manufacturer, and determining the interleaving parameters of an intact SRAM is a challenge for the radiation hardening system. This work proposed a theoretical decryption model of conventional interleaved bitmaps based on the principle of multiple-bit upset (MBU) correlation analysis. The decryption method was practically implemented with a commercial SRAM, and its unknown interleaving architecture was resolved by the spatial correlation and MBU distance upon SEU fault injection attack with 252Cf source. The disclosed interleaving architecture, the subbyte characteristics, and the bit subblock distribution of the device under test (DUT) are in good agreement with the bitmap obtained with SEU mapping of the microbeam. This work demonstrates the valid and robust SRAM layout decryption model and provides a viable approach for evaluating correction efficiency and component reliability in the radiation hardening system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorine-based aluminum thermite have excellent ignition and combustion properties. Nonetheless, its combustion kinetics and energy release are hindered by slow mass diffusion and incomplete reactions. Therefore, this study successfully prepared an Al@PTFE composite with a core-shell structure, utilizing mechanical activation and sintering techniques, to enhance combustion properties and energy release rate. SEM, XRD, FTIR and XPS characterization results demonstrate the unique core-shell structure of the samples and the homogeneous distribution of elements on the surface. In comparison to the physical mixture, the Al@PTFE composite exhibits significantly higher values for P max (2.19 times), P max /Δt (11.30 times), and flame propagation velocity (4.5 times). Furthermore, the combustion duration required to reach the maximum flame height was reduced by 131.75 ms. The adsorption, decomposition and reaction processes of PTFE on the surface of aluminum particles were demonstrated based on RMD simulations. The promotion mechanism of PTFE on combustion in aluminum particles was elucidated. • Al@PTFE composite particles were successfully prepared by mechanical and thermal activation. • The ignition and combustion properties of Al@PTFE composite particles are much better than Al/PTFE composite particles. • The adsorption, dissociation and reaction processes of PTFE on the surface of alumina were observed at the molecular level. • PTFE destroys the alumina shell, creating a reaction site that induces an ignition reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Aluminum nanoparticles are often considered attractive choices for fuels in energetic materials. In this study, molecular dynamics simulation with the reactive force field (ReaxFF) was used to study the oxidation process of three different particle sizes (4 nm, 5 nm, 6 nm) of ANPs (aluminum nano-particles). The cavity formation mechanism was obtained during the ANPs oxidation process. The cavity size, the oxide layer thickness, and the active aluminum content of ANPs with time were obtained. The results indicated that the formation of cavities is highly dependent on particle size. Large particle size prevents the formation of cavities. In 0–100 ps, the average growth rate of the oxide layer is 0.33, 0.25, and 0.20 nm/ps, respectively. Within 100–250 ps, the average growth rate of the oxide layer is −0.017, 0.038, and 0.117 nm/ps, respectively. Our results emphasize the effect of particle size on cavity formation, which provides insights into the atomic-scale oxidation mechanism of metal nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the research on CL-20 crystals has reached a high level, the property of the explosive-desensitizer interface is a key concern for composite explosive applications. Herein, inspired by super adhesion performance on cup, the in-situ assembly ability of tea polyphenol (TP) was utilized to enhance the surface performance and desensitize CL-20. The five kinds of core-dual-shell composites were fabricated by the "one-pot" water suspension method under the influence of ionic charge, -OH bonding, and the structure like suction cup of ivy. They were characterized by SEM, XPS, TG-DSC, XRD, and mechanical sensitivity device. The morphology and surface analysis results indicated that TP and desensitizer were evenly coated on the surface of CL-20, forming a core-dual-shell structure. This provided a great structural contribution to its security. The thermal analysis results suggested that TP/microcrystalline wax (MW) was endowed with thermal decomposition activation energy (E a) of CL-20 from 190.92 kJ/mol up to 200.99 kJ/mol. While, the E a of CL-20/TP, CL-20/TP/GO, CL-20/TP/TPU, and CL-20/TP/TPU-PDA were only 189.33 kJ/mol, 190.61 kJ/mol, 199.77 kJ/mol, and 184.75 kJ/mol, respectively. Meanwhile, the TP/GO film reduced T p0 of CL-20 from 218.15 ℃ to 208.21 ℃ and T b from 220.27 ℃ to 210.14 ℃, respectively. Besides, the XRD results confirmed that the five films had not caused a transformation of the ε- CL-20 crystal phase, which afforded process safety support for the further application of these composite particles. Due to the properties of MW and the advantages of dual-shell composite structural, the TP/MW film brought mechanical sensitivity of CL-20 from 60 N and 3.5 J to 336 N and 8.97 J, closing to the level of PBXs with 95% LLM-105% and 5% ternary composite (11 J). These safety parameters indicate materiel of moderate sensitivity that possibly can be handled in accordance with standard procedures. Moreover, the particle coated with TP/TPU-PDA possessed better free-running property. These findings can provide reference for the large-scale application of CL-20. [Display omitted] • The TP was successfully coated on the surface of CL-20 by in-situ self-assembly. • The TP/GO composite film can reveal the thermal decomposition process of CL-20 in a segmented way. • The composite explosive was prepared by simple in-situ assembly and "one-plot" water suspension method. • Deep desensitization for CL-20 was achieved by using MW and dual-shell-core structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]