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This study provides a promising strategy for designing separator modified materials to solve the shuttle effect of soluble LiPSs in Li-S batteries. [Display omitted] • A composite material consisting of the 3D connected carbon network and ultra-thin NiCo-LDH nanosheets was devised and manufactured. • The DFT calculations further provided a comprehensive demonstration of the synergy adsorption and catalytic conversion processes. • Li-S batteries that were assembled using modified separators demonstrated remarkable electrochemical performance. The shuttle effect of soluble lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) is primarily responsible for the unstable performance of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, which has severely impeded their continued development. In order to solve this problem, a special strategy is proposed. Specifically, ultra-thin NiCo based layered double hydroxides (named LDH or NiCo-LDH) nanosheets are implanted into a pre-designed 3D interconnected carbon networks (SPC) to obtain porous composite materials (named SPC-LDH). During the operation of the battery, the 3D interconnected porous carbon mesh was the first to rapidly adsorb LiPSs, and then the LDH on the surface of the carbon mesh was used to realize the catalytic conversion of LiPSs. This facilitates the electrochemical conversion reaction between S substances while addressing the "shuttle effect". As a result, the battery maintains a discharge capacity of 1401.9, 1114.3, 975.5, 880.7, 760.4 and 679.6 mAh g−1 at the current densities of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2 and 3C, respectively. After 200 cycles at 2C, the battery's capacity stays at 732.9 mAh g−1, meaning that the average rate of capacity decay is only 0.007 % per cycle. Moreover, in-situ XRD demonstrates the critical function of PP/SPC-LDH separators in inhibiting LiPSs and encouraging Li 2 S transformation. The strong affinity of SPC-LDH for Li 2 S 6 is also confirmed by density functional theory (DFT) calculation, offering more theoretical support for the synergistic adsorption process. This work offers a compelling method to develop modified separator materials that can counteract the "shuttle effect" in Li-S batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mn ions in different valence states can emit light of different colors in an octahedral coordination environment, which is conducive to the development of a single matrix with multi-color luminescence and applications in the field of anti-counterfeiting. The dual mode multi-color luminescent material CaSb 2 O 6 : Mn has been successfully synthesized using a single Mn source in the atmosphere. The CaSb 2 O 6 matrix itself can also absorb 285 nm UV light, emit blue light, and show a long afterglow phenomenon. Both Mn4+ and Mn2+ ions will appear in the [SbO 6 ] octahedra, whether the Mn source adopts MnCO 3 or MnO 2. The Mn4+ ion exhibits red emission upon UV excitation at 347 nm. The Mn2+ ion can emit a bright green light at 285 nm excitation while exhibiting a long afterglow phenomenon. In this study, the Mn2+ doped octahedron showed unique green emission and broadens the range of its photoluminescence (PL) wavelength. The performance of the material's long afterglow properties on the digital codes demonstrates its potential for dynamic anti-counterfeiting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Needle-like calcium oxalate crystals called raphides are unique structures in the plant kingdom. Multiple biomacromolecules work together in the regulatory and transportation pathways to form raphides; however, the mechanism by which this occurs remains unknown. Using banana (Musa spp.), this study combined in vivo methods including confocal microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Q Exactive mass spectrometry to identify the main biomolecules, such as vesicles, together with the compositions of lipids and proteins in the crystal chamber, which is the membrane compartment that surrounds each raphide during its formation. Simulations of the vesicle transportation process and the synthesis of elongated calcium oxalate crystals in vitro were then conducted, and the results suggested that the vesicles carrying amorphous calcium oxalate and proteins embedded in raphides are transported along actin filaments. These vesicles subsequently fuse with the crystal chamber, utilizing the proteins embedded in the raphides as a template for the final formation of the structure. Our findings contribute to the fundamental understanding of the regulation of the diverse biomacromolecules that are crucial for raphide formation. Moreover, the implications of these findings extend to other fields such as materials science, and particularly the synthesis of functionalized materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, tuning the luminescence characteristics of phosphors by external physical stimuli such as temperature and pressure has attracted the interest of researchers. However, the emission-tunable luminescence processes by temperature or pressure in lead-free perovskite with ordered vacancy materials have not been systematically studied. In this study, Bi3+-doped Rb2SnCl6 crystals were successfully synthesized using a simple precipitation method, and these crystals demonstrated a remarkable enhancement of luminescence intensity compared with the unannealed ones at 140–200 °C, and with a red-shift in the emission peak from 450 to 500 nm. It was found that the annealing treatment increased the Bi–Cl bond length leading to emission red-shift and achieved the change in the emission intensity due to the band gap modulation of the material. Furthermore, a candidate material for the color-changing optical security strategies was obtained by combining the Bi3+-doped Rb2SnCl6 phosphor and printing ink. This work is a valuable reference for the rational design of luminescent perovskites with promising new functionalities and stimulates the great potential of luminescent perovskites in developing promising phosphors for advanced anticounterfeiting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea surface temperature (SST) variability in the East China Sea–Kuroshio (EK) region has important implications for the surrounding weather, climate, and marine ecology. The year-to-year variations of the EK SST are expectedly linked to El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the predominant predictability source of seasonal-to-interannual climate variability. Surprisingly, no significant SST signal is observed in the EK region when focusing on the ENSO autumn–winter season with the persistent and pronounced SST anomalies in the tropical Pacific. We find that a remarkable seasonal reversal appears in the ENSO–EK SST connection, shifting from a negative relationship in autumn [Aug(0)–Oct(0)] to a positive relationship in winter [Dec(0)–Feb(1)]. This reversal is mainly attributed to the seasonally varying ENSO-associated western North Pacific (WNP) atmospheric circulation patterns. During ENSO autumns, the anomalous WNP anticyclone is confined south of 20°N, which is accompanied with cyclonic circulation anomalies in the EK region. The associated anomalous northerly wind tends to enhance the background northerly wind, thereby facilitating the local SST cooling mainly via the wind–evaporation–SST effect. In the subsequent winter, the ENSO-related WNP anticyclonic anomalies intensify and extend toward the EK region. Consequently, the weakened background northerly wind induced by southerly wind anomalies leads to the increase of downward latent and sensible heat flux in the EK region, fostering the local SST warming. The observed seasonal reversal of ENSO impacts can be evidenced by the tropical Pacific pacemaker experiments, emphasizing the importance of seasonally modulated ENSO teleconnection and holding implications for the local SST climate prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur-resistant Mo-based catalysts have become promising for the one-step synthesis of methanethiol (CH3SH) from CO/H2/H2S, but the low reactant conversion and poor product selectivity have constrained its development. Herein, we synthesized K-MoS2/Al2O3 and K-Mo2C/Al2O3 catalysts via the sulfurization and carbonization of K-Mo-based catalysts in the oxidized state, respectively. During the synthesis of CH3SH, both K-Mo2C/Al2O3 and K-MoS2/Al2O3 showed excellent catalytic performance, and the activity of the former is superior to that of the latter. The effect of different treatments on the catalytic performance of Mo-based catalysts was investigated by XRD, BET, Raman spectroscopy, H2-TPR, and reactants-TPD characterization. The results showed that the sulfide-treated sample showed stronger metal-support interactions and contributed to the formation of K2S, which exposed more active sites and stabilized the formation of C-S bonds. Carbonized samples enhanced the activation of H2, which promoted the hydrogenation of the intermediate species of carbonyl sulfide (COS) and thus improved the selectivity of CH3SH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the prominent influence of El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the Indian Ocean Oscillation (IOD) is widely recognized, intricate relationships between them are often invoked that introduce challenges into seasonal predictions. Previous studies have shown that different flavors of El Niño exhibit distinct associations with the IOD. In this study, we demonstrate that La Niña's teleconnection to the IOD is primarily controlled by its longitudinal position. Westward‐displaced La Niña events tend to produce stronger negative convection anomalies in the central Pacific and more pronounced Walk Circulation anomalies, thereby triggering strong negative IOD events. In contrast, eastward‐displaced La Niña events are usually accompanied by feeble convection response due to the excessively cold conditions in the cold tongue, yielding insignificant IOD response. The pivotal role of La Niña's longitudinal position on the IOD's response is realistically reproduced by targeted pacemaker experiments, providing new insights into inter‐basin climate connections. Plain Language Summary: The tropical Indian Ocean usually witnesses a dipolar pattern of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies, which is commonly referred to as the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). The IOD phenomenon has received much attention due to its profound global impacts, yet its seasonal prediction remains a large challenge for the climate community. The year‐to‐year variability of IOD has usually been linked to the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the predominant interannual climate variability in the tropical Pacific. The relationship between El Niño (i.e., warm phase of ENSO) and the intensity of IOD has been demonstrated in previous studies, which is shown to be dependent on the different El Niño flavors. In this study, we show that the longitudinal position of negative SST anomalies during La Niña events (i.e., cold phase of ENSO) in shaping their connection with IOD. Different from westward‐displaced La Niña events that can drive robust negative IOD events, eastward‐displaced La Niña events do not yield significant IOD anomalies due to the excessively cold conditions prevalent in the eastern Pacific cold tongue region. We highlight the importance of La Niña's longitudinal position in its teleconnection to other ocean basins and the associated regional climate anomalies. Key Points: The La Niña's regulation of Indian Ocean Oscillation (IOD) mainly depends on the La Niña longitudinal positionThe westward‐displaced La Niña events produce significant Walker Circulation anomalies, triggering robust negative IOD eventThe importance of La Niña longitudinal position on the IOD's response can be evidenced by the targeted pacemaker experiments [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric vehicles (EVs) are experiencing explosive developments due to their advantages in energy conservation and environmental protection. As a pivotal component of EVs, the safety performance of lithium-ion batteries directly affects driving miles and even safety; hence, a battery thermal management system (BTMS) is especially important. To improve the thermal safety performance of power battery modules, first, a new leak-proof phase change material (PCM)-coupled liquid-cooled composite BTMS for large-scale battery modules is proposed in this research. Second, the numerical simulation analysis method was utilized to analyze the influences of the fluid flow channel shape, working fluid inlet temperature, inlet velocity, and reverse flow conditions on the BTMS. Eventually, the abovementioned performances were compared with the traditional PCM-coupled liquid-cooling strategy. The relative data indicated that the Tmax was reduced by 17.5% and the ΔTmax was decreased by 19.5% compared to the liquid-cooling approach. Further, compared with conventionally designed PCM composite liquid cooling, the ΔTmax was reduced by 34.9%. The corresponding data showed that, when using the e-type flow channel, reverse flow II, the inlet flow velocity was 0.001–0.005 m/s, and the inlet temperature was the ambient temperature of the working condition. The thermal performance of the anti-leakage system with a thermal conduction slot PCM-coupled liquid-cooling composite BTMS reached optimal thermal performance. The outcome proved the superiority of the proposed BTMS regarding temperature control and temperature equalization capabilities. It also further reduced the demand for liquid-cooling components, avoided the problem of the easy leakage of the PCM, and decreased energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Westerly wind bursts (WWBs), aperiodic burst-like atmospheric disturbances in the tropics, play an important role during the development stage of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events and in turn can be strongly modulated by ENSO itself. Previous work argued that WWBs exhibit a pronounced seasonality at the equator during an El Niño evolution, i.e., being more frequent and vigorous during the developing boreal autumn compared to the decaying spring. Here we show that this seasonal difference in WWB activity at the equator is a segmentary manifestation of a meridional migration of WWB activity, which is closely linked to the southward displacement of the El Niño-related deep convection from the developing autumn to decaying spring. The highest climatological SSTs over the western-central Pacific are located mainly to the north of the equator in boreal autumn and south of it during boreal spring; hence the equatorially quasi-symmetric El Niño-related SST anomalies tend to induce deep convection and generate more WWBs in the Northern Hemisphere during the developing autumn and more in the Southern Hemisphere during the decaying spring. Despite some differences in the zonal distribution and intensity, there appears a close resemblance between the seasonal-varying features of WWBs during eastern Pacific (EP) and central Pacific (CP) El Niño events regarding the north–south displacement, due to similar meridional shifts of deep convection anomalies. This study provides a more comprehensive picture of the spatiotemporal characteristics of WWBs during El Niño events and improves our understanding of the relationship between ENSO and high-frequency atmospheric variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The traditional Chinese herbal medicine Suaeda salsa (L.) Pall (S. salsa) with a digesting food effect was taken as the research object, and its chemical composition and action mechanism were explored.The chemical constituents of S. salsa were isolated and purified by column chromatography, and their structures were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance. The food accumulation model in mice was established, and the changes of the aqueous extract of S. salsa in gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion rate, colonic tissue lesions, serum brain-gut peptide hormone, colonic tissue protein expression, and gut microbiota structure were compared.Ten compounds were isolated from S. salsa named as naringenin (1), hesperetin (2), baicalein (3), luteolin (4), isorhamnetin (5), taxifolin (6), isorhamnetin-3-O-β-d-glucoside (7), luteolin-3′-d-glucuronide (8), luteolin-7-O-β-d-glucuronide (9), and quercetin-3-O-β-d-glucuronide (10), respectively. The aqueous extract of S. salsa can improve the pathological changes of the mice colon and intestinal peristalsis by increasing the rate of gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion. By adjusting the levels of 5-HT, CCK, NT, SS, VIP, GT-17, CHE, MTL, and ghrelin, it can upregulate the levels of c-kit, SCF, and GHRL protein, and restore the imbalanced structure of gut microbiota, further achieve the purpose of treating the syndrome of indigestion. The effect is better with the increase of dose.S. salsa has a certain therapeutic effect on mice with the syndrome of indigestion. From the perspective of “brain-gut-gut microbiota”, the mechanism of digestion and accumulation of S. salsa was discussed for the first time, which provided an experimental basis for further exploring the material basis of S. salsa.Methods: The traditional Chinese herbal medicine Suaeda salsa (L.) Pall (S. salsa) with a digesting food effect was taken as the research object, and its chemical composition and action mechanism were explored.The chemical constituents of S. salsa were isolated and purified by column chromatography, and their structures were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance. The food accumulation model in mice was established, and the changes of the aqueous extract of S. salsa in gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion rate, colonic tissue lesions, serum brain-gut peptide hormone, colonic tissue protein expression, and gut microbiota structure were compared.Ten compounds were isolated from S. salsa named as naringenin (1), hesperetin (2), baicalein (3), luteolin (4), isorhamnetin (5), taxifolin (6), isorhamnetin-3-O-β-d-glucoside (7), luteolin-3′-d-glucuronide (8), luteolin-7-O-β-d-glucuronide (9), and quercetin-3-O-β-d-glucuronide (10), respectively. The aqueous extract of S. salsa can improve the pathological changes of the mice colon and intestinal peristalsis by increasing the rate of gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion. By adjusting the levels of 5-HT, CCK, NT, SS, VIP, GT-17, CHE, MTL, and ghrelin, it can upregulate the levels of c-kit, SCF, and GHRL protein, and restore the imbalanced structure of gut microbiota, further achieve the purpose of treating the syndrome of indigestion. The effect is better with the increase of dose.S. salsa has a certain therapeutic effect on mice with the syndrome of indigestion. From the perspective of “brain-gut-gut microbiota”, the mechanism of digestion and accumulation of S. salsa was discussed for the first time, which provided an experimental basis for further exploring the material basis of S. salsa.Results: The traditional Chinese herbal medicine Suaeda salsa (L.) Pall (S. salsa) with a digesting food effect was taken as the research object, and its chemical composition and action mechanism were explored.The chemical constituents of S. salsa were isolated and purified by column chromatography, and their structures were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance. The food accumulation model in mice was established, and the changes of the aqueous extract of S. salsa in gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion rate, colonic tissue lesions, serum brain-gut peptide hormone, colonic tissue protein expression, and gut microbiota structure were compared.Ten compounds were isolated from S. salsa named as naringenin (1), hesperetin (2), baicalein (3), luteolin (4), isorhamnetin (5), taxifolin (6), isorhamnetin-3-O-β-d-glucoside (7), luteolin-3′-d-glucuronide (8), luteolin-7-O-β-d-glucuronide (9), and quercetin-3-O-β-d-glucuronide (10), respectively. The aqueous extract of S. salsa can improve the pathological changes of the mice colon and intestinal peristalsis by increasing the rate of gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion. By adjusting the levels of 5-HT, CCK, NT, SS, VIP, GT-17, CHE, MTL, and ghrelin, it can upregulate the levels of c-kit, SCF, and GHRL protein, and restore the imbalanced structure of gut microbiota, further achieve the purpose of treating the syndrome of indigestion. The effect is better with the increase of dose.S. salsa has a certain therapeutic effect on mice with the syndrome of indigestion. From the perspective of “brain-gut-gut microbiota”, the mechanism of digestion and accumulation of S. salsa was discussed for the first time, which provided an experimental basis for further exploring the material basis of S. salsa.Conclusion: The traditional Chinese herbal medicine Suaeda salsa (L.) Pall (S. salsa) with a digesting food effect was taken as the research object, and its chemical composition and action mechanism were explored.The chemical constituents of S. salsa were isolated and purified by column chromatography, and their structures were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance. The food accumulation model in mice was established, and the changes of the aqueous extract of S. salsa in gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion rate, colonic tissue lesions, serum brain-gut peptide hormone, colonic tissue protein expression, and gut microbiota structure were compared.Ten compounds were isolated from S. salsa named as naringenin (1), hesperetin (2), baicalein (3), luteolin (4), isorhamnetin (5), taxifolin (6), isorhamnetin-3-O-β-d-glucoside (7), luteolin-3′-d-glucuronide (8), luteolin-7-O-β-d-glucuronide (9), and quercetin-3-O-β-d-glucuronide (10), respectively. The aqueous extract of S. salsa can improve the pathological changes of the mice colon and intestinal peristalsis by increasing the rate of gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion. By adjusting the levels of 5-HT, CCK, NT, SS, VIP, GT-17, CHE, MTL, and ghrelin, it can upregulate the levels of c-kit, SCF, and GHRL protein, and restore the imbalanced structure of gut microbiota, further achieve the purpose of treating the syndrome of indigestion. The effect is better with the increase of dose.S. salsa has a certain therapeutic effect on mice with the syndrome of indigestion. From the perspective of “brain-gut-gut microbiota”, the mechanism of digestion and accumulation of S. salsa was discussed for the first time, which provided an experimental basis for further exploring the material basis of S. salsa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel helical carbon nanofibers@CoNiO 2 (HCNFs@CoNiO 2) composite was first successfully synthesized by the simple hydrothermal method and utilized as anode materials of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). CoNiO 2 nanoparticles with a particle size of about 6 nm were distributed on the surface of HCNFs matrix. The HCNFs@CoNiO 2 anode shows the excellent reversible specific capacity of 808.5 mAh/g after 100 cycles at 200 mA/g, which is about four and twenty times larger than that of HCNFs (193.5 mAh/g) and CoNiO 2 (35.4 mAh/g), respectively. The electrochemical performance of HCNFs@CoNiO 2 was improved due to the synergistic contribution of HCNFs and CoNiO 2. In particular, HCNFs with the unique three-dimensional helical structure improve the conductivity and also provide a strong supporting network space during the volume expansion of CoNiO 2 nanoparticles. The present study provides a useful reference for the development of the novel high-performance anode material for LIBs. [Display omitted] • Novel HCNFs@CoNiO 2 anode materials were first synthesized by a simple and reversible hydrothermal method. • HCNFs@CoNiO 2 composite exhibits the excellent reversible capacity of 808.5 mAh/g, significantly higher than HCNFs and CoNiO 2. • High performance of HCNFs@CoNiO 2 benefits from the synergistic contribution between HCNFs and CoNiO 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Construction of the risk-accident framework of MASS. • Construction of the folding and cusp mutation models. • The fold and cusp catastrophe models describe the risk evolution mechanism. • The simulated test demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Maritime autonomous surface ship (MASS), as an alternative to conventional ships, has attracted considerable attention among shipping sectors and is expected to improve the safety and efficiency of future maritime navigation. In this paper, the catastrophe theory is applied to risk assessment of the risk state changes of MASS. Firstly, the risk-accident framework of MASS is constructed to explain the process of risk factors causing accidents, and the whole risk factors are classified into four categories including human behavior, device failure, environment impact, and management problems. Secondly, On the basis of the framework, we propose the fold and cusp catastrophe models of the risk evolution of the MASS to describe the evolution mechanism of accident causes. Finally, simulated test for the MASS was carried out near the coastal waters of China. The simulation results show that management factors play an important role in the risk assessment model of the MASS. As a result, the proposed method may be applicable to the safety monitoring of the MASS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) usually appear in the aquatic environment as complex pollutants in combination with other environmental pollutants, such as levofloxacin (LVFX). After a 45-day exposure to LVFX and MPs with different particle sizes at environmental levels, LVFX was neurotoxic to Rana nigromaculata tadpoles. The order of the effects of the exposure treatment on tadpole behavior was: LVFX-MP3>LVFX-MP1>LVFX-MP2 ≥ LVFX. Results of transcriptome analysis of tadpole brain tissue showed that LVFX in combination with 0.10 and 10.00 μm MP interferes with the nervous system through the cell adhesion molecules pathway. Interestingly, the order of effects of the co-exposure on oxidative stress in the intestine was inconsistent with that of tadpole behavior. We found that Paraacteroides might be a microplastic indicator species for the gut microbiota of aquatic organisms. The results of the targeted metabolism of neurotransmitters in the intestine suggest that in the LVFX-MP2 treatment, LVFX alleviated the intestinal microbiota disorder caused by 1.00 μm MP, by regulating intestinal microbiota participating in the TCA cycle VI and gluconeogenesis and tetrapyrrole biosynthesis I, while downregulating Met and Orn, and upregulating 5HIAA, thereby easing the neurotoxicity to tadpoles exposed to LVFX-MP2. This work is of great significance for the comprehensive assessment of the aquatic ecological risks of microplastics-antibiotic compound pollutants. [Display omitted] • LVFX was neurotoxic to tadpoles after co-exposure with microplastics. • The order of effects is LVFX-MP3>LVFX-MP1>LVFX-MP2 ≥ LVFX. • Paraacteroides might be a microplastic indicator species in gut. • LVFX alleviated the intestinal microbiota disorder caused by 1um MP. • LVFX regulated neurotransmitter metabolites by regulating intestinal microbiota. Synopsis ：Our research provided a new perspective for aquatic ecological risk assessment under co-exposure of antibiotics and microplastics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Space-temporal distribution of the contaminant plumes and aquifer properties is critical for groundwater management. However, most previous studies have focused on point source identification, barely exploring the identification of non-point sources. Xu et al. (2022) proposed to identify non-point sources but did not consider uncertainties in aquifer properties and release mass loading. In this work, we have implemented an application of the localized ensemble smoother with multiple data assimilation (LES-MDA) for the simultaneous identification of Gaussian hydraulic conductivities and non-point source parameters including Gaussian release mass-loading by assimilating both piezometric head and concentration observations in a synthetic confined aquifer. The results prove that the LES-MDA is not only capable of providing accurate identification of the spatial architecture of non-point contaminant sources and related release parameters (such as initial release time, and release duration) but also spatially heterogeneous release mass-loading and hydraulic conductivities. • Localized ES-MDA jointly identifies non-point source and conductivity field. • Uncertainty in the spatial distribution of field and mass-loading is considered. • Three scenarios with two different techniques test the joint identification. • Combining localization reduces filter inbreeding and spurious correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reanalysis data are extensively employed in investigation of the tropical large-scale climate variability. In this study, we attempt to use the Advanced Microwave Sounding unit-A (AMSU-A) window channel brightness temperature (TB) observations to examine their relationship with the sea surface temperature (SST). A close relationship is found between the AMSU-A window channel TB and SST in the tropical oceans. A TB Niño Index (TNI) of AMSU-A window (sounding) channels is found to sometimes reach its maximum for about 2 months ahead of Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) for half of El Niño cases from 1998 to 2020. The AMSU-A sounding channels TNI had minimum values about 1–3 months behind ONI peak month. Spatial correlation maps of AMSU-A window channel TB anomalies with TNI are similar to those of SST anomalies with ONI, featuring a horseshoe-shaped pattern in the tropical Pacific and a dipole-shaped pattern in the tropical Indian Ocean. The AMSU-A retrieved liquid water path (LWP) is also highly correlated with the ONI, with larger values in El Niño years. An active development of tropical convective disturbances and their movement associated with westerly wind bursts may be the reason for the peak TNI to occur 1–3 months earlier than the peak ONI. The potential for AMSU-A TB observations to reveal El Niño signals adds additional satellite data source for El Niño research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel CN layer coated flower-like WO 3 /W photoanode was successfully synthesized. • The photoelectrode exhibited sunlight-driven photocatalytic and reusability. • The photoelectrode used to degrade PFOA and generate electricity. • A new electron transfer channel is constructed due to the formation of W–N–C bond. • The PFOA degradation mechanism and decomposion pathway were analyzed. Photoelectrocatalysis (PEC) system has been proven to be effective in degrading perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and generating electricity as a goal to solve the problems of environmental pollution and energy shortages simultaneously. In this study, we utilized a flower-like WO 3 in-situ generated on tungsten foil (WO 3 /W), and then doped with a CN layer by immersing it in urea solution and then undergoing calcination (CN-WO 3 /W), to degrade PFOA and generate electricity. The growth mechanism of WO 3 /W with different morphologies prepared under various experimental conditions was analyzed in order to explain the reasons for the superior performance of the flower-like structure compared to other morphologies. Under the irradiation of simulated sun-light, the power density reached its peak at 0.11 mW/cm2 when current density was 0.14 mA/cm2 with PFOA as fuel. CN-WO 3 /W displayed a steady state photocurrent density of 6.1 mA/cm2 at 1.2 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) under simulated sun-light irradiation and a high PFOA degradation of 95 %, which is much higher than that of WO 3 /W. Due to distinctive flower-like structure, stable W–N–C bond, narrower energy band (from 2.67 to 2.41 eV), more acquisition of visible light, and strong oxidation capability, the CN-WO 3 /W exhibited high stability and reusability for simultaneous PEC degradation of PFOA (almost unchanged after 9 cycles) and electricity generation (without activity loss during the 24 h test) under simulated sun-light irradiation. Based on the scavenger-quenching experiments the possible degradation pathways of PFOA were suggested. This work provides a way to design and synthesize the photoanode to construct reaction system for high-performance photocatalytic PFOA degradation and electricity generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical ammonia synthesis (EAS) presents an attractive alternative to the Haber–Bosch process due to the benefits of energy saving, low carbon emission, environmental friendliness, and so on. However, the competing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) severely limits the yield, selectivity, and current efficiency of NH3. Although the accumulation and self‐aggregation of active hydrogen (H*) are the primary causes of the competing HER, it also serves as the critical active species and intermediate for the multistep hydrogenation and deoxygenation processes. Therefore, the sensible regulation of the H* generation and consumption are essential for enhancing EAS performance. And it is significant to thoroughly review the current strategies for H* control. Herein, a comprehensive introduction of H* to provide a fundamental understanding of its role in electrochemical reactions, including generation, conversion, identification, and quantification protocols is first proposed. In addition, the role and control strategies of H* in EAS are carefully summarized with a particular focus on regulating H* generation and consumption to enhance the activity, selectivity, and Faradaic efficiency. Finally, the remaining challenges and perspectives are discussed. This critical review is intended to offer a profound understanding of the regulation of H* in electrochemical reactions and the development of EAS technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By applying ultrasonic treatment to ZL205A aluminum alloy melt containing different Cd contents and then using a tensile test, a scanning electron microscope experiment, and a metallographic experiment, the influence of ultrasonic treatment to ZL205A aluminum alloy melt on the properties of aluminum–copper alloy with different Cd contents in the liquid phase high-temperature region was studied. The effect of ultrasonic treatment on the solidification structure of ZL205A aluminum alloy was investigated. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the form of Cd and the solid solution rate of the aluminum alloy with different Cd contents in ultrasonic-assisted casting. However, the effect of ultrasonic waves on the high-temperature liquid phase of the melt of ZL205A aluminum alloy can effectively reduce the porosity defects in the solidification structure of the casting, refine the solidification structure, and make the structure more uniform. The ultrasonic cavitation effect can promote the formation and uniform distribution of Al–3Ti and improve the nucleation rate, and the effect can continue after heat treatment. This can solve the problem that increasing Cd content in ZL205A greatly reduces the toughness of castings while increasing the strength. The sample with a Cd content of 0.20% and with ultrasonic treatment has the highest strength, the average tensile strength is 475.5 MPa, and the yield strength is 381.75 MPa. However, compared with the conventional casting samples with the same Cd content, the decrease in elongation was significantly reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is the fourth largest food crop in the world. Late blight, caused by oomycete Phytophthora infestans, is the most devastating disease threatening potato production. Previous research has shown that StRFP1, a potato Arabidopsis Tóxicos en Levadura (ATL) family protein, positively regulates late blight resistance via its E3 ligase activity. However, the underlying mechanism is unknown.Here, we reveal that StRFP1 is associated with the plasma membrane (PM) and undergoes constitutive endocytic trafficking. Its PM localization is essential for inhibiting P. infestans colonization. Through in vivo and in vitro assays, we investigated that StRFP1 interacts with two sugar transporters StSWEET10c and StSWEET11 at the PM.Overexpression (OE) of StSWEET10c or StSWEET11 enhances P. infestans colonization. Both StSWEET10c and StSWEET11 exhibit sucrose transport ability in yeast, and OE of StSWEET10c leads to an increased sucrose content in the apoplastic fluid of potato leaves. StRFP1 ubiquitinates StSWEET10c and StSWEET11 to promote their degradation.We illustrate a novel mechanism by which a potato ATL protein enhances disease resistance by degrading susceptibility (S) factors, such as Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporters (SWEETs). This offers a potential strategy for improving disease resistance by utilizing host positive immune regulators to neutralize S factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme El Niño events have outsized global impacts and control the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) warm/cold phases asymmetries. Yet, a consensus regarding the relative contributions of atmospheric and oceanic nonlinearities to their genesis remains elusive. Here, we isolate the contribution of oceanic nonlinearities by conducting paired experiments forced with opposite wind stress anomalies in an oceanic general circulation model, which realistically simulates extreme El Niño events and oceanic nonlinearities thought to contribute to ENSO skewness (Tropical Instability Waves (TIWs), Nonlinear Dynamical Heating (NDH)). Our findings indicate a weak contribution of oceanic nonlinearities to extreme El Niño events in the eastern Pacific, owing to compensatory effects between lateral (NDH and TIWs) and vertical processes. These results hold across different vertical mixing schemes and modifications of the upper‐ocean heat budget mixed layer criterion. Our study reinforces previous research underscoring the pivotal role of atmospheric nonlinearities in shaping extreme El Niño events. Plain Language Summary: The El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the primary driver of year‐to‐year climate variations in the tropics and beyond. Originating from air‐sea interactions in the tropical Pacific, ENSO oscillates between warm (El Niño) and cold (La Niña) phases, modulating sea surface temperature in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific. Occasionally, El Niño events intensify into "super" El Niño events, causing widespread impacts globally. Utilizing a state‐of‐the‐art oceanic model, our research challenges previous results suggesting a strong oceanic contribution to the amplitude difference between "normal" and "super" El Niño events. Instead, our findings reveal that potential oceanic influences on "super" El Niño events tend to offset each other. This is consistent with recent research highlighting the crucial role of atmospheric processes in the transformation from a "normal" to a "super" El Niño. Key Points: A state‐of‐the‐art ocean model reproduces extreme El Niño events and the corresponding nonlinear oceanic processes realisticallyContributions from oceanic nonlinearities are isolated using paired simulations forced by opposite wind stress anomaliesEffects of oceanic nonlinearities on extreme El Niño events are small, due to compensation between lateral and vertical processes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discoidin, CUB, LCCL domain‐containing 2 (DCBLD2) is a type I transmembrane protein with a similar structure to neuropilin, which acts as a co‐receptor for certain receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). The insulin receptor is an RTK and plays a critical role in endothelial cell function and glycolysis. However, how and whether DCBLD2 regulates insulin receptor activity in endothelial cells is poorly understood. Diabetes was induced through treatment of Dcbld2 global‐genome knockout mice and endothelium‐specific knockout mice with streptozotocin. Vascular ultrasound, vascular tension test, and hematoxylin and eosin staining were performed to assess endothelial function and aortic remodeling. Glycolytic rate assays, real‐time PCR and western blotting were used to investigate the effects of DCBLD2 on glycolytic activity and insulin receptor (InsR)/phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway in endothelial cells. Co‐immunoprecipitation was used to assess the effects of DCBLD2 on insulin receptor endocytosis and recycling. Membrane and cytoplasmic proteins were isolated to determine whether DCBLD2 could affect the localization of the insulin receptor. We found that Dcbld2 deletion exacerbated endothelial dysfunction and vascular remodeling in diabetic mice. Both Dcbld2 knockdown and Dcbld2 deletion inhibited glycolysis and the InsR/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in endothelial cells. Furthermore, Dcbld2 deletion inhibited insulin receptor recycling. Taken together, Dcbld2 deficiency exacerbated diabetic endothelial dysfunction and vascular remodeling by inhibiting the InsR/PI3K/Akt pathway in endothelial cells through the inhibition of Rab11‐dependent insulin receptor recycling. Our data suggest that DCBLD2 is a potential therapeutic target for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) has emerged as an appealing therapeutic option against biofilm infections. However, effectively penetrating the dense barrier of biofilm and anchoring bacteria to achieve biofilm elimination and wound healing under hypoxic environments remains a challenge for aPDT. Herein, three type I/II Hypocrellin B (HB)‐cationic photosensitizers (HB‐P, HB‐TP, and HB‐TTP) are designed based on a multi‐cationic long chains molecular engineering strategy. With an increasing number of introduced cations, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and bacterial‐anchoring abilities of HB‐cationic photosensitizers are greatly enhanced. Notably, HB‐TTP demonstrates higher type I/II aPDT activity and broad‐spectrum antibacterial properties. Furthermore, to effectively address the conundrum of healing biofilm‐infected wounds, a ROS‐responsive core‐shell microneedle (HB‐TTP&EGF@MN) is designed by biphasically integrating HB‐TTP and growth factor. When the microneedle penetrates biofilm, the shell quickly dissolves and releases HB‐TTP to achieve biofilm removal under laser irradiation. The core is subsequently degraded slowly in the presence of endogenous ROS within the wound, facilitating a sustained release of growth factor to promote wound tissue regeneration. This work not only provides an effective strategy for the rational design of efficient antimicrobial agents but also proposes innovative ideas for the development of controlled‐release pharmaceutical materials to synergize against biofilm infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc ion batteries have received unprecedented attention owing to their superior safety and sustainability, yet their cycling stability especially at high current rates is greatly limited by the poor reversibility of Zn metal anodes, due to the delayed ion transport, severe water‐induced side reactions, and uncontrollable dendrites growth at electrolyte/electrode interface. Herein, a robust and multi‐scale functionally designed amorphous ZnWO4 (ZWO) artificial interphase that fully addresses the aforementioned issues, is proposed. The modified Zn anodes deliver remarkable stability, surpassing 3000 h of operation at a high current density of 20 mA cm−2 in symmetrical cells. Even under harsh conditions of 20 mA cm−2 and 10 mAh cm−2, the electrode demonstrates steady cycling for over 600 h with low overpotential. The excellent cycling stability and rate performance are mainly attributed to a range of collective functionalities of ZWO interphase, including short‐range and isotropic ion migration, superior ion‐screening capability, and a thermodynamically enhanced energy barrier for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) during Zn plating. These findings highlight the significance of the multi‐scale functional interphase in overcoming key barriers associated with zinc anodes under high current density, offering a facile and insightful approach for achieving high‐performance Zn metal anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving reversible plating/stripping of zinc (Zn) anodes is crucial in aqueous Zn‐ion batteries (AZIBs). However, undesired dendrite growth and parasitic side reactions severely deteriorate battery lifespan. The construction of stable protective coating is an effective strategy to enhance anode stability. In this study, a multifunctional nanodiamond (ND) inorganic layer is designed and constructed on both Zn and Cu electrodes that can both effectively inhibit dendrite growth and suppress Zn anode corrosion. Experimental results and theoretical calculations demonstrate that this artificial protective layer, with ultra‐high surface energy, enables the controlled creation of abundant nucleation sites (in the order of 1012 cm−2) for the homogenization of ion flux and electric field on the anode. It is found that zinc ions preferentially adhere to the diamond surfaces with lower diffusion barriers, leading to uniform zinc deposition. A symmetric cell with the ND‐protected Zn (Zn‐ND) anode exhibits reversible plating/stripping behavior for an impressive duration of over 3600 h at 1 mA cm−2. Furthermore, the MnO2||Zn full battery retains 90% of its initial capacity after 3500 cycles at 2 A g−1, and assembled hybrid capacitor operates smoothly over 65 000 cycles at 10 A g−1. These results underscore the potential of this coating as a promising solution for achieving highly stable Zn anodes for aqueous batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin aging is a complex physiological process, in which cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) interreact, which leads to a change in the mechanical properties of skin, which in turn affects the cell secretion and ECM deposition. The natural skin microrelief that exists from birth has rarely been taken into account when evaluating skin aging, apart from the common knowledge that microreliefs might serve as the starting point or initialize micro-wrinkles. In fact, microrelief itself also changes with aging. Does the microrelief have other, better uses? In this paper, owing to the fast-developing 3D printing technology, skin wrinkles with microrelief of different age groups were successfully manufactured using the Digital light processing (DLP) technology. The mechanical properties of skin samples with and without microrelief were tested. It was found that microrelief has a big impact on the elastic modulus of skin samples. In order to explore the role of microrelief in skin aging, the wrinkle formation was numerically analyzed. The microrelief models of different age groups were created using the modified Voronoi algorithm for the first time, which offers fast and flexible mesh formation. We found that skin microrelief plays an important role in regulating the modulus of the epidermis, which is the dominant factor in wrinkle formation. The wrinkle length and depth were also analyzed numerically for the first time, owing to the additional dimension offered by microrelief. The results showed that wrinkles are mainly caused by the modulus change of the epidermis in the aging process, and compared with the dermis, the hypodermis is irrelevant to wrinkling. Hereby, we developed a hypothesis that microrelief makes the skin adaptive to the mechanical property changes from aging by adjusting its shape and size. The native-like skin samples with microrelief might shed a light on the mechanism of wrinkling and also help with understanding the complex physiological processes associated with human skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meroterpenoids of the ochraceopones family featuring a linear tetracyclic scaffold exhibit exceptional antiviral and anti‐inflammatory activities. The biosynthetic pathway and chemical logic to generate this linear tetracycle, however, remain unknown. In this study, we identified and characterized all biosynthetic enzymes to afford ochraceopones and elucidated the complete biosynthetic pathway. We demonstrated that the linear tetracyclic scaffold of ochraceopones was derived from an angular tetracyclic precursor. A multifunctional cytochrome P450 OchH was validated to catalyze the free‐radical‐initiated carbon‐carbon bond cleavage of the angular tetracycle. Then, a new carbon‐carbon bond was verified to be constructed using a new aldolase OchL, which catalyzes an intramolecular aldol reaction to form the linear tetracycle. This carbon‐carbon bond fragmentation and aldol reaction cascade features an unprecedented strategy for converting a common angular tetracycle to a distinctive linear tetracyclic scaffold in meroterpenoid biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meroterpenoids of the ochraceopones family featuring a linear tetracyclic scaffold exhibit exceptional antiviral and anti‐inflammatory activities. The biosynthetic pathway and chemical logic to generate this linear tetracycle, however, remain unknown. In this study, we identified and characterized all biosynthetic enzymes to afford ochraceopones and elucidated the complete biosynthetic pathway. We demonstrated that the linear tetracyclic scaffold of ochraceopones was derived from an angular tetracyclic precursor. A multifunctional cytochrome P450 OchH was validated to catalyze the free‐radical‐initiated carbon‐carbon bond cleavage of the angular tetracycle. Then, a new carbon‐carbon bond was verified to be constructed using a new aldolase OchL, which catalyzes an intramolecular aldol reaction to form the linear tetracycle. This carbon‐carbon bond fragmentation and aldol reaction cascade features an unprecedented strategy for converting a common angular tetracycle to a distinctive linear tetracyclic scaffold in meroterpenoid biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs) have attracted wide attention due to their low redox potential, high capacity, and intrinsic safety. However, key issues such as zinc dendrite growth, corrosion, and passivation on zinc anode detrimentally affect the electrochemical performance. Herein, as proof of a concept of oligopeptide, glutathione with functional groups including –NH2 and −SH is introduced as an electrolyte additive to construct a multifunctional electrode–electrolyte interface layer on the zinc anode. A protonated amino group (NH3+) is formed, which prevents the adsorption of water molecules on the Zn anode, building a hydrophobic interface layer and thus attenuating corrosion. Moreover, the strong interaction between the −SH and the zinc allows glutathione molecules to be tightly anchored to the electrode surface, constructing a robust interface layer. Consequently, a long cycling life of nearly 3000 h at 1 mA cm−2 for the Zn||Zn symmetric battery is achieved, and a stable cycling life of 1600 h is demonstrated at 3 mA cm−2. Furthermore, Zn||activated carbon (AC) hybrid capacitor with the glutathione‐containing electrolyte runs stably for nearly 28 000 cycles at 5 A g−1, among the best results of reported Zn hybrid capacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: High-quality large-area perovskite films are prepared using a solid–liquid two-step film formation method combined with CsBr modification for the buried interface and Urea additive for perovskite crystallization. The inverted perovskite solar modules' performance is enhanced to 20.56% in 61.56 cm2 with improved stability. A considerable efficiency gap exists between large-area perovskite solar modules and small-area perovskite solar cells. The control of forming uniform and large-area film and perovskite crystallization is still the main obstacle restricting the efficiency of PSMs. In this work, we adopted a solid–liquid two-step film formation technique, which involved the evaporation of a lead iodide film and blade coating of an organic ammonium halide solution to prepare perovskite films. This method possesses the advantages of integrating vapor deposition and solution methods, which could apply to substrates with different roughness and avoid using toxic solvents to achieve a more uniform, large-area perovskite film. Furthermore, modification of the NiOx/perovskite buried interface and introduction of Urea additives were utilized to reduce interface recombination and regulate perovskite crystallization. As a result, a large-area perovskite film possessing larger grains, fewer pinholes, and reduced defects could be achieved. The inverted PSM with an active area of 61.56 cm2 (10 × 10 cm2 substrate) achieved a champion power conversion efficiency of 20.56% and significantly improved stability. This method suggests an innovative approach to resolving the uniformity issue associated with large-area film fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Summarizing the adsorption behavior of montmorillonite adsorbent through machine learning. • Predicting the removal effect of other pollutants based on GBDT model. • Establishing a model of SMZ adsorption by montmorillonite-based adsorbent. • Judging the possible interaction between adsorbent and pollutant using DFT. Montmorillonite, as a natural mineral adsorption material that has high research value in water pollution treatment. However, the adsorption capacity varies depending on the type of pollutant and the properties of the montmorillonite material, and the factors controlling adsorption are not yet clear. Herein, we investigated the adsorption behavior of pollutants on montmorillonite materials using density functional theory (DFT) calculations and machine learning modeling. Furthermore, it explores the main factors influencing their adsorption. The machine learning results indicate that the gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT) model exhibits a better fit to the experimental data compared to the other five machine learning models (R2 = 0.79). The higher pH levels and larger relative molecular mass of pollutants have a positive impact on montmorillonite adsorption. However, an increase in the proportion of oxygen atoms in the adsorbent material and longer hydrothermal preparation time show a trend of initially positive and then negative effects on the predicted results. The influence of pH on the adsorption capacity of montmorillonite adsorbents was further analyzed using density functional theory (DFT). Density functional theory (DFT) studies reveal that montmorillonite primarily removes protonated sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) through hydrogen bonding (N-H...O) interactions, accompanied by van der waals (O-O) and ionic bond (C-O...Al) forces under different pH conditions. The partial density of states (PDOS) reveals that the LUMO orbital of montmorillonite has a higher electron accepting ability than the HOMO orbital of SMZ (p orbital peak is greater than the S orbital) in the actual electron transfer process. This study provided some support for the investigation of montmorillonite-based adsorbent materials through the combination of machine learning and theoretical calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crowdsourcing offers a cost-effective way to obtain multiple noisy labels for each instance by employing multiple crowd workers. Then label integration is used to infer its integrated label. Despite the effectiveness of label integration algorithms, there always remains a certain degree of noise in the integrated labels. Thus noise correction algorithms have been proposed to reduce the impact of noise. However, almost all existing noise correction algorithms only focus on individual workers but ignore the correlations among workers. In this paper, we argue that similar workers have similar annotating skills and tend to be consistent in annotating same or similar instances. Based on this premise, we propose a novel noise correction algorithm called worker similarity-based noise correction (WSNC). At first, WSNC exploits the annotating information of similar workers on similar instances to estimate the quality of each label annotated by each worker on each instance. Then, WSNC re-infers the integrated label of each instance based on the qualities of its multiple noisy labels. Finally, WSNC considers the instance whose re-inferred integrated label differs from its original integrated label as a noise instance and further corrects it. The extensive experiments on a large number of simulated and three real-world crowdsourced datasets verify the effectiveness of WSNC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

P2X7R is widely involved in the occurrence and development of pain. In this experiment, we used OECs to treat TN and found that they can produce biochemical effects similar to those of P2X7R inhibitors. We speculate that OECs may have therapeutic effects through the P2X7R/NLRP3/IL-1β pathway. [Display omitted] • This study found that OECs can alleviate trigeminal neuralgia by reducing inflammation in the trigeminal ganglia; • This study provides a new method for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia through cell transplantation; • This study suggests that the substances secreted by OECs have potential drug development potential, providing insights for the development of analgesic drugs. Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a common form of facial pain, which primarily manifests as severe pain similar to facial acupuncture and electric shock. Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) are glial cells with high bioactivity; these cells are essential for the periodic regeneration of the olfactory nerve and have been utilized for the repair of nerve injuries. A member of the P2X receptor family, P2X7R, is an ion channel type receptor that has been confirmed to participate in various pain response processes. In this study, we transplanted OECs into trigeminal nerve–model rats with distal infraorbital nerve ligation to observe the therapeutic effect of transplanted OECs in rats. Additionally, we utilized the P2X7R-specific inhibitor brilliant blue G (BBG) to study the therapeutic mechanisms of cell transplantation. The facial mechanical pain threshold of these rats significantly increased following cell transplantation. The immunohistochemistry, immunoblotting, and RT-qPCR results demonstrated that the levels of P2X7R, (NOD)-like receptor protein-3 (NLRP3), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-18 in the trigeminal ganglion of rats treated with OEC transplantation or BBG treatment were significantly lower than those in the injured group without treatment. Overall, our results demonstrate that OEC transplantation can alleviate TN in rats, and it can reduce the expression of P2X7R related inflammatory factors in TN rats, reducing neuroinflammatory response in TG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, significant attention is given to the cultivation and evaluation of Mathematical Higher‐Order Thinking Skills (MHOTS). This study aims to address the gap in developing and validating suitable MHOTS structures for high school students. In this study, 53 items were determined by experts in the field of mathematics education and scale development. The study group of this study consists of 654 students educated at the high school level. We decided to split the samples randomly in two by designating a random half as exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and the other half as confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). EFA was used to confirm a robust “four‐dimensional, nine‐factor” measurement structure, encompassing four key dimensions, namely mathematical critical thinking, mathematical creative thinking, mathematical problem‐solving, and mathematical metacognitive skills. The scale's quality was assessed through a retest using CFA and the structural validity was evaluated through CFA and correlation analysis. The criterion validity of the scale was also examined using math scores. The results from the double validity analysis showed that the scale had a reasonable and valid structure. The findings established the MHOTS for high school students as a reliable and valid instrument for measuring the level of MHOTS among high school students. This newly developed scale holds promise as an effective tool to assess and enhance mathematical higher‐order thinking in the student population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local electron density manipulation can optimize the adsorption and desorption nature of catalysts leading to enhanced catalytic activity for water oxidation. Construction a Mott–Schottky barrier allows the electron transition in catalysts because of their different Fermi levels. Herein, a Pt@NiFc‐MOF Mott–Schottky heterojunction is constructed, in which electrons are transferred from NiFc‐MOF to Pt as triggered by the formed built‐in electric field at the interface. The as‐prepared Pt@NiFc‐MOF reveals exceptional performance toward the hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR), hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and overall hydrazine splitting (OHzS) at ampere‐level current densities. The advanced nature of the configured Mott–Schottky heterojunction can also be further evidenced from a concept direct liquid N2H4/H2O2 fuel cell (Pt@NiFc‐MOF//Pt Net), yielding a maximum power density of 415.2 mW cm‒2 at 80°C and can work stably for 190 h at 500 mA cm‒2 (at 25°C). One more function of Pt@NiFc‐MOF is clarified as well, that is it can purify hydrazine‐rich wastewater from 718 to 6 ppb (less than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of 10 ppb) in 120 min at 500 mA cm‒2. This work represents a breakthrough in interface engineering of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) toward industry‐level hydrogen generation and its beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a model organism that has helped revolutionize life sciences, Caenorhabditis elegans has been increasingly used in nutrition research. Here we explore the tradeoffs between pros and cons of its use as a dietary model based primarily on literature review from the past decade. We first provide an overview of its experimental strengths as an animal model, focusing on lifespan and healthspan, behavioral and physiological phenotypes, and conservation of key nutritional pathways. We then summarize recent advances of its use in nutritional studies, e.g. food preference and feeding behavior, sugar status and metabolic reprogramming, lifetime and transgenerational nutrition tracking, and diet–microbiota–host interactions, highlighting cutting-edge technologies originated from or developed in C. elegans. We further review current challenges of using C. elegans as a nutritional model, followed by in-depth discussions on potential solutions. In particular, growth scales and throughputs, food uptake mode, and axenic culture of C. elegans are appraised in the context of food research. We also provide perspectives for future development of chemically defined nematode food ("NemaFood") for C. elegans, which is now widely accepted as a versatile and affordable in vivo model and has begun to show transformative potential to pioneer nutrition science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The engineering of anode‐electrolyte interphase for highly reversible and dendrite‐free Zn plating‐stripping continues to pose a significant challenge in the progression of aqueous Zn‐ion batteries (AZIBs). In this study, a novel approach is introduced that involves the design of a hierarchical carbon nanotube (CNT)‐based host through functionalization with cetyltrimethylammonium cations (CTA+). This hierarchical host enables dynamically switchable repulsive shielding to regulate Zn plating. The CNT scaffold, featured with high flexibility and conductivity, facilitates expandable accommodation of continuous Zn plating. Concurrently, the entangled CTA+ cations, acting as manipulators to form switchable repulsive shields, dynamically suppress the growth of Zn dendrites, and result in uniform Zn plating within cationic CNT (C‐CNT) hosts. The cationic shielding effect is further elucidated through density functional theory calculations. By incorporating the self‐adaptive C‐CNT host, Zn symmetric cells exhibit an impressively stable cycling lifespan exceeding 6500 h at 1 mA·cm−2 and achieve a cumulative capacity of 6000 mAh·cm−2 at 4 mA·cm−2. Full batteries, by coupling the C‐CNT@Zn anode and MnO2 cathode, demonstrate an 88% capacity retention after 2000 cycles at 2 A·g−1. The design of the self‐adaptive C‐CNT host offers a promising approach in electrode‐electrolyte interphase engineering toward the practical applications of Zn‐based energy storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: A novel aqueous/aprotic electrolyte with low salt concentration (i.e., 0.5 m Zn(CF3SO3)2+1 m LiTFSI) demonstrated an expanded electrochemical window, which can simultaneously stabilize Zn metal anode and increase the operation voltage of Zn-ion hybrid supercapacitors. The coordination shell of the electrolyte induced by acetonitrile and LiTFSI can not only suppress the Zn corrosion and hydrogen evolution reaction but also promote the cathodic stability and ion migration, which is depicted by the density functional theory simulations together with experimental characterizations. The Zn-ion hybrid supercapacitor based on the developed electrolyte can operate within 0–2.2 V in a wide temperature range with an ultra-long lifespan (> 120,000 cycles). With the merits of the high energy density of batteries and power density of supercapacitors, the aqueous Zn-ion hybrid supercapacitors emerge as a promising candidate for applications where both rapid energy delivery and moderate energy storage are required. However, the narrow electrochemical window of aqueous electrolytes induces severe side reactions on the Zn metal anode and shortens its lifespan. It also limits the operation voltage and energy density of the Zn-ion hybrid supercapacitors. Using 'water in salt' electrolytes can effectively broaden their electrochemical windows, but this is at the expense of high cost, low ionic conductivity, and narrow temperature compatibility, compromising the electrochemical performance of the Zn-ion hybrid supercapacitors. Thus, designing a new electrolyte to balance these factors towards high-performance Zn-ion hybrid supercapacitors is urgent and necessary. We developed a dilute water/acetonitrile electrolyte (0.5 m Zn(CF3SO3)2 + 1 m LiTFSI-H2O/AN) for Zn-ion hybrid supercapacitors, which simultaneously exhibited expanded electrochemical window, decent ionic conductivity, and broad temperature compatibility. In this electrolyte, the hydration shells and hydrogen bonds are significantly modulated by the acetonitrile and TFSI− anions. As a result, a Zn-ion hybrid supercapacitor with such an electrolyte demonstrates a high operating voltage up to 2.2 V and long lifespan beyond 120,000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has markedly improved the prognosis of patients with diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The relative positioning of tumor lesions in lymphoma varies among patients, manifesting as either aggregation (clumped together) or dissemination (spread throughout the body). Prognostic significance of factors indicating the relative positioning of tumor lesions in CAR T cell therapy remains underexplored. For aggregation, prior research proposed the tumor volume surface ratio (TVSR), linking it to prognosis in chemotherapy. Regarding dissemination, indicators such as disease stage or extranodal involvement, commonly used in clinical practice, have not demonstrated prognostic significance in CAR T cell therapy. This study aims to analyze current indicators of tumor aggregation or dissemination and introduce a novel indicator to assess the prognostic value of tumor lesions' relative positioning in DLBCL patients undergoing CAR T cell therapy. Methods: This retrospective study included 42 patients receiving CAR T cell therapy. Lesion image information was obtained from the last PET/CT scan prior to CAR T cell infusion, including total metabolic tumor volume, total tumor surface, diameter of lymphoma masses, and the sites of tumor lesions. We evaluated TVSR and bulky disease as descriptors of tumor aggregation. We refined existing indicators, stage III&IV and >1 site extranodal involvement, to distill a new indicator, termed 'extra stage', to better represent tumor dissemination. The study examined the prognostic significance of tumor aggregation and dissemination. Results: Our findings indicate that TVSR, while prognostically valuable in chemotherapy, lacks practical prognostic value in CAR T cell therapy. Conversely, bulky disease emerged as an optimal prognostic indicator of tumor aggregation. Both bulky disease and extra stage were associated with poor prognosis and exhibiting synergistic prognostic impact in CAR T cell therapy. Conclusions: Overall, the relative positioning of tumor lesions significantly influences the prognosis of patients with DLBCL receiving CAR T cell therapy. The ideal scenario involves tumors with minimal dissemination and no aggregation. The relative positioning of tumor lesions is associated with the prognosis of patients with DLBCL receiving CAR T cell therapy.The tumor lesion with limited dissemination and no aggregation is the most ideal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient satisfaction is an important outcome domain of patient-centered care. Medical humanization follows the patient-centered principle and provides a more holistic view to treat patients. The COVID-19 pandemic posed significant barriers to maintaining medical humanization. However, empirical study on the relationship between medical humanization and patient satisfaction is clearly absent. Objectives: We examined the mediation effects of communication on the relationship between medical humanization and patient satisfaction when faced with a huge public health crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, and the moderation effect of medical institutional trust on the mediation models. Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was performed. A final sample size of 1445 patients was surveyed on medical humanization, communication, patient satisfaction and medical institutional trust. Results: All correlations were significantly positive across the main variables (r = 0.35–0.67, p < 0.001 for all) except for medical institutional trust, which was negatively correlated with the medical humanization (r=-0.14, p < 0.001). Moderated mediation analysis showed that the indirect effect of medical humanization on patient satisfaction through communication was significant (b = 0.22, 95% CI: 0.18 ~ 0.25). Medical institutional trust significantly moderated the effect of medical humanization on patient satisfaction (b=-0.09, p < 0.001) and the effect of medical humanization on communication (b= -0.14, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Medical humanization positively influence patient satisfaction, communication mediated the association between medical humanization and patient satisfaction, and medical institutional trust negatively moderated the effects of medical humanization on patient satisfaction and communication. These findings suggest that humanistic communication contributes to patient satisfaction in the face of a huge public health crisis, and patients' evaluation of satisfaction is also regulated by rational cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes an amplification‐free, sequencing‐free platform (NanoPick‐array) for fast analysis of viral RNAs. The platform combines selective short‐cut of viral RNAs, cherry‐picking isolation of target genes, and micro‐arrayed discrete nanoimaging to enable the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) at a concentration of 60 copies µL−1, a detection limit that is hardly achieved by Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)‐based methods without amplification, regardless of electrochemical or colorimetric approaches. Notably, the NanoPick‐array provides specific virus variant information with differentiation to single‐nucleotide genetic mutation. The avoidance of the amplification procedure gives direct quantification of viral copy number and reduces false positive results caused by amplicon contamination; the sequencing‐free viral variant specification significantly reduces the turn‐over time for the acquisition of a complete diagnostic viral picture within just 2 h. In a demonstration using clinical samples with a wide range of viral loads of cycle threshold (Ct) value ranging from 18 to 36, the technique achieves an overall accuracy of 89.7% viral detection and 100% accuracy for identifying all Delta variants. The viral detection accuracy is further tested to be 100% for the clinical samples with Ct values around or less than 28. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe cardiopulmonary disease characterized by complement dependent and proinflammatory activation of macrophages. However, effective treatment for complement activation in PAH is lacking. We aimed to explore the effect and mechanism of CP40-KK (a newly identified analog of selective complement C3 inhibitor CP40) in the PAH model. Methods: We used western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence staining of lung tissues from the monocrotaline (MCT)-induced rat PAH model to study macrophage infiltration, NLPR3 inflammasome activation, and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and IL-18) release. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR), ELISA, and CH50 assays were used to test the affinity between CP40-KK and rat/human complement C3. CP40-KK group rats only received CP40-KK (2 mg/kg) by subcutaneous injection at day 15 to day 28 continuously. Results: C3a was significantly upregulated in the plasma of MCT-treated rats. SPR, ELISA, and CH50 assays revealed that CP40-KK displayed similar affinity binding to human and rat complement C3. Pharmacological inhibition of complement C3 cleavage (CP40-KK) could ameliorate MCT-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activity, pulmonary vascular remodeling, and right ventricular hypertrophy. Mechanistically, increased proliferation of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells is closely associated with macrophage infiltration, NLPR3 inflammasome activation, and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and IL-18) release. Besides, C3a enhanced IL-1β activity in macrophages and promoted pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell proliferation in vitro. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that CP40-KK treatment was protective in the MCT-induced rat PAH model, which might serve as a therapeutic option for PAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prosthetic technology has witnessed remarkable advancements, yet challenges persist in achieving autonomous grasping control while ensuring the user's experience is not compromised. Current electronic prosthetics often require extensive training for users to gain fine motor control over the prosthetic fingers, hindering their usability and acceptance. To address this challenge and improve the autonomy of prosthetics, this paper proposes an automated method that leverages computer vision-based techniques and machine learning algorithms. In this study, three reinforcement learning algorithms, namely Soft Actor-Critic (SAC), Deep Q-Network (DQN), and Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO), are employed to train agents for automated grasping tasks. The results indicate that the SAC algorithm achieves the highest success rate of 99% among the three algorithms at just under 200,000 timesteps. This research also shows that an object's physical characteristics can affect the agent's ability to learn an optimal policy. Moreover, the findings highlight the potential of the SAC algorithm in developing intelligent prosthetic hands with automatic object-gripping capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 3D nickel-organic framework (Ni-BDC- t /NF) nanosheet arrays are synthesized. • The morphology and electrocatalytic performance of Ni-BDC- t /NF can be regulated. • The structurally optimized Ni-BDC-10/NF shows superior UOR activity and durability. • Urea electrolysis based on Ni-BDC-10/NF anode exhibit excellent performance. Urea electrolysis is considered as a promising energy-saving hydrogen production technique to substitute the water electrolysis, but it is restricted by the lack of efficient and cost-effective catalysts. Herein, nickel foam supported three-dimensional (3D) nickel-organic framework nanosheet arrays (Ni-BDC- t /NF, where t is the reaction time) comprising Ni2+ and an organic ligand of 4,4-biphenyl dicarboxylic acid (BDC) are synthesized as catalyst for urea electrolysis in alkaline media. Benefiting from the highly exposed Ni active sites and fast electron transfer rate endowed by 3D nanosheet array architecture, the structurally optimized Ni-BDC-10/NF exhibits preeminent electrocatalytic activity and durability toward urea oxidation reaction (UOR). To deliver a high current density of 100 mA cm−2, the required UOR potential of Ni-BDC-10/NF is only 1.50 V vs. RHE. Significantly, by further coupling with the cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction, the urea electrolysis system based on Ni-BDC-10/NF self-supporting anode exhibits a dramatic voltage decrease by 340 mV at a current density of 50 mA cm−2 as compared with that of water electrolysis under the same conditions. This study provides some new ideas for developing high-efficiency nickel-based organic framework catalysts and their application in urea-related energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unquantified environmental impact and economic benefits of steel slag based asphalt mixture, as well as the difficulty in directly utilizing steel slag fine aggregate (SSFA) due to solidification, limit the utilization of steel slag in asphalt mixture. This research proposed an innovative method of using steel slag coarse aggregate (SSCA) and steel slag powder (SSP) filler prepared by grinding solidified SSFA to replace ordinary natural resources to prepare stone mastic asphalt (SMA) mixture. The feasibility of the proposed utilization method of steel slag was determined based on the analysis results of main engineering performance, environmental impact and economic benefits of steel slag SMA mixture (SSSM). The ordinary SMA mixture (OSM) was functioned as a control group. The investigated main engineering performance included fatigue performance, moisture stability, high-temperature deformation resistance and low-temperature crack resistance. Environmental impact was evaluated based on the life cycle assessment (LCA) method, and the relationship between the transportation distance of steel slag, common basalt and the emission characteristics was deeply analyzed. In addition, economic benefits were determined based on the cost calculation results. Results showed that SSSM was superior to OSM in terms of these main engineering performance. The emissions from SMA mixtures increased with the extension of transportation distance of steel slag or basalt. From the perspective of reducing emissions, choosing steel slag aggregate had advantages when the transportation distance was less than 365 km, otherwise, it was recommended to choose basalt. Under three different transportation distances (short, medium and long distance transportation), the introduction of steel slag in SMA mixture reduced the greenhouse gas emissions by 1.1%–8.6%, of which the raw material production stage contributed the most. Furthermore, SSSM exhibited higher economic benefits, with a functional unit of SSSM pavement saving the cost by 14.4%–19.8%. Therefore, using steel slag as a substitute for coarse aggregate and filler in SMA mixture can promote the reuse of solidified SSFA, reduce the environmental impact and total cost of all stages of constructing SMA pavement. • Steel slag powder prepared by grinding solidified fine steel slag was used as filler. • Add steel slag into SMA mixture (SSSM) simultaneously in the form of coarse aggregate and filler. • SSSM has better engineering performance than ordinary SMA mixture. • Steel slag is an environmental and economical substitute for natural aggregates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous carbon is an extensively used adsorbent for the removal of dye. However, the conventional high-temperature carbonization and activation method with prolonged heating and annealing process was complicated, energy-consuming and polluting, which greatly limit the large-scale production. In this study, rapid and efficient preparation of porous carbon by the Flash Joule heating (FJH) method was realized for the first time using three bituminous coal samples with different degrees of metamorphism. The preparation process was completed in less than 1 s without chemical treatment, the process was more environmentally friendly. The physical and chemical properties of porous carbon were analyzed and the adsorption mechanism of porous carbon on methylene blue (MB) was investigated. The results showed that the specific surface area of porous carbon prepared by Shuozhou (PC-SZ), Gujiao (PC-GJ) and Changzhi (PC-CZ) could reach 601.95, 361.91 and 256.33 m2·g−1, respectively. The diversity in chemical properties of coal with different metamorphic degrees leads to the different properties of porous carbon. PC-SZ had a higher content of oxygen-containing functional groups and defects. The adsorption experiments indicate that PC-SZ had the best adsorption capacity on MB. The adsorption process was fitted by pseudo-second-order model commendably. It was found that more lattice defects and larger interlayer spacing made PC-SZ to become an excellent adsorbent of methylene blue (MB). Therefore, FJH can be an innovative approach for preparing porous carbon with excellent adsorption properties and is expected to achieve large-scale production. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]