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Background: The herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) is extensively cultivated in China due to its root being used as a traditional Chinese medicine known as 'Radix Paeoniae Alba'. In recent years, it has been discovered that its seeds incorporate abundant unsaturated fatty acids, thereby presenting a potential new oilseed plant. Surprisingly, little is known about the full-length transcriptome sequencing of Paeonia lactiflora, limiting research into its gene function and molecular mechanisms. Results: A total of 484,931 Reads of Inserts (ROI) sequences and 1,455,771 full-Length non-chimeric reads (FLNC) sequences were obtained for CDS prediction, TF analysis, SSR analysis and lncRNA identification. In addition, gene function annotation and gene structure analysis were performed. A total of 4905 transcripts were related to lipid metabolism biosynthesis pathway, belonging to 28 enzymes. We use these data to identify 10 oleosin (OLE) and 5 diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) gene members after de-redundancy. The analysis of physicochemical properties and secondary structure showed them similarity in gene family respectively. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the distribution of OLE and DGAT family members was roughly the same as that of Arabidopsis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT–PCR) analyses revealed expression changes in different seed development stages, and showed a trend of increasing and then decreasing. Conclusion: In summary, these results provide new insights into the molecular mechanism of triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis and storage during the seedling stage in Paeonia lactiflora. It provides theoretical references for selecting and breeding oil varieties and understanding the functions of oil storage as well as lipid synthesis related genes in Paeonia lactiflora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the performance of thermoelectric (TE) materials and fabricating TE devices with higher conversion efficiency remains a significant challenge in materials research. The low figure of merit (ZT) value of n -type bismuth telluride has seriously hindered the development of TE devices based on bismuth telluride. Element doping and nanostructured defect introduction have commonly been employed to improve TE properties. Herein, we utilized high-pressure synthesis to fabricate n -type Bi 2 Se 0.3 Te 2.7 bulk nanomaterials and enhance their TE performance by adjusting the fabrication pressure and titanium doping concentration. Through this process, titanium effectively substituted bismuth to decrease carrier concentration and improve carrier mobility. As a result, the thermal conductivity was significantly decreased. By employing a fabrication pressure of 2.5 GPa and 10 at % Ti doping, a remarkable ZT value of 0.96 was achieved at 333 K, which was 2.8 times the undoped counterparts. These findings demonstrate a successful design methodology and fabrication process to generate n -type Bi 2 Te 3 with outstanding TE performance. This study provided valuable insights into the synthesis of high-performance TE materials and contributed to advancements in TE device technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the crucial role of the structure in neutron star (NS) research, parameterized TOV (PTOV) equations are used to calculate the static NS sequence with five parameters including α , β , σ , γ and χ , which represent the five factors that impact the NS structure. In order to promote the efficiency in the combination of astronomical observations and the theory, we investigate the meticulous influences of the five factors on NS structure with various hyperons in this work. Results show that the maximum masses of NSs are reduced with the free parameters, respectively, whereas the variation trend of corresponding radii is wavy in some cases. Especially, when hyperons are included, the macroscopic properties of NSs, except redshift, are relatively smaller than those in conventional NS matter. The effects on conventional NSs and hyperonic NSs are quite different in the high NS mass area but diminish when the stellar mass is lower than approximately 1.5 times solar mass. Finally, comparing with observations, we predict constraints on the free parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the relationship between mental health, i.e., depression and anxiety, and reading difficulties (RD) in Chinese elementary school children. Participants were 1535 grades 3, 4, and 5 students from three elementary schools in Xi'an, China. Children with and without RD were compared to their depression and anxiety. Additionally, children's self-ratings, parents' ratings, and teachers' ratings of depression and anxiety were compared to better understand mental health issues of Chinese children with RD. The findings showed that Chinese children with RD experienced more depression but not anxiety compared to their typically developing peers across all three grade levels. Reports from all three informants consistently reflected that children with RD experienced more depression. However, some inconsistencies were found between self-reported levels of depression and anxiety and the observations made by parents and teachers. Children reported experiencing more depression than their parents and teachers observed but less anxiety than their parents reported. This study emphasizes the importance of understanding the links between RD and mental health and the need for appropriate intervention programs to help children with RD cope with the mental health challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early childhood interventions played a critical role in improving child development in impoverished contexts. Combined nutrition and psychosocial stimulation interventions (CNPSI) have shown more benefits than stand-alone supplemental nutrition interventions (SNI) in many developing countries. Based on a cluster randomized controlled trial in rural northwestern China, this study tested alternative theory-driven hypotheses regarding how primary caregiver's education and family income may moderate the CNPSI's effects on child growth environment and developmental delay risk. The trial cluster randomized 1,566 children aged 7–33 months from 111 villages (clusters) in Huachi County, Gansu Province, into an SNI group (N = 852) and a CNPSI group (N = 714). Multilevel regression models suggested that the CNPSI group had better home growth environment (p < 0·001) and lower risk of developmental delay (p < 0·001) than the SNI group. The CNPSI's impacts on home growth environment and development delay were weaker for parents with higher education levels. However, household income did not significantly moderate the CNPSI effect for either outcome. Future interventions need to attend to the educational disparities in the resource-poor context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common malignant haematological disease with a poor prognosis. The limit therapeutic progress has been made in MM patients with cancer relapse, necessitating deeper research into the molecular mechanisms underlying its occurrence and development. A genome‐wide CRISPR‐Cas9 loss‐of‐function screening was utilized to identify potential therapeutic targets in our research. We revealed that COQ2 plays a crucial role in regulating MM cell proliferation and lipid peroxidation (LPO). Knockout of COQ2 inhibited cell proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest and reduced tumour growth in vivo. Mechanistically, COQ2 promoted the activation of the MEK/ERK cascade, which in turn stabilized and activated MYC protein. Moreover, we found that COQ2‐deficient MM cells increased sensitivity to the LPO activator, RSL3. Using an inhibitor targeting COQ2 by 4‐CBA enhanced the sensitivity to RSL3 in primary CD138+ myeloma cells and in a xenograft mouse model. Nevertheless, co‐treatment of 4‐CBA and RSL3 induced cell death in bortezomib‐resistant MM cells. Together, our findings suggest that COQ2 promotes cell proliferation and tumour growth through the activation of the MEK/ERK/MYC axis and targeting COQ2 could enhance the sensitivity to ferroptosis in MM cells, which may be a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of MM patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is the main inhibitor of fibrinolytic systems. The effect of PAI-1 on inflammatory response is still inconsistent. Our study was conducted to investigate its effects on inflammation to clarify the role of PAI-1 in acute lung injury (ALI) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). ALI models were established in wild-type (WT) and PAI-1 knockout (KO) mice by LPS intervention for 48 ​h. Lung histopathology, wet-dry ratio, total cell count and TNF-α concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and inflammation related proteins were detected. Flow cytometry was used to sort neutrophils, macrophages, regulatory T cells (Treg) and T helper cell 17 (Th17). RNA sequencing was performed to find differentially expressed genes. Masson staining and immunohistochemistry were used to analyze pulmonary fiber deposition and proliferation. Compared with ALI (WT) group, the wet-dry ratio, the total number of BALF cells, the concentration of TNF-α in BALF, and the expression of pp65 in the lung tissue was increased in ALI (PAI-1 KO) group, with increased proportion of neutrophils, decreased proportion of macrophages and decreased proportion of Treg/Th17 in the lung tissue. Collagen fiber deposition and PCNA expression were lighter in ALI (PAI-1 KO) group than ALI (WT) group. PPI analysis showed that PAI-1 was closely related to TNF, IL-6, IL-1β, Smad2/3 and mainly concentrated in the complement and coagulation system, TNF-α and IL-17 signaling pathways. PAI-1 KO could aggravate ALI induced by LPS at 48 ​h. PAI-1 may be an important target to improve the prognosis of ALI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a chronic disease that can lead to a variety of complications and even cause death. The signal characteristics of the photoplethysmography signals (PPG) and electrocardiogram signals (ECG) can reflect the autonomic and vascular aspects of the effects of diabetes on the body. OBJECTIVE: Based on the complex mechanism of interaction between PPG and ECG, a set of ensemble empirical mode decomposition-independent component analysis (EEMD-ICA) fusion multi-scale percussion entropy index (MSPEI) method was proposed to analyze cardiovascular function in diabetic patients. METHODS: Firstly, the original signal was decomposed into multiple Intrinsic Mode Function (IMFs) by ensemble empirical mode decomposition EEMD, principal components of IMF were extracted by independent component analysis (ICA), then the extracted principal components were reconstructed to eliminate the complex high and low frequency noise of physiological signals. In addition, the MSPEI was calculated for the ECG R-R interval and PPG amplitude sequence.(RRI and Amp) The results showed that, compared with EEMD method, the SNR of EEMD-ICA method increases from 2.1551 to 11.3642, and the root mean square error (RMSE) decreases from 0.0556 to 0.0067. This algorithm can improve the performance of denoising and retain more feature information. The large and small scale entropy of MSPEI (RRI,Amp) was significantly different between healthy and diabetic patients (p < 0.01). RESULTS: Compared with arteriosclerosis index (AI) and multi-scale cross-approximate entropy (MCAE): MSPEISS (RRI,Amp) indicated that diabetes can affect the activity of human autonomic nervous system, while MSPEILS (RRI,Amp) indicated that diabetes can cause or worsen arteriosclerosis. CONCLUSION: Multi-scale Percussion Entropy algorithm has more advantages in analyzing the influence of diabetes on human cardiovascular and autonomic nervous function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-velocity atomic clouds in the Galactic centre have attracted significant attention due to their enigmatic formation process, which is potentially linked to the starburst or supermassive black hole activities in the region. Further, the discovery of high-velocity molecular clouds (HVMCs) presents a greater puzzle, because they are much denser and more massive. If the HVMCs were accelerated by the strong activities in the Galactic centre, they are expected to be destroyed before they reach such a high velocity. To shed light on this phenomenon, we perform 3D numerical simulations to investigate the origin and hydrodynamic evolution of HVMCs during a starburst in the Galactic centre. We find that the presence of a magnetic field provides effective protection and acceleration to molecular clouds (MCs) within the galactic winds. Consequently, the MCs can attain latitudes of approximately 1 kpc with velocities around 200 km s−1, consistent with the observed characteristics of HVMCs. The consistency of our findings across a wide parameter space supports the conclusion that HVMCs can indeed withstand the starburst environment in the Galactic centre, providing valuable insights into their survival mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: With technological progress, the integration of aged care with technology is a new challenge. This study developed a theoretical model of smart aged care in the community to meet the diverse needs of community‐dwelling older adults. Methods: This qualitative study recruited 22 participants from three communities in Chongqing, China. Through semi‐structured interviews and grounded theory, this study analyzed the needs of community‐dwelling older adults for smart aged care and identified strategies. Results: Nine categories were identified, including five need categories, three important factors, and one outcome objective. Furthermore, four health provider topics were proposed. Conclusions: Although the application of information technology has enhanced convenience and possibilities, its popularity and satisfaction are low. Information technology can be successfully introduced into the lives of community‐dwelling older adults only by truly understanding their needs. Implications of nursing practice: Smart aged care in the community has positive effects on nursing outcomes for older adults. This study's findings can help caregivers understand the various dimensions of the needs of community‐dwelling older adults and relevant influencing factors under smart aged care to increase its popularity and satisfaction. Furthermore, this can promote the integration of intelligent technology and manual services in nursing practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The screening of volatile vintage markers in baijiu using GC × GC-TOFMS. • Combing MCR-ALS and CARS-PLS identified key principal components. • Found principal components correlated with storage length as candidate markers. • Resolved high-dimensional data with overlapping compound elution curves. The identification of baijiu vintage is crucial for quality assessment and economic value determination. However, its complex composition and multifaceted influences pose significant technical challenges, necessitating research into its aging mechanisms and the development of related identification methods. This study utilized Chemometrics in conjunction with GC × GC-TOFMS for Baijiu Vintage identification. Data compression achieved a reduction of over 1000-fold without compromising key information, enabling analysis on many samples and get their changing regular in a big matrix by MCR. Subsequently, MCR-ALS facilitated the extraction of physical and chemical meaningful information related to baijiu vintage. Key MCR principal components suitable for qualitative and quantitative assessments were selected using CARS-PLS. The regression model demonstrated errors of less than one year. Furthermore, a PLS-DA model provided 30 MCR principal components as potential markers. The research results provide technical support for baijiu vintage identification and lay the groundwork for studying the changing patterns of flavor compounds in baijiu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work investigates effects of micro-alloying Ag on the microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion behavior of as-extruded Mg-2Zn-0.2Ca alloys. The addition of Ag, up to 0.5 wt%, induce limited difference on microstructural characteristics such as slightly coarser microstructures due to the enhanced dynamic recrystallization process and the presence of refined precipitates. The tensile properties of the alloy were not significantly changed by Ag addition, i.e., all the alloys exhibited exceptional elongation of ∼30%, moderate tensile yield strength and ultimate strength of ∼140 MPa and ∼240 MPa, respectively. The corrosion performance of the alloys was progressively deteriorated with increasing Ag content i.e., the corrosion rate increased from 0.40 ± 0.23 mm/y for Mg-2Zn-0.2Ca alloy to 3.27 ± 0.24 mm/y for the Mg-2Zn-0.2Ca-0.5Ag alloy. The compromised corrosion performance was attributed to a large electrode potential difference between the nobler Ca 2 Mg 6 Zn 3 phase and the α-Mg matrix as well as a less protective corrosion film, by increasing Ag addition. • Mg-2Zn-0.2Ca alloys with different contents of Ag produced through extrusion. • Ag addition (≤ 0.5 wt%) did not induce significant difference on microstructural characteristics. • Exceptional fracture elongation of ∼30% achieved from all the alloys. • Ag incorporation compromised the corrosion resistance of the Mg-2Zn-0.2Ca [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a reasonable 3D structure of enzyme IIC (EIIC) was established using ab initio methods. Curcumin, baicalein and phloretin were screened out from 127,695 natural products based on EIIC protein in Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) by using the virtual screening technology. The antibacterial assays results confirmed that these three compounds could inhibit S. aureus cell growth. The results of molecular docking, molecular dynamics and molecular mechanics/generalized born surface area calculation indicated that curcumin, baicalein and phloretin mainly bound to Glu275, His231, and Phe359 of EIIC through hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces to obstruct the transport of glucose-based carbohydrates, and thereby inhibited the carbohydrate metabolism of S. aureus. The steered molecular dynamics analysis revealed the existence of transfer channel in EIIC and illustrated that curcumin, baicalein and phloretin could dissociate from EIIC when pulling force on them. Furthermore, alanine scanning and hydrogen bond occupancy analyses found that Glu275 played an important role in stabilizing EIIC-baicalein/curcumin/phloretin complexes, and 275Glu@OE1 was a stable hydrogen bond acceptor. Therefore, Glu275 may be a hot spot residue that can maintain the stable binding of agents to EIIC, which may be a direction for the development of new drugs against S. aureus. • Curcumin, baicalein and phloretin were screened out by virtual screening technology. • The compounds can bind to EIIC to hinder sugar intake inhibiting the bacteria growth. • H-bonds and van der Waals forces had contributions to the EIIC-ligand complexes. • When pulling force on these three compounds, they could dissociate from EIIC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Cu-ZnO catalysts are successfully prepared by facile quenching followed by reduction. • The quenching process improves Cu species loading and oxygen vacancy of catalysts. • Methanol conversion of the catalyst reaches 100 % at 280 °C with 0.05 % CO selectivity. • The structured catalyst exhibits the excellent durability at 100 h of MSR reaction. Methanol steam reforming (MSR) is considered as a promising approach to provide hydrogen for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. However, it is challenging to develop effective and durable Cu-based catalysts. Herein, Cu-ZnO catalysts are prepared by facile quenching of ZnO in copper nitrate solution followed by reduction to obtain the desired metal loading and induce the doping of surface metal heteroatoms for producing more vacancies. Catalysts enriched with oxygen vacancies can efficiently activate H 2 O and rapidly transform C-containing intermediates, resulting in higher methanol conversion and lower CO selectivity. As a result, the quenched optimal catalyst achieves 100 % methanol conversion and 0.05 % CO selectivity at 280 ℃, exhibiting the excellent catalytic performance in MSR reaction. In practical applications, structured catalysts are more attractive for large-scale catalytic reactions owing to the low pressure drop and high utilization efficiency. Therefore, ZnO-Cu 3 catalyst is coated on cordierite honeycomb ceramics with 100 % methanol conversion and 0.04 % CO selectivity at 280 ℃. After 100 h of the reaction, the structured catalyst remains ∼ 92.3 % with CO selectivity varying from 0.02 to 0.06 %, demonstrating the good catalytic stability in the long-term experiment. In addition, the evolution of reactants and intermediates on the catalyst surface are briefly described by FTIR spectra. This study offers a novel and efficient approach to obtain highly active and durable catalysts with great potential for industrial-scale preparation and application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ni nanoparticles are encapsulated into one-dimensional B/N carbon nanotubes. • Co-doping of B and N atoms enhances the dispersity of magnetic nanoparticles. • The Ni@B/N carbon nanotubes exhibit the RL min of −56.9 dB and an EAB of 7.12 GHz. • The RCS contribution of Ni/B/N composites in the far-field was simulated by CST. Development of magnetic composites with rational microstructural design to achieve excellent electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption in the low-frequency range is necessary and still challenging. Herein, the B/N carbon nanotubes loaded with Ni nanoparticles were successfully synthesized through a homogeneous precursor pyrolysis route. The homogeneity of the micro-magnetic field in the composite architecture is improved by the co-doping of B and N in carbon nanotubes due to the polarization effect, which would enhance the impedance matching and EMW absorption. The Ni@B/N carbon nanotubes exhibit a minimum reflection loss (RL min) of −56.9 dB at 8.24 GHz with a maximum bandwidth of 7.12 GHz ranging almost all S and C bands (from 3.44 to 10.56 GHz) suggesting that the composite architecture effectively enhances low-frequency EMW absorption properties. The combination of impedance matching and interfacial polarization resulting from the homogeneous Ni nanoparticles and co-doping of B and N in carbon lattice structure is responsible for the enhanced low-frequency EMW absorption properties. This simple co-doping synthesis strategy provides a new design strategy for the preparation of broadband and low-frequency EMW absorbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in groundwater is derived from soil DON transformation and migration processes, which has been considered an emerging nitrogen (N) pollutant. However, due to the limitations of the analytical methods and the complexity of the involved transformation process, the role of DON in soil N cycling remains unclear. Therefore, this review aims to critically examine previous related studies on DON and highlight the knowledge gaps related to DON transformations and molecular characteristics in soils. In addition, the DON distributions and key transformation processes, as well as their influencing factors, were summarized. About 60% of DON components have not been determined due to the limited analytical techniques and methodologies. The depolymerization process of polymers into DON is the rate-limiting step of N mineralization. Furthermore, DON leaching amounts accounted for 7–1500% of soil nitrate (NO 3 --N) amounts, becoming the dominate pathway of N loss. Further studies are required to provide accurate information on DON compositions and transformation mechanisms, as well as their influencing factors, in soils. The suggested studies can provide further insights into the role of DON in soil N cycling, thereby controlling effectively groundwater N contamination. [Display omitted] • The review focuses on DON cycle in the soil-groundwater system. • DON distribution levels and leaching flux are collected. • Methodologies of DON analysis and DON related transformation are summarized. • The main concerns on DON-related issues are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural polysaccharides are concerned for their high biological activity and low toxicity. Two kinds of polysaccharides were extracted from Hippophae rhamnoide L. by microwave-assisted aqueous two-phase system. Under the optimal conditions predicted by RSM model (K 2 HPO 4 /ethanol (18.93 %/28.29 %), liquid to material ratio 77 mL/g, power 625 W and temperature 61 °C), the yield of total polysaccharides reached 35.91 ± 0.76 %. Moreover, the polysaccharides extraction was well fitted to the Weibull model. After purification by Sepharose-6B, the polysaccharides from top phase (PHTP, purity of 81.44 ± 1.25 %) and bottom phase (PHBP, purity of 88.85 ± 1.40 %) were obtained. GC, FT-IR, methylation and NMR analyses confirmed the backbone of PHTP was composed of a repeated unit →4)- β -D-Glc p -(1 → 2)- α -L-Rha p -(1 → 4)- β -D-Gal p -(1 → 4)- α -D-GalA p -(1 → 3)- α -L-Ara f -(1 → 3)- α -D-Man p -(1→, while the repeated unit in PHBP was →3)- α -L-Ara f -(1 → 2)- α -L-Rha p -(1 → 4)- β -D-Glc p -(1 → 3)- α -D-Man p -(1 → 4)- β -D-Gal p -(1 → 4)- α -D-GalA p -(1→. Compared with PHTP (6.46 × 106 g/mol), PHBP with relatively low molecular weight (8.2 × 105 g/mol) exhibited the smaller particle size, better water-solubility, thermal and rheological property, stronger anti-glycosylation and α -amylase inhibitory effects. Moreover, PHTP and PHBP displayed a reversible inhibition on α -amylase in a competitive manner. This study provides a high-efficient and eco-friendly method for polysaccharides extraction, and lays a foundation for sea buckthorn polysaccharides as potential therapeutic agents in preventing and ameliorating diabetes. [Display omitted] • MA-ATPE of two polysaccharides from sea buckthorn fruits was optimized by RSM model. • There were different repeated units in the backbone structures of PHTP and PHBP. • PHBP exhibited better physical and thermal stability, rheological property than PHTP. • PHTP and PHBP were novel natural agents for preventing and ameliorating diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During comprehensive regional prospecting evaluation and delineation of a prospecting target area, various types of data, including geological, geophysical, geochemical, and remote sensing, are usually integrated and visualized in a unified spatial environment, making it convenient for researchers to identify mineralization. To maximize the precision of spatial boundaries, the maps traditionally used in prospecting are predominantly in vector formats. However, with the rapid development of modern real-time 3D graphics and computer cartography technology, raster maps can now provide richer detail representation compared to traditional vector maps while still meeting the precision requirements. In this paper, we present a new GPU-based 3D visualization method for spatial data, specifically, two types of bitmap-based maps called dynamic geochemical maps (DGMs) and interactive geological maps (IGMs). A novel software system implementing this method was developed and has been applied in the exploration of the Zhunuo ore district, Tibet, showing large advantages over traditional vector maps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of recent developments in wireless communication, sensor technology, and computing technology, researchers have recently shown a significant amount of interest in the Internet of Vehicles (IoV), which has become feasible as a result of these improvements. Because of the distinctive characteristics of IoV, such as the varied compute and communication capacities of network nodes, it is difficult to process jobs that are time-sensitive. The purpose of this study is to investigate the ways in which cloud computing may collaborate with the IoV to make the processing of time-sensitive procedures easier. We propose a vehicle design that makes advantage of cloud computing as a means of accomplishing this goal. Increasing the proportion of time-sensitive jobs that are ultimately completed was the motivation behind the development of the offloading model that we devised. Taking this into perspective, we present an adaptive task offloading and transmission method. Taking into account the ever-changing requirements and constraints on the available resources, this algorithm dynamically organizes all of the tasks into separate cloud link lists on the cloud. Following that, the tasks contained within each list are distributed in a cooperative manner to a number of different nodes, with the characteristics of those nodes being taken into consideration. Following the presentation of the simulation model, we carried out an experimental investigation into the effectiveness of the model that was proposed. It is abundantly evident that the proposed model is effective, as indicated by the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the effects of the socioeconomic status (SES) on literacy development of children with intellectual disabilities (ID) is limited. This study aimed to explore the SES's influence on literacy development of children with ID and possible mediating effects of home literacy environment (HLE) and the parent-child relationship. The subjects of this study were 390 children with ID from special needs schools in 14 regions of China, including 239 boys and 151 girls aged 7 to 15 years. This study adopted the network survey method, with parents of children with ID completing surveys on SES, HLE, literacy development, and the parent-child relationship. SES was found to positively predict literacy development of children with ID. Further, it was found that HLE played a mediating role in the prediction of literacy development by SES, and the parent-child relationship regulated the positive impact of HLE on literacy development. In conclusion, SES significantly influences literacy development of children with ID which is partially mediated by HLE. The parent-child relationship positively regulates the regression relationship between HLE and literacy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of inflammation in disease promotion is significant, yet the precise association between a newly identified inflammatory biomarker and insulin resistance (IR) and mortality remains uncertain. We aim to explore the potential correlation between systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and these factors. We used data from 2011 to 2016 of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline were employed. Subgroup and interaction analysis were conducted to recognize the consistency of the results. The association between SII and mortality was described by survival analysis. 6734 participants were enrolled, of whom 49.3% (3318) exhibited IR and 7.02% experienced mortality. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that individuals in the highest quartile (Q4) of SII had a significantly increased risk of IR compared to those in the lowest quartile (Q1). We then identified a linear association between SII and IR with an inflection point of 407, but may be influenced by gender. Similarly, compared to Q1, people whose SII at Q4 showed a higher all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. It showed a significant association between SII and both all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, but the results need to be interpreted with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of potential key targets of melanoma, a fatal skin malignancy, is critical to the development of new cancer therapies. Lysine methyltransferase 2A (KMT2A) promotes melanoma growth by activating the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) signaling pathway; however, the exact mechanism remains elusive. This study aimed to reveal new molecular targets that regulate KMT2A expression and melanoma growth. Using biotin–streptavidin–agarose pull‐down and proteomics, we identified Damage‐specific DNA‐binding protein 2 (DDB2) as a KMT2A promoter‐binding protein in melanoma cells and validated its role as a regulator of KMT2A/hTERT signaling. DDB2 knockdown inhibited the expression of KMT2A and hTERT and inhibited the growth of melanoma cells in vitro. Conversely, overexpression of DDB2 activated the expression of KMT2A and promoted the growth of melanoma cells. Additionally, we demonstrated that DDB2 expression was higher in tumor tissues of patients with melanoma than in corresponding normal tissues and was positively correlated with KMT2A expression. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed a poor prognosis in patients with high levels of DDB2 and KMT2A. Overall, our data suggest that DDB2 promotes melanoma cell growth through the transcriptional regulation of KMT2A expression and predicts poor prognosis. Therefore, targeting DDB2 may regulate the effects of KMT2A on melanoma growth and progression, providing a new potential therapeutic strategy for melanoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drugs and their metabolites have become new types of pollutants, the presence of which constitutes a serious environmental problem. This article applies the established LC–MS/MS method to investigate the removal efficiency of different ratios of Fenton reagents for common drugs in wastewater. The results showed that the linearity of the 10 common drugs was good in the dynamic range of 1–100 ng/L, and the R2>0.99. The LODs and LOQs ranged from 0.01–0.443 ng/L and 0.04–1.44 ng/L, respectively. The average relative recoveries ranged from 72.99–117 %. In addition, considering the economic and application effects of chemical reagents, the optimal test dose of H2O2 in Fenton reagent was determined to be 12.5 mL. This experiment provides a simple, rapid and low‐cost LC–MS/MS method for the detection of drugs in wastewater. It also provides data reference for effective management of drug production sites and domestic wastewater pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temporal information in event streams plays a critical role in event‐based video frame interpolation as it provides temporal context cues complementary to images. Most previous event‐based methods first transform the unstructured event data to structured data formats through voxelisation, and then employ advanced CNNs to extract temporal information. However, voxelisation inevitably leads to information loss, and processing the sparse voxels introduces severe computation redundancy. To address these limitations, this study proposes a point‐image fusion network (PIFNet). In our PIFNet, rich temporal information from the events can be directly extracted at the point level. Then, a fusion module is designed to fuse complementary cues from both points and images for frame interpolation. Extensive experiments on both synthetic and real datasets demonstrate that our PIFNet achieves state‐of‐the‐art performance with high efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) is closely associated with environmental pollutant exposure. To identify potential intestinal carcinogens, we developed a cell transformation assay (CTA) using mouse adult stem cell-derived intestinal organoids (mASC-IOs) and assessed the transformation potential on 14 representative chemicals, including Cd, iPb, Cr-VI, iAs-III, Zn, Cu, PFOS, BPA, MEHP, AOM, DMH, MNNG, aspirin, and metformin. We optimized the experimental protocol based on cytotoxicity, amplification, and colony formation of chemical-treated mASC-IOs. In addition, we assessed the accuracy of in vitro study and the human tumor relevance through characterizing interdependence between cell–cell and cell–matrix adhesions, tumorigenicity, pathological feature of subcutaneous tumors, and CRC-related molecular signatures. Remarkably, the results of cell transformation in 14 chemicals showed a strong concordance with epidemiological findings (8/10) and in vivo mouse studies (12/14). In addition, we found that the increase in anchorage-independent growth was positively correlated with the tumorigenicity of tested chemicals. Through analyzing the dose–response relationship of anchorage-independent growth by benchmark dose (BMD) modeling, the potent intestinal carcinogens were identified, with their carcinogenic potency ranked from high to low as AOM, Cd, MEHP, Cr-VI, iAs-III, and DMH. Importantly, the activity of chemical-transformed mASC-IOs was associated with the degree of cellular differentiation of subcutaneous tumors, altered transcription of oncogenic genes, and activated pathways related to CRC development, including Apc, Trp53, Kras, Pik3ca, Smad4 genes, as well as WNT and BMP signaling pathways. Taken together, we successfully developed a mASC-IO-based CTA, which might serve as a potential alternative for intestinal carcinogenicity screening of chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the results of direct-method metallicity measurements in the disc and outflow of the low-metallicity starburst galaxy NGC 1569. We use Keck Cosmic Web Imager observations to map the galaxy across 54″ (800 pc) along the major axis and 48″ (700 pc) along the minor axis with a spatial resolution of 1″ (∼15 pc). We detect common strong emission lines ([O  iii ] λ5007, H β, [O  ii ] λ3727) and the fainter [O  iii ] λ4363 auroral line, which allows us to measure electron temperature (Te) and metallicity. Theory suggests that outflows drive metals out of the disc driving observed trends between stellar mass and gas-phase metallicity. Our main result is that the metallicity in the outflow is similar to that of the disc, Z out/ Z ISM ≈ 1. This is consistent with previous absorption line studies in higher mass galaxies. Assumption of a mass-loading factor of |$\dot{M}_{\rm out}/{\rm SFR}\sim 3$| makes the metal-loading of NGC 1569 consistent with expectations derived from the mass–metallicity relationship. Our high spatial resolution metallicity maps reveal a region around a supermassive star cluster (SSC-B) with distinctly higher metallicity and higher electron density, compared to the disc. Given the known properties of SSC-B the higher metallicity and density of this region are likely the result of star formation-driven feedback acting on the local scale. Overall, our results are consistent with the picture in which metal-enriched winds pollute the circumgalactic medium surrounding galaxies, and thus connect the small-scale feedback processes to large-scale properties of galaxy haloes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Constructing a 3D morphology Bi 2 WO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 direct Z-scheme heterojunctions through the electrostatic self-assembly method. • The performance of photocatalytic CO 2 reduction is dramatically improved under the synergistic effect of morphology interface engineering modification strategies. • Under simulated sunlight irradiation conditions, the CH 4 yield of BZ-20 was 8.73 and 16.30 times higher than that of the pure ZnIn 2 S 4 and Bi 2 WO 6 samples, respectively. Developing efficient heterojunction photocatalysts with enhanced charge transfer and reduced recombination rates of photogenerated carriers is crucial for harnessing solar energy in the photocatalytic CO 2 reduction into renewable fuels. This study employed electrostatic self-assembly techniques to construct a 3D Bi 2 WO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 direct Z-scheme heterojunctions. The unique 3D structure provided abundant active sites and facilitated CO 2 adsorption. Moreover, the optimized Bi 2 WO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 composite demonstrated an impressive CH 4 yield of 19.54 μmol g−1 under 4 h of simulated sunlight irradiation, which was about 8.73 and 16.30-fold higher than pure ZnIn 2 S 4 and Bi 2 WO 6. The observed enhancements in photocatalytic performance are attributed to forming a direct Z-scheme heterojunction, which effectively promotes charge transport and migration. This research introduces a novel strategy for constructing photocatalysts through the synergistic effect of morphological interface modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chalkophomycin is a novel chalkophore with antibiotic activities isolated from Streptomyces sp. CB00271, while its potential in studying cellular copper homeostasis makes it an important probe and drug lead. The constellation of N-hydroxylpyrrole, 2H-oxazoline, diazeniumdiolate, and methoxypyrrolinone functional groups into one compact molecular architecture capable of coordinating cupric ions draws interest to unprecedented enzymology responsible for chalkophomycin biosynthesis. To elucidate the biosynthetic machinery for chalkophomycin production, the chm biosynthetic gene cluster from S. sp. CB00271 was identified, and its involvement in chalkophomycin biosynthesis was confirmed by gene replacement. The chm cluster was localized to a ~31 kb DNA region, consisting of 19 open reading frames that encode five nonribosomal peptide synthetases (ChmHIJLO), one modular polyketide synthase (ChmP), six tailoring enzymes (ChmFGMNQR), two regulatory proteins (ChmAB), and four resistance proteins (ChmA′CDE). A model for chalkophomycin biosynthesis is proposed based on functional assignments from sequence analysis and structure modelling, and is further supported by analogy to over 100 chm-type gene clusters in public databases. Our studies thus set the stage to fully investigate chalkophomycin biosynthesis and to engineer chalkophomycin analogues through a synthetic biology approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) is the application of a low‐level laser device to generate physiological changes and provide therapeutic effects. Till now, the effects of PBMT on the neural differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells have been rarely reported. Herein, the potential effect and mechanism of PBMT on the neural differentiation of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) were preliminarily investigated in our research. The optimal dose of 3.75 J/cm2 was first screened for use in the following neural‐inducing studies. Then, DPSCs were cultured in neural induction medium and treated with laser irradiation for 7 days. From the results of morphology and immunofluorescence, we found that irradiation promoted the formation of neural stem cell‐like spheroids derived from DPSCs and enhanced potential neural differentiation. Furthermore, neural differentiation gene expressions of Nestin, microtubule‐associated protein‐2, and neural cell adhesion molecule were increased after PBMT irradiation. The protein expressions of class III β‐tubulin and neurogenic differentiation factor 1 were also improved. Meanwhile, the involvement of extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK1/2) was investigated by western blot. Our study showed that the neural differentiation of DPSCs was promoted by PBMT, and the underlying mechanism in this process was associated with activating the ERK1/2 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microwave assisted aqueous two-phase system (MA-ATPS) was used to simultaneously extract two polysaccharides from blackcurrant. Under the suitable ATPS (ethanol/(NH 4) 2 SO 4 , 26.75 %/18.98 %) combining with the optimal MA conditions (liquid-to-material ratio 58.5 mL/g, time 9.5 min, temperature 60.5 °C, power 587 W) predicted by response surface methodology, the yields of the top/bottom phase polysaccharides were 13.08 ± 0.37 % and 42.65 ± 0.89 %, respectively. After purification through column chromatography, the top phase polysaccharide (PRTP) and bottom phase polysaccharide (PRBP) were obtained. FT-IR, methylation and NMR analyses confirmed that the repeating unit in the backbone of PRTP was →2, 5)- α -L-Ara f -(1 → 3)- α -D-Man p -(1 → 6)- β -D-Gal p -(1 → 6)- α -D-Glc p -(1 → 4)- α -L-Rha p -(1 → 4)- α -D-GalA p -(1→, while the possible unit in PRBP was →4)- α -L-Rha p -(1 → 3)- α -D-Man p -(1 → 6)- β -D-Gal p -(1 → 6)- α -D-Glc p -(1 → 2, 5)- α -L-Ara f -(1 → 4)- α -D-GalA p -(1→. PRBP with relatively low molecular weight exhibited better stability, rheological property, free radical scavenging and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activities than PRTP. PRTP and PRBP were reversible mixed-type inhibitors for AChE, and the conformation of AChE was changed after binding with the polysaccharides. Molecular docking, fluorescence and isothermal titration calorimetry assays revealed that PRTP and PRBP quenched the fluorescence through static quenching mechanism, and the van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonding played key roles in the stability of polysaccharide-enzyme complexes. This study provided a theoretical basis for blackcurrant polysaccharides as AChE inhibitors to treat Alzheimer's disease. [Display omitted] • MA-ATPE for two kinds of polysaccharides from blackcurrant was optimized by RSM. • Six main glycosidic linkages and α -, β -pyranose were confirmed in PRTP and PRBP. • PRBP with low M w showed better physicochemical property and bioactivity than PRTP. • PRTP and PRBP were reversible mixed-type inhibitors with static quenching on AChE. • Van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonding played key roles in PRTP/PRBP-AChE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand and quantify fatigue in siltstone, uniaxial cyclic loading was applied on siltstone specimens along with acoustic emission (AE) monitoring. The specimens were pre-treated with cyclic temperatures up to 200 °C, 400 °C, and 600 °C, respectively. The upper limit of cyclic stress was 40% and 60% of the average uniaxial compressive strength of the specimens. The results show that the fatigue behaviour of siltstone can be classified into stiffened and damaged categories. An increase in the cyclic temperature leads to a decrease in the fatigue threshold. The AE cumulative ringing count was recorded during the experiment. A unified model was derived with high accuracy to describe both the stiffened and damaged behaviour of siltstone under post-thermal cyclic loading. • Post-thermal cyclic loading incurred stiffened and damaged behaviour in siltstone. • Elastic modulus (E) was more sensitive to cyclic loading in the damaged specimens. • The first three cycles accounted for up to 81.41% of the variation in E. • An increase in the temperature decreased the fatigue threshold of the siltstone. • A quantitative acoustic emission model unified stiffened and damaged fatigue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detrimental impact of heavy metals on cardiovascular well-being is a global concern, and engaging in suitable physical activity has been shown to confer cardiovascular advantage. Nevertheless, the potential of exercise to mitigate the deleterious effects of heavy metals on stroke remains uncertain. We conducted a cross-sectional survey to assess the influence of blood cadmium and blood lead on stroke occurrence, while also examining the role of physical activity. Weighted multivariate regression analysis was employed to examine the potential correlation, while subgroup and interaction analyses were used to investigate the sensitivity and robustness of the results. After controlling risk factors, it revealed a positive correlation between blood cadmium and lead levels and the occurrence of stroke. Specifically, a 50% increase in blood cadmium was associated with a 28% increase in stroke incidence, while a 50% increase in blood lead was associated with a 47% increase in stroke incidence. To estimate the non-linear relationship, we employed restricted cubic models. The results demonstrate a gradual decrease in the slope of the model curve as the intensity of physical activity increases, implying that engaging in physical activity may contribute to a reduction in the occurrence of stroke caused by blood cadmium and lead. Our findings suggest that blood cadmium and lead could be considered an autonomous risk factor for stroke within the general population of the United States. Moreover, engaging in physical activity has the potential to mitigate the potential detrimental consequences associated with exposure to heavy metals. • Blood cadmium and lead are positively associated with stroke. • There exists a threshold effect between heavy metals and stroke. • Physical activity can reduce the risk of cadmium and lead on stroke. • Intense physical activity effectively mitigates the stroke risk posed by heavy metals. • Women have a higher vulnerability to stroke when exposed to heavy metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing evidence has suggested that increased matrix stiffness can significantly strengthen the malignant characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. However, whether and how increased matrix stiffness regulates the formation of invadopodia in HCC cells remain largely unknown. In the study, we developed different experimental systems in vitro and in vivo to explore the effects of matrix stiffness on the formation of invadopodia and its relevant molecular mechanism. Our results demonstrated that increased matrix stiffness remarkably augmented the migration and invasion abilities of HCC cells, upregulated the expressions of invadopodia-associated genes and enhanced the number of invadopodia. Two regulatory pathways contribute to matrix stiffness-driven invadopodia formation together in HCC cells, including direct triggering invadopodia formation through activating integrin β1 or Piezo1/ FAK/Src/Arg/cortactin pathway, and indirect stimulating invadopodia formation through improving EGF production to activate EGFR/Src/Arg/cortactin pathway. Src was identified as the common hub molecule of two synergistic regulatory pathways. Simultaneously, activation of integrin β1/RhoA/ROCK1/MLC2 and Piezo1/Ca2+/MLCK/MLC2 pathways mediate matrix stiffness-reinforced cell migration. This study uncovers a new mechanism by which mechanosensory pathway and biochemical signal pathway synergistically regulate the formation of invadopodia in HCC cells. • Increased matrix stiffness enhances migration and invasion abilities of HCC cells. • A synergistic regulation contributes to matrix stiffness-driven invadopodia formation. • Src is identified as the common hub molecule of synergistic regulatory pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emodin was extracted from Rheum officinale Baill by ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), and ethanol was chosen as the suitable solvent through SEM and molecular dynamic simulation. Under the optimum conditions (power 541 W, time 23 min, liquid to material ratio 13:1 mL/g, ethanol concentration 83 %) predicted by RSM, the yield of emodin was 2.18 ± 0.11 mg/g. Moreover, ultrasound power and time displayed the significant effects on the extraction process. Extracting dynamics analysis indicated that the extraction process of emodin by UAE conformed to Fick's second diffusion law. The results of antibacterial experiments suggested that emodin can damage cell membrane and inhibit the expression of cps2A, sao, mrp, epf, neu and the hemolytic activity of S. suis. Biolayer interferometry and FT-IR multi-peak fitting assays demonstrated that emodin induced a secondary conformational shift in CcpA. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics confirmed that emodin bound to CcpA through hydrogen bonding (ALA248, GLU249, GLY129 and ASN196) and π-π T-shaped interaction (TYR225 and TYR130), and the mutation of amino acid residues affected the affinity of CcpA to emodin. Therefore, emodin inhibited the sugar utilization of S. suis through binding to CcpA, and CcpA may be a potential target to inhibit the growth of S. suis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding drug transport across the placental barrier is important for assessing the potential fetal drug toxicity and birth defect risks. Current in vivo and in vitro models have structural and functional limitations in evaluating placental drug transfer and toxicity. Microphysiological systems (MPSs) offer more accurate and relevant physiological models of human tissues and organs on a miniature scale for drug development and toxicology testing. MPSs for the placental barrier have been recently explored to study placental drug transfer. We utilized a multilayered hydrogel membrane-based microphysiological model composed of human placental epithelial and endothelial cells to replicate the key structure and function of the human placental barrier. A macroscale human placental barrier model was created using a transwell to compare the results with the microphysiological model. Placental barrier models were characterized by assessing monolayer formation, intercellular junctions, barrier permeability, and their structural integrity. Three small-molecule drugs (glyburide, rifaximin, and caffeine) that are prescribed or taken during pregnancy were studied for their placental transfer. The results showed that all three drugs crossed the placental barrier, with transfer rates in the following order: glyburide (molecular weight, MW = 494 Da) < rifaximin (MW = 785.9 Da) < caffeine (MW = 194.19 Da). Using non-compartmental analysis, we estimated human pharmacokinetic characteristics based on in vitro data from both MPS and transwell models. While further research is needed, our findings suggest that MPS holds potential as an in vitro tool for studying placental drug transfer and predicting fetal exposure, offering insights into pharmacokinetics. A microphysiological model was employed for placental drug transfer. Transfer rates of glyburide, rifaximin and caffeine were found different. Placental drug transfer may depend on both placenta- and drug-specific properties. Non-compartmental analysis presents potential for predicting fetal drug exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benzimidazole fungicides are a class of highly effective, low-toxicity, systemic broad-spectrum fungicides developed in the 1960s and 1970s, based on the fungicidal activity of the benzimidazole ring structure. They exhibit biological activities including anticancer, antibacterial, and antiparasitic effects. Due to their particularly outstanding antibacterial properties, they are widely used in agriculture to prevent and control various plant diseases caused by fungi. The main products of benzimidazole fungicides include benomyl, carbendazim, thiabendazole, albendazole, thiophanate, thiophanate-methyl, fuberidazole, methyl (1-{[(5-cyanopentyl)amino]carbonyl}-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl) carbamate, and carbendazim salicylate. This article mainly reviews the physicochemical properties, toxicological properties, disease control efficacy, and pesticide residue and detection technologies of the aforementioned nine benzimidazole fungicides and their main metabolite (2-aminobenzimidazole). On this basis, a brief outlook on the future research directions of benzimidazole fungicides is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, most wheel-legged robots need to complete the switching of the wheel-and-leg modal in a stationary state, and the existing algorithms of statically switching the wheel-leg modal cannot meet the control requirements of multimodal switching dynamically for robots. In this paper, to achieve efficient switching of the wheel-and-leg modal for a quadruped robot, the novel transformable mechanism is designed. Then, a multimodal coordination operation control framework based on multiple algorithms is presented, incorporating the minimum foot force distribution method (algorithm No.1), the minimum joint torque distribution method (algorithm No.2), and the method of combining the single rigid body dynamic model with quadratic programming (algorithm No.3). In the process of switching wheel-leg modal dynamically, the existing algorithm No.3 is prone to produce the wrong optimal force due to the change of the whole-body rotational inertia. Therefore, an improved algorithm No.1 and algorithm No.2 are proposed, which do not consider the change in the body's inertia. The control effects of the three algorithms are compared and analyzed by simulation. The results show that algorithm No.3 can maintain a small error in attitude angle and speed tracking regardless of whether the robot is under multilegged support or omnidirectional walking compared to the other two algorithms. However, proposed algorithms No.1 and No.2 can more accurately track the target speed when the robot is walking with wheels raising and falling. Finally, a multi-algorithm combination control scheme formulated based on the above control effects has been demonstrated to be effective for the dynamic switching of the wheel-and-leg modal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, amine containing electrode interface material destroy the non‐fullerene acceptor becomes a hard nut to crack for organic solar cells. Developing water‐soluble interface material which is no chemical reaction with non‐fullerene acceptor is an important research theme. Here, we report two bi‐triangular pyramidal electronic configuration organic‐phosphonium bromides as non‐amine cathode interfacial layer for fabricating high‐efficiency stable organic solar cells. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of inverted device structure with PBDB‐T/ITIC as active layer is up to 11.58 % which is great larger than control device PCE (9.35 %). Same device structure with PM6/Y6 as active layer, the PCE is up to 15.26 % and also is dramatically higher than the referred device PCE 14.36 %. Meanwhile, the devices show greatly improved stability by organic‐phosphonium bromide interlayer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is difficult to differentiate between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-peripheral bronchogenic carcinoma (COPD-PBC) and inflammatory masses. This study aims to predict COPD-PBC based on clinical data and preoperative Habitat-based enhanced CT radiomics (HECT radiomics) modeling. A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical imaging data of 232 cases of postoperative pathological confirmed PBC or inflammatory masses. The PBC group consisted of 82 cases, while the non-PBC group consisted of 150 cases. A training set and a testing set were established using a 7:3 ratio and a time cutoff point. In the training set, multiple models were established using clinical data and radiomics texture changes within different enhanced areas of the CT mass (HECT radiomics). The AUC values of each model were compared using Delong’s test, and the clinical net benefit of the models was tested using decision curve analysis (DCA). The models were then externally validated in the testing set, and a nomogram of predicting COPD-PBC was created. Univariate analysis confirmed that female gender, tumor morphology, CEA, Cyfra21-1, CT enhancement pattern, and Habitat-Radscore B/C were predictive factors for COPD-PBC (P< 0.05). The combination model based on these factors had significantly higher predictive performance [AUC: 0.894, 95% CI (0.836–0.936)] than the clinical data model [AUC: 0.758, 95% CI (0.685–0.822)] and radiomics model [AUC: 0.828, 95% CI (0.761–0.882)]. DCA also confirmed the higher clinical net benefit of the combination model, which was validated in the testing set. The nomogram developed based on the combination model helped predict COPD-PBC. The combination model based on clinical data and Habitat-based enhanced CT radiomics can help differentiate COPD-PBC, providing a new non-invasive and efficient method for its diagnosis, treatment, and clinical decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oxaliplatin resistance usually leads to therapeutic failure and poor prognosis in colorectal cancer (CRC), while the underlying mechanisms are not yet fully understood. Metabolic reprogramming is strongly linked to drug resistance, however, the role and mechanism of metabolic reprogramming in oxaliplatin resistance remain unclear. Here, we aim to explore the functions and mechanisms of purine metabolism on the oxaliplatin-induced apoptosis of CRC. Methods: An oxaliplatin-resistant CRC cell line was generated, and untargeted metabolomics analysis was conducted. The inosine 5ʹ-monophosphate dehydrogenase type II (IMPDH2) expression in CRC cell lines was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and western blotting analysis. The effects of IMPDH2 overexpression, knockdown and pharmacological inhibition on oxaliplatin resistance in CRC were assessed by flow cytometry analysis of cell apoptosis in vivo and in vitro. Results: Metabolic analysis revealed that the levels of purine metabolites, especially guanosine monophosphate (GMP), were markedly elevated in oxaliplatin-resistant CRC cells. The accumulation of purine metabolites mainly arose from the upregulation of IMPDH2 expression. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) indicated high IMPDH2 expression in CRC correlates with PURINE_METABOLISM and MULTIPLE-DRUG-RESISTANCE pathways. CRC cells with higher IMPDH2 expression were more resistant to oxaliplatin-induced apoptosis. Overexpression of IMPDH2 in CRC cells resulted in reduced cell death upon treatment with oxaliplatin, whereas knockdown of IMPDH2 led to increased sensitivity to oxaliplatin through influencing the activation of the Caspase 7/8/9 and PARP1 proteins on cell apoptosis. Targeted inhibition of IMPDH2 by mycophenolic acid (MPA) or mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) enhanced cell apoptosis in vitro and decreased in vivo tumour burden when combined with oxaliplatin treatment. Mechanistically, the Wnt/β-catenin signalling was hyperactivated in oxaliplatin-resistant CRC cells, and a reciprocal positive regulatory mechanism existed between Wnt/β-catenin and IMPDH2. Blocking the Wnt/β-catenin pathway could resensitize resistant cells to oxaliplatin, which could be restored by the addition of GMP. Conclusions: IMPDH2 is a predictive biomarker and therapeutic target for oxaliplatin resistance in CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

YTH N6-methyladenosine RNA binding protein 1 (YTHDF1), an m6A reader, has a role in the development and progression of breast cancer as well as the immunological microenvironment. The networks of competing endogenous RNA in cancer have received much attention in research. In tumor gene therapy, the regulatory networks of m6A and competing endogenous RNA are increasingly emerging as a new route. We evaluated the relationship between the YTHDF1 expression, overall survival, and clinicopathology of breast cancer using TCGA, PrognoScan, and other datasets. We used Western blot to demonstrate that YTHDF1 is substantially expressed in breast cancer tissues. Furthermore, we explored YTHDF1′s functions in the tumor mutational burden, microsatellite instability, and tumor microenvironment. Our findings indicate that YTHDF1 is a critical component of the m6A regulatory proteins in breast cancer and may have a particular function in the immunological microenvironment. Crucially, we investigated the relationship between YTHDF1 and the associated competitive endogenous RNA regulatory networks, innovatively creating three such networks (Dehydrogenase/Reductase 4-Antisense RNA 1-miR-378g-YTHDF1, HLA Complex Group 9-miR-378g-YTHDF1, Taurine Up-regulated 1-miR-378g-YTHDF1). Furthermore, we showed that miR-378g could inhibit the expression of YTHDF1, and that miR-378g/YTHDF1 could impact MDA-MB-231 proliferation. We speculate that YTHDF1 may serve as a biomarker for poor prognosis and differential diagnosis, impact the growth of breast cancer cells via the ceRNA network axis, and be a target for immunotherapy against breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accurate clinical structural variant (SV) calling is essential for cancer target identification and diagnosis but has been historically challenging due to the lack of ground truth for clinical specimens. Meanwhile, reduced clinical-testing cost is the key to the widespread clinical utility. Methods: We analyzed massive data from tumor samples of 476 patients and developed a computational framework for accurate and cost-effective detection of clinically-relevant SVs. In addition, standard materials and classical experiments including immunohistochemistry and/or fluorescence in situ hybridization were used to validate the developed computational framework. Results: We systematically evaluated the common algorithms for SV detection and established an expert-reviewed SV call set of 1,303 tumor-specific SVs with high-evidence levels. Moreover, we developed a random-forest-based decision model to improve the true positive of SVs. To independently validate the tailored 'two-step' strategy, we utilized standard materials and classical experiments. The accuracy of the model was over 90% (92–99.78%) for all types of data. Conclusion: Our study provides a valuable resource and an actionable guide to improve cancer-specific SV detection accuracy and clinical applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic stroke is a serious disease posing significant threats to human health and life, with the highest absolute and relative risks of a poor prognosis following the first occurrence, and more than 90% of strokes are attributable to modifiable risk factors. Currently, machine learning (ML) is widely used for the prediction of ischemic stroke outcomes. By identifying risk factors, predicting the risk of poor prognosis and thus developing personalized treatment plans, it effectively reduces the probability of poor prognosis, leading to more effective secondary prevention. This review includes 41 studies since 2018 that used ML algorithms to build prognostic prediction models for ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), and acute ischemic stroke (AIS). We analyzed in detail the risk factors used in these studies, the sources and processing methods of the required data, the model building and validation, and their application in different prediction time windows. The results indicate that among the included studies, the top five risk factors in terms of frequency were cardiovascular diseases, age, sex, national institutes of health stroke scale (NIHSS) score, and diabetes. Furthermore, 64% of the studies used single-center data, 65% of studies using imbalanced data did not perform data balancing, 88% of the studies did not utilize external validation datasets for model validation, and 72% of the studies did not provide explanations for their models. Addressing these issues is crucial for enhancing the credibility and effectiveness of the research, consequently improving the development and implementation of secondary prevention measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated with deep learning algorithms, machine vision techniques have emerged as a robust method for the swift and non-destructive assessment of crop moisture status across extensive agricultural landscapes. Within the agricultural sector, where water serves as a crucial resource, especially for cash crops such as cotton, precise monitoring of water status in fields is paramount. This study presents a novel approach for the evaluation of thermal imagery of cotton crops to predict their water status. The research focused on the application of a methodology that harnesses deep learning architectures in tandem with extant local irrigation practices. A considerable dataset, comprising approximately 5200 images, was collected under conditions of submembrane drip irrigation conditions. Cross-validation was employed to evaluate five deep learning models: VGG16, ResNet-18, MobilenetV3, DenseNet-201, and CSPdarknet53 for training and testing purposes. Experimental outcomes indicated that the MobilenetV3 model outperformed other deep learning architectures. It demonstrated exceptional capability in identifying cotton water stress classes, achieving an F1 value of 0.9990, with an average processing time of 44.85 ms. These results underscore the effectiveness of utilizing deep learning algorithms for accurately assessing water stress in cotton under mulched drip irrigation. This establishes a foundational basis for the development of a precise, cost-effective, and real-time monitoring system for the management of water in cotton fields. • The effects of five CNN models for cotton water deficit recognition were compared. • The identification of cotton water deficit under real conditions was realized. • The analysis obtained the most suitable CNN model for actual field use. • This study is helpful to develop a precise irrigation system by machine vision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Two new compounds were synthesized. • These two compounds can be used to detect Cr 2 O 7 2−. • Compound 2 exhibits ammonia sensing properties. Two new Zn (II)-viologen chromic compounds, named {[(4-BCBPY) 0.5 (HIPA)]·H 2 O} n (1) and {[Zn 3 (IPA) 4 (4-BCBPY)]·2H 2 O} n (2) (4-BCBPY2+ = 1,1′-bis(4-cyanobenzyl)-4,4′-bipyridinium dication, H 2 IPA = isophthalic acid) have been synthesized through varying reaction conditions. Structural analysis reveals that compound 1 possesses a supramolecular compound, while compound 2 exhibits a metal-organic framework (MOF) structure built from trinuclear metal building units. Under the irradiation of a 300 W Xe lamp, compound 1 undergoes a color change from orange to brown, while compound 2 transitions from yellow to green. The introduction of metal ions in compound 2 enhances its light response rate compared to compound 1. Additionally, compound 2 displays a visible color change in the presence of ammonia, whereas compound 1 does not exhibit this capability. Meanwhile, the stable product 2P of 2 was obtained through irradiation, and the structural differences between 2 and 2P were analyzed. Furthermore, the study of time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) provides theoretical support for understanding the properties of 1 and 2. Both compounds exhibit intriguing photomodulated luminescence properties and demonstrate remarkable sensing abilities toward Cr 2 O 7 2−. Notably, the introduction of metal ions was found to modulate the photochromic behavior as well as the ammonia/anion sensing properties of these compounds. Two new chromic compounds named {[(4-BCBPY) 0.5 (HIPA)]·H 2 O} n (1) and {[Zn 3 (IPA) 4 (4-BCBPY)]·2H 2 O} n (2) were synthesized from 1, 1 '-bis (4-cyanobenzyl)-4, 4′-bipyridinium and 1, 3-phthalic acid. Compound 1 showed a color change from orange to brown under light irradiation, and the compound 2 showed a color change from yellow to green. The two compounds were used as fluorescence sensors for the detection of Cr 2 O 7 2−. It has good stability and low detection limit for Cr 2 O 7 2−. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, glycosylated gluten was modified to form a glycosylated gluten covalent complex. The covalent complex then forms nanoparticles through self-assembly under heating to stabilize the Pickering emulsion. The emulsion was loaded with β-carotene to investigate its protective effects on carotene. The research findings showed the thermal and storage stability of Pickering emulsion was the best when the concentration of glycosylated gluten nanoparticles was 4 % and oil-water volume was 40 %. Under these conditions, the smallest and most uniform distribution of emulsion droplets was observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and particle size analysis. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) confirmed that the glycosylated gluten nanoparticles formed a three-dimensional network through their interactions at the oil-water interface, inhibited droplet aggregation, and increased the stability of the emulsion. Through simulated digestion in vitro, confirmed β-carotene can be well protected by the prepared Pickering emulsion. • The hydrophilicity of gluten protein was improved by glycosylation. • Glycosylated gluten is heated to form nanoparticles to stabilize Pickering emulsion. • CLSM confirmed that the nanoparticles increased the stability of the emulsion. • In vitro digestion model found that the β-carotene can be protected by the emulsion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ATP citrate lyase (ACLY) is a key enzyme in glucolipid metabolism, and abnormally high expression of ACLY occurs in many diseases, including cancers, dyslipidemia and cardiovascular diseases. ACLY inhibitors are prospective treatments for these diseases. However, the scaffolds of ACLY inhibitors are insufficient with weak activity. The discovery of inhibitors with structural novelty and high activity continues to be a research hotpot. Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr. & Maxim.) Harms is used for cardiovascular disease treatment, from which no ACLY inhibitors have ever been found. In this work, we discovered three novel ACLY inhibitors, and the most potent one was isochlorogenic acid C (ICC) with an IC 50 value of 0.14 ± 0.04 μM. We found dicaffeoylquinic acids with ortho-dihydroxyphenyl groups were important features for inhibition by studying ten phenolic acids. We further investigated interactions between the highly active compound ICC and ACLY. Thermal shift assay revealed that ICC could directly bind to ACLY and improve its stability in the heating process. Enzymatic kinetic studies indicated ICC was a noncompetitive inhibitor of ACLY. Our work discovered novel ACLY inhibitors, provided valuable structure-activity patterns and deepened knowledge on the interactions between this targe tand its inhibitors. [Display omitted] • Three novel ACLY inhibitors were identified from Acanthopanax senticosus. • SAR analysis revealed that caffeoylquinic acids with ortho-dihydroxyphenyl were needful for high inhibition potency. • Isochlorogenic acid C was highly active and directly acted on ACLY in a noncompetitive pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic stroke is a serious cerebrovascular condition. Isobavachalcone (ISO) has been documented to exhibit an anti-inflammatory effect across a variety of diseases; however, its protective impact on ischemic stroke remains unexplored. In this study, we evaluated the influence of ISO in both transient middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (tMCAO/R) rat models and oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) cell models. We observed that pretreatment with 50 mg/kg ISO diminished the volume of brain infarction, reduced brain edema, and ameliorated neurological deficits in rats. A reduction in Nissl bodies was noted in the tMCAO/R group, which was reversed following treatment with 50 mg/kg ISO. TUNEL/NeuN double staining revealed a decrease in TUNEL-positive cells in tMCAO/R rats treated with ISO. Furthermore, ISO treatment suppressed the expression of cleaved caspase-3 and BAX, while elevating the expression of BCL-2 in tMCAO/R rats. The levels of CD86 and iNOS were elevated in tMCAO/R rats; conversely, ISO treatment enhanced the expression of CD206 and Arg-1. Additionally, the expression of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β was elevated in tMCAO/R rats, whereas ISO treatment counteracted this effect. ISO treatment also increased the expression of TGF-β and IL-10 in the ischemic penumbra of tMCAO/R rats. It was found that ISO treatment hindered microglial M1 polarization and favored M2 polarization. Histone Deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) is the downstream target protein of ISO, with ISO treatment resulting in decreased HDAC1 expression in both tMCAO/R rats and OGD/R-induced cells. Overexpression of HDAC1 was shown to promote microglial M1 polarization and inhibit M2 polarization in OGD/R+ISO cells. Overall, ISO treatment mitigated brain damage following ischemic stroke by promoting M2 polarization and attenuated ischemic injury by repressing HDAC1 expression. • ISO treatment promoted M2 polarization in tMCAO/R rats. • HDAC1 was a downstream target of ISO in therapying ischemic stroke. • ISO inhibited HDAC1 expression to alleviated ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A 2D/2D gC 3 N 4 /MoS 2 van der Waals heterojunction photocatalyst was prepared by a novel one-step method. • The type II band arrangement promotes an increase in photogenerated carrier concentration and separation of photogenerated charge carriers. • The in-situ formed heterojunction interface between gC 3 N 4 and MoS 2 boosts H 2 evolution by 3 times. Two-dimensional (2D) heterostructures have proven their efficiency in separating charges. Herein, a gC 3 N 4 /MoS 2 (CN/MoS 2) photocatalyst, in the form of 2D/2D van der Waals heterojunction with a type-II band alignment, was synthesized using a novel one-step method. The resulting in-situ formed heterojunction interface enhances electron transfer from gC 3 N 4 to MoS 2. The CN/MoS 2 photocatalyst exhibits exceptional activity in generating hydrogen from water under simulated solar light. Its hydrogen production rate was 1285 μmol/h/g, which was approximately 3 times higher compared to gC 3 N 4. This superiority is due to a significant increase in photogenerated carrier density and efficient charge separation facilitated by the type-II heterojunction. This study demonstrates a straightforward one-step approach for synthesizing 2D/2D composite photocatalysts, highlighting the effective synergy between different 2D materials in promoting hydrogen generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innate immune response is the first line of defense for the host against virus invasion. One important response is the synthesis and secretion of type I interferon (IFN-I) in the virus-infected host cells. Here, we found that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection induced high expression of TRIM25, which belongs to the tripartite motif-containing (TRIM) family of proteins. TRIM25 bound and activated retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) by K63-linked ubiquitination. Accordingly, RIG-I mediated the production of IFN-I mainly through the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway in respiratory epithelial cells. Interestingly, IFN-I, in turn, promoted a high expression of TRIM38 which downregulated the expression of IFN-I by reducing the protein level of RIG-I by K48-linked ubiquitination. More importantly, the binding site of TRIM25 to RIG-I was found in the narrow 25th-43rd amino acid (aa) region of RIG-I N-terminus. In contrast, the binding sites of TRIM38 to RIG-I were found in a much wider amino acid region, which included the binding site of TRIM25 on RIG-I. As a result, TRIM38 inhibits the production of IFN-I by competing with TRIM25 for RIG-I binding. Thus, TRIM38 negatively regulates RIG-I activation to, in turn, downregulate IFN-I expression, thus interfering with host immune response. A negative feedback loop effectively "puts the brakes" on the reaction once host immune response is overactivated and homeostasis is unbalanced. We also discovered that TRIM25 bound RIG-I by a new K63-linked ubiquitination located at K-45 of the first caspase recruitment domain (CARD). Collectively, these results confirm an antagonism between TRIM38 and TRIM25 in regulating IFN-I production by affecting RIG-I activity following RNA virus infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]