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• A hybrid fabrication method combining ultrafast lasers ablations and rotational homogenization process was developed to construct uniform PDMS micro-nanostructures systematically. • The novel rotational homogenization process utilized centrifugal forces to confront surface tensions, achieving uniform distribution of PDMS on various microstructures. • Multiple tests were applied on the superhydrophobic surfaces, showing their comprehensive durability against mechanical and chemical damages, especially their recovery in freezing-melting cycles and resistance to supercooled droplet intrusion in −20 °C environment. Superhydrophobic surface is one of the most promising materials for the prevention and elimination of ice in daily lives but its durability remains a tremendous problem. Inevitable deterioration on the low-free-energy coating caused by harsh environment restrains their potential applications. Icephobic polymers are more durable than mostly used fluorosilanes for their higher thickness and cohesive strength but difficult to be uniformly modified on rugged micro-nanostructures. In this study, a nanostructured tungsten carbide doped PDMS layer was uniformly covered on aluminum microcones via a hybrid fabrication process combining nanosecond and femtosecond laser ablations and a rotational homogenization process. The prepared superhydrophobic surfaces exhibited excellent water repellency and anti-icing properties in icing-deicing cycles, water flow impacting and freezing-melting cycles. Multiple mechanical/chemical damage tests were performed to test their durability comprehensively. In mechanical tests, the surfaces could withstand linear abrasion length of 240 cm under 5.2 kPa pressure, impacting sand amount of at least 80 g or tape peeling for at least 200 cycles. The chemical durability was elucidated in −40 to 200 °C cycles, 2-day ultraviolet exposure and immersion in different liquids. The proposed hybrid method to form homogenous, ductile and durable superhydrophobic coatings could yield a prospective candidate for applications in anti-fouling and anti-icing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The spectrum of embedded PSFBG under thermomechanical loading is investigated. • Strain decoupling and reconstruction algorithms aided by thermomechanical analysis are developed. • Three-directional strains in the host material in a thermomechanical experiment are measured by an embedded PSFBG. This study presents a multi-directional strain measurement technique under thermomechanical loading, utilizing the sensitive birefringence of an embedded phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating. The spectral response of the phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating to temperature and multi-directional strains is mathematically elucidated and simulated using a modified transfer matrix method considering the polarization state. Strain decoupling and reconstruction algorithms are newly proposed based on thermomechanical analysis, which relate the spectral characteristics, strains in the sensor, and strains in the host material. After calibration of the temperature and multi-directional strain responses, a phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating is embedded into a polyetherimide specimen and subjected to thermomechanical loading, achieving the measurement of pressure as well as three-directional strains in the sensor and polyetherimide. The presented technique is demonstrated to be reliable for accurate multi-directional strain measurement under thermomechanical loading with minimal errors and shows potential for in-situ measurement of advanced structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: For a delta-monotone linear mapping we prove that the factors in the polar decomposition are delta-monotone. Also, we prove that every delta-monotone linear mapping can be factored into a product of -monotone mappings for any . As an application in nonlinear case, we give a new proof of the following fact: the quasiconformality constant of a -monotone mapping can be chosen such that tends to 1 as tends to 1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Micropatterned Cu surfaces with apparently improved LM wettability were obtained. • Low TIR was proved to demand low LM dosage meanwhile low trapped air area ratio. • Extra low, stable TIR of 0.37 m m 2 · K / W was attained on optimized surfaces. Thermal management systems are facing significant demand to dissipate increasing heat fluxes in time, however, heat transfer between solid surfaces is always obstructed due to the unperfect interfacial contact. Gallium-based room-temperature liquid metals (LM) are a type of emerging thermal interface materials (TIMs) with superior thermal conductivity and deformability, efficiently enhancing the through-interface thermal transfer. However, the poor wettability of LMs with engineering materials (e.g. , copper), which leads to non-negligible remaining gap/air at the interfaces, limits the further reduction of thermal interface resistance. Herein, a laser micropatterning approach is presented to significantly improve LM wetting behaviors with copper surfaces in the assistance of HCl solution, with the thermal interface resistance minimized to ∼0.37 mm2·K/W which is four orders of magnitudes lower than that of two bare surfaces directly contacted and a quarter of that of bare surfaces with LM as TIM. Micropatterns featuring dense, shallow and open channels were designed and demonstrated to effectively expel trapped air while using a small amount of LM, which were both found necessary for reducing thermal interface resistance. We believe this study can lay a foundation for the further development and practical application of LMs based thermal management strategies. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) has been concerned as a main complication of liver surgery and transplantation. Previous studies show that reactive oxygen species (ROS) associated inflammation response and contribute to the liver damage during IRI. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) has shown many beneficial effects on abrogating ROS production and ameliorating liver injury. This study found lower CoQ10 level in the process of liver IRI in a mouse model of hepatic IRI. Meanwhile, our results showed that CoQ10 administration significantly attenuate hepatic IRI proved by HE staining, serum ALT/AST. The NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is activated by ROS which triggers the activation of inflammatory caspases. In this study, NLRP3 was significantly suppressed by CoQ10 while Foxp3 exhibited increased expression in liver. Furthermore, Kupffer cells (KCs) pretreated with CoQ10 under the condition of hypoxia and reoxygenation contributed to improved CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) ratio in co-culture system. Furthermore, NLRP3 inflammasome activator treatment in vivo resulted in higher expression of caspase-1 and NLRP3 and reduction of Tregs in liver, which reversed the protection of CoQ10 in the liver injury. Taken together, our study discovered that CoQ10 can suppress NLRP3 activity in KCs and improves Foxp3+ Tregs differentiation depending on M2 macrophage polarization of KCs to ameliorate hepatic IRI. [Display omitted] • CoQ10 attenuated the hepatic ROS production and ischemia reperfusion injury. • CoQ10 suppressed NLRP3 inflammasome activation and promoted Tregs infiltration. • CoQ10 improved Foxp3 + Tregs differentiation depending on M2 macrophage polarization of KCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • We developed a high-throughput hydrophobic/superhydrophobic SERS platform. • This platform can detect 10-14mol/L R6G with an enhancement factor of 2.1 × 1011. • One platform can detect at least nine different analytic droplets simultaneously. • This platform has distinguishing ability for CV, MG, MB and their mixtures. • This platform can detect CV residue on contaminated fish scales. Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) possesses unique advantages including convenient operation, label free, simple pretreatment process, non-destructive inspection and reliable test results. Aimed at practical applications, the SERS substrates need comprehensive properties in low-cost, rapid detection, high sensitivity, uniformity, stability and universality. Facile fabrication such as laser ablation and high-throughput detection can greatly reduce the cost and improve the detection efficiency. Meanwhile, superhydrophobic surfaces can increase the sensitivity and uniformity via evaporation enrichment. Herein, we report a patterned hydrophobic/superhydrophobic SERS platform, achieving the detection of 10-14mol/L Rhodamine 6G with an effect factor up to 2.1 × 1011 and high-throughput detection for at least nine different samples simultaneously. Notably, considering the abuse of hazardous fish drugs, we further apply this platform to detect crystal violet, malachite green, methylene blue, their mixtures and the crystal violet residue on contaminated fish scales. These results demonstrate that this SERS platform can not only maintain its relatively high sensitivity but also perform excellent distinguishing ability, offering valuable information on the application fields including food safety evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A unique SERS substrate processed by one-step femtosecond laser ablation in Argon. • S-Ag-Ar can detect 10-8mol/L R6G with enhancement factor up to 5.3 × 106. • S-Ag-Ar has high uniformity with relative standard deviation less than 11.97%. • S-Ag-Ar can be stored for more than seven months and shows good universality. • This unique SERS substrate demonstrates good potentials for food safety evaluation. Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) is a reliable tool for detection of food additives due to its advantages including rapid detection, non-destructive and excellent sensitivity. Currently, the commercial SERS substrates are not yet satisfactory referring to cost, sensitivity, uniformity and stability. Herein, we report a unique SERS substrate processed by one-step femtosecond laser ablation in Argon. The substrate shows high sensitivity with limit of detection up to 10-8mol/L for Rhodamine 6G (R6G) and enhancement factor up to 5.3 × 106 due to laser induced more plentiful nanostructures and less oxidation in Argon, in addition to high uniformity with relative standard deviation less than 11.97% and long storage time more than seven months. This SERS substrate is capable of detecting the common food additives including malachite green (1 ppm), crystal violet (10-7mol/L), Sudan I (1 ppm), melamin (1 ppm), brilliant blue (1 ppm) and tartrazine (1 ppm). This unique Ag SERS substrate demonstrates good potentials for food safety evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) exhibit considerable heterogeneity in advanced cancers; however, the functional annotation and mechanism of CAFs in early-stage cancers remain elusive. Utilizing single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomic, we identify a previously unknown PDGFRα+ITGA11+ CAF subset in early-stage bladder cancer (BCa). Multicenter clinical analysis of a 910-case cohort confirms that PDGFRα+ITGA11+ CAFs are associated with lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and poor prognosis in early-stage BCa. These CAFs facilitate LVI and lymph node (LN) metastasis in early-stage BCa, as evidenced in a PDGFRα+ITGA11+ CAFs-specific deficient mouse model. Mechanistically, PDGFRα+ITGA11+ CAFs promote lymphangiogenesis via recognizing ITGA11 surface receptor SELE on lymphatic endothelial cells to activate SRC-p-VEGFR3-MAPK pathway. Further, CHI3L1 from PDGFRα+ITGA11+ CAFs aligns the surrounding matrix to assist cancer cell intravasation, fostering early-stage BCa LVI and LN metastasis. Collectively, our study reveals the crucial role of PDGFRα+ITGA11+ CAFs in shaping metastatic landscape, informing the treatment of early-stage BCa LVI. [Display omitted] • A CAF subset that expresses PDGFRα and ITGA11 is identified in early-stage BCa • PDGFRα+ITGA11+ CAFs enhance lymphangiogenesis via ITGA11-SELE interplay • PDGFRα+ITGA11+ CAFs align ECM via CHI3L1 to assist BCa cell intravasation • Targeting PDGFRα+ITGA11+ CAFs inhibits LVI and LN metastasis of early-stage BCa Zheng et al. uncover the cellular landscape in early-stage BCa and report a CAF subset characterized by PDGFRα and ITGA11. They demonstrate that PDGFRα+ITGA11+ CAFs stimulate lymphangiogenesis and align ECM to assist BCa cell intravasation, facilitating the LVI and LN metastasis of early-stage BCa, which provides a potential therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macrophage-targeted therapy offers new options for intractable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which has a low 5-year survival rate. However, the factors regulating the biological function and phenotype of macrophages in PDAC are incompletely understood. Here, we found that CD51 was positively associated with the poor prognosis of PDAC patients and was highly expressed on macrophages but not on pancreatic cancer cells. Subsequently, we found that CD51 was a marker of macrophages, which promoted the stemness of pancreatic cancer cells. Furthermore, knockdown of CD51 in macrophages drove macrophages toward an M1-like phenotype. Mechanistically, macrophage-expressed CD51 contributed to the acquisition of stemness traits of pancreatic cancer cells by regulating the TGF-β1/smad2/3 pathway. Our data demonstrate the central role played by macrophage-expressed CD51 in the acquisition of stemness traits of pancreatic cancer cells through the paracrine induction of TGF-β1. We first show the connection between the CD51/TGF-β1/smad2/3 axis and PDAC cancer stem cell properties and then indicate that CD51-targeted therapy is a new therapeutic modality for PDAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We developed a chemical-free ultrathin aluminum wick with dual-scale microgrooves. • The wick exhibited an improved K/R eff about 1.322 µm with a depth of about 100 µm. • The enhanced capillary performance was related to the interaction of liquid in each groove. • This wick kept the ability to transport liquid under bending angles of 90 and 135°. With the burgeoning development of electronic devices with higher heat flux, thinner volume, lighter weight, and flexibility, heat pipes and vapor chambers are facing big challenges, especially in fabricating high-performance wicks within limited space. Microgrooves have gained increasing interest for the ability to be directly curved on the substrates, whereas the capillary performance enhancement hits a bottleneck. In this study, a chemical-free ultrathin aluminum wick with dual-scale microgrooves was fabricated via two-step laser texturing in 0.3 mm thick AA6061. The resultant surface, composed of main microgrooves and periodic sub-microgrooves in the ridges and valleys, demonstrated enhanced capillary performance via capillary rise rate experiments. The interaction of liquids in dual-scale microgrooves, that was the pumping effect and the flow resistance reducing effect, would be the main reason for the capillary performance enhancement. The ultrathin aluminum wick with dual-scale microgrooves exhibited a K / R eff about 1.322 µm with a shallow depth of about 100 µm, increased by 11.3% compared with that of single-scale microgrooves due to the assistance of the sub-microgrooves. This wick kept the ability to transport liquid under bending angles of 90 and 135°. Moreover, the wicking performance of different liquids decreased with the decrease of surface tension to viscosity ratio. The ultrathin aluminum wick with dual-scale microgrooves showed enhanced capillary performance, which was among the best with thickness less than 200 µm to our knowledge. This work provides insight into the design of high-performance wicks within limited space and weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Composite structures consisting of nano-ripples and grooves are fabricated. • The adhesion of E. coli was limited on nano-ripples and micro-grooves. • Deep grooves are conducive to the deformation and rupture of bacteria. • All types of nano-ripples surfaces present good biocompatibility. Structured surfaces with both anti-bacterial capability and biocompatibility are essential to medical devices including orthopedic implants. Over the past few years, numerous studies indicated that nanostructures such as nanotubes, nanowires, nano-pillars and nano-ripples were capable of repelling or killing bacteria, while the morphology and dimensions of the nanostructures showed essential influence on the adhesion and proliferation of cells. The long-term functionalities of implants depend on their reliable anti-bacterial performance at the same time enhanced biocompatibility. However, researches covering both these two aspects are still very limited. In this paper, we applied one-step femtosecond laser irradiation to produce three types of nano-ripples, and to investigate their anti-bacterial behavior and their biocompatibility. Our results demonstrate that all the three types of nano-ripples are capable of preventing bacterial colonization and biofilm formation, with their anti-bacteria rates towards E. coli respectively 43%, 49% and 56%. Meanwhile, the femtosecond laser induced nano-ripples exhibit good rat mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) proliferation capacity and spreading performance, and the nano-ripples affect significantly the orientation of MSCs. The results offer valuable information and potentials on the anti-bacteria and biocompatibility of nanostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]