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This study presents an integrated approach combining surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with a specialized deep learning algorithm, SFNet, to offer a rapid, accurate, and label‐free alternative for COVID‐19 diagnosis and viral load quantification. The SiO2‐coated silver nanorod arrays are employed as the SERS substrates, fabricated using a reliable and effective glancing angle deposition technique. A dataset of 4800 SERS spectra from 120 positive and 120 negative inactivated clinical human nasopharyngeal swabs are collected directly on the SERS substrates without any labels. A SFNet algorithm is tailored to adapt to the unique spectral features inherent to SERS data, achieving a test accuracy of 98.5% and a blind test accuracy of 99.04%. Moreover, an optimized SFNet algorithm unveils the capability of estimating SARS‐CoV‐2 viral loads, accurately predicting the cycle threshold values (Ct values) of the three vital gene fragments with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.627 (1.3 for blind test). The methodology is substantiated using actual clinical specimens and completed in <15 min, thereby strengthening its real‐world point‐of‐care applicability. This rapid and precise yet label‐free modality competes favorably with classical reverse‐transcription real‐time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) and marks an advancement in SERS‐based sensor algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)‐positive cell therapy, specifically with anti‐CD19 CAR‐T (CAR19‐T) cells, achieves a high complete response during tumor treatment for hematological malignancies. Large‐scale production and application of CAR‐T therapy can be achieved by developing efficient and low‐cost enrichment methods for CAR‐T cells, expansion monitoring in vivo, and overcoming tumor escape. Here, novel CAR‐specific binding aptamers (CAR‐ap) to traceless sort CAR‐positive cells and obtain a high positive rate of CAR19‐T cells is identified. Additionally, CAR‐ap‐enriched CAR19‐T cells exhibit similar antitumor capacity as CAR‐ab (anti‐CAR antibody)‐enriched CAR‐T cells. Moreover, CAR‐ap accurately monitors the expansion of CAR19‐T cells in vivo and predicts the prognosis of CAR‐T treatment. Essentially, a novel class of stable CAR‐ap‐based bispecific circular aptamers (CAR‐bc‐ap) is constructed by linking CAR‐ap with a tumor surface antigen (TSA): protein tyrosine kinase 7 (PTK7) binding aptamer Sgc8. These CAR‐bc‐aps significantly enhance antitumor cytotoxicity with a loss of target antigens by retargeting CAR‐T cells to the tumor in vitro and in vivo. Overall, novel CAR‐aptamers are screened for traceless enrichment, monitoring of CAR‐positive cells, and overcoming tumor cell immune escape. This provides a low‐cost and high‐throughput approach for CAR‐positive cell‐based immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, deep learning (DL) is used to predict the structural parameters of Ag nanohole arrays (NAs) for spectrum‐driving and color‐driving plasmonic applications. A dataset of transmission spectra and structural parameters of NAs is generated using finite‐difference time‐domain (FDTD) calculations and is converted to vivid structural colors using the corresponding transmission spectrum. A bidirectional neural network is used to train the transmission spectrum and structural color together. The accuracy of predicting the structural parameters using a desired spectrum is tested and found to be up to 0.99, with a determination coefficient of reproducing the desired spectrum and color to be 0.97 and 0.96, respectively. These values are higher compared to those when only training for spectrum, but requiring less training time. This strategy is able to inverse design the NAs in less than 1 s to maximize surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) enhancement by matching transmission resonance and laser excitation wavelength, and accurately regenerate colored images in 7.5 s, allowing for nanoscale printing at a resolution of approximately 100 000 dots in−1. This work has important implications for the efficient design of nanostructures for various plasmonic applications, such as plasmonic sensors, optical filters, metal‐enhanced fluorescence, SERS, and super‐resolution displays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐performance n‐type solid‐state ionic thermoelectrics (SS i‐TEs) for low‐grade heat harvesting are highly desired and challenging. Here, the design and synthesis of an efficient n‐type mixed conductor via ion pair modulation is demonstrated, which consists of biguanide hydrochloride (MfmCl) and a poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT): poly(styrenesulfonate) (PSS) polymeric complex in a solid film. Theoretical calculations and nano/microstructure characterization reveal that the binding preference of ion pairs offers energetically favorable ion exchange in the matrix, which induces not only tightly bound Mfm PSS species but also favorable anion diffusion channels. Consequently, an enhanced ionic conductivity of 1.40 S m−1 with a record highest negative thermopower of −46.97 mV K−1 is achieved for the n‐type mixed conductor thus far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immune checkpoints are protein molecules expressed on the immune cell membrane, which regulate the immune system to kill tumor cells. As an essential immune checkpoint, overexpressed PD‐1 on tumor cells could inhibit T‐cell activation after being bonded to PD‐1. Due to this inhibitory effect, T‐cell proliferation and cytokine secretion are suppressed, leading to immune escape of tumor cells. Here, we established a high‐throughput method based on cell function screening technology to screen drugs regulating PD‐L1 expression in tumor cells at the transcriptional level. After two screening rounds, 12 compounds that enhanced PD‐L1 transcription while seven weakened were sorted out among 1018 FDA‐approved drugs. Finally, a tumor cell line was used to verify the upregulation of endogenous PD‐L1 expression for a drug named "vorinostat," a histone deacetylation inhibitor, after the two rounds of optional selection. Therefore, our research provides another perspective for using "vorinostat" in treating tumors and offers a convenient method to detect the transcriptional expression of other intracellular proteins besides PD‐L1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are the standard treatment for advanced lung cancer, but immune‐related adverse events (irAEs) remain poorly understood, especially in a real‐world setting. Methods: A multicenter observational study was conducted. Medical records of lung cancer patients treated with ICIs at 26 hospitals from January 1, 2015, to February 28, 2021, were retrieved. Types of ICIs included antiprogrammed cell death 1 or antiprogrammed cell death ligand 1 (PD‐L1) monotherapy, anticytotoxic T‐lymphocyte antigen‐4 monotherapy, or combination therapy. Results: In total, 1905 patients with advanced lung cancer were evaluated. The median age was 63 (range 28–87) years, and the male/female ratio was 3.1:1 (1442/463). The primary histological subtype was adenocarcinoma (915). A total of 26.9% (512/1905) of the patients developed 671 irAEs, and 5.8% (110/1905) developed 120 grade 3–5 irAEs. Median duration from ICI initiation to irAEs onset was 56 (range 0–1160) days. The most common irAEs were thyroid dysfunction (7.2%, 138/1905), pneumonitis (6.5%, 124/1905), and dermatological toxicities (6.0%, 115/1905). A total of 162 irAEs were treated with steroids and 11 irAEs led to death. Patients with positive PD‐L1 expression (≥1%) and who received first‐line ICI treatment developed more irAEs. Patients who developed irAEs had a better disease control rate (DCR, 71.3% [365/512] vs. 56.0% [780/1145]; p < 0.001). Conclusions: The incidence rate of irAEs was 26.9% in a real‐world setting. IrAEs might be related to a better DCR, but clinicians should be more aware of irAE recognition and management in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this network meta‐analysis (NMA) was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors, alone or in combination with chemotherapy, as first‐line treatment for wild‐type advanced non‐small cell lung cancer. Methods: We systematically searched databases, Clinical Trial.gov and included randomized clinical trials focusing on advanced NSCLC using PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors as first‐line treatment. Hazard ratio for overall survival and progression‐free survival, odds ratio for any‐cause high‐adverse events (grade 3 or higher) were documented according to Bayesian NMA. Subgroup analysis was performed according to PD‐L1 level and histology. Results: Thirteen trials including 9154 patients were included. In the PD‐L1 nonselective cohort, chemotherapy in combination with pembrolizumab and atezolizumab, respectively, were significantly better than any other treatment strategies in both OS benefit (HR = 0.63; HR = 0.85) and PFS benefit (HR = 0.52; HR = 0.63). In subgroup analysis, pembrolizumab appeared to provide the best OS benefit (HR = 0.67) as well as the best PFS benefit (HR = 0.67) in the PD‐L1 ≥ 50% cohort. In contrast, pembrolizumab combined with chemotherapy exhibited the best OS benefit in the PD‐L1 < 50% cohort. Furthermore, OS benefit from pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy was more obvious in nonsquamous patients (HR = 0.56). Additionally, pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy was associated with fewer adverse events than other chemotherapy combination strategies. Conclusions: In the first‐line treatment, chemotherapy plus pembrolizumab or atezolizumab could enhance efficacy compared with chemotherapy alone or other PD‐1/L1‐based treatment strategies, especially in the nonsquamous population. Furthermore, pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy guarantees reliable security simultaneously, which may be the optimal treatment strategy for patients with major advanced NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasmonic nanochemistry is employed to develop a chemical patterning technique for multiscale distributed plasmonic nanoparticle (NP) arrays by a spatial confined in situ growth process. Ag NPs grow exclusively following the maximum plasmonic field areas of Au nanohole arrays under light illumination, and Ag NP‐assembly arrays (NAAs) with controllable morphology from nanoring to nanodisk are realized precisely. Combining with conventional photolithography, letters, and patterns ranging from macroscopic to sub‐microscale are accurately obtained. The region‐specific generated Ag NAAs acted as an excellent surface‐enhanced Raman scattering substrate to realize quantitative detection and Raman imaging, which are further applied to multilevel encryption applications. Moreover, the lithography strategy shows good universality where it can be utilized to fabricate Au NAAs and polypyrrole nanodisks, and applied on flexible polydimethylsiloxane and curved glass substrates. Overall, this lithography strategy has good general applicability to obtain a multiscale engineered large‐area array of colloidal metallic NPs and organic polymers without the presence of either heat or specific adhesive layers, thus offers an approach to plasmonic engineering for a myriad of applications ranging from plasmonic anti‐counterfeit labels to electrical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to estimate the efficacy and safety of bevacizumab combined with epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR TKIs) in advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Methods: We searched randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on bevacizumab combined with EGFR TKIs in the NSCLC Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PubMed and Embase. The data were extracted and assessed according to the Cochrane Handbook. We calculated the hazard ratio (HR), risk ratio (RR), and confidence interval (CI), and accomplished this meta‐analysis with Stata 14 software. Results: Of 1301 articles scanned, five articles were involved in this meta‐analysis. We determined that compared with using EGFR TKIs alone, combination treatment significantly prolongs progression‐free survival (PFS) (HR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.52–0.70; p < 0.001), and increases the objective response rate (ORR) (RR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.01–1.30, p = 0.10). However, there was no significant difference in overall survival (OS) between the two groups (HR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.78–1.11; p = <0.001) and combination treatment increases the risks of serious adverse events (SAEs) (RR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.21–2.05, p = 0.002). Conclusions: Bevacizumab combined with EGFR‐TKI significantly improves PFS and ORR in patients with advanced NSCLC, but there is no substantial difference in OS and increase the risks of serious adverse events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total suspended solid (TSS) and chlorophyll‐a (Chl‐a) are critical indicators of water quality. Moderate‐resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Aqua satellite provides a critical tool to map TSS and Chl‐a on a daily basis. However, robust algorithms are required to retrieve TSS and Chl‐a from MODIS/Aqua images in the turbid Pearl River Estuary (PRE). Here, a new artificial neural network algorithm was developed to estimate TSS and Chl‐a in the PRE using a large amount of in situ measurements spanning more than a decade. Cross‐validation showed that the ANN‐based algorithm presented good performance with R2s of 0.73 and 0.66 for TSS and Chl‐a, respectively. The ANN‐based algorithm outperformed existing empirical and semi‐analytical algorithms. By implementing the proposed algorithm to MODIS/Aqua images, TSS and Chl‐a from August 2002 to July 2020 over the PRE were obtained. The results show that TSS decreased from northwest to southeast in all seasons while peaked in winter and summer. Chl‐a peaked in summer and the high Chl‐a patch transferred from the upper reach to the lower reach of the PRE with the increase of river discharge. TSS decreased at an annual rate of ∼0.13 mg L−1 while Chl‐a increased at an annual rate of ∼0.05 mg m−3 in the last 18 years. Our findings suggest that machine learning provides a practical approach to estimate TSS and Chl‐a in turbid estuaries via MODIS/Aqua images and the approach developed in this study can be applied to other turbid waters with similar optical properties. Plain Language Summary: Using in situ measured data covering a wide range of values, a robust machine learning model was trained and validated to estimate total suspended solid (TSS) and chlorophyll‐a (Chl‐a) concentrations from satellite‐derived reflectance. The new model was then applied to daily MODIS/Aqua imagery over the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) from August 2002 to July 2020. Significant intra‐annual characteristics were observed for both TSS and Chl‐a, which were likely mainly related to river discharge and wind. In the context of rapid urbanization and climate change, TSS presented a significant decreasing trend at an annual rate of ∼0.13 mg L−1 (R2 = 0.59) while Chl‐a showed a significant increasing trend at an annual rate of ∼0.05 mg m−3 (R2 = 0.37) in the last 18 years. The results of this study issued an alert that eutrophication in the PRE is accelerating, and the new model can assist in the monitoring and management of water quality in the Pearl River estuary. Key Points: A machine learning‐based approach was developed to estimate total suspended solid (TSS) and chlorophyll‐a (Chl‐a) in the turbid Pearl River Estuary (PRE)Satellite‐derived time series of TSS and Chl‐a in the PRE presented significant spatiotemporal variationsTSS decreased at an annual rate of ∼0.13 mg L−1 while Chl‐a increased at an annual rate of ∼0.05 mg m−3 in the last 18 years [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Methods Results Conclusions To evaluate the efficacy and safety of programmed cell death 1 (PD‐1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD‐L1) inhibitors in the treatment of extensive‐stage small‐cell lung cancer (ES‐SCLC), we conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis that included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and real‐world studies (RWS).By scanning PubMed, Web of science, Embase, and other relevant clinical information public databases, nine RCTs and eight RWSs involving 5205 patients were included in the study. We directly compared the differences between chemotherapy and PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors plus chemotherapy, and determined the optimal treatment strategy through network meta‐analysis (NMA).Compared to chemotherapy, the addition of PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors significantly improves the overall survival (OS), progression‐free survival (PFS), and objective response rate (ORR) in SCLC patients. Regarding safety, both RCTs and RWSs indicated no significant difference in grade 3–4 adverse events between chemotherapy and chemoimmunotherapy. NMA showed serplulimab plus chemotherapy (Serp_Chemo) appears to provide the best OS, PFS, and ORR benefit, while nivolumab plus chemotherapy shows higher toxicity than other regimens. In subgroup analysis, for elderly patients (age ≥65) and non‐elderly (age <65) patients, the most promising quality regimens for achieving better OS extension are atezolizumab plus chemotherapy (Atez_Chemo) and Serp_Chemo, respectively. For patients with PD‐L1 ≥ 1% and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) > upper limit of normal (ULN), there is no apparent OS benefit from immune therapy.In ES‐SCLC treatment, adding PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors to standard chemotherapy improves OS, PFS, and ORR, with Serp_Chemo shows the most promise. Atez_Chemo and Serp_Chemo provided better survival for elderly and non‐elderly patients, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies reported sex differences in patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). We aim to analyze sex differences in clinical characteristics and risk factors for disease severity of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Beijing. All adults (185 cases) diagnosed with COVID-19 and admitted to Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital MedicalUniversitywere included in samples. The median age of all patients was 41 years. The mean body mass index (BMI) of males was relatively higher compared to females (p < 0.001). The proportion of male patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), history of smoking and drinking was higher than females. Male patients developed more clinical symptoms, obtained more abnormal laboratory test results, while they were less aware of care-seeking than female patients. There were no significant differences in clinical complications and outcomes between two groups. Age (odds ratio [OR]: 1.082; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.034-1.132; p = 0.001) and BMI (OR: 1.237; 95% CI: 1.041-1.47; p = 0.016) were considered risk factors for refractory pneumonia in multivariate regression analysis. The findings of the current study showed that SARS-CoV-2 was more likely to affect older males with comorbidities. Further researches into factors underlying obesity and disease severity may provide mechanistic insight into COVID-19 development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bevacizumab is the first antiangiogenetic monoclonal antibody, combined with platinum‐based double agent chemotherapy, which has been reported to improve the objective response rate (ORR) and progression‐free survival (PFS) in patients with advanced nonsquamous non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and to improve overall survival (OS) in patients when combined with carboplatin and paclitaxel. However, serious adverse effects have been reported to be associated with bevacizumab therapy. In this multicenter prospective cohort study of advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients with stable disease after two cycles of platinum‐based double agent chemotherapy, we will compare the ORR between the group who continued with their original chemotherapy regimen and the group in which bevacizumab was added to the original regimen. It is expected that there will be an ORR improvement of 20% in patients in the bevacizumab group plus chemotherapy, compared with those in the original chemotherapy group. This study has been registered as Clinical Trial NCT03240549. Bevacizumab combined with platinum‐based double agent chemotherapy has been reported to improve the objective response rate (ORR) and progression‐free survival (PFS) in patients with advanced nonsquamous non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but also cause more adverse effects. We hypothesize that the improvement in the response rate in the bevacizumab group comes from the patients with stable disease in the chemotherapy group. A multicenter prospective cohort study will be conducted in advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients with stable disease after two cycles of platinum‐based double agent chemotherapy, in which we will compare the ORR between the group who continued with their original chemotherapy regimen and those where bevacizumab was added to the original regimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total suspended solids (TSSs) can affect primary production through influencing light penetration and nutrient availability in aquatic environments. In this study, novel algorithms were developed for TSS in the Pearl River estuary using Landsat‐derived reflectance corrected for Rayleigh scattering (Rrc). Comparisons between in situ and estimated TSS using the calibration and validation data sets resulted in R2s > 0.8 and mean absolute percentage errors < 35%. Landsat‐derived annual TSS between 1987 and 2018 in the Pearl River estuary ranged from 16.5 to 41 mg L−1. It indicated a statistically significant decreasing trend with an annual rate of 0.26 mg L−1 and decreased by 58.5% from 1987 to 2018. It showed a higher decreasing rate after than before the construction of the Hong Kong‐Zhuhai‐Macau Bridge. Nonetheless, TSS 2 km upstream from the Hong Kong‐Zhuhai‐Macau Bridge on the western side increased after the construction of the bridge related to the change of flow influenced by piers and artificial islands. Key Points: Novel TSS algorithms were developed for Landsat sensors in the Pearl River estuaryTSS showed a decreasing trend with an annual rate of 0.26 mg L−1 between 1987 and 2018 in the Pearl River estuaryTSS had a higher decreasing rate after than before the Hong Kong‐Zhuhai‐Macau Bridge construction [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the challenges in fabricating high‐performance n‐type crystalline silicon (n‐type c‐Si) solar cells is the high‐quality n‐type c‐Si/metal contact. Schottky barriers are commonly found on the n‐type c‐Si/metal contact, which suppresses electron transportation. Herein, novel stacks of magnesium acetylacetonate (Mg(Acac)2)/magnesium (Mg)/silver (Ag) to form electron‐selective contacts for n‐type c‐Si solar cells are presented, which enables a dopant‐free process. An ohmic contact on n‐type c‐Si is formed using the Mg(Acac)2/Mg/Ag stacks. The transmission spectrum and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy measurements show negligible conduction‐band offset and large valence‐band offset between Mg(Acac)2 and n‐type c‐Si, which indicates the electron‐transporting and hole‐blocking properties of Mg(Acac)2/n‐type c‐Si heterocontacts. Moreover, the contact resistivities (ρc) between the Mg(Acac)2/Mg/Ag electron‐selective heterocontacts and n‐type c‐Si substrates are lower than 10 mΩ cm2, which demonstrates the good electrode properties of the Mg(Acac)2/Mg/Ag stacks. The Mg(Acac)2/Mg/Ag electron‐selective stacks are applied on n‐type c‐Si solar cells with partial rear contact, and >20% efficiency is achieved, which is higher than that in a reference cell with only Ag contact. The stability of the n‐type c‐Si solar cell performance equipped with Mg(Acac)2/Mg/Ag contacts is verified under ambient conditions. This novel low‐temperature contact technique offers a reliable alternative for high‐performance n‐type c‐Si solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A scalable fabrication route combining colloidal lithography and nanoskiving is reported for generating free‐standing asymmetric metal nanostructures of crescent‐shaped gold nanowires and rows of opposing crescents with and without nanogaps. Strong localized surface plasmon resonances and propagating surface plasmon polaritons are excited at the sharp tips of the crescent and in the sub‐10 nm nanogaps. High‐order resonance modes are excited due to the coupling between the resonances in the tips and gaps. The Raman signals are greatly enhanced due to the strong electric fields. In addition, the optical responses and electric field distributions can be controlled by the polarization of the incident light. The strong electric field enhancement coupled with facile, scalable fabrication make crescent‐shaped nanostructures promising in nonlinear optics, optical trapping, and surface‐enhanced spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controlling the formation of bimetallic heterogeneous nanogaps structures have many applications in the plasmonics and catalysis fields. Here, a simple and systematic method is developed to fabricate tunable and stable Au–Ag nanowire‐based plasmonic metamaterials. The sub‐10 nm Au–Ag bimetallic heterogeneous nanogaps with desirable optical properties are fabricated by a simple, ultrarapid, and robust nanoskiving technique. Compared to the monometallic linear Ag–Ag and Au–Au nanogaps, the Au–Ag bimetallic heterogeneous nanogaps exhibit remarkable surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) enhancement properties due to the nanogaps between the adjacent Au/Ag nanowires, and the Ag/Au bimetallic composite film. In addition, 3D bimetallic heterogeneous nanogaps are built and produce much stronger electric fields than those of the 1D linear nanogaps. The sub‐10 nm Au–Ag heterogeneous nanogaps are promising to be used in SERS substrate, plasmon devices, catalysis, and printed electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CAPTRA‐Lung study (NCT03334864) is a prospective observational study that will capture real‐world data of patients with advanced or metastatic non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) across China. The study aims to complement the results from current therapeutic regimens to improve the standard of diagnosis and treatment, evaluate the effectiveness and safety of systemic therapy, and determine the factors influencing the outcomes and responses to treatment. From January 2018 to December 2023, eligible patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC who are receiving treatment and participating in follow‐up at 16 institutions in China, will be enrolled. The demographic, clinical, laboratory, and treatment characteristics and responses to treatment will be recorded in a case report form and transcribed into an electronic data capture system. Overall survival, progression‐free survival, overall response rate, and incidence of adverse events will be calculated from the time of initial enrolment until progression evaluated by physicians, last contact, date of death, or analysis cutoff date, respectively. Based on the disease characteristics and treatment strategies, four sub‐cohorts will also be established. This study cohort could serve as a pool of patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC to support further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Colloidal lithography (CL) is a newly developing nanofabrication technique and can produce various nanostructures at low cost and large scale. The CL‐based nanostructures offer great performances in plasmonics, which holds a unique capability to concentrate light into subwavelength volumes. Valuable physics effects accompanied with plasmonics, such as heat generation, optical near‐field enhancement, and excitation of hot electrons have been verified to benefit chemistry reactions, leading to a new field of plasmonic nanochemistry. Starting from CL, by way of plasmonic nanostructures, toward chemistry reaction, it shows a powerful strategy to develop all these three research areas, like the silk road which has a wide profit. In this scenario, a nanoscale “silk road” from CL to plasmonic nanochemistry is presented. Recent plasmonic nanostructures fabricated via CL are summarized and are morphologically classified into multilayer, hierarchical, hollow, asymmetric, and other nanostructures. Mechanism and development of plasmonics nanochemistry are introduced. Application prospects of several unique CL‐based structures will be expected. Finally, challenges and perspectives are offered to inspire more ingenious developments of using CL in plasmonic nanochemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We proposed a support vector machine (SVM) algorithm to retrieve colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) concentration (using ag(443) as a proxy) in the highly turbid Pearl River estuary. Two band ratios, namely, Rrs(443)/Rrs(547) and Rrs(488)/Rrs(547), were used as inputs. Comparisons between the estimated and measured ag(443) illustrated high accuracy of the SVM algorithm, yielding R2s of 0.98 and 0.89, mean absolute percentage errors of 5.18% and 13.1%, and root‐mean‐square deviations of 0.012 and 0.034 m−1 for the training and validation data sets, respectively. The SVM algorithm was also evaluated against existing ones for the study area and gave the best accuracy with a R2 of 0.9, a mean absolute percentage error of 10.23%, and a root‐mean‐square deviation of 0.025 m−1. The diurnal dynamics of CDOM in the Pearl River estuary was revealed showing complicated variations and influenced by the combined effects of wind, tide, circulation, and river discharge. As for remote sensing applications, the SVM‐based CDOM product exhibited great potential to trace the Pearl River plume and the satellite‐derived plume area agreed well with the FVCOM model simulation result. SVM is an accurate and fast tool for retrieving CDOM concentration, especially in highly turbid estuarine coastal waters, and thus, river plume dynamics can be traced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limestone karsts in southern China are characterized by high edaphic and topographic heterogeneity and host high levels of species richness and endemism. However, the evolutionary mechanisms for generating such biodiversity remain poorly understood. Here, we performed species delimitation, population genetic analyses, simulations of gene flow and analyses of floral morphological traits to infer the geographic history of speciation in a species complex of Primulina eburnea from limestone karsts of southern China. Using Bayesian species delimitation, we determined that there are seven distinct species that correspond well to the putative morphological species. Species tree reconstruction, Structure and Neighbor-Net analyses all recovered four lineages in agreement with currently species geographic boundaries. High levels of genetic differentiation were observed both within and among species. Isolation-migration coalescent analysis provides evidence for significant but low gene flow among species. Approximate Bayesian computation ( ABC) analysis supports a scenario of historical gene flow rather than recent contemporary gene flow for most species divergences. Finally, we found no evidence of divergent selection contributing to population differentiation of a suite of flower traits. These results support the prevalence of allopatric speciation and highlight the role of geographic isolation in the diversification process. At small geographic scales, limited hybridization occurred in the past between proximate populations but did not eliminate species boundaries. We conclude that limited gene flow might have been the predominant evolutionary force in promoting population differentiation and speciation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inverse hollow nanocone arrays are fabricated by an efficient colloidal lithography technique and a facile transfer process. These structures have the peculiar features of nanobeakers, which may be promising reaction vessels. Local field distribution near this beaker and the influence on optical properties are investigated. A majority of light at the resonance wavelength can be trapped in the cavity due to multiple internal reflections in the cone and coupling with the surface plasmon of the nanostructures. Due to the strongly enhanced electric field distributed in air, the resonant reflection dip shows sensitive response to changes of the surrounding environment, with excellent linearity and relative sensitivity up to 62% per refractive index unit (RIU). Moreover, the Raman signal becomes much weaker when excited at the resonance wavelength, demonstrating the strong ability of trapping light. This nanostructure and the investigation of the plasmonic performances may contribute to the generation of nanovessels for optical tweezers and plasmon‐assisted chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Review presents an overview of recent development of colloidal lithography (CL) and its applications in fabrication of various nanostructures consisted of orderly arranged, dots, holes, bowls, cones, pillars, rings, shells and triangles. These structures have been widely exploited in various fields, including plasmonics, optics, wettability, sensors, solar cells, organic light-emitting diode (OLEDs), biology and many others. The recent successes in the technical applications of the nanostructures fabricated via CL will be summarized. Hopefully, the present review will inspire more ingenious designs and execution of CL for advanced, smart applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim This study aimed to clarify species boundaries as well as phylogenetic relationships among species of the Primulina eburnea complex, a rapidly diversifying group of edaphic specialists confined to karst habitat islands in southern China. We investigated patterns of genetic isolation and diversification in this complex. Location Limestone karsts in southern China. Methods We analysed data from three chloroplast DNA (cp DNA) regions and eight nuclear microsatellite loci, representing five closely related species in the P. eburnea complex sampled from 62 populations across its entire distributional range. We conducted a Bayesian phylogenetic analysis, constructed maximum parsimony haplotype networks and assessed population genetic diversity, population differentiation and geographical structure within and between species. Results Of the 60 identified haplotypes, eight were shared between populations and only one was shared between species. Both cp DNA and the nuclear markers revealed a high level of population genetic differentiation and a strong phylogeographical structure. Four main genetic clusters were identified according to their geographical proximity, although geographical structuring differed slightly between the cp DNA and the nuclear loci. The pattern of genetic structure of both the cp DNA and microsatellite genomes can be explained by patterns of isolation by distance ( IBD), across both the distribution of the complex and the populations of individual species. Main conclusions This is the first study to investigate geographical isolation and speciation in a clade associated with karst habitat islands in southern China. Geographically structured population differentiation of the P. eburnea complex suggests that divergence is mainly driven by genetic drift, with little evidence of gene flow. Allopatric speciation is the main mode of diversification in the group. These results highlight the importance of geographical isolation in promoting population differentiation in karst habitat islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Primulina is an emerging model system in studying the drivers and mechanisms of species diversification, for its high species richness and endemism, together with high degree of habitat specialization. In this study, we sequenced transcriptomes for eleven Primulina species across the phylogeny of the genus using the Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform. A total of 336 million clean reads were processed into 355 573 unigenes with a mean length of 1336 bp and an N50 value of 2191 bp after pooling and reassembling twelve individual pre-assembled unigene sets. Of these unigenes, 249 973 (70%) were successfully annotated and 256 601 (72%) were identified as coding sequences ( CDSs). We identified a total of 38 279 simple sequence repeats ( SSRs) and 367 123 single nucleotide polymorphisms ( SNPs). Marker validation assay revealed that 354 (27.3%) of the 1296 SSR and 795 (39.6%) of the 2008 SNP loci showed successful genotyping performance and exhibited expected polymorphism profiles. We screened 834 putative single-copy nuclear genes and proved their high effectiveness in phylogeny construction and estimation of ancestral population parameters. We identified a total of 85 candidate orthologs under positive selection for 46 of the 66 species pairs. This study provided an efficient application of RNA-seq in development of genomic resources for a group of 'stone plants' from south China Karst regions, a biodiversity hot spot of the World. The assembled unigenes with annotations and the massive gene-associated molecular markers would help guide further molecular systematic, population genetic and ecological genomics studies in Primulina and its relatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel nanohole arrays with volcano‐shaped holes (truncated cones) are reported to obtain structural colors with excellent purity without using index‐matching layers. They further show efficient sensitive environment responses. The novel structures are fabricated via a low‐cost, large‐area colloidal lithography method. Numerical simulations demonstrate that each nanovolcano, comprising one upper hole and one lower hole, excites two surface plasmon resonances (SPRs), generating only one single transmission maximum at a tunable position (monochromatic color), and calculations show excellent agreement with the measured spectra. Three primary red–green–blue (RGB) monochromatic colors are obtained by adjusting the lattice constant. Moreover, the colors can be tuned easily and inexpensively across the whole visible range, retaining a single sharp transmission peak, showing an efficient responsive color display. Because of the simple fabrication process and remarkable properties, Ag nanovolcano arrays are believed to be greatly advantageous for sensors, optical devices, color displays, and nanoantennas. Furthermore, the novel structures can be used as versatile substrates for cell biology, analysis of single protein molecules, and surface‐enhanced Raman scattering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mutualism between fig plants and fig wasps has been recognized as one of the most specialized systems of symbiosis. Figs are pollinated by their highly specific pollinating fig wasps, and the pollinating fig wasps are raised within the syconia of figs. Recent studies indicated a difference between monoecious and dioecious figs in the dispersal range of pollinating wasps, which has potential consequences for gene flow. In this study, we detected the gene-flow pattern of the dioecious climbing fig, Ficus pumila L. var. pumila, at both local and regional scales. At the local scale, spatial autocorrelation analysis indicated strong genetic structure at short distances, a pattern of limited gene flow. This result was also supported by a high inbreeding coefficient ( FIS = 0.287) and significant substructuring ( FST = 0.060; P < 0.001). Further analysis indicated that the effective gene dispersal range was 1,211 m, and the relative contribution of seed dispersal was smaller than that of pollen dispersal. The inferred effective range of pollen dispersal ranged from 989 to 1,712 m, while the effective seed dispersal range was less than 989 m. Lack of long-distance dispersal agents may explain the limited seed dispersal. The high density of receptive fig trees was the most likely explanation for limited pollen dispersal, and the position of syconia and relatively low wind speed beneath the canopy may contribute to this phenomenon. At the regional scale, significant negative correlations (kinship coefficient F ij ranging from −0.038 to −0.071) existed in all comparisons between the studied population and other populations, and the assignment test grouped almost all individuals of the studied population into a distinct cluster. Asynchronous flowering on the regional scale, which provides a barrier for the pollinating wasps to fly from the studied population to the other populations, is probably responsible for the limited gene flow on the regional scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasmonic crescent nanogap arrays (CNGAs) integrated by nanoscale gaps and nanotips exhibit strong capability of light confinement and thus lead to extremely electric field enhancement. The CNGAs with tunable gap‐width are fabricated via a low‐cost and simple process combining colloidal lithography and nanoskiving techniques. Incident light is captured in the nanogaps and at the two tips of nanocrescent, where extremely strong electric fields are excited. The strong electric fields lead to greatly enhanced surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) performance with typical enhancement factor of 8 and 360 times in comparison with the crescent gold nanoparticles and linear gold nanowire, and the SERS enhancement factor at CNGAs with G = 1 nm is up to about 6.04 × 108. The CNGAs with strong electric fields and remarkable SERS signals are promising to advance the applications of optical filters, surface‐enhancement spectroscopies, nonlinear optics, single‐molecule analysis, and nanolasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In article number 1800975 Bin Ai, Yiping Zhao, and coworkers present a fabrication strategy to produce gradient plasmonic nanostructures by a physical vapor deposition on a curved mask substrate covered with a monolayer of close‐packed nanospheres. A plasmonic library is easily established in a single fabrication. The strategy can in principle produce a wide range of gradient nanostructures and further be used for flexible components in optical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gradient plasmonic nanostructures are produced by a straightforward and powerful fabrication strategy—deposition on curved nanomask (DCNM), a physical vapor deposition on a curved mask substrate covered with a monolayer of close‐packed nanospheres. The feasibility of the DCNM strategy is demonstrated by producing well‐ordered Ag gradient single/double nanotriangle (NT) arrays with continuously adjustable color, extinction, localized surface plasmon resonance wavelength, and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The plasmonic property and the structure gradient are controlled by the size of the mask and the curvature of the curved substrate, as well as the deposition configuration. A plasmonic library of the single/double NT arrays is easily established in a single fabrication. The DCNM strategy can in principle produce a wide range of gradient nanostructures and further be used for flexible components in optical devices, tunable plasmonic SERS sensors, as well as high‐throughput screening of nanostructures. Gradient plasmonic nanostructures are produced by a straightforward and powerful fabrication strategy—deposition on curved nanomask, a physical vapor deposition on a curved mask substrate covered with a monolayer of close‐packed nanospheres. A plasmonic library of the single/double nanotriangle arrays is thus easily established in a single fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colloidal lithography is a bridge between “top‐down” patterning and “bottom‐up” self‐assembly for fabrication of nanostructured materials. Beyond surface patterning, in review 1600271, Bin Ai, Gang Zhang, and co‐workers present an overview of recent development of colloidal lithography and its applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C8H14N2O4·2H2O, contains one water mol­ecule and one half-mol­ecule of piperazine-1,4-diacetic acid in salt form. Intra­molecular N—H⋯O and O—H⋯O and inter­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds are involved in the crystal packing. In the centrosymmetric title compound, the six-membered piperazine ring is in a standard chair form, and the two acetates are mutually trans. The 2,2′-(piperazine-1,4-diyl)diacetic acid and water molecules are connected through a complex pattern of hydrogen-bonding interactions, resulting in a three-dimensional network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]