Search

Lupus erythematosus panniculitis (LEP) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with a significant impact on the overall well‐being of patients. The safety and efficacy of oral baricitinib for the treatment of LEP have not been studied. This study aimed to explore the efficacy of oral baricitinib in patients with LEP who are recalcitrant or intolerant to conventional therapies. Patients (aged ≥18 years) with active LEP (with a revised cutaneous lupus erythematosus disease area and severity index [RCLASI]‐active score ≥4] were randomly assigned 2:1 to baricitinib (4 mg) or placebo (once daily for 20 weeks). The placebo group was switched to baricitinib (4 mg) at week 13, and the final evaluation was conducted at week 24. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with an RCLASI‐A score decreased by 20% at week 12. The secondary endpoints included the changes in the Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Disease Area and Severity Index active‐(CLASI‐A) score, the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), the Physician's Global Assessment (PGA) score, and safety. Five patients were enrolled. Three patients received baricitinib (4 mg), and two patients were treated with placebo. Two patients in the baricitinib treatment group showed a significant RCLASI‐A decrease at week 12 and week 24. Two patients in the placebo group had no change in RCLASI‐A at week 12 and a significant decrease at week 24. No new safety events were observed. Treatment with baricitinib was effective and well tolerated in patients with LEP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT To identify lead compounds with potent herbicidal activity, a range of pyrimidine derivatives containing alkenyl groups were designed, synthesized, and characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and high‐resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The synthetic pathways for producing these compounds involved substitution reactions, cyclization, hydrolysis, and other processes. The starting materials for each reaction step were readily accessible, facilitating synthesis. The purification of the final product was straightforward, yielding approximately 80%, under mild reaction conditions. Moreover, a pot culture experiment was employed to assess the herbicidal efficacy of the aforementioned compounds. Compounds 6a, 6b, 6h, and 6j demonstrated a significant inhibition against Amaranthus retroflexus, comparable to fomesafen at 150 g a.i./hm2. This suggests that these compounds hold promise as potential lead structures for herbicidal agents. The docking results indicated that the binding energies of compound 6a with protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) were both negative and spontaneous, with numerous interaction active sites. Thus, it is speculated that compound 6a is a PPO inhibitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights Investigating the macro‐mechanical properties of polymer composites at the nanoscale is a challenging topic. Here we report the compressive performances of carbon fiber‐reinforced epoxy composites using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The evolution of microstructure and microscopic energy, including free volume, radius of gyration, dihedral angle, potential energy, and interaction energy, has been investigated to characterize compressive behaviors at the nanoscale. Molecular chains gradually bend, and the movement space of the molecular chains decreases during compression loading. The radius of gyration and dihedral angle are deformed into a state of irreversible plasticity to accommodate the microstructural transformation. The interaction energy increases and subsequently declines as the carbon fiber/epoxy interface gets closer, reflecting the transition of the internal structure. The inhomogeneity and interfacial concentration distribution of stress, and local molecular stiffness under various strains have been obtained to reveal the nanoscopic mechanism of epoxy failure and interface delamination during compression. This study reveals the compression behaviors and deformation mechanism of carbon fiber‐reinforced epoxy composites at the molecular level, providing directions and possibilities for molecular design and structural optimization of composites. The nanoscopic compression deformation of CFRP composites is studied. Microstructural evolution and conformation transformation are revealed. The evolution and transition of microscopic energy are analyzed. Micro‐mechanism of epoxy deformation and interface delamination is elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing high‐capacity and high‐rate anodes is significant to engineering sodium‐ion batteries with high energy density and high power density. Layered Na2Ti3O7 (NTO), with an open crystal structure, large theoretical capacity, and low working potential, is recognized as one of the prospective anodes for sodium storage. Nevertheless, it suffers from sluggish sodiation kinetics and low (micro)structure stability triggered by a high Na+ diffusion barrier and weak adhesion of [Ti3O7] slabs. Herein, the interlayered local structure of NTO is regulated to solve the above issues, in which parts of interlayered Na+ sites are substituted by H+ (Na2−xHxTi3O7 [NHTO]). Theoretical calculations prove that the NHTO offers lower activation energy for Na+ transports and low interlayer spacings with alleviated Na–Na repulsion and relatively flexible [Ti3O7] slabs to reduce fractural stress. In situ and ex situ characterizations of (micro)structure evolution reveal that NHTO goes through transformation between H‐rich and Na‐rich phases, resulting in high structure stability and microstructure integrity. The optimal NHTO anode delivers a high capacity of 190.6 mA h g−1 at 0.5 C after 300 cycles and a superior high‐rate stability of 90.6 mA h g−1 at 50 C over 10,000 cycles at room temperature. Besides, it offers a capacity of 50.3 mA h g−1 after 1800 cycles at a low temperature of −20°C and 195.7 mA h g−1 after 500 cycles at a high temperature of 40°C at 0.5 C. The developed topologically interlayered local structure regulation strategy would raise the prospect of designing high‐performance layered anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Fructo‐oligosaccharide (FOS) belongs to the group of short inulin‐type fructans and is one of the most important non‐digestible bifid‐oligosaccharides capable of biotransforming sucrose using fructosyltransferase (FTase). However, there are no immobilized FTase products that can be successfully used industrially. In this study, diatomite was subjected to extrusion, sintering and granulation to form diatomaceous earth particles that were further modified via chitosan aminomethylation for modification. FTase derived from Aspergillus oryzae was successfully immobilized on the modified support via covalent binding. RESULTS: The immobilized enzyme activity was 503 IU g−1 at an enzyme concentration of 0.6 mg mL−1, immobilization pH of 7.0 and contact time of 3 h. Additionally, the immobilization yield was 56.91%. Notably, the immobilized enzyme was more stable under acidic conditions. Moreover, the half‐life of the immobilized enzyme was 20.80 and 10.96 times as long as that of the free enzyme at 45 and 60 °C, respectively. The results show good reusability, as evidenced by the 84.77% retention of original enzyme activity after eight cycles. Additionally, the column transit time of the substrate was 35.56 min when the immobilized enzyme was applied in a packed‐bed reactor. Furthermore, a consistently high FOS production yield of 60.68% was achieved and maintained over the 15‐day monitoring period. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that immobilized FTase is a viable candidate for continuous FOS production on an industrial scale. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging biologic subsets and new prognostic markers are significantly important for aggressive diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Nevertheless, the high cost of testing limits the availability of these tests in most hospitals, thus making prognostic judgment based on basic immunohistochemical testing, whole blood Epstein–Barr virus DNA (WBEBV) surveillance and clinical features advantageous for hospitals and patients with poor medical conditions. We included 647 DLBCL patients treated in our hospital from January 2009 to March 2023. Non‐germinal center B‐cell like, Ki‐67, and International Prognostic Index (IPI) scores were related to cMYC/B‐cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl‐2)‐double expression. Age, Epstein–Barr virus‐encoded small RNA (EBER) positivity, and IPI scores were associated with mortality. The cutoffs for differential overall survival (OS) of age, WBEBV, Bcl‐2, and cMYC were 57 years, 1514 copies/mL (baseline), 5.89 × 104 copies/mL (treatment), 40%, and 55%, respectively. EBER positivity was significantly associated with a worse OS. Patients with newly defined DE (Bcl‐2 ≥ 40 and cMYC > 55) had a worse prognosis than controls (p = 0.04). We found that cMYC with an optimal cutoff of 47.5 could effectively predict high‐grade DLBCL with an area under the curve of 0.912, and the specificity and sensitivity were 70.7% and 100%, respectively. Our study provides valuable insights into the prognostic factors and biomarker cutoffs that influence OS in DLBCL patients, which may guide clinicians in tailoring treatment strategies and improving patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugar substitutes are popular due to their akin taste and low calories. However, excessive use of aspartame and erythritol can have varying effects. While D‐allulose is presently deemed a secure alternative to sugar, its excessive consumption is not devoid of cellular stress implications. In this study, the evolution of Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) is directed to utilize allulose as sole carbon source through a combination of adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) and fluorescence‐activated droplet sorting (FADS) techniques. Employing whole genome sequencing (WGS) and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats interference (CRISPRi) in conjunction with compensatory expression displayed those genetic mutations in sugar and amino acid metabolic pathways, including glnP, glpF, gmpA, nagE, pgmB, ybaN, etc., increased allulose assimilation. Enzyme‐substrate dynamics simulations and deep learning predict enhanced substrate specificity and catalytic efficiency in nagE A247E and pgmB G12R mutants. The findings evince that these mutations hold considerable promise in enhancing allulose uptake and facilitating its conversion into glycolysis, thus signifying the emergence of a novel metabolic pathway for allulose utilization. These revelations bear immense potential for the sustainable utilization of D‐allulose in promoting health and well‐being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Programmed cell death ligand‐1 (PD‐L1) is a promising target for immune checkpoint blockade therapy in breast cancer. However, the preoperative evaluation of PD‐L1 expression in breast cancer is rarely explored. Purpose: To determine the ability of radiomics signatures based on preoperative dynamic contrast‐enhanced (DCE) MRI to evaluate PD‐L1 expression in breast cancer. Study Type: Retrospective. Population: 196 primary breast cancer patients with preoperative MRI and postoperative pathological evaluation of PD‐L1 expression, divided into training (n = 137, 28 PD‐L1‐positive) and test cohorts (n = 59, 12 PD‐L1‐positive). Field Strength/Sequence: 3.0T; volume imaging for breast assessment DCE sequence. Assessment: Radiomics features were extracted from the first phase of DCE‐MRI by using the minimum redundancy maximum relevance method and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm. Three radiomics signatures were constructed based on the intratumoral, peritumoral, and combined intra‐ and peritumoral regions. The performance of the signatures was assessed using area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Statistical Tests: Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis, t‐tests, chi‐square tests, Fisher exact test or Yates correction, ROC analysis, and one‐way analysis of variance. P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: In the test cohort, the combined radiomics signature (AUC, 0.853) exhibited superior performance compared to the intratumoral (AUC, 0.816; P = 0.528) and peritumoral radiomics signatures (AUC, 0.846; P = 0.905) in PD‐L1 status evaluation, although the differences did not reach statistical significance. Data Conclusion: Intratumoral and peritumoral radiomics signatures based on preoperative breast MRI showed some potential accuracy for the non‐invasive evaluation of PD‐L1 status in breast cancer. Level of Evidence: 4 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Separation membranes with homogeneous charge channels are the mainstream to reject charged mass by forming electrical double layer (EDL). However, the EDL often compresses effective solvent transport space and weakens channel‐ion interaction. Here, built‐in electric fields (BIEFs) are constructed in lamellar membranes by assembling the heterostructured nanosheets, which contain alternate positively‐charged nanodomains and negatively‐charged nanodomains. We demonstrate that the BIEFs are perpendicular to horizontal channel and the direction switches alternately, significantly weakening the EDL effect and forces ions to repeatedly collide with channel walls. Thus, highly efficient rejection for charged mass (salts, dyes, and organic acids/bases) and ultrafast water transport are achieved. Moreover, for desalination on four‐stage filtration option, salt rejection reaches 99.9 % and water permeance reaches 19.2 L m−2 h−1 bar−1. Such mass transport behavior is quite different from that in homogeneous charge channels. Furthermore, the ion transport behavior in nanochannels is elucidated by validating horizontal projectile motion model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analysed and discussed the friction and wear properties, as well as the interface evolution behaviour of polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) under various base oils, through conducting friction experiments on PDC/Si3N4 with different base oils. The friction and lubrication mechanism of PDC under different base oils were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x‐ray energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), three‐dimensional white light interferometry, and Raman spectroscopy. The results of the study demonstrated that PDC exhibited the best friction and wear performance when lubricated with synthetic oil PAO, followed by castor oil. The inferior performance of paraffin oil can be attributed to its low viscosity, resulting in a lower presence of ions capable of passivating the carbon dangling bond. Consequently, paraffin oil displayed inadequate oxidation stability and increased susceptibility to oil film destruction, ultimately leading to suboptimal friction and wear characteristics. Overall, this study provides valuable insights for industrial applications, aiding in the selection of appropriate base oils as cutting fluids for PDC cutting tools and enhancing the friction and wear properties of PDC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates NaY9Si6O26 ceramics prepared through the solid‐phase method, focusing on their microwave dielectric properties and crystallographic characteristics. X‐ray diffraction analysis reveals a hexagonal crystal structure for NaY9Si6O26 ceramics within the P63/m (176) space group. Rietveld refinement analysis precisely determines the lattice constants as a = b = 9.3423 Å, c = 6.7524 Å, and a unit cell volume of V = 510.3877 Å3. Additionally, Raman spectroscopy unveils a noteworthy correlation between the quality factor and the full width at half maximum of the A1g(O) mode at 878 cm−1. The structural attributes, including lattice fringes and diffraction patterns of hexagonal NaY9Si6O26 ceramics, are elucidated through transmission electron microscopy. Of significance are the microwave dielectric properties of NaY9Si6O26 ceramics sintered at 1465°C, revealing a relative permittivity (εr) of 10.42, an impressive Q × f product of 33 766 GHz (at f = 11.14 GHz), and a temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (τf) of −28.7 ppm/°C. This comprehensive investigation contributes to the understanding of both the structural and microwave dielectric characteristics of NaY9Si6O26 ceramics, with potential applications in advanced electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent article in the journal MedComm discusses the role of gut microbiota in colitis induced by CTLA-4 blockade, a type of cancer immunotherapy. The researchers found that an Fc domain-deficient anti-CTLA-4 antibody can effectively elicit antitumor responses without causing colitis-like disease. This discovery opens up new possibilities for using anti-CTLA-4 antibody therapy to avoid the onset of colitis, which is a common and severe side effect of this treatment. The article also explores the mechanisms behind ICB-induced colitis and suggests that Fc domain-deficient antibodies targeting CTLA-4 could be a promising alternative treatment option. [Extracted from the article]

SUMMARY: Cannabis glandular trichomes (GTs) are economically and biotechnologically important structures that have a remarkable morphology and capacity to produce, store, and secrete diverse classes of secondary metabolites. However, our understanding of the developmental changes and the underlying molecular processes involved in cannabis GT development is limited. In this study, we developed Cannabis Glandular Trichome Detection Model (CGTDM), a deep learning‐based model capable of differentiating and quantifying three types of cannabis GTs with a high degree of efficiency and accuracy. By profiling at eight different time points, we captured dynamic changes in gene expression, phenotypes, and metabolic processes associated with GT development. By integrating weighted gene co‐expression network analysis with CGTDM measurements, we established correlations between phenotypic variations in GT traits and the global transcriptome profiles across the developmental gradient. Notably, we identified a module containing methyl jasmonate (MeJA)‐responsive genes that significantly correlated with stalked GT density and cannabinoid content during development, suggesting the existence of a MeJA‐mediated GT formation pathway. Our findings were further supported by the successful promotion of GT development in cannabis through exogenous MeJA treatment. Importantly, we have identified CsMYC4 as a key transcription factor that positively regulates GT formation via MeJA signaling in cannabis. These findings provide novel tools for GT detection and counting, as well as valuable information for understanding the molecular regulatory mechanism of GT formation, which has the potential to facilitate the molecular breeding, targeted engineering, informed harvest timing, and manipulation of cannabinoid production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accurate diagnosis of breast lesions and discrimination of axillary lymph node (ALN) metastases largely depend on radiologist experience. Purpose: To develop a deep learning‐based whole‐process system (DLWPS) for segmentation and diagnosis of breast lesions and discrimination of ALN metastasis. Study Type: Retrospective. Population: 1760 breast patients, who were divided into training and validation sets (1110 patients), internal (476 patients), and external (174 patients) test sets. Field Strength/Sequence: 3.0T/dynamic contrast‐enhanced (DCE)‐MRI sequence. Assessment: DLWPS was developed using segmentation and classification models. The DLWPS‐based segmentation model was developed by the U‐Net framework, which combined the attention module and the edge feature extraction module. The average score of the output scores of three networks was used as the result of the DLWPS‐based classification model. Moreover, the radiologists' diagnosis without and with the DLWPS‐assistance was explored. To reveal the underlying biological basis of DLWPS, genetic analysis was performed based on RNA‐sequencing data. Statistical Tests: Dice similarity coefficient (DI), area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and kappa value. Results: The segmentation model reached a DI of 0.828 and 0.813 in the internal and external test sets, respectively. Within the breast lesions diagnosis, the DLWPS achieved AUCs of 0.973 in internal test set and 0.936 in external test set. For ALN metastasis discrimination, the DLWPS achieved AUCs of 0.927 in internal test set and 0.917 in external test set. The agreement of radiologists improved with the DLWPS‐assistance from 0.547 to 0.794, and from 0.848 to 0.892 in breast lesions diagnosis and ALN metastasis discrimination, respectively. Additionally, 10 breast cancers with ALN metastasis were associated with pathways of aerobic electron transport chain and cytoplasmic translation. Data Conclusion: The performance of DLWPS indicates that it can promote radiologists in the judgment of breast lesions and ALN metastasis and nonmetastasis. Level of Evidence: 4 Technical Efficacy Stage: 3 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Prior knowledge plays a crucial role in image completion. Although almost all of the existing image completion methods use prior knowledge to complete the image to be repaired from different perspectives, the learning and modeling of the prior knowledge is still a challenging problem. In order to address this issue, we propose a novel prior knowledge distillation framework (PKD‐Net) which could distill prior knowledge of structure and style from multiple semantic space and generates not only plausible content but also consistent style with surrounding image area. Our PKD‐Net replaces the skip connection in the vanilla U‐Net with a semantic shift attention module. The semantic shift attention module takes features from encoder layer and those from decoder layer as input pairs to output shifted features which take into account the long‐range dependency of encoder layer features and corresponding decoder layer features from the perspective of local structure and style. Semantic shift attention module models the global interdependencies in local spatial structures (patches centered at each position) and style (appearance texture) dimensions respectively, which could implement distillation of prior knowledge from two aspects: structure and style. Experiments on multiple datasets including faces (CelebA, CelebA‐HQ) and natural images (ImageNet, Places2, Paris Street View) demonstrate that our proposed approach generates higher quality completion results than existing ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two‐dimensional (2D) nanochannels with confined spacing and tunable microenvironment exhibit broad application prospects in molecule‐scale processes. However, mass transport behaviors in nanochannels have yet been clearly elucidated, due to the complex physical and chemical structures of nanochannels. Herein, a series of vertically‐aligned nanochannels with tunable chemistry were fabricated by embedding graphene‐based lamellar membranes into epoxy matrix. In this way, 2 mm‐length robust nanochannels can maintain the molecular transport configuration throughout the membrane without the disturbance from entrance and cross‐layer domains. Based on these platforms, it is demonstrated that molecule–channel and molecule–molecule interactions codetermine molecular transport efficiency by controlling molecular configuration and transfer friction. Significantly, matched interaction energies permit fast transport with methanol permeance of over 26.1 L m−2 h−1 bar−1, which outperforms most reported long‐range nanochannels, while mismatched interaction energies fail to do so. In addition, the vertically‐aligned nanochannels membranes hold exceptional stability because of the mechanical protection of epoxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Objectives Methods Results Conclusion G protein‐coupled receptor 40 (GPR40) is a potential drug target for Alzheimer's disease (AD), and its agonist GW9508 ameliorates cognitive impairment by intravenous administration.The present study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of GW9508 administered peripherally on cognitive dysfunction in streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced AD mice.Seventy male ICR mice were randomly divided into seven groups: vehicle sham group, model, Donepezil, GW9508‐L, GW9508‐M, GW9508‐H, and GW1100 + GW9508‐H groups, and administered either vehicle (artificial cerebrospinal fluid [aCSF]) or STZ (3 mg/kg in the vehicle) once a day (9:00 a.m.) by intracerebroventricular injection bilaterally on day 1 and day 3, respectively. After 2 weeks of recovery, all mice were given drug treatment. Behavioral experiments were applied to test the recognition and spatial memory of mice, while molecular biology experiments such as Western blot, ELISA, and Nissl staining were used to detect the corresponding changes of signaling pathways.Intraperitoneal administration of GW9508 prevented STZ‐induced cognitive impairment as well as decreased the level of p‐tau and Aβ1–42 in plasma and brain. GW9508 upregulated the expression of gut‐brain peptides like PYY, CCK, IGF‐1, and GLP‐1 both in blood circulation and brain and downregulated the expression level of autophagy‐related proteins through activating Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Meanwhile, the treatment effect of GW9508 was reversed by GPR40 antagonist GW1100 significantly.Peripheral administration of GW9508 exhibits neuroprotective effects, and it could be a promising therapy for AD. The neuroprotective mechanism of GW9508 was based on promoting gut‐brain peptide secretion, activating Akt/mTOR signal pathway, and regulating neuronal autophagy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore the neuroprotective potential of hyperforin and elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms involved in its therapeutic effects against vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). Methods: The active compounds and possible targets of Hypericum perforatum L. that may be effective against VCI were found by network pharmacology in this research. We utilized bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) surgery to induce a VCI mouse model. Morris water maze (MWM) and Y‐maze tests were used to assess VCI mice's cognitive abilities following treatment with hyperforin. To evaluate white matter lesions (WMLs), we utilized Luxol fast blue (LFB) stain and immunofluorescence (IF). Neuroinflammation was assessed using IF, western blot (WB), and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The effects of hyperforin on microglia were investigated by subjecting the BV2 microglial cell line to oxygen–glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) stimulation. The expressions of VEGFR2, p‐SRC, SRC, VEGFA, and inflammatory markers including IL‐10, IL‐1β, TNF‐α, and IL‐6 were subsequently assessed. Results: The VEGFR2/SRC signaling pathway is essential for mediating the protective properties of hyperforin against VCI according to network pharmacology analysis. In vivo findings demonstrated that hyperforin effectively improved BCCAO‐induced cognitive impairment. Furthermore, staining results showed that hyperforin attenuated WMLs and reduced microglial activation in VCI mice. The hyperforin treatment group's ELISA results revealed a substantial decrease in IL‐1β, IL‐6, and TNF‐α levels. According to the results of in vitro experiments, hyperforin decreased the release of pro‐inflammatory mediators (TNF‐α, IL‐6, and IL‐1β) and blocked microglial M1‐polarization by modulating the VEGFR2/SRC signaling pathway. Conclusion: Hyperforin effectively modulated microglial M1 polarization and neuroinflammation by inhibiting the VEGFR2/SRC signaling pathways, thereby ameliorating WMLs and cognitive impairment in VCI mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A burgeoning literature supports the effect of media coverage on public inflation expectations but ignores televised reports, particularly official TV news. Using bootstrap Granger non‐causality tests, this study demonstrates time‐varying causalities from the Chinese national broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reports to households' inflation expectations during 2014Q1–2015Q4 and 2017Q1–2018Q4 with positive effects. This indicates that official TV news leads inflation expectations. Furthermore, positive causalities from CCTV reports to the expectation heterogeneity also exist, thus meaning that more official reports may exacerbate the disagreement among households' expectations, thereby contributing to the macroeconomic instability. The content conflict is a possible reason for the positive effect of CCTV reports on the inflation expectation disagreement of households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lamellar membranes, especially assembled by microporous framework nanosheets, have excited interest for fast molecular permeation. However, the underlying molecular dissolution behaviors on membrane surface, especially at pore entrances, remain unclear. Here, hierarchical metal–organic framework (MOF) lamellar membranes with 7 nm‐thick surface layer and 553 nm‐thick support layer are prepared. Hydrophilic (–NH2) or hydrophobic (–CH3) groups are decorated at pore entrances on surface layer to manipulate wettability, while –CH3 groups on support layer provide comparable, low‐resistance paths. We demonstrate that molecular dissolution behaviors are determined by molecule–molecule and molecule–pore interactions, derived from intrinsic parameters of molecule and membrane. Importantly, two dissolution model equations are established: for hydrophobic membrane surface, dissolution activation energy (ES) obeys ES = Kmln[(γL‐γC)μd2], while turns to ES=Kaln[(γL‐γC)δeμd2] for hydrophilic one. Particularly, hydrophilic pore entrances exert strong interaction with polar molecules, thus compensating the energy consumed by molecule rearrangement, giving fast permeation (>270 L m−2 h−1 bar−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Maltodextrin is an important bulk ingredient in food and other industries; however, drawbacks such as uneven polymerization and high reducibility limit its utilization. Nonreducing maltoheptaose (N‐G7) is a good substitute for maltodextrin owing to its single degree of polymerization and its nonreducing properties. In this study, in vitro cell factory biotransformation of β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD) to N‐G7 is demonstrated using coexpressed cyclomaltodextrinase (CDase, EC 3.2.1.54) and maltooligosyltrehalose synthase (MTSase, EC 5.4.99.15). However, the cell membrane prevents β‐CD from entering the cell owing to its large diameter. RESULTS: The amylase‐deficient permeabilized host ΔycjM‐ΔmalS‐ΔlpxM is utilized for the coexpression of recombinant CDase and MTSase. Deletion of lpxM effectively allows the entry of β‐cyclodextrin into the cell, despite its large diameter, without requiring any relevant cell membrane permeability‐promoting reagent. This results in a 28.44% increase in the efficiency of β‐CD entry into the cell, thus enabling intracellular N‐G7 synthesis without the extracellular secretion of recombinant CDase and MTSase. After reacting for 5.5 h, the highest purity of N‐G7 (65.50%) is obtained. However, hydrolysis decreases the purity of N‐G7 to 49.30%, thus resulting in a conversion rate of 40.16% for N‐G7 when the reaction lasts 6 h. Precise control of reaction time is crucial for obtaining high‐purity N‐G7. CONCLUSION: Whole‐cell catalysis avoids cell fragmentation and facilitates the creation of an eco‐friendly, energy‐efficient biotransformation system; thus, it is a promising approach for N‐G7 synthesis. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Diabetes is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Integrating high‐valence metal sites into transition metal‐based oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts turns out to be a prevailing solution to replacing noble metal‐based electrocatalysts. However, stabilizing the thermodynamically unfavorable high‐valence metal sites within the electrocatalyst remains challenging. Hereby, a general strategy is proposed that evokes cooperative geometric and electronic interactions at nanometer coherent interfaces, which effectively stabilizes interfacial high‐valence metal sites within homogeneously distributed heterostructures and significantly enhances electrocatalytic activity. As a proof‐of‐concept study, by derivatizing multicomponent isoreticular hybridized metal–organic frameworks with separated σ‐ or π‐bonded moieties, bimetal Ni–Fe selenides heterostructures with nanoscopic compositional and structural homogeneity are grafted. Such heterostructures entail nanometer‐sized coherent interfaces that accommodate large geometric distortions and cooperatively stabilize the energetically unfavorable Jahn–Teller active electronic states of high‐valence interfacial Ni sites. The presence of high‐valence interfacial Ni sites and associated collective Jahn–Teller distortions greatly facilitate the Ni oxidation cycling through Ni3+/Ni4+ transition and stabilizes the *O key intermediate at Ni‐Se dual sites, both of which synergistically lowers down the overall OER overpotential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water loss of medium‐term delivery frozen pepper is significant, resulting in the decline of product quality and the loss of nutrients. Hydrocolloids have been proved to help reduce the water loss of fruits and vegetables. Applying magnetic field can reduce the size of ice crystals during freezing, thus preventing cell damage and reducing water loss. In this study, the pickled red pepper was first soaked in gellan gum solution, and then frozen by magnetic field assisted freezing method to reduce the water loss of pepper products during storage. The process was accelerated by repeated (2–6 times) freezing and thawing, so as to reach the standard of medium‐term delivery faster. At the same time, the thawing stage was also supplemented by the action of magnetic field to explore its thawing effect. The results showed that freezing at 10 mT and −20°C and thawing at 4°C and 10 mT can better maintain the texture characteristics of pepper products compared to the control group, thereby reducing the water loss from 40% to 5%, increasing the color appeal, and reducing the loss of red pigment. Practical applications: This study provides a simple and novel method to reduce the water loss of frozen products during thawing. These steps combine hydrophilic colloid and magnetic field exploration to reduce the water loss of frozen products, and provide new ideas for product freezing and thawing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a serious threat to human health. Owing to the action of dipeptidyl peptidase‐IV (DPP‐IV), the half‐life of entero‐insulin hormone after secretion is extremely short, causing insufficient insulin secretion in diabetic patients. Dipeptidyl peptidase‐IV inhibitors can be used as a new treatment for T2DM. In this study, the proteins of eel (Anguilla rostrata) scraps hydrolyzed using Protamex protease (EPHs) were found to have strong DPP‐IV inhibitory activity. The study also provided research ideas for the development and utilization of A. rostrata scraps. RESULTS: The median inhibition concentration (IC50) value of EPHs was 5.455 ± 0.24 mg mL−1. The peptide fractions with the highest DPP‐IV inhibitory activity were sequentially separated by ultrafiltration, gel filtration chromatography (GFC), and reversed‐phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP‐HPLC) in a continuous hierarchical manner and analyzed using matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight/ time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF/TOF MS/MS). Three peptides that revealed significant inhibitory activity were screened among the identified sequences, with sequences of Phe‐Pro‐Arg (IC50 = 62.14 ± 1.47 μM), Tyr‐Pro‐Pro‐Ser‐Phe‐Ser (IC50 = 102.65 ± 4.57 μM), and Tyr‐Pro‐Tyr‐Pro‐Ala‐Ser (IC50 = 68.30 ± 3.85 μM). Molecular docking simulations revealed that their inhibitory effect was mainly due to the formation of hydrogen bonds with amino acid residues in the active sites of DPP‐IV. Analysis of the inhibition patterns of the synthetic peptides displayed that Phe‐Pro‐Arg and Tyr‐Pro‐Pro‐Ser‐Phe‐Ser displayed competitive inhibition, whereas Tyr‐Pro‐Tyr‐Pro‐Ala‐Ser showed mixed competitive/non‐competitive inhibition. CONCLUSIONS: The protein hydrolysates isolated from eel scraps are potential functional food ingredients for the treatment of T2DM. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, AlN film grown on metal‐organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) AlN template by high‐temperature hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) is characterized. High‐resolution X‐ray diffraction results show that the crystal quality of the film is improved compared with that of the template. Atomic force microscopy shows that the root mean square roughness value also decreases. Cathodoluminescence spectra show that the main impurities in the epitaxial layer and template are oxygen atoms. Raman spectroscopy and geometric phase analysis show that HVPE AlN samples maintain a compressive stress internally, which is the key to inhibit film cracking. Transmission electron microscope characterization reveals that most of the dislocations at the interface inherit from MOCVD AlN template, incline in the subsequent growth, react with each other, and finally annihilate. The dislocation bending and reduction mechanism are demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A solid‐state sodium metal battery has cut a striking figure in next‐generation large‐scale energy storage technology on account of high safety, high energy density, and low cost. Nevertheless, the large interfacial resistance and sodium dendrite growth originating from the poor interface contact seriously hinder its practical application. Herein, a modified ultrasound welding was proposed to atomically bond Na anodes and Au‐metalized Na3Zr2Si2PO12 electrolytes associated with the in situ formation of Na–Au alloy interlayers. Thereupon, intimate Na3Zr2Si2PO12–Au/Na interfaces with a low interfacial resistance (~23 Ω cm2) and a strong dendrite inhibition ability were constructed. The optimized Na symmetric battery can cycle steadily for more than 900 h at 0.3 mA cm−2 under a low overpotential (<50 mV) of Na electroplating/stripping and deliver a high critical current density of 0.8 mA cm−2 at room temperature. By incorporating the above interface into the solid‐state Na metal battery, taking three‐dimensional Na3V2(PO4)3 as the cathode, the full battery offers a high energy density of 291 Wh kg−1 at a high power density of 1860 W kg−1. A pouch‐type solid‐state sodium metal full battery based on a ceramic electrolyte was assembled for the first time, and it lit a 3 V LED lamp. Such a strategy of the ultrasound welding metalized solid‐state electrolyte/Na interface by engineering the Na–Au interlayer would pave a new pathway to engineer a low‐resistance and highly stable interface for high‐energy/density solid‐state sodium metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N‐doped carbons as one of the most prominent anode materials to replace standard graphite exhibit outstanding Li+ storage performance. However, N‐doped carbon anodes still suffer from low N‐doping levels and low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE). In this study, high N‐doped and low graphitic‐N carbons (LGNCs) with enhanced ICE were synthesized by taking advantage of a denitrification strategy for graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C3N4). In brief, more than 14.5 at% of N from g‐C3N4 (55.1 at% N) was retained by reacting graphitic‐N with lithium, which was subsequently removed. As graphitic‐N is largely responsible for the irreversible capacity, the anode's performance was significantly increased. Compared to general N‐doped carbons with high graphitic‐N proportion (>50%) and low N content (<15 at%), LGNCs delivered a low proportion of 10.8%–17.2% within the high N‐doping content of 14.5–42.7 at%, leading to an enhanced specific capacity of 1499.9 mAh g−1 at an ICE of 93.7% for the optimal sample of LGNC (4:1). This study provides a facile strategy to control the N content and speciation, achieving both high Li+ storage capacity and high ICE, and thus promoting research and application of N‐doped carbon materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a new strategy to achieve high‐efficient heat transfer for non‐Newtonian fluids with slippage using a stably prepared superhydrophobic coating is presented. A superhydrophobic coating is prepared on the inner surface of a sleeve at specific shear stress. The slippage and heat‐transfer processes of the typical non‐Newtonian fluid–1% carboxymethyl cellulose solutions on the superhydrophobic coating are investigated simultaneously. A novel porous spherical type of superhydrophobic coating with a contact angle of 168° is obtained. It is found that the shear stress in electrodeposition is a key parameter to control the morphology and wetting ability of the superhydrophobic coating. The slip length and enhancement factor of heat transfer for the non‐Newtonian fluid on the coating are found in a range of 20–900 µm and 1.47 experimentally. A new parameter is proposed as Reynolds number Re divided by the dimensionless slip length ls* (Re/ls*) for the heat‐transfer enhancement with slippage, which can be used as the guide for designing coating and selecting the operating conditions. The Re/ls* is <4, which can enhance the heat transfer via the slippage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preoperative evaluation of microvascular invasion (MVI) in small solitary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC; maximum lesion diameter ≤ 3 cm) is important for treatment decisions. Purpose: To apply gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd‐EOB‐DTPA)‐enhanced MRI to develop and validate a nomogram for preoperative evaluation of MVI in small solitary HCC and to compare the effectiveness of radiomics evaluation models based on different volumes of interest (VOIs). Study Type: Retrospective. Population: A total of 196 patients include 62 MVI‐positive and 134 MVI‐negative patients were enrolled (training cohort, n = 105; testing cohort, n = 45; external validation cohort, n = 46). Field Strength/Sequence: 3.0 T, fat suppressed fast‐spin‐echo T2‐weighted and Gd‐EOB‐DTPA‐enhanced T1‐weighted magnetization‐prepared rapid gradient‐echo sequences. Assessment Radiomics features were extracted on T2‐weighted, arterial phase (AP), and hepatobiliary phase (HBP) images from different VOIs (VOIintratumor and VOIintratumor+peritumor) and filtered by the least absolute shrinkage selection operator (LASSO) regression. From VOIintratumor and VOIintratumor+peritumor, eight radiomics models were constructed based on three MRI sequences (T2‐weighted, AP, and HBP) and fused sequences (combined of three sequences). Nomograms were constructed of a clinical‐radiological (CR) model and a clinical‐radiological‐radiomics (CRR) model. Statistical Tests: One‐way analysis of variance, independent t‐test, Chi‐square test or Fisher's exact test, Wilcoxon rank‐sum test, LASSO, logistic regression analysis, area under the curve (AUC), nomograms, decision curve, net reclassification improvement (NRI), integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) analyses, and DeLong test. Results: Among eight radiomics models, the fused sequences‐based VOIintratumor+peritumor radiomics model showed the best performance. The CRR model containing the best performance radiomics model and CR model with the AUC values were 0.934, 0.889, and 0.875, respectively. NRI and IDI analyses showed that the CRR model improved evaluation efficacy over the CR model for all three cohorts (all P‐value <0.05). Data Conclusion: The CRR model nomogram could preoperatively evaluate MVI in small solitary HCC. The radiomics model based on VOIintratumor+peritumor might achieve better evaluation results. Evidence Level 4 Technical Efficacy Stage: 2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consider there exist many time‐varying factors during the recurrent neural networks training in piratical application engineering. In this paper, different from the time‐invariant case, a time‐varying learning rate is presented to accelerate the convergence speed for the recurrent neural networks (RNNs) when used to solve the linear simultaneous equations. Theoretical analysis shows that the neural networks with the time‐varying learning rate can globally converge to the theoretical solution; moreover, if the linear activation function is used, the model will be exponential convergent to the theoretical solution, and if the sign‐bi‐power activation function is used, the state solution by the neural networks will be convergent in finite time. Computer simulation results further substantiate that the time‐varying learning rate can be used for accelerating the convergence rate of the RNN models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Preventing relapse by immunosuppressants (ISs) is critical for the prognosis of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD); however, the optimal duration of IS treatment is still under discussion. The objective was to explore the optimal duration of IS treatment and the risk of IS discontinuation for NMOSD. Method: This cohort study was conducted at a major neurological center that housed the largest NMOSD database in South China. Eligible participants were patients with NMOSD undergoing IS treatment. The main outcome measures were changes in relapse risk based on IS treatment duration, clinical outcomes and predictors of relapse following IS discontinuation. Results: In total, 343 patients were included in this study. The duration of IS treatment was strongly associated with a decrease in relapse risk (hazard ratio [HR] 0.53, p < 0.001). Continuous IS treatment resulted in decreased relapse HRs within 5 years of receiving IS medication, with a mild rebound starting at 5 years. Rituximab reduced the risk of NMOSD relapse to approximately zero within 3 years. The rate of relapse after IS withdrawal was high (77.5%). As opposed to other ISs, a delayed relapse following rituximab withdrawal was observed in this study. Longitudinal extensive transverse myelitis (HR = 2.023, p = 0.006) was associated with a higher risk of relapse after IS discontinuation. Conclusions: Long‐term IS medication for NMOSD is generally suitable. Patients with longitudinal extensive transverse myelitis had a higher risk of relapse after IS discontinuation. Future studies should explore individualized strategies of rituximab maintenance treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), also known as "forever chemicals," are manmade chemicals that have been increasingly detected in various geological settings since the early 2000s. The soil and subsurface environments are the geological media commonly affected by PFAS. We conducted a comprehensive review of peer‐reviewed articles published from 2010 through 2022 concerning the fate and transport of PFAS in subsurface environments. This review is organized into different subsections, covering the basics of PFAS properties and how they affect the occurrence, fate, and transport of PFAS, the fundamental processes affecting subsurface transport and fate of PFAS, and mathematical models for describing and predicting PFAS transport behaviors. Mechanisms governing PFAS transport in the subsurface environment, including the sorption of PFAS at the air‐water interface, solid‐water interface, and nonaqueous phase liquids‐water interface, were explored in detail. Challenges and future research priorities are identified to better mitigate the global challenges of PFAS contamination. Plain Language Summary: Per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a group of manmade chemicals used in a multitude of applications and commercial products (clothing, cookware, cosmetics, personal care products, fire extinguishers, etc.). Their widespread use has, however, lead to increasing release and distribution in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. PFAS, due to their unique properties, are very persistent in the environment as they do not degrade easily. Unfortunately, they are also toxic to organisms, including humans. In this review, we discuss the omnipresence of PFAS in water and soil and explain how PFAS move through subsurface media. There are thousands of different PFAS compounds, and only few of them have been studied in more detail and their transport behavior is known. PFAS tend to accumulate at the air‐water interface in the vadose zone. Generally, PFAS with long carbon chains are retained in soils more strongly than short‐chain compounds. Negatively charged PFAS are more mobile in soils than neutral and positively charged PFAS, and thus can readily pollute groundwater. Nonetheless, due to their persistence and slow desorption, even more strongly sorbed PFAS can be a sustained source for groundwater pollution. We finally identify challenges and future research needs to address the emerging threat of PFAS contamination of the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two‐dimensional lamellar membranes are promising for efficient molecule transfer, while the underlying transfer mechanism is rarely elucidated. Herein, heterostructured nanosheets are prepared by self‐assembling small‐sized hydrophilic cyanuric acid melamine and hydrophobic g‐C3N4 nanosheets. Resultant lamellar membranes show comparable affinity to polar and nonpolar solvents, allowing them to dissolve on membrane surface and diffuse through membrane channels. Results demonstrate that for lamellar membranes with distinct wettability, the permeance difference for polar solvents is originated from dissolution and diffusion processes, while that for nonpolar solvents is stemmed from dissolution process. Accordingly, corresponding equations which are suitable for heterostructured lamellar membranes are established. Importantly, polar solvents are induced to form ordered arrangement in hydrophilic nanodomains and then maintain the ordered state in hydrophobic nanodomains, affording a low‐resistance transfer and high acetonitrile permeance of 1025 L m−2 h−1 bar−1. In contrast, nonpolar solvents with disordered arrangement exhibit lower permeance than that of polar ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium trifluoroacetate ionic liquid (IL) modified palladium‐based catalyst supported on activated carbon have been prepared and measured for hydrodechlorination of 4‐chlorophenol (4‐CP) using (HCOOH + HCOONa) as hydrogen source. For turnover frequency of 4‐CP HDC reaction to obtain a value of 3.0×105 h−1 and five times better than the value of the catalyst without PDMS. This may be due to the addition of PDMS which can promote the dispersion of the nanoparticles. The conversion of the catalyst HDC decreased from 100 % to 92 % after 5 times which may be due to a hydrophobic structure formed in the catalyst after the addition of PDMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphite is the mainstream anode material for commercial lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), but the low theoretical capacity (372 mAh g−1) becomes the bottleneck to further increase the energy density of LIBs. Herein, hard carbon derived from graphite with enhanced lithium‐ion storage performance is demonstrated by environmentally friendly and simply mechanochemical method. With the mechanochemical treatment, the commercial graphite transferred into hard carbon materials with controllable morphology and defect density. As an optimal exemplification, the obtained hard carbon serving as anode delivers significantly enhanced lithium storage capacity of 629.8 mAh g−1 at a current density of 0.2 A g−1, which is nearly double of the pristine graphite anode. The enhanced lithium storage performance of hard carbon anode is attributed to the presence of numerous defects induced by mechanochemical process, serving as the active sites to improve capacity during the Li insertion and extraction process. Our work broadens the avenue for graphite anode to further increase the energy density of LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low mass transfer rate in porous materials hinders the use of adsorbed natural gas as vehicle fuel. Fundamentally, the mass transfer rate depends on the structures of the adsorbents and the operating conditions. Therefore, in this study, the effects of adsorbent (activated carbons) structure and operating conditions on the mass transfer rate of methane (main component of natural gas) were investigated quantitatively, providing a theoretical basis for the synthesis of efficient adsorbent materials. By performing Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations and utilizing a nonequilibrium thermodynamic linearization transfer model, the mass transfer behavior of methane in porous carbon materials was quantitatively evaluated, specifically focusing on the material structure, operating conditions, and feasibility of using natural gas as vehicle fuel. The proposed linear nonequilibrium thermodynamic mass transfer model is applicable to interfacial gas species and provides a valuable tool for gas separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subnational governments played key roles in China's past rapid growth, and local industrial policy was among their most frequently used tools. Using a plausible comprehensive local industrial policies variable constructed using local Five‐Year Plans and a comprehensive dataset of all medium and large firms in China between 1998 and 2013, this paper attempts to understand whether such interventions are helpful for China's growth. Our results indicate that although local industrial policies attract more low productivity firms, they do achieve their purpose of improving the productivity of the targeted sectors, at firm and city levels, especially in the long run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐voltage LiCoO2 is an attractive cathode for ultra‐high energy lithium‐ion batteries in the 5G era. However, the practical application of LiCoO2 is largely hindered by the unstable structure under high voltage. Herein, dextran sulfate lithium (DSL) is used as a versatile binder to improve the cycling stability of LiCoO2 at 4.6 V. A coulombic efficiency of almost 100% and 93.4% capacity retention after 100 cycles has been achieved. The aqueous DSL binder can be evenly coated onto the surfaces of LiCoO2 particles to function as an artificial interface, significantly preventing the decomposition of electrolyte and the dissolution of Co ions. More importantly, the superior interaction between the sulfate acid groups of DSL chains and the LiCoO2 particles enhances the stability of CoO chemical bonds, further suppressing the detrimental phase transition from O3 to H1‐3 above 4.55 V. The stabilization of high‐voltage LiCoO2 through the binder is facile and enlightening to design high energy battery materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Alginate lyases (EC 4.4.2.3/4.4.2.11) have been applied to produce alginate oligosaccharides, which have physiological advantages such as prebiotic and antidiabetic effects, and are of benefit in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Extracellular production of recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli presents advantages including simplified downstream processing and high productivity; however, the presence of certain signal peptides does not always ensure successful secretion, which make the extracellular production of alginate lyase in E. coli rarely reported but of great significance. RESULTS: A PL7 family alginate lyase, Aly01, with its native signal peptide from Vibrio natriegens SK42.001, was identified, characterized, and extracellularly expressed in E. coli. The enzyme specifically released trisaccharide from alginate and was strictly NaCl activated. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) was fused with the Aly01 signal peptide and successfully secreted in E. coli to expand the feasibility of using this signal peptide to produce other heterologous proteins extracellularly. Through a synergistic strategy of utilizing Terrific Broth (TB) medium supplemented with 120 mmol L–1 glycine and 10 mmol L–1 calcium, the lag phase of protein secretion was reduced to 3 h from 12 h; meanwhile calcium remedied glycine‐related cell growth impairment, leading to further enhancement of overall enzyme productivity, reaching a maximum of 4.55 U mL−1. CONCLUSION: A new salt‐activated alginate lyase, Aly01, was identified and characterized. E. coli employed its signal peptide and extracellularly expressed both Aly01 and a GFP, which indicated the signal peptide of Aly01 could be a powerful tool for extracellular production of other heterologous proteins in E. coli. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin glass theory is an interdisciplinary statistical theory that has been widely used to describe the complex physical systems in diverse fields. In photonic platforms, the characteristic phenomenon of the phase transition between paramagnetic and spin glass state, i.e., replica symmetry breaking (RSB), has been recently observed in random laser (RL) systems via analogies between optical modes and magnetic spins. Here, the RSB phenomenon in cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) bandgap lasing is reported. The CLC lasing arises from the edge of bandgap when the reflection spectrum edge of CLC spectrally overlaps with the fluorescence spectrum of dye. Different from the RL systems, where the RSB phenomenon is frequently observed, bandgap laser shows weak disorder due to its self‐assembled helical structure. Unexpectedly, based on the statistical study of the lasing spectra, the RSB can still be found when the bandgap laser operates at the threshold point. This RSB phenomenon is robust when the bandgap laser works at different temperatures and wavelengths. These results extend the scope of the feasibility of the spin glass theory in the photonic field, which boost the understanding of the interplay between system disorder and lasing statistical behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) are preferable in energy storage devices, owing to their high ionic conductivity and excellent compatibility with electrodes. In the current work, sodium‐conductive Na2Zn2TeO6 filler modified GPE membranes are fabricated, and their application performances in sodium‐ions batteries (SIBs) are demonstrated. With the modification of Na2Zn2TeO6 filler, the ionic conductivity of the GPEs is enhanced significantly, due to the decreased crystallinity and enlarged porosity of polymer membranes induced by Na2Zn2TeO6 modifier, which itself is a high ionic conductor. The modified GPE membranes exhibit enhanced ionic conductivity as high as 2.52×10−3 S/cm with a low activation energy of approximately 0.040 eV. The assembled Na3V2(PO4)3/C|GPE|Na battery delivers a high first discharge capacity of 93.3 mAh ⋅ g−1 at 0.5 C and promising capacity retention capability (98.4 % after 100 cycles) as well as excellent rate performance (83.5 mAh ⋅ g−1 at 5 C). This work proves that the performances of GPEs can be enhanced with the modification of ionic conductors similar to Na2Zn2TeO6, promoting the application of GPEs in energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a common, chronic inflammatory disease with complex pathogenesis. In recent years, a number of susceptibility non‐human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes of PsA have been revealed, which also act as important factors in the pathogenesis of PsA as well as HLA genes. By searching the databases National Center for Biotechnology Information, Google and PubMed, 37 articles are included and 50 susceptibility non‐HLA genes for PsA are presented, such as IL23A, TNIP1, TYK2, STAT4, IL12B, RUNX3 and TRAF3IP2. In these non‐HLA genes, some are common genes shared with other diseases, whereas most of these susceptibility genes are related to the pathogenesis of PsA by activation or inhibition of the signaling pathways. Several signaling pathways possibly implicated in the pathogenesis of PsA are introduced in this paper, including the 2 mainly signaling pathways, IL23/Th17 signaling pathway and NF‐κB signaling pathway, and the other involved signaling pathways, such as JAK‐STAT signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]