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ABSTRACT Canine mammary gland tumour (CMT) is the most common spontaneous tumour in intact female dogs and often exhibits metastases. Auranofin (AF) is a gold complex used for treating rheumatism. The excellent anti‐tumour ability of AF has been demonstrated in various types of human and canine tumours. In this study, five CMT cell lines (CIPp, CMT‐7364, CHMp, CIPm and CTBp) and three CMT primary cells (G7894, L1883 and L6783) were used to explore the anti‐tumour effect of AF on CMT. Two CMT cell lines (CIPp and CMT‐7364) were used to search the underlying mechanism of the effect of AF on CMT. The results showed that AF inhibited the growth, migration, invasion, and colony formation abilities of CMT cells. Additionally, the growth of CMT in a 3D cell culture model was effectively suppressed by AF. Furthermore, AF induced cell apoptosis of CMT cells via the PI3K/AKT pathway. In conclusion, AF effectively induces CMT apoptosis by regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway, indicating that AF should be explored as a potential CMT treatment in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streptococcus suis is an important zoonotic pathogen, causing cytokine storms of Streptococcal toxic shock‐like syndrome amongst humans after a wound infection into the bloodstream. To overcome the challenges of fever and leukocyte recruitment, invasive S. suis must deploy multiple stress responses forming a network and utilize proteases to degrade short‐lived regulatory and misfolded proteins induced by adverse stresses, thereby adapting and evading host immune responses. In this study, we found that S. suis encodes multiple ATP‐dependent proteases, including single‐chain FtsH and double‐subunit Clp protease complexes ClpAP, ClpBP, ClpCP, and ClpXP, which were activated as the fever of infected mice in vivo. The expression of genes ftsH, clpA/B/C, and clpP, but not clpX, were significantly upregulated in S. suis in response to heat stress, while were not changed notably under the treatments with several other stresses, including oxidative, acidic, and cold stimulation. FtsH and ClpP were required for S. suis survival within host blood under heat stress in vitro and in vivo. Deletion of ftsH or clpP attenuated the tolerance of S. suis to heat, oxidative and acidic stresses, and significantly impaired the bacterial survival within macrophages. Further analysis identified that repressor CtsR directly binds and controls the clpA/B/C and clpP operons and is relieved by heat stress. In summary, the deployments of multiple ATP‐dependent proteases form a flexible heat stress response network that appears to allow S. suis to fine‐tune the degradation or refolding of the misfolded proteins to maintain cellular homeostasis and optimal survival during infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the dysbiosis of the oral-gut microbiome in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and its implications for noninvasive diagnosis. PCOS is a common reproductive endocrine disorder that affects women of reproductive age. The study analyzed the oral and gut microbiome of PCOS patients and healthy controls and identified differences in microbial composition and functionality between the two groups. The findings suggest that the oral and gut microbiota may serve as potential predictive markers for PCOS diagnosis, and combining microbial indicators with clinical indices can optimize the accuracy of PCOS discrimination. [Extracted from the article]

Aim: To investigate the metabolism and disposition characteristics of HSK7653 in healthy male Chinese participants. Methods: A single oral dose of 80 μCi (25 mg) [14C]HSK7653 capsules was administered to six healthy participants, and blood, plasma, urine and faeces were collected. Quantitative and qualitative analysis was conducted to investigate the pharmacokinetics, blood‐to‐plasma ratio, mass balance and metabolism of HSK7653. Results: The drug was well absorbed and reached a maximum concentration at 1.25 h. The drug‐related components (HSK7653 and its metabolites) were eliminated slowly, with a half‐life (t1/2) of 111 h. Unchanged HSK7653 contributed to more than 97% of the total radioactivity in all plasma samples. The blood‐to‐plasma ratio (0.573‐0.845) indicated that HSK7653 did not tend to distribute into blood cells. At 504 h postdose, up to 95.9% of the dose was excreted, including 79.8% in urine and 16.1% in faeces. Most of the radioactivity (75.5% dose) in excreta was unchanged HSK7653. In addition, nine metabolites were detected in urine and faeces. The most abundant metabolite was M6‐2, a dioxidation product of HSK7653, which accounted for 4.73% and 2.63% of the dose in urine and faeces, respectively. The main metabolic pathways of HSK7653 in vivo included oxidation, pyrrole ring opening and sulphonamide hydrolysation. Conclusion: HSK7653 was well absorbed, slightly metabolized and slowly excreted in humans. The high plasma exposure and long t1/2 of HSK7653 may contribute to its long‐lasting efficacy as a long‐acting dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crowdsourced package delivery (CPD) has gained great interest from the logistics industry and academe due to its signficant economic and environmental impact. A number of progresses have been reported; however, dynamic pricing, as a special and significant part of the uncertain CPD markets, is far less explored. To address the problem, a novel Delaunay Triangulation (DT) based pricing strategy is proposed for dealing with the imbalanced demand and supply in local markets with the aim to maximizing the profit of the CPD platform. To cater to drivers' wishes further, the hyperbolic temporal discounting function is applied to estimate their psychological rewards in order to increase the possibility of package acceptance. A three‐stage framework consisting of the DT‐based pricing, the matching pruning and the package assigning algorithm is proposed, to figure out the best‐possible package‐driver matching. With the dataset generated by Brinkhoff road network generator in the city of Jinan and Luoyang, China, a series of experiments is conducted to evaluate the proposed approach against several representative baseline approaches. Experimental results show that the approach significantly outperforms the other approaches in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. Crowdsourced package delivery, dynamic pricing, Delaunay Triangulation, temporal discounting, package assigning [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired from quantum Monte Carlo, by sampling discrete and continuous variables at the same time using the Metropolis–Hastings algorithm, we present a novel, fast, and accurate high performance Monte Carlo Parametric Expectation Maximization (MCPEM) algorithm. We named it Randomized Parametric Expectation Maximization (RPEM). We compared RPEM with NONMEM's Importance Sampling Method (IMP), Monolix's Stochastic Approximation Expectation Maximization (SAEM), and Certara's Quasi‐Random Parametric Expectation Maximization (QRPEM) for a realistic two‐compartment voriconazole model with ordinary differential equations using simulated data. We show that RPEM is as fast and as accurate as the algorithms IMP, QRPEM, and SAEM for the voriconazole model in reconstructing the population parameters, for the normal and log‐normal cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reported a visible‐light‐induced iron‐catalyzed α‐alkylation of oxindoles with alcohols to offer a variety of α‐alkyled oxindoles at room temperature. This reaction featured broad substrate scope with good functional tolerance under simple conditions. Through a series of controlled experiments, we tried to elucidated the important role of light in this borrowing hydrogen (BH) reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spread of prion‐like protein aggregates is a common driver of pathogenesis in various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related Tauopathies. Tau pathologies exhibit a clear progressive spreading pattern that correlates with disease severity. Clinical observation combined with complementary experimental studies has shown that Tau preformed fibrils (PFF) are prion‐like seeds that propagate pathology by entering cells and templating misfolding and aggregation of endogenous Tau. While several cell surface receptors of Tau are known, they are not specific to the fibrillar form of Tau. Moreover, the underlying cellular mechanisms of Tau PFF spreading remain poorly understood. Here, it is shown that the lymphocyte‐activation gene 3 (Lag3) is a cell surface receptor that binds to PFF but not the monomer of Tau. Deletion of Lag3 or inhibition of Lag3 in primary cortical neurons significantly reduces the internalization of Tau PFF and subsequent Tau propagation and neuron‐to‐neuron transmission. Propagation of Tau pathology and behavioral deficits induced by injection of Tau PFF in the hippocampus and overlying cortex are attenuated in mice lacking Lag3 selectively in neurons. These results identify neuronal Lag3 as a receptor of pathologic Tau in the brain，and for AD and related Tauopathies, a therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intravenous oxytocin is commonly used for labor induction. However, a consensus on the initial dosing regimen is lac with conflicting research findings and varying guidelines. This study aimed to develop a population kinetic‐pharmacodynamic (K‐PD) model for oxytocin‐induced uterine contractions considering real‐world data and relevant influencing factors to establish an optimal starting dosing regimen for intravenous oxytocin. Methods: This retrospective study included pregnant women who underwent labor induction with intravenous oxytocin at Peking University Third Hospital in 2020. A population K‐PD model was developed to depict the time course of uterine contraction frequency (UCF), and covariate screening identified significant factors affecting the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of oxytocin. Model‐based simulations were used to optimize the current starting regimen based on specific guidelines. Results: Data from 77 pregnant women with 1095 UCF observations were described well by the K‐PD model. Parity, cervical dilation, and membrane integrity are significant factors influencing the effectiveness of oxytocin. Based on the model‐based simulations, the current regimens showed prolonged onset times and high infusion rates. This study proposed a revised approach, beginning with a rapid infusion followed by a reduced infusion rate, enabling most women to achieve the target UCF within approximately 30 min with the lowest possible infusion rate. Conclusion: The K‐PD model of oxytocin effectively described the changes in UCF during labor induction. Furthermore, it revealed that parity, cervical dilation, and membrane integrity are key factors that influence the effectiveness of oxytocin. The optimal starting dosing regimens obtained through model simulations provide valuable clinical references for oxytocin treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxol (paclitaxel) is the first approved microtubule‐stabilizing agent (MSA) by binding stoichiometrically to tubulin, which is considered to be one of the most significant advances in first‐line chemotherapy against diverse tumors. However, a large number of residue missence mutations harboring in the tubulin have been observed to cause acquired drug resistance, largely limiting the clinical application of Taxol and its analogs in chemotherapy. A systematic investigation of the intermolecular interactions between the Taxol and various tubulin mutants would help to establish a comprehensive picture of drug response to tubulin mutations in clinical treatment of cancer, and to design new MSA agents with high potency and selectivity to overcome drug resistance. In this study, we described an integration of in silico analysis and in vitro assay (iSiV) to profile Taxol against a panel of 149 clinically observed, cancer‐associated missence mutations in β‐tubulin at molecular and cellular levels, aiming to a systematic understanding of molecular mechanism and biological implication underlying drug resistance and sensitivity conferring from tubulin mutations. It is revealed that the Taxol‐resistant mutations can be classified into three types: (I) nonbonded interaction broken due to mutation, (II) steric hindrance caused by mutation, and (III) conformational change upon mutation. In addition, we identified three new Taxol‐resistant mutations (C239Y, T274I, and R320P) that can largely reduce the binding affinity of Taxol to tubulin at molecular level, in which the T274I and R320P were observed to considerably impair the antitumor activity of Taxol at cellular level. Moreover, a novel drug‐susceptible mutation (M363T) was also identified, which improves Taxol affinity by 2.6‐fold and decreases Taxol antitumor EC50 values from 29.4 to 18.7 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rabies is a lethal infectious disease caused by rabies virus (RABV). The mortality rate is very high after the appearance of clinical symptoms, with a survival rate of almost 0%. There is presently no cure for rabies. In the present study, we investigated whether the extract of Shougong powder—a calcium powder prepared from gecko that has demonstrated immunomodulatory properties in mice—is an effective treatment for rabies. The antiviral effects of the extract were evaluated both in vitro and in vivo with the cytotoxicity and antiviral assays and by immunofluorescence analysis, quantitative real‐time (qRT)‐PCR, and western blotting. The results showed that Shougong powder and its extract increased survival rate in RABV‐infected mice is up to 60% and 50%, respectively, even in 20 times of LD50, whereas the control groups treated with isoprinosine (IPS) or saline are only 20% and 0% survival (p =.011). qRT‐PCR and western blotting analyses showed that the extract strongly inhibited viral mRNA expression and protein synthesis in vitro: expression of the N, P, M, G, and L genes of RABV was decreased by 28.8%–45.0% in the IPS group (p <.05) and by 50.1%–59.0% in the extract group (p <.05) relative to the control group. These results demonstrate that Shougong powder has certain antiviral effects against RABV and can potentially be used for the treatment for rabies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immune‐related pneumonitis is a rare and potentially fatal adverse event associated with sintilimab. We aimed to develop and validate a nomogram for predicting the risk of immune‐related pneumonitis in patients treated with sintilimab. Methods: The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was used to determine risk factors. Multivariable logistic regression was used to establish a prediction model. Its clinical validity was evaluated using calibration, discrimination, decision, and clinical impact curves. Internal validation was performed against the validation set and complete dataset. Results: The study included 632 patients; 59 were diagnosed with immune‐related pneumonitis. LASSO regression analysis identified that the risk factors for immune‐related pneumonitis were pulmonary metastases (odds ratio [OR], 4.015; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.725–9.340) and metastases at >3 sites (OR, 2.687; 95% CI: 1.151–6.269). The use of combined antibiotics (OR, 0.247; 95% CI: 0.083–0.738) and proton pump inhibitors (OR, 0.420; 95% CI: 0.211–0.837) were protective factors. The decision and clinical impact curves showed that the nomogram had clinical value for patients treated with sintilimab. Conclusions: We have developed and validated a practical nomogram model of sintilimab‐associated immune‐related pneumonitis, which provides clinical value for determining the risk of immune‐related pneumonitis and facilitating the safe administration of sintilimab therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low‐density duplex steels provide a potential for the industrial application owing to their good strength‐ductility match and reduced density. In the present work, the microstructure of an Fe–8.03Mn–6.10Al–0.4C (wt%) low‐density duplex steel was adjusted by controlling the cooling path after hot rolling, which is a conventional process during the production of steel sheets and strips. A microstructure of ferrite and austenite has been achieved by annealing the air‐cooled samples, and the microstructure of furnace‐cooled annealed samples consists of banded ferrite, austenite, and martensite. This is mainly due to the fact that the austenite is more stable by refining the grain size via embedding the needle‐like α‐ferrite. The existing of martensite and the banded microstructure in furnace‐cooled annealed samples induces the occurrence of cracks during deformation, resulting in an abrupt fracture at a relatively lower strain level. However, for air‐cooled annealed samples, a good ductility of duplex microstructure ensures that the deformation can be sustained up to a much higher strain level, and the transformation induced plasticity effect plays a positive role at the later deformation stage; this contributes to the occurrence of an extra work hardening rate recovery during deformation and thus to a good strength‐ductility match. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low‐dimensional lead‐based metal halide perovskites (MHPs) have many exceptional photoelectric capabilities thanks to the 6 s2 electron structure of lead ion (Pb2+). Pb2+′s toxicity, however, has prevented its widespread development and use. Finding ions in the valence layer that have a comparable electrical structure thus makes sense as Pb2+ replacements. In this work, all inorganic zero‐dimensional (0D) Cs3BiCl6 single crystal was synthesized by the anti‐solvent crystallization method. There is no obvious photoluminescence (PL) phenomenon for Cs3BiCl6 at room temperature (RT). It is found that the extremely strong exciton‐phonon interaction leads to seriously non‐radiative recombination. After doping with Sb3+, Cs3BiCl6: Sb achieved broadband emission with a significant Stokes shift, the photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) up to 15.85 %, which has a microsecond PL decay lifetime and excellent environmental stability. Systematic spectroscopic characterizations unveil the PL mechanism of Cs3BiCl6: Sb is self‐trapped excitons (STEs) emission, and theoretical calculation revealed the indirect bandgap properties of Cs3BiCl6 and Cs3BiCl6: Sb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low‐dimensional lead‐based metal halide perovskites (MHPs) have many exceptional photoelectric capabilities thanks to the 6 s2 electron structure of lead ion (Pb2+). Pb2+′s toxicity, however, has prevented its widespread development and use. Finding ions in the valence layer that have a comparable electrical structure thus makes sense as Pb2+ replacements. In this work, all inorganic zero‐dimensional (0D) Cs3BiCl6 single crystal was synthesized by the anti‐solvent crystallization method. There is no obvious photoluminescence (PL) phenomenon for Cs3BiCl6 at room temperature (RT). It is found that the extremely strong exciton‐phonon interaction leads to seriously non‐radiative recombination. After doping with Sb3+, Cs3BiCl6: Sb achieved broadband emission with a significant Stokes shift, the photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) up to 15.85 %, which has a microsecond PL decay lifetime and excellent environmental stability. Systematic spectroscopic characterizations unveil the PL mechanism of Cs3BiCl6: Sb is self‐trapped excitons (STEs) emission, and theoretical calculation revealed the indirect bandgap properties of Cs3BiCl6 and Cs3BiCl6: Sb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myocardial fibrosis (MF) is involved in hypertension, myocardial infarction and heart failure. It has been reported that circular RNA (circRNA) is a key regulatory factor of MF progression. In this study, we revealed that circ_0002295 and CXCR2 were elevated, and miR‐1287 was reduced in MF patients. Knockdown of circ_0002295 effectively suppressed the proliferation, migration and MF progression. Circ_0002295 was the molecular sponge of miR‐12878, and miR‐1287 inhibitor reversed the biological functions of circ_0002295 on the myocardial fibrosis. CXCR2 was a target gene of miR‐1287, and CXCR2 silencing relieved the impacts of miR‐1287 inhibitor on cardiac myofibroblasts. Circ_0002295 promoted MF progression by regulating the miR‐1287/CXCR2 axis, providing a possible circRNA‐targeted therapy for MF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have revealed that both extracorporeal shock‐wave therapy (ESWT) and hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can accelerate wound healing. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of ESWT and HBOT in enhancing diabetic wound healing. A dorsal skin defect in a streptozotocin‐induced diabetes rodent model was used. Postoperative wound healing was assessed once every 3 days. Histologic examination was performed with hematoxylin and eosin staining. Proliferation marker protein Ki‐67 (Ki‐67), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and 8‐hydroxy‐2‐deoxyguanosine (8‐OHdG) were evaluated with immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. The wound area was significantly reduced in the ESWT and HBOT groups compared to that in the diabetic controls. However, the wound healing time was significantly increased in the HBOT group compared to the ESWT group. Histological findings showed a statistical increase in neovascularization and suppression of the inflammatory response by both HBOT and ESWT compared to the controls. IHC staining revealed a significant increase in Ki‐67, VEGF, and eNOS but suppressed 8‐OHdG expression in the ESWT group compared to the HBOT group. ESWT facilitated diabetic wound healing more effectively than HBOT by suppressing the inflammatory response and enhancing cellular proliferation and neovascularization and tissue regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: To gain a better understanding of how Pyricularia oryzae population shifts is important for selecting suitable resistance genes for rice breeding programs. However, the relationships between P. oryzae pathogenic dynamics, geographic distribution, rice varieties, and timeline are not well studied. RESULTS: Resistance genes Piz‐5, Pi9(t), Pi12(t), Pi20(t), Pita‐2, and Pi11 showed stable resistance to the Taiwan rice blast fungus over 8 years of observations. Furthermore, 1749 rice blast isolates were collected from 2014 to 2021 and categorized into five pathotype clusters based on their correlation analysis between the geographic sources and virulence of Lijiangxintuanheigu monogenic lines. A detailed map of their distributions in Taiwan is presented. Isolates collected from the western region of Taiwan had greater pathotype diversity than those from the east region. Isolates collected from the subtropical region had greater diversity than those from the tropical region. Rice cultivars carrying Pik alleles were highly susceptible to pathotype L4. Cultivars with Piz‐t were highly susceptible to pathotype L5, and those with Pish were highly susceptible to pathotype L1. The geographical distribution of each pathotype was distinct, and the population size of each pathotype fluctuated significantly each year. CONCLUSION: The regional mega cultivars significantly impact the evolution of Pyricularia oryzae in Taiwan within the span of 8 years. However, the annual fluctuation of pathotype populations likely correlate to the rising annual temperatures that selected pathotype clusters by their optimal growth temperature. The results will provide useful information for effective disease management, and enable the R‐genes to prolong their function in the fields. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Tissue injury and inflammation are two potential outcomes of cerebral ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury. Salvianolic acid B (Sal B), isolated from the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza, is one of the major water‐soluble compounds with a wide range of pharmacological effects including antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, antiproliferative, and neuroprotective effects. In the present study, we explored the neuroprotective effects and potential mechanisms of Sal B after I/R injury. Methods: We induced cerebral ischemia in male CD‐1 mice through transient (60 min) middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO), and then injected Sal B (30 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. Neurological deficits, infarct volumes, and brain edema were assessed at 24 and 72 h after tMCAO. We detected the expression of Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4), phosphorylated‐p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (P‐p38 MAPK), phosphorylated c‐Jun amino (N)‐terminal kinases (p‐JNK), nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB), and interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) in the brain tissue. Results: Compared with the tMCAO group, Sal B significantly improved neurological deficits, reduced infarct size, attenuated cerebral edema, and downregulated the expression of pro‐inflammatory mediators TLR4, p‐p38MAPK, p‐JNK, nuclear NF‐κB, and IL‐1β in brain tissue after I/R injury. Conclusion: We found that Sal B protects brain tissues from I/R injury by activating its anti‐inflammatory properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conversion of methane to value‐added chemicals by traditional reforming processes suffers from intensive energy consumption due to its particularly strong C─H bonds. Thus, it is urgent to optimize the driving force structure for methane conversion by accelerating the integration of sustainable energy. In this review, the advances in sustainable energy‐driven methane conversion are systematically summarized to provide a scientific understanding of methane conversion in operation/storage concepts, reactor design, technological maturity, system optimization, and remaining issues. Furthermore, the essence, economic evaluations, energy balance, and social impacts of methane conversion driven by sustainable energy are carefully discussed, paving a path for the future course of research and development. Diversifying the energy mix can play an important role in the future of sustainable energy‐driven methane conversion industries, being used as a crucial step for the transition to sustainable energy, especially the combination of solar/nuclear energy with fossil fuels to produce value‐added chemicals. Additionally, this review intends to bridge the studies of methane conversion and sustainable energy‐driven development, with the ultimate goal of offering a robust framework to understand the current status of sustainable energy‐driven methane conversion and provide guidance for the design of sustainable solutions for a greener future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccine hesitancy—the reluctance, delay, or refusal to vaccinate regardless of availability—is not a new concept in psychology, medicine, or public health. However, given the emotions surrounding the COVID‐19 vaccine, hesitancy has proven difficult to overcome. To‐date, the bulk of available data on vaccine hesitancy are quantitative, leaving room for exploratory investigations into the reasons adults remain unvaccinated. This qualitative study assessed the motivations, beliefs, and perceptions of individuals who have decided to remain unvaccinated against COVID‐19. We had one exploratory research question: What social psychological justifications emerge from vaccine hesitant people's explanations of their decisions to remain unvaccinated? To assess this question, we conducted 18 interviews with unvaccinated adults throughout 2021–2022. The interviews consisted of 20 questions regarding participants' perceptions of the COVID‐19 vaccine and their intentions to get vaccinated. Thematic analysis revealed four main themes in the answers provided by participants: rationalization; identity, beliefs and potential modifiers; emotional responses; and information sources. These results offer insight for future vaccination efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, electronic straightedges with a length of 1 m were widely used to measure the longitudinal profiles of rail joints. However, owing to the lack of an efficient measurement device, rail joints with 3‐m wavelengths are seldom studied. In this study, a rail measurement trolley based on the chord‐reference method was developed with a measurement wavelength of up to 3 m. A field measurement was performed on a 53‐km metro line, and the waveforms of 4340 rail joints were obtained. First, to visualize the distribution of the dataset and to find out the common features, t‐distributed stochastic neighbor embedding dimensionality reduction was applied to the rail joint dataset, and each rail joint waveform was mapped to a point in a two‐dimensional space. Second, K‐means was applied to the rail joint dataset, and six categories of rail joints were obtained. The results indicated that there are two types of rail joints: M‐type and W‐type, accounting for 18.41% and 76.08% of the total number of joints, respectively, and the remainder are bolted rail joints. Third, to better evaluate rail joint status, the concept of rail joint triangle (RJT) is proposed, and five shape‐based features of a rail joint in 3‐m wavelength are defined. Finally, using RJT distribution analysis, we observed that the shape‐based features provide more essential information about a rail joint, such as symmetry, asymmetry, M‐type, or W‐type, compared with conventional indexes such as the quality index. Notably, compared with the waveform of a rail joint at 1 m, a 3‐m waveform provides significantly more essential information, which can be meaningful for future research on the dynamic impact of rail joints, as well as profile grinding around rail joints. To help other researchers follow our research, our dataset is available on Mendeley Data (RWJ‐3 m dataset). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the emerging demand of implantable microelectronics, it essentially requires the fully integrated and reliable power supplies. The study reports a stretchable and flexible electrospinning‐based glucose/O2 biofuel cell with glucose oxidase bioanode, Pt/C cathode and thermoplastic polyurethane substrate, which is capable for adapting to the various stresses and strains caused by individual movement. The rigid benzene rings and elastic chain segments of thermoplastic polyurethane ensure its superior tensile property. Furthermore, the stable covalent connections between the activated carbon nanotubes (CNTs‐COOH) and glucose oxidase inside 3D thermoplastic polyurethane network are established by amide reaction to ensure the rapid direct electron transfer of bioanode and stable power output of device in flexible environments. The biofuel cell exhibits an open circuit voltage of 0.575 V, and high‐power density of 57 µW cm−2 in 5 mM glucose. Moreover, the power‐generation properties of implantable biofuel cell keep steady, and its power density exhibits limited fluctuations on the dorsum of rat when bending, stretching, and twisting in 28 days. There is no obvious local inflammation or systemic abnormalities in rats. It satisfies the impressive biocompatible requirement, demonstrating the promising potential of electrospinning‐based biofuel cell as a robust self‐sustained power source for implantable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfolipid‐1 (SL‐1) is a lipid that is abundantly found in the cell wall of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). MtbFadD23 is crucial in the SL‐1 synthesis pathway. Previously, 5′‐O‐[N‐(11‐phenoxyundecanoyl)sulfamoyl]adenosine (PhU‐AMS) has been shown to be a general inhibitor of fatty‐acid‐adenylating enzymes (FadDs) in Mtb. However, the fatty acyl‐AMP ligase (FAAL) class of FadDs, which includes MtbFadD23, appears to be functionally nonredundant in the production of multiple fatty acids. In this study, the ability of PhU‐AMS to bind to MtbFadD23 was examined under in vitro conditions. The crystal structure of the MtbFadD23–PhU‐AMS complex was determined at a resolution of 2.64 Å. Novel features were identified by structural analysis and comparison. Although PhU‐AMS could bind to MtbFadD23, it did not inhibit the FAAL adenylation activity of MtbFadD23. However, PhU‐AMS improved the main Tm value in a differential scanning fluorimetry assay, and a structural comparison of MtbFadD23–PhU‐AMS with FadD32 and PA1221 suggested that PhU‐AMS blocks the loading of the acyl chain onto Pks2. This study sheds light on the structure‐based design of specific inhibitors of MtbFadD23 and general inhibitors of FAALs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Payment notifications are becoming ubiquitous due to the popularity of online payment, which are usually considered to be records of consumption. However, the effect of payment notifications on consumer behavior has not been fully understood. Given this research void, this study explores the effects of payment notifications on consumers' consumption amount during a multiple‐purchase shopping journey. Considering the prevalence of online payment in China, we conducted four experiments using Chinese samples. The results confirm that payment notifications can evoke consumers' pain of payment, which consequently reduces consumers' subsequent shopping amount. Additionally, we argue that the effects of payment notifications on consumer behavior are different in the early/late stage of the shopping journey or in the gift‐purchasing/self‐purchasing conditions. The findings of this article could help payment application developers to better design payment notification functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dust deposition in northeastern Asia since the Last Glacial Maximum has previously been studied using a variety of archives. However, the mechanisms driving variability in dust are less well constrained. Here, we present records of the Nd‐Sr isotope and major element composition of sediments from Lake Tuofengling, a crater lake located in northeastern China, over the past ∼25 thousand years. The results indicate that the lithogenic fractions of the sediments are a mixture between aeolian dust and local volcanic detritus. Our provenance data suggest that the aeolian dust component is predominantly from the Mongolia Plateau, likely carried by the East Asian Winter Monsoon. Our isotope and calculated dust flux records exhibit similar changing patterns to proxies of global ice volume and the strength of Atlantic meridional overturning circulation, potentially implicating ice sheets and ocean circulation as the dominant drivers of the East Asian Winter Monsoon over this time interval. Plain Language Summary: Dust storms occur frequently throughout Central and East Asia today. Several driving factors, particularly related to the East Asian Summer Monsoon, the East Asian Winter Monsoon (EAWM), and the westerlies, can influence dust production and transport in these regions, both in the modern and during the past. Uncovering the dominant factor(s) can assist in furthering our understanding of atmospheric circulation over Asia during climates both similar and different from today. Here, we collected sediments from a crater lake (Lake Tuofengling (TFL)) located in northeastern Asia and reconstructed dust inputs over the past 25 thousand years. We found that the dust delivered to TFL sediments is mainly sourced from the Mongolian Plateau associated with transport via winds related to the EAWM. Further in‐depth analysis indicates that shifts in ice volume and Atlantic Ocean circulation may be important drivers for the EAWM, at least over the past 25 thousand years. Key Points: Geochemical evidence suggests that the Mongolian Plateau (MP) is the main source of dust for Lake Tuofengling (TFL)The East Asian Winter Monsoon (EAWM) is likely the dominant carrier of aeolian dust from the MP to TFLDust flux and EAWM variability could be driven by a combination of changes in ice volume and Atlantic Ocean circulation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexibly and precisely controlling bubbles is of paramount significance for biological and chemical analysis, reaction engineering, etc. However, the buoyancy force acting on bubbles is significant, making it difficult to precisely manipulate bubbles. Particularly, controlling the anti‐buoyancy motion of bubbles remains a fundamental challenge. Herein, a versatile light strategy for manipulating the anti‐buoyancy motion of bubbles via a photosensitive substrate is developed. Upon focused laser beam irradiation, an intense Marangoni effect associated with non‐uniform temperature distribution is induced underneath the bubble. The created excess Laplace pressure drives the bubble to move against the buoyancy force downward to the focused‐laser‐acted region, manifesting an excellent phototaxis motion. Theoretical analysis demonstrates that the Marangoni effect is responsible for actuating the anti‐buoyancy motion of a bubble. With this light strategy, the bubble collection, transportation, and on‐demand release can be flexibly implemented. Moreover, the phototaxis motion of bubbles inspires a manipulation protocol via the integration of 3D‐structured design of photosensitive substrate. This light strategy for manipulating bubbles not only possesses sufficiently high accuracy and quick response, but also circumvents the limitation of the liquid volatility and multi‐dimensional motion, which provides new ideas for rational control of bubble behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The alcoholysis process for one of organophosphorus pesticides, phoxim, was systematically examined by using the M06‐2X/6–311++G(d,p) and MP2/6–311++G(d,p)//M06‐2X/6–311++G(d,p) levels. Two possible alcoholysis mechanisms, P–OR1, P–OEt rupture channels together with the concerted and stepwise steps, were theoretically evaluated. The catalytic role of an extra methanol was also simulated. Furthermore, the influence of solvent on water was also taken into consideration for the M06‐2X/6–311++G(d,p) level of theory. Our predicted results show convincingly that the P–OEt disintegration pathway is slightly more favorable than the P–OR removal channel. The stepwise pathway is calculated to be more prominent than the concerted one for all reactions. It can be observed that the methanol‐assisted alcoholysis is more easier to take place than the direct alcoholysis. Solvent effect does not have remarkable effect on the reaction mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic thermal hydrogenation of CO2 to CH4 is one of the promising decarbonization technologies, and Ru is considered to be the most active metal for low‐temperature CO2 methanation. In this work, a series of metal‐promoted Ru‐based catalysts were prepared by the impregnation–precipitation method. The catalyst composition, reduction temperature, reaction gas concentration, and reaction conditions were optimized. The reaction mechanism was investigated through CO‐DRIFTS experiments. It was found that the addition of Pt could promote the adsorption of CO on the surface of ruthenium‐based catalysts, which was beneficial to the methanation reaction. In addition, in situ DRIFTS experiments observed surface species of catalysts during the reaction, and it was concluded that bicarbonate was the intermediate species of the reaction. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate whether risk factors related to pain vary at different stages of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: Individuals from the Osteoarthritis Initiative with available Kellgren/Lawrence (K/L) grade and numerical rating scale (NRS) data at baseline were included in this study. Pain severity was classified into 3 categories based on NRS scores: no pain, mild pain, and moderate/severe pain. Knee OA severity was stratified into 4 categories according to the K/L system. Pain risk factors were evaluated using generalized ordinal logistic regression analysis, and a heatmap was created to compare differences in standardized regression coefficients between subgroups of patients with different knee OA severities. Results: A total of 4,446 subjects were included in this study: 1,574 individuals without pain (35.4%), 1,138 individuals with mild pain (25.6%), and 1,734 individuals with moderate/severe pain (39.0%). For the entire population and subjects in the premorbid‐stage subgroup, knee injury history, diabetes mellitus, depression, use of nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and valgus malaligned knees were associated with more severe pain. Older age and stronger quadriceps muscles were associated with milder pain. As the disease progressed, the number of significant risk factors decreased. Only age and quadriceps muscle force remained significant in end‐stage disease. Conclusion: Multiple factors are associated with pain in patients with knee OA. As the disease progresses, the number of significant risk factors gradually reduces. These findings suggest that strategies for managing pain related to knee OA should vary depending on radiographic grades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Galectin‐9 and myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) have an important role in tumors, but their clinical values in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to analyze the prognosis values of Galectin‐9 and MDSCs in CLL. Methods: The concentrations of Galectin‐9, argininase‐1, and inducible nitric oxide synthase in serum were detected by enzyme‐linked immune sorbent assay. The expression of Tim‐3 protein in peripheral blood mononuclear cell was detected by Western blot. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the percentages of Tim‐3 on T‐cells (CD3+T, CD4+T, and CD8+T cells) and MDSCs. Results: Our results showed that Galectin‐9 and MDSCs significantly increased in CLL patients and were closely related to the disease progression. Patient's receiver operating characteristic, progression‐free survival, and Cox regression analysis showed that Galectin9 and MDSCs were poor prognostic factors of CLL. Conclusion: Galectin‐9 and MDSCs were associated with clinical progression and could be important prognostic indicators for CLL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An in‐cell broadband circular polarizer using liquid crystal polymer (LCP) is proposed in this paper. Specifically, a polarizer with photoalignment technology is combined on the top of it. An enhancement of the ambient contrast ratio (ACR) is achieved, which shows potential in the application of light‐emitting display (LED). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For efficient combustion of aquatic biomass, the effects of heating rate on the combustion and dynamic characteristics of two typical aquatic species (water hyacinth, Pistia stratiotes), and the effects of temperature and additives on ash K and Cl concentrations are studied. The two types of pellets have ignition temperatures of 252.7 and 250.3 °C, respectively. At a heating rate of 10 °C min−1, where combustion is most stable, the comprehensive combustion efficiencies reach their maximum at 4.7 × 10−6 and 2.2 × 10−6 mg2min−1°C−2, respectively. The K and Cl concentrations in the ash decrease steadily with increasing temperature, falling to 10.3% and 0.41% for water hyacinth and 11.1% and 1.85% for P. stratiotes, respectively. X‐ray diffraction (XRD)shows that abundant Ca minerals form in the ash after the addition of CaO, which inhibit KCl formation, and K and Al silicates form in the ash after the addition of kaoline, which reserve K in the ash. These findings provide a starting point for the development of efficient aquatic biomass combustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin receptor substrate 1 and 2 (IRS1/2) have been found involved in many cancers development and their inhibitors exert significant tumor‐suppressive effects. Here, we tried to explore the function of NT157, an IGF1R‐IRS1/2 inhibitor, in ovarian cancer. We treated ovarian cancer cells with varying doses of NT157. The MTT assay was employed to evaluate cell proliferation and colony formation assay was used for detecting colony‐forming ability. TUNEL assay was adopted to test cell apoptosis. Cell invasion was checked by the Transwell assay. The expression of apoptosis‐related proteins, autophagy markers, IRS1/2, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway was compared by Western blot, immunofluorescence, or qRT‐PCR. As indicated by the data, NT157 abated the viability, proliferation, and induced autophagy of ovarian cancer cells. Overexpressing IRS1/2 attenuated the tumor‐suppressive effect of NT157 and heightened the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway activation. Inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway enhanced the tumor‐suppressive effect of NT157 and facilitated NT157‐mediated autophagy. However, the autophagy inhibitor 3‐MA partly reversed NT‐157‐mediated antitumor effects. In conclusion, this study disclosed that NT157 suppressed the malignant phenotypes of ovarian cancer cells by inducing autophagy and hampering the expression of IRS1/2 and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of Open‐Source Software (OSS) has resulted in a significant demand for code changes to maintain OSS. Symptoms of poor design and implementation choices in code changes often occur, thus heavily hindering code reviewers to verify correctness and soundness of code changes. Researchers have investigated how to learn meaningful code changes to assist developers in anticipating changes that code reviewers may suggest for the submitted code. However, there are two main limitations to be addressed, including the limitation of long‐range dependencies of the source code and the missing syntactic structural information of the source code. To solve these limitations, a novel method is proposed, named Graph Transformer for learning meaningful Code Transformations (GTCT), to provide developers with preliminary and quick feedback when developers submit code changes, which can improve the quality of code changes and improve the efficiency of code review. GTCT comprises two components: code graph embedding and code transformation learning. To address the missing syntactic structural information of the source code limitation, the code graph embedding component captures the types and patterns of code changes by encoding the source code into a code graph structure from the lexical and syntactic representations of the source code. Subsequently, the code transformation learning component uses the multi‐head attention mechanism and positional encoding mechanism to address the long‐range dependencies limitation. Extensive experiments are conducted to evaluate the performance of GTCT by both quantitative and qualitative analyses. For the quantitative analysis, GTCT relatively outperforms the baseline on six datasets by 210%, 342.86%, 135%, 29.41%, 109.09%, and 91.67% in terms of perfect prediction. Meanwhile, the qualitative analysis shows that each type of code change by GTCT outperforms that of the baseline method in terms of bug fixed, refactoring code and others' taxonomy of code changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and its precursor dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) are ubiquitous sulfur compounds in the ocean. DMS is emitted into the atmosphere and has potential climatic effects. The distributions of DMS and DMSP are affected by various biological factors (i.e., bacterial catabolism and phytoplankton and zooplankton community composition). The horizontal and vertical distributions of DMSP, DMSP lyase activity (DLA), DMS, and the abundances of bacteria, DMSP‐consuming bacteria, dimethyl sulfoxide‐consuming bacteria, and picophytoplankton were investigated in the Bohai Sea (BS) and Yellow Sea (YS) during autumn 2020. DLA was significantly correlated with chlorophyll a, DMS, and dissolved DMSP concentrations. Our data show that bacteria Clade_I SAR11 was a significant contributor to DLA. A dilution experiment indicated that the highest microzooplankton grazing rate coincided with the highest DMS concentration and DMS production rate. A proportion of 16%–62% of the DMSPt was converted to DMS in the dilution experiment. Copepods dominated the mesozooplankton community. Calanus sinicus was the predominant copepod in the BS and YS. C. sinicus grazing stimulated DMS production. DMS concentration increased 299% after C. sinicus grazing on physically broken algal cells for 48 hr. These results will help with a better understanding of the control of DMS and DMSP concentrations by zooplankton and the DMS release mechanisms that occur through zooplankton grazing. Plain Language Summary: Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and dimethyl sulfide (DMS) are transferred and transformed in the food web and are affected by zooplankton, phytoplankton, and bacteria. This study investigated spatial distributions of DMS, DMSP, DMSP lyase activity (DLA), the abundances of bacteria, DMSP‐consuming bacteria, and dimethyl sulfoxide‐consuming bacteria in the surface seawater of the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea. As results, the distributions of DMS and dissolved DMSP were significantly correlated with DLA. A deck incubation experiment indicated that grazing by microzooplankton promoted the conversion of DMSP to DMS and that mesozooplankton copepod grazing stimulated DMS production. These results provide a more comprehensive way to understand the possible DMS release mechanisms via zooplankton grazing. Key Points: Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) concentration was significantly correlated with dimethyl sulfoxide‐consuming bacterial abundanceMicrozooplankton grazing consumed 4%–7% of the total dimethylsulfoniopropionate daily and 16%–62% was converted to DMSCopepod ingestion stimulated DMS production, which increased by 299% at 48 hr in physically broken algal cells [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing an efficient catalyst for formic acid (FA) dehydrogenation is a promising strategy for safe hydrogen storage and transportation. Herein, we successfully developed trimetallic NiAuPd heterogeneous catalysts through a galvanic replacement reaction and a subsequent chemical reduction process to boost hydrogen generation from FA decomposition at room temperature by coupling Fermi level engineering with plasmonic effect. We demonstrated that Ni worked as an electron reservoir to donate electrons to Au and Pd driven by Fermi level equilibrium whereas plasmonic Au served as an optical absorber to generate energetic hot electrons and a charge‐redistribution mediator. Ni and Au worked cooperatively to promote the charge heterogeneity of surface‐active Pd sites, leading to enhanced chemisorption of formate‐related intermediates and eventually outstanding activity (342 mmol g−1 h−1) compared with bimetallic counterpart. This work offers excellent insight into the rational design of efficient catalysts for practical hydrogen energy exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Folate (vitamin B9) is important for plant root development, but the mechanism is largely unknown. Here we characterized a root defective mutant, folb2, in Arabidopsis, which has severe developmental defects in the primary root. The root apical meristem of the folb2 mutant is impaired, and adventitious roots are frequently found at the root–hypocotyl junction. Positional cloning revealed that a 61‐bp deletion is present in the predicted junction region of the promoter and the 5′ untranslated region of AtFolB2, a gene encoding a dihydroneopterin aldolase that functions in folate biosynthesis. This mutation leads to a significant reduction in the transcript level of AtFolB2. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis showed that the contents of the selected folate compounds were decreased in folb2. Arabidopsis AtFolB2 knockdown lines phenocopy the folb2 mutant. On the other hand, the application of exogenous 5‐formyltetrahydrofolic acid could rescue the root phenotype of folb2, indicating that the root phenotype is indeed related to the folate level. Further analysis revealed that folate could promote rootward auxin transport through auxin transporters and that folate may affect particular auxin/indole‐3‐acetic acid proteins and auxin response factors. Our findings provide new insights into the important role of folic acid in shaping root structure. Significance Statement: Various metabolites appear to be important for adventitious rooting. We demonstrate the importance of folates in adventitious root development at the shoot–root junction by studying a mutant (folb2) with impaired AtFolB2 expression and decreased folate levels. AtFolB2 encodes a dihydroneopterin aldolase that is active in the folate biosynthesis pathway, and folate participates in adventitious rooting by promoting rootward auxin transport through auxin transporters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Valproic acid (VPA) is a classic medication for several types of epilepsy and mood disorders, and some of its effectiveness and toxicity is associated with metabolites. Although many reports have reported the drug–drug interactions of VPA, no study has focused on the influence of carbapenems (CBPMs) on VPA's active metabolites. An LC–MS/MS method for determining VPA and its six metabolites (3‐hydroxy valproic acid, 4‐hydroxy valproic acid, 2‐propyl‐2‐pentenoic acid, 2‐propyl‐4‐pentenoic acid, 3‐keto valproic acid, and 2‐propylglutaric acid) in human serum was established and applied to evaluate the drug–drug interaction with CBPMs in epileptic patients. The stable isotope valproic acid‐d6 was used as an internal standard. Analytes in serum samples (50 μl) were isolated using a Kinetex C18 column (3 × 100 mm, 2.6 μm) and detected via negative electrospray ionization after protein precipitation. It was linear (r > 0.99) over the calibration range for different analytes. The accuracy was 91.44–110.92%, and the precision was less than 9.98%. The matrix effect, recovery, and stability met the acceptance criteria. According to the data collected from 150 epileptic patients, the concentration–dose ratio for VPA and its metabolites decreased with CBPM polytherapy. This method is simple and rapid with great accuracy and precision. It is suitable for routine clinical analysis of VPA and its metabolites in human serum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]