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Holographic imaging as one of promising image techniques reconstructs object image using the amplitude and phase information scattered from objects. Programmable metasurface composed of digitally coding unit cells can arbitrarily manipulate amplitude and phase of the scattering wave by tailoring operation states of the unit cells, and thus achieves high‐resolution imaging reconstruction. However, the conventional metasurface can only achieves a desired holographic image on an imaging plane. This paper presented a time‐space coding 2‐bit metasurface to overcome this challenge. By rapidly switching PIN diodes loaded in metasurface unit cell according to the customized time sequences, the magnitude and phase of the ±1st order harmonic fields can be fully controlled, achieving the hologram imaging at the higher order harmonics. The proof‐of‐concept measurements are given to demonstrate the versatile holographic imaging functions at the ±1st order harmonics including two different holographic images on an imaging plane, holographic imaging and beam scanning, and holographic imaging and orbital angular momentum (OAM) wave generation, which undoubtedly enriches the applications of the programmable metasurfaces in the field of the holographic imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel kind of open‐shelled covalent–organic framework (TPAPL‐COF‐OX) is fabricated based on organic mixed‐valence (MV) systems, which is used for aromatic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) adsorption and activation without the artificial energy consumption. The triphenylamine nucleus endow TPAPL‐COF with an abundance of nitrogen‐active sites. A mild oxidation process on TPAPL‐COF results in the generation of MV structures (TPAPL‐COF‐OX), enhancing its absorption capacity into the NIR‐II region. The nitrogen‐rich TPAPL‐COF‐OX exhibits exceptional adsorption capabilities for VOCs. Its broad light absorption spanning from UV to NIR‐II regions endow it with remarkable photothermal properties, enabling it to attain activation temperatures under sunlight without artificial energy consumption. It is expected that this study may present a novel strategy for managing VOCs by solar‐heating activation with energy‐efficient advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robust Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) factors are introduced into a factor graph optimisation based integrated navigation system to address the challenge of occluded GNSS signals during ship navigation, which leads to increased errors in positioning results. To enhance the robustness of the GNSS tracking loop, a vector tracking method is applied to receiver tracking loop. Then, the Mahalanobis distance was employed to assess the pseudorange residual and identify and reject signals that exhibit anomalies. Specifically, the pseudorange residual is computed as the difference between the predicted pseudorange of the GNSS receiver and the measured pseudorange. Using the historical information in the window, robust GNSS factors were constructed for use in the factor graph. The robust factor graph optimisation method for a shipborne GNSS/Inertial Navigation System integrated navigation system was implemented by constructing robust GNSS factors and Inertial Measurement Unit factors. The experimental results confirm that the positioning accuracy of the proposed method is superior to those of the factor graph optimization and extended Kalman filter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The data‐driven approaches for medium‐range weather forecasting are recently shown to be extraordinarily promising for ensemble forecasting due to their fast inference speed compared to the traditional numerical weather prediction models. However, their forecast accuracy can hardly match the state‐of‐the‐art operational ECMWF Integrated Forecasting System (IFS) model. Previous data‐driven approaches perform ensemble forecasting using some simple perturbation methods, like the initial condition perturbation and the Monte Carlo dropout. However, their ensemble performance is often limited arguably by the sub‐optimal ways of applying perturbation. We propose a Swin Transformer‐based Variational Recurrent Neural Network (SwinVRNN), which is a stochastic weather forecasting model combining a SwinRNN predictor with a perturbation module. SwinRNN is designed as a Swin Transformer‐based recurrent neural network, which predicts the future states deterministically. Furthermore, to model the stochasticity in the prediction, we design a perturbation module following the Variational Auto‐Encoder paradigm to learn the multivariate Gaussian distributions of a time‐variant stochastic latent variable from the data. Ensemble forecasting can be easily performed by perturbing the model features leveraging the noise sampled from the learned distribution. We also compare four categories of perturbation methods for ensemble forecasting, that is, fixed distribution perturbation, learned distribution perturbation, MC dropout, and multi model ensemble. Comparisons on the WeatherBench data set show that the learned distribution perturbation method using our SwinVRNN model achieves remarkably improved forecasting accuracy and reasonable ensemble spread due to the joint optimization of the two targets. More notably, SwinVRNN surpasses operational IFS on the surface variables of the 2‐m temperature and the 6‐hourly total precipitation at all lead times up to 5 days (Code is available at https://github.com/tpys/wwprediction). Plain Language Summary: Ensemble forecasting plays a crucial role in numerical weather prediction (NWP), since a single deterministic model is hard to forecast the chaotic atmosphere conditions. Recent works have begun to explore the data‐driven based ensemble methods due to their rapid prediction speed over traditional NWP. We develop an efficient and effective deep learning model capable of generating large ensemble forecasts with high prediction accuracy and low prediction time cost. The predicted ensemble members have much greater and more reasonable ensemble spread, and better coverage of the ground truth, compared to the prior data‐driven methods. Moreover, our model surpasses the state‐of‐the‐art operational NWP model on the surface atmospheric variables of the 2‐m temperature and the 6‐hourly total precipitation, offering an impressive probability weather prediction baseline. Key Points: A transformer‐based variational model called SwinVRNN is developed for medium‐range weather predictionThe proposed SwinVRNN can effectively generate large ensemble forecasts with great prediction accuracy and reasonable ensemble spreadThe model sets a new state‐of‐the‐art among data‐driven models and surpasses the Integrated Forecast System on key atmospheric variables [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a new triazatruxene‐based donor Tr‐iBu bearing branched alkyl groups is reported to suppress the aggregation found in a previously reported methyl‐substituted counterpart Tr‐Me. The effects of a steric factor on the propensity of exciplex formation were examined by respectively mixing these triazatruxene‐based donors with PO‐T2T and two new acceptors PO‐T2P and PO‐Pyr, all bearing phosphine oxide as the peripheral groups and N‐heteroarene cores with different numbers of nitrogen. Based on the steric hindrance of side groups and their corresponding molecular orbitals alignments of donors and acceptors, the characteristics of exciplex‐forming systems were analyzed. Among them, the exciplex‐forming blends Tr‐iBu:PO‐T2P and Tr‐iBu:PO‐Pyr were selected to serve as the emitting layer (EML) to achieve OLED devices with a moderate maximum external quantum efficiency (EQEmax) of 8.27 and 7.54%, respectively. Adopting the Förster resonance energy transfer strategy, the exciplex cohost was doped with a fluorescence emitter, DPy2CN, to realize a deep‐red OLED device with the emission peak centered at 674 nm while retaining EQEmax of 6.28%. Our results highlight the importance of suppressing the donor aggregation, adequate donor: acceptor combination, and a suitable triplet state of composing the materials for giving efficient exciplex‐based OLEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article titled "Space-Time Coding Metasurface for Multifunctional Holographic Imaging" by Yan Shi and co-workers introduces a space-time coding metasurface that allows for multiple hologram imaging. The metasurface utilizes a coding scheme to control the magnitude and phase of higher-order harmonics, enabling accurate and rapid control. This design enables the near-field holographic reconstruction of two different images on an imaging plane, as well as the simultaneous realization of functions such as beam steering or orbital angular momentum wave generation. The authors of the article are Yuan Hu, Shao Nan Chen, Yan Shi, Xi Liu, and Jia Yi Wang. [Extracted from the article]

This article provides a comprehensive understanding of the influence mechanism of prestress on the low‐velocity impact behavior and damage tolerance of carbon fiber‐reinforced polymer composite laminate toughened with ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene fiber. Two kinds of prestress: uniaxial tension and uniaxial compression, were loaded by an innovative preloading apparatus, which has been patented with the number CN110426278A. Central composite design was adopted to design drop‐weight impact test matrix considering both impact energy and preloading two factors. After the low‐velocity impact test, residual bending stiffness and tension after impact (TAI) strength of the impacted laminates were tested. It was observed that the residual bending modulus and TAI strength of the impact specimens under preloading were higher than those without prestress. Through‐the‐thickness distribution of internal damage obtained by X‐ray scanning and electron microscope analysis, together with fracture toughness analysis, were employed to explain the experimental findings and relevant mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing steel slag and recycled concrete as fine aggregate could save the consumption of natural resource and reduce the environmental pollution. In this work, the effect of steel slag aggregate and recycled aggregate on the compressive strength and chloride migration coefficient of three types of concretes were investigated and compared with natural aggregate. The interfacial transition zone (ITZ) microstructure and the connection between aggregate and bulk cement matrix was determined by using a quantitative backscattered electron (BSE) image analysis, N2 adsorption–desorption and X‐ray diffraction analysis. Results showed that the compressive strength and chloride resistance ability of natural aggregate concrete (NAC) and steel slag aggregate concrete (SAC) was highly dependent on aggregate volume content. The performance of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) were much poorer than that of SAC and NAC. Pore structure and phase analysis confirmed that the improved properties of SAC can be partially attributed to the densified ITZ. Regarding RAC, a porous ITZ was observed in BSE image and pore structure analysis, which caused a poor compressive strength and a large chloride migration coefficient. It was found that the improvement of chloride resistance ability by using supplementary cementitious materials in NAC was more remarkable than that in SAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential nutrients for all living organisms. PUFA synthesis is mediated by Δ12 desaturases in plants and microorganisms, whereas animals usually obtain PUFAs through their diet. The whitefly Bemisia tabaci is an extremely polyphagous agricultural pest that feeds on phloem sap of many plants that do not always provide them with sufficient PUFAs. Here, a plant‐derived Δ12 desaturase gene family BtFAD2 is characterized in B. tabaci and it shows that the BtFAD2‐9 gene enables the pest to synthesize PUFAs, thereby significantly enhancing its fecundity. The role of BtFAD2‐9 in reproduction is further confirmed by transferring the gene to Drosophila melanogaster, which also increases the fruit fly's reproduction. These findings reveal an extraordinary evolutionary scenario whereby a phytophagous insect acquired a family of plant genes that enables it to synthesize essential nutrients, thereby lessening its nutritional dependency and allowing it to feed and reproduce on many host plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since reforms were introduced to incentivize drug innovation in 2015, the Chinese pharmaceutical market has experienced unprecedented prosperity, with more new drugs than ever before, especially anticancer treatments. In 2021, Chinese regulatory agencies issued the new guideline for clinical research and development of antitumor drugs, triggering a series of responses on the drug market. Limited research has outlined the nature of the original new drugs in China to understand the dynamic response of the market. Methods: The objective of this article was to map the clinical development of approved new oncology drugs in China from 2015 to 2021 and differed from previous studies by focusing on original new drugs, using the United States as a benchmark, and elaborating the endogenous features of clinical trials. Results: Clinical trials conducted in China have risen to a level similar to that of the United States in many aspects of trial design, but there is still distance between the implementation and operational details of clinical trials. In the meantime, China has made significant breakthroughs in drug approval. Greater than 60% of novel anticancer drugs in China received accelerated approved for their first listing. Approximately 90% of the pivotal clinical trials supporting initial drug approval used surrogate measures as end points, and one half were nonrandomized or did not have a control group. However, duplicate development without evidence of a clinical advantage compared with current therapies was widely observed. Conclusions: By presenting a multidimensional landscape of clinical trials and approvals in the real world, this review allows interested researchers, developers, and even regulators to understand what has been done and what should be done next in anticancer drug development in China. The availability of oncology therapeutic drugs in China has increased significantly since 2015, not only because of the amelioration of drug lag issues but also because of the accelerated approval of original new drugs. By using the United States as a benchmark to depict the characteristics of these original new drugs and their clinical development status, the authors report that the development of original new drugs in China shares clinical designs similar to those used in the United States; however, the Chinese designs lack international plans, and the excess of me‐too strategies needs to be further improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An unprecedented asymmetric allenylic alkylation of readily available imine esters, which was enabled by a synergistic Cu/Pd catalysis, has been developed. This dual catalytic system possesses good substrate compatibility, delivering a diverse array of nonproteinogenic α‐allenylic α‐mono‐ or α,α‐disubstituted α‐amino acids (α‐AAs) with high yields and generally excellent enantioselectivities. Furthermore, the scalability and practicability of the current synthetic protocol were proven by performing gram‐scale reactions and by the first catalytic asymmetric synthesis of naturally occurring (S)‐γ‐allenic α‐amino acid, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallic glasses (MGs), which are also known as amorphous metals, are formed by quenching the melts at a super high cooling rate (e. g. 106 K/s) to avoid crystallization. Compared with ordinary metals, there is no long‐range translational order and crystalline defects in MGs. Benefitting from this unique structural characteristic, MGs show many superior mechanical, physical and chemical properties and thus have been attracting intensive attentions in applications as structural materials. The investigations on the functional properties of MGs are still at the early stage, but immense potential in electrochemically functional applications has been demonstrated in recent years. In this Minireview, we aim to present an overview of the functional properties of this class of novel metallic glassy catalysts and some achievements obtained so far. We mainly focus on the applications of MGs in various electrochemical applications, like hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction as well as fuel cells. The strategies for optimizing the performance of these amorphous catalysts are discussed as well, including high‐throughput screening and nano‐engineering. In the absence of crystalline ordering, the atomic‐scale structural mechanism of MGs in electrocatalysis may be unique and will be explored. Finally, we also give perspectives on how to design novel and superior electrocatalysts for future electrocatalysis applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A set of propylene‐tethered isatin dimmers 2a–i was synthesized via click chemistry and screened for their in vitro antimycobacterial activities against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) H37Rv and multidrug‐resistant TB. In spite of all dimmers (minimum inhibitory concentration: 25– > 128 μg/mL) only exhibited weak to moderate activities against the tested MTB H37Rv and multidrug‐resistant TB, the structure–activity relationship was enriched and the results warrant further development of the anti‐TB properties of this kind of dimmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ten propylene‐1H‐1,2,3‐triazole‐4‐methylene‐tethered isatin‐moxifloxacin hybrids 5a–j were synthesized via Cu‐promoted azide‐alkyne cycloaddition reaction, and screened for their in vitro anti‐mycobacterial activities against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and multidrug‐resistant tuberculosis. The results showed that all the synthesized hybrids [minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC): 0.25–4.0 μg/mL] displayed considerable activities against the tested two strains, but all less active than the parent moxifloxacin (MIC: 0.10 and 0.12 μg/mL). The resistance index of the most targets was around 1, suggesting this kind of hybrids could reduce the cross–resistance to some extent. Among them, hybrid 5 g was found most active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv with MIC of 0.39 μg/mL, which was comparable with rifampicin (MIC: 0.39 μg/mL), while conjugate 5a (MIC: 0.25 μg/mL) was 128– > 512 times more active than rifampicin (MIC: 32 μg/mL) and isoniazid (MIC: >128 μg/mL) against multidrug‐resistant tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new class of isatin‐1,2,3‐triazole‐moxifloxacin (MXFX) hybrids 5a–j was designed, synthesized, and screened for their in vitro antimycobacterial activities against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and MDR‐TB. All the synthesized hybrids (MIC: 0.10–0.78 μg/mL) exhibited excellent activities against MTB H37Rv and MDR‐TB, in spite of none of them were more potent than the parent MXFX (MIC: 0.10 and 0.12 μg/mL). Against MTB H37Rv, the most active 5f (MIC: 0.10 μg/mL) was comparable with MXFX and 4 times more potent than RIF (MIC: 0.39 μg/mL). Against MDR‐TB, all hybrids were more active than RIF (MIC: 32 μg/mL) and INH (MIC: >128 μg/mL). In particular, hybrid 5e (MIC: 0.10 μg/mL) was comparable with MXFX and 256 and >1,024 times more potent than RIF and INH. Both conjugates 5e and 5f warrant further investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eight novel 1 H-1,2,3-triazole-tethered ciprofloxacin (CPFX) isatin conjugates 5a- h with greater lipophilicity compared with CPFX were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their in vitro anti-mycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) H37Rv. The preliminary results showed that all hybrids (MIC: 12.5-100 μg/mL) exhibited considerable activity against M. smegmatis, but less active than the parent CPFX (MIC: 6.25 μg/mL) and the reference INH (MIC: 0.78 μg/mL). Against MTB H37Rv, all hybrids displayed excellent inhibitory activity with MICs ranging from 1.56 to 25 μg/mL, particularly, 5h (MIC: 1.56 μg/mL) was twofold more active CPFX (MIC: 3.12 μg/mL), warrant further investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Device-to-device (D2D) communications are widely seen as an efficient network capacity scaling technology. The co-existence of D2D with conventional cellular (CC) transmissions causes unwanted interference. Existing techniques have focused on improving the throughput of D2D communications by optimising the radio-resource management and power allocation. However, very little is understood about the impact of the route selection of the users and how optimal routing can reduce interference and improve the overall network capacity. In fact, traditional wisdom indicates that minimising the number of hops or the total path distance is preferable. Yet, when interference is considered, the authors show that this is not the case. In this study, they show that by understanding the location of the user an interference-aware-routing (IAR) algorithm can be devised. They propose an adaptive IAR algorithm that on average achieves a 30% increase in hop distance, but can improve the overall network capacity by 50% whilst only incurring a minor 2% degradation to the CC capacity. The analysis framework and the results open up new avenues of research in location-dependent optimisation in wireless systems, which is particularly important for increasingly dense and semantic-aware deployments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water and nitrogen (N) are two major factors limiting cotton growth and yield. The ability of plants to absorb water and nutrients is closely related to the size of the root system and the rooting space. Better understanding of the physiological mechanisms by which cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) adapts to water and N supply when rooting volume is restricted would be useful for improving cotton yield. In this study, cotton was grown in soil columns to control rooting depth to either 60 cm (root-restriction treatment) or 120 cm (no-root-restriction treatment). Four water-N combinations were applied to the plants: (1) deficit irrigation and no N fertilizer (W0N0), (2) deficit irrigation and moderate N fertilizer rate (W0N1), (3) moderate irrigation and no N fertilizer (W1N0), and (4) moderate irrigation and moderate N fertilizer rate (W1N1). Results revealed that root restriction reduced root length density (RLD), root volume density (RVD), root mass density (RMD), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, nitrate reductase (NR) activity, total plant biomass, and root : shoot ratio. In contrast, root restriction increased aboveground biomass and yield. The RLD, RVD, RMD, and root : shoot ratio decreased in the order W0N0 > W1N0 > W0N1 > W1N1 in both the root-restriction and no-root-restriction treatments. However, the opposite order ( i.e., W1N1 > W0N1 > W1N0 > W0N0) was observed for SOD activity, NR activity, aboveground biomass, and seed yield. Our results suggest that, when N and water supplies are adequate, root restriction increases both root activity and the availability of photosynthates to aboveground plant parts. This increases shoot growth, the shoot : root ratio, and yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium‐ion batteries have found extensive applications due to their high energy density and low self‐discharge rates, spanning from compact consumer electronics to large‐scale energy storage facilities. Despite their widespread use, challenges such as inherent capacity degradation and the potential for thermal runaway hinder sustainable development. In this study, we introduce a unique approach to synthesize anode materials for lithium‐ion batteries, specifically imidazole‐intercalated cobalt hydroxide. This innovative material significantly enhances the Li+ desolvation/diffusion reaction and flame‐retardant dynamics through complexing and catalytic synergetic effects. The lithium‐ion batteries incorporating these materials demonstrate exceptional performance, boasting an impressive capacity retention of 997.91 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles. This achievement can be attributed to the optimization of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) interface engineering, effectively mitigating anode degradation and minimizing electrolyte consumption. Experimental and theoretical calculations validate these improvements. Importantly, imidazole intercalated Co(OH)2 (MI−Co(OH)2) exhibits a remarkable catalytic effect on electrolyte carbonization and the conversion of CO to CO2. This dual action suppresses smoke and reduces toxicity significantly. The presented work introduces a novel approach to realizing high‐performance and safe lithium‐ion batteries, addressing key challenges in the pursuit of sustainable energy solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium‐ion batteries have found extensive applications due to their high energy density and low self‐discharge rates, spanning from compact consumer electronics to large‐scale energy storage facilities. Despite their widespread use, challenges such as inherent capacity degradation and the potential for thermal runaway hinder sustainable development. In this study, we introduce a unique approach to synthesize anode materials for lithium‐ion batteries, specifically imidazole‐intercalated cobalt hydroxide. This innovative material significantly enhances the Li+ desolvation/diffusion reaction and flame‐retardant dynamics through complexing and catalytic synergetic effects. The lithium‐ion batteries incorporating these materials demonstrate exceptional performance, boasting an impressive capacity retention of 997.91 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles. This achievement can be attributed to the optimization of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) interface engineering, effectively mitigating anode degradation and minimizing electrolyte consumption. Experimental and theoretical calculations validate these improvements. Importantly, imidazole intercalated Co(OH)2 (MI−Co(OH)2) exhibits a remarkable catalytic effect on electrolyte carbonization and the conversion of CO to CO2. This dual action suppresses smoke and reduces toxicity significantly. The presented work introduces a novel approach to realizing high‐performance and safe lithium‐ion batteries, addressing key challenges in the pursuit of sustainable energy solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[AMIm]Cl@GNP/SBR composites were prepared by blending ionic liquid 1‐allyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride salt([AMIm]Cl) modified graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) and styrene‐butadiene rubber (SBR). The mechanical and thermal properties as well as the structure–activity relationship of the obtained composites based on the modified filler were investigated under the synergistic effect of non‐covalent and covalent bonding. The experimental results indicated that the modification of GNP by [AMIm]Cl occurred under mild conditions. The dispersibility of [AMIm]Cl@GNP in SBR was enhanced by its participation in vulcanization and the synergistic effect of non‐covalent and covalent cross‐linking networks such as cation‐π, π‐π, and hydrogen bonds. This improvement led to an increase in the interfacial bond strength of the composites and a reduction in the interfacial thermal resistance. These effects resulted in both reinforcement and thermal conductivity properties. The tensile strength and elongation at break of [AMIm]Cl@GNP/SBR composites increased from 18.2 to 22.9 MPa and from 737.9% to 923.5%, respectively, when the modification ratio of [AMIm]Cl was 1% and the loading of [AMIm]Cl@GNP was only 4 phr (mass ratio). At the same time, the thermal conductivity in the vertical direction of the composites increased from 0.25 to 0.44 W/(m·K), and the thermal conductivity in the horizontal direction increased from 0.27 to 0.81 W/(m·K). Highlights: Modified powder [AMIm]Cl@graphene nanoplatelets were prepared;[AMIm]Cl@graphene nanoplatelet/styrene‐butadiene rubber blend was prepared;Mechanical properties of blends significantly improved over blank;The horizontal thermal conductivity of the blends increases obviously;The vertical thermal conductivity of the blends was improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new family of faded harmonics modulations, cosine faded harmonics binary offset carrier modulations (FH‐BOCcos), is designed to account for the spectral overlap among global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals. The generalised mathematical model and power spectral density function of FH‐BOCcos modulation are established. The spectral characteristics and modulation parameters are also analysed. The proposed modulations can suppress specific sidelobes of the spectrum while retaining similar signal performance compared with traditional BOC modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitex rotundifolia L. is an important plant species used in traditional Chinese medicine. For its efficient use and conservation, genetic diversity and clonal variation of V. rotundifolia populations in China were investigated using inter-simple sequence repeat markers. Fourteen natural populations were included to estimate genetic diversity, and a large population with 135 individuals was used to analyze clonal variation and fine-scale spatial genetic structure. The overall genetic diversity ( GD) of V. rotundifolia populations in China was moderate ( GD = 0.190), with about 40% within-population variation. Across all populations surveyed, the average within-population diversity was moderate ( P = 22.6%; GD = 0.086). A relatively high genetic differentiation ( Gst = 0.587) among populations was detected based on the analysis of molecular variance data. Such characteristics of V. rotundifolia are likely attributed to its sexual/asexual reproduction and limited gene flow. The genotypic diversity ( D = 0.992) was greater than the average values of a clonal plant, indicating its significant reproduction through seedlings. Spatial autocorrelation analysis showed a clear within-population structure with gene clusters of approximately 20 m. Genetic diversity patterns of V. rotundifolia in China provide a useful guide for its efficient use and conservation by selecting particular populations displaying greater variation that may contain required medicinal compounds, and by sampling individuals in a population at >20 m spatial intervals to avoid collecting individuals with identical or similar genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seeds of Limonium aureum (L.) Hill. were dried from 8.92% to 2.88% moisture content in a desiccating container with silica gel. After ultra-drying the seeds were accelerated aged (50 °C, 1 month), and some physiological indices, including the electrical conductivity, dehydrogenase activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), glutathione reductase (GR), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), volatile aldehydes and malondialdehyde (MDA) were tested. The results indicated that dehydrogenase, POD, SOD, GR, APX and CAT activities of the ultra-dry seeds were higher than the control seeds, while volatile aldehydes and malondialdehyde were lower than the control group. The results suggest that ultra-drying is beneficial for maintaining the vigor of L. aureum seeds at a high level. Thus, L. aureum seeds could be stored under ultra-dry conditions. (Handling editor: Jin-Zhong Cui) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Heading date (or flowering time) is a key agronomic trait that affects seasonal and regional adaption of rice cultivars. An unoptimized heading date can either not achieve a high yield or has a high risk of encountering abiotic stresses. There is a strong demand on the mild to moderate adjusting the heading date in breeding practice. Genome editing is a promising method which allows more precise and faster changing the heading date of rice. However, direct knock out of major genes involved in regulating heading date will not always achieve a new germplasm with expected heading date. It is still challenging to quantitatively adjust the heading date of elite cultivars with best adaption for broader region. In this study, we used a CRISPR‐Cas9 based genome editing strategy called high‐efficiency multiplex promoter‐targeting (HMP) to generate novel alleles at cis‐regulatory regions of three major heading date genes: Hd1, Ghd7 and DTH8. We achieved a series of germplasm with quantitative variations of heading date by editing promoter regions and adjusting the expression levels of these genes. We performed field trials to screen for the best adapted lines for different regions. We successfully expanded an elite cultivar Ningjing8 (NJ8) to a higher latitude region by selecting a line with a mild early heading phenotype that escaped from cold stress and achieved high yield potential. Our study demonstrates that HMP is a powerful tool for quantitatively regulating rice heading date and expanding elite cultivars to broader regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microneedle‐based electrodes have attracted significant attention due to their potential applications in high‐quality, long‐term electrophysiological monitoring. In this study, micromoulding technology is used to develop a flexible, conductive fabric microneedle (CF–MN) electrode by bonding a conductive textile to polymeric microneedle arrays. The resulting electrode conforms to the curved surfaces of the body, and the use of a conductive textile backing reduces metallization time and costs by 50% over double‐sided dry electrodes. The electrode‐skin impedance of the CF–MN electrodes is significantly lower than that of gel electrodes over a wide frequency range, and tests on healthy volunteers, both at rest and under a range of ambulatory conditions, showed that the electrodes are capable of acquiring electrocardiography (ECG) and electromyography (EMG) signals that have a comparable kurtosis and signal‐to‐noise ratio to those recorded using conventional electrodes, but without the need for skin preparation or the use of a wet gel. The biomechanical properties of the electrode are also characterized. This is the first demonstration of CF–MN electrodes that can ultimately be integrated into clothing, which in turn can facilitate personalized cardiac health management by enabling continuous, long‐term ECG/EMG monitoring during daily activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionogels are compelling materials for flexible hybrid electronics owing to their attractive physical properties and infinite adjustability of chemical structures. However, ionogels must be sufficiently strong to ensure durability, stability, and a wide range of strains in various applications to make electronic systems mechanically compliant. Inspired by the hierarchical structure of multiphase substances in the skin, it is fabricated several transparent (>90%) and ultra‐robust (tensile strength >17 MPa, toughness >40 MJ m−3, and elongation ≈300%) ionogels via in situ polymerization of polymers with the different binding abilities to the ionic liquid by forming soft and rigid confinement space. This strategy can also be applied to other ionic liquids and polymers. Furthermore, the designed ionogel sensors can be used to develop a wearable intelligent health monitoring system capable of monitoring health‐related physiological signals, such as temperature, body tremors, wrist pulse, breathing, and gestures, for predicting and responding to emergencies, which will pave the way for wearable security monitoring technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direct epitaxial growth of graphene on semi‐insulating SiC presents significant potential for a variety of technologically important applications, including next‐generation electronics, photonics, and quantum metrology. However, this approach also poses a competitive disadvantage in terms of quality and cost, primarily due to the uncontrollable and time‐consuming nature of the annealing process. Herein, a thermal shock annealing (TSA) method is reported that enables kinetics‐controlled epitaxial growth of graphene on SiC within 10 s, which efficiently fulfills the requirements for producing high‐quality, few‐layer, and low‐cost graphene on SiC. The epitaxial graphene (EG) grown on both β‐SiC nanoparticles (SiC@EG NPs) and centimeter‐scale α‐SiC wafer (EG/SiC) exhibits mono‐ or bi‐layer features with negligible structural defects. Moreover, the findings indicate that the TSA method can efficiently mitigate the persistent issue of step bunching conundrum and improve the flatness of EG/SiC. As an application demonstration, the significant enhancement of surface‐enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) by SiC@EG NPs is exhibited. The graphene plasmon arising on SiC@EG NPs enables SEIRA detection sensitivity of up to a monolayer of p‐nitrobenzenethiol (p‐NTP). Consequently, the precise regulation and comprehensive comprehension of TSA afford an exceedingly desirable approach to produce cost‐effective, high‐quality EG growth on SiC for diverse emerging application scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low‐dimensional fillers play an important role in improving the tribological properties of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) composites. However, the reinforcement mechanism is not fully understood, since few in situ experiments are able to capture the dynamics evolution and interfacial behavior of fillers. Herein, the tribological behavior of PTFE composites filled with graphene (Gr) sheets and carbon nanotubes (CNT) at the nanoscale is investigated. The results demonstrate that the composites filled with the CNT and Gr fillers have much better wear resistance than that of the pure PTFE, and the wear amounts are reduced by 76.2% and 85.7%, respectively. The relative bond and angle energy of PTFE indicate less deformation in the reinforced composite matrices. The calculations of interfacial interaction energy and radial distribution function reveal that the Gr fillers have better reinforcements than CNT due to stronger interactions at the Gr/PTFE interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article titled "A Horizontally Transferred Plant Fatty Acid Desaturase Gene Steers Whitefly Reproduction" published in Advanced Science discusses the invasive and polyphagous nature of the Bemisia tabaci species complex, commonly known as whiteflies. The study reveals that whiteflies utilize a plant-derived gene called BtFAD2-9 to produce essential nutrients known as polyunsaturated fatty acids, which contribute to their increased reproductive capacity. The research demonstrates that the BtFAD2-9 gene allows whiteflies to become self-sufficient in polyunsaturated fatty acids, enabling them to escape dependence on host nutrients. The article includes an image depicting a female whitefly laying eggs after piercing a tobacco phloem with its stylet. [Extracted from the article]

Gamma‐delta (γδ) T cells are the bridge between natural and adaptive immunity. In the present study, peripheral blood was collected from 13 patients with advanced schistosomiasis (schistosomiasis group) and 13 uninfected people (control group) to investigate the γδ T cells and their subtypes in human schistosomiasis. Compared with the control group, the proportion of Vδ1 cells and CD27+Vδ1+ cells in the schistosomiasis group increased significantly, while CD27− cells and CD27−Vδ1− cells decreased. Only the level of IL‐17A differed between the groups, being significantly decreased in the schistosomiasis group. In the schistosomiasis group, there were no correlations between the liver fibrosis and subsets of γδ T cells, or the level of cytokines. Additionally, the level of IL‐17A correlated positively with the proportion of CD27− Vδ1− cells. Thus, there was a higher frequency of circulating Vδ1 γδT cells in patients with advanced schistosomiasis. The decreased IL‐17A might be related to the reduction in CD27−Vδ1− cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aldehyde dehydrogenase‐2 (ALDH2) plays an important role in the alcohol detoxification and acetaldehyde metabolism. Published studies have demonstrated some inconsistent associations between ALDH2 rs671 G>A polymorphism and head and neck cancer (HNC) risk. Methods: A meta‐analysis was performed to provide pooled data on the association between the ALDH2 rs671 G>A polymorphism and HNC risk. Electronic databases were searched to identify relevant studies. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to examine the pooled effect size of each genetic model. In addition, heterogeneity test, accumulative analysis, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias were conducted to test the statistical power. Results: Thirteen publications (14 independent case–control studies) involving 10,939 subjects were selected. The stratified analysis indicated that both light/moderated drinking (e.g., GA vs. GG: OR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.16 to 1.86, p < 0.01, I2 = 81.1%) and heavy drinking would increase HNC risk with rs671 G>A mutation (e.g., GA vs. GG: OR = 2.30, 95% CI = 1.11 to 4.77, p = 0.03, I2 = 81.9%). Conclusions: In summary, this meta‐analysis suggested that the ALDH2 rs671 G>A polymorphism may play an important synergistic effect in the pathogenesis of HNC development in East Asians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium‐ion batteries with their portability, high energy density, and reusability are frequently used in today's world. Under extreme conditions, lithium‐ion batteries leak, burn, and even explode. Therefore, improving the safety of lithium‐ion batteries has become a focus of attention. Researchers believe using a solid electrolyte instead of a liquid one can solve the lithium battery safety issue. Due to the low price, good processability and high safety of the solid polymer electrolytes, increasing attention have been paid to them. However, polymer electrolytes can also decompose and burn under extreme conditions. Moreover, lithium dendrites are formed continuously due to the uneven charge distribution on the surface of the lithium metal anode. A short circuit caused by a lithium dendrite can cause the battery to thermal runaway. As a result, the safety of polymer solid‐state batteries remains a challenge. In this review, the thermal runaway mechanism of the batteries is summarized, and the batteries abuse test standard is introduced. In addition, the recent works on the high‐safety polymer electrolytes and the solution strategies of lithium anode problems in polymer batteries are reviewed. Finally, the development direction of safe polymer solid lithium batteries is prospected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Treatment of adjacent segment disease (ASD) is still controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short‐term efficacy and safety and to analyze the technical advantages, surgical approach, and indications of percutaneous full endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) in the treatment of ASD after lumbar fusion in elderly patients. Methods: A retrospective of 32 patients with symptomatic ASD were accepted for PELD from October 2017 to January 2020. All patients used the transforaminal approach and recorded the operation time and intraoperative conditions. Preoperative, 3, 12, 24 months of postoperative and at the last follow‐up, the pain of back and leg of visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry dysfunction index (ODI), and Japanese Orthopaedic Association Assessment Treatment Score (JOA) were performed, and the paired student's t test was used to the compare the continuous variables preoperatively and postoperatively. The clinical efficacy was evaluated according to MacNab standards. The lumbar MRI was performed to evaluate the decompression of the nerve roots, and the lumbar lateral and dynamic X‐rays were performed to evaluate the stability of the surgical segment. Results: A total of 32 patients were included in the study, including 17 males and 15 females. The follow‐up time ranged from 24 to 50 months, with an average of (33.2 ± 8.1) months and an average operation time of (62.7 ± 28.1) minutes. Compared to preoperatively, the VAS score of the back and leg pain (p < 0.05), ODI (p < 0.05), and JOA (p < 0.05) postoperatively were significantly improved. At the last follow‐up, according to the modified MacNab standard assessment, 24 cases were excellent, five cases were good, and three cases were fair, the excellent and good rate was 90.65%. As for complications, one case had a small rupture of the dural sac during the operation, which was found but not repaired during the operation, and one case recurred after the operation. At the last follow‐up, there were three cases of intervertebral instability. Conclusion: PELD showed satisfactory short‐term efficacy and safety in the management of ASD after lumbar fusion in elderly patients. Therefore, PELD might be an alternative choice for elderly patients with symptomatic ASD after lumbar fusion, but surgical indications must be strictly controlled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) attract considerable attention for their incomparable energy density. However, safety issues caused by uncontrollable lithium dendrites and highly flammable electrolyte limit large‐scale LMBs applications. Herein, a low‐cost, thermally stable, and low environmentally‐sensitive lithium nitrate (LiNO3) is proposed as the only lithium salt to incorporate with nonflammable triethyl phosphate and fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) co‐solvent as the electrolyte anticipated to enhance the performance of LMBs. Benefiting from the presence of NO3− and FEC with strong solvation effect and easily reduced ability, a Li3N–LiF‐rich stable solid electrolyte interphase is constructed. Compared to commercial electrolytes, the proposed electrolyte has a high Coulombic efficiency of 98.31% in Li‐Cu test at 1 mA cm−2 of 1.0 mAh cm−2 with dendrite‐free morphology. Additionally, the electrolyte system shows high voltage stability and cathode electrolyte interphase film‐forming properties with stable cycling performances, which exhibit outstanding capacity retention rates of 96.39% and 83.74% after 1000 cycles for LFP//Li and NCM811//Li, respectively. Importantly, the non‐flammable electrolyte delays the onset of combustion in lithium metal soft pack batteries by 255 s and reduces the peak heat release by 21.02% under the continuous external high‐temperature heating condition. The novel electrolyte can contribute immensely to developing high‐electrochemical‐performance and high‐safety LMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the migration of elements during wall rock alteration related to the gold mineralization in Dashui gold deposit in Gansu province, Western China. Topics discussed include control of the wall rock alteration by the fracture zone, association of carbonatization, hematization and silicification alteration with gold mineralizations, and the use of mass-balance techniques in the research of hydrothermal alteration systems in gold deposits.

A novel flame‐retardant unsaturated polyester (UP) was obtained by introducing ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and aluminum hypophosphite (AHP) into UP matrix. The UP/APP/AHP composites obtained were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectra (FTIR). From limiting oxygen index (LOI), microscale combustion calorimetry (MCC), and UL‐94 tests, the UP/APP/AHP composites present significantly enhanced flame retardancy when compared to pure UP, such as passed UL‐94 V‐0 classification, decreased peak heat release rate (PHRR) maximally by 50.0% and total heat release (THR) maximally by 22.0%, and increased LOI by 34.8%. Thermal degradation behaviors of composites studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) suggest that APP/AHP hybrids have a higher catalytic charring efficiency than APP alone. Char morphology investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicates that the UP/APP/AHP composites form a compact and intumescent char on the sample surface during combustion, which could retard the transfer of heat and oxygen. Thermogravimetric analysis/infrared spectrometry (TGIR) results reveal that the APP/AHP hybrids reduce the release amount of combustible gas from polymer matrix during combustion. The UP/APP/AHP system acts in gas phase through flame inhibition and in condensed phase through charring, resulting in significantly enhanced flame retardancy. This work combining condensed‐phase mechanisms with gas‐phase mechanisms in flame retardance of UP would stimulate more efforts to explore highly effective flame‐retardant system of polymers. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:1763–1770, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, MMT (montmorillonite) and ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) blends were prepared via melt blending process using a twin‐screw extruder. Differences of flame spread characteristics and smoke toxicity with addition of MMT was analyzed. Flame spread properties of materials with different geometric dimension and the side covering degree were investigated with a high definition digital camera and image processing technology. Smoke toxicity under different ventilation condition were studied using a steady state tube furnace (BS 7900, ISO TS 19700). The addition of MMT remarkably reduced the flame spread rate of ABS especially for burning without sidewall. In well‐ventilated conditions, MMT increase the toxicity of the effluent by increasing the CO yield. In under‐ventilated conditions, the FED values of two materials were almost same. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:1234–1241, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A built‐in magnetic field by magnetic embedding has been proven to be an effective approach to improve the electro‐thermal conversion performance of thermoelectric materials. However, the function of the built‐in magnetic field direction is still unknown. In this study, ferromagnetic Co particles with different morphologies are introduced into Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3/PVDF thermoelectric films to control the direction of the built‐in magnetic field. Co particles with shape anisotropy establish magnetic anisotropy fields inside the flexible thermoelectromagnetic films, which make the magnetic moments tend to be aligned parallel to the film surface, causing spiral motion of carriers. The atomic‐scale micro‐electric field established by the in situ reaction of Co and Te induces hopping migration of carriers. The coupling of the magnetic anisotropy field and micro‐electric field brings about a substantial increase in carrier mobility, thus greatly enhancing conductivity. The carrier energy filtering effect generated by Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3/CoTe2/Co hetero interface and additional magnetic scattering provided by the CoTe2/Co micro‐magnetic field maintain the Seebeck coefficient at a high level. The maximum power factor of Co/Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3/PVDF flexible thermoelectromagnetic film with sheet Co particles reaches 1.45 mW m−1 K−2 at 300 K, increased by 54% and 6% as compared with that of Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3/PVDF thermoelectric film and Co/Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3/PVDF flexible thermoelectromagnetic film with spherical Co particles, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high content of flame retardant in non‐combustible electrolytes leads to deterioration of the electrochemical performance of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). Besides, fire hazard of most non‐flammable electrolytes is studied in coin cell, for which it is impossible to reveal real performance. Thus, the stable interfacial, phosphorus‐fixed nonflammable gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) with low content of flame retardant (7.5 wt.%) has been designed by in situ polymerization of tri(acryloyloxyethyl) phosphate and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate in electrolyte. After being heated by fire for >10 s, the GPE is still not ignited. The average capacity attenuation rate of graphite//GPE//Li (0.008%) is much lower than that of the liquid electrolyte (0.039%). Besides, the nonflammable GPE based pouch cell with good flexibility and excellent fire safety is prepared. No fire, no thermal runaway and no electrolyte leakage occur for 1 Ah flexible pouch cell with 100% SOC. The mechanism for high safety of pouch cell has also been revealed. First the amount of combustible pyrolysis products from thermal degradation of GPE is reduced through forming P and F containing char. Second, the combustion of GPE is extinguished through OH free radical quenching effect of flame retardant molecular. This work provides a guideline for designing high‐safety LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe flame retardancy and poor impact resistance of epoxy resins (EPs) have become key factors limiting their industrial application. Herein, a strategy is developed to integrate nitrogen‐rich black phosphorus (BP) loaded with cerium oxide via aryl diazonium chemistry to reduce the flame risk of the EPs. Cone test results exhibit that the fire hazard of EPs containing 2 wt.% BP‐NHH‐Ce is suppressed effectively, such as that total heat release rate (THR) is reduced by 46.9%, the peak heat release rate (pHRR) is reduced by 56.2%, and the total smoke production (TSP) is reduced by 48.9%. With only 1.0 wt.% of the BP‐NHH‐Ce added, the nanocomposite can reach up to 30.5 of LOI value and simultaneously upgrade the UL‐94 rate to V‐0. In addition, the nano‐structure is beneficial to stress transfer and homogenization, which leads to significant elevation (28.2%) for the impact strength of EPs. This developed new EP/BP‐NHH‐Ce nanocomposite merits the high‐end field application of EPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat flour proteins are subject to oxidation reactions during production, processing and storage. The quality of protein and the rheological properties of wheat are crucial for the flour industry. However, the impact and mechanism of protein oxidised on wheat flour quality remain unclear. In this study, ozone was used to oxidise wheat grains, the secondary structure of protein in flour and the rheological properties of dough were analysed by FTIR and Mixolab. The proportion of α‐helix and β‐folding of protein were decreased significantly, as were the development time (DDT), stability time (DST) and protein weakening (C2) value of dough. Meanwhile, starch gelatinisation (C3), amylase activity (C4) and retrogradation (C5) were increased significantly, along with the elastic modulus (G′) and viscous modulus (G″). Microstructure analysis indicated that protein oxidation destroyed the gluten network structure in the dough. In addition, the L* value of dough was decreased and a* and b* values were increased significantly. The results showed that the oxidation of protein reduced the stability of protein secondary structure, weakened the structure and stability of the gluten network in dough, and changed the viscoelasticity and colour of dough. Overall, these findings provide a better understanding of rheological behaviour in wheat flour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of terminal alkenes (III) is synthesized by reaction of allylsamarium bromide (II) with aldehydes (I). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine the association between near work, screen time including TV and outdoor time with myopia in children from the Sunflower Myopia Asian Eye Epidemiology Consortium (AEEC). Methods: We analysed AEEC cross‐sectional data (12 241 children) on risk factors (near work, screen time including TV and outdoor time) and myopia of six population‐based studies (China, Hong Kong and Singapore). Cycloplegic refraction and axial length (AL) measurements were included. Risk factors were determined using questionnaires. Data were pooled from each study, and multivariable regression analysis was performed to evaluate the associations between risks factors and myopia, spherical equivalent (SE) and AL. Results: Among the included children, 52.1% were boys, 98.1% were Chinese and 69.7% lived in urban areas. Mean±standard deviation (SD) for age was 8.8 ± 2.9 years, for SE was −0.14 ± 1.8 D and for AL was 23.3 ± 1.1 mm. Myopia prevalence was 30.6%. In multivariate analysis, more reading and writing (OR = 1.17; 95% CI, 1.11–1.24), more total near work (OR = 1.05; 95% CI, 1.02–1.09) and less outdoor time (OR = 0.82, 95% CI, 0.75–0.88) were associated with myopia (p's < 0.05). These factors were similarly associated with SE and AL (p's < 0.05), except for total near work and AL (p = 0.15). Screen time including TV was not significantly associated with myopia (p = 0.49), SE (p = 0.49) or AL (p = 0.83). Conclusion: In this study, increased reading and writing and decreased outdoor time were associated with myopia. Screen time may be a surrogate factor of near work or outdoor time, but further research is needed to assess its role as an independent risk factor for myopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone mineral density (BMD) and whole‐body lean mass (WBLM) are two important phenotypes of osteoporosis and sarcopenia. Previous studies have shown that BMD and lean mass were phenotypically and genetically correlated. To identify the novel common genetic factors shared between BMD and WBLM, we performed the conditional false discovery rate (cFDR) analysis using summary data of the genome‐wide association study of femoral neck BMD (n = 53,236) and WBLM (n = 38,292) from the Genetic Factors for Osteoporosis Consortium (GEFOS). We identified eight pleiotropic Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNPs) (PLCL1 rs11684176 and rs2880389, JAZF1 rs198, ADAMTSL3 rs10906982, RFTN2/MARS2 rs7340470, SH3GL3 rs1896797, ST7L rs10776755, ANKRD44/SF3B1 rs11888760) significantly associated with femoral neck BMD and WBLM (ccFDR < 0.05). Bayesian fine‐mapping analysis showed that rs11888760, rs198, and rs1896797 were the possible functional variants in the ANKRD44/SF3B1, JAZF1i, and SH3GL3 loci, respectively. Functional annotation suggested that rs11888760 was likely to comprise a DNA regulatory element and linked to the expression of RFTN2 and PLCL1. PLCL1 showed differential expression in laryngeal posterior cricoarytenoid muscle between rats of 6 months and 30 months of age. Our findings, together with PLCL1's potential functional relevance to bone and skeletal muscle function, suggested that rs11888760 was the possible pleiotropic functional variants appearing to coregulate both bone and muscle metabolism through regulating the expression of PLCL1. The findings enhanced our knowledge of genetic associations between BMD and lean mass and provide a rationale for subsequent functional studies of the implicated genes in the pathophysiology of diseases, such as osteoporosis and sarcopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High fire hazards of glass-fiber reinforced polymer composites have greatly limited their development and application. To reduce their flammability, the composites have to be treated with flame retardants. This work examines the use of three trivalent metal (Al, La, Ce) hypophosphites as halogen-free flame retardants for glass-fiber reinforced poly(1,4-butylene terephthalate) (GRPBT) composites. The aim of this study is to quantitatively investigate the effect of metal hypophosphites on the thermal decomposition and combustion behavior of GRPBT composites by means of cone calorimeter and thermogravimetry coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR) techniques. The peak heat release rate and total smoke production of GRPBT/cerium hypophosphite (CHP) composite evaluated by cone calorimeter are reduced, respectively, by around 76 and 44% compared to the results of GRPBT. The volatilized esters measured by TG-FTIR in the decomposition of GRPBT/CHP are decreased by about 69%. The results showed that rare earth hypophosphites can effectively inhibit the thermal decomposition and combustion behaviors of GRPBT in comparison with aluminum hypophosphite. POLYM. COMPOS., 34:1832-1839, 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potential mechanisms of depression involving herbal medicines and their specific compounds include elevated 5‐HT level and downstream BDNF pathway. To identify potentially new combined therapeutic strategies, 3,6'‐disinapoylsucrose (DISS) and tenuifoliside A (TFSA) have been observed to show antidepressant‐like effects and its related 5‐HT‐BDNF pathway. We have tried to investigate whether combined administration of DISS and TFSA exerted more effective in the treatment of depression, as assessed through tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST). In addition, we also analyzed the expression of three important proteins, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element binding (CREB), brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and cAMP‐regulated transcriptional coactivators (CRTC1), which have been shown to be involved in the regulation of the neurotrophic factors in the hippocampus. The DISS and TFSA separately, both at a dose of 5 mg/kg each, displayed small effect in the immobility time. However, combined treatment of these two in multiple doses exhibited better effect. Moreover, combined treatment of DISS and TFSA also demonstrated enhanced levels of 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT), and stronger increase in the phosphorylation levels of CREB, BDNF, and CRTC1 proteins in the hippocampus. Overall, our results indicated that coadministration of these two oligosaccharide esters at low dose may induce more pronounced antidepressant activity, in comparison with individual treatment even at high dosage. Thus, the antidepressant properties of both these compounds can be attributed to their ability to influence 5‐HT and BDNF pathway, and thereby suggesting that this combination strategy can definitely act as alternative therapy for depression disorder with very limited side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green leaf volatiles (GLVs) can induce defence priming, that is, can enable plants to respond faster or more strongly to future stress. The effects of priming by GLVs on defence against insect herbivores and pathogens have been investigated, but little is known about the potential of GLVs to prime crops against virus transmission by vector insects. Here, we tested the hypothesis that exposure to the GLV Z‐3‐hexenol (Z‐3‐HOL) can prime tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) for an enhanced defence against subsequent Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) transmission by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci. Bioassays showed that Z‐3‐HOL priming reduced subsequent plant susceptibility to TYLCV transmission by whiteflies. Z‐3‐HOL treatment increased transcripts of jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthetic genes and increased whitefly‐induced transcripts of salicylic acid (SA) biosynthetic genes in plants. Using chemical inducers, transgenics and mutants, we demonstrated that induction of JA reduced whitefly settling and successful whitefly inoculation, while induction of SA reduced TYLCV transmission by whiteflies. Defence gene transcripts and flavonoid levels were enhanced when whiteflies fed on Z‐3‐HOL‐treated plants. Moreover, Z‐3‐HOL treatment reduced the negative impact of whitefly infestation on tomato growth. These findings suggest that Z‐3‐HOL priming may be a valuable tool for improving management of insect‐transmitted plant viruses. Priming of tomato with Z‐3‐hexenol reduces subsequent TYLCV transmission by the whitefly. The plant defense triggered by Z‐3‐hexenol was found to be related to an increase in defense gene expression and flavonoid production after whitefly infestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For improving the flame retardancy of epoxy resin (EP), β‐cyclodextrin@ ferrocene@hollow mesoporous silica microspheres (β‐CD@FE@HMS) were prepared successfully by the self‐assembly method. Then, they were used as flame retardant to improve the fire safety of EP. EP/β‐CD@FE and EP/HMS composites were also prepared for comparative study. The results showed that β‐CD@FE@HMS could effectively improve the thermal stability of EP, in which the initial degradation temperature and the amount of char residue of EP were increased. The content of small molecule toxic gases produced by the combustion of EP composite was also reduced apparently. With the addition of 5 wt% β‐CD@FE@HMS, LOI value of EP was increased to 27.5% from 19.8%, and UL‐94 reached V‐1 rating. Comparing with pure EP, the peak heat release rate and total heat release values of EP were reduced by 11.0% and 12.3%, respectively, and the total smoke production was reduced by 30.6%. EP/β‐CD@FE@HMS composite formed a higher quality char layer. Therefore, β‐CD@FE@HMS microspheres could improve the fire safety of EP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A photoinduced SET process enables the direct B−H bond activation of NHC–boranes. In contrast to common hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) strategies, this photoinduced reaction simply takes advantage of the beneficial redox potentials of NHC–boranes, thus obviating the need for extra radical initiators. The resulting NHC–boryl radical was used for the borylation of a wide range of α‐trifluoromethylalkenes and alkenes with diverse electronic and structural features, providing facile access to highly functionalized borylated molecules. Labeling and photoquenching experiments provide insight into the mechanism of this photoinduced SET pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]