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This article discusses a study that used machine learning to identify and validate plant peroxisome targeting signal type 1 (PTS1) tripeptides. Peroxisomes are organelles in eukaryotic cells that are involved in metabolic pathways. The researchers trained machine learning models using a dataset of functional PTS1 sequences and non-PTS1 sequences, achieving high accuracy and recall rates in predicting peroxisome targeting. They then used the models to predict novel PTS1 tripeptides and confirmed their peroxisome targeting through experimental validation. The study expands our understanding of peroxisomes in plants and has implications for predicting peroxisomal proteins and metabolic pathways in different plant species. However, it is important to consider that the presence of a PTS1 tripeptide does not guarantee peroxisome targeting, as other factors may also influence protein localization. [Extracted from the article]

Hyponatremia is the most common disorder of electrolyte imbalances. It is necessary to develop new type of diuretics to treat hyponatremia without losing electrolytes. Urea transporters (UT) play an important role in the urine concentrating process and have been proved as a novel diuretic target. In this study, rat and mouse syndromes of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) models were constructed and analyzed to determine if UTs are a promising drug target for treating hyponatremia. Experimental results showed that 100 mg/kg UT inhibitor 25a significantly increased serum osmolality (from 249.83 ± 5.95 to 294.33 ± 3.90 mOsm/kg) and serum sodium (from 114 ± 2.07 to 136.67 ± 3.82 mmol/L) respectively in hyponatremia rats by diuresis. Serum chemical examination showed that 25a neither caused another electrolyte imbalance nor influenced the lipid metabolism. Using UT‐A1 and UT‐B knockout mouse SIADH model, it was found that serum osmolality and serum sodium were lowered much less in UT‐A1 knockout mice than in UT‐B knockout mice, which suggest UT‐A1 is a better therapeutic target than UT‐B to treat hyponatremia. This study provides a proof of concept that UT‐A1 is a diuretic target for SIADH‐induced hyponatremia and UT‐A1 inhibitors might be developed into new diuretics to treat hyponatremia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Timely monitoring is essential for effective disease control and public health management. Early outbreak detection and swift responses inform optimal resource allocation for effective public health protection. Disease incidence datasets often consist of time series counts that exhibit threshold characteristics. Currently, there is limited research on the monitoring of such data in the field of statistical process control. In this paper, we propose a new threshold‐based control chart for threshold autoregressive models, which has been proven to be effective. Several existing efficient control charts are also employed for comparison. We conduct an extensive simulation study using the Monte Carlo method. Finally, the method is applied to the meningitis data that motivated this investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep drip irrigation combined with high‐density planting is one of the most economical and effective ways to address residual film pollution. This study aimed to explore the photosynthetic potential of and achieve water‐saving and high‐yielding filmless cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) by optimizing the irrigation amount. We analyzed the effect of source leaf activity on leaf nitrogen allocation and photosynthetic nitrogen utilization efficiency (PNUE) under different irrigation amounts (mm, 375 (W5), 348 (W4), 320 (W3), 293 (W2), and 265 (W1)) in a 2‐year field experiment under this planting mode. The photosynthetic pigment content, leaf mass per area, and light compensation point all decreased with increasing amounts of irrigation, while the apparent quantum yield of photosynthesis, light saturation point, maximum carboxylation rate (Vcmax), maximum electron transport rate (Jmax), triose phosphate utilization rate (VTPU), nitrogen content in the electron transfer component (NB), and nitrogen content in the carboxylation component (NC) showed opposite trends. At the later full boll stage, the W3 and W4 treatments increased the leaf area of a whole plant (LA) by 10.4% and 19.4%, respectively, compared to that in the W1 treatment, while the PNUE increased by 20.2% and 20.8%, respectively, compared to that in the W5 treatment. In addition, principal component analysis found that the factor variables total nitrogen content in the photosynthetic apparatus (NT), net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), light‐saturated net photosynthetic rate (Amax), NC, and Vcmax had higher loadings and were all positively correlated with PNUE; LA had a higher loading and was positively correlated with reproductive organ biomass. Therefore, we recommend using an irrigation rate of 320 mm in this cultivation system to increase nitrogen in carboxylation and electron transport components, enhance photosynthetic capacity, and thereby improve PNUE to increase reproductive organ biomass and reduce the irrigation amount in arid areas. Core Ideas: Optimizing the irrigation amount can enhance the source leaf activity of filmless cotton.The content of nitrogen in carboxylation and electron transport components is the key to improve photosynthetic rate.Increasing the leaf area of a whole plant can increase reproductive biomass.The optimal irrigation system rate is 320 mm under deep drip irrigation without film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electroencephalogram (EEG) is one of the most important bioelectrical signals related to brain activity and plays a crucial role in clinical medicine. Driven by continuously expanding applications, the development of EEG materials and technology has attracted considerable attention. However, systematic analysis of the sustainable development of EEG materials and technology is still lacking. This review discusses the sustainable development of EEG materials and technology. First, the developing course of EEG is introduced to reveal its significance, particularly in clinical medicine. Then, the sustainability of the EEG materials and technology is discussed from two main aspects: integrated systems and EEG electrodes. For integrated systems, sustainability has been focused on the developing trend toward mobile EEG systems and big‐data monitoring/analyzing of EEG signals. Sustainability is related to miniaturized, wireless, portable, and wearable systems that are integrated with big‐data modeling techniques. For EEG electrodes and materials, sustainability has been comprehensively analyzed from three perspectives: performance of different material/structural categories, sustainable materials for EEG electrodes, and sustainable manufacturing technologies. In addition, sustainable applications of EEG have been presented. Finally, the sustainable development of EEG materials and technology in recent decades is summarized, revealing future possible research directions as well as urgent challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we presented an inventive organic–inorganic hybrid flame retardant, MPKG, by the strategic reaction of phytic acid (PA) with melamine (MA), γ‐aminopropyl triethoxysilane (KH550) and graphene oxide (GO). Subsequently, an MPKG/PU fiber membrane was fabricated through electrospinning, wherein MPKG was seamlessly incorporated into the PU spinning solution. The morphology and chemical structures of the flame retardants were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The flame retardancy and resilience to soaping of the fiber membranes were assessed via the limiting oxygen index (LOI), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and microscale combustion calorimetry (MCC). Impressively, the results demonstrate a significant 38.8% reduction in total heat release (THR) for the MPKG/PU fiber membrane in comparison to pure PU fiber membrane. Moreover, the incorporation of MPKG leads to an increase in LOI from 18.8% to 21.5% for the PU fiber membrane, accompanied by a notable enhancement in char yield at 800°C from 13.5% to 28.5%. These results underscore the augmentative impact of MPKG on the flame retardancy of PU fiber membrane. Remarkably, the MPKG/PU fiber membrane exhibits robust soaping resistance, with the LOI maintaining a level above 20% post‐soaping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targeted therapy and immunotherapy have brought hopes for precision cancer treatment. However, complex physiological barriers and tumor immunosuppression result in poor efficacy, side effects, and resistance to antitumor therapies. Bacteria‐mediated antitumor therapy provides new options to address these challenges. Thanks to their special characteristics, bacteria have excellent ability to destroy tumor cells from the inside and induce innate and adaptive antitumor immune responses. Furthermore, bacterial components, including bacterial vesicles, spores, toxins, metabolites, and other active substances, similarly inherit their unique targeting properties and antitumor capabilities. Bacteria and their accessory products can even be reprogrammed to produce and deliver antitumor agents according to clinical needs. This review first discusses the role of different bacteria in the development of tumorigenesis and the latest advances in bacteria‐based delivery platforms and the existing obstacles for application. Moreover, the prospect and challenges of clinical transformation of engineered bacteria are also summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are extensively investigated for oxygen electrocatalysis, their development is hampered by their limited active sites and sluggish reaction kinetics. Here, sulfur mismatch substitution of NiFe–LDH (S–LDH) is demonstrated, which are in‐situ deposited on nitrogen‐doped graphene (S–LDH/NG). This atomic‐level sulfur incorporation leads to the construction of the tailored topological microstructure and the modulated electronic structure for the improved catalytic activity and durability of bifunctional electrocatalysts. The combined computational and experimental results clarify that the electron transfer between the sulfur anion and Fe3+ generates the high‐valence Fe4+ species, while the mismatch substitution of the sulfur anion induces the metallic conductivity, an increased carrier density, and the reduced reaction barrier. Consequently, the as‐fabricated Zn–air battery achieves a high power density of 165 mW cm‐2, a large energy density of 772 Wh kgZn‐1 at 5 mA cm‐2, and long cycle stability for 120 h, demonstrating its real‐life operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ricin is one of the most toxic proteins known, which has been listed as both chemical and biological warfare agent due to its unique properties. Rapid and sensitive method capable of detecting and distinguishing activity of the whole ricin has very important realistic significance in view of national security and defense. This study reports a reliable surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)‐based sandwich immunoassay for the detection and differentiation of active ricin from other homologous toxins. In the immunoassay design, magnetic bead conjugated with a monoclonal antibody (mAb) MIL50 that can recognize the ricin in its holotoxin form was used as a capture probe to separate ricin from complex matrix, whereas both Raman reporter molecule Nile blue A (NBA) and ricin‐specific mAb 14C12 were modified on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to form SERS nanoprobes. In the presence of ricin, SERS nanoprobes bound to the antigen‐captured magnetic beads and formed a sandwich immunocomplex to produce specific hot spots and then generated highly sensitive signals. As a result, the whole ricin could be detected as low as 1 and 5 ng/ml in phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) and in plasma, respectively. Not only active and inactive ricin can be discriminated distinctly but also ricin from other type II ribosome‐inactivating proteins and their agglutinins. Furthermore, the proposed method made an application to practical samples from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) biotoxin exercise test, proving this SERS‐based sandwich immunoassay a promising assay for timely response of ricin‐related risk assessment in terrorist event and human intoxication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the completion of first‐phase projects on the eastern and middle routes of the South‐to‐North Water Diversion (SNWD), the design and implementation of water pricing mechanism have become the key factors that affect the project operation. This paper launches the evaluation of implementation effect on the water price policy of the SNWD built projects in 2018 by coordinating the consumption of transfer water, allocation of receiving‐areas' water resources, collection of water fee for transfer water, as well as the implementation of local water price policies, which mainly exerted a comprehensive and interactive influence on the water price policy. Based on a series of data statistics and analysis, the usage of water transferred from the Yangtze River, improvement of regional water resources allocation, collection of water fee, and the implementation results of local water price policies were systematically analyzed. The main conclusions and corresponding suggestions were put forward to provide useful references on the formulation of water price policies for the design, optimization, and adjustment of the subsequent water pricing mechanism in the SNWD project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quaternary ammonium oxime reactivators are a class of important reactivators for nerve agents poisoning, and their sensitive and specific analysis in biomedical samples meets many challenges due to their highly polar properties. In present paper, a novel determination method based on surface‐enhanced Raman spectrometry (SERS) was developed for series of quaternary ammonium oxime reactivators. The self‐cleaning effect of iodine anion on the surface of porous shell‐insulated nanoparticles and the electrostatic adsorption effect were proved to be effective to remove the strong interference of protein and other coexisting substances and significantly improve the response intensity and fingerprint feature of Raman peaks. The analysis of five important quaternary ammonium oxime reactivators (PAM‐Cl, TMB‐4, MMB‐4, HI‐6, LüH6) was achieved in biomedical samples, which had the merit of simple sample pretreatment, rapid speed, high sensitivity, and fingerprint peak characteristics. The detection limits reached values of as low as 0.5 ng·mL−1 for dipyridyl quaternary ammonium oxime reactivators. The method has been successfully used for blood concentration monitoring in vivo and evaluation of the liposomes drug delivery ability to penetrate the blood–brain barrier in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory and invasive fibroblast‐like synoviocytes (FLS) contribute to the pathology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Isoginkgetin (IGKG) has been identified as having anti‐inflammatory properties. This study investigated whether IGKG could be utilized to treat RA. Primary FLS were isolated from synovial tissues derived from six RA patients, which were over‐expressed with matrix metallopeptidase 9 and cultured with or without tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α and then further treated with IGKG. IGKG down‐regulated the content of various interleukins (ILs), namely, IL‐1β, IL‐6, and IL‐8, in RA‐FLS supernatant with or without TNF‐α stimulation, with diminished migration and invasion properties as assayed by the transwell system. Furthermore, down‐regulated inflammatory cytokine secretion and down‐regulated migration and invasion properties could be reversed through matrix metallopeptidase 9 overexpression. Dual‐luciferase reporter gene assay indicated that IGKG could inhibit nuclear factor kappa B transcription activity. Western blot analysis also demonstrated that IGKG down‐regulated the expression of p‐IκBα, p‐p65, and MMP9. IGKG displayed the ability to inhibit the inflammatory response of RA‐FLS through the NF‐κB/MMP9 pathway with diminished migration and invasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with Parkinson's disease with mild cognitive impairment (PD‐M) progress to dementia more frequently than those with normal cognition (PD‐N), but the underlying neurobiology remains unclear. This study aimed to define the specific morphological brain network alterations in PD‐M, and explore their potential diagnostic value. Twenty‐four PD‐M patients, 17 PD‐N patients, and 29 healthy controls (HC) underwent a structural MRI scan. Similarity between interregional gray matter volume distributions was used to construct individual morphological brain networks. These were analyzed using graph theory and network‐based statistics (NBS), and their relationship to neuropsychological tests was assessed. Support vector machine (SVM) was used to perform individual classification. Globally, compared with HC, PD‐M showed increased local efficiency (p =.001) in their morphological networks, while PD‐N showed decreased normalized path length (p =.008). Locally, similar nodal deficits were found in the rectus and lingual gyrus, and cerebellum of both PD groups relative to HC; additionally in PD‐M nodal deficits involved several frontal and parietal regions, correlated with cognitive scores. NBS found that similar connections were involved in the default mode and cerebellar networks of both PD groups (to a greater extent in PD‐M), while PD‐M, but not PD‐N, showed altered connections involving the frontoparietal network. Using connections identified by NBS, SVM allowed discrimination with high accuracy between PD‐N and HC (90%), PD‐M and HC (85%), and between the two PD groups (65%). These results suggest that default mode and cerebellar disruption characterizes PD, more so in PD‐M, whereas frontoparietal disruption has diagnostic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise control of the local electronic structure and properties of electrocatalysts is important for enhancing the multifunctionality and durability of electrocatalysts and for correlating the structure/chemistry with the catalytic properties. Herein, we report electronically coupled metallic hybrids of NiFe layered double hydroxide nanosheet/Ti3C2 MXene quantum dots deposited on a nitrogen‐doped graphene surface (LDH/MQD/NG) for high‐performance flexible Zn–air batteries (ZABs). As verified from the Mott–Schottky and Nyquist plots, as well as spectroscopic, electrochemical, and computational analyses, the electronic and chemical coupling of LDH/MQD/NG modulates the local electronic and surface structure of the active LDH to provide metallic conductivity and abundant active sites, leading to significantly improved bifunctional activity and electrocatalytic kinetics. The rechargeable ZABs with LDH/MQD/NG hybrids are superior to the previous LDH‐based ZABs, demonstrating a high power density (113.8 mW cm−2) and excellent cycle stability (150 h at 5 mA cm−2). Moreover, the corresponding quasi solid‐state ZABs are completely flexible and practical, affording a high power density of 57.6 mW cm−2 even in the bent state, and in real‐life operation of tandem cells for powering various electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed size is an important agronomic trait in watermelon, but the candidate genes and underlying molecular mechanism are not fully known. In the present study, genetic analysis of the BC1 population derived from two parental lines revealed that watermelon seed size is controlled by a single locus and medium seeds are dominant to tomato seeds. In addition, we constructed a genetic linkage map. The total length of the linkage map was 1629.92 cM, with an average distance of.16 cM. QTL mapping and resequencing analysis identified a 13.96‐kb chromosomal deletion on chromosome 2. There were only two genes (Cla97C02G045390 and Cla97C02G045400) present in the corresponding region. Transcriptome data of tomato seed and medium seed watermelons showed that the two genes were always highly expressed in medium seed plants but expressed at low or no levels in tomato seed plants. Moreover, two markers indicated that the genes were related to watermelon seed size. Our present study provides key genetic variation and potential candidate gene of watermelon seed size and lays the foundation for the molecular mechanism of seed size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electroluminescence efficiency and operating stability of solution‐processed perovskite light‐emitting diodes (PeLEDs) are limited by luminescence quenching induced by indium or tin released from indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode upon deposition of highly acidic conventional hole injection layer (HIL) (i.e., poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)) and inefficient hole injection into perovskite emitting layer. Here, a synergistic molecular strategy to develop a neutralized gradient HIL, which possesses low acidity and high work function (WF) simultaneously, is proposed. First, it is shown that aniline with relatively low basicity and dipole moment efficiently neutralizes HIL while maintaining its original confirmation and high WF. Both acidity‐neutralizing aniline and WF‐modifying agent (perfluorinated ionomer) are incorporated into PEDOT:PSS to achieve high pH ≈ 6 and WF > 5.8 eV, which suppresses etching of underlying ITO and luminescence quenching while maintaining efficient hole injection into perovskite emitting layer. With this synergetic molecular engineering, high current efficiency = 52.55 cd A−1 with extended operating lifetime is achieved in PeLEDs that use colloidal formamidinium lead bromide nanoparticle films. This result provides a simple and efficient way to develop efficient and stable PeLEDs in industrial displays and solid‐state lighting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroimaging studies using a variety of techniques have demonstrated abnormal patterns of spontaneous brain activity in patients with essential tremor (ET). However, the findings are variable and inconsistent, hindering understanding of underlying neuropathology. We conducted a meta‐analysis of whole‐brain resting‐state functional neuroimaging studies in ET compared to healthy controls (HC), using anisotropic effect‐size seed‐based d mapping, to identify the most consistent brain activity alterations and their relation to clinical features. After systematic literature search, we included 13 studies reporting 14 comparisons, describing 286 ET patients and 254 HC. Subgroup analyses were conducted considering medication status, head tremor status, and methodological factors. Brain activity in ET is altered not only in the cerebellum and cerebral motor cortex, but also in nonmotor cortical regions including prefrontal cortex and insula. Most of the results remained unchanged in subgroup analyses of patients with head tremor, medication‐naive patients, studies with statistical threshold correction, and the large subgroup of studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging. These findings not only show consistent and robust abnormalities in specific brain regions but also provide new information on the biology of patient heterogeneity, and thus help to elucidate the pathophysiology of ET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The investigation aimed at determining the impact of sequential simulated digestion on the physicochemical properties and digestive enzymes inhibitory effects of the polysaccharides fraction (MLP‐2) of Morus alba L. leaves as well as its in vitro fermentation behaviours. After artificial salivary, gastric and intestinal digestions, the chemical components and microstructure of MLP‐2 were altered with significantly (P < 0.05) decreased molecular weight. The α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase inhibitory activities of MLP‐2 were significantly (P < 0.05) improved throughout simulated digestion. MLP‐2I, the intestinal digested fraction of MLP‐2, could significantly (P < 0.05) decrease the pH value of fermented culture and increase the short‐chain fatty acids (SCFA) concentrations, especially acetic, propionic and butyric acids. In conclusion, MLP‐2 could be gradually degraded under simulated digestion with altered physicochemical properties and enhanced α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase inhibitory effects, and further utilised by human gut microbiota to decrease pH value and promote SCFA production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DCs composed by dielectric particles and elastomer matrix present electric field dependent deformation. Viscoelasticity dominates their electric field response, which has to be considered in their applications. Although the influence of strain amplitude and oscillation frequency on the viscoelasticity of DCs has been investigated, the effect of electric field has been seldom studied. In this study, DCs were prepared by dispersing TiO2 particles with different concentrations and different distributions within silicone rubbers. The areal strain and the storage modulus of the DCs under different electric fields were tested. The results indicated the electric field has significant influence on the storage modulus of the DCs. Such an electric field dependent storage modulus is more significant for the DCs with higher particle fraction, or with aligned distributed particles. The enhanced electrostatic interaction between the adjacent particles by applying electric field is responsible for the phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land‐surface observation is easily affected by the light transmission and scattering of semi‐transparent clouds, high or low, resulting in blurring and reduced contrast of ground objects. To improve the visual appearance of remote sensing images, the authors present a deep learning method for thin cloud removal using a new attentive generative adversarial network without prior knowledge or assumptions, which copes with thin clouds that are unevenly distributed on different images and learns the attention map with weighted information about spatial features. Such a spatial attention model can endow each pixel with the global spatial context information. Consequently, the generative network focuses on the thin cloud regions to generate better local image restoration, and the discriminative network can evaluate the local consistency of the repaired regions. The experimental results show that this method is superior to state‐of‐the‐art methods in recovering detailed texture information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytoliths can act as efficient carriers of information about palaeovegetation and palaeoclimatic conditions, but the representativeness of soil phytoliths from palaeoecological sediments has not been fully understood. In this study, phytolith assemblages in topsoils and associated plant communities at 55 sites in Northeast China were compared. The results indicate that samples from herbaceous and woody communities could be reliably differentiated by topsoil phytoliths. Notably, different phytolith types exhibit varying degrees of representational bias in terms of the aboveground plant community. Some morphotypes (e.g., bilobate, rondel and lanceolate) over‐represent the richness of the corresponding plant; some morphotypes, including microhair, conical epidermal, silicified stomata and epidermal phytoliths, under‐represent the parent plant abundance; additional morphotypes (e.g., elongate, saddle and trapeziform sinuate) are consistent with the changes of associated plants. Based on the representational bias, we calibrated the percentages of topsoil phytoliths and established a phytolith‐based transfer function for precipitation in Northeast China. A palaeoclimate reconstruction in the Changbai Mountains (in the eastern part of Northeast China) based on the above phytolith‐based transfer function for precipitation shows that the region has gone through continuous climatic changes since the late glacial period: from cold and dry conditions to warm and dry conditions, then to warm and wet conditions, and finally to cool and dry conditions. The phytolith‐based reconstructed climate changes since the late glacial period correspond well to those reconstructed by other records from the same stratigraphic profile, and our phytolith‐based climatic reconstruction also confirms the reliability of abrupt cold climatic shifts at 8.2, 6.8, 5.6, 4.6 and 4.2 ka. In conclusion, our results provide the basis for the reliability of phytoliths for reconstructing climatic changes in the northern temperate region. Highlights: Calibrating soil phytolith assemblages for any quantitative palaeovegetation reconstruction using phytoliths is necessary.Phytolith morphotypes in topsoils may over‐ or under‐represent or agree with the abundance of modern plant taxa.Phytolith‐based climatic reconstruction corresponds well with the abrupt climate changes evident since the Late Glacial period and other proxy records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Directional light control at nanoscale shows great potential in applications such as holograms, optical neural networks, and ultracompact photonic circuits. Plasmonic nanostructures with designed geometrical shapes or complex architectures have been employed to manipulate light directionally. The interaction among the electric dipole and multipole resonances in plasmonic nanostructures enables the wavefront reshaping of light, leading to directional light scattering behaviors. However, traditional methods for directional light control suffer from complicated fabrication procedures and large footprints. In this work, heterodimers are constructed out of chemically grown Au nanodisks and Au nanorods, with the nanorod sitting vertically on the nanodisk, and their directional light scattering behaviors are studied. When the nanorod is located off the center of the nanodisk, the incident light is scattered asymmetrically by the heterodimer, producing a crescent‐shaped far‐field scattering pattern. The light scattering directionality of the heterodimers is further proved to be highly dependent on the aspect ratio of the nanorod, the relative position of the two nanocrystals, and the orientation of the nanorod. The study provides a solid and useful foundation for the directional light manipulation in ultracompact nanophotonic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light manipulation has been widely employed in lighting, display, and energy storage, becoming an inseparable part of human lives. However, the conventional optical devices suffer from the diffraction limit of electromagnetic waves. To overcome the limitation, plasmonic and dielectric nanoantennas are introduced for the control of light direction at nanoscale. The directionality of the nanoantennas stems from their electromagnetic resonance properties or the interference between different resonance modes. The near‐field interaction between the nanoantennas and fluorescent emitters or Raman molecules will generate directional light emission. The directional nanoantennas are widely applied in various fields. Although light manipulation at nanoscale is briefly discussed in several review articles, they are not specifically devoted to directional nanoantennas. A more selective, focused and up‐to‐date review article about light manipulation by directional nanoantennas is deemed necessary because of the rapid development in this field. In this article, the properties and mechanisms of various types of nanoantennas made of plasmonic or dielectric nanostructures are introduced, the current developments of the nanoantennas are summarized, and an outlook for future investigation on directional nanoantennas is offered. It is believed that the directional light control with the nanoantennas will be a flourishing and promising research field in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological responses to past climate change as determined from palaeorecords offer insights into responses that may accompany future climate change. In arid and semi‐arid lands, the interactions between regional vegetation and climate change are not yet well understood, partly due to a lack of suitable palaeovegetation proxies that can provide accurate and continuous tracers for past vegetation dynamics. To gain a better understanding of long‐term vegetation dynamics, this study employs a multiproxy approach applied to sand‐palaeosol sediments of northeastern China's Songnen grasslands. Phytolith analyses and data on the stable carbon isotope composition (δ13C) of organic matter are used to reconstruct palaeovegetation composition, namely, the changing abundance of C3 and C4 species, whereas a geochemical weathering index (Fed/Fet ratios) tracks past East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) intensity. The phytolith assemblages and indices and δ13C of the soil indicate that C4 species' abundance has been increasing in the Songnen grasslands since the mid‐Holocene, although C3 vegetation is still dominant. Statistically significant negative correlations between the δ13C data and Fet/Fed ratios suggest that continuous weakening of the EASM since the mid‐Holocene may be responsible for the 13C‐enrichment of the sediments in the Songnen grasslands. Field vegetation surveys, modern topsoil phytoliths and δ13C calibration data indicate that the expansion of C4 species since the mid‐Holocene is mainly due to their ability to cope with aridity when growing season temperature is not undergoing a significant decrease. Future precipitation decreases in arid and semi‐arid lands should make C4 species more competitive in the grasslands of northeastern China. HighlightsA continuous grassland landscape history is reconstructed from a sand‐palaeosol sequence via phytolith analysis.Multiple independent approaches were used to reconstruct past EASM intensity and palaeovegetation patterns.Phytolith and δ13C analyses indicate an increase in C4 species since the mid‐Holocene.Aridification drives the increase in C4 species within the grassland ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dielectric nanoparticles are expected to complement or even replace plasmonic nanoparticles in many optical and optoelectronic applications, because they exhibit small absorption losses and support strong electric and magnetic resonances simultaneously. Dielectric nanoparticles need to be deposited on various substrates in many applications. Understanding the substrate effect on the electromagnetic resonances of dielectric nanoparticles is of great importance for engineering their resonance properties and designing optical devices. In this study, moderate‐refractive‐index cuprous oxide nanospheres with uniform sizes and shapes are synthesized. The scattering spectra and images of the nanospheres deposited on three types of substrates are analyzed experimentally and theoretically. When supported on indium tin oxide–coated glass slides and Si wafers, the color of the nanospheres varies from blue, cyan, green, yellow, orange and red, covering almost the entire visible region. When deposited on gold films, the electromagnetic resonances of the nanospheres redshift intensively and a new effective magnetic resonance mode appears. The enhanced Raman scattering reveals that large electromagnetic field enhancements are produced in the gap region between the nanosphere and the substrate. The results shed light on the manipulation of the electromagnetic responses of dielectric nanoparticles and the design of dielectric metamaterials in the presence of various substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The blue sheep is an endemic species to the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau and surrounding regions. It has been regarded as having 2 subspecies: Pseudois nayaur nayaur and P. n. szechuanensis. However, such a classification remains controversial. Herein, we analyze 10 microsatellite loci and part of the mitochondrial control region for clarification in such taxonomic debates. We use samples from 168 individuals from 6 geographic populations covering almost all the distribution areas of the species in China to carry out comparisons. Phylogenetic trees derived from both the microsatellite and mitochondrial markers combined with the discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) and the STRUCTURE analysis reveal that the individuals in the Helan Mountains are well grouped with a distinct evolutionary lineage and are significantly different from the other populations of P. n. szechuanensis according to Fst values, implying that this isolated population should be categorized as a valid subspecies; namely, Pseudois nayaur alashanicus. The isolation‐by‐distance (IBD) analysis shows a significant positive relationship between genetic and geographical distances among the populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a well‐defined nonmotor manifestation of Parkinson's disease (PD), greatly impairs functioning and quality of life. However, the contribution of cerebral perfusion, quantified by arterial spin labeling (ASL), to MCI in PD remains poorly understood. The selection of an optimal delay time is difficult for single‐delay ASL, a problem which is avoided by multidelay ASL. This study uses a multidelay multiparametric ASL to investigate cerebral perfusion including cerebral blood flow (CBF) and arterial transit time (ATT) in early stage PD patients exhibiting MCI using a voxel‐based brain analysis. Magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired on a 3.0 T system at rest in 39 early stage PD patients either with MCI (PD‐MCI, N = 22) or with normal cognition (PD‐N, N = 17), and 36 age‐ and gender‐matched healthy controls (HCs). CBF and ATT were compared among the three groups with SPM using analysis of variance followed by post hoc analyses to define regional differences and examine their relationship to clinical data. PD‐MCI showed prolonged ATT in right thalamus compared to both PD‐N and HC, and in right supramarginal gyrus compared to HC. PD‐N showed shorter ATT in left superior frontal cortex compared to HC. Prolonged ATT in right thalamus was negatively correlated with the category fluency test (p = .027, r = −0.495) in the PD‐MCI group. This study shows that ATT may be a more sensitive marker than CBF for the MCI, and highlights the potential role of thalamus and inferior parietal region for MCI in early stage PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Surface‐enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) spectroscopy, the enhancement of molecular vibrational signals using resonant metal nanostructures, has recently attracted much attention owing to its potential use in molecular detection in chemistry, biology, and medicine. This study reports on the growth of high‐aspect‐ratio metal nanocrystals and their application for SEIRA. Highly uniform Ag nanorods are synthesized through Au nanobipyramid‐directed Ag overgrowth, and Au nanotubes are further prepared through the galvanic replacement reaction from the Ag nanorods. Both Ag nanorods and Au nanotubes possess narrow distributions in diameter and length and exhibit highly tunable plasmon wavelengths in the near and mid‐infrared regions. The Ag nanorods are employed as plasmonic nanoantennas to enhance the molecular vibration signals of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide molecules that are embedded in a mesostructured silica layer coated on the Ag nanorods. The dimension‐dependent SEIRA performances are carefully investigated both experimentally and numerically. The experimental and simulated SEIRA enhancement factors are in good agreement and both determined to be of the order ≈103. The results point out a promising route to the utilization of chemically synthesized, colloidal metal nanostructures as SEIRA platforms. The synthesis method also provides high‐quality metal nanostructures for exploring various plasmon‐based optical and sensing applications in the infrared region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite significant advances in understanding of the causes of and treatment of myocardial infarction (MI) in recent years, morbidity and mortality is still high. The aim of this study was to identify miRNA and genes potentially associated with MI. mRNA and miRNA expression datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database ( http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/). Interactions between miRNA and the expression and function of target genes were analyzed, and a protein–protein interaction network was constructed. The diagnostic value of identified miRNA and genes was assessed. Quantitative RT‐PCR was applied to validate the results of the bioinformatics analysis. MiR‐27a, miR‐31*, miR‐1291, miR‐139‐5p, miR‐204, miR‐375, and target genes including CX3CR1, HSPA6, and TPM3 had potential diagnostic value. The genes TFEB, IRS2, GRB2, FASLG, LIMS1, CX3CR1, HSPA6, TPM3, LAT2, CEBPD, AQP9, and MAPKAPK2 were associated with recovery from MI. In conclusion, the identified miRNA and genes might be associated with the pathology of MI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have several known functions in plant development, but their possible roles in responding to plant disease remain largely unresolved. In this study, we described a comprehensive disease‐responding lncRNA profiles in defence against a cotton fungal disease Verticillium dahliae. We further revealed the conserved and specific characters of disease‐responding process between two cotton species. Conservatively for two cotton species, we found the expression dominance of induced lncRNAs in the Dt subgenome, indicating a biased induction pattern in the co‐existing subgenomes of allotetraploid cotton. Comparative analysis of lncRNA expression and their proposed functions in resistant Gossypium barbadense cv. ‘7124’ versus susceptible Gossypium hirsutum cv. ‘YZ1’ revealed their distinct disease response mechanisms. Species‐specific (LS) lncRNAs containing more SNPs displayed a fiercer inducing level postinfection than the species‐conserved (core) lncRNAs. Gene Ontology enrichment of LS lncRNAs and core lncRNAs indicates distinct roles in the process of biotic stimulus. Further functional analysis showed that two core lncRNAs, GhlncNAT‐ANX2‐ and GhlncNAT‐RLP7‐silenced seedlings, displayed an enhanced resistance towards V. dahliae and Botrytis cinerea, possibly associated with the increased expression of LOX1 and LOX2. This study represents the first characterization of lncRNAs involved in resistance to fungal disease and provides new clues to elucidate cotton disease response mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural fibers reinforced benzoxazine bio‐composites are one class of highly attractive engineering materials in automobile, train and aerospace fields because of high thermal stability, good mechanical and improved biodegradability properties. Unfortunately, their poor interface and flammability issues remain unsatisfactorily addressed to date. Herein, we have demonstrated the fabrication of benzoxazine semi‐biocomposites reinforced by ramie fabric which was coated with bio‐based poly(diphenolic acid‐phenyl phosphate) (poly[DPA‐PDCP]) and polyethylenimine (PEI) via layer‐by‐layer self‐assembly method. The results show that the presence of poly(DPA‐PDCP)/PEI coating can significantly improve the interfacial adhesion between fabric and the resin matrix. This enables the tensile strength and flexural strength of as‐prepared semi‐biocomposite to increase by 53% (68.7 MPa) and 113% (120 MPa), respectively. In addition, the resultant semi‐biocomposite shows superior flame retardancy with a V‐0 rating achieved in the UL‐94 test. This work offers an effective approach to fabricate strong and flame retardant benzoxazine semi‐biocomposites. POLYM COMPOS., 39:E480–E488, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To provide a basis for tracing changes in vegetation and tree cover density, we studied the phytoliths of 129 common temperate plant species, and extracted the phytoliths from 75 surface soil samples from sites in grassland, forest−grassland ecotone and forest habitats in northeast China. From the analysis of shapes and morphological parameters of the plant samples, we developed a reference data set of herbaceous and woody phytoliths, and subsequently identified 21 herbaceous and 13 woody phytolith types in the surface soil samples. To test the reliability of soil phytolith analysis for distinguishing forest, grassland and the forest−grassland ecotone, we used principal components analysis (PCA) and discriminant analysis (DA) to summarize the soil phytolith assemblage characteristics of the different ecosystems. The results show that the grassland and forest samples are characterized by abundant herbaceous and woody phytoliths, respectively; and that forest−grassland ecotone habitats are characterized by low abundances of blocky polyhedral, multifaceted epidermal and sclereid phytoliths. In general, the surface soil phytolith assemblages can reliably differentiate samples from forest, grassland and the forest−grassland ecotone, with up to 92% of the samples classified correctly. We also tested the reliability of phytolith indices (W/G (1), W/G (2), W/G (3)) for discriminating different vegetation types in our study area, and found that W/G (2) was the most reliable index and corresponded well with the species inventory data. The W/G values for grassland ranged from 0 to 0.3, from 0.3 to 0.6 for the forest−grassland ecotone, and exceeded 0.6 for forest. We conclude that our study provides reliable analogues for phytolith assemblages from palaeoecological contexts, which can be used to reconstruct shifts in forest−grassland ecotones and vegetation succession in temperate areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Poly(diphenolic acid-phenyl phosphate) [poly(DPA-PDCP)], obtained from diphenolic acid (a well-known biomass chemical), was used together with polyethylenimine (PEI) to construct a flame retardant surface coating for ramie fabric using layer-by-layer self-assembly. Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX) were used to confirm the successful formation of layer by layer assembly. Assessment of the thermal and flammability properties for poly(DPA-PDCP)/PEI-coated ramie fabrics showed that the thermal stability, flame retardancy, and residual char were enhanced as the concentration of poly(DPA-PDCP) and the BL number in the LbL process increased as well as the treatment of KH550 was applied. SEM and EDX analysis of the char residue confirmed further the intumescent flame retardant mechanism. This work demonstrated the great potentials of poly(DPA-PDCP)/PEI flame retardant nanocoating constructed by LbL assembly method in the application of ramie fabric. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 44795. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The influence of the processing parameters on the electrocaloric effect of a ferroelectric polymer was investigated. A normal ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)] (55:45 mol %) copolymer was selected and fabricated. The crystallinity, microstructure, mechanical properties, and refrigeration capability of this copolymer were characterized with X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis, respectively. We found that N,N-dimethylformamide was the most suitable solvent for enhancing the crystallinity of the copolymer film. In combination with the consideration of the effect of the processing parameters on the microstructure of copolymer, a lower spin-coating temperature and annealing temperature at 140 °C gave the highest crystallinity and uniform microstructure without defects. The highest temperature change was 12.13 °C when the copolymer film was operated at 110 °C under a higher electric field. The direct measurement of the refrigeration was carried out with an IR thermometer. We found that the P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer film had a considerable refrigeration capability, which increased as the applied electric field strength increased before electric breakdown. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 44413. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report effective solution-processed chemical p-type doping of graphene using trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (CF3SO3H, TFMS), that can provide essential requirements to approach an ideal flexible graphene anode for practical applications: i) high optical transmittance, ii) low sheet resistance (70 % decrease), iii) high work function (0.83 eV increase), iv) smooth surface, and iv) air-stability at the same time. The TFMS-doped graphene formed nearly ohmic contact with a conventional organic hole transporting layer, and a green phosphorescent organic light-emitting diode with the TFMS-doped graphene anode showed lower operating voltage, and higher device efficiencies (104.1 cd A−1, 80.7 lm W−1) than those with conventional ITO (84.8 cd A−1, 73.8 lm W−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the widespread distribution and abundant phytoliths produced by Phragmites communis, phytoliths of P. communis in northeast China were investigated to identify the primary influencing factors on phytolith size using an orthogonal experimental method. Temperature and precipitation were found to be the prominent factors influencing the sizes of short-cell phytoliths including the saddle and the rondel morphotypes, whereas there were no obvious variations in the width-to-length ratios of short-cell phytoliths in response to environmental factors. These results indicate that short-cell phytoliths are genetically stable, confirming that they can be used for the classification of grasses. Moreover, precipitation was the main factor influencing the sizes of the lanceolate phytoliths and silicified stomata, and their width-to-length ratios changed significantly in response to precipitation and habitat differences. These findings reveal that lanceolate and silicified stomata phytoliths are sensitive to environmental changes, indicating their usefulness for palaeoenvironment reconstruction. Moreover, variations in their width-to-length ratios and their sizes may provide some information for plant classification, even at species level. Finally, the results of a principal component analysis of the sizes of P. communis phytoliths further verify the reliability of the orthogonal experiment results, in that temperature and precipitation were the prominent factors influencing the size of all P. communis phytoliths except for the length of saddle and width of the saddle morphotypes. This research into the primary environmental significance of the sizes of P. communis phytoliths may contribute to improving the precision of plant classification and the model for quantitative reconstruction of the palaeoenvironment to aid in reconstructions of palaeovegetation and palaeoclimate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronically coupled metallic hybrids of layered double hydroxide nanosheets/MXene quantum dots are designed for high‐performance flexible Zn‐air batteries. (DOI: 10.1002/inf2.12226) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanogap electrodes (NGEs) with decreasing separations have received growing attention due to their potential in stimulating extensive applications with high scientific impact, including molecular electronics, quantum tunneling, plasmonic optics, and highly sensitive sequencing. Although various NGE‐manufacturing methods have been developed and offer promising results, angstrom‐scale NGEs have not been achieved without requiring sophisticated equipment, restricting materials or substrates, compromising mass‐fabrication compatibility, or/and failing to connect with macroscopic contacts. Here, macroscopically measurable and material‐independent NGEs with separations as low as to 6 angstroms have been achieved through a direct‐deposition technology that simultaneously addresses almost all of the issues mentioned above, highlighting the versatility of the formed NGEs, thus unlocking their full potential for application. The potential application in molecular electronics has been demonstrated experimentally. Importantly, the simple, low‐cost, lithography‐free and CMOS‐compatible fabrication technology will enable a breakthrough in NGE fabrication, enhancing the development of NGE‐related applications in various research fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights from the article: 3. The author said "the stimulation parameters and duration of the studies were not consistent, which makes us doubt whether meta-analysis can be carried out. So "Thus, this study data was finally excluded by performing sensitivity analysis." is not suitable in the discussion section. Magnetic stimulation for female patients with stress urinary incontinence, a meta-analysis of studies with short-term follow-up.

Background: There have been few comprehensive scale studies on the non-motor symptoms (NMS) of patients with essential tremor (ET) with head tremor (ETh) and those with ET without head tremor (ETol). We aimed to explore the motor symptoms and NMS of these two subgroups., Methods: We enrolled 199 patients with ET (125, ETol; 74 ETh) and 132 healthy controls. We evaluated motor symptoms using the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin Tremor Rating Scale (TRS) and NMS using the Non-Motor Symptom Scale (NMSS). We compared NMSS scores and the prevalence of each NMS between the patient subgroups. Finally, we conducted a logistic regression analysis of the correlation between head tremor and NMS severity, as well as other determinants., Results: There were no significant between-subgroup differences in demographic characteristics. Further, they presented similar tremor clinical manifestation; however, the ETh subgroup showed a higher prevalence of rest tremor, feeling of sadness, forgetting things or events, and swallowing difficulty, as well as TRS scores, compared with the ETol subgroup. Both patient subgroups showed high scores and prevalence (>50%) in difficulty falling asleep. Logistic regression analysis indicated age as a tremor severity determinant; further, head tremor and tremor severity were NMS determinants., Conclusion: Both patient subgroups presented various NMS including sleep disturbances, cognitive deficits, and affective disorders. The ETh subgroup showed a high prevalence of certain NMS aspects including memory and affective disorder; further, they had aggravated NMS. ET with both upper limb tremor and head tremor may be regarded as a more severe clinical subtype., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)