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While immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has shown promise for clinical cancer therapy, its efficacy has only been observed in a limited subset of patients and the underlying mechanisms regulating innate and acquired resistance to ICB of tumor cells remain poorly understood. Here, we identified ependymin-related protein 1 (EPDR1) as an important tumor-intrinsic regulator of PD-L1 expression and tumor immune evasion. Aberrant expression of EPDR1 in hepatocellular carcinoma is associated with immunosuppression. Mechanistically, EPDR1 binds to E3 ligase TRIM21 and disrupts its interaction with IkappaB kinase-b, suppressing its ubiquitylation and autophagosomal degradation and enhancing NF-κB-mediated transcriptional activation of PD-L1. Further, we validated through a mouse liver cancer model that EPDR1 mediates exhaustion of CD8+ T cells and promotes tumor progression. In addition, we observed a positive correlation between EPDR1 and PD-L1 expression in both human and mouse liver cancer samples. Collectively, our study reveals a previously unappreciated role of EPDR1 in orchestrating tumor immune evasion and cancer progression. Synopsis: PD-L1 is a key immune checkpoint and largely affects the response of patients to immunotherapy. This study identifies ependymin-related protein 1 (EPDR1) as a potent regulator of PD-L1 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), facilitating immune evasion. Aberrant expression of EPDR1 in HCC is associated with immunosuppression. Tumor-intrinsic EPDR1 facilitates immune evasion by increasing anti-tumor CD8 + T cells exhaustion. EPDR1 enhances the NF-κB pathway and elevates PD-L1 expression in cancer cells by interfering with TRIM21-dependent degradation of IkappaB kinase-b. EPDR1-TRIM21-PD-L1 axis promotes tumor immune evasion in HCC. A tumor-intrinsic EPDR1-TRIM21-PD-L1 axis promotes CD8 + T cells exhaustion in liver cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyradical cages are of great interest because they show very fascinating physical and chemical properties, but many challenges remain, especially for their synthesis and characterization. Herein, we present the synthesis of a polyradical cation cage 14.+ through post‐synthetic oxidation of a redox‐active phenothiazine‐based Pd2L4‐type coordination cage 1. It′s worth noting that 1 exhibits excellent reversible electrochemical and chemical redox activity due to the introduction of a bulky 3,5‐di‐tert‐butyl‐4‐methoxyphenyl substituent. The generation of 14.+ through reversible electrochemical oxidation is investigated by in situ UV/Vis‐NIR and EPR spectroelectrochemistry. Meanwhile, chemical oxidation of 1 can also produce 14.+ which can be reversibly reduced back to the original cage 1, and the process is monitored by EPR and NMR spectroscopies. Eventually, we succeed in the isolation and single crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis of 14.+, whose electronic structure and conformation are distinct to original 1. The magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate the predominantly antiferromagnetic interactions between the four phenothiazine radical cations in 14.+. We believe that our study including the facile synthesis methodology and in situ spectroelectrochemistry will shed some light on the synthesis and characterization of novel polyradical systems, opening more perspectives for developing functional supramolecular cages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To establish a reliable ultrasound (US) method of evaluating dynamic extrusion of lateral meniscus in healthy population, and to investigate the pattern of dynamic meniscus extrusion (ME) in lateral meniscus under loading conditions. Methods: The lateral ME was examined via US method in unloaded, double‐leg standing, and single‐leg standing positions. Two different US measurement methods were compared to the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results to determine the optimal measurement methods. The US results obtained by different researchers were tested for interobserver consistency and the results obtained by the same researcher on two separate days were tested for intraobserver consistency. The patterns of dynamic extrusion were compared between medial and lateral sides. Results: A total of healthy 44 volunteers were included in the study, with 86 knees assessed by US, and 25 knees evaluated by MRI. The US evaluation of dynamic lateral ME demonstrated excellent interobserver and intraobserver reliability. The US measurements using method A were consistent with the MRI results with no significant difference (P =.861, intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.868), while method B underestimated the lateral ME compared to MRI (P =.001, ICC = 0.649). Lateral ME decreased slightly from unloaded (1.0 ± 0.8 mm) to single‐leg standing position (0.8 ± 0.8 mm), whereas medial ME increased significantly in both double‐leg and single‐leg standing positions (2.4 ± 0.7 mm, 2.6 ± 0.7 mm). Conclusion: A novel US evaluation method of lateral ME was established with reliable and accurate results compared to the MRI. Lateral ME in healthy populations decreased slightly as the loadings increased, which was different from the pattern of dynamic extrusion in medial meniscus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) fragmentation patterns have immense potential for early cancer detection. However, the definition of fragmentation varies, ranging from the entire genome to specific genomic regions. These patterns have not been systematically compared, impeding broader research and practical implementation. Here, 1382 plasma cfDNA sequencing samples from 8 cancer types are collected. Considering that cfDNA within open chromatin regions is more susceptible to fragmentation, 10 fragmentation patterns within open chromatin regions as features and employed machine learning techniques to evaluate their performance are examined. All fragmentation patterns demonstrated discernible classification capabilities, with the end motif showing the highest diagnostic value for cross‐validation. Combining cross and independent validation results revealed that fragmentation patterns that incorporated both fragment length and coverage information exhibited robust predictive capacities. Despite their diagnostic potential, the predictive power of these fragmentation patterns is unstable. To address this limitation, an ensemble classifier via integrating all fragmentation patterns is developed, which demonstrated notable improvements in cancer detection and tissue‐of‐origin determination. Further functional bioinformatics investigations on significant feature intervals in the model revealed its impressive ability to identify critical regulatory regions involved in cancer pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: A novel macrocycle based on conformation‐adaptive and electron‐rich dihydrophenazine was designed and synthesized. On the one hand, the macrocycle showed host‐guest interactions with tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) driving by charge transfer interaction between them. Meanwhile, host‐guest complexation was accompanied by fluorescence quenching and conformational change of the macrocycle. On the other hand, the oxidation of the macrocycle resulted in its diradical cation analogue and induced the release of the guest molecule TCNQ, thereby accomplishing reversible binding dynamics. Therefore, this work well illustrates the chemical and structural versatility of dihydrophenazine in the synthesis of macrocycles and their host‐guest chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Citrus huanglongbing (HLB) is a devastating disease caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) that affects the citrus industry. In nature, CLas relies primarily on Diaphorina citri Kuwayama as its vector for dissemination. After D. citri ingests CLas‐infected citrus, the pathogen infiltrates the insect's body, where it thrives, reproduces, and exerts regulatory control over the growth and metabolism of D. citri. Previous studies have shown that CLas alters the composition of proteins in the saliva of D. citri, but the functions of these proteins remain largely unknown. RESULTS: In this study, we detected two proteins (DcitSGP1 and DcitSGP3) with high expression levels in CLas‐infected D. citri. Quantitative PCR and Western blotting analysis showed that the two proteins were highly expressed in the salivary glands and delivered into the host plant during feeding. Silencing the two genes significantly decreased the survival rate for D. citri, reduced phloem nutrition sucking and promoted jasmonic acid (JA) defenses in citrus. By contrast, after overexpressing the two genes in citrus, the expression levels of JA pathway‐associated genes decreased. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that CLas can indirectly suppress the defenses of citrus and support feeding by D. citri via increasing the levels of effectors in the insect's saliva. This discovery facilitates further research into the interaction between insect vectors and pathogens. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The controlled synthesis of metal nanomaterials with unconventional phases is of significant importance to develop high‐performance catalysts for various applications. However, it remains challenging to modulate the atomic arrangements of metal nanomaterials, especially the alloy nanostructures that involve different metals with distinct redox potentials. Here we report the general one‐pot synthesis of IrNi, IrRhNi and IrFeNi alloy nanobranches with unconventional hexagonal close‐packed (hcp) phase. Notably, the as‐synthesized hcp IrNi nanobranches demonstrate excellent catalytic performance towards electrochemical nitrite reduction reaction (NO2RR), with superior NH3 Faradaic efficiency and yield rate of 98.2 % and 34.6 mg h−1 mgcat−1 (75.5 mg h−1 mgIr−1) at 0 and −0.1 V (vs reversible hydrogen electrode), respectively. Ex/in situ characterizations and theoretical calculations reveal that the Ir−Ni interactions within hcp IrNi alloy improve electron transfer to benefit both nitrite activation and active hydrogen generation, leading to a stronger reaction trend of NO2RR by greatly reducing energy barriers of rate‐determining step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ficus tikoua can be used as resources for fruit and herbal medicine inspiring large‐scale planting in China. Nodular galls were found on the roots of the planted F. tikoua individuals in 2022. The mature females and egg masses of nematodes were extracted from the nodular galls, and microscopic examination suggested Meloidogyne infection. Molecular identification based on ITS, 18S rRNA sequences assigned the infecting species to Meloidogyne incognita, which was further demonstrated by the successful application of specific SCAR marker M. incognita in all samples. The pathogenicity of M. incognita was conducted on F. tikoua cutting seedlings based on Koch's postulates. This is the first report of M. incognita infection in F. tikoua in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing a biphasic catalyst is of great significance for improving reaction efficiency and its industrial application. Herein a novel biphasic catalyst containing three functional groups of chlorophenol, amino and carboxyl was synthesized and used as mimic glucose isomerase to catalyze the isomerization. The mimic enzyme exhibited excellent catalytic performance for isomerization of glucose to fructose under mild conditions. Temperature and pH of solution showed significant influence on the conversion of glucose and the selectivity of fructose. The yield and selectivity of fructose reached 32.4 % and 91.0 % after reacting 2 h, respectively, at pH 9.5 and 90 °C. The solubility of the catalyst exhibited dual sensitivity to both pH and temperature. The catalyst was in a soluble state during the reaction process and could be precipitated by reducing the pH and temperature of the reaction system. The catalyst could be reused and still maintained good catalytic activity after five consecutive cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroptosis is a new form of regulated cell death caused by iron‐dependent accumulation of lethal polyunsaturated phospholipids peroxidation. It has received considerable attention owing to its putative involvement in a wide range of pathophysiological processes such as organ injury, cardiac ischemia/reperfusion, degenerative disease and its prevalence in plants, invertebrates, yeasts, bacteria, and archaea. To counter ferroptosis, living organisms have evolved a myriad of intrinsic efficient defense systems, such as cyst(e)ine‐glutathione‐glutathione peroxidase 4 system (cyst(e)ine‐GPX4 system), guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase 1/tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) system (GCH1/BH4 system), ferroptosis suppressor protein 1/coenzyme Q10 system (FSP1/CoQ10 system), and so forth. Among these, GPX4 serves as the only enzymatic protection system through the reduction of lipid hydroperoxides, while other defense systems ultimately rely on small compounds to scavenge lipid radicals and prevent ferroptotic cell death. In this article, we systematically summarize the chemical biology of lipid radical trapping process by endogenous chemicals, such as coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), BH4, hydropersulfides, vitamin K, vitamin E, 7‐dehydrocholesterol, with the aim of guiding the discovery of novel ferroptosis inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cognitive dysfunction caused by prediabetes causes great difficulties in human life, and the terrible thing is that the means to prevent the occurrence of this disease are very limited at present, Berberine has shown the potential to treat diabetes and cognitive dysfunction, but it still needs to be further explored to clarify the mechanism of its therapeutic effect. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of Berberine on prediabetes‐induced cognitive dysfunction. Prediabetes rat model was induced by a high‐fat diet and a normal diet was used as a control. They were fed for 20 weeks. At week 13, the model rats were given 100 mg/kg Berberine by gavage for 7 weeks. The cognitive function of rats was observed. At the same time, OGTT, fasting blood glucose, blood lipids, insulin and other metabolic parameters, oxidative stress, and apoptosis levels were measured. The results showed that the model rats showed obvious glucose intolerance, elevated blood lipids, and insulin resistance, and the levels of oxidative stress and apoptosis were significantly increased. However, after the administration of Berberine, the blood glucose and lipid metabolism of prediabetic rats were significantly improved, and the oxidative stress level and apoptosis level of hippocampal tissue were significantly reduced. In conclusion, Berberine can alleviate the further development of diabetes in prediabetic rats, reduce oxidative stress and apoptosis in hippocampal tissue, and improve cognitive impairment in prediabetic rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the clinical potential and safety of Moluodan to reverse gastric precancerous lesions. Methods: Patients aged 18–70 years diagnosed with moderate‐to‐severe atrophy and/or moderate‐to‐severe intestinal metaplasia, with or without low‐grade dysplasia, and negative for Helicobacter pylori were recruited in this randomized, double‐blind, parallel‐controlled trial. The primary outcome was the improvement of global histological diagnosis at 1‐year follow‐up endoscopy using the operative link for gastritis assessment, the operative link for gastric intestinal metaplasia assessment, and the disappearance rate of dysplasia. Results: Between November 3, 2017 and January 27, 2021, 166 subjects were randomly assigned to the Moluodan group, 168 to the folic acid group, 84 to the combination group, and 84 to the high‐dose Moluodan group. The improvement in global histological diagnosis was achieved in 60 (39.5%) subjects receiving Moluodan, 59 (37.8%) receiving folic acid, 26 (32.1%) receiving the combined drugs, and 36 (47.4%) receiving high‐dose Moluodan. Moluodan was non‐inferior to folic acid (95% confidence interval: −9.2 to 12.5; P = 0.02). High‐dose Moluodan had a trend for better protective efficacy, though there was no statistical significance. The disappearance rate of dysplasia was 82.8% in the Moluodan group, which was superior to folic acid (53.9%; P = 0.006). No drug‐related serious adverse events were observed. Conclusions: One pack of Moluodan three times daily for 1 year was safe and effective in reversing gastric precancerous lesions, especially dysplasia. Doubling its dose showed a better efficacy trend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a facile and versatile strategy for the synthesis of contorted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) starting from the functionalized pentacene was established. A series of novel PAHs 1–4 and their derivatives were synthesized through a simple two‐step synthesis procedure involving an intramolecular reductive Friedel–Crafts cyclization of four newly synthesized pentacene aldehydes 5–8 as a key step. All the molecules were confirmed by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and their photophysical and electrochemical properties were studied in detail. Interestingly, the most striking feature of 1–4 is their highly contorted carbon structures and the accompanying helical chirality. In particular, the optical resolution of 2 was successfully achieved by chiral‐phase HPLC, and the enantiomers were characterized by circular dichroism and circularly polarized luminescence spectroscopy. Despite the highly nonplanar conformations, these contorted PAHs exhibited emissive properties with moderate‐to‐good fluorescence quantum yields, implying the potential utility of this series PAHs as high‐quality organic laser dyes. By using a self‐assembly method with the help of epoxy resin, a bottle microlaser based on 3 a was successfully illustrated with a lasing wavelength of 567.8 nm at a threshold of 0.3 mJ/cm2. We believe that this work will shed light on the chemical versatility of pentacene and its derivatives in the construction of novel functionalized PAHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on maternal antibody transfer following vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) before or during early pregnancy and its potential protective effects on infants, providing scientific evidence for vaccination strategies. This prospective study tested the samples for SARS‐CoV‐2 IgG antibody titers and neutralizing capacity and tracked the infections after birth. Perform multivariate analysis of factors influencing antibody transfer rate, newborn antibody titers, and infant infection. Total 87.1% (122/140) women received coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) vaccine before or during early pregnancy, and 28 of them had breakthrough infection. The maternal and neonatal IgG positive rates at delivery were 60.7% (85/140) and 60.8% (87/143), respectively. A positive correlation was found between neonatal and maternal IgG antibody titers. Compared with the median IgG antibody transfer rate of infected pregnant women, that of vaccinated but not infected pregnant women was higher (1.21 versus: 1.53 [two doses], 1.71 [three doses]). However, neonatal IgG antibodies were relatively low (174.91 versus: 0.99 [two doses], 8.18 [three doses]), and their neutralizing capacity was weak. The overall effectiveness of maternal vaccination in preventing infant infection was 27.0%, and three doses had higher effectiveness than two doses (64.3% vs. 19.6%). Multivariate analysises showed that in vaccination group women receiving three doses or in infection group women with longer interval between infection and delivery had a higher antibody transfer rate and neonatal IgG antibody titer. More than half of women vaccinated before or during early pregnancy can achieve effective antibody transfer to newborns. However, the neonatal IgG antibody titer is low and has a weak neutralizing capacity, providing limited protection to infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an underrecognized and emerging infectious disease that may threaten the safety of donor blood supply in many parts of the world. We sought to elucidate whether our local community blood supply is at increased susceptibility for transmission of transfusion‐associated HEV infections. Materials and Methods: We screened 10,002 randomly selected donations over an 8‐month period between 2017 and 2018 at the Stanford Blood Center for markers of HEV infection using commercial IgM/IgG serological tests and reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays (RT‐qPCR). Donor demographic information, including gender, age, self‐identified ethnicity, location of residence and recent travel, were obtained from the donor database and used to generate multivariate binary logistic regressions for risk factors of IgG seropositivity. Results: A total of 10,002 blood donations from 7507 unique donors were screened, and there was no detectable HEV RNA by RT‐qPCR. The overall seropositivity rate was 12.1% for IgG and 0.56% for IgM. Multivariate analysis of unique donors revealed a significantly higher risk of IgG seropositivity with increasing age, White/Asian ethnicities and residence in certain local counties. Conclusion: Although HEV IgG seroprevalence in the San Francisco Bay Area is consistent with ongoing infection, the screening of a large donor population did not identify any viraemic blood donors. While HEV is an underrecognized and emerging infection in other regions, there is no evidence to support routine blood screening for HEV in our local blood supply currently; however, periodic monitoring may still be required to assess the ongoing risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic underlines a persistent threat of respiratory tract infectious diseases and warrants preparedness for a rapid response. At present, COVID‐19 has had a serious social impact and imposed a heavy global burden on public health. The exact pathogenesis of COVID‐19 has not been fully elucidated. Since the outbreak of COVID‐19, a renewed attention has been brought to Toll‐like receptors (TLRs). Available data and new findings have demonstrated that the interaction of human TLRs and SARS‐CoV‐2 is a vital mediator of COVID‐19 immunopathogenesis. TLRs such as TLR2, 4, 7 and 8 are potentially important in viral combat and activation of immunity in patients with COVID‐19. Therapeutics targeting TLRs are currently considered promising options against the pandemic. A number of TLR‐targeting immunotherapeutics are now being investigated in preclinical studies and different phases of clinical trials. In addition, innovative vaccines based on TLRs under development could be a promising approach for building a new generation of vaccines to solve the current challenges. In this review, we summarize recent progress in the role of TLRs in COVID‐19, focusing the new candidate drugs targeting TLRs, the current technology and potential paths forward for employing TLR agonists as vaccine adjuvants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate a technology to change the method and principle of n+ a‐Si:H etching from conventional dry etch to the innovative wet etch in TFT LCD fabrication. The technology is based on the development of a new wet metal etching solution and the design of the thinnest film thickness of a‐Si:H in the industry, combined with the etching process development, to achieve the etching of two different film layers of metal and N+ a‐Si:H in the back channel of TFT switches in one‐ step(Abbreviated as NW process). The process can effectively improve the capacity of Dry Etch process (Skip N+ Dry Etch); improve the uniformity of back channel a‐Si:H Remain (16.3%‐ >7.6%); improve product characteristics (Dark I on（ TFT working current） 5.5‐>6.0); improve yield (Yield rate↑0.3%).The process has been successfully developed for the first time in Wuhan BOE and has been widely used for batch products, meanwhile, the process has been extended to Hefei BOE and Fuzhou BOE, and other BOE line sites are also actively exploring the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is a genetic disease caused by alterations in genome and epigenome and is one of the leading causes for death worldwide. The exploration of disease development and therapeutic strategies at the genetic level have become the key to the treatment of cancer and other genetic diseases. The functional analysis of genes and mutations has been slow and laborious. Therefore, there is an urgent need for alternative approaches to improve the current status of cancer research. Gene editing technologies provide technical support for efficient gene disruption and modification in vivo and in vitro, in particular the use of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)–Cas systems. Currently, the applications of CRISPR–Cas systems in cancer rely on different Cas effector proteins and the design of guide RNAs. Furthermore, effective vector delivery must be met for the CRISPR–Cas systems to enter human clinical trials. In this review article, we describe the mechanism of the CRISPR–Cas systems and highlight the applications of class II Cas effector proteins. We also propose a synthetic biology approach to modify the CRISPR–Cas systems, and summarize various delivery approaches facilitating the clinical application of the CRISPR–Cas systems. By modifying the CRISPR–Cas system and optimizing its in vivo delivery, promising and effective treatments for cancers using the CRISPR–Cas system are emerging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the Al‐B‐Mo alloy powders with a boron content of 7 wt % and Molybdenum content of 0.5–3 wt % were prepared by the close‐coupled gas atomization. The powder morphology, phase composition, oxidation, and exothermic behavior of combustion were characterized. The results show that the addition of Mo effectively improves the energetic properties of the alloy powder, with the mass‐burning enthalpy of Al‐7B‐1Mo reaching 31111 J/g, exceeding the theoretical mass‐burning enthalpy of monolithic Al (31000 J/g). Al‐7B‐1Mo underwent a violent exothermic process at around 1000 °C, and the oxidation weight gain ratio and oxidation efficiency reached 46.16 % and 48.05 % respectively, an increase of 19.75 % and 21.08 % compared to Al‐7B. The mesh structure formed by the AlB2 phase on the particle surface positively promoted the particles′ thermal oxidation. Mechanical mixtures of AlB2/Mo and AlB2/MoO3 were prepared and the catalytic promotion of the combustion of AlB2 by Mo and MoO3 was confirmed by thermal tests of combustion. The mechanism by which Mo/MoO3 promotes the combustion of AlB2 was investigated through the phase composition characterization of the composite powder after heat treatment in argon and air atmosphere. It was confirmed that MoO3 promotes the oxidation and combustion of AlB2 by supplying oxygen to B in AlB2, while Mo is first oxidized to MoO3, which then promotes the combustion of AlB2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hepatitis B virus core antigen (HBcAg) tolerates insertion of foreign epitopes and maintains its ability to self‐assemble into virus‐like particles (VLPs). We constructed a ∆HBcAg‐based VLP vaccine expressing three predicted severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) B and T cell epitopes and determined its immunogenicity and protective efficacy. The recombinant ∆HBcAg‐SARS‐CoV‐2 protein was expressed in Escherichia coli, purified, and shown to form VLPs. K18‐hACE2 transgenic C57BL/6 mice were immunized intramuscularly with ∆HBcAg VLP control (n = 15) or ∆HBcAg‐SARS‐CoV‐2 VLP vaccine (n = 15). One week after the 2nd booster and before virus challenge, five ∆HBcAg‐SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccinated mice were euthanized to evaluate epitope‐specific immune responses. There is a statistically significant increase in epitope‐specific Immunoglobulin G (IgG) response, and statistically higher interleukin 6 (IL‐6) and monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1) expression levels in ∆HBcAg‐SARS‐CoV‐2 VLP‐vaccinated mice compared to ∆HBcAg VLP controls. While not statistically significant, the ∆HBcAg‐SARS‐CoV‐2 VLP mice had numerically more memory CD8+ T‐cells, and 3/5 mice also had numerically higher levels of interferon gamma (IFN‐γ) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). After challenge with SARS‐CoV‐2, ∆HBcAg‐SARS‐CoV‐2 immunized mice had numerically lower viral RNA loads in the lung, and slightly higher survival, but the differences are not statistically significant. These results indicate that the ∆HBcAg‐SARS‐CoV‐2 VLP vaccine elicits epitope‐specific humoral and cell‐mediated immune responses but they were insufficient against SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Do egg cell-secreted aspartic proteases promote gamete attachment? Considering that unfertilized egg cells will promote polytubey, additional pollen tubes carrying I hap2 i -sperm cells will enter the embryo sac and after sperm cell release, more I hap2 i -sperm cell pairs will attach to egg cells. Notably, [6] observed that sperm cells remained outside of the unfertilized egg cells at 30 hap, and unfused sperm cells were found detachable at 24 hap from egg cells of the I ecs1-1 ecs2-1 i mutant. This is the case for animal proteases located in cortical granules of oocytes ([4]) and for ECS1/2, which are stored in a cortical network at the chalazal pole of the egg cell before fertilization and secreted only upon successful sperm cell-egg cell fusion ([19]). [Extracted from the article]

Van der Waals (vdWs) heterostructures based on 2D metals and semiconductors have attracted considerable attention due to their excellent properties and great application potential in next‐generation electronic and optoelectronic devices. To obtain such vdWs heterostructures, the conventional approach with artificial exfoliation and stacking of 2D metals onto 2D semiconductors in the vertical direction is still far from satisfactory, because of the low yield and impurity‐involved transfer process. Here, two‐step vapor deposition growth of 2D TaSe2‐MoSe2 metal–semiconductor heterostructures is reported. Raman maps confirm the precise spatial modulation of the as‐grown 2D TaSe2‐MoSe2 heterostructures. Structural analysis reveals that the upper 1T‐TaSe2 is formed heteroepitaxially on/around the presynthesized 2H‐MoSe2 monolayers with an epitaxial relationship of (10‐10)TaSe2//(10‐10)MoSe2 and [0001]TaSe2//[0001]MoSe2. Based on the detailed characterizations of morphology, structure, and composition, an edge‐induced growth mechanism is proposed to illustrate the formation process of the 2D heterostructures, confirmed by first‐principle calculations. In addition, Kelvin probe force microscope characterizations and electrical transport measurements confirm that the 2D metal–semiconductor heterostructures exhibit typical rectification characteristics with a contact potential height of ≈431 mV. The direct growth of high‐quality 2D metal–semiconductor heterostructures marks an important step toward high‐performance integrated optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The key to successful in vitro embryo production (IVEP) is to mimic the natural in vivo oviductal microenvironment. Although the chemically defined media in extensive use for the in vitro culture of mammalian embryos is based on the composition of oviductal fluid, the IVEP systems in current use must still bypass the oviduct to produce embryos in vitro. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the oviduct are versatile intercellular delivery vehicles for maternal–embryo communication, and a lack of them can be associated with failed early embryonic development under in vitro culture conditions. Herein, we isolated EVs from porcine oviduct fluid and confirmed that oviductal EV supplementation improves the embryonic development of parthenogenetically activated (PA) embryos in terms of blastocyst formation rates and total cell numbers. Our experiments also revealed that a beneficial effect of oviductal EVs on PA embryos was achievable, at least in part, by relieving endoplasmic reticulum stress. These results suggest that the maternal–embryo communication mediated by oviductal EVs benefits early embryonic development. Given the contribution of oviductal EVs to early embryonic development, these findings offer novel insights for the optimization of current IVEP systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of seeds is a major reason why flowering plants are a dominant life form on Earth. The developing seed is composed of two fertilization products, the embryo and endosperm, which are surrounded by a maternally derived seed coat. Accumulating evidence indicates that efficient communication among all three seed components is required to ensure coordinated seed development. Cell communication within plant seeds has drawn much attention in recent years. In this study, we review current knowledge of cross‐talk among the endosperm, embryo, and seed coat during seed development, and highlight recent advances in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) consisting of organic radicals are of great interest because they have exhibited unique and intriguing optical, electronic, magnetic, and chemo‐catalytic properties, and thus have demonstrated great potential applications in optical, electronic, and magnetic devices, and as catalysts. However, the preparation of MOFs bearing stable organic radicals is very challenging because most organic radicals are highly reactive and difficult to incorporate into the framework of MOFs. Herein we reported a post‐synthetic modification strategy to prepare a novel MOF containing phenazine radical cations, which was used as heterogeneous catalyst for aza‐Diels‐Alder reaction. The zinc‐based metal‐organic framework Zn2(PHZ)2(dabco) (N) was successfully synthesized from 5,10‐di(4‐benzoic acid)‐5,10‐dihydrophenazine (PHZ), triethylene diamine (dabco) with Zn(NO3)2 ⋅ 6H2O by solvothermal method. The as‐synthesized MOF N was partially oxidized by AgSbF6 to form MOF R containing ∼10% phenazine radical cation species. The resultant MOF R was found to keep the original crystal type of N and very persistent under ambient conditions. Consequently, MOF R was successfully employed in radical cation‐catalyzed aza‐Diels‐Alder reactions with various imine substrates at room temperature with high reaction conversion. Moreover, heterogeneous catalyst MOF R was reusable up to five times without much loss of catalytic activity, demonstrating its excellent stability and recyclability. Therefore, the post‐synthetic modification developed in this work is expected to become a versatile strategy to prepare radical‐based MOFs for the application of heterogeneous catalysts in organic synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One chiral heterotrimetallic compound, [Cu(H2O){(R,R)‐valcy}Tb(CH3OH)2(H2O)(μ‐CN)Fe(CN)5]·[Cu(H2O){(R,R)‐valcy}Tb(CH3OH)1.5(H2O)1.5(μ‐CN)Fe(CN)5]·7.85H2O·2CH3OH (1) (H2(R,R)‐valcy = N,N′‐bis(3‐methoxysalicylidene)‐1R,2R‐1,2‐diaminocyclohexane), has been prepared and structurally characterized by X‐ray single‐crystal diffraction. In 1, the asymmetric trinuclear {CuIITbIIIFeIII} units are assembled into 1‐D supramolecular single chain by hydrogen‐bonds and the supramolecular chains are further connected into 2D sheets. Magnetic studies show overall weak ferromagnetic interaction and magnetic anisotropy. The enantiomer of 1, denoted as complex 2, derived from N,N′‐bis(3‐methoxysalicylidene)‐1S,2S‐1,2‐diaminocyclohexane was also synthesized and characterized by PXRD, Infrared spectra, CD spectra, and fluorescence spectra. The results indicated that complexes 1 and 2 are isomorphous exhibiting similar fluorescence properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are both capable of predicting microvascular invasion (MVI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, which modality is better is unknown. Purpose: To intraindividually compare CT and MRI for predicting MVI in solitary HCC and investigate the added value of radiomics analyses. Study Type: Retrospective. Subjects: Included were 402 consecutive patients with HCC (training set:validation set = 300:102). Field Strength/Sequence: T2‐weighted, diffusion‐weighted, and contrast‐enhanced T1‐weighted imaging MRI at 3.0T and contrast‐enhanced CT. Assessment: CT‐ and MR‐based radiomics signatures (RS) were constructed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression. CT‐ and MR‐based radiologic (R) and radiologic‐radiomics (RR) models were developed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. The performance of the RS/models was compared between two modalities. To investigate the added value of RS, the performance of the R models was compared with the RR models in HCC of all sizes and 2–5 cm in size. Statistical Tests: Model performance was quantified by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and compared using the Delong test. Results: Histopathologic MVI was identified in 161 patients (training set:validation set = 130:31). MRI‐based RS/models tended to have a marginally higher AUC than CT‐based RS/models (AUCs of CT vs. MRI, P: RS, 0.801 vs. 0.804, 0.96; R model, 0.809 vs. 0.832, 0.09; RR model, 0.835 vs. 0.872, 0.54). The improvement of RR models over R models in all sizes was not significant (P = 0.21 at CT and 0.09 at MRI), whereas the improvement in 2–5 cm was significant at MRI (P < 0.05) but not at CT (P = 0.16). Data Conclusion: CT and MRI had a comparable predictive performance for MVI in solitary HCC. The RS of MRI only had significant added value for predicting MVI in HCC of 2–5 cm. Level of Evidence: 3 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An iron (II) complex with oxazoline and pyrrole functional groups was prepared and used to catalyze the epoxidation of alkenes by m‐chloroperoxybenzoic acid. The iron (II) complex exhibited good catalytic activity for the epoxidation of aromatic terminal alkenes and cyclic alkene in acetonitrile. The 99.7 % conversion of styrene with 91.2 % selectivity of styrene oxide was achieved after reaction 30 minutes at 25 °C. The auxiliary ligands, solvents and oxidants are sensitive to the epoxidation reaction. A possible catalytic mechanism for epoxidation of alkene was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Platinum‐based chemotherapy is the standard treatment for ovarian cancer. However, tumor cells' resistance to platinum drugs often occurs. This paper provides a review of Forkhead box O (FOXO) protein's role in platinum resistance of ovarian cancer which hopefully may provide some further guidance for the treatment of platinum‐resistant ovarian cancer. Methods: We reviewed a 128 published papers from authoritative and professional journals on FOXO and platinum‐resistant ovarian cancer, and adopts qualitative analyses and interpretation based on the literature. Results: Ovarian cancer often has abnormal activation of cellular pathways, the most important of which is the PI3K/AKT pathway. FOXOs act as crucial downstream factor of the PI3K/Akt pathway and are negatively regulated by it. DNA damage response and apoptosis including the relationship between FOXOs and ATM‐Chk2‐p53 are essential for platinum resistance of ovarian cancer. Through gene expression analysis in platinum‐resistant ovarian cancer cell model, it was found that FoxO‐1 is decreased in platinum‐resistant ovarian cancer, so studying the role of FOXO in the pathway on platinum‐induced apoptosis may further guide the treatment of platinum‐resistant ovarian cancer. Conclusions: There are many drug resistance mechanisms in ovarian cancer, wherein the decrease in cancer cells apoptosis is one of the important causes. Constituted by a series of transcription factors evolving conservatively and mainly working in inhibiting cancer, FOXO proteins play various roles in cells' antitumor response. More and more evidence suggests that we need to re‐understand the role that FOXOs have played in cancer development and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyse 69 Chinese patients with USH2A mutations and to assess the genotype–phenotype correlation. Methods: All 36 Usher syndrome type IIA patients and 33 nonsyndromic RP (retinitis pigmentosa) patients underwent clinical examinations. Eye examinations included best‐corrected visual acuity, slit‐lamp biomicroscopy, fundus examination with dilated pupils, fundus fluorescent angiography, visual field test, full‐field electroretinography and optic coherence tomography; audiological assessment included pure tone audiometry and hearing thresholds. The molecular diagnosis of genotype combined the single‐gene Sanger sequencing and next‐generation sequencing. This study is a retrospective study. Results: The mean age of first symptoms with Usher syndrome type IIa and nonsyndromic RP patients was 13.7 versus 29.8 years (ocular phenotypes, p < 0.001); 17.7 versus 29.9 years (nyctalopia, p < 0.001); 44.7 versus 54.8 years (low vision based on VF, p < 0.001); 41.7 versus 54.7 years (low vision based on VA, p < 0.001); and 46.0 versus 56.7 years (legal blindness based on VF, p < 0.001). There was significant difference in variants in the two groups (p < 0.05). Among patients with mutation c.2802T > G (p.Cys934Trp), more (66.7%) presented with normal hearing. All patients (3/3, 100%) with the variant c.8232G > C (p.Trp2744Cys) had hearing loss. Furthermore, we identified 23 novel variants in USH2A. Conclusions: Patients with Usher syndrome type IIa had an earlier onset of the disease, inferior visual function and presented with more truncating variants, compared with the nonsyndromic RP patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gene expression noise influences organism evolution and fitness but is poorly understood. There is increasing evidence that the functional roles of components of the translation machinery influence noise intensity. In addition, modulation of the activities of at least some of these same components affects the replicative lifespan of a broad spectrum of organisms. In a novel comparative approach, we modulate the activities of the translation initiation factors eIFG1 and eIF4G2, both of which are involved in the process of recruiting ribosomal 43S preinitiation complexes to the 5' end of eukaryotic mRNAs. We show that tagging of the cell wall using a fluorescent dye allows us to follow gene expression noise as different yeast strains progress through successive cycles of replicative ageing. This procedure reveals a relationship between global protein synthesis rate and gene expression noise (cell‐to‐cell heterogeneity), which is accompanied by a parallel correlation between gene expression noise and the replicative age of mother cells. An alternative approach, based on microfluidics, confirms the interdependence between protein synthesis rate, gene expression noise and ageing. We additionally show that it is important to characterize the influence of the design of the microfluidic device on the nutritional state of the cells during such experiments. Analysis of the noise data derived from flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy measurements indicates that both the intrinsic and the extrinsic noise components increase as a function of ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A PPTS (pyridinium p‐toluenesulfonate)‐catalyzed bicyclization reaction of 2‐isocyanobenzaldehydes as 1,5‐dielectrophiles with various amines has been developed. The reaction not only provides a simple and efficient strategy for the assembly of structurally diverse fused quinazoline derivatives from readily available substrates under metal‐free and mild conditions in a single step with only water and hydrogen as the by‐products, but also opens the way to the application of o‐formyl arylisocyanides in the synthesis of nitrogen‐containing heterocycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abbreviation MR Mendelian randomization I read with great interest the recent article by Dugué et al.[1] In their report, associations were observed between cancer risk and DNA methylation scores corresponding to health risk factors including smoking, alcohol consumption and obesity. Utility of blood DNA methylation signatures in cancer risk prediction was further shown, albeit the improvement in performance upon inclusion was not impressive. [Extracted from the article]

Summary: Vegetable oil is a major edible oil and an important industrial raw material. However, breeders have found it challenging to improve the oil content of crop seeds, and little is known about regulators with the potential to increase oil content via molecular engineering in modern oil crop breeding.We reported an F‐box protein, Arabidopsis thaliana MYB Interaction Factor 1 (AtMIF1), which is a member of the ubiquitin‐protein ligase E3 complex involved in the 26S proteasome protein degradation pathway. AtMIF1 physically interacts with MYB domain protein 5 (MYB5), which results in MYB5 degradation, so that transcriptional activation of the MYB/bHLH/WD‐repeat (MBW) complex does not occur normally and GLABRA2 (GL2), encoding an inhibitor of oil content and functioning as a direct downstream gene of MBW, is not properly transcribed.AtMIF1 functioned as a positive regulator that increases oil content by attenuating GL2 inhibition. We overexpressed AtMIF1 and obtained transgenic plants with significantly higher seed oil contents. Importantly, both vegetative and reproductive growth of the transgenic plants appeared normal.In summary, this work reveals a novel regulator, AtMIF1, and a new regulatory pathway, 26S proteasome‐AtMIF1‐MYB5, for increasing the oil content of seeds without affecting plant growth, thus facilitating oil crop breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the clinical outcomes of using a bipedicle advancement flap to cover the skin defects after digital mucous cyst (DMC) excision. Methods: Data for 15 patients (18 fingers) with DMC, admitted to the Department of Orthopaedics and Surgery of the Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University from January 2016 to January 2018, were analyzed retrospectively. This study included 4 men and 11 women, with a mean age of 64 ± 7.8 years (range, 47–77 years). A total of 5 cases involved the thumb, 4 involved the index finger, 5 involved ithe middle finger, and 4 involved the ring finger. Among a total of 18 digital mucous cysts, 7 cases were in the left hand and 11 were in the right hand. Approximately 77.8% of cases had osteophytes. The cysts ranged in size from 0.5–1.0 cm to 0.7–1.2 cm. All patients underwent cyst and osteophyte excision and a bipedicle advancement flap to cover the resultant defect. The same surgical procedure was applied to all patients. Postoperative flap survival, healing, and infection were evaluated. The preoperative and postoperative ranges of motion (ROM) of the distal interphalangeal (DIP) and thumb interphalangeal joints (TIPJ) were recorded. Postoperative patient satisfaction was assessed by the visual analog scale (VAS, 0–10) during follow‐up visits. The Shapiro–Wilk test was used to determine whether the data for the difference between the preoperative and postoperative ROM of the DIP/TIPJ were normally distributed or not. The homogeneity of variance was expressed as mean ± standard deviation. A paired t‐test was used to compare the preoperative and postoperative ROM of the DIP/TIPJ. Results: The patients were followed up for 20 ± 6.0 months (range, 12–36 months). All the flaps survived after surgery, and the incisions healed well. The sutures were removed 2 weeks postoperatively. No infections occurred and there was no cyst recurrence at follow up. After systemic physical therapy and functional exercises, the ROM of all the fingers was restored to the preoperative ROM by 1 month after surgery. The scores for patient satisfaction with surgery by means of the VAS were 8.5 ± 1.0 points, 2.8 ± 1.4 points, 2.0 ± 1.6 points, 1.5 ± 1.2 points, and 1.1 ± 1.3 points preoperatively, and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively, respectively. The data for the difference between preoperative and postoperative VAS scores were normally distributed. There were significant differences between the preoperative and postoperative VAS scores. The preoperative DIP/TIPJ ROM was 71.7° ± 14.0°, and the postoperative ROM at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months were 69.3° ± 15.3°, 70.4° ± 12.7°, 71.5° ± 15.6°, and 71.8° ± 15.6°, respectively. The data for the difference between preoperative and postoperative ROM of the DIP/TIPJ were normally distributed. No difference was found between the preoperative and postoperative ROM. Conclusion: The bipedicle advancement flap provides a simple and effective technique for covering skin defects following DMC excision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A silver‐catalyzed three‐component coupling reaction of amines, 2‐isocyanobenzaldehydes, and 2,2,2‐trifluorodiazoethane has been developed. This reaction provides an efficient method for the construction of CF3‐containing dihydroquinazolines. On the basis of this reaction, using trifluorodiazoethyl‐substituted dihydroquinazolines as synthons, trifluoromethyl‐substituted indolo[1,2‐c]quinazolines were prepared in high yields via a TBHP/KI‐mediated sequential intramolecular cyclization and aromatization process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new photon‐modulated states are introduced by operating a more general coherent superposition (υa+ra†)m on two classical states (coherent and thermal) and their nonclassicality caused by the operation (υa+ra†)m is investigated via examining the squeezing, sub‐Poissonian statistics, nonclassical depth, and negativity of Wigner distribution. Their density‐operator and Wigner‐distribution evolutions in the thermal channel are also explored. It is found that the high‐order operation (υa+ra†)m has better performance in creating nonclassicality for certain ratios r and more robustness against decoherence of the two photon‐modulated states for thermal noise. For convenience, a new three‐variable special polynomial and its generating function are introduced via the normal ordering of operators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are recently reported to play a more critical role in allergic diseases. We previously identified that mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) elicited therapeutic effects on allergic airway inflammation. Small extracellular vesicles (sEV) derived from MSCs possess striking advantages including low immunogenicity and high biosafety, and is extremely promising cell-free therapeutic agents. However, the effects of MSC-sEV on ILC2s are still unclear. Additionally, scalable isolation protocols are required for the mass production of homogenous MSC-sEV especially in clinical application. We previously reported that induced pluripotent stem cells-derived MSCs were the ideal cellular source for the large preparation of MSC-sEV. Here we developed a standardized scalable protocol of anion-exchange chromatography for isolation of MSC-sEV, and investigated the effects of MSC-sEV on ILC2 function from patients with allergic rhinitis and in a mouse ILC2-dominant asthma model. The characterization of MSC-sEV was successfully demonstrated in terms of size, morphology and specific markers. Using flow cytometry and human Cytokine Antibody Array, MSC-sEV but not fibroblasts-sEV (Fb-sEV) were found to significantly inhibit the function of human ILC2s. Similarly, systemic administration of MSC-sEV but not Fb-sEV exhibited an inhibition of ILC2 levels, inflammatory cell infiltration and mucus production in the lung, a reduction in levels of T helper 2 cytokines, and alleviation of airway hyperresponsiveness in a mouse model of asthma. Using RNA sequencing, miR-146a-5p was selected as the candidate to mediate the above effects of MSC-sEV. We next revealed the uptake of ILC2s to MSC-sEV, and that transfer of miR-146a-5p in MSC-sEV to ILC2s in part contributed to the effects of MSC-sEV on ILC2s in vitro and in a mouse model. In conclusion, we demonstrated that MSC-sEV were able to prevent ILC2-dominant allergic airway inflammation at least partially through miR-146a-5p, suggesting that MSC-sEV could be a novel cell-free strategy for the treatment of allergic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infects humans and more than a dozen other animal species. We previously showed that open reading frame 2 (ORF2) and ORF3 are apparently not involved in HEV cross‐species infection, which infers that the ORF1 may contribute to host tropism. In this study, we utilize the genomic backbone of HEV‐1 which only infects humans to construct a panel of intergenotypic chimeras in which the entire ORF1 gene or its functional domains were swapped with the corresponding regions from HEV‐3 that infects both humans and pigs. We demonstrated that the chimeric HEVs were replication competent in human liver cells. Subsequently, we intrahepatically inoculated the RNA transcripts of chimeras into pigs to determine if the swapped ORF1 regions confer the chimeras' ability to infect pigs. We showed that there was no evidence of infectivity in pigs for any of the chimeras. We also investigated the role of human ribosome protein sequence S17, which expanded host range in cultured cells, in HEV cross‐species infection. We demonstrated that S17 insertion in HEV ORF1 did not abolish HEV replication competency in vitro, but also did not expand HEV host tropism in vivo. The results highlight the complexity of the underlying mechanism of HEV cross‐species infection. Highlights: Four intergenotypic chimeric HEVs in the backbone of HEV‐1 containing ORF1 or its functional domains from HEV‐3 were replication‐competent in vitro.A recombinant HEV in the backbone of HEV‐1 with insertion of human ribosome protein sequence S17 in the ORF1 was replication‐competent in cultured liver cells.The four chimeric HEVs and the recombinant HEV failed to experimentally infect pigs.The ORF1 alone is probably not involved in HEV host tropism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the changes in microbial composition and the corresponding impact after lactitol treatment in constipated patients. Methods: Altogether 29 consecutive outpatients diagnosed with chronic constipation from three centers were recruited and stratified based on their history of diabetes mellitus. All patients were administered with oral lactitol for 2 weeks, and a symptoms diary of constipation was recorded. Fecal samples were collected before and after lactitol treatment, and were analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing and real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect gut microbiota. Results: Twenty patients with diabetes mellitus and nine without, all with chronic constipation, were enrolled in this study. After 2‐week administration of lactitol, their subscale scores and constipation symptoms significantly decreased (P < 0.05). An analysis of fecal flora using 16S rRNA sequencing found an increasing trend of abundance of Bifidobacterium in the post‐lactitol group (P = 0.08). Actinobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bifidobacteriales, Bifidobacteriaceae and Bifidobacterium were significantly more abundant after lactitol administration. Real‐time PCR showed significantly high DNA copy numbers of Bifidobacterium after lactitol treatment (1.39 × 1010 vs 2.74 × 109 copies/μL, P = 0.01). The results of 16S rRNA sequencing and real‐time PCR illustrated an increasing trend of Bifidobacterium in both patients with and without diabetes. In addition, Bifidobacterium was negatively correlated with constipation subscale scores. Conclusions: Alterations in fecal flora composition after lactitol supplementation, especially in terms of an increasing trend of Bifidobacterium, alleviated constipation symptoms. Lactitol may be a promising prebiotic candidate for patients with constipation, regardless of diabetes mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of adding or subtracting photons on two‐mode squeezed thermal states via examining the Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen (EPR) correlation, the Hillery–Zubairy (HZ) correlation, the fidelity of teleportation, and the negativity of Wigner function is theoretically investigated. The normalization factors and the teleportation fidelity are related to Jacobi polynomials, and the (evolved) Wigner functions are simply associated with two‐variable Hermite polynomials. Compared with the original squeezed thermal states, the EPR correlation and the teleportation fidelity can be enhanced by photon subtraction and basically weakened by photon addition symmetric operations, but they cannot be enhanced for both photon addition and subtraction asymmetric cases. Also, HZ correlation can provide a better option relative to the EPR correlation in detecting the entanglement, and the fidelity for teleporting a squeezed state with a large squeezing can also be enhanced via photon addition symmetric operations, in contrast to teleporting a coherent state. Additionally, the nonclassicality is discussed in terms of the negativity of the (evolved) Wigner functions, which shows that photon addition and subtraction and the squeezing cannot restrain the deteriorate of nonclassicality, and the evolved Wigner functions become Gaussian (corresponding to vacuum) with long decay times as a result of amplitude decay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of conducting polymers such as poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) for the development of soft organic bioelectronic devices, such as organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs), is rapidly increasing. However, directly manipulating conducting polymer thin films on soft substrates remains challenging, which hinders the development of conformable organic bioelectronic devices. A facile transfer‐printing of conducting polymer thin films from conventional rigid substrates to flexible substrates offers an alternative solution. In this work, it is reported that PEDOT:PSS thin films on glass substrates, once mixed with surfactants, can be delaminated with hydrogels and thereafter be transferred to soft substrates without any further treatments. The proposed method allows easy, fast, and reliable transferring of patterned PEDOT:PSS thin films from glass substrates onto various soft substrates, facilitating their application in soft organic bioelectronics. By taking advantage of this method, skin‐attachable tattoo‐OECTs are demonstrated, relevant for conformable, imperceptible, and wearable organic biosensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radical‐involved enantioselective oxidative C−H bond functionalization by a hydrogen‐atom transfer (HAT) process has emerged as a promising method for accessing functionally diverse enantioenriched products, while asymmetric C(sp3)−H bond amination remains a formidable challenge. To address this problem, described herein is a dual CuI/chiral phosphoric acid (CPA) catalytic system for radical‐involved enantioselective intramolecular C(sp3)−H amination of not only allylic positions but also benzylic positions with broad substrate scope. The use of 4‐methoxy‐NHPI (NHPI=N‐hydroxyphthalimide) as a stable and chemoselective HAT mediator precursor is crucial for the fulfillment of this transformation. Preliminary mechanistic studies indicate that a crucial allylic or benzylic radical intermediate resulting from a HAT process is involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis E is an important global disease, causing outbreaks of acute hepatitis in many developing countries and sporadic cases in industrialized countries. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection typically causes self‐limiting acute hepatitis but can also progress to chronic disease in immunocompromised individuals. The immune response necessary for the prevention of chronic infection is T cell‐dependent; however, the arm of cellular immunity responsible for this protection is not currently known. To investigate the contribution of humoral immunity in control of HEV infection and prevention of chronicity, we experimentally infected 20 wild‐type (WT) and 18 immunoglobulin knockout (JH‐KO) chickens with a chicken strain of HEV (avian HEV). Four weeks postinfection (wpi) with avian HEV, JH‐KO chickens were unable to elicit anti‐HEV antibody but had statistically significantly lower liver lesion scores than the WT chickens. At 16 wpi, viral RNA in fecal material and liver, and severe liver lesions were undetectable in both groups. To determine the role of cytotoxic lymphocytes in the prevention of chronicity, we infected 20 WT and 20 cyclosporine and CD8+ antibody‐treated chickens with the same strain of avian HEV. The CD8 + lymphocyte‐depleted, HEV‐infected chickens had higher incidences of prolonged fecal viral shedding and statistically significantly higher liver lesion scores than the untreated, HEV‐infected birds at 16 wpi. The results indicate that CD8 + lymphocytes are required for viral clearance and reduction of liver lesions in HEV infection while antibodies are not necessary for viral clearance but may contribute to the development of liver lesions in acute HEV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the problem of low-complexity direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation is addressed, and a novel real-valued propagator method (PM) is presented with a uniform linear array. The covariance matrix is divided into two subarrays and an equivalent noise subspace is obtained by exploiting the standard PM algorithm without eigenvalue decomposition. By a coordinate mapping technique, the complex PM cost function has been converted into a real-valued polynomial whose order only rely on the number of arrays. Using such a mathematical fact, source DOAs can be estimated by polynomial rooting instead of peak searching. The proposed method is able to reduce significant complexity with comparable root-mean-square error performance to the standard PM, which is finally verified by numerical simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distributions of eight targeted current‐use pesticides (CUPs) chloroneb, simazine, atrazine, alachlor, dacthal, chlorobenzilate, methoxychlor, and permethrin were investigated in seawater and the atmosphere in a region covering the North Pacific to the Arctic Oceans during the 7th and 8th Chinese National Arctic Research Expedition (2016 and 2017) voyages of the research vessel R/V Xuelong (Snow Dragon in English). Total CUP concentrations in seawater have prominent seasonal and latitudinal trends, with higher concentrations occurring at lower latitudes in early summer. The major contributors of the CUPs (∑8CUP) did not alter over different seasons with dominant chloroneb, alachlor, and atrazine accounting for more than 90%, but their concentrations did have marked seasonal changes. However, the compositions of the eight analyzed CUPs varied indistinctly between seasons indicating a possible combined environmental impact on these compounds rather than the effects of individual chemical properties. Three‐day backward air mass trajectories indicate that atmospheric masses from northeastern China are responsible for the high concentrations of CUPs in East China and Japan Seas, whereas those from the North Atlantic Ocean contribute to the low levels in local area. Fugacity ratios indicate potential volatilization and equilibrium of chloroneb in the Canada Basin of the Arctic Ocean and Japan Sea, respectively, and deposition of other CUPs in both regions. However, atmospheric concentrations are decoupled from those in seawater, which indicates a low exchange rate. Key Points: 8 CUPs are reported firstly from the north Pacific to Arctic OceanWeak air‐sea exchange is firstly proposed for 8 CUPsFluxes in the ocean are firstly estimated showing dramatic seasonal variations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]