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Recently, the important role of sterically bulky aromatic substituents at the axial position of the metal center for synthesizing high‐performance catalysts were recognized. In this study, a series of α‐diimine nickel complexes with bulky N‐ortho‐aryl substituents were designed and synthesized. The as‐synthesized nickel complexes showed high activities (up to 2.3×107 g ⋅ mol−1 ⋅ h−1) and superior thermostability, giving access to moderately branched polyethylenes (35–86/1000 C) with high molecular weights (up to 197.5×104 g ⋅ mol−1). The polyethylene materials generated by these nickel complexes at 80 °C exhibited outstanding tensile mechanical. In addition, these nickel complexes could also catalyze the copolymerization of ethylene and polar monomer with modest activity (such as undecenoic acid, 10‐undecen‐1‐ol and 6‐chlorohex‐1‐ene), yielding functionalized polyolefin with adjustable molecular weights (6.8–222.9×104 g ⋅ mol−1) and incorporation ratios (0.2–4.3 mol %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the Roesser model, the asynchronous sliding‐mode control (SMC) problem for two‐dimensional (2‐D) Markov jump systems (MJSs) with time‐varying delays is studied in this article. Since the controller mode cannot always access the system mode, the asynchronous phenomenon between the system mode and the controller mode will be described by the hidden Markov model (HMM). First, under the framework of HMM, the asynchronous 2D‐SMC law is designed based on 2‐D sliding surface function to ensure closed‐loop 2‐D discrete MJSs asymptotic mean square stability and the reachability of sliding regions around specific sliding surfaces. Second, an algorithm for deducing the law of 2‐D asynchronous SMC is presented. Finally, a numerical example is given to verify the effective of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mismatched energy level alignment at the hole transport interface is recognized to be a prominent limitation for the Cs2AgBiBr6‐based perovskite solar cell (PSC) to achieve high power conversion efficiency (PCE) but has not been well investigated yet. In order to solve this problem to some extent, it is proposed to balance the energy offset at the Cs2AgBiBr6 and hole transport material (HTM) interface to reduce the hole transport barriers, and a novel HTM TPTI‐TPA2F with deep level is designed to implement this strategy. The research demonstrates that, on the one hand, the planar π‐conjugation and the presence of multiple heteroatoms on TPTI‐TPA2F facilitate the formation of well‐oriented film and surface defect passivation; on the other hand, the higher film ionization potential of TPTI‐TPA2F effectively balances the energy barrier for hole transport. As a result, improved hole‐selective contact is achieved with TPTI‐TPA2F as HTM, and the interfacial energy loss is suppressed. Correspondingly, the optimized Cs2AgBiBr6 PSCs using the TPTI‐TPA2F HTM without doped feature an excellent PCE of 4.05% and a high open circuit voltage of 1.15 V, with much improved long‐term humidity and thermal stability. This work provides an attractive strategy for developing efficient Cs2AgBiBr6 PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhododendron is the largest genus in Ericaceae and is well known for its diversity and beauty of flowers present in different species, making it a much‐revered lineage of ornamental plants. Many species of Rhododendron are intolerant of high temperatures, which are becoming more common and intense in urban areas under global climate change. Therefore, the discovery and description of genes from heat‐tolerant Rhododendron lineages are essential in the development of new climate‐resilient cultivars. One such species known to be heat tolerant is Rhododendron × pulchrum Sweet. To better understand the genomics of heat tolerance in this species, we assembled a haplotype‐resolved and chromosome‐scale genome for R. × pulchrum, which had a genome size of 509 Mb; a scaffold N50 of 37 251 370 bp; and contained 35 610 genes. In addition, based on the same reannotation pipeline, we conducted pan‐genomic analyses for all seven available chromosome‐scale Rhododendron genomes and found 14 415 gene groups shared across all species and 18 018 gene groups distributed in the other species, including 1879 gene groups found in only a single species. Finally, we analyzed the transcriptomic data from heat‐treated and non‐heat‐treated R. × pulchrum plants to quantify the genes that are most important during heat stress in an effort to inform the development of climate‐resilient cultivars. This study provides insight into the genome diversity in Rhododendron and targets several genes related to agronomic traits that may help in further analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of ethane (C2H6)‐selective adsorbents for ethylene (C2H4) purification, although challenging, is of prime industrial importance. Pillared‐layer metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) possess facilely tunable pore structure and functionality, which means they have excellent potential for high‐performance C2H6/C2H4 separation applications. Herein, we report a family of isostructural pillared‐layer MOFs with various metal centers M and co‐ligands L, M2(D‐cam)4L2 (denoted M‐cam‐L; M = Cu, Co, Ni; L = pyz, apyz, dabco), with a variety of pore surface properties. All of the M‐cam‐L materials exhibit preferential adsorption for C2H6 over C2H4. In particular, Ni‐cam‐pyz exhibits the highest C2H6 capture capacity (68.75 cm3 g−1 at 1 bar and 298 K), Cu‐cam‐dabco possesses the greatest C2H6/C2H4 adsorption selectivity (2.3), and the lowest isosteric heat of adsorption is demonstrated for Cu‐cam‐pyz (20.1 kJ mol−1). Dynamic column breakthrough experiments also confirmed the excellent separation performance of M‐cam‐pyz and M‐cam‐dabco materials. The synthesis route of the M‐cam‐L materials is easily scaled‐up under laboratory conditions, and hence this class of MOFs is promising for practical C2H4 purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over‐harvesting, habitat loss and fragmentation, and biological invasions have led to a sharp decline in wild medicinal plants population in China, where they are an essential component of traditional medicine and used widely. The current national list of protected medicinal materials, the State Key‐protected Wild Medicinal Species List (SKPWMSL), which has not been revised for 30 years, is in urgent need of an update. This study proposes a new scoring system with seven indicators that set the conservation priorities of threatened medicinal plants. The advantages of our approach include: (i) quantitative methods with high repeatability and comparability; and (ii) consideration of the evolutionary history of medicinal species. After assessing 911 threatened medicinal angiosperms in China, we identified 112 species as key medicinal plants for conservation priority (KMPCP). We suggest promoting the SKPWMSL with KMPCP as a supplement and update. Meanwhile, our scoring system will improve the future setting of conservation priority and can be extended to other countries or regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non‐SMC condensin I complex subunit H (NCAPH) is reported to play an important role and be a poor prognostic factor in various cancers. However, the function and regulatory mechanism of NCAPH in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remain unknown. The roles of NCAPH on ccRCC growth were detected in vitro and in vivo assays. The regulatory mechanism of NCAPH was explored by immunoprecipitation assay, ubiquitination assay, ChIP assay, RIP assay, luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull‐down assay. The role of NCAPH in immunoregulation also was explored by flow cytometry, T cell‐mediated tumour cell killing assay and immune‐competent mouse model. In this research, we displayed that NCAPH was upregulated in ccRCC and patients with elevated NCAPH expression had an undesirable prognosis. Functionally, NCAPH depletion restrained ccRCC growth in vitro and in vivo. The elevated NCAPH was attributed to FOXP3‐mediated transcription, FUS‐mediated transcription splicing and METTL3‐mediated m6A modification. Moreover, YTHDC1 promoted NCAPH mRNA nuclear export, and IGF2BP3 enhanced NCAPH mRNA stability in an m6A‐dependent manner. NCAPH increased PD‐L1 expression by inhibiting the degradation of β‐catenin in ccRCC cells, which further facilitated aerobic glycolysis and immune tolerance of ccRCC. Collectively, our findings display the vital function of NCAPH in ccRCC and uncover that NCAPH may be regarded as a potential therapeutic target to reverse the immune tolerance of ccRCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) are considered as a low‐cost complementary or alternative system to prestigious lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) because of their similar working principle to LIBs, cost‐effectiveness, and sustainable availability of sodium resources, especially in large‐scale energy storage systems (EESs). Among various cathode candidates for SIBs, Na‐based layered transition metal oxides have received extensive attention for their relatively large specific capacity, high operating potential, facile synthesis, and environmental benignity. However, there are a series of fatal issues in terms of poor air stability, unstable cathode/electrolyte interphase, and irreversible phase transition that lead to unsatisfactory battery performance from the perspective of preparation to application, outside to inside of layered oxide cathodes, which severely limit their practical application. This work is meant to review these critical problems associated with layered oxide cathodes to understand their fundamental roots and degradation mechanisms, and to provide a comprehensive summary of mainstream modification strategies including chemical substitution, surface modification, structure modulation, and so forth, concentrating on how to improve air stability, reduce interfacial side reaction, and suppress phase transition for realizing high structural reversibility, fast Na+ kinetics, and superior comprehensive electrochemical performance. The advantages and disadvantages of different strategies are discussed, and insights into future challenges and opportunities for layered oxide cathodes are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the problem of stability of two‐dimensional (2‐D) switched Takagi‐Sugeno (T‐S) fuzzy systems with stable and unstable subsystems described by the Roesser model with constant delays. The T‐S fuzzy model is applied to close the discrete‐time nonlinear subsystems. By utilizing the definitions of mode‐dependent average dwell time (MDADT) method and a quasi‐alternative switching signal, the stability condition for 2‐D discrete‐time switched systems composed of stable and unstable subsystems is derived, and a study on one‐dimentional (1‐D) system can be seen as a special case. Finally, the effectiveness and advantage of the obtained results are illustrated through practical example by LMI toolbox. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situ heterogeneous olefin polymerization has attracted much attention for the synthesis of polyolefin composites. However, the complicated syntheses of specially designed catalysts or the detrimental effects of interactions between catalyst and solid supports pose great challenges. In this contribution, an outer‐shell self‐supporting strategy was designed to heterogenize nickel catalysts on different fillers via precipitation homopolymerization of ionic cluster type polar monomer. These catalysts demonstrated high activity, good product morphology control, and stable performances in ethylene polymerization and copolymerization. Moreover, various polyolefin composites with great mechanical and customized properties can be efficiently synthesized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt‐chromium oxide catalyst and cerium‐doped cobalt‐chromium oxide catalyst were prepared by the coprecipitation method. The doping effect of Ce on the catalyst for selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH3 was investigated. Compared to Cobalt‐chromium oxide catalyst, the doping of Ce improved the catalytic activity and water and sulfur resistance of the catalyst. The doping of Ce significantly changed the surface morphology, reduced the crystallinity and increased the specific surface area of the catalyst. The large specific surface area of the catalyst facilitated the high dispersion of the acidic sites and promoted the adsorption and desorption of NH3. The doping of Ce increased the chemisorbed oxygen content and the number of acidic sites, enhancing the SCR activity of the catalyst. In addition, the doping of Ce increased the percentage of Co3+ and changed the ionic state of Cr, promoting the interaction between metal ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and effective method for preparing ThO2 ceramics with high density has been proposed. It mainly includes a positive precipitation approach and a conventional sintering process. The SEM images and laser particle size analysis show that the prepared powder exhibits a round‐plated shape with a uniform and narrow particle size distribution, which is the key to the densification sintering of ThO2 ceramics. The XRD analyses confirm that the ThO2 ceramics sintered at 1590°C were composed of cubic fluorite phase. The effect of sintering temperature on the density of ThO2 ceramics was also investigated, and a relative density higher than 95% were achieved after sintering at 1590°C for 6 h in an air atmosphere. Moreover, the Vickers hardness was up to 8.49 GPa, the average linear expansion coefficient within 40–800°C was low to 10.97 × 10−6/K, and the thermal conductivity and the thermal diffusivity were both higher than most of traditional ceramic materials (16.94–5.86 W/m K and 7.28–1.28 mm2/s, respectively, within the temperature range of 25–800°C). The previous great performances are closely related to its high density, which enables it to be a great candidate for nuclear fuels and other potential application fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nance–Horan syndrome (NHS) is a rare and often overlooked X‐linked dominant disorder characterized by dense congenital cataracts, dental abnormalities, and mental retardation. The majority of NHS variations include frameshift mutations, nonsense mutations, microdeletions, and insertions. Methods: Copy number variation sequencing was performed to determine the microdeletion. The expression of NHS was detected by RT‐PCR. Four family members were tested for X chromosome inactivation. Results: In this study, all members were examined for systemic examinations and genetic testing of four members and two affected subjects are observed. We identified a heterozygous microdeletion of −0.52 Mb at Xp22.13 in a female proband presenting NHS phenotypically. The microdeletion contains the REPS2 and NHS genes and was inherited from a phenotypically normal mother. Of interest, the expression NHS of proband was reduced and the skewed X chromosome inactivation rate reached more than 85% compared with her mother and the control. It was concluded that the haploinsufficiency of the NHS gene may account for the majority of clinical symptoms in the affected subjects. The variability among female carriers presumably results from nonrandom X chromosome inactivation. Conclusion: Our findings broaden the spectrum of NHS mutations and provide molecular insight into NHS clinical prenatal genetic diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In Arabidopsis, the high‐affinity K+ transporter HAK5 is the major pathway for root K+ uptake when below 100 µM; HAK5 responds to Low‐K+ (LK) stress by strongly and rapidly increasing its expression during K+‐deficiency. Therefore, positive regulators of HAK5 expression have the potential to improve K+ uptake under LK.Here, we show that mutants of the transcription factor MYB77 share a LK‐induced leaf chlorosis phenotype, lower K+ content, and lower Rb+ uptake of the hak5 mutant, but not the shorter root growth, and that overexpression of MYB77 enhanced K+ uptake and improved tolerance to LK stress.Furthermore, we demonstrated that MYB77 positively regulates the expression of HAK5, by binding to the HAK5 promoter and enhances high‐affinity K+ uptake of roots.As such, our results reveal a novel pathway for enhancing HAK5 expression under LK stress, and provides a candidate for increasing the tolerance of plants to LK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass‐derived carbons (BDCs) have achieved huge improvements in pore structures and performance when prepared by chemical activation, resulting in single pore distribution and deteriorating electrical conductivity yet. It is the greatest challenge to obtain high graphitization BDCs with attractive electrochemical performance at high mass loading of active materials. Partially graphitized loofah sponge‐derived carbon (CLC) is successfully prepared by metal ion‐assisted activation and high‐temperature annealing, exhibiting a high specific surface area of 1133.8 m2 g−1 and rich nitrogen and oxygen content. Attributing to the structural advantages and the retained macropore network, the CLC loaded with 10 mg cm−2 demonstrated a volumetric capacitance (CV) of 1 188.8 F cm−3 at a current density of 0.2 A g−1 and an impressive capacitance retention of 97.7% after 15,000 charge/discharge cycles. This work proposes an economical and feasible synthetic route for the preparation of highly graphitized BDCs, offering the possibility of large‐scale synthesis of ideal performance supercapacitor (SCs) electrode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Föppl‐von Kármán equations describing deformation of flexible thin plates are established on the basis of moderately large‐deflection and small rotation angle. For many years, the equations have been regarded as a classical and effective model used for the analysis of flexible thin plate problems, and at the same time, this model has also been constantly evolving and improving. The improvements for the model, however, come mainly from properties of materials perspective, but seldom from the deformation of plate perspective. In this study, we revisit Föppl‐von Kármán equations from the viewpoint of deformation concerning rotation angle. A new form for the classical equations without a small‐rotation‐angle assumption is derived, for the first time, by giving up the basic assumption that the sine function of the rotation angle equals to the first‐order derivative of the corresponding displacement, thus improving the governing equations while enhancing the nonlinearity. The abandonment of the small‐rotation‐angle assumption reveals such a fact that the second‐order derivative of displacement in classical equations originates from the curvature and twist of plates. Due to the complexity of the equations derived, its perturbation solution is obtained under cylindrical bending with two opposites fully fixed. Results indicate that via cylindrical bending, a two‐dimensional plate or membrane problem is easily associated with a one‐dimensional beam or cable problem. Results also show that the abandonment of the small‐rotation‐angle assumption will contribute to the free development of the deflection curve rotation of the plate, while at the same time, the deflection value will tend to decrease to agree with the deformation of the plate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) is one of the most popular ornamental flowers in the world. Although numerous studies on carnations exist, the underlying mechanisms of flower color, fragrance, and the formation of double flowers remain unknown. Here, we employed an integrated multi‐omics approach to elucidate the genetic and biochemical pathways underlying the most important ornamental features of carnation flowers. First, we assembled a high‐quality chromosome‐scale genome (636 Mb with contig N50 as 14.67 Mb) of D. caryophyllus, the 'Scarlet Queen'. Next, a series of metabolomic datasets was generated with a variety of instrumentation types from different parts of the flower at multiple stages of development to assess spatial and temporal differences in the accumulation of pigment and volatile compounds. Finally, transcriptomic data were generated to link genomic, biochemical, and morphological patterns to propose a set of pathways by which ornamental traits such as petal coloration, double flowers, and fragrance production are formed. Among them, the transcription factors bHLHs, MYBs, and a WRKY44 homolog are proposed to be important in controlling petal color patterning and genes such as coniferyl alcohol acetyltransferase and eugenol synthase are involved in the synthesis of eugenol. The integrated dataset of genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics presented herein provides an important foundation for understanding the underlying pathways of flower development and coloration, which in turn can be used for selective breeding and gene editing for the development of novel carnation cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As global change alters the composition and productivity of ecosystems, the importance of subsidies from one habitat to another may change. We experimentally manipulated black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) cover in 10 large plots and over a 5‐year period (2014–2019) quantifying the effects of mangrove cover on subsidies of floating organic material (wrack) into coastal wetlands. As mangrove cover increased from 0% to 100%, wrack cover and thickness decreased by ~60%, the distance that wrack penetrated into the plots decreased by ~70%, and the percentage of the wrack trapped in the first 6 m of the plot tripled. These patterns observed during 4 "normal" years disappeared in a fifth year following Hurricane Harvey (2017), when large quantities of wrack were pushed far into the interior of all the plots, regardless of mangrove cover. Prior to the storm, the abundance of animals collected in grab samples increased with wrack biomass. Wrack composition did not affect animal abundance or composition. Experimental outplants of two types of wrack (red algae and seagrass) revealed that animal abundance and species composition varied between the fringe and interior of the plots, and between microhabitats dominated by salt marsh versus mangrove vegetation. The importance of wrack to overall carbon stocks varied as a function of autochthonous productivity: wrack inputs (per m2) based on survey data were greater than aboveground plant biomass in the plots (42 × 24 m) dominated by salt‐marsh vegetation, but decreased to 5% of the total aboveground biomass in plots dominated by mangroves. Our results illustrate that increasing mangrove cover decreases the relative importance of marine subsidies into the intertidal at the plot level, but concentrates subsidies at the front edge of the mangrove stand. Storms, however, may temporarily override mangrove attenuation of wrack inputs. Our results highlight the importance of understanding how changes in plant species composition due to global change will impact marine subsidies and exchanges among ecosystems, and foster a broader understanding of the functional interdependence of adjacent habitats within coastal ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural standard grade γ‐tocopherol is of great interest due to its good antioxidant activity and special pharmacological functions. This study separated and purified γ‐tocopherol from mixed tocopherols using eco‐friendly and low toxicity solvents. γ‐Tocopherol (0.28 g) was obtained per performance with a purity of (98.89 ± 0.68)% and a recovery rate of (93.23 ± 0.89)%. The purification conditions were as follows: elution solvent n‐hexane/ethyl acetate 94.5:5.5 (v/v), sample load 0.5 g, a column height to diameter ratio of 16:1 (length and diameter, 60 × 3 cm) and an elution rate of 2 ml/min. The purity and structure of γ‐tocopherol was confirmed by high‐performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance. The adsorption isotherm of γ‐tocopherol on silica gel (200–300 mesh) fitted the Langmuir isotherm model well. The antioxidant activity analysis showed that γ‐tocopherol had the strongest antioxidant activity followed by δ‐tocopherol and α‐tocopherol. This study provides an economically attractive solution for the production of natural standard grade γ‐tocopherol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity exchanges across the Malesian region, linking the distinct biotas of Asia and Australia, have long attracted the curiosity of biologists. Tetrastigma (Vitaceae) has a wide distribution in Asia through the Sunda archipelago to Australia and provides a good case to elucidate floristic exchange between Asia and Australia. Tetrastigma species have fleshy fruits that are consumed by birds, representing a lineage with a predictable dispersal across island chains. We herein estimate the divergence times and reconstruct the biogeographic history of Tetrastigma with intensive taxon sampling (96 of approximately 120 species; >80%) using 10 chloroplast loci. The biogeographic history of Tetrastigma was reconstructed with 4‐area and 6‐area divisions by delineating the Sunda region into one or three areas of endemism based on a phylogenetic bioregionalization analysis and the geological history of Malesia. The 4‐area division shows that Tetrastigma originated in continental Asia and diverged from the recently segregated genus Pseudocayratia in the early Eocene (49.43 Ma). Dispersal from continental Asia might have started in the late Eocene but mainly occurred in the last 10 Myr. Continental Asia is indicated to be the most important source area while Sunda is the biggest sink, with 16 of the 27 dispersal events inferred from continental Asia to Sunda. Only seven dispersal events are inferred arriving in the Sahul plate and one reverse dispersal from Sahul back to Asia. The 6‐area division suggests that the Philippines have been an active junction between Asia and Australia. The biogeographic history of Tetrastigma illustrates an asymmetric floristic exchange between Asia and Australia in this genus, which has been facilitated by the formation of terrestrial connections in the late Miocene and the expansion of wet tropical forests across Wallace's Line and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this contribution, we install an azobenzene functionality in olefin polymerization catalysts and use light to modulate their properties via photoinduced trans–cis isomerization of the azobenzene moiety. The initially targeted azobenzene‐functionalized α‐diimine palladium and nickel catalysts are not photoresponsive. To address this issue, an imine–amine system bearing interrupted conjugation with the metal center, and a sandwich‐type α‐diimine system bearing an azobenzene unit at a position covalently far from the metal center were prepared and studied. We demonstrate that light can be used to tune their properties in ethylene polymerization and copolymerization with polar comonomers, enabling light‐induced control of the polymerization processes, polymer microstructures and polymer properties. More interestingly, the light‐mediated property changes were attributed to ligand electronic effects in one system and ligand steric effects in the other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Elevation is an important factor that influences bioregionalisation in mountainous areas, but its effects are not well known. Taking the Sino‐Himalayan flora as a case, we aimed to test the effect of elevation on bioregionalisation and provide a regionalisation scheme of the Sino‐Himalayan flora. Location: The Sino‐Himalaya (East Himalaya, the Hengduan Mountains and the Yunnan Plateau in China). Taxon: Angiosperms. Methods: We compiled distribution data and elevation ranges of angiosperms in the Sino‐Himalaya and adjacent areas and reconstructed a species‐level phylogenetic tree of 19,313 angiosperm species. The area was divided into 398 grid cells, each 1 × 1°. Nine datasets of different elevation ranges were then used to delineate the flora of the Sino‐Himalaya and adjacent areas using the phylogenetic dissimilarity approach. Results: A comparison of nine regionalisation schemes of the Sino‐Himalayan flora based on different elevation range datasets revealed that more than half of grid cells were allocated to more than one subregion. Most of these grid cells were located in areas with a wide range of elevation and/or at the boundaries between subregions. After revising the subregion allocations of eight shifting grid cells, we generated a phylogeny‐ and elevation‐based regionalisation scheme of three regions, comprising eight subregions, for the Sino‐Himalayan flora. Main conclusions: By integrating phylogenetic and elevational information, the Sino‐Himalaya can be divided into three floristic regions: the Yunnan Plateau region, the Hengduan Mountains region and the East Himalaya region. Our study provides novel insights into the regionalisation of the flora and highlights the importance of incorporating elevation data in the bioregionalisation of areas with a broad elevational range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of delay‐dependent stability is concerned for two‐dimensional discrete‐time systems with interval time‐varying delays in this paper. Choosing a Lyapunov functional with the upper bound and lower bound of delays, considering all terms in the difference and using two‐dimensional Abel lemma‐based finite‐sum inequalities, a new delay‐dependent stability criterion in terms of linear matrix inequality is derived for two‐dimensional discrete‐time systems. Then, based on the delay‐dependent stability criteria, a state feedback control problem and a dynamic output feedback control problem are considered to realize the stability control for the two‐dimensional discrete‐time system. Finally, it is shown through four numerical examples that the stability criterion can provide a larger admissible maximum upper bound with less decision variables than the stability criterion using two‐dimensional Jensen inequalities approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to use serum metabolomics to discriminate infants with severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis who later developed subsequent recurrent wheezing from those who did not and to investigate the relationship between serum metabolome and host immune responses with regard to the subsequent development of recurrent wheezing. Fifty‐one infants who were hospitalized during an initial episode of severe RSV bronchiolitis at 6 months of age or less were included and followed for up to the age of 3 years. Of them, 24 developed subsequent recurrent wheezing and 27 did not. Untargeted serum metabolomics was performed by ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with high‐resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC‐MS/MS). Cytokines were measured by multiplex immunoassay. Difference in serum metabolomic profiles was observed between infants who developed recurrent wheezing and those who did not. L‐lactic acid level was significantly higher in infants with recurrent wheezing than those without. Pyrimidine metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and arginine biosynthesis were identified as the most significant changed pathways between the two groups. Moreover, L‐lactic acid level was positively associated with serum CXCL8 level. This exploratory study showed that differential serum metabolic signatures during severe RSV bronchiolitis in early infancy were associated with the development of subsequent recurrent wheezing in later childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Thalassemia traits and iron deficiency anemia are the most common types of hypochromic microcytic anemia with similar clinical and laboratory features. It is vital to establish a new screening model based on HbA2 levels and red cell indices for the differentiation of TT from IDA in hypochromic microcytic anemia cases. Method: The data comprised of the red blood cell indices and HbA2 prenatal diagnostic test results of 810 individuals who were identified to conform to the following criteria: MCV < 80 fl or MCH < 26 pg. We launched a new model consisting mainly of significative red cell indices and HbA2 levels, as well as proposing cutoff values by using decision trees and logistic regression analyses. Next, we evaluated our new method by comparing the sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values with those of the previous formulas. Results: We put forward a new model and compared it with 5 efficient formulas. The new model exhibited the highest accuracy (0.918), with its sensitivity and specificity calculated as 0.917 and 0.921, respectively. Our new model's Youden index was 0.838, which is higher than the other formulas' Youden indices. Conclusions: The new screening model, based on HbA2 levels and red cell indices, is suitable for the screening of thalassemia patients in the hypochromic microcytic anemia group and has the best efficiency in distinguishing TT and IDA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to our paper on the evolutionary history of the Chinese flora, Qian suggests that certain features of the divergence time estimation employed might have led to biased conclusions in Lu et al (2018). Here, we consider Qian's specific criticisms, explore the extent of uncertainty in the data and demonstrate that (i) no systematic bias toward dates that are too young or too old is detected in Lu et al.; (ii) constraint of the crown age of angiosperms does not bias the generic ages estimated by Lu et al.; and (iii) ages derived from the Chinese regional phylogeny do not bias the conclusions reported by Lu et al. All these analyses confirm that the conclusions reported previously are robust. We argue that, like many large‐scale biodiversity analyses, sources of noise in divergence time estimation are to be expected, but these should not be confused with bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to explore the mechanisms of sunitinib‐resistance in renal cell cancer (RCC) and provide new therapeutic evidence and biomarkers for RCC treatment using human clear‐cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) cell line, 786‐O. Microarray analysis, quantitative real time PCR (qRT‐PCR), Western blot, and immunohistochemistry were used to detect Ecto‐5′‐nucleotidase (NT5E) expressions in sunitinib‐resistant tissues in RCC. 3‐(4,5‐dimethyl‐2‐thiazolyl)‐2,5‐diphenyl‐2‐H‐tetrazolium bromide, Thiazolyl Blue Tetrazolium Bromide (MTT), cell‐count kit 8 (CCK‐8), wound healing, and Transwell assays were used to investigate the influences of sunitinib and NT5E on 786‐O cell line and sunitinib‐resistant 786‐O cell line (S786‐O). Protein expressions related to epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and AKT/GSK‐3β signaling pathway in 786‐O cells and S786‐O cells were determined by Western blot. In vivo experiment was performed using NCr‐nu/nu mice to explore the effects of NT5E on cell growth and EMT signal in sunitinib environment. NT5E expression was upregulated in sunitinib‐resistant RCC tissues and cells. NT5E downregulation repressed RCC cell proliferation, migration as well as invasion. EMT course and AKT/GSK‐3β signal pathway both in vitro and in vivo in sunitinib environment was suppressed to varying degrees via NT5E inhibition. NT5E inhibition could suppress the growth of sunitinib‐resistant RCC cells and restrain EMT course and AKT/GSK‐3β signal pathway in sunitinib environment in RCC. © 2018 IUBMB Life, 71(1):113–124, 2019 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exotic species vary in how harmful they are. The earlier we can predict the outcome of an invasion, the more time is available for management. We conducted a "marsh organ" experiment with six elevation treatments to evaluate how the exotic grass Spartina alterniflora, which has invaded almost the entire coastline of China, affects a native (Kandelia obovata) and an exotic (Sonneratia apetala) mangrove in Zhangjiang Estuary, southern China. Survival of transplants in monoculture over two growing seasons in the marsh organ was high except at extreme high and low elevations. All three plants displayed hump‐shaped patterns of biomass across elevation in monoculture, but K. obovata performed best at slightly higher and S. alterniflora at slightly lower elevations, whereas S. apetala performed well across all four intermediate elevations and grew larger than the other two plants. In mixtures, S. alterniflora suppressed growth of mangrove seedlings of both species by up to 90%. The competitive effect of S. alterniflora was greatest at intermediate elevations where its biomass was greatest. When transplanted into adjacent stands of S. alterniflora, K. obovata remained stunted, but S. apetala grew quickly and began to emerge from the canopy of S. alterniflora by the end of the second growing season. At this site, past and ongoing disturbances to mature stands of K. obovata are likely to allow both exotics to increase in abundance. Aggressive management intervention will be needed to prevent estuaries in southern China from transitioning to near complete dominance by the exotic mangrove S. apetala. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study studies the leader–following consensus problem for a class of multi‐agent systems with unknown non‐linear uncertainties. It is proved that the global consensus can be achieved by distributed feedback controller subject to actuator saturation for switching topologies and time‐varying delays. Sufficient conditions in terms of linear matrix inequalities are derived to ensure that all following agents could reach consensus asymptotically with a leader, which provide the allowable upper bound of communication delay. Stability analysis is mainly based on algebraic graph theory, non‐linear analysis and Barbalat's lemma. Numerical simulations are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the main results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two recent Lyapunov‐based methods: free weighting matrix approach and Jensen inequality approach, have reduced the conservatism and the complexity of the stability result for one‐dimensional (1D) time‐delay systems, respectively. In this study, the authors further concern the analysis of delay‐dependent stability and stabilisation for two‐dimensional (2D) discrete systems with interval time‐varying delays. By applying a new Lyapunov functional combining with the approaches of 2D Jensen inequalities and free weighting matrices, a new delay‐dependent stability criterion is derived in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Compared with the existing result, less decision variables are involved in the stability condition, so the burden of numerical computation is reduced greatly. It is also rigorously proved that the author's result is less conservative than some recent ones. On the basis of the stability criterion, state feedback is considered to realise the stability control and the state feedback gain can be solved by LMIs. Numerical examples show the effectiveness and advantage of their results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of water content, acid value, and peroxide value on interesterification catalyzed by potassium glycerolate (in situ KOH/glycerol) were investigated using lard as a model fat. SEM analysis of KOH/glycerol powder showed that numerous 0.5- to 5-μm porous structures were formed and may play an important role in the interesterification reaction. Water content (up to 10 %, oil weight) and peroxide value (4.29 and 7.11 mmol/kg) significantly extended the induction period of interesterification but complete randomization was still achievable. However, when the acid value reached 5.13 mg KOH/g, complete deactivation of the catalyst was observed at 1 % catalyst content (by oil weight). The sn-2 fatty acid composition of fully randomized lard was similar to that of non-randomized lard. Interesterification resulted in substantial rearrangement of the triacylglycerol species and alteration of thermal behaviors. The interesterified lard exhibited a predominant β′ polymorph, as opposed to the dominating β-form crystals found in the original lard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A novel methylphenyl silicone resin, with M, D, and T units, was synthesized by cohydrolysis and cocondensation method from dimethyldimethoxysilane (Me2Si(OMe)2), phenyltrimethoxysilane (PhSi(OMe)3), hexamethyldisiloxane, and 1,3-divinyl-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane in toluene/water mixture catalyzed by hydrochloric acid and trifluoromethanesulfonic acid. The vinyl end-capped MDT silicone resins were chosen for reinforcement filler to enhance the mechanical properties of silicone-based ablative composites. The effects of resins with various R/Si ratios, vinyl content, and loadings on mechanical properties of PMPS rubbers were investigated. It was revealed that on the premise of good fluidity and processing performance, MDT resin showed excellent reinforcing effect and thermal stability compared with silica. MDT reinforced ablative composite showed satisfactory mechanical and antiablative properties. The linear ablation rate was 0.01 mm/s, which maybe associated with high yield of charred residue in thermogravimetric analysis results. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41571. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the problems of delay-dependent stability and static output feedback ( SOF) control of two-dimensional (2-D) discrete systems with interval time-varying delays, which are described by the Fornasini-Marchesini ( FM) second model. The upper and lower bounds of delays are considered. Applying a new method of estimating the upper bound on the difference of Lyapunov function that does not ignore any terms, a new delay-dependent stability criteria based on linear matrix inequalities ( LMIs) is derived. Then, given the lower bounds of time-varying delays, the maximum upper bounds in the above LMIs are obtained through computing a convex optimization problem. Based on the stability criteria, the SOF control problem is formulated in terms of a bilinear matrix inequality ( BMI). With the use of the slack variable technique, a sufficient LMI condition is proposed for the BMI. Moreover, the SOF gain can be solved by LMIs. Numerical examples show the effectiveness and advantages of our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of nonionic waterborne polyurethanes (WPU) based on hydrogenated methylene diphenylene diisocyanate, polybutylene succinate diol, polybutylene adipate diol, polyethylene glycol, and diethylene glycol as chain extender were synthesized with a polyether, MPEG-(OH)2, as side chain. The physical properties such as tensile strength, elongation, hardness, molecular weight, kinetic viscosity, and so on were detected. The WPUs made with polyesters have the best tensile strength but the lowest elongation. Because of the hydrophilic property of MPEG-(OH)2 grafted on the WPUs, they have obvious increases of solid contents and water absorptions with the ratio of MPEG-(OH)2. The functional group ratio of NCO/OH is another reason affecting the hydrophilic properties of the WPUs. In addition, the water ratios of the dispersions dramatically affect the stability of WPU systems. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DRB5*01:01:01:02 differs from DRB5*01:01:01 by four nucleotide changes in intron 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DRB1*14:54:01:04 has five nucleotide differences from DRB1*14:54:01:01 at 10544 (G > A) and 9068 (TGAG insertion). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The P,O‐chelated shell higher olefin process (SHOP) type nickel complexes are practical homogeneous catalysts for the industrial preparation of linear low‐carbon α‐olefins from ethylene. We describes that a facile synthetic route enables the modulation of steric hindrance and electronic nature of SHOP‐type nickel complexes. A series of sterically bulky SHOP‐type nickel complexes with variable electronic nature, {[4‐R‐C6H4C(O) = C‐PArPh]NiPh (PPh3); Ar = 2‐[2′,6′‐(OMe)2C6H3]C6H4; R = H (Ni1); R = OMe (Ni2); R = CF3 (Ni3)}, were prepared and used as single component catalysts toward ethylene polymerization without using any phosphine scavenger. These nickel catalysts exhibit high thermal stability during ethylene polymerization and result in highly crystalline linear α‐olefinic solid polymer. The catalytic performance of the SHOP‐type nickel complexes was significantly improved by introducing a bulky ortho‐biphenyl group on the phosphorous atom or an electron‐withdrawing trifluoromethyl on the backbone of the ligand, indicating steric and electronic effects play critical roles in SHOP‐type nickel complexes catalyzed ethylene polymerization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor in response to the article "The effect of disc degeneration on anterior shear translation in the lumbar spine," by A. D. Melnyk and colleagues in the 2015 issue is presented.

The replication of HBV in hepatocytes can be effectively inhibited by lifelong antiviral therapy. Because of the long‐term presence of HBV reservoirs, the virus rebound frequently occurs once the treatment is stopped, which poses a considerable obstacle to the complete removal of the virus. In terms of gene composition, regulation of B cell action and function, CXCR5+CD8+ T cells are similar to CXCR5+CD4+ T follicular helper cells, while these cells are characterized by elevated programmed cell death 1 and cytotoxic‐related proteins. CXCR5+CD8+T cells are strongly associated with progression in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. In addition, CXCR5 expression on the surface of CD8+ T cells is mostly an indicator of memory stem cell‐like failure in progenitor cells in cancer that are more responsive to immune checkpoint blocking therapy. Furthermore, the phenomena have also been demonstrated in some viral infections, highlighting the duality of the cellular immune response of CXCR5+CD8+ T cells. This mini‐review will focus on the function of CXCR5+CD8+ T cells in HBV infection and discuss the function of these CD8+ T cells and the potential of associated co‐stimulators or cytokines in HBV therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Osteosarcoma (OS) is a fatal adolescent tumor, which is susceptible to remote metastases at an early stage, and its treatment remains a major challenge. ubiquitin‐specific protease 10 (USP10) is primarily located in the cytoplasm and can therefore deubiquitinate various cytoplasmic proteins. However, the expression and mechanism of USP10 in OS remain ambiguous. The aim of this study was to explore how USP10 affects Yes‐associated protein1 (YAP1) to influence the metastasis and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Methods: Western blotting, qRT‐PCR, and immunohistochemical (IHC) analyses were performed to evaluate USP10 and YAP1 levels. Using wound healing and transwell tests, the roles and molecular pathways of USP10 and YAP1 ability to migrate and invade of OS were investigated, and cell morphological alterations were examined using phalloidin staining. Results: Our results indicated that USP10, a new type of deubiquitinating protease, is increased in OS tissues and cells contrasted with adjacent healthy tissues. Overexpression of USP10 correlated with tumor size, distant metastasis, and TNM stage, and was an independent factor of poor prognosis in OS patients. Also, USP10 expression is closely connected with the incident of OS metastasis and tumor size. Functional assays revealed that USP10 knockdown suppressed cell migrating and invading ability and inhibited the EMT of OS cells in vivo and in vitro. In addition, we showed that USP10 knockdown decreased the levels of YAP1, which is an important positive regulator of migration and invasion in many cancers. We also found a significant positive correlation between USP10 and YAP1 levels, further demonstrating that USP10‐induced migration and EMT are based on YAP1 in OS cells. In a mechanistic way, USP10 stabilizes the expression of YAP1 by mediating its deubiquitination in OS cells. Conclusion: Together, this study showed that USP10 can directly interact with YAP1 to reduce ubiquitinated YAP1, thereby stabilizing its protein levels and affecting EMT and distant metastasis in OS cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt‐chromium oxide catalyst and cerium‐doped cobalt‐chromium oxide catalyst were prepared by the coprecipitation method. The doping effect of Ce on the catalyst for selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH3 was investigated. Compared to Cobalt‐chromium oxide catalyst, the doping of Ce improved the catalytic activity and water and sulfur resistance of the catalyst. The doping of Ce significantly changed the surface morphology, reduced the crystallinity and increased the specific surface area of the catalyst. The large specific surface area of the catalyst facilitated the high dispersion of the acidic sites and promoted the adsorption and desorption of NH3. The doping of Ce increased the chemisorbed oxygen content and the number of acidic sites, enhancing the SCR activity of the catalyst. In addition, the doping of Ce increased the percentage of Co3+ and changed the ionic state of Cr, promoting the interaction between metal ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]