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Background: Evidence on type 2 diabetes onset age and duration on mortality risk has been limited by short follow‐up, inadequate control for confounding, missing repeated measurements, and inability to cover the full range of onset age, duration, and major causes of death. Moreover, scarce data dissect how type 2 diabetes onset age and duration shape life expectancy. Methods: We evaluate prospectively these topics based on 270,075 eligible participants in the Nurses' Health Studies and Health Professionals Follow‐up Study, leveraging repeated measurements throughout up to 40 years of follow‐up. Cox models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: In fully adjusted analyses, incident early onset type 2 diabetes (diagnosed <40 years of age) was associated with significantly higher mortality from all‐causes (HR, 95% CI was 3.16, 2.64–3.79; vs. individuals without type 2 diabetes), cardiovascular disease (6.56, 4.27–10.1), respiratory disease (3.43, 1.38–8.51), neurodegenerative disease (5.13, 2.09–12.6), and kidney disease (8.55, 1.98–36.9). The relative risk elevations declined dramatically with each higher decade of age at diagnosis for deaths from most of these causes, though the absolute risk difference increased continuously. A substantially higher cumulative incidence of mortality and a greater loss in life expectancy were associated with younger age at type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Longer disease duration was associated with generally higher relative and absolute risk of mortality. Conclusion: Early onset of type 2 diabetes and longer disease duration are associated with substantially increased risk of all‐cause and cause‐specific mortality and greater loss in life expectancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proteinaceous matter (PrM) is a substantial component of bioaerosols. Although numerous studies have examined the characteristics and sources of PrM in the atmosphere, its interactions with atmospheric oxidants remain uncertain. A 1‐year observation of PrM characteristics in PM2.5 was performed in both urban Nanchang (eastern China) and suburban Guiyang (southwestern China), respectively. Glycine was the dominant free amino acid (FAA) species in urban Nanchang. In contrast, proline dominated both total free amino acids (FAAs) and total combined amino acids (CAAs) in suburban Guiyang. We found that oxidative degradation can significantly promote the release of FAAs, especially glycine, from CAAs in Nanchang. The controlled experiment on protein oxidation by hydroxyl radical suggested that the contribution of free glycine to the total FAA fraction tended to increase during the oxidative degradation of CAAs, supporting the predominance of glycine in FAAs in Nanchang and most previous observations. The composition of FAAs was mainly influenced by primary sources in suburban Guiyang with weak atmospheric degradation of PrM. These results suggest that the degradation of aerosol PrM by atmospheric oxidants can be responsible for the difference in FAA composition between the biosphere and the atmosphere, and also imply that the oxidative degradation of aerosol PrM may be a potential source of secondary organic nitrogen compounds in aerosols. Thus, this study can improve the current understanding of the composition characteristics of PrM in the biosphere and the atmosphere, as well as the liquid phase reactions of proteinaceous compounds with atmospheric oxidants. Plain Language Summary: Proteinaceous matter (PrM) is a ubiquitous component in both the biosphere and the atmosphere, which has seen intense research over years. This study, for the first time, combines a large amount of observational data with controlled experiments to reveal the potential atmospheric transformation of combined and free amino acids. The observed increase in the mass fraction of glycine in the total free amino acids from the biosphere to the atmosphere can be attributed to the fact that glycine has a higher release potential from the oxidative degradation of combined amino acids and is more resistant to further oxidative degradation. The overall results provide field evidence for the strong dependence of free glycine release from aerosol PrM on the hydroxyl radical, likely improving the current understanding of the composition characteristics of PrM and the multiphase reactions of proteinaceous compounds with atmospheric oxidants. Key Points: Atmospheric oxidation can cause an increase in the contribution of Gly to the aerosol TFAA fraction from the biosphere to the atmosphereThe controlled experiment suggests that the contribution of Gly to the TFAA fraction increased during the oxidative degradation of combined amino acidsThe composition profile of aerosol free amino acids depends on the oxidative degradation of proteinaceous matter after release from the biosphere to the atmosphere [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing demands for artificial intelligence, robotics, electronic skin, healthcare, and energy storage/conversion, the research focus on flexible electronics has started to shift from being merely bendable and rollable to being stretchable. In recent years, stretchable aerogels and foams have drawn significant attention in the field of flexible electronics due to their unique porous structures, low density, high porosity, and high flexibility. This work provides a comprehensive review of the state‐of‐the‐art developments in stretchable aerogels and foams, encompassing their preparation, structures, properties, and applications. The preparation methods, typical structures of stretchable aerogels and foams, stretching principle, and the relationship between their structures, stretchability, and other properties are investigated. Their latest applications in stretchable strain/pressure sensors, electrodes and conductors, chemical sensors and biosensors, supercapacitors, batteries, triboelectric nanogenerators, electromagnetic shielding, microwave absorption, thermal management, adsorption, separation/filtration, and shape memory are introduced. Furthermore, the challenges and opportunities of stretchable aerogels and foams are summarized. This work provides a guideline for the development of stretchable aerogels and foams and next‐generation high‐performance flexible electronics based on stretchable porous materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly stretchable aerogel films are attractive for advanced next‐generation stretchable electronics. However, it is a great challenge to achieve high stretchability for aerogel films. Here, several types of unprecedented ultra‐stretchable semiconducting polymer‐based aerogel films with crimpled porous structures are developed via crosslinking and template methods combined with uniaxial and biaxial pre‐stretching strategies. The semiconducting aerogel films obtained by uniaxial pre‐stretching exhibit ultrahigh stretchability up to 100–200%, while those obtained by biaxial pre‐stretching show high biaxial stretchability up to 50%. The resulting aerogel films show strain‐insensitive electrical and joule heating properties. A prototype of the aerogel film‐based stretchable organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) is developed for the first time. Benefiting from their unique porous structures, the aerogel film‐based OECTs exhibit enhanced on/off ratio and transconductance compared with corresponding dense film‐based OECTs, high stretchability up to 100%, and high stretching stability with 10 000 stretching cycles under 30% strain. It is demonstrated that the aerogel film‐based OECTs can be applied as high‐performance stretchable artificial synapses and biosensors. This work gives a versatile strategy toward highly stretchable aerogel films promising for flexible electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Casein (CN) is the major family of proteins in milk and can cause allergic reactions in some infants and children. This study investigated the regulatory mechanisms of three animal‐derived proteases on allergenic epitopes. The results showed that all three proteases effectively reduced the antigenicity of CN. After hydrolysis, the secondary structure of CN underwent a conformational transition from α‐helix to β‐turn. Based on peptidomics analysis, the allergenic epitopes of αs1‐CN at positions 91–110, 131–151, 166–180 and 188–201 were effectively cleaved by pepsin, and the allergenic epitopes of β‐CN at positions 60–69, 139–158 and 182–194 were effectively cleaved by pancreatic elastase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Liver fibrosis poses a significant public health challenge given its elevated incidence and associated mortality rates. Diffusion‐Weighted Imaging (DWI) serves as a non‐invasive diagnostic tool for supporting the identification of liver fibrosis. Deep learning, as a computer‐aided diagnostic technology, can assist in recognizing the stage of liver fibrosis by extracting abstract features from DWI images. However, gathering samples is often challenging, posing a common dilemma in previous research. Moreover, previous studies frequently overlooked the cross‐comparison information and latent connections among different DWI parameters. Thus, it is becoming a challenge to identify effective DWI parameters and dig potential features from multiple categories in a dataset with limited samples. Purpose: A self‐defined Multi‐view Contrastive Learning Network is developed to automatically classify multi‐parameter DWI images and explore synergies between different DWI parameters. Methods: A Dense‐fusion Attention Contrastive Learning Network (DACLN) is designed and used to recognize DWI images. Concretely, a multi‐view contrastive learning framework is constructed to train and extract features from raw multi‐parameter DWI. Besides, a Dense‐fusion module is designed to integrate feature and output predicted labels. Results: We evaluated the performance of the proposed model on a set of real clinical data and analyzed the interpretability by Grad‐CAM and annotation analysis, achieving average scores of 0.8825, 0.8702, 0.8933, 0.8727, and 0.8779 for accuracy, precision, recall, specificity and F‐1 score. Of note, the experimental results revealed that IVIM‐f, CTRW‐β, and MONO‐ADC exhibited significant recognition ability and complementarity. Conclusion: Our method achieves competitive accuracy in liver fibrosis diagnosis using the limited multi‐parameter DWI dataset and finds three types of DWI parameters with high sensitivity for diagnosing liver fibrosis, which suggests potential directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of sulfur‐bridged 2,2′‐viologens, 2,2′‐thienoviologens (2,2′‐SV2+) with propyl bridge and hydroxyl bridges, are synthesized for the first time. The 2,2′‐thienoviologens exhibited improved visible‐light absorption, narrow energy gap, more negative reduction potential (160 mV lower than 4,4′‐thienoviologens) and more stable free radical states compared with 4,4′‐thienoviologens and parent 2,2′‐viologens. The utilization of femtosecond transient absorption (fs‐TA) demonstrated that 2,2′‐thienoviologen can produce distinct charge‐separated states under visible light excitation. Due to their excellent photophysical and electrochemical properties, the 2,2′‐thienoviologens are used for electrochromic devices and combined with g‐C3N4 via hydrogen bonds for visible‐light catalytic production. Based on the advantageous electron‐donating properties of 2,2′‐SV2+, the hydrogen release efficiency of the 2,2′‐thienoviologens‐modified composites is 8542 µmol·h−1·g−1, a value that is the highest reported for hydrogen production from organic small‐molecule‐modified g‐C3N4 and 78 times higher than that of unmodified g‐C3N4. This study presents a concise method to convert solar energy and broaden the potential applications of 2,2′‐viologens in photocatalytic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The accuracy of surface ECG algorithms for predicting the origin of outflow tract ventricular arrhythmias (OT‐VAs) might be questioned. Intracardiac electrograms recorded at anatomic landmarks could provide new predictive insights. We aim to evaluate the efficacy of a novel criterion utilizing the activation pattern of the coronary sinus (CS) in localizing OT‐VAs, including VAs originating from the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT), endocardial left ventricular outflow tract (Endo‐LVOT), and epicardial left ventricular outflow tract (Epi‐LVOT). Methods: We measured the ventricular activation time of the mitral annulus (MA) from the onset of the earliest QRS complex of VAs to the initial deflection over the isoelectric line at local signals, namely the QRS‐MA interval. The activation at 3 and 12 o'clock of the MA was recorded as the QRS‐MA3 and QRS‐MA12 intervals, respectively. Their predictive values were compared to previous ECG algorithms. Results: A total of 68 patients with OT‐VAs were enrolled (51 for development and 17 for validation). From early to late, the ventricular activation sequences at MA12 were as follows: Epi‐LVOT, Endo‐LVOT, and RVOT. In LBBB morphology OT‐VAs, the QRS‐MA12 interval was significantly earlier for LVOT origins than RVOT origins. In the combined cohort of development and validation cohort, a cut‐off value of ≤10 ms predicted the LVOT origin with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 78%. The QRS‐MA12 interval ≤ −24 ms additionally predicted epicardial LVOT sites of origin. Conclusions: The QRS‐MA interval could accurately differentiate the OT‐VAs localization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The present study provided new alternatives for recycling of Euryale ferox fruit peel to develop application of pectins in food industry. In this work, the physicochemical characteristics, thermal properties, rheological properties and antioxidant activities of novel pectins (Pectin Hp, Pectin Eh and Pectin Hp‐Eh) extracted from E. ferox fruit peel were explored. The results indicated that Pectin Hp‐Eh had the highest yield (122.48 mg g−1). Pectin HP, Pectin Eh and Pectin HP‐Eh, with strip, polygonal and irregular shaped structures, respectively, exhibited dominant elastic characteristics as aqueous gels. Compared to Pectin HP and Pectin HP‐Eh, Pectin Eh possessed better rheological properties. Moreover, Pectin Eh exhibited stronger scavenging activities of hydroxyl and 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals than those of Pectin HP and Pectin HP‐Eh. The IC50 values of Pectin Eh for hydroxyl and DPPH radicals were determined to be 11.81 and 14.07 mg mL−1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic cathode materials for aqueous rechargeable zinc batteries (ARZBs) are rapidly gaining prominence, while the exploration of compounds with affordable synthesis, satisfactory electrochemical performance, and understandable mechanisms still remains challenging. In this study, 6,8,15,17‐tetraaza‐heptacene‐5,7,9,14,16,18‐hexaone (TAHQ) as an easily synthesized organic cathode material with novel quinone/pyrazine alternately conjugated molecule structure is presented. This organic electrode exhibits good capacity with highly reversible redox reactions, and the influence of multi‐active structures on the Zn2+/H+ loading behavior is systematically investigated by ex situ spectroscopy, electrochemical tests, and computation. Both experimental and theoretical studies effectively address the Zn2+/H+ intercalation/deintercalation kinetics. Benefitting from the fused active functionalities, the assembled Zn//TAHQ battery displays a maximum discharge specific capacity of 254.3 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1, and it maintains remarkable cycle performance with 71% capacity retention after 1000 cycles under 5 A g−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gradient‐based methods for training residual networks (ResNets) typically require a forward pass of input data, followed by back‐propagating the error gradient to update model parameters, which becomes time‐consuming as the network structure goes deeper. To break the algorithmic locking and exploit synchronous module parallelism in both forward and backward modes, auxiliary‐variable methods have emerged but suffer from communication overhead and a lack of data augmentation. By trading off the recomputation and storage of auxiliary variables, a joint learning framework is proposed in this work for training realistic ResNets across multiple compute devices. Specifically, the input data of each processor is generated from its low‐capacity auxiliary network (AuxNet), which permits the use of data augmentation and realizes forward unlocking. Backward passes are then executed in parallel, each with a local loss function derived from the penalty or augmented Lagrangian (AL) method. Finally, the AuxNet is adjusted to reproduce updated auxiliary variables through an end‐to‐end training process. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method on ResNets and WideResNets across CIFAR‐10, CIFAR‐100, and ImageNet datasets, achieving speedup over the traditional layer‐serial training approach while maintaining comparable testing accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Most splicing factors are extensively phosphorylated but their physiological functions in plant salt resistance are still elusive.We found that phosphorylation by SnRK1 kinase is essential for SRRM1L nuclear speckle formation and its splicing factor activity in plant cells. In Arabidopsis, loss‐of‐function of SRRM1L leads to the occurrence of alternative pre‐mRNA splicing events and compromises plant resistance to salt stress.In Arabidopsis srrm1l mutant line, we identified an intron‐retention Nuclear factor Y subunit A 10 (NFYA10) mRNA variant by RNA‐Seq and found phosphorylation‐dependent RNA‐binding of SRRM1L is indispensable for its alternative splicing activity. In the wild‐type Arabidopsis, salt stress can activate SnRK1 to phosphorylate SRRM1L, triggering enrichment of functional NFYA10.1 variant to enhance plant salt resistance. By contrast, the Arabidopsis srrm1l mutant accumulates nonfunctional NFYA10.3 variant, sensitizing plants to salt stress.In summary, this work deciphered the molecular mechanisms and physiological functions of SnRK1‐SRRM1L‐NFYA10 module, shedding light on a regulatory pathway to fine‐tune plant adaptation to abiotic stress at the post‐transcriptional and post‐translational levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most graduate students in higher education are classified as adult learners, being 24 years old, and have responsibilities and commitments outside of higher education. This literature review presents how Chinese international graduate students face challenges in the US due to sociocultural, ideological, and educational differences. This systematic literature review explores these students' critical thinking skills, which are crucial factors for academic success but have been underexplored. Three themes were identified as follows: (1) critical thinking education in China, (2) stereotypes of perceived lack of critical thinking, and (3) comparative views of critical thinking between Chinese and American college students. Each theme presents a landscape of how critical thinking is interpreted. Themes suggest several trends, including cultural variations that may impede Chinese international students from showcasing their critical thinking abilities, notwithstanding their inherent capacity for critical thinking. Recommendations include ways to improve critical thinking among international students and call for more comparative studies between Chinese and American college students. The findings offer valuable insights into the internationalization of higher education curricula and the promotion of global learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the need for more diverse perspectives in adult and continuing education research, particularly from Asian and Asian diaspora scholars. The prevailing Western-centric outlook in the field overlooks the valuable experiences and perspectives prevalent in other global regions, such as Asia. The article highlights the importance of inclusivity and representation from diverse cultural backgrounds in order to develop contextually relevant solutions to educational issues. It also introduces a special issue that showcases research and practices from Asian contexts, offering a more comprehensive understanding of the field. The articles in the special issue cover a range of topics, including combating racism, exploring Asian perspectives in comparative education, promoting lifelong learning in rural communities, developing strategic thinking in business leaders, providing lifelong learning programs for older adults, addressing challenges in teacher professional development, supporting Chinese women faculty in US academia, addressing anxiety among Chinese immigrant adult learners, and cultivating critical thinking skills among Chinese international students. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration in advancing lifelong learning for all. [Extracted from the article]

Background: This study aims to analyze breast cancer burden attributable to high body mass index (BMI) and high fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in China from 1990 to 2019. Methods: Data were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2019. Deaths and disability‐adjusted life years (DALYs) were used for attributable burden, and age‐period‐cohort (APC) model was used to evaluate the independent effects of age, period and birth cohort. Results: In 2019, the age‐standardized mortality and DALY rates of breast cancer attributable to high BMI were 1.107 (95% UI: 0.311, 2.327) and 29.990 (8.384, 60.713) per 100 000, and mortality and DALY rates attributable to high FPG were 0.519 (0.095, 1.226) and 13.662 (2.482, 32.425) per 100 000. From 1990 to 2019, the age‐standardized mortality and DALY rates of breast cancer attributable to high BMI increased by 1.192% and 1.180%, and the trends of high FPG were not statistically significant. The APC results showed that the age effects of high BMI and high FPG‐mortality and DALY rates increased, with the highest rates in the age group over 80 years. The birth cohort effects of high BMI showed "inverted V" shapes, while high FPG showed downward trends. Conclusions: Age was the main reason for the increase of attributable burden, and postmenopausal women were the high‐risk groups. Therefore, targeted prevention measures should be developed to improve postmenopausal women's awareness and effectively reduce the prevalence of obesity and diabetes, thereby reducing the breast cancer burden caused by metabolic factors in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Grain size is a crucial agronomic trait that affects stable yield, appearance, milling quality, and domestication in rice. However, the molecular and genetic relationships among QTL genes (QTGs) underlying natural variation for grain size remain elusive.Here, we identified a novel QTG SGW5 (suppressor of gw5) by map‐based cloning using an F2 segregation population by fixing same genotype of the master QTG GW5. SGW5 positively regulates grain width by influencing cell division and cell size in spikelet hulls. Two nearly isogenic lines exhibited a significant differential expression of SGW5 and a 12.2% increase in grain yield. Introducing the higher expression allele into the genetic background containing the lower expression allele resulted in increased grain width, while its knockout resulted in shorter grain hulls and dwarf plants.Moreover, a cis‐element variation in the SGW5 promoter influenced its differential binding affinity for the WRKY53 transcription factor, causing the differential SGW5 expression, which ultimately leads to grain size variation. GW5 physically and genetically interacts with WRKY53 to suppress the expression of SGW5.These findings elucidated a new pathway for grain size regulation by the GW5‐WRKY53‐SGW5 module and provided a novel case for generally uncovering QTG interactions underlying the genetic diversity of an important trait in crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cesium‐based all‐inorganic wide‐bandgap perovskite solar cells (AIWPSCs) have been demonstrated with exceptional optoelectronic properties such as intrinsic optical wide‐bandgap and high thermal stability, which make them suitable candidates for the front sub‐cells of tandem solar cells (TSCs). Passivation of perovskite surface and interface is a matter of common interest in this community since all‐inorganic perovskites always suffer from non‐ideal crystallization such as phase impurity, high defect density, and non‐uniform morphology. Despite these shortcomings, numerous efforts have been devoted in recent years to pursuing high‐performance AIWPSCs, which exhibit an abruptly increased power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 2.9% to over 21.0%. In view of not having a thorough summary about the advancements on AIWPSCs, herein, a comprehensive review is given to highlight the recent device performance progress of AIWPSC, particularly focusing on the strategies to passivate the defects of all‐inorganic perovskite, namely, additive engineering, solvent engineering, interface modification, and the exploration of new charge transport materials (CTMs) for improving the phase stability and PCE of AIWPSCs. Finally, a conclusive outlook on AIWPSCs will be given to provide our perspectives aiming to inspire the further development of AIWPSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA), a major health and economic problem facing older adults worldwide, is a degenerative joint disease. Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. (GC) plays an integral role in many classic Chinese medicine prescriptions for treating knee osteoarthritis. Still, the role of GC in treating KOA is unclear. To explore the pharmacological mechanism of GC against KOA, UPLC‐Q‐TOF/MS was conducted to detect the main compounds in GC. The therapeutic effect of GC on DMM‐induced osteoarthritic mice was assessed by histomorphology, μCT, behavioural tests, and immunohistochemical staining. Network pharmacology and molecular docking were used to predict the potential targets of GC against KOA. The predicted results were verified by immunohistochemical staining Animal experiments showed that GC had a protective effect on DMM‐induced KOA, mainly in the improvement of movement disorders, subchondral bone sclerosis and cartilage damage. A variety of flavonoids and triterpenoids were detected in GC via UPLC‐Q‐TOF/MS, such as Naringenin. Seven core targets (JUN, MAPK3, MAPK1, AKT1, TP53, RELA and STAT3) and three main pathways (IL‐17, NF‐κB and TNF signalling pathways) were discovered through network pharmacology analysis that closely related to inflammatory response. Interestingly, molecular docking results showed that the active ingredient Naringenin had a good binding effect on anti‐inflammatory‐related proteins. In the verification experiment, after the intervention of GC, the expression levels of pp65 and F4/80 inflammatory indicators in the knee joint of KOA model mice were significantly downregulated. GC could improve the inflammatory environment in DMM‐induced osteoarthritic mice thus alleviating the physiological structure and dysfunction of the knee joint. GC might play an important role in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The precise detection of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) requires the conversion of NO2 to nitric oxide (NO) using a molybdenum conversion furnace. Currently, molybdenum wire is utilized as the conversion agent for the molybdenum furnace; however, the high operating temperature of the molybdenum wire can inadvertently convert ammonia (NH3) in industrial exhaust gas to NO, potentially impacting the accuracy of the detection process. Consequently, there is a pressing need to develop low‐temperature conversion agents. The study aims to establish a correlation between the iodine value, which characterizes the liquid‐phase adsorption properties of activated carbon (AC), and its capacity for NO2 conversion, with the potential to provide valuable theoretical insights supporting the development of commercial molybdenum furnace conversion agents. RESULTS: The iodine value of coconut shell carbon (C) is closely related to their reaction performance for NO2‐to‐NO among three samples with different iodine values. AC‐900, AC‐1200 and AC‐1500 exhibited notable NO2‐to‐NO conversion capabilities. Specifically, AC‐900 demonstrated significantly superior reaction performance compared to AC‐1200 and AC‐1500. Under conditions of 175 °C and 1 L min−1, the NO2 conversion rates for AC‐900, AC‐1200 and AC‐1500 were measured at 97.3%, 88.2% and 86.4%, respectively. Furthermore, the evaluation of AC‐1200 and AC‐1500 at different flow rates at 125 °C revealed a decrease in NO2 conversion with increasing gas flow rate. AC‐1200 exhibited better reaction performance compared to AC‐1500. CONCLUSION: The structure–activity relationship between iodine value of coconut shell C and their NO2‐to‐NO performance is revealed. The capacity of AC to convert NO2 is significantly influenced by the presence of oxygen (O) functional groups and the proportion of micropores. The content of micropores and O‐containing functional groups, especially phenolic hydroxyl groups, decreases with the increase of iodine value, leading to a decrease in the reaction performance of the conversion agent. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incorporation of crown ether into metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) is garnered significant attention because these macrocyclic units can fine‐tune the inherent properties of the frameworks. However, the synthesis of flexible crown ethers with precise structures as the fundamental building blocks of crystalline MOFs remains a challenging endeavor, with only a limited number of transition metal examples existing to date. Herein, 18‐crown‐6 and 24‐crown‐8 struts are successfully incorporated into the skeleton of zirconium‐based MOFs to obtain two new and stable crown ether‐based MOFs, denoted as ZJU‐X100 and ZJU‐X102. These newly developed MOFs displayed high porosity and remarkable stability when exposed to various solvents, boiling water, pH values, and even concentrated HCl conditions. Thanks to their highly ordered porous structure and high‐density embedding of specific binding sites within tubular channels, these two MOFs exhibited extremely fast sorption kinetics and demonstrated outstanding performance in the uptake of strontium and cesium ions, respectively. Furthermore, the structures of Sr‐adsorbed ZJU‐X100 and Cs‐adsorbed ZJU‐X102 are solved and confirmed the precise location of Sr2+/Cs+ in the cavity of 18‐crown‐6/24‐crown‐8. This makes modular mosaic of different crown ethers into the skeleton of stable zirconium‐based MOFs possible and promote such materials have broad applications in sorption, sensing, and catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effective management of osteomyelitis remains extremely challenging due to the difficulty associated with treating bone defects, the high probability of recurrence, the requirement of secondary surgery or multiple surgeries, and the difficulty in eradicating infections caused by methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Hence, smart biodegradable biomaterials that provide effective and precise local anti‐infection effects and can promote the repair of bone defects are actively being developed. Here, a novel nano‐micro composite is fabricated by combining calcium phosphate (CaP) nanosheets with drug‐loaded GelMA microspheres via microfluidic technology. The microspheres are covalently linked with vancomycin (Van) through an oligonucleotide (oligo) linker using an EDC/NHS carboxyl activator. Accordingly, a smart nano‐micro composite called "CaP@MS‐Oligo‐Van" is synthesized. The porous CaP@MS‐Oligo‐Van composites can target and capture bacteria. They can also release Van in response to the presence of bacterial micrococcal nuclease and Ca2+, exerting additional antibacterial effects and inhibiting the inflammatory response. Finally, the released CaP nanosheets can promote bone tissue repair. Overall, the findings show that a rapid, targeted drug release system based on CaP@MS‐Oligo‐Van can effectively target bone tissue infections. Hence, this agent holds potential in the clinical treatment of osteomyelitis caused by MRSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are one of the most widely used antimicrobial agents. However, due to the potential problems of environmental pollution and high energy consumption, a green and efficient synthesis strategy of AgNPs is urgently required. Ovalbumin (OVA) is the most abundant protein in egg whites, and its extraction process is simple and productive. This paper reported a new green synthesis method of AgNPs by using OVA as an assistant accompanying with a visible light irradiation. Together with the reduction of silver ions, the uniformly dispersed OVA‐AgNPs nanocomposite could be formed within 30 min under xenon light irradiation by simple mixing AgNO3 and OVA in aqueous solution. The detailed mechanism study showed that tyrosine residue and peptide bonds in OVA played a major role in the reduction and stability of silver ions. In addition, in vitro antibacterial experiments indicated that 10 mg/L of OVA‐AgNPs, the minimum inhibitory concentration, has a good antimicrobial effect on both Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria, fungi, and some drug‐resistant bacteria species within 4 h of treatment, mainly due to the disruption of the structure of bacterial cell and the balance of reactive oxygen species. This work provides a new way for the green and efficient synthesis of AgNPs and shows good prospects for the applications in the field of biomedical materials and functional nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The site‐specific activation of bioorthogonal prodrugs has provided great opportunities for reducing the severe side effects of chemotherapy. However, the precise control of activation location, sustained drug production at the target site, and high bioorthogonal reaction efficiency in vivo remain great challenges. Here, we propose the construction of tumor cell membrane reactors in vivo to solve the above problems. Specifically, tumor‐targeted liposomes with efficient membrane fusion capabilities are generated to install the bioorthogonal trigger, the amphiphilic tetrazine derivative, on the surface of tumor cells. These predecorated tumor cells act as many living reactors, transforming the tumor into a "drug factory" that in situ activates an externally delivered bioorthogonal prodrug, for example intratumorally injected transcyclooctene‐caged doxorubicin. In contrast to the rapid elimination of cargo that is encapsulated and delivered by liposomes, these reactors permit stable retention of bioorthogonal triggers in tumor for 96 h after a single dose of liposomes via intravenous injection, allowing sustained generation of doxorubicin. Interestingly, an additional supplement of liposomes will compensate for the trigger consumed by the reaction and significantly improve the efficiency of the local reaction. This strategy provides a solution to the efficacy versus safety dilemma of tumor chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are gaining significant interest as an attractive substitute for traditional fuel cells, with higher energy density, lower environmental pollution, and better operation efficiency. However, the cathode reaction, i.e., the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), is widely proved to be inefficient, and therefore an obstacle to the widespread development of PEMFCs. The requirement for affordable highly‐efficient ORR catalysts is extremely urgent to be met, especially at fuel cell level. Unfortunately, most previous reports focus on the ORR performance at rotating disk electrodes (RDE) level instead of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) level, making it harder to evaluate ORR catalysts operating under real vehicle conditions. Obviously, it is extremely necessary to develop an in‐depth understanding of the structure‐activity relationship of highly‐efficient ORR catalysts applied at MEA level. In this work, an overview of the latest advances in ORR catalysts is provided with an emphasis on their performance at MEA level, hoping to cover the novel and systemic insights for innovative and efficient ORR catalyst design and applications in PEMFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the work, the CuO, Fe2O3, ZnO, and Al2O3 are doped in the potassium‐sodium niobate (KNN) to investigate their effects on the breakdown strength (EB) through in situ decomposition reaction on the KNN particles. The results suggest that the EB increases to some extent, thanks to the addition of oxides. Particularly, the addition of ZnO improves the EB by 34.08% compared with pure KNN ceramics. The X‐ray diffractometry, SEM, temperature‐dependent dielectric constant, complex impedance spectrum, breakdown strength test, and energy band structure are employed for the EB investigation. The addition of Fe2O3 and Al2O3 can reduce the grain size of ceramics while CuO leads to grain growth. The relative density, dielectric constant, activation energy (Ea), and relaxation time (τ) of the ceramics are enhanced by the addition of Fe2O3, ZnO and Al2O3. Among these factors, the relative density is helpful for the improvement of the EB. Additionally, the featured energy band structure contributes to such improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heavy‐metal‐free ZnSeTe quantum dots (QDs) hold great promise for the development of modern optoelectronic devices, yet, the nature of the emissive state within remains elusive. Herein, the different emission origins are clarified for the ZnSeTe QDs with dilute and heavy Te contents based on multiple spectroscopic characterizations and first‐principles calculation. In the case of dilute Te incorporation (Te/Se < 20%), the low‐energy tail of the asymmetric emission is ascribed to the recombination from the localized state induced by Te clusters, and the the hot carrier localization process occurs within a timescale of ≈500 fs. As the Te/Se ratio increases above 20%, the charge density difference shows a uniform distribution due to the decrease in electronegativity contrast, such that the carriers become delocalized and tail emission disappears. Meanwhile, the emission line‐width broadens mainly originating from the inhomogeneous broadening effect. These findings are constructive for developing sustainable QDs toward optoelectronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) from pure organic materials, whether in crystalline or film phases, has recently attracted considerable attention. Experimental evidence increasingly suggests that RTP originates from isomeric dopants (impurity) rather than pure compounds. The underlying mechanism and molecular design principles have remained elusive. Herein, the "heterofission mechanism" for RTP is proposed, wherein a singlet excited state is split into two triplets, one remains within the host, while the other migrates to the guest (dopant) molecule, satisfying Ehost(S1) ≈ Ehost(T1) + Eguest(T1). It is found that all the dopants possess a low triplet excited state, meeting the energy requirement for the heterofission process. The sum of the calculated emission spectra from these two triplets overlaps well with the experimentally measured broad phosphorescent spectra. Furthermore, the calculated heterofission rates are expected to occur at the picosecond timescale. Efficient Dexter energy transfer leads to the guest predominantly dominating the RTP. Based on this mechanism, we can predict potential host and guest candidates to expand the family of pure organic RTP materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MXene‐based aerogels are promising candidates for wearable electronics due to their unique structures and properties. However, the reported MXene‐based aerogels show poor stretchability, significantly restricting their applications in wearable electronics. Herein, unprecedented highly stretchable MXene‐based aerogels with crimpled and reentrant microstructures are developed via synergistic assembly of MXene and flexible polymers combined with uniaxial and biaxial hot‐pressing strategies. The uniaxially hot‐pressed MXene‐based meta‐aerogels show compressed and crimpled microstructures and combine ultrahigh stretchability up to 427%, high elasticity, high compressibility, high fatigue resistance upon compression and stretching, and near‐zero Poisson's ratios. The biaxially hot‐pressed MXene‐based meta‐aerogels exhibit reentrant microstructures and achieve high stretchability and negative Poisson's ratios upon stretching in different directions, which have never been realized by traditional aerogels. It is demonstrated that they can be used for ultrabroad‐range pressure/strain sensors, highly stretchable triboelectric nanogenerators, and smart thermal management with tunable thermal insulation and Joule heating performances achieved by stretching. This work opens a new way to highly stretchable aerogels with near‐zero and negative Poisson's ratios promising in wearable electronics, nanogenerators, thermal management, energy storage, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart cities are increasingly evolving, initializing new strategies, and programs that have a significant influence on policy making and scheduling while coexisting with urban facilities. To recognize urban planning offers to a smarter city context, it is now necessary to understand the contribution of the smart city in overall urban planning and vice versa. Currently, transportation has been seen as a connection to all aspects of life across the world. This article presents the results of a survey testing into whether the public supports the concept of green transportation in the smart cities. The green urban mobility model has been proposed to investigate urban traffic information to characterize important features of smart mobility in the smart cities. The development of intelligent transportation systems using the proposed model that makes traffic easier in the city to transport safe and more comfortable. The experimental results suggest the required factors of green transportation and realistic behavior of smart mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Glial cell‐derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) maintains gut homeostasis. Dopamine promotes GDNF release in astrocytes. We investigated the regulation by dopamine of colonic GDNF secretion. Experimental Approach: D1 receptor knockout (D1R−/−) mice, adeno‐associated viral 9‐short hairpin RNA carrying D2 receptor (AAV9‐shD2R)‐treated mice, 6‐hydroxydopamine treated (6‐OHDA) rats and primary enteric glial cells (EGCs) culture were used. Incubation fluid from colonic submucosal plexus and longitudinal muscle myenteric plexus were collected for GDNF and ACh measurements. Key Results: D2 receptor‐immunoreactivity (IR), but not D1 receptor‐IR, was observed on EGCs. Both D1 receptor‐IR and D2 receptor‐IR were co‐localized on cholinergic neurons. Low concentrations of dopamine induced colonic GDNF secretion in a concentration‐dependent manner, which was mimicked by the D1 receptor agonist SKF38393, inhibited by TTX and atropine and eliminated in D1R−/− mice. SKF38393‐induced colonic ACh release was absent in D1R−/− mice. High concentrations of dopamine suppressed colonic GDNF secretion, which was mimicked by the D2 receptor agonist quinpirole, and absent in AAV‐shD2R‐treated mice. Quinpirole decreased GDNF secretion by reducing intracellular Ca2+ levels in primary cultured EGCs. Carbachol (ACh analogue) promoted the release of GDNF. Quinpirole inhibited colonic ACh release, which was eliminated in the AAV9‐shD2R‐treated mice. 6‐OHDA treated rats with low ACh and high dopamine content showed decreased GDNF content and increased mucosal permeability in the colon. Conclusion and Implications: Low concentrations of dopamine promote colonic GDNF secretion via D1 receptors on cholinergic neurons, whereas high concentrations of dopamine inhibit GDNF secretion via D2 receptors on EGCs and/or cholinergic neurons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In gastric cancer (GC), the liver is a common organ for distant metastasis, and patients with gastric cancer with liver metastasis (GCLM) generally have poor prognosis. The mechanism of GCLM is unclear. Invadopodia are special membrane protrusions formed by tumor cells that can degrade the basement membrane and ECM. Herein, we investigated the role of invadopodia in GCLM. We found that the levels of invadopodia‐associated proteins were significantly higher in liver metastasis than in the primary tumors of patients with GCLM. Furthermore, GC cells could activate hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) within the tumor microenvironment of liver metastases through the secretion of platelet‐derived growth factor subunit B (PDGFB). Activated HSCs secreted hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), which activated the MET proto‐oncogene, MET receptor of GC cells, thereby promoting invadopodia formation through the PI3K/AKT pathway and subsequently enhancing the invasion and metastasis of GC cells. Therefore, cross‐talk between GC cells and HSCs by PDGFB/platelet derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFRβ) and the HGF/MET axis might represent potential therapeutic targets to treat GCLM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Currently available therapies for neuropathic pain show limited efficacy. This study aimed to investigate the anti‐nociceptive effect of the spirocyclopiperazinium salt compound LXM‐15 in spinal nerve ligation (SNL) rats and to explore the potential mechanisms. Methods: Mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia tests were used to evaluate the effects of LXM‐15 in SNL rats. The expression of CaMKIIα, CREB, JAK2, STAT3, c‐fos and TNF‐α was detected by western blotting, ELISA or qRT‐PCR analysis. Receptor blocking test was performed to explore possible target. Results: Administration of LXM‐15 (1, 0.5, 0.25 mg/kg, i.g.) dose‐dependently attenuated mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia in rats subjected to SNL (p < 0.01, p < 0.05), and the effects were completely blocked by peripheral α7 nicotinic or M4 muscarinic receptor antagonist (p > 0.05). LXM‐15 significantly decreased the overexpression of phosphorylated CaMKIIα, CREB, JAK2 and STAT3 proteins and the mRNA levels of TNF‐α and c‐fos (p < 0.01, p < 05). All of the effects could be blocked by α7 or M4 receptor antagonist. Furthermore, LXM‐15 reduced the protein expression of TNF‐α and c‐fos (p < 0.01, p < 0.05). No significant acute toxicity or abnormal hepatorenal function was observed. Conclusions: This is the first study to report that LXM‐15 exerts significant anti‐nociceptive effect on SNL rats. This effect may occur by activating peripheral α7 nicotinic and M4 muscarinic receptors, further inhibiting the CaMKIIα/CREB and JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathways, and finally inhibiting the expression of TNF‐α and c‐fos. Significance: Existing treatments for neuropathic pain show limited efficacy with severe adverse reactions. This paper is the first to report that LXM‐15, a new spirocyclopiperazinium salt compound, exerts a significant anti‐nociception in SNL rats without obvious toxicity. The underlying mechanisms include activating peripheral α7 nicotinic and M4 muscarinic receptors, then inhibiting the signalling pathways of CaMKIIα/CREB and JAK2/STAT3 and the expressions of TNF‐α and c‐fos. This study sheds new light on the development of novel analgesic drugs with fewer side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of hydrogels with bio‐friendly functional components through simple and efficient strategies to construct wound dressings with broad‐spectrum antibacterial and immunomodulatory properties to promote the healing of infected diabetic wounds is highly desirable but remains a major challenge. Here, wormwood essential oil (WEO) is effectively encapsulated in the hydrogel via an O/W‐Pickering emulsion during the polymerization of methacrylic anhydride gelatin (GelMA), acrylamide (AM), and acrylic acid N‐hydroxysuccinimide ester (AAc‐NHS) to form a multifunctional hydrogel dressing (HD‐WEO). Compared with conventional emulsions, Pickering emulsions not only improve the encapsulation stability of the WEO, but also enhance the tensile and swelling properties of hydrogel. The synergistic interaction of WEO's diverse bioactive components provides a broad‐spectrum antibacterial activity against S. aureus, E. coli, and MRSA. In addition, the HD‐WEO can induce the polarization of macrophages from M1 to M2 phenotype. With these advantages, the broad‐spectrum antibacterial and immunomodulatory HD‐WEO effectively promotes the collagen deposition and neovascularization, thereby accelerating the healing of MRSA‐infected diabetic wounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation of para‐Hisian accessory pathways (APs) can be challenging due to proximity to the conduction system. Methods: A total of 30 consecutive patients with para‐Hisian AP were enrolled for ablation in three centers, 12 (40%) of whom had previously failed attempted ablation from the inferior vena cava (IVC) approach. Ablation was preferentially performed using a superior approach from the superior vena cava (SVC) in all patients. Results: The para‐Hisian AP was eliminated from the SVC approach in 28 of 30 (93.3%) patients. In the remaining two patients, additional ablation from IVC was required to successfully eliminate the AP. There were two patients experienced reversible complete atrial‐ventricular block and PR prolongation during the first RF application. Long‐term freedom from recurrent arrhythmia was achieved in 29 (96.7%) patients over a mean follow‐up duration of 15.6 ± 4.6 months. Conclusion: Catheter ablation of para‐Hisian AP from above using a direct SVC approach is both safe and effective, and should be considered especially in patients who have failed conventional ablation attempts from IVC approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and effective method was reported for the rapid synthesis of zeolite X from kaolin by adding a template agent. The results of X‐ray diffraction confirm the good crystallinity of the synthesized X‐zeolite with lamellar structure. Transmission electron microscopy images clearly demonstrate the lamellar structure of the synthesized X‐zeolite. The corresponding selective electron diffraction pattern suggests that the crystal structure of X‐type zeolite is octahedral. The co‐existence and uniform distribution of Si, Al, O, and Na in the layered structure of the synthesized X‐type zeolite are detected by element mapping. In addition, N2 adsorption–desorption measurement indicates that the specific surface area of the lamellar zeolite X is 153.4625 m2 g−1. The micropore surface area is 148.8374 m2 g−1, and the micropore volume is 0.073377 m2 g−1. After exploring the influence of different temperatures on the adsorption of carbon dioxide, the research shows that two‐dimensional zeolite X has the best adsorption capacity for carbon dioxide. The adsorption and separation performance of CO2/CH4 was investigated. The study showed that the adsorption and separation coefficient of two‐dimensional zeolite X was the highest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite light‐emitting diodes (PeLEDs) have shown great potential for low‐cost display and lighting technologies, and all‐inorganic blue PeLEDs are recognized as a promising substitute for blue fluorescent/phosphorescent organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) owing to their superior color purity and great stability potential. However, confined by the solution fabrication process, depositing multi‐layered white PeLEDs remains a challenge. Here, a newly designed hybrid perovskite/organic tandem white LED (POTWLED), integrated with a bottom blue PeLED unit and a top orange/(orange + red) OLED unit, to prevent damage to the underlying perovskite layer caused by the deposition of the top emitting layers, is reported. To optimize the performance of POTWLEDs, a conductive passivator of 2,8‐bis(diphenylphosphoryl)dibenzo[b,d] thiophene, with a strong surface binding group of P═O, is introduced to passivate perovskite defects, which promotes a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 17.3% for blue PeLEDs with an emission peak at 488 nm. As a result, based on the optimized blue PeLED units, a maximum EQE of 23.9% with a low color temperature of 2522 K is obtained for POTWLEDs, which is the highest efficiency for perovskite‐based WLEDs, illustrating the great potential of the hybrid tandem device in fabricating high‐performance perovskite‐based WLEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study examines how a student‐generated meme activity influences adult learners' interaction in online class discussions. A multiple‐case design is applied to understand how this class discussion activity facilitates online threaded interactions. This study recruited 28 adult learners from a two‐section graduate‐level asynchronous online class. Findings show that entertaining and easy to relate to meme activity generated by students engages adult learners in discussion activities for active learning. It helps learners quickly open up to each other to share and learn from each other. This discussion activity offers an alternative to releasing their emotions and feelings individually and collectively benefits adult learners when approaching new learning. It also shows the advantages of using a discussion activity connecting diverse adult learners and building a sense of community for social support while supporting each other for new learning. Findings indicate a significant role also played by the instructor in facilitating interactions. Our study provides insights into integrating internet tools (memes) with discussion activity for active learning in a fully asynchronous online discussion board. Practitioner points: Adult learners using memes to share similar experiences and feelings regarding using technology with their peers would create resonation, strengthen the peer connection, develop a sense of community, and motivate them to express their thoughts on the discussion board openly.Discussing challenges and teaching strategies for using technology inspires adult learners to relate to the learning topic of the week, indicating this activity can be used when discussing topics with an entertaining effect.Student‐generated memes activity is a relate‐create‐donate process, which is a practical approach for adult learners to create and interpret images, reflect, and discuss their prior and current experiences related to the learning content, and donate their knowledge and teaching skills to the class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the importance of feminist approaches in adult education, specifically in relation to gender, race, and class. It highlights the work of feminist scholars who offer a nuanced understanding of the intersectionality of these issues and the power dynamics within education. The article also discusses the limitations of intersectional approaches and proposes the inclusion of other inequalities and complexities. It includes various papers that delve into topics such as intersectionality, intimate partner violence, challenges faced by international women faculty, and the contributions of Black feminism. The overall aim is to promote social justice and create more equitable and transformative educational experiences. [Extracted from the article]