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Background: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) suffer a higher risk of death, and it is necessary to develop prediction tools for mortality risk in critically ill patients with AF. This study aimed to develop a novel predictive nomogram of in‐hospital mortality after 48 h in the coronary care unit (CCU) for patients with AF. Methods: We collected information on CCU patients with AF from the "Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care‐III" database and developed a nomogram model for predicting the all‐cause mortality risk after 48 h in the hospital. Key variables were selected by univariate logistic and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression. The independent predictors with p < 0.05 were screened out by multivariate logistic regression. A predictive nomogram was constructed using these independent predictors, and the model calibration and discrimination were evaluated. Results: This study finally enrolled 1248 CCU patients with AF, and the in‐hospital mortality was 17% (209/1248). The predictive nomogram was constructed by 13 selected independent predictors, including age, smoking status, acute kidney injury, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ventricular arrhythmia, shock, urea, red cell distribution width, leucocytosis, continuous renal replacement therapy, continuous positive airway pressure, anticoagulation, and heart rate. The area under the curve of the nomogram was 0.803 (95% confidence interval 0.771–0.835). The nomogram was verified to have good accuracy and calibration. Conclusions: This study developed a novel nomogram containing age, acute kidney injury, and heart rate that can be a good predictor of potential in‐hospital mortality after 48 h in CCU patients with AF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polarization‐sensitive infrared (IR) photodetection plays an important role in fiber optic communication, environmental monitoring, and remote sensing imaging. Semiconductors with quasi‐1D crystal structures exhibit unique optical and electrical properties due to their 1D carrier transport channels and large surface area‐to‐volume ratio, offering the possibility of high‐performance photodetectors with high photogain (G), polarization sensitivity photodetection. Herein, an ultra‐broadband photodetection (405 nm–10.6 µm) based on a quasi‐1D (TaSe4)2I single‐crystal nanowire is reported. The (TaSe4)2I photodetector exhibits excellent polarization‐sensitive photodetection, with a high dichroic ratio of Imax/Imin = 2.32 under 637 nm illumination. Notably, the (TaSe4)2I nanowire photodetector exhibits a competitive performance in uncooled mid‐wave infrared (MWIR) detection with a high photoresponsivity (R) of 110.5 AW−1 and specific detectivity (D*) of 4.8 × 1010 cmHz1/2W−1. Moreover, in the long‐wave infrared (LWIR) spectral range, an R of 67.6 mAW−1 is demonstrated at room temperature (RT). The (TaSe4)2I nanowire photodetector enables significant advancements for polarization‐sensitive and uncooled MWIR and LWIR photodetection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High performance solution‐processable deep‐blue emitters with a Commission International de l′Eclairage (CIE) coordinate of CIEy≤0.08 are highly desired in ultrahigh‐definition display. Although, deep‐blue materials with hybridized local and charge‐transfer (HLCT) excited‐state feature are promising candidates, their rigidity and planar molecular structures limit their application in solution‐processing technique. Herein, four novel deep‐blue solution‐processable HLCT emitters were first proposed by attaching rigid imide aliphatic rings as functional units onto the HLCT emitting core. The functional units not only improve solubility, enhance thermal properties and morphological stability of the emitting core, but also promote photoluminescence efficiency, balance charge carrier transport, and inhibit aggregation‐caused quenching effect due to the weak electron‐withdrawing property as well as steric hindrance. The corresponding solution‐processable organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) substantiate an unprecedented maximum external quantum efficiency (EQEmax) of 11.5 % with an emission peak at 456 nm and excellent colour purity (full width at half maximum=56 nm and CIEy=0.09). These efficiencies represent the state‐of‐the‐art device performance among the solution‐processable blue OLEDs based on the "hot exciton" mechanism. This simple strategy opens up a new avenue for designing highly efficient solution‐processable deep‐blue organic luminescent materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Codonopsis pilosula (Franch.) Nannf. is an essential traditional medicinal herb in China. Soil sickness caused by continuous cropping is the main reason for the yield reduction of C. pilosula. However, because of the lack of systematic research on the mechanism of continuous cropping obstacles in C. pilosula, there is a lack of effective measures to reduce or even restrain the disorder of continuous cropping obstacles in C. pilosula. The root system, inter‐root soil microorganisms and non‐inter‐root soil of C. pilosula under a continuous cropping system (e.g. crop rotation, two consecutive crops and three consecutive crops) as well as under different mulching methods (the mulched film and the uncovered) were used as experimental materials for the study. The plant growth of C. pilosula was significantly inhibited when continuous cropping reached 2 years. At the same time, the mulched film significantly (p <.05) promoted the development of C. pilosula under continuous cropping and considerably mitigated the plant death rate of C. pilosula in all fields. The content of soil nutrients, such as organic matter and inorganic nitrogen, decreased with increasing years of continuous cropping. In contrast, the mulched film improved this soil nutrient in continuous cropping. There was a tendency for the number of endemic operational taxonomic units (OTUs) to decrease in continuous cropping. Additionally, the mulched film altered the distribution of shared and endemic OTUs in the samples and had a recruiting effect on inter‐root microorganisms in continuous cropping. Betaproteobacteriales flora abundance decreased with increasing years of continuous cropping, which showed a strong positive correlation with the immune system and environmental adaptation function. The mulched film increased the abundance of beneficial microorganisms, such as AKAU4049, Betaproteobacteriales and Gaiellales, to adapt and improve the continuous crop disorder of C. pilosula. In conclusion, mulching can enhance the soil environment and facilitate the growth and development of C. pilosula during continuous cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Narrow bandgap 2D layered material platinum selenide (PtSe2) with good environmental stability, high carrier mobility, and high light absorption, has been widely investigated for uncooled midwave‐infrared (MWIR) photodetection. However, the phototransistor based on the PtSe2 operation at room temperature suffered from the high dark current and background noise. Here, a graphene (G)‐enhanced G‐WSe2/PtSe2 hetero‐diode placed on a metal electrode is reported. To enhance the photogain, a graphene layer placed on the WSe2/PtSe2 heterodiode as a local gating layer is designed. The device exhibits an ultra‐high light on/off ratio of up to 108 and ultra‐fast photoresponse speed with raising time τr = 0.9 µs and decay time of τd = 1.5 µs in the visible spectra range. Notably, ultrabroad band photoresponse from 405 to 3366 nm is demonstrated under the self‐power model. Notably, the device presented a competitive photovoltaic effect with a high energy conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.45%. The results pave the way toward a new approach to tuning the performance of the atomic thin layered materials photodetector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Next‐generation light source facilities offer extreme spatial and temporal resolving power, enabling multiscale, ultra‐fast and dynamic characterizations. However, a trade‐off between acquisition efficiency and data quality needs to be made to fully unleash the resolving potential, for which purpose powerful denoising algorithms to improve the signal‐to‐noise ratio of the acquired X‐ray images are desirable. Yet, existing models based on machine learning mostly require massive and diverse labeled training data. Here we introduce a self‐supervised pre‐training algorithm with blind denoising capability by exploring the intrinsic physical symmetry of X‐ray patterns without requiring high signal‐to‐noise ratio reference data. The algorithm is more efficient and effective than algorithms without symmetry involved, including an supervised algorithm. It allows us to recover physical information from spatially and temporally resolved data acquired in X‐ray diffraction/scattering and pair distribution function experiments, where pattern symmetry is often well preserved. This study facilitates photon‐hungry experiments as well as in situ experiments with dynamic loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel high‐temperature and high‐pressure foam evaluator with variable diameters inner cell and cylinder flip function was designed on our own, which can solve the problems such as difficulties in foam generation and inaccurate determination of various foam parameters by the same type of instruments, through which the foaming performance of more than 10 betaine surfactants was evaluated. The results show that: (1) the higher the pressure, the higher the foaming rate of the foaming agent and the more stable the foam, but the foam stability of the foamers at low and high pressures, and low and high temperatures do not correspond exactly, and the foaming agent used needs to be screened under simulated reservoir conditions. (2) The comprehensive foaming performance of different types of foamers with different molecular structures found that hydroxy sulfobetaine with longer carbon chains has a relatively better foaming performance. Therefore, for the reservoir conditions of temperature 130°C, pressure 30 MPa, and salinity 22 × 104 mg/L, hydroxy sulfobetaine, which does not contain an amide group in the molecule, can be considered preferentially as a foaming agent. The results can guide the selection of foaming agents for high‐temperature and high‐salinity reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Warfarin is a widely used anticoagulant, and its S‐enantiomer has higher potency compared to the R‐enantiomer. S‐warfarin is mainly metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C9, and its pharmacological target is vitamin K epoxide reductase complex subunit 1 (VKORC1). Both CYP2C9 and VKORC1 have genetic polymorphisms, leading to large variations in the pharmacokinetics (PKs) and pharmacodynamics (PDs) of warfarin in the population. This makes dosage management of warfarin difficult, especially in the case of drug–drug interactions (DDIs). This study provides a whole‐body physiologically‐based pharmacokinetic/PD (PBPK/PD) model of S‐warfarin for predicting the effects of drug–drug−gene interactions on S‐warfarin PKs and PDs. The PBPK/PD model of S‐warfarin was developed in PK‐Sim and MoBi. Drug‐dependent parameters were obtained from the literature or optimized. Of the 34 S‐warfarin plasma concentration‐time profiles used, 96% predicted plasma concentrations within twofold range compared to observed data. For S‐warfarin plasma concentration‐time profiles with CYP2C9 genotype, 364 of 386 predicted plasma concentration values (~94%) fell within the twofold of the observed values. This model was tested in DDI predictions with fluconazole as CYP2C9 perpetrators, with all predicted DDI area under the plasma concentration‐time curve to the last measurable timepoint (AUClast) ratio within twofold of the observed values. The anticoagulant effect of S‐warfarin was described using an indirect response model, with all predicted international normalized ratio (INR) within twofold of the observed values. This model also incorporates a dose‐adjustment method that can be used for dose adjustment and predict INR when warfarin is used in combination with CYP2C9 perpetrators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpretation of the locomotion of biostratigraphically important graptolite taxa is rare, and rendered problematic due to a lack of close modern analogues and soft tissues. In this study, based on well‐preserved specimens of the early Silurian low‐helical spiral Demirastrites Eisel, we reconstructed three‐dimensional Demirastrites models and simulated their locomotion using computational fluid dynamics. Hydrodynamic properties (outer‐wall pressure fields and velocity fields) were obtained and used to test the prevailing hypothesis that the Silurian low helical spiral graptolite Demirastrites could rotate in seawater. The Demirastrites models kept rotating at different velocities in the simulation field, which helped to counteract the impact of the water current and achieve stability. During rotation, higher velocity fields could be observed near the thecal apertures, which meant better access to more nutrient particles in the sea water. Our simulation thus confirmed the rotating locomotory pattern of the Silurian low conical graptolite Demirastrites for the purpose of better feeding efficiency and tubarium stability. Moreover, we analysed how the evolution of structural innovations, such as the density and width of thecae and angle of proximal curvature of the tubarium within the recovered geological lineages of Demirastrites, were influenced and selected by hydrodynamics. The results showed that Demirastrites lineages evolved towards increased stability and higher rotation velocity. Our study highlights the importance of hydrodynamic constraints serving as hidden abiotic factors shaping the evolution of planktonic graptolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enantioselective access to polycyclic tetrahydroxanthone compounds was achieved through an organocatalyzed cascade reaction of alkene‐substituted 1,3‐diketones and alkenyloxindoles, using quinine‐derived squaramide as an efficient catalyst. It afforded a variety of optically active spirooxindole‐based tetrahydroxanthones with 18–94% yields, >19:1 dr, and 86–99% ee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore the epidemiology of plaque‐induced gingivitis and related factors among Chinese adolescents. Materials and Methods: This cross‐sectional survey comprised 118,601 schoolchildren in the 12–15‐year age group. Data came from the National Oral Health Survey in mainland China. The field investigation was conducted according to the World Health Organization guidelines. The new 2018 case definition for plaque‐induced gingivitis was used. Participants underwent clinical examinations and completed a structured questionnaire. Bleeding on probing (BOP) was performed on all teeth. Multinomial logistic regression was used to explore the factors related to the extent of gingivitis. Results: Nearly half of the study population (47.3%) had plaque‐induced gingivitis; 23.9% and 23.3% presented with localised and generalised gingivitis, respectively. The first molars were the most affected by BOP. Well‐established factors, such as demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, local factors and smoking habits, were significantly associated with the extent of gingivitis. Odds ratios for localised and generalised gingivitis increased with the decrease in frequency of toothbrushing with a fluoride dentifrice. Conclusions: The study population had high plaque‐induced gingivitis prevalence. The extent of gingivitis appeared to have a dose–response relationship with the frequency of toothbrushing with a fluoride dentifrice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the mechanisms underlying diapause formation is crucial for gaining insight into adaptive survival strategies across various species. In this study, we aimed to uncover the pivotal role of temperature and food availability in regulating diapausing podocyst formation in the jellyfish Aurelia coerulea. Furthermore, we explored the cellular and molecular basis of diapause formation using single‐cell RNA sequencing. Our results showed cell‐type‐specific transcriptional landscapes during podocyst formation, which were underscored by the activation of specific transcription factors and signalling pathways. In addition, we found that the heat shock protein‐coding genes HSC70 and HSP90a potentially act as hub genes that regulate podocyst formation. Finally, we mapped the single‐cell atlas of diapausing podocysts and identified cell types involved in metabolism, environmental sensing, defence and development that may collectively contribute to the long‐term survival and regulated excystment of diapausing podocysts. Taken together, the findings of this study provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms that regulate diapause formation and contributes to a better understanding of adaptive survival strategies in a variety of ecological contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermomorphogenesis and the heat shock (HS) response are distinct thermal responses in plants that are regulated by PHYTOCHROME‐INTERACTING FACTOR 4 (PIF4) and HEAT SHOCK FACTOR A1s (HSFA1s), respectively. Little is known about whether these responses are interconnected and whether they are activated by similar mechanisms. An analysis of transcriptome dynamics in response to warm temperature (28°C) treatment revealed that 30 min of exposure activated the expression of a subset of HSFA1 target genes in Arabidopsis thaliana. Meanwhile, a loss‐of‐function HSFA1 quadruple mutant (hsfa1‐cq) was insensitive to warm temperature‐induced hypocotyl growth. In hsfa1‐cq plants grown at 28°C, the protein and transcript levels of PIF4 were greatly reduced, and the circadian rhythm of many thermomorphogenesis‐related genes (including PIF4) was disturbed. Additionally, the nuclear localization of HSFA1s and the binding of HSFA1d to the PIF4 promoter increased following warm temperature exposure, whereas PIF4 overexpression in hsfa1‐cq partially rescued the altered warm temperature‐induced hypocotyl growth of the mutant. Taken together, these results suggest that HSFA1s are required for PIF4 accumulation at a warm temperature, and they establish a central role for HSFA1s in regulating both thermomorphogenesis and HS responses in Arabidopsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Chondrosarcoma is a common bone malignancy, and the main treatment method is surgery. Different surgeries lead to different survival outcomes. The aim of this study was to construct a new clinical predictive tool to accurately predict the overall survival (OS) and cause specific survival (CSS) of patients with chondrosarcoma receiving different treatments. Methods: A total of 620 patients with chondrosarcoma registered between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2016 were recruited as study targets. The missing values are filled by multiple imputation. Two continuous variables, age and tumor size, were divided into binary variables based on Kaplan–Meier curve. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to explore predictors and establish nomograms. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to reduce the impact of potential confounders to determine whether different surgical modalities had any survival benefits in subgroups. Results: In a multivariate cox regression, age, grade, tumor size, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgical methods were identified as independent prognostic factors for chondrosarcoma. To construct 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year nomogram maps of OS and CSS with prognostic factors and verify the c index internally (OS, 0.807; CSS, 0.847) above American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) (OS, 0.685; CSS, 0.732). Conclusion: This study found that the 5 year overall survival rate of patients with non‐metastatic chondrosarcoma of the extremities was about 80%. Age, high malignancy, large tumor, prior chemoradiotherapy, and poor surgical selection were independent risk factors. Therefore, the nomogram established in this study will help to optimize clinicians' personalized decision making for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterovirus C96 (EV‐C96) is a recently discovered serotype belonging to enterovirus C species. It had been isolated from patients with acute flaccid paralysis, hand, foot, and mouth disease, diarrhea, healthy people, or environmental specimens. Despite increasing reports of the virus, the small number of full‐length genomes available for EV‐C96 has limited molecular epidemiological studies. In this study, newly collected rare EV‐C96 strains in China from 1997 to 2020 were combined with sequences available in GenBank for comprehensive analyses. Sequence analysis revealed that the nucleotide sequence similarity of EV‐C96 and the prototype strain (BAN00‐10488) was 75%–81.8% and the amino acid sequence similarity was 85%–94.9%. EV‐C96 had a high degree of genetic variation and could be divided into 15 genogroups. The mean evolutionary rate was 5.16 × 10−3 substitution/site/year, and the most recent common ancestor was dated to 1925. A recombination analysis revealed that EV‐C96 may be a recombinant derived from other serotypes in the EV‐C group in the nonstructural protein coding region. This comprehensive and integrated analysis of the whole genome sequence of EV‐C96 provides valuable data for further studies on the molecular epidemiology of EV‐C96 worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A range of industrial propylene‐based elastomers (PBEs) were investigated to disclose the relationship between the ethylene/propylene sequences distribution and the performance. The results of carbon‐13 nuclear magnetic resonance and Raman spectroscopy indicated that the majority of propylene sequences existed as isotactic polypropylene (iPP) segments and the stochastic insertion of ethylene sequences mainly in the form of ethylene–propylene (EP) segments. In this case, the amorphous EP chain segments joined by iPP crystals served as physical cross‐linking points, while the completeness of iPP crystallines was disturbed by the presence of ethylene sequences. Eventually, the ratios of imperfect short crystalline were gradually raised with the increasing ethylene contents, and even noncrystalline when the ethylene contents were higher than 15%. Accordingly, the features of these short crystalline networks played a decisive role of the mechanical properties of these PBEs. It was revealed that the higher contents of PPP segments led to more stiffness of PBEs. Therefore, the excessive insertion of ethylene sequences negatively affected the crystallization and mechanical performances of PBEs, and the optimal ethylene content was about 10%–15%. Additionally, in the case of similar molecular sequences, low‐molecular weight had adverse effect on strength or stiffness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the combined predictive value of the preoperative serum cancer antigen 125 (CA125) level and age at diagnosis among patients with early‐stage endometrial cancer (EC) after initial treatment. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from patients with early‐stage EC from 1999 to 2015 in multiple institutions in China. All 447 patients received postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy for FIGO 2009 stage I and II EC with complete data on preoperative serum CA125 levels. All patients were divided into four groups according to the ESMO‐ESGO‐ESTRO risk classification. The predictive probability of 5‐year overall survival (OS) and the sensitivity and specificity of CA125 and age were calculated. Results: The median follow‐up time was 59 months (3–201 months). The 5‐year OS and disease‐free survival rates were 94.4% and 89.1%. Multivariate analysis showed that the preoperative CA125 level and age at diagnosis were independent prognostic factors for 5‐year OS. The area under the curve for CA125 combined with age at diagnosis for 5‐year OS was.692, and the corresponding sensitivity and specificity were 68.2% and 68.2% (p <.002), which were significantly better than the corresponding values for CA125 or age alone. After all 447 patients were divided into four groups according to CA125 combined with age, the 5‐year OS of the elderly and higher CA125 group was only 73.7%. Conclusions: Although preoperative CA125 had limited sensitivity in predicting the prognosis for early‐stage EC after initial treatment, it remains a useful serum marker for risk assessment of early‐stage EC. Combining CA125 with age may increase its predictive sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) polymers with rigid ring structures like NB in the polymer chain enhance the toughness greatly, but also cause high brittleness of the material, which limits its application. Modification of COC for toughness by the addition of styrene‐butadiene‐styrene block copolymer (SBS) and polystyrene‐block‐poly(ethene‐co‐butyl‐1‐ene)‐block‐polystyrene (SEBS) elastomers of styrene content in SEBS is done. Field emission scanning electron microscope shows that tougheners are uniformly dispersed in the COC matrix without a visible interface between the two phases, which is also supported by the Cole‐Cole and Han curves. Rheological behavior indicates that the addition of SBS and SEBS makes the COC/SBS/SEBS composites to have higher elastic modulus, loss modulus, and composite viscosity than that of pure COC. Furthermore, the tensile strength of the composite presents 3.6 times higher than pure COC, while the elongation at break is 6.3 times higher than pure COC. The dynamic mechanical analysis reveals that the COC and tougheners are well blended, and the SBS and SEBS toughen the COC in agreement with the results of morphological and rheological behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we presented a one‐step melt‐blending method to fabricate polypropylene (PP)/polycarbonate (PC) light‐diffusing materials. A promising balance between haze and transmittance was obtained by the addition of small amount of PC to the matrix. On the basis of Mie scattering theory and morphology analysis, the correlation between processing conditions and light‐diffusing properties was built. Low rotor speed and high viscosity ratio were beneficial to optical properties of PP/PC composites. To extend the advanced application, two general anti‐ultraviolet additives nanoscale titanium dioxide (Nano‐TiO2) and 2‐(2‐hydroxy‐5‐methylphenyl) benzotriazole (UV‐P) were added to impart UV‐shielding property to the composites. Their specific influences on the morphology and comprehensive properties of PP/PC composites were studied. It was found that the introduction of Rayleigh scattering raised by Nano‐TiO2 could strengthen the scattering effect and cause a significant reduction in light transmittance, while UV‐P had little effect on the optical properties of the light‐diffusing composites. In summary, this study prepared the PP/PC composites with high‐performance light scattering and UV‐shielding properties applying a facile blending method, which showed a potential application in flexible lightings and LCD displays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the clinical outcomes and recurrence patterns of high‐intermediate‐risk (HIR)‐ and high‐risk (HR) early‐stage endometrial cancer (EC) treated with postoperative intracavitary brachytherapy alone. Methods: We included 152 patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage I‐II endometrial cancer with HIR and HR factors who received vaginal brachytherapy alone after surgery in our center between April 2008 and December 2017. The irradiation area was the top and upper halves of the vagina. The reference point was defined as 0.5 cm below the vaginal mucosa. The radiation dose was 25–30 Gy 5–6 times. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to calculate the survival rate; differences were assessed using the log‐rank test, and univariate and multivariate prognostic analyses were performed using the Cox regression model. Result: The median follow‐up was 49.2 months (range 3–132 months). The 5‐year overall survival (OS), disease‐free survival (DFS), locoregional failure‐free survival time (LRFS), and distant metastasis‐free survival (DMFS) rates were 93.2%, 83.4%, 87.9%, and 86.6%, respectively. Treatment failure occurred in 18 patients, locoregional recurrence in 11, and distant metastasis in 14 (four with locoregional recurrence). Distant metastasis is the main recurrence pattern in patients at HIR and HR. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that age was an independent prognostic factor for OS, DFS, DMFS, and LRFS. Conclusion: The main recurrence pattern after adjuvant vaginal brachytherapy alone was distant metastasis in patients with HIR and HR early‐stage EC. Age at onset was an independent prognostic factor for survival. Vaginal brachytherapy alone is an acceptable treatment option for patients with HIR and HR early‐stage endometrial cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non‐invasive and rapid imaging technique at subcellular resolution is significantly important for multiple biological applications such as cell fate study. Label‐free refractive‐index (RI)‐based 3D tomographic imaging constitutes an excellent candidate for 3D imaging of cellular structures, but its full potential in long‐term spatiotemporal cell fate observation is locked due to the lack of an efficient integrated system. Here, a long‐term 3D RI imaging system incorporating a cutting‐edge white light diffraction phase microscopy module with spatiotemporal stability, and an acoustofluidic device to roll and culture single cells in a customized live cell culture chamber is reported. Using this system, 3D RI imaging experiments are conducted for 250 cells and demonstrate efficient cell identification with high accuracy. Importantly, long‐term and frequency‐on‐demand 3D RI imaging of K562 and MCF‐7 cancer cells reveal different characteristics during normal cell growth, drug‐induced cell apoptosis, and necrosis of drug‐treated cells. Overall, it is believed that the proposed 3D tomographic imaging technique opens up a new avenue for visualizing intracellular structures and will find many applications such as disease diagnosis and nanomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Levetiracetam (LEV) is an anti‐epileptic drug approved for use in various populations. The pharmacokinetic (PK) behavior of LEV may be altered in the elderly and patients with renal and hepatic impairment. Thus, dosage adjustment is required. This study was conducted to investigate how the physiologically‐based PK (PBPK) model describes the PKs of LEV in adult and elderly populations, as well as to predict the PKs of LEV in patients with renal and hepatic impairment in both populations. The whole‐body PBPK models were developed using the reported physicochemical properties of LEV and clinical data. The models were validated using data from clinical studies with different dose ranges and different routes and intervals of administration. The fit performance of the models was assessed by comparing predicted and observed blood concentration data and PK parameters. It is recommended that the doses be reduced to ~70%, 60%, and 45% of the adult dose for the mild, moderate, and severe renal impairment populations and ~95%, 80%, and 57% of the adult dose for the Child Pugh‐A (CP‐A), Child Pugh‐B (CP‐B), and Child Pugh‐C (CP‐C) hepatic impairment populations, respectively. No dose adjustment is required for the healthy elderly population, but dose reduction is required for the elderly with organ dysfunction accordingly, on a scale similar to that of adults. A PBPK model of LEV was successfully developed to optimize dosing regimens for special populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (AZIBs) may have applications in macroscale energy storage on account of their advantages of high‐safety, cost‐effectiveness, and ecofriendliness. As a promising application, flexible quasi‐solid‐state AZIBs (FQAZIBs) can withstand mechanical deformation, and can act as favorable power supply devices for wearable electronics. As FQAZIBs are one of the most exciting and rapidly ongoing topics among aqueous batteries, it is critical yet timely to summarize the latest development in this field, providing the much‐needed guidance for the fabrication of FQAZIBs. In this review, the recent progress and rational design strategies for FQAZIBs from mechanisms, design principles, and applications are systematically presented. First, the energy storage and flexible mechanisms of FQAZIBs are illuminated in detail. Subsequently, the design philosophies of FQAZIBs are also systematically elucidated. Moreover, the latest progress and practical applications of FQAZIBs in wearable electronics are reviewed in detail according to various functions such as compressibility, stretchability, electrochromic ability, anti‐freezing ability, self‐healing ability, self‐charging properties, photodetecting function, shape memory, biodegradability, and actuated function. Finally, some applications and promising prospects in the research area of FQAZIBs are demonstrated to supply guidelines on the exploitation of their practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant acclimation to salt and alkali stress is closely linked to the ability of the antioxidant system to mediate the scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, we investigated the effects of salt stress and alkali stress on ROS, antioxidant enzymes, transcriptome, and metabolome. The results showed that the levels of superoxide anions, hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde, and electrolyte leakage increased under salt and alkali stress, with higher concentrations observed under alkali stress than salt stress. The activities of superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1), peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7), catalase (EC 1.11.1.6), ascorbate peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.11), glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.4.2), dehydroascorbate reductase (EC 1.8.5.1), and monodehydroascorbate reductase (EC 1.6.5.4) varied under salt and alkali stress. The transcriptome analysis revealed the induction of signal transduction and metabolic processes and differential expression of genes encoding antioxidant enzymes in response to salt and alkali stress. The metabolome analysis demonstrated increased ascorbic acid and glutathione under salt stress, while most phenolic acids, flavonoids, and alkaloids increased under salt and alkali stress. Integrative analysis of the metabolome and transcriptome data revealed that the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway played a key role in the grapevine's response to salt stress. The total flavonoid content increased under salt and alkali stress, but the accumulation of flavonoids was higher under salt stress than alkali stress. In conclusion, our findings indicate significant differences in the antioxidant defense of grapevines under these two stresses, providing insight into distinct acclimation mechanisms in grapevine under salt and alkali stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to explore the potential plasma metabolism biomarkers reflecting the maintenance status of growing pigs. The repeated measurement design was used in this experiment, and six barrows (28.6 ± 0.5 kg BW) were selected and kept in metabolism crates. The feeding level in growing pigs close to ad libitum was 2400 kJ ME/kg BW0.6·day−1 during Day 1 to Day 7, while a feeding level of 782 kJ ME/kg BW0.6·day−1 was provided as energy requirement for maintenance during Day 8 to Day 14. Plasma samples of each pig were collected from the anterior vena cava on the morning of Day 8 and Day 15. The metabolites of plasma were determined by high‐resolution mass spectrometry using a metabolomics approach. Results showed that metabolomics analysis between ad libitum‐fed state and maintained status revealed differences in 16 compounds. Identified compounds were enriched in metabolic pathways related to linoleic acid metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, and alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism. In conclusion, linoleic acid metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, alanine, aspartate and glutamic acid metabolism pathways played a major regulatory role in the maintenance status of growing pigs. The potential metabolism biomarkers of maintenance in growing pigs were linoleic acid, glutamine and tyrosine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by creatures reducing impact damage, a novel semi‐active protection strategy to enhance impact resistance through structural adjustment is proposed. The heat‐activated shape memory composites (PCLE) consisting of polycaprolactone (PCL) and shear stiffening elastomer are first prepared. The PCLE with 50 wt.% PCL (PCLE‐50%) presents tensile strength of 0.46 MPa, fracture strain of 148%, high shape fixity and recovery rates (97.9% and 91.1%), and stable shape‐memory repeatability. Furthermore, various PCLE‐50%‐based structures are fabricated, which show reinforced anti‐impact performance after shape‐shifting. Loading from 300 mm, the maximum drop hammer impact force of no protection, PCLE‐50%, and deformed assembled single‐branch structure are 3.98 kN, 1.75 kN, and 0.93 kN, respectively. Additionally, assembled complex structures also exhibit exceptional energy absorption properties. Ultimately, intelligent clothing is successfully manufactured. Besides good anti‐impact effect, the clothing shows excellent thermal insulation capabilities whose surface temperature is 31.7 °C after heating for 600 s at 42 °C. This study provides an innovative means to develop deformable, wearable, and intelligent protective devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air‐stable layered structured cathodes with high voltage and good cycling stability are highly desired for the practical application of Na‐ion batteries. Herein, we report a P2‐Na2/3Ni2/3Te1/3O2 cathode that is stable in ambient air with an average operating voltage of ~3.8 V, demonstrating excellent cycling stability with a capacity retention of more than 92.7% after 500 cycles at 20 mA g−1 and good rate capability with 91.9% capacity utilization at 500 mA g−1 with respect to capacity at 5 mA g−1 between 2.0 and 4.0 V. When the upper cutoff voltage is increased to 4.4 V, P2‐Na2/3Ni2/3Te1/3O2 delivers a reversible capacity of 71.9 mAh g−1 and retains 91.8% of the capacity after 100 cycles at 20 mA g−1. The charge compensation during charge/discharge is mainly due to the redox couple of Ni2+/Ni3+ in the host with a small amount of contribution from oxygen. The stable structure of the material without phase transformation and with small volume change during charge‐discharge allows it to give excellent cycle performance especially when the upper cutoff voltage is not higher than 4.2 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt stress is a dominant environmental factor that restricts the growth and yield of crops. Nitrogen is an essential mineral element for plants, regulates various physiological and biochemical processes, and has been reported to enhance salt tolerance in plants. However, the crosstalk between salt and nitrogen in grapes is not well understood. In this study, we found that nitrogen supplementation (0.01 and 0.1 mol L−1 NH4NO3) significantly increased the accumulation of proline, chlorophyll, Na+, NH4+, and NO3−, while it reduced the malondialdehyde content and inhibited photosynthetic performance under salt stress conditions (200 mmol L−1 NaCl). Further transcriptome and metabolome analyses showed that a total of 4890 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 753 differently accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were identified. Joint omics results revealed that plant hormone signal transduction pathway connected the DEGs and DAMs. In‐depth analysis revealed that nitrogen supplementation increased the levels of endogenous abscisic acid, salicylic acid, and jasmonic acid by inducing the expression of 11, 4, and 13 genes related to their respective biosynthesis pathway. In contrast, endogenous indoleacetic acid content was significantly reduced due to the remarkable regulation of seven genes of its biosynthetic pathway. The modulation in hormone contents subsequently activated the differential expression of 13, 10, 12, and 29 genes of the respective downstream hormone signaling transduction pathways. Overall, all results indicate that moderate nitrogen supplementation could improve salt tolerance by regulating grape physiology and endogenous hormone homeostasis, as well as the expression of key genes in signaling pathways, which provides new insights into the interactions between mineral elements and salt stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The search for high‐performance resistive random‐access memory (RRAM) devices is essential to pave the way for highly efficient non‐Von Neumann computing architecture. Here, it is reported on an alloying approach using atomic layer deposition for a Zn‐doped HfOx‐based resistive random‐access memory (HfZnO RRAM), with improved performance. As compared with HfOx RRAM, the HfZnO RRAM exhibits reduced switching voltages (>20%) and switching energy (>3×), as well as better uniformity both in voltages and resistance states. Furthermore, the HfZnO RRAM exhibits stable retention exceeding 10 years, as well as write/erase endurance exceeding 105 cycles. In addition, excellent linearity and repeatability of conductance tuning can be achieved using the constant voltage pulse scheme, achieving ≈90% accuracy in a simulated multi‐layer perceptron network for the recognition of modified national institute of standards and technology database handwriting. The HfZnO RRAM is also characterized down to the temperature of 4 K, showing functionality and the elucidation of its carrier conduction mechanism. Hence, a potential pathway for doped‐RRAM to be used in a wide range of temperatures including quantum computing and deep‐space exploration is shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well‐preserved graptolites of the genus Kiaerograptus are first reported from the upper Tremadocian Yinchupu Formation in the Nanba section, Yiyang, Hunan Province, South China, including four species, i.e., Kiaerograptus lauzonensis (Erdtmann, 1966), Kiaerograptus stoermeri (Erdtmann, 1965), Kiaerograptus cf. supremus? Lindholm, 1991, and Kiaerograptus sp., which are robust in form. Based on these new specimens, the Kiaerograptus biozone is established for the first time in South China, increasing the late Tremadoc graptolite biozones in South China from four to five, in ascending order as follows: the Adelograptus tenellus biozone, the Aorograptus victoriae biozone, the Kiaerograptus biozone, the Sagenograptus murrayi biozone, and the Hunnegraptus copiosus biozone. A review of the occurrence records for robust Kiaerograptus species worldwide reveals that the distribution is restricted to the Aorograptus victoriae biozone and Kiaerograptus biozone in the late Tremadocian. This limited stratigraphical distribution makes Kiaerograptus a valuable taxon for precise biostratigraphical correlation at both the regional and global scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boreal forest and wetland have important influences on the development and protection of the ecosystem‐dominated Xing'an permafrost. However, the responses of different ecosystems to climate change and the impacts on the underlying permafrost are still unclear. Here, based on the multi‐period land use/land cover (LULC) data and long‐time series of air temperature, combined with the ordinary least squares (OLS) and ordinary kriging (OK) methods, the effects of land use and cover change (LUCC) on the distribution of mean annual air temperature (MAAT) and permafrost in Northeast China were analyzed. From 1980s to 2010s, MAAT showed an upward trend (0.025°C per yr) and extents of permafrost showed a decreasing trend (−3668 km2yr−1) in Northeast China. Permafrost degradation mainly occurred in forested land and grassland, with areal reductions of 4.0106 × 104 and 3.8754 × 104 km2, respectively. The transformation of LULC aggravates the degradation of permafrost. The conversions of forested land and grassland to cultivated land and forested land to grassland resulted in the shrinkage of permafrost extent by 6233 km2 from 1980s to 2010s. Our results confirm the significant impacts of LUCC on the Xing'an permafrost resulting in its degradation. Additionally, they can provide a scientific basis for ecological environment protection and restoration and sustainable development of boreal forest and wetland ecosystems in permafrost regions of Northeast China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light offers unique opportunities for controlling the activity of materials and biosystems with high spatiotemporal resolution. Molecular photoswitches are chromophores that undergo reversible isomerization between different states upon irradiation with light, allowing a convenient means to control their influence over the system of interest. However, a significant limitation of classical photoswitches is the requirement to initiate the switching in one or both directions using deleterious UV light with poor tissue penetration. Red‐shifted photoswitches are hence in high demand and have attracted keen recent research interest. In this Review, we highlight recent progress towards the development of visible‐ and NIR‐activated photoswitches characterized by distinct photochromic reaction mechanisms. We hope to inspire further endeavors in this field, allowing the full potential of these tools in biotechnology and materials chemistry applications to be realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drugs are frequently used for only chemotherapy that ignores their photophysical properties that potentially endow them with other therapeutic potency. Additionally, current photothermal‐chemotherapy replies on the codelivery of drugs and photothermal agents, but their spatiotemporal delivery and precise release is unsatisfactory. Herein, label‐free doxorubicin (DOX) polyprodrug nanoparticles (DPNs) are formulated from disulfide bonds‐tethered DOX polyprodrug amphiphiles (PDMA‐b‐PDOXM). Benefiting from boosted nonradiative decay of high‐density DOX, significant fluorescence quenching and photothermal effects are observed for DPNs without common photothermal agents. Upon cellular uptake and laser irradiation, the heat can promote lysosomal escape of DPNs into reductive cytosol, whereupon free DOX is released to activate chemotherapy and fluorescence, achieving rational cascade photothermal‐chemotherapy. The current label‐free polyprodrug strategy can make full use of drugs; it provides an alternative insight to extend the therapeutic domain of drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical properties of single cells are important label‐free biomarkers normally measured by expensive and complex imaging systems. To unlock this limit and allow mechanical properties comparable across different measurement platforms, camera‐free intrinsic mechanical cytometry (CFIMC) is proposed for on‐the‐fly measurement of two major intrinsic mechanical parameters, that is, Young's modulus E and fluidity β, of single cells. CFIMC adopts a framework that couples the impedance electrodes with the constriction channel spatially, so that the impedance signals contain the dynamic deformability information of the cell squeezing through the constriction channel. Deformation of the cell is thus extracted from the impedance signals and used to derive the intrinsic mechanical parameters. With reasonably high throughput (>500 cells min−1), CFIMC can successfully reveal the mechanical difference in cancer and normal cells (i.e., human breast cell lines MCF‐10A, MCF‐7, and MDA‐MB‐231), living and fixed cells, and pharmacological perturbations of the cytoskeleton. It is further found that 1 µM level concentration of Cytochalasin B may be the threshold for the treated cells to induce a significant cytoskeleton effect reflected by the mechanical parameters. It is envisioned that CFIMC provides an alternative avenue for high‐throughput and real‐time single‐cell intrinsic mechanical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self‐trapped excitons (STEs) exert a profound impact on the optical properties and device applications of 2D halide perovskites. Particularly distinct exciton self‐trapping and detrapping processes can facilitate the intelligent design of perovskite optoelectronic devices with emerging functionalities. Thus, a comprehensive understanding and regulation of exciton trapping and detrapping dynamics are highly desired. Herein, the authors report a 2D lead halide perovskite (BEA2PbBr4 where BEA is 2‐bromine ethylamine) with exceptional broadband photoluminescence (PL), which originates from multiple STE states. In particular, the unique energy‐level configuration of STEs with respect to free excitons is revealed by exploiting optical spectroscopy. Consequently, these distinct phenomena empower the broadband photodetection capability of BEA2PbBr4 photodetectors over a wide range from ultraviolet to near‐infrared wavelengths. These results provide an essential understanding of the intriguing photophysics of STEs and shed new light on the future development of single‐component perovskite broadband optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate site‐specific recurrent patterns via competing risks analysis and hazard function to provide evidence for adjuvant treatment and follow‐up for early staged endometrial cancer (EC). Methods: A total of 858 patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I–II EC who received adjuvant radiotherapy at our institution (2000–2017) were included. The radiotherapy modality comprised external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) with or without vaginal brachytherapy (VBT) or VBT alone. Competing risks analysis and hazard rate function were employed to evaluate the recurrence rate according to the ESMO–ESGO–ESTRO risk classification. Results: The 5‐year overall survival rates of the low‐risk (LR), intermediate‐risk (IR), high–intermediate risk (HIR), and high‐risk (HR) groups were 96.1%, 95%, 93%, and 89.7%, respectively (p = 0.018). Sixty‐eight patients developed recurrence. The 5‐year incidence of distant recurrence was the highest in the HR group (14.87%), followed by the HIR (7.71%), IR (5.27%), and LR (1.26%) groups (Gray's test, p < 0.001). The LR and IR groups showed late metastasis behaviors for distant metastasis. The HR group presented a large magnitude of distant metastasis with an early peak that increased beyond 3 years. Subgroup analysis revealed that EBRT±VBT tended to reduce the locoregional relapse rate compared with VBT in the HIR–HR group (2.36% vs. 7.73%, Gray's test, p = 0.08). Conclusion: The established competing risk modeling demonstrated different recurrence patterns across the risk groups and radiotherapy modes. A better understanding of the change in site‐specific recurrence behavior allows more targeted adjuvant treatment and surveillance regimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single‐cell and in situ cell‐based operation with nanopipette approach offers a possibility to elucidate the intracellular processes and may aid the improvement of therapy efficiency and precision. We present here a photo‐responsive hydrogel‐nanopipette hybrid system that can achieve single‐cell operation with high spatial/temporal resolution and negligible cell damage. This strategy overcomes long‐time obstacles in nanopipette single‐cell studies as high electric potential (ca. 1000 mV) or organic solvent is always used during operations, which would inevitably impose disturbance and damage to targeted cells. The light‐triggered system promotes a potential‐free, non‐invasive single‐cell injection, resulting in a well‐retained cell viability (90 % survival rate). Moreover, the photo‐driven injection enables a precisely dose‐controllable single‐cell drug delivery. Significantly reduced lethal doses of doxorubicin (163–217 fg cell−1) are demonstrated in corresponding cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motion tracking has attracted great attention in the fields of real‐time tracking, nanorobotics, and targeted therapy. For achieving more accurate motion tracking, the highly sensitive position‐sensitive detector (PSD) is desirable. Here, we demonstrate a meliorated PSD based on graphene‐Si heterojunction for motion tracking. The position sensitivity of PSD was improved by employing surface engineering of graphene. Through modulating the transport property of graphene, nearly 20‐fold increase of sensitivity was achieved under weak light, and at the same time, the detection limit power was reduced to ~ 2 nW. A motion tracking system was developed based on the improved PSD, and human arm swing was tracked, which demonstrated high sensitivity and real‐time tracking capabilities of the PSD. In addition, the PSD can support up to ~ 10 kHz high‐frequency tracking. This work provides a new strategy for improving the performance of PSD, and promotes the development of two‐dimensional materials in novel optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient synthesis of 1,2‐unsubstituted indolizines was developed via 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine‐1‐oxyl (TEMPO)–catalyzed decarboxylation reaction. A series of target products were successfully prepared with the tolerance of a variety of functional groups. This protocol features advantages such as easily available substrates, broad substituent scope, and eco‐friendly conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Trisodium phosphate (TSP), generally recognized as safe (GRAS), could control postharvest diseases and maintain fruit quality. However, changes of fruit quality and sucrose metabolism in harvested jujube after TSP treatment remain largely unknown. In the current study, jujube fruit (cv. sanxing) was used to study the effects of TSP on storage quality and sucrose metabolism during storage at 20 ± 2 °C with 40–50% relative humidity (RH). RESULTS: The results showed that 0.5 g L−1 TSP treatment reduced weight loss and reduced sugar content, suppressed the reduction of fruit firmness, maintained ascorbic acid (AsA) content and inhibited respiratory rate of jujube fruit. In addition, TSP treatment also reduced acid invertase (AI) and neutral invertase (NI) activities in sucrose metabolism in jujube fruit. Sucrose synthase‐cleavage (SS‐c), sucrose synthase‐synthesis (SS‐s) and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) activities were also suppressed by TSP treatment. CONCLUSION: Treatment with TSP could effectively reduce enzymes activities in sucrose metabolism and maintain storage quality of jujube fruit during storage. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As uniform and stable objects, deep convective clouds (DCCs) are often used to monitor the calibration stabilities of the reflective solar bands (RSBs) of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) onboard the Suomi National Polar‐orbiting Partnership. Traditionally, DCCs are identified by the legacy 11‐μm brightness temperature (BT11) threshold method. With the collocated Cross‐track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), a method of combining the BT difference between a water vapor absorption channel and a window channel to its measurement noise ratio (BNR) is adopted and applied to DCC identification. The BNR method improves the DCC detections over the legacy method because it is less contaminated with high clouds not thick and bright enough. Using observations from 2017 to 2018, the results show BNR has better performances than BT11 for identifying DCCs and monitoring RSBs. When comparing to BT11, BNR has more robust and invariant time series of monthly reflectance for all RSBs; that is, the standard deviation and total variation range (maximum‐minimum) are up to 47% smaller. Because BNR affects more on the left tails (less reflective) than the modes of the histograms of reflectance, the improvement is more significant on the mean reflectance than the mode. BNR detects fewer DCCs than BT11, but with more confidence. This allows the weekly and daily time series for monitoring RSBs in higher temporal frequencies. This method can be applied to other imagers with collocated advanced infrared sounders for detecting DCCs and monitoring the calibration stabilities of RSBs. Key Points: A method of combining CrIS brightness temperature difference to its measurement noise ratio for VIIRS DCC identification is introducedThe methodologies and technical approaches of monitoring VIIRS RSB calibrations using DCC with collocated CrIS measurements are developedThis method can be applied to other imagers with collocated advanced infrared sounders to monitor the calibration stabilities of RSBs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]