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There is increasing evidence of a significant association between the gut microbiome and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). However, whether this association is causal remains to be determined. This study was a two‐sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study using publicly available genome‐wide association study (GWAS) summary data to investigate the causal relationship between the gut microbiome and JIA. We used summary data on gut flora and JIA obtained from genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) from MiBioGen and NHGRI‐EBI, using inverse variance weighting as the main method to analyse causality in the TSMR causality analysis. To check the stability of the TSMR results, we performed several sensitivity analyses and assessed the presence of reverse causality through a reverse TSMR analysis. We calculated the degree of sample overlap where applicable. The current TSMR analyses identified four bacterial taxa associated with JIA. Specifically, two bacteria, Catenibacterium (p = 2 × 10–2) and Holdemania (p = 4 × 10–2), were negatively associated with the risk of developing JIA, suggesting a protective effect, while Olsenella (p = 1 × 10–2) and Rikenellaceae (RC9gutgroup) (p = 1 × 10–2) were positively associated with the risk of JIA, suggesting that these two bacteria may be risk factors for JIA. However, the results for Catenibacterium and Holdemania should be interpreted with caution due to instability observed in 'leave‐one‐out' sensitivity analyses. Reverse TSMR analyses found no evidence of reverse causality between JIA and gut flora. Our confirmation of a causal relationship between gut flora and JIA provides an innovative perspective for the study of JIA: targeting and modulating dysregulation of specific bacterial taxa to prevent and treat JIA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compatibility of polycarbonate (PC) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) alloys was improved by using a transesterification catalyst (SnCl2·2H2O). Modified PC/PMMA alloys exhibit single Tg, and their initial island phase existing in the SEM were transformed into uniform surface. Besides, the transmittance of the modified alloys was increased from original 40% to 85%. Moreover, PC/PMMA alloys and PC foams with micro‐cellular and nano‐cellular structures were prepared by solid‐state CO2 foaming in the presence of transesterification catalyst. Distinctively, there are obvious nano‐cellular structures existing in the PC samples, but no related nanostructures were found in PMMA samples, after treated by same amount of catalyst and foaming process for pure PC and PMMA matrix. Furthermore, the effects of foaming temperature and segment structure on their foaming behavior were also studied. Additionally, a uniaxial stress experiment was conducted at a specific temperature to simulate the biaxial stress during the foaming process for discovering the mechanism of nanopore formation. Therefore, the concept of nano‐cellular structures will point out a direction for the development of high‐performance, heat insulation PC materials of the next generation. Highlights: Transesterification catalysts enhanced compatibility between PC and PMMA.Nanopore structures were successfully constructed in PC foams.Segment stretching was the main reason for the formation of nanopores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatic metachronous oligometastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (hmoNPC) exhibits distinct clinical characteristics compared to other types of metastatic NPC. We investigated the optimal therapy for hmoNPC. 160 patients with hmoNPC treated in Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center between 2010 and 2021 were retrospectively recruited. A total of 56 patients were classified into the local therapy (LT) cohort, 23 into the systemic therapy (ST) cohort and 81 into the combination therapy (LT + ST) cohort. The median PFS was 7.9 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.1–11.9 months) in the LT cohort, 15.5 months (95% CI: 10.5–32.3 months) in the ST cohort, and 31.3 months (95% CI: 20.3 to NA months) in the LT + ST cohort. The median OS was 41.1 months (95% CI: 30.0–54.0 months) in the LT cohort, 50.4 months (95% CI: 41.5 to NA months) in the ST cohort and not reached (NR) (95% CI: 77.3 to NA months) in the LT + ST cohort. Cox analysis was used to construct nomograms to predict patient outcomes. Among patients with no evidence of disease status after LT, the prognosis was significantly better in the LT + ST cohort than LT cohort (median PFS: NR [95% CI: 29.0 to NA months] vs. 20.0 months [95% CI: 10.4 to NA months]). More survival benefits were achieved with platinum‐based chemotherapy than oral monotherapy (median PFS: NR [95% CI: 21.7 to NA months] vs. 17.2 months [95% CI: 10.2 to NA months]). Fewer postoperative early progression events were observed in neoadjuvant chemotherapy cohort than in adjuvant chemotherapy cohort (2.78% vs. 18.81%, P =.013). In conclusion, combining neoadjuvant platinum‐based chemotherapy and local therapy was the best strategy for patients with hmoNPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Protein kinases are a type of transferase enzyme that catalyze the phosphorylation of protein substrates, including receptor proteins. Testis‐specific serine/threonine kinases (TSSKs) are a highly conserved group of protein kinases found in various organisms. They play an essential role in male reproduction by influencing sperm development and function. RESULTS: In this study, we report on the characterization of BmTSSK3, a TSSK from the silkworm, Bombyx mori. We found that BmTSSK3 is specifically expressed in the testis and localized to the sperm flagella, particularly in the sperm tail cyst. Furthermore, we developed BmTSSK3 inhibitors through molecular docking and binding assays. Small molecules 5‐(4‐Fluorophenyl)‐2‐ureidothiophene‐3‐carboxamide (TPCA‐1) and Imidurea were identified to bind to BmTSSK3. Using site‐specific mutation technology, we identified amino acid residues R134 and S184 as crucial binding sites for small molecules. RNA interference assay and Western blot analysis showed that knockdown of BmTSSK3 significantly decreased histone 3 phosphorylation. To confirm the inhibitory effect of these small molecules, we treated silkworm testes with TPCA‐1 and observed a strong inhibitory effect. CONCLUSION: TPCA‐1 is an inhibitor of BmTSSK3, which raises its potential as a future candidate for male sterility of the silkworm. Thus, this study may offer a novel strategy for sterile silkworms as well as insects. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cost‐effectiveness and environmentally friendly nature of aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs) have garnered significant attention. Nevertheless, obstacles such as dendrite growth and side reactions have hindered their practical application. Here, an alkaline earth metal ion, strontium ions (Sr2+), is chosen as a dual‐functional electrolyte additive to improve the reversibility of ZIBs. Importantly, Sr2+ ions adsorb on the anode surface, creating a dynamic electrostatic shield layer, thus regulating the Zn2+ deposition behavior and suppressing side reactions. Meanwhile, Sr2+ ions prefer to adsorb on (002) and (110) planes of Zn, thus inducing the preferential deposition of (100) crystal plane and achieving dendrite‐free zinc anode. Consequently, the assembled Zn||Zn symmetric battery delivers an ultralong lifespan of 3500 h, and the Zn||Ti asymmetric battery shows a superior Coulombic efficiency of 99.8% for Zn stripping/plating at 2 mA cm−2. Further, the Zn||NH4V4O10 battery presents an excellent retention of 97.7% over 800 cycles under 2 A g−1. This research introduces a novel alkaline earth metal ion electrolyte additive and establishes its persistent dynamic electrostatic shielding effect and preferentially oriented (100) plane plating, ensuring dendrite‐free zinc deposition. These findings chart a course for further exploration of unexplored alkaline earth elements in enhancing metal battery technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Excessive NaCl intake in liquid and semi‐solid food (e.g. soup, hot pot base, sauce) poses a high risk to human health, and reducing NaCl intake is a major concern for global health. RESULTS: Using the generalized Labeled Magnitude Scale (gLMS) method, the study verified the possibility of sodium reduction through oil addition. The compromised acceptance threshold (CAT) and hedonic rejection threshold (HRT) were determined. The gLMS results showed that the saltiness intensity of samples containing 0.36% NaCl and 2.29% sunflower seed oil was significantly higher than that of samples containing only 0.36% NaCl (P < 0.05). CAT and HRT results indicated that by adding 3.59% sunflower oil, the NaCl content could be reduced to a minimum of 0.14% without causing sensory rejection in bone broth samples. The quantitative descriptive analysis method was used to determine the effects of NaCl and oil concentrations on the sensory attributes of bone broth samples. Furthermore, it was used to analyze the consumer acceptability drivers in combination with the hedonic scale to optimize the formulation of reduced‐salt bone broth products. Notably, sample E (0.36% NaCl, 2.29% fat) not only had a significant salt reduction effect with a 20% decrease in NaCl, but also had improved overall acceptability. CONCLUSION: This study provides theoretical guidance for designing salt‐reduction cuisine within the catering and food industries, including bone broth and hot pot bases. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macrocyclic hosts can bind appropriate guests in endo‐cavity or exo‐wall modes to yield Host–Guest cocrystals via weak intermolecular forces. Contrary, it remains challenging to achieve their nonmacrocyclic partners with high‐efficiency fluorescence even lasing due to profound adaptive behaviors during guest inclusion. Here, a variety of low dispersity 1D and 2D assemblies made of a sterically demanding perylenediimide derivative (PDI) host and diverse aromatic guests are realized. Depending on the types and the substituted groups of aromatic guests, these Host–Guest microcrystals show high‐efficiency solid‐state emissions ranging from orange to near‐infrared (NIR). Interestingly, either electron‐deficient or electron‐rich guests can adapt to the cavity of the nonmacrocyclic PDI host in diverse geometries and orientations. Theoretical analysis indicates that the long‐wavelength emissions stem from local or charge‐transfer excited states and the Host–Guest Donor–Acceptor cocrystals are stabilized largely by dispersion forces. The binding of appropriate π‐electron guests makes the PDI‐derived Host–Guest microcrystals function as microscale lasers with low lasing thresholds. The rational creation of these nonmacrocyclic Host–Guest Donor–Acceptor cocrystals offers new insights for developing new crystal structures and high‐efficiency optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing artificial solid electrolyte interface on the Zn anode surface is recognized as an appealing method to inhibit zinc dendrites and side reactions, whereas the current techniques are complex and time‐consuming. Here, a robust and zincophilic zinc tungstate (ZnWO4) layer has been in situ constructed on the Zn anode surface (denoted as ZWO@Zn) by an ultrafast chemical solution reaction. Comprehensive characterizations and theoretical calculations demonstrate that the ZWO layer can effectively modulate the interfacial electric field distribution and promote the Zn2+ uniform diffusion, thus facilitating the uniform Zn2+ nucleation and suppressing zinc dendrites. Besides, ZWO layer can prevent direct contact between the Zn/water and increase the hydrogen evolution reaction overpotential to eliminate side reactions. Consequently, the in situ constructed ZWO layer facilitates remarkable reversibility in the ZWO@Zn||Ti battery, achieving an impressive Coulombic efficiency of 99.36 % under 1.0 mA cm−2, unprecedented cycling lifespan exceeding 1800 h under 1.0 mA cm−2 in ZWO@Zn||ZWO@Zn battery, and a steady and reliable operation of the overall ZWO@Zn||VS2 battery. The work provides a simple, low cost, and ultrafast pathway to crafting protective layers for driving advancements in aqueous zinc‐metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (AZIBs) are highly promising for grid‐scale energy storage due to their high‐safety and low‐cost characteristics. Nevertheless, the progress in AZIBs has been impeded due to challenges encompassing corrosion, hydrogen evolution reaction, and the formation of dendrites on Zn anodes. These issues arise from the decomposition of active water molecules in the Zn2+ solvation structure in the electrolyte. Various strategies have been proposed to regulate the electrode/electrolyte interface to effectively address these problems. In spite of remarkable headway, an inadequacy of comprehensive studies addressing the mechanisms and evolutionary dynamics of the electrode/electrolyte interface is evident within scientific literature. This overview aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the strategies for regulating the electrode/electrolyte interface, focusing on dendrite‐free and side reactions‐suppressed AZIBs. These strategies include the introduction of metal ion additives, inorganic additives, surfactant additives, polymer additives and organic additives. Furthermore, a detailed examination is made on the effects and underlying mechanisms associated with modifying the electrolyte at the interface between the electrode and electrolyte. Moreover, an appraisal is provided on the performance metrics of diverse strategies and prospective research directions are recommended as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When measuring the thickness of ultrathin overlayer films using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), accurate values of the reference intensity ratio (R0) and the effective attenuation length (L) are essential. By definition, R0 is the peak intensity ratio for an overlayer and the substrate in "bulk" phases. Two issues need to be addressed in experimental determining R0 for ultrathin films: (i) How might a contamination layer on the sample used for measuring peak intensities impact R0? And (ii) do differences in the structure or chemistry of an ultrathin film make it inappropriate to determine R0 using bulk forms of the overlayer? In this study, we demonstrate the experimental determination of the R0 for an ultrathin HfO2 film on a Si(100) substrate with a 2 nm SiO2 layer. The values of R0 were determined using (i) the bulk materials of the HfO2 film and substrate and (ii) the ultrathin HfO2 films after different cleaning treatments. The results show that the R0 determined by the ultrathin films is higher than that determined by the bulk materials. Also, keeping the same level of carbonaceous contamination on the sample surface by cleaning as much as possible is essential for an accurate experimental determination of R0. In addition, the effective attenuation length was obtained using samples with known thicknesses measured by X‐ray reflectometry. The thicknesses and uncertainty budget of the ultrathin HfO2 films were then evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parental psychopathology is associated with their children's posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). However, the mechanisms through which this occurs remain unclear. We hypothesized that exposure to childhood adversities is the mechanism linking parental psychopathology to child PTSS and that parenting practices moderated these associations. Methods: Participants (N = 1,402) with an average age of 24.03 years old (SD = 2.20), were all Puerto Ricans (50% Male and 50% Female) from the Boricua Youth Study, which is a four‐wave longitudinal study spanning almost 20 years, following individuals from childhood (ages 5–13 at Wave 1) to young adulthood. Measured variables include parental psychopathology at Wave 1, childhood adversities and parenting practices at Waves 2–3, and PTSS at Wave 4. A traditional mediation model estimated the association between parental psychopathology and child PTSS via childhood adversities. A moderated mediation model was used to examine whether parenting practices moderated this mediation model. Results: Results showed that the total effect of parental psychopathology at Wave 1 on PTSS at Wave 4 was fully mediated by childhood adversities at Waves 2–3 (direct effect b = 1.72, 95% CI = [−0.09, 3.83]; indirect effect b = 0.40, 95% CI = [0.15, 0.81]). In addition, the magnitude of this pathway varied by levels of parenting practices (i.e. parental monitoring and parent–child relationship quality). Specifically, the indirect effect of additional adversities in the psychopathology‐PTSS link was stronger with higher levels of parental monitoring but weaker with higher parent–child relationship quality scores. Conclusions: Intergenerational continuity of psychopathology may be mitigated through the prevention of additional childhood adversities via upstream interventions, emphasizing providing parents with mental health needs with parenting tools. Family‐based interventions focused on providing families with the tools to improve parent–child relationships may reduce the negative impact of childhood adversities on mental health across the life course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hard carbon with randomly oriented interlayers is the most promising candidate for the anode of commercial sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). Nevertheless, its sluggish sodium storage kinetics and unsatisfactory cycling stability are bottlenecks to its implementation. Herein, a metal‐single atom modification strategy is proposed to construct a Ni‐single atoms modified N, P co‐doped hard carbon (Ni‐NPC) with a Ni content of ≈5.65 wt%. As an anode for SIBs, Ni‐NPC exhibits far superior initial Coulombic efficiency, reversible specific capacity, rate capability, and cycling stability to N, P co‐doped hard carbon. Combining in situ EIS and ex‐situ XPS,this study reveals that Ni‐single atoms modulate the composition of the solid electrolyte interface layer, thereby improving the cycling stability of Ni‐NPC. Theoretical calculation and kinetics analysis suggest that Ni‐single atoms are the promoters of the diffusion of Na+. Furthermore, with the aid of systematic in situ characterizations, the structural evolution of Ni‐NPC at different sodium storage stages is identified. This work proposes a potential strategy for simultaneously improving the sodium storage kinetics and cycling stability of hard carbon anodes, and elucidates the improvement mechanism of this strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure and properties of materials are determined by a diverse range of chemical bond formation and breaking mechanisms, which greatly motivates the development of selectively controlling the chemical bonds in order to achieve materials with specific characteristics. Here, an orientational intervening bond‐breaking strategy is demonstrated for synthesizing ultrathin metal–organic framework (MOF) nanosheets through balancing the process of thermal decomposition and liquid nitrogen exfoliation. In such approach, proper thermal treatment can weaken the interlayer bond while maintaining the stability of the intralayer bond in the layered MOFs. And the following liquid nitrogen treatment results in significant deformation and stress in the layered MOFs' structure due to the instant temperature drop and drastic expansion of liquid N2, leading to the curling, detachment, and separation of the MOF layers. The produced MOF nanosheets with five cycles of treatment are primarily composed of nanosheets that are less than 10 nm in thickness. The MOF nanosheets exhibit enhanced catalytic performance in oxygen evolution reactions owing to the ultrathin thickness without capping agents which provide improved charge transfer efficiency and dense exposed active sites. This strategy underscores the significance of orientational intervention in chemical bonds to engineer innovative materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycarbonate (PC) composites are often used in the production of high value‐added products, but it is necessary to improve its environment stress cracking condition in the presence of pre‐strain and soluble solvents. In this work, the effect of weight reduction and strengthening is realized by introducing microstructures and hollow glass microspheres (HGMs) into the PC composites. It is found that the addition of HGMs can reduce the melt viscosity and Tg value of the composite materials, which will change the foaming behavior of PC/HGMs composites. Besides, the effect of different content of HGMS and foaming temperature on the foaming behavior of PC/HGMs composite foams are studied. The PC/HGMs composite foams exhibit a typical structure of both large and small cellular pores, because of the existence of hollow beads and cellular structures. Moreover, compared to the neat PC foam, the tensile strength as well as the flexural strength of the composite foams are significantly increased by 110.9% and 364.7%, respectively. Furthermore, the as‐prepared PC/HGMs composite foams have low thermal conductivity (lower than 0.07 W/mK), which can effectively insulate heat propagation. Highlights: Hollow glass microsphere can reduce melt viscosity and Tg of composites.The mechanical properties of composite foams have been greatly improved.Composite foams exhibit excellent thermal stability due to their microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial infection‐induced inflammatory response could cause irreversible death of pulp tissue in the absence of timely and effective therapy. Given that, the narrow structure of root canal limits the therapeutic effects of passive diffusion‐drugs, considerable attention has been drawn to the development of nanomotors, which have high tissue penetration abilities but generally face the problem of insufficient fuel concentration. To address this drawback, dual‐fuel propelled nanomotors (DPNMs) by encapsulating L‐arginine (L‐Arg), calcium peroxide (CaO2) in metal‐organic framework is developed. Under pathological environment, L‐Arg could release nitric oxide (NO) by reacting with reactive oxygen species (ROS) to provide the driving force for movement. Remarkably, the depleted ROS could be supplemented through the reaction between CaO2 with acids abundant in the inflammatory microenvironment. Owing to high diffusivity, NO achieves further tissue penetration based on the first‐stage propulsion of nanomotors, thereby removing deep‐seated bacterial infection. Results indicate that the nanomotors effectively eliminate bacterial infection based on antibacterial activity of NO, thereby blocking inflammatory response and oxidative damage, forming reparative dentine layer to avoid further exposure and infection. Thus, this work provides a propagable strategy to overcome fuel shortage and facilitates the therapy of deep lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using easily hydrolyzable brominated pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) as an electron acceptor, a wide variety of structurally stable binary organic charge‐transfer (CT) microcrystals that are stabilized by dominant intermolecular CT interactions is achieved. By varying the electron‐donating abilities of π‐electron compounds, the resulting single crystalline CT assemblies display tailorable fluorescence emissions spanning from green to near‐infrared. Upon implantation of a π‐electron donor anthracene (An) into fluoranthene‐PMDA (Fl‐PMDA), red and NIR emissions of ternary alloyed assemblies are substantially enhanced due to efficient energy transfer from Fl‐PMDA to An‐PMDA as well as structural complementarity between two CT complexes. Depending on the well‐matched epitaxial relationship, seeded growth of phenanthrene‐PMDA (Ph‐PMDA) onto the pre‐existing An‐PMDA microcrystals is also achieved, leading to core‐shell heterostructures with full and partial coverage. Such an epitaxial growth strategy is also applicable to the construction of microscale heterostructures of diverse CT complex combinations. The ternary Fl1−xAnx‐PMDA alloyed assemblies display composition‐dependent tailorable optical waveguiding behaviors. While An‐PMDA@Ph‐PMDA core‐shell microrods present wavelength‐dependent two‐photon excited fluorescence performances. The rational creation of these homogeneous and heterogeneous CT‐assembled architectures provides us a deep insight to investigate multicomponent functional organic cocrystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long‐term reversible plating/stripping of Zn metal anode is a critical aspect within aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs). However, it is limited by uncontrolled electrodeposition and side reactions occurring at the anode/electrolyte interface. Guided by the metal‐coordination chemistry, a novel additive, sodium diphenylamine sulfonate (DASS), is added into ZnSO4 electrolyte to guide stably invertible zinc deposition. Theoretical calculations and experimental results reveal that the DASS can adsorbed on the Zn anode surface due to the strong double coordination effect between N, S sites and Zn (Zn─N, Zn─S), and this adsorbed DASS layer can not only prevent the intimate contact between H2O and anode to inhibit interfacial side reactions, but also guide the 3D Zn2+ion diffusion and uniform electrodeposition to inhibit zinc dendrites. Consequently, the DASS additive enables an ultra‐long stable cycling up to 2400 h at 1 mA cm−2 (1 mAh cm−2), even at an ultra‐high current density of 20 mA cm−2, a stable cycling of 250 h is demonstrated, highlighting the reliable coordination effect at the anode/electrolyte interface. This study offers a new perspective on the interfacial double‐coordination effect for achieving highly reversible Zn metal anodes in aqueous rechargeable zinc‐ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) etiopathogenesis highlights the contributions of overproduction of CD4+ T cells and loss of immune tolerance. However, the involvement of CD8+ T cells in SLE pathology and disease progression remains unclear. Here, the comprehensive immune cell dysregulation in total 263 clinical peripheral blood samples composed of active SLE (aSLE), remission SLE (rSLE) and healthy controls (HCs) is investigated via mass cytometry, flow cytometry and single‐cell RNA sequencing. This is observed that CD8+CD27+CXCR3− T cells are increased in rSLE compare to aSLE. Meanwhile, the effector function of CD8+CD27+CXCR3− T cells are overactive in aSLE compare to HCs and rSLE, and are positively associated with clinical SLE activity. In addition, the response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) is monitored to interleukin‐2 stimulation in aSLE and rSLE to construct dynamic network biomarker (DNB) model. It is demonstrated that DNB score‐related parameters can faithfully predict the remission of aSLE and the flares of rSLE. The abundance and functional dysregulation of CD8+CD27+CXCR3− T cells can be potential biomarkers for SLE prognosis and concomitant diagnosis. The DNB score with accurate prediction to SLE disease progression can provide clinical treatment suggestions especially for drug dosage determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abundant active sites and their easy accessibility in a stable and conductive structure are of great importance for efficient electrocatalysts. In principle, activated mesoporous single‐crystal microparticles can meet these desired requirements. Here, the Fe‐doped NiS2 mesoporous single crystal microparticles decorated with FeS clusters on the pore walls (FeS@MSC‐NiS2:Fe) are constructed via a pre‐decorated and sequentially seeded mesoporous silica template. Throughout the external and internal surfaces, the Fe‐doped NiS2 modulated by the adjacent FeS clusters induces favorable charge distributions and promotes the crucial formation of the active Fe/Ni (oxy)hydroxide. Combined with the spatial enrichment effect of the intermediates in the holey space and the boosted charge transfer within the continuous single‐crystalline framework, the dually regulated FeS@MSC‐NiS2:Fe as ideal integral microreactors show efficient performances in oxygen evolution reaction. In electrochemical tests, the particulate FeS@MSC‐NiS2:Fe requires an overpotential of only 236 mV to reach a current density of 10 mA cm−2 and displays fast reaction kinetics with a Tafel slope of 32.4 mV dec−1. This study provides an important strategy to construct electrocatalysts with highly active sites and good accessibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a common grassland management practice in many high‐latitude regions worldwide, mowing has great impacts on grassland functioning and stability. Species richness, species asynchrony and species stability have been suggested as central in responses to environmental change. Mowing can evoke plant defence system due to physical damages to plants. However, no studies have comprehensively evaluated the role of plant defence functional traits, species richness, species asynchrony and stability in ecosystem functioning under mowing regimes across timescales.In this study, we set up short‐term (4 years) and long‐term (16 years) mowing experiments with three stubble heights (control, 10 cm, 2 cm) in a temperate steppe of Inner Mongolia. We investigated the effects of mowing‐induced changes in distribution metrics associated with plant defence traits, that is mean, variance, skewness and kurtosis of trait distribution, on ecosystem stability of grassland communities using structural equation modelling.We found that grassland ecosystem stability was enhanced by increasing mowing duration and decreasing stubble height. Mowing‐induced increase in abundance and diversity of plant defence traits contributed to greater ecosystem stability by enhancing species asynchrony and population stability. Moreover, we found that mowing enhanced the abundance and diversity of plant defence traits of dominant species and contributed to population stability and species asynchrony, thus enhancing temporal stability of grassland ecosystems.These results demonstrate the important roles of plant defence traits in maintaining stability of grasslands under mowing, and highlight that, in addition to species richness, asynchrony and population stability, plant functional defence trait acts in stabilizing ecosystem functions under human‐induced environmental changes. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chiral aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) molecules have drawn attention for their helical self‐assembly and special optical properties. The helical self‐assembly of AIE‐active chiral non‐linear main‐chain polymers can produce some desired optical features. In this work, a series of V‐shaped chiral AIE‐active polyamides P1‐C3, P1‐C6, P1‐C12 and linear P2‐C3, P2‐C6, bearing n‐propyl/hexyl/dodecyl side‐chains, based on tetraphenylbutadiene (TPB), were prepared. All target main‐chain polymers exhibit distinct AIE characteristics. The polymer P1‐C6 with moderate length alkyl chains shows better AIE properties. The V‐shaped main‐chains and the chiral induction of (1R,2R)‐(+)‐1,2‐cyclohexanediamine in each repeating unit promote the polymer chains display helical conformation, and multiple helical polymer chains induce nano‐fibers helicity when the polymer chains aggregate and self‐assemble in THF/H2O mixtures. Simultaneously, the helical conformation polymer chains and helical nano‐fibers cause P1‐C6 produce strong circular dichroism (CD) signals with positive Cotton effect. Moreover, P1‐C6 could also occur fluorescence quenching response to Fe3+ selectively with a low detection limit of 3.48 μmol/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As important structuring forces in forest ecosystems, ants can drive above‐ and belowground food‐webs and ecosystem functionality. It remains uncertain, however, about how different foraging‐habit ants shape symbiotic bacterial assemblies and nutrient cycling in nest soils. This study quantified the impacts of predatory and honeydew‐feeding ants on soil bacterial communities and nutrient pools in Xishuangbanna tropical forests restored from slash‐and‐burn agriculture. In contrast to reference soils, all ant nests increased the relative abundances of dominant copiotrophs and decreased those of preponderant oligotrophs in the bacterial communities, which was closely associated with the high levels of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in the nests. Honeydew‐feeding ants harbored a high abundance of bacterial trophic groups (i.e., γ‐Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes) preferring low‐quality resource, owing to high increment (103%) in C concentration and low increase (69%) in N level compared to reference soils. In contrast, predatory ants sheltered a high assemblage of bacterial taxa (i.e., β‐Proteobacteria and δ‐Proteobacteria) favoring high‐quality resource, due to increased N level (135%) and decreased C:N ratio (35%) compared to reference soils. We concluded that the foraging‐habit ants shaped symbiotic bacterial assemblages primarily through differential modifications on level and allocation of soil C and N pools. Our results would further the understanding of the fauna roles in driving soil food‐webs as well as nutrient cycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mowing is common grassland management to feed livestock during winter by harvesting hay in many high‐latitude regions in autumn. The trait‐based approach has been used to explain the responses of the plant community to disturbance resulting from environmental changes and human activities. However, few studies have focused on the mechanisms underlying the responses of grassland ecosystems to mowing from the perspective of plant traits. Here, we investigated the effects of mowing on the plant community of a temperate steppe in Inner Mongolia of northern China by field experiments to dissect the trade‐off between morphological and physiological traits in response to short‐term (4 years) and long‐term (16 years) mowing. Specifically, we evaluated the two strategies associated with the nutrient acquisition of two dominant species in response to mowing by measuring leaf and root morphological traits and physiological traits of root carboxylate exudation, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization and soil microbial community. We found that long‐term mowing, but not short‐term mowing, led to an increase in species richness. In addition, mowing decreased the overall plant biomass of the grassland community, but enhanced and suppressed the growth of forbs and grasses, respectively. However, the ratio of forbs to grasses in the community was dependent on mowing duration, such that forbs became more dominant than the grasses under long‐term mowing. Our results revealed that short‐term mowing reduced soil microbial biodiversity and root colonization of AMF in the grass Stipa krylovii, while the root AMF colonization and carboxylate exudation in the forb Artemisia frigida were enhanced by short‐term mowing. In long‐term mowing, the functional traits associated with leaf resource conservation (i.e., leaf tissue density) and root resource acquisition were reduced in the grass, while the functional traits related to leaf resource acquisition and root resource conservation were increased in the forb, highlighting the species specificity and divergence in leaf and root traits in the grass and forb of temperate steppe in response to mowing. These novel findings demonstrate that physiological and morphological strategies are the main drivers for dominant species in response to mowing in temperate grasslands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Liver fibrosis is a critical risk factor for the progression from chronic liver injury to hepatocellular carcinoma. Clinically, there is a lack of therapeutic drugs for liver fibrosis. Previous studies have confirmed that GL‐V9, a newly synthesized flavonoid derivative, exhibits anti‐inflammatory activity, but whether it has anti‐hepatic fibrosis actions remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the anti‐fibrotic activities and potential mechanisms of GL‐V9. Experimental approach: Bile duct ligation (BDL) and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) challenges were used to assess the anti‐fibrotic effects of GL‐V9 in vivo. Mouse primary hepatic stellate cells (pHSCs) and the human HSC line LX2 also served as a liver fibrosis model in vitro. Cellular functions and molecular mechanism were analysed using senescence‐associated beta‐galactosidase staining, real‐time PCR, western blotting, immunofluorescence, and co‐immunoprecipitation. Key results: GL‐V9 attenuated hepatic histopathological injury and collagen accumulation, as well as decreasing the expression of fibrotic genes in vivo. GL‐V9 promoted senescence and inhibited the expression of fibrogenic genes in HSCs in vitro. Mechanistic studies revealed that GL‐V9 induced senescence by upregulating GATA4 expression in HSCs. Further studies confirmed that GL‐V9 stabilized GATA4 by promoting autophagic degradation of P62. Conclusion and implications: GL‐V9 exerted potent anti‐fibrotic effects both in vivo and in vitro by stabilizing GATA4, thereby promoting the senescence of HSCs, and by avoiding its activation and ultimately inhibiting liver fibrosis. This action indicated that the flavonoid GL‐V9 is a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of liver fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA) is a common malignant tumor of the human urinary system, and a large proportion of BLCA patients have a poor prognosis. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find more efficient and sensitive biomarkers for the prognosis of BLCA patients in clinical practice. RNA sequencing (RNA‐seq) data and clinical information were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas, and 584 energy metabolism‐related genes (EMRGs) were obtained from the Reactome pathway database. Cox regression analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analysis were applied to assess prognostic genes and build a risk score model. The estimate and cibersort algorithms were used to explore the immune microenvironment, immune infiltration, and checkpoints in BLCA patients. Furthermore, we used the Human Protein Atlas database and our single‐cell RNA‐seq datasets of BLCA patients to verify the expression of 13 EMRGs at the protein and single‐cell levels. We constructed a risk score model; the area under the curve of the model at 5 years was 0.792. The risk score was significantly correlated with the immune markers M0 macrophages, M2 macrophages, CD8 T cells, follicular helper T cells, regulatory T cells, and dendritic activating cells. Furthermore, eight immune checkpoint genes were significantly upregulated in the high‐risk group. The risk score model can accurately predict the prognosis of BLCA patients and has clinical application value. In addition, according to the differences in immune infiltration and checkpoints, BLCA patients with the most significant benefit can be selected for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single‐step conversion of methane to methanol in the gaseous phase is required for high value added application of methane and environmental protection, but it is challenging. Here, direct oxidation of methane to methanol under gaseous condition on iridium promoted Cu/CeO2 catalyst, prepared using a sol‐gel method, is investigated. The addition of iridium can effectively upgrade the redox properties and oxygen storage capacity due to intense metal interaction, stimulating a prominent catalytic performance for methane conversion to methanol on Cu−Ir@CeO2 catalyst. Approximately 26.2 μmol/gcat methanol yield and 68 % methanol selectivity are achieved on the trimetallic 5Cu0.5Ir@CeO2 catalyst at 550 °C in 2 h. Consequences of the analysis of XRD, SEM, HRTEM, Raman, FI‐IR and XPS demonstrate that highly‐dispersed Ir and Cu species are uniformly distributed on CeO2 surface, and partial Cu or Ir atoms replace Ce4+ in CeO2 lattice due to the metal interaction in the colloidal structure, which can impact the catalyst's electronic properties. H2 temperature‐programmed reduction (H2‐TPR) and CH4 temperature‐programmed desorption (CH4‐TPD) results disclose that the unique ternary surface exhibits excellent redox properties and strong adsorption capacity for methane, which can activate the first C−H bond of methane to methyl species, and then react with OH− to form methanol. The good stability in cyclic operation is an additional attribute, rendering this type of catalyst a "front‐runner" in future catalyst development for direct methane‐to‐methanol. This composite catalyst design provides hope for developing ternary metal‐oxide catalysts for functionalization of methane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The impact of life‐course traumatic brain injury (TBI) on dementia is unclear. Methods: Within the Swedish Twin Registry (STR), 35,312 dementia‐free twins were followed for up to 18 years. TBI history was identified via medical records. Data were analyzed using generalized estimating equation (GEE) and conditional logistic regression. Results: In multi‐adjusted GEE models, the odds ratio (OR, 95% confidence interval [CI]) of dementia was 1.27 (1.03–1.57) for TBI at any age, 1.55 (1.04–2.31) for TBI at 50 to 59 years, and 1.67 (1.12–2.49) for TBI at 60 to 69 years. Cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) increased dementia risk associated with TBI at age 50 to 69 years. The ORs in GEE and conditional logistic regression did not differ significantly (P =.37). Discussion: TBI, especially between ages 50 and 69 years, is associated with an increased risk of dementia, and this is exacerbated among people with CMDs. Genetic and early‐life environmental factors may not account for the TBI–dementia association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between a proactive personality and entrepreneurial career intention with the moderating effect of social class (socioeconomic status and subjective social class) was examined in Chinese college students in the current study. After controlling for gender and university grade, a proactive personality was discovered to positively predict entrepreneurial intention (both goal intention and implementation intention) among a sample of 367 college students (228 females and 139 males; 119 freshmen, 166 sophomores, and 82 juniors). Subjective social class strengthened the relationship between a proactive personality and entrepreneurial intention, whereas socioeconomic status did not significantly moderate this relationship. Finally, the implications of the results and suggestions for future research were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Flowering of the reference legume Medicago truncatula is promoted by winter cold (vernalization) followed by long‐day photoperiods (VLD) similar to winter annual Arabidopsis. However, Medicago lacks FLC and CO, key regulators of Arabidopsis VLD flowering. Most plants have two INHIBITOR OF GROWTH (ING) genes (ING1 and ING2), encoding proteins with an ING domain with two anti‐parallel alpha‐helices and a plant homeodomain (PHD) finger, but their genetic role has not been previously described. In Medicago, Mting1 gene‐edited mutants developed and flowered normally, but an Mting2‐1 Tnt1 insertion mutant and gene‐edited Mting2 mutants had developmental abnormalities including delayed flowering particularly in VLD, compact architecture, abnormal leaves with extra leaflets but no trichomes, and smaller seeds and barrels. Mting2 mutants had reduced expression of activators of flowering, including the FT‐like gene MtFTa1, and increased expression of the candidate repressor MtTFL1c, consistent with the delayed flowering of the mutant. MtING2 overexpression complemented Mting2‐1, but did not accelerate flowering in wild type. The MtING2 PHD finger bound H3K4me2/3 peptides weakly in vitro, but analysis of gene‐edited mutants indicated that it was dispensable to MtING2 function in wild‐type plants. RNA sequencing experiments indicated that >7000 genes are mis‐expressed in the Mting2‐1 mutant, consistent with its strong mutant phenotypes. Interestingly, ChIP‐seq analysis identified >5000 novel H3K4me3 locations in the genome of Mting2‐1 mutants compared to wild type R108. Overall, our mutant study has uncovered an important physiological role of a plant ING2 gene in development, flowering, and gene expression, which likely involves an epigenetic mechanism. Significance Statement: The timing of flowering is important for plant adaptation and crop productivity, but knowledge on how this is regulated in legumes is limited. Here, we report the functional characterization of MtING2 and show that it is important in regulating plant architecture and flowering time in the model legume Medicago truncatula, providing evidence of the physiological role of an ING‐like gene in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast to unary assemblies comprising π‐conjugated organic species, elaborate modulation of dimensions, polymorphisms, and compositions of multicomponent assembled architectures with two or more constituent materials has not yet been systematically studied. Herein, a combinatorial library of organic microcrystals made of four components via a solution‐phase assembly route is reported. With the involvement of growth kinetics, four organic species with slight structural modifications can assemble into five unary assemblies, which may endow binary combinations with highly and partially structural miscibility. Consequently, a variety of binary alloyed assemblies and microscale heterostructures with tailorable dimensions, polymorphisms, and emission colors are realized by rational compositional and growth control. The effects of structural relations of binary combinations on their miscibility are systematically uncovered, that gives rise to these intricate microscale architectures as well as diverse energy transfer (ET) efficiencies. Highly efficient ET process in binary alloyed assemblies can be beneficial to steady‐state photoluminescence anisotropy amplification. Benefiting from the information of binary combinations, white‐light‐emitting ternary microsheets can be modulated in a predictable manner. The present work uncovers the rational control of multicomponent microcrystals, which further stretches the boundaries of molecular self‐assembly and may be used to achieve integrated optoelectronic properties, such as multicolor lasers and p–n junctions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co‐detection of multiplex cancer subtypes and bacteria subtypes in situ is crucial for understanding tumor microbiome interactions in tumor microenvironment. Current standard techniques such as immunohistochemical staining and immunofluorescence staining are limited for their multiplicity. Simultaneously visualizing detailed cell subtypes and bacteria distribution across the same pathological section remains a major technical challenge. Herein, we developed a rapid semi‐quantitative method for in situ imaging of bacteria and multiplex cell phenotypes on the same solid tumor tissue sections. We designed a panel of antibody probes labeled with mass tags, namely prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell hybrid probes for in situ imaging (PEHPSI). For application demonstration, PEHPSI stained two bacteria subtypes (lipopolysaccharides (LPS) for Gram‐negative bacteria and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) for Gram‐positive bacteria) simultaneously with four types of immune cells (leukocytes, CD8 + T‐cells, B‐cells and macrophages) and four breast cancer subtypes (classified by a panel of 12 human proteins) on the same tissue section. We unveiled that breast cancer cells are commonly enriched with Gram‐negative bacteria and almost absent of Gram‐positive bacteria, regardless of the cancer subtypes (triple‐negative breast cancer [TNBC], HER2+, Luminal A and Luminal B). Further analysis revealed that on the single‐cell level, Gram‐negative bacteria have a significant correlation with CD8 + T‐cells only in HER2+ breast cancer, while PKCD, ER, PR and Ki67 are correlated with Gram‐negative bacteria in the other three subtypes of breast cancers. On the cell population level, in TNBC, CD19 expression intensity is up‐regulated by approximately 25% in bacteria‐enriched cells, while for HER2+, Luminal A and Luminal B breast cancers, the intensity of biomarkers associated with the malignancy, metastasis and proliferation of cancer cells (PKCD, ISG15 and IFI6) is down‐regulated by 29%–38%. The flexible and expandable PEHPSI system permits intuitive multiplex co‐visualization of bacteria and mammalian cells, which facilitates future research on tumor microbiome and tumor pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Array‐structured photocatalysts, featuring unique transport properties of charge carriers and special texture structures, have captured widespread interest in photocatalytic and/or photoelectrocatalytic applications. However, the fabrication of arrays usually suffers from complicated synthetic routes and the indispensable use of substrates. Herein, a novel BiOX/Bi/BiOX (X = Cl, Br) double‐side nanosheet array catalyst, with vertically aligned BiOX nanosheets symmetrically grown on the two sides of horizontal Bi nanoplates, is first constructed by a facile solution‐phase solvothermal route in the absence of any substrates. Both l‐cysteine and ethylene glycol are found to play critical roles in the formation of Bi nanoplates and the growth of BiOX nanosheets. Thanks to the synergism of double‐side metal‐semiconductor array, BiOX/Bi/BiOX presents significantly boosted performance for photocatalytic selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde, far surpassing Bi/BiOX and pristine BiOX. Additionally, BiOX/Bi/BiOX also exhibits superior photoelectrocatalytic performance with excellent hydrogen and oxygen evolution reaction activity. The electrochemical analysis and photoluminescence results reveal that the middle Bi nanoplate can function as a fast transport channel for photogenerated electrons, significantly accelerating the separation of photogenerated carriers. This work provides a general substrate‐free strategy to construct array catalysts with double‐side structure and reveals the outstanding advantages toward improved photocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To classify the FIGO's PALM‐COEIN etiology for abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) patients according to the ultrasound and histopathology and to evaluate the etiology prevalence distribution for AUB patients. Methods: A total of 1065 women with AUB in the Second Hospital of Shandong University between January 2019 and March 2021. The intrauterine histopathological and ultrasound results were reviewed retrospectively.PALM‐COEIN etiology classification was performed according to histopathology and ultrasound. The classification system was stratified into nine basic categories: Polyp (AUB‐P), adenomyosis (AUB‐A), leiomyoma (AUB‐L), malignancy and hyperplasia (AUB‐M), coagulopathy (AUB‐C), ovulatory disorders (AUB‐O), endometrium (AUB‐E), Iatrogenic(AUB‐I), and not classified (AUB‐N). The number of cases and composition ratio were also calculated. Results: According to the FIGO's classification system, the PALM group (656,61.60%), which were defined as structural entities that can be measured visually with ultrasound and/or histopathology. 176 (16.53%) patients were classified as AUB‐P,102 (9.58%) patients were classified as AUB‐A, 487(45.73%) patients were classified as AUB‐L, 31 (2.91%) patients were classified as AUB‐M. The COEIN group (409,38.40%), which were defined as nonstructural entities that cannot be measured by ultrasound and/or histopathology. Nobody were classified as AUB‐C in our group, and 383 (35.96%) patients were classified as AUB‐O, 4 (0.38%) patients were classified as AUB‐E,14 (1.31%) patients were classified as AUB‐I,8 (0.75%) patients were classified as AUB‐N. Conclusion: In our study, AUB‐L was the most common cause, followed by AUB‐O, AUB‐P, AUB‐A, AUB‐M, AUB‐I, AUB‐N, and AUB‐E.PALM‐COEIN etiology classification system played an important role in the epidemic and management standardization of AUB patients, provided an effective communication between physicians and researchers also. Ultrasonography was the preferred examination for AUB patients, especially with structural abnormalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), has recently posed a significant threat to global public health. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate a rapid, expandable and sequencing‐free high‐resolution melting (HRM) approach for the direct detection and classification of SARS‐CoV‐2. Thirty‐one common pathogens that can cause respiratory tract infections were used to evaluate the specificity of the method. Synthetic RNA with serial dilutions was utilized to determine the sensitivity of the method. Finally, the clinical performance of the method was assessed using 290 clinical samples. The one‐step multiplex HRM could accurately identify SARS‐CoV‐2 and differentiate mutations in each marker site within approximately 2 h. For each target, the limit of detection was lower than 10 copies/reaction, and no cross‐reactivity was observed among organisms within the specificity testing panel. The method showed good uniformity for SARS‐CoV‐2 detection with a consistency of 100%. Regarding the clade classification performance, the results showed good concordance compared with sequencing, with the rate of agreement being 95.1% (78/82). The one‐step multiplex HRM method is a rapid method for SARS‐CoV‐2 detection and classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection plays a crucial role in the initiation and progression of gastric cancer (GC). Differentiated embryo‐chondrocyte expressed gene 1 (DEC1) is dysregulated in some cancers and may regulate cell proliferation in specific contexts. Of note, DEC1 is emerging as one of the important factors regulating cellular responses in microenvironment. However, the triggers and precise regulation mechanism for DEC1 during inflammatory carcinoma transformation of GC are unclear. In this study, we identified DEC1 was upregulated in both H. pylori‐infected gastric tissues and GC cells. DEC1 expression was positively associated with H. pylori infection status and GC progression. DEC1‐positive expression indicated a poorer prognosis in H. pylori‐positive GC. DEC1 was required for H. pylori‐induced GC cells proliferation. Mechanistically, H. pylori infection significantly activated Akt/NF‐κB signal pathway and this induction depend on DEC1 expression level in GC cells. Importantly, their interaction pathway was further verified by H. pylori‐positive gastritis mice model. Taken together, our findings identified a novel function of DEC1 in GC. H. pylori infection induce DEC1 expression, and which leading to the progression of GC through activating Akt/ NF‐κB signalling pathway. Blocking DEC1/Akt/NF‐κB, therefore, presents a promising novel therapeutic strategy for H. pylori‐positive GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endothelial cell apoptosis is an important pathophysiology in many cardiovascular diseases. The gasotransmitter nitric oxide (NO) is known to regulate cell survival and apoptosis. However, the mechanism underlying the effect of NO remains unclear. In this research, by targeting cytosolic copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1) monomerization, we aimed to explore how NO inhibited endothelial cell apoptosis. We showed that treatment with the NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor nomega‐nitro‐l‐arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L‐NAME) significantly decreased the endogenous NO content of endothelial cells, facilitated the formation of SOD1 monomers, inhibited dismutase activity, and promoted reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs); by contrast, supplementation with the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) upregulated NO content, prevented the formation of SOD1 monomers, enhanced dismutase activity, and reduced ROS accumulation in L‐NAME‐treated HUVECs. Mechanistically, tris(2‐carboxyethyl) phosphine hydrochloride (TCEP), a specific reducer of cysteine thiol, increased SOD1 monomer formation, thus preventing the NO‐induced increase in dismutase activity and the decrease in ROS. Furthermore, SNP inhibited HUVEC apoptosis caused by the decrease in endogenous NO, whereas TCEP abolished this protective effect of SNP. In summary, our data reveal that NO protects endothelial cells against apoptosis by inhibiting cysteine‐dependent SOD1 monomerization to enhance SOD1 activity and inhibit oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To date, variables predicting the recovery of dysphagia in patients after dysphagic stroke have not been well defined. However, despite the difficulties in predicting and understanding the dysphagia recovery trajectory, its significance for stroke care cannot be understated. This study aims to identify the factors for functional swallowing recovery and develop nomograms that predict dysphagia recovery after stroke. Methods: The demographic, neurological, and swallowing characteristics were compared between patients who recovered from dysphagia and those who did not. Then, the factors with P <.1 through comparison were enrolled in the multivariable logistic regression analysis to build a prediction model. A nomogram was also built to provide a quantitative tool. Discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness of the prediction model were assessed by using the C index, calibration plot, and decision curve analysis. Results: Predictors in the early‐phase (T7) prediction nomogram included age, Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NHISS), hemispheric stroke, and brainstem stroke on admission. In the middle phase (T14), predictors included age, FOIS, and NHISS on admission. In the late phase (T30), predictors included age, FOIS, NHISS, bilateral stroke, and body mass index on admission. The C index for the day 7, day 14, and day 30 prediction nomograms were 0.847 (95% CI, 0.804–0.884), 0.817 (95% CI, 0.772–0.857), and 0.786 (95% CI, 0.739–0.829). Conclusion: These novel nomograms predicting dysphagia recovery after ischemic stroke are discriminative and well calibrated and could be used to guide enteral nutrition decision making, rehabilitation plans, and individualized care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute‐on‐chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a syndrome characterized by acute decompensation of chronic liver disease associated with high bacterial infection (BI) and short‐term mortality. However, many ACLF prognostic predictive modelsare complicated. The aim of this study is to develop prognostic models for ACLF patients to predict BI and mortality. We retrospective recruited 263 patients with ACLF from Shandong Provincial Hospital and Taizhou Enze Medical Center (Group) Enze Hospital. ACLF was defined according to the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) criteria. Multivariable logistic regression was used to derive prediction models for occurring BI and 28‐day mortality in ACLF patients. Ninety seven of 263 patients (37%) occurred BI and 41 of 155 (26%) died within 28 days of admission. C‐reactive protein (CRP), glucose, and albumin were the independent predictors for occurring BI during the hospital stay. We also found that hepatic encephalopathy (HE), prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time (APRI), and glucose were the independent predictors of 28‐day mortality of ACLF patients. Using logistic regression model, we generated a new modified MELD model (M‐MELD) by incorporating HE, APRI, and glucose. AUC of M‐MELD model was 0.871, which were significantly higher than MELD score (AUC:0.734), MELD‐Na score (AUC:0.742), and integrated MELD score (iMELD) (AUC:0.761). HE, MELD score, APRI, and blood glucose were independent risk factors for 28‐day mortality of ACLF patients. The modified MELD model (M‐MELD) by incorporating HE, APRI, and glucose has better discriminative performances compared with MELD in predicting 28‐day mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐dimensional imaging mass cytometry (IMC) enables simultaneous quantification of over 35 biomarkers on one tissue section. However, its limited resolution and ultralow acquisition speed remain major issues for general clinical application. Meanwhile, conventional immunofluorescence microscopy (IFM) allows sub‐micrometer resolution and rapid identification of the region of interest (ROI), but only operates with low multiplicity. Herein, a series of lanthanide‐doped blue‐, green‐, and red‐fluorescent carbon nanodots (namely, B‐Cdots(Ln1), G‐Cdots(Ln2), and R‐Cdots(Ln3)) as fluorescence and mass dual‐modal tags are developed. Coupled with aptamers, B‐Cdots(159Tb)‐A10‐3.2, G‐Cdots(165Ho)‐AS1411, and R‐Cdots(169Tm)‐SYL3C dual‐functional aptamer probes, which are then multiplexed with commercially available Maxpar metal‐tagged antibodies for analyzing clinical formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) prostatic adenocarcinoma (PaC) tissue, are further synthesized. The rapid identification of ROI with IFM using fluorescence signals and subsequent multiplexed detection of in situ ROI with IMC using the same tissue section is demonstrated. Dual‐modal probes save up to 90% IMC blind scanning time for a standard 3.5 mm × 3.5 mm overall image. Meanwhile, the IFM provides refined details and topological spatial distributions for the functional proteins at optical resolution, which compensates for the low resolution of the IMC imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colloidal lead halide Perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) have excellent optical properties that endow the PNCs with great application advantages in the display field. However, the ionic surface structure makes PNCs easy to degrade in light, heat, and air, which restricts their application. Here we report ligand‐induced growth of crystalline ZnO on CsPbX3 (X = Br, I) PNCs for LED application based on the design of PNCs with carboxylate ligand capping. ZnO was grown on the surface of PNCs through in situ organometallic reactions, and a series of Type‐II PNC/ZnO heteronanocrystals (PZNCs) were prepared. Crystalline ZnO effectively passivates the surface of colloidal PNCs and significantly improves their stability under various environmental conditions. White light‐emitting diodes were fabricated with green‐ and red‐emission PZNCs that achieved no obvious decay for long‐time operation in air. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel oil‐soluble arylamine antioxidant N1,N2‐diphenylethane‐1,2‐diamine (ND) was successfully synthesized, and the potential antioxidant behavior of which had never been reported before. The structure of ND was characterized via nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR, 13C NMR) and electron ionization mass spectrometry. The antioxidant performance of ND and its synergistic effect with 2,6‐di‐tert‐butyl‐4‐methylphenol (BHT) in di‐2‐ethylhexyl sebacate were evaluated by pressurized differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry analysis, and hot oil oxidation test. All the results indicated that the synthesized antioxidant ND exhibited outstanding antioxidant performance and showed prominent synergistic effect with BHT in ester base oil. Furthermore, the probable synergistic anti‐oxidative effect between ND and BHT was discussed, which was mainly induced by the formation of a fresh BHT radical and the regeneration of ND antioxidant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Soil microbiome comprises numerous microbial species that continuously interact with each other. Among the modes of diverse interactions, cell–cell killing may play a key role in shaping the microbiome composition. Bacteria deploy various secretion systems to fend off other microorganisms and Type IV Secretion System (T4SS) in pathogenic bacteria was shown to function as a contact‐dependent, inter‐bacterial killing system only recently. The present study investigated the role played by T4SS in the killing behaviour of the soilborne biocontrol bacterium Lysobacter enzymogenes OH11. Results showed that L. enzymogenes OH11 genome encompasses genes encoding all the components of T4SS and effectors potentially involved in inter‐bacterial killing system. Generation of knock‐out mutants revealed that L. enzymogenes OH11 uses T4SS as the main contact‐dependent weapon against other soilborne bacteria. The T4SS‐mediated killing behaviour of L. enzymogenes OH11 decreased the antibacterial and antifungal activity of two Pseudomonas spp. but at the same time, protected carrot from infection by Pectobacterium carotovorum. Overall, this study showed for the first time the involvement of T4SS in the killing behaviour of L. enzymogenes and its impact on the multiple interactions occurring in the soil microbiome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]