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Mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) are pivotal in global energy/water cycles and typically produce extreme weather events. Despite their importance, our understanding of their future change remains limited, largely due to inadequate representation in current climate models. Here, using a global storm‐resolving model that accurately simulates MCSs, we conclude contrasting responses to increased SST in their occurrence, that is, notable decreases over land but increases over ocean. This land‐ocean contrast is attributed to the changes in convective available potential energy (CAPE) and convective inhibition (CIN). Over land, notable rises in CIN alongside moderate increases in CAPE effectively suppress (favor) weak to moderate (intense) MCSs, resulting in an overall reduction in MCS occurrences. In contrast, substantial increases in CAPE with minimal changes in CIN over ocean contribute to a significant rise in MCS occurrences. The divergent response in MCS occurrence has profound impacts on both mean and extreme precipitation. Plain Language Summary: Mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) account for more than half of tropical total rainfall and are the primary drivers of extreme rainfall and flooding events. However, understanding how the frequency of these systems will change in a warming climate remains a challenge. This is due to both the incomplete representation of these disturbances in global climate models and a lack of fundamental theory to explain their dynamics. In this study, we employ a global storm resolving model to shed light on the response of tropical MCS occurrences to climate warming. What emerges is a striking contrast: MCSs over tropical land are projected to decrease in frequency, while their occurrence over tropical oceans is anticipated to rise. This difference is linked to the relative changes in convective available potential energy and convective inhibition. The divergent response in MCS occurrences has significant implications for both average and extreme precipitation patterns. As a result, it presents challenges for developing regional climate adaptation and mitigation strategies in the face of a warming climate. Key Points: A global storm resolving model is employed to study the response of global mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) to a warming climateTropical MCS occurrence exhibits divergent responses to increased SST, declining over land while increasing over the oceanThis land‐ocean contrast is attributed to the changes in convective available potential energy and convective inhibition, on MCSs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dinuclear metal synergistic catalysis (DMSC) has been proved an effective approach to enhance catalytic efficiency in photocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction, while it remains challenge to design dinuclear metal complexes that can show DMSC effect. The main reason is that the influence of the microenvironment around dinuclear metal centres on catalytic activity has not been well recognized and revealed. Herein, we report a dinuclear cobalt complex featuring a planar structure, which displays outstanding catalytic efficiency for photochemical CO2‐to‐CO conversion. The turnover number (TON) and turnover frequency (TOF) values reach as high as 14457 and 0.40 s−1 respectively, 8.6 times higher than those of the corresponding mononuclear cobalt complex. Control experiments and theoretical calculations revealed that the enhanced catalytic efficiency of the dinuclear cobalt complex is due to the indirect DMSC effect between two CoII ions, energetically feasible one step two‐electron transfer process by Co2I,I intermediate to afford Co2II,II(CO22−) intermediate and fast mass transfer closely related with the planar structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vanadate is one of the promising cathode materials for aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) due to its abundant resources and various valence states. However, the further development is restricted by their sluggish reaction kinetics between zinc ions and the host materials. In this work, several kinds of gallium ions pre‐intercalated vanadate electrode materials through a simple hydrothermal strategy are designed. Ga‐NHVO‐0.5 sample achieves a specific capacity of 438.23 mAh g−1 at current density of 0.2 A g−1. At the same time, it delivers an energy density of 250.34 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 55 W kg−1. The assembled button cells retain 83.84% of its initial capacity after 4000 times cycling, revealing their promising applications in portable power devices. Moreover, the devices still possess a favorable stability under different bending conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, epitaxially regrown n+ (In)GaN source/drain layers for radio frequency high electron mobility transistors, addressing material and electrical characterization, are reported. A range of n+ GaN and n+ InGaN layers with indium 4–12 at% and silicon 0–5.1 × 1020 cm−3 are evaluated. The active carrier concentration in n+ InGaN exceeds 2 × 1020 cm−3. The layers exhibit so‐called V‐defects, observed by atomic force microscope and transmission electron microscope (TEM), which are associated with local composition changes. In addition to the high Si doping levels, nitrogen vacancies are also considered to contribute toward their net carrier concentration. Due to its relevance for device processing, selectivity analysis is performed, and the optimal process conditions for selective regrowth are identified. Regrowth under high temperature (800 °C) is found to be conducive to improved selectivity. However, a high thermal budget negatively impacts the overall regrowth process, as reported here for In0.17Al0.83N and Al0.26Ga0.74N barriers: whereas the InAlN barrier suffers from intermixing, the AlGaN barrier demonstrates high‐temperature stability. The impact of intermixing is studied from complementary TEM and DC electrical measurements. A low overall contact resistance of 75 Ω μm is obtained with the regrown n+ InGaN layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐performance piezoelectric ceramic materials are required for piezoelectric sensors under harsh conditions in nuclear power plants, aeronautics, and aerospace. In this work, a lead‐free high‐Curie‐temperature (TC ∼792°C) Aurivillius‐type sodium bismuth niobate, Na0.5Bi2.5Nb2O9 (NBN), was fabricated through spark plasma sintering (SPS). The textured NBN ceramics with a high orientation factor of 83% exhibit significantly enhanced piezoelectric performance with a piezoelectric constant d33 of 31.2 pC/N, three times higher than that of nontextured NBN (d33 ∼ 11.6 pC/N). More importantly, the textured NBN ceramics maintain excellent electrical properties at high temperature, with a high in situ d33 of 35.9 pC/N, very low dielectric loss tanδ = 2.5% (@ 100 kHz) and high dc electrical resistivity ρ of 7.5 MΩ cm at 500°C. These results suggest that the textured NBN ceramics are good high‐temperature piezoelectric ceramic materials, and have promising applications in the field of high‐temperature piezoelectric sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PRRX1‐fused mesenchymal neoplasm is a recently identified, rare subcutaneous soft tissue neoplasm that is characterized by fusion of PRRX1 (exon 1) with NCOA1 (exon 13) in the majority of reported cases. Although initially considered to be fibroblastic, a possibility of neural or neuroectodermal differentiation has been suggested in a subset of cases. We report a 26‐year‐old female with a 4.0 cm painless mass located in the subcutis of the left thigh. Microscopically, the tumor was well‐circumscribed and multinodular and was composed of relatively monomorphic ovoid to spindle cells arranged in loose fascicles, trabeculae, and cords within alternating myxoid and fibrous matrix, and vascularized stroma. Mitotic figures were scarce and necrosis was not observed. By immunohistochemistry, the neoplastic cells demonstrated focal co‐expression of S100 protein and SOX10 and were negative for epithelial membrane antigen, smooth muscle actin, desmin, CD34, STAT6, HMB45, Melan‐A, and MUC4. The expression of Rb1 was retained. Targeted RNA‐sequencing identified a novel transcript fusion of PRRX1 (exon 1)::NCOA1 (exon 15), which was further confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing. The tumor was narrowly excised and no tumor recurrence or metastasis was identified after 13 months of follow‐up. In summary, we report a new case of PRRX1‐fused mesenchymal neoplasm, expanding the molecular genetic spectrum and providing further support for possible neural or neuroectodermal differentiation of this emerging soft tissue tumor entity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A straightforward microfluidic approach has been developed to fabricate the monodisperse thermo‐responsive self‐bursting poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) microcapsules for the rapid on‐demand release of liposoluble drugs. The PNIPAM microcapsules possess excellent structural integrity with a dense shell and spacious cavity, providing ample space for encapsulating liposoluble matters. The swollen hydrogel shells effectively prevent drugs leakage and contamination below the volume phase transition temperature (VPTT), while the shrunken hydrogel shells enable drugs to release from microcapsules above the VPTT. The microcapsules demonstrate rapid thermo‐responsiveness, with drug release occurring within 4–6 minutes and subsequent swelling taking place within 2–3 minutes. The PNIPAM microcapsules exhibit a reversible and repetitive swelling/shrinking response to temperature changes. The thermo‐responsive self‐bursting PNIPAM microcapsules exhibit great potential as microcarriers for encapsulating, storing, and rapidly releasing liposoluble substances such as drugs, fluorescent dyes, corrosion inhibitors, and other chemical ingredients. The simple, controllable and reproducible microfluidic approach presented here provides valuable guidance for the design and fabrication of monodisperse PNIPAM microcapsules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Background and Aims Methods Results Conclusions Metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is linked to various intrahepatic and extrahepatic diseases, but its association with severe infectious disease remains to be investigated.We analysed data from the Shanghai Suburban Adult Cohort and Biobank, encompassing participants enrolled in 2016 and 2017 with available abdominal ultrasonography data, and followed them up until December 2022 (median follow‐up = 5.71 years). We categorised the participants into the MASLD group and those without steatotic liver disease (non‐SLD). Multivariable‐adjusted Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) for severe infections in patients with MASLD compared to the non‐SLD group. Cumulative incidences were calculated while accounting for competing risks (non‐infection‐related deaths). Mediation analyses were performed to explore the roles of cardiometabolic risk factors in the association between MASLD and severe infections.Among the 33 072 eligible participants (mean age 56.37 years; 38.20% male), 11 908 (36.01%) were diagnosed with MASLD at baseline. Severe infections occurred in 912 (7.66%) MASLD patients and 1258 (5.94%) non‐SLD. The rate of severe infections per 1000 person‐years was higher in MASLD patients (13.58) than in comparators (10.48) (fully adjusted HR 1.18, 95% CI 1.07–1.30). The most frequent infections in MASLD were respiratory (7.25/1000 person‐years) and urinary tract infections (2.61/1000 person‐years). The 5‐year cumulative incidence of severe infections was 6.79% (95% CI 6.36–7.26) in MASLD and 5.08% (95% CI 4.79–5.38) in comparators. Cardiometabolic risk factors, including waist circumference, triglycerides and HbA1C, partially mediate the association between MASLD and severe infections.Patients with MASLD were at significantly higher risk of incident severe infections compared to the non‐SLD group. Future studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms linking MASLD to severe infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High temperature during early grain‐filling stage is one of the serious abiotic stresses limiting maize yield in the North China Plain. Nitrogen (N) fertiliser has an important role in promoting crop growth, especially under abiotic stresses. However, its contribution to alleviating heat stress (HS) inhibition on maize photosynthesis during early grain‐filling stage is still unclear. Experiments with three N rates (LN, low nitrogen; MN, medium nitrogen; HN, high nitrogen) and two temperature (HS, heat stress; CK, ambient temperature as control) regimes were conducted to examine the effects of increasing N supply on photosynthesis, N assimilation, antioxidant system, and hormones homeostasis of maize during early grain‐filling stage using two maize hybrids Xianyu335 (XY335, heat‐sensitive) and Zhengdan (ZD958, heat‐tolerant). HS negatively affected photosynthesis of both two hybrids, exhibited lower net photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll content and activities of Rubisco and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) compared with CK, and then decreased dry matter accumulation of maize, with a lesser extent for ZD958 than XY335. However, increasing N supply alleviated the adverse effects of HS on maize photosynthesis due to improved N assimilation capacity. Under HS condition, greater N content and higher activities of glutamine synthetase and glutamate synthase in maize ear leaf were found in treatment of HN compared with LN and MN. HN with higher N assimilation capacity directly increased the net photosynthetic rate due to improved chlorophyll content, activities of Rubisco and PEPC and antioxidant capacity. HS‐induced abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation was also repressed by HN, and then enhanced the stomatal conductance and transpiration rate to maintain higher photosynthetic capacity compared with LN and MN. Moreover, the positive effects of increasing N supply on maize photosynthesis under HS condition exhibited a larger extent for XY335 than ZD958. As a result of improved photosynthesis and N assimilation capacity by adequate N supply, maize accumulated more biomass under HS, especially for heat‐sensitive hybrid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Radiotherapy plays a key role in the multidisciplinary management of oesophageal cancers across neoadjuvant, definitive and palliative settings. Improved precision in radiotherapy planning and delivery techniques have allowed treating disease with tighter margins reducing toxicity. In this study, we examine the appropriateness of current practice in defining the planning target volume (PTV). Methods: This is a single institutional retrospective study of patients who received radiotherapy for oesophageal cancers using volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) during 2020. All cone‐beam computerised tomography (CBCT) scans were reviewed to assess whether PTV expansions appropriately accounted for tumour motion and interfractional variation. Results: Of the 27 patients, 2 (7%), 5 (19%) and 20 (74%) had cervical, thoracic and distal/gastro‐oesophageal junction (GOJ) disease, respectively. 16 (59%) had adenocarcinoma and 9 (33%) had squamous cell carcinoma. 9 of 20 distal/GOJ patients were planned and treated according to the institutional stomach filling protocol. 521/528 (98.7%) CBCTs demonstrated adequate target coverage. Cervical, thoracic and GOJ regions demonstrated adequate target coverage in 57/58, 96/97 and 368/373 CBCTs with median PTV expansions of 5, 7 and 7 mm, respectively. In four patients with GOJ disease, CBCT review identified five episodes where the target volume was insufficiently covered during the treatment course. Conclusion: In this single institutional retrospective study, for the vast majority of patients, our institutional practice of defining PTV margins achieved satisfactory target treatment. The interfractional variations observed in patients with GOJ tumours due to target motion and variable gastric volume, highlights the role of further refinements to motion management techniques in this cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement of Eu2+‐activated luminescent materials tailored to exhibit a range of properties is crucial for addressing the specific demands of various application fields. However, the lack of suitable lattice sites in numerous compounds for stable Eu2+ incorporation restricts their potential for diverse optical properties. Herein, a facile strategy of carbon and hydrogen coreduction utilizing graphite crucibles is proposed to effectively achieve the impressive luminescence of Eu2+ at trivalent Y sites in Rb3Y(PO4)2:Eu phosphors. Rb3Y(PO4)2:Eu exhibits blue‐violet emission when Eu2+ predominantly occupies the Rb1 and Rb2 sites. Inspiringly, by facilitating the reduction of more Eu3+ to Eu2+, a yellow emission band at 550 nm arising from Eu2+ at Y sites emerges, enabling the realization of single‐component white‐emitting and yellow‐emitting Rb3Y(PO4)2:Eu phosphors. The diverse luminescent properties of Rb3Y(PO4)2:Eu expand its potential applications in different white light source devices and optical thermometry. This work presents an innovative synthetic strategy to develop remarkable Eu2+ luminescence at trivalent cation sites, thereby broadening the optical properties of the material and enabling multifunctional applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen‐bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) are outstanding candidates for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. However, most of reported HOFs suffer from poor stability and photocatalytic activity in the absence of Pt cocatalyst. Herein, a series of metal HOFs (Co2‐HOF‐X, X=COOMe, Br, tBu and OMe) have been rationally constructed based on dinuclear cobalt complexes, which exhibit exceptional stability in the presence of strong acid (12 M HCl) and strong base (5 M NaOH) for at least 10 days. More impressively, by varying the ‐X groups of the dinuclear cobalt complexes, the microenvironment of Co2‐HOF‐X can be modulated, giving rise to obviously different photocatalytic H2 production rates, following the −X group sequence of −COOMe>−Br>−tBu>−OMe. The optimized Co2‐HOF‐COOMe shows H2 generation rate up to 12.8 mmol g−1 h−1 in the absence of any additional noble‐metal photosensitizers and cocatalysts, which is superior to most reported Pt‐assisted photocatalytic systems. Experiments and theoretical calculations reveal that the −X groups grafted on Co2‐HOF‐X possess different electron‐withdrawing ability, thus regulating the electronic structures of Co catalytic centres and proton activation barrier for H2 production, and leading to the distinctly different photocatalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Posttransplantation complications pose a major challenge to the long‐term survival and quality of life of organ transplant recipients. These complications encompass immune‐mediated complications, infectious complications, metabolic complications, and malignancies, with each type influenced by various risk factors and pathological mechanisms. The molecular mechanisms underlying posttransplantation complications involve a complex interplay of immunological, metabolic, and oncogenic processes, including innate and adaptive immune activation, immunosuppressant side effects, and viral reactivation. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the clinical features, risk factors, and molecular mechanisms of major posttransplantation complications. We systematically summarize the current understanding of the immunological basis of allograft rejection and graft‐versus‐host disease, the metabolic dysregulation associated with immunosuppressive agents, and the role of oncogenic viruses in posttransplantation malignancies. Furthermore, we discuss potential prevention and intervention strategies based on these mechanistic insights, highlighting the importance of optimizing immunosuppressive regimens, enhancing infection prophylaxis, and implementing targeted therapies. We also emphasize the need for future research to develop individualized complication control strategies under the guidance of precision medicine, ultimately improving the prognosis and quality of life of transplant recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most global climate models with convective parameterization have trouble in simulating the observed diurnal cycle of convection. Maximum precipitation usually happens too early during summertime, especially over land. Observational analyses indicate that deep convection over land cannot keep pace with rapid variations in convective available potential energy, which is largely controlled by boundary‐layer forcing. In this study, a new convective closure in which shallow and deep convection interact strongly, out of equilibrium, is implemented in atmosphere‐only and ocean‐atmosphere coupled models. The diurnal cycles of convection in both simulations are significantly improved with small changes to their mean states. The new closure shifts maximum precipitation over land later by about three hours. Compared to satellite observations, the diurnal phase biases are reduced by half. Shallow convection to some extent equilibrates rapid changes in the boundary layer at subdiurnal time scales. Relaxed quasi‐equilibrium for convective available potential energy holds in significant measure as a result. Future model improvement will focus on the remaining biases in the diurnal cycle, which may be further reduced by including stochastic entrainment and cold pools. Plain Language Summary: In this study, we tackled a common challenge in general circulation models concerning the timing of intense rainfall over land during summertime. Many models tend to predict the peak of precipitation too early in the day. To address this, our study introduced a new approach to simulate convection by accounting for the role of shallow convection in stabilizing rapid changes in the atmospheric boundary layer at shorter time scales. This approach delayed maximum precipitation over land by approximately three hours. This adjustment significantly improved the simulated precipitation, aligning them more closely with observations from satellite data. Overall, our research contributes to improving numerical models, bringing them closer to accurately simulating the intricate dynamics of convection and precipitation over land. Key Points: A new convective closure is applied to Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory's CMIP6 climate models AM4 (atmosphere‐only) and CM4 (ocean‐atmosphere coupled)The diurnal cycle of precipitation is significantly improved over landThe new closure does not significantly change many aspects of AM4 and CM4's mean state and variability aside from their diurnal precipitation cycles [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most prevalent subtype of lung cancer, and the early detection and diagnosis of this disease are crucial in reducing mortality rates. The timely diagnosis of LUAD is essential for controlling tumour development and enabling early surgical treatment. GPR56 is a vital G protein‐coupled receptor and its role in T lymphocytes has received considerable attention. However, its function in B cells remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the significance of GPR56 in LUAD. We found that GPR56 exhibited a significant increase in circulating plasmablasts and a decrease in new memory B cells. GPR56 expression in B cells was significantly reduced after LPS stimulation and the proportion of HLA‐DR+ and CD40+ proportions were also decreased in GPR56+ B cells after stimulation. Additionally, GPR56 exhibited significant down‐regulation in circulating B cell subsets of early‐stage LUAD patients, and there were significant correlations between GPR56+ B cell subsets and tumour markers. In conclusion, GPR56 could reflect the hypoactivation state of B cells and the decreased proportion of GPR56+ B cell subset in LUAD patients can signify the active humoral immunity in vivo. The expression of GPR56 in B cells could potentially hold value in the early diagnosis of LUAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic variants of the OX40 ligand (OX40L) locus are associated with the risk of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), it is unclear how the OX40L blockade delays the lupus phenotype. Therefore, we examined the effects of an anti‐OX40L antibody in MRL/Lpr mice. Next, we investigated the effect of anti‐OX40L on immunosuppression in keyhole limpet hemocyanin‐immunized C57BL/6J mice. In vitro treatment of anti‐OX40L in CD4+ T and B220+ B cells was used to explore the role of OX40L in the pathogenesis of SLE. Anti‐OX40L alleviated murine lupus nephritis, accompanied by decreased production of anti‐dsDNA and proteinuria, as well as lower frequencies of splenic T helper (Th) 1 and T‐follicular helper cells (Tfh). In keyhole limpet hemocyanin‐immunized mice, decreased levels of immunoglobulins and plasmablasts were observed in the anti‐OX40L group. Anti‐OX40L reduced the number and area of germinal centers. Compared with the control IgG group, anti‐OX40L downregulated CD4+ T‐cell differentiation into Th1 and Tfh cells and upregulated CD4+ T‐cell differentiation into regulatory T cells in vitro. Furthermore, anti‐OX40L inhibited toll‐like receptor 7‐mediated differentiation of antibody‐secreting cells and antibody production through the regulation of the SPIB‐BLIMP1‐XBP1 axis in B cells. These results suggest that OX40L is a promising therapeutic target for SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precipitation changes in full response to CO2 increase are widely studied but confidence in future projections remains low. Mechanistic understanding of the direct radiative effect of CO2 on precipitation changes, independent from CO2‐induced SST changes, is therefore necessary. Utilizing global atmospheric models, we identify robust summer precipitation decreases across North America in response to direct CO2 forcing. We find that spatial distribution of CO2 forcing at land surface is likely shaped by climatological distribution of water vapor and clouds. This, coupled with local feedback processes, changes in convection, and moisture supply resulting from CO2‐induced circulation changes, could determine North American hydroclimate changes. In central North America, increasing CO2 may decrease summertime precipitation by warming the surface and inducing dry advection into the region to reduce moisture supply. Meanwhile, for the southwest and the east, CO2‐induced shift of subtropical highs generates wet advection, which might mitigate the drying effect from warming. Plain Language Summary: How precipitation changes in full response to increased CO2 remains unclear. Mechanistic understanding of how increasing CO2 alone changes precipitation can help us better predict future precipitation in full response to CO2 increase. We find that the precipitation responses are much stronger during summer than winter in North America. During summer, precipitation significantly decreases in central North America in response to the direct CO2 radiative effect, while in the southwest and the east, precipitation changes are small. There might be stronger longwave radiation forcing near the surface induced by CO2 increase in arid regions due to weaker masking effect of water vapor and clouds. This, along with local feedbacks, significantly warms the central region. Meanwhile, the direct forcing of CO2 induces northward shifts in subtropical highs, consequently generating anticyclonic anomalies. These wind anomalies result in drier air advected into central North America, leading to moisture divergence and hence reducing moisture supply. The reduced water supply, coupled with the warming, may decrease precipitation in the region. For the southwest and the east, the anticyclonic anomalies cause wetter air advected into the regions and generate moisture convergence, which increases moisture supply and might mitigate the drying effect caused by CO2‐induced warming. Key Points: Robust precipitation decreases during summer in response to CO2 direct radiative effect are identified in central North AmericaClimatology and changes of hydrological environment may collectively modulate the regional CO2 radiative effect on summer precipitationCO2‐induced circulation changes could alter the moisture supply to reshape the regional hydrological cycle [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a numerical study of the complex multiphase flow of air, vapor, and particles in an innovative gas cyclone called CAP cyclone. The air–vapor flow is modeled as a mixture by the Reynolds‐averaged Navier‐Stokes equations with the mixture species transport and the Eulerian wall film model using FLUENT. Particle flow is modeled by the Lagrangian particle tracking method and the condensational growth of particle droplets is modeled via a user‐defined function. The model is validated by reaching good agreement with experimental results. Flow field analysis shows that the added vapor does not change the major vortex characteristics in the cyclone, but the vapor distribution is not uniform. The vapor concentration is much higher in the upper part than in the lower part of the cyclone, leading to insufficient condensational growth in the lower part. A secondary vapor injection is proposed to improve the vapor concentration in the lower part, which is shown to be effective in improving the collection efficiency. The model and the results are helpful to the understanding and optimization of the CAP cyclone technology, and also the vapor and particle droplet flow in turbulent flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The meticulous selection of appropriate vaccine adjuvants is crucial for optimizing immune responses. Traditionally, pemphigus vulgaris (PV), an autoimmune disorder, has been modelled using complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). In this study, we aimed to discern potential variations in immune responses elicited by Toll‐like receptor (TLR) ligands as compared to CFA. Methods: A comprehensive investigation was conducted, comparing the effects of these adjuvants in conjunction with ovalbumin or desmoglein‐3. Flow cytometry was employed to analyse distinct cell subsets, while enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay quantified antigen‐specific antibodies and cytokine levels. Histological examination of harvested skin tissues and transcriptome analysis of skin lesions were performed to identify differentially expressed genes. Results: TLR ligands demonstrated efficacy in inducing PV‐like symptoms in wild‐type mice, in contrast to CFA. This underscored the substantial impact of the adjuvant on self‐antigen tolerance. Furthermore, we proposed an enhanced method for establishing a PV model through adoptive transfer, substituting CFA with TLR ligands. Our results revealed that in contrast to the perception that CFA being the most potent immunopotentiator reported, CFA promoted regulatory T cells (Treg), follicular regulatory T cells and IL‐10‐producing neutrophils, whereas TLR ligands downregulated CCL17 and IL‐10. This suggested potential implications for the recruitment and activation of Treg subsets. While B cell and CD8+ T cell responses exhibited similarity, CFA induced less activation in dendritic cell subsets. A novel mouse model of PV and systemic comparison of immunostimulatory effects of adjuvants were provided by this study. Conclusions: The systematic comparison of CFA and TLR ligands shed light on the distinctive properties of these adjuvants, presenting innovative mouse models for the investigation of pemphigus. This study significantly contributes to adjuvant research and advances our understanding of PV pathogenesis. Key points/highlights: Immunization with desmoglein 3 and Toll‐like receptor (TLR) ligands effectively induces pemphigus symptoms in wild‐type mice, whereas complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) fails.TLR ligands heightened the autoreactivity of donor cells in the adoptive transfer pemphigus model.CFA promoted regulatory T cells and IL‐10‐producing neutrophils, whereas TLR ligands downregulated CCL17 and IL‐10, leading to more effective immune responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Ectomycorrhizal symbiosis, which involves mutually beneficial interactions between soil fungi and tree roots, is essential for promoting tree growth. To establish this symbiotic relationship, fungal symbionts must initiate and sustain mutualistic interactions with host plants while avoiding host defense responses. This study investigated the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by fungal NADPH oxidase (Nox) in the development of Laccaria bicolor/Populus tremula × alba symbiosis.Our findings revealed that L. bicolor LbNox expression was significantly higher in ectomycorrhizal roots than in free‐living mycelia. RNAi was used to silence LbNox, which resulted in decreased ROS signaling, limited formation of the Hartig net, and a lower mycorrhizal formation rate.Using Y2H library screening, BiFC and Co‐IP, we demonstrated an interaction between the mitogen‐activated protein kinase LbSakA and LbNoxR. LbSakA‐mediated phosphorylation of LbNoxR at T409, T477 and T480 positively modulates LbNox activity, ROS accumulation and upregulation of symbiosis‐related genes involved in dampening host defense reactions.These results demonstrate that regulation of fungal ROS metabolism is critical for maintaining the mutualistic interaction between L. bicolor and P. tremula × alba. Our findings also highlight a novel and complex regulatory mechanism governing the development of symbiosis, involving both transcriptional and posttranslational regulation of gene networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease characterized by persistent activation of immune cells and overproduction of autoantibodies. The accumulation of senescent T and B cells has been observed in SLE and other immune‐mediated diseases. However, the exact mechanistic pathways contributing to this process in SLE remain incompletely understood. In this study, we found that in SLE patients: (1) the frequency of CD4+CD57+ senescent T cells was significantly elevated and positively correlated with disease activity; (2) the expression levels of B‐lymphoma‐2 (BCL‐2) family and interferon‐induced genes (ISGs) were significantly upregulated; and (3) in vitro, the cytokine IL‐15 stimulation increased the frequency of senescent CD4+ T cells and upregulated the expression of BCL‐2 family and ISGs. Further, treatment with ABT‐263 (a senolytic BCL‐2 inhibitor) in MRL/lpr mice resulted in decreased: (1) frequency of CD4+CD44hiCD62L−PD‐1+CD153+ senescent CD4+ T cells; (2) frequency of CD19+CD11c+T‐bet+ age‐related B cells; (3) level of serum antinuclear antibody; (4) proteinuria; (5) frequency of Tfh cells; and (6) renal histopathological abnormalities. Collectively, these results indicated a dominant role for CD4+CD57+ senescent CD4+ T cells in the pathogenesis of SLE and senolytic BCL‐2 inhibitor ABT‐263 may be the potential treatment in ameliorating lupus phenotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility and safety profile of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy with oxaliplatin, 5‐fluorouracil, and leucovorin (HAIC‐FOLFOX) as an alternative therapeutic choice for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that is refractory to systemic treatment including immune checkpoint blockades or molecular targeting agents. Methods: Two hundred and forty five consecutive patients with advanced HCC who received HAIC‐FOLFOX treatment after systemic treatment failure were retrospectively reviewed in six institutions and their survival, tumor response, and tolerance were assessed. Results: The median overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival of the 209 included participants were 10.5 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.1–12.9) and 6.0 months (95% CI, 5.1–6.9), respectively. According to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors 1.1 criteria, the objective response rate was 21.1%, and the disease control rate was 64.6%. Multivariate analysis of risk factors of OS were albumin–bilirubin grade (2 and 3 vs. 1, hazard ratio [HR] 1.57; 95% CI, 1.05–2.34; p = 0.028), tumor number (>3 vs. 1–3, HR 2.18; 95% CI, 1.10–4.34; p = 0.026), extrahepatic spread (present vs. absent, HR 1.61, 95% CI, 1.06–2.45; p = 0.027), synchronous systemic treatment (present vs. absent, HR 0.55, 95% CI, 0.37–0.83; p = 0.004) and treatment response (responder vs. nonresponder, HR 0.30, 95% CI, 0.17–0.53; p < 0.001). Grade 3–4 adverse events (AEs) occurred in 59 (28.2%) HCC patients. All AEs were manageable, and deaths related to hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy treatment were not observed. Conclusions: Our findings support the effectiveness and safety of HAIC‐FOLFOX treatment for patients with advanced HCC who have failed systemic treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermospheric density and its variations are crucial to aerospace activities as well as space weather research and operation. However, due to the difficulties in observing the thermosphere, there has been a lack of effective descriptions for the general characteristics of thermospheric density. In this paper, the Two‐Line‐Element data sets (TLEs) from multi‐target low Earth orbit satellites are used to derive a proxy of the daily average atmospheric density in the thermospheric shell located in the vicinity of LEOs' orbital altitude. It captures the overall characteristics of the thermosphere and exhibits good correlations (∼0.9) with modeled and observed thermospheric density. By applying the spectral whitening method to this proxy, a new index JsT ${J}_{s}^{T}$ is derived to describe non‐periodic perturbation of the density where the specific satellite passed by. The fact that the JsT ${J}_{s}^{T}$ obtained from different satellites within the same thermospheric shell presents significant consistency to each other means that the new index is a good indicator for the overall feature of the variations of thermospheric density, and it is possible to define a unified regional index JrT ${J}_{r}^{T}$ to describe density disturbances for the thermospheric shell where these satellites fly through. Moreover, the JrT ${J}_{r}^{T}$ at different altitudes also present good consistency suggesting the possibility of defining a global index JpT ${J}_{p}^{T}$, capable of describing the density variation of the entire thermosphere. Plain Language Summary: Due to limited in situ observation, the thermospheric density is not easy to obtain. Herein, we have extracted the density information of the thermosphere based on the Two‐Line‐Element data sets and developed a new index using the spectral whitening method, which describes aperiodic disturbances of the density. The construction of this index series can address the limitations of existing quantitative or graded descriptions of space weather disturbances and the problem of mismatched or inconsistent parameters/indices. Ultimately, this will contribute to the monitoring and warning of space weather causal chains. Key Points: A proxy of daily average thermospheric mass density was extracted from Two‐Line‐Element data setsBy applying the spectral whitening method to this proxy, a new index is derived to describe non‐periodic perturbations in the thermosphereA unified regional index was defined to describe density disturbances for the thermospheric shell where these satellites fly through [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using high temporal resolution satellite observations and reanalysis data, we classify daily weather into distinct regimes and quantify their associated cloud radiative effect (CRE) to better understand the roles of various weather systems in affecting Earth's top‐of‐atmosphere radiation budget. These regimes include non‐precipitation, drizzle, wet non‐storm, and storm days, which encompass atmospheric rivers (AR), tropical storms (TS), and mesoscale convection systems (MCS). We find that precipitation (wet) days account for roughly 80% (60%) of global longwave (LW) and shortwave (SW) CREs due to their large frequency and high intensity in CRE. Despite being rare globally (13%), AR, TS, and MCS days together account for 32% of global LW CRE and 27% of SW CRE due to their higher intensity in LW and SW CRE. These results enhance our understanding of how various weather systems, particularly severe storms, influence Earth's radiative balance, and will help to better constrain climate models. Plain Language Summary: Using detailed satellite observations and reanalysis data, we categorize daily weather patterns into different types and measure the cloud radiative effects (CRE) associated with each type. The weather patterns we study include non‐precipitation days, drizzle, wet non‐storm days, and storm days, which include events like atmospheric rivers, tropical storms, and mesoscale convective systems. We found that precipitation days, which include both drizzle and wet days, contribute to about 80% of global longwave (LW) and shortwave (SW) CRE due to their high frequency and intensity. Even though storm days are rare globally (only 13%), they collectively contribute to around 32% of global LW CRE and 27% of SW CRE because of their stronger impact on both LW and SW CRE. These findings are important for understanding how different weather systems influence the Earth's radiation balance and will help improve the accuracy of climate models. Key Points: Cloud radiative effect (CRE) associated with various daily weather regimes including atmospheric rivers (ARs), tropical storms (TSs), and mesoscale convection systems (MCSs) are derived using satellite observations and reanalysis dataPrecipitation (wet) days account for roughly 80% (60%) of global longwave (LW) and shortwave (SW) CRE due to their large frequency and high intensity in CREDespite their rare occurrence, AR, TS, and MCS days together account for 32% of LW CRE and 27% of SW CRE due to their higher intensity CRE [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The higher‐order turbulence scheme, Cloud Layers Unified by Binormals (CLUBB), is known for effectively simulating the transition from cumulus to stratocumulus clouds within leading atmospheric climate models. This study investigates an underexplored aspect of CLUBB: its capacity to simulate near‐surface winds and the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL), with a particular focus on its coupling with surface momentum flux. Using the GFDL atmospheric climate model (AM4), we examine two distinct coupling strategies, distinguished by their handling of surface momentum flux during the CLUBB's stability‐driven substepping performed at each atmospheric time step. The static coupling maintains a constant surface momentum flux, while the dynamic coupling adjusts the surface momentum flux at each CLUBB substep based on the CLUBB‐computed zonal and meridional wind speed tendencies. Our 30‐year present‐day climate simulations (1980–2010) show that static coupling overestimates 10‐m wind speeds compared to both control AM4 simulations and reanalysis, particularly over the Southern Ocean (SO) and other midlatitude ocean regions. Conversely, dynamic coupling corrects the static coupling 10‐m winds biases in the midlatitude regions, resulting in CLUBB simulations achieving there an excellent agreement with AM4 simulations. Furthermore, analysis of PBL vertical profiles over the SO reveals that dynamic coupling reduces downward momentum transport, consistent with the found wind‐speed reductions. Instead, near the tropics, dynamic coupling results in minimal changes in near‐surface wind speeds and associated turbulent momentum transport structure. Notably, the wind turning angle serves as a valuable qualitative metric for assessing the impact of changes in surface momentum flux representation on global circulation patterns. Plain Language Summary: The Cloud Layers Unified by Binormals (CLUBB) scheme offers a promising way to model the complexities of cloud behavior, but its impact on winds and global circulation has been less explored. In our study, we investigate how different ways of representing the complex coupling between surface drag and the lowest kilometer of the Earth's atmosphere affect global wind speeds and circulation. We specifically examine two distinct approaches: a static approach, which feeds a constant surface drag to CLUBB, and a dynamic approach, which adjusts the surface drag based on the winds updates computed by CLUBB. Over a present‐day climate, we find that static coupling tends to produce excessively large wind speeds in certain regions, like the Southern Ocean and parts of the North Atlantic and North Pacific. Instead, dynamic coupling produces excellent near‐surface wind speeds in these regions, and also over the rest of the globe. Moreover, we discover that dynamic coupling reduces the downward turbulent transport of momentum, highlighting the enhancements in near‐surface wind speeds found with this approach are physically consistent. Lastly, we use the change in wind direction with height to qualitatively evaluate how the two coupling methods affect global circulation patterns. Key Points: Dynamic coupling between Cloud Layers Unified by Binormals (CLUBB) and surface momentum flux enhances global winds climate simulations bringing CLUBB in line with control atmospheric climate modelIn midlatitude regions, the dynamic coupling enhances the boundary‐layer momentum transport compared to the static couplingThe wind turning angle turns out a useful qualitative metric, linking changes in surface momentum flux to the changes in global circulation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous organic electrolytes additives have been reported to improve Zn anode performance in aqueous Zn metal batteries (AZMBs). However, the modification mechanism needs to be further revealed in consideration of different environments for electrolytes and electrodes during the charge‐discharge process. Herein, sulfur‐containing zwitter‐molecule (methionine, Met) is used as an additive for ZnSO4 electrolytes. In electrolytes, Met reduces the H2O coordination number and facilitates the desolvation process by virtue of functional groups (─COOH, ─NH2, C─S─C), accelerating Zn2+ transference kinetics and decreasing the amount of active water. On electrodes, Met prefers to adsorb on Zn (002) plane and further transforms into a zincophilic protective layer containing C─SOx─C through an in situ electrochemical oxidization, suppressing H2 evolution/corrosion reactions and guiding dendrite‐free Zn deposition. By using Met‐containing ZnSO4 electrolytes, the Zn//Zn cells show superior cycling performance under 30 mA cm−2/30 mA h cm−2. Moreover, the full cells Zn//NH4V4O10 full cells using the modified electrolytes exhibit good performance at temperatures from −8 to 60 °C. Notably, a high energy density of 105.30 W h kg−1 can be delivered using a low N/P ratio of 1.2, showing a promising prospect of Met electrolytes additives for practical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microfluidic strategy of smart calcium alginate (CA) capsules is presented to immobilize Pseudomonas aeruginosa to treat oil slicks effectively. The capsule wall is embedded with poly (N‐isopropyl acrylamide) sub‐microspheres as thermo‐responsive switches. CA capsules, with a diameter of 3.26 mm and a thin wall thickness about 12.8 μm, have satisfying monodispersity, cavity structure, and dense surface structures. The capsules possess excellent encapsulation of bacteria, which are fixed in a restricted space and become more aggregated. It overcomes the disadvantages of a long fermentation production cycle, easy loss of bacteria, and susceptibility to shear effect. The smart CA capsules immobilized with bacteria treat model wastewater containing soybean oil or diesel and display favorable fermentation ability. The capsules can effectively treat oil slicks with high concentration, and it is an economical way for processing oily wastewater. Practitioner Points: A thermo‐responsive calcium alginate capsule was prepared by microfluidic strategy.Pseudomonas aeruginosa is environmentally friendly in treating oil slicks.The capsules, immobilized bacteria, treat oil slicks effectively.This study provides an economical way for processing different oily water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytophthora root and stem rot of soybean (Glycine max), caused by the oomycete Phytophthora sojae, is an extremely destructive disease worldwide. In this study, we identified GmEIL1, which encodes an ethylene‐insensitive3 (EIN3) transcription factor. GmEIL1 was significantly induced following P. sojae infection of soybean plants. Compared to wild‐type soybean plants, transgenic soybean plants overexpressing GmEIL1 showed enhanced resistance to P. sojae and GmEIL1‐silenced RNA‐interference lines showed more severe symptoms when infected with P. sojae. We screened for target genes of GmEIL1 and confirmed that GmEIL1 bound directly to the GmERF113 promoter and regulated GmERF113 expression. Moreover, GmEIL1 positively regulated the expression of the pathogenesis‐related gene GmPR1. The GmEIL1‐regulated defence response to P. sojae involved both ethylene biosynthesis and the ethylene signalling pathway. These findings suggest that the GmEIL1‐GmERF113 module plays an important role in P. sojae resistance via the ethylene signalling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a variable‐resolution global chemistry‐climate model (AM4VR) developed at NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) for research at the nexus of US climate and air quality extremes. AM4VR has a horizontal resolution of 13 km over the US, allowing it to resolve urban‐to‐rural chemical regimes, mesoscale convective systems, and land‐surface heterogeneity. With the resolution gradually reducing to 100 km over the Indian Ocean, we achieve multi‐decadal simulations driven by observed sea surface temperatures at 50% of the computational cost for a 25‐km uniform‐resolution grid. In contrast with GFDL's AM4.1 contributing to the sixth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project at 100 km resolution, AM4VR features much improved US climate mean patterns and variability. In particular, AM4VR shows improved representation of: precipitation seasonal‐to‐diurnal cycles and extremes, notably reducing the central US dry‐and‐warm bias; western US snowpack and summer drought, with implications for wildfires; and the North American monsoon, affecting dust storms. AM4VR exhibits excellent representation of winter precipitation, summer drought, and air pollution meteorology in California with complex terrain, enabling skillful prediction of both extreme summer ozone pollution and winter haze events in the Central Valley. AM4VR also provides vast improvements in the process‐level representations of biogenic volatile organic compound emissions, interactive dust emissions from land, and removal of air pollutants by terrestrial ecosystems. We highlight the value of increased model resolution in representing climate–air quality interactions through land‐biosphere feedbacks. AM4VR offers a novel opportunity to study global dimensions to US air quality, especially the role of Earth system feedbacks in a changing climate. Plain Language Summary: NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory has developed a new variable‐resolution global chemistry‐climate model for research at the nexus of US climate and air quality extremes. In contrast with the global models contributing to the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report, this model features more than 10 times finer spatial resolution over the contiguous US, allowing it to better resolve cities, mountain valleys, thunderstorms, and urban‐to‐rural air quality variations. This model features much improved representation of regional rainfall extremes, drought, and severe air pollution events in diverse US air basins, including California. Notably, this model reduces the central US dry‐and‐warm bias that has persisted in many generations of climate models. As global climate change leads to more hot and dry weather, the resulting droughts are creating dust‐prone bare lands or stressing plants, making them less able to remove ozone pollution from the air. These effects are included in this model, with particular focus on integrating physical, chemical, and biological components at high spatial resolution to understand Earth system feedbacks to US air quality extremes in a changing climate. Key Points: A new variable‐resolution global chemistry‐climate model has been developed for research at the nexus of US climate and air quality extremesThis model unifies component advances in physics, chemistry and land‐atmosphere interactions within a seamless variable‐resolution frameworkThis model features much improved US regional precipitation, drought, and air quality extremes compared to previous models [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate the risk factors associated with surgical site infection (SSI) after percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH). A retrospective analysis was performed on a cohort of 335 patients who underwent PELD between January 2016 and January 2023. Data were derived from the Hospital Information System (HIS), and a comprehensive statistical assessment was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 25.0. Both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses assessed a range of risk determinants, such as age, body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, laboratory test parameters and surgery‐related variables. The incidence of SSI after PELD was 2.7% (9/335). Univariate analysis highlighted BMI, diabetes mellitus, long‐term corticosteroid consumption, surgical time and cerebrospinal fluid leakage as significant predictors of SSI. Multivariate logistic regression identified BMI, diabetes mellitus, long‐term corticosteroid consumption, surgical time and cerebrospinal fluid leakage as significant risk factors for SSI after PELD. High BMI, diabetes mellitus, long‐term corticosteroid consumption, long surgical time and postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage are predisposing factors for SSI in patients undergoing PELD. Precise interventions focused on such risk components, including careful preoperative assessment and strategic postoperative care, are essential to reduce the incidence of SSI and improve surgical efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) are recognized as a major contributor to metabolic resistance in insects to most insecticides, through gene overexpressions and protein mutations. MicroRNA (miRNA), an important post‐transcriptional regulator, has been reported to promote insecticide resistance by mediating the expression of detoxification enzyme genes. RESULTS: In the present study, we reported that a novel microRNA PC‐5p‐3991_515 was involved in the post‐transcriptional regulation of CYP417A2 and mediated the triflumezopyrim susceptibility in the small brown planthopper (SBPH), Laodelphax striatellus (Fallén). The tissue expression profiles showed that CYP417A2 was highly expressed in fat body. CYP417A2 was significantly up‐regulated at 12, 36, 60, 84 and 108 h after the triflumezopyrim treatment. RNA interference (RNAi) against CYP417A2 significantly increased triflumezopyrim susceptibility in SBPH. According to the prediction by miRanda and TargetScan software, three miRNAs were indicated to bind to CYP417A2. However, when oversupply of agomir, only two miRNAs, PC‐3p‐625_4405 and PC‐5p‐3991_515, significantly increased the susceptibility to triflumezopyrim and decreased CYP417A2 levels. Furthermore, PC‐5p‐3991_515 was confirmed to be involved in the post‐transcriptional regulation of CYP417A2 by dual luciferase reporter assay. Meanwhile, PC‐5p‐3991_515 was co‐localized with CYP417A2 in the midgut in situ hybridization. CONCLUSION: Our findings revealed that the novel microRNA, PC‐5p‐3991_515, post‐transcriptionally regulated CYP417A2 expression, which then mediated the triflumezopyrim susceptibility in SBPH. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important equipment for the separation, store, and transport of the oil and natural gas in energy industry, the pressure vessels are subjected to harsh service environments of sulfide stress cracking (SSC). In this work, the effect of the cooling rate on the SSC susceptibility of a Q345 pressure vessel steel is studied. A pronounced distinction in microstructure is presented as the cooling rate is increased from ≈1 to ≈15 °C s−1. At ≈1 °C s−1, the microstructure is consisted of polygonal‐like ferrite and distinct banded pearlite. At ≈5 °C s−1, the microstructure is consisted of polygonal‐like ferrite and faintly banded pseudo‐pearlite. At ≈15 °C s−1, the microstructure is acicular ferrite with a complete elimination of banded structure. The cooling rate decides the level of the banded structure. As the cooling rate increases, the banded structure becomes relatively slight and even disappears. Strength in sort ascending is ≈1, ≈ 5, and ≈15 °C s−1. The SSC failure happens at ≈1 and ≈5 °C s−1, while does not happen at ≈15 °C s−1. The strength is not the only dominant factor responsible for the SSC failure. The SSC is preferentially generated at the banded structure. The elimination of the banded structure is necessary to improve the SSC resistance of the Q345 pressure vessel steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of toxic organic pollutants in aquatic environments poses significant threats to human health and global ecosystems. Photocatalysis that enables in situ production and activation of H2O2 presents a promising approach for pollutant removal; however, the processes of H2O2 production and activation potentially compete for active sites and charge carriers on the photocatalyst surface, leading to limited catalytic performance. Herein, a hierarchical 2D/2D heterojunction nanosphere composed of ultrathin BiOBr and BiOI nanosheets (BiOBr/BiOI) is developed by a one‐pot microwave‐assisted synthesis to achieve in situ H2O2 production and activation for efficient photocatalytic wastewater treatment. Various experimental and characterization results reveal that the BiOBr/BiOI heterojunction facilitates efficient electron transfer from BiOBr to BiOI, enabling the one‐step two‐electron O2 reduction for H2O2 production. Moreover, the ultrathin BiOI provides abundant active sites for H2O2 adsorption, promoting in situ H2O2 activation for •O2− generation. As a result, the BiOBr/BiOI hybrid exhibits excellent activity for pollutant degradation with an apparent rate constant of 0.141 min−1, which is 3.8 and 47.3 times that of pristine BiOBr and BiOI, respectively. This work expands the range of the materials suitable for in situ H2O2 production and activation, paving the way toward sustainable environmental remediation using solar energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass‐ceramics with high performance and high crystallinity was produced using rare earth blast furnace slag (REBFS) as the primary raw material, along with composite nucleating agents Fe2O3 and Cr2O3. The migration pattern, distribution characteristics, and solidification properties of heavy metals in glass‐ceramics were investigated by the controlled heat treatment. The findings indicated that the heat treatment temperature has a significant effect on the distribution and color of heavy metals in glass‐ceramic. In the crystallized glass‐ceramic, spinel acts as the crystal core for heavy metal solidification, Cr, Cu, and Mn can exist stably in the spinel by the solid solution. The glass‐ceramic was expected to be used as a decorative building material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a threat to human health. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O‐antigen holds promise for developing vaccines. It is meaningful to explore the immunological activity of oligosaccharides with different lengths and frameshifts for antigen development. Herein, a glycan library of H. pylori O2 O‐antigen containing eight fragments is constructed. After screening with anti‐H. pylori O2 LPS sera and patients' sera by glycan microarray, the disaccharide HPO2G‐2b and trisaccharide HPO2G‐3a show strong antigenicity and then are separately conjugated with carrier protein CRM197. Both glycoconjugates elicit a robust immunoglobulin G (IgG) immune response in rabbits. The anti‐HPO2G‐3a IgG antibodies possess a much stronger binding affinity with the LPS and bacteria of H. pylori O2 than the anti‐HPO2G‐2b IgG antibodies. There is no cross‐reaction between both sera IgG antibodies with LPS and bacteria of H. pylori O1, O6, and E. coli. The results demonstrate the trisaccharide HPO2G‐3a is a promising candidate for H. pylori vaccine development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Mesenchymal neoplasms involving TFE3 gene fusions are diverse, mainly include alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) that is characterised by ASPSCR1::TFE3 fusion, and a small subset of perivascular epithelioid cell tumours (PEComas) referred to as TFE3‐rearranged PEComa, that most frequently harbours SFPQ::TFE3 fusion. Historically, ASPS and TFE3‐rearranged PEComa are considered two distinctive entities despite their known morphological overlap. However, recent studies have suggested a potential histogenetic relationship between them, and several neoplasms that showed morphological features more closely fit PEComa rather than ASPS but harboured ASPSCR1::TFE3 fusion have been documented. In this study, we report three cases of PEComa with ASPSCR1::TFE3 fusion. Methods and results: Clinicopathological features were assessed and partner agnostic targeted next‐generation sequencing on clinically validated platforms were performed. The patients are two females and one male with age at presentation ranging from 21 to 51 years. All three tumours were located in the viscera (rectum, kidney and cervix). On a relatively limited follow‐up period (range = 9–15 months), all patients are alive without evidence of recurrent or metastatic disease. The neoplasms were composed of tight nested architecture of epithelioid clear cells separated by a delicate vascular network, two of which were associated with sheets of plump spindle cells, and none showed significant discohesive tumour morphology. Immunohistochemically, in addition to TFE3 protein, all three neoplasms demonstrated co‐expression of melan‐A and smooth muscle actin. RNA‐sequencing identified ASPSCR1::TFE3 fusion in all three cases that were confirmed by subsequent fluorescence in‐situ hybridisation analyses. Conclusions: Our study expands the molecular genetic spectrum of TFE3‐rearranged PEComa and further indicates its close relationship to ASPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caddisworms (Trichoptera) spin adhesive silks to construct a variety of underwater composite structures. Many studies have focused on the fibroin heavy chain of caddisworm silk and found that it contains heavy phosphorylation to maintain a stable secondary structure. Besides fibroins, recent studies have also identified some new silk proteins within caddisworm silk. To better understand the silk composition and its secretion process, this study reports the silk gland proteome of a retreat‐building caddisworm, Stenopsyche angustata Martynov (Trichoptera, Stenopsychidae). Using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS), 2389 proteins were identified in the silk gland of S. angustata, among which 192 were predicted as secreted silk proteins. Twenty‐nine proteins were found to be enriched in the front silk gland, whereas 109 proteins were enriched in the caudal silk gland. The fibroin heavy chain and nine uncharacterized silk proteins were identified as phosphorylated proteins. By analysing the sequence of the fibroin heavy chain, we found that it contains 13 Gly/Thr/Pro‐rich regions, 12 Val/Ser/Arg‐rich regions and a Gly/Arg/Thr‐rich region. Three uncharacterized proteins were identified as sericin‐like proteins due to their larger molecular weights, signal peptides and repetitive motifs rich in serine. This study provides valuable information for further clarifying the secretion and adhesion of underwater caddisworm silk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The atmospheric Green's function method is a technique for modeling the response of the atmosphere to changes in the spatial field of surface temperature. While early studies applied this method to changes in atmospheric circulation, it has also become an important tool to understand changes in radiative feedbacks due to evolving patterns of warming, a phenomenon called the "pattern effect." To better study this method, this paper presents a protocol for creating atmospheric Green's functions to serve as the basis for a model intercomparison project, GFMIP. The protocol has been developed using a series of sensitivity tests performed with the HadAM3 atmosphere‐only general circulation model, along with existing and new simulations from other models. Our preliminary results have uncovered nonlinearities in the response of the atmosphere to surface temperature changes, including an asymmetrical response to warming versus cooling patch perturbations, and a change in the dependence of the response on the magnitude and size of the patches. These nonlinearities suggest that the pattern effect may depend on the heterogeneity of warming as well as its location. These experiments have also revealed tradeoffs in experimental design between patch size, perturbation strength, and the length of control and patch simulations. The protocol chosen on the basis of these experiments balances scientific utility with the simulation time and setup required by the Green's function approach. Running these simulations will further our understanding of many aspects of atmospheric response, from the pattern effect and radiative feedbacks to changes in circulation, cloudiness, and precipitation. Plain Language Summary: Many properties of the atmosphere are affected by the temperature of the ocean surface. Knowing how strong these effects are would help us to better predict global warming. The response to a given surface warming depends on where the warming occurs. To account for this, researchers sometimes simulate the response to individual patches of warming and then assume the response to an arbitrary warming pattern can be summed together from these patch responses. This is sometimes called the atmospheric Green's function method, and it works well at recreating the atmospheric response to historical temperature changes. We are organizing a Green's Function Model Intercomparison Project (GFMIP), in which participants will apply the method consistently for many climate models. This paper presents the GFMIP protocol. In the course of developing this protocol, we found that the atmospheric response to warming is not proportional in all cases: the response to surface warming is not the opposite of the response to surface cooling; warming twice as much doesn't cause twice as much of a response; and making a patch of warming twice as large doesn't cause twice as large a response. GFMIP will help us figure out how to account for this nonlinearity. Key Points: The Green's Function Model Intercomparison Project (GFMIP) explores the atmospheric response to surface temperature patch perturbationsThis paper presents the GFMIP protocol, which was generated using insights from past studies and new sensitivity testsGreen's functions reconstruct the response to historical temperatures, but nonlinearities can affect responses to other warming patterns [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐latitude winter warming was observed following strong tropical volcanism, which has long been believed to be due to the volcanic‐induced positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) phase. However, recent works argue that this warming is caused by El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variability instead of volcanoes. Moreover, some studies further argue that El Niño and volcanoes work together to produce this post‐volcanic NAO winter warming. To better understand these arguments on post‐volcanic high‐latitude winter warming, we conducted ENSO‐preconditioned volcanic experiments. Our simulations strongly suggest that the post‐eruption Eurasian winter warming is caused by a post‐eruption positive NAO phase and not by coexisting ENSO‐preconditioned variability. Additionally, we find that the El Niño‐preconditioned volcanic eruption enhances the El Niño phase; however, the neutral and La Niña‐preconditioned eruptions do not lead to an ENSO–like response. These findings are helpful to better understand volcanic‐induced circulation impacts and have important implications for the interpretation of model results and post‐volcanic prediction. Plain Language Summary: The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) linkage to volcanism and associated post‐volcanic high‐latitude winter warming is a topic of great interest. However, the origin of this post‐volcanic winter warming is still controversial. Therefore, to resolve the controversies related to post‐volcanic ENSO and NAO variability and high‐latitude winter warming, we conducted a set of ENSO‐preconditioned volcanic experiments using a coupled atmosphere‐ocean model. The model simulations demonstrate that the post‐eruption high‐latitude Eurasian winter warming is mainly related to the post‐eruption positive NAO phase with no linkage to post‐volcanic ENSO variability. Moreover, the strong tropical volcanism initialized with the El Niño state enhances the El Niño phase, while the Neutral and La Niña initialized simulations do not lead to ENSO–like variability. These results strongly suggest that the high‐latitude post‐eruption Eurasian winter warming is caused by NAO pressure changes during volcanism, and not due to strengthened ENSO responses to volcanism. Key Points: Volcano‐El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) sensitivity experiments are conducted to better understand the source of post‐eruption northern hemisphere high‐latitude winter warmingWe found that the post‐eruption Eurasian winter warming is caused by volcanic‐induced positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)‐phase and not by ENSO teleconnectionCoexistence of El Niño with volcanism is not essential to produce volcanic‐induced positive NAO and associated winter warming [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have reported the adverse effects of hyperuricemia on male reproduction, but the mechanism is still unclear. The purpose of this study is to explore the mechanism of hyperuricemia on reproductive system damage in male rats. The rats were divided into a control group and a model group. Rats were given hypoxanthine and potassium oxonate dissolved in 0.5% (w/v) sodium carboxymethyl cellulose solution to induce the hyperuricemia (HUA) model. After 6 weeks, the blood, testis, and epididymis tissues of the anesthetized rats were collected for further experiments and analysis. Compared with the control rats, the serum uric acid of HUA rats was significantly increased, and the serum testosterone, sperm count, and motility were significantly decreased. The protein expression of testosterone-related molecules CYP11A1, 3β-HSD, and StAR was downregulated in the testis of HUA rats. The protein expression of blood–testis barrier (BTB) related molecules ZO-1 and Connexin43 was downregulated in the testis of HUA rats. Compared with the control group, the zinc content and zinc-containing enzymes (ALP and LDH) were decreased, and the mRNA and protein expression of zinc transporters (ZnT4 and ZIP7) were downregulated in the testis of HUA rats. Furthermore, the level of MDA increased and the activities of CAT, GSH-PX, and SOD decreased in the testicular tissue of HUA rats. The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in the testis of HUA rats was activated. However, there was no significant change in the protein expression of autophagy associated molecules LC3, Beclin1, and ATG5 in the testis of HUA rats. Thus, the conclusion is that hyperuricemia can lead to the destruction of BTB, impaired testosterone synthesis, and decreased sperm count and motility in male rats, mainly by inducing zinc homeostasis imbalance and oxidative stress, rather than autophagy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The computer‐aided diagnostic (CAD) method to detect human brain tumors relies heavily on automated tumor characterization. Although CAD method has been extensively researched, significant obstacles still exist. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) classifiers brain tumors into glioma, meningioma, and pituitary tumors. However, accurately distinguishing between these tumor types remains a complex challenge in medical imaging. The recently developed deep learning and machine learning (ML) techniques have shown immense potential in image classification. However, the low numbers of medical image archives also pose a problem for medical image classification. As a result, fewer medical images are available to use in deep learning research and development. To address this issue, we use three highly effective ML classifiers with deep convolutional learned features for medical image classification. The MRI images of the three distinct types of brain tumors may be found in an open dataset on Figshare, which tests the automated approach's efficacy. Features are extracted from brain MRI scans using the DenseNet169 model. Extracted features are fed into a multiclass three ML classifiers (RF, SVM, XGBoost) for improved performance. Results from testing and evaluation of the entire framework are promising, especially compared to the field's state‐of‐the art technique. The suggested model outperformed the state‐of‐the‐art technique, with an overall classification accuracy of 95.10%. To verify the enhanced performance of the proposed system, extensive tests are conducted on the brain MRI dataset available on Figshare. The optimal hyper‐parameter fading classifier is seen to outperform the Softmax classifier for the features when there is limited training data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition affects biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems. However, we do not know whether the effects of N on above‐ground plant β‐diversity are coupled with changes occurring in the soil seed bank. We conducted a long‐term N‐addition experiment in a typical steppe and found that above‐ground β‐diversity increased and then decreased with increasing N addition, whereas below‐ground β‐diversity decreased linearly. This suggests decoupled dynamics of plant communities and their soil seed bank under N enrichment. Species substitution determined above‐ and below‐ground β‐diversity change via an increasing role of deterministic processes with N addition. These effects were mostly driven by differential responses of the above‐ground vegetation and the soil seed bank β‐diversities to N‐induced changes in environmental heterogeneity, increased soil inorganic N concentrations and soil acidification. Our findings highlight the importance of considering above‐ and below‐ground processes simultaneously for effectively conserving grassland ecosystems under N enrichment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Sevoflurane is widely used for general anesthesia in children. Previous studies reported that multiple neonatal exposures to sevoflurane can induce long‐term cognitive impairment in adolescent rats, but the underlying mechanisms were not defined. Methods: Postnatal day 6 (P6) to P8 rat pups were exposed to 30% oxygen with or without 3% sevoflurane balanced with air. The Y maze test (YMT) and Morris water maze (MWM) tests were performed in some cohorts from age P35 to assess cognitive functions, and their brain samples were harvested at age P14, 21, 28, 35, and 42 for measurements of various molecular entities and in vivo electrophysiology experiments at age P35. Results: Sevoflurane exposure resulted in cognitive impairment that was associated with decreased synCAM1 expression in parvalbumin (PV) interneurons, a reduction of PV phenotype, disturbed gamma oscillations, and dendritic spine loss in the hippocampal CA3 region. Enriched environment (EE) increased synCAM1 expression in the PV interneurons and attenuated sevoflurane‐induced cognitive impairment. The synCAM1 overexpression by the adeno‐associated virus vector in the hippocampal CA3 region restored sevoflurane‐induced cognitive impairment, PV phenotype loss, gamma oscillations decrease, and dendritic spine loss. Conclusion: Our data suggested that neonatal sevoflurane exposure results in cognitive impairment through decreased synCAM1 expression in PV interneurons in the hippocampus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study presents MozzieNet, a customized CNN model aimed at improving the identification of malaria parasites in blood smear microscopic images. By optimizing hyperparameters and incorporating techniques like data augmentation, batch normalization, and dropout, our model enhances robustness and generalization, addressing overfitting issues. Using the open‐source NIH malaria dataset with 27,558 images, we achieve a classification accuracy of 96.73%, recall rate of 97.90%, precision of 95.67%, area under the curve (AUC) of 99.35%, and F1 score of 96.77%. We performed feature maps and Grad‐CAM analysis on our proposed MozzieNet model to visualize and examine the targeted regions that are crucial for accurate predictions. Statistical analysis shows that the proposed architecture achieves promising performance and is superior to pre‐trained models and existing methods for malaria detection. MozzieNet is designed for cloud and low‐end smartphones, enabling malaria diagnosis in remote areas, thereby assisting physicians in informed malaria diagnosis and decision‐making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ursolic acid (UA) is a naturally occurring pentacyclic triterpenoid widely found in fruits and vegetables. It has been reported that UA has anti‐inflammatory effects. However, its efficacy and mechanism of action in the treatment of chronic prostatitis (CP) remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of UA treatment in CP and further explore the underlying mechanism. CP rat and pyroptosis cell models were established in vivo and in vitro, respectively. The efficacy of UA in inhibiting CP was evaluated via haematoxylin‐eosin (HE) staining and measurement of inflammatory cytokines. RNA sequencing and molecular docking were used to predict the therapeutic targets of UA in CP. The expression of pyroptosis‐related proteins was examined using various techniques, including immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry. UA significantly ameliorated pathological damage and reduced the levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the CP model rats. RNA sequencing analysis and molecular docking suggested that NLRP3, Caspase‐1, and GSDMD may be key targets. We also found that UA decreased ROS levels, alleviated oxidative stress, and inhibited p‐NF‐κB protein expression both in vivo and in vitro. UA improved pyroptosis morphology as indicated by electron microscope and inhibited the expression of the pyroptosis‐related proteins NLRP3, Caspase‐1, ASC, and GSDMD, reversed the levels of IL‐1β, IL‐18, and lactate dehydrogenase in vivo and in vitro. UA can mitigate CP by regulating the NLRP3 inflammasome‐mediated Caspase‐1/GSDMD pathway. Therefore, UA may be a potential for the treatment of CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic wave reflections would interfere with the laboratory observation of the soil arching under cyclic loading when a traditional trapdoor model with rigid boundaries was used. This problem would be prominent when investigating the soil arching in pile‐supported embankments where the stationary support (pile) would be small, making the rigid boundary close to the domain of interest affected by dynamic loads. To avoid dynamic wave reflections and narrow the calculation domain, soil arching within a pile‐supported embankment under cyclic loading is numerically investigated in a multi‐span segmented trapdoor model with flexible boundaries by the particle flow code (PFC). In addition, a pavement structure is included and the springs supporting the trapdoor follow a bi‐linear constitutive model. The energy‐absorbing flexible boundary at the bottom weakens the dynamic wave reflections and is in favor of passing vertical dynamic waves to compact the fill and weaken the influence of cyclic loading on the soil arching effect during the loading stage. Lateral flexible boundaries would facilitate realistically reproducing the effect of cyclic loading on the soil arching because they could consider the weakening of the plugging effect that occurs during the lateral expansion. The development of soil arches of mid‐span and side‐span are different when the load applied at the mid‐span is laterally transferred to adjacent spans by the arching effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the previous study, we found that the oral sodium valproate (SVP) increased the relative abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muciniphila) in rats, and plasma aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities were positively correlated with A. muciniphila levels. This study aimed to further investigate the role of A. muciniphila in SVP‐induced hepatotoxicity by orally supplementing rats with the representative strain of A. muciniphila, A. muciniphila MucT. Additionally, the fresh faeces were incubated anaerobically with SVP to investigate the effect of SVP on faecal A. muciniphila in the absence of host influence. Results showed that A. muciniphila MucT ameliorated the hepatotoxicity and upregulation of A. muciniphila induced by SVP. SVP also induced a noteworthy elevation of A. muciniphila level in vitro, supporting the observation in vivo. Therefore, we speculate that A. muciniphila MucT may be a potential therapeutic strategy for SVP‐induced hepatotoxicity. In addition, the increased A. muciniphila induced by SVP may differ from A. muciniphila MucT, but further evidence is needed. These findings provide new insights into the relationships between A. muciniphila and SVP‐induced hepatotoxicity, highlighting the potential for different A. muciniphila strains to have distinct or even opposing effects on SVP‐induced hepatotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]