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During the process of ship coating, various defects will occur due to the improper operation by the workers, environmental changes, etc. The special characteristics of ship coating limit the amount of data and result in the problem of class imbalance, which is not conducive to ensuring the effectiveness of deep learning-based models. Therefore, a novel hybrid intelligent image generation algorithm called the IGASEN-EMWGAN model for ship painting defect images is proposed to tackle the aforementioned limitations in this paper. First, based on a subset of imbalanced ship painting defect image samples obtained by a bootstrap sampling algorithm, a batch of different base discriminators was trained independently with the algorithm parameter and sample perturbation method. Then, an improved genetic algorithm based on the simulated annealing algorithm is used to search for the optimal subset of base discriminators. Further, the IGASEN-EMWGAN model was constructed by fusing the base discriminators in this subset through a weighted integration strategy. Finally, the trained IGASEN-EMWGAN model is used to generate new defect images of the minority classes to obtain a balanced dataset of ship painting defects. The extensive experimental results are conducted on a real unbalanced ship coating defect database and show that, compared with the baselines, the values of the ID and FID scores are significantly improved by 4.92% and decreased by 7.29%, respectively, which prove the superior effectiveness of the proposed model in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The derivatization of perylenediimides (PDIs) by bay decoration is essential for the development of PDI‐based semiconductors owing to their excellent photoelectric properties. Herein, four bis‐azabenz‐annulated PDIs (bis‐AzaBPDIs) are concisely synthesized in high yields through ultraviolet‐induced photocyclization, where the reaction processes including aldimine condensation, cyclization, and oxidative re‐aromatization are investigated. The optical characterizations and theoretical simulation reveal that the unique properties of the four bis‐AzaBPDIs are comparable to their parent PDI. Organic field effect transistors with compounds 2, 3, or 4 as active layers indicated that all compounds showed unipolar electron transport properties with the mobilities of 1.1×10−3, 5.8×10−4, and 8.5×10−6 cm2 V−1 s−1, respectively. These results suggest the great potential of bis‐AzaBPDIs as organic semiconductors. The easy preparation approach reported in this work would renew research interest in developing bis‐AzaBPDI‐based optoelectronic molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractChlorophyll (Chl) is a natural pigment, widely distributed ranging from photosynthetic prokaryotes to higher plants, with an annual yield of up to 1.2 billion tons worldwide. Five types of Chls are observed in nature, that can be distinguished and identified using spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Chl is also used in the food industry owing to its bioactivities, including obesity prevention, inflammation reduction, viral infection inhibition, anticancer effects, anti-oxidation, and immunostimulatory properties. It has great potential of being applied as a colorant and dietary supplement in the food industry. However, Chl is unstable under various enzymatic, acidic, heat, and light conditions, which limit its application. Although some strategies, such as aggregation with other food components, microencapsulation, and metal cation replacement, have been proposed to overcome these limitations, they are still not enough to facilitate its widespread application. Therefore, stabilization strategies and bioactivities of Chl need to be expected to expand its application in various fields, thereby aiding in the sustainable development of mankind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease that predominantly impacts the colon, typically starting in the rectum. A significant characteristic of UC is its propensity to affect the distal colon, which is particularly beneficial for targeted treatments such as enemas. This localized approach ensures that the medication is delivered directly to the affected areas, resulting in minimal systemic absorption. In this research, we have formulated a novel stimuli-responsive quercetin-loaded guanosine borate supramolecular hydrogel (named GBQ hydrogel), designed to prolong the residence time of the drug and protect the ulcerated intestinal tissues. The GBQ hydrogel has exhibited excellent injectability, self-healing capabilities, and biocompatibility, rendering it an ideal candidate for enema administration. In vitro studies have highlighted its ROS/pH dual-responsive release profile, which mimics the microenvironment of intestinal inflammation. Furthermore, we assessed the efficacy of the GBQ hydrogel on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis, a common animal model for UC. Our findings indicate that the GBQ hydrogel significantly reduces disease activity, mitigates oxidative stress, restores the intestinal mucosal barrier, and prevents colonic cell apoptosis. Collectively, this study underscores the therapeutic potential of the GBQ hydrogel in managing inflammatory bowel conditions and paves the way for a novel hydrogel enema-based treatment strategy for UC.

A photo-driven self-powered aptasensor was constructed based on a matching capacitor and the ZnIn 2 S 4 /Ti 3 C 2 heterojunction as the photoanode and Cu 2 O as the photocathode in a dual-photoelectrode sensing matrix for multiple signal amplification for the ultrasensitive detection of microcystin-RR (MC-RR). The introduction of Ti 3 C 2 MXene nanosheets on the photoanode surface can not only accelerate the transfer and separation of photoinduced electron/hole pairs, thus enhancing the output signal of the photo-driven self-powered system, but also provide a larger specific surface area for the immobilization of the bio-recognition unit aptamer. More importantly, for a portable and miniaturized device, a micro-workstation with the size of a universal serial bus (USB) disk and a novel short-circuit current access was proposed to capture the instantaneous output electrical signal for real-time data tracking. In such a way, a sensitivity of 2.7 mA pM -1 was achieved when the matching capacitor was integrated into the self-powered system, which was 22 times that without a capacitor. After the interaction between MC-RR and the corresponding aptamer, a 'signal-off' detection configuration was formed via the steric hindrance effect. Therefore, such a multiple signal amplification system realized the ultrasensitive and selective determination of MC-RR successfully. Under optimal conditions, the linear range of the self-powered aptasensor was 0.1 to 100 pM and the detection limit was 0.033 pM (S/N = 3). The aptasensor was applied to the detection of MC-RR in fish, exhibiting good reproducibility (≈3.88%), paving the way for detecting microcystins in real-life samples.

The derivatization of perylenediimides (PDIs) by bay decoration is essential for the development of PDI-based semiconductors owing to their excellent photoelectric properties. Herein, four bis-azabenz-annulated PDIs (bis-AzaBPDIs) are concisely synthesized in high yields through ultraviolet-induced photocyclization, where the reaction processes including aldimine condensation, cyclization, and oxidative re-aromatization are investigated. The optical characterizations and theoretical simulation reveal that the unique properties of the four bis-AzaBPDIs are comparable to their parent PDI. Organic field effect transistors with compounds 2, 3, or 4 as active layers indicated that all compounds showed unipolar electron transport properties with the mobilities of 1.1×10 -3 , 5.8×10 -4 , and 8.5×10 -6  cm 2  V -1  s -1 , respectively. These results suggest the great potential of bis-AzaBPDIs as organic semiconductors. The easy preparation approach reported in this work would renew research interest in developing bis-AzaBPDI-based optoelectronic molecules., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) RIG-I and MDA5 play critical roles in sensing and fighting viral infections. Although RIG-I and MDA5 have similar molecular structures, these two receptors have distinct features during activation. Further, the signaling domains of the N terminal CARD domains (CARDs) in RIG-I and MDA5 share poor similarity. Therefore, we wonder whether the CARDs of RIG-I and MDA5 play similar roles in signaling and antiviral function. Here we expressed porcine RIG-I and MDA5 CARDs in 293T cells and porcine alveolar macrophages and found that MDA5 CARDs exhibit higher expression and stronger signaling activity than RIG-I CARDs. Nevertheless, both RIG-I and MDA5 CARDs exert comparable antiviral function against several viruses. Transcriptome analysis showed that MDA5 CARDs are more effective in regulating downstream genes. However, in the presence of virus, both RIG-I and MDA5 CARDs exhibit similar effects on downstream gene transcriptions, reflecting their antiviral function., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Li, Shao, Zhu, Ji, Luo, Xu, Liu, Zheng, Chen, Meurens and Zhu.)

The RLRs play critical roles in sensing and fighting viral infections especially RNA virus infections. Despite the extensive studies on RLRs in humans and mice, there is a lack of systemic investigation of livestock animal RLRs. In this study, we characterized the porcine RLR members RIG-I, MDA5 and LGP2. Compared with their human counterparts, porcine RIG-I and MDA5 exhibited similar signaling activity to distinct dsRNA and viruses, via similar and cooperative recognitions. Porcine LGP2, without signaling activity, was found to positively regulate porcine RIG-I and MDA5 in transfected porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs), gene knockout PAMs and PK-15 cells. Mechanistically, LGP2 interacts with RIG-I and MDA5 upon cell activation, and promotes the binding of dsRNA ligand by MDA5 as well as RIG-I. Accordingly, porcine LGP2 exerted broad antiviral functions. Intriguingly, we found that porcine LGP2 mutants with defects in ATPase and/or dsRNA binding present constitutive activity which are likely through RIG-I and MDA5. Our work provided significant insights into porcine innate immunity, species specificity and immune biology., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Li, Yang, Zhu, Wang, Ji, Luo, Shao, Xu, Liu, Zheng, Meurens, Chen and Zhu.)