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The structure–property relationship at interfaces is difficult to probe for thermoelectric materials with a complex interfacial microstructure. Designing thermoelectric materials with a simple, structurally‐uniform interface provides a facile way to understand how these interfaces influence the transport properties. Here, we synthesized Bi2−xSbxTe3 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4) nanoflakes using a hydrothermal method, and prepared Bi2−xSbxTe3 thin films with predominantly (0001) interfaces by stacking the nanoflakes through spin coating. The influence of the annealing temperature and Sb content on the (0001) interface structure was systematically investigated at atomic scale using aberration‐corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy. Annealing and Sb doping facilitate atom diffusion and migration between adjacent nanoflakes along the (0001) interface. As such it enhances interfacial connectivity and improves the electrical transport properties. Interfac reactions create new interfaces that increase the scattering and the Seebeck coefficient. Due to the simultaneous optimization of electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient, the maximum power factor of the Bi1.8Sb0.2Te3 nanoflake films reaches 1.72 mW m−1 K−2, which is 43% higher than that of a pure Bi2Te3 thin film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Practical Application Conventional methods for evaluating of fish freshness based on physiological and biochemical methods are often destructive, complicated, and costly. This study aimed to predict the freshness of large yellow croaker which was sampled every second day in 9 consecutive days at 4°C, using computer vision technology combined with pupil color parameters and different machine learning algorithms (back propagation neural network, BPNN; radial basis function neural network; support vector regression; and random forest regression, RFR). In the process of model building, the RFR model provided the most accurate prediction for the value of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB‐N), with the R‐square of the test set (Rp2$R^{2}_p $) of 0.993. The BPNN model exhibited the best fit for predicting the value of thiobarbituric acid (TBA), with Rp2$R^{2}_p $ of 0.959. Additionally, the RFR model was the most effective in forecasting total viable count (TVC), with Rp2$R^{2}_p $ of 0.935. After validation, the root mean square error values of the RFR model for predicting TVB‐N value, TBA value, and TVC value were the lowest, which were 0.764, 0.067, and 0.219, respectively. It demonstrated the applicability and good predictive performance of the RFR model for predicting biochemical and microbiological indicators. These findings also demonstrated that monitoring the changes in pupil color could successfully predict the freshness of chilled fish.Application Scenario: Quality inspectors detect changes in the freshness of large yellow croaker in real time from the beginning of distribution to the selling site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ageing and cell senescence of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) limited their immunomodulation properties and therapeutic application. We previously reported that nucleosome assembly protein 1‐like 2 (Nap1l2) contributes to MSCs senescence and osteogenic differentiation. Here, we sought to evaluate whether Nap1l2 impairs the immunomodulatory properties of MSCs and find a way to rescue the deficient properties. We demonstrated that metformin could rescue the impaired migration properties and T cell regulation properties of OE‐Nap1l2 BMSCs. Moreover, metformin could improve the impaired therapeutic efficacy of OE‐Nap1l2 BMSCs in the treatment of colitis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice. Mechanistically, metformin was capable of upregulating the activation of AMPK, synthesis of l‐arginine and expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in OE‐Nap1l2 BMSCs, leading to an increasing level of nitric oxide. This study indicated that Nap1l2 negatively regulated the immunomodulatory properties of BMSCs and that the impaired functions could be rescued by metformin pretreatment via metabolic reprogramming. This strategy might serve as a practical therapeutic option to rescue impaired MSCs functions for further application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multi-task allocation has become the key to be solved urgently in applying a coal gangue sorting robot system (CGSRS) in raw coal with high throughput. This paper constructs a multi-task allocation framework of CGSRS for time-varying raw coal flow (TVRCF), including task decomposition, task allocation, and collaborative strategy. Establish the TVRCF decomposition model using the tumbling time window method to obtain the gangue model. A multi-task allocation model based on M/M/s queuing model with impatient customers is proposed because arrival time, granularity, and spatial position of the gangue model are uncertain. By introducing trajectory function and designing benefit function, to solve environment states of sorting area. Creating an iterative mechanism for environment states based on the infinite Markov process, using service time and arrival time interval. An adaptive weights rule based on the greedy algorithm (GAW) is proposed to improve the benefit of multi-task allocation. Simulating 18 groups of TVRCF with 9 productivity. Experimental results show that the proposed framework suits the multi-task allocation of CGSRS to TVRCF. The GAW rule always ensures the optimal sorting rate, the near-optimal task completion success rate, and the manipulator utilization rate. In addition, the stability of the GAW rule is best. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fluid–solid coupling effect is more pronounced in the process of deep coal seam development compared to shallow coalbed methane, exerting a greater influence on production, and cannot be disregarded. Throughout the extraction process, the interaction between effective stress and gas desorption triggers deformation within the coal seam, leading to dynamic changes in both porosity and permeability. This paper has developed a fully coupled gas flow and deformation model that contains the coal matrix and discrete fractures to describe the dynamic gas seepage behavior and deformation of deep coal seams within a coupled wellbore–hydraulic fractures–matrix system. The model's validity is corroborated through the examination of fracture aperture, employing the finite element numerical simulation capabilities of COMSOL Multiphysics. Subsequent to the model's validation, an in-depth investigation into the permeability and production variations under diverse parametric conditions is conducted. This analysis also encompasses the assessment of hydraulic fracture geometry's impact. The simulation outcomes reveal that the permeability alterations during coal seam development are subject to the counteracting influences of gas desorption and effective stress. Moreover, it is observed that an increase in the Langmuir volume strain constant and initial porosity correlates with enhanced production, whereas a diminution in the hydraulic fracture compression coefficient leads to increased cumulative production. Notably, the optimal production is attained when hydraulic fractures are oriented vertically yet asymmetrically relative to the horizontal well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese indigenous pig and Western commercial pig breeds show different patterns of lipid metabolism, fat deposition, and fatty acid composition; for these reasons, they have become vitally important models of energy metabolism and obesity in humans. To compare the mechanisms underlying lipid metabolism between Yorkshire pigs (lean type) and Anqing six-end-white pigs (obese type), the liver transcriptomes of six castrated boars with a body weight of approximately 100 kg (three Yorkshire and three Anqing) were analyzed by RNA-seq. The total number of reads produced for each liver sample ranged from 47.05 to 62.6 million. Among 362 differentially expressed genes, 142 were up-regulated and 220 were down-regulated in Anqing six-end-white pigs. Based on these data, 79 GO terms were significantly enriched. The top 10 (the 10 with lowest corrected P-value) significantly enriched GO terms were identified, including lipid metabolic process and carboxylic acid metabolic process. Pathway analysis revealed three significantly enriched KEGG pathways including PPAR signaling pathway, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and retinol metabolism. Based on protein-protein interaction networks, multiple genes responsible for lipid metabolism were identified, such as PCK1, PPARA, and CYP7A1, and these were considered promising candidate genes that could affect porcine liver lipid metabolism and fat deposition. Our results provide abundant transcriptomic information that will be useful for animal breeding and biomedical research. Key words: pig, liver, transcriptome sequencing, lipid metabolism. Resume : Les races indigenes chinoises et commerciales occidentales presentent des differences dans le metabolisme des lipides, les depots adipeux et la composition en acides gras; pour ces raisons, ils sont devenus des modeles pour l'etude du metabolisme energetique et l'obesite chez les humains. Pour comparer les mecanismes expliquant les differences metaboliques entre les porcs Yorkshire (maigre) et Anqing six-end-white (obese), les transcriptomes hepatiques de six verrats castres dont la masse corporelle etait d'environ 100 kg (trois Yorkshire et trois Anqing) ont ete analyses par une approche RNA-seq. Le nombre total de sequences produites pour chaque echantillon hepatique variait entre 47,05 et 62,6 millions. Parmi 362 genes exprimes differemment, 142 et 220 etaient respectivement exprimes plus ou moins fortement chez les porcs Anqing six-end-white. Sur la base de ces donnees, il a ete observe que 79 termes GO etaient enrichis. Les premiers 10 termes enrichis (ceux avec la valeur P corrigee la plus faible) ont ete identifies et incluaient le metabolisme lipidique et le metabolisme de l'acide carboxylique. Une analyse des sentiers a revele un enrichissement significatif de trois sentiers KEGG dont la signalisation PPAR, la synthese des hormones steroidiennes et le metabolisme du retinol. Sur la base des reseaux d'interactions proteine-proteine, plusieurs genes impliques dans le metabolisme des lipides ont ete identifies tels que PCK1, PPARA et CYP7A1; ceux-ci sont consideres comme etant des genes candidats prometteurs pouvant affecter le metabolisme lipidique chez le foie et les depots adipeux chez le porc. Ces resultats fournissent une riche information transcriptomique qui sera utile en amelioration genetique et en recherche biomedicale. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : porc, foie, sequencage du transcriptome, metabolisme des lipides., Introduction Obesity is an epidemic disease and correlates with cardiovascular diseases, which increase overall mortality and has become a major threat to the quality of life for humans (Abarca-Gomez et [...]