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0.65Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.35PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) thin films were deposited on (111)Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates via the chemical solution deposition. Both of the annealing process and additive methanamide play an obvious part in the structure and electrical properties of PMN-PT films. The optimized high-qualitied PMN-PT thin film in present work is fabricated with the methanamide in the precursor and annealed at 650 °C for 20 min. The film exhibits pure perovskite phase and superior ferroelectricity. The saturation polarization Ps and remanent polarization Pr are 52.1 µC/cm2 and 18.7 µC/cm2 at 500 kV/cm with 1000 Hz. It also shows low leakage current density of approximately 1.0 × 10− 8 A/cm2 at 200 kV/cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) algorithm is proposed for nonlinear equations, where the iterate is updated according to the ratio of the actual reduction to the predicted reduction as usual, but the update of the LM parameter is no longer just based on that ratio. When the iteration is unsuccessful, the LM parameter is increased; but when the iteration is successful, it is updated based on the value of the gradient norm of the merit function. The algorithm converges globally under certain conditions. It also converges quadratically under the local error bound condition, which does not require the nonsingularity of the Jacobian at the solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Submerged aquatic plants have attracted increasing attention as an advanced component for wastewater treatment. This study performed a laboratory-scale investigation using three submerged plants, namelyMyriophyllum verticillatum,Potamogeton perfoliatus, andNajas minorto determine the response of submerged plants to seasonal changes and intermittent reclaimed water amendment. The three plants were pre-selected from seven commonly used submerged plants. Reclaimed water from a wastewater reclamation plant was used as raw water. The total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), ammonium, chemical oxygen demand, and dissolved oxygen were monitored during the experiments to investigate their resistance to changes in water conditions. With seasonal changes from April to June, the water temperature ranged between 19 and 23°C, and the TN and TP removal efficiencies were negatively affected. The highest TN and TP concentrations in the tanks withM. verticillatumandP. perfoliatuswere reached on day 14. However,N. minorexhibited sustained growth, and the water quality remained in good condition. The TN and TP removal efficiencies were 81 and 62%, respectively. In addition, the intermittent reclaimed water amendment tests on the three plants yielded similar results. The TN and TP removal efficiencies ofN. minorwere 55 and 93%, respectively.N. minorproved to be a promising plant for water purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nano-sized zeolite Beta aggregates with interparticle mesopores were synthesized by the aerosol-assisted method. The amorphous powders in the Na 2 O–Al 2 O 3 −SiO 2 system, which was obtained from an aerosol drying process, were used as the precursor. The zeolite was crystallized in a high concentration system with high alkalinity. This can not only improve the autoclave utilization and the crystallization rate, but also reduce the amount of both template and waste water. The obtained zeolite Beta is spherical nano-aggregates with interparticle mesopores. It shows high BET surface area and good Al species distribution. The study on crystallization process indicated that the precursor gradually dissolved under the strong alkaline condition and the nano-sized zeolite crystals were formed in the liquid phase as time prolonged. Therefore, the transformation mechanism mainly followed the liquid-phase mechanism. More importantly, the zeolite beta synthesized by aerosol-assisted method exhibited good catalytic activity and stability in the cracking reaction of 1,3,5-TIPB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • We have designed a metal-doped dodecahedral nanozyme with excellent peroxidase activity. • A colorimetric sensing detection strategy for benzoate based on Fe-N-C nanozyme has been developed. • The strategy can accurately detect benzoate in the complex environment of beverages. Overuse of benzoate as a preservative is bad for human health. Therefore, we need to achieve quantitative detection of benzoate. Colorimetric nanozyme sensors have garnered significant interest owing to their exceptional efficacy and affordability. In this article, Fe-N-C dodecahedral nanozymes with superior peroxidase-like catalytic activity are prepared using ZIF-8 as a precursor. Therefore, we construct a colorimetric sensor for benzoate detection with a detection limit of 0.33 μM through integrating the inhibitory impact of benzoate on D-amino acid oxidase activity with the Fe-N-C-catalyzed 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB)–H 2 O 2 system, and this reaction is completed within 10 min. It is noteworthy that a recovery rate of 96.8–109 % has been attained for the detection of benzoate in beverages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Active sites for benzene dehydroalkylation with CH 4 on Co-ZSM-5 were identified as bare Co2 + ions exchanged in proximity to a Brønsted acid site. • Benzene adsorption followed by IR spectroscopy allows identification and quantification of Co2+ exchanged in intersections where three BAS are in proximity. • The increase in TOF with Co loading is correlated with Co2+ exchanged in the intersections of ZSM-5. • The geometry of specific ion exchange sites plays a key role in stabilizing highly active vs. less active Co2+ sites, affecting catalytic activity. Cobalt cations exchanged in ZSM-5 are active for the direct dehydromethylation of benzene with CH 4. While toluene is the primary product, an alternate reaction pathway leads also to the formation of biphenyl and phenyltoluene. This not only diminishes the selectivity but also contributes to the deactivation of the catalyst. Temperature-programmed surface reactions show that benzene adsorbs strongly on the exchanged Co2+ cations, essentially blocking the sites for alkylation below 400 °C. At temperatures exceeding 400 °C, the partial desorption of benzene enables its reaction with CH 4 , leading to the formation of toluene. The formation of biphenyl is kinetically hindered, and its onset is only observed at temperatures above 450 °C. When CH 4 is allowed to chemisorb on Co2+ sites prior to exposure to benzene, the formation of toluene is detected at temperatures below 400 °C. By infrared spectroscopy of benzene adsorption and UV–Vis spectroscopic characterization, we identified the existence of intersections in ZSM-5 where three H+ are in proximity. The ion exchange of a zeolite lattice Al3+ pair in such positions leads to the formation of a Co2+ site near a free Brønsted acid site. We observed a correlation between the concentration of this type of Co2+ sites and the catalytic activity of Co-ZSM-5 in benzene alkylation with CH 4. This is further supported by the catalytic tests of Co-ZSM-5 materials with specifically a larger proportion of Co sites in sinusoidal channels, as a result of acidic conditions during ion exchange. Based on this, we propose that toluene formation takes place via heterolytic dissociation of CH 4 on a Co2+ site at intersections followed by reaction with benzene strongly interacting with an adjacent BAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukin-17 A (IL-17 A) contributes to inflammation and causes secondary injury in post-stroke patients. However, little is known regarding the mechanisms that IL-17 A is implicated in the processes of neuronal death during ischemia. In this study, the mouse models of middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R)-induced ischemic stroke and oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R)-simulated in vitro ischemia in neurons were employed to explore the role of IL-17 A in promoting neuronal apoptosis. Mechanistically, endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS)-induced neuronal apoptosis was accelerated by IL-17 A activation through the caspase-12-dependent pathway. Blocking calpain or phospholipase Cγ (PLCγ) inhibited IL-17 A-mediated neuronal apoptosis under ERS by inhibiting caspase-12 cleavage. Src and IL-17 A are linked, and PLCγ directly binds to activated Src. This binding causes intracellular Ca2+ flux and activates the calpain-caspase-12 cascade in neurons. The neurological scores showed that intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of an IL-17 A neutralizing mAb decreased the severity of I/R-induced brain injury and suppressed apoptosis in MCAO mice. Our findings reveal that IL-17 A increases caspase-12-mediated neuronal apoptosis, and IL-17 A suppression may have therapeutic potential for ischemic stroke. IL-17 A, upon binding to the IL-17 A receptor complex IL-17RA/RC, recruits Src kinase and then phosphorylates IL-17RA/RC, which in turn can interact with PLCγ. The activation of PLCγ promotes ER Ca2+ release through IP 3 R, activating calpain and inducing caspase-12-mediated neuronal apoptosis. [Display omitted] • ER stress-induced neuronal apoptosis was accelerated by IL-17 A activation. • Apoptosis was aggravated through the Src-PLCγ-Calpain Pathway. • IL-17 A suppression may have therapeutic potential for ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanozymes have both the high catalytic activity of natural enzymes and the stability and economy of mimetic enzymes. Research on nanozymes is rapidly emerging, and the continuous development of highly catalytic active nanozymes is of far-reaching significance. This work reports heteroatomic nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) double-doped mesoporous carbon structures and metallic Fe coordination generated sponge-like nanozymes (Fe/NPCs) with good peroxidase activity. On this basis, we constructed a highly sensitive colorimetric sensor with cysteine and phenol as simulated analytes using Fe/NPCs nanozymes, and the response limits reached 53.6 nM and 5.4 nM, respectively. Besides, the method has high accuracy in the detection of cysteine and phenol at low concentrations in serum and tap water, which lays a foundation for application in the fields of environmental protection and biosensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the anti-impurity gas poisoning ability and hydrogen storage properties of Ti–Cr alloy by introducing zirconium as additive have been investigated. The results showed that all alloys had C14-type main phase and Ti minor phase. The lattice parameter a, c and cell volume of the C14-type phase rose as Zr content increased. Furthermore, after introducing Zr, all alloys could absorb hydrogen immediately without any prior heat treatment or hydrogen exposure with/without prolonged air exposure. The maximum hydrogen storage capacity and the average effective hydrogen storage capacity of TiCr 2 alloy also increased with Zr content. The cycle properties of all alloys with/without prolonged air exposure were also discussed. The results showed that all alloys had good cycle stability even if the alloys were exposed to the air for 2 days. The above results suggested that the addition of Zr had a positive effect on improving the hydrogen storage properties and anti-impurity gas poisoning properties of TiCr 2 alloy. Finally, the mechanisms of first hydrogenation kinetic of all alloys with/without prolonged air exposure were also investigated by using the rate limiting step. • Zr was introduced to Ti–Cr hydrogen storage alloys for the first time. • Adding Zr can improve first hydrogenation properties of TiCr 2 alloy. • The lattice parameters a and c of C14-type phase rise as Zr content increases. • Adding Zr can enhance anti-impurity gas poisoning properties of TiCr 2 alloy. • Alloys after adding Zr have good cycle stability with/without prolonged air exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) is a harmful environmental pollutant that disrupts public health, including respiratory, digestive, and reproductive systems. In this study, male rats were exposed to CdCl 2 at a dose of 3 mg/kg by oral for 28 days to investigate the impact on spermatogenesis. Testis tissue samples were collected after sacrifice, and piRNA expression levels were measured using piRNA microarray and qPCR. PiRNAs, specialized molecules involved in spermatogenesis, were examined. CdCl 2 exposure led to disrupted piRNA expression, particularly in piRNA-DQ759395 in rats. This piRNA was found to have a binding site with p53, and a similar piRNA-DQ717867 was discovered in mice. In GC-2spd cells, CdCl 2 exposure increased piRNA-DQ717867 expression, which resulted in cell cycle arrest and abnormal expression of cell cycle-related proteins. The activation of p53-related pathways and disruptions in cell cycle regulation were also observed. Antagomir-717867 transfections and PFT-a pretreatment in GC-2spd cells supported the involvement of piRNA-DQ717867 in regulating cell cycle-related proteins. This study suggests that Cd exposure induces abnormal expression of piRNA-DQ759395 in rat testis and that piRNA-DQ717867 may regulate p53, causing cell cycle abnormalities in GC-2spd cells. These findings help understand the mechanisms of male reproductive toxicity caused by Cd exposure and emphasize the role of piRNAs in cell cycle regulation and male reproductive health. • Cd disrupts spermatogenic cell cycle (impacts male reproduction). • piRNA-DQ717867/p53 pathway in Cd disruption (novel mechanism). • Cd affects piRNA expression, DNA repair (potential DNA damage). • Cd harms male reproductive system (important for public health). • Future research: Cd toxicity prevention, understanding spermatogenic cell cycle arrest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Hydrogen-rich plastics is essential for promoting lignin co-pyrolysis. • Radical footprints in char/bio-oil reveals boosting effect of polypropylene behavior. • Products characterization confirms radical-mediated co-pyrolysis yielding more phenolics. • Mechanism of radical-mediated reactions in lignin/plastic co-pyrolysis is updated. Co-pyrolysis of lignin with representative waste plastics, including polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polystyrene (PS), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), was investigated, focusing on radical-mediated reactions, with radical detection via electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). During the co-pyrolysis of lignin with PP, favorable synergistic effects were observed, resulting in a significant 17 % enhancement in phenolic compound yields within the fixed-bed reactor, whereas the presence of other plastics led to exacerbated cross-linking carbonization in contrast. Furthermore, TOF-MS and FT-ICR-MS analyses corroborated that the bio-oil derived from lignin/PP exhibited a higher phenolic content and lower carbon number distribution. Additionally, the radical concentrations in bio-oil of lignin/PP were determined to be the lowest (1.07 × 1013 spins/µL), providing compelling evidence of the strong interaction between lignin and PP. Interestingly, EPR spectroscopy detected the resultant lowest spin concentrations (1.28 × 1019 spins/g) in lignin/PP char, in contrast to lignin in isolation or within other plastics, which strongly indicating that hydrogen-rich radicals originating from PP were responsible for inducing more effective quenching reactions with lignin intermediates. Moreover, the lignin/PP char demonstrated the highest carbon content (80.30 %) and the lowest I D /I G ratio (1.98), further affirming a highly effective interaction between lignin and PP. The perspective drawn from this study is that the abundant hydrogen source of PP can provide hydrogen-rich radicals to quench lignin intermediates and improve phenolic yield. This intriguing work provides a fresh perspective to evaluate the effect of plastic origin on lignin co-pyrolysis based on radical theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we report a new compound, (E)-4-(((2-hydroxynaphthalen-1-yl)methylene)amino)-3-methylbenzoic acid (HNMB), which shows aggregation-induced emission property as well as intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) nature. In addition, it exhibits unique mechanochromic luminescence (MCL). The HNMB solid powder emits strong emission but shows quenching effect together with bathochromic-shift after grinding, suggesting a high contrast ratio up to 1420%. Through crystallographic analysis, the relationship between MCL nature and molecular packing mode is verified: Molecules in crystalline phase adopt the J-type coupling based on less overlapped π⋯π stacking, in which multiple intermolecular interactions mainly including C-H⋯π, C-H⋯O and hydrogen bonding, help to stabilize such packing mode. When these interactions are destructed by mechanical force, the packing would be disassembled, activating the MCL behavior. Such working mechanism only needs weak external force capable of destructing intermolecular interactions, rendering the MCL material highly sensitive to pressure. As a practical application, a film sensor for pressure detection is designed based on HNMB , which gives a linear relation between the emission intensity and the external pressure in a lower range. The detection limit of the film sensor is 27.24 Mpa, suggesting high sensitivity. In addition, pressure mapping with high contrast ratio is obtained by surface plot, making this pressure sensor a reliable candidate to be instrumented for various applications. Unlabelled Image • An AIE material shows mechanochromic luminescence (MCL). • A new MCL mechanism mainly involving the disassembly of J-type coupling is presented. • A pressure sensor with high sensitivity is designed based on this material. • Pressure mapping with high contrast ratio can be obtained by surface plot using the sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid detection of trace Salmonella is urgently needed to ensure food safety. We present an innovative pretreatment strategy, based on a two-step enrichment culture and immunomagnetic separation, combined with a chemiluminescence microparticle immunoassay to detect at least one proliferative Salmonella cell in 25 mL (25 g) food. The capture performance of immunomagnetic beads (IMBs) of sizes for Salmonella was investigated, and the IMBs of size 2.8 μm showed a high capture efficiency of 60.7% in 25 mL milk and 74.5% in 25 mL chicken culture filtrate, which ensured the successful capture of trace Salmonella after 2.5 h in situ enrichment even from only one Salmonella cell. The separated Salmonella cells, reaching an amount of 103 colony-forming units (CFU) by a secondary enrichment for 3 h, were detected by a horseradish peroxidase chemiluminescence reaction with 4-(1-imidazolyl)phenol as an enhancer, which evidenced a linear response for Salmonella concentrations ranging from 2.3 × 102 to 7.8 × 104 CFU/mL. The entire detection process was completed within 8 h, with a very low detection limit of 1 CFU/25 mL (25 g), which was verified by colony counting, and a small degree of interference of 0.17–1.06%. Trace Salmonella from five different serovars in milk and chicken was successfully detected without false negative or false positive results. Furthermore, this study provides a basis to develop a fully automated instrument based on IMBs that includes all steps from sample preparation to chemiluminescence microparticle immunoassay for high-throughput screening of foodborne pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We report the synthesis and photoluminescence of a new molecular system designed based on diaminomaleonitrile derivatives. They are endowed with both aggregation-induced emission (AIE) and intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) natures. More importantly, one of them, i.e. , 2-amino-3-((E)-(4-(diethylamino) benzylidene) amino)maleonitrile (C4), exhibits unique vapochromism, namely a turn-on fluorescence in response to organic vapour. Based on spectral analysis, DFT calculation, SEM observation and crystallographic data, a mechanism for the vapochromic fluorescence was proposed: Donor-acceptor (D-A) coupling, which caused by the combined effect of π-π interaction and electrostatic force, is mainly responsible for the initial weak fluorescence of C4 ; Its fluorescence will be spontaneously restored when D-A coupling is destructed by organic vapour. Such vapochromism of C4 motivated us to develop a new optical data storage (ODS) capable of data encryption-decryption. Encrypted information in binary form can be stored on the device fabricated by C4 film, which cannot be read unless it is treated by solvent fumigaition. After this decryption process, the fluorescent signals are remarkably enhanced, showing 3∼6-fold higher than false signals, which makes the former easy to be identified by both naked eyes and instruments. This study presents a successful archetype of security data storage, which only displays data at a specific condition. Otherwise, the data are concealed to avoid illegal reading or copying. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • An AIE compound shows remarkable vapochromism. • The fluorescence will be turned on by a solvent-assistant self-assembly process. • A new encryption-decryption technique is developed based on these AIE compounds. • Binary data stored on the data storage cannot be decoded unless treated by fumigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Designed a series of alkali-metal compounds (e.g., K 2 CO 3 , KHCO 3 , KOH, etc.,) modified PdH x /C catalysts which promoted the decarboxylation of carboxylic acids. • Disclosed the influence of modifier on the catalysts' physical and chemical properties. • Proposed the possible decarboxylation mechanism on PdH x catalysts and corresponding kinetic model. • Revealed how alkali metal modifiers (e.g., KHCO 3) promote the decarboxylation activity of PdH x from kinetic perspective. Direct conversion of carboxylic acids to alkanes by decarboxylation on PdH x is an effective way to defunctionalize biomass-derived feedstocks. This catalytic decarboxylation generally suffers from low activity and selectivity loss by competing hydrogenation routes. Anchoring the carboxylate group with K+ on PdH x /C increases the rate of decarboxylation by more than one order of magnitude. Temperature-programmed desorption of CO 2 shows that the modification increases the surface basicity. In turn, this induces dissociative adsorption of the acid carboxylic group. The resulting adsorption as carboxylate facilitates the C–C bond cleavage by weakening the bond adjacent to the carboxyl group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we synthesized a class of positional isomers by attaching a carboxylic group in different sites (para-, meta- and ortho-position) of an aromatic core. The isomers undergo both aggregation-induced emission (AIE) and intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) mechanisms, as proved by their photoluminescence (PL) behaviour. Changing the position of the carboxylic group will adjust the dipole–dipole direction, which further controls the self-assembled architecture: The morphology undergoes a transition from 1D nanowire to 2D microsheet, and even to 3D microcube. The benzoic acid moiety of the AIE isomers has strong affinity to amines, and adsorbing amines leads to spectral changes including hypochromatic shift and emission quenching. The sensing mechanism was studied by density functional theory (DFT), which reveals that the amine-responsive fluorescence can be ascribed to the weakened ICT effect. A prototype of amine sensor based on m-DB self-assemblies was developed accordingly, showing a remarkable quenching efficiency as high as 85.4%. A linear relation was obtained from the quantitative determination of amine, offering a low detection limit of 2.02 Pa. It can also respond to other organic amines such as diisopropylamine (DIPA), triethylamine (TEA), isopropylamine (IPA) and cyclohexylamine (CHA). Finally, the practicality of the sensor was also demonstrated: When placing the sensing film beside the spoiled meat, the spectrum shows a remarkable fluorescence quenching; in contrast, fresh meat samples have induced a much lower quenching efficiency. This demonstrates that the AIE isomers have a great potential to serve as indicators for meat spoilage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resilience is crucial for the health system better preventing and responding to public health threats and providing high-quality services. Despite the growing interest in the concept of resilience in health care, however, there is little empirical evidence of the impact of organizational resilience, especially in primary care settings. As the largest professional group in primary care, primary care nurses are taking more and more responsibilities during their daily practice, which influences both their work conditions and wellbeing. This study aims to examine the association between organizational resilience and primary care nurses' working conditions and wellbeing. Using a convenience sampling approach, we recruited 175 primary care nurses from 38 community health centers (CHCs) in four cities in China. Organizational resilience was operationalized as comprising two domains: adaptive capacity and planning capacity, and measured using a 16-item scale. The primary care nurses' working condition indicators comprised variables of psychological safety, organizational commitment, professional commitment, and self-directed learning; wellbeing indicators included depression and burnout. Hierarchical linear regression models were built for analysis. We found that the sampled CHCs have a relatively high level of organizational resilience. The organizational resilience was positively associated with the four indicators of working conditions: psychological safety (β=0.04, p<0.01), organizational commitment (β=0.38,p<0.01), professional commitment (β=0.39, p<0.01), and self-directed learning (β=0.28, p<0.01). However, organizational resilience was not significantly associated with the two wellbeing indicators. Furthermore, we found the adaptive capacity has stronger association compared with planning capacity. Therefore, primary care manager should build resilient organizations, especially the adaptive capacity, in order to enhance primary care nurses' psychological safety, commitment and learning behaviors. Further studies should also be conducted to understand the link between organizational resilience and primary care nurses' wellbeing., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.)

Background: Primary health care plays an important role in providing populations with access to health care. However, it is currently facing unprecedented workforce shortages and high turnover worldwide., Objective: This study examined the relationship between organizational culture and turnover intention among primary care providers in China., Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered in four large cities in China, Tianjin, Jinan, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, comprising 38 community health centers and 399 primary care providers. Organizational culture was measured using the Competing Value Framework model, which is divided into four culture types: group, development, hierarchy, and rational culture. Turnover intention was measured using one item assessing participants' intention to leave their current position in the following year. We compared the turnover intention among different organizational culture types using a Chi-square test, while the hierarchical logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between organizational culture and turnover intention., Results: The study found that 32% of primary care providers indicated an intention to leave. Primary care providers working in a hierarchical culture reported higher turnover intention (43.18%) compared with those in other cultures ( p  < 0.05). Hierarchical culture was a predictor of turnover intention (OR = 3.453, p  < 0.001), whereas rational culture had a negative effect on turnover intention (OR = 0.319, p  < 0.05)., Conclusions: Our findings inform organizational management strategies to retain a healthy workforce in primary health care.

Membrane distillation (MD) has great potential in the management of hypersaline water for zero liquid discharge (ZLD) due to its high salinity tolerance. However, the membrane wetting issue significantly restricts its practical application. In this study, a composite membrane tailored for extreme concentrations and even crystallization of hypersaline water is synthesized by coating a commercial hydrophobic porous membrane with a composite film containing a dense polyamide layer, a cation exchange layer (CEL), and an anion exchange layer (AEL). When used in direct contact MD for treating a 100 g L -1 NaCl hypersaline solution, the membrane achieves supersaturation of feed solution and a salt crystal yield of 38.0%, with the permeate concentration at <5 mg L -1 . The composite membrane also demonstrates ultrahigh antiwetting stability in 360 h of long-term operation. Moreover, ion diffusion analysis reveals that the ultrahigh wetting resistance of the composite membrane is attributed to the bipolar AEL and CEL that eliminate ion crossover. The literature review elucidates that the composite membrane is superior to state-of-the-art membranes. This study demonstrates the great potential of the composite membrane for direct crystallization of hypersaline water, offering a promising approach to filling the gap between reverse osmosis and conventional thermal desalination processes for ZLD application.

Background: China is currently making efforts to transform the current hospital-centric service delivery system to people-centred primary health care (PHC)-based delivery system, with service delivery organized around the health needs and expectations of people. To help direct China's PHC reform efforts, a profile of high-quality PHC from the public's perspective is required., Objectives: To profile high-quality PHC from the perspective of the Chinese public., Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted in 6 provinces (Henan, Shandong, Zhejiang, Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Heilongjiang) in China. In total, 58 interviewees completed the recorded interview. For transcription, trained research assistant listened to the recording of the interviews, summarizing each 30-s segment in English. Next, thematic analysis was performed on the narrative summaries to identify thematic families., Results: Seven themes and 16 subthemes were generated from the analysis of our interview data. In order of their frequency, the interviewees expressed a high expectation for interpersonal communication and technical quality; followed by access, comprehensive care, cost, continuity, and coordination., Conclusions: Using qualitative data from 6 provinces in China, knowledge was generated to reveal the public's views and expectations for high-quality PHC. Our results confirm the urgent need for quality improvement efforts to improve patient experience and technical quality. The government also needs to further improve the delivery system and medical training programme to better meet public expectation in these areas, especially in establishing an innovative integrated primary care model, and strengthening interpersonal and clinical competency training for family doctors., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Telomere length is closely linked to biological aging, oxidative stress, and the development of cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to assess the association between dietary selenium intake and telomere length in individuals with hypertension. Data on dietary selenium intake were captured through the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) computer-assisted dietary interview system (CADI). Telomere length determination entailed selecting blood samples from all participants in the NHANES database. The analysis was performed using Analysis System software, with Empower stats utilized for data analysis. Results showed that there was a significant association between dietary selenium intake and telomere length in hypertension, particularly within the female group. In female hypertension cases, a 1 mcg increase in dietary selenium intake corresponded to a telomere length increase of 1.19 bp, even after adjusting for age, race, BMI, marital status, physical activity, energy intake, and stroke history. The relationship between dietary selenium intake and telomere length exhibited a linear pattern in female hypertension patients. This study identified a positive association between dietary selenium intake and telomere length in hypertension, particularly within the female group., (© 2024 The Author(s). The Journal of Clinical Hypertension published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The impact of Sn on the concentration and strength of acid sites in Al containing zeolites with MFI topology and their catalytic activity for the dehydration of cyclohexanol in the aqueous phase has been investigated. The materials maintain constant Al concentrations and consequently Bro̷nsted acid site (BAS) concentrations, while exhibiting an increasing concentration of Sn Lewis acid sites (LAS). The presence of water alters LAS (Sn) , leading to weak BAS (Sn) that increases the concentration of water in the zeolite micropore, while leaving the rate of dehydration of cyclohexanol unchanged. The TOF increases with the concentration of BAS (Al) in close contact with framework LAS (Sn) , referred to as BAS (Pair) . The increase in the Arrhenius pre-exponential factor, without affecting the activation barrier ( E a ), leads to the hypothesis that the proximity of both sites allows for a later transition state induced by the polarization of the C-O bond, leading in turn to a higher transition entropy., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Validamycin A (VMA) is an antifungal antibiotic derived from Streptomyces hygroscopicus commonly used in plant disease management. Surprisingly, VMA was discovered to impede the production of fumonisin B1 (FB 1 ) in agricultural settings. However, the specific target of VMA in Fusarium verticillioides remained unclear. To unravel the molecular mechanism of VMA, ultrastructural observations unveiled damage to mitochondrial membranes. Trehalase (FvNth) was pinpointed as the target of VMA by utilizing a 3D-printed surface plasmon resonance sensor. Molecular docking identified Trp 285 , Arg 447 , Asp 452 , and Phe 665 as the binding sites between VMA and FvNth. A ΔFvnth mutant lacking amino acids 250-670 was engineered through homologous recombination. Transcriptome analysis indicated that samples treated with VMA and ΔFvnth displayed similar expression patterns, particularly in the suppression of the FUM gene cluster. VMA treatment resulted in reduced trehalase and ATPase activity as well as diminished production of glucose, pyruvic acid, and acetyl-CoA. Conversely, these effects were absent in samples treated with ΔFvnth . This research proposes that VMA hinders acetyl-CoA synthesis by trehalase, thereby suppressing the FB 1 biosynthesis. These findings present a novel target for the development of mycotoxin control agents.

Fusarium verticillioides has a substantial impact on maize production, commonly leading to maize ear rot and the production of fumonisin, a mycotoxin that poses health risks to both humans and animals. Currently, there is a lack of molecular targets for preventing the disease and controlling the toxin. The biological functions of oxysterol-binding proteins (OSBP) in filamentous fungi remain unclear. In this research, 7 oxysterol-binding protein-related proteins were identified in F. verticillioides , and these proteins were obtained through prokaryotic expression and purification. FvOshC was identified as the specific protein that binds to ergosterol through fluorescence titration. Gene knockout complementation techniques confirmed that FvOSHC plays a positive role, establishing it as a novel global regulatory protein involved in the pathogenicity and FB 1 biosynthesis in F. verticillioides . Additionally, the interaction between FvOshC and FvSec14 was identified using yeast two-hybrid techniques. Moreover, computer-aided drug design technology was utilized to identify the receptor molecule Xanthatin based on FvOshC. The inhibitory effect of Xanthatin on the growth of F. verticillioides and the synthesis of FB 1 was significantly demonstrated. These findings provide valuable insights that can aid in the management of mycotoxin pollution.

Human activities have strongly impacted the global climate, and during the last few decades the global average temperature has risen at a rate faster than at any time on record. High latitude lakes in the subarctic and arctic permafrost regions have particularly been vulnerable given the "Arctic amplification" phenomenon and acceleration in warming rate in the northern hemisphere (0.2-0.8 °C/decade). This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the last 30 years of research investigating how subarctic and Arctic lakes respond to climate warming. The review focused on studies where remote sensing technology was used to quantify these responses. The difference between summer lake water temperature and air temperature varied between 1.7 and 5.4 °C in subarctic lakes and 2.4-3.2 °C in Arctic lakes. Overall, the freezing date of lake ice is generally delayed and the date of lake thawing occurs earlier. Lake surface area (4-48.5 %), and abundance in the subarctic and Arctic region have increased significantly due to rising temperature, permafrost thawing, increased precipitation and other localized surface disturbances. However, in recent years, instances of lake shrinkage (between -0.4 % and -40 %) have also been reported, likely due to riparian overflow, groundwater infiltration and lateral drainage. Furthermore, in subarctic and Arctic lakes, climate change and permafrost thawing would release CO 2 and CH 4 , and alter carbon dynamics in impacted lakes through various interconnected processes which could potentially affect the quality of carbon (terrestrial, algae) entering a lake system. The review also highlighted a potential intersection between permafrost melting and public health through human exposure to long-buried viruses. Subarctic and arctic ecosystems' responses to climate change will continue to be an area of intense research interest, and this review has highlighted priority areas for research and how remote sensing technologies can facilitate the pursuit of such a research agenda., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ovarian cancer (OC) ranks as the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death in women. The main contributors to the poor prognosis of ovarian cancer are the high rates of recurrence and metastasis. Studies have indicated a crucial role for hepatitis B virus X Ag-Transactivated Protein 8 (XTP8), a protein containing the DEP domain, in various cellular processes, including cell growth, movement, and differentiation, across several types of cancers. However, the role of XTP8 in ovarian cancer remains unclear. We observed elevated expression of XTP8 in ovarian cancer. Silencing XTP8 inhibited cell proliferation, promoted apoptosis, and yielded contrasting results in cells overexpressing XTP8. Furthermore, XTP8 facilitated ovarian cancer invasion and migration, triggering epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Mechanistically, XTP8 silencing led to reduced phosphorylation levels of AKT, increased p-AMPK levels, and decreased p-mTOR levels, while XTP8 overexpression exerted the opposite effects. Additionally, the activation of p-AMPK rescued the promoting effect of XTP8 on EMT in ovarian cancer cell lines, indicating that XTP8 acts as an oncogene by modulating the AKT/AMPK/mTOR pathway. Through transcriptome sequencing to identify downstream targets of XTP8, we found that XTP8 influences the expression of Caldesmon (CALD1) at both transcriptional and translational levels. CALD1 can be considered a downstream target of XTP8. The collaborative action of XTP8 and CALD1 activates the AKT/AMPK/mTOR pathway, regulating EMT to promote ovarian cancer progression. Inhibiting this signaling axis might represent a potential therapeutic target for ovarian cancer., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In Brief: Aberration in cell cycle progression is one of the essential mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis, making regulators of cell cycle reasonable anti-cancer therapeutic targets. Here, we dissected the regulatory mechanism involving the novel axis ZNF146/TFDP1/DEPDC1B in the cell cycle in ovarian cancer., Abstract: Ovarian cancer (OC) is the third most common kind of gynecological tumor, in addition to being the most lethal. Transcription factor Dp-1 (TFDP1) functions as a binding partner for E2F transcription factors, and its target genes include those involved in DNA synthesis, cell cycle, and apoptosis. However, the regulatory role of TFDP1 in OC remains incompletely understood. This study aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of TFDP1 in OC. TFDP1 was highly expressed in the ovarian epithelial tissues of OC patients, and the expression of TFDP1 in OC cells was higher than that in normal ovarian epithelial cells. Silencing of TFDP1 inhibited the biological activity of OC cells and hindered cell cycle entry. Zinc finger protein 146 (ZNF146) knockdown induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase and tumor growth by blocking TFDP1 transcription, which was overturned by ectopic expression of TFDP1. TFDP1 stimulated DEP domain-containing protein 1B (DEPDC1B) expression through transcriptional activation. DEPDC1B increased the proportion of OC cells in the G2/M phase and potentiated tumor malignant progression in nude mice inhibited by sh-ZNF146. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that ZNF146 participates in TFDP1/DEPDC1B activation and plays a vital role in the cell cycle in OC.

Background: Motor cognitive risk syndrome (MCR) represents a critical pre-dementia and disability state characterized by a combination of objectively measured slow walking speed and subjective memory complaints (SMCs). This study aims to identify risk factors for MCR and investigate the relationship between plasma levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and MCR among Chinese community-dwelling elderly populations., Methods: A total of 1312 participants were involved in this study based on the data of the Rugao Longevity and Aging Study (RuLAS). The MCR was characterized by SMCs and slow walking speed. The SCCs were defined as a positive answer to the question 'Do you feel you have more problems with memory than most?' in a 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale. Slow walking speed was determined by one standard deviation or more below the mean value of the patient's age and gender group. The plasma of 8-OHdG were measured by a technician in the biochemistry laboratory of the Rugao People's Hospital during the morning of the survey., Results: The prevalence of MCR was found to be 7.9%. After adjusting for covariates, significant associations with MCR were observed in older age (OR 1.057; p = 0.018), history of cerebrovascular disease (OR 2.155; p = 0.010), and elevated 8-OHdG levels (OR 1.007; p = 0.003)., Conclusions: This study indicated the elevated plasma 8-OHdG is significantly associated with increased MCR risk in the elderly, suggesting its potential as a biomarker for early detection and intervention in MCR. This finding underscores the importance of monitoring oxidative DNA damage markers in predicting cognitive and motor function declines, offering new avenues for research and preventive strategies in aging populations., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Identifying polyphenotype genes that simultaneously regulate important agronomic traits (e.g., plant height, yield, and disease resistance) is critical for developing novel high-quality crop varieties. Predicting the associations between genes and traits requires the organization and analysis of multi-dimensional scientific data. The existing methods for establishing the relationships between genomic data and phenotypic data can only elucidate the associations between genes and individual traits. However, there are relatively few methods for detecting elite polyphenotype genes. In this study, a knowledge graph for traits regulating-genes was constructed by collecting data from the PubMed database and eight other databases related to the staple food crops rice, maize, and wheat as well as the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana . On the basis of the knowledge graph, a model for predicting traits regulating-genes was constructed by combining the data attributes of the gene nodes and the topological relationship attributes of the gene nodes. Additionally, a scoring method for predicting the genes regulating specific traits was developed to screen for elite polyphenotype genes. A total of 125,591 nodes and 547,224 semantic relationships were included in the knowledge graph. The accuracy of the knowledge graph-based model for predicting traits regulating-genes was 0.89, the precision rate was 0.91, the recall rate was 0.96, and the F1 value was 0.94. Moreover, 4,447 polyphenotype genes for 31 trait combinations were identified, among which the rice polyphenotype gene IPA1 and the A. thaliana polyphenotype gene CUC2 were verified via a literature search. Furthermore, the wheat gene TraesCS5A02G275900 was revealed as a potential polyphenotype gene that will need to be further characterized. Meanwhile, the result of venn diagram analysis between the polyphenotype gene datasets (consists of genes that are predicted by our model) and the transcriptome gene datasets (consists of genes that were differential expression in response to disease, drought or salt) showed approximately 70% and 54% polyphenotype genes were identified in the transcriptome datasets of Arabidopsis and rice, respectively. The application of the model driven by knowledge graph for predicting traits regulating-genes represents a novel method for detecting elite polyphenotype genes., 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 © 2024 Zhang, Zhao, Xian, Kou and Ma.)

The effects of co-fermentation of yeast and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 104 on buckwheat starch physical properties were investigated by various analytical techniques. To investigate the regulations of starch modification during fermentation and to provide a foundation for improving the performance of modified properties of buckwheat starch food. The pasting properties were decreased by co-fermentation also resulted in a reduction in the relative crystallinity. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated that more holes and a relatively rough granule surface were seen in the co-fermentation group. Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) results suggested that co-fermentation fermentation decreased the degree of short-range order (DO) and degree of t 1 he double helix (DD). The results demonstrated that co-fermentation altered these properties more rapidly than spontaneous fermentation. In conclusion, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 104 could be used for buckwheat fermentation to improve food quality., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Muscle fiber type is a major factor in pork meat quality, however, the role of post-translational protein modifications, especially succinylation, in the regulation of muscle fiber type is not fully understood. Here we performed protein succinylation profiles of fast-type biceps femoris (BF) and slow-type soleus (SOL) muscles. A total of 4,221 succinylation sites were identified from these samples, of which 294 sites were differentially expressed. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses showed that these succinylated proteins were mainly involved in glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle, and fatty acid metabolism. Succinylation modification of the CRAT and RAB10 proteins was verified by co-immunoprecipitation. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis unveiled the interactions of these succinylated proteins that regulate pig myofiber type conversion. This investigation offers fresh perspectives into the molecular roles of protein succinylation in the regulation of pig myofiber type transformation and meat quality., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Multimorbidity is a global issue that presents complex challenges for physicians, patients, and health systems. However, there is a lack of research on the factors that influence physicians' confidence in managing multimorbidity within primary care settings, particularly regarding physicians' work conditions., Objectives: Drawing on the Job Demands-Resources Model, this study aims to investigate the level of confidence among Chinese primary care physicians in managing multimorbidity and examine the predictors related to their confidence., Methods: Data were collected from 224 physicians working in 38 Community Healthcare Centres (CHCs) in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Tianjin, and Jinan, China. Work-family conflict (WFC) perceived organizational support (POS), self-directed learning (SDL), and burnout were measured. Physicians' confidence was assessed using a single item. Mediation effect analysis was conducted using the Baron and Kenny method., Results: The results showed that the mean confidence score for physicians managing multimorbidity was 3.63 out of 5, only 20.10% rating their confidence level as 5. WFC negatively related physicians' confidence and POS positively related physicians' confidence in multimorbid diagnosis and treatment. Burnout fully mediated the relationship between WFC and physicians' confidence, and SDL partially mediated the relationship between POS and physicians' confidence., Conclusions: The confidence level of Chinese primary care physicians in managing multimorbidity needs improvement. To enhance physicians' confidence in managing multimorbid patients, CHCs in China should address WFC and burnout and promote POS and SDL., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Eukaryotic organisms adapt to environmental fluctuations by altering their epigenomic landscapes and transcriptional programs. Nucleosomal histones carry vital epigenetic information and regulate gene expression, yet the mechanisms underlying chromatin-bound histone exchange remain elusive. Here, we found that histone H2Bs are globally degraded in Caenorhabditis elegans during starvation. Our genetic screens identified mutations in ubiquitin and ubiquitin-related enzymes that block H2B degradation in starved animals, identifying lysine 31 as the crucial residue for chromatin-bound H2B ubiquitination and elimination. Retention of aberrant nucleosomal H2B increased the association of the FOXO transcription factor DAF-16 with chromatin, generating an ectopic gene expression profile detrimental to animal viability when insulin/IGF signaling was reduced in well-fed animals. Furthermore, we show that the ubiquitin-proteasome system regulates chromosomal histone turnover in human cells. During larval development, C. elegans epidermal cells undergo H2B turnover after fusing with the epithelial syncytium. Thus, histone degradation may be a widespread mechanism governing dynamic changes of the epigenome., (© 2023 The Authors.)

In situ Al K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy in conjunction with ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations show that adsorption of 1-propanol alters the structure of the Brønsted acid site through changes in the associated aluminum-oxygen tetrahedron in zeolite H-MFI. The decreasing intensity of the pre-edge signal of the in situ Al K-edge XANES spectra with increasing 1-propanol coverage shows that Al T-sites become more symmetric as the sorbed alcohol molecules form monomers, dimers, and trimers. The adsorption of monomeric 1-propanol on Brønsted acid sites reduces the distortion of the associated Al T-site, shortens the Al-O distance, and causes the formation of a Zundel-like structure. With dimeric and trimeric alcohol clusters, the zeolite proton is fully transferred to the alcohols and the aluminum-oxygen tetrahedron becomes fully symmetric. The subtle changes in Al-K-edge XANES in the presence of sorbate structures, with the use of theory, are used to probe the local zeolite structures and provide a basis to predict the population and chemical state of the sorbed species., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

The central spindle spatially and temporally regulates the formation of division plane during cytokinesis in animal cells. The heterotetrameric centralspindlin complex bundles microtubules to assemble the central spindle, the mechanism of which is poorly understood. Here, we determined the crystal structures of the molecular backbone of ZEN-4/CYK-4 centralspindlin from Caenorhabditis elegans , which revealed the detailed mechanism of complex formation. The molecular backbone of centralspindlin has the intrinsic propensity to undergo liquid-liquid phase separation. The condensation of centralspindlin requires two patches of basic residues at ZEN-4 and multiple acidic residues at the intrinsically disordered region of CYK-4, explaining the synergy of the two subunits for the function. These complementary charged residues were critical for the microtubule bundling activity of centralspindlin in vitro and for the assembly of the central spindle in vivo. Together, our findings provide insights into the mechanism of central spindle assembly mediated by centralspindlin through charge-driven macromolecular condensation., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interest., (Copyright © 2021 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.)

In the presence of sufficient concentrations of water, stable, hydrated hydronium ions are formed in the pores and at the surface of solid acids such as zeolites. For a medium-pore zeolite, such as zeolite MFI, hydrated hydronium ions consist of eight water molecules and have an effective volume of 0.24 nm 3 . In their presence, larger organic molecules can only adsorb in the portions of the pore that are not occupied by hydronium ions. As a consequence, the available pore volume decreases proportionally to the concentration of the hydronium ions. The higher charge density (the increasing ionic strength) that accompanies an increasing concentration of hydronium ions leads to an increase in the activity coefficients of the adsorbed substrates, thus, weakening the interactions between the organic part of the molecules and the zeolite and favoring the interactions with polar groups. The quantitative understanding of these interactions makes it possible to link a collective property such as hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of zeolites to specific interactions on molecular level., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Endoscopy is becoming one of the widely-used technologies to screen the gastric diseases, and it heavily relies on the experiences of the clinical endoscopists. The location, shape, and size are the typical patterns for the endoscopists to make the diagnosis decisions. The contrasting texture patterns also suggest the potential lesions. This study designed a novel rotation-tolerant image feature, TriZ, and demonstrated the effectiveness on both the rotation invariance and the lesion detection of three gastric lesion types, i.e., gastric polyp, gastric ulcer, and gastritis. TriZ achieved 87.0% in the four-class classification problem of the three gastric lesion types and the healthy controls, averaged over the twenty random runs of 10-fold cross-validations. Due to that biomedical imaging technologies may capture the lesion sites from different angles, the symmetric image feature extraction algorithm TriZ may facilitate the biomedical image based disease diagnosis modeling. Compared with the 378,434 features of the HOG algorithm, TriZ achieved a better accuracy using only 126 image features., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)