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Achieving lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) with ultrahigh rate at ambient‐temperature and excellent low temperature‐tolerant performances is still a tremendous challenge. In this paper, we design a binder‐free Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) electrode to achieve an excellent rate performance (∼75 % of its theoretical capacity at 200 C), in which, aligned CNT nanosheets were used to load LTO nanosheets decorated with silver nanocrystals. With combination of 1,3‐Dioxlane‐based electrolyte, there is nearly no initial voltage drop happen, and the capacity can be greater than 140 mAh g−1 (∼85 % of its specific capacity at room temperature) at −60 °C and 0.2 C. This study provides a practical guidance of the design of LIBs with outstanding rate performances and low temperature resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene fiber has attracted much attention due to its potential applications in supercapacitors, dye-sensitized solar cells, actuators, motors, stretchable circuits and functional composites, owing to its high electrical conductivity, tensile strength and good flexibility. The high tensile strength of graphene fiber renders it promising candidate as the reinforcement in the composites. The interface is the key element for the fiber-reinforced composites; however, there is no study about the interfacial evaluation about the graphene fiber reinforcement composites. Herein, in this study, we fabricate the high-strength graphene fibers (up to 890.1 MPa) through the wet spinning and thermal annealing method, make the graphene fiber-reinforced single-fiber composite, and develop a novel and facile fragmentation test to quantitatively evaluate the interfacial performance of graphene fiber. Graphene fiber has the interfacial shear stress (IFSS) of 60.6 MPa, exhibiting one of the highest IFSS among the carbon nanotube yarns and commercial carbon fibers composites. The superior interfacial performance of graphene fiber is attributed to the surface wrinkles and grooves, which establishes strong physical interlocking between graphene fiber and resin, favoring for the stress transfer. This work will pave the way for the development of graphene fiber-reinforced composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pH-responsive artificial muscle is a chemical-driven actuator without external power input. However, the low work density and adequate stability limit their practical applications. Herein, we combine the porous pH-responsive polymer with carbon fiber bundles for obtaining the coiled hybrid fiber. The coiled carbon fiber (CNF) yarn enhances the strength of hybrid fiber, and the swelling pH sensitive polymer limited to CNF provide a large stroke for hybrid fiber untwisting, resulting in an excellent work capacity and a high cycle life. When the load weight is 600 times the weight of the fiber itself, its work density reaches 287 kJ/m3. In addition, the hybrid fiber can reach a maximum stretching and contraction of 47% at a load of 400 times its own weight. The breaking stress of the obtained artificial muscle can reach more than 100 MPa. At the same time, the constructed porous polymer hydrogels improve the response rate of the artificial muscle, the response time is shortened to 10 min and do not decay in hundreds of cycles, which is further shown that the limiting effect of carbon fiber on the polymer improve the stability of the artificial muscle. It is indicated that the pH-responsive composite fibers have a high potential for use in artificial muscles, pH sensors and mechanical system. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the exponentially increase of dye pollutants, the purification of dye wastewater has been an urgent ecological problem. As a novel type of porous adsorbent, metal-organic frameworks still face challenges in recyclability, agglomeration, and environmentally unfriendly synthesis. Herein, MOF-525 was in-situ growth onto the surface of the chitosan (CS) beads to fabricate MOF-525@CS aerogel. CS was utilized as substrate to uniformly disperse MOF-525, thereby significantly mitigating agglomeration and improving recyclability of MOF-525. The characterization results shown that MOF-525@CS aerogel had a high specific surface area of 103.0 m2·g−1, and MOF-525 was uniformly distributed in the 3D porous structure of CS, and the presence of benzoic acid was detected. The MOF-525@CS aerogel had a remarkable adsorption capacity of 1947 mg·g−1 for Congo red, which is greater than the sum of its parts. MOF-525@CS aerogel also inherited the rapid adsorption ability of MOF-525, removing 80 % of Congo red within 600 min. Such excellent adsorption performance can be attributed to the benzoic acid trapped by CS via C N band to enhance the π-π stacking interactions. Additionally, the utilization of benzoic acid makes the synthesis process of MOF-525@CS aerogel more environmentally friendly. The high-efficient MOF-525@CS aerogel is a competitive candidate for dye pollution adsorption. [Display omitted] • MOF-525 was in-situ growth onto the surface of the chitosan beads. • The MOF-525@CS aerogel shown excellent adsorption capacity of 1947 mg·g−1. • Benzoic acid can bind with MOF-525@CS aerogel via C N bond to improve adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is the fourth largest food crop in the world. Late blight, caused by oomycete Phytophthora infestans, is the most devastating disease threatening potato production. Previous research has shown that StRFP1, a potato Arabidopsis Tóxicos en Levadura (ATL) family protein, positively regulates late blight resistance via its E3 ligase activity. However, the underlying mechanism is unknown.Here, we reveal that StRFP1 is associated with the plasma membrane (PM) and undergoes constitutive endocytic trafficking. Its PM localization is essential for inhibiting P. infestans colonization. Through in vivo and in vitro assays, we investigated that StRFP1 interacts with two sugar transporters StSWEET10c and StSWEET11 at the PM.Overexpression (OE) of StSWEET10c or StSWEET11 enhances P. infestans colonization. Both StSWEET10c and StSWEET11 exhibit sucrose transport ability in yeast, and OE of StSWEET10c leads to an increased sucrose content in the apoplastic fluid of potato leaves. StRFP1 ubiquitinates StSWEET10c and StSWEET11 to promote their degradation.We illustrate a novel mechanism by which a potato ATL protein enhances disease resistance by degrading susceptibility (S) factors, such as Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporters (SWEETs). This offers a potential strategy for improving disease resistance by utilizing host positive immune regulators to neutralize S factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the current flexible actuators, the long-term performance and the reusability usually cannot meet the practical standards, and the bending direction is usually not controllable. To address this issue, a complicated manufacturing process employed to produce a flexible actuator with desirable bending property and durability. Here, we report an easy-to-prepare and low-cost fabrication method for the preparation of PVDF/PEDOT:PSS/CNTs composite film as a multifunctional actuator. This actuator can generate significant bending when exposed to acetone vapors, and the bending direction is adjustable by orienting the carbon nanotubes on the surface. Furthermore, the actuator can produce voltages up to 90 mV via the piezoelectricity of the PVDF. Overall, our approach provides a simple and promising strategy for producing self-powered devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Hypermetabolism based on measurements of resting energy expenditure (REE) is suggested to be a potential biomarker for predicting the clinical outcomes of some diseases. We aimed to evaluate the potential value of hypermetabolism for predicting the short-term (28-day) mortality of patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF). Methods: A total of 105 HBV-ACLF patients, 30 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and 30 healthy controls (HCs) were included in this study. The REE was measured using indirect calorimetry in the morning after 8–10 h of fasting. The predicted REE (REEHB) was determined using Harris-Benedict equation. Persistent hypermetabolism was defined as the REE:REEHB ratio > 1.20 at day 1 and day 7 after admission. The severity of liver disease was estimated using the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD). Clinical and biochemical variables were determined using blood samples ordered upon admission. These variables were compared between nonsurviving and surviving patients who were classified according to the 28-day mortality. Results: The frequency of hypermetabolism at baseline was significantly higher in ACLF patients than that in HCs and CHB patients. Forty-six (43.8%) ACLF patients died within follow-up of 28 days. Persistent hypermetabolism (OR 2.10; 95% CI 1.15–3.69; p = 0.002) and MELD score (OR 1.93; 95% CI 1.47–3.51; p = 0.012) were independent predictive indicators of 28-day mortality. Furthermore, the performance of the 2 variables (persistent hypermetabolism and MELD) together with the area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC: 0.819) was significantly better than that of MELD alone ­(AUROC: 0.694) for prediction of short-term mortality (p = 0.014). Conclusion: These findings indicate that persistent hypermetabolism is predictive of short-term mortality in this small population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate robust empirical likelihood inferences for partially linear models. Based on weighted composite quantile regression and QR decomposition technology, we propose a new estimation method for the parametric components. Under some regularity conditions, we prove that the proposed empirical log-likelihood ratio is asymptotically chi-squared, and then the confidence intervals for the parametric components are constructed. The resulting estimators for parametric components are not affected by the nonparametric components, and then it is more robust, and is easy for application in practice. Some simulations analysis and a real data application are conducted for further illustrating the performance of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fluid maintenance and resuscitation is an important strategy during major surgeries. There has been a debate on the choice of crystalloids over the past decades. 0.9% saline (normal saline) is more likely to cause hyperchloremic acidosis when compared to balanced crystalloids with low chloride content. Meta-analyses comparing these two kinds of crystalloids have been performed in renal transplantations. We aim to compare the safety of balanced crystalloids to normal saline among adult patients undergoing non-renal surgery.Methods: Relevant articles were searched through PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library. Nine randomized controlled trials (including 871 participants) comparing balanced crystalloids to normal saline on adult patients undergoing non-renal surgery were finally included. Possible effects were calculated using meta-analysis.Results: Patients in the normal saline group had significantly lower postoperative pH (MD: 0.05; 95% CI: 0.04-0.06; p < .001; I2 = 82%) and base excess (MD: 2.04; 95% CI: 1.44-2.65; p < .001; I2 = 87%). The postoperative serum chloride level was significantly higher in the normal saline group (MD: -4.79; 95% CI: -8.13∼-1.45; p = .005; I2 = 95%).Conclusion: Comparing to normal saline, balanced crystalloids are more beneficial in keeping postoperative electrolytes and acid-base balance among adult patients undergoing non-renal surgery. Future researches should pay more attention to meaningful clinical outcomes concerning the safety of balanced crystalloids and normal saline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, empirical likelihood inferences for the varying coefficient partially nonlinear models are investigated. An empirical log-likelihood ratio function for the unknown parameter vector in the nonlinear function part and a residual-adjusted empirical log-likelihood ratio function for the nonparametric component are proposed. The corresponding Wilks phenomena are proved and the confidence regions for parametric component and nonparametric component are constructed. Simulation studies indicate that, in terms of coverage probabilities and average areas of the confidence regions, the empirical likelihood method performs better than the normal approximation-based method. Furthermore, a real data set application is also provided to illustrate the proposed empirical likelihood estimation technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible sensors have been widely studied in smart wear, human health monitoring, biomedical and other applications because of its high bio-compatibility. However, it is still a challenge to achieve high sensitivity, wide sensing range, and high stability at the same time, which limits the application of flexible sensors in many directions. In order to solve the above problems, we construct a micro-crack composite wrinkle structure enhanced fiber strain sensor using SEBS rubber elastomer as the substrate and carbon nanotube film functional materials. The micro-cracks composite wrinkle structure for carbon nanotubes (SEBS@MCW-CNT) ensures that the sensor has an ultra-wide sensing range of 0–600 %, and the impact factor reaches 1.0676 under the tension state. The wrinkle structure ensures the sensor can maintains good sensing performance after >10,000 tests, and has high linearity. The response time is 153 ms, the recovery time is 169 ms, and the hysteresis of the sensor can be ignored. At the same time, it also has the sensing performance of bending strain, which broadens the application of the sensor. Our strain sensor has promising applications in wearable electronic devices for detecting human motion. • The micro-crack composite fold structure was constructed by pre-stretching. • Strain sensors have high tensile, impact factor and high linearity. • Along with tensile strain sensing, it also has bending strain sensing. • Accurate large-scale motion detection [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Propose a NR-IQA fusion networks for kidney tissue whole slide images. • Utilize global and local information to jointly assess the overall image quality. • Use discrete labels as input and obtain continuous results outcome. • Extensive experiments are performed to verify the effectiveness of the method. The visual quality of digitized whole slide images (WSIs) for kidney tissue not only affects the diagnosis and subsequent treatment, but also has a decisive impact on the accuracy of multiclass segmentation, classification and object detection during computer intelligent analysis. Currently, pathologists usually assess image quality through eye screening, which greatly relies on the pathologist experience and brings about subjectivity and non-repeatability issues. In this paper, we develop a no-reference image quality assessment framework including a fused CNN classification module, a quality score conversion module and a comprehensive quality prediction module, which automatically classifies WSIs of kidney tissue into four quality levels: excellent, good, average, and poor, and calculates a rough quality score. The original image and the regions of interest are combined and fused to comprehensively evaluate the quality of a WSI through multiple factors instead of a simple deep learning network. Extensive experiments conducted on our in-house dataset confirm that our proposed framework obtains satisfactory results with an accuracy of 90.05%, surpassing the performance of the typical image quality assessment models, and achieves the level of junior pathologist. Therefore, our proposed method can be embedded into a computer assisted diagnosis system to help pathologists in analysis of histopathological images and judgment of reliability of the images. The source code and trained models will be available at https://github.com/kidneyPathology/WSIQA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by the stimuli-responsive ability of biological, a variety of hydrogel have been prepared by stimulus, showing great application value in actuators, soft robots, etc. However, it is still challenging to prepare a toughness hydrogel by the way of stimuli-responsive. Herein, we constructed a novel dual-network structure PNIPAM/PVA hydrogel using reversible molecular configuration conversion of PNIPAM chains. Under the stimulus of ethanol, the elastic modulus of PNIPAM/PVA hydrogel can be increased by 47 times (5 times the change of the modulus of sea cucumbers' tissue) and the stress can be six times of the original. The dynamic borate ester bond formed by the cross-linking of PVA and borax in the hydrogel enables rapid self-healing (η > 99%) within three minutes without external stimulus in the natural environment. In addition, PNIPAM/PVA hydrogels also showed outstanding underwater reversible thermokinetic properties (>25°) based on the hydrophilic/hydrophobic conversion of PNIPAM under thermal stimulation. The successful preparation of ethanol stimulus-enhancing self-healing PNIPAM/PVA hydrogel actuators, provides a new idea for the development of the soft underwater robots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cisplatin is a particularly potent antineoplastic drug. However, its usefulness is restricted due to the induction of nephrotoxicity. More recent research has indicated that β-hydroxybutyrate (β-HB) protects against acute or chronic organ damage as an efficient healing agent. Nonetheless, the therapeutic mechanisms of β-HB in acute kidney damage caused by chemotherapeutic drugs remain unclear. Our study developed a model of cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (AKI), which involved the administration of a ketogenic diet or β-HB. We analyzed blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr) levels in serum, and used western blotting and immunohistochemical staining to assess ferroptosis and the calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase kinase 2 (Camkk2)/AMPK pathway. The mitochondrial morphology and function were examined. Additionally, we conducted in vivo and in vitro experiments using selective Camkk2 inhibitor or activator to investigate the protective mechanism of β-HB on cisplatin-induced AKI. Exogenous or endogenous β-HB effectively alleviated cisplatin-induced abnormally elevated levels of BUN and Cr and renal tubular necrosis in vivo. Additionally, β-HB reduced ferroptosis biomarkers and increased the levels of anti-ferroptosis biomarkers in the kidney. β-HB also improved mitochondrial morphology and function. Moreover, β-HB significantly attenuated cisplatin-induced cell ferroptosis and damage in vitro. Furthermore, western blotting and immunohistochemical staining indicated that β-HB may prevent kidney injury by regulating the Camkk2-AMPK pathway. The use of the Camkk2 inhibitor or activator verified the involvement of Camkk2 in the renal protection by β-HB. This study provided evidence of the protective effects of β-HB against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and identified inhibited ferroptosis and Camkk2 as potential molecular mechanisms. Cisplatin induces disruptions in mitochondrial energy metabolism and lipid peroxidation. Both endogenous and exogenous β-hydroxybutyrate can protected against cisplatin-induced renal damage by repairing mitochondrial energy homeostasis and preventing ferroptosis, and this protective effect might be attributed to Camkk2 regulation. β-HB protects against cisplatin-induced renal damage both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, β-HB is effective in attenuating cisplatin-induced lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis. The regulation of energy metabolism, as well as the treatment involving β-HB, is associated with Camkk2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining wound moisture and monitoring of infection are crucial aspects of chronic wound treatment. The development of a pH-sensitive functional hydrogel dressing is an effective approach to monitor, protect, and facilitate wound healing. In this study, beet red pigment extract (BRPE) served as a native and efficient pH indicator by being grafted into silane-modified bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) to prepare a pH-sensitive wound hydrogel dressing (S-g-BNC/BRPE). FTIR confirmed the successful grafting of BRPE into the BNC matrix. The S-g-BNC/BRPE showed superior mechanical properties (0.25 MPa), swelling rate (1251 % on average), and hydrophilic properties (contact angle 21.83°). The composite exhibited a notable color change as the pH changed between 4.0 and 9.0. It appeared purple-red when the pH ranged from 4.0 to 6.0, and appeared light pink at pH 7.0 and 7.4, and appeared ginger-yellow at pH 8.0 and 9.0. Subsequently, the antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity of the composite was evaluated, its DPPH·, ABTS+, ·OH scavenging rates were 32.33 %, 19.31 %, and 30.06 %, respectively, and the cytotoxicity test clearly demonstrated the safety of the dressing. The antioxidant hydrogel dressing, fabricated with a cost-effective and easy method, not only showed excellent biocompatibility and dressing performance but could also indicated the wound state based on pH changes. • The S-g-BNC/BRPE hydrogel showed significant color changes in the pH range associated with chronic or infected wounds. • The S-g-BNC/BRPE hydrogel exhibited superior mechanical properties and hydrophilic properties than unmodified BNC. • The S-g-BNC/BRPE hydrogel showed excellent biocompatibility and certain antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lupus nephritis (LN) is a severe and common manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that is frequently identified with a poor prognosis. Macrophages play an important role in its pathogenesis. Different macrophage subtypes have different effects on lupus-affected kidneys. Based on their origin, macrophages can be divided into monocyte-derived macrophages (MoMacs) and tissue-resident macrophages (TrMacs). During nephritis, TrMacs develop a hybrid pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory functional phenotype, as they do not secrete arginase or nitric oxide (NO) when stimulated by cytokines. The infiltration of these mixed-phenotype macrophages is related to the continuous damage caused by immune complexes and exposure to circulating inflammatory mediators, which is an indication of the failure to resolve inflammation. On the other hand, MoMacs differentiate into M1 or M2 cells under cytokine stimulation. M1 macrophages are pro-inflammatory and secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines, while the M2 main phenotype is essentially anti-inflammatory and promotes tissue repair. Conversely, MoMacs undergo differentiation into M1 or M2 cells in response to cytokine stimulation. M1 macrophages are considered pro-inflammatory cells and secrete pro-inflammatory mediators, whereas the M2 main phenotype is primarily anti-inflammatory and promotes tissue repair. Moreover, based on cytokine expression, M2 macrophages can be further divided into M2a, M2b, and M2c phenotypes. M2a and M2c have anti-inflammatory effects and participate in tissue repair, while M2b cells have immunoregulatory and pro-inflammatory properties. Further, memory macrophages also have a role in the advancement of LN. Studies have demonstrated that the polarization of macrophages is controlled by multiple metabolic pathways, such as glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway, fatty acid oxidation, sphingolipid metabolism, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and arginine metabolism. The changes in these metabolic pathways can be regulated by substances such as fish oil, polyenylphosphatidylcholine, taurine, fumaric acid, metformin, and salbutamol, which inhibit M1 polarization of macrophages and promote M2 polarization, thereby alleviating LN. Highlights: Macrophages are the main infiltrating cells in lupus nephritis (LN) kidneys. Different macrophage subtypes have different effects on the development and progression of LN. M1-type macrophages possess pro-inflammatory functions, participating in the onset and progression of LN. In contrast, M2-type macrophages primarily exhibit anti-inflammatory and tissue repair-promoting functions, which are beneficial for the remission of LN. The infiltration of mixed phenotype macrophages reflects a failure in the resolution of inflammation and correlates with poor prognostic outcomes in LN. Multiple metabolic pathways, such as glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, fatty acid oxidation, sphingolipid metabolism, tricarboxylic acid cycle, arginine metabolism, and tryptophan metabolism, regulate macrophage polarization. Compounds such as omega-3 fatty acids, polyunsaturated phospholipids, taurine, fumarate, metformin, salbutamol, and others can modulate metabolic pathways, suppressing M1 polarization and promoting M2 polarization in macrophages, thereby ameliorating LN symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of the neurotrophic factors that are vital to the survival and proliferation of neuron. Thioredoxin-1 (Trx-1) is a redox regulating protein and plays various roles in regulating transcript factors and inhibiting apoptosis. It has been reported that Trx-1 is required for nerve growth factor-mediated signal transduction and neurite outgrowth, and is involved in synaptic protein expression induced by BDNF. However, the molecular mechanism on BDNF inducing Trx-1 expression has not been fully verified. The present study investigated the expression of Trx-1 after treatment with BDNF in SH-SY5Y cells. We first demonstrated that cell viability and the expression of Trx-1 were increased by BDNF in SH-SY5Y cells, which were inhibited by the tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) inhibitor, K252a, and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) inhibitor, LY294002. Moreover, BDNF increased the activity of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) through TrkB/PI3-K/Akt pathway. Whereas the expression of Trx-1 induced by BDNF was suppressed by CREB siRNA. Thus, our data suggest that BDNF induces the expression of Trx-1 through the TrkB/Akt/CREB pathway. • BDNF increases cellular viability of SH-SY5Y cells. • BDNF induces Trx-1 expression through TrkB/PI3-K/Akt pathway. • CREB is required for Trx-1 expression induced by BDNF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Low-temperature tolerant supercapacitors are very important for industrial application and scientific explorations. To date, most of the studies focused on the optimization of electrolyte system to improve low temperature performance of supercapacitors. Although some improvement has been reported, the capacitance performance decreases significantly at low temperature, especially rate performance. In this work, activated carbon coated CNT core-shell nanocomposite is fabricated to investigate the temperature dependence of capacitance. We found that the poor capacitive performance at low temperature is mainly caused by ion migration at liquid-solid interface, especially for the pores whose size is smaller than the solvated ion. When the pore size of activated carbon is large, ions can freely enter these pores and the capacitance (97 F g−1) measured at −70 °C is comparable with that at room temperature (108 F g−1). Combined with both high conductivity and short diffusion path, the composite exhibits high rate performance and long cyclic stability. This study provides a practical guide for the design of supercapacitor with high performance at low temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial cranes commonly experience the double pendulum swing effect as a result of a number of reasons, including the magnitude of the cargo and the non-negligible hook mass. Nevertheless, the majority of control strategies for double-pendulum cranes, whether open-loop or closed-loop, are created using linearized dynamics and necessitate accurate knowledge of the model parameters, rendering them susceptible to parametric uncertainties and unmodeled disturbances. To solve these problems, a new neural network adaptive PID-like coupling control method for the nonlinear double pendulum cranes is proposed in this paper. By making full use of the designed composite signal and its integral action, oscillation suppression and precise positioning are realized. In addition, the problem of conventional PID parameter adjustment is solved successfully by determining the PID gains through a neural network adaptive algorithm, automatically. Moreover, it has been shown that the systematic error converges into a compact set around zero for a variety of time-varying actuator failures and saturation situations that can easily occur in practical engineering. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed control method is verified through hardware experiments, and the comparison results prove the superior performance of the designed controller. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coxsackievirus Group B type 5 (CVB5), an important pathogen of hand-foot-mouth disease, is also associated with neurological complications and poses a public health threat to young infants. Among the CVB5 proteins, the nonstructural protein 3D, known as the Enteroviral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, is mainly involved in viral genome replication and transcription. In this study, we performed immunoprecipitation coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) to identify host proteins that interacted with CVB5 3D polymerase. A total of 116 differentially expressed proteins were obtained. Gene Ontology analysis identified that the proteins were involved in cell development and cell adhesion, distributed in the desmosome and envelope, and participated in GTPase binding. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis further revealed they participated in nerve diseases, such as Parkinson disease. Among them, 35 proteins were significantly differentially expressed and the cellular protein TGF-BATA-activated kinase1 binding protein 1 (TAB1) was found to be specifically interacting with the 3D polymerase. 3D polymerase facilitated the entry of TAB1 into the nucleus and down-regulated TAB1 expression via the lysosomal pathway. In addition, TAB1 inhibited CVB5 replication via inducing inflammatory factors and activated the NF-κB pathway through IκBα phosphorylation. Moreover, the 90-96aa domain of TAB1 was an important structure for the function. Collectively, our findings demonstrate the mechanism by which cellular TAB1 inhibits the CVB5 replication via activation of the host innate immune response, providing a novel insight into the virus-host innate immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some studies have found that ferroptosis plays an important role in the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery. However, whether iron metabolism-related indicators can be used as predictors of the incidence of AKI after cardiac surgery remains unclear. We aimed to systematically evaluate whether iron metabolism-related indicators can be used as predictors of the incidence of AKI after cardiac surgery via meta-analysis. Search methods: The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from January 1971 to February 2023 to identify prospective observational and retrospective observational studies examining iron metabolism-related indicators and the incidence of AKI after cardiac surgery among adults. Data Extraction and Synthesis: The following data were extracted by two independent authors (ZLM and YXY): date of publication, first author, country, age, sex, number of included patients, iron metabolism-related indicators, outcomes of patients, patient types, study types, sample, and specimen sampling time. The level of agreement between authors was determined using Cohen's κ value. The Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to evaluate the quality of studies. Statistical heterogeneity across the studies was measured by the I2 statistic. The standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used as effect size measures. Meta-analysis was performed using Stata 15. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 9 articles on iron metabolism-related indicators and the incidence of AKI after cardiac surgery were included in this study. Meta-analysis revealed that after cardiac surgery, baseline serum ferritin (μg/L) (I2 = 43%, fixed effects model, SMD = −0.3, 95% CI:-0.54 to −0.07, p = 0.010), preoperative and 6-hour postoperative fractional excretion (FE) of hepcidin (%) (I2 = 0.0%, fixed effects model, SMD = −0.41, 95% CI: −0.79 to −0.02, p = 0.038; I2 = 27.0%, fixed effects model, SMD = −0.49, 95% CI: −0.88 to −0.11, p = 0.012), 24-hour postoperative urinary hepcidin (μg/L) (I2 = 0.0%, fixed effects model, SMD = −0.60, 95% CI: −0.82 to −0.37, p < 0.001) and urine hepcidin/urine creatinine ratio (μg/mmoL) (I2 = 0.0%, fixed effects model, SMD = −0.65, 95% CI: −0.86 to −0.43, p < 0.001) were significantly lower in patients who developed to AKI than in those who did not. After cardiac surgery, patients with lower baseline serum ferritin levels (μg/L), lower preoperative and 6-hour postoperative FE of hepcidin (%), lower 24-hour postoperative hepcidin/urine creatinine ratios (μg/mmol) and lower 24-hour postoperative urinary hepcidin levels (μg/L) are more likely to develop AKI. Therefore, these parameters have the potential to be predictors for AKI after cardiac surgery in the future. In addition, there is a need for relevant clinical research of larger scale and with multiple centers to further test these parameters and prove our conclusion. Trial Registration: PROSPERO identifier: CRD42022369380. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury(IRI)is a major cause of acute kidney injury(AKI), the injury and repair of renal tubular epithelial cells play an important role in the pathological process of IR-AKI. Metabolomics was used to detect cell metabolism alterations and metabolic reprogramming in the initial injury, peak injury, and recovery stage of human renal proximal tubular cells (HK-2 cells) to provide insights into clinical prevention and treatment of IRI-induced AKI. An in vitro ischemia-reperfusion (H/R) injury and the recovery model of HK-2 cells were established at different times of hypoxia/reoxygenation. Comprehensive detection of metabolic alterations in HK-2 cells after H/R induction by nontarget metabolomics. Interconversion of glycolysis and fatty acid oxidation (FAO) in HK-2 cells after H/R induction was examined by western blotting and qRT-PCR. Multivariate data analysis found significant differences among the groups, with significant changes in metabolites such as glutamate, malate, aspartate, and L-palmitoylcarnitine. Hypoxia-reoxygenated HK-2 cells are accompanied by altered metabolisms such as disturbance of amino acid and nucleotide metabolism, dysregulation of lipid metabolism, increased glycolysis, and metabolic reprogramming, which manifests as a shift in energy metabolism from FAO to glycolysis. The development of IRI-induced AKI in HK-2 cells is accompanied by the disturbance of amino acid, nucleotide, and tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolism and specifically metabolic reprogramming of FAO to glycolytic conversion. The timely recovery of energy metabolism in HK-2 cells is of great significance for treating and prognosis IRI-induced AKI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic multisystem inflammatory disease associated with autoantibody formation. Lupus nephritis (LN) is one of the most severe organ manifestations of SLE. The inflammatory response is a key factor in kidney injury, and the NLRP3 inflammasome is frequently associated with the pathogenesis of LN. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD +)-dependent histone deacetylase, is a promising therapeutic target for preventing renal injury. However, the mechanism of SIRT1 in LN remains unclear. Here, we aimed to investigate the mechanism by which SIRT inhibits the NLRP3 inflammasome to slow the progression of LN. We detected the expression of SIRT1 and the infiltration of macrophages in MRL/lpr mice; the results showed that the expression of SIRT1 was decreased, and the symptoms of lupus nephritis were relieved after the use of resveratrol, which upregulated SIRT1. In vitro studies showed that after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, SIRT1 expression decreased, and the NLRP3 inflammasome was activated. Upregulation of SIRT1 inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome activation and assembly by interfering with two signalling pathways. First, SIRT1 affects NF-κB expression, transcription, and inflammatory cytokine expression. Second, SIRT1 modulates calcium influx induced by transient receptor potential channel M2 (TRPM2), which could be partly due to the inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Our findings suggest that upregulated SIRT1 inhibits the NLRP3 inflammasome to slow the progression of lupus nephritis by regulating NF-κB and ROS/TRPM2/Ca2+ channels. This study reveals a new anti-inflammatory mechanism of SIRT1, suggesting that SIRT1 may be a potential therapeutic target for the prevention of LN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet the practical demands of flexible fiber-shaped supercapacitors (FSSCs) for wearable electronics, it's crucial to develop electrodes with both high energy density and flexibility. In this work, an ultrahigh capacitance (Co,Mn)(Co,Mn) 2 O 4 /Ni(OH) 2 (CMO/Ni(OH) 2) fiber electrode is designed. The (Co,Mn)(Co,Mn) 2 O 4 (CMO) nanosheets possessing large specific surface area and enriched active sites, which can be served as nano-substrate for the electrodeposition of Ni(OH) 2. This special structure facilitates the exposure of more electroactive sites and accelerate rapid electrons transfer, resulting in boosted electrochemical performance. Benefiting from these advantages, the area capacitance of the CMO/Ni(OH) 2 electrode is up to 4787.6 mF cm−2 at 1 mA cm−2, which is approximately 15 times higher than that of the CMO (311 mF cm−2), and 6.7 times higher than that of the Ni(OH) 2 (718 mF cm−2). Coupled with activated carbon (AC) electrode, the assembled all-solid-state CMO/Ni(OH) 2 //AC FSSCs demonstrate a high energy density of 89.45 μW h cm−2 at 1505 μW cm−2, along with great flexibility and stability. Moreover, these devices can be integrated into clothes, and electronic watch, serving as an energy supply. This work offers a novel approach to designing high-performance fiber electrode for wearable flexible energy storage devices. Schematic of the all-solid-state fiber-shaped asymmetric supercapacitors. [Display omitted] • Core-shell heterostructure with enhanced active sites was designed and prepared. • The electrode exhibits ultrahigh area specific capacitance of 4787.6 mF cm−2. • Assembled fiber-shaped supercapacitors demonstrate extraordinary flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible yarn-shaped aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) show great promise for wearable and portable energy devices due to their low cost, small volume, flexibility, and compatibility with textiles. However, challenges such as low capacity and energy density due to sluggish Zn2+ ion kinetics prevent their practical applications in wearable electronics. Herein, we develop a strategy involving Na+ ions and polyaniline co-intercalation, along with coaxially wrapping, to fabricate yarn-shaped AZIBs containing core-sheath carbon nanotube/Na+ ion and polyaniline co-intercalated NH 4 V 4 O 10 (NaNVO-PANI) yarn cathode and zinc wire anode. The NaNVO-PANI structure enhances electrochemical performance by enlarging interlayer spacing and improving electronic conductivity. The resulting yarn batteries exhibit high specific capacity (346.9 mA h g−1), energy density (255.2 Wh kg−1), and long cycling life, making them suitable for self-powered energy systems. Notably, the CNT sheet sheath enables tunable charge storage kinetics by accelerating ion mixing between the electrolyte fluid and electrode interface through turbulence effects. This work is of great significance for developing high-performance flexible yarn-shaped AZIBs for wearable electronics. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the large-scale development of zinc-air batteries (ZABs), designing efficient, and cost-effective oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts is crucial yet challenging. Herein, CuFe nanoparticles coupled with Cu–N x active sites co-anchored on 2D nitrogen–doped porous carbon nanosheets (CuFe@Cu–N–C) were obtained by the pyrolysis of Cu–MOF–74, nitrogen source, and ferric salt. The 2D porous carbon structure and the coupling effect between CuFe nanoparticles and Cu–Nx active sites endowed the CuFe@Cu–N–C electrocatalyst with excellent ORR electrocatalytic performance. Consequently, the CuFe@Cu–N–C electrocatalyst exhibited enhanced ORR activity with a higher half–wave potential than Cu–N–C, surpassing even that of the commercial 20 % Pt/C by 21 mV in alkaline media. Additionally, the CuFe@Cu–N–C electrocatalyst exhibited superior ORR stability to commercial 20 % Pt/C. Primary ZABs assembled with the CuFe@Cu–N–C as the cathode ORR electrocatalyst also showed excellent electrochemical properties. The work shows that the prepared CuFe@Cu–N–C electrocatalyst can serve as an ideal alternative to Pt-based catalysts for ZABs. [Display omitted] • A mixed pyrolysis method was proposed to prepare ORR catalyst (CuFe@Cu-N-C). • The CuFe nanoparticles coupled with Cu-N x effectively enhances ORR performance. • The CuFe@Cu-N-C with unique structure increases ORR activity. • The ZAB assembled with CuFe@Cu-N-C exhibits excellent performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stroke is the leading cause of death in China (Zhou et al. in The Lancet, 2019). A dataset from Shanxi Province is analyzed to predict the risk of patients at four states (low/medium/high/attack) and to estimate transition probabilities between various states via a SHAP DeepExplainer. To handle the issues related to an imbalanced sample set, the quadratic interactive deep model (QIDeep) was first proposed by flexible selection and appending of quadratic interactive features. The experimental results showed that the QIDeep model with 3 interactive features achieved the state-of-the-art accuracy 83.33%(95% CI (83.14%; 83.52%)). Blood pressure, physical inactivity, smoking, weight, and total cholesterol are the top five most important features. For the sake of high recall in the attack state, stroke occurrence prediction is considered an auxiliary objective in multi-objective learning. The prediction accuracy was improved, while the recall of the attack state was increased by 17.79% (to 82.06%) compared to QIDeep (from 71.49%) with the same features. The prediction model and analysis tool in this paper provided not only a prediction method but also an attribution explanation of the risk states and transition direction of each patient, a valuable tool for doctors to analyze and diagnose the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acid‐modified sodium alginate (AMSA) was synthesized utilizing a simple acidification method and its synthesis was confirmed by acid‐base titration method, SEM, XRD, FTIR, TGA and BET. The sodium alginate after acidification, with a large number of carboxyl groups introduced, was favorable to the adsorption of methylene blue (MB) from water. The maximum adsorption capacity calculated by Langmuir model was up to 1593 mg/g, which was significantly higher than the adsorption capacity of other adsorbents reported. The adsorption rate of MB by AMSA was very fast. After the addition of adsorbent, the adsorption removal rate reached 79 % in 30 min, and the adsorption was balanced in 120 min (94 % of MB was removed). Furthermore, electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonding, pore‐filling and chemisorption were considered as the main adsorption mechanisms. AMSA is expected to be an optimal candidate for efficient and rapid removal of MB due to its simple synthesis, abundant sources, easy separation and no secondary pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gut microbiota has been reported to be perturbed by chemotherapeutic agents and to modulate side effects. However, the critical role of β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) in the regulation of the gut microbiota and the pathogenesis of chemotherapeutic agents related nephrotoxicity remains unknown. We conducted a comparative analysis of the composition and function of gut microbiota in healthy, cisplatin-challenged, BHB-treated, and high-fat diet-treated mice using 16 S rDNA gene sequencing. To understand the crucial involvement of intestinal flora in BHB's regulation of cisplatin -induced nephrotoxicity, we administered antibiotics to deplete the gut microbiota and performed fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) before cisplatin administration. 16 S rDNA gene sequencing analysis demonstrated that both endogenous and exogenous BHB restored gut microbiota dysbiosis and cisplatin-induced intestinal barrier disruption in mice. Additionally, our findings suggested that the LPS/TLR4/NF-κB pathway was responsible for triggering renal inflammation in the gut-kidney axis. Furthermore, the ablation of the gut microbiota ablation using antibiotics eliminated the renoprotective effects of BHB against cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury. FMT also confirmed that administration of BHB-treated gut microbiota provided protection against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. This study elucidated the mechanism by which BHB affects the gut microbiota mediation of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity by inhibiting the inflammatory response, which may help develop novel therapeutic approaches that target the composition of the microbiota. [Display omitted] • BHB protects against cisplatin-induced renal damage in mice. • BHB is effective in attenuating cisplatin-induced dysbiosis of gut microbiota. • The renoprotective effects of BHB depend on gut microbiota and related LPS/TLR4/NF-κB/TNF-α pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene-based fibers (GFs) have drawn increasing attention in recent years owing to their exceptional advantages such as high tensile strength, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, tunable structure and good flexibility. Given the exceptional performance of GFs, they play a substantial role in several emerging science fields, exhibiting great potential for implementation in wearable electronics. A wide variety of strategies have been carried out for controlling the microscopic structure and achieving the improved mechanical, electrical, electrochemical, photovoltaic and thermoelectric properties of the GFs. Various graphene-based composite fibers have been fabricated for energy devices through the combination of functional materials, which has been demonstrated a crucial route to alter the performance of GFs for the desired devices and applications. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in the fabrication of GFs, and their state-of-the-art applications in energy storage/conversion devices, including supercapacitors, lithium-ion batteries, thermoelectric generators, solar cells and self-powered devices. In addition, the current issues and prospects of GF-based energy storage/conversion devices are also discussed. This review may shed light on energy storage and conversion mechanism of graphene fiber-based energy devices, and pave the way for the development and applications of high-performance fiber-based wearable energy storage and conversion devices. Unlabelled Image • The structure and performance controlling mechanisms of graphene fibers are elaborated. • The energy conversion and storage mechanism of graphene fiber-based energy devices is reviewed. • Current challenges and perspectives for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) is a transcription factor from the IRF factor family that exerts regulatory functions in the immune system and oncogenesis. However, the biological role of IRF4 in colon cancer is still unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate whether IRF4 participates in the immune response in colon cancer. Methods: We compared the expression of IRF4, the number of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and macrophages in the colon cancer tissues and paracancerous colon tissues from colon cancer patients. Colon cancer mouse model was established by inoculation with colon cancer cells (SW480) as a xenograft tumor, and we observed tumor growth of colon cancer. Furthermore, the mechanism of action of IRF4 in transdifferentiation of Tregs into macrophage-like cells and the effect of IRF4 on colon cancer cells were investigated in vitro. Results: IRF4 was severely down-regulated in the colon cancer tissues. Colon cancer tissues exhibited an increase in the number of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and macrophages. Furthermore, IRF4 overexpression repressed proliferation, migration and invasion of colon cancer cells (SW480 and HT116 cells). Moreover, IRF4 up-regulation ameliorated tumor growth of colon cancer by promoting the transdifferentiation of Tregs into macrophage-like cells through inhibition of BCL6 expression. Exosomes derived from colon cancer cells repressed IRF4 expression in Tregs by transmitting miR-27a-3p, miR-30a-5p and miR-320c. Conclusions: IRF4 overexpression promoted the transdifferentiation of Tregs into macrophage-like cells to inhibit the occurrence and development of colon cancer. Thus, IRF4 may be a potential target for colon cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]