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In contrast to the existing research on the liquid jet colliding with a physical target to produce a single type of liquid sheet or bell, we used an opposing gas jet target to generate a series of diverse shapes of axisymmetric liquid films. Specifically, we experimentally investigated the outcome of a 0.4-mm diameter water jet impinging on an opposing gas jet of 0.3 mm initial diameter. Five different axisymmetric film shapes are identified for the experimental parameters explored in this work, and the momentum flux ratio (X) of the gas jet to the water jet is the dictating factor for the exact film shape: (i) X = 0: smooth bells that share the same shape and profile model with classic water bells of a liquid jet impacting a solid target. (ii) 0 < X < 0.4: crumpled bells being lifted off from the gas nozzle by a thin layer of squeezing gas flow that is quantifiable by the lubrication model. (iii) 0.4 < X < 0.9: transient bells with mildly wrinkled surfaces that undergo periodic cycles from closure to bursting at a gas Reynolds number of ∼2400. (iv) 0.9 < X < 1.4: turbulent parachutes with curved and rough shapes. (v) X > 1.4: turbulent sheets that are flattened and atomized by the relatively strong gas stream. This work demonstrated that an opposing gas jet is a simple yet versatile approach to achieving a rich collection of phenomena by diverting the liquid jet momentum in multiple ways. This investigation aims to explore and rationale the rich phenomenology of water bells resulting from the impingement of a water jet on a gaseous jet target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of organic solar cells is sensitive to the film thickness and the uniformity of the donor and acceptor distribution in the photoactive layer. Especially, in the quasi‐planar heterojunction fabricated by layer‐by‐layer process, the donor and acceptor materials may be non‐homogeneously distributed across the entire photoactive layer. Visualization of the spatial distributions of donor and acceptor components sheds light on the relationship between nanostructures and device performances. Based on the distinct infrared absorption characteristics of the organic donor and acceptor, a quasi‐monochromatic light transmittance (QMLT) technique is proposed to quantify the donor and/or acceptor thickness in the photoactive layer blend across the entire device area with nanometer precision. The variation in thickness of donor and acceptor can be clearly and separately revealed. Accordingly, the impacts of spin coating techniques (such as dynamic or static dispensing, and on‐center or off‐center spin coating), as well as solvent choices, on film morphology and device performance can be correlated by the noncontact, nondestructive, and convenient QMLT method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T reg plays a pivotal role in the suppression of Th2 cell and the maintenance of immune homeostasis. The precise molecular mechanism underlying the disruption of T reg suppression of Th2 cell and the promotion of Th2 type inflammation in allergic diseases remains elusive. This study aims to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying quantitative and functional changes of T reg in AD. The molecular mechanism was investigated using flow cytometry, mRNA sequencing, co-culture experiments, co-immunoprecipitation, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and bisulfite sequencing in vitro or in AD mice model and patients with AD. Increased proportion of T reg was detected in mild and moderate AD. Conversely, characteristic decrease in both the number and CTLA-4 expression of T reg was relevant to serum IL-4 level in severe AD patients, which was verified under a high concentration of IL-4 treatment in vitro. The underlying mechanism is that IL-4/pSTAT6 pathway recruits DNMT1 and HDAC2 to inhibit transcriptional regulation of Foxp3 and CTLA-4 loci. High level of IL-4 impaired the suppression of T reg against Th2 cell differentiation mediated by CTLA-4, and blockade of IL-4Rα signaling in T reg restored T reg number and suppression of Th2 cell in AD model mice and patients with AD. The number of T reg is relevant to stratification of severity and serum IL-4 level in patients with AD. Abnormal high level of IL-4 epigenetically triggers a decrease in both the number and CTLA-4 expression of T reg. The reduced expression of CTLA-4 on T reg induced by IL-4 impairs suppression of Th2 cell differentiation. • The number of T reg is relevant to stratification of severity and serum IL-4 level in patients with AD. • High level of IL-4 epigenetically triggers a decrease in both the number and CTLA-4 expression of T reg in severe AD. • IL-4-induced reduction in both number and CTLA-4 expression of T reg impaired CTLA-4-mediated suppression of Th2 cell. • Blockade of IL-4Rα signaling in T reg restores T reg expression and its suppression of Th2 type inflammation in severe AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase (CRL) family members play critical roles in numerous biological processes and diseases including cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Oligomerization of CRLs has been reported to be crucial for the regulation of their activities. However, the structural basis for its regulation and mechanism of its oligomerization are not fully known. Here, we present cryo-EM structures of oligomeric CRL2FEM1B in its unneddylated state, neddylated state in complex with BEX2 as well as neddylated state in complex with FNIP1/FLCN. These structures reveal that asymmetric dimerization of N8-CRL2FEM1B is critical for the ubiquitylation of BEX2 while FNIP1/FLCN is ubiquitylated by monomeric CRL2FEM1B. Our data present an example of the asymmetric homo-dimerization of CRL. Taken together, this study sheds light on the ubiquitylation strategy of oligomeric CRL2FEM1B according to substrates with different scales. Synopsis: The structural basis and biological importance of cullin-RING ubiquitin ligase (CRL) oligomerization remain largely unclear. Here, high-resolution cryo-EM and biochemical data reveal that oligomerization of CRL2FEM1B serves as a structural foundation for accommodating substrates of varying sizes. Cryo-EM structures show oligomeric CRL2FEM1B in its unneddylated state and as neddylated form in complex with different substrates. RBX1 and CUL2 participate in the assembly of CRL2FEM1B oligomers. Asymmetric homo-dimerization allows CRL2FEM1B to ubiquitinate substrates with small scales, such as BEX2. Large substrates such as FNIP1/FLCN complexes are ubiquitinated by monomeric CRL2FEM1B. Asymmetric homo-dimerization allows ubiquitination of substrates with small scales, while large substrates are targeted by monomeric CRL2-FEM1B E3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic response of a micrometer-sized gallium–indium (Ga-In) jet in nitrogen subjected to intense Neodymium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd: YAG) laser pulses with energy ranging from 0.35 to 5.0 mJ per pulse is investigated experimentally. The rapid deformation of the jet was visualized using timed-delayed stroboscopic shadowgraphy. The laser pulse disrupts the jet to form a gap, and the length of the gap grows according to a logarithm relationship with respect to the dimensionless time normalized a characteristic timescale τ, which is determined by the pulse energy Ep. The ablation impulse bends and flattens the jet into a thin curved film that resembles a wind-blown sail. The area of the sail increases with t6/5Ep13/15, where t is time. The sail eventually breaks up into fine mist. Additionally, we found that the laser-blast-induced initial bending velocity of the jet could be predicted using the semi-empirical laser-ablated propulsion model for an In-Sn droplet of tens of micrometers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the feasibility of spectral CT–derived extracellular volume (ECV) for differentiating aldosterone-producing nodules (APN) from nonfunctioning adrenal nodules (NFN). Methods: Sixty-nine patients with biochemically and histologically confirmed unilateral APN (34) and NFN (35) as well as 23 patients with bilateral APN (19) and NFN (27) confirmed biochemically and by adrenal vein sampling (AVS) were enrolled in this retrospective study from October 2020 to April 2022. All patients underwent contrast-enhanced spectral CT of the adrenal glands with a 10-min delayed phase. The haematocrit level was measured within 2 days of CT. An iodine density map was derived from the delayed CT. The ECV fractions of the APN and NFN were calculated and compared in the test cohort of 69 patients with unilateral adrenal nodules. The optimal cut-off value was determined to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of the ECV fraction for differentiating APN from NFN in the validation cohort of 23 patients with bilateral adrenal nodules. Results: The ECV fractions of the APN (11.17 ± 4.57%) were significantly lower (p < 0.001) than that of the NFN (24.79 ± 6.01%) in the test cohort. At cut-off ECV value of 17.16%, the optimal area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.974 (95% confidence interval: 0.942–1) with 91.4% sensitivity, 93.9% specificity, and 92.8% accuracy in the test cohort and 89.5% sensitivity, 96.3% specificity, and 93.5% accuracy in the validation cohort for differentiating APN from NFN. Conclusion: The spectral CT–derived ECV fraction can differentiate APN from NFN with high diagnostic performance. Clinical relevance statement: Spectral CT–derived extracellular volume fraction could accurately differentiate between adrenal aldosterone-producing nodules and nonfunctioning nodules. It might serve as a noninvasive alternative to adrenal vein sampling in primary aldosteronism patients with bilateral adrenal nodules. Key Points: • Conventional CT cannot differentiate aldosterone-producing adrenal nodules from nonfunctioning nodules. • Extracellular volume of adrenal aldosterone-producing nodules was significantly lower than that of nonfunctioning nodules and normal adrenal glands. It can accurately differentiate between aldosterone-producing and nonfunctioning adrenal nodules. • Extracellular volume may be a novel, noninvasive biomarker alternative to adrenal vein sampling for determining the functional status of bilateral adrenal nodules in patients with primary aldosteronism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colloidal PbS quantum dots (QDs) have attracted tremendous attention in near‐infrared photodetection for their superior optoelectronic properties. However, appropriate fabrication methods remain a challenge for scalable and high performance PbS QD photodetectors. Herein, a flexible microcomb printing (FMCP) technique is first introduced to fabricate PbS QD photoconductors without a layer‐by‐layer ligand exchange technique, and the detectors demonstrate a responsivity of 2.1 A W−1. A computational fluid dynamics model is built to simulate the flow field distribution and analyze the relationship between the key parameters of FMCP and QD film morphology. The QD ink flow field at the tip of the microcomb exhibits high shear rates that lead to a better crystallization configuration for solid QD films formation, which is verified by Grazing‐incidence small and wide‐angle X‐ray scattering. Moreover, the relationship between the intrinsic nature of the QD ink (viscosity and surface tension), substrate temperature, and printing speed are systematically analyzed to experimentally achieve high performance QD films. Benefiting from the good crystallization configuration, FMCP‐printed photodetectors using the direct PbS QD ink without ligand exchange show high responsivities. The results indicate that FMCP is a promising method for scalable and high‐performance PbS QD photodetectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic has become an unprecedented global challenge for public health and the economy. As with other respiratory viruses, coronavirus is easily spread through breathing droplets, particularly in poorly ventilated or crowded indoor environments. Therefore, understanding how indoor environmental conditions affect virus transmission is crucial for taking appropriate precautions. In this study, the effects of different natural wind-driven ventilation conditions and ambient relative humidities (RHs) on the cough droplet transmission in an indoor environment are investigated using the large eddy simulation approach with Lagrangian droplet tracking. The simulations show that the velocity and temperature of droplets significantly decrease in a short time after ejection. This feature for droplet velocity and temperature is more pronounced at smaller inlet wind speed (Vin) and larger Vin or lower RH, respectively. Wind-driven ventilation plays a crucial role in affecting the horizontal transmission distance of cough droplets. Under strong natural ventilation conditions (Vin = 4.17 m/s), cough droplets can spread more than 4 m within 1 s, whereas they can only travel within 2 m under weak ventilation with Vin = 0.05 m/s. The results confirm that the social distancing of 2 m is insufficient, while revealing that proper ventilation control can significantly remove virus-laden droplets from indoor air. We believe that there is no absolute safe social distancing because the droplet transmission and dispersion are mainly controlled by the local environmental conditions, and for safety, we recommend wearing a face mask and maintaining good indoor ventilation to reduce the release of potentially virus-laden droplets into the air. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All printing of organic photovoltaics (OPVs) including the top electrode is highly desirable for achieving cost‐effective, high‐throughput, and large‐area photovoltaic manufacturing. Here, the printing of a low‐melting‐point alloy as top electrodes in OPVs via blade coating is investigated. The Field's metal (FM) with the melting point of 62 °C is adopted for the top electrodes, because FM can be printed under moderate temperatures without harming the active layers while remaining solid state under solar irradiation. The correlations between the processing parameters and properties of the blade‐coated electrodes are elucidated. OPVs based on the D18:Y6 active layer and blade‐coated FM electrodes achieve a highest power conversion efficiency of 17.28%. The OPVs with FM‐electrode demonstrate much higher thermal stability than that of the Ag‐electrode devices. All‐printed OPVs, in which the FM electrode is blade coated and the other layers are prepared by flexible micro‐comb printing, exhibit an efficiency of 16.07%. The results represent the records of evaporation‐free and all‐printed OPVs, demonstrating that printing FM as OPV electrodes is a cost‐effective and time‐saving strategy to substitute the vacuum‐evaporated metals, as well as a feasible route toward high‐performance all‐printed OPVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depositing all functional layers (including the top electrode) with spray methods is highly desirable and challenging for the eventual commercialization of organic solar cells (OSCs). This work addresses two key challenges toward fully‐sprayed OSCs: i) the printing of a high‐quality photoactive layer free of coffee rings and ii) the spray of the top electrode without the need of evaporation nor solvents. To eliminate coffee rings caused by individual droplets, the photoactive layer is deposited by electrospray on the cooled substrate. The reduced temperature slows down the solvent evaporation, promotes merging of individual droplets, and suppresses the formation of coffee rings. By optimizing the drying temperature, homogeneous films without coffee rings are obtained. The improved active‐layer morphology facilitates charge transport and reduces recombination. The device prepared by the coldplate‐assisted electrospray reaches a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 17.13%. In addition, an alloy with the melting point of 62 °C is spray‐printed as the top electrode using an airbrush. The spray process is optimized by the trade‐off between the coverage rate and the film thickness. OSCs with the alloy electrode achieve the highest PCE of 16.26%. The fully‐sprayed OSCs exhibit PCEs up to 15.09%, demonstrating a viable route toward fully‐sprayed OSCs with high‐performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of various factors on CT attenuation values (HUs) of acute and old fracture vertebra, and to determine the efficacy of HU differences (△HUs) in the differentiation of the two type of fractures. Materials and Methods: A total of 113 acute and 71 old fracture vertebrae confirmed by MRI were included. Four HUs measured at the mid-sagittal, upper 1/3 axial, mid-axial, and lower 1/3 axial planes of each vertebra were obtained. The △HUs between fracture vertebra and its control counterpart was calculated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used and the areas under the ROC curve (AUC) were calculated to evaluate the efficacy of HUs and △HUs. To evaluate the effect of height reduction, region, age and gender on HUs and △HUs, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation analysis and t-test were used. Results: The HUs and △HUs at the upper 1/3 axial plane achieved the highest AUCs of 0.801 and 0.839, respectively. The HUs decreased gradually from Thoracic to Lumbar in control group of acute fracture. While no significant differences were found in the HUs among the 3 localizations in both fracture groups (all P > 0.05). The HUs were negatively correlated with age in all groups. The HUs of male were significantly higher than female patients in all groups (all P < 0.05). While △HU was not significantly different between males and females (all P > 0.05). Conclusion: The vertebral HUs at the upper 1/3 axial plane are more likely to identify acute fractures. △HUs were beneficial in eliminating interfering factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although β-catenin signaling cascade is frequently altered in human cancers, targeting this pathway has not been approved for cancer treatment. Methods: High-throughput screening of an FDA-approved drug library was conducted to identify therapeutics that selectively inhibited the cells with activated β-catenin. Efficacy of iron chelator and mitochondrial inhibitor was evaluated for suppression of cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. Cellular chelatable iron levels were measured to gain insight into the potential vulnerability of β-catenin-activated cells to iron deprivation. Extracellular flux analysis of mitochondrial function was conducted to evaluate the downstream events of iron deprivation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation, real-time quantitative PCR and immunoblotting were performed to identify β-catenin targets. Depletion of iron-regulatory protein 2 (IRP2), a key regulator of cellular iron homeostasis, was carried out to elucidate its significance in β-catenin-activated cells. Online databases were analyzed for correlation between β-catenin activity and IRP2-TfR1 axis in human cancers. Results: Iron chelators were identified as selective inhibitors against β-catenin-activated cells. Deferoxamine mesylate, an iron chelator, preferentially repressed β-catenin-activated cell proliferation and tumor formation in mice. Mechanically, β-catenin stimulated the transcription of IRP2 to increase labile iron level. Depletion of IRP2-sequered iron impaired β-catenin-invigorated mitochondrial function. Moreover, mitochondrial inhibitor S-Gboxin selectively reduced β-catenin-associated cell viability and tumor formation. Conclusions: β-catenin/IRP2/iron stimulation of mitochondrial energetics is targetable vulnerability of β-catenin-potentiated cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the optimal of kiloelectron voltage (keV) of virtual monoenergetic imaging (VMI) of dual-layer spectral-detector CT (DLCT) in detecting neuroendocrine tumor liver metastases (NETLM) and to investigate diagnostic performance of polyenergetic images (PEI), DLCT, and Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MR. Seventy-two patients with suspected NETLM who underwent DLCT and Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MR were retrospectively enrolled. Tumor signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were compared between PEI and VMI at 40–140 keV. Two radiologists read the CT examinations with and without VMI separately in consensus. Two other radiologists read the Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MR in consensus. The diagnostic performance was evaluated. Reference standard was histopathology, follow-up, and interpretation of all available imaging. The highest SNR and CNR were observed at VMI40 keV , significantly higher than PEI in the arterial and venous phases (all P <0.01). A total of 477 lesions were identified (396 metastases, 81 benign lesions). Per-lesion AUC was 0.86, 0.91, and 0.97 (PEI, DLCT, and Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MR, respectively). Sensitivity of PEI, DLCT, and Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI were 0.76, 0.86, and 0.95, respectively. DLCT significantly improved sensitivity compared to PEI. MR had significantly higher sensitivity than DLCT and PEI. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that the difference in diagnostic performance was concentrated on lesions < 10 mm. The image quality of VMI40 keV is higher than that of PEI. DLCT with VMI40 keV provides better diagnostic sensitivity for NETLM detection than PEI. Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MR yielded the best diagnostic performance for NETLM detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The extracellular matrix of adrenal metastases could be different from that of the adrenal adenomas, which may be characterized by the extracellular volume (ECV) fraction. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of ECV fraction derived from single-phase spectral CT for differentiating between adrenal metastases and adenomas.This retrospective study included 163 patients with unilateral nodules, including lipid-poor adrenal adenoma (n = 52, group A), lipid-rich adrenal adenoma (n = 65, group B) and adrenal metastasis (n = 46, group C). All patients underwent contrast-enhanced spectral CT of the adrenal gland with a 10-minute delayed phase. The iodine density of each lesion was assessed and ECV fraction was examined. Various parameters were compared among the three groups. Diagnostic performance was evaluated by quantifying the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).The ECV fraction in group C (33.81 ± 11.94%) was significantly higher than that in group A (20.86 ± 10.22%) and group B (11.44 ± 6.26%) (p < 0.001), while iodine density in group C (0.93 ± 0.41 mg/mL) was also higher than that in group A (0.61 ± 0.33 mg/mL) and group B (0.33 ± 0.19 mg/mL) (p < 0.001). ECV fraction showed significantly higher AUC (AUC = 0.790, 95%CI 0.691–0.869) for differentiating between group A and C than iodine density (AUC = 0.717, 95%CI 0.612–0.808; p = 0.002). Simultaneously, ECV fraction had significantly higher AUC (AUC = 0.945, 95%CI 0.858–0.986) for differentiating between group B and C than iodine density (AUC = 0.897, 95%CI 0.795–0.959, p = 0.03).Based on single 10-minute delayed phase spectral CT, ECV fraction showed high diagnostic performance in differentiating between adrenal metastases and adrenal adenomas, both for lipid-poor or lipid-rich adenomas. The ECV fraction could help recognize metastases in unilateral or bilateral adrenal masses for better treatment planning, especially in patients with a history of extra-adrenal malignancy.Methods: The extracellular matrix of adrenal metastases could be different from that of the adrenal adenomas, which may be characterized by the extracellular volume (ECV) fraction. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of ECV fraction derived from single-phase spectral CT for differentiating between adrenal metastases and adenomas.This retrospective study included 163 patients with unilateral nodules, including lipid-poor adrenal adenoma (n = 52, group A), lipid-rich adrenal adenoma (n = 65, group B) and adrenal metastasis (n = 46, group C). All patients underwent contrast-enhanced spectral CT of the adrenal gland with a 10-minute delayed phase. The iodine density of each lesion was assessed and ECV fraction was examined. Various parameters were compared among the three groups. Diagnostic performance was evaluated by quantifying the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).The ECV fraction in group C (33.81 ± 11.94%) was significantly higher than that in group A (20.86 ± 10.22%) and group B (11.44 ± 6.26%) (p < 0.001), while iodine density in group C (0.93 ± 0.41 mg/mL) was also higher than that in group A (0.61 ± 0.33 mg/mL) and group B (0.33 ± 0.19 mg/mL) (p < 0.001). ECV fraction showed significantly higher AUC (AUC = 0.790, 95%CI 0.691–0.869) for differentiating between group A and C than iodine density (AUC = 0.717, 95%CI 0.612–0.808; p = 0.002). Simultaneously, ECV fraction had significantly higher AUC (AUC = 0.945, 95%CI 0.858–0.986) for differentiating between group B and C than iodine density (AUC = 0.897, 95%CI 0.795–0.959, p = 0.03).Based on single 10-minute delayed phase spectral CT, ECV fraction showed high diagnostic performance in differentiating between adrenal metastases and adrenal adenomas, both for lipid-poor or lipid-rich adenomas. The ECV fraction could help recognize metastases in unilateral or bilateral adrenal masses for better treatment planning, especially in patients with a history of extra-adrenal malignancy.Results: The extracellular matrix of adrenal metastases could be different from that of the adrenal adenomas, which may be characterized by the extracellular volume (ECV) fraction. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of ECV fraction derived from single-phase spectral CT for differentiating between adrenal metastases and adenomas.This retrospective study included 163 patients with unilateral nodules, including lipid-poor adrenal adenoma (n = 52, group A), lipid-rich adrenal adenoma (n = 65, group B) and adrenal metastasis (n = 46, group C). All patients underwent contrast-enhanced spectral CT of the adrenal gland with a 10-minute delayed phase. The iodine density of each lesion was assessed and ECV fraction was examined. Various parameters were compared among the three groups. Diagnostic performance was evaluated by quantifying the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).The ECV fraction in group C (33.81 ± 11.94%) was significantly higher than that in group A (20.86 ± 10.22%) and group B (11.44 ± 6.26%) (p < 0.001), while iodine density in group C (0.93 ± 0.41 mg/mL) was also higher than that in group A (0.61 ± 0.33 mg/mL) and group B (0.33 ± 0.19 mg/mL) (p < 0.001). ECV fraction showed significantly higher AUC (AUC = 0.790, 95%CI 0.691–0.869) for differentiating between group A and C than iodine density (AUC = 0.717, 95%CI 0.612–0.808; p = 0.002). Simultaneously, ECV fraction had significantly higher AUC (AUC = 0.945, 95%CI 0.858–0.986) for differentiating between group B and C than iodine density (AUC = 0.897, 95%CI 0.795–0.959, p = 0.03).Based on single 10-minute delayed phase spectral CT, ECV fraction showed high diagnostic performance in differentiating between adrenal metastases and adrenal adenomas, both for lipid-poor or lipid-rich adenomas. The ECV fraction could help recognize metastases in unilateral or bilateral adrenal masses for better treatment planning, especially in patients with a history of extra-adrenal malignancy.Conclusion: The extracellular matrix of adrenal metastases could be different from that of the adrenal adenomas, which may be characterized by the extracellular volume (ECV) fraction. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of ECV fraction derived from single-phase spectral CT for differentiating between adrenal metastases and adenomas.This retrospective study included 163 patients with unilateral nodules, including lipid-poor adrenal adenoma (n = 52, group A), lipid-rich adrenal adenoma (n = 65, group B) and adrenal metastasis (n = 46, group C). All patients underwent contrast-enhanced spectral CT of the adrenal gland with a 10-minute delayed phase. The iodine density of each lesion was assessed and ECV fraction was examined. Various parameters were compared among the three groups. Diagnostic performance was evaluated by quantifying the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).The ECV fraction in group C (33.81 ± 11.94%) was significantly higher than that in group A (20.86 ± 10.22%) and group B (11.44 ± 6.26%) (p < 0.001), while iodine density in group C (0.93 ± 0.41 mg/mL) was also higher than that in group A (0.61 ± 0.33 mg/mL) and group B (0.33 ± 0.19 mg/mL) (p < 0.001). ECV fraction showed significantly higher AUC (AUC = 0.790, 95%CI 0.691–0.869) for differentiating between group A and C than iodine density (AUC = 0.717, 95%CI 0.612–0.808; p = 0.002). Simultaneously, ECV fraction had significantly higher AUC (AUC = 0.945, 95%CI 0.858–0.986) for differentiating between group B and C than iodine density (AUC = 0.897, 95%CI 0.795–0.959, p = 0.03).Based on single 10-minute delayed phase spectral CT, ECV fraction showed high diagnostic performance in differentiating between adrenal metastases and adrenal adenomas, both for lipid-poor or lipid-rich adenomas. The ECV fraction could help recognize metastases in unilateral or bilateral adrenal masses for better treatment planning, especially in patients with a history of extra-adrenal malignancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel matrix composites (NMCs) have received much attention as they show excellent high temperature performances, which could meet the demand for hot-end components in severe environments. In this study, the duplex in-situ nanoscale carbides and oxides reinforcing IN718 were fabricated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and addition of submicron WC particles. The microstructural features and mechanical properties were investigated with variations of WC content (0, 0.5, 2, and 4 wt%). The columnar dendrites with strong <001> texture that boundary distributed continuous Laves phase were found in the LPBF-processed IN718. Incorporating WC led to higher laser absorption and processability, whereas it also decreased the anisotropy of the matrix featured by weak texture index. With an optimized content of 2 wt%, the WC was dissolved into W and C atoms under laser irradiation, which promoted the homogeneous precipitation of intergranular cubic (Nb, Ti)C (∼50 nm) and intragranular spherical Al 2 O 3 (∼20 nm). These precipitates would for heterogenous nucleation to refine grains (∼12.6 μm) and bring about high-density dislocations. The yield strength (YS) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) increased by 28.8% and 26.5%, respectively, while maintaining high elongation compared with reported NMCs, demonstrating a favorable strength-ductility combination. Finally, the mechanism of microstructure evolution and strengthening was elucidated. • The influence of WC content on microstructural features and mechanical property of LPBF-processed IN718 was investigated. • The nano cubic intergranular (Nb, Ti)C and intragranular spherical Al 2 O 3 were in-situ co-precipitated when WC of 2 wt%. • The underlying in-situ precipitation behavior and strengthening mechanisms of WC/Inconel 718 composites were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photo-thermal catalysis which interplay the heat and light-induced effects have drawn broad attention owing to their synergistic effect to extend the capability of chemical transformation. Here, the effect of heat and/or light on methanol decomposition has been clarified. On Pt/TiO 2 , light irradiation activates the TiO 2 and enhance the absorption and the oxidation of intermediates. The main intermediate under PTC condition is formaldehyde, which is the same to TC condition rather than methyl formate under PC condition. Differences CO absorption site correlates with the key intermediates under PC and TC/PTC conditions. Light and heat display their strengths in a synergistic manner, optimizing the activity to promote efficient catalytic processes which is verified to be photo-assisted thermal catalysis. This work offers detailed mechanistic understanding of the surface species and paves the way for an educated microkinetic modeling approach under photo and/or thermal condition over oxide-supported metal catalysts. [Display omitted] • Pt/TiO 2 exhibits higher H 2 production rate under photo-thermal condition than single photo/thermal condition. • The in-situ experiments demonstrate that the methanol decomposition over Pt/TiO 2 is photo-assisted thermal catalysis. • The photo energy works on TiO 2 and thermal energy display their strengths separately to optimize certain reaction step. • The difference of CO absorption site correlates with the key intermediate under different catalysis conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a smoothing inertial neurodynamic approach (SINA) which is used to deal with L p -norm minimization problem to reconstruct sparse signals. Note that the considered optimization problem is nonsmooth, nonconvex and non-Lipschitz. First, the problem is transformed into a smooth optimization problem based on smoothing approximation method, and the Lipschitz property of gradient of the smooth objective function is discussed. Then, SINA based on Karush–Kuhn–Tucker (KKT) condition, smoothing approximation and inertial dynamical approach, is designed to handle smooth optimization problem. The existence, uniqueness, global convergence and optimality of the solution of the SINA are discussed by the Cauchy–Lipschitz–Picard theorem, energy function and KKT condition. In addition, for p = 1 , the SINA has a mean sublinear convergence rate O 1 ∕ t under some mild conditions. Finally, some numerical examples on sparse signal reconstruction and image restoration are given to illustrate the theoretical results and the efficiency of SINA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To predict histopathological differentiation grades in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) before surgery with quantitative and qualitative variables obtained from dual-layer spectral detector CT (DLCT). Totally 128 patients with histopathologically confirmed PDAC and preoperative DLCT were retrospectively enrolled and categorized into the low-grade (LG) (well and moderately differentiated, n = 82) and high-grade (HG) (poorly differentiated, n = 46) subgroups. Both conventional and spectral variables for PDAC were measured. The ratio of iodine concentration (IC) values in arterial phase(AP) and venous phase (VP) was defined as iodine enhancement fraction_AP/VP (IEF_AP/VP). Necrosis was visually assessed on both conventional CT images (necrosis_con) and virtual mono-energetic images (VMIs) at 40 keV (necrosis_40keV). Forward stepwise logistic regression method was conducted to perform univariable and multivariable analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the DeLong method were used to evaluate and compare the efficiencies of variables in predicting tumor grade. Necrosis_con (odds ratio [OR] = 2.84, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.13–7.13; p < 0.001) was an independent predictor among conventional variables, and necrosis_40keV (OR = 5.82, 95% CI: 1.98–17.11; p = 0.001) and IEF_AP/VP (OR = 1.12, 95% CI:1.07–1.17; p < 0.001) were independent predictors among spectral variables for distinguishing LG PDAC from HG PDAC. IEF_AP/VP (AUC = 0.754, p = 0.016) and combination model (AUC = 0.812, p < 0.001) had better predictive performances than necrosis_con (AUC = 0.580). The combination model yielded the highest sensitivity (72%) and accuracy (79%), while IEF_AP/VP exhibited the highest specificity (89%). Variables derived from DLCT have the potential to preoperatively evaluate PDAC tumor grade. Furthermore, spectral variables and their combination exhibited superior predictive performances than conventional CT variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the role of spectral CT multiparametric imaging in the evaluation of cerebral microcirculatory perfusion. The imaging data of 145 patients with asymptomatic cerebral infarction confirmed by MR were retrospectively analyzed, and all cases underwent head CTA and cranial CT perfusion imaging (CTP) on double-layer detector spectral CT. Single energy level images (MonoE45 keV), iodine density maps, and effective atomic number maps were reconstructed based on spectral CTA data, and CT values, iodine density values, and effective atomic number values were measured in the infarcted area, healthy control area, centrum semiovale and posterior limb of the internal capsule, respectively; perfusion values, such as cerebral blood volume (CBV) values, cerebral blood flow (CBF) values, time to peak (TTP) values, and mean passage time, were measured in the above-mentioned areas on CTP images. (TTP) values, and mean time to passage (MTT) values. CT values, iodine density values, effective atomic number values, and perfused CBV, CBF, TTP, and MTT values were compared between the infarcted area and the healthy side, the center of the hemianopia, and the posterior limb of the internal capsule. The role of spectral CT parameters and perfusion parameters in the evaluation of asymptomatic cerebral infarction was analyzed. CT values, iodine density values, and effective atomic number values were statistically different between the infarcted area and the healthy side; CT values, iodine density values, and effective atomic number values were not statistically different between the infarcted side and the healthy side of the hemispheric centrum and the posterior limb of the internal capsule; CBV and CBF were statistically different between the infarcted side and the healthy side, and MTT and TTP were not statistically different. There were statistically significant differences in TTP between the infarcted area and the healthy side of the hemiaxial center, and no statistically significant differences in CBV, CBF, and MTT. There were no statistical differences in CBV, CBF, TTP, and MTT in the inner capsule area. ROC curve analysis of spectral CT-related parameters and CT perfusion parameters for the diagnosis of asymptomatic cerebral infarction: area under the curve of MonoE 45Kv 0.71, area under the curve of iodine density values 0.76, area under the curve of effective atomic number values 0.74; area under the curve of CBV value 0.64, area under the curve of CBF value 0.61, area under the curve of MTT value 0.50, The area under the TTP curve was 0.52. The area under the ROC curve of the multivariate logistic regression model based on spectral parameters is 0.76, which is higher than that of the logistic regression model with perfusion parameters (P < 0.05). Spectral CT can better demonstrate small intracranial ischemic lesions, and iodine density values have a better evaluation of microcirculation in asymptomatic cerebral infarcts. • Spectral CT can better reflect the microcirculation of Asymptomatic cerebral infarction. • Spectral CT Single energy level imaging can improve lesion display. • The iodine density value can better reflect the microcirculation perfusion situation in the lesion area. • Spectral CT uses lower Radiation exposure and contrast agent dosage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trade-off between strength and ductility of magnesium alloy is a general bottleneck. Herein, we presented a method, laser shock peening (LSP), to overcome this problem. The key is the preparation of plastic strain-induced gradient nanostructure along the depth direction. Gradient nanostructure has unique deformation mechanism in the process of tensile deformation. Due to the cooperative effects of deformation twinning, dislocation movement, and dynamic recrystallization, the gradient nanostructured AM50 magnesium alloy contributed to ∼12% improvement of ultimate tensile strength, while ∼3% reduction of tensile ductility. Furthermore, the formation mechanisms of LSP-induced gradient nanostructure at initial plastic deformation stage, severe plastic deformation stage, and surface nanocrystalline stage were explored. • Gradient nanostructures were prepared by LSP to improve strength-ductility synergy. • Mechanism for the evolution of gradient nanostructure induced by LSP was explored. • The deformation is dominated by the DT at the initial plastic deformation stage. • DT and dislocation movement dominate at the severe plastic deformation stage. • DRX contributes to grain refinement at the surface nanocrystalline stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the optimal energy level of dual-layer spectral detector computed tomography (DLCT) images of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNENs) and investigate the value in their detection. This retrospective analysis included 134 pNEN patients with 136 lesions; they underwent contrast-enhanced DLCT scanning with histopathological confirmation of pNENs. Virtual monoenergetic images (VMI) of 40–100 keV, iodine concentration map (IC map), Z-effective atomic number map (Zeff map), and conventional images were analysed. The optimal energy level was obtained by comparing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). The lesion detection rates of DLCT and conventional images were compared. Subjective image analysis was performed by two readers who assessed the image quality and lesion conspicuity on a 5-point scale. The SNR of VMIs from 40 to 80 keV (arterial phase, P < 0.001; venous phase, P < 0.05) and CNR from 40 to 60 keV (arterial and venous phases, each P < 0.05) were higher than that of conventional images; VMI 40keV showed the highest SNR and CNR. There was a good inter-reader agreement between the two reviewers (Kappa values > 0.61); the scores of Zeff and IC maps were higher than those of conventional images and VMI 40keV (P < 0.05). The detection performance of DLCT images was better than conventional images. The VMI 40keV demonstrated the best CNR and SNR of pNENs compared to other VMIs. Zeff and IC maps improve objective image quality and reader preference compared to conventional images. These findings could possess important clinical implications in formulating treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon fiber reinforced magnesium matrix composites (C f /Mg) is lightweight yet very strong, therefore is a highly attractive material in aerospace applications. A well-designed forming device is critical to ensure good quality component. Two types of device design, namely internal localization and external localization, were proposed and analyzed. Numerical simulation of infiltration showed that the internal localization provided a better uniform infiltration than the external localization. The experimental implementation of results internal localization forming device produced good well surface quality and compact C f /Mg composite components. Measurements showed the longitudinal microstructures are uniform and conducive to the excellent properties of C f /Mg composites. The measured bending strength and elastic modulus is 367 MPa and 59 GPa respectively, or a 45.6% and 31.1% improvement compares with those of the casting AZ91D magnesium alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Solar withering (SW) increases the bitterness and astringency of white tea (WT). • SW affects the upregulation of genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis. • 27 genes responding to light and heat stress are up-regulated in SW. • Metabolism and taste presentation are related to stress response. • A comprehensive view on WT quality formation by metabolomics and transcriptomics. The mechanism through which solar withering (SW) affects the quality of white tea is unclear. To address this gap in the literature, in this study, we used metabolomics and transcriptomics to investigate the effect of SW on the quality of WT. WT that underwent SW was slightly more bitter and astringent than WT that underwent natural withering (control group). Specifically, SW considerably increased the concentration of astringent flavonoids and flavone glycosides in WT. This increase was mainly attributed to the upregulated expression of key genes in the shikimic acid, phenylpropanoid, and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways, such as shikimate kinase, chalcone synthase, and flavonol synthase. In addition, SW experienced considerable heat and light stress. The levels of glycerophosphatidylcholine and carbohydrates increased in response to the stress, which also affected the taste of WT. The results of this study indicate the mechanism through which SW affects the quality of WT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solution-based chalcogenide glass films, traditionally deposited by spin-coating, are attractive for their potential use in chip-based devices operating in the mid-infrared and for ease of nanostructure incorporation. To overcome limitations of spin-coating such as excessive material waste and difficulty for scale-up, this paper introduces electrospray as a film deposition technique for solution-based chalcogenide glasses. Electrospray is shown to produce Ge 23 Sb 7 S 70 films with similar surface quality and optical properties as films deposited by spin-coating. The advantages of electrospray deposition for nanoparticle dispersion, scalable and continuous manufacturing with little material waste, and comparable film quality to spin-coating make electrospray a promising deposition method for practical applications of chalcogenide glass films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrospray (ES) process has emerged as a scalable and efficient fabrication method for organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs). However, the ES process could often involve numerous parameters, which impose a major challenge on uncovering the interplay among process, morphology of active layers, and device performance. This work attempts to reduce the parameter space and capture the essence of the ES process using the Damkhöler ( Da ) number of evaporation, which is the ratio of the droplet residence time over evaporation time. We first derived an explicit equation for Da that links nine different parameters affecting the process. Experimental results indicate that Da number shows strong effect on morphology and crystallinity of the active layer composed of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). Most remarkably, the power conversion efficiency exhibits monotonically dependence on Da values spanning more than one order of magnitude, e.g., from 0.13 to 1.52. This finding suggests that Da number analysis can reduce the large parameter space in electrospray deposition, thus provides a simple way to control and predict the morphology of active layer and the performance of the solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid-power gas engine heat pump (HPGHP) combines hybrid power technology with gas engine heat pump, which can keep the gas engine working in the economical zone. In this paper, a steady-state model of the HPGHP in heating condition has been established, the optimal torque curve control strategy is proposed to distribute power between the gas engine and battery pack. The main operating parameters of the HPGHP system are simulated on Matlab/Simulink and validated by experimental data, such as operating temperature, coefficient of performance (COP), fuel-consumed rate, etc. Heating capacity and COP of the heating pump system are validated under different ambient temperatures and water flow rates. The simulation and experiment results shows acceptable agreement, the maximum difference is respectively 8.9%, 5.9%, 9.5% and 8.2% for engine torque, motor torque, reclaimed heat and fuel-consumed rate. Based on the simulation results, HPGHP has the lowest fuel-consumed rate of 283 g (kWh) −1 at engine speed of 3000 rpm; the PER of HPGHP system is about 15.9% and 11.4% higher than the GHP under the same load in Mode C and D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This technical note documents the use of ballpoint pen tips as robust electrospray emitters. The embedded microsphere helps stabilize Taylor cones by effectively reducing the height of the liquid meniscus and significantly decreasing the viscous damping time of the Taylor cone. The microsphere also provides a mechanism for the Taylor cone to continuously adapt its base diameter to match the voltage applied. As a result, the ballpoint pen electrospray emitter noticeably expands the operation envelope in the flow rate-voltage space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The sensing properties of ZnO nanorods which were immobilized with CA15.3 antibody (anti-CA15.3) for CA15.3 detection were studied by using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensors in this work. ZnO nanorods were synthesized at 90°C by wet chemical route which was used to grow the ZnO nanorods directly on the QCM. The sensors were constructed by binding anti-CA15.3 on ZnO nanorods surface using 3-aminopropyltrietoxy silane (APTES) and glutaraldehyde and were used for CA15.3 detection. The morphology of ZnO nanorods was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The SEM results indicated the grown ZnO nanorods were well-aligned and the diameter was around 100nm. These QCM sensors showed high sensitivity (25.34±0.67Hz/scale (1U/mL)) and good linearity (0.99) in the concentration range of CA15.3 from 0.5 to 26U/mL by the experiment. The response time of these sensors were observed less than 10s with good reproducibility and stability. All the results indicated that one-dimensional ZnO nanostructure is a good material for biosensor application. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Electrospray (ES) as a thin film deposition method that is uniquely suited for manufacturing organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs) with desired characteristics of atmospheric pressure fabrication, roll-to-roll compatibility, less material loss, and possible self-organized nanostructures. The additional solvent with high electrical conductivity plays an important role in ES deposition process to fabricate OPVs with active layer composed of polymer mixture poly(3-hexylthiophene):[6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PC61BM). Here we introduced acetic acid, which possesses high electrical conductivity, as additive solvent in ES process. The dependence of device performance on the concentration of acetic acid was investigated, and optimal ratio was obtained. To further demonstrate the influence of additive solvents with different electrical conductivity, OPV devices with active layer deposited by ES method using solutions containing acetic acid, acetone or acetonitrile were fabricated. The characteristics of active layers were revealed by optical microscope, atomic force microscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Compared with additive solvents of acetone and acetonitrile, the active layer formed by electrospraying solvent containing acetic acid demonstrated enhanced vertical segregation distribution and improved P3HT crystallinity, which resulted in better device performance. OPV device using acetic acid as additive achieved power convention efficiency (PCE) of 2.99±0.08% under AM 1.5 solar simulation, which is on par with that of the spin coated device (PCE 3.12±0.07%). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] A novel mechanism of MMP3 regulation by proton-sensing G-protein-coupled receptors was defined. [•] GPR65 was identified to induce the MMP3 expression. [•] GPR65 mediated MMP induction under acidic conditions. [•] AP-1 binding site in MMP3 promoter was crucial for MMP3 induction. [•] GPR65 overexpression can accelerate the invision of A549 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Multiplexed electrospray is a promising aerosol technique to achieve both high throughput and unique advantages of the electrospray such as monodispersity and small droplet size down to nanometer range. Here we study the interaction and overall deposition pattern of multiplexed electrosprays. First, we derived an approximate model for the profile of a single electrospray subjected to its own space charge field as well as external driving electric field. Then the spray profile model was generalized to describe the deposition pattern for multiple electrosprays. Numerically, we investigated the interaction of charged droplets generated by up to 91 electrospray sources using a full Lagrangian model. The highly intensive computational load was successfully handled by implementing the numerical code on a desktop supercomputer with 10 Tera FLOPS of computational power delivered by Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). The results from the spray profile model and numerical simulation were compared to experimental data and good agreements were demonstrated. The simplicity of the spray profile model can conveniently guide the design and operation of multiplexed electrosprays for a range of promising applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The development of functional profiling technologies provides opportunity for high-throughput functional genomics studies. We describe a cell-based screening system to identify novel human genes associated with cell proliferation. The method integrates luciferase reporter gene activity, fluorescence stain, automated microscopy and cellular phenotype assays. We successfully used the system to screen 409 novel human genes cloned by our lab and found that 27 genes significantly up-regulated promoter-Renilla luciferase reporter plasmid (pRL) activity. Among them, five genes, TRAF3IP3, ZNF306, ZNF250, SGOL1, and ZNF434, were determined through morphological observation, calcein AM fluorescence stain, MTT assay and cell cycle analysis to be associated with cell proliferation. Furthermore, we showed that the gene TRAF3IP3, which initially was identified to specifically interact with TRAF3, stimulated cell growth by modulating the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway, and RNAi of TRAF3IP3 confirmed that the effect was physiological and necessary. In summary, we integrated a rapid and efficient system for screening novel growth regulatory genes. Using the new screening system we identified five genes associated with cell proliferation for the first time. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this study, cell microarray technology is used to identify novel human genes associated with CRE pathway activation. By reverse transfection, expression plasmids containing full-length cDNAs were cotransfected with the reporter plasmid pCRE-d2EGFP to monitor the activation of the CRE pathway via enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) expression. Of the 575 predominantly novel genes screened, 22 exhibited relatively higher EGFP fluorescence compared with a negative control. After a functional validation with a dual luciferase reporter system that included both cis- and trans-luciferase assays, 4 of the 22 genes (RNF41, C8orf32, C6orf208, and MEIS3P1) were confirmed as CRE-pathway activators. Western blot analysis revealed that RNF41 can promote CREB phosphorylation. These results demonstrate the successful combination of cell microarray technology with this reporting system and the potential of this tool to characterize functions of novel genes in a highly parallel format. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Monitor the laser cladding process using acoustic emission detection technology. • More comprehensive technological parameters affecting crack activity are studied. • The abnormal process parameters in laser cladding process were detected. • Neural network is used for signal recognition and diagnosis. Laser cladding technology uses a high-power laser beam to melt the substrate and metal powder at high temperature to form a molten pool. Relying on the spontaneous cooling of the molten pool, a metal cladding coating is formed on the substrate to strengthen the surface properties of the substrate metal. However, the typical defects such as cracks are easy to occur during the cladding process, which greatly affects the performance and quality of the cladded layer. This paper proposes a method for the state identification of cladding and the crack detection in the laser cladding process. By monitoring the acoustic emission signal during the laser cladding process, the current cladding state such as the status of laser power, scanning speed, and powder feed rate, and the occurrence of cracks are identified. By collecting the acoustic emission signal, the method first performs the data preprocessing for signal feature components according to the characteristic parameters of the signal maximum peak value and the energy of the emission signal samples, and then a deep learning neural network is applied to extract the feature vectors based on the two major characteristics of the signal. Finally, the current cladding states are recognized and the generation of cracks are detected based on the extracted feature vector and the identification through the neural network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance OSCs prepared by scalable techniques without additives are highly desirable because residual additives may cause gradual deterioration of the photoactive-layer morphology and device performance. Printing flows with high shear rate have the potential to replace additives by inducing higher degree of ordered stacking and crystallinity of organic molecules, as well as favorable phase separation. Here, PTQ10:Y6 organic solar cells (OSCs) without any additives were fabricated by a scalable and robust processing approach termed as soft porous blade printing (SPBP). The fluid flow and drying process of the wet films made by SPBP, blade coating and spin coating are visualized by high speed imaging, which reveals that the blade coating and SPBP introduce unidirectional flow while the wet film interference pattern of spin coating is irregular and random. The simplified flow model of SPBP suggests that the shear rate could be as high as ~1000 s−1. The additive-free SPBP produces photoactive-layer with adequate morphology, which could be attributed to three intrinsic properties of SPBP: very high shear rate, flow assisted crystallizations induced by microstructures of the soft porous blade, and numerous nucleation sites generated as the liquid contact line follows the motion of the blade. The additive-free SPBP device demonstrates weaker charge recombination, higher and more balanced charge transport, and consequently better device performance than the spin-coated and blade-coated devices with 0.25 vol% 1,8-diioctane (DIO). SPBP achieved power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 16.45%, which is higher than those of spin-coated and blade-coated counterparts doped with DIO. [Display omitted] • Soft porous blade printing (SPBP) introduces unidirectional flow of high shear rate. • Strong shearing flow induces favorable nanomorphology without using additives. • Additive-free SPBP organic solar cells of PTQ10:Y6 achieve PCE of 16.45%. • Unidirectional printing flow of high shear rate has potential to replace additives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin films deposited by conventional electrospray of volatile solutions often give rise to rough morphology consisting of "coffee rings" formed by individual sessile droplets. This is due to the long average inter-droplet distance and low merging probability of deposited droplets within the sprayed circular area. We present a quadrupole configuration to form a squeezing electric field that compresses the circular electrospray pattern into a much slenderer elliptical shape. The design is validated by tracking the trajectories of all sprayed droplets using the Lagrangian method. Moreover, the statistical study of the deposited droplet merging process and experimental results prove that the quadrupole configuration can dramatically decrease inter-droplet distance and increase the merging probability of deposited droplets. The simple apparatus offers precise controls of the aspect ratio of the pattern and provides a feasible approach to produce smooth thin films without pin holes. • A quadrupole configuration is presented to produce the deposited patterns of high aspect ratios in electrospray. • Trajectories of sprayed charged droplets are simulated using the Lagrangian model. • The quadrupole configuration can dramatically increase droplet merging probability for producing smooth thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This technical note documents the fabrication and performance of multiplexed electrospray emitters by rapid laser micromachining. A low cost 1064-nm fiber laser marker system is used to precisely, rapidly and selectively remove materials from a sheet of conductive silicone rubber, which is chemically inert. The laser pulse energy, scanning speed and machining path are judicially chosen to create clean and round micro posts that form external nozzle structures. This laser micromachining technique offers sufficient precision for ensuring uniform pressure drop across each fluid flow channel even at relatively low flow rate per nozzle. The uniformity of the operation from nozzle to nozzle is confirmed by measuring the diameter of each cone-jet. The results suggest that the laser micromachining is a rapid and convenient technique for fabricating multiplexed electrospray emitters. • A low-cost laser marker is used to rapidly fabricate electrospray emitter array. • Laser micromachining saves fabrication time by 100x compared with conventional CNC. • Uniform jet diameter (RSD = 10%) among the entire emitter array is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild barley accessions have evolved broad-spectrum defence against barley powdery mildew through recessive mlo mutations. However, the mlo defence response is associated with deleterious phenotypes with a cost to yield and fertility, with implications for natural fitness and agricultural productivity. This research elucidates the mechanism behind a novel mlo allele, designated mlo-11(cnv2), which has a milder phenotype compared to standard mlo-11. Bisulphite sequencing and histone ChIP-seq analyses using near-isogenic lines showed pronounced repression of the Mlo promoter in standard mlo-11 compared to mlo-11(cnv2), with repression governed by 24 nt heterochromatic small interfering RNAs. The mlo-11(cnv2) allele appears to largely reduce the physiological effects of mlo while still endorsing a high level of powdery mildew resistance. RNA sequencing showed that this is achieved through only partly restricted expression of Mlo, allowing adequate temporal induction of defence genes during infection and expression close to wild-type Mlo levels in the absence of infection. The two mlo-11 alleles showed copy number proportionate oxidase and peroxidase expression levels during infection, but lower amino acid and aromatic compound biosynthesis compared to the null allele mlo-5. Examination of highly expressed genes revealed a common WRKY W-box binding motif (consensus ACCCGGGACTAAAGG) and a transcription factor more highly expressed in mlo-11 resistance. In conclusion, mlo-11(cnv2) appears to significantly mitigate the trade-off between mlo defence and normal gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caffeine and catechin are two main components of instant green tea, and are essential components of tea quality. This paper mainly focuses on the feasibility of rapidly determining instant green tea components by using a portable near infrared (NIR) spectrometer. The two main components (caffeine and catechin) were studied. In addition, the instrument performance levels of portable and benchtop NIR spectrometers were studied and compared. Quantitative models developed using portable and benchtop spectrometers for measuring caffeine, total catechins, and four individual catechins were established and compared. After preprocessing using standard normal variate (SNV), the Rp values of the caffeine, total catechins, (−)-epigallocatechin, (−)-epigallocatechin 3-gallate, (−)-epicatechin, and (−)-epicatechin gallate in the partial least squares models for a portable NIR spectrometer were 0.974, 0.962, 0.669, 0.945, 0.942 and 0.905, respectively. For a benchtop NIR spectrometer, Rp values were 0.993, 0.958, 0.883, 0.955, 0.966 and 0.936, respectively. Passing-Bablok regression method results indicated no significant differences between the two instruments. A genetic algorithm (GA) and the successive projections algorithm (SPA) were used to screen the wavelength of the NIR spectrum and establish the model. The GA obtained more robust modeling results. This study concludes that the developed portable spectroscopy system combined with appropriate variable selection methods can be effectively used for rapid determination of caffeine, total catechins, and four individual catechins in instant green tea. Unlabelled Image • Established a rapid and nondestructive testing method for instant green tea • Evaluated feasibility of the portable NIR spectrometer compared to benchtop instruments • Optimized modeling process by applying spectral pretreatment and variable selection • Provided a novel method for the mass production and quality control of instant green tea [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transfer RNA (tRNA)-derived fragments (tRFs) have been widely identified in nature, functioning in diverse biological and pathological situations. Yet, the presence of these small RNAs in Plasmodium spp. remains unknown. Systematic identification and characterization of tRFs is therefore highly needed to understand further their roles in Plasmodium parasites, particularly in the virulent Plasmodium falciparum parasite. Results: Genome-wide small RNAs with sizes ranging from 18–30 nucleotides from P. falciparum were deep-sequenced via Illumina HiSeq 2000 technology. In-depth analysis revealed the presence of a vast number of small RNAs originating from tRNA-coding genes, responsible for 22.4% of the total reads as the second predominant group. Three P. falciparum-derived tRF types (ptRFs) were identified as 5'ptRFs, mid-ptRFs and 3'ptRFs. The majority (90%) of ptRFs were derived from tRNAs that coded eight amino acids: Pro, Phe, Asn, Gly, Cys, Gln, His and Ala. Stem-loop reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction further confirmed the presence of tRFs in the blood stages of P. falciparum. Four new motifs with an enriched G/C feature were determined at cleavage sites that might guide the generation of ptRFs. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first report of a genome-wide investigation of ptRFs from Plasmodium species. The identification of ptRFs reveals a complex small RNA system manipulated by the malaria parasite, and might promote research on the function of tRFs in the pathogenesis of Plasmodium infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) ranks among the most prevalent malignant tumors, highlighting the significance of identifying new research targets. In this study, our objective was to pinpoint pivotal genes implicated in SKCM pathogenesis and ascertain their potential as prognostic biomarkers., Methods: Leveraging data from 1809 normal skin samples and 471 SKCM samples, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Using a comprehensive suite of bioinformatic analyses, including weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), we elucidated the functions of these DEGs and singled out hub genes. Cox analyses and overall survival analyses underscored that elevated expression of these genes correlated with more favorable prognoses., Results: Ultimately, we identified five genes ( PLAC8, IL4I1, ZNF80, CCR8, CLEC4C ) as novel prognostic markers for SKCM. Furthermore, multivariate Cox analyses pinpointed ZNF80 and CCR8 as independent prognostic biomarkers. Experimental validation targeting these genes revealed significant downregulation in melanoma cells, except for CCR8 . Subsequent knockdown of IL4I1 promoted both the proliferation and inhibited the apoptosis of melanoma cells., Conclusion: In summary, our study identified a series of potential prognostic genes in melanoma and verified the functional role of IL4I1 among them., Competing Interests: The authors declare that no competing interests exist., (© 2024 Zhang et al.)

Objective: To evaluate the image quality and diagnostic performance of pulmonary subsolid nodules on conventional iterative algorithms, virtual monoenergetic images (VMIs), and electron density mapping (EDM) using a dual-layer detector spectral CT (DLSCT)., Methods: This retrospective study recruited 270 patients who underwent DLSCT scan for lung nodule screening or follow-up. All CT examinations with subsolid nodules (pure ground-glass nodules [GGNs] or part-solid nodules) were reconstructed with hybrid and model-based iterative reconstruction, VMI at 40, 70, 100, and 130 keV levels, and EDM. The CT number, objective image noise, signal-to-noise ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio, diameter, and volume of subsolid nodules were measured for quantitative analysis. The overall image quality, image noise, visualization of nodules, artifact, and sharpness were subjectively rated by 2 thoracic radiologists on a 5-point scale (1 = unacceptable, 5 = excellent) in consensus. The objective image quality measurements, diameter, and volume were compared among the 7 groups with a repeated 1-way analysis of variance. The subjective scores were compared with Kruskal-Wallis test., Results: A total of 198 subsolid nodules, including 179 pure GGNs, and 19 part-solid nodules were identified. Based on the objective analysis, EDM had the highest signal-to-noise ratio (164.71 ± 133.60; P < 0.001) and contrast-to-noise ratio (227.97 ± 161.96; P < 0.001) among all image sets. Furthermore, EDM had a superior mean subjective rating score (4.80 ± 0.42) for visualization of GGNs compared to other reconstructed images (all P < 0.001), although the model-based iterative reconstruction had superior subjective scores of overall image quality. For pure GGNs, the measured diameter and volume did not significantly differ among different reconstructions (both P > 0.05)., Conclusions: EDM derived from DLSCT enabled improved image quality and lesion conspicuity for the evaluation of lung subsolid nodules compared to conventional iterative reconstruction algorithms and VMIs., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: One of the authors of this manuscript (Weiwei Deng) declares relationships with the following companies: Philips Healthcare. She is a clinical scientist at Philips Healthcare and provided study design and technical support in the spectral CT data analysis., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Computed tomography (CT) is the usual modality for diagnosing stroke, but conventional CT angiography reconstructions have limitations., Methods: A phantom with tubes of known diameters and wall thickness was scanned for wall detectability, wall thickness, and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) on conventional and spectral black-blood (SBB) images. The clinical study included 34 stroke patients. Diagnostic certainty and conspicuity of normal/abnormal intracranial vessels using SBB were compared to conventional. Sensitivity/specificity/accuracy of SBB and conventional were compared for plaque detectability. CNR of the wall/lumen and quantitative comparison of remodeling index, plaque burden, and eccentricity were obtained for SBB imaging and high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (hrMRI)., Results: The phantom study showed improved detectability of tube walls using SBB (108/108, 100% versus conventional 81/108, 75%, p < 0.001). CNRs were 75.9 ± 62.6 (mean ± standard deviation) for wall/lumen and 22.0 ± 17.1 for wall/water using SBB and 26.4 ± 15.3 and 101.6 ± 62.5 using conventional. Clinical study demonstrated (i) improved certainty and conspicuity of the vessels using SBB versus conventional (certainty, median score 3 versus 0; conspicuity, median score 3 versus 1 (p < 0.001)), (ii) improved sensitivity/specificity/accuracy of plaque (≥ 1.0 mm) detectability (0.944/0.981/0.962 versus 0.239/0.743/0.495) (p < 0.001), (iii) higher wall/lumen CNR of SBB of (78.3 ± 50.4/79.3 ± 96.7) versus hrMRI (18.9 ± 8.4/24.1 ± 14.1) (p < 0.001), and (iv) excellent reproducibility of remodeling index, plaque burden, and eccentricity using SBB versus hrMRI (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.85-0.94)., Conclusions: SBB can enhance the detectability of intracranial plaques with an accuracy similar to that of hrMRI., Relevance Statement: This new spectral black-blood technique for the detection and characterization of intracranial vessel atherosclerotic disease could be a time-saving and cost-effective diagnostic step for clinical stroke patients. It may also facilitate prevention strategies for atherosclerosis., Key Points: • Blooming artifacts can blur vessel wall morphology on conventional CT angiography. • Spectral black-blood (SBB) images are generated from material decomposition from spectral CT. • SBB images reduce blooming artifacts and noise and accurately detect small plaques., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Systemic sclerosis represents a persistent autoimmune disorder marked with fibrosis affecting both skin and other organs, which leads to a diminished quality of life and increased mortality. The affected skin provides a valuable opportunity to explore the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis. Nevertheless, the roles of various cell populations within scleroderma remain intricate., Methods: We conducted a comprehensive reanalysis of recently published single-cell RNA-sequencing data from skin tissue cells in scleroderma. Through the utilization of Seurat, irGSEA, AUCell packages, and WGCNA analysis, we aimed to unveil crucial genes associated with the disease's etiological factors. Our investigation involved the characterization of heterogeneous pathway activities in both healthy and SSc-affected skin. Furthermore, we employed immunofluorescence techniques to validate the expression patterns of hub genes and differentially expressed genes., Results: The Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EndMT) pathway was upregulated in SSc skin. Notably, the M4 module within Endothelial cell subpopulation 1 exhibited a strong association with EndMT. Furthermore, we identified three overexpressed genes ( APLNR , I NS-IGF2, RGCC ) that demonstrated a significant correlation with EndMT. Importantly, their expression levels were markedly higher in skin of individuals with SSc when compared to healthy controls., Conclusion: APLNR, INS-IGF2 and RGCC serve as potential key players in the pathogenesis of SSc skin through EndMT-dependent mechanisms., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2024 Zhu and Deng.)