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Abstract Trace hydrogen sulphide (H2S) could reflect the severity of insulation faults in gas‐insulated switchgear (GIS), therefore, accurate and fast detection of low‐concentration H2S is important for on‐line monitoring, fault diagnosis, and state evaluation in GIS. Ag‐Ti3C2Tx chemiresistive‐type sensors were fabricated via drop‐coating with self‐reduction synthesised Ag‐doped Ti3C2Tx. The as‐prepared sensors exhibited an excellent sensitivity and selectivity to H2S with an extremely low detection of limit of 18.57 parts per billion (ppb) at 25°C (room temperature). The response of Ag‐Ti3C2Tx sensor to 10 parts per million (ppm) H2S was enhanced ∼12 times than that of the pristine Ti3C2Tx sensor. The compositing of Ti3C2Tx with Ag nanoparticles (NPs) enabled the fast response/recovery time for H2S detection. Further analysis found that the enhanced H2S sensing performances could be attributed to chemical sensitisation, adsorbed oxygen species regulation and high Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area. This study paves the way for Ag‐Ti3C2Tx as room‐temperature sensing materials to detect low‐concentration H2S in GIS.

Arsenic, a widespread toxic metalloid in groundwater, derives both from natural geological environment and industrial discharge, is extensively detected to be coexisting with organic contaminants, such as 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP), a prior concerned pollutant. During biological remediation of groundwater, arsenic potentially intervenes microbial behaviors. This study found an opposite interference of arsenic in its two different valences (III and V) on the degradation of TCP by the functional bacteria, Sphingomonas fennica K101. As(III) inhibited TCP degradation in a concentration-dependent manner (from 0.1-10 mg/L), with a maximum inhibition rate of 35.5%, whereas As(V) exhibited promoting effects by 13.8% and 33.2% at 1 mg/L and 10 mg/L, respectively. Employing field emission transmission electron microscopy, quantum chemical calculations, fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry and metabolomic analysis, we unveil distinct interactions between cell membranes and arsenic in two valence states. Exposure to As(III) led to significant accumulation of As(III) in the cytoplasm, followed by interaction with intracellular ferritin (ferritin heavy chain 1), releasing iron ions and generating ROS. Subsequently, it induced ferroptosis and disrupted bacterial basal metabolism, thereby inhibiting TCP biodegradation. Oppositely, As(V) bound to a critical component sphingosine and triggered sphingosine polymerization, increasing membrane permeability, which was evidenced by measuring lactate dehydrogenase release. This process facilitated TCP transmembrane permeation by reducing membrane or extracellular secretion resistance. As(V) concurrently upregulated energy metabolism and accelerated TCP degradation. Our study elucidates the influence of prevalent arsenic on biodegradation efficacy, particularly amidst changing redox conditions associated with varying arsenic valences.

Nanoplastics (NPs) are ubiquitous in daily life, posing potential risks to the environment and human. While their negative effects on parental organisms have been extensively studied, intergenerational effects are still in the early stages of investigation. Here, we aimed to investigate the impact of maternal exposure to an environmentally relevant level of polystyrene NPs (PSNPs, 100 nm) during gestation and lactation (∼32 days, 50 μg/mouse/day) on neurotoxicity mediated by the microbe-gut-brain axis in offspring mice. Maternal PSNPs exposure significantly increased brain TNF-α level and microglia by 1.43 and 1.48 folds respectively, compared to control, accompanied by nuclear pyknosis and cell vacuolization in cortex and hippocampus. Targeted neurotransmitter metabolomics analysis revealed dysregulation in dopamine and serotonin metabolism. Specifically, dopamine levels increased significantly from 0.007 ng/L to 0.015 ng/L, while N-acetylseroton and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid decreased significantly from 0.002 and 0.929 ng/L to 0.001 and 0.680 ng/L, respectively. Through a combination of 16S rRNA sequencing and biochemical analysis, we discovered that maternal PSNPs exposure led to a depletion of anti-inflammatory bacteria and an enrichment of pro-inflammatory bacteria resulting in intestinal barrier damage, elevated levels of lipopolysaccharide in blood, and subsequent activation of neuroinflammation. Meanwhile, gut bacteria dysbiosis interfered with communication between gut and brain by dysregulating neurotransmitter synthesis, as evidenced by significant associations between neurotransmitter-related bacteria (Akkermansia, Family_XIII_AD3011_group, Lachnoclostridium) and dopamine/serotonin related metabolites. Furthermore, transcriptional alterations in dopamine and serotonin related pathways were observed in the enteric nervous system, suggesting abnormal signal transduction from gut to brain contributes to neurotoxicity. This study provides new insights into NPs-induced neurotoxicity within the context of microbe-gut-brain axis and highlights the risk of cerebral dysfunction in offspring with maternal NPs exposure.

In view of the traditional mine transient electromagnetic instrument is easy affected by the underground human interference factors, a kind of mine in-hole transient electromagnetic instrument is designed. The transmitting part of the instrument is mainly composed of bridge circuit and hidden circuit. In order to shorten the turn-off time, the voltage regulator diode between the source and gate and the absorption and blank-elimination circuit on both sides of the transmitting coil constitute a fast turn-off circuit system, which quickly release the energy in the transmitting coil and weaken the inductance effect. The receiver part has the ability of full space signal acquisition, and the dynamic range of the device meets the needs by self-adjusting the gain multiple of the secondary field signal. The test show that the instrument have the ability to probe drilling radial water cut abnormal body, because the device is located in the hole, close to target body, easy to obtain high signal-to-noise ratio of the secondary field signal, and avoid the influence of human interference factors of roadway.

Abstract Schizophrenia (SCZ), a highly heritable mental disorder, is characterized by cognitive impairment, yet the extent of the shared genetic basis between schizophrenia and cognitive performance (CP) remains poorly understood. Therefore, we aimed to explore the polygenic overlap between SCZ and CP. Specifically, the bivariate causal mixture model (MiXeR) was employed to estimate the extent of genetic overlap between SCZ (n = 130,644) and CP (n = 257,841), and conjunctional false discovery rate (conjFDR) approach was used to identify shared genetic loci. Subsequently, functional annotation and enrichment analysis were carried out on the identified genomic loci. The MiXeR analyses revealed that 9.6 K genetic variants are associated with SCZ and 10.9 K genetic variants for CP, of which 9.5 K variants are shared between these two traits (Dice coefficient = 92.8%). By employing conjFDR, 236 loci were identified jointly associated with SCZ and CP, of which 139 were novel for the two traits. Within these shared loci, 60 exhibited consistent effect directions, while 176 had opposite effect directions. Functional annotation analysis indicated that the shared genetic loci were mainly located in intronic and intergenic regions, and were found to be involved in relevant biological processes such as nervous system development, multicellular organism development, and generation of neurons. Together, our findings provide insights into the shared genetic architecture between SCZ and CP, suggesting common pathways and mechanisms contributing to both traits.

BackgroundObesity-induced metabolic dysfunction increases the risk of developing tumors, however, the relationship between metabolic obesity phenotypes and prostate cancer (PCa) remains unclear.MethodsThe term metabolic obesity phenotypes was introduced based on metabolic status and BMI categories. Participants were categorized into four groups: metabolically healthy nonobesity (MHNO), metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), metabolically unhealthy nonobesity (MUNO), and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO). Propensity score matching was conducted based on age, ethnicity, marriage, etc. Univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between metabolic obesity phenotypes, metabolic risk factors, and PCa. Sensitivity analysis was performed to verify the robustness of the results.ResultsAfter propensity score matching among 564 PCa patients and 1418 healthy individuals, 209 were selected for each of the case and control groups. There were no statistically significant differences in the basic characteristics between the two groups. Univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression suggested that the risk of developing PCa in both MHO and MUO individuals was higher than in MHNO individuals. Specifically, the risk of developing PCa in MHO individuals was 2.166 times higher than in MHNO individuals (OR=2.166, 95%CI: 1.133-4.139), and the risk in MUO individuals was is 2.398 times higher than in MHNO individuals(OR=2.398, 95%CI:1.271-4.523). Individuals with hyperglycemia and elevated triglycerides also had a higher risk of developing PCa (hyperglycemia:OR=1.488, 95%CI: 1.001-2.210; elevated triglycerides: OR=2.292, 95%CI: 1.419-3.702). Those with more than or equal to three metabolic risk factors had an increased risk of PCa (OR=1.990, 95%CI: 1.166-3.396). Sensitivity analysis indicated an increased risk of PCa in MUO individuals compared to MHNO individuals.ConclusionIn this retrospective study, individuals with MHO and MUO had a higher risk of developing PCa.

ObjectiveThe aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the clinical efficacy of intramedullary fixation (IF) vs. plate fixation (PF) in the treatment of midshaft clavicle fractures.MethodsWe conducted a computerized search of the electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Medlineand Chinese Journal Full-text Database) from the establishment of the database to the end of November 2022. The quality of the included studies was assessed according to the Cochrane Collaboration's “Risk of bias”. Comparisons between the two groups were based on 8 variables, including Constant score, disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) score, surgery time, length of incision, hospital stay; time to union, blood loss and infection.ResultsThirteen randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comprising a total of 928 patients were included in our meta-analysis. The pooled results showed that IF can benefit midshaft clavicle fractures with a reduced surgery time and hospital stay, a smaller incision, a better shoulder function (DASH score), shorter time to union and lower rate of infection compared with PF. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of Constant score at 12-month follow-up.ConclusionIF is superior to PF for the treatment of midshaft clavicle fractures.

Abstract PRMT5, a type II arginine methyltransferase, is involved in transcriptional regulation, RNA processing and other biological processes and signal transduction. Secondary metabolites are vital pharmacological compounds in Ganoderma lucidum, and their content is an important indicator for evaluating the quality of G. lucidum. Here, we found that GlPRMT5 negatively regulates the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. In further in-depth research, GlPP2C1 (a type 2C protein phosphatase) was identified out as an interacting protein of GlPRMT5 by immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry (IP-MS). Further mass spectrometry detection revealed that GlPRMT5 symmetrically dimethylates the arginine 99 (R99) and arginine 493 (R493) residues of GlPP2C1 to weaken its activity. The symmetrical dimethylation modification of the R99 residue is the key to affecting GlPP2C1 activity. Symmetrical demethylation-modified GlPP2C1 does not affect the interaction with GlPRMT5. In addition, silencing GlPP2C1 clearly reduced GA content, indicating that GlPP2C1 positively regulates the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in G. lucidum. In summary, this study reveals the molecular mechanism by which GlPRMT5 regulates secondary metabolites, and these studies provide further insights into the target proteins of GlPRMT5 and symmetric dimethylation sites. Furthermore, these studies provide a basis for the mutual regulation between different epigenetic modifications.

Globally, ~8%−12% of couples confront infertility issues, male-related issues being accountable for 50%. This review focuses on the influence of gut microbiota and their metabolites on the male reproductive system from five perspectives: sperm quality, testicular structure, sex hormones, sexual behavior, and probiotic supplementation. To improve sperm quality, gut microbiota can secrete metabolites by themselves or regulate host metabolites. Endotoxemia is a key factor in testicular structure damage that causes orchitis and disrupts the blood-testis barrier (BTB). In addition, the gut microbiota can regulate sex hormone levels by participating in the synthesis of sex hormone-related enzymes directly and participating in the enterohepatic circulation of sex hormones, and affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-testis (HPT) axis. They can also activate areas of the brain that control sexual arousal and behavior through metabolites. Probiotic supplementation can improve male reproductive function. Therefore, the gut microbiota may affect male reproductive function and behavior; however, further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying microbiota-mediated male infertility.

Abstract Non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is increasing dramatically. It is believed that energy metabolism‐related genes could play an important role in etiology of NSCLC. In this study, we sought to assess the correlation between three LEPR single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs1137101, rs1137100 and rs6588147) with NSCLS susceptibility. In total, 1193 NSCLC cases and 1056 controls were included. SNPscan™ genotyping method was used to analyze the genotypes of LEPR polymorphisms. Compared to rs6588147 GG in LEPR gene, this study identified a protective role of LEPR rs6588147 GA and GA/AA for the occurrence of NSCLC (GA vs. GG [p = 0.021] and GA/AA vs. GG [p = 0.030]). As well, we found that a protective role of LEPR rs6588147 for the occurrence of non‐SCC subgroup (p A SNP might increase the risk of lymph node metastases (p = 0.038). This study highlights that LEPR rs6588147, rs1137101 genotypes and LEPR Ars1037100Ars1037101Ars6588147 haplotype are correlated with the occurrence of NSCLC. LEPR rs1137100 G>A SNP increases the risk of lymph node metastases.

A suspension of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) is a mixture of dissolved and particulate Cu, the relative proportions of which highly depend on the water chemistry. However, the relationship between different proportions of particulate and dissolved Cu and the overall toxicity of CuO NPs is still unknown. This study investigated the response of Chlorella vulgaris to CuO NPs at varying solution pH and at different tannic acid (TA) additions, with a focus on exploring whether and how dissolved and particulate Cu contribute to the overall toxicity of CuO NPs. The results of the exposure experiments demonstrated the involvement of both dissolved and particulate Cu in inducing toxicity of CuO NPs, and the inhibition of CuO NPs on cell density of Chlorella vulgaris was found to be significantly (p

Due to the large terrain fluctuation and drop in Qianshuta well field, the layout of the ground large loop transient electromagnetic method detection device is limited. In order to find out the distribution range of goaf under the second Shanjing line of oil and gas pipeline in this area, numerical simulation and field test of small loop transient electromagnetic method were carried out to analyze the feasibility of ground detection, and optimized parameters were applied to the field. The results show that the numerical simulation confirms that the 3 m×3 m small loop transient electromagnetic method can effectively detect the goaf with a depth of more than 200 m and a mining height of more than 1 m, and has a more obvious effect on the water-filled goaf with low resistance; the field test adopts the small loop transient electromagnetic method with optimized parameters such as the length of the transmitting wire frame 3 m×3 m, the number of stacking times of 15, the transmitting frequency of 16 Hz, and more than 8 A transmitting current, which can achieve the purpose of effective detection and verify the correctness of the numerical simulation; a total of 5 abnormal areas were delineated and explained in the No.3 coal seam, which were inferred to be gobs or burned rock voids. The reliability of the small loop transient electromagnetic detection method is fully verified.

Cnidarians are among the most important diploblastic organisms, elucidating many of the early stages of Metazoan evolution. However, Cnidarian fossils from Cambrian deposits have been rarely documented, mainly due to difficulties in identifying early Cnidarian representatives. Halysites, a tabulate coral from Silurian reef systems, serves as a crucial taxon for interpreting Cambrian cnidarians. Traditionally, the biological characteristics of Halysites have been analyzed using methods limited by pretreatment requirements (destructive testing) and the chamber size capacity of relevant analytical instruments. These constraints often lead to irreversible information loss and inadequate data extraction. This means that, to date, there has been no high-resolution three-dimensional mineralization analysis of Halysites. This study aims to introduce novel, non-destructive techniques to analyze the internal structure and chemical composition of Halysites. Furthermore, it seeks to elucidate the relationship between coral organisms and biomineralization in reef settings and to compare Silurian Tabulata with putative Cambrian cnidarians. Techniques such as micro-X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (micro-XRF), micro-X-ray computed tomography (micro-CT), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed in this research. With the help of high-resolution micro-CT scanning, we identify the growth pattern of Halysites, showing both lateral and vertical development. The lateral multiple-branching growth pattern of Halysites corals is first established herein. The flaggy corallite at the initial stage of branching is also observed. The micro-XRF mapping results reveal the occurrence of septa spines for Halysites, a trait previously thought rare or absent. Additionally, the ratio of coral volume to the surrounding rock was assessed, revealing that Halysites reefs were relatively sparse (volume ratio = ~30%). The cavities between Halysites likely provided more space for other organisms (e.g., rugose corals and bryozoans) when compared to other coral reef types. Additionally, we provide a comparative analysis of post-Cambrian colonial calcareous skeletons, offering insights into the structural features and growth patterns of early skeletal metazoans across the Ediacaran–Cambrian boundary.

Scene graphs can enhance the understanding capability of intelligent ships in navigation scenes. However, the complex entity relationships and the presence of significant noise in contextual information within navigation scenes pose challenges for navigation scene graph generation (NSGG). To address these issues, this paper proposes a novel NSGG network named SGK-Net. This network comprises three innovative modules. The Semantic-Guided Multimodal Fusion (SGMF) module utilizes prior information on relationship semantics to fuse multimodal information and construct relationship features, thereby elucidating the relationships between entities and reducing semantic ambiguity caused by complex relationships. The Graph Structure Learning-based Structure Evolution (GSLSE) module, based on graph structure learning, reduces redundancy in relationship features and optimizes the computational complexity in subsequent contextual message passing. The Key Entity Message Passing (KEMP) module takes full advantage of contextual information to refine relationship features, thereby reducing noise interference from non-key nodes. Furthermore, this paper constructs the first Ship Navigation Scene Graph Simulation dataset, named SNSG-Sim, which provides a foundational dataset for the research on ship navigation SGG. Experimental results on the SNSG-sim dataset demonstrate that our method achieves an improvement of 8.31% (R@50) in the PredCls task and 7.94% (R@50) in the SGCls task compared to the baseline method, validating the effectiveness of our method in navigation scene graph generation.

In order to ensure the safe production of mine threatened by water hazard, speed up the intelligent process of mine water hazard prediction and early warning technology, and improve the effect of mine water hazard prediction and early warning, based on the research status of water hazard mechanism and monitoring and early warning at home and abroad, four types of key technical issues for constructing water hazard monitoring and intelligent early warning systems are analyzed. The complexity of early warning requirements and data access standards, the classification and spatio-temporal matching of multi-source heterogeneous big data information, the intelligent processing and analysis of water hazard big data information, and the timeliness of early warning and intelligent decision information release are discussed in detail. From the perspective of early warning system resource integration and data drive, water hazard warning resources are divided into information collection resources and computing resources, water hazard warning big data information is divided into static source information and dynamic monitoring information, and data processing is divided into basic geological model data processing, numerical processing and Computational simulation and information fusion data processing divide coal mine disaster early warning into primary monitoring parameter early warning, intermediate index grading early warning, and advanced intelligent model early warning. The key technical architecture of an intelligent warning system for coal mine water hazards is proposed and analyzed. A software service architecture that meets the technical requirements is proposed, including infrastructure layer, data resource layer, application support layer, business application layer, and user presentation layer. Based on the water hazard warning construction process, a Gated Recurrent Unit algorithm warning model for water hazard monitoring data is proposed, and the network structure of the warning model is given. The forward calculation, backward propagation calculation, and weight gradient calculation methods of the warning model are studied. The classification of different types of perception data access, storage, encoding, models, construction and testing of intelligent deep learning models, and technical paths for warning information release are analyzed. It provides a reference for the intelligent construction of coal mine water hazard early warning.

Abstract Purpose Humeral shaft fractures (HSFs) can be treated non-operatively (Non-OP), with open reduction and plate osteosynthesis (ORPO), minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO), or with intramedullary nails (IMN). However, the best treatment for HSFs still remains controversial.We performed a network meta-analysis to explore which should be the best method for HSFs. Methods The computerized search had been conducted on electronic databases PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Medline from the establishment of the database to the end of December 2022. The quality evaluation of the included literature had been completed by Review Manager (version 5.4.1). Stata 17.0 software (Stata Corporation, College Station, Texas, USA)was used for network meta-analysis.We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing different treatments to treating HSFs. Results The pairwise comparison results demonstrated that there was no statistical difference between IMN, MIPO, Non-OP, and ORPO in terms of radial nerve injury and infection, and Non-OP presented significantly more nonunion than ORPO, IMN, and MIPO. However, no statistically significant difference between ORPO, IMN, and MIPO was discovered. The results of the network meta-analysis displayed that surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) probabilities of IMN, MIPO, Non-OP, and ORPO in radial nerve injury were 46.5%, 66.9%, 77.3%, and 9.3%, respectively, in contrast, that in infection were 68.6%, 53.3%, 62.4%, and 15.4%, respectively, and that in nonunion were 51.7%, 93.1%, 0.7%, and 54.5%, respectively. Conclusion We came to the conclusion that MIPO is currently the most effective way to treat HSFs. Trial registration Name of the registry: Prospero, 2. Unique Identifying number or registration ID: CRD42023411293.

More than 50% of prostate cancer (PCa) patients have bone metastasis with osteoblastic lesions. MiR-18a-5p is associated with the development and metastasis of PCa, but it remains unclear whether it is involved in osteoblastic lesions. We first found that miR-18a-5p was highly expressed in the bone microenvironment of patients with PCa bone metastases. To address how miR-18a-5p affects PCa osteoblastic lesions, antagonizing miR-18a-5p in PCa cells or pre-osteoblasts inhibited osteoblast differentiation in vitro. Moreover, injection of PCa cells with miR-18a-5p inhibition improved bone biomechanical properties and bone mineral mass in vivo. Furthermore, miR-18a-5p was transferred to osteoblasts by exosomes derived from PCa cells and targeted the Hist1h2bc gene, resulting in Ctnnb1 up-regulation in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Translationally, antagomir-18a-5p significantly improved bone biomechanical properties and alleviated sclerotic lesions from osteoblastic metastases in BALB/c nude mice. These data suggest that inhibition of exosome-delivered miR-18a-5p ameliorates PCa-induced osteoblastic lesions.

Ti(C,N)-based cermets with various Mo2C contents (4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 wt%) were fabricated via vacuum hot-pressing sintering. The results showed that the cermets were comprised of coarse hard phase with a core-rim structure and partial fine rimless hard phase, embedded in Ni/Co binder matrix. Mo2C inhibits the rim growth on the coarse hard phase and hinders the dissolution of the fine rimless hard phase, which improves the mechanical properties of cermets. In addition, with the increasing Mo2C content, a bimodal pattern of X-ray diffraction peaks of (Ti,W,Mo) (C,N) solid solution can be observed, which indicates that high content of Mo2C has a different effect on the W and Mo contents in the white core-grey rim and black core-grey rim hard phase. When the Mo2C addition reaches 12 wt%, the cermet exhibits better wear resistance, which is attributed to a film composed of Ti and Mo oxides formed on the sliding interface. This work provides fundamental knowledge about the formation of core-rim structure and mechanical properties of Ti(C,N)-based cermets with various Mo2C contents.

IntroductionIt is well-known that different populations and animals, even experimental animals with the same rearing conditions, differ in their susceptibility to obesity. The disparity in gut microbiota could potentially account for the variation in susceptibility to obesity. However, the precise impact of gut microbiota on gut metabolites and its subsequent influence on susceptibility to obesity remains uncertain.MethodsIn this study, we established obesity-prone (OP) and obesity-resistant (OR) mouse models by High Fat Diet (HFD). Fecal contents of cecum were examined using 16S rDNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics. Correlation analysis and MIMOSA2 analysis were used to explore the association between gut microbiota and intestinal metabolites.ResultsAfter a HFD, gut microbiota and gut metabolic profiles were significantly different between OP and OR mice. Gut microbiota after a HFD may lead to changes in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a variety of branched fatty acid esters of hydroxy fatty acids (FAHFAs) and a variety of phospholipids to promote obesity. The bacteria g_Akkermansia (Greengene ID: 175696) may contribute to the difference in obesity susceptibility through the synthesis of glycerophosphoryl diester phosphodiesterase (glpQ) to promote choline production and the synthesis of valyl-tRNA synthetase (VARS) which promotes L-Valine degradation. In addition, gut microbiota may affect obesity and obesity susceptibility through histidine metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism and protein digestion and absorption pathways.

Matcha shows promise for diabetes, obesity, and gut microbiota disorders. Studies suggest a significant link between gut microbiota, metabolites, and obesity. Thus, matcha may have a positive impact on obesity by modulating gut microbiota and metabolites. This study used 16S rDNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics to examine the cecal contents in mice. By correlation analysis, we explored the potential mechanisms responsible for the positive effects of matcha on obesity. The results indicated that matcha had a mitigating effect on the detrimental impacts of a high-fat diet (HFD) on multiple physiological indicators in mice, including body weight, adipose tissue weight, serum total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, as well as glucose tolerance. Moreover, it was observed that matcha had an impact on the structural composition of gut microbiota and gut metabolites. Specifically, matcha was able to reverse the alterations in the abundance of certain obesity-improving bacteria, such as Alloprevotella, Ileibacterium, and Rikenella, as well as the abundance of obesity-promoting bacteria Romboutsia, induced by a HFD. Furthermore, matcha can influence the levels of metabolites, including formononetin, glutamic acid, pyroglutamic acid, and taurochenodeoxycholate, within the gastrointestinal tract. Additionally, matcha enhances caffeine metabolism and the HIF-1 signaling pathway in the KEGG pathway. The results of the correlation analysis suggest that formononetin, theobromine, 1,3,7-trimethyluric acid, and Vitamin C displayed negative correlation with both the obesity phenotype and microbiota known to exacerbate obesity, while demonstrating positive correlations with microbiota that alleviated obesity. However, glutamic acid, pyroglutamic acid, and taurochenodeoxycholate had the opposite effect. In conclusion, the impact of matcha on gut metabolites may be attributed to its modulation of the abundance of Alloprevotella, Ileibacterium, Rikenella, and Romboutsia within the gastrointestinal tract, thereby potentially contributing to the amelioration of obesity.

Tungsten trioxide (WO3) has been widely regarded as a prospective bifunctional material due to its electrochromic and pseudocapacitive properties, while still facing the dilemma of inadequate cycle stability and trapping-induced degradation. Here, inspired by the trees-strengthening approach, a unique titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanorod arrays strengthened WO3 nano-trees (TWNTs) heterojunction was rationally designed and constructed. In sharp contrast to the transmittance modulation (ΔT) attenuation of primary WO3 nano-trees during cycling, the TWNTs film showed not only excellent electrochromic performance but also fascinating cycle stability (77.35% retention of the initial ΔT after 10,000 cycles). Besides, the trapping-induced degradation could be easily rejuvenated by a potentiostatic de-trapping process. An electrochromic energy storage device (EESD) was further assembled based on the TWNTs film to deliver excellent ΔT (up to 79.5% at 633 nm), fast switching speed (tc/tb =1.9 s/14.8 s), extremely high coloration efficiency value (443.4 cm2·C−1), and long-term cycle stability (over 10,000 charge/discharge cycles). This innovative study provided in-depth insights into the electrochromism nature and a significant step in the realization of stable electrochromic-energy storage application, paving the way for multifunctional smart windows as well as next-generation optoelectronic devices.

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) offer a significant advantage over other fuel cells in terms of flexibility in the choice of fuel. Ammonia stands out as an excellent fuel choice for SOFCs due to its easy transportation and storage, carbon-free nature and mature synthesis technology. For direct-ammonia SOFCs (DA-SOFCs), the development of anode catalysts that have efficient catalytic activity for both NH3 decomposition and H2 oxidation reactions is of great significance. Herein, we develop a Mo-doped La0.6Sr0.4Fe0.8Ni0.2O3−δ (La0.6Sr0.4Fe0.7Ni0.2Mo0.1O3−δ, LSFNM) material, and explore its potential as a symmetrical electrode for DA-SOFCs. After reduction, the main cubic perovskite phase of LSFNM remained unchanged, but some FeNi3 alloy nanoparticles and a small amount of SrLaFeO4 oxide phase were generated. Such reduced LSFNM exhibits excellent catalytic activity for ammonia decomposition due to the presence of FeNi3 alloy nanoparticles, ensuring that it can be used as an anode for DA-SOFCs. In addition, LSFNM shows high oxygen reduction reactivity, indicating that it can also be a cathode for DA-SOFCs. Consequently, a direct-ammonia symmetrical SOFC (DA-SSOFC) with the LSFNM-infiltrated doped ceria (LSFNM-SDCi) electrode delivers a superior peak power density (PPD) of 487 mW cm−2 at 800 °C when NH3 fuel is utilised. More importantly, because Mo doping greatly enhances the reduction stability of the material, the DA-SSOFC with the LSFN-MSDCi electrode exhibits strong operational stability without significant degradation for over 400 h at 700 °C.

Duck egg production, like that of laying hens, follows a typical low–peak–low cycle, reflecting the dynamics of the reproductive system. Post-peak, some ducks undergo a cessation of egg laying, indicative of a regression process in the oviduct. Notably, the magnum, being the longest segment of the oviduct, plays a crucial role in protein secretion. Despite its significance, few studies have investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying oviduct regression in ducks that have ceased laying eggs. In this study, we conducted single-cell transcriptome sequencing on the magnum tissue of Shaoxing ducks at 467 days of age, utilizing the 10× Genomics platform. This approach allowed us to generate a detailed magnum transcriptome map of both egg-laying and ceased-laying ducks. We collected transcriptome data from 13,708 individual cells, which were then subjected to computational analysis, resulting in the identification of 27 distinct cell clusters. Marker genes were subsequently employed to categorize these clusters into specific cell types. Our analysis revealed notable heterogeneity in magnum cells between the egg-laying and ceased-laying ducks, primarily characterized by variations in cells involved in protein secretion and extracellular matrix (ECM)-producing fibroblasts. Specifically, cells engaged in protein secretion were predominantly observed in the egg-laying ducks, indicative of their role in functional albumen deposition within the magnum, a phenomenon not observed in the ceased-laying ducks. Moreover, the proportion of THY1+ cells within the ECM-producing fibroblasts was found to be significantly higher in the egg-laying ducks (59%) compared to the ceased-laying ducks (24%). Similarly, TIMP4+ fibroblasts constituted a greater proportion of the ECM-producing fibroblasts in the egg-laying ducks (83%) compared to the ceased-laying ducks (58%). These findings suggest a potential correlation between the expression of THY1 and TIMP4 in ECM-producing fibroblasts and oviduct activity during functional reproduction. Our study provides valuable single-cell insights that warrant further investigation into the biological implications of fibroblast subsets in the degeneration of the reproductive tract. Moreover, these insights hold promise for enhancing the production efficiency of laying ducks.

Introduction11β-Hydroxylase deficiency (11β-OHD, OMIM#202010) is the second most common form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) caused by pathogenic variants in the CYP11B1 gene. Both single nucleotide variations (SNV)/small insertion and deletion and genomic rearrangements of CYP11B1 are important causes of 11β-OHD. Among these variant types, pathogenic CYP11B2/CYP11B1 chimeras only contribute to a minority of cases. Heterozygote cases (chimera combined with SNV) are very rare, and genetic analysis of these cases can be challenging.Case presentationWe presented a suspected 11β-OHD female patient with incomplete virilization, adrenal hyperplasia, and hypokalemia hypertension. Whole exome sequencing (WES) revealed that the patient carried both a chimeric CYP11B2/CYP11B1 and a novel missense variant, NM_000497.4: c.203T>G, p.Val68Gly (chr8:143961027) in CYP11B1, which were confirmed by CNVplex and Sanger sequencing, respectively. The patient’s manifestations and genetic findings confirmed the diagnosis of 11β-OHD, and oral dexamethasone was administered as a subsequent treatment.ConclusionThis report showed a rare CYP11B2/CYP11B1 chimera combined with a novel missense variant in a 11β-OHD female patient. The result expands variant spectrum of CYP11B1 and suggests that both chimera and CYP11B1 variant screening should be performed simultaneously in suspected cases of 11β-OHD. To our knowledge, this is the first report about CYP11B2/CYP11B1 chimera detected by WES analysis. WES combined with CNV analysis is an efficient method in the genetic diagnosis of this rare and complex disorder.

The limitation in metal-semiconductor contact has been a major challenge for high-performance organic field-effect transistors. Here, the authors fabricate the contact by transferring platinum electrode on solution-processed organic films, realizing ultralow total contact resistance down to 14 Ω ∙ cm.

Laser cladding repair technology is valued for its ability to repair of damaged parts with high performance. However, there are so many parameters affect the repair quality that it takes a lot of work to determine the optimal parameters. In this article, a variety of parameters were combined as dimensionless heat input (Q∗), and the effect of Q∗ on the microstructure and mechanical properties of 300M steel repaired samples were studied. Results showed that with the increase of Q∗, microstructure of heat affected zone transformed from tempered martensite to tempered martensite and low bainite. The microstructure of the repaired zone transformed from untempered martensite to untempered martensite and a small amount of retained austenite. With increasing of Q∗, residence time above the austenitizing temperature was extended, and more uniform microstructure were obtained in the repaired zone. What's more, at Q∗ = 5.1, the repair efficiency increases twice than Q∗ = 1. The tensile strength of the repaired samples reached 1017.6 MPa and the elongation reached 6.9%, which were far lower than that of forged samples. The heat treatment was carried out on the repaired parts, which eliminated the microstructure difference due to different Q∗. Compared with the repaired samples without heat treatment, the tensile strength increased by 75% to 1783.8 MPa and the elongation increased by 86% to 10.4%.

Abstract Self-spiraling actuators are widely found in nature and have high research and actuator-application value in self-lock and self-assembly. Four-dimensional (4D) printing is a new generation additive manufacturing of smart materials and has shown great potential for the fabrication of multi-functional and customized structures. The microarchitecture design of a bilayer actuator could bring flexible and diversified self-spiraling behaviors and more possibilities for practical application by combing 4D printing. This work investigates the stimuli effects of fiber patterns and fabrication parameters on self-spiraling behaviors of the bilayer actuator via both experimental and theoretical methods. This work may potentially provide pattern design guidance for 4D-printed self-spiraling actuators to meet different application requirements.

Background Complete discoid medial meniscus is an extremely rare abnormality of the knee joint whose meniscus has a discoid shape rather than a normal semilunar one. Several medial meniscus anomalies including anomalous insertion have been reported in the literature. This report presents a rare case of symptomatic complete discoid medial meniscus whose anterolateral (apical) portion was completely coalesced with the ACL. MRI, radiographic, and arthroscopic findings in the medial compartment are to be submitted. Case Presentation A 29‐year‐old male presented with intermittent pain and swelling of the right knee for 2 years. Based on radiographic, MRI, and physical examination findings, he was diagnosed with discoid medial meniscus tears. Arthroscopic saucerization was performed for the torn discoid medial meniscus of the right knee. Arthroscopic examination revealed a complete discoid medial meniscus and the anterolateral (apical) portion of which was completely coalesced with the ACL. Careful Probing of the meniscal surface revealed there was a longitudinal tear extending from the tibial spine to the midportion of the meniscus. Arthroscopic saucerization of the discoid meniscus was performed after closely cutting the meniscus around the ACL. The patient reported no symptoms, and he had returned to his daily and sports activities, including football, basketball, and jogging, at the 12‐month follow‐up. Conclusion Complete discoid medial meniscus is an extremely rare abnormality, and this case presents the third complete discoid medial meniscus whose anterolateral (apical) portion was completely coalesced with the ACL. The current case we present strongly supports the hypothesis that ACL and meniscus were differentiated from the same mesenchyme.

In this paper, the effects of transition metal atom Pt doping on the structural parameters and electronic properties of the two-dimensional material Ti3C2Tx MXene (T = OH, O or F) as well as the adsorption interaction between the doped material and SF6 are investigated based on density functional theory calculations. To investigate the SF6 adsorption mechanism, the adsorption structure, adsorption energy, charge transfer, and density of states of Pt atom-doped Ti3C2Tx after the adsorption of SF6 molecules were analyzed. The results showed that the electronic properties and chemical activity of the doped Ti3C2Tx changed significantly compared to those before doping. In addition, Pt-doped Ti3C2(OH)2 has good adsorption ability on SF6 molecules, and its adsorption type is chemisorption; in the relevant sites, SF6 undergoes chemical bond breaking, and the doping of Pt improves the catalytic effect of Ti3C2(OH)2. The adsorption capacity of Pt-doped Ti3C2O2 and Ti3C2F2 for SF6 molecules is much weaker than that of Pt-doped Ti3C2(OH)2, physical adsorption occurred, and there was almost no degradation of SF6; the doping of Pt did not improve the catalytic effect of Ti3C2O2 and Ti3C2F2.

Abstract Background Maffucci syndrome (MS) is a rare, nonhereditary congenital mesodermal dysplasia characterized by multiple enchondromas and hemangiomas, associated with an increased risk of developing malignant tumors. Given their rarity, the pathogenesis of these tumors has not been clarified, and there is no standard treatment. Case presentation We present a case of a 45-year-old man with MS to supplement the clinical manifestations and explore the molecular mechanism of MS. The patient underwent amputation surgery to inhibit tumor development and was diagnosed with MS with 1–2 grade giant chondrosarcoma in the left ankle. In addition, the whole exon analysis results revealed isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) R132C mutation in chondrosarcoma lesions but not in blood DNA. Conclusions This case report showed MS complicated by giant chondrosarcoma in the left ankle with an IDH1 R132C mutation, which is appropriate to monitor the development of MS pathology and other concomitant lesions.

Abstract Hydraulic equipment, as a typical mechanical product, has been wildly used in various fields. Accurate acquisition and secure transmission of assembly deviation data are the most critical issues for hydraulic equipment manufacturer in the PLM-oriented value chain collaboration. Existing deviation prediction methods are mainly used for assembly quality control, which concentrate in the product design and assembly stage. However, the actual assembly deviations generated in the service stage can be used to guide the equipment maintenance and tolerance design. In this paper, a high-fidelity prediction and privacy-preserving method is proposed based on the observable assembly deviations. A hierarchical graph attention network (HGAT) is established to predict the assembly feature deviations. The hierarchical generalized representation and differential privacy reconstruction techniques are also introduced to generate the graph attention network model for assembly deviation privacy-preserving. A derivation gradient matrix is established to calculate the defined modified necessary index of assembly parts. Two privacy-preserving strategies are designed to protect the assembly privacy of node representation and adjacent relationship. The effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method are demonstrated by a case study with a four-column hydraulic press.

Abstract The taxonomic structure of microbial community sample is highly habitat-specific, making source tracking possible, allowing identification of the niches where samples originate. However, current methods face challenges when source tracking is scaled up. Here, we introduce a deep learning method based on the Ontology-aware Neural Network approach, ONN4MST, for large-scale source tracking. ONN4MST outperformed other methods with near-optimal accuracy when source tracking among 125,823 samples from 114 niches. ONN4MST also has a broad spectrum of applications. Overall, this study represents the first model-based method for source tracking among sub-million microbial community samples from hundreds of niches, with superior speed, accuracy, and interpretability. ONN4MST is available at https://github.com/HUST-NingKang-Lab/ONN4MST .

Quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have emerged as ubiquitous and agile robots and data carriers within the framework of the future Internet of Things (IoT) and mobile wireless networks. Yet, the insufficient onboard battery necessitates the optimization of energy consumption for both the UAV and IoT devices while ensuring that communication requirements are met. This paper therefore proposes a more accurate and mathematically tractable model for characterizing a UAV’s energy consumption concerning desired trajectories. This nonlinear model takes into account the UAV’s dynamics, brushless direct current (BLDC) motor dynamics, and aerodynamics. To optimize the communication time between IoT devices and the UAV, IoT devices are clustered using a modified GAK-means algorithm, with dynamically optimized communication coverage radii. Subsequently, a fly–circle–communicate (FCC) trajectory design algorithm is introduced and derived to conserve energy and save mission time. Under the FCC approach, the UAV sequentially visits the cluster centers and performs circular flight and communication. Transitions between cluster centers are smoothed via 3D Dubins curves, which provide physically achievable trajectories. Comprehensive numerical studies indicate that the proposed trajectory planning method reduces overall communication time and preserves UAV battery energy compared to other benchmark schemes.

Abstract Hydraulic fracturing fracture propagation is the main factor affecting the fracturing effect. In view of the more diversified selection of fracturing fluid, the problem of fracture propagation in non‐Newtonian fluid fracturing is often encountered in fracturing. In this paper, the influencing factors of fracture propagation of non‐Newtonian fluid fracturing fluid are analyzed. Based on PKN model, a three‐dimensional fracture propagation model considering the rheology and filtration of fracturing fluid is established, the better fracture shape simulation results are given, and the effects of fluid properties, rock physical properties, and injection parameters on fracture propagation are analyzed in detail. The research shows that (1) in the process of fracture propagation, the fracture length and width gradually increase, and the corresponding pressure in the fracture also increases. The overall increase trend is that the growth is rapid in the initial stage of fracturing and gradually slows down in the later stage. (2) The greater the consistency coefficient and rheological index, the greater the fracture width and pressure in the fracture, and the easier it is to form wide fracture. The larger the filtration coefficient is, the weaker the fracture forming ability is, and the fracture width, length, and pressure in the fracture are reduced. (3) Rock physical properties have a certain influence on fracture propagation, Young's modulus has a great influence on fracture propagation, while Poisson's ratio has little influence on it. However, the larger the Young's modulus, the more difficult the fracture is to expand, and the smaller the corresponding fracture width. (4) The larger the pump injection rate, the larger the fracture size and the higher the pressure in the fracture. The model can provide a theoretical basis for fracturing design and fracture shape prediction.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are environmentally persistent and highly toxic organochlorine compounds that may cause toxic effects on aquatic animals. In this study we assess the toxic effect of PCBs on a bivalve used in aquaculture, the clam Cyclina sinensis. To this end, individuals of C. sinensis were exposed for 72 h at two PCB concentrations (1 ng/L and 10 ng/L) and control (absence of PCBs). At the end of the exposure, the hemolymph, hepatopancreas, and gills samples of C. sinensis were harvested for analysis of the enzyme activity and histology. The results showed that acute PCBs exposure decreased the survival rate of C. sinensis compared to the control. Acute PCBs exposure up-regulated the enzymatic activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the hemolymph of C. sinensis, while down-regulated the non-specific enzymatic activity of alkaline phosphatase (AKP). For the hepatopancreas, 1 ng/L PCBs exposure up-regulated the enzymatic activity of SOD while down-regulated the enzymatic activity of CAT of C. sinensis. In the gill, the enzymatic activity of CAT decreased significantly and the MDA content increased of C. sinensis after 10 ng/L PCBs exposure. Moreover, histological observations showed that acute exposure to PCBs caused loss of gill filaments and lateral cilia and shortening of their length, in the studied organism. The present study will provide valuable reference data for marine shellfish aquaculture and toxicology research.

BackgroundStroke is a disease with a high fatality rate worldwide and a major cause of long-term disability. In the rehabilitation of limb motor function after stroke, the rehabilitation of upper limb function takes a long time and the recovery progress is slow, which seriously affects the patients’ self-care ability in daily life. Repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been increasingly used to improve limb dysfunction in patients with stroke. However, a standardized reference for selecting a magnetic stimulation regimen is not available. Whether to increase the inhibition of the contralateral hemispheric motor cortex remains controversial. This study has evaluated the effects of different rTMS stimulation programs on upper limb function and corresponding brain functional network characteristics of patients with stroke and sought a new objective standard based on changes in brain network parameters to guide accurate rTMS stimulation programs.MethodThirty-six patients with stroke were selected and divided into control group and treatment group by number table method, with 18 patients in each group, and 3 patients in the control group were turned out and lost due to changes in disease condition. The treatment group was divided into two groups. TMS1 group was given 1 Hz magnetic stimulation in the M1 region of the contralesional hemisphere +10 Hz magnetic stimulation in the M1 region of the affected hemisphere, and the TMS2 group was given 10 Hz magnetic stimulation in the M1 region of the affected hemisphere. The control group was given false stimulation. The treatment course was once a day for 5 days a week for 4 weeks. The Fugl-Meyer Assessment for upper extremity (FMA-UE) sand near-infrared brain function were collected before treatment, 2 weeks after treatment, and 4 weeks after treatment, and the brain function network was constructed. Changes in brain oxygenated hemoglobin concentration and brain network parameters were analyzed with the recovery of motor function (i.e., increased FMA score). Meanwhile, according to the average increment of brain network parameters, the rTMS stimulation group was divided into two groups with good efficacy and poor efficacy. Network parameters of the two groups before and after rTMS treatment were analyzed statistically.Results(1) Before treatment, there was no statistical difference in Fugl-Meyer score between the control group and the magnetic stimulation group (p = 0.178).Compared with before treatment, Fugl-Meyer scores of 2 and 4 weeks after treatment were significantly increased in both groups (p

Abstract Gravel packing is one of the most commonly used well‐completion methods for controlling sand production in deepwater horizontal gas wells. Both the gravel‐packing mechanisms and the technical difficulties of gravel packing in a horizontal well are discussed in this paper. Subsequently, packing simulations were conducted based on geological data from a well in the LS gas field in the northern South China Sea. The factors influencing the gravel‐packing process were quantitatively analyzed. The influences of the pump rate, carrying fluid leak‐off ratio, and density of gravel on the sand‐dune ratio of the α‐wave, height of the sand dune, packing length of the α‐wave, and packing pressure were analyzed. The results show that the pipe string injection friction is the largest at the slurry injection stage and the α‐wave packing stage. In the β‐wave packing stage, the downhole horizontal flow friction becomes the main pressure loss. The friction increased when the β‐wave packing reached the heel of the horizontal wells. As a result, the packing pressure can easily exceed the formation fracture pressure. Furthermore, the lower the pump rate, the higher the sand‐dune ratio, which would cause premature screen‐out and blockage. Therefore, optimizing the pump rate is essential to ensure that the sand‐dune ratio meets the designed requirements. Under a certain leak‐off rate, the lower the gravel density, the longer the packing length of the α‐wave. For a long horizontal well, the step‐down method can be used to control the packing pressure during the β‐wave packing stage. The results provide technical support for field gravel packing.

With the significant rise in the application of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in electromobility, the amount of spent LIBs is also increasing. LIB recycling technologies which conserve sustainable resources and protect the environment need to be developed for achieving a circular economy. Recycling of LIBs will reduce the environmental impact of the batteries by reducing carbon dioxide emissions in terms of saving natural resources to reduce raw materials mining. This work reviewed the most advanced and ongoing LIB recycling technologies, and categorized the reviewed technologies according to the components of the LIB cells, including cathodes, anodes, electrolyte and separators. Most recycling technologies focus on the recovery of valuable metals, particular for cobalt by hydrometallurgical method from the cathodes. The commercial process based on the combination of the pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical technologies which was commercially developed by Umicore, and Retriev, is mainly focusing on the developed hydrometallurgical technology for optimizing the recovering efficiency. There is research undergoing to recover graphite from anodes through Fenton oxidation, froth flotation and thermal treatment with a combination of hydrometallurgical process. As LIB recycling technologies are under development, there is great potential to reduce emission of carbon dioxide and this should be a focus in research. There is also a high need to develop a more advanced LIB recycling technology to recover more valuable materials with reduced carbon emission, therefore to contribute to “Net zero” ambition.

In order to solve the problem that the tooth designed in plane has profile interference under the influence of spatial deformation of the flexspline，a bidirectional conjugate method considering the spatial deformation of the flexspline is proposed. The double-circular-arc tooth profile of circular spline is obtained through conjugate calculating of preset convex circular arc of flexspline at the front and back sections of tooth width. The concave circular arc profile of flexspline is obtained through the reverse conjugate calculating of convex circular arc profile of circular spline at the front section，and is combined with the preset convex arc to make up the tooth profile of flexspline. According to the results of harmonic drive contact simulation based on 3D finite element analysis，it is effective to avoid the profile interference by introducing the space deformation of flexspline into the tooth profile design.

Abstract In this work froth flotation studies with LiAlO2 (lithium-containing phase) and Melilite solid solution (gangue phase) are presented. The system was optimized with standard collectors and with compounds so far not applied as collectors. Furthermore, the principle of self-assembled monolayers was introduced to a froth flotation process for the first time resulting in excellent yields and selectivities.

ABSTRACT Putrescine (Put) has been shown to play an important regulatory role in cell growth in organisms. As the primary center regulating the homeostasis of polyamine (PA) content, ornithine decarboxylase antizyme (AZ) can regulate PA content through feedback. Nevertheless, the regulatory mechanism of Put is poorly understood in fungi. Here, our analysis showed that GlAZ had a modulate effect on intracellular Put content by interacting with ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) proteins and reducing its intracellular protein levels. In addition, GlAZ upregulated the metabolic pathway of ganoderic acid (GA) biosynthesis in Ganoderma lucidum by modulating the intracellular Put content. However, a target of rapamycin (TOR) was found to promote the accumulation of intracellular Put after the GlTOR inhibitor Rap was added exogenously, and unbiased analyses demonstrated that GlTOR may promote Put production through its inhibitory effect on the level of GlAZ protein in GlTOR-GlAZ-cosilenced strains. The effect of TOR on fungal secondary metabolism was further explored, and the content of GA in the GlTOR-silenced strain after the exogenous addition of the inhibitor Rap was significantly increased compared with that in the untreated wild-type (WT) strain. Silencing of TOR in the GlTOR-silenced strains caused an increase in GA content, which returned to the WT state after replenishing Put. Moreover, the content of GA in GlTOR-GlAZ-cosilenced strains was also not different from that in the WT strain. Consequently, these results strongly indicate that GlTOR affects G. lucidum GA biosynthesis via GlAZ. IMPORTANCE Research on antizyme (AZ) in fungi has focused on the mechanism by which AZ inhibits ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). Moreover, there are existing reports on the regulation of AZ protein translation by TOR. However, little is known about the mechanisms that influence AZ in fungal secondary metabolism. Here, both intracellular Put content and GA biosynthesis in G. lucidum were shown to be regulated through protein interactions between GlAZ and GlODC. Furthermore, exploration of upstream regulators of GlAZ suggested that GlAZ was regulated by the upstream protein GlTOR, which affected intracellular Put levels and ganoderic acid (GA) biosynthesis. The results of our work contribute to the understanding of the upstream regulation of Put and provide new insights into PA regulatory systems and secondary metabolism in fungi.

Summary: Thermionic energy converters are solid-state heat engines to produce electricity with significant potential, whereas the output voltage is constrained by the work function difference between cathode and anode. In this work, we originally apply a graphene-on-semiconductor heterojunction anode to a thermionic-photovoltaic (TIPV) converter to output additional voltage. Thermionic electrons are injected into the graphene layer and then recombined with photogenerated holes. Photogenerated electrons are extracted from the conduction band and reinjected into the cathode through an external load. A proof-of-concept demonstration of the TIPV converter is developed with barium surface-engineered cathode and anode. Open-circuit voltage is increased from ∼0.9 to ∼1.9 V by comparing with an identical configuration without graphene layer. The TIPV converter yields a power generation density of 2.7 kW/m2 with an electronic efficiency of ∼27%. This work paves the way for the development of TIPV converter toward high power density.

Rare earth elements (REEs) have been widely applied as fertilizers in farmland of China for decades to improve the yield and quality of crops. Unfortunately, adverse effects on plants have been observed due to overdosing with REEs. Until now, the toxicology of REEs was mainly evaluated based on phenotypic responses, but knowledge gaps still exist concerning their metabolic effects. Here, the physiological responses and nontargeted metabolomics studies were combined to systematically explore the potential effects of La and Ce on a crop plant, wheat Triticum aestivum. It was observed that REEs accumulated in the shoots of wheat, with significant reduction of the shoot biomass at higher exposure doses. The disturbance of photosynthesis and induced oxidative stress were identified by analyzing indicators of the photosynthetic (chlorophyll a/b, carotenoid and rubisco) and antioxidant systems (POD, CAT, SOD, GSH and MDA). Furthermore, the global metabolic profiles of REEs treatment groups and the non-exposed control group were screened and compared, and the metabolomic disturbance of REEs was dose-dependent. A high overlap of significantly changed metabolites and matched disturbed biological pathways was found between La and Ce treatments, indicating similarity of their toxicity mechanism in wheat shoots. Generally, the perturbed metabolomic pathways were mainly related to carbohydrate, amino acid and nucleotide/side metabolism, suggesting a disturbance of carbon and nitrogen metabolism, which finally affected the growth of wheat. We thus proved the potential adverse effect of inappropriate application of REEs in crop plants and postulated metabolomics as a feasible tool to identify the underlying toxicological mechanisms.

Flexible bioelectronics exhibit promising potential for health monitoring, owing to their soft and stretchable nature. However, the simultaneous improvement of mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and signal-to-noise ratio of these devices for health monitoring poses a significant challenge. Hydrogels, with their loose three-dimensional network structure that encapsulates massive amounts of water, are a potential solution. Through the incorporation of polymers or conductive fillers into the hydrogel and special preparation methods, hydrogels can achieve a unification of excellent properties such as mechanical properties, self-healing, adhesion, and biocompatibility, making them a hot material for health monitoring bioelectronics. Currently, hydrogel-based bioelectronics can be used to fabricate flexible bioelectronics for motion, bioelectric, and biomolecular acquisition for human health monitoring and further clinical applications. This review focuses on materials, devices, and applications for hydrogel-based bioelectronics. The main material properties and research advances of hydrogels for health monitoring bioelectronics are summarized firstly. Then, we provide a focused discussion on hydrogel-based bioelectronics for health monitoring, which are classified as skin-attachable, implantable, or semi-implantable depending on the depth of penetration and the location of the device. Finally, future challenges and opportunities of hydrogel-based bioelectronics for health monitoring are envisioned.

Soil is an essential natural resource because of the ecosystem services it carries out in the terrestrial ecosystem: the provision of food, fibre and fuel; habitats for organisms; nutrient cycling; climate regulation and carbon sequestration; water purification and soil contaminant reductions; and others [...]

Rare earth elements (REEs) or lanthanides are often found together in nature, and they are used in multiple anthropogenic activities from green energy and medical technologies to telecommunications and defense systems. However, the current understanding on the concentration and behavior of REEs in oceans and marine organisms is limited, and no regulatory information or limits have been settled. Here, we present a review of the concentrations of lanthanides in marine waters and biota. REEs reach aquatic ecosystems mainly by continental contributions, and the maximum reported concentrations of REEs are found on the platform surface near the coast due to their continental origin. For coastal waters, we find maximum REE levels in the surface water that decrease with depth until a certain stability. Their concentrations diminish as they move toward the open ocean, where concentrations tend to increase vertically with depth in the water column. Only cerium (Ce) showed different patterns from other REEs caused by Ce different redox states: III and IV, reflecting the oxidation of dissolved Ce (III) to particulate Ce (IV) when reacting with the O2 to form CeO2. In seawater, heavy REEs tend to remain in solution forming complexes usually unavailable for organisms, while light REEs are most likely to be assimilated by them, posing potential biological implications. Bioaccumulation of REEs decreases as marine trophic level increases, showing a trophic dilution pattern. Generally, higher concentrations are found in organisms such as phytoplankton, zooplankton, and algae species, while the lowest concentrations are found in mollusks, corals, and fish species. According to the current trend in the REE industry, the increasing anthropogenic emissions are a fact; therefore, more studies will be needed regarding their fractionation, the transformation processes with which they become bioavailable, and their pathways in marine systems.

Recently, there has been an increasing consumption of fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas in both industrial production and daily life. This high demand for non-renewable energy sources has prompted researchers to investigate sustainable and renewable energy alternatives. The development and production of nanogenerators provide a promising solution to address the energy crisis. Triboelectric nanogenerators, in particular, have attracted significant attention due to their portability, stability, high energy conversion efficiency, and compatibility with a wide range of materials. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have many potential applications in various fields, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT). Additionally, by virtue of their remarkable physical and chemical properties, two-dimensional (2D) materials, such as graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), MXenes, and layered double hydroxides (LDHs), have played a crucial role in the advancement of TENGs. This review summarizes recent research progress on TENGs based on 2D materials, from materials to their practical applications, and provides suggestions and prospects for future research.

Wearable sensors open unprecedented opportunities for long-term health monitoring and human–machine interaction. Electrospinning is considered to be an ideal technology to produce functional structures for wearable sensors because of its unique merits to endow devices with highly designable functional microstructures, outstanding breathability, biocompatibility, and comfort, as well as its low cost, simple process flow, and high productivity. Recent advances in wearable sensors with one-, two-, or three-dimensional (1D, 2D, or 3D) electrospun microstructures have promoted various applications in healthcare, action monitoring, and physiological information recognition. Particularly, the development of various novel electrospun microstructures different from conventional micro/nanofibrous structures further enhances the electrical, mechanical, thermal, and optical performances of wearable sensors and provides them with multiple detection functions and superior practicality. In this review, we discuss (i) the principle and typical apparatus of electrospinning, (ii) 1D, 2D, and 3D electrospun microstructures for wearable sensing and their construction strategies and physical properties, (iii) applications of microstructured electrospun wearable devices in sensing pressure, temperature, humidity, gas, biochemical molecules, and light, and (iv) challenges of future electrospun wearable sensors for physiological signal recognition, behavior monitoring, personal protection, and health diagnosis.

Radio access technologies (RATs) are a key topic in railways, enabling them a better service rendering in terms of shorter headways between trains, higher safety levels and higher customer satisfaction. Very often, these railway RATs need a lot of time to be developed, tested and put into service, which implies a lack of efficiency and bottlenecks in the evolution of railway systems. To solve this situation, an emulation platform that considers both the physical layer and the network (this is, able to emulate the end-to-end chain) is envisaged in the EmulRadio4Rail project. Therefore, the physical layer of many railway scenarios must be emulated, which is a remarkable challenge because railways are very diverse. We see Tapped-Delay Lines (TDL) models as the most efficient way for emulation with the available hardware. In the literature, there are many TDL-based channel models for all the scenarios we considered but one: tunnels. Therefore, in order to fill this gap, we develop a novel TDL model for railway tunnels, considering the impact of the rolling stock (both high-speed railway (HSR) and subway trains). The proposed model allows the full characterization of this scenario in terms of power-delay-profile (PDP), Doppler spectrum and fading characteristics.