Search

Plant-associated microbiota affect pant growth and development by regulating plant hormones homeostasis. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), a well-known plant hormone, can be produced by various plant-associated bacteria. However, the prevalence of bacteria with the capacity to degrade IAA in the rhizosphere has not been systematically studied. In this study, we analyzed the IAA degradation capabilities of bacterial isolates from the roots of Arabidopsis and rice. Using genomics analysis and in vitro assays, we found that 21 out of 183 taxonomically diverse bacterial isolates possess the ability to degrade IAA. Through comparative genomics and transcriptomic assays, we identified iac-like or iad-like operon in the genomes of these IAA degraders. Additionally, the putative regulator of the operon was found to be highly conserved among these strains through protein structure similarity analysis. Some of the IAA degraders could utilize IAA as their carbon and energy source. In planta, most of the IAA degrading strains mitigated Arabidopsis and rice seedling root growth inhibition (RGI) triggered by exogenous IAA. Moreover, RGI caused by complex synthetic bacterial community can be alleviated by introducing IAA degraders. Importantly, we observed increased colonization preference of IAA degraders from soil to root according to the frequency of the biomarker genes in metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) collected from different habitats, suggesting that there is a close association between IAA degraders and IAA producers. In summary, our findings further the understanding of the functional diversity and potential biological roles of plant-associated bacteria in host plant root morphogenesis.

Abstract Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) play a vital role in the beyond fifth‐generation (B5G) and sixth‐generation (6G) wireless communication scenarios. This paper proposes a non‐stationary three‐dimensional (3D) geometry‐based multiple‐input multiple‐output channel model for UAV to vehicle (U2V) communications considering UAV heaving motion. The proposed model incorporates the effects of UAV heaving along with the rotation, acceleration, and 3D velocity variation for matching the realistic U2V communication scenarios. The computation methods for time variant channel parameters such as Doppler frequencies, angle of arrival, and angle of departure are given and analysed. The theoretical and statistical properties, including spatial temporal correlation function, TCF, level crossing rate, average fade duration, and Doppler power spectral density are derived and analysed aiming to evaluate the proposed model. Simulation results show that the output statistical characteristics agree with the hypothetical and simulated outcomes, which shows the validity of both the channel model and theoretical derivations. The cover image is based on the Research Article 3D geometry‐based UAV to vehicle multiple‐input multiple‐output channel model incorporating Unmanned aerial vehicle heaving motion by Naeem Ahmed et al., https://doi.org/10.1049/mia2.12393

Abstract Stress fibers are actomyosin bundles that regulate cellular mechanosensation and force transduction. Interacting with the extracellular matrix through focal adhesion complexes, stress fibers are highly dynamic structures regulated by myosin motors and crosslinking proteins. Under external mechanical stimuli such as tensile forces, the stress fiber remodels its architecture to adapt to external cues, displaying properties of viscoelastic materials. How the structural remodeling of stress fibers is related to the generation of contractile force is not well understood. In this work, we simulate mechanochemical dynamics and force generation of stress fibers using the molecular simulation platform MEDYAN. We model stress fiber as two connecting bipolar bundles attached at the ends to focal adhesion complexes. The simulated stress fibers generate contractile force that is regulated by myosin motors and $$\alpha$$ α -actinin crosslinkers. We find that stress fibers enhance contractility by reducing the distance between actin filaments to increase crosslinker binding, and this structural remodeling ability depends on the crosslinker turnover rate. Under tensile pulling force, the stress fiber shows an instantaneous increase of the contractile forces followed by a slow relaxation into a new steady state. While the new steady state contractility after pulling depends only on the overlap between actin bundles, the short-term contractility enhancement is sensitive to the tensile pulling distance. We further show that this mechanical response is also sensitive to the crosslinker turnover rate. Our results provide new insights into the stress fiber mechanics that have significant implications for understanding cellular adaptation to mechanical signaling.

This research describes an in-depth analysis of the flexural strength of a strengthened AASHTO Type III girder-deck system with debonding-damaged strands based on the finite element software ABAQUS 6.17. To investigate the stand-debonding impact and retrofit, two strengthening techniques by the separate use of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) and steel plate (SP) were proposed. A detailed finite element analysis (FEA) model considering strand debonding, material deterioration, and retrofitting systems was developed and verified against relevant experimental data obtained by other researchers. The proposed FEA model and the experimental data were in good agreement. The sensitivity of the numerical model to the mesh size, element type, dilation angle and coefficient of friction was also investigated. Based on the verified FEA model, 156 girder-deck systems were studied, considering the following variables: (1) debonding level, (2) span-to-depth ratio (L/d), (3) strengthening type, and (4) strengthening material amount. The results indicated that the debonding level and span-to-depth ratio had a major effect on both load–deflection behaviors and the ultimate strength. The relationships between the enhancement of the ultimate strength and the thickness of the strengthening material were obtained through regression equations with respect to the CFRP- and SP-strengthened specimens. The coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.9928 for the CFRP group and 0.9968 for the SP group.

To better evaluate the effects of Acremonium cellulase (AC) and previously screened heat-resistant Lactobacillus plantarum 149 (LP149) on lignocellulose degradation, fermentation quality, and microbial community during ensiling in humid and hot areas, this study used a small-scale fermentation system to prepare hybrid elephant grass silage at 30 and 45°C, respectively. Compared to control and commercial inoculant Lactobacillus plantarum (LP), the addition of AC or strain LP149 decreased the contents of neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and cellulose and increased the contents of glucose, fructose, and sucrose during fermentation. Furthermore, AC and LP149 treatments altered the microbial communities' structure during ensiling. AC treatment provided more substrate for microbial fermentation, resulting in an increase in bacterial alpha diversity. LP149 treatment increased the Lactobacillus abundance and optimized the bacterial community compositions. In addition, AC and LP149 treatments had higher (P < 0.05) lactic acid and acetic acid contents and lower (P < 0.05) pH, butyric acid, and NH3-N levels compared to the control. These results indicated that AC and strain LP149 are promising silage additives that can promote lignocellulose degradation and improve the fermentation quality of hybrid elephant grass in humid and hot areas.

In most eukaryotic cells, actin filaments assemble into a shell-like actin cortex under the plasma membrane, controlling cellular morphology, mechanics, and signaling. The actin cortex is highly polymorphic, adopting diverse forms such as the ring-like structures found in podosomes, axonal rings, and immune synapses. The biophysical principles that underlie the formation of actin rings and cortices remain unknown. Using a molecular simulation platform called MEDYAN, we discovered that varying the filament treadmilling rate and myosin concentration induces a finite size phase transition in actomyosin network structures. We found that actomyosin networks condense into clusters at low treadmilling rates or high myosin concentrations but form ring-like or cortex-like structures at high treadmilling rates and low myosin concentrations. This mechanism is supported by our corroborating experiments on live T cells, which exhibit ring-like actin networks upon activation by stimulatory antibody. Upon disruption of filament treadmilling or enhancement of myosin activity, the pre-existing actin rings are disrupted into actin clusters or collapse towards the network center respectively. Our analyses suggest that the ring-like actin structure is a preferred state of low mechanical energy, which is, importantly, only reachable at sufficiently high treadmilling rates.

[Objectives] To establish a gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) method based on multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode for the analysis of the major components in Cang-ai volatile oil (CAVO). [Methods] An ultrasensitive gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the determination of three highly abundant components in rat plasma samples. Paeonol was used as an internal standard. A multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) model was employed for the quantification of the three major components of CAVO. [Results] The method demonstrated linearity over the range of 0.25 to 50 p,g/mL with a correlation coefficient (R2) greater than 0.999 8. The lower limit of quantification was 0.25 p,g/mL. Intra-day and inter-day accuracy and precision were within 15%. Extraction recovery and matrix effect values ranged from 90.1% to 110.6% and 0.1% to 2.1%, respectively. [Conclusions] This method was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of the three components in high-level CAVO plasma samples, providing a basis for subsequent studies of CAVO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Equity and efficiency are two fundamental principles for the sound development of health systems, as advocated by the World Health Organization (WHO). Despite the notable progress made by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in advancing their health systems, gaps persist in achieving global health goals. This paper examines the efficiency of health system stages and the fairness of health resource distribution in ASEAN countries, analyzes the underlying causes of the existing gaps, and suggests potential solutions to bridge them. Methods Data spanning 2011 to 2019, sourced from the WHO Global Health Observatory and the World Bank Database, form the foundation of this study. This study employs an enhanced two-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) to assess the efficiency of health system stages in ASEAN countries. Equity in health resource distribution is evaluated using health resource agglomeration degree and concentration curves across demographic, geographic, and economic aspects. Furthermore, the Entropy-Weighted TOPSIS method is utilized to integrate equity across these dimensions, measuring the overall fairness in health resource allocation across different countries. Finally, rankings of health system fairness and efficiency are compared to assess the overall development level of health systems. Results The overall efficiency of the ASEAN health systems from 2011 to 2019 averaged 0.231, with an upward trend in the first stage efficiency at 0.559 and a downward trend in the second stage at 0.502. The health resource agglomeration degree indicated that Singapore, Brunei, and Malaysia had HRAD and HRPD values significantly greater than 1, and Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos predominantly had indices significantly less than 1. The concentration curve for hospital beds was the closest to the line of absolute equity. During the study period, the health resource concentration curve increasingly approached absolute equity, shifting from above to below the concentration curve. Singapore, Brunei, and Malaysia consistently remained in the first quadrant of the quadrant plot, and Myanmar and Cambodia were consistently in the third quadrant. Conclusion ASEAN countries face two key challenges in their healthcare systems: first, while many nations such as Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam have improved resource allocation efficiency, this hasn’t yet translated into better health services. To address this, establishing national health sector steering committees, focusing on workforce training and retention, and implementing centralized monitoring systems are crucial. Second, there is a growing disparity in healthcare development across ASEAN. Promoting balanced resource distribution and leveraging ASEAN’s economic integration for regional collaboration will help bridge these gaps and foster more equitable healthcare systems.

With the expansion of America's global influence in the early twentieth century, consuming American cold refreshments, such as Coca-Cola (Coke) and Hazelwood Ice Cream, became an urban fashion in Republican Shanghai during the 1930s and 1940s. Their American merchants, the Coca-Cola and Henningsen Companies, published advertisements depicting women consuming these American refreshments in Shanghai-based print media. Both companies used localized strategies to advertise their products to Chinese customers. Specifically, they used many fashion images of a modern way of life that was at once Sinicized and Americanized, with ads featuring healthy, free, dignified, and, at times, sexualized female models as their consumers. Focusing on these American refreshments' advertisements, this article argues that American capitalists presented a hybridized modernity to market their products in Republican Shanghai, the most Western-influenced Chinese cosmopolitan city; however, their advertising strategies varied to an extent because they used different business modes and coped with different levels of domestic competition in the Chinese market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automated pavement condition survey is of critical importance to road network management. There are three primary tasks involved in pavement condition surveys, namely data collection, data processing and condition evaluation. Artificial intelligence (AI) has achieved many breakthroughs in almost every aspect of modern technology over the past decade, and undoubtedly offers a more robust approach to automated pavement condition survey. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review on data collection systems, data processing algorithms and condition evaluation methods proposed between 2010 and 2023 for intelligent pavement condition survey. In particular, the data collection system includes AI-driven hardware devices and automated pavement data collection vehicles. The AI-driven hardware devices including right-of-way (ROW) cameras, ground penetrating radar (GPR) devices, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) devices, and advanced laser imaging systems, etc. These different hardware components can be selectively mounted on a vehicle to simultaneously collect multimedia information about the pavement. In addition, this article pays close attention to the application of artificial intelligence methods in detecting pavement distresses, measuring pavement roughness, identifying pavement rutting, analyzing skid resistance and evaluating structural strength of pavements. Based upon the analysis of a variety of the state-of-the-art artificial intelligence methodologies, remaining challenges and future needs with respect to intelligent pavement condition survey are discussed eventually.

During the late Qing and Republican era of China, among the few female scholars from Macau, Sin Yuk-ching (Xian Yuqing 冼玉清, 1895-1965), or more commonly known as the “Lingnan talented woman” 嶺 南才女, was the most successful active female scholar and classical poet within the Lingnan male literati community. She was also the first to compile a bibliography of women’s works in the history of Lingnan and the pioneer of the academic lineage of women’s studies in Guangdong. Throughout her life, Sin Yuk-ching moved between Macau, Hong Kong, and Guangdong, and her Lingnan studies combined the Chinese cultures from the three regions as well as the “palimpsest horizons” formed by Portuguese and British colonial experiences. From the Ming dynasty onwards, Macau had become a “southern paradise” 南天樂土 and frequently interacted with the Lingnan cultural community. On one hand, it was seen as a peripheral area to the Empire, but on the other, was a base from which China imported Western culture. Due to its immigration society and colonial history, the cultural circle of Macau not only ushered in talents from Mainland China, but also had some of its scholars move to different places such as Guangdong and Hong Kong, a trend which helped to develop the Lingnan academic style. Among them, Sin Yuk-ching was one of the first scholars to discuss the importance of Macao in modern Chinese history, and she worked tirelessly to uncover people and cultures at different margins within Lingnan literature. The present paper highlights Sin’s “self-awareness of multiple margins,” including those of Lingnan in relation to the cultural centers in the north, of Macau and Hong Kong within Lingnan studies, and of women in the Republic of China as she placed herself in the center of the intellectual field from the margin. Furthermore, this study analyzes and interprets the new Cantonese education Sin had received in Macau during the late Qing and Republican era , how she brought a Macau experience back to Guangdong cultural circles by constructing Lingnan literary and historical studies in times of turmoil, and finally, how she demonstrated nationalism through historical writings in Hong Kong during the Second Sino-Japanese War. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular malformations are common vascular lesions in infants and seriously affect their health and quality of life. Vascular sclerotherapy is an effective treatment for vascular malformations. However, current sclerosants have difficulty achieving both high efficiency and low toxicity, and their dosing forms make it difficult to achieve long-term retention in the affected blood vessels. Therefore, exploring a safe and effective sclerosant and its delivery strategy is the key to clinical sclerotherapy. To address the above issues, this study developed sclerosants that could form an in-situ gel based on a dual mechanism of vascular injury and plasmin (PLA) inhibition. By linking the non-ionic surfactant sclerosant polyoxyethylene alkyl ether (PAs) and the PLA inhibitor tranexamic acid (TA) through an ester bond, a cationic surfactant sclerosant polyoxyethylene alkylether tranexamate derivatives (PATDs) were constructed. The cationic charge of PATDs enhanced its cytotoxicity to HUVEC-TIE2-L914F cells, and the ester bond of PATDs could be degraded by esterase in the blood, reducing its systemic toxicity. The degradation product TA inhibited the activation of the PLA-matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) system induced by vascular injury, thereby promoting the deposition of collagen and the proliferation and differentiation of fibroblasts to promote vascular fibrosis. In addition, an injectable solution (PATDs/GA) was prepared by mixing PATDs with glycerol formaldehyde (GA), and PATDs/GA could form a low-molecular-weight gel automatically in an aqueous solution, which was beneficial to increase its retention in the affected blood vessels and reduce the risk of drug entering non-targeted sites. At the same time, this gel automatically dissolved, reducing the risk of immune rejection caused by long-term retention. This study provided a new and precise approach for the treatment of vascular sclerosis with high efficiency and low toxicity.

In response to China's national policy of “achieving carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060″, and to promote the heating system of rural buildings in China's severe cold zone. Two heating schemes of the GSHP (Ground Source Heat Pump) system and the SGSHP (Solar Ground Source Heat Pump) system are designed and simulated for a single rural residential building in Harbin city. The results present that the outlet temperature of buried pipe in SGSHP system is 13.86 % higher than that in GSHP system, and coefficient of performance (COP) correspondingly increases 9.2 %. There is a better comprehensive performance for the SGSHP system in cold climates. The standard coal consumption of SGSHP system is about 72.35 % less than that of biomass boiler system, showing a greater energy efficiency. Compared to the local conventional biomass boiler system, the dynamic cost payback period of the SGSHP system amounts to 11 years, while yielding a net present value (NPV) of 10,800 CNY throughout the project's life cycle. The emissions of CO2, SO2, and dust are reduced by 2617.13 kg, 19.38 kg, and 14.535 kg respectively. The results indicate a great overall performance of the SGSHP system for residential heating in the cold climate zone. This research offers an energy efficient and eco-friendly alternative for the space heating of Chinese rural buildings in cold climates.

BackgroundHypertension is increasingly prevalent among young and middle-aged populations in rural China, accompanied by suboptimal self-management. Given that this population forms the backbone of the labor force, enhancing their self-management capabilities is crucial for improving overall population health. Studies indicate that individuals with good health literacy are more likely to effectively manage their health.MethodsGrounded in the health literacy skills framework, a model was constructed in this study to examine the impact of health literacy on self-management among young and middle-aged hypertensive patients in rural China. Meanwhile, the mediating roles of illness perception and self-efficacy were also verified. Using a multi-stage stratified random sampling method, 338 patients were recruited to participate in the study. Structural equation modeling was utilized to establish the relationship model, and bootstrap tests were carried out to examine the mediating effects.ResultsThe average self-management score was 70.45 ± 11.36. Health literacy exhibited a positive correlation with self-management (standardized β = 0.372, p

Abstract Multiple tumors are synergistically promoted by c-Met and TRK, and blocking their cross-signalling pathway may give better effects. In this study, we developed a tyrosine kinase inhibitor 1D228, which exhibited excellent anti-tumor activity by targeting c-Met and TRK. Models in vitro, 1D228 showed a significant better inhibition on cancer cell proliferation and migration than the positive drug Tepotinib. Models in vivo, 1D228 showed robust anti-tumor effect on gastric and liver tumor growth with 94.8% and 93.4% of the TGI, respectively, comparing 67.61% and 63.9% of Tepotinib. Importantly, compared with the combination of Larotrectinib and Tepotinib, 1D228 monotherapy in MKN45 xenograft tumor models showed stronger antitumor activity and lower toxicity. Mechanistic studies showed that 1D228 can largely inhibit the phosphorylation of TRKB and c-Met. Interestingly, both kinases, TRKs and c-Met, have been found to be co-expressed at high levels in patients with gastric cancer through IHC. Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis has revealed that both genes are abnormally co-expressed in multiple types of cancer. Cell cycle analysis found that 1D228 induced G0/G1 arrest by inhibiting cyclin D1. Additionally, vascular endothelial cells also showed a pronounced response to 1D228 due to its expression of TRKB and c-Met. 1D228 suppressed the migration and tube formation of endothelial cells, which are the key functions of tumor angiogenesis. Taken together, compound 1D228 may be a promising candidate for the next generation of c-Met and TRK inhibitors for cancer treatment, and offers a novel potential treatment strategy for cancer patients with abnormal expressions of c-Met or NTRK, or simultaneous of them.

Anti-tumor angiogenesis therapy, targeting the suppression of blood vessel growth in tumors, presents a potent approach in the battle against cancer. Traditional therapies have primarily concentrated on single-target techniques, with a specific emphasis on targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor, but have not reached ideal therapeutic efficacy. In response to this issue, our study introduced a novel nanoparticle system known as CS-siRNA/PEITC&L-cRGD NPs. These chitosan-based nanoparticles have been recognized for their excellent biocompatibility and ability to deliver genes. To enhance their targeted delivery capability, they were combined with a cyclic RGD peptide (cRGD). Targeted co-delivery of gene and chemotherapeutic agents was achieved through the use of a negatively charged lipid shell and cRGD, which possesses high affinity for integrin αvβ3 overexpressed in tumor cells and neovasculature. In this multifaceted approach, co-delivery of VEGF siRNA and phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) was employed to target both tumor vascular endothelial cells and tumor cells simultaneously. The co-delivery of VEGF siRNA and PEITC could achieve precise silencing of VEGF, inhibit the accumulation of HIF-1α under hypoxic conditions, and induce apoptosis in tumor cells. In summary, we have successfully developed a nanoparticle delivery platform that utilizes a dual mechanism of action of anti-tumor angiogenesis and pro-tumor apoptosis, which provides a robust and potent strategy for the delivery of anti-cancer therapeutics.

A user’s devices such as their phone and computer are constantly bombarded by IoT devices and associated applications seeking connection to the user’s devices. These IoT devices may or may not seek explicit user consent, thus leaving the users completely unaware the IoT device is collecting, using, and/or sharing their personal data or, only marginal informed, if the user consented to the connecting IoT device but did not read the associated privacy policies. Privacy policies are intended to inform users of what personally identifiable information (PII) data will be collected about them and the policies about how those PII data will be used and shared. This paper presents novel tools and the underlying algorithms employed by the Personal Privacy Assistant app (UTCID PPA) developed by the University of Texas at Austin Center for Identity to inform users of IoT devices seeking to connect to their devices and to notify those users of potential privacy risks posed by the respective IoT device. The assessment of these privacy risks must deal with the uncertainty associated with sharing the user’s personal data. If privacy risk (R) equals the consequences (C) of an incident (i.e., personal data exposure) multiplied by the probability (P) of those consequences occurring (C × P), then efforts to control risks must seek to reduce the possible consequences of an incident as well as reduce the uncertainty of the incident and its consequences occurring. This research classifies risk according to two parameters: expected value of the incident’s consequences and uncertainty (entropy) of those consequences. This research calculates the entropy of the privacy incident consequences by evaluating: (1) the data sharing policies governing the IoT resource and (2) the type of personal data exposed. The data sharing policies of an IoT resource are scored by the UTCID PrivacyCheck™, which uses machine learning to read and score the IoT resource privacy policies against metrics set forth by best practices and international regulations. The UTCID Identity Ecosystem uses empirical identity theft and fraud cases to assess the entropy of privacy incident consequences involving a specific type of personal data, such as name, address, Social Security number, fingerprint, and user location. By understanding the entropy of a privacy incident posed by a given IoT resource seeking to connect to a user’s device, UTCID PPA offers actionable recommendations enhancing the user’s control over IoT connections, interactions, their personal data, and, ultimately, user-centric privacy control.

The integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) has increasingly attracted attention as a promising high-efficiency clean coal technology. The oxygen-to-carbon ratio (O/C), nitrogen reinjection coefficient (Xgn), and integration air separation coefficient (Xas) affect system performance greatly. Based on the selected coal type, this paper establishes a 200 MW IGCC system model with coal–water slurry gasification, matches the three-pressure reheating heat recovery steam generator and syngas coolers, simulates and calculates the system performance of O/C, Xas and Xgn using Thermo-flex software. From the perspective of the whole system, the optimal O/C of the system is obtained as 0.91 considering the syngas composition and gasification temperature. From the perspective of system efficiency, the Xgn is obtained as 60 % with the Xas of 20 %. The overall IGCC system model is optimized using the optimized O/C, Xgn, and Xas to obtain higher system power and efficiency, the system power generation efficiency can improve up to 51.52 %. A thermal balance diagram of the IGCC system is drawn using the calculation results and provides a reference for the future design and operation of IGCC systems.

Abstract Few-shot relation extraction is one of the current research focuses. The key to this research is to fully extract the relation semantic information through very little training data. Intuitively, raising the relation semantics awareness in sentences can improve the efficiency of the model to extract relation features to alleviate the overfitting problem in few-shot learning. Therefore, we propose an enhanced relation semantic feature model based on prototype network to extract relations from few-shot texts. Firstly, we design a multi-level embedding encoder with position information and Transformer, which uses local information in the text to enhance the relation semantics representation. Secondly, the encoded relation features are fed into the novel prototype network, which designs a method that utilizes query prototype-level attention to guide the extraction of supporting prototypes, thereby enhancing the prototypes representation to better classify the relations in query sentences. Finally, through experimental comparison and discussion, we prove and analyze the effectiveness of the proposed multi-level embedding encoder, and prototype-level attention can enhance the stability of the model. Furthermore, our model has substantial improvements over baseline methods.

Enzyme-based biosensors commonly utilize the drop-casting method for their surface modification. However, the drawbacks of this technique, such as low reproducibility, coffee ring effects, and challenges in mass production, hinder its application. To overcome these limitations, we propose a novel surface functionalization strategy of enzyme crosslinking via inkjet printing for reagentless enzyme-based biosensors. This method includes printing three functional layers onto a screen-printed electrode: the enzyme layer, crosslinking layer, and protective layer. Nanomaterials and substrates are preloaded together during our inkjet printing. Inkjet-printed electrodes feature a uniform enzyme deposition, ensuring high reproducibility and superior electrochemical performance compared to traditional drop-casted ones. The resultant biosensors display high sensitivity, as well as a broad linear response in the physiological range of the serum phosphate. This enzyme crosslinking method has the potential to extend into various enzyme-based biosensors through altering functional layer components.

COVID-19 pandemic is a global health risk, but our understanding on the induced durable immunity remains scarce. Here the authors assess antibody responses in 869 convalescent COVID-19 patients to find that specific antibody titers reduce with time, and the RBD-IgG positive rate exceed 70% at 12 month post diagnosis, with male and older patients showing stronger responses.

The smart grid is enabling the collection of massive amounts of high-dimensional and multi-type data about the electric power grid operations, by integrating advanced metering infrastructure, control technologies, and communication technologies. However, the traditional modeling, optimization, and control technologies have many limitations in processing the data; thus, the applications of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in the smart grid are becoming more apparent. This survey presents a structured review of the existing research into some common AI techniques applied to load forecasting, power grid stability assessment, faults detection, and security problems in the smart grid and power systems. It also provides further research challenges for applying AI technologies to realize truly smart grid systems. Finally, this survey presents opportunities of applying AI to smart grid problems. The paper concludes that the applications of AI techniques can enhance and improve the reliability and resilience of smart grid systems.

ALK-positive NSCLC coexisting with EGFR mutations is a frequently occurring clinical phenomenon. Targeting ALK and EGFR simultaneously may be an effective way to treat these cancer patients. In this study, we designed and synthesized ten new dual-target EGFR/ALK inhibitors. Among them, the optimal compound 9j exhibited good activity with IC50 values of 0.07829 ± 0.03 μM and 0.08183 ± 0.02 μM against H1975 (EGFR T790M/L858R) and H2228 (EML4-ALK) cells, respectively. Immunofluorescence assays indicated that the compound could simultaneously inhibit the expression of phosphorylated EGFR and ALK proteins. A kinase assay demonstrated that compound 9j could inhibit both EGFR and ALK kinases; thus, exerting an antitumor effect. Additionally, compound 9j induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner and inhibited the invasion and migration of tumor cells. All of these results indicate that 9j is worthy of further study.

Polymer nanodielectrics render a great material platform for exhibiting the intrinsic nature of incorporated particles, particularly semiconducting types, and their interfaces with the polymer matrix. Incorporating the oxide fillers with higher loading percentages (>40 vol%) encounters particular challenges in terms of dispersion, homogeneous distribution, and porosity from the process. This work investigated the dielectric loss and electrical conduction behaviors of composites containing semiconducting ZnO varistor particles of various concentrations using the epoxy impregnation method. The ZnO varistor particles increased the dielectric permittivity, loss, and electrical conductivity of the epoxy composites into three different regimes (0–50 vol%, 50–70 vol%, 70–100 vol%), particularly under an electric bias field or at higher temperatures. For lower loading fractions below 50 vol%, the dielectric responses are dominated by the insulating epoxy matrix. When loading fractions are between 50 and 70 vol%, the dielectric and electric responses are mostly associated with the semiconducting interfaces of ZnO varistor particles and ZnO–epoxy. At above 70 vol%, the apparent increase in the dielectric loss and conductivity is primarily associated with the conducting ZnO core forming the interconnected channels of electric conduction. The foam-agent-assisted ZnO varistor particle framework appears to be a better way of fabricating composites of filler loading above 80 vol%. A physical model using an equivalent capacitor, diode, and resistor in the epoxy composites was proposed to explain the different property behaviors.