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Developing efficient, economic, and environment-friendly electrocatalysts to meet the industrialized hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) needs is highly desired for dealing with the energy crisis. Under the known premise, how to reasonably control the doping amount of copper greatly influences the structure and is one of the key factors affecting the performance of the catalyst. Herein, a series of Ni–Cu–C electrocatalysts are successfully synthesized through a simple electrodeposition method. The unique dendritic morphology can be obtained by adjusting the different glucose concentrations. DFT simulation reveals that the proper proportion of copper can significantly modulate the H adsorption-free energy Δ G H ∗ It can boost the intrinsic activity of Ni–Cu–C catalysts. NCC-3 delivers an overpotential of 87 mV and 165 mV in alkaline media at the current density of 10 mA cm−2 and 100 mA cm−2, respectively and presents outstanding long-term stability for 50 h. Such excellent HER activity stems from a large ECSA area and better electron-transfer ability. The study presents a feasible way to control metal alloy catalysts' composition in the electrodeposition process. • Ni–Cu–C catalyst with lower overpotential (η 10mA cm −2 = 87 mV) and long-time stability (50 h) was synthesized successfully. • The doping ratio of the Ni–Cu can be controlled by the concentration of glucose in the electrodeposition process. • The Ni–Cu–C catalyst has a unique dendritic morphology with large ECSA area of 210 cm2. • DFT simulation verified that the reasonable doping of copper can moderated H adsorption free energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high‐pressure behavior of hafnon has been systematically investigated by combining in situ synchrotron X‐ray diffraction, Raman, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) techniques, and theoretical simulations. Hafnon starts phase transition at 26.6 GPa and completes the transition to an irreversible scheelite phase (I41/a$I{4}_{1}/a$, Z = 4, a0 = 4.712 Å, and c0 = 10.378 Å) at ∼45 GPa. The HRTEM observation of an interface between hafnon and scheelite phases allows atomic scale understanding of the transition process with a relationship of (200)h‖(112)s, (002¯)h∥(1¯10)s$(00\overline{2})_{\mathrm{h}}\Vert (\overline{1}10)_{\mathrm{s}}$//, and [010]h∥[1¯1¯1]s$[010]_{\mathrm{h}}\Vert [\overline{1}\;\overline{1}\;1]_{\mathrm{s}}$. Hafnon shows a significantly lower transition pressure (∼12.6 GPa), as calculated from the relative enthalpies, than the measured pressure (∼26 GPa), indicating a kinetically hindered process involved in the transition. A high pressure low symmetry phase in hafnon (I4¯2d$I{\overline{4}}_{2}d$) is identified by the simultaneous appearance of two Raman modes (∼75 and 450 cm−1) at 26.6 GPa and their subsequent simultaneous disappearance at 36.7 GPa. These results are important to understanding the mechanism of the zircon‐scheelite transition for both zircon and hafnon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential would be an important issue for enhancing photocatalytic HER and CO 2 photoreduction selectivity. Herein, the Co 3 O 4 /Ti3+-TiO 2 hollow S-scheme heterojunction is fabricated via continuous light modification-chemical-annealing-reduction method. Evaluated by photocatalytic performance, the as-prepared Co 3 O 4 /Ti3+-TiO 2 hollow S-scheme heterojunction exhibits remarkable photocatalytic performance enhancement than single TiO 2 , including hydrogen evolution (∼396.16 μmol/g·h, ∼15 folds) and CO 2 photoreduction (H 2 /CH 4 /CO: ∼20.32/80.57/9.85 μmol/g·h, ∼20 folds), and achieves CO 2 photoreduction to CH 4 selectivity enhancement, which can be mainly ascribed to the synergism of Ti3+/O v and S-scheme heterojunction. There, Ti3+/O v can not only increase the solar efficiency, but also decrease the energy barrier of H+ and ∗CO photoreduction to enhance HER and CO 2 to CH 4 selectivity, including promote the H+ diffusion and CO 2 absorption. Additionally, the formed Co 3 O 4 /Ti3+-TiO 2 S-scheme heterojunction can promote the photo-generated carrier separation/transportation. Also, the hollow 3D structure obtained by ZIF-67 self-template can increase solar efficiency and stability. [Display omitted] • Ti3+/O v can decrease ∗CO photoreduction energy barrier to enhance CH 4 selectivity. • Ti3+/O v with shallow donor level can increase carrier concentration. • Heterojunction can promote carriers separation/transport via appropriate potential. • Hollow 3D structure can increase interface heterojunction and stability. • ZIF-67 self-template can decrease photocatalyst corrosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious diseases caused by Streptococcus iniae lead to massive death of fish, compose a serious threat to the global aquaculture industry, and constitute a risk to humans who deal with raw fish. In order to realize the early diagnosis of S. iniae, and control the outbreak and spread of disease, it is of great significance to establish fast, sensitive, and convenient detection methods for S. iniae. In the present study, two methods of real-time MIRA (multienzyme isothermal rapid amplification, MIRA) and MIRA-LFD (combining MIRA with lateral flow dipsticks (LFD)) for the simA gene of S. iniae were established, which could complete amplification at a constant temperature of 42 °C within 20 min. Real-time MIRA and MIRA-LFD assays showed high sensitivity (97 fg/μL or 7.6 × 102 CFU/mL), which were consistent with the sensitivity of real-time PCR and 10 times higher than that of PCR with strong specificity, repeatability simplicity, and rapidity for S. iniae originating from Trachinotus ovatus. In summary, real-time MIRA and MIRA-LFD provide effective ways for early diagnosis of S. iniae in aquaculture, especially for units in poor conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pixel offset tracking (OT) algorithm is a useful tool for measuring large surface displacements by matching amplitudes in master and slave synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. However, strong backscatters can cause homogeneous errors within a matching window (referred to as patch-like errors) in traditional OT processing, thereby misleading the interpretation of displacement events, especially over a small area. In this letter, we proposed an improved SAR OT algorithm to reduce patch-like errors. In which, a logarithmic transformation was firstly utilized to narrow the SAR amplitude range between strong and weak back scatterers. Strong backscatters causing patch-like errors were then statistically detected with an indicator of median absolute deviation. Finally, those strong backscatters were excluded from SAR OT processing using a weighted normalized cross-correlation scheme, in order to reduce the caused patch-like errors. Two real data tests over the Shuozhou and Yulin coal mining areas, China, suggest that the mean accuracy of the displacements estimated by the presented method improved about 30%, with respect to that estimated by the traditional OT algorithm. The proposed SAR OT algorithm offers a robust option to measure large displacements, especially over a small area, associated with anthropologic or geophysical activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen technology is widely considered a novel clean energy source, and electrolysis is an effective method for hydrogen evolution. Therefore, efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts are urgently needed to replace precious metal catalysts and meet ecological and environmental protection standards. Herein, Ni–Mn–P electrocatalysts are synthesized using facile electrodeposition technology. The influence of the Mn addition on the catalytic behavior is studied by the comprehensive analysis of catalytic performance and morphology of the catalysts. Among them, the Ni–Mn–P0.01 catalyst exhibits small coral-like structures, greatly improving the adsorption and desorption of hydrogen ions and reducing the overpotential hydrogen evolution. Consequently, overpotential at 10 mA cm−2 electric current density is 113 mV, and the value of the Tafel slope achieves 74 mV/dec. Furthermore, the Ni–Mn–P catalyst shows long-time (20 h) stability at current densities of 10 and 60 mA/cm2. The results confirm that the synergistic effect of Ni, Mn, and P accelerates the electrochemical reaction. Meanwhile, the addition of manganese element can change the micromorphology of the catalyst, thereby exposing more active sites to participate in the reaction, enhancing water ionization, improving the catalytic performance. This study opens a new way toward improving the activity of the catalyst by adjusting Mn concentration during the electrodeposition process. [Display omitted] • Ni–Mn–P electrocatalysts are synthesized by facile electrodeposition technology. • 3D spherical microstructure Ni–Mn–P catalyst can be formed. • 3D spherical microstructure improves the adsorption and desorption of hydrogen ions. • Ni–Mn–P catalyst improves the hydrogen evolution reaction and longtime stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The newly carbide α-Mo2Ga2C with P63/mmc space group presents a unique top-packed Ga double layer structure. Pressure-induced phase transition of Mo2Ga2C has been investigated by in-situ high-pressure synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy combined with diamond anvil cell technique, and first-principle calculations. Both experimental and theoretical results show that a first-order phase transition from P63/mmc to P 3 ¯ m1 occurs at ∼22 GPa, where the high-pressure phase named β-Mo2Ga2C has a close-packed Ga double layer zig-zag structure. The isothermal pressure-volume relationship of Mo2Ga2C is described by the second-order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state, yielding K0 = 139(2) GPa, K0′ = 4(fixed), and V0 = 144.5(1) Å3 for α-Mo2Ga2C; K0 = 187(3) GPa, K0′ = 4(fixed), and V0 = 137.9(2) Å3 for β-Mo2Ga2C. The instability caused by the repulsive force between the Ga atoms in the top-packed double-layer under pressure mainly accounts for the phase transition. The newly discovered β-Mo2Ga2C reveals that the MAX-like M2A2X type ternary compounds with different compositions may form various structures with different space groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-modal dense video captioning is a task using multiple information to detect all meaningful events and generate a textual description for each event. The existing works mainly rely on single visual or dual audio-visual modals in dense video captioning, while completely ignoring the text modal (subtitle). The text modal has a similar data structure as the video captions, which provides immediate semantic information to the content description for a video. In this paper, we propose a novel framework, called Two-Stage Cross-Modal Encoding Transformer Network (TS-CMETN), to realize the multi-modal dense video captioning task by fusing multiple features, including audio, visual, and text. First, we design a two-stage feature fusion encoder that hierarchically achieves the intra- and inter-modal information interaction. Second, we propose an anchor-free temporal event proposal module, which efficiently generates event proposals at each time step without the complex anchor calculation. Extensive experiments on the ActivityNet Captions dataset show that our proposed framework achieves high performance. Moreover, our approach can adaptively handle cases of the missing text modal. Our code and data are available at https://github.com/xieyulai/TM-CMETN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black rockfish is an economically important fish in East Asia. Little mention has been paid to the sperm cryopreservation in black rockfish. In this study, the optimal cryodiluent was selected from 48 combinations by detecting various sperm parameters. Transcriptome and methylome analysis were further performed to explore the molecular mechanism of inevitable cryoinjuries. The results showed that cryopreservation had negative effects on the viability, DNA integrity, mitochondrial activity, total ATPase and LDH of sperm even with optimal cryodiluent (FBS + 15% Gly). Transcriptome and methylome analysis revealed that the expression of 179 genes and methylation of 1266 genes were affected by cryopreservation. These genes were enriched in GO terms of death, G-protein coupled receptor signaling pathway, response to external stimulus and KEGG pathways of phospholipase D signaling pathway and xenobiotic and carbohydrate metabolism pathways. The role of PIK3CA and CCNA2 were highlighted in the protein-protein interaction network, and the sperm quality-related imprinted gene mest was identified among the 7 overlapping genes between transcriptome and methylome. Overall, the cryodiluent for black rockfish sperm was optimized, providing a feasible method for cryopreservation. The transcriptome and methylome data further demonstrated the underlying molecular mechanisms of cryoinjuries, proving clues for improvement of cryopreservation method of black rockfish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Higher-order topological phases give rise to new bulk and boundary physics, as well as new classes of topological phase transitions. While the realization of higher-order topological phases has been confirmed in many platforms by detecting the existence of gapless boundary modes, a direct determination of the higher-order topology and related topological phase transitions through the bulk in experiments has still been lacking. To bridge the gap, in this work we carry out the simulation of a two-dimensional second-order topological phase in a superconducting qubit. Owing to the great flexibility and controllability of the quantum simulator, we observe the realization of higher-order topology directly through the measurement of the pseudo-spin texture in momentum space of the bulk for the first time, in sharp contrast to previous experiments based on the detection of gapless boundary modes in real space. Also through the measurement of the evolution of pseudo-spin texture with parameters, we further observe novel topological phase transitions from the second-order topological phase to the trivial phase, as well as to the first-order topological phase with nonzero Chern number. Our work sheds new light on the study of higher-order topological phases and topological phase transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In traditional Chinese herbal medicine, rhubarb is said to remove accumulation with purgation, clearing heat, and discharging fire. Modern pharmacology has shown that rhubarb extract has a purgative effect when given to experimental animals in an appropriate dose. However, the active components and their mechanism of action are still not clearly defined. The current research aimed to evaluate the synergistic stool-softening effects and explore the action mechanism of rhubarb free anthraquinones (RhA) and their monomers on constipation in rats. A rat model of water deficit-induced constipation was established to induce constipation, and these rats were treated with RhA and its monomers. ELISA, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, qPCR and Western blotting based on network pharmacology and molecular docking were conducted to explore the possible mechanism of action of RhA and its monomers. RhA, aloe-emodin, rhein, and chrysophanol showed stool-softening activity, and the combination of aloe-emodin and rhein had the strongest softening effect on faecal pellets. Aloe-emodin, rhein, and chrysophanol significantly increased the serum levels of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), motilin (MTL), and substance P (SP), upregulated the expression of VIP, cyclase-associated protein 1 (CAP1), protein kinase A (PKA), cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), aquaporin 3 (AQP3), aquaporin 4 (AQP4), and aquaporin 8 (AQP8), decreased the expression of epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) and Na+/H+ exchanger 3 (NHE3), and reduced the colonic tissue concentration of Na+-K+-ATPase in the constipated rats. Osmolality of colonic fluid in model rats treated by RhA, aloe-emodin, rhein, and chrysophanol was increased. Aloe-emodin, rhein, and chrysophanol were the stool-softening components of the RhA extract, and there were certain drug-interactions between the components. RhA upregulated VIP expression, activated the cyclic adenosine monophosphate protein kinase A (cAMP/PKA) pathway, and further stimulated CFTR expression while inhibiting NHE3 and ENaC expression, resulting in a hypertonic state in the colonic lumen. Water transport could then be driven by an osmotic gradient, which in turn led to the upregulation of AQP3, AQP4, and AQP8 expression. In addition, RhA likely improved gastrointestinal motility by increasing serum VIP, SP, and MTL concentrations, thus promoting faecal excretion. [Display omitted] • Aloe-emodin, rhein and chrysophanol were the stool-softening components of rhubarb, and there were certain drug-interactions between the components. • Aloe-emodin, rhein and chrysophanol upregulated VIP expression, activated the cAMP/PKA pathway, further stimulated CFTR expression while inhibited NHE3 and ENaC expression, resulting in osmolality driven water transport, which in turn led to upregulation of AQP expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being parent materials of two-dimensional (2D) crystals, van der Waals layered materials have received revived interest. In most 2D materials, the interaction between electrons is negligible. Introducing the interaction can give rise to a variety of exotic properties. Here, via intercalating a van der Waals layered compound VS2, we find evidence for electron correlation by extensive magnetic, thermal, electrical, and thermoelectric characterizations. The low temperature Sommerfeld coefficient is 64 mJ⋅K−2⋅mol−1 and the Kadowaki–Woods ratio rKW ∼ 0.20a0. Both supports an enhancement of the electron correlation. The temperature dependences of the resistivity and thermopower indicate an important role played by the Kondo effect. The Kondo temperature TK is estimated to be around 8 K. Our results suggest intercalation as a potential means to engineer the electron correlation in van der Waals materials, as well as 2D materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, ZrTe5 has received a lot of attention as it exhibits various topological phases, such as weak and strong topological insulators, a Dirac semimetal, a three-dimensional quantum Hall state, and a quantum spin Hall insulator in the monolayer limit. While most of studies have been focused on the three-dimensional bulk material, it is highly desired to obtain nanostructured materials due to their advantages in device applications. We report the synthesis and characterizations of ZrTe5 nanoribbons. Via a silicon-assisted chemical vapor transport method, long nanoribbons with thickness as thin as 20 nm can be grown. The growth rate is over an order of magnitude faster than the previous method for the bulk crystals. Moreover, transport studies show that the nanoribbons are of low unintentional doping and high carrier mobility, over 30000 cm2/V⋅s, which enable reliable determination of the Berry phase of π in the ac plane from quantum oscillations. Our method holds great potential in growth of high quality ultra-thin nanostructures of ZrTe5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The pure CuOOH series (C2/m, Pmn21 and Cmc21) are inert for OER/ORR. • Co and Rh can effectively activate CuOOH series as bifunctional OER/ORR electrocatalysts. • The 2D-L C2/m-CuOOH substrate decorated by Co and Rh only has η OER / ORR of 0.25 eV/0.22 eV and 0.36 eV/0.46 eV, respectively. Copper oxyhydroxide (CuOOH), an unavoidable oxidic product of CuO and Cu(OH) 2 electrocatalysts, is always ignored in water splitting. In this work, we investigated the OER /ORR electrocatalytic activity of all CuOOH series (C2/m, Cmc2 1, and Pmn2 1) and proposed an improvement scheme for catalytic activity using the DFT method. The results showed that pure CuOOH matrixes with large OER/ORR overpotentials (η OER / ORR) were inert toward OER/ORR. Therefore, eleven metals (Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, W, and Ir) were used to activate the CuOOH substrates. It is found that the OER/ORR performances of all CuOOH series can be significantly improved by Co or Rh doping. Especially for 2D-layered C2/m-CuOOH substrate, the η OER / ORR was reduced from 1.26 V/2.01 V to 0.25 V/0.22 V and 0.36 V/0.46 V by Co and Rh embedding, respectively, which mainly owes to the regulation from the moderate d-orbital electrons of doped Co and Rh. This work systematically revealed the OER/ORR performance of the CuOOH series, which will promote the development of new catalysts and help us to deeply understand and improve the OER/ORR performance of previous copper oxide electrocatalysts. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diamonds are renowned as the record of Earth's evolution history. Natural diamonds on the Earth can be distinguished in light of genetic types as kimberlitic diamonds (including peridotitic diamonds and eclogitic diamonds), ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic diamonds and ophiolitic diamonds. According to the inclusion mineralogy, most diamonds originated from continental lithospheric mantle at depths of 140-250 km. Several localities, however, yield ultradeep diamonds with inclusion compositions that require a sublithospheric origin (>~250 km). Ultradeep diamonds exhibit distinctions in terms of carbon isotope composition, N-concentration, mineral inclusions and so on. The present study provides a systematic compilation concerning the features of ultradeep diamonds, based on which to expound their genesis affinity with mantle-carbonate melts. The diamond-parental carbonate melts are proposed to be stemmed from the Earth's crust through subduction of oceanic lithosphere. Ultradeep diamonds are classified into a subgroup attaching to kimberlitic diamonds grounded by formation mechanism, and present connections in respect of carbon origin to eclogitic diamonds, ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic diamonds and ophiolitic diamonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fetal bovine serum could induce spermatozoa motility activation in black rockfish. • The study provides omics insights into molecular changes of activated spermatozoa. • Capacitation related pathways were involved in spermatozoa motility activation. Black rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii) is an economically important marine species with the characteristics of viviparity. The spermatozoa were transferred into the ovary by mating and stored for several months until fertilization. Little is known about spermatozoa activation and its mechanism in black rockfish. In this study, the suitable medium for spermatozoa activation in vitro was explored, and the underlying mechanism was studied by omics analysis. Fetal bovine serum (FBS) could significantly enhance spermatozoa motility in vitro. Omics analysis showed 559 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 1311 differentially methylated genes (DMGs) were identified after FBS treatment. Transcriptome analysis revealed that FBS-induced spermatozoa motility activation is associated with spermatozoa capacitation regulated by the cAMP-SRC-PKA, cGMP-PKG and phospholipase D signaling pathway. Spermatozoa capacitation-related gene hsp90aa1 and chemotaxis-related gene cxcr4 were two of the important DMGs. Methylome analysis further revealed that FBS-induced epigenetic modifications are involved in spermatozoa capacitation and chemotaxis. 36 overlaps were identified between DMGs and DEGs, of which five genes were demonstrated to play a role in spermatozoa physiology, required for flagellum stability and spermatozoa motility. The results could provide new clues for understanding spermatozoa activation's molecular mechanism and help establish activation and/or immobilizing media for improving either artificial fertilization or cryopreservation in black rockfish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Porous and 3D flower-like NiW-0.6A was synthesized by electrodeposition method. • The overpotential of NiW-0.6A is 98 mV (10 mA cm−2). • NiW-0.6A shows strong stability for 100 h in 1 M KOH. • Enhanced HER performance by intrinsic catalytic activity and twin boundaries. The development of cost-effective electrocatalysts to produce high-purity hydrogen by electrochemical water splitting is critical to addressing resource and environmental problems. Theoretically, NiW materials are considered to be an excellent HER electrocatalyst. However, current NiW catalysts for HER are not satisfactory. Herein, the NiW solid solution with twin boundaries is successfully fabricated by facile electrodeposition on copper sheet. As compared with Ni, the NiW-0.6A catalyst shows enhanced HER activity in 1 M KOH with the overpotential of 98 mV at 10 mA/cm2. Besides, NiW-0.6A exhibits excellent stability for 100 h at 20 mA/cm2. The excellent HER performance of NiW-0.6A may be attributed to the intrinsic catalytic activity and the defective twin boundaries exposing many active sites. This work could provide feasible suggestions for the design of efficient and high-performance NiW electrocatalysts for HER process.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ectoparasitic dinoflagellate Amyloodinium ocellatum (AO) is one of the most pathogenic protozoan parasites, causing amyloodiniosis in temperate and tropical marine fish. Golden pompano is susceptible to AO and increasing outbreaks of AO have posed a major threat to the economic sustainability of intensive aquaculture industry. In this study, natural parasite infection was simulated, and whole transcriptome analysis was performed with infected golden pompano gills to explore the host immune response to AO infestation. Overall, 4388 differentially expressed (DE) genes, 395 DE long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), 10 DE circular RNAs (circRNAs) and 96 DE microRNAs (miRNAs) were identified. DE genes were involved in pathways of ECM-receptor interaction and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, including many crucial extracellular matrix (ECM) components (integrin, laminin and collagen), cytokines (interleukin and lymphotoxin) and C-C motif chemokines. DE lncRNAs were significantly enriched in the regulation of immune cells, such as monocytes, neutrophils and lymphocytes. DE circRNAs were notably correlated with NOD-like receptor signaling pathway. DE miRNAs were prominently associated with immune-related pathways of cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, intestinal immune network for IgA production, herpes simplex infection and TGF-beta signaling pathway. Furthermore, a core competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was constructed, consisting of 28 DE mRNAs, 21 DE miRNAs, 8 DE circRNAs and 58 DE lncRNAs. The key roles of cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, focal adhesion, MAPK signaling, NOD-like receptor signaling and mTOR signaling pathway were highlighted in the ceRNA network. In total, the present study uncovered the molecular changes of coding and non-coding RNAs involved in host immune response induced by AO infestation. The results could contribute significantly to a comprehensive understanding of host immune response to AO infestation and provide new clues for developing efficient amyloodiniosis control measures and germplasm improvement in artificial breeding of golden pompano. • Ectoparasitic dinoflagellate Amyloodinium ocellatum (AO) triggers strong host immune responses of gold pompanos. • Whole transcriptome analysis revealed the key coding and noncoding RNAs involved in host responses to AO infestation. • Host extracellular matrix, chemokines and cytokines undergoes significant alterations upon AO infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Esophageal carcinoma (ESCA) is a common and lethal malignant tumor worldwide. The mitochondrial biomarkers were useful in finding significant prognostic gene modules associated with ESCA owing to the role of mitochondria in tumorigenesis and progression. In the present work, we obtained the transcriptome expression profiles and corresponding clinical information of ESCA from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Differential expressed genes (DEGs) were overlapped with 2030 mitochondria-related genes to get mitochondria-related DEGs. The univariate cox regression, Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression, and multivariate cox regression were sequentially used to define the risk scoring model for mitochondria-related DEGs, and its prognostic value was verified in the external datasets GSE53624. Based on the risk score, ESCA patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) were performed to further investigate the difference between low- and high-risk groups at the gene pathway level. CIBERSORT was used to evaluate immune cell infiltration. The mutation difference between high- and low-risk groups was compared by using the R package “Maftools”. Cellminer was used to assess the association between the risk scoring model and drug sensitivity. As the most important outcome of the study, a 6-gene risk scoring model (APOOL, HIGD1A, MAOB, BCAP31, SLC44A2, and CHPT1) was constructed from 306 mitochondria-related DEGs. Pathways including the “hippo signaling pathway” and “cell–cell junction” were enriched in the DEGs between high and low groups. According to CIBERSORT, samples with high-risk scores demonstrated a higher abundance of CD4+ T cells, NK cells, M0 and M2 macrophages, and a lower abundance of M1 macrophages. The immune cell marker genes were correlated with the risk score. In mutation analysis, the mutation rate of TP53 was significantly different between the high- and low-risk groups. Drugs with a strong correlation with the risk model were selected. In conclusion, we focused on the role of mitochondria-related genes in cancer development and proposed a prognostic signature for individualized integrative assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little is known on the extent of weight misperception and its relation with dietary intake among Chinese youth. Purpose: The study aimed to investigate extent and correlates of weight misperception and its relation with dietary intake among Chinese youth. Method: Data pertaining to Chinese youth, 6-17 years of age, from the 2004-2009 China Health and Nutrition Survey ( N = 3,923) were analyzed using STATA version 12.1. The heights and weights of the participants were measured by well-trained health workers at the participants' homes or a local clinic following the reference protocol recommended by the World Health Organization. The dietary intake data of the participants were collected on three consecutive days at both the household and individual levels. Results: Of the children 6-11 years of age, 18.9 % were underweight and 15.3 % were overweight. Among the children 12-17 years of age, 18.3 % were underweight and 8.1 % were overweight. Less than 60 % of Chinese youth accurately estimated their weight status. Nutrition knowledge was positively related to a perception of being overweight (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.98, p = .007) among children 12-17 years of age. A perception of being overweight was positively associated with fat and protein intake among children 6-11 years of age ( p < .05). Conclusions: A discrepancy exists between the actual and perceived weight status of Chinese youth. Efforts are needed in China to promote accurate weight perception, healthy weight, and eating behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a paucity of recent data on Chinese childhood overweight and underweight prevalence especially since 2004. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine trends in underweight and overweight/obesity ('overweight' hereafter) prevalence and energy balance-related behaviors of Chinese youth from 2004 to 2009. Methods: Data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey, 2004-2009 ( N = 4,061 students aged 6-18 years), were analyzed. Trained health workers took anthropometric measures at the participant's house or at a local clinic following a reference protocol recommended by the World Health Organization. The international age- and sex-specific body mass index reference standard proposed by the International Obesity Task Force was used to define underweight and overweight children in this study. Results: Among 6- to 11-year-old boys, underweight prevalence increased from 14.5 % (2004) to 20.1 % (2009, p = 0.068). Among 12- to 18-year-old boys, however, overweight prevalence increased from 7.5 to 12.6 % ( p = 0.034). From 2004 to 2009, after-school sedentary behavior increased from 2.3 to 3.4 h/day for 6- to 11-year-olds ( p < 0.001) and from 2.2 to 3.1 h/day for 12- to 18-year-olds ( p < 0.01). Meanwhile, the total energy intake decreased 7 % for 6- to 11-year-olds ( p < 0.05) and 10 % for 12- to 18-year-olds ( p < 0.01). Conclusions: Both underweight and overweight Chinese students are increasing, with underweight increases more pronounced in 6- to 11-year-olds and overweight increases more pronounced in 12- to 18-year-olds. Nationwide efficacious interventions are needed that improve the diet, decrease sedentary behavior, and encourage a healthy and realistic body image in Chinese youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although modifying high-pressure behavior through the particle-size of a material is well recognized, a clear mechanism, underlying the start and subsequent growth of a high-pressure phase, remains elusive. Here, we investigate the effects of particle-size on the formation of reidite (ZrSiO 4 , I 4 1 / a), a high-pressure phase of zircon (ZrSiO 4 , I 4 1 / amd), by comparing zircon nanoparticles with bulk. This is done by high pressure Raman scattering and synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments on zircons pressurized in diamond anvil cells and subsequent transmission electron microscopy analysis of quenched samples. As compared to bulk, the larger surface energy of nanoparticles is the cause of a higher critical pressure required to start the transition to reidite. However, after passing the critical pressures, the similar growth trends between nanoparticles and bulk indicate that the reidite growth is dependent on the core, rather than the surface. These results are important to identify craters caused by meteorite impacts using reidite as a high-pressure indicator, as nanoparticles are formed in naturally-occurring, highly radiation-damaged zircon. • Zircon nanoparticles are more difficult to transfer to reidite than zircon bulk. • Nanoparticles with larger surface require a higher pressure to start the transition. • Nanoparticles and bulk show a similar growth trend above the starting pressure. • The core rather than the surface controls the growth of reidite. • HRTEM images evidence the coexistence of zircon and reidite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: In Chinese adults, the trend of central obesity and its longitudinal association with hypertension, independent of general obesity, was examined. Methods: A 12-year longitudinal analysis was conducted using data retrieved from the China Health and Nutrition Survey. This study examined 6096 individuals (normotensive in 1997) who were followed up with in 2000, 2004, 2006, and 2009. Prevalence of hypertension in 2009 was predicted by baseline central obesity and waist circumference changes during a 12-year follow-up period along with confounding covariates using multiple logistic regressions. Results: Between 1997 and 2009, the prevalence of central obesity increased from 17.3% to 39.4% and was highest among individuals ≥60years of age in 1997. By 2009, 26.8% of the participants developed hypertension. The odds ratio of developing hypertension during the 12-year study period for Chinese adults with central obesity at baseline was 1.79 (95% confidence interval=1.36–2.35) compared to those without central obesity, controlling for general obesity, demographics, smoking/drinking behavior, and fat intake. Conclusions: Among Chinese adults, central obesity increases the risk for developing hypertension later in life, even after controlling for general obesity, smoking, drinking, and high fat intake among other factors. Waist circumference should be targeted in the efforts of hypertension prevention. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Recently, nitrogen-doped carbon dots (NCDs) have attracted considerable interest since nitrogen (N) doping could effectively tailor the electronic properties and the chemical reactivity of carbon dots (CDs) for advanced potential applications. Herein, a one-step pyrolysis method was presented for synthesizing the NCDs with excellent water solubility, good stability and a high quantum yield of ca. 28%. The detection performance of NCDs for the antibacterial drugs was further explored, and it was proved to effectively enhance the fluorescence due to the strong interaction between the NCDs and antibacterial drugs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Among the chemical doping elements, nitrogen atoms play a critical role in tuning the intrinsic properties or exploiting new phenomena of carbonaceous materials. Herein, we report a facile strategy to synthesize nitrogen-doped carbon dots (NCDs) using glutamic acid as the precursor via a one-step thermal conversion process. The as-produced NCDs exhibit bright blue photoluminescence (the quantum yield of ca. 23.2%), and the emission wavelength could be slightly tuned through changing the parameters of the synthesizing process. Interestingly, apart from their superior luminescence characters, unexpected cathodoluminescence (CL) and frequency upconverted emission properties were both observed in the NCDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Cu-doped Ni catalysts can be successfully synthesized by electrodeposition. • The incorporation of Cu can improve the electrocatalytic performance of Ni. • Cu-doped Ni can optimize the hydrogen binding energy on catalyst surface. Bifunctional catalyst, as a feasible way to produce hydrogen, has been regarded as an effective issue for mitigation of the greenhouse effect, and thus has attracted extensive attention. Inspired by the traditional electrodeposition technology, we report a fast self-etching electrodeposition method to construct copper-incorporated three-dimensional Ni-Cu coated on copper sheets as a superior bifunctional catalyst. During the electrodeposition process, the copper substrate was corroded to form ammonium copper ions by ingenious design of the concentration of electrolyte, including ammonium chloride and sodium chloride. Meanwhile, we observe that the ratio of Ni to Cu could be changed via varying the current density. The optimized hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) overpotentials are 76 mV and 290 mV at 10 mA cm−2, respectively, which outperform the most reported bifunctional electrocatalysts until now. The calculation further demonstrates that the theoretical hydrogen desorption energy and OER overpotential of Ni-Cu are better than those of pure Ni and Cu. The prepared Ni-Cu electrocatalyst exhibits remarkable stability, especially in the HER reaction process stability test up to 50 h. The successful preparation of Ni-Cu electrocatalyst provides more possibility in the traditional electrodeposition synthesis of high performance electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin-dependent thermoelectric transport properties have been experimentally studied on a micro-structured device based on epitaxially grown 75-nm-thick Co 2 Ti 0.6 V 0.4 Sn 0.75 Heusler film with integrated heater and thermometers. The anomalous Nernst coefficient is found to be 0.5 μV/K at 50 K. Thermoelectric power in both longitudinal and transverse directions have been measured with magnetic field rotated in-plane. Asymmetric peaks and valleys are observed at particular in-plane field angle around 25 K. These anomalous peaks show novel magnetic hysteresis due to the interplay between the magnetization and the temperature gradient. These complex behaviors of thermoelectric effect during magnetization reversal still need to be understood. • A microstructured on-chip device of 75-nm-thick Co 2 Ti 0.6 V 0.4 Sn 0.75 Heusler alloy with integrated heater and thermometers. • The anomalous Nernst coefficient reaches 0.5 μV/K at 50 K. • Anomalous peaks with novel magnetic hysteresis in both longitudinal and transverse magnetic-dependent thermopower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhubarb free anthraquinones (RhA) have significant lipid-regulating activity. However, whether RhA monomers have a role in lipid-regulating and their mechanism of action remains unclear. Based on the cholesterol accumulated HepG2 cell model, the cholesterol-regulating effect of RhA monomers and their combinations was investigated. The expression of sterol-regulatory element binding protein 2 (SREBP2), 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR) and squalene monooxygenase (SQLE) of the model cells was analyzed to preliminarily explore the mechanism of action. After that, the liposomes of each active RhA monomer were separately prepared with the same lipid materials and the same preparation method so that each monomer has similar or equal bioavailability after oral administration to rats. Finally, the hypercholesterolemic rat model was established, and the effect of active RhA monomers loaded liposomes as well as their combinations on cholesterol-regulating was investigated and their mechanism of action was analyzed. The results showed that aloe-emodin, rhein and emodin were the main cholesterol-regulating components of RhA, and the combination of rhein and emodin showed significant cholesterol-lowering effect, which may be related to the expression of SREBP2, HMGCR and SQLE in the rat liver. [Display omitted] • Aloe-emodin, rhein and emodin were the main cholesterol-regulating components. • The combination of rhein and emodin had significant cholesterol-lowering effect. • Their effect may be related to the expression of SREBP2, HMGCR, and SQLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferromagnesite (Mg, Fe)CO3 with 20 mol% iron is a potential host mineral for carbon transport and storage in the Earth mantle. The high-pressure behavior of synthetic ferromagnesite (Mg0.81Fe0.19)CO3 up to 53 GPa was investigated by synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. The iron bearing carbonate underwent spin transition at around 44–46 GPa accompanied by a volume collapse of 1.8%, which also demonstrated a variation in the dνi/dP slope of the Raman modes. The pressure-volume data was fitted by a third-order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state (BM-EoS) for the high spin phase. The best-fit K0 = 108(1) GPa and K0′ = 4.2(1). Combining the dνi/dP and the K0, the mode Grüneisen parameters of each vibrational mode (T, L, ν4 and ν1) were calculated. The effects of iron concentration on the Mg1−xFexCO3 system related to high-pressure compressibility and vibrational properties are discussed. These results expand the knowledge of the physical properties of carbonates and provide insights to the potential deep carbon host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to explore the characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) in different regions of Henan Province to provide evidence for the targeted prevention and treatment of CRE. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. CRE screening was conducted in the ICUs of 78 hospitals in Henan Province, China, on March 10, 2021. The patients were divided into provincial capital hospitals and nonprovincial capital hospitals for comparative analysis. Results: This study involved 1009 patients in total, of whom 241 were CRE-positive patients, 92 were in the provincial capital hospital and 149 were in the nonprovincial capital hospital. Provincial capital hospitals had a higher rate of CRE positivity, and there was a significant difference in the rate of CRE positivity between the two groups. The body temperature; immunosuppressed state; transfer from the ICU to other hospitals; and use of enemas, arterial catheters, carbapenems, or tigecycline at the provincial capital hospital were greater than those at the nonprovincial capital hospital (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the distribution of carbapenemase strains or enzymes between the two groups. Conclusions: The detection rate of CRE was significantly greater in provincial capital hospitals than in nonprovincial capital hospitals. The source of the patients, invasive procedures, and use of advanced antibiotics may account for the differences. Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-KPN) was the most prevalent strain. Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) was the predominant carbapenemase enzyme. The distributions of carbapenemase strains and enzymes were similar in different regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: In most species, including humans, food preference is primarily controlled by nutrient value. However, the gut-brain pathways involved in preference learning remain elusive. The aim of the present study, performed in C57BL6/J mice, was to characterize the roles in nutrient preference of two critical elements of gut-brain pathways, i.e. the duodenum and vagal gut innervation.Methods: Adult wild-type C57BL6/J mice from a normal-weight cohort sustained one of the following three procedures: duodenal-jejunal bypass intestinal rerouting (DJB), total subdiaphragmatic vagotomy (SDV), or sham surgery. Mice were assessed in short-term two-bottle preference tests before and after 24 h s exposures to solutions containing one of glutamate, lipids, sodium, or glucose.Results: DJB and SDV interfered in preference formation in a nutrient-specific manner: whereas normal preference learning for lipids and glutamate was disrupted by both DJB and SDV, these interventions did not alter the formation of preferences for glucose. Interestingly, sodium preferences were abrogated by DJB but not by SDV.Conclusions: Different macronutrients make use of distinct gut-brain pathways to influence food preferences, thereby mirroring nutrient-specific processes of food digestion. Specifically, whereas both vagal innervation and duodenal sensing appear critical for generating responses to fats and protein, glucose preferences recruit post-duodenal, vagal-independent pathways in pair with the control of glucose homeostasis. Overall, our data suggest that the physiological processes involved in digesting and absorbing fats, amino acids, and glucose overlap with those mediating learned preferences for each of these nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low cost and intrinsic safety of rechargeable aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs) contribute to their significant potential in grid‐level energy storage systems. However, the limited cathode options still hinder the development of ZIBs, which always delivers poor rate capacities and cycling stability. Herein, Monoclinic phase H3.78V6O13 microspheres with a stable internal framework and intrinsic metallic properties as a high‐performance cathode for ZIBs are proposed and utilized. The reversible Zn2+insertion/de‐insertion mechanism in H3.78V6O13through ex situ X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure, and in situ Raman involves the enlargement/shrink of interplanar distance, the decrease/increase of the V valance, and the open/recombine of V─O/V─V bonds. Further, experiments and theoretical calculations elucidate the superior electrochemical performance and extraordinary reaction kinetics in H3.78V6O13. The as‐prepared H3.78V6O13 cathode delivers high specific capacity of 406 mAh g–1 at 0.1 A g–1, excellent structure stability with 100% manifested after 120 cycles at 0.5 A g–1, 72.9% retained after 15 000 cycles at 10 A g–1. This research offers distinctive perspectives on the development of high‐performance cathode materials for ZIBs and enhances the understanding of the electrochemical reaction mechanisms of vanadium oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cs 2 SnBr 6 , one promising material applied in perovskite solar cells, has been investigated up to 20 GPa by synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Both experimental data demonstrate that no phase transition occurs up to 20 GPa. By fitting the third-order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state, we have obtained V 0  = 1288 (14) Å 3 , K 0  = 11 (1) GPa and K 0 ′ = 7 (1). The ultralow value of bulk modulus K 0 demonstrates the soft nature of Cs 2 SnBr 6 . Combining calculated values with experimental results, we find that x coordinate of Sn ( x ,0,0) atoms increases and Sn Br bond lengths get shortened on compression. We have assigned vibrational peaks of Cs 2 SnBr 6 in Raman measurements, and all the three Raman bands present nonlinear correlations with pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

R-spondin 1 ( Rspo1 ) is a potential female-determining gene in mammals that could regulate the Wnt/ β- catenin signaling pathway. The deletion of Rspo1 causes sex reversal in females. To investigate sexual determination and differentiation, we cloned and analyzed the Rspo1 gene in Cynoglossus semilaevis . Phylogenetic and gene structure analyses revealed that Rspo1 gene exhibited high sequence conservation and contained an N-terminal signal peptide, two furin-like cysteine-rich domains (FU1 and FU2), a thrombospondin type 1 repeat, and a C-terminal region enriched with basic charged amino acids. qRT-PCR revealed that Rspo1 expressed sexual dimorphism in gonad, with higher expression levels in the ovary than in the testis, thus, suggesting the involvement of Rspo1 in gonad differentiation. In situ hybridization results demonstrated that Rspo1 was expressed in premature germ cells, including spermatogonia and spermatocytes in the testis and stage II and stage III oocytes in the ovary. The methylation levels in two CpG sites of Rspo1 promoter significantly differed among females, males, and pseudomales. After 30 days of exposure to high temperature, the expression of Rspo1 significantly decreased in female individuals, some of which were prone to males. However, no difference of Rspo1 gene expression was observed between the control group and high-temperature group in males. These preliminary findings suggested that Rspo1 played a crucial role in sex determination and development. This study laid the groundwork for further sex control breeding techniques in C. semilaevis . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intra-abdominal infections are the second most common cause of sepsis in the intensive care unit. Intestinal epithelial injury due to abdominal sepsis results in a variety of pathological changes, such as intestinal bacteria and toxins entering the blood, leading to persistent systemic inflammation and multiple organ dysfunction. The increased apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells induced by sepsis further exacerbates the progression of sepsis. Although several studies have revealed that circRNAs are involved in intestinal epithelial injury in sepsis, few studies have identified the roles of circRNAs in intestinal epithelial apoptosis. Methods: We used laser capture microdissection to obtain purified epithelial cells located in intestinal crypts from four patients with abdominal sepsis induced by intestinal perforation and four samples from age and sex-matched non-septic patients. Microarray analysis of circRNAs was conducted to assess differentially expressed circRNAs between patients with and without sepsis. Lastly, in vitro and in vivo assays were performed to study the mechanism of circFLNA in intestinal epithelial apoptosis during sepsis. Results: circFLNA was upregulated in the intestinal epithelium after abdominal sepsis induced by intestinal perforation. Inhibition of miR-766-3p impaired si-circFLNA-mediated inhibition of apoptosis and inflammation factor levels in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated HIEC-6 cells. circFLNA aggravated apoptosis and inflammation through the Fas-mediated apoptosis pathway in both LPS-treated HIEC-6 cells and a mouse cecal ligation and puncture model. Conclusion: Our findings showed that circFLNA promotes intestinal injury in abdominal sepsis through the Fas-mediated apoptosis pathway by sponging miR-766-3p. The circFLNA/miR-766-3p/Fas axis has potential as a novel therapeutic target for treating intestinal injury in sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential and threshold would be the most important issues for photocatalysis, including hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and CO 2 selective photoreduction. The Co 3 O 4 /Ti3+-TiO 2 /NiO hollow core-shell heterojunction is fabricated via a continuous chemical-hydrothermal-annealing-reduction method. As demonstrated, the as-prepared Co 3 O 4 /Ti3+-TiO 2 /NiO hollow core-shell heterojunction exhibits remarkable photocatalytic performance enhancement than single TiO 2 , including H 2 evolution (∼2134.63 μmol/g∙h, ∼80 folds) and CO 2 photoreduction (H 2 /CH 4 /CO: ∼34.85/132.25/12.65 μmol/g∙h, ∼30 folds), and achieves enhanced CO 2 photoreduction selectivity, which can be mainly ascribed to the synergism of Ti3+/O v and dual pn junction. There, the Ti3+/O v can not only increase the solar efficiency, but also decrease the threshold of H 2 O*→H* and *CO→*CHO to enhance HER and CH 4 selectivity, including promote H+ diffusion and H 2 O/CO 2 /*CO absorption. All these can be supported by the density functional theory (DFT) calculation. Additionally, the formed Co 3 O 4 /Ti3+-TiO 2 /NiO dual pn junction can promote the photo-generated carrier separation/transport efficiently. Furthermore, the hollow core-shell structure obtained by Cobalt 2-methylimidazole (ZIF-67) self-template can increase solar efficiency, and the NiO nanosheets and Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles can increase active sites. [Display omitted] • >Ti3+/O v decreases threshold of H 2 O*.→H* to enhance HER (−0.15 to 0.93 eV) • >Ti3+/O v decreases threshold of *CO.→*CHO to enhance CH 4 selectivity (0.72–0.47 eV) • >Dual pn junction can promote carrier efficiency via appropriate potential (2 folds). • >Hollow 3D structure can increase interface heterojunction (∼132.11 m2/g). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black rockfish is a viviparous teleost whose sperm could be stored in the female ovary for five months. We previously proposed that zona pellucida (ZP) proteins of black rockfish play a similar sperm-binding role as in mammals. In this study, SsZPB2a and SsZPB2c were identified as the most similar genes with human ZPA, ZPB1 and ZPB2 by Blastp method. Immunohistochemistry showed that ovary-specific SsZPB2a was initially expressed in the cytoplasm of oocytes at stage III. Then it gradually transferred to the region close to the cell membrane and zona pellucida of oocytes at stage IV. The most obvious protein signal was observed at the zona pellucida region of oocytes at stage V. Furthermore, we found that the recombinant prokaryotic proteins rSsZPB2a and rSsZPB2c could bind with the posterior end of sperm head and rSsZPB2a was able to facilitate the sperm survival in vitro. After knocking down Sszpb2a in ovarian tissues cultivated in vitro, the expressions of sperm-specific genes were down-regulated (p < 0.05). These results illustrated the regulatory role of ZP protein to the sperm in viviparous teleost for the first time, which could advance our understanding about the biological function of ZP proteins in the teleost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enteritis posed a significant health challenge to golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus) populations. In this research, a comprehensive multi-omics strategy was implemented to elucidate the pathogenesis of enteritis by comparing both healthy and affected golden pompano. Histologically, enteritis was characterized by villi adhesion and increased clustering after inflammation. Analysis of the intestinal microbiota revealed a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the abundance of specific bacterial strains, including Photobacterium and Salinivibrio , in diseased fish compared to the healthy group. Metabolomic analysis identified 5479 altered metabolites, with significant impacts on terpenoid and polyketide metabolism, as well as lipid metabolism (P < 0.05). Additionally, the concentrations of several compounds such as calcitetrol, vitamin D2, arachidonic acid, and linoleic acid were significantly reduced in the intestines of diseased fish post-enteritis (P < 0.05), with the detection of harmful substances such as Efonidipine. In transcriptomic profiling, enteritis induced 68 upregulated and 73 downregulated genes, predominantly affecting steroid hormone receptor activity (P < 0.05). KEGG pathway enrichment analysis highlighted upregulation of SQLE and CYP51 in steroidogenesis, while the HSV-1 associated MHC1 gene exhibited significant downregulation. Integration of multi-omics results suggested a potential pathogenic mechanism: enteritis may have resulted from concurrent infection of harmful bacteria, specifically Photobacterium and Salinivibrio , along with HSV-1. Efonidipine production within the intestinal tract may have blocked certain calcium ion channels, leading to downregulation of MHC1 gene expression and reduced extracellular immune recognition. Upregulation of SQLE and CYP51 genes stimulated steroid hormone synthesis within cells, which, upon binding to G protein-coupled receptors, influenced calcium ion transport, inhibited immune activation reactions, and further reduced intracellular synthesis of anti-inflammatory substances like arachidonic acid. Ultimately, this cascade led to inflammation progression, weakened intestinal peristalsis, and villi adhesion. This study utilized multi-level omics detection to investigate the pathological symptoms of enteritis and proposed a plausible pathogenic mechanism, providing innovative insights into enteritis verification and treatment in offshore cage culture of golden pompano. • Enteritis in golden pompano was associate with the intestinal microbiota in harmful bacteria, namely Photobacterium and Salinivibrio. • Efonidipine production lead to downregulation of MHC1 and reduced extracellular immune recognition. • The upregulation of SQLE and CYP51 leading to increased steroid hormone synthesis cause the intestinal inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reidite, a high-pressure phase of zircon, is increasingly identified at terrestrial impact sites. Despite its growing recognition, the potential applications for estimating minimum impact pressure face impediments due to existing discrepancies in the condition of zircon-reidite transformation, controversial models governing the transformation mechanism, and unclear effects of pre-existing radiation damage on reidite formation. Here, we show enhanced reidite formation by synchrotron X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy analyses of zircon grains that have experienced different alpha-decay doses from U and Th impurities and subsequent pressurization in diamond anvil cells. Below ∼1 × 1018 α-decay events/g, the α-decay-induced isolated point defects in the still crystalline zircon facilitate the minor atomic readjustments required for reidite formation. However, above this dose, the loss of long-range periodicity in severely damaged or even metamict zircon inhibits the transformation. The enhanced reidite formation by minor radiation damage coincides with the more common occurrence of reidite at impact sites for which the precursor zircon has a relatively lower alpha-decay-event dose before the impact event. In addition, the detailed atomic-scale structures of twinned reidite provide unambiguous evidence for a characteristic internal stress-induced martensitic transition. These findings have important implications for interpreting the formation conditions of natural reidite due to the convergence of pressure from the static, shockwave, and natural reidite samples. • Moderate radiation damage enhances atomic adjustments for reidite formation. • Reidite preferentially occurs in craters with moderately damaged zircon. • Static, shocked, and natural reidite have similar formation mechanisms. • Atomic scale twinned reidite suggests internal stress-assisted martensitic transition. • Constraining the minimum impact pressure should consider radiation damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel design of weakly-coupled few-mode photonic crystal fiber (FM-PCF) supporting 6 vector modes (HE11a, HE11b, TM01, HE21a, HE21b, TE01) with ultra-flattened chromatic dispersion is proposed. We investigate the impact of fiber parameters on chromatic dispersion, minimum effective refractive index difference (minΔneff), confinement loss, effective mode area, bending loss and nonlinear coefficient. To achieve ultra-flattened chromatic dispersion and large minΔneff, an extra small elliptical defected hole is introduced in the fiber core. The circular holes in the first ring are replaced by elliptical holes to further obtain flattened-chromatic dispersion. The simulation results show that the chromatic dispersion slope (< 2.1 × 10–5 ns/km/nm2) and large minΔneff (> 6 × 10–4) are obtained for the optimized fiber structure. And the proposed FM-PCF has low confinement loss (< 10−4 dB/km) and good bending resistance. The proposed fiber can achieve an ultra-flattened chromatic dispersion (< 0.032 ns/nm/km) of 6 vector modes around C-band, and has the potential applications for large-capacity mode division multiplexing communication systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple chemical method of acid treatment has been developed for cutting graphene oxide into graphene oxide quantum dots with controllable size (∼3.0 nm). The newly produced graphene oxide quantum dots have high stability and disperse well in water for several months. Bright blue emission, as well as an excitation-dependent photoluminescence activity, is observed in the GOQDs. In contrast, the photoluminescence emission of graphene quantum dots obtained by the reduction of graphene oxide quantum dots has a distinctive blue shift when compared with that of the graphene oxide quantum dots. The difference in PL properties between graphene oxide quantum dots and graphene quantum dots can be attributed to the change of the bandgap due to the different size of the isolated sp2 cluster in the sp3 matrix of graphene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of defects on the high‐pressure behavior of materials is fundamental to understanding and designing materials for extreme environments. Previous work has demonstrated that radiation damage can enhance phase stability or alter the transformation pathway. Here, we report the high‐pressure phase stability of CeO2 irradiated by swift heavy ions. CeO2 is of particular interest because it can be used as a non‐radioactive surrogate for UO2 and PuO2. High‐pressure Raman spectroscopy shows that low‐fluence ion irradiated CeO2 exhibits nearly the same high‐pressure behavior as unirradiated CeO2; whereas, after high‐fluence irradiation, the phase stability of CeO2 is significantly enhanced, with the critical phase transition pressure increased from 31.7 to 37.3 GPa and only about 7% high‐pressure phase transition fraction at 45.1 GPa. In comparison with the high‐pressure Raman results of pre‐irradiated CeO2 before and after 573, 1073, and 1 273 K annealing in air, we propose that large interstitial‐type defect clusters, such as dislocation loops formed in heavily‐irradiated CeO2, are predominately responsible for the increased phase stability at high pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a switchable multi-wavelength Erbium-doped fiber laser that employs cascaded weakly-coupled few-mode fiber (FMF) Sagnac fiber loops with mode differential delay line. A comb filter of multiple specific wavelengths is performed by incorporating a weakly-coupled FMF in cascaded Sagnac fiber loops. The incorporation of the weakly-coupled FMF is realized with all-fiber mode multiplexer/demultiplexer (MUX/DEMUX), which can simultaneously generate transversal LP 01 and LP 11 modes. The comb filter characteristics of cascaded Sagnac fiber loops are simulated and analyzed by Jones matrix. By adjusting the polarization controllers (PCs), the fiber laser can operate in single-, dual-, and triple-wavelength laser states around C band. The side mode suppression ratio is larger than 30.0 dB. Moreover, the laser output stabilities for single-, dual-, and triple-wavelength lasing are investigated in a range of over 30 min at room temperature. Experimental results indicate that this work has potential applications in WDM systems, sensing, and instrument testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a weakly coupled bow-tie rectangular dual-step few-mode fiber supporting 20 eigenmodes for short-haul communication systems across the O band. The rectangular dual-step core and bow-tie stress-applying area are introduced to effectively split adjacent eigenmodes. We evaluate the impact of parameters on modal mode effective refractive index difference (MERID) Δneff, min Δneff, min Aeff, Bm, and bending loss at a wavelength of 1310 nm. Broadband performance of the entire O band, including neff, MERID Δneff, differential mode delay, and dispersion, is also analyzed. Results indicate that the 20 eigenmodes supported by the designed fiber are completely separated with MERID Δneff between adjacent modes larger than 2.319 × 10 − 4 over the whole O band. The designed fiber can be used for short-haul multiple-input multiple-output-free eigenmode-division multiplexing systems to improve transmission capacity and expand bandwidth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The TiO 2 /Mn 0.2 Cd 0.8 S hollow heterojunction with Mn/Cd bimetallic synergy is prepared via a continuous chemical-hydrothermal-etching method. There, the TiO 2 shell and Mn 0.2 Cd 0.8 S nanoparticles were deposited by continuous chemical-hydrothermal method on the surface of SiO 2 template, and subsequently the SiO 2 template was etched via a chemical method. Evaluated by HER, the as-prepared TiO 2 /Mn 0.2 Cd 0.8 S hollow heterojunction exhibits an obvious photocatalytic enhancement to about ~5822.94 μmol/g∙h(~40 folds of TiO 2 , ~7 folds of Mn 0.2 Cd 0.8 S), which can be mainly ascribed to that, the narrow band gap of Mn 0.2 Cd 0.8 S can increase the visible light energy utilization, the TiO 2 /Mn 0.2 Cd 0.8 S heterojunction and Mn/Cd bimetallic synergy can separate/transfer the photo-generated charge carriers efficiently, and the sufficient specific surface areas and actives from 3D hollow structure can promote the charge carrier diffusing into water quickly for achieving H 2 generation. Additionally, the hollow 3D structure can provide a decent physical-chemical stability to improve the photocatalytic stability. [Display omitted] • Heterojunction can promote carriers separation/transport via appropriate potential gradient. • Mn/Cd bimetallic synergy can improve charge carriers transport/diffusion. • 3D Hollow structure can increase specific surface areas and solar utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonates are considered to be important hosts of oxidized carbon during subduction processes. Here we investigate the redox interactions between dolomite and metallic iron in laser-heated diamond anvil cells up to ∼20 GPa. The identification of recovered samples via in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction and ex-situ Raman spectroscopy shows that the reaction occurs with the formation of ferropericlase, graphite and hexagonal diamond, while CaCO3 remains stable. The experimental results indicate dolomite and metallic iron phases cannot coexist and demonstrate a possible formation mechanism of ultradeep diamonds via redox reaction between dolomite and iron under the mantle transition zone conditions. The results are significant for understanding carbon transportation during subduction processes and have further implications to the processes in the more complex systems regarding to carbonate-silicate-metal phase relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Shrinkage of latent tracks during in situ ion irradiation is observed and quantified. • Rather than alpha-particles, alpha-recoils induce significant track-shrinkage. • Zircon is more sensitive than apatite to alpha-recoil-induced track-shrinkage. • The etchable lengths of latent fission tracks can be estimated as a function of α-dose. • Alpha-recoil-induced track shortening must be considered in natural zircon. The diffusion of defects (e.g., vacancies and interstitials) and elements used for dating (e.g., He and Pb) in a mineral structure is a thermal process: This is the primary assumption used to determine the age and thermal history of minerals. For instance, thermal history reconstruction, through the number and length distribution of tracks produced by spontaneous fission of 238U, is obtained by assuming a thermal event to be the only energy source for shortening of fission tracks. Here, we report a new, non-thermal energy source that induces additional shortening of fission tracks by the irradiation of alpha-recoils from the alpha-decay of 238U and 232Th. We simulate alpha-decay induced track-shortening by combining ion accelerator irradiations with transmission electron microscopy. This allows for the first observation of track-shrinkage during in situ ion irradiation. We show that rather than alpha-particles, alpha-recoils induce a significant shortening of fission tracks by nuclear-collisions. The shortening of track-length can be quantified as a function of alpha-decay event dose. However, apatite is less sensitive than zircon to this non-thermal process. The findings exemplify the interactions among different types of self-irradiation from alpha-particles, alpha-recoils and fission-fragment nuclei in single mineral grains and have important implications for the use of zircon and apatite for radiometric dating and thermochronology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is still a leading cause of death worldwide. M. tuberculosis has evolved multipronged strategies to subvert host immune defenses and establish an immunologically privileged niche in macrophages. Rv0426c has been predicted to be an effector involved in the Mtb-host interactions. To investigate the potential role played by Rv0426c, we constructed recombinant M. smegmatis strains with heterologous expression of Rv0426c. We observed that Rv0426c recombinants became more susceptible to various stresses by increasing cell wall permeability, however with elevated early survival rate within macrophages. This was accompanied by decreased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and host cell apoptosis. The data suggested that Rv0426c was a new player involved in the interactions between Mtb and macrophages. • Expression of Rv0426c increased cell wall permeability of M. smegmatis • M. smegmatis expressing Rv0426c exhibited enhanced intracellular survival within macrophages • Rv0426c decreased mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12p40 and TNF-α in macrophages • Rv0426c mediated the inhibition of macrophage apoptosis [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe-bearing phase E coexisting with ringwoodite and wadsleyite has been synthesized at near-geotherm temperatures in hydrous KLB-1 peridotite compositions held at 18 and 19 GPa, and 1400 °C for 27 h. The long heating duration time of syntheses implies that phase E can be a stable component of the mantle under hydrous conditions. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses show that the M1 octahedral site is 72.1–75.2 at% occupied, whereas the M2 and tetrahedral Si sites are 2.4–2.9 at% and 18.9–19.8 at% occupied, respectively. The M1 site occupancies show a positive correlation with Fe/Mg molar ratios, indicating that Fe mainly occupies the M1 site in the phase E structure. High-pressure Raman spectroscopy shows that the framework Raman frequencies of Fe-bearing phase E increase continuously with increasing pressures up to 19 GPa at room temperature, and there is no indication for a major change in the crystal structure. If transition-zone regions adjacent to subducting slabs are hydrated by fluids generated at the top of the lower mantle, Fe-bearing phase E is expected to occur at wadsleyite-ringwoodite phase transition boundary (about 520 km) as an important phase for incorporating water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) is increasingly used in biomedicine, material science, chemistry, and other related research fields, because of its advantages of high specificity and sensitivity in monitoring cellular microenvironments, studying interaction between proteins, metabolic state, screening drugs and analyzing their efficacy, characterizing novel materials, and diagnosing early cancers. Understandably, there is a large interest in obtaining FLIM data within an acquisition time as short as possible. Consequently, there is currently a technology that advances towards faster and faster FLIM recording. However, the maximum speed of a recording technique is only part of the problem. The acquisition time of a FLIM image is a complex function of many factors. These include the photon rate that can be obtained from the sample, the amount of information a technique extracts from the decay functions, the efficiency at which it determines fluorescence decay parameters from the recorded photons, the demands for the accuracy of these parameters, the number of pixels, and the lateral and axial resolutions that are obtained in biological materials. Starting from a discussion of the parameters which determine the acquisition time, this review will describe existing and emerging FLIM techniques and data analysis algorithms, and analyze their performance and recording speed in biological and biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]