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This review aims to assess the efficacy and safety of laser therapy in managing scars resulting from cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) repair surgeries, as well as to determine the optimal timing for intervention. A systematic search was conducted across four databases using a predefined search strategy. Studies included were randomized controlled trials, non-randomized studies, and case series focusing on laser therapy for CL/P scars. Data extraction and analysis were performed using Revman Software. A total of two randomized controlled trials, four non-randomized studies, and three case series were included in the analysis. The fractional CO2 laser was the most commonly utilized type of laser. Following laser therapy, there was a significant decrease in Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) scores by 4.05 (95% CI, 2.10–5.99). Meta-analysis revealed that laser treatment groups exhibited a significantly lower mean VSS score (1.3; 95% CI, 0.02–2.67) compared to control groups. Moreover, initiating laser therapy intervention at one month postoperatively resulted in a significantly lower VSS score compared to initiation at three months postoperatively (difference of 1.70; 95% CI, 1.33–2.08). No severe complications were reported. Laser therapy demonstrates effectiveness and safety in improving CL/P scars, with earlier intervention yielding greater benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Most splicing factors are extensively phosphorylated but their physiological functions in plant salt resistance are still elusive.We found that phosphorylation by SnRK1 kinase is essential for SRRM1L nuclear speckle formation and its splicing factor activity in plant cells. In Arabidopsis, loss‐of‐function of SRRM1L leads to the occurrence of alternative pre‐mRNA splicing events and compromises plant resistance to salt stress.In Arabidopsis srrm1l mutant line, we identified an intron‐retention Nuclear factor Y subunit A 10 (NFYA10) mRNA variant by RNA‐Seq and found phosphorylation‐dependent RNA‐binding of SRRM1L is indispensable for its alternative splicing activity. In the wild‐type Arabidopsis, salt stress can activate SnRK1 to phosphorylate SRRM1L, triggering enrichment of functional NFYA10.1 variant to enhance plant salt resistance. By contrast, the Arabidopsis srrm1l mutant accumulates nonfunctional NFYA10.3 variant, sensitizing plants to salt stress.In summary, this work deciphered the molecular mechanisms and physiological functions of SnRK1‐SRRM1L‐NFYA10 module, shedding light on a regulatory pathway to fine‐tune plant adaptation to abiotic stress at the post‐transcriptional and post‐translational levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the associations of emotions, cognitions, and behavioral intentions in response to exposure to news stories reporting on the arrival of Omicron variant in Vietnam. Outcomes included fear, anxiety, anger, comparative optimism, intentions to conduct prevention behavior (wash hands with soap), detection behavior (test for Omicron infection), and share health information. Two experiments were conducted with participants being randomized to either low-risk or high-risk condition that contained information promoting hand-washing with soap (Experiment 1, N = 303), or information promoting COVID-19 testing (Experiment 2, N = 303). Results indicated that viewing high-risk news stories led to higher fear, anxiety, and anger than low-risk news stories. Fear fully mediated the effect of news exposure on intentions to test for Omicron infection and share health information. Comparative optimism moderated the indirect effect of news exposure on intentions to wash hands with soap and share information about COVID-19 testing. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since the Z0011 trial, the assessment of axillary lymph node status has been redirected from the previous assessment of the occurrence of lymph node metastasis alone to the assessment of the degree of lymph node loading. Our aim was to apply preoperative breast ultrasound and clinicopathological features to predict the diagnostic value of axillary lymph node load in early invasive breast cancer. Methods: The 1247 lesions were divided into a high lymph node burden group and a limited lymph node burden group according to axillary lymph node status. Univariate and multifactorial analyses were used to predict the differences in clinicopathological characteristics and breast ultrasound characteristics between the two groups with high and limited lymph node burden. Pathological findings were used as the gold standard. Results: Univariate analysis showed significant differences in ki-67, maximum diameter (MD), lesion distance from the nipple, lesion distance from the skin, MS, and some characteristic ultrasound features (P < 0.05). In multifactorial analysis, the ultrasound features of breast tumors that were associated with a high lymph node burden at the axilla included MD (odds ratio [OR], 1.043; P < 0.001), shape (OR, 2.422; P = 0.0018), hyperechoic halo (OR, 2.546; P < 0.001), shadowing in posterior features (OR, 2.155; P = 0.007), and suspicious lymph nodes on axillary ultrasound (OR, 1.418; P = 0.031). The five risk factors were used to build the predictive model, and it achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of 0.702. Conclusion: Breast ultrasound features and clinicopathological features are better predictors of high lymph node burden in early invasive breast cancer, and this prediction helps to develop more effective treatment plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The near-infrared (NIR) light sources are fascinating in real-time nondestructive examination applications. Given that chemical bonds in organic substances (such as C–H, O–H and N–H) have extensive absorption and reflection of light in the NIR region, the emission spectrum of the NIR light sources should be as broad as possible. In this work, ultra-wideband K 2 SrGe 8 O 18 (KSGO):Cr3+ NIR-emitting phosphors with a 650–1200 nm emission span are developed. Structural analysis combined with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), photoluminescence (PL) spectra, time-resolved spectrum (TRES) and temperature-dependent PL spectra confirm that the super broadband emission with full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 214 nm originates from the double Cr3+ luminescence centers occupying different [GeO 6 ] octahedra. Li+ ion as charge compensator is introduced to balance the negative charge induced by the un-equivalent replacement of Cr3+ for Ge4+, and the PL intensity and thermal stability are greatly enhanced. The NIR phosphor-converted luminescent diodes (pc-LEDs) prepared by combining optimized KSGO:0.10Cr3+, 0.07Li+ samples with 460 nm LED chips demonstrate their application in night vision. The measured absorption spectra of hemoglobin, water, ethyl alcohol and peanut oil illuminated by the as-prepared KSGO:0.10Cr3+, 0.07Li+ phosphors indicate nondestructive analysis in the areas of food safety. The formation of Cr3+ double luminescent centers are conducive to obtaining ultra-wideband NIR emission. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cordyceps extract and withaferin A (Wi-A) are natural compounds that have therapeutic effects on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, their efficacy is limited and a long treatment duration is usually required. To enhance their efficiency, the synergistic effects of nanobubble water (NBW) derived from nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen gases were investigated. Results showed that the physical properties of all three NBWs, including nanobubble density (108 particles/mL) and zeta potential (below −22 mV), were stable during 48 h of storage. Hydrogen and nitrogen NBWs did not reduce, but instead promoted, free fatty acid-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. In contrast, oxygen NBW synergistically enhanced the effects of cordyceps extract and Wi-A. The lipid content decreased by 29% and 33% in the oxygen NBW + cordyceps extract and oxygen NBW + Wi-A groups, respectively, compared to reductions of 22% and 16% by aqueous extracts without NB. This study found that NBW may enhance the lipid-reducing effects of natural compounds, such as cordyceps extract and withaferin A, in hepatic cells. Further studies in animal experiments are needed to determine whether NBW has a potential application in NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drug-induced hearing loss (DIHL) is very common, and seriously affects people's happiness in life. RG108 is a small molecule inhibitor. RG108 is protective against DIHL. Our purpose is to probe the incidence of RG108 on cisplatin-induced ototoxicity. Materials and methods: In our research, the ototoxicity of RG108 was investigated in HEI-OC1. We observed under the microscope whether RG108 had an effect on cisplatin-induced cochlear hair cells. RNA-seq experiments were further performed to explore possible gene ontology (GO) and pathways. ROS assay was applied to supervisory the effect of RG108 on oxidative harm of auditory cells. In auditory cells, RG108 was tested for its effects on apoptosis-related proteins by Western blotting (WB). Results: GO analysis showed that RG108 associated with apoptosis. KEGG analysis shows RG108 may act on PI3K-AKT signaling pathway (PASP) in hearing loss. BIOCARTA analysis showed that RG108 may affect oxidative stress by activating NRF2 pathway. ROS ascerted that RG108 could rescue oxidative harm in HEI-OC1. RG108 rescued cisplatin-induced significant increase in Bax and significant decrease in BCL2. RG108 attenuates cisplatin-induced cochlear apoptosis through upregulated phosphorylated PI3K and phosphorylated AKT and down-regulated caspase3. MTT experiments showed that both PI3K and AKT inhibitors could significantly rescue the damage caused by cisplatin to HEI-OC1. RG108 significantly increases the level of NRF2/HO-1/NQO1 in cisplatin-induced cells. Conclusion: Overall, these results provide evidence that NRF2/PI3K-AKT axis may mediate RG108 in the treatment of DIHL, which provide a broader outlook on drug-induced deafness treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT‐A) can not only reduce the dynamic wrinkles but also improve the skin quality. This study aims to quantitaively and comprehensively assess the improvement of dynamic wrinkles and skin quality following BoNT‐A treatment on the upper face. Methods: Patients were recruited to receive BoNT‐A treatment of the glabellar, frontal, and lateral periorbital wrinkles. Antera 3D camera was used to evaluate the skin quality and dynamic wrinkle severity. Follow‐up visits were at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after treatment. Different filters were utilized to quantitatively detect the severity of fine wrinkles (FWS), the volume of pores (PV), the roughness of skin texture (STR), and the severity of dynamic wrinkles (DWS). Results: Twenty‐four participants (average 30.5 ± 7.2 years) were recruited. The significant improvement of PV, FWS, and STR in different areas usually maintained from 1 to 6 months after injections but of DWS only existed within 3 months. For each area, the improvement rates of FWS, PV, and STR peaked at 3 months or 6 months after treatment while the maximal improvement of DWS was observed at 1 month posttreatment. Conclusion: After BoNT‐A treatment for dynamic wrinkles on the upper face, the skin quality of target regions can also be ameliorated. The improvement of skin quality and dynamic wrinkles presented unparallel patterns. The former is with a slower onset but longer duration while the latter exhibits a more rapid onset but shorter duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimation of rice plant height distribution plays a significant role in keeping the feed rate of rice combine harvesters stable. This is an effective way to guarantee the working stability of the whole machine, as a consequence, improving threshing and cleaning efficiency and reducing loss and damage rates. However, dense growth and leafy and bent branches of mature rice make it difficult to detect the lowest point of aggregated growing plants in three dimensional (3D) point cloud data. Therefore, the objective of this study was to put forward a method to estimate plant height distribution on the basis of a moving surface and 3D point cloud elevation. The statistical outlier removal (SOR) algorithm was used to reduce noise points far away from target point cloud body, and then moving surface fitting elevation was applied to achieve accurate classification of ground and crop point cloud data for plant height estimation. Experiments showed that, compared with the actual value, the average square root error (RMSE) of the estimation results was 8.29, the average absolute percentage error (MAPE) was 9.28%, and the average accuracy was 90%. The proposed method could accurately estimate the height of mature rice and is beneficial to calculating the feed rate in advance, which can provide a reference for further investigation in automatic and intelligent harvesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing role of near-infrared (NIR) light sources in many fields such as food and industry, NIR emitting phosphors have flourished in recent years. In addition to the widely reported Cr3+-activated NIR phosphors, environmentally friendly Fe3+ can also produce tunable broadband NIR spectra, which are expected to enrich the next generation of intelligent NIR light sources. In this work, a series of Fe3+-activated perovskite-type Sr 2 ScSbO 6 (SSSO) NIR phosphors were successfully prepared and an emission wavelength of 900 nm with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 110 nm was obtained. Through the crystal field engineering strategy, the lattice site of Sr2+ was completely replaced by Ba2+ and Ca2+ to obtain Ba 2 ScSbO 6 (BSSO) and Ca 2 ScSbO 6 (CSSO), and the emission peak was continuously adjusted from 840 nm to 950 nm. When the temperature increased from 300 K to 400 K, BSSO:Fe3+, SSSO:Fe3+ and CSSO:Fe3+ could maintain 69 %, 82 % and 67 % of the original luminescence intensity, respectively. The opposite crystal field dependence between Fe3+ and Cr3+ was shown in double-layer perovskite-type antimonate materials, which could guide us to develop Fe3+-activated long-wavelength emission NIR phosphors. Benefiting from the long-wavelength emission of BSSO:Fe3+, SSSO:Fe3+, and CSSO:Fe3+, their application potential in the field of spectral analysis and rapid nighttime recognition were successfully demonstrated. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of the new generation of smart near infrared (NIR) light sources is a problem demanding prompt solution with the increasing role of NIR spectroscopy in security, food, medical treatment, agriculture, and other fields. In this work, Cr3+ doped ANb2O6 (A = Zn/Mg) phosphors are successfully developed, which generate a NIR emission with a peak at 930 nm covering 750–1300 nm under excitation of 515 nm light. Thanks to the small Stokes shift, the internal quantum efficiency (IQE) values of the optimal samples of ZnNb2O6:Cr3+ and MgNb2O6:Cr3+ reach up to 70% and 62%, respectively. This ultra‐broadband NIR emission originates from the simultaneous occupation of [AO6] and [NbO6] octahedrons by Cr3+, which is confirmed by the excitation wavelength‐dependent emission spectra, low‐temperature photoluminescence spectra (77 K), time‐resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) spectra, and density functional theory (DFT) calculation. The thermal quenching mechanism of ANb2O6:Cr3+ (A = Zn/Mg) is revealed from the aspects of thermal cross and thermal ionization. Benefiting from the excellent performance of ANb2O6:Cr3+ (A = Zn/Mg) NIR phosphors, the combination of 520 nm LED chips, and as‐prepared phosphors demonstrate the dramatic potential applications in night vision, non‐destructive testing, biological tissue imaging, and spectral analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Doxorubicin (DOX), a chemotherapeutic drug, could relieve the progressions of various diseases. However, its clinical application is limited due to its cardiotoxicity. This study aimed to investigate the effects of afzelin (a flavonol glycoside found in Houttuynia cordata) on the cardiotoxicity induced by DOX. In ex-vivo, H9C2 cells were incubated with 20, 40, or 80 μM afzelin for 12 h, followed by the treatment with 1 μM DOX for 12 h. In vivo, C57BL/6 J mice were intraperitoneally injected with 4 mg/kg/day DOX on days 1, 7, and 14. Meanwhile, starting from day 1, mice were intragastrically administrated with 5 mg/kg/day or 10 mg/kg/day afzelin for 20 days. The cardiac function of mice was evaluated by detecting hemodynamic parameters using the M-mode echocardiography. DOX decreased the cell survival rate, and elevated apoptotic rate, as well as induced the oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in H9C2 cells. All these changes were alleviated by afzelin treatment in a concentration-dependent manner. The results were further proven by the mitigation of cardiac injury in vivo, as evidenced by the elevation of fractional shortening, heart weight/tibia length, and the rate of the increase/decrease of left ventricular pressure in mice subjected to DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Furthermore, afzelin upregulated the expression of p-AMP-activated protein kinase alpha (AMPKα) and sirtuin1 (SIRT1). Dorsomorphin (an AMPKα inhibitor) abrogated the anti-cardiotoxicity effects of afzelin in H9C2 cells induced by DOX. Afzelin protected against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity by promoting the AMPKα/SIRT1 signaling pathway. • Afzelin ameliorates doxorubicin-induced cardiac injury in vivo. • Afzelin dampens the doxorubicin-induced injury of cardiomyocyte in ex-vivo. • Afzelin promotes the AMP-activated protein kinase alpha /sirtuin1 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the major global health problems worldwide. However, the epidemiological information of CAP is limited in China. This study aimed to estimate the incidence rate of CAP and describe the epidemiologic characteristics among the Chinese population. We conducted a retrospective analysis of CAP incidence using the Chinese Urban Basic Medical Insurance database of 23 provinces in 2016, which covered 427.52 million urban beneficiaries of all age groups in Mainland China. CAP episodes were identified using a diagnosis-term-derived algorithm, and multiple CAP records of one single person within 90 continuous days were considered as one single episode. The incidence rates were calculated and described by sex, age, region, and season. A total of 1.42 million patients were identified as having one or more CAP episodes, and finally a sum of 1.48 million CAP episodes were counted. The overall incidence of CAP was 7.13 (95% CI: 6.11–8.15) per 1000 person-years, in males 7.32 (95% CI: 6.28–8.35) and females 6.93 (95% CI: 5.92–7.94) per 1000 person-years, respectively. The incidence varied by age with a U-shaped curve peaking in children aged < 5 years old [65.80 (95% CI: 62.52–69.08)] and elderly population aged ≥ 80 years old [14.98 (95% CI: 13.63–16.34)]. The incidence varied markedly by regions. Furthermore, the rate showed a clear seasonal trend, which peaked in spring, decreased in summer and autumn, and re-ascended in winter. This study reveals a relatively high level of CAP incidence in China. These findings provide baseline data for establishing effective prevention strategies, targeted at susceptible populations, regions, and seasons in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Patients suffering from HCC are usually diagnosed during an advanced stage, which limits the effectiveness of treatment. This phenomenon has led to an urgent need to discover promising HCC diagnostic biomarkers and to identify novel targets for HCC treatment. Materials and Methods: In this study, the gene expression profiles of the GSE45436 participants were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The HCC differentially expressed genes (HCC_DEGs) were identified through a comparison with healthy controls. The Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were performed by DAVID, a free website used for annotating genes. Next, we used STRING, an online website, to identify likely protein–protein interactions among the DEGs. Cytoscape software was utilized to construct a protein–protein interaction network. MCODE, a plug-in of the Cytoscape software, was used for a module analysis. Finally, we used the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis website to determine the module genes' effects on overall survival. Results: A total of 313 genes were identified as differentially expressed, which comprised 118 upregulated genes and 195 downregulated genes. We used these data to identify 67 module genes. These were further verified using The Cancer Genome Atlas database resulting in 57 that remained statistically significant. Foremost, we identified one significant gene, DEP domain-containing protein 1B (DEPDC1B), which should be investigated for its usefulness as a new biomarker for diagnoses and prognoses. Conclusion: To our knowledge, DEPDC1B has not previously been reported as being associated with HCC. These results suggest that in silico methods, such as those employed, can provide valuable and even unique candidate biomarkers for further evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decision‐making and risk assessment of electricity purchase and sales is the key to adapt to the electricity market for independent electricity retailers in China. This research carried out the purchase and sales risks of electricity for electricity retailers and constructed the multi‐level market purchase and sales combination optimization model. Based on the portfolio optimization theory, the conditional value at risk theory (CVaR) was proposed. Based on the evaluation index about the conditional risk profit and CVaR, electricity retailers purchase and sales combined optimization model has been constructed to explore the impact of purchase and sales risks by different factors in multi‐level electricity market. The example analysis was carried out by the fixed spread mode and the linkage spread mode. The results showed that the mathematical mean and variance of market spread had great influence on the electricity purchase and sales combination. Especially in the mature electricity market, the mathematical mean of spread and risk in medium‐ and long‐term market was smaller than that in spot market, and the best point of the electricity purchase and sales combination was shown on the smallest value of CVaR, while the electricity purchase and sales combination was optimal under limited conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If gender bias is receding, demographic manifestations of son preference should also tend to decrease. The sex composition of US children provides a key barometer of gender preference. In the 2010 US Population Census, Chinese and Asian-Indian families are more likely to have a son after a daughter, consistent with previous research. Korean-American families, by contrast, do not show this same pattern, paralleling recent declines in sex selection observed for South Korea. Non-Hispanic White families have sex ratios within the range of the biologically norm regardless of the sex composition of previous children. We corroborate the 2010 Census data with 2011–2013 birth certificate microdata, which likewise show elevated sex ratios for Chinese and Asian Indians at higher birth orders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionic liquids (ILs)-assisted microbes and enzymes are potential approaches for converting lignocellulosic biomass into fermentable sugars in a biorefinery. In the present study, an ILs-tolerant strain Aspergillus terreus NEAU-7 with ILs-stable cellulase production ability was isolated and identified. A comparative transcriptome analysis revealed that A. terreus NEAU-7 could promote ion transport and acquire metabolic energy to reduce the adverse effect of ILs. The results further confirmed that the strain could increase the accumulation of compatible solutes to offset the osmotic pressure of ILs and reduce the cell membrane permeability to prevent ILs. A secretome analysis of Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes (CAZymes) showed no significant reduction in the Glycoside Hydrolases (GH) families of cellulolytic enzymes, while a significant reduction was observed for Carbohydrate Esterases (CE) families and Glycoside Hydrolase 43 (encoding α- L -arabinofuranosidases and β-xylosidases), indicating that the presence of ILs could decrease the expression of hemicellulolytic enzymes. Herein, a model for lignocellulose degradation of A. terreus NEAU-7 was interpreted. Overall, this study will provide insights into further exploration of the ILs-resistance mechanism of lignocellulolytic fungi and employment of ILs-assisted fungi in the degradation of lignocellulosic biomass into value-added products. [Display omitted] • ILs-tolerant Aspergillus terreus produced 19.27 U/mL of ILs-stable endoglucanase. • The strain accelerated the ion transport to reduce the adverse effect of ILs. • The strain accumulated the compatible solutes to offset the osmotic pressure of ILs. • The strain reduced the permeability of cell membrane to prevent ILs. • No significant reduction of cellulolytic enzymes was found according to secretome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Multiple shell hollow CoFe2O4 spheres have been synthesized using carbon spheres as templates. The formation mechanism and properties have also been demonstrated. The preparation refers to the loading of nucleates into mesopores within solvothermal driven templates, and the creation of multiple shell hollow structure is finally achieved by annealing. The multiple shell hollow CoFe2O4 spheres have exhibited good textural and magnetic properties, which may provide a very promising candidate for their applications in target drug delivery. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Rationale: Melatonin is an endogenous hormone which modulates sleep-wake cycles. Previous studies have found a close correlation between melatonin and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a trauma- and stress-related psychiatric disorder with symptoms of sleep disturbance. However, it is still unclear if melatonin can have a therapeutic effect on PTSD. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of melatonin on foot shocks induced PTSD-like behaviors and abnormal neuroendocrine levels in mice. Results: As compared to no-shock controls, PTSD-like mice spent significantly more time freezing and displayed less rearing in a contextual fear test, spent significantly less time in and had fewer entries into open arms in an elevated maze test, and spent significantly less time in and had fewer entries into a light box in a light-dark transition task. In addition, serum GABA and cortisol levels were both found to be significantly decreased, whereas epinephrine levels were significantly increased in the PTSD-like mice. Our results showed that intraperitoneal injections of melatonin (2 mM, but not 0.2 nor 20 mM, 0.1 ml/day for two consecutive weeks) alleviated PTSD-like behaviors and restored serum GABA and cortisol levels. Further, it was found that melatonin receptor 1/2 antagonist luzindole significantly blocked the beneficial effects of melatonin for PTSD-like behaviors and serum GABA and cortisol levels, whereas melatonin receptor 2 antagonist 4-P-PDOT slightly blocked these effects. Conclusions: These results indicate that melatonin has a potential therapeutic effect on PTSD-like symptoms in mice, and melatonin receptor 1 mediated the effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstracts: Varieties of yolk–shell metal oxide spheres, including SnO2, CeO2 and Tb4O7, with high yield have been successfully prepared via a general solvothermal method by using carbon spheres as sacrificial templates. The creation of yolk–shell structure is achieved after the removal of carbon templates by annealing. The results show that the typical products of yolk–shell SnO2 spheres exhibit excellent textural properties, which makes them good candidates for use in gas-sensing, energy storage, and so on. Many more metal oxides with such a unique yolk–shell structure can be easily prepared through the present approach, and they may show great application potentials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Synthesis of hollow and hollow core/shell CeO2/SiO2@CeO2 spheres. [•] Structure evolution from hollow core/shell to hollow. [•] Transition of precursor from inner to outer of templates driven by heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The general synthesis of hollow core-shell ZnCo2O4 spheres through a novel method of solvothermal carbon templating is newly demonstrated. The preparation of hollow core-shell structure involves the key strategy of loading precursor into the mesopores inside the colloidal carbon spheres driven by solvothermal treatment. In addition, the present method is also of high precursor adsorption efficiency owing to the completely conversion of metal source to precursor. It is revealed that the as-prepared products exhibit excellent textural properties of a large surface area and large pore volume. It is assumed that the present method can be extended to prepare a series of hollow core-shell materials for widespread applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A 3-amino-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole (TA) self-assembled monolayer-modified gold electrode (TA SAM/Au) is characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, A.C. impedance, cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and chronocoulometry. The TA SAM/Au exhibited good promotion of the electrochemical oxidation of dopamine. Some electrochemical parameters of dopamine such as electron transfer number, exchange current density, standard heterogeneous rate constant, diffusion coefficient, etc., were measured by different electrochemical methods. The peak currents of dopamine were linearly dependent on its concentration in the range of 1.5 × 10−6–1.0 × 10−4 mol L−1, with a detection limit of 5.0 × 10−7 mol L−1. The oxidative peak potentials of dopamine and ascorbic acid were well separated at about 190 ± 10 mV in pH 2.0 BR buffers at TA SAM/Au, the oxidation peak current increases approximately linearly with increasing concentration of both dopamine and ascorbic acid in the concentration range of 9.98 × 10−6–4.54 × 10−4 mol L−1. It can be used for simultaneous determination of dopamine and ascorbic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crabs are an indispensable component of the benthic ecosystem and represent a type of seafood that is easily obtained and frequently eaten by humans. However, little is known about microplastic (MP) accumulation in different tissues of crabs in important fishing areas. In this study, the abundances and characteristics of MPs in different tissues of four species of wild crabs (Portunus trituberculatus , Charybdis japonica , Dorippe japonica , and Matuta planipes) were investigated across 9 sites at three important fishing grounds (Haizhou Bay, Lvsi and Yangtze River Estuary fishing grounds) in China. Crabs from all sites were found to contain MPs, with a total detection rate of 89.34%. The MP abundance in crabs from all sites ranged from 2.00 ± 2.00 to 9.81 ± 8.08 items/individual and 0.80 ± 1.09 to 22.71 ± 24.56 items/g wet weight. The abundance of MPs exponentially increased with decreasing MP size. The MPs were dominated by fibers in terms of shape, black-gray and blue-green in terms of color and cellophane in terms of composition. MPs were found in the gills and guts of the crabs, but not in the muscles. The abundance and size of the MPs in the guts were significantly higher than those in the gills, but there was no significant difference in color or shape. In addition, crab eating patterns have a significant impact on the abundance of MPs in different species. The abundance of MPs in the saprophytic crabs was significantly higher than that in the predatory crabs. MP contamination in crabs is worthy of attention for human health and the stability of marine ecosystems. [Display omitted] • Microplastics were found in the guts and gills of crabs, but not in the muscles. • The abundance and size of the MPs in the guts were significantly higher than those in the gills. • Eating pattern plays an important role in the accumulation of MP by crabs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though there have been significant advancements in the development of Cr3+‐activated near‐infrared (NIR) phosphors, the challenge still remains to develop highly efficient and thermally stable NIR phosphors. Here, the Ca4‐xZnxHfGe3O12:0.03Cr3+ solid solution phosphors with 834–806 nm NIR emission are constructed by substituting Zn2+ for Ca2+, thereby facilitating the formation of [ZnO6] luminescence site. The coexistence of [HfO6] and [Zn/CaO6] luminescence centers is confirmed through DFT calculation, time‐resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) spectroscopy, and low‐temperature‐photoluminescence (77 K) spectroscopy. The formation of [ZnO6] effectively resolves the issue of lattice mismatch between Cr3+ and Ca2+. Furthermore, the simultaneous enhancement of luminescence intensity and thermal stability is realized through a synergistic combination of lattice distortion and rigidity enhancement. By optimizing the substitution concentration of Cr3+, the internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of 92% and an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 29% are finally achieved. Meanwhile, the thermal stability is also enhanced from 59%@400 K (x = 0) to 81%@400 K (x = 0.8). The developed NIR phosphor‐converted light‐emitting diodes (pc‐LEDs) exhibit promising prospects in the fields of security, biomedicine, non‐destructive testing and rapid identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Hydrophilic cationic drugs such as mitoxantrone hydrochloride (MTO) pose a significant delivery challenge to the development of nanodrug systems. Herein, we report the use of a hydrophobic ion-pairing strategy to enhance the nano-assembly of MTO. We employed biocompatible sodium cholesteryl sulfate (SCS) as a modification module to form stable ion pairs with MTO, which balanced the intermolecular forces and facilitated nano-assembly. PEGylated MTO-SCS nanoassemblies (pMS NAs) were prepared via nanoprecipitation. We systematically evaluated the effect of the ratio of the drug module (MTO) to the modification module (SCS) on the nanoassemblies. The increased lipophilicity of MTO-SCS ion pair could significantly improve the encapsulation efficiency (∼97 %) and cellular uptake efficiency of MTO. The pMS NAs showed prolonged blood circulation, maintained the same level of tumor antiproliferative activity, and exhibited reduced toxicity compared with the free MTO solution. It is noteworthy that the stability, cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, and in vivo pharmacokinetic behavior of the pMS NAs increased in proportion to the molar ratio of SCS to MTO. This study presents a self-assembly strategy mediated by ion pairing to overcome the challenges commonly associated with the poor assembly ability of hydrophilic cationic drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zn-Ag-In-S (ZAIS) quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized with various Ag-to-In ratios and used as novel photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy (PDT) on cancer cell inhibition and bacterial sterilization, and their structural, optical, and photodynamic properties were investigated. The alloyed QDs displayed a photoluminescence quantum yield of 72% with a long fluorescence lifetime of 5.3 μs when the Ag-to-In ratio was 1:3, suggesting a good opportunity as a dual functional platform for fluorescence imaging and PDT. The ZAIS QDs were then coated with amphiphilic brush copolymer poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene) (PMAO) before application. The 1O2 quantum yield of the ZAIS/PMAO was measured to be 8%, which was higher than previously reported CdSe QDs and comparable to some organic photosensitizers. Moreover, the ZAIS QDs showed excellent stability in aqueous and biological media, unlike organic photosensitizers that tend to degrade over time. The in vitro PDT against human melanoma cell line (A2058) and Staphylococcus aureus shows about 30% inhibition rate upon 20 min light irradiation. Cell staining images clearly demonstrated that co-treatment with ZAIS QDs and light irradiation effectively killed A2058 cells, demonstrating the potential of ZAIS QDs as novel and versatile photosensitizers for PDT in cancer and bacterial treatment, and provides useful information for future designing of QD-based photosensitizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Four-point adjustable lifting chassis is designed to keep vehicle level when tilting. • Lifting mechanism under 3 adjustment conditions has been analyzed quantitatively. • It could be useful for solving problem of crawler agricultural vehicles levelling. In agriculture, the body tilt of vehicles or platforms can be controlled by levelling technology to prevent rollover and improve efficiency when operated in rough terrain. Many researchers have carried out important study in this area based on mechanism development and optimization, but most of them are not effective to crawler vehicles. The objective of this research was to specifically develop a levelling mechanism for crawler combine harvester, since as a consequence, enhancing the operation performance and trafficability. This levelling method depends on a hydraulic four-point adjustable lifting chassis, which could adjust vehicle chassis by controlling hydraulic cylinders. Therefore, the mathematical models between chassis attitude (including ground clearance, the horizontal and longitudinal inclination angle) and each length of hydraulic cylinder were deduced. The principle of lifting mechanism of crawler vehicle chassis was analyzed by using virtual prototyping software ADAMS, as well as dynamic performance under three different attitude adjustment conditions. The maximum adjustment range of the ground clearance is 140 mm and the lateral inclination adjustment range is ±5.17°. Experiment showed that the designed levelling mechanism was feasible and with positive significance for crawler vehicles levelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the congestion of the urban business circle based on traffic performance index (TPI) data. A hierarchical clustering algorithm is adopted for the data analysis. A dataset of nearly 64,260 pieces of TPI data from July to October 2017 in Qingdao is collected, and its features, such as interval characteristics, mean time distribution and spatiotemporal correlation, are analyzed. The results show that the southern coastal commercial circle of Qingdao is more congested than the other circles; there exists a morning and afternoon peak, with two peaks on workdays; otherwise, weekend and vacation periods do not show congestion. The congestion level toward the end of the vacation week (October 4th–8th) is lower than that during the beginning (October 1st–3rd). Considering the temporal and spatial dimensions, the causes of the two different congestion states during the holidays are speculated upon The characteristics of traffic congestion in Qingdao business circle and its possible causes are proposed, and a new design and overall plan for Qingdao is promoted. • Traffic congestion characteristics of business circle are extracted from TPI data. • The agglomerative hierarchical clustering algorithm is adopted to analyse data. • Trends and patterns of traffic congestion are summarized temporarily and spatially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional hierarchy is prevalent in biological systems owing to natural evolution. Efforts to replicate these structures in artificial materials have gained traction in materials science. Although artificial hierarchical structures are fabricated at different scales based on site‐specific interactions using ABC‐type block copolymers (BCPs), the fabrication of such hierarchical structures using AB‐type BCPs via a simple and efficient method remains challenging. Herein, a class of amphiphilic BCPs (PDenm‐b‐PACholn) is reported comprising dendronized oligoethylene glycol (Den) and cholesterol (AChol) as hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties, respectively. By employing the collapse of PDenm blocks at a specific temperature, the fabrication of bundled fibers and multilayer vesicles is achieved with an obvious hierarchy. Different from common reversible aggregation–disaggregation processes of thermal‐responsive polymers, the ordering of the core‐forming block with liquid crystalline (LC) properties provides robustly physical cross‐linking, coupled with epitaxial growth and the lateral fusion of LC blocks, guiding the formation of stable hierarchical micellar structures. It is highlighted that the combination of temperature‐sensitive properties and LC ordering alignment offers a novel approach for constructing hierarchical structures using AB‐type BCPs via an efficient one‐step assembly method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the energy storage performance of nanocomposite capacitors, barium titanate (BaTiO3) nanoparticles are usually surface-modified with multiple coupling agents to improve their compatibility with poly(vinylidene fluoride − hexafluoropropylene) [P(VDF − HFP)] and Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) matrix. Therefore, exploring suitable coupling agent is urgent for high-performance composite films. In this work, the coupling mechanism and interfacial interactions among coupling agents, BaTiO3, and P(VDF − HFP)/PMMA are theoretically investigated. Compared with other coupling agents in this work, Tween 20 (TW20) can reinforce the Van der Waals force and chain entanglement between BaTiO3 nanoparticles and P(VDF − HFP)/PMMA due to the longer chain segments. Therefore, TW20 can enhance the dispersibility of BaTiO3 fillers and improve the compatibility between BaTiO3 and P(VDF − HFP)/PMMA. Owing to the excellent uniformity and compactness, TW20 modified BaTiO3/P(VDF − HFP)&PMMA nanocomposite films exhibit the excellent discharge energy density of 14.4 J cm−‍3 and efficiency of 77.3% at 557 kV mm−‍‍1, which is 3 times higher than that of unmodified BaTiO3/P(VDF − HFP)&PMMA nanocomposite films. This study declares that optimizing coupling agent can boost the energy storage density of nanocomposites films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review assesses the accuracy of molecular diagnostic methods for the detection of pulmonary tuberculosis in studies performed in China, published in Chinese and English. We searched for studies that assessed the accuracy of molecular diagnostics for pulmonary TB in China in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Wanfang Database, SinoMed, VIP Information, Pubmed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. For each index test, a summary estimation for sensitivity and specificity was calculated using the bivariate random-effects model. A total of 59 studies were included in our analysis. Loop-mediated isothermal amplifcation (LAMP) assay (six studies; pooled sensitivity 90%, 95% CI 78-95%; specificity 93%, 85-97%), line probe assay (LPA) (one study; 87%, 84-90%; 94%, 92-95%) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (FQ-PCR and RT-PCR) (four studies; 90%, 55-99%; 93%, 71-99%) showed good diagnostic performance in the meta-analysis. The highest pooled sensitivity was from Xpert MTB/RIF (20 studies; pooled sensitivity 91%, 95% CI 87-94%). The highest pooled specificity was from cross-priming amplification (CPA) (six studies; pooled specificity 97%, 95-99%). The lowest pooled sensitivity and specificity were from simultaneous amplification and testing (SAT)-TB (three studies; 79%, 66-88%; 72%, 48-88%). In subgroup analysis, molecular diagnostics demonstrated higher sensitivity for pulmonary TB detection in smear-positive specimens. Xpert MTB/RIF, LAMP, LPA, CPA and PCR demonstrated high accuracy overall for pulmonary tuberculosis detection, while SAT-TB had poor performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CuInSe2 quantum dots (QDs) are one of the most important Cd-free fluorescent probes; they usually exhibited low fluorescence intensity, suggesting that a considerable amount of absorbed photon energy was lost as heat. In this study we aimed to improve the fluorescence intensity of CuInSe2 QDs and investigate their photoacoustic (PA) signal resulting from the heat dissipation, which was previously rarely reported. Cu–In–Zn–Se/ZnSe QDs were synthesized by adopting two strategies of Zn doping and ZnSe shell growth. It was found that there was an upper limit for Zn concentration beyond which the fluorescence intensity began to decrease. In addition, a blue shift of the emission peak of Cu–In–Zn–Se/ZnSe QDs was observed at high concentrations of ZnSe precursor due to the diffusion of excessive Zn. To prepare the dual-modal fluorescence and PA imaging probe, poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene) (PMAO) modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) was coated on the QDs, which led to a slight reduction in fluorescence. Cellular labeling on HeLa cells was performed to demonstrate the utility of these probes for fluorescence imaging. We further studied the in vitro PA imaging capabilities of the Cu–In–Zn–Se/ZnSe/PMAO-g-PEG nanoparticles, which showed a distinct PA signal beyond 1.0 mg ml−1. The current work demonstrated that a moderate amount of Zn doping is necessary for enhancing fluorescence and there is a limit beyond which the fluorescence will be diminished. We also demonstrated the proof of concept that Cu–In–Zn–Se/ZnSe QDs are able to serve as a potential PA imaging contrast agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tunable emission in red phosphors is a challenge for the application of wLED. Herein, we reported a new Eu2+ doped oxide based red K 2 MgSiO 4 :Eu2+ phosphor. Under excitation at 319 nm, the K 2 MgSiO 4 : Eu2+ phosphor exhibits a broad band red emission peaking at 648 nm with FWHM ≈231 nm. The structural and spectral analyses suggest that Eu2+ occupy K1/K3O 6 sites and K2/K4O 8 sites to form two Gaussian fitting emissions at 732 nm and 629 nm, respectively. To achieve tunable emission, reducing the Si content is attempted in K 2 MgSi 1-y O 4 :Eu2+. As the Si content decreases from y = 0 to y = 0.04, the emission spectrum shows a blue shift from 648 nm to 523 nm. Therefore, defect-induced color-tunable phosphors from red to yellow are obtained through reducing Si content in the host. This study aims to provide a new research method to guide the development of Eu2+ doped oxide based red phosphors and design idea to obtain tunable emission of phosphors. Moreover, the defect-induced photoluminescence tuning strategy is universal to most luminescent materials. Toc. A novel broad-band red K 2 MgSiO 4 :Eu2+ phosphor and defect-induced tunable emission from red to yellow. [Display omitted] • A novel K 2 MgSiO 4 :Eu2+ red phosphor with ultra-wide emission (FWHM = 231 nm) is revealed. • The emission color of K 2 MgSiO 4 :Eu2+ changes from red to yellow by generating O vacancy defects. • The defect trap depth of O vacancy is discussed to explain the thermal quenching mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Litter decomposition is dependent on the requirements of decomposer communities and their ability to acquire energy and nutrients from their substrates (i.e. litter) and the surrounding environment (i.e. soil). However, knowledge about whether and how stoichiometric imbalance (i.e. the differences in C:N:P ratios between microorganisms and their substrates) regulate litter decomposition rates and whether it can be compensated by soil resources have rarely been evaluated, and even less across different decomposition stages over time.In this study, we conducted a reciprocal litter transplantation experiment using a stoichiometric gradient along the forest‐steppe ecotone to evaluate mechanisms underlying litter‐microbe‐soil interactions at different moments during litter breakdown. We measured the C:N:P stoichiometry of litter, soil, microbes, enzyme ratios and soil microbial community composition (via metabarcoding) after 6 and 12 months of litter decomposition.We found that the stoichiometric imbalances between soil microorganisms and litter substrate controlled decomposition rates directly during the early phase of decomposition. In contrast, the stoichiometric imbalances between soil microorganisms and soil substrate regulated decomposition rates during the later phase of decomposition, but this was an indirect effect mediated via shifts in the saprophytic fungal community composition and enzyme allocation.These findings highlight that the stoichiometric imbalance between soil microorganisms and litter substrates can be partly compensated by the local soil resources over the course of the decomposition process. We conclude that the stoichiometric imbalance between soil microorganisms and their resources is a key mechanism that should not be ignored when predicting soil C and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cr3+‐activated near‐infrared (NIR) phosphors are one of the most influential candidates for the new generation of intelligent NIR phosphor‐converted light‐emitting diode (pc‐LED) light sources. For spectral analysis, the broader the spectrum, the more useful information it contains. Herein, ultra‐broadband Cr‐activated Sc2O3 nanophosphors, which exhibit NIR ultra‐broadband from 650 to 1600 nm, are developed by the sol–gel method. This ultra‐broadband emission originates from the presence of Cr3+ and Cr4+, two luminescent centers confirmed by diffuse reflection spectra, electron paramagnetic resonance, time‐resolved photoluminescence spectra, and temperature‐dependent emission spectra. The nanophosphor exhibits excellent temperature‐sensing performance with SA = 4.102% K−1 and SR = 1.855% K−1. Co‐doping Yb3+ into Sc2O3 nanophosphors builds the Cr3+‐Yb3+‐Cr4+ model to bridge the spectral gap located at 1000 nm, forming a continuous NIR ultra‐broadband spectrum ranging from 650 to 1600 nm for the first time. Moreover, the introduction of Yb3+ improves the thermal stability of nanophosphors from 29.49% to 50.65% at 150 °C. The NIR transmission spectra of water, ethanol, and peanut oil demonstrate that Sc2O3:Cr3+‐Yb3+‐Cr4+ NIR nanophosphors favor potential applications in spectral analysis. The construction of a Cr3+‐Yb3+‐Cr4+ spectral bridge for realizing NIR ultra‐broadband phosphors based on cheap blue LEDs provides novel and effective insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the variability of cleaning performance caused by uneven airflow distribution, the theory of fan design and the characteristic parameters of threshed rice outputs were used to develop a prototype of cleaning fan. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was employed to simulate the air distribution inside the fan and the airflow speed distribution at the fan outlet. Response surface methodology (RSM) with three factors and three levels was employed to optimise fan impeller geometry parameters, this included blade inlet mounting angle, blade curvature and blade inlet curvature. According to the least squares analysis of RSM, the influence of each factor on the airflow distribution at each sub-outlet was estimated. The optimal values of blade inlet mounting angle, blade curvature and blade inlet curvature were 107°, 190 mm and 135 mm, respectively. The uniformity of the outlet airflow distribution of the optimised fan was clearly improved. The number of eddy currents in the flow passage were reduced, and the transporting performance of optimised fan was improved. The maximum pressure at 5% blade height away from the central plate was reduced by 37.78%, which indicates that the service life of the cleaning fan could be increased. • A prototype cleaning fan with a central plate developed and optimised. • Optimised fan improves the uniformity of the outlet airflow distribution. • Optimised fan could enhance the cleaning performance of the combine harvester. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cr3+‐activated near‐infrared (NIR) phosphors have attracted wide attention owing to applications in phosphor‐converted light‐emitting diodes (pc‐LED) for spectroscopy. Because a broader spectrum covers more information to detect, the width of the spectrum is an important parameter to consider. Here, the blue LED excitable ultra‐broadband Cr3+‐activated LiInGeO4 phosphors, which exhibit unprecedented long‐wavelength NIR emission with a wide full‐width at half maximum (FWHM) of 305 nm, are developed. The overall emission tuning from 1165 to 875 nm with broadened FWHM from 305 to 508 nm is realized through designing continuous solid solution hosts of LiIn1−zSczGeO4/(LiIn)1−yMg2yGeO4 and finite solid solution hosts of (LiIn)1−yZn2yGeO4:Cr3+. The observation of such long‐wavelength NIR from Cr3+ not Cr4+ is studied and confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance, X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure, and steady‐/transient‐state photoluminescence. The formation of finite solid solutions induces the change in the local structure of Cr3+ that ultimately leads to the observation of super broadband (FWHM = 508 nm) luminescence. The luminescence mechanism is discussed in this study. Finally, this study demonstrates that the as‐synthesized phosphors with tunable NIR luminescence can be well used in NIR pc‐LEDs for spectroscopy detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: PTEN is one of the most frequently mutated genes in human cancer. Although the roles of canonical PTEN protein and PTEN isoforms have been extensively explored, the current understanding of PTEN family members cannot fully illustrate the diversity of their roles in biological processes and tumor development. Notably, the function of noncoding RNAs arising from PTEN has been less elucidated. Methods: We searched circBase and circInteractome to analyze the potential of PTEN for generating circRNAs. Then, Sanger sequencing, RNase R and Actinomycin D assays were used to verify the ring structure of circPTEN1. In situ hybridization and qRT-PCR were used to determine the level of circPTEN1 in peritumor and tumor tissues of colorectal cancer (CRC). Furthermore, functional experiments, including Transwell assay, 3D multicellular tumor spheroid invasion assay and metastasis models, were performed using circPTEN1 knockdown and overexpression cell lines in vitro and in vivo to investigate the effects of circPTEN1 on tumor metastasis in CRC. Mechanistically, luciferase reporter assay, fluorescence in situ hybridization, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, RNA immunoprecipitation, RNA pull-down and mass spectrometry were executed. Results: We identified a circular RNA generated from the PTEN gene, designated circPTEN1, that is frequently downregulated in colorectal cancer, and decreased expression of circPTEN1 predicts poor survival. Low expression of circPTEN1 promotes metastasis in PDX models in vivo and accelerates cancer cell invasion in vitro, whereas overexpression of circPTEN1 reveals opposite roles. Mechanically, we found that circPTEN1 is capable of binding the MH2 domain of Smad4 to disrupt its physical interaction with Smad2/3, which reduces the formation and subsequent nucleus translocation of Smad complexes and consequently suppresses the expression of its downstream genes associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition upon TGF-β stimulation. Furthermore, we found that eIF4A3 suppresses the cyclization of circPTEN1 by directly binding to the circPTEN1 flanking region. Conclusions: Our study uncovered a novel PTEN gene-generated circRNA with a tumor suppression function, and further revealed the mechanism of circPTEN1 in CRC metastasis mediated by TGF-β. The identification of circPTEN1 provides a new direction for PTEN investigation, and elucidation of circPTEN1/TGF-β/Smad signaling may pave the way for the development of a potential therapeutic strategy for the suppression of cancer progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Botulinum neurotoxin A injection is a popular noninvasive alternative for the treatment of masseter hypertrophy. This study was conducted to identify a safe injection volume to avoid sunken lateral cheek after botulinum neurotoxin A injection in the masseter muscle. Methods: One milliliter or 0.5 ml of indocyanine green was randomly injected into either side of the masseter muscles of 18 fresh cadaver heads. The bilateral spreads of indocyanine green within the masseter were observed by a fluorescence imager. The masseters were then dissected, and the spreading distance was measured. Results: Dye spreading showed an oval shape parallel to the long axis of the masseter muscle. The lower edges of the masseters were all stained with indocyanine green. The upward spreading exceeded the mouth corner‐tragus line in 94.44% (17/18) of the masseters on the 1‐ml side, and 11.11% (2/18) of the masseters on the 0.5‐ml side. The spreading area and upward spreading distance on the 1‐ml side (9.95 ± 0.48 cm2, 3.18 ± 0.31 cm) were significantly larger than the 0.5‐ml side (7.13 ± 0.80 cm2, 2.08 ± 0.32 cm). Conclusions: The spread of indocyanine green within the masseter occurs in direct proportion to its volume. A bolus of 1 ml easily exceeded the mouth corner‐tragus line and cause sunken cheek. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) destroys tumor cells mainly through singlet oxygen (1O 2) generated by light-irradiated photosensitizers (PSs). However, the fleeting half-life of 1O 2 greatly impairs PDT efficacy. Herein, we propose an unreported unsaturated fatty acid (UFA)-assisted PS co-assembly strategy to address this problem. Three UFAs, namely, oleic acid (OA), linoleic acid (LA) and linolenic acid (LNA), are capable of co-assembling with 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-aminophenyl)porphyrin (TAPP) into uniform nanoparticles. Under irradiation, TAPP produces 1O 2 , which directly attacks tumor cells and simultaneously oxidizes UFAs to generate lipid hydroperoxides with sustained damage. Interestingly, the unsaturation degree of UFAs is not only related to their peroxidation rate but also has a remarkable impact on the intracellular TAPP release characteristic of the nanoparticles (NPs). The TAPP-LA NPs could release the cargo rapidly and produce the highest lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species levels upon irradiation. Such a unique finding sheds new light on UFA-based combination applications for enhanced photodynamic efficacy by boosting lipid peroxidation. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular aging is a major risk factor for age-related cardiovascular diseases, which have high rates of morbidity and mortality. It is characterized by changes in the blood vessels, such as macroscopically increased vascular diameter and intima-medial thickness, chronic inflammation, vascular calcification, arterial stiffening, and atherosclerosis. DNA damage and the subsequent various DNA damage response (DDR) pathways are important causative factors of vascular aging. Deficient DDR, which may result in the accumulation of unrepaired damaged DNA or mutations, can lead to vascular aging. On the other hand, over-activation of some DDR proteins, such as poly (ADP ribose) polymerase (PARP) and ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), also can enhance the process of vascular aging, suggesting that DDR can have both positive and negative effects on vascular aging. Despite the evidence reviewed in this paper, the role of DDR in vascular aging and potential therapeutic targets remain poorly understood and require further investigation. • Vascular aging is the most important risk factor in the high morbidity and mortality of age-related cardiovascular diseases. • DNA damage and the subsequent various DNA damage response (DDR) pathways as important causative factors in vascular aging. • DDR can positively or negatively influence vascular aging. • Modulating DDR pathways pharmacologically or molecularly might have potential therapeutic benefits in managing age-related cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Crosslinked network improves the mechanical properties of the conductive elastomer. • Dual-ionic system improves the conductivity of the crosslinked elastomer. • The wearable sensors made of such elastomers can sensitively monitor body motions. • The novel elastomers exhibit extremely high transparency and stability. Generally, linear or dynamic crosslinking structures are selected to prepare ionic conductive elastomers. Although these elastomers have good conductivity, they usually come with poor mechanical properties due to the strong motion ability of flexible chain segments. The preparation of liquid-free ionic conductive elastomers in combination with robust mechanical properties and high conductivity is a consistently difficult and challenging work. Based on the cross-linked structure and dual-ionic conductive system, here, a series of novel cross-linked dual-ionic conductive elastomers (CDICEs) are synthesized. They show the excellent mechanical properties. The best tensile strength of CDICE reaches 16.4 MPa, and the best strain-at-break could reach 1410 %. The mechanically robust CDICEs also exhibit good conductivity (0.5 × 10−3–8.3 × 10−3 S m−1, 25 °C) and outstanding freeze/heat-resistant performance (−20 °C–140 °C). The cross-linked PEG network improves the mechanical properties, and the addition of lithium salt (LiTFSI) and choline chloride (ChCl) improve the conductivity. The wearable sensors made of such elastomers can sensitively monitor body motions like bending of finger, wrist or elbow. As a durable, reliable material, it exhibits great potential for applications in electronic skins and wearable devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For weakly basic drugs, the sharp decrease of drug solubility and the following drug precipitation after drugs transferring from the gastric fluid to the intestinal fluid in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a main reason for the poor oral bioavailability of drugs. Here, an anticoagulant dabigatran etexilate (DE) was used as a model drug, and a composite nanocarrier system of DE was developed to improve the drug dissolution by decreasing the drug leakage in the stomach and inhibiting the drug precipitation in the intestinal tract. With the encapsulation of drugs in nanocarriers, the precipitation percentage of DE in composite nanocarriers was 22.25 ± 3.88% in simulated intestinal fluid, which was far below that of the commercial formulation. Moreover, the relative bioavailability of DE-loaded composite nanocarriers (456.58%) was greatly enhanced and the peak of its activated partial thromboplastin time was also significantly prolonged (p <.01) compared with the commercial formulation, indicating that the anticoagulant effect of DE was effectively improved. Therefore, the designed composite nanocarrier system of DE presents great potentials in improving the therapeutic efficiency and expanding the clinical applications of poorly water-soluble weakly basic drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed at investigating the tumor stiffness of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) bearing mice model in vivo to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of targeting nanobubbles (TNBS) conjugated with NET-1 siRNA (NET-1 siRNA-TNBS). Also tested whether shear wave elastography (SWE) could demonstrate the pathological tumor changes and used to monitor therapeutic efficacy as a noninvasive method. The HCC bearing mice model was established by injecting human HCC cell line (HepG2). The mice were then divided into three groups randomly, and were treated with TNBS conjugated with NET-1 siRNA, TNBS conjugated with negative control gene, and saline as control. US-SWE was performed for three times. SWE values of all the tumors in three groups were increased with tumor growth. Emax was correlated with tumor size (p <.05). NET-1 gene (treatment group) significantly delayed the growth of tumor size compared to other two groups (p <.0001), showing a significantly increased Emax (p <.05). Immunohistochemical results showed that the NET-1 protein expression was significantly lower than the negative control and blank groups. In conclusion, TNBS conjugated with NET-1 siRNA inhibited tumor growth and prolonged the life of experimental animals. SWE provided a noninvasive and real time imaging method to detect the changes in tumor development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance phase change materials (PCMs) are regarded as a promising strategy in thermal energy storage applications. However, pure PCMs exhibit some inherent disadvantages such as leakage, low thermal conductivity and poor thermal cycling stability. Herein, this work presents novel microencapsulated PCMs with nano-Al2O3-enhanced shell materials due to the high thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of nano-Al2O3. And nano-Al2O3 was contributed uniformly to the shell materials through self-assembly of functional materials, forming a connected thermal conductive network for the microencapsulated PCMs and resulting in an enhancement on the thermal conductivity of the microencapsulated PCMs. Results show that thermal conductivity of the obtained microencapsulated PCMs with 8 mass% nano-Al2O3 is improved up to 0.5977 W m−1 k−1 which is about 287.4% compared with that of the pure PCMs. Moreover, the obtained microcapsules enhanced by nano-Al2O3 possess good phase change behavior and excellent thermal cycling stability, whose melting enthalpy can achieve 170.5 J g−1 and almost has no change after 12 times of thermal cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A high amount of added soil increases multifunctionality of degraded grasslands. • Biotic and abiotic factors are important to influence ecosystem functions. • Fungal richness and network complexity positively influence ecosystem functions. Soil addition is now widely used in the restoration of degraded ecosystems, but how soil addition influences multiple ecological functions of degraded grasslands, and whether these effects depend on the amount and type of soil inoculum, are still not clear. We performed two parallel experiments to examine how two different donor soil types and two amounts of donor soil addition affect the restoration of degraded grassland. In a field experiment at a degraded grassland site where the top layer of the soil was removed (5 cm), we assessed the effect of addition of soil collected from two different ecosystems (upland meadow and meadow steppe) and addition of different amounts of soil (0 cm, 1 cm and 3 cm) on ecosystem multifunctionality. In a microcosm experiment, we examined the effects of soil biotic and abiotic factors on ecosystem functions by inoculating sterilized and non-sterilized soil. Soil addition promoted the restoration of degraded grassland, particularly when higher amounts of soil were added. Both biotic and abiotic factors increased ecosystem multifunctionality. Biotic factors, especially fungal richness and network complexity, had the strongest positive effects on ecosystem multifunctionality. Our study reveals the importance of fungal communities in soil for improving ecosystem multifunctionality in restoration of degraded grassland. Future studies should explore the effects of joint addition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and saprophytic fungi on the ecosystem functions of degraded grasslands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]