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Spin‐gapless semiconductors (SGS) are highly attractive for spintronics applications due to their unique spin‐polarized band structure. In this study, the potential SGS candidate of Mn2CoGa alloy is focused on by growing thin films using magnetron sputtering on Si(001)/SiO2 substrates. By applying appropriate heat treatment, the Mn2CoGa thin films can crystallize into the expected Heusler structure, as confirmed by the dominant (220) peak observed in X‐ray diffraction. These films exhibit soft magnetized behavior, with a saturation magnetization of approximately 1.86 μBf.u.−1 at 10 K. This value deviates slightly from the theoretical prediction, indicating the presence of antisite disorder within the film. The resistivity curve shows a negative temperature coefficient, which is attributed to the strong electron–electron interaction that is also connected to the disorder. Despite the presence of disorder, positive variation and sign reversal of the magnetoresistance are observed, along with a nearly vanishing anomalous Hall effect, both of which are typical characteristics of SGS. Compared to bulk Mn2CoGa, the carrier concentration is larger and the mobility is lower in the film, while similar temperature dependences are observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a series of hindered urea bond (HUB) containing polyurethane-urea methacrylate prepolymers and a none HUB containing polyurethane methacrylate prepolymer were prepared using isobornyl methacrylate as the reactive diluent via one-pot procedure. The prepolymers were characterized fully by various techniques. Then, their thermosets were fabricated via UV curing in presence of a photo initiator, and their mechanical property and thermal behavior were investigated and compared. Different from the none HUB containing thermoset, the HUB containing thermosets (defined as PUT) could be recycled and reprocessed by hot press under relatively mild conditions with high recovery ratio of mechanical property. Furthermore, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were modified with 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate and the modified ZnO (defined as ZnO-TPM) was dispersed and polymerized into PUT matrix to prepare their nanocomposites. The influence of ZnO-TPM on the mechanical performance of the composites was evaluated, which indicated that the Young's modulus and tensile strength increased gradually to the maximum values at ZnO-TPM content of 1 wt% and then decreased. The composites also displayed good reprocessability with improved recovery ratio compared to the pure PUT sample. In addition, the composite materials exhibited strong UV absorption capacity, implying their potential application in the circumstance where UV-shielding was required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the dynamic journey of women as they become academics in non‐elite Chinese public universities. It focuses on their aspirations and the evolving subjectivity that accompanies this process. Ten participants from the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) fields, aged 28–57, were interviewed; the transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Adopting a Butlerian perspective, our findings identify two distinct subjectivities that shape Chinese women's decision to become academics: autonomous subjectivity driven by intrinsic desire and strategic subjectivity driven by instrumental desire. We argue that becoming an academic is a complex process influenced by regulatory power, including market forces, institutional and societal constraints, and gender norms, which shape the context in which the desire is pursued. It is essential to view this decision not only from the individual's perspective but also from the larger context within which it is made. This study contributes to the literature on gender equality in academia by interrogating the complexities of the decision‐making processes for Chinese women pursuing academic careers in non‐elite Chinese universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three‐dimensional asymmetric supercapacitors (3D ASC) have garnered significant attention due to their high operating window, theoretical energy density, and circularity. However, the practical application of 3D electrode materials is limited by brittleness and excessive dead volume. Therefore, we propose a controlled contraction strategy that regulates the pore structure of 3D electrode materials, eliminates dead volume in the 3D skeleton structure, and enhances mechanical strength. In this study to obtain reduced graphene oxide/manganese dioxide (rGO/MnO2) and reduced graphene oxide/carbon nanotube (rGO/CNT) composite aerogels with a stable and compact structure. MnO2 and CNT as nanogaskets, preventing the self‐stacking of graphene nanosheets during the shrinkage process. Additionally, the high specific capacitor nanogaskets significantly enhance the specific energy density of the rGO aerogel electrode. The prepared rGO/MnO2//rGO/CNT 3D ASC exhibits a high mass‐specific capacitance of 216.15 F g−1, a high mass energy density of 74 Wh kg−1 at 3.5 A g−1, and maintains a retention rate of capacitance at 99.89 % after undergoing 10,000 cycles of charge and discharge at 5 A g−1. The versatile and integrated assembly of 3D ASC units is achieved through the utilization of the robust mechanical structure of rGO‐based aerogel electrodes, employing a mortise and tenon structural design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The potential for totipotency exists in all plant cells; however, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Earlier findings have revealed that the overexpression of LEAFY COTYLEDON 2 (LEC2) can directly trigger the formation of somatic embryos on the cotyledons of Arabidopsis. Furthermore, cotyledon cells that overexpress LEC2 accumulate significant lipid reserves typically found in seeds. The precise mechanisms and functions governing lipid accumulation in this process remain unexplored.In this study, we demonstrate that WRINKLED1 (WRI1), the key regulator of lipid biosynthesis, is essential for somatic embryo formation, suggesting that WRI1‐mediated lipid biosynthesis plays a crucial role in the transition from vegetative to embryonic development.Our findings indicate a direct interaction between WRI1 and LEC2, which enhances the enrichment of LEC2 at downstream target genes and stimulates their induction. Besides, our data suggest that WRI1 forms a complex with LEC1, LEC2, and FUSCA3 (FUS3) to facilitate the accumulation of auxin and lipid for the somatic embryo induction, through strengthening the activation of YUCCA4 (YUC4) and OLEOSIN3 (OLE3) genes.Our results uncover a regulatory module controlled by WRI1, crucial for somatic embryogenesis. These findings provide valuable insights into our understanding of plant cell totipotency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are increasing reports of neurological manifestation in children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the frequency and clinical outcomes of in hospitalized children infected with the Omicron variant are unknown. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics, neurological manifestations, and risk factor associated with poor prognosis of hospitalized children suffering from COVID-19 due to the Omicron variant. Participants included children older than 28 days and younger than 18 years. Patients were recruited from December 10, 2022 through January 5, 2023. They were followed up for 30 days. A total of 509 pediatric patients hospitalized with the Omicron variant infection were recruited into the study. Among them, 167 (32.81%) patients had neurological manifestations. The most common manifestations were febrile convulsions (n = 90, 53.89%), viral encephalitis (n = 34, 20.36%), epilepsy (n = 23, 13.77%), hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (n = 9, 5.39%), and acute necrotizing encephalopathy (n = 6, 3.59%). At discharge, 92.81% of patients had a good prognosis according to the Glasgow Outcome Scale (scores ≥ 4). However, 7.19% had a poor prognosis. Eight patients died during the follow-up period with a cumulative 30-day mortality rate of 4.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5–8.1). Multivariate analysis revealed that albumin (odds ratio 0.711, 95% CI 0.556–0.910) and creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) levels (odds ratio 1.033, 95% CI 1.004–1.063) were independent risk factors of poor prognosis due to neurological manifestations. The area under the curve for the prediction of poor prognosis with albumin and CK-MB was 0.915 (95%CI 0.799–1.000), indicating that these factors can accurately predict a poor prognosis. Conclusion: In this study, 32.8% of hospitalized children suffering from COVID-19 due to the Omicron variant infection experienced neurological manifestations. Baseline albumin and CK-MB levels could accurately predict poor prognosis in this patient population. What is Known: • Neurological injury has been reported in SARS-CoV-2 infection; compared with other strains, the Omicron strain is more likely to cause neurological manifestations in adults. • Neurologic injury in adults such as cerebral hemorrhage and epilepsy has been reported in patients with Omicron variant infection. What is New: • One-third hospitalized children with Omicron infection experience neurological manifestations, including central nervous system manifestations and peripheral nervous system manifestations. • Albumin and CK-MB combined can accurately predict poor prognosis (AUC 0.915), and the 30-day mortality rate of children with Omicron variant infection and neurological manifestations was 4.8%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to identify different trajectories of remnant cholesterol (RC) and investigate the association of RC trajectories with vascular endothelial function and atherosclerosis progression in a longitudinal cohort of the Chinese population. A total of 521 participants were included in the flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) subcohort study, and 7775 participants were included in the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) subcohort study. All participants had ≥ 3 medical examinations during the 10-year follow-up period. In the FMD subcohort study, three distinct RC trajectories were identified according to the RC range and changing pattern over time: "low" (57.58%), "moderate" (30.90%) and "high" (11.52%). The proportion of the three groups with vascular endothelial dysfunction (FMD < 7.0%) was 20.00%, 39.75% and 60.00% respectively. Taking the low group as a reference, participants in the moderate and high groups had over 1.88 and 2.94 times the odds of vascular endothelial dysfunction (P = 0.048). In the baPWV subcohort study, three distinct RC trajectories were also identified: "low" (54.29%), "moderate" (38.97%) and "high" (6.74%). The proportion of the three groups with atherosclerosis (baPWV > 1400 cm/s) was 38.79%, 51.26% and 59.01% respectively. Taking the low group as a reference, participants in the moderate and high groups had over 1.46 and 2.16 times the odds of atherosclerosis (P < 0.001). The findings indicated that distinct RC trajectories are significantly associated with vascular endothelial function and atherosclerosis. Regular monitoring to identify persistent increases in RC may be more helpful in identifying individuals with a high risk of cardiovascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate detection of violations in the process of high‐altitude operation plays an essential role in improving the safety production level of distribution network work. The basis of detecting violations in work at high altitude is to accurately measure the ground height of relevant workers and tools. Therefore, in this study, a method of on‐site elevation measurement in distribution network based on the combination of atmospheric pressure measurement and climbing motion detection is proposed. Through the atmospheric pressure sensor installed on the operator, the accurate value of the altitude change of the operator in a short time can be obtained. At the same time, the acceleration sensor and SVM classifier are used to identify the climbing action of the operator, and the CDHA algorithm is proposed to accumulate the height changes measured by the atmospheric pressure sensor when the operator climbs, so as to obtain the height value of the operator relative to the ground. At the same time, the problem that the height measurement results of the atmospheric pressure sensor drift significantly after a long time of operation is solved. The experimental results show that the average measurement error of the operator's height above the ground by this method is 0.33 m, which is better than the existing comparison methods, and further verifies the validity of the proposed method in accurately determining the height of operator off the ground. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the moderating effect of regulatory foci on the efficacy of episodic future thinking in reducing delay discounting. We hypothesized that the impact of imagining positive future events (vs. recent positive events) on delay discounting of gains would be stronger for individuals with a high promotion focus than for those with a high prevention focus (Hypothesis 1). Conversely, the effects of imagining adverse future events (vs. recent negative events) on delay discounting of losses would be stronger for individuals with a high prevention focus than for those with a high promotion focus (Hypothesis 2). We conducted two experiments in which participants, randomly allocated to episodic future thinking (EFT) or episodic recent thinking (ERT) groups, completed a delayed discounting task of gain (Experiment 1) or loss (Experiment 2). Experiment 1 (N = 73) weakly supported Hypothesis 1; Experiment 2 (N = 99) did not support Hypothesis 2. Our findings suggest positive EFT is particularly effective for individuals with a high promotion focus compared to individuals with a high prevention focus, which further reveals how EFT attenuates delay discounting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bilayer hydrogel actuators, consisting of an actuating layer and a functional layer, show broad applications in areas such as soft robotics, artificial muscles, drug delivery and tissue engineering due to their inherent flexibility and responses to stimuli. However, to achieve the compatibility of good stimulus responses and high mechanical properties of bilayer hydrogel actuators is still a challenge. Herein, based on the double-network strategy and using the synchronous ultraviolet (UV) polymerization method, an upper critical solution temperature (UCST)-type bilayer hydrogel actuator was prepared, which consisted of a poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid)[MC] actuating layer and an agar/poly(N-hydroxyethyl acrylamide-co-methacrylic acid)[AHA] functional layer. The results showed that the tensile stress/strain of the bilayer hydrogel actuator was 1161.21 KPa/222.07%. In addition, the UCST of bilayer hydrogels was ~35 °C, allowing the bilayer hydrogel actuator to be curled into an "◎" shape, which could be unfolded when the temperature was 65 °C, but not at a temperature of 5 °C. Furthermore, hydrogel actuators of three different shapes were designed, namely "butterfly", "cross" and "circle", all of which demonstrated good actuating performances, showing the programmable potential of bilayer hydrogels. Overall, the bilayer hydrogels prepared using double-network and synchronous UV polymerization strategies realized the combination of high mechanical properties with an efficient temperature actuation, which provides a new method for the development of bilayer hydrogel actuators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Shuangyuangou copper deposit is located in the southern segment of the Qinling orogenic belt in central China. The ore‐related intrusions include quartz diorite porphyry, granite porphyry and lamprophyre. In this study, we present whole‐rock geochemistry, zircon U–Pb geochronology, trace elements and Lu–Hf isotope data on the Shuangyuangou intrusions which provide critical constraints on the emplacement age, magma origin, petrogenesis and implications for porphyry Cu mineralization in this newly discovered deposit. Zircon U–Pb dating constrains the emplacement age of quartz diorite porphyry, lamprophyre and granite porphyry at 150–147 Ma. The quartz diorite porphyry and granite porphyry display high‐K calc–alkaline I‐type granite affiliation. The rocks show enrichment of LREE and LILE (Rb, Ba), depletion in HREE and HFSE (Nb, Ta, Ti) and absence of Eu anomaly. Zircon εHf(t) values of quartz diorite porphyry, lamprophyre and granite porphyry range from −7.5 to −1.7 with TDM2 ages of 1.3–1.6 Ga. Our data suggest that the parental magma was derived from partial melting of juvenile lower crust and metasomatic lithospheric mantle, with more involvement of mantle material for the lamprophyre. The zircon Eu/Eu* values of 0.55–0.78 suggest high magmatic water content which suppresses the fractionation of plagioclase. In addition, the ΔFMQ values calculated from zircon trace elements range from −0.90 to 2.96 which is a favourable factor for porphyry Cu mineralization at Shuangyuangou. The Late Jurassic Shuangyuangou intrusion and associated Cu mineralization were formed within an intracontinental setting after the collisional assembly of the Qinling orogenic belt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The persistent gender inequalities in higher education are an ongoing concern among academics. This paper investigates how male and female academics perceive the need for gender-related changes to support academic women's career advancement in China. Drawing on 40 interviews with male and female academics at a leading Chinese research university, this paper finds that attitudes among male academics were overwhelmingly negative toward the necessity for gender-related changes, whereas the female academics' responses varied. Two underlying issues cause the relatively similar degrees of unwillingness of men and women to make gender-related policy changes at universities. First, these academics had a strong belief in merit-based rules for promotion, which embedded gender blindness in the name of 'fairness'. Second, the power of individual choice was the determining factor for women's career progression, although both men and women acknowledged that their traditional cultural beliefs were rooted in processes and practices that systematically disadvantaged women. The findings expose academics' low expectations for the successful creation or implementation of institutional policies that support academic women's career development, considering that male academics did not support gender-related changes, and female academics were not united in their perspectives. In addition, socio-cultural norms were a critical obstacle. The findings suggest that the successful implementation of any gender policies must meet two conditions: they should stress equal opportunities for both sexes and should not jeopardize the perceived 'fair' meritocracy in academia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Trans‐North China Orogen (TNCO) is a major Palaeoproterozoic collisional orogen in the North China Craton and has experienced complex tectonic evolution during the assembly of the Eastern and Western Blocks. The vestiges of subducted oceanic crust preserved in this orogen can be used to gain insights into the subduction–collision process associated with the Palaeoproterozoic orogeny. In this study, we investigate garnet amphibolites from the Wanzi Group in the Fuping Complex along the TNCO through integrated petrography, mineral chemistry, phase equilibrium modelling and zircon U–Pb geochronology. Three stages of metamorphic mineral assemblages are identified as follows: (i) the prograde assemblage is preserved as plagioclase, amphibole, biotite and quartz inclusions in garnet porphyroblasts; (ii) the peak mineral assemblage includes coarse‐grained amphibole, garnet, plagioclase, ilmenite, biotite and quartz; and (iii) the retrograde assemblage is mainly represented by the corona of amphibole, plagioclase and biotite in the matrix. Petrological features and phase equilibrium modelling define a clockwise pressure–temperature path involving a prograde stage of 7.2–9.6 kbar and <670°C, peak conditions of 10.0–10.2 kbar and 690–810°C, and a retrograde stage with near‐isothermal decompression to ~7.4 kbar and cooling. Zircon U–Pb dating shows weighted mean ages of 1848 ± 22 Ma and 1836 ± 31 Ma, representing the growth of zircon in the retrograde stage during the uplift and cooling process. In combination with available data from the TNCO, the post‐peak decompression and cooling process is inferred to be long‐lived during 1.90–1.76 Ga, following collision along the TNCO that occurred during 1.97–1.90 Ga, ultimately leading to the final assembly of the North China Craton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are two strategies for scheduling personal goals: (i) clock-time, based on time passage; and (ii) event-time, based on the progress made. Neither strategy is always superior to the other; rather it is necessary to consider the environment and other conditions such as whether the goal is long or short term. We focused on goal lengthas an important factor for determining the best scheduling strategy, hypothesizing that clock-time and event-time strategies would differentially activate higher performance for long-term and short-term goals, respectively. Thus, we conducted a two-part laboratory experiment (Part 1: n = 63, Part 2: n = 86) in which we manipulated both goal length and scheduling strategy. Subsequently, we examined the effects of each combination of goal length and scheduling strategy on task performance (i.e., completion of a mathematical problem). Although our two studies were designed identically in most respects, they differed in the number of task problems, task time limits, and question content. Our data supported our hypothesis that clock-time scheduling was optimal for long-term goals while event-time scheduling was optimal for short-term goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify whether E-health interventions effectively improve physical activity (PA) in cancer survivors. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception to October 21, 2023. Randomized controlled trials reporting the effect of E-health interventions on PA among cancer survivors were included. Random-effect models were used to calculate standardized mean differences (SMD) and the 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: In total, 15 trials with 2,291 cancer survivors were included in this meta-analysis. The results showed that E-health interventions improved moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among cancer survivors (SMD = 0.26, 95% CI 0.08, 0.43, N = 8, p < 0.001, I2 = 37%), as well as moderate physical activity (MPA) (SMD = 0.22, 95% CI 0.05, 0.38, N = 9, p < 0.001, I2 = 28%) and vigorous physical activity (VPA) (SMD = 0.34, 95% CI 0.15, 0.54, N = 6, p < 0.001, I2 = 11%). Conclusion: E-health interventions are effective at promoting PA among cancer survivors. As current research primarily focuses on immediate post-intervention measurements with limited follow-up data, further investigation is required to explore the long-term effects of E-health interventions on PA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the vibration control design of the Euler–Bernoulli beam with time-varying constraints is studied when the mass, bending stiffness and tension of the system parameters are known or unknown. For satisfying the time-varying constraints, the controller is designed and the system stability is analysed based on the tangent barrier Lyapunov function (TAN-BLF). Among them, the uncertainty of system parameters is dealt with by the adaptive method. In both cases, the vibration of the Euler–Bernoulli beam can be well restrained without violating the constraint conditions, and all signals in the system are bounded. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is illustrated by a simulation example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An optically transparent and angularly stable frequency selective surface (FSS) with a broad stopband is introduced for addressing millimeter wave (mmW) electromagnetic interference. The unique FSS unit cell pattern incorporates a cross patch with Y‐shaped branches, effectively broadening the bandwidth and enhancing the angular stability. Utilizing transparent conductive indium tin oxide deposited on both sides of a glass substrate enables the FSS to reflect and absorb electromagnetic waves. Consequently, the proposed FSS exhibits an exceptionally wide stopband ranging from 18.7 to 40.2 GHz, featuring an insertion loss of 14 dB and maintaining stable angular response up to 60° for both transverse electric and transverse magnetic polarizations. Moreover, an equivalent circuit model is developed to characterize the stopband behavior of the FSS. Finally, measurements conducted on a physical prototype of the proposed FSS validate its effectiveness, showing good agreement with the simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: In anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, the strength of the graft was found to be unsatisfactory usually the anterior half of the peroneus longus tendon was taken for supplementation, but the effect on foot and ankle function and gait in the donor area is unclear. This study aims to explore the changes in the ankle and gait after using the harvested anterior half of the peroneus longus tendon as a reconstruction graft for the anterior cruciate ligament. Methods: A total of 20 patients, 6 males and 14 females, aged 18 to 44 years, with unilateral anterior cruciate ligament injuries, underwent reconstruction using the harvested anterior half of the peroneus longus tendon as a graft between June 2021 and December 2021. The part on which the anterior half of the peroneus longus tendon was harvested was considered the experimental group, while the contralateral foot was the control group. At the 6-month follow-up, the Lysholm knee score, AOFAS ankle score, and gait-related data (foot length, arch index, arch volume, arch volume index, and gait cycle parameters: percentage of time in each gait phase, step frequency, step length, foot strike angle, and push-off angle) were assessed using a 3D foot scanner and wearable sensors for both groups. Results: All 20 patients completed the six-month follow-up. There were no statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups regarding knee scores, ankle scores, foot length, arch index, arch volume, arch volume index, step frequency, and step length (P > 0.05). However, there were statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups in terms of the gait cycle parameters, including the percentage of time in the stance, mid-stance, and push-off phases, as well as foot strike angle and push-off angle (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Through our study of the surgical experimental group we have shown that harvesting the anterior half of the peroneus longus tendon does not affect foot morphology and gait parameters; however, it does impact the gait cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) oxidatively depolymerize recalcitrant polysaccharides, which is important for biomass conversion. The catalytic domains of many LPMOs are linked to carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs) through flexible linkers, but the function of these CBMs in LPMO catalysis is not well understood. In this study, we utilized MtLPMO9L and MtLPMO9G derived from Myceliophthora thermophila to investigate the impact of CBMs on LPMO activity, with particular emphasis on their influence on H2O2 tolerance. Using truncated forms of MtLPMO9G generated by removing the CBM, we found reduced substrate binding affinity and enzymatic activity. Conversely, when the CBM was fused to the C terminus of the single-domain MtLPMO9L to create MtLPMO9L-CBM, we observed a substantial improvement in substrate binding affinity, enzymatic activity, and notably, H2O2 tolerance. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations confirmed that the CBM fusion enhances the proximity of the active site to the substrate, thereby promoting multilocal cleavage and impacting the exposure of the copper active site to H2O2. Importantly, the fusion of CBM resulted in more efficient consumption of H2O2 by LPMO, leading to improved enzymatic activity and reduced auto-oxidative damage of the copper active center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As stewards of public money, government funding agencies have the obligation and responsibility to uphold the integrity of funded research. Despite an increasing amount of empirical studies examining research-related misconduct, a majority of these studies focus on retracted publications. How agencies spot funding-relevant wrongdoing and what sanctions the offenders face remain largely unexplored. This is particularly true for public funding agencies in emerging science powers. To amend this oversight, we retrieved and analyzed all publicized investigation results from China’s largest basic research funding agency over the period from 2005 to 2021. Our findings reveal that both the “police patrol” and “fire alarm” approaches are used to identify misconduct and deter funding-related fraud in China. The principal triggers for investigations are journal article retractions, whistleblowing, and plagiarism detection software. Among the six funding-related misconduct types publicized and punished, the top three are: (1) fraudulent papers, (2) information fabrication and/or falsification in the research proposal, and (3) proposal plagiarism. The most common administrative sanctions are debarment and reclamation of grants. This article argues that more systematic research and cooperation among stakeholders is needed to cultivate research integrity in emerging science powers like China. Specific training and education should be provided for young scientists to help them avoid the pitfall of academic misconduct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, studies have shown nosocomial infections contribute to increased mortality rates, prolonged hospital stays, and added financial burdens for patients. Previous studies have demonstrated that effective infection control training can enhance the quality of infection control practices, particularly in intensive care unit (ICU) settings. However, there is currently no universally accepted training mode or program that adequately addresses the specific needs of ICU medical staff regarding nosocomial infection control. The objective of this study was to develop a standardized training system for preventing and controlling hospital-acquired infections among new medical staff in the internal medicine ICU. Our methodology encompassed an extensive literature review, technical interviews focusing on key events, semi-structured in-depth interviews, and two rounds of Delphi expert correspondence. We employed intentional sampling to select 16 experts for the Delphi expert consultation. Indicators were chosen based on an average importance score of >3.5 and a coefficient of variation of <0.25. The weight of each indicator was determined using the analytic hierarchy process. The efficacy of the two rounds of questionnaires was also evaluated. Our findings revealed that the questionnaires achieved a 100% effective recovery rate, with expert authority coefficients of 0.96 and 0.90. The Kendall coordination coefficients for the first-, second-, and third-level indicators in the initial round of expert consultation questionnaires were 0.440, 0.204, and 0.386 (P < 0.001), respectively. In the second round of expert consultation questionnaires, the Kendall coordination coefficients for the first, second, and third-level indicators were 0.562, 0.467, and 0.556 (P < 0.001), respectively. The final training model consisted of four first-level indicators (hospital infection prevention and control training content, training methods/forms, assessment content, and evaluation indicators), 26 second-level indicators, and 44 third-level indicators. In conclusion, the proposed standardized training system for infection prevention and control among new medical staff in the internal medicine ICU is both scientifically sound and practical, which can contribute to improved patient safety, reduced healthcare costs, and enhanced overall quality of care in internal medicine ICUs. Moreover, it can serve as a framework for future training projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Users are playing an increasingly vital role in innovation. Previous studies have shown that personality traits are crucial factors in innovation engagement. However, there is no consensus regarding the impact of some personality traits on innovation engagement. Therefore, this study investigated the impact of Big Five personality traits on user innovation engagement in an open innovation platform, including idea and comment contributions, and further explored the interaction effect of social network position and personality traits. The data collected from IdeaExchange, a user innovation platform hosted by Salesforce, were analyzed. The results show that extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience positively correlate with user innovation engagement, whereas neuroticism negatively correlates with user innovation engagement. Additionally, social network position negatively moderated the impact of agreeableness on idea contribution, and positively moderated the impact of both conscientiousness and openness to experience on idea contribution. The conclusions provide a theoretical basis for platform managers to formulate open innovation strategies and incentivise user innovation engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the aging population and the ongoing pandemic, older persons account for a large proportion of ICU admissions. Despite numerous studies on the impact of COVID‐19 on older persons, there has been a small body of research investigating nursing practice with critically ill older patients admitted to ICU for COVID‐19. Aims: To explore current challenges in the nursing care of older persons with severe COVID‐19 through the experience of frontline nurses. Study Design: A qualitative descriptive design was used. In‐depth and semi‐structured interviews with 18 ICU nurses were conducted to explore the experience of providing care for older persons with severe COVID‐19 in the Omicron wave. A content analysis approach was adopted to analyse qualitative data. Findings: Three themes emerged as follows: (1) no plan survives first contact with the enemy, (2) expectations versus Reality and (3) difficulty in providing holistic care. Conclusions: Challenges could be encountered in different stages of providing care for older persons with severe COVID‐19, including the preparation and training of knowledge and skills in the early stage, the challenges posed by old age in the diagnostic and treatment stage and the challenges of psychological care and rehabilitation care. Relevance to Clinical Practice: With the regular prevention and control of COVID‐19, our study provides guidance for establishing measures (training courses of ICU nurses) to improve the nursing quality of older persons with severe COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Subjective memory impairment (SMI) is common in older people. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors influencing SMI among older people in China, with specific focus on the interaction effect of midday napping duration and depressive symptoms on the risk of SMI. Methods: Using a dataset representative of the Chinese population from a longitudinal study of health and retirement in China, subjects with SMI were screened using the question "how do you feel about your memory now?" and the Mini-Mental State Examination. A logistic regression model was applied to explore the factors affecting SMI. Additive and multiplicative models were used to analyze the interaction effect of midday napping duration and depressive symptoms on the risk of SMI. Results: We enrolled 8,254 subjects included and the incidence of SMI was 63.9%. Depressive symptoms, nap time, and physical activity were influencing factors of SMI. Midday napping duration and depressive symptoms had positive additive interaction effects on the risk of SMI. When extended-length naps and depressive symptoms coexisted, the risk of SMI was 1.06 times greater than that for either alone (RERI, relative excess risk due to interaction = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.07–0.43; AP, attributable proportion = 0.14, 95% CI = 0.01–0.23; S, synergy index = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.57–1.62). When short naps and depressive symptoms coexisted, the risk of SMI was 1.2 times higher than that for either alone (RERI = 0.12, 95% CI=-0.14–0.39; AP = 0.13, 95% CI=-0.07–0.22; S = 1.20, 95% CI = 0.79–1.82). Limitations: Since this was a cross-sectional study, the cause-and-effect relationships between the associated variables cannot be inferred. Conclusions: The interaction effect that exists between nap time and depressive symptoms in older people is important for the identification and early intervention of people at risk for SMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the causal interaction between significant sensorimotor network (SMN) regions and other brain regions in Parkinson's disease patients with drooling (droolers). Methods: Twenty‐one droolers, 22 PD patients without drooling (non‐droolers), and 22 matched healthy controls underwent 3T‐MRI resting‐state scans. We performed independent component analysis and Granger causality analysis to determine whether significant SMN regions help predict other brain areas. Pearson's correlation was computed between imaging characteristics and clinical characteristics. ROC curves were plotted to assess the diagnostic performance of effective connectivity (EC). Results: Compared with non‐droolers and healthy controls, droolers showed abnormal EC of the right caudate nucleus (CAU.R) and right postcentral gyrus to extensive brain regions. In droolers, increased EC from the CAU.R to the right middle temporal gyrus was positively correlated with MDS‐UPDRS, MDS‐UPDRS II, NMSS, and HAMD scores; increased EC from the right inferior parietal lobe to CAU.R was positively correlated with MDS‐UPDRS score. ROC curve analysis showed that these abnormal ECs are of great significance in diagnosing drooling in PD. Conclusion: This study identified that PD patients with drooling have abnormal EC in the cortico‐limbic‐striatal‐cerebellar and cortio‐cortical networks, which could be potential biomarkers for drooling in PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Selenium deficiency occurs all over the world. Therefore, the research and development of selenium supplements has been a focus for relevant scholars. Organic selenium is safer and more efficient than is inorganic selenium. In fact, China's sika deer resources are of high quality, but the utilisation rate of deer blood is very low. Research has found that deer blood is a reasonable peptide source for the preparation of selenium-chelate supplements. The abundance of deer blood resources provided conditions for this study. Aim: To provide new selenium supplements for humans, and further develop and utilise China's sika deer industry, which to some extent also improves the utilisation rate of deer blood resources. Methods: Peptides were hydrolysed by protease, and the best hydrolysates were screened. Single-factor experiments and response-surface methodology were used to study the effects of pH, temperature, time and peptide:selenium mass ratio on selenium-chelating activity. The sika deer blood polypeptide–selenium was characterised and analysed through ultraviolet spectrum, infrared spectrum, amino acid analysis, molecular-weight determination, scanning electron microscopy, and particle-size and potential analysis. Also, thermal-stability and acid–base-stability tests were conducted. Key results: The chelating activity of alkaline protease hydrolysate was the highest, being 73.1 ± 0.16%. The pH value, temperature, time and peptide:selenium mass ratio had influence on selenium-chelating activity. Because of the cross-linking of selenium ions, the chelated selenium aggregates into larger particles with a more compact structure. The determination of amino acid and molecular weight showed that the metal-chelating activity of small-molecular peptides was very strong. Glutamic acid (Glu) and aspartic acid (Asp) play an important role in the binding of selenium ions. At the same time, the chelated SDBP–selenium had acid–base stability and thermal stability. Conclusion: Studies depicted that SDBP–selenium is suitable as a new type of selenium supplement. Implications: The preparation of deer blood polypeptide-chelated selenium provides a scientific basis for the development of new selenium supplements and the practical application of deer blood resources. In this paper, we studied the chelation of sika deer blood polypeptide with selenium ion to prepare a new type of deer blood polypeptide–selenium supplement, which is more beneficial to human body in terms of safety and bioavailability than is the inorganic selenium supplement. The best chelating process was determined, and the properties of the chelate were determined by characterisation analysis and stability test. The results of this study provide a scientific basis for providing new selenium supplements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melasma is a common, relapsing, multifactorial disease for which the treatment decision remains extremely difficult. This study was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of the combination of tranexamic acid (TA) injection and electro-optical synergy (ELOS) versus TA injection alone in treating melasma. A retrospective study was undertaken for patients with facial epidermal or mixed-type melasma to compare clinical data between 15 patients receiving a combination regimen and 15 patients with TA injection only. The study administered TA through intravenous injection to the combination group (twice weekly for 12 weeks) followed by ELOS therapy (once a month for three times). The TA group, on the other hand, received only TA injection (twice weekly for 12 weeks). The evaluation of clinical effectiveness was based on comparing the Melasma Area Severity Index (MASI) scores before and one month after treatment (at 4 months). The Physician Global Assessment (PGA) and Patient satisfaction were documented, and adverse reactions were recorded. All patients were followed up for one year to observe the relapse. After treatment, the MASI scores and melasma severity were significantly reduced in both groups. The combination group showed better efficacy than the TA only group (P < 0.05). The Physician Global Assessment (PGA) and Patient satisfaction showed superior efficacies of the combination group. No significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of treatment-related side effects. Both groups experienced a certain degree of recurrence during the one-year follow-up, but the TA only group had a significantly higher recurrence rate than the combination group (P < 0.01). Together, the combination of TA injection and ELOS is a safe and effective treatment strategy for melasma and should be promoted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tethys domain preserves one of the largest continent‐continent collisional orogenic belts on Earth. This belt can be divided into the Proterozoic to Palaeozoic Proto‐Tethyan orogenic belt, Late Palaeozoic to Triassic Palaeo‐Tethyan orogenic belt and Triassic to Cenozoic Meso‐ and Neo‐Tethyan orogenic belts. The Tethyan metallogenic domain, representing one of the three major metallogenic domains in the world, extends more than 10,000 km from east to west and has developed world‐class ore belts, such as the South‐east Asia tin ore belt, Sanjiang metallogenic belt in South‐west China, Gangdese–Pakistan–Iran porphyry copper belt and South‐east Europe epithermal gold belt. The geology of the Tethys domain has been studied for more than 100 years and many important advances have been made recently, although scientific issues remain controversial. This thematic section of Geological Journal contains 10 articles focusing on the formation of rocks and ore deposits, including petrology and geochemistry of magmatic, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, and the formation mechanism of mineral deposits in the Eastern Tethyan Realm. These articles reflect new progress in related studies and provide important reference for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Vitamin D3 has been implicated in multiple reproductive events, whereas the effect of its bioactive metabolite 1α, 25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH) 2D3) on transcriptome profile of the placenta is unclear. The aim of this article is to determine transcriptome‐wide profile caused by 1,25(OH) 2D3 in human placental trophoblast cells. Methods: We performed RNA sequencing after stimulation of HTR‐8/SVneo cells with 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 nM 1,25(OH)2D3 for 24 h, identified differentially expressed genes by edgeR package (version 3.38.4), and analyzed Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways by webtool Metascape. Also, common genes and specific genes in different concentrations of 1,25(OH) 2D3 were identified. Results: There were 180, 158, 161, and 174 differentially expressed genes after 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 nM 1,25(OH) 2D3 stimulation, respectively. KEGG pathway analysis displayed that "lipid and atherosclerosis" were significantly enriched at 0.1 and 1 nM 1,25(OH)2D3, while "cytokine‐cytokine receptor interaction," "TGF‐beta signaling pathway" and "hippo signaling pathway" were significantly enriched in 1, 10, and 100 nM 1,25(OH)2D3. CYP24A1 was a significantly expressed common gene. UCP3 was significantly expressed in low concentrations and might affect energy metabolism. TCF24, EIF3CL, ABCD2, EPHA7, CRLF1, and SECTM1 were specific genes at physiological concentration. Similarly, SPDYE1, IQUB, IL18R1, and ZNF713 were considered as specific genes at supraphysiological concentration. Conclusions: 1,25(OH)2D3 mainly affected the expression of CYP24A1 gene in HTR‐8/SVneo cells. Specific genes accounted for the majority of differentially expressed genes at different concentrations. However, their functions need to be further confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influenza A virus (IAV) can infect respiratory epithelial cells where it replicates, triggers cellular innate immune responses, and even induces cell apoptosis. Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 18 (USP18) was reported to be associated with IAV replication and immune response homeostasis. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the role of USP18 in IAV-infected lung epithelial cells. The cell viability was determined by the CCK-8 method. Viral titers were quantified by standard plaque assay. Innate immune response-associated cytokines were detected by RT-qPCR and ELISA and cell apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry. The results showed that overexpression of USP18 promoted viral replication, innate immune factor secretion and apoptosis in IAV-infected A549 cells. Mechanistically, USP18 reduced cGAS degradation by decreasing its K48-linked ubiquitination to promote IAV-induced cGAS-STING pathway activation. In conclusion, USP18 is a pathological mediator of IAV in lung epithelial cells. [Display omitted] • IAV promote their own replication by increasing USP18 levels. • USP18 mediates innate immune responses in IAV-infected lung epithelial cells. • USP18 mediates apoptosis in IAV-infected lung epithelial cells. • USP18 reduces cGAS degradation by decreasing its ubiquitination to promote cGAS-STING pathway activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the water source of the Middle Route of China's South-to-North Water Transfer project, the change of water quality of Danjiangkou Reservoir has been attracting much attention. This study aimed to obtain the annual water quality pattern and influencing factors of Danjiangkou Reservoir by means of multivariate analysis and correlation analysis using monthly data surveyed in 2021. The results of PCA and RDA variation partition analysis showed that the water quality of Danjiangkou Reservoir was mainly affected by temporal factors, and the spatial effect was limited. The trajectory analysis results revealed that the unusual floods in the current years have specific impacts on water quality in Danjiangkou Reservoir at the temporal and spatial scales. The results of Pearson and Mantel correlation test indicated that the inflow and water level affected the spatial-temporal pattern of reservoir water quality mainly via the NO3 - and PO4 3+. With the global change i.e. extreme flood, this research would provide a basis for the decision-making of management empirically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the experiences of male and female academics in China's higher education system concerning career progression and examines how they perceive the challenges faced by the opposite gender. Our analysis of interviews with 40 academics from a research university revealed that academics' experience of career progression is informed by gendered divisions of labour at home and work and by gendered role expectations that are prevalent in Chinese culture. Female academics reported performing a disproportionate amount of household work: some felt satisfied with having moderately successful academic careers, whereas others aspired to do more but grappled with the difficulties of doing so. In contrast, male academics mentioned great pressure to pursue promotion and career progression: they reported feeling less work–family stress but were fearful of failing in their role as breadwinners. Male and female academics showed mixed comprehension of each other's plight, but in general, female academics recognised that male academics faced higher career expectations but lower household burdens, and male academics felt that female academics had lower career expectations and many more burdens and constraints. Male academics tended to stress biological and societal reasons for gender differences in Chinese academia, whereas female academics highlighted the power of cultural and social beliefs. We argue that the challenges faced by Chinese academics can only be mitigated if gender‐specific promotion paths that recognise men's and women's social roles and obligations are made available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Explosives have a wide range of applications in many fields due to their high energy and high density. Recently, a new synthesized co-crystal explosive DAF:ADNP presents high detonation performance and low sensitivity. This work is aimed to understand how the structure and intermolecular interactions affect the performance of the DAF:ADNP co-crystal. The results indicate that the formed π–π interactions and stronger hydrogen bonds in the co-crystal enhance its stability and its impact sensitivity is reduced. The strong intralayer H···N and H···O interactions and interlayer π–π stacking are the main driving force for the formation of the co-crystal. Compared with the pure crystals, the detonation performance of the co-crystal slightly decreases, while its sensitivity reduces. Methods: All calculations were used the DFT-PBE-D method with Vanderbilt-type ultrasoft pseudopotentials and plane wave (340.0 eV) in the CASTEP package. Radial distribution function were calculated by NVT-MD simulations for 100 ps with a time step of 1 fs at 298 K. Hirshfeld surfaces were generated by CrystalExplorer 3.0 and reduced density gradient analyses were performed by Multiwfn 3.0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than 80,000 new cases of bladder cancer are estimated to be diagnosed in 2023. However, the 5-year survival rate for bladder cancer has not changed in decades, highlighting the need for prevention. Numerous cancer-causing mutations are present in the urothelium long before signs of cancer arise. Mutation hotspots in cancer-driving genes were identified in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) tumor samples. Mutation burden within the hotspot regions was measured in normal urothelium with a low and high risk of cancer. A significant correlation was found between the mutation burden in normal urothelium and bladder cancer tissue within the hotspot regions. A combination of measured hotspot burden and personal risk factors was used to fit machine learning classification models. The efficacy of each model to differentiate between adjacent benign urothelium from bladder cancer patients and normal urothelium from healthy donors was measured. A random forest model using a combination of personal risk factors and mutations within MIBC hotspots yielded the highest AUC of 0.9286 for the prediction of high- vs. low-risk normal urothelium. Currently, there are no effective biomarkers to assess subclinical field disease and early carcinogenic progression in the bladder. Our findings demonstrate novel differences in mutation hotspots in NMIBC and MIBC and provide the first evidence for mutation hotspots to aid in the assessment of cancer risk in the normal urothelium. Early risk assessment and identification of patients at high risk of bladder cancer before the clinical presentation of the disease can pave the way for targeted personalized preventative therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The superior colliculus (SC) represents a major visual processing station in the mammalian brain that receives input from many types of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). How many parallel channels exist in the SC, and what information does each encode? Here, we recorded from mouse superficial SC neurons under a battery of visual stimuli including those used for classification of RGCs. An unsupervised clustering algorithm identified 24 functional types based on their visual responses. They fall into two groups: one that responds similarly to RGCs and another with more diverse and specialized stimulus selectivity. The second group is dominant at greater depths, consistent with a vertical progression of signal processing in the SC. Cells of the same functional type tend to cluster near each other in anatomical space. Compared to the retina, the visual representation in the SC has lower dimensionality, consistent with a sifting process along the visual pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of EU-Idd both in vivo and in vitro. In vivo, we used the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rat model to investigate the efficacy of EU-Idd on rheumatoid arthritis. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and Safranin O-fast green staining were used to evaluate the pathological status of the ankle joints in CIA rats. Micro-CT scanning was used to investigate bone erosion of the ankle joints. In vitro, the effect of EU-Idd on Th17 cell differentiation was identified by flow cytometry. TRAP staining was used to detect osteoclast cells. HFLS-RA model cells, induced by tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), were used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of EU-Idd while the levels of related inflammatory cytokines and JAK2/STAT3 proteins were detected by RT-qPCR and western blotting. EU-Idd alleviated joint inflammation in CIA rats and exerted protective effects on the ankle joints. EU-Idd also prevented the differentiation of CD4+ T cells into Th17 cells, reduced the number of osteoclasts, and improved the expression levels of bone metabolism-related proteins including OPG and RANKL. Moreover, EU-Idd inhibited the invasion and migration of HFLS-RA cells and downregulated the expression of related inflammatory cytokine genes and the protein expression levels of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3, both in vivo and in vitro. EU-Idd exerts anti-inflammatory and osteoprotective effects by regulating the JAK2/STAT3 pathway in rheumatoid arthritis. These results are beneficial to excavate new pharmaceutical ingredients for rheumatoid arthritis from iridoid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Zigui–Badong section of the Three Gorges Reservoir area is used as the research area in this study to research the impact of unbalanced sample sets on Landslide Susceptibility Mapping (LSM) and determine the sample ratio interval with the best performance for different models. We employ 12 LSM factors, five training sample sets with different sample ratios (1:1, 1:2, 1:4, 1:8, and 1:16), and C5.0, Support Vector Machine (SVM), Logistic Regression (LR), and one-dimensional Convolution Neural Network (CNN) models are used to obtain landslide susceptibility index and landslide susceptibility zoning in the study area, respectively. The prediction performance of the model is evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic curve area under the curve value, five statistical methods, and specific category precision. The results show that the CNN, SVM, and LR models in the sample ratio of 1:2 achieve better performance than on the balanced sample set, which indicates the importance of the unbalanced sample set in training the LSM modeling. The C5.0 model is always in a state of overfitting in this study and needs to be further studied. The conclusions put forward in this study help improve the scientificity and reliability of LSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TATA-box-binding protein-associated Factor 15 (TAF15), a member of the FUS/EWS/TAF15 (FET) family, contributes to the progression of various tumours. However, the role and molecular mechanism of TAF15 in gastric cancer (GC) progression are still unknown. In this study, we found that TAF15 was significantly upregulated in GC tumour tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of TAF15 was associated with a larger tumour size, high pathologic stage and high T stage of GC. TAF15 knockdown suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of GC cells in vitro and inhibited the tumour growth in vivo. Additionally, TAF15 knockdown led to the significant reductions in the phosphorylation levels of RAF1, MEK and ERK1/2, while total RAF1, MEK and ERK1/2 exhibited no significant change in GC cell lines. In summary, TAF15 is overexpressed in GC tumour tissues and cell lines, and promotes cell proliferation, migration and invasion in GC via the RAF1/MEK/ERK signaling pathway, which suggests that TAF15 might be a potential molecular diagnostic marker or therapeutic target for GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the era of big science, the construction of large science projects is becoming more complex. Designers have to comprehensively consider factors such as instrument performance, technical reserves, funding, risks, and the environment to make a reasonable decision. On the basis of domestic and international astronomy, this paper sorts out the process of the formation of the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) concept and the decisions made by the FAST team, including the Chinese concept of the large telescope, the proposal of the prototype, and the adoption of the active reflector, etc. We also discuss the process of decision-making. FAST was born in the process of interaction and integration between Chinese and international astronomy development, and realized the transformation from following up to taking the lead. It can provide a reference for constructing future large science projects with limited foundations in terms of technology and funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent study published in the National Science Review proposes a new approach to enhance the effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors. CAR-T cells are genetically modified T cells that can target and kill cancer cells. While CAR-T cell therapy has been successful in treating hematologic disorders, its efficacy in solid tumors has been limited. The study introduces a biomimetic injectable scaffold that activates and expands CAR-T cells within cervical carcinoma, leading to a significant increase in their anti-tumor activity. This innovative approach has the potential to improve the outcomes of CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors and may have broader applications in delivering cell-based therapies. [Extracted from the article]

We constrain the photon mass from well-localized fast radio bursts (FRBs) using Bayes inference method. The probability distributions of dispersion measures (DMs) of host galaxy and intergalactic medium are properly taken into account. The photon mass is tightly constrained from 17 well-localized FRBs in the redshift range 0 < z < 0.66. Assuming that there is no redshift evolution of host DM, the 1σ and 2σ upper limits of photon mass are constrained to be m γ < 4.8 × 10−51 kg and m γ < 7.1 × 10−51 kg, respectively. Monte Carlo simulations show that even enlarging the FRB sample to 200 and extending the redshift range to 0 < z < 3 could not significantly improve the constraining ability on photon mass. This is because of the large uncertainty on the DM of intergalactic medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydride AuI bonds are labile due to the mismatch in electric potential of an oxidizing metal and reducing ligand, and therefore the structure and structure–activity relationships of nanoclusters that contain them are seldom studied. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of [Au7(PPh3)7H5](SbF6)2 (abbrev. Au7H52+), an Au cluster complex containing five hydride ligands, which decomposed to give [Au8(PPh3)7]2+ (abbrev. Au82+) upon exposure to light (300 to 450 nm). The valence state of AuI and H− was verified by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, NMR, UV/Vis and XPS. The two nanoclusters behaved differently in the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR): Au7H52+ exhibited 98.2 % selectivity for H2, whereas Au82+ was selective for CO (73.5 %). Further DFT calculations showed that the H− ligand inhibited the CO2RR process compared with the electron‐donor H. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydride AuI bonds are labile due to the mismatch in electric potential of an oxidizing metal and reducing ligand, and therefore the structure and structure–activity relationships of nanoclusters that contain them are seldom studied. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of [Au7(PPh3)7H5](SbF6)2 (abbrev. Au7H52+), an Au cluster complex containing five hydride ligands, which decomposed to give [Au8(PPh3)7]2+ (abbrev. Au82+) upon exposure to light (300 to 450 nm). The valence state of AuI and H− was verified by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, NMR, UV/Vis and XPS. The two nanoclusters behaved differently in the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR): Au7H52+ exhibited 98.2 % selectivity for H2, whereas Au82+ was selective for CO (73.5 %). Further DFT calculations showed that the H− ligand inhibited the CO2RR process compared with the electron‐donor H. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-Methylene conjugate of (–)-cytisine and (4',7-dihydroxy-3'-methoxy)isoflavone, extracted from Sophora alopecuroides L., has been designed and synthesized in 7 steps with 50.6% with respect to the starting ketone. The neuroprotective effect of the conjugate has been investigated for the first time. The results showed that it could significantly promote in vitro viability of neural stem cells of Sprague–Dawley rats in a concentration-dependent manner (both p < 0.01). When the loading was 0.4 mg/kg, the conjugate could increase the number of new neurons in the hippocampal dentate gyrus in transgenic 5xFAD mice (p < 0.05). It is suggested that the conjugate plays an important role in neuroprotective process, which might prove useful for the development of new drugs for the treatment of neurological diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanostructured cobalt sulfide-based electrode materials for supercapacitors (SCs) still suffer from easy aggregation, sluggish reaction kinetics, and poor structural stability. To resolve these issues, we adopt a two-step electrochemical deposition method to fabricate CoS nanosheets decorated on polypyrrole (PPy) nanowires that grow directly on Ni foam. The PPy nanowires serve as supports for growing CoS nanosheets, which not only make the CoS nanosheets well dispersed but also reduce their size and thickness. In addition, the intensive interaction between CoS and PPy endows the nanoarchitecture with high mechanical strength. Therefore, the constructed PPy@CoS nanocomposites feature abundant electroactive sites, high charge transport and transfer efficiencies, a short ion diffusion distance, and good structural stability. As a result, the optimized PPy@CoS nanocomposites as SC electrodes demonstrate specific capacities of 860C g−1 at 1 A g−1 and 595C g−1 at 20 A g−1, as well as a 92% initial capacity retention after 5000 cycles at 10 A g−1. Furthermore, a fabricated asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device with PPy@CoS nanocomposites as the positive electrode realizes a specific energy of 51.1 Wh kg−1 at 800 W kg−1, suggesting a promising potential for their practical application in SCs. This work may provide a feasible strategy for fabricating other metal sulfide/conducting polymer nanocomposites with enhanced charge storage capabilities as SC electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies showed that acellular nerve allografts (ANAs) have been successfully utilized in repairing peripheral nerve defects, and exosomes produced by stem cells are useful in supporting axon regrowth after peripheral nerve injury. In this study, exosomes from hair follicle epidermal neural crest stem cells (EPI-NCSCs-Exos) combined with ANAs were used to bridge facial nerve defects. EPI-NCSCs-Exos were isolated by ultracentrifuge, and were identified. After coculture, EPI-NCSCs-Exos were internalized into dorsal root ganglions (DRGs) and schwann cells (SCs) in vitro, respectively. EPI-NCSCs-Exos elongate the length of axons and dendrites of DRGs, and accelerated the proliferation and migration of SCs, and increased neurotrophic factor expression of SCs as well. The next step was to assign 24 Sprague Dawley male rats randomly and equally into three groups: the autograft group, the ANA group, and the ANA + EPI-NCSCs-Exos group. Each rat manufactured a 5-mm gap of facial nerve defect and immediately bridged by the corresponding transplants, respectively. After surgery, behavioral changes and electrophysiological testing of each rat were observed and assessed. At 90 days postoperatively, the retrogradely fluorescent tracer-labeled neurons were successfully observed on the injured side in the three groups. Morphological changes of facial nerve regeneration were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy and semithin toluidine blue staining. The results showed that nerve fiber density, nerve fiber diameter, and myelin sheath thickness in the ANA group were significantly worse than those in the other two groups (P < 0.05). No significant difference in nerve fiber density and myelin sheath thickness was observed between the autograft group and the ANA + EPI-NCSCs-Exos group (P = 0.14; P = 0.23). Our data indicated that EPI-NCSCs-Exos facilitate ANAs to bridge facial nerve defects and have the potential to replace autograft therapy in clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]