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Abstract Cellular senescence (CS) is closely related to tumor progression. However, the studies about CS genes across human cancers have not explored the relationship between cancer senescence signature and telomere length. Additionally, single-cell analyses have not revealed the evolutionary trends of malignant cells and immune cells at the CS level. We defined a CS-associated signature, called “senescence signature”, and found that patients with higher senescence signature had worse prognosis. Higher senescence signature was related to older age, higher genomic instability, longer telomeres, increased lymphocytic infiltration, higher pro-tumor immune infiltrates (Treg cells and MDSCs), and could predict responses to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Single-cell analysis further reveals malignant cells and immune cells share a consistent evolutionary trend at the CS level. MAPK signaling pathway and apoptotic processes may play a key role in CS, and senescence signature may effectively predict sensitivity of MEK1/2 inhibitors, ERK1/2 inhibitors and BCL-2 family inhibitors. We also developed a new CS prediction model of cancer survival and established a portal website to apply this model ( https://bio-pub.shinyapps.io/cs_nomo/ ).

Abstract Background The pituitary directly regulates the reproductive process through follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Transcriptomic research on the pituitaries of ewes with different FecB (fecundity Booroola) genotypes has shown that some key genes and lncRNAs play an important role in pituitary function and sheep fecundity. Our previous study found that ewes with FecB + + genotypes (without FecB mutation) still had individuals with more than one offspring per birth. It is hoped to analyze this phenomenon from the perspective of the pituitary transcriptome. Results The 12 Small Tail Han Sheep were equally divided into polytocous sheep in the follicular phase (PF), polytocous sheep in the luteal phase (PL), monotocous sheep in the follicular phase (MF), and monotocous sheep in the luteal phase (ML). Pituitary tissues were collected after estrus synchronous treatment for transcriptomic analysis. A total of 384 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (182 in PF vs. MF and 202 in PL vs. ML) and 844 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) (427 in PF vs. MF and 417 in PL vs. ML) were obtained from the polytocous-monotocous comparison groups in the two phases. Functional enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs in the two phases were enriched in signaling pathways known to play an important role in sheep fecundity, such as calcium ion binding and cAMP signaling pathways. A total of 1322 target relationship pairs (551 pairs in PF vs. MF and 771 pairs in PL vs. ML) were obtained for the target genes prediction of DELs, of which 29 DEL-DEG target relationship pairs (nine pairs in PF vs. MF and twenty pairs in PL vs. ML). In addition, the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks were constructed to explore the regulatory relationships of DEGs, and some important regulatory relationship pairs were obtained. Conclusion According to the analysis results, we hypothesized that the pituitary first receives steroid hormone signals from the ovary and uterus and that VAV3 (Vav Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor 3), GABRG1 (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid A Receptor, Gamma 1), and FNDC1 (Fibronectin Type III Domain Containing 1) played an important role in this process. Subsequently, the reproductive process was regulated by gonadotropins, and IGFBP1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1) was directly involved in this process, ultimately affecting litter size. In addition, TGIF1 (Transforming Growth Factor-Beta-Induced Factor 1) and TMEFF2 (Transmembrane Protein With EGF Like And Two Follistatin Like Domains 2) compensated for the effect of the FecB mutation and function by acting on TGF-β/SMAD signaling pathway, an important pathway for sheep reproduction. These results provided a reference for understanding the mechanism of multiple births in Small Tail Han Sheep without FecB mutation.

Abstract Optoelectronic properties of semiconductors are significantly modified by impurities at trace level. Oxygen, a prevalent impurity in organic semiconductors (OSCs), has long been considered charge-carrier traps, leading to mobility degradation and stability problems. However, this understanding relies on the conventional deoxygenation methods, by which oxygen residues in OSCs are inevitable. It implies that the current understanding is questionable. Here, we develop a non-destructive deoxygenation method (i.e., de-doping) for OSCs by a soft plasma treatment, and thus reveal that trace oxygen significantly pre-empties the donor-like traps in OSCs, which is the origin of p-type characteristics exhibited by the majority of these materials. This insight is completely opposite to the previously reported carrier trapping and can clarify some previously unexplained organic electronics phenomena. Furthermore, the de-doping results in the disappearance of p-type behaviors and significant increase of n-type properties, while re-doping (under light irradiation in O2) can controllably reverse the process. Benefiting from this, the key electronic characteristics (e.g., polarity, conductivity, threshold voltage, and mobility) can be precisely modulated in a nondestructive way, expanding the explorable property space for all known OSC materials.

Abstract Conductive polymer hydrogels have greatly improved the compatibility of electronic devices with biological tissues for human–machine interfacing. Hydrogels that possess low Young's modulus, low interfacial impedance, and high tensile properties facilitate high‐quality signal transmission across dynamic biointerfaces. Direct incorporation of elastomers with conductive polymers may result in undesirable mechanical and/or electrical performance. Here, a covalent cross‐linking network and an entanglement‐driven network with conductive poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) have been combined. The triple‐network conductive hydrogel shows high stretchability (with fracture strain up to 900%), low impedance (down to 91.2 Ω·cm2), and reversible adhesion. Importantly, ultra‐low modulus (down to 6.3 kPa) and strain‐insensitive electrical/electrochemical performance were achieved, which provides a guarantee for low current stimulation. The material design will contribute to the progression of soft and conformal bioelectronic devices, and pave the way to future implantable electronics.

Abstract The neuromorphic vision sensor (NeuVS), which is based on organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), uses polar functional groups (PFGs) in polymer dielectrics as interfacial units to control charge carriers. However, the mechanism of modulating charge transport on basis of PFGs in devices is unclear. Here, the carboxyl group is introduced into polymer dielectrics in this study, and it can induce the charge transfer process at the semiconductor/dielectric interfaces for effective carrier transport, giving rise to the best device mobility up to 20 cm2 V−1 s−1 at a low operating voltage of −1 V. Furthermore, the polarity modulation effect could further increase the optical figures of merit in NeuVS devices by at least an order of magnitude more than the devices using carboxyl group-free polymer dielectrics. Additionally, devices containing carboxyl groups improved image sensing for light information decoding with 52 grayscale signals and memory capabilities at an incredibly low power consumption of 1.25 fJ/spike. Our findings provide insight into the production of high-performance polymer dielectrics for NeuVS devices.

Abstract Sensing and recognizing invisible ultraviolet (UV) light is vital for exploiting advanced artificial visual perception system. However, due to the uncertainty of the natural environment, the UV signal is very hard to be detected and perceived. Here, inspired by the tetrachromatic visual system, we report a controllable UV-ultrasensitive neuromorphic vision sensor (NeuVS) that uses organic phototransistors (OPTs) as the working unit to integrate sensing, memory and processing functions. Benefiting from asymmetric molecular structure and unique UV absorption of the active layer, the as fabricated UV-ultrasensitive NeuVS can detect 370 nm UV-light with the illumination intensity as low as 31 nW cm−2, exhibiting one of the best optical figures of merit in UV-sensitive neuromorphic vision sensors. Furthermore, the NeuVS array exbibits good image sensing and memorization capability due to its ultrasensitive optical detection and large density of charge trapping states. In addition, the wavelength-selective response and multi-level optical memory properties are utilized to construct an artificial neural network for extract and identify the invisible UV information. The NeuVS array can perform static and dynamic image recognition from the original color image by filtering red, green and blue noise, and significantly improve the recognition accuracy from 46 to 90%.

Abstract Organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs) show great application potential in organic electronic and optoelectronic fields due to their excellent mechanical flexibility, low cost, and solution processing. However, grain boundaries (GBs) disrupt the aggregation state of organic semiconductor (OSC) films and hinder electrical performance and stability, which limits the application of OFETs. Besides, the sensitive nature of GBs is widely used in sensing, but detailed descriptions of the GBs are scarce. This review aims to fill this knowledge gap. The role of GBs and their effect on the performance and stability of OFETs are analyzed, followed by a detailed summary of the characterization of GBs. Then, strategies for suppressing the negative effects of GBs and utilizing the sensitive nature of GBs for application are proposed. Finally, potential research directions for GBs in OFETs are discussed.

Abstract Fluorinated dielectric‐based organic field effect transistors (OFETs) have garnered lots of attention due to some visible superiorities of the incorporation of fluorine functional groups into dielectrics, such as the hydrophobicity, chemical inertness, and low polarizability of the C─F bond for effectively impeding the charge‐trapping process and improving carrier mobility. With the efforts of material design and device optimization, high‐performance multifunctional devices using fluorinated dielectrics have been rapidly developed with the mobility exceeding 8 cm2 V−1 s−1 and the operating voltage lower than −4 V, which provides a promising opportunity for applications in memory devices, wearable electronics, and flexible sensors. On this basis, this review summarizes the recent development of fluorinated dielectric‐based OFETs and OFETs‐based organic optoelectronic devices. In addition, a brief perspective of fluorinated dielectric‐based OFETs and their future challenges is also presented.

Traditional‐metal‐containing scintillators are widely used in X‐ray imaging due to their efficient X‐ray absorption and output of visible light. However, they suffer from heavy‐metal toxicity, environmental stability, harsh preparation, and afterglow. Metal‐free organic scintillators show a rising momentum, especially organic‐halogen‐containing molecules. Halogens are introduced to improve their X‐ray absorption, but the resulting increase in spin–orbit coupling leads to significant delayed fluorescence or phosphorescence, affecting the response speed to X‐rays. Moreover, there is still insufficient practice in fabricating microstructured organic scintillators for high spatial resolution of imaging. Herein, the preparation of nano organic co‐crystals (t‐Bpe‐IFB co‐crystal, abbreviated as BIC, t‐Bpe for trans‐1,2‐bis(4‐pyridyl)ethylene, and IFB for 1,3,5‐trifluoro‐2,4,6‐triiodobenzene) and its application in X‐ray imaging are explored. In contrast to previous single organic‐halogen‐containing molecules, BIC generates nanosecond‐scale fluorescence through the charge‐transfer state of the donor–acceptor. Its high iodine content ensures large X‐ray absorption, strong radioluminescence, and a low detection limit of 85 nGyair s−1. The composite film made of nano‐sized BICs and polydimethylsiloxane exhibits a high spatial resolution of 16.7 lp mm−1. Herein, the application of organic co‐crystals is expanded and ideas are provided for the development of new scintillators.

In this work, we report ultra-sensitive detection of geometric fluctuations of semiconductor nanostructures using momentum-filtered spectroscopy. Our strategy is developed based on angle-resolved photoluminescence/absorption spectroscopic imaging technique. By filtering out signals with non-zero in-plane momentum using a confocal pinhole, ultra-sensitive detection of tiny geometric fluctuations with nanometer precision was made possible. In this way, we could optically detect geometric fluctuations of semiconductor nanostructures in real-time with a spatial resolution as high as ∼0.2 nm. Moreover, this technique is widely applicable to nanostructures where optical resonance can be formed.

Abstract With the advent of the big data era, artificial intelligence technology has penetrated and deeply affected our daily life. In addition, data‐based machine learning algorithms have been applied to physics, chemistry, material science, and other basic science fields. However, the scarcity of data sets is known as the main obstacle to its development. Mining effective information from the limited data samples and building an appropriate machine learning algorithms framework are the major breakthroughs. For solid materials, the intrinsic properties are closely related to their atomic composition and relative positions, namely crystal structures. Here, inspired by the emerging of graph convolution neural network and material crystal graph, we proposed an integrated algorithms framework embedded crystal graph to train and predict the lattice thermal conductivities of crystal materials. This machine learning algorithms framework showed superior learning and generalization ability. In addition, not only in predicting thermal conductivities, but our framework also has great performance in predicting other phonon or electron‐related properties. This strategy provided a new approach in the design of machine learning framework, which indicated the great potential for the application of machine learning in material science.

Side-on configuration of O2 on the catalysts conventionally leads to reduction of O2 to water. Here, the authors propose a nitrogen doping strategy with Pauling-type adsorption of O2 for selective electrocatalytic singlet oxygen production.

Abstract Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) approach offers a controllable strategy for preparing large‐area and high‐quality few‐layer (mainly bilayer or trilayer) twisted or untwisted two‐dimensional (2D) materials, and is predicted to boost the development of 2D materials from laboratory research to industrial applications.

Abstract Organic thermoelectric materials have the potential to be used as power supplies for wearable electronics, implantable medical devices, and sensors in Internet of Things. The past 10 years has witnessed the rapid development of the research on organic thermoelectric materials, different material systems and optimizing strategies are developed, and the ZT values of some organic materials have approached that of many inorganic thermoelectric material systems in the low‐temperature region. Among different material systems, organic composite materials, especially multicomponent organic composite materials show very promising thermoelectric properties and offer more tunability compared to single component thermoelectric materials. Multicomponent organic composite thermoelectric materials can not only further improve the ZT values, but also have unique advantages of combining the merits of different materials, thus rendering the composites with better processing, mechanical, or other properties on demand. This review summarizes the concepts, the design criteria, the research progress of organic–inorganic and all‐organic multicomponent thermoelectric materials which contain three or more different ingredients, as well as their applications. Furthermore, the challenges and prospects are also analyzed to provide guidelines for the development of multicomponent organic composite thermoelectric materials.

Introduction As direct-to-consumer teleconsultation (hereafter referred to as ‘teleconsultation’) has gained popularity, an increasing number of patients have been leaving online reviews of their teleconsultation experiences. These reviews can help guide patients in identifying doctors for teleconsultation. However, few studies have examined the validity of online reviews in assessing the quality of teleconsultation against a gold standard. Therefore, we aim to use unannounced standardised patients (USPs) to validate online reviews in assessing both the technical and patient-centred quality of teleconsultations. We hypothesise that online review results will be more consistent with the patient-centred quality, rather than the technical quality, as assessed by the USPs.Methods and analysis In this cross-sectional study, USPs representing 11 common primary care conditions will randomly visit 253 physicians via the three largest teleconsultation platforms in China. Each physician will receive a text-based and a voice/video-based USP visit, resulting in a total of 506 USP visits. The USP will complete a quality checklist to assess the proportion of clinical practice guideline-recommended items during teleconsultation. After each visit, the USP will also complete the Patient Perception of Patient-Centeredness Rating. The USP-assessed results will be compared with online review results using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). If ICC >0.4 (p

Electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), powered by renewable energy sources, provides an appealing approach to convert emitted CO2 to value-added chemicals and fuels and achieve a carbon-neutral cycle. Among various carbon-based products, formic acid (HCOOH) has been considered as a promising liquid hydrogen storage material due to its high energy density and hydrogen content. However, so far, the reported HCOOH-selective catalysts (e.g., Bi, Sn, In, Pb and Pd) have failed in either activity (

Abstract Organic single crystals with low defect density are key functional materials for next‐generation electronics. Classical crystallization commonly results in a high density of molecular steps, which are defects that can trap charge carriers and reduce the mobility of organic semiconductors. Herein, a novel nonclassical crystallization mechanism involving nucleation, fusion, and growth is designed. The introduction of the fusion stage changes the crystal growth mode from three‐dimensional island growth to two‐dimensional layer‐by‐layer growth and leads to large‐area two‐dimensional molecular crystals with almost no molecular steps. Therefore, the average mobility is observed to improve from 1.26 to 2.07 cm2 V−1 s−1. The nonclassical crystallization mechanism paves the way for atomically flat single crystals to probe the intrinsic optoelectronic properties of organic semiconductors.

Abstract Phase‐change semiconductor is one of the best candidates for designing nonvolatile memory, but it has never been realized in organic semiconductors until now. Here, a phase‐changeable and high‐mobility organic semiconductor (3,6‐DATT) is first synthesized. Benefiting from the introduction of electrostatic hydrogen bond (S···H), the molecular conformation of 3,6‐DATT crystals can be reversibly modulated by the electric field and ultraviolet irradiation. Through experimental and theoretical verification, the tiny difference in molecular conformation leads to crystalline polymorphisms and dramatically distinct charge transport properties, based on which a high‐performance organic phase‐change memory transistor (OPCMT) is constructed. The OPCMT exhibits a quick programming/erasing rate (about 3 s), long retention time (more than 2 h), and large memory window (i.e., large threshold voltage shift over 30 V). This work presents a new molecule design concept for organic semiconductors with reversible molecular conformation transition and opens a novel avenue for memory devices and other functional applications.

The dairy goat is one of the earliest dairy livestock species, which plays an important role in the economic development, especially for developing countries. With the development of agricultural civilization, dairy goats have been widely distributed across the world. However, few studies have been conducted on the specific characteristics of dairy goat. In this study, we collected the whole-genome data of 89 goat individuals by sequencing 48 goats and employing 41 publicly available goats, including five dairy goat breeds (Saanen, Nubian, Alpine, Toggenburg, and Guanzhong dairy goat; n = 24, 15, 11, 6, 6), and three goat breeds (Guishan goat, Longlin goat, Yunshang Black goat; n = 6, 15, 6). Through compared the genomes of dairy goat and non-dairy goat to analyze genetic diversity and selection characteristics of dairy goat. The results show that the eight goats could be divided into three subgroups of European, African, and Chinese indigenous goat populations, and we also found that Australian Nubian, Toggenburg, and Australian Alpine had the highest linkage disequilibrium, the lowest level of nucleotide diversity, and a higher inbreeding coefficient, indicating that they were strongly artificially selected. In addition, we identified several candidate genes related to the specificity of dairy goat, particularly genes associated with milk production traits (GHR, DGAT2, ELF5, GLYCAM1, ACSBG2, ACSS2), reproduction traits (TSHR, TSHB, PTGS2, ESR2), immunity traits (JAK1, POU2F2, LRRC66). Our results provide not only insights into the evolutionary history and breed characteristics of dairy goat, but also valuable information for the implementation and improvement of dairy goat cross breeding program.

Aggregate state instability is a major cause of device degradation in organic field-effect transistors. Here, authors elucidate the origin of such instability and provide a strategy to overcome it, such that devices with ultra-long lifetimes can be obtained.

Abstract Organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs) are of great significance in next‐generation optoelectronics and have made remarkable advances during the last decade. For the commercialization of OFETs, power consumption is one of the main issues needed to be addressed. To this end, OFETs with low‐voltage operation are constructed, and several strategies have been successively developed, which have attracted intensive attention for researchers to achieve this goal. In this review, we summarized the recent progress of various approaches for realizing low‐voltage OFETs, including adopting high‐k dielectrics, ultra‐thin dielectric, electrolyte dielectric, and interface engineering. Besides, the potential applications of low‐voltage OFETs in organic electronics are introduced. Finally, we give a brief outlook of this area for the future direction.

CircRNAs have been found to play key roles in many biological processes and have diverse biological functions. There have been studies on circRNAs in sheep pituitary, and some important circRNAs have been found. But there are still few studies on circRNAs in sheep pituitary with different fecundity. In this study, we obtained the circRNAs expression profiles in the pituitary of FecB ++ genotype Small Tail Han sheep with different fecundity and estrous phases. A total of 34,878 circRNAs were identified in 12 pituitary samples, 300 differentially expressed circRNAs (DE circRNAs) (down: 104; up: 196) were identified in polytocous sheep in the follicular phase (PF) and monotocous sheep in the follicular phase (MF) (PF vs. MF), and 347 DE circRNAs (down: 162; up: 185) were identified in polytocous sheep in the luteal phase (PL) and monotocous sheep in the luteal phase (ML) (PL vs. ML). Cortisol synthesis and secretion pathway (follicular phase) and estrogen signaling pathway (luteal phase) were obtained by functional enrichment analysis of circRNAs source genes. Competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network analysis of key DE circRNAs revealed that oar-circ-0022776 (source gene ITPR2, follicular phase) targeted oar-miR-432, oar-circ-0009003 (source gene ITPR1, luteal phase) and oar-circ-0003113 (source gene PLCB1, luteal phase) targeted oar-miR-370-3p. We also explored the coding ability of DE circRNAs. In conclusion, our study shows that changes in the pituitary circRNAs may be related to the response of the pituitary to steroid hormones and regulate the reproductive process of sheep by affecting the pituitary function. Results of this study provide some new information for understanding the functions of circRNAs and the fecundity of FecB ++ genotype sheep.

Organic electrode materials have exhibited good electrochemical performance in batteries, but their voltages and rate capabilities still require improvement to meet the increasing demand for batteries with high energy and power density. Herein, we design and synthesize a branched dihydrophenazine-based polymer (p-TPPZ) as a cathode material for dual-ion batteries (DIBs) through delicate molecular design. Compared with the linear dihydrophenazine-based polymer (p-DPPZ, with a theoretical capacity of 209 mAh g–1), p-TPPZ possessed a higher theoretical capacity of 233 mAh g–1 and lower highest occupied molecular orbital energy levels,which resulted in a high actual capacity (169.3 mAh g–1 at 0.5 C), an average discharge voltage of 3.65 V (vs. Li+/Li) and a high energy density (618.2 Wh kg–1, based on the cathode materials). The branched structure of p-TPPZ led to a larger specific surface area than that of p-DPPZ, which was beneficial for the electrolyte infiltration and fast ionic transport, contributing to the high power density. Due to the fast reaction kinetics, even at a power density of 23,725 W kg–1 (40 C), the energy density still reached 474.5 Wh kg–1. We also made a detailed investigation of the p-TPPZ cathode's charge storage mechanism. This work will stimulate the further molecular design to develop organic batteries with both high energy and power density.

Abstract Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) can store and transform the intermittent renewable energy in the form of chemical energy for industrial production of chemicals and fuels, which can dramatically reduce CO2 emission and contribute to carbon-neutral cycle. Efficient electrocatalytic reduction of chemically inert CO2 is challenging from thermodynamic and kinetic points of view. Therefore, low-cost, highly efficient, and readily available electrocatalysts have been the focus for promoting the conversion of CO2. Very recently, interface engineering has been considered as a highly effective strategy to modulate the electrocatalytic performance through electronic and/or structural modulation, regulations of electron/proton/mass/intermediates, and the control of local reactant concentration, thereby achieving desirable reaction pathway, inhibiting competing hydrogen generation, breaking binding-energy scaling relations of intermediates, and promoting CO2 mass transfer. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of current developments in interface engineering for CO2RR from both a theoretical and experimental standpoint, involving interfaces between metal and metal, metal and metal oxide, metal and nonmetal, metal oxide and metal oxide, organic molecules and inorganic materials, electrode and electrolyte, molecular catalysts and electrode, etc. Finally, the opportunities and challenges of interface engineering for CO2RR are proposed.

Abstract Contact resistance (RC) is universally present in organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs) and the performance of OFETs can be easily affected by RC, which will result in poor performances such as low mobility (μ), large threshold voltage (VT), and non‐ideal transfer/output characteristics. In this article, we provide a comprehensive review on the effects of RC in OFETs. We start with a brief introduction of the origin of RC and its effects on OFETs, followed by the commonly used methods for extraction of RC. Then, methods for reducing RC are thoroughly discussed. Especially, fabricating monolayer molecular crystal (MMC) OFETs is highlighted as one of the key solutions to reduce RC effectively. The final section describes the challenges in MMCs preparation and concludes with an outlook for further reducing RC to enhance the performances of OFETs.

Abstract Organic room temperature phosphorescent materials are very limited to date. Halogen bonding interactions not only promote the intersystem crossing process, but also act as cement and dilute solution, preventing the aggregation induced quenching. Herein, four cocrystals using phenazine (PhZ) as halogen‐bonded acceptor and 1,2,4,5‐tetrabromo‐3,6‐diiodobenzene (BrFB) or 1,2,4,5‐tetrafluoro‐3,6‐diiodobenzene (IFB) as halogen‐bonded donor have been successfully synthesized in definite stoichiometric ratio (PhZ : XFB = 1:1 and 2:1) through simple solvent evaporation method. Among the four cocrystals, the halogen bonding interactions play an important role in assembling properties and the large red spots on Hirshfeld surface imply the strong strength. Notably, the IFB‐PhZ cocrystals exhibit a phosphorescence emission at peak of 733 nm with a lifetime up to 159 µs. The results further suggest the importance of the strength and number of halogen bonds to design organic room temperature phosphorescent materials.

Abstract Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is one of the most important animal pathogens in the world. FMDV naturally infects swine, cattle, and other cloven-hoofed animals. FMD is not adequately controlled by vaccination. An alternative strategy is to develop swine that are genetically resistant to infection. Here, we generated FMDV-specific shRNA transgenic cells targeting either nonstructural protein 2B or polymerase 3D of FMDV. The shRNA-positive transgenic cells displayed significantly lower viral production than that of the control cells after infection with FMDV (P

Objective This study investigated the progress towards the universal coverage of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) services in Nigeria after universal health coverage (UHC) adoption.Design A descriptive observational approach was used based on secondary data analysis. Representative data generated from publicly accessible databases and reports were used to describe the coverage trend and estimate the absolute inequality. Analysis was conducted using Excel and the WHO’s Health Equity Assessment Toolkit software.Setting The study setting is Nigeria.Participants Aggregated health service coverage data of women aged 15–49 years and children under 5 years of age.Outcome measures The outcome of interest is the level of coverage of RMNCH services in Nigeria and the difference in equity gaps among subgroups before and after UHC adoption.Results The RMNCH index increased by 6.4% points with a difference of 33.7% points to attain the minimum 80.0% target. The widest inequality was by economic status with the difference ranging from 21.9% points (95% CI 10.1% to 33.8%) to 56.3% points (95% CI 51.5% to 61.2%), Absolute Concentration Index from 3.5% points (95% CI 1.6% to 5.5%) to 11.3% points (95% CI 10.4% to 12.2%), Slope Index of Inequality from 23.1% points (95% CI 11.9% to 34.2%) to 65.5% points (95% CI 62.6% to 68.5%) and population attributable risk from 9.3% points (95% CI 7.3% to 11.4%) to 31.2% points (95% CI 29.0% to 33.3%). Among the indicators, three doses of diphtheria–tetanus–toxoid–pertussis immunisation had the widest absolute inequality across the subgroups.Conclusion The poor coverage of RMNCH services in Nigeria and persistent inequalities pinpoint the need to investigate further the country-level determinant of RMNCH service coverage. In addition, it emphasises the need to formulate effective policies focusing on marginalised groups and improving resource allocation to ensure sustainable service coverage.

Realizing organic p–n junctions based on ordered crystalline materials with dimensions comparable to the exciton diffusion length of most organic semiconductors remains a challenge. Here, the authors report a strategy to form molecular monolayer crystal-based p–n junctions with thickness below 5 nm.

Engineering organic small molecule materials capable of generating Wannier excitons is a pinnacle of research for organic optoelectronic devices. In this work, we used a coherently degenerate state strategy to design and synthesize an organic small molecule dimer compound consisting of two triphenylamine based monomers. A technique was developed to identify the coherently degenerate states in the dimer compound from the results of density functional theory calculations of. The time-resolved fluorescence measurements showed that the lifetime of the Wannier excitons in the newly designed dimer compound is less solvent dependent than that of the Frenkel excitons in the monomer. The power conversion efficiency of the photovoltaics constructed using this new material increases by 8-fold in comparison to that using the monomer. The method developed here offers extraordinary opportunities for rational design of organic materials to generate Wannier excitons.

Abstract Background JUNO and IZUMO1 are the first receptor-ligand protein pairs discovered to be essential for sperm-oocyte fusion; their interaction is indispensable for fertilization. Methods PCR was used to clone the full-length DNA sequence of the Juno gene in sheep. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci of Juno were genotyped by Sequenom MassARRAY®. PCR combined with rapid amplification of cDNA Ends were used to clone the full-length cDNA sequence of Juno and Izumo1. Reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) and real time-quantitative-PCR (RT-qPCR) were used to analyze the genes’ expression in tissues of sheep, and single cell RNA-seq was used to analyze the genes’ expression in oocytes, granulosa cells and follicular theca of polytocous and monotocous Small Tail Han ewes. Bioinformatics was used to analyze advanced structure and phylogeny of JUNO and IZUMO1 proteins. Results The full-length DNA sequence of the Juno gene in sheep was cloned and nine SNPs were screened. We found a significant association between the g.848253 C > A locus of Juno and litter size of Small Tail Han sheep (P A locus of Juno results in a nonconservative missense point mutation leading to a change from Phe to Leu at position 219 in the amino acid sequence. Conclusions For the first time, this study systematically analyzed the expression, structure and function of Juno and Izumo1 genes and their encoded proteins in Small Tail Han sheep, providing the basis for future studies of the regulatory mechanisms of Juno and Izumo1 genes.

Abstract Memristors proposed by Leon Chua provide a new type of memory device for novel neuromorphic computing applications. However, the approaching of distinct multi‐intermediate states for tunable switching dynamics, the controlling of conducting filaments (CFs) toward high device repeatability and reproducibility, and the ability for large‐scale preparation devices, remain full of challenges. Here, we show that vertical‐organic‐nanocrystal‐arrays (VONAs) could make a way toward the challenges. The perfect one‐dimensional structure of the VONAs could confine the CFs accurately with fine‐tune resistance states in a broad range of 103 ratios. The availability of large‐area VONAs makes the fabrication of large‐area crossbar memristor arrays facilely, and the analog switching characteristic of the memristors is to effectively imitate different kinds of synaptic plasticity, indicating their great potential in future applications.

Controlling temperature-depending charge transport in organic semiconductors is key to tailoring their electronic properties. Here, the authors report a potential barrier engineering strategy for modulating thermally-activated charge transport in organic semiconductors.

Muscle development is a complex biological process involving an intricate network of multiple factor interactions. Through the analysis of transcriptome data and molecular biology confirmation, this study aims to reveal the molecular mechanism underlying sheep embryonic skeletal muscle development. The RNA sequencing of embryos was conducted, and microRNA (miRNA)-mediated competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks were constructed. qRT-PCR, siRNA knockdown, CCK-8 assay, scratch assay, and dual luciferase assay were used to carry out gene function identification. Through the analysis of the ceRNA networks, three miRNAs (miR-493-3p, miR-3959-3p, and miR-410-5p) and three genes (TEAD1, ZBTB34, and POGLUT1) were identified. The qRT-PCR of the DE-miRNAs and genes in the muscle tissues of sheep showed that the expression levels of the TEAD1 gene and miR-410-5p were correlated with the growth rate. The knockdown of the TEAD1 gene by siRNA could significantly inhibit the proliferation of sheep primary embryonic myoblasts, and the expression levels of SLC1A5, FoxO3, MyoD, and Pax7 were significantly downregulated. The targeting relationship between miR-410-5p and the TEAD1 gene was validated by a dual luciferase assay, and miR-410-5p can significantly downregulate the expression of TEAD1 in sheep primary embryonic myoblasts. We proved the regulatory relationship between miR-410-5p and the TEAD1 gene, which was related to the proliferation of sheep embryonic myoblasts. The results provide a reference and molecular basis for understanding the molecular mechanism of embryonic muscle development.

In terms of fetal muscle growth, development, and health, maternal nutrition is a crucial influence, although the exact biochemical mechanism by which this occurs is still not fully understood. To examine the potential impacts of maternal dietary restriction on fetal muscle development, the sheep maternal dietary restriction model was developed for this study. In our study, 12 pregnant ewes were evenly split into two experimental groups and fed either 75% or 100% of a maternal nutrient. In addition, a multi-omics analysis was used to study the embryonic longissimus dorsis on gestational days (GD) 85 and 135. The fetal weight at GD 135 was significantly below normal due to the maternal restricted diet (p < 0.01). When fetuses were exposed to the dietary deficit, 416 mRNAs and 40 proteins were significantly changed. At GD 85, the multi-omics analysis revealed that maternal dietary restriction led to a significant up-regulation of the cell cycle regulator CDK2 gene in the cellular senescence signaling pathway, and the results of the qRT-PCR were similar to the multi-omics analysis, which showed that SIX1, PAX7, the cell cycle factors CDK4 and CDK6, and the BCL-2 apoptosis factor were up-regulated and several skeletal muscle marker genes, such as MYF5 and MyoD were down-regulated. At GD 135, maternal dietary restriction blocks the muscle fiber differentiation and maturation. The multi-omics analysis revealed that the TEAD1 gene was in the Hippo signaling pathway, the muscle marker genes MYF5 and MyoG were significantly down-regulated, and the TEAD1 binding of the down-regulated VGLL3 gene might be potential mechanisms affecting myofiber differentiation and maturation. Knocking down the CDK2 gene could inhibit the proliferation of primary embryonic myoblasts, and the expression levels of cell cycle regulatory factors CDK4 and CDK6 were significantly changed. Under low nutrient culture conditions, the number of myoblasts decreased and the expression of CDK2, CDK6, MYF5, PAX7 and BCL-2 changed, which was in perfect agreement with the multi-omics analysis. All of the findings from our study helped to clarify the potential effects of maternal dietary restriction on fetal muscle growth and development. They also provided a molecular foundation for understanding the molecular regulatory mechanisms of maternal nutrition on fetal muscle growth and development, as well as for the development of new medications and the management of related metabolic diseases.

The high-quality and controllable preparation of molybdenum nitrides (MoxNy) will significantly advance the fields of heterogeneous catalysis, energy storage, and superconductivity. However, the complex structure of MoxNy, which contains multiple phases, makes exploring the structure-property relationship challenging. The selective preparation of MoxNy with distinct phases is undoubtedly an effective method for addressing this issue, but it is lacking experimental cases and theoretical reports. Here we demonstrate a feasible chemical vapor deposition (CVD) strategy for selectively producing γ-Mo2N or δ-MoN through modulating the mass quantity of N precursors. A liquid Cu-Mo alloy was used as a Mo precursor and catalyst in this system. The resulting γ-Mo2N was systematically characterized and found to be of high quality. Furthermore, the morphology evolutions of γ-Mo2N and δ-MoN with growth time were summarized in detail, as a result of growth and etching dynamics. This work promotes the phase modulation of MoxNy and provides a framework for future research on the structure-property relationship.

Abstract Purpose We provided an endovascular strategy of treating ruptured aortic aneurysm with Behcet’s Disease. Case report A 25-year-old man was diagnosed ruptured thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm with Behcet’s Disease according to his eye damage history, high level of ESR and C-reactive protein and the imaging result. We used in-vitro fenestration of the stent-graft combined with in-stent technique to occlude the ruptured aortic aneurysm and preserve the blood supply from the aorta for visceral arteries in emergency. Sac filling technique was used to treat the endoleak to quickly prevent bleeding. The patient kept post-operative immunotherapy for 1 year. Conclusion The patient had a good prognosis in the reduction of the cavity of aortic aneurysm to the normal size without any complications in a year follow-up.

The piRNA-PIWI protein complex plays crucial roles in safeguarding the genome against inordinate transposon mobilization and regulation of embryonic development. A previous study indicated the presence of piRNA in sheep reproductive organs. However, the tissue distribution and cellular localization of PIWI proteins in sheep remains unclear. Therefore the present study aimed to explore the expression profiles of mRNAs of mammalian PIWI proteins (PIWIL1, PIWIL2, PIWIL4 and AGO3) in 9 tissues derived from adult male and female sheep. Results showed the expression of PIWIL1, PIWIL2, and PIWIL4 was significantly higher in the testis and ovary than in the other tissues. Immunohistochemistry analysis of testes indicated that each of the 4 proteins had specific cellular localizations, and some of the localizations were different from those of other species. All the proteins were mainly localized in the primary spermatocytes, suggesting that they are crucial for silencing of transposon to guarantee the integrity of the gamete genome during early stage of spermatogenesis. In the ovaries, the PIWI proteins were mainly localized in oocytes from antral follicles and leukocytes in ovarian blood. Our results provide insights to better understand the functions of PIWI proteins during spermatogenesis, oogenesis and immune defence in sheep.

Cocrystal engineering is an advanced supramolecular strategy that has attracted a lot of research interest. Many studies on cocrystals in various application fields have been reported, with a particular focus on the optoelectronics field. However, few articles have combined and summarized the electronic and magnetic properties of cocrystals. In this review, we first introduce the growth methods that serve as the basis for realizing the different properties of cocrystals. Thereafter, we present an overview of cocrystal applications in electronic and magnetic fields. Some functional devices based on cocrystals are also introduced. We hope that this review will provide researchers with a more comprehensive understanding of the latest progress and prospects of cocrystals in electronic and magnetic fields.

The Booroola fecundity gene (FecB) has a mutation that was found to increase the ovulation rate and litter size in Booroola Merino sheep. This mutation is also associated with the fecundity of small-tail han (STH) sheep, an important maternal breed used to produce hybrid offspring for mutton production in China. Previous research showed that the FecB gene affects reproduction in STH sheep, based on litter size records. However, the effects of this gene on estrus, ovulation, and endocrine characteristics in these sheep remain unclear. Here, we analyzed the traits mentioned earlier and compared them among the three FecB genotypes of STH ewes using estrus synchronization. Overall, 53 pluriparous ewes were selected from among 890 STH ewes and subjected to FecB genotyping for experiments to characterize estrous and ovulation rates. FecB heterozygous (+B) ewes presented an earlier onset of estrus (42.9 ± 2.2 h) and a shorter estrous cycle (17.2 ± 0.2 days) (P ≤ 0.05). The ovulation rates increased with the increasing copy number of the B allele (P ≤ 0.01). Ovulation time showed no significant differences among the three FecB genotypes. The serum concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone, estrogen (E2), and progesterone (P4) were measured in 19 of the ewes. Serum concentrations of E2 and FSH dramatically varied around the time of behavioral estrus. In FecB mutant homozygous (BB) ewes, E2 concentration had two peaks, which were higher (P ≤ 0.05) than those of ++ genotypes. FSH concentration of BB ewes was higher (P ≤ 0.05) than that of the ++ ewes just after estrus. The expression of the estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) gene in the +B genotype was higher than in the other genotypes. Based on the data for the reproductive performance of STH ewes with the three FecB genotypes, our study suggests that the development of follicles in ewes with the B allele is dependent on the response to FSH regulated by E2 in the early stage. +B ewes, exhibiting moderate ovulation and litter size and a shorter estrous cycle, can be highly recommended in sheep crossbreeding systems for commercial mutton production. Moreover, this study provides useful information to conserve better and use the genetic resources of STH sheep in China.

Growth traits are influential factors that significantly affects the development of the sheep industry. A previous TMT proteomic analysis found that a key protein in the HIF signaling pathway, ARNT, may influence embryonic skeletal muscle growth and development in sheep. The purpose of this study was to better understand the association between the polymorphisms of ARNT and growth traits of sheep, and the potential function of ARNT. Real-time qPCR (qRT-PCR) of ARNT was carried out to compare its expression in different developmental stages of the muscle tissues and primary myoblasts in the Hu, Chinese merino, and Gangba sheep. The genetic variance of ARNT was detected using the Illumina Ovine SNP 50 K and 600 K BeadChip in the Hu and Ujimqin sheep populations, respectively. The CDS sequence of the ARNT gene was cloned in the Hu sheep using PCR technology. Finally, bioinformatic analytical methods were applied to characterize the genes and their hypothetical protein products. The qRT-PCR results showed that the ARNT gene was expressed significantly in the Chinese merino embryo after 85 gestation days (D85) (p < 0.05). Additionally, after the sheep were born, the expression of ARNT was significant at the weaning stage of the Hu sheep (p < 0.01). However, there was no difference in the Gangba sheep.In addition, six SNP loci were screened using 50 K and 600 K BeadChip. We found a significant association between rs413597480 A > G and the Hu sheep weight at weaning and backfat thickness in the 5-month-old sheep (p < 0.05), and four SNP loci (rs162298018 G > C, rs159644025 G > A, rs421351865 G > A, and rs401758103 A > G) were also associated with growth traits in the Ujimqin sheep (p < 0.05). Interestingly, we found that a G > C mutation at 1948 bp in the cloned ARNT CDS sequence of the Hu sheep was the same locus mutation as rs162298018 G > C identified using the 600 K BeadChip, which resulted in a nonconservative missense point mutation, leading to a change from proline to alanine and altering the number of DNA, protein-binding sites, and the α-helix of the ARNT protein. There was a strong linkage disequilibrium between rs162298018 G > C and rs159644025 G > A, and the ARNT protein was conserved among the goat, Hu sheep, and Texel sheep. And, we propose that a putative molecular marker for growth and development in sheep may be the G > C mutation at 1948 bp in the CDS region of the ARNT gene. Our study systematically analyzed the expression, structure, and function of the ARNT gene and its encoded proteins in sheep. This provides a basis for future studies of the regulatory mechanisms of the ARNT gene.

The Co3O4 hollow dodecahedron (Co3O4@CN) was prepared by calcining ZIF-67 in N2 and then air atmosphere. In the Co3O4@CN compound material, Co3O4 nanoparticles (Co3O4 NPs) are anchored in the carbon skeleton, solving the aggregation problem of Co3O4 NPs. Because Co3O4@CN retains the porous structure of ZIF-67, and the presence of Co2+ and Co3+ favors electron transfer between the enzyme substrates, it has excellent peroxidase-like (POD-like) activity. Enzymatic kinetic tests show that Co3O4@CN has approximately six times more affinity for TMB than HRP and the maximal reaction rate is approximately three times that of HRP. The cholesterol sensor was constructed with Co3O4@CN, and its linear range was 20-1000 μM, and the detection limit was 14.33 μM. The application of Co3O4@CN to the detection of human serum cholesterol will be a valuable research direction.

Stability problem of organic semiconductors (OSCs) because of photoabsorption has become a major barrier to large scale applications in organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). It is imperative to design OSCs which are insensitive to visible and near-infrared (VNIR) light to obtain both environmental and operational stability. Herein, taking a 2,3,8,9-tetramethoxy [1,4]benzodithiino[2,3-b][1,4]benzodithiine (TTN2) as an example, we show that controlling molecular configuration is an effective strategy to tune the bandgaps of OSCs for visible-blind OFETs. TTN2 adopts an armchair-like configuration, which is different from the prevailing planar structure of common OSCs. Because of the large bandgap, TTN2 exhibits no photoabsorption in the VNIR region and OFETs based on TTN2 show high environmental stability. The devices worked well after being stored in ambient air, (i.e. in the presence of oxygen and water) and light for over two years. Moreover, the OFETs show no observable response to light irradiation from 405–1,020 nm, which is also favorable for high operational stability.

Bilayer p-n heterojunctions are promising structures to construct ambipolar organic field-effect transistors (aOFETs) for organic integrated circuits. However, due to the lack of effective strategies for high-quality p-n heterojunctions with clear interfaces, the performance of aOFETs is commonly and substantially lower than that of their unipolar counterparts, which hinders the development of aOFETs toward practical applications. Herein, a one-step solution crystallization strategy was proposed for the preparation of high-quality bilayer p-n heterojunctions. A mixed solution of a p- and an n-type organic semiconductor was dropped on a liquid substrate, and vertical phase separation occurred spontaneously during crystallization to produce bilayer p-n heterojunctions composed of molecularly thin two-dimensional molecular crystals. Due to the clear interface of the bilayer p-n heterojunctions, the maximum mobility (average mobility) reached 1.96 cm2 V−1 s−1 (1.12 cm2 V−1 s−1) for holes and 1.27 cm2 V−1 s−1 (0.61 cm2 V−1 s−1) for electrons in ambient air. So far as we know, these values were the highest among double-channel aOFETs measured in ambient air. This work provides a simple yet efficient strategy to construct high-quality bilayer p-n heterojunctions, which lays a foundation for their application in high-performance optoelectronic devices.

Abstract Organic thin film transistors (OTFTs)‐based biosensors are widely applied as advanced biosensing platforms by virtue of their inherent ability to transfer and amplify received biological signals into electrical signals. Nevertheless, the development of OTFTs‐based biosensors with excellent sensitivity, selectivity, and stability for specific biological processes remains a major challenge. This mini review focuses on recent achievements in OTFTs‐based biosensors since 2010. Specifically, three types of OTFTs, specifically organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs), electrolyte‐gated OFETs (EGOFETs), and organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) are summarized in terms of the key strategies required for high‐performance bioelectronics. Additionally, various OTFTs‐based biosensors, such as ions, glucose, nucleic acids, proteins, and cells are described in terms of their working principles. This mini review highlights the uses of OTFTs for a broad range of research applications with a focus on designing novel OTFTs‐based biosensors.

Abstract Background Sheep have developed the ability to store fat in their tails, which is a unique way of reserving energy to survive a harsh environment. However, the mechanism underlying this adaptive trait remains largely unsolved. Results In the present study, we provide evidence for the genetic determinants of fat tails, based on whole genome sequences of 89 individual sheep. A genome-wide scan of selective sweep identified several candidate loci including a region at chromosome 13, a haplotype of which underwent rapid evolution and spread through fat-tailed populations in China and the Middle East. Sequence analysis revealed an inter-genic origin of this locus, which later became a hotspot of ruminant-specific retro-transposon named BovB. Additionally, the candidate locus was validated based on a fat- and thin-tailed cross population. The expression of an upstream gene BMP2 was differentially regulated between fat-tailed and thin-tailed individuals in tail adipose and several other tissue types. Conclusions Our findings suggest the fixation of fat tails in domestic sheep is caused by a selective sweep near a retro-transposable hotspot at chromosome 13, the diversity of which specifically affects the expression of BMP2. The present study has shed light onto the understanding of fat metabolism.

The potential of organic phototransistors to surpass silicon-based devices is limited by the low carrier mobility of organic photoresponsive materials. Here, Ji et al. report high performance organic phototransistors featuring vacuum-deposited small-molecule films with band-like charge transport.

The objective of this study was to assess inactivated influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) by time since vaccination in adults aged ≥ 18 years using a test-negative design. All data were obtained from the US Department of Defense Global Respiratory Pathogen Surveillance Program over four influenza seasons, from 2016–2017 through 2019–2020. Analyses were performed to estimate VE using a generalized linear mixed model with logit link and binomial distribution. The adjusted overall VE against any medically attended, laboratory-confirmed influenza decreased from 50% (95% confidence interval (CI): 41–58%) in adults vaccinated 14 to 74 days prior to the onset of influenza-like illness (ILI), to 39% (95% CI: 31–47%) in adults vaccinated 75 to 134 days prior to the onset of ILI, then to 17% (95% CI: 0–32%) in adults vaccinated 135 to 194 days prior to the onset of ILI. The pattern and magnitude of VE change with increasing time since vaccination differed by influenza (sub)types. Compared to VE against influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and influenza B, the decrease of VE against influenza A(H3N2) was more pronounced with increasing time since vaccination. In conclusion, based on the analysis of 2536 influenza-positive cases identified from 7058 adults over multiple influenza seasons, the effectiveness of inactivated influenza vaccine wanes within 180 days after 14 days of influenza vaccination.

Organic ultraviolet (UV) phototransistors are promising for diverse applications. However, wide-bandgap organic semiconductors (OSCs) with intense UV absorption tend to exhibit large contact resistance (Rc) because of an energy-level mismatch with metal electrodes. Herein, we discovered that the molecular dopant of 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4TCNQ) was more efficient than the transition metal oxide dopant of MoO3 in doping a wide-bandgap OSC, although the former showed smaller electron affinity (EA). By efficient contact doping, a low Rc of 889 Ω·cm and a high mobility of 13.89 cm2V−1s−1 were achieved. As a result, UV-sensitive phototransistors showed high photosensitivity and responsivity.