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Sodium metal batteries are promising next‐generation energy storage technology by using energy‐dense and affordable Na metal anodes, yet suffering uncontrollable Na dendritic growth issues. Herein, Au nanoparticle@hollow amorphous carbon tube yolk/shell arrays (Au/HCT‐CC) is rationally designed on carbon cloth as a dynamic host. In situ transmission electron microscopy observations reveal a regulated dendrite‐free Na metal plating/stripping within the Au/HCT‐CC host. The self‐confinement of Na metal deposition in the hollow carbon can further stabilize the electrolyte/electrode interface and homogenize Na ion flux, as evidenced by rigorous experimental and theoretical characterizations, thus successfully accommodating the hurdles to Na metal anodes. When cycling in half cells, the Au/HCT‐CC electrodes deliver remarkably high coulombic efficiencies (CEs) of 99.96% over 2200 h at 5 mA cm−2. The high CE of 99.54% is preserved even under harsh cycling conditions of 10 mA cm−2 and 20 mAh cm−2 for 250 cycles. These values rival the state‐of‐the‐art electrochemical performance for Na metal anodes in literature. Finally, the practical feasibility of the new anode is demonstrated by cycling in Na3V2(PO4)3@C||Na‐Au/HCT‐CC full cells over 900 cycles with an extremely low capacity degradation rate of 0.017% per cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidation potential (OP), reflecting the redox activities of particle matter (PM), is considered an optimal measure to explain the biological effects of PM exposure. However, the size resolution of the relationship between OP and chemical composition in PM, especially how the relationship changes after respiratory exposure, has not been well investigated. In this study, size-resolved indoor PM10 samples were collected from a waste recycling plant from November to December 2021 using an Anderson eight-stage cascade impactor. OP, measured by a dithiothreitol (DTT) assay (defined as OPDTT), and elements, determined by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in size-resolved PM, were determined to check their relationships and the related human exposure risk. The results indicated that compared with PM0.4 and PM0.4–2.1, PM2.1–10 contributed the most to total OPDTT and its bound elements contributed the most to potential health risks, both before and after respiratory exposure. The association between OPDTT and the elements varied with PM size. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the PM0.4- and PM0.4–2.1-bound elements were moderate-to-strongly positively correlated with OPvDTT (r: 0.60–0.90). No significant correlation or dose–response relationship was found in PM2.1–10. After respiratory exposure, several PM0.4- and PM0.4–2.1-bound elements had a moderate-to-strongly positive correlation with deposition fluxes of OP (defined as OPFlux) (0.69–0.90). A generalized linear model analysis showed that the interquartile range (IQR) increase in the PM-bound elements (ng h−1) was associated with a 41.7–58.1% increase in OPFlux. Our study is a special case that enriches the knowledge of the association between OPDTT and the chemical composition of PM of different sizes, especially after respiratory exposure, but the generalizability of the findings to other settings or types of PM may be limited. The associations among OPDTT, other chemical compositions of PM, and human exposure risk merit further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the impact of an intensive professional development series on early childhood educators' content knowledge of engineering and their self-efficacy towards teaching engineering. Seventeen early childhood teachers participated and responded to questionnaires, surveys, and focus-group interviews before and after the professional development. The results show that these early childhood educators significantly (1) increased their knowledge of engineering; (2) improved their engineering teaching self-efficacy; and (3) enhanced their confidence level towards teaching engineering for young children. This study is important because it provides an example of an effective approach to enhance early childhood teachers' preparation in teaching engineering activities for young children. It also sheds light on the urgency to improve overall teacher preparation and continuous education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for young children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The WRF model often struggles to accurately replicate specific characteristics of the atmospheric boundary layer, particularly under highly stable conditions. In this study, we reconstructed an OBS-nudging module using meteorological data with high spatiotemporal resolution, then coupled it in the WRF model (WRF-OBS) to improve stable boundary layer (SBL) simulation over the North China Plain (NCP). The results showed that WRF-OBS improved the simulation of SBL characteristics and reduced the deviation from observations significantly. The correlations (R2) between WRF-OBS simulations and observations of 2 m temperature, relative humidity, and 10 m wind speed at 460 stations across the NCP were 0.72, 0.56, and 0.75, respectively, which were much higher than the values for results from the unassimilated WRF model (WRF-BS). The simulated vertical profiles of temperature, relative humidity, and wind were generally consistent with observations at Pingyuan station. The meteorological factors which caused heavy air pollution was also investigated based on WRF-OBS simulation. The SBL characteristics obtained from WRF-OBS showed that light wind persisted over the NCP region during the period of heavy pollution, and Pingyuan was affected by warm and humid air. Vertically, the persistent temperature inversion at Pingyuan station was one of the main drivers of the heavy pollution. The WRF-OBS simulation captured the characteristics of the two temperature inversion layers very well. The two inversion layers covered the NCP, with a horizontal scale of approximately 200 km, and created very stable conditions, preventing the vertical diffusion of pollutants and maintaining high PM2.5 concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate in situ the three-dimensional (3D) morphology and distribution of primary carbides (PCs) in electro-slag remelting (ESR) forged 30Cr3Ni3Mo2V steel. A facile non-aqueous electrolytic etching method was applied to prepare 3D PCs on the matrix. The morphology, composition, and element concentrations of PCs were characterized using a combination of optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and electron back-scattered diffusion (EBSD). The precipitation, type, and composition of PCs in the same steel were also simulated using Thermo-Calc software Version 2015a. The results indicate that PC is rich in Nb, which is a potential heterogeneous nucleating agent. Both the size and number of PCs increase from the edge to the center of the ingot. The large-sized PCs present three dominant types of morphology, which vary in different regions, i.e., a bulky type dominates in the edge region, a lamellar type dominates in the middle region, and a stripy type dominates in the core region. The results of EBSD analysis show that the orientation of PCs with different morphologies is different and that more nanosized V-rich type carbides are precipitated on the matrix. The thermodynamic calculations show that MC precipitates from the liquid phase when the solid phase fraction is greater than 0.985 and that the MC-type carbides are rich in Nb, which agrees well with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored young children's perceptions of engineers and engineering through their drawings and narratives. Twenty-six children ranging from four-to eight-years-old participated. Results indicated that although children in this group had limited knowledge of engineers and engineering, most of them, regardless of gender, not only drew engineers reflecting their own gender, but they also identified themselves as engineers already. More than half of them would like to become engineers when they grow up. This study supports the idea that young children are capable engineering learners and calls for age-appropriate, play-based engineering learning experiences in the early years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, perovskite solar cells (pero‐SCs) with doped 2,2′,7,7′‐tetrakis(N,N‐di‐p‐methoxyphenylamine)‐9,9′‐spirobifluorene (Spiro‐OMeTAD) hole transporting layers (HTLs) have shown the highest recorded power conversion efficiencies (PCEs). However, their commercialization is still impeded by poor device stability owing to the hygroscopic lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide and volatile 4‐tert‐butylpyridine dopants as well as time‐consuming oxidation in air. In this study, we explored a series of single‐component iodonium initiators with strong oxidability and different electron delocalization properties to precisely manipulate the oxidation states of Spiro‐OMeTAD without air assistance, and the oxidation mechanism was clearly understood. Iodine (III) in the diphenyliodonium cation (IP+) can accept a single electron from Spiro‐OMeTAD and forms Spiro‐OMeTAD⋅+ owing to its strong oxidability. Moreover, because of the coordination of the strongly delocalized TFSI− with Spiro‐OMeTAD⋅+ in a stable radical complex, the resulting hole mobility was 30 times higher than that of pristine Spiro‐OMeTAD. In addition, the IP‐TFSI initiator facilitated the growth of a homogeneous and pinhole‐free Spiro‐OMeTAD film. The pero‐SCs based on this oxidizing HTL showed excellent efficiencies of 25.16 % (certified: 24.85 % for 0.062‐cm2) and 20.71 % for a 15.03‐cm2 module as well as remarkable overall stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, perovskite solar cells (pero‐SCs) with doped 2,2′,7,7′‐tetrakis(N,N‐di‐p‐methoxyphenylamine)‐9,9′‐spirobifluorene (Spiro‐OMeTAD) hole transporting layers (HTLs) have shown the highest recorded power conversion efficiencies (PCEs). However, their commercialization is still impeded by poor device stability owing to the hygroscopic lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide and volatile 4‐tert‐butylpyridine dopants as well as time‐consuming oxidation in air. In this study, we explored a series of single‐component iodonium initiators with strong oxidability and different electron delocalization properties to precisely manipulate the oxidation states of Spiro‐OMeTAD without air assistance, and the oxidation mechanism was clearly understood. Iodine (III) in the diphenyliodonium cation (IP+) can accept a single electron from Spiro‐OMeTAD and forms Spiro‐OMeTAD⋅+ owing to its strong oxidability. Moreover, because of the coordination of the strongly delocalized TFSI− with Spiro‐OMeTAD⋅+ in a stable radical complex, the resulting hole mobility was 30 times higher than that of pristine Spiro‐OMeTAD. In addition, the IP‐TFSI initiator facilitated the growth of a homogeneous and pinhole‐free Spiro‐OMeTAD film. The pero‐SCs based on this oxidizing HTL showed excellent efficiencies of 25.16 % (certified: 24.85 % for 0.062‐cm2) and 20.71 % for a 15.03‐cm2 module as well as remarkable overall stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temper embrittlement is a major challenge encountered during the heat treatment of high-performance steels for large forgings. This study investigates the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of Cr-Ni-Mo-V thick-walled steel, designed for large forgings with a tensile strength of 1500 MPa, under different tempering cooling rates. Optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) were employed to analyze the microstructural features. The results demonstrate that the embrittlement occurring during air cooling after tempering is attributed to the concentration of impurities near Fe3C at the grain boundaries. The low-temperature impact toughness at −40 °C after water quenching reaches 29 J due to the accelerated cooling rate during tempering, which slows down the diffusion of impurity elements towards the grain boundaries, resulting in a reduced concentration and dislocation density and an increased stability of the grain boundaries, thereby enhancing toughness. The bainite content decreases and the interface between martensite and bainite undergoes changes after water quenching during tempering. These alterations influence the crack propagation direction within the two-phase microstructure, further modifying the toughness. These findings contribute to the understanding of temper embrittlement and provide valuable guidance for optimizing heat treatment processes to enhance the performance of high-performance steels in large forgings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To demonstrate the feasibility of deintensification regimen in the light of the response to induction chemotherapy (IC) in human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Patients with p16+ OPSCC, T1-2/N1-3M0 (excluding T1N1M0 with single and ≤3 cm lymph node) or T3-4N0-3M0 were enrolled between January 2019 and July 2021. All patients received 2 cycles of IC with docetaxel 75 mg/m2 dL and cisplatin 75 mg/m2 dL every 3 weeks. Those with major responses (≥50% decrease in both primary and lymph nodes) to IC entered the deintensification cohort (cohort D), in which intensity modulated radiation therapy alone was given to a reduced dose of 60 Gy/30 fractions. Those who failed to meet major responsesentered the concurrent chemoradiotherapy cohort (cohort C), where the dose was simultaneously integrated boosted to a standard 70 Gy/35 fractions to nonmajor response sites, concurrently with cisplatin 80 mg/m2 dL,22. Patient-reported swallow function was documented using the MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory. The primary endpoint was 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) using Simon's 2 stage design. A total of 26 of 48 (54.2%) participants met the criteria to enter cohort D and 22 of 48 (45.8%) patients entered cohort C. With a median follow-up time of 29.7 months (6.9-48.0 months), 2-year PFS and OS rates were 85.4% and 93.6%, respectively for all enrolled patients. In cohort D, 2-year PFS and OS rates were both 100%. Grade 3 and 4 IC-related toxicities included leukopenia/neutropenia occurring in 41.7% and hyponatremia in 4.2% of patients. A higher incidence of grade 3 and 4 mucositis (61.9% vs 23.1% P =.022) was observed in cohort C. Consistent decline in longitudinal MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory scores were observed at month 3 after radiation therapy between cohorts and both were found to recover to baseline at month 12. Selective radiation therapy dose reduction and concurrent chemotherapy removal based on IC response in HPV + OPSCC was feasible and promising. Further study of this strategy to balance efficacy and toxicity is warranted in a prospective controlled trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is associated with an increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes, resulting in a higher risk of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective study of 2385 singletons with ICP who underwent risk‐stratified management strategies. To explore the risks of perinatal outcomes of ICP, subgroup analyses were performed using different total bile acid (TBA) levels. Results: In this study, there was only one stillbirth and one neonatal death. Among the study cohort, 2299 patients had ICP with a TBA level ≥10 μmol/L and 86 had ICP with a TBA level <10 μmol/L. The 2299 patients with ICP (TBA level ≥ 10 μmol/L) were divided into three groups: mild ICP (n = 1803), severe ICP (n = 400), and extremely severe ICP (n = 96). Increased TBA concentration was associated with an increased incidence of preterm birth, newborn asphyxia, neonatal intensive care unit hospitalization, meconium‐stained amniotic fluid, and low birth weight in the three groups (P < 0.05). Furthermore, severe and extremely severe ICP with hypotonic absonant uterine contraction had a significant effect on neonatal asphyxia (odds ratio, 5.06 [95% confidence interval, 1.09–23.37]; P < 0.05) and meconium‐stained amniotic fluid (odds ratio, 2.37 [95% confidence interval, 1.43–3.93]; P < 0.05). Conclusions: Hypotonic absonant uterine contractions could be high‐risk stressors for severe and extremely severe ICP; hence, proper prenatal care is recommended. Risk‐stratified management strategies for ICP are critical to obtaining better maternal‐fetal outcomes. Synopsis: Severe and extremely severe intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy with hypotonic absonant uterine contraction increased the risk of neonatal asphyxia and meconium‐stained amniotic fluid. Risk‐stratified management strategies are recommended for intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elucidating the structure–property relationships of ultra-small metal nanocluster with basic nuclear is of great significance for understanding the evolution mechanism in both the structures and properties of polynuclear metal nanoclusters. In this study, an ultra-small copper hydride (CuH for short) nanocluster was simply synthesized with high yield, and the large-scale preparation was also achieved. Single crystal X-ray diffractometer (SC-XRD) analysis shows that this copper NC contains a tetrahedral Cu4 core co-capped by four PPh2Py ligands and two Cl in which the existence of the central H atom in tetrahedron was further identified experimentally and theoretically. This CuH nanocluster exhibits bright yellow emission, which is proved to be the mixture of phosphorescence and fluorescence by the sensitivity of both emission intensity and lifetime to O2. Furthermore, the temperature-dependent emission spectra and density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the luminescence of CuH mainly originates from the metal-to-ligand charge transfer and cluster-centered triplet excited states. This work offers new insights into understanding the structure–property relationship of basic nuclear CuH nanocluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: The study aims to assess the value of different risk stratifications in diagnosing early gastric cancer (GC) and explore risk factors based on Kyoto gastritis classification. Methods: This study was a single‐centered cross‐sectional study; all epidemiological data and endoscopic findings were obtained prospectively. To evaluate the proportion of GC in each risk stratification and to compare the diagnostic performance of different methods using the receiver operating characteristic curve, univariable and multivariable analyses were used to explore the correlation between endoscopic findings and GC. Results: A total of 240 subjects were enrolled, and the diagnostic efficacy of the Kyoto Classification Score was similar to Operative Link on Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia Assessment (OLGIM) stage, and the accuracy was higher than that of the Japanese scoring system and OLGA stage. Moderate atrophy (odds ratio [OR] = 3.52, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.52–8.16), severe atrophy (OR = 4.96, 95% CI: 1.75–14.04), map‐like redness (OR = 9.89, 95% CI: 1.16–84.15), and xanthelasma (OR = 3.57, 95% CI: 1.15–11.15) were independent risk factors for GC. The simplified Kyoto classification (area under the receiver operating characteristic [AUROC] = 0.76, P = 0.58) based on multivariable analysis demonstrated favorable diagnostic value compared with traditional Kyoto classification score (AUROC = 0.74). Conclusions: This study confirms the value of the Kyoto classification score and the OLGIM stage in the risk stratification of GC. Simplified Kyoto classification is also promising in risk assessment of GC but still requires validation in the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigate the dissolution behavior of eutectic carbides in heavy forgings. High-temperature diffusion treatment was conducted on 35Cr3Ni3MoVW2 (MoVW2) and 35Cr2Ni3MoV (MoV) steels at 1230 °C for a duration ranging from 0 to 100 h. The dissolution of eutectic carbides and its effects on the microstructure and hardness of the steels were characterized and analyzed via SEM+EBSD, ImageJ, and Thermo-Calc. The results show that the coarse eutectic carbides in both steels gradually dissolved. The distribution and morphology tend to be uniform and spherical, respectively. For holding 50 h, the hardness of both steels significantly exhibited an increasing trend, and it was attributed to the combined effects of solid solution strengthening. Thermodynamic calculations indicated that the higher W content in MoVW2 steel promoted the precipitation of M6C eutectic carbides. Moreover, both MoVW2 and MoV steels exhibited the precipitation of M7C3 eutectic carbides in the final stage of solidification, facilitated by the enrichment of C and Cr in the liquid steels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pressure solution involves mass transfer by dissolution, diffusion, and precipitation in pores or at grain interfaces, which may result in mechanical healing. Dislocation glide is another deformation mechanism that plays a significant role in the behavior of polycrystals. In this paper, we use Eshelby's self-consistent homogenization scheme with imperfect interfaces to calculate the macroscopic mechanical and diffusive properties of an elasto-viscoplastic porous composite made of imperfectly bonded crystals. Using halite as a model material, the proposed self-consistent model is calibrated and verified against published results of experimental creep tests. Simulations highlight that healing by grain boundary precipitation (by contrast with in-pore precipitation) is a limiting factor for pressure solution, because healed interfaces have lower diffusivity than fluid-filled interfaces. The homogenization approach provides an explanatory framework for the lower creep deformation observed for larger grains, and forecasts lower diffusivity for smaller grains. Sensitivity analyses show that grain boundary healing decelerates specimen compaction, while precipitation in the pores controls the evolution of effective diffusivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycyclic hydrocarbons consisting of two or more directly fused antiaromatic subunits are rare due to their high reactivity. However, it is important to understand how the interactions between the antiaromatic subunits influence the electronic properties of the fused structure. Herein, we present the synthesis of two fused indacene dimer isomers: s‐indaceno[2,1‐a]‐s‐indacene (s‐ID) and as‐indaceno[3,2‐b]‐as‐indacene (as‐ID), containing two fused antiaromatic s‐indacene or as‐indacene units, respectively. Their structures were confirmed by X‐ray crystallographic analysis. 1H NMR/ESR measurements and DFT calculations revealed that both s‐ID and as‐ID have an open‐shell singlet ground state. However, while localized antiaromaticity was observed in s‐ID, as‐ID showed weak global aromaticity. Moreover, as‐ID exhibited a larger diradical character and a smaller singlet‐triplet gap than s‐ID. All the differences can be attributed to their distinct quinoidal substructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycyclic hydrocarbons consisting of two or more directly fused antiaromatic subunits are rare due to their high reactivity. However, it is important to understand how the interactions between the antiaromatic subunits influence the electronic properties of the fused structure. Herein, we present the synthesis of two fused indacene dimer isomers: s‐indaceno[2,1‐a]‐s‐indacene (s‐ID) and as‐indaceno[3,2‐b]‐as‐indacene (as‐ID), containing two fused antiaromatic s‐indacene or as‐indacene units, respectively. Their structures were confirmed by X‐ray crystallographic analysis. 1H NMR/ESR measurements and DFT calculations revealed that both s‐ID and as‐ID have an open‐shell singlet ground state. However, while localized antiaromaticity was observed in s‐ID, as‐ID showed weak global aromaticity. Moreover, as‐ID exhibited a larger diradical character and a smaller singlet‐triplet gap than s‐ID. All the differences can be attributed to their distinct quinoidal substructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A low operating temperature and short response/recovery time are essential factors for sensors. Hence, it is necessary to create a sensor that can quickly detect target gas at a relatively low temperature. In this work, Co3O4 microtube based sensors were fabricated by a bio-template method using absorbent cotton. Co3O4 microtube sensors prepared in different concentrations of a salt solution displayed different sensitivities to triethylamine (TEA). The Co3O4-0.10 microtube sensor exhibited excellent sensitivity to TEA at 160 °C. The response of the Co3O4-0.10 sensor to 100 ppm TEA gas was 31.27 and the detection limit of TEA was 50 ppb. Meanwhile, the Co3O4-0.10 sensor also showed a short response/recovery time, such as 95 s/38 s to 100 ppm TEA, high selectivity, a good linear relationship (R2 = 0.994 for 1–100 ppm TEA and R2 = 0.991 for 50–1000 ppb TEA gas), fine repeatability and long-term stability, and strong humidity resistance. Thus, Co3O4 microtube based sensors prepared using a bio-template method have potential application prospects for the detection of TEA gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classification of galaxy morphology is a hot issue in astronomical research. Although significant progress has been made in the last decade in classifying galaxy morphology using deep learning technology, there are still some deficiencies in spatial feature representation and classification accuracy. In this study, we present a multiscale convolutional capsule network (MSCCN) model for the classification of galaxy morphology. First, this model improves the convolutional layers using a multibranch structure to extract the multiscale hidden features of galaxy images. In order to further explore the hidden information in the features, the multiscale features are encapsulated and fed into the capsule layer. Second, we use a sigmoid function to replace the softmax function in dynamic routing, which can enhance the robustness of MSCCN. Finally, the classification model achieves 97 per cent accuracy, 96 per cent precision, 98 per cent recall, and 97 per cent F1-score under macroscopic averaging. In addition, a more comprehensive model evaluation was accomplished in this study. We visualized the morphological features for the part of sample set that used the t-distributed stochastic neighbour embedding (t-SNE) algorithm. The results show that the model has a better generalization ability and robustness, and it can be effectively used in the galaxy morphological classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lignin is a major restriction factor for the industrial production of biomass resources, such as pulp and bioenergy. Eucalyptus is one of the most important sources of pulp and bioenergy. After polyploidization, the lignin content of forest trees is generally reduced, which is considered a beneficial genetic improvement. However, the differences in the lignin content between triploid and diploid Eucalyptus and the underlying regulatory mechanism are still unclear. Results: We conducted a comprehensive analysis at the phenotypic, transcriptional and metabolite levels between Eucalyptus urophylla triploids and diploids to reveal the effects of polyploidization on the lignin content and lignin metabolic pathway. The results showed that the lignin content of Eucalyptus urophylla triploid stems was significantly lower than that of diploids. Lignin-related metabolites were differentially accumulated between triploids and diploids, among which coniferaldehyde, p-coumaryl alcohol, sinapaldehyde and coniferyl alcohol had significant positive correlations with lignin content, indicating that they might be primarily contributing metabolites. Most lignin biosynthetic genes were significantly downregulated, among which 11 genes were significantly positively correlated with the lignin content and above metabolites. Furthermore, we constructed a co-expression network between lignin biosynthetic genes and transcription factors based on weighted gene co-expression network analysis. The network identified some putative orthologues of secondary cell wall (SCW)-related transcription factors, among which MYB52, MYB42, NAC076, and LBD15 were significantly downregulated in Eucalyptus urophylla triploids. In addition, potential important transcription factors, including HSL1, BEE3, HHO3, and NAC046, also had high degrees of connectivity and high edge weights with lignin biosynthetic genes, indicating that they might also be involved in the variation of lignin accumulation between triploid and diploid Eucalyptus urophylla. Conclusions: The results demonstrated that some lignin-related metabolites, lignin biosynthetic genes and transcription factors in Eucalyptus urophylla triploids may be relatively sensitive in response to the polyploidization effect, significantly changing their expression levels, which ultimately correlated with the varied lignin content. The analysis of the underlying formation mechanism could provide beneficial information for the development and utilization of polyploid biomass resources, which will be also valuable for genetic improvement in other bioenergy plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacillus thuringiensis is an effective entomopathogen, and its crystal toxin expressed in transgenic crops has been widely used for pest control. However, insect resistance risk is the main threat to the continued successful utility of Bt crops. Several studies reported the role of midgut microbiota in Bt resistance, but the mechanism remains controversial. In the present study, using high-throughput sequencing of the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene, we surveyed the midgut bacterial flora of Ostrinia furnacalis from one Bt-susceptible (ACB-BtS) and two Bt-resistant (ACB-AbR and ACB-FR) strains and explored the mortality of O. furnacalis after eliminating the gut bacteria. Gut bacterial diversity in Bt-resistant strains was significantly lower in Bt-resistant than in Bt-susceptible strains. Ordination analyses and statistical tests showed that the bacterial community of ACB-AbR was distinguishable from ACB-BtS. The genus Halomonas was dominated in ACB-BtS, but the unclassified_Enterobacteriaceae was the most enriched genus in ACB-AbR and ACB-FR. Furthermore, interactions of the bacterial community are more complex in Bt-resistant strains than in Bt-susceptible strains. Moreover, the mortalities of ACB-AbR and ACB-BtS strains treated by the Cry1Ab toxin were significantly reduced after eliminating the gut bacteria. Our findings suggest that Bt stressors structured in the midgut bacterial community and the microbiota have the potential to regulate the Bt-induced killing mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Lawsonia intracellularis (LI) is a pathogenic bacterium in pig ileitis, which will cause the thickening of ileal mucosa and slow and uneven growth in pigs. Currently, the global positive rate of colitis is gradually increasing. It is estimated that the annual loss per infected pig exceeds 3–11 dollars, seriously increasing the cost of breeding production. Due to the high cost of commercial vaccines and immune function acquired three weeks later, there are fewer vaccines used in actual production. This experiment investigated the effects of probiotic ferment added to the diet on the growth performance, digestion, absorption, and intestinal function of piglets infected with LI, to explore the efficiency and mechanism of probiotic ferment in alleviating LI infection in piglets. The results suggest that probiotic ferment can reduce the colonization of LI in the ileum, improve intestinal damage, barrier function and microbiota structure, and enhance digestive enzyme activity and nutrient transport proteins expression, thereby improving piglet growth performance, which has the effect of preventing ileitis in pigs, to provide a scientific basis for the prevention of pig ileitis and its application in the aquaculture industry. (1) Background: Lawsonia intracellularis (LI) is an obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacterium that causes porcine ileitis. Pigs infected with LI have severe ileal lesions and show symptoms of diarrhea, indigestion, and growth retardation. Previous studies found that probiotic ferment (FAM) improved the growth performance, gut barrier, and function in piglets. Therefore, we aimed to reveal the mechanism that FAM alleviates negative performance in LI-challenged piglets by characterizing the changes in intestinal integrity, function, and gut microbiota following FAM supplementation. (2) Methods: Twenty-four healthy piglets were randomly allotted to four treatments. Three groups were challenged with LI; both FAM addition and vaccination were performed to explore their positive effects on LI-infected piglets. (3) Results: Piglets infected with LI showed lower growth performance and typical pathological symptoms. Moreover, microscopic images showed that observed intestinal morphological damage could be repaired by FAM and vaccine. To explore the digestion of nutrients in piglets, both digestive enzyme activity and ileal transporter expression were performed to reveal the promoting effect of additives. Reduction of LI colonization intervention by FAM could also ameliorate abnormal differentiation and function of intestinal epithelial cells and alleviate severe inflammatory responses in piglets. Regarding the gut microbiota, both the structure and function of the ileal and colonic microbiota were altered following FAM supplementation. (4) Conclusions: In conclusion, probiotic ferment can reduce the colonization of LI in the ileum, improve intestinal damage, barrier function and microbiota structure, and enhance digestive enzyme activity and nutrient transport proteins expression, thereby improving piglet growth performance, which has the effect of preventing ileitis in pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a conductive hydrogel was successfully synthesized, taking advantage of the high number density of active amino and hydroxyl groups in carboxymethyl chitosan and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose. These biopolymers were effectively coupled via hydrogen bonding with the nitrogen atoms of the heterocyclic rings of conductive polypyrrole. The inclusion of another biobased polymer, sodium lignosulfonate (LS), was effective to achieve highly efficient adsorption and in-situ reduction of silver ions, leading to silver nanoparticles that were embedded in the hydrogel network and used to further improve the electro-catalytic efficiency of the system. Doping of the system in the pre-gelled state led to hydrogels that could be easily attached to the electrodes. The as-prepared silver nanoparticle-embedded conductive hydrogel electrode exhibited excellent electro-catalytic activity towards hydroquinone (HQ) present in a buffer solution. At the optimum conditions, the oxidation current density peak of HQ was linear over the 0.1–100 μM concentration range, with a detection limit as low as 0.12 μM (signal-to-noise of 3). The relative standard deviation of the anodic peak current intensity was 1.37% for eight different electrodes. After one week of storage in a 0.1 M Tris-HCl buffer solution at 4 °C, the anodic peak current intensity was 93.4% of the initial current intensity. In addition, this sensor showed no interference activity, while the addition of 30 μM CC, RS, or 1 mM of different inorganic ions does not have a significant impact on the test results, enabling HQ quantification in actual water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Whether endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) applies to undifferentiated-type early gastric cancer (UEGC) remains controversial. We aimed to analyze the risk factors for lymph node metastasis (LNM) in UEGC and evaluate the feasibility of ESD. Methods: This study included 346 patients with UEGC who underwent curative gastrectomy between January 2014 and December 2021. Univariate and multivariate analyses of the correlation between clinicopathological features and LNM were conducted, and the risk factors for exceeding the expanded ESD indications were evaluated. Results: The overall LNM rate in UEGC was 19.94%. Among the preoperatively assessable factors, submucosal invasion (odds ratio [OR] = 4.77, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.14–10.66) and > 2 cm(OR = 2.49, 95% CI: 1.20–5.15) were independent risk factors for LNM, while postoperative independent risk factors were > 2 cm (OR = 3.35, 95% CI: 1.02–5.40) and lymphovascular invasion(OR = 13.21, 95% CI: 5.18–33.70). Patients who met the expanded indications had a low LNM risk (4.1%). Additionally, tumors located in the cardia (P = 0.03), non-elevated type (P < 0.01) were independent risk factors for exceeding the expanded indications in UEGC. Conclusions: ESD may be applicable for UEGC meeting the expanded indications, and preoperative evaluation should be cautious when the lesion is non-elevated type or located in the cardia. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (12/05/2022 ChiCTR2200059841). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role of induction chemotherapy (IC) in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) remains controversial. Its interpretation can be confounded by heterogeneity in chemosensitivity and human papillomavirus (HPV) status. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic impact of IC response in HPV‐positive and ‐negative OPSCC. Methods: Patients with OPSCC who underwent IC and concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) were retrospectively analyzed. Radiologic response to IC by ≥50% was defined as IC‐sensitive (IC‐s), while lesser response was deemed as IC‐resistant (IC‐r). Progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between subgroups. Results: A total of 51 HPV‐positive and 57 HPV‐negative patients were included. IC‐s patients accounted for 55.6%, 62.7%, and 49.1% in the entire cohort, HPV‐positive, and HPV‐negative subgroup, respectively. Compared with IC‐r subgroup, IC‐s was associated with better clinical outcomes either in the entire cohort (3y‐PFS 91.7%vs.43.7%, P < 0.001; 3y‐OS 98.3% vs. 67.4%, P = 0.002), the HPV‐positive subgroup (3‐year PFS 94.7% vs. 47.9%, P < 0.001; 3‐year OS 100% vs. 73.5%, P = 0.055) or the HPV‐negative subgroup (3‐year PFS 88.2% vs. 40.9%, P = 0.001; 3‐year OS 96.4% vs. 63.1%, P = 0.026). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that response to IC represents an independent prognosticator for 3‐year PFS (HR, 0.088; 95% CI, 0.027–0.289; P < 0.001) and 3‐year OS (HR, 0.100; 95% CI, 0.021–0.477; P = 0.004). Conclusions: Response to IC exerts a critical predictive effect on prognosis of both HPV‐positive and ‐negative OPSCC. Personalized treatment strategy based on IC response is worthy of further exploration in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice axillary meristems (AMs) are essential to the formation of tillers and panicle branches in rice, and therefore play a determining role in rice yield. However, the regulation of inflorescence AM development in rice remains elusive. In this study, we identified no spikelet 1-Dominant (nsp1-D), a sparse spikelet mutant, with obvious reduction of panicle branches and spikelets. Inflorescence AM deficiency in nsp1-D could be ascribed to the overexpression of OsbHLH069. OsbHLH069 functions redundantly with OsbHLH067 and OsbHLH068 in panicle AM formation. The Osbhlh067 Osbhlh068 Osbhlh069 triple mutant had smaller panicles and fewer branches and spikelets. OsbHLH067, OsbHLH068, and OsbHLH069 were preferentially expressed in the developing inflorescence AMs and their proteins could physically interact with LAX1. Both nsp1-D and lax1 showed sparse panicles. Transcriptomic data indicated that OsbHLH067/068/069 may be involved in the metabolic pathway during panicle AM formation. Quantitative RT-PCR results demonstrated that the expression of genes involved in meristem development and starch/sucrose metabolism was down-regulated in the triple mutant. Collectively, our study demonstrates that OsbHLH067, OsbHLH068, and OsbHLH069 have redundant functions in regulating the formation of inflorescence AMs during panicle development in rice. Author summary: Axillary meristems (AMs) generate branches and determine the inflorescence pattern, and further define the overall architecture of plants. In addition, they have great impacts on the tiller number and panicle size, and therefore significantly influence the seed number and yield of crops. Hence, understanding the molecular mechanism for AM development is of both scientific and application significance. Although some genes involved in panicle development of rice have been reported to date, the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown in rice. In this study, we reported that OsbHLH067, OsbHLH068, and OsbHLH069 redundantly regulate the formation of inflorescence AMs in rice. OsbHLH067, OsbHLH068, and OsbHLH069 were preferentially expressed in developing inflorescence AMs. Overexpression of OsbHLH069 resulted in sparse panicles. The Osbhlh067 Osbhlh068 Osbhlh069 triple mutant exhibited small panicles with fewer branches and spikelets. OsbHLH067/068/069 were found to interact with LAX1, which might be involved in the metabolism pathway and influence the gene expression related to panicle development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an urgent need to develop materials to prevent bacterial infection and the deleterious effects of endotoxins. In this study, we introduce a one-step electrodeposition method to prepare films composed of chitosan/Ag/polypyrrole and layer-by-layer self-assembly to introduce lignin sulphonate (LS) to obtain chitosan/Ag/polypyrrole/LS films. Antibacterial effects against both E. coli and S. aureus are shown by bacterial growth profiles and observation of bacteriostatic zones. Meanwhile, the addition of self-assembled LS improved the antibacterial effect of the film. For E. coli , the inhibition zone diameter was 0.93 cm, while for S. aureus , the inhibition zone diameter was 0.72 cm. Rapid and efficient endotoxin adsorption effects were shown whereby the electrostatic interactions between chitosan and endotoxin molecules played a major role. After adsorption for 1 h, in initial concentration of 1 EU/mL endotoxin solution, the adsorption efficiency could reach up to 85 %, while in initial concentration of 5 EU/mL endotoxin solution, the adsorption efficiency could reach up to 87.6 %. The results suggest chitosan/Ag/polypyrrole/LS films for their capability as a new type of antibacterial film with intrinsic endotoxin adsorption activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenosine triphosphate is an important biological molecule that provides energy and substrate for various cellular biochemical processes,it's ubiquitous in our lives. In this work, a novel electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensor composed of Ru(bpy)32+, 2‐[4‐(2‐hydroxyethyl)piperazin‐1‐yl] ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) and adenosine 5'‐triphosphate disodium salt (ATP) was developed for the first time. In this ECL system, Ru(bpy)32+ was used as the luminophore, HEPES buffer was served as the co‐reactant, and ATP was added to the system to amplify the luminous signal to investigate the ECL behavior. Through fluorescence spectroscopy, ECL spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry (CV), it can be hypothesized that the possible ECL mechanism is that ATP acts as an advanced co‐reaction promoter to accelerate the oxidation of HEPES to HEPES+⋅, more HEPES⋅ can be generated, which then reacts with oxidized Ru(bpy)33+ to emit stronger ECL signals. Subsequently, the influence of the ATP concentrations and the CV scanning speed was investaged. Moreover, it was observed that I− could quench the ECL intensity, the linear relationship range of I− concentration is from 10−3 to 10−6 m, the limit of detection is 3.7×10−8 m (signal/noise=3), therefore, a new, highly sensitive, and selective ECL approach for I− detection was created. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic inflammation is a well-known risk factor for the development of gastric cancer (GC). Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms underlying inflammation-related GC progression are incompletely defined. Methods: Bioinformatic analysis was performed based on data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and the expression of miR-26b-5p in GC cells and tissues was validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Cell proliferation was examined through Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8), 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), colony formation, flow cytometry, and tumor xenografts. Correlation between miR-26b-5p and Cyclin dependent kinase 8 (CDK8) or Phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B) was analyzed by dual-luciferase reporter assays, qRT-PCR, and Western blot. The effect of miR-26b-5p on the Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway was investigated using Western blot, immunofluorescence (IF), and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The impact of STAT3 on miR-26b-5p was determined by dual-luciferase reporter assays and qRT-PCR. Results: The expression of miR-26b-5p was significantly downregulated in Helicobacter Pylori (H. pylori)-infected GC cells. The decreased expression of miR-26b-5p was also detected in GC cells and tissues compared to normal gastric epithelium cells (GES1) and normal adjacent gastric tissues. The low expression of miR-26b-5p promoted GC proliferation in vitro and in vivo and was related to the poor outcome of GC patients. In terms of mechanism, miR-26b-5p directly targeted PDE4B and CDK8, resulting in decreased phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of STAT3, which was associated with the regulation of GC proliferation by miR-26b-5p. Notably, miR-26b-5p was transcriptionally suppressed by STAT3, thus forming the miR-26b-5p-PDE4B/CDK8-STAT3 positive feedback loop. Conclusion: The newly identified miR-26b-5p-PDE4B/CDK8-STAT3 feedback loop plays an important role in inflammation-related GC progression and may serve as a promising therapeutic target for GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is associated with an increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes leading to high perinatal morbidity and mortality. However, few studies have examined twin pregnancies complicated by ICP. To assess the perinatal outcomes of twin pregnancies with ICP, a retrospective cohort study was conducted.Methods: A total of 633 twin pregnancies and 1267 singleton pregnancies with ICP were included. In addition, a correlation study was performed on the matched total bile acid (TBA) levels from maternal serum, fetal umbilical venous blood, and amniotic fluid of 33 twin pregnancies from twin groups.Results: When compared to singletons, twin pregnancies with ICP had a higher risk of cesarean section (CS) (96.4% vs. 76.1%), preterm birth (PTB) (82.6% vs. 19.7%), fetal distress (2.0% vs. 1.3%), and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission (23.6% vs. 5.1%), which was significantly related to increasing TBA levels (P < 0.05). In twin pregnancies with TBA ≥100 μmol/L, the incidences of CS, PTB, fetal distress, neonatal asphyxia, and meconium-stained amniotic fluid were 94.4, 100, 11.1, 5.6, and 36.1%, respectively. Furthermore, the maximum maternal TBA levels were positively correlated with TBA levels in the amniotic fluid (r = 0.61, P < 0.05) and umbilical cord blood (r = 0.44, P < 0.05), and a similar correlation was found for maternal TBA levels at delivery. TBA levels in umbilical cord blood and amniotic fluid also had a significant and positive correlation (r = 0.52, P < 0.05).Conclusions: Twin pregnancies with ICP had a higher risk for adverse perinatal outcomes than singletons, which was associated with higher TBA levels. TBA can be transported through the placenta and is involved in uterus-placenta-fetal circulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elaiophylin (Ela), a unique 16‐membered symmetric macrodiolide antibiotic, displays broad biological activity. Two rare 2‐deoxy‐l‐fucose moieties at the ends of Ela are critical for its activity. Previously, elaiophylin glycosyltransferase (ElaGT) was identified as the enzyme that is responsible for the symmetric glycosylation of Ela, acting as a potential enzymatic tool for enhancing the diversity and activity of Ela. However, a symmetric catalytic mechanism has never been reported for a glycosyltransferase (GT). To explore the catalytic mechanism, the structure of ElaGT was determined in four forms: the apo form and Ela‐bound, thymidine diphosphate‐bound and uridine diphosphate‐bound forms. In the Ela‐bound structure, two ElaGTs form a 'face‐to‐face' C2‐symmetric homodimer with a continuous acceptor‐binding pocket, allowing a molecule of Ela to shuffle through. Interestingly, this dimer interface resembles that of the activator‐dependent GT EryCIII with its activator EryCII. Sequence analysis also indicates that ElaGT belongs to the activator‐dependent GT family, but no putative activator has been identified in the Ela gene cluster. It was then found that the ElaGT homodimer may utilize this 'face‐to‐face' arrangement to stabilize the Ela‐binding loops on the interface and to simultaneously allosterically regulate the catalytic center. Therefore, these structures present a novel self‐activating model for symmetric sugar transfer in the GT family and a new potential regulation site for substrate specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mixing enthalpy and structural properties of liquid Ti–Al alloys are investigated by ab inito molecular dynamics simulation at 2033 K. The experimental mixing enthalpy is well reproduced in both magnitude and asymmetric behavior. Based on the subregular solution model, the interaction strength between unlike atoms on the Al-rich side is about 50% stronger than that on the Ti–rich side, and the minimum of mixing enthalpy is located around 55 at.% Ti. The partial coordination numbers are provided to understand the chemical short-range order of such model. A linear interpolation of bonded pairs versus concentration is employed to elucidate the local structural evolution. Coupling of self-diffusion coefficients of Ti and Al atoms on Ti–rich side is broken et al.-rich side due to the enhancement of structural disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Childhood trauma is a vulnerability factor for the development of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). Empirical findings suggest that trauma-related alterations in brain networks, especially in thalamus-related regions, have been observed in OCD patients. However, the relationship between childhood trauma and thalamic connectivity in patients with OCD remains unclear. The present study aimed to examine the impact of childhood trauma on thalamic functional connectivity in OCD patients. Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging resting-state scans were acquired in 79 patients with OCD, including 22 patients with a high level of childhood trauma (OCD_HCT), 57 patients with a low level of childhood trauma (OCD_LCT) and 47 healthy controls. Seven thalamic subdivisions were chosen as regions of interest (ROIs) to examine the group difference in thalamic ROIs and whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC). Results: We found significantly decreased caudate-thalamic rsFC in OCD patients as a whole group and also in OCD_LCT patients, compared with healthy controls. However, OCD_HCT patients exhibited increased thalamic rsFC with the prefrontal cortex when compared with both OCD_LCT patients and healthy controls. Conclusions: Taken together, OCD patients with high and low levels of childhood trauma exhibit different pathological alterations in thalamic rsFC, suggesting that childhood trauma may be a predisposing factor for some OCD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of foremost importance to understand the mechanisms of damage propagation in rock under true triaxial stress. True triaxial compression tests reported in the literature do reflect the effect of the intermediate principal stress ( σ 2 ), but predictive models are still lacking. In this paper, an enhanced version of the Discrete Equivalent Wing Crack Damage (DEWCD) model initially proposed in Jin and Arson (in Int J Solids Struct 110:279–293, 2017) is calibrated and tested to bridge this gap. The original DEWCD model can predict most mechanical non-linearities induced by damage but it cannot capture dilatancy effects accurately. To overcome this limitation, a dependence of the energy release rate on the first and third stress invariants is introduced in the damage potential. The enhanced DEWCD model depends on eight constitutive parameters. An automated calibration procedure is adopted to match pre-peak stress-strain curves obtained experimentally in Feng et al. (in Rock Mech Rock Eng 52(7):2109–2122, 2019) during true triaxial compression. The model successfully captures the differences in deformation and damage in the three principal directions of loading and accurately predicts that an increase of compression σ 2 yields a decrease of the intermediate (tensile) deformation, a triggering of damage at a lower value of σ 1 - σ 2 , as well as a decrease of cumulated damage in the direction of σ 2 and an increase of cumulated damage in the direction of σ 3 at the stress peak (pre-softening). During the true triaxial compression stage, a higher intermediate principal stress hinders dilatancy such that the volumetric strain at the peak of σ 1 changes from dilation to shrinkage. The enhanced DEWCD model shows good performance in axis-symmetric compression and true triaxial compression, both for monotonic and cyclic loading. A comparison of three true triaxial stress paths at constant/variable mean stress/Lode angle suggests that: (i) the mean stress controls damage hardening and the sign of the volumetric strain rate at damage initiation, (ii) the second stress invariant is the primary control factor of the direction of the irreversible deviatoric strain rate during triaxial loading and of the sign of the total volumetric strain rate at failure; (iii) the Lode angle controls the direction of the total deviatoric strain rate. Highlights: For the first time, a damage mechanics model captures rock pre-peak stress/strain response and crack-induced anisotropy under true triaxial stress. A program was written to calibrate the eight constitutive parameters automatically. Simulations show that the non-linear unloading curves and the hysteresis upon cyclic loading are due to wing cracks that propagate during unloading. The irreversible (respectively, total) deviatoric strain rate direction is controlled by the second stress invariant (respectively, by the Lode angle). The sign of the volumetric strain rate is controlled by the mean stress at damage initiation and by the second stress invariant at failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female employees' experience of pregnancy can have an impact on their work performance and behavior. We investigate the impact of female employees' pregnancy status (whether pregnant or not) on their impression‐management motives (IMM) and their in‐role and extra‐role performance. We also examine the role of family‐supportive supervisor behavior (FSSB) in the relationship between employees' pregnancy status and their IMM. A three‐wave survey of 129 female employees (not pregnant: 74; pregnant: 55) and their direct supervisors in 52 organizations located in Eastern China revealed that female employees' pregnancy status had an indirect effect on their performance through IMM and that FSSB moderates this indirect relationship. Specifically, if female employees are pregnant, they have higher IMM, which is associated with higher performance when FSSB is lower. However, this indirect relationship is not significant for female employees who experience higher levels of FSSB. Both theoretical and practical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Shugan Hewei recipe (SHR) is a well-recognized traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription that has been shown to significantly improve chest pain, acid regurgitation, and the mood of GERD. Nonetheless, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, the active compounds and targets of SHR were predicted using network pharmacology. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were utilized to explore the therapeutic mechanism of SHR. Combined with the drug target obtained from network pharmacology, the therapeutic effect and mechanism of SHR were observed. SHR's main active compounds included quercetin, kaempferol, and luteolin. The core targets of SHR and GERD were TGF-β1, IL-1β, IL-4, CXCL10, MAPK1, MAPK3, CXCL8, IL-10, IL-2, and FOS, involving virus infection, inflammatory response, and body immunity. The core targets of SHR during the treatment of mental disorders were GABRA1, GABRA2, GABRA3, GABRA5, and GABRA6, involving synaptic transmission and transmembrane movement. Animal experiments revealed that SHR could repair the lower esophageal mucosa, mediate inflammatory factors, and GABA receptors and improve the behavior of rats. Overall, our results substantiate that SHR has huge prospects for widespread application in treating GERD subjects with anxiety and depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transcription factor Bach2 serves as a crucial regulator of the germinal center (GC) reaction, which is required for production of high-affinity antibodies and establishment of long-lived B cell memory. However, the stage at which Bach2 controls the GC programs and the precise mechanism underlying these processes remain poorly understood. In this study, we show that genetic ablation of Bach2 in GC B cells of mice impairs their survival and maintenance, and memory B cell formation. These defects can be rescued by enforced expression of anti-apoptotic gene Bcl2. As expected, Bach2 -deficient GC B cells are defective in antibody affinity maturation, but have normal somatic hyper mutation and class switch recombination of immunoglobulin genes. Mechanistically, Bach2 controls the GC programs by directly repressing pro-apoptotic gene Bim and a set of genes involved in cell stress response and metabolic processes. Thus, our work reveals the precise roles of Bach2 in the GC biology, and demonstrates that Bach2 acts as a crucial survival regulator of GC B cells, providing a key mechanism underlying GC B maintenance and B cell memory formation. • Bach2 is critical for GC B survival, maintenance and memory B cell generation. • Bach2 is dispensable for somatic hypermutation and class switch recombination. • Bach2 regulates apoptotic and metabolic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low‐dimensional organic–inorganic hybrids have emerged as promising X‐ray scintillators due to efficient radioluminescence properties. Herein, stable and efficient X‐ray scintillator based on 0D (C40H38P2)MnBr4 hybrid single crystals grown by a facile solution‐processing method is reported. Its crystal structure is determined to be triclinic with P1¯ space group. It has good stability against moisture and irradiation. (C40H38P2)MnBr4 with tetrahedrally coordinated Mn2+ exhibits green emission peaking at 518 nm originating from d–d 4T1→6A1 transition of Mn2+ ion with a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 74.2%. Under X‐ray excitation, it shows high scintillation yield of 32 000 photons MeV−1, a decent detection limit of 288 nGyair s−1, and a low afterglow comparable to that of Bi4Ge3O12 (BGO). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A workplace leader's phubbing (snubbing by using the phone) can create social distance between the leader and employee. We tested whether this social distance might reduce trust, with a negative impact on job performance. The negative impact might be especially strong for employees with a high need for social approval (NFSA). Methods: Full-time employees (N = 246; 51.63% male, Mage = 35.07, SD = 8.62) in Eastern China completed anonymous questionnaires. The data were collected in three waves with a 2-week interval between each wave. The SPSS macro PROCESS was used to test all research hypotheses. Results: Regression-based analyses were used to test a moderated serial mediation model. Leader phubbing was associated with employees' poorer job performance, and this association was mediated by social distance and in turn, low trust. The negative effects of leader phubbing were stronger for employees with a higher NFSA. Conclusion: This study adds new evidence to the literature on phubbing by showing that employees' perceptions of leader phubbing might hinder employee job performance. Furthermore, the boundary condition of employee NFSA was emphasized and further expanded the literature in this field. This research provides insights into how the negative impact of leader phubbing on employee job performance can be prevented or reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selective separation of monovalent ions remains a challenge because of the similar sub-nanometer sizes. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising candidate membranes for ion selective separation based on the angstrom sized windows for size sieving. Here, to further enhance the monovalent ion selectivity, 1, 5-naphthalenedisulfonic acid tetrahydrate (NTDS) molecules with sulfonate groups are incorporated to offer a binding affinity, generating a UiO-66@NTDS membrane via the window-cavity structure confinement. In addition to the size sieving effect, the charge and affinity interaction can compensate the energy loss induced by the ion dehydration. Thus, the UiO-66@NTDS membranes exhibit elevated separation performance compared to the original UiO-66 membranes under the concentration gradient driven, accompanied by high monovalent cation permeation rates (i.e., 0.3–0.7 mol m−2 h−1) and mono-/divalent cation selectivities (i.e., ∼73 for K+/Mg2+, ∼57 for Na+/Mg2+, and ∼46 for Li+/Mg2+). This work provides guidelines for the development of efficient ion-selective MOF membranes via the combination of size sieving and interaction attraction. [Display omitted] • UiO-66@NTDS membranes are fabricated via an in-situ growth and confinement method. • The size sieving and interaction effects contribute to selective ion transport. • UiO-66@NTDS membranes exhibit efficient mono-/divalent ion separation performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The explosive growth of China's express delivery industry has greatly increased plastic waste, with low-value plastics not effectively utilized, such as PE packaging bags, which are often not recycled and end up in landfills or incinerators, causing significant resource waste and severe plastic pollution. A gate -to- grave life cycle assessment was adopted to assess the impacts of express delivery plastic waste (EDPW) management models (S1, landfill; S2, incineration; S3, mechanical pelletization), with Suzhou, China as a case. Results showed that mechanical pelletization, was the most environmentally advantageous, exhibiting a comprehensive environmental impact potential of −215.54 Pt, significantly lower than that of landfill (S1, 78.45 Pt) and incineration (S2, -121.77 Pt). The analysis identified that the end-of-life disposal and sorting stages were the principal contributors to environmental impacts in all three models, with transportation and transfer stages of residual waste having minimal effects. In terms of all environmental impact categories, human carcinogenic toxicity (HTc) emerged as the most significant contributor in all three scenarios. Specifically, S1 exhibited the most detrimental effect on human health, while S2 and S3 showed positive environmental impacts. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the application and innovation in mechanical recycling technologies be enhanced, the promotion of the eco-friendly transformation of packaging materials be pursued, and a sustainable express delivery packaging recycling management system be established. These strategies are essential for achieving more eco-friendly management of EDPW, reducing its environmental pollution, and moving towards more sustainable express delivery management practices. • Three express delivery plastic waste (EDPW) management models are evaluated with LCA. • Mechanical pelletization is determined as the most sustainable EDPW management models. • End-of-life disposal as a hotspot in EDPW management's environmental impact. • Several strategies for sustainable express delivery management are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an article published in Advanced Functional Materials, Tingting Xu, Hui Wang, Zheng-Long Xu, and their colleagues propose using coplanar heteroacene-cored A-D-A-type molecules as an electron transport layer (ETL) to improve the performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The optimized ETL helps to reduce defects in the perovskite layer, enhances energy alignment at the ETL/perovskite interface, and improves carrier transport efficiency. The resulting indoor light efficiency of the PSCs is reported to be 39.9% under 3000 K LED illumination (1000 lux). [Extracted from the article]

[Display omitted] • We first employed high entropy oxide (HEO) for syngas and H 2 coproduction. • HEO displayed outstanding conversion ability for 4 kinds of fuels. • HEO exhibited H 2 yield of 12.66 mmol/g OC with the purity of 99.1 % at 700 °C. • HEO showed cyclic stability, without apparent deactivation after 100-cycle work. • HEO possessed abundant active sites and reactivity, owing to lattice distortion. Chemical looping reforming coupled with water splitting (CLR-WS) offers a way for negative carbon H 2 production when using bio-waste as raw materials. Iron-based oxides are highly anticipated as oxygen carriers (OCs), while the commercial application is hampered by the harsh conditions and low stability. High entropy materials (HEMs), including high entropy oxides (HEOs) and high entropy alloys (HEAs), have displayed multiple active catalytic sites with excellent stability in the field of electrochemistry and photochemistry. However, the family has rarely been studied in CLR-WS before. Herein, (Ni 0.2 Co 0.2 Ca 0.2 Cu 0.2 Mg 0.2)Fe 2 O 4 was synthesized and the H 2 yield of 12.66 mmol/g OC with the purity of 99.1 % was exhibited at 700 °C, proved to be at the forefront of the existing literatures. This study first creates a sustainable loop between HEO and HEA and achieves highly efficient and stable H 2 production, paving an avenue for the large-scale application of HEM in thermochemical process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The construction of biodegradable bioenergetic gel enables in-situ energy supply to cells. • The energy-active units increase bioenergetic levels via OXPHOS by facilitating TCA flux. • The enhanced cellular energy levels promote neuronal differentiation and spinal cord repair. • The activation of AMPK-mTOR axis and P2X7 receptor-Ca2+-MAPK cascade is involved. A primary challenge in spinal cord injury repair is the presence of an energy deficit, exacerbated by the injury itself, thereby intensifying the dilemma of insufficient energy. Hence, we posit a hypothesis suggesting that the adoption of a direct energy-supply material strategy has the potential to enhance in situ cellular energy levels, facilitating the acceleration of neuronal differentiation and axonal elongation. We successfully designed a degradable bioenergetic hydrogel by introducing succinic acid (SA), a key intermediate in tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, into chitosan (CS) as an energy-active unit, which was released in a sustained degradation-mediated fashion once implanted. The degraded energy-active units, after being internalized, increased bioenergetic levels via oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) by facilitating TCA flux, thereby contributing to a at least 1.5-fold increase in the expression levels of neuronal differentiation-related markers in vitro, as well as the enhanced spinal cord injury repair and functional recovery in vivo. Further mechanism analysis demonstrated that the upregulation of the bioenergetic basis had the potential to induce neuronal differentiation through the AMP-activated protein kinase-mammalian target of rapamycin (AMPK-mTOR) axis. Additionally, the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) itself acted as a signaling molecule via the P2X7 receptor, leading to the upregulation of intracellular calcium ion-MAPK signal cascades, ultimately promoting neuronal differentiation. Overall, these findings have the potential to significantly alter our understanding of cell metabolism and energy homeostasis, transforming them from passive observers to critical factors in guiding nerve regeneration, and may have implications for future design of bioenergetic-active materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comprehensive utilization of steel mill by-product gases is an important method for achieving climate goals. In this study, a comprehensive model is proposed for analyzing carbon-emission reduction strategies of by-product gases comprehensive utilization system at an integrated iron and steel mill. The model is used to explore carbon-emission reduction performance applying blast furnace with top-gas recycling (TGR-BF) and carbon capture and storage (CCS) applications, as well as consequent influence on steam and power cogeneration system (SPCS) operation. Carbon-emission intensity, total emission reduction and unit reduction cost are used to evaluate the carbon reduction result of by-product gases comprehensive utilization system. The results of the study indicate that the upgrade of SPCS can achieve an emission reduction of 311,200 tCO 2 , and the carbon-emission intensity of the power and heat supply can be reduced by 0.14 tCO 2 /104 kWh and 0.02 tCO 2 /GJ, respectively. After TGR-BF technology is applied, the total emission reduction peaks at the top-gas recovery rate of 6%, which is 85,100 tCO 2. The unit reduction cost is also minimized at the top-gas recovery rate of 6%. Sensitivity analysis indicates that the reduction of power price significantly reduces the unit reduction cost. • Carbon-reduction technology affects steam and power cogeneration system scheduling. • Multi-indicators provide a comprehensive assessment of carbon reduction result. • Carbon emission reduction peaks at 85100 tCO 2 when top-gas recovery rate is 6%. • Unit reduction cost is the lowest (6441 CNY/tCO 2) when top-gas recovery rate is 6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) have shown desirable hydrogen storage performance owing to the lattice distortion effect and favorable phase structure. However, their pressure-composition-temperature (PCT) curves are usually lack of a well-defined hydrogen ab-/desorption plateau. Herein, we reported that by substituting 0.5 at.% Fe, Mn and Cr for the equivalent amount of V in the Ti 1.0 Zr 1.0 Fe 1.0 Mn 1.0 Cr 1.0 V 1.0 (defined as V 1.0 alloy) alloy, the plateau performance could be considerably improved. The non-equiatomic Ti 1.0 Zr 1.0 Fe 1.5 Mn 1.0 Cr 1.0 V 0.5 , Ti 1.0 Zr 1.0 Fe 1.0 Mn 1.5 Cr 1.0 V 0.5 and Ti 1.0 Zr 1.0 Fe 1.0 Mn 1.0 Cr 1.5 V 0.5 HEAs (defined as Fe 1.5 , Mn 1.5 and Cr 1.5 alloy, respectively) with a single C14 Laves phase rapidly absorb 1.82 wt%, 1.90 wt% and 1.89 wt% of hydrogen at 30 °C, respectively. Compare with the V 1.0 alloy, the Fe 1.5 , Mn 1.5 and Cr 1.5 alloys show clearly visible hydrogen ab-/desorption plateau. Among all the alloys, the Fe 1.5 alloy own the highest plateau pressure and hysteresis with values of 0.18/0.11 MPa and 0.41, followed by the Cr 1.5 alloy with values of 0.17/0.05 MPa and 0.38, and the Mn 1.5 alloy with values of 0.10/0.08 MPa and 0.28. Moreover, all the alloys exhibit good hydrogen ab-/desorption cycling performance, especially for the V 1.0 , Fe 1.5 and Mn 1.5 alloys, retaining 98, 99 and 97% reversible hydrogen storage capacity after 15 cycles, respectively. [Display omitted] • Replacing 0.5 at% of V in the TiZrFeMnCrV 1.0 alloy with Fe, Mn or Cr significantly improves the plateau performance. • The TiZrFe 1.5 MnCrV 0.5 alloy shows the highest hydrogen ab-/desorption plateau pressure with values of 0.18/0.11 MPa. • TiZrFeMnCrV 1.0 , TiZrFe 1.5 MnCrV 0.5 and TiZrFeMn 1.5 CrV 0.5 retain 98, 99 and 97% of hydrogen storage capacity after 15 cycles. • The maximum hydrogen storage capacity of 1.90 wt% is achieved by the TiZrFeMn 1.5 CrV 0.5 alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing the "greenwashing" behavior implemented by enterprises through methods such as whitewashing environmental information is a vital part of government environmental governance. The study treats the government digitization implementation as an exogenous shock. It utilizes data from Chinese listed companies between 2016 and 2021 to establish a difference-in-differences model, aiming to discern the causal impact of government digitization on corporate greenwashing behavior. The findings confirm that government digitization advancement substantially curtails corporate greenwashing behavior, exhibiting a comparable inhibitory impact to green finance policies on greenwashing behavior. The test results of the mechanism confirm that government digitization effectively curbs corporate greenwashing by optimizing the regional business environment and enhancing environmental regulatory capabilities. Moreover, in-depth analysis reveals that government digitization has a stronger inhibitory impact on the greening behavior of heavily polluting enterprises, state-owned enterprises, and those facing high environmental uncertainty. The research findings presented in this article contribute to a better understanding of the internal mechanism linking government digitization and corporate greening behavior. They are significant in expanding the micro-environmental governance effects of government digitalization and identifying the factors influencing corporate greening behavior. • Government digitization can curtail corporate greenwashing behavior. • We expand the micro green governance effect of government digitization. • We enrich the literature on the influencing factors of corporate greenwashing. • Opening the black box between digital government and corporate greenwashing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgrounds: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an emerging and promising therapeutic approach for treatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The most common DBS targets include the anterior limb of internal capsule (ALIC) and nucleus accumbens (NAcc). This protocol aims to explore the efficacy and safety of the combined ALIC- and NAcc-DBS for treatment-refractory OCD. Methods: We will recruit 64 patients with refractory OCD from six centers, randomly allocate them to active and sham-stimulation groups through a three-month double-blind phase, then enter a three-month open-label phase. In the open-label stage, both groups experience real stimulation. Outcome measures: The primary outcome will be the efficacy and safety of combined ALIC- and NAcc-DBS, determined by treatment response rate between the active and sham-stimulation groups at the double-blind stage and spontaneously reported adverse events. The secondary outcomes are comparisons of change in Y–BOCS, CGI, HAMD, and HAMA scores at the third and sixth months compared to baseline between the active and sham-control groups, as well as the scores of the third month minus the sixth month between the two groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]