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Abstract Tuberculosis (TB) is the top cause of death from a single infectious pathogen after COVID-19. Despite molecular diagnostic advances, two-thirds of the 10 million annual TB cases are still diagnosed using direct smear microscopy which has ~50% sensitivity. To increase the analytical performance of smear microscopy, we developed and characterized a novel polymer (Polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride [PDADMAC]) engraftment on inexpensive polystyrene (PS) specifically functionalized for mycobacterial capture. Engraftment is achieved via UV photopolymerization of DADMAC monomer on plasma-activated PS. The platform was tested on sputum from presumptive TB cases in Kampala, Uganda (n = 50), with an increased overall sensitivity of 81.8% (27/33) vs. fluorescent smear microscopy 57% (19/33) compared to a molecular (Cepheid GeneXpert MTB/RIF) gold standard. Frugal smear diagnostic innovation that is rapid and does not require dedicated instrumentation may offer an important solution to bridge the TB diagnostic gap. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Artificial wrinkles, especially those with responsive erasure/regeneration behaviors have gained extensive interest due to their potential in smart applications. However, current wrinkle modulation methods primarily rely on network rearrangement, causing bottlenecks in in situ wrinkle regeneration. Herein, we report a dually cross-linked network wherein [2]rotaxane cross-link can dissipate stress within the wrinkles through its sliding motion without disrupting the network, and quadruple H-bonding cross-link comparatively highlight the advantages of [2]rotaxane modulation. Acid stimulation dissociates quadruple H-bonding and destructs network, swiftly eliminating the wrinkles. However, the regeneration process necessitates network rearrangement, making in situ recovery unfeasible. By contrast, alkaline stimulation disrupts host–guest recognition, and subsequent intramolecular motion of [2]rotaxane dissipate energy to eliminate wrinkles gradually. The always intact network allows for the in situ recovery of surface microstructures. The responsive behaviors of quadruple H-bonding and mechanical bond are orthogonal, and their combination leads to wrinkles with multiple but accurate responsiveness.

The perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomers are key materials for proton exchange membranes (PEMs) and catalyst layers (CLs). Their morphology is profoundly influenced by the chain assembly behavior of PFSA in dispersions. Hence, we combine the characterization techniques of dynamic light scattering (DLS), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and cryo-transmission electron microscopy (Cryo-TEM) to study the nanostructures of PFSA dispersions, and provide a structure model for diverse PFSA ionomers in water/ethanol solvent. It is seen that PFSA ionomers self-assembly into a rod-like particle in dilute dispersion. As the concentration increases, the primary rod aggregates gradually assemble into a swollen- or Gaussian-network structure. Beyond this feature, we see that different PFSA ionomers show different nanostructures in dispersion. For the long-side-chain (LSC) PFSA ionomers, the 800-LSC PFSA tends to form monodisperse rod-like aggregates that is in a highly ordered arrangement with a rod diameter of 3.16 nm and a length of 28.72 nm. As the equivalent weight (EW) increases to 960, the poor solubility of the main chains in water/ethanol solvents leads to the “end-to-end” assemblies of the primary rod particles and dendritic secondary aggregates. The short-side-chain (SSC) PFSA ionomer that shares the same backbone with 960-LSC PFSA exhibit remarkable mono-dispersity and ordered arrangement of rod-like aggregates in water/ethanol solvents due to the strong electrostatic repulsion.

Synthetic chemistry has played a vital role in miscellaneous fields of human civilization over the past century. The synthetic stage yet remains time-consuming and labor-intensive. To overcome these limitations, automation has been introduced to transform synthetic chemistry, leading to the development of high-throughput methods for molecular discovery. Automated flow chemical synthesis (AFCS) has recently emerged as a promising candidate, offering improved efficiency, scalability, and sustainability over the well-known automated solid-phase peptide synthesis. To further advance AFCS, elements like artificial intelligence-based computer-aided structure design and synthesis planning, autonomously assembled compatible synthesis with enhanced automated process control, and autonomous optimization can be considered. This review focuses on recent advances in computer-aided automated flow chemical synthesis (CAAFCS) of polymers in living polymerization and iterative synthesis strategy. The current challenges and outlook are finally discussed for developing more powerful CAAFCS systems and expanding their applicability across numerous fields, potentially providing brand-new perspectives and guidelines for future developments in this field.

Abstract Industrial defect detection is a hot topic in the field of computer vision. It is a challenging task due to complex features and many categories of industrial defects. In this paper, a deep learning model based on the multiscale feature extraction module is introduced for steel surface defect detection. The main focus on the feature extraction capability of the model and feature fusion capability to improve the accuracy of the model for steel surface defect detection. First, to improve the feature extraction ability of the model, a multiscale feature extraction (MSFE) module is introduced. The MSFE module can effectively extract multiscale features through three branches that have different convolution kernel sizes. Second, an efficient feature fusion (EFF) module is proposed to optimize feature fusion by adding features from the backbone network to the neck network. Third, this paper puts forward a new Bottleneck module by reducing the normalization layer and activation function in the original Bottleneck module. Finally, the backbone network is deepened to further enhance the feature extraction ability of the model. Extensive experiments are conducted on the public NEU-DET dataset. The experimental results validate the effectiveness of the designed modules and the proposed model. Compared with other state-of-the-art methods, the proposed model achieves optimal accuracy(73.08% mAP@0.5) while maintaining a small number of parameters.

The mechanics of reconfigurable supramolecular polymer networks are governed by their dynamic crosslinking chemistry and the resulting stress relaxations. Here, the authors use reversible wrinkling patterns to visualize localized stress relaxations, due to molecular network rearrangements.

Hierarchical surface micro/nanopatterns enable iontronic materials to show performance enhancement in piezoionic mechanoreception and skin-interfaced coupling electrode adhesion. Here, the author proposes a facile and robust method to fabricate hierarchical and asymmetrical iontronic micropatterns through programmed regulation of the internal stress distribution and local ionic migration.

Abstract Background Prediabetes is a pivotal risk factor for developing diabetes. This meta‐analysis was performed to assess the global prevalence of childhood prediabetes. Methods A systematic search was conducted for studies of prediabetes prevalence in the general pediatric population from inception until December 2021. Random‐effects meta‐analysis was used to combine the data. Variations in the prevalence estimates in different subgroups (age group, sex, setting, investigation period, body mass index [BMI] group, family history of diabetes, diagnosis criteria, World Health Organization [WHO] and World Bank [WB] regions) were examined by subgroup meta‐analysis. Results A total of 48 studies were included in the meta‐analysis. The pooled prevalence was 8.84% (95% CI, 6.74%‐10.95%) for prediabetes in childhood. Subgroup meta‐analyses showed that the prevalence was higher in males than females (8.98% vs 8.74%, P

Pan-sharpening aims to create high-resolution spectrum images by fusing low-resolution hyperspectral (HS) images with high-resolution panchromatic (PAN) images. Inspired by the Swin transformer used in image classification tasks, this research constructs a three-stream pan-sharpening network based on the Swin transformer and a multi-scale feature extraction module. Unlike the traditional convolutional neural network (CNN) pan-sharpening model, we use the Swin transformer to establish global connections with the image and combine it with a multi-scale feature extraction module to extract local features of different sizes. The model combines the advantages of the Swin transformer and CNN, enabling fused images to maintain good local detail and global linkage by mitigating distortion in hyperspectral images. In order to verify the effectiveness of the method, this paper evaluates fused images with subjective visual and quantitative indicators. Experimental results show that the method proposed in this paper can better preserve the spatial and spectral information of images compared to the classical and latest models.

Abstract Background This study aimed to compare the efficacy and toxicity of raltitrexed (Saiweijian®) plus cisplatin (SP regimen) and 5‐fluorouracil plus cisplatin (FP regimen) as concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA‐NPC). Methods Eligible patients (N = 135) were allocated randomly in a ratio of 1:1 to receive CCRT with either SP or FP. At least 2 cycles of chemotherapy was administrated during radiotherapy. Progression free survival (PFS) was primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), loco‐regional relapse free survival (LRRFS), distant metastasis free survival (DMFS) and toxicity. Results In this study, 68 patients received SP as CCRT, and 67 received FP. Objective responses were noted in 97.1% of the patients in the SP group and in 97.0% of the patients in the FP group (P = 1.00). At the end of a median 36 months follow‐up period, the estimated 3‐year PFS rates were 70.1% for SP and 66.6% for FP, respectively. The 3‐year LRRFS, DMFS and OS rates were 88.9%, 74.7% and 84.0%, respectively, for the SP group, and 92.3%, 71.0% and 73.7%, respectively, for the FP group. Overall, there was no difference between treatment groups with regard to response or survival. The most frequent acute toxicities monitored in both groups were bone marrow suppression, gastrointestinal side effects and oral mucositis (OM). The overall incidence of grade 3‐4 OM in the FP group (47.8%) was higher than in the SP group (11.8%). However, the incidence of other adverse effects observed in both groups was similar (P > .05). Conclusions These data indicate that SP and FP therapies have similar efficacy in treating LA‐NPC. The SP regimen showed a tolerable safety profile along with a lower frequency of severe OM and therefore, an improved life quality. In conclusion, SP was a well tolerated, effective, regimen for LA‐NPC treatment.

Dynamic surface patterns are widely used in information security and anticounterfeiting technologies. Here, the authors demonstrated a dynamic wrinkled and fluorescent pattern using a supramolecular network in which both the wrinkle morphology and fluorescence color can be regulated by pH or light.

The precise separation of rice particles is an important step in rice processing. In this paper, discrete element simulations of the motion of rice particles of different integrity in an indented cylinder separator were carried out using numerical simulation methods. The effects of single factors (cylinder rotation rate, cylinder axial inclination angle, and collection trough inclination angle) on the motion trajectories of particles are investigated and the probability distribution functions of particles are obtained. The statistical method of Kullback-Leibler divergence is used to quantitatively evaluate the differences in the probability distribution functions of the escape angles of particles of different degrees of integrity. The purpose of this paper is to determine the optimum parameters for an indent cylinder separator by understanding the material cylinder separating process from particle scale and to provide a basis for the numerical design of a grain particle cylinder separators.

To improve the survival rate and cure rate of patients, it is necessary to find a new treatment scheme according to the molecular composition of (ESCC) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate the progression of ESCC by various pathophysiological pathways. We explored the possible function of the lncRNA LINC00261 (LINC00261) on cisplatin (DDP) resistance of ESCC and its relative molecular mechanisms. In the study, we found that LINC00261 was downregulated in ESCC tissues, cell lines, and DDP-resistant ESCC patients. Besides, overexpression of LINC00261 not only inhibited cell proliferation, and DDP resistance but also promotes cell apoptosis. Further mechanistic research showed that LINC00261 sponged miR-545-3p which was negatively correlated with the expression of LINC00261. In addition, functional experiments revealed that upregulation of miR-766-5p promoted proliferation and enhanced DDP resistance. Subsequently, MT1M was testified to be the downstream target gene of miR-545-3p. Rescue experiments revealed that overexpression of MT1M largely restores miR-545-3p mimics-mediated function on ESCC progression. Our results demonstrate that the LINC00261 suppressed the DDP resistance of ESCC through miR-545-3p/MT1M axis.

The maturity of Camellia oleifera fruit is one of the most important indicators to optimize the harvest day, which, in turn, results in a high yield and good quality of the produced Camellia oil. A hyperspectral imaging (HSI) system in the range of visible and near-infrared (400–1000 nm) was employed to assess the maturity stages of Camellia oleifera fruit. Hyperspectral images of 1000 samples, which were collected at five different maturity stages, were acquired. The spectrum of each sample was extracted from the identified region of interest (ROI) in each hyperspectral image. Spectral principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the first three PCs showed potential for discriminating samples at different maturity stages. Two classification models, including partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and principal component analysis discriminant analysis (PCA-DA), based on the raw or pre-processed full spectra, were developed, and performances were compared. Using a PLS-DA model, based on second-order (2nd) derivative pre-processed spectra, achieved the highest results of correct classification rates (CCRs) of 99.2%, 98.4%, and 97.6% in the calibration, cross-validation, and prediction sets, respectively. Key wavelengths selected by PC loadings, two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS), and the uninformative variable elimination and successive projections algorithm (UVE+SPA) were applied as inputs of the PLS-DA model, while UVE-SPA-PLS-DA built the optimal model with the highest CCR of 81.2% in terms of the prediction set. In a confusion matrix of the optimal simplified model, satisfactory sensitivity, specificity, and precision were acquired. Misclassification was likely to occur between samples at maturity stages two, three, and four. Overall, an HSI with effective selected variables, coupled with PLS-DA, could provide an accurate method and a reference simple system by which to rapidly discriminate the maturity stages of Camellia oleifera fruit samples.

Damage occurs easily and is difficult to find inside fruits and vegetables during transportation or storage, which not only brings losses to fruit and vegetable distributors, but also reduces the satisfaction of consumers. Spatially resolved spectroscopy (SRS) is able to detect the quality attributes of fruits and vegetables at different depths, which is of great significance to the quality classification and defect detection of horticultural products. This paper is aimed at reviewing the applications of spatially resolved spectroscopy for measuring the quality attributes of fruits and vegetables in detail. The principle of light transfer in biological tissues, diffusion approximation theory and methodologies are introduced, and different configuration designs for spatially resolved spectroscopy are compared and analyzed. Besides, spatially resolved spectroscopy applications based on two aspects for assessing the quality of fruits and vegetables are summarized. Finally, the problems encountered in previous studies are discussed, and future development trends are presented. It can be concluded that spatially resolved spectroscopy demonstrates great application potential in the field of fruit and vegetable quality attribute evaluation. However, due to the limitation of equipment configurations and data processing speed, the application of spatially resolved spectroscopy in real-time online detection is still a challenge.

Abstract Reversible pattern systems, namely pattern memory surfaces, possessing tunable morphology play an important role in the development of smart materials; however, the construction of these surfaces is still extensively challenging because of complicated methodologies or chemical reactions. Herein, a functionalized basement is strategically integrated with a multi‐responsive supramolecular network based on hydrogen bonding between aggregation‐induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) and copolymers containing amidogen (poly(St‐co‐Dm) to establish a bilayer system for near‐infrared (NIR)‐driven memory dual‐pattern, where both the fluorescence emission and wrinkled structures can be concurrently regulated by a noninvasive NIR input. The motion of the AIEgens and photo‐to‐thermal expansion of the modified base allow temporal erasing of the fluorescent wrinkling patterns. Meanwhile, when exposed to 365 nm UV radiation, the fluorescent patterns can be independently regulated through photocyclization. The fluorescent wrinkling pattern presented herein is successfully demonstrated to promote the level of information security and capacity. This strategy provides a brand‐new approach for the development of smart memory interfaces.

Lung cancer is notorious for high morbidity and mortality around the world. Interleukin (IL)-8, a proinflammatory chemokine with tumorigenic and proangiogenic effects, promotes lung cancer cells growth and migration and contributes to cell aggressive phenotypes. Integrin αvβ6 is a receptor of transmembrane heterodimeric cell surface adhesion, and its overexpression correlates with poor survival from non–small cell lung cancer. However, the cross talk between αvβ6 and IL-8 in lung cancer has not been characterized so far. Herein, human lung cancer samples were analyzed, and it revealed that the immunohistochemical and mRNA expression of integrin αvβ6 was significantly correlated with the expression of IL-8. Furthermore, in vitro, integrin αvβ6 increased cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by impairing the expressions of MMP-2 and MMP-9 and inhibited cell apoptosis in human lung cancer cells A549 and H460. In addition, integrin αvβ6 upregulated IL-8 expression through activating MAPK/ERK signaling. The in vivo experiment showed that integrin αvβ6 promoted tumor growth in xenograft model mice by accelerating tumor volume and reducing apoptosis. Meanwhile, lung metastasis model experiment suggested that integrin αvβ6 stimulated tumor metastasis with the increase of lung/total weight and tumor nodules. Simultaneously, integrin αvβ6 upregulated IL-8 expression detected by both Western blots and immunohistochemistry, along with the activation of MAPK/ERK signaling. Overall, these data suggested that, in vitro and in vivo, integrin αvβ6 promoted lung cancer proliferation and metastasis, at least in part, through upregulation of IL-8–mediated MAPK/ERK signaling. Thus, the inhibition of integrin αvβ6 and IL-8 may be the key for the treatment of lung cancer.

The adulteration in Chinese chestnuts affects the quality, taste, and brand value. The objective of this study was to explore the feasibility of the hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technique to determine the geographical origin of Chinese chestnuts. An HSI system in spectral range of 400–1000 nm was applied to identify a total of 417 Chinese chestnuts from three different geographical origins. Principal component analysis (PCA) was preliminarily used to investigate the differences of average spectra of the samples from different geographical origins. A deep-learning-based model (1D-CNN, one-dimensional convolutional neural network) was developed first, and then the model based on full spectra and optimal wavelengths were established for various machine learning methods, including partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and particle swarm optimization-support vector machine (PSO-SVM). The optimal results based on full spectra for 1D-CNN, PLS-DA, and PSO-SVM models were 97.12%, 97.12%, and 95.68%, respectively. Competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) and a successive projections algorithm (SPA) were individually utilized for wavelengths selection, and the results of simplified models generally improved. The contrasting results demonstrated that the prediction accuracies of SPA-PLS-DA and 1D-CNN both reached 97.12%, but 1D-CNN presented a higher Kappa coefficient value than SPA-PLS-DA. Meanwhile, the sensitivities and specificities of SPA-PLS-DA and 1D-CNN models were both above 90% for the samples from each geographical origin. These results indicated that both SPA-PLS-DA and 1D-CNN models combined with HSI have great potential for the geographical origin identification of Chinese chestnuts.

Abstract Background miR-203a-3p was reported as a tumor suppressor and disregulated in many malignancies including nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, its function in tumor growth and metastasis in NPC has rarely been reported. Methods The expression level of miR-203a-3p in human NPC tissues and cell lines was detected via real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Cell proliferation, migration and invasion were assessed in vitro by MTT, colony formation and transwell assay, respectively. The function of miR-203a-3p in vivo was detected through NPC xenograft tumor growth and lung metastatic mice model. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to identify the direct target of miR-203a-3p. Results The expression of miR-203a-3p was decreased in NPC tissues and cell lines in comparison with normal nasopharyngeal tissues and cell line. Ectopic expression of miR-203a-3p inhibited while inhibiting miR-203a-3p expression increased NPC cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro. MR-203a-3p overexpression suppressed xenograft tumor growth and lung metastasis in vivo. LASP1 was identified as a direct target of miR-203a-3p, which was confirmed by real-time PCR and western blotting assay. Ectopic expression of LASP1 partially reversed miR-203a-3p-mediated inhibition on proliferation, migration and invasion in NPC cells. Conclusion Collectively, miR-203a-3p suppresses tumor growth and metastasis through targeting LASP1 in NPC. The newly identified miR-203a-3p/LASP1 pathway provides further insights into the initiation and progression of NPC, which may represent a novel therapeutic target for NPC.

To achieve the dynamical dual-pattern with multiplex information of complex topography and 3D fluorescence is challenging yet promising for wide applications ranging from visual bioassays, memory, smart devices to smart display. Here, we develop a convenient, reliable, and versatile method to realize the well-ordered dual-pattern with reversible topography and 3D fluorescence via a light direct-writing approach based on the wrinkle mechanism. By introducing the charge transfer (CT) interaction between π-electron-rich anthracene (AN) and π-electron-poor naphthalene diimide (NDI) into the polymer system, both modulus and fluorescence of the polymer films can be spatially regulated through the photodimerization of AN, which is controlled in-plane by photomasks, and becomes gradient in the vertical direction due to the filter effect of light. Therefore, the exposed sample displays a well-ordered complex pattern with the same topography as the applied photomask and 3D gradient change of fluorescence from red to green laterally across the layers simultaneously. The spatial cross-linking and CT interaction of the gradient layer can be controlled independently, which not only provides the reliability and reversibility of the topographical and fluorescence dual-pattern but also endows the possibility for tailoring the pattern with memory and self-healing. These characters of the dual-pattern with reversible topography and 3D fluorescence declare the clear applications in smart multiplex displays, memory, anticounterfeiting, visual detections, and so on.

In this paper, an improved bounce-back boundary treatment for fluid systems in the lattice Boltzmann method [Yin, X.; Zhang J. J. Comput. Phys. 2012, 231, 4295–4303] is extended to handle the electrokinetic flows with complex boundary shapes and conditions. Several numerical simulations are performed to validate the electric boundary treatment. Simulations are presented to demonstrate the accuracy and capability of this method in dealing with complex surface potential situations, and simulated results are compared with analytical predictions with excellent agreement. This method could be useful for electrokinetic simulations with complex boundaries, and can also be readily extended to other phenomena and processes.

BACKGROUND: Laboratory studies have shown the anti-tumor effect of metformin on prostate cancer. However, recent epidemiological studies have yielded inconclusive results. METHODS: We searched PubMed database from the inception to May 30 2014 for studies which assessed the effect of metformin use on cancer risk of prostate cancer, biochemical recurrence (BCR) and all-cause mortality of patients with prostate cancer. The pooled results and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by random-effect model. RESULTS: Twenty-one studies were eligible according to the inclusion criteria. Based on the pooled results of available observational studies, metformin use was significantly associated with a decreased cancer risk (14 datasets, 963991 male subjects, odds ratio: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.85-0.97) and BCR (6 datasets, 2953 patients, hazard ratio: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.68-0.98) of prostate cancer. However, the association of metformin use with all-cause mortality of patients with prostate cancer was not significant (5 datasets, 9241 patients, hazard ratio: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.64-1.14). CONCLUSION: Results suggest that metformin use appears to be associated with a significant reduction in the cancer risk and BCR of prostate cancer, but not in all-cause mortality of patients with prostate cancer.