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Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been identified as playing an integral role in the development of bladder cancer (BC). However, the mechanism by which circRNAs operate in the chemical carcinogenesis of BC remains unclear. Methods: To explore this mechanism, we used RNA high-throughput sequencing to identify differentially expressed circRNA in bladder epithelial cells and chemically induced malignant transformed BC cells. Subsequently, in vitro experiments were conducted to investigate the biological function and molecular mechanism of circLMBR1 in BC. Finally, animal experiments were conducted to examine the clinical relevance of circLMBR1 in vivo. Results: Our profiling of circular RNA expression during cellular malignant transformation induced by chemical carcinogens identified a subset of circRNAs associated with cell transformation. We verified that the expression of circLMBR1 in bladder epithelial malignant transformed cells was decreased compared with control cells, as well as in BC tissues and bladder cell lines. Furthermore, circLMBR1 was seen to inhibit the proliferation, invasion, and migration of BC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, circLMBR1 was found to exert its antitumor effect by binding to the protein ALDH1A3. Conclusions: Our findings have revealed that circLMBR1 inhibits the progression of BC cells by binding to ALDH1A3 and upregulating its expression. As such, circLMBR1 serves as a promising predictor of BC and may provide a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of BC.

In the ever-increasing quest for alternative energy sources, hydrogen emerged as a promising green option, but efficient and economical production and management have been the primary constraints. Converting wastewater into H2 and other forms of energy attracted significant attention in terms of simultaneously and sustainably managing both the wastewater and the energy generation problems. Microbial Electrolysis Cells (MEC) evolved recently as promising options for converting wastewater into H2 and electricity but with serious constraints on scalability. The current research aims to explore design and manufacturing solutions to build structurally strong and electrochemically effective electrodes that can also lead to scalable MEC. Two designs based on the interdigitated and spiral electrode architectures are proposed and evaluated. The added design freedom with additive manufacturing by selective laser melting of specific alloys of choice is effectively utilised in physically prototyping the interdigitated and spiral electrode forms designed with controlled porosity constraints. Microstructural, electrochemical, and cell performance characterisations led to the understanding that the spiral electrode configuration with polypyrrole-coated stainless steel 316L anode is a promising design option for both longitudinal and lateral scale-up of the MEC.

Abstract Emerging evidence indicates that transfer RNA (tRNA)‐derived small RNAs (tsRNAs), originated from tRNA with high abundance RNA modifications, play an important role in many complex physiological and pathological processes. However, the biological functions and regulatory mechanisms of modified tsRNAs in cancer remain poorly understood. Here, it is screened for and confirmed the presence of a novel m7G‐modified tsRNA, m7G‐3′‐tiRNA LysTTT (mtiRL), in a variety of chemical carcinogenesis models by combining small RNA sequencing with an m7G small RNA‐modified chip. Moreover, it is found that mtiRL, catalyzed by the tRNA m7G‐modifying enzyme mettl1, promotes bladder cancer (BC) malignancy in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, mtiRL is found to specifically bind the oncoprotein Annexin A2 (ANXA2) to promote its Tyr24 phosphorylation by enhancing the interactions between ANXA2 and Yes proto‐oncogene 1 (Yes1), leading to ANXA2 activation and increased p‐ANXA2‐Y24 nuclear localization in BC cells. Together, these findings define a critical role for mtiRL and suggest that targeting this novel m7G‐modified tsRNA can be an efficient way for to treat BC.

Introduction: N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification contributes to the pathogenesis and development of various cancers, including bladder cancer (BCa). In particular, integrin α6 (ITGA6) promotes BCa progression by cooperatively regulating multisite m6A modification. However, the therapeutic effect of targeting ITGA6 multisite m6A modifications in BCa remains unknown. Objectives: We aim to develop a multisite dCasRx– m6A editor for assessing the effects of the multisite dCasRx–m6A editor targeted m6A demethylation of ITGA6 mRNA in BC growth and progression. Methods: The multisite dCasRx– m6A editor was generated by cloning. m6A-methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (meRIP), luciferase reporter, a single-base T3 ligase-based qPCR-amplification, Polysome profiling and meRIP-seq experiments were performed to determine the targeting specificity of the multisite dCasRx–m6A editor. We performed cell phenotype analysis and used in vivo mouse xenograft models to assess the effects of the multisite dCasRx–m6A editor in BC growth and progression. Results: We designed a targeted ITGA6 multi-locus guide (g)RNA and established a bidirectional deactivated RfxCas13d (dCasRx)-based m6A-editing platform, comprising a nucleus-localized dCasRx fused with the catalytic domains of methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3-CD) or α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase alkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5-CD), to simultaneously manipulate the methylation of ITGA6 mRNA at four m6A sites. The results confirmed the dCasRx–m6A editor modified m6A at multiple sites in ITGA6 mRNA, with low off-target effects. Moreover, targeted m6A demethylation of ITGA6 mRNA by the multisite dCasRx–m6A editor significantly reduced BCa cell proliferation and migration in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the dCasRx–ALKBH5-CD and ITGA6 multi-site gRNA delivered to 5-week-old BALB/cJNju-Foxn1nu/Nju nude mice via adeno-associated viral vectors significantly inhibited BCa cell growth. Conclusion: Our study proposes a novel therapeutic tool for the treatment of BC by applying the multisite dCasRx–m6A editor while highlighting its potential efficacy for treating other diseases associated with abnormal m6A modifications.

1. Abstract: Objective: Bladder cancer is one of the most prominent malignancies affecting the urinary tract, characterized by a poor prognosis. Our previous research has underscored the pivotal role of m6A methylation in the progression of bladder cancer. Nevertheless, the precise relationship between N6-methyladenosine (m6A) regulation of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and bladder cancer remains elusive. Methods: This study harnessed sequencing data and clinical records from 408 bladder cancer patients in the TCGA database. Employing R software, we conducted bioinformatics analysis to establish an m6A-lncRNA co-expression network. Analyzing the differences between high and low-risk groups, particularly at the immunological level, and subsequently investigating the primary regulatory factors of these lncRNA, validating the findings through experiments, and exploring their specific cellular functions. Results: We identified 50 m6A-related lncRNA with prognostic significance through univariate Cox regression analysis. In parallel, we employed a LASSO-Cox regression model to pinpoint 11 lncRNA and calculate risk scores for bladder cancer patients. Based on the median risk score, patients were categorized into low-risk and high-risk groups. The high-risk cohort exhibited notably lower survival rates than their low-risk counterparts. Further analysis pointed to RBM15 and METTL3 as potential master regulators of these m6A-lncRNA. Experimental findings also shed light on the upregulated expression of METTlL3 and RBM15 in bladder cancer, where they contributed to the malignant progression of tumors. The experimental findings demonstrated a significant upregulation of METTL3 and RBM15 in bladder cancer specimens, implicating their contributory role in the oncogenic progression. Knockdown of METTL3 and RBM15 resulted in a marked attenuation of tumor cell proliferation, invasion, and migration, which was concomitant with a downregulation in the cellular m6A methylation status. Moreover, these results revealed that RBM15 and METTL3 function in a synergistic capacity, positing their involvement in cancer promotion via the upregulation of m6A modifications in long non-coding RNAs. Additionally, this study successfully developed an N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced rat model of in situ bladder carcinoma, confirming the elevated expression of RBM15 and METTL3, which paralleled the overexpression of m6A-related- lncRNAs observed in bladder cancer cell lines. This congruence underscores the potential utility of these molecular markers in in vivo models that mirror human malignancies. Conclusion: This study not only offers novel molecular targets,but also enriches the research on m6A modification in bladder cancer, thereby facilitating its clinical translation.

Thermoelectric (TE) materials are capable of realizing the direct conversion between heat and electricity, holding a giant prospect in the sustainable development of modern society. Conductive polymers (CPs) are suitable for the preparation of TE materials given their low-cost, lightweight, flexible, and easy processing properties. With the accelerating pace of flexible composite development, there is intensive interest in their emerging applications in various aspects such as wearable electronics and thermoelectric sensors. In order to further improve the thermoelectric properties, a series of new methods have been proposed to prepare conductive polymer-based thermoelectric composites and improve their thermoelectric properties. In this review, we discuss the compositing methods, properties, and applications of conductive polymer-based TE composites. The challenges and future development directions in the design and application of conductive polymer matrix composites are also pointed out.

Abstract Background Surgical site infection (SSI) is a common complication following craniotomy that increases morbidity, mortality, and medical expenses. The objectives of this study were to determine the relevant risk factors associated with SSI after elective craniotomy for brain tumor and analyse the treatments for SSI. Methods A retrospective nested case‒control study was conducted using data from patients who underwent craniotomy for brain tumor resection at the Neurosurgical Oncology Department No. 6 of Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, between January 2019 and December 2021. Risk factors for SSI were determined using multivariate logistic regression analysis. We analyzed microbiological and related treatment data for different SSI types. Results Among 2061 patients who underwent craniotomy for brain tumor, 31 had SSI (1.50%). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, body mass index (BMI) and operative duration were identified as independent risk factors for SSI. The most common microorganism isolated from SSIs was Staphylococcus epidermidis (22.9%), and drug sensitivity results showed that gram-positive bacteria were sensitive to linezolid, vancomycin and tigecycline, whereas gram-negative bacteria were sensitive to meropenem, cefepime and ceftazidime. Six of the seven patients who underwent bone flap removal due to osteomyelitis were infected with gram-negative bacteria. Conclusions BMI and operative duration were identified as independent risk factors for SSI. Diabetes mellitus, previous ratio therapy, type of incision, recurrence tumor and other risk factors were not found to be associated with the occurrence of SSI in this study.

Organic thermoelectric materials are not only used in low-grade waste heat recovery but also have frontier applications in sensors, wearable self-powered devices, biomaterials, and smart materials with the development of flexible electronics. However, investigation on the thermoelectric performance of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) comparable to that of conducting polymers and their composites with SWCNTs has been rarely attempted, and there were few reports on SWCNTs alone as organic thermoelectric materials. Certainly, SWCNTs possess high Young’s modulus, high thermal stability, flexibility, lightweight, easily controllable doping level, and facile p–n transition, while the mechanism of molecular doping of SWCNTs remains to be well understood. Here, facile solution processing achieved the enhancement of p-type and n-type thermoelectric performance of SWCNTs. Small-molecular-weight polyethylene glycol treatment improved electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient of SWCNTs (p-SWCNTs) simultaneously, with the power factor of 303.17 ± 46.25 μW·m−1·K−2. Small amount of polyethylenimine doping made the Seebeck coefficient of SWCNTs (n-SWCNTs) turn negative and rendered great air stability of n-SWCNTs. The electrical conductivity and power factor of n-SWCNTs reached 1,702.56 ± 164.13 S·cm−1 and 418.49 ± 46.30 μW·m−1·K−2 at 298 K, respectively. The power factor of n-SWCNTs got even higher at 319.5 K in vacuo, reaching a high value of 643.35 μW·m−1·K−2. Finally, mechanism study in this work provided inspiration and guidance for the application of these types of dopants in the performance improvement of SWCNTs.

FHY3 and its homologous protein FAR1 are the founding members of FRS family. They exhibited diverse and powerful physiological functions during evolution, and participated in the response to multiple abiotic stresses. FRF genes are considered to be truncated FRS family proteins. They competed with FRS for DNA binding sites to regulate gene expression. However, only few studies are available on FRF genes in plants participating in the regulation of abiotic stress. With wide adaptability and high stress-resistance, barley is an excellent candidate for the identification of stress-resistance-related genes. In this study, 22 HvFRFs were detected in barley using bioinformatic analysis from whole genome. According to evolution and conserved motif analysis, the 22 HvFRFs could be divided into subfamilies I and II. Most promoters of subfamily I members contained abscisic acid and methyl jasmonate response elements; however, a large number promoters of subfamily II contained gibberellin and salicylic acid response elements. HvFRF9, one of the members of subfamily II, exhibited a expression advantage in different tissues, and it was most significantly upregulated under drought stress. In-situ PCR revealed that HvFRF9 is mainly expressed in the root epidermal cells, as well as xylem and phloem of roots and leaves, indicating that HvFRF9 may be related to absorption and transportation of water and nutrients. The results of subcellular localization indicated that HvFRF9 was mainly expressed in the nuclei of tobacco epidermal cells and protoplast of arabidopsis. Further, transgenic arabidopsis plants with HvFRF9 overexpression were generated to verify the role of HvFRF9 in drought resistance. Under drought stress, leaf chlorosis and wilting, MDA and O2− contents were significantly lower, meanwhile, fresh weight, root length, PRO content, and SOD, CAT and POD activities were significantly higher in HvFRF9-overexpressing arabidopsis plants than in wild-type plants. Therefore, overexpression of HvFRF9 could significantly enhance the drought resistance in arabidopsis. These results suggested that HvFRF9 may play a key role in drought resistance in barley by increasing the absorption and transportation of water and the activity of antioxidant enzymes. This study provided a theoretical basis for drought resistance in barley and provided new genes for drought resistance breeding.

Abstract Closely controlling the mechanical behaviour and characterization of the deflection of a beam structure is a well-known and widely studied engineering problem. The progress in additive manufacturing methods and the possibilities to closely control the material property variations with the controlled placement of materials further widen the opportunities to achieve given beam deflection criteria. The multi-material additive manufacturing solutions suffer from the lack of real engineering material options, and the quality and performance of the printed parts are usually unsuitable for producing functional parts. A novel cellular structured solution is proposed here, which utilises optimisation of geometries of individual cells of a single material structured beam to obtain deflection profiles closely matched with preset conditions under different loading conditions. The cellular geometry of the structured beam is continually altered for searching and converging on the optimal structure of the cells by the covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy algorithm in an iterative manner. The optimised beam structures could also be physically produced with single material additive manufacturing methods and the experimental and numerical beam deflection responses correlated closely.

Objective: To compare the quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) susceptibility values and pathology composition with different types of thrombi in the middle cerebral artery (MCA), and assess the value of susceptibility weight imaging in thrombus component diagnosis in stroke. Materials and methods: This study included 15 patients (73.47 ± 10.7 years; 6 males and 9 females) who underwent magnetic resonance imaging before mechanical thrombectomy due to acute middle cerebral artery occlusion between January 2017 and December 2019. All patients had the susceptibility vessel sign (SVS) on SWI (susceptibility weighted imaging), and the thrombus susceptibility was measured by signal processing in nuclear magnetic resonance SPIN software. The retrieved thrombi underwent histopathologic analysis, and the correlation between thrombus susceptibility and the pathologic composition was analyzed by two independent Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests. The location and length of thrombi were evaluated on both SWI and DSA, and the correlation was explored using two independent samples Wilcoxon rank test. The correlations between susceptibility and the infarct core volumes (ADC < 620 mm2/s volume map), hypoperfusion volumes (Tmax > 6 s volume map), 90-day modified Rankin scale (mRS), and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) at admission were analyzed by Spearman’s correlation analysis. Results: Among the 15 retrieved thrombi, the mean thrombus susceptibility of RBC-dominant and fibrin-dominant thrombi were 209.88 ± 11.32 and 155.70 ± 28.20 (ppb), respectively (p = 0.037). The average distance of the proximal end of the thrombi to the midline was 24.67 ± 8.43 mm and 24.62 ± 8.44 mm, as measured by SWI and DSA (digital subtraction angiography), respectively (p < 0.001). The correlation between thrombus susceptibility was weakly negatively correlated with ADC < 620 mm2/s volume map (r = 0.356, p = 0.193) and poorly correlated with Tmax > 6 s volume map (r = 0.252, p = 0.365), 90-day mRS (r = 0.182, p = 0.517), and NIHSS at admission (r = 0.262, p = 0.345). Conclusions: The measurements of the Quantitative susceptibility value of thrombi may help predict the composition of thrombi in patients with acute middle cerebral artery occlusion. QSM provides a more accurate method to evaluate the thrombi.

Glutaredoxins (GRXs) are small-molecular-weight proteins present in a wide range of organisms, and they play a key role in maintaining the redox homeostasis of cells. Most studies on GRXs are conducted in animals and humans, and those conducted on plants are scarce. The number and types of GRX genes vary in different plants. According to the active sites, the GRX family can be further divided into the CPYC, CGFS, and CC subfamilies. The CPYC and CGFS subfamilies are present in eukaryotes. The CC subfamily is exclusively present in higher plants and has the highest number of genes. In this study, 85 GRX genes were identified in common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) using a bioinformatic method, wherein 12, 9, and 64 belonged to the CPYC, CGFS, and CC subfamilies, respectively. All TaGRX genes were homogeneously distributed in the three subgenomes of wheat. The gene structure analysis revealed that TaGRX members had 1–7 introns. The conserved motif analysis revealed that members of the same TaGRX subfamily had similar motifs. An analysis of cis-regulatory elements of promoters demonstrated that most TaGRX members had auxin-responsive elements; cis-regulatory elements, such as methyl jasmonate (MeJA), MYB, and abscisic acid (ABA), were distributed in all subfamilies, and the cell-cycle regulation element was only observed in the CC and CPYC subfamily members. Additionally, the synteny of the GRX genes in wheat, in wheat and Arabidopsis, and in wheat and barley was analyzed to clarify the evolutionary correlation of TaGRXs. The expression characteristics of TaGRXs were investigated, and TaGRX expression in various tissues and its responses to different abiotic stresses were preliminarily determined. This study provides a reference for the functional analysis of TaGRXs and understanding their role in molecular breeding of wheat.

In the paper, the results obtained for the fire-retardancy of ULTEM 9085 polymer composites manufactured by the fused deposition modelling (FDM) are summarized. The effects of processing parameters of FDM such as the percentage of infill, thickness of the sample, and the number of the solid layers on either side were experimentally evaluated against fire-retardancy parameters (burn length and heat release rate). Based on the results, all test samples of ULTEM 9085 were observed to have passed the test requirements specified in Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) & EASA Certification Specifications (CS) Part 25 of Airworthiness standards for the aviation sector. The maximal burn length (approx. 80 mm) was registered for 30 % infill samples with zero solid layers on either side. Based on the results obtained it was concluded that the burn length was almost the same in all build directions. Moreover, inconsistent results were obtained for the heat release rate as a function of the thickness of the sample for different build directions. Though, certain clear effects were obtained regarding burn length as a function of infill percentage proving that fire-retardancy is the most effective at higher infill percentages.

In order to realize the efficient removal of sulfamethazine (SMZ) and overcome the recycling difficulty of catalysts in a heterogeneous catalytic ozonation process, low-cost natural zeolite loaded with CeO2 and Fe3O4 (FC/HZ) was synthesized by the co-precipitation method. The FC/HZ catalyst could completely degrade SMZ and realize 39.6% removal of TOC through catalytic ozonation. Moreover, the FC/HZ catalyst exhibited high catalytic ozonation activity under a wide pH range and possessed excellent recyclability (>90%) and stability with a magnet. Based on experiment and material characterization, the possible catalytic mechanism and degradation pathway of SMZ was revealed. In brief, this study offered an effective strategy for preparing recyclable catalysts and eliminating SMZ in aqueous solution.

Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) is one of the common complications in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). This study aims to investigate the value of different thresholds of Tmax generated from perfusion-weighted MR imaging (PWI) and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value in the prediction of HT in AIS. A total of 156 AIS patients were enrolled in this study, with 55 patients in the HT group and 101 patients in non-HT group. The clinical baseline data and multi-parametric MRI findings were compared between HT and non-HT groups to identify indicators related to HT. The optimal parameters for predicting HT and the corresponding cutoff values were obtained using the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of the volumes of ADC < 620 × 10−6 mm2/s and Tmax > 6 s, 8 s, and 10 s. The results showed that the volumes of ADC < 620 × 10−6 mm2/s and Tmax > 6 s, 8 s, and 10 s in the HT group were all significantly larger than that in the non-HT group and were all independent risk factors for HT. Early measurement of the volume of Tmax > 10 s had the highest value, with a cutoff lesion volume of 10.5 mL.

Despite substantial advances in the treatment using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), the clinical expected therapeutic effect on bladder cancer has not been achieved, in which the tumor microenvironment (TME) occupies a notable position. In this research, 10X single-cell RNA-sequencing technology was conducted to analyze seven primary bladder tumor tissues (three non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and four muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC)) and seven corresponding normal tissues adjacent to cancer; eight various cell types were identified in the bladder cancer (BC) TME, and a complete TME atlas in bladder cancer was made. Moreover, bladder cancer epithelial cells were further subdivided into 14 subgroups, indicating a high intra-tumoral heterogeneity. Additionally, the differences between NMIBC and MIBC were compared based on differential gene expression heatmap, copy number variation (CNV) distribution heatmap, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), protein–protein interaction (PPI) network mutual analysis, and the Kaplan–Meier survival prognosis analysis were used to identify six key genes associated with the prognosis of bladder cancer: VEGFA, ANXA1, HSP90B1, PSMA7, PRDX6, and PPP1CB. The dynamic change of the expression distribution of six genes on the pseudo-time axis was further verified by cell pseudo-time analysis.

Titanium alloy is an important material for the manufacture of key components of deep-sea submersibles. High-power vacuum laser welding is an important method for welding TC4 thick plate (40–120 mm) structures. However, due to the low melting point of aluminum, its uneven distribution in the weld caused by evaporation during welding affects the quality of joints. This paper conducted experimental and simulation studies to investigate the effect of process parameters on multi-component evaporation and uneven aluminum distribution. Based on a three-dimensional model of vacuum laser welding, the mechanism of the uneven distribution of aluminum in the weld is explained. The results show that the uneven distribution of aluminum in the weld is mainly related to the metal vapor behavior and keyhole morphology. As the welding speed rises from 1 m/min to 3 m/min, the proportion of aluminum in the metal vapor and the degree of compositional unevenness increase. When the laser power increases from 6 kW to 18 kW, the proportion of aluminum in the metal vapor and degree of unevenness increase, peak at 12 kW, and then decrease. This work facilitates the selection of suitable process parameters to reduce aluminum evaporation during the high-power vacuum welding of Ti-6Al-4V alloys. Joints with a more stable performance can be obtained by avoiding the uneven distribution of aluminum.

Anaplastic meningioma is classified as a World Health Organization (WHO) grade III tumor and shows a strong tendency to recur. Although the incidence of anaplastic meningioma is low, the high rate of recurrence and death still makes treatment a challenge. A proteomics analysis was performed to investigate the differentially expressed proteins between anaplastic meningiomas and fibrous meningiomas by micro-LC-MS/MS. The key metabolic enzyme nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) showed upregulated expression in anaplastic meningiomas. However, targeting NAMPT to treat anaplastic meningiomas has not been reported. In vitro, NAMPT inhibitor -FK866 reduced the viability of anaplastic meningiomas by inducing cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. Intriguingly, the NAMPT inhibitor -FK866 decreased the protein expression of immune checkpoints PD-L1 and B7-H3 by down-regulating the STAT1 and p-STAT1 expression in vitro. Furthermore, FK866 suppressed the growth of anaplastic meningiomas in an in vivo xenograft model. The expression of Ki-67 and immune checkpoint proteins (PD-L1 and B7-H3) showed significant differences between the group treated with FK866 and the control group treated with DMSO. In conclusion, the expression of NAMPT, which plays a crucial role in energy metabolism, was upregulated in anaplastic meningiomas. The NAMPT inhibitor -FK866 significantly suppressed the growth of anaplastic meningiomas in vitro and in vivo. More strikingly, FK866 potently inhibited immune checkpoint protein (PD-L1 and B7-H3) expression by regulating STAT1 in vitro and in vivo. Our results demonstrated that NAMPT inhibitors could potentially be an effective treatment method for patients suffering from anaplastic meningiomas.

Frailty is a critical aging-related syndrome but the underlying metabolic mechanism remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to identify novel biomarkers and reveal potential mechanisms of frailty based on the integrated analysis of metabolome and gut microbiome. In this study, twenty subjects consisted of five middle-aged adults and fifteen older adults, of which fifteen older subjects were divided into three groups: non-frail, pre-frail, and frail, with five subjects in each group. The presence of frailty, pre-frailty, or non-frailty was established according to the physical frailty phenotype (PFP). We applied non-targeted metabolomics to serum and feces samples and used 16S rDNA gene sequencing to detect the fecal microbiome. The associations between metabolites and gut microbiota were analyzed by the Spearman’s correlation analysis. Serum metabolic shifts in frailty mainly included fatty acids and derivatives, carbohydrates, and monosaccharides. Most of the metabolites belonging to these classes increased in the serum of frail older adults. Propylparaben was found to gradually decrease in non-frail, pre-frail, and frail older adults. Distinct changes in fecal metabolite profiles and gut microbiota were also found among middle-aged adults, non-frail and frail older subjects. The relative abundance of Faecalibacteriu, Roseburia, and Fusicatenibacter decreased while the abundance of Parabacteroides and Bacteroides increased in frailty. The above altered microbes were associated with the changed serum metabolites in frailty, which included dodecanedioic acid, D-ribose, D-(-)-mannitol, creatine and indole, and their related fecal metabolites. The changed microbiome and related metabolites may be used as the biomarkers of frailty and is worthy of further mechanistic studies.

Abstract Superior catalytic performance for selective 1,3‐butadiene (1,3‐BD) hydrogenation can usually be achieved with supported bimetallic catalysts. In this work, Pt−Co nanoparticles and Pt nanoparticles supported on metal–organic framework MIL‐100(Fe) catalysts (MIL=Materials of Institut Lavoisier, PtCo/MIL‐100(Fe) and Pt/MIL‐100(Fe)) were synthesized via a simple impregnation reduction method, and their catalytic performance was investigated for the hydrogenation of 1,3‐BD. Pt1Co1/MIL‐100(Fe) presented better catalytic performance than Pt/MIL‐100(Fe), with significantly enhanced total butene selectivity. Moreover, the secondary hydrogenation of butenes was effectively inhibited after doping with Co. The Pt1Co1/MIL‐100(Fe) catalyst displayed good stability in the 1,3‐BD hydrogenation reaction. No significant catalyst deactivation was observed during 9 h of hydrogenation, but its catalytic activity gradually reduces for the next 17 h. Carbon deposition on Pt1Co1/MIL‐100(Fe) is the reason for its deactivation in 1,3‐BD hydrogenation reaction. The spent Pt1Co1/MIL‐100(Fe) catalyst could be regenerated at 200 °C, and regenerated catalysts displayed the similar 1,3‐BD conversion and butene selectivity with fresh catalysts. Moreover, the rate‐determining step of this reaction was hydrogen dissociation. The outstanding activity and total butene selectivity of the Pt1Co1/MIL‐100(Fe) catalyst illustrate that Pt−Co bimetallic catalysts are an ideal alternative for replacing mono‐noble‐metal‐based catalysts in selective 1,3‐BD hydrogenation reactions.

As an important strengthening phase in Al-Mg-Fe alloy, the elastic and ductile–brittle characteristics of Al13Fe4 intermetallics hold prime significance in ascertaining the mechanical properties and potential application of Al-Mg-Fe alloys. In this study, multialloying of Co, Cu, Cr, Mn, and Ni has been adopted for tuning the mechanical characteristics of the Al13Fe4 phase; their effects on mechanical features and electronic structure of the Al13Fe4 phase have been scrutinized systematically by first-principles calculations employing the density functional theory. The replacement of Fe with M (M = Co, Cu, Cr, Mn, and Ni) is energetically advantageous at 0 K, as evidenced by the negative cohesive energy and mixing enthalpy of all Al13(Fe,M)4 phases. Cu and Ni, on the contrary, have a detrimental impact on Al13Fe4′s modulus and hardness due to the evolution of chemical bonding strength. Co, Cr, and Mn are thus, interesting candidate elements. In the light of B/G and Poisson’s ratio (σ) criteria, Al13Fe4, Al13(Fe,Cu)4, and Al13(Fe,Ni)4 have superior ductility; however, Al13(Fe,Co), Al13(Fe,Mn), and Al13(Fe,Cr)4 tend to be brittle materials. Calculation-based findings show that Co, Cr, and Mn are appropriate alloying elements for enhancing fracture toughness, whereas Mn reduces Al13Fe4′s elastic anisotropy. The electronic structure assessment found that the mechanical properties of the intermetallics are predominantly influenced by the Al-M bonds when the alloying element M replaced Fe.

The quasi-static and dynamic impact compression tests of the TA31 titanium alloy were conducted at the strain rates from 0.001 s−1 to 4000 s−1 and deformation temperatures from 293 K to 773 K, and the TA31 titanium alloy showed typical elastic-plastic characteristics. In the initial stage of compression (elastic deformation), the stress and strain are proportional, and the stress–strain curve is a straight line. In the plastic deformation stage, the flow stress decreases significantly with the increase of deformation temperature, while the strain rate has no significant effect on the flow stress during dynamic compression. A constitutive model has been established to predict the flow stress, and the relative error is 2.32%. It is shown by observing the microstructure that when the deformation temperature is 293 °C, and the strain rate reaches 1600 s−1, a shear band with an angle of about 45° to the axial direction of the specimen appears, and the severe shear deformation makes the α phase in the shear band fibrous and contains high-density dislocations. The formation process of the shear band and its influence on fracture are analyzed and discussed.

Nonradiative recombination losses originating from crystallographic distortions and issues occurring upon interface formation are detrimental for the photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells. Herein, we incorporated a series of carbamide molecules (urea, biuret, or triuret) consisting of both Lewis base (–NH2) and Lewis acid (–C=O) groups into the perovskite precursor to simultaneously eliminate the bulk and interface defects. Depending on the different coordination ability with perovskite component, the incorporated molecules can either modify crystallization dynamics allowing for large crystal growth at low temperature (60°C), associate with antisite or undercoordinated ions for defect passivation, or accumulate at the surface as an energy cascade layer to enhance charge transfer, respectively. Synergistic benefits of the above functions can be obtained by rationally optimizing additive combinations in an all-in-one deposition method. As a result, a champion efficiency of 21.6% with prolonged operational stability was achieved in an inverted MAPbI3 perovskite solar cell by combining biuret and triuret additives. The simplified all-in-one fabrication procedure, adaptable to different types of perovskites in terms of pure MAPbI3, mixed perovskite, and all-inorganic perovskite, provides a cost-efficient and reproducible way to obtain high-performance inverted perovskite solar cells.

Additive manufacturing has progressed rapidly, and the unique attributes of the layer-wise material consolidation are attracting ever increasing application potentials in critical sectors such as medical and aerospace industries. A lack of materials options has been the main bottleneck for the much wider uptake of these promising new technologies. Inventing new material alternatives has been central to most of the research attention in additive manufacturing in recent times. The current research is focused on evaluating the polyphenylsulfone polymer powders for the first time as fire-resistant candidate materials for processing by selective laser sintering, the most promising additive processing method for polymeric material systems. Experimental evaluations were undertaken based on a selective laser sintering test bed. Single layer and multi-layer samples were produced for microstructural and mechanical characterisations. The microstructural evaluations and the mechanical property results indicate sufficient intra- and inter-layer consolidation together with reasonable tensile property responses. The lower viscosity and thermal conductivity characteristics rendered lower tensile strengths, which will require some further attention in the future, for better consolidation and mechanical properties.

During the investigation of endophytic fungi diversity in aquatic plants and the fungal diversity in soil in southwest China, we obtained 208 isolates belonging to Trichoderma, including 28 isolates as endophytes from aquatic plants and 180 isolates as saprobes from soil, respectively. Finally, 23 new species of Trichoderma are recognized by further studies. Their phylogenetic positions are determined by sequence analyses of the combined partial sequences of translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1) and gene encoding of the second largest nuclear RNA polymerase subunit (rpb2). The results revealed that the 23 new species are distributed in nine known clades. The morphology and culture characteristics are observed, described and illustrated in detail. Distinctions between the new species and their close relatives were compared and discussed. These include: Trichoderma achlamydosporum, T. amoenum, T. anaharzianum, T. anisohamatum, T. aquatica, T. asiaticum, T. asymmetricum, T. inaequilaterale, T. inconspicuum, T. insigne, T. obovatum, T. paraviride, T. pluripenicillatum, T. propepolypori, T. pseudoasiaticum, T. pseudoasperelloides, T. scorpioideum, T. simile, T. subazureum, T. subuliforme, T. supraverticillatum, T. tibetica, and T. uncinatum.

Objective: Long-term dysregulation of energy balance is the key component of the obesity epidemic. Given the harm of central obesity and the discovery that beige cells appear within white adipose tissue (WAT), enhancing the energy-expending or “browning” ability of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) has become of therapeutic interest. In this study, we focused on the regulating role of microRNA (miRNA)-27b-3p in mice epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT) browning.Methods: High-fat diet (HFD) induced obese mice model was constructed. Expression of miR-27b-3p and Ucp1 in eWAT was measured during the course of HFD. Through tail vein injection of antimiR-27b-3p, miR-27b-3p expression was inhibited to analyze the potential role of miR-27b-3p in fat browning and metabolism.Results: miR-27b-3p was predominantly expressed in eWAT and browning ability of eWAT in HFD induced obese mice was impaired. Inhibition of miR-27b-3p enhanced browning capacity of eWAT in mice fed an HFD and led to weight loss and insulin sensitivity improvement.Conclusions: High expression of miR-27b-3p in eWAT inhibits browning ability and leads to visceral fat accumulation. It is suggested miR-27b-3p may become a potential therapeutic option for visceral obesity and its associated diseases.