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This paper deals with the following parabolic-parabolic-parabolic chemotaxis system with singular sensitivity and Lotka-Volterra competition kinetics (0.1) { u t = Δ u − χ 1 ∇ ⋅ (u w ∇ w) + μ 1 u (1 − u − a 1 v) , t > 0 , x ∈ Ω , v t = Δ v − χ 2 ∇ ⋅ (v w ∇ w) + μ 2 v (1 − v − a 2 u) , t > 0 , x ∈ Ω , w t = Δ w − w + u + v , t > 0 , x ∈ Ω , ∂ u ∂ ν = ∂ v ∂ ν = ∂ w ∂ ν = 0 , t > 0 , x ∈ ∂ Ω , u (0 , x) = u 0 (x) , v (0 , x) = v 0 (x) , w (0 , x) = w 0 (x) , x ∈ Ω , where Ω ⊂ R N (N ≥ 2) is a bounded smooth convex domain, and the parameters χ 1 , χ 2 , μ 1 , μ 2 , a 1 and a 2 are positive constants. It is shown that the system possesses globally bounded classical solutions under the following conditions χ 1 , χ 2 ∈ (0 , 1 2) for N = 2 , 3 or χ 1 , χ 2 ∈ (0 , N − 2 N − 1) for N ≥ 4. Moreover, if min ⁡ { μ 1 , μ 2 } > max ⁡ { χ 1 , χ 2 } 2 4 , we obtain the uniformly lower bound for w. Finally, when χ 1 , χ 2 are suitably small, it is proved that if 0 < a 1 , a 2 < 1 , then the solution (u , v , w) converges to (1 − a 1 1 − a 1 a 2 , 1 − a 2 1 − a 1 a 2 , 2 − a 1 − a 2 1 − a 1 a 2 ) in L ∞ norm as t → ∞ ; if 0 < a 2 < 1 ≤ a 1 , then the solution (u , v , w) converges to (0 , 1 , 1) in L ∞ norm as t → ∞. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is an important breast cancer marker that is abnormally expressed in 20–30% of breast cancer patients. Here, we report an electrochemical biosensor using carboxy-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and activators regenerated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (ARGET ATRP) on a highly conductive poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) platform for efficient detection of HER2. In this work, PEDOT:PSS and AuNPs were first modified onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to increase the signal transmission efficiency of the biosensor. Then, an aptamer-HER2-antibody (Apt-HER2-Ab*) sandwich structure was constructed to capture and immobilize the target HER2. Of note, the Ab* is a composite composed of Ab, poly ferrocene methyl methacrylate (PFMMA), and carboxyl-functionalized MWCNTs (Ab-MWCNTs-PFMMA). The BMP was attached to the electrode by forming an ester bond with the hydroxyl group on the carboxyl-functionalized MWCNTs, and triggering ARGET ATRP to attach FMMA to the MWCNTs. In addition, Ab was attached to the electrode by ester bonds with the MWCNTs. In the presence of highly conductive materials and a polymer, the biosensor showed high sensitivity and a good linear relationship between the current signal and HER2 concentration in the range of 10−2 to 103 ng mL−1, and the limit of detection (LOD) was 1.979 fg mL−1. The regression equation was I (μA) = 8.23905 lg[CHER2/ng mL−1] + 25.3585 (R2 = 0.995). Moreover, the biosensor still shows good detection performance in the complex environment of normal serum, which is promising for clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811), a high nickel-positive electrode material, has higher discharge capacity, lower cost, and less environmental pollution than other systems, so it has attracted many people's attention. However, its poor thermal stability, cycle rate performance, and safety problems limit its practical application. In this paper, the NCM811 cathode material with Al3+ and PO43− co-doping (NCM-PA) was prepared by co-precipitation method and high-temperature solid-state method to improve its properties. The results show that the co-doping can effectively inhibit the mixing of lithium and nickel, maintain the good lamellar structure of the cathode material, and improve the electrochemical performance of the cathode material. The capacity retention rate of NCM-PA is 14.1% higher than that of the raw material after 100 cycles at 1 C. In addition, due to the small degree of electrode polarization of the co-doping material, NCM-PA still has a discharge-specific capacity of 155.8 mAh/g when the current density is 5 C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preeclampsia (PE) has adverse effects on pregnant women, fetuses, and newborns [1], and accounts for 3%-10% of pregnancy-related diseases globally.Objective: This study aimed to screen a series of prenatal markers (pregnancy-associated plasma protein [PAPP-A], β-human chorionic gonadotropin [β-hCG], alpha fetoprotein [AFP], and estriol [uE3]) to establish a risk model and evaluate the diagnostic values of the markers for predicting PE.Methods: Sixty-five pregnant women were enrolled in this study. They were divided into two groups containing healthy pregnant women (n= 51, the non-PE group) and pregnant women with PE (n= 14, the PE group). According to the stage of pregnancy, the pregnant women in each group were divided into early, middle, and late pregnancy groups for statistical analysis. The levels of PAPPA-A β-hCG, AFP, and uE3 were compared among these groups. Then, a risk model was established, and PE was diagnosed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve results.Results: In the early pregnancy group, the differences in the levels of PAPP-A, AFP, and uE3 between the PE and non-PE groups were statistically significant (P< 0.001, P= 0.029, and P= 0.033, respectively), while the difference in the single remaining marker was not statistically significant. A ROC curve analysis revealed that in early pregnancy, the sensitivity and specificity of PAPP-A were 76.5% and 71.4%, respectively, and the sensitivity and specificity of β-hCG were 82.4% and 57.1%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the combination of the two markers for diagnosing PE were 86.3% and 57.1%, respectively.Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the combination of PAPP-A and β-hCG has diagnostic value for PE in pregnant women. Accordingly, we should formulate innovative PE screening strategies to target the prevention of PE and create important conditions for predictive and preventive personalized medical treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Magnetic field is an appropriate physical field, it can be used as a process parameter for the preservation of meat products. In this study, fresh beef was subjected to an alternating magnetic field of 2 mT during cold storage at 4°C, then microbial indicators, physicochemical properties of beef samples and its protein indicators were investigated. The results showed that the alternating magnetic field could inhibit the microbial growth on beef sample, and TVB‐N content, drip loss and characteristic putrefactive amine were lower than the control. The total bacterial count and TVB‐N value of beef samples in the control exceeded the threshold value on the 8th day, respectively, while the samples in the alternating magnetic field exceeded the threshold value on the 13th day. Meanwhile, it demonstrated that the field could delay the transformation of free amino acids to biogenic amines and inhibit the accumulation of bitter amino acids, so maintaining its nutritional characteristics. With the extension of storage period, the sulfhydryl content of beef myofibrillar proteins subjected to alternating magnetic field was lower than that of the control. It demonstrated that the protein oxidation of samples was inhibited, which would also be the reason the Ca2+‐ ATPase activity of myofibrillar proteins was maintained at a low level during the period. Furthermore, the upward trend of carbonyl group content was delayed. It provides a reference for the application of alternating magnetic field on cold storage of meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider the following fractional parabolic‐elliptic Keller–Segel system with time‐space dependent logistic source on the whole space 0.1ut+(−Δ)su+χ∇·(u∇v)=u(a(t,x)−b(t,x)u),t>0,x∈ℝN,0=Δv−λv+μu,t>0,x∈ℝN,$$ \left\{\begin{array}{cc}{u}_t&amp;#x0002B;{\left(-\Delta \right)}&amp;#x0005E;su&amp;#x0002B;\chi \nabla \cdotp \left(u\nabla v\right)&amp;#x0003D;u\left(a\left(t,x\right)-b\left(t,x\right)u\right),\kern0.30em &amp; t&gt;0,x\in {\mathbb{R}}&amp;#x0005E;N,\\ {}0&amp;#x0003D;\Delta v-\lambda v&amp;#x0002B;\mu u,\kern0.30em &amp; t&gt;0,x\in {\mathbb{R}}&amp;#x0005E;N,\end{array}\right. $$where s∈(0,1),χ,λ$$ s\in \left(0,1\right),\chi, \lambda $$ and μ$$ \mu $$ are positive constants and the functions a(t,x)$$ a\left(t,x\right) $$ and b(t,x)$$ b\left(t,x\right) $$ are positive and bounded. When the order of fractional diffusion s∈1/2,1$$ s\in \left(1/2,1\right) $$ and the functions a(t,x)$$ a\left(t,x\right) $$ and b(t,x)$$ b\left(t,x\right) $$ satisfy some conditions, we first prove the local existence and uniqueness of nonnegative classical solutions (u(t,x;t0,u0),v(t,x;t0,u0))$$ \left(u\left(t,x;{t}_0,{u}_0\right),v\left(t,x;{t}_0,{u}_0\right)\right) $$ with u(t0,x;t0,u0)=u0$$ u\left({t}_0,x;{t}_0,{u}_0\right)&amp;#x0003D;{u}_0 $$ for every t0∈ℝ$$ {t}_0\in \mathbb{R} $$ and every nonnegative bounded and uniformly continuous initial function u0$$ {u}_0 $$. Next, under some parameter conditions, we prove the global existence and boundedness of classical solutions (u(t,x;t0,u0),v(t,x;t0,u0))$$ \left(u\left(t,x;{t}_0,{u}_0\right),v\left(t,x;{t}_0,{u}_0\right)\right) $$ for given initial function u0$$ {u}_0 $$. Finally, we obtain the pointwise persistence phenomena of solutions; that is, for any strictly positive initial function u0$$ {u}_0 $$, there are 00$$ T\left({u}_0\right)&gt;0 $$ such that m≤u(t,x;t0,u0)≤M,∀t≥T(u0),x∈ℝN.$$ m\le u\left(t,x;{t}_0,{u}_0\right)\le M,\forall t\ge T\left({u}_0\right),x\in {\mathbb{R}}&amp;#x0005E;N. $$In summary, these results are extension to the case of fractional parabolic‐elliptic Keller–Segel system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inadvertent flow of mildly/moderately oxidized oil into production critically causes quality uncontrollability in food emulsions. In this paper, we explored the effects of oil pre-oxidation (oxidized before emulsification) on the emulsion stability and interfacial properties of two protein emulsifiers (myofibrillar protein, MP; sodium caseinate, SC). These effects were further found to be different dependent on the proteins native structural and physicochemical properties. For MP with a highly structured fibrous conformation, the adsorption capacity, diffusion and rearrangement rate, and dilatational elastic modulus were decreased (by at least 5.74%, 16.25%, 11.21%, 10.04% respectively) at the oxidized-oil/water interface, which were mainly explained by the increased oil polarity and the generated interfacial-active oxidation products that impeded the interfacial unfolding and protein-protein interactions. With an appreciably high adsorbed amount (adsorption ratio >90%), the MP's oxidized-oil emulsion stability was largely determined by the interfacial properties, and thus significantly decreased with oil oxidation (even at the mild oxidation level). In contrast, for SC with a disordered structure, the rearrangement rate and dilatational elastic modulus were similarly decreased (by at least 14.61%, 12.56% respectively) at the oxidized-oil/water interface, while the adsorption capacity and diffusion rate were increased (by at least 5.40%, 13.16% respectively) possibly due to the enhanced hydrogen bonding between the more hydrophilic SC and the higher polarity oil. With a significantly lower adsorbed amount (adsorption ratio <10%), the SC's oxidized-oil emulsion stability was mainly decided by the oil inherent properties but not interfacial performance, which thus significantly increased with oil oxidation (even at the mild level) due to the growing oil polarity and density. These findings highlight that mild oil pre-oxidation could have critical impacts on emulsion stability, and the mechanism exploration provides scientific guidelines for the quality control and rational formulation of labile unsaturated oil-based emulsion foods (e.g. fat substituted emulsified meat products). [Display omitted] • Oxidation increased oil polarity with the generation of interfacial-active products. • Oil pre-oxidation impaired MP emulsion stability but promoted SC emulsion stability. • Oil pre-oxidation impaired rearrangement rate, interfacial film strength of MP and SC. • Adsorption capacity and diffusion rate varied depended on protein properties. • Dispersed-phase and interfacial-film both mattered in affecting emulsion stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of the oils density and viscosity (DV) on the emulsions kinetic stability and destabilization mechanisms were revealed from the perspective of droplets movement and emulsions viscosity. With the extension of storage time, severe creaming (20.20 ± 0.73 × 10−4 mm/s), flocculation and coalescence (7.26 ± 0.82 μm−2 min−1) occurred in emulsions prepared with oils of lowest DV; the extent of creaming (15.90 ± 0.68 × 10−4 mm/s) and coalescence (1.36 ± 0.10 μm−2 min−1) were alleviated upon increasing oils DV, accompanied by the occurrence of acute Ostwald ripening (17.03 ± 1.72 μm3 min−1); and only slight creaming (2.26 ± 0.24 × 10−4 mm/s), flocculation, coalescence (0.70 ± 0.09 μm−2 min−1) and Ostwald ripening (6.14 ± 0.42 μm3 min−1) occurred in emulsions prepared with oils of highest DV. This was because oils with higher DV (especially density) restricted the droplets fluidity due to an increased motion friction, leading to a more homogeneous internal network and a higher apparent/macroscopic viscosity (0.31 ± 0.04 Pa·sn and 0.1 nm−2 s) of emulsions. These impeded the Brownian motion and diffusion of droplets to decrease the collision frequency/efficiency and mass transfer respectively, which in turn conduced to retarding droplets size enlargement and stabilizing the emulsions against different destabilization mechanisms. [Display omitted] • Higher oil density and viscosity (DV) improves emulsions stability. • Oils of high DV increase the emulsion viscosity. • Oils of high DV retard gravitational separation to increase creaming stability. • Oils of high DV delay Brownian motion to increase flocculation/coalescence stability. • Density plays a more decisive role in tuning emulsions viscosity and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Boer goat is a world-famous meat-type goat breed that underwent long-term artificial selection from African indigenous animals. The current study displayed the genome-wide selection signature analyses of South African indigenous goat (AF), African Boer (BH), and Australian Boer (AS), to investigate the hereditary basis of artificial selection in different stages. Moreover, the θπ, FST, and XP-CLR methods were used to search for the candidate signatures of positive selection in Boer goats. Ten genes (e.g., BMPR1B, DNER, ITGAL, and KIT) under selection in both groups were identified and are potentially responsible for reproduction, metabolism, growth, and development. This study provided a comprehensive overview of genomic variations in Boer goat, which may provide a basis for further resource protection and improvement of this breed. Boer goats, as kemp in meat-type goats, are selected and bred from African indigenous goats under a long period of artificial selection. Their advantages in multiple economic traits, particularly their plump growth, have attracted worldwide attention. The current study displayed the genome-wide selection signature analyses of South African indigenous goat (AF), African Boer (BH), and Australian Boer (AS) to investigate the hereditary basis of artificial selection in different stages. Four methods (principal component analysis, nucleotide diversity, linkage disequilibrium decay, and neighbor-joining tree) implied the genomic diversity changes with different artificial selection intensities in Boer goats. In addition, the θπ, FST, and XP-CLR methods were used to search for the candidate signatures of positive selection in Boer goats. Consequently, 339 (BH vs. AF) and 295 (AS vs. BH) candidate genes were obtained from SNP data. Especially, 10 genes (e.g., BMPR1B, DNER, ITGAL, and KIT) under selection in both groups were identified. Functional annotation analysis revealed that these genes are potentially responsible for reproduction, metabolism, growth, and development. This study used genome-wide sequencing data to identify inheritance by artificial selection. The results of the current study are valuable for future molecular-assisted breeding and genetic improvement of goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel rapid and cost-effective pre-processing method for the simultaneous determination of pyrethroid pesticides in vegetables has been developed and validated. The process of pesticide extraction was carried out by the QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) method combined with filtration by filter paper, and cleanup was carried out by the multi-plug-filtration-cleanup (m-PFC) method with no centrifuge program during the whole process. The pre-processing method is optimized for gas chromatography (GC). The process is convenient and time saving, requiring just a few seconds per sample. The recovery rate (70–120%), limit of detection (0.0001–0.007 mg/kg), precision (0.2–9.3%) and accuracy for each analyte were determined in 10 representative vegetables with good results. Finally, the feasibility of the developed method was further confirmed by the successful determination of pyrethroid-pesticide residues in pyrethroid-containing practical samples within the processing method coupled with thin-layer chromatography and a colloidal-gold test strip. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Horticultural crops mainly include fruits, vegetables, ornamental trees and flowers, and tea trees (Melaleuca alternifolia). They produce a variety of nutrients for the daily human diet in addition to the nutrition provided by staple crops, and some of them additionally possess ornamental and medicinal features. As such, horticultural crops make unique and important contributions to both food security and a colorful lifestyle. Under the current climate change scenario, the growing population and limited arable land means that agriculture, and especially horticulture, has been facing unprecedented challenges to meet the diverse demands of human daily life. Breeding horticultural crops with high quality and adaptability and establishing an effective system that combines cultivation, post‐harvest handling, and sales becomes increasingly imperative for horticultural production. This review discusses characteristic and recent research highlights in horticultural crops, focusing on the breeding of quality traits and the mechanisms that underpin them. It additionally addresses challenges and potential solutions in horticultural production and post‐harvest practices. Finally, we provide a prospective as to how emerging technologies can be implemented alongside interdisciplinary basic research to enhance our understanding and exploitation of horticultural crops. Significance Statement: Horticultural crops are rich in nutrients and of great economic value. Novel technologies such as multi‐omics, CRISPR, high‐precision sensors, and artificial intelligence have been developed to study and breed horticultural crops. In this review, we focus on these novel techniques and provide a perspective to combine interdisciplinary technologies to enhance our understanding and exploitation of horticultural crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incorporation of phase change material (PCM) into building structures offers a pathway for passive energy storage, enabling adaptable indoor temperature control and alleviating energy consumption. Despite these advantages, the widespread adoption of PCM in building structures faces challenges due to extended payback periods. In this study, a novel and cost-effective salt hydrate PCM composite, comprised of calcium chloride hexahydrate–potassium chloride (CCH–KCl), was developed. Melamine foam (MF) and strontium chloride hexahydrate (SCH) were synergistically utilized to address phase separation and supercooling issues. Numerical simulations were conducted to assess the performance of the developed salt hydrate PCM composite in building partition walls. Specifically, incorporating a 20 mm-thick composite resulted in peak temperature reductions of 0.72 °C during normal operation and 1.01 °C during power outages compared to structures without PCM, accompanied by a substantial reduction in energy consumption by 5376.68 kWh/year. Moreover, the cost of the developed salt hydrate PCM is 89.33 % lower than industrial paraffin, and it reduces CO2 emissions by 1.40 kg/year/m2 compared to paraffin's 1.11 kg/year/m2. In summary, the developed salt hydrate PCM composite exhibits commendable thermal regulation and economic advantages in building applications, serving as a pivotal contributor to emission reduction efforts. [Display omitted] • Phase separation and supercooling issues of salt hydrate PCM were addressed. • Melting temperature of salt hydrate PCM was tailored for passive solar buildings. • Thermo-regulated performance of the salt hydrate PCM was evaluated. • The cost of the developed PCM is 89.33 % lower than that of industrial paraffin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Myofibrillar protein-luteolin vehicle was greenly prepared with a high load capacity. • The differences between ethanol and non-ethanol samples were compared. • Ethanol samples showed superior in vitro antioxidant capacity. • Non-ethanol samples showed superior sustained-release properties. In this study, the highly loaded myofibrillar protein (MP)-luteolin (Lut) complexes were noncovalently constructed by using green high-pressure homogenization technology (HPH) and high-pressure micro-fluidization technology (HPM), aiming to optimize the encapsulation efficiency of flavonoids in the protein-based vehicle without relying on the organic solvent (i.e. DMSO, ethanol, etc.). The loading efficiency of Lut into MPs could reach 100 % with a concentration of 120 μmol/g protein by using HPH (103 MPa, 2 passes) without ethanol adoption. The in vitro gastrointestinal digestion behavior and antioxidant activity of the complexes were then compared with those of ethanol-assisted groups. During gastrointestinal digestion, the MP digestibility of complexes, reaching more than 70.56 % after thermal treatment, was higher than that of sole protein. The release profile of Lut encapsulated in ethanol-containing and ethanol-free samples both well fitted with the Hixson-Crowell release kinetic model (R2 = 0.92 and 0.94, respectively), and the total phenol content decreased by ≥ 40.02 % and ≥ 62.62 %, respectively. The in vitro antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS, and Fe2+) of the digestive products was significantly improved by 23.89 %, 159.69 %, 351.12 % (ethanol groups) and 13.43 %, 125.48 %, 213.95 % (non-ethanol groups). The 3 mg/mL freeze-dried digesta significantly alleviated lipid accumulation and oxidative stress in HepG2 cells. The triglycerides and malondialdehyde contents decreased by at least 57.62 % and 67.74 % after digesta treatment. This study provides an easily approached and environment-friendly strategy to construct a highly loaded protein–flavonoid conjugate, which showed great potential in the formulation of healthier meat products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the following quasilinear chemotaxis model with singular sensitivity and indirect signal production (0.1) u t = ∇ ⋅ (D (u) ∇ u) − χ ∇ ⋅ (u v k ∇ v) + u (a − b u) , t > 0 , x ∈ Ω , v t = Δ v − v + w , t > 0 , x ∈ Ω , w t = Δ w − w + u , t > 0 , x ∈ Ω , under homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions in a convex smooth bounded domain Ω ⊂ R N , N ≥ 3 , where, χ , a , b > 0 , k ∈ (0 , 1 2) ∪ (1 2 , 1 ] and D (u) is smooth function satisfying D (u) ≥ (u + 1) α with α > 0. By constructing suitable Lyapunov functional, we prove that if a > χ 2 4 , there exists a positive constant m ∗ such that ∫ Ω u ≥ m ∗. Based on above result, the lower bound estimates for w and v have been established. When b is large enough and α > max { 0 , 1 − 4 N } , we further prove that the system has a global bounded classical solution. Finally, it is shown that the solution exponentially converges to the constant stationary solution (a b , a b , a b) as t → ∞. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the moduli space of J-holomorphic subvarieties in a 4-dimensional symplectic manifold. For an arbitrary tamed almost complex structure, we show that the moduli space of a sphere class is formed by a family of linear system structures as in algebraic geometry. Among the applications, we show various uniqueness results of J-holomorphic subvarieties, e.g. for the fiber and exceptional classes in irrational ruled surfaces. On the other hand, non-uniqueness and other exotic phenomena of subvarieties in complex rational surfaces are explored. In particular, connected subvarieties in an exceptional class with higher genus components are constructed. The moduli space of tori is also discussed, and leads to an extension of the elliptic curve theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is devoted to classifying the dynamical behavior of solutions to a free boundary problem of a predator–prey model with a nonlocal reaction term. We investigate the spreading-vanishing dichotomy, that is, the asymptotic behavior of predator and prey species. Moreover, some criteria are also established for spreading and vanishing. At last, when spreading occurs, we obtain an upper and a lower bound of the asymptotic spreading speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: For diploid organisms that are highly heterozygous, a phased haploid genome can greatly aid in functional genomic, population genetic and breeding studies. Based on the genome sequencing of 135 single sperm cells of the elite tea cultivar 'Fudingdabai', we herein phased the genome of Camellia sinensis, one of the most popular beverage crops worldwide. High‐resolution genetic and recombination maps of Fudingdabai were constructed, which revealed that crossover (CO) positions were frequently located in the 5′ and 3′ ends of annotated genes, while CO distributions across the genome were random. The low CO frequency in tea can be explained by strong CO interference, and CO simulation revealed the proportion of interference insensitive CO ranged from 5.2% to 11.7%. We furthermore developed a method to infer the relatedness between tea accessions and detected complex kinship and genetic signatures of 106 tea accessions. Among them, 59 accessions were closely related with Fudingdabai and 31 of them were first‐degree relatives. We additionally identified genes displaying allele specific expression patterns between the two haplotypes of Fudingdabai and genes displaying significantly differential expression levels between Fudingdabai and other haplotypes. These results lay the foundation for further investigation of genetic and epigenetic factors underpinning the regulation of gene expression and provide insights into the evolution of tea plants as well as a valuable genetic resource for future breeding efforts. Significance Statement: We phased the genome of the elite tea cultivar Fudingdabai based on genome sequencing of 135 single sperm cells, which further reveal the CO distribution patterns and strong CO interference in the tea genome. Taking advantage of the phased genome, a relatedness‐inferring method was developed which uncovers the complex kinship of 106 tea accessions, including 31 first‐degree relatives of Fudingdabai. Furthermore, genes showing allele specific expression patterns among Fudingdabai relatives were also detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oil polarity was hypothesized to significantly influence the microscopic conformation of interfacial myofibrillar protein (MP) and thus the mesoscopic interfacial rheology of MP film, which ultimately tuned the macroscopic stability of MP-stabilized emulsions. In this research, the inner mechanism was revealed hierarchically based on emulsions multi-scale properties, by a combination of in vitro interfacial concentration measurement, dynamic interfacial tension measurement and interfacial dilatational rheology (highlighting Lissajous plots). Then, the above conclusion was verified through in silico molecular dynamic simulation. At macroscopic level, the light scattering results showed that emulsion prepared with higher polarity oil exhibited higher physical stability. This could be explained from the mesoscopic perspective that: (1) the adsorption dynamics of MP was faster (though lower diffusion rate, but higher penetration and rearrangement rate) on the higher polarity interface, which decreased interfacial tension more efficiently; (2) adsorption ratio, surface load and desorption ratio indicated that 'multilayer interfacial film' was formed by loosely-bound MP on the lower polarity interface, which decreased the effective interfacial coverage to impair emulsions stability; (3) Lissajous plots showed that interfacial structure with higher stability against large deformation was formed on the higher polarity oil interface. Finally, the microscopic molecular mechanism for explaining the above findings was revealed by in silico molecular dynamic simulation: though MP was less unfolded on the higher polarity interface leading to weaker intermolecular hydrophobic interactions, this compact molecular structure with stronger intramolecular rigidity predominantly contributed to steadier interfacial film structure. This multi-scale study provides a deep insight into the inner relationship between oil polarity and emulsions stability. [Display omitted] • Emulsion with better stability was prepared with higher polarity oil. • MP decreased interfacial tension more efficiently on higher polarity interface. • The holistic adsorption dynamics of MP was faster on higher polarity interface. • MP film on higher polarity interface was more stable to large deformation. • MP had a stronger intramolecular rigidity on higher polarity interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myofibrillar protein (MP) majorly determines the quality of emulsified meat product. Since MP is sensitive to external stresses, it would easily denature and form aggregates during processing. However, for now, how MP aggregates size affects its emulsion properties is still lacking clarification. In this study, large/small-sized MP aggregate-models with similar structural properties were successfully established through pH-shifting treatment. Specifically, the NaOH–HCl/gluconolactone induced MP aggregates were treated as large aggregate (LA) and small aggregate (SA) models, respectively, which were subsequently validated through transmission electron microscopy (sectional size: LA 282.47 nm2 and SA 104.79 nm2), gel-permeation chromatography (aggregate peak proportion: LA 73.75% and SA 66.86%) and dynamic light scattering (mean volume weight diameter: LA 45.33 μm and SA 26.20 μm). Then, the structural properties were measured to confirm the equivalent conformation for both models, which exhibited similar protein profiles and molecular flexibility values, and same changing trend in the secondary structure as well as protein unfolding level. Under similar spatial conformation, aggregate size could be the dominant factor to determine interfacial behaviors and emulsifying properties of protein aggregate. Smaller aggregates of SA may be beneficial for the higher interfacial diffusion and rearrangement rate, and greater ability to reduce interfacial tension compared with those of LA. Therefore, SA had better emulsion properties than LA with higher emulsifying activity and stability, and lower Turbiscan stability index. These aggregate models have implications for the development of healthy emulsified meat products, which is conducive to more precise control of product quality and sensory. [Display omitted] • The large/small-sized MP aggregates were prepared using HCl/GDL during pH-shifting. • Different sized-aggregate rendered similar spatial conformation. • SA had highest ability to reduce interfacial tension and fastest K diff and K r values. • Mild size aggregates may improve the emulsion properties and interfacial behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oil polarity was hypothesized to significantly influence the microscopic conformation of interfacial myofibrillar protein (MP) and thus the mesoscopic interfacial rheology of MP film, which ultimately tuned the macroscopic stability of MP-stabilized emulsions. In this research, the inner mechanism was revealed hierarchically based on emulsions multi-scale properties, by a combination of in vitro interfacial concentration measurement, dynamic interfacial tension measurement and interfacial dilatational rheology (highlighting Lissajous plots). Then, the above conclusion was verified through in silico molecular dynamic simulation. At macroscopic level, the light scattering results showed that emulsion prepared with higher polarity oil exhibited higher physical stability. This could be explained from the mesoscopic perspective that: (1) the adsorption dynamics of MP was faster (though lower diffusion rate, but higher penetration and rearrangement rate) on the higher polarity interface, which decreased interfacial tension more efficiently; (2) adsorption ratio, surface load and desorption ratio indicated that 'multilayer interfacial film' was formed by loosely-bound MP on the lower polarity interface, which decreased the effective interfacial coverage to impair emulsions stability; (3) Lissajous plots showed that interfacial structure with higher stability against large deformation was formed on the higher polarity oil interface. Finally, the microscopic molecular mechanism for explaining the above findings was revealed by in silico molecular dynamic simulation: though MP was less unfolded on the higher polarity interface leading to weaker intermolecular hydrophobic interactions, this compact molecular structure with stronger intramolecular rigidity predominantly contributed to steadier interfacial film structure. This multi-scale study provides a deep insight into the inner relationship between oil polarity and emulsions stability. [Display omitted] • Emulsion with better stability was prepared with higher polarity oil. • MP decreased interfacial tension more efficiently on higher polarity interface. • The holistic adsorption dynamics of MP was faster on higher polarity interface. • MP film on higher polarity interface was more stable to large deformation. • MP had a stronger intramolecular rigidity on higher polarity interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel antimycin alkaloid antimycin A2c (AE) was isolated from the culture of a marine derived Streptomyces sp. THS-55. We elucidated its chemical structure by extensive spectra and clarified the specific mechanism in HPV infected-cervical cancer. Colony formation assay, cell cycle analysis, hoechst 33342 staining assay, et.al were used to detect the inhibitory effect of AE on cervical cancer cells. Meanwhile, flow cytometry, western blotting, immunoprecipitation, RNA interference and molecular docking were used to analyze the mechanism of AE. AE exhibited potent cytotoxicity in vitro against HPV-transformed cervical cancer HeLa cell line. AE inhibited the proliferation, arrested cell cycle distribution, and triggered caspase dependent apoptosis in HeLa cells. Further studies revealed AE-induced apoptosis is mediated by the degradation of E6/E7 oncoproteins. Molecular mechanic investigation showed that AE degraded the levels of E6/E7 oncoproteins through reactive oxygen (ROS)-mediated ubiquitin-dependent proteasome system activation, and the increased ROS generation was due to the disruption of the mitochondrial function. This present work revealed that this novel marine derived antimycin alkaloid could target the mitochondria and subsequently degrade HPV E6/E7 oncoproteins, and have potential application in the design and development of lead compound for cervical cancer cells, as well as the development for tool compounds to dissect E6/E7 functions. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is an important vegetable crop species worldwide. The primary metabolism of this species is essential for its growth, development and reproduction as well as providing a considerable direct source of energy and nutrition for humans. Here, through investigating 77 primary metabolites in 189 accessions including all major horticultural types and wild lettuce L. serriola we showed that the metabolites in L. serriola were different from those in cultivated lettuce. The findings were consistent with the demographic model of lettuce and supported a single domestication event for this species. Selection signals among these metabolic traits were detected. Specifically, galactinol, malate, quinate and threonate were significantly affected by the domestication process and cultivar differentiation of lettuce. Galactinol and raffinose might have been selected during stem lettuce cultivation as an adaption to the local environments in China. Furthermore, we identified 154 loci significantly associated with the level of 51 primary metabolites. Three genes (LG8749721, LG8763094 and LG5482522) responsible for the levels of galactinol, raffinose, quinate and chlorogenic acid were further dissected, which may have been the target of domestication and/or affected by local adaptation. Additionally, our findings strongly suggest that human selection resulted in reduced quinate and chlorogenic acid levels in cultivated lettuce. Our study thus provides beneficial genetic resources for lettuce quality improvement and sheds light on the domestication and evolution of this important leafy green. Significance Statement: We investigate natural variation of 77 primary metabolites among 189 diverse lettuce accessions and find large difference between wild lettuce L. serriola and L. sativa at the metabolic level, which is consistent with the demographic model of lettuce. 154 genome‐wide loci significantly associated with the level of 51 primary metabolites are identified and three genes (LsGol2, LsHCT and LsC'3H) which are potential target of domestication and responsible for metabolic variation are further dissected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the correlation between leukoaraiosis (LA) and falls, to determine the risk factors for falls in patients with LA, and to detect specific white matter tracts are associated with the falls by using the diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DTI) screen.Methods: For the elderly patients with LA, we collected demographic information and scores for the Tinetti Balance and Gait Scale, Berg Balance Scale, Timed up-and-go test, and Cognitive, Emotional, Sleep-related Scale. All the patients underwent DTI scanning and were followed up for 1 year.Results: Ninety-four individuals were prospectively enrolled. After multivariable analyses, age, history of falls in the past year, antidepressants usage, and LA-Fazekas grade were reported to be risk factors for falls. In patients with severe LA, the fall incidence was higher than in those with mild LA. Tract-Based Spatial Statistics showed that fractional anisotropy values of the corpus callosum, cingulate gyrus, anterior limb of internal capsule, cerebral peduncle, anterior corona, and fronto-occipital fasciculus were significantly reduced in the patients who fell. The body of the corpus callosum and anterior corona radiate were significantly related to balance and gait function.Conclusions: Our findings indicated that age, history of falls in the past year, antidepressants usage, and LA-Fazekas grade were risk factors for falls in elderly patients with LA. Leukoaraiosis was relevant for falls, but LA severity had a threshold effect with falls. The loss of integrity of some white matter tracts might influence balance and gait function. The DTI had preeminent clinical application prospects for identifying fall risk in patients with LA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of cyclodextrin‐derived room temperature macromolecular ionic liquids carrying rather low glass transition temperatures of −20 to −40 °C are synthesized via sequential esterification, quaternization, and anion metathesis reactions. In addition to being ionic in nature, they are viscous liquids at room temperature with more fluidic behavior at elevated temperatures. They serve as a solvent for organic dyes or iodine separation via a liquid–liquid extraction approach. This strategy is useful for the development of various sugar (macro)molecule‐based functional ionic liquids as well as macromolecular ionic liquids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase‐change materials (PCMs) have been widely investigated as candidates for thermal energy storage and solar thermal energy conversion. However, low thermal conductivity and poor shape stability during phase transition processes are detrimental to their practical applications. In this study, we designed composite PCMs based on carbon foam (CF) via the vacuum impregnation method to overcome these problems. CF with 3D interconnected microporous structures and good compressive strength was fabricated from phenolic resin (PF) using a combined process of carbonization and sacrificial template techniques. The developer material is considered a promising support material for PCMs. The as‐prepared polyethylene glycol/CF composite (PCC) exhibited a high energy‐storage density with a melting enthalpy of 135.7 J/g, and the thermal conductivity was enhanced by 109.8% compared to that of pure polyethylene glycol. In addition, the PCC showed excellent thermal stability and leakage‐proof performance after 100 heating/cooling cycles and good compressive strength. Because of the simple preparation process and low cost, PCC is a promising material for various thermal energy storage applications, especially in building energy storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grid-connected power converters that integrate frequency support and inertia emulation functionalities have emerged in the last years. These features are promising for renewable energy-based power generation plants, as it permits such systems to contribute to enhance the power system stability. This paper discusses about three different active power control solutions that can be applied to grid-connected converters equipped with a synchronous power controller. For each solution, the detailed analytical relationship between the control parameters and the power loop dynamics is illustrated, and the local stability and dynamics are analyzed. The analysis and validation of frequency support functionalities are particularly addressed in this study, where the results obtained in a 10-kW experiment endorse the analysis; finally permitting to conclude that the synchronous power control offers good performance in terms of inertial response and droop characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discuss the limitation of metallic wire structures as absorbers of high intensity electromagnetic radiation due to the large local electrical fields developed at junctions and free ends of the wires. We find that at resonance the breakdown external electric field applied to the body of the wire structure is smaller by several orders of magnitude than the dielectric breakdown field induced at the ends of the wire. We consider the double split ring structure and find that it can offer an enhancement of the Ohmic power absorbed by an order of magnitude over those of single component systems. For multiple connected wire structures we find classes of resonant modes with zero local fields at the junctions but the fields at the free wire ends remain finite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We generalize Kirchoff’s law for multiply connected wire networks to finite frequencies. We focus on the boundary conditions not present in the conventional Kirchoff’s law at joints when more than three wires come together, which is absent in our previous “circuit theory” for the finite frequency properties of metallic wire networks for singly connected structures. These boundary conditions at the joints involve introducing localized boundary electric fields, in addition to the electric fields of inductive and capacitive origins. The boundary fields act as natural “Lagrange multipliers” for imposing the boundary conditions on the circuit currents. In this way the number of equations is the same as the number of unknowns. The eigenmodes determine not only the circuit current and charge profiles, but also the boundary electric fields which supplement such profiles. The application to T- and H-shape metallic wire networks suggests that the basic types of resonances are mainly controlled by the symmetry and the wire dimensions of the networks. The low frequency modes form along the longest connected paths of the wire network while the high frequency modes can be generated via succeedingly adding more nodes along these various wire paths. The characteristic behavior of the electric and magnetic responses can be inferred from the circuit current profile of a given mode, which offers a simple physical picture on circuit design with particular electromagnetic parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Charged cyclic polymers, e.g. cyclic DNAs and polypeptides, play enabling roles in organisms, but their synthesis was challenging due to the well-known "polyelectrolyte effect". To tackle the challenge, we developed a templated method to synthesize a library of imidazolium and pyridinium based cyclic poly(ionic liquid)s. Cyclic templates, cyclic polyimidazole and poly(2-pyridine), were synthesized first through ring-closure method by light-induced Diels−Alder click reaction. Through quaternization of cyclic templates followed by anion metathesis, the cyclic poly(ionic liquid)s were synthesized, which paired with varied counter anions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Carbonization corn cobs were a perfect carrier matrix to form shape stabilized PCMs. • Carbonization corn cobs exhibit a highly porous structure comprising rough micropores. • Latent heat, stability, and thermal properties of PCMs were excellent. • The thermal conductivity of LA-SA/CNCC was 87.5% greater than that of LA-SA. Abstract In this study, novel form-stable composite phase change materials (FS-CPCMs) were prepared by the incorporation of a eutectic mixture of lauric-stearic acid (LA-SA) into carbonization corn cob (CNCC). CNCC served as a good supporting material that not only prevented the leakage of LA-SA but also enhanced its thermal conductivity. Scanning electron microscopy results demonstrated that CNCC exhibits a highly porous structure comprising rough micropores. The retention of 77.9 wt% of LA-SA in CNCC without leakage was observed. Differential scanning calorimetry results revealed that LA-SA/CNCC FS-CPCMs melt at 35.1 °C with a latent heat of 148.3 J/g and solidify at 29.7 °C with a latent heat of 144.2 J/g. The thermal conductivity of LA-SA/CNCC FS-CPCMs was approximately 87.5% greater than that of LA-SA. Thermogravimetric analysis and 200-cycle experiments indicated that the LA-SA/CNCC FS-CPCMs exhibit excellent thermal stability and form-stable performance. Therefore, the as-prepared LA-SA/CNCC FS-CPCMs demonstrate promise for building energy-efficiency applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Water-soluble prodrugs of propofol often carry an excess of propofol at the effective dose and have a slower onset of action. Sustained release of the original drug can result in propofol accumulation in the body after administration, causing delays in wakefulness. This situation causes the prodrug to lose the benefits of rapid onset and recovery from the effects of propofol. In the present study, HX0921 (sodium 2-(2-(2,6-diisopropylphenoxy)-2-oxoethoxy)acetate), an improved prodrug of propofol with high utilization of propofol and fast onset of action, was studied. The rate of propofol release from HX0921 was much faster than that from fospropofol (a marketed propofol prodrug) in rat plasma. The 50% effective dose (ED 50) of propofol, HX0921 and fospropofol to induce anesthesia in rats was 5.78, 22.19 and 42.44 mg/kg, respectively. After administration at 2 × ED 50 , the onset time of anesthesia in the HX0921 group was significantly shorter than that in the fospropofol group (0.26 ± 0.15 min vs. 2.24 ± 0.35 min, P < 0.01) and the duration of anesthesia in the HX0921 group was also significantly shorter than that in the fospropofol group (22.35 ± 4.05 min vs. 29.15 ± 5.25 min, P < 0.01). These results suggest that the rapid onset and short action time of HX0921 was due to the rapid release and high molecular utilization of propofol carried by HX0921. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The properties of three D1-π-D2-A dyes with dithiafulvenyl as donor (D1), phenothiazine as ancillary donor (D2), cyanoacrylic acid as acceptor along with different π groups, diphenyl for 1 , dithienyl for 2 , and thiopheneyl-benzothiadiazole for 3 , are studied. Besides the isolated dyes, the monomeric and dimeric adsorptions are also studied by combination of first principle and molecular dynamic simulations. There is no distinct difference among three dyes on the basis of only isolated dyes. When the dye-TiO 2 adsorption is considered, 3 is excluded because of its inferior items. However, it is still a difficult task to differentiate 1 and 2 even if the aggregation effect is included. The fluctuation of 1 is larger than that of 2 during the dynamic simulation resulting in the larger electronic coupling. The aggregation, especially for the aggregation during the dynamic simulation, is necessary to evaluate the performance of organic dye. Additionally, a new D-π-A dye 4 with the identical donor, π-bridge and acceptor is designed to compare with 2. 2 is totally superior to 4 indicating that suitable groups and appropriate configuration are both important to enhance the performance of organic dye. Graphical abstract fx1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aggregation is inevitable for the organic dyes, and it is difficult to evaluate its effects due to its complexity. Herein, we combine first principles and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to explore the influence of aggregation on the optical and electronic properties for THI-BTZ-2T-C . If only the static properties are considered, the configuration of dye is not varied greatly when the adsorbed dyes are increased from monomer to hexamer. However, the absorption spectrum varies regularly with the increased aggregation order. In addition, the contribution of different orbitals of various atoms to density of states (DOS) gradually increases with the aggregation order increasing. When dynamics simulation is performed, the torsion between different components of dye is enlarged. Meanwhile, the perpendicular model is altered during the dynamics simulations, the dye would like to bend towards the TiO 2 surface. Moreover, the electronic coupling is greatly improved during the molecular dynamics simulations especially for the H-aggregation. The dye aggregation mainly affects the electrons injection process resulting in the reduction of the photoelectric conversion efficiency for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Reduction of perfect face to face stacking would be an efficient pathway to weaken the aggregation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Das Gebiet poröser Polyelektrolyte hat im letzten Jahrzehnt eine rasante Entwicklung genommen. Das Interesse richtet sich zurzeit auf die Synthese dieser Materialien und ihre Anwendung in der Umwelt‐, Energie‐, Biomedizin‐ und Katalysetechnik. Für poröse Polyelektrolyte stehen verschiedene funktionelle organische Gruppen und Verarbeitungstechniken zur Auswahl, attraktiv macht diese Materialien jedoch vor allem das Zusammenspiel zwischen Ladung und Porenabmessungen in verschiedenen Längenbereichen, von einzelnen Polyelektrolytgerüsten bis hin zu ihren Nano‐/Mikroüberstrukturen. Dieser Aufsatz beschäftigt sich mit neuen Entwicklungen bei porösen Polyelektrolyten und schließt Membranen, Partikel, Gerüste, Pulver sowie Harze mit großer spezifischer Oberfläche sowie deren Derivate ein. Er konzentriert sich dabei auf das Zusammenspiel zwischen Oberflächenchemie, Coulomb‐Wechselwirkungen und Porenbeschränkung, was für die Chemie und Physik dieser Materialien bei Anwendungen auf den Gebieten der Energieumwandlung, Molekültrennung, Wasseraufbereitung, Sensortechnik/Aktuation, Katalyse, Gewebezüchtung und Nanomedizin relevant ist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The past decade has witnessed rapid advances in porous polyelectrolytes and there is tremendous interest in their synthesis as well as their applications in environmental, energy, biomedicine, and catalysis technologies. Research on porous polyelectrolytes is motivated by the flexible choice of functional organic groups and processing technologies as well as the synergy of the charge and pores spanning length scales from individual polyelectrolyte backbones to their nano‐/micro‐superstructures. This Review surveys recent progress in porous polyelectrolytes including membranes, particles, scaffolds, and high surface area powders/resins as well as their derivatives. The focus is the interplay between surface chemistry, Columbic interaction, and pore confinement that defines new chemistry and physics in such materials for applications in energy conversion, molecular separation, water purification, sensing/actuation, catalysis, tissue engineering, and nanomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new indoline-based D-A-π-A dyes, D3F and D3F2 (see Scheme 1), are developed on the basis of the reported D3 by insertion of one or two F atoms on benzothiadiazole group. Our central aim is to explore high-efficiency organic dyes applied in dye-sensitized solar cells by inclusion of a simple group rather than by employment of new complicated groups. The performance of two new designed organic dyes, D3F and D3F2 , is compared with that of D3 from various aspects including absorption spectrum, light harvesting efficiency, driving force, and open-circuit voltage. Besides the isolated dye, the interfacial property between dye and TiO 2 surface is studied. D3F and D3F2 do not show absolute superiority than D3 not only for the isolated dyes but also for the monomeric adsorption system. However, D3F and D3F2 would effectively reduce the influence of aggregation resulting in the much smaller intermolecular electronic coupling. Although the aggregation has attracted much attention recently, it is studied alone in most of studies. To comprehensively evaluate the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells, it is necessary to consider aggregation along with electron injection time from dye into TiO 2 rather than only static items, such as, band gap and absorption region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, a novel form-stable composite Phase change material (PCM) of Stearic Acid (SA)/Carbonized sunflower straw (CSS) was prepared by vacuum impregnation method. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to measure the chemical compatibility of SA/CSS. The thermal properties and thermal stability were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) techniques. The results show that the SA/CSS melted at 66.4 °C with the latent heat of 186.1 J/g and freezed at 65.9 °C with the latent heat of 186.7 J/g and the composite PCM have a good thermal reliability above its working temperature. Moreover, the thermal conductivity of SA/CSS was 0.33 W/m/K which was 106.3% higher than that of SA. All results indicated that SA/CSS have suitable thermal properties used as thermal energy storage applications such as solar heat energy storage system and energy conservation buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four A-D-A-D-A organic dyes with different auxiliary acceptor or donor groups have been theoretically investigated by first principle as potential photosensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells. Judging from the isolated dyes, 2PZ-SP with diphenyl-substituted pyrido[3,4-b]pyrazine-2,5-thiophene as auxiliary acceptor is not suitable to be taken as organic dye in DSSCs because of the inappropriate electron density distribution. However, it is difficult to distinguish the performance of other three dyes since no one has all superiorities. After the dye is adsorbed on TiO 2 surface, the deviation between LUMO energy level of dye and conduction band of TiO 2 (101) surface is further enlarged, which is favorable for the electron injection. Moreover, 2PZ-PP stands out because of the smallest H-L energy gap and the shortest injection time. Finally, a new D-π-A dye with the identical donor, π group, and acceptor groups is designed to compare with 2PZ-BT . It is found that 2PZ-BT has the absolute advantage to be potential dye for DSSCs. Besides the suitable groups, the appropriate configuration is more critical aspect to determine the performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the curve cone of an almost complex 4-manifold which is tamed by a symplectic form. In particular, we prove the cone theorem as in Mori theory for all such manifolds using the Seiberg-Witten theory. For small rational surfaces and minimal ruled surfaces, we study the configuration of negative curves. We define abstract configuration of negative curves, which records the homological and intersection information of curves. Combinatorial blowdown is the main tool to study these configurations. As an application of our investigation of the curve cone, we prove the Nakai-Moishezon type duality for all almost Kähler structures on [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SiO, TiO, and SiO-TiO binary oxides supported Cu-ZnO catalysts prepared by co-precipitation method were compared in the hydrogenation of ethyl acetate (EA) to ethanol (EtOH), and it shows the SiO-TiO binary oxides supported Cu-ZnO catalyst has a larger catalytic activity over the unitary SiO or TiO supported ones. Comprehensive characterizations by N adsorption, X-ray diffraction, H-temperature programmed reduction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray induced Auger electron spectroscopy reveal that Cu-ZnO/SiO-TiO catalyst has an appropriate Cu/Cu molar ratio of about 1 with highly dispersed copper species and strong metal-support interaction. Furthermore, the electron transfer from TiO to copper species can accelerate the activation of C=O and improve the catalytic performance. Under the optimized reaction conditions of P = 2.0 MPa, T = 523 K, WHSV = 0.5 h, and n(H)/n(EA) = 20, the conversion of EA was up to 96% with EtOH selectivity of 99.5%. Graphical Abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

4-Methyl-1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazolium triiodide ionic liquid and its polymer poly(4-methyl-1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazolium) triiodide were prepared for the first time from their iodide precursors via the reaction of iodide (I − ) with elemental iodine (I 2 ). The change from iodide to triiodide (I 3 − ) was found to introduce particular variations in the physical properties of these two compounds, including lower melting point/glass transition temperature and altered solubility. The compounds were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, and their electrochemical properties examined in solution and in the solid-state. Compared with their iodide analogues, the triiodide salts exhibited lower electrical impedance and higher current in the cyclic voltammetry. We found that poly(4-methyl-1,2,4-triazolium triiodide) was proven to be a promising solid polymer electrolyte candidate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy pile is a novel ground heat exchanger for ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems. Prediction of the energy pile outlet water temperature is essential for the efficient operation of GSHP systems. In this study, by establishing a convolutional neural network (CNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM) hybrid model (CNN-LSTM), the spatial-temporal feature of the soil temperature field (STF) was creatively considered to predict the outlet water temperature. The inlet and outlet water temperatures and the surrounding STF data of the energy pile were obtained through finite element simulation and used as the model training datasets. By building the CNN-LSTM model, the spatial-temporal features in datasets could be extracted, leading to more accurate prediction results than other benchmark models. For instance, the excellent prediction accuracy of CNN-LSTM is reflected by an average R2 value of 96.252%, which is higher than the values of the LSTM, CNN, ANN, and SimpleRNN models by 2.326%, 3.527%, 4.585%, and 5.755%, respectively. Furthermore, the influence of different STF datasets on the prediction accuracy was investigated. The corresponding dataset acquisition method based on the optimized sensor arrangement scheme was proposed, which can improve the information extraction performance of the CNN-LSTM model. • A CNN-LSTM model considering spatial-temporal features of datasets was established. • The soil temperature field data was creatively included in datasets. • The influence of spatial features on prediction accuracy was studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous electrolytes typically suffer from poor electrochemical stability; however, eutectic aqueous solutions—25 wt.% LiCl and 62 wt.% H3PO4—cooled to −78 °C exhibit a significantly widened stability window. Integrated experimental and simulation results reveal that, upon cooling, Li+ ions become less hydrated and pair up with Cl−, ice‐like water clusters form, and H⋅⋅⋅Cl− bonding strengthens. Surprisingly, this low‐temperature solvation structure does not strengthen water molecules' O−H bond, bucking the conventional wisdom that increasing water's stability requires stiffening the O−H covalent bond. We propose a more general mechanism for water's low temperature inertness in the electrolyte: less favorable solvation of OH− and H+, the byproducts of hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions. To showcase this stability, we demonstrate an aqueous Li‐ion battery using LiMn2O4 cathode and CuSe anode with a high energy density of 109 Wh/kg. These results highlight the potential of aqueous batteries for polar and extraterrestrial missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous electrolytes typically suffer from poor electrochemical stability; however, eutectic aqueous solutions—25 wt.% LiCl and 62 wt.% H3PO4—cooled to −78 °C exhibit a significantly widened stability window. Integrated experimental and simulation results reveal that, upon cooling, Li+ ions become less hydrated and pair up with Cl−, ice‐like water clusters form, and H⋅⋅⋅Cl− bonding strengthens. Surprisingly, this low‐temperature solvation structure does not strengthen water molecules' O−H bond, bucking the conventional wisdom that increasing water's stability requires stiffening the O−H covalent bond. We propose a more general mechanism for water's low temperature inertness in the electrolyte: less favorable solvation of OH− and H+, the byproducts of hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions. To showcase this stability, we demonstrate an aqueous Li‐ion battery using LiMn2O4 cathode and CuSe anode with a high energy density of 109 Wh/kg. These results highlight the potential of aqueous batteries for polar and extraterrestrial missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We define the Kodaira dimension for 3-dimensional manifolds through Thurston's eight geometries, along with a classification in terms of this Kodaira dimension. We show this is compatible with other existing Kodaira dimensions and the partial order defined by non-zero degree maps. For higher dimensions, we explore the relations of geometric structures and mapping orders with various Kodaira dimensions and other invariants. Especially, we show that a closed geometric 4-manifold has nonvanishing Gromov norm if and only if it has geometry H 2 × H 2 , H 2 ( C ) or H 4 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi‐terminal dc (MTDC) grids are expected to be built and experience rapid expansion in the near future as they have emerged as a competitive solution for transmitting offshore wind generation and overlaying their ac counterpart. The concept of inertia sharing for the control and operation of MTDC grids, which can be achieved by the proposed unified reference controller. The control objectives of the MTDC grids voltage source converter (VSC) stations are no longer limited to the stabilisation of MTDC grid, instead, the requirements of ac side are also met. The interaction dynamics between the ac and dc grid is analysed to illustrate the proposed concept. In addition, the voltage source converter stations can work in different operation modes based on the proposed unified control structure, and can switch among the operation modes smoothly following the secondary control commands. Simulation results exhibit the merits and satisfactory performance of the proposed control strategy for stable MTDC grid operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work we studied covalently crosslinked poly(ionic liquid) nanoparticles synthesized via aqueous dispersion polymerization of 1,2,4-triazolium ionic liquid monomers in the presence of a dication crosslinker. Compared to their non-crosslinked counterparts, the nanoparticles showed improved structural integrity in organic media. Assisted by cryogenic electron microscopy, these nanoparticles were analyzed in detail and found to present vastly diverse shapes and highly ordered inner mesostructures. Upon altering the length of the alkyl substituents on the triazolium cation from dodecyl to tetradecyl and hexadecyl, a shape transformation from elongated “nanoworms” to a mixture of “onion-like” and “wasp-like” nanoparticles was observed. Additionally, the size variation of these colloidal nanoparticles was investigated systematically by polymerizations at different concentrations of monomer, external added salt and crosslinking agent. Finally, the crosslinked poly(ionic liquid) nanoparticles were able to readily disperse multi-walled carbon nanotubes in water and organic media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat shock factors (HSFs) are critical regulators of spermatogenesis. However, heat shock responses, the associated components and the underlying functional mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Here, we characterize the expression pattern of HSFY, a member of the HSF family in the testis and epididymis. Its expression in testis and epididymis was initially identified by western blots. Immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that HSFY was confined to the cytoplasm of late spermatocytes and spermatids in adult testes, gonocytes in newborn testes and undifferentiated spermatogonia in 7 days post-parturition testes. In the epididymis, HSFY was predominantly expressed in principal cells. Furthermore, a single transient scrotal heat stress did not change HSFY protein expression in the testes or epididymis, either on the expressional level or in cellular localization. In summary, this study detected the expression pattern of HSFY in the testes and epididymis and demonstrated that its expression was not regulated by transient elevated temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, the tungsten oxide (WO 3 ) nanowires functionalized silicon nanowires (SiNWs) with cactus-like structure has been successfully synthesized for room-temperature NO 2 detection. The novel nanocomposite was fabricated by metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) and thermal annealing of tungsten film. The WO 3 nanowires were evenly distributed from the upper to the lower part of the SiNWs, indicating excellent uniformity which is conducive to adsorption and desorption of gas molecules. The gas-sensing properties have been examined by measuring the resistance change towards 0.25–5 ppm NO 2 gas. At room temperature, which is the optimum working temperature, the SiNWs/WO 3 nanowires composite showed two-times higher NO 2 response than that of the bare SiNWs at 2 ppm NO 2 . On the contrary, the responses of composite sensors to high concentrations of other reducing gases were very low, indicating excellent selectivity. Simultaneously, the composite sensors exhibited good sensing repeatability and stability. The enhancement in gas sensing properties may be attributed to the change in width of the space charge region, which is similar to the behavior of p-n junctions under forward bias, in the high-density p-n heterojunction structure formed between SiNWs and WO 3 nanowires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the synthesis of a series of poly(4-alkyl-1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazolium) poly(ionic liquid)s is reported either via straightforward free radical polymerization of their corresponding ionic liquid monomers or via anion metathesis of the polymer precursors bearing halide as counter anion. The ionic liquid monomers are first prepared via N-alkylation reaction of commercially available 1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole with alkyl iodides, followed by anion metathesis with targeted fluorinated anions. The thermal properties and solubilities of these poly(ionic liquid)s have been systematically investigated. Interestingly, it is found that the poly(4-ethyl-1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazolium) poly(ionic liquid) exhibited an improved loading capacity of transition metal ions in comparison with its imidazolium counterpart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]