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Microbial biodegradation serves as an effective approach to treat oil pollution. However, the application of such methods for the degrading long-chain alkanes still encounters significant challenges. Comparative proteomics has extensively studied the intracellular proteins of bacteria that degrade short- and medium-chain alkanes, but the role and mechanism of extracellular proteins in many microorganism remain unclear. To enhance our understanding of the roles of extracellular proteins in the adaptation to long-chain alkanes, a label-free LC–MS/MS strategy was applied for the relative quantification of extracellular proteins of Pseudomonas aeruginosa SJTD-1-M (ProteomeXchange identifier PXD014638). 444 alkane-sentitive proteins were acquired and their cell localization analysis was performed using the Pseudomonas Genome Database. Among them, 111 proteins were found to be located in extracellular or Outer Membrane Vesicles (OMVs). The alkane-induced abundance of 11 extracellular or OMV target proteins was confirmed by parallel reaction monitoring (PRM). Furthermore, we observed that the expression levels of three proteins (Pra, PA2815, and FliC) were associated with the carbon chain length of the added alkane in the culture medium. The roles of these proteins in cell mobility, alkane emulsification, assimilation, and degradation were further discussed. OMVs were found to contain a number of enzymes involved in alkane metabolism, fatty acid beta-oxidation, and the TCA cycle, suggesting their potential as sites for facilitated alkane degradation. In this sense, this exoproteome analysis contributes to a better understanding of the role of extracellular proteins in the hydrocarbon treatment process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitride perovskite LaWN3 has been predicted to be a promising ferroelectric material with unique properties for diverse applications. However, due to the challenging sample preparation at ambient pressure, the crystal structure of this nitride remains unsolved, which results in many ambiguities in its properties. Here, the authors report a comprehensive study of LaWN3 based on high‐quality samples synthesized by a high‐pressure method, leading to a definitive resolution of its crystal structure involving nitrogen deficiency. Combined with theoretical calculations, these results show that LaWN3 adopts an orthorhombic Pna21 structure with a polar symmetry, possessing a unique atomic polarization along the c‐axis. The associated atomic polar distortions in LaWN3 are driven by covalent hybridization of W: 5d and N: 2p orbitals, opening a direct bandgap that explains its semiconducting behaviors. The structural stability and electronic properties of this nitride are also revealed to be closely associated with its nitrogen deficiency. The success in unraveling the structural and electronic ambiguities of LaWN3 would provide important insights into the structures and properties of the family of nitride perovskites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium‐metal batteries, with high energy density and low cost, are emerging stars in the field of large‐scale energy storage and power batteries. The application of sodium metal is hindered by side reactions between the active sodium metal anode and the electrolyte, unstable solid electrolyte interphase, and dendrite growth caused by the uneven distribution of sodium ions. Here, heterogeneous interface layer composed of the sodium fluoride and metallic cobalt (NaF/Co) is constructed in situ and spontaneously by introducing the CoF2 nanoparticles confined in carbon to the Na metal surface. The NaF/Co artificial interface layer with high Young's modulus, high Na+ conductivity, high surface energy, and strong sodiophilicity renders the Na+ evenly distributed, suppresses Na‐dendrite growth, and reduces side reaction with electrolyte. Due to these virtues, the Na||Na symmetric cells with NaF/Co interface layers demonstrate long cycle life (1000 h at 1.0 mA cm−2, 1.0 mAh cm−2). Moreover, when the NaF/Co/Na anode is matched with Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode, the produced full battery (Na3V2(PO4)3||NaF/Co/Na) exhibits a long lifespan of 1000 cycles at 15 C and a high‐rate capacity of ≈52 mAh g−1 at 60 C. This work provides a new strategy to solve the dendrite growth of Na metal anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Aztreonam/avibactam is effective against serious infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria including Enterobacterales harboring metallo-β-lactamases. While the utility of this combination has been established in vitro and in clinical trials, the purpose of this study is to enhance our understanding of the underlying mechanism responsible for their activities through metabolomic profiling of a multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli clinical isolate.Metabolomic analyses of time-dependent changes in endogenous bacterial metabolites in a clinical isolate of a multidrug-resistant E. coli treated with aztreonam and avibactam were performed. E. coli metabolomes were compared at 15 min, 1 h and 24 h following treatments with either avibactam (4 mg/L), aztreonam (4 mg/L), or aztreonam (4 mg/L) + avibactam (4 mg/L).Drug treatment affected 326 metabolites with magnitude changes of at least 2-fold, most of which are involved primarily in peptidoglycan biosynthesis, nucleotide metabolism, and lipid metabolism. The feedstocks for peptidoglycan synthesis were depleted by aztreonam/avibactam combination; a significant downstream increase in nucleotide metabolites and a release of lipids were observed at the three timepoints.The findings indicate that the aztreonam/avibactam combination accelerates structural damage to the bacterial membrane structure and their actions were immediate and sustained compared to aztreonam or avibactam alone. By inhibiting the production of crucial cell wall precursors, the combination may have inflicted damages on bacterial DNA.Methods: Aztreonam/avibactam is effective against serious infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria including Enterobacterales harboring metallo-β-lactamases. While the utility of this combination has been established in vitro and in clinical trials, the purpose of this study is to enhance our understanding of the underlying mechanism responsible for their activities through metabolomic profiling of a multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli clinical isolate.Metabolomic analyses of time-dependent changes in endogenous bacterial metabolites in a clinical isolate of a multidrug-resistant E. coli treated with aztreonam and avibactam were performed. E. coli metabolomes were compared at 15 min, 1 h and 24 h following treatments with either avibactam (4 mg/L), aztreonam (4 mg/L), or aztreonam (4 mg/L) + avibactam (4 mg/L).Drug treatment affected 326 metabolites with magnitude changes of at least 2-fold, most of which are involved primarily in peptidoglycan biosynthesis, nucleotide metabolism, and lipid metabolism. The feedstocks for peptidoglycan synthesis were depleted by aztreonam/avibactam combination; a significant downstream increase in nucleotide metabolites and a release of lipids were observed at the three timepoints.The findings indicate that the aztreonam/avibactam combination accelerates structural damage to the bacterial membrane structure and their actions were immediate and sustained compared to aztreonam or avibactam alone. By inhibiting the production of crucial cell wall precursors, the combination may have inflicted damages on bacterial DNA.Results: Aztreonam/avibactam is effective against serious infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria including Enterobacterales harboring metallo-β-lactamases. While the utility of this combination has been established in vitro and in clinical trials, the purpose of this study is to enhance our understanding of the underlying mechanism responsible for their activities through metabolomic profiling of a multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli clinical isolate.Metabolomic analyses of time-dependent changes in endogenous bacterial metabolites in a clinical isolate of a multidrug-resistant E. coli treated with aztreonam and avibactam were performed. E. coli metabolomes were compared at 15 min, 1 h and 24 h following treatments with either avibactam (4 mg/L), aztreonam (4 mg/L), or aztreonam (4 mg/L) + avibactam (4 mg/L).Drug treatment affected 326 metabolites with magnitude changes of at least 2-fold, most of which are involved primarily in peptidoglycan biosynthesis, nucleotide metabolism, and lipid metabolism. The feedstocks for peptidoglycan synthesis were depleted by aztreonam/avibactam combination; a significant downstream increase in nucleotide metabolites and a release of lipids were observed at the three timepoints.The findings indicate that the aztreonam/avibactam combination accelerates structural damage to the bacterial membrane structure and their actions were immediate and sustained compared to aztreonam or avibactam alone. By inhibiting the production of crucial cell wall precursors, the combination may have inflicted damages on bacterial DNA.Conclusion: Aztreonam/avibactam is effective against serious infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria including Enterobacterales harboring metallo-β-lactamases. While the utility of this combination has been established in vitro and in clinical trials, the purpose of this study is to enhance our understanding of the underlying mechanism responsible for their activities through metabolomic profiling of a multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli clinical isolate.Metabolomic analyses of time-dependent changes in endogenous bacterial metabolites in a clinical isolate of a multidrug-resistant E. coli treated with aztreonam and avibactam were performed. E. coli metabolomes were compared at 15 min, 1 h and 24 h following treatments with either avibactam (4 mg/L), aztreonam (4 mg/L), or aztreonam (4 mg/L) + avibactam (4 mg/L).Drug treatment affected 326 metabolites with magnitude changes of at least 2-fold, most of which are involved primarily in peptidoglycan biosynthesis, nucleotide metabolism, and lipid metabolism. The feedstocks for peptidoglycan synthesis were depleted by aztreonam/avibactam combination; a significant downstream increase in nucleotide metabolites and a release of lipids were observed at the three timepoints.The findings indicate that the aztreonam/avibactam combination accelerates structural damage to the bacterial membrane structure and their actions were immediate and sustained compared to aztreonam or avibactam alone. By inhibiting the production of crucial cell wall precursors, the combination may have inflicted damages on bacterial DNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motion planning is a core issuein the field of robotic control, which directly affects the programming efficiency of robots. In this article, we study the motion planning problem of manipulators for simultaneous obstacle avoidance and target tracking, and propose a novel real-time planning method in a complex workspace. One important feature of the proposed method is that the robot can avoid colliding with obstacles by easily defining “virtual fences,” which are described by a group of level set functions. Thus, the feasible space can be abstracted as inequality constraints. Taking the predefined task, physical constraints, and feasible space constraints into consideration, the motion planning problem is formulated into a quadratic programming (QP) one, in which the redundant degrees of freedom are used to optimize the velocities of the robot. Then, the control command is obtained by an established recurrent neural network, which is capable of solving the QP problem in an online manner. Theoretical conduction and verification in several typical workspaces demonstrate the efficacy of the established method, such as the abilityto remove physical fences, quick rearrangement, and performance optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For metastable β Ti alloys, it still remains a key challenge to enhance their limited yield strength (YS) while retaining good strain hardenability and ductility. Here we report a new strategy to evade this trade-off dilemma via introducing an uncommon hierarchical structure with the assistance of spinodal structures. The new Ti–11Mo–2V alloy exhibits high YS (693 MPa), high ultimate tensile strength (857 MPa) and large total elongation (31.8 %). Such excellent strength-ductility synergy originates from successive activation of multiple deformation mechanisms, including primary {332}<113> twins, secondary martensite and secondary {112}<111> twins. Importantly, the stress-induced secondary martensite is the desirable α′ martensite rather than the common α'' martensite. Spinodal decomposition in parent β grains is expected to facilitate the unusual hierarchical structure where primary {332}<113> twins ensure high YS while secondary α′ martensite and {112}<111> twins result in excellent strain hardening ability. • The new alloy exhibits high yield strength while retaining large ductility. • An uncommon hierarchical structure, including primary {332}<113> twins and secondary α′ martensite, is created. • The products of SIMT are the unusual α′ martensite due to the assistance of spinodal decomposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart technologies bring innovation to the life and sports arena. To adapt to diverse play styles and improve unconventional technique of table tennis players, a smart table tennis racket with tunable stiffness based on anisotropic electrorheological elastomers (EREs) is developed. The EREs are prepared in the designed mold under the electric field to form an anisotropic structure that consisted of electrorheological particles and facilitated the generation of interparticle saturation surface polarization and the local electric field. Therefore, the electrorheological property of anisotropic EREs is significantly promoted, attaining a relative electrorheological effect of 17 160% in shear mode, and the incremental shear storage and compression modulus of 5.2 and 6.4 MPa. By applying an electric field, the smart racket successfully changes the trajectory of balls, reduced ejection angle by 11% and increased ejection velocity by 2%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐speed steel usually uses very slow cooling rates for complete annealing to guarantee good ductility at the expense of sacrificing the production efficiency. Herein, the aim is to probe the full potential of elevating cooling rates in simultaneous enhancement of ductility and efficiency. The results show that higher cooling rates produce finer ferrite grains and larger‐fractioned eutectoid carbides, which evolve from granular M6C to rod‐shaped M23C6. The precipitate evolution originates from a transition of eutectoid transformation mechanism from a divorced mode to a lamellar manner due to upgraded undercoolings. Granular carbides display an excellent strain‐hardening ability compared with the rod‐shaped counterparts. Highly dispersive granular precipitates and fine ferrite grains formed under appropriate cooling conditions may contribute to larger work hardening rates and higher ductility. For the investigated M42 steel, cooling rates in the range of 2–5 °C min−1 can enhance the annealing efficiency while promising good ductility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the common and severe microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus (DM). The occurrence and development of DN are related to multiple factors in the human body, which makes DN a complex disease, and the pathogeneses of DN have not yet been fully illustrated. Furthermore, DN lacks effective drugs for treatment nowadays. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) often shows the feature of multicomponents, multitargets, multipathways, and synergistic effects and shows a promising source of new therapeutic drugs for DN. As a CHM, Tangshen Formula (TSF) was used to treat DN patients in China. However, its bioactive compounds and holistic pharmacological mechanisms on DN are both unclear. A network pharmacology approach was firstly applied to explore multiple active compounds and multiple key pharmacological mechanisms for TSF treating DN by drug-targeted interaction databases, herb-compound-target network, protein-protein interaction network, compound-target-pathway network, and analysis methods. And the results showed that TSF have the characteristic of multicomponents, multitargets, multipathways, and synergistic effects for treating DN. The quercetin, naringenin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin as key active compounds and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), focal adhesion, rap1 signaling pathway, T cell receptor signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, and insulin resistance as the key molecular mechanisms play important roles in TSF treating DN. Moreover, quercetin, naringenin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin were successfully detected in TSF by the UHPLC-MS/MS analysis method. And their concentrations were 0.224, 8.295, 0.0564, and 0.0879 mg·kg-1, respectively. The present findings not only provide new insights for a deeper understanding of the constituent basis and pharmacology of TSF but also provide guidance for further pharmacological studies on TSF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternative splicing is an important basic mechanism for eukaryotes to control gene expression. Different forms of alternative splicing may lead to the production of protein subtypes with different functions, leading to the expansion of protein diversity in organisms, affecting cell production and metabolism, and is even related to the occurrence of many diseases. Many studies have shown that ferritin is usually associated with inflammation, vascular proliferation, and tumors, which is the focus of immunological research. It not only plays a role in iron metabolism and storage in the body, but also plays an important regulatory role in pathways related to immune and inflammatory regulation. However, there are few studies on alternative splicing events of the ferritin gene nowadays. Therefore, this study identified three different splicing isoforms in its ferritin gene fthl27 of Miichthys miiuy through Sanger sequencing, qRT-PCR, and other experimental techniques, and we found that three different splicing isoforms of the ferritin gene fthl27 in M. Miiuy cells showed an upregulation trend after being stimulated by Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and poly (I: C). The experiment also found that the three isoforms may have different regulatory effects on the expression of inflammatory factors and antiviral immune factors, playing an important role in the innate immune response of fish. • Three alternative splicing isoforms of the fthl27 gene were identified in miiuy croaker. • Three isoforms of fthl27 activate the expression of Inflammatory factor. • All three isoforms of fthl27 may be involved in innate immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Phenotype of Tph17 cells is activated and proliferative in psoriasis vulgaris. • Tph17 cells and plasma CXCL13 could be biomarkers for evaluating the severity of psoriasis vulgaris. • Tph17 cells and the CXCL13/CXCR5 axis might represent new immunotherapeutic targets for psoriasis vulgaris. Recently, a new subgroup of T cells, named peripheral helper T (Tph) cells, has been implicated in autoimmune pathogenesis. An imbalance of Tph cell subsets influences the severity of immune-related diseases. However, the characteristics and roles of Tph cell subsets in psoriasis remain unknown. Programmed cell death 1-positive, chemokine C-X-C receptor (CXCR) 5-negative Tph cells can be divided into 3 subgroups based on differential expression of chemokine CXCR3 and chemokine C-C receptor (CCR) 6. CXCR3+CCR6− Tph cells are classified as Tph1, CXCR3−CCR6− Tph cells are classified as Tph2, and CXCR3−CCR6+ Tph cells are classified as Tph17. In this study, conditions of circulating Tph cell subsets and CD4+CXCR5+ follicular helper T (Tfh) cells in 27 patients with psoriasis and 13 healthy individuals were detected by flow cytometry. The level of plasma chemokine C-X-C ligand (CXCL) 13 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The correlations between the above indexes and disease severity were explored. In the peripheral blood of patients with psoriasis, Tph17 cells had an activated, proliferative phenotype; the quantity of the cells correlated with disease severity. Plasma CXCL13 levels were elevated in psoriasis and associated with disease severity and the frequency of Tph17 cells. CD4+CXCR5+ Tfh cells were increased in patients and positively correlated with disease severity, the frequency of Tph17 cells, and plasma CXCL13 levels. Our results suggest that Tph17 cells and the CXCL13/CXCR5 axis may be involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis and represent new immunotherapeutic targets for treating psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium–selenium (K‐Se) batteries have attracted increasing attention for their potential as stationary energy storage systems due to their high theoretical energy density and low cost. The major challenges of these batteries are the low utilization of active selenium, sluggish kinetics, and the volume change during cycling. Herein, a N and O dual‐doped porous carbon nanocage anchored with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) (denoted as NO‐nanocage/CNT) is designed as a host for Se. This material combines multiple advantages, such as abundant N/O active sites and excellent electrical conductivity, to realize highly efficient immobilization of Se and polyselenide and fast redox kinetics. The hollow carbon skeleton, with abundant micro and mesoporous structures, shortens the diffusion distances between the ions/electrons and accommodates the volume expansion of the active materials. Density functional theory calculations further confirm that the NO‐nanocage/CNT exhibits strong chemical affinity to K2Se, which is in agreement with the experimental results. The Se@NO‐nanocage/CNT cathode displays a remarkable reversible capacity (623 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1) and an ultra‐long cycle life (274 mAh g−1 after 3500 cycles at 1.0 A g−1). The design presented in this paper offers a new approach for the design of multifunctional Se hosts for advanced alkali metal‐chalcogen batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report experimental determination of compressibility and thermoelasticity for CrN based on in situ high pressure/high temperature synchrotron x-ray diffraction measurements. The pressure-induced cubic-to-orthorhombic phase transition is observed at ∼ 5 GPa in high-quality CrN samples synthesized using a high pressure reaction route. Equation of state, bulk modulus and axial compressibility of this material are obtained by analysis of high pressure x-ray diffraction data collected at room temperature. Both cubic and orthorhombic phases have a similar bulk modulus value of 257 (5) and 262 (6) GPa, respectively. For orthorhombic CrN, the b-axis has the most axial incompressibility, which should be associated with magnetic properties. In addition, the isothermal equation of states is also determined at different temperatures of 300, 400, 600, 800, 1000, and 1200 K, respectively. Some of the important thermoelastic properties of cubic CrN are thus derived, including temperature derivative of bulk modulus ∂ K T / ∂ T = − 2.95 (5) × 10 − 2 G P a ⋅ K − 1 and volumetric thermal expansivity a T ≈ a 0 + a 1 ⋅ T where a0 = 1.95 (16)×10−5 K−1 and a1 = 4.39 (3)×10−9 K−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of a large-volume high-pressure apparatus has led to the discovery of many new materials with exceptional properties for widespread applications such as superhard materials (e.g., diamonds). However, for most conventional devices, the pressure and temperature capabilities are often limited to 6 GPa and 2300 K, which severely impedes the study of materials at extended pressures and temperatures. In this work, we present experimental optimizations of the high-pressure cell assembly for cubic press with a focus on the improvement of its temperature capability, leading to a record temperature value of ∼4050 K and largely extended pressure conditions up to ∼10 GPa with a centimeter-sized sample volume. Pressures of the new assembly at high temperatures are investigated by the melting-point method, giving rise to a series of parallel isoforce loading lines associated with thermally induced pressure. For the first time, the high-pressure melting curve of tungsten carbide is determined up to 3800 K and 8 GPa, and single-crystal refractory materials of Mo, Ta, and WC are also grown using the optimized cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is a common malignancy of the digestive tract. MicroRNA (miR)-214 is considered a key hub that controls tumor networks; therefore, the effects of miR-214 on CRC were examined and its target gene was investigated in this study. The expression levels of transglutaminase 2 (TGM2) and miR-214 were detected in CRC and adjacent normal tissues by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blotting, and luciferase activity was analyzed by dual luciferase reporter analysis. In addition, cell viability, invasion and migration were measured by Cell Counting kit-8 and Transwell assays, respectively. The expression levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related proteins, and phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling-associated factors were detected using RT-qPCR and western blotting. The results demonstrated that miR-214 expression was downregulated in CRC tissue, whereas TGM2 expression was upregulated. According to TargetScan prediction, miR-214 possesses a binding site to TGM2. In addition, transfection with miR-214 mimics markedly suppressed the viability of LoVo cells. miR-214 overexpression also inhibited cell invasion and migration by increasing E-cadherin and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 expression, and decreasing matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 expression. Furthermore, miR-214 downregulated phosphorylation of PI3K and Akt; however, the expression levels of total PI3K and Akt were not affected by miR-214. In conclusion, this study indicated that TGM2 was a target gene of miR-214, and a negative correlation between miR-214 and TGM2 expression was determined in CRC. Notably, miR-214 markedly suppressed the viability, invasion and migration of CRC cells, which may be associated with a downregulation in PI3K/Akt signaling. These findings suggested that miR-214 may be considered a novel target for the treatment of CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human epidermal growth factor receptor mutation variant III ( EGFR VIII) is a cancer-specific cell surface oncogenic marker and has been observed to be widely involved in the formation, progression and metastasis of lung cancer and some other tumors. Previously, a massive quantity of EGFR VIII -binding peptides were enriched via random phage display (RPD) targeted against the protein. In this study, we reported rational discovery of 12-mer peptides with high affinity to EGFR VIII and strong selectivity for EGFR VIII over wild-type EGFR ( EGFR WT). A combinatorial peptide library was designed to target EGFR VIII based on over ten thousands of known EGFR VIII binders enriched from RPD analysis, and a virtual high-throughput screening protocol was then systematically performed against the library to derive those potential candidates, which were further examined rigorously at structural and energetic levels to identify few promising hits. Anisotropy binding assays were carried out to substantiate the computational findings. Consequently, eight 12-mer peptides were designed as effective binders that can target the EGFR VIII extracellular subdomain 3 (SD3). In particular, two potent peptides (T1: FLHRYEIVTSYF and T3: FLQKYEWNTSYW) were found to have a high affinity to EGFR VIII and a good selectivity for EGFR VIII over EGFR WT . Structural analysis revealed that the peptide-binding site can be divided into hydrophobic, polar and mixed regions, which correspond to the nonpolar N -terminal section, polar/charged middle section and hybrid C-terminal section of the peptide. The peptide selectivity originated from the middle section, which can form a different hydrogen bond network between the two proteins upon the mutating perturbation, whereas the N- and C-terminal sections are primarily responsible for the peptide stability but not specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ti-6Al-4V alloy commonly suffers from low strain hardening capability and limited ductility. The present study proposes a novel pathway for improving its work hardening capacity via simple solution in the virgin lower α + β regime. Systematical investigations on microstructures and mechanical properties were conducted to unveil the underlying mechanism. Elemental partitioning occurs between α and β phases and β-stabilizers are progressively depleted from β phases as solution temperature rises. Metastable β phases (β m) can be created in the range of 550 ∼ 700 °C and transform into α′′ martensite during mechanical straining. The unusual stress-induced β m → α′′ martensite transformation (SIMT) in Ti-6Al-4V alloy induces three-staged strain hardening and triggers the highly desired transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) effect. Such merit endows this alloy with an extremely high strain hardening rate of ∼6.5 GPa and ensures good combinations of strength and ductility. ● The correlation between solution microstructures and strain hardening in the mysterious lower α + β regime alloy is unveiled. ● Unusual stress-induced martensite transformation occurs, producing the transformation-induced plasticity effect. ● An extremely high strain hardening rate of 6.25 GPa is achieved, inducing an increment of total elongation by 46%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has excellent thermal conductivity and dielectric properties, which shows great potential for low-dimensional devices. However, mechanical properties of h-BN have not been comprehensively investigated through experiments. In this work, we conduct in situ direct tensile tests on freestanding single-crystal few-layer h-BN nanosheets with various layer numbers from 3 to 8, with an elaborate sample transfer and characterization protocol. Young's modulus of 573.8 ± 101.4 GPa and a tensile fracture strain up to 3.2% are revealed, which are comparable to its monolayer counterpart. Moreover, we find a tough-to-brittle transition in few-layer h-BN with the increase in layer number, which is attributed the interplay between the van der Waals interaction and in-plane covalent bonding. These findings could open up new possibilities in mechanical research of van der Waals materials and provide guidance for the design of h-BN-based devices and composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unrestricted natural orbital–complete active space (UNO–CAS) calculation on the ground state C6H radical confirmed the matrix IR frequency at 1953.4 cm-1 in the vacuum ultraviolet photolysis of acetylene and butadiene is the ω2(C≡C stretching) mode. The calculation also predicts another strong C≡C stretching IR mode, ω4, at about 1770 cm-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A composite hydrogel platform inspired by natural elements with a high degree of biocompatibility. • Silk fibroin hydrogel with dual functions of anti-bacterial biofilm infection and macrophage immunomodulation. • In vivo validation achieved based on infected diabetic mouse model. Infected diabetic wounds (IDW) are difficult to heal and lead to serious complications such as amputation. Inspired by natural elements, we developed an injectable photocurable hydrogel platform based on methacrylamide silk fibroin, encapsulated with ZnO NPs and plants derived fisetin, for accelerating IDW healing. The combined release of ZnO NPs and fisetin inhibited the biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus on the wound surface, while fisetin possessed the immunomodulatory function of promoting macrophage M2 polarization and the release of anti-inflammatory cytokines to promote tissue healing. Therefore, this natural hydrogel composite platform can be applied as a potential wound dressing with good biocompatibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of natural/artificial fractures leads to the intensification of the heterogeneity of tight reservoirs and the difference in the viscosity between CO2 and crude oil, which usually causes serious channeling and low sweep efficiency during CO2 flooding of tight reservoirs. The use of CO2-responsive polymer microspheres to control gas channeling has great potential for improving oil recovery in tight reservoirs. A CO2-responsive polymer microsphere (CRM) was prepared by seed lotion polymerization. FTIR analysis showed that the functional groups of the target microspheres were successfully synthesized; SEM analysis showed that the microspheres were well dispersed and had a wide size distribution; the response swelling property and mechanical shear resistance of CRM were studied. The results showed that CRM was protonated when CO2 was introduced for 10 min, and temperature affected the degree of protonation of CRM. The swelling ratio of CRM in salt water with salinity of 20,000 mg/L was 4.531; the retention rate of particle size of CRM at 10,000 r/min mechanical shear for 30 min is 66.46%. This work can provide feasible candidate materials for tight reservoir development and theoretical support for its application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Sodium‐ion batteries (NIBs) have attracted more and more attention as economic alternatives for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). Sodium super ionic conductor (NASICON) structure materials, known for high conductivity and chemical diffusion coefficient of Na+ (≈10−14 cm2 s−1), are promising electrode materials for NIBs. However, NASICON structure materials often suffer from low electrical conductivity (<10−4 S cm−1), which hinders their electrochemical performance. Here high performance sodium storage performance in Na3V2(PO4)3 (NVP) is realized by optimizing nanostructure and rational surface engineering. A N, B codoped carbon coated three‐dimensional (3D) flower‐like Na3V2(PO4)3 composite (NVP@C‐BN) is designed to enable fast ions/electrons transport, high‐surface controlled energy storage, long‐term structural integrity, and high‐rate cycling. The conductive 3D interconnected porous structure of NVP@C‐BN greatly releases mechanical stress from Na+ extraction/insertion. In addition, extrinsic defects and active sites introduced by the codoping heteroatoms (N, B) both enhance Na+ and e− diffusion. The NVP@C‐BN displays excellent electrochemical performance as the cathode, delivering reversible capacity of 70% theoretical capacity at 100 C after 2000 cycles. When used as anode, the NVP@C‐BN also shows super long cycle life (38 mA h g−1 at 20 C after 5000 cycles). The design provides a novel approach to open up possibilities for designing high‐power NIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In real life, the processing of an incoming event is continuously influenced by prior information at multiple timescales. The present study investigated how harmonic contexts at both local and global levels influence the processing of an incoming chord in an event-related potentials experiment. Chord sequences containing two phrases were presented to musically trained listeners, with the last critical chord either harmonically related or less related to its preceding context at local and/or global levels. ERPs data showed an ERAN-like effect for local context in early time window and a N5-like component for later interaction between the local context and global context. These results suggest that both the local and global contexts influence the processing of an incoming music event, and the local effect happens earlier than the global. Moreover, the interaction between the local context and global context in N5 may suggest that music syntactic integration at local level takes place prior to the integration at global level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While many data are available on genes encoding proteins for degradation of hydrocarbons in bacteria, the impact of alkane on transporter protein expression is unclear. Pseudomonas aeruginosa SJTD-1 is a strain that can consume medium- and long-chain n-alkanes. In order to study the proteins involved in n-octadecane uptake, we use iTRAQ and label free comparative proteomics analysis to identify the proteins of alkane uptake in response to n-octadecane (C18) comparing with n-hexadecane (C16) in P. aeruginosa SJTD-1. A total of 1102 and 1249 proteins were identified by iTRAQ-based and label free quantitative methodologies, respectively. By application of 1.5 (iTRAQ) or 2-fold (label free) for upregulated and 0.65 (iTRAQ) or 0.5-fold (label free) for downregulated cutoff values, 91 and 99 proteins were found to be differentially expressed comparing SJTD-1 cultivated on C18 with C16 respectively. There are six proteins with the common differential expression by iTRAQ and label free-based methods. Results of bioinformational analysis suggested the involvement of bacterial chemotaxis in responds to C18. Additionally, quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) results confirmed C18-induced change in levels of FleQ, FliC, NirS, FadL and FadD proteins and the role of the proteins in n-octadecane uptake was further discussed in P. aeruginosa. In conclusion, results of the present study provided information about possible target-related proteins of bacterial chemotaxis, swimming performance, alkane transport to stimulus of n-ctadecane rather than n-hexadecane in P. aeruginosa SJTD-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pot experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that the interaction of changes in pH and urease activity induced by biochar addition affects ammonia (NH3) volatilization on acid soils following application of urea. The results showed that the difference in accumulative NH3volatilization between biochar addition rates of 20 and 0 Mg ha–1was not significant, while the biochar addition rate of 40 Mg ha–1had 42% higher accumulative NH3volatilization than the biochar addition rate of 0 Mg ha–1. Soil pH significantly increased with increasing biochar addition rate. The soil urease activity was significantly reduced by biochar addition, but there was no significant difference between biochar addition rates of 20 and 40 Mg ha–1. These results support our hypothesis and suggest that the biochar addition rate may need to be properly selected in order to minimize fertilizer-N loss through NH3volatilization on urea-fertilized acid paddy soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism associated with improvement of soil nutritional status by oilseed rape crop, leading to better performance of rice crop, in rice-oilseed rape cropping systems is little known. The present study was aimed to test the hypothesis that earthworm casts produced during oilseed rape-growing season have positive effects on grain yield and fertilizer nitrogen (N) utilization in the subsequent flooded rice crop. A 15N-tracing pot experiment was conducted to determine the effects of earthworm casts collected from oilseed rape fields on yield attributes in rice and the fate of fertilizer N. Soil treated with earthworm casts (soil: earthworm casts = 4: 1, w/w) (EC1) produced 39% higher grain yield than soil only (EC0). EC1 had 18% more panicle number and 10% higher spikelet filling percentage than EC0. Aboveground biomass and harvest index were higher in EC1 than in EC0 by 20% and 15%, respectively. SPAD values in flag leaves were 10% and 22% higher under EC1 than EC0 at 15 and 20 days after heading, respectively. EC1 had 19% higher total N uptake and 18% higher physiological N-use efficiency than EC0. These positive effects of earthworm casts on yield attributes offset negative effects of decreasing N rate from 0.74 g pot–1 (equivalent to the recommended field rate of 150 kg ha–1) to 0.44 g pot–1 (equivalent to 60% of the recommended rate). Fertilizer N retention rate was 7% higher while fertilizer N loss rate was 6% lower in EC1 than in EC0. Our study suggests that earthworm casts produced during oilseed rape-growing season are expected to have the following benefits on the subsequent flooded rice system: (1) improving growth and physiological processes in rice plants and consequently increasing rice grain yield, and (2) increasing fertilizer N retention rate and hence decreasing fertilizer N loss rate and reducing environmental risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The faithful engineering of complex human tissues such as the bone/soft tissue/mineralized tissue interface in periodontal tissues requires innovative molecular cues in conjunction with tailored scaffolds. To address the loss of periodontal bone and connective tissues following periodontal disease, we have generated a polydopamine and collagen coated electrospun PLGA-PCL (PP) scaffold enriched with the small molecule mediator PFI-2 (PP-PFI-pDA-COL-PFI). In vitro 3D studies using PDL progenitors revealed that the PP-PFI-pDA-COL-PFI scaffold substantially enhanced Alizarin Red staining, increased Ca/P ratios 4-fold, and stimulated cell proliferation more than 12-fold compared to PP-controls, suggestive of its potential for mineralized tissue engineering. When applied in our experimental periodontitis model, the PP-PFI-pDA-COL-PFI scaffold resulted in a substantial 34% reduction in alveolar bone defect height, a 25% root-length gain in periodontal attachment, and the formation of highly ordered regenerated acellular cementum twice as thick as in controls. Explaining the mechanism of PFI-2 mineralized tissue regeneration in periodontal tissues, PFI-2 inhibited SETD7-mediated β-Catenin protein methylation and increased β-Catenin nuclear localization. Together, dual-level PFI-2 incorporation into a degradable, dopamine/collagen coated PLGA/PCL scaffold backbone resulted in the regeneration of the tripartite periodontal complex with unprecedented fidelity, including periodontal attachment and new formation of mineralized tissues in inflamed periodontal environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new 2-benzylpyridin-4-one containing metabolites, aspernigrins C ( 3 ) and D ( 4 ), together with six known compounds ( 1 , 2 , and 5 – 8 ), were isolated from the marine-derived fungus Aspergillus niger SCSIO Jcsw6F30. The structures of the new compounds were determined by NMR, MS, and optical rotation analyses. All the isolated compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory activities against infection with HIV-1 SF162 in TZM-bl cells. Malformin C ( 5 ) showed the strongest anti-HIV-1 activity with IC 50 of 1.4 ± 0.06 μM (selectivity index, 11.4), meanwhile aspernigrin C ( 3 ) also exhibited potent activity with IC 50 of 4.7 ± 0.4 μM (selectivity index, 7.5). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No-tillage (NT) is expected to be an alternative practice for rice production in China since it has potential benefits including labor saving and soil conservation. NT can lead to superior post-heading nutrient uptake and consequently increased post-heading biomass production in rice, but limited information is available on the factors contributing to the superior post-heading nutrient uptake. In this study, post-heading nutrient uptake and related soil and root characteristics were compared between NT and conventional tillage (CT) rice in field experiments in Changsha, Hunan Province of China in 2013 and 2014 and Nanning, Guangxi Province of China in 2014. Results showed that post-heading N, P and K uptake were 28–49% higher under NT than under CT. NT had 10–18% higher available N, P and K contents and 5–9% higher root distribution percentage at 0–5 cm soil depth and consequently 11–16% higher rhizophere soil available N, P and K contents than CT. There was no significant difference in rhizophere soil pH between NT and CT. NT had equal root biomass, length and surface but 37–49% higher root oxidation activity compared to CT. These results suggest that improvement in nutrient supply and root physiology are responsible for the superior post-heading nutrient uptake by NT rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice production in China has been constrained by changes in socioeconomic and physical environments such as decreased labor availability and degraded soil. No-tillage (NT) may be an alternative system for rice production in China because it has potential benefits including labor saving and soil conservation. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of NT on rice yield in China and to investigate how the effect varies with the environmental and management factors. Results showed that decrease in panicle number per unit land area was observed in NT rice across a wide range of environmental and management conditions in China, but grain yield was not reduced because it was compensated for by more spikelet number per panicle and higher spikelet-filling percentage. Grain yield responses to NT were affected by region (climate), soil, cropping system and proportion of N applied during the vegetative period (PNVP). Typically, grain yield showed a positive response to NT in south-west region (where the climate during rice-growing season is characterized by frequent fog and clouds, high humidity and insufficient sunlight). NT resulted in a decreased grain yield in soils with pH lower than 6.0 and low fertility. Grain yield was decreased in rice–rice cropping systems but increased in rice–upland cropping systems by NT. NT had negative effect on grain yield under PNVP of 70% and 80% but had no significant effect under PNVP of 90%. However, responses of grain yield to NT did not vary with establishment method (transplanting vs. seedling throwing vs. direct seeding), cultivar type (hybrid vs. inbred), duration of NT adoption (<3 years vs. 3–6 years vs. >6 years) and residue management practice (removal vs. retention). We conclude that adoption of NT for rice production in China should be site-specific and depend on agronomic practices including cropping system and N management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The systematic review and meta-analysis are to evaluate the effect of t Telmisartan on atrial fibrillation ( AF) recurrences in hypertensive patients with paroxysmal AF. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched. Random controlled trials ( RCTs) were conducted in which telmisartan was compared to other antihypertensive drugs for AF recurrences prevention in hypertensive patients with paroxysmal AF. A systematic review and meta-analysis based on aggregate data extracted from the included studies were carried out to assess the telmisartan in preventing AF relapse. The efficacy outcome was the incidence of AF recurrences. Hazard ratios ( HRs) were calculated from published summary statistics and combined to give pooled estimates of efficacy. Results This meta-analysis comprised four studied including 1050 hypertensive patients (537 men and 513 women; mean age 63; mean blood pressure ( BP) 156/94 mmHg). With the similar BP control, the AF recurrences rate was significantly lower in the telmisartan-treated patients than in the other antihypertensive drugs-treated patients (HR 0.54, CI 0.34-0.86, P < 0.05). Conclusion The results of this review and meta-analysis indicate that telmisartan seems to be more effective than other antihypertensive drugs in preventing AF recurrences among hypertensive patients with paroxysmal AF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The atomic interactions between Si and Mn during eutectoid transformation in high-carbon pearlitic steel were investigated. Atom probe tomography and first-principles calculations were applied to evaluate and analyze the atomic interactions at the ferrite/cementite interface. In the initial stage of eutectoid transformation, enrichment of Si and Mn occurred at the ferrite and cementite sides, respectively, of the interface. This interfacial segregation phenomenon gradually diminished as the transformation proceeded. Calculations of the cohesive energy and formation energy revealed a clear enhancement in the chemical bonding and stability of the pearlite system when the Si atom was moved from the ferrite layer to the cementite layer and the Mn atom was moved in the opposite direction. The interfacial segregation of the Mn and Si atoms was mainly responsible for the insufficient diffusion and high hybridization degree of Fe, Mn, Si, and C atoms. Furthermore, the partitioning ratio of Mn in high-Si steel was greater than that in low-Si steel, leading to greater partitioning of Mn into the cementite phase. Calculations of the electronic structure revealed that the enrichment of Si in the ferrite phase promoted the partitioning of Mn into the cementite phase owing to the strong repulsive force between Mn and Si at the pearlitic interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal carbides (TMCs) with an excellent hardness-toughness combination are desirable reinforced phase for engineering alloys. In the present work, the mechanical properties of M 7 C 3 , M 6 C and MC carbides with different compositions in tool steels were evaluated by nano-indentation tests and first-principles calculations. The results show that, among these compounds, MC and M 7 C 3 carbides exhibit the largest hardness and fracture toughness, respectively, while M 6 C carbides display a good hardness-toughness synergy. The hardness of M 6 C carbides monotonically declines with increased Mo/W ratios while the fracture toughness firstly rises followed by a slight drop. M 6 C carbides exhibit an excellent combination of hardness (23.7 GPa) and fracture toughness (2.36 ± 0.06 MPa m1/2) in the case of Mo/W ratios of 0.50–0.63. Interestingly, such hardness-toughness tradeoff is absent in Cr-doped M 7 C 3 carbides; with increased Cr/Fe ratios, both the hardness and fracture toughness firstly rise and then decline. M 7 C 3 carbides exhibit a superior synergy of hardness (22.5 ± 1.5 GPa) and fracture toughness (2.71 ± 0.19 MPa m1/2) as Cr/Fe ratios reach 0.86–0.96, which can be rationalized by optimal constitutions of various chemical bonds in M 7 C 3 carbides as revealed by the first-principles calculations. [Display omitted] • M 6 C carbides display a good hardness-toughness synergy as compared to high-hardness MC and high-toughness M 7 C 3 carbides. • The common hardness-toughness tradeoff as observed in W, Mo-doped M 6 C carbides is absent in Cr-doped M 7 C 3 carbides. • Cr-doping induces a synchronous change in the strength of various chemical bonds of M 7 C 3 carbides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Plasmonic photocatalyst Cu2O–Ag–AgBr supported on mesoporous alumina was prepared by deposition–precipitation method. [•] The coupled photocatalyst exhibited highly photocatalytic performance for the degradation of toxic persistent organic pollutants. [•] The photoinduced stability of Ag–AgBr can be significantly enhanced by Cu2O cocatalyst. [•] A plasmon-assisted photocatalytic degradation and metal ion releasing suppression mechanism was proposed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Context: Epidioxy sterols and sterols with special side chains, such as hydroperoxyl sterols, usually obtained from marine natural products, are attractive for bioactivities. Objective: To isolate and screen bioactive and special sterols from China Sea invertebrates. Materials and methods: Two hydroperoxyl sterols ( 1 and 2) from the sponge Xestospongia testudinaria Lamarck (Petrosiidae), three epidioxy sterols ( 3- 5) from the sea urchin Glyptocidaris crenularis A. Agassiz (Glyptocidaridae), sponge Mycale sp. (Mycalidae) and gorgonian Dichotella gemmacea Milne Edwards and Haime (Ellisellidae) and an unusual sterol with 25-acetoxy-19-oate ( 6) also from D. gemmacea were obtained and identified. Using high-throughput screening, their bioactivities were tested toward Forkhead box O 3a (Foxo3a), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase gene fluorescent protein (HMGCR-GFP), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) luciferase, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ co-activator 1α (PGC-1α), protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), mitochondrial membrane permeabilization (MMP) and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase. Results: Their structures were determined by comparing their nuclear magnetic resonance data with those reported in the literature. Three epidioxy sterols ( 3- 5) showed inhibitory activities toward Foxo3a, HMGCR-GFP and NF-κB-luciferase with the IC50 values 4.9-6.8 μg/mL. The hydroperoxyl sterol 29-hydroperoxystigmasta-5,24(28)-dien-3-ol ( 2) had diverse inhibitory activities against Foxo3a, HMGCR-GFP, NF-κB-luciferase, PGC-1α, PTP1B and MMP, with IC50 values of 3.8-19.1 μg/mL. Discussion and conclusion: The bioactivities of 3- 5 showed that 5α,8α-epidioxy is the active group. Otherwise, the most plausible biosynthesis pathway for 1 and 2 in sponge involves the abstraction of an allylic proton by an activated oxygen, such as O2, along with migration of carbon-carbon double bond. Therefore, the bioactive and unstable steroid should be biosynthesized in sponge under a special ecological environment to act as a defensive strategy against invaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] PU films were modified with PEO by a facile, environment-friendly approach. [•] The hemocompatibility of the PEO-coated PU was significantly improved. [•] PEO-coated PU films were very hydrophilic. [•] The higher molecular weight of PEO shows better hemocompatibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tipping-over and slipping, which are related to zero moment point (ZMP) and frictional constraint respectively, are the two most common instability forms of biped robotic walking. Conventional criterion of stability is not sufficient in some cases, since it neglects frictional constraint or considers translational friction only. The goal of this paper is to fully address frictional constraints in biped walking and develop corresponding stability criteria. Frictional constraints for biped locomotion are first analyzed and then the method to obtain the closed-form solutions of the frictional force and moment for a biped robot with rectangular and circular feet is presented. The maximum frictional force and moment are calculated in the case of ZMP at the center of contact area. Experiments with a 6-degree of freedom active walking biped robot are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the stability analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim This paper explored the correlation between cuspal inclination and tooth cracked syndrome by measuring and reconstructing the cuspal inclinations of cracked maxillary first molars through three-dimensional (3 D) finite element analysis (FEA). Material and methods The cuspal inclinations of 11 maxillary left first molars with cracked tooth syndrome and 22 intact controls were measured by 3 D reconstruction. The mean values of each group were used to construct two 3 D finite element models of maxillary first molar for comparing stress distribution under the loads of 200 N at 0°, 45°, and 90°, respectively, to the tooth axis. Results There was statistically significant difference in the cuspal inclination between the incompletely fractured group and the intact control group ( P < 0.001), which was 5.5-6.7 degrees steeper. The model from the mean cuspal inclinations of the incompletely fractured molars showed the maximum tensile stress of 5.83, 10.87, and 25.32 MPa, respectively, in comparison with 5.40, 8.49, and 22.76 MPa for the model of the control group. Besides, the tensile stress was mainly at the center groove and cervical region of the molar model. Conclusions Steeper cuspal inclinations resulted in an increment in tensile stress that was mainly at the center groove and cervical region of the molar model under equivalent loads. Higher unfavorable tensile stress was generated with the increasing horizontal component load on the cuspal incline. This indicates an effective reduction of cuspal inclination to the compromised teeth for dentists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ag–AgBr was deposited onto mesoporous alumina (MA) and titanium-doped MA by a deposition–precipitation method. The photocatalytic activity and the dissolution of Ag+ from different catalysts were investigated during the photodegradation of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) and phenol in ultrapure water and tap water with visible-light irradiation. With the increase in doped titanium, the Ag+ dissolution decreased with a decrease in the photocatalytic activity. Ag–AgBr/MA-Ti1 was considered the better catalyst for practical applications because its Ag+ dissolution was minimal (0.4mgL−1 in ultrapure water and 5μgL−1 in tap water), although its photoactivity was slightly less than that of Ag–AgBr/MA. The dissolution of Ag+ was related to a charge–transfer process based on the study of cyclic voltammetry analyses under a variety of experimental conditions. The results suggested that several types of anions in the water, including CO3 2−, SO4 2−, and Cl−, could act as electron donors that trap the photogenerated holes on Ag nanoparticles to facilitate electron circulation; this would decrease the release of Ag+. Our studies indicated that the catalyst had a higher activity and stability in water purification. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Four brominated aliphatic hydrocarbons (1–4), including a novel brominated ene-tetrahydrofuran named as mutafuran H (1), and five sterols (5–9) were isolated from the South China Sea sponge Xestospongia testudinaria. The structure of 1 was determined on the basis of NMR (1H, 13C NMR, HSQC, HMBC, 1H–1H COSY, and NOESY), MS, and optical rotation analysis. Known compounds were identified by comparison of their NMR data with those reported in the literature. Compounds 1–4, and 6–9 were evaluated for their toxicity against Artemia salina larvae, and anti-acetylcholinesterase activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Anisotropic structure, electrorheological elastomers, table tennis racket, tunable stiffness Keywords: anisotropic structure; electrorheological elastomers; table tennis racket; tunable stiffness EN anisotropic structure electrorheological elastomers table tennis racket tunable stiffness 1 1 1 10/07/21 20211001 NES 211001 B Smart Table Tennis Racket b In article number 2100535, Mengying Zhang, Jinbo Wu, and coworkers invent a smart table tennis racket with tunable stiffness based on electrorheological elastomers. The racket face is a multilayer structure of rubber, soft electrode, anisotropic electrorheological elastomer and copper electrode. [Extracted from the article]

Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers in China, and its incidence and morbidity remain high due to various independent factors. Lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) is the most common type of non-small cell lung carcinoma. Circular RNA plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (circ-PVT1) plays an oncogenic role in various types of cancer, but the specific role of circ-PVT1 in lung ADC has not yet been reported. In the present study, circ-PVT1 was knocked down in A549 cells and the cell viability, proliferation, migration and invasion were measured via MTT, colony formation, wound healing and Transwell assays, respectively. Then, the cell viability of A549 cells with circ-PVT1-knockdown or -overexpression was detected after exposure to cisplatin (DDP). After confirming the associations among circ-PVT1, microRNA (miR)-429 and forkhead box k1 (FOXK1) using various tools and assays, the cellular functions of A549 cells treated with combined short hairpin (sh)RNA-circ-PVT1 and miR-429 inhibitor/pcDNA3.1-FOXK1 were tested again. The expression of circ-PVT1 was found to be increased in lung ADC cells, and shRNA-circ-PVT1 led to decreased cell viability, proliferation, migration and invasion. The expression of circ-PVT1 was higher in A549/DDP cells than that in A549 cells, and the activity of caspase-3 was also activated by DDP in A549/DDP cells transfected with shRNA-circ-PVT1, whereas it was inactivated by DDP in A549 cells transfected with circ-PVT1 overexpression plasmid. Furthermore, the decreased cell viability, proliferation, invasion and migration induced by shRNA-circ-PVT1 could be abated by transfection with miR-429 inhibitor and pcDNA3.1-FOXK1. In conclusion, interference of circ-PVT1 inhibits the progression of lung ADC and enhances its sensitivity to DDP via miR-429/FOXK1, which may provide a theoretical basis for the use of novel targets in the treatment of lung ADC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs are short, noncoding RNAs that play important roles in post-transcriptional gene regulation. Although many functions of microRNAs in plants and animals have been revealed in recent years, the transcriptional mechanism of microRNA genes is not well-understood. To elucidate the transcriptional regulation of microRNA genes, we study and characterize, in a genome scale, the promoters of intergenic microRNA genes in Caenorhabditis elegans, Homo sapiens, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Oryza sativa. We show that most known microRNA genes in these four species have the same type of promoters as protein-coding genes have. To further characterize the promoters of microRNA genes, we developed a novel promoter prediction method, called common query voting (CoVote), which is more effective than available promoter prediction methods. Using this new method, we identify putative core promoters of most known microRNA genes in the four model species. Moreover, we characterize the promoters of microRNA genes in these four species. We discover many significant, characteristic sequence motifs in these core promoters, several of which match or resemble the known cis-acting elements for transcription initiation. Among these motifs, some are conserved across different species while some are specific to microRNA genes of individual species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Impatiens pritzellii Hook. f. var. hupehensis Hook. f. (Balsaminaceae) has been well-known and widely used in China as an anti-rheumatoid arthritis (anti-RA) herb. In this present study, mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) have been treated with the methanol (MeOH) extract (0.56, 1.12, 1.68 and 2.24g/kg body weight) and the n-butanol (BuOH) fraction (0.13, 0.27, 0.40 and 0.53g/kg body weight) of the rhizomes of Impatiens pritzellii orally for 3 weeks. The progression of CIA was evaluated by macroscopic scoring. Administration of the MeOH extract at dose of 1.12g/kg and the BuOH fraction at 0.53g/kg suppressed the development of CIA in mice significantly. The spleen and thymus indexes were measured and the levels of IgG, IL-10, INF-γ and IL-18 in the serum of CIA mice were examined after the treatment of the MeOH extract (1.12 and 1.68g/kg body weight) and the BuOH fraction (0.40 and 0.53g/kg body weight). Administration of the MeOH extract and the BuOH fraction of Impatiens pritzellii decreased the spleen and thymus indexes, down-regulated the levels of IgG, INF-γ, IL-18, and up-regulated the concentration of IL-10 in the serum of mice with CIA. From the results, it was concluded that administration of Impatiens pritzellii had obviously therapeutic effects on RA including immunomodulatory activity. Moreover, the BuOH fraction exerted the activity of anti-RA of Impatiens pritzellii. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Over the past decade, external pressure has been found to play an important role in modulating the structures and properties of sesqui-chalcogenides, but several key puzzles still remain to be solved. In this work, pressure-induced structural phase transitions, alloying and topological superconductivity in the ternary tetradymites Bi2Te2Se and Bi2Se2Te were investigated via in situ high-pressure angle-dispersive X-ray diffraction and resistance measurements. Both of them transform from the layered rhombohedral R3¯m structure to a 7-fold monoclinic C2/m phase, then to an 8-fold monoclinic C2/c structure, and eventually to a bcc alloy, which are quite different from previous work, but similar to the transitions in Bi2Te3. The superconductivity was found in the rhombohedral structure of Bi2Se2Te with Tc ≈ 2.2 K at 4.3 GPa, which should be related to the topological quantum transition. Furthermore, the atomic size and element electronegativity were discovered to have a significant effect on the alloying and amorphization of these compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the displacement in four lateral compression type 2 (LC2) fracture subtypes (iliac wing and three kinds of crescent fractures) and to investigate the appropriate closed reduction for treatment using a pelvic reduction frame. Methods: A total of 71 patients with LC2 pelvic fractures from February 2014 to November 2019 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Preoperative X‐ray and computed tomography data were used to assess the direction of the fracture displacement and the sacroiliac joint dislocation. The fractures in all patients were reduced with a pelvic reduction frame and fixed with percutaneous screws as well as an anterior subcutaneous pelvic ring internal fixator. Two different closed reduction strategies were adopted, one was first longitudinal traction and then transverse traction, the other was first transverse traction then longitudinal and LC2 traction. The Matta score system was used to evaluate the postoperative X‐ray and the Majeed score system was used for follow‐up evaluation. Results: A total of 13 iliac wing fractures (86.7%) and 16 Day type 1 fractures (94.1%) were vertically stable with only internal displacement, the ring width displacements were 5 (3, 8.75) and 8 (4, 12) mm, the posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS) differences were 0 (0, 0) mm and 0 (0, 0) mm. A total of 21 Day type 2 fractures (95.5%) and 16 Day type 3 fractures (94.1%) were characterized by cephalic and dorsal fracture dislocation on the basis of internal displacement, the ring width displacements were 6 (4.25, 12) and 4 (0, 7.5) mm and the PSIS differences were 4 (2, 5) and 0 (0, 3.75) mm. Based on the Matta scores, excellent reduction was achieved in 51 patients, good reduction in 17 patients, and poor reduction in three patients. The average Majeed score was 91.6, with a minimum outpatient follow‐up of 12 months (average 31.6 months). Conclusion: LC2 fractures involve two different kinds of fracture displacement: internal displacement only and a combination of internal, cephalic, and dorsal dislocation through the sacroiliac joint. Good clinical outcomes can be achieved for LC2 fractures using two different closed reduction strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Eight new sorbicilinoids were isolated from the deep-sea sediment derived fungus Penicillium sp. SCSIO06871. • Their absolute configurations were elucidated based on X-ray crystallography analysis and ECD calculation. • The hypothetical biosynthetic pathway of the isolated sorbicillinoids with three different structural types was discussed. • Compound 6 displayed more potent inhibitory activity against α -glycosidase than acarbose. Two new hybrid sorbicillinoids (1 and 5), three new bisorbicillinoids (2 – 4), and three monomeric sorbicillinoids (6 – 8), along with eighteen known sorbicillinoids (9 – 26) were isolated from cultures of the deep-sea sediment derived fungus Penicillium sp. SCSIO06871. Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated based upon the extensive spectroscopic analysis, X-ray crystallography analysis and the comparison of the experimental and calculated ECD data. Bisorbicillpyrone A (4) is the first example of bisorbicillinoid containing an α- pyrone derivative unit. All of the isolated compounds were evaluated for their antibacterial, antifungal and enzyme inhibitory activities against α -glycosidase and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in vitro. Compound 6 displayed more potent inhibitory activity against α -glycosidase than acarbose with IC 50 value of 36.0 μM and compounds 4 , 12 , 18 , 22 , 23 exhibited moderate inhibitory activity with IC 50 values ranging from 115.8 to 208.5 μM. Compounds 10 and 22 showed weak enzyme inhibitory activities against AChE with 55.1% and 51.1% inhibitions at concentration of 50 μg/mL, respectively. Besides, compounds 11 and 12 exhibited significant antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus with MIC values of 10.0 and 5.0 μg/mL, respectively. The hypothetical biosynthetic pathway of the isolated sorbicillinoids with three different structural types was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Density functional theory using B3LYP functional predicts the structural and IR spectral features of N2O5 accurately. The disagreement between DFT and observed IR frequencies reported in a recent paper is due to incorrect vibrational assignment. Agreement between the calculated observed isotope shifts indicates that the major product of the reaction between NO2 and 18O3 is more likely NO2–O–NO18O instead of NO2–18O–NO2. © 1996 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]