Explores the role of dipole–dipole interactions in preventing solvent co-intercalation into graphite anodes, aiming to broaden the scope of electrolyte design. The study involves multiple authors and is published in Energy & Environmental Science in 2023.

The article discusses the use of photothermal ferrotherapy to induce immunogenic cell death in triple-negative breast cancer cells using iron-based ternary chalcogenide nanoparticles. This approach leverages the unique properties of these nanoparticles to target and destroy cancer cells, potentially offering a new avenue for cancer treatment.

A descriptive study at the East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine analyzed 534,983 procedures from 26,710 patients to describe dental service utilization patterns in North Carolina. The study found that payment method significantly influenced service type, with Medicaid beneficiaries more likely to receive restorative procedures, removable prosthetics, or oral surgery, but less preventive procedures than expected. Privately insured or self-paying individuals used a greater variety of services, including specialized procedures like endodontics and implants.

The study examines the covariation of risk-averse and escape behavior in the common lizard Zootoca vivipara, considering factors such as sex, state (gravid vs. postpartum; infested vs. noninfested), and life stages (adult vs. neonate). It finds that behavioral syndromes, specifically the 'risk-averse and escape' behavioral syndrome, differ between sexes and are mediated by individual states. The study reveals that gravid females exhibit this syndrome, which disappears postpartum and when lizards are infested by parasites. The research underscores the importance of considering individual states in the expression of behavioral syndromes and suggests that parasites may impact the covariation between risk-averse and escape behaviors.

The study addresses the ecological pressures in the Chengdu–Chongqing Economic Circle (CCEC) due to rapid economic development. It employs land use/cover data and environmental threat factors to construct Ecological Security Patterns (ESPs) using the InVEST model and Circuit Theory. The research identifies key ecological nodes, corridors, and sources, and suggests targeted measures for ecological protection and green development. The findings provide guidance for managing urban expansion and anthropogenic activities to enhance the ecological security level of the CCEC.

The article presents a detailed study on a microfluidic flowmeter based on a liquid crystal-filled nested capillary. It includes experimental observations, theoretical analysis, and simulations to demonstrate the device's performance. The study covers the influence of liquid crystal refractive index on the transmission spectrum, heat transfer simulations, and the impact of airflow rates on the wavelength shift of whispering gallery mode resonances. The results show that the proposed sensor has high sensitivity and stability, making it suitable for various applications, including monitoring injection pumps.

CroplandCDNet is a novel network designed for detecting cropland changes using multitemporal remote sensing images. It combines an adaptive receptive field and multiscale feature transmission fusion to enhance detection accuracy. The network effectively extracts multiscale features and uses an SK attention module to emphasize relevant changes while suppressing irrelevant information. Experiments using the CLCD and Jilin-1 datasets demonstrate that CroplandCDNet outperforms six advanced change detection methods, achieving the highest F1 and overall accuracy scores. The study highlights the network's robustness and potential for improving cropland change detection, with future plans to integrate SAR data and optimize for large-scale applications.

This study evaluates various pre-treatments and solvents for extracting anthocyanins from purple sweetpotato, focusing on color, yields, antioxidant capabilities, and brown index. Optimal results were obtained with steaming unpeeled whole sweetpotato and using 1% citric acid-ddH2O as the solvent. The color stability of purified anthocyanin solutions was assessed under different pH levels at 25 °C and 65 °C. The solutions showed a color spectrum from magenta to yellow across the pH range, with magenta hues at lower pH demonstrating higher color stability. Elevated temperatures significantly accelerated anthocyanin degradation. The study provides guidance for the extraction, preservation, and application of purple sweetpotato anthocyanins in the food industry.

The study addresses the development of a novel gas sensor using a nanoporous polymer modified with hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) for detecting dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), a nerve agent simulator. The sensor, based on a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device, demonstrates high sensitivity, fast response, and good selectivity, detecting DMMP at 0.8 ppm with response/recovery times of 29.8/43.8 seconds and a detection limit of 0.11 ppm. The effects of temperature and humidity on sensor performance were analyzed, showing a linear relationship with the baseline signal. The study provides a new strategy for developing effective nerve agent sensors.

The study introduces a multiview data clustering algorithm called MFSC, which integrates similarity graph learning and unsupervised feature selection to improve clustering accuracy. The algorithm incorporates local manifold regularization and is evaluated using benchmark datasets, demonstrating superior performance compared to traditional methods. The research highlights the importance of capturing multiview manifold structures and addresses challenges such as high dimensionality and data redundancy. Future work aims to integrate deep learning techniques to enhance feature extraction capabilities for multiview data.

The study addresses the growing need for effective gas sensors to detect chemical warfare agents, focusing on a surface acoustic wave (SAW) gas sensor using silica molecularly imprinted materials (MIPs) for detecting dimethyl methyl phosphonate (DMMP). The sensor demonstrated high selectivity and sensitivity, detecting 80 ppb of DMMP within one minute. The research highlights the importance of the microstructure and adsorption mechanism of the silica MIPs, showing that the template molecule significantly affects the material's pore volume, specific surface area, and hydroxyl density, which in turn influence the sensor's performance. The findings provide valuable insights for designing sensitive materials for chemical detection.

The study identifies a novel variant of the PBAF chromatin-remodeling complex, termed dcPBAF, which is specific to differentiated neurons in the adult mouse brain. This complex lacks the BRD7 subunit and includes the PHF10D isoform, which replaces the PHF10A isoform during neuronal differentiation. The dcPBAF complex is associated with the promoters of actively transcribed housekeeping and neuron-specific genes. The findings suggest that the PHF10D isoform is essential for maintaining transcription in differentiated neurons and may play a similar role in other terminally differentiated mammalian cells. The study was conducted using mouse models and human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, with significant implications for understanding the molecular mechanisms of neuronal differentiation and gene regulation.

Human embryonic fibroblasts and skin fibroblasts from a patient with acute myelitis were reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) using the PiggyBac transposition method. The study compared the biological characteristics of patient-derived iPSCs with normal iPSCs, focusing on pluripotency, transcriptomic characteristics, and differentiation capabilities. RNA sequencing revealed significant differences in gene expression, particularly in pathways related to inflammation, Wnt signaling, and cell cycle regulation. The findings suggest that patient-derived iPSCs exhibit unique molecular features and provide a model for studying the pathogenesis of acute myelitis.

Higher levels of serum cholinesterase (ChE) are associated with an increased risk of developing diabetic retinopathy (DR) in middle-aged and older Chinese individuals with diabetes. The Shanghai Nicheng Cohort Study found that participants with higher ChE levels had a 2.01-fold higher risk of incident DR and a 1.41-fold higher risk per 1-SD increase of loge-transformed ChE. The study suggests that ChE could serve as a promising biomarker for early identification and prevention of DR, particularly referable DR, improving the predictive models' discrimination and reclassification abilities. Further research is needed to explore the potential mechanisms and therapeutic targets involving ChE in DR.

The study investigates the role of KMT2C in neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Kleefstra Syndrome 2, using CRISPR/Cas9 technology to generate KMT2C knockout models in mice. The knockout resulted in decreased histone tail modifications and significant behavioral changes, including deficits in social interaction, increased repetitive behaviors, and impaired memory formation. These findings highlight the utility of CRISPR/Cas9 in creating animal models to study the molecular mechanisms underlying ASD and related disorders, offering potential avenues for therapeutic interventions.

Over the past four decades, common ownership by institutional investors in U.S. public firms has increased significantly. This study explores whether common ownership curbs opportunistic insider trading by managers. The findings suggest that common institutional owners, due to their economies of scale in information acquisition and processing, are better positioned to monitor and reduce insider trading. The study shows that firms with common ownership have about 20% lower insider trading profitability compared to those without. Additionally, common owners are more likely to adopt restrictive measures and penalize executives engaging in opportunistic insider trading. These findings highlight a beneficial economic consequence of common ownership, suggesting that common institutional investors play a valuable role in corporate governance.

Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) from umbilical cords exhibit multipotency and robust proliferative and immune modulation capabilities, making them valuable for tissue engineering and clinical applications. The article explores the genetic and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs, that govern the pluripotency and differentiation of WJ-MSCs. Key transcription factors such as OCT4, SOX2, and NANOG, along with signaling pathways like Wnt and MAPK, play crucial roles in maintaining the unique biological characteristics of WJ-MSCs. The study highlights the need for further research to fully harness the potential of WJ-MSCs in regenerative medicine.

The article presents a detailed study on the phagocytosis activity of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, focusing on the characterization of photoreceptor outer segments (POSs) using flow cytometry. It highlights the importance of POS purity in RPE phagocytosis assays and introduces a novel flow-cytometry-based method to assess POS quality. The study also examines the impact of stress conditions on POS stability and RPE phagocytosis activity, providing insights into the development of reliable assays for evaluating RPE cell function in cell replacement therapies for retinal diseases like age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

The study investigates the immune responses of the Giant African snail, Achatina immaculata, to a two-round challenge with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a component of Gram-negative bacteria. The research found that snails previously injected with LPS showed a higher survival rate against a lethal dose of Escherichia coli, indicating enhanced immune protection. The study also examined cellular and transcriptomic responses, revealing significant increases in total hemocyte count and the ratio of BrdU-positive cells after the primary LPS stimulation, which further increased after the second challenge. Additionally, caspase-3 activity and two antioxidant enzyme activities (CAT and SOD) increased significantly after infection, with higher levels observed in the second response. Transcriptome analysis identified 84 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with higher expression levels after the second immune response, suggesting the involvement of genes related to the TLR signaling cascade in enhanced immune protection. The findings contribute to understanding the immune mechanisms of invertebrates and their defense against recurrent infections.

The study examines the impact of population mobility on urban air quality, using the COVID-19 lockdown in Hubei Province as a quasi-experiment. It employs a difference-in-differences (DID) model to identify causal effects, finding that reduced population mobility significantly improves urban air quality, with most air pollutants decreasing except for ozone. The research quantifies the impact of intra-city and inter-city population flows on air quality, revealing that intra-city flow has a more severe impact on pollution. The findings suggest that urban planning and green travel initiatives are crucial for improving air quality, and that precise measures are needed to address pollutants with complex generation mechanisms like ozone.

The study investigates the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy (VTDR) among adults with diabetes in China. It reports a national prevalence of 16.3% for any DR and 3.2% for VTDR, with higher rates observed in northern regions compared to southern regions. The study highlights significant associations between DR prevalence and factors such as diabetes duration, metabolic control, socio-economic status, and lifestyle. It emphasizes the need for early and regular screening, improved metabolic management, and tailored public health strategies to reduce vision loss among diabetic patients in China.

The article introduces a novel role minimization optimization algorithm (RMOA) based on the concept lattice factor to address the challenge of efficiently assigning roles to users in role-based access control (RBAC) systems while minimizing the number of roles. The RMOA leverages the concept lattice, a mathematical structure derived from formal concept analysis, to model and analyze relationships between roles, permissions, and users. The algorithm operates in two phases: constructing the concept lattice and optimizing the role assignments. Experimental evaluations demonstrate the algorithm's effectiveness in significantly reducing the number of roles compared to existing approaches while maintaining required access permissions and handling large-scale RBAC systems efficiently.

A thirteen-level inverter based on switching capacitor technology is proposed to enhance boost capacity and output power quality in renewable energy systems. The topology includes one DC input power supply, three capacitors, and 14 switching devices, achieving a thirteen-level output with six times voltage boost. It features smaller volume, lower cost, and reduced harmonic content, and can self-balance capacitor voltage without auxiliary methods. The superiority of the proposed topology is validated through simulations and experimental verification, demonstrating good performance in both steady and dynamic conditions.

Biomedical microfluidics systems have advanced significantly in integration, wearable applications, and artificial intelligence. These systems offer high throughput, rapid analysis, low sample volume, and high sensitivity, impacting fields like chemistry, biology, and medicine. Challenges such as miniaturization, integration, and intelligence hinder industrialization and commercialization. The integration of biosensors, microelectronics, and AI is crucial for developing next-generation lab-on-a-chip devices. Wearable microfluidics, combining flexible electronics and biosensors, enable real-time health monitoring. AI, particularly machine learning and deep learning, enhances data analysis and prediction in microfluidics, facilitating high-throughput and accurate biomedical applications.

Using observational data of 17 stellar stars orbiting Sgr A*, this study tests the quantum extension of Schwarzschild spacetime in loop quantum gravity (LQG). The geodesical evolution of a massive particle in the quantum-extended Schwarzschild black hole is transformed to the perturbed Kepler problem to calculate LQG effects on the pericenter advance of the stellar stars. Monte Carlo Markov Chain simulations reveal no significant evidence of the quantum-extended Schwarzschild black hole from LQG. The strongest bound on the LQG parameter Aλ is found from the analysis of the S2 star, placing an upper bound at 95% confidence level on Aλ to be Aλ<0.302.

The study investigates the intrinsic instability of short tandem repeats (STRs) in the human genome when cultured in cells in vivo. The research, conducted by Yuzhe Liu, Jinhuan Li, and Qiang Wu, provides insights into the genetic and cellular mechanisms underlying STR instability, which has implications for understanding genetic disorders and cellular processes.

The study investigates the status and drivers of soil-available nutrients in six soil types and three horizons in Western Sichuan, China, following vegetation restoration. It reveals significant differences in soil-available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium across different soil types and depths. The research highlights the importance of soil chemical and aggregate properties in regulating nutrient availability, emphasizing the role of cation exchange capacity, macro-aggregate content, and soil cations. The findings support the inclusion of soil resource utilization in regional forest restoration and management.

The study investigates the internal asymmetric evolution of dissipative solitons (DSs) in polarization space using a combination of the division-of-amplitude method and dispersive Fourier transform techniques. By adjusting the birefringence in the laser cavity, the researchers observed asymmetrical spectra due to nonlinear phase evolution. The findings reveal that the wavelength-resolved polarization states on the Poincaré sphere exhibit symmetry breaking, which is not detectable through conventional spectrum or pulse-shape measurements. This research provides new insights into the complex dynamics of DSs and has significant implications for theoretical modeling and applications in polarization spectroscopy.

The study explores the genetic diversity and population structure of Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima Blume) cultivars using genotyping by sequencing (GBS) technology. Analysis of 185 landraces from five regions in China revealed high genetic diversity, with the highest diversity in the mid-western regions and the lowest north of the Yellow River. Molecular variance analysis indicated that most genetic variation occurs within populations. ADMIXTURE, PCA, and phylogenetic analyses identified a north-south division of chestnut populations, with some outliers from Shandong Province and Beijing City. The study suggests that human activities, including historical migrations, have influenced the genetic distribution of Chinese chestnut.

The study investigates the role of patterned cPCDH expression in the organization of the neocortex. Using various datasets and statistical analyses, the research quantifies gene and isoform expression in neurons, comparing wild-type and genetically modified clones. The findings highlight the spatial distribution and synaptic connections of excitatory neurons, emphasizing the importance of cPCDH in neocortical development and organization.

The article discusses the psychological and economic impact of the two-month lockdown in Shanghai due to the Omicron variant, highlighting the suffering and political awakening it caused among the city's 25 million residents. It criticizes the lack of a political response or empathy from the Chinese leadership, particularly noting the promotion of Shanghai's former leader Li Qiang despite the hardships imposed on the people. The piece also describes how the World Cup in Qatar revealed to the Chinese public the contrast between their prolonged pandemic restrictions and the return to normalcy elsewhere in the world. Additionally, it mentions incidents of suffering due to COVID-19 restrictions, including delayed medical care, labor disputes, and food shortages, which have led to public protests and dissent against the government's policies.

A 48-year-old man with a history of hepatitis B cirrhosis and severe portopulmonary hypertension (PoPH) was treated with macitentan, resulting in significant clinical improvement. The patient had previously undergone various treatments for complications related to cirrhosis, including endoscopic treatment for oesophagogastric varices and partial splenic embolization. Upon admission, he presented with systemic oedema and chest distress. Diagnostic tests confirmed severe PoPH and moderate hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS). The patient was treated with macitentan, digoxin, spironolactone, and furosemide, leading to improved activity tolerance, reduced pulmonary artery systolic pressure, and normalized levels of PaO2, cTNI, and NT-proBNP. The case highlights the potential safety and efficacy of macitentan in treating PoPH with CLF and HPS, despite the patient's severe liver impairment.