A new isocoumarin derivative from endophytic fungus Pezicula neosporulosa VDB39 from Vaccinium dunalianum.

Four isocoumarin derivatives (1-4) and five phenols (5-9) were obtained from the endophytic fungus Pezicula neosporulosa VDB39, which was isolated from the branches of Vaccinium dunalianum Wight (Ericaceae). Compound 1 is a new derivative of isocoumarin. The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Single X-ray crystallography confirmed the absolute configuration of compound 1. Additionally, the antiphytopathogenic fungi activity of isocoumarin derivatives (1-4) was evaluated.

Graph neural network-based surrogate modelling for real-time hydraulic prediction of urban drainage networks.

Physics-based models are computationally time-consuming and infeasible for real-time scenarios of urban drainage networks, and a surrogate model is needed to accelerate the online predictive modelling. Fully-connected neural networks (NNs) are potential surrogate models, but may suffer from low interpretability and efficiency in fitting complex targets. Owing to the state-of-the-art modelling power of graph neural networks (GNNs) and their match with urban drainage networks in the graph structure, this work proposes a GNN-based surrogate of the flow routing model for the hydraulic prediction problem of drainage networks, which regards recent hydraulic states as initial conditions, and future runoff and control policy as boundary conditions. To incorporate hydraulic constraints and physical relationships into drainage modelling, physics-guided mechanisms are designed on top of the surrogate model to restrict the prediction variables with flow balance and flooding occurrence constraints. According to case results in a stormwater network, the GNN-based model is more cost-effective with better hydraulic prediction accuracy than the NN-based model after equal training epochs, and the designed mechanisms further limit prediction errors with interpretable domain knowledge. As the model structure adheres to the flow routing mechanisms and hydraulic constraints in urban drainage networks, it provides an interpretable and effective solution for data-driven surrogate modelling. Simultaneously, the surrogate model accelerates the predictive modelling of urban drainage networks for real-time use compared with the physics-based model.

Ubiquitous short-range order in multi-principal element alloys.

Recent research in multi-principal element alloys (MPEAs) has increasingly focused on the role of short-range order (SRO) on material performance. However, the mechanisms of SRO formation and its precise control remain elusive, limiting the progress of SRO engineering. Here, leveraging advanced additive manufacturing techniques that produce samples with a wide range of cooling rates (up to 107 K s-1) and an enhanced semi-quantitative electron microscopy method, we characterize SRO in three CoCrNi-based face-centered-cubic (FCC) MPEAs. Surprisingly, irrespective of the processing and thermal treatment history, all samples exhibit similar levels of SRO. Atomistic simulations reveal that during solidification, prevalent local chemical order arises in the liquid-solid interface (solidification front) even under the extreme cooling rate of 1011 K s-1. This phenomenon stems from the swift atomic diffusion in the supercooled liquid, which matches or even surpasses the rate of solidification. Therefore, SRO is an inherent characteristic of most FCC MPEAs, insensitive to variations in cooling rates and even annealing treatments typically available in experiments.

Black holes regulate cool gas accretion in massive galaxies.

The nucleus of almost all massive galaxies contains a supermassive black hole (BH)1. The feedback from the accretion of these BHs is often considered to have crucial roles in establishing the quiescence of massive galaxies2-14, although some recent studies show that even galaxies hosting the most active BHs do not exhibit a reduction in their molecular gas reservoirs or star formation rates15-17. Therefore, the influence of BHs on galaxy star formation remains highly debated and lacks direct evidence. Here, based on a large sample of nearby galaxies with measurements of masses of both BHs and atomic hydrogen (HI), the main component of the interstellar medium18, we show that the HI gas mass to stellar masses ratio (µHI = MHI/M⋆) is more strongly correlated with BH masses (MBH) than with any other galaxy parameters, including stellar mass, stellar mass surface density and bulge masses. Moreover, once the µHI-MBH correlation is considered, µHI loses dependence on other galactic parameters, demonstrating that MBH serves as the primary driver of µHI. These findings provide important evidence for how the accumulated energy from BH accretion regulates the cool gas content in galaxies, by ejecting interstellar medium gas and/or suppressing gas cooling from the circumgalactic medium.

Influence of macromolecules and electrolytes on heteroaggregation kinetics of polystyrene nanoplastics and goethite nanoparticles in aquatic environments.

Fate and transport of nanoplastics in aquatic environments are affected by their heteroaggregation with minerals in the presence of macromolecules. This study investigated the heteroaggregation of polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) with goethite nanoparticles (GNPs) under the influence of macromolecules [humic acid (HA), bovine serum albumin (BSA), and DNA] and electrolytes. Under 1 mg C/L macromolecule, raising electrolyte concentration promoted heteroaggregation via charge screening, except that calcium bridging with HA also enhanced heteroaggregation at CaCl2 concentration above 5 mM. At all NaCl concentrations and CaCl2 concentration below 5 mM, 1 mg C/L macromolecules strongly retarded heteroaggregation, ranking BSA > DNA > HA. Raising macromolecule concentration strengthened such stabilization effect of all macromolecules in NaCl solution and that of DNA and BSA in CaCl2 solution by enhancing steric hindrance. However, 0.1 mg C/L BSA slightly promoted heteroaggregation in CaCl2 solution due to stronger electrostatic attraction than steric hindrance. In CaCl2 solution, raising HA concentration strengthened its destabilization effect via calcium bridging. Macromolecules having more compact globular structure and higher molecular weight may exert greater steric hindrance to inhibit heteroaggregation more effectively. This study provides new insights on the effects of macromolecules and electrolytes on heteroaggregation between nanoplastics and iron minerals in aquatic environments.

Survival disparities among racial groups with hepatic malignant tumors.

BACKGROUND: Investigating the impact of race on the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of hepatic malignant tumors represents a complex and significant area of research. Notably, distinct differences exist among various racial groups in terms of the clinical manifestations, pathologic features, and prognosis of hepatic malignant tumors. AIM: To explore the effect of race on clinicopathologic features and prognosis of hepatic malignancies. METHODS: Data from patients with hepatic malignancies diagnosed between 2000 and 2019 were collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: This study included 123558 patients with hepatic malignant tumors, among whom 21078 (17.06%) were Asian, 14810 (11.99%) were Black, and 87670 (70.95%) were white. The median survival times for patients with hepatic malignant tumors of different races were 12.56, 7.70, and 9.35 months for Asian patients, Black patients, and white patients, respectively. The 3-year survival rates for Asian, Black, and white patients were 29%, 19%, and 21%, respectively, and the 5-year survival rates were 22%, 13%, and 15%, respectively. The Kruskal-Wallis test indicated a significant difference in the survival time of patients with hepatic malignant tumors between different races (P < 0.001). Univariate analysis revealed gender disparities in the prognosis among different ethnic groups (Asian: P > 0.05; Black: P < 0.001; White: P < 0.05). Among Black patients, the prognosis was less affected by the degree of hepatic fibrosis than among Asian patients and white patients (Black patients: P < 0.05; Asian patients: P < 0.001; White patients: P < 0.001). Significant differences were observed in the median survival time among patients with hepatic neuroendocrine tumors and hepatoblastomas during pathologic staging between races. Tumor number was inversely related to the prognosis. Cox regression analyses revealed that T stage, M stage, surgery, chemotherapy, alpha-fetoprotein, and tumor size independently influenced prognosis. Age was a specific independent prognostic factor for white patients. Among the tumor stages, N stage is a self-reliant prognostic element specific to white patients. Conversely, radiotherapy and liver fibrosis were not self-reliant prognostic factors for Black patients. Income alone did not independently influence the prognosis of Asian patients. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of hepatic malignant tumors is better among Asian patients than among Black patients. The prognosis of hepatic malignant tumors among white patients is affected by multiple factors, including age and N stage.

Monolithic three-dimensional integration of complementary two-dimensional field-effect transistors.

The semiconductor industry is transitioning to the 'More Moore' era, driven by the adoption of three-dimensional (3D) integration schemes surpassing the limitations of traditional two-dimensional scaling. Although innovative packaging solutions have made 3D integrated circuits (ICs) commercially viable, the inclusion of through-silicon vias and microbumps brings about increased area overhead and introduces parasitic capacitances that limit overall performance. Monolithic 3D integration (M3D) is regarded as the future of 3D ICs, yet its application faces hurdles in silicon ICs due to restricted thermal processing budgets in upper tiers, which can degrade device performance. To overcome these limitations, emerging materials like carbon nanotubes and two-dimensional semiconductors have been integrated into the back end of silicon ICs. Here we report the M3D integration of complementary WSe2 FETs, in which n-type FETs are placed in tier 1 and p-type FETs are placed in tier 2. In particular, we achieve dense and scaled integration through 300 nm vias with a pitch of <1 µm, connecting more than 300 devices in tiers 1 and 2. Moreover, we have effectively implemented vertically integrated logic gates, encompassing inverters, NAND gates and NOR gates. Our demonstration highlights the two-dimensional materials' role in advancing M3D integration in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor circuits.

Association between maternal lipid profiles and lipid ratios in early to middle pregnancy as well as their dynamic changes and gestational diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Unfavourable lipid and glucose levels may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). However, there is a lack of prospective studies on the relationship between lipid profiles, lipid ratios and GDM during pregnancy. AIMS: To prospectively investigate the relationship between lipid profile and lipid ratios in early and mid-pregnancy and their pattern of change from early to mid-pregnancy and the risk of GDM. METHODS: This nested case-control study was based on maternal and child healthcare hospitals from Fujian Province, China. We included pregnant women who delivered in the hospital from January 2021 to June 2023. Lipid profiles (TC, TG, ApoA1, ApoB, HDL-c, LDL-c) and fasting glucose were measured before 14 weeks of gestation and between 20 and 28 weeks of gestation, and lipid ratios (triglyceride glucose index, TG/HDL-c and TC/HDL-c) was constructed. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between lipid profile, lipid ratios and GDM. RESULTS: Of 1586 pregnant women, 741 were diagnosed with GDM. After adjusting for potential confounders, TG, ApoA1, ApoB, LDL-c, triglyceride glucose index, TG/HDL-c, and TC/HDL-c in early pregnancy were positively associated with the risk of GDM (odds ratios [95% CI] for extreme interquartile comparisons were 2.040 (1.468-2.843), 1.506 (1.091-2.082), 1.529 (1.110-2.107), 1.504 (1.086-2.086), 1.952 (1.398-2.731), 2.127 (1.526-2.971), and 2.370 (1.700-3.312), all trend P < 0.05). HDL-c was negatively associated with the risk of GDM (0.639: 0.459-0.889, trend P all less than 0.05). Similarly, in mid-pregnancy, lower levels of HDL-c, higher levels of triglyceride glucose index, TG/HDL-c ratio, and TC/HDL-c ratio were associated with increased risk of GDM (all trends P < 0.05). Stably high levels (both ≥ median for early and mid-pregnancy) of triglyceride glucose index, TG/HDL-c and TC/HDL-c were associated with increased risk of GDM (OR [95% CI]: 2.369 (1.438-3.940), 1.588 (1.077-2.341), 1.921 (1.309-2.829), respectively). The opposite was true for HDL-c, where stable high levels were negatively associated with GDM risk (OR [95% CI]: 0.599 (0.405-0.883)). CONCLUSION: Increases in triglyceride glucose index, TG/HDL-c ratio, and TC/HDL-c ratio in early and mid-pregnancy, as well as their stable high levels from early to mid-pregnancy, are associated with a higher risk of GDM. In contrast, increased levels of HDL-c, both in early and mid-pregnancy, and their stable high levels from early to mid-pregnancy were associated with a lower risk of GDM. That highlighted their possible clinical relevance in identifying those at high risk of GDM.

Research Progress in the Field of Tumor Model Construction Using Bioprinting: A Review.

The development of therapeutic drugs and methods has been greatly facilitated by the emergence of tumor models. However, due to their inherent complexity, establishing a model that can fully replicate the tumor tissue situation remains extremely challenging. With the development of tissue engineering, the advancement of bioprinting technology has facilitated the upgrading of tumor models. This article focuses on the latest advancements in bioprinting, specifically highlighting the construction of 3D tumor models, and underscores the integration of these two technologies. Furthermore, it discusses the challenges and future directions of related techniques, while also emphasizing the effective recreation of the tumor microenvironment through the emergence of 3D tumor models that resemble in vitro organs, thereby accelerating the development of new anticancer therapies.

A Double Twisted Nanographene with a Contorted Pyrene Core.

The mature synthetic methodologies enable us to rationally design and produce chiral nanographenes (NGs), most of which consist of multiple helical motifs. However, inherent chirality originating from twisted geometry has just emerged to be employed in chiral NGs. Herein, we report a red-emissive chiral NG constituted of orthogonally arranged two-fold twisted π-skeletons at a contorted pyrene core which contributes to optical transitions of S0→S1 and vice versa. The thus-obtained NG exhibited a robustness on its redox properties through 2e- uptake/release. The chemical oxidation generated stable radical cation whose absorption covers near-infrared I and II regions. Overall, the contorted pyrene core governs electronic nature of the chiral NG. The twist operation on NGs would be, therefore, a design strategy to alter conventional chirality induction on NGs.

High hyperdiploid karyotype with ≥ 49 chromosomes represents a heterogeneous subgroup of acute myeloid leukemia with differential TP53 mutation status and prognosis: a single-center study from China.

High hyperdiploid karyotype with ≥ 49 chromosomes (which will be referred to as HHK) is rare in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The European leukemia network (ELN) excluded those harboring only numerical changes (with ≥ 3 chromosome gains) from CK and listed them in the intermediate risk group, while the UK National Cancer Research Institute Adult Leukaemia Working Group classification defined ≥ 4 unrelated chromosome abnormalities as the cutoff for a poorer prognosis. Controversies occurred among studies on the clinical outcome of HHK AML, and their molecular characteristics remained unstudied. We identified 1.31% (133/10,131) HHK cases within our center, among which 48 cases only had numerical changes (NUM), 42 had ELN defined adverse abnormalities (ADV) and 43 had other structural abnormalities (STR). Our study demonstrated that: (1) No statistical significance for overall survival (OS) was observed among three cytogenetic subgroups (NUM, STR and ADV) and HHK AML should be assigned to the adverse cytogenetic risk group. (2) The OS was significantly worse in HHK AML with ≥ 51 chromosomes compared with those with 49-50 chromosomes. (3) The clinical characteristics were similar between NUM and STR group compared to ADV group. The former two groups had higher white blood cell counts and blasts, lower platelet counts, and mutations associated with signaling, while the ADV group exhibited older age, higher chromosome counts, higher percentage of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) history, and a dominant TP53 mutation.

Unidirectional Charge Orders Induced by Oxygen Vacancies on SrTiO3(001).

The discovery of high-mobility two-dimensional electron gas and low carrier density superconductivity in multiple SrTiO3-based heterostructures has stimulated intense interest in the surface properties of SrTiO3. The recent discovery of high-Tc superconductivity in the monolayer FeSe/SrTiO3 led to the upsurge and underscored the atomic precision probe of the surface structure. By performing atomically resolved cryogenic scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy characterization on dual-TiO2-δ-terminated SrTiO3(001) surfaces with (√13 × âˆš13), c(4 × 2), mixed (2 × 1), and (2 × 2) reconstructions, we disclosed universally broken rotational symmetry and contrasting bias- and temperature-dependent electronic states for apical and equatorial oxygen sites. With the sequentially evolved surface reconstructions and simultaneously increasing equatorial oxygen vacancies, the surface anisotropy reduces and the work function lowers. Intriguingly, unidirectional stripe orders appear on the c(4 × 2) surface, whereas local (4 × 4) order emerges and eventually forms long-range unidirectional c(4 × 4) charge order on the (2 × 2) surface. This work reveals robust unidirectional charge orders induced by oxygen vacancies due to strong and delicate electronic-lattice interaction under broken rotational symmetry, providing insights into understanding the complex behaviors in perovskite oxide-based heterostructures.

High precision polishing of aluminum alloy mirrors through a combination of magnetorheological finishing and chemical mechanical polishing.

After the aluminum alloy mirror machined by single point diamond turning (SPDT), the residual tool marks and surface accuracy of the aluminum alloy mirror cannot meet the requirements of visible or ultraviolet light system. In this study, a processing method combining magnetorheological finishing (MRF) and chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is proposed to realize the polishing of aluminum alloy mirrors with high efficiency, high precision and high-quality. Firstly, the properties and composition of passivation layer after MRF were analyzed and the polishing performance of acidic, neutral and alkaline alumina polishing fluid on passivation layer were investigated based on the computer numerical control (CNC) polishing equipment. Based on the experimental results, a new acidic nano-silica polishing fluid which is suitable for the efficient and high-quality removal of passivation layers on aluminum alloy surfaces was developed. Finally, a combined approach of MRF-CMP was used to the directly polishing of a rapidly solidified aluminum mirror (RSA-6061) with a diameter of 100 mm after SPDT. With two iterative of MRF-CMP polishing in 220 minutes, the surface accuracy of the aluminum alloy mirror was improved from 0.1λ (λ=632.8 nm) to 0.024λ, and the surface roughness (Ra) decreased from 3.6 nm to 1.38 nm. The experiment results manifest that high precision, and high-quality aluminum alloy mirror can be achieved by MRF-CMP method with the new developed acid nano-silica polishing fluid and suitable MR polishing fluid. The research results will provide a new strategy for ultra-precision direct polishing of aluminum alloy mirrors and will also give the important technical support for the extensive use of aluminum alloy mirror in visible light and ultraviolet optical systems.

Ferroelectric Material in Triboelectric Nanogenerator.

Ferroelectric materials, with their spontaneous electric polarization, are renewing research enthusiasm for their deployment in high-performance micro/nano energy harvesting devices such as triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs). Here, the introduction of ferroelectric materials into the triboelectric interface not only significantly enhances the energy harvesting efficiency, but also drives TENGs into the era of intelligence and integration. The primary objective of the following paper is to tackle the newest innovations in TENGs based on ferroelectric materials. For this purpose, we begin with discussing the fundamental idea and then introduce the current progress with TENGs that are built on the base of ferroelectric materials. Various strategies, such as surface engineering, either in the micro or nano scale, are discussed, along with the environmental factors. Although our focus is on the enhancement of energy harvesting efficiency and output power density by utilizing ferroelectric materials, we also highlight their incorporation in self-powered electronics and sensing systems, where we analyze the most favorable and currently accessible options in attaining device intelligence and multifunctionality. Finally, we present a detailed outlook on TENGs that are based on ferroelectric materials.

Application of omics in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of acute myeloid leukemia.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most frequent leukemia in adults with a high mortality rate. Current diagnostic criteria and selections of therapeutic strategies are generally based on gene mutations and cytogenetic abnormalities. Chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are the major therapeutic strategies for AML. Two dilemmas in the clinical management of AML are related to its poor prognosis. One is the inaccurate risk stratification at diagnosis, leading to incorrect treatment selections. The other is the frequent resistance to chemotherapy and/or targeted therapies. Genomic features have been the focus of AML studies. However, the DNA-level aberrations do not always predict the expression levels of genes and proteins and the latter is more closely linked to disease phenotypes. With the development of high-throughput sequencing and mass spectrometry technologies, studying downstream effectors including RNA, proteins, and metabolites becomes possible. Transcriptomics can reveal gene expression and regulatory networks, proteomics can discover protein expression and signaling pathways intimately associated with the disease, and metabolomics can reflect precise changes in metabolites during disease progression. Moreover, omics profiling at the single-cell level enables studying cellular components and hierarchies of the AML microenvironment. The abundance of data from different omics layers enables the better risk stratification of AML by identifying prognosis-related biomarkers, and has the prospective application in identifying drug targets, therefore potentially discovering solutions to the two dilemmas. In this review, we summarize the existing AML studies using omics methods, both separately and combined, covering research fields of disease diagnosis, risk stratification, prognosis prediction, chemotherapy, as well as targeted therapy. Finally, we discuss the directions and challenges in the application of multi-omics in precision medicine of AML. Our review may inspire both omics researchers and clinical physicians to study AML from a different angle.

Combinatorial Quantification of Multi-Features of Coda Waves in Temperature-Affected Concrete Beams.

Coda waves are highly sensitive to changes in medium properties and can serve as a tool for structural health monitoring (SHM). However, high sensitivity also makes them susceptible to noise, leading to excessive dispersion of monitoring results. In this paper, a coda wave multi-feature extraction method is proposed, in which three parameters, the time shift, the time stretch, and the amplitude variation of the wave trains within the time window, are totally derived. These three parameters are each mapped to the temperature variations of concrete beams, and then combined together with their optimal weight coefficients to give a best-fitted temperature-multi-parameter relationship that has the smallest errors. Coda wave signals were collected from an ultrasonic experiment on concrete beams within an environmental temperature range of 14 °C~21 °C to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results indicate that the combination of multi-features derived from coda wave signals to quantify the medium temperature is feasible. Compared to the relationship established by a single parameter, the goodness-of-fit is improved. During identification, the method effectively reduces the dispersion of identification errors and mitigates the impact of noise interference on structural state assessment. Both the identification accuracy and stability are improved by more than 50%, and the order of magnitude of the identification accuracy is improved from 1 °C to 0.1 °C.

Dynamic evaluation of liver fibrosis to assess hepatocellular carcinoma risk in patients with chronic hepatitis B receiving nucleoside analogs treatment.

Despite good hepatitis B virus (HBV) inhibition by nucleoside analogs (NAs), cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) still occur. This study proposed a non-invasive predictive model to assess HCC risk in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) receiving NAs treatment. Data were obtained from a hospital-based retrospective cohort registered on the Platform of Medical Data Science Academy of Chongqing Medical University, from 2013 to 2019. A total of 501 patients under NAs treatment had their FIB-4 index updated semiannually by recalculation based on laboratory values. Patients were divided into three groups based on FIB-4 index values: < 1.45, 1.45-3.25, and ≥ 3.25. Subsequently, HCC incidence was reassessed every six months using Kaplan-Meier curves based on the updated FIB-4 index. The median follow-up time of CHB patients after receiving NAs treatment was 2.5 years. HCC incidences with FIB-4 index < 1.45, 1.45-3.25, and ≥ 3.25 were 1.18%, 1.32%, and 9.09%, respectively. Dynamic assessment showed that the percentage of patients with FIB-4 index < 1.45 significantly increased semiannually (P < 0.001), and of patients with FIB-4 index ≥ 3.25 significantly decreased (P < 0.001). HCC incidence was the highest among patients with FIB-4 index ≥ 3.25. The FIB-4 index effectively predicted HCC incidence, and its dynamic assessment could be used for regular surveillance to implement early intervention and reduce HCC risk.

Crack Formation and Control in an AlCoCrFeNi High Entropy Alloy Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting.

The equiatomic AlCoCrFeNi high entropy alloy (HEA) is prone to cracking during the additive manufacturing process due to the high cooling rates observed, which limits its application to a large extent. In this study, the selective laser melting (SLM) technique was adopted to fabricate the alloy and the mechanism of crack formation was revealed. Most importantly, a new design strategy was proposed to suppress the generation of cracks, and the optimization of the preparation process was also studied in detail. It is found that the interlaminar crack is related to the heat input at the edge of the specimen, and the internal cracks are formed by solidification cracks. Alloys without interlaminar crack can be prepared by means of combination of the side inclination angle and the process parameters. Side inclination angle optimization provides a possibility for the preparation of crack-free AlCoCrFeNi HEA by SLM.