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Allometric growth is a typical characteristic of crustaceans, which mainly occurs among individuals, life stages, tissues, and between sexes. The red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii is an economically important crustacean species in the world. To date, the molecular regulatory mechanisms of neuroendocrine system in the allometric growth of P. clarkii remain unclear. In this study, P. clarkii exhibiting significant allometric growth among individuals were sampled from three full-sibling families. The brain, eyestalk, nerve cord, and Y-organ were dissected for transcriptome analysis. Key functional genes were identified by random forest and DESeq2 methods. The gene pathways were enriched utilizing Kyoto Encyclopedia Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. Gene topological analysis was established through weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and hub genes were screened by protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks. Transcriptomic analysis results were validated via qRT-PCR. RNA-Seq identified 31 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (7 up- and 24 downregulated); 301 DEGs (23 up- and 278 downregulated); 1308 DEGs (474 up- and 834 downregulated); and 64 DEGs (52 up- and 12 downregulated) in the brain, eyestalk, Y-organ, and nerve cord, respectively. Crucial functional genes such as CHIA in the brain and perlucin-like in the eyestalk were notably identified. WGCNA revealed two hub modules, while PPI networks identified neuroendocrine regulators module which hub genes mainly including CP1876-like and cuticle protein AM1199-like, and structural components module which hub genes mainly including CUB& CCP Domain-Containing Protein, ARRDC, and E3 Ubiquitin protein ligase MCYCBP2-like. Correspondingly, the significant gene pathways such as amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism (pcla00520) and insect hormone biosynthesis (pcla00981) were enriched. The results revealed the complex interactions and regulatory relationships of hub genes within hub modules to coordinate molting and growth. The results of RNA-Seq analysis were validated by the consistency of gene expression in qRT-PCR. In present study, key functional genes in the neuroendocrine system regulating allometric growth among individuals were identified, and significant pathways mainly include hormone synthesis were screened, thus constructing a neuroendocrine molecular regulatory network for the allometric growth of P. clarkii. Building on these investigations, a comprehensive mechanism whereby neuroendocrine regulators interact with structural components to coordinate molting and growth was proposed. The result would provide valuable insights into the molecular regulatory mechanisms of allometric growth, highlighting the interplay between the neuroendocrine system and relevant tissues.

Iron-based magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted significant attention in biomedical research, particularly for applications such as cancer detection and therapy, targeted drug delivery, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and hyperthermia. This study focuses on the synthesis and glutathione (GSH) functionalization of iron boride (FeB) nanoparticles (NPs) for prospective biomedical use. The GSH-functionalized FeB NPs (FeB@GSH) demonstrated ferromagnetic behavior, with a saturation magnetization (Ms) of 45.8 emu/g and low coercivity (Hc = 1000 Oe), indicating desirable magnetic properties for biomedical applications. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis of the FeB@GSH revealed well-dispersed nanoparticles with diameters smaller than 30 nm. Comprehensive nanotoxicity and biocompatibility assessments were performed using various healthy and cancer cell lines, including 293 T, HeLa, 3T3, MCF7, HCT116, and CFPAC-1. Cytotoxicity assays were conducted on FeB@GSH-treated cells over a dose range of 0–300 µg/mL during 24-h incubations. Results indicated no significant differences in cell viability between treated and untreated control groups, confirming the biocompatibility of FeB@GSH. Further nanotoxicity evaluations were carried out on 3T3, 293 T, and CFPAC-1 cell lines, focusing on oxidative stress markers and cellular metabolism by measuring antioxidant enzyme activity. Additionally, ion release and mineral metabolism were assessed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), revealing no notable variations between the treated and control groups. These findings suggest that FeB@GSH NPs exhibit excellent biocompatibility, making them promising candidates for diverse biomedical applications, including medical imaging, drug delivery systems, and therapeutic interventions.

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High solar evaporation efficiency combined with enhanced desalination and antifouling performance is key in the application of the solar-driven interfacial water evaporation (SIWE) technology. In this study, we have designed a dual-crosslinked and dual-networked hydrogel (CSH) for interfacial solar vapor generation (ISVG). Through adjusting the proportions of matrix components and balancing the degree of crosslinking between cellulose and epichlorohydrin, it is feasible to obtain the hybrid hydrogel with elastic behaviors. The resulted hydrogel has a porous structure enabling the transport of water molecules, while the doped component of iron-based metal–organic frameworks provides this hydrogel with strong light absorbance, achieving an evaporation rate of 2.52 kg·m⁻²·h⁻¹ under 1 kW·m⁻² solar irradiation and an evaporation efficiency of 89.32%. The porosity also creates salt resistance through capillary forces. Practical applications of such CSH hydrogels in the field of seawater desalination and wastewater purification are conducted under outdoor light conditions, and the concentrations of metal ions are revealed to be reduced by orders of magnitude below the WHO threshold ones, while pigments are found to be absent from the condensate contained in the treated wastewater.

Accurately estimating the blastability of rock mass is crucial for precise blasting design, enhancing blasting efficiency, and minimizing unnecessary damage to the rock mass. Despite the development of various methods for blastability evaluation, none has gained wide acceptance due to the complexity of rock masses. This paper aims to systematically review the development of blastability evaluation research to enhance understanding in this area. Firstly, factors affecting the blastability of rock mass were summarized and classified. Based on this, blastability evaluation indexes were categorized into four classes: characteristic parameters of rock, structural parameters of rock mass, blasting parameters, and external factors. The selection principles of blastability evaluation indexes were discussed. Secondly, the methods of blastability evaluation including single index empirical criterion method, multiple indexes aggregation method, comprehensive evaluation method, and machine learning method, were summarized. The applicability and advantages of each evaluation method were introduced. Finally, trends in blastability evaluation of rock mass were proposed, including the intelligent acquisition of rock mass parameters, three-dimensional blastability evaluation, broadening the scope of evaluation, and widespread application.

Ultrafast lasers, with pulse durations below a few picoseconds, are of significant interest to the industry, offering a cutting-edge approach to enhancing manufacturing processes and enabling the fabrication of intricate components with unparalleled accuracy. When processing metals at irradiances exceeding the evaporation threshold of about 10¹⁰ W/cm² these processes can generate ultra-short, soft X-ray pulses with photon energies above 5 keV. This has prompted extensive discussions and regulatory measures on radiation safety. However, the impact of these ultra-short X-ray pulses on molecular pathways in the context of living cells, has not been investigated so far. This paper presents the first molecular characterization of epithelial cell responses to ultra-short soft X-ray pulses, generated during processing of steel with an ultrafast laser. The laser provided pulses of 6.7 ps with a pulse repetition rate of 300 kHz and an average power of 500 W. The irradiance was 1.95 ×10¹³ W/cm². Ambient exposure of vitro human cell cultures, followed by imaging of the DNA damage response and fitting of the data to a calibrated model for the absorbed dose, revealed a linear increase in the DNA damage response relative to the exposure dose. This is in line with findings from work using continuous wave soft X-ray sources and suggests that the ultra-short X-ray pulses do not generate additional hazard. This research contributes valuable insights into the biological effects of ultrafast laser processes and their potential implications for user safety.

Recent advances in VLSI technology have led to the introduction of Quantum dot Cellular Automata (QCA) technology as a possible alternative to CMOS technology. This is owing mostly to its tiny feature size, high operating frequency, and low power consumption. During the preliminary research stage, QCA has been used to execute diverse models of combinatorial and sequential circuits, which serve as the fundamental functional components in a wide range of applications. Currently, research is focusing on the implementation of application-oriented architectures using QCA. The motivation behind this research work is to incorporate Galois Field (GF) functions into the AES Mix- Columns operation. We have proposed an Xtime multiplier implemented using QCA technology and analyzed the multiplier using various XOR models of QCA.

To enhance the efficiency of light harvesting in Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), it is crucial to minimize photon loss through the counter electrode and localize photons within the solar cell. The one-dimensional Ternary Photonic Crystal (1D-TPC) is used as a Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) in DSSCs to enhance overall performance. The 1D-TPC comprises TiO₂/Ag-MgF₂ nanocomposite/SiO₂ layers, and the transmittance spectra of the photonic crystal are analyzed using the Transfer Matrix Method (TMM). The effective permittivity of Ag-MgF₂ nanocomposite layer is calculated by the Maxwell– Garnett equation. The occurrence of the photonic band gap (PBG) with respect to parameters such as thicknesses of layers, number of periods (N), angle of incidence (θ_i), fill fraction (f) of silver in the nanocomposite layer are studied. The improvement in short-circuit current density (∆J_sc%) of the DSSC reaches the maximum value of 134% with the optimized parameters of the 1D-TPC.

Defect-induced magnetism in fully hydrogenated rectangular phosphorene quantum dots is investigated in this study using spin-polarized density functional theory (DFT) computations. The main goal is to examine the correlation between electronic states and intrinsic magnetic properties. Results demonstrate that introducing a vacancy at the quantum dot’s center and substituting a Si atom for the middle P atom result in a doublet state with a total magnetic moment of 1 µB. Spin density in these magnetic systems concentrates around the middle site and diminishes towards the cluster edges. Conversely, substituting the N atom for the intermediate P atom yields a non-magnetic system, consistent with electron occupation theory. In contrast to graphene, our investigation of the magnetic quantum dots’ spectrum shows the existence of vacant mid-gap states, suggesting that the magnetism is linked to electrical states with half-filled orbitals close to the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO). Furthermore, our findings indicate that energy gaps and zero energy states are responsive to changes in parallel electric fields, affecting the local spin density of magnetic atoms. This suggests potential applications in qubit implementation.

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We discuss the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model in curved spacetime with torsion in the leading order of the 1/N expansion. The effective potential of the scalar-torsion sector is calculated using the new technique based on the nonlocal part of anomaly-induced action which was recently found to produce the effective potential in the low-energy limit. The spontaneous symmetry breaking caused by the change of the torsion term is found, confirming the statements known from the existing literature. Furthermore, the gap equation is calculated as a function of curvature and torsion. Finally, the behavior of the effective four-fermion coupling constant as a function of the torsion is discussed.