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BOG re-liquefaction process is a necessary part for the safety of LNG cargo ships, and it is also the most common way to deal with evaporated gas (BOG) in LNG ships. Therefore, how to optimize the re-liquefaction process and save energy consumption is a problem that cannot be ignored in BOG re-liquefaction system. In this paper, based on the traditional BOG re-liquefaction process, a liquid nitrogen precooling circulation system is added and linked with the nitrogen purging system. Aspen HYSYS software was used to simulate and analyze the exergy efficiency, specific power consumption, exergy efficiency in the proposed liquefaction process. In addition, we introduced a bacterial foraging algorithm to optimize the process parameters. According to the operation results, the optimized process has a specific power consumption of 1.028 kWh/kg LNG , which is 21.53 % lower than that of the original NH 3 and CO 2 precooling system. Changing the traditional precooling system to liquid nitrogen tank reduces the complexity of the liquefaction system and improves the reliability of the system. Because liquid nitrogen has excellent cryogenic energy, small size, cheap price, safety in the actual use process and the linkage with the purge device on board, it shows excellent performance in the process of BOG pre-cooling liquefaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influenza virus (IV) is a common pathogen affecting the upper respiratory tract, that causes various diseases. Secondary bacterial pneumonia is a common complication and a major cause of death in influenza patients. Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) is the predominant co-infected bacteria in the pandemic, which colonizes healthy people but can cause diseases in immunocompromised individuals. Vaccination is a crucial strategy for avoiding infection, however, no universal influenza vaccine (UIV) that is resistant to multiple influenza viruses is available. Despite its limited immunogenicity, the hemagglutinin (HA) stem is a candidate peptide for UIV. ΔA146Ply (pneumolysin with a single deletion of A146) not only retains the Toll-like receptor 4 agonist effect but also is a potential vaccine adjuvant and a candidate protein for the S. pneumoniae vaccine. We constructed the fusion protein ΔA146Ply-HA stem and studied its immunoprotective effect in mice infection models. The results showed that intramuscular immunization of ΔA146Ply-HA stem without adjuvant could induce specific antibodies against HA stem and specific CD4+ T and CD8+ T cellular immunity in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice, which could improve the survival rate of mice infected with IAV and co-infected with S. pneumoniae , but the protective effect on BALB/c mice was better than that on C57BL/6 mice. ΔA146Ply-HA stem serum antibody could protect BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice from IAV, and recognized HA polypeptides of H3N2, H5N1, H7N9, and H9N2 viruses. Moreover, ΔA146Ply-HA stem intramuscular immunization had a high safety profile with no obvious toxic side effects. The results indicated that coupling ΔA146Ply with influenza protein as a vaccine was a safe and effective strategy against the IV and secondary S. pneumoniae infection. ● ΔA146Ply-HA stem protein can elicit humoral and cellular immunity in mice. ● ΔA146Ply-HA stem protein can protect mice against influenza A virus infection and co-infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae. ● Coupling ΔA146Ply with influenza protein as a vaccine is an effective strategy against the IV and S. pneumoniae infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A BOG buffer tank and a control strategy is proposed to optimize the liquefaction process and can maintain the stability of the system. • The inlet gas volume increases by 12.2% and system specific energy consumption is reduced by 5.7% compared with the reference process. • The results of the simulation data provide an identifiable scale demarcation for the control strategy. • The optimal intake ratio exists which can be more responsively adjusted and adapted to process fluctuations in actual operation. The re-liquefaction of BOG is a necessary part of the safety and security of LNG cargo ships. And the volatility of BOG will fluctuate with the sea conditions of ship transportation, so how to deal with the fluctuation of the re-liquefaction system and improve the liquefaction capacity is a problem that cannot be ignored in the operation of the liquefaction system; In this paper, a BOG buffer tank is added to the Reverse Brayton Process. Moreover, a control strategy is proposed to optimize the liquefaction process. The proposed four possible operating conditions' efficiency,the specific energy consumption (SEC), liquefaction rate and main heat exchanger parameters were simulated and analyzed by using Aspen HYSYS software. According to the results, the specific energy consumption of the basic re-liquefaction process is 1.329 kWh/kg LNG , which is 5.7% less than that of the reference process; In the study of flow fluctuation, after adopting the control strategy, the specific energy consumption of the whole process is 1.29 kWh/kg LNG , with 15.6% efficiency and 99.5% liquefaction rate. The whole system can be maintained at a low specific energy consumption level when the feed gas volume is fluctuating. The analyses of various BOG composition and the parameters of the main heat exchanger show that the regulation of the inlet gas volume can make the primary re-liquefaction process flexible and maintain the heat exchanger in a good working condition; Even if the system is in a worse working condition, the inlet gas volume can be improved by 12.2% compared with the reference process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current seasonal influenza A virus (IAV) vaccines only protect against specific virus and require annual reconstitution to accommodate the viral mutations. A universal influenza vaccination that protects against all IAV strains is urgently needed. The influenza matrix protein 2 ectodomain (M2e) is a potential universal IAV vaccine candidate, but it has a low immunogenicity. ΔA146Ply was proved to be an effective protein adjuvant. Therefore, ΔA146Ply was used as an adjuvant of M2e in this study to evaluate its protective effect against IAV-related infection. Herein, a novel rM2e protein containing multiple M2e originated from different species of IAV was constructed and expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli). Meanwhile, we also constructed and expressed the rM2e-ΔPly protein in E. coli. These proteins were administered intramuscularly to BALB/c mice. rM2e-ΔPly protein induces higher levels of humoral and cellular responses compared with their comprising protein mixture or rM2e alone. rM2e-ΔPly protein enhances the survival rate, reduces viral loads and inflammatory response in lung challenged with PR8. The serum induced by rM2e-ΔPly protein can protect against PR8 by passive immunity and cross-react with multiple M2e peptides derived from different IAV subtypes. After IAV and Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) co-infection, rM2e-Ply protein can improve survival, lower viral and bacterial burdens, and diminish inflammatory response in the lungs. These results demonstrate that rM2e-ΔPly protein can significantly protect against influenza virus, IAV and S. pneumoniae co-infection, indicating that rM2e-ΔPly protein has the potential to become a universal influenza vaccine. • ΔA146Ply protein can enhance the humoral and cellular responses of M2e protein. • rM2e-ΔPly protein can significantly protect against influenza A virus and its co-infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae. • rM2e-ΔPly protein has the potential to become a universal influenza vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soy sauce is a traditional condiment that undergoes microbial fermentation of various ingredients to achieve its desired color, scent, and flavor. Sporidiobolus pararoseus , which is a type of Rhodocerevisiae , shows promising potential as a source of lipids, carotenoids, and enzymes that can enrich the taste and color of soy sauce. However, there is currently a lack of systematic and comprehensive studies on the functions and mechanisms of action of S. pararoseus during soy sauce fermentation. In this review, it is well established that S. pararoseus produces lipids that are abundant in unsaturated fatty acids, particularly oleic acid, as well as various carotenoids, such as β-carotene, torulene, and torularhodin. These pigments are synthesized through the mevalonic acid pathway and possess remarkable antioxidant properties, acting as natural colorants. The synthesis of carotenoids is stimulated by high salt concentrations, which induces oxidative stress caused by NaCl. This stress further activates crucial enzymes involved in carotenoid production, ultimately leading to pigment formation. Moreover, S. pararoseus can produce high-quality enzymes that aid in the efficient utilization of soy sauce substrates during fermentation. Furthermore, this review focused on the impact of S. pararoseus on the color and quality of soy sauce and comprehensively analyzed its characteristics and ingredients. Thus, this review serves as a basis for screening high-quality oleaginous red yeast strains and improving the quality of industrial soy sauce production through the wide application of S. pararoseus. • The synthesis pathway of lipids and carotenoids in S. pararoseus was illustrated. • S. pararoseus can compensate for lipid insufficiency during fermentation. • S. pararoseus can produce carotenoids under various environmental stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We propose a cross-modal propagation network (called CMPN) based on meta-learning for generalized zero-shot learning. • CMPN incorporates the adaptive graph construction and label propagation into the generative ZSL framework. • CMPN guarantees intra-class compactness and inter-class separation in the latent space. • The experiment results validate the effectiveness of CMPN. Zero-shot learning (ZSL) aims to recognize unseen classes by transferring semantic knowledge from seen classes to unseen ones. Since only seen classes are available during training, the domain bias issue, i.e., the trained model is biased toward seen classes, is the key issue for ZSL. To alleviate the bias problem, generation-based approaches are proposed to build generative models that can generate fake visual features of unseen classes by utilizing semantic vectors. However, most of the existing generative methods still suffer some degree of domain bias caused by the ambiguous generation of fake features. In this paper, we propose a cross-modal propagation network (CMPN), which adopts an episode-based meta-learning strategy. CMPN incorporates the adaptive graph construction and label propagation into the generative ZSL framework for guaranteeing an unambiguous and discriminative fake feature generating. By further leveraging the manifold structure of different modalities in the latent space, CMPN can implicitly ensure intra-class compactness and inter-class separation through label propagation classification in latent space. Extensive experiments on four datasets validate the effectiveness of CMPN under both ZSL and generalized ZSL (GZSL) settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vacancy engineering has been widely used to enhance the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance due to its effective electronic modulation effect. Herein, the molybdenum (Mo) vacancies were introduced into molybdenum phosphide (MoP) towards high-efficiency hydrogen evolution for the first time. Benefiting from the charge redistribution around the Mo vacancies, the exposed P sites can serve as ideal catalytic sites with a free energy of hydrogen adsorption close to zero. Meanwhile, an internal polarization field from terminal Mo atoms to exposed P atoms can offer a more efficient "H delivery" mechanism, achieving fast HER kinetics with a dominant Volmer-Heyrovsky mechanism at a wide range of current density and ultimately exceeding the commercial Pt/C catalyst for high-efficiency hydrogen evolution. More importantly, we first report that the P p-band center can be used as an alternative descriptor to evaluate the HER performance of the electrocatalysts which utilize P atoms as the main active sites. Furthermore, this work also demonstrates that metal vacancies provide an effective tactic to optimize catalytic activity for metal compound-based electrocatalysts. [Display omitted] • Porous Mo vacancy-rich MoP is obtained by an acid etching treatment. • P sites can serve as ideal catalytic sites due to optimized charge redistribution. • An internal polarization field offers a more efficient "H delivery" mechanism. • P p-band center is proposed as alternative descriptor to evaluate HER properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Phytic acid functionalized graphene oxide (PA-GO) was facilely prepared. • PA-GO exhibits high removal efficiency for Congo red (CR) and malachite green (MG). • HSAB theory illuminates the primary interactions between PA-GO and CR (or MG). • Groups introduced by phytic acid enhance the adsorption affinity of GO. • Chemical adsorption impelled by electrostatic interaction is proposed. Phytic acid functionalized graphene oxide (PA-GO) has fascinating application in environmental remediation. Herein, PA-GO was facilely prepared via hydrothermal method and utilized as adsorbent to remove aqueous Congo red (CR) and malachite green (MG). The adsorbent-adsorbate interaction mechanism was elaborately scrutinized based on the hard and soft acid base (HSAB) principle, spectroscopic analysis and adsorption fitting. Result shows, after five consecutive cycles, PA-GO maintains adsorption quantity 242.82 mg·g−1 and 117.53 mg·g−1 for CR and MG, respectively. The HSAB principle illuminates, primary interaction of PA-GO with both CR and MG is provided by phytic acid moiety (PA). For CR adsorption, electron of N atom in –NH 2 group flows towards O atom in OH and O(-O-) of PA. While for MG adsorption, electron of N atom in (CH 3) 2 N– group flows towards O atom in OH and O(-O-) of PA. FTIR, UV–Vis analyses supports the HSAB principle prediction. In brief, the hydroxyls and phosphoric groups introduced by PA functionalization enhance the adsorption affinity of GO. Adsorption of CR, MG by PA-GO under favorable pH is thermodynamically chemical but kinetically impelled by electrostatic interaction. This work may promote the development of efficient adsorbent based on PA-GO architecture for environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Copper sulfide (Cu x S) was first selected as electrode materials for AAIBs. • The flower-like CuS exhibited outstanding NH 4 + storage performance. • The NH 4 + energy storage mechanism in CuS host was revealed. • The electrolyte composition was adjusted to effectively improve the electrode stability. The aqueous ammonium-ion batteries (AAIBs) exhibit significant significance because of their high energy, cost-effectiveness, environmental friendliness, and high safety. Nonetheless, electrode materials with good cycle stability as well as great capacity have a crucial role in developing aqueous ammonium ion batteries. Herein, flower-like CuS microspheres were successfully utilized in AAIBs. The experimental results demonstrated that the as-synthetized copper sulfides revealed high conductivity and flower-like microspheres, and its initial discharge capacity was as high as 710 mAh g−1 at the 0.1 A g−1 current density. Moreover, the cycle stability of batteries were greatly improved by optimizing the electrolyte composition. These results represent a novel design strategy for the AAIBs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MYB proteins are one of the most abundant transcription factor families in the plant kingdom. Evidence has increasingly revealed that MYB-related proteins function in diverse plant biological processes. However, little is known about the genome-wide characterization and functions of MYB-related proteins in Populus, an important model and commercial tree species. In this study, 152 PtrMYBRs were identified and unevenly located on 19 Populus chromosomes. A phylogenetic analysis divided them into six major subgroups, supported by conserved gene organization, consensus motifs, and protein domain architecture. Promoter assessment and gene ontology classification results indicated that the MYB-related family is likely involved in plant development and responses to various environmental stressors. The Populus MYB-related family members showed various expression patterns in different tissues and stress conditions, implying their crucial roles in the development and stress responses in Populus. Co-expression analyses revealed that Populus MYB-related genes might participate in the regulation of antioxidant defense system and various signaling pathways in response to stress. The three-dimensional structures of different subgroup of Populus MYB-related proteins further provided functional information at the proteomic level. These findings provide valuable information for a prospective functional dissection of MYB-related proteins and genetic improvement of Populus. • Comprehensive analyses of PtrMYBR gene family were carried out for the first time. • PtrMYBR family members were classified into six major subgroups, including CCA1-like/RR, CPC-like, TBP-like, TRF-like, I-box-like, and GARP. • PtrMYBR family members play essential roles in development and stress responses in Populus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel ratiometric electrochemical aptasensor based on split aptamer and Au-reduced graphene oxide (Au-rGO) nanomaterials was proposed to detect aflatoxin M1 (AFM1). In this work, Au-rGO nanomaterials were coated on the electrode through the electrodeposition method to increase the aptamer enrichment. We split the aptamer of AFM1 into 2 sequences (S1 and S2), where S1 was immobilized on the electrode due to the Au-S bond, and S2 was tagged with methylene blue (MB) and acted as a response signal. A complementary strand to S1 (CS1) labeled with ferrocene (Fc) was introduced as another reporter. In the presence of AFM1, CS1 was released from the electrode surface due to the formation of the S1-AFM1-S2 complex, leading to a decrease in Fc and an increase in the MB signal. The developed ratiometric aptasensor exhibited a linear range of 0.03 μg L−1 to 2.00 μg L−1, with a detection limit of 0.015 μg L−1 for AFM1 detection. The ratiometric aptasensor also showed a linear relationship from 0.2 μg L−1 to 1.00 μg L−1, with a detection limit of 0.05 μg L−1 in natural milk after sample pretreatment, indicating the successful application of the developed ratiometric aptasensor. Our proposed strategy provides a new way to construct aptasensors with high sensitivity and selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When pH is around 2, CR and PRGO come close to each other owing to electrostatic attraction, yielding high adsorption efficiency based on hydrogen bond and π-π interaction depicted as red and yellow ribbon respectively. However, when pH is around 11, CR and PRGO keep away from each other due to electrostatic repulsion, exhibiting low adsorption efficiency. By contrast, when pH is around 2, MG and PRGO keep away from each other due to electrostatic repulsion, exhibiting low adsorption efficiency. When pH is around 11, MG and PRGO come close to each other owing to electrostatic attraction, yielding high adsorption efficiency based on electrostatic attraction and π-π interaction depicted as green and yellow ribbons. The smiling face and crying face imply high and low affinity leading to superior and inferior adsorption, respectively. [Display omitted] • Partially reduced graphene oxide (PRGO) was facilely fabricated. • PRGO exhibits efficient adsorption for Congo red (CR) and malachite green (MG). • Both adsorptions are chemically favorable process. • Hydrogen bond and π-π interaction are associated with CR adsorption. • Electrostatic attraction and π-π interaction are associated with MG adsorption. Graphene based adsorbent has fascinating perspective in environmental application. Herein, partially reduced graphene oxide (PRGO) was facilely prepared with hydrothermal method. The as prepared PRGO was characterized and utilized as adsorbent to remove Congo red (CR) and malachite green (MG). Moreover, adsorption mechanism was elaborately surveyed via adsorption fitting (isotherm, kinetic and thermodynamic) and spectroscopic analysis (FTIR, UV-Vis). Results show, CR, MG adsorption by PRGO swiftly reaches equilibrium in 8 min and 10 min, with adsorption quantity 121.29 mg g−1 and 198.10 mg g−1 respectively. Both adsorptions are chemically favorable as satisfactorily described by the Freundlich model and pseudo second order model in equilibrium level and non equilibrium level, respectively. With regard to adsorption mechanism, adsorption is associated with both polar and non polar interactions. For CR adsorption, the specific form of polar and non polar interaction is hydrogen bond and π-π interaction, respectively. While for MG adsorption, the specific form of polar and non polar interaction is electrostatic attraction and π-π interaction, respectively. This work may provide insight for exploiting graphene related adsorbent for environmental treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When pH is around 2, CR and PRGO come close to each other owing to electrostatic attraction, yielding high adsorption efficiency based on hydrogen bond and π-π interaction depicted as red and yellow ribbon respectively. However, when pH is around 11, CR and PRGO keep away from each other due to electrostatic repulsion, exhibiting low adsorption efficiency. By contrast, when pH is around 2, MG and PRGO keep away from each other due to electrostatic repulsion, exhibiting low adsorption efficiency. When pH is around 11, MG and PRGO come close to each other owing to electrostatic attraction, yielding high adsorption efficiency based on electrostatic attraction and π-π interaction depicted as green and yellow ribbons. The smiling face and crying face imply high and low affinity leading to superior and inferior adsorption, respectively. [Display omitted] • Partially reduced graphene oxide (PRGO) was facilely fabricated. • PRGO exhibits efficient adsorption for Congo red (CR) and malachite green (MG). • Both adsorptions are chemically favorable process. • Hydrogen bond and π-π interaction are associated with CR adsorption. • Electrostatic attraction and π-π interaction are associated with MG adsorption. Graphene based adsorbent has fascinating perspective in environmental application. Herein, partially reduced graphene oxide (PRGO) was facilely prepared with hydrothermal method. The as prepared PRGO was characterized and utilized as adsorbent to remove Congo red (CR) and malachite green (MG). Moreover, adsorption mechanism was elaborately surveyed via adsorption fitting (isotherm, kinetic and thermodynamic) and spectroscopic analysis (FTIR, UV-Vis). Results show, CR, MG adsorption by PRGO swiftly reaches equilibrium in 8 min and 10 min, with adsorption quantity 121.29 mg g−1 and 198.10 mg g−1 respectively. Both adsorptions are chemically favorable as satisfactorily described by the Freundlich model and pseudo second order model in equilibrium level and non equilibrium level, respectively. With regard to adsorption mechanism, adsorption is associated with both polar and non polar interactions. For CR adsorption, the specific form of polar and non polar interaction is hydrogen bond and π-π interaction, respectively. While for MG adsorption, the specific form of polar and non polar interaction is electrostatic attraction and π-π interaction, respectively. This work may provide insight for exploiting graphene related adsorbent for environmental treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the self-consistent phonon (SCP) theory, lattice thermal expansion, and Boltzmann transport equation (BTE), both thermal conductivity and scattering channel are studied by considering the cubic and quartic anharmonicity. The increase of phonon group velocity is caused by phonon frequency shifts at about 12 THz, but the phonon group velocity decreases slightly above 15 THz, agreeing with the decrease of phonon frequency induced by quartic anharmonic renormalization. The relaxation time of SCP is larger than that of HA, leading to the increase of thermal conductivity under SCP. The glass-like thermal conductivity of HA+ 3 ph, HA+ 3 ph + 4 ph, SCP+ 3 ph and SCP+ 3 ph + 4 ph is 0.12517 W/mK, 0.15713 W/mK, 0.1187 W/mK, 0.28551 W/mK, respectively. The three-phonon weighted phase space of HA is slightly larger than that of SCP, while the four-phonon weighted phase space of HA is nearly the same as the phase space of SCP. The major contributions to the scattering channels are X + ZA/TA/LA→O, X→O+ZA/TA/LA, X + O+ZA/TA→O, X + O-O/TA/LA→O, X + O-O→ZA/TA/LA, and X-O-ZA/TA→O. The weak C-C bonding is responsible for the low thermal conductivity of BC14. Moreover, these findings help us to understand the physical mechanism of thermal transport with the effect of quartic anharmonic renormalization. [Display omitted] • The quartic anharmonic renormalization results in a temperature-dependent phonon frequency shift. • Four-phonon scattering (phonon frequency shifts) induces an underestimated (overestimated) lattice thermal conductivity. • The particle-like and glass-like thermal conductivity are investigated by considering phonon anharmonicity. • For the three-phonon scattering, the X+ZA/TA/LA→O and X→O+ ZA/TA/LA play a major role. • For four-phonon scattering, a major contributions are from the X+O+ZA/TA→O, X+O-O/TA/LA→O, X+O-O→ZA/TA/LA and X-O-ZA/TA→O. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) contamination in soils seriously threatens agroecosystems globally. However, very few studies have been done on the effects of MPs on the soil nitrogen cycle and related functional microorganisms. To assess MP's impact on the soil nitrogen cycle and related functional bacteria, we carried out a one-month soil incubation experiment using typical acidic soil. The soil was amended with alfalfa meal and was spiked with 1% and 5% (mass percentage) of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) MPs. Our results showed that both LDPE and PVC addition significantly increased soil nitrification rate and nitrate reductase activity, which could further promote soil denitrification. The relative abundance of diazotrophs, ammonium oxidizing, and denitrifying bacterial groups were significantly altered with MPs addition. Moreover, the MPs treatments greatly enhanced denitrifying bacteria richness. Redundancy analysis showed that nitrate reductase activity was the most significant factor affecting the soil functional bacterial community. Correlation analysis shows that Nitrosospira genus might be for the improvement of soil nitrification rate. Our results implied that MPs exposure could significantly affect the soil nitrogen cycling in farmland ecosystems by influencing essential nitrogen functional microorganisms and related enzymatic activities. [Display omitted] • PE and PVC MPs stimulated soil nitrification rate and nitrate reductase activities. • PE and PVC MPs altered community composition of soil nitrogen functional bacteria. • Nitrate reductase was key to affecting nitrogen functional bacteria in soil with MPs. • Nitrosospira might be responsible for nitrification improvement in soils with MPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microscopic mechanism of lattice thermal conductivity of SrTiO 3 is investigated by full temperature-dependent anharmonic phonon renormalization and two-channel thermal transport. The contribution of normal phonon is calculated by the Boltzmann transport equation, while the contribution of diffusion phonon is treated by random-walk diffusion theory and wave-like tunneling of phonon. Based on the anharmonic phonon renormalization, the full temperature-dependent interatomic force constant is utilized to calculate the thermal conductivity of normal phonon and diffusion phonon. With the combined inclusion of normal phonon and diffusion phonon, our work successfully reproduces the experimental thermal conductivity of SrTiO 3 on top of full temperature-dependent anharmonic phonon renormalization. Our results show that the anharmonic phonon renormalization (a) strongly hardens the acoustic branch and softens the optical branch, (b) suppresses the weighted phase space of low-frequency phonon modes, reducing the coupling between acoustic and optical phonons, and (c) diminishes the strength of three-phonon scattering and four-phonon scattering, enlarging the lattice thermal conductivity. The anharmonic phonon renormalization plays a significant role in the thermal transport process of SrTiO 3 , and the diffusion phonon transport also makes an important contribution to the total thermal conductivity. The methodology may be used to resolve the discrepancies between experimental and theoretical thermal conductivity. With the combined inclusion of normal phonon and diffusion phonon, our work successfully reproduces the experimental thermal conductivity of SrTiO 3 on top of anharmonic phonon renormalization. • The anharmonic phonon renormalization strongly hardens the acoustic branch and softens the optical branch. • The anharmonic phonon renormalization reduces the coupling between the acoustic branch and optical branch. • The thermal conductivity is calculated by full temperature-dependent interatomic force constant. • The diffusion phonon is treated by random-walk diffusion theory and wave-like tunneling of phonon. • Our prediction agrees well with experiment throughout the whole temperature range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel benzo[h]chromene compounds were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their biological activity as AcrB inhibitors. The compounds were assessed for their ability to potentiate the effect of antibiotics. Compounds with antibiotic-potentiating effects were then evaluated for inhibition of Nile Red efflux, and for off-target effects including activity on the outer and inner bacterial membranes and toxicity. Six compounds were identified to reduce the MIC values of at least one of the tested antibiotics by at least 4-fold, and further reduced the MICs in the presence of a membrane permeabilizer. The identified compounds were also able to inhibit Nile Red efflux at concentrations between 50 μM and 200 μM. The compounds did not disrupt the bacterial outer membrane nor display toxicity in a nematode model (Caenorhabditis elegans). The 4-methoxyphenoxy)propoxy derivative compound G6 possessed the most potent antibacterial potentiation with erythromycin by 8-fold even without the presence of a membrane permeabilizer. Furthermore, H6 , G6 , G10 and G11 completely abolished the Nile Red efflux at a concentration of 50 μM. The 3,4-dihydro-2 H -benzo[h]chromen-5-yl)(morpholino)methanone core appears to be a promising chemical skeleton to be further studied in the discovery of more putative AcrB inhibitors. In this paper, a series of benzo[h]chromene derivatives were design, synthesized and evaluated for their biological activity as AcrB inhibitors. Among them, compounds H6 , G6 , G10 and G11 could completely inhibit the efflux of Nile Red (a known substrate of AcrB) at a concentration of 50 μM. [Display omitted] • A new class of benzochromene derivatives were designed and synthesized. • They were evaluated as AcrB inhibitor against the Escherichia coli strain BW25113. • Six compounds were found to increase the efficacy of at least one tested antibiotics. • H3 , H5 , H6 , G6 and G11 were identified as ideal AcrB inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaerobic methane oxidation (AOM) coupled to nitrate, sulfate and iron has been most extensively studied. Recently, AOM coupled with arsenate reduction (AOM-AsR) was demonstrated in laboratory microcosm incubation, however whether AOM-AsR is active in the field conditions remains elusive. Here, we used 13C-labeled methane (13CH 4) to investigate the AOM-AsR process in both anaerobic microcosms and field conditions with identical soils. Our results revealed the occurrence of AOM-AsR in the field, but AOM-AsR in the field was not as active as that which occurred in the laboratory (AOM-AsR contributed approximately 33.87% and 80.76% of total As release in the field and laboratory studies, respectively). This occurred because the laboratory setting provided a more suitable condition for the AOM-AsR process. Moreover, the results suggested that the relative abundance of mcrA from the ANME-2d was the most abundant. Our results clearly demonstrate that the AOM-AsR is active in both the laboratory and field conditions. Moreover, the results highlight the potential risk the AOM-AsR for pose for As contamination in rice paddies. [Display omitted] • The AOM-AsR process was validated in the field condition for the first time. • AOM-AsR contributed 80.76% and 33.87% of total As release in the laboratory and field studies. • The relative abundance of mcrA from the ANME-2d was the most abundant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annealing-induced hardening effect was studied in electro-deposited nanocrystalline Ni and NiFe thin films. Nanoindentation testing showed obvious hardening effect for all grain sizes in experiment, which were precisely controlled by adding Fe solutes. Contrast to the general trend in which the hardening effect monotonically increases with decreasing grain size, it enhanced firstly, peaking at a critical grain size (~ 16 nm) and then lowered. Based on the apparent inverse H-P trend and unusual enhancement of strain rate sensitivity after annealing, we attributed the weakened annealing-induced hardening phenomena, despite of the strongest grain boundary pinning effect resulted from the highest Fe solutes (up to 50 at%), mainly to the more pronounced grain-boundary mediated plasticity in extremely fine nanograins. This work contribute directly to understanding the distinct effect of alloying on mechanical properties of nanocrystalline metals. • Unexpected weakened annealing-hardening effect of nanocrystalline NiFe alloys occurred below a critical grain size. • The apparent inverse Hall-Petch trend and the elevated m value after for annealed NiFe alloys evidenced the more pronounced GB-mediated mechanisms. • The relatively weak grain boundary pinning effect of Fe solutes, accompanied with the more pronounced grain boundary mediated activities after annealing, should be responsible for the weakened annealing-hardening effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Yeast extract amino acids can shape the fermentation microbiota of soy sauce. • Yeast extract amino acids boost the competitiveness of aroma-producing microbiota. • The best mass ratio of neutral: acidic: basic amino acids is 58:27:15. • The best amino acid formula can increase the malt aroma of soy sauce by 52.6%. Yeast extracts, of which amino acids are the main component, can be directly applied to improve the flavor of final soy sauce. In this study, the potential of commercial yeast extracts was explored from amino acid approach to enhance the flavor quality of soy sauce by shaping the core fermentation microbiota. Alkaline and neutral amino acids favored the competitive benefits of flavor-producing bacteria, while acidic amino acids promoted the stress resistance of the fermentation microbiota, especially the abundance of Lactobacillus , which increased to 18.03–23.78% and became the predominant microbiota. The mass ratio of neutral-nonpolar: neutral-polar: acidic: alkaline amino acids was 40: 18: 27: 15, which provided the optimal improvement of soy sauce aroma. The formulation and activated the metabolic pathways of 3-methyl-1-butyraldehyde, 3-methyl-1-butanol and 2-methyl-1-propanol through Leu and Ile, resulting in a 52.6% increase in malt-like aroma. This study provides a new idea for the regulation of soy sauce fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel fluorescence sensing material based on upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and molecularly imprinted polymer was prepared. • UCNPs were introduced as fluorophores to provide fluorescent signal. • MOFs were introduced to increase the rate mass transfer and adsorption capacity. A novel strategy for sensing protein was proposed through combining the high selectivity of molecular imprinting technology with the excellent upconversion fluorescence of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and high specific surface area of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). Herein, the UCNPs acted as signal reporter and MOFs were introduced to increase the rate of mass transfer. The UCNPs@MIL-100 as support material was prepared via a step-by-step method. The imprinted material-coated UCNPs@MIL-100 (UCNPs@MIL-100@MIPs) were obtained by sol–gel technique. The results showed that as the increase of the template protein concentration, the fluorescence intensity of UCNPs@MIL-100@MIPs quenched gradually, and the imprinting factor was 2.90. The linear in the range of 1.00 to 8.00 μM, and the detection limit was 0.59 μM. Therefore, the novel optosensing material is very promising for future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A remarkable resorcin[4]arene-based [Co 12 ] supermolecule cage functionalized by bio-inspired [Co 4 O 4 ] cubanes was applied as an efficient visible light-driven water oxidation catalyst. [Display omitted] • 1 and 1-a assembled with two bio-inspired [Co 4 O 4 ] cubanes were synthesized. • 1 and 1-a feature efficient photocatalytic water oxidation activity under visible light irradiation. • The density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate the high water oxidation activity of the [Co 4 O 4 ] cubanes in 1. The design and assembly of efficient water oxidation catalysts (WOCs) is quite desirable, but still remains a synthetic challenge. Herein, we researched remarkable calix[4]resorcinarene-based [Co 12 ] coordination cages with bio-inspired [Co 4 O 4 ] cubanes. Markedly, the coordination cage features efficient visible light-driven water oxidation activity, and represents a unique example of calix[4]resorcinarene-based [Co 4 O 4 ] cubane WOC. It afforded an optimal turnover number (TON) of 119, corresponding to a quite high turnover frequency (TOF) of 793 h−1 and an oxygen yield of 17.0%. A possible mechanism for the water oxidation reaction was also proposed by means of density functional theory (DFT) calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abscission is an important developmental process and an essential agricultural trait. Auxin and ethylene are two phytohormones with important roles in the complex, but still elusive signaling network of abscission. Here, we found that hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), a newly identified gasotransmitter, inhibits the initiation of tomato pedicel abscission. The underlying mechanism was explored through transcriptome profile analysis in various pedicel tissues with or without H 2 S treatment in the early abscission stage. The data suggested that H 2 S strongly influences the global transcription of pedicel tissues, exerts differential expression regulation along the pedicel, and markedly influences both the auxin and ethylene signaling pathways. Computational analysis revealed that H 2 S reconstructs a basipetal auxin gradient along the pedicel at 4 h after treatment; this finding was further substantiated by the GUS-staining results of DR5 :: GUS pedicels. The inhibitory effect of H 2 S to the ethylene signaling pathway might be an indirect action. Moreover, the subtilisin-like proteinase family members involved in the release of peptide signal molecules are critical components of the abscission signaling network downstream of auxin and ethylene. • Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) inhibited the initiation of the tomato pedicel abscission process. • H 2 S reconstructed a basipetal auxin gradient along the treated tomato pedicel. • H 2 S played an important role in the transcription level. • The ligand-receptor and the ROX systems are potential regulatory nodes downstream auxin in tomato pedicel abscission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Tenogenic patch is engineered with featured fibrous microtopography and mechanical reliability for rotator cuff tendon repair. • A facile and scalable new technique is developed to obtain highly aligned and sparsely stacked fibres. • The patch scaffold shows reinforced mechanical compliance required for human rotator cuff tendon application. • The patch scaffold can induce tendon-related cell morphogenesis with upregulated gene and protein activities. Rotator cuff tendon repair remains a great challenge in orthopedic surgery. Attempts to inspire the microenvironmental recapitulation from in vivo have rarely elaborated on aligned and reinforced fibrous microtopography required for clinical application. Furthermore, compromises with fibrous densification during fabrication often limit the scaffold's relevance in translational medicine. Here, we reported a facile and scalable method of uniaxial cold-drawing for engineering tendon patch scaffold. Comprised of bioactive and structure-supporting portions, the scaffold obtained featured microtopography of aligned and sparely-stacked fibres while providing mechanical properties approaching to that of human rotator cuff tendon. The structural integration between scaffold's two portions resulted in stable and reliable fabrication, where parameters of drawing ratio, speed and temperature influenced the formation of fibrous microtopography. When mesenchymal stem cells were cultured with the scaffold, phenotypic markers of tenogenesis including scleraxis, decorin and tenomodulin were examined higher over nonfibrous controls. Our results further demonstrated that expression of collagen type I was associated with highly aligned intracellular cytoskeleton and the higher nucleus alignment and elongation, coupling with down-regulated cell proliferation and noncytotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrocatalytic N 2 reduction reaction (NRR) serves as a promising approach for converting N 2 to NH 3 in a sustainable way to replace the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process. MoS 2 -based electrocatalysts hold great potentials in catalyzing N 2 reduction due to their similarity with active MoFe-co in biological nitrogenase. In this work, we reported a sulfur vacancy-rich MoS 2 as an excellent electrocatalyst for NRR, where the sulfur vacancies (SVs) were easily controlled by regulating the amount of P dopants. MoS 2 with abundant SVs (P-M-1) achieved a large NH 3 yield rate of 60.27 µg h−1 mg−1 cat. and high Faradaic efficiency of 12.22% towards NRR. Further mechanistic study revealed that P dopants not only created SVs as the active centers but also modulated the electronic structure for the enhanced adsorption and activation of N 2 molecules, thus immensely promoting the catalytic performance of NRR. [Display omitted] • The in-plane S vacancy in MoS 2 is precisely constructed by P incorporation. • Sulfur vacancies can serve as the active sites for N 2 adsorption and activation. • The electronic structures of nearby Mo atoms are modulated by P incorporation. • DFT calculations attesting the energetic role of the P incorporation in MoS 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous dyes are major environmental contaminants. Herein, a facile solvothermal method is introduced for the fabrication of an MgO/graphene oxide (MgO/GO) nanocomposite. The as-fabricated MgO/GO has been characterized and employed as an adsorbent to remove aqueous methyl blue (MB) and malachite green (MG). The removal performance has been evaluated through batch adsorptions. More importantly, interactions between MgO/GO and MB or MG have been analyzed in detail, allowing the proposal of a plausible adsorption mechanism. Adsorptions of MB (initial concentration 100 mg L−1) and MG (initial concentration 650 mg L−1) on MgO/GO (dosage 500 mg L−1) reached equilibrium in 12 min and 10 min, respectively; the removal efficiency and adsorption capacity of MB were 85.95% and 171.90 mg g−1, and those of MG were 98.08% and 1275.00 mg g−1. Both adsorption processes conformed well to the Freundlich model and the pseudo-second-order model, whereby adsorption rate is controlled by chemical adsorption. The adsorption mechanism involves electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonding, π-π interactions, and van der Waals forces. The facile preparation and high adsorption efficiency may make MgO/GO a potential adsorbent for aqueous dyes. • MgO/graphene oxide (MgO/GO) has been fabricated and characterized. • MgO/GO adsorbed 171.90 mg g−1 methyl blue in 12 min and 1275.00 mg g−1 malachite green in 10 min. • Both adsorptions conformed well to the Freundlich model and the pseudo-second-order model. • The adsorption mechanism has been clarified as involving adsorbent–adsorbate interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, Cu-doped hematite nanoplates (named as CuHNPs) with abundant oxygen-vacancies were prepared through a facile one-pot solvothermal method and used for efficient peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation to degrade tetracycline (TC) in water. The catalytic activity of optimal CuHNPs-7.5 catalyst to activate PMS for the degradation of TC in water under visible light irradiation is 7.74 and 2.93 times higher than that of pure one without and with visible light irradiation. CuHNPs-7.5 exhibited excellent degradation for TC in the broad pH range from 2.14 to 10.75, and the removal of TC was barely inhibited by co-anions. The combination of free radicals and non-radical pathway, including sulfate radicals (SO 4 · -), hydroxide radicals (· OH), superoxide radical (·O 2 -) and single oxygen (1O 2), contributed to TC oxidation. The introduction of Cu2+ not only accelerated the transformation of Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox cycle but also induced rich oxygen defects in the structure of hematite, boosting more generation of reactive oxygen species (ROSs) for TC degradation. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests confirmed the accelerated electrons transfer of CuHNPs-7.5 in PMS activation. This study provides a strategy to construct effective catalysts of PMS activation combining radicals and non-radical pathways for environmental remediation. [Display omitted] • Oxygen-vacancy-rich CuHNPs were synthesized by a facile one-pot solvethermal method. • The enhanced formation of radicals and non-radical by CuHNPs-7.5 was greatly helpful to TC degradation. • The possible pathway of TC degradation in CuHNPs-7.5/PMS/visible light system was proposed. • The degradation mechanism was proposed based on ROS's analyses and theoretical calculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The secondary metabolite Monacolin K (MK), derived from Monascus , exhibits potential lipid-lowering and anti-tumor effects. In this study, a mutant strain M. purpureus M400–6 was generated through X-ray treatment, resulting in an average MK production of 181.97 mg/L (a 54.20% increase compared to the parent strain M. purpureus M1) over five successive generations. Furthermore, optimization of medium compositions using response surface methodology led to a further enhancement in MK production by the mutant strain to 266.63 mg/L. Moreover, based on the outcomes of single-factor experiments, the addition of L-citrulline demonstrated a significantly higher level of enhancement in MK production. Therefore, a comparative transcriptome analysis was conducted to unveil the impact of L-citrulline on MK biosynthesis in M. purpureus. The data revealed a significant upregulation of glycolysis pathways, while oxidative phosphorylation including the TCA cycle and the electron transport chain, exhibited significant downregulation. Furthermore, the metabolisms of serine, glycine, threonine, alanine, aspartic acid and glutamate were found to be significantly disturbed. Additionally, the expressions of MPs and MK biosynthetic gene cluster showed a significant downregulation and upregulation respectively. Overall, these findings provide insights into enhancing MK production in submerged fermentation and elucidate the impact of L-citrulline on secondary metabolism. [Display omitted] • M. purpureus M400–6 with high MK production was generated through X-ray treatment. • L-citrulline can significantly enhance the MK production. • Response surface methodology was performed to further increase the MK production. • Transcriptome analysis reveals the impact of L-citrulline on MK biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Alginate zinc hydrogel loaded with zinc insulin hexamer was prepared; • Alginate hydrogel promote intestine absorption of insulin; • Zn-insulin loaded alginate hydrogel shows strong hypoglycemic ability. Alginate zinc hydrogel loaded with zinc insulin hexamer was prepared and characterized for oral insulin administration. The hydrogel was fabricated by dripping zinc insulin hexamer into sodium alginate solution and followed by crosslinking by zinc chloride. SEM image reveals the zinc insulin hexamer was integrated into the matrix of hydrogel. Zinc insulin hexamer loaded hydrogel shows no obvious cytotoxicity to both HT29 and Caco-2 cells. The developed hydrogel retards the burst release of insulin in simulated gastric fluid but promotes the release when in simulated intestinal fluid. In the diabetic mice, zinc insulin hexamer loaded alginate hydrogel demonstrates significant and prolonged hypoglycemic effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Acid conditions promote ZEN-zein interaction, while basic conditions do the opposite. • Acid condition-induced rearrangement of zein causes the binding of ZEN with zein. • Alkaline condition-induced stretching of zein causes the releasing of ZEN from zein. Zein-bound zearalenone (ZEN) complexes are naturally existed in maize by their spontaneous interaction, which significantly impacts the risk assessment of ZEN. Additionally, the pH levels in processing could affect the binding or release of zein-bound ZEN. In this study, pH-induced interaction mechanism of ZEN with zein were studied. Results showed that the acid conditions increased the binding constant (K a) from 3.46 to 10.0 × 104 L/mol, binding energy from −17.38 to −43.49 kJ mol−1. By increasing hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bond of ZEN with zein, the binding of ZEN with zein was promoted, forming zein-bound ZEN. Whereas, alkaline conditions decreased the K a to 1.45 × 104 L/mol and binding energy to 148.48 kJ mol−1, weakened ZEN-zein interaction and stretched zein molecules, resulting the release of ZEN from zein. This study could provide important theoretical basis for perfecting risk assessment and controlling zein-bound ZEN during processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phytochemical study of the fruiting bodies of Albatrellus confluens afforded a new natural product methyl 2-hydroxyimino-3- phenylpropionate (1), as well as 14 known compounds: phenylalanine (2), zarzissine (3), uridine (4), emeheterone (5), uracil (6), nicotinamide (7), adenosine (8)), methyl 4-hydroxyphenylacetate (9), grifolin (10), neogrifolin (11), grifolin methyl ether (12), 4-O-methyl grifolin acid (13), confluentin (14), albatrelin G (15). The structures of these compounds were deduced using spectroscopic methods, including IR, MS, 1D and 2D NMR, as well as by comparisons with data reported in the literature. Furthermore, the chemotaxonomic significance of the isolates was also discussed. • Fifteen compounds including a new compound were obtained. • Four compounds were isolated from the genus Albatrellus for the first time. • Five compounds were isolated from this species for the first time. • The chemotaxonomic significance of the isolates was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zein has received great attention in recent years as its applications in food and medical fields. However, the presence of zein-bound zearalenone (ZEN) in zein could exert great hazard to humans and animals. Here, we reported the controlling of zearalenone (ZEN) interaction with zein, and functional properties through modeling temperature and pH during zein preparation. Results showed that except for the preparation conditions (pH 0, pH 14), when zein was prepared under the pH 1–13 at 40 or 80 °C, zein had good spherical structure, foaming, rheological and encapsulation properties. When zein was prepared at acid conditions (pH 0–2), acid conditions promoted ZEN-zein interaction, forming zein-bound ZEN. Whereas, the alkaline conditions (pH 11–14) destroyed ZEN-zein interaction and degraded ZEN, decreasing the hazard of ZEN. Overall, enhancing alkaline condition to pH 13 at 80 °C could be a potentially useful means to maintain great functional property and restrain the hazard of ZEN, contributing to applying zein in food, nutrition and pharmaceutical fields. [Display omitted] • Effect of zein extraction conditions on the interaction of zein with ZEN is proposed. • Relation of zein extraction conditions with its functional properties is revealed. • The extraction condition of pH 13 and 80 °C helps the safety property of zein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the independent state, PA and GO are too far away from each other to induce any interactions and energy lowering. Accordingly, the energy of the independent state is calibrated to zero as the energy benchmark, signified by pink dotted line. In the combined state, however, PA and GO draw near to form the stable framework PA-GO driven by energy lowering. Structural diagram of PA, GO and PA-GO are presented as inset. [Display omitted] • Phytic acid functionalized graphene oxide (PA-GO) was facilely fabricated. • C 6 H 6 O 24 P 6 12- is the dominant species of phytic acid in PA-GO fabrication system. • Combination mechanism based on electron transfer induced energy lowering for PA-GO. • PA-GO exhibits high adsorption capacity for ionic dyes in five consecutive cycles. Phytic acid functionalized graphene oxide (PA-GO) has encouraging application in environmental treatment. Herein, structure of PA-GO fabricated by hydrothermal method was inspected. Firstly, the aqueous species distribution and ionization states of phytic acid (PA) and graphene oxide (GO) under varying pH was analyzed according to equilibrium thermodynamics to clarify the primary interacting species involved in PA-GO fabrication. Secondly, the hard-soft acid-base (HSAB) theory and spectroscopic characterizations (XPS, FTIR, Raman, UV–Vis and fluorescent spectra) were employed to elucidate the plausible interactions existing in PA-GO. Thermodynamic deduction indicates, C 6 H 6 O 24 P 6 12- is the dominant species of PA, while –OH and –COO- are the dominant state of graphene oxide groups in PA-GO fabrication system. HSAB theory illuminates, the primary interactions occurs between deprotonated oxygen O(O-) and bridged oxygen O(-O-) of phytic acid with hydroxyl group O(Ar-OH) and π electron of graphene oxide. Moreover, electron flows from GO towards PA to induce energy lowering whereby PA-GO is stabilized. HSAB theory prediction was substantiated by spectroscopic analyses. Furthermore, PA-GO efficiently removes ionic dyes in five consecutive cycles with high adsorption capacity. This work may shed light on the fabrication chemistry of PA-GO framework serving as a potential adsorbent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An association between obesity and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) has been revealed by observational studies, but it is not clear if the observed associations are causal, caused by confounding bias or reverse causation. We performed a two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) study by obtaining exposure and outcome data from separate published studies. We utilized data from Genetic Investigation of Anthropometric Traits (GIANT, 339,224 participants) consortium and FinnGen project (FinnGen, 1785 DVT case and 84,462 control participants) to determine the causal effect of BMI on DVT. All three MR methods provided a positive association between BMI and DVT. Using IVW, we found evidence of causal relationships between BMI and DVT. BMI is positively associated with DVT (IVW odds ratio [OR] per SD increase in BMI = 1.67 [95% CI, 1.16–2.40]; P = 0.006). MR Egger and weighted median regression also showed directionally similar estimates (MR-Egger OR per SD increase in BMI, 2.50 [95% CI, 1.07–5.84], P = 0.034; weighted median OR per SD increase in BMI, 2.02 [95% CI, 1.10–3.71], P = 0.023). Both funnel plots and MR-Egger intercepts suggest no directional pleiotropic effects observed between BMI and DVT. Our findings provide evidence of significant causal association between BMI and DVT in agreement with observational studies. Taking measures to reduce the proportion of obesity may help reduce the incidence of DVT. • Association between BMI and DVT has been observed in the many observational studies. • Significant causal association between BMI and DVT was observed in the present study. • Taking measures to reduce the proportion of obesity may help reduce incidence of DVT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Molecularly imprinted polymers using synephrine as dummy template were prepared. • Mixed matrix membrane based on the obtained polymers was facilely synthesized. • It successfully extracted five amphetamine-type stimulants in wastewater and urine. Dummy molecularly imprinted polymers (DMIPs) with high selectivity for amphetamine-type stimulants (ATSs) were synthesized using synephrine molecule as a dummy template. The polymers were irregularly massive with a specific surface area of 330 m2 g −1. Adsorption experiments found that the imprinting factors for five ATSs (amphetamine, methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, and 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-ethylamphetamine) were 2.3∼3.7. The DMIPs-agarose gel mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) were further prepared by incorporating DMIPs in the agarose matrix. MMMs were used to extract five ATSs from wastewater and urine samples. Extraction conditions such as membrane matrix, sample pH, dissolved organic matter content, extraction time, and elution reagent were optimized. Under optimal conditions, the developed MMMs-HPLC-MS/MS method exhibited low limits of detection (0.1∼3.0ng L −1), satisfactory recoveries (91.7∼100%), and good repeatability (RSD<7%, n =3). It was then successfully applied to ATSs analysis in wastewater and urine samples. Recoveries of ATSs in spiked wastewater and urine were 82.0∼98.4% and 82.3∼95.7%, respectively. Moreover, compared with other methods, the present method possessed the advantages of high quantitative ability, suitable for typical environmental conditions, and low application cost. The above results suggested that the developed MMMs-HPLC-MS/MS method could be used as a feasible strategy to extract and determine trace ATSs in wastewater and urine samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial electrosynthesis (MES) is an attractive technology for converting CO 2 into chemicals. In this technique, electrons are acquired either directly or indirectly through H 2 in the cathode. Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 can perform hydrogen evolution reaction via reverse electron transfer at the cathode. In this study, the self-assembly of graphene oxide and S. oneidensis MR-1 formed a conductive bio-abiotic composite as a cathode for MES with Clostridium ljungdahlii , obtaining more biocatalysts for hydrogen evolution and enhancing electron transfer rate. The average H 2 production rate with the conductive bio-abiotic composite was 41.51 ± 2.54 × 102 mol d−1, while the undecorated carbon felt was 12.96 ± 1.09 × 102 mol d−1. Consequently, acetate and butyrate yields were 0.18 g L−1 d−1 and 0.07 g L−1 d−1, which increased by 2.1 and 1.7 times those of the control, respectively. This work provides new opportunities for constructing a highly efficient cathode via biotic-abiotic hybrid composite for improving MES performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a multi-fidelity surrogate modelling approach to replace the complex and costly physics-based computer models that are often used in the optimization of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) performance, or the simplified models that are used in lieu of complex models. We extend multi-fidelity stochastic collocation through a feature engineering step, and eliminate the requirement for the exact low-fidelity output at the inference stage. In contrast to previous approaches, the surrogate model we develop provides detailed spatial information, rather than one or more scalar outputs. This allows for the incorporation of such information into the objective of the optimization study, with the flexibility to choose from more than one objective, such as a minimum, maximum or average. Furthermore, the detailed spatial information can be used for general design purposes, such as ensuring uniformity in reactant and potential distributions. From the results on a 3-d SOFC model, we demonstrate highly accurate predictions of multiple spatially distributed quantities at up to spatial 250,000 locations. The results are superior to state-of-the-art multi-fidelity approaches, particularly for low numbers of high fidelity training points. We use the surrogate model to optimize the SOFC performance with respect to different objectives (including with nonlinear constraints and multiple objectives), with results that are accurate and are obtained in a fraction of the time required for the full model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The growing occurrence of invasive fungal infections and the mounting rates of drug resistance constitute a significant menace to human health. Antifungal drug combinations have garnered substantial interest for their potential to improve therapeutic efficacy, reduce drug doses, reverse, or ameliorate drug resistance. A thorough understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying antifungal drug resistance and drug combination is key to developing new drug combinations. Here we discuss the mechanisms of antifungal drug resistance and elucidate how to discover potent drug combinations to surmount resistance. We also examine the challenges encountered in developing such combinations and discuss prospects, including advanced drug delivery strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Modified mycotoxins in cereals can be formed by plant, microorganism, and processing. • Transformation of modified with free mycotoxins can occur during cereal processing. • Modified mycotoxins co-occur with free mycotoxins in cereals and their products. • Modified mycotoxins can be detected by direct and indirect methods. Modified mycotoxins in cereals and their products are formed by plant, microorganism, and the other physical/chemical approaches during processing, which could pose a serious threat to food safety worldwide. The transformation between modified and free mycotoxins during cereal processing could occur, which could further cause the uncertainty of mycotoxin exposure and risk. Most of the current reports about the occurrence of modified mycotoxins focus on the modified DON, ZEN and T-2 toxin, while the data about other modified mycotoxins (e.g., modified OTA and FB 1) in cereals are still scarce. Structural changes of modified mycotoxins affect the physicochemical properties, which caused that the direct and indirect methods need to be further improve to detect modified mycotoxins. This review focuses on updates in formation, transformation, occurrence and analytical strategy for modified mycotoxins. Overall, this review is significant for perfecting risk assessment of modified mycotoxins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain injury is common in neonates with complex neonatal congenital heart disease (CHD) and affects neurodevelopmental outcomes. Given advancements in perioperative care, we sought to determine if the rate of preoperative and postoperative brain injury detected by using brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and associated clinical risk factors have changed over time in complex CHD. A total of 270 term newborns with complex CHD were prospectively enrolled for preoperative and postoperative brain MRIs between 2001 and 2021 with a total of 466 MRI scans. Brain injuries in the form of white matter injury (WMI) or focal stroke and clinical factors were compared across 4 epochs of 5-year intervals with logistic regression. Rates of preoperative WMI and stroke did not change over time. After adjusting for timing of the postoperative MRI, site, and cardiac group, the odds of newly acquired postoperative WMI were significantly lower in Epoch 4 compared with Epoch 1 (OR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.09-1.00; P = 0.05). The adjusted probability of postoperative WMI declined significantly by 18.7% from Epoch 1 (24%) to Epoch 4 (6%). Among clinical risk factors, lowest systolic, mean, and diastolic blood pressures in the first 24 hours after surgery were significantly higher in the most recent epoch. The prevalence of postoperative WMI has declined, whereas preoperative WMI rates remain constant. More robust postoperative blood pressures may explain these findings by minimizing periods of ischemia and supporting cerebral perfusion. These results suggest potential modifiable clinical targets in the postoperative time period to minimize the burden of WMI. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the role of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) genes, including TSC1 and TSC2 , in the pathogenesis of human premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). Genetic and functional study. University-based reproductive medical center. Six patients from a cohort of 1,030 cases with idiopathic POI. Variants in TSC1 and TSC2 were screened through the largest in-house database of whole exome sequencing performed in 1,030 patients with idiopathic POI. The pathogenic effects of the variants were further verified by functional studies. TSC1 or TSC2 variant and functional characteristics. Five pathogenic heterozygous variants in TSC2 were identified in 6 patients with POI. Functional studies showed these variants impaired the repressive effect of TSC2 on mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway by disrupting the formation of TSC complex or its GTPase-activating protein activity. Furthermore, in vitro ovarian culture assay showed that TSC2 p.R98Q led to hyperactivation of mTOR pathway thereby triggering primordial follicle activation. The present study identified pathogenic variants of TSC2 in patients with POI, firstly suggested defective TSC/mTOR pathway mediated hyperactivation of primordial follicle participating in the pathogenesis of POI, giving insights into new targets of genetic counseling and clinical prevention for POI. Considering the pivotal role of TSC2 variants in diagnosis of TSC syndrome, the present study also highlighted the importance of history collection and long-term follow-up for the TSC2 variants carriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water contamination by heavy metals is a serious environmental concern. To unravel the "species resolved" interaction mechanism of heavy metals with graphene oxide (GO), a multi-aspects analyses incorporating metal species distribution, GO surface charge, adsorption behavior and fitting, hard-soft acid-base (HSAB) theory, Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were performed. For pH 7 and T = 25 °C, adsorptions of aqueous Cd(Ⅱ) and Pb(Ⅱ) with equal initial concentrations of 300 mg L−1 by GO at 500 mg L−1 equilibrated in 15 min. The corresponding adsorption percentage and quantity for Cd(Ⅱ) were 98.04% and 588.22 mg g−1 and those for Pb(Ⅱ) were 92.10% and 552.56 mg g−1. When pH ≤ 7, bare Cd2+ and Pb2+ were the dominant metal species adsorbed by GO via ion exchange and chemical complexation. When pH ≥ 7, hydroxyl-complexed species were the dominant ones adsorbed by GO via precipitation, ion exchange, and chemical complexation. Electron transfer and energy lowering induced by the GO–heavy metal interaction, calculated based on HSAB theory, illuminated two points: (1) OH had a stronger binding affinity than COOH toward either Cd(Ⅱ) or Pb(Ⅱ) and (2) either OH or COOH had a stronger binding affinity toward Cd(Ⅱ) than Pb(Ⅱ). Explorations of this work may provide guidance in developing efficient graphene-based adsorbents for wastewater remediation. [Display omitted] • An improved Hummers method was utilized to prepare graphene oxide (GO). • GO adsorbs 588.22 mg g−1 or 552.56 mg g−1 of Cd(Ⅱ) or Pb(Ⅱ) in 15 min. • The "species resolved" adsorption mechanism was unveiled. • The hard-soft acid-base theory was incorporated to unravel the adsorption mechanism. • Different pH range gives rise to different adsorption mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]