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This study presented 96 cox1 and 76 cox3 genes of Amphioctopus neglectus populations. Three distinct lineages were formed from phylogenetic trees and networks constructed using haplotypes. Mitogenomes of A. neglectus -a and A. neglectus -b as the representatives of two lineages separated from population genetics were sequenced to compare with A. neglectus at the genome-level. Amphioctopus neglectus -a showed significant differences with A. neglectus , mainly reflected in gene length, intergenic regions and the secondary structure of tandem repeat motifs. Notably, two sequence deletions in mitogenomes of the two representative species were detected in different positions of major non-coding regions, which were the most distinct differences with A. neglectus. Pairwise genetic distances and the phylogenetic analysis supported the relationship of (A. neglectus -a + (A. neglectus + A. neglectus -b)). This study suggested that A. neglectus -a should be considered as a potential cryptic species of this complex, while A. neglectus -b needed further verification to be defined. • The cryptic biodiversity was detected in Amphioctopus neglectus. • Mitogenome of A. neglectus was compared with the representatives of two lineages separated from the complex. • The significant divergences were found in major non-coding regions in three mitogenomes. • Amphioctopus neglectus -a was considered as a potential cryptic species of this complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near-end speech enhancement works by modifying speech prior to presentation in a noisy environment, typically operating under a constraint of limited or no increase in speech level. One issue is the extent to which near-end enhancement techniques require detailed estimates of the masking environment to function effectively. The current study investigated speech modification strategies based on reallocating energy statically across the spectrum using masker-specific spectral weightings. Weighting patterns were learned offline by maximising a glimpse-based objective intelligibility metric. Keyword scores in sentences in the presence of stationary and fluctuating maskers increased, in some cases by very substantial amounts, following the application of masker- and SNR-specific spectral weighting. A second experiment using generic masker-independent spectral weightings that boosted all frequencies above 1 kHz also led to significant gains in most conditions. These findings indicate that energy-neutral spectral weighting is a highly-effective near-end speech enhancement approach that places minimal demands on detailed masker estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cs 2 SeI 6 has been widely studied as a potential candidate for solar cells. In this paper, we conducted simulation work to study the photoelectric properties and stability of Cs 2 SeI 6 under hydrostatic pressure based on first principles calculations. The photoelectric parameters of Cs 2 SeI 6 can be improved under pressure. The perovskite Cs 2 SeI 6 has a band gap value of 1.339 ​eV under the pressure of 1.5 ​GPa, which is nearly the optimal band gap for the best photoelectric conversion efficiency of the single-junction solar cells. The structural, mechanical, and thermodynamic stability of Cs 2 SeI 6 are guaranteed by the positive frequency of the phonon dispersion spectrum, the Born-Huang stability criterion, and the rapidly decreasing Gibbs free energy. The calculated elastic constants indicate that Cs 2 SeI 6 is ductile. The calculated results indicate that the Cs 2 SeI 6 has a better photoelectric performance and stability under the pressure of 1.5 ​GPa. It is more suitable for the single-junction solar cells. The perovskite Cs 2 SeI 6 has a band gap value of 1.339 ​eV under the pressure of 1.5 ​GPa, which is nearly the optimal band gap (1.34 ​eV) for the best photovoltaic efficiency of the single-junction solar cells. [Display omitted] • The calculated phonon spectra and the elastic coefficients of Cs 2 SeI 6 ​show that Cs 2 SeI 6 ​is stable. • The bang gap, absorption spectrum, dielectric function and conductivity of Cs 2 SeI 6 ​are improved by applying pressure. • The calculated results indicate Cs 2 SeI 6 ​has great application potential in light absorption layer material of solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several modification algorithms that alter natural or synthetic speech with the goal of improving intelligibility in noise have been proposed recently. A key requirement of many modification techniques is the ability to predict intelligibility, both offline during algorithm development, and online, in order to determine the optimal modification for the current noise context. While existing objective intelligibility metrics (OIMs) have good predictive power for unmodified natural speech in stationary and fluctuating noise, little is known about their effectiveness for other forms of speech. The current study evaluated how well seven OIMs predict listener responses in three large datasets of modified and synthetic speech which together represent 396 combinations of speech modification, masker type and signal-to-noise ratio. The chief finding is a clear reduction in predictive power for most OIMs when faced with modified and synthetic speech. Modifications introducing durational changes are particularly harmful to intelligibility predictors. OIMs that measure masked audibility tend to over-estimate intelligibility in the presence of fluctuating maskers relative to stationary maskers, while OIMs that estimate the distortion caused by the masker to a clean speech prototype exhibit the reverse pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenosine deaminases that act on RNA (ADARs) have been reported to be functional on various viruses. ADAR1 may exhibit antiviral or proviral activity depending on the type of virus. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 is the most well-studied lentivirus with respect to its interaction with ADAR1, and variable results have been reported. In this study, we demonstrated that equine ADAR1 (eADAR1) was a positive regulator of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), another lentivirus of the Retroviridae family. First, eADAR1 significantly promoted EIAV replication, and the enhancement of viral protein expression was associated with the long terminal repeat ( LTR ) and Rev response element ( RRE ) regions. Second, the RNA binding domain 1 of eADAR1 was essential only for enhancing LTR -mediated gene expression. Third, in contrast with APOBEC proteins, which have been shown to reduce lentiviral infectivity, eADAR1 increased the EIAV infectivity. This study indicated that eADAR1 was proviral rather than antiviral for EIAV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While human listeners can, to some extent, understand the information conveyed by the speech signal when it is mixed with noise, traditional objective intelligibility measures usually fail to operate without a priori knowledge of the clean speech signal. This hence limits the usability of those measures in situations where the clean speech signal is inaccessible. In this paper a glimpse-based method is extended to make speech intelligibility predictions directly from speech-plus-noise mixtures. Using a neural network, the proposed method estimates the time-frequency regions with a local speech-to-noise ratio above a given threshold – known as glimpses – from the mixture signal, instead of separately comparing the speech signal against the noise signal. The number and locations of the glimpses can then be used to produce an intelligibility score. In Experiment I where listener intelligibilities were measured in one stationary and nine fluctuating noise maskers, the predictions produced by the proposed method were highly correlated with the subjective data, with correlation coefficients above 0.90. In Experiment II, with the same neural network trained on normal natural speech as in Experiment I, the proposed method was used to predict the intelligibility of speech signals modified by intelligibility-enhancement algorithms and synthetic speech. The method can still maintain its predictive power by demonstrating a similar performance to its intrusive counterpart with an overall correlation coefficient of 0.81, which is superior to many modern traditional measures evaluated under the same conditions. Therefore, the proposed method can be used to estimate speech intelligibility in place of traditional measures in conditions where their capacity falls short. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a series of novel chalcone derivatives bearing bispiperazine linker have been synthesized and in vitro anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic activity and anti-inflammatory mechanism have been screened. The results indicated that bispiperazinochalcone derivatives selectively inhibit the production of IL-1β via inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation, as promising candidate compounds for the treatment of NLRP3 inflammasome-driven diseases. • A series of novel chalcone derivatives bearing bispiperazine linker have been prepared. • Most compounds displayed good anti-inflammatory activity and low toxicity. • Bispiperazinochalcone derivatives selectively inhibited the production of IL-1β via inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation. In this work, a series of novel chalcone derivatives bearing bispiperazine linker have been synthesized and in vitro anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic activity and anti-inflammatory mechanism have been screened. The results indicated that most bispiperazinochalcone derivatives displayed good inhibition of NO (IC 50 < 20 μM) and low cytotoxicity (CC 50 > 40 μM), and selectively inhibited the production of IL-1β via inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation, as promising candidate compounds for the treatment of NLRP3 inflammasome-driven diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pear is a traditional and economically fruit tree worldwide. With the development of the pear industry, pear fruit post-harvest preservation techniques have become very important. Among them, low temperature preservation technology is most widely used, but the molecular mechanism underlying this process is still unclear. To better understand this, RNA-seq was performed on samples collected at different time points with increasing storage time. Here, 19,610 differentially expressed genes were obtained and annotated into 51 GO terms and 26 KEGG-defined significantly overrepresented pathways. 2475 transcription factors belonging to 50 different families were identified with increasing storage time. Ethylene content increased with storage time and was the highest at 105 days of fruit storage. Accordingly, integrative analysis of gene expression revealed that 14 unigenes were related to the ethylene metabolic pathway. This study provides valuable resources to investigate the genetics of the ethylene metabolic pathways and improve pear storage and preservation technology. • Ethylene content increased with storage time and was the highest at 105 days of fruit storage in pear. • Thirteen genes are closely related to ethylene metabolomic processes by constructed co-expression networks in pear. • Two genes (Pbr031898 and Pbr025968) down-regulated with increasing storage time act in starch and sucrose metabolism pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As most cities are located around or near waterbodies, it is essential to assess the thermal effect of these waterbodies. This research focuses on 34 Chinese megacities as case studies to examine the spatial relationship between city-water layout and the thermal effect of waterbodies. Landsat-8 remote-sensing images acquired around noontime in summer were used to retrieve land surface temperatures (LST) and classify land cover. The results show that there are three types of city-water layout. For most cities, waterbodies have a cooling effect, and their mean cooling distance (ΔL max) ranges from 431 m to 1350 m, with the maximum temperature difference (ΔT max) ranging from - 2.21 °C to 7.83 °C. The cooling effect of waterbodies is also influenced by their spatial distribution, size, location, and background climate regions. The larger the percentage or area of waterbodies in a city, the shorter ΔL max and the bigger ΔT max. Waterbodies have the longest ΔL max and the smallest ΔT max when they are dispersed within the city, whereas they have the shortest ΔL max and the largest ΔT max when they are flowing through the city. The results suggest that the thermal effects of waterbodies should be seriously considered by urban planners to improve the urban microclimate. [Display omitted] • The cooling effect of waterbodies ranges from several hundred meters to a thousand meters. • Waterbodies varies in different city-water layouts and is influenced by their size, location, and background climate regions. • The larger the area share of waterbodies in a city, the shorter the cooling distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently pseudorabies outbreaks have occurred in many vaccinated farms in China. To identify genetic characteristics of pseudorabies virus (PRV) strains, we obtained the genomic sequences of PRV strains HeN1 and JS, which were compared to 4 PRV genomes and 729 partial gene sequences. PRV strains isolated in China showed marked sequence divergence compared to European and American strains. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that for the first time PRV can be divided into 2 distinct clusters, with Chinese strains being genotype II and PRVs isolated from other countries being genotype I. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis confirmed differences between HeN1 and Bartha strains, as did the presence of unique insertion/deletion polymorphisms and microsatellites. This divergence between the two genotypes may have been generated from long-term, independent evolution, which could also explain the low efficacy of the Bartha vaccine in protecting pigs infected with genotype II PRV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural, elastic, electronic and optical properties of K 2 CuBiX 6 (X ​= ​Br, Cl) are studied by the first principle calculation in this paper. Their structural and thermodynamic stabilities are guaranteed by the formation energy, binding energy and Born-Huang criterion. The results of elastic constants show that the two materials are ductile and can be applied in foldable optoelectronic devices. Besides, The calculated bandgap values are 1.03 ​eV and 1.44 ​eV for K 2 CuBiBr 6 and K 2 CuBiCl 6 , respectively, which is just in the ideal energy gap range of semiconductors. K 2 CuBiX 6 has very small effective mass advantageous to carrier transport. In addition, the optical properties analysis shows that K 2 CuBiX 6 has excellent light absorption properties in ultraviolet–visible wavelength. Due to their suitable bandgaps and good light absorption, K 2 CuBiX 6 has a promising application in solar cells and other optoelectronic devices. In this study, the perovskites K 2 CuBiX 6 (X ​= ​Br, Cl) are proposed as functional materials in solar cells. [Display omitted] • The K 2 CuBiX 6 (X ​= ​Br, Cl) are very suitable for photosensitive materials of solar cells. • The K 2 CuBiX 6 can be a potential candidate for excellent light absorbing material. • The K 2 CuBiX 6 is the structural and thermodynamic stabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, more and more vacancy-ordered double perovskites have been proposed as functional materials in optoelectronic devices. In this paper, a simulation work on the structural, electronic and optical properties of vacancy-ordered double perovskites Tl 2 TiX 6 (X ​= ​Cl, Br, I) has been carried out by using first-principles calculations to reveal their potential application in optoelectronic devices. The Goldschmidt's tolerance factors of these compounds are very close to the ideal value of 1 for cubic perovskites, which confirm their structural stability. Moreover, the formation energies of these compounds were also calculated to evaluate their thermodynamic stability. The theoretically predicted lattice constants of Tl 2 TiCl 6 , Tl 2 TiBr 6 and Tl 2 TiI 6 are 10.060 ​Å, 10.553 ​Å and 11.320 ​Å, respectively, which can provide references for future experimental research. The calculated electronic properties indicate that Tl 2 TiCl 6 , Tl 2 TiBr 6 and Tl 2 TiI 6 have direct bandgaps of 3.39 ​eV, 2.57 ​eV and 1.58 ​eV, respectively, showing ideal bandgap nature for optoelectronic applications. Compared with many vacancy-ordered double perovskites, the three Tl 2 TiX 6 compounds all show the advantage of small effective mass of holes. In addition, the investigation of optical properties, such as reflectivity, absorption coefficient and energy loss function in the photon energy range of 0–25 ​eV further confirms the potential utilization of these Tl 2 TiX 6 compounds in optoelectronic devices. In this study, vacancy-ordered double perovskites Tl 2 TiX 6 (X ​= ​Cl, Br, I) are proposed as functional materials in solar cells and other optoelectronic devices. [Display omitted] • The structural and optoelectronic properties of perovskite materials Tl 2 TiX 6 (X = Cl, Br, I) were studied theoretically. • The results show that they are functional materials with direct bandgap nature. • Compared with many vacancy-ordered double perovskites, the effective mass of holes of the studied compounds is very small. • The three Tl 2 TiX 6 compounds are suitable for optoelectronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Major efforts have been put forth for the development of effective rotavirus vaccines including transgenic plant vaccines. Previous studies have reported that rotavirus VP7 maintains its neutralizing immunity when it is transformed into the potato genome. The present study was aimed at investigating the hereditary stability of VP7-transformed potatoes over fifty generations. The VP7 gene was stably transcribed and expressed in potato cells as detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting. Humeral and mucosal responses were successfully induced in BALB/c mice fed with the fiftieth generation transformed potato tubers. There were no significant differences in serum IgG and fecal IgA between the mice fed with the first and fiftieth generation potatoes (P >0.05). Profiles of cytokines such as IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 and TGF-beta in immunized mice showed a naive T-cells bias to Th1 and Th3 polarization. Moreover, specific CTL responses were also detected in C57BL/6 mice fed with transformed potatoes. This research represents a significant step towards the development of rotavirus vaccines derived from a transgenic plant that can be obtained by long-term and large-scale vegetative reproduction. To our knowledge, this is the first finding regarding vaccines derived from plants that can be propagated for many generations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Rotaviruses (RV) are a common cause of severe diarrhea in young children, resulting in nearly one million deaths worldwide annually. Rotavirus VP7 was the rotavirus neutralizing protein. Previous study reported that VP7 DNA vaccine can induce high levels of IgG in mice but cannot protect mice against challenge (Choi, A.H., Basu, M., Rae, M.N., McNeal, M.M., Ward, R.L., 1998. Virology 250, 230–240). We found that rotavirus VP7 could maintain its neutralizing immunity when it was transformed into the potato genome. Mice immunized with the transformed tubers successfully elicited serum IgG and mucosal IgA specific for VP7. The mucosal IgA titer was as high as 1000, while serum IgG titer was only 600. Neutralizing assays indicated that IgA could neutralize rotavirus. These results indicate the potential usefulness of plants for production and delivery of edible rotavirus vaccines. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

By modulating the substitution on the oxamide ligand, a mononuclear tetrahedral Co(II) complex (HNEt 3) 2 [CoL 2 ] (1) (H 2 L = N , N ′-bis(methanesulfonyl)oxamide) with subtle variation in the CoN 4 coordination environment was successfully synthesized, which displays zero-field slow magnetic relaxation and a hysteresis loop at 1.8 ​K. The complex adopts distorted tetrahedral coordination geometries with acute N–Co–N bite angle imposed by two mutually perpendicular oxamide ligands. Magnetic studies and computational results reveal that the acute N–Co–N bite angle seems to govern the overall magnetic anisotropy of tetrahedral Co(II) complexes with two bidentate chelated ligands containing N 4 -donor set. Upon reducing the bite angle, the D parameter increases gradually and reaches the maximum at about 81°, and then show a significant decrease as the angle continuing to decline. This research demonstrates that the easy-axial magnetic anisotropy can be maximized by reducing the bite angle to a certain extent, which is also feasible for tetrahedral cases with other donor sets. Magnetic studies and theoretical calculations indicate the D value of tetrahedral Co(II) complexes can be increased by appropriately reducing the bite angle of N-Co-N. [Display omitted] • A tetrahedral Co(II) complex with CoN 4 coordination environment was successfully synthesized. • The complex displays zero-field slow magnetic relaxation and a hysteresis loop at 1.8 K. • Magnetic and computational studies reveal that the N-Co-N bite angle seems to govern the overall magnetic anisotropy. • The D value of tetrahedral Co(II) complexes can be maximized by reducing the N-Co-N bite angle to a certain extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grasses and shrubs occupy large areas of fragile ecosystems following ecological restoration. Therefore, it is increasingly important to assess and monitor the environmental safety of pastures. However, previous studies on this topic lacked systematicity and directionality. In this study, we reviewed the literature on runoff and erosion to summarise the core issues for future research, resolve the current research bottleneck, and promote the balance of soil, water, and energy in fragile ecological areas. The results of the review indicate that coverage remained the main vegetation feature considered when characterising rangeland slope erosion and runoff. Erosion energy should be comprehensively considered based on the influence of vegetation on rainfall distribution and runoff erosivity. Rangeland slope erosion and runoff changes can only be explained by integrating the above- and below-ground characteristics of vegetation. Additionally, the impact of vegetation on runoff separation and the sediment transport processes at different erosion stages under rainfall conditions vary. Therefore, studying the comprehensive indicators of vegetation at different erosion stages in response to erosion and runoff will be vital in rangeland erosion research. From the perspective of disciplinary development, this study can promote the further development of soil erosion, ecology, soil science, hydrology, hydraulics, and other disciplines. • Research on soil erosion and overland flow on rangeland slopes lacks systematicity. • Effect of plants on runoff separation under rainfall varies between erosion stages. • Vegetation also affects sediment transport differently under rainfall. • Responses of comprehensive vegetation indicators to erosion and runoff are important. • Vegetation indicators will offer a breakthrough in rangeland research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, using a bulky anion, a mononuclear five-coordinate Co(II) complex [Co(12-TMC)(CH 3 CN)][B(C 6 F 5) 4 2 ·CH 2 Cl 2 (12-TMC ​= ​1,4,7,10-tetramethyl-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane) (1) has been constructed. X-ray single crystal diffraction shows that the central Co(II) ion of 1 binds with five N atoms, generating a distorted square pyramidal geometry. The direct-current (dc) magnetic data of 1 displayed a gradual and incomplete spin-crossover behaviour. Compared with reported complexes [Co(12-TMC)(CH 3 CN)](X) 2 (X ​= ​BF 4 −, 2 ; and PF 6 −, 3), complex 1 exhibited much slower magnetic relaxation under an applied dc field of 1000 ​Oe, which originated from the low-spin state (S ​= ​1/2) of Co(II) ion. A mononuclear Co(II) complex with a bulky anion has been successfully prepared and characterized, which exhibits excellent spin-crossover behavior and SIM properties. Image 1 • A mononuclear Co(II) complex with a bulky anion was prepared and characterized. • DC magnetic data showed a gradual and incomplete spin-crossover behaviour. • AC magnetic measurement exhibited slow magnetic relaxation. • The slow magnetic relaxation is originated from the low-spin state of Co(II) ion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing quinaldichydroxamic acid (H 2 quinha), a tetranuclearity YbIII−based complex with the formula [Yb 4 (Hquinha) 8 (C 2 H 5 OH) 2 (H 2 O) 6 ](ClO 4) 4 ·4C 2 H 5 OH·2H 2 O (1) was synthesized and characterized. In 1 , there are two coordination geometries of YbIII ion, pentagonal bipyramid and trigonal dodecahedron. Magnetic properties of 1 show slow magnetic relaxation, representing the first polynuclear YbIII complex with single−molecule magnet behavior. In addition, complex 1 displays an emission peak at 530 ​nm originated from organic ligand. A polynuclear YbIII−based complex with two coordination geometries has been synthesized, which exhibits single−molecule magnet behavior and luminescence property. Image 1 • A tetranuclearity YbIII−based cluster based on quinaldichydroxamic acid is synthesized and characterized. • Complex 1 represents the first polynuclear YbIII complex with single−molecule magnet behavior. • Complex 1 displays the luminescence properties, which stems from organic ligand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]