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Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been suggested to be a prognostic marker for various diseases, but whether NLR dynamics (ΔNLR) is related to mortality and disease severity in patients with septic acute kidney injury (AKI) has not been determined. Between August 2013 and August 2021, septic AKI patients at our center were retrospectively enrolled. ΔNLR was defined as the difference between the NLR at septic AKI diagnosis and at hospital admission. The relationship between the ΔNLR and mortality was evaluated by Kaplan–Meier curves, Cox proportional hazards, and cubic spline analyses. The prediction values were compared by area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUROC), net reclassification improvement (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) analyses. Of the 413 participants, the mean age was 63 ± 17 years, and 134 were female (32.4%). According to the median value, patients in the high-ΔNLR group had significantly greater 90-d mortality (74.4% vs. 46.6%, p < 0.001). After adjustment for potential confounders, high ΔNLR remained an independent predictor of 90-d mortality (HR = 2.80; 95% CI = 1.74–4.49, p < 0.001). Furthermore, ΔNLR had the highest AUROC for 90-d mortality (0.685) among the various biomarkers and exhibited an improved NRI (0.314) and IDI (0.027) when incorporated with PCT and CRP. For secondary outcomes, patients with high ΔNLR had increased risk of 30-d mortality (p = 0.004), need for renal replacement therapy (p = 0.011), and developing stage-3 AKI (p = 0.040) according to the adjusted models. High ΔNLR is independently associated with increased risk of patient mortality and adverse outcomes. ΔNLR might be utilized to facilitate risk stratification and optimize septic AKI management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The patterns of communication among different chondrocyte subtypes in human cartilage degeneration and regeneration help us understand the microenvironment of osteoarthritis and optimize cell-targeted therapies. Here, a single-cell transcriptome dataset of chondrocytes is used to explore the synergistic and communicative patterns of different chondrocyte subtypes. We collected 1600 chondrocytes from 10 patients with osteoarthritis and analyzed the active communication patterns for the first time based on network analysis and pattern recognition at the single-cell level. Manifold learning and quantitative contrasts were performed to analyze conserved and specific communication pathways. We found that ProCs (Proliferative chondrocytes), ECs (Effector chondrocytes), preHTCs (Prehypertrophic chondrocytes), HTCs (Hypertrophic chondrocytes), and FCs (Fibrocartilage chondrocytes) are more active in incoming and outgoing signaling patterns, which is consistent with studies on their close functional cooperation. Among them, preHTCs play multiple roles in chondrocyte communication, and ProCs and preHTCs have many overlapping pathways. These two subtypes are the most active among all chondrocyte subtypes. Interestingly, ECs and FCs are a pair of "mutually exclusive" subtypes, of which ECs are predominant in incoming patterns and FCs in outgoing patterns. The active signaling pathways of ECs and FCs largely do not overlap. COLLAGEN and LAMININ are the main pivotal pathways, which means they are very important in the repair and expansion of joint homeostasis. Notably, only preHTCs assume multiple roles (including sender, receiver, mediator, and influencer) and are involved in multiple communication pathways. We have examined their communication patterns from the perspective of cellular interactions, revealed the relationships among different chondrocyte subtypes, and, in particular, identified a number of active subtypes and pathways that are important for targeted therapy in the osteoarthritic microenvironment. Our findings provide a new research paradigm and new insights into understanding chondrocyte activity patterns in the osteoarthritic microenvironment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We quantitatively described and analyzed intercellular communication between synovial fibroblasts using social network analysis tools, pattern recognition methods, and manifold learning approaches. • At the single-cell level synovial fibroblasts in osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have different cellular communication patterns and signaling pathways. • The specific signaling pattern of hub cells THY1+CDH11+ cells and their secreted ligand receptors is more conducive to cell migration and lays the foundation for promoting osteoclastogenesis, and this subpopulation may also be involved in the aggregation of lymphocytes to influence the recruitment of immune cells. • The understanding of the common and unique cellular communication features between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and their hub cells can help in the therapeutic and targeted drug design of inflammatory joint diseases. Synovial fibroblasts are critical for maintaining homeostasis in major autoimmune diseases involving joint inflammation, including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. However, little is known about the interactions among different cell subtypes and the specific sets of signaling pathways and activities that they trigger. Using social network analysis, pattern recognition, and manifold learning approaches, we identified patterns of single-cell communication in OA (osteoarthritis) and RA (rheumatoid arthritis). Our results suggest that OA and RA have distinct cellular communication patterns and signaling pathways. The LAMININ (Laminin) and COLLAGEN (Collagen) pathways predominate in osteoarthritis, while the EGF (Epidermal growth factor), NT (Neurotrophin) and CDH5 (Cadherin 5) pathways predominate in rheumatoid arthritis, with a central role for THY1 (Thy-1 cell surface antigen) +CDH11 (Cadherin 11) + cells. The OA opens the PDGF (Platelet-derived growth factors) pathway (driver of bone angiogenesis), the RA opens the EGF pathway (bone formation) and the SEMA3 (Semaphorin 3A) pathway (involved in immune regulation). Interestingly, we found that OA no longer has cell types involved in the MHC complex (Major histocompatibility complex) and their activity, whereas the MHC complex functions primarily in RA in the presentation of inflammatory antigens, and that the complement system in OA has the potential to displace the function of the MHC complex. The specific signaling patterns of THY1+CDH11+ cells and their secreted ligand receptors are more conducive to cell migration and lay the foundation for promoting osteoclastogenesis. This subpopulation may also be involved in the accumulation of lymphocytes, affecting the recruitment of immune cells. Members of the collagen family (COL1A1 (Collagen Type I Alpha 1 Chain), COL6A2 (Collagen Type VI Alpha 2 Chain) and COL6A1 (Collagen Type VI Alpha 1 Chain)) and transforming growth factor (TGFB3) maintain the extracellular matrix in osteoarthritis and mediate cell migration and adhesion in rheumatoid arthritis, including the PTN (Pleiotrophin) / THBS1 (Thrombospondin 1) interaction. Increased understanding of the interaction networks between synovial fibroblast subtypes, particularly the shared and unique cellular communication features between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and their hub cells, should help inform the design of therapeutic agents for inflammatory joint disease. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The patterns of communication among different chondrocyte subtypes in human cartilage degeneration and regeneration help us understand the microenvironment of osteoarthritis and optimize cell-targeted therapies. Here, a single-cell transcriptome dataset of chondrocytes is used to explore the synergistic and communicative patterns of different chondrocyte subtypes. We collected 1600 chondrocytes from 10 patients with osteoarthritis and analyzed the active communication patterns for the first time based on network analysis and pattern recognition at the single-cell level. Manifold learning and quantitative contrasts were performed to analyze conserved and specific communication pathways. We found that ProCs (Proliferative chondrocytes), ECs (Effector chondrocytes), preHTCs (Prehypertrophic chondrocytes), HTCs (Hypertrophic chondrocytes), and FCs (Fibrocartilage chondrocytes) are more active in incoming and outgoing signaling patterns, which is consistent with studies on their close functional cooperation. Among them, preHTCs play multiple roles in chondrocyte communication, and ProCs and preHTCs have many overlapping pathways. These two subtypes are the most active among all chondrocyte subtypes. Interestingly, ECs and FCs are a pair of "mutually exclusive" subtypes, of which ECs are predominant in incoming patterns and FCs in outgoing patterns. The active signaling pathways of ECs and FCs largely do not overlap. COLLAGEN and LAMININ are the main pivotal pathways, which means they are very important in the repair and expansion of joint homeostasis. Notably, only preHTCs assume multiple roles (including sender, receiver, mediator, and influencer) and are involved in multiple communication pathways. We have examined their communication patterns from the perspective of cellular interactions, revealed the relationships among different chondrocyte subtypes, and, in particular, identified a number of active subtypes and pathways that are important for targeted therapy in the osteoarthritic microenvironment. Our findings provide a new research paradigm and new insights into understanding chondrocyte activity patterns in the osteoarthritic microenvironment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to investigate whether exosomes (Exo) affected chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by influencing ferroptosis of bronchial epithelial cells (BECs) and the mechanisms involved. Here we took the peripheral blood samples of normal subjects and COPD patients, extracted and identified endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and EPC-Exo. An animal model of COPD was established. Then human BECs were taken and treated with cigarette smoke extract (CSE) for 24 h to construct a COPD cell model. Next, we screened differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes in COPD patients by bioinformatics. Bioinformatics predicted the miRNA targeting PTGS2. Then, the mechanism of action of miR-26a-5p and Exo-miR-26a-5p was investigated in vitro. We successfully isolated and identified EPC and Exo. In vitro, EPC alleviated CSE-induced ferroptosis in BECs by transporting Exo. In vivo, Exo alleviated cigarette smoke-induced ferroptosis and airway remodeling in mice. Through further validation, we found that CSE-induced ferroptosis promoted the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of BECs. Bioinformatics analysis and validation showed that PTGS2/PGE2 pathway affected CSE-induced ferroptosis in BECs. Meanwhile, miR-26a-5p targeting PTGS2 affected CSE-induced ferroptosis in BECs. Additionally, we found that miR-26a-5p affected CSE-induced BECs EMT. Exo-miR-26a-5p alleviated CSE-induced ferroptosis and EMT. In conclusion, EPC-exosomal miR-26a-5p improved airway remodeling in COPD by inhibiting ferroptosis of BECs via the PTGS2/PGE2 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mitochondria-targeted NIR probe based on the FRET mechanism was developed. It shows ultra-large Stokes shifts (460 nm) and emission shifts (285 nm). Furthermore, we also realized the imaging of SO2 in living SKOV-3 cells, zebrafish and living mice which may be useful for understanding the biological roles of SO2 in mitochondria and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • BC/FBC made from agricultural waste were pre-deposited in GDM systems. • BC pre-deposition improved biofouling layer heterogeneity thus higher stable flux. • Presence of biochar significantly enhanced microbial activity and pollutant removal. • The presence of Fe in FBC inhibits microbial activity of the biofouling layer. The relatively unstable dissolved organic removal efficiency and low water flux during long-term filtration of gravity-driven membrane (GDM) are major barriers to its widespread application in decentralized water treatment. In this study, the role of pre-deposited biochar (BC) and iron-modified biochar (FBC) layers in GDM for treating surface water were firstly investigated, aiming to explore the feasibility of cost-effective agricultural waste as pre-deposition materials. Compared to the relatively low removal efficiency of GDM control group (DOC 18.1 %, UV 254 10.6 %), both BC pre-deposited GDM (BC-GDM: DOC 36.0 %, UV 254 39.9 %) and FBC pre-deposited GDM (FBC-GDM: DOC 31.9 %, UV 254 32.4 %) show considerably enhanced removal efficacy. Also, pre-deposited BC/FBC layers accelerated the start-up process for NH 4 +-N removal. The enhancement of functional bacteria such as Proteobacteria and Nitrospirota was accountable for pollutant removal efficacy. Regarding the flux stabilization, compared to the GDM control system, the final stable flux of BC-GDM increased by 3.61 % while FBC-GDM decreased by 9.55 %. The presence of BC layer increased the bacterial activity, porosity of the formed biofouling layer, thus favored the flux enhancement, resulting in a lower water production cost. Conversely, the presence of Fe in FBC may inhibit the microbial activity and diminish its pore structure, leading to reduced flux transport. Our study suggests simple pre-deposition of BC shows positive effect on ultra-low pressure GDM filtration, highlighting the potential application of low-cost agriculture waste in decentralized drinking water treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Micro-aeration promoted all hydrolysis, acetogenesis and methanogenesis processes. • Micro-aeration enriched Methanobrevibacter but acetoclastic pathway still dominant. • Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification resulted in the total N loss. • Degradation of both extracellular organic-P and intracellular poly-P were inhibited. Anaerobic fermentation is a widely used technology for resource recovery from municipal sludge (e.g., primary sludge). Micro-aeration is an emerging strategy which can be incorporated into this technology. However, the effect of micro-aeration on the anaerobic fermentation performance and the nutrients transformations are not well known. This study investigated the impact of micro-aeration on the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) from primary sludge as well as the simultaneous nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) transformations in the system. The obtained results indicated that application of micro-aeration improved the microbial activities and facilitated all the hydrolysis, acetogenesis and methanogenesis processes. Hydrogenotrophic methanogen was enriched by micro-aeration while the acetoclastic methanogenesis was still the dominant CH 4 production pathway at gene level. The concentration of VFAs was lower with micro-aeration than in the control system, which could be attributed to the enhanced consumption of VFAs. The simultaneous transformations of N and P were observed with different patterns. Micro-aeration led to removal of up to 131.6 mg/L of N, with occurrence of nitrification and denitrification found to be responsible for the N removal. In contrast, the total P content remained unchanged in the reactor. However, micro-aeration was found to inhibit both extracellular organic-P mineralization and intracellular poly-P degradation, resulting in lower soluble PO 4 3−-P and more P distributed in the organic-P fraction in solid phase. This study provides novel insights into the microscopic mechanisms of the micro-aeration on anaerobic fermentation and the simultaneous regulation of N and P release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the effects of Curcumol on invasion, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transformation of IGROV-1 and OVCAR-3 cells in ovarian cancer and its potential mechanism. Meanwhile, the effect of Curcumol on the antitumor activity of Niraparib was analyzed. Methods. Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK-8) was used to detect the effects of Curcumol on the activity of IGROV-1 and OVCAR 3 cells. In vitro invasion assay (Transwell) was used to test the invasiveness of cells. Cell migration was detected by scratch assay. The inhibitory effect of Curcumol on PAX8 was detected by QRT-PCR. To evaluate the antitumor effect of Curcumol in subcutaneous tumor-bearing animal model. Results. Knockdown of PAX8 could inhibit the proliferation, invasion and migration of ovarian cancer cells. After Curcumol treated IGROV-1 and OVCAR-3 cells, the cell proliferation ability was decreased, the number of invasive cells was significantly reduced, and the scratch closure rate was significantly reduced, in a dose-dependent manner. Mechanism studies showed that Curcumol increased the antitumor activity of Niraparib by inhibiting PAX8. Conclusion. Curcumol can inhibit the invasion, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transformation of IGROV-1 and OVCAR-3 cells in ovarian cancer, and its mechanism is related to the targeted inhibition of PAX8. Curcumol also increased the sensitivity of Niraparib chemotherapy by inhibiting PAX8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the problem of the redundant number of training samples in a correlation filter-based tracking algorithm, the training samples were implicitly extended by circular shifts of the given target patches, and all the extended samples were used as negative samples for the fast online learning of the filter. Since all these shifted patches were not true negative samples of the target, the tracking process suffered from boundary effects, especially in challenging situations such as occlusion and background clutter, which can significantly impair the tracking performance of the tracker. Spatial regularization in the SRDCF tracking algorithm is an effective way to mitigate boundary effects, but it comes at the cost of highly increased time complexity, resulting in a very slow tracking speed of the SRDCF algorithm that cannot achieve a real-time tracking effect. To address this issue, we proposed a fast-tracking algorithm based on spatially regularized correlation filters that efficiently optimized the solved filters by replacing the Gauss–Seidel method in the SRDCF algorithm with the alternating direction multiplier method. The problem of slow speed in the SRDCF tracking algorithm improved, and the improved FSRCF algorithm achieved real-time tracking. An adaptive update mechanism was proposed by using the feedback from the high confidence tracking results to avoid model corruption. That is, a robust confidence evaluation criterion was introduced in the model update phase, which combined the maximum response criterion and the average peak correlation energy APCE criterion to determine whether to update the filter, thereby avoiding filter model drift and improving the target tracking accuracy and speed. We conducted extensive experiments on datasets OTB-2015, OTB-2013, UAV123, and TC128, and the experimental results show that the proposed algorithm exhibits a more stable and accurate tracking performance in the presence of occlusion and background clutter during tracking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forward osmosis (FO) membrane process facilitates effective treatment of shale gas wastewater (SGW) due to its tolerance to high salinity and exceptional separation performance. However, serious membrane fouling remains a challenge regarding the complexity of realistic SGW. To address the fouling issues, controlled block copolymer architecture was constructed on the FO membrane surface to achieve combined effect of oil-resistance, self-regenerating, and fouling mitigation. In the modification process, zwitterionic polymer with strong hydrophilicity and fluoropolymers with low surface energy were successively grafted to the membrane active layer by atom transfer radical polymerization. The outermost fluoropolymer layer with low surface energy imparts the membrane with anti-oil and self-regenerating capabilities. Meanwhile, the strong hydration effect of the zwitterionic polymer ensures that nonspecific foulants breaking through the outermost defense are kept away from the membrane surface. According to the Extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) theory, the modified FO membrane exhibited a significantly higher total interaction energy (Δ G TOT) compared to the pristine membrane when exposed to various types of model foulants (bovine serum albumin, humic acid, sodium alginate, mineral oil). Furthermore, the advantage of having multiple defense mechanisms was further substantiated through dynamic filtration tests with realistic SGW. In comparison to the pristine TFC membrane, the modified membrane not only experienced a much smaller decrease in water flux (reduced by 52%) during fouling but also an exceptional flux recovery after cleaning (∼97%). These findings underscore that the modified FO membranes greatly mitigated membrane fouling associated with SGW through the synergistic interplay between a zwitterionic polymer and a low surface energy material, highlighting its promising potential in SGW treatment via membrane technology. [Display omitted] • A diblock copolymer was grafted onto the FO membrane for SGW treatment. • Modified membranes possess antifouling property without compromising transport properties. • Membrane modification reveal reduced flux decline and enhanced flux recovery during SGW filtration. • Modification integrates organic/oil fouling resistance, fouling alleviation, and antifouling recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel copolymer architecture integrating anti-fouling, bactericidal, and fouling-release functions has been developed for thin-film composite (TFC) membranes to effectively address biofouling concerns. The approach involves growing three functional polymers from membrane surface in sequence. The first polymer has low surface energy, the second has bactericidal properties, and the third has a strong hydration capacity. The presence of the multifunctional layer significantly increased water permeability, which is due to the swelling property of the functional polymer. The extended Derjauguin-Landau-Verway-Overbeek (XDLVO) theory analysis shows that the introduction of the multifunctional copolymer architecture increased membrane-foulant total interaction energy ( Δ G T O T ) from 22.6 to 35.6 mJ/m2, indicating promising anti-adhesive properties. These properties have been confirmed by an 86 % decrease in E. coli adsorption during static bacteria assay. In addition, the fluoropolymer in modified membrane enhances its self-cleaning ability, which has been verified in static fouling-release assays where the TFC membrane can release attached cells under gentle agitation. Our long-term biofouling experiments further confirmed the superior multi-defense properties of the modified TFC membrane. Comparatively, the multifunctional membrane significantly reduced flux decline by 58 % and TOC biomass by 69 % during the dynamic biofouling process, and notably enhanced flux recovery of ∼97 % after cleaning. Our new copolymer architecture highlights the potential to enhance the efficiency and longevity of TFC membranes in a variety of applications. [Display omitted] • A novel multifunctional TFC membrane was developed by sequentially grafting PHFBM, PMTAC and PSBMA. • Functionalization imparted simultaneous improved permeability and anti-biofouling performance. • Combination of anti-fouling, bactericidal, and fouling-release functions yield optimal biofouling resistance. • Modified membranes effectively alleviate flux decline during fouling and recover flux after simple flushing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to analyse the prevalence of cat viral diseases in China, including feline parvovirus (FPV), feline calicivirus (FCV), feline herpesvirus 1 (FHV‐1), feline leukaemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV), a total of 1,326 samples of cats from 16 cities were investigated from 2016 to 2019. Collectively, 1,060 (79.9%) cats were tested positive for at least one virus in nucleotide detection, and the positive rates of cat exposure to FeLV, FPV, FHV‐1, FCV, FIV and FIPV were 59.6%, 19.2%, 16.3%, 14.2%, 1.5% and 0.5%, respectively. The prevalence of FHV‐1 and FPV was dominant in winter and spring. Cats from north China showed a higher positive rate of viral infection than that of cats from south China. The virus infection is not highly correlated with age, except that FPV is prone to occur within the age of 12 months. In the serological survey, the seroprevalences of 267 vaccinated cats to FPV, FCV and FHV‐1 were 83.9%, 58.3% and 44.0%, respectively. Meanwhile, the seroprevalences of 39 unvaccinated cats to FPV, FCV and FHV‐1 were 76.9% (30/39), 82.4% (28/34) and 58.6% (17/29), respectively. This study demonstrated that a high prevalence of the six viral diseases in China and the insufficient serological potency of FCV and FHV‐1 remind the urgency for more effective vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controlled low-dimensional organic nanomaterials have great application prospects in the field of optoelectronics. However, it is difficult to obtain the controlled synthesis method for organic microstructure, because the interaction of the organic molecules is easy to be affected by the external environment. In this paper, we reported that the ultra-long microwires of the ethyl modified soft@rigid 2D Triazatruxene core with large planar π configuration were prepared by external environment. During the optical waveguide process, this prepared microwires displayed low propagation loss with 0.0632 dB/μm at 425 nm, which is lower than most of organic aggregations. This microstructure preparation method will provide beneficial enlightenment for the development of miniaturized devices of photonic integrated circuits. The overlength microwires of the ethyl modified soft@rigid 2D Triazatruxene core with large planar π configuration were prepared, which displayed low propagation loss during the light propagation process. The results may give some useful enlightenment for future integrated photonic circuits. Image 1 • Ultra-long microwires were prepared by soft@rigid extend 2D Triazatruxene building blocks. • Prepared ultra-longmicrowires displayed low propagation loss with 0.0632 dB/μm at 425 nm than most of organic aggregations. • Ultra-long microwires is beneficial for the development of miniaturized devices of photonic integrated circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2020 extreme rainfall was highly unusual with episodes of intensive rains and winds from the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Valley to southern Japan. Given the severe implications and huge forecast spread among different models, the extreme Mei-yu has aroused widespread concern. This study is aimed at synthesizing the latest research on the characteristics and potential climate forcing factors of such extreme Mei-yu and discusses the challenges and outlooks for prediction and numerical modeling. The distinct characteristics of the Yangtze River Valley summer rainfalls in 2020 included record-breaking accumulated precipitation, longest duration, earliest onset, and highest intensity. We summarize the majority of the studies investigating the diverse coupled ocean-atmospheric processes at different timescales. The research consensus is that the anomalous anticyclone spanning the western North Pacific and the mid-high latitude trough-ridge patterns are the two critical circulation features carrying tropical and mid-high latitude signals, jointly affecting the extreme Mei-yu. Potential mechanisms based on the two essential atmospheric circulations during the Mei-yu period are then highlighted. In addition, different climate model simulations are also introduced to reach an inter-model agreement despite certain model biases on the response of atmospheric circulations to these potential forcings among the state-of-the-art atmospheric and coupled general circulation models. This study provides a synthesis to promote the understanding, prediction, and disaster prevention of extreme Mei-yu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eighteen canine distemper virus (CDV) isolates were obtained from clinical samples in Henan province, China, between 2012 and 2016. These viruses could not be recognized by 1A4, a monoclonal antibody specific for the H protein of CDV vaccine strains. The complete haemagglutinin (H) genes of all 18 isolates were sequenced, and phylogenetic analysis showed that they segregated into two clusters within the Asia-1 genotype. Moreover, the H genes of four viruses were found to lack a potential N-glycosylation site at position 309, which is the most conserved site within the Asia-1 genotype of CDV, and a novel potential N-glycosylation site (amino acids 517–519) was found in strain HL013, which has not been reported previously. These results will help in achieving a better understanding of the evolution of CDV in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating evidence has shown that tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) is neuroprotective in different animal models of neurological diseases. However, whether TGR5 agonist TUDCA can improve lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cognitive impairment in mice is less clear. Using a model of cognitive impairment with LPS (2.0 μg) we investigated the effects of TUDCA (200 or 400 μg) on cognitive dysfunction and neurotoxicity in mice. Both Morris water maze and Y-maze avoidance tests showed that TUDCA treatment significantly alleviated LPS-induced behavioral impairments. More importantly, we found that TUDCA treatment reversed TGR5 down-regulation, prevented neuroinflammation via inhibiting NF-κB signaling in the hippocampus of LPS-treated mice. Additionally, TUDCA treatment decreased LPS-induced apoptosis through decreasing TUNEL-positive cells and the overexpression of caspase-3, increasing the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax. TUDCA treatment also ameliorated synaptic plasticity impairments by increasing the ratio of mBDNF/proBDNF, the number of dendritic spines and the expression of synapse-associated proteins in the hippocampus. Our results indicated that TUDCA can improve cognitive impairment and neurotoxicity induced by LPS in mice, which is involved in TGR5-mediated NF-κB signaling. • TUDCA ameliorates LPS-induced cognitive impairment in mice. • LPS exposure causes a significant decrease in the expression of TGR5 in the mouse hippocampus. • TUDCA prevents hippocampal neuroinflammation, neuroapoptosis and synaptic disorder induced by LPS, which is involved in TGR5-mediated NF-κB signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Cognitive impairment is the main character of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study mainly focused on whether mogrol, a tetracyclic triterpenoids compound of Siraitia grosvenorii Swingle, can ameliorate the memory impairment induced by Aβ1–42. Methods: Memory impairment mice model was made by stereotactic intra‐hippocampal microinjection of Aβ1–42 (410 pm/mouse). Mogrol (20, 40, 80 mg/kg) was given to mice by intragastric administration at 3 days after Aβ1–42 injection for totally 3 weeks. Morris water maze test and Y‐maze test were operated to evaluate the therapeutic effect of morgrol on Aβ1–42‐induced memory impairments. Immunohistochemical analyses and Hoechst 33258 assay were used to evaluate effect of morgrol on Aβ1–42‐induced microglia overactivation and apoptotic response in hippocampus of mice. Western blotting assay was used to evaluate effect of mogrol on the Aβ1–42‐activated NF‐κB signaling. Key findings: Mogrol could significantly alleviate Aβ1–42‐induced memory impairments, inhibit Aβ1–42‐induced microglia overactivation and prevent Aβ1–42‐triggered apoptotic response in the hippocampus. Mogrol also could suppress Aβ1–42‐activated NF‐κB signaling, reduce the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Conclusions: This study suggested that mogrol would ameliorate the memory impairment induced by Aβ1–42, which is involved in anti‐inflammation and anti‐apoptosis in the brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Biochar loaded with nanoparticles was prepared for Cr(VI) adsorption. • EDTA intercalated LDH significantly improved sorption capacity of Cr(VI). • Adsorption process obeys chemisorption and monolayer adsorption. Abstract In this study, the bamboo biomass loaded with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) intercalated Mg/Al-layered double hydroxides (LDH) was calcined to obtain a novel nano-adsorbent (BC@EDTA-LDH), and BC@EDTA-LDH was used to remove hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) in aqueous solutions. The results showed that the interaction between LDH and Cr(VI) on biochar played a dominant part in adsorption. The LDH of Cr(VI) intercalation was successfully reconstructed after adsorption. Fourier transform infrared spectra and X-ray diffraction results confirmed the reconstruction of Mg/Al-LDH. LDH had sustained release effect on the solution. As the pH values increased, the electrostatic repulsion between Cr 2 O 7 2− and OH– increased, and there existed competition for adsorption sites. The maximum adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) was 38 mg/g. The data was well-fitted with pseudo second-order model and Langmuir-Freundlich model. BC@EDTA-LDH showed a high adsorption capacity and was potentially suitable for removing heavy metals in wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract Co-existing of arsenate (As(V)) and arsenite (As(III)) in aquatic environment have posed a great threat to humans due to the high mobility and toxicity. Developing practical methods for the removal of arsenic contamination in water source is vital for improving human wellbeing. Here, a novel nanostructured Fe-Ti-Mn composite oxide (FTMO) for the efficient removal of arsenic was synthesized using a simultaneous oxidation and co-precipitation method. The adsorbent was amorphous or poorly crystallized and was aggregated from heterogeneous nano-sized particles, with a high specific surface area of 434.3 m2/g. Batch experimental results showed that the FTMO effectively removed both As(V) and As(III), and the maximal adsorption capacities of arsenic species at 25 °C were 74.4 mg/g (As(V)) and 122.3 mg/g (As(III)), respectively. The arsenic removal process was endothermic and spontaneous, and the uptake of arsenic was highly pH-dependent. The inhibitive influence of competitive substances on the adsorption behavior followed by the order of: SO 4 2− < Cl- < F- < HCO 3 - < SiO 3 2− < PO 4 3-. The presence of Ca2+ and Mg2+ slightly enhanced the arsenic removal. Moreover, the FTMO material could be effectively regenerated and successfully applied for arsenic removal in simulated As-contaminated river water treatment. Thus, the oxide could be used as a potentially attractive adsorbent for arsenic removal from contaminated water because of its easy synthesis process and excellent adsorption performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the removal efficiency of anionic, cationic, and zwitterionic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by nanofiltration (NF) in the presence of three representative natural organic matter (NOM) types: bovine serum albumin (BSA), humic acid (HA), and sodium alginate (SA). In particular, effects of PFAS molecular structure and coexisting NOM on the transmission and adsorption efficiency of PFAS during NF treatment were analyzed. The results indicate that NOM types dominate membrane fouling behavior despite the coexistence of PFAS. SA exhibits the most significant fouling propensity, resulting in maximum water flux decline. NF effectively removed both ether and precursor PFAS. The effects of the three typical NOM on the membrane-passing behavior of PFAS were consistent for all PFAS investigated. Generally, PFAS transmission decreased in the order of SA-fouled > pristine > HA-fouled > BSA-fouled, indicating that the presence of HA and BSA enhanced PFAS removal while SA declined. Furthermore, reduced PFAS transmission was observed with increased perfluorocarbon chain length or molecular weight (MW), regardless of the presence or type of the NOM. The impacts of NOM on PFAS filtration diminished when the PFAS van der Waals radius was > 4.0 Å, MW > 500 Da, polarization > 20 Å, or LogKow > 3. These findings suggest that both steric repulsion and hydrophobic interactions, especially the former, play important roles in PFAS rejection by NF. This study provides insights into the specific applicability and performance of membrane-based processes for eliminating PFAS during drinking and wastewater treatments, and highlighting the importance of coexisting NOM. [Display omitted] ● NF process is highly effective in removing anionic, cationic, and zwitterionic PFAS. ● Coexistence of SA reduced PFAS rejection, while BSA and HA improved NF's PFAS removal. ● NOM impact on PFAS rejection weakens if PFAS vdW radius> 4.0 Å, MW> 500 Da, or LogKow> 3. ● Steric hindrance and hydrophobic interactions are critical in PFAS rejection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erhualian pigs exhibit one of the highest reproductive rates globally, and cryptorchidism is a crucial factor affecting reproductive abilities of boars. This investigation focused on cryptorchid tissues from Erhualian pigs, where the histological structure of cryptorchidism was observed using specialized staining. In addition, protein expression of P53/NF-κB in cryptorchid tissues was assessed using Western blot and immunohistochemistry. In comparison to normal Erhualian testes, Masson's trichrome staining indicated a reduction in collagen fibers in the connective tissue and around the basal membrane of the seminiferous tubules in cryptorchid testes. Moreover, collagen fiber distribution was observed to be disordered. Verhoeff Van Gieson (EVG) and argyrophilic staining demonstrated brownish-black granular nucleoli organized regions in mesenchymal cells and germ cells. When compared to normal testicles, the convoluted seminiferous tubules of cryptorchids exhibited a significantly reduced number and diameter (p < 0.01). Notably, VEGF/EGFR and P53/NF-κB expression in cryptorchidism significantly differed from that in normal testes. In particular, the expression of VEGF and P53 in cryptorchid tissues was significantly higher than that in normal testes tissues, whereas the expression of EGFR in cryptorchid tissues was significantly lower than that in normal testes tissues (all p < 0.01). NF-κB expressed no difference in both conditions. The expressions of VEGF and NF-κB were observed in the cytoplasm of testicular Leydig cells and spermatogenic cells, but they were weak in the nucleus. EGFR and P53 were more positively expressed in the cytoplasm of these cells, with no positive expression in the nucleus. Conclusion: There were changes in the tissue morphology and structure of the cryptorchid testis, coupled with abnormally high expression of VEGF and P53 proteins in Erhualian pigs. We speculate that this may be an important limiting factor to fecundity during cryptorchidism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We fabricated polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) nanofiltration (NF) membranes using a layer-by-layer (LbL) method for effective removal of scale-forming divalent cations (Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Sr 2+ , and Ba 2+ ) from feedwaters with different salinities. Two polymers with opposite charges, polycation (poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), PDADMAC) and polyanion (poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate), PSS), were sequentially deposited on a commercial polyamide NF membrane to form a PEM. Compared to pristine and PSS-terminated membranes, PDADMAC-terminated membranes demonstrated much higher rejection of divalent cations and selectivity for sodium transport over divalent cations (Na + /X 2+ ) due to a combination of both Donnan- and size-exclusion effects. A PDADMAC-terminated membrane with 5.5 bilayers exhibited 97% rejection of Mg 2+ with selectivity (Na + /Mg 2+ ) greater than 30. We attribute the order of cation rejection (Mg 2+ > Ca 2+ > Sr 2+ > Ba 2+ ) to the ionic size, which governs both the hydration radius and hydration energy of the cations. The ionic strength (salinity) of the feed solution had a significant influence on both water flux and cation rejection of PEM membranes. In feed solutions with high ionic strength, abundant NaCl salt screened the charge of the polyelectrolytes and led to swelling of the multilayers, resulting in decreased selectivity (Na + /X 2+ ) and increased water permeability. The fabricated PEM membranes can be potentially applied to the pretreatment of mild-salinity brackish waters to reduce membrane scaling in the main desalination stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the high toxicity and mobility, the removal of arsenite (As(III)) is significantly more difficult than arsenate (As(V)), thus representing a major challenge in arsenite-contaminated water treatment. For efficient elimination of As(III), we successfully fabricated a novel Ti-Mn binary oxide via a simultaneous oxidation and coprecipitation process. The amorphous oxide was aggregated from nanosized particles with a high specific surface area of 349.5 m 2 /g. It could effectively oxidize As(III) to As(V) and had a high As(III) sorption capacity of 107.0 mg/g. As(III) sorption occurred rapidly and equilibrium was achieved within 24 h. The kinetic data was well fitted by the pseudo-second-order equation, indicating a chemical sorption process. The material was almost independent upon the presence of competitive ions. The As(III) removal by the sorbent is a combined process coupled oxidation with sorption, where the MnO 2 content is mainly responsible for oxidizing As(III) to As(V) and the formed As(V) is then adsorbed onto the surface of amorphous TiO 2 content, through replacing the surface hydroxyl group or the adsorbed As(III) and forming inner-sphere surface complexes. Furthermore, the arsenic-containing oxide could be effectively regenerated and reused. The bi-functional sorbent could be used as a potentially attractive sorbent for As(III) removal in drinking water treatment and environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose We investigated expression and mechanism long noncoding RNA BDNF-AS in human cervical cancer (CC). Methods BDNF-AS expressions were examined by qPCR in CC cell lines and human CC tumors. CC cell lines, SiHa and DoTc2-4510 were transduced with lentivirus to ectopically overexpress BDNF-AS. Possible anti-cancer effects of BDNF overexpression were examined on CC in vitro proliferation and migration, and in vivo transplantation. Human BDNF gene expression was also examined in CC cell lines and tumors. In CC cells with overexpressed BDNF-AS, BDNF was upregulated to examine its direct effect in NDNF-AS-modulated CC proliferation and migration. Results BDNF was downregulated in both CC cells and human CC tumors. In CC cells, BDNF-AS overexpression is anti-cancer by inhibiting proliferation and migration in vitro , and transplantation in vivo . BDNF was inversely expressed as BDNF-AS in CC. Upregulation of BDNF in BDNF-AS-overexpressed CC cells reversed the anti-cancer effects of BDNF-AS. Conclusion BDNF-AS is downregulated in CC. Overexpressing BDNF-AS may inhibit CC, possibly through inverse regulation on BDNF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a comparative study to investigate the efficacies of two different types of highly hydrophilic materials (i.e., silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) and zwitterionic polymers) for antifouling surface modification of polyamide thin-film composite (TFC) membranes. Dense layers of SiNPs and zwitterionic polymer brushes were grafted on the membrane surfaces via dip-coating with aminosilane-functionalized SiNPs (i.e., SiNP-TFC membrane) and surface-initiated atom-transfer radical-polymerization of sulfobetaine methacrylate (i.e., PSBMA-TFC membrane), respectively. With the same degree of enhancement of surface hydrophilicity and identical surface roughness, the PSBMA-TFC membrane exhibited significantly higher fouling resistance than the SiNP-TFC membrane in adsorption tests of proteins and bacteria as well as in forward osmosis (FO) dynamic fouling experiments using alginate as a model organic foulant. Chemical force microscopy measurements revealed that membrane-foulant electrostatic attraction aggravates organic fouling of the SiNP-TFC membrane to a certain degree, but the primary fouling mechanism is the complexation of organic foulants with carboxylic groups on the polyamide membrane surface. We attribute the lower fouling resistance of the SiNP-TFC membrane to the high density of surface carboxylic groups that may still be accessible to foulants as well as to membrane-foulant electrostatic interaction. On the contrary, the zwitterionic polymer brushes effectively shield the surface carboxylic groups and provide steric hindrance against foulant adsorption due to significant hydration of the zwitterionic brushes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A canine parainfluenza virus type 5 strain was isolated from a lung sample from a diseased dog. The genome sequene of this isolate, named HeN0718, was determined and compared tho those of other previously reported canine parainfluenza viruses. Unlike previously reported viruses, the HeN0718 strain contained several nucleotide mutations in the SH gene that led to a frame shift in the open reading frame. Phylogenetic analysis based on the complete virus genome and the P, F, and HN genes showed that HeN0718 was genetically closest to D277, a Korean strain that was isolated in 2008. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovative approaches to prevent bacterial attachment and biofilm growth on membranes are critically needed to avoid decreasing membrane performance due to biofouling. In this study, we propose the fabrication of anti-biofouling thin-film composite membranes functionalized with graphene oxide–silver nanocomposites. In our membrane modification strategy, carboxyl groups on the graphene oxide–silver nanosheets are covalently bonded to carboxyl groups on the surface of thin-film composite membranes via a crosslinking reaction. Further characterization, such as scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, revealed the immobilization of graphene oxide–silver nanocomposites on the membrane surface. Graphene oxide–silver modified membranes exhibited an 80% inactivation rate against attached Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells. In addition to a static antimicrobial assay, our study also provided insights on the anti-biofouling property of forward osmosis membranes during dynamic operation in a cross-flow test cell. Functionalization with graphene oxide–silver nanocomposites resulted in a promising anti-biofouling property without sacrificing the membrane intrinsic transport properties. Our results demonstrated that the use of graphene oxide–silver nanocomposites is a feasible and attractive approach for the development of anti-biofouling thin-film composite membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional community detection methods are often restricted in static network analysis. In fact, most of networks in real world obviously show dynamic characteristics with time passing. In this paper, we design a link community structure discovery algorithm in dynamic weighted networks, which can not only reveal the evolutionary link community structure, but also detect overlapping communities by mapping link communities to node communities. Meanwhile, our algorithm can also get the hierarchical structure of link communities by tuning a parameter. The proposed algorithm is based on weighted edge fitness and weighted partition density so as to determine whether to add a link to a community and whether to merge two communities to form a new link community. Experiments on both synthetic and real world networks demonstrate the proposed algorithm can detect evolutionary link community structure in dynamic weighted networks effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate the functionalization of thin-film composite membranes with zwitterionic polymers and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for combating biofouling. Combining hydrophilic zwitterionic polymer brushes and biocidal AgNPs endows the membrane with dual functionality: antiadhesion and bacterial inactivation. An atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) reaction is used to graft zwitterionic poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) (PSBMA) brushes to the membrane surface, while AgNPs are synthesized in situ through chemical reduction of silver. Two different membrane architectures (Ag-PSBMA and PSBMA-Ag TFC) are developed according to the sequence AgNPs, and PSBMA brushes are grafted on the membrane surface. A static adhesion assay shows that both modified membranes significantly reduced the adsorption of proteins, which served as a model organic foulant. However, improved antimicrobial activity is observed for PSBMA-Ag TFC (i.e., AgNPs on top of the polymer brush) in comparison to the Ag-PSBMA TFC membrane (i.e., polymer brush on top of AgNPs), indicating that architecture of the antifouling layer is an important factor in the design of zwitterion-silver membranes. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) imaging indicated that PSBMA-Ag TFC membranes effectively inhibit biofilm formation under dynamic cross-flow membrane biofouling tests. Finally, we demonstrate the regeneration of AgNPs on the membrane after depletion of silver from the surface of the PSBMA-Ag TFC membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium ion capacitors (LICs) have the potential to combine the high energy density of lithium ion batteries and the high power density of supercapacitors into one device. In this study, we have investigated surface functionalization of activated carbon (AC) powder as the cathode for LICs with non-aqueous electrolytes. It is found that solution chemistry treatment is an effective way to impart pseudocapacitance and thus increase the specific capacitance of the AC powder. The surface functionalization has led to increases in the specific capacitance from 18 – 35 F/g to 80–140 F/g, while the areal specific capacitance per BET surface area has increased from 3.6 μF/cm 2 to 74.8 μF/cm 2 . The latter is 3.5 times the theorectical electrical double layer value for graphene, indicating the existence of redox reactions and their great potential in enhancing the capacitance for LICs. The mechanism of capacitance improvement has been diagnosed and attributed mainly to the pseudocapacitive redox reaction on the C O sites. In addition, the enhancement in the specific capacitance is found to vary with the composition of electrolytes, likely due to the change in wetting behavior and the size of solvated ions. This work has opened up a new route to increase the specific capacitance of low cost and widely used AC powder for LICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • There are 26 types of NF/RO membranes in use or under investigation for PFAS removal. • Under environmentally relevant pH and concentration, NF and RO can effectively remove long chain PFAS from water. • More study should focus on overlooked compounds with smaller size, shorter C-F chain, and higher hydrophilicity. • Novel membrane materials, modifications, and hybrid treatment trains with improved PFAS selectivity/fouling resistance are expected. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been ubiquitously detected in the aquatic environment which poses a risk for human exposure. The recalcitrant behavior of PFAS to most traditional water treatment processes calls for development of novel or modified treatment approaches for effective PFAS elimination. Currently, high-pressure membrane systems, including nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) are among the most promising and readily applied technologies for PFAS removal. In this review, we summarized peer-reviewed scientific articles on the development and use of 20 different types of commercial and 6 synthesized/modified NF and RO membranes in terms of PFAS removal efficacy. Synthesizing of existing knowledge shows that under environmentally relevant pH and concentration, NF and RO can effectively remove PFAS from water. The impact of PFAS molecular weight (MW) and functionality, membrane characteristics, feed water constitution, natural organic matters and operational conditions were systematically reviewed and evaluated. Moving forward, we recommend additional research dedicated to understanding the behaviors of PFAS alternatives and other overlooked compounds (e.g., PFAS with chain length C 2 and C3) during NF and RO processes. Further, it is critical to develop or optimize existing membrane products with strong selectivity for specific PFAS species, while being resistant to fouling. Overall, this review is expected to assist researchers and water quality managers investigating membrane processes for PFAS removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Dopamine-triggered codeposition of zwitterionic surfactants were developed for UF membrane modification. • The membrane modification imparts notable anti-fouling properties without compromising transport. • Modification with low zwitterion concentration possessed the optimal antifouling efficacy. • The modified membranes show reduced irreversible fouling and AB interactions with BSA. We report a facile ultrafiltration (UF) membrane modification strategy to impart anti-fouling properties to a polyethersulfone (PES) membrane via a simple codeposition of polydopamine (PDA) and the zwitterionic surfactant, 3-(N, N-Dimethylmyristylammonio) propane sulfonate (SB3-14). The effect of SB3-14 concentration (from 0.5, 1 to 2 mM) was also studied. The proposed modification notably increased membrane anti-fouling property without compromising membrane transport properties. As demonstrated by dynamic fouling experiments using BSA as a model foulant, the modified membranes presented significantly alleviated flux decline and decreased fouling resistance compared to the pristine membrane. Especially, the membrane modified with low SB3-14 concentration (i.e., 0.5 mM) possessed the optimal antifouling performance compared to those modified with higher concentrations, which may be attributed to reduced efficiency in PDA/SB3-14 aggregates functionalization on membrane surface in the presence of excessive zwitterions. Furthermore, the extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) results illustrate that Lewis acid-base (AB) played a dominant role during the fouling construction, and the presence of SB3-14 could tremendously decrease AB energy. This codeposition of PDA and non-polymer zwitterionic surfactant could be applied to prepare anti-fouling PES membranes with low reversible and irreversible fouling, which provides a new scope for post modification of UF membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrated a forward osmosis-membrane distillation (FO-MD) hybrid system for real human urine treatment. A series of NaCl solutions at different concentrations were adopted for draw solutions in FO process, which were also the feed solutions of MD process. To establish a stable and continuous integrated FO-MD system, individual FO process with different NaCl concentrations and individual direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) process with different feed temperatures were firstly investigated separately. Four stable equilibrium conditions were obtained from matching the water transfer rates of individual FO and MD processes. It was found that the integrated system is stable and sustainable when the water transfer rate of FO subsystem is equal to that of MD subsystem. The rejections to main contaminants in human urine were also investigated. Although individual FO process had relatively high rejection to Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Total Nitrogen (TN) and Ammonium Nitrogen (NH 4 + -N) in human urine, these contaminants could also accumulate in draw solution after long term performance. The MD process provided an effective rejection to contaminants in draw solution after FO process and the integrated system revealed nearly complete rejection to TOC, TN and NH 4 + -N. This work provided a potential treatment process for human urine in some fields such as water regeneration in space station and water or nutrient recovery from source-separated urine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate whether Lactobacillus plantarum P-8 may be used as an alternative to antibiotics in the broiler chicken diet, we compared P-8 and antibiotics for their immunobiotic properties and their effect on growth performance of broiler chickens in a 42-day trial. The results showed that P-8 provided similar benefits in weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency as antibiotics did. Importantly, P-8 activated protective immune responses of the broilers while antibiotics lacked this effect. P-8 induced higher fecal secretory IgA (sIgA) levels on day 42 ( P ≤ 0.027) and IgA + lymphocytes in the jejunum and Peyer's patches (PP) ( P < 0.001) compared to antibiotic treatment. Antibiotics reduced the IgA + lymphocytes in jejunum and PP on day 42 compared to the control. P-8 increased CD3 + T cells in the small intestinal tissues in most test situations whereas antibiotics had fewer CD3 + cells in PP and cecal tonsil compared with the control broilers at the end of the trial. In addition, P-8 increased CD4 + T cells significantly in the intestinal tissues compared to both antibiotics and the control ( P < 0.0052). Both Th1 and Th2 cytokine expression were enhanced by P-8 on day 14, consistent with the clinical trial results showing probiotic benefits in diseases. Antibiotics up- and down-regulated interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4 and IL-10 transcripts in an age-dependent manner, and showed anti-inflammatory potential. These data indicate that P-8 may provide protective immune response to broilers while maintaining similar growth performance and may be a potential alternative to antibiotics supplemented in chicken feeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we conducted a facile membrane modification process by mild electroless deposition of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) integrating polydopamine (PDA) coating to combat biofouling of thin-film composite (TFC) reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. Various experimental tests and characterization techniques have been applied to reveal the anti-biofouling performance and underlying mechanism of prepared membranes (i.e., Cu/PDA/TFC membrane). The successful functionalization with PDA and CuNPs highly enhanced the anti-fouling properties of Cu/PDA/TFC membrane, as evidenced by 45%, 40% and 37% respectively lower adsorption of bovine serum albumin, humic acid, and lipopolysaccharide in static adhesion assays. A significant decreased membrane-foulant adhesion forces by 63% was observed for Cu/PDA/TFC membrane compared to control membrane, which is ascribed to enhanced membrane surface hydrophilicity after PDA coating. Moreover, The Cu/PDA/TFC membranes presented significantly decreased cell viability (E. coli from 90% to 22%, P. aeruginosa from 89% to 26%, and S. aureus from 84% to 18%), and reduced adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) content after 3 h bacterial exposure (E. coli by 57%, P. aeruginosa by 50%, and S. aureus by 56%). Assessment on cell viability and metabolic activities of bacteria deposited on membrane indicate that contact-mediated toxicity contributed to the antibacterial mechanism of Cu/PDA//TFC membrane. In addition, the reduced viability of the planktonic cells at the membrane surroundings under durable copper leaching (∼17 mg/m2 to ∼9 mg/m2) suggest that release of antibacterial Cu2+ ions also played an important role in membrane antibacterial mechanism. Both contact-mediated and Cu2+ release-based antibacterial mechanisms endow Cu/PDA/TFC membrane with excellent anti-biofouling capacity under long-term dynamic condition, with 45% lower flux decline compared to the control membrane. [Display omitted] • Efficient anti-biofouling RO membrane was developed by a facile modification strategy. • Simple PDA coating coupled with mild electroless deposition of CuNPs was functionalized on membrane surface. • The integration of PDA and CuNPs renders membrane with both "defending" and "attacking" anti-biofouling effects. • Both contact-mediated and Cu2+ release-based antibacterial effects contributed to the anti-biofouling mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme precipitation anomalies over the East Asia–western Pacific exhibited an unusually similar pattern in June and July 2020, with catastrophic Mei-yu floods in the Yangtze River Valley and severe droughts in southern China and the Bay of Bengal–the western North Pacific (BOB–WNP). However, the corresponding atmospheric circulation anomalies showed distinct characteristics, especially the meridional shifts of the East Asian westerly jet (EAWJ). In June 2020 the EAWJ displaced northward in response to a high-latitude Rossby wavetrain originated from the western North Atlantic, whereas in July 2020 the EAWJ shifted southward due to a robust Pacific–Japan (PJ) wavetrain. The linchpins of the PJ wavetrain are the rapid sea surface warming and the resultant strong convection over the Arabian Sea and the tropical eastern Indian Ocean in July, which considerably enhanced the divergence and sinking motion over the Philippine Sea and the convergence and rising motion over Korea and Japan, favorable for triggering the PJ wavetrain. Meanwhile, the enhanced WNP subtropical high was located further northward to Japan in July compared to June, transporting abundant moisture to Korea and Japan and further strengthening the Mei-yu/Baiu in July, which in turn maintained the PJ wavetrain. • The 2020 summer precipitation anomalies over the East Asia (EA)–western Pacific were similar in June and July. • But the corresponding atmospheric circulations were distinct especially the PJwavetrain and the EA westerly jet (EAWJ). • Thus only the July EAWJ shifted southward due to the robust PJ wavetrain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: microRNAs (miRNAs) have been documented playing a critical role in cancer development and progression. In this study, we investigated the role of miR-548l in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) migration and invasion. Methods: microRNAs microarray analysis was used to detect the differentially expressed miRNAs between various metastatic levels of NSCLC cells and further confirmed by real-time PCR analysis. To facilitate the delineation of the role of selected miR-548l in NSCLC pathology, we detected its expression in 22 NSCLC tissues. Proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and metastasis effects of the miRNA were evaluated using MTT, flow cytometry, wound healing and invasion assay following transfection with mimics and inhibitors. Luciferase assay and Western blot analysis were performed to assess miR-548l binding to AKT1 gene. AKT1 expression in the clinical tissues was evaluated using immunohistochemical staining. Results: The results showed a negative relationship between miR-548l expression and lymph node metastasis of NSCLC. Functional assays showed that over-expression of miR-548l suppressed NSCLC cell migration and invasion. Luciferase assays confirmed that miR-548l could directly bind to the 3′ untranslated region of AKT1. Further data showed that the over-expression of AKT1 could rescue the effects of miR-548l in NSCLC cells, and the miR-548l expression was inversely correlated with AKT1 expression in NSCLC tissues. These results indicated that AKT1 was involved in miR-548l-induced suppression of NSCLC cell migration and invasion. Conclusion: These results suggested that miR-548l may play a causal role through AKT1 in NSCLC invasion and metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Electroless deposition of CuNPs integrates PDA coating for RO membrane modification. • A stable PDA-CuNPs layer with high loadings of dispersed nanoparticles was obtained. • The functionalization imparted simultaneous anti-adhesive and anti-microbial properties. • The combination of PDA and CuNPs led to a substantial alleviated biofouling propensity. In this study, highly antimicrobial CuNPs were integrated into a hydrophilic polydopamine (PDA) coating and immobilized on a RO TFC membrane via a mild and facile reduction approach to form a stable and durable dual-functional layer. Based on the XDLVO analysis, the introduction of PDA increased the membrane-foulant total interaction energy (Δ G mwf) to 14.13 mJ/m2, resulting in improved anti-adhesive properties as demonstrated by a 37% decrease in BSA adsorption for the modified membranes. The well dispersed and high loadings of CuNPs induced by PDA conferred strong bacterial toxicity to the modified membranes, reducing the viability of E. coli by 76%. Furthermore, the presence of catechol groups on PDA favors the formation of covalent bond with CuNPs, thus prolonging the durability of the copper-based anti-biofouling membranes. The combination of PDA coating and CuNPs functionalization imparts the membrane with simultaneous anti-adhesive and anti-microbial properties, leading to a substantial reduction in biofouling propensity in dynamic biofouling experiments. Specifically, the flux decline due to biofouling observed for the modified membranes significantly decreased from 65% to 39%, and biofilm thickness and TOC biomass were 58%, and 55% lower, respectively. This study provides a facile and versatile strategy to construct high performance RO membranes with excellent anti-biofouling functionality. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

P-type atypical lymphocytes may play important roles in the aetiology and therapy of schizophrenia. However, there is merely a direct immunological characterisation of it. The aim of this study is to explore the surface antigens of these cells and their comparative ultrastructure in schizophrenia. We recruited 25 age-and gender-matched patients with unmedicated schizophrenia, other mental diseases and healthy individuals. Peripheral venous blood was smeared and stained. CD4+, CD8+ and CD19+ cell surface antigen- positive lymphocytes were purified using magnetic beads and prepared for light microscopy and electron microscopy. The percentages of P-type atypical lymphocytes (34.53% ± 9.92%) were significantly higher (p < 0.0001) in schizophrenia than that of other mental diseases (9.79% ± 3.45%). These cells could present CD4+, CD8+ and CD19+ surface antigens. Their relative ultrastructure differed from that of normal lymphocytes, especially in mitochondria, which showed abundant, aggregated and quite irregular mitochondria; for example, slight dilation of the foci, swelling, degeneration, and even cavity. P-type atypical lymphocytes could be found among CD4+, CD8+, and CD19 + lymphocytes with schizophrenia. Their abnormal ultrastructure of mitochondria implied that energy metabolism might play an important role in the aetiology of schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A generic process has been developed for fabricating metal stannate nanostructures by simple substitution solution reactions followed by post-thermal treatments. [•] Band energy alignment, high carrier mobility and large specific surface area are found to play key roles for the enabled high efficiency in stannate nanostructured photocatalysts. [•] The developed process can be easily extended to the fabrication of other complex metal oxide nanostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flame-retarded poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) materials have been prepared by using zinc ferrite (ZnFeO (ZFO)) combined with magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH) (MH)). The effects of these additives on the combustion and thermal degradation of PVC samples were studied using the limiting oxygen index test, the smoke density rating test, thermogravimetric-differential thermogravimetry, and the cone calorimeter test. The results showed that ZFO and MH were good synergists for improving the flame retardancy and smoke-suppressing of PVC/MH/ZFO blends. ZFO can significantly improve the maximum mass loss velocity in the first stage, and reduce the initial decomposition temperature and the decomposition range in the PVC/MH/ZFO blends. The char yield at 700 °C of flame-retarded PVC clearly decreased below theoretical values due to the cationic cracking reactions in the presence of ZFO. Furthermore, the PVC/10MH/10ZFO showed strong flame-retarding synergism since the decreased average heat release rate value. And the PVC/19MH/1ZFO presented a significant smoke-suppressing effect by the least average specific extinction area, peak smoke production rate, and total smoke produce. Moreover, the CO and CO production was increased because of a large amount of fragment of char residue in contact air in the presence of ZFO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problems of target model drift or loss of target tracking caused by serious deformation, occlusion, fast motion, and out of view of the target in long-term moving target tracking in complex scenes, this paper presents a robust multi-feature single-target tracking algorithm based on a particle filter. The algorithm is based on the correlation filtering framework. First, to extract more accurate target appearance features, in addition to the manual features histogram of oriented gradient features and color histogram features, the depth features from the conv3–4, conv4–4 and conv5–4 convolutional layer outputs in VGGNet-19 are also fused. Secondly, this paper designs a re-detection module of a fusion particle filter for the problem of how to return to accurate tracking after the target tracking fails, so that the algorithm in this paper can maintain high robustness during long-term tracking. Finally, in the adaptive model update stage, the adaptive learning rate update and adaptive filter update are performed to improve the accuracy of target tracking. Extensive experiments are conducted on dataset OTB-2015, dataset OTB-2013, and dataset UAV123. The experimental results show that the proposed multi-feature single-target robust tracking algorithm with fused particle filtering can effectively solve the long-time target tracking problem in complex scenes, while showing more stable and accurate tracking performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A series of ferrites (ZnFe2O4, MgFe2O4, NiFe2O4, and CuFe2O4) was prepared by wet air oxidation and their structure and morphology were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses. The prepared ferrites were added to flexible poly(vinyl chloride)(PVC) as flame retardants and smoke suppressants. Subsequently, thermal degradation properties of flexible PVC with ferrite additives were investigated by using TGA–DTG, TGA–FTIR, and TGA–MS. The main mechanism underlying the flame-retarding activity was shown to be caused by the catalyzed the dehydrochlorination of PVC at the first stage and breaking of the char residue at higher temperature. The results showed that addition of ferrites, especially MgFe2O4, at the first stage, not only decreased T 5% (defined as the temperature at which 5% of the initial weight has been lost) and increased the weight loss rate, but also promoted cross-linking and stability of char residue. The main gas pyrolysis products were HCl and benzene. When compared with neat PVC, PVC/MgFe2O4 and PVC/CuFe2O4 generated more HCl and less benzene, and consequently retained more carbon in the matrix with respect to the increased flame-retarding and smoke-suppressing. At the second stage, the weight loss of flame-retarding PVC increased obviously, with simultaneous increase in the yield of main gaseous pyrolysis products, CO2 and aliphatic fragments. PVC/CuFe2O4 generated a high yield of CO2, because of the cationic cracking reactions in the presence of Lewis acid, fragmenting of the char residue at higher temperature. Additionally, the inner surface morphology of the char residue derived from PVC/MgFe2O4 was investigated by SEM and EDS, which showed the existence of alveolate and breakable structures, as well as needle-like structures, composed of a mixture of iron chloride and magnesium chloride. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective. Smoking is a primary hazard factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which induced a decrease in intestinal Akkermansia muciniphila abundance and Th17 imbalance in COPD. This study analyzed the changes of gut microbiota metabolism and Akkermansia abundance in patients with smoking-related COPD and explored the potential function of Akkermansia muciniphila in smoke-induced COPD mice. Methods. Gut microbiota diversity and metabolic profile were analyzed by 16S rRNA sequence and metabolomics in COPD patients. The IL-1β, IL-17, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels were tested by ELISA. Lung tissue damage was observed by HE staining. The expression of cleave-caspase 3, trophoblast antigen 2 (TROP2), and LC3 in lung tissues were analyzed by IHC or IF. The p-mTOR, mTOR, p62, and LC3 expression in lung tissues were tested by western blot. Results. The levels of IL-17, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 in the peripheral blood of COPD patients increased significantly. The number and alpha diversity of gut microbiota were decreased in COPD patients. The abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila in gut of COPD patients was decreased, and the metabolic phenotype and retinol metabolism were changed. In the retinol metabolism, the retinol and retinal were significantly changed. Akkermansia muciniphila could improve the alveolar structure and inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue, reduce the IL-17, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels in peripheral blood, promote the p-mTOR expression, and inhibit the expression of autophagy-related proteins in smoke-induced COPD mice. Conclusion. The number and alpha diversity of gut microbiota were decreased in patients with smoking-related COPD, accompanied by decreased abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila, and altered retinol metabolism function. Gut Akkermansia muciniphila ameliorated lung injury in smoke-induced COPD mice by inflammation and autophagy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study, thermal properties of carbon nanofiber (CNF) and carbon nanotube (CNT) filled phase change materials (soy wax and paraffin wax) were studied experimentally, aiming to improve their thermal conductivities. The composite phase change materials (PCMs) were prepared by the stirring of CNF or CNT in liquid wax at 60°C, with CNF and CNT doping levels of 1, 2, 5, and 10wt%. The experimental results show that the thermal conductivity of composite PCMs increases as CNF or CNT loading contents. Both CNF and CNT can improve the thermal conductivity of the composite, while CNF is shown to be more effective than CNT as the thermal conductive filler because of its better dispersion in the matrix. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Propose a framework for top-N high-utility order sequences mining. • Construct a function to calculate the utility of the order sequence. • Construct a high-utility sequence tree to mine taxi driver's operation patterns. • Propose two pruning strategies to reduce the size of candidate set. • Validate the proposed algorithm on real world dataset. In recent years, the rapid development of mobile network and wireless sensor technology has brought opportunities to change the way of the existing taxi business operation. How to improve the operation revenues of taxi drivers has become a topic worthy of research. This paper analyzes and mines taxi operation data to provide taxi drivers with personalized sequence recommendation services, thereby increasing their expected revenues. Different from previous works, the proposed method in this paper recommends a series of future operation orders for taxi drivers, instead of recommending several discrete locations for the current order. In this paper, firstly, by performing spatial-temporal clustering on the origins and destinations of passengers, the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of passengers in the city are identified. Secondly, the origin of the current passenger is used as the root node to construct a top-N high-utility sequence tree, and this process can be divided into two processes: top-down building tree and bottom-up sorting path utility. The two pruning strategies of node utility and path utility are used to reduce the generation of candidate sets. Finally, a series of potential orders based on dynamic context are recommended to taxi drivers, so as to maximize the expected revenues of taxi drivers. The experimental results demonstrate that there is a close relationship between taxi drivers' operation behavior patterns and their revenues. The proposed system framework and algorithm in this paper can effectively mine global and long-term top-N high-utility operation patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Proposing a framework for semantic trajectory clustering based on community detection. • Introducing the ontology theory to semantic trajectory similarity computation. • Constructing a trajectory network according to the semantic trajectory similarity. • Conducting extensive studies and analyses on three real world trajectory datasets. • Comparing the proposed method with some traditional and recently proposed methods. Most of traditional trajectory clustering algorithms often cluster similar trajectories from a temporal or spatial perspective. One weak point is that the semantic relationship between the trajectories is ignored. In some cases, trajectories with spatio-temporal similarities may be semantically related, and the negligence of semantic information may result in unreasonable trajectory clustering results. In addition, the existing semantic trajectory clustering algorithms only consider the local semantic relationship between adjacent spatio-temporal trajectories, and the overall global semantic relationship between trajectories is still unknown. Considering the disadvantages of the current trajectory clustering methods, we proposed a novel algorithm for semantic trajectory clustering based on community detection (STCCD) in networks, which can better measure the semantic similarity of trajectories and capture global relationship among trajectories from the perspective of the network, and can get better trajectory clustering results compared to some traditional and recently proposed methods. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively mine the trajectory clustering information and related knowledge from the semantic trajectory data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel system was designed to improve the efficiency of contaminant removals. • Multiple-stratified environments were artificially formed in a single system. • The microbial communities were tailored to control nitrogen transformation path. • Complementary of functional genes supported stability of nitrogen transformations. A pilot-scale upgraded gravity-driven submerged membrane (GDSM) reactor was constructed to enhance nitrogen removal. It was artificially formed multiple stratified environments (dissolved oxygen (DO) and substrate supply (TOC, TN, COD, NH 4 +-N, NO 2 −-N, and NO 3 −-N)) by embedding moving water baffles to control water-flow process in bulk liquid with slow-flowing liquid state. Significant diversity and relative abundance of microorganisms associated with nitrogen transformation paths (i.e., ammonia-oxidizing archaea, ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, nitrite oxidizing bacteria, and denitrifying bacteria) were tailored to distribute on different spatial and temporal regions, and performed their dominant functions. The process simultaneously integrated diverse and effective nitrogen transformation paths (i.e., nitrification, partial nitrification, denitrification, anammox, and dissimilatory nitrate reduction) to achieve high nitrogen removal, with NH 4 +-N, TN, and COD eliminated by 94.68 ± 2.55%, 55.16 ± 5.53%, and 80.17 ± 6.75%, respectively. Gene expressions involved in the nitrogen transformations were estimated by qPCR to explore the shifts of dominant nitrogen transforming bioreactions in multiple stratified environments. Pearson correlation coefficients supported that the functional genes had more stable and active ability by complementing each other. As a result, an endogenous integration of diverse nitrogen transformation paths was achieved in a single system by artificially tailoring the distributions of microbial communities and gene expressions with enhanced nitrogen removal. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]