Search

Background: The objective of this research is to explore the phytochemical constituents and the potential anti-inflammatory properties of the herb Oxytropis aciphylla. Materials and Methods: From the ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions derived from the 70% ethanol extract of O. aciphylla, a total of 17 distinct chemical entities were extracted and subsequently identified. Utilizing network pharmacology, the study predicted the possible anti-inflammatory targets and mechanisms of action of O. aciphylla. The study assessed the anti-inflammatory impact of O. aciphylla extract on RAW 264.7 (a murine macrophage cell line) cells induced with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by quantifying the concentrations of nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF- α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Results: The isolated compounds included 12 flavonoids, two triterpenoids, one fatty acid, and two sterols. These specifically comprise apigenin, luteolin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, naringenin, eriodictyol, dihydrokaempferol, butein, 7,4'-homoisoflavanone, apigenin-7- O - β -D-glucopyranoside, isorhamnetin-3- O - β -D-gentiobioside, rutin, azukisapogenol, 3- O -[ β -D-glucopyranosyl(1↓2)- β -D-glucuronopyranosyl] azukisapogenol methyl ester, tetracosanoic acid, daucosterol, and β -sitosterol. Network pharmacology analysis suggested that O. aciphylla may exert its anti-inflammatory effects through multiple components, targets, and pathways, such as kaempferol, apigenin, luteolin, AKT1, SRC, TNF, PTGS2, EGFR, MAPK, PI3K-Akt, VEGF, HIF-1, and TNF signaling pathways. The extract of O. aciphylla was found to markedly reduce the levels of NO, TNF- α, and IL-6 in RAW 264.7 cells that were stimulated with LPS, demonstrating a correlation with the dosage administered. Conclusion: The investigation uncovered, for the first time, the phytochemical constituents and the mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory effects of O. aciphylla. These findings lay the groundwork for the scientific development and application of this botanical species as a natural remedy for inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Photoresponsive black phosphorus (BP)/Ti3C2Tx composites were synthesized by a self-assembly strategy. Enhanced gas sensitive property was achieved by visible light modulation. Light activated virtual sensor array was fabricated based on BP/Ti3C2Tx composite. Diagnosis of coronary heart disease was achieved with the help of machine learning. Early non-invasive diagnosis of coronary heart disease (CHD) is critical. However, it is challenging to achieve accurate CHD diagnosis via detecting breath. In this work, heterostructured complexes of black phosphorus (BP) and two-dimensional carbide and nitride (MXene) with high gas sensitivity and photo responsiveness were formulated using a self-assembly strategy. A light-activated virtual sensor array (LAVSA) based on BP/Ti3C2Tx was prepared under photomodulation and further assembled into an instant gas sensing platform (IGSP). In addition, a machine learning (ML) algorithm was introduced to help the IGSP detect and recognize the signals of breath samples to diagnose CHD. Due to the synergistic effect of BP and Ti3C2Tx as well as photo excitation, the synthesized heterostructured complexes exhibited higher performance than pristine Ti3C2Tx, with a response value 26% higher than that of pristine Ti3C2Tx. In addition, with the help of a pattern recognition algorithm, LAVSA successfully detected and identified 15 odor molecules affiliated with alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, esters, and acids. Meanwhile, with the assistance of ML, the IGSP achieved 69.2% accuracy in detecting the breath odor of 45 volunteers from healthy people and CHD patients. In conclusion, an immediate, low-cost, and accurate prototype was designed and fabricated for the noninvasive diagnosis of CHD, which provided a generalized solution for diagnosing other diseases and other more complex application scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: A Bayesian linkage disequilibrium-based multiple-locus mixed model identified QTLs for fibre, seed and oil traits and predicted breeding worthiness of test lines, enabling their simultaneous improvement in cotton. Improving cotton seed and oil yields has become increasingly important while continuing to breed for higher lint yield. In this study, a novel Bayesian linkage disequilibrium-based multiple-locus mixed model was developed for QTL identification and genomic prediction (GP). A multi-parent population consisting of 256 recombinant inbred lines, derived from four elite cultivars with distinct combinations of traits, was used in the analysis of QTLs for lint percentage, seed index, lint index and seed oil content and their interrelations. All four traits were moderately heritable and correlated but with no large influence of genotype × environment interactions across multiple seasons. Seven to ten major QTLs were identified for each trait with many being adjacent or overlapping for different trait pairs. A fivefold cross-validation of the model indicated prediction accuracies of 0.46–0.62. GP results based on any two-season phenotypes were strongly correlated with phenotypic means of a pooled analysis of three-season experiments (r = 0.83–0.92). When used for selection of improvement in lint, seed and oil yields, GP captured 40–100% of individuals with comparable lint yields of those selected based on the three-season phenotypic results. Thus, this quantitative genomics-enabled approach can not only decipher the genomic variation underlying lint, seed and seed oil traits and their interrelations, but can provide predictions for their simultaneous improvement. We discuss future breeding strategies in cotton that will enhance the entire value of the crop, not just its fibre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deterministic inversion based on deep learning has been widely utilized in model parameters estimation. Constrained by logging data, seismic data, wavelet and modeling operator, deterministic inversion based on deep learning can establish nonlinear relationships between seismic data and model parameters. However, seismic data lacks low-frequency and contains noise, which increases the non-uniqueness of the solutions. The conventional inversion method based on deep learning can only establish the deterministic relationship between seismic data and parameters, and cannot quantify the uncertainty of inversion. In order to quickly quantify the uncertainty, a physics-guided deep mixture density network (PG-DMDN) is established by combining the mixture density network (MDN) with the deep neural network (DNN). Compared with Bayesian neural network (BNN) and network dropout, PG-DMDN has lower computing cost and shorter training time. A low-frequency model is introduced in the training process of the network to help the network learn the nonlinear relationship between narrowband seismic data and low-frequency impedance. In addition, the block constraints are added to the PG-DMDN framework to improve the horizontal continuity of the inversion results. To illustrate the benefits of proposed method, the PG-DMDN is compared with existing semi-supervised inversion method. Four synthetic data examples of Marmousi II model are utilized to quantify the influence of forward modeling part, low-frequency model, noise and the pseudo-wells number on inversion results, and prove the feasibility and stability of the proposed method. In addition, the robustness and generality of the proposed method are verified by the field seismic data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low temperature enamel (LTE) coating has advantages in material durability, hardness, corrosion resistance, and high-temperature tolerance, but shows unsatisfying abrasion resistance due to its brittle nature. Here, alumina was added to the LTE coating with contents of 0, 5, and 10 wt%. The thermal stability of alumina in the LTE matrix and the microstructure, phase composition, microhardness, impact resistance, adhesion strength, abrasion resistance, and corrosion protection properties of different LTE coatings were investigated. Results indicated that alumina had high thermal and chemical stabilities in the LTE matrix without affecting the pore structure of the coating. As an abrasion-resistant filler, alumina increased the hardness and impact resistance of LTE coatings while reducing adhesion strength. In the abrasion test, alumina showed an advantage in delaying the formation and expansion of cracks, and the alumina-enhanced LTE coating demonstrated a 70 % reduction in mass and thickness losses when compared to pure LTE coating. In particular, all LTE coatings survived 8000 cycles of abrasion without significant degradation in corrosion protection. The findings of this study confirmed the feasibility of alumina as an abrasion-resistant filler and provided a modified LTE coating for coupled corrosion and abrasion conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing 3D molecules with high binding affinity for specific protein targets is crucial in drug design. One challenge is that the atomic interaction between molecules and proteins in 3D space has to be taken into account. However, the existing target-aware methods solely model the joint distribution between the molecules and proteins, disregarding the binding affinities between them, which leads to limited performance. In this paper, we propose an explainable diffusion model to generate molecules that can be bound to a given protein target with high affinity. Our method explicitly incorporates the chemical knowledge of protein–ligand binding affinity into the diffusion model, and uses the knowledge to guide the denoising process towards the direction of high binding affinity. Specifically, an SE(3)-invariant expert network is developed to fit the Vina scoring functions and jointly trained with the denoising network, while the domain knowledge is distilled and conveyed from Vina functions to the expert network. An effective guidance is proposed on both continuous atom coordinates and discrete atom types by taking advantages of the gradient of the expert network. Experiments on the benchmark CrossDocked2020 demonstrate the superiority of our method. Additionally, an atom-level explanation of the generated molecules is provided, and the connections with the domain knowledge are established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enamel coating has potential application in steel rebar protection due to its high durability, excellent corrosion resistance, and strong coating/concrete interface bond. The newly developed low temperature enamel (LTE) coating has a substantially lower sintering temperature than that of traditional enamel coatings, whereas its adhesion mechanism to the substrate is expected to vary dramatically. In this study, abrasives of various particle sizes were used to blast steel substrates to create various surface states, to investigate the influence of substrate surface roughening on the interfacial properties of LTE coating. The surface roughness of substrates was quantitatively characterized by a 3D optical profiler. The adhesion, impact resistance, and abrasion resistance of LTE coating under different substrate surface states were investigated by pull-off, falling weight impact, and Taber abrasion test, respectively. The results showed that with increasing substrate surface roughness, the adhesion strength and impact resistance of the LTE coating were greatly improved. Within the investigated range, the substrate surface roughness had negligible influence on abrasion resistance. Overall, appropriate substrate surface roughening can provide the LTE coating with sufficient interface adhesion, impact resistance, and abrasion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second neurodegenerative disease in the world. The pathological characteristics of PD are degeneration, loss and death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra of the midbrain. At present, most scholars believe that the main pathogenesis of PD is a-synuclein aggregation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and neuroinflammatory reaction. More and more studies have demonstrated that ferroptosis plays an important role in the occurrence and development of PD. Ferroptosis is a new type of cell death that is significantly different from traditional apoptosis, scorching and necrosis. Its main feature is iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. Some studies have found that the efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of PD may be related to the regulation of ferroptosis. Therefore, this study mainly discusses the occurrence and development mechanism of ferroptosis and its role in PD, and the possible mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of PD dopaminergic neurons, so as to provide theoretical basis for acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to explore the potential mechanisms responsible for the different manifestations of bronchiectasis in patients with pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacteria (pNTM) infection. We found that the necroptosis level increased significantly after NTM infection. Further, the 31 pNTM-infected patients were classified into two subtypes based on necroptosis-related genes (NRGs) by unsupervised cluster analysis. After that, we compared the differences in clinical parameters, immune cell infiltration, and gene expression between the two subtypes. We observed that the high-necroptosis subtype possessed higher CT scores for bronchiectasis extent (P = 0.008) and severity (P = 0.023). And, more neutrophil infiltration in the high-necroptosis subtype was demonstrated both by the CIBERSORT algorithm and by blood neutrophil count (P = 0.001). Next, 688 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between two subtypes were identified. To explore the portion in DEGs that might contribute to bronchiectasis, we intersected the DEGs with two gene modules. These two gene modules were identified as the most associated with CT scores for bronchiectasis extent and severity by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Ninety-three intersection genes were obtained. Finally, 7 hub genes including ACSL1, ANXA3, DYSF, HK3, SLC11A1, STX11, and TLR4 were further screened out by machine learning algorithms and protein–protein interaction network analysis. These results suggested that the differential levels of necroptosis in pNTM patients might lead to differential extent and severity of bronchiectasis on radiographic imaging. This process might be associated with neutrophil infiltration and the involvement of seven hub genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geopolymerization of aluminosilicate materials in alkaline environments is a complex physicochemical process that greatly influences the microstructure and engineering performances. This work aims to reveal the geopolymerization process of metakaolin-based geopolymer (MKG) in the first 5 d. Physicochemical characteristics of different evolution stages are disposed of in chronological order. The evolutions of electrical resistivity, dehydration process, volume deformation, and ionic concentration are comprehensively analyzed. Results show that chemical dissolution produces large dismantled fragments rather than small free monomers. The formation of a solid matrix follows the "spatial filling rule", which means that gels grow by locking swelling fragments to form a framework, then densely filling residual space. Based on chemical models, early geopolymerization of MKG can be divided into six stages from the physicochemical perspective as dismantling, locking fixation, free filling, limited filling, second dissolution, and local mending. Those findings expand the understanding of the phase evolution of the early geopolymerization process; thus, the microstructure of MKG can be better manipulated, and its engineering performances can be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) is a common malignant tumor in the world and its prognosis is poor, miRNA plays a role mainly by influencing the expression of mRNAs, and participates in the occurrence and development of tumors. However, reliable miRNA prognostic models for stomach adenocarcinoma remain to be identified. Results: Using the data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), a prognostic model of stomach adenocarcinoma was established including tumor stage and expression levels of 4 miRNAs (hsa-miR-379-3p, hsa-miR-2681-3p, hsa-miR-6499-5p and hsa-miR-6807-3p). A total of 50 ultimate target genes of these miRNAs were obtained through prediction. Enrichment analysis revealed that target genes were mainly concentrated in neural function and TGF-β and FoxO signaling pathways. Survival analysis showed that three model miRNAs (hsa-miR-379-3p, hsa-miR-2681-3p and hsa-miR-6807-3p) and five final target genes (DLC1, LRFN5, NOVA1, POU3F2 and PRICKLE2) were associated with the patient's overall survival outcome. Conclusions: We used bioinformatics methods to screen new prognostic miRNA markers from TCGA and established a prognostic model of STAD, so as to provide a basis for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of STAD in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The EFG topology optimization model for the thermo-mechanical coupling problem has been proposed. • This model can obtain satisfactory results for different nodes numbers and distributions under the same background grids. • Different design variables and filtering techniques are applicable to this model. • Filtering technologies are necessary, and a filter radius of approximately 16∼20 calculation points is recommended. This paper presents a numerical model for addressing thermo-mechanical coupling problems in topology optimization, utilizing the element-free Galerkin (EFG) method. A multi-parameter density-based topology optimization framework is introduced to interpolate the thermal stress coefficient, encompassing thermal conductivity, thermal expansion coefficient, and elastic modulus. Two numerical examples are provided to investigate the model's characteristics and associated considerations, including the impact of EFG node distribution, quantity, calculation points layout, design variables, and filtering techniques on optimized results. Numerical findings indicates that the present model allows for adaptable adjustments in nodes number and distribution, calculation points layout, choice of design variables, and application of various filtering techniques while maintaining consistent background grids. Although these adjustments may affect convergence rates and final objective values, they can promise satisfactory optimization structures. Additionally, the study highlights the critical influence of filtering radius on optimization outcomes and the objective value, recommending a value of approximately 16∼20 calculation points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Powder metallurgy has outstanding advantages in the preparation of aluminum foam fillers and special-shaped aluminum foams, which can realize near-net-shape forming. To improve the mechanical properties of aluminum foams prepared by powder metallurgy, low-cost solid waste fly ash (FA) was selected as the reinforcement phase, and the strengthening effect of the FA particles with different morphologies on the mechanical properties of the aluminum foam was analyzed. The results show that the strengthening effect of 1.0 wt% mullite whiskers prepared from the original FA on aluminum foam is superior to that of spherical raw FA or irregular granular FA. In particular, a reinforced aluminum foam with a yield strength of 20.76 MPa was obtained after precursor foaming at 610 °C for 10 min because the wettability between the whiskers and matrix is improved when the whiskers were coated with Sn in advance and the foamable precursor was obtained via hot-pressing. • The whiskers were pinned inside the cell walls to form the thicker cell walls. • Hot-pressing was very important to improve the strength of aluminum foam. • The strength of aluminum foam with improved wettability reached 20.76 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by progressive neural loss, have been some of the most challenging medical problems in aging societies. Treatment strategies such as symptom management have little impact on disease progression, while intervention with specific disease mechanisms may only slow down disease progression. One therapeutic strategy that has the potential to reverse the disease phenotype is to replenish neurons and rebuild the pathway lost to degeneration. Although it is generally believed that the central nervous system has lost the capability to regenerate, increasing evidence indicates that the brain is more plastic than previously thought, containing perhaps the biggest repertoire of cells with latent neurogenic programs in the body. This review focuses on key advances in generating new neurons through in situ neuronal reprogramming, which is tied to fundamental questions regarding adult neurogenesis, cell source, and mechanisms for neuronal reprogramming, as well as the ability of new neurons to integrate into the existing circuitry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Securing agricultural supplies for the increasing population without negative impacts on environment demands new crop varieties with higher yields, better quality, and stronger stress resilience. But breeding such super crop varieties is restrained by growth–defense (G–D) trade‐off. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are versatile regulators of plant growth and immune responses, with several being demonstrated to simultaneously regulate crop growth and defense against biotic stresses and to balance G–D trade‐off. Increasing evidence also links miRNAs to the metabolism and signaling of phytohormones, another type of master regulator of plant growth and defense. Here, we synthesize the reported functions of miRNAs in crop growth, development, and responses to bio‐stressors, summarize the regulatory scenarios of miRNAs based on their relationship with target(s), and discuss how miRNAs, particularly those involved in crosstalk with phytohormones, can be applied in balancing G–D trade‐off in crops. We also propose several open questions to be addressed for adopting miRNAs in balancing crop G–D trade‐off. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

User experience can change with time, and achieving a positive long-term user experience is an important goal in a successful product design. The long-term user experience of the interactive loading screen in Honor of Kings was studied by using two evaluation methods, UX Curve and QUIS questionnaire. The experiment included valid responses from a total of 23 participants. The results show that an interactive human-computer interface can achieve a good long-term waiting experience. It is also necessary to make changes to the UI or functions of the interactive screen after a period of time to ensure a good user experience. A toolbox including the QUIS questionnaire and UX Curve was proven effective in measuring the temporal aspects of user experience of the computer interface. The findings obtained in the experiments help understand the long-term user experience of human-computer interfaces. They may also provide a reference for developing different long-term user experience evaluation methods in different product contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel 1D/2D Bi2O2CO3–Bi2WO6 heterostructure with a high quality interface was synthesized by high temperature calcination of Bi (OHC2O4)·2H2O/Bi2WO6 precursors in CO2. Bi2WO6 nanosheets were grown vertically on porous Bi2O2CO3 rods by epitaxial growth. The 1D/2D Bi2O2CO3–Bi2WO6 heterostructures display high photocatalytic activity to degrade salicylic acid, phenol and rhodamine B. This enhanced photocatalytic activity was attributed to the synergistic effects of the unique 1D/2D heterostructure and the formation of a high-quality interface between Bi2O2CO3 and Bi2WO6. Radical scavenger experiments proved that ˙O2− and photogenerated holes played key roles during the photodegradation process. A simple and general route is offered in this study to synthesize 1D/2D heterostructures with excellent photocatalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel 2D/1D Bi12O17Cl2/β-Bi2O3 heterostructures were synthesized by calcining Bi(OHC2O4)·2H2O/BiOCl precursors. Bi12O17Cl2 nanosheets grow vertically on the β-Bi2O3 rods by crystallographically oriented epitaxial nucleation and growth, which increases the interface quality and then provides the smallest penetration barrier for electron–hole pair transfer at interfaces. The photocatalytic results show that Bi12O17Cl2/β-Bi2O3 displays higher photocatalytic activity than β-Bi2O3 porous rods and Bi12O17Cl2 nanosheets for degrading methyl orange (MO) and phenol under solar light irradiation. This outstanding photocatalytic activity is ascribed to the formation of a 2D/1D Bi12O17Cl2/β-Bi2O3 heterostructure. This unique configuration results in the exposure of almost the entire surface of the 2D Bi12O17Cl2 nanosheets and increases the charge separation and transfer rate. Radical scavenger experiments prove that the photogenerated holes and ˙O2− play key roles in the photodegradation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neutrophil infiltration has been linked to worse clinical outcomes after ischemic stroke. Microglia, a key type of immune-competent cell, engage in cross-talk with the infiltrating immune cells in the inflamed brain area, yet the molecular mechanisms involved remain largely unexplored. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms of how canonical transient receptor potential 1 (TRPC1) modulated neutrophil infiltration in male mouse cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury (CIRI) models. Our findings revealed a notable upregulation of TRPC1 in microglia within both middle cerebral artery occlusion reperfusion (MCAO/R) and in vitro oxygen-glucose deprivation/regeneration (OGD/R) model. Conditional Trpc1 knockdown in microglia markedly reduced infarct volumes and alleviated neurological deficits. Microglia conditional Trpc1 knockdown mice displayed less neutrophil infiltration in peri-infarct area. Trpc1 knockdown microglia exhibited a reduced primed proinflammatory phenotype with less secretion of CC-Chemokines ligand (CCL) 5 and CCL2 after MCAO/R. Blocking CCL5/2 significantly mitigated neutrophil infiltration in microglia/neutrophil transwell co-culture system upon OGD/R condition. Trpc1 knockdown markedly reduced store-operated calcium entry and nuclear factor of activated T-cells c1 (NFATc1) level in OGD/R treated microglia. Overexpression of Nfatc1 reversed the CCL5/2 reducing effect of Trpc1 knockdown, which is mediated by small interfering RNA in BV2 cells upon OGD/R. Our data indicate that upregulation of TRPC1 in microglia stimulates the production of CCL5/2 through the Ca2+/NFATc1 pathway. Upregulated CCL5/2 leads to an increase in neutrophil infiltration into the brain, thereby aggravating reperfusion injury. Our results demonstrate the importance of TRPC1 in microglia-mediated neuroinflammation and suggest a potential means for reducing CIRI induced neurological injury. [Display omitted] • TRPC1 is upregulated in microglia after MCAO/R. • Knockdown of microglia Trpc1 ameliorates brain injury caused by MCAO/R. • Knockdown of microglia Trpc1 reduces neutrophil infiltration after MCAO/R. • Microglia TRPC1 promotes neutrophil infiltration through upregulating CCL2 and CCL5. • TRPC1 regulates CCL2 and CCL5 expression in microglia through Ca2+/CaN/NFATc1 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing database of the loading response of offshore pile foundations needs to be enriched, so that safety and economic considerations can be optimally balanced in design. This paper details a programme of field tests on an open-ended steel pile. The pile with a diameter of 2 m was driven to a depth of 72.8 m in a stratified soil site and then subjected to monotonic compressive, tensile and lateral loadings. Resting periods were allowed before each test to enable strength recovery, and a period of about one month was found to be sufficient (i.e., the axial bearing capacity increases from about 10 MN to 25 MN). The test results were interpreted in terms of the internal forces and displacements/deformations of the pile, and the more detailed pile-soil interactions (i.e., qs-s and p-y curves). It is found that, for cohesive soils, the unit shaft resistance qs remains constant through each soil layer regardless of the almost linearly varying undrained shear strength su obtained from CPTu tests, and the soil layer with overall higher su does not guarantee greater qs owing to different proportions of silty and clayey components. Upon reaching the ultimate uplift load, the shaft resistance within the cohesive soils shows a clear softening response. Extensive comparisons were made between these results and the predictions from existing design methods wherever applicable to discuss the accuracy of each. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber mutants are unique and valuable resources for understanding the genetic and molecular mechanisms controlling initiation and development of cotton fibers that are extremely elongated single epidermal cells protruding from the seed coat of cottonseeds. In this study, we reported a new fuzzless-tufted cotton mutant (Gossypium hirsutum) and showed that fuzzless-tufted near-isogenic lines (NILs) had similar agronomic traits and a higher ginning efficiency compared to their recurrent parents with normal fuzzy seeds. Genetic analysis revealed that the mutant phenotype is determined by a single incomplete dominant locus, designated N5. The mutation was fine mapped to an approximately 250-kb interval containing 33 annotated genes using a combination of bulked segregant sequencing, SNP chip genotyping, and fine mapping. Comparative transcriptomic analysis using 0–6 days post-anthesis (dpa) ovules from NILs segregating for the phenotypes of fuzzless-tufted (mutant) and normal fuzzy cottonseeds (wild-type) uncovered candidate genes responsible for the mutant phenotype. It also revealed that the flanking region of the N5 locus is enriched with differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the mutant and wild-type. Several of those DEGs are members of the gene families with demonstrated roles in cell initiation and elongation, such as calcium-dependent protein kinase and expansin. The transcriptome landscape of the mutant was significantly reprogrammed in the 6 dpa ovules and, to a less extent, in the 0 dpa ovules, but not in the 2 and 4 dpa ovules. At both 0 and 6 dpa, the reprogrammed mutant transcriptome was mainly associated with cell wall modifications and transmembrane transportation, while transcription factor activity was significantly altered in the 6 dpa mutant ovules. These results imply a similar molecular basis for initiation of lint and fuzz fibers despite certain differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short-term traffic forecasting is an important part of contemporary intelligent transportation systems. In this paper, based on echo state network optimized by improved fruit fly optimization algorithm (ESN-IFOA), a model is proposed to provide a five-minute forecast of traffic volume. In IFOA, parallel searching strategy and uniform crossover operator are applied to enhance searching range and communication between swarms. Simultaneously, the source allocation strategy is proposed to calculate the number of fruit flies generated by each swarm in the next iteration. The five main parameters of ESN are optimized by the proposed IFOA. Massive of prediction results and algorithm comparisons demonstrates that ESN-IFOA has very good forecasting ability for the five-minutes forecast of traffic volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The loading screen is unavoidable to smartphone users, and the waiting experience influences the success of a mobile application. Providing visual feedback during waiting time is an effective way to increase the waiting experience. This study is the first to examine the effects of interactive loading screens on the waiting experience compared to a passive loading screen on mobile phones across varying waiting times. The rotating ring, which has been used in loading screens widely, was chosen in our experiments. Participants compared a passive animation with grey-scale and colour-changed interactive animations. The results indicated that the duration of waiting time has a significant impact on the selection of the loading screen type. The studies also demonstrate that colour can act as an essential design factor to improve the waiting experience when designing the interactive loading screen. Furthermore, it was found that perceived time was shorter when an interactive loading screen was used, leading to higher user satisfaction compared to a passive loading screen, especially for the long waiting time. The findings obtained in the experiments provide a reference and guidelines for loading screen design to improve users' waiting experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enamel coatings, showing advantages in material durability, aesthetics, hardness, corrosion resistance, and high-temperature tolerance, are widely used for corrosion protection of metallic substrate. Recently, a new type of aluminophosphate-based low temperature enamel (LTE) coating was developed to avoid the strength degradation of steel substrate, which was also applicable to relatively low-melting metal and was more environmentally friendly with reduced energy consumption. LTE coating might suffer the corrosion of acids or alkalis in some special cases like kitchen utensils, petroleum pipelines, and reinforcing bars. In this study, the chemical corrosion behavior of aluminophosphate-based LTE was investigated in H 2 SO 4 and NaOH solutions with varying pHs of 1∼13. Results indicated that after 30 days of immersion, LTE survived at pHs 3–10, but severely deteriorated at pHs 1, 2, 12, and 13, with the corroded layer presenting a loose structure, completely losing mechanical strength, and even peeling off. For pH 11, the color changed slightly whereas the mass loss was negligible. Specially, LTE suffered selective corrosion in strong acid and alkali conditions, that is, H 2 SO 4 corroded the Ca-compounds (Ca 5 (PO 4) 3 F and CaF 2) phases to generate CaSO 4 ·2H 2 O and H 3 PO 4 , whereas NaOH corroded the LTE matrix (AlPO 4) to generate soluble Na 3 PO 4 and NaAlO 2. The findings of this study confirmed the acid and alkali tolerance range of LTE and clarified the corrosion mechanism of LTE under both acid and alkaline environments, which guides the further composition design and application of LTE coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using the designed N-rich 3,6-bis(4-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)pyridazine (b4mmp) and chiral d-camphoric acid (d-cam) ligands to react with cadmium acetate, a new bulk homochiral 3D metal–organic framework [Cd2(d-cam)2(b4mmp)(DMF)]n (1) has been synthesized. Compound 1 bears an uninodal 6-connected net structure with unprecedent topology, and it has a high thermostability. Moreover, the circular dichroism spectrum and photoluminescent properties for 1 were also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Octahedral rotation in perovskites and their transformations have a profound influence on their properties. In this work, an easy-to-use model is proposed to reveal the nature of the oxygen octahedral rotation (OOR) changing behaviors at interfacial regions. Different from first principle simulations and symmetry analysis, we establish a general elastic model with a six angle symbol system based on the intrinsic geometry characteristics of the oxygen octahedra network. In the light of the elastic energy generated by octahedral tilting mismatches at interfaces, the systematic analysis is conducted on the changing behavior and mechanism of octahedral rotation with different OOR patterns. Consequently, it is found that there are two forms of basic component angle changing across the interface, i.e. abrupt change and gradual change, depending on the relationship between the directions of the rotational axis of basic component angles and the interface. Furthermore, the coexistence of two forms at the same interface and a special case for gradual change are investigated, which could hardly be identified or predicted by other models and analysis established previously. Generally, the model can be applied to interpret and predict the octahedral rotation changing behavior in perovskites, involving film/substrate heterostructure in epitaxial synthesized thin films, domain boundaries, etc., which agree with the practical examples. Although the model has its limitations due to the complex chemical configuration in 3D oxygen octahedra network, it is expected to be universal for perovskites. Taking the advantage of mathematical simplicity, this model can be a powerful tool for interfacial engineering in perovskites. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past changes in the distribution of tree species are critical to predict future vegetation dynamics under changing climate conditions. In this study, pollen-based reconstruction with 60 pollen records from mid-latitude region was performed in China. Betula emerged after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), when the climate ameliorated gradually. The distribution range was small but increased significantly during the early Holocene. However, when the climate was wet and warm during the mid-Holocene, the distribution range did not continue to expand. The relationships between the percentages of Betula pollen and the strength of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) or its variability were positively correlated, while those of Betula and Pinus had opposite trends in the study region. Besides, the post-glacial distribution dynamics of Betula platyphylla and Betula dahurica were influenced by climate change which were simulated by species distribution models (SDMs). We conclude that birch distribution in mid-latitudinal northern China was mainly driven by the EASM or its variability, especially during the LGM and early Holocene when the climate was unstable, while the replacement by Pinus and Quercus occurred during the mid-Holocene when the climate remained stable. The future unstable climate may benefit birch development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Hip fracture is one of the major risk factors of global mortality and disability. The aim of this study was to map the pattern of intertrochanteric femoral fractures in China, providing a pilot national dataset and basis for medical policy proposals. Methods. A multistage probability sampling strategy was applied in the national baseline survey. Thirty provinces in mainland China were included in this survey. A standardized questionnaire survey was conducted to collect information about basic characteristics such as age, working seniority, hospital level, and residence, with two other parts including perioperative and postoperative treatment parameters. Odds ratios and 95% confidence interval were used to determine essential statistical differences. The proportion of the options in each region was compared using the chi-square (χ2) test. The histogram and choropleth map of the monthly number of admissions were created using Excel 2016 to show the distribution characteristics. Results. In total, 1065 valid responses were included, representing a 96.7% survey capture rate. Perioperative treatment and postoperative care distinctly varied across regions and hospital levels. The monthly number of admissions was relatively lower in the Northern region, with higher proportion of hospitalizations to secondary hospitals compared with the Eastern region. The patients in the Eastern region or tertiary hospitals had shorter preoperative waiting time and hospitalization period. Conclusions. We found apparent geographic variations in intertrochanteric femoral fractures in this study, and the data can be used for drafting national healthcare plans and medical policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to ensure the quality and safety of pelagic fish catches in the process of transportation, administrator needs to carry out real-time monitoring and management to the transport and quality status during this period and establish a complete management system. This paper puts forward that the real-time online monitoring of transport location, catches temperature, humidity, PH value and other physical property data can be used during the application process of Beidou System and RFID temperature tags in the cold chain logistics of ocean catches. The system consists of 3 parts, i.e. vehicle or vessel tracking, parameter monitoring and data management and analysis. The system applies the technologies such as Beidou, ZigBee and Internet as well as the Java-programming client web page structure and the traditional SSH2 as its code framework. Hence, it realizes the real-time monitoring of whole catches transportation logistics process and makes administrator timely know about the status of catches so as to ensure the product quality. This system can guarantee the quality, safety and transport efficiency of pelagic fish products and provides a support for the building of cold chain logistics system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgrounds. Previous studies have reported a relationship between serum total bilirubin (STB) and coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the relationship between STB and prognosis of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains inconclusive. The present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between STB level and prognosis of PCI in patients with ACS. Methods. In total, 2850 ACS patients who underwent PCI at the Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University from June 2009 to Jan 2017 were included in the study. Twenty-four-hour STB, 30-day, and 1-year postoperative major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were recorded. Subjects were assigned to one of three groups based on STB: Group A (STB ≤ 9.6 μmol/L), Group B (9.7 μmol/L < STB ≤ 15.4 μmol/L), and Group C (STB ≥ 15.5 μmol/L). COX survival analysis was subsequently used to investigate the relationship between the incidence of MACE and STB in the three groups. Results. A total of 2770 subjects were successfully followed up; within 1 year after PCI, 115 (4.15%) subjects died and 191 (6.90%) subjects experienced MACE. One-year follow-up results showed that the incidence of MACE decreased significantly as STB increased; the risk of Group A was 2.002 times that of Group C (95% CI: 1.342-2.986). Cardiac mortality also decreased with increasing STB; the risk of Group A was 3.403 times that of Group C (95% CI: 1.319-8.785). Conclusion. Lower mortality and MACE incidence rates were found in patients with higher STB within 1 year. Therefore, STB is highly recommended as an independent long-term prognosis predictor of PCI in patients with ACS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy has emerged as a promising approach in clinical oncology. For brain metastases, the presence of the robust blood-brain barrier (BBB) and potential immune-related adverse events (irAEs) pose significant challenges. Here, a multistage-responsive antibody-delivery strategy is developed for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) brain metastases, with the ultra-pH sensitivity borate bonds. The antibody-delivery nanoformulation (MB-aPDL1) is able to maintain the "silent state" in health tissue, cross the BBB/BTB by the GLUT1-mediated transcytosis, release the functionalized aPDL1 responsively, and promote the aPDL1 tumor-anchoring. In the in vivo tumor region, the MB-aPDL1 rapidly releases the activated BPA6-aPDL1, which successfully anchors to the tumor cells and improves the efficiency of ICB therapy. The two in vivo ICB therapy studies show a significant tumor growth inhibition from the MB-aPDL1 with an encouraging cure rate of 20% for the NSCLC brain metastases, due to enhanced immune response in tumor, commendably with less behavioral adverse reactions and liver damage. Taken together, this antibody-delivery strategy holds substantial potential for application in clinical treatment of brain metastases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Isothermal compression testing of 23% Cr low nickel duplex stainless steels, with different Mn concentrations, was investigated in the temperature range of 1173–1423 K, the strain rate range of 0.01–10 s−1 and with a height reduction of 70%. Increasing the Mn content from 6.3 to 14.1% affected the deformation dynamic softening behaviour of flow curves at lower temperature and higher strain rate. It was also observed that increasing the deformation stain rate contributed to flow softening, and was caused by dynamic recrystallization (DRX) as a function of Mn addition. Deformation microstructure analysis demonstrated that more complete austenite phase DRX occurred with 10.3% Mn addition than that with 6.3% Mn addition at 1 s−1, but an excessive Mn content of 14.1% was unfavourable due to the increase of austenite fraction and stacking fault energy enhancement. Increasing the strain rate to 10 s−1 promoted austenite phase DRX at 1323 K with the Mn addition under large strain. Meanwhile, the ferrite phase DRX occurred at 1173 K/1–10 s−1 with 6.3% Mn, and was weakened with higher Mn addition. Compared to the 6.3% and 14.1% Mn, continuous DRX occurred at 1323 K/1 s−1 with 10.3% Mn, due to the larger fraction of high angle misorientations. The values for the activation energy and Zener–Hollomon parameter decreased with Mn addition from 6.3 to 10.3%, and then increased with a higher Mn addition of 14.1%, indicating that a proper content of Mn addition can reduce the thermal deformation resistance and promote DRX. The constitutive equations for different Mn addition alloys were developed using a hyperbolic sine equation. Processing maps with different Mn addition for the strains of 0.3, 0.6 and 1.2 were established. The 10.3% Mn content sample corresponded to the lowest instability region, implying that the workability was improved with the middle Mn addition. Highlights • Increasing Mn content obviously affects dynamic softening behaviour of flow curves. • More complete austenite DRX occurred with middle Mn addition of 10.3% at 1 s−1. • The constitutive equations for different Mn addition alloys are developed. • The values of activation energy and Z parameter are lowest with middle Mn addition. • Different Mn addition processing maps with increasing strain were established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel tetrandrine (Tet) derivatives were synthesized through Suzuki -Miyaura reaction and evaluated for their cytotoxicity against human non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) A549 cells. Interestingly, most of derivatives showed similar cytotoxicity to Tet against NSCLC A549 cells, and particularly, compounds Y5, Y6, Y9 and Y11 showed the most significant cytotoxic effects with IC50 values ranging from 3.87 to 4.66 mM. The present study is expected to contribute to the future design of more effective anticancer agents in lung cancer chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myocardial infarction (MI) is one of the most dangerous cardiovascular events. Cardiac fibrosis is a common pathological feature of remodeling after injury that is related to adverse clinical results with no effective treatment. Previous studies have confirmed that TRIM44, an E3 ligase, can promote the proliferation and migration of various tumor cells. However, the role of TRIM44 in cardiac fibrosis remains unknown. Models of TGF-β1 stimulation and MI-induced fibrosis were established to investigate the role and potential underlying mechanism of TRIM44 in cardiac fibrosis. The results showed that cardiac fibrosis was significantly inhibited after TRIM44 knockdown in a mouse model of MI, while it was enhanced when TRIM44 was overexpressed. Furthermore, in vitro studies showed that fibrosis markers were significantly reduced in cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) with TRIM44 knockdown, whereas TRIM44 overexpression promoted the expression of fibrosis markers. Mechanistically, TRIM44 maintains TAK1 stability by inhibiting the degradation of k48-linked polyubiquitination-mediated ubiquitination, thereby increasing phosphorylated TAK1 expression in the fibrotic environment and activating MAPKs to promote fibrosis. Pharmacological inhibition of TAK1 phosphorylation reversed the fibrogenic effects of TRIM44 overexpression. Combined, these results suggest that TRIM44 is a potential therapeutic target for cardiac fibrosis. [Display omitted] • TRIM44 increased in myocardial tissue post-myocardial infarction. • Increased expression of TRIM44 can promote the progression of cardiac fibrosis post-myocardial infarction. • TRIM44 is involved in the regulation of fibrosis by stabilizing the expression of TAK1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adsorption of three haloforms (CHCl 3 , CHBr 3 and CHI 3 ) was studied using five different granular activated carbons (GACs), including acid washing carbon, coconut-shell carbon, briquetting carbon, coal and fibred carbon. The adsorption isotherms were fitted well using Freundlich model, and adsorption kinetics were fitted well using pseudo-second-order model. CHI 3 was adsorbed most efficiently, followed by CHBr 3 and CHCl 3 . Fibred carbon was the most efficient adsorbent for the studied haloforms. The adsorption capability of each GAC was calculated using the pseudo- second-order model which was then correlated to adsorbent properties. Generally, the surface area of GAC did not highly correlate to the amount of haloform adsorption. Highly positive correlations with methylene blue and iodine number were observed for CHBr 3 and CHI 3 adsorption capacity, but not for CHCl 3 . Micropores were correlated with CHCl 3 adsorption capacity. Moreover, three models, including intraparticle diffusion, Byod kinetic and diffusion-chemisorption were used to illustrate the mechanisms of haloform adsorption mechanism. Film diffusion was determined to be the rate-limiting process and haloforms were adsorbed via chemical adsorption. The results of adsorption rate and capacity are crucial for practical application of haloform removal via GAC process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Embelin, as an inhibitor of the X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), may induce apoptosis in various types of cancer cells. The present study aimed to determine the effect of Embelin on the tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-induced apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells. Embelin and TRAIL were applied to U2OS and MG63 cells, respectively or in combination. MTT was initially used to detect the difference in survival rates between the group receiving combined application of 100 ng/ml TRAIL and 20 µmol/l Embelin and the individual application groups. Light microscopic quantification was used to detect the morphology of the osteosarcoma cells in each group. Determination of cell apoptosis was subsequently performed using flow cytometry. The invasive ability of the cells was detected by a Transwell assay, prior to relative protein expression being determined by western blot analysis. Based on all the test data, it was revealed that the survival rates and the invasive ability were significantly lower following the combined application of 100 ng/ml TRAIL and 20 µmol/l Embelin than following the individual application of either (P<0.01). Additionally, upregulating expression of caspases, as well as death receptor 5, and downregulating expression of XIAP and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), had more significant effects in the combined group compared with the individual group and the control group. All these results suggested that Embelin may enhance TRAIL-induced apoptosis and inhibit the invasion of human osteosarcoma cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton fibres are single-celled trichomes arising from the epidermal cells of the seed coat and may be either long (lint) or very short (fuzz). The dominant fuzzless N1 of Gossypium hirsutum is a defective allele of the At-subgenome homoeolog of MYB25-like, but the genetic components underlying the recessive fuzzless trait from G. barbadense (Gb) are unknown. We have identified five genetic loci, including a major contributing locus containing MYB25-like_Dt, associated with Gb fuzzless seeds based on genotyping of fuzzy and fuzzless near isogenic lines (NILs) from an interspecies cross (G. barbadense × G. hirsutum). At 3 d post-anthesis when fuzz fibres are initiating, expression of MYB25-like_Dt was significantly lower in fuzzless NILs than in fuzzy seeded NILs, while higher MYB25-like_Dt expression was associated with more seed fuzz across different cotton genotypes. Phenotypic and genotypic analysis of MYB25-like homoeoalleles in cottons showing different fibre phenotypes and their crossing progeny indicated that both MYB25-like_At and MYB25-like_Dt are associated with lint development, and that fuzz development is mainly determined by the expression level of MYB25-like_Dt at ~3 d post-anthesis. Expression of Gb fuzzless seeds depends on genetic background and interactions amongst the multiple loci identified. MYB25-like_Dt is one of the best candidates for N2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BiAlO 3 -doped Bi 0.5 Na 0.5 TiO 3 -Bi 0.5 K 0.5 TiO 3 (BA-doped BNT-BKT) ceramics are greatly concerned due to their sufficient electric-field-induced strain with small hysteresis and remnant strain for high precision positioning devices and other actuators. In this paper, the structural analysis especially the high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) is used to reveal the origin of excellent properties obtained in 0.96(0.75BNT-0.25BKT)-0.04BA, which exhibits a large strain of 0.21% at ∼70 kV/cm, a small strain hysteresis of only 24% and a near-zero remnant strain. Using HRTEM, the antiferroelectric nano-domains composited by three variants of in-phase a 0 a 0 c + octahedral tilting coexisted with the remnant ferroelectric nano-domains of anti-phase a − a − a − octahedral tilting are directly identified. Then a continuous tilting model is proposed to interpret the gradually transitional tilting involving nano-domains leading to the small hysteresis and near-zero remnant strain. The findings may pave a way for further optimizing the properties through creating stable antiferroelectric nano-domains in BNT-based ceramics and the analogues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BiAlO 3 -doped Bi 0.5 Na 0.5 TiO 3 -Bi 0.5 K 0.5 TiO 3 (BA-doped BNT-BKT) ceramics are greatly concerned due to their sufficient electric-field-induced strain with small hysteresis and remnant strain for high precision positioning devices and other actuators. In this paper, the structural analysis especially the high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) is used to reveal the origin of excellent properties obtained in 0.96(0.75BNT-0.25BKT)-0.04BA, which exhibits a large strain of 0.21% at ∼70 kV/cm, a small strain hysteresis of only 24% and a near-zero remnant strain. Using HRTEM, the antiferroelectric nano-domains composited by three variants of in-phase a 0 a 0 c + octahedral tilting coexisted with the remnant ferroelectric nano-domains of anti-phase a • a • a • octahedral tilting are directly identified. Then a continuous tilting model is proposed to interpret the gradually transitional tilting involving nano-domains leading to the small hysteresis and near-zero remnant strain. The findings may pave a way for further optimizing the properties through creating stable antiferroelectric nano-domains in BNT-based ceramics and the analogues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endosperm cellularization is essential for embryo development and viable seed formation. Loss of function of the FERTILIZATION INDEPENDENT SEED ( FIS) class Polycomb genes, which mediate trimethylation of histone H3 lysine27 (H3K27me3), as well as imbalanced contributions of parental genomes interrupt this process. The causes of the failure of cellularization are poorly understood. In this study we identified PICKLE RELATED 2 ( PKR2) mutations which suppress seed abortion in fis1/ mea by restoring endosperm cellularization. PKR2, a paternally expressed imprinted gene ( PEG), encodes a CHD3 chromatin remodeler. PKR2 is specifically expressed in syncytial endosperm and its maternal copy is repressed by FIS1. Seed abortion in a paternal genome excess interploidy cross was also partly suppressed by pkr2. Simultaneous mutations in PKR2 and another PEG, ADMETOS ( ADM), additively rescue the seed abortion in fis1 and in the interploidy cross, suggesting that PKR2 and ADM modulate endosperm cellularization independently and reproductive isolation between plants of different ploidy is established by imprinted genes. Genes upregulated in fis1 and downregulated in the presence of pkr2 are enriched in glycosyl-hydrolyzing activity, while genes downregulated in fis1 and upregulated in the presence of pkr2 are enriched with microtubule motor activity, consistent with the cellularization patterns in fis1 and the suppressor line. The antagonistic functions of FIS1 and PKR2 in modulating endosperm development are similar to those of PICKLE ( PKL) and CURLY LEAF ( CLF), which antagonistically regulate root meristem activity. Our results provide further insights into the function of imprinted genes in endosperm development and reproductive isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since being discovered, relaxor ferroelectrics have attracted continued interest due to their unusual properties. Relaxor behavior is attributed to nanodomains or PNRs. Therefore, nano-scale even atomic-scale structural analysis is crucial to understanding the relaxor properties. However, the atomic-scale nanodomain structure has not been fully understood. For Bi 0.5 Na 0.5 TiO 3 , cation displacement and oxygen octahedral tilt are two common structural distortions. However, the relationship between them has not been proved experimentally. Here, the cation displacement and octahedral tilt were both investigated based on aberration-corrected STEM images. Cation displacement vectors illustrate a vortex structure. Octahedral tilt is regionally consistent with cation displacement that both of them increase gradually from the domain wall to the interior of the nanodomain. The formation of nanodomains may originate from their combined effect, thereby producing relaxor properties. Moreover, oxygen octahedral displacement stemmed from the complex coordinating environments was observed. These findings provide further insights into the nanodomain structure. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the importance of bond performance for assessing and maintaining the safety and durability of in-service reinforced concrete structures subjected to complex stresses. However, theoretical models that consider the effect of lateral stresses on the bond of deformed bars are not yet available. In the present study, a predictive model incorporating internal pressure, failure modes, and lateral stresses is proposed for assessing the bond strength of deformed bars embedded in concrete. The SIFs-based crack propagation criterion is employed to estimate the internal pressure for different concrete section shapes and crack numbers with the help of stress intensity factors and weight function. A comparison is conducted based on 134 experimental data without lateral stress, with an integral absolute error (IAE) of 12.6% for the proposed model, which is considerably lower than other models. Validating the proposed model for lateral stress confinement's accuracy in predicting both failure modes. A simplified expression involving lateral stresses is proposed that is highly correlated with the splitting bond strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cation displacement closely related to the local symmetry and corner-connected oxygen octahedral rotation are the structural origin of macroscopic properties in ABO 3 perovskite oxides. This work describes in detail the relationship between microstructure and macroscopic properties in 0.78BT-0.12CT-0.1BZS ceramic, which achieves the enhanced strain of 0.19 % with a hysteresis of 6.56 %. The atomic level structure is revealed by aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscope (AC-STEM). The AC-STEM HAADF images reveal the coexisting of polar nanoregions with O and T symmetries. Such a microstructure has a lower energy barrier, facilitating dynamic polarization rotation flexibly under external stimuli. The AC-STEM ABF image reveals the existence of the BO 6 octahedral rotation, with rotation patterns of the a 0 b 0 c 0 and a - b + c - , and rotation angles are quantitatively measured. The BO 6 octahedral rotation and cation displacement are found to be consistent, the greater octahedral rotation with greater cation displacements. These results have important implications for understanding the structural origin of the excellent properties in ferroelectrics. • (0.9- x)BT- x CT-0.1BZS ferroelectric ceramics were synthesized by conventional solid-state reaction method. • Enhanced strain of 0.19 % with a low hysteresis of 6.56 % was obtained with x = 0.12. • The PNRs with O and T symmetries and BO 6 rotation were revealed by aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amphoteric polyelectrolytes have been used as the materials for the high-performance ion-exchange membranes applied in redox flow battery and electrodialysis (ED) etc. In this work, four amphoteric ion-exchange membranes (AIEMs) based on sodium 1-propanesulfonate-3-methylimidazole (MIm-PS) and 1-butylimidazole (BIm) decorated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) have been prepared for mono-/bi-valent anion separation by using the electrodialyzer. The optimized AIEM has a low surface area resistance of 5.79 Ω⋅cm2. During the ED testing, at 2.5 mA⋅cm−2, the perm-selectivity (P S O 4 2 − C l − ) tested in a binary mixture of 0.05 M NaCl and 0.05 M Na 2 SO 4 , achieves the value of 16.12 at 30th min, which is significantly higher than that of anion-exchange membrane (1.68) as the reference. This superior separation performance has been further verified by the perm-selectivity of 55.5, tested in a single solution of 0.05 M NaCl or 0.05 M Na 2 SO 4. The high perm-selectivity results from the electrostatic repulsion difference of mono-/bi-valent ions against the negatively-charged –SO 3 – groups, accompanying with pore-size sieving effect resulting from the smaller ion cluster space of 0.261 nm. It is interesting to find that AIEMs show the increased ion flux values of Cl−/SO 4 2−, though the presence of the negatively-charged –SO 3 − groups, which is possibly related to the convex particle-like surface that increasing the effective surface area for ions passing. This work may provide a reference to guide the architectural design of advanced monovalent anion-selective IEMs. [Display omitted] • A series of amphoteric IEMs based on decorated PPO has been prepared. • The optimized amphoteric IEMs has the low surface area resistance of 5.79 Ω cm2. • Introduction of amphoteric structures increases the surface roughness of IEMs. • The perm-selectivity (Cl−/SO 4 2−) of as-prepared AIEM outperforms the commercial AEM. • The perm-selectivity of the AIEM tested in binary mixture solution achieves 16.12. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer develops and progresses often by inactivating p53. Here, we unveil nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR, p75NTR or CD271) as a novel p53 inactivator. p53 activates NGFR transcription, whereas NGFR inactivates p53 by promoting its MDM2-mediated ubiquitindependent proteolysis and by directly binding to its central DNA binding domain and preventing its DNA-binding activity. Inversely, NGFR ablation activates p53, consequently inducing apoptosis, attenuating survival, and reducing clonogenic capability of cancer cells, as well as sensitizing human cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents that induce p53 and suppressing mouse xenograft tumor growth. NGFR is highly expressed in human glioblastomas, and its gene is often amplified in breast cancers with wild type p53. Altogether, our results demonstrate that cancers hijack NGFR as an oncogenic inhibitor of p53. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops an analytical model for describing the behaviors of the interturn short fault in the permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) with multistrands windings. An analysis of the fault modes resulted from the deterioration of insulation in multistrands windings are first carried out. According to the possible fault influences, a consistent expressions of interturn short-circuit current, phase voltages, and electromagnetic torque for modeling the different modes of interturn short faults are then derived. The proposed model allows studying the postfault performances of these motors under transient and steady state, including fault resistance, quadrature- and direct-axis current, or speed variations. Both finite-element analysis and experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed model for predicting the interturn short-circuit behaviors in the PMSMs with multistrands windings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Diverse leaf morphology has been observed among accessions of Gossypium hirsutum, including okra leaf, which has advantages and disadvantages in cotton production. The okra leaf locus has been mapped to chromosome 15 of the Dt subgenome, but the underlying gene has yet to be identified. In this study, we used a combination of targeted association analysis, F2 population-based fine mapping, and comparative sequencing of orthologues to identify a candidate gene underlying the okra leaf trait in G. hirsutum. The okra leaf gene identified, GhOKRA, encoded a homeodomain leucine-zipper class I protein, whose closely related genes in several other plant species have been shown to be involved in regulating leaf morphology. The transcript levels of GhOKRA in shoot apices were positively correlated with the phenotypic expression of the okra leaf trait. Of the multiple sequence variations observed in the coding region among GrOKRA of Gossypium raimondii and GhOKRA-Dt of normal and okra/superokra leaf G. hirsutum accessions, a non-synonymous substitution near the N terminus and the variable protein sequences at the C terminus may be related to the leaf shape difference. Our results suggest that both transcription and protein activity of GhOKRA may be involved in regulating leaf shape. Furthermore, we found that non-reciprocal homoeologous recombination, or gene conversion, may have played a role in the origin of the okra leaf allele. Our results provided tools for further investigating and understanding the fundamental biological processes that are responsible for the cotton leaf shape variation and will help in the design of cotton plants with an ideal leaf shape for enhanced cotton production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]