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To date, there has been limited research on the interactive effects of yeast and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on the sensory qualities of navel orange wine. In this study, using Jintang navel orange juice as the raw material, multi-microbial fermentation was conducted with Saccharomyces cerevisiae SC-125 and Angel yeast SY, as well as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum BC114. Single yeast and co-fermentation with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum were used as the control groups. The research aimed to investigate the physicochemical parameters of navel orange wine during fermentation. Additionally, headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HP-SPME-GC-MS) was employed to determine and analyze the types and levels of flavor compounds in the navel orange wines produced through the different fermentation methods. The co-fermentation using the three strains significantly enhanced both the quantity and variety of volatile compounds in the navel orange wine, concomitant with heightened total phenol and flavonoid levels. Furthermore, a notable improvement was observed in the free radical scavenging activity. A sensory evaluation was carried out to analyze the differences among the various navel orange wines, shedding light on the impact of different wine yeasts and co-fermentation with LAB on the quality of navel orange wines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantitative realtime polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is a powerful and sensitive method to measure expression of targeted gene but it highly relies on the use of suitable reference genes for data normalization. We evaluated the expressions of 8 housekeeping genes: 18S ribosomal rDNA (18S rDNA), 28S ribosomal rDNA (28S rDNA),rubisco large subunit (rbc-L), β-actin (ACT), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), elongation factor 1 (EF1), β-tubulin (TubB), and P-phycoerythrin B (PEB), to select the suitable reference genes for different life-history stages (tetrasporophyte, carposporophyte, and male/female gametophyte) of Gracilaria vermiculophylla by absolute quantitative method. Softwares geNorm and BestKeeper were used to verify the results acquired from copy number analysis. Results show that the expression of identified reference genes varied in comparing groups composed of different type of life stages. It is suggested that 18S rDNA and TubB could be used for highly complex samples composed of mixed ploidy and phases. 18S rDNA and 28S rDNA were also preferred for using among the matured isomorphic samples. But for samples with different maturities, TubB and ACT were recommended for tetrasporophytes and gametophytes respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edible and medicinal plants (EMPs) are widely used but are easily infected by harmful fungi which produce mycotoxins. Herein, 127 samples from 11 provinces were collected to investigate 15 mycotoxins based on geographic, demographic, processing, and risk characteristics. A total of 13 mycotoxins were detected, and aflatoxin B1 (0.56~97.00 μg/kg), deoxynivalenol (9.41~1570.35 μg/kg), fumonisin B1 (8.25~1875.77 μg/kg), fumonisin B2 (2.74~543.01 μg/kg), ochratoxin A (0.62~19.30 μg/kg), and zearalenone (1.64~2376.58 μg/kg) occurred more frequently. Mycotoxin levels and species were significantly different by region, types of EMPs, and method of processing. The margin of exposure (MOE) values was well below the safe MOE (10,000). AFB1 exposure from Coix seed and malt consumption in China was of high health concern. The hazard Index (HI) method showed the range of 113.15~130.73% for malt, indicating a public health concern. In conclusion, EMPs should be concerned because of the cumulative effects of co-occurred mycotoxins, and safety management strategies should be developed in follow-up studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Quantitative flow-induced noise prediction model. • Synchronized measurements of flow-induced noise and flow regimes. • Comparison between noise modeling and experimental measurements. • Distinguished flow-induced noise waveforms for different flow regimes. Flow-induced noise in the expansion device can be very disturbing. The thermal expansion valve is usually positioned near the occupants, often resulting in flow-induced noise that can be perceived as annoying. Current studies lack a quantitative relationship between flow characteristics and flow-induced noise. Therefore, in this paper, a noise prediction model is proposed to predict the sound pressure level of flow-induced noise. The study utilizes a pumped R134a loop for synchronized measurements between flow-induced noise and flow regimes. Synchronized high-speed measurements obtained from a microphone and a high-speed camera enable simultaneous investigation of flow-induced noise and flow regimes. In this case, the experimental results find a gurgling noise distributing near 9 kHz. Using the TXV inlet pressure for calculating thermodynamic properties, the gurgling noise sound pressure level prediction error is less than 15%. A hissing noise distributing at around 15 kHz is not as noticeable as the gurgling noise. The error of sound pressure level prediction for hissing noise is less than 40%. Both the experimental results and the modeling results show that the sound pressure level of gurgling noise increases as the vapor mass fraction increases or the system mass flux increases. From the experimental results, the noise waveforms are distinguished. The model can correctly outline the shape of noise waveforms for different flow regimes with the help of visualizations. The model introduced in this paper shows the proper prediction for flow-induced noise except for the annular flow entering the valve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ester-containing deltamethrin pesticides are widely used in farmland and have inevitable side effects on the biosphere and human health. Microbia have been used for efficient degradation of deltamethrin, but the related mechanism and enzyme characteristics have not been elucidated. In this study, a species Brevibacillus parabrevis BCP-09 could degrade up to 75 mg L−1 deltamethrin with a degradation efficiency of 95.41%. Proteomic and genomic methods were used to explore its degradation mechanism. Enzymes belonged to hydrolases, oxidases and aromatic compound degrading enzymes were expressed enhanced and might participate in the deltamethrin degradtion. RT-PCR experiment and enzyme activity analysis verified the degradation of deltamethrin by bacterial protein. Additionally, the formation of endospores can help strain BCP-09 resist the toxicity of deltamethrin and enhance its degradation. This study supplies a scientific evidence for the application of Brevibacillus parabrevis BCP-09 in the bioremediation of environmental pollution and enriches the resources of deltamethrin-biodegradable proteins. [Display omitted] • Brevibacillus parabrevis BCP-09 could degrade 75 mg L−1 deltamethrin within 96 h. • The degradation mechanism was analyzed based on proteomics results. • Enzymes involved in the degradation of deltamethrin were identified. • The endospores produced by strain BCP-09 enhance its resistance to deltamethrin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of genome-wide selection signatures can provide insights on the mechanisms of natural and/or artificial selection and uncover genes related to biological functions and/or phenotypes. Tibetan sheep are an important livestock in Tibet, providing meat and wool for Tibetans who are renown for breeding livestock that adapt well to high altitudes. Using whole-genome sequences with an effective sequencing depth of 5×, we investigated the genomic diversity and structure and, identified selection signatures of White Tibetan, Oula and Poll Dorset sheep. We obtained 30,163,679 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and 5,388,372 indels benchmarked against the ovine Oar_v4.0 genome assembly. Next, using FST, ZHp and XP-EHH approaches, we identified selection signatures spanning a set of candidate genes, including HIF1A, CAPN3, PRKAA1, RXFP2, TRHR and HOXA10 that are associated with pathways and GO categories putatively related to hypoxia responses, meat traits and disease resistance. Candidate genes and GO terms associated with coat color were also identified. Finally, quantification of blood physiological parameters, revealed higher levels of mean corpuscular hemoglobin measurement and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration in Tibetan sheep compared with Poll Dorset, suggesting a greater oxygen-carrying capacity in the Tibetan sheep and thus better adaptation to high-altitude hypoxia. In conclusion, this study provides a greater understanding of genome diversity and variations associated with adaptive and production traits in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A multi-IAC-HPLC method for simultaneously detecting 9 Fusarium mycotoxins was established. • Whole wheat flour has higher mycotoxins concentrations compared to refined wheat flour. • Cumulative health risks caused by Fusarium mycotoxins and their derivatives should be concerned. Abstract Multiple mycotoxins can contaminate foods simultaneously leading to increased risks for human health. To assess exposure and health risks of 9 mycotoxins, we employed a multiple immunoaffinity column – high performance liquid chromatography method to determine their concentrations of 35 whole wheat flour and 50 refined wheat flour samples from China. The recoveries of the validated method were 75.78–118.24%, and the limits of detection and quantification were 1.5–20 and 5.0–60 µg kg−1, respectively. Multiple mycotoxins were detected in 37.1% of whole wheat flour and 8% of refined wheat flour. In the worst-case scenario, the hazard index was 222.69% for male and 253.97% for female with a cumulative exposure to Fusarium mycotoxins through consuming whole wheat flour, and deoxynivalenol was the main mycotoxin detected. In conclusion, whole wheat flour should be regarded with more health concern because of cumulative effects of co-occurred mycotoxins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monosaccharide composition analysis is essential to the structural characterization and research into the biological activity of polysaccharides. In this study, a systematic comparison was performed among commonly used monosaccharide composition analysis methods, including colorimetric and chromatographic methods. These were tested on 16 aldoses, ketoses, alditols, amino sugars, and uronic acids. Furthermore, the effect of hydrolysis methods was also investigated. The results showed that the phenol sulfuric acid method is greatly affected by the type of monosaccharide that is used as the reference substance. The determination of uronic acid using sulfuric acid carbazole is less affected by neutral sugars than that method using m-hydroxybiphenyl. The high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method can simultaneously analyze multiple samples and accurately determine the type of uronic acid. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) can provide a good qualitative and quantitative analysis of aldose, amino sugars, and uronic acids, while gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) can detect aldose, ketose, and alditols. Fructose was detected in a large amount in inulin and Codonopsis pilosula after one-step hydrolysis, while it was totally destroyed in two-step hydrolysis. The release of galacturonic acid significantly increased after two-step hydrolysis in pectin and Lycium barbarum, which indicated that one-step hydrolysis is not enough for acidic polysaccharides. The results of this study are beneficial for selecting appropriate hydrolysis and analysis methods in order to accurately analyze the monosaccharide compositions of natural polysaccharides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic friction modifiers (FMs) are commonly utilized in lubricants. FM molecules possess a polar head group that interacts with metallic surfaces and aliphatic chains that cohesively interact with neighboring molecules. Under boundary lubrication conditions, as experienced in engine valve trains and cylinders, fluid films are unable to form between metallic surfaces. This results in metal-metal contact. Thus, organic friction modifiers are commonly utilized to reduce friction under these conditions. While efficacious, these molecules are consumed over time owing to engine environments, reducing their effectiveness. To replenish organic friction modifier stocks in base oil lubricants, tertiary ester derivatives of fatty acid-containing dicarboxylic acids were investigated. A series of fatty acid-containing dicarboxylic acids were first developed based on a tartaric acid backbone and their friction modifying capabilities assessed. Coefficient of friction studies illustrated that friction-modifying capabilities were heavily influenced by polar head group type (i.e., carboxylic acid, ester) and chemical bond to tartaric acid (i.e., ester, ether). Thermogravimetric analysis coupled gas-phase Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that fatty acid-containing dicarboxylic acids degraded into their respective fatty acids at elevated temperatures. Controlled release studies were conducted on a compound modified with thermocleavable esters, and showed sustained friction modifying activity through the course of the entire study. These systems are ideal candidates for the controlled delivery of friction modifiers, which can increase engine efficiency and reduce fuel consumption, effectively reducing vehicle emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of carbon dots (CDs) featuring almost the same structures in different solvents is beneficial for their direct applications in the desired media without additional treatment and for resource conservation. The structures of CDs, however, are vulnerable to the synthetic system, unfavorably forming “identical” CDs in different solvents. Herein, we developed a top-down method to explore the feasibility of preparing similar CDs from ZIF-8-derived solid porous carbons that comprising graphitic carbon embedded into the amorphous carbon domains in water, amide and alcohol. To attenuate the solvent effect, the porous carbon was oxidized by nitric acid prior to solvothermal/hydrothermal treatment. The use of oxidized porous carbon as precursors can result in the formation of CDs using a mild thermal treatment. Other than CDs prepared in amide (in DMF, CDs-d), the resulting CDs prepared in water (CDs-w) and in alcohol (in methanol, CDs-m) possess similar components and structures, as confirmed by XPS and DLS. Thus, both CDs-w and CDs-m aqueous suspensions exhibit excitation wavelength-dependent PL properties with the same emission maxima. CDs-w was directly applied in aqueous systems and gave slightly enhanced performance in cellular imaging and solar hydrogen evolution. Significantly, this research offers an available strategy to advance CD performance and reduce pollutant emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-circulating liposomes are typically prepared with poly(ethylene glycol)- (PEG-) modified lipids, where the lipid portion is inserted in the lipid bilayers as an anchor and the hydrophilic PEG coats the surface to prevent liposome aggregation and rapid clearance in vivo . However, these steric protection effects are compromised upon systemic administration due to low retention of PEGylated lipids within liposome membranes upon dilution. Hence, a series of PEGylated bolaamphiphiles (PEG-bolas) were for the first time developed to increase retention in the lipid bilayer, presumably leading to enhanced integrity of the PEG protective layer upon dilution. We hypothesized that PEG-bolas with a sufficiently long hydrophobic domain and rigid central group could predominantly adopt a membrane-spanning configuration, taking full advantage of steric protection offered by PEG and enhanced retention in liposomes enabled by the bola geometry. In this paper, liposomes stabilized by PEG-bolas comprised of a biphenyl core and twelve-carbon alkyl chain not only exhibited similar storage and biological stability compared to conventional PEGylated lipid stabilized liposomes, but also significantly improved retention upon dilution. Our findings facilitate new designs of liposome-stabilizing agents and can be applied to improve the delivery efficiency of liposomal delivery vehicles in vivo . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherosclerosis, a leading cause of mortality in developed countries, is characterized by the buildup of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) within the vascular intima, unregulated oxLDL uptake by macrophages, and ensuing formation of arterial plaque. Amphiphilic polymers (AMPs) comprised of a branched hydrophobic domain and a hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) tail have shown promising anti-atherogenic effects through direct inhibition of oxLDL uptake by macrophages. In this study, five AMPs with controlled variations were evaluated for their micellar and structural stability in the presence of serum and lipase, respectively, to develop underlying structure-atheroprotective activity relations. In parallel, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to explore the AMP conformational preferences within an aqueous environment. Notably, AMPs with ether linkages between the hydrophobic arms and sugar backbones demonstrated enhanced degradation stability and storage stability, and also elicited enhanced anti-atherogenic bioactivity. Additionally, AMPs with increased hydrophobicity elicited increased atheroprotective bioactivity in the presence of serum. These studies provide key insights for designing more serum-stable polymeric micelles as prospective cardiovascular nanotherapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugar-based polymers have been extensively explored as a means to increase drug delivery systems' biocompatibility and biodegradation. Here, we review the use of sugar-based polymers for drug delivery applications, with a particular focus on the utility of the sugar component(s) to provide benefits for drug targeting and stimuli-responsive systems. Specifically, numerous synthetic methods have been developed to reliably modify naturally-occurring polysaccharides, conjugate sugar moieties to synthetic polymer scaffolds to generate glycopolymers, and utilize sugars as a multifunctional building block to develop sugar-linked polymers. The design of sugar-based polymer systems has tremendous implications on both the physiological and biological properties imparted by the saccharide units and are unique from synthetic polymers. These features include the ability of glycopolymers to preferentially target various cell types and tissues through receptor interactions, exhibit bioadhesion for prolonged residence time, and be rapidly recognized and internalized by cancer cells. Also discussed are the distinct stimuli-sensitive properties of saccharide-modified polymers to mediate drug release under desired conditions. Saccharide-based systems with inherent pH- and temperature-sensitive properties, as well as enzyme-cleavable polysaccharides for targeted bioactive delivery, are covered. Overall, this work emphasizes inherent benefits of sugar-containing polymer systems for bioactive delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• When measuring RI of an analyte, the measurement is often affected by temperature. the simultaneous measurement of RI and temperature has important significance. • In this paper, a gold film coated dual-core photonic crystal fiber (DC-PCF) was proposed and numerically investigated for both RI and temperature sensing. • The maximum sensitivity of the RI reached 8100 nm/RIU, while the maximum sensitivity of temperature reached 1.3 nm/°C. • The design of dual independent cores in DC-PCF not only avoids the problem of cross-sensitivity; but also improves the isolation of the sensor. When measuring the refractive index (RI) of an analyte, the measurement is often affected by temperature. Therefore, the simultaneous measurement of RI and temperature has important research significance. In this paper, a gold film coated dual-core photonic crystal fiber (DC-PCF) was proposed and numerically investigated for both RI and temperature sensing. In order to stimulate the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) with high sensitivity to the surrounding, two gold films were coated on the polished surface and inner wall of a cladding air hole in the DC-PCF, respectively. Numerical results showed that the measurement sensitivities of RI and temperature reached 8100 nm/RIU based on Core I and 1.3 nm/°C based on Core II, respectively. It should also be noted that the designed sensor showed a high isolation. This designed sensor can be used where the RI of analyte should be detected at a high temperature accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease initiates with the atherogenic cascade of scavenger receptor- (SR-) mediated oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) uptake. Resulting foam cell formation leads to lipid-rich lesions within arteries. We designed amphiphilic macromolecules (AMs) to inhibit these processes by competitively blocking oxLDL uptake via SRs, potentially arresting atherosclerotic development. In this study, we investigated the impact of replacing ester linkages with ether linkages in the AM hydrophobic domain. We hypothesized that ether linkages would impart flexibility for orientation to improve binding to SR binding pockets, enhancing anti-atherogenic activity. A series of tartaric acid-based AMs with varying hydrophobic chain lengths and conjugation chemistries were synthesized, characterized, and evaluated for bioactivity. 3-D conformations of AMs in aqueous conditions may have significant effects on anti-atherogenic potency and were simulated by molecular modeling. Notably, ether-linked AMs exhibited significantly higher levels of inhibition of oxLDL uptake than their corresponding ester analogues, indicating a dominant effect of linkage flexibility on pharmacological activity. The degradation stability was also enhanced for ether-linked AMs. These studies further suggested that alkyl chain length (i.e., relative hydrophobicity), conformation (i.e., orientation), and chemical stability play a critical role in modulating oxLDL uptake, and guide the design of innovative cardiovascular therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Danhong injection (DHI) is a widely used Chinese Materia Medica standardized product for the clinical treatment of ischemic encephalopathy and coronary heart disease. The bindings of eight natural components in DHI between bovine serum albumin (BSA) were studied by fluorescence spectroscopy technology and molecular docking. According to the results, the quenching process of salvianolic acid B and hydroxysafflor yellow A was a static quenching procedure through the analysis of quenching data by the Stern-Volmer equation, the modified Stern-Volmer equation, and the modified Scatchard equation. Meanwhile, syringin (Syr) enhanced the fluorescence of BSA, and the data were analyzed using the Lineweaver-Burk equation. Molecular docking suggested that all of these natural components bind to serum albumin at the site I location. Further competitive experiments of SaB confirmed the result of molecular docking studies duo to the displacement of warfarin by SaB. Base on these studies, we selected SaB as a research target because it presented the strongest binding ability to BSA and investigated the influence of the multi-components coexisting in DHI on the interaction between the components of the SaB-BSA binding system. The participation of these natural components in DHI affected the interaction between the components of the SaB-BSA system. Therefore, when DHI is used in mammals, SaB is released from serum albumin more quickly than it is used alone. This work would provide a new experiment basis for revealing the scientific principle of compatibility for Traditional Chinese Medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In previous studies sliding wear behaviour of plasma electrolytic coating on pure aluminium was investigated. The effects of treated times, current density, current frequency of plasma electrolytic oxidation on the surface microstructural, mechanical and sliding wear behaviour of the ceramic coatings are conducted. Further investigations are reported regarding the sliding wear behaviour and mechanical properties of this treatment in sliding wear tests against Al2O3 sand paper counter faces using a low frequency reciprocating sliding diameter of 10mm at a load of 10N. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to assist in the evaluation of the wear behaviour and failure mechanisms. It is shown that the ceramic coating, consisting primarily of micro-plasma sintering ceramic layer and micropores, provide improved wear resistance and enhanced load-bearing capacity for low-friction coating. The primary sliding wear mechanism observed is one of mild asperity deformation and polishing and, in extreme cases, localized delamination of the ceramic coating. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Symmetric conjugated molecules can be broken through suitable synthetic strategies to construct novel asymmetric molecules, which can largely broaden the material library. In the field of organic solar cells, fused‐ring electron acceptors (FREAs) with the A‐DA'D‐A type backbone structure have attracted much attention and enabled power conversion efficiencies (PCE) exceeding 18%. Among them, Y6 is one of the most classic FREAs that can derive many symmetric and asymmetric molecules and exhibit unique optoelectronic properties. Thus, in this review, the focus is on the recent progress of Y6‐derived asymmetric FREAs containing a dipyrrolobenzothiadiazole segment, which can be classified as the following three categories: asymmetric end group, asymmetric central core and asymmetric side chain. The relationship of the molecular structure, optoelectronic properties, and device performance is discussed in detail. Finally, the future design directions and challenges faced by this kind of photovoltaic materials are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attributed graph anomaly detection aims to identify abnormal nodes that significantly differ from most nodes in terms of their attribute or structure. Recent graph contrastive learning methods, which follow an augmenting-contrasting learning scheme, have shown promising results. However, these methods still have two key limitations. Firstly, the contrastive views generated through random perturbation may not conform to abnormal patterns. Secondly, the inability to effectively discriminate heterophilic edges in anomalous networks can adversely impact the detection performance. To this end, we propose a M ulti-view discriminative E dge heterophi L y c O ntrastive learning N etwork (MELON) for attributed graph anomaly detection. Our approach addresses the aforementioned limitations by integrating human knowledge of different anomaly patterns for data augmentation and designing an edge discriminator to identify edge homophily/heterophily in an unsupervised manner. In addition, a dual-channel encoder is also designed to capture representative representations of the nodes from the discriminated homophilic/heterophilic edges. We then use a decoder to reconstruct the original network from the node representations learned by the dual-channel encoder and rank nodes according to their reconstruction error as the anomaly metric. Extensive experiments on four public benchmark datasets demonstrate that our proposed method outperforms state-of-the-art baselines. • Enhancing data augmentation by merging prior knowledge of diverse abnormal patterns. • Introducing an edge discriminator to distinguish between diverse edge types. • Utilizing several well-designed loss functions to make full use of abnormal signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Thermoelectric properties of a halide perovskite at 300–600 K are reported. • Experiments and calculations combine to provide a coherent and realistic picture. • Interconnection between individual thermoelectric parameters is revealed. • The ZT value maximized at ~0.01 and can be boosted by extrinsic doping. Halide perovskite semiconductors have been actively considered for thermoelectric applications. We report the thermoelectric properties of thermally stable, all-inorganic perovskite CsSnBr 3 prepared by two methods. Between 300 and 600 K, both types of CsSnBr 3 crystals showed analogous trends of increasing Seebeck coefficients S and plummeting electrical conductivities σ. The counteraction between S and σ followed a semilogarithmic relation derived from a single band model for the electronic band structure of CsSnBr 3. The ZT value maximized at ~0.01 and its enhancement by extrinsic doping is possible. Our results help assess the potential of CsSnBr 3 and other halide perovskites as thermoelectric materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased awareness of the abundance and diversity of viruses in soils has led to a growing interest in soil virus ecology. This interest is in part fueled by a need to understand the mechanisms behind the transformation of carbon and nutrient elements within soil ecosystems and what role if any viruses play in these biologically mediated processes. To explore the virus-host distribution and diversity patterns in soil profiles, bacterial community composition and structure, viral and bacterial abundances, and the lysogenic fractions (LF) of bacterial communities were assessed. Enumeration of virus-like particles (VLPs) by epifluorescence microscopy, prophage-induction assays (mitomycin C-based), and bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing were used in this study. The abundances of both extractable VLPs and bacterial cells decreased with soil depth, but VLP abundances decreased more rapidly than bacterial abundances leading to an overall decreasing virus-to-bacteria ratio with depth. In contrast, LF increased with soil depth, indicating lysogeny became a more important reproduction strategy for autochthonous soil bacteriophages in subsurface soil. Significant shifts in bacterial community composition and diversity with soil depth were closely correlated with VLP abundance, virus-to-bacteria ratio, and LF. The results suggest that the viral abundance and replication strategies vary significantly in different soil depths and are linked to microbial host community composition in soil. • Viral and bacterial abundance and virus-to-bacteria ratio decreased with soil depth. • The lysogenic fraction was greater in subsurface than surface soils. • Bacterial community composition varied while diversity decreased with soil depth. • Viral abundance, lysogenic fraction, and burst size were significantly correlated with bacterial community composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. High stress is associated with coronary heart disease (CHD), but the impact of perceived stress on prognosis with stable CHD remains unclear. This study investigated the impact of high perceived stress (HPS) on cardiovascular events in stable CHD patients. Methods. From March 2015 and December 2020, 2215 stable CHD patients were recruited. The Chinese version of the Perceived Stress Scale-14 (CPSS) was used, with follow-up conducted every 6 months until the occurrence of a cardiovascular event or March 31, 2022. Cardiovascular-related events were used as outcomes, including myocardial infarction, unplanned revascularization, stroke, death, or rehospitalization from angina. Patients were divided into HPS (CPSS ≥ 31) and nonhigh perceived stress (NHPS) groups. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves were plotted, and the log-rank test compared the incidence of adverse events after adjusting for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical information. Results. The recruited CHD population was 59.6 years old on average, 79.6% male, 27.2 points average CPSS, and median follow-up of 47 months. There were 523 HPS patients, with 98 (18.7%) cardiovascular events, and 1692 NHPS patients with 239 (14.1%) cardiovascular events. The log-rank analysis showed that risk of cardiovascular events with HPS was higher than NHPS (P = 0.012). After adjusting for demographic, lifestyle, and clinical information, the HPS group had significantly increased risk of events within 24 months (HR 1.369, 95% CI 1.037-1.807, P = 0.027), but less impact after 24 months. Conclusions. HPS predicts subsequent cardiovascular events in patients with stable CHD within 24 months. Therefore, more attention should be given to CHD patients with HPS, which may improve clinical prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Control of convection plays an important role in heat transfer regulation, bio/chemical sensing, phase separation, etc. Current convection controlling systems generally depend on engineered energy sources to drive and manipulate the convection, which brings additional energy consumption into the system. Here the use of human hand as a natural and sustainable infrared (IR) radiation source for the manipulation of liquid convection is demonstrated. The fluid can sense the change of the relative position or the shape of the hand with the formation of different convection patterns. Besides the generation of static complex patterns, dynamic manipulation of convections can also be realized via moving of hand or finger. The use of such sustainable convections to control the movement of a floating "boat" is further achieved. The use of human hands as the natural energy sources provides a promising approach for the manipulation of liquid convection without the need of extra external energy, which may be further utilized for low‐cost and intelligent bio/chemical sensing and separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protonated polyaniline prepared by protonated electropolymerization exhibited a higher density of states at the Fermi energy level. Then, by depositing silver on the electrode surface, high electrocatalytic activity and good stability of silver/protonated polyaniline-titanium (Ag/H-PANI-Ti) electrodes were produced. The degradation efficiency of the Ag/H-PANI-Ti electrode for doxycycline hydrochloride (DOX) reached 83.33 % in 120 min under optimal parameters and in accordance with the pseudo primary reaction kinetics. The energy consumption was only 15.84 kWh/kg. The mechanism of DOX degradation through cathodic and anodic co-catalysis was put forth, and the degradation pathway was deduced. It should be highlighted that toxicology tests and toxicological evaluation based on ecological conformational relationships (ECOSAR) revealed that the biological toxicity of DOX was greatly decreased following degradation by the Ag/H-PANI-Ti electrode. Finally, the mechanism of enhanced Ag/H-PANI-Ti performance was illustrated by DFT first-nature principle calculations. The results showed that this study provides a viable option for the electrocatalytic degradation of antibiotics. [Display omitted] • Protonic acid-doped polyaniline enhances conjugation and improves conductivity. • Ag/H-PANI-Ti electrode exhibited good reusability and low energy consumption. • The degradation pathway of DOX by Ag/H-PANI-Ti electrode was inferred. • •OH and reactive atomic H* play a role in the degradation of DOX. • The degradation products of DOX are less toxic to E. coli and aquatic organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the refinement and miniaturization of integrated electronic devices, the requirements for stable operating temperature and antielectromagnetic interference are increasingly high. However, most of the current materials necessitate to develop the intelligent self‐adaptive regulation in response to external field stimuli to gratify the stipulations of different operating environments. Herein, cuttlefish‐inspired smart liquid metal based‐liquid crystal elastomer (LGN‐LCE) dual‐functional material enabling self‐adaptive electromagnetic wave interference shielding and thermal management is presented. Liquid crystal elastomer matrix endows the LGN‐LCE dynamic self‐morphing properties under thermal activation, which leads to the liquid metal network with tunable thermal/electrical conduction. The thermal conductivity of LGN‐LCE can be increased to 10.3 W m−1 K−1 with the rise of surrounding temperature, while the electrical conductivity of LGN‐LCE can be enhanced to 4.3 × 105 S m−1. Such promoted electrical conductivity helps strengthen electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance of LGN‐LCE, and the minimum EMI shielding effectiveness of LGN‐LCE can be improved from 48 to 62 dB within the X‐band. This work may not only pave a new way to rationally design a self‐adaptive EMI shielding and thermal management systems, but also show good prospects for practical applications, including thermal management materials, EMI materials, flexible electronic materials, smart materials, artificial intelligence systems, biomedical, and aerospace applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis is an economic red macroalga whose cultivation is affected by salinity. To investigate the molecular mechanism of G. lemaneiformis response to salt stress, transcriptome sequencing was used to analyze the differentially expressed genes of wild G. lemaneiformis cultured at low (10‰), normal (30‰) and high (40‰) salinities. After the algae were treated for seven days at 10‰ and 40‰ salinity, a total of 1016 and 1231 differently expressed genes were discovered, respectively. Through GO and KEGG pathway analysis, the transcription of genes involved in lysine biosynthesis, ascorbic acid biosynthesis and TCA cycling were up-regulated significantly under low salt stress. The transcription of genes related to glycogen degradation and ABC transporters pathway was significantly up-regulated under high salt stress. Meanwhile, the transcription of genes related to lignin and trehalose biosynthesis, which can enhance plant stress resistance, was up-regulated significantly under both low and high salt stress. Based on the transcriptome results, lysine, ascorbic acid, and trehalose were added to the culture system of G. lemaneiformis. The results showed that the addition of certain concentrations of exogenous lysine and trehalose enhanced the growth and salt stress tolerance of wild G. lemaneiformis. This study investigates the molecular mechanism of salt response of G. lemaneiformis and provides an experimental basis to improve the salt tolerance of G. lemaneiformis by adding exogenous substances. • Low salt stress activated the expression of genesrelated to lysine biosynthesis, ascorbic acid biosynthesis and TCA cycling. • High salt stress activated the expression of genes related to glycogen degradation and ABC transporters. • Lignin and trehalose biosynthesis pathways were up-regulated under both low and high salt stress. • Addition of exogenous lysine and trehalose might contribute to the salt tolerance of G. lemaneiformis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beta-cypermethrin (β-CY) residues in food are an important threat to human health. Microorganisms can degrade β-CY residues during fermentation of fruits and vegetables, while the mechanism is not clear. In this study, a comprehensively investigate of the degradation mechanism of β-CY in a food microorganism was conducted based on proteomics analysis. The β-CY degradation bacteria Gordonia alkanivorans GH-1 was derived from fermented Pixian Doubanjiang. Its crude enzyme extract could degrade 77.11% of β-CY at a concentration of 45 mg/L within 24 h. Proteomics analysis revealed that the ester bond of β-CY is broken under the action of esterase to produce 3-phenoxy benzoic acid, which was further degraded by oxidoreductase and aromatic degrading enzyme. The up-regulation expression of oxidoreductase and esterase was confirmed by transcriptome and quantitative reverse transcription PCR. Meanwhile, the expression of esterase Est280 in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) resulted in a 48.43% enhancement in the degradation efficiency of β-CY, which confirmed that this enzyme was the key enzyme in the process of β-CY degradation. This study reveals the degradation mechanism of β-CY by microorganisms during food fermentation, providing a theoretical basis for the application of food microorganisms in β-CY residues. [Display omitted] • β-CY residues in food are harmful and should be degraded. • Food microorganisms were used to degrade β-CY residue in food. • The expression of pyrethroid degradation enzymes was upregulated. • Multi-omics analysis revealed the degradation mechanism of β-CY. • We found the esterase gene ge000280 and analyzed its expression in E. coli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the relationships between hyperuricemia and the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in both the general population and hypertensive patients through meta-analysis. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases from January 2012. The eligibility criteria were predefined, and quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Stata 15.1 was used for meta-analysis, heterogeneity and sensitivity analysis. Subgroup analysis was used to explore heterogeneity, funnel plots and Egger tests were used to assesse publication bias and applicability. A total of 10,662 studies were retrieved, 45 of which were included in this meta-analysis utilizing a random effects model. Hyperuricemia was significantly associated with an increased risk of new-onset hypertension (RR = 1.36, 95% CI 1.16–1.59; I 2 = 98.8%), total CVD (RR = 1.53, 95% CI 1.23–1.89; I 2 = 93.7%), stroke (RR = 1.97, 95% CI 1.71–2.26, I 2 = 0.0%), coronary heart disease (CHD) (RR = 1.56, 95% CI 1.06–2.30, I 2 = 93.3%), and CKD (RR = 1.71, 95% CI 1.56–1.87; I 2 = 87.3%). However, subgroup analysis showed no significant associations between hyperuricemia and hypertension in non-Asian populations (RR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.59–1.33), or between hyperuricemia and CVD with a follow-up duration <5 years (RR = 1.26, 95% CI 0.97–1.63). Among hypertensive patients, hyperuricemia was significantly associated with total CVD (RR = 2.32, 95% CI 1.31–4.12, I 2 = 90.2%), but not with stroke (RR = 1.48, 95% CI 0.86–2.55; I 2 = 90.7%) or CHD (RR = 1.51, 95% CI 0.98–2.33; I 2 = 71.7%). Hyperuricemia was significantly associated with an increased risk of new-onset hypertension, total CVD, stroke, CHD, and CKD in the general population. Among hypertensive patients, hyperuricemia was associated with an increased risk of CVD but not stroke or CHD alone. Registration Number: CRD42022370692. [Display omitted] • Hyperuricemia is a risk factor for new-onset hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease in the general population. • Hyperuricemia could increase the risk of total cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients. • Whether uric-lowering drugs could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease both in the general population and in patients with hypertension should be studied in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to screen for a lactic acid bacterium (LAB) that could improve the quality of whole wheat bread (WWB) and extend its shelf life. The LABs with strong antifungal activity were screened among twenty LABs. Both sourdough properties (rheology, tensility, water mobility and gluten structure) and WWB qualities (texture, volatile flavour and shelf life) were determined and compared. The results showed that the Lactobacillus plantarum LB-1, F-3 and F-50 exhibited stronger antifungal activity among the twenty tested LABs. Moreover, compared to the other LABs, the sourdough fermented by LB-1 demonstrated significantly better viscoelasticity, extensibility, and water holding capacity, as well as a more ordered gluten secondary structure (6.49% more than the control). Meanwhile, Lactobacillus plantarum LB-1 can remarkably improve the texture characteristics, enrich the aroma volatile compounds, and prolong the shelf life of WWB from 3 days to 6 days compared to the control group. Above all, Lactobacillus plantarum LB-1 was recommended for WWB fermentation to improve its quality and to extend the shelf life. • Sourdough and whole wheat bread (WWB) were fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum LB-1. • Sourdough properties and WWB qualities were improved after fermented by LB-1. • LB-1 enabled WWB a better taste and a richer flavor. • The shelf life of WWB fermented by LB-1 was three days longer than the control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The delivery of fermentable substrate(s) to subsurface environments stimulates Fe(III)‐bioreduction and achieves detoxification of organic/inorganic contaminants. Although, much research has been conducted on the microbiology of such engineered systems at lab and field scales, little attention has been given to the phage‐host interactions and virus community dynamics in these environments. The objective was to determine the responses of soil bacterial communities and viral assemblages to stimulated anaerobic Fe(III)‐bioreduction following electron donor (e.g. acetate) addition. Microbial communities, including viral assemblages, were investigated after 60 days of Fe(III)‐bioreduction in laboratory‐scale columns continuously fed with acetate‐amended artificial groundwater. Viral abundances were greatest in the influent section and decreased along the flow path. Acetate availability was important in influencing bacterial diversity, microbial interactions and viral abundance and community composition. The impact of acetate addition was most evident in the influent section of the columns. The increased relative abundance of Fe(III)‐reducing bacteria coincided with an increase in viral abundance in areas of the columns exhibiting the most Fe(III) reduction. The genetic composition of viruses in these column sections also differed from the control column and distal sections of acetate‐treated columns suggesting viral communities responded to biostimulated Fe(III)‐bioreduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light-induced charge transfer is one of the key factors to affect photocatalytic activity of heterostructures. Significantly, in metal/semiconductor (M/S) heterostructures the direction of charge transfer is relevant to irradiation wavelength in terms of optical transition of semiconductor and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of metal. To understand the fundamental photophysical process, herein, we developed a facile double-solvothermal route for fabrication of plasmonic/nonplasmonic-metal/TiO 2 composites with the aid of glycine. Upon UV–visible-light illumination, occurrence of light absorption in plasmonic-metal/TiO 2 composites is originated from optical transition of TiO 2 (UV region) and SPR of plasmonic metal (Au, Ag and Cu, visible region), accounting for reverse charge transfer between them confirmed by transient absorption and photocurrent. Albeit small contribution of SPR effect to photo-generated electrons due to ultrafast electron-phonon scattering, the reverse charge transfer can alleviate photocatalytic performance of these heterostructures to enhance. Hence, well understanding the intrinsic photocatalytic mechanism offers a reliable support to selective construction of sophisticated M/S heterostructure-related polynary photocatalytic systems with high activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beta-cypermethrin (β-CY) is an organic compound that is widely used as a synthetic pesticide in agriculture and family. Excessive accumulation of β-CY inevitably causes environmental pollution, which has led to food safety and human health concerns. Identification of microorganisms from food sources that are capable of β-CY biodegradation may help prevent pollution due to β-CY accumulation. Here, Gordonia alkanivorans GH-1, which was isolated from the traditional Sichuan fermented food, Pixian Doubanjiang, could not only degrade 82.76% of 50 mg/L β-CY at 96 h, but also degraded the intermediate degradation products including dibutyl phthalate (DBP), benzoic acid (BA) and phenol (Ph). This bacterial strain, thus, effectively improved the efficiency of removal of β-CY and its related metabolites, without being limited by toxic intermediates. Whole genome sequencing and transcriptomics analyses have demonstrated that the bacteria affected the transcription of genes related to cell response and material transport under the stress induced by β-CY, and thereby promoted degradation and transformation of β-CY. Moreover, a complete pathway of β-CY degradation is proposed based on the key genes involved in degradation. This study provides important theoretical significance and reference value for eliminating pesticide residues in agricultural products and food to ensure food safety. [Display omitted] • G. alkanivorans GH-1 isolated from fermented food could efficiently degrade β-CY. • Nine intermediate degradation products were identified by GC-MS. • Strain GH-1 did not accumulate toxic products during β-CY degradation. • The genome revealed the potential of strain GH-1 to degrade organic pollutants. • The degradation mechanism was analyzed based on transcriptome sequencing results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An ultrahigh-sensitive fiber-optic temperature sensor based on cascaded Sagnac interferometers with a nematic liquid crystal film was proposed and experimentally demonstrated. • The molecules of NLC film changed from isotropic to isotropic just by rotating the two single-mode patch cables without any orientation agent, electric, or magnetic devices. • Experimental results revealed that the temperature sensor based on the cascaded configuration showed an ultrahigh sensitivity of 43.13 nm/°C, which was amplified about 5 times contrast to a single Sagnac interferometer. We demonstrated an ultrasensitive fiber-optic temperature sensor based on cascaded Sagnac interferometers (CSIs). One of the Sagnac interferometers (SIs) consisted of a panda polarization-maintaining fiber (PMF) as the reference arm, while the other one contained two single-mode patch cables in a ferrule matching sleeve as the sensing arm, where a nematic liquid crystal (NLC) film was infiltrated into the micron-scale gap of the sleeve. In the sensing SI, the orientation of NLC film was induced by just rotating the two single-mode patch cables without any orientation agent, electric, or magnetic devices. Vernier effect was acquired by adjusting the thickness of NLC film. Experimental results revealed that the temperature sensitivity of the CSIs was up to 43.13 nm/°C, which was enhanced about 5 times compared to the single NLC SI. The designed optical fiber temperature sensor possessed the merits of compact structure, high stability, ultrahigh sensitivity, low hysteresis effect and high resolution, showing a promising application prospect in some scientific filed requiring accurate temperature measurement, such as biomolecules, medicine and other filed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A bubble microcavity in an ultra-thin core optical fiber was fabricated to form a Fabry-Perot interferometer. • The size of the bubble decreased gradually with further arc discharges, which was inverse to the reported literature. • The bubble microcavity in the ultra-thin core optical fiber showed a strain sensitivity of 2.08 pm/με and a gravity sensitivity of 2.908 nm/N in a large measurement range. • The bubble microcavity in the ultra-thin core optial fiber was insensitive to temperature and bending, which was benefit to avoid the cross influences. Recent progress in optical fiber sensors based on Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPIs) has achieved much attention. In this paper, we designed and fabricated an FPI sensor by building a bubble in an ultra-thin core optical fiber. The size of the bubble decreased gradually with further arc discharges, which was inverse to the bubble fabrication in standard single mode fibers and multimode fibers. The bubble microcavity in the ultra-thin core optical fiber demonstrated a strain sensitivity of 2.08 pm/με in the range of 0–5000 με and a gravity sensitivity of 2.908 nm/N in the range of 0–4.89 N with high linear responses. Meanwhile, the bubble microcavity sensor was insensitive to temperature and bending, which was benefit to avoid the cross influences. The FPI sensor based on a bubble microcavity in an ultra-thin core optical fiber possesses the properties of easy to fabricate, small size, robustness, and high sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A temperature sensor based on modes coupling effect in a liquid crystal-filled microstructured optical fiber was proposed and studied in this paper. The sensing characteristics were investigated by using a full-vectorial finite-element method (FEM) with perfectly matched layer and scattering boundary condition. For the purpose of temperature sensing, liquid crystal E7 was designed to be infiltrated into one cladding air hole in PCF to form a defect core. As the phase matching condition is satisfied, the core modes couple to several different ordered defect core modes, and finally experience a large increase in the confinement loss spectra. Furthermore, the loss spectra shift toward opposite directions in the two temperature segments (15–29 °C, 29–50 °C) for X-polarized (X-pol) direction, while it experiences a blue shift in the temperature range of 15–50 °C for Y-polarized (Y-pol) direction. Numerical simulation results show that the sensitivity reaches −5.26 nm/°C at 30 °C. The coupling effect between the core fundamental mode and high-order defect core modes utilized in this paper will be beneficial to the high-sensitivity detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: OZ439 is a new chemical entity which is active against drug-resistant malaria and shows potential as a single-dose cure. However, development of an oral formulation with desired exposure has proved problematic, as OZ439 is poorly soluble (BCS Class II drug). In order to be feasible for low and middle income countries (LMICs), any process to create or formulate such a therapeutic must be inexpensive at scale, and the resulting formulation must survive without refrigeration even in hot, humid climates. We here demonstrate the scalability and stability of a nanoparticle (NP) formulation of OZ439. Previously, we applied a combination of hydrophobic ion pairing and Flash NanoPrecipitation (FNP) to formulate OZ439 NPs 150 nm in diameter using the inexpensive stabilizer hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS). Lyophilization was used to process the NPs into a dry form, and the powder's in vitro solubilization was over tenfold higher than unprocessed OZ439.Methods: In this study, we optimize our previous formulation using a large-scale multi-inlet vortex mixer (MIVM). Spray drying is a more scalable and less expensive operation than lyophilization and is, therefore, optimized to produce dry powders. The spray dried powders are then subjected to a series of accelerated aging stability trials at high temperature and humidity conditions.Results: The spray dried OZ439 powder's dissolution kinetics are superior to those of lyophilized NPs. The powder's OZ439 solubilization profile remains constant after 1 month in uncapped vials in an oven at 50 °C and 75% RH, and for 6 months in capped vials at 40 °C and 75% RH. In fasted-state intestinal fluid, spray dried NPs achieved 80-85% OZ439 dissolution, to a concentration of 430 µg/mL, within 3 h. In fed-state intestinal fluid, 95-100% OZ439 dissolution is achieved within 1 h, to a concentration of 535 µg/mL. X-ray powder diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry profiles similarly remain constant over these periods.Conclusions: The combined nanofabrication and drying process described herein, which utilizes two continuous unit operations that can be operated at scale, is an important step toward an industrially-relevant method of formulating the antimalarial OZ439 into a single-dose oral form with good stability against humidity and temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]