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Background: Anemone shikokiana (Makino) Makino is a perennial herb of the genus Anemone in the family Ranunculaceae. Endemic to the Shandong Peninsula in China and Shikoku Island in Japan, it is a rare and endangered plant with a narrow, disjunct distribution. It is threatened with extinction and is in urgent need of conservation. Evaluating the genetic diversity of species, revealing the population genetic structure and gene flow, and inferring the population history are of great importance for species conservation, especially for rare and endangered plants. Results: In our study, 73 samples from eight wild populations in China were sequenced by Super-GBS, yielding a total of 40.59 G clean reads and 52,231 SNPs. Based on the obtained SNP data set, we evaluated the population genetic diversity, genetic structure, and gene flow of A. shikokiana. A low level of genetic diversity was found (He = 0.1925, Ho = 0.1422). The neighbor-joining (NJ) tree, principal component analysis and ADMIXTURE analysis suggested that these 73 A. shikokiana could be considered as two groups. Pairwise genetic differentiation coefficients (Fst) indicated that genetic differentiation was lower between adjacent populations and higher between geographically separated populations. The gene flow between Kunyu Mountain and Lao Mountain was very low. However, neither of the two regions showed evidence of Isolation by Distance. Conclusions: Here, we revealed the population genetic structure and gene flow of A. shikokiana from the Shandong Peninsula, China. This research provides valuable genetic resources for A. shikokiana and contributes to the scientific and effective conservation of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. Fubaiju (CMF) is regarded as one of the three most renowned varieties of white Chrysanthemum in China, and different extraction methods have significant effects on its composition and activities. Therefore, six extractions were used in this study to assess the effects on extracts. The basic chemical composition showed that hot water extract (Hw) had the highest total phenolic content, alkali water immersion-assisted hot water extract (Al) had the highest content of protein, and enzyme-assisted hot water extract (Enz) had the highest content of carbohydrate. The UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS results evinced the presence of 19 small-molecule compounds, including chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, tuberonic acid glucoside, luteolin-7-O-rutinoside, and other substances. In addition, the antioxidant test found that the Hw exhibited the best 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (82.05 ± 1.59 mM TE/mg) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) (61.91 ± 0.27 mM TE/mg) scavenging ability. The anti-glycation test demonstrated that Enz possessed the most pronounced inhibitory effect on glycation products, including fructosamine and advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Additionally, the Enz also exhibited the most significant inhibitory effect on the protein oxidation product N'-formylkynurenine. The correlation analysis revealed that there was a close relationship between antioxidant properties and glycation resistance of extracts, and tuberonic acid glucoside, 1,3-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 1,4-Dicaffeoylquinic acid, quercetin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, and isochlorogenic acid B were key small molecule components that affected activities. In summary, the extracts of CMF can be regarded as an excellent antioxidant and anti-glycosylation agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of authenticity has received much discussion in applied linguistics and educational studies. Valuable insights have been gained into how authenticity is problematised in language teaching and how to improve the situation by engaging learners with better-designed materials and activities. These achievements notwithstanding, empirical evidence remains insufficient to understand learners' meaning-making endeavours in real-life learning scenarios. The current study attempts to examine authenticity in additional language learning from a semiotic perspective, which may shed new light on the complex cognitive process of beginner learners' first encounter with a new language and how this process could be motivated and facilitated by teachers in a classroom setting. Evidence of semiotic articulation and production of authenticity from a low-pressure Spanish classroom is analysed focussing on cultural authenticity, interactive authenticity and authenticity of behaviour and engagement. The evidence is discussed to find how semiotic resources in combination with lived experiences may help learners' comprehension and appreciation of the target language and its culture. These findings reveal the relevance and value of semiotic approaches to language teaching research and provide practical implications for exposing pre-tertiary young learners to languages other than English for more diverse and extensive learning experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of ammonia (NH3) via the Haber–Bosch process is energy-intensive and environmentally challenging, necessitating the development of sustainable alternatives. Herein, we report a directed etch template strategy to create atomically dispersed Ru–N4 active sites within layered porous carbon (NC@Ru) for efficient electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR). The removal of the MgO template results in an interconnected carbon network with hierarchical porous structures, significantly enhancing the accessibility and mass transfer of the active sites. The NC@Ru catalyst demonstrated superior NRR performance, achieving an ammonia yield rate of 196.2 μg h–1 mgcat.–1 and a Faradaic efficiency of 43.8%. In situ electrochemical mass spectrometry was employed to analyze NRR kinetics, while density functional theory calculations were utilized to elucidate the NRR mechanism and identify the rate-determining step. The work introduces a novel high-performance catalyst for electrocatalytic NRR and provides a practical strategy for optimizing active-site microenvironments, laying the groundwork for future commercial applications of electrocatalytic NRR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To analyse the risk factors and incidence of falls in geriatric outpatients in a university hospital ward in Hangzhou, China. Methods: From May 2020 to August 2022, 1712 geriatric outpatients in a university hospital ward in Hangzhou, China, were screened using a socio‐demographic questionnaire (e.g. gender, age, living arrangement, etc.) and assessment scales. The correlation between each factor and falls was preliminarily analysed by chi‐squared tests. Finally, binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to further analyse the risk factors of falls. The STROBE checklist was used in reporting this study. Results: Of the 1712 geriatric outpatients recruited, 1626 participants (60–79 and ≥ 80 years old) with complete questionnaire and assessment data were included. The occurrence of falls for those in the 60–79 age group was 8.4%, and for those in the ≥80 age group it was 13.4%. Age (p =.007), use of a walking assistance device (p <.001), the Stay Independent Brochure Questionnaire (SIB) (OR = 7.751, 95% CI = 5.089–11.806, p <.001), living arrangement (p =.004), timed up and go test (TUGT) (p =.007) and three diseases or above (OR = 2.496, 95% CI = 1.358–11.4.586, p =.003) reached statistical significance. Conclusions: Older people have a high incidence of falls. In this study, age, disease history, SIB scores (≥4 points), living arrangement, TUGT and walking assistance device increased the probability of falls in older Chinese adults. Personalised interventions should be carried out according to the specific situation of older people to effectively reduce their incidence of falls and improve their quality of life. Relevance to Clinical Practice: The basic characteristics and fall risk factors of the older can help nurses identify fall risk, and early intervention by caregivers can reduce fall‐related injuries, which has practical significance for promoting healthy aging. Patient or Public Contribution: The subjects of this study were older patients ≥60 years old, and the demographic characteristics and fall‐related information of patients were obtained by questionnaire. The team worked closely with a team of experts in the field of health care. Some researchers collect data and rewrite them, while other researchers analyse the information and write a paper. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the effect of yeast-Agastache rugosus complex solution on the deodorization of tilapia, the deodorization process was optimized by single factor and response surface experiments. Gas chromatography ion mobility spectroscopy (GC-IMS) was used to identify the volatile components of tilapia meat before and after deodorization, and partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) was used to distinguish and analyze the differences. Results showed that when the conditions of a mass concentration of 2.1 g/100 mL, the ratio of solid to liquid was 1:3.09 (g:mL), and the deodorization time of 32 minutes, the fishy degree was the lowest and the sensory score was the highest. A total of 22 volatile compounds, mainly aldehydes and alcohols, were detected by GC-IMS. After deodorization, the relative content of aldehydes decreased from 50.64% to 40.82%, and that of alcohols decreased from 34.00% to 27.77% . According to the odor threshold value, the substances with relative odor activity value (ROAV) was greater than 1 were 1-octen-3-ol, 1-hexanol, heptanal, nonanal, octyl aldehede, ethyl acetate, and acetic acid hexyl ester. Five key fishy substances (VIP > 1) were screened by partial least squares discriminant analysis and variable importance in projection (VIP). They were octyl aldehede, nonanal, heptanal, 1-octen-3- ol, and 1-hexanol. The interaction of these substances had an important impact on the fishy smell of tilapia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dense medium separation is one of the most widely used methods for coal beneficiation, and an accurate estimation of product coal ash is the prerequisites to maximize the resource value. In this work, data pre-cleaning and multi-layer feature learning process of deep learning are explored to predict the product quality more accurately. The research results show that, the deep learning model considering the time series characteristics of process variables can predict the change of product quality better, which could be attributed to the fact that the full considers time series relationship between process data and product quality. Specifically, the prediction value obtained by using a single-layer, multi-unit recurrent neural network model (GRU) is improved with Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) at 0.061, and the RMSE for multi-step prediction (10 min) is 0.262. What's more, the prediction error gradually decreases and tends to be smooth with increasing time step. It is suggested that the time step used for data reconstruction should be the time of raw coal coming through to the clean coal belt. This work provides an innovative idea for improving online prediction of coal ash and is of significant importance for precise control of dense medium separation in application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cooking method is extremely important for the production of low-salt, wet-marinated, fermented golden pomfret because it strongly influences its flavor components and organoleptic quality. There are also significant differences in flavor preferences in different populations. The present study analyzed differences in the aroma characteristics of wet-marinated fermented golden pomfret after boiling, steaming, microwaving, air-frying, and baking using a combination of an electronic nose, GC-IMS, and SPME-GC-MS. Electronic nose PCA showed that the flavors of the boiled (A), steamed (B), and microwaved (C) treatment groups were similar, and the flavors of the baking (D) and air-frying (E) groups were similar. A total of 72 flavor compounds were detected in the GC-IMS analysis, and the comparative analysis of the cooked wet-marinated and fermented golden pomfret yielded a greater abundance of flavor compounds. SPME-GC-MS analysis detected 108 flavor compounds, and the results were similar for baking and air-frying. Twelve key flavor substances, including hexanal, isovaleraldehyde, and (E)-2-dodecenal, were identified by orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and VIP analysis. These results showed that the cooking method could be a key factor in the flavor distribution of wet-marinated fermented golden pomfret, and consumers can choose the appropriate cooking method accordingly. The results can provide theoretical guidance for the more effective processing of fish products and the development of subsequent food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gel prepared using Nemipterus virgatus (N. virgatus) surimi alone still has some defects in texture and taste. Complexing with polysaccharides is an efficient strategy to enhance its gel properties. The main objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between the gel quality and molecular interaction of N. virgatus surimi gel after complexing with tapioca starch. The results make clear that the gel strength, hardness, and chewiness of surimi gel were increased by molecular interaction with tapioca starch. At the appropriate addition amount (12%, w/w), the surimi gel had an excellent gel strength (17.48 N), water-holding capacity (WHC) (89.01%), lower cooking loss rate (CLR) (0.95%), and shortened T2 relaxation time. Microstructure analysis indicated that the addition of tapioca starch facilitated even distribution in the gel network structure, resulting in a significant reduction in cavity diameter, with the minimum diameter reduced to 20.33 μm. In addition, tapioca starch enhanced the hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction in the gel system and promoted the transformation of α-helix to β-sheet (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that the increased physicochemical properties of surimi gel were closely related to the enhanced noncovalent interactions. In conclusion, noncovalent complexation with tapioca starch is an efficient strategy to enhance the quality of surimi gel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Change of supraglacial lakes (SGLs) is an important hydrological activity on the Greenland ice sheet (GrIS), and storage and drainage of SGLs occur throughout the year. However, current studies tend to split SGL changes into melt/non-melt seasons, ignoring the effect of buried lakes in the exploration of drainage, and the existing threshold-based approach to SGL extraction in a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is influenced by the choice of the study area mask. In this study, a new method (Otsu–Canny–Otsu (OCO)), which accesses the features of SGLs on optical and SAR images objectively, is proposed for full-year SGL extraction with Google Earth Engine (GEE). The SGLs on the Petermann Glacier were monitored well by OCO throughout 2021, including buried lakes and more detailed rapid drainage events. Some SGLs' extent varied minimally in a year (area varying by 10–25%) while some had very rapid drainage (a rapid drainage event from July 26 to 30). The SGL extraction results were influenced by factors such as the mode of polarization, the surface environment, and the depth of the lake. The OCO method can provide a more comprehensive analysis for SGL changes throughout the year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, gelatin/wheat gliadin electrospun films containing different amounts of chlorogenic acid (CA; 0–150 mg) were fabricated and characterized, and the protective effect of the films with CA on food preservation was investigated, specifically for grass carp fillets. The results of the morphology and structure of the films indicated that CA was successfully encapsulated in the film and interacted with proteins. Thermal stability, mechanical properties, and water contact angle (WCA) analysis suggested that the film had good stability and hydrophobicity. Furthermore, films with CA exhibited good antioxidant and antibacterial activities and these properties were enhanced with increasing CA content. The antioxidant activity was greater than 90% when the amount of CA added was greater than 100 mg. The CA release mechanism of the film supplemented with 125 mg of CA (CA125) was in line with the first-order kinetic model, and CA release reached 84.38% ± 0.26% at 16 h. Furthermore, CA125 was used to perform 10-day preservation assays. During the storage period, the quality of grass carp fillets deteriorated and the film with CA exhibited a better protective effect on muscle quality, thus, possibly delaying the deterioration of the fish fillets and prolonging their acceptance period, demonstrating its applicability in the protection of the freshness of aquatic products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poetry is often seen as the ultimate challenge for a literary translator. Why it is so and how in reality translators manage to accomplish this feat remain to be explored. This article contributes a new way of understanding poetry translation by re-theorizing the practice with reference to the concept of blank-sign. In the light of the blank-sign, we see poetry as a genre rich with meaning-charged blank-signs and poetry translation as a "blank-filling" endeavour to seek relevance for the poem in the target sociocultural context while craftily leaving its overall poetic "blankness" intact for meaningful reading and contemplation. We illustrate this idea with the Spanish translation of two contemporary Chinese poems, with a focus on discussing the challenges with regard to communicating the culture-laden images and the intertextual connections in the original poem. Based on our preliminary findings, we highlight the value of the study of blank-signs in poetry translation and the need for translators to draw insights from cross-linguistic analysis to inform their practice. This semiotic account offers insights into how poetry translation can be alternatively conceptualised and has implications for practitioners involved in poetry and translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction of air‐ice‐ocean‐biology plays a key role in the global environment and sea‐level changes. The basal channel at the bottom of the Amery Ice Shelf (AIS) and the Mackenzie polynya are the intense sites for the interaction of air‐ice‐ocean‐biology in the Prydz Bay. In this study, the spatio‐temporal distribution characteristics of the complex basal channel system from the 1990s to 2019 are discovered and analyzed. The shapes of the channels are inverted‐V in the deep parts, gradually becoming inverted‐U as it develops in accordance with the direction of erosion. The deepest part of the basal channel system is over 800 m resulting from the meltwater plumes at the southernmost grounding zone. The linear and thinner channel region is the weakest and most sensitive part under ocean forcing leading to instability of the AIS (e.g., longitudinal fractures and calving). Conductivity‐temperature‐depth data are used to confirm the paths and shapes of the warm and cold water in the interaction. Channels can be divided into warm and cold‐water channels based on filled water masses. Cold water channels collect the fresh melting water and drain it out. Paths of cold‐water columns from different channels extend to the Mackenzie polynya area, which prevents warm water from entering the west AIS. Meltwater from the channels, warm water, brine produced by the Mackenzie polynya, and marine mammals in the polynya together constitute a complex regional environment system of dynamical air‐ice‐ocean‐biology interactions. Plain Language Summary: The Amery Ice Shelf (AIS), ocean, and Mackenzie polynya compose a regional air‐ice‐ocean‐biology environment system, which is connected by basal channels. Basal channels are deep upward grooves at the base of ice shelves. Polynyas are open water surrounded by sea ice and release brine while producing sea ice. Remote sensing data are used to study the distribution and characteristics of basal channels and the threat on the AIS stability. The deepest channel is over 800 m, which is the deepest among any reported ice shelf basal channels. The shapes of channels are inverted‐V in the deep parts, and gradually become inverted‐U as the channels develop; these shapes are related to the type of ocean erosion. Supercooled meltwater carrying ions is discharged through the channels on the western AIS, which blocks the invasion of warm water and provides materials for primary productivity of the Mackenzie polynya. The brine released in Mackenzie polynya has considerable impacts on the basal melting of the AIS and circulation in the Prydz Bay. Basal channels and the Mackenzie polynya affect the local environment by weakening the stability of the AIS and altering the characters and paths of water masses. Key Points: The complex basal channel system beneath Amery Ice Shelf (AIS) is a sensitive area for the ocean forcing on ice shelf stabilityThe variations of channels' shape and size in different areas related to the erosion pattern of seawaterBasal channels collect the fresh melting water and drain it out the ice shelf, which prevents warm water entering the west AIS [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DAPTMGY (DTY) is an oligopeptide derived from marine microalgae with proven potential to combat oxidative stress in previous research. The composition, ordering, and active sites of amino acids play a key role in activity studies and are also the research trends in recent years. As an oligopeptide with a molecular weight of less than 1000 Da, DTY is of great significance to explore the active site and structure-activity relationship. This study used quantum mechanics to optimize DTY's structure and predict the active site through molecular orbits, energy, and charge. In addition, an LPS-treated HUVEC cell was established as an oxidative-stress model. DTY could reduce mitochondrial oxidative stress and inhibit ROS production by enhancing the antioxidant enzymes SOD, GPX, and HO-1. Moreover, it was confirmed to inhibit inflammation and apoptosis through the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways. Lastly, the correlation of the oligopeptide DTY's active site and antioxidative-stress activity was verified by molecular docking, showing that hydrogen bonding is the main force, which was also the main factor for antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangroves are located at the intersection of land and sea and are also heavily affected by plastic wastes. Biofilms of plastic wastes in mangroves are reservoirs for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). In this study, plastic wastes and ARG pollution were investigated from three typical mangrove areas in Zhanjiang, South China. Transparent was the dominant colors of plastic wastes in three mangroves. Fragment and film shape accounted for 57.73–88.23% of plastic waste samples in mangroves. In addition, 39.50% of plastic wastes in protected area mangroves are PS. The metagenomic results shows that the 175 ARGs were found on plastic wastes of the three mangroves, the abundance accounting for 91.11% of the total ARGs. The abundance of Vibrio accounted for 2.31% of the total bacteria genera in aquaculture pond area mangrove. Correlation analysis shows that a microbe can carry multiple ARGs that may improve resistance to antibiotics. Microbes are the potential hosts of most ARGs, suggesting that ARGs can be transmitted by microbes. Because the mangroves are closely related to human activities and the high abundance of ARGs on plastic increases the ecological risks, people should improve plastic waste management and prevent the spread of ARGs by reducing plastic pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anemone shikokiana (Makino) Makino, disjunctly distributed in Shandong Peninsula of China and Shikoku Island of Japan, is a rare and endangered species. To provide genetic information and understand its phylogeny, we conducted research on the chloroplast (cp) genome of A. shikokiana. Methods and results: The complete cp genome sequence of A. shikokiana was constructed in this study. The results showed that the cp genome of A. shikokiana has a typical quadripartite cyclic with a total length of 159,286 bp. In total, 111 unique genes were identified, including 78 protein-coding genes, 29 tRNA-coding genes and 4 rRNA-coding genes. A total of 37 long repeat sequences and 67 microsatellites were found in this cp genome. The cp genome of A. shikokiana was compared with eleven other Anemone cp genomes available from the Genbank database. We found some variations among the different genomes, especially in the LSC and SSC regions, and identified some regions as potential molecular markers such as ycf1, ndhE, ndhD, ndhF-trnL, ndhA and ndhF. The results of phylogenetic analysis suggested that A. narcissiflora was the closest relative of A. shikokiana. Conclusions: The results filled the gap of cp genome sequence information of A. shikokiana, laying the foundation to explore the evolutionary relationships of A. shikokiana in future studies. It provided a valuable genetic resource for the molecular identification and phylogenetic study of Anemone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epi-aszonalenin A (EAA) is an alkaloid that is isolated and purified from the secondary metabolites of coral symbiotic fungi and has been shown to have good atherosclerotic intervention activity and anti-angiogenic activity in our previous studies. In the present study, antiangiogenic activity was used as a basis of an intensive study of its mechanism of action against tumor metastasis and invasion. Invasive metastatic pairs are a hallmark of malignancy, and the dissemination of tumor cells is the most dangerous process in the development of tumors. The results of cell wound healing and the Transwell chamber assay showed that EAA interfered well with PMA-induced migration and invasion of HT1080 cells. Western blot and the ELISA assay showed that EAA decreased MMPs and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) activity and inhibited the expression of N-cadherin and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) by regulating the phosphorylation of downstream mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), PI3K/AKT, and NF-κB pathways. Simultaneous molecular docking results revealed that the mimic coupling between the EAA and MMP-2/-9 molecules formed a stable interaction. The results of this study provide a research basis for the inhibition of tumor metastasis by EAA, and together with previous studies, confirm the potential pharmacology and drug potential for this class of compound for application in angiogenesis-related diseases and further improve the availability of coral symbiotic fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landfast ice has undergone a dramatic decline in recent decades, imposing potential effects on ice travel for coastal populations, habitats for marine biota, and ice use for industries. The mapping of landfast ice deformation and the investigation of corresponding causes of changes are urgent tasks that can provide substantial data to support the maintenance of the stability of the Arctic ecosystem and the development of human activities on ice. This work aims to investigate the time-series deformation characteristics of landfast ice at multi-year scales and the corresponding influence factors. For the landfast ice deformation monitoring technique, we first combined the small baseline subset approach with ascending and descending Sentinel-1 images to obtain the line-of-sight deformations for two flight directions, and then we derived the 2D deformation fields comprising the vertical and horizontal directions for the corresponding periods by introducing a transform model. The vertical deformation results were mostly within the interval [−65, 23] cm, while the horizontal displacement was largely within the range of [−26, 78] cm. Moreover, the magnitude of deformation observed in 2019 was evidently greater than those in 2020 and 2021. In accordance with the available data, we speculate that the westerly wind and eastward-flowing ocean currents are the dominant reasons for the variation in the horizontal direction in Cambridge Bay, while the factors causing spatial differences in the vertical direction are the sea-level tilt and ice growth. For the interannual variation, the leading cause is the difference in sea-level tilt. These results can assist in predicting the future deformation of landfast ice and provide a reference for on-ice activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glehnia littoralis is an economic herb with both medicinal and edible uses. It also has important ecological value and special phylogenetic status as it is a monotypic genus species distributing around beach. Little information on its reproductive biology has been reported so far, which has hindered conservation and application of this species. In this study, we observed morphological changes from buds emergence to seeds formation and internal changes during sporogenesis, gametophyte development and embryo and endosperm development of G. littoralis using paraffin-embedded-sectioning and stereo microscope. Results: The results showed that the stages of internal development events of G. littoralis corresponded to obvious external morphological changes, most of developmental features were consistent with other Apiaceae species. The development of male and female gametophytes was not synchronized in the same flower, however, exhibited temporal overlap. From mid-late April to mid-May, the anther primordial and ovule primordial developed into the trinucleate pollen grain and eight-nuclear embryo sac, respectively. From late-May to mid-July, the zygote developed into mature embryo. In addition, some defects in gynoecium or ovule development and abnormal embryo and endosperm development were found. We induced that the possible causes of abortion in G. littoralis were as follows: nutrient limitation, poor pollination and fertilization, and bad weather. Conclusions: This study revealed the whole process and morphological characteristics of the development of reproductive organ in G. littoralis, which not only provided important data for the study of systematic and conservation biology, but also provided a theoretical basis for cross breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disease, is the most common cause of dementia in humans worldwide. Although more in-depth research has been carried out on AD, the therapeutic effect of AD is not as expected, and natural active substances are increasingly sought after by scientists. In the present study, we evaluated two benzaldehydes from a coral-derived Aspergillus terreus strain C23-3, their anti-neuroinflammatory activity in microglia (BV-2), and their neuroprotective activity and mechanisms in hippocampal neuronal cells (HT-22). These include the protein expression of iNOS, COX-2, MAPKs pathways, Tau protein-related pathways, caspases family-related signaling pathways. They also include the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-18 and ROS, as well as the level of mitochondrial oxidative stress and neuronal cell apoptosis. The results showed that both benzaldehydes were effective in reducing the secretion of various inflammatory mediators, as well as pro-inflammatory factors. Among these, benzaldehyde 2 inhibited mitochondrial oxidative stress and blocked neuronal cell apoptosis through Tau protein-related pathways and caspases family-related signaling pathways, thereby inhibiting β-amyloid (Aβ)-induced neurological damage. This study reveals that benzaldehyde 2 has potential as a therapeutic agent for Alzheimer's disease, and offers a new approach to the high-value use of marine natural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The right ventricle (RV) of children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), in which volume overload (VO) is inevitable, pumps blood into the systemic circulation. Understanding the molecular differences and their different responses to VO between the RV and left ventricle (LV) at the neonatal and highly plastic stages may improve the long-term management of children with HLHS. Using our newly developed neonatal ventricular VO model, we demonstrated that one of the major differences between a normal neonatal RV and LV is related to the insulin and thyroid hormone signaling pathways. In response to VO, the RV favored an arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) phenotypic change and the LV favored a reduction in microRNAs in cancer. Considering that a major cause of death in children with HLHS is arrhythmia, which is the hallmark of ARVC, the current study suggests that inhibiting ARVC may improve RV function. In addition, the current study also suggests that insulin, thyroid hormone, and cancer-associated microRNAs may be potential therapeutic targets that should be explored by basic science studies to improve the function of the RV to match that of the LV. Background: In children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), volume overload (VO) is inevitable, and the right ventricle (RV) pumps blood into the systemic circulation. Understanding the molecular differences and their different responses to VO between the RV and left ventricle (LV) at the neonatal and highly plastic stages may improve the long-term management of children with HLHS. Methods and Results: A neonatal rat ventricular VO model was established by the creation of a fistula between the inferior vena cava and the abdominal aorta on postnatal day 1 (P1) and confirmed by echocardiographic and histopathological analyses. Transcriptomic analysis demonstrated that some of the major differences between a normal neonatal RV and LV were associated with the thyroid hormone and insulin signaling pathways. Under the influence of VO, the levels of insulin receptors and thyroid hormone receptors were significantly increased in the LV but decreased in the RV. The transcriptomic analysis also demonstrated that under the influence of VO, the top two common enriched pathways between the RV and LV were the insulin and thyroid hormone signaling pathways, whereas the RV-specific enriched pathways were primarily associated with lipid metabolism and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC); further, the LV-specific enriched pathways were primarily associated with nucleic acid metabolism and microRNAs in cancer. Conclusions: Insulin and thyroid hormones may play critical roles in the differences between a neonatal RV and LV as well as their common responses to VO. Regarding the isolated responses to VO, the RV favors an ARVC change and the LV favors a reduction in microRNAs in cancer. The current study suggests that insulin, thyroid hormone, and cancer-associated microRNAs are potential therapeutic targets that should be explored by basic science studies to improve the function of the RV to match that of the LV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we aimed to optimize the preparation process of gelatin/wheat gliadin nanofibers and to characterize gelatin/wheat gliadin nanofibers with different weight ratios. The optimization results showed that uniform nanofibers were prepared under the following conditions: a 2:4 (v/v) 70% (v/v) ethanol and acetic acid solvent system with 22% solute concentration and 15 kV, 15 cm, and 0.75 mL/h spinning parameters. Scanning electron microscopy showed that gelatin/wheat gliadin nanofibers had good morphology, and the diameter ranged from 154.18 ± 35.65 nm to 402.38 ± 51.21 nm. Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, and circular dichroism analyses confirmed the formation of hydrogen bonds between gelatin and wheat gliadin, which increased the structural order of the nanofibers. Thermal analysis indicated that the addition of wheat gliadin had changed the thermal stability of the mixture, and the weight loss of the nanofibers ranged from 68.18% to 81.21%. The highest tensile strength (3.65 ± 0.18 MPa) and elongation at break (35.55% ± 1.78%) were found at gelatin:wheat gliadin ratios of 2:1 and 1:2, respectively. The water contact angle >90° showed that mixed films were hydrophobic. These results showed that gelatin and wheat gliadin were uniformly dispersed in the films and improved the properties of the nanofibers. Highlights: Electrospinning was optimized to produce gelatin/wheat gliadin nanofibers. The gelatin/gliadin fibers were more ordered than gelatin or wheat gliadin fibers. The surfaces of the gelatin/wheat gliadin nanofibers were hydrophobic. The mixed fibers showed more water resistant than gelatin or wheat gliadin fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amomum villosum Lour. (A. villosum), a comestible medicinal plant, has been traditionally used in China to treat diarrhea, stomach fullness, and abdominal distension. Polysaccharide, the main chemical component of A. villosum, has been shown to possess potential antioxidant and glycosidase inhibitory activities; however, whether it has anticolitis activity is unknown. The aim of this research was to evaluate the anticolitis effects of A. villosum polysaccharide (AVLP) in BALB/c mice. The results showed that AVLP administration significantly reversed body weight loss, colon shortening and colon weight gain and decreased the levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in colitis mice (p < 0.05). AVLP administration also maintained intestinal barrier function by the upregulation of ZO-1 protein expression (p < 0.05). In addition, high-throughput sequencing analysis showed that AVLP possessed a great regulatory effect on the growth of Adlercreutzia, Clostridium, Streptococcus, Parabacteroides, Helicobacter, Odoribacter, and Alistipes (p < 0.05, LDA score > 2). The correlation analysis revealed that the protective effects against colitis of AVLP were highly correlated with intestinal bacterium regulation. These results suggest that AVLP intake could serve as a prospective nutritional strategy for inflammatory bowel diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the processing method of introducing plant protein into meat products has attracted great attention. However, the direct addition of plant protein often leads to a decline in meat product quality. This paper aims to provide an efficient method for incorporating plant protein into fish sausage. Pea protein isolate (PPI), grass carp protein isolate (CPI) and pea-grass carp coprecipitated dual protein (Co) were derived from pea and grass carp by an isoelectric solubilisation/precipitation method. At the same time, the blended dual protein (BL) was obtained by blending PPI with CPI, and the plant and animal protein content of Co and BL was both controlled to be the same. The four proteins were combined with soybean oil and water to form a three-phase pre-emulsification system of protein-oil-water, which was added to grass carp meat as a replacement for animal fat to prepare fish sausage. The gelation properties of the four fish sausages and those without protein were analysed. The results showed that the gel quality of PPI fish sausage is poor, while the overall quality of Co fish sausage as a whole was significantly superior to that of PPI and BL, which was equivalent to CPI fish sausage. The sensory score of the Co fish sausage was slightly lower than that of CPI, but it had significantly higher water-holding capacity and hardness (p < 0.05). The Co fish sausage showed the synergistic effect of heterologous proteins, while BL had some antagonistic effects. This study shows that Co pre-emulsion is an effective strategy to introduce plant protein, so it has a good application prospect in the meat industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isoelectric solubilisation/co-precipitation (ISP) has been proven to be a better method than blending for preparing plant–animal dual-proteins, which can achieve synergies in the functional properties of heterologous proteins. This paper aims to investigate the effect of extraction pH on the functional properties of co-precipitated dual-protein. The basic composition, subunit composition, solubility, surface hydrophobicity, emulsification and gel properties of co-precipitated dual-protein (Co) prepared from pea and grass carp with pH (2.0, 3.0, 9.0, 10.0 and 11.0) were analysed in this study using ISP. The results showed that the functional properties of Co (Co9, Co10, Co11) prepared by alkali extraction were generally better than those prepared by acid extraction (Co2, Co3). Among them, Co10 has the highest vicilin/legumin α + β value and solubility, while having the lowest surface hydrophobicity, making its emulsification and gel properties superior to other extraction pH values. This study provides an important method reference for preparing plant-animal Co with exceptional functional properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on the Arctic sea ice climate indicators is crucial to business strategic planning and climate monitoring. Data on the evolvement of the Arctic sea ice and decadal trends of phenology factors during melt season are necessary for climate prediction under global warming. Previous studies on Arctic sea ice phenology did not involve melt ponds that dramatically lower the ice surface albedo and tremendously affect the process of sea ice surface melt. Temporal means and trends of the Arctic sea ice phenology from 1982 to 2017 were examined based on satellite-derived sea ice concentration and albedo measurements. Moreover, the timing of ice ponding and two periods corresponding to it were newly proposed as key stages in the melt season. Therefore, four timings, i.e., date of snow and ice surface melt onset (MO), date of pond onset (PO), date of sea ice opening (DOO), and date of sea ice retreat (DOR); and three durations, i.e., melt pond formation period (MPFP, i.e., MO—PO), melt pond extension period (MPEP, i.e., PO—DOR), and seasonal loss of ice period (SLIP, i.e., DOO—DOR), were used. PO ranged from late April in the peripheral seas to late June in the central Arctic Ocean in Bootstrap results, whereas the pan-Arctic was observed nearly 4 days later in NASA Team results. Significant negative trends were presented in the MPEP in the Hudson Bay, the Baffin Bay, the Greenland Sea, the Kara and Barents seas in both results, indicating that the Arctic sea ice undergoes a quick transition from ice to open water, thereby extending the melt season year to year. The high correlation coefficient between MO and PO, MPFP illustrated that MO predominates the process of pond formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the quality and flavor of surimi‐based products, we investigated the effects of vegetable oils (peanut, soybean, corn, coconut, olive, and safflower seed oils) on the texture, water‐holding capacity (WHC), microstructure, and flavor of the Nemipterus virgatus surimi gel. The results showed that 6 kinds of vegetable oils could improve the whiteness and flavor of gels. However, peanut, olive, and coconut oils enriching oleic acid or lauric acid were easy to accumulate with an average diameter of more than 0.15 μm. Thus, the gel with the oil showed a loose network structures with large cavities, and the texture was deteriorated, accompanied by decreased WHC (p <.05). Compared with other vegetable oils, soybean, corn and safflower seed oils enriching linoleic acid were emulsified with protein forming a stable interfacial protein film. The gel with the oil showed an increase in the WHC and bound water content. Furthermore, the oil droplets with an average diameter of less than 0.15 μm were evenly distributed in the gel matrix, and the gel exhibited dense network structures with small cavities and smooth surface. In general, soybean and safflower seed oils can be used as a potential additive to improve the quality and flavor of surimi‐based products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin is the outmost layer of human and sustains most of the external UVB irradiation, which possibly causes the skin photoaging. As a natural antioxidant, marine natural products have been paid more and more attention to their positive effects on photoaging. 6,6′‐bieckol is a phlorotanin isolated from Ecklonia cava, while its antiphotoaging bioactivity and mechanism have not been clear yet. This study proves that 6,6′‐bieckol enhances cells viability and decreases the level of ROS in UVB‐induced human immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT) cells. It also resulted in significant downregulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), p‐c‐Fos, phosphorylated JNK, p38, IκB and p65. In addition, molecular docking also showed that 6,6′‐bieckol could bind to MMP‐1, MMP‐3 and MMP‐9. Finally, it was proved that 6,6′‐bieckol acts on MMPs through the MAPK/AP‐1 and NF‐κB pathways to reduce UVB‐induced oxidative stress damage in HaCaT cells. Therefore, 6,6′‐bieckol is a functional food and skin care ingredient with great potential in preventing photoaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfated polysaccharides from red algae have a variety of biological activities, especially antitumor activities. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is a proteolytic metalloenzyme that degrades the central part of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and promotes tumor metastasis. In this research, we have investigated the influence and mechanism of GNP (sulfated polysaccharide from Gelidium crinale) on tumor metastasis and MMP-9 expression of human fibrosarcoma (HT1080) cells. The results inflected that the concentration of GNP below 100 μg/mL has no toxicity to HT1080 cells, but showed excellent activity in inhibiting cells migration and invasion. In addition, GNP effectively inhibits the mRNA of MMP-9 and reduces its expression and activity by regulating nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and mTOR/PI3K/Akt signaling pathways. GNP has great potential as MMP-9 inhibitor and could be developed as a functional food or drug to prevent tumor metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the early stage, oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) caused atherosclerosis, followed by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) damage, leading to a variety of cardiovascular related diseases. This study investigated the mechanism of nonapeptide (EMFGTSSET, ETT) isolated from in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of Isochrysis zhanjiang on endothelial cell inflammation and apoptosis induced by ox-LDL in atherosclerosis. At the cellular level, the results shown that ETT inhibited the up-regulation of oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) induced by ox-LDL. Furthermore, ETT inhibited the fluorescence intensity of ROS, inflammatory factors (interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α) and the expression of cell adhesion molecules (vascular cell adhesion protein 1 and intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1). In addition, it also upregulates nuclear red blood cell 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO -1), p-Akt, and bcl-2 levels. But down-regulated the expression of p-p65, p-IκB-α, p-p38, p-ERK, p-JNK, bax, and cleaved caspase-9/-3 (c-c-9/-3), thereby inhibited ox-LDL induction inflammation and apoptosis of atherosclerosis. Through molecular docking, it was judged that the stable interaction between ETT and LOX-1 and VCAM-1 was maintained through hydrogen bonding. These results can provide a theoretical basis for ETT as a potential substance for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis, and further improve the value of Isochrysis zhanjiangensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a magnetless differential microstrip circulator for high frequency operation. The differential design is obtained by pairing two single‐ended (SE) circulators, each based on three resonators connected in a wye topology with spatiotemporal modulation (STM). What is more, the STM biases of the two SE circulators are kept a fixed 180° phase difference. The resonance of the circuit is realized by varactor‐loaded microstrip line sections rather than conventional series of inductor and varactor. The design method of the proposed microstrip circulator has been presented by analyzing its equivalent circuit, which indicates the microstrip line sections cannot be simply equivalent to inductors with the conventional method. The analysis of the time‐varying circuit is verified by the simulated results of both the microstrip circulator and its equivalent circuit. A magnetless microstrip circulator was designed, fabricated and measured at center frequency of 1.99 GHz, showing maximum isolation (IX) of more than 50 dB, minimum insertion loss of 4.8 dB, and 1.4% 20 dB IX bandwidth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Recent regional cooling has impacted the natural systems of the Antarctic Peninsula (AP); however, little is known concerning the changes in the high parts of the glacial systems. Dry-snow line (DSL), situated in the high parts of glaciers, is the uppermost limit of frequent or occasional surface melt. We analyse dry-snow line altitude (DSLA) changes on the AP during 2004–2020 using C-band synthetic aperture radar time series data. We demonstrate that the DSLA in the eastern part of the AP is usually higher than that of the western part. Moreover, using simulated climatic variables from regional climate models, the lowering in altitude of DSL of glaciers in most areas is identified as a response to a decrease in snowmelt and an increase in precipitation. Furthermore, correlation analyses between simulated climatic variables and the DSLA are conducted. These results present the sensitive response of variations in DSLA to meteorological conditions, and the capability of DSLA being a proxy of polar local climate in high-altitude areas with no in situ meteorological observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A unique local tsunami had a very large impact on the coastal stations near Dålk Glacier; this kind of tsunami is related to iceberg activity. To provide a reference for tsunami warning and disaster prevention at these coastal research stations, a total of 41 abnormal water-surface oscillations caused by iceberg-induced tsunamis have been recorded and analyzed since February 2010. The seasonal and interannual variations in the tsunamis were determined by analyzing meteorological data and Landsat imagery. Based on these variation characteristics, double exponential smoothing was employed to fit the historical records and predict the next occurrence of an iceberg-induced tsunami, including the time and maximum absolute value of elevation of water-surface oscillation. The results showed that the date prediction error could be within a week, and the mean relative error of prediction for the elevation of water-surface oscillation was approximately 36.8%. Despite instability of prediction accuracies, this study provides an important clue to iceberg-induced tsunami warning and disaster prevention at coastal stations near calving glaciers, as well as for safe berthing and unloading of research vessels near these stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea ice concentration (SIC) is an indispensable parameter for the study of polar sea ice. The existing methods can obtain accurate SICs for most situations, but they usually perform poorly in low SIC regions because of the spatial differences in the neighboring pixels induced by the discontinuity of the sea ice cover. In this letter, to cope with the difficulty of this problem, an improved SIC estimation method is proposed to retrieve SIC, focusing on low SIC regions. The proposed method introduces the spatial relationships into SIC estimation by employing a total variation (TV) regularizer. Moreover, nonnegative constrained least squares (NCLS) is used to derive the optimal solutions from the SIC estimation equation. Verification was conducted in low SIC regions (0%–50%) of the Antarctic utilizing ship-based in situ data and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and the results were compared with those of some of the mature methods. The results indicated that the proposed method can obtain a superior accuracy with a smaller root-mean-square error (RMSE) (6.0%–14.61%) than the other algorithms in low SIC regions. Furthermore, the proposed method can accurately estimate the SIC of both first-year ice and multiyear ice. The findings of this study confirm the need to consider the spatial relationships in the processing of SIC estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of the microbial community during sand crab juice fermentation was analyzed using culture-based methods and high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Additionally, the changes in amino acid nitrogen (AAN) and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) were evaluated. Staphylococcus equorum , Staphylococcus arlettae , Staphylococcus saprophyticus , Salinicoccus amylolyticus and Bacillus cereus were isolated by traditional culture isolation technique. The Good's coverage obtained by high-throughput sequencing was over 99.5%, and the Chao1 and Simpson indices showed small fluctuations, indicating that the species abundance and diversity did not change significantly during the fermentation process, although the abundance decreased. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria were the dominant bacterial phyla observed during fermentation, whereas Aquabacterium , Roseovarius , Muribaculaceae , and Silicimonas were the dominant bacterial genera. The AAN content increased from 0.15 to 0.43 g/100 mL during the 15-day fermentation, indicating the production of small peptides and amino acids during fermentation. The TVB-N content (25.2 mg/100 mL) on day 15 indicated slight spoilage of sand crab juice, although the freshness conformed to the production standard. These results provide a theoretical basis for improving the quality and optimizing the production process of sand crab juice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is a common malignancy of female genital system which exhibits a unique immune profile. It is a promising strategy to quantify immune patterns of EC for predicting prognosis and therapeutic efficiency. Here, we attempted to identify the possible immune microenvironment-related prognostic markers of EC. We obtained the RNA sequencing and corresponding clinical data of EC from TCGA database. Then, 3 immune scores based on the Estimation of STromal and Immune cells in MAlignant Tumor tissues using Expression data (ESTIMATE) algorithm were computed. Correlation between above ESTIMATE scores and other immune-related scores, molecular subtypes, prognosis, and gene mutation status (including BRCA and TP53) were further analyzed. Afterwards, gene modules associated with the ESTIMATE scores were screened out through hierarchical clustering analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Differentially expressed analysis was performed and genes shared by the most relevant modules were found out. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis was conducted to explore the biological functions of those genes. Survival analysis was carried out to identify prognostic immune-related genes and GSE17025 database was further used to confirm the correlation between immune-related genes and the ImmuneScore. The immune-related scores based on ESTIMATE algorithm was closely related to the immune microenvironment of EC. 3 gene modules that had the closest correlations with 3 ESTIMATE scores were obtained. 109 immune-related genes were preliminarily found out and 29 pathways were significantly enriched, most of which were associated with immune response. Univariate survival analysis revealed that there were 14 genes positively associated with both OS and PFS. Among which, 11 genes showed marked correlations with ImmuneScore values in GSE17025 database. Our current study profiled the immune status and identified 14 novel immune-related prognostic biomarkers for EC. Our findings may help to investigate the complicated tumor microenvironment and develop novel individualized therapeutic targets for EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seahorse (Hippocampus kuda Bleeler) are representative marine species in aquaculture, with special value of medicine and food. In this study, the protective effects of two peptides from seahorse hydrolysates (SHP‐1 and SHP‐2) against ethanol‐mediated oxidative stress in HepG2/CYP2E1 cells were investigated. Firstly, SHP‐1 and SHP‐2 presented no cytotoxicity. Compared with the ethanol‐treated groups, SHP‐1 and SHP‐2 increased cell viability in a concentration‐dependent manner. Secondly, SHP‐1 and SHP‐2 markedly reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, gamma‐glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) activity, and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) levels and remarkably enhanced superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) activities. SHP‐1 and SHP‐2 also down‐regulated the expressions of GGT, bax, c‐caspase‐8/‐9/‐3, p‐Akt, p‐IκB‐α, p‐p65, p‐ERK, and p‐p38 but up‐regulated SOD, GSH, NF‐E2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1), and bcl‐2 levels, as revealed by Western blot analysis. Moreover, SHP‐1 and SHP‐2 increased the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), reduced DNA damage, and suppressed the nuclear translocation of p65. These results suggest that two peptides from seahorse hydrolysates can be considered a potential functional biomaterial and further improve the use value of seahorse in aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In coal preparation plant, the control strategy of the separation process is made mainly based on the timely feedback of the clean coal ash. But the results of commonly used gamma-ray coal ash monitor only could reflect the trends of coal quality and fail to satisfy the dynamic amendment of operation parameter. The actual ash remains to be obtained by a complex process, consisting of the manual sampling, sample preparation, and laboratory analysis. To solve the above problem, this paper first analyzed the working principle of ash monitor and its influence factors. Then, mass of data relevant to the obtain of online ash were collected, and the correlation analysis showed that the on-line ash deviation was highly related to the coal flux on the conveying belt. Aiming to improve the accuracy of the online measurement of coal ash, different mathematical curve models and machine learning Least Squares Support Vector Machine (LS-SVM) models are used for the on-line ash correction. The results of prediction simulation indicate that the LS-SVM algorithm (root-mean-square error [RMSE] = 0.3335) is better than the conventional regression model (RMSE = 0.1747) in predicting the ash content. Therefore, the coal flux data could be used for the correction of online ash with LS-SVM algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway, which is essential for cell proliferation and differentiation, is noted to be aberrantly activated in tumor from increasing studies in recent years. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) as an important non-coding RNA in cells have been proven to possess a regulatory role specific to the Hh signaling pathway. Here, in vitro and in vivo cellular/molecular experiments were adopted to clarify the regulatory mechanism linking miR-636 to the Hh signaling pathway in ovarian cancer (OVC). Methods: Protein–protein interaction analysis was performed to identify the hub gene in the Hh pathway. TargetScan database was used to predict the potential upstream regulators for Gli2. qRT-PCR was performed to test the expression of miR-636, while Western blot was conducted to detect the expression of proteins related to the Hh pathway and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). For cell functional experiments, HO-8910PM OVC cell line was used. MTT assay and wound healing assay were used to measure the effect of miR-636 on cell proliferation and migration. Flow cytometry was carried out to examine the effect of miR-636 on cell cycle, and Western blot was used to identify the change in expression of Hh and EMT-related proteins. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was implemented to detect the targeting relationship between miR-636 and Gli2. Xenotransplantation models were established for in vivo examination. Results: Gli2 was identified as the hub gene of the Hh pathway and it was validated to be regulated by miR-636 based on the data from TargetScan and GEO databases. In vitro experiments discovered that miR-636 was significantly lowly expressed in OVC cell lines, and overexpressing miR-636 significantly inhibited HO-8910PM cell proliferation, migration and induced cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase, while the inhibition of miR-636 caused opposite results. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay revealed that Gli2 was the target gene of miR-636 in OVC. Besides, overexpressed miR-636 decreased protein expression of Gli2, and affected the expression of proteins related to the Hh signaling pathway and EMT. Rescue experiments verified that overexpression of Gli2 reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-636 on HO-8910PM cell proliferation and migration, and attenuated the blocking effect of miR-636 on cell cycle. The xenotransplantation experiment suggested that miR-636 inhibited cell growth of OVC by decreasing Gli2 expression. Besides, overexpressing Gli2 potentiated the EMT process of OVC cells via decreasing E-cadherin protein expression and increasing Vimentin protein expression, and it reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-636 on OVC cell proliferation in vivo. Conclusion: miR-636 mediates the activation of the Hh pathway via binding to Gli2, thus inhibiting EMT, suppressing cell proliferation and migration of OVC. Trial registration: The experimental protocol was established, according to the ethical guidelines of the Helsinki Declaration and was approved by the Human Ethics Committee of The Second Affiliated hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine (IR2019001235). Written informed consent was obtained from individual or guardian participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface snowmelt in the pan-Antarctic region, including the Antarctic ice sheet (AIS) and sea ice, is crucial to the mass and energy balance in polar regions and can serve as an indicator of climate change. In this study, we investigate the spatial and temporal variations in surface snowmelt over the entire pan-Antarctic region from 2002 to 2017 by using passive microwave remote sensing data. The stable orbits and appropriate acquisition times of the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) and the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) enable us to take full advantage of daily brightness temperature (Tb) variations to detect surface snowmelt. The difference between AMSR-E/2 ascending and descending 36.5 GHz Tb values in vertical polarization (DAV36) was utilized to map the pan-Antarctic region snowmelt, as this method is unaffected by snow metamorphism. We evaluated the DAV36 algorithm against ground-based measurements and further improved the method over the marginal sea ice zone by excluding the effect of open water. Snowmelt detected by AMSR-E/2 data was more extensive and persistent than that detected by the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) data. Continuous melt onset (CMO) ranged from August in the marginal sea ice zone to January in the Antarctic inland, and the early transient melt events occurred several days to more than 2 months earlier. The pan-Antarctic region CMO was significantly correlated (R=0.54 , p<0.05) with the summer Southern Annular Mode (SAM). The decreased AIS melt extent was very likely linked (R=-0.82 , p<0.01) with the enhanced summer SAM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of melt ponds on Arctic sea ice in summer is one of the main factors that affect sea-ice albedo and hence the polar climate system. Due to the different spectral properties of open water, melt pond and sea ice, the melt pond fraction (MPF) can be retrieved using a fully constrained least-squares algorithm, which shows a high accuracy with root mean square error ~0.06 based on the validation experiment using WorldView-2 image. In this study, the evolution of ponds on first-year and multiyear ice in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago was compared based on Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8 images. The relationships of pond coverage with air temperature and albedo were analysed. The results show that the pond coverage on first-year ice changed dramatically with seasonal maximum of 54%, whereas that on multiyear ice changed relatively flat with only 30% during the entire melting period. During the stage of pond formation, the ponds expanded rapidly when the temperature increased to over 0°C for three consecutive days. Sea-ice albedo shows a significantly negative correlation (R = −1) with the MPF in melt season and increases gradually with the refreezing of ponds and sea ice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compact planar substrate‐integrated waveguide (SIW) diplexers with wide‐stopband characteristics are presented for the first time based on collaborative multispurious mode suppression techniques including the harmonic staggered technique, centered coupling windows, and offset‐centered output ports. The coupling scheme using common dual‐mode resonator coupled with multiple single‐mode resonators is adopted here to eliminate the T‐junctions for size and loss reduction, and the dual‐mode coupling controlling technique we previously proposed is also employed to allocate the fractional bandwidths (FBWs) of the two channels flexibly based on the FBW design graph. Additionally, by combining the harmonic staggered technique, centered coupling windows, and offset‐centered output ports, good out‐of‐band rejections can be achieved and excellent wide‐stopband characteristics have been implemented intrinsically. Two prototypes including second‐order and third‐order SIW diplexers are synthesized, designed, fabricated, and tested as demonstrations, extending the stopbands to 1.78f1 and 2.04f1 with the rejection levels better than 17.5 and 20 dB, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]