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Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative condition. 5α-epoxyalantolactone (5α-EAL), a eudesmane-type sesquiterpene isolated from the herb of Inula macrophylla, has various pharmacological effects. This work supposed to investigate the improved impact of 5α-EAL on cognitive impairment. 5α-EAL inhibited the generation of nitric oxide (NO) in BV-2 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with an EC50 of 6.2 μM. 5α-EAL significantly reduced the production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), while also inhibiting the production of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) proteins. The ability of 5α-EAL to penetrate the blood–brain barrier (BBB) was confirmed via a parallel artificial membrane permeation assay. Scopolamine (SCOP)-induced AD mice model was employed to assess the improved impacts of 5α-EAL on cognitive impairment in vivo. After the mice were pretreated with 5α-EAL (10 and 30 mg/kg per day, i.p.) for 21 days, the behavioral experiments indicated that the administration of the 5α-EAL could alleviate the cognitive and memory impairments. 5α-EAL significantly reduced the AChE activity in the brain of SCOP-induced AD mice. In summary, these findings highlight the beneficial effects of the natural product 5α-EAL as a potential bioactive compound for attenuating cognitive deficits in AD due to its pharmacological profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the late 2000s, China has accelerated reconstruction of the welfare state against the backdrop of the second transition. Following a typological approach, this study proposes an analytical framework for assessing varieties of social reproduction before delving into a comparative look at China's national institutional framework, in which China is regarded as a transitional economy and a late bloomer. As represented in three dimensions, countries have production regimes that diverge in the degree of coordination, welfare regimes that differ in the degree of decommodification, and labor reproduction regimes that vary in the degree of depatriarchalization. We investigate the convergence and divergence of advanced economies, transitional economies, and the emerging economies of East Asian countries. Hierarchical cluster analysis and a three-dimensional map illustrate the varieties of regimes at the intersections of production, welfare, and reproduction. With the help of institutional complementarities, five worlds of social reproduction are distinguished: the late blooming, the liberal, the catch-up/transitional, the conservative, and the social democratic. China's production regime converges with that of continental Europe and Post-Socialist societies based on institutional arrangements of nonmarket coordination; however, limited income maintenance and redistribution policies, the absence of family-friendly policies, and the regendering of the division of labor make China's institutional mix appear more compatible with East Asian societies than Western ones. The institutional complementarities between the welfare and labor reproduction regimes reveal a social reproduction scenario that is less than purely late blooming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a sensitive H1N1 virus fluorescence biosensor based on ligation-transcription and CRISPR/Cas13a-assisted cascade amplification strategies. Products are generated via the hybridization of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) probes containing T7 promoter and crRNA templates to a target RNA sequence using SplintR ligase. This generates large crRNA quantities in the presence of T7 RNA polymerase. At such crRNA quantities, ternary Cas13a, crRNA, and activator complexes are successfully constructed and activate Cas13a to enhance fluorescence signal outputs. The biosensor sensitively and specifically monitored H1N1 viral RNA levels down to 3.23 pM and showed good linearity when H1N1 RNA concentrations were 100 pM–1 µM. Biosensor specificity was also excellent. Importantly, our biosensor may be used to detect other viral RNAs by altering the sequences of the two probe junctions, with potential applications for the clinical diagnosis of viruses and other biomedical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the problem of fixed-time synchronization of time-varying coupled competitive neural networks with impulsive effects. Synchronizing impulses and desynchronizing impulses are each taken into account. The innovative pure power-law control is designed in this paper to avoid vibratory behaviors, which is more straightforward and effective than the common design including the linear and power-law terms. Note that the key difficulty is determining how to ensure fixed-time synchronization and estimate the settling time in an impulsive sense since the impulsive influences may lead to the discontinuity of the states. However, the theoretical framework of fixed-time synchronization under desynchronizing impulses has not been constructed much in the existing literature, which deeply motivated us to contribute to this analysis. By using the average impulsive intervals method, graph theory, and the Lyapunov method, two cases of the settling time along with the fixed-time synchronization criteria regarding the synchronizing and desynchronizing impulses are given. Lastly, a numerical example is provided to show the viability and accuracy of the discovered theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ALI is characterized by macrophage-driven inflammation, causing severe lung damage. Currently, there are limited therapeutic options available for ALI. Liensinine (LIEN), with known anti-inflammatory properties, lacks extensive study in the ALI context. This study aimed to investigate the impact of LIEN on ALI and elucidate its molecular mechanisms. A total of thirty-six male BALB/c mice altogether were split into six groups: Control, LPS (10 mg/kg), Low (10 mg/kg LIEN + 10 mg/kg LPS), Middle (20 mg/kg LIEN + 10 mg/kg LPS), High (40 mg/kg LIEN + 10 mg/kg LPS), and DEX (2 mg/kg DEX + 10 mg/kg LPS). Lung tissue injury, pulmonary edema, and inflammatory factor levels were evaluated in lung tissues and LPS-stimulated bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM). TAK1 activation, TRAF6 ubiquitination, and their interactions were assessed to understand the involved molecular mechanisms. LIEN treatment ameliorated lung tissue injury and suppressed LPS-induced inflammatory factor levels in lung tissues and BMDM. Mechanistically, LIEN inhibited TAK1 activation by disrupting TRAF6–TAK1 interactions, limiting p65's nuclear translocation, and reducing the release of inflammatory factors. According to network pharmacology and molecular docking, LIEN most likely prevents inflammation by interfering directly with the Src. Overexpression of Src in BMDM abolished the regulation of TRAF6 by LIEN, supporting the involvement of the Src/TRAF6/TAK1 axis in its mechanism of action. Based on this study, LIEN treats ALI by modifying the Src/TRAF6/TAK1 axis and blocking the activation of the NF-κB pathway, regulating the release of inflammatory factors. These findings highlight the promise of LIEN as a prospective therapeutic option for the treatment of ALI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass from agriculture, forestry, and urban wastes is a potential renewable organic resource for energy generation. Many investigations have demonstrated that anaerobic fungi and methanogens could be co-cultured to degrade lignocellulose for methane generation. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of natural anaerobic fungi-methanogens co-culture on the methane production and lignocellulosic degradation of wastes from rice, corn and sugarcane. Hu sheep rumen digesta was used to develop a natural anaerobic fungi-methanogen co-culture. The substrates were rice straw (RS), rich husk (RH), corn stover (CS), corn cobs (CC), and sugarcane baggage (SB). Production of total gas and methane, metabolization rate of reducing sugar, glucose, and xylose, digestibility of hemicellulose and cellulose, activity of carboxymethylcellulase and xylanase, and concentrations of total acid and acetate were highest (P < 0.05) in CC, moderate (P < 0.05) in RS and CS, and lowest (P < 0.05) in SB and RH. The pH, lactate and ethanol were lowest (P < 0.05) in CC, moderate (P < 0.05) in RS and CS, and lowest (P < 0.05) SB and RH. Formate was lowest (P < 0.05) in CC, RS and CS, moderate (P < 0.05) in SB, and lowest (P < 0.05) in RH. Therefore, this study indicated that the potential of methane production and lignocellulosic degradation by natural anaerobic fungi-methanogens co-culture were highest in CC, moderate in RS and CS, and lowest in SB and RH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) plays a pivotal role in altering the immune status and tissue responses in allergic rhinitis (AR). This study focuses on the impact of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) involving dust mite drops, exploring the modulation of regulatory T cells (Treg) and their specific marker, BLIMP1, in the nasal mucosa. Methods: Immune cells were isolated from nasal lavage fluid of patients with AR undergoing SLIT (n = 94). Treg cells were analyzed for BLIMP1 expression, and chemokine levels associated with Treg recruitment were assessed using Luminex assay. Patients were categorized on the basis of SLIT efficacy and followed for changes after discontinuation. Results: SLIT induced a significant increase in nasal Treg cells (7.09 ± 2.59% vs. 0.75 ± 0.27%, P < 0.0001). BLIMP1 expression in Treg cells notably increased after SLIT (0.36 ± 0.22% to 16.86 ± 5.74%, P < 0.0001). Ineffective SLIT cases exhibited lower levels of nasal Treg and Blimp1 + Treg cells (both P < 0.0001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis confirmed their potential as efficacy predictors (AUC = 0.908 and 0.968, respectively). SLIT discontinuation led to a significant reduction in Treg and Blimp1 + Treg cells (P < 0.001), emphasizing their maintenance during treatment. Pro-inflammatory cytokines decreased (P < 0.001), while CCL2 associated with Treg recruitment increased (P = 0.0015). Conclusion: Elevated nasal Blimp1 + Treg cells serve as a predictive biomarker for SLIT responsiveness in pediatric AR. Their influence on immunotherapy effectiveness contributes to a nuanced understanding of SLIT mechanisms, allowing for disease stratification and personalized treatment plans. This study offers scientific support for predicting SLIT efficacy, enhancing the prospects of improved treatment outcomes in AR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To clarify the effect of plant spacing on the growth, yield formation, and quality of sugar beet taproot. We designed field experiments in 2021–2022, and sugar beet variety KWS1176 was used as experimental material, and 9 plant spacing treatments from 8 to 32 cm were set up. The morphological indicators, photosynthetic characteristics, and the nutrient contents were determined at the stages of the leafage growing period (V1), sugar increase period of taproot (V2), sugar accumulation period I of taproot (V3), and sugar accumulation period II of taproot (V4), and the root yield and quality parameters were measured at the harvest. The results showed that in the plant spacing treatments of 11 and 14 cm, sugar beet had a suitable canopy structure and space for taproot growing. The canopy photosynthetic activity was higher, which provided sufficient photosynthetic products for root growth, and appropriate root size could balance root growth and sucrose accumulation. The highest root yield and sugar content were also obtained in the treatment of 14 cm plant spacing. With the increase of plant spacing, the yield of sugar beet decreased, and the content of α-amino N, K+, and Na+ in the root increased, which had a disadvantageous influence on the processing quality of the root. It was found that the number of cambial rings and the average distance between cambial rings could be used as qualitative indicators of the sugar content of taproot and the processing quality. Therefore, 11-14 cm was recommended as a reasonable planting spacing to obtain higher taproot and sugar yield with better quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) poses a significant public health risk due to its association with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Given the limited availability of PM 2.5 monitoring stations, there is a pressing need for reliable real-time forecasting models. This study introduces TSPPM25, a novel Transformer-based model designed for spatiotemporal prediction of PM 2.5 levels. TSPPM25 leverages multiple data embedding techniques and various attention layers to effectively capture the intricate spatiotemporal relationships in multivariate data. The model's performance is evaluated using a California Aerosol Optical Depth PM 2.5 dataset and compared with several baseline models, including LSTM, Bi-LSTM, Linear Regression, and basic heuristics models. The results demonstrate that TSPPM25 exhibits superior spatiotemporal learning capabilities, robustness, and stability, outperforming other models across MSE, MAE, and SMAPE metrics. Furthermore, the study explores the underlying patterns in PM 2.5 data through harmonic analysis, revealing that TSPPM25 performs exceptionally well even in complex scenarios characterized by mixed wave patterns. Conclusively, TSPPM25 emerges as a valuable tool for predicting PM 2.5 levels demonstrating its efficacy in the California region, and thereby contributing significantly to the field of air quality forecasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant disease of lipid metabolism mainly caused by mutations in the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene. Genetic detection of patients with FH help with precise diagnosis and treatment, thus reducing the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and other related diseases. The study aimed to identify the causative gene mutations in a Chinese FH family and reveal the pathogenicity and the mechanism of these mutations. Methods and results: Whole exome sequencing was performed in a patient with severe lipid metabolism dysfunction seeking fertility guidance from a Chinese FH family. Two LDLR variants c.1875 C > G (p.N625K; novel variant) and c.1448G > A (p.W483*) were identified in the family. Wildtype and mutant LDLR constructs were established by the site-direct mutagenesis technique. Functional studies were carried out by cell transfection to evaluate the impact of detected variants on LDLR activity. The two variants were proven to affect LDL uptake and binding, resulting in cholesterol clearance reduction to different degrees. According to The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) Standards and Guidelines, the W483* variant was classified as "Pathogenic", while the N625K variant as "VUS". Conclusions: Our results provide novel experimental evidence of functional alteration by LDLR variants identified in our study and expand the mutational spectrum of LDLR mutation induced FH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains one of the most lethal malignancies worldwide, with a high mortality rate and unfavorable prognosis. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is a key regulator of tumour growth, metastasis, and the response to chemotherapy, targeted therapies and immune response. It acts via responding to misfolded proteins and triggering abnormal activation of ER stress sensors and downstream signalling pathways. Notably, the expression patterns of ER-stress-related-genes (ERSRGs) are indicative of survival outcomes, especially in the context of immune infiltration. Through consensus clustering of prognosis-associated ERSRGs, we delineated two distinct LUAD subtypes: Cluster 1 and Cluster 2. Comprehensive analyses revealed significant disparities between these subtypes in terms of prognosis, immune cell infiltration, and tumor progression. Leveraging the robustness of LASSO regression and Multivariate stepwise regression, we constructed and validated an ER Stress-associated risk signature for LUAD. This signature underwent assessments for its prognostic value, correlation with clinical attributes, and interaction within the tumour immune microenvironment. By integrating this signature with multivariate cox analysis of distinct pathological stages, we devised an enhanced nomogram, validated through various statistical metrics, with an area under the curve for overall survival at 1, 3, and 5 years post-diagnosis being 0.79, 0.80, and 0.81, respectively. In conclusion, our findings introduce a composite signature of 11 pivotal ERSRGs, holding promise as a potent prognostic tool for LUAD, and offering insights for immunotherapeutic and targeted intervention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immune response plays a crucial role in post-myocardial infarction (MI) myocardial remodeling. Neogenin (Neo1), a multifunctional transmembrane receptor, plays a critical role in the immune response; however, whether Neo1 participates in pathological myocardial remodeling after MI is unclear. Our study found that Neo1 expression changed significantly after MI in vivo and after LPS + IFN-γ stimulation in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) in vitro. Neo1 functional deficiency (using a neutralizing antibody) and macrophage-specific Neo1 deficiency (induced by Neo1flox/flox;Cx3cr1cre mice) increased infarction size, enhanced cardiac fibrosis and cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and exacerbated left ventricular dysfunction post-MI in mice. Mechanistically, Neo1 deficiency promoted macrophage infiltration into the ischemic myocardium and transformation to a proinflammatory phenotype, subsequently exacerbating the inflammatory response and impairing inflammation resolution post-MI. Neo1 deficiency regulated macrophage phenotype and function, possibly through the JAK1-STAT1 pathway, as confirmed in BMDMs in vitro. Blocking the JAK1-STAT1 pathway with fludarabine phosphate abolished the impact of Neo1 on macrophage phenotype and function, inflammatory response, inflammation resolution, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, cardiac fibrosis, infarction size and cardiac function. In conclusion, Neo1 deficiency aggravates inflammation and left ventricular remodeling post-MI by modulating macrophage phenotypes and functions via the JAK1-STAT1 signaling pathway. These findings highlight the anti-inflammatory potential of Neo1, offering new perspectives for therapeutic targets in MI treatment. Neo1 deficiency aggravated inflammation and left ventricular remodeling after MI by modulating macrophage phenotypes and functions via the JAK1-STAT1 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's mariculture (i.e., seafood farming in the ocean) production has grown rapidly. It ranks the first in the world and has made a huge contribution to solving human food security and nutrition issues. This study aimed to examine the development process of China's mariculture since 1983, clarify the main driving factors for the growth of mariculture production, and analyze whether China's experience can help other major producers in the world. Using the data on China's 10 coastal regions, this study applied the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) from both the national and regional perspectives to analyze the main driving factors for the growth of China's mariculture production from 1983 to 2019. The results indicate that China's total mariculture production showed an overall upward trend and the major driving factor for the increase changed from the initial labor force to unit production. The primary factor for the increase in the Circum-Bohai Sea was labor, whereas that in the South China Sea, Yellow Sea and East China Sea was unit production. China's mariculture production has expanded from resource-driven to efficiency-driven. This study has practical significance for policy formulation and the future development direction of mariculture. This study provides a universally applicable methodology, and has reference significance for the world's major mariculture producers to further study the sustainable growth of mariculture production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of clinicopathological characteristics and computed tomography (CT) morphological features in predicting lymph node metastasis (LNM) for patients with T1 colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: A total of 144 patients with T1 CRC who underwent CT scans and surgical resection were retrospectively included in our study. The clinicopathological characteristics and CT morphological features were assessed by two observers. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify significant LNM predictive variables. Then a model was developed using the independent predictive factors. The predictive model was subjected to bootstrapping validation (1000 bootstrap resamples) to calculate the calibration curve and relative C-index. Results: LNM were found in 30/144 patients (20.83%). Four independent risk factors were determined in the multiple logistic regression analysis, including presence of necrosis (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 10.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.96–54.3, p = 0.004), irregular outer border (adjusted OR = 5.94, 95% CI 1.39–25.45, p = 0.035), and heterogeneity enhancement (adjusted OR = 7.35, 95% CI 3.11–17.38, p = 0.007), as well as tumor location (adjusted ORright-sided colon = 0.05 [0.01–0.60], p = 0.018; adjusted ORrectum = 0.22 [0.06–0.83], p = 0.026). In the internal validation cohort, the model showed good calibration and good discrimination with a C-index of 0.89. Conclusions: There are significant associations between lymphatic metastasis status and tumor location as well as CT morphologic features in T1 CRC, which could help the doctor make decisions for additional surgery after endoscopic resection. Key Points: • LNM more frequently occurs in left-sided T1 colon cancer than in right-sided T1 colon and rectal cancer. • CT morphologic features are risk factors for LNM of T1 CRC, which may be related to fundamental biological behaviors. • The combination of tumor location and CT morphologic features can more effectively assist in predicting LNM in patients with T1 CRC, and decrease the rate of unnecessary extra surgeries after endoscopic resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study investigated the association between insulin-like growth factor-1 and nutritional status indicators in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). Methods: Patients undergoing MHD for > 3 months were included in this single-center cross-sectional study in March 2021. Clinical, demographic, and body mass data and blood samples were collected before the hemodialysis sessions. Serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels were measured using a radioimmunoassay, and serum IGF-1 standard deviation score (SDS) was calculated for MHD patients according to age and sex. The nutritional status of patients was assessed using serum albumin, serum prealbumin, handgrip strength, pinching strength, upper arm muscle circumference, lean body mass, phase angle, seven-point subjective global assessment (SGA) score, and geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI). The patients were divided into groups according to tertiles of serum IGF-1 SDS levels. Spearman correlation analyses and univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses were used to determine the association between serum IGF-1 SDS and nutritional status parameters. Results: A total of 155 MHD patients (male: female = 90:65) were enrolled in the study, with a median dialysis vintage of 28.0 (11.0, 55.0) months, and an average age of 66 (65.5 ± 13.0) years. The median of IGF-1 SDS was − 0.1 (− 0.6 to 0.6). Compared to patients with higher IGF-1 SDSs, patients with lower IGF-1 SDSs had lower levels of serum ceruloplasmin (341.0 [287.5, 416.0] vs 395.0 [327.0, 451.0] vs 409.0 [349.5, 507.5], p = 0.002), serum albumin (34.7 ± 3.0 vs 37.0 ± 3.1 vs 37.8 ± 2.6, p < 0.001), serum prealbumin (270.3 [233.7, 327.8] vs 326.0 [279.3, 355.6] vs 363.0 [324.2, 398.2], p < 0.001), handgrip strength (13.8 [10.0, 20.7] vs 17.7 [10.7, 22.5] vs 23.3 [16.6, 27.8], p < 0.001), pinch strength (4.6 [3.9, 6.0] vs 4.9 (3.9, 6.9) vs 6.5 [4.7, 8.7], p = 0.002), phase angle (3.3 [3.0, 3.8] vs 3.9 [3.4, 4.7] vs 4.3 [3.6, 5.2, p < 0.001), modified Creatinine Index (83.1 ± 19.7 vs 93.1 ± 23.4 vs 113.9 ± 24.3, p < 0.001), intracellular water (14.5 ± 4.4 vs 16.1 ± 4.9 vs 16.9 ± 4.4, p = 0.031), higher extracellular water (26.9 ± 5.8 vs 25.7 ± 5.5 vs 25.1 ± 3.1, p = 0.042), and higher malnutrition risk as defined by GNRI (49.0% vs 15.7% vs 11.5%, p < 0.001) and SGA (53.9% vs 23.5% vs 7.7%, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Lower IGF-1 SDSs are independently associated with higher malnutrition risk in patients with MHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transient receptor potential cation channel-6 (TRPC6) gene mutations cause familial focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), which is inherited as an autosomal dominant disease. In patients with TRPC6-related FSGS, all mutations map to the N- or C-terminal TRPC6 protein domains. Thus far, the majority of TRPC6 mutations are missense resulting in increased or decreased calcium influx; however, the fundamental molecular mechanisms causing cell injury and kidney pathology are unclear. We report a novel heterozygous TRPC6 mutation (V691Kfs*) in a large kindred with no signs of FSGS despite a largely truncated TRPC6 protein. We studied the molecular effects of V691Kfs* TRPC6 mutant using the tridimensional cryo-EM structure of the tetrameric TRPC6 protein. The results indicated that V691 is localized at the pore-forming transmembrane region affecting the ion conduction pathway, and predicted that V691Kfs* causes closure of the ion-conducting pathway leading to channel inactivation. We assessed the impact of V691Kfs* and two previously reported TRPC6 disease mutants (P112Q and G757D) on calcium influx in cells. Our data show that the V691Kfs* fully inactivated the TRCP6 channel-specific calcium influx consistent with a complete loss-of-function phenotype. Furthermore, the V691Kfs* truncation exerted a dominant negative effect on the full-length TRPC6 proteins. In conclusion, the V691Kfs* non-functional truncated TRPC6 is not sufficient to cause FSGS. Our data corroborate recently characterized TRPC6 loss-of-function and gain-of-function mutants suggesting that one defective TRPC6 gene copy is not sufficient to cause FSGS. We underscore the importance of increased rather than reduced calcium influx through TRPC6 for podocyte cell death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactic acid and other α-hydroxycarboxylic acids (α-HCAs) play crucial roles in various applications. Synthesizing α-HCAs from biomass platform feedstocks such as ethylene glycol (EG) and primary alcohols is novel and attractive. It was reported that the dehydrogenative cross-coupling of EG and primary alcohols can be achieved via homogeneous catalysis. Herein, we report a heterogeneous catalytic strategy to produce a series of α-HCAs through the same reaction pathway. Impressive catalytic activity and selectivity were achieved using various metals (Ru, Ir, Pt and Pd) supported on the nanodiamond-graphene (ND@G), with Ru exhibiting the best performance. This universally applicable process enables the easy synthesis of gram-scale α-HCAs, providing a straightforward and compelling C-C bond cross-coupling strategy for the utilization of alcohols derived from biomass feedstocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For L = (L , ⊙ , ⇝) a complete co-residuated lattice, the notions of ⊙ -subsethood degree and ⇝ -intersection degree between L-fuzzy sets are defined. It is shown that these notions reasonably extend the notions of subset and intersection between crisp sets. Then by using ⊙ -subsethood degree and ⇝ -intersection degree, a new model of L-fuzzy covering based L-fuzzy rough sets is investigated and studied. Firstly, a pair of L-fuzzy lower and upper approximation operators are constructed and their fundamental properties are discussed. Secondly, an axiom set or even a single axiom is presented to characterize the proposed approximate operators. Thirdly, the L-fuzzy topology and L-fuzzy co-topology induced by the L-fuzzy lower and upper approximation operators are researched, respectively. At last, the relationships between the new model and Qiao's L-fuzzy relation based rough sets are established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, enrichment factor (EF) and pollution load index were utilized to explore the contamination characteristics of toxic elements (TEs) in park dust. The results exhibited that park dust in the study area was mainly moderately polluted, and the EF values of dust Cd, Zn, Pb, Cu and Sb were all > 1. The concentrations of Cr, Cu, Zn and Pb increased with the decrease of dust particle size. The investigation results of chemical speciation and bioavailability of TEs showed that Zn had the highest bioavailability. Three sources of TEs were determined by positive matrix factorization model, Pearson correlation analysis and geostatistical analysis, comprising factor 1 mixed sources of industrial and transportation activities (46.62%), factor 2 natural source (25.56%) and factor 3 mixed source of agricultural activities and the aging of park infrastructures (27.82%). Potential ecological risk (PER) and human health risk (HHR) models based on source apportionment were exploited to estimate PER and HHR of TEs from different sources. The mean PER value of TEs in the park dust was 114, indicating that ecological risk in the study area was relatively high. Factor 1 contributed the most to PER, and the pollution of Cd was the most serious. There were no significant carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks for children and adults in the study area. And factor 3 was the biggest source of non-carcinogenic risk, and As, Cr and Pb were the chief contributor to non-carcinogenic risk. The primary source of carcinogenic risk was factor 2, and Cr was the cardinal cancer risk element. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comparable property (or inclusion property) is the basic property of rough set theory. Unfortunately, the well-known granular variable precision fuzzy rough set does not satisfy the comparable property. To remedy this gap, a novel granular variable precision fuzzy rough set model with comparable property is proposed and discussed. Firstly, by analyzing the existing granular precision fuzzy rough set models, we find the reason that they do not satisfy the comparable property. Then, we give a new granular precision fuzzy rough set model with the comparable property. Secondly, we study the basic properties, characterization theorem and accuracy measure of the new model. Thirdly, we apply the novel model in the study of fuzzy decision system. An attribute reduction method is developed, and the corresponding attribute reduction algorithm is designed. Finally, by using public accessible datasets, we make a series of experiments to verify the effectiveness and reliability of our method and make comparisons with some existing attribute reduction methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, zwitterionic poly(ionic liquid)-based polymer electrolytes with a network structure are prepared by ultraviolet-irradiation radical polymerization of poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate (PEGMEA) and zwitterionic liquids, and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate is used as cross-linker. The cross-linked structure endows the electrolytes with high thermal stability and excellent dimensional stability. The abundant ether-oxygen group of PEGMEA provides sufficient sites for the transport of Li+ and a high ionic conductivity of 0.20 × 10−3 S cm−1. The electrolyte shows a high lithium-ion transference number of 0.78, owing to the excellent dissociation ability of zwitterionic liquids towards lithium salts. The lithium symmetric battery can maintain a voltage polarization of 150 mV at 0.1 mA cm−2 over 600 h. The Li/LiFePO4 battery shows a discharge capacity of 122 mAh g−1, a capacity retention of 90.0% after 100 cycles, and an average Coulombic efficiency exceeding 99% at 0.1 C, demonstrating strong application potential in lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have demonstrated that bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) play important roles in cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, artery calcification, myocardial remodeling, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and diabetic cardiomyopathy. Kielin/chordin-like protein (KCP) is a secreted protein that regulates the expression and function of BMPs. However, the role of KCP in cardiac aging remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of KCP in cardiac aging and its possible mechanisms. Echocardiogram showed that heart function was impaired in aged mice (24 months). In addition, analysis of heart structure showed that KCP knockout (KO) aggravated cardiac remodeling in aged mice. Moreover, KCP KO increased p-smad2/3 and TGF-β expression, while decreased BMP-2 expression in aged mice. Furthermore, KCP KO increased the expression of cardiac senescence-related proteins in aged mice. KCP KO aggravated the imbalance of oxidants and antioxidants and increased the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and cardiomyocyte apoptosis in aged mice. Our study demonstrated that KCP KO aggravated cardiac aging in mice by increasing the levels of oxidative stress, inflammation, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Key message: KCP KO aggravated aging-related cardiac dysfunction and remodeling in male mice. KCP KO aggravated cardiac aging by increasing the levels of oxidative stress, inflammation, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a cultural concept reflecting the relationship between humans and forests, forest culture plays an active role in sustainable forest management. Forest parks provide a wide range of ecosystem services essential for the sustainable development of society, and the relationships between forest culture, green construction and management of forest parks have practical significance. This study aimed to understand the interaction and process of forest culture influencing green construction and management in forest parks with the models Knowledge-Attitude-Practice (KAP) and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) by proposing a theoretical model. Four hypotheses were tested using data collected from 193 forest park employees in Heilongjiang Province, China. Our results show that forest culture had a significant influence on green construction and forest management. In addition, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control directly impacted behavior in green construction and management of the forest park, whereas attitude did not have an impact. Subjective norm had a direct effect on attitude. Results between constructs show that forest culture had an indirect effect on planning and construction, and on ecological and economic management. Consequently, it supported three of four hypotheses within the proposed model in determining the influence of forest culture on green construction and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of chemotherapy among intermediate-risk (stage II/T3N0) nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients receiving radiotherapy (RT). Methods: We identified stage II/T3N0 NPC patients who received radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database (2004–2019). Overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were assessed using the Kaplan–Meier method with log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards models to evaluate the efficacy of chemotherapy. Subgroup analysis was also conducted based on the baseline characteristics. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to balance the intergroup covariates. Results: A total of 1623 patients were enrolled in the study, 1444 received chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and 179 received RT alone. CRT, compared to RT alone, was independently associated with a better OS (HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.45–0.71) and CSS (HR 0.55, 95% CI 0.39–0.79). After PSM, similar results were obtained, and CRT was superior to RT alone in terms of OS (HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.39–0.92) and CSS (HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.40–0.91). Subgroup analysis revealed that OS benefits from CRT were mainly observed in T0-2N1(HR 0.51, 95% CI 0.38–0.70) and T3N0 (HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.42–0.98) rather than T2N0 (HR 1.00, 95% CI 0.51–1.94). Interestingly, after PSM, OS benefits were still seen in T0-2N1 (HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.24–0.82), while not seen in T2N0 (HR 1.83, 95% CI 0.56–5.97) and T3N0 (HR 0.56, 95% CI 0.28–1.12). Conclusion: For T0-2N1 NPC patients, CRT was superior to RT alone with better survival, whereas, for T2-3N0 patients, CRT was comparable to RT alone. Prospective large studies should be encouraged to verify the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An association between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and gut microbiota is well established, but the results of related studies are inconsistent. The purpose of this investigation is to elucidate the characteristics of the gut microbiota in T2DM and non-diabetic subjects. Forty-five subjects were recruited for this study, including 29 T2DM patients and 16 non-diabetic subjects. Biochemical parameters, including body mass index (BMI), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), were analyzed and correlated with the gut microbiota. Bacterial community composition and diversity were detected in fecal samples using direct smear, sequencing, and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In this study, it was observed that indicators such as BMI, FPG, HbA1c, TC, and TG in T2DM patients were on the rise, concurrent with dysbiosis of the microbiota. We observed an increase in Enterococci and a decrease in Bacteroides, Bifidobacteria, and Lactobacilli in patients with T2DM. Meanwhile, total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and D-lactate concentrations were decreased in the T2DM group. In addition, FPG was positively correlated with Enterococcus and negatively correlated with Bifidobacteria, Bacteroides, and Lactobacilli. This study reveals that microbiota dysbiosis is associated with disease severity in patients with T2DM. The limitation of this study is that only common bacteria were noted in this study, and more in-depth related studies are urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dried root of Glehnia littoralis is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine mainly used to treat lung diseases and plays an important role in fighting coronavirus disease 2019 pneumonia in China. This study focused on the key enzyme gene GlPS1 for furanocoumarin synthesis in G. littoralis. In the 35S:GlPS1 transgenic Arabidopsis study, the Arabidopsis thaliana-overexpressing GlPS1 gene was more salt-tolerant than Arabidopsis in the blank group. Metabolomics analysis showed 30 differential metabolites in Arabidopsis, which overexpressed the GlPS1 gene. Twelve coumarin compounds were significantly upregulated, and six of these coumarin compounds were not detected in the blank group. Among these differential coumarin metabolites, isopimpinellin and aesculetin have been annotated by the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and isopimpinellin was not detected in the blank group. Through structural comparison, imperatorin was formed by dehydration and condensation of zanthotoxol and a molecule of isoprenol, and the difference between them was only one isoprene. Results showed that the GlPS1 gene positively regulated the synthesis of coumarin metabolites in A. thaliana and at the same time improved the salt tolerance of A. thaliana. Key message: The results demonstrated that GlPS1 positively regulates the biosynthetic pathway of furacoumarin, resulting in the accumulation of coumarin metabolites in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana and the enhanced tolerance to salt stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new flavonoids, 8,2′-diprenyl-3,5,7,5′-tetrahydroxyflavone (1) and 8-(1-methoxy-2,3-dihydroxy-3-methylbutyl)naringenin (2), along with twelve known compounds (3–14), were isolated from the leaves of Macaranga pustulata. The structures of the new compounds 1 and 2 were established by detailed spectroscopic data analysis and ECD computational methods. The inhibitory effects of compounds 1–6 against NLRP3 inflammasome activation as well as the cytotoxic activities of compounds 1–4 against MCF-7 and HCT-116 cancer cell lines were investigated. Compound 3 showed weak cytotoxicity against HCT-116 (IC50 = 55.747 ± 3.212 μM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular calcification is an independent risk factor for acute cardiovascular events and a predictor of adverse prognosis; the abnormal fusion and degradation of autophagosomes and lysosomes are closely related to the calcification of VSMC and aortic AS plaque in ApoE−/− mice. Rab7 is a member of the Ras protein family and acts as a molecular switch in the fusion between autophagosomes and lysosomes. In this study, we found that the activation of the CD137-CD137L signal promoted calcification by inhibiting the expression and activity of Rab7, which regulates the degradation of autophagic cargo in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and aortic atherosclerosis (AS) plaques in ApoE−/− mice. Knockdown of Rab7 impaired its tethering with the downstream molecule FYVE and coiled-coil containing 1 (FYCO1), which transports autophagosomes to lysosomes through microtubule motor kinesins and fuses with lysosomes to degrade the autophagic content. Overexpression of Rab7-alleviated calcification caused by the activation of the CD137 signaling pathway. In addition, FYCO1 knockdown promoted calcification even though the expression and activity of Rab7 were normal. Our results suggest that Rab7 is the target of CD137 signaling; Rab7 cannot interact with its downstream molecule FYCO1 when its activity and expression were inhibited by the activation of CD137 signaling pathway, thus inhibiting the autophagic degradation and promoting calcification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given a graph G = (V , E) , the 3-path partition problem is to find a minimum collection of vertex-disjoint paths each of order at most 3 to cover all the vertices of V. The previous best approximation algorithm for the 3-path partition problem has a performance ratio 13/9, which is based on a simple local search strategy. We propose a more involved local search and show by an amortized analysis that it is a 4/3-approximation; we also design an instance to illustrate that the approximation ratio is tight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides proof of concept of a colorimetric biosensor for influenza H1N1 virus assay based on the CRISPR/Cas13a system and hybridization chain reaction (HCR). Target RNA of influenza H1N1 virus activated the trans-cleavage activity of Cas13a, which cleaved the special RNA sequence (-UUU-) of the probe, further initiating HCR to copiously generate G-rich DNA. Abundant G-quadruplex/hemin was formed in the presence of hemin, thus catalyzing a colorimetric reaction. The colorimetric biosensor exhibited a linear relationship from 10 pM to 100 nM. The detection limit was 0.152 pM. The biosensor specificity was excellent. This new and sensitive detection method for influenza virus is a promising rapid influenza diagnostic test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considerable attention has been drawn to tune the geometric and electronic structure of interfacial catalysts via modulating strong metal-support interactions (SMSI). Herein, we report the construction of a series of TiO2−x/Ni catalysts, where disordered TiO2−x overlayers immobilized onto the surface of Ni nanoparticles (~20 nm) are successfully engineered with SMSI effect. The optimal TiO2−x/Ni catalyst shows a CO conversion of ~19.8% in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS) process under atmospheric pressure at 220 °C. More importantly, ~64.6% of the product is C2+ paraffins, which is in sharp contrast to the result of the conventional Ni catalyst with the main product being methane. A combination study of advanced electron microscopy, multiple in-situ spectroscopic characterizations, and density functional theory calculations indicates the presence of Niδ−/TiO2−x interfacial sites, which could bind carbon atom strongly, inhibit methane formation and facilitate the C-C chain propagation, lead to the production of C2+ hydrocarbon on Ni surface. Considerable attention has been drawn to tune the geometric and electronic structure of interfacial catalysts via modulating strong metal-support interactions (SMSI). Here the authors report the remarkable catalytic performance of CO hydrogenation over an interfacial TiO2−x/Ni catalyst by means of SMSI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our understanding of climate dynamics during millennial-scale events is incomplete, partially due to the lack of their precise phase analyses under various boundary conditions. Here we present nine speleothem oxygen-isotope records from mid-to-low-latitude monsoon regimes with sub-centennial age precision and multi-annual resolution, spanning the Heinrich Stadial 2 (HS2) — a millennial-scale event that occurred at the Last Glacial Maximum. Our data suggests that the Greenland and Antarctic ice-core chronologies require +320- and +400-year adjustments, respectively, supported by extant volcanic evidence and radiocarbon ages. Our chronological framework shows a synchronous HS2 onset globally. Our records precisely characterize a centennial-scale abrupt "tropical atmospheric seesaw" superimposed on the conventional "bipolar seesaw" at the beginning of HS2, implying a unique response/feedback from low-latitude hydroclimate. Together with our observation of an early South American monsoon shift at the HS2 termination, we suggest a more active role of low-latitude hydroclimate dynamics underlying millennial events than previously thought. New cave records from monsoon regions improve the Greenland ice core chronological framework around the Heinrich Stadial 2 by an order of magnitude, suggesting a more active role of low-latitude hydroclimate in millennial-scale climate oscillations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The injury of cardiomyocytes after ischemia–reperfusion is the main reason of cardiac dysfunction. Necrosis is one of the methods of programmed cell death and cardiomyocyte necrosis occurs in the process of reperfusion. The activation of CD137 signal is involved in various diseases. In vivo experiments proved that CD137-/- mice have less heart damage than wild-type mice after ischemia–reperfusion. In vitro experiments, we found that after inhibiting the CD137 signal, the degree of necrosis of HL-1 cells was reduced and it was caused by reducing the Ca2 + overload in the mitochondria, which caused the reduction of mPTP opening. Ca2 + overload in mitochondria induced by activation of CD137 signal was caused by increased Ca2 + released into mitochondria by activation of IP3R and increased MCU level. These results indicate that CD137 signaling aggravates cardiac ischemia–reperfusion injury by inducing myocardial cell necrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic and progressive inflammatory disease. Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2G 2 (UBE2G2) has been reported to be differentially expressed in subjects with abnormal coronary endothelial function. We intended to further explore the effect of UBE2G2 in AS using apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE−/−) mice. Relative UBE2G2 expression in aortic sinus tissues was examined by Real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical staining. Atherosclerotic plaque formation was observed through hematoxylin–eosin staining. The protein levels of adhesion biomarkers and inflammatory cytokines was analyzed by western blotting. The direct interaction between UBE2G2 and miR-204-5p was predicted by bioinformatic analysis, and the correlation was analyzed by Pearson's correlation test, and verified by luciferase reporter assay. Human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) development was detected by 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine labeling assay and wound healing assays. UBE2G2 was highly expressed in the aortic sinus tissues of high-fat diet-fed ApoE−/− mice. The atherosclerotic plaque formation was increased in ApoE−/− mice, while UBE2G2 knockdown reduced it. Silencing of UBE2G2 also inhibited the expression and protein levels of adhesion biomarkers and inflammatory cytokines in ApoE−/− mice. MiR-204-5p was the upstream effector of UBE2G2 and miR-204-5p overexpression was found to inhibit the proliferation and migration of human VSMCs through regulating UBE2G2 expression. UBE2G2 inhibition attenuated AS in ApoE−/− mice and UBE2G2 expression was negatively regulated by miR-204-5p in human VSMCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the phase transformation and failure mechanism of NiTi shape memory alloys under variable environments of high and low temperatures is critical to the establishment of constitutive properties and to the realization of controllable design. Information regarding the correlation between the phase transformation and deformation can be obtained by in situ neutron scattering measurements. Therefore, a variable temperature mechanical loading device is designed, which can be used for mechanical loading and in situ neutron scattering measurements in a variable temperature environment. Specifically, the device can achieve precise temperature control with a temperature change from −55 °C to 200 °C in a protective atmosphere. The rated load in the axial direction is 6 kN, and the maximum displacement of the unilateral grip is larger than 30 mm. In situ neutron scattering measurements can be performed through neutron windows, and the strain can be measured by digital image correlation technology. Moreover, the force sensor is calibrated to improve test precision. Through an evaluation of temperature uncertainty, the temperature measurement performance is estimated. Tensile tests of the NiTi alloy at variable temperatures are carried out, and preliminary results are given. The four deformation stages of the NiTi alloy can be seen from the stressstrain curve, which corresponds to the existing results. This demonstrates that the designed variable temperature mechanical loading device can supply the testing demands. The device provides a new way to study the relationship between the phase transformation and mechanical properties of NiTi shape memory alloys at variable temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological control using entomopathogenic fungi is a promising alternative to the chemical control of locusts. The current study collected many trains of Beauveria bassiana and tested their suitablility for migratory locust management. Twenty fungal stains were isolated from the soil (collected from three different climatic zones in China) using the Galleria mellonella bait protocol. The phylogenetic analysis of the collected fungal strains based on ITS1 and ITS4 sequences revealed that they all belonged to B. bassiana. The results of pathogenicity testing against the third nymphal instar of Locusta migratoria showed that eight strains were highly pathogenic, causing 100% mortality within 10 days of treatment. The LC50 values of the strains B. bassiana BJ (BbBJ), B. bassiana ZJ1(BbZJ1), and B. bassiana HN1 (BbHN1) were 2.27 × 105, 0.16 × 105 and 1.02 × 105 conidia/mL, respectively indicating the lowest LC50 values for strains collected from Beijing, Zhejiang, and Hainan, respectively. The LT50 values for fourth and fifth instar larvae and the horizontal transmission ability of strain BbZJ1 were 4.62 days, 8.69 days and 91.7% respectively proving to be the best among the three selected strains. In addition, analysis of virulence factors of the three regionally best strains showed that BbZJ1 had the highest germination rate, fastest growth (by 7.06 mm day−1), produced the most conidia (16.03 × 106 conidia mm−2), had higher protease activity, and a hydrophobicity value of 97.31%. BbZJ1 strain has an excellent pathogenicity against local migratory locust, and has the potential for developing fungal biopesticide for controlling local locusts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen storage by means of catalytic hydrogenation of suitable organic substrates helps to elevate the volumetric density of hydrogen energy. In this regard, utilizing cheaper industrial crude hydrogen to fulfill the goal of hydrogen storage would show economic attraction. However, because CO impurities in crude hydrogen can easily deactivate metal active sites even in trace amounts such a process has not yet been realized. Here, we develop a robust RuNi/TiO2 catalyst that enables the efficient hydrogenation of toluene to methyl-cyclohexane under simulated crude hydrogen feeds with 1000–5000 ppm CO impurity at around 180 °C under atmospheric pressure. We show that the co-localization of Ru and Ni species during reduction facilitated the formation of tightly coupled metallic Ru-Ni clusters. During the catalytic hydrogenation process, due to the distinct bonding properties, Ru and Ni served as the active sites for CO methanation and toluene hydrogenation respectively. Our work provides fresh insight into the effective utilization and purification of crude hydrogen for the future hydrogen economy. Efficient storage of crude hydrogen, through toluene hydrogenation to methylcyclohexane, is often inhibited by CO impurities. Here, the authors develop a RuNi/TiO2 catalyst which avoids deactivation through promoting simultaneous CO methanation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subduction of the Pacific slab has been widely credited for the destruction of the eastern North China Craton (NCC). However, the nature of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) beneath the central and western NCC is less well constrained, which has hindered the understanding of cratonic responses to repeated Phanerozoic circum-craton subductions. Here, we report the in situ major- and trace-element contents and Sr isotopic compositions of minerals from 27 peridotite xenoliths obtained from Cenozoic basalts from Xiyang‒Pingding, central NCC, to gain new insights into how plate subduction affected the Archean lithospheric keel. On the basis of olivine major-element and clinopyroxene trace-element contents, as well as clinopyroxene Sr isotopic compositions, we divide the xenoliths into four types. The high-Mg# types 1 and 2 peridotites show high olivine forsterite (Fo) contents, convex-upward rare-earth element patterns, and high 87Sr/86Sr (0.7053‒0.7062) in clinopyroxene, and they could be relicts of an old cratonic root. The high-Mg# type 3 peridotites exhibit high (La/Yb)N and low Ti/Eu and 87Sr/86Sr (0.7038‒0.7044), and they are interpreted as reaction products of Archean SCLM and carbonatitic melts from the asthenosphere with a contribution of recycled oceanic components. The low-Mg# type 4 peridotites display low 87Sr/86Sr (0.7029‒0.7033) and represent fragments of modified SCLM that has been recently refertilized by asthenospheric melts. Complex architectures of the SCLM underneath Xiyang‒Pingding reflect multistage overprinting of mantle metasomatism. Recent influxes of asthenospheric melts played a critical role in transforming refractory SCLM to fertile SCLM. Combined with previous studies, our findings suggest that the SCLM beneath the central NCC became progressively more refertilized from the center toward both the northern and southern margins, a spatial pattern that was likely generated by N‒S-trending subductions of the circum-craton plates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NASICON-type material Na1+xZr2SixP3−xO12 (0 ≤ x ≤ 3) is considered to be one of the most promising solid-state electrolytes that can be applied in all-solid-state sodium batteries (SSNBs). However, further increasing the ionic conductivity of Na1+xZr2SixP3−xO12 (0 ≤ x ≤ 3) to obtain higher performance electrolyte materials is still a challenge for its practical application. Herein, the Na3.4Zr2Si2.4P0.6O12 (NZSP) powder is prepared by the solution-assisted solid-state reaction (SA-SSR), and solid-state electrolytes with excellent electrochemical properties are obtained by doping with NaF as a sintering aid. With the increase of NaF doping, the crystal structure of NZSP is changed as well as a slight excess of Na+ may increase the bottleneck size of the crystal, so that it enhances the migration ability of Na+ in the crystal. Also, NaF as a sintering aid lowers the sintering temperature, increases the densities and improves the effective contact between crystals, which reduces the grain boundary impedance of NZSP. However, the excessive NaF dopant leads to the generation of microcracks decreasing the Na+ conducting and mechanical properties of solid-state electrolytes. Using this simple and low-cost strategy of NaF doping, NZSP-0.3NaF achieves an excellent conductivity of 4.98 mS cm−1 with unexpectedly low activation energy of 0.227 eV. Therefore, this composition is one of the few electrolytes with high conductivity reported so far and is a competitive option for solid-state sodium batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon-free hydrogen as a promising clean energy source can be produced with electrocatalysts via water electrolysis. Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) as anodic reaction determines the overall efficiency of water electrolysis due to sluggish OER kinetics. Thus, it's much desirable to explore the efficient and earth-abundant transition-metal-based OER electrocatalysts with high current density and superior stability for industrial alkaline electrolyzers. Herein, we demonstrate a significant enhancement of OER kinetics with the hybrid electrocatalyst arrays in alkaline via judiciously combining earth-abundant and ultrathin NiCo-based layered double hydroxide (NiCo LDH) nanosheets with nickel cobalt sulfides (NiCoS) with a facile metal-organic framework (MOF)-template-involved surface sulfidation process. The obtained NiCo LDH/NiCoS hybrid arrays exhibits an extremely low OER overpotential of 308 mV at 100 mA·cm−2, 378 mV at 200 mA·cm−2 and 472 mV at 400 mA·cm−2 in 1 M KOH solution, respectively. A much low Tafel slope of 48 mV·dec−1 can be achieved. Meanwhile, with the current density from 50 to 250 mA·cm−2, the NiCo-LDH/NiCoS hybrid arrays can run for 25 h without any degradation. Our results demonstrate that the construction of hybrid arrays with abundant interfaces of NiCo LDH/NiCoS can facilitate OER kinetics via possible modulation of binding energy of O-containing intermediates in alkaline media. The present work would pave the way for the development of low-cost and efficient OER catalysts and industrial application of water alkaline electrolyzers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Crohn's-like lymphoid reaction (CLR) is manifested as peritumoral lymphocytes aggregation in colon cancer, which is a major component of the host immune response to cancer. However, the lack of a unified and objective CLR evaluation standard limits its clinical application. We, therefore, developed a deep learning model for the fully automated CLR density quantification on routine hematoxylin and eosin (HE)-stained whole-slide images (WSIs) and further investigated its prognostic validity for patient stratification. Methods: The CLR density was calculated by using a deep learning method on HE-stained WSIs. A training (N = 279) and a validation (N = 194) cohorts were used to evaluate the prognostic value of CLR density for overall survival (OS). Result: The fully automated quantified CLR density was an independent prognostic factor, with high CLR density associated with increased OS in the discovery (HR 0.58, 95% CI 0.38–0.89, P = 0.012) and validation cohort (0.45, 0.23–0.88, 0.020). Integrating CLR density into a Cox model with other risk factors showed improved prognostic capability. Conclusion: We developed a new immune indicator (CLR density) quantified by a deep learning method to evaluate the lymphocytes aggregation in colon cancer. The CLR density was demonstrated its predictive value for OS in two independent cohorts. This approach allows for the objective and standardized quantification while reducing pathologists' workload. Therefore, this fully automated standardized method of CLR evaluation had potential clinical value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultra-high-strength M54 steel has been considered a promising candidate for structural applications in spacecraft and aircraft because of its excellent match of strength and toughness. Spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique characterized by simultaneous uniaxial pressure and pulsed current allows achieving fully dense bulk materials at low temperature with short heating, soaking, and cooling times. SPS has been widely used to produce metal materials due to its efficiency and advantages caused by its distinctive heating mode. The sintering behaviors, structural transformations, and mechanical properties of the ultra-high-strength M54 steel prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS) were studied in this work. The actual density of the SPSed specimen was measured according to Archimedes' principle, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was used to identify the phases of the raw powders and SPSed specimens. The microstructure of the SPSed specimens was characterized by optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) coupled with an energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS). After SPS consolidation, metallurgical bonding between powders was completed, and the ultra-high-strength M54 steel adjacent to nearly full densification was obtained directly. The quasistatic tensile tests indicated that the SPSed M54 steel exhibited better ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 1933.88 MPa compared to the wrought M54 steel. According to TEM analysis, the primary strengthening mechanism was its lath martensite structure with high-density dislocations. The elongation was not significant due to the presence of micro-voids and inclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the composition of microorganismal communities hosted by insect pests is an important prerequisite for revealing their functions and developing new pest control strategies. Although studies of the structure of the microbiome of Nilaparvata lugens have been published, little is known about the dynamic changes in this microbiome across different developmental stages, and an understanding of the core microbiota is still lacking. In this study, we investigated the dynamic changes in bacteria and fungi in different developmental stages of N. lugens using high-throughput sequencing technology. We observed that the microbial diversity in eggs and mated adults was higher than that in nymphs and unmated adults. We also observed a notable strong correlation between fungal and bacterial α-diversity, which suggests that fungi and bacteria are closely linked and may perform functions collaboratively during the whole developmental period. Arsenophonus and Hirsutella were the predominant bacterial and fungal taxa, respectively. Bacteria were more conserved than fungi during the transmission of the microbiota between developmental stages. Compared with that in the nymph and unmated adult stages of N. lugens, the correlation between bacterial and fungal communities in the mated adult and egg stages was stronger. Moreover, the core microbiota across all developmental stages in N. lugens was identified, and there were more bacterial genera than fungal genera; notably, the core microbiota of eggs, nymphs, and mated and unmated adults showed distinctive functional enrichment. These findings highlight the potential value of further exploring microbial functions during different developmental stages and developing new pest management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: It has been nearly 30 years since the introduction of the technique of diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT), which provides information on solute concentrations and dynamics in waters, sediments, and soils. Probing the progress of DGT research from a bibliometric viewpoint helps capture technique evolution, identify research hotspots and predict future trends. Results and discussion: In this study, we firstly built a dataset based on 1261 publications about DGT research during 1994–2020 using the Web of Science and then characterized publication records, identified the research hotspots, and constructed a keyword co-occurrence network. Specifically, we highlighted the strengths of DGT in monitoring surface water quality, determining chemical speciation and bioavailability, and unraveling geochemistry dynamic process in sediments and soil-root systems. Conclusions: Collectively, the information summarized in this study sheds light on the technical development and practical application of DGT as a promising tool in environmental studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]