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Pestiviruses, which include economically important animal pathogens such as bovine viral diarrhea virus and classical swine fever virus, possess three envelope glycoproteins, namely Erns, E1, and E2. This article discusses the structures and functions of these glycoproteins and their effects on viral pathogenicity in cells in culture and in animal hosts. E2 is the most important structural protein as it interacts with cell surface receptors that determine cell tropism and induces neutralizing antibody and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses. All three glycoproteins are involved in virus attachment and entry into target cells. E1-E2 heterodimers are essential for viral entry and infectivity. Erns is unique because it possesses intrinsic ribonuclease (RNase) activity that can inhibit the production of type I interferons and assist in the development of persistent infections. These glycoproteins are localized to the virion surface; however, variations in amino acids and antigenic structures, disulfide bond formation, glycosylation, and RNase activity can ultimately affect the virulence of pestiviruses in animals. Along with mutations that are driven by selection pressure, antigenic differences in glycoproteins influence the efficacy of vaccines and determine the appropriateness of the vaccines that are currently being used in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum phase transitions (QPT) in the infinite-long Ising-XXZ diamond chain, characterized by the quantum correlations measured by the quantum discord (QD) and the entanglement of formation (EoF), are investigated exactly by the transfer-matrix method. QD and EoF are calculated numerically for different values of anisotropy parameter, external magnetic field, and temperature. It is found that the singularity of QD and EoF around quantum critical points (QCPs), especially that of their first derivatives may not only spotlight the QCPs but also depict the QPT from unentangled state in ferrimagnetic phase to an entangled state in frustrated phase or to an entangled state in the ferrimagnetic phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): miR-125b has been identified as a tumor suppressor in many tumors, but its role in giant cell tumor (GCT) of bone remains poorly understood. The current study aimed to investigate the potential role and mechanism of miR-125b in GCT. Materials and Methods: Expression levels of miR-125b in GCT tissues were determined using RT-PCR. The cell proliferation was surveyed by direct cell counting, MTS and CCK-8, and the apoptotic cells were evaluated by Annexin V-FITC and propidium iodine staining assay. The target gene expression was determined using RT-PCR and western blot. Parathyroid hormone 1 receptor (PTH1R) 3'-UTR was cloned into luciferase reporter plasmid to confirm direct targeting. Results: We found that miR-125b was significantly down-regulated in GCT tissues. Using both gainand loss-of-function analyses, we further revealed that miR-125b suppressed GCT stromal cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis. Furthermore, we revealed that PTH/PTHrP type 1 receptor is a direct and functional target of miR-125b. Conclusion: Our results suggest that miR-125b acts as a tumor suppressor through suppression of the PTH1R/RANKL signaling pathway. These findings contribute to our understanding of the functions of miR-125b in GCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the problem of minimizing the long-term energy cost for an Internet data center (IDC) in deregulated electricity markets. Specifically, IDC operators intend to minimize energy cost by scheduling workload and battery jointly, which can fully exploit the temporal diversity of electricity price. First, we formulate a stochastic optimization problem takingheterogeneous service delay guarantees and battery management into account. Then, we design an online operation algorithm to solve the problem based on Lyapunov optimization technique. Meanwhile, we analyze the feasibility and performance guarantee of the proposed algorithm. Finally, extensive simulation results based on real-world data show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Two novel meroterpenoids, yaminterritrems A (1) and B (2), were isolated from Aspergillus terreus collected from hot spring zones in Yang-Ming Mountain, Taiwan, and cultured at 40 °C. The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated by NMR, MS spectral and X-ray crystallographic analyses. The biosynthetic route for 1 and 2 involving the conversion of the sesquiterpene with phenyl-a-pyrone is proposed. Besides, 2 exhibited a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on COX-2 expression in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silica spheres modified by poly (ionic liquid) brushes, a novel positively charged nanomaterial is prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). A high flux positively charged loose nanofiltration membrane is fabricated via “blending-phase inversion” method. The morphology structures, hydrophilicity, thermal and mechanical properties, permeation performance of these membranes are investigated in detail. The results reveal that the hybrid membranes have enhanced surface hydrophilicity, water permeability, thermal stability, and mechanical properties. Characterization of membrane separation properties shows that the hybrid membranes possess higher salt permeability and relatively higher rejection for reactive dyes, which may open opportunities for the recycling of reactive dyes wastewater. Moreover, such hybrid membranes have an outstanding operational stability and salts concentration showed little effect on the separation properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals are at high risk of contracting tuberculosis (TB) disease, and current methods for diagnosing TB infection are less effective in this population. We developed and evaluated a new interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA), named A.TB, in HIV-infected individuals, with and without active TB, in a setting of high TB burden and low HIV prevalence. Methods: A total of 255 subjects were divided into 3 groups according to their HIV and TB status: HIV + without active TB (n = 123), HIV +/TB + (n = 79), and HIV-/TB + (n = 65). The A.TB assay was performed in parallel with the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) and tuberculin skin test (TST). Results: The positive rate was 59.3% (n = 123) by A.TB and 53.8% (n = 106) by QFT-GIT. We observed a strong concordance of 81.2% (k = 0.612) between the two IGRAs. The QFT-GIT results were affected by low CD4+ cell count (p= 0.013), while A.TB results were not. A.TB was also performed in patients with active TB (n = 65) and patients with active TB and HIV co-infection (n = 79). The sensitivity of A.TB in these groups was 80.0% and 81.0%, respectively. Conclusion: The A.TB results were not affected by low CD4+ cell count in the co-infected cohort. With further evaluation,A.TB may prove to be a valuable tool for diagnosing TB in HIV-infected patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Whether external or plating fixation is more appropriate for high-energy tibial plateau fractures is still being disputed, our aim was to test the hypothesis whether external fixation can provide a fair outcome with fewer complications, when compared to the results with previously reported data of plating fixation for high-energy tibial plateau fractures. Methods: An Ovid of Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library search was conducted for the relevant English orthopedic journals, and eligible studies, including twenty-four case series and one comparative study containing 885 patients associated with 892 fractures, were enrolled. Results: The results showed there were a higher proportion of men, open fractures, malunion, knee instability, and posttraumatic arthritis occurred in external fixation group than those in plating group ( P = 0.007, P = 0.000, P = 0.024, P = 0.006, P = 0.000, respectively), while valgus deformity happened at a significantly higher rate in plate group ( P = 0.014). No significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of age, Schatzker type, follow-up, mean time to union, mean range of knee motion, and rate of reoperation. With regard to the functional and radiological outcome assessment, despite what assessment tools were used, most of these studies presented less than 90 % good/excellent results in their high-energy fracture series. Besides, there was a trend for patients in plating group to have a higher risk than those in external fixation group in terms of heterotopic ossification and local irritation (1.23 vs 0.17 %, 4 vs 1.94 %, accordingly). Conclusions: Although lack of good quality randomized control trials, there are rather enough samples supporting the current available results. Meanwhile, future multicentered, randomized, controlled studies should be implemented to test these outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A positively charged nanomaterial was prepared adopting the graft polymerization of ionic liquid monomers on halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) via reverse atom transfer radical polymerization (RATRP). A novel and facile organic–inorganic hybrid molecular separation membrane was then fabricated by the incorporation of modified HNTs via phase inversion method. This hybrid membrane was investigated in terms of morphology structure, hydrophilicity, thermal, mechanical and electrical properties, and separation performances. The results revealed that the hybrid membranes represented thickened and loosened skin layer, enhanced surface hydrophilicity and water flux, as well as good thermal and mechanical properties. Most importantly, the hybrid membranes showed stabilized rejection for Reactive Black 5 (above 90%) and Reactive Red 49 (80%–90%), whereas the rejection for sorts of salts declined to below 10% indicating a potential molecular separation characteristic for dye desalination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The M–O (Mononobe–Okabe) theory is used as a standard method to determine the seismic earth pressure. However, the M–O theory does not consider the influence of soil cohesion, and it cannot determine the nonlinear distribution of the seismic earth pressure. This paper presents a general solution for the nonlinear distribution of the seismic active earth pressure of cohesive-frictional soil using the slice analysis method. A new method is proposed to determine the critical failure angle of the backfill wedge under complex conditions, and an iterative calculation method is presented to determine the tension crack depth of the seismic active earth pressure. The considered parameters in the proposed method include the horizontal and vertical seismic coefficients, wall inclination angle, backfill inclination angle, soil friction angle, wall friction angle, soil cohesion, wall adhesion and uniform surcharge. The classical methods of the M–O and Rankine theories can be regarded as special cases of the proposed method. Furthermore, the proposed method is compared with the test results and previously existing solutions to validate the correctness of the results. Additionally, the parameters׳ effect on the critical failure angle, the resultant force, the application-point position, the tension crack depth and the nonlinear distribution of seismic active earth pressure are studied in graphical form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Jasmonic acid (JA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) regulate plant development, resistance to stress, and insect attack by inducing specific gene expression. However, little is known about the mechanism of plant defense against herbivore attack at a protein level. Using a high-resolution 2-D gel, we identified 62 MeJA-responsive proteins and measured protein expression level changes. Results: Among these 62 proteins, 43 proteins levels were increased while 11 proteins were decreased. We also found eight proteins uniquely expressed in response to MeJA treatment. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD001793. The proteins identified in this study have important biological functions including photosynthesis and energy related proteins (38.4%), protein folding, degradation and regulated proteins (15.0%), stress and defense regulated proteins (11.7%), and redox-responsive proteins (8.3%). The expression levels of four important genes were determined by qRT-PCR analysis. The expression levels of these proteins did not correlate well with their translation levels. To test the defense functions of the differentially expressed proteins, expression vectors of four protein coding genes were constructed to express in-fusion proteins in E. coli. The expressed proteins were used to feed Ostrinia furnacalis, the Asian corn borer (ACB). Our results demonstrated that the recombinant proteins of pathogenesis-related protein 1 (PR1) and thioredoxin M-type, chloroplastic precursor (TRXM) showed the significant inhibition on the development of larvae and pupae. Conclusions: We found MeJA could not only induce plant defense mechanisms to insects, it also enhanced toxic protein production that potentially can be used for bio-control of ACB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua , is a major pest of cotton around the world. With the increase of resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis ( Bt ) toxin in transgenic cotton plants, there is a need to develop an alternative control approach that can be used in combination with Bt transgenic crops as part of resistance management strategies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a non-coding small RNA family (18–25 nt), play crucial roles in various biological processes and over-expression of miRNAs has been shown to interfere with the normal development of insects. In this study, we identified 127 conserved miRNAs in S. exigua by using small RNA deep sequencing technology. From this, we tested the effects of 11 miRNAs on larval development. We found three miRNAs, Sex-miR-10-1a , Sex-miR-4924 , and Sex-miR-9 , to be differentially expressed during larval stages of S. exigua . Oral feeding experiments using synthetic miRNA mimics of Sex-miR-10-1a , Sex-miR-4924 , and Sex-miR-9 resulted in suppressed growth of S. exigua and mortality. Over-expression of Sex-miR-4924 caused a significant reduction in the expression level of chitinase 1 and caused abortive molting in the insects. Therefore, we demonstrated a novel approach of using miRNA mimics to control S. exigua development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth and alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) of two raphidophyceae species Chattonella marina and Heterosigma akashiwo were investigated in response to P-limitation and subsequent addition of dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP, NaH2PO4) and two dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) compounds: guanosine 5-monophosphate (GMP) and triethyl phosphate (TEP). APA levels increased greatly after P-starvation as the decrease of the cellular phosphorus quotes (Qp). C. marina responded to P-limitation quickly and strongly, with 10-fold increase in APA within 24 hr after P-starvation. The larger difference between maximal and minimal QP values in C. marina indicated its high capacity in P storage. APA of H. akashiwo was maximally enlarged about 2.5 times at 48 hr of P-starvation. After the addition of nutrients, cell numbers of C. marina increased in all treatments including the P-free culture, demonstrating the higher endurance of C. marina to P-limitation. However, those of H. akashiwo increased only in DIP and GMP cultures. APA increased only after the addition of the monophosphate ester GMP. The results suggest that quick responses of C. marina to P-limitation, high capacity in P storage as well as endurance for P-depletion provide this species an ecological advantage in phytoplankton community competition under DIP-limited conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method for fabricating a microlens array composite optical film by a seamless roller mold of self-assembly is presented. The roller with a lot of random cavities is used to produce a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) composite optical film with 3D random microlens arrays using the ultraviolet (UV) roll-to-roll printing. The luminance gain and haze are 1.247 and 86 %, respectively, giving the PET composite optical film the properties of a brightness enhancement film and a diffuser. Solid glass beads (SBs) are used for parameter testing for self-assembly. Then, 3 M glass bubble beads (BBs) are used to fabricate a seamless roller mold. The optimal parameters of the self-assembly process for the SB are a coating speed of 135 mm/h with a 39 % volume ratio, and those for the BB are a coating speed of 30 mm/h with a 3 % volume ratio. Finally, the PET optical film is used in the green energy lighting testing of a commercial bicycle light-emitting diode (LED). The results show increased lighting angle and light uniformity, making it similar to traditional tungsten light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abundant sensor data are now available online from a wealth of sources, which greatly enhance research efforts on the Digital Earth. The combination of distributed sensor networks and expanding citizen-sensing capabilities provides a more synchronized image of earth's social and physical landscapes. However, it remains difficult for researchers to use such heterogeneous Sensor Webs for scientific applications since data are published by following different standards and protocols and are in arbitrary formats. In this paper, we investigate the core challenges faced when consuming multiple sources for environmental applications using the Linked Data approach. We design and implement a system to achieve better data interoperability and integration by republishing real-world data into linked geo-sensor data. Our contributions include presenting: (1) best practices of re-using and matching the W3C Semantic Sensor Network (SSN) ontology and other popular ontologies for heterogeneous data modeling in the water resources application domain, (2) a newly developed spatial analysis tool for creating links, and (3) a set of RESTful OGC Sensor Observation Service (SOS) like Linked Data APIs. Our results show how a Linked Sensor Web can be built and used within the integrated water resource decision support application domain. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, we investigate the problem of minimizing energy cost for distributed Internet data centers (IDCs) in smart microgrids while taking system dynamics into consideration. Specifically, IDC operators expect to minimize the long-term energy cost with the uncertainties in electricity price, workload, renewable energy generation, and power outage state. At first, we formulate the problem as a stochastic program that captures service request distribution, server provisioning, energy storage management, generator scheduling, power transactions between smart microgrids, and main grids. Second, we use the Lyapunov optimization technique to design an operation algorithm, which enables an explicit tradeoff between energy cost saving and battery investment cost. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is evaluated with practical data. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In vivo, the level of cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate (cAMP) and the pathway of the Janus Kinase1/Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription1 (JAK1/STAT1) were studied. In vitro, the Ca 2+ mobilization in human platelet stimulated by thrombin was observed. In addition, vasomotion of vascular smooth muscle was measured by adding KCl or norepinephrine(NE) under the Ca 2+ contained bath solutions. The effect induced by NE in the presence of N-nitro- l -arginine methyl ester ( l -NAME) or indometacin (Indo) was also detected. At last, the levels of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in cultured supernatans in Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (Huvecs) were measured by means of ELISA kit. Results showed that Nattokinase (NK) significantly increased the cAMP level, activated the signal passage of JAK1/STAT1 in injured part and inhibited remarkably the rise of platelet intracellular Ca 2+ ([Ca 2+ ] i ) in human platelet. Furthermore, NK relaxed rat thoracic aortic artery in the dose-dependent manner and in the endothelium dependent manner and its effect could be attenuated by l -NAME. Also, the secretion of t-PA and PAI-1 were reduced stimulated by Adr on Huvecs. These data indicated that the neuroprotective effect of NK was associated with its antiplatelet activity by elevating cAMP level and attenuating the calcium release from calcium stores; with its anti-apoptotic effect through the activation of JAK1/STAT1 pathway; with its relaxing vascular smooth muscle by promoting synthesis and release of NO, reducing ROC calcium ion influx and with its protection on endothelial cells through increasing fibrinolytic activity and facilitating spontaneous thrombolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Uroplakin (UP) II and UPIII are highly specific immunohistochemical markers for urothelial differentiation. Here we studied the sensitivity of UPII and UPIII in conventional and variant urothelial carcinomas (UCs). Methods: Immunohistochemical staining for UPII and UPIII was performed on tissue microarray slides, including 105 conventional bladder UCs (BUCs), 90 upper urinary tract UCs (UUTUCs), and 47 micropapillary, 16 plasmacytoid, 22 small cell carcinoma, and 41 sarcomatoid UC variants. Results: UPII expression was significantly higher than UPIII expression in conventional BUC (44% vs 17%, P < .001) and UUTUC (67% vs 46%, P = .045). UPIII expression was significantly higher in UUTUC than in BUC (P < .001). In UC variants, UPII expression was significantly higher than UPIII expression in micropapillary (91% vs 25%, P < .001), plasmacytoid (63% vs 6%, P < .001), and sarcomatoid (29% vs 5%, P = .032) variants. Only rare cases of the small cell carcinoma variant had focal UPII and UPIII expression. Compared with conventional UC, the sarcomatoid variant had significantly lower UPII expression, whereas the micropapillary variant had significantly higher UPII expression (P < .001). Conclusions: UPII demonstrates a significantly higher sensitivity than UPIII in conventional and variant UCs. Thus, UPII is a more valuable marker than UPIII in immunohistochemical analyses for confirming the urothelial origin of carcinomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of an N-heterocyclic silylene-stabilized digermanium(0) complex is described. The reaction of the amidinate-stabilized silicon(II) amide [LSiN(SiMe3)2] ( 1; L=PhC(N tBu)2) with GeCl2⋅dioxane in toluene afforded the SiII-GeII adduct [L{(Me3Si)2N}Si→GeCl2] ( 2). Reaction of the adduct with two equivalents of KC8 in toluene at room temperature afforded the N-heterocyclic carbene silylene-stabilized digermanium(0) complex [L{(Me3Si)2N}Si→ GeGe←Si{N(SiMe3)2}L] ( 3). X-ray crystallography and theoretical studies show conclusively that the N-heterocyclic silylenes stabilize the singlet digermanium(0) moiety by a weak synergic donor-acceptor interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of an N-heterocyclic silylene-stabilized digermanium(0) complex is described. The reaction of the amidinate-stabilized silicon(II) amide [LSiN(SiMe3)2] ( 1; L=PhC(N tBu)2) with GeCl2⋅dioxane in toluene afforded the SiII-GeII adduct [L{(Me3Si)2N}Si→GeCl2] ( 2). Reaction of the adduct with two equivalents of KC8 in toluene at room temperature afforded the N-heterocyclic carbene silylene-stabilized digermanium(0) complex [L{(Me3Si)2N}Si→ GeGe←Si{N(SiMe3)2}L] ( 3). X-ray crystallography and theoretical studies show conclusively that the N-heterocyclic silylenes stabilize the singlet digermanium(0) moiety by a weak synergic donor-acceptor interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heat stress response is an important adaptation, enabling plants to survive challenging environmental conditions. Our previous work demonstrated that Arabidopsis thaliana Phosphoinositide-Specific Phospholipase C Isoform 9 (AtPLC9) plays an important role in thermotolerance. During prolonged heat treatment, mutants of AtPLC3 showed decreased heat resistance. We observed no obvious phenotypic differences between plc3 mutants and wild type (WT) seedlings under normal growth conditions, but after heat shock, the plc3 seedlings displayed a decline in thermotolerance compared with WT, and also showed a 40–50% decrease in survival rate and chlorophyll contents. Expression of AtPLC3 in plc3 mutants rescued the heat-sensitive phenotype; the AtPLC3-overexpressing lines also exhibited much higher heat resistance than WT and vector-only controls. The double mutants of plc3 and plc9 displayed increased sensitivity to heat stress, compared with either single mutant. In transgenic lines containing a AtPLC3:GUS promoter fusion, GUS staining showed that AtPLC3 expresses in all tissues, except anthers and young root tips. Using the Ca2+-sensitive fluorescent probe Fluo-3/AM and aequorin reconstitution, we showed that plc3 mutants show a reduction in the heat-induced Ca2+ increase. The expression of HSP genes (HSP18.2, HSP25.3, HSP70-1 and HSP83) was down-regulated in plc3 mutants and up-regulated in AtPLC3-overexpressing lines after heat shock. These results indicated that AtPLC3 also plays a role in thermotolerance in Arabidopsis, and that AtPLC3 and AtPLC9 function additionally to each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the PYTHIA6 and PYTHIA8 results are inconsistent with ALICE data of charged particle transverse momentum sphericity, we introduce a new method in which the p x and p y components of produced particles are randomly rearranged on the circumference of an ellipse with a half major and minor axes being p T ( 1 + δ p ) and p T ( 1 − δ p ) . Based on the particles generated in the PYTHIA6.4 simulations this rearrangement method fairly well reproduces the ALICE data of the transverse sphericity as a function of charged multiplicity in the minimum bias pp collisions at s = 0.9 and 7 TeV . Meanwhile, this work predicts a measurable value of v 2 ∼ 0.2 – 0.3 for the charged particles in the above pp collisions and suggests a simultaneous study of the particle transverse momentum sphericity and elliptic flow parameter as well as other harmonic coefficients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dimmable light emitting diode (LED) driver circuit with dual-mode dimming control and current-balancing design for backlight applications was examined and implemented in this study. Parallel current balancing can be achieved by a passive differential-mode (DM) transformer. The driver has the main power stage constructed by one boost converter. Owing to the high switching frequency, continuous-current-mode operation, and DM transformer magnetizing inductance, the output side only needs an ultralow capacitor. Through the constant-current and constant-voltage dimming scheme, the LED has smoothed temporary voltage transient and will extend the lifetime of a LED lamp. Furthermore, simplicity, low cost, less capacitor, and gradual voltage rising slope can be achieved. This study included the analyses and discussions for the operational principles and design considerations of the proposed LED driver. A 10-W laboratory prototype was built and tested to verify the feasibility of the studied driver. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), the most common primary renal disease, is characterized by abnormal IgA1 deposition. IgAN is caused by NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing-3 (NLRP3), which regulates innate immunity. Gubentongluo (GB) decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine, is an effective clinical treatment for IgAN in China. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms. In this study, IgA1, which is separated from patients with IgAN, together with GB decoction was applied to treat human mesangial cells (HMCs). CCK-8 and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to assess cell proliferation and the production of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), respectively. qPCR and Western blot were applied to detect the expression levels of NLRP3, IL-1β, and caspase-1. Our results showed that GB decoction inhibited IgA1-induced cell proliferation and IL-1β production. Furthermore, IgA1-induced upregulation of IL-1β, NLRP3, and caspase-1 was reduced after treatment with GB. Interestingly, MCC950, an NLRP3 inhibitor, showed similar effect as GB decoction. Additionally, NLRP3 overexpression stimulated cell proliferation, IL-1β secretion, and the expressions of IL-1β and caspase-1 in HMCs. But these effects could be alleviated by GB decoction. In conclusion, GB may play a protective role in IgAN cell model by inhibiting NLRP3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formyl peptide receptors (FPRs) may contribute to inflammation in Alzheimer's disease through interactions with neuropathological Amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides. Previous studies reported activation of FPR2 by Aβ1-42, but further investigation of other FPRs and Aβ variants is needed. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the interactions of mouse and human FPRs with different physiologically relevant Aβ-peptides using transiently transfected cells in combination with calcium imaging. We observed that, in addition to hFPR2, all other hFPRs also responded to Aβ 1-42, Aβ1-40, and the naturally occurring variants Aβ11-40 and Aβ17-40. Notably, Aβ11-40 and Aβ17-40 are very potent activators of mouse and human FPR1, acting at nanomolar concentrations. Buffer composition and aggregation state are extremely crucial factors that critically affect the interaction of Aβ with different FPR subtypes. To investigate the physiological relevance of these findings, we examined the effects of Aβ11-40 and Aβ17-40 on the human glial cell line U87. Both peptides induced a strong calcium flux at concentrations that are very similar to those obtained in experiments for hFPR1 in HEK cells. Further immunocyto-chemistry, qPCR, and pharmacological experiments verified that these responses were primarily mediated through hFPR1. Chemotaxis experiments revealed that Aβ11-40 but not Aβ17-40 evoked cell migration, which argues for a functional selectivity of different Aβ peptides. Together, these findings provide the first evidence that not only hFPR2 but also hFPR1 and hFPR3 may contribute to neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease through an interaction with different Aβ variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread rapidly and significantly impacted most countries in the world. Providing an accurate forecast of COVID-19 at multiple scales would help inform public health decisions, but recent forecasting models are typically used at the state or country level. Furthermore, traditional mathematical models are limited by simplifying assumptions, while machine learning algorithms struggle to generalize to unseen trends. This motivates the need for hybrid machine learning models that integrate domain knowledge for accurate long-term prediction. We propose a three-layer, geographically informed ensemble, an extensive peer-learning framework, for predicting COVID-19 trends at the country, continent, and global levels. As the base layer, we develop a country-level predictor using a hybrid Graph Attention Network that incorporates a modified SIR model, adaptive loss function, and edge weights informed by mobility data. We aggregated 163 country GATs to train the continent and world MLP layers of the ensemble. Our results indicate that incorporating quantitatively accurate equations and real-world data to model inter-community interactions improves the performance of spatio-temporal machine learning algorithms. Additionally, we demonstrate that integrating geographic information (continent composition) improves the performance of the world predictor in our layered architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoparticles are widely used in biomedical applications and cancer treatments due to their minute scale, multi-function, and long retention time. Among the various nanoparticles, the unique optical property derived from the localized surface plasmon resonance effect of metallic nanoparticles is a primary reason that metallic nanoparticles are researched and applied. Copper and Iron nanoparticles have the potential to generate hydroxyl radicals in excess H2O2 via Fenton or Fenton-like reactions. On the other hand, gold nanoparticles equipped with a photosensitizer can transfer the energy of photons to chemical energy and enhance the production of singlet oxygen, which is suitable for cancer treatment. With the actions of these two reactive oxygen species in the tumor microenvironment, cell apoptosis can further be induced. In this work, we first synthesized dual metal nanoparticles with poly[styrene-alt-(maleic acid, sodium salt)(Cu ferrite oxide-polymer) by a simple one-step hydrothermal reduction reaction. Then, gold(III) was reduced and doped into the structure, which formed a triple metal structure, Au-doped Cu ferrite nanoparticles (Au/Cu ferrite oxide-polymer NPs). The metal ratio of the product could be controlled by manipulating the Fe/Cu ratio of reactants and the sequence of addition of reactants. The core–shell structure was verified by transmission electron microscopy. Moreover, the hydroxyl radical and singlet oxygen generation ability of Au/Cu ferrite oxide-polymer was proved. The chemodynamic and photodynamic effect was measured, and the in vitro ROS generation was observed. Furthermore, the behavior of endocytosis by cancer cells could be controlled by the magnetic field. The result indicated that Au/Cu ferrite oxide-polymer core–shell nanoreactor is a potential agent for chemodynamic/photodynamic synergetic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-entropy alloys have been proved to be potential candidate materials in the biomedical field due to their balanced mechanical properties and excellent biocompatibility. The effects of atomic ratios on the as-cast microstructural evolution, mechanical properties, and electrochemical property of TiZrTaNbSn high-entropy alloys were studied systematically. The crystal structure of TiZrTaNbSn high-entropy alloys is single BCC phase, and the microstructural evolution is based on atomic ratio. The dendric structure, peritectic structure, pseudo eutectic and equiaxed grain, which are associated with element segregation, can be obtained by non-equal atomic ratio. Ti30Zr20Ta20Nb20Sn10 alloy demonstrates a high compressive strength and fracture strain, which are 2,571.8 MPa and 12%, respectively, and the fracture behavior is quasi-cleavage faults. The Ti45Z35Ta5Nb5Sn10, Ti30Zr20Ta20Nb20Sn10 and Ti35Zr25Ta15Nb15Sn10 alloys show excellent corrosion resistance according to Nyquist diagram, polarization curves and corrosion morphology. Compared with TiZrTaNbSn alloy, the corrosion rate of Ti45Zr35Ta5Nb5Sn10 alloy increases by about 98.9%. It can be concluded that non-equal atomic ratios are effective for microstructure control and performance optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicopter rotor aerodynamic noise research has become essential as helicopters' reliability and comfort requirements have increased. Significant progress has been made in modeling the aerodynamically generated sound of helicopter rotors. The cyclostationary signal processing methods have been widely used for machine fault diagnosis, machinery system identification and mechanical source separation. However, the lack of a generally accepted formal definition of cyclostationarity based on the basic aerodynamic theory and wave propagation model limits cyclostationary methods' application to the helicopter rotor aerodynamic noise. A formal cyclostationary modeling process to the helicopter rotor aerodynamic noise based on aerodynamic and wave propagation theory is proposed in this paper for subsequent cyclostationary signal processing. The rotor blade noise is mathematically formulated as a cyclostationary process by imposing the periodic Green's function based on the Wold–Cramer decomposition form of the Ffowcs Williams–Hawkings (FW–H) equation, and the formal definition of the rotor blade noise cyclostationary process is derived. Then, the cyclostationarity is defined for both the tonal noise and the broadband noise of rotor aerodynamic noise, respectively. Furthermore, a periodic amplitude modulation (PAM) signal model is proposed to approximate the measured rotor aerodynamic noise signal. The proposed signal model is validated by the measurement in the wind tunnel test. • Cyclostationarity of the aerodynamically generated sound of helicopter rotors is proved. • A cyclostationary signal model is proposed for helicopter rotor aerodynamic noise. • The theory and signal model is validated by the measurement in the wind tunnel test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The SBL algorithm is used for sound source localization and quantification. • The SBL and IBF algorithms are compared in terms of effectiveness and robustness. • Advantages of SBL at low SNRs, low frequency are validated through experiments. The localization accuracy and acoustic quantification are the leading indicators of acoustic localization. It is difficult to reconstruct the acoustic field completely as the number of sources is larger than the number of microphones. To solve this problem, the sparse acoustic holography under the Bayesian framework is applied to acquire the phase and amplitude distribution of the acoustic field to achieve acoustic source localization. In this paper, a Sparse Bayesian Learning (SBL) algorithm is improved, which can not only perform acoustic localization quickly and accurately, but also quantize the sound source to achieve sparse acoustic holography. To verify the efficiency and robustness of the improved method, simulations and experiments with different sound sources and noise disturbances are performed in this paper to verify the superior performance of the SBL algorithm at low frequencies and low signal-to-noise ratios (SNR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Multiplicative scaling of concentration between unit cells. • Mapping shapes by a position-dependent rescaling of time. • Model to predict porosity evolution from pore-scale data. Upscaling methods are frequently used to derive transport equations at the macroscopic scale from more fundamental equations formulated at the pore scale. These methods typically give a suitable structure for the macroscopic equations and can also provide explicit expressions for the constitutive parameters, such as permeability and dispersion coefficients. Introducing chemical reactions complicates upscaling in at least two important ways. First, the interplay between chemical reactions and transport processes introduces a new length scale, which can be much smaller than the convective or dispersive length scales. A small reactive length scale breaks one of the key assumptions in upscaling; that there is a significant separation in length between the pore-scale and macro-scale processes. The second complication is that if reactions take place at mineral surfaces (dissolution or precipitation) then the pore space itself is evolving in time. In this paper we suggest ways in which these difficulties can be approached, based on analysis of pore-scale simulation data. First, we noticed that the concentration field in successive unit cells has an almost identical spatial variation, with a single scaling factor for each unit cell that is proportional to the incoming reactant flux. Using pore-scale simulations to determine the mass transfer coefficient in a few unit cells, we can calculate the concentration field in the whole domain, even when dissolution is entirely transport limited. Second, we have noticed a time-dependent mapping of the grain shapes from different unit cells. From these observations, we can deduce constitutive relations where the only time-varying parameter is the porosity. We show that a model based on these ideas can quantitatively account for the pore-scale simulation data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) possesses the advantage that directly detects target analytes in solution with high specificity and sensitivity without complicated pretreatment procedures. It remains a challenge in most practical applications to achieve molecule sensitivity in any highly diluted solutions. Here, we develop a robust and practical molecular enrichment strategy that can effectively confine analyte molecules and Au nanoparticles together in a short time into a small-sized sensitive region on a needle tip, based on the Leidenfrost phenomenon and capillary force. In this strategy, the Leidenfrost evaporation phenomenon maintains the analytes droplet in a Cassie state based on a levitating force, and at the same time, a hung needle tip anchors the droplet based on the capillary force. After 1–2 min quick evaporation, more than 98% Au nanoparticles and analytes can be condensed into an around 0.5 mm small size area on the needle tip. Due to the significant enrichment capability and reproducibility, the SERS measurement enables to achieve the limit of detection (LOD) down to 0.08 nM (at an S/N ratio of 3) for crystal violet (CV) molecules and to nM level for several types of pesticide molecules (glyphosate, carbendazim, thiram and choline) in ethanol solution. The strategy was also applied to the detection of CV molecules in mixture pigments solution, thiram in spiked environment water samples, with good selectivity and sensitivity. In addition, using the high thermal conductivity substrate without additional surface modification, this enrichment SERS detection may open the possibility of universal applications due to its facile and cost-effective. The accurate site of the needle tip offers great practical potentials for on-site identification by using a handheld Raman spectrometer. [Display omitted] • Combining the partial Leidenfrost evaporation and tip enrichment method, it can greatly accelerate the enrichment process. • The common flat substrates with good thermal conductivity are suitable for this method to reduce the operation difficulty. • The final enrichment tiny area of tip can be easily located under the laser spot to increase the sensitivity of detection. • The novel method exhibits a wide detection range with a LOD down to nM for the poorly soluble pesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transformer discharge fault localization is important for the power supply reliability. The audible sound radiated by the transformer can reflect the extensive operation information. Thus, discharge faults can be localized by high spatial resolution acoustic imaging techniques to facilitate the inspection and maintenance of power equipment. In this paper, the grid-moving equivalent source method (GMESM) is proposed to visualize the discharge fault on a transformer, where the equivalent source grids can approach the discharge fault position adaptively. A probability framework is established in GMESM. The noise power can be firstly estimated by the Bayes rule to avoid an additional measurement of the background noise. Then, the expectation maximization algorithm is used to optimize the proposed model. Two experiment cases are used to validate the proposed method. It turns out that the proposed GMESM can visualize the discharge fault on the transformer with high spatial resolution and accuracy. • The transformer discharge fault is localized by audible acoustic array. • GMESM is proposed for high-resolution transformer discharge fault localization. • The background noise power is estimated to avoid an additional measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Therefore, the wording of the Methods, subsection "Construct drug similarity network based on side effects" closely resembles the method description in Reference 57 designed for symptom-based similarity detection, but this reference was not cited in this section. To construct drug similarity network based on side effects, the Authors used the data and the method reported by Zhou et al. whose paper is cited as Reference 57 in the Article. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract: The exploitation of plant volatile organic compounds as biofumigants to control postharvest decaying of agro-products has received considerable research attention. Our previous study reported that 1-nonanol, the main constituent of cereal volatiles, can inhibit Aspergillus flavus growth and has the potential as a biofumigant to control the fungal spoilage of cereal grains. However, the antifungal mechanism of 1-nonanol against A. flavus is still unclear at the molecular level. In this study, the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration of 1-nonanol against A. flavus spores were 2 and 4 μL/mL, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the 1-nonanol can distort the morphology of A. flavus spore. Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining showed that 1-nonanol induced phosphatidylserine eversion and increased membrane permeability of A. flavus spores. Transcriptional profile analysis showed that 1-nonanol treatment mainly affected the expression of genes related to membrane damage, oxidative phosphorylation, blockage of DNA replication, and autophagy in A. flavus spores. Flow cytometry analysis showed that 1-nonanol treatment caused hyperpolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential and accumulation of reactive oxygen species in A. flavus spores. 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining showed that treatment with 1-nonanol destroyed the DNA. Biochemical analysis results confirmed that 1-nonanol exerted destructive effects on A. flavus spores by decreasing intracellular adenosine triphosphate content, reducing mitochondrial ATPase activity, accumulating hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anions, and increasing catalase and superoxide dismutase enzyme activities. This study provides new insights into the antifungal mechanisms of 1-nonanol against A. flavus.• 1-Nonanol treatment resulted in abnormal morphology of A. flavus spores.• 1-Nonanol affects the expression of key growth-related genes of A. flavus.• The apoptosis of A. favus spores were induced after exposed to 1-nonanol.Key points: The exploitation of plant volatile organic compounds as biofumigants to control postharvest decaying of agro-products has received considerable research attention. Our previous study reported that 1-nonanol, the main constituent of cereal volatiles, can inhibit Aspergillus flavus growth and has the potential as a biofumigant to control the fungal spoilage of cereal grains. However, the antifungal mechanism of 1-nonanol against A. flavus is still unclear at the molecular level. In this study, the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration of 1-nonanol against A. flavus spores were 2 and 4 μL/mL, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the 1-nonanol can distort the morphology of A. flavus spore. Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining showed that 1-nonanol induced phosphatidylserine eversion and increased membrane permeability of A. flavus spores. Transcriptional profile analysis showed that 1-nonanol treatment mainly affected the expression of genes related to membrane damage, oxidative phosphorylation, blockage of DNA replication, and autophagy in A. flavus spores. Flow cytometry analysis showed that 1-nonanol treatment caused hyperpolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential and accumulation of reactive oxygen species in A. flavus spores. 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining showed that treatment with 1-nonanol destroyed the DNA. Biochemical analysis results confirmed that 1-nonanol exerted destructive effects on A. flavus spores by decreasing intracellular adenosine triphosphate content, reducing mitochondrial ATPase activity, accumulating hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anions, and increasing catalase and superoxide dismutase enzyme activities. This study provides new insights into the antifungal mechanisms of 1-nonanol against A. flavus.• 1-Nonanol treatment resulted in abnormal morphology of A. flavus spores.• 1-Nonanol affects the expression of key growth-related genes of A. flavus.• The apoptosis of A. favus spores were induced after exposed to 1-nonanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Space-snapshot representation for acoustic imaging in a complex, noisy environment is investigated. • Low rank and Mixture of Gaussian modeling are proposed to achieve significant denoising performance. • Comparisons with other methods are made in simulations and experiments to verify the effect of the state-of-the-art methods. The microphone array can simultaneously obtain the multi-dimensional information (space-time-frequency) of sound sources, which is recognized as a fundamental and powerful tool in acoustic imaging. Acoustic Beamforming is one of the widely used methods in acoustic imaging. However, most of the applications of beamforming are based on the Gaussian noise assumption, which is not always accurate in on-site measurements. For example, shock noise with a skewed probability density function (PDF) may appear on the signal record when the turbulent eddies are not controlled. Thus, in this paper, the conventional Gaussian noise model is extended to a Gaussian mixture noise model, which can approximate any probability distribution of the noise in theory. The space-snapshot representation of microphone array measurements is further modeled as a combination of the low-rank matrix part (measurements from the sound sources) and a Gaussian mixture matrix part (measurement noise). The signal from the sources of interest is finally recovered by the Expectation–maximization algorithm, which iterates between the low-rank approximation of the sound sources and the estimation of the parameter of the Gaussian mixture model. The proposed method is further investigated with simulations and compared with robust principal component analysis (RPCA) and Gaussian-based probabilistic factor analysis (PFA). It is concluded that the proposed method outperforms the state-of-the-art denoising methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adsorption and mass transport of CO 2 and CH 4 in CHA zeolite were studied experimentally. First, large and well-defined CHA crystals with varying Si/Al ratios and morphologies ideal for adsorption studies were prepared. Then, adsorption isotherms were measured, and adsorption parameters were estimated from the data. In the next step, permeation experiments for pure components and mixtures were conducted for a defect-free CHA membrane with a Si/Al ratio of 80 and a thickness of 600 nm over a wide temperature range. A maximum selectivity of 243 in combination with a CO 2 permeance of 70 × 10−7 mol/(m2 s Pa) was observed for a feed of an equimolar CO 2 /CH 4 mixture at 273 K and 5.5 bar. Finally, a simple model accounting for adsorption and diffusion through the surface barriers and the interior of the pores of the membrane was fitted to the permeation data. The fitted model indicated that the surface barrier was a surface diffusion process at the pore mouth with higher activation energy than the diffusion process within the pores. The model also showed that the highly selective mass transport in the membrane was mostly a result of a selective surface barrier and, to a lesser extent, a result of adsorption selectivity. [Display omitted] • CHA crystals with various Si/Al ratios were studied for gas adsorption. • The adsorption were performed in a wide temperature range of 150–350 K. • Single gas and CO 2 /CH 4 permeation were measured over an ultra-thin CHA membrane. • Adsorption parameters were used to model mass transport through the CHA membrane. • High CO 2 /CH 4 selectivity is mostly due to high surface permeability selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Geniposidic acid (GA) and aucubin (AB) of Du-zhong tea have a variety of bioactivities. [•] A LC-MS method was developed to simultaneously determine GA and AB in rat plasma. [•] The PK property of GA and AB after oral Du-zhong tea was studied for the fist time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The main topic of the present work is the relation that a set X is strongly hyperimmune-free relative to Y. Here X is strongly hyperimmune-free relative to Y if and only if for every partial X-recursive function p there is a partial Y-recursive function q such that every a in the domain of p is also in the domain of q and satisfies , that is, p is majorised by q. For X being hyperimmune-free relative to Y, one also says that X is pmaj-reducible to Y . It is shown that between degrees not above the Halting problem the pmaj-reducibility coincides with the Turing reducibility and that therefore only recursive sets have a strongly hyperimmune-free Turing degree while those sets Turing above the Halting problem bound uncountably many sets with respect to the pmaj-relation. So pmaj-reduction is identical with Turing reduction on a class of sets of measure 1. Moreover, every pmaj-degree coincides with the corresponding Turing degree. The pmaj-degree of the Halting problem is definable with the pmaj-relation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Therapeutic angiogenesis using gene therapy is a novel strategy for the treatment of critical limb ischemia (CLI). We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of gene therapy for the treatment of CLI with no option of revascularization. Randomized placebo controlled trials of gene therapy on CLI were identified by searching PubMed (from 1990 to October 2013) and EMBASE (from 1990 to October 2013). Five eligible studies were selected for the meta-analysis. Among these studies, a total of 425 patients received gene therapy of either fibroblast growth factor 1 or hepatocyte growth factor, and 365 patients were given placebo. No statistical differences were observed between the 2 groups in major amputation or death at 1 year (risk ratio [RR], 0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.51-1.39; P = .48) and wound healing at 6 months (RR, 1.55; 95% CI, 0.73-3.28; P = .25). Gene therapy had similar occurrence of serious adverse events as control (RR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.97-1.14; P = .23). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating anxiety disorder that may develop after an individual has experienced or witnessed a severe traumatic event. It has been shown that the 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO) may be correlated with PTSD and that the TSPO ligand improved the behavioral deficits in a mouse model of PTSD. Midazolam, a ligand for TSPO and central benzodiazepine receptor (CBR), induces anxiolytic- and anti-depressant-like effects in animal models. The present study aimed to determine whether midazolam ameliorates PTSD behavior in rats as assessed by the single prolonged stress (SPS) model. The SPS rats received daily Sertraline (Ser) (15 mg/kg, p.o.) and midazolam (0.125, 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/kg, p.o.) during the exposure to SPS and behavioral assessments, which included the open field (OF) test, the contextual fear paradigm (CFP), and the elevated plus-maze (EPM). The results showed that, like Ser (15 mg/kg, p.o.), midazolam (0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly reversed the behavioral deficiencies of the SPS rats, including PTSD-associated freezing and anxiety-like behavior but not the effects on spontaneous locomotor activity. In addition, the anti-PTSD effects of midazolam (0.5 mg/kg, p.o.) were antagonized by the TSPO antagonist PK11195 (3 mg/kg, i.p.), the CBR antagonist flumazenil (15 mg/kg, p.o.) and the inhibitor of steroidogenic enzymes finasteride (30 mg/kg, p.o.), which by themselves had no effect on PTSD-associated freezing and anxiety-like behavior. In summary, this study demonstrated that midazolam improves the behavioral deficits in the SPS model through dual TSPO and CBR and neurosteroidogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Lawn grass were pretreated by four mild methods to reduce cost of AD process. [•] The relation between VFA and bio-methane was decoupled to study VFA production. [•] High ozone dose increased VFA production and decreased bio-methane production. [•] SAA was the most effective pretreatment for improving yields of both VFA and bio-methane. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: To identify the secreted proteins of murine embryos grown in vitro. Methods: Two-cell mouse embryos ( n = 432) were randomly allocated to culture to the blastocyst stage in protein-free and in protein-supplemented (3 % BSA) media. Proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE; bands were visualized by coomassie staining, followed by in-gel trypsin digestion and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. RT-PCR and confocal microscopy were used to confirm gene/protein expression in blastocysts. Results: Of all individually identified proteins, 34 and 23 were found in embryos cultured without and with BSA, respectively, and 20 were common. Identified proteins having an N-terminal secretory sequence or transmembrane domains located on the extracellular backbone were postulated as secreted proteins. Gene and protein expression for two selected molecules were confirmed. Functional analysis revealed over-represented processes related to lipid metabolism, cyclase activity, and cell adhesion/membrane functions. Conclusions: This study provided evidence to further characterize secreted proteins by mouse embryos grown from the 2-cell to the blastocyst stage in vitro. Because of homology between murine and human, these results may provide information to be translated to the clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the problem of achieving the optimal tradeoff between operation risk and expected energy cost for Internet data center (IDC) operators in deregulated electricity markets according to the risk preferences of IDC operators. To achieve the target above, we propose a risk-constrained stochastic programming decision framework. Then, we formulate a risk-constrained expected energy cost minimization problem with the uncertainties in spot price and workload. To solve the formulated problem, we use a decomposition-based cutting plane algorithm. Finally, extensive evaluations based on real-life data show the effectiveness of the proposed decision framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of both initial and parameter errors on the spring predictability barrier (SPB) is investigated using the Zebiak-Cane model (ZC model). Previous studies have shown that initial errors contribute more to the SPB than parameter errors in the ZC model. Although parameter errors themselves are less important, there is a possibility that nonlinear interactions can occur between the two types of errors, leading to larger prediction errors compared with those induced by initial errors alone. In this case, the impact of parameter errors cannot be overlooked. In the present paper, the optimal combination of these two types of errors [i.e., conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation (CNOP) errors] is calculated to investigate whether this optimal error combination may cause a more notable SPB phenomenon than that caused by initial errors alone. Using the CNOP approach, the CNOP errors and CNOP-I errors (optimal errors when only initial errors are considered) are calculated and then three aspects of error growth are compared: (1) the tendency of the seasonal error growth; (2) the prediction error of the sea surface temperature anomaly; and (3) the pattern of error growth. All three aspects show that the CNOP errors do not cause a more significant SPB than the CNOP-I errors. Therefore, this result suggests that we could improve the prediction of the El Niño during spring by simply focusing on reducing the initial errors in this model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Leptin promotes the proliferation of neural stem cells isolated from embryonic mouse hippocampus. [•] Leptin reverses corticosterone-induced inhibition of neural stem cell proliferation. [•] The effects of leptin are partially mediated by upregulating NR2B subunits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Based on a typical one-free-degree ship roll motion equation, the cusp catastrophe model is built including the bifurcation set equation, splitting factor ‘u’ and regular factor ‘v’, where both ‘u’ and ‘v’ are further expressed with typical flooded ship parameters. Then, the roll catastrophe mechanism is analyzed mainly by means ‘u’, under the given parameters of a typical trawler boat. The aim of this research is to reveal the mutagenic mechanism of the roll stability and provide a reference for improving ship roll stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent dyes based on aminocyanine have been designed, synthesized, and used for preparation of NIR fluorescent microspheres. Their spectral properties and pH-dependent optical characteristics were investigated. It was found that different substitution at the central position of the dyes led to diverse optical properties, with especially large effects on their spectroscopic properties. Spectroscopic responses of the fluorescent dyes to changes of pH were different. Under acidic conditions, the wavelengths of maximum absorption of the N-substituted cyanine dyes were clearly red shifted. Dyes with an N-substituted piperazidine ring were the most sensitive. The fluorescent microspheres retained the properties of the parent dyes, making them suitable for applications in biological studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The removal of recalcitrant chemicals in wastewater treatment systems is an increasingly relevant issue in industrialized countries. The elimination of persistent xenobiotics such as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) emitted by municipal and industrial sewage treatment plants remains an unsolved challenge. The existing efficacious physico-chemical methods, such as advanced oxidation processes, are resource-intensive technologies. In this work, we investigated the possibility to remove phenolic EDCs [i.e., bisphenol A (BPA)] by means of a less energy and chemical consuming technology. To that end, cheap and resistant oxidative enzymes, i.e., laccases, were immobilized onto silica nanoparticles. The resulting nanobiocatalyst produced at kilogram scale was demonstrated to possess a broad substrate spectrum regarding the degradation of recalcitrant pollutants. This nanobiocatalyst was applied in a membrane reactor at technical scale for tertiary wastewater treatment. The system efficiently removed BPA and the results of long-term field tests illustrated the potential of fumed silica nanoparticles/laccase composites for advanced biological wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]