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Insulin-like growth factors I and II (IGF-I and IGF-II) are important regulators of vertebrate growth and development. This study characterized the mRNA expressions of igf-i and igf-ii during turbot ( Scophthalmus maximus ) metamorphosis to elucidate the possible regulatory role of the IGF system in flatfish metamorphosis. Results showed that the mRNA levels of igf-i significantly increased at the early-metamorphosis stage and then gradually decreased until metamorphosis was completed. By contrast, mRNA levels of igf-ii significantly increased at the pre-metamorphosis stage and then substantially decreased during metamorphosis. Meanwhile, the whole-body thyroxine (T4) levels varied during larval metamorphosis, and the highest value was observed in the climax-metamorphosis. The mRNA levels of igf-i significantly increased and decreased by T4 and thiourea (TU, inhibitor of endogenous thyroid hormone) during metamorphosis, respectively. Conversely, the mRNA levels of igf-ii remained unchanged. Furthermore, TU significantly inhibited the T4-induced mRNA up-regulation of igf-i during metamorphosis. The whole-body thyroxine (T4) levels were significantly increased and decreased by T4 and TU during metamorphosis, respectively. These results suggested that igf-i and igf-ii may play different functional roles in larval development stages, and igf-i may have a crucial function in regulating the early metamorphic development of turbot. These findings may enhance our understanding of the potential roles of the IGF system to control flatfish metamorphosis and contribute to the improvement of broodstock management for larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, various sulfur anchoring materials have been implied to improve the performance of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery. Herein, we introduced graphene-like g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets (GCN), a sheet-like material with high nitrogen (N) content of 56 wt % and high specific surface area of 209.8 m 2 g −1 , as a host to anchor lithium polysulfides. The composite with 70.4 wt % sulfur loading exhibited an initial reversible capacity of 1250 mA h g −1 at 0.05C and a discharge capacity of 578.0 mA h g −1 at 0.5C over 750 cycles. The excellent electrochemical performances can be attributed to the abundant N atoms in the GCN, which have the ability to anchor lithium polysulfides. Meanwhile, the high surface area of the GCN prevent sulfur, Li 2 S 2 and Li 2 S from agglomerating. The result demonstrates that the GCN with abundant N atoms and high specific surface area could improve the electrochemical performance of Li-S battery effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Five identical T -shaped walls were tested under uniaxial and biaxial loading. • Effects of loading path on the seismic behavior were quantitatively examined. • Coupling mechanism of T -shaped walls under varied biaxial loading was studied. • Vertical variation and intersection of hysteretic curves were observed. • Biaxial coupling effect was proportional to the area enclosed by loading path. T -shaped RC walls are commonly used to resist horizontal seismic excitations in multiple directions. The differences in the intensity and spectrum characteristics of two translational components of ground motion cause the wall to experience complex biaxial displacement trajectories, resulting in a different seismic response compared to the behavior derived from conventional uniaxial cyclic tests. Thus, to investigate the seismic behavior and coupling mechanism of T -shaped walls subjected to different magnitudes of loading in two orthogonal directions, this study examined five identical T -shaped walls under uniaxial loading along two principal axes and biaxial loading with three represented loading paths. The test results showed that the mechanical behavior in one direction was significantly affected by the loading in the orthogonal direction owing to internal force redistribution and additional stress caused by the biaxial coupling bending, resulting in vertical variation and intersection of their hysteretic curves. Further, the biaxial loading primarily aggravated the cracking and damage of the flange, which accelerated the performance degradation in the flange direction and reduced the effective flange width involved in resisting web direction load. In addition, the biaxial coupling effect was found to be proportional to the area enclosed by the loading path. Thus, the most severe damage and performance degradation were observed under a square path, followed by an eight-shaped path, with the cruciform path exhibiting the least effect. Consequently, based on the results, recommendations for the design of T -shaped walls subjected to biaxial earthquake actions were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Hetero-atom doped carbon materials were synthesized rapidly in 150 s by microwave approach. • Fe 3 O 4 nanoribbon loaded on carbon materials successfully. • The removal effect of Cr(Ⅵ) for carbon matrix with Fe 3 O 4 is remarkable. • The adsorbents have the best removal efficiency of Cr(Ⅵ) under weak acidic condition. Cr(VI) is recognized as a non-biodegradable and toxic pollutant, resulting from manufacturing and industrialization processes, which can trigger considerable environmental problems. Herein, a novel nitrogen, sulfur co-doped carbon with Fe 3 O 4 nanoribbons composite was synthesized by microwave method within 150 s and applied for Cr(Ⅵ) removal. The raw materials are ferrous sulfate heptahydrate, thiourea and glycerin. Among them, thiourea is served as the rich precursor of carbon nitrogen and sulfur elements and can be used to prepare carbon materials co-doped with N and S elements, while ferrous sulfate heptahydrate can provide iron element for catalyzing rapid preparation of carbon-based materials and self-generation of Fe 3 O 4 nanoribbons. Glycerol not only can be used as a solvent but also can efficiently absorb microwave radiation to make the original quickly heated. The result shows that the addition of Fe 3 O 4 nanoribbons would greatly improve the removal of hexavalent chromium. Meanwhile, the adsorption characteristics were investigated by analyzing by the effects of pH, adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherms. The result indicates that Fe 3 O 4 nanoribbons can be successfully loaded onto the carbon materials. The maximum adsorption capacity of synthesized material (nitrogen and sulfur co-modified carbon/Fe 3 O 4 (N,S-C/Fe 3 O 4 -1) composite) for Cr(Ⅵ) can be reached at pH = 5, probably due to the protonation of functional groups. The adsorption process follows the pseudo-second-order kinetics with the maximum adsorption capacity of 134 mg/g according to Langmuir isotherm model, manifesting that the Cr(Ⅵ) adsorption process is close to monolayer chemisorption. In this work, a new nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon/Fe 3 O 4 composite with high Cr(Ⅵ) removal capacity can be successfully prepared within three minutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stimulating glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion is an important approach for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Chemical investigation of Alpinia kwangsiensis rhizomes produced six dimeric styrylpyrones (1 – 6), including two new degraded ones (1 and 2). Compounds 1 – 4 were identified as four pairs of enantiomers and successfully prepared by chiral HPLC separation. These compounds incorporate the distinctive cyclobutane moiety via [2 + 2] cycloaddition, a key step in the biosynthetic pathway. The bioactivities of isolates in stimulating GLP-1 secretion in STC-1 cells were evaluated. Results showed that compounds (+)- 1 , (+)- 2 , (−)- 2 , (−)- 4 , 5 and 6 significantly increased GLP-1 secretion, and compound (+)- 1 exhibited the strongest activity with EC 50 value of 6.51 μM. In addition, compounds (+)- 2 , (−)- 4 and 5 promoted GLP-1 secretion by increasing intracellular calcium concentration dependent on the PKA pathway, which could provide a chemical basis for the development of diabetes drugs especially that directly promote GLP-1 secretion. [Display omitted] • Six dimeric styrylpyrones were obtained from Alpinia kwangsiensis rhizomes. • Alpingsins A and B were elucidated as rare new degraded dimeric styrylpyrones. • Plausible biosynthesis pathway for isolates was speculated. • (+)-Alpingsin A significantly increased GLP-1 secretion (EC 50 = 6.51 μM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All-female production will maximize the profit potential for the aquaculture of the turbot Scophthalmus maximus , which exhibits significant sexually dimorphic growth. However, the basis for the technology of all-female production, i.e. the genetic mechanism of sex determination in turbot has been obscure so far, and might be ascertained by analysis of the sex ratio of its diploid mitotic gynogens. In this study, artificial mitotic gynogenesis in turbot was induced by hydrostatic pressure shock of its eggs activated by ultraviolet (UV)-irradiated sperm of red sea bream Pagrus major . Before the activation of turbot eggs, cryopreserved sperm of red sea bream were thawed, diluted 1:20 with Hank's solution, and UV-irradiated at a dosage of 6480–7200 erg/mm 2 . Under water temperature of 14.5 ± 0.5 °C, treatments were tested by shocking the activated eggs at designed protocols: timings of 70–95 maf (min after fertilization) with an intensity of 70 MPa for 6 min; intensities of 60–85 MPa with a timing of 90 maf for 6 min; durations of 2–10 min with an intensity of 75 MPa initiated at 90 maf. The optimal protocol of the induction was determined to be pressure-shocking activated eggs initiated at 85–90 maf with 75 MPa for 6 min. A mitotic gynogen of 124 juveniles survived by 150 days after hatching. The ploidy of these juveniles was confirmed to be diploid by flow cytometry and their sex ratio was 1:1 female to male. The sex ratio of these juveniles supported the assumption of a genetic mechanism of sex determination of female heterogametes (ZW/ZZ) in turbot. This protocol can be used to create homozygous clones of double haploids that are very useful for researches on both the sex determination mechanism and selective breeding of this important farmed fish species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the different types of error and the nonlinearity of the meteorological measurement, this paper proposes a nonlinear partial least squares method for consistency analysis of meteorological data. For a meteorological element from one automated weather station, the proposed method builds the prediction model based on the corresponding meteorological elements of other surrounding automated weather stations to determine the abnormality of the measured values. For the proposed method, the latent variables of the independent variables and the dependent variables are extracted by the partial least squares (PLS), and then they are, respectively, used as the inputs and outputs of neural network to build the nonlinear internal model of PLS. The proposed method can deal with the limitation of traditional nonlinear PLS whose inner model is the fixed quadratic function or the spline function. Two typical neural networks are used in the proposed method, and they are the back propagation neural network and the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). Moreover, the experiments are performed on the real data from the atmospheric observation equipment operation monitoring system of Shaanxi Province of China. The experimental results verify that the nonlinear PLS with the internal model of ANFIS has higher effectiveness and could realize the consistency analysis of meteorological data correctly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on findings of a study related to molecular components associated with egg quality during the reproductive season of turbot, or Scophthalmus maximus. It states significance of production of quality eggs for producing quality fish larvae and mentions role of vitellogenin (Vtg), a protein associated with yolk formation. It notes that concentration and composition of Vtg is associated with process like oocyte maturation, which further effects egg quality.

This paper proposes a novel knowledge-and-data-driven modeling (KDDM) approach for simulating plant growth that consists of two submodels. One submodel is derived from all available domain knowledge, including all known relationships from physically based or mechanistic models; the other is constructed solely from data without using any domain knowledge. In this work, a GreenLab model was adopted as the knowledge-driven (KD) submodel and the radial basis function network (RBFN) as the data-driven (DD) submodel. A tomato crop was taken as a case study on plant growth modeling. Tomato growth data sets from twelve greenhouse experiments over five years were used to calibrate and test the model. In comparison with the existing knowledge-driven model (KDM, BIC = 1215.67) and data-driven model (DDM, BIC = 1150.86), the proposed KDDM approach (BIC = 1144.36) presented several benefits in predicting tomato yields. In particular, the KDDM approach is able to provide strong predictions of yields from different types of organs, including leaves, stems, and fruits, even when observational data on the organs are unavailable. The case study confirms that the KDDM approach inherits advantages from both the KDM and DDM approaches. Two cases of superposition and composition coupling operators in the KDDM approach are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, purine alkaloid analysis and transcriptome of Camellia gymnogyna Hung T. Chang (Theaceae) from Dayao Mountain were performed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and RNA-Seq, respectively. The results showed that the major purine alkaloids accumulated in Camellia gymnogyna Hung T. Chang (Theaceae) were theobromine together with a small amount of theacrine and caffeine. Through polymerase chain reaction (PCR), three types of cDNA encoding N -methyltransferases were isolated from the leaves of Camellia gymnogyna Hung T. Chang (Theaceae) and designated GCS1, GCS2, and GCS3. We subsequently expressed GCS1, GCS2, and GCS3 in Escherichia coli and incubated lysates of the bacterial cells with a variety of xanthine substrates in the presence of S -adenosyl-L-methionine as the methyl donor. We found that the recombinant GCS1 proteins catalyzed 1,3,7-trimethyluric acid to produce theacrine, the recombinant GCS3 proteins catalyzed 7-methylxanthine to produce theobromine, while the recombinant GCS2 proteins did not catalyze any xanthine derivatives. Simultaneous analysis of the expressions of GCS1 , GCS2 , GCS3 , and a caffeine synthase gene (TCS1) in Camellia gymnogyna Hung T. Chang (Theaceae) and other tea plants provided a reference for further research on the functions of these genes. The transcriptomes of Camellia gymnogyna Chang were analyzed by RNA-Seq. Through transcriptome analysis and PCR, three types of cDNA encoding N-methyltransferases were isolated from the leaves of Camellia gymnogyna Chang and designated GCS1, GCS2, and GCS3. The recombinant GCS1 protein catalyzed 1,3,7-trimethyluric acid to produce theacrine, recombinant GCS3 protein catalyzed 7-methylxanthine to produce theobromine, while recombinant GCS2 protein did no catalyze any xanthine derivatives. Simultaneous analysis of the expressions of GCS1 , GCS2 , GCS3 , and a caffeine synthase gene (TCS1) in Camellia gymnogyna Chang and other tea plants provided a reference for further research on the functions of these genes. N -methyltransferase gene expression patterns in different leaf positions of C. gymnogyna Chang and other tea plants. [Display omitted] • Discovery and Biochemical Characterization of N -methyltransferase Genes Involved in Purine Alkaloid Biosynthetic Pathway of Camellia gymnogyna Hung T. Chang (Theaceae) from Dayao Mountain. • Simultaneous analysis of the expression levels of GCS1 , GCS2 , GCS3 and TCS1 in Camellia gymnogyna Hung T. Chang (Theaceae) and other three tea plants provides a reference for further research on the functions of these genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiotherapy is still one of the most effective nonsurgical treatments for many tumors. However, radioresistance remains a major impediment to radiotherapy. Although COX-2 inhibitors can induce radiosensitization, the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. In this study, we showed that COX-2 selective inhibitor celecoxib enhanced the radiation-induced inhibition of cell proliferation and apoptosis in HeLa and SACC-83 cells. Treatment with celecoxib alone dephosphorylated phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN), promoted PTEN membrane translocation or activation, and correspondingly dephosphorylated or inactivated protein kinase B (AKT). By contrast, treatment with radiation alone increased PTEN phosphorylation, inhibited PTEN membrane translocation and correspondingly activated AKT in the two cell lines. However, treatment with celecoxib or another COX-2 selective inhibitor (valdecoxib) completely blocked radiation-induced increase of PTEN phosphorylation, rescued radiation-induced decrease in PTEN membrane translocation, and correspondingly inactivated AKT. Moreover, celecoxib could also upregulate PTEN protein expression by downregulating Sp1 expression, thereby leading to the activation of PTEN transcription. Our results suggested that COX-2 inhibitors could enhance radiosensitization at least partially by activating PTEN to antagonize radiation-induced AKT activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The production of Russian sturgeon is expanding rapidly in China but it is necessary to adopt measures to extend the shelf life of sturgeon meat. Previous studies found that sous vide cooking (SVC) at 60 °C increased the protein and lipid oxidation. The addition of antioxidant substances reduced the acceptance of the product. The effect of combination SVC and ultrasound pretreatment was therefore investigated. RESULTS: Results showed that SVC at 50 °C combined with ultrasound effectively restrained the growth of total viable counts (TVC) in samples. Meanwhile, the main dominant genera changed from Pseudomonas to Carnobacterium and the number of microbial species decreased. The odor profile of Russian sturgeon meat was more stable and the lipoxygenase (LOX) activity decreased more rapidly after treating with SVC and ultrasound. Importantly, more stable protein aggregates were formed in samples treated by SVC 50 °C together with ultrasound pretreatment, so the protein and lipid oxidation were slowed during storage. Higher springiness values were obtained and the color of sturgeon meat was lighter under these conditions. CONCLUSION: The combination of SVC 50 °C and ultrasound pretreatment effectively inhibited the microbial growth of Russian sturgeon meat at lower oxidation levels. These findings theoretically support the preservation and development of sturgeon meat, and the application of SVC technology. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional beamformers based on the projection methods are known to degrade due to the subspace swap at low signal‐to‐noise ratio values and the high or inaccurate dimension of subspace. A novel beamforming technique that combines the constructed covariance matrix and the estimated steering vector is proposed. The steering vector of each source signals is estimated using its cyclostationarity. Unlike the projection methods, the signal‐plus‐interference covariance matrix is constructed by further estimating the power of each source signals but avoiding forming the subspace. Numerical examples illustrate the notable improvement in comparison with existing beamforming techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Monodisperse Au–SiO2 composite nanospheres were synthesized through a one-pot method. [•] The morphologies and sizes of the composite nanospheres were both controllable. [•] The nanospheres displayed different SERS effects by adjusting their morphologies. [•] The products showed high catalytic activity in catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The disk-like microparticles were self-assembled from monodispersed hybrid nanoparticles. [•] These microparticles could be obtained in large amount under a simple mild condition. [•] These particles could be used to biomimetic design of the superhydrophobic surface of lotus leaf. [•] The static contact angle of water on the micro/nano hierarchical structured surface was 168.8°. [•] The click reaction further simplified surface modification under mild condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the plane wave expansion method, we calculated the energy band distribution of face-centered cubic (FCC) photonic crystals in the reciprocal lattice space. The influences of various dielectric constant materials on the properties of slow light are discussed. The results show that, in the close-packed hollow spherical FCC photonic crystal, the group velocity of light can be slow down to the velocity about $$10^{-4}c$$ 10 - 4 c . And the slow light effect tends to occur more strongly in the hollow spherical structure in comparison with the dielectric spherical structure. The possible applications of the slow light effect in the 3D photonic crystal are proposed for solar cells and optical communication devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the plane wave expansion method, we calculated the energy band distribution of face-centered cubic (FCC) photonic crystals in the reciprocal lattice space. The influences of various dielectric constant materials on the properties of slow light are discussed. The results show that, in the close-packed hollow spherical FCC photonic crystal, the group velocity of light can be slow down to the velocity about $$10^{-4}c$$ . And the slow light effect tends to occur more strongly in the hollow spherical structure in comparison with the dielectric spherical structure. The possible applications of the slow light effect in the 3D photonic crystal are proposed for solar cells and optical communication devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eight new Zn(ii) coordination polymers based on flexible 1,4-di(1H-imidazol-1-yl)butane and different dicarboxylates, [Zn(dimb)(suc)·2DMF]n (1), [Zn(dimb)(mbda)·3H2O]n (2), [Zn(dimb)(adip)·DMF·2H2O]n (3), [Zn(dimb)(pma)·2.5H2O]n (4), [Zn2(dimb)(tha)2(H2O)]n (5), [Zn(dimb)(chda)·2H2O]n (6), [Zn(dimb)(obda)·DMF]n (7), [Zn(dimb)(tdga)·CH3OH]n (8) (dimb = 1,4-di(1H-imidazol-1-yl)butane, H2suc = succinic acid, H2mbda = m-benzenediacetic acid, H2adip = adipic acid, H2pma = pimelic acid, H2tha = thiophene-2,5-dicarboxylic acid, H2chda = 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, H2obda = o-benzenediacetic acid, H2tdga = thiodiglycolic acid; DMF = N,N′-dimethylformamide), have been synthesized and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses, and further characterized by infrared spectra (IR), elemental analyses, powder X-ray diffractions (PXRD) and thermogravimetric analyses (TGA). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that 1, 2, 4, 7 and 8 are 2D wavy 44-sql networks with different dimensions of quadrilateral window units, depending on the conformation and length of dimb and dicarboxylates. Complex 3 is a 2D a 63-hcb network incorporating a [Zn2(dimb)2] cyclic subunit. In complex 5, Zn(ii) centers as 3-connected node are linked by dimb and tha to form a 3D 8-fold interpenetrating ThSi2 network. Complex 6 is a 4-connected noninterpenetrating cds network. Interestingly, an infinite T4(2)6(2) water tape and a D2h cyclic water tetramer are also found in complexes 2 and 3, respectively. In 1–8, all Zn(ii) centers are located in a four-coordinated environment, and dimb and dicarboxylates are 2-connected linkers, but networks with diverse topologies are built, which indicates the linkage of central metal ion, the conformation of dimb and dicarboxylate have important influences on the resulting structures. Furthermore, the solid-state photoluminescence properties of the 1–8 were investigated at 298 and 77 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass-derived N-doped carbon as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst has captured great attention, for its low-cost, environment-friendly and high-activity. However, most preparations of biomass-derived N-doped carbon expend a lot of fossil nitrogen compounds and corrosivity chemical activators. Herein, this paper proposes a green strategy using spermacoce latifolia leaf as precursor without any additive by direct pyrolyzing to N-doped porous carbon. The as-synthesized spermacoce latifolia -derived carbon (SL-C-800) make a feature of high specific surface area (274.12 m2 g−1), abundant mesoporous, and rich doped nitrogen. The optimal SL-C-800 exhibits high four-electron ORR selectivity with high half-wave potential of 0.75 V, and long-term stability in alkaline medium, which is same to N-doped carbon nanotube. The experiments indicate that graphitic-N is the main active sites, while abundant mesoporous facilitates the O 2 diffusion. Additionally, other porous carbons were synthesized by the same method, also exhibited excellent ORR performance. This work offers a new approach to design and synthesize carbon catalysts for ORR. [Display omitted] • N-doped porous carbons were prepared by direct pyrolyzing spermacoce latifolia. • The optimal SL-C-800 is featured by high surface area, abundant pores, rich doped-N. • The SL-C-800 exhibits a 4e- ORR route with long-term stability in alkaline medium. • Graphitic-N is the main active site, while abundant pores facilitate O 2 diffusion. • Other porous carbons were synthesized by the same method from other grass-blade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oresitrophe and Mukdenia (Saxifragaceae) are epilithic sister genera used in traditional Chinese medicine. The taxonomy of Mukdenia, especially of M. acanthifolia, has been controversial. To address this, we produced plastid and mitochondrial data using genome skimming for Mukdenia acanthifolia and Mukdenia rossii, including three individuals of each species. We assembled complete plastomes, mitochondrial CDS and nuclear ribosomal ETS/ITS sequences using these data. Comparative analysis shows that the plastomes of Mukdenia and Oresitrophe are relatively conservative in terms of genome size, structure, gene content, RNA editing sites and codon usage. Five plastid regions that represent hotspots of change (trnH‐psbA, psbC‐trnS, trnM‐atpE, petA‐psbJ and ccsA‐ndhD) are identified within Mukdenia, and six regions (trnH‐psbA, petN‐psbM, trnM‐atpE, rps16‐trnQ, ycf1 and ndhF) contain a higher number of species‐specific parsimony‐informative sites that may serve as potential DNA barcodes for species identification. To infer phylogenetic relationships between Mukdenia and Oresitrophe, we combined our data with published data based on three different datasets. The monophyly of each species (Oresitrophe rupifraga, M. acanthifolia and M. rossii) and the inferred topology ((M. rossii, M. acanthifolia), O. rupifraga) are well supported in trees reconstructed using the complete plastome sequences, but M. acanthifolia and M. rossii did not form a separate clade in the trees based on ETS + ITS data, while the mitochondrial CDS trees are not well‐resolved. We found low recovery of genes in the Angiosperms353 target enrichment panel from our unenriched genome skimming data. Hybridization or incomplete lineage sorting may be the cause of discordance between trees reconstructed from organellar and nuclear data. Considering its morphological distinctiveness and our molecular phylogenetic results, we strongly recommend that M. acanthifolia be treated as a distinct species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scavenger receptors (SRs) play crucial roles in innate immunity by acting as pattern recognition receptors. Although SRs are widely documented in mammals, data on their occurrence and functions in ancient vertebrates are limited. In this study, we report, to our knowledge, the first cloning and functional characterization of an SR molecule from teleost fish (Tetraodon nigroviridis). This SR (7/tSR) was identified as a homolog to mammalian scavenger receptor class A member 5 with the conserved structure of a class A SR. 7nSR contained multidomains in a type II transmembrane receptor, including an SR cysteine-rich domain, two coiled-coil collagenous domains, a transmmebrane domain, and a short N-terminal intracellular region with an unexpected TNFR-associated factor 2-binding consensus motif similar to that in human MSR molecules. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that TnSR may be an ancient member of class A SRs resulting from the close relationship between scavenger receptor class A member 5 and macro-phage SR in vertebrates associated with the subtle differences in TnSR structure. Subcellular localization analysis showed that TnSR was a cell membrane receptor with homotrimer forms involved in the recognition and internalization of LPS from surface membranes into lysosomes. Functionally, TnSR expression was dramatically induced by LPS stimulation. TnSR served as a neg-ative regulator in LPS-induced NF-KB activation by the competitive recruitment of TNFR-associated factor 2 from the TNF-ɑ signaling pathway. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing that SR plays an inhibitory role in LPS-elicited inflammation by cross-talking with the TNF-ɑ inflammatory pathway. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the biological and evolutionary history of the SR family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An easy, novel route to prepare Janus nanoparticles and nano-bowls with tunable shapes has been developed. This approach uses a new kind of monodisperse vinyl-silica nanoparticles as templates to obtain large amounts of uniform Janus particles and nano-bowls (several grams). The efficient method adopts water-based hydrolysis-condensation and seed-emulsion polymerization. The uniform Janus nanoparticles and nano-bowls will display wide potential applications in many fields, such as: chemical sensors, construction of complex superstructures and nano-bioreactors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In mice and humans, B cells, antigen-presenting cells including monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells and natural killer cells can be stimulated directly or indirectly by the bacterial DNA and oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) containing the CpG motifs (CpG DNA). Using head kidney macrophages of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) as an in vitro model, we investigated the effects of several CpG-ODNs on fish immunocytes. The CpG-ODNs included the optimal motifs: the ODN-1826 (GACGTT) and -2006 (GTCGTT) for the mice and humans cells, the ODN-1670 (AACGTT) used in Atlantic salmon, the ODN-D containing two repeats motif of those in 1670 and the ODN-R with an inverted CpG. The results showed that CpG has an immunomodulatory role in grass carp, and all the ODNs except the ODN-R could activate macrophages, increasing the levels of superoxide anion (O2−), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), acid phosphatase and bactericidal activity. New evidence was provided that CpG-ODN could induce the cell-mediated immunity in fish. Interestingly, no significant differences among the ODNs tested could be found and the ODN-D was not more efficient than 1670. It suggests that the sequence which contains the unmethylated ‘CG’ dinucleotides could make contribute to this immunostimulatory effect. These findings indicate that CpG-ODNs could be useful tools for understanding the important anti-bacterial defense mechanism in fish. And it may have potential application in the minimizing the impact of fish diseases and enhancing the efficacy of antigen and DNA vaccines. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

By analyzing the aggregation images, we found that the distribution of RBCs shows fractal characteristics. A CCA (Cluster-Cluster Aggregation) model was chosen trying to simulate the RBC aggregation and to reveal the relationship between the fractal dimension and the binding energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) provoked a pandemic of acute respiratory disease, namely coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Currently, effective drugs for this disease are urgently warranted. Anisodamine is a traditional Chinese medicine that is predicted as a potential therapeutic drug for the treatment of COVID-19. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate its antiviral activity and crucial targets in SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARS-CoV-2 and anisodamine were co-cultured in Vero E6 cells, and the antiviral activity of anisodamine was assessed by immunofluorescence assay. The antiviral activity of anisodamine was further measured by pseudovirus entry assay in HEK293/hACE2 cells. Finally, the predictions of crucial targets of anisodamine on SARS-CoV-2 were analyzed by molecular docking studies. We discovered that anisodamine suppressed SARS-CoV-2 infection in Vero E6 cells, and reduced the SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus entry to HEK293/hACE2 cells. Furthermore, molecular docking studies indicated that anisodamine may target SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) with the docking score of −6.63 kcal/mol and formed three H-bonds with Gly143, Cys145, and Cys44 amino acid residues at the predicted active site of Mpro. This study suggests that anisodamine is a potent antiviral agent for treating COVID-19. [Display omitted] • Anisodamine inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication in Vero E6 cells. • Anisodamine inhibits SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus entry to HEK293/hACE2 cells. • Anisodamine targets SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) by molecular docking. • Anisodamine is a potent antiviral agent for treating COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Unregulated and potentially illegal sales of tobacco, nicotine, and cannabis products have been detected on various social media platforms, e-commerce sites, online retailers, and the dark web. New end-to-end encrypted messaging services are popular among online users and present opportunities for marketing, trading, and selling of these products. The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize tobacco, nicotine, and cannabis selling activity on the messaging platform Telegram. Methods The study was conducted in three phases: (1) identifying keywords related to tobacco, nicotine, and cannabis products for purposes of detecting Telegram groups and channel messages; (2) automated data collection from public Telegram groups; and (3) manual annotation and classification of messages engaged in marketing and selling products to consumers. Results Four keywords were identified ("Nicotine," "Vape," "Cannabis," and "Smoke") that yielded 20 Telegram groups with 262 506 active subscribers. Total volume of channel messages was 43 963 unique messages that included 3094 (7.04%) marketing/selling messages. The most commonly sold products in these groups were cannabis-derived products (83.25%, n  = 2576), followed by tobacco/nicotine-derived products (6.46%, n  = 200), and other illicit drugs (0.77%, n  = 24). A variety of marketing tactics and a mix of seller accounts were observed, though most appeared to be individual suppliers. Conclusions Telegram is an online messaging application that allows for custom group creation and global connectivity, but also includes unregulated activities associated with the sale of cannabis and nicotine delivery products. Greater attention is needed to conduct monitoring and enforcement on these emerging platforms for unregulated and potentially illegal cannabis and nicotine product sales direct-to-consumer. Implications Based on study results, Telegram represents an emerging platform that enables a robust cannabis and nicotine-selling marketplace. As local, state, and national tobacco control regulations continue to advance sales restrictions and bans at the retail level, easily accessible and unregulated Internet-based channels must be further assessed to ensure that they do not act as conduits for exposure and access to unregulated or illegal cannabis and nicotine products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a triazatruxene-based hole transport material (HTM), 3Ka-DBT-3Ka, aiming to enhance band alignment and augment charge generation and collection in devices, as an alternative for 1,2-ethanedithiol (EDT). The PbS CQD solar cells employing 3Ka-DBT-3Ka as the HTM achieve a peak efficiency of 11.4%, surpassing devices employing the conventional PbS-EDT HTM (8.9%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 9 alkaloids were isolated from Veratrum grandiflorum Loes, including 3 new compounds. • All compounds exhibited significant inhibition in Hedgehog signaling pathway. • All compounds were Smo inhibitors by directly interacting with Smo protein. • β 1-chaconine had the strongest anti-proliferation against DAOY medulloblastoma cells. Constitutive activation of Hedgehog (Hh) pathway is intimately related with the occurrence and development of several malignancies, such as medulloblastoma (MB) and other tumors. Therefore, small molecular inhibitors of Hh pathway are urgently needed. In this study, three new steroidal alkaloids, ⊿5 (20 R , 24 R) 23-oxo-24-methylsolacongetidine, ⊿5 (20 S , 24 R) 23-oxo-24-methylsolacongetidine and veralinine 3-O- α - l -rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)- β -D-glucopyranoside, together with six known alkaloids, 20- epi -verazine, verazine, protoverine 15-(l)-2′-methylbutyrate, jervine, veramarine and β 1-chaconine, were isolated and determined from Veratrum grandiflorum Loes. The dual-luciferase bioassay indicated that all compounds exhibited significant inhibitions of Hh pathway with IC 50 values of 0.72–14.31 μM against Shh-LIGHT 2 cells. To determine whether these Hh pathway inhibitors act with the Smoothened (Smo) protein, which is an important oncoprotein and target for this pathway, BODIPY-cyclopamine (BC) competitive binding assay was preferentially performed. Compared with BC alone, all compounds obviously reduced the fluorescence intensities of BC binding with Smo in Smo-overexpression HEK293T cells through fluorescence microscope and flow cytometer. By directly interacting with Smo, it revealed that they were actually novel natural Smo inhibitors. Then, their anti-tumor effects were investigated against the human MB cell line DAOY, which is a typical pediatric brain tumor cells line with highly expressed Hh pathway. Interestingly, most of compounds had slight proliferation inhibitions on DAOY cells after treatment for 24 h same as vismodegib, while β 1-chaconine showed the strongest inhibitory effect on the growth of DAOY with IC 50 value of 5.35 μM. In conclusion, our studies valuably provide several novel natural Smo inhibitors for potential targeting treatment of Hh-dependent tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C12H16N4O11Mn, triclinic, P1̄ (no. 2), a = 7.7186(3) Å, b = 9.8439(3) Å, c = 11.6084(3) Å, α = 104.288(3)°, β = 94.024(3)°, γ = 97.365(3)°, V = 842.93(5) Å3, Z = 2, Rgt(F) = 0.0322, T = 291 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In scientific journals published all over the world, the economic performance of firms with ISO 14001 certification is a highly controversial topic. This controversy is particularly evident in developing countries. With regard to this topic, we maintain a neutral position in this paper. Using the data of 63 firms from the Shenzhen and Shanghai Stock Exchanges in China during the period of 2003–2018, and employing the difference-in-difference method, we analyze the influence of ISO 14001 certification on firms' financial performance. We also examine the moderating effect of firm size and age, considering the time factor. In addition, we test the influence of ISO 14001 certification on exports, using China's provincial data from 2008 to 2018. The results indicate that ISO 14001 certification negatively affects the financial performance of firms; also, the negative effects decrease in line with the increase of certification time. Firm size and age are positively related to the relationship between ISO 14001 certification and a firm's financial performance. At the same time, ISO 14001 certification can effectively improve a firm's competitiveness in the international market. The study combines two opposing positions found in existing literature regarding the effectiveness of ISO 14001 certification. The results show that ISO 14001 certification will ultimately have a positive impact on China's economy, but that influence should be correctly evaluated in terms of the effect on small and medium-sized enterprises. Some suggestions for firm managers and the government are then discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Using ITO, two functional layers that can suppress IR emission and achieve wideband microwave absorption are designed and combined to achieve compatible stealth. • Through the structural design, a wideband microwave absorption of 9.6–35.3 GHz higher than 90% is achieved. • Utilizing the low-pass and high-resistance characteristics of the frequency selective surface (FSS), high microwave transmission and low infrared emissivity are realized simultaneously. • The visible transmittance of the fabricated prototype measured by the ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometer reached 62.4% In this paper, we propose the design of an optically transparent metasurface with simultaneously wideband microwave absorption and low infrared (IR) emissivity. To this end, two optically transparent functional layers are firstly designed using indium-tin-oxide (ITO), which can suppress IR emission and achieve wideband microwave absorption, respectively. The two functional layers are then combined together to construct the multispectral metasurface. By properly tuning the structural parameters and sheet resistance of ITO, a wide microwave absorption band can be achieved with absorption higher than 90%. Low IR emissivity of about 0.30 is obtained by controlling the occupation ratio of ITO on the front side structure of the metasurface. A prototype was fabricated and measured. The measured results show that the averaged transmittance of visible light through the metasurface reaches up to 62.4% and the high-efficiency microwave absorption can be achieved in 11.2–33.9 GHz, with absorption rate higher than 90%. Good consistency between the experiment and simulation results convincingly verifies the metasurface. Due to its multispectral compatibility, the proposed metasurface may find potential applications in multi-spectral stealth, camouflage, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex profile broaches are widely used in the manufacture of complex parts of aero-engines, but the forces in the broaching process are difficult to predict and control. A new numerical model for broaching force with complex profile tools was presented, which considered the area and arc length of the curved shear zone boundary. The area and arc length were calculated by the curve function of the boundary, which is firstly predicted by FEM simulation. Then, an experimental device was set up to carry out the broaching experiment with straight profile tools and complex profile tools in accordance with the progressive depth of the cut. Based on the experiments, the traditional broaching model and the modified model with the complex profile tool have been established. Compared with the traditional force model, the accuracy of the modified model has been moderately improved. Furthermore, the modified main broaching force (Y direction) model and the normal force (Z direction) model show a significant improvement in accuracy of 4.8% and 9.7%, respectively, which suggests that the projection area of curved shear zone A1 and the projection arc length of curved shear zone l1 have a big impact on the broaching process. It is firmly believed that the modified model proposed in this paper can provide guidance for the design of complex profile tools and facilitate the efficient and high-precision machining of complex parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary metabolites generated by marine fungi have relatively small molecular weights and excellent activities and have become an important source for developing drug lead compounds. The review summarizes the structures of novel small-molecule compounds derived from marine fungi in recent years; introduces representative monomers in antimicrobial, antitumor, anti-viral, and anti-neuritis aspects; and discusses their biological activities and molecular mechanisms. This review will act as a guide for further discovering marine-derived drugs with novel chemical structures and specific targeting mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An online SPE-LC–MS/MS analytical method for amanitins in plasma was developed. • The studied fatal mushroom toxins were α-amanitin and β-amanitin. • The method can analyze the toxins under ultra-trace level (0.02 ng mL-1) in plasma. • α-Amanitin was found to be a better indication for identification of the poisoning cause. • It's applicable for the toxin confirmation in blood 40 h after poisoning. α-Amanitin and β-amanitin are the main fatal mushroom toxins. The toxins metabolize rapidly in blood and are reported hard to be detected 24 h after poisoning. The main challenge is that of developing a highly sensitive method at sub-pg mL−1 level in blood to diagnose intoxication cause and to study the poisoning mechanism and blood toxicity kinetics. An analytical method for α-amanitin and β-amanitin at ultra-trace level was developed in this study by online solid phase extraction-high performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (online SPE-LC–MS/MS). Simple protein precipitation and liquid-liquid extraction were introduced to resolve the sample preparation problem of the online SPE-LC–MS/MS system with large-volume injection. A quick valve-switching technique with a quantitative loop as interface was used in the online system. This design can ensure the independence of flow path and pressure between the SPE and LC–MS/MS modules and can obtain the precise cleanup of the toxins. The limits of detection for α-amanitin and β-amanitin in plasma were both 0.02 ng mL-1. The linear ranges were 0.05–20 ng mL-1 with a correlation coefficient r >0.99. The average recoveries at three spiking levels were 82.9 %–92.2 % with the relative standard deviations (RSD) of 5.4 %–8.0 % for α-amanitin and 84.5 %–93.9 % with RSDs of 4.5 %–7.8 % for β-amanitin. The composition and concentration of the toxins in plasma from 18 patients in 5 mushroom poisoning events caused by aminitins were studied. The developed method has high positive confirmation ability and can identify toxins in plasma 40 h after poisoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of the received signals in many array processing applications is noncircular. Although optimal widely linear beamformer (WLB) can provide the best performance for noncircular received signals, its performance degrades severely under model mismatches in practical applications. As a remedy, we propose a robust WLB by using precise reconstruction of extended interference-plus-noise covariance matrix (EINCM) and low-complexity estimation of extended desired signal steering vector (EDSSV). We propose to first determine the steering vectors, powers, and noncircularity coefficients of all signals and the noise power. In contrast to the previous reconstruction methods using the integration over a wide angular sector, we reconstruct the interference-plus-noise covariance matrix (INCM) and the pseudo INCM accurately according to their definitions. By using INCM and pseudo INCM, we can precisely reconstruct the EINCM. We propose to estimate the EDSSV by intersecting two extended subspaces, which are respectively formed by eigendecomposing the extended sample covariance matrix and the extended desired signal covariance matrix. Unlike the convex optimization methods, the proposed EDSSV estimation does not require any optimization programming and yields a solution with closed expression in low computational complexity. Simulation results show that the proposed robust WLB provides near optimal performance under several model mismatch cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ OA) is an important subtype of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Articular cartilage destruction is considered a common pathological feature of TMJ OA, which is reported to be mainly induced by chondrocyte apoptosis. Synovial sterile inflammation is an initial factor of TMJ OA-associated articular cartilage destruction. Therefore, determining the mechanism of synovial membrane inflammation-induced articular cartilage destruction in TMJ OA is important for the TMJ OA therapy. In this study, we detected the function of synoviocytes in chondrocyte apoptosis under lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory conditions and explored the underlying mechanism. We found that synoviocytes in inflammatory conditions facilitated LPS-induced chondrocytes apoptosis by secreting increased Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNF-α), which was induced by long non-coding RNA plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) upregulation. PVT1 served as a competing endogenous RNA that sponged the microRNA miR-211-3p and prevented the inhibition of TNF-α expression. In conclusion, our in vitro study revealed that PVT1 has a previously unknown role in chondrocyte apoptosis, which may also be a mechanism underlying synoviocyte involvement in TMJ OA. • LPS-stimulated synoviocytes aggravate chondrocytes apoptosis. • PVT1 participates in synoviocytes cells-aggravated chondrocytes apoptosis. • PVT1 upregulates TNF-α through sponging miR-211-3p. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple myeloma (MM) significantly increases the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) within 6 months of treatment initiation. The IMPEDE VTE score is a VTE risk prediction model which is recently incorporated into the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines, but it lacks validation among Asians, including Chinese MM patients. We performed a retrospective chart review of 405 Chinese with newly diagnosed MM who started therapy at Beijing Jishuitan Hospital between April 2013 to October 2022. The 6-month cumulative incidence of VTE was 3.8 % (95 % CI:1.6–7.6), 8.6 % (95 % CI: 5.3–21.9) and 40.5 % (95 % CI: 24.9–55.7) in the low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups (P < 0.001), respectively. The C-statistic of the IMPEDE VTE scores for predicting VTE within 6 months of treatment initiation was 0.74 (95 % CI: 0.65–0.83). Of note, in this single-center cohort study, we propose that the anticoagulant LMWH may be more effective than the antiplatelet aspirin in potentially preventing VTE in newly diagnosed MM patients. Our findings suggest that the IMPEDE VTE score is a valid evidence-based risk stratification tool in Chinese patients with newly diagnosed MM. • IMPEDE VTE score is a valid evidence-based risk stratification tool for Chinese patients with newly diagnosed MM. • The anticoagulant LMWH may be more effective than the antiplatelet aspirin in potentially preventing VTE in newly diagnosed MM patients. • Our limited data suggests that translocation t (14;16) is a potential risk factors for VTE in MM patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refined lithology identification is an essential task, often constrained by the subjectivity and low efficiency of classical methods. Computer-aided automatic identification, while useful, has seldom been specifically geared toward refined lithology identification. In this study, we introduce Rock-ViT, an innovative machine learning approach. Its architecture, enhanced with supervised contrastive loss and rooted in visual Transformer principles, markedly improves accuracy in identifying complex lithological patterns. To this end, we have collected public datasets and implemented data augmentation, aiming to validate our method using sandstone as a focal point. The results demonstrate that Rock-ViT achieves superior accuracy and effectiveness in the refined lithology identification of sandstone. Rock-ViT presents a new perspective and a feasible approach for detailed lithological analysis, offering fresh insights and innovative solutions in geological analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Previous studies have indicated a correlation between perceived stress and cognitive decline. However, it remains unknown whether high levels of perceived stress can result in motoric cognitive risk (MCR) syndrome. This study investigated the relationship between perceived stress and MCR in a community-based population. Methods: The study cohort comprised 852 elderly individuals from the Rugao Longitudinal Aging Cohort. Perceived stress was assessed using the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), while MCR was defined as the coexistence of subjective memory complaints (SMCs) and slow gait speed. Results: The average age of the study participants is 79.84 ± 4.34 years. The mean score of PSS-10 among participants is 10.32 (range = 0–33; [SD] = 5.71), with a median score of 10.00 (6.00, 14.00). The prevalence of MCR is 9.3%. In the logistic regression analysis, for each 1-SD (5.71) increase in the global PSS-10 score, the risk of MCR increased by 40% (95% CI 1.09–1.80). Additionally, in the aspect of two components of MCR, with a 1-SD increase (5.71) in the global PSS-10 score, there was a 50% (95% CI 1.29–1.75) increase in the risk of SMCs and a 27% (95% CI 1.04–1.55) increase in the risk of slow gait speed. In terms of specific walking speed, there was a reverse correlation between the global PSS-10 score and walking speed (r = −0.14, p <0.001). Conclusions: This study provided preliminary evidence that high levels of perceived stress were associated with the risk of MCR in a community-dwelling population. Plain Language Summary: Previous studies have indicated a correlation between perceived stress and cognitive decline. However, it remains unknown whether high levels of perceived stress can result in motoric cognitive risk (MCR) syndrome. Perceived stress has been defined as the result of a series of environmental events and demands (stressors) perceived by an individual as exceeding their subjective capacity to cope. MCR syndrome is a novel pre-dementia syndrome consisting of subjective memory complaints (SMCs) and slow gait speed. MCR syndrome is a public health problem with a prevalence of 6.3–9.6% in community-dwelling elderly populations in different countries. It is important to identify and treat risk factors for MCR. This will help prevent MCR in order to prevent dementia at an early stage. This study investigated the relationship between perceived stress and MCR in a community-based population. The study cohort comprised 852 elderly individuals from the Rugao Longitudinal Aging Cohort. Perceived stress was assessed using the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), while MCR was defined as the coexistence of SMCs and slow gait speed. In conclusion, we discovered a significant association between high levels of perceived stress and an increased risk of MCR among individuals aged 70 and older in the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fat-forming solitary fibrous tumor is a rare and specific subtype of solitary fibrous tumor. In this case, a mass of 8.3 cm in diameter was found in a 59-year-old male patient's right retroperitoneum, as revealed by abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) images. The tumor exhibited a well-circumscribed nature and histological features characterized by a combination of hemangiopericytomatous vasculature and mature adipose tissue, comprising around 70% of the total tumor composition. Immunohistochemistry staining revealed diffuse positive expression of STAT6 and CD34 in the tumor cells. Based on these findings, the final diagnosis was determined to be a fat-forming solitary fibrous tumor located in the retroperitoneum. It is important to consider other potential differential diagnoses, including angiomyolipoma, dedifferentiated liposarcoma, spindle cell lipoma, and atypical lipomatous tumor/well-differentiated liposarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The role of macrophage β–arrestin–1 in colitis was investigated. • Interaction of macrophage β–arrestin–1 and NF–κB signaling in DSS–induced colitis and murine macrophages was explored. • Theoretical basis of new drugs taking advantage of β–arrestin–1 for colitis was provided. β-arrestin-1 has been demonstrated to participate in the regulation of inflammatory reactions in several diseases. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the role of macrophage β-arrestin-1 in the pathogenesis and progression of ulcerative colitis (UC). A myeloid β-arrestin-1 conditional knockout mouse model was generated to explore the role of macrophage β-arrestin-1. DSS was employed for the establishment of an ulcerative colitis mouse model, using TNF-α as an inflammatory stressor in vitro. The expression level of β-arrestin-1 was detected via western blot and immunofluorescence assays, whilst disease severity was evaluated by clinical score and H&E staining in the DSS-induced colitis model. In the in vitro experiments, the levels of inflammatory cytokines were examined using real-time PCR. NF-κB activation was detected through the double luciferase reporter system, western blot, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). BAY11-7082 was used to inhibit NF-κB activation. Our results exposed that the level of β-arrestin-1 was increased in monocytes/macrophages derived from DSS-induced colitis mice or under the TNF-α challenge. Moreover, conditionally knocking out the expression of myeloid β-arrestin-1 alleviated disease severity, while knocking out the expression of β-arrestin-1 decreased the levels of inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, NF-κB was identified as a central regulatory element of β-arrestin-1 promoter, and using BAY11-7082 to inhibit NF-κB activation lowered the level of β-arrestin-1 under TNF-α challenge. β-arrestin-1 led to the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway by enhancing binding to IκBα and IKK under the TNF-α challenge. Taken together, our findings demonstrated macrophage β-arrestin-1 contributes to the deterioration of DSS-induced colitis through the interaction with NF-κB signaling, thus highlighting a novel target for the treatment of UC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates a novel and convenient ratiometric fluorescent method for the detection of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. Amino-functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticle-gold nanoclusters (MSN-AuNCs) nanocomposites were integrated with o-phenylenediamine (OPD) to form a ratiometric fluorescence nanoplatform. The presence of ALP induced the generation of quinoxaline (QX) derivative which called 3-(dihydroxyethyl)furo[3,4-b]quinoxaline-1-one (DFQ) with strong fluorescence emission at 450 nm, while the orange-red fluorescence of MSN-AuNCs at 580 nm was slightly quenched. Meanwhile, an obvious fluorescence color change from orange-red to purple and finally to blue can be observed by naked eyes with the increasing of ALP concentration. Therefore, employing the fluorescence emission of DFQ at 450 nm as the reporter signal and the fluorescence emission of MSN-AuNCs at 580 nm as a reference signal, a sensitive ratiometric detection method for ALP was developed. Quantitative detection of ALP activity in the linear range from 0.2 to 80 U/L with a detection limit of 0.1 U/L can be realized in this way, which endows the assay with high sensitivity enough for practical detection of ALP in human serum samples. Image 1 • OPD/MSN-AuNCs based nanoplatform was constructed for ratiometric detection of ALP. • The Fe3+ mediated generation of DFQ with strong emission was used as reporter signal. • The fluorescence of MSN-AuNCs at 580 nm were used as reference signal. • Good performance was obtained with a detection limit of 0.1 U/L for ALP. • Favorable results were achieved for detecting ALP in human serum samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We perform a model-independent and comprehensive test on the cosmic distance duality relation (CDDR) by combining the latest observations of strong gravitational lensing (SGL) including a total of 161 well-measured systems from several surveys and observations of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), i.e., the joint light-curve analysis of SNe Ia and the Pantheon SNe Ia. We parameterize the CDDR in the form of , and also consider general lens mass models including the dependence on the lens redshift and surface mass density. First, we update tests using the new SGL and the two SNe Ia data sets for the singular isothermal sphere model. The constraint results suggest a moderate tension with the CDDR using the Pantheon SN Ia with a slightly negative η0. We find that η0 deviates significantly from the CDDR at more than the 3σ level if the lens mass model depends on redshift. Supplementary tests show that the error from aperture correction and the parameterization method of the CDDR can hardly justify the deviation. Several of the models investigated show some evidence for deviations from the CDDR. However, there is a significant scatter in the inferred level of the CDDR violation, depending on the model describing the population of strong lenses. This variance is too large for us to conclude yet that the CDDR is violated and needs further investigation and future measurements to be verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boscalid is a widely used fungicide in agriculture and has been frequently detected in both environments and agricultural products. However, evidence on the neurotoxic effect of boscalid is scarce. In this study, zebrafish served as an animal model to investigate the toxic effects and mechanisms of boscalid on aquatic vertebrates or higher animals. And we unravelled that boscalid induced developmental defects associated with oxidative stress. Developmental defects, including head deformity, hypopigmentation, decreased number of newborn neurons, structural defects around the ventricle, enlarged intercellular space in the brain, and nuclear concentration, were observed in zebrafish embryos after boscalid exposure at 48 hpf. Interestingly, we found that boscalid might directly induce oxidative stress and alter the activity of ATPase, which in turn disrupted the expression of genes involved in neurodevelopment and transmitter-transmitting signalings and melanocyte differentiation and melanin synthesis signalings. Ultimately, the differentiation of nerve cells and melanocytes were both impacted and the synthesis of melanin was inhibited, leading to morphological abnormalities. Additionally, exposure to boscalid led to less and imbalance motion and altered tendency of locomotor in larval fish. Collectively, our results provide new evidences for a comprehensive assessment of its toxicity and a warning for its residues in environment and agricultural products. Image 1 • Boscalid induced neurodevelopmental defects in zebrafish embryos. • Boscalid affected the pigmentation of zebrafish embryos. • Boscalid exposure disrupted the expression of genes involved in nervous system and melanin signaling. • Boscalid induced neurotoxicity via oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to prepare spiky titanium dioxide nanoparticles-loaded Plantaginis Semen polysaccharide (SN-TiO 2 -PSP), and the structural characterization and immune response of infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) vaccine in Hetian chickens were investigated. The structural characterization of SN-TiO 2 -PSP was analyzed by FT-IR, TEM, and TGA analysis. And the immune organs indexes, lymphocytes proliferation, specific antibody levels, and ratios of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes were studied. Structural characterization results showed that SN-TiO 2 -PSP has a typical polysaccharide absorption peak and good stability. The SN-TiO 2 -PSP's shape was similar to sea urchin, and its zeta potential and particle size were 27.56 mV and 976.11 nm, respectively. In vivo results showed that SN-TiO 2 -PSP could enhance the proliferation of peripheral lymphocytes, specific antibody levels, CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes ratios, IL-4 and INF-γ levels in Hetian chickens vaccinated with ILT vaccine on D 7 , D 14 , D 21 , and D 28. In addition, SN-TiO 2 -PSP not only enhanced the indexes of immune organs but also promoted the development of immune organs. Therefore, SN-TiO 2 -PSP has immune adjuvant activity and may become a new potential immune adjuvant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to explore the indirect immunomodulatory activities and its mechanism of enzymatic hydrolysis of Hericium erinaceus polysaccharides (EHEP) in the MODE-K/DCs co-culture model. According to the TEER value, transmission of phenol red and AKP activity of MODE-K cells, single model was established in order to evaluate the eligibility of MODE-K cells monolayer. Then the MODE-K/DCs co-culture model was set up and HEP and EHEP were added into the apical chamber, DCs were obtained for the expression of key surface markers, the ability of phagocytosis, the morphology, the secretion of cytokines and the production of target proteins. We found that after 21 d of culture, the MODE-K cells monolayer became intact and dense, which can be used for the MODE-K/DCs co-culture model. Under the treatment of HEP and EHEP, immature DCs become into mature DCs with the high expression of CD86 and MHCII, the low antigens up-taking, the typical morphology, the more content of IL-12 and TNF-α and the high level of TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB proteins. However, compared with HEP, EHEP showed the better immunomodulatory activities. These findings indicated that EHEP could indirectly affect the immune function of DCs in the MODE-K/DCs co-culture model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the utilization of CS-MWCNT as targeted drug carriers has attracted considerable attention. Hericium erinaceus polysaccharide (HEP) has been reported as an immunostimulant to improve immune responses. This study was focussed on developing CS-MWCNT encapsulating HEP (CS-MWCNT-HEP). Using in mice peritoneal macrophages, we found the immune response could be effectively regulated by CS-MWCNT-HEP, promoted the expression of the MHCII, CD86, F4/80 and gp38. Moreover, the mice immunized with CS-MWCNT-HEP nanoparticles significantly extended PCV 2 -specific IgG immune response and the levels of cytokines. The results demonstrated that CS-MWCNT-HEP may be a promising drug delivery system for immuno-enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coprime arrays have shown potential advantages for direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation by increasing the number of degrees-of-freedom in the difference coarray domain with fewer physical sensors. In this paper, a new DOA estimation algorithm for coprime array based on the estimation of signal parameter via rotational invariance techniques (ESPRIT) is proposed. We firstly derive the observation vector of the virtual uniform linear array but the covariance matrix of this observation vector is rank-deficient. Different from the traditional Toeplitz matrix reconstruction method using the observation vector, we propose a modified Toeplitz matrix reconstruction method using any non-zero row of the covariance matrix in the virtual uniform linear array. It can be proved in theory that the reconstructed Toeplitz covariance matrix has full rank. Therefore, the improved ESPRIT method can be used for DOA estimation without peak searching. Finally, the closed-form solution for DOA estimation in coprime array is obtained. Compared to the traditional coprime multiple signal classification (MUSIC) methods, the proposed method circumvents the use of spatial smoothing technique, which usually results in performance degradation and heavy computational burden. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by numerical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]