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[Display omitted] Antibacterial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is highly effective in killing bacteria, while the problem of hypoxia and limited light penetration in deep tissue has not been properly solved. In addition, few aPDT works take into account the regulation of inflammation, which is an important regulatory process after antimicrobial therapy and the final purpose of treatment. In this work, to address the above isssues, we have designed a multi-functional composite UCNPs-Ce6-Mn(CO) 5 Br@Silane (referred to as UCM@Si), which consists of several key components: Up-conversion nanoparticles (UCNPs: NaErF 4 :Tm3+@NaYF 4 :Yb3+), Chlorin e6 (Ce6) and Manganese pentacarbonyl bromide (Mn(CO) 5 Br). When exposed to near-infrared (NIR) light (980 nm), the UCNPs can emit strong red light at 655 nm which further trigger the aPDT of Ce6. The generated reactive oxygen (ROS) subsequently break the metal carbonyl bond of Mn(CO) 5 Br, leading to the production of carbon monoxide (CO) molecules as well as manganese ions (Mn2+), which further decomposes hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) in the microenvironment to oxygen (O 2). Therefore, this simple nanocomposite not only provides substantial self-oxygen replenishment for enhanced aPDT, but also facilitates effective inflammation regulation via CO across a wide range of deep infections. This approach leverages the unique properties of these materials to combat bacterial infections by simultaneously killing bacteria, regulating inflammation, and enhancing the oxygen levels in the affected microenvironment. This O 2 and CO gas based aPDT treatment system offers a promising approach to comprehensively address microbial-induced infectious diseases, particularly deep infections, holding the potential clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting the thermogenic capacity of brown/beige adipocytes is becoming a promising strategy to counteract obesity and related metabolic diseases. Inorganic pyrophosphatase 1 (PPA1) is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of PPi to Pi, and its presence is required for anabolism to take place in cells. Our previous study demonstrated the importance of PPA1 in maintaining adipose tissue function and whole-body metabolic homeostasis. In this study, we found that the expression of PPA1 was positively associated with the thermogenic capacity of brown/beige adipocytes. PPA1+/− mice exhibited less browning capacity in subcutaneous white adipose tissue compared to wild-type mice and also showed apparent cold intolerance. We found that decreased PPA1 abundance may lead to mitochondrial dysfunction and inhibited adipocyte browning both in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, our study also revealed that PPA1 worked as a new target gene of nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1), a major transcription regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis. Together, our findings indicated an essential role of PPA1 in mitochondrial function and browning in adipocytes and suggested PPA1 as a new therapeutic target for increasing thermogenesis to combat obesity and metabolic diseases. • Expression of PPA1 positively associated with the abundance of browning markers. • Reduced PPA1 expression in adipose tissue inhibited the browning process and thermogenic capacity in vivo. • Loss of PPA1 inhibited brown adipogenesis by impairing mitochondrial function. • PPA1 maintains mitochondrial function as a new target gene of NRF1 (nuclear respiratory factor 1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The immiscible liquid-mediated method is proposed to improve the ionic conductivity of nitrogen-doped porous carbon electrodes derived from silk, and enhance the ion storability of the supercapacitors. [Display omitted] Supercapacitors are attracting extensive attention in energy storage fields thanks to their high safety, cost-effectiveness, and environmental friendliness. The carbon materials, especially for the porous carbon materials derived from renewable biomass materials, are important electrode materials with cost-effective feature for supercapacitors. However, the inferior ionic conductivity of biomass materials inhibits their electrochemical performance in energy storage devices. Herein, an immiscible liquid-mediated method is provided to improve the ionic conductivity of silk-derived nitrogen-doped porous carbon (NPC) electrodes. Natural Bombyx mori (silkworm) silk is used as a carbon source for the preparation of electrode of supercapacitor. Further introducing immiscible organic liquid into the NPCs promotes the ion transport in the inner pores of the electrodes. With the assistance of organic liquid, the supercapacitor presents a specific capacitance of 565.3 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1. The supercapacitor shows the maximum specific energy and power density of 26.2 Wh kg−1 and 263.9 W kg−1, and holds a capacitance retention of approximately 93.3% after 10 000 cycles. This work provides a facile method for the rational design of carbon material derived from biomass material to fabricate electrode with high ionic conductivity, and the strategy will be extendable to other biomass materials for a wide range of applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selenite crystalline materials have been popular owing to the diverse structures and optical performances. A new mercury selenite, MgHg(SeO 3) 2 (H 2 O) 2 , was synthesized by using a conventional hydrothermal method. It crystallizes in the monoclinic structure with a C 2/ c space group, MgHg(SeO 3) 2 (H 2 O) 2 exhibits a three-dimensional (3 D) structure, which is made up of [Hg(SeO 3) 2 ]2– ∞ chains and distorted MgO 4 (H 2 O) 2 octahedra. Besides, it presents a large birefringence of 0.137 @ 546 nm according to experimental measurement. Synthesis, crystal structure, thermal stability, optical property measurements and theoretical studies were performed in this work. A new magnesium mercury selenite has been successfully obtained by mild hydrothermal method with large birefringence of 0.137 @ 546 nm according to experimental measurement. [Display omitted] • Structurally, [HgO 6 ] and [SeO 3 ] units forming a one-dimensional {[Hg(SeO 3) 2 ]2-} ∞ anionic chains and form the overall three-dimensional (3D) framework with distorted MgO 4 (H 2 O) 2 octahedra. • MgHg(SeO 3) 2 (H 2 O) 2 presents a large birefringence of 0.137 @ 546 nm according to experimental measurement, while exists 0.148 @ 546 nm carried out through the first-principle calculations. • The experimental band gap of MgHg(SeO 3) 2 (H 2 O) 2 is 4.05 eV, which is relatively large in the whole selenite system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel (Ni) exposure is a significant risk factor for kidney dysfunction and oxidative stress injury in humans. Thioredoxin reductase 3 (Txnrd3), an important enzyme in animals, plays a role in maintaining cellular homeostasis and regulating oxidative stress. However, its protective effect against kidney injury has been determined. Melatonin (Mel) has antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects and therefore may be a preventive and therapeutic agent for kidney injury. Our study aimed to investigate the roles of Mel and Txnrd3 in the treatment of nickel-induced renal injury. We divided 80 wild-type mice and 80 Txnrd3 -/- mice (C57BL/6 N) into a control group treated with saline, Ni group treated with 10 mg/kg NiCl 2 , Mel group treated with 2 mg/kg Mel, and Ni + Mel group given NiCl 2 and Mel for 21 days. Histopathological and ultrastructural observation of the kidney showed that nuclei were wrinkled and mitochondrial cristae were broken in the Ni group, and these changes were significantly attenuated by Mel treatment. Mitochondrial and nuclear damage improved significantly in the Ni + Mel and Txnrd3-/- Ni + Mel groups. Furthermore, NiCl 2 exposure decreased T-AOC , SOD, and GSH activities in the kidney. The decreases in antioxidant enzyme activity were attenuated by Mel, and these improvements were abolished by Txnrd3 knockout. NiCl 2 -induced increases in the mRNA and protein levels of apoptosis factors (Bax, Cyt-c, caspase-3, and caspase-9) were attenuated by Mel treatment, and Txnrd3 knockout abolished the repressive effect of Mel on apoptosis genes. Overall, we concluded that Mel improves oxidative stress and apoptosis induced by NiCl 2 by regulating Txnrd3 expression in the kidney. Our results provide evidence for the role of Mel in NiCl 2 -induced kidney injury and identify Txnrd3 as a potential therapeutic target for renal injury. [Display omitted] • After Txnrd3 knock-out, the kidney apoptosis of mice was more serious under nickel exposure. • Melatonin alleviates kidney apoptosis caused by nickel exposure but the remission effect was attenuated after Txnrd3 knock-out. • Melatonin reduced oxidative stress to prevent nickel-induced kidney damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphate crystals are valuable materials according to their diverse structures and physical and chemistry properties. A zinc orthophosphate, (NH 4) 3 (H 3 O)Zn 4 (PO 4) 4 , has been obtained via hydrothermal route. It was crystallized in hexagonal space group P 6 3 , featuring a three-dimensional (3D) [Zn(PO 4)]– anion network built by corner-sharing connected ZnO 4 and PO 4 tetrahedra. The NH 4 + and H 3 O+ units are located in the six-member cavities of the framework as the balanced cations. (NH 4) 3 (H 3 O)Zn 4 (PO 4) 4 exhibits a moderate and phase matchable second harmonic generation effect (SHG) about 1.4 times of KH 2 PO 4 (KDP), which is the strongest in zinc orthophosphates. Besides structural features, optical properties measurements and theoretical analyses of (NH 4) 3 (H 3 O)Zn 4 (PO 4) 4 were performed. A zinc phosphate, (NH 4) 3 (H 3 O)Zn 4 (PO 4) 4 , has been successfully achieved in this work. 3D {[ZnPO 4 ]-} ∞ anion framework is built by ZnO 4 and PO 4 units, and NH 4 + and H 3 O+ are as counter cations located in the cavities to consolidate the structure. (NH 4) 3 (H 3 O)Zn 4 (PO 4) 4 exhibits a SHG effects about 1.4 times of KDP. [Display omitted] • The polar phosphate, (NH 4) 3 (H 3 O)Zn 4 (PO 4) 4 , has been obtained. • (NH 4) 3 (H 3 O)Zn 4 (PO 4) 4 shows strong SHG responses and phase-matchable behaviors. • Theoretical calculations on their electronic structure and optical properties are performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) have been shown to possess immunomodulatory activities, while its role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remains unknown. Citrullinated fibrinogen (cfb) has been considered as a specific autoantigen in RA pathogenesis. Our study aims to determine the role of cfb on immunomodulatory function of BMSC. We demonstrated the specific role of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-NFκB pathway in the pro-inflammatory response of BMSC to cfb with increased production of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 and chemokine C C motif ligand 2 (CCL2). Moreover, cfb impaired BMSC-mediated suppression of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) proliferation and reduced the production of the key immunomodulatory molecule indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) in BMSC. We have uncovered a previously unrecognized role of cfb in interfering BMSC-mediated immunoregulation in RA. Cfb could act as a damage-associated molecule pattern (DAMP) for BMSC and thereby contribute to the propagation of inflammation in RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcineurin (CN) is a protein phosphatase and widely distributed in eukaryotes, with an extremely high level of expression in mammalian brain. Alpha-synuclein (α-syn) is a small soluble protein expressed primarily at presynaptic terminals in the central nervous system. In our present study, we explored the interactions between CN and α-syn in vitro . Based on the data from microscale thermophoresis, GST pull-down assays, and co-immunoprecipitation, we found that CN binds α-syn. Furthermore, this interaction is mediated by calcium/calmodulin (Ca 2+ /CaM) signaling. Additionally, thapsigargin (TG) triggered an increase in CN activity and α-syn aggregation in HEK293 cells stably transfected with α-syn. Our previous study in vivo suggest that overexpression of α-syn in transgenic mice significantly promoted CN activity and subsequent nuclear translocation of nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) in the midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons. These in vivo and in vitro studies have been complementary with each other, representing the changes in the CN-dependent pathway affected by overexpression of α-syn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic encephalopathy (DE) is one of the most common complications of diabetes. The major pathological variations include neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), which are caused by tau hyperphosphorylation, and senile plaques (SPs) consisting of amyloid β- protein(Aβ) deposits. In recent years, DE research studies have focused on exploring the activation of the inflammatory signaling pathway in immune cells. Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) is well known to regulate the inflammatory reactions in immune processes. During the tau hyperphosphorylation process, TLR9 in microglia plays bidirectional roles. However, no studies have clearly demonstrated the relationship between TLR9 and tau hyperphosphorylation in neurons. Based on our experiments, we found significant increase in TLR9 expression in neurons and an increase in tau hyperphosphorylation in high-glucose media. However, these alterations can be reversed by TLR9 inhibitor. Furthermore, we specifically inhibited the activation of P38mitogenactivated protein kinase(P38MAPK) and found an effective decrease in tau hyperphosphorylation. This effect is likely related to Unc93b1. Meanwhile, High glucose levels can induce neuronal apoptosis via the TLR9 signaling pathway. Our studies are the first to reveal that high glucose can regulate tau hyperphosphorylation and neuronal apoptosis via TLR9-P38MAPK signaling pathway. These findings provide a new method for studying the mechanism underlying DE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • LK2(6)A(L) reflected anti-inflammatory activity through TLR4 signaling pathway. • LK2(6)A(L) interacted with MD2 and the knockdown MD2 abolished its anti-inflammatory. • The key domain of LK2(6)A(L) binding to MD2 was its amino acid domain 7–13 (IS-7). • LK2(6)A(L) and IS-7 displayed protective effects in LPS-induced ALI mice. Acute lung injury (ALI) is a life-threatening disease that is generally attributable to an uncontrolled inflammatory response in the lung, but there is a lack of effective treatments. At present, regulating the inflammatory response has become an important strategy for treating ALI. In the present study, LK2(6)A(L), a peptide derived from the natural antimicrobial peptide temporin-1CEa, inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and NO in RAW264.7 cells. Herein, the anti-inflammatory mechanism of LK2(6)A(L) was investigated. The RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) results showed that LK2(6)A(L) significantly inhibited the TLR4-mediated NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. The results of co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), pull-down experiment, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) suggested that MD2 was the direct target of LK2(6)A(L). Chemical inhibition of MD2 and its knockdown abolished the anti-inflammatory effect of LK2(6)A(L). Molecular dynamic simulation indicated that LK2(6)A(L) could bind to the active domain of the MD2 hydrophobic pocket via six hydrogen bonds. The truncated peptides were designed based on analysis of the molecular docking of LK2(6)A(L) to MD2. The truncated peptide IS-7 showed strong affinity to MD2 and a remarkable inhibitory effect on pro-inflammatory factors that was comparable to the effect of LK2(6)A(L). Finally, LK2(6)A(L) and IS-7 relieved inflammatory symptoms and lung tissue destruction in the ALI mouse model. Overall, our study suggested that LK2(6)A(L) showed promising anti-inflammatory activity by targeting MD2, and the amino acid domain 7–13 was an important area that binds with MD2 and also an anti-inflammatory active region. LK2(6)A(L) and IS-7 may be potential new treatments for ALI and other acute inflammatory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the role of phospholipase Cε (PLCε) in the skin wound healing process. PLCε, an effect factor of Ras/Rap small G protein, plays a crucial role in skin inflammation by regulating inflammatory cytokines. Inflammatory responses are closely associated with wound healing. Full-thickness skin wounds were made in the PLCε knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice, and the healing process was analyzed. The macroscopic wound closure rate declined in the PLCε KO mice on days 3, 4, and 5 after wounding, following the decreased expression of interleukin (IL)-6, chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand (Cxcl)-1, Cxcl-2, and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand (Ccl) 20. The proliferation rate of epidermal keratinocytes was not affected by PLCε, but silencing of PLCε resulted in the delayed migration of keratinocytes. Moreover, the scars were found to be much smaller in the PLCε KO mice than in the WT mice. The mRNA expression of Ccl20, collagen (Col) 6a1, and Col17a1 decreased in the PLCε KO mice. These results were in agreement with a previous hypothesis that PLCε might delay the early stage of cutaneous wound healing by inhibiting the migration of keratinocytes, and decrease the expression of Col6a1, Col17a1, and Ccl20 by inhibiting the inflammatory response to reduce scar formation. This study shed light on a novel role of PLCε in wound healing and provided new therapeutic approaches to target PLCε for diminishing scar formation after injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polygonatum is a medicinal and edible homologous food, for which nine steaming and nine drying (SAD-9) is the most used processing method. The processed polygonatum not only changes its components, but also causes the fluctuation of metabolites in vivo. UPLC-QTOF/MS (Ultraperformance liquid chromatography-Quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry) was employed to analyze the changes in components and the plasma untargeted metabolomics, thus, the differences in vitro of three groups of polygonatum (Raw Polygonatum, RP; two steaming and two drying, SAD-2; nine steaming and nine drying, SAD-9) and their effects on metabolic fluctuations in vivo were revealed. Results showed that the components, such as protein, fat, polysaccharide, flavonoids, saponins and isoflavones changed after processing. Moreover, 4 types of Lysophosphatidylcholines, the major differential metabolites, were highly expressed in rats' plasma of SAD-9 group. Furthermore, through network pharmacological analysis, it was found that liquiritigenin and 4′,5-dihydroxyflavone activated PLA2 type enzymes to promote the production of lysophosphatidylcholine, and the processing method of SAD-9 was conducive to the role of these two components. These findings indicated the dissimilarity of components and metabolic profiles of polygonatum under different processing times, and revealed the advantages of SAD-9 processing methods. [Display omitted] • RP, SAD-2 and SAD-9 differed in proximate and chemical composition. • RP, SAD-2 and SAD-9 had positive effects on various metabolic pathways in rats. • 4 types of LPCs, the major differential in vivo metabolites were identified. • The activation effect of SAD-9 on PLA2 enzyme was stronger than RP and SAD-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protective effects of whole wheat flour steamed bread (WWF) and aleurone-enriched wheat flour steamed bread (AWF) on gut microbiota and metabolomic disorders were investigated in long-term high-fat diet (HFD) mice. The results showed that AWF and WWF significantly ameliorated dyslipidemia, hepatic oxidative stress, and damage in HFD-fed mice. The fecal microbiome analysis showed that AWF and WWF significantly increased diversity in the gut microbiota and altered the structure of the gut microbiota. An increase in Bacteroidetes (by 31% and 34%) and decrease in Firmicutes (by 17% and 17%) were observed in the AWF and WWF groups, respectively. Liver metabolomics demonstrated that AWF and WWF upregulated carboxylic acids and derivatives and organooxygen compounds, and downregulated fatty acyl compounds. Moreover, WWF significantly modulated the concentrations of steroids and steroid derivatives, and glycerophospholipids. Overall, our findings suggest that AWF and WWF dramatically altered hepatic metabolism concurrent with shifts in specific gut bacteria in C57BL/6J mice, exhibiting potential as functional foods for the prevention of metabolic disorders induced by a long-term HFD. Despite some differences, the AWF is generally able to achieve the same level of health benefits as the WWF. [Display omitted] • Aleurone-enriched wheat flour could achieve the similar effects as whole wheat. • AWF and WWF alleviates dyslipidemia, hepatic oxidative stress, and damage in HFD mice. • The diversity of microbiota in AWF and WWF groups increased, and F/B ratio decreased. • AWF and WWF down-regulated fatty acyl and improved lipid metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During speech perception, listeners compensate for phonological rules of their language. For instance, English place assimilation causes green boat to be typically pronounced as greem boat; English listeners, however, perceptually compensate for this rule and retrieve the intended sound (n). Previous research using EEG has focused on rules with clear phonetic underpinnings, showing that perceptual compensation occurs at an early stage of speech perception. We tested whether this early mechanism also accounts for the compensation for more complex rules. We examined compensation for French voicing assimilation, a rule with abstract phonological restrictions on the contexts in which it applies. Our results reveal that perceptual compensation for this rule by French listeners modulates an early ERP component. This is evidence that early stages of speech sound categorization are sensitive to complex phonological rules of the native language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ultrasound-assisted extraction was applied on freeze-dried mushrooms. • Parameters influencing ergosterol and vitamin D extraction were optimized. • Ethanol was the best extraction solvent for both ergosterol and vitamin D. • 30 min, 20 mg/mL 40 °C, 40 kHz, and 240 W, were the optimal U.A.E conditions. • The effect of pH was studied for the assessment of conjugated ergosterol. Ergosterol is an important secondary metabolite precursor of vitamin D 2 in mushrooms and is responsible for various health-promoting effects. The increasing interest in searching and analyzing foods rich in provitamin and vitamin D requires the optimization of a fast and effective extraction method. The comprehensive optimization of the parameters influencing ultrasound-assisted extraction (U.A.E) was performed to determine the best U.A.E conditions for ergosterol and vitamin D in mushrooms. The highest extraction yields were obtained with ethanol as solvent, 20 mg/mL as the solid-solvent ratio (SSR), at a frequency of 40 kHz, and a power of 240 W, for 30 min at 40 °C. For conjugated ergosterol, U.A.E in basic conditions (pH 11 using an ethanolic solution of KOH) at 60 °C for 30 min was ideal. Moreover, saponification after U.A.E did not provide any improvement on the extraction yield. The developed U.A.E. methods were applied on three mushroom species obtaining high levels of total ergosterol for Agaricus bisporus (6.8 ± 0.1 mg/g dw), A. bisporus Portobello (7.3 ± 0.2 mg/g dw), and Pleurotus ostreatus (4.9 ± 0.1 mg/g dw). Moreover, good levels of vitamin D 2 (13.9–19.2 mg/100 g dw) in mushrooms were obtained after ultraviolet-C (UV-C) irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical Germicidal Water (CGW) with an effective bactericidal ability was put forward and physicochemical properties, the stability of CGW under different storage conditions, and ultrasonic frequency were investigated. By the aid of plate count method, Escherichia coli was completely inactivated after contacting CGW 10 s, while the bacterial population reduced from 7.6 to 5.29 log CFU/mL by using sodium hypochlorite (NaClO). At the same time, CGW posses lower Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (2 mg/L) and higher bactericidal ability. CGW can reach bacteria killing rate of 97% in a simulation scene room for sterilization, and more than 82% in a dairy processing workshop. Mechanism of action clarified that CGW not only broke the membranes of the bacterium but also destroyed intracellular protein, nucleic acid structures, etc. These results indicate that CGW is an ideal candidate for replacing traditional biocide such as NaClO in the field of food processing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A capsule is a group of neurons whose outputs represent different properties of the same entity. Typically, the capsule is produced by applying convolution layers called the primary capsule layer to group scalar neurons. However, randomly grouping the scalar neurons into capsule vectors can cause two problems: (i) The capsule vectors are difficult to obtain a better representation of the entities. (ii) The capsule vectors generated by the primary capsule layer lack spatial information and cannot effectively model the underlying spatial relationship among entities. In this paper, we present a flexible and efficient capsule network architecture called Adaptive Capsule CapsuleNet (AC-CapsNet). We replace the primary capsule layer of CapsNet with the adaptive capsule (AC) layer. In the AC-CapsNet, the adaptive capsule vector combines capsule vector and adaptive value generated by the AC layer. The adaptive value preserves spatial information of each capsule vector and local relationship among the scalar neurons contained in each capsule vector. Therefore, the adaptive capsule vector can not only dynamically adjust their state values according to the content information of scalar neurons inside capsule vector, but also model the spatial relationship between capsule vectors for low-level clusters. Extensive experiments in some public datasets such as CIFAR-100, CIFAR-10, SmallNORB, and SVHN show that the AC-CapsNet outperforms other variants of CapsNets with respect to classification accuracy and robustness to affine transformations and white-box adversarial attacks. • We propose a novel adaptive capsule layer to generate space-related and high-representation capsule vectors. • Our model structure is more efficient and convenient than existing state-of-the-art CapsNets. • The proposed approach can improve the performance of CapsNets in terms of classification accuracy and robustness [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we obtained a formula in close form for the multivariate generating function of { A (n , d , j) } n , d , j , where A (n , d , j) denote the number of permutations of length n with d descents and j as the first letter. In addition to this, by a series of calculations with generatingfunctionology, we confirm a recent enumerative conjecture of Wang and Zhang for ballot permutations, which are permutations in any prefix of which the descent number is not more than the ascent number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The objective of this study was to examine the potential of terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) in monitoring yeast communities during wine fermentation and to reveal new information on yeast community of Chinese enology. Firstly, terminal restriction fragment (TRF) lengths database was constructed using 32 pure yeast species. Ten of these species were firstly documented. The species except for Candida vini, Issatchenkia orientalis/Candida krusei, Saccharomyces bayanus, Saccharomyces pastorianus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces kudriarzevii and Zygosaccharomyces bisporus could be distinguished by the T-RFLP targeting 5.8S-ITS rDNA. Moreover, the yeast communities in spontaneous fermentation of Chardonnay and Riesling were identified by T-RFLP and traditional methods, including colony morphology on Wallerstein Nutrient (WLN) medium and 5.8S-ITS–RFLP analysis. The result showed that T-RFLP profiles of the yeast community correlated well with that of the results identified by the traditional methods. The TRFs with the highest intensity and present in all the samples corresponded to Saccharomyces sp. Other species detected by both approaches were Hanseniaspora uvarum, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Pichia minuta var. minuta, Saccharomycodes ludwigii/Torulaspora delbrueckii and Candida zemplinina. This study revealed that T-RFLP technique is a rapid and useful tool for monitoring the composition of yeast species during wine fermentation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cadmium(Cd) is a toxic and carcinogenic heavy metal pollutant leading to serious damage in various organs. Ferroptosis and necrosis as inflammation-related cell death are involved in several diseases of nervous system. In the present study, 10 weaning piglets with similar weight for 6 weeks were randomly divided into two groups. The daily grain containing 0 mg and 20 mg/kg of Cd chloride was fed in 20–26 ℃ environment, animals were sacrificed to collect cerebrum and cerebellum tissues after 40 days. Morphology and ultrastructure results were observed using HE and TEM. Moreover, molecular biological technologies western blot and qRT-PCR were used to detect the expression abundance of genes. Cerebrum and cerebellum injury was observed in Cd-exposed group, antioxidant capacity decreased significantly and oxidative stress increased; immunofluorescence, real-time quantification, and western blot results showed decreased necrosis genes and increased ferroptosis pathway genes abundance in cerebrum, whereas the results were reversed in cerebellum. These results indicated that Cd exposure can activated necrosis and ferroptosis pathways by increased oxidative stress, further resulting in cerebrum and cerebellum damage in pigs. These findings may provide a theoretical basis for early monitoring of Cd exposure in environment. [Display omitted] • The present study focused on the damage of cadmium exposure to pig cerebrum and cerebellar. • Explored the exact mechanism differences between cerebrum and cerebellar injury during Cd exposure. • Confirm the interaction between ferroptosis and necrosis in pig cerebrum and cerebellum injury during cadmium exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: High quality Gd-doped YFeO3 polycrystalline samples were synthesized by solid-state reaction method. The crystal structure of the samples can be described by the space group of Pbnm (No. 62). 57Fe Mössbauer spectra show that only the high spin Fe3+ exists and the samples are magnetic ordering at room temperature. The spontaneous magnetization at room temperature was observed and the paramagnetic contribution from Gd3+ ions was confirmed by the significant enhancement of the magnetization. Temperature-dependent magnetization data correlate with the Gd concentration x and follow the Curie–Weiss law above the ferromagnetic transition temperature. Magnetic measurements suggest that the substitution of Y3+ ions by Gd3+ ions effectively enhance the magnetization of YFeO3. This is achieved by the additional Gd–Gd interactions, Gd–Fe interactions and the variation of Fe–O–Fe superexchange bond caused by distortion of the crystal structure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ag–SrTiO3 nanotube arrays were successfully prepared for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) under ultraviolet irradiation. In order to form highly ordered SrTiO3 nanotube arrays, the preparation of TiO2 nanotube arrays by anodic oxidation of titanium foil in different electrolytes was investigated. The selected organic solvents in electrolytes include glycerol, dimethyl sulfoxide and glycol. The results indicate that the morphology of TiO2 nanotube arrays prepared in glycol containing ammonium fluoride electrolyte is more regular. Then SrTiO3 nanotube arrays were synthesized by a hydrothermal method using TiO2 nanotube arrays as the precursor. In order to further improve the photocatalytic activity of SrTiO3 nanotube arrays, Ag nanoparticles were loaded on SrTiO3 nanotube arrays by two sets of experiments. The loaded Ag results in an enhancement of photocatalytic activity of SrTiO3 nanotube arrays. Moreover, the effect of pH on the photocatalytic degradation of MO was also studied. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The recently reported modest success of the RV144 Thai trial vaccine regimen in preventing HIV-1 acquisition has focused interest on the potential contribution to that protection of vaccine-elicited CD4+ T cell responses. We evaluated the induction of virus-specific CD4+ T cell responses in rhesus monkeys using a series of diverse vaccine vectors. We assessed both the magnitudes and functional profiles of the antigen-specific CD4+ T cells by measuring cytokine production, memory differentiation, and the expression of mucosal homing molecules. We found that DNA prime/recombinant MVA boost immunizations induced particularly high-frequency virus-specific CD4+ T cell responses with polyfunctional repertoires, and these responses were partially preserved following SHIV-89.6P challenge. The majority of the vaccine-elicited CD4+ T cells were CD28+ memory T cells that expressed low levels of β7. Neither the magnitudes nor the functional profiles of the virus-specific CD4+ T cells generated by vaccination were associated with a preservation of CD4+ T cells or control of viral replication following SHIV-89.6P challenge. Interestingly, monkeys primed with recombinant Ad5 immunogens showed a dramatic expansion of both the magnitude and polyfunctionality of the vaccine-elicited CD4+ T cell responses following envelope protein boost. These results demonstrate that vaccine strategies that include recombinant MVA or recombinant Ad5 vectors can elicit robust CD4+ T cell responses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The yeast genes ODC1 and ODC2 encode members of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae family of mitochondrial transport proteins that transport oxodicarboxylates. In these studies, the ODC1 gene was identified as able, in low-copy, to rescue a yeast strain that is unable to grow on oleic acid but can grow on other nonfermentable carbon sources. ODC2 was shown to be a high-copy suppressor of this mutant. Odc1Δ odc2Δ double mutants are unable to grow on oleic acid at 36 °C. ODC1 mRNA and protein expression is elevated in oleic acid medium as compared to glucose or glycerol. The ODC1 promoter contains sequences required for the oleic acid response. However, regulation of ODC1 does not require the transcription factors Oaf1p and Pip2p, known to mediate oleic acid induction of other genes. These studies provide the first link between these mitochondrial transporters and peroxisomal β-oxidation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The health effect of particulate matter pollution on stroke has been widely examined; however, the effect among patients with comorbid type 2 diabetes (T2D) in developing countries has remained largely unknown. A time-series study was conducted to investigate the short-term effect of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) and inhalable particulate matter (PM 10) on hospital admissions for stroke among patients with T2D in Beijing, China, from 2014 to 2018. An over-dispersed Poisson generalized additive model was employed to adjust for important covariates, such as weather conditions and long-term and seasonal trends. A total of 159,298 hospital admissions for stroke comorbid with T2D were reported. Approximately linear exposure-response curves were observed for PM 2.5 and PM 10 in relation to stroke admissions among T2D patients. A 10 μg/m3 increase in the four-day moving average of PM 2.5 and PM 10 was associated with 0.14% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.05–0.23%) and 0.14% (95% CI: 0.06–0.22%) incremental increases in stroke admissions among T2D patients, respectively. A 10 μg/m3 increase in PM 2.5 in the two-day moving average corresponded to a 0.72% (95% CI: 0.02–1.42%) incremental increase in hemorrhagic stroke, and a 10 μg/m3 increase in PM 10 in the four-day moving average corresponded to a 0.14% (95% CI: 0.06–0.22%) incremental increase in ischemic stroke. High particulate matter might be a risk factor for stroke among patients with T2D. PM 2.5 and PM 10 have a linear exposure-response relationship with stroke among T2D patients. The study provided evidence of the risk of stroke due to particulate matter pollution among patients with comorbid T2D. • The health effect of particulate matter on stroke among T2D patients in developing countries has remained largely unknown. • Exposure to particulate matter is associated an increased risk of stroke admissions among T2D patients. • Approximately linear exposure-response curves were found between PM 2.5 and PM 10 with stroke admissions among T2D patients. • The study provided evidence of the risk of stroke due to particulate matter pollution among T2D patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild bitter melon (Momordica charantia L. Var. Abbreviata Ser; WBM) is widely cultivated in East and Southeast Asia. It is made into lujiu with high-quality strong-flavor baijiu and presents a beautiful golden color and harmonious aroma. Lujiu is a type of alcoholic beverage similar to gin. In this study, the aroma profile of wild bitter melon lujiu (WBML) was determined through sensory evaluation, and important aroma-active compounds were identified through liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) coupled with gas chromatography–olfactometry–mass spectrometry (GC–O–MS) and aroma extraction dilution analysis (AEDA). A total of 42 aroma-active compounds were identified, and 28 of them with FD factor ≥ 3 were quantified. Sixteen compounds were pivotal aroma contributors, among which ethyl hexanoate, ethyl pentanoate, ethyl butanoate, ethyl octanoate, and acetic acid had the highest OAVs. Moreover, WBM-sourced aroma compounds were found in WBML, including dihydroactinidiolide, (E , E)-2,4-nonadienal, β-ionone, etc. The extraction parameters of vacuum-assisted sorbent extraction (VASE) were optimized for the first time to analyze lujiu aroma. The effect of homologous polysaccharide addition to the aroma of WBML was explored with VASE–GC–MS. The greasy off-odor was decreased due to the reduction of ethyl octanoate volatility by polysaccharide addition. [Display omitted] • Extraction parameters of VASE were optimized for WBML analysis. • Important aroma-active compounds were identified and quantified by LLE–GC–O–MS. • Effect of polysaccharide addition on WBML aroma was investigated by VASE–GC–MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanins (ACNs) are a series of polyphenols found in plants with various biological activities. To overcome their instability toward external environments and provide more effective encapsulation method, anthocyanins-loaded nanoliposomes (AN) were firstly prepared by combining ethanol injection method with ultrasonication. This method was simple and safe which avoiding organic solvents. Good physicochemical characterizations of AN (0.15% w/v ACNs) including the encapsulation efficiency (EE, 91.1 ± 1.7%), mean particle size (53.8 ± 1.8 nm), ζ-potential (−42.7 ± 2.2 mV) and polydispersity index (PDI, 0.19 ± 0.02) were observed. The encapsulation of AN was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Nanoliposome encapsulation also enhanced the stability, cellular uptake and antioxidant activities of ACNs in vitro. It was demonstrated that the nanoliposomes prepared by this method were an efficient carriers for the delivery of ACNs, and the results expects to provide theories and practice guides for further applications of AN. • Ethanol injection method with ultrasonication was firstly adopted in this research. • Anthocyanins-loaded nanoliposomes showed good physicochemical characterizations. • Nanoliposomes enhanced the stability and cellular uptake of anthocyanins. • Nanoliposomes improved antioxidant activity of anthocyanins in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) negatively affects plant (crop) growth and development, as well the yield and quality in some regions or environments. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF)-mediated amelioration of NO 2 -induced plant damage has been reported, but the underlying mechanisms remained unclear. This study explored the beneficial effect of AMF symbiosis on tomato plant responses to NO 2 at physiology, biochemistry, and gene expression, with an emphasis on nitrate metabolism, antioxidative defense, and photosynthetic performance. Pot-grown plants were used in the experiments, which were performed in laboratory from February to November 2019. NO 2 fumigation with a dose of 10 ± 1 ppm was carried out after 50 d of plant growth, and data were collected following 8 h of fumigation. NO 2 fumigation (+NO 2) and AMF inoculation (+AMF), alone and especially in combination (NO 2 + AMF), increased the gene expression of nitrate- and nitrite reductase, and their enzymatic activity in leaves, such as by 61%, 27%, and 126% for the activity of nitrate reductase, and by 95%, 37%, and 188% for nitrite reductase, respectively, in +NO 2 , +AMF, and AMF + NO 2 plants relative the control (–NO 2 , –AMF) levels. Following NO 2 exposure, +AMF leaves displayed stronger activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase, and higher content of glutathione and ratio of its reduced form to oxidized form, as compared with –AMF ones. Correspondingly, lesser oxidative damage was detected in +AMF than in –AMF plants, as indicated by the contents of H 2 O 2 and malondialdehyde, electrolyte leakage, also by in situ visualization for the formation of H 2 O 2 , superoxide anion, and dead cells. The increased antioxidative capacity in +AMF plants was correlated with enhanced expression of antioxidation-related genes. Exposure to NO 2 substantially impaired photosynthetic processes in both + AMF and –AMF plants, but an obvious mitigation was observed in the former than in the latter. For example, the total chlorophyll, net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase activity were 18%, 27%, 26%, and 40% higher, respectively, in +AMF than in –AMF plants under NO 2 stress. The differential photosynthetic performance was also revealed by chlorophyll fluorescence imaging. We analyzed the expression patterns of some genes related to photosynthesis and carbon metabolisms, and found that all of them exclusively presented a higher expression level in +AMF plants relative to –AMF ones under NO 2 stress. Taken together, this study provided evidence that AMF symbiosis played a positively regulatory role in host plant responses to NO 2 , probably by increasing leaf nitrate metabolism and antioxidative defense, and maintaining the photosynthetic efficiency to some extent, wherein the transcription regulation might be a main target. • AMF increased host leaf antioxidative capacity and mitigated NO 2 -induced oxidative damage. • AMF promoted leaf nitrate metabolism. • AMF ameliorated NO 2 -induced photosynthetic impairment by regulating gene expression. • AMF up-regulated the expression of carbon metabolism-related genes under NO 2 stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease. MicroRNA-448 (miR-448) has a pro-inflammatory effect in various inflammation-related diseases and is up-regulated in serum of patients with SLE. However, the role of miR-448 in SLE development remains elusive. In our study, we found high expression of miR-448 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of SLE patients, and miR-448 level was positively associated with disease severity. Besides, miR-448 level was up-regulated during the growth of MRL/lpr mice. To investigate the function of miR-448 in SLE, we subjected 8-week MRL/lpr mice to injection of lentivirus (LV)-mediated anti-miR-448. Inhibition of miR-448 reduced serum IgG and anti-dsDNA IgG contents, 24 h urine protein and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, increased complement C3 concentration, and ameliorated splenomegaly and lymphadenectasis in MRL/lpr mice. MiR-448 inhibition alleviated renal inflammatory infiltration and glycogen deposition. Moreover, miR-448 inhibition promoted Treg cell activation and inhibited Th17 cell proportion in naïve CD4+ T cells from spleens, along with elevated interleukin (IL)-10 and reduced IL-17A levels. In vitro , miR-448 inhibition diminished CD4+ T cell polarization toward Th17 cells under Th17-polarizing conditions. Further, luciferase reporter assay revealed that miR-448 binds to the 3′UTR of suppressor of cytokine signaling 5 (SOCS5). SOCS5 expression was down-regulated in the spleens of MRL/lpr mice and induced Th17 cells. SOCS5 deficiency partially reversed the role of miR-448 in Th17 differentiation and IL-17A expression in SLE. Taken together, inhibition of miR-448 impedes Th17 cell activation and tissue damages via targeting SOCS5 in SLE. [Display omitted] ● MiR-448 expression is increased in PBMCs of SLE patients. ● MiR-448 inhibition ameliorates tissue damage of lupus-prone MRL/lpr mice. ● MiR-448 inhibition diminishes CD4+ T cell polarization toward Th17 cells. ● SOCS5 is a novel target gene of miR-448. ● SOCS5 deficiency partially reverses the role of miR-448 in Th17 differentiation and IL-17A expression in SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive nitrogen (N) input is one of the most important causative factors of lake eutrophication, which has aroused increasing public attention in past decades. Estrogen contamination is also an increasing environmental problem in aquatic systems around the world. Although both substances usually co-exist in aquatic ecosystems, many researches have only investigated the influences of either N or estrogen individually on sediment bacterial community and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emission. Knowledge regarding the combined effects of N and estrogen is still very limited. In this study, a 30-day laboratory incubation experiment was performed to examine the impacts of different N sources (ammonium and nitrate) combined with 17β-estradiol (E2) on sediment bacterial community. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing technique was used and N 2 O emission was measured. The results revealed that the relative abundances of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were higher in nitrate treatment than ammonium treatment. Compared to N treatments, N and E2 combined treatments showed higher relative abundances of Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes, but lower relative abundances of Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria over entire incubation period. At the genus level, the relative abundances of genera Flavobacterium , Pseudomonas , Arenimonas , Novosphingobium , Massilia , Aquabacterium , and Bacillus were enhanced by N treatments and especially N and E2 combined treatments, compared to sediment without addition of N and E2. However, the relative abundances of Sporacetigenium , Gaiella , Desulfatiglans , Nitrospira , and Haliangium were decreased in N treatments. Apart from the changes in bacterial community structure, N 2 O emission was also influenced by different treatments. Nitrate exerted a more significant positive effect on N 2 O emission than ammonium, and the cumulative emission of N 2 O was highest in nitrate and E2 combined treatment. Very low abundances of ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) gene and hydroxylamine oxidase (hao) gene were observed in sediments compared to other genes involved in N cycles (such as nitrate reductase (narG and napA) genes, nitrite reductase (nirB , nirK , and nrfA) genes, and nitric oxide reductase (norB) gene), implying that denitrification rather than nitrification played an important role in sediments. The abundances of napA , nirK , and norB were higher in N and E2 combined treatments, indicating that E2 might provide a carbon source for denitrifiers. Moreover, decrease in the abundance of nitrous oxide reductase (nosZ) gene during the denitrifying process in N and E2 combined treatment might be an important reason for increases of N 2 O emission. These results indicated that alterations of the bacterial community structure due to the co-existence of N and E2 could also change the abundances of genes involved in N cycle. Image 1 • Bacteria varied greatly in their responses to N and E2 addition in sediments. • Several genera related to N cycle showed higher relative abundances in N and E2 combined treatments. • N 2 O flux was highest in nitrate and E2 combined treatment, while lowest in ammonium treatment. • E2 addition increased the abundances of denitrifying genes in sediments. • Decline of nosZ abundance in N and E2 combined treatments might lead to higher N 2 O emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A non-transition metal Al doped into VC (1 0 0) nano-flowers with C hybrids on nickel foams (Al-VC@C/NF) was synthesized for the first time as an efficient HER catalyst by chemical vapor carbonization and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), Raman spectra, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses. This conclusion was confirmed by Density Functional Theory (DFT). [Display omitted] Vanadium carbide (VC) is the greatest potential hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalyst because of its platinum-like property and abundant earth reserves. However, it exhibits insufficient catalytic performance due to the unfavorable interaction of reaction intermediates with catalysts. In this work, using NH 4 VO 3 as the main raw material, the flow ratio of CH 4 to Ar was accurately controlled, and a non-transition metal Al-doped into VC (1 0 0) nano-flowers with carbon hybrids on nickel foams (Al-VC@C/NF) was prepared for the first time as a high-efficiency HER catalyst by chemical vapor carbonization. The overpotential of Al-VC@C/NF catalysts in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 and 1 M KOH at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 are only 58 mV and 97 mV, respectively, which are the best HER performance among non-noble metal vanadium carbide based catalysts. Simultaneously, Al-VC@C/NF exhibits small Tafel slope (45 mV dec-1 and 73 mV dec-1) and excellent stability in acidic and alkaline media. Theoretical calculations demonstrate that doped Al atoms can induce electron redistribution on the vanadium carbide surface to form electron-rich carbon sites, which significantly reduces the energy barrier during the HER process. This work provides a new tactic to modulate vanadium-based carbons as efficient HER catalysts through non-transition metal doping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glaucoma is a chronic blinding eye disease caused by the progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Currently, no clinically approved treatment can directly improve the survival rate of RGCs. The Apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene is closely related to the genetic risk of numerous neurodegenerative diseases and has become a hot topic in the field of neurodegenerative disease research in recent years. The optic nerve and retina are extensions of the brain's nervous system. The pathogenesis of retinal degenerative diseases is closely related to the degenerative diseases of the nerves in the brain. APOE consists of three alleles, ε4, ε3, and ε2, in a single locus. They have varying degrees of risk for glaucoma. APOE4 and the APOE gene deletion (APOE −/− ) can reduce RGC loss. By contrast, APOE3 and the overall presence of APOE genes (APOE +/+ ) result in significant loss of RGC bodies and axons, increasing the risk of glaucoma RGCs death. Currently, there is no clear literature indicating that APOE2 is beneficial or harmful to glaucoma. This study summarises the mechanism of different APOE genes in glaucoma and speculates that APOE targeted intervention may be a promising method for protecting against RGCs loss in glaucoma. • The mechanism of different APOE genes in glaucoma. • APOE −/− inhibition of kainic acid receptor (KAR) signalling to prevent RGC loss. • Influence of APOE −/− on Microglial Activation and Galectin-3 Expression: Preventing Loss of Retinal Ganglion Cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has continued for about three years since emerging in late December 2019, resulting in millions of deaths. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a safe and effective vaccine to control SARS-CoV-2. In this study, we developed a bacterium-like particle vaccine that displays the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) (named Trim-RBD-GEM) using the GEM-PA system. We evaluated the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of the Trim-RBD-GEM vaccine with the oil-in-water adjuvant AddaVax in C57BL/6 N mice intramuscularly. We found that Trim-RBD-GEM&AddaVax induced high levels of humoral immunity in C57BL/6 N mice. Additionally, the lung virus loads in the immunized group were significantly decreased compared to the adjuvant control and mock groups. Therefore, this vaccine provides protection against lethal infection in a C57BL/6 N mouse model. Our Trim-RBD-GEM&AddaVax vaccine is potentially a promising, rapid, and safe subunit vaccine for preventing and controlling SARS-CoV-2. • A bacterium-like particle vaccine in the form of SARS-CoV-2 RBD protein trimer was constructed with a purity of over 97%. • The GEM-PA surface presentation system only requires one step of centrifugation to prepare pellet antigens. • Immunization of C57BL/6 N mice with AddaVax adjuvant induced high levels of ELISA and neutralizing antibodies. • Trim-RBD-GEM using AddaVax adjuvant provided lethal protection against C57BL/6 N after the SARS-CoV-2 challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • MOFs-deriver N-doped CoC x /FeCo@C/rGO was synthesized as a catalyst for ORR. • The ORR activity of N-doped CoC x /FeCo@C/rGO was higher than that of the Pt/C. • The OER activity of N-doped CoC x /FeCo@C/rGO was higher than that of the RuO 2. • The synergistic effect of CoC x /FeCo and N-doped carbon results in the activity. Abstract Metal-organic framework derived materials have a great promise as non-precious metal-based electrocatalysts for large-scale applications of energy storage and transition devices with low-cost and high efficiency. Here, we report a high performance core-shell-structured nitrogen-doped CoC x /FeCo@C/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) hybrid, which is derived from Fe-doped Co 3 [Co(CN) 6 ] 2 MOFs, as bifunctional catalysts for both oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Structure characterizations show that the carbon shell of CoC x /FeCo and graphene support are bonded to each other, which offer a large surface area and stable anchoring sites for the CoC x /FeCo. Electrochemical tests show that N-doped CoC x /FeCo@C/rGO hybrid exhibits superior onset potential (1.0183 V vs RHE), half-wave potential (0.9653 V vs RHE), peak current intensity (0.9233 mA/cm−2) and long-term durability for ORR than those of Pt/C (onset potential, half-wave potential and peak current intensity are 1.0174 V and 0.9213 V, 0.8233 mA/cm−2, respectively) in 0.1 M KOH electrolyte. The overpotential of the hybrid for OER is only ∼390 mV at a current intensity of 10 mA/cm−2, which is close to that of the RuO 2. The excellent electrocatalytic properties of this hybrid make it a great potential to be substitute for precious-based catalysts for ORR and OER in fuel cells and water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bifunctional electrocatalyst Ni 2 P/NF was synthesized for highly efficient oxidation of benzyl alcohol (BA) and reduction of water, simultaneously. [Display omitted] • Ni 2 P/NF (Ni foam) is fabricated by facile one-step calcination, and the nickel foam acts as both the support and the nickel source. • The catalyst Ni 2 P/NF is bifunctional and can be applied in the cathode and anode simultaneously. • A series of electrochemical tests show that Ni 2 P has excellent benzyl alcohol (BA) electrooxidation and HER activity. • The theoretical calculation explains that the synergistic effect of Ni and P can reduce the energy barrier of the rate-determining process during BA oxidation. Considering the high costs of producing catalysts, designing a bifunctional catalyst is one of the favorable ways through which the best result can be achieved with less effort. Herein, we use a one-step calcination method to obtain a bifunctional catalyst Ni 2 P/NF for the simultaneous oxidation of benzyl alcohol (BA) and reduction of water. A series of electrochemical tests have shown that this catalyst has a low catalytic voltage, long-term stability and high conversion rates. The theoretical calculation unveils the essential reason for its excellent activity. The synergistic effect of Ni and P optimizes the adsorption and desorption energy of the intermediate species, thus reducing the energy barrier of the rate-determining step during BA electrooxidation. Thus, this work has laid the foundation for designing a highly efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for BA oxidation and the hydrogen revolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an earlier study (Chen et al., 2019, Science, 363 (6423), 166–167), we showed that budgerigar, Melopsittacus undulatus , females increase their preference for males that were observed solving two extractive foraging problems. Camacho-Alpízar et al. (2020, Animal Behaviour, 165, e1–e3) question whether this outcome shows that females evaluate the cognitive skills of males. Their main argument is that individual differences in problem solving are often due to differences in noncognitive abilities. Here we outline the differences between the use of problem-solving tasks as it is mostly done and how we used it in our study. We argue that our design maximizes the chance that observed differences in male problem solving indicate differences in learning abilities to an observing female. We agree with Camacho-Alpízar et al. that the topic of the evolution of cognitive abilities through sexual selection deserves further study and hope our study (Chen et al., 2019), Camacho-Alpízar et al.'s comment and this reply will stimulate further research. • Learning to solve complex foraging problems is a cognitive trait. • Females may assess male learning abilities from observing complex learned behaviour. • This may provide scope for evolution of cognitive abilities through sexual selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes, characterized by chronic hyperglycemia, is known to induce synaptic degeneration in the brain, thereby resulting in cognitive dysfunction. Thrombospondin-1(TSP-1), the secreted protein produced by astrocytes, plays a crucial role in promoting synapse formation. Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) has been widely known to initiate the innate immune response. We recently reported TLR9 activation in neurons results in tau hyperphosphorylation induced by HG in vitro. Its activation has been also considered to mediate oxidative stress and astrocytic dysfunction under pathological circumstance. However, whether astrocytic TSP-1 alteration plays a role in synaptic protein loss under high glucose condition and whether TLR9 activation is involved in this process have not been reported. In this study, we found that primary mouse astrocytes incubated in high glucose (30 mM) induced a significant decreased TSP-1 secretion and increased intracellular contents of TSP-1 without affecting transcription level. Addition of conditioned medium from high glucose (30 mM) treated astrocytes to the primary neurons exhibited reduced synaptic proteins expression, which was attenuated by treatment with exogenous rTSP-1. In addition, we demonstrated that TLR9 activation along with reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in astrocytes was induced by high glucose (30 mM). Furthermore, we explored the relationship between TLR9 activation and TSP-1 production. Both TLR9 deficiency and the antioxidant N-acetyl- L -cysteine treatment improved altered intra- and extracellular TSP-1 levels under high glucose condition. Together, our findings suggest that high glucose (30 mM) impairs TSP-1 secretion from astrocytes, which depends on astrocytic dysfunction associated with TLR9 activation mediated ROS signaling, ultimately contributing to the synaptic proteins loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent full species-level phylogeny of tits, titmice and chickadees (Paridae) has placed the Chinese endemic black-bibbed tit ( Poecile hypermelaenus ) as the sister to the Palearctic willow tit ( P. montanus ). Because this sister-group relationship is in striking disagreement with the traditional affiliation of P. hypermelaenus close to the marsh tit ( P. palustris ) we tested this phylogenetic hypothesis in a multi-locus analysis with an extended taxon sampling including sixteen subspecies of willow tits and marsh tits. As a taxonomic reference we included type specimens in our analysis. The molecular genetic study was complemented with an analysis of biometric data obtained from museum specimens. Our phylogenetic reconstructions, including a comparison of all GenBank data available for our target species, clearly show that the genetic lineage previously identified as P. hypermelaenus actually refers to P. weigoldicus because sequences were identical to that of a syntype of this taxon. The close relationship of P. weigoldicus and P. montanus – despite large genetic distances between the two taxa – is in accordance with current taxonomy and systematics. In disagreement with the previous phylogenetic hypothesis but in accordance with most taxonomic authorities, all our P. hypermelaenus specimens fell in the sister clade of all western and eastern Palearctic P. palustris . Though shared haplotypes among the Chinese populations of the two latter species might indicate mitochondrial introgression in this part of the breeding range, further research is needed here due to the limitations of our own sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a life-threatening condition characterized by rapid-onset alveolar-capillary damage mediated by pathogenic proinflammatory immune responses. Since exposure to airway particulate matter (PM) could significantly change the inflammatory status of the individual, we investigated whether PM instillation in the airway could alter the course of ALI, using a murine model with experimental lung injury induced by intratracheal LPS challenge. We found that PM-treated mice presented significantly aggravated lung injury, which was characterized by further reductions in body weight, increased protein concentration in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and higher mortality rate, compared to control saline-treated mice. The PM-treated mice also presented elevated lung and systemic type 1 T helper cell (Th1) frequency as well as reduced lung regulatory T cell (Treg) frequency, which was associated with severity of lung injury. Further examinations revealed that the Treg function was impaired in PM-treated mice, characterized by significantly repressed transforming growth factor beta production. Adoptive transfer of functional Tregs from control mice to PM-treated mice significantly improved their prognosis after intratracheal LPS challenge. Together, these results demonstrated that first, PM in the airway aggravated lung injury; second, severity of lung injury was associated with T cell subset imbalance in PM-treated mice; and third, PM treatment induced quantitative as well as qualitative changes in the Tregs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrafine grinding and cellulase hydrolysis separately combined with hydroxypropylation, carboxymethylation and phosphate-crosslinking were used to improve the in vitro hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic properties of millet bran dietary fibre (MBDF). Compared to ultrafine grinding and cellulase hydrolysis alone, the three mixed modifications more effectively improved the soluble dietary fibre content, surface area, water-swelling capacity and viscosity of MBDF (P < 0.05), but reduced the brightness of MBDF. Moreover, MBDF modified by ultrafine grinding, cellulase hydrolysis and carboxymethylation exhibited the highest adsorbing abilities of soybean oil (3.32 g/g), cholesterol (20.75 mg/g) and sodium cholate (72.04 mg/g). MBDF modified by ultrafine grinding, cellulase hydrolysis and phosphate crosslinking demonstrated excellent in vitro hypoglycaemic properties, including glucose-adsorbing ability (4.24 μmol/g) and inhibitory effects on glucose diffusion (74.26%) and α-amylase (62.16%). Additionally, MBDF modified by ultrafine grinding, cellulase hydrolysis and hydroxypropylation exhibited excellent glucose-adsorbing ability (4.90 μmol/g). Therefore, ultrafine grinding, cellulase hydrolysis combined with carboxymethylation and phosphate crosslinking is a good choice to improve the hypolipidaemic properties of MBDF, while ultrafine grinding, cellulase hydrolysis and phosphate crosslinking is a good option for improving the hypoglycaemic properties of MBDF. [Display omitted] • Ultrafine grind, cellulase and carboxymethyl improved hypolipidaemic effect of MBDF. • Grinding, cellulase and phosphate-crosslink enhanced hypoglycaemic property of MBDF. • Grinding, cellulase and hydroxypropylation enhanced glucose abiding ability of MBDF. • All mixed modifications improved water swelling capacity and viscosity of MBDF. • Cellulase with hydroxypropylation reduced cholesterol adsorption capacity of MBDF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By selecting the luminescent tricarboxylate ligand H 3 L, a novel 3D Co(II)-based coordination polymer (compound 1) with the formula [Co(HL) (bpe)] (H 3 L ​= ​5-(3,4-dicarboxylphenoxy) nicotic acid; bpe ​= ​1,2-bis(4-pyridyl) ethylene) has been solvothermally synthesized, which features a 2-nodal (3, 5)-connected net with the Schläfli sign of (63·69·8). Particularly, it is found that compound 1 possesses good chemical and thermal stability. Luminescence measurements indicate that this material shows rare ratiometric turn-on luminescence response toward ascorbic acid (AA). The relative luminescent intensity ratio (I 362 /I 410) increases linearly with increasing AA concentration in the 0–25 ​μM range with detection limit of 0.68 ​μM. Compound 1 could also respond to acetylacetone through luminescence turn-off mechanism. The limit of detection is estimated to be 1.35 ​μM. Both proposed sensing systems show good sensitivity, high selectivity and excellent anti-interference performance. In addition, the possible sensing mechanisms are also elaborately investigated. [Display omitted] • One new luminescent Co(II) CP was solvothermally prepared. • This material can be utilized as a dual-responsive chemosensor toward acac and AA. • Both systems show high sensitivity and selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Piezoelectric semiconductor zinc oxide (ZnO) shows promising applications in many fields, however, its excellent piezoelectric performance is limited by the intrinsic screening effect. Forming p-n junction through interface engineering is an effective strategy to enhance its piezoelectric output, but the unclear regulation mechanism is a bottleneck in developing high-performance devices. In this work, the enhancement mechanism of interface engineering on the piezoelectric performance of ZnO nanorods (NRs) based devices is revealed from the perspective of carrier concentration. Both the theoretical and experimental results show that the piezoelectric output is significantly correlated with the carrier concentration, which is mainly attributed to the suppression of screening effect and the modulation of the device capacitance. After a reasonable matching design of carrier concentration, the piezoelectric potential of the ZnO NRs-based device is greatly enhanced by about 12 times. Apparently, these findings provide a fresh insight to further understand the enhancement mechanism of interface engineering on the electrical output of piezoelectric semiconductor devices, and provide effective support for the design of p-n junction piezoelectric devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a long-term low protein diet on the microbial composition and metabolomic profile in the hindgut of the pig. Thirty-six Duroc × Landrace × Large White growing barrows (70 days of age, 23.57 ± 1.77 kg) were randomly allocated to normal protein diet (NP) and low protein diet (LP) groups using a randomized block design. At the age of 170 days, the digesta in the hindguts of the pigs were collected for microbial and metabolomic analysis. The results showed that there were no significant differences in the average daily gain, average daily feed intake, or feed:gain ratio between the NP and LP groups. The concentrations of isobutyrate, isovalerate, and branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs)/short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the cecum decreased with the reduction of dietary protein. Pyrosequencing of the V1–V3 region of the 16S rRNA genes showed that LP diet significantly decreased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus in the cecum, and Streptococcus in the colon; however, the relative abundance of Prevotella and Coprococcus in the LP group was significantly higher than in the NP group in the cecum, and Sarcina , Peptostreptococcaceae incertae sedis , Mogibacterium , Subdoligranulum , and Coprococcus was higher in the colon. The gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis showed that the dietary protein level mainly affected phenylalanine metabolism; glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism; the citrate cycle; pyruvate metabolism; and the alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism. Moreover, the correlation analysis of the combined datasets revealed some potential relationships between the colonic metabolites and certain microbial species. These results suggest that a low protein diet may modulate the microbial composition and metabolites of the hindgut, without affecting the growth performance of pigs; however, potential roles of this modulation to the health of pigs remains unknown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Populus pseudo-cathayana × Populus deltoides is a crucial artificial forest tree species in Northeast China. The presence of the fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea) poses a significant threat to these poplar trees, causing substantial economic and ecological damage. This study conducted an insect-feeding experiment with fall webworm on P. pseudo-cathayana × P. deltoides , examining poplar's physiological indicators, transcriptome, and metabolome under different lengths of feeding times. Results revealed significant differences in phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity, total phenolic content, and flavonoids at different feeding durations. Transcriptomic analysis identified numerous differentially expressed genes, including AP2/ERF, MYB, and WRKY transcription factor families exhibiting the highest expression variations. Differential metabolite analysis highlighted flavonoids and phenolic acid compounds of poplar's leaves as the most abundant in our insect-feeding experiment. Enrichment analysis revealed significant enrichment in the plant hormone signal transduction and flavonoid biosynthetic pathways. The contents of jasmonic acid and jasmonoyl-L-isoleucine increased with prolonged fall webworm feeding. Furthermore, the accumulation of dihydrokaempferol, catechin, kaempferol, and naringenin in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway varied significantly among different samples, suggesting their crucial role in response to pest infestation. These findings provide novel insights into how poplar responds to fall webworm infestation. [Display omitted] • Flavonoids and phenolic acids are the compounds increase the most after leaves bitten by pests. • JA and jasmonate-l-isoleucine contents increased with the gnawing time of pests. • The accumulation of dihydrokaempferol and naringenin increased after pest gnawing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Explored 13 potential ligands in C. longa against COX-2. • 5 potential ligands were isolated and characterized in detail. • In vitro and in vivo efficacy of the potential ligands were comprehensively validated. • The interaction mechanism of active ligands was explored by molecular docking. Turmeric (Curcuma longa), a typical source with recognized anti-inflammatory activity, is one such medicine-food homology source, yet its anti-inflammatory mechanisms and specific component combinations remain unclear. In this study, a net fishing method combining bio-affinity ultrafiltration and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (AUF-LC/MS) was employed and 13 potential COX-2 inhibitors were screened out from C. longa. 5 of them (C1, 17, 20, 22, 25) were accurately isolated and identified. Initially, their IC 50 values were measured (IC 50 of C1, 17, 20, 22 and 25 is 55.08, 48.26, 29.13, 111.28 and 150.48 μM, respectively), and their downregulation of COX-2 under safe concentrations (400, 40, 120, 50 and 400 μM for C1, 17, 20, 22 and 25, respectively) was confirmed on RAW 264.7 cells. Further, in transgenic zebrafish (Danio rerio), significant anti-inflammatory activity at safe concentrations (15, 3, 1.5, 1.5 and 3 μg/mL for C1, 17, 20, 22 and 25, respectively) were observed in a dose-dependent manner. More importantly, molecular docking analysis further revealed the mode of interaction between them and the key active site residues of COX-2. This study screened out and verified unreported COX-2 ligands, potentially accelerating the discovery of new bioactive compounds in other functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus disease (SRBSDVD) is the most destructive viral disease in rice. In order to breeding resistant cultivars, Insertion-Deletion (InDel) markers were developed linked to OsAP47 , the first isolated major resistance gene against SRBSDVD. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) was conducted to introduce this gene into the commercial variety. A rice line carrying homozygous resistance allele of OsAP47 was selected and named Kanghei No. 201 (KH201). Evaluated by artificial inoculation, KH201 showed significantly higher resistance than the recurrent parent Suxiu No.867 (SX867). And no significant differences were detected for KH201 in the yield-related components, including spikelets per panicle (SPP), ripened grains per panicle (RGPP), 1000-grain weight (TGW) and panicles per square meter (PPSM), leading to stable theoretical yield. The results indicated that introgression of OsAP47 improved rice resistance and can avoid yield losses produced by SRBSDVD. KH201 was demonstrated as a resistance material that could be used in rice breeding. • A rice line KH201 carrying OsAP47 showed significantly higher resistance to SRBSDVD and can be used in resistance breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-adaptation is an interesting and valuable physiological phenomenon that occurs under complex stressful conditions. Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus can cross-adapt to heat and oxidative stresses by decreasing transcription of nitrogen source transport and metabolism-related genes. In this study, the role of glnR , which is presumed to encode a global nitrogen regulator, was investigated using gene deletion. In the glnR mutant (glnRm), 305 genes were upregulated and 293 were downregulated under heat stress, whereas 156 genes were upregulated and 161 were upregulated under oxidative stress. Most of the nitrogen source metabolism-related genes downregulated by both heat and oxidative stresses in the wild-type strain were not responsive in the glnR mutant under the same conditions. After pretreatment with heat or oxidative stress, the heat and oxidative stress cross-adaptation of glnRm was weaker than that of the wild-type strain. Moreover, the glnR mutant showed poor survival during spray drying, and heat and oxidative pretreatments were no longer able to improve the survival rate. These findings indicated that L. rhamnosus glnR gene could respond to heat and oxidative stresses and connect tolerance to these two stresses, providing alternative research directions for improving the survival rate of L. rhamnosus during spray drying. • GlnR connects heat and oxidative tolerance of L. rhamnosus. • GlnR plays an important role in heat and oxidative stress cross-adaptation. • Heat and oxidative stresses were activation conditions of GlnR in L. rhamnosus. • The glnR gene helps to improve the survival rates during spray drying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of hot-air drying (HA) and microwave-hot-air drying (MHA) on aroma components and free amino acids (FAAs) in wheat germ (WG) were investigated. It was found that drying treatment improved the rancidity odor of WG, and MHA is better than HA. A total of 56 volatile compounds were identified in WG following different treatments, with 20 compounds identified as key differential compounds, and 13 key compounds were further screened based on the relative odor activity value (ROAV) > 1. Compared with HA, MHA accelerated the conversion of alcohols to aldehydes in WG, resulting in a more intense aroma and enhanced freshness and sweetness, but with an increase in bitter amino acids. Glutamic acid (Glu) exhibited a negative correlation with five aroma substances, while lysine (Lys) and arginine (Arg) were significantly negatively correlated with six and four aroma substances, respectively. The above results indicate that 2 types of drying have an impact on WG flavours, these findings offer valuable insights for the development and utilization of wheat germ, providing a reference for further exploration in this field. [Display omitted] • The aroma of wheat germ dried by microwave-hot-air drying was more acceptable through the electronic nose. • Aldehydes were the key to the aroma source of wheat germ after drying. • Arginine, alanine and glutamic acid contributed to the umami of wheat germ after drying. • Microwave-hot-air drying increased sweet amino acids and aldehydes compared with hot-air drying. • Lysine had a greater influence on key volatile components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]