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The resistive switching memories are in prosperity development on account of its simple structure and high performance. A primary problem of resistive switching memory reliability is discrete and random distribution of resistive switching parameters, which limits greatly the possible range of its digital memory application on account of uniformity of resistance parameters is poor and the distribution range is too large. But, from the other side, these random parameter distributions are eable be used to complete some computing tasks. Here, a random number generation is demonstrated with stochastic variation of V set in a flexible threshold switching device by using the carbon nanotube and polyvinyl alcohol composite materials. Two reading voltages was applied to the two threshold switching devices, the electric potential of V cin randomized either positive or negative in accordance with the cycle to cycle evolution of two threshold switching devices by the control of the voltage divider, which in return comes about a random bitstream after passing by the comparer. As well as, its transient characteristics have been illustrated for data security appilcation. Image 1 • For data safety, polyvinyl alcohol and Mg were used to fabricated transient device. • The volatile ovonic threshold switching behavior has been reported. • A random number generation is built with stochastic variation of V set in a threshold switching device. • The transient characteristics have been illustrated for data security appilcation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate a nonvolatile memristor based on Co–Al-layered double hydroxide (Co–Al LDH). We also introduce a memristor that has a hexazinone-adsorbing Co–Al LDH composite active layer. Memristor characteristics could be modulated by adsorbing hexazinone with Co–Al LDHs in the active layer. While different, Co–Al LDH-based memory devices show gradual current changes, and the memory device with small molecules of adsorbed hexazinone undergo abrupt changes. Both devices demonstrate programmable memory peculiarities. In particular, both memristors show rewritable resistive switching with electrical bistability (>105 s). This research manifests the promising potential of 2D nanocomposite materials for adsorbing electroactive small molecules and rectifying resistive switching properties for memristors, paving a way for design of promising 2D nanocomposite memristors for advanced device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. New Wenshen Shengjing Decoction (NWSSJD), a traditional Chinese compound medicine, has significant effect on spermatogenesis disorder and can significantly improve sperm quality. Many components in NWSSJD can induce epigenetic modifications of different types of cells. It is not yet known whether they can cause epigenetic modifications in sperm or early embryos. Objective. This study investigated the effect of NWSSJD on mouse early embryonic development and its regulation of H3K4me3 in mouse sperm and early embryos. Methods. Spermatogenesis disorder was induced in male mice with CPA (cyclophosphamide). NWSSJD was administrated for 30 days. Then, the male mice were mated with the female mice with superovulation, and the embryo degeneration rate of each stage was calculated. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the expression of H3K4me3 in sperm and embryos at various stages. Western blotting was performed to detect methyltransferase SETD1B expression. The expressions of development-related genes (OCT-4, NANOG, and CDX2) and apoptosis-related genes (BCL-2 and p53) were measured with qRT-PCR. Results. Compared with the CPA group, NWSSJD significantly reduced the H3K4me3 level in sperms, significantly increased the number of normal early embryos (2-cell embryos, 3-4-cell embryos, 8-16-cell embryos, and blastocysts) per mouse, and reduced the degeneration rate of the embryos. The expression levels of H3K4me3 and methyltransferase SETD1B in early embryos were significantly elevated by NWSSJD. Additionally, NWSSJD significantly promoted BCL-2 expression, while reducing p53 expression, thus inhibiting embryonic cell apoptosis. Moreover, the expressions of development-related genes OCT-4 and CDX2 were significantly increased by NWSSJD, but NANOG expression had no significant difference. Conclusion. NWSSJD may promote early embryonic development possibly by maintaining low H3K4me3 levels in sperms and normal H3K4me3 modification in early embryos and by inhibiting embryonic cell apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Al/PCBM + PVP/Al memory devices are prepared by spin-coating process. • The memory device exhibits a typical nonvolatile write-once-read-many-times storage effect. • The multistage resistive switching processes in memory device were reported. • The broken processes of carbon-rich conducting filament have been clarified. • The conductance quantization during resistive switching processes was analyzed. Memory devices were prepared by spin-coating process, and the multistage resistive switching behavior has been found in organic coating films-based of memory device. The composite of 6 , 6 -phenyl C 61 -butyric acid methyl ester and polyvinyl pyrrolidone were used as active layer materials. The as-prepared device exhibits a typical nonvolatile write-once-read-many- times storage effect, and shows multistate resistive switching behavior, and there are obvious distinctions between different resistance states. The resistance in low resistance state (LRS) and high resistance state (HRS) dependence on temperature is tested, and the resistance of LRS and HRS show metal and semiconductor characteristics, respectively. As well as, the resistance in HRS shows evident dependence on cell size. Hence, the resistive switching mechanism was attributed to the broken processes of carbon-rich conducting filament. Furthermore, conductance quantization during resistive switching processes was analyzed. This work might make it attractive for exploiting high density data storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantum anomalous Hall effect can be realized in the Weyl semimetal based on a simple cubic lattice. On the basis of the system with broken time-reversal symmetry, we find the energy spectrum is isotropic in k x and k y direction but anisotropic in k z direction. And the quantum confinement effect is strongly anisotropic in different direction, exhilaratingly, the periodic modulation of energy gap with the film thickness along z direction is found. We also find out that the topological phase transition is happened between a topological trivial insulator and a quantum anomalous Hall insulator due to confinement effect. These results can not only promote a better understanding of Weyl Semimetal, but also provide a good platform to design topological quantum devices based on the Weyl semimetal in the future. • The energy spectrum of Weyl semimetal not protected by time inversion symmetry is isotropic in k x and k y direction but anisotropic in k z direction. • The quantum confinement effect is strongly anisotropic, and the energy gap with film thickness along z direction is regularly periodic oscillation. • The topological phase transition is happened between a topological trivial insulator and a quantum anomalous Hall insulator due to confinement effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) plays an important role in physiological processes. In this work, a Cu-based metal-organic framework (Cu-MOF) was synthesized under ionothermal condition, further grafted with ammoniated Au nanoparticles (AuNPs-NH 2) to prepare AuNPs-NH 2 /Cu-MOF composite. Glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified with AuNPs-NH 2 /Cu-MOF to prepare AuNPs-NH 2 /Cu-MOF/GCE electrode, which was used in H 2 O 2 detection. AuNPs-NH 2 /Cu-MOF/GCE exhibits itself as a highly sensitive and selective electrochemical enzyme-free sensor for H 2 O 2 detection. A quantitative detection to H 2 O 2 can be found with a wide linear response toward H 2 O 2 concentrations ranging 5–850 μM, its limit of detection (LOD) is as low as 1.2 μM with a high sensitivity of 1.71 μA/cm2·μM. AuNPs-NH 2 /Cu-MOF/GCE sensor has been applied to determine H 2 O 2 effectively in human cervical cancer cells by adding the ascorbic acid as the stimulant. Our work presented a AuNPs-NH 2 /Cu-MOF/GCE composite electrode which is a promising enzyme-free electrochemical sensor for quantitive H 2 O 2 detection in human cervical cancer cells. Image 1 • This work presents a sensitive and selective enzyme-free AuNPs-NH 2 /Cu-MOF/GCE composite electrode for H 2 O 2 detection. • AuNPs-NH 2 /Cu-MOF/GCE exhibits a quantitative linear response toward H 2 O 2 concentrations ranging 5–850 μM. • AuNPs-NH 2 /Cu-MOF/GCE shows the limit of detection of 1.2 μM and a high sensitivity of 1.71 μA/cm2·μM. • AuNPs-NH 2 /Cu-MOF/GCE displays a high selectivity without interfered by six interferents. • AuNPs-NH 2 /Cu-MOF/GCE shows an obvious current signal to trace H 2 O 2 generated in human cervical cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been substantial. Emerging evidence underscores a strong clinical connection between COVID-19 and sepsis. Numerous studies have identified the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway as a crucial pathogenic pathway for both COVID-19 and sepsis, but it remains to be investigated whether this signaling pathway operates as a common pathogenic mechanism for both COVID-19 and sepsis. In this study, single-cell RNA-seq data and transcriptome data for COVID-19 and sepsis cases were downloaded from GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus). By analyzing the single-cell transcriptome data, we identified B cells as the critical cell subset and the UPR pathway as the critical signaling pathway. Based on the transcriptome data, a machine learning diagnostic model was then constructed using the interleaved genes of B-cell-related and UPR-pathway-related genes. We validated the diagnostic model using both internal and external datasets and found the accuracy and stability of this model to be extremely strong. Even after integrating our algorithmic model with the patient's clinical status, it continued to yield identical results, further emphasizing the reliability of this model. This study provides a novel molecular perspective on the pathogenesis of sepsis and COVID-19 at the single-cell level and suggests that these two diseases may share a common mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boar fertility is a key determinant of the production efficiency of the whole pig breeding industry and boar sperm motility is the seminal parameter with the greatest impact on the fecundity of a sow. Exosomes are small, extracellular vesicles found in many body fluids. Seminal plasma exosomes, which are secreted by the epididymis, prostate, seminal vesicles, and testes, contain a large number of miRNAs, the types and levels of which can reflect the physiological state of source cells. It has been shown that the expression profile of seminal plasma exosomal miRNA differs between low-motility semen and normal semen. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between semen motility and exosomal miRNA profiles to obtain information that would allow to predict boar fertility, as well as contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms by which exosomal miRNAs regulate semen motility. Three high-motility (semen motility >90 %) and three low-motility (semen motility <80 %) semen samples were collected from Landrace and Yorkshire boars, respectively, and seminal plasma exosomes were extracted by ultracentrifugation. Exosome characterization was performed using transmission electron microscopy, NTA, and Western blot. The expression profiles of exosomal miRNAs associated with semen motility in the two boar breeds were subsequently determined by small RNA sequencing. The results showed that 297 known miRNAs and 295 novel RNAs were co-expressed in the four groups. Notably, six miRNAs (ssc-miR-122–5p, ssc-miR-486, ssc-miR-451, ssc-miR-345–3p, ssc-miR-362, and ssc-miR-500–5p) were found to be differentially expressed in both boar breeds. Enrichment analysis of the target genes of the differentially expressed miRNAs showed that they were mainly involved in biological processes such as regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter, regulation of gene expression, and intracellular signal transduction and signaling pathways such as the PI3K-Akt, MAPK, and Ras signaling pathways. The six differentially expressed miRNAs identified in this study have significant potential as noninvasive markers of boar semen motility. Meanwhile, the results of the enrichment analysis provide novel insights into the mechanisms underlying the regulation of semen motility. • Exosomal miRNAs related to sperm motility identified in Landrace and Yorkshire. • miRNA profiles in exosomes from distinct semen motility levels differed. • Higher miRNA expression in low motility group compared to high motility group. • Common detection of 6 miRNAs in the differential analysis of Landrace and Yorkshire. • The targets of DE miRNAs are involved in RNA transcription, gene regulation, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of edible packaging films was motivated due to resource waste and environmental damage caused by chemically produced plastic packaging. The development of edible packaging film based on grapefruit peel pomace dietary fiber has significant technological and functional potential because grapefruit processing waste is a potential source of high-quality dietary fiber. In this study, the first successful development of an edible packaging film based on dietary fiber using grapefruit soluble dietary fiber (GSDF) from grapefruit peel pomace as a substrate and nanocellulose (GNCC) as a filler was developed. Principal component analysis, membership function synthesis, and response surface methods were used to determine the optimal process to prepare the edible packaging films, and the impact of GNCC on this material was analyzed. The results showed that the overall performance score of the edible packaging film with 1 wt% GNCC was 0.764. The maximum pyrolysis temperature increased from 226.36 °C to 227.10 °C, the melting temperature (Tm) increased by 5.54 °C, the crystallinity increased by 2.95 %. The film solution exhibited non-Newtonian characteristics and a solid-like property. Our results showed that the edible packaging film developed from grapefruit peel pomace and dietary fiber could have several potential applications in the food packaging field. • Grapefruit peel pomace dietary fibers were used together for the first time. • The dietary fiber-based edible packaging film was firstly developed. • Multiple methods were used to found the optimal formula for the films. • This study provides new perspectives on the topic of edible inner packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare the efficacy and safety of low-level red light (LRL) in controlling myopia progression at 3 different powers: 0.37 mW, 0.60 mW, and 1.20 mW. Single-center, single-masked, randomized controlled trial. Two hundred children aged 6-15 with myopia of –0.50 diopter (D) or more and astigmatism of –2.50 D or less were enrolled from April to May 2022. Follow-up ended in December 2022. Participants were assigned randomly to 3 intervention groups and 1 control group (1:1:1:1). All participants wore single-vision spectacles. Moreover, the intervention group randomly received LRL at 3 different powers twice daily for 3 minutes per session, with a minimum 4-hour interval. Changes in spherical equivalent (SE), axial length (AL), and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) were measured. After 6 months, SE progression was significantly lower in the 0.37-mW group (0.01 D; 95% confidence interval [CI], –0.12 to 0.15), 0.60-mW group (–0.05 D; 95% CI, –0.18 to 0.07), and 1.20-mW group (0.16 D; 95% CI, 0.03 to 0.30) compared to the control group (–0.22 D; 95% CI, –0.50 to 0.30; adjusted P < 0.001 for all). AL changes in the 0.37-mW group (0.04 mm; 95% CI, –0.01 to 0.08), 0.60-mW group (0.00 mm; 95% CI, –0.05 to 0.05), and 1.20-mW group (–0.04 mm; 95% CI, –0.08 to 0.01) were significantly smaller than the control group (0.27 mm; 95% CI, 0.22 to 0.33; adjusted P < 0.001 for all). Similarly, increases in SFCT were significantly greater in the 0.37-mW group (22.63 μm; 95% CI, 12.13 to 33.34 μm), 0.60-mW group (36.17 μm; 95% CI, 24.37 to 48.25 μm), and 1.20-mW group (42.59 μm; 95% CI, 23.43 to 66.24 μm) than the control group (–5.07 μm; 95% CI, –10.32 to –0.13 μm; adjusted P < 0.001 for all). No adverse events were observed. LRL effectively controlled myopia progression at 0.37 mW, 0.60 mW, and 1.20 mW. Further research is required. The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the potential bacteriophages (phage) candidate to treat bacterial infections plays an essential role in the research of human pathogens. Computational approaches are recognized as a valid way to predict bacteria and target phages. However, most of the current methods only utilize lower-order biological information without considering the higher-order connectivity patterns, which helps to improve the predictive accuracy. Therefore, we developed a novel microbial heterogeneous interaction network (MHIN)–based model called PTBGRP to predict new phages for bacterial hosts. Specifically, PTBGRP first constructs an MHIN by integrating phage–bacteria interaction (PBI) and six bacteria–bacteria interaction networks with their biological attributes. Then, different representation learning methods are deployed to extract higher-level biological features and lower-level topological features from MHIN. Finally, PTBGRP employs a deep neural network as the classifier to predict unknown PBI pairs based on the fused biological information. Experiment results demonstrated that PTBGRP achieves the best performance on the corresponding ESKAPE pathogens and PBI dataset when compared with state-of-art methods. In addition, case studies of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus further indicate that the consideration of rich heterogeneous information enables PTBGRP to accurately predict PBI from a more comprehensive perspective. The webserver of the PTBGRP predictor is freely available at http://120.77.11.78/PTBGRP/. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The different influence of intense pulsed ion beam (IPIB) irradiation on the phase structure of ZrO 2 ceramic in bulk and near-surface region was investigated by XRD and GIXRD analysis with Rietveld refinement. • The crack with zipper-like and higher edge caused by IPIB irradiation was confirmed by SEM and AFM analysis. • The maximum roughness of surface and mass loss per pulse occurred after 1 pulse irradiation of IPIB. The surface microstructure and phase structure of zirconia (ZrO 2) ceramics under intense pulsed ion beam (IPIB) irradiation were investigated in this work. Experiments were carried out on TEMP-4M accelerator with peak accelerating voltage, current density, and pulse duration of 220 kV, 150 A/cm2, and 80 ns. Micro-cracks with a height of up to 150 nm above the surface were observed and were deduced to be formed by the tensile stress during the shrinking process. The cross-sectional observation indicates that columnar structure thin layer with thickness about 1.23 μm was produced after IPIB irradiation. The GIXRD pattern indicates that obvious preferred orientation in (1 1 0) and (2 0 0) of t-ZrO 2 was occurred in near-surface region after IPIB irradiation. Opposite micro-stress in bulk and near-surface region was revealed by W-H plot after Rietveld refinement. The evolution of mass loss and surface roughness of samples with pulse number was also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citrus fruits were widely used in processing and production, generating a large amount of peel pomace and a low utilization rate, resulting in substantial economic losses and environmental risks. It was important to extract compounds from citrus peel pomaces and find suitable preparation methods to improve their yield and physicochemical properties. Grapefruit peel pomace (GP) and navel orange peel pomace (OP) were used as raw materials in this study to prepare green and edible soluble dietary fiber (SDF) and insoluble dietary fiber (IDF). Analysis was done on the effects of solid–liquid ratio, cellulase hydrolysis time, cellulase dosage, and ultrasonic time on dietary fiber (DF) yield. To obtain the best DF preparation conditions, we used range analysis, variance analysis, and orthogonal experimental design. We also analyzed the structural, physicochemical, and rheological characteristics of SDF and IDF. According to the study's findings, SDF and IDF showed a loose and expansive structure with reduced particle size, higher specific surface area, and noticeably better physical and chemical properties after treating GP and OP with ultrasound‐assisted composite enzyme method. Both SDF solution and IDF suspension were discovered through rheological analysis to be non‐Newtonian pseudoplastic fluids, which was advantageous for expanding their applications in the field of food packaging. In conclusion, DF prepared using the ultrasound‐assisted composite enzyme method was an excellent source of edible packaging materials, offering a benchmark for the recycling of other citrus peel wastes and ultimately paving the way for new methods of recycling citrus waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composting is considered to reduce the introduction of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) into the environment through land application of manure; however, the possible pollution of ARGs in the atmospheric environment of composting plants is unknown. In this study, 29 air samples including up- and downwind, composting, packaging, and office areas from 4 composting plants were collected. Dynamic concentrations of 22 subtypes of ARGs, class 1 integron ( intl1 ), and 2 potential human pathogenic bacteria (HPB), and bacterial communities were investigated using droplet digital PCR and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, respectively. In this study, intl1 and 22 subtypes of ARGs (except tetQ ) were detected in air of composting, packaging, office, and downwind areas. The highest concentration of 15 out of 22 subtypes of ARGs was detected in the packaging areas, and intl1 also had the maximum average concentration of 10 4  copies/m 3 , with up to (1.78 ± 0.49) × 10 −2 copies/16S rRNA copy. Non-metric multi-dimensional scaling of ARGs, potential HPBs, and bacterial components all indicated that the bioaerosol pollutant pattern in packaging areas was most similar to that in composting areas, followed by office, downwind, and upwind areas. The co-occurrence between ARGs and bacterial taxa assessed by Procrustes test, mantel test, and network analysis implied that aerosolized ARG fragments from composting and packaging areas contributed to the compositions of ARG aerosols in office and downwind areas. The results presented here show that atmoshperic environments of composting plants harbor abundant and diverse ARGs, which highlight the urgent need for comprehensive evaluation of potential human health and ecological risks of composts during both production as well as land application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical cancer (CC) is a complex disease. Numerous factors contribute to the tumourigenesis and progression of CC neoplasms. The present study analysed transcriptomic differences and simulated tumour progression to explore the pathogenesis of CC. RNA sequencing was performed to analyse the transcriptomic differences among normal tissue (NC), paracarcinoma tissue (TP), and primary tumour tissue (TT). Pseudo-time analysis was performed to simulate tumour progression. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to analyse the expression levels of ISG15 ubiquitin-like modifier (ISG15). Cell proliferation wound healing and Transwell assays were used to examine the effect of ISG15 inhibition and overexpression on HeLa cells. The RT-qPCR and IHC results indicated that ISG15 expression was significantly upregulated in TT. An increasing trend of ISG15 expression from NC to TP to TT was observed, which suggested that elevated ISG15 expression was closely associated with malignant evolution in CC tissues. HeLa cell experiments revealed that ISG15-small interfering RNA inhibited cell proliferation and invasion. The present study demonstrated that ISG15 was upregulated in CC and positively associated with the development of CC. ISG15 may act as an oncogene in the tumourigenesis of CC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Protein–protein interactions (PPIs) play a central role in the evolution and progression of various biological processes. In this article, we constructed a novel ensemble-learning-based model to predict potential PPIs, which only utilized the protein sequence information. The presented method used Discrete Hilbert transform to extract amino acid sequence information from position-specific scoring matrices. Then these extracted features were fed into rotation forest for training and predicting. When applying our method to the three datasets (Yeast, Human, and Oryza sativa) for detecting PPIs, we obtained excellent prediction performance. Furthermore, the comparison results indicated that our computational model is effective and robust in predicting potential PPI pairs. Protein–protein interactions (PPIs) are crucial for understanding the cellular processes, including signal cascade, DNA transcription, metabolic cycles, and repair. In the past decade, a multitude of high-throughput methods have been introduced to detect PPIs. However, these techniques are time-consuming, laborious, and always suffer from high false negative rates. Therefore, there is a great need of new computational methods as a supplemental tool for PPIs prediction. In this article, we present a novel sequence-based model to predict PPIs that combines Discrete Hilbert transform (DHT) and Rotation Forest (RoF). This method contains three stages: firstly, the Position-Specific Scoring Matrices (PSSM) was adopted to transform the amino acid sequence into a PSSM matrix, which can contain rich information about protein evolution. Then, the 400-dimensional DHT descriptor was constructed for each protein pair. Finally, these feature descriptors were fed to the RoF classifier for identifying the potential PPI class. When exploring the proposed model on the Yeast, Human, and Oryza sativa PPIs datasets, it yielded excellent prediction accuracies of 91.93, 96.35, and 94.24%, respectively. In addition, we also conducted numerous experiments on cross-species PPIs datasets, and the predictive capacity of our method is also very excellent. To further access the prediction ability of the proposed approach, we present the comparison of RoF with four powerful classifiers, including Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), K-nearest Neighbor (KNN), and AdaBoost. We also compared it with some existing superiority works. These comprehensive experimental results further confirm the excellent and feasibility of the proposed approach. In future work, we hope it can be a supplemental tool for the proteomics analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Periostin is a secreted extracellular matrix protein that is strongly associated with triglyceride metabolism, chronic inflammation, and insulin resistance. Growing evidence suggests that there is a link between periostin and ovarian function. Our aim was to ascertain whether circulating periostin levels are altered in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and to further explore the relationship between periostin and glucose metabolism disorder in PCOS patients. Methods In total, 50 women with PCOS and 30 age-matched controls without PCOS were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Periostin levels were measured using ELISA as well. Results Circulating periostin levels were significantly elevated in PCOS women compared with controls [4206.75(222.00, 4815.25) vs. 430.75(142. 13, 730.86) ng/ml, P=0. 005]. Spearman's correlation analysis showed that serum periostin levels had a positive correlation with body mass index (BMI), uric acid, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), high-sensitive C reactive protein (hs-CRP), and a negative correlation with insulin sensitivity index (ISI). Logistic regression models revealed that PCOS was correlated with waist to hip ratio (WHR), fasting blood glucose (FBG), and periostin levels. In addition, multivariate linear regression analyses showed that FBG, HOMA-IR, and the lipid accumulation index (LAP) were independent factors influencing serum periostin levels. Conclusion PCOS is associated with elevated levels of periostin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present 2 cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)–associated severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection during the third trimester of pregnancy. Both mothers and newborns had excellent outcomes. We failed to identify SARS-CoV-2 in all of the products of conception and the newborns. This report provided evidence of low risk of intrauterine infection by vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textile and dye effluents have strong color, unstable pH and COD, a lot of inorganic salt, and high biotoxicity. It is difficult and inefficient to remove dyes from high‐saline wastewater by traditional methods. In this study, a simple synthetic CuO/CeO2 photocatalyst is used to achieve high efficiency photodegradation of methylene blue in high salt wastewater. The p‐type CuO/n‐type CeO2 heterojunction photocatalyst is synthesized by a modified hydrothermal‐calcination method. The XRD and XPS reveal the successful synthesis of CuO/CeO2 composite. The SEM and TEM images show that the sample consists of large amounts of well‐dispersed CuO nanosphere loading on the CeO2 layers. DRS exhibits the absorption band (about 510 nm) and the band gap energy (2.43 eV) of the CuO/CeO2 composite. Compared with pure CuO, CeO2, and TiO2 (P25), the prepared CuO/CeO2 can increase the mineralization rate of MB by 18.19%~33.74%. More than 80% of MB can be effectively removed in the wastewater containing 5~80 g/L NaCl with a wide pH value range of 2.11~9.02, and the degradation processes follow the pseudofirst‐order reaction kinetics. Active species trapping experiments confirm that the degradation of methylene blue is mainly attributed to hydroxyl radical; besides, O2▪− and hole (h+) also play important roles. Chlorine ions have dual effects in photocatalytic reactions. This work could provide a new approach to construct new heterojunction photocatalysts and a deeper insight for the treatment of hypersaline dye wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Steamed bread is a popular staple food in China. Jiaozi shows many advantages as a starter for dough fermentation and is frequently used for steamed bread production. The knowledge about the dough fermentation process using Jiaozi is helpful for production management and quality improvement of the final product. In this study, the applicability of Jiaozi for steamed bread production was investigated. Some important factors involved in dough fermentation were carefully examined and analyzed, including the evolution and diversity of major bacteria and fungi, acidity change, reducing sugar utilization, CO2 production and retention, and different full dough fermentation periods. Combined with the quality evaluation of the final product, the results displayed that traditional Jiaozi was suitable as starter for steamed bread production using a two‐stage procedure with a wide range of full fermentation time and also provided more insights into steamed bread production by Jiaozi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A newly isolated and identified Diaphorobacter polyhydroxybutyrativorans strain (SL-205) was employed to enhance the denitrification performance of a laboratory-scale solid-phase denitrification (SPD) reactor using poly (3-hydroxybutyrate- co -3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) as a carbon source, and dynamic variations in microbial communities in the reactor were investigated. Results indicated that bioaugmentation with strain SL-205 enabled rapid reactor startup and improved denitrification performance relative to the reactor inoculated with activated sludge. Illumina sequencing revealed that bioaugmentation also significantly increased Proteobacteria abundance along with increased influent nitrate loading. Additionally, two genera of PHBV-degrading denitrifers, Diaphorobacter and Acidovorax , exhibited higher abundance, and elevated expression of denitrification-associated genes ( narG, nirK, and nirS ) was observed following bioaugmentation relative to the control at influent nitrate loading ranging from 1.28 g N/(L·d) to 1.6 g N/(L·d). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is an important factor affecting crop yield, and consequently, much research attention is being paid to enhancing the drought tolerance of plants for improving crop production. A new type of biological super-absorbent polymer, poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA), has important water-saving applications in agriculture. In this study, two Bacillus subtilis strains, P1 and Y2, were used to produce γ-PGA, and the effects of γ-PGA fermentation broth on maize seedling growth, soil physico-chemical properties, and microbial community structure were analyzed. The results showed that γ-PGA fermentation broth significantly increased maize seedling biomass, soil water content, and bacterial and fungal biomass. Bacteria such as Lysobacter , Spingomonas and Haliangium of Proteobacteria; Actinomadura and Lamia of Actinobacteria; and unidentified Acidobacteria of Acidobacteria as well as fungi such as Talaromyces and Fusarium of Ascomycota and Rhizopus of Zygomycota were dominant in the rhizosphere soil of maize. Compared to the watering treatment, the γ-PGA fermentation broth treatment remarkably increased the relative abundance of plant growth-promoting bacteria such as Bacillus , Pseudomonas , and Burkholderia . In summary, the γ-PGA fermentation broth produced by B. subtilis P1 and Y2 could improve the drought resistance of maize seedlings by adjusting the soil moisture and microbial community structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Fresh-cut potato of 'Minshu' cultivars is more resistant to browning than 'Huangjin'. • The anti-browning related enzyme activities of 'Huangjin' were higher than 'Minshu'. • The membrane lipid peroxidation of 'Huangjin' is higher than 'Minshu'. • The cells ultrastructure of 'Minshu' is more intact than 'Huangjin'. In this study, the browning degrees of fresh-cut potatoes of different cultivars were investigated. Fresh-cut potatoes of the 'Huangjin' cultivar exhibited a higher browning index and sensory quality deterioration over time compared with 'Minshu' potatoes. 'Huangjin' exhibited a higher activity of browning-related enzymes such as polyphenol oxidase, tyrosinase, peroxidase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, phospholipase D (PLD), and lipoxygenase (LOX) than 'Minshu'. Furthermore, 'Minshu' exhibited lower H 2 O 2 and malonaldehyde (MDA) contents, lower membrane lipid degradation and peroxidation, and delayed browning, attributable to its low PLD and LOX activities. The ultrastructure of 'Minshu' cells remained intact 7 h after cutting, while that of 'Huangjin' cells was severely damaged, and 'Minshu' cells exhibited more Golgi complexes and black particles than 'Huangjin' cells. Moreover, 'Huangjin' cells exhibited numerous multivesicular bodies, which were nonexistent in 'Minshu' cells. The results show that 'Minshu' potatoes feature a lower browning-related enzyme activity than 'Huangjin', and a tough cell structure to resist post-cut browning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A heterostructure consisting of two dimensional nanocomposite has been studied. • Transistor and memristor characteristics of heterostructure have been investigated. • By constructing schottky barrier, the current and threshold voltage were modulated. • Resistive switching behavior of heterostructure has gate control function. A novel heterostructure consisting of two dimensional nanocomposite Ni-Co layered double hydroxides (Ni-Co LDHs) and graphene with adjustable Fermi levels has been studied. Transistor characteristics and memristor properties of the Ni-Co LDHs/graphene oxide heterostructure have been investigated. In consideration of Fermi energy of graphene is modulated under external applied voltage, by constructing Schottky barrier, the current and threshold voltage of the device were effectively modulated by applied different gate voltage. The Ni-Co LDHs/graphene oxide heterostructure device exhibits a good endurance property, as well as data retention property is up to 104 s. The resistive switching characteristics are achieved via the conductive filament. The performance and scheme design of this device have a good prospect in memory applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oilfield produced water (OPW) with crude oil is a huge threat to the natural environment. For the treatment of OPW, degradation of crude oil in OPW by microorganisms and OPW activation by microbial metabolites for oil recovery improvement after reinjection may be an effective and sustainable approach. In this study, the degradation of crude oil in OPW by immobilized isolated bacteria was designed and the enhancement of oil recovery by reinjecting treated OPW was examined. Aldehyde fiber was found to show the optimum immobilization effect for three isolated oil-degrading-bacteria (Pseudomonas sp. ZJI-1, Acinetobacter sp. YMJ-1, and Gordonia sp. G1). The crude oil degradation rate of the immobilized bacteria reached 82.6% within 7 days. The contents of some bioactive molecules helpful for oil recovery, including rhamnolipid and acetic acid, increased continuously in the designed system. Core flooding tests demonstrated that oil recovery increased by 8.61% after the treated-OPW reinjection. In summary, the immobilized bacteria could effectively remove crude oil from OPW, increase the contents of rhamnolipid and acetic acid, and in particular, improve the oil production efficiency after reinjection. [Display omitted] • Aldehyde fiber was found to be the best immobilized carrier for three isolated bacteria. • A OPW treatment device was designed and the immobilized bacteria performed high removal efficiency of crude oil in it. • The contents of rhamnolipid and acetic acid in the system increased continuously. • Gordonia, Pseudomonas and Achromobacter became the predominant genera in the degrading system. • The core flooding test showed that the oil recovery rate increased significantly after OPW reinjection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mixed matrix of chitosan (CTS) and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) was used to fabricate a novel composite membrane (CTS(Cd 2+ )/PVDF) via a one-step film-forming process that employs Cd 2+ -imprinted technology. The membrane was then applied for the selective removal of Cd 2+ from aqueous solution. Surface functional groups and morphologies of prepared membranes were characterized. Cd 2+ adsorption properties and mechanical tensile strengths of the membranes were investigated. Results showed that the CTS(Cd 2+ )/PVDF membrane exhibited high Cd 2+ adsorption capacity, excellent mechanical tensile strength, and good adsorption selectivity toward Cd 2+ in the presence of Pb 2+ . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) belongs to the NAD(P)(H)-dependent oxidoreductase superfamily. Limited investigations reveal that SDRs participate in diverse metabolisms. A genome-wide identification of the SDR gene family in M. truncatula was conducted. A total of 213 MtSDR genes were identified, and they were distributed on all chromosomes unevenly. MtSDR proteins were categorized into seven subgroups based on phylogenetic analysis and three types including 'classic', 'extended', and 'atypical', depending on the cofactor-binding site and active site. Analysis of the data from M. truncatula Gene Expression Atlas (MtGEA) showed that above half of MtSDRs were expressed in at least one organ, and lots of MtSDRs had a preference in a tissue-specific expression. The cis-acting element responsive to plant hormones (salicylic acid, ABA, auxin, MeJA, and gibberellin) and stresses were found in the promoter of some MtSDRs. Many genes of MtSDR7C,MtSDR65C, MtSDR110C, MtSDR114C, and MtSDR108E families were responsive to drought, salt, and cold. The study provides useful information for further investigation on biological functions of MtSDRs, especially in abiotic stress adaptation, in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the endophytes of vegetables represent a potential route of human exposure to the soil resistome. However, the effect of vegetable species on the endophytic ARG profiles is unclear, hampering our understanding of how ARGs migrate into the soil-vegetable system and their potential health risks. Here, we planted four leafy vegetables (cilantro, endive, lettuce, and pak choi), which are commonly eaten raw, and analyzed the resistomes and microbiomes in three sample types (rhizosphere soil, root, and leaf endophytes). A total of 150 ARG subtypes were detected using high-throughput quantitative PCR. Vegetable species had a significant effect on ARG diversity and abundance, and pak choi accumulated more ARGs in its associated microbiome than the other three vegetables. The bacterial community was the primary factor shaping ARG profiles and was significantly correlated with ARG subtypes. We identified aadE , tet(34) , and vanSB as shared ARGs among leaves of the four vegetables; the bacterial families correlated with tet(34) and vanSB were also shared across the vegetables and belonged to Proteobacteria. This study deepens our understanding of how endophytic ARG profiles vary among different vegetables and highlights the potential health risk associated with consuming these vegetables raw. [Display omitted] • Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are examined in four vegetable microbiomes. • Vegetable species significantly affect ARG diversity and abundance. • Lettuce and pak choi leaves harbor more abundant ARGs than cilantro or endive. • The ARGs, aadE , tet(34) , and vanSB , are shared across all four vegetable leaves. • Burkholderiaceae is markedly correlated with ARGs, tet(34) and vanSB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hydrolysis acidification reactor exhibited high decolorization rate at high salinity. • High salinity significantly increased EPS, SMP and VFAs. • The biodegradability of the synthetic textile wastewater was increased. • The effect of salinity on the bacterial consortium during HA was analyzed. Hydrolysis acidification (HA) is a classical method for synthetic textile wastewater treatment. However, the salinity effect on the functional mechanism of the microorganisms carrying out HA has rarely been researched. In the present study, the salinity effect on the dye removal efficiency was investigated, and the soluble microbial products (SMP), extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), and microbial community were analyzed at different salinities. The dye and COD removal rates in the HA reactor decreased with increasing salinity. Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) accumulated. The remarkable increases in SMP and EPS were found at high salinity, mainly because more polysaccharides were synthesized than protein. In addition, sequencing analysis showed that high salinity altered the microbial community structure, and Lactococcus , Raoultella and Enterococcus were the decolorizing bacteria at high salinity. This work will improve the understanding of the influence of salinity on the removal efficiency and microbial community during HA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most prevalent food- and feed-associated mycotoxins. It frequently contaminates agricultural commodities and poses serious threats to human and animal health and leads to tremendous economic losses globally. Much attention has been paid to using microorganisms to detoxify DON. In this study, a Bacillus licheniformis strain named YB9 with a strong ability to detoxify DON was isolated and characterized from a moldy soil sample. YB9 could degrade more than 82.67% of 1 mg/L DON within 48 h at 37 °C and showed strong survival and DON degradation rate at simulated gastric fluid. The effects of YB9 on mice with DON intragastrical administration were further investigated by biochemical and histopathological examination and the gut microbiota was analyzed by 16S rRNA Illumina sequencing technology. The results showed that DON increased the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and creatinine (Cr), decreased those of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM in serum, and resulted in severe pathological damage of the liver, kidney, and spleen. By contrast, YB9 supplementation obviously inhibited or attenuated the damages caused by DON in mice. In addition, YB9 addition repaired the DON-induced dysbiosis of intestinal flora, characterized by recovering the balance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes to the normal level and decreasing the abundance of the potentially harmful bacterium Turicibacter and the excessive Lactobacillus caused by DON. Taken together, DON-degrading strain YB9 might be used as potential probiotic additive for improving food and feed safety and modulating the intestinal microbial flora of humans and animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Azo dyes are huge social and environmental hazards. Selective fungi are potential degraders for azo dyes and are of great significance to cleaning up and bioremediation. In this study, a salt-tolerant yeast strain GG with the ability to aerobically degrade and detoxify various azo dyes was isolated and identified as Galactomyces geotrichum. The optimal growth and decolorization parameters of strain GG were 0.1 g/L of yeast extract, 2.0 g/L of glucose, 0.4 g/L of ammonium sulfate, ≤ 40 g/L of NaCl, and pH values of 7.0–8.0. Under the optimal condition more than 92% of 100 mg/L of Acid Scarlet GR could be decolorized within 10 h by degradation, which was further confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. In addition, enzymatic analysis showed that the reductase NADH-DCIP and two oxidoreductases lignin peroxidase and laccase played the key roles in the degradation of Acid Scarlet GR, and the decolorization metabolites of Acid Scarlet GR exhibited much less toxicity than the parent dye by phytotoxicity assessment. The results improved the knowledge of azo-dye-decolorizing G. geotrichum species and provided efficient fungal resource for treatment of industrial wastewater containing azo dyes and salts. • A salt-tolerant yeast Galactomyces geotrichum GG decolorized various azo dyes. • Acid Scarlet GR was detoxified effectively by G. geotrichum GG. • The responsive enzymes of G. geotrichum GG for degradation were analyzed. • Phytotoxicity of decolorization metabolites was evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]