Search

Plant defense responses against microbial pathogens rely on the innate immune system. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important secondary messengers that mediate downstream immune responses. Therefore, modification of ROS signaling contributes to crop plant breeding for broad-spectrum disease resistance. In plant immunity, ROS signaling is mainly mediated by NADPH oxidases, which use NADPH as a substrate to catalyze the reduction of oxygen to produce superoxide. NADPH generation is an important rate-limiting step in the ROS production pathway. Manipulation of the NADPH generation pathway may provide a novel strategy for regulating ROS signaling to improve broad-spectrum disease resistance of crop species. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling has an important role in plant innate immune responses and is primarily mediated by NADPH oxidase, also known as respiratory burst oxidase homologs (RBOHs) in plants. NADPH serves as a fuel for RBOHs and limits the rate or amount of ROS production. Molecular regulation of RBOHs has been extensively studied; however, the source of NADPH for RBOHs has received little attention. Here, we review ROS signaling and the regulation of RBOHs in the plant immune system with a focus on NADPH regulation to achieve ROS homeostasis. We propose an idea to regulate the levels of NADPH as part of a new strategy to control ROS signaling and the corresponding downstream defense responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the effects of l -arginine (L-Arg) supplementation on steroid hormone receptors in non-pregnant ovine endometrium. All experimental ewes were randomly assigned to either a control group (n = 6), a nutrient-restricted group (n = 6), or an L-Arg supplemented nutrient-restricted group (n = 6). The effects of L-Arg on estrogen receptor α/β (ERα/β) and progesterone receptor (PGR) expression in the ovine endometrium were assessed. Our results showed that levels of ERβ and PGR expression were significantly increased by nutrient restriction, but L-Arg counteracted the effect of nutrient restriction on ERβ and PGR expression (p < 0.05). Also, expression of endometrial ERα was substantially increased (p < 0.05) by L-Arg supplementation. Furthermore, ERα/β and PGR were mainly detected in the endometrial luminal epithelium and glandular epithelium. Therefore, we isolated and identified endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) from sheep. Different concentrations of L-Arg were added to investigate the effects on ERα/β and PGR in EECs. The expression levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, ERβ, and PGR were significantly increased in response to low-concentration (200 μmol) L-Arg supplementation, which subsequently decreased with a high concentration (800 μmol) (p < 0.05). Otherwise, ERα expression was remarkably increased at both L-Arg concentrations in EECs (p < 0.05). Overall, the results indicated that L-Arg performed crucial roles in the regulation of ovine steroid hormone receptor expression in the endometrium. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis and technical means for the normal function of endometrium in response to low nutrient levels. • Nutrient restriction can increase ERβ and PGR expression in the ovine endometrium. • L-Arg supplementation counteracts the effect of nutrient restriction on endometrial steroid receptors in sheep. • L-Arg has important roles in steroid receptor expression in sheep EECs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A complete reconstruction scheme for synthetic aperture in-line digital holograms with seams is proposed. The width of seams and the stitching error are first estimated by an algorithm combined image matching with phase factor. Then a method based on the shift theorem of the Fourier transform is presented to correct the stitching error of the adjacent sub-holograms. After being correct synthesis, means prefilled synthetic aperture digital holograms are reconstructed by using improved phase retrieval algorithm. The particle detection experiment is conducted. The result shows lost particle in seams are recovered and the correlation coefficient between the reconstructed image and the particles target image tripled in contrast to the traditional method. The feasibility of the scheme is verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple contaminants can affect plant-microbial remediation processes because of their interactive effects on environmental behaviour, bioavailability and plant growth. Recent studies have suggested that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can facilitate the revegetation of soils co-contaminated with rare earth elements (REEs) and heavy metals. However, little is known regarding the role of AMF in the interaction of REEs and heavy metals. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of Claroideoglomus etunicatum on the biomass, nutrient uptake, metal uptake and translocation of maize grown in soils spiked with Lanthanum (La) and Cadmium (Cd). The results indicated that individual and combined applications of La (100 mg kg −1 ) and Cd (5 mg kg −1 ) significantly decreased root colonization rates by 22.0%–35.0%. With AMF inoculation, dual-metal treatment significantly increased maize biomass by 26.2% compared to single-metal treatment. Dual-metal treatment significantly increased N, P and K uptake by 20.1%–76.8% compared to single-metal treatment. Dual-metal treatment significantly decreased shoot La concentration by 52.9% compared to single La treatment, whereas AM symbiosis caused a greater decrease of 87.8%. Dual-metal treatment significantly increased shoot and root Cd concentrations by 65.5% and 58.7% compared to single Cd treatment and the La translocation rate by 142.0% compared to single La treatment, whereas no difference was observed between their corresponding treatments with AMF inoculation. Furthermore, AMF had differential effects on the interaction of La and Cd on metal uptake and translocation under the background concentrations of soil metals. Taken together, these results indicated that AMF significantly affected the interaction between La and Cd, depending on metal types and concentrations in soils. These findings promote a further understanding of the contributions of AMF to the phytoremediation of co-contaminated soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expression of insulin-like growth factor 2 ( IGF2 ), a classical imprinting gene, didn't completely correlate with its imprinting profiles in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The mechanistic importance of promoter activity in regulation of IGF2 has not been fully clarified. Here we show that histone 3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) modified by menin-MLL complex of IGF2 promoter contributes to promoter activity of IGF2 . The strong binding of menin and abundant H3K4me3 at the DNA demethylated P3/4 promoters were observed in Hep3B cells with the robust expression of IGF2 . In IGF2 -low-expressing HepG2 cells, menin didn't bind to DNA hypermethylated P3/4 regions; however, menin overexpression inhibited DNA methylation and promoted H3K4me3 at the P3/4 as well as IGF2 expression in HepG2. In addition, the H3K4me3 at P3/4 locus was activated in primary HCC specimens with high IGF2 expression. Furthermore, inhibition of the menin/MLL interaction via MI-2/3 reduced IGF2 expression, inhibited the IGF1R-AKT pathway, and significantly repressed HCC with robust expression of IGF2 . Taken together, we conclude that H3K4me3 of P3/4 locus mediated by the menin-MLL complex is a novel epigenetic mechanism for releasing IGF2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little is known about the relation between vitamin D status in early life and neurodevelopment outcomes. Objective: This study was designed to examine the association of cord blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] at birth with neurocognitive development in toddlers. Methods: As part of the China-Anhui Birth Cohort Study, 363 mother-infant pairs with complete data were selected. Concentrations of 25(OH)D in cord blood were measured by radioimmunoassay. Mental development index (MDI) and psychomotor development index (PDI) in toddlers were assessed at age 16-18 mo by using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. The data on maternal sociodemographic characteristics and other confounding factors were also prospectively collected. Results: Toddlers in the lowest quintile of cord blood 25(OH)D exhibited a deficit of 7.60 (95% CI: 212.4, 22.82; P = 0.002) and 8.04 (95% CI: 212.9, 23.11; P= 0.001) points in the MDI and PDI scores, respectively, compared with the reference category. Unexpectedly, toddlers in the highest quintile of cord blood 25(OH)D also had a significant deficit of 12.3 (95% CI: 217.9, 26.67; P < 0.001) points in PDI scores compared with the reference category. Conclusions: This prospective study suggested that there was an inverted-U-shaped relation between neonatal vitamin D status and neurocognitive development in toddlers. Additional studies on the optimal 25(OH)D concentrations in early life are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harvesting energy from ambient vibrations via piezoelectric effect has been considered as a promising solution for implementing self-sustained low-power electronic devices. Most of the proposed piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEHs) are focused on the energy harvesting from uni-directional vibration. This is a strong limitation because the vibration may come from various directions in practical applications. To address this issue, this paper presents a design and experimental verification of a compact bi-directional nonlinear PEH that is sensitive to two orthogonal directions. This nonlinear PEH is composed of two magnetically coupled piezoelectric cantilever beams with orthogonal directions of deflection. Theoretical analysis and experiments reveal that the proposed PEH can not only harvest vibration energy from various directions but also provide an enhanced output voltage as compared to its linear counterpart. The introduction of magnetic coupling also enables the energy transfer between the two beams, which helps to restrain the excessive deflection of the two beams. Moreover, the advantage of nonlinear PEH is found to be highlighted at low-level excitation, whereas the resonant frequency of the nonlinear PEH drops as the excitation level reduces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper investigates the online scheduling on three uniform machines problem. Denote by the speed of each machine, . Assume , and let and be two speed ratios. We show the greedy algorithm is an optimal online algorithm when the speed ratios , where and . The competitive ratio of is when and when . Moreover, for the general speed ratios, we show the competitive ratio of is no more than and its overall competitive ratio is which matches the overall lower bound of the problem. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background and Aims: We proved the feasibility of radical transurethral resection in selected patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer with a minimum follow-up of >5 years. A follow-up schedule was developed based on progression and recurrence during this period. Methods: The study included 93 patients with invasive bladder cancer treated by radical transurethral resection. Student t test was used for continuous variables to establish clinical progression predictive factors. VEGF-C protein expressions were tested by immunohistochemistry postsurgery. Results: The overall survival and disease-specific survival rates for all 93 patients were 59.1% and 65.2%, respectively. The clinical stage of the tumor influenced overall survival (p = 0.024) and disease-specific survival (p = 0.047). A significantly higher overall survival and disease-specific survival rate for patients with low levels of VEGF-C was 69.6% and 75.0%, respectively, than for those with high levels of VEGF-C (45.9 and 54.1%, respectively, p <0.05).The presence of bladder Tis reduced the survival rate (41.2 vs. 65.3%) and disease-specific survival (45.4 vs. 72.1%). Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of VEGF-C in the evaluation of disease progression were 76.7, 77.8, 77.4%, respectively. Conclusions: Patients with T2 stage, low level of VEGF-C and absence of bladder Tis were associated with high overall survival and disease-specific survival rate. VEGF-C level can evaluate disease progression and assist in choosing the appropriate treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background and Aims: Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) has been demonstrated to stimulate the growth of lymphatic vascular endothelium. The purpose of this study is to determine whether VEGF-C associated with computed tomography (CT) has a relationship with lymph node metastasis in bladder transitional cell carcinoma (BTCC). Methods: One hundred twenty seven cases of BTCC were studied: first, both plain and enhanced CT scans of abdomen and pelvis were performed preoperatively; second, VEGF-C protein expressions in tumor cells were tested by immunohistochemistry postoperatively; and finally, detailed pathological findings for lymph node metastasis were recorded. Results: VEGF-C expressions in tumor bladder cells were significantly higher than those in normal bladder epithelium. In the group of BTCC-positive, VEGF-C was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis (p <0.01). Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of VEGF-C in the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis of bladder carcinoma were 87.0, 67.9, and 74.8%, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of CT were 47.8, 80.2, and 68.5%, respectively. When VEGF-C visually correlated with CT scan in the detection of lymph node metastasis, sensitivity was 91.3%; specificity was 84.0% and accuracy was 86.6%. Conclusions: Positive VEGF-C was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis of bladder carcinoma. VEGF-C expression in biopsy specimens may be beneficial in predicting pelvic lymph nodes. It can improve accuracy when combined with CT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the effects of losartan, a specific angiotensin II receptor blocker, on slowing progression of renal insufficiency in patients with biopsy-proven chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN) and the molecular mechanism of the therapy. Methods Twenty-two renal transplant recipients with biopsy-proven CAN (group A) were treated with losartan within two months after renal dysfunction for at least one year. Losartan was administered at a dose of 50 mg/d. Twenty-four recipients in the same fashion (group B) who never received angiotensin II receptor antagonist were studied as control. The investigation time for each patient lasted one year. Renal functions and concentrations of plasma and urine transforming growth factor-betal (TGF-betal) were compared between the two groups at the initiation and end of the study. In group A, expressions of TGF-betal mRNA and immunofluorescence intensity of TGF-betal protein and pathological alterations in renal biopsy specimens were compared between before losartan therapy and after one year of the therapy. Results At the initiation of the investigation, no significant differences were found between group A and group B in clinical data such as donor age, cold-ischemia time, HLA mismatch, levels of creatinine clearance (Ccr), plasma and urine TGF-betal concentrations. One year later, 14 of 22 (63.6%) patients showed stable or improved graft functions in group A, and 4 of 24 (16.7%) in group B. The difference was significant (P < 0.05). At the end of the study, urine TGF-betal concentration was 273.8 ± 84.1 pg/mg·Cr in group A and 457.2 ± 78.9 pg/mg·Cr in group B. During one year study period, loss of Ccr was 6.6 ± 5.4 mL/min in group A and 16.2 ± 9.1 mL/min in group B. Both of the differences were significant between the two groups (P < 0.01). No significant differences were found in plasma TGF-betal concentrations between the four values determined at the initiation and end of the study in the two groups (F = 2.56, P > 0.05). After one year losartan therapy, group A showed a significant decrease in expressions of TGF-betal mRNA and TGF-betal protein in renal biopsy specimens [from 1.59 ± 0.35 to 0.96 ± 0.27 and from (10.83 ± 2.33)×106 to (6.41 ± 1.53)×106, respectively; both P < 0.01], but in light microscopy the histological changes were similar to the first renal biopsy. Losartan was excellently tolerated in all patients in group A. No cases with losartan therapy showed too low blood pressure and other side effects. Conclusion This study suggests that losartan have an effect on slowing progression of CAN. Reducing production of intrarenal TGF-betal may play a decisive role in the efficacy of losartan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partial substitution of certain cations for manganese is an attractive route to improve the electrochemical property of LiMn2O4. In this paper, we focus on the effect of chromium substitution. LiCryMn2−yO4 (y=0.00, 0.03, 0.05, 0.08, 0.12, 0.16, 0.20) has been prepared and their structure and electrochemical characteristics have been investigated. Rietveld refinements of the XRD patterns indicated that with increasing Cr content, the occupation of Mn3+ (or Cr3+) in octahedral 16d sites increased and the crystal structure improved. At the same time, in the 32e (z, z, z) sites, which are occupied by oxygen, the value of z also increases and result in decreasing the bond lengths of O–M (Mn, Cr) and Mn–Mn and increasing the bond length of O–Li. The optimal composition was LiCryMn2−yO4 (y=0.05), whose initial discharge capacity was 121.6 mAh g−1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Digital game-based language learning promotes motivation and enables learners to immerse themselves in learning. However, some gaming elements (e.g., competition and challenge) or learning content (e.g., difficulty levels) may have different influences on different learners, especially those with low self-efficacy or academic achievement, as competitive games may lead to frustration. It is therefore important to take students' cognitive capacities into consideration when designing a competitive learning environment, and to provide them with learning content of appropriate cognitive complexity. In the current study, a game-based situational vocabulary learning system that integrated a cognitive complexity-based competition strategy was developed to provide learners with appropriate tasks. A quasi-experiment was conducted in a high school English course to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. It was found that, compared to the conventional situational gaming approach, the situational game with the cognitive complexity-based competition strategy significantly improved the participants' learning performance (in particular, that of the low-achieving students), but it also increased their anxiety. Furthermore, the behavioral analysis showed that the students who learned with the proposed approach accomplished the tasks more smoothly, because the system could take into account players' learning performance and adjust the cognitive complexity of the following tasks through upgrading or downgrading the learners' gaming levels to ensure that individual students learned with tasks at appropriate levels for them. On the other hand, the participants who learned with the conventional game-based learning approach had a greater tendency to fail the game repeatedly. Based on the findings and relevant studies, we also discuss suggestions for future research. • A cognitive level-based situational English vocabulary gaming approach is proposed. • An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the new approach. • The approach has been applied to a high school English course. • The approach improved the students' learning achievement. • Behavioral patterns were analyzed to explain the students' outcomes and perceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reported a novel TiO 2-x /g-C 3 N 4 nanorod arrays photoelectrode by urea drop-calcined and NaBH 4 reduction. Due to synergistic effect of the oxygen vacancies and the g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets, the TiO 2-x /g-C 3 N 4 photoelectrode exhibited excellent photoelectrochemical property and photoelectrocatalytic activity. The photocurrent density of TiO 2-x /g-C 3 N 4 was 6-fold and 1.5-fold higher than TiO 2 and TiO 2 /g-C 3 N 4 , respectively. Meanwhile, the phenol degradation rate of TiO 2-x /g-C 3 N 4 photoelectrodes was as high as 83% under the stimulated solar light. Besides, the oxygen vacancies could promote the formation of the Z-scheme heterojunction between the TiO 2 nanorods and g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Instead of learning in a passive learning mode or aimlessly exploring VR scenarios, a collaborative design-based VR learning environment has great potential for developing classrooms. Through personal knowledge construction in a collaborative design-based learning (CDBL) environment, this study combines CDBL and VR technology to motivate students to build VR projects and practice speaking English in rich contexts through learning by design; students gradually generate knowledge from design experience and sufficient practice. Peer assessment was further introduced to enhance timely evaluation and reflection. Therefore, this study proposed a VR-supported collaborative design-assessing activity. 113 Chinese seventh-graders participated in a quasi-experiment to evaluate the effectiveness of this method. Compared to the collaborative design-assessing (CDA) activity, the results demonstrated that students in the VR-supported collaborative design-assessing (VR- CDA) activity greatly enhanced their English-speaking performance, collaboration tendency, and critical thinking awareness while lowering their English learning anxiety. In contrast to the VR-supported collaborative design (VR- CD) activity, however, the VR- CDA group activity did not significantly improve students' English-speaking performance. The interview results proved that the students in the VR-CDA group were highly motivated to learn English because of the innovative classroom instruction. They also enjoyed designing the projects collaboratively, posting assessments, and self-reflection. • A virtual reality-supported collaborative design-assessing activity was proposed. • A three-group experiment was conducted in Chinese middle school English courses. • The approach promoted English-speaking performance and reduced learning anxiety. • The approach boosted collaboration tendency, and critical thinking awareness. • Students who took the approach tended to be more motivated to learn English. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobility services including carsharing and transportation network company (TNC) services have been growing rapidly in North America and around the world. Measuring the effects of these services on traveler behavior is challenging because the results of any such analysis are sensitive to how (1) outcomes are measured and (2) counterfactuals are constructed. The lack of good control groups or randomization of assignment leaves lingering uncertainty over the contributions of selection bias and treatment effects to reported differences in travel behavior between users and non-users of these services. This paper reports on two approaches for measuring the effects of mobility service adoption on travel rate and car ownership. We first tried a pretest-posttest randomized encouragement experiment to deal with the shortcomings of poor control groups. Then, we turned to the approach of self-reported effects based on hypothetical controls to investigate whether variations in survey question presentation could influence respondents' answers and thus lead to changes in estimated effects. The data to conduct this study came from two sources: a panel survey administered by the authors at the University of Washington (UW), and a survey by Populus Technologies, Inc. (Populus). Various statistical tests were applied to analyze the data, and the results highlight the pivotal role that the research design plays in influencing the outcomes, and manifest the fundamental challenge of establishing credible estimates of the causal effects of adopting mobility services on travel behaviors. • Establishing valid estimates of causal effects of mobility services is challenging. • A randomized encouragement experiment in a pretest-posttest format offers promise. • Question framing is shown to influence self-reported effects of mobility services. • Research design plays a pivotal role in influencing estimated outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Proposed a knowledge transfer method to promote the utilization of emergency experience and get it reused. • Adaptively combined policy distillation with actor-critic structured multi-agent reinforcement learning algorithm. • Developed a fast emergency decision making method for freeway accident optimal onsite disposal. • Established an MDP model to simulate task-level accident disposal, modelled commonality among different freeway accidents. A large number of freeway accident disposals are well-recorded by accident reports and surveillance videos, but it is not easy to get the emergency experience reused from past recorded accidents. To reuse emergency experience for better emergency decision-making, this paper proposed a knowledge-based experience transfer method to transfer task-level freeway accident disposal experience via multi-agent reinforcement learning algorithm with policy distillation. First, the Markov decision process is used to simulate the emergency decision-making process of multi-type freeway accident scene at the task level. Then, an adaptive knowledge transfer method named policy distilled multi-agent deep deterministic policy gradient (PD-MADDPG) algorithm is proposed to reuse experience from past freeway accident records to current accidents for fast decision-making and optimal onsite disposal. The performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated on instantiated cases of freeway accidents that occurred on the freeway in Shaanxi Province, China. Aside from achieving better emergency decisions performance than various typical decision-making methods, the result shows decision maker with transferred knowledge owns 65.22%, 11.37%, 9.23%, 7.76% and 1.71% higher average reward than those without in the five studied cases, respectively. Indicating that the emergency experience transferred from past accidents contributes to fast emergency decision-making and optimal accident onsite disposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutrient deficiency in ruminants can lead to estrus cycle disorders, a decreased pregnancy rate, and reduce birth weight. l -arginine (L-Arg), an important amino acid, can improve uterine homeostasis in pregnant sheep and prevent intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). However, most studies of L-Arg have been conducted on pregnant sheep and few have reported the effects of L-Arg on microvessel density (MVD) in the non-pregnant ovine endometrium. The processes of normal uterine cyclical development and implantation are dependent on a balanced of endometrial MVD. In this study, female Hu sheep were randomly assigned to either a control group (n = 6), a nutrient-restricted group (n = 6), or an L-Arg supplemented nutrient-restricted group (n = 6). The effects of L-Arg on MVD in ovine endometrium were then studied. Our results showed that ovine endometrial MVD was significantly increased by nutrient restriction, but L-Arg counteracted the effect of nutrient restriction on MVD ( P  < 0.05). Levels of angiogenic growth factors (including VEGFA, VEGFR2, and FGF2) had significant increases ( P  < 0.05) in endometrium of nutrient restriction on sheep, but that L-Arg supplementation substantially decreased ( P  < 0.05) their expressions in nutrient restriction sheep. Furthermore, oxidative stress caused by nutrient restriction was also alleviated by L-Arg supplementation in the ovine endometrium. Overall, the results suggested that L-Arg has crucial roles in maintaining the balance of endometrial MVD and angiogenic growth factors, and increasing anti-oxidation capability in the endometrium of nutrient-restricted sheep. This study will provide a theoretical basis and technical means for the normal development of endometrial microvessels in low nutrition level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are currently under both of intense academic and industrial investigations. Here, two dimethoxyphenylamine-substituted carbazole derivatives (SYN1 and PARA1), as hole-transporting materials (HTMs) for PSCs, have been synthesized via two-step synthesis with low cost and simple operation. PSCs devices based on SYN1 and PARA1 showed power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of 11.4% and 13.1%, respectively, outperforming that of Spiro-OMeTAD (12.0%), demonstrating the dimethoxyphenylamine-substituted carbazole derivatives are good candidates as HTMs for perovskite solar cells. Time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) and J-V test under dark indicate that the hole injecting efficiency and dark current affect the cell performance seriously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • This study used sesquiterpenoids with 97 carbon skeletons for model construction. • The scheme based on the DFT method combined with triple correction can accurately calculate Δ c H of sesquiterpenoid HEDFs. • We developed the MLR equation with only 4 features for predicting Δ c H for sesquiterpenoid HEDFs. • The proposed DFT-QSPR scheme can effectively guide the design of novel sesquiterpenoid HDEFs. Sesquiterpenoids that are renewable and have high energy density and low freezing point are promising biomass high-energy–density fuels (HEDFs). The enthalpy of combustion (Δ c H) is the key characteristic to measure the heat energy content of HEDFs. Its accurate theoretical prediction and evaluation is essential for designing novel sesquiterpenoid HEDFs. Combining the screened and optimized density functional theory (DFT) method with triple computational correction, we presented a standardized calculation scheme for Δ c H with an average absolute error of only 2.6 % by 295 structurally diverse sesquiterpenoid HEDFs. Then, the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) algorithm was used to determine the correlation between the calculated Δ c H and 54 quantum chemical (QC) descriptors and the shapley additive explanation (SHAP) method to elucidate the key factors affecting Δ c H. Lastly, a quantitative structure–property relationship (QSPR) prediction model with only four QC features was constructed by using the SHAP results via the multiple linear regression (MLR) algorithms. Notably, the model has excellent prediction performance, decreased complexity, and improved applicability. The coefficient of determination (R 2) of the internal training set and external test set of the model are 0.957 and 0.956, while the root mean square error (RMSE) are 8.626 kcal/mol and 9.012 kcal/mol, respectively. The proposed DFT-QSPR (the ingenious combination of DFT and QSPR) scheme can effectively guide the design of Δ c H of novel sesquiterpenoid HDEFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel D-A compound, [Cu(L)2Cl2]·2CH2Cl2 ML, has been synthesized based on 4′,5′-diaza-9′-(4,5-bis(benzylthio)-1,3-dithiole-2-ylidene)-fluorene ((C11N2H6)(C3S2)(SCH2C6H5)2, L). Both ML and L are further characterized by elemental analysis, IR, 1H and 13C NMR. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction shows ML displays a 3-D supramolecular network built by the neutral mononuclear unit [Cu(L)2Cl2] via hydrogen bonds, π–π stacking and S⋯S interactions. The UV–Vis spectra show the lowest-energy absorption band (431nm) of ML is red-shifted compared to that of L (415nm). The electrochemistry behavior shows that while the HOMO level of the ML is lowered by L coordinating with the Cu2+ ion, the oxidative potentials are increased (1.19 to 1.37V). Photocurrent measurements show the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) of L should be easier than that of ML. The results of the reorganization energy obtained from DFT calculations (λ i: 0.25eV for L, 0.82eV for ML) reveal the lower reorganization energy is of great benefit to carrier transport within L. These results are in good agreement with those experimentally obtained by CV, UV–Vis, fluorescence and photocurrent measurements. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Natural nano-structural attapulgite clay was purified by mechanical stirring with the aid of ultrasonic wave and its structure and morphology was investigated by XRD and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Cytochrome c was immobilized on attapulgite modified glassy carbon electrode. The interaction between Cytochrome c and attapulgite clay was examined by using UV–vis spectroscopy and electrochemical methods. The direct electron transfer of the immobilized Cytochrome c exhibited a pair of redox peaks with formal potential of about 17mV (versus SCE) in 0.1mol/L, pH 7.0, PBS. The electrode reaction showed a surface-controlled process with the apparent heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (k s) of 7.05s−1 and charge-transfer coefficient (α) of 0.49. Cytochrome c immobilized on the attapulgite modified electrode exhibits a remarkable electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The calculated apparent Michaelis–Menten constant was 470μmol/L, indicating a high catalytic activity of Cytochrome c immobilized on attapulgite modified electrode to the reduction of H2O2. Based on these, a third generation of reagentless biosensor can be constructed for the determination of H2O2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Y3+- and Co2+-substituted Sr 1- x Y x Fe 12- x Co x O 19 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.50) M-type hexaferrites were synthesized using a traditional oxide ceramic process to study their structural and static magnetic properties. The well-defined M-type phase structures of the pure and Y–Co co-substituted strontium ferrites were verified via XRD analysis. When the Y–Co substitution amount (x) exceeded 0.20, the Fe 2 O 3 , Y 3 Fe 5 O 12 , SrFe 2 O 4 , and CoFe 2 O 4 impurity phases coexisted in the M-type strontium hexaferrite structure. The lattice parameters a and c increased when x ≤ 0.20; however, a further increase in the Y–Co substitution caused them to decrease. The X-ray density d x initially decreased when x ≤ 0.20, and subsequently increased with a further increase in Y–Co substitution. The density of the sintered samples d s exhibited a decreasing trend with the increasing Y–Co substitution, inducing the porosity to increase. The saturation magnetization M s monotonously decreased with the increasing Y–Co substitution amount. The in-plane and out-of-plane coercivities, H c (ip) and H c (op), initially increased as x increased from 0 to 0.20. When x > 0.20, however, H c (ip) exhibited a decreasing trend; particularly, a linear decrease was observed as x increased from 0.30 to 0.50. The squareness ratio S reached its maximum (79.6%) at x = 0.20. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The meat production of broilers is crucial to economic benefits of broiler industries, while the slaughter performance of broilers is directly determined by skeletal muscle development. Hence, the broiler breeding for growth traits shows a great importance. As a kind of small noncoding RNA, microRNA (miRNA) can regulate the expression of multiple genes and perform a wide range of regulation in organisms. Currently, more and more studies have confirmed that miRNAs are closely associated with skeletal muscle development of chickens. Based on our previous miR-seq analysis (accession number: PRJNA668199), miR-460b-5p was screened as one of the key miRNAs probably involved in the growth regulation of chickens. However, the regulatory effect of miR-460b-5p on the development of chicken skeletal muscles is still unclear. Therefore, miR-460b-5p was further used for functional validation at the cellular level in this study. The expression pattern of miR-460b-5p was investigated in proliferation and differentiation stages of chicken primary myoblasts. It was showed that the expression level of miR-460b-5p gradually decreased from the proliferation stage (GM 50%) to the lowest at 24 h of differentiation. As differentiation proceeded, miR-460b-5p expression increased significantly, reaching the highest and stabilizing at 72 h and 96 h of differentiation. Through mRNA quantitative analysis of proliferation marker genes, CCK-8 and Edu assays, miR-460b-5p was found to significantly facilitate the transition of myoblasts from G1 to S phase and promote chicken myoblast proliferation. mRNA and protein quantitative analysis of differentiation marker genes, as well as the indirect immunofluorescence results of myotubes, revealed that miR-460b-5p significantly stimulated myotube development and promote chicken myoblast differentiation. In addition, the target relationship was validated for miR-460b-5p according to the dual-luciferase reporter assay and mRNA quantitative analysis, which indicates that miR-460b-5p was able to regulate RBM19 expression by specifically binding to the 3′ UTR of RBM19. In summary, miR-460b-5p has positive regulatory effects on the proliferation and differentiation of chicken myoblasts, and RBM19 is a target gene of miR-460b-5p. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To describe a novel technique of double-J stenting in laparoscopic pyeloplasty. Methods: Between January 2008 and July 2009, 22 patients with ureteropelvic junction obstruction underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopic dismembered pyeloplasty. A ureteral catheter was inserted into the midureter cystoscopically. During pyeloplasty, the ureteral catheter was pushed up and grasped outside the body through the laparoscopic port. Its proximal end was extracorporeally sutured to the distal end of the double-J stent with a silk. The length of the silk was about that of the urethra. The ureteral catheter was then pulled down until its proximal end exited the external orifice of the urethra, while the stent was pulled smoothly and antegrade into the ureter and bladder. After the proximal end of the stent was positioned in the renal pelvis, the silk was cut and the ureteral catheter was removed. Results: The stent was correctly placed in all these patients without any stent-related complications. The mean time for cystoscopy to place the ureteral catheter was 5 minutes, 10 seconds, and the mean time for the stent placement was 2 minutes, 45 seconds. The mean time for a total of 2 parts was 9 minutes, 15 seconds. Conclusions: Our new method of laparoscopic double-J stenting is reliable and easily reproducible with the combined advantages of the antegrade and retrograde approaches to eliminate the risk of the stenting failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background To probe the differences of gut microbiota among major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder with current major depressive episode (BPD) and health participants. Methods Thirty one MDD patients, thirty BPD patients, and thirty healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. All the faecal samples were analyzed by shotgun metagenomics sequencing. Except for routine analyses of alpha diversity, we specially designed a new indicator, the G m coefficient, to evaluate the inequality of relative abundances of microbiota for each participant. Results The G m coefficients are significant decreased in both MDD and BPD groups. The relative abundances of increased phyla Firmicutes and Actinobacteria and decreased Bacteroidetes were significantly in the MDD and BPD groups. At genus level, four of top five enriched genera (Bacteroides, Clostridium, Bifidobacterium, Oscillibacter and Streptococcus) were found increased significantly in the MDD and BPD groups compared with HCs. The genera Escherichia and Klebsiella showed significant changes in abundances only between the BPD and HC groups. At the species level, compared with BPD patients, MDD patients had a higher abundance of Prevotellaceae including Prevotella denticola F0289 , Prevotella intermedia 17 , Prevotella ruminicola , and Prevotella intermedia. Furthermore, the abundance of Fusobacteriaceae, Escherichia blattae DSM 4481 and Klebsiella oxytoca were significantly increased, whereas the Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis ATCC 15697 = JCM 1222 was significantly reduced in BPD group compared with MDD group. Conclusions Our study suggested that gut microbiota may be involved in the pathogenesis of both MDD and BPD patients, and the nuances of bacteria may have the potentiality of being the biomarkers of MDD and BPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]