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In human cooperation, people prefer to choose partners with high willingness and ability—while both are valued by partners, individuals often prioritize willingness. Two event‐related potential (ERP) experiments were conducted to discern the neural processes underpinning this preference. In the first experiment, participants made a choice between two potential partners and received feedback on the selected partner's willingness to cooperate. This was followed by feedback on the partner's task performance (ability) or a gambling outcome. In contrast, the second experiment first provided feedback on ability, then presented feedback on willingness or a gambling outcome. This study revealed that a potential partner's willingness trait significantly influences individuals' emotional evaluations and monetary allocations than the ability trait. Electrophysiological data indicated that low‐willingness feedback elicited a diminished feedback‐related negative (FRN) and an amplified P3 compared to high‐willingness feedback. In contrast, no such difference was discernible between high‐ and low‐ability feedback. Moreover, the P3 difference from high versus low willingness was considerably more pronounced than that from gambling outcomes, whereas the difference wave between high and low ability paralleled gambling outcomes. These findings bolster the novel finding that partner willingness may provide more substantial social rewards than ability. Furthermore, this study provides the first ERP evidence of willingness and ability trait perceptions in partner choice decisions. This study firstly combines behavioral analysis with event‐related potential (ERP) data to explore the psychological mechanisms underlying the preference for willingness over ability in partner choice. Our findings indicate that willingness feedback more significantly influences emotions, allocation behaviors, and feedback‐related brain electrophysiological components compared to ability feedback, suggesting that willingness may offer more substantial social rewards. The study offers a novel theoretical perspective in understanding the preference for willingness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is widely applied to characterize the microscopic properties of hydrogen‐containing porous media. The transverse relaxation time cutoff (T2c) value is the crucial parameter for the quantitative analysis of NMR data. Currently, there is no universal method for the determination of the T2c in clayey soils. This study aimed to develop a laboratory method for determining the T2c of remoulded loess by the freezing point of loosely bound water. Malan loess, a kind of typical clayey silt, was used as test material. Based on the soil freezing characteristic, NMR measurements were performed on remoulded loess with different macro‐parameter controls during the cooling process to obtain the T2 spectrum at each target temperature. By analysing the variation of unfrozen water content with temperature reduction, the freezing point of loosely bound water and the T2c value within the freezing‐point range was determined. The freezing point of loosely bound water in remoulded loess is about −3 to −5°C and that of firmly bound water is less than −5°C. Accordingly, the T2c value of remoulded loess is determined to be 1.5–1.8 ms. The assessment of heating and cooling process and different methods for determining the T2c shows that the laboratory method by the freezing point is effective and reliable, and the T2c determined by statistical methods is worthy of further study and improvement. The saturated permeability of remoulded loess is evaluated according to the determined T2c, and two NMR‐based permeability equations can well reflect pore water distribution in remoulded loess, but to a certain extent, both equations ignore soil microstructure, pore connectivity and chemical effects of pore solution. The laboratory method by the freezing point and the determined T2c value of remoulded loess fill the gap of NMR measurement in loess analysis and are of great significance for low‐plastic clays and clay types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive and life‐threatening disease characterized by pulmonary vascular remodeling, which may cause right heart failure and even death. Accumulated evidence confirmed that microRNA‐26 family play critical roles in cardiovascular disease; however, their function in PAH remains largely unknown. Here, we investigated the expression of miR‐26 family in plasma from PAH patients using quantitative RT‐PCR, and identified miR‐26a‐5p as the most downregulated member, which was also decreased in hypoxia‐induced pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell (PASMC) autophagy models and lung tissues of PAH patients. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis and luciferase reporter assays revealed that hypoxia‐inducible factor 1α (HIF‐1α) specifically interacted with the promoter of miR‐26a‐5p and inhibited its expression in PASMCs. Tandem mRFP‐GFP‐LC3B fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that miR‐26a‐5p inhibited hypoxia‐induced PAMSC autophagy, characterized by reduced formation of autophagosomes and autolysosomes. In addition, results showed that miR‐26a‐5p overexpression potently inhibited PASMC proliferation and migration, as determined by cell counting kit‐8, EdU staining, wound‐healing, and transwell assays. Mechanistically, PFKFB3, ULK1, and ULK2 were direct targets of miR‐26a‐5p, as determined by dual‐luciferase reporter gene assays and western blots. Meanwhile, PFKFB3 could further enhance the phosphorylation level of ULK1 and promote autophagy in PASMCs. Moreover, intratracheal administration of adeno‐miR‐26a‐5p markedly alleviated right ventricular hypertrophy and pulmonary vascular remodeling in hypoxia‐induced PAH rat models in vivo. Taken together, the HIF‐1α/miR‐26a‐5p/PFKFB3/ULK1/2 axis plays critical roles in the regulation of hypoxia‐induced PASMC autophagy and proliferation. MiR‐26a‐5p may represent as an attractive biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of PAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes a comprehensive test to evaluate the performance of current colour‐difference models using available experimental datasets. In total, 28 individual datasets were accumulated to test 17 colour‐difference formulae, 13 of them based on Uniform Colour Spaces (UCSs) in terms of the Standardized Residual Sum of Squares (STRESS) measure. The 28 datasets were divided into three groups: Large Colour‐Difference data (LCD), Small Colour‐Difference data for surface colours (SCDs), and Small Colour Difference data for display colours (SCDd). For each colour model, four versions were tested: the original model, and that including kL‐, Gamma‐ and kL/Gamma, which are the lightness parametric factor, the colour‐difference exponent factor, and the combination of both, respectively, optimized to fit particular dataset(s). The statistical F‐test was applied to test the difference between each pair of models. Furthermore, parametric effects between the large/small colour‐difference magnitudes, and between surface/display colours were investigated. The results showed that CAM16‐UCS significantly outperformed the other models for all groups. It accurately predicted all types of data and should be proposed for colour‐difference evaluation across all industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an ultimatum game, the responder must decide between pursuing self‐interest and insisting on fairness, and these choices are affected by the intentions of the proposer. However, the time course of this social decision‐making process is unclear. Representational similarity analysis (RSA) is a useful technique for linking brain activity with rich behavioral data sets. In this study, electroencephalography (EEG) was used to measure the time course of neural responses to proposed allocation schemes with different intentions. Twenty‐eight participants played an ultimatum game as responders. They had to choose between accepting and rejecting the fair or unfair money allocation schemes of proposers. The schemes were offered based on the proposer's selfish intention (monetary gain), altruistic intention (donation to charity), or ambiguous intention (unknown to the responder). We used a spatiotemporal RSA and inter‐subject RSA (IS‐RSA) to explore the connections between event‐related potentials (ERPs) after offer presentation and intention presentation with four types of behavioral data (acceptance, response time, fairness ratings, and pleasantness ratings). The spatiotemporal RSA results revealed that only response time variation was linked with the difference in ERPs at 432–592 ms after offer presentation on the posterior parietal and prefrontal regions. Meanwhile, the IS‐RSA results found a significant association between inter‐individual differences in response time and differences in ERP activity at 596–812 ms after the presentation of ambiguous intention, particularly in the prefrontal region. This study expands the intention‐based reciprocal model to the third‐party context and demonstrates that brain activity can represent response time differences in social decision‐making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the combined effect of load and steel corrosion on the flexural performance of recycled aggregate concrete beams, considering three types of aggregate replacement ratios (i.e., 0%, 50%, and 100%) and four levels of load (i.e., 0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6), 12 beams were designed for accelerated corrosion test and four‐points bending test. The load was applied to beams by using a designed loading device before the accelerated corrosion test. After the accelerated corrosion test, four‐point bending test was conducted to measure the flexural performance of beams. The results showed that, with the increase of load level applied to beams before accelerated corrosion test, the number of bending cracks on the bottom of corroded beams after four‐points bending test decreased, while the average spacing of bending cracks increased. The effect of aggregate replacement ratio on the average spacing of bending cracks was more significant than that of steel corrosion. Yield moment capacity and ultimate moment capacity of corroded beams had a strong linear relationship with the maximum mass loss of tensile reinforcement, and both of which decreased with the increase of load level and aggregate replacement ratio. For every 1% maximum mass loss of the tensile reinforcement, the reduction of ultimate moment capacity of beams was approximately 4–6 times larger than that of ordinary concrete beams. The degradation model for ultimate moment capacity of corroded beams proposed in this paper had satisfactory prediction accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How the crust in the core of the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis (EHS) deforms responding to the India‐Asia collision remains ambiguous. Here we present the first high‐resolution receiver functions image of crustal structure along a new NW‐SE trending dense nodal array crossing the core of the EHS. Two sets of low velocity zones (LVZs) are clearly observed: one with a flat style beneath the western Lhasa terrane and Higher Himalaya at 18–20 km depth and the other with two west‐dipping shapes below the western Yarlung‐Zangbo suture within 10–30 km depth. These LVZs caused by partial melting and aqueous fluids are disconnected, impeding the formation of crustal flow. A discontinuous east‐dipping intra‐crustal discontinuity and a sharp Moho offset of 7 km under the Aniqiao‐Motuo shear zone are identified, suggesting that the underthrusting of the Indian lower crust and pure shear mechanisms jointly dominate crustal deformation in the core of the EHS. Plain Language Summary: The tectonic evolution of the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis (EHS) involves complex tectonic activities such as collision, subduction, and rapid exhumation, making the EHS an ideal site for studying the dynamics of continental collision processes. Strong crustal shortening occurs during the formation of the EHS, but the specific mechanism that accommodates this crustal deformation remains unclear. In this study, we construct a novel seismic image of crustal structure with unprecedented details along a recently deployed dense nodal array that traverses the core of the EHS. We observe two unconnected groups of low velocity zones, which call into question the validity of the crustal flow model in the core of the EHS. Our observations indicate that the underthrusting of the Indian lower crust and pure shear mechanisms, rather than a model of vertically coherent deformation, account for the present crustal deformation in the core of the EHS. Key Points: First high‐resolution image of crustal structure in the core of the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis is constructed from P receiver functionsTwo disconnected groups of low velocity zones are observed in upper to middle crust, which prevents the development of crust flowAn intra‐crustal interface and a Moho offset we find suggest that underthrusting and pure shear mechanisms dominate crustal deformation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium head blight is a destructive disease caused by Fusarium species. Little is known about the pathogenic molecular weapons of Fusarium graminearum. The gene encoding a small secreted protein, Fg02685, in F. graminearum was found to be upregulated during wheat head infection. Knockout mutation of Fg02685 reduced the growth and development of Fusarium in wheat spikes. Transient expression of Fg02685 or recombinant protein led to plant cell death in a BAK1‐ and SOBIR1‐independent system. Fg02685 was found to trigger plant basal immunity by increasing the deposition of callose, the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the expression of defence‐related genes. The Fg02685 signal peptide was required for the plant's apoplast accumulation and induces cell death, indicating Fg02685 is a novel conserved pathogen‐associated molecular pattern. Moreover, its homologues are widely distributed in oomycetes and fungal pathogens and induced cell death in tobacco. The conserved α‐helical motif at the N‐terminus was necessary for the induction of cell death. Moreover, a 32‐amino‐acid peptide, Fg02685 N‐terminus peptide 32 (FgNP32), was essential for the induction of oxidative burst, callose deposition, and mitogen‐activated protein kinase signal activation in plants. Prolonged exposure to FgNP32 enhanced the plant's resistance to Fusarium and Phytophthora. This study provides new approaches for an environment‐friendly control strategy for crop diseases by applying plant immune inducers to strengthen broad‐spectrum disease resistance in crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a case of a 48-year-old man with ankylosing spondylitis who experienced complications with multiple Andersson lesions. The patient had a history of hip pain, low back pain, and numbness in the lower limbs. Despite receiving treatment, his symptoms worsened. CT and MRI images showed spinal destruction with lesions in the intervertebral discs and adjacent vertebrae. The article highlights the rarity of fractures in multiple sites and emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis to prevent further complications. The authors of the article collected the data and drafted the manuscript. [Extracted from the article]

Background: The immune response in the bone marrow microenvironment has implications for progression and prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, few immune‐related biomarkers for AML prognosis and immunotherapy response have been identified. We aimed to establish a predictive gene signature and to explore the determinants of prognosis in AML. Methods: Immune‐related genes with clinical significance were screened by a weighted gene co‐expression network analysis. Seven immune‐related genes were used to establish a gene signature by a multivariate Cox regression analysis. Based on the signature, low‐ and high‐risk groups were compared with respect to the immune microenvironment, immune checkpoints, pathway activities, and mutation frequencies. The tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) method was used to predict the response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. The Connectivity Map database was used to explore small‐molecule drugs expected to treat high‐risk populations. Results: A seven‐gene prognostic signature was used to classify patients into high‐ and low‐risk groups. Prognosis was poorer for patients in the former than in the latter. The high‐risk group displayed higher levels of immune checkpoint molecules (LAG3, PD‐1, CTLA4, PD‐L2, and PD‐L1), immune cell infiltration (dendritic cells, T helper 1, and gamma delta T), and somatic mutations (NPM1 and RUNX1). Moreover, hematopoietic stem cell/leukemia stem cell pathways were enriched in the high‐risk phenotype. Compared with that in the low‐risk group, the lower TIDE score for the high‐risk group implied that this group is more likely to benefit from ICB therapy. Finally, some drugs (FLT3 inhibitors and BCL inhibitors) targeting the expression profiles associated with the high‐risk group were generated using Connectivity Map. Conclusion: The newly developed immune‐related gene signature is an effective biomarker for predicting prognosis in AML and provides a basis, from an immunological perspective, for the development of comprehensive therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Alternative splicing (AS) is a crucial post‐transcriptional regulatory mechanism in plant resistance. However, whether and how plant pathogens target splicing in their host remains mostly unknown. For example, although infection by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), a pathogenic fungus that severely affects the yield of wheat worldwide, has been shown to significantly influence the levels of alternatively spliced transcripts in the host, the mechanisms that govern this process, and its functional consequence have not been examined. Here, we identified Pst_A23 as a new Pst arginine‐rich effector that localizes to host nuclear speckles, nuclear regions enriched in splicing factors. We demonstrated that transient expression of Pst_A23 suppresses plant basal defence dependent on the Pst_A23 nuclear speckle localization and that this protein plays an important role in virulence, stable silencing of which improves wheat stripe rust resistance. Remarkably, RNA‐Seq data revealed that AS patterns of 588 wheat genes are altered in Pst_A23‐overexpressing lines compared to control plants. To further examine the direct relationship between Pst_A23 and AS, we confirmed direct binding between two RNA motifs predicted from these altered splicing sites and Pst_A23 in vitro. The two RNA motifs we chose occur in the cis‐element of TaXa21‐H and TaWRKY53, and we validated that Pst_A23 overexpression results in decreased functional transcripts of TaXa21‐H and TaWRKY53 while silencing of TaXa21‐H and TaWRKY53 impairs wheat resistance to Pst. Overall, this represents formal evidence that plant pathogens produce 'splicing' effectors, which regulate host pre‐mRNA splicing by direct engagement of the splicing sites, thereby interfering with host immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low‐dimensional fillers play an important role in improving the tribological properties of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) composites. However, the reinforcement mechanism is not fully understood, since few in situ experiments are able to capture the dynamics evolution and interfacial behavior of fillers. Herein, the tribological behavior of PTFE composites filled with graphene (Gr) sheets and carbon nanotubes (CNT) at the nanoscale is investigated. The results demonstrate that the composites filled with the CNT and Gr fillers have much better wear resistance than that of the pure PTFE, and the wear amounts are reduced by 76.2% and 85.7%, respectively. The relative bond and angle energy of PTFE indicate less deformation in the reinforced composite matrices. The calculations of interfacial interaction energy and radial distribution function reveal that the Gr fillers have better reinforcements than CNT due to stronger interactions at the Gr/PTFE interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although studies on JAK inhibitors are increasing, only a few cases of sarcoidosis treatment have been reported, and larger studies are needed to further evaluate this treatment approach. In conclusion, although research on the pathogenesis and treatment of sarcoidosis has progressed in recent years, the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis has not been elucidated, and its treatment is also ineffective. This study suggests that tofacitinib treatment alleviates sarcoidosis symptoms and works mainly by inhibiting the interferon (IFN)- activation pathway of CD4+ T cells, a type 1 immune response. Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous syndrome with a wide range of clinical manifestations,1 with pulmonary involvement being the most common.2 Sarcoidosis is characterized by the accumulation of lymphocytes and mononuclear phagocytes that induce the formation of non-caseating epithelioid granulomas with secondary derangement of normal tissue or organ anatomy and function.3 The disease occurs worldwide, with an incidence between 1.4 and 64 per 100 000, and peaks at 30-60 years of age.3,4 Studies have shown that genetic, host immune, and environmental factors interact to cause sarcoidosis, but the etiological determinants of the disease remain uncertain.5 Thus far, apart from the tuberculin known to trigger the formation of the sarcoid granuloma, many have been the candidate antigens associated with the onset and the progression of the disease. [Extracted from the article]

The deep crustal deformation in the east Pamir in response to the Cenozoic collision with the Tien Shan and the Tarim Basin is so far poorly constrained. We present new insights into the crustal structure of the east Pamir and its surrounding regions using P receiver functions from 40 temporary and permanent seismic stations. The crustal thickness reaches a maximum of 88 km beneath the central and southern east Pamir and decreases sharply to 50–60 km along the southern Tien Shan and to 41–50 km below the Tarim Basin. The most prominent crustal structures involve a double Moho, suggesting eastward underthrusting of the Pamir lower crust beneath southern east Pamir, and two Moho offsets, supporting delamination of Asian lower crust below the central east Pamir and pure shear shortening along the northeastern margin between the Pamir and Tarim Basin. Plain Language Summary: The Pamir orogen is located at the leading edge of the Indo‐Asian collision zone and has translated northward by about 300 km with respect to the Himalaya‐Tibetan plateau since the Late Cenozoic. It protruded the formerly connected Tajik and Tarim basins and formed a curviplanar front with the Tajik Basin to the west, Tien Shan to the north, and Tarim Basin to the east. Previous studies revealed that the Pamir is underthrusted by the Asian crust from the west and the north; however, it is still unclear how the contact between Pamir and the Tarim basin crust looks like. This study elucidates the deep crustal interaction between the two tectonic blocks by receiver functions with data from a recent seismic experiment in the region. The Pamir crust is extended into the western tip of the Tarim basin and is thickened by horizontal shortening, while in the south it is underthrusting beneath the West Kunlun Shan and Tarim Basin into the mantle to a depth of >100 km. Key Points: The Asian lower crust is delaminated beneath the central east PamirThe northeast Pamir crust extends into the Tarim Basin and thickens by pure shear shorteningThe southeast Pamir crust is underthrusting beneath West Kunlun Shan and Tarim Basin [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generalized tonic–clonic seizures (GTCS) are the severest and most remarkable clinical expressions of human epilepsy. Cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar structures, organized with different network patterns, underlying the pathophysiological substrates of genetic associated epilepsy with GTCS (GE‐GTCS) and focal epilepsy associated with focal to bilateral tonic–clonic seizure (FE‐FBTS). Structural covariance analysis can delineate the features of epilepsy network related with long‐term effects from seizure. Morphometric MRI data of 111 patients with GE‐GTCS, 111 patients with FE‐FBTS and 111 healthy controls were studied. Cortico‐striato‐thalao‐cerebellar networks of structural covariance within the gray matter were constructed using a Winner‐take‐all strategy with five cortical parcellations. Comparisons of structural covariance networks were conducted using permutation tests, and module effects of disease duration on networks were conducted using GLM model. Both patient groups showed increased connectivity of structural covariance relative to controls, mainly within the striatum and thalamus, and mostly correlated with the frontal, motor, and somatosensory cortices. Connectivity changes increased as a function of epilepsy durations. FE‐FBTS showed more intensive and extensive gray matter changes with volumetric loss and connectivity increment than GE‐GTCS. Our findings implicated cortico‐striato‐thalamo‐cerebellar network changes at a large temporal scale in GTCS, with FE‐FBTS showing more severe network disruption. The study contributed novel imaging evidence for understanding the different epilepsy syndromes associated with generalized seizures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the west‐east variations in the underthrusting Indian lithosphere, we investigate the lithospheric structure using P and S receiver functions obtained from a west‐east linear array of 19 broadband stations spanning the Tethyan Himalaya at 85.5–88.5°E. Our observations of the Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT) and Moho serving as the top and bottom boundaries at depths of 42–54 km and 60–72 km, respectively, suggest that a thinning Indian lower crust with an eastward inclined geometry is underthrusting beneath the Tethyan Himalaya. An intra‐crustal low velocity zone (LVZ) immediately above the MTH at depths of 32–42 km is imaged, likely resulting from the presence of crustal dehydration partial melting. We propose that this LVZ induces the southward extrusion of melt‐weakened crustal material with itself as a channel and facilitates the development of duplexing structures, by which Indian lower crustal materials could be accreted into the Himalayan wedge along the north‐south mid‐crustal ramp in the MHT. The eastward dipping lithosphere‐asthenosphere boundary is clearly observed ranging from 90 to 126 km, which generally coincides with the changing trends of the MHT and Moho. These observations can be attributed to the eastward steepening subduction angle of the Indian lithosphere. Key Points: We investigate the west‐east lithospheric structure beneath the Tethyan Himalaya using P and S receiver functionsThe Main Himalayan Thrust, Moho and a low velocity zone characterized by the pronounced eastward inclined trends are clearly imagedThe eastward dipping shape of the underthrusting Indian lithosphere is likely caused by the eastward steepening subduction angle [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sweetening, dehydration, natural gas liquid (NGL) recovery, and sale gas compression are four major treatment stages for the general natural gas processing. Here, a comprehensive gas processing plant (CGPP) coupling sweetening, dehydration, NGL recovery, and compression subsystems have been conceptually designed, modeled, and optimized based on field data. The development includes four major stages of work: (i) CGPP process development with Aspen HYSYS simulator; (ii) sensitivity studies for all distillation columns involved in the CGPP process to optimize their performances; (iii) sizing of major equipment of the CGPP; and (iv) economic evaluations with Aspen process economic analyzer to calculate the expected capital and operating expenditures for the developed CGPP process. Valuable insights of natural gas monetization from the viewpoint of large‐scale process system integration, modeling, and optimization are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroticism is a heritable personality trait associated with negative emotionality; however, we know little regarding the association between the microscale and macroscale neurobiological substrates of human neuroticism. Cross‐scale correlation analysis may provide such information. In this study, voxel‐wise neuroimaging–neuroticism correlation analyses consistently showed a positive correlation between neuroticism and functional connectivity density (FCD) in the ventral striatum in 274 young Chinese adults. Partial least squares regression analysis showed that the FCD‐neuroticism correlation map was significantly spatially correlated with gene expression profiles in each of six donated human brains. Neuroticism‐related genes derived from the six donors consistently showed significant enrichment in the chemical synaptic transmission, circadian entrainment, long‐term potentiation, inflammatory mediator regulation of transient receptor potential channels, and amphetamine addiction pathways. The protein–protein interaction analysis revealed four hub genes involved in the above pathways, including G protein subunit gamma 10, 5‐hydroxytryptamine receptor 2C, prodynorphin, and calcium/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II alpha. By combining multiscale correlation analyses and functional annotations, this study advances our understanding of the genetic and neural substrates of human neuroticism and emphasizes the importance of striatal functional properties in human neuroticism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The cell wall of filamentous fungi, comprised of chitin, polysaccharide and glycoproteins, maintains the integrity of hyphae and protect them from defence responses by potential host plants. Here, we report that one polysaccharide deacetylase of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), Pst_13661, suppresses Bax‐induced cell death in plants and Pst_13661 is highly induced during early stages of the interaction between wheat and Pst. Importantly, the transgenic wheat expressing the RNA interference (RNAi) construct of Pst_13661 exhibits high resistance to major Pst epidemic races CYR31, CYR32 and CYR33 by inhibiting growth and development of Pst, indicating that Pst_13661 is an available pathogenicity factor and is a potential target for generating broad‐spectrum resistance breeding material of wheat. It forms a homo‐polymer and has high affinity for chitin and germ tubes of Pst compared with the control. Besides, Pst_13661 suppresses chitin‐induced plant defence in plants. Hence, we infer that Pst_13661 may modify the fungal cell wall to prevent recognition by apoplastic surveillance systems in plants. This study opens new approaches for developing durable disease‐resistant germplasm by disturbing the growth and development of fungi and develops novel strategies to control crop diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distance vector‐hop (DV‐hop) is a classical node localisation method for wireless sensor networks. Its main advantages are ease of use and excellent scalability, but its shortcomings are also very prominent for the high requirements on the network topology and low localisation accuracy in practical applications. An amended DV‐hop strategy is provided to improve the shortcomings of the classical DV‐hop including two aspects: one is that an N‐gram model is adopted to amend the distances between unknown nodes and beacons and the other is that a weighed Levenberg–Marquardt method is adopted to optimise the unknown nodes' initial positions. Simulation results show that compared with the original DV‐hop method and the other two typical improved methods, our proposed strategy improves the adaptability of the DV‐hop class methods to network topology changes, and the localisation accuracy is significantly enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It remains unclear whether the curative result of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) is a result of pulmonary vein (PV) isolation, PV antrum modification (PVAM), or both. We hypothesized that sufficient antrum modification (PVAM) is as important as PV isolation (PVI) for atrial fibrillation (AF) control and that PVAM can be evaluated by quantified lesion deployment using a force‐sensing catheter. Methods and Results: Patients of symptomatic PAF were randomly assigned 2:1 into a PVAM group or a circumferential PV isolation (CPVI) group. In the PVAM group, circumferential quantitative ablation evaluated by automatical VisiTag module was performed. In the CPVI group, conventional circumferential ablation was performed to achieve the end point of all‐PV isolation. In total, 180 patients with PAF were enrolled and randomly assigned to either the PVAM group (n = 120) or the CPVI group (n = 60). A total of 179 patients successfully underwent ablation. In the PVAM group, 68 patients achieved all PVI (PVAM‐PVI), while 51 did not (PVAM‐non‐PVI). At 18 months, there was no significant difference in the maintenance of sinus rhythm between the PVAM and CPVI groups (84.9 vs 79.7%, P =.382). The PVAM‐PVI subgroup demonstrated a higher arrhythmia‐free survival compared with the PVAM‐non‐PVI subgroup (92.6 vs 74.5%, P =.006) and the CPVI group (92.6 vs 79.7%, P =.036). Conclusions: The trial shows that sufficient force‐sensing guided PVAM can result in satisfying outcomes in PAF patients. Notably, sufficient PVAM with all‐PV isolated will further increase the success rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: As an obligate parasite, Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) forms haustoria to obtain nutrients from plant cells for development, and these structures are essential for pathogen survival. To better understand the contribution of haustoria to the interactions with the host plants, we isolated haustoria from susceptible wheat leaves infected with Pst race CYR31 and sequenced their transcriptome as well as those of urediospores and germ tubes, and compared the three transcriptomes. A total of 3524 up‐regulated genes were obtained from haustoria, of which 73 genes were related to thiamine biosynthesis, glycolysis and lipid metabolic processes. Silencing seven of the genes reduced the growth and development of Pst in wheat. More interestingly, 1197 haustorial secreted proteins (HASPs) were detected in haustoria, accounting for 34% of the total proteins, indicating that these HASPs play important roles in haustorium‐mediated pathogenic progression. Furthermore, 69 HASPs were able to suppress Bax‐triggered programmed cell death in tobacco. Additionally, 46 HASPs significantly reduced callose deposition in wheat using the type III secretion system. This study identified a large number of effectors through transcriptome sequencing, and the results revealed components of metabolic pathways that impact the growth and colonization of the pathogen and indicate essential functions of haustoria in the growth and pathogenicity of Pst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As cracker feed around the globe is trending towards lighter feedstocks, butadiene production facilities worldwide are now run at turndown capacities. Models are developed to study how operation at turndown ratios of feed rates affects the purity of 1,3‐butadiene. The optimal solvent‐to‐feed ratio was found to be in the range of 6–7 when the plant is run at normal throughput; however, it is necessary to change the solvent‐to‐feed ratio in the range of 10–11 when the plant is operating at turndown capacity. Dynamic simulations indicate that the effect of fluctuations in the feed flow rate on product purity can be minimized by a ratio controller to change the solvent flow rate and a composition controller to alter the side‐draw flow rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: gingiva; gout; tophus EN gingiva gout tophus 401 402 2 01/31/23 20230201 NES 230201 A 67-year-old man with a history of gout complained of gingival mass (Figure 1-Panel A) without pain, fever, ulceration, or bleeding. It would be necessary to seek the advice of the rheumatologist, when gout patients are suffering from swelling gingiva with poor efficacy. The patient was treated with allopurinol, according to the guideline of the 2021 Asia-Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology.[5] So far as we know, this is the first case to report that tophus occurs in the gingiva. [Extracted from the article]

Understanding the motion of particles in very dense granular flows is crucial for comprehending the dynamics of many geological phenomena, and advancing our knowledge of granular material physics. We conduct transparent ring shear experiments to directly observe the granular motion under relatively high‐pressure conditions, and find that the granular velocity non‐linearly decays, forming an approximately 7‐particle‐diameter‐thick localized shear band. A fitting curve underlying non‐local physics can be used to well predict velocity profile geometries that are almost independent of normal stress and shear velocity. Moreover, experimental results show monotonically decreasing granular kinetic temperature, which may be caused by energy dissipation due to more inelastic contacts under high confining pressures. The variation of granular temperature will significantly influence the local yield stress and rheological properties, which may lead to inhomogeneous fluidity of the material and thus to shear localization in very dense granular flows. Plain Language Summary: Understanding how particles move under high pressure is essential for studying various geological phenomena and advancing our understanding of granular material physics. In this study, transparent ring shear experiments are conducted to observe the motion of granular particles in very dense granular flows under high normal stress. It is found that the velocity distribution progressively decays and forms a shear band with a width of approximately 7 particle diameters. We suggest an equation that can well predict the velocity profile both of the quasi‐linear velocity in the fast‐moving shear zone and the exponential velocity curve in the slow‐motion region. Furthermore, we analyze the distribution of particle velocity fluctuation and particle density across the sample. Near the moving plate, the particle velocity fluctuation is more intense and the particle density is lower, gradually decreasing far from the moving plate. This phenomenon may be caused by energy dissipation due to inelastic contact between particles. The mechanical properties of the granular material are influenced by these variations in velocity fluctuation and particle density. Thus, this leads to an inhomogeneous shear strain rate and promotes the formation of shear zones under relatively high‐pressure conditions. Key Points: A nonlinearly decayed velocity profile and spontaneous shear localization are observed in plane shear granular flows under high normal stressThe monotonically decayed granular temperature may lead to inhomogeneities in very dense granular flows and thus to shear localizationThe length scale of the non‐local model in very dense granular flows is estimated based on experimental observation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present results of ring shear frictional resistance for mudstone granules of different size obtained from a landslide shear zone. Little rate dependency of shear resistance was observed in sand-sized granules in any wet or dry test, while saturated gravel-sized granules exhibited significant and abrupt reversible rate-weakening (from μ = 0.6 to 0.05) at about 2 mm/s. Repeating resistance variations occurred also under constant shear displacement rate. Mudstone granules generate mud as they are crushed and softened. Shear-thinning and thixotropic behavior of the mud can explain the observed behavior: with the viscosity decreasing, the mud can flow through the coarser soil pores and migrate out from the shear zone. This brings new granules into contact which produces new mud. Thus, the process can start over. Similarities between experimental shear zones and those of some landslides in mudstone suggest that the observed behavior may play a role in some landslide kinematics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyze the teleseismic waveform data recorded by 42 temporary stations from the Y2 and ANTILOPE-1 arrays using the P and S receiver function techniques to investigate the lithospheric structure beneath western Tibet. The Moho is reliably identified as a prominent feature at depths of 55-82 km in the stacked traces and in depth migrated images. It has a concave shape and reaches the deepest location at about 80 km north of the Indus-Yarlung suture (IYS). An intracrustal discontinuity is observed at ~55 km depth below the southern Lhasa terrane, which could represent the upper border of the eclogitized underthrusting Indian lower crust. Underthrusting of the Indian crust has been widely observed beneath the Lhasa terrane and correlates well with the Bouguer gravity low, suggesting that the gravity anomalies in the Lhasa terrane are induced by topography of the Moho. At ~20 km depth, a midcrustal low-velocity zone (LVZ) is observed beneath the Tethyan Himalaya and southern Lhasa terrane, suggesting a layer of partial melts that decouples the thrust/fold deformation of the upper crust from the shortening and underthrusting in the lower crust. The Sp conversions at the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB) can be recognized at depths of 130-200 km, showing that the Indian lithospheric mantle is underthrusting with a ramp-flat shape beneath southern Tibet and probably is detached from the lower crust immediately under the IYS. Our observations reconstruct the configuration of the underthrusting Indian lithosphere and indicate significant along strike variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since reinforced concrete members suffer from different types of loads during their service life, the steel bars embedded in reinforced concrete members can be easily corroded in chloride‐laden environment. To investigate the influence of combined effect of load and steel corrosion on the flexural stiffness of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) beams, 12 RAC beams were prepared and tested. The effects of load level (i.e., the ratio of the load applied to beams to the ultimate load) and recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) replacement ratio (i.e., the ratio of RCAs to replace natural coarse aggregates) on the internal force arm coefficient of cracking cross‐section, the elastoplastic resistance moment coefficient of cross‐section, and the strain incongruity coefficient of corroded tensile steel bars were analyzed, and a calculation model for flexural stiffness of RAC beams under combined effect of load and steel corrosion was established. The results showed that when the ratio of bending moment to ultimate bending moment of the pure bending part of beams was within 0.55–0.80 and the average mass loss of tensile steel bars was less than 3.23%, 0.85 could be adopted as the internal force arm coefficient of cracking cross‐section. The elastoplastic resistance moment coefficient of cross‐section was approximately a constant when the corroded RAC beams were in the service stage, while it increased obviously with the load level. There was a strong linear relationship between strain incongruity coefficient and average mass loss of tensile steel bars during the service stage of corroded RAC beams, and the strain incongruity coefficient increased linearly with the load level. The calculated values of the model of flexural stiffness proposed in this paper were in reasonable agreement with the experimental values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia is associated with macrostructural and microstructural abnormalities in the thalamus.Objectives: To examine functional and structural connectivity of thalamocortical networks in paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia and to further investigate the effect of mutation of the proline-rich transmembrane protein 2 on thalamocortical networks.Methods: Patients with paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (n = 20), subdivided into proline-rich transmembrane protein 2-mutated (n = 8) and nonmutated patients (n = 12) and healthy controls (n = 20) underwent resting-state functional MRI and diffusion imaging scan. The functional properties of correlations in neural activity (functional connectivity) and the structural properties of white matter probabilistic tractography (structural connectivity) were analyzed to characterize thalamocortical networks. Furthermore, the effect of proline-rich transmembrane protein 2 mutation on functional and structural connectivity of thalamocortical networks were examined using one-way analysis of variance among three groups.Results: Patients had increased functional and structural connectivity between ventral lateral/anterior thalamic nuclei and a lateral motor area, as compared to controls. This functional connectivity positively correlated with disease duration. Interestingly, proline-rich transmembrane protein 2-mutated patients showed decreased functional connectivity and preserved structural connectivity, between mediodorsal nucleus and prefrontal cortex, compared to nonmutated patients and controls.Conclusions: Thalamomotor/premotor hyperconnectivity suggests abnormal communication between thalamus and motor cortex in patients. Furthermore, thalamoprefrontal hypoconnectivity in proline-rich transmembrane protein 2-mutated patients might indicate that proline-rich transmembrane protein 2 mutations result in inefficient thalamoprefrontal integration. Our findings facilitate a deeper understanding of the crucial role of thalamocortical dysconnectivity in the pathophysiological mechanisms of paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The horn fly, Haematobia irritans, is a serious pest of cattle in North America. The control of horn flies has primarily relied on insecticides. However, the heavy use of insecticides has led to the development of insecticide resistance in horn flies. Novel methods to control horn flies are greatly needed. Transgenic technology is an effective tool to genetically modify insects and may lead to novel methods of pest control based on genomic approaches. Here we report a piggyBac-mediated transformation of the horn fly via electroporation. Transformation with a DsRed fluorescent marker protein coding region was verified by PCR analysis of individual fly bodies and pupal cases and sequencing of PCR products. However, Southern blot analysis failed to indicate the DsRed gene was integrated into the horn fly genome. Thus, the electroporation protocol may have caused the DsRed gene to be integrated into bacterial symbionts of the horn fly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for approximately 4% of all adult malignancies with high mortality worldwide. Although conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment has been applied for RCC in clinic, the mortality rate of patients is increasing each year, and patients with metastatic RCC are still suffering from poor prognosis. Thus, further investigation of the molecular mechanisms responsible for the development and progression of RCC is of particular importance. Methods: Total of 10 pairs of RCC tissues and adjacent nontumor tissues were collected for examination of ALKBH1 and GPR137 expression. The correlations between ALKBH1 and GPR137 expression in RCC patient were assessed by GEPIA online tool and were analyzed using auto best cutoff. The human RCC cell lines Caki‐1, 786‐O, ACHN, Osrc2, A498, and 769‐P, were used for mechanistic investigation. Results: Here, we report that the expression of AlkB homologue 1 (ALKBH1) is upregulated in RCC tissues, which is correlated with G‐protein‐coupled receptor 137 (GPR137) expression. The elevated expression of ALKBH1 is associated with RCC cell malignant characteristics, including cell proliferation and movement (migration and invasion). Mechanistic investigation further reveals that ALKBH1 reduces m6A levels of GPR137 mRNA in RCC cells, which upregulates GPR137 mRNA levels, resulting in the increased GPR137 protein expression subsequently and the enhanced RCC cell biological actions consequently. In contrast, the suppression of GPR137 effectively alleviates the ALKBH1‐induced malignancies of RCC cells. Conclusion: Our results indicate that ALKBH1–GPR137 axis might be used as a potential therapeutic target in RCC, contributing to finding new prognostic biomarkers for RCC at an early stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing production of condensate oil due to shale gas/natural gas booming has economically motivated refiners to add this valuable and abundant crude source into their feedstock. Many refineries, however, were originally built to process heavier crudes, whose design must be retrofitted to enable the processing of the changed feedstock. The conceptual retrofit design of crude distillation units for processing condensate oil has been studied. Four retrofit designs are proposed and simulated including facilities of preflash column, atmospheric distillation unit, and vacuum distillation unit. All retrofit designs are comprehensively evaluated by steady-state modeling for feasibility check, energy consumption analysis for operating cost evaluation, and retrofit cost evaluation. The retrofit design with preflash columns in sequence potentially could be the most economical case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite nanomaterials usually possess synergetic properties resulting from the respective components and can be used for a wide range of applications. In this work, a Pd nanocubes@ZIF-8 composite material has been rationally fabricated by encapsulation of the Pd nanocubes in ZIF-8, a common metal-organic framework (MOF). This composite was used for the efficient and selective catalytic hydrogenation of olefins at room temperature under 1 atm H2 and light irradiation, and benefits from plasmonic photothermal effects of the Pd nanocube cores while the ZIF-8 shell plays multiple roles; it accelerates the reaction by H2 enrichment, acts as a 'molecular sieve' for olefins with specific sizes, and stabilizes the Pd cores. Remarkably, the catalytic efficiency of a reaction under 60 mW cm−2 full-spectrum or 100 mW cm−2 visible-light irradiation at room temperature turned out to be comparable to that of a process driven by heating at 50 °C. Furthermore, the catalyst remained stable and could be easily recycled. To the best of our knowledge, this work represents the first combination of the photothermal effects of metal nanocrystals with the favorable properties of MOFs for efficient and selective catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uplift history of Tibet is crucial for understanding the geodynamic and palaeoclimatologic evolution of Asia; how-ever, the pattern of plateau uplift through space and time remains unresolved. We use stable isotope data from palaeo-sol carbonates to reconstruct the Eocene (~46 Ma) elevation of the Tangra Yum Co region (northern Lhasa terrane). The difference between the oxygen isotopic compositions of the studied palaeosols and Eocene surface water near the source of the Indian monsoon indicates a palaeoelevation of 2590 (+730/-910) m for Tangra Yum Co (present altitude: ~4600 m). A similar palaeoaltitude is obtained by comparing our data with modern soils and taking past environmental changes into account. Combining our results with published palaeoelevation estimates for Tibet suggests significant relief (~2 km) during the Eocene, when a low-lying basin in the northern Lhasa terrane was bounded by the Qiangtang and Gangdese mountain belts to the north and south respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between spatial density and size of plants is an important topic in plant ecology. The self-thinning rule suggests a −3/2 power between average biomass and density or a −1/2 power between stand yield and density. However, the self-thinning rule based on total leaf area per plant and density of plants has been neglected presumably because of the lack of a method that can accurately estimate the total leaf area per plant. We aimed to find the relationship between spatial density of plants and total leaf area per plant. We also attempted to provide a novel model for accurately describing the leaf shape of bamboos. We proposed a simplified Gielis equation with only two parameters to describe the leaf shape of bamboos one model parameter represented the overall ratio of leaf width to leaf length. Using this method, we compared some leaf parameters (leaf shape, number of leaves per plant, ratio of total leaf weight to aboveground weight per plant, and total leaf area per plant) of four bamboo species of genus Indocalamus Nakai ( I. pedalis (Keng) P.C. Keng, I. pumilus Q.H. Dai and C.F. Keng, I. barbatus McClure, and I. victorialis P.C. Keng). We also explored the possible correlation between spatial density and total leaf area per plant using log-linear regression. We found that the simplified Gielis equation fit the leaf shape of four bamboo species very well. Although all these four species belonged to the same genus, there were still significant differences in leaf shape. Significant differences also existed in leaf area per plant, ratio of leaf weight to aboveground weight per plant, and leaf length. In addition, we found that the total leaf area per plant decreased with increased spatial density. Therefore, we directly demonstrated the self-thinning rule to improve light interception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amplitude and functional connectivity are two fundamental parameters for describing the spontaneous brain fluctuations. These two parameters present close coupling in physiological state, and present different alteration patterns in epilepsy revealed by functional MRI (fMRI). We hypothesized that the alteration of coupling between these two imaging parameters may be underpinned by specific pathological factors of epilepsy, and can be employed to improve the capability for epileptic focus detection. Forty-seven patients (26 left- and 21 right-sided) with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) and 32 healthy controls underwent resting-state fMRI scans. All patients were detected to have interictal epileptic discharges on simultaneous electroencephalograph (EEG) recordings. Amplitude-connectivity coupling was calculated by correlating amplitude and functional connectivity density of low-frequency brain fluctuations. We observed reduced amplitude-connectivity coupling associated with epileptic discharges in the mesial temporal regions in both groups of patients, and increased coupling associated with epilepsy durations in the posterior regions of the default-mode network in the right-sided patients. Moreover, we proposed a new index of amplitude subtracting connectivity, which elevated imaging contrast for differentiating the patients from the controls. The findings indicated that epileptic discharges and chronic damaging effect of epilepsy might both contribute to alterations of amplitude-connectivity coupling in different pivotal regions in mTLE. Investigation on imaging coupling provides synergistic approach for describing brain functional changing features in epilepsy. Hum Brain Mapp 36:2756-2766, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well-dispersed PtNi nanoparticles (NPs) grown on carbon nanodots (CNDs) derived from a metal-organic framework (ZIF-8) are synthesized by a simple reduction of metal precursors in the presence of CNDs, wherein the CNDs prove to be a powerful dispersion agent and distinct support for the PtNi NPs. The resultant PtNi-CND catalyst exerts almost 100 % H2 selectivity and a high activity for the decomposition of hydrous hydrazine at room temperature. This excellent catalytic performance might be a result of the synergistic effect of the CND support and the PtNi NPs. The utilization of CNDs as a support to anchor the active component NPs and thus to facilitate the electron transfer and mass transport kinetics during the catalytic reaction process opens up new avenues to design high-performance catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sn4+-doped BiFeO3 (BFO) nanofibers have been fabricated by sol-gel based electrospinning method with nanofiber diameter in the range of 30-100 nm in the annealed state. The leakage current density dropped by two orders of magnitude in 3% Sn-doped BFO nanofibers compared to undoped BFO samples. Our density functional theory (DFT) simulation results indicate that Sn4+ prefers to occupy the Fe3+ site in BFO with a formation energy of 1.89 eV. The impurity Sn acts as a shallow donor with a low transition energy level of 41 meV. Furthermore, an enhancement in the saturation magnetization was simultaneously observed for 3% Sn-doped nanofibers, which correlated well with our theoretical calculations. In other words, by carefully tailoring the degree of Sn doping in BFO nanofibers, we can reduce the leakage current and concurrently enhance the magnetic moment. (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To conduct a well-planned plant shutdown, so as to reduce flare emissions for the sake of plant profitability and local environmental sustainability, one of the primary tasks is to perform comprehensive and precise accountings for flare emissions. Since the literature is still lacking systematic and quantitative studies, plant-wide dynamic simulations are employed to simulate an ethylene plant shutdown and characterize its flare emission sources through which dynamic emission profiles of various emission species changing with respect to time are obtained. Plant shutdown emission inventories are enriched with details for point emission sources, and possible technical supports are provided to both industry and environmental agencies on evaluating and developing cost-effective flare minimization strategies in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been well accepted that increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the subsequent oxidative stress is one of the major causes of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. DJ-1 protein, as a multifunctional intracellular protein, plays an important role in regulating cell survival and antioxidant stress. Here, we wondered whether DJ-1 overexpression attenuates simulated ischemia/reperfusion (sI/R)-induced oxidative stress. A rat cDNA encoding DJ-1 was inserted into a mammalian expression vector. After introduction of this construct into H9c2 myocytes, stable clones were obtained. Western blot analysis of the derived clones showed a 2.6-fold increase in DJ-1 protein expressing. Subsequently, the DJ-1 gene-transfected and control H9c2 cells were subjected to sI/R, and then cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase, malondialdehyde, intracellular ROS and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase) were measured appropriately. The results showed that stable overexpression of DJ-1 efficiently attenuated sI/R-induced viability loss and lactate dehydrogenase leakage. Additionally, stable overexpression of DJ-1 inhibited sI/R-induced the elevation of ROS and MDA contents followed by the increase of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase) activities and expression. Our data indicate that overexpression of DJ-1 attenuates ROS generation, enhances the cellular antioxidant capacity and prevents sI/R-induced oxidative stress, revealing a novel mechanism of cardioprotection. Importantly, DJ-1 overexpression may be an important part of a protective strategy against ischemia/reperfusion injury. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly dispersed bimetallic NiPt nanoparticles with different NiPt compositions have been successfully immobilized by the zeolitic metal-organic framework ZIF-8 by a simple liquid impregnation method. These catalysts show high catalytic activity and durability for hydrogen generation from decomposition of hydrazine (H2NNH2) in aqueous alkaline solution at 323 K. Both transmission electron microscopic (TEM) and high-angle annular dark-field scanning TEM measurements (HAADF-STEM) images showed that the ZIF-8 immobilized NPs were highly dispersed and controlled in small sizes with an average diameter of 2.2±0.3 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Rice–duck coculture is an ecological agricultural mode; however, the nutritional and environmental benefits of transforming from conventional rice monoculture to rice–duck coculture are unknown. Based on survey data and the life‐cycle assessment approach, this study conducted a carbon footprint evaluation of conventional rice monoculture (CR), organic rice monoculture (OR), and organic rice–duck coculture (ORD) using different functional units. RESULTS: The carbon footprint per hectare of ORD (7842 ± 284 kg CO2eq ha−1) was slightly lower than that of CR (7905 ± 412 kg CO2eq ha−1), while higher than that of OR (7786 ± 235 kg CO2eq ha−1). Although the rice yield of ORD was slightly lower than that of CR, its nutrient density unit (NDU) did not decrease significantly due to the additional duck yield. Thus, the carbon footprint per NDU of ORD was significantly lower than that of OR by 24.3% (P < 0.05) and was 5.8% higher than that of CR, but this was not statistically significant. Due to the higher economic profits of ORD, its unit of carbon footprint per economic profit was significantly reduced (by 47.1–75.7%) compared with the other two farming modes, while the net ecosystem economic budget was significantly increased by 98.5–341.9% (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Transforming from a rice monoculture to a coculture system will contribute to a win–win situation for human health and environmental sustainability. This study highlighted the abundant nutritional output function of the rice–duck coculture and analyzed the urgency and necessity of transitioning from traditional agriculture to ecological agriculture from the production and consumption perspectives. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Biomass is a potential feedstock for making liquid fuels and valuable chemicals. Quantitative analysis of biomass conversion in real time by photoionization mass spectrometry (PIMS) is an important way to understand the reaction process. However, the lack of photoionization data for biomass‐derived compounds limits the research using PIMS. Methods: Measurements of photoionization data were performed with synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet PIMS. Toluene and methanol were used as calibrated references and solvents in this experiment since their photoionization cross‐sections (PICS) are well documented in the literature. Results: The ionization energies (IEs) of 23 biomass‐derived compounds were measured. Among them, the PICSs of 14 compounds were calibrated and presented. Besides, the IEs of 95 other biomass‐derived compounds and their typical fragment ions were also summarized. Conclusions: A photoionization database related to IEs and PICSs of biomass‐derived compounds (m/z < 200) is established. PICSs of most biomass‐derived compounds have low values at the most frequently used photoionization energy of 10.5 eV. Lignin‐derived compounds have lower IEs than carbohydrate‐derived compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainfall‐induced flowslides and the subsequent debris flows are the most recurrent and destructive natural hazards due to their high velocity and long‐distance runout. It is widely accepted that shear‐induced excess pore pressure controls the high fluidity in flowslide movement. Nevertheless, flume experiments demonstrate that flowslides can exhibit high fluidity even in the absence of excess pore pressure, demonstrating that even saturated granular matter has an intrinsic shear‐velocity‐dependent fluidization mechanism. Herein, drained ring shear experiments were conducted to obtain a further understanding of the fluidity of the saturated granular material. By means of a transparent shear chamber, the shear‐zone thickness and the velocity gradient within samples could be directly observed and thus its rheology could be well determined. The granular soil showed substantial shear‐thinning even in the absence of excess pore pressure, which could well explain the high fluidity in flowslide dynamics in addition to excess pore pressure, especially during rapid shear. Acoustic emissions (AEs) in the ring shear device provided additional evidence of the rheological mechanism. The macroscopic apparent viscosity of the granular system was weakened by rapid shear accompanied by increasing AE power. We propose that increasing grain pressure associated with increasing shear strain rate weakens intergranular frictional contacts between granular layers, thus weakening the apparent viscosity, and vice versa. By using AE measurements combined with dimensionless number analysis, we suggested that shear‐thinning is one of the most pivotal mechanisms accounting for the ultra‐high fluidity in flowslides. Plain Language Summary: We performed flume experiments and ring shear tests with natural co‐seismic landslide deposits to study the dynamics of flowslides, which are destructive due to their high fluidity. The high fluidity of flowslides is generally attributed to the contraction‐induced excess pore pressure. However, our experiments showed that flowslides could exhibit high fluidity even in the absence of pore pressure. We conducted drained ring shear experiments with a transparent shear chamber. Thus, the granular velocity distribution profiles and the shear zone thickness can be directly observed, and the rheology of the saturated granular flow can be obtained. Ring‐shear experiment results showed that the apparent viscosity of the granular flow decreased with the increase of shear rate, which was termed as "shear‐thinning" behavior. Using acoustic emission measurements and dimensionless number analysis, we guessed that the increase of granular vibrations with increasing shear rate decreased the apparent viscosity of the saturated granular flow. The shear‐thinning behavior can well explain the flowslide high fluidity in some conditions. Key Points: Excess pore pressure is not the only dominant factor leading to flowslide high fluidityHigh fluidity in flowslides can be induced by shear‐thinning of saturated granular materialShear‐thinning of saturated granular soils was demonstrated in a ring‐shear device [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strong earthquakes with larger magnitude and longer durations trigger many landslides, however, how magnitude and duration affect landslides is still unclear. Many factors could contribute to this, including additional shear stress provided by strong ground motion, or "seismogenic liquefaction"; herein, we hypothesize that the dynamic weakening of sliding zone gouge is important. We explored the influence of earthquake magnitude and duration on landslide triggering by simulating the seismic response of sliding zone gouge using a dynamic ring‐shear device and glass spheres. The experiments showed that vibration with larger amplitudes and longer durations more easily trigger deformation and even instability in dry granular materials. We used a dynamic triaxial‐bender system to find that the shear modulus of these materials decreased with the increase in duration and amplitude of cyclic loading. We suggest that this universal decrease in shear modulus is an important landslide‐trigger mechanism. Our results revealed how magnitude and duration of earthquakes affect co‐seismic landslides and why earthquakes with larger magnitude and long durations can trigger more co‐seismic landslides. Plain Language Summary: Strong earthquakes with larger magnitudes and longer durations trigger many landslides. Some mechanisms have been proposed to explain the triggering, for example, seismic waves provide additional driving force which increases the shear stress on the sliding plane. Earthquakes may cause an increase of pore pressure, which reduces the effective normal stress on the sliding plane. However, the mechanisms that apply to wet and dry conditions are not fully understood. We hypothesize that the dynamic weakening of sliding zone gouge caused by earthquakes is an important mechanism. We used a dynamic ring shear device and glass spheres to simulate the seismic response of sliding zone gouge, and our experiments show that larger amplitudes and longer durations more easily trigger deformation and even instability. Using a dynamic triaxial‐bender system, we found that the shear modulus decreased with the increase in duration and amplitude of vibration. Our results reveal how earthquakes with larger magnitudes and long durations trigger more co‐seismic landslides. Our experimental method may be helpful for monitoring and early warning of earthquake‐triggered landslides in the future. Key Points: Dynamic ring shear tests show the deformation characteristics of granular materials under vibrationLonger durations and larger amplitudes of vibration are more likely to trigger slip and shear modulus weakeningThe reduction and recovery of shear modulus is an important mechanism for triggering failure of earthquake‐triggered landslides [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as an important class of catalysts. In many cases, bimetallic alloy NPs have higher catalytic efficiencies than their monometallic counterparts, owing to strong synergy between the metals. In this Review, we survey the research progress on the synergistic effect of bimetallic alloy NPs for catalytic reactions related to fuel cells, such as the electrochemical oxidation of MeOH, EtOH, and formic acid, CO oxidation, the oxygen-reduction reaction, and the dehydrogenation of ammonia borane, formic acid, hydrous hydrazine, hydrazine borane, etc. In addition, the use of synergistic catalysis in some other important reactions has also been reviewed. Recent developments in synergistic catalysis over bimetallic alloy NPs will provide access to a variety of low-cost and high-performance catalysts for laboratory and industrial applications within the next few years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the diversified merits of hydrogen energy, the search for applicable hydrogen storage materials to satisfy the increasing demand for the efficient and sufficient clean energy supply has become extremely important. Aqueous ammonia borane, hydrazine, and formic acid have been extensively investigated as promising hydrogen storage materials based on their relatively high hydrogen contents. Significant advances have been made in the metal nanoparticle-catalyzed hydrogen generation from hydrolysis of ammonia borane and selective decomposition of hydrous hydrazine and formic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incomplete covariates often obscure analysis results from a Cox regression. In an analysis of the Northern Manhattan Study (NOMAS) to determine the influence of insulin resistance on the incidence of stroke in nondiabetic individuals, insulin level is unknown for 34.1% of the subjects. The available data suggest that the missingness mechanism depends on outcome variables, which may generate biases in estimating the parameters of interest if only using the complete observations. This article aimed to introduce practical strategies to analyze the NOMAS data and present sensitivity analyses by using the reweighting method in standard statistical packages. When the data set structure is in counting process style, the reweighting estimates can be obtained by built-in procedures with variance estimated by the jackknife method. Simulation results indicate that the jackknife variance estimate provides reasonable coverage probability in moderate sample sizes. We subsequently conducted sensitivity analyses for the NOMAS data, showing that the risk estimates are robust to a variety of missingness mechanisms. At the end of this article, we present the core SAS and R programs used in the analysis. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two complex rare-earth zirconates (La0.4Sm0.5Yb0.1)2(Zr0.7Ce0.4)2O7.4 and (Sr0.1La0.3Sm0.5Yb0.1)2(Zr0.7Ce0.4)2O7.3 for thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) were synthesized by the coprecipitation method. Their phase composition, microstructure, and thermophysical properties were investigated. X-ray diffractometry results revealed that single-phase (La0.4Sm0.5Yb0.1)2(Zr0.7Ce0.4)2O7.4 and (Sr0.1La0.3Sm0.5Yb0.1)2(Zr0.7Ce0.4)2O7.3 with pyrochlore structure were prepared, and the scanning electron microscopy results showed that the microstructures of the products were dense and no other phases existed among the grains. With the temperature increasing, the thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) of the ceramics increased, while the thermal conductivity decreased. The results indicated that the CTE of (Sr0.1La0.3Sm0.5Yb0.1)2(Zr0.7Ce0.4)2O7.3 was slightly higher than that of (La0.4Sm0.5Yb0.1)2(Zr0.7Ce0.4)2O7.4 and the thermal conductivity of (Sr0.1La0.3Sm0.5Yb0.1)2(Zr0.7Ce0.4)2O7.3 was lower than that of (La0.4Sm0.5Yb0.1)2(Zr0.7Ce0.4)2O7.4. These results imply that the thermophysical properties of (Sr0.1La0.3Sm0.5Yb0.1)2(Zr0.7Ce0.4)2O7.3 are better than that of (La0.4Sm0.5Yb0.1)2(Zr0.7Ce0.4)2O7.4 as the material for the ceramic layer in the TBC system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the effects of alternative splicing on transcripts encoding membrane proteins in 1001 human genes. Out of a total of 464 alternatively spliced genes encoding single-pass transmembrane (TM) proteins, in 188 we observed a splice form that specifically removed the TM domain, producing a soluble protein isoform. For example, in syndecan-4, the new alternative splice form closely parallels the proteolytic ectodomain shedding previously shown in this protein, and recognized as an important regulatory mechanism of receptor function. While many of the soluble isoforms produced by alternative splicing have already been validated, most are novel, and in 57 genes showed a statistically significant association (P-value<0.01) with a specific tissue. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]