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Abstract: Although radiation is considered a risk factor for thyroid cancer, the potential relationship between radiation therapy and the risk of second primary cancer among patients with first primary thyroid cancer has not been evaluated. We identified 26,639 patients with first primary thyroid cancer in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 1973 to 2000. Information on radiation therapy as well as second primary cancers was recorded in SEER. The proportional hazards model was utilized to estimate adjusted risk ratios (RRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to assess the potential association between radiation therapy for thyroid cancer and the risk of second primary cancers. With 270,674.33 person-years of follow-up, 1,896 (7.1%) of the 26,639 patients with first primary thyroid cancer developed second primary cancers. Among the second primaries, 35 occurred in the thyroid. No obvious association was observed between radiation therapy and the overall risk of second primary cancer after ten years of follow-up (RR=1.07, 95% CI=0.88–1.30). However, an increased risk was seen for several cancers, including upper digestive system cancers (RR=1.66, 95% CI=1.07–2.57) and myeloid malignancies (RR=3.26, 95% CI=1.39–7.67). Radiation therapy was associated with reduced second cancer risks for thyroid cancer (RR=0.18, 95% CI=0.04–0.76). Beam radiation might be important to the digestive system, radioactive implants might be associated with the male genital system, radioisotopes might have an effect on myeloid malignancies, and combined beam radiation with radioactive implants or radioisotopes might be related to the increased risk of respiratory system cancers. This study suggests that radiation therapy for patients with first primary thyroid cancer might be associated with an increased risk of developing a second primary cancer in the upper digestive system and second primary myeloid malignancies. Radiation therapy for adult patients with thyroid cancer might be associated with a reduced risk of second primary thyroid cancer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Four ortho hydroxy-amino derivatives have been designed based on the structures of flavonoids to explore the effect of the ortho hydroxy-amino group on the antioxidant properties of molecules, and their bond dissociation enthalpies (BDE), ionization potentials (IP), the highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMO), and spin densities have been calculated. The results reveal that the ortho hydroxy-amino group plays an important role in promoting the antioxidant properties of molecules because of its lowering effect on BDE, IP, and spin density. The derivatives with ortho hydroxy-amino group show stronger antioxidant activity than the derivatives with mono hydroxy or ortho dihydroxy group. Thus, the ortho hydroxy-amino group can be used as another potential functional group to synthesize novel antioxidants as guessed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Yttrium aluminum garnet was synthesized via ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) precursor route. The precursors and the derived oxide powders were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The effect of the molar ratio of EDTA to total metal cation concentration (EDTA/M) on the crystallization behavior of YAG was investigated. For the EDTA/M=1 precursors, YAG was found to crystallize from an amorphous precursor beginning at temperatures of 800°C within 2h in air and completely transformed into YAG at 950°C; a certain amount of hexagonal-YAlO3 co-existed with the YAG phase between 800 and 900°C. For the EDTA/M=0.5 precursors, the phase-pure YAG was obtained at 1000°C for 2h. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study describes an high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC)–UV method for the simultaneous determination of 6β-hydroxycortisol (6β-OHF) and cortisol (F) in human urine and plasma. The within-day relative standard deviation of the three concentrations for both analytes was less than 6.2%. Accuracy determined at three concentrations ranged between 95 and 107%. The extraction recoveries were 64.1±4.3 and 88.1±2.4% at three concentrations for 6β-OHF and F in urine, respectively. The extraction recoveries were 88.7±1.4% at three concentrations for F in plasma. This is the first HPLC method that can simultaneously determine 6β-OHF and F in human urine and plasma and is suitable for routine assessment of the CYP3A activity expressed as 6β-hydroxylation clearance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A series of ammonium-ended alkyl-substituted polyfluorene copolymer with narrow band-gap comonomer benzothiadiazole (BTDZ) and 4,7-di-2-thienyl-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (DBT) were synthesized of by Suzuki polycondensation. The resulting polymers can be processed as an RGB active layer in polymer light emitting devices from environment friendly solvents such as alcohols. It is found out that devices from such polymers show equal or higher external quantum efficiencies (QE) with the high work-function metal cathode such as Al than by using the low work-function (Ca or Ba) cathode. The added BTDZ and DBT units not only change the polymers’ emission color, but also greatly improved the device performances of the polymers, as a result of the suppression of excimer formation which is common to rigid polyelectrolyte chains. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The enzyme glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) detoxifies carcinogenic products of tobacco smoke. This exploratory case-control study evaluates the possible effect modification by the GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphism (replacement of isoleucine by valine at codon 105) on smoking and prostate cancer. Because the Val variant possesses up to a five-fold greater enzymatic activity towards the carcinogenic metabolites of tobacco smoke, the Ile allele is expected to be related to an increase in the risk of prostate cancer among smokers. GSTP1 genotype and epidemiological data were obtained from 122 cases of prostate cancer and 135 healthy males as controls. A logistic regression model was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. The adjusted OR of homozygous Ile compared to other genotypes for prostate cancer was 1.21 (95% CI: 0.61–2.83). Smoking was not significantly associated with prostate cancer with an adjusted OR of 1.56 (95% CI: 0.78–3.12). However, among individuals with the Ile/Ile genotype, smoking was strongly associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer with an adjusted odds ratio of 4.09 (95% CI: 1.25–13.35). A potential multiplicative interaction was suggested between GSTP1 and smoking on the risk of prostate cancer with the adjusted OR for the interaction of 4.52 (95% CI: 1.07–19.17). To our knowledge, this is the first time that a potential effect modification by the GSTP1 Ile/Ile genotype on smoking and the risk of prostate cancer is suggested. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the present study, we examine the neuroprotective role of the external Qi of YXLST in cultured retinal neurons. Primary retinal neuronal cultures were grown from retinas of 0–2-day-old Sprague–Dawley rats. Cultures were treated directly with external Qi of YXLST 30 min prior to H2O2 exposure in most experiments. Cell viability was measured by 3,(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Apoptotic cell death was evaluated by the TdT-mediated digoxigenin-dUTP nick-end labeling TUNEL assay, and by DNA laddering analysis. Northern blot analysis was performed to examine the level of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) gene expression. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) assay was performed to study the PI3K activity. The results showed that treatment of external Qi of YXLST significantly attenuated neuronal death that was induced by 24-h exposure to hydrogen peroxide, and greatly inhibited hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis. External Qi of YXLST also upregulated IGF-I gene expression and increased PI3K activity. These observations indicate that external Qi-mediated IGF-I expression and PI3K signaling could be one of the mechanisms in neuroprotection by YXLST. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cellular energetics and redox status were evaluated in NRK-52E cells, a stable cell line derived from rat proximal tubules. To assess toxicological implications of these properties, susceptibility to apoptosis induced by S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-l-cysteine (DCVC), a well-known mitochondrial and renal cytotoxicant, was studied. Cells exhibited high activities of several glutathione (GSH)-dependent enzymes, including γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase, GSH peroxidase, glutathione disulfide reductase, and GSH S-transferase, but very low activities of γ-glutamyltransferase and alkaline phosphatase, consistent with a low content of brush-border microvilli. Uptake and total cellular accumulation of [14C]α-methylglucose was significantly higher when cells were exposed at the basolateral as compared to the brush-border membrane. Similarly, uptake of GSH was nearly 2-fold higher across the basolateral than the brush-border membrane. High activities of (Na++K+)-ATPase and malic dehydrogenase, but low activities of other mitochondrial enzymes, respiration, and transport of GSH and dicarboxylates into mitochondria were observed. Examination of mitochondrial density by confocal microscopy, using a fluorescent marker (MitoTracker® Orange), indicated that NRK-52E cells contain a much lower content of mitochondria than rat renal proximal tubules in vivo. Incubation of cells with DCVC caused time- and concentration-dependent ATP depletion that was largely dependent on transport and bioactivation, as observed in the rat, on induction of apoptosis, and on morphological damage. Comparison with primary cultures of rat and human proximal tubular cells suggests that the NRK-52E cells are modestly less sensitive to DCVC. In most respects, however, NRK-52E cells exhibited functions similar to those of the rat renal proximal tubule in vivo. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sulfidated nanoscale zero-valent iron (S-NZVI) has attracted significant attention in pollutant remediation due to its higher electron selectivity than NZVI. However, the agglomeration behavior of S-NZVI particle limits its practical application. In this study, S-NZVI was synthesized and dispersed in dendritic mesoporous silica nanospheres (S-NZVI/DMSN) to remove tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) in groundwater. The structural characterization and degradation results illustrated that the dendritic pores of DMSN not only improved the dispersion of S-NZVI particles, but also enhanced the accessibility of pollutants to S-NZVI. The specific surface area of the S-NZVI/DMSN reached 136.2 m2 g-1, which was 2.68 times larger than that of S-NZVI (50.8 m2 g-1). At a S/Fe molar ratio of 0.1 and Si/Fe mass ratio of 1.0, the TBBPA degradation efficiency by S-NZVI/DMSN reached 91.4%, which exceeded that of S-NZVI (66.3%), and the degradation rate constants (0.078 L (mg h)-1) was 2.86 times higher than that of S-NZVI (0.027 L (mg h)-1). The S-NZVI/DMSN could remain high TBBPA degradation performance (76.3%) after even five cyclic degradations. Approximately 70.5% of S-NZVI/DMSN and 1% of S-NZVI successfully passed through the sand column. The much better sustained reactivity and transportability of S-NZVI/DMSN indicated that it could penetrate soil aquifers and degrade TBBPA in groundwater. [Display omitted] • S-NZVI dispersed in the pores of dendritic mesoporous silica nanospheres. • The accessibility and reactivity between S-NZVI and pollutants increased. • S-NZVI/DMSN exhibited better TBBPA degradation performance comparing with S-NZVI. • S-NZVI/DMSN demonstrated high sustained reactivity and transportability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is some ambiguity regarding the fate of Mg during the alkali activation of Mg-rich precursors within the broader field of alkali activated materials (AAMs). The present work addresses this issue by studying the reaction products in AAMs synthesized from (Na-Mg) aluminosilicate glasses. Here, instead of magnesium silicate hydrate (M-S-H) phase, Mg exclusively forms an amorphous magnesium silicate (AMS) phase. Compared to M-S-H, AMS is a more depolymerized phase, which has not previously been well documented. The formation of AMS seems to be driven by the high charge density of the Mg cation which effectively stabilizes the depolymerized silicate species. We also show that the lack of hydrotalcite-group phases is due to aluminum depletion by zeolite formation. This work highlights the need to consider the existence of the AMS phase in Mg-containing AAMs, especially in complex systems, where its identification may be difficult. [Display omitted] • No hydrotalcite-group phase is formed as Al preferentially incorporates into zeolites. • Mg forms an amorphous Mg silicate (AMS) phase. • AMS is a more depolymerized phase when compared to Mg silicate hydrate (M-S-H). • High charge density of Mg effectively stabilizes depolymerized silicates in AMS phase. • Existence of AMS phase should be considered as possibility in Mg-rich AAMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ultrathin cobalt carbide (Co 2 C) nanosheets are firstly employed as photothermal catalysts. • Efficient degradation of mustard-gas simulants (CEES) is realized under solar light. • Catalytic performance of Co 2 C is better than nanocrystalline TiO 2 under identical conditions. • Mechanism of photothermal-driven CEES degradation on Co 2 C is clearly revealed. Here, ultrathin cobalt carbide (Co 2 C) nanosheets are firstly illustrated as effective and robust catalysts toward photothermal degradation of sulfur mustard simulants (e.g., 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide, CEES) under solar light. Under the optimal conditions, the degradation rate of CEES by Co 2 C nanosheets is up to 98 %, which is much higher than the widely used P25 and anatase TiO 2 nanoparticles. Moreover, the degradation performance is comparable or even better than those typical photothermal catalysts, including MnO 2 , MnO x -TiO 2 and Co 3 O 4 , under identical conditions. Experimental evidences and density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the superior activity is attributed to three main reasons: (i) the high photo-to-heat conversion efficiency of Co 2 C enables an elevated surface temperature for chemical bond breaking, (ii) the feasible binding of CEES on Co 2 C surface via Co S and Co Cl coordination promotes the process of degradation, and (iii) the surface hydroxyl groups (OH) on Co 2 C nanosheets favor the degradation of CEES. Obviously, this work provides new insights into practical and large-scale application of transition metal carbides (TMCs) as novel photothermal catalysts in the decontamination of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) under ambient conditions (i.e., solar light and room temperature). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining non-metallic inclusions (NMIs) are essential to engineer ultra-high-strength steel as they play decisive role on performance and critical to probe via conventional techniques. Herein, advanced Synchrotron X-ray absorption coupled with photoemission electron microscopy and first-principles calculations are employed to provide the structure, local bonding structure and electronic properties of several NMI model systems and their interaction mechanism within and the steel matrix. B K-, N K-, Ca L 2,3 - and Ti L 2,3 -edge spectra show that the additional B prefers to result in h-BN exhibiting strong interaction with Ca2+. Such Ca2+-based phases also stabilize through TiN, revealing the irregular coordination of Ca2+. Observed intriguing no interaction between TiN and BN is further supported with the first-principles calculations, wherein unfavorable combination of TiN and h-BN and stabilization of bigger sized Ca2+-based inclusions have been found. These observations can help to optimize the interaction mechanism among various inclusions as well as steel matrix. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics, as an emerging pollutant, are widely spread in the oceans. The sampling method is the most basic and important factor affecting the reported microplastic abundance data. Three sampling methods, most commonly used for microplastic collection, including direct filtration with 0.45 μm pore size membrane, 20 μm sieve pre-concentration followed by 0.45 μm filtration and Manta trawling with a 150 μm mesh size net were studied. The results showed that there were orders of magnitude difference in abundance of microplastic across the three methods with 0.45 μm direct filtration yielding 1600.0–4000.0 items/m3, 20 μm sieve pre-concentration yielding 10.0–50.0 items/m3, and 150 μm trawl net yielding 0.13–0.24 items/m3. The polymer types of microplastic collected by the three methods were similar, but polymer proportions were different. PES and rayon dominated in the samples collected by direct filtration and sieve pre-concentration. PES and PP accounted for a higher proportion in the trawling samples. The abundance and polymer types of microplastics had a clear correlation between direct filtration and sieve pre-concentration (p < 0.05). More microplastic shapes were found in trawling samples. The average and median sizes of microplastics increased with increasing pore or mesh size. According to the size fraction and standard deviation of microplastic size in different samples of each method, the stability of method decreased with increasing pore or mesh size. The trawling method had a higher sampling efficiency, but its stability was weaker than the other two methods. Our results suggested that an appropriate method should be selected upon actual sampling condition and available tools during the research process to improve the credibility of the results. Unlabelled Image • Direct filtration, sieve pre-concentration and trawl net were complementary methods. • Finer filtering mesh gave higher abundance and smaller size of microplastics. • Trawl net was more effective at capturing more shape and types of microplastics. • Trawl net is better at collecting PS foam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CoOOH was used as the ECL quencher probe for the first time. • A new ECL-RET donor-receptor was proposed and fabricated for ultrasensitive detection of PCT. • Dual-quenching system was built to improve sensitivity. • NH 2 -MIL-101 conjugated with g-C 3 N 4 to increase its biocompatibility and emission performance. • The established immunosensor exhibited low detection limit of 3.4 fg mL−1 for PCT. Herein, an ultrasensitive electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensing platform for early diagnosis of procalcitonin (PCT) was developed based on enhancing the stability of ECL signal and dual-quenching strategies. In this proposal, in order to improve the deficient of luminescence signal stability of semiconductor luminescent materials, the chromophore graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4) was loaded onto the MOF material (amine-functionalized MIL-101: NH 2 -MIL-101). Due to the excellent catalytic performance of NH 2 -MIL-101, more ECL reaction intermediate SO 4 - are restored from the co-reactant S 2 O 8 2-, thus the ECL signal of g-C 3 N 4 becomes stronger and more stable. With the aim of achieving detection of trace markers and improving sensor sensitivity, the dual-quenching strategy is carried out, which was achieved as follows: (i) the strong energy transfer between the donor of g-C 3 N 4 @NH 2 -MIL-101 and the acceptor of cobalt oxyhydroxide nanoflakes@gold nanoparticle (CoOOH@Au NPs) rational diminishes the ECL signal of g-C 3 N 4 ; (ii) the perfect spectral overlap with the luminescent matrix achieves efficiency quenching through resonance energy transfer (RET). Benefiting from the ultrastability of luminophore and the reasonable dual quenching effect, the fabricated ECL biosensor presented dominant stability, selectivity and reproducibility accompanied by detection ranges from 0.014 pg/mL to 40 ng/mL and extremely low detection limit of 3.4 fg/mL. Consequently, it is worth believing that this method can provide a potential analytical strategy for trace immunoassay in clinical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land subsidence is a severe geo-hazard in coastal regions and represents a great threat to infrastructure. Based on long-term measurement data, including that for deep compaction from vertical multipoint extensometers, land subsidence and infrastructural settlement from leveling surveys, groundwater levels in multiple confined aquifers, and hydrogeological conditions, this study investigates the effects of groundwater exploitation and recharge on land subsidence and the settlement of infrastructure in Shanghai, China. Further, groundwater exploitation and the consequent responses of piezometric heads in the multiple confined aquifers of Shanghai soft deposits are discussed. Subsequently, regional land subsidence, local deep-soil deformation, and infrastructural settlement are analyzed in terms of groundwater exploitation. It is found that the subsidence pattern is related to the trend of groundwater exploitation and the variation of piezometric heads in the aquifers, which can be roughly divided into three phases. Subsidence funnels could occur, and could be interpreted according to the differences in groundwater exploitation intensity and the spatial variability of lithology. Since the towers of Nanpu Bridge are located within the area of the subsidence funnel, this could be the main reason for the differential settlement of the bridge. • Responses of piezometric-head to groundwater exploitation and recharge in deep confined aquifers are investigated. • Annual land subsidence is discussed in association with the piezometric-head in deep confined aquifers. • Pier settlements of the Nanpu Bridge in urban and suburban are comparatively analyzed. • Measured deep soil deformations are presented to interpret the land subsidence and infrastructure settlements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel polysaccharide (HDPS-4II) specifically binding to ALDOA was isolated from Holotrichia diomphalia. • HDPS-4II was a linear triple-helix glucan composed of ɑ- d -1,4-Glc p and ɑ- d -1,6-Glc p. • HDPS-4II specifically blocked ALDOA enzyme activity in HCC cells. • HDPS-4II markedly inhibited the proliferation of ALDOA high-expressed HCC cells both in vitro and in vivo. • The antitumor effects of HDPS-4II are associated with direct blockage of glycolysis. Aldolase A (ALDOA) facilitated aerobic glycolysis in cancer cells is a potential target in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, only few effective inhibitors of ALDOA have been reported until now. In this research, we found a polysaccharide called HDPS-4II from Holotrichia diomphalia Bates, which can specifically bind to ALDOA with a dissociation constant of 2.86 μM. HDPS-4II with a molecular weight of 19 kDa was a linear triple-helix glucan composed of ɑ- d -1,4-Glc p and ɑ- d -1,6-Glc p in a ratio of 1.0:10.0. HDPS-4II significantly inhibited aldolase enzyme activity, glycolysis, and further inhibited the expression of phosphorylated AMPKα in HCC cells. Through analyzing ALDOA-overexpressing and -knockdown cells, it was confirmed that ALDOA mediated the viability and glycolysis inhibition of HDPS-4II. Moreover, HDPS-4II administration markedly inhibited tumor growth in mice xenografted with HCCs. These findings suggest that HDPS-4II, as an ALDOA antagonist, is a promising remedy in the treatment and prevention of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, the bio-nanocomposite (n-HFP + n-HFS)@ An was developed to simultaneously immobilize Pb, Cd and As in the severely contaminated soil. The immobilization rates of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)/decarbonate-extracted bioavailable Pb, Cd and As were 59.87%, 31.28% and 62.30%, and the immobilization rates of their water-soluble forms were 63.12%, 60.02% and 89.39%, respectively. Moreover, the ten-year acid rain simulated leaching assay showed that the maximum cumulative release contents of Pb, Cd and As in the treated soil samples were decreased by 2.94, 2.46 and 40.60 times, comparing to the un-treated ones. Additionally, the results of SBRC (Solubility Bioaccessibility Research Consortium) revealed that the bioaccessible rates of the three metals in intestinal phase were lower than in gastric phase, and both of them decreased with increasing the immobilization time. The gastric bioaccessibility of Pb, Cd and As had a higher correlation with the contents of water-soluble forms, while the intestinal bioaccessibility was more strongly positively associated with the bioavailable forms. • A novel bio-nanocomposites simultaneously immobilize Pb, Cd and As in soil. • Bioavailable and water-soluble Pb, Cd and As were significantly immobilized. • Immobilized metals were stable in the ten-year acid rain simulated leaching assay. • Gastric bioaccessibility had a higher correlation with water-soluble metals. • Intestinal bioaccessibility was more strongly associated with bioavailable metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoscale grain refinement is a mature and powerful tool to enhance the mechanical and physical properties of metals and alloys. However, similar cases are rarely reported in the widely used semicrystalline polymers. Herein, we demonstrate a feasible strategy to fabricate the ultrafine-grained isotactic polypropylene (iPP) by rapid quenching of stretched melt. The grain refinement happens to regularly arranged nano-lamellae in both thickness and lateral directions, leading to an order of magnitude improvement in the number density of lamellae compared to normal melt crystallization. We have shown that such grain refinement greatly enhances the tensile toughness of iPP material without sacrificing the modulus and strength. Rope-like fracture morphology is observed in the toughened samples after the mechanical tests. It is indicated that the refined crystalline grains with low structural stability probably favor the formation of fibrils. This work provides a generalized approach to mechanically toughen the semicrystalline polymers by grain refinement on the nano-lamellar scale. Image 1 - Rapid quenching of stretched melt leads to a refinement of lamellar crystal in both thickness and lateral directions. - Ultrafine-grained iPP corresponds to an order of magnitude improvement in the number density of lamellae. - Grain refinement on the nano-lamellar scale greatly enhances the tensile toughness of material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The VOCs in Qinling Apis cerana honey are more than that in monofloral honeys. • Chlorogenic acid in A. cerana honey coule effectively inhibited S. Typhimurium LT 2. • The Qinling A. cerana honey could effectively inhibited S. Typhimurium LT 2 in vivo. Apis cerana honey collected from the Qinling Mountains in China has been widely used for its antimicrobial property in traditional Chinese medicine. However, its antibacterial mechanism against Salmonella Typhimurium LT 2 is still uncertain. A total of 52 volatile components were identified using headspace-gas-chromatography-ion-mobility, and Qinling A. cerana honey exhibited more abundant aromas than monofloral honeys. The phenolic extracts of honey sample F exhibited the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (5 mg/mL), and chlorogenic acid exhibited the highest (155.91 ± 0.79 mg/kg), followed by caffeic acid, and rutin. After being treated with the extract, cell membranes of S. Typhimurium LT 2 significantly shrunk and further collapsed. The extract treatment on mice caused a significant decrease in S. Typhimurium LT 2 , and a dramatic increase in the potential prebiotic Lactobacillus in both the caecum and colon. The results demonstrate that the Qinling A. cerana honey extract could effectively inhibit S. Typhimurium in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the inflatable expansion of a flexible compartment of a spacecraft mainly depends on the compressed gas cylinder. However, there are some problems in the technology of compressed gas cylinders, such as large volume, heavy mass and non-environmental protection. In view of the above problems, a new space inflatable deployment system is innovatively proposed in this work. The system mainly includes a gas generating agent formulation with safety, stability, low combustion temperature, slow gas production, environment-friendly and clean, and a gas generator with simple structure, light weight, small volume and a flexible compartment. The gas released from the system is charged into the flexible compartment of the spacecraft smoothly. Then, the spacecraft flexible compartment is used to carry out experiment and the resulting gas was subjected to test. The results show that the main gas produced by the system is clean and nontoxic nitrogen. In addition, the whole expansion process is stable, slow and smooth. It can be seen that the space inflatable deployment system will have a good application in the field of spacecraft. • A novel inflatable expansion system with safety, lightness and high reliability is designed. • A low harmful gas formula is firstly designed with slow combustion rate and stable gas production. • A gas generator with simple structure, light weight and small volume is designed. • The whole process of inflatable expansion is found to be smooth and slow without big fluctuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 3D I-doped Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 /Bi 2 WO 6 heterojunctions were prepared via facile solvothermal method. • DFT reveals that the doping of I can further narrow the band gap of Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 /Bi 2 WO 6. • Z-scheme photocatalytic system was formed by I-doped Bi 2 WO 6 and Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 , respectively. • I-doped Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 /Bi 2 WO 6 composites show superior photocatalytic efficiency. The Bi-based hierarchical multi-component photocatalytic system is an important player in energy and environmental catalysis due to its full-spectrum light absorption and stable separation of photo-generated charges. In this study, a novel family of iodine doped Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 /Bi 2 WO 6 heterojunctions was successfully developed by a facile ionic liquid assisted solvothermal method. A visible light photocatalytic H 2 production rate of 664.5 μmol g−1 h−1 (0.3I-Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 /Bi 2 WO 6 with 3% Pt) has been durably obtained, much higher than those of pristine and undoped counterparts. The photocatalysts are also capable for persistent pollutant and dye degradation. Through electrochemical and spectroscopic tests and density functional theory calculation, the enhanced photocatalytic activity is attributed to formation of the Z-scheme photocatalyst. Therein, the lowered and indirect bandgap and heterojunctional band alignment spontaneously benefit visible light harvesting, electron-hole pair separation, and proton reduction. Besides a facile synthesis for effective photocatalysis, the Z-scheme mechanism is hoped to facilitate the design and realization of similar systems for photocatalytic H 2 evolution and organic hazards decontamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Procalcitonin (PCT) as a disease marker is of great significance in the early diagnosis of septicemia and pyemia. Biosensor have good prospects for analysis and detection of disease markers, but developing highly sensitive detection methods for detecting PCT remains a daunting task. In this paper, we develop a ratiometric electrochemical immunosensor with Au NPs modified SiO 2 -Fc-COOH complex as matrix and UiO-66 loaded with Toluidine blue (TB) as a marker for quantitative detection of procalcitonin (PCT). The SiO 2 modified by APTES not only has a large specific surface area but also contains abundant amino groups, which can be connected to the electrochemical probe of ferrocenecarboxylic acid (Fc-COOH). UiO-66 has the advantages of large specific surface area, high porosity and adjustable structure, which can adsorb toluidine blue electrochemical probe through electrostatic attraction. Measurement and analysis of the prepared immunosensor by Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV) show that the oxidation peak currents of Fc-COOH and TB appear at potentials of 0.30 V and −0.30 V respectively. As the PCT concentration increases, the oxidation peak current of TB increases and the oxidation peak current of Fc-COOH decreases. The ratios (ΔI = ΔI TB /ΔI Fc-COOH) between the double signals could show a certain linear relationship with the concentration of the PCT within a certain range. Under optimal conditions, the linear range of detection obtained by the immunosensor was 1 pg/mL-100 ng/mL and the detection limit was 0.3 pg/mL. In this work, the developed ratiometric electrochemical immunosensor not only provides a simple, reliable and sensitive strategy for quantitative detection of PCT but also provides a useful method for clinical detection of other disease markers. • A ratiometric electrochemical immunosensor was fabricated. • The electrochemical immunosensor utilized DPV. • SiO 2 -Fc–COOH–Au and UiO-66-TB were used as electrochemical signal probes. • The designed immunosensor exhibited low detection limit of 0.3 pg/mL for PCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single event burnout (SEB) of NLDMOSFETs on SOI initiated by pulsed laser irradiation is demonstrated for the first time. The sensitive region of the device for SEB and the effects of reverse voltage and laser energy are explored. The data indicate that the device is most sensitive to laser pulses in the drift region near the P-well. This is influenced by the electric field distribution in the drift region of the LDMOSFET at the time of the laser pulse. The SEB threshold depends on both the applied reverse voltage and the laser pulse energy. The laser pulse energy at a given reverse voltage required to initiate SEB is inversely proportional to the laser spot distance from the P-well. Simulation results for the device drain current following the radiation pulse indicate that the behavior of the npn parasitic bipolar transistor inherent in the LDMOS structure can explain the observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Face recognition success rate is limited by many environmental factors. • Low generalization ability of a single convolutional neural network is disadvantageous. • A new parallel ensemble learning model combines local binary patterns into CNN. • The proposed method is fused with a pedestrian detection model as a hybrid model. • Popular ORL and Yale-B face databases are tested, with accuracies 100% and 97.51%. Face recognition success rate is influenced by illumination, expression, posture change, and other factors, which is due to the low generalization ability of a single convolutional neural network. A new face recognition method based on parallel ensemble learning of convolutional neural networks (CNN) and local binary patterns (LBP) is proposed to solve this problem. It also helps to improve the low pedestrian detection rate caused by occlusion. First, the LBP operator is employed to extract features of the face texture. After that, 10 convolutional neural networks with 5 different network structures are adopted to further extract features for training, to improve the network parameters and get classification result by using the Softmax function after the layer is fully connected. Finally, the method of parallel ensemble learning is used to generate the final result of face recognition using majority voting. By this method, the recognition rates in the ORL and Yale-B face datasets increase to 100% and 97.51%, respectively. In the experiments, the proposed approach is illustrated not only enhances its tolerance to illumination, expression, and posture but also improves the accuracy of face recognition and the poor generalization performance of the model, which is normally caused by the learning algorithm being trapped in a local minimum. Moreover, the proposed method is combined with a pedestrian detection model as a hybrid model for improving the detection rate, which shows in the result that the detection rate is improved by 11.2%. In summary, the proposed approach greatly outperforms other competitive methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heme binds to amyloid β -peptide (A β) in the brain of Alzheimer΄s disease (AD) patients, thus forming heme-A β complexes and leading the characteristic pathological features of AD. The heme-A β complexes reduce O 2 by 2e− to obtain co-reactant H 2 O 2. In this work, two-dimensional graphite-like carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4) was hybridized with heme via π-π interaction to construct an electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor for detection of A β peptides. The capture aptamer was firstly immobilized on the gold electrode, and then incubated with target A β peptides and g-C 3 N 4 -heme. The g-C 3 N 4 -heme-A β composite was subsequently anchored on the electrode and showed a signal-on, label-free ECL emission based on dual co-reactants enhancement attributed to in-situ generated H 2 O 2 and original K 2 S 2 O 8 in PBS buffer. Under the optimum experimental conditions, the ECL biosensor has a sensitive response to A β peptides with a linear range of 10 fM-0.1 μM and a detection limit of 3.25 fM. Considering prominent specificity, reproducibility, and stability, the proposed biosensor was used to assess recovery of A β peptides in human serum and the result was satisfactory. We believe that the established method would offer a useful analytical means for quantifying A β peptides in a biological matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Higher stability CsPbBr x I (3-x) single crystals were synthesized. • The single crystals have good shape and thermal stability. • As iodine content increases, the thermal stability is better. • The single crystal has broad prospects in detectors and optical devices. A simple and rapid method, temperature rising and crystallization, has been used to synthesis single crystals of inorganic perovskite CsPbBr x I (3-x) , which have higher stability than organic perovskite materials. It is indicated that CsPbBr x I (3-x) single crystals have good shape and thermal stability, and the thermal stability is better with the iodine content increases. Increase of iodine element reduces the impurities doping and improves the purity of the single crystal. The results show a great potentially high performance for optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reductive degradability and decomposition pathways of linear perfluorooctanesulfonate (L-PFOS) were investigated in a biomimetic system consisting of Ti(III)-citrate and Vitamin B 12. Biomimetic degradation of L-PFOS could well be described by a first-order exponential decay model. Accompanied by the release of fluoride ion, technical PFOS could not only be transformed to perfluorocarboxylates (PFCAs) and perfluoroalkylsulfonates (PFSAs) with perfluoroalkyl carbon chain length < C8 (thereafter referred as carbon-chain-shortened degradation products), but also be transformed to PFCAs with perfluoroalkyl carbon chain length ≥ C8 (thereafter referred as carbon-chain-lengthened degradation products). Perfluorohexanesulfonate and perfluorotetradecanoate were the most abundant carbon-chain-shortened and -lengthened degradation products of technical PFOS, respectively. Based on the various degradation products detected during biomimetic reduction of linear [1,2,3,4–13C 4 ]-PFOS, the degradation pathways of L-PFOS were proposed as follows: L-PFOS was first reduced to C 8 F 17 • radical by cleavage of C–S bond, and then transformed to PFOA through hydrolysis. However, the carbon-chain-shortened products were not generated through the sequential chain-shortening via C 8 F 17 • radicals and/or L-PFOS, while the carbon-chain-lengthened products were not formed via C 8 F 17 • radicals by stepwise addition of CF 2 moiety. In fact, C 8 F 17 • radical and/or L-PFOS were further reduced to form C n F 2n+1 • (n = 1, 2, 3, 4) radicals, and these radicals were chain-lengthened by stepwise addition of C 4 F 8 moiety and eventually transformed to various degradation products via hydrolysis (PFCAs) or combination reaction with sulfonyl hydroxide (PFSAs). All carbon-chain-lengthened chemicals were first reported as the degradation products during the decomposition of L-PFOS, while carbon-chain-shortened compounds were first identified as the biomimetic reduction products of L-PFOS. Image 1 • L-PFOS degradation can be well described by an exponential decay model • Biomimetic degradation of L-PFOS to short- & long-chain perfluorinated products • Perfluorinated products of L-PFOS were first detected in a biomimetic system [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Gemini surfactants in some cases show higher surface activities than single-chain analogues. • Flexible perfluorinated-ether chains effectively modified gemini cationic surfactants. • Design of environmental friendly surfactants with low limiting surface tensions. This research aims at providing alternatives for long-chain fluorosurfactants, such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and their derivatives. Gemini quaternary ammonium fluorosurfactants with perfluorinated-ether chains were synthesized and their surface tensions were measured. The surface tensions at critical micelle concentration (γ cmc) are at the range of 14.7–23.3 mN/m and among them γ cmc of four perfluorinated-chain surfactants are below 16 mN/m.We found that the flexibility of perfluorinated-ether chains, such as CF 3 (OCF 2) n -, contributed significantly to enhance the surface activities. We also synthesized gemini cationic surfactants with C 6 F 13 CH 2 CH 2 - groups and their γ cmc are between 15.5 to 20.1 mN/m. Good linkage design, such as -(CH 2) n - (where n is odd), -CH 2 CH 2 OCH 2 CH 2 - and 1,2-phenylenebis(methylene), helps for lowering surface energy. The current research provides an approach for discovering non-bioaccumulative surfactants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Owing to the limitations in the current therapeutic strategies for treating HCC, development of novel chemotherapeutic drugs is urgently needed. In the present study, we found that QQM, a newly-synthesized quinolinylmethyl substituted ethylenediamine compound, exhibited anti-HCC effects both in vitro and in vivo. QQM inhibited HCC cell growth and induced G0/G1-phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Our results showed that QQM acted by significantly increasing intracellular reactive oxygen species in HCC cells, which led to cell apoptosis and growth inhibition. Furthermore, QQM treatment resulted in an accumulation of reactive nitric oxide (NO) in HCC cells, and introduction of a NO scavenger, carboxy-PTIO, largely attenuated QQM-induced cytotoxicity. Finally, we found that QQM inhibited growth and induced apoptosis of HCC xenograft tumors in vivo. Taken together, our results indicated that QQM exerted anti-HCC effects by inducing reactive oxygen species and NO accumulation in HCC cells. Thus, QQM exhibits the qualities of a novel, promising anti-tumor candidate for the treatment of HCC. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection causes liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development, but the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the roles and molecular mechanisms of Dystrobrevin-α (DTNA) in HBV-induced liver cirrhosis and HCC pathogenesis. DTNA expression was bioinformatically analyzed using the GEO database. DTNA expression was silenced by transfection with shRNAs. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated by MTT and flow cytometry respectively. The expression of genes in mRNA or protein levels was assessed by quantitative RT-PCR and western blotting. The interaction between proteins was predicted with the String and GCBI online softwares, and then confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation. Animal models were established by injecting nude mice with AVV8-HBV1.3 vector. Bioinformatics analysis showed a significantly increase in DTNA expression in HBV-positive liver cirrhosis and HCC patients. HBV infection caused a significantly increase in DTNA expression in HCC cell lines HepAD38 and HepG2.2.15. DTNA knockdown suppressed proliferation and promoted apoptosis of HBV-infected HepAD38 and HepG2.2.15 cells. HBV induced elevated expression of fibrosis-related genes Collagen II and TGFβ1 in LO-2 cells, which were suppressed by DTNA knockdown. DTNA directly binded with STAT3 protein to promote STAT3 phosphorylation and TGFβ1 expression and repress P53 expression in HBV-infected HepAD38 and LO-2 cells. The DTNA/STAT3 axis was activated during HBV-induced fibrosis, cirrhosis and HCC development in mouse model. DTNA binds with and further activates STAT3 to induce TGFβ1 expression and repress P53 expression, thus promoting HBV-induced liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma progression. • DTNA expression was significantly increased in HBV-induced HCC cells. • DTNA promoted proliferation and repressed apoptosis of HBV-infected HCC cells. • DTNA mediated HBV-induced hepatic cell fibrosis. • DTNA binds with STAT3 to modulate TGFβ1 and P53 in HBV-infected HCC cells. • Increased DTNA/STAT3 axis in HBV-induced liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the frost-induced pipe-soil interaction is very important to address the problem of damage to buried pipelines caused by frost heaving. Herein, a frost heaving experiment was designed to investigate the mechanism of interaction between a buried pipe and frozen soil. Based on the data collected using various sensors, the variations of the soil parameters (such as temperature, water content, soil pressure, and frost heave) and the distributions of the deformation and stress of the pipe were analyzed. Furthermore, the checking calculation of the pipe stress was carried out. The experimental results show that the interaction between the pipe and the soil under frost heaving is a process of coordinated development of various forces and deformations. The pipe is deformed by frost heaving of the soil while the pipe itself restrains the frost heaving. There is a state of dynamic equilibrium between the pipe and the soil. The uneven changes in the internal properties of the soil are related to the restraint of the pipe. For the soil closer to the pipe, when the pipe deformation is small, the pipe restraint on the frost heaving is stronger, the frost heaving force is larger, and the frost heaving is smaller. In addition, the axial stress of a pipe caused by frost heaving can be calculated approximately by the method of bending stress analysis of a beam. The influence of cross-sectional deformation should be considered in the stability calculation of the pipe when the pipe is subjected to large loads. The experimental results can be used as a theoretical reference for pipeline designs in permafrost regions, particularly in the calculation of pipe strength and selection of pipe material. • A frost heaving experiment between a buried pipe and frozen soil was designed. • The mechanism interaction between the pipe and the soil was analyzed by the monitored data. • The interaction is a process of coordinated development of various forces and deformations. • Changes of the interior properties of the soil are related to the restraint of the pipe. • The experimental results can be used as a theoretical reference for pipeline designs in permafrost regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tungsten trioxide hydrate (WO 3 ⋅1/3H 2 O) nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared and applied in visible–light–driven photocatalysis for organic dye degradation. • WO 3 ⋅1/3H 2 O nanoparticles were prepared via a microwave–assisted synthetic pathway. • The WO 3 ⋅1/3H 2 O showed enhanced photocatalytic dye degradation capacity. • The WO 3 ⋅1/3H 2 O exhibited excellent stability and reusability. Tungsten trioxide hydrate (WO 3 ⋅1/3H 2 O) nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared via a microwave–assisted synthetic pathway by using Na 2 WO 4 ·2H 2 O and PdCl 2 as precursors. Microstructure and morphology of as–prepared WO 3 ⋅1/3H 2 O NPs were investigated through X–ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FT–IR) spectra, while porosity and bandgap through specific surface area and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. It was found that Pd2+ ions played a crucial role in the formation of WO 3 ⋅1/3H 2 O NPs, and thus a possible formation mechanism was proposed based on the growth processes. The photocatalytic property of WO 3 ⋅1/3H 2 O NPs was evaluated on the basis of Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation in aqueous solutions under simulated visible irradiation. Photocatalytic experimental results indicated that as–prepared WO 3 ⋅1/3H 2 O NPs exhibited much more superior photocatalytic activity by contrast to that of the commercial WO 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ultrasensitive electrochemical aptasensor was fabricated for detecting Pb2+. • AuPd@Fe-MOFs labeled DNA was firstly applied to produce the electrical signal. • Au@MoS 2 /rGO was utilized as sensing platform to construct the aptasensor. • The aptasensor displayed low detection limit of 0.07 pmol/L for Pb2+ detection. In this work, an electrochemical aptasensor was proposed by using gold-modified molybdenum disulfide/reduced graphene oxide (Au@MoS 2 /rGO) nanocomposite and gold-palladium (AuPd)-modified MIL-88 (Fe) metal-organic frameworks (AuPd@Fe-MOFs) for sensitive detection of lead ions (Pb2+). The 8–17 DNAzyme consisting of a substrate strand (Apt1) and a catalytic strand (Apt2) was used to construct the aptasensor. Au@MoS 2 /rGO nanocomposite was applied as the sensing platform to immobilize the mercapto-group-labeled Apt1. Meanwhile, AuPd@Fe-MOFs was employed to label Apt2, which showed excellent catalytic ability toward H 2 O 2. In the presence of Pb2+, the Apt1 of the DNAzyme was catalytically cut off, decreasing the amount of AuPd@Fe-MOFs. The current response was correlated to the Pb2+concentration, thereby achieving Pb2+ detection. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the fabricated aptasensor showed a highly linear response for Pb2+ in the range from 5.0 pmol/L to 2.0 μmol/L, with a detection limit of 0.07 pmol/L. Additionally, the proposed electrochemical aptasensor exhibited excellent selectivity, stability and reproducibility. Moreover, the proposed aptasensor demonstrated good performance in real water sample analysis, making it promising for use in Pb2+ detection in environmental monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Moho depth in Ordos Block ranges 38 ~ 42 km in the east and deepens to over 44 km in the west. • Paleo-rift structures are revealed by Moho discontinuity and deep gravity gradient fields. • The paleo-rifts should be related to the Meso-Neoproterozoic aulacogens. • Residual Meso-Neoproterozoic strata controlled by the paleo-rifts are distributed from southwest to central Ordos Block. • Five favorable areas are constrained and three types of play are speculated upon the potential Meso-Neoproterozoic petroleum systems. In order to evaluate the potential petroleum system within the Meso-Neoproterozoic strata of the southwest North China Craton (NCC), we explored the deep-buried basal tectonics on the Precambrian basement and the residual sedimentary thickness of the Meso-Neoproterozoic in the Ordos Basin. A combination of geophysical processing methodologies has been conducted. Based on regional seismic exploration, the shallow gravity effects caused by the undulation of the Cenozoic, Jurassic, Carboniferous and Cambrian sedimentary formations were calculated through forward modeling, and eliminated the free-air gravity anomaly by a gravity stripping technique. Subsequently, by using the wavelet multi-scale decomposition method, the deeper gravity effect sourcing from underneath the Meso-Neoproterozoic base was calculated and then eliminated, including the undulation of Paleoproterozoic-Archaean crystalline basement and the lateral density discontinuity of the lower crust. As a result, the residual gravity anomalies caused by the Meso-Neoproterozoic sedimentary formations and the Moho discontinuity of the Ordos Block were both obtained, which was then used for inversion. The inversion results show that the residual Meso-Neoproterozoic strata are mainly distributed in the southwest and northern part of the Ordos Block, and the Moho depth of the Ordos Block averages about 42 km. It ranges from 38 to 42 km in the eastern part and deepens to over 44 km in the west. In addition, there are some detailed deep-structure reflections on the Moho discontinuity. For instance, the parallel-arranged NE-trending anomalous belts in southwest Ordos Block indicate strong crustal extension and mantle uplift. The regional geology indicates that the NE-trending crustal extension is not related to the Cenozoic strike-slip pull-apart process around the Ordos Block, nor the Indosinian Movement in Early Mesozoic, or the cratonic depression in the Paleozoic. However, it highly resembles the NE-oriented paleo-rifts that developed in the Meso-Neoproterozic aulacogens. The residual crustal gravity anomaly eliminates both the shallow disturbance from the sediments and the deep shadow from the mantle. It shows very good consistency with the undulation of the Meso-Neoproterozoic sedimentary basement along a classical interpreted seismic survey line, which validates the correlation between the NE-trending anomalous belts with the basal aulacogen tectonics. According to seismic interpretation, the paleo-rifts within the Precambrian aulacogens occurred during the Mesoproterozoic and continued into the early Neoproterozoic. Huge volumes of sediment filled the rift troughs during the Meso-Neoproterozoic, causing a significant gravity loss on the gravity field, and formed considerable oil–gas exploration potential. Given suitable paleoclimatic conditions, the grabens would have provided a favorable environment for organic-rich shales and source rocks to develop. While the faults controlling the grabens and horsts would have played an important role in the migration and accumulation of hydrocarbons in the potential petroleum system. Combined with paleoclimate and lithofacies paleogeography analysis, five favorable areas are speculated for Meso-Neoproterozoic potential petroleum systems, which are the northwest Yimeng Uplift, the northern Tianhuan Depression, the southern Tianhuan Depression, the southwestern to central Yishaan Slope and the western Weibei Uplift, respectively. Based on lithofacies paleogeography, source rock maturity and organic carbon abundance, it suggests that the favorable petroleum systems within the Proterozoic strata of the Ordos Block were obviously controlled or influenced by the deep paleo-rifts and block faults, which resulted in forming three types of play, called the Weathering Model, the Tilting Model and the Transition Model. In particular, the central to western parts of the Yimeng Uplift and the southern Tianhuan Depression, where the Weathering Model developed, as the Upper Paleozoic coal-bearing source rocks have large hydrocarbon generation potential and good preservation conditions, these two areas should be regarded as important favorable prospecting regions in the Ordos Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurotoxicant exposure by the over intake of manganese (Mn) and crop Mn accumulation related with fertilization and other agronomical measures had attracted wide attentions, while information is limited about variations in grain Mn with geographical changes in both soil and precipitation. A total of 438 wheat-grain site samples were therefore collected from two regions that were categorized by soil pH (non-acidic, pH > 7 and acidic, pH < 7) across the major Chinese wheat production areas, to determine the distribution of grain Mn, the potential Mn risk and the rational grain Mn concentration to human health. Results showed that grain Mn ranged from 13.9 to 98.3 mg kg−1, with an average of 43.7 mg kg−1. On the one hand, soil pH in the acidic region had significantly negative, while annual precipitation had positive influence on grain Mn due to their different effects on soil DTPA-Mn. On the other hand, grain Mn in the non-acidic region insignificantly correlated with soil pH or soil DTPA-Mn, but negatively correlated with annual precipitation. In addition, the yield-dilution effect was not observed in this present study. Simulating assessment showed that long-term consumption of whole wheat grains with high Mn concentrations could cause potential hazards to children, and the upper limits of the daily whole grain Mn intake for local residents at different ages were also recommended. Results from this study could provide insight into rational strategies to curb Mn toxicity to human beings in wheat production areas around the world. Image 1 • Wheat-grain Mn was significantly higher in an acidic than in a non-acidic region. • Soil pH negatively affects wheat-grain Mn in acidic, but not non-acidic region. • Grain Mn negatively correlated with annual precipitation in a non-acidic region. • Consumption with high Mn whole wheat-grain might cause potential risk to children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An anti-leukemia polysaccharide (APS-2I) was isolated from Chinese Angelica root. • The APS-2I digested fraction (G-4) exhibits higher anti-leukemia effect than APS-2I in vitro and vivo. • APS-2I and G-4 bind to Gal-3 with Kd of 9.35 ± 0.3 μM and 1.97 ± 0.7 μM respectively. • Backbone of APS-2I contains 1,4-Gal p A, 1,4-Gal p 6Me,1,3-Rha p , 1,2,6-Man p, 1,6-Gal p and 1,2-Man p. • Branches of APS-2I contains T-Ara f, 1,4-Gal p , 1,3-Ara f , 1,5-Ara f and 1,3,5-Ara f , 1,6-Gal p. Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a potential target for acute myeloid leukemia therapeutics which contains a carbohydrate-recognition domain. However, the development of polysaccharide inhibitors against Gal-3 is insufficient. In this research, we found a polysaccharide from Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, named APS-2I, that can bind to Gal-3 with dissociation constant (Kd) of 9.35 ± 0.3 μM and activate the intrinsic apoptosis pathways to induce leukemia cells apoptosis. APS-2I is a homogeneous polysaccharide with a molecular weight of 7.2 × 105 Da, that composes of mannose, rhamnose, galacturonic acid, glucose, galactose and arabinose with a ratio of 4:5:1:10:23:39. In addition, a galactosidase digested fraction of APS-2I named G-4 showed higher affinity to Gal-3 with the Kd of 1.97 ± 0.7 μM and higher apoptosis inducing effect on leukemia cells, which demonstrated that G-4 contains the bio-active structural region of APS-2I. This study provides effective basis for structural analysis and the anti-leukemia mechanism of Angelica polysaccharide APS-2I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sm2+ and Sm3+ co-doped SrB 4 O 7 could be utilized in several high-level optical devices and fundamental knowledge about the optical behavior of these materials benefits the development of luminescent applications. Herein, we report luminescence and its vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) excitation spectra in samarium doped SrB 4 O 7. Both, Sm2+ and Sm3+ luminescence centers have been examined and distinguished in the emission and the excitation spectra investigated under synchrotron radiation. The contribution of either Sm2+ or Sm3+ emission lines into the emission spectra heavily depended on the excitation energy, and strong f-f transitions of both Sm2+ and Sm3+ were detected. At 10 K, a broad intrinsic luminescence in the UV range was detected and attributed to the radiative transition of either bound or self-trapped exciton in SrB 4 O 7. The optical behavior, including e.g. inter-configurational f-d transitions of Sm(n+) were elucidated with first-principles calculations. Partial density of states well represents the changes of the electronic states that are related to the samarium doping, which in turn explains the emerging features in excitation spectra. In summary, the obtained results clarify the excitation and emission behavior of samarium doped SrB 4 O 7. • Luminescence and VUV excitation spectra of Sm(n+) ions in SrB 4 O 7 are demonstrated. • First principle calculations of Sm2+ and Sm3+ ions in SrB 4 O 7 are performed. • Energy transfer process from SrB 4 O 7 host lattice to Sm(n+) centers are suggested. • Multiplications of electronic excitations region in SrB 4 O 7 is identified. • The excitation spectrum of self-trapped exciton emission in SrB 4 O 7 is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead is a prevalent toxic, nonessential heavy metal that has been considered as a major threat for human health. The intention of this work is to study the complexation of flavonoids (apigenin, chrysin, kaempferol and quercetin) with Pb(II) as well as antioxidant activities. The spectroscopy (AAS, UV–Vis, FT-IR, HPLC-MS, 1H NMR) and density functional theory (DFT) calculation were carried out to analyze complexation of flavonoids with Pb(II). In addition, antioxidant abilities of flavonoids were analyzed by FRAP and ABTS assays. The results of study indicate that complexation abilities of kaempferol and quercetin are stronger than apigenin and chrysin. Additionally, the main complexes are formed by reaction of flavonoids (except quercetin) with Pb(II) in a ratio of 2:1. It is indicated that kaempferol and quercetin have a promising prospect of becoming care ingredients for lead elimination. Image 1 • Quercetin has the strongest complexing ability in reaction with Pb(II). • The stoichiometries of the main complexes (except quercetin) are 2:1. • Kaempferol and quercetin still have strong antioxidant capacities after complexation. • Kaempferol and quercetin could be care ingredients for lead elimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study solved the problem of high value utilization of honeycomb. • 76 bioactive components from hydro-ethanolic extracts of honeycomb (EHB) were tentatively identified by UHPLC-HRMS. • Dominant 14 polyphenols and 17 free fatty acids were quantified in EHB. • Antimicrobial activities test verified that EHB can inhibit G+ and G− bacteria. Honeycomb (Nidus Vespae) as an agri-food waste in bee product industry is in soaring demand for high-value utilization. This study is dedicated to investigate the physicochemical properties, chemical composition, and nutritional value of honeycomb by determination of physicochemical parameters, total phenolic and total flavonoid contents, antioxidant capacity in vitro, and bioactive components. By using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC–HRMS) method, a total of 76 bioactive components from hydro-ethanolic extracts of honeycomb (EHB) were tentatively identified, where the principal ones are polyphenols and fatty acids, which were further quantified by LC–MS and GC–MS, respectively. Moreover, antimicrobial activities test has been conducted, verifying that EHB can inhibit both Gram-negative (G−) bacteria and Gram-positive (G+) bacteria, which is beneficial for the high-value utilization of honeycomb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People are inevitably exposed to phthalates (PEs) ubiquitously existing in environment. Our previous studies, simulating the actual situations of people exposure to PEs, have shown that the sub-chronic exposure to low-doses PEs mixture (MIXPs) impaired reproductive function in male rats. Zinc is an important element in maintaining male reproductive functions. However, it is still unknown whether zinc supplement could mitigate PEs-induced male reproductive toxicity or not with sub-chronic low-dose mixture exposure. This study aimed to explore the effect of zinc supplement on the reproductive toxicity caused by sub-chronic MIXPs exposure (160 mg/(kg•body weight)/d, for 90 days) in male rats, and further to reveal the underlying mechanisms. Testosterone (T), FSH and LH in serum, early toxicity indicators in urine, PIWI proteins (PIWIL1 and PIWIL2) expression in testes and pathological examination were performed for toxicity evaluation. Steroidogenic proteins (17β-HSD, StAR, CYP17A1, P450scc and SRD5A) were measured for mechanisms of exploration. The results indicated that zinc supplement could inhibit the T, LH, FSH level decreases in serum, abolish the effect of 5 early toxicity indicators' levels in urine, restrain the alteration of PIWI proteins expression and improve the constructional injury of testes. These effects might be relevant with the suppressed alteration of the expression of steroidogenic proteins induced by MIXPs in rat testicular cells. This work may offer further insights into reducing health risks of MIXPs exposure. • The study reflects actual integrated exposure to phthalates in repeated dose model. • 5 early toxicity indicators in urine were performed for the toxicity evaluation. • Zinc could inhibit the reproductive toxicity of phthalates' mixture. • The toxic effects of phthalates were associated with androgen metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PPM1D, an oncoprotein, negatively regulates several cancer suppressor pathways. • PPM1D has been found amplified and mutated in many human cancers. • Selective inhibition of PPM1D represents a promising anti-cancer strategy. • Recent progress in PPM1D's relevance to cancers and development of PPM1D inhibitors. A greater understanding of factors causing cancer initiation, progression and evolution is of paramount importance. Among them, the serine/threonine phosphatase PPM1D, also referred to as wild-type p53-induced phosphatase 1 (Wip1) or protein phosphatase 2C delta (PP2C δ), is emerging as an important oncoprotein due to its negative regulation on a number of crucial cancer suppressor pathways. Initially identified as a p53-regulated gene, PPM1D has been afterwards found amplified and more recently mutated in many human cancers such as breast cancer. The latest progress in this field further reveals that selective inhibition of PPM1D to delay tumor onset or reduce tumor burden represents a promising anti-cancer strategy. Here, we review the advances in the studies of the PPM1D activity and its relevance to various cancers, and recent progress in development of PPM1D inhibitors and discuss their potential application in cancer therapy. Consecutive research on PPM1D and its relationship with cancer is essential, as it ultimately contributes to the etiology and treatment of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Highly water-stable and negatively charged UiO-66 TFC membrane was constructed. • The TFC membrane showed high permeability and selectivity for dye and antibiotic. • Antifouling property of UiO-66 TFC membrane presented FRR values higher than 92%. • Size exclusion and electrostatic interaction of UiO-66 TFC membrane were elaborated. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) materials show great potential in wastewater separation applications. In this study, zirconium-based MOFs (UiO-66) were prepared and constructed universal, high-performance, and flexible nanofiltration (NF) membrane for various dyes and antibiotics separation. The substrate was constructed by two-steps, a) doping graphene oxide (GO) sheets into the membrane casting solution containing polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and forming 2D-3D connecting pores by phase immersion conversion method (defined as GO@PAN), b) immersing the GO@PAN substrate into dopamine solution to self-polymerize into chain macromolecules, which obtaining good compatible and flexible substrate (defined as PGP). Moreover, the UiO-66 was synthesized via solvothermal method and subsequently coated onto the PGP substrate by vacuum-assisted filtration. Benefiting from the water stability, porous structure, and negative charge of UiO-66, the outstanding filtration performance of the UiO-66/PGP thin-film composite (TFC) membrane was achieved. The pure water permeability of the UiO-66/PGP TFC membrane was 31.33 ± 0.75 L m−2h−1 bar−1, and the rejection rates for dye (Congo red, Methyl orange, Rhodamine B, and Methylene blue) and antibiotic (Tetracycline hydrochloride, Oxytetracycline, and Ciprofloxacin) were above 94%. Therefore, we further explored the retention mechanism of the UiO-66/PGP TFC membrane for dye and antibiotic separation (size exclusion and electrostatic interaction). More importantly, antifouling properties and long-time stability of the UiO-66/PGP TFC membrane were also evaluated. These results indicated that the prepared UiO-66/PGP TFC membrane is promising for wastewater treatment, separation, and purification in many industrial and pharmaceutical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Qualitative and quantitative analysis of phenolic acids in honey was achieved using HPLC-ECD. • Contents of phenolic acids were decreased after treatment with resins. • Raw honey could be distinguished from resins-treated honey based on chromatographic peak areas. • HPLC-ECD allied chemometrics can be applied for quality control of honey. The adulteration of honey is generally a safety and quality concern for consumers and the industry as a whole. Resin technologies allow harmful substances to enter honey, creating substandard honey, which can enter the market. Thus, it is necessary to identify such illegal products quickly and easily. In this study, HPLC-ECD combined with chemometrics was used to identify raw acacia honey that had been treated with macroporous adsorption resins. The chromatography fingerprints of 46 honey samples were established, and principal component analysis (PCA) and the OPLS-DA identified that differences in some of the chromatographic peaks could be used to distinguish raw from resins-treated raw honeys. 100% correct classification was achieved with test samples, based on the chromatographic peaks identified. These results show that HPLC-ECD, combined with chemometric methods, can identify correctly resins-treated honey and can be applied for the quality control of honey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating evidence has confirmed the involvement of the homeobox (HOX) gene family in carcinogenesis. HOXC11, belongs to the homeobox-C (HOXC) gene cluster, has been reported to play important roles in the development of several cancers. However, its expression and clinical value in pan-cancer remain elusive. Bioinformatics analysis, CCK-8 assay, Flow cytometry and Western blot were used to analyze gene expression and patient survival, cell proliferation, cell apoptosis and protein level, respectively. In this study, we comprehensively analyzed the expression profile and prognostic value of HOXC11 in human pan-cancer using online The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases. HOXC11 was widely up-regulated in tumor tissues when compared with the normal tissues in pan-cancer across nine cancer types. In addition, high mRNA level of HOXC11 predicted poor overall survival (OS) of patients with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), colon adenocarcinoma (COAD), kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC), mesothelioma (MESO) and pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD), respectively. By comparative analysis, we found that HOXC11 was up-regulated and closely correlated patient OS in COAD and KIRC. Functionally, down-regulation of HOXC11 inhibited cell proliferation but promoted apoptosis of COAD and KIRC in vitro. Mechanistically, HOXC11 promoted cell proliferation of COAD and KIRC might by inactivating the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) signaling pathway. Our findings suggest that HOXC11 may act as a tumor driving gene in COAD and KIRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the pharmaceutical development of pregabalin extended-release tablets, an unknown degradant at a relative retention time (RRT) of 11.7 was observed and its nominal amount exceeded the ICH identification threshold in an accelerated stability study. The aim of this study is to identify the structure and investigate the formation mechanism of this impurity for the purpose of developing a chemically stable pharmaceutical product. By utilizing multi-stage LC-MS analysis in conjunction with mechanism-based stress study, the structure of the RRT 11.7 impurity was rapidly identified as a dimeric degradant that is caused by dimerization of two pregabalin molecules with a methylene bridging the two pregabalin moieties. The structure of the dimer was confirmed by 1D and 2D NMR measurement. The formation pathway of the dimeric degradant was also inferred from the mechanism-based stress study, which implicated that the bridging methylene could originate from formaldehyde which might be the culprit that triggers the dimerization in the first place. The subsequent API-excipients compatibility study indicated that the degradant was indeed formed in the compatibility experiments between pregabalin API and two polymeric excipients (PEO and PVPP) that are known to contain residual formaldehyde, but only in the co-presence of another excipient, colloidal silicon dioxide (SiO 2). The kinetic behavior of the degradant formation was also investigated and two kinetic models were utilized based on the Arrhenius and Eyring equations, respectively, to calculate the activation energy (E a) as well as the enthalpy of activation (△H‡), entropy of activation (△S‡), and Gibbs free energy (△G‡) of the degradation reaction. The results of this study would be useful for the understanding of similar dimeric degradant formation in finished products of drug substances containing primary or secondary amine moieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a "signal-off" sandwich electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunosensor was fabricated for ingenious detection of Alzheimer's disease marker β-amyloid (Aβ) based on dual metal-organic frameworks (dual-MOFs), which included NH 2 -UiO-66 and MIL-101. Dual-MOFs with high porosity and plentiful functional groups can increase the biomolecules binding rate, and through the synergy with the different materials can effectively amplify the inherent properties of the material itself. Ru(bpy) 3 2+ was capsulated in NH 2 -UiO-66 as luminophor, the complex possessed steady and excellent luminescence efficiency as well as large specific surface area to load sufficient antibodies. MoS 2 quantum dots (MoS 2 QDs) combined with MIL-101 via Au–S bond. MIL-101@Au–MoS 2 QDs was used for the label of secondary antibodies (Ab 2) to quench the ECL signal of Ru(bpy) 3 2+/NH 2 -UiO-66. The amount of Ab 2 -MIL-101@Au–MoS 2 QDs bound to antigen will gradually accrue with the increase of the concentration of Aβ, which led to "signal-off" for accurate estimation of Aβ. Under optimal conditions, the developed assay for Aβ detection demonstrated a wide linear range of 10−5 ng mL−1 to 50 ng mL−1 and the detection limit was as low as 3.32 fg mL−1 (S/N = 3). The cooperation of dual-MOFs has potential as a universal strategy for quantitative analysis of other targets. Ru(bpy) 3 2+ and MoS 2 QDs simultaneously reacted with tripropylamine (TPA) to consume the co-reactant in the PBS solution, resulting in "Signal off". Image 1 • Dual-MOFs were applied to ECL signal amplification and annihilation. • A "signal-off" method for detecting Aβ was developed. • Ru(bpy) 3 2+/NH 2 -UiO-66 existed excellent ECL signal. • The quenching mechanism of MoS 2 to Ru(bpy) 3 2+ was firstly proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dramatic changes in contact geometry, load, entraining and sliding velocity vectors along contact trajectories of spiral bevel gears may cause significant squeezing action. It suggests that the steady-state analysis at each discrete engaging point cannot effectively describe the tribological behavior in spiral bevel gears. The present study aims to systematically study the transient friction, temperature and contact fatigue behaviors in different contact trajectories for spiral bevel gears based on a newly developed transient mixed EHL model. It shows that the obtained transient friction coefficient is much higher than the steady-state when the gears mesh in the first half of the engagement period. During the entire engagement period, the predicted transient fatigue life is significantly longer than the predicted steady-state fatigue life, which is of importance to the integrated and economical design of spiral bevel gears. The comparison with single half-sine waveform asperity demonstrated that the transient asperity contact pressure is much lower than that in quasi-steady state. The variation of flash temperature appears to be insignificant. Moreover, in different contact trajectories, the weakest point in one engagement period always occurs at a certain point when one teeth pair just finished the engaging-in and another pair of teeth completed engaging-out, and the toe contact exhibits the maximum frictional energy consumption and shortest fatigue life among them. • Transient friction, flash temperature and contact fatigue behaviors for spiral bevel gears are modeled and investigated. • Transient squeezing effect in spiral bevel gears should not be neglected, especially for contact fatigue behavior. • Toe contact should be avoided due to the lubrication breakdown, frictional energy consumption and survival life reduction. • The shortest contact fatigue life occurs at a certain point, and this point is consistent with the weakest point of lubrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dye wastewater treatment by membrane separation technology has obtained extensive attention in recent years. Nevertheless, it was rare for research on the removal of differently charged mixed dyes. In this study, several UiO-66-NH 2 composite membranes were prepared and optimization experiments were conducted. The performance of composite membranes were evaluated by the removal of cationic (Methylene blue, MB), neutral (Rhodamine B, RB), and anionic (Congo red, CR) dyes. The optimization results demonstrated that the UiO-66-NH 2 /graphene oxide (UNG) composite membrane (PUF/PDA/UNG) which was loaded on polyurethane foam modified with polydopamine (PUF/PDA) had the best properties. In filtration experiments, the solution pH exhibited greater effect on the removal efficiency of MB and CR than RB. When NaCl, KCl, CaCl 2 and Na 2 SO 4 coexisted in the dye solution, the removal efficiency of MB by PUF/PDA/UNG membrane were 96.62%, 98.17%, 86.39% and 99.34% respectively. The presence of humic acid showed slight inhibitory effect on the removal of MB by PUF/PDA/UNG membrane (71.93%). The experimental results for mixed dyes filtration showed that PUF/PDA/UNG membrane could effectively remove MB, RB and CR in binary (i.e., MB/RB and RB/CR) and ternary (i.e., MB/RB/CR) systems through secondary filtration. And PUF/PDA/UNG membrane could remove MB and CR simultaneously through one-time filtration in MB/CR binary system. The removal mechanism was mainly attributed to the aggregation of mixed dyes, electrostatic interaction between dye molecules and the membrane surface, and hydrogen bonding. All results suggested that the as-prepared PUF/PDA/UNG membrane have great potential in practical treatment of dye wastewater. Image 1 • Several UiO-66-NH 2 composite membranes loaded on polyurethane foam were fabricated. • PUF/PDA/UNG membrane showed best properties in series of optimization experiments. • PUF/PDA/UNG composite membrane exhibited excellent removal efficiency towards MB. • PUF/PDA/UNG composite membrane could simultaneously remove RB, MB, and CR. • Electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonding were contributed to the dyes removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel PEC signal amplification assay was presented for sensitivity PCT detection. • Zn x Bi 2 S 3+x were used as the sensitizer through the SILAR method modified on to NiTiO 3 rod surface. • The proposed immunosensor owns a large linear range of 0.0005–50 ng mL−1 with a 0.18 pg mL-1 detection limit. • The signal amplification strategy provide applicable to other targets PEC immunosensors. An original signal amplification photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunosensor for procalcitonin detection was fabricated based on Zn x Bi 2 S 3+x sensitized NiTiO 3 nanorods. Using ethylene glycol as medium, the NiTiO 3 nanorods were successfully manufactured after calcination in air atmosphere, the rod-like structure have rough surface that produced benefit to capture lots of functional Zn x Bi 2 S 3+x , the sensitizer sensitized NiTiO 3 on ITO substrate by means of a sequential ionic layer adsorption reaction, and the obtained Zn x Bi 2 S 3+x /NiTiO 3 composites showed an excellent absorption of visible light owing to the matched band gap. By the way, Zn x Bi 2 S 3+x /NiTiO 3 composites as mimic enzyme of glucose oxidase, high sensitivity was achieved due to the generated H 2 O 2 as holes scavenger when glucose added, that promote the photo electrons transfer quickly, further increased the PEC signal. The as prepared sensor showed a large linear range of 0.0001–50 ng·mL−1 with 0.04 pg·mL−1 detection limit. Simultaneously, the signal amplification strategy of this sensor provides applicable to other PEC immunosensors for detection of other targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]