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This study investigated how lncRNA Meg3 affects the onset of puberty in female rats. We determined Meg3 expression in the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axis of female rats at the infancy, prepubertal, pubertal, and adult life stages, using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). We also assessed the effects of Meg3 knockdown on the expression levels of puberty-related genes and Wnt/β-catenin proteins in the hypothalamus, time of puberty onset, levels of reproductive genes and hormones, and ovarian morphology in female rats. Meg3 expression in the ovary varied significantly between prepuberty and puberty (P < 0.01). Meg3 knockdown decreased the expression of Gnrh , and Kiss1 mRNA (P < 0.05) and increased the expression of Wnt (P < 0.01) and β-catenin proteins (P < 0.05) in the hypothalamic cells. Onset of puberty in Meg3 knockdown rats was delayed compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Meg3 knockdown decreased Gnrh mRNA levels (P < 0.05) and increased Rfrp- 3 mRNA levels (P < 0.05) in the hypothalamus. The serum concentrations of progesterone (P 4) and estradiol (E 2) of Meg3 knockdown rats were lower than those in the control animals (P < 0.05). Higher longitudinal diameter and ovary weight were found in Meg3 knockdown rats (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that Meg3 regulates the expression of Gnrh , Kiss- 1 mRNA and Wnt/β-catenin proteins in the hypothalamic cells, and Gnrh , Rfrp- 3 mRNA of the hypothalamus and the serum concentration of P 4 and E 2 , and its knockdown delays the onset of puberty in female rats. • Meg3 was expressed in the hypothalamus, pituitary, and ovary of female rats at different developmental stages. • Vaginal opening in Meg3 knockdown rats was delayed. • Knockdown Meg3 delayed the onset of puberty in rats and the concentration of reproductive hormone in serum. • In vitro, knockdown of Meg3 affected the transcription level of Kiss1 mRNA and Wnt/β-catenin proteins in hypothalamic cells. • In vivo, knockdown of Meg3 affected the transcription level of Gnrh and Rfrp- 3 mRNA in the hypothalamus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Exploration was conducted on MSW coupled with CLG for H 2 production via SR. • The proposed CLG-SR model yields an RSM of 4.17%, verifying its high accuracy. • The product outcomes and H mass flow in CLG-SR were analyzed in detail. • An evaluation for CLG-SR in MSW treatment covered environmental aspects. • The evaluation of MSW treatment in CLG-SR covers economic and energy aspects. Chemical looping gasification combined with steam reforming (CLG-SR) holds great promise for improving energy efficiency and streamlining the production of renewable H 2 and synthetic fuels. In this investigation, the process underwent simulation and analysis using Aspen Plus, offering valuable insights into product outcomes, environmental impacts, and economic performance. The accuracy of the model was validated against experimental results from the literature, yielding a root mean square (RMS) of 4.17 %, thereby demonstrating its high feasibility. The findings demonstrate that within the temperature range of 700–800 °C, H 2 achieves notable selectivity, reaching 60.68 % selectivity at 700 °C. When the steam-to-municipal solid waste (MSW) ratio surpasses 0.9, H 2 demonstrates elevated selectivity. Notably, it is crucial to observe that the selectivity of CO 2 also escalates concurrently with that of H 2. Specifically, at steam-to-MSW ratio (SMR) of 0.9, the selectivity of H 2 attains 60.72 %, whereas the selectivity of CO 2 attains 27.69 %. Under these parameter conditions, H 2 , purified through pressure swing adsorption (PSA), constitutes 68.59 % of the total input H elements, leading to an impressive energy efficiency of 47.76 %. The economic analysis, based on the model, discloses a material consumption of 7.40 tons per ton of H 2 , resulting in a total production cost of 2487.20 USD per ton of H 2. The study bears paramount strategic significance for advancing the in-depth research and development of chemical looping gasification technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and right ventricular (RV) failure have a poor clinical outcome, but the mechanisms of PAH and RV failure development are not totally clear. PAH is associated with reduced NO bioavailability and increased endogenous NOS inhibitor asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA). Dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase-1 (DDAH1) plays a critical role in ADMA degradation. Here we generated a novel DDAH1 deficiency rat strain using the CRISPR-Cas9 technique, and studied the effect of DDAH1 dysfunction on monocrotaline-induced PAH, lung vascular remodeling and RV hypertrophy. DDAH1 knockout resulted in abolished DDAH1 expression in various tissues, and significant increases of plasma and lung ADMA content. DDAH1 knockout has no detectable effect on cardiac and lung structure, and LV function under control conditions in rats. However, DDAH1 knockout significantly aggravated monocrotaline-induced lung and RV oxidative stress, lung vascular remodeling and fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension and RV hypertrophy in rats. DDAH1 KO resulted in significantly greater increases of plasma and lung ADMA content under control conditions. In the wild type rats monocrotaline resulted in significant increases of plasma and lung ADMA contents and reduction of lung eNOS protein content and these changes were more marked in DDAH1 KO rats. Together, our results demonstrated that DDAH1 plays an important role in attenuating monocrotaline-induced lung oxidative stress, pulmonary hypertension and RV hypertrophy in rats. • DDAH1 deficiency results in increase of blood and tissue ADMA in rats. • DDAH1 knockout does not cause spontaneous pulmonary hypertension in rats. • DDAH1 knockout exacerbated MCT-induced decrease of lung NO production in rats. • DDAH1 attenuates MCT-induced lung remodeling and pulmonary hypertension in rats. • DDAH1 attenuates MCT-induced RV oxidative stress, hypertrophy and failure in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The alpine wetlands on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are ecosystems vulnerable to global climate change. It has been recognized that future climate change may have a significant impact on methane (CH 4) emissions from the plateau, while less attention has been paid to predicting temporal and spatial variations in CH 4 emissions from TP natural wetlands. In this study, we used an integrated model framework based on the CH4MOD wetland , TOPMODEL and TEM models to predict CH 4 emissions from potential natural wetlands on the TP under IPCC AR5 scenarios from 2006 to 2100. The model estimates suggest that the mean area-weighted CH 4 fluxes will increase from 4.45 ± 0.42 g m−2 yr−1 in 2006 to 4.79 ± 0.72, 5.99 ± 0.85 and 11.53 ± 1.33 g m−2 yr−1 under 3 Representative Concentration Pathway scenarios (RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios), respectively, by 2100. The dominant drivers stimulating CH 4 emissions are air temperature, precipitation and net primary productivity (NPP). Spatially, CH 4 fluxes and emissions showed a decreasing trend from south to north and from east to west. In response to climate change, a total of 0.42 ± 0.06, 0.54 ± 0.09 and 1.01 ± 0.12 Tg yr−1 of CH 4 emissions will be emitted from the TP's potential natural wetlands by the end of this century under the RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios, respectively. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • An integrated model framework based on CH4MOD wetland , TOPMODEL and TEM was established. • CH 4 fluxes will increase by 7.6%, 27.0% and 124.5% under CMIP5 scenarios by 2100. • The dominant drivers for stimulating CH 4 fluxes are the temperature, precipitation and NPP. • CH 4 fluxes showed decreasing trend from south to north, east to west. • The potential natural wetlands on TP will emit 0.42–1.01 Tg CH 4 under CMIP5 scenarios by 2100. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the heterogeneity of different sub-sectors of clean energy, such as clean fuels, renewable energy and energy efficiency, this paper adopts the time-domain spillover index model, extreme spillover index model, and frequency-domain spillover model to analyze the spillover effects between sub-sector clean energy markets and traditional energy and metal markets under normal conditions, extreme conditions, and frequency-domain conditions. The empirical results highlight three interesting and noteworthy aspects: (1) Clean energy efficiency is almost a net transmitter in normal time domain spillover, extreme spillover, short-term and long-term spillover perspectives, which reveal that clean energy efficiency is the key risk maker among traditional energy, metal and sub-sector clean energy markets, while traditional energy markets and metal markets are the risk recipients. (2) Our results provide evidence that there is a higher spillover effect among these markets under lower and upper extreme market conditions, and there is a significant asymmetry effect between lower and upper conditions. (3) We also find that the spillover effect is long-term dominated, and the contributions to other markets in the short-term and long-term are positively correlated. Our paper focuses on the heterogeneity of spillover effects between different sub-sectors of clean energy and traditional energy and metal markets, which can better understand the market and make reasonable and accurate decisions for investors and regulators. • Spillover effect among traditional energy markets, metal markets and sub-sector clean energy markets. • Time domain spillover, extreme spillover and frequency domain spillover perspective are used. • Clean energy efficiency is the main net transmitter, and is a key risk maker. • The spillover effect is higher and asymmetric under lower and upper conditions. • The dynamic spillover is long-term dominated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the effect of strain on the microstructure and magnetic properties of bulk α-Fe/Nd 2 Fe 14 B nanocomposite magnets produced by a combination of severe plastic deformation at room temperature and subsequent thermal annealing. Experiment results indicate that severe plastic deformation can induce the formation of α-Fe and Nd 2 Fe 14 B nanocrystals in the amorphous matrix and then suppress the formation of metastable intermediate phases during thermal annealing. The volume fraction of α-Fe phase in the magnets increases as the strain increases，and the grain size of α-Fe and Nd 2 Fe 14 B phases significantly decreases. As a result, the bulk magnets made at ε =6.2 show enhanced magnetic properties, ( BH ) max =17.8 MGOe and H c =7.2 kOe, compared with that of directly annealed partially amorphous (Nd-Pr)-Fe-Co-Nb-B, ( BH ) max =12.2 MGOe and H c =6.2 kOe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stacked WO 3 /Ag/WO 3 (WAW) films were employed as both transparent electrodes and electrochromic materials. These nontoxic, low-cost WAW films that were prepared at room temperature exhibited not only low sheet resistance (12.2 Ω/□) and high transmittance (>80%) but also compelling electrochromic performance with high optical contrast (53%) at 650 nm, long-term cycling stability (3000 cycles), and short switching time (coloration time=11 s; bleaching time=10.5 s). The coloration efficiency of the WAW films was 136 cm 2 C –1 , which is higher than those of most electrochromic transition metal oxides. In addition, by utilizing such bi-functional films, the flexible electrochromic film with acceptable performance was obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A new susceptor with a partial-torus groove in the vertical metal organic vapor deposition (MOCVD) reactor by induction heating is presented. By using the finite element method (FEM), it is found that this groove changes the mode of the heat transfer in the susceptor. That is to say, the single mode of the heat conduction in the conventional susceptor is changed to the modes combining the heat conduction and the radiation. By optimizing this susceptor for heating 8-inch substrate, it is observed that compared with the conventional susceptor, the uniformity of the temperature distribution is improved more than 83%. The uniformity of the temperature distribution in the substrate is significantly improved, which will be of benefit to the film growth. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Vaspin has insulin-sensitizing effects, as well as additional beneficial effects on metabolic diseases. However, little is known about the direct effects of vaspin on vascular complications mediated by diabetes. The objective of this study is to determine the efficacy and mechanism of vaspin on hyperglycemia-induced vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) proliferation, chemokinesis and cell signaling. Methods: Rat VSMCs proliferation was determined with 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine cell proliferation assays, chemokinesis was monitored with scratch assays, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was assessed using H2DCFDA and SOD-inhibited reduction of ferricytochrome c assay. Luciferase activity is assayed using a Dual Luciferase Reporter Assay System. Cell signaling is assessed by immunblotting. Results: Vaspin significantly inhibited VSMCs proliferation and chemokinesis, as well as ROS generation and NADPH oxidase activity, induced by high glucose (HG) treatment. Compared with HG, vaspin significantly decreased VSMCs proliferation by 40 ± 8% at 100 ng/ml. Vaspin also decreased ROS production by 16 ± 8% at 100 ng/ml and 30 ± 8% at 300 ng/ml (all P < 0.01). Vaspin significantly abolished HG-induced phosphorylation of oxidase subunits p47phox, Akt, p38, and JNK1/2 without affecting their total levels, and attenuated HG-induced phosphorylation of insulin receptor and its downstream IRS-1 and IRS-2. For downstream targets, NF-κB activity and IκBα phosphorylation were both enhanced significantly after HG stimulation, and these effects were inhibited by vaspin. Vaspin also significantly abolished HG-induced PCNA and cyclin D1 expression. Conclusions: Vaspin inhibits HG-induced VSMCs proliferation and chemokinesis by preventing ROS activation and MAPK, PI3K/Akt, and NF-κB signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]