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CdIn 2 S 4 nanosheets ornamented ZnSn(OH) 6 microsquares (CIS/ZSOH) heterostructures were devised and fabricated using an easy hydrothermal procedure. The specimens were characterized exhaustively using diverse technologies and used to produce hydrogen. Compared with CdIn 2 S 4 and ZnSn(OH) 6 , CIS/ZSOH heterostructures presented remarkably superior photocatalytic activities. In addition, CIS/ZSOH-35% exhibited the optimized hydrogen production amount of 4 mmol g−1. Also, the reusable constancy of CIS/ZSOH-35% was very prominent. From relevant characterization results, CIS/ZSOH-35% possessed bigger specific surface area, stronger light-absorption ability and higher charge separation efficiency, which would benefit to improve the photocatalytic performance. Ultimately, the formation of type II heterojunction by CdIn 2 S 4 and ZnSn(OH) 6 was confirmed by the band structure and UPS analyses. The study might administer a charming approach to modify the broad band gap photocatalysts. [Display omitted] • Novel CdIn 2 S 4 /ZnSn(OH) 6 (CIS/ZSOH) heterostructures were fabricated using an easy hydrothermal approach. • The highest hydrogen production amount of 4 mmol g−1 was achieved over CIS/ZSOH-35%. • A type-II band alignment mechanism was suggested to explicate the enhancement of photocatalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grass carp, one of the major freshwater aquaculture species in China, is susceptible to grass carp reovirus (GCRV). GCRV is a non-enveloped RNA virus and has a double-layered capsid, causing hemorrhagic disease and high mortalities in infected fish. However, the tropism of GCRV infection has not been investigated. In this study, monoclonal antibodies against recombinant VP35 protein were generated in mice and characterized. The antibodies exhibited specific binding to the N terminal region (1–155 aa) of the recombinant VP35 protein expressed in the HEK293 cells, and native VP35 protein in the GCRV-II infected CIK cells. Immunofluorescent staining revealed that viruses aggregated in the cytoplasm of infected cells. In vivo challenge experiments showed that high levels of GCRV-II viruses were present in the gills, intestine, spleen and liver, indicating that they are the major sites for virus infection. Our study showed that the VP35 antibodies generated in this study exhibited high specificity, and are valuable for the development of diagnostic tools for GCRV-II infection. • Monoclonal antibodies against GCRV-II VP35 were generated and characterized. • GCRV-II VP35 monoclonal antibodies could specifically detect GCRV-II in the CIK cells and tissues. • Gills, intestine, spleen and liver of GCRV-II infected grass carp showed high levels of viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bulldozers, pivotal in earthworks, traditionally undergo supervision through labor-intensive and potentially unreliable manual methods. This research proposes a vision-based method for automating the monitoring of bulldozer operations. First, this research develops a specialized dataset for deep learning, the bulldozer earthmoving activity dataset. Following this, a novel multi-task video classification network (MTVTNet), the multi-task video transformer network, utilizing a video swin transformer architecture, is proposed. This network is adept at concurrently detecting the shoveling action, state, and soil classification of a bulldozer. The effectiveness of this model is demonstrated through its application in a real-world construction setting, achieving a remarkable 99.68% mean average precision. This method not only facilitates comprehensive automated supervision of bulldozer earthmoving activities but also serves as a valuable data source for assessing the operational efficiency of these machines. • An automatic method for earthwork activity classification is proposed. • Shoveling action, shoveling status and soil classification are detected simultaneously. • A video multi-task model based on Video Swin Transformer is developed. • Superior detection effects in both general and special scenes are achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research on pedestrian trajectory prediction based on deep learning has made significant progress. However, the previous methods do not deeply explore the relationship between scene information and trajectory. Moreover, the training model requires massive data and only targets specific scenes, so the prediction performance is poor when the new scene samples are limited. To solve the above problems, a meta-inverse reinforcement learning-based framework, dubbed Meta-IRLSOT++, is proposed in this work. IRLSOT++ improves the solid baseline IRLSOT, and the main contributions are as follows: (1) An inverse reinforcement learning framework is introduced to explore the trajectory–scene association to achieve task-level scene understanding, enhancing the correlation between trajectory and scene. The trajectory heat maps describing pedestrians dynamic characteristics are leveraged to align better the trajectory and scene semantic segmentation predicted by TopFormer. (2) A Transformer-based encoder–decoder network is proposed to fuse the trajectory and plan cues for better generating multi-modal trajectories with multi-head attention. The social graph attention and pseudo-oracle predictor are introduced to capture pedestrians' social interactions and intent states, ameliorating trajectory prediction performance. (3) Meta-learning is leveraged to achieve collaborative training based on IRLSOT++ to improve the model generalization in new scenes, enabling fast adaptation of trajectory prediction. Experimental results on the Stanford Drone Dataset (SDD) indicate that IRLSOT++ can precisely forecast future trajectories by improving IRLSOT, decreasing Average Displacement Error/ Final Displacement Error (ADE/FDE) values from 9.66/13.05 to 8.36/12.28. Moreover, the meta-learning strategy quickly adapts IRLSOT++ to the new scene, achieving ADE/FDE values of 7.31/11.02 and 15.42/26.55 when T p r e d is set to 12 and 24, respectively. Both quantitative and qualitative experimental results show that Meta-IRLSOT++ has accuracy and fast adaptability, which is beneficial for real-world trajectory prediction tasks. • We propose Meta-IRLSOT++ to achieve fast adaptation of trajectory prediction. • We resort to IRL to explore the trajectory–scene association for scene understanding. • Trajectory heat maps are used to align the trajectory and scene cues. • Transformer-based encoder–decoder is used to fuse path plan and trajectory. • MAML is introduced to enable the prediction model quickly adapt to the new scene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Childhood overweight and obesity are lifetime risk factors for cardiovascular disease but the relationship between dynamic body mass index (BMI) change and cardiovascular structure and function in early childhood remains unclear.Methods and Results: This cohort study consisted 525 participants with 6 distinct representative growth patterns to examine the associations between BMI growth patterns and subsequent cardiovascular structure and function at age 4. BMIs were obtained at birth, 2 and 4 years old. Cardiovascular assessments were performed, including blood pressure (BP), cardiac geometric parameters, left ventricular (LV) function, speckle-tracking, integrated backscatter analysis and carotid intima-media thickness. Compared to the stable normal BMI pattern, children with the stable overweight (OW) pattern had significantly greater LV anatomic parameters in fully adjusted models. Children with the catch-up (CU) pattern revealed a uniform trend and had poorer strain. LV diameters and integrated backscatter signals were larger for those with BMI gain and lose pattern. Children with BMI lose pattern showed improved tendency involving LV mass index and BP. Both OW and CU patterns were associated with high systolic BP [odds ratio (95% CI): OW: 3.67 (1.08, 12.47); CU: 4.24 (1.75, 10.28)]. Compared to static BMI measurements at birth, 2 and 4 years old, dynamic BMI growth patterns were more predictive of cardiovascular structure and function at 4.Conclusions: Children with overweight-related BMI growth patterns in early childhood experienced undesirable cardiovascular functional or structural changes as early as 4 years old, indicating that early intervention is needed and potentially beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A deep-red emission fluorescent probe (DRP-Cys) for Cys based on a hemicyanine scaffold was developed. • A tailed malononitrile group could chromatically shift excitation/emission wavelengths to the deep-red emission range. • The probe could detect Cys with an ultrafast response time of about 1 min and a low limit of detection of 10 nM • The probe was also successfully applied for visualizing endogenous Cys in living HeLa cells and mice. It is still challenging how to selectively and sensitively detect cysteine in living systems which plays crucial roles in many physiological and biological processes. Here, we developed a deep-red emission fluorescent probe (DRP-Cys) for Cys based on a hemicyanine scaffold. A tailed malononitrile group could chromatically shift excitation/emission wavelengths to avoid the limitations such as photo-damage or auto-fluorescence in biological samples. Compared with other amino acids, Cys could trigger the Michael addition reaction to release a dramatic enhancement in fluorescence centering at around 645 nm in DMSO aqueous solution under physiological conditions with an ultrafast response time of about 1 min and a low limit of detection of 10 nM which significantly benefited from the introduction of the malononitrile moiety. The probe was also successfully applied for visualizing endogenous Cys in living HeLa cells and mice with low cytotoxicity and good cell-membrane permeability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Ocean acidification and warming is widely reported to affect the ability of marine bivalves to calcify, but little is known about the underlying mechanisms. In particular, the response of their calcifying fluid carbonate chemistry to changing seawater carbonate chemistry remains poorly understood. The present study deciphers sources of the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in the calcifying fluid of the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) reared at two pH (8.1 and 7.7) and temperature (16 and 22 °C) levels for five weeks. Stable carbon isotopic ratios of seawater DIC, mussel soft tissues and shells were measured to determine the relative contribution of seawater DIC and metabolically generated carbon to the internal calcifying DIC pool. At pH 8.1, the percentage of seawater DIC synthesized into shell carbonate decreases slightly from 83.8% to 80.3% as temperature increases from 16 to 22 °C. Under acidified conditions, estimates of percent seawater DIC incorporation decreases clearly to 65.6% at 16 °C and to 62.3% at 22 °C, respectively. These findings indicate that ongoing ocean acidification and warming may interfere with the calcification physiology of M. edulis through interfering with its ability to efficiently extract seawater DIC to the calcifying front. Highlights • Sources of Mytilus edulis shell carbonate are deciphered through carbon isotopic analysis. • With increasing temperature, the percent metabolic carbon incorporation into shell increases. • Exposure to low pH also results in an increase of metabolic carbon taken up into shell. • Ongoing climate change reduces the ability of M. edulis to extract seawater carbon to calcify. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PRDM14 (PRDI-BF1 and RIZ domain-containing 14), a transcription factor, plays important roles in primordial germ cell specification and embryonic stem cell pluripotency, and supports the maintenance of self-renewal by promoting the expression of stem cell markers while also repressing the expression of differentiation factors. As a proto-oncogene, the ectopic expression of PRDM14 can enhance breast cell growth and reduce breast cell sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs. Conversely, knockdown of PRDM14 expression induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells and restores their sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs. Here, we sought to identify the role of PRDM14 in 293T cells. PRDM14-infected 293T cells exhibited an abnormal morphology, and we found that ectopic expression of PRDM14 inhibits colony formation, cell proliferation and metastasis. In addition, our data indicated that PRDM14 influences the G1/S phase transition of 293T cells by inducing the expression of cell cycle regulators. In conclusion, these results showed that PRDM14 inhibits 293T cell proliferation by influencing the G1/S phase transition and impacts cell migration by regulating the level of MMP/TIMP expression, thus mediating extracellular matrix degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PRDM1 (PR domain containing 1) is a transcriptional repressor that affects the expression of numerous genes involved in cell proliferation, differentiation and metabolism. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying PRDM1-regulated gene expression in the DF-1 cell line remain to be elucidated. In this study, we explored the role of PRDM1 in cell proliferation and cell cycle by forced expression of PRDM1 in DF-1 cells. Our results showed an absence of endogenous PRDM1 in this cell line, while exogenous PRDM1 was specifically localized to the nucleus. Ectopic expression of PRDM1 inhibited DF-1 cell proliferation and altered clonal morphology. Furthermore, PRDM1 overexpression caused an increase in the G0/G1 phase population. The levels of p53 mRNA and the p53-regulated p21 WAF1 and MDM2 genes were significantly increased in DF-1 cells transfected with the PRDM1 expression vector. Examination of the Rb pathway further revealed that Rb, E2F-1 and p15 INK4b alternate reading frame (ARF) mRNA were also significantly increased after transient transfection. Interestingly, the mRNA expression levels of multiple chicken cyclin genes were also increased. These results show that PRDM1 overexpression induced G0/G1 arrest in DF-1 cells through multiple parallel mechanisms, including the p53 and Rb pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Gastrocnemius tendinosis (GT) is one potential cause for posterior knee pain, commonly overlooked on clinical examinations and imaging. This study assesses the frequency of GT on MR imaging in a convenience sample based on a database search and associations with other articular pathologies and clinical findings.Subjects and Methods: With IRB approval, retrospective review was completed on 300 randomly selected MR knee exams performed from February 2009 to June 2010. Following de-identification, axial T2 and sagittal PD images, with or without fat suppression, were reviewed by 2 radiologists. The gastrocnemius tendon femoral attachments were graded as normal, mild (few cysts, thickening, intermediate signal) or severe GT (multiple cysts, marrow edema, tear). Select associated MR findings of internal derangement were documented. Clinical charts were reviewed for clinical presentation, physical exam findings, and select demographics.Results: The inter-observer reliability for presence/grading of GT was very high (kappa statistic=0.97). Frequency of GT was 50.33%, most frequently involving medial head of gastrocnemius (63.6%). Grades of GT were 41.7% and 17.2% for mild and severe respectively. Univariate analysis showed statistically significant relationship between grade of GT with arthrosis (p=0.05) and clinical joint effusion (p=0.02). Multivariate analysis showed higher odds of severe GT for individuals with medial plus lateral GT. Statistical significance was noted for presence of both GT and ACL tear (13.9%; p=0.02).Conclusion: Significant findings of our analysis included GT presented with predominant involvement of medial head of gastrocnemius tendon, mild in severity, strong association with ACL tear, presented frequently as posterior knee pain, limited joint motion and clinical joint effusion. However, there was no statistically significant association between demographic features and medical comorbidities in the patients. Increased understanding of frequency of GT allows more accurate reporting of MR knee exam and systematic search for associated abnormalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the microplastics (MPs) pollution in the offshore of microplastics has gradually become a concerning topic, and the understanding the accumulation of MPs in different tissues of organisms is also an important aspect. MPs can easily affect target tissues and transport related chemicals to humans through the food chain. MPs in the gills and guts of fish in the artificial reef area of Haizhou Bay and adjacent waters were detected in this study. The results showed that MPs were ubiquitous in the gills and guts of 26 species, with average quantities of 3.54 ± 2.14 pieces/fish and 3.00 ± 2.63 pieces/fish, respectively. More than 99% of the plastics were MPs that were less than 5 mm in diameter, with blue fiber being the most common. The number and quantity of MPs in gills were higher than those in guts in different habitat types, living water layers and feeding habits of fish. At the community level, as the body length and body weight increased, the quantity of MPs in the gills and guts showed a slight decreasing trend, and the correlation was not strong (P > 0.05). With increasing trophic levels (TLs), MPs were biomagnified in the guts (Trophic magnification factor, TMF = 1.37), but no change occurred in the gills (TMF = 1.00). We believe that biomagnification of MPs should be obtained by comparing the quantity of MPs in whole organisms rather than only in specific tissues before such conclusions can be defined. We recommend that periodic marine monitoring programs be implemented, as well as research into smaller MPs and even nanoplastics, to assess from the perspective of water, sediments, organisms and ecotoxicology, which will provide useful information for MPs pollution in artificial reefs and help to improve the MPs pollution database in China. • Comparing and analyzing the quantity of MPs in the gills and guts of fishes from different taxonomic groups, diets and habitats • Determining the relationship between body size (body length and body weight) and MPs in the gills and guts of fishes • Exploring whether nondigestive tissues of fishes can accumulate MPs through trophic transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Four brominated aliphatic hydrocarbons (1–4), including a novel brominated ene-tetrahydrofuran named as mutafuran H (1), and five sterols (5–9) were isolated from the South China Sea sponge Xestospongia testudinaria. The structure of 1 was determined on the basis of NMR (1H, 13C NMR, HSQC, HMBC, 1H–1H COSY, and NOESY), MS, and optical rotation analysis. Known compounds were identified by comparison of their NMR data with those reported in the literature. Compounds 1–4, and 6–9 were evaluated for their toxicity against Artemia salina larvae, and anti-acetylcholinesterase activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

: BackgroundWhether the bidirectional Glenn procedure is better performed without the support of cardiopulmonary bypass is still a matter for debate. In this paper we discuss the indications and methods for bidirectional Glenn shunt without cardiopulmonary bypass.: MethodsTwenty patients with complex cyanotic congenital heart defects underwent a bidirectional Glenn shunt without cardiopulmonary bypass between May 2000 and August 2002. There were 10 male and 10 female patients, the mean age was 2.7 ± 2.6 years (range, 3 months to 11 years), and the mean weight was 11.0 ± 6.0 kg (range, 4.5 to 32 kg). The mean transcutaneous oxygen saturation was 74.3% ± 5.7% before the operation. The Glenn shunt was performed under venoatrial or venopulmonary shunt.: ResultsAll patients survived. Mean superior vena cava clamping time was 24.3 ± 4.7 minutes, and mean vena cava pressure was 26.9 ± 5.5 mm Hg during clamping. There were no postoperative neurologic complications. Follow-up echocardiography showed functioning Glenn shunts without any obstruction at the anastomosis.: ConclusionsThe adverse effects of cardiopulmonary bypass could be eliminated by this method. This is an advantage during the postoperative recovery, but patients should be strictly chosen. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A series of SnS 2 /ZnIn 2 S 4 (x -SS/ZIS) photocatalysts with different mass ratios of SnS 2 were prepared by a hydrothermal method. The resulted composites were used for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution under visible light excitation. All the SS/ZIS composites exhibited significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity for H 2 evolution. Obviously, the highest H 2 evolution rate of 769 μmol g−1 h−1 was observed over 2.5-SS/ZIS, which was approximately 10.5 times that of the ZnIn 2 S 4 (73 μmol g−1 h−1). The enhanced photocatalytic performance was attributed to the successful construction of SnS 2 /ZnIn 2 S 4 heterojunctions, leading to rapid charge separation and fast transfer of the photo-generated electrons and holes under light irradiation. On the basis of PL, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), photocurrent measurements and the H 2 evolution tests, a plausible photocatalytic mechanism was proposed. • SnS 2 /ZnIn 2 S 4 composites were synthesized from SnS 2 nanosheets and ZnIn 2 S 4 microspheres. • SnS 2 /ZnIn 2 S 4 heterojunctions enhanced photocatalytic H 2 production under visible light. • Efficient charge separation and transfer at the heterojunctions explained the improved performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine biofouling by the highly invasive Asian date mussel, Musculista senhousia (Benson), has caused devastating ecological and economic consequences in most coastal seas. Acute and short-term exposure experiments have demonstrated the susceptibility of mussel byssus – a holdfast structure by which mussels strongly adhere to underwater substrates, to pH. Yet, the influence of long-term exposures, especially across multiple generations, is largely unknown. Here, we evaluated transgenerational effects of pH on byssal threads secreted by M. senhousia , and compared byssus performance in absence versus presence of predators. If no predation occurred, neither pH nor transgenerational exposure significantly affected the number, length and diameter of byssal threads. Under predation risk, mussels, even exposed to low pH, significantly enhanced byssus production. In particular, individuals originating from parents grown under low conditions produced significantly more, longer and stronger byssal threads compared with those spawn from parents exposed to high pH, demonstrating positive transgenerational effects which can confer mussel byssus resilience at low pH. Given the energetically expensive nature of byssus production, these observations can be in line with previously documented plasticity of energy metabolism arose following transgenerational exposure to low pH, which allows mussels to allocate more energy to fulfill the synthesis and secretion of byssal proteins. Our findings demonstrate the remarkable ability of highly invasive fouling mussel species to respond plastically and adapt behaviorally to low pH and hence provide important implications for linking marine biofouling, biological invasion, and coastal acidification. Image 1 • Neither pH nor transgeneration affected mussel byssus if no predation occurred. • Under predation risk mussels rapidly increased their byssus production. • Transgenerational effects of pH on mussel byssus is evident. • Mussels have remarkable ability to cope with low pH. Transgenerational plasticity to low pH shown in highly invasive fouling mussels may facilitate their further invasion and fouling in an acidifying ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ocean acidification can negatively impact marine bivalves. Pivotal to projecting their fate is the ability to acclimate and adapt to shifts in seawater chemistry. Transgenerational plasticity enables marine bivalves to acclimate, yet the underlying mechanisms at different levels of biological organization remain poorly understood. Here, we performed a transgenerational experiment to understand biochemical responses of the Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum , following exposure to moderately reduced seawater pH (from 8.1 to 7.7). Activities of tissue calcification-relevant enzymes, such as carbonic anhydrase (CA), acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), energy-metabolizing enzymes, such as Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) and Ca2+/Mg2+-ATPase (CMA), as well as tissue energy reserves (glycogen, lipid and protein) were assayed. With decreasing seawater pH, adult R. philippinarum exhibited significantly increased CA activity, and especially the clams with a history of transgenerational exposure displaying significantly higher CA activity than those spawned from parents exposed to ambient seawater pH. Yet, ACP and ALP activities remained unaffected. Transgenerational exposure to reduced seawater pH led to significant increases of NKA activity, while no transgenerational response of CMA activity was observed. Tissue glycogen and lipid contents were significantly depleted under acidified conditions regardless of transgenerational exposure. Yet, transgenerational alleviation in the net protein degradation was found. These findings suggest that our current understanding of transgenerational responses is still limited by the achievable time-window possible in the laboratory. While the energetic budget is lower under acidified conditions, there is no evidence of transgenerational recovery in term of energetic budget. Therefore, this work demonstrates that the critical basis of ocean acidification resilience can most likely be explained in energetic terms. Unlabelled Image • Transgenerational exposure to seawater acidification significantly increased the activity of carbonic anhydrase. • A significant decrease of Na+/K+-ATPase activity was seen in transgenerationally acclimated clams under acidified conditions. • Tissue protein degradation was alleviated following transgenerational exposure to seawater acidification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epstein-Barr virus is (EBV) a ubiquitous virus prevalent in 90% of the human population. Transmitted through infected saliva, EBV is the causative agent of infectious mononucleosis (IM) and is further implicated in malignancies of lymphoid and epithelial origins. In the past few decades, research efforts primarily focused on dissecting the mechanism of EBV-induced oncogenesis. Here, we present an alternate facet of the oncovirus EBV, on its applications in research and therapy. Finally, discussions on the prospective utilization of EBV in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) diagnosis and therapy will also be presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukin (IL) 20 is a multifunctional cytokine and plays a vital role in regulating autoimmune diseases, inflammation, and immune responses. IL-20 homologs have been described in fish. However, due to the lack of antibodies, cellular sources and immunological functions of fish IL-20 in response to infections have not been fully characterized. In this study, a monoclonal antibody (mAb) was generated against the recombinant grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) IL-20 protein and characterized by immunoblotting, immunofluorescent microscopy and flow cytometry. It was shown that the IL-20 mAb specifically recognized recombinant IL-20 proteins expressed in the E. coli cells and HEK293 cells. Using confocal microscopy, the IL-20+ cells were identified in the head kidney, gills and intestine of grass carp, and induced after infection with Aeromonas hydrophila. Moreover, the IL-20 protein was found to be secreted mainly by CD3γδ T cells which were located predominantly in the gill filaments and intestinal mucosa. Taken together, our results suggest that IL-20 producing T cells are required for the mucosal immunity against bacterial infection in fish. • A monoclonal antibody against grass carp IL-20 was generated and characterized. • The IL-20+ cells were induced in the mucosal tissues following infection with Aeromonas hydrophila. • IL-20 was produced by CD3γδ T cells but not monocytes/macrophages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine biofouling by the swiftly spreading invasive mussel (Musculista senhousia) has caused serious ecological and economic consequences in the global coastal waters. However, the fate of this highly invasive fouling species in a rapidly acidifying ocean remains unknown. Here, we demonstrated the impacts of ocean acidification within and across generations, to understand whether M. senhousia has the capacity to acclimate to changing ocean conditions. During the gonadal development, exposure of mussels to elevated p CO 2 caused significant decreases of survival, growth performance and condition index, and shifted the whole-organism energy budget by inflating energy expenses to fuel compensatory processes, eventually impairing the success of spawning. Yet, rapid transgenerational acclimation occurred during the early life history stage and persisted into adulthood. Eggs spawned from CO 2 -exposed mussels were significantly bigger compared with those from non-CO 2 -exposed mussels, indicating increased maternal provisioning into eggs and hence conferring larvae resilience under harsh conditions. Larvae with a prior history of transgenerational exposure to elevated p CO 2 developed faster and had a higher survival than those with no prior history of CO 2 exposure. Transgenerational exposure significantly increased the number of larvae completing metamorphosis. While significant differences in shell growth were no longer observed during juvenile nursery and adult grow-out, transgenerationally exposed mussels displayed improved survival in comparison to non-transgenerationally exposed mussels. Metabolic plasticity arose following transgenerational acclimation, generating more energy available for fitness-related functions. Overall, the present study demonstrates the remarkable ability of M. senhousia to respond plastically and acclimate rapidly to changing ocean conditions. Unlabelled Image • Asian date mussels are sensitive to elevated p CO 2 during gonadal ripening. • Transgenerational phenotypic plasticity occurred through all life history stages. • Maternal provisioning and metabolic adaptation serve as key mechanisms. • Mussels hold the great ability to rapidly adapt to changing ocean conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review focuses on the applications of polygalacturonase (PG), one of the most commercially produced enzymes on the biocatalyst market, in the food, beverage, feed, textile, and paper industries. Most PGs are acidic mesophilic enzymes, as shown by a summary of their biochemical properties. However, the acidic PGs discovered to date are insufficiently effective for industrial applications. The sequence and structural characteristics of thermophilic PGs are analyzed based on the results of extensive discussions regarding the catalytic mechanism and structural characteristics of PGs with shared right-handed parallel β-helical structures. In addition, the molecular modification methods for obtaining thermostable PGs are systematically presented. Notably, the demand for alkaline heat-resistant PGs has increased significantly concurrent with the biomanufacturing industry development. Therefore, this review also provides a theoretical guideline for mining heat-resistant PG gene resources and modifying PG thermostability. [Display omitted] • Summarized the application and challenge of polygalacturonase in industries. • Highlighted the Catalytic mechanism and structural characteristics of PG. • Clarified the progress of molecular modification of PG for industrial applications. • Analyzed the trends and direction of the industrial application of PG modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chemical investigation of the stems of Homalium ceylanicum (Gardner) Benth. (Flacourtiaceae/Salicaceae sensu lato) led to the isolation and structural elucidation of fifteen phenolic glycosides, including two new examples (1 and 2). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analyses including MS, 1D and 2D NMR data, and the known ones were identified by comparison of 1H and 13C NMR data with those reported in the literature. Compounds 1 and 2, together with 3, 4 and 7, are glycosides of 2, 5-dihydroxybenzyl alcohol which are the chemical character of Salicaceae. This study thus provides chemical evidence that supports the genus Homalium placed in Salicaceae sensu lato. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Oral administration of chicken egg yolk immunoglobulin (IgY) has attracted considerable attention as a means of controlling infectious diseases of bacterial and viral origin. Oral administration of IgY possesses many advantages compared with mammalian IgG including cost-effectiveness, convenience and high yield. This review presents an overview of the potential to use IgY immunotherapy for the prevention and treatment of terrestrial and aquatic animal diseases and speculates on the future of IgY technology. Included are a review of the potential application of IgY for the treatment of livestock diseases such as mastitis and diarrhea, poultry diseases such as Salmonella, Campylobacteriosis, infectious bursal disease and Newcastle disease, as well as aquatic diseases like shrimp white spot syndrome virus, Yersina ruckeri and Edwardsiella tarda. Some potential obstacles to the adoption of IgY technology are also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed to detect the genomic DNA of Karenia mikimotoi using a set of four specific primers based on a ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS). The sensitivity of this LAMP assay was 100-fold higher than regular PCR, and its specificity was validated using other algae as a comparison. Two visual detection approaches were feasible to interpret the positive or negative results. This technology may have the potential to aid in forecasting red-tides on the scene because of its high sensitivity, specificity and rapid detection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A demand-side analysis-based gas supply reliability evaluation method is proposed. • The fluctuation characteristics and the effect of user importance is considered. • The method is applied to a real natural gas pipeline network located in China. • The significance of the demand side in the gas supply reliability is elaborated. The fluctuation characteristics of the gas demand and the effect of the user importance are usually ignored in previous gas supply reliability research. With the intent of overcoming these deficiencies, an integrated method based on the demand-side analysis is proposed in this study to assess the gas supply reliability of the large-scale and complex natural gas pipeline network. The method is composed of the establishment of the indicator system, the demand-side analysis, the estimation of the unit failure probability, and the calculation of the gas supply. Among them, the demand-side analysis focuses on the market demand forecasting and user importance research. Moreover, the coupling effect of the user importance, the hydraulic and pressure constraints, and the unit failure on the gas supply calculation is considered. Furthermore, a real natural gas pipeline network located in China is applied to confirm the feasibility of the method. According to the evaluation results of the gas supply reliability, the weakest nodes and key links of the natural gas pipeline network are identified, and the suggestions to improve the gas supply reliability are proposed as well. At last, the significance of the demand side in the gas supply reliability is elaborated and validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones, is vital for vertebrate development and adult homeostasis. Acid α-glucosidase (GAA) is a glycoside hydrolase involved in the lysosomal breakdown of glycogen. Our previous study showed that GAA was highly expressed in mouse pulmonary veins. While whether GAA was involved in angiogenesis remained largely unknown, thus, we performed knockdown experiments both in vivo and in vitro and endothelial cell function experiments to clarify this concern point. We identified that GAA expressed widely at different levels during zebrafish embryonic development and GAA morphants showed excessive angiogenesis of ISV at later stage. In GAA knockdown HUVECs, the migration and tube formation capacity were increased, resulted from the formation of large lamellipodia-like protrusions at the edge of cells. By analyzing autophagic flux, we found that autophagy disorder was the mechanism of GAA knockdown-induced excessive angiogenesis. The block of autophagic flux caused upregulation of Rac1, a small GTPase, and the latter promoted excessive sprouts in zebrafish and enhanced angiogenic behavior in HUVECs. In addition, overexpression of transcription factor E3, a master regulator of autophagy, rescued upregulation of RAC1 and enhanced angiogenic function in GAA-knockdown HUVECs. Also, inhibition of Rac1 partly restored enhanced angiogenic function in GAA-knockdown HUVECs. Taken together, our study firstly reported a novel function of GAA in angiogenesis which is mediated by upregulation of Rac1 induced by autophagy disorder. • GAA deficiency promotes excessive angiogenesis in zebrafish intersegmental vessels. • GAA deficiency enhances migration and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. • GAA deficiency mediated the excessive angiogenesis through autophagy buildup and subsequent upregulation of RAC1. • Regulation of autophagy and inhibition of RAC1 restored the GAA deficiency-mediated excessive angiogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sarcosine is proposed as a critical chemical additive in Cu film slurries. • The complexing mechanisms of sarcosine and Cu are revealed by many tests. • The introduction of sarcosine can improve the polishing performance of the Cu CMP. The planarization property of slurry is a crucial factor in evaluating the quality of the copper (Cu) film chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process. Various chemical additives of amino acids have been widely used in semiconductor and microelectronics industries to develop novel CMP slurries owing to their pollution-free and high-performance characteristics. In this paper, sarcosine was served as a crucial chemical additive in Cu film slurries. Through electrochemical measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Ultraviolet–visible, and Raman spectra tests, it was revealed that sarcosine could react with cupric ions in a ratio of 4:1 to form a stable water-soluble Cu-sarcosine complex, which can accelerate the chemical dissolution of Cu surface during CMP process, and it was also found that the complexing effect was relatively weak. Moreover, various tests on Cu wafers showed that high Cu removal rate (RR), low Cu static etching rate (SER), and ideal surface quality could be realized when sarcosine was used as an auxiliary complexing agent in glycine-based Cu slurries. The purpose of such a study is to find an environmentally friendly chemical additive that can improve the performance of slurry in the manufacturing process of Cu film and other materials used in integrated circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Neither pH nor transgeneration elicited lipid peroxidation. • Antioxidant responses occurred in CO 2 -exposed mussels. • Transgenerational effects alleviated oxidative stress responses. • Transgenerational immunity may occur rapidly in an acidifying ocean. Ocean acidification and marine biofouling, which may interact in the future, pose two major threats to global coastal ecosystems. Yet, the fate of highly invasive fouling species in a rapidly acidifying ocean remains poorly understood, due to lack of information on multigenerational consequences at different levels of biological organization. Here, we investigated antioxidant responses of the mussel, Musculista senhousia , a swiftly spreading invasive fouling species in global coastal waters, following transgenerational exposure to elevated p CO 2. In the face of seawater acidification, M. senhousia without a prior history of transgenerational exposure to elevated p CO 2 showed resistance to lipid peroxidation, but significantly increased activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), indicated oxidative stress responses. However, enhanced transgenerational immunity occurred, as exemplified by observations that mussels originating from parents exposed to elevated p CO 2 exhibited significantly lower activities of SOD, CAT and GPx in comparison to those spawn from parents exposed to ambient p CO 2. Rapid transgenerational acclimation of M. senhousia in terms of reduced oxidative stress responses can likely be linked to the enhanced capacity of maintaining acid-base homeostasis previously demonstrated. These findings provide the first evidence of transgenerational plasticity at the biochemical level in highly invasive fouling bivalve species, and represent a step forward in understanding how they respond and acclimate in an acidifying ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]