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• Hyper-Laplacian Sparse Coding model with l 0.2 -norm was found more suitable for fault diagnosis. • The proposed method successfully extracted early bearing fault features. • The traditional kurtogram method is improved by using the square envelope kurtosis, and the interference of random pulse is removed successfully. • A new model-based impulsive wavelets family is adopted in our method, which can accurately match the repetitive impulses caused by bearing faults. It has become a challenge to accurately extract weak bearing fault features from early fault stage. To solve this problem, a novel fault features extraction method called improved Kurtogram and Hyper-Laplacian Sparse Coding (KurHLSC) based on probability sparse coding is proposed in this paper. The originality of the present article lies in the construction of a sparse coding model considering probability and wavelet dictionary, which can effectively decompose sparse fault features even in strong noise. Moreover, in order to eliminate the interference of random pulse on sparse coding model, the improved kurtogram method successfully achieved filtering. The effectiveness of KurHLSC in rolling bearing fault diagnosis is verified by simulation studies and run-to-failure experiments, and the comparison studies showed that KurHLSC has better estimation results than other existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egg yolk phosvitin is the most highly phosphorylated protein found in the nature. The physicochemical properties of phosvitin–resveratrol complexes and their synergistic antioxidant activities in microemulsions were investigated. The particle diameters of microemulsions containing 0.5%, 1.0% and 2.0% phosvitin were 2.660, 0.501 and 0.414 μm, respectively. The emulsifying activity index increased largely from 3.72 to 21.5 m 2 /g with increasing phosvitin concentration from 0.5% to 2.0%. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermal analyses indicated that the microemulsions underwent a conformational change during homogenization. Antioxidant assays showed that phosvitin–resveratrol microemulsions exhibited a higher antioxidant activity than that of phosvitin–resveratrol primary emulsions. The MTT assay indicated that HepG2 cell viability remained higher than 80% at phosvitin concentration below 1.0 mg/ml. This suggested that phosvitin, when coupled with polyphenol, can effectively inhibit lipid oxidation in food emulsions, which provided valuable insights into deep processing and application of egg proteins in food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a prototype mammalian NAD(+)-dependent protein deacetylase that has emerged as a key metabolic sensor in various metabolic tissues. Growing evidence suggests that SIRT1 regulates glucose and lipid metabolism through its deacetylase activity. In this review, we have summarized the recent progress in SIRT1 research with a particular focus on the role of SIRT1 in insulin resistance at different metabolic tissues. Recent data indicate that activated SIRT1 improves the insulin sensitivity of liver, skeletal muscle and adipose tissues and protects the function and cell mass of pancreatic β-cells. These findings suggest that SIRT1 might be a new therapeutic target for the prevention of disease related to insulin resistance, such as metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ca2+ plays a major role in the regulation of signal transduction. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 6 is a Ca2+-selective channel that serves as an important rate-limiting step in the facilitation of Ca2+ entry into cells, but little is known about the regulation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 6 in chickens. In this study, we evaluated the effects of transient receptor potential vanilloid 6 gene interference on the expression of calbindin-D28K, Na+/Ca2+ exchangers, and plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase 1b to investigate the mechanism underlying the regulation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 6. Three hairpin siRNA expression vectors targeting transient receptor potential vanilloid 6 (pSIREN- transient receptor potential vanilloid 6) and a negative control (pSIREN-control) were constructed and transfected into chicken osteoblasts. The mRNA and protein expression levels were evaluated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively. The mRNA expression levels of transient receptor potential vanilloid 6 and calbindin-D28K were reduced by 45.7% (P < 0.01) and 27.9% (P < 0.01), respectively, 48 h after transfection with one of the three constructs (pSIREN- transient receptor potential vanilloid 6-3) compared with the level obtained in the untreated group. There was no significant difference in the mRNA expression levels of Na+/Ca2+ exchangers and plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase 1b. The protein expression levels of transient receptor potential vanilloid 6 and calbindin-D28K were reduced by 40.2% (P < 0.01) and 29.8% (P < 0.01), respectively, 48 h after transfection with pSIREN-transient receptor potential vanilloid 6-3 compared with the level obtained in the untreated group. In conclusion, the vector-based transient receptor potential vanilloid 6-shRNA can efficiently suppress the mRNA and protein expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid 6 in chicken osteoblasts, and transient receptor potential vanilloid 6 regulates the expression of calbindin-D28K during Ca2+ transport. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study proposes a novel component sizing method for electric delivery trucks (EDTs) employing dual motor coupling powertrain (DMCP) to enhance both the energy efficiency and operating profitability. A control-oriented model for the EDT is first established, encompassing the three-mode DMCP dynamics. Variations in component size and mass have been modeled, with consideration of their effects on the load capacity. To maximize the average profit per kilometer over the truck's lifespan, four objective functions are defined to accommodate to the diverse types of cargo being transported. We formulate the optimization problem in a bi-level form, and propose a solution method that combines particle swarm optimization (PSO) handling parameter filtering with iterative dynamic programming (IDP) to minimize energy consumption. Three real-world delivery tests show that component sizing leads to an increase in the average profit per kilometer by 2.62 %–8.10 %. Upon evaluating the impact of powertrain and battery mass/volume on cargo capacity, the battery pricing ceases to impact the sizing of components. However, the electricity price and freight significantly influence the optimal size of components. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis focusing on market price factors underscores the importance of component sizing for maximizing profit, particularly in scenarios where freight costs fluctuate in commercial settings. • Optimal sizing for an electric delivery truck with a dual motor powertrain. • Both size and mass of the components are taken into optimization. • The average lifetime profit per kilometer of the truck is maximized. • Sensitivity of the optimal component size to market price changes is reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Four Massachusetts-type (Mass-type) strains of infectious bronchitis coronavirus (IBV) were compared genetically with the pathogenic M41 and H120 vaccine strains using the complete genomic sequences. The results revealed that strains ck/CH/LNM/091017 and ck/CH/LDL/101212 were closely related to the H120 vaccine, which suggests that they might represent re-isolations of vaccine strains or variants of vaccine strains that have resulted from the accumulated point mutations after several passages in chickens. In contrast, strains ck/CH/LHLJ/07VII and ck/CH/LHLJ/100902 had a close genetic relationship with the pathogenic M41 strain. In addition, molecular markers have been identified that distinguish between field and vaccine (or vaccine-like) Mass-type viruses, which may be able to differentiate between field and vaccine strains for diagnostic purposes. Phylogenetic analysis, and pairwise comparison of full-length genomes and the nine genes, identified the occurrence of recombination events in the genome of strain CK/VH/LHLJ/07VII, which suggests that this virus originated from recombination events between M41- and H120-like strains at the switch site located at the 3′ end of the nucleocapsid (N) genes. To our knowledge, this is the first time that evidence for the evolution and natural recombination under field conditions between Mass-type pathogenic and vaccinal IBV strains has been documented. These findings provide insights into the emergence and evolution of the Mass-type IB coronaviruses and may help to explain the emergence of Mass-type IBV in chicken flocks all over the world. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hyperactivity of presympathetic neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) plays a key role in generating excess sympathetic output in hypertension. However, the mechanisms driving hyperactivity of PVN presympathetic neurons in hypertension are unclear. In this study, we determined the role of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the PVN in augmented glutamatergic input, neuronal excitability and sympathetic outflow in hypertension. The number of CRF or c-Fos immunoreactive neurons and CRF/c-Fos double-labeled neurons in the PVN was significantly greater in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) than in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. Blocking glutamatergic input reduced the CRF-potentiated excitability of spinally projecting PVN neurons. Furthermore, CRF knockdown via Crispr/Cas9 in the PVN decreased the frequencies of spontaneous firing and miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) in spinally projecting PVN neurons in SHRs. In addition, the mRNA and protein levels of CRFR1, but not CRFR2, in the PVN were significantly higher in SHRs than in WKY rats. Blocking CRFR1 with NBI-35965, but not blocking CRFR2 with Antisauvagine-30, reduced the frequencies of spontaneous firing and mEPSCs of spinally projecting PVN neurons in SHRs. Also, microinjection of NBI-35965 into the PVN significantly reduced arterial blood pressure (ABP) and renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) in anesthetized SHRs, but not in WKY rats. However, microinjection of Antisauvagine-30 into the PVN had no effect on ABP or RSNA in WKY rats and SHRs. Our findings suggest that endogenous CRF in the PVN potentiates glutamatergic input and firing activity of PVN presympathetic neurons via CRFR1, resulting in augmented sympathetic outflow in hypertension. • CRF expression and activity of CRF-expressing neurons in the PVN are increased in SHRs. • CRF potentiates the excitability of PVN presympathetic neurons by enhancing glutamatergic input in SHRs. • Endogenous CRF in the PVN potentiates synaptic glutamatergic input to PVN presympathetic neurons in SHRs. • CRFR1, but not CRFR2, in the PVN is critically involved in the heightened sympathetic outflow in SHRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]