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Atherosclerosis continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. The precise evaluation of the extent of an atherosclerotic plaque is essential for forecasting its likelihood of causing health concerns and tracking treatment outcomes. When compared to conventional methods used, nanoparticles offer clear benefits and excellent development opportunities for the detection and characterisation of susceptible atherosclerotic plaques. In this review, we analyse the recent advancements of nanoparticles as theranostics in the management of atherosclerosis, with an emphasis on applications in drug delivery. Furthermore, the main issues that must be resolved in order to advance clinical utility and future developments of NP research are discussed. It is anticipated that medical NPs will develop into complex and advanced next-generation nanobotics that can carry out a variety of functions in the bloodstream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we demonstrate breakdown voltage at 1500 V of GaN on a QST power device. The high breakdown voltage and low current collapse performance can be attributed to the higher quality of GaN buffer layers grown on QST substrates. This is primarily due to the matched coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) with GaN and the enhanced mechanical strength. Based on computer-aided design (TCAD) simulations, the strong electric-field-induced trap-assisted thermionic field emissions (TA-TFEs) in the GaN on QST could be eliminated in the GaN buffer. This demonstration showed the potential of GaN on QST, and promises well-controlled performance and reliability under high-power operation conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plant-specific NAC gene family is one of the largest transcription factor families, participating in plant growth regulation and stress response. Despite extensive characterization in various plants, our knowledge of the NAC family in oat is lacking. Herein, we identified 333 NAC genes from the latest release of the common oat genome. We provide a comprehensive overview of the oat NAC gene family, covering gene structure, chromosomal localization, phylogenetic characteristics, conserved motif compositions, and gene duplications. AsNAC gene expression in different tissues and the response to various abiotic stresses were characterized using RT-qPCR. The main driver of oat NAC gene family expansion was identified as segmental duplication using collinearity analysis. In addition, the functions of AsNAC109 in regulating abiotic stress tolerance in Arabidopsis were clarified. This is the first genome-wide investigation of the NAC gene family in cultivated oat, which provided a unique resource for subsequent research to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for oat stress tolerance and provides valuable clues for the improvement of stress resistance in cultivated oat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: An asthma exacerbation that is not relieved with medication typically requires an emergency room visit (ERV). The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began in Taiwan in January of 2020. The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric ERVs in Taiwan was limited. Our aim was to survey pediatric asthma ERVs in the COVID-19 era; (2) Methods: Data were collected from the health quality database of the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Administration from 2019 to 2021. Air pollution and climatic factors in Taipei were used to evaluate these relationships. Changes in the rates of pediatric asthma ERVs were assessed using logistic regression analysis. Poisson regression was used to evaluate the impact of air pollution and climate change; (3) Results: The rate of pediatric asthma ERVs declined in different areas and at different hospital levels including medical centers, regional and local hospitals. Some air pollutants (particulate matter ≤ 2.5 µm, particulate matter ≤ 10 µm, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide) reduced during the COVID-19 lockdown. Ozone increased the relative risk (RR) of pediatric asthma ERVs during the COVID-19 period by 1.094 (95% CI: 1.095–1.12) per 1 ppb increase; (4) Conclusions: The rate of pediatric asthma ERVs declined during the COVID-19 pandemic and ozone has harmful effects. Based on these results, the government could reduce the number of pediatric asthma ERVs through healthcare programs, thereby promoting children's health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in breast cancer are known as promising predictive biomarkers associated with responses to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy, and they are also prognostic biomarkers associated with progression-free survival. The rate of high vs. low TILs in hormonal receptor 2-positive, HER2-negative (HR+/HER2−), HER2-positive (HER2+), and Triple-negative (TN) patients were compared. The high-TIL cases significantly increased from 18% in HR+ to 37% in HER2+ and 44% in TN. The MRI features among these three subtypes, as well as the features between high- vs. low-TIL cases in each subtype, were compared. The HER2+ cancer patients were more likely to present non-mass enhancement (NME). In the HR+ cohort, high-TIL cases were more likely to result in peritumoral edema. In the TN subjects, high-TIL cases were more likely to present as regular shapes and circumscribed margins. The results of this study suggest that TIL status may be determined from pre-treatment diagnostic MRI to assist in the selection of optimal treatments. A total of 457 patients, including 241 HR+/HER2− patients, 134 HER2+ patients, and 82 TN patients, were studied. The percentage of TILs in the stroma adjacent to the tumor cells was assessed using a 10% cutoff. The low TIL percentages were 82% in the HR+ patients, 63% in the HER2+ patients, and 56% in the TN patients (p < 0.001). MRI features such as morphology as mass or non-mass enhancement (NME), shape, margin, internal enhancement, presence of peritumoral edema, and the DCE kinetic pattern were assessed. Tumor sizes were smaller in the HR+/HER2− group (p < 0.001); HER2+ was more likely to present as NME (p = 0.031); homogeneous enhancement was mostly seen in HR+ (p < 0.001); and the peritumoral edema was present in 45% HR+, 71% HER2+, and 80% TN (p < 0.001). In each subtype, the MR features between the high- vs. low-TIL groups were compared. In HR+/HER2−, peritumoral edema was more likely to be present in those with high TILs (70%) than in those with low TILs (40%, p < 0.001). In TN, those with high TILs were more likely to present a regular shape (33%) than those with low TILs (13%, p = 0.029) and more likely to present the circumscribed margin (19%) than those with low TILs (2%, p = 0.009). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cutter Soil Mixing (CSM) method, a relatively recent innovation, employs twin-wheel milling and profound agitating machinery for wall construction. In an endeavor to scrutinize the displacements and internal support stresses to the support structure during the excavation of a multi-span foundation pit founded upon the CSM method, a two-dimensional finite element model was established, utilizing the Midas GTS NX 2019 V1.2 finite element software. This model was grounded on a multi-span foundation pit excavation endeavor situated in the eastern expanse of China, where steel bracing and the CSM method assumed the preeminent mantle of support. A comprehensive scrutiny encompassed ten distinct working conditions, each juxtaposed and dissected to ascertain the displacements affecting the CSM wall and the forces exerted upon the support system during the foundation excavation process. The research findings manifest a certain interplay between the embedment depth of the CSM wall and the span of the pit excavation in shaping the displacement and support stresses within the supporting structure. While deeper embedment augments the potential for enhanced support outcomes, its efficacy remains constrained. As the embedment depth increases, the internal support moment and lateral displacement of the wall increase slightly. Taking a pit with a shallow embedded CSM wall as an example, wherein both the lateral and vertical displacements experience an ascent followed by a descent, culminating at the juncture of a four-span pit. Likewise, the axial force and bending moment exerted upon the steel supports undergo a similar trajectory, culminating with a two-span pit as the threshold. At the five-span, the maximum lateral displacement of the CSM wall exceeds that observed at the two-span by an increment of 21.14%. These findings offer invaluable insights into the embedment depth of diaphragm walls and the span of pit excavations, wielding profound implications for future undertakings akin to the foundation pits in question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tacrolimus (TAC) and mycophenolic acid (MPA) are commonly used immunosuppressive therapies after renal transplant. Our objective was to quantify TAC and MPA concentrations in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and to evaluate and validate the performance of the methodology. A prospective follow-up cohort study was conducted to determine whether intracellular concentrations were associated with adverse outcomes in renal transplants. Methods: PBMCs were prepared using the Ficoll separation technique and purified with erythrocyte lysis. The cells were counted using Sysmex XN-3100 and then packaged and frozen according to a 50 µL volume containing 1.0 × 106 cells. TAC and MPA were extracted using MagnaBeads and quantified using an LC-MS/MS platform. The chromatography was run on a reversed-phase Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C18 column (1.7 µm, 50 mm × 2.1 mm) for gradient elution separation with a total run time of 4.5 min and a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. Mobile phases A and B were water and methanol, respectively, each containing 2 mM ammonium acetate and 0.1% formic acid. Renal transplant recipients receiving TAC and MPA in combination were selected for clinical validation and divided into two groups: a stable group and an adverse outcome group. The concentrations were dynamically monitored at 5, 7, 14, and 21 days (D5, D7, D14, and D21) and 1, 2, 3, and 6 months (M1, M2, M3, and M6) after operation. Results: Method performance validation was performed according to Food and Drug Administration guidelines, showing high specificity and sensitivity. The TAC and MPA calibration curves were linear (r2 = 0.9988 and r2 = 0.9990, respectively). Both intra-day and inter-day imprecision and inaccuracy were less than 15%. Matrix effects and recoveries were satisfactory. The TAC and MPA concentrations in 304 "real" PBMC samples from 47 renal transplant recipients were within the calibration curve range (0.12 to 16.40 ng/mL and 0.20 to 4.72 ng/mL, respectively). There was a weak correlation between PBMC-C0TAC and WB-C0TAC (p < 0.05), but no correlation was found for MPA. The level of immunosuppressive intra-patient variation (IPV) was higher in PBMC at 77.47% (55.06, 97.76%) than in WB at 34.61% (21.90, 49.85%). During the dynamic change in C0TAC, PBMC-C0TAC was in a fluctuating state, and no stable period was found. PBMC-C0TAC did not show a significant difference between the stable and adverse outcome group, but the level of the adverse outcome group was generally higher than that of the stable group. Conclusions: Compared with conventional therapeutic drug monitoring, the proposed rapid and sensitive method can provide more clinically reliable information on drug concentration at an active site, which has the potential to be applied to the clinical monitoring of intracellular immunosuppressive concentration in organ transplantation. However, the application of PBMC-C0TAC in adverse outcomes of renal transplant should be studied further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multispectral imager (MII), onboard the Sustainable Development Science Satellite 1 (SDGSAT-1), performs detailed terrestrial change detection and coastal monitoring. SDGSAT-1 was launched at 2:19 UTC on 5 November 2021, as the world's first Earth science satellite to serve the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. A vicarious radiometric calibration experiment was conducted at the Dunhuang calibration site (Gobi Desert, China) on 14 December 2021. In-situ measurements of ground reflectance, aerosol optical depth (AOD), total columnar water vapor, radiosonde data, and diffuse-to-global irradiance (DG) ratio were performed to predict the top-of-atmosphere radiance by the reflectance-, irradiance-, and improved irradiance-based methods using the moderate resolution atmospheric transmission model. The MII calibration coefficients were calculated by dividing the top-of-atmosphere radiance by the average digital number value of the image. The radiometric calibration coefficients calculated by the three calibration methods were reliable (average relative differences: 2.20% (reflectance-based vs. irradiance-based method) and 1.43% (reflectance-based vs. improved irradiance-based method)). The total calibration uncertainties of the reflectance-, irradiance-, and improved irradiance-based methods were 2.77–5.23%, 3.62–5.79%, and 3.50–5.23%, respectively. The extra DG ratio measurements in the latter two methods did not improve the calibration accuracy for AODs ≤ 0.1. The calibrated MII images were verified using Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Sentinel-2A MultiSpectral Instrument (MSI) images. The retrieved ground reflectances of the MII over different surface types were cross-compared with those of OLI and MSI using the FAST Line-of-sight Atmospheric Analysis of Hypercubes software. The MII retrievals differed by <0.0075 (7.13%) from OLI retrievals and <0.0084 (7.47%) from MSI retrievals for calibration coefficients from the reflectance-based method; <0.0089 (7.57%) from OLI retrievals and <0.0111 (8.65%) from MSI retrievals for the irradiance-based method; and <0.0082 (7.33%) from OLI retrievals and <0.0101 (8.59%) from MSI retrievals for the improved irradiance-based method. Thus, our findings support the application of SDGSAT-1 data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time-restricted feeding (TRF) has been identified as an approach to reduce the risk of obesity-related metabolic diseases. We hypothesize that TRF triggers a change in nutrient (e.g., dietary fat) absorption due to shortened feeding times, which subsequently alters the fecal microbiome and lipidome. In this report, three groups of C57BL/6 mice were fed either a control diet with ad libitum feeding (16% energy from fat) (CTRL-AL), a high-fat diet (48% energy from fat) with ad libitum feeding (HF-AL), or a high-fat diet with time-restricted feeding (HF-TRF) for 12 weeks. No changes in microbiota at the phylum level were detected, but eight taxonomic families were altered by either feeding timing or dietary fat content. The HF-AL diet doubled the total fecal fatty acid content of the CTRL-AL diet, while the HF-TRF doubled the total fecal fatty acid content of the HF-AL diet. Primary fecal bile acids were unaffected by diet. Total short-chain fatty acids were reduced by HF-AL, but this effect was diminished by HF-TRF. Each diet produced distinct relationships between the relative abundance of taxa and fecal lipids. The anti-obesogenic effects of TRF in HF diets are partly due to the increase in fat excretion in the feces. Furthermore, fat content and feeding timing differentially affect the fecal microbiota and the relationship between the microbiota and fecal lipids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese bahaba (Bahaba taipingensis) is a critically endangered fish species, which can produce sounds like other Sciaenidae species. In this study, sounds produced by sexually mature Chinese bahaba were recorded during the reproduction season for the first time. Two distinct types of sounds were observed during the reproduction season, termed as single drum and fast drum trains calls. Single drum callings occurred as a series of trains with rapid pulses, while fast drum trains callings were mainly made of a single signal. The single drum and fast drum trains had a peak frequency of 77.8 ± 16.2 Hz and 79.1 ± 8.7 Hz, respectively. Statistical analysis suggested significant differences in −3 dB bandwidth, signal duration, and root-mean-square sound pressure levels, except for peak frequency (p < 0.05) between single drum and fast drum trains sounds. Single drum occurred mainly before dawn (period range from 0:00 to 6:00 am) and less frequently after dusk (18:00–24:00 pm), and the fast drum trains occurred after dawn (6:00 am to 12:00 pm) and dusk (18:00 pm to 24:00 pm). Considering the abundance of Chinese bahaba has significantly declined, passive acoustic monitoring provides a non-invasive and low-cost effective tool to monitor sound production during reproduction season, which may help to facilitate aquaculture management and fishery population conservation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerosol optical depth (AOD) is the key parameter for determining the aerosol radiative effects and air quality variation. It is important to quantify nighttime aerosols using satellite-based night light images to understand their diurnal variations. This study selected high-resolution low light images from the Glimmer Imager (GLI) aboard the SDGSAT-1 satellite to examine spatial–temporal changes in night light emitted from the urban surface of Beijing. The radiance observed by SDGSAT-1/GLI was used to discern the AOD changes using the radiance background method (RB) and standard deviation method (SD) based on the characterization of the radiance from artificial light sources. Cloud cleaning processes were conducted to reduce the influence of the cloud cover in the glimmer images of the derived AOD. The results showed that there are good consistencies between the derived AOD results from the remote sensing and nighttime site observations. The radiance background method is better than the standard deviation method for deriving AOD using SDGSAT-1/GLI with the RMSE of its RB (0.0984) being greater than that of the SD (0.7653). The influence of moonlight, atmospheric absorption, and positioning errors on the results is briefly discussed. This paper shows that SDGSAT-1 can obtain relatively reliable night AOD values based on our investigations using the available satellite images taken in winter and spring, and that it has the potential to provide the scientific products of nighttime AOD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread usage of smart devices with various city-centric services speeds up and improves civic life, in contrast to growing privacy and security concerns. Security issues are exacerbated when e-government service providers trade their services within a centralised framework. Due to security concerns, city-centric centralised services are being converted to blockchain-based systems, which is a very time-consuming and challenging process. The interoperability of these blockchain-based systems is also more challenging due to protocol variances, an excessive amount of local transactions that raise scalability and rapidly occupy memory. In this paper, we have proposed a framework for interoperability across various blockchain-based smart city services. It also summarises how independent service providers might continue self-service choices (i.e., local transactions) without overloading the blockchain network and other organisations. A simulated interoperability network is used to show the network's effectiveness. The experimental outcomes show the scalability and memory optimization of the blockchain network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossil fuel carbon dioxide (FFCO2) is a major source of atmospheric greenhouse gases that result in global climate change. Quantification of the atmospheric concentrations and emissions of FFCO2 is of vital importance to understand its environmental process and to formulate and evaluate the efficiency of carbon emission reduction strategies. Focusing on this topic, we summarized the state-of-the-art method to trace FFCO2 using radiocarbon (14C), and reviewed the 14CO2 measurements and the calculated FFCO2 concentrations conducted in the last two decades. With the mapped-out spatial distribution of 14CO2 values, the typical regional distribution patterns and their driving factors are discussed. The global distribution of FFCO2 concentrations is also presented, and the datasets are far fewer than 14CO2 measurements. With the combination of 14C measurements and atmospheric transport models, the FFCO2 concentration and its cross-regional transport can be well interpreted. Recent progress in inverse methods can further constrain emission inventories well, providing an independent verification method for emission control strategies. This article reviewed the latest developments in the estimation of FFCO2 and discussed the urgent requirements for the control of FFCO2 according to the current situation of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Continuous monitoring of tacrolimus (TAC), mycophenolic acid (MPA), and creatinine (Cre) after renal transplantation is vitally important. In this study, we developed a new method based on volumetric absorptive microsampling (VAMS) combined with Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) to simultaneously quantify three analytes including TAC, MPA, and Cre in whole blood. (2) Methods: The VAMS-based UPLC-MS/MS assay used a shared extraction and a single injection to simultaneously quantify the included TAC, MPA, and Cre. Development and validation were carried out following the Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency guidelines for the validation of bioanalytical methods. Moreover, clinical validation for the three analytes was performed in both dried blood spot (DBS) and VAMS. Furthermore, a willingness survey was conducted using the system usability scale (SUS) for renal transplant recipients. (3) Results: The assay was successfully validated for all analytes. No interference, carryover, or matrix effects were observed, and extraction recoveries and process efficiencies were >90.00%. Analysis was unaffected by hematocrit (0.20~0.60, L/L) and anticoagulants (EDTA-2K). Dried VAMS samples were stable for 7 days at ambient temperature and stable for at least 1 month at −20 °C. During clinical validation, the measured TAC, corrected MPA, and Cre concentrations of VAMS samples met the analytical standards (95.00%, 88.57%, and 92.50%). When more stringent clinical acceptance criteria were set, the results obtained by VAMS (90.00%, 71.43%, and 85.00%) better than DBS (77.50%, 62.86%, and 70.00%). Compared with DBS, the survey found that renal transplant recipients are more inclined to use VAMS. (4) Conclusions: A robust extraction and UPLC-MS/MS analysis method in VAMS tips was developed and fully validated for the simultaneous quantification of TAC, MPA, and Cre concentrations. This method provides analytical support for the one-sample remote monitoring of both immunosuppressive drug concentrations and renal function in allo-renal recipients. Based on the good consistency between this method and the routine detection of venous blood samples and higher patient satisfaction than DBS, we believe that VAMS sampling can be a better alternative to venous whole-blood sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in the male population, carrying a significant disease burden. PSA is a widely available screening tools for this disease. Current screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE)-based biosensors use a two-pronged probe approach to capture urinary miRNA. We were able to successfully detect specific exosomal miRNAs (exomiRs) in the urine of patients with prostate cancer, including exomiR-451 and exomiR-21, and used electrochemistry for measurement and analysis. Our results significantly reaffirmed the presence of exomiR-451 in urine and that a CV value higher than 220 nA is capable of identifying the presence of disease (p-value = 0.005). Similar results were further proven by a PAS greater than 4 (p-value = 0.001). Moreover, a higher urinary exomiR-21 was observed in the high-T3b stage; this significantly decreased following tumor removal (p-values were 0.016 and 0.907, respectively). According to analysis of the correlation with tumor metastasis, a higher exomiR-21 was associated with lymphatic metastasis (p-value 0.042), and higher exomiR-461 expression was correlated with tumor stage (p-value 0.031), demonstrating that the present exomiR biosensor can usefully predict tumor progression. In conclusion, this biosensor represents an easy-to-use, non-invasive screening tool that is both sensitive and specific. We strongly believe that this can be used in conjunction with PSA for the screening of prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capsule robots capable of taking wireless power-transfer systems for diagnosis in the intestine enable the ability to avoid invasive detection, which causes damage to tissue. A targeted therapy capsule robot based on a wireless power-transfer system could move actively in the intestine, implementing diseases detection and drug delivery. Compared with traditional telescope, the capsule robot explores without pain to patients. However, the insufficient power supply has become a big issue for a targeted therapy capsule robot. To address this problem, we proposed a new type of three-dimensional spindle-shaped receiving coil that can couple well with unidirectional magnetic fields and supply sufficient energy even when there is a misalignment in position and angle, owing to which the electromagnetic energy decays quickly. The proposed receiving coil could be embedded on the capsule robot, suitable for the capsule size Φ15 mm × 25 mm. To obtain the maximum energy in three-dimensional space, an optimization model was built. The parameters of the receiving coil were optimized and analyzed. Then, the designed receiving coil was verified with an energy-transfer stability analysis based on both attitude angle and position in a bench test. Furthermore, a curved pipe experiment was conducted using a capsule robot prototype with the proposed three-dimensional spindle-shaped receiving coil. The results demonstrated that stable and sufficient power could be supplied by the proposed receiving coil for the capsule robot at any position and any attitude angle between transmitting and receiving coils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satellite passive microwave remote sensing has been extensively used to estimate snow depth (SD) and snow water equivalent (SWE) across both regional and continental scales. However, the presence of forests causes significant uncertainties in the estimations of snow parameters. Forest transmissivity is one of the most important parameters for describing the microwave radiation and scattering characteristics of forest canopies. Although many researchers have constructed models for the functional relationship between forest transmissivity and forest vegetation parameters (e.g., stand growth and accumulation), such relationships are strongly limited by the inversion accuracy of vegetation parameters, forest distribution types, and scale-transformation effects in terms of regional or global scale applications. In this research, we propose a pixel-wise forest transmissivity estimation model (Pixel-wise γ Model) based on long-term series satellite brightness temperature (TB) data for the satellite remote sensing inversion of snow parameters. The model performance is evaluated and applied in SD inversion. The results show that the SD inversion errors RMSE and Bias are 9.8 cm and −1.5 cm, respectively; the SD inversion results are improved by 41% and 84% after using the Pixel-wise γ Model, compared with the forest transmissivity model applied in the GlobSnow v3.0 product. The proposed forest transmissivity model does not depend on forest cover parameters and other ground measurement parameters, which greatly improves its application scope and simplicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residential areas are important for the underlying surface of a city, and the sponge construction of a residential area is a key topic in sponge city construction. Taking the Zi-Jing community as the research case, the SWMM model was established for simulation, and the rainwater runoff control, collection, and utilization were compared and analyzed before and after the implementation of sponge transformation for the designed rainfall conditions of once in 3, 5, 10, 20, and 50 years. The results showed that the water depth of the four outlet pipes was not a full tube at the first peak time. The full duration time was reduced to 1–5 h at the second peak, and the flow reduction rate at the pipe outlet was between 30% and 100%. The water storage of sub-catchments A1, A3, and A4 increased significantly and continued to increase after the peak rainfall occurred, while that of A2 decreased significantly after the transformation after the transformation. For the whole residential area, the surface runoff decreased by 37–47%, while the surface water storage and infiltration increased by 8–14% and 23–39% respectively after reconstruction. The direct storage volume of rainwater in the four sub-catchment areas was filled at least once above a once in 5 years scenario. The main conclusions were as follows: Sponge transformation in residential areas with 17.46% sunken greenbelt and 40.85% permeable pavement, and the time of the pipe outlet in full status can be shortened by 30–200 min in different rainfall return periods. With the increase in the rainfall return period, the improvement range of the infiltration increased from 23.36% to 39.54%, the improvement range of the storage capacity for rainwater decreased from 14.36% to 8.06%, and the reduction degree of surface runoff increased from 37.73% to 47.43%. The water consumption for flushing is about 30 m3 per day for 1000 people, and the rainwater storage volume of 765 m3 in this study can meet the flushing water demand of 5000 residents in the community for 3–5 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring bodily pressure could provide valuable medical information for both doctors and patients. Long-term implantation of in vivo sensors is highly desirable in situations where perception reconstruction is needed. In particular, for fecal incontinence, artificial anal sphincters without perceptions could not remind patients when to defecate and even cause ischemic tissue necrosis due to uncontrolled clamping pressure. To address these issues, a novel self-packaging strain gauge sensor system is designed for in vivo perception reconstruction. In addition, long short-term memory (LSTM) networks, which show excellent performance in processing time series-related features and fitting properties, are used in this article to improve the prediction accuracy of the perception model. The proposed system has been tested and compared with the traditional linear regression (LR) approach using data from in vitro experiments. The results show that the Root-Mean-Square Error (RMSE) is reduced by more than 69%, which demonstrates that the prediction accuracy of the proposed LSTM model is higher than that of the LR model to reach a more accurate prediction of the amount of intestinal content. Furthermore, outcomes of in vivo experiments show that the robustness of the novel sensor system based on long short-term memory networks is verified through experiments with limited data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to explore the impact of the punch structure (number of grooves, area ratio of grooves, depth of grooves and flaring angle) on the loading, torque and metal flow during the rotary extrusion (RE) process via finite element simulation (FEM) software. In order to further verify the simulation results, physical experiments were carried out and the microstructure of Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy after RE deformation was characterized and analyzed. The FEM results indicated that increasing the groove number will increase the amount of shear deformation and promote the metal at the bottom of the punch to flow rapidly to the cylinder wall. The increase in the groove depth would continue to reduce the forming load and increase the strain. However, if the groove depth exceeded 6 mm, an excessive flow-velocity difference would be formed, resulting in the formation of folding defects. The time of metal flow from the bottom of the punch to the cylinder wall would be shortened with the increase in flaring angle. Therefore, a groove number of 8, an area ratio of 64.49%, a groove depth of 6 mm and a flaring angle ranging from 7° to 9° were the optimal parameters of the punch structure to form the Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr cylindrical parts via the RE technique. In addition, the cylinder parts could be formed with good quality according to the optimized FEM results. The cylinder wall from inner region to outer region exhibited gradient microstructure owing to the different metal flow and strain during the RE process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current findings on brain structural alterations in complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) are heterogenous and controversial. This study aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the significant gray matter volume (GMV) abnormalities between patients with CRPS and healthy controls (HCs). A systematic search of the PubMed, Web of Science, and MEDLINE databases was performed, updated through 27 January 2022. A total of five studies (93 CRPS patients and 106 HCs) were included. Peak coordinates and effect sizes were extracted and meta-analyzed by anisotropic effect size–signed differential mapping (AES-SDM). Heterogeneity, sensitivity, and publication bias of the main results were checked by the Q test, jackknife analysis, and the Egger test, respectively. Meta-regression analysis was performed to explore the potential impact of risk factors on GMV alterations in patients with CRPS. The main analysis exhibited that patients with CRPS had increased GMV in the left medial superior frontal gyrus (SFGmedial.L), left striatum, and an undefined area (2, 0, −8) that may be in hypothalamus, as well as decreased GMV in the corpus callosum (CC) (extending to right supplementary motor area (SMA.R), right median cingulate/paracingulate gyri (MCC.R)), and an undefined area (extending to the right caudate nucleus (CAU.R), and right thalamus (THA.R)). Meta-regression analysis showed a negative relationship between increased GMV in the SFGmedial.L and disease duration, and the percentage of female patients with CRPS. Brain structure abnormalities in the sensorimotor regions (e.g., SFGmedial.L, SMA.R, CAU.R, MCC.R, and THA.R) may be susceptible in patients with CRPS. Additionally, sex differences and disease duration may have a negative effect on the increased GMV in SFGmedial.L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optical beam splitter is an essential device used for decoding in quantum key distribution. The impact of optical beam splitters on the security of quantum key distribution was studied, and it was found that the realistic device characteristics closely influence the error rate introduced by the wavelength-dependent attack on optical beam splitters. A countermeasure, combining device selection and error rate over-threshold alarms, is proposed to protect against such attacks. Beam splitters made of mirror coatings are recommended, and the variation of splitting ratio should be restricted to lower than 1 dB at 1260–1700 nm. For the partial attack scenario where the eavesdropper attacks only a portion of the quantum signal, a modified secure key rate formula is proposed to eliminate the revealed information of the attacked portion. Numerical results show that the QKD system adopting this countermeasure exhibits good performance with a secure key rate of over 10 kbps at 100 km and a maximum transmission distance of over 150 km, with only a small difference from the no-attack scenario. Additionally, a countermeasure to monitor the light intensity of different wavelengths is proposed to protect against the wavelength-dependent attack on optical beam splitters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Radiomics analysis of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhages on computed tomography (CT) images has been proven effective in predicting hematoma expansion and poor neurologic outcome. In contrast, there is limited evidence on its predictive abilities for traumatic intraparenchymal hemorrhage (IPH). (2) Methods: A retrospective analysis of 107 traumatic IPH patients was conducted. Among them, 45 patients (42.1%) showed hemorrhagic progression of contusion (HPC) and 51 patients (47.7%) had poor neurological outcome. The IPH on the initial CT was manually segmented for radiomics analysis. After feature extraction, selection and repeatability evaluation, several machine learning algorithms were used to derive radiomics scores (R-scores) for the prediction of HPC and poor neurologic outcome. (3) Results: The AUCs for R-scores alone to predict HPC and poor neurologic outcome were 0.76 and 0.81, respectively. Clinical parameters were used to build comparison models. For HPC prediction, variables including age, multiple IPH, subdural hemorrhage, Injury Severity Score (ISS), international normalized ratio (INR) and IPH volume taken together yielded an AUC of 0.74, which was significantly (p = 0.022) increased to 0.83 after incorporation of the R-score in a combined model. For poor neurologic outcome prediction, clinical variables of age, Glasgow Coma Scale, ISS, INR and IPH volume showed high predictability with an AUC of 0.92, and further incorporation of the R-score did not improve the AUC. (4) Conclusion: The results suggest that radiomics analysis of IPH lesions on initial CT images has the potential to predict HPC and poor neurologic outcome in traumatic IPH patients. The clinical and R-score combined model further improves the performance of HPC prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multiwavelength study of galaxies is important to understand their formation and evolution. Only in the recent past, thanks to the Atacama Large (Sub) Millimeter Array (ALMA), were we able to study the far-infrared (IR) properties of galaxies at high redshifts. In this article, we summarize recent research highlights and their significance to our understanding of early galaxy evolution from the ALPINE survey, a large program with ALMA to observe the dust continuum and 158 μ m C + emission of normal star-forming galaxies at z = 4–6. Combined with ancillary data at UV through near-IR wavelengths, ALPINE provides the currently largest multiwavelength sample of post-reionization galaxies and has advanced our understanding of (i) the demographics of C + emission; (ii) the relation of star formation and C + emission; (iii) the gas content; (iv) outflows and enrichment of the intergalactic medium; and (v) the kinematics, emergence of disks, and merger rates in galaxies at z > 4 . ALPINE builds the basis for more detailed measurements with the next generation of telescopes, and places itself as an important post-reionization baseline sample to allow a continuous study of galaxies over 13 billion years of cosmic time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a compact double-layer microstrip patch antenna with a wide bandwidth of 4.83–6.1 GHz and a gain reaching 4.7 dBi. By folding its mirror image through the electric field symmetry principle of the microstrip antenna, its electrical properties are maintained, and the physical size is halved to the compact size of only 25 × 40 mm2. The proposed antenna has the radiation characteristics of a planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA), which can generate the first resonant frequency and realize omnidirectional radiation characteristics. By coupling and feeding the upper patch, the second resonant frequency of the proposed antenna is produced and the directional radiation characteristics of the microstrip patch antenna can be achieved. The consistency of the results between the simulation and test indicates that the proposed antenna design is an ideal potential choice for home wireless local area network (WLAN) communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital mammography has become a first-line diagnostic tool for clinical breast cancer screening due to its high sensitivity and specificity. Mammographic compression force is closely associated with image quality and patient comfort. Therefore, optimizing breast compression parameters is essential. Subjects were recruited for digital mammography and breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) within a month. Breast MRI images were used to calculate breast volume and volumetric breast density (VBD) and construct finite element models. Finite element analysis was performed to simulate breast compression. Simulated compressed breast thickness (CBT) was compared with clinical CBT and the relationships between compression force, CBT, breast volume, and VBD were established. Simulated CBT had a good linear correlation with the clinical CBT (R2 = 0.9433) at the clinical compression force. At 10, 12, 14, and 16 daN, the mean simulated CBT of the breast models was 5.67, 5.13, 4.66, and 4.26 cm, respectively. Simulated CBT was positively correlated with breast volume (r > 0.868) and negatively correlated with VBD (r < –0.338). The results of this study provides a subject-specific and evidence-based suggestion of mammographic compression force for radiographers considering image quality and patient comfort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to develop new oleanolic acid (OA) derivatives endowed with improved antitumor activities, for the first time, a number of new hybrid compounds were reported by combining OA or 3-oxooleanolic acid with appropriate H2S-donor moiety, coupled via a suitable linker. The anti-tumor evaluation indicated that they exhibited excellent anti-cancer activities against the tested cancer cell lines. Moreover, 18d with 5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3H-1,2-dithiole-3-thione moiety as H2S donor and β-alanine as the linker, showed more potent cytotoxicity against the tested cancer cell lines than OA and 3-oxooleanolic acid, especially for A549 cells. Furthermore, the preferred compound, 18d, preferentially accumulates in cancer cells (13.6 μM) over the matched normal cells LO2 (>100 μM) in vitro. The improved antitumor activity of this hybrid was probably due to its H2S-releasing capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CsGeI3 has been widely studied as an important photoelectric material. Based on the density functional theory (DFT), we use first-principles to study the photoelectric properties of CsGeI3 by applying successive hydrostatic pressure. It has been found that CsGeI3 has an optimal optical band gap value of 1.37 eV when the applied pressure is −0.5 GPa, so this paper focuses on the comparative study of the photoelectric properties when the pressure is −0.5 GPa and 0 GPa. The results showed that CsGeI3 has a higher dielectric value, conductivity, and absorption coefficient and blue shift in absorption spectrum when the pressure is −0.5 GPa. By calculating and comparing the effective masses of electrons and holes and the exciton binding energy, it was found that their values are relatively small, which indicates that CsGeI3 is an efficient light absorbing material. CsGeI3 was found to be stable under both pressure conditions through multiple calculations of the Born Huang stability criterion, tolerance factor T, and phonon spectrum with or without virtual frequency. We also calculated the elastic modulus of both pressure conditions and found that they are both soft, ductile, and anisotropic. Finally, the thermal properties of CsGeI3 under two kinds of pressure were studied. It was found that the Debye temperature and heat capacity of CsGeI3 increased with the increase of thermodynamic temperature, and the Debye temperature increased rapidly after pressure, while the heat capacity slowly increased and finally stabilized. Through the calculation of enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs free energy of CsGeI3, it was found that the Gibbs free energy decreases faster with the increase of temperature without applied pressure, which indicates that CsGeI3 has a higher stability without pressure. Through the comparative analysis of the photoelectric properties of CsGeI3 under pressure, it was found that CsGeI3 after applied pressure is a good photoelectric material and suitable for perovskite solar cells (PSCs) material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composites obtained by bonding materials with the same crystal structure and different chemical compositions can create new functions that do not exist in conventional concepts. We have succeeded in bonding polycrystalline YAG and Nd:YAG ceramics without any interstices at the bonding interface, and the bonding state of this composite was at the atomic level, similar to the grain boundary structure in ceramics. The mechanical strength of the bonded composite reached 278 MPa, which was not less than the strength of each host material (269 and 255 MPa). Thermal conductivity of the composite was 12.3 W/mK (theoretical value) which is intermediate between the thermal conductivities of YAG and Nd:YAG (14.1 and 10.2 W/mK, respectively). Light scattering cannot be detected at the bonding interface of the ceramic composite by laser tomography. Since the scattering coefficients of the monolithic material and the composite material formed by bonding up to 15 layers of the same materials were both 0.10%/cm, there was no occurrence of light scattering due to the bonding. In addition, it was not detected that the optical distortion and non-uniformity of the refractive index variation were caused by the bonding. An excitation light source (LD = 808 nm) was collimated to 200 μm and irradiated into a commercial 1% Nd:YAG single crystal, but fracture damage occurred at a low damage threshold of 80 kW/cm2. On the other hand, the same test was conducted on the bonded interface of 1% Nd:YAG-YAG composite ceramics fabricated in this study, but it was not damaged until the excitation density reached 127 kW/cm2. 0.6% Nd:YAG-YAG composite ceramics showed high damage resistance (up to 223 kW/cm2). It was concluded that composites formed by bonding polycrystalline ceramics are ideal in terms of thermo-mechanical and optical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trace element zinc plays an important role in human life. Zinc deficiency impairs growth, reproduction, metabolism and immunity in both human and animals. Thus, zinc supplementation is recommended in daily life. However, the effect of long-term chronic zinc supplementation on adipose homeostasis has not been well elucidated. In the current study, mice were supplemented with zinc sulfate in the drinking water for 20 weeks. The results suggested that chronic zinc supplementation impaired systemic glucose clearance after exogenous insulin or glucose challenges, as compared to the control mice. Further study revealed that chronic zinc supplementation made no difference to body weight, but increased visceral adipose tissue weight and adipocyte size. In addition, gene expression of leptin and IL6 in the visceral adipose tissue of zinc-supplemented mice were higher than those of control mice. Moreover, serum level of leptin of the zinc-supplemented mice was twice as high as that of the control mice. Besides, phosphorylation level of AKT T308 was attenuated in the perirenal adipose tissue of zinc-supplemented mice. In comparison, the expression of macrophage marker genes and lipogenic genes were not affected by chronic zinc supplementation, but the protein levels of FAS and SCD1 decreased or tended to decrease in the perirenal adipose tissue of zinc-supplemented mice, as compared to the control mice. Our findings suggest that chronic high dose zinc supplementation induces visceral adipose tissue hypertrophy and impairs AKT signaling in perirenal adipose tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal nutrition during gestation is involved in the offspring's intestinal development and immunity. The aim of this study was to (1) determine the effects of maternal energy on intestinal digestion and absorption function in offspring, using pigs as a model; and (2) to evaluate the potential effect and mechanisms of maternal energy in modulating immune responses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged piglets. After mating, thirty-six nine-parity sows (Landrace x Yorkshire), body weight (BW) (initial body weight 233.56 ± 2.77 kg) were allocated to two dietary treatment groups; a control diet (CON) group and a low-energy diet (LED) group. The nutrient levels of the CON were based on the nutrient recommendations by the National Research Council (NRC, 2012), and contained 3.40 MCal digestible energy (DE)/kg diet and 7.3% crude protein; while the LED contained 3.00 MCal DE/kg diet. The dietary treatments were introduced from day 1 of gestation to farrowing. Intestine samples were collected from the pigs' offspring at birth, and at weaning (day 28 post-birth). At weaning, male pigs from control and LED groups were intraperitoneally injected with LPS (50 Mg/kg body weight) or saline (n = 6), and sacrificed at 4 h post-injection to collect blood, intestine and digesta samples for biochemical analysis. The results indicated that the maternal LED markedly decreased the BW, small intestinal weight, and the ratio of jejunum and ileum villus height to crypt depth in the offspring. Moreover, the activities of lactase and sucrase in newborn piglets' intestine, and sucrase and maltase in weaning piglet intestine were markedly decreased by the maternal LED. In addition, maternal LED significantly increased the mRNA relative expression of ileal IL-6 and TNF-a in newborn piglets. Plasma IL-1β concentration and colonic Escherichia coli amount were affected by maternal diet (p < 0.05) and LPS challenge (p < 0.001). Maternal LED significant increased the mRNA relative expression of ileal TLR-4, IL-1β and NF-κB as well as decreased ZO-1 in weaning pigs after LPS challenge (p < 0.05). In conclusion, decreasing energy intake could suppress the offspring's intestinal digestion and absorption function, and increase the susceptibility of weaning piglets to LPS challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bombesin-related peptides are a family of peptides whose prototype was discovered in amphibian skin and which exhibit a wide range of biological activities. Since the initial isolation of bombesin from Bombina bombina skin, diverse forms of bombesin-related peptides have been found in the skins across Anura. In this study, a novel bombesin-related peptide of the ranatensin subfamily, named ranatensin-HL, was structurally-characterised from the skin secretion of the broad-folded frog, Hylarana latouchii, through combination of molecular cloning and mass spectrometric methodologies. It is composed of 13 amino acid residues, pGlu-RAGNQWAIGHFM-NH2, and resembles an N-terminally extended form of Xenopus neuromedin B. Ranatensin-HL and its C-terminal decapeptide (ranatensin-HL-10) were chemically synthesised and subjected to in vitro smooth muscle assays in which they were found to display moderate stimulatory effects on rat urinary bladder and uterus smooth muscles with EC50 values in the range of 1-10 nM. The prepro-ranatensin-HL was highly homological to a bombesin-like peptide from Rana catesbeiana at both nucleotide and amino acid levels, which might provide a clue for the taxonomic classification of ranid frogs in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala) is a widely favored herbivorous fish species and is a frequentlyused fish model for studying the metabolism physiology. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive illustration of the mechanisms of a high-starch diet (HSD) induced lipid metabolic disorder by identifying microRNAs (miRNAs) controlled pathways in glucose and lipid metabolism in fish using high-throughput sequencing technologies. Small RNA libraries derived from intestines, livers, and brains of HSD and normal-starch diet (NSD) treated M. amblycephala were sequenced and 79, 124 and 77 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) in intestines, livers, and brains of HSD treated fish were identified, respectively. Bioinformatics analyses showed that these DEMs targeted hundreds of predicted genes were enriched into metabolic pathways and biosynthetic processes, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and insulin signaling pathway. These analyses confirmed that miRNAs play crucial roles in glucose and lipid metabolism related to high wheat starch treatment. These results provide information on further investigation of a DEM-related mechanism dysregulated by a high carbohydrate diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to explore whether exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) during pregnancy could change intestinal digestion and absorption function in offspring using pigs as a model, and whether methyl donor (MET) could counteract the BPA-induced impacts. Fifty Landrace x Yorkshire sows were divided into four dietary groups throughout gestation: control diet (CON); control diet supplemented with BPA (50 mg/kg); control diet supplemented with MET (3 g/kg betaine, 400 mg/kg choline, 150 µg/kg vitamin B12, and 15 mg/kg folic acid); and control diet with BPA and MET supplementation (BPA + MET). Intestine samples were collected from pigs' offspring at birth and weaning. Maternal BPA exposure during pregnancy significantly reduced the ratio of jejunum villus height to crypt depth, decreased the jejunum sucrase activity, down-regulated the mRNA expression of jejunum peptide transporter 1 (Peptl) and DNA methyl transferase 3a (DNMT3a), and decreased the DNA methylation level of jejunum Peptl in offspring (p < 0.05). Maternal MET supplementation significantly raised the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in jejunum and ileum, improved the jejunum lactase activity, up-regulated the mRNA expression of jejunum Peptl, lactase (LCT), DNMT1, DNMT3a, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), and increased the DNA methylation level of jejunum Peptl in offspring (p < 0.05). However, the ratio of jejunum villus height to crypt depth was higher in BPA + MET treatment compared with CON and BPA treatment (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, there was no difference in the jejunum sucrase activity, the mRNA expression of jejunum Peptl and DNMT3a, and the DNA methylation level of jejunum Peptl between CON and BPA + MET treatment. These results indicated that maternal exposure to BPA during gestation might suppress offspring's intestinal digestion and absorption function, whereas supplementation of MET could counteract these damages, which might be associated with DNA methylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochemical investigation of the shells of Metaplexis japonica (Thunb.) Makino, belonging to the family of Apocynaceae, afforded three new pregnane steroids, metajapogenins A-C, along with three known compounds. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated as 12β,14β,17β-trihydroxypregna-3,5-dien-7,20-dione, 12β,14β,17β,20β-tetrahydroxypregna-3,5-dien-7-one; 3β,12β,14β,17β-tetrahydroxypregn-5-ene-7,20-dione on the basis of extensive spectroscopic evidence derived from 1D; 2D-NMR experiments and mass spectrometry. The known compounds included pergularin; 12-О-acetylpergularin; and pergularin-3-О-β-D-oleandropyranose; which were identified for the first time in the shells of M. japonica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chili pepper is used as a food, seasoning and has been revered for its medicinal and health claims. It is very popular and is the most common spice worldwide. Capsaicin (CAP) is a major pungent and bioactive phytochemical in chili peppers. CAP has been shown to improve mitochondrial biogenesis and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. However, there is limited evidence around the effects of CAP on physical fatigue and exercise performance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential beneficial effects of CAP on anti-fatigue and ergogenic functions following physiological challenge. Female Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice from four groups (n = 8 per group) were orally administered CAP for 4 weeks at 0, 205, 410, and 1025 mg/kg/day, which were respectively designated the vehicle, CAP-1X, CAP-2X, and CAP-5X groups. The anti-fatigue activity and exercise performance was evaluated using forelimb grip strength, exhaustive swimming time, and levels of serum lactate, ammonia, glucose, BUN (blood urea nitrogen) and creatine kinase (CK) after a 15-min swimming exercise. The grip strength and exhaustive swimming time of the CAP-5X group were significantly higher than other groups. CAP supplementation dose-dependently reduced serum lactate, ammonia, BUN and CK levels, and increased glucose concentration after the 15-min swimming test. In addition, CAP also increased hepatic glycogen content, an important energy source for exercise. The possible mechanism was relevant to energy homeostasis and the physiological modulations by CAP supplementation. Therefore, our results suggest that CAP supplementation may have a wide spectrum of bioactivities for promoting health, performance improvement and fatigue amelioration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive fat intake is a global health concern as women of childbearing age increasingly ingest a high fat diet. We therefore determined the association of a maternal high fat diet in pregnancy with offspring ovarian health during the gestation and postnatal female offspring in pig a model. Thirty-two Yorkshire gilts with similar bodyweights mated at the third estrus were randomly assigned to two nutrition levels of either a control (CON, crude fat: 7.27%) or a high fat diet (HFD, crude fat: 11.78%). Ovary samples were collected during the fetal (Day 55 (g55) and Day 90 of gestation (g90)) and offspring (prepuberty Day 160 (d160) and age at puberty) period to detect ovary development, antioxidant status and apoptosis cells. Maternal HFD did not influence notch signaling gene expression, which regulates primordial follicle formation and transformation, and ovarian histological effect at g55 and g90. However, maternal HFD reduced the numbers of large follicles at d160 and small follicle numbers upon puberty compared to CON in offspring. The results also revealed that the antioxidant index of total antioxidative capability (T-AOC), cytoplasmic copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities and mRNA expression were higher in the CON than the HFD at g90 and d160, whereas, malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration was decreased in the CON. Maternal HFD increased the inhibitor of the apoptosis-related gene of B-cell lymphoma-2 (bcl2) mRNA expression at g90 and d160, whereas, pro-apoptotic-related gene bcl-2 assaciated X protein (bax) was reduced. These data show that the maternal high fat diet does not delay fetal ovarian development, but it changes ovarian health by the induction of oxidative stress and accelerating cell apoptosis in offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been suggested that maternal nutrition during gestation is involved in an offspring's intestinal development. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the effects of maternal energy on the growth and small intestine development of offspring. After mating, twenty gilts (Large White (LW) breeding, body weight (BW) at 135.54 + 0.66 kg) were randomly allocated to two dietary treatments: a control diet (CON) group and a high-energy diet (HED) group, respectively. The nutrient levels of the CON were referred to meet the nutrient recommendations by the National Research Council (NRC, 2012), while the HED was designed by adding an amount of soybean oil that was 4.6% of the total diet weight to the CON. The dietary treatments were introduced from day 1 of gestation to farrowing. At day 90 of gestation, day 1 post-birth, and day 28 post-birth, the weights of fetuses and piglets, intestinal morphology, enzyme activities, and gene and protein expressions of intestinal growth factors were determined. The results indicated that the maternal HED markedly increased the BW, small intestinal weight, and villus height of fetuses and piglets. Moreover, the activities of lactase in fetal intestine, sucrase in piglet intestine were markedly increased by the maternal HED. In addition, the maternal HED tended to increase the protein expression of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) in fetal intestine, associated with significantly increased the gene expression of IGF-1R. In conclusion, increasing energy intake could promote fetal growth and birth weight, with greater intestinal morphology and enzyme activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]