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Ultra-thin fiberboard (UTF) is a wood-based panel produced through a hot-pressing process. UTF can be directly applied as a decorative veneer on curved walls or panels, significantly expanding the range of applications for fiberboard and increasing its added value. Due to its thickness, UTF is flexible and malleable, making it a suitable alternative to wood veneer as the outer layer of plywood. Additionally, UTF effectively mitigates the cracking commonly caused by the anisotropy of wood veneer. In the UTF production line, there is a gap between the preheating enhancement machine and the continuous-flat press machine. If the ultra-thin fiberboard slab (UTFS) lacks sufficient strength, it is prone to collapsing and fracturing in this gap, leading to production breakdowns. To address this issue, UTFS is preheated prior to continuous hot-pressing to enhance its strength. This study evaluated the effects of preheating temperature, adhesive dosage, and fiber moisture content (MC) on UTFS strength using orthogonal analysis. The results indicated that the optimal UTFS strength was achieved when the preheating temperature was set at 85 °C, the adhesive was 5%, and the fiber moisture content was 12%. This work provides an evaluation basis for adjusting the parameters of the preheating enhancement process and offers theoretical guidance for the industrial production of ultra-thin fiberboard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high risk of traffic accidents on highways caused by low visibility makes it vital for accurate visibility estimation. As an effective and low-cost solution, image-based visibility estimation has achieved great progress. However, most existing methods simply regress the visibility from a single image, while their predictions suffer from significant differences for some images with similar visibility levels due to large variations such as diverse scenes, changing lighting and seasons. On the other hand, these methods may also produce similar visibility values for the images captured by the same cameras, despite varying visibility conditions. To address the above issues, we argue that the key is to discover the differences among the images and predict visibility based on the differences. Inspired by this, in this paper, we propose a novel end-to-end differential regression network designed to estimate the visibility differences between pairs of similar images, rather than estimating each image separately. Our proposed method allows the model to concentrate on visibility-related features by capturing the discrepancy between image pairs, thereby minimizing the impact of large image variations. For training and evaluation, we construct two comprehensive and realistic datasets, JS-FHVI and DG-FHVI, collected from real highway surveillance videos. The comprehensive experiments show the effectiveness and superiority of our proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ribosome biogenesis plays a pivotal role in maintaining stem cell homeostasis, yet the precise regulatory mechanisms governing this process in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) remain largely unknown. In this investigation, we ascertain that DEAD-box RNA helicase 10 (DDX10) is indispensable for upholding cellular homeostasis and the viability of mESCs. Positioned predominantly at the nucleolar dense fibrillar component (DFC) and granular component (GC), DDX10 predominantly binds to 45S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and orchestrates ribosome biogenesis. Degradation of DDX10 prevents the release of U3 snoRNA from pre-rRNA, leading to perturbed pre-rRNA processing and compromised maturation of the 18S rRNA, thereby disrupting the biogenesis of the small ribosomal subunit. Moreover, DDX10 participates in the process of liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), which is necessary for efficient ribosome biogenesis. Notably, the NUP98-DDX10 fusion associated with acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) alters the cellular localization of DDX10 and results in loss of ability to regulate pre-rRNA processing. Collectively, this study reveals the critical role of DDX10 as a pivotal regulator of ribosome biogenesis in mESCs. Ribosome biogenesis is crucial for maintaining stem cell homeostasis. Here, authors reveal that DDX10 plays a critical role in ribosome biogenesis by regulating 18S rRNA maturation, which is vital for the proliferation and maintenance of mESCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating evidence strongly supports that PINK1 mutation can mediate mitochondrial autophagy dysfunction in dopaminergic neurons. This study was conducted to determine the role of PINK1 in the pathogenesis of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) and find new targets for its treatment. A rigorous literature review was conducted to identify 2801 compounds from more than 200 plants in Asia. Virtual screening was used to shortlist the compounds into 20 groups based on their binding energies. MM/PBSA was used to further screen the compound dataset, and vitexin, luteoloside, and 2′-deoxyadenosine-5′-monophosphate were found to have a score of − 59.439, − 52.421, and − 47.544 kcal/mol, respectively. Pain behavioral quantification, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and transmission electron microscopy were used to confirm the effective mechanism. Vitexin had the most significant therapeutic effect on rats with PHN followed by luteoloside; 2′-deoxyadenosine-5′-monophosphate had no significant effect. Our findings suggested that vitexin could alleviate PHN by regulating mitochondrial autophagy through PINK1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucleoli are fundamentally essential sites for ribosome biogenesis in cells and formed by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) for a multilayer condensate structure. How the nucleoli integrity is maintained remains poorly understood. Here, we reveal that METTL3/METTL14, the typical methyltransferase complex catalyzing N6-methyladnosine (m6A) on mRNAs maintain nucleoli integrity in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). METTL3/METTL14 deficiency impairs nucleoli and leads to the complete loss of self-renewal in hESCs. We further show that SUV39H1/H2 protein, the methyltransferases catalyzing H3K9me3 were dramatically elevated in METTL3/METTL14 deficient cells, which causes an accumulation and infiltration of H3K9me3 across the whole nucleolus and impairs the LLPS. Mechanistically, METTL3/METTL14 complex serves as an essential adapter for CRL4 E3 ubiquitin ligase targeting SUV39H1/H2 for polyubiquitination and proteasomal degradation and therefore prevents H3K9me3 accumulation in nucleoli. Together, these findings uncover a previously unknown role of METTL3/METTL14 to maintain nucleoli integrity by facilitating SUV39H1/H2 degradation in human cells. Nucleoli are essential cellular sites for ribosome biogenesis that are formed by liquid-liquid phase separation. Here the authors show that METTL3/METTL14 maintain nucleoli integrity through mediating SUV39H1/2 degradation in human embryonic stem cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrochar from waste biomass is a promising material for removing emerging contaminants (e.g., antibiotics) in water/soil environment. Abundant small-sized hydrochar particles (HPs) with a high content of reactive functional groups and high mobility are easily released into ecosystems through hydrochar applications. However, the photodegradation ability and corresponding structures of HPs are largely unknown, which hinder accurate estimation of the remediation effect of hydrochar in ecosystems. Herein, photodegradation performance of HP towards targeted norfloxacin (NOR, a typical antibiotic) under light irradiation (visible and UV light) were investigated after adsorption processes upon release into soil/water, and its reactive species and photoactive structures were clarified and compared with those of residual bulk hydrochar (BH) comprehensively. The results showed that: (1) photodegradation percentages of HPs were 4.02 and 4.48 times higher than those of BHs under UV and visible light, in which reactive species of both HPs and BHs were ·OH and ·O2−; (2) density functional theory (DFT) results identified that the main photoactive structure of graphitic-N decreased the energy gap (Eg) of HPs, and C=O, COOH groups improved electron donating ability of BHs; (3) well-developed graphitization structure of HP resulted from higher polymerization reaction was an significant photoactive structure involving its superior photodegradation ability relative to that of BH. The distinct heterogeneities of photodegradation ability in HP and BH and underlying photoactive structures provide an in-depth understanding of hydrochar application for removing emerging contaminants in soil/water environment. Identifying photoactive structures is helpful to predict photodegradation ability of hydrochar according to their abundance. Highlights: Photodegradation percentage of HP from hydrochar application was ~4 times superior to that of BH in degradation of NOR. Major reactive species of HPs and BHs (·OH and ·O2−) were generated from graphitic-N and C=O/COOH groups, respectively. Photoactivity of HPs superior to BHs was mainly generated from well-developed graphitization structure of former. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhododendri Mollis Flos (R. mole Flos), the dried flowers of Rhododendron mole G. Don, have the ability to relieve pain, dispel wind and dampness, and dissolve blood stasis, but they are highly poisonous. The significance of this study is to explore the analgesic application potential of R. mole Flos and its representative component. According to the selected processing methods recorded in ancient literature, the analgesic activities of wine- and vinegar-processed R. mole Flos, as well as the raw product, were evaluated in a writhing test with acetic acid and a formalin-induced pain test. Subsequently, the HPLC-TOP-MS technique was utilized to investigate the changes in active components before and after processing once the variations in activities were confirmed. Based on the results, rhodojaponin VI (RJ-Vl) was chosen for further study. After processing, especially in vinegar, R. mole Flos did not only maintain the anti-nociception but also showed reduced toxicity, and the chemical composition corresponding to these effects also changed significantly. Further investigation of its representative components revealed that RJ-VI has considerable anti-nociceptive activity, particularly in inflammatory pain (0.3 mg/kg) and peripheral neuropathic pain (0.6 mg/kg). Its toxicity was about three times lower than that of rhodojaponin III, which is another representative component of R. mole Flos. Additionally, RJ-VI mildly inhibits several subtypes of voltage-gated sodium channels (IC50 > 200 μM) that are associated with pain or cardiotoxicity. In conclusion, the chemical substances and biological effects of R. mole Flos changed significantly before and after processing, and the representative component RJ-VI has the potential to be developed into an effective analgesic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Petrochemical wastewater contains a variety of organic pollutants. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are used for deep petrochemical wastewater treatment with distinct advantages, including the complete mineralization of organic substances, minimal residual byproducts, and compatibility with biological treatment systems. This work evaluates the effectiveness of three methods, namely, ozone, persulfate, and O3-PMS (ozone-persulfate) processes, which were compared to remove soluble organic matter. The O3-PMS process offered significant advantages in terms of organic matter removal efficiency. This process involves ozone dissolution in an aqueous persulfate solution, producing a more significant amount of hydroxyl radicals in comparison to single AOPs. The production of hydroxyl radicals and the synergistic effect of hydroxyl radicals and persulfate radicals were investigated. In the O3-PMS process, transition metal ions were added to understand the mechanism of the O3-PMS coupled catalytic oxidation system. The results showed that when the ozone concentration was in the range of 5 ~ 25 mg/L, the dosage of persulfate was in the range of 0.01 ~ 0.05 mol/L, the dosage of metal compounds was in the range of 0:0 ~ 2:1, and the reaction time was in the range of 0 ~ 2 h; the optimum chemical oxygen demand (CODCr) and total organic content (TOC) removal effect was achieved under the coupled system with an ozone concentration of 10 mg/L, a persulfate dosage of 0.02 mol/L, a 1:2 dosage ratio of between Fe2+ and Cu2+ compounds, and a reaction time of 2 h. Under optimal reaction conditions, the rates of CODCr and TOC removal reached 70% and 79.3%, respectively. Furthermore, the removal kinetics of the O3-PMS coupled catalytic oxidation system was analyzed to optimize the removal conditions of COD and TOC, and the mechanism regulating the degradation of dissolved organic matter was explored by three-dimensional fluorescence and GC–MS technology. Thus, O3-PMS coupled catalytic oxidation is an effective process for the deep treatment of wastewater. The careful selection of transition metal ions serves as a theoretical foundation for the subsequent preparation of catalysts for the ozone persulfate oxidation system, and this study provides a suitable reference for removing organic matter from petrochemical wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic caused school closures and social isolation, which created both learning and emotional challenges for adolescents. Schools worked hard to move classes online, but less attention was paid to whether students were cognitively and emotionally ready to learn effectively in a virtual environment. This study focused on online learning readiness and emotional competence as key constructs to investigate their implications for students' academic performance during the COVID-19 period. Two groups of students participated in this study, with 1,316 high school students (Mean age = 16.32, SD = 0.63) representing adolescents and 668 college students (Mean age = 20.20, SD = 1.43) representing young adults. Structural equation modeling was conducted to explore the associations among online learning readiness, emotional competence, and online academic performance during COVID-19 after controlling for pre–COVID-19 academic performance. The results showed that, for high school students, both online learning readiness and emotional competence were positively associated with online academic performance during COVID-19. However, for college students, only online learning readiness showed a significant positive relationship with online academic performance during COVID-19. These results demonstrated that being ready to study online and having high emotional competence could make adolescents more resilient toward COVID-19–related challenges and help them learn more effectively online. This study also highlighted different patterns of associations among cognitive factors, emotional factors, and online academic performance during COVID-19 in adolescence and young adulthood. Developmental implications were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isotactic polypropylene (PP) is a widely used and versatile commodity polymer with several polymorphs (α, β, γ). β-form isotactic PP attracted more interest due to its improved mechanical properties in comparison with the more common α-form. Addition of β-nucleating agents is an easy approach to induce β-form in isotactic PP. Few studies paid attention to the use of β-PP as the matrix of natural fiber/PP composites. In this study, isotactic PP was nucleated by a β-nucleating agent N, N'-dicyclohexylterephthalamide (TMB-5) and then melt compounded with poplar wood fiber (WF) to prepare WF/PP/TMB composites. The influence of adding different contents (0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.3 and 0.5%) of TMB-5 on the crystalline morphology, melting and crystallization behavior, mechanical properties and heating deflection temperature (HDT) of WF/PP composites was investigated. It was found that TMB-5 accelerated the crystal nucleation and induced β-crystal growth due to TMB-5 provided the nucleation site. The crystals size of WF/PP/TMB composite decreased and crystals boundaries became blurred with the increasing contents of TMB-5. The TMB-5 contents also affected the self-assembly morphology of TMB-5 which further influenced the morphology of crystals. The relative content of β-crystal ( K β ) reached maximum value of 65.3% when the content of TMB-5 was 0.3%. But WF decreased K β of PP/TMB under same content of TMB-5 which demonstrated the interference of WF with the generation of β-crystal. For mechanical properties, impact strength of WF/PP/TMB composite reached maximum value of 9.6 kJ·m−2 when adding 0.05% TMB-5. The TMB-5 contents had an insignificant effect on the flexural strength and modulus of WF/PP/TMB composite. Compressive strength of WF/PP/0.3%TMB composite reached maximum value of 64.4 MPa, which increased by 25.5% compared to WF/PP composite. Moreover, TMB-5 could improve the HDT of WF/PP composite as well. These results revealed that the addition of β-nucleating agent TMB-5 is an effective and practical method to improve crystallization rate and mechanical properties of WF/isotactic PP composites. WF/PP/TMB composite can be used in construction decoration, catering, automobile applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite direct reprogramming of human cardiac fibroblasts into induced cardiomyocytes (iCM) holds great potential for heart regeneration, the mechanisms are poorly understood. Whether other human somatic cells could be reprogrammed into cardiomyocytes is also unknown. Here, we report human urine cells (hUCs) could be converted into CM-like cells from different donors and the related chromatin accessibility dynamics (CAD) by assay for transposase accessible chromatin(ATAC)-seq. hUCs transduced by MEF2C, TBX5, MESP1 and MYOCD but without GATA4 expressed multiple cardiac specific genes, exhibited Ca2+ oscillation potential and sarcomeric structures, and contracted synchronously in coculture with mouse CM. Additionally, we found that MYOCD is required for both closing and opening critical loci, mainly by hindering the opening of loci enriched with motifs for the TEAD and AP1 family and promoting the closing of loci enriched with ETS motifs. These changes differ partially from CAD observed during iCM induction from human fibroblasts. Collectively, our study offers one practical platform for iCM generation and insights into mechanisms for iCM fate determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs), on the one hand, the energy of nodes is limited. On the other hand, the network topology often changes due to human movement or posture changes. Unstable network topology is easy to cause packet loss, and packet loss will cause inaccurate data collection. Therefore, how to effectively use energy to transmit data reliably becomes a key issue. For this problem, we propose an optimized routing protocol namely Energy Efficient and Reliable Routing based on Reinforcement Learning and Fuzzy Logic (EERR-RLFL). In EERR-RLFL, considering the heterogeneity of nodes in WBANs, we first establish a node rank division mechanism, by which sensor nodes are divided into different ranks from three aspects. Each rank is considered to be one of the factors that affect the link quality. Then, we propose the Fuzzy-Logic-based Link Quality Evaluation (FLLQE) algorithm. It makes use of the fuzzy evaluation method of fuzzy logic and considers the comprehensive influence of multiple factors to evaluate the link quality between two nodes, which will provide reference for routing path selection. In the process of data transmission, based on the FLLQE algorithm, we use a hybrid data transmission mode, in which the time when a forwarding node is needed is first determined, and then the Reinforcement Learning algorithm is used to select the global optimized routing path. Simulation results show that EERR-RLFL outperforms Single Hop Transmission and Optimized Cost Effective and Energy Efficient Routing in terms of network lifetime, packet loss ratio and energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates a dynamic and stochastic shipment matching problem faced by network operators in hinterland synchromodal transportation. We consider a platform that receives contractual and spot shipment requests from shippers, and receives multimodal services from carriers. The platform aims to provide optimal matches between shipment requests and multimodal services within a finite horizon under spot request uncertainty. Due to the capacity limitation of multimodal services, the matching decisions made for current requests will affect the ability to make good matches for future requests. To solve the problem, this paper proposes an anticipatory approach which consists of a rolling horizon framework that handles dynamic events, a sample average approximation method that addresses uncertainties, and a progressive hedging algorithm that generates solutions at each decision epoch. Compared with the greedy approach which is commonly used in practice, the anticipatory approach has total cost savings up to 8.18% under realistic instances. The experimental results highlight the benefits of incorporating stochastic information in dynamic decision making processes of the synchromodal matching system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A well-soluble grafted polymer of poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) used to fabricate dissolved microneedles was achieved through classic Michael addition and the functionalization of folate-targeted ligand. FTIR, Raman spectrum and 1H-NMR characterization ascertained the microstructure of resulted polymer. XPS analysis further confirmed the reasonability of analytic structure as well as the functionalized rate of folate of the modified PVA. Using the synthetic polymer to fabricate microneedles patch which was only a matter of 10% (w/w) concentration could accomplish, and the gained patch displayed decent insertion capability of porcine cadaver skin and the inserted microneedles emerged obviously a dissolved phenomenon within 1 min. Meanwhile, the left traces on surface of the skin recovered about 15 min after the patch removal, implying a little invasiveness to skin. The release of insulin-loaded microneedles exhibited burst release in the initial phase and then reduced gradually, and the insulin loaded in the needles of patch might release totally within 1 h, revealing the functionalized grafted polymer could be used as a well material for fabrication dissolving microneedles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bupivacaine (BP) is a commonly clinically used local anesthetic (LA). Current studies suggest that neurological complications are increased in diabetic patients after LA application, but the molecular mechanism is poorly understood. LA-induced autophagy and neuronal injury have been reported. We hypothesized that a high-glucose environment aggravates BP-induced autophagic damage. Mouse dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons were treated with BP in a high-glucose environment, and the results showed that reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels increased, autophagy was activated, autophagy flux was blocked, and cell viability decreased. Pretreatment with the ROS scavenger N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) attenuated ROS-mediated autophagy regulation. Moreover, the expression of the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) taurine upregulated gene 1 (TUG1) increased, and NAC and TUG1 siRNA inhibited the expression of TUG1/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in DRGs treated with BP in a high-glucose environment. Intriguingly, contrary to previous reports on a positive effect on neurons, we found that rapamycin, an autophagy activator, and chloroquine, an autophagy and lysosome inhibitor, both exacerbated autophagic damage. These data suggest that a high-glucose environment exacerbated BP induced ROS-dependent autophagic damage in DRG neurons through the TUG1/mTOR signaling pathway, which provides a theoretical basis and target for the clinical prevention and treatment of BP neurotoxicity in diabeties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing pandemic and there is an urgent need for safe and effective drugs for COVID-19 treatment. Since developing a new drug is time consuming, many approved or investigational drugs have been repurposed for COVID-19 treatment in clinical trials. Therefore, selection of safe drugs for COVID-19 patients is vital for combating this pandemic. Our goal was to evaluate the safety concerns of drugs by analyzing adverse events reported in post-market surveillance. We collected 296 drugs that have been evaluated in clinical trials for COVID-19 and identified 28,597,464 associated adverse events at the system organ classes (SOCs) level in the FDA adverse events report systems (FAERS). We calculated Z-scores of SOCs that statistically quantify the relative frequency of adverse events of drugs in FAERS to quantitatively measure safety concerns for the drugs. Analyzing the Z-scores revealed that these drugs are associated with different significantly frequent adverse events. Our results suggest that this safety concern metric may serve as a tool to inform selection of drugs with favorable safety profiles for COVID-19 patients in clinical practices. Caution is advised when administering drugs with high Z-scores to patients who are vulnerable to associated adverse events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition from pluripotent to somatic states marks a critical event in mammalian development, but remains largely unresolved. Here we report the identification of SS18 as a regulator for pluripotent to somatic transition or PST by CRISPR-based whole genome screens. Mechanistically, SS18 forms microscopic condensates in nuclei through a C-terminal intrinsically disordered region (IDR) rich in tyrosine, which, once mutated, no longer form condensates nor rescue SS18−/− defect in PST. Yet, the IDR alone is not sufficient to rescue the defect even though it can form condensates indistinguishable from the wild type protein. We further show that its N-terminal 70aa is required for PST by interacting with the Brg/Brahma-associated factor (BAF) complex, and remains functional even swapped onto unrelated IDRs or even an artificial 24 tyrosine polypeptide. Finally, we show that SS18 mediates BAF assembly through phase separation to regulate PST. These studies suggest that SS18 plays a role in the pluripotent to somatic interface and undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation through a unique tyrosine-based mechanism. Emerging evidence suggests that exit from pluripotency is a regulated, rather than passive process. Here the authors identify a requirement for SS18-mediated Brg/Brahma-associated factors (BAF) chromatin remodeling complex assembly during exit from pluripotency, and that SS18 promotes BAF assembly through liquidliquid phase separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic covalent organic frameworks (Fe3O4@TPPCl4) were synthesized via a one-pot process in which magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4@MNP) served as a magnetic core and 2,4,6-trihydroxy-1,3,5-benzenetricarbaldehyde (TP) and 2,2′,5,5′-tetrachlorobenzidine (PCl4) as two building blocks to form a shell. The as-prepared Fe3O4@TPPCl4 nanoparticles have superior features, including large surface area (186.5 m2 g−1), high porosity, strong magnetic responsiveness (42.6 emu g−1), high chlorine content, and outstanding thermal stability, which make them an ideal adsorbent for highly selective enrichment of polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs). Combining with atmospheric pressure gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (APGC-MS/MS), a simple analytical method of Fe3O4@TPPCl4-based magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE)-APGC-MS/MS was developed, which exhibited good linearity (r ≥ 0.9991) for eight PCNs in the concentration range 0.1–100 ng L−1. Moreover, low detection limits (0.005–0.325 ng L−1), high enrichment factors (46.62–81.97-fold), and good relative standard deviations (RSDs) of inter-day (n = 3, 1.64 to 7.44%) and day-to-day (n = 3, 2.62 to 8.23%) were achieved. This method was successfully applied to the selective enrichment of PCNs in fine particulate matter (PM)2.5 samples, and ultra-trace PCNs were found in the range 1.56–3.75 ng kg−1 with satisfactory recoveries (93.11–105.81%). The successful application demonstrated the great potential of Fe3O4@TPPCl4 nanoparticles as an adsorbent for enrichment of halogenated compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the problem of resource constraints of mobile devices, fog computing is proposed to improve WAN delay for delay-sensitive and resource-intensive applications. To utilize the resource of fog-to-cloud efficiently and provide good quality-of-service in terms of delay and service failure probability, an improved three-layer fog-to-cloud architecture and schedule fit algorithm are proposed. Three-layer fog-to-cloud architecture can provide computing resource and transmission delay according to the delay sensitivity of applications, which uses computing resource of fog-to-cloud efficiently and improves service delay. Simulation results validate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed schedule fit algorithm and show that schedule fit algorithm outperforms the existing algorithms, i.e., the conventional cloud schedule algorithm, random schedule algorithm and first fit algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron deficiency has been becoming a worldwide problem in crop cultivation. New approaches are desired to alleviate the iron-deficit chlorosis. Iron-containing nanomaterials could be effective to supply the iron to plants and promote plant growth. In this study, soil cultured watermelon plants were treated with 100, 200, and 400 ppm α- and γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles (NPs), respectively. Growth and physiology parameters were investigated in a period of time. The study also evaluated the nutritional quality of watermelon fruit. Results showed that no elevation of plant growth or chlorophyll content was observed. All α- and γ-Fe2O3 NPs treatments had no positive influence on nutritional components including central and edge sugar content, and total amino acid content. An interesting result was that the vitamin C (VC) content of all NP treatments was significantly improved compared with the control group (without iron). In addition, we found that iron distribution of α- and γ-Fe2O3 NPs treatments was closely related to the concentrations of NPs. Both α- and γ-Fe2O3 NPs could accumulate in root, stem, and leaf of watermelon plants, but only 400 ppm γ-Fe2O3 NPs treatment was found to exist in watermelon fruit. Although no promotion of α- and γ-Fe2O3 NPs on the growth of watermelon plants was occurred, our results showed that both α- and γ-Fe2O3 NPs could enter plant roots and translocate upwards to other tissues. Our finds will provide data for the future applications of iron-containing nanomaterials in agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Density reduction has become a topical issue in wood composite materials for application in building and furniture. In this study, lightweight wood–polyurethane (W–PU) composite foams with the addition of 30 wt% wood particles were prepared. Industrial kraft lignin was used as bio-polyol to substitute partial petroleum-based diethylene glycol (DEG) to synthesize rigid W–PU foams. The effect of varying lignin contents (5, 10, 15 and 20 wt% based on DEG mass) on the reactivity, morphology, density, compressive properties, water absorption and thermal stability of the foams was evaluated. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis confirmed the formation of characteristic urethane linkages in all the foam samples. With the incorporation of lignin, the foam cellular shape became irregular with formation of large cells. W–PU foams exhibited poor cellular structures with a larger number of open cells. The density of W–PU foams increased from 47 to 96 kg/m3 as the lignin content increased from 0 to 20%. Although the foam reactivity was decreased by the incorporation of lignin, both the compressive strength and modulus were increased upon the incorporation of lignin. Furthermore, the specific compressive strength and modulus of W–PU foams increased by 55% and 48% with lignin content increasing from 0 to 20%, and the 20-day water absorption decreased by 38%. Thermal gravimetric analysis showed that the incorporation of lignin did not significantly affect the thermal degradation behaviour of foam, but it rather increased the mass of char residue. This study provides a promising method for value-added utilization of technical lignin in W–PU lightweight composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification and quantification of phosphorus (P) compounds derived from algal biomass are crucial for a better understanding of algal P dynamics in lake ecosystems. Quantity and species of P in algae collected from Chao Lake (a typical ultra-eutrophic lake) in China were analyzed by chemical analysis and 31P NMR. Total P (TP) in algae biomass ranged from 2671 to 5385 mg kg−1 of dry matter. Proportion of organic P (Po) accounted for 78.3 ± 2.6% in algae biomass collected from the western part of Chao Lake, which was higher than that (64.7 ± 1.4%) in the eastern part of the lake. Eight P species including inorganic P species (orthophosphate and pyrophosphate) and Po species (five monoesters P and diesters P) were identified in NaOH–EDTA extracts of algal samples. Monoesters P accounted for 48.4% in extracted TP, which was the main component of Po. β-glycerophosphates were the largest component of monoesters P, which accounted for 22.6% in extracted TP. This study improved knowledge on the mechanism of the cycling of endogenous P in the aquatic system and would be helpful in developing a strategy for control of repeated algae blooms in eutrophic Chao Lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification and quantification of sources of nitrate (NO3-) in freshwater lakes provide useful information for management of eutrophication and improving water quality in lakes. Dual δ15N- and δ18O-NO3- isotopes and a Bayesian isotope mixing model were applied to identify sources of NO3- and estimate their proportional contributions to concentrations of NO3- in Tai Lake, China. In waters of Tai Lake, values for δ15N-NO3- ranged from 3.8 to 10.1‰, while values of δ18O ranged from 2.2 to 12.0‰. These results indicated that NO3- was derived primarily from agricultural and industrial sources. Stable isotope analysis in R called SIAR model was used to estimate proportional contributions from four potential NO3- sources (agricultural, industrial effluents, domestic sewage, and rainwater). SIAR output revealed that agricultural runoff provided the greatest proportion (50.8%) of NO3- to the lake, followed by industrial effluents (33.9%), rainwater (8.4%), and domestic sewage (6.8%). Contributions of those primary sources of NO3- to sub-regions of Tai Lake varied significantly (p < 0.05). For the northern region of the lake, industrial source (35.4%) contributed the greatest proportion of NO3-, followed by agricultural runoff (27.4%), domestic sewage (21.3%), and rainwater (15.9%). Whereas for the southern region, the proportion of NO3- contributed from agriculture (38.6%) was slightly greater than that contributed by industry (30.8%), which was similar to results for nearby inflow tributaries. Thus, to improve water quality by addressing eutrophication and reduce primary production of phytoplankton, NO3- from both nonpoint agricultural sources and industrial point sources should be mitigated.ᅟ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, molding moso bamboo strips to a curved shape using hot-press molding operation was explored. Bamboo strips with different thickness and moisture content (MC) were subjected to press molding under 120-210 °C for different time. Changes in the chemical components of bamboo were analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Effect of MC on thermal mechanical behavior of bamboo was investigated using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Results showed that the influencing degree of four variables on compression and recovery ratios decreased as: temperature > time > thickness > MC. Compression ratio increased and recovery ratio decreased dramatically when pressing temperature exceeded 180 °C. FTIR analysis indicated that polysaccharide (especially hemicelluloses) underwent a progressive thermal degradation during compression at 180 and 210 °C for 40 min, whereas relative content of lignin increased. DMA results showed that bamboo samples with a higher MC had a lower storage modulus value, confirmed water had a plasticizing effect. The loss factor of bamboo with higher MC (12 and 16%) exhibited two major transitions centred around 100 °C (α1) and 50 °C (α2), respectively. The temperature of these α transitions kept almost unchanged as moisture level increased from 12 to 16%. These findings provide fundamental information for the future preparation of curved bamboo as profiled components in engineered products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demand has been growing for plywood utilizing novel formaldehyde-free wood adhesives which are more durable and require environmental protection and sustainable development during the service life. In this study, a series of HDPE film as novel adhesives in plywood due to many advantages are fabricated using hot-press process followed by cold-press process. The effects of moisture content, HDPE dosage, hot-press temperature and pressure at different levels on physical-mechanical properties were evaluated by tensile shear strength, compression ratio, water absorption and thickness swelling. The results indicated that HDPE film can independently be used as adhesive in plywood, meeting the requirement for type II grade plywood of GB/T 9846.3 (Plywood-part 3: General specification for plywood for general use. Chinese National Committee for standardization, 2004) and opening up a new way for formaldehyde-free adhesives in plywood used as interior grade. Moreover, analysis of variance showed that the most important effect factor on tensile shear strength and water absorption is HDPE layer; on compression ratio and thickness swelling it is moisture content of veneer. To study the optimal hot-press condition, optimization of preparation process for plywood was carried out by response surface methodology analysis (RSMA), and then analysis by Design-Expert software. The simulation results of tensile shear strength were validated by experimental findings, indicating that RSMA can be used as an effective method to predict optimal fabrication condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term (2000 to 2012) monthly data on communities of phytoplankton, and environmental variables were measured in water collected from Meiliang Bay and Wuli Lake of Tai Lake, China. Redundancy analysis (RDA) was conducted to explore relationships between the phytoplankton communities and environmental variables. Change points for concentrations of nutrients, which serve as early warnings of state shifts in lacustrine ecosystems, were identified using the Threshold Indicator Taxa Analysis (TITAN). The biomass of phytoplankton was positively correlated with the concentrations of total phosphorus (TP), suspended solids (SS), water temperature (WT), and pH but negatively correlated with the N/P ratio (by mass) and Secchi disk depth (SD). Furthermore, TP, rather than other factors, was a controlling factor limiting the primary production of phytoplankton in most of this region. The change points for concentrations of TP controlling the occurrences of sensitive and tolerant taxa were 56.1 and 103.5 μg TP/L, respectively. These results imply that an abrupt change in this lacustrine ecosystem has occurred in most parts of the study area, and the turbid state of this lake can be altered by reducing TP loading. This study provides an alternative ecological method for exploring the production of algal blooms and could advance the understanding of HABs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forms and labilities of plant-derived organic matters (OMs) including carbon (C) and phosphorus (P) were fundamental for understanding their release, degradation and environmental behaviour in lake ecosystems. Thus, solid C and solution P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy were used to characterize biomass of six aquatic plants in Tai Lake, China. The results showed that carbohydrates (61.2% of the total C) were predominant C functional group in the solid C NMR spectra of plant biomass, which may indicate high lability and bioavailability of aquatic plants-derived organic matter in lakes. There was 72.6-103.7% of the total P in aquatic plant biomass extracted by NaOH-EDTA extracts. Solution P NMR analysis of these NaOH-EDTA extracts further identified several molecular species of P including orthophosphate (50.1%), orthophosphate monoesters (46.8%), DNA (1.6%) and pyrophosphate (1.4%). Orthophosphate monoesters included β-glycerophosphate (17.7%), hydrolysis products of RNA (11.7%), α-glycerophosphate (9.2%) and other unknown monoesters (2.1%). Additionally, phytate, the major form of organic P in many lake sediments, was detected in floating plant water poppy. These inorganic P (e.g. orthophosphate and pyrophosphate) and organic P (e.g. diester and its degradation products) identified in plant biomass were all labile and bioavailable P, which would play an important role in recycling of P in lakes. These results increased knowledge of chemical composition and bioavailability of OMs derived from aquatic plants in lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carotenoids are a naturally occurring and widely distributed group of pigments that provide protection against photooxidation and inactivate free radicals due to their highly conjugated double-bond systems. Phytoene dehydrogenation is the first rate-limiting step in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway. Phytoene dehydrogenase is the key enzyme in the transformation of carotenoid from colorless to colored; therefore it is the first target of gene manipulation. The present study describes the identification and functional characterization of a carontenoid synthesis gene from Rhodosporidium diobovatum, designated as crtI, which catalyzes the dehydrogenation of phytoene. We obtained a full-length cDNA clone of crtI, encoding phytoene dehydrogenase (EC Number: 1.3.99.31), from R. diobovatum ATCC 2527 by rapid amplification of cDNA ends. Complementation mapping of the crtI gene in Escherichia coli allowed us to localize the regions responsible for phytoene dehydrogenase function within the protein. Enzyme activity of the expressed protein in E. coli was verified using high performance liquid chromatography analysis. We were able to determine the nucleotide sequence of crtI from R. diobovatum. The publicly available sequence will be useful in future studies on phytoene dehydrogenase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocrystal superlattices (NCSs) comprised of self-assembled copper nanodisks were successfully synthesized in quaternary W/O microemulsions containing Span 80-Tween 80, liquid paraffin and n-butanol. Morphologies, structure and thermal properties of the Cu nanocrystals were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, thermogravimetry (TG) and differential thermogravimetry (DTG). The reaction conditions which effect the growth of the Cu nanodisks were explored, and a mechanism for the formation of the Cu NCSs is proposed. XRD and TEM studies show that the as-synthesized Cu nanodisks exhibit a cubic crystal structure, and FT-IR and TG analysis show that the surfaces of the Cu nanodisks are covered with surfactants, which assist in the formation of the superlattice and prevent the oxidation of the Cu nanocrystals. Variation of the reaction parameters such as mass ratio of the surfactants and the presence of oleic acid is found to have a significant effect on the formation of the Cu nanodisks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apilot scale test of advanced treatment of ethene wastewater by ozonization was carried out for industrial water reuse. Effects of different operating conditions on COD degradation, such as wastewater flow rate, ozonized gas flow rate, operating voltage of ozonizer and two ozone generation means, using pure oxygen or air, was investigated. The results show that the increase of ozonizer operating voltage, the decrease of wastewater flow rate and the suitable ozonized gas flowrate improve the removal ofCOD inwastewater and thatozone generated respectively fromair and pure oxygen can effectively remove COD of ethene wastewater to meet the industrial water reuse criterion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CTCF plays key roles in gene regulation, chromatin insulation, imprinting, X chromosome inactivation and organizing the higher-order chromatin architecture of mammalian genomes. Previous studies have mainly focused on the roles of the canonical CTCF isoform. Here, we explore the functions of an alternatively spliced human CTCF isoform in which exons 3 and 4 are skipped, producing a shorter isoform (CTCF-s). Functionally, we find that CTCF-s competes with the genome binding of canonical CTCF and binds a similar DNA sequence. CTCF-s binding disrupts CTCF/cohesin binding, alters CTCF-mediated chromatin looping and promotes the activation of IFI6 that leads to apoptosis. This effect is caused by an abnormal long-range interaction at the IFI6 enhancer and promoter. Taken together, this study reveals a non-canonical function for CTCF-s that antagonizes the genomic binding of canonical CTCF and cohesin, and that modulates chromatin looping and causes apoptosis by stimulating IFI6 expression. CTCF plays key roles in gene regulation, chromatin insulation and organizing the higher-order chromatin architecture of mammalian genomes. Here the authors investigate the function an alternatively spliced shorter CTCF isoform, finding that this isoform antagonizes canonical CTCF occupancy and changes chromatin architecture to promote apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant emerged, it is constantly evolving into multiple sub-variants, including BF.7, BQ.1, BQ.1.1, XBB, XBB.1.5 and the recently emerged BA.2.86 and JN.1. Receptor binding and immune evasion are recognized as two major drivers for evolution of the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein. However, the underlying mechanism of interplay between two factors remains incompletely understood. Herein, we determined the structures of human ACE2 complexed with BF.7, BQ.1, BQ.1.1, XBB and XBB.1.5 RBDs. Based on the ACE2/RBD structures of these sub-variants and a comparison with the known complex structures, we found that R346T substitution in the RBD enhanced ACE2 binding upon an interaction with the residue R493, but not Q493, via a mechanism involving long-range conformation changes. Furthermore, we found that R493Q and F486V exert a balanced impact, through which immune evasion capability was somewhat compromised to achieve an optimal receptor binding. We propose a "two-steps-forward and one-step-backward" model to describe such a compromise between receptor binding affinity and immune evasion during RBD evolution of Omicron sub-variants. Synopsis: SARS-CoV-2 evolution leads to the rapid and continuous emergence of sub-variants. This study identifies key amino acids which mediate sub-variant infection potential by balancing host receptor binding affinity and immune escape. The cryo-EM structures of the receptor binding domains (RBDs) of Omicron sub-variants BF.7, BQ.1, BQ.1.1, XBB and XBB.1.5 in complex with human ACE2 were determined. R346T substitution enhances ACE2 binding via an interplay with R493, but not Q493 substitution, due to long-range conformation alterations. The mutations R493Q and F486V maintain an optimal receptor binding affinity of the RBD, while R493Q reduces immune evasion capability. Cryo-EM structures of Omicron sub-variant receptor binding domains with human ACE2 receptor reveal the key residues that balance receptor binding and immune evasion potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protein kinase D family of serine/threonine kinases, particularly PKD1, has been implicated in the regulation of a complex array of fundamental biological processes. However, its function and mechanism underlying PKD1-mediated the bone development and osteoblast differentiation are not fully understood. Here we demonstrate that loss of PKD1 function led to impaired bone development and osteoblast differentiation through STAT3 and p38 MAPK signaling using in vitro and in vivo bone-specific conditional PKD1-knockout (PKD1-KO) mice models. These mice developed markedly craniofacial dysplasia, scapula dysplasia, long bone length shortage and body weight decrease compared with wild-type littermates. Moreover, deletion of PKD1 in vivo reduced trabecular development and activity of osteoblast development, confirmed by Micro-CT and histological staining as well as expression of osteoblastic marker (OPN, Runx2 and OSX). Mechanistically, loss of PKD1 mediated the downregulation of osteoblast markers and impaired osteoblast differentiation through STAT3 and p38 MAPK signaling pathways. Taken together, these results demonstrated that PKD1 contributes to the osteoblast differentiation and bone development via elevation of osteoblast markers through activation of STAT3 and p38 MAPK signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to fluorescence, second harmonic generation (SHG) has recently emerged as an excellent signal for imaging probes due to its unmatched advantages in terms of no photobleaching, no phototoxicity, no signal saturation, as well as the superior imaging accuracy with excellent avoidance of background noise. Existing SHG probes are constructed from heavy metals and are cellular exogenous, presenting with high cytotoxicity, difficult cellular uptake, and the limitation of non-heritability. We, therefore, initially propose an innovative gene-encoded bioprotein SHG probe derived from Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV) polyhedrin. The primitive gene of AcMNPV polyhedrin was codon-optimized and mutated in its nuclear localization sequence to achieve cytoplasmic expression in mammalian cells. While providing strong SHG signals, this gene-modified AcMNPV (GM-AcMNPV) polyhedrin could be utilized as an SHG probe for cell imaging. Our experimental results demonstrated successful expression of GM-AcMNPV polyhedrin in the cytoplasm of HEK293T cells and bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), and verified its characteristic features as an SHG probe. Such SHG probes exhibit high biocompatibility and showed no hindering of central physiological activities such as the differentiation of stem cells. Most importantly, our SHG probes may be successfully used for imaging in living cells. This work will inspire the development of gene encoding-derived bioprotein SHG probes, for long-term tracing of cells/stem cells along with their division, to understand stem cell cycles, reveal stem cell-based therapy mechanisms in regenerative medicine, and unravel cell lineage origins and fates in developmental biology, among other potential applications.Graphical Abstract: Compared to fluorescence, second harmonic generation (SHG) has recently emerged as an excellent signal for imaging probes due to its unmatched advantages in terms of no photobleaching, no phototoxicity, no signal saturation, as well as the superior imaging accuracy with excellent avoidance of background noise. Existing SHG probes are constructed from heavy metals and are cellular exogenous, presenting with high cytotoxicity, difficult cellular uptake, and the limitation of non-heritability. We, therefore, initially propose an innovative gene-encoded bioprotein SHG probe derived from Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV) polyhedrin. The primitive gene of AcMNPV polyhedrin was codon-optimized and mutated in its nuclear localization sequence to achieve cytoplasmic expression in mammalian cells. While providing strong SHG signals, this gene-modified AcMNPV (GM-AcMNPV) polyhedrin could be utilized as an SHG probe for cell imaging. Our experimental results demonstrated successful expression of GM-AcMNPV polyhedrin in the cytoplasm of HEK293T cells and bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), and verified its characteristic features as an SHG probe. Such SHG probes exhibit high biocompatibility and showed no hindering of central physiological activities such as the differentiation of stem cells. Most importantly, our SHG probes may be successfully used for imaging in living cells. This work will inspire the development of gene encoding-derived bioprotein SHG probes, for long-term tracing of cells/stem cells along with their division, to understand stem cell cycles, reveal stem cell-based therapy mechanisms in regenerative medicine, and unravel cell lineage origins and fates in developmental biology, among other potential applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]