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Objective: Serum 1, 5-AG is a glycaemic marker reflecting control and fluctuations of short-term glucose. To reveal the relationship between 1, 5-AG with β-cell function, we investigated a certain number of Chinese adults with different glucose metabolisms. Methods: In clinical cross-sectional study, 2184 subjects with no prior diabetes history are included and underwent an OGTT. HOMA-IR and HOMA-β were calculated. Correlations between 1, 5-AG and HOMA-IR or HOMA-β were observed, correcting for interference factors, and independent factors for HOMA-β and HOMA-IR were analysed. Subjects were divided into three groups according to OGTT results, and 1, 5-AG levels differed significantly between them. Results: A significant positive correlation existed between 1, 5-AG and HOMA-β only in the diabetes mellitus group (r = 0.265, p < 0.001). Above phenomenon remained after adjusting for indicators, however, disappeared after considering serum uric acid. Both 1, 5-AG and HbA1c were independent factors for HOMA-β (1, 5-AG: β = 0.772, p = 0.023; HbA1c: β = -7.52, p = 0.003). Conclusion: 1, 5-AG remained a factor for HOMA-β only for those with NUA. 1, 5-AG reflects different glucose metabolism statuses and is an auxiliary observation reflecting the secretory function of β cells in NUA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring the concentration of antibiotics rapidly and cost-effectively is crucial for accurate clinical medication and timely identification of drug-induced illnesses. Here, we constructed a novel fluorescent assay kit to monitor Zavicefta, an effective antibiotic composed of avibactam (AVI) and ceftazidime (CFZ) to treat carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria infections. AVI can emit fluorescence, but CFZ cannot. To enable simultaneous measurement of both in one kit, we designed molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) modified quantum dots (QDs) for CFZ determination. MIPs have received significant attention as an artificial antibody due to their exceptional specificity for various targets, particularly drugs with small molecular weight. Under the excitation wavelength of 350 nm, the detection process involves a decrease in QDs' fluorescence signal at 600 nm owing to the "gate effect" between MIP and CFZ and the internal filtration effect between CFZ and QDs. Simultaneously, a fluorescence emission characteristic peak at 420 nm for AVI emerges. In addition, to simplify the operation procedure and improve determination throughput, the detection agents were incorporated into a hydrogel and placed in a 96-well plate, enabling concurrent quantification of AVI and CFZ within the respective range of 80–1000 μM and 1–1000 μM. The developed assay kit successfully determined AVI and CFZ in human serums and therapeutic drug monitoring in a live rabbit model. Recoveries of AVI and CFZ were 92.7–114%, with relative standard deviations below 6.0%. Moreover, a smartphone was employed to read the fluorescence signals, which was beneficial for cost reduction and out-of-lab analysis. This study will deliver a pragmatic resolution to developing high-throughput assay kits for drug determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Organic carbon (C) application can improve soil C sequestration, but little is known about the impact of organic C-driven microbial community alteration on phosphorus (P) availability in soils with different tillage regimes. Materials and methods: A 30-day incubation experiment was carried out in this study to explore the response of labile inorganic P content, organic P fraction, phosphatase activity, and phoD-harboring bacterial and fungal community structure and co-occurrence network to glucose (500 mg C kg−1 dry soil) addition in 13-year continuous-tilled (CT) and no-tilled (NT) soils. Results: The results showed that glucose addition significantly decreased the labile inorganic P content to the lowest value on Day 3 and then gradually increased by 13.1% and 25.9% in CT and NT from Day 3 to Day 30, respectively. On Day 30, the labile inorganic P content in CT was notably lower than that in NT, mainly due to the lower pH and higher phosphatase activity in NT. The labile organic C input shifted phoD-harboring bacteria from Actinobacteria (oligotrophic) to Proteobacteria (copiotrophic) and phoD-harboring fungi from Ascomycota to Basidiomycota. After glucose addition, Ensifer and Bradyrhizobium emerged as the dominant bacterial species in CT and NT soils, respectively, while Solicoccozyma became the dominant fungal species in both CT and NT soils. Regarding the combined bacterial and fungal co-occurrence network, stronger positive interactions among phosphate solubilizing microorganisms (PSMs), especially between bacteria and fungi, were detected in the glucose-amended treatment. This phenomenon was more evident in NT than in CT. Conclusion: Overall, incorporating exogenous labile organic C could affect P availability by altering soil pH, phosphatase activity and the microbial community composition, and increasing the complexity of co-occurrence network topological patterns; more importantly, NT was more sensitive to labile organic C addition than CT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IgA vasculitis nephritis (IgAVN), a type of immune system disease characterized by the deposition of IgA in the mesangial area of the glomerulus, is most common in children. Corticosteroids and immunosuppressants agents are commonly prescribed for the clinical management of IgAVN; however, these therapies are associated with numerous adverse reactions. This necessitates the discovery of alternative, potential therapeutic agents that can offer a safer treatment option. Natural plants contain abundant total glucosides of paeony (TGP), which represent one of the most prevalent secondary metabolites found within these organisms. TGP has been proven to be a safe and desirable natural medicine, with the most central ingredient being polyphenolic. TGP, a naturally occurring and cost-effective compound, exerts its therapeutic influence on IgAVN via diverse pathways and targets, with minimal side effects. Its substantial clinical potential underscores the importance of delving deeper into its pharmacological mechanisms, which hold great promise for novel drug development. This review examines the multifaceted therapeutic mechanisms of TGP in IgAVN encompassing modulation of Wnt/β-catenin pathways and programmed cell death pathways, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and enhancement of vascular repair. Additionally, we provide an overview of recent advancements in enhancing the bioavailability of TGP and highlight crucial considerations that may inform future research endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study comprehensively investigates the practical and intrinsic predictability of the sea surface temperature (SST) in the Northern Tropical Atlantic (NTA) based on the 138-year-long coupled hindcasts with a recently developed seasonal ensemble prediction system. This system can yield skillful deterministic predictions for the prominent warm and cold events at least 6 months ahead. Notably, it excels in providing probabilistic predictions for below- and above-normal events rather than for neutral events. The predictability of SST in the NTA undergoes remarkable seasonal variation with two peaks of predictability targeted at April and October regardless of the lead time. Various sources of predictability for these target months are revealed. For the target month of April, the preceding remote forcing from the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in the tropical Pacific Ocean combined with local signal results in the phase locking of the SST variation and seasonality of signal component over the NTA. This ultimately contributes to the high predictability targeted at April. However, From the perspective of potential predictability of the predictability targeted at October, which has been rarely mentioned in previous studies. It is also encouraging that, similar to the Indian Ocean Dipole, ENSO and the signal-to-noise ratio of the system mainly contribute to predictability beyond persistence at long lead times for the spring SST in the NTA. This indicates that potential future ENSO improvements may leave much room for improvement in the current SST prediction in the NTA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between blood urea nitrogen to albumin ratio (BAR) and the prognosis of patients with tuberculosis (TB) complicated by sepsis remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the association between BAR and overall patient prognosis. This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with TB complicated by sepsis who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu between January 2019 and February 2023. The relationship between BAR values and prognosis in these patients was investigated using multivariate Cox regression, stratified analysis with interaction, restricted cubic spline (RCS), and threshold effect analysis. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of the results. Our study included 537 TB patients complicated by sepsis admitted in the ICU, with a median age of 63.0 (48.0, 72.0) years; 76.7% of whom were men. The multivariate-restricted cubic spline analysis showed a non-linear association between BAR and patient prognosis. In the threshold analysis, we found that TB patients complicated by sepsis and a BAR < 7.916 mg/g had an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for prognosis of 1.163 (95% CI 1.038–1.303; P = 0.009). However, when the BAR was ≥ 7.916 mg/g, there was no significant increase in the risk of death. The results of the sensitivity analysis were stable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthrax is an acute infectious zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a bacterium that is considered a potential biological warfare agent. Bacillus bacteriophages shape the composition and evolution of bacterial communities in nature and therefore have important roles in the ecosystem community. B. anthracis phages are not only used in etiological diagnostics but also have promising prospects in clinical therapeutics or for disinfection in anthrax outbreaks. In this study, two temperate B. anthracis phages, vB_BanS_A16R1 (A16R1) and vB_BanS_A16R4 (A16R4), were isolated and showed siphovirus-like morphological characteristics. Genome sequencing showed that the genomes of phages A16R1 and A16R4 are 36,569 bp and 40,059 bp in length, respectively. A16R1 belongs to the genus Wbetavirus, while A16R4 belongs to the genus Hubeivirus and is the first phage of that genus found to lyse B. anthracis. Because these two phages can comparatively specifically lyse B. anthracis, they could be used as alternative diagnostic tools for identification of B. anthracis infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive aggressive migration and invasion are important factors that increase the mortality of cancer patients. Matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) expression is positively correlated with lung cancer malignancy. However, the mechanism underlying an elevated MMP13 expression is not clearly defined. In this study, we demonstrated that hypoxia induced by CoCl2 enhanced the expression of HIF1α, JAK2, STAT3 and MMP13 in A549 cells. A positive correlation between HIF1α and MMP13 expression was observed in lung adenocarcinoma patients. Mechanically, hypoxia upregulated HIF1α/JAK2/STAT3 signal axis, promoted transcription factor STAT3 to bind to MMP13 promoter region, and activated MMP13 transcription, finally promoted cell invasion and migration. However, stattic (STAT3 inhibitor) could reverse this effect caused by STAT3 in A549 cells. Together our data indicated that hypoxia might promote lung cancer cell migration and invasion through the HIF1α/JAK2/STAT3 axis by activating MMP13 transcription. MMP13 could be a promising therapeutic target for lung adenocarcinoma metastasis. Highlights: Hypoxia promoted cell invasion and migration in A549 cells. STAT3, but not traditionally believed HIF1α, primarily acted as a transcription factor of MMP13. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emergent plants have been remarkably effective in reducing phosphorus (P) discharge from ecological ditches; however, the treatment and recycling of these residues is a great challenge. In this study, magnetic biochars (MBs, i.e., MB-A, MB-C, and MB-T) were fabricated from three emergent plant residues (Acorus calamus L., Canna indica L., and Thalia dealbata Fraser, respectively) and modified with Fe(II)/Fe(III). Scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction spectra confirmed the successful loading of Fe3O4 and FeO(OH) onto the surfaces of the MBs. Batch adsorption experiments showed that MBs exhibited a higher P adsorption capacity than that of the raw biochars. Within the range of 0.8–43.0 mg L−1 in solution, the adsorption capacities of P by MB-A, MB-C, and MB-T were 304.6–5658.8, 314.9–6845.6, and 292.8–5590.0 mg kg−1, with adsorption efficiencies of 95.2–32.9%, 98.4–39.8%, and 91.5–32.5%, respectively. The primary mechanisms that caused P to adsorb onto the MBs were inner-sphere complexation and electrostatic attraction. Low pH conditions were more beneficial for the P adsorption of the MBs, while co-existing anions had a negative impact with the following order: HCO3− > SO42− > Cl−≈NO3−. The P-31 nuclear magnetic resonance results further demonstrated that the main adsorbed P species on the MBs was orthophosphate, followed by orthophosphate monoesters and DNA. Overall, MBs offer a resource utilization strategy for emergent plant residues and P-laden MBs are promising alternative P fertilizers. Highlights: Emergent plant biochar modified with Fe(II)/Fe(III) enhanced P adsorption capacity. Canna indica residue-derived MB exhibited the best P adsorption efficiency. MBs promoted P adsorption mainly via inner-sphere complexation and electrostatic attraction. P species adsorbed by MBs were mainly orthophosphate followed by orthophosphate monoesters and DNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nondestructive testing for ferromagnetic material equipment based on low-frequency electromagnetic technique (LFET) and signal difference is proposed. Magnetic field distributions of the defect area in or on the 20# steel surfaces are analyzed using the finite element method (FEM) based on COMSOL Multiphysics. After the signal difference converting, for a surface defect in the 1.2 to 9.6 mm depth, amplitude voltage ranges of 1.8 to 4.2 V and 2.5 to 3.5 V are obtained for the defects in 20# steel plate and pipe, respectively. In addition, compared with the traditional MFL, the 4.8-mm buried internal depth and the 9.6-mm depth surface defect are detected in the 12-mm-thick 20# steel plate or pipe, which is about 1.6 times higher than that of the current similar sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyoscyamine and scopolamine (HS), two valuable tropane alkaloids of significant medicinal importance, are found in multiple distantly related lineages within the Solanaceae family. Here we sequence the genomes of three representative species that produce HS from these lineages, and one species that does not produce HS. Our analysis reveals a shared biosynthetic pathway responsible for HS production in the three HS-producing species. We observe a high level of gene collinearity related to HS synthesis across the family in both types of species. By introducing gain-of-function and loss-of-function mutations at key sites, we confirm the reduced/lost or re-activated functions of critical genes involved in HS synthesis in both types of species, respectively. These findings indicate independent and repeated losses of the HS biosynthesis pathway since its origin in the ancestral lineage. Our results hold promise for potential future applications in the artificial engineering of HS biosynthesis in Solanaceae crops. Hyoscyamine and scopolamine (HS) are two tropane alkaloids with medicinal significance produced by distantly related lineages in the Solanaceae family. Here, the authors assemble the genome of three HS-producing and one non-HS-producing species within Solanaceae, and reveal the evolution of the biosynthetic pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Colorectal endoscopic submucosal resection (ESD), especially ESD in proximal colon, has always been challenging. We invented a novel elastic ring as a traction method to facilitate ESD. Our study aims to compare the safety and effectiveness of ESD with in vivo traction and conventional ESD without traction in the treatment of large proximal colon neoplastic lesions. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included consecutive patients with large (≥ 20 mm in their maximal diameter) proximal colon neoplastic lesions who underwent ESD with in vivo elastic ring traction or conventional ESD without traction in our endoscopy center between June 2018 and April 2022 by one experienced endoscopist. Results: The ESD with traction group has lower overall complication rate and lower perforation rate than those in the conventional ESD group (0% vs 14.71%, P = 0.021; 0% vs 11.76%, P = 0.048, respectively), and the differences are statistically significant. Although there are no significant differences in the rates of en bloc resection and R0 resection and bleeding rate, ESD with traction group still had higher en bloc resection and R0 resection rates and lower bleeding rate than conventional ESD group without traction (100% vs 94.12%, P = 0.226; 94.59% vs 85.29%, P = 0.189, 8.82% vs 2.70%, P = 0.276, respectively). Conclusion: ESD with elastic ring traction is potentially more effective and safer than conventional ESD in the treatment of large proximal colon neoplastic lesions. Further large, prospective controlled studies are needed to fully evaluate this novel method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Advances in Atmospheric Sciences is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3-based (NBT) ferroelectric ceramics have wide application prospects due to their high Curie temperature and large spontaneous polarization. However, the low depolarization temperature (Td) and high conductivity limit their application at high temperature. In this work, NBT is modified by BiAlO3 (BA) to increase its Td and restrain its high-temperature conductivity. With increasing BA concentration, the resistivity of NBT-BA increases, however, its piezoelectric coefficients (d33) and Td significantly decrease, leading to the disruption of ferroelectric ordering and enhanced relaxor behavior. The quenching treatment not only increases d33 and Td simultaneously, the resistivity increases further upon quenching. The air-quenched 0.93NBT-0.07BA possesses d33 of 84 pC/N, Td of 140 °C and resistivity of 2 × 107 Ω·cm at 450 °C. Therefore, this work provides a new strategy for modification of high-temperature piezoelectric devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yak has been subject to natural selection, human domestication and interspecific introgression during its evolution. However, genetic variants favored by each of these processes have not been distinguished previously. We constructed a graph-genome for 47 genomes of 7 cross-fertile bovine species. This allowed detection of 57,432 high-resolution structural variants (SVs) within and across the species, which were genotyped in 386 individuals. We distinguished the evolutionary origins of diverse SVs in domestic yaks by phylogenetic analyses. We further identified 334 genes overlapping with SVs in domestic yaks that bore potential signals of selection from wild yaks, plus an additional 686 genes introgressed from cattle. Nearly 90% of the domestic yaks were introgressed by cattle. Introgression of an SV spanning the KIT gene triggered the breeding of white domestic yaks. We validated a significant association of the selected stratified SVs with gene expression, which contributes to phenotypic variations. Our results highlight that SVs of different origins contribute to the phenotypic diversity of domestic yaks. Yaks have been subject to natural selection, human domestication and interspecific introgression during their evolution. Here, the authors have identified genomic structural variations and the linked genes involved in these processes in domestic yaks, to reveal new insight into genetic basis of phenotypic diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repeated neonatal exposures to sevoflurane induce long-term cognitive impairment that has been reported to have sex-dependent differences. Exercise promotes learning and memory by releasing lactate from the muscle. The study tested the hypothesis that lactate may improve long-term cognitive impairment induced by repeated neonatal exposures to sevoflurane through SIRT1-mediated regulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity. C57BL/6 mice of both genders were exposed to 3% sevoflurane for 2 h daily from postnatal day 6 (P6) to P8. In the intervention experiments, mice received lactate at 1 g/kg intraperitoneally once daily from P21 to P41. Behavioral tests including open field (OF), object location (OL), novel object recognition (NOR), and fear conditioning (FC) tests were performed to assess cognitive function. The number of 5-Bromo-2′- deoxyuridine positive (BrdU+) cells and BrdU+/DCX+ (doublecortin) co-labeled cells, expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated protein (Arc), early growth response 1 (Egr-1), SIRT1, PGC-1α and FNDC5, and long-term potentiation (LTP) were evaluated in the hippocampus. Repeated exposures to sevoflurane induced deficits in OL, NOR and contextual FC tests in male but not female mice. Similarly, adult hippocampal neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity-related proteins and hippocampal LTP were impaired after repeated exposures to sevoflurane in male but not female mice, which could rescue by lactate treatment. Our study suggests that repeated neonatal exposures to sevoflurane inhibit adult hippocampal neurogenesis and induce defects of synaptic plasticity in male but not female mice, which may contribute to long-term cognitive impairment. Lactate treatment rescues these abnormalities through activation of SIRT1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telomeres, at the ends of chromosomes, protect chromosomes from fusion and preserve genomic stability. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying telomere attrition-induced genome instability remain to be understood. We systematically analyzed the expression of retrotransposons and performed genomic sequencing of different cell and tissue types with telomeres of varying lengths due to telomerase deficiency. We found that critically short telomeres altered retrotransposon activity to promote genomic instability in mouse embryonic stem cells, as evidenced by elevated numbers of single nucleotide variants, indels and copy number variations (CNVs). Transpositions of retrotransposons such as LINE1 resulting from the short telomeres can also be found in these genomes with elevated number of mutations and CNVs. Retrotransposon activation is linked to increased chromatin accessibility, and reduced heterochromatin abundance correlates with short telomeres. Re-elongation of telomeres upon recovery of telomerase partly represses retrotransposons and heterochromatin accumulation. Together, our findings suggest a potential mechanism by which telomeres maintain genomic stability by suppressing chromatin accessibility and retrotransposon activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Central South University is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Combined application of biochar and organic fertilizer improves soil structure and crop yield but may lead to increased loss of phosphorus (P). To reduce the P loss risk in this case, rice straw biochar (BC) and sheep manure (SM) were modified using polyacrylamide (PAM). The effects of using organic amendments (BC, SM, and PAM-modified organic mixtures) and no amendments (CK) on soil total and colloidal P leaching loss from paddy soils were evaluated through soil column leaching experiments. The soil leachate volume was increased by 8.91% with BC treatment and reduced by 15.3% with SM treatment. The total P leaching loss (973.9 μg kg−1) from the BC-treated soil was higher than that from other treatments (541.4–963.5 μg kg−1). However, there was much more colloidal P loss (480.0 μg kg−1) from SM treatment. The optimal conditions for the preparation of BC and SM modified using polyacrylamide (PSB) for reducing P leaching loss were SM/BC = 4:1, 1% PAM, and 100 °C. Molybdate-unreactive P accounts for 58.61–86.89% of the colloidal P in the soil leachate with organic amendments. PSB reduced colloidal P loss (particularly in 10–220 nm range) by ~ 50% compared with BC and SM treatments. The colloidal P concentration in the leaching solutions was significantly correlated with TOC and susceptible to Fe and Al concentrations. Using PAM-modified mixture instead of manure and biochar as a soil amendment can effectively control P leaching from fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the association between preoperative dipstick albuminuria (DA) and acute kidney injury (AKI) in high-risk patients following non-cardiac surgery. Methods: This was a single-center prospective cohort study. Adult patients with high risk of AKI undergoing non-cardiac surgery were enrolled. The primary outcome was AKI, defined according to KDIGO criteria within 7 days following non-cardiac surgery. DA status was determined by urinalysis performed within 24 h of hospital admission. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between preoperative DA and postoperative AKI. Results: During the study period, 552 patients were enrolled and 8.5% of them developed postoperative AKI. The overall rate of preoperative positive DA was 26.4% with 30 and ≥ 100 mg/dL DA accounting for 19.2% and 7.2%, respectively. Patients with more severe preoperative DA had much higher rate of postoperative AKI (5.2% in patients with negative or trace DA, 13.2% in patients with 30 mg/dL DA and 30.0% in patients with ≥ 100 mg/dL DA, P < 0.001). After adjusting for several perioperative variables, preoperative 30 mg/dL DA (OR 2.575; 95% CI 1.049–6.322; P = 0.039) and ≥ 100 mg/dL DA (OR 3.868; 95% CI 1.246–12.010; P = 0.019) showed an independent association with postoperative AKI. In addition, patients with higher DA status demonstrated significantly increased level of postoperative urine biomarkers and their ratio to urine creatinine. Conclusions: Preoperative DA was independently associated with AKI in high-risk patients following non-cardiac surgery. Preoperative routine urinalysis for determination of DA status was suggested in early risk stratification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAOH) was used as a template in the sol to synthesize Gd2Ti2O7. The effects of calcination temperature on the characteristics of the Gd2Ti2O7 samples were studied. The crystallite sizes of Gd2Ti2O7 prepared at 800, 900 and 1000 °C were calculated to be 33.5, 37.6 and 46.5 nm. The bandgap energies of the Gd2Ti2O7 samples were between 3.21 and 3.37 eV when the calcination temperature ranged from 600 to 1000 °C. The Gd2Ti2O7 sample obtained at 800 °C had the weakest photoluminescence intensity, i.e., the longest lifetime for the charge carriers. The amorphous samples had large surface area and pore volume but the crystallized Gd2Ti2O7 materials had apparently small values. The amorphous materials had very poor activity, and the Gd2Ti2O7 sample calcined at 800 °C had the strongest activity on RBR X-3B degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenine (A) and guanine (G) are mainly found in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) and play a crucial role in genetic information transfer and protein synthesis. In this study, NH2-MIL-53(Fe)/CS/MXene nanocomposites were prepared for detecting guanine and adenine. With high specific surface area, excellent water dispersion, and numerous active sites, MXene (transition metal carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides) provides a good platform for loading primitive metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). At the same time, the problem of poor conductivity and dispersion of MOFs is solved. The electrochemical catalytic oxidation of adenine and guanine of NH2-MIL-53 (Fe)/CS/MXene nanocomposites was carried out by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Operating voltage of DPV: 0.7–0.9 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) for G, 1.0–1.2 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) for A, 0.8 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), and 1.1 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) for G and A. The concentration ranges for detecting A and G were 3–118 μM and 2–120 μM with detection limits of 0.57 μM and 0.17 μM (S/N = 3), respectively. The nanocomposite was used for detecting G and A in herring sperm DNA, and the content of G and A was found to be about 9 and 11 μM; the RSD values were 3.4 and 1.3%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creatinine, as a significant biomarker for kidney, thyroid, and muscle dysfunction-related diseases, detection is of great important meaning. In this paper, an enzyme-nanozyme cascade sensing platform was developed for visual creatinine detection. Perovskite oxide BiFeO3 synthesized by a sol–gel method was applied as a nanozyme, showing excellent peroxidase-like activity. During detection, creatinine was oxidized in turn by three natural enzymes (creatinase, creatininase, and sarcosine oxidase) to produce H2O2, and H2O2 was then catalyzed by the BiFeO3 nanozyme, resulting in the change of achromatous 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) into blue oxidized TMB (oxTMB). Based on this principle, visual quantification of creatinine was realized. Due to the high stability and catalytic efficiency of nanozyme, the cascade sensing platform can be used to detect creatinine in a broad range of 0.5–150 μM with a detection limit of 0.09 μM. Meanwhile, thanks to the specificity of the natural enzymes, the platform exhibited admirable selectivity for creatinine determination despite the existence of a variety of interfering substances, which were successfully adopted to measure the level of creatinine in human serums. The cascade sensing platform is expected to serve the determination of a large number of biomarkers by simply alternating the natural enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the catalytic activity of two-dimensional layered materials as versatile materials, the modification of transition metal dichalcogenide nanosheets such as MoS2 by doping with heteroatoms has drawn great interests. However, few reports are available on the study of the enzyme-like activity of doped MoS2. In this study, a facile in situ hydrothermal method for the preparation of various ultrathin transition metals (Fe, Cu, Co, Mn, and Ni) doped MoS2 nanosheets has been reported. Through the density functional theory (DFT) and steady-state kinetic analysis, the Co-doped MoS2 nanosheets exhibited the highest peroxidase-like catalytic activity among them. Furthermore, a typical colorimetric assay for H2O2 was presented based on the catalytic oxidation of colorless 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to a blue product (oxTMB) by Co-MoS2. The proposed colorimetric method showed excellent tolerance under extreme conditions and a broad linear range from 0.0005 to 25 mM for H2O2 determination. Concerning the practical application, in situ detection of H2O2 generated from SiHa cells was also fulfilled, fully confirming the great practicability of the proposed method in biosensing fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The NaZSM-5 (NaZ) and HZSM-5 (HZ) zeolites were used to synthesize the Sm2Ti2O7 (STO)-ZSM-5 composites via a sol–gel route. An interesting finding is the enhanced photocatalytic activity of the STO-zeolite composites. The STO-HZ and STO-NaZ composites are composed of 70% STO and 30% zeolite, and the zeolite particles are surrounded by a STO layer. The chemical environments of Sm, O and Ti in the STO are not influenced by the zeolite. The photoluminescence intensities of the materials are in the sequence of STO, STO-NaZ and STO-HZ. The STO-HZ composite has the strongest photocatalytic activity, and the optimum STO dosage for ofloxacin degradation is 600 mg/L. The degradation of ofloxacin during photocatalytic reaction was determined using the UV–Vis spectrum and FT-IR spectrum of the ofloxacin solution. The typical organic groups in the ofloxacin are decomposed in the oxidation reaction. The mineralization of ofloxacin and the degradation of the oxidation intermediates result in the formation of F−, NO2− and NH4+ ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the relationship between serum/follicular fluid (FF) vitamin D (VD) status and assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment outcomes among infertile patients. Methods: A prospective cohort study, including 132 infertile patients scheduled for their first ART treatment cycle, was carried out in a Reproductive Medical Center. Serum and FF samples were collected to assess 25-hydroxy VD [25(OH)D] levels. Low VD level was defined as 25(OH)D concentration of less than 30 ng/mL. Results: Most infertile patients had low VD levels in serum (88%) and FF (90%). We observed a moderately positive correlation between VD levels in serum and FF (r = 0.34, p < 0.0001). Compared to the group of patients with low VD levels in the FF, those with sufficient VD levels had a significantly higher number of retrieved oocytes (p = 0.03), normal fertilization (p = 0.01), and high-quality embryos (p = 0.001). Moreover, patients with sufficient VD levels in the FF also had significantly higher implantation rates than those with low VD levels (76.92% vs. 46.58%, respectively, p = 0.01) and clinical pregnancy rates (92.31% vs. 61.54%, respectively, p = 0.04). Conclusion: These data collectively revealed that low VD levels in serum and FF were common among infertile patients. VD levels in FF, but not in serum, were associated with embryo quality, normal fertilization, implantation rates, and clinical pregnancy rates. Further studies are mandatory to determine the molecular mechanism and VD's potential therapeutic benefits in infertile patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The transformation of the various fractions of soil organic nitrogen (N) plays a pivotal role in soil N retention and in supplying N for crop growth. Soil texture essentially determines the soil's physical, chemical and biological properties, which affect the soil organic N content and distribution. However, little is known about the incorporation and allocation of fertilizer N among different soil organic N fractions and the fate of fertilizer N in soils with different textures. Methods: This study was conducted in a long-term experiment (began in 1990) including three soils of different texture (sandy soil, sandy clay loam and loamy clay) in a winter wheat-summer maize cropping system. A 15N-labelling microplot field experiment was carried out to investigate the distribution and seasonal dynamics of fertilizer N among different soil organic N fractions from October 2017 to May 2018. Results: The residual amount of fertilizer N in different textural soils were loamy clay > sandy clay loam > sandy soil. More than 74% of the residual fertilizer N existed in the form of acid hydrolyzable nitrogen (AHN). The levels of hydrolyzable ammonium N (HAN) and hydrolyzable unknown N (UHN) derived from fertilizer decreased gradually during the wheat growing season, and the amino acid-15N (AAN-15N) and amino sugar-15N (ASN-15N) levels decreased first and then increased. The average value of ASN-15N in loamy clay and sandy clay loam was 119% and 58% higher than that in sandy soil; the concentrations of AAN-15N and HAN-15N and the N use efficiency were found to be highest in sandy clay loam. On average, the content of acid insoluble N (NHN) derived from fertilizer in loamy clay was 2.4 and 1.9 times those in sandy soil and sandy clay loam, respectively. The structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that the different concentrations of dissolved organic nitrogen in the fluvo-aquic soils with different textures directly induced changes in the distribution and seasonal dynamics of fertilizer N in the HAN, ASN and UHN pools, further influencing fertilizer N storage in the soil and supply for wheat. Conclusions: Loamy clay had the highest N fertilizer retention capacity of all tested soil types. Sandy clay loam provided more labile fertilizer-derived organic nitrogen and a better environment for roots, thereby increasing the N use efficiency of wheat. The fertilizer N residue in the soils and the fertilizer N supply for wheat were closely related to the concentrations of HAN-15N, ASN-15N and UHN-15N and were affected by the dissolved organic N contents of the soils with different textures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactobacillus paracasei was used to produce fermented spicy rabbit meat. A series of indexes were determined, including pH value, free amino acid content, true protein content, texture, microstructure and the volatile compounds of fermented spicy rabbit meat and unfermented spicy rabbit meat. The results showed that Lactobacillus paracasei could reduce the pH value of spicy rabbit meat (from 6.85 to 4.65), could degrade the proteins of spicy rabbit meat, could increase the content of free amino acids (from 205.1 mg/100 g to 505.6 mg/100 g), and could improve its textural properties and organoleptic quality of the spicy rabbit meat. The microstructure of the fermented spicy rabbit meat and unfermented spicy rabbit meat was observed by scanning electron microscope. The results showed that the microstructure of the fermented spicy rabbit meat changed obviously, the arrangement of muscle fibers was loose or even seriously broken, and many small pieces were formed, which indicated that the fermentation could improve the tenderness of the rabbit meat. The kinds of volatile flavor compounds after fermentation were increased from 14 to 40 as estimated by solid phase microextraction and GC–MS. Therefore, utilization of microbial fermentation technology can improve the quality, texture, tenderness and flavor of spicy rabbit meat, and enhance the digestion and absorption capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most extant angiosperms belong to Mesangiospermae, which comprises eudicots, monocots, magnoliids, Chloranthales and Ceratophyllales. However, phylogenetic relationships between these five lineages remain unclear. Here, we report the high-quality genome of a member of the Chloranthales lineage (Chloranthus sessilifolius). We detect only one whole genome duplication within this species and find that polyploidization events in different Mesangiospermae lineage are mutually independent. We also find that the members of all floral development-related gene lineages are present in C. sessilifolius despite its extremely simplified flower. The AP1 and PI genes, however, show a weak floral tissue-specialized expression. Our phylogenomic analyses suggest that Chloranthales and magnoliids are sister groups, and both are together sister to the clade comprising Ceratophyllales and eudicots, while the monocot lineage is sister to all other Mesangiospermae. Our findings suggest that in addition to hybridization, incomplete lineage sorting may largely account for phylogenetic inconsistencies between the observed gene trees. Chloranthales remain the last lineage of core angiosperms that lacks a nuclear genome assembly. Here, the authors report the genome assembly of Chloranthus sesilifolius and show that both hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting may have contributed to the phylogenetic incongruities in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs can serve as biomarkers for many cancers, so it is significant to develop simple and sensitive strategies for microRNAs detection. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) detection has the advantages of simple equipment and high sensitivity. But in conventional PEC DNA sensors, tedious immobilization procedures of photoactive materials and capture probes on electrode surfaces are inevitable. To overcome those limitations, a homogeneous PEC biosensor based on target-responsive hydrogels has been developed (miRNA-155 has been chosen as a model target). PEC signal molecules (TiO2 nanoparticles, TiO2 NPs) were embedded in DNA hydrogels formed by hyaluronic acid sodium salt, amine-modified DNA double strands, and polyethylenimine rich in amine groups. In the presence of the target, DNA double strands in hydrogel were nicked by endonuclease and TiO2 NPs were released to the supernate and a high PEC response was obtained when collecting the supernate for PEC test, while almost no TiO2 NPs released in the absence of the target. Thanks to the exonuclease III and nicking endonuclease Nb.BbvCI-assisted cascaded amplification strategy, the proposed biosensor exhibits high sensitivity toward miRNA-155 with a low detection limit of 0.41 fM and a wide linear range from 1.0 fM to 100 pM. Since this method circumvents tedious electrode modification procedures, the proposed technique exhibits the advantages of simplicity and good reproducibility. Moreover, the prepared hydrogels have outstanding storage stability, so that they can be prepared in advance and shorten detection time. This biosensing platform provides a versatile strategy for the construction of homogeneous PEC biosensors for the detection of diverse targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sampling is a fundamental method for generating data subsets. As many data analysis methods are developed based on probability distributions, maintaining distributions when sampling can help to ensure good data analysis performance. However, sampling a minimum subset while maintaining probability distributions is still a problem. In this paper, we decompose a joint probability distribution into a product of conditional probabilities based on Bayesian networks and use the chi-square test to formulate a sampling problem that requires that the sampled subset pass the distribution test to ensure the distribution. Furthermore, a heuristic sampling algorithm is proposed to generate the required subset by designing two scoring functions: one based on the chi-square test and the other based on likelihood functions. Experiments on four types of datasets with a size of 60 000 show that when the significant difference level, α, is set to 0:05, the algorithm can exclude 99:9%, 99:0%, 93:1% and 96:7% of the samples based on their Bayesian networks—ASIA, ALARM, HEPAR2, and ANDES, respectively. When subsets of the same size are sampled, the subset generated by our algorithm passes all the distribution tests and the average distribution difference is approximately 0:03; by contrast, the subsets generated by random sampling pass only 83:8% of the tests, and the average distribution difference is approximately 0:24. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor based on "Z-scheme" TiO2@Au@CdS and molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was developed for the non-invasive detection of uric acid (UA). The "Z-scheme" material, consisting of an electron-transfer system (Au) and two isolated photochemical systems (CdS, TiO2), was synthesized by chemical deposition method and it worked as a substrate for electro-polymerization of MIP. Due to the high photoelectric conversion efficiency provided by TiO2@Au@CdS and specific imprinting effect afforded by MIP, the sensor displayed desirable sensing performance with the merits of sensitivity, selectivity, repeatability, and stability. The linear range for UA detection is from 1 nM to 9 μM with the detection limit of 0.3 nM (S/N = 3). Moreover, the assay was successfully utilized to measure UA in human tears and offered a reliable result. The incorporation of MIP and "Z-scheme" material into a PEC sensor system is expected to provide a promising strategy for detecting other small molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lumbar drainage (LD) is one of the common treatment techniques in neurosurgery. There is a risk of secondary meningitis when using this modality. We aim to predict the probability of the complication by designing a nomogram. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in a teaching hospital. Data were collected and LD-related meningitis (LDRM) was identified, mainly based on clinical manifestations and cerebrospinal fluid analysis. Univariate analysis was used to screen the risk factors, and binary logistic analysis was performed to build the prediction model, which was furtherly transferred into a nomogram. The prediction performance was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, Hosmer–Lemeshow test, and nomogram calibration plot. Internal validation was processed by using ordinary bootstrapping. Results: A total of 273 patients who match the research criteria were enrolled, in which 37 cases (13.6%) were confirmed to have LDRM. Univariate analysis showed the risk factors included diabetes (p = 0.003), admission on surgical intensive care unit (p = 0.012), duration time (p < 0.001), site leakage (p < 0.001), and craniotomy (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, four of the variables were identified as independent risk factors to establish a prediction model, and a graphical nomogram was designed. The area under the ROC curve was 0.837, and the p value in the Hosmer–Lemeshow test was 0.610, with a mean absolute error in the calibration plot calculated as 0.022. The indices in the testing set were in good accordance with the original set when internal validation was performed. Conclusions: This is the first study to transform the prediction model of LDRM into a nomogram, which can be considered as a tool for clinicians to assess infection risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prussian blue nanoparticles (PBNPs) have been synthesized by using β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) as a surfactant and ethyl alcohol as a green solvent. The products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) to analyse the structure, morphology, surface elements, specific surface area and porosity, respectively. It was found that the specific surface area of PB-120 was 90.527 m2 g−1. When the as-prepared PBNPs were applied as heterogeneous photo-Fenton catalysts, they exhibit high catalytic efficiency and stability of degrading Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light in neutral system. The catalytic degradation of 25 mg L−1 RhB by PB-120 only needed 15 min, while the high degradation rate (83%) of RhB after 4 cycles of degradation could be achieved. The as-prepared PBNPs may be employed as excellent catalysts to degrade organic pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of reverse left ventricular remodeling (r-LVR) on clinical outcomes after surgical correction of anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) remains unclear. This study aims to examine the prognostic significance of r-LVR in patients with ALCAPA after surgery. We prospectively identified 61 patients undergoing surgical correction for ALCAPA; 54 patients had adequate echocardiographic image quality with quantitative biplane analysis performed both at baseline and at 30-day postoperative follow-up. Postoperative r-LVR was defined as a reduction of ≥ 10% in left ventricular end-diastolic volume index during follow-up. Cox proportional-hazards regression was used to investigate the independent association of r-LVR and all-cause mortality. Among 54 patients (age: 21.2 ± 7 months; 37% females), r-LVR occurred in 35 patients (64.8%) after surgery. Compared to patients with r-LVR, patients without r-LVR had significantly higher level of N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) [2176 (711, 4219) vs 998 (623, 2145) P < 0.001] and lower survival rate (47.3% vs 82.9%, HR = 5.72 [1.96 to 17.20], P < 0.001) at 1-year follow-up. NT-proBNP (OR = 2.27 [1.67 to 18.3], P = 0.02) was an independent predictor of r-LVR in multivariate analysis. Moreover, r-LVR was significantly associated with a lower rate of all-cause mortality (HR = 0.27 [0.08 to 0.98], P = 0.03) in multivariate analysis, even after adjustment for clinical and echocardiographic variables. R-LVR occurred in more than half of patients with ALCAPA undergoing surgical correction and it was associated with better clinical outcomes. NT-proBNP is an independent predictor of r-LVR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A UV-vis spectrometer, as a sort of important analytical instrument, has been widely used to analyze various substances. However, expensive equipment and skilled operators are required, which limits its broad applications for out-of-lab and daily measurements. In this work, a self-designed sensing device based on smart phone was developed as a sensitive, cost-effective, facile, and portable testing tool. The sensing device fabricated by 3D printing was used to lodge a sample solution and produce a light signal, and the optical sensor on a smart phone worked as a transducer. The light source in the device generated wide-wavelength radiation, which passed through an inner filter and only light of a designated wavelength reached the testing solution. The intensity of transmitted light was then measured by an optical sensor internally installed in most smart phones, where the signals were processed as well. The feasibility of our device was verified by detecting four kinds of common heavy metal ions in actual water samples, and the testing results showed good agreement with those obtained from the UV-vis spectrometer. This work is expected to shed some light on the construction of smart phone–based sensors, featuring decent portability, simple operation, low cost, high sensitivity, and good accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: Malignant phyllodes tumor of the breast (MPTB) is a kind of rare tumor. Our objective was to investigate the role of adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) in MPTB patients. Methods: MPTB patients were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. Kaplan–Meier curves and multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses were conducted to determine the effect of adjuvant RT on MPTB patients. Propensity-score matching (PSM) method was used to balance the clinicopathological characteristics. Results: A total of 1353 MPTB patients were included in our study and the median follow-up time was 99 months (range: 0–331 months). 16.7% (226) MPTB patients received adjuvant RT, of which 49.1% (111) received mastectomy and 50.9% (115) underwent breast conservation surgery (BCS). Patients receiving adjuvant RT were more likely to be white, with better differentiation and larger tumors (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that poorer tumor differentiation grade, larger tumor size, and lymph node metastasis were associated with reduced survival while BCS was a protective factor of disease-specific survival (DSS) (HR 0.297; 95% CI 0.184–0.480) and overall survival (OS) (HR 0.445; 95% CI 0.321–0.616). After PSM, survival curves showed patients did not achieve an improved OS or DSS from adjuvant RT (p > 0.05). In subgroup analysis, no subgroup benefited from adjuvant RT. Exploratory analysis showed a survival benefit trend from adjuvant RT in patients with tumor larger than 50 mm and undergoing BCS. Conclusions: Among MPTB patients, adjuvant RT did not improve OS or DSS. In patients with tumor larger than 50 mm and receiving BCS, a survival benefit trend from adjuvant RT existed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The endocannabinoid system (ECS) regulates bone turn-over and remodeling. Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) occurring during obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may lead to disorders of the ECS and bone metabolism abnormalities. This study aimed to investigate whether or not the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) antagonist rimonabant (Ri) alleviates bone metabolism abnormalities and bone destruction induced by chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH). Methods: Healthy male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats (n=48) were randomly divided into 6 groups of 8 rats: 2 normal control (NC) groups, 2 intermittent hypoxia (IH) groups, and 2 IH + Ri groups. Rats in NC groups breathed room air for 4 weeks (4w NC group) and 6 weeks (6w NC group). Rats in IH groups experienced IH environment for 4 weeks (4w IH group) and 6 weeks (6w IH group). In addition to the same IH exposure, rats in IH + Ri group were given daily intraperitoneal injection of Ri at the dosage of 1.5 mg/kg/d for 4 weeks (4w IH + Ri group) and 6 weeks (6w IH + Ri group). Levels of serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP, a marker of bone resorption) were determined by ELISA. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was performed on bone sections to observe the changes in bone microstructure. Expression of CB1R in bone tissue was determined by immunohistochemistry. Results: TRAP levels were higher in the 4w IH and 6w IH groups than in the 4w NC and 6w NC groups; TRAP levels were lower in the 4w IH + Ri and 6w IH + Ri groups than in the 4w IH and 6w IH groups. HE staining showed that the morphology of bone cells in the NC group was normal, but the 4w IH group had mild edema of bone cells, reduction in trabecular bone, and destruction of bone microstructure. Changes were more severe in the 6w IH group than 4w IH. The 4w IH + Ri group was slightly improved compared with the 4w IH group. The 6w IH + Ri group was improved compared with the 4w IH + Ri group. The results of immunohistochemistry showed that the expression of CB1R in IH group was significantly higher than that in NC group. The expression of CB1R in the IH + Ri group was lower than that in the IH group. With the prolongation of hypoxia, the expression of CB1R in bone cells of IH group increased. The expression level of CB1R in IH + Ri group decreased with the prolongation of intervention time. Correlation analysis showed that the expression rate of CB1R in bone cells was positively correlated with the level of TRAP in serum. Conclusion: CIH increases serum TRAP levels and triggers metabolic bone disorder by activating bone CB1R. Intervention with CB1R antagonist (rimonabant) reduces the bone dysmetabolism in the CIH rat model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creating micro/nanostructures on fibers is beneficial for extending the application range of fiber-based devices. To achieve this using thermal fiber drawing is particularly important for the mass production of longitudinally uniform fibers up to tens of kilometers. However, the current thermal fiber drawing technique can only fabricate one-directional micro/nano-grooves longitudinally due to structure elongation and polymer reflow. Here, we develop a direct imprinting thermal drawing (DITD) technique to achieve arbitrarily designed surface patterns on entire fiber surfaces with high resolution in all directions. Such a thermal imprinting process is simulated and confirmed experimentally. Key process parameters are further examined, showing a process feature size as small as tens of nanometers. Furthermore, nanopatterns are fabricated on fibers as plasmonic metasurfaces, and double-sided patterned fibers are produced to construct self-powered wearable touch sensing fabric, revealing the bright future of the DITD technology in multifunctional fiber-based devices, wearable electronics, and smart textiles. Creating micro/nanostructures on fibers is beneficial to many fiber-based devices, which remains a challenge in large-scale fabrication due to elongation and reflow. Here, the authors demonstrate a method for generating high-resolution, arbitrarily designed surface patterns on fiber during the thermal drawing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrocatalytic activity of metal-organic framework (MOF)-derived NiO@ZnO hollow microspheres was studied for its application to an isoniazid sensor. The MOF-derived NiO@ZnO hollow spheres were synthesized by the coordination reaction of terephthalic acid with Zn2+ and Ni2+ and followed by calcination. Morphology characterization showed that the MOF-derived NiO@ZnO sphere has circular core-shell structure with pores on its surface. Further electrochemical characterization of the prepared sensor by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry proved that the material has good electrical conductivity and strong catalytic ability. Distinct oxidation peaks occur for INZ at potential of 0.22 V (vs. saturated calomel electrode). Under the optimal experimental conditions, the linear range of the sensor for isoniazid determination was 0.8 ~ 800 μM, and the detection limit was 0.25 μM (S/N = 3). In addition, the sensor displayed good stability, repeatability, and reproducibility. The established method was successfully applied for determination of isoniazid in tablets and mouse serum with admirable accuracy and reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nutrient balance in rice paddy fields can change under different tillage management practices; however, the extent of the change may differ for various rice varieties. A field experiment was conducted over 2 successive years to clarify the effects of no-till and rice varieties on the apparent balance of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Four treatments: no-till/japonica rice (NTJ), no-till/glutinous rice (NTG), conventional tillage/japonica rice (CTJ), and conventional tillage/glutinous rice (CTG) with three replicates of each were established to test the hypothesis that no-till and japonica rice can improve the apparent balance of nutrients. Results: The tillage method and rice variety had interactive effects on the apparent balance of N and P. After the 2-year experiment, total N and P pools in the 20 cm surface soil layer were highest under the NTJ treatment (4757.0 kg N ha−1, 2428.5 kg P ha−1) and lowest under the CTG treatments (4726.3 kg N ha−1, 2412.0 kg P ha−1). Under no-till conditions, japonica rice had higher grain yield but lower straw biomass than that of glutinous rice. NTG treatment significantly increased the N and P content in rice grains and straw. The environmental losses of N and P in the rice fields mainly occurred during the rice season. Based on nutrient balance estimation, N losses in the NTJ, NTG, and CTJ treatments were reduced by 15.03 kg N ha−1, 11.55 kg N ha−1, 6.72 kg N ha−1, respectively, as compared with that of the CTG treatment. The corresponding P losses were reduced by 8.02 kg P ha−1, 7.84 kg P ha−1, and 3.96 kg P ha−1. In terms of economic benefits, NTJ also resulted in the highest actual income (2724.25 US dollars) and the highest ratio of production investment (6.40). Conclusion: No-till was more likely to maintain soil N and P nutrients than conventional tillage, and this advantage was most significant when planting japonica rice. In addition, no-till was conducive to N and P uptake by rice, but only japonica rice exhibited increased grain yield. Consequently, the NTJ treatment was recommended to improve the N and P balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel source localization algorithm using a uniform linear array is proposed for scenarios where both the near-field (NF) and far-field multi-band sources may exist simultaneously. The proposed method is performed in two stages. In the first stage, we firstly exploit some spatial correlations of each frequency output component to construct a virtual array output and represent the virtual array output on a corresponding overcomplete basis or dictionary which is only related to the direction-of-arrivals (DOAs) of sources. And then we can establish a multiple-dictionary sparse representation model. Finally, we estimate DOAs of the incident sources by solving the weighted ℓ 1 -norm minimization problem. In the second stage, every frequency output component is firstly represented on a corresponding mixed overcomplete basis with the estimated DOAs, and then a multiple-dictionary sparse representation model is created. At last, the ranges of the NF sources are estimated using the weighted ℓ 1 -norm minimization, and the types of sources are also distinguished. The proposed algorithm avoids parameter pair-matching and two-dimensional search, and does not require a prior knowledge of source number. Simulation results indicate that the proposed algorithm can provide an improved localization accuracy and locate more sources than the existing techniques for the case of multi-band sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chest radiography revealed left deviation of mediastinum and left atelectasis (Fig. 1 A Radiography of the chest showed left deviation of trachea and mediastinum, and left atelectasis. B Bronchoscopy demonstrated thick, rubber-like, tubular necrotic tissue in the middle part of the trachea, resembling valve obstruction of the trachea. [Extracted from the article]

Antarctic sea ice has experienced an increasing trend in recent decades, especially in the Ross Sea and Indian Ocean sectors. Sea ice variability affects greatly the maritime airmass transport from high latitude to Antarctic continent. Here we present a new ice core record of sea salt sodium (ssNa+) concentration at annual-resolution in the Princess Elizabeth Land spanning from 1990 to 2016, showing that this marker could be used as a potential proxy for reconstructing the sea ice extent (SIE) in the Southern Indian Ocean (SIO) given their significant correlation (R = −0.6, P <0.01) over the past 27 years. The correlation and composite analyses results show that the ssNa+ at the 202 km inland from Zhongshan Station and the SIE changes in SIO are closely related to the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and Southern Annular Mode (SAM). The northward wind in central SIO occurs during positive IOD and the strengthened westerlies occurs during positive SAM, both of which favor increased sea ice in SIO and lead to the decreased ssNa+ concentration at the coastal site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polypyrrole (PPy) used as popular coatings can improve the electrochemical performance of electrodes greatly; however, uniform coatings of PPy on nanostructures is a challenging task in a solution system. Substitution for liquid phase polymerization reaction, herein a developed evaporation method is reported to make pyrrole vapor in situ polymerization on CuO arrays for the uniform PPy coatings. With the help of this uniform PPy coatings, the unique structure of arrayed CuO film can well maintain the stability of mechanical structures and has rapid transmission of lithium ions and electrons during charge/discharge processes, hence harvesting a high lithium storage. Electrochemical tests indicate that PPy can not only enhance the specific capacities of CuO anodes greatly but also improve the cyclic stability at a high-current density. The specific capacity of the CuO@PPy integrated anode can be up to 561 mAh g−1 at 1 C after 100 cycles, which is increased by almost 33% than that of the pure CuO anode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]