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Advancements in human-engineered heart tissue have enhanced the understanding of cardiac cellular alteration. Nevertheless, a human model simulating pathological remodeling following myocardial infarction for therapeutic development remains essential. Here we develop an engineered model of myocardial repair that replicates the phased remodeling process, including hypoxic stress, fibrosis, and electrophysiological dysfunction. Transcriptomic analysis identifies nine critical signaling pathways related to cellular fate transitions, leading to the evaluation of seventeen modulators for their therapeutic potential in a mini-repair model. A scoring system quantitatively evaluates the restoration of abnormal electrophysiology, demonstrating that the phased combination of TGFβ inhibitor SB431542, Rho kinase inhibitor Y27632, and WNT activator CHIR99021 yields enhanced functional restoration compared to single factor treatments in both engineered and mouse myocardial infarction model. This engineered heart tissue repair model effectively captures the phased remodeling following myocardial infarction, providing a crucial platform for discovering therapeutic targets for ischemic heart disease. Engineered human models of hearts are needed to study pathology and repair. Here, the authors develop a model which replicates the phased remodelling process. The model is then used to study signalling pathway modulators for their therapeutic potential in a mini-repair model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polylactic acid (PLA) is currently the largest volume of production and application of synthetic biodegradable polymer via bio-derived materials. However, the relaxation characteristics and very low crystallization rate determined by the hand- structure of PLA chains result in low heat-resistance temperature and troublesome demold behavior for fast extrusion and/ or injection molding process. It is well known, by introducing of nucleating agent and crystal growing accelerator, the crystallization properties of PLA materials can be improved efficiently. In the paper, the isothermal crystallization behaviors of PLA, which include the rate and temperature of crystallization, crystallinity, crystals morphologies, were systemically shown. Meanwhile, a serious of regulation strategies of isothermal crystallization kinetics of PLA materials, such as adding of biodegradable polymers, different dimension of fillers, various chain-reconstruct for PLA, processing flow fields and post-treatment, were comprehensively summarized. Additionally, the regularity strategies and next study points for PLA isothermal crystallization behavior were also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluoride-enriched groundwater is a serious threat for groundwater supply around the world. The medium–low temperature fluoride-enriched geothermal groundwater resource is widely distributed in the circum-Wugongshan area. And the fluoride concentration of all geothermal samples exceeds the WHO permissible limit of 1.5 mg/L. The Self-Organizing Map method, hydrochemical and isotopic analysis are used to decipher the driving factors and genetic mechanism of fluoride-enriched geothermal groundwater. A total of 19 samples collected from the circum-Wugongshan geothermal belt are divided into four clusters by the self-organizing map. Cluster I, Cluster II, Cluster III, and Cluster IV represent the geothermal groundwater with the different degree of fluoride concentration pollution, the different hydrochemical type, and the physicochemical characteristic. The high F− concentration geothermal groundwater is characterized by HCO3-Na with alkalinity environment. The δD and δ18O values indicate that the geothermal groundwater origins from the atmospheric precipitation with the recharge elevation of 1000-2100 m. The dissolution of fluoride-bearing minerals is the main source of fluoride ions in geothermal water. Moreover, groundwater fluoride enrichment is also facilitated by water–rock interaction, cation exchange and alkaline environment. Additionally, the health risk assessment result reveals that the fluorine-enriched geothermal groundwater in the western part of Wugongshan area poses a more serious threat to human health than that of eastern part. The fluoride health risks of geothermal groundwater for different group show differentiation, 100% for children, 94.74% for adult females, and 68.42% for adult males, respectively. Compared with adult females and adult males, children faced the greatest health risks. The results of this study provide scientific evaluation for the utilization of geothermal groundwater and the protection of human health around the Wugongshan area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have demonstrated that psychological needs frustration strongly influences adolescent depression. However, this influence's underlying mechanisms remain unknown, and related protective factors have not been identified. Based on an integration of basic psychological needs theory, the cognitive vulnerability model of depression, and findings regarding the link between psychological suzhi (a Chinese cultural construct that includes a hierarchical and integrated set of positive psychological qualities) and mental health, we assessed a structural equation model examining the mediating role of self-esteem and moderating role of psychological suzhi in the relationship between psychological needs frustration and depression. Participants were 1552 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 12.30, SD = 0.54, 49.10% male) who effectively completed paper-based questionnaires. The results indicated that psychological needs frustration significantly and positively predicted adolescent depression. Furthermore, the relationship between psychological needs frustration and depression was significantly mediated by self-esteem and significantly moderated by psychological suzhi; specifically, psychological suzhi buffered the association between psychological needs frustration and adolescents' depression. Additionally, we provide further evidence for the relationship between psychological needs frustration and depression, revealing the relevant underlying mechanisms and protective factors; these findings have practical relevance in the prevention and treatment of Chinese adolescents' depression. Highlights: Psychological needs frustration significantly and positively predicted adolescent depression. Self-esteem played a mediating role between psychological needs frustration and depression. Psychological suzhi played a moderating role in the association between psychological needs frustration and depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu/SSZ-13 is considered to be a promising material for NH3-SCR catalysts. However, in practical applications, Cu/SSZ-13 is inevitably exposed to alkali metal deposition. In this paper, Cu/SSZ-13 molecular sieve catalysts were prepared by the ion exchange method, catalysts with different degrees of alkali metal K/Na poisoning were prepared by the wet-impregnation method, and the SCR activity and N2 selectivity of fresh and poisoned catalysts were compared. The effects of alkali ion (Na+ and K+) poisoning on the comprehensive properties of Cu/SSZ-13 were studied. The distribution and quantity of Cu2+ active components in the catalyst before and after poisoning and the change of acidic sites were explored using NH3-TPO, NH3-TPD, H2-TPR, BET, and XRD. The characteristics of crystal structure, specific surface area, and pore structure revealed the influence of the loading of alkali metal K/Na on the adsorption performance, weakened redox characteristics, and a certain degree of structural damage of Cu/SSZ-13 molecular sieve catalyst. It explains that the reason for the decline in catalyst performance after poisoning is due to the decrease in the number of active sites caused by the ion-exchange between alkali metal ions and Cu2+ and H+, the increase of CuxOy species, the decrease of acidic sites, and pore blockage. This provides data support and theoretical basis for the design of highly resistant Cu/SSZ-13 catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have shown that socially prescribed perfectionism (SPP) is a critical predictor of depression. However, few studies have explored the mechanisms underlying the effects of SPP on depression in Chinese adolescents. Accordingly, the current study aims to explore the relationship between SPP and depression among Chinese adolescents, including the mediating roles of academic pressure, and the moderating role of hope. A total of 3,510 Chinese adolescents in high school (15.56 ± 1.14 years old) participated in the current research by responding to questionnaires on completing measures of SPP, academic pressure, hope and depression. After controlling for gender and age, the results showed that SPP significantly and positively predicted depression, and that academic pressure mediated the link between SPP and depression. In addition, the mediating effect was moderated by hope. Compared with those with high levels of hope, academic pressure had a weaker positive predictive effect on depression than in those with low levels of hope. These findings deepen the explanation of depression formation mechanisms from a personality perspective and have important theoretical and practical implications for the prevention and intervention of adolescent depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given a graph G = (V , E) and a function r : V ↦ { 0 , 1 , 2 } , a node v ∈ V is said to be Roman dominated if r (v) = 1 or there exists a node u ∈ N G [ v ] such that r (u) = 2 , where N G [ v ] is the closed neighbor set of v in G. For i ∈ { 0 , 1 , 2 } , denote V r i as the set of nodes with value i under function r. The cost of r is defined to be c (r) = | V r 1 | + 2 | V r 2 | . Given a positive integer Q ≤ | V | , the minimum partial connected Roman dominating set (MinPCRDS) problem is to compute a minimum cost function r such that at least Q nodes in G are Roman dominated and the subgraph of G induced by V r 1 ∪ V r 2 is connected. In this paper, we give a (3 ln | V | + 9) -approximation algorithm for the MinPCRDS problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although previous research has found a strong association between psychological needs frustration and adolescent depressive symptoms, the extent to which the three specific basic psychological needs frustration—autonomy, relatedness, and competence need frustration—are associated with adolescent depressive symptoms has not been clearly defined. Additionally, the protective factors that alleviate the associations between these needs frustrations and adolescent depressive symptoms remain poorly understood. Based on the basic psychological needs theory and the need-satisfaction framework of self-esteem, we investigated the associations between these needs frustrations and adolescent depressive symptoms, and then compared the relative magnitude of these associations. Furthermore, we explored the role of self-esteem in buffering these associations. A survey comprising measures for basic psychological needs frustration, self-esteem, and depressive symptoms was conducted with a cross-sectional sample of 3161 adolescents (mean age = 13.81, SD = 1.52; 49.60% were male). The results revealed that these needs frustrations are significantly and positively associated with adolescent depressive symptoms; specifically, autonomy need frustration was found to have the strongest association with adolescent depressive symptoms, followed by relatedness need frustration. Moreover, they also showed that the associations between these needs frustrations and adolescent depressive symptoms weaken as self-esteem levels increase. These results offer insights useful for developing strategies for the prevention of and interventions related to depressive symptoms in adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to test the factor structure and measurement invariance of the Child and Adolescent Perfectionism Scale (CAPS) among Chinese adolescents. This study involved 3510 Chinese students aged 11–18 years (Mage = 13.72 years, SD = 1.40). Data analysis consisted of classical item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha coefficients, Pearson's correlations, and multi-group CFA. Results confirmed a three-factor (Self-Oriented Perfectionism-Striving [SOP-S], Self-Oriented Perfectionism-Critical [SOP-C], and Socially Prescribed Perfectionism [SPP]) 15-item model. SOP-S was positively correlated with self-esteem and life satisfaction, and negatively correlated with anxiety and depression. SOP-C and SPP were the opposite of SOP-S, except that SPP was not significantly related to life satisfaction. Acceptable levels of internal consistency were also obtained. Additionally, the measurement remained invariant across gender and grade. In conclusion, the Chinese version of the CAPS had good psychometric properties in terms of validity and reliability and remained invariant across gender and grade levels in Chinese adolescents. The implications for research and clinical practice were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collagen-based biomaterials (CBB) are highly esteemed by researchers in materials science and biomedicine due to their extensive applications across various biomedical disciplines. In recent years, owing to advancements in developmental biology techniques, this superior biomaterial has seen increasing utilization in 3D in vitro tissue culture. Three-dimensional cell cultures, often referred to as organoids, have emerged in response to technological advancements in biomaterials and the growing need in the field of medical research. They serve as important models for simulating normal physiological activities in vivo, addressing limitations in experimental material sources, and resolving ethical issues. In this review, we discuss the material characteristics of CBBs commonly used for organoid culture, integrating aspects such as Matrigel and decellularized ECM as culture matrices. We also analyzed the development prospects and directions of various materials in the context of biology, clinical medicine, and particularly reproductive medicine. Currently, despite the FDA approval and clinical research incorporating numerous CBBs, existing challenges in multiple studies indicate a significant unmet need in the development of key tissue models for both medical research and clinical applications. In summary, CBBs are swiftly broadening their applicability in the realms of organoid nature and medical research, serving as a versatile and high-performing material for 3D in vitro tissue culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rumination and childhood trauma are related to depressive symptoms in clinical and non-clinical individuals. This is the first study aimed to test the mediating effect of rumination on the relationship between childhood trauma and depressive symptoms in schizophrenia patients. A total of 313 schizophrenia patients were recruited in the present study. The 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) was adopted to evaluate depressive symptoms, the short-form Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF) and the 10-item Ruminative response scale (RRS-10) were utilized to assess the childhood trauma and rumination in patients, respectively. Our results showed that 168 schizophrenia patients (53.67%) had comorbid depressive symptoms. These patients with depressive symptoms had higher levels of childhood trauma [both CTQ-SF total scores and emotional abuse (EA), emotional neglect (EN), physical neglect (PN) subscale scores] and rumination (both RRS-10 total scores and brooding, reflection subscale scores) compared to patients without depressive symptoms. The stepwise logistic regression analysis identified that EN (OR 1.196, P = 0.003), PN (OR 1.1294, P < 0.001), brooding (OR 1.291, P < 0.001) and reflection (OR 1.481, P < 0.001) could independently predict the depressive symptoms in schizophrenia patients. Moreover, RRS-10 and its subscale scores could mediate the relationship between depressive symptoms and childhood trauma, especially EA, EN and PN in schizophrenia. Our preliminary findings suggest that the rigorous assessment and psychosocial interventions of rumination are important to alleviate the influence of childhood trauma on depressive symptoms in schizophrenia patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cu(II) catalyzed 1,6-hydroboration reactions of para-quinone methides with B2pin2 was herein reported. The desired products were all obtained in good to excellent yields under mild conditions. Notably, the reaction extended quite broad substrate scope and showed very good functional group compatibilities. This newly developed strategy has provided an efficient pathway for the construction of C-B bonds via 1,6-hydroboration process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study investigated the latent profiles of mindfulness in a sample of Chinese university students and explored the links between specific mindfulness profiles and mind wandering outcomes through a combination of questionnaires and behavioral experiments. Method: University students (n = 1557; 67% women; Mage = 21.27 ± 1.14 years) completed various measures addressing mind wandering, cognitive errors, mindfulness, and the sustained attention response task (SART). Results: Latent profile analysis identified four mindfulness profiles: moderate mindfulness (33%, n = 519), observing/describing (20%, n = 314), judgmentally observing (12%, n = 182), and high non-judgmentally aware (35%, n = 543). Findings demonstrated that the high non-judgmentally aware profile was associated with less mind wandering, fewer cognitive errors, lower omission and commission errors, and less reaction time variability in the SART. Contrastingly, students with the judgmentally observing profile demonstrated more frequent mind wandering, more cognitive errors, higher omission and commission errors, and more reaction time variability. Conclusions: High non-judgmentally aware was the most adaptive profile, while the judgmentally observing profile was the most maladaptive profile. The high non-judgmentally aware students differed from people with judgmentally observing in levels of non-judging, suggesting non-judging might be associated with reduced mind wandering, which implies that it is necessary to bring forward personalized mindfulness interventions in accordance with specific problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Minimum connected dominating set problem (MinCDS) is a classical combinatorial optimization problem and has attached a lot of attention due to its application in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Although the minimumk-connectedm-fold dominating set problem (Min(k, m)-CDS), which takes vertex fault tolerance into consideration, has been extensively studied in recent years, studies on edge fault tolerant CDS only start very recently. In this paper, we study the edge analog of Min(k, m)-CDS, denoted as Min(k, m)-ECDS, which aims to find S ⊆ V (G) such that the subgraph of G induced by S is k-edge connected and for any v ∈ V \ S , there are at least m edges between v and S. We give a greedy algorithm for Min(k, m)-ECDS on a general graph, with a theoretically guaranteed approximation ratio at most (2 k - 1) ln Δ + O (1) , where Δ is the maximum degree of G. When applied on an unit disk graph (UDG), the approximation ratio is at most 10 k - 5 k + O (1) when m ≤ 5 and 14 k + O (1) when m > 5 . In particular, our algorithm on Min(2, 2)-ECDS has approximation ratio at most 23.5, which improves the ratio 30.51 obtained in Liang et al. (Wirel Commun Mob Comput, 2021). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parenting styles and the developmental environment of adolescents in China have undergone significant changes. However, the development of parent-adolescent intimacy among contemporary Chinese adolescents and its impact on internalizing and externalizing problems remain unclear. To address this research gap, this study explored the development of father-child and mother-child intimacy during early and middle adolescence and examined their effects on internalizing and externalizing problems. Further, it investigates the potential gender differences in these developmental processes. In total, 1,370 early adolescents (M age T1 = 12.31, SD age T1 = 0.49; 51.17% girls) and 1381 middle adolescents (M age T1 = 15.19, SD age T1 = 0.50; 50.16% girls) participated in this one-year, three-wave longitudinal survey. The results showed that father-child and mother-child intimacy decreased over one year in early adolescents, while in middle adolescents, father-child intimacy increased, and mother-child intimacy decreased. Furthermore, the development of parent-child intimacy in both early and middle adolescents negatively predicted internalizing and externalizing problems one year later. Regarding sex differences, early adolescent girls had lower initial levels of father-child intimacy but higher initial levels of mother-child intimacy compared to boys. In middle adolescents, girls also showed higher initial levels of mother-child intimacy than boys. Additionally, the decline in father-child intimacy had a stronger impact on anxiety and aggression in early adolescent girls and a more significant effect on depression in middle adolescent girls. These findings offer new insights into how parent-child intimacy changes in Chinese adolescents and its impact on internalizing and externalizing problems, providing valuable guidance for targeted interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, compact finite difference schemes with (3 - α) -th order accuracy in time and fourth order accuracy in space based on the L1 method are constructed for time-fractional diffusion-wave equations with time delay, where α ∈ (1 , 2) is the fractional order. When solving the two dimensional situation, we adopt the alternating direction implicit (ADI) method to improve the computing efficiency. The convergence and stability of the difference schemes are proved based on some crucial skills. In the end, some numerical examples demonstrate our theoretical statement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy with a high mortality rate. P14.5 is a member of the highly conserved YER057c/YIL051c/YjgF subfamily and is highly expressed in the liver. However, its low expression is associated with carcinogenesis in HCC. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the role and prognostic significance of P14.5 in HCC. Methods: The clinical significance of P14.5 in HCC was examined using ONCOMINE, UALCAN, Human Protein Atlas, and Kaplan–Meier plotter. The DNA methylation profile of the P14.5 promoter was examined in 103 HCC and paired precancerous tissues; the HCC cell lines HepG2, MHCC-97L, SMMC-7721, SK-Hep-1, and Huh7; and the normal hepatic cell line HL-7702 via MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. In addition, in vitro experiments were performed to examine the effects of P14.5 overexpression on the proliferation and migration of SMMC-7721 cells. Results: Low expression of P14.5 was correlated with shorter overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in HCC. Based on the results of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, no difference was observed in the methylation level between HCC cells and normal human hepatic cells and between HCC and paired precancerous tissues. Additionally, P14.5 overexpression promoted the proliferation and inhibited the migration of SMMC7721 cells in vitro. Conclusions: P14.5 may serve as a prognostic biomarker in HCC and plays a role in the migration and proliferation of HCC cells. Low expression of P14.5 during hepatocarcinogenesis is not attributed to DNA methylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multi-cavity soft actuator is assembled from single-cavity soft actuator through a reasonable geometric distribution. It has the characteristic that the pneumatic soft actuator is driven by its own deformation and has more degrees of freedom. Pneumatic soft actuator is widely used as an emerging discipline and its strong compliance has been greatly developed and applied. However, as the most application potential type of soft actuators, there is still a lack of simple and effective deformation prediction methods for studying the spatial deformation of multi-cavity soft actuators. To solve this problem, a vector equation method is proposed based on the analysis of the principle of the space deformation of the two-cavity, three-cavity and four-cavity soft actuators. Furthermore, a nonlinear mathematical model of the air pressure, space position and deformation trajectory of the soft actuator end is established by combining the vector equation method. Finally, the three-channel soft actuator is verified through experiments. The results show that the mathematical model can better predict the space deformation trajectory of the soft actuator, which provides a new research method for studying the space deformation of the multi-channel soft actuator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gut microbiota represents a large community of microorganisms that play an important role in immune regulation and maintenance of homeostasis. Living bacteria receive increasing interest as potential therapeutics for gut disorders, because they inhibit the colonization of pathogens and positively regulate the composition of bacteria in gut. However, these treatments are often accompanied by antibiotic administration targeting pathogens. In these cases, the efficacy of therapeutic bacteria is compromised by their susceptibility to antibiotics. Here, we demonstrate that a single-cell coating composed of tannic acids and ferric ions, referred to as 'nanoarmor', can protect bacteria from the action of antibiotics. The nanoarmor protects both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria against six clinically relevant antibiotics. The multiple interactions between the nanoarmor and antibiotic molecules allow the antibiotics to be effectively absorbed onto the nanoarmor. Armored probiotics have shown the ability to colonize inside the gastrointestinal tracts of levofloxacin-treated rats, which significantly reduced antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) resulting from the levofloxacin-treatment and improved some of the pre-inflammatory symptoms caused by AAD. This nanoarmor strategy represents a robust platform to enhance the potency of therapeutic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tracts of patients receiving antibiotics and to avoid the negative effects of antibiotics in the gastrointestinal tract. Here, the authors develop a polyphenol-based single-cell coating that forms a nanoarmor on the surface of probiotics, showing that protects from a wide range of antibiotics and enhances probiotic action against antibiotic-mediated diarrhea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular matrix (ECM) is characterized as widespread, abundant, and pluripotent. Among ECM members, collagen is widely accepted as one of the most prominent components for its essential structural property that can provide a scaffold for other components of ECM and the rich biological functions, which has been extensively used in tissue engineering. Emerging evidence has shown that the balance of ECM degradation and remodeling is vital to regulations of maternal–fetal interface including menstrual cycling, decidualization, embryo implantation and pregnancy maintenance. Moreover, disorders in these events may eventually lead to failure of pregnancy. Although the improvement of assisted conception and embryo culture technologies bring hope to many infertile couples, some unfavorable outcomes, such as recurrent implantation failure (RIF), recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) or recurrent miscarriage (RM), keep troubling the clinicians and patients. Recently, in vitro three-dimensional (3D) model mimicking the microenvironment of the maternal–fetal interface is developed to investigate the physiological and pathological conditions of conception and pregnancy. The progress of this technology is based on clarifying the role of ECM in the endometrium and the interaction between endometrium and conceptus. Focusing on collagen, the present review summarized the degradation and regulation of ECM and its role in normal menstruation, endometrium receptivity and unsatisfying events occurring in infertility treatments, as well as the application in therapeutic approaches to improve pregnancy outcomes. More investigations about ECM focusing on the maternal–fetal interface interaction with mesenchymal stem cells or local immunoregulation may inspire new thoughts and advancements in the clinical application of infertility treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are being increasingly used toward improving mental health. Previous studies reached inconsistent conclusions regarding the effects of MBIs on the well-being and psychological distress of children and adolescents. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis summarizing the effects of MBIs on the well-being and psychological distress (i.e., anxiety, depression, and stress) of children and adolescents. Methods: We searched electronic databases for reports on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published until November 2020. Random effects models were used to calculate the overall effect size of each outcome variable for all participants. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses were conducted for categorical and continuous variables, respectively. Results: A total of 28 RCT studies (48 independent samples), comprising 7943 participants, were included in the final synthesis. The MBIs had a small effect on anxiety (g = 0.39), depression (g = 0.28), and stress (g = 0.30), and no significant effect on well-being. Subgroup analyses showed intervention time, mindfulness type, control type, and intervention population to be significant moderators. However, meta-regression analyses indicated that effect sizes were not moderated by intervention duration or study quality. Conclusions: Our results confirmed MBI to be an alternative intervention for reducing psychological distress among both children and adolescents. The development and application of a shorter MBI, adapted for adolescents, could be addressed in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collagen, the main component of mammal skin, has been traditionally used in leather manufacturing for thousands of years due to its diverse physicochemical properties. Collagen is the most abundant protein in mammals and the main component of the extracellular matrix (ECM). The properties of collagen also make it an ideal building block for the engineering of materials for a range of biomedical applications. Reproductive medicine, especially human fertility preservation strategies and reproductive organ regeneration, has attracted significant attention in recent years as it is key in resolving the growing social concern over aging populations worldwide. Collagen-based biomaterials such as collagen hydrogels, decellularized ECM (dECM), and bioengineering techniques including collagen-based 3D bioprinting have facilitated the engineering of reproductive tissues. This review summarizes the recent progress in applying collagen-based biomaterials in reproductive. Furthermore, we discuss the prospects of collagen-based materials for engineering artificial reproductive tissues, hormone replacement therapy, and reproductive organ reconstruction, aiming to inspire new thoughts and advancements in engineered reproductive tissues research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A biomimetic nanoreactor of catalyst Cu(II)–PNxOy was prepared by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT) starting from chiral amino acid. Characterizations of this catalyst disclosed a clear biomimetic thermoresponsive behavior in water. The biomimetic chiral oxazoline Cu single-chain nanoparticles (SCNPs) could undergo self-folding in water to form nanoreactors which were capable to catalyze the asymmetric Henry reaction. Dramatical acceleration of reaction rate by "concentrator effect" and outstanding catalytic efficiency were observed in this nanoreactor system. Almost quantitative conversion (96%) of 4-nitrobenzaldehyde with high enantioselectivity (ee value, 95%) was achieved by using only 2.0 mol% this newly developed catalyst within 18 h in water. Remarkably, this biomimetic nanoreactor could be easily recovered by regulating local temperature and reused for at least 6 times without significant decrease of reactivity. Utilizing this new catalyst, the asymmetric Henry reaction of benzaldehyde compounds with nitromethane could perform efficiently in pure water without any addition of organic solvent. This protocol offers an efficient and environmentally benign method for the asymmetric Henry reaction which exhibits high potential for industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have demonstrated that cellulosic CuI nanoparticles could perform as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the synthesis of useful organoboron compounds. Desired β-borylation products were all obtained in good to excellent yields under mild conditions. This catalyst could be recovered easily and still work effectively in six runs. Notably, asymmetric synthesis of organoboron compounds was accomplished by applying a chiral phosphine ligand. This newly developed protocol provides an efficient and sustainable pathway for the formation of C-B bonds and largely extends the applied range of cellulose. Asymmetric and efficient synthesis of organoboron compounds was accomplished by cellulosic CuI nanoparticles combining with a chiral phosphine ligand. This newly reported strategy provides a green and sustainable method for the construction of C–B bonds and largely extends the applied range of cellulose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the stressor–perception–coping–response model of stress, this study examined the associations between negative life events, present-moment awareness, problem-solving, and perceived stress among rural adolescents, focusing specifically on gender differences. Using a cross-sectional design, 3519 Chinese rural adolescents completed measures assessing negative life events, present-moment awareness, problem-solving, and perceived stress. Structural equation modeling was employed to examine the hypothesized serial mediation model. The results revealed a positive association between negative life events and perceived stress in rural adolescents, which was serially mediated by present-moment awareness and problem-solving. Furthermore, significant gender differences were observed. Specifically, girls exhibited larger effects than boys in the overall effect of negative life events on perceived stress, the indirect effect of present-moment awareness, and the serial mediating effect. These findings suggest that present-moment awareness and problem-solving may serve as crucial mechanisms for understanding rural adolescents’ perceived stress in response to negative life events, particularly among female rural adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing demand for antimicrobial agents and the spread of antibiotic resistance in pathogens, the exploitation of plant oils to partly replace antibiotic emerges as an important source of fine chemicals, functional food utility and pharmaceutical industries. This work introduces a novel catalytic method of plant oils hydroxylation by Fe(III) citrate monohydrate (Fe3+-cit.)/Na2S2O8 catalyst. Methyl (9Z,12Z)-octadecadienoate (ML) was selected as an example of vegetable oils hydroxylation to its hydroxy-conjugated derivatives (CHML) in the presence of a new complex of Fe(II)-species. Methyl 9,12-di-hydroxyoctadecanoate 1, methyl-9-hydroxyoctadecanoate 2 and methyl (10E,12E)-octadecanoate 3 mixtures is produced under optimized condition with oxygen balloon. The specific hydroxylation activity was lower in the case of using Na2S2O8 alone as a catalyst. A chemical reaction has shown the main process converted of plantoils hydroxylation and (+ 16 Da) of OH- attached at the methyl linoleate (ML-OH). HPLC and MALDI-ToF-mass spectrometry were employed for determining the obtained products. It was found that adding oxidizing agents (Na2S2O8) to Fe3+ in the MeCN mixture with H2O would generate the new complex of Fe(II)-species, which improves the C-H activation. Hence, the present study demonstrated a new functional method for better usage of vegetable oils.Producing conjugated hydroxy-fatty acids/esters with better antipathogenic properties. CHML used in food industry, It has a potential pathway to food safety and packaging process with good advantages, fundamental to microbial resistance. Lastly, our findings showed that biological monitoring of CHML-minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) inhibited growth of various gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria in vitro study. The produced CHML profiles were comparable to the corresponding to previousstudies and showed improved the inhibition efficiency over the respective kanamycin derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water level measurement method based on image processing has entered a stage of rapid development in recent years due to its visibility and confirmability. However, the water level measurement method based on image processing is very susceptible to water stains, residual water level line, lighting conditions and other factors, and the measurement accuracy is difficult to compare with the traditional water level measurement method. This paper proposes a water level measurement method based on image processing and sparse representation. The experiment indicated that the method has a strong robustness to light variation, local disability, foreign matter occlusion, and so forth. Further, the maximum error of the method is less than 0.9 cm, which is significantly smaller than other image processing based water level recognition methods such as frame difference method, image segmentation method and Hough transform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vitro maturation (IVM), the maturation in culture of immature oocytes, has been used in clinic for more than 20 years. Although IVM has the specific advantages of low cost and minor side effects over controlled ovarian stimulation, the prevalence of IVM is less than 1% of routine in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer techniques in many reproductive centers. In this review, we searched the MEDLINE database for all full texts and/or abstract articles published in English with content related to oocyte IVM mainly between 2000 and 2016. Many different aspects of the IVM method may influence oocyte potential, including priming, gonadotrophin, growth factors, and culture times. The culture conditions of IVM result in alterations in the oocyte or cumulus cell transcriptome that are not observed under in vivo culture conditions. Additionally, epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation or acetylation, are also different between in vitro and in vivo cultured oocytes. In sum, current IVM technique is still not popular and requires more systematic and intensive research to improve its effects and applications. This review will help point our problems, supply evidence or clues for future improving IVM technique, thus assist patients for fertility treatment or preservation as an additional option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Because of the limitation of specific preoperative design and surgical templates, orthognathic surgery and mandibular contour osteoplasty are generally performed in two stages. Three-dimensional printing technology has improved the accuracy of the surgery and results in good surgical predictability easily. This study aims to confirm the effectiveness, feasibility and precision of simultaneous mandibular contour osteoplasty and orthognathic surgery with the assistance of 3D printing technology. Methods: Ten patients, who were diagnosed with mandibular hypertrophy and bimaxillary deformities, were included in the study. In addition to conventional orthognathic surgery, mandibular angle ostectomy, mandibular outer cortex grinding or mandibular border ostectomy was designed for mandibular hypertrophy. Optimal osteotomy lines and simulated surgeries were designed according the 3D printing model of the mandible. Then, surgical templates were made on the 3D printing model. No muscle excision was performed in any patient. Preoperative, predicted and postoperative measurements were taken, including the gonial angle (Ar-Go-Me) and the mandibular width (Go-Go). Results: All the patients had a reposeful postoperative recovery, with no indication of obvious infection, facial paralysis, osteonecrosis or bone displacement. The gonial angle was improved from 110.3° ± 11.1 to 121.3° ± 2.9, and the mandibular width was improved from 117.5 mm ± 6.8 to 111.9 mm ± 4.2. The discrepancies between simulation and postoperation of the left gonial angle, the right gonial angle and the mandibular width were 0.56° ± 0.22, 0.65° ± 0.3 and 0.49 mm ± 0.43, respectively. Conclusions: The results of our study illustrated the predictability, feasibility and reliability of simultaneous mandibular contour osteoplasty and orthognathic surgery with the assistance of 3D printing technology. Our technique could achieve functional improvement and an aesthetic profile at the same time. Level of Evidence IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of using a hand-made silver container for the cryopreservation of human ovarian cortex. Methods: Human ovarian cortex tissues were vitrified using an open vitrification system (OVS) of needle immersed vitrification (NIV) and two closed vitrification systems (CVS) of a plastic vial (plastic CVS) and a silver container (silver CVS). Outcomes of vitrification were evaluated morphologically and histologically by in vitro culture and xenotransplantation. The apoptosis of primordial follicles was assessed by TUNEL staining. The production of E and P was examined by a chemiluminescent immunoassay. Blood vessels were visualized with CD31 staining. Results: Compared with the fresh ovarian cortex tissue, ovarian cortex tissues that were vitrified using the three different carriers and then warmed showed significantly reduced percentages of normal primordial follicles, viability of primordial follicles, E and P levels during in vitro culture and decreased amounts of blood vessels. However, much better outcomes were obtained with NIV and silver CVS than with plastic CVS, based on the better morphology and viability of primordial follicles, higher E and P production during an in vitro culture, and greater numbers of blood vessels after xenografting. Importantly, the outcomes of ovarian cortex cryopreservation with silver CVS were similar and comparable to those with NIV. Conclusions: The hand-made silver container as a CVS is a promising carrier for the cryopreservation of the human ovarian cortex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen-doped carbon nanofiber (NCNF) decorated LiFePO (LFP) composites are synthesized via an in situ hydrothermal growth method. Electrochemical performance results show that the embedded NCNF can improve electron and ion transfer, thereby resulting in excellent cycling performance. The as-prepared LFP and NCNF composites exhibit excellent electrochemical properties with discharge capacities of 188.9 mAh g (at 0.2 C) maintained at 167.9 mAh g even after 200 charge/discharge cycles. The electrode also presents a good rate capability of 10 C and a reversible specific capacity as high as 95.7 mAh g. LFP composites are a potential alternative high-performing anode material for lithium ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lengshuikeng ore district in east-central China has an ore reserve of ∼43 Mt with an average grade of 204.53 g/t Ag and 4.63 % Pb + Zn. Based on contrasting geological characteristics, the mineralization in the Lengshuikeng ore district can be divided into porphyry-hosted and stratabound types. The porphyry-hosted mineralization is distributed in and around the Lengshuikeng granite porphyry and shows a distinct alteration zoning including minor chloritization and sericitization in the proximal zone; sericitization, silicification, and carbonatization in the peripheral zone; and sericitization and carbonatization in the distal zone. The stratabound mineralization occurs in volcano-sedimentary rocks at ∼100-400 m depth without obvious zoning of alterations and ore minerals. Porphyry-hosted and stratabound mineralization are both characterized by early-stage pyrite-chalcopyrite-sphalerite, middle-stage acanthite-native silver-galena-sphalerite, and late-stage pyrite-quartz-calcite. The δS values of pyrite, sphalerite, and galena in the ores range from −3.8 to +6.9‰ with an average of +2.0‰. The C-O isotope values of siderite, calcite, and dolomite range from −7.2 to −1.5‰ with an average of −4.4‰ (V-PDB) and from +10.9 to +19.5‰ with an average of +14.8‰ (V-SMOW), respectively. Hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon isotopes indicate that the hydrothermal fluids were derived mainly from meteoric water, with addition of minor amounts of magmatic water. Geochronology employing LA-ICP-MS analyses of zircons from a quartz syenite porphyry yielded a weighted mean Pb/U age of 136.3 ± 0.8 Ma considered as the emplacement age of the porphyry. Rb-Sr dating of sphalerite from the main ore stage yielded an age of 126.9 ± 7.1 Ma, marking the time of mineralization. The Lengshuikeng mineralization classifies as an epithermal Ag-Pb-Zn deposit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LiNiCoMnO was prepared by a modified sol-gel method, selecting ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid and citric acid as the co-chelating agent. The mole ratios of ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) to metal ion (M) were 0:1, 1:1 and 2:1. The obtained samples were characterized by XRD, BET and SEM. The XRD showed that LiNiCoMnO had good crystallinity and well-ordered layered structure. After calcined at 850 °C, the LiNiCoMnO particles exhibited a three-dimensional space network structure, which was greatly correlated with the ratio of EDTA to metal ion. The LiNiCoMnO obtained from a mole ratio of 1:1 (EDTA:M) had the best electrochemical performance. The reversible capacities were reached 168 and 100 mAh/g at 1C and 10C discharge rate, respectively. The result of the cycling performance showed a high capacity maintenance ratio of 89.3 % at 1C and 25 °C after 50 cycles. The further electrochemical performance was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SE China is well known for its Mesozoic large-scale granitoid plutons and associated ore deposits. Here, zircon U-Pb geochronological and geochemical data have been used to better constrain the petrogenesis of the igneous rocks associated with porphyry Ag-Pb-Zn deposits in the Lengshuikeng ore district, SE China. The Lengshuikeng rhyolitic tuff, granite porphyry and syenogranite yielded zircon U-Pb ages of 161, 155 and 138 Ma, respectively. The Lengshuikeng granite porphyries belong to calc-alkaline series and show fractionated I-type affinities. The rhyolitic tuffs show almost similar characteristics as the granite porphyries. The Lengshuikeng syenogranites are all alkali-rich and show A-type affinities. The syenogranites have high contents of high field strength elements such as Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf; with Zr + Nb + Ce + Y contents of >350 ppm. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns show relative enrichment of LREEs and strong negative Eu anomalies. The Lengshuikeng granite porphyries, syenogranites and tuffs were probably derived from partial melting of underlying Proterozoic metasedimentary rocks with minor addition of mantle-derived magmas, accompanied by fractional crystallization. Detailed petrologic and geochemical data for the Jurassic igneous rocks from the Lengshuikeng ore district imply that during the Late Jurassic, SE China on the southeast of the Shi-Hang zone was a continental arc associated with the subduction of the Palaeo-Pacific plate and that since the beginning of the Early Cretaceous an intra-arc rift has been formed along the Shi-Hang zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

VASA is considered to be one of the most reliable molecular marker of germ cells. In order to study the Bombyx mori vasa-like gene ( Bmvlg), the cDNAs of Bmvlg were cloned and sequenced, and the results showed that the Bmvlg gene from the fifth instar larval testes had four alternative splicing isoforms. The open reading frame (ORF) of the longest isoform was composed of 1,806 nucleotides encoding 601 amino acid residues and contained some known conserved domains. The other three isoforms had complete ORF, suggesting that the Bmvlg gene had several alternative splicing forms, completely different from that of Drosophila melanogaster. The results of sequencing demonstrated that the Bmvlg gene promoter had several elements conserved in eukaryotic and gonadal tissue-specific promoters. To detect the specificity of the Bmvlg promoter, a transient expression vector pSK-vlg-DsRed-polyA with a red fluorescent protein gene ( DsRed), controlled by the Bmvlg promoter and a vector pIZT/V5-His-vlg-DsRed containing a Bmvlg fused with DsRed driven by the Bmvlg promoter, was constructed, respectively. Red fluorescence could be observed in some transfected BmN cells derived from silkworm ovaries and in the eggs injected with the vector pSK-vlg-DsRed-polyA, but red fluorescence could not be detected in the tissues of silkworm larva, after the transient expression vector was injected into blood, suggesting the Bmvlg promoter had gonadal tissue specificity. The transcription levels of Bmvlg in gonads of the fourth and fifth instar larvae were determined by fluorescent quantitative PCR, and the results revealed that the expression level of the Bmvlg gene in testes was slightly higher than that in ovaries. The expression levels of Bmvlg were lower in the fourth instar larva than that in the fifth instar larvae. Moreover, subcellular localization experiments showed that Bmvlg mainly existed in cytoplasm. These results provided new clues for understanding the function of the Bmvlg gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the dielectric and beam-mode piezoelectric properties of ternary 0.35Pb(InNb)O-0.35Pb(MgNb)O-0.30PbTiO (PIMNT35/35/30) piezoelectric single crystals were investigated. The Curie temperature ( T) and rhombohedral-to-tetragonal phase-transition temperature ( T) are 187°C and 127°C, about 30°C higher than those of PMNT crystals. The beam-mode coupling coefficient k was found to be 90.3%. Furthermore, 3.5-MHz linear arrays based on PIMNT35/35/30 crystals and Pb(ZrTi)O ceramic (PZT-5H) were simulated using PiezoCAD software. The results indicate that the sensitivity and −6 dB bandwidth of a PIMNT35/35/30 transducer would be approximately 4 dB and 20% higher, respectively, compared with a traditional PZT transducer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete set of elastic, dielectric, and piezoelectric constants of a 0.25Pb(InNb)O-0.47Pb(MgNb)O-0.28PbTiO ternary relaxor ferroelectric single crystal after 〈011〉 poling was determined by ultrasonic and resonance methods. It exhibited a rhombohedral structure as determined by powder x-ray diffraction (XRD) and x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis. The electromechanical coupling factor k and piezoelectric coefficient d for shear mode are 0.93 pC/N and 2658 pC/N, and k and d for transverse mode are 0.91 pC/N and -1337 pC/N, respectively. More importantly, the rhombohedral to orthorhombic phase-transition temperature is much higher than that of PZN-0.07PT or PMN-0.29PT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High molecular weight(Mw) poly(L-lactic acid)s(PLLAs) were synthesized using multifunctional epoxy compound(Joncryl-ADR4370) as chain extender. The products were characterized by gel permeation chromatography(GPC) and spectroscopy(HNMR and FTIR). The results indicated that the Mw of PLLA increased with the increasing of the ratio of epoxy compound and the extending of reaction time. The highest M of PLLA reached 360 000 g/mol when the ratio of epoxy compound was 1.5 wt%. However, the reactants turned to cross-linking when the ratio of epoxy compound was over 1.5 wt%. Differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) measurements demonstrated that the glass transition( T) and melting temperatures( T) of products increased slightly as the increase of the molecular weight. Analysis of the hydrolytic degradation in vitro showed that the branched PLLA possessed the quicker degradability than that of the linear PLLA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neem (Azadirachta indica) extract is well-known as a natural pesticide for the control of agricultural pests. Azadirachtin A and its structural analogues are considered as active compounds. However, the amounts of azadirachtins varies in neem extracts, providing a variety of insecticidal activities. In this study, a novel method of automated online solid-phase extraction coupled with liquid chromatography/quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-Q-TOF-MS) was developed and validated for simultaneous quantification of five azadirachtins (azadirachtins A, B, D, H and I) in seed and leaf extracts of A. indica. Different experimental parameters (such as SPE cartridge, injection volume and washing step) were optimized. The optimized SPE-LC-Q-TOF-MS method showed good recovery (82.0-102.8%), linearity (r2 ≥ 0.9991) and precision (0.83-4.83%). The limit of detections (LODs) for the five analytes ranged from 0.34 to 0.76 ng mL−1. The validated method was successfully applied for determination of the analytes in the neem leaves and seeds from different locations and a neem formulation. The online SPE-LC-Q-TOF-MS method was found to be a simple, precise and accurate and can be used as a powerful tool for quality control of neem extracts or its formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]