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The impact on child development of paternal involvement in childrearing has received growing attention recently. Based on data from the 2010, 2014 and 2018 waves of the China Family Panel Studies, this study applies the propensity score matching (PSM) method to investigate the causal effects of being primarily raised by one's father on children's cognitive skills and psychological well-being in different family types. In migrant families, primarily fathered children are not disadvantaged compared to those primarily mothered, and boys even have better word test scores. For children living with both parents, our results indicate no significant differences in most respects between the cognitive skills and mental health of children primarily cared for by fathers and by mothers, except that children perform slightly worse in word-test scores when their fathers are their primary caregivers. However, coresidence with grandparents substantially mitigates the negative effect of primary paternal involvement in childcare on children's language development. Our findings suggest that the role of father involvement in child development should be understood in more nuanced family contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The saddleback silver-biddy Gerres limbatus (Cuvier 1830) is distributed in Indo-West Pacific Oceans and associated with shallow coastal marine waters and estuaries. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of G. limbatus was firstly documented, which is 16,730 bp in length, including 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes and 2 ribosomal RNA genes. The overall base composition of the mitochondrial genome is 26.42% A, 28.68% C, 27.32% T, and 17.58% G. The Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic tree was constructed based on COI gene of the 31 species from the family Gerreidae, with Heteroclinus puellarum and Hypopterus macropterus as outgroups. It revealed that G. erythrourus was placed as the sister group to G. limbatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, edible films have been increasingly explored to solve muscle food spoilage during storage, especially through the incorporation of plant extracts to develop edible packaging materials. Natural polymers matrices with plant extracts are befitting for fabricating edible films by casting methods. In the films system, the structure and physicochemical properties were strengthened via chemical interactions between active molecules in plant extracts and the reactive groups in the polymer chain. The antibacterial and antioxidant properties were dramatically reinforced through both physical and chemical actions of the plant extracts. Additionally, edible films imbedded with color-rich plant extracts could be considered as potential sensitive indicators to monitor the spoilage degree of muscle foods in response to change in gas or temperature. Furthermore, these films could increase sensory acceptability, improve quality and prolong the shelf life of muscle foods. In this article, the types, preparation methods and reinforcing properties of the edible films with plant extracts were discussed. Also, the applications of these films were summarized on quality maintenance and shelf-life extension and intelligent monitoring in muscle foods. Finally, a novel technology for film preparation achieving high-stability and sustained release of active compounds will become an underlying trend for application in muscle food packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent gynecologic disorder, often associated with abnormal follicular development. Cangfu Daotan decoction (CFD) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula that is effective in alleviating PCOS clinically, but the specific mechanism remains unclear. Forkhead box K1 (FOXK1) is associated with cellular function. This study aimed to explore the effects of CFD and FOXK1 on PCOS.Methods: High-fat diet and letrozole were combined to establish PCOS rat models. Next, primary GCs were extracted from those PCOS rats. Then, GC cells were transfected with si-FOXK1 or oe-FOXK1. CFD-contain serum was prepared, and experiments were conducted to investigate the regulation of FOXK1 by CFD.Results: FOXK1 was highly expressed in GCs of PCOS rats. Further investigation revealed that FOXK1 overexpression resulted in inhibition of proliferation and DNA synthesis, along with promotion of apoptosis and autophagy in GCs. Additionally, it was found that FOXK1 promoted the expressions of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway-related proteins. Interestingly, treatment with CFD reversed all the effects of FOXK1 overexpression in GCs. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that CFD exerted a protective role in PCOS by inhibiting FOXK1, which provided a research basis for the application of CFD in PCOS, and suggested that FOXK1 is a novel therapeutic target in PCOS treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, more and more technical tools have been introduced into various museums, bringing new opportunities and challenges for the research of museum learning. Whether the application of these technologies can effectively improve the effects of museum learning has become a major problem perplexing museum learning researchers. In this paper, a meta-analysis method is used to analyze and evaluate the 42 experimental or quasi-experimental studies on the technology application in the field of museum learning in the past decade. The results show that the technology application has a moderate or higher effect on museum learning, moreover, the age of learners, the type of technology, the type of museum and the visiting pattern of museum will significantly affect the effectiveness of technology on the museum learning. Therefore, the museum institutions can learn from excellent cases to accelerate the application of museum technology, give priority to the construction of digital resources, continue to promote the specialisation of museum technology application, and better play the role of technology in museum education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the role of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) small nucleolar RNA host gene 4 (SNHG4) in diabetic retinopathy (DR). We found that SNHG4 was downregulated in DR. SNHG4 could directly interact with miR-200b, while overexpression of miR-200b did not affect the expression of SNHG4 in human retinal pigment epithelial cells ARPE-19. In contrast, overexpression of SNHG4 led to the upregulation of oxidation resistance 1 (Oxr1), a target of miR-200b. Cell apoptosis analysis showed that overexpression of miR-200b increased the apoptotic rate of ARPE-19 cells under high glucose treatment. Oxr1 and SNHG4 played opposite roles and reduced the effects of overexpression of miR-200b. In conclusion, SNHG4 may sponge miR-200b to inhibit cell apoptosis in DR by upregulating Oxr1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is a challenge because it still leads to unsatisfactory clinical prognosis. This is due to the toxicity and poor targeting of chemotherapeutic agents, as well as metastasis of the tumor. In this study, we designed a targeted liposome with nanostructures to overcome these problems. In the liposomes, epirubicin and curcumin were encapsulated to achieve their synergistic antitumor efficacy, while Epi-1 was modified on the liposomal surface to target epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM). Epi-1, a macrocyclic peptide, exhibits active targeting for enhanced cellular uptake and potent cytotoxicity against tumor cells. The encapsulation of epirubicin and curcumin synergistically inhibited the formation of neovascularization and vasculogenic mimicry (VM) channels, thereby suppressing tumor metastasis on SKOV3 cells. The dual drug loaded Epi-1-liposomes also induced apoptosis and downregulated metastasis-related proteins for effective antitumor in vitro. In vivo studies showed that dual drug loaded Epi-1-liposomes prolonged circulation time in the blood and increased the selective accumulation of drug at the tumor site. H&E staining and immunohistochemistry with Ki-67 also showed that targeted liposomes elevated antitumor activity. Also, targeted liposomes downregulated angiogenesis-related proteins to inhibit angiogenesis and thus tumor metastasis. In conclusion, the production of dual drug loaded Epi-1-liposomes is an effective strategy for the treatment of EOC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the literature, filum terminale arteriovenous shunts (FTAVSs) always feature a single shunt point. Nidus-type FTAVSs have rarely been reported, and the best treatment strategy is unclear. This is a report of one exceptional case of a nidus-type FTAVS and surgical treatment of the lesion. Case description: The patient suffered from cauda equina syndrome for 9 months. Magnetic resonance imaging and spinal angiography revealed a nidus-type FTAVF at the L2 level. Surgical resection was performed in the hybrid operating room, and the nidus was completely resected with the assistance of intraoperative methylene blue angiography and neurophysiological monitoring. The postoperative neurological function was stable. Conclusions: A nidus-type arteriovenous shunt could originate from the FT, and in such cases, complete surgical resection with intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring in a hybrid operating room should be suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new furanoeremophilane sesquiterpenoids, namely, 6,9-dioxo-1α,4α-dihydroxy-furanoeremophilane (1) and 4α,5α-epoxy-6,9-dioxo-1α-hydroxyl-furanoeremophilane (2), and 10 known compounds were isolated from the whole plant of Chloranthus multistachys, and compound 3 was converted to derivative 3a. Their structures were determined based on extensive spectroscopic analysis. All compounds were evaluated by using five cancer cell lines: PC3, LNcap, A549, K562, and HEL. The derivative 3a exhibited excellent cytotoxic activities, with the IC50 against HEL cells being the lowest at 1.322 ± 0.08 μM, which was comparable to that of the positive control (doxorubicin). Mechanism studies showed that the anticancer activity of 3a may be associated with cell cycle regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We proposed and tested a conditional trickle-down model underpinned by social exchange theory and social information processing theory. Using a sample in China, we found that LLX and service-oriented HPWS were positively related to service leadership and competition climate, respectively. Additionally, we found that service leadership and competition climate enhanced the positive influences of each other on employee service performance. We then demonstrated the conditional trickle-down effects on employee service performance transmitted through the interaction between service leadership and collective competition climate. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study develops and tests an overreaching theoretical framework based on social exchange theory to examine the situations under which individuals with high levels of psychological entitlement are more or less likely to exhibit positive work attitudes and behaviors. In particular, we integrate perspectives from the team climate literature to analyze the moderating effects of employee involvement climate at the workgroup level on the relationship between psychological entitlement and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) through the mediating mechanism of affective commitment (a first-stage moderated mediation model). To test our hypotheses, we collected data from 231 supervisor-subordinate dyads across 41 work teams at a large Chinese automobile manufacturer. We find that when the employee involvement climate level is high, the effects of psychological entitlement on OCBs through affective commitment are positive and significant. In contrast, when the employee involvement climate level is low, the relationship is negative and significant. The present study makes a theoretical contribution to the literature by examining the frequently neglected positive side of psychological entitlement. It demonstrates that a high employee involvement climate helps to engage psychologically entitled employees by circumventing previously unbalanced social exchange relationships. We also discuss the practical implications of our findings and provide suggestions for human resource managers to maximize the contributions of entitled employees and foster their organizational commitment and OCBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sandwich structure composite was prepared by the specific procedure, as stated below: first, Hollow glass microspheres (HGMs)/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composite was prepared by mixing HGMs and TPU solvent and curing for 1 h; subsequently, polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/SiO2 membrane was spun onto the surface composite by electrospinning; And besides, the Ag mirror was prepared by the magnetron sputtering system. It was confirmed that the thin composite acquired superior thermal insulation and mechanical properties. Furthermore, the infrared stealth function of this thermal insulation was also studied systematically. Significantly, the facile-produce has a potential to be applied as thermal insulation and infrared stealth materials in industrial application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to investigate the differences in clinical features between pulmonary embolism (PE) patients concomitant with lung cancer and without lung cancer (LC) and gain further understanding of the impact of lung cancer on pulmonary embolism. This retrospective study sampled 114 patients diagnosed with pulmonary embolism from January 2017 to April 2021 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University. The patients were categorized into the LC group (n = 22) or non-LC group (n = 92). Myocardial injury, coagulation and blood cell parameters, along with imaging findings, were analyzed for the two groups. The primary outcome measure was the 90-day mortality. Of the 114 patients with pulmonary embolism in the present study, the 90 intermediate-risk patients were enrolled for further investigations. Compared to the non-LC group, patients in the LC group had milder myocardial injury, more severe coagulation function disorder, a higher incidence of central PE and a smaller change in diameter of the main pulmonary artery. We found that the occurrence of pericardial effusion created the risk of lung cancer in patients with pulmonary embolism, but there was no increase in the 90-day mortality for non-LC group versus LC group. Intermediate risk PE patients concomitant with lung cancer seem to be more likely to present specific clinical features, accordingly, clinicians must pay great attention to PE patients concomitant with lung cancer and implement effective treatments to simultaneously manage the two conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research typically examined homeownership inequality across individuals or households, overlooking the intrahousehold allocation of homeownership. Using couple-level data of the 2016 China Family Panel Studies, our study addresses the gap by examining the bargaining over homeownership between husbands and wives in China. Descriptive results reveal a large gender gap in homeownership: only about one-quarter of couples listed the wife as an owner on the Housing Ownership Certificate, whereas about 92% listed the husband. The gender gap in ownership, however, has narrowed among couples married after 2000. Multivariate analyses show that economic autonomy, relative resources, housing purchase conditions, and modernization significantly increase wives' homeownership, but with varying degrees among rural and urban wives. Women's own socioeconomic status is more important for acquiring homeownership for urban wives, yet rural wives' homeownership depends more on the resource exchange with their husbands. Given the stratifying effects of homeownership, our findings of the unequal distribution of homeownership between husbands and wives underscore how family dynamics reproduce gender inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macroautophagy/autophagy is an evolutionarily well-conserved recycling process in response to stress conditions, including a burst of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. High level of ROS attack key cellular macromolecules. Protein cysteinyl thiols or non-protein thiols as the major redox-sensitive targets thus constitute the first-line defense. Autophagy is unique, because it removes not only oxidized/damaged proteins but also bulky ROS-generating organelles (such as mitochondria and peroxisome) to restrict further ROS production. The oxidative regulations of autophagy occur in all processes of autophagy, from induction, phagophore nucleation, phagophore expansion, autophagosome maturation, cargo delivery to the lysosome, and finally to degradation of the cargo and recycling of the products, as well as autophagy gene transcription. Mechanically, these regulations are achieved through direct or indirect manners. Direct thiol oxidation of key proteins such as ATG4, ATM and TFEB are responsible for specific regulations in phagophore expansion, cargo recognition and autophagy gene transcription, respectively. Meanwhile, oxidation of certain redox-sensitive chaperone-like proteins (e.g. PRDX family members and PARK7) may impair a nonspecifically local reducing environment in the phagophore membrane, and influence BECN1-involved phagophore nucleation and mitophagy recognition. However, ROS do exhibit some inhibitory effects on autophagy through direct oxidation of key autophagy regulators such as ATG3, ATG7 and SENP3 proteins. SQSTM1 provides an alternative antioxidant mechanism when autophagy is unavailable or impaired. However, it is yet to be unraveled how cells evolve to equip proteins with different redox susceptibility and in their correct subcellular positions, and how cells fine-tune autophagy machinery in response to different levels of ROS. Abbreviations: AKT1/PKB: AKT serine/threonine kinase 1; AMPK: AMP-activated protein kinase; ATG: autophagy related; ATM: ATM serine/threonine kinase; BAX: BCL2 associated X, apoptosis regulator; BECN1: beclin 1; BH3: BCL2-homology-3; CAV1: caveolin 1; CCCP: carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone; CTSB: cathepsin B; CTSL: cathepsin L; DAPK: death associated protein kinase; ER: endoplasmic reticulum; ETC: electron transport chain; GSH: glutathione; GSTP1: glutathione S-transferase pi 1; H2O2: hydrogen peroxide; HK2: hexokinase 2; KEAP1: kelch like ECH associated protein 1; MAMs: mitochondria-associated ER membranes; MAP1LC3B/LC3: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 beta; MAPK8/JNK1: mitogen-activated protein kinase 8; MAP3K5/ASK1: mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 5; MCOLN1: mucolipin 1; MMP: mitochondrial membrane potential; MTOR: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase; NFE2L2/NRF2: nuclear factor, erythroid 2 like 2; NFKB1: nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1; NOX: NADPH oxidase; O2-: superoxide radical anion; p-Ub: phosphorylated Ub; PARK7/DJ-1: Parkinsonism associated deglycase; PE: phosphatidylethanolamine; PEX5: peroxisomal biogenesis factor 5; PINK1: PTEN induced kinase 1; PPP3CA/calcineurin: protein phosphatase 3 catalytic subunit beta; PRDX: peroxiredoxin; PRKAA1: protein kinase AMP-activated catalytic subunit alpha 1; PRKD/PKD: protein kinase D; PRKN/parkin: parkin RBR E3 ubiquitin protein ligase; PtdIns3K: class III phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; PtdIns3P: phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate; PTEN: phosphatase and tensin homolog; ROS: reactive oxygen species; SENP3: SUMO specific peptidase 3; SIRT1: sirtuin 1; SOD1: superoxide dismutase 1; SQSTM1/p62: sequestosome 1; SUMO: small ubiquitin like modifier; TFEB: transcription factor EB; TRAF6: TNF receptor associated factor 6; TSC2: TSC complex subunit 2; TXN: thioredoxin; TXNRD1: thioredoxin reductase 1; TXNIP: thioredoxin interacting protein; Ub: ubiquitin; ULK1: unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title inorganic-organic hybrid material containing a mixed anion, [BzIQl]2[Zn(NCS)2Br2] (1) (BzIQl = benzyl isoquinolinium, NCS− = isothiocyanate), crystallizes with a benzyl isoquinolinium cation and half of a bis(bromo)-bis(isothiocyanate)zinc(II) anion in the asymmetric unit. It was characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), and powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction (PXRD and SC-XRD). The organic cation exhibits a Λ-shaped configuration in which two aromatic rings form an inclined dihedral angle of 90.12°. The ZnII ion in the anion is coordinated by two Br ions and two isothiocyanate ions, and two contiguous anions forms a dimer through S···Br interactions. The thermal stability of the hybrid crystal analyzed by thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA) reveals that the title crystal was stable up to 170 °C. The PXRD study confirms the phase purity of the crystalline sample. The band gap energy between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) explains the eventual charge transfer interaction that take place mainly between the anion and [BzIQl]+ cation, and the low value (0.46 ev) indicates the suitability of the crystal for optical application. The first hyperpolarizability predicted using density functional theory (DFT) is more than 720 times that of the reference potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystal (KDP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to ensure the machining effect, a flexible velocity planning method is generally adopted to make the motion parameters, such as speed, acceleration, and Jerk continuous. The longitudinal continuity of motion should be ensured in machining as much as possible, and the continuity of motion between adjacent toolpaths should also be ensured, which is called lateral continuity. Therefore, a velocity planning performance evaluation method based on the space domain is proposed. The real-time data from the CNC system are collected to establish the corresponding relationship between the data with motion parameters and the spatial point. According to the different size and intensity of the data, the gradual color method is used to match the corresponding spatial point, and the color is uniformly changed to determine the continuity of the velocity planning on the longitudinal and laterally spatial domain. An example results show that the method is simple and efficient, and performance can be a good evaluation of velocity planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality service is a potential advantage for hotels in the competitive hotel industry; moreover, leadership style plays an important role in determining service quality. Some researchers have suggested that innovation behaviour directly affects service quality, while others contend that quality improves with greater job standardisation. These contentions are somewhat contradictory; as such, we used Hackman and Oldham's job characteristics model and W. R. Scott's institutional theory to explore the influencing route of the effect of leadership style on service quality through the enrichment or depletion processes related to the linking roles of innovation behaviour and job standardisation. A survey was conducted across 52 international tourist hotels and 52 standard hotels in Taiwan. Our findings reveal that in international tourist hotels, transformational leadership enriched service quality through innovation behaviour but depleted service quality through job standardisation; in standard hotels, transactional leadership enriched service quality through job standardisation but depleted service quality through innovation behaviour. Practical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OSMAC approach was performed on the soft coral-derived fungus Trichoderma harzianum (XS-20090075) leading to the significant changes of its secondary metabolites by using two different cultures. A new naphthalene derivative, trichoharzin B (1) and a new natural product, methyl-trichoharzin (2) were isolated by using rice medium. Whereas, a new natural product, ethyl 2-bromo-4-chloroquinoline-3-carboxylate (9) was obtained by using Czapek's medium. Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic investigation. The absolute configuration of 5 was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 9 was the first halogenate quinoline derivative isolated from the genus of Trichoderma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the relationship between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and sleep disorders (SDs). We first initiated a questionnaire-based clinical survey to assess sleep problems in the early stage after a TBI, followed by a population-based cohort study to evaluate the long-term risk of SDs in TBI patients. For short-term clinical survey, mild (m)TBI patients and healthy controls were recruited to evaluate the sleep quality and daytime sleepiness using the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) within two weeks after a TBI. For long-term observation, a 5-year nationwide population-based cohort study that utilized a large administrative database was conducted. In the short-term survey, 236 mTBI patients and 223 controls were analyzed. Total scores of the PSQI and ESS were significantly higher in mTBI patients than in the controls. In the long-term cohort study, 6932 TBI cases and 34,660 matched controls were included. TBI cases had a 1.36-fold greater risk of SDs compared to the non-TBI controls during the 5-year follow-up period. Results showed that patients with TBI had a significantly higher risk of SDs than did controls both in the early stage and during a 5-year follow-up period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new polyoxoniobate constructed by four {Nb27} building blocks, K11[Cu(en)2(H2O)2]2[H29{Cu(en)2}4{Cu0.5(en)2}4{Cu(en)2(H2O)}4(OH)4(Nb27O75)4]·103H2O (en = ethanediamine), has been synthesized and characterized. Four {Nb27} inorganic blocks are linked by metal-organic components [Cu(en)2]2+, forming a tetrameric organic–inorganic hybrid. The structure is characterized by IR spectroscopy, XRD, UV–vis, EPR, single crystal X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis and elemental analysis. Furthermore, the solution behavior was investigated indicating the integrity of {Nb27} building block, which shows the possibility that it might be an excellent precursor for functionalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new polyoxoniobate constructed by four {Nb27} building blocks, K11[Cu(en)2(H2O)2]2[H29{Cu(en)2}4{Cu0.5(en)2}4{Cu(en)2(H2O)}4(OH)4(Nb27O75)4]·103H2O (en = ethanediamine), has been synthesized and characterized. Four {Nb27} inorganic blocks are linked by metal-organic components [Cu(en)2]2+, forming a tetrameric organic–inorganic hybrid. The structure is characterized by IR spectroscopy, XRD, UV–vis, EPR, single crystal X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis and elemental analysis. Furthermore, the solution behavior was investigated indicating the integrity of {Nb27} building block, which shows the possibility that it might be an excellent precursor for functionalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three naphthalimide aryl benzyl sulfide derivatives (NABSs) cleavable photoinitiators (PIs) containing benzyl-sulfur bonds were designed and prepared. The effect of the benzyl-sulfur moiety and substituents located on benzene ring of the benzyl group on photochemical behavior, involving the light absorption properties, potential mechanisms of the photolysis of NABSs under UV LED at 405 nm, and the electron transfer reaction between NABSs and diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate (Iod) were investigated in detail. The NABSs have different photolysis mechanisms as compared to PIs containing only an aryl-sulfur bond. NABS3 is most efficient for initiating free radical photopolymerization of acrylate monomers under UV LED exposure at 405 nm. Furthermore, NABSs/Iod systems can initiate the cationic photopolymerization of epoxides. Interestingly, the polymers prepared by using NABSs as the PI exhibit a great photoluminescence band at about 460 nm under UV LED irradiation at 405 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soilborne oomycete pathogen Pythium aphanidermatum causes damping-off and root rot in a wide range of economically important crops and vegetables. Effective P. aphanidermatum disease management is hindered by the lack of accurate pathogen detection methods. We developed a TaqMan-based real-time PCR tool for efficient detection and quantification of P. aphanidermatum presence in plant and soil samples. Eukaryotic peptide chain release factor subunit 1 (eRF1) was selected as the marker gene based on bioinformatic analysis. P. aphanidermatum DNA was quantified by using a eRF1-containing plasmid as the reference standard. This approach is sensitive enough to detect as low as 10 fg of P. aphanidermatum genomic DNA or 10 copies of reference plasmid. In a specificity evaluation, eight P. aphanidermatum isolates can be precisely detected out of 44 plant pathogen isolates. Moreover, P. aphanidermatum DNA can be detected in plant leaves 10 min after inoculation when there is no symptom appearance at all. Meanwhile, this assay successfully detected P. aphanidermatum zoospores in the soil at the sensitivity level of 100 zoospores/g, a density sufficient for inhibiting seedling growth. Taken together, the real-time PCR tool could be valuable for the early surveillance and quantification of P. aphanidermatum spread in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recurrent tuberculosis (TB) is a major health problem in countries with a high TB burden. It is very necessary to elucidate the situation of recurrent TB in Beijing, capital of China. To determine the proportion of recurrent tuberculosis (TB) cases and to identify relapsed or reinfected cases, as well as risk factors associated with recurrence in Beijing. We conducted a retrospective study that included all TB cases in Beijing that were successfully treated from 2013 to 2015. Recurrence due to relapse or reinfection was determined using the variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) method. Risk factors associated with recurrence were analysed. Tuberculosis recurred in 275 of the 4043 successfully treated TB patients, giving a recurrence rate of 6.8% (275/4043). 190 of the 275 cases were culture positive in both instances, and genotyping results for both episodes were available for 58 of these patients. The cultured isolates from 40 of the 58 recurrent cases (69%) had identical genotypic patterns in both episodes, indicating a relapse. 31% (18/58) had different genotypes, indicating reinfection by a new strain and suggested recent transmission. Those people in the 30–59 age group (p <.001), and those retreated for pulmonary TB (p <.001) were more likely to have TB recurrence. Our results indicate that relapse was more common than reinfection in recurrent TB cases in Beijing from 2013 to 2015. Age and retreatment were found to be risk factors for TB recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trimethylamine-N-Oxide (TMAO) is a proatherogenic and prothrombotic metabolite. Our study examined the association of plasma TMAO level with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Patients who were at least 18 years-old and received HD for at least 6 months were enrolled within 6 months. Patients with coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, arrhythmia, or stroke within 3 months before study onset were excluded. The primary endpoints were cardiovascular and all-cause death, and the secondary endpoint was cerebrovascular death. We recruited 252 patients and divided them into a high-TMAO group (>4.73 μg/mL) and a low-TMAO group (≤4.73 μg/mL). The median follow-up time was 73.4 months (interquartile range: 42.9, 108). A total of 123 patients died, 39 from cardiovascular disease, 19 from cerebrovascular disease, and 65 from other causes. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that the high-TMAO group had a greater incidence of cardiovascular death (Log-Rank: p = 0.006) and all-cause death (Log-Rank: p < 0.001). Cox regression analysis showed that high TMAO level was significantly associated with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. After adjustment for confounding, this association remained significant for cardiovascular mortality (TMAO as a continuous variable: HR: 1.18, 95%CI: 1.07, 1.294, p < 0.001; TMAO as a dichotomous variable: HR: 3.44, 95%CI: 1.68, 7.08, p < 0.001) and all-cause mortality (TMAO as a continuous variable: HR: 1.14, 95%CI: 1.08, 1.21, p < 0.001; TMAO as a dichotomous variable: HR: 2.54, 95%CI: 1.71, 3.76, p < 0.001). High plasma TMAO level is significantly and independently associated with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in HD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of posterior staphyloma (PS) in congenital cataract children and its role in predicting postoperative axial elongation. Materials and Methods: Preoperative prevalence of PS in 520 congenital cataract patients was reviewed and compared with that of the healthy eyes of 300 unilateral traumatic cataract children after 1:1 propensity score matching. Then, 32 pseudophakic children with preoperative PS and 48 age-matched pseudophakic controls without preoperative PS were followed up after the surgery, to compare their axial growth rates and refractive changes. Results: Congenital cataract was significantly associated with the presence of PS (OR: 14.88, P =.009) after propensity score matching. Even in congenital cataract eyes with axial length <26 mm, 5% were identified with PS on B-scan: ≤22 mm: 3%, 22–24 mm: 5% and 24–26 mm: 13%. Eyes with preoperative PS exhibited faster postoperative axial growth than those without, especially in bilateral cases or in children undergoing surgery before 8 years old (≤4 years: 0.53 ± 0.33 vs 0.30 ± 0.21 mm/y P =.028; 4–8 years: 0.37 ± 0.26 vs 0.23 ± 0.15 mm/y P =.044). Myopic shift after surgery was also more significant in children with preoperative PS than in those without (−1.10 ± 0.50 vs −0.60 ± 0.47D/y, P <.001). Conclusions: Congenital cataract is a risk factor for PS. Preoperative PS in pediatric cataract eyes may be an indicator of excessive postoperative axial elongation, especially in bilateral cases or in cases undergoing cataract surgery at a younger age. Our findings may also promote better clinical decision-making in intraocular lens power selection for pediatric population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The topological evolution near the turbulent/non-turbulent interface (TNTI) in turbulent mixing layer is studied by means of statistical analysis of the invariants of velocity gradient tensor (VGT) based on direct numerical simulation data. The dynamics of topological evolution is investigated in terms of the source terms of the evolution equations for the invariants, including the pressure effect term, viscous effect term and interaction term among the invariants. It is found that the local topology of fluid particles at the TNTI evolves from non-focal region to focal region in the plane of the second (Q) and the third (R) invariants of the VGT. The topological evolution is mainly associated with the pressure effect term in the TNTI region. According to the analysis of the evolution of enstrophy and dissipation, the enstrophy increase and the dissipation decrease are revealed in the TNTI region, which are caused by viscous vorticity diffusion near the TNTI. A weak correlation between the strain rate and the rotation rate is found in the TNTI region which is related to the reduction of enstrophy production. The alignments between vorticity and strain near the TNTI are investigated and a strong alignment of the vorticity with the extensive eigenvector direction is identified in the TNTI region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the adsorption of particulate matter with a diameter <2.5 µm (PM2.5) by leaves of ten tree species in Shenyang city. An aerosol generator was used to quantitatively determine PM2.5 adsorption capacity. Atomic force microscopy was used to determine the micro-morphological characteristics of the leaf surface, including roughness parameters and the PM2.5 absorption mechanism of the tree leaves. The results showed a positive correlation between PM2.5 adsorption capacity and PM2.5 concentration during different months: October (0.618 ± 0.16 μg· cm−2) > September (0.514 ± 0.14 μg· cm−2) > July (0.509 ± 0.14 μg· cm−2) > August (0.487 ± 0.12 μg· cm−2) > June (0.464 ± 0.08 μg· cm−2) > May (0.359 ± 0.08 μg· cm−2). PM2.5 absorption capacity was higher on leaves where the folded leaf lamina was covered by fine hairs, as they were rough with many protrusions and fillisters on the leaf surface. The tree species with a smooth leaf surface and low stomatal density and stomatal opening had a weak ability to adsorb PM2.5. The average roughness of the leaves was ranked according to PM2.5 adsorption per unit leaf area, and leaf roughness was significantly correlated with PM2.5 adsorption capacity per unit leaf area (R2 = 0.706). Tree species with a leaf surface morphology that facilitates absorption of PM2.5 and other particles, such as Pinus tabulaeformis and Platycladus orientalis, should be selected to improve the environmental effects of urban forest on air quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The level of the systemic inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) is elevated in many patients with malignant disease and may be related to nutritional status. Objective: To analyze the association between serum CRP levels in patients with malignant tumors and their nutritional status. Method: A total of 3,692 cases were analyzed and the serum CRP levels were determined using an immunometric assay. Nutritional status was assessed by using patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA). The biochemical evaluation of prealbumin (PA), albumin (ALB), cholesterol (CHOL), and triglycerides (TG) were assayed within 48 h admission to the hospital. The association between serum CRP concentration and the nutritional status, the stage of the tumor and other factors was analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Result: Elevated serum CRP was observed in 47.6% (1,548/3,269) of patients compared with the reference value, and the median CRP concentration was 18.29 mg/l. Patient serum CRP concentrations in the malnourished group (PG-SGA B + C) were higher than in the well-nourished (PG-SGA A) patients (P < 0.05). The serum CRP level was related to the patients' age, gender, tumor stage, and was affected by hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, diabetes, but it has no effect on hypertension. The CRP high patients had lower PA and ALB levels, lower Karnofsky performance status scores, and higher PG-SGA scores (P < 0.05), and there was no relationship with CHOL and TG levels. Weight loss in the previous 1 mo was seen with CRP positive patients (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Almost 50% of malignant tumor patients had elevated serum CRP levels indicating a systemic inflammatory state. The nutritional status was worse in cancer patients with higher concentrations of serum CRP. The level of CRP was associated with the tumor stage, and, as stage is a prognostic factor, so can CRP be used as a prognostic maker in malignant tumors patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adsorption of roxarsone (ROX) on the humic acid modified goethite (HA-α-FeOOH) was evaluated for several potential environmental factors. Results showed that 1) ROX had a higher adsorption capacity onto HA-α-FeOOH than unmodified α-FeOOH; 2) the adsorption of ROX increased with a decrease in pH; 3) the high ionic strength significantly inhibited the adsorption capacity of HA-α-FeOOH; and 4) a higher temperature yielded greater adsorption, since the process for ROX to be adsorbed by HA-α-FeOOH was a spontaneous endothermic reaction. The maximum adsorption capacity of ROX was found to be 80.71 mg · g−1, when the temperature was 308 K. Meanwhile, the inhibitory effects of ionic strength and PO43− on the adsorption of ROX onto HA-α-FeOOH were enhanced with an increase in concentration. In addition, the adsorption equilibrium data obeyed Langmuir isotherm model and the kinetic data were well described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. From the infrared spectra of HA-α-FeOOH, it could be deduced that the ROX adsorption onto HA-α-FeOOH was achieved via the ion exchange between the arsenic acid and the carboxyl group on adsorbent, as well as the formation of As-O-Fe bond between Fe-O and arsenic acid ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research presents the modelling and simulation method of the visible imaging characteristics for a space target. The surface of the space target is divided into facets in order to improve the modelling precision. Based on the consideration of the mixing-material of the solar panel, the measuring method of the equivalent BRDF is proposed, from which we achieve the measurement and modelling of the equivalent BRDF of the solar panel. To reflect the operate mode of the solar panel pointing to the sun, a calculation method of panel normal vector is proposed based on the principle of maximum light efficiency. The simulation of the detection signal is carried out according to the OTF and the photoelectric response model. The results show that the proposed modelling method can simulate the imaging characteristics of space targets with a complex structure, as well as correctly reflect the movement characteristics of the on-orbit satellite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The timely and secure evacuation of residents to nearby urban emergency shelters is of great importance during unexpected disaster events. However, evacuation and allocation of shelters are seldom examined as a whole, even though they are usually closely related tasks in disaster management. To conduct better spatial allocation of emergency shelters in cities, this study proposes a new method which integrates techniques of multi-agent system and multi-criteria evaluation for spatial allocation of urban emergency shelters. Compared with the traditional emergency shelter allocation methods, the proposed method highlights the importance of dynamic emergency evacuation simulations for spatial allocation suitability analysis. Three kinds of agents involved in evacuation and sheltering procedures are designed: government agents, shelter agents, and resident agents. Emergency evacuations are simulated based on the interactions of these agents to find potential problems, for example, time-consuming evacuation processes and road congestion. A case study in Jing’an District, Shanghai, China was conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method. After three rounds of simulation and optimization, new shelters were spatially allocated and a detailed recommended plan of shelters and related facilities was generated. The optimized spatial allocation of shelters may help local residents to be evacuated more quickly and securely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macroautophagy/autophagy has been demonstrated to play an essential role in embryonic development. However, the role of autophagy during human fetal digestive tract development has not been investigated. Here, by using over 5,000 human embryonic digestive tract cells ranging from 6 weeks to 25 weeks, we explored the dynamic expression of autophagy-related genes at single-cell resolution, and found that the transcriptional activity of autophagy-related genes boosted remarkably and specifically in the early (between 6 and 9 weeks) stages. Interestingly, the small intestine cells at 9 weeks showed the most significant enrichment of autophagy-related genes than any other stages. In summary, our results for the first time revealed that autophagy may play an essential role in the development of the digestive tract, especially for the small intestine, in early human embryos. Abbreviations: GI: gastrointestinal; S-Intes: small intestine; t-SNE: t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to cecropin A’s effective antifungal effects against Alternaria alternata (A. alternata), recombinant Pichia pastoris expressing cecropin A could control incidence of the black rot in cherry tomatoes caused by A. alternata, when compared with fruits inoculated with sterile water or plasmid without the gene insertion. Observations using a scanning electron microscope and a transmission electron microscope showed that when treated with the recombinant yeast, obvious changes in the morphology and inner structure of the A. alternata were induced leading to some cell abnormality and lysing. In order to further clarify the molecular mechanism of action, the binding properties exerted by GS115/CEC on DNA and RNA of A. alternata fungal cells were examined. The results showed that DNA and RNA of the A. alternata fungal cells were degraded by the recombinant yeast GS115/CEC. Furthermore, the recombinant strain GS115/CEC could induce the expression of the pathogenesis-related protein in order to decrease postharvest decay in cherry tomatoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biosynthetic pathways of phytosterols and steroidal saponins are located in two adjacent branches which share cycloartenol as substrate. The rate-limiting enzyme S-adenosyl-L-methionine-sterol-C24-methyltransferase 1 (SMT1) facilitates the metabolic flux toward phytosterols. It catalyzes the methylation of the cycloartenol in the side chain of the C24-alkyl group, to generate 24(28)-methylene cycloartenol. In this study, we obtained two full-length sequences of SMT1 genes from Pari polyphylla, designated PpSMT1-1 and PpSMT1-2. The full-length cDNA of PpSMT1-1 was 1369 bp long with an open reading frame (ORF) of 1038 bp, while the PpSMT1-2 had a length of 1222 bp, with a 1005 bp ORF. Bioinformatics analysis confirmed that the two cloned SMTs belong to the SMT1 family. The predicted function was further validated by performing in vitro enzymatic reactions, and the results showed that PpSMT1-1 encodes a cycloartenol-C24-methyltransferase, which catalyzes the conversion of cycloartenol to 24-methylene cycloartenol, whereas PpSMT1-2 lacked this catalytic activity. The tissue expression patterns of the two SMTs revealed differential expression in different organs of Paris polyphylla plants of different developmental stage and age. These results lay the foundation for detailed genetic studies of the biosynthetic pathways of steroid compounds, which constitute the main class of active substances found in P. polyphylla. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider the evacuation problem that consists of grouping and routing evacuees to safe zones. Grouping evacuees reduces congestion on roads, addresses fuel shortage and supports individuals with limited access to transportation means. We propose a mixed integer programming model where individuals with vehicles are instructed to pick up others along their route in order to evacuate the maximum number of individuals within a limited time. Since evacuation decisions and plans must be made as quickly as possible, we propose two heuristics that provide comparable solutions within a short computational time. The first heuristic is inspired from the Clarke-Wright savings heuristic for the vehicle routing problem, while the second heuristic is based on maximum bipartite matching. Computational results show that the proposed heuristics find solutions in less than a second for instances with up to 40 evacuee locations. We also present extensions of the evacuation problem that include vehicles with different capacities, that minimize the time to evacuate everyone, and that find the optimal vehicle placement. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

(3Z,9Z,6S,7R)-6,7-epoxy-3,9-octadecadiene (1) and (3Z,9Z,6R,7S)-6,7-epoxy-3,9-octadecadiene (2) have been stereoselectively synthesized in eight steps from 2-pentyn-1-ol with an overall yield of 8%. The key steps involved the Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation of (2E)-oct-2-en-5-yn-1-ol (6). The new synthetic method is suitable for multigram-scale preparation of 1 and 2 and might be used for producing sufficient quantities of the sex pheromone components for management of the pest of tea plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Suboptimal blood pressure (BP) control is commonly observed in patients receiving antihypertensive agents, but the relationship between uncontrolled BP and left atrial (LA) impairment remains unknown.Methods: This study enrolled 279 hypertensive patients who had been medicated, as well as 85 matched normal controls. The BP of systolic <140 mmHg and diastolic<90 mmHg was defined as optimal (HT1 group,n=146), otherwise as suboptimal BP control (HT2 group,n= 133). LA myocardial function was assessed by the systolic (SSa), early diastolic (SEa), and late diastolic (SAa) LA strains.Results: Both the HT1 group and HT2 group had higher BP reading, thicker interventricular septum, larger LA volume index, and enhanced active atrial emptying fraction than the control group (all <0.05). When compared with normal subjects, hypertensive patients displayed obvious reduction in theSSa(50.0 ± 10.9 vs. 35.9 ± 8.0%),SEa(30.1 ± 7.7 vs. 18.5 ± 7.1%) andSAa(19.9 ± 6.4 vs. 17.8 ± 4.2%) (allp< 0.001). In addition to a further impairedSEafound in the HT2 group than in the HT1 group (17.2 ± 5.3 vs. 19.8 ± 8.3%,p= 0.002), the treated BP of >140/90 mmHg appeared an independent risk factor associated with the abnormalSEa(odds ratio, 2.957; interval of confidence, 1.614-5.415;p= 0.001).Conclusions: Suboptimal BP control status in hypertensive patients is related to a further reduction of LA myocardial function assessed by the novel 2DSTI free strain, and suboptimal BP might be regarded as a composite risk factor and therefore a simplified treatment target. However, the prognostic value of LA free strain in patients with inability to achieve the BP target needs to be evaluated in future prospective studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to select a native isolate ofArthrobotrys thaumasia(Monacrosporium thaumasium), a nematophagous fungus that shows potential for use in biocontrol programmes for ruminants. First, we looked for native isolates ofA. thaumasiaand characterised them using light microscopy and molecular markers. Then, we determined the effect of temperature, pH and nutrition on the growth rate and trap formation of a representative isolate. Of the 1532 samples of different types related to sheep and cattle, 11 isolates ofA. thaumasiawere isolated, and their occurrence frequency in the samples was 0.71% (11/1532). We sequenced the rDNA internal transcribed spacer of isolate NBS005, submitted it to GenBank (ID: KX640093) and then sequenced it using BLAST. The NBS005 could not grow at 37.5°C but could grow from 11°C to 35°C, and it exhibited its optimum growth at 30°C on 1% corn meal agar (CMA). Over 4 days, the fungus did not grow in the pH interval from 1 to 3 or from 13 to 14 but did grow in the pH interval from 4 to 12 and exhibited its optimum growth between pH 9 and 10 on 2% CMA. The factors responsible for the trap formation of NBS005 in liquid culture were identified. Trap formation was induced only by contact with L3 lysate. The concentrations of sucrose, ammonium chloride and tryptone of 0.4, 0.2 and 0.2%, respectively, promoted trap formation, and there were higher numbers of trapping nets in 2% wheat bran liquid medium containing L3 lysate. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Two new phenolic acids forsythiayanoside C (1) and forsythiayanoside D (2), were isolated from the fruits ofForsythia suspense(Thunb.) Vahl. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of chemical and spectral analysis, including 1D, 2D NMR analyses, HRESIMS and CD spectrometry. The cytotoxic and antioxidant activities testing showed that compound2exhibited free radical scavenging activity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper reported a water-borne polysiloxane-modified benzophenone macromolecular photoinitiator (WPSHBP), whose characteristics of the photopolymerization, the migration of photolysis fragments, the volatility, and reduction of oxygen inhibition were discussed in detail. WPSHBP has a maximum absorption peak at 286 nm, and the molar extinction coefficient (ε286 nm) is 23200 M−1 cm−1. The photopolymerization rate and final double bond conversion of the system initiated by WPSHBP were enhanced with the increasing contents of triethanolamine (TEOA) and WPSHBP and irradiation intensity. WPSHBP exhibits a low migration of photolysis fragments and volatility compared with small-molecular photoinitiator benzophenone (BP). The cured films initiated by WPSHBP have good mechanical properties and thermostability compared with that by 2-hydroxy-4’-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-2-methylpropiophenone (Irgacure 2959). More importantly, the water-borne polysiloxane-modified photoinitiator can mitigate the oxygen inhibition in radical photopolymerization due to its enrichment on the surface of the photopolymerization system. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In many ‘smart city’ applications, congestion arises in part due to the nature of signals received by individuals from a central authority. In the model of Mareček et al., each agent uses one out of multiple resources at each time instant. The per-use cost of a resource depends on the number of concurrent users. A central authority has up-to-date knowledge of the congestion across all resources and uses randomisation to provide a scalar or an interval for each resource at each time. In this paper, the interval to broadcast per resource is obtained by taking the minima and maxima of costs observed within a time window of lengthr, rather than by randomisation. We show that the resulting distribution of agents across resources also converges in distribution, under plausible assumptions about the evolution of the population over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Celastrol is an important bioactive triterpenoid in traditional Chinese medicinal plant,Tripterygium wilfordii. Methyl Jasmonate (MJ) is a common plant hormone which can regulate the secondary metabolism in higher plants. In this study, the mevalonate (MVA) pathway genes inT. wilfordiiwere firstly cloned.The suspension cells ofT. wilfordiiwere elicited by MJ, and the expressions of MVA pathway genes were all enhanced in different levels ranging from 2.13 to 22.33 times of that at 0 h. The expressions were also enhanced compared with the CK group separately. The accumulation of celastrol in the suspension cells after the treatment was quantified and co-analyzed with the genes expression levels. The production of celastrol was significantly increased to 0.742 mg g−1after MJ treatment in 288 h which is consistent with the genes expressions. The results provide plenty of gene information for the biosynthesis of terpenoids inT. wilfordiiand a viable way to improve the accumulation of celastrol inT. wilfordiisuspension cells. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]