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Craniofacial microsomia (CFM), also known as the oculo‐auriculo‐vertebral spectrum, is a congenital disorder characterized by hypoplasia of the mandible and external ear due to tissue malformations originating from the first and second branchial arches. However, distinguishing it from other syndromes of branchial arch abnormalities is difficult, and causal variants remain unidentified in many cases. In this report, we performed an exome sequencing analysis of a Brazilian family with CFM. The proband was a 12‐month‐old boy with clinical findings consistent with the diagnostic criteria for CFM, including unilateral mandibular hypoplasia, microtia, and external auditory canal abnormalities. A heterozygous de novo nonsense variant (c.713C>G, p.S238*) in PUF60 was identified, which was predicted to be pathogenic in silico. PUF60 has been reported as a causal gene in Verheij syndrome, but not in CFM. Although the boy showed craniofacial abnormalities and developmental delay that overlapped with Verheij syndrome, the facial asymmetry with unilateral hypoplasia of the mandible observed in this case did not match the previously reported phenotypes of PUF60 variants. Our findings expand the phenotypic range of PUF60 variants that cover CFM and Verheij syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon monoxide (SiOx) has become one of the most promising anode materials for next‐generation lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) due to its high theoretical capacity. However, the inherent low electrical conductivity and large volume change during lithiation/delithiation processes hinder its practical applications. Here, a novel and facile strategy is designed to prepare SiOx/carbon nanotube (CNT) composite films in one step by using a method involving floating catalytic chemical vapor deposition (FCCVD). That is, SiOx particles and CNTs form at high temperature and winded directly on a drum to give rise to a film in an open air environment. The composite film is made up of a 3D CNT network with SiOx particles uniformly embedded. The as‐prepared composite film not only has a tensile strength of 78 MPa and elongation at break of 52%, but also exhibits a high specific capacity of 966.4 mA h g−1 after 120 cycles at the current density of 0.1 A g−1 and a good rate capacity of 448.7 mA h g−1 at the current density of 2 A g−1 when used as an anode material for LIBs. The results from the in‐situ preparation and resultant composite suggest a new route for developing high‐performance anode materials for LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometritis is a common postpartum disease in cows. It delays uterine involution and impairs normal physiological function. This can result in long‐term or even lifelong infertility and cause significant losses to the dairy farming industry. Traditional treatments like antibiotics possess certain shortcomings, such as antibiotic residues, the abuse of antibiotics, and increased antimicrobial resistance of pathogens. Alternative treatment strategies are needed to minimize the utilization of antibiotics in dairy production. As an essential trace element in animals, selenium (Se) plays a vital role in regulating immune function, the inflammatory response, and oxidative stress, affecting the speed and completeness of tissue repair. This paper reviewed previous studies to analyse the potential of Se in the prevention and treatment of bovine endometritis, aiming to provide a new direction to increase production capacity in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem: Endometritis is a common disease that affects dairy cow reproduction. Autophagy plays a vital role in cellular homeostasis and modulates inflammation by regulating interactions with innate immune signaling pathways. However, little is known about the regulatory relationship between autophagy and inflammation in bovine endometrial epithelial cells (BEECs). Thus, we aimed to determine the role of autophagy in the inflammatory response in BEECs. Methods of Study: In the present study, the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines were measured by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Changes in the nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) pathway and autophagy were determined using immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry. The induction of autophagosome formation was visualized by transmission electron microscopy. Results: Our results demonstrated that autophagy activation was inhibited in LPS‐treated BEECs, while activation of the NF‐κB pathway and the mRNA expression of IL‐6, IL‐8, and TNF‐α were increased. Furthermore, blocking autophagy with the inhibitor chloroquine increased NF‐κB signaling pathway activation and proinflammatory factor expression in LPS‐treated BEECs. Conversely, activation of autophagy with the agonist rapamycin inhibited the NF‐κB signaling pathway and downregulated proinflammatory factors. Conclusions: These data indicated that LPS‐induced inflammation was related to the inhibition of autophagy in BEECs. Thus, the activation of autophagy may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for eliminating inflammation in BEECs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A harmonics control high‐efficiency power amplifier (PA) is proposed by combining an asymmetrical branch‐line coupler (ABLC) and a shunt transmission line. With the special ports impedance condition, the ABLC realizes impedance transformation as well as shorts even‐harmonics, and the shunt transmission line shorts the third harmonic. Herein, two‐stage couplers not only expand the bandwidth but also enhance the harmonics control. A PA is simulated and fabricated to verify the proposed method. The measured results show that the typical saturated output power is more than 40 dBm, the drain efficiency is 60.3%–81.3%, and the power gain is 10.4–17.9 dB from 1.4 to 2.4 GHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) is associated with various malignancies and infects >90% of the global population. EBV latent proteins are expressed in numerous EBV‐associated cancers and contribute to carcinogenesis, making them critical therapeutic targets for these cancers. Thus, this study aims to develop mRNA‐based therapeutic vaccines that express the T‐cell‐epitope‐rich domain of truncated latent proteins of EBV, including truncatedlatent membrane protein 2A (Trunc‐LMP2A), truncated EBV nuclear antigen 1 (Trunc‐EBNA1), and Trunc‐EBNA3A. The vaccines effectively activate both cellular and humoral immunity in mice and show promising results in suppressing tumor progression and improving survival time in tumor‐bearing mice. Furthermore, it is observed that the truncated forms of the antigens, Trunc‐LMP2A, Trunc‐EBNA1, and Trunc‐EBNA3A, are more effective than full‐length antigens in activating antigen‐specific immune responses. In summary, the findings demonstrate the effectiveness of mRNA‐based therapeutic vaccines targeting the T‐cell‐epitope‐rich domain of EBV latent proteins and providing new treatment options for EBV‐associated cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provisioning can significantly affect the ranging patterns, foraging strategies, and time budget of wild primates. In this study, we document for the first time, the effects of provisioning on the activity budget and foraging effort in an Asian colobine. Over 3‐years, we used an instantaneous scanning method at 10‐min intervals to collect data on the activity budget of a semiprovisioned breeding band (SPB) of black‐and‐white snub‐nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) (42–70 individuals) at Xiangguqing (Tacheng), Yunnan, China. We then compared the effects of provisioning in our study band with published data on a sympatric wild nonprovisioned breeding band (NPB) of R. bieti (ca. 360 monkeys) at the same field site. The SPB spent 25.6% of their daytime feeding, 17.1% traveling, 46.9% resting, and 10.3% socializing. In comparison, the NPB devoted more time to feeding (34.9%) and socializing (14.1%), less time to resting (31.3%), and was characterized by a greater foraging effort (1.74 versus 0.96, foraging effort = (feeding + traveling)/resting; see Methods). There was no difference between bands in the proportion of their activity budget devoted to traveling (15.7% vs. 17.1%). In addition, the SPB exhibited a more consistent activity budget and foraging effort across all seasons of the year compared to the NPB. These findings suggest that the distribution, availability, and productivity of naturally occurring feeding sites is a major determinant of the behavioral strategies and activity budget of R. bieti. Finally, a comparison of our results with data on six nonprovisioned R. bieti bands indicates that caution must be raised in meta‐analyses or intraspecific comparisons of primate behavioral ecology that contain data generated from both provisioned and nonprovisioned groups. Research Highlights: We studied the activity budget of a semiprovisioned band of black‐and‐white snub‐nosed monkeys and compared the results with six wild nonprovisioned bands.The semiprovisioned band spent less time feeding, more time resting, and had a lower foraging effort than the nonprovisioned bands.Caution must be exercised in conducting meta‐analyses when using data from both provisioned and nonprovisioned primate bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the deadliest glioma and its resistance to temozolomide (TMZ) remains intractable. Long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play crucial roles in that and this study aimed to investigate underlying mechanism of HOXD‐AS2‐affected temozolomide sensitivity in glioblastoma. Methods: We analyzed and validated the aberrant HOXD‐AS2 expression in glioma specimens. Then we explored the function of HOXD‐AS2 in vivo and in vitro and a clinical case was also reviewed to examine our findings. We further performed mechanistic experiments to investigate the mechanism of HOXD‐AS2 in regulating TMZ sensitivity. Results: Elevated HOXD‐AS2 expression promoted progression and negatively correlated with prognosis of glioma; HOXD‐AS2 attenuated temozolomide sensitivity in vitro and in vivo; The clinical case also showed that lower HOXD‐AS2 sensitized glioblastoma to temozolomide; STAT3‐induced HOXD‐AS2 could interact with IGF2BP2 protein to form a complex and sequentially upregulate STAT3 signaling, thus forming a positive feedback loop regulating TMZ sensitivity in glioblastoma. Conclusion: Our study elucidated the crucial role of the HOXD‐AS2‐STAT3 positive feedback loop in regulating TMZ sensitivity, suggesting that this could be provided as a potential therapeutic candidate of glioblastoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research on Industry 5.0 (i5.0) is relatively new and emerging therefore professionals are still striving to reveal its influence globally. This study investigates the impact of industry 5.0 to comprehend the insights into how it optimizes the sustainable performance (STP) within three core streams, that is, economic, environmental, and social perspectives from the realm of stakeholder theory within the Chinese agricultural industry. The results stated that i5.0 positively affects the STP of Agri‐enterprises. The empirical testing additionally affirmed the positive nexus of i5.0 practices toward each dimension of STP such as social, environmental, and economic perspectives based on structural equation modeling. First, it found that i5.0 has a positive correlation with the economic perspective. Second, the findings affirmed the positive linkage between i5.0 and the social perspective. Finally, the study indicated a significant correlation between i5.0 and the environmental perspective. This study provides real‐time empirical evidence for the management of Agri‐enterprises regarding i5.0 and insights into the embodiment of such capabilities to optimize enterprise STP by incorporating i5.0 model. This study presents several theoretical and managerial enrichments for Agri‐enterprises along with future avenues for the researchers to test the i5.0 capabilities toward rest of the sectors across the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LINKED CONTENT: This article is linked to Strande et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.18097 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.18187. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is regularly observed in patients postsurgery due to the usage of anesthetics, including Sevoflurane. Research has confirmed the participation of oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation in the pathogenesis of POCD. Recently, the potential therapeutic function of miR‐190a‐3p against cognitive dysfunction has been reported. However, its role and mechanism in POCD are unclear. Our study will focus on the protective property and mechanism of miR‐190a‐3p on POCD to seek potential biomarkers and treatment targets for POCD. The animal model of POCD was constructed by the injection of Sevoflurane, followed by the administration of mimic negative control and miR‐190a‐3p. MiR‐190a‐3p was found to be downregulated in POCD rats. Declined time to explore the platform, swimming distance, and times that rats crossed the platform were observed in POCD rats, accompanied by increased secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, elevated malondialdehyde levels, repressed superoxide dismutase activity, and decreased levels of reduced glutathione, all of which were dramatically reversed by miR‐190a‐3p. Furthermore, the downregulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) and activation of toll‐like receptor 4/nuclear factor‐κB signaling were observed in POCD rats, which were greatly rescued by miR‐190a‐3p. Lastly, the Nrf2 luciferase activity and Nrf2 levels in HT22 cells were extremely improved by miR‐190a‐3p. Collectively, miR‐190a‐3p alleviated Sevoflurane‐induced POCD in rats by repressing OS and inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bovine uterus is susceptible to infection, and the elevated cortisol level due to stress are common in cows after delivery. The essential trace element selenium plays a pivotal role in the antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory defence system of body. This study investigated whether selenium supplementation protected endometrial cells from inflammation in the presence of high‐level cortisol. The primary bovine endometrial epithelial cells were subjected to Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide to establish cellular inflammation model. The gene expression of inflammatory mediators and proinflammatory cytokines was measured by quantitative PCR. The key proteins of NF‐κB and MAPK signalling pathways were detected by Western blot and immunofluorescence. The result showed that pre‐treatment of Na2SeO3 (1, 2 and 4 μΜ) decreased the mRNA expression of proinflammatory genes, inhibited the activation of NF‐κB and suppressed the phosphorylation of extracellular signal‐regulated kinase, P38MAPK and c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase. This inhibition of inflammation was more apparent in the presence of high‐level cortisol (30 ng/mL). These results indicated that selenium has an anti‐inflammatory effect, which is mediated via NF‐κB and MAPK signalling pathways and is augmented by cortisol in bovine endometrial epithelial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐resolution perovskite quantum dots (PeQDs) arrays printed by electrohydrodynamic (EHD) inkjet printing show great application prospects in fields of micro‐display. Commonly, EHD inkjet requires a polar system for printing but it easily quenches the PeQDs. Meanwhile, the mismatch of solvent parameters causes uneven surface morphology and printing instability. In this work, a morphology uniformization strategy of a nonpolar binary solvent system of 1,3,5‐triethylbenzene and n‐tetradecane is proposed to prepare the didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB)/PbBr2 passivated PeQDs inks. When the solvent volume ratio is 5:5, the photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of the ink reaches 94.06%. Benefiting from the match of boiling point, surface tension, and dielectric constant of ink, after the EHD inkjet printing, the line width of continuous smooth line arrays is as narrow as 2.0 µm and the coffee effect of dot arrays is well inhibited. Meanwhile, derived from the strong electrostatic interaction between the π‐electron structure of 1,3,5‐triethylbenzene and DDA+, the ink exhibits high stability. Moreover, the high‐resolution logo and miniature quick responsecode by EHD inkjet printing reach 22 718 dpi, far higher than that of the reported micro‐LED. This work paves the way for high‐resolution pixel arrays of micro‐display. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly stretchable electrodes with electrically robust behavior are critical for wide applications of soft robots, electronic skins, and flexible sensors. However, it remains challenging to fabricate such electrodes with traditional fabrication methods, such as lithography, conductive composite material synthetization, stencil printing, and microchannel injection. Herein, a facile method is proposed to construct robust and stretchable electrodes by direct‐written liquid metal (LM) onto a predeposited interface bonding layer, which greatly improves the interfacial force between the LM and substrate. An electrospun graphene oxide/thermoplastic polyurethane composite nanofiber membrane is used as the bonding layer, which provides rich –OH on the interface and in situ forming of hydrogen bond (H‐bond) with the LM oxide layer. A prototype electrode shows stretchability of 580%. The resistance remains stable that varies from 2.8 to 19.3 Ω at 500% elongation, and varies slightly after 7500 stretching cycles under 50% elongation, from 2.6–4.0 to 4.4–6.4 Ω. The fabrication technique is demonstrated with applications in stretchable circuit board assemblies and stretchable electronic cables, indicating a potential effective method for fabricating high‐performance stretchable electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) infection is prevalent in global population and associated with multiple malignancies and autoimmune diseases. During the infection, EBV‐harbored or infected cell‐expressing antigen could elicit a variety of antibodies with significant role in viral host response and pathogenesis. These antibodies have been extensively evaluated and found to be valuable in predicting disease diagnosis and prognosis, exploring disease mechanisms, and developing antiviral agents. In this review, we discuss the versatile roles of EBV antibodies as important biomarkers for EBV‐related diseases, potential driving factors of autoimmunity, and promising therapeutic agents for viral infection and pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a serious health problem affecting 3% of live births all over the world. Many loci associated with AIS have been identified by previous genome wide association studies, but their biological implication remains mostly unclear. In this study, we evaluated the AIS‐associated variants in the 7p22.3 locus by combining in silico, in vitro, and in vivo analyses. rs78148157 was located in an enhancer of UNCX, a homeobox gene and its risk allele upregulated the UNCX expression. A transcription factor, early growth response 1 (EGR1), transactivated the rs78148157‐located enhancer and showed a higher binding affinity for the risk allele of rs78148157. Furthermore, zebrafish larvae with UNCX messenger RNA (mRNA) injection developed body curvature and defective neurogenesis in a dose‐dependent manner. rs78148157 confers the genetic susceptibility to AIS by enhancing the EGR1‐regulated UNCX expression. © 2022 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is a potent activator for pro‐inflammatory response. Dendritic cells (DCs) are immunosuppressed in sepsis, whether mtDNA mediates immunoparalysis in sepsis remains unknown. Methods: The mRNAs were assessed by qPCR. Flow cytometry was used to measure the expression of costimulatory molecules and the proliferation of CD4+ T cells. Western blot and immunofluorescence staining were used to analyse the expression of proteins. Cytokine secretion was detected by ELISA. Histology of lung tissue was used to assess the inflammatory injury. Results: Lipopolysaccharide‐induced endotoxemia increased plasma mtDNA levels and immunoparalysis of spleen DCs, while hydrolysing mtDNA reversed immunoparalysis of spleen DCs in vivo. Moreover, cytoplasmic mtDNA of DCs was accumulated in endotoxemia and sepsis. mtDNA transfection into bone marrow‐derived DCs (BMDCs) inhibited the expression of costimulatory molecules (e.g., CD40, CD80 and CD86) and the release of IL‐12p70, while increasing the secretion of IL‐10. Cytoplasmic mtDNA also inhibited the ability of BMDCs to promote the proliferation of CD4+ T cells. Mechanistic analysis revealed that STING signalling was required for mtDNA‐mediated immunoparalysis of DCs in vivo and in vitro. Further studies showed deletion of STING reversed mtDNA‐mediated immunoparalysis of DCs and improved the prognosis of endotoxemia and sepsis. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that mtDNA promotes immunoparalysis of DCs, and contributes to sepsis‐associated immunosuppression by activating STING signalling. Our study may provide new insights to elucidate the molecular pathogenesis of immunosuppressive DCs in sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An x‐band coplanar magic‐T with high power handing is proposed by combining an H‐plane power divider and an iris for matching in E‐plane. The proposed magic‐T has −15 dB impedance bandwidth in experiment, which is about 23% covering form 8.9 to 11.2 GHz. Furthermore, the isolation is better than 46.2 dB with the typical insertion loss of 0.15 dB in the whole bandwidth with the contribute of the symmetrical structure. Herein, the average power‐handling capability (APHC) could be estimated at 865 W by simulated analysis, since the structure is all‐metal. Excellent correspondence between the simulated and measured results is demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Angelica dahurica(BZ) and Angelica dahurica var. formosana(HBZ) are two plant sources of Angelicae dahuricae Radix. Although BZ and HBZ are commonly used herbal medicines with great medicinal and dietary values, study on their phytochemicals and bioactive compositions is limited. Objective: To compare the chemical compositions of BZ and HBZ and find the chemical makers for discrimination and quality evaluation of the two botanical origins of Angelicae dahuricae Radix. Methodology: A high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry method was established for chemical profiling of BZ and HBZ. Then, a quantitative analysis of multiple components by a single marker method was developed for simultaneous determination of nine bioactive coumarins (xanthotoxol, oxypeucedanin hydrate, byakangelicin, xanthotoxin, bergapten, oxypeucedanin, phellopterin, imperatorin and isoimperatorin). Moreover, chemometrics were performed to compare and discriminate BZ and HBZ samples. Results: A total of 30 coumarins compounds were identified, and the chemical compositions in BZ and HBZ were quite similar. The quantitative analysis showed that there were significant differences in the contents of bioactive coumarins, and the chemometric analysis indicated five coumarins (xanthotoxol, xanthotoxin, bergapten, phellopterin and isoimperatorin) were responsible for the significant differences between BZ and HBZ, which could be used as chemical markers to distinguish the two original plant sources of Angelicae dahuricae Radix. Conclusion: The present work provided useful information for understanding the chemical differences between BZ and HBZ and also provided feasible methods for quality evaluation and discrimination of herbal medicines originating from multiple botanical sources. To comprehensively comparison and quality evaluation of Angelica dahurica (BZ) and Angelica dahurica var. formosana (HBZ), the chemical compositions in these two plant resources of Angelicae dahuricae Radix were characterized by HPLC‐Q/TOF‐MS, QAMS and chemometric methods. A total of 30 coumarins compounds were identified, and five coumarins were selected as chemical markers for responsible for the significant differences between BZ and HBZ, which could be used to distinguish the two original plant sources of Angelicae dahuricae Radix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kyphomelic dysplasia is a heterogeneous group of skeletal dysplasias characterized by severe bowing of the limbs associated with other variable findings, such as narrow thorax and abnormal facies. We searched for the genetic etiology of this disorder. Four individuals diagnosed with kyphomelic dysplasia were enrolled. We performed whole‐exome sequencing and evaluated the pathogenicity of the identified variants. All individuals had de novo heterozygous variants in KIF5B encoding kinesin‐1 heavy chain: two with c.272A>G:p.(Lys91Arg), one with c.584C>A:p.(Thr195Lys), and the other with c.701G>T:p.(Gly234Val). All variants involved conserved amino acids in or close to the ATPase activity‐related motifs in the catalytic motor domain of the KIF5B protein. All individuals had sharp angulation of the femora and humeri, distinctive facial features, and neonatal respiratory distress. Short stature was observed in three individuals. Three developed postnatal osteoporosis with subsequent fractures, two showed brachycephaly, and two were diagnosed with optic atrophy. Our findings suggest that heterozygous KIF5B deleterious variants cause a specific form of kyphomelic dysplasia. Furthermore, alterations in kinesins cause various symptoms known as kinesinopathies, and our findings also extend the phenotypic spectrum of kinesinopathies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Head direction (HD) cells form a fundamental component in the brain's spatial navigation system and are intricately linked to spatial memory and cognition. Although HD cells have been shown to act as an internal neuronal compass in various cortical and subcortical regions, the neural substrate of HD cells is incompletely understood. It is reported that HD cells in the somatosensory cortex comprise regular-spiking (RS, putative excitatory) and fast-spiking (FS, putative inhibitory) neurons. Surprisingly, somatosensory FS HD cells fire in bursts and display much sharper head-directionality than RS HD cells. These FS HD cells are nonconjunctive, rarely theta rhythmic, sparsely connected and enriched in layer 5. Moreover, sharply tuned FS HD cells, in contrast with RS HD cells, maintain stable tuning in darkness; FS HD cells' coexistence with RS HD cells and angular head velocity (AHV) cells in a layer-specific fashion through the somatosensory cortex presents a previously unreported configuration of spatial representation in the neocortex. Together, these findings challenge the notion that FS interneurons are weakly tuned to sensory stimuli, and offer a local circuit organization relevant to the generation and transmission of HD signaling in the brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteopetrosis is a group of rare inherited skeletal disorders characterized by a marked increase in bone density due to deficient bone resorption. Pathogenic variants in several genes involved in osteoclast differentiation and/or function have been reported to cause osteopetrosis. Solute carrier family 4 member 2 (SLC4A2, encoding anion exchanger 2) plays an important role in osteoclast differentiation and function by exchange of Cl− with HCO3−. Biallelic Slc4a2 loss‐of‐function mutations in mice and cattle lead to osteopetrosis with osteoclast deficiency; however, pathogenic SLC4A2 variants in humans have not been reported. In this study, we describe a patient with autosomal recessive osteopetrosis due to biallelic pathogenic variants in SLC4A2. We identified novel compound heterozygous variants in SLC4A2 (NM_003040.4: c.556G>A [p.A186T] and c.1658T>C [p.V553A]) by exome sequencing. The measurement of intracellular Cl− showed that the variants decrease the anion exchange activity of SLC4A2. The impact of the variants on osteoclast differentiation was assessed by a gene knockout‐rescue system using a mouse macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7. The Slc4a2‐knockout cells show impaired osteoclastogenesis, which was rescued by the wild‐type SLC4A2, but not by the mutant SLC4A2s. Immunofluorescence and pit assay revealed that the mutant SLC4A2s leads to abnormal podosome belt formation with impaired bone absorption. This is the first report on an individual affected by SLC4A2‐associated osteopetrosis (osteopetrosis, Ikegawa type). With functional studies, we prove that the variants lead to SLC4A2 dysfunction, which altogether supports the importance of SLC4A2 in human osteoclast differentiation. © 2021 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to investigate the role of microRNA‐149‐3p (miR‐149‐3p) in regulating osteogenic differentiation of human adipose‐derived stem cells (hADSCs) by targeting v‐akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog 1 (AKT1). Bioinformatics websites and a dual luciferase reporter assay were used to predict and verify the targeting relationship between miR‐149‐3p and AKT1. The hADSCs were divided into the blank, negative control (NC), mimic, control siRNA, AKT1 siRNA, and miR‐149‐3p inhibitors + AKT1 siRNA groups and then subjected to Alizarin Red staining, Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining, ALP activity detections, MTT assay, and EdU cell proliferation assay. Gene or protein expression was quantified using quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR) or Western blotting, respectively. The miR‐149‐3p expression increased gradually and AKT1 expression decreased gradually during osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs. The prediction of bioinformatics websites miRTarBase and TargetScan and the dual luciferase reporter assay indicated that miR‐149‐3p can directly target AKT1. After hADSCs were transfected with miR‐149‐3p mimic, AKT1 expression was significantly downregulated. However, transfection with AKT1 siRNA did not have an impact on miR‐149‐3p in hADSCs. In comparison with the AKT1 siRNA group, the miR‐149‐3p inhibitors + AKT1 siRNA group showed decreased miR‐149‐3p expression but increased AKT1 expression. In addition, AKT1 siRNA enhanced the cell viability and proliferation of hADSCs and increased mineral calcium deposition and ALP activity, resulting in higher expression of osteogenic differentiation‐related genes, which was reversed by miR‐149‐3p inhibition. The miR‐149‐3p can increase the expression of osteogenic differentiation‐related genes by targeting AKT1 and thereby enhance the osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employing a sequentially activated probe design method, an activatable, switchable and dual‐mode probe was designed. This nanoprobe, HSDPP, could be effectively activated by H2S to form H‐type aggregates with green emission; subsequently, the aggregates could bind to mtDNA to form monomers and the emIssion color switched from green to deep‐red. We exploited HSDPP to image exogenous and endogenous H2S in living cells. Of note, for the first time, this novel nanoprobe with an optimal partition coefficient value (LogP=1.269) was successfully applied for tracking the endogenous H2S upregulation stimulated by cystathionase activator S‐adenosyl‐L‐methionine (SAM) in mice brains. Finally, our work provides an invaluable chemical tool for probing endogenous H2S upregulation in vitro/vivo and, importantly, affords a prospective design strategy for developing switchable chemosensors to unveil the relationship between biomolecules and DNA in mitochondria in many promising areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Desbuquois dysplasia (DD) type 1 is a rare skeletal dysplasia characterized by a short stature, round face, progressive scoliosis, and joint laxity. The causative gene has been identified as calcium‐activated nucleotidase 1 (CANT1), which encodes a nucleotidase that preferentially hydrolyzes UDP to UMP and phosphate. In this study, we generated Cant1 KO mice using CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated genome editing. All F0 mice possessing frameshift deletions at both Cant1 alleles exhibited a dwarf phenotype. Germline transmission of the edited allele was confirmed in an F0 heterozygous mouse, and KO mice were generated by crossing of the heterozygous breeding pairs. Cant1 KO mice exhibited skeletal defects, including short stature, thoracic kyphosis, and delta phalanx, all of which are observed in DD type 1 patients. The glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content and extracellular matrix space were reduced in the growth plate cartilage of mutants, and proliferating chondrocytes lost their typical flat shape and became round. Chondrocyte differentiation, especially terminal differentiation to hypertrophic chondrocytes, was impaired in Cant1 KO mice. These findings indicate that CANT1 is involved in the synthesis of GAG and regulation of chondrocyte differentiation in the cartilage and contribute to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of DD type 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice is a major source of cadmium (Cd) intake for Asian people. Indica rice usually accumulates more Cd in shoots and grains than Japonica rice. However, underlying genetic bases for differential Cd accumulation between Indica and Japonica rice are still unknown. In this study, we cloned a quantitative trait locus (QTL) grain Cd concentration on chromosome 7 (GCC7) responsible for differential grain Cd accumulation between two rice varieties by performing QTL analysis and map‐based cloning. We found that the two GCC7 alleles, GCC7PA64s and GCC793‐11, had different promoter activity of OsHMA3, leading to different OsHMA3 expression and different shoot and grain Cd concentrations. By analyzing the distribution of different haplotypes of GCC7 among diverse rice accessions, we discovered that the high and low Cd accumulation alleles, namely GCC793‐11 and GCC7PA64s, were preferentially distributed in Indica and Japonica rice, respectively. We further showed that the GCC7PA64s allele can be used to replace the GCC793‐11 allele in the super cultivar 93‐11 to reduce grain Cd concentration without adverse effect on agronomic traits. Our results thus reveal that the QTL GCC7 with sequence variation in the OsHMA3 promoter is an important determinant controlling differential grain Cd accumulation between Indica and Japonica rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysosteosclerosis (DOS) is a distinct form of sclerosing bone disease characterized by irregular osteosclerosis and platyspondyly. DOS is genetically heterogeneous; however, only five cases with SLC29A3 mutations and a single case with a splice‐site mutation of TNFRSF11A have been reported, and TNFRSF11A is also a causal gene for osteopetrosis, autosomal recessive 7 (OP‐AR7). Thus, the causal genes of DOS and their genotype‐phenotype associations remain unclear. In this study, we examined a Japanese patient with DOS and found a novel variant in TNFRSF11A. The homozygous variant was a G to T transversion at the first nucleotide of exon 9 (c.784G>T). Although the variant was predicted to cause a stop codon mutation (p.E262*), in silico evaluation of the exonic splicing elements followed by RT‐PCR for the patient‐derived cells showed that it caused aberrant splicing due to the change in the exonic splicing element and produced two types of aberrant transcripts: One caused a premature stop codon (p.E262Vfs*17) leading to nonsense mutation‐mediated mRNA decay; the other produced a protein with interstitial deletion (p.E262_Q279del). The effects of the mutation on five splicing isoforms of TNFRSF11A were different from those in OP‐AR7, but comparable with those in the first DOS with the TNFRSF11A mutation. Thus, we identified the second case of DOS caused by the TNFRSF11A splice‐site mutation and confirmed the novel disease entity. © 2019 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high rate of protein synthesis in skeletal muscle of dairy calves can benefit their first lactation even lifetime milk yield. Since the rate of protein synthesis is relatively low in the post‐absorptive state, the aim of this research was to determine whether leucine supplementation could increase the post‐absorptive essential amino acid (EAA) utilization and protein synthesis in the skeletal muscle. Ten male neonatal dairy calves (38 ± 3 kg) were randomly assigned to either the control (CON, no leucine supplementation, n = 5) or supplementation with 1.435 g leucine/L milk (LEU, n = 5). Results showed that leucine significantly increased the length and protein concentration in longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle, whereas it decreased creatinine concentration and glutamic‐oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) activity. Compared to the control group, leucine supplementation also reduced the glutamic‐pyruvic transaminase (GPT) activity. Supplementation of leucine improved the phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), eukaryotic initiation factor 4E‐binding protein 1 (4EBP1) and substrates ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (p70S6K). Supplementation of leucine resulted in increased concentrations of glucose, methionine, threonine, histidine and EAAs and decreased concentration of arginine in serum. Liver glucose concentration was higher and pyranic acid was lower in LEU compared to CON. In conclusion, leucine supplementation can promote post‐absorptive EAA utilization and hepatic gluconeogenesis, which contributes to protein synthesis in skeletal muscle of dairy calves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid line commutation converter-voltage-source converter high-voltage direct current transmission (LCC-VSC-HVDC) power transmission has unique technical advantages, but its overvoltage study is not sufficient at present. In this study, the typical overvoltage phenomenon of hybrid LCC-VSC-HVDC power transmission is analysed and verified by power systems computer-aided design/electro-magnetic transient design and control simulation. On the one hand, overvoltage mechanism of modular multilevel converter module caused by single-phase grounding fault at the valve side of VSC transformer is analysed, and arresters are configured for the protection of the valve. On the other hand, the stress of the arresters at the LCC side is analysed. Installing current reversing protection on the VSC side is proposed. The research of this study provides the recommended arresters configuration in the converter station of hybrid LCC-VSC-HVDC power transmission system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, the uncontrolled rectification pre-charging characteristics of the VSC-HVDC system with different modular multilevel converter (MMC) topologies such as full-bridge, half-bridge, and hybrid topologies are proposed based on theoretical analysis and PSCAD/EMTDC simulations. Different MMC topologies have a great impact on the selection of pre-insertion resistors. The surge energy of pre-insertion resistors is the lowest with the full-bridge sub-module (FBSM) MMC, while much higher with the half-bridge sub-module (HBSM) MMC. In order to prevent start-up failure caused by extremely non-uniform voltage between FBSM and HBSM of hybrid MMC, the FBSM should be turned to half-bridge state by valve control system as soon as possible so as to carry out the second charge, and then balance the sub-modules voltage by bypass certain high-voltage sub-modules. The half-controlled charging process has a great influence on the absorbed energy of the pre-insertion resistors of hybrid MMC. The research results can be used to guide the selection of VSC-HVDC pre-insertion resistors and start-up strategy making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We aimed to evaluate effects of RC‐3095 on mice with hepatic ischemia followed by reperfusion (I/R) injury and further explore the possible underlying mechanism. Methods: Mice were subjected to partial hepatic ischemia for 60 min followed by different durations of reperfusion. Levels of gastrin‐releasing peptide (GRP) and GRP receptor (GRPR) in the blood and liver were detected by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or western blotting (WB) after 3, 6, 12, or 24 h of reperfusion. RC‐3095 or normal saline (control) was given i.p. at the time of reperfusion. Expressions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐6, and IL‐10 in blood and liver samples were examined with ELISA. Neutrophil influx into the liver was assessed by flow cytometry and myeloperoxidase assay. Hematoxylin–eosin staining of the liver and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP‐biotin nick end labeling assay were used to determine hepatic injury and hepatocellular necrosis. Activation of nuclear factor (NF)‐κB and p38/extracellular regulated protein kinase (ERK) mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) was investigated with WB. Results: The expression of GRP was upregulated within 3 h after reperfusion and remained elevated for up to 24 h in the liver, whereas GRPR was also upregulated after 3 or 6 h of reperfusion, but returned to baseline levels within 24 h. RC‐3095 significantly reduced the inflammatory hepatic injury, liver neutrophil accumulation, and hepatocellular apoptosis, probably by inhibiting activation of NF‐κB or p38/ERK MAPK. Conclusion: These findings supported that GRP–GRPR played an important role in hepatic I/R injury, and RC‐3095 ameliorated liver damage by suppressing the inflammatory response and hepatocellular necrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we report an efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalyst (Fe@Fe2P/NCNT) fabricated from the phosphorization of partially oxidized iron nanorod encapsulated in nitrogen doped carbon nanotubes (Fe@Fe2O3/NCNT) synthesized from iron trichloride and melamine, which only requires ∼0 mV and 78.2 mV overpotentials to achieve cathodic current densities of 1 mA cm−2 and 10 mA cm−2 with Tafel slope of 52.2 mV dec−1 in acidic media, which exhibits higher HER electrocatalytic activity compared to Fe/NCNT requiring a overpotential of 118.5 mV to attain 10 mA cm−2 with Tafel slope of 92.3 mV dec−1. Due to the phosphorization process, additional active sites coming from Fe2P boost the electrocatalytic activity of Fe@Fe2P/NCNT resulting in decrement in overpotentials by 40.3 mV and 186 mV for 10 mA cm−2 and 50 mA cm−2 compared to Fe/NCNT electrocatalyst, respectively. Meanwhile, Fe@Fe2P/NCNT exhibits ignorable degradation in HER activity after 6000 potential cycles suggesting that the Fe@Fe2P/NCNT with superior HER activity and stability could potentially replace the benchmark Pt/C (overpotential@10 mA cm−2: 31 mV) as efficient HER electrocatalyst for water splitting. Top performance: Fe@Fe2P nanorods encapsulated in nitrogen doped carbon nanotubes show a superior performance as catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction with overpotentials of 0 mV and 78.2 mV to deliver catalytic current densities of 1 mA cm−2 and 10 mA cm−2, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increment in methanol concentration can logically improve the fuel cell performance of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) to address the sluggish methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). Thus, development in anodic electrocatalyst for concentrated methanol oxidation becomes highly important. Here, we report a facile method to promote the PtRu electrocatalyst's catalytic activity in concentrated methanol by polymer coating, which affords a higher CO tolerance and thus leads to a better MOR activity. As a consequence, the fuel cell performance is 2.5 times higher relative to benchmark CB/PtRu if 4 M methanol is used. Superior stability and CO tolerance are simultaneously achieved thanks to the PBI coating. Thus, the polymer decorated PtRu electrocatalyst can potentially utilized as anodic electrocatalyst for concentrated DMFC application. Being CO tolerant: Polymer coating on PtRu nanoparticles induced better electrocatalytic activity toward concentrated methanol oxidation, which resulted in a boosted fuel cell performance with increment in methanol concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Artemisiae argyi Folium and Artemisiae lavandulaefoliae Folium, two morphologically similar herbal medicines derived from Artemisia genus. Although the two Artemisia herbs have been used as medicines for a long time in China, the study of their phytochemical and bioactive composition is limited. Objective: To comprehensively compare and evaluate the composition of Artemisiae argyi Folium and Artemisiae lavandulaefoliae Folium, and find the chemical makers for quality evaluation of the two Artemisia herbal medicines. Methodology: Eight compounds including six phenolic acids and two flavonoids were assayed by a single reference standard for simultaneous determination of multi‐components method using 3‐caffeoylquinic acid as the reference standard. The quantitative data were further analysed by chemometric approaches to compare and distinguish the two herbal medicines. Results: The credibility and feasibility of the single reference standard for simultaneous determination of the multi‐components method were carefully validated. The validated method was applied to analyse 16 batches of Artemisiae argyi Folium and 10 batches of Artemisiae lavandulaefoliae Folium samples. The quantitative results showed that 3,5‐di‐O‐caffeoylquinic acid was the most abundant constituent, and the contents of flavonoids were notably different between the two herbal medicines. The chemometric analysis results indicated the two flavonoids, jaceosidin and eupatilin could be used as chemical markers for quality evaluation of the two herbal medicines. Conclusion: The single reference standard for simultaneous determination of the multi‐components method coupled with chemometrics analysis could be a well‐acceptable strategy to compare and evaluate the quality of Artemisiae argyi Folium and Artemisiae lavandulaefoliae Folium. To comprehensively compare and evaluate the composition of Artemisiae argyi Folium and Artemisiae lavandulaefoliae Folium, and find the different non‐volatile compounds between the two Artemisia herbal medicines, a method based on a single reference standard for simultaneous determination of multi‐components combined with chemometrics analysis was developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As well known, heteroatom doped carbon material served as metal‐free electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution (HER) and oxygen reduction reactions (ORR) particularly relies on the heteroatom doping level. Here, we report a 3D porous nitrogen doped carbon (PNC) electrocatalyst with superior HER and ORR electrocatalytic activities derived from the calcination of the discarded cigarette butt and dicyandiamide possessing a high nitrogen content (20 at%). PNC electrocatalyst only demands 143 mV versus RHE to achieve 10 mA cm−2 ascribed to the high nitrogen percentile in PNC electrocatalyst favorable for constructing successive active centers contributing to efficiently catalyzing HER. Ignorable degradation in HER activity observed after 10000 potential cycles as well as undetectable decay in HER performance recorded after 12 h operation indicate high stability of PNC electrocatalyst. Meanwhile, half‐wave potential of PNC electrocatalyst reaches 0.81 V versus RHE in 1 M KOH electrolyte. Additionally, stable ORR activity attained after 1000 potential cycles is indicative of high stability. A comparably high zinc‐air battery performance with maximum power density of 66 mW cm−2 is achieved by PNC electrocatalyst. This study highlights the importance of nitrogen doping level in metal‐free electrocatalyst for boosting HER and ORR activities. What? No metal! A 3D porous nitrogen doped carbon (PNC) electrocatalyst with superior HER and ORR electrocatalytic activities derived from the calcination of the discarded cigarette butt and dicyandiamide possessing a high nitrogen content (20 at%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of importance to establish stable and well‐connected proton path in the catalyst layer to promote the fuel cell performance. Here, we describe a novel method to fabricate stable and efficient proton path for high temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells (HT‐PEFCs), in which the ionic liquid is doped into the platinum electrocatalyst. The electrochemical results depict that ionic liquid doped electrocatalyst exhibits comparable electrochemical surface area (ESA) and enhanced durability indicating that ionic liquid negligibly affects the hydrogen adsorption/desorption process and protects the electrocatalyst from carbon corrosion. Interestingly, the catalyzing activity toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) of Pt electrocatalyst is boosted after doping with ionic liquid mainly due to the modified electronic structures of Pt atoms induced by nitrogen atoms from ionic liquid resulting in weak interaction between Pt atoms and intermediates. The fuel cell performance of ionic liquid doped electrocatalyst is much improved ascribed to the homogeneously dispersed ionic liquid on the surface of Pt electrocatalyst facilitating the fabrication of triple phase boundaries (TPBs) as a result of efficient proton conduction in the catalyst layer. The fuel cell performance only decreases 10 % after 100,000 potential cycles from 1.0 to 1.5 V versus RHE suggesting that ionic liquid forms a stable proton path in the catalyst layer. Thus, the ionic liquid doped Pt electrocatalyst is applicable for the real HT‐PEFC operation. Layer up. Coating the Pt electrocatalyst with ionic liquid facilitates the formation of well‐connect and stable proton path for high temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Meanwhile, the intrinsic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity of Pt electrocatalyst is also boosted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A palladium phosphide electrocatalyst supported on carbon black (PdP2@CB) shows efficient water splitting in both alkaline and neutral electrolytes. Significantly lower overpotentials are required for PdP2@CB (27.5 mV in 0.5 m H2SO4; 35.4 mV in 1 m KOH; 84.6 mV in 1 m PBS) to achieve a HER electrocatalytic current density of 10 mA cm−2 compared to commercial Pt/CB (30.1 mV in 0.5 m H2SO4; 46.6 mV in 1 m KOH; 122.7 mV in 1 m PBS). Moreover, no loss in HER activity is detectable after 5000 potential sweeps. Only 270 mV and 277 mV overpotentials are required to reach a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for PdP2@CB to catalyze OER in 1 m KOH and 1 m PBS electrolytes, which is better OER activity than the benchmark IrO2 electrocatalyst (301 mV and 313 mV to drive a current density of 10 mA cm−2). 1.59 V and 1.72 V are needed for PdP2@CB to achieve stable water splitting catalytic current density of 10 mA cm−2 in 1 m PBS and 50 mA cm−2 in 1 m KOH for 10 h, respectively. Low‐voltage splitting: A palladium phosphide electrocatalyst supported on carbon black (PdP2@CB) exhibits superior electrocatalytic activity toward water splitting in alkaline and neutral electrolytes. Significantly lower overpotential is required for PdP2@CB to achieve a water splitting electrocatalytic current density of 10 mA cm−2 compared to commercial Pt/CB||IrO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of observation sequence is usually used in the detection of tonal signal. A tone without any prior information cannot be guaranteed to lie exactly on the discrete DFT frequency bin, which will degrade the performance of the tonal detector based on DFT. In this work, the authors study the detection problem for a tone deviated from the discrete frequency bin. A generalised likelihood ratio detector utilising the information of adjacent frequency bins is designed. Theoretical analysis, computer simulations, and lake experiment show that the proposed detector is robust against the deviation and is more suitable for the tone detection in practical circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polarization and related properties in the M-type lead hexaferrite ( PbFe12 O19) are reported for the first time. The remnant polarization of PbFe12 O19 exhibits a maximum value of 104 μC/cm2, as well as large spontaneous polarization at room temperature. Annealing of PbFe12 O19 in oxygen plays a key role in the saturation of its polarization hysteresis loop because it greatly enhances the ceramic's electric resistance. Two current peaks in the I-V curve reveal a polarization switch, providing effective evidence for the ferroelectricity of PbFe12 O19. Its temperature-dependent dielectric constant undergoes colossal change in the vicinity of two temperatures (322°C and 518°C), which are assigned to the transitions from ferro- to antiferro- and antiferro- to paraelectric phases, respectively. The plots of logarithm of (1/ε-1/εm) as a function of logarithm of ( T- Tm) obey a modified Curie-Weiss law, verifying the relaxor ferroelectric characterization of PbFe12 O19. The ceramic also exhibits a strong magnetic hysteresis loop. These combined functional responses of ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism in PbFe12 O19 ceramic present an opportunity to create electric devices that actively couple the magnetic and ferroelectric orders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Blood natriuretic peptide (NP) levels have been reported to be useful for predicting postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to quantitatively synthesize the current evidence of the accuracy of using NP levels in predicting postoperative AF. Methods and Results: Medline, Embase, and reference lists were searched. Studies were included if either brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal pro-b type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) had been evaluated perioperatively to predict postoperative AF. Data were analyzed to obtain summary accuracy estimates. Data from 1,844 patients in 10 studies were analyzed. Summary estimates for the sensitivity and specificity of using NP levels for predicting postoperative AF were 75 % [95 % confidence interval (CI) 67-79 %] and 80 % (95 % CI 62-91 %), respectively. The overall diagnostic odds ratio was 3.28 (95 % CI 2.23-4.84). Subgroup analysis showed that elevated NP levels in the perioperative period were a strong independent predictor of postoperative AF. NT-proBNP appeared to have better predictive value than BNP, as did postoperative assessment over preoperative assessment. BNP had a better correlation with postoperative AF in patients undergoing thoracic surgery than in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Conclusions: Perioperative assessment of the natriuretic peptide level in patients undergoing major cardiothoracic surgery could be a valuable diagnostic aid for identifying patients at high risk of developing postoperative AF, and for providing critical clinical information to guide prophylactic antiarrhythmic therapy in the perioperative period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocrystalline PbTiO3 (PTO) powders in a perovskite structure have been synthesized by the sol–gel process using lead acetate, glycerin, and titanium (IV) isopropoxide as precursors. PTO ceramics were obtained by sintering the powders at temperatures ranging from 600° to 1000°C. The structure and morphology of the ceramics have been determined by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The PTO powder calcined at 450°C shows weak ferromagnetism at room temperature. The PTO ceramics sintered at various temperatures exhibit coexistence of ferroelectricity and weak ferromagnetism at room temperature. Enhancement in the magnetic moment and ferroelectricity with a reduction in the grain size of PTO ceramics was observed. This result facilitates the possibilities of new perovskite electromagnetic devices at the nanoscale level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a potential new working reference material – natural zircon megacrysts from an Early Pliocene alkaline basalt (from Penglai, northern Hainan Island, southern China) – for the microbeam determination of O and Hf isotopes, and U–Pb age dating. The Penglai zircon megacrysts were found to be fairly homogeneous in Hf and O isotopes based on large numbers of measurements by LA-multiple collector (MC)-ICP-MS and SIMS, respectively. Precise determinations of O isotopes by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and Hf isotopes by solution MC-ICP-MS were in good agreement with the statistical mean of microbeam measurements. The mean δ18O value of 5.31 ± 0.10‰ (2 s) by IRMS and the mean 176Hf/177Hf value of 0.282906 ± 0.0000010 (2 s) by solution MC-ICP-MS are the best reference values for the Penglai zircons. SIMS and isotope dilution-TIMS measurements yielded consistent 206Pb/238U ages within analytical uncertainties, and the preferred 206Pb/238U age was found to be 4.4 ± 0.1 Ma (95% confidence interval). The young age and variably high common Pb content make the Penglai zircons unsuitable as a primary U–Pb age reference material for calibration of unknown samples by microbeam analysis; however, they can be used as a secondary working reference material for quality control of U–Pb age determination for young (particularly < 10 Ma) zircon samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: Activatable and switchable nanoaggregate probe; Hydrogen sulphide; mtDNA; Mice brains. EN Activatable and switchable nanoaggregate probe Hydrogen sulphide mtDNA Mice brains. [Extracted from the article]

Stab wounds are the main type of penetrating cardiac injury, in China and they have a fairly good prognosis when the patient receives expeditious and appropriate management. The objective of this study is to present the experience of managing the patients with penetrating cardiac injuries. A retrospective study involving 82 cases with penetrating wounds of the heart in the past 16 years was carried out. Stab wounds accounted for 86.58% of this series (71 of 82 patients). All 82 cases were treated operatively. The amount of preoperative infusion as fluid resuscitation for shock was less than 1,000 ml in 65.85% of the present study. Only in three patients was preoperative pericardiocentesis performed, yielding a false-negative result in one. Six patients sustaining cardiac arrest soon after arrival were subjected to emergency room thoracotomy (ERT), and five of them survived. The overall survival rate was 96.34%. One patient died of exsanguination due to injury of multiple chambers; of the remaining 2 deaths after operation I was associated with abdominal injuries and the other with failure of cerebral resuscitation. From the experience reported in this study, early establishment of diagnosis and prompt thoracotomy against time are the fundamental factors affecting the outcome of penetrating cardiac injuries. Preoperative massive transfusion and pericardiocentesis are not advocated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise and accurate knowledge of the optical properties of amorphous silica is important because of the increasing application of SiO[sub 2] in optical and electrooptical devices, including photolithography masks for semiconductor fabrication, recently as a potential 157 nm mask substrate. The optical properties in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) region have been investigated, because they convey detailed information on the electronic structure and interatomic bonding of the material. In this work, we have combined spectroscopic ellipsometry and VUV spectroscopy to directly determine the optical functions of SiO[sub 2] in this range, thereby reducing the uncertainty in the low-energy extrapolation of the data, essential for KramersKronig analysis of VUV reflectance. We report the complex optical properties of SiO[sub 2], over the range of 1.5 to 42 eV, showing improved agreement with theory when contrasted with earlier results. In addition to the features previously reported at 10.4, 11.6, 14.03, and 17.10 eV, new interband transitions have been observed at 21.3 eV along with O 2s transitions at 32 eV. We found the bulk plasma peak to be 23.7 eV in the energy loss function spectrum. Based on the magnitude of these new results, the Hamaker constant for SiO[sub 2]Vacuum+SiO[sub 2] is 71.6 zJ, which is larger than the previously reported value of 66 zJ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver trauma, the main cause of death in patients suffering abdominal injury, remains an unresolved problem, especially in its most severe forms. The objective of this study was to probe effective surgical procedures and improve the outcome for patients with severe hepatic injury. A retrospective study of 348 patients with hepatic trauma seen in our institution during the past 12 years was carried out. Of these 348 patients, 259 (74.4%) underwent surgery. To manage severe liver trauma (American Association for the Surgery of Trauma grade III to grade V), procedures such as packing of the laceration with omentum, hepatectomy or direct control of bleeding vessels within the liver substance by means of the Pringle maneuver, selective hepatic artery ligation, retrohepatic caval repair with total hepatic vascular occlusion, and perihepatic packing were selected and combined based on the specific injury. In the 259 patients treated operatively, the survival rate was 86.9% (225/259); and 15 of 40 with retrohepatic venous injury (RHVI) were cured with the maximum blood transfusion of 60 units. In 42 patients treated by perihepatic packing, the bleeding was stopped in 20 of 25 (80%) with RHVI and in 14 of 17 (82%) without such injury (p > 0.75). The percentage of failure of nonoperative management was 17.2% (17/99); and it was 46.7% (14/30) in patients with grade III–V injury. Death occurred in 3 (50%) of 6 failures of grade IV–V injury. The overall mortality rate was 11.8% (41/348), and 51% of the deaths were due to exsanguination. The results suggest that severe hepatic injuries, especially grade IV–V injuries, usually require surgical intervention; reasonable surgical procedures based on classification of liver trauma and combined application of techniques can increase the survival rate; and perihepatic packing is effective in dealing with RHVI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]