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This article studies the problem of real‐time path planning for unmanned surface vessels (USVs) in complex environments. Although this problem has received increasing research attention recently, it is still unsolved to a large extent due to the complexity of obstacles and their high dynamics. In particular, the existing path planning approaches are only able to solve the simplest scenarios. The main contribution of this article is to propose a new dynamic artificial potential field to represent the influence of obstacles on the danger degree of the surrounding environment, which is an important step towards the uniform and appropriate description of dynamic and static obstacles in real‐time path planning. At the same time, based on state constraints of USV, the obstacle avoidance strategy consistent with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs, short for Collision Regulations) is set up, and the optimal path is solved by genetic algorithm. Simulation results are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrin‐based focal adhesion is one of the major mechanosensory in osteocytes. The aim of this study was to mine the hub genes associated with focal adhesion and investigate their roles in osteoporosis based on the data of single‐cell RNA sequencing and RNA‐sequencing. Two hub genes (FAM129A and RNF24) with the same expression trend and AUC values greater than 0.7 in both GSE56815 and GSE56116 cohorts were uncovered. The nomogram was created to predict the risk of OP based on two hub genes. Subsequently, the competing endogenous RNA network was established based on two hub genes, 14 microRNAs and five long noncoding RNAs. Meanwhile, transcription factors‐hub gene network was established based on two hub genes and 14 TFs. Finally, 73 drugs were predicted, of which there were 13 drugs targeting FAM129A and 66 drugs targeting RNF24. In both mouse and human blood samples, FAM129A expression was decreased in granulocytes and RNF24 expression was increased in monocytes. In the mouse experiment, FAM129A and anti‐RNF24 were found to partially alleviate the progression of osteoporosis. In conclusion, two hub genes related to focal adhesion were identified by combined scRNA‐seq and RNA‐seq analyses, which might supply a new insight for the treatment and evaluation of OP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The γδT‐cells recognize infected or transformed cells. However, unlike αβT‐cells, γδT‐cells are innate‐like immune cells, with no major histocompatibility complex restriction requirements. γδT‐cells are the main population of intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) and are associated with the antitumor immune response, particularly in colorectal cancer (CRC). Although CD8+T‐cells exhibit dysfunction and even exhaustion in the tumor microenvironment (TME), which contributes to tumor immune escape, whether the same applies to tumor‐infiltrating (TI)‐γδT‐cells is not completely understood. Here, we sought to investigate the expression pattern of inhibitory receptors and functional state of TI‐γδT‐cells, and reveal the features of exhausted TI‐γδT‐cells in the CRC TME. We demonstrated that TI‐γδT‐cells exhibited exhaustion phenotypes and displayed more severe functional exhaustion than TI‐CD8+T‐cells or NK‐cells in the TME of CRC. In addition, scRNA‐seq analysis of TI‐γδT‐cells revealed three exhausted subsets with remarkable heterogeneity. The presence of three heterogeneous exhausted γδT‐cell (Tex) populations, including Texprog, Textran and Texterm were further confirmed by flow cytometry, on the basis of PD‐1 and TIM‐3 expression. Finally, we revealed that c‐Maf not only contributed to γδT‐cell exhaustion via upregulation of inhibitory receptors, but also involved in the exhaustion of CD8+T and NK‐cells. c‐Maf may also be an important contributor to γδT‐cell exhaustion in CRC patients. These findings indicated that TI‐γδT‐cells exhibit phenotypic and functional exhaustion in the CRC TME. The revealed features of exhausted TI‐γδT‐cells may provide help for understanding the mechanisms and the association of γδT‐cell exhaustion with tumor development and pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Convolutional deep learning models have shown comparable performance to radiologists in detecting and classifying thoracic diseases. However, research on rib fractures remains limited compared to other thoracic abnormalities. Moreover, existing deep learning models primarily focus on using frontal chest X‐ray (CXR) images. To address these gaps, the authors utilised the EDARib‐CXR dataset, comprising 369 frontal and 829 oblique CXRs. These X‐rays were annotated by experienced radiologists, specifically identifying the presence of rib fractures using bounding‐box‐level annotations. The authors introduce two detection models, AB‐YOLOv5 and PB‐YOLOv5, and train and evaluate them on the EDARib‐CXR dataset. AB‐YOLOv5 is a modified YOLOv5 network that incorporates an auxiliary branch to enhance the resolution of feature maps in the final convolutional network layer. On the other hand, PB‐YOLOv5 maintains the same structure as the original YOLOv5 but employs image patches during training to preserve features of small objects in downsampled images. Furthermore, the authors propose a novel two‐level cascaded architecture that integrates both AB‐YOLOv5 and PB‐YOLOv5 detection models. This structure demonstrates improved metrics on the test set, achieving an AP30 score of 0.785. Consequently, the study successfully develops deep learning‐based detectors capable of identifying and localising fractured ribs in both frontal and oblique CXR images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background and Aims: Extrahepatic recurrence (EHR) is one of the major reasons for the poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The present study aimed to develop and assess the performance of predictive models by using a combination of presurgical circulating tumor cell (CTCs) data and clinicopathological features to screen patients at high risk of EHR to achieve precise decision‐making. Patients and Methods: A total of 227 patients with recurrent HCC and preoperative CTC data from January 2014 to August 2019 were enrolled. All patients were randomly assigned to one of two cohorts: development or validation. Two preoperative and postoperative nomogram models for EHR prediction were developed and multi‐dimensionally validated. Results: Patients with EHR had generally lower recurrence‐free survival (p < 0.001), and overall survival (p < 0.001), and significantly higher CTC counts (epithelial CTCs, epithelial/mesenchymal hybrid CTCs, and mesenchymal CTCs count, all p < 0.05) than those without EHR. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that EHR was associated with four risk factors in the development cohort: total CTC count (p = 0.014), tumor size (p = 0.028), node number (p = 0.045), and microvascular invasion (p = 0.035). These factors were incorporated into two nomogram models (preoperative and postoperative), which reliably predicted EHR through multidimensional verification (e.g., calibration plot, receiver operating characteristic analysis, decision curve analysis, and clinical impact curve analysis) in the development and validation cohorts, respectively. With threshold of scores of 100.3 and 176.8 before and after surgery respectively, both nomograms were able to stratify patients into two distinct prognostic subgroups (all p < 0.05). Conclusion: The present study proposed two nomogram models integrating presurgical CTC counts and clinicopathological risks and showed relatively good predictive performance of EHR, which may be beneficial to the clinical practice of HCC recurrence. Further multicenter studies are needed to assess its general applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decommissioning and overall relocation of urban industrial enterprises have generated a large number of decommissioned contaminated sites, and the leftover soil pollution is gradually becoming a major problem that restricts urban green development and damages human health. Deep mining and efficient management of site soil pollution information through digitization and informatization are needed to solve these problems more accurately and efficiently. Knowledge mapping for visual analysis of relevant pathways is a forward‐looking approach in soil contamination management that does not require complex testing instruments, thus saving research manpower, time and cost. Data associated with contaminated sites come from a wide range of sources and have different structures. Through the natural language processing technology of computer, suitable methods such as entity recognition, relationship recognition and knowledge fusion are selected to extract various types of information from contaminated sites and establish semantic networks for fast targeting of soil contamination sources, thus providing a more convenient solution. In this paper, we propose a knowledge graph construction method for multi‐source heterogeneous data of contaminated sites, find sulphide contamination sources through visual analysis of knowledge graph and explore the application prospects of natural language processing techniques such as knowledge graph in contaminated site management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the water solubility of anti‐human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) agent DB02, an excellent non‐nucleoside reverse‐transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) obtained in our previous efforts, we designed and synthesized four phosphate derivatives of DB02 based on the molecular model of DB02 with RT. Here, the antiviral activity of these four derivatives was detected, leading to the discovery of compound P‐2, which possessed a superior potency to the lead compound DB02 against wild‐type HIV‐1 and a variety of HIV‐resistant mutant viruses significantly. Furthermore, the water solubility of P‐2 was nearly 17 times higher than that of DB02, and the pharmacokinetic test in rats showed that P‐2 demonstrate significantly improved oral bioavailablity of 14.6%. Our study showed that the introduction of a phosphate ester group at the end of the C‐2 side chain of DB02 was beneficial to the improvement of its antiviral activity and pharmacokinetic properties, which provided a promising lead for the further development of S‐DACOs type of NNRTIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transpiration (Tr) is the largest continental water flux. Tr is jointly affected by biophysical factors, including atmospheric demand, soil water supply, and plant physiological features, represented by potential evapotranspiration (PET), soil water content (SWC), and leaf area index (LAI) respectively. Disentangling the independent and interacting impacts of the biophysical factors on Tr provides a better understanding on the mechanism of ecohydrological controls on forest water use. In this study, taking the black locust plantation of the Loess Plateau as an example, independent contributions of the three factors and their interactions on Tr were quantified based on field observation, model development, and factorial analysis. First, sapflow density, meteorological variables, SWC, and LAI were observed during five growing seasons. Second, a coupled Tr model (R2 = 0.85, RMSE = 5.92) was established by the long‐term observed data of Tr, PET, SWC, and LAI. Finally, factorial experiment analysis showed that contributions of LAI, PET, and SWC and their interactions (PET×LAI, LAI × SWC, and PET×SWC) on Tr accounted for 50.82%, 9.77%, 9.30%, 13.88%, 13.75%, and 2.47%, respectively. The results indicated that LAI and PET×LAI had the largest independent and interacting impact on Tr of black locust. This study suggested that regulation of canopy leaf area through forest cultivation practices could reduce forest water use, which was beneficial for soil desiccation mitigation and meeting the soil water capacity for vegetation in this region. This study also provided a methodological reference for disentangling the impacts of biophysical factors on forest transpiration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of various fluence levels on prophylactic corneal cross‐linking (CXL) combined with femtosecond laser in situ keratomileusis (FS‐LASIK‐Xtra) or transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (TransPRK‐Xtra) on biomechanics, demarcation line (DL), and stromal haze. Methods: Prospective analysis where two prophylactic CXL protocols (lower/higher fluence [LF/HF]: 30 mw/cm2, 60/80 s, 1.8/2.4 J/cm2) were performed as part of either an FS‐LASIK‐Xtra or TransPRK‐Xtra procedure. Data were collected preoperatively and at 1 week and 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively. Main outcome measures were (1) dynamic corneal response parameters and the stress–strain index (SSI) from Corvis, (2) actual DL depth (ADL), and (3) stromal haze on OCT images analysed by a machine learning algorithm. Results: Eighty‐six eyes from 86 patients underwent FS‐LASIK‐Xtra‐HF (21 eyes), FS‐LASIK‐Xtra‐LF (21 eyes), TransPRK‐Xtra‐HF (23 eyes), and TransPRK‐Xtra‐LF (21 eyes). SSI increased similarly by around 15% in all groups 6 months postoperatively (p = 0.155). All other corneal biomechanical parameters were statistically significant worsening postoperatively, but the change was similar in all groups. At 1 month postoperatively, there was no statistical difference in mean ADL among four groups (p = 0.613), mean stromal haze was similar between the two FS‐LASIK‐Xtra groups, but higher in the TransPRK‐Xtra‐HF group compared with the TransPRK‐Xtra‐LF group. Conclusions: FS‐LASIK‐Xtra and TransPRK‐Xtra lead to a similar ADL and improve SSI equally. Lower fluence prophylactic CXL might be recommended as it achieves similar mean ADL with potentially less induced stromal haze, especially in TransPRK. The clinical relevance and applicability of such protocols remains to be assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple method for the fabrication of the double‐layer and salt‐resistant evaporator consists of a porous structure polymethyl methacrylate/polypyrrole (PMMA/PPy) photothermal membrane as the top layer and plant fiber‐wrapped expanded polyethylene (EPE) foam as the insulating bottom layer is demonstrated for the first time for efficient solar‐driven interfacial evaporation. For the fabrication of the porous PMMA/PPy membranes, a straightforward and affordable breath figure approach is used. Owing to its porous structure with low tortuosity and large pore size, excellent insulation of the EPE sponge, and the strong light absorption of PPy coating, the as‐prepared PMMA/PPy evaporator exhibits a stable photothermal conversion efficiency of 95.3%, corresponding to a high evaporation rate of 1.65 kg m−2 h−1, and outstanding salt resistance performance in 15%wt NaCl solution (evaporation rate of 1.54 kg m−2 h−1), under 1 sun irradiation, thus showing great potential for practical desalination application by combination with its simple, cost‐efficient, and easily scale‐up fabrication process. More importantly, the findings herein may also provide a versatile method for the design of novel photothermal materials with large pores using various polymers as substrates without limitation by shape or size only via a simple and "green" breath figure approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polysubstituted olefins as attractive and useful compounds are generally acquired by traditional acid or metal catalyzed system. Herein, a convenient and environmentally friendly method using acidic ionic liquid as a metal‐free catalyst and dimethyl carbonate (DMC) as a green solvent has been demonstrated to synthesize polysubstituted olefins through construction of new C−C bonds by activating of ethers and alkenes. In the system, the usage of metal, halogen, traditional toxic solvents, and a large number of additives was avoided, neutralization after the reaction was not required, and waste production was reduced. The system was suitable for benzyl ethers and styrene derivatives, and recyclable [MeBs(dio)TMP][OTf] exhibited best activity. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest synergistic functions of the cation and anion of ILs and show hydrogen bonds and π‐π stacking interactions between catalyst and substrates, which can lead to lower barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fatty acids increase ATP‐binding cassette ABC transporter A12 (ABCA12) levels via an increase in peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor β/δ (PPAR β/δ). Promoting lipid transport to lamellar granules has been suggested to improve epidermal barrier function in patients with dry skin. Objective: We investigated whether mevalonolactone (MVL) produced by Saccharomycopsis fibuligera improves dry skin by promoting ABCA12 expression and the amount of free fatty acids in epidermal keratinocytes. Methods: We examined whether MVL increases ABCA12 mRNA and protein levels and the amount of Nile red‐positive lipids in cultured epidermal keratinocytes and in a three‐dimensional epidermal model by cell staining. Promotion of fatty acid production by MVL was analyzed by liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry. We also evaluated whether MVL addition increases PPAR β/δ mRNA expression in cultured keratinocytes. Based on the results, a randomized controlled trial was conducted in which milky lotions containing MVL and placebo were applied to dry facial skin of healthy female volunteers in winter. Results: MVL increased ABCA12 mRNA and protein levels and lamellar granule number and size. Fatty acid analysis revealed that MVL elevated myristic acid, palmitic acid, and palmitoleic acid levels as well as PPAR β/δ mRNA expression. In human tests, milky lotions containing MVL were shown to significantly improve transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in the stratum corneum compared to placebo. Conclusion: The results suggest that MVL increases fatty acid uptake and ABCA12, promotes fatty acid transport to lamellar granules, and improves epidermal barrier function in dry skin through increased expression of PPAR β/δ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: The multiplicity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence patterns is the most important determinant of patients' postsurgical survival. A systematic HCC recurrence classification is needed to help prevent and treat postoperative HCC recurrence in the era of precision medicine. Methods: A total of 1319 patients with recurrent HCC from four hospitals were enrolled and divided into a development cohort (n = 916), internal validation cohort (n = 225) and external validation cohort (n = 178). A comprehensive study of patients' clinicopathological factors and biological features was conducted. Results: Four subtypes of recurrence were identified, which integrated recurrence features, survival, effects on systemic and liver function and potential therapeutics after recurrence: type I (solitary‐intrahepatic oligorecurrence); type II (multi‐intrahepatic oligorecurrence); type III (progression recurrence) and type IV (hyper‐progression recurrence). Type III~IV recurrence indicated exceptionally poor prognosis. Subsequently, two nomogram models were established for type III~IV recurrence prediction, and both demonstrated excellent predictive performance and applicability of pre and postoperative strategy formulation. Multiple biological analyses revealed that HCC cases with type III~IV recurrence were characterized by enrichment in p53 mutations, CCND1 amplification, high proliferation/metastasis potential, inactive metabolism and immune exhaustion features. Over‐expression of high mobility group protein 2 (HMGA2) enhanced the highly malignant behaviour of HCC through multiple molecular pathways, making it a potential prognostic predictor and therapeutic target. Conclusions: This 'recurrent HCC classification' has important potential value in identifying patients with surgical benefit, predicting postsurgical survival and guiding treatment strategies. Multidimensional biological insights also increased knowledge of factors associated with HCC recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) can aggravate the state of immune tolerance, inhibit the function of immune cells, and even lead to immune cell exhaustion in the liver microenvironment. The dysfunction of immune cells causes HBV to escape immune surveillance and eradication. Increasing evidence has revealed the molecular and cellular mechanisms of the induction of T‐cell exhaustion during chronic viral persistence. However, the exact mechanisms of T cell exhaustion during chronic persistence of HBV infection are not fully understood. In this study, we analyzed the expression of inhibitory receptors and the exhausted status of liver T cells in a murine model with persistent HBV. We observed higher expression of the inhibitory receptors PD‐1, LAG‐3, and CD160 on liver CD8+ T cells accompanied by lower production of IFN‐γ and TNF‐α in HBV persistence mice. T cell‐specific deficiency of the transcription factor Eomes significantly decreased the expression of the inhibitory receptors, restored the cytokine production of hepatic CD8+ T cells, and promoted HBV clearance. Similar phenomena were observed in peripheral blood CD8+ T cells from CHB patients. Mechanistically, Eomes not only directly promoted CD160 expression but also indirectly facilitated the coexpression of inhibitory receptors (PD‐1, LAG‐3, CD160) and T cell exhaustion by enhancing the transcription capacity of other key transcription factors (NFATc1, Blimp1, and FoxO1). These findings provide insight into the transcriptional regulation mechanisms of T cell exhaustion during chronic persistence of HBV and suggest novel therapeutic targets to reverse T cell exhaustion and eradicate HBV persistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an independent risk factor for thromboembolism, especially during the perioperative period. This study aimed to determine the effects of perioperative parenteral nutrition (PN) supplemented with fish oil (FO) on coagulation function and postoperative outcomes in patients with UC. Methods: This retrospective cohort included 92 consecutive patients who underwent colectomy for UC. Postoperative coagulation indices and outcomes, including thromboelastography (TEG) findings and comprehensive complication index (CCI), were compared. The relative change in serum D‐dimer (ΔD‐dimer) levels and maximal amplitude (ΔMA) on TEG were also determined. Results: Patients receiving PN supplemented with FO (n = 48) had lower D‐dimer (P =.036) levels on postoperative day (POD) 5 and a higher MA (P < 0.001) on POD 1 than those who did not receive it (n = 44). A lower ΔD‐dimer level (P =.048) and ΔMA (P < 0.001) were also observed in patients receiving FO. The incidence of major postoperative complications (6.3 vs 22.7%; P =.017) and CCI (20.9 vs 23.4%; P =.044) were significantly lower in patients receiving FO. In multivariate analysis, FO (odds ratio, 0.231; 95% confidence interval, 0.055–0.971; P =.046) was a positive protector of major postoperative complications. Conclusion: Perioperative PN supplemented with FO improved coagulation function and reduced major postoperative complications in patients with UC requiring colectomy. These results may provide cues in formulating management strategies for preventing thromboembolisms and postoperative complications in patients with UC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allylic amines are valuable and functional building blocks. Direct N‐allylation of pyrazole and its derivatives as an atom economic strategy to provide allylic amines has been achieved only using commercial Bu4NHSO4 as the metal‐free catalyst and water as the solvent without any additives. 11–93% isolated yields were obtained for the N‐allylation of pyrazole and its derivatives with allylic alcohols. Bu4NHSO4 could be reused for six times by simple extraction nearly without loss of catalytic activity and was also suitable for a gram‐scale production. The reaction of allylic ether and pyrazole did not occur to give the desired product indicated that allylic ether was not the active intermediate in the pathway. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that there are hydrogen bonding effects among substrates, solvent and catalyst, especially the one formed between allylic alcohol and H2O. Control experiments in different protic solvents further demonstrate the intermolecular hydrogen bonding of allylic alcohol and water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement of a naturally rich and effective bifunctional substance for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reaction is crucial to enhance hydrogen fuel production efficiency via the electrolysis process. Herein, facile and scalable hydrothermal synthesis of bifunctional electrocatalyst of polyoxometalate anchored zinc cobalt sulfide nanowire on Ni‐foam (NF) for overall water splitting is reported for the first time. The electrochemical analysis of POM@ZnCoS/NF displays significantly low HER and OER overpotentials of 170/337 and 200/300 mV to attain a current density of 10/40 and 20/50 mA cm−2, respectively, demonstrating the notable performance of POM@ZnCoS/NF toward H2 and O2 evolution reaction in alkaline medium. Additionally, the electrolyzer consisting of the POM@ZnCoS/NF anode and cathode shows an appealing potential of 1.56 V to deliver 10 mA cm−2 current density for overall water splitting. The high electrocatalytic activity of the POM@ZnCoS/NF is attributed to modulation of the electronic and chemical properties, increment of the electroactive sites and electrochemically active surface area of the zinc cobalt sulfide nanowires due to the anchorage of polyoxometalate nanoparticles. These results demonstrate the advantage of the polyoxometalate incorporation strategy for the design of cost‐effective and highly competent bifunctional catalysts for complete water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Root traits play important roles in plant growth and ecosystem processes. Clarifying the primary drivers of variation in root traits is indispensable for understanding and predicting ecosystem responses to environmental changes. Location: China. Taxon: Seed plant species. Methods: We compiled six key first‐order root traits of 437 seed plant species from different biomes, phylogenetic affiliations, plant growth forms and mycorrhizal types in China. The six root traits included root diameter (RD), root tissue density (RTD), specific root length (SRL), root C content (RCC), root N content (RNC) and root C:N ratio (RCN), which are highly relevant for plant growth rate and resource acquisition. The phylogenetic linear mixed model was employed to examine the effects of climate and soil variables on root traits and to quantify the relative contributions of environment, phylogeny, plant growth form and mycorrhizal type to root trait variation. Results: Environment explained most of the variations in RTD and RCC (37.4% and 24.2%, respectively). Mean precipitation of the wettest quarter and mean diurnal temperature range were the main climate drivers of RTD and RCC, respectively. Phylogeny contributed the most to the variation in RD, RNC and RCN (27.0%–52.3%). SRL showed strong links to both environment and phylogeny (35.0% and 27.8%, respectively). However, plant growth form and mycorrhizal type had little effect on root trait variation (<6.0%). Main conclusions: Our study revealed the primary drivers of variations in different root traits of seed plants in China. Climate variability and seasonality variables were more important factors driving root trait variation than the annual averages of temperature and precipitation. Incorporating the different responses of root traits to changing environments and phylogenetic affiliations observed in the present study into terrestrial ecosystem models will improve our ability to predict future vegetation distribution and ecosystem functions under global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the development of CRISPR/Cas9 technology for biological engineering of bacteria to improve laboratory teaching biosafety in 2023. Topics covered include the mimicking of Shigella flexneri 2a by using Escherichia coli DHSx, and the mechanics in the procedure. Also noted is the finding that E. coli DH5aSf2a is biologically and serologically analogous to S. flexneri 2a and had lower acid resistance than E. coli.

Summary: Proanthocyanidins (PAs), also known as condensed tannins, are plant natural products that are beneficial for human and livestock health. As one of the largest grown crops in the world, soybean (Glycine max) is widely used as human food and animal feed. Many cultivated soybeans with yellow seed coats lack PAs or anthocyanins, although some soybean cultivars have coloured seed coats that contain these compounds. Here, we analyse the transcriptional control of PA and anthocyanin biosynthesis in soybean. Ectopic expression of the transcription factors (TFs) GmTT2A, GmTT2B, GmMYB5A or R in soybean hairy roots induced the accumulation of PAs (primarily in phloem tissues) or anthocyanins and led to up‐regulation of 1775, 856, 1411 and 1766 genes, respectively, several of which encode enzymes involved in PA biosynthesis. The genes regulated by GmTT2A and GmTT2B partially overlapped, suggesting conserved but potentially divergent roles for these two TFs in regulating PA accumulation in soybean. The two key enzymes anthocyanidin reductase and leucoanthocyanidin reductase were differentially upregulated, by GmTT2A/GmTT2B and GmMYB5A, respectively. Transgenic soybean plants overexpressing GmTT2B or MtLAP1 (a proven up‐regulator of the upstream reactions for production of precursors for PA biosynthesis in legumes) showed increased accumulation of PAs and anthocyanins, respectively, associated with transcriptional reprogramming paralleling the RNA‐seq data collected in soybean hairy roots. Collectively, our results show that engineered PA biosynthesis in soybean exhibits qualitative and spatial differences from the better‐studied model systems Arabidopsis thaliana and Medicago truncatula, and suggest targets for engineering PAs in soybean plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism is investigated for organocatalytic asymmetric Povarov reaction of anilines and aldehydes using M06‐2X functional. Two molecule of aldehyde condense with aniline and catalyst giving N‐arylimine and enamine. The reaction is stepwise involving [2 + 2] cycloaddition and ring‐opening/cyclization. Four competitive paths exist in step 1 leading to isomers of quaternary nitrogen heterocycle as cycloadduct. Step 2 is sequential with proton transfer and concerted ring‐opening/cyclization in two feasible orders. Each path in step 1 divides into two in step 2 producing isomers of tetrahydroquinoline (THQ) bonded with catalyst as cyclization product. The reactive nucleophilic adduct with two charge centers in step 1 supports the recovery of catalyst and generation of aldehyde assisted by water. THQ alcohol is obtained in the following intramolecular Friedel–Crafts reaction. The enantio‐ and diastereoselectivity are both thermodynamic control with preferred path yielding the most stable isomer with 2S3S or 1R2S3S configuration. The path bias is in line with the reduction degree of energy barrier in solvent compared with gas phase. Our conclusion is verified by Multiwfn analysis and the predicted ee, dr value of THQ scaffold in experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exact mechanism of tumour necrosis factor α (TNF‐α) promoting osteoclast differentiation is not completely clear. A variety of P2 purine receptor subtypes have been confirmed to be widely involved in bone metabolism. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore whether P2 receptor is involved in the differentiation of osteoclasts. Mouse bone marrow haematopoietic stem cells (BMHSCs) were co‐cultured with TNF‐α to explore the effect of TNF‐α on osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption capacity in vitro, and changes in the P2 receptor were detected at the same time. The P2 receptor was silenced and overexpressed to explore the effect on differentiation of BMHSCs into osteoclasts. In an in vivo experiment, the animal model of PMOP was established in ovariectomized mice, and anti‐TNF‐α intervention was used to detect the ability of BMHCs to differentiate into osteoclasts as well as the expression of the P2 receptor. It was confirmed in vitro that TNF‐α at a concentration of 20 ng/mL up‐regulated the P2X7 receptor of BMHSCs through the PI3k/Akt signalling pathway, promoted BMHSCs to differentiate into a large number of osteoclasts and enhanced bone resorption. In vivo experiments showed that more P2X7 receptor positive osteoclasts were produced in postmenopausal osteoporotic mice. Anti‐TNF‐α could significantly delay the progression of PMOP by inhibiting the production of osteoclasts. Overall, our results revealed a novel function of the P2X7 receptor and suggested that suppressing the P2X7 receptor may be an effective strategy to delay bone formation in oestrogen deficiency‐induced osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyzed a data set containing functional brain images from 6 healthy controls and 196 individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD), who were divided into five stages according to illness severity. The goal was to predict patients' PD illness stages by using their functional brain images. We employed the following prediction approaches: multivariate statistical methods (linear discriminant analysis, support vector machine, decision tree, and multilayer perceptron [MLP]), ensemble learning models (random forest [RF] and adaptive boosting), and deep convolutional neural network (CNN). For statistical and ensemble models, various feature extraction approaches (principal component analysis [PCA], multilinear PCA, intensity summary statistics [IStat], and Laws' texture energy measure) were employed to extract features, the synthetic minority over‐sampling technique was used to address imbalanced data, and the optimal combination of hyperparameters was found using a grid search. For CNN modeling, we applied an image augmentation technique to increase and balance data sizes over different disease stages. We adopted transfer learning to incorporate pretrained VGG16 weights and architecture into the model fitting, and we also tested a state‐of‐the‐art machine learning model that could automatically generate an optimal neural architecture. We found that IStat consistently outperformed other feature extraction approaches. MLP and RF were the analytic approaches with the highest prediction accuracy rate for multivariate statistical and ensemble learning models, respectively. Overall, the deep CNN model with pretrained VGG16 weights and architecture outperformed other approaches; it captured critical features from imaging, effectively distinguished between normal controls and patients with PD, and achieved the highest classification accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism for the transformation among a series of Cr(II) to Cr(V) complexes bearing tetra‐N‐heterocyclic carbene macrocycle is investigated. The oxidation and aziridination of Cr(II) monomer are studied by local density functional M06L. The former generates Cr(IV) oxo and further oxidizes to cationic Cr(V) oxo. The latter proceeds via two paths with different multiplicity, forming Cr(IV) imide. The Cr(IV) oxo cannot transfer its oxygen atom neither to phosphine nor to alkene because of the high energy barrier and endothermic process. The group transfer reactions are explored for Cr(V) oxo and Cr(IV) imide. The doublet Cr(V) oxo can also exist as quartet Cr(IV)‐oxyl radical and promote oxygen transfer to phosphine, resulting in phosphine oxide in one exergonic step. The macrocyclic ligand effect of imido group transfer from Cr(IV) imide is verified by Multiwfn analysis. For 18‐ringed imide, the matched orbital type and same‐phase overlap reduce the barrier of its 16‐ringed analog and facilitate the formation of phosphorus imine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is thought that multiple autoimmune diseases might share some common pathogenic mechanism and genetic susceptibility genes.1 Ubiquitin-associated and SH3 domain-containing A (UBASH3A) gene encodes one of two family members belonging to the T-cell ubiquitin ligand that can negatively regulate the T-cell signaling. Here, we investigated the association of polymorphism in UBASH3A gene with CSU risk in a Chinese Han population. Keywords: chronic spontaneous urticaria; polymorphism; UBASH3A EN chronic spontaneous urticaria polymorphism UBASH3A 3698 3700 3 11/02/21 20211101 NES 211101 To the Editor, The pathogenic mechanism responsible for the development of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is likely to be associated with complex interactions of autoimmunity, genetic factors, and environmental triggers, but it still not fully elucidated. [Extracted from the article]

This study develops a robust conductive polymer network as a multi‐functional binder and conductive additive for activated‐carbon‐based electrodes for supercapacitors. The robust conductive network is prepared by assembling water‐soluble electron‐conductive carboxylated polythiophene: (poly[3‐(potassium‐4‐butanoate) thiophene], PPBT) onto poly(ethylene glycol)‐block‐poly(propylene glycol)‐block‐poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG−PPG−PEG, 3P) chains through chemical crosslinking. The homogeneous PPBT‐3P crosslinked network facilitates the formation of continuous electron‐conducting bridges throughout the electrodes, consequently reducing the electrode resistance, bringing the electrode a relatively high electronic conductivity of approximately 175 S cm−1, which is nearly five times higher than the widely used electrode with PVDF binder/Super P systems. Moreover, the introduction of a robust crosslinked network into the activated‐carbon‐based electrode provides robust adhesion force and enhances the electrolyte wetting uptake ability between the active material components and current collector, thereby ensuring the integrity of the whole electrode under folding, device fabrication and cycling. As a result, the supercapacitor device applying this conductive network exhibits an ultra‐high specific capacitance of 184.7 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1, and possesses energy densities of 46.7 Wh kg−1 as well as a long cycling stability (95.6 % capacitance retention) after 5,000 charge–discharge cycles, far superior to the supercapacitor with conventional PVDF binder and comparable to recently reported porous‐carbon‐based supercapacitors. All of these results guarantee that the novel conductive network can be a promising candidate for developing porous carbon electrodes in supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aims to investigate which neighborhood-based social capital components are associated with a higher level of cognitive function in LMICs.Methods: This international population-based study used cross-sectional survey data from the World Health Organization's Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE), a study of adults aged 50 years or older in China, Ghana, India, the Russian Federation, and South Africa from 2007 through 2010 (N = 29 528). Associations between neighborhood-based social capital indicators (trust in neighbors, perceived neighborhood safety, and community participation) and cognitive function were examined using ordinary least squares regressions and random-effects meta-analyses.Results: Results of the meta-analyses of within-country effects indicated that trust in neighbors were positively associated with cognitive function across India, Russia, and Ghana, but negatively associated in South Africa (β = -0.041, SE = .013, P < .01) and no effect in China (P > .05). The significant effect of perceived neighborhood safety was only found in South Africa (β = 0.051, SE = .007, P < .001) and China (β = 0.030, SE = .005, P < .001). Community participation approached a null effect in South Africa (P > .05).Discussion: Different indicators of neighborhood-based social capital, which are well-established protective resources for cognitive function, may have varied relationships with cognitive function cross-nationally. This finding provides a better understanding of the mechanisms by which neighborhood social capital may contribute to better cognitive function in LMICs than high-income countries, potentially due to differences in neighborhood environments, health systems, and availability of public resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excellent mechanical properties are indispensable for the wide application of supercapacitors and various wearable devices. In this article, a novel double‐crosslinked hydrogel electrolyte (DC‐GPE) is prepared by the combination of the hydrophobic association of acrylamide with the amphiphilic monomer AEO‐9‐AC and the ionic complexation of acrylic acid with Fe3+ for the first time by a two‐step method. Owing to the dual energy dissipation network, the DC‐GPE exhibits an excellent tensile strength of up to 3.1 MPa, an elongation at break of more than 900 % and a toughness of 18.1 MJ m−3, which is far beyond the currently reported hydrogel electrolyte. Moreover, the ionic conductivity of the DC‐GPE achieves as high as 40.1 mS cm−1, which is 3 times higher than the corresponding LiClO4 solution electrolyte (12.3 mS cm−1). Besides, the activated carbon‐based supercapacitor assembled by the DC‐GPE shows excellent electrochemical performance, which is superior to most activated carbon‐based supercapacitors. These results demonstrate that the DC‐GPE shows a great application prospect in wearable devices like supercapacitors. Significantly, the new dual physical cross‐linking strategy improves the contradiction between the strength and the toughness of the gel electrolyte materials. And provides a new solution for preparing high‐strength as well as high‐toughness gel electrolyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate tumor development and progression by promoting proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. The oncogenic role of lncRNA SNHG16 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been revealed. LncRNA SNHG16 is upregulated in HCC and correlates with poorer prognosis. Patients with high SNHG16 expression showed lower rates of overall and disease‐free survival than patients with low SNHG16 expression. Multivariate Cox regression revealed that SNHG16 expression was an independent predictor of poor overall and disease‐free survival. In vitro, SNHG16 promoted HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion while inhibiting apoptosis; in vivo, it accelerated tumor development. Altering SNHG16 expression altered levels of miR‐17‐5p, which in turn modified expression of p62, which has been shown to regulate the mTOR and NF‐κB pathways. Indeed, altering SNHG16 expression in HCC cells activated mTOR and NF‐κB signaling. These results reveal a potential mechanism for the oncogenic role of SNHG16 in HCC. SNHG16 may therefore be a promising diagnostic marker as well as therapeutic target in HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The late afternoon hours in the diurnal cycle precede the development of the nocturnal stable boundary layer. This "evening transition" (ET) period is often when energy demand peaks. This period also corresponds to the time of day that is a precursor to late‐afternoon downbursts, a subject of separate interest. To capture physical characteristics of wind fields in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) during this ET period, particularly the interplay of shear and turbulence, stochastic simulation approaches, although more tractable, are not suitable. Large‐eddy simulation (LES), on the other hand, may be used to generate high‐resolution ABL turbulent flow fields. We present a suite of idealized LES four‐dimensional flow fields that define a database representing different combinations of large‐scale atmospheric conditions (characterized by associated geostrophic winds) and surface boundary conditions (characterized by surface heat fluxes). Our objective is to evaluate the performance of wind turbines during the ET period. Accordingly, we conduct a statistical analysis of turbine‐scale wind field variables. We then employ the database of these LES‐based inflow wind fields in aeroelastic simulations of a 5‐MW wind turbine. We discuss how turbine loads change as the ET period evolves. We also discuss maximum and fatigue loads on the rotor and tower resulting from different ABL conditions. Results of this study suggest that, during the ET period, the prevailing geostrophic wind speed affects the mean and variance of longitudinal winds greatly and thus has significant influence on all loads except the yaw moment which is less sensitive to uniform and symmetric incoming flow. On the other hand, surface heat flux levels affect vertical turbulence and wind shear more and, as a result, only affect maximum blade flapwise bending and tower fore‐aft bending loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have higher incidence of developing nephrolithiasis. Increased uric acid production induced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae exacerbates colitis in mice. We aimed to evaluate the association between serum uric acid level and disease activity in IBD population. Methods: Four hundred and thirty‐five patients enrolled in Jinling Hospital from January 1, 2015 to August 31, 2017 were included in the retrospective study. Clinical parameters were collected and compared with non‐IBD matched controls (n = 51). Serum uric acid to creatinine ratio (UA/Cr) was used as a biomarker for uric acid metabolism. Sixty‐five active IBD patients were longitudinally studied to investigate the UA/Cr before and after therapy. Linear mixed models were estimated for Crohn's disease (CD) group to explore the relationship between UA/Cr and other parameters. Results: Uric acid to creatinine ratio was significantly correlated with Crohn's disease activity index (ρ = 0.184, P = 0.002) and Harvey Bradshaw index (ρ = 0.154, P = 0.010) and C‐reactive protein (ρ = 0.591, P < 0.001) in CD group. Colonic CD and anti‐Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibody (ASCA) positive CD had an increased UA/Cr compared with L1, L3, and ASCA negative CD (P = 0.027, P = 0.0013, and P = 0.043, respectively). A significant decrease in UA/Cr was observed after induction therapy in active CD (P = 0.0002) but not in ulcerative colitis (P = 0.076). Conclusion: Uric acid to creatinine ratio correlated with disease activity in CD. Colonic CD and ASCA positive CD had an increased UA/Cr. Effective treatment for CD patients lowered UA/Cr. Uric acid metabolism might be a novel aspect to investigate disease activity of IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a highly prevalent chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder. Recent studies have showed increasing important role of gut microbiota in the pathophysiological changes of IBS. Our study aims to elaborate the association between intestinal flora with the genesis and the development of IBS. Methods: Illumina high‐throughput sequencing technology was applied to investigate microbial communities of IBS patients and healthy donors. Stool specimens from the IBS‐D patients were equally premixed and implanted into germ free C57B/6 mice to construct IBS animal model, and the normal group was also transplanted with normal premixed feces. The post‐transplant defecation and intra‐epithelial lymphocyte counts were evaluated. Microbial communities were also checked by the illumina high‐throughput sequencing technology. Results: Fifteen genuses significantly different were found expressed in the gut flora of IBS patients, and six genuses showed significantly different abundances between the stool specimens of mice of IBS group and normal group. Among these differences, Parasutterella expression was remarkably different in both screening and validation experiments and also related to chronic intestinal inflammation; therefore, Parasutterella expression is considered in association with the development and progression of IBS. Conclusion: Parasutterella may be related with the genesis and development of IBS and also associated with chronic intestinal inflammation in IBS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Introduction: Although several electrocardiographic (ECG) algorithms have been proposed for differentiating the origins of outflow tract ventricular arrhythmias, the most optimal one has not been agreed on. The purpose of this study was to establish an ECG diagnostic model based on the previous ECG algorithms. Methods and results: The following ECG diagnostic model, Y = − 1.15 × ( TZ ) − 0.494 × ( V 2 S / V 3 R ), was developed by standard 12‐lead ECG algorithms in 488 patients with idiopathic premature ventricular contractions or ventricular tachycardia with a left bundle branch block pattern and inferior axis QRS morphology. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to establish the ECG diagnostic model. The ECG diagnostic model consisted of two ECG algorithms—the transition zone (TZ) index and V2S/V3R index. The area under the curve by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for the ECG diagnostic model was 0.88, with a cut‐off value of ≥ –0.76 predicting a left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) origin with a sensitivity of 82% and a specificity of 86%, which was higher than other ECG algorithms in this study. The predictive accuracy of the ECG diagnostic model was also the best among all ECG algorithms in patients with a lead V3 precordial transition. This model was tested prospectively in 207 patients with a sensitivity of 90%, a specificity of 87%, and Youden index of 0.77. Conclusions: A highly accurate ECG diagnostic model for correctly differentiating LVOT origin from right ventricular outflow tract origin was developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Aims: We aimed to identify a clinically useful biomarker using DNA methylation‐based information to optimize individual treatment of patients with glioblastoma (GBM). Methods: A six‐CpG panel was identified by incorporating genome‐wide DNA methylation data and clinical information of three distinct discovery sets and was combined using a risk‐score model. Different validation sets of GBMs and lower‐grade gliomas and different statistical methods were implemented for prognostic evaluation. An integrative analysis of multidimensional TCGA data was performed to molecularly characterize different risk tumors. Results: The six‐CpG risk‐score signature robustly predicted overall survival (OS) in all discovery and validation cohorts and in a treatment‐independent manner. It also predicted progression‐free survival (PFS) in available patients. The multimarker epigenetic signature was demonstrated as an independent prognosticator and had better performance than known molecular indicators such as glioma‐CpG island methylator phenotype (G‐CIMP) and proneural subtype. The defined risk subgroups were molecularly distinct; high‐risk tumors were biologically more aggressive with concordant activation of proangiogenic signaling at multimolecular levels. Accordingly, we observed better OS benefits of bevacizumab‐contained therapy to high‐risk patients in independent sets, supporting its implication in guiding usage of antiangiogenic therapy. Finally, the six‐CpG signature refined the risk classification based on G‐CIMP and MGMT methylation status. Conclusions: The novel six‐CpG signature is a robust and independent prognostic indicator for GBMs and is of promising value to improve personalized management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe hypoglycemia has a detrimental impact on the cerebrovasculature, but the molecular events that lead to the disruption of the integrity of the tight junctions remain unclear. Here, we report that the microvessel integrity was dramatically compromised (59.41% of wild-type mice) in TP53-induced glycolysis and apoptosis regulator (TIGAR) transgenic mice stressed by hypoglycemia. Melatonin, a potent antioxidant, protects against hypoglycemic stress-induced brain endothelial tight junction injury in the dosage of 400 nmol/L in vitro. FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) imaging data of endothelial cells stressed by low glucose revealed that TIGAR couples with calmodulin to promote TIGAR tyrosine nitration. A tyrosine 92 mutation interferes with the TIGAR-dependent NADPH generation (55.60% decreased) and abolishes its protective effect on tight junctions in human brain microvascular endothelial cells. We further demonstrate that the low-glucose-induced disruption of occludin and Caludin5 as well as activation of autophagy was abrogated by melatonin-mediated blockade of nitrosative stress in vitro. Collectively, we provide information on the detailed molecular mechanisms for the protective actions of melatonin on brain endothelial tight junctions and suggest that this indole has translational potential for severe hypoglycemia-induced neurovascular damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to clarify the relationship and mechanism between expression of autophagy-related protein P62 and prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC) involving chronic hepatitis B virus ( HBV) infection and aflatoxin B1 ( AFB1) exposure. HCC patients who underwent resection were divided into three groups: HBV(+)/ AFB1(+) ( n = 26), HBV(+)/ AFB1(−) ( n = 68), and HBV(−)/ AFB1(−) ( n = 14). The groups were compared in terms of mRNA and protein levels of P62, disease-free survival ( DFS), and overall survival ( OS) and the expression of NRF2, Nqo1, and AKR7A3 in P62 high-expression and low-expression group. HBV(+)/ AFB1(+) group has lower DFS and OS, and higher P62 expression than in the other two groups. P62 expression generally correlated with elevated NRF2 and Nqo1 expression, and reduced AKR7A3 expression. Patients expressing high levels of P62 showed significantly lower DFS and OS rates than patients expressing low levels. HCC involving HBV infection and AFB1 exposure is associated with relatively high risk of tumor recurrence, and this poor prognosis may relate to high P62 expression. High P62 expression activates the NRF2 pathway, promotes tumor recurrence. The downregulation of AKR7A3 also reduced liver detoxification of aflatoxin B1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims The receptor tyrosine kinase ErbB4 is present throughout the primate brain and has a distinct functional profile. In this study, we investigate the potential role of endothelial ErbB4 receptor signaling in the brain. Results Here, we show that the endothelial cell-specific deletion of ErbB4 induces decreased exploratory behavior in adult mice. However, the water maze task for spatial memory and the memory reconsolidation test reveal no changes; additionally, we observe no impairment in Ca MKII phosphorylation in Cdh5Cre;ErbB4 f/f mice, which indicates that the endothelial ErbB4 deficit leads to decreased exploratory activity rather than direct memory deficits. Furthermore, decreased brain metabolism, which was measured using micro-positron emission tomography, is observed in the Cdh5Cre;ErbB4 f/f mice. Consistently, the immunoblot data demonstrate the downregulation of brain Glut1, phospho- ULK1 (Ser555), and TIGAR in the endothelial ErbB4 conditional knockout mice. Collectively, our findings suggest that endothelial ErbB4 plays a critical role in regulating brain function, at least in part, through maintaining normal brain energy homeostasis. Conclusions Targeting ErbB4 or the modulation of endothelial ErbB4 signaling may represent a rational pharmacological approach to treat neurological disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucose is a key energy supplier and nutrient for tumor growth. Herein, inspired by the glucose oxidase (GOx)-assisted conversion of glucose into gluconic acid and toxic H2O2, a novel treatment paradigm of starving-like therapy is developed for significant tumor-killing effects, more effective than conventional starving therapy by only cutting off the energy supply. Furthermore, the generated acidic H2O2 can oxidize l-Arginine ( l-Arg) into NO for enhanced gas therapy. By using hollow mesoporous organosilica nanoparticle (HMON) as a biocompatible/biodegradable nanocarrier for the co-delivery of GOx and l-Arg, a novel glucose-responsive nanomedicine ( l-Arg-HMON-GOx) has been for the first time constructed for synergistic cancer starving-like/gas therapy without the need of external excitation, which yields a remarkable H2O2-NO cooperative anticancer effect with minimal adverse effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the semi-arid Loess Plateau of China, black locust ( Robinia pseudoacacia) was widely planted for soil conservation and afforestation purposes during the past three decades. Investigating biophysical controls on canopy transpiration ( Ec) of the plantations is essential to understanding the effects of afforestation on watershed hydrology and regional water resources. In addition to monitoring of micrometeorology and soil water content, sap flux densities ( Fd) of six representative trees in a 27-year stand were continuously measured using thermal dissipation probes during the growing seasons in 2013 and 2014. Ec was derived by multiplying stand total sapwood area ( AST) with Fd. The daily mean Ec in the growing season was 0.14 and 0.23 mm day−1 in 2013 and 2014, respectively. The responses of daily Ec to Rs and vapour pressure deficit were explained with an exponential threshold model. The variability of monthly Ec was mainly explained by leaf area index (LAI) ( R2 = 0.92). The inter-annual variability of Ec was influenced by LAI that fluctuated dramatically during 2013 and 2014. We found that the status of soil water content at the beginning of the growing season had large impacts on LAI and Ec during the growing season. Contrary to common beliefs that the plantation uses a large amount of water, we found that the black locust plantation had rather low transpiration rates (5.3% of precipitation and 4.6% of ET0). This study suggests that the black locust plantation has adapted to local soil water condition by reducing transpiration, and the major water loss from the plantation was not transpiration. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study which aims to evaluate the changes in bone mineral density (BMD) and bone micro-architecture in spontaneous diabetic Goto- Kakizaki (GK) rats that receive daily administration of liraglutide. Studies reveal the effectiveness of liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist (GLP-1RA), in treating diabetes. Information about functional receptors for GLP-1, which are expressed on osteoblasts, is presented.

Three novel limonoids, 2,3-dideacetylxyloccensin S ( 1), 30-deacetylxyloccensin W ( 2), and 7-hydroxy-21 β-methoxy-3-oxo-24,25,26,27-tetranortirucalla-1,14-diene-23(21)-lactone ( 3), were isolated from the seeds of the Chinese mangrove, Xylocarpus granatum. The structures were elucidated on the basis of 1D- and 2D-NMR (including 1H- and 13C-NMR, DEPT, 1H,1H-COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and NOESY) data and confirmed by HR-MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detailed mechanism of one-pot coupling of aryl iodides, alkynes, and amines catalyzed by a palladium complexes is studied using density functional theory. The reaction of three-component proceeds in four steps after the insertion of alkyne into CI bond. The four-component case comprises eight steps incorporating two times of nucleophilic addition. The CN bond cleavage is rate-limiting. The reaction sequence is maintained the same. The function of metal Pd is reflected by the coordination ability and electrophility of different oxidation state. The high selectivity of ligand is originated from the style of electron distribution in CN bond cleavage and amination steps. We also discuss the amination from a bonding orbital matching perspective by means of frontier molecular orbital analysis. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]