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The objective of this work is to study the effect of applying simultaneous ultrasonication and alkaline protease treatment to the wet‐milling of high‐amylose corn on improving the starch yield and reducing the starch protein content. After applying the optimal conditions of simultaneous ultrasonication and protease treatment to the wet milling, the starch yield is elevated to 61.3% and the starch protein content is decreased to 0.44% when compared to the conventional process (48.9% and 1.75%, respectively). High‐amylose corn starch extracted using simultaneous ultrasonication and protease treatment has crystalline structure, relative crystallinity, pasting properties, thermal properties, and enzymatic digestibility similar to the one extracted from the conventional process. The results suggest that simultaneous ultrasonication and protease treatment are a friendly approach in improving the yield of high‐amylose corn starch and reducing the starch protein content, causing no obvious change in starch physicochemical properties and enzymatic digestibility. This study provides useful information for scaling up simultaneous ultrasonication and protease treatment to industrial scale with minor modifications of the conventional wet‐milling process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the single upper‐arm cuff oscillometric blood pressure (BP) monitor RBP‐9801 developed for office and home BP measurement in the general population according to the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation/European Society of Hypertension/International Organization for Standardization (AAMI/ESH/ISO) Universal Standard (ISO 81060–2:2018). Subjects were recruited to fulfil the age, gender, BP and cuff distribution criteria of the AAMI/ESH/ISO Universal Standard in general population using the same arm sequential BP measurement method. A total of 105 subjects were recruited and 85 were analyzed. For validation criterion 1, the mean ± SD of the differences between the test device and reference BP readings was 2.3 ± 6.4/3.1 ± 5.8 mmHg (systolic/diastolic). For criterion 2, the SD of the mean BP differences between the test device and reference BP per subject was 5.24/5.03 mmHg (systolic/diastolic). The conclusion is that the RBP‐9801 oscillometric device for office and home BP measurement fulfilled all the requirements of the AAMI/ESH/ISO Universal Standard (ISO 81060–2:2018) in the general population and can be recommended for clinic and self‐use at home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish dietary niche is a core focus, and it reflects the diversity of resources, habitats, or environments occupied by a species. However, whether geographic segregation among different populations triggers dietary diversification and concomitant fish niche shift remains unknown. In the present study, we selected the Black Amur bream (Megalobrama terminalis) is a migratory fish species that plays an important role in the material transfer and energy cycling of river ecosystems, inhabiting southern China drainage with multiple geographic populations. Here, we utilized the combined analyses of 18S rDNA high‐throughput sequencing in fish gut contents and fatty acid (FA) in muscle tissues to evaluate potential spatial patterns of habitat and resource use for M. terminalis in three rivers of southern China. Our results showed that prey items of the Xijiang (XR) population (Pearl River) exhibited the highest species diversity and richness among the three geographic populations. Moreover, diet composition of M. terminalis was affected by spatial differences associated with geographic segregation. Analyses of FA biomarkers indicated that the highest levels of C16:0, C18:3n‐3, and C18:2n‐6c were found in Wanquan (WS) population (Wanquan River). The XR population exhibited a distinct FA profile characterized by higher amounts of arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The Moyang (MY) population (Moyang River) acted as the linkage between WS and XR populations and consisted of middle levels of saturated FAs (SFAs) and polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs). The XR population displayed a greater FA niche width compared with WS population. Furthermore, we observed a close positive relationship between the niche width and α‐diversity indices of dietary resources for FA proflies. Our study provides valued information to develop different conservation strategies among different populations and improve fisheries management for M. terminalis and other endemic species in local rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To characterize the phenotype spectrum, diagnosis, and response to growth‐promoting therapy in patients with ACAN variants causing familial short stature. Methods: Three families with ACAN variants causing short stature were reported. Similar cases in the literature were summarized, and the genotype and phenotype were analyzed. Results: Three novel heterozygous variants, c.757+1G>A, (splicing), c.6229delG, p.(Asp2078Tfs*1), and c.6679C>T, p.(Gln2227*) in the ACAN gene were identified. A total of 314 individuals with heterozygous variants from 105 families and 8 individuals with homozygous variants from 4 families were confirmed to have ACAN variants from literature and our 3 cases. Including our 3 cases, the variants reported comprised 33 frameshift, 39 missense, 23 nonsense, 5 splicing, 4 deletion, and 1 translocation variants. Variation points are scattered throughout the gene, while exons 12, 15, and 10 were most common (25/105, 11/105, and 10/105, respectively). Some identical variants existing in different families could be hot variants, c.532A>T, p.(Asn178Tyr), c.1411C>T, p.(Gln471*), c.1608C>A, p.(Tyr536*), c.2026+1G>A, (splicing), and c.7276G>T, p.(Glu2426*). Short stature, early‐onset osteoarthritis, brachydactyly, midfacial hypoplasia, and early growth cessation were the common phenotypic features. The 48 children who received rhGH (and GnRHa) treatment had a significant height improvement compared with before (−2.18 ± 1.06 SD vs. −2.69 ± 0.95 SD, p < 0.001). The heights of children who received rhGH (and GnRHa) treatment were significantly improved compared with those of untreated adults (−2.20 ± 1.10 SD vs. −3.24 ± 1.14 SD, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our study achieves a new understanding of the phenotypic spectrum, diagnosis, and management of individuals with ACAN variants. No clear genotype–phenotype relationship of patients with ACAN variants was found. Gene sequencing is necessary to diagnose ACAN variants that cause short stature. In general, appropriate rhGH and/or GnRHa therapy can improve the adult height of affected pediatric patients caused by ACAN variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Red blood cell distribution width‐to‐albumin ratio (RAR), an innovate biomarker of inflammation, can independently predict adverse cardiovascular outcomes. However, the association between RAR and prognosis in patients with non‐ischaemic heart failure (NIHF) remains unclear. Methods and results: A total of 2077 NIHF patients admitted to the Heart Failure Care Unit, Fuwai Hospital, were consecutively enrolled from December 2006 to October 2017 in this retrospective study. The primary endpoint was a composite outcome of all‐cause mortality and heart transplantation. The correlation between RAR and the composite outcome was assessed by the Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and the Cox regression analysis. Incremental predictive values and the clinical performance of RAR for all‐cause mortality or heart transplantation were also assessed based on a 12‐variable traditional risk model. The median follow‐up time in this study was 1433 (1341, 1525) days. As the gender no longer satisfied the Cox proportional risk assumption after 1150 days, we set 1095 days as the follow‐up time for analysis. A total of 500 patients reached the composite outcome. Multivariable Cox regression showed that per log2 increase of RAR was significantly associated with a 132.9% [hazard ratio 2.329, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.677–3.237, P < 0.001] increased risk of all‐cause mortality or heart transplantation. Better model discrimination [concordance index: 0.766 (95% CI 0.754–0.778) vs. 0.758 (95% CI 0.746–0.770), P < 0.001], calibration (Akaike information criterion: 1487.3 vs. 1495.74; Bayesian information criterion: 1566.25 vs. 1569.43; Brier score: 1569.43 vs. 1569.43; likelihood ratio test P < 0.001), and reclassification (integrated discrimination improvement: 1.35%, 95% CI 0.63–2.07%, P < 0.001; net reclassification improvement: 13.73%, 95% CI 2.05–27.18%, P = 0.034) were improved after adding RAR to the traditional model (P < 0.001 for all). A higher overall net benefit was also obtained in the threshold risk probability of 20–55%. Conclusions: High level of RAR was an independent risk factor of poor outcome in NIHF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A considerable amount of acidic gas penetrates into the annulus between the internal pressure sheath and the outer protective sheath during the service of flexible risers, which will inevitably lead to corrosion of the metal functional layer. Many researchers have modified nanocomposites from the mass transfer perspective to reduce the materials' permeability coefficient. While permeation is an integrated process of heat and mass transfer process, heat distribution directly impacts gas permeation. Herein, the thermal conductivity of flexible riser liner materials is predicted for the first time by a combination of molecular dynamics and experiments, and then the radial temperature distribution under different seawater temperatures and internal fluid temperatures is investigated by finite element analysis. Finally, the effect of temperature distribution on the permeation coefficient was analyzed. The results demonstrate that the thermal conductivity can be predicted by molecular dynamics simulation, and the thermal conductivity of (polyvinylidene difluoride) PVDF/TiO2 decreases, while the thermal conductivity of PVDF/carbon nanotube (CNT) increases compared with pure PVDF. The temperature distribution of the internal pressure sheath material decreases when condensate water is present. As the fluid temperature rises from 30 to 110°C, the maximum increase ratio in the permeability of PVDF/CNT over PVDF increased from 3.6% to 14.8%, and the maximum decrease ratio of PVDF/TiO2 permeability coefficient compared with PVDF is from 1.2% to 4.6%. The results present a new idea to improve the barrier properties of materials by decreasing thermal conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) has received a lot of attention as a sealing material, and its tribological performance is a crucial factor in determining the efficiency with which it will operate under various operating situations. In this study, NBR specimens with varying degrees of cyanide content, namely low cyanide (DN401), medium cyanide (DN2850), medium‐high cyanide (DN3380), and high cyanide (DN4050), were selected to investigate their tribological behavior when subjected to NO.10 aviation oil. To emulate their frictional responses during startup and shutdown operations, all four types of NBR were assessed under dry conditions. As the cyanide content increased, the coefficient of friction (COF) dropped from 1.381 to 0.810 and wear rate dropped from 2.38 × 10−3 mm3/(N m) to 1.88 × 10−4 mm3/(N m). When employed in conjunction with NO.10 aviation oil, DN401 and DN3380 exhibited COFs of 0.0963 and a slightly higher value of 0.127, respectively. Following aging treatment at 80°C in NO.10 aviation oil, stress reduction reached 65.8%, indicating the poorest performance among the four variants of NBR. Considering the COF, wear rate, and aging performance, DN3380 emerges as the most favorable choice for practical applications, thereby offering valuable insights into the selection of nitrile rubber for sealing materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An association between venous leg ulcers (VLU) and chronic heart failure (CHF) has been suggested by observational research. This study used Mendelian randomization (MR) methods to look into any possible bidirectional causal links between VLU and CHF. The 'TwoSampleMR' R package was employed for MR analyses. The association of VLU and CHF was assessed via methods of inverse variance weighted (IVW), weighted mode, MR Egger and weighted median. Results of IVW suggested no association between VLU and CHF (β 0.008356; SE 0.01889; p = 0.6582). The weighted median estimator (β −0.005777; SE 0.02059, p = 0.7791), MR‐Egger (β −0.08955; SE 0.04557; p = 0.07296) and weighted mode (β −0.01202; SE 0.02467; p = 0.6341) showed consistent results. Conversely, evidence indicating that the presence of CHF increased the risk of VLU was lacking. In conclusion, there is no bidirectional causal relationship between VLU and CHF. Further studies are required to validate the findings of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Heart failure (HF) and sleep‐disordered breathing (SDB) frequently coexist. We aimed to compare the prognostic value of different nocturnal hypoxic burden metrics in hospitalized HF patients. Methods and results: HF patients underwent polygraphy screening for SDB in this prospective cohort. Hypoxic burden metrics assessed using pulse oximetry included time < 90% oxygen saturation (T90), proportion of total recording time < 90% oxygen saturation (TRT90), oxygen desaturation index (ODI), and mean oxygen saturation (meanSO2). The prespecified endpoints were the composite of cardiovascular death or admission for worsening HF. This study included 764 hospitalized HF patients, 16.5% and 36.6% of whom had obstructive and central sleep apnoea, respectively. With a median follow‐up time of 2.2 years, endpoint events occurred in 410 (53.7%) patients. In univariate and multivariate analyses, T90, TRT90, and meanSO2 were substantially associated with the composite outcome, whereas ODI was not. After multivariate Cox model adjustment, patients with 5.0 ≤ T90 ≤ 52.0 min [hazard ratio (HR) 1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02–1.71, P = 0.034] or T90 > 52.0 min (HR 1.56, 95% CI: 1.21–2.02, P = 0.001) had a greater risk of the composite outcome than those with T90 < 5.0 min. The TRT90 and T90 results were similar. Compared with meanSO2 > 95%, meanSO2 < 93% (HR 1.47, 95% CI: 1.16–1.88, P = 0.002) was correlated with adverse outcomes. Conclusions: The hypoxic burden metrics T90, TRT90, and meanSO2, but not ODI, were independent predictors of cardiovascular death or readmission for worsening HF. Indicators of duration and severity, not just the frequency of nocturnal hypoxaemia, should be valued and considered for intervention to improve outcomes in HF patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Research on population genetic patterns and potential distribution dynamics can provide insights into the development of pest management strategies. Herein, we integrated population genetic analyses with the climatic niche approach to investigate spatial population genetic variations and potential geographical distribution (PGD) of the herbivorous pest Phytomyza horticola. We also analysed its population response patterns to both late Pleistocene climatic events and future climate change. Location: China. Methods: We analysed the patterns of genetic diversity distribution in 29 populations from 19 regions across China using three mitochondrial (COI, COII and Cytb) genes as markers. We estimated demographic histories using neutrality tests, mismatch distributions and Bayesian skyline plots. Changes in PGD were assessed using an ecological niche model. Results: High genetic diversity was found in most populations, and the northern population exhibited higher haplotype diversity. The population genetic structure included the Tibet lineage and a large lineage comprising the remaining populations. Demographic analyses indicated that rapid population expansion occurred during the cold Last Glacial Maximum. In addition, our projections suggested that P. horticola currently has a vast PGD in China, for which the human influence index was the strongest variable. Large areas of cold northern regions were highly suitable for its survival. Under future global warming, highly suitable habitats will shift towards the higher latitudes. Main conclusions: P. horticola is widely distributed across varied environments, which may be attributed to its high degree of genetic variation. Human activities likely facilitated the current PGD and the frequent gene flow that homogenized differentiation among most populations. In addition, P. horticola exhibits strong adaptability to cold climates and environments from the past to the future. Considering future climatic changes, prevention and control should focus on high‐latitude regions, and vigilance regarding human‐mediated pest dispersals and outbreaks should be maintained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the proton exchange membrane fuel cell, proton exchange membrane (PEM) serves as both the main conductor of protons and the fuel‐blocking membrane. Thus, high proton conductivity and excellent stability are expected for PEMs at the same time. According to chemical structure, this review divides PEM into three groups. Recently, high‐performance PEM has been made possible by controlling chemical structure, organic–inorganic hybrid composite membranes, and nanofiber composite membranes. One of them, nanofiber composite membranes, is distinguished by long‐range order and is capable of achieving both strong proton conductivity with exceptional stability. The high‐performance PEM has been accomplished by the presence of an acid‐rich layer, acid–base interaction, and proton transport channel in PEMs are also summarized in this paper. We believe that our discussion will help the researcher create high‐performance PEM and pave the way for further developments in the field of energy materials as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore the relationship between the serum sodium level on admission and all‐cause mortality in HF patients. Design: A single‐center retrospective cohort study. Methods: Patients hospitalized with HF at the Heart Failure Center, Fuwai Hospital, from November 2008 to November 2018 were enrolled. Results: A total of 3649 patients were included, and the mean sodium level was 137.19 ± 4.36 mmol/L, with a range from 115.6 to 160.9 mmol/L. During a median follow‐up of 1101 days, mortality occurred in 1413 (38.7%) hospital survivors. After adjustment for age, sex, and other potential confounders, patients with sodium levels <135 mmol/L (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.67; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.29–2.16) and 135–137 mmol/L (HR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.01–1.78) had an increased risk of all‐cause mortality compared to those with sodium levels of 139–141 mmol/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB). Sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) is viewed as a promising alternative to Nafion as a material for vanadium liquid flow battery membrane, due to its low cost and high proton conductivity. However, SPEEK membranes have a Trade‐Off effect of proton conduction and ion selectivity, which limits the performance of VRFB. Here, we exploited the Donnan effect of imidazole cations in ionic liquids (ILs) to improve the ion selectivity of SPEEK membrane. In addition, used porous covalent organic framework materials (COF) with sulfonic acid functional groups to immobilize ionic liquids, which reduced the loss of ILs. The ion selectivity of the SPEEK membrane was further improved. As a result, the cell performance of the composite membrane is improved. At a constant current density of 40 mA cm−2, SPEEK/IL‐5@TpPa‐SO3H‐3 membrane exhibits high coulombic efficiencies (CE: 98.43%) and energy efficiencies (EE: 91.7%). Furthermore, the energy efficiency of the SPEEK/IL‐5@TpPa‐SO3H‐3 membrane decreases only 2.1% after 60 charge/discharge cycles at 100 mA cm−2. Our work proposed a cost‐effective, high‐performance membrane for VRFB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer‐related death. In particular, non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 85% of all lung cancer cases. Due to tumor resistance and the toxicity of chemotherapeutic agents, it is increasingly critical to discover novel, potent antitumorigenic drugs for treating NSCLC. Lutein, a carotenoid, has been reported to exert toxic effects on cells in several tumor types. However, the detailed functions and underlying mechanisms of lutein in NSCLC remain elusive. The present study showed that lutein significantly and dose‐dependently inhibited cell proliferation, arrested the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase, and induced apoptosis in NSCLC cells. RNA‐sequencing analysis revealed that the p53 signaling pathway was the most significantly upregulated in lutein‐treated A549 cells. Mechanistically, lutein exerted antitumorigenic effects by inducing DNA damage and subsequently activating the ATR/Chk1/p53 signaling pathway in A549 cells. In vivo, lutein impeded tumor growth in mice and prolonged their survival. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate the antitumorigenic potential of lutein and reveal its molecular mechanism of action, suggesting that lutein is a promising candidate for clinical NSCLC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is generally believed that the ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) performances are closely related to its molecular weight. However, when we sintered two brands of UHMWPE powders with similar molecular weights, GUR 4012 and GUR 400 Fine, we found they demonstrate eminent differences in cryogenic properties. Particularly, the cryogenic impact strength of GUR 4012 is 236% higher than that of GUR 400 Fine. To explain such an amazing phenomenon, we characterized UHMWPE microstructures and investigated the structure–property relations through scanning electron microscopy, x‐ray scattering diffraction, differential scanning calorimeter, and dynamic mechanical analysis. We observed only a slight difference in crystallization behaviors between them, but the entanglement density of GUR 4012 is much higher than that of GUR 400 Fine. Accordingly, we put forward a potential mechanism to analyze the eminent differences in cryogenic impact strengths. This work may promote our comprehension of the relation between the structure and performances of UHMWPE, which is conducive to promoting UHMWPE performance and broadening its industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Heart failure (HF) is often comorbid with sleep disordered breathing (SDB). This prospective study investigated the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and predictors of SDB in hospitalized HF patients. Methods: Sleep studies were performed on hospitalized HF patients from January 2015 to February 2019. SDB was categorized as no/mild SDB, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and central sleep apnea (CSA). Results: The study included 1069 hospitalized HF patients. The prevalence rates of OSA and CSA were 16.6% and 36.9%, respectively. Patients with OSA or CSA were more likely to be male and have a higher body mass index (BMI) and more comorbidities. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that male sex (odds ratio [OR] = 1.803, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.099–2.958), BMI (per 5 kg/m2 increase: OR = 2.270, 95% CI = 1.852–2.783), hypertension (OR = 2.719, 95% CI = 1.817–4.070), diabetes (OR = 1.477, 95% CI = 1.020–2.139), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (per 5% increase, OR = 1.126, 95% CI = 1.053–1.204) were independent predictors of OSA. Male sex (OR = 1.699, 95% CI = 1.085–1.271), age (per 10 years, OR = 1.235, 95% CI = 1.118‐1.363), heart rate (per 10 bpm, OR = 1.174, 95% CI = 1.099–2.958), LVEF (per 5% increase, OR = 0.882, 95% CI = 0.835–0.932), NT‐proBNP (lnNT‐proBNP, OR = 1.234, 95% CI = 1.089–1.398) and hypocapnia (OR = 1.455, 95% CI = 1.105–1.915) were independent predictors of CSA. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves were 0.794 (95% CI = 0.758–0.830) and 0.673 (95% CI = 0.640–0.706), respectively. Conclusions: More than half of hospitalized HF patients had OSA or CSA, and CSA was the predominant type. OSA and CSA predictors differ. The clinical characteristics of HF patients can help make preliminary predictions for SDB patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese citrus fly Bactrocera minax is a major destructive pest of citrus fruits. The adult stage of B. minax is the critical life stage for control measures because all other life stages are hidden either in infested host fruit or in soil. Therefore, we established a push‐pull system for the control of adults B. minax. Three types of attractants were tested in two orchards. With these attractants, the percentage of infested fruits was reduced from 95.0% to 75.4% and from 89.6% to 72.4% for navel orange and satsuma mandarin, respectively. The in‐house developed food attractant displayed the best reduction compared to two commercial attractants. The food attractant traps (pull) combined with Xanthium sibiricum leaf extract as the repellent (push) hung on a copse at the edge of the orchard fields further reduced the fruit infestation rate from 75.5% to 7.6% in the navel orchards and from 100.0% to 5.6% in the satsuma orchards. When the green luring balls were added as a visual cue to the pull component, the percentage of infested fruits in the orchards was further reduced from 27.8% and 36.6% to 0.4% and 2.9%, respectively. In this five‐year study, B. minax was effectively controlled using behavioural manipulation of their response to olfactory and visual cues in a push‐pull control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporating natural resource management and eco‐environmental responsibility into the local government assessment system would change the local governments' intensity of environmental regulation. However, it is unclear whether and how this change is reflected in the firms' environmental strategies. This paper empirically examines the effects and mechanisms of local government regulation on firms' environmental strategies using the quasi‐natural experimental context of the Leading Officials' Natural Resources Accountability Audit (NRAA) in China. The results show that after the implementation of the NRAA, heavily polluting firms are more likely to adopt a source prevention strategy than an end‐of‐pipe governance strategy to cope with the local government's environmental management pressure. Resource support from local governments and increasingly stringent environmental constraints are potential channels for the NRAA to induce firms to adopt a preventive environmental strategy. The environmental governance pressure transmitted to firms differs due to different promotion expectations of local governments. Thus, corporate environmental strategies are related to government promotion expectations. In addition, we apply the Porter hypothesis to the NRAA. Finally, we explore the governance boundaries of the NRAA for different regions, audit intensities, and firms. This paper clarifies the interaction logic between the local governments' environmental constraints and the enterprises' environmental governance behaviors after the implementation of China's pilot policy, enriching research on natural resource asset audits and environmental governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoparticles can act as a barrier to gas penetration in the polymer matrix. However, the agglomeration of nanoparticles has a negative effect on the comprehensive properties of nanocomposites. We envisioned surface modification of 25 nm TiO2 nanoparticles with KH550 to enable better dispersion in the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) matrix and prepared PVDF/TiO2 composites by the melt blending method. The effects of adding modified nanoparticles into the matrix on the thermodynamic, mechanical, rheological, and gas barrier properties were studied. We find that the dispersion of TiO2 in the matrix significantly improved after modification, as observed in the SEM images. As a result, the mechanical properties of composites decreased with an increase in the content of nanoparticles, and PVDF/N‐TiO2 composites showed better mechanical and CO2 barrier properties. The permeability coefficient of PVDF/0.5% N‐TiO2 has the lowest permeability coefficient, which is 18.30% lower than primary PVDF. At a high shear rate, the viscosity of PVDF/N‐TiO2 with 0.5% and 1.0% content decreased, and the viscosity of 1.5% ratio was higher than that of primary PVDF. PVDF/0.5% N‐TiO2 has the best comprehensive performance and also possesses the advantages of simple preparation, low cost, and ease of industrial production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The prognostic significance of D‐dimer in hospitalized heart failure (HF) patients is incompletely characterized. We aimed to assess the association of D‐dimer levels on admission with adverse events at follow‐up in patients hospitalized with HF across all ejection fraction (EF) phenotypes. Methods and results: Consecutive patients hospitalized from December 2006 to December 2017 for HF with D‐dimer and EF values available (n = 1795) were enrolled. Associations between D‐dimer and all‐cause death were examined at 1‐year follow‐up. Median age was 57 years, 73.4% were male, and the majority (72.1%) were in New York Heart Association Classes III–IV. EF was reduced in 53.3% (HFrEF), mildly reduced in 16.3% (HFmrEF), and preserved in 30.4% (HFpEF). Median (interquartile range) D‐dimer on admission was 0.56 (0.27–1.295) μg/mL FEU (fibrinogen‐equivalent unit) in the whole cohort, 0.64 (0.28–1.48) μg/mL FEU in HFrEF, 0.50 (0.27–1.03) μg/mL FEU in HFmrEF, and 0.495 (0.25–1.10) μg/mL FEU in HFpEF (P = 0.001). At 1‐year follow‐up, higher D‐dimer (D‐dimer ≥0.56 μg/mL FEU) independently predicted all‐cause death in total cohort [hazard ratio (HR) 1.55; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.15–2.1], in HFrEF (HR, 1.49; P = 0.039), and in HFpEF (HR, 2.06; P = 0.033). However, no relationship was found for HFrEF or HFmrEF when D‐dimer was treated as quartiles. In sensitivity analysis, quantitatively similar but more pronounced association between D‐dimer and all‐cause death was observed in total cohort and HFpEF cohort. Conclusions: In hospitalized HF patients, higher D‐dimer concentration was a significant and independent predictor of 1‐year all‐cause mortality. Across all HF phenotypes, this effect was most evident in HFpEF patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Fast identification of damaged soybean seeds has undeniable importance in seed sorting and food quality. Mechanical vibration is generally used in soybean seed sorting, but this can seriously damage soybean seeds. The convolutional neural network (CNN) is considered an effective method for location and segmentation tasks. However, a CNN requires a large amount of ground truth data and has high computational cost. RESULTS: First, we propose a self‐supervision manner to automatically generate ground truths, which can theoretically create an almost unlimited number of labeled images. Second, instead of using popular CNNs, a novel invertible convolution (involution)‐enabled scheme is proposed by using the bottleneck block of the residual networks. Third, a feature selection feature pyramid network (FS‐FPN) based on involution is designed, which selects features more flexibly and adaptively. We further merge involution‐based backbones and FS‐FPN into a unified network, achieving an end‐to‐end seed location and segmentation model; the best mean average precision of location and segmentation achieved was 85.1% and 81% respectively. CONCLUSION: The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method greatly improves the performance of the baseline network with faster speed and fewer parameters, enabling it to detect soybean seeds more effectively. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Olfaction has an indispensable role in insect behavior, enabling location of suitable host plants and oviposition sites, finding mates and evasion of natural enemies. Chemosensory proteins (CSPs) function to screen external odorants and transport them to olfactory receptor neurons, thereby increasing the sensitivity of the olfactory system. At present, CSP genes have been identified in many insect species, but there are relatively few studies on the function of CSP, especially in Tephritidae. Results: In this study, we sequenced and analyzed 12 transcriptomes of Bactrocera minax and identified five CSP genes. The results of polymerase chain reactions with reverse transcription showed that BminCSP3 was highly expressed only in antennae. Results from competitive binding experiments showed that BminCSP3 has good binding ability to citral compared with 23 other volatile organic compounds. The docking model with citral showed hydrogen bond formation with residues (ARG97); however, no hydrogen bonds were formed in the docking of five other ligands (furfuryl alcohol, linalool, cis‐3‐hexenyl acetate, (R)‐(+)‐limonene and (+)‐carvone). Electroantennogram (EAG) analyses revealed that citral was active in B. minax at the antennal level, and the EAG response value of female adults was significantly higher than that of male adults. Furthermore, the results of behavioral bioassays showed that females were significantly attracted to citral. Conclusion: Our results suggest that BminCSP3 plays an important role in the recognition of citral by B. minax adults. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When fabricating polymer nanocomposites (PNCs), it is difficult for nanoparticles to disperse stably in polymer matrix since their high‐surface energy can cause them to attract each other. In this paper, we review the effects of nanoparticle size, surface chemical properties, and thermodynamic parameters on the dispersion state of nanoparticles (including inorganic and organic particles) in PNCs and describe some key measures to promote the nanoparticles dispersion. The ideal nanoparticles dispersion in polymer melt is available when the particle size is smaller than the rotation radius of polymer chains and the particle surface is highly compatible or has interactions with the matrix. In polymer solution, establishing proper thermodynamic parameters is necessary to ensure the balance interactions among particles, solvents, and polymers, leading to the successful preparation of PNCs with ideal structure. These results could supply theoretical suggestions for the design of PNCs. Moreover, the equilibrium dispersion may be unavailable without reasonable kinetic parameters, even if the dispersion process is thermodynamically favorable. Therefore, more studies are required on both thermodynamics and kinetics of the dispersion process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is having a dramatic effect on the mental health of healthcare workers (HCWs). Upon the emergence of the COVID‐19 pandemic, the Chinese government dispatched about 42 000 HCWs to Wuhan City and Hubei Province to fight this pandemic. This study briefly examines front‐line nurses who experienced burnout, with the main objective of investigating the mediating roles of positive and negative affect in the relationship between resilience and burnout in Wuhan hospitals at the peak of the COVID‐19 pandemic. A total of 180 front‐line nurses voluntarily participated via a social media group. They completed the online questionnaires, including the Maslach Burnout Inventory‐General Survey (MBI‐GS), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD‐RISC), demographics, and work‐related characteristics. Structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis was used to examine the mediating effect of positive and negative affect on the relationship between resilience and burnout. The total prevalence of burnout was 51.7%, of which 15.0% were severe burnout. These preliminary results revealed that positive and negative affect fully mediated the effects of resilience on burnout, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment of front‐line nurses. It is necessary to know the impact of resilience on HCWs with burnout through the positive and negative affect of individual backgrounds and situations, and how policymakers can deploy resilience interventions to support front‐line HCWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the treatment of wastewater that contains organic dyes and bacteria attracts a considerable amount of attention, and the fabrication of photoinduced catalytic materials to address the problem is still a challenge. In this work, indium(III) sulfide hybrid gels are prepared by in situ polymerization and sulfurization using In(III) metal–organic gels as sacrificial templates. Two In(III) metal–organic gels are fabricated by the coordination interaction between multitopic pyridyl ligands and indium ions, where the assembled structure of the gel templates can be tuned by employing different multitopic ligands to obtain the networks of nanofibers and nanoparticles. After templated fabrication, the resulting In2S3‐polymer hybrid gels show improved mechanical strength, and can be used as novel photocatalysts for the photodegradation of organic dyes, such as rhodamine B and methylene blue, and efficient adsorbents for the adsorption of anionic dyes, such as Congo red. Experiments that involve pure and mixed bacteria demonstrate the bacteria‐removing activities of the hybrid gels due to their electrostatic adsorption and photoinduced sterilization of the bacteria. Therefore, this new kind of hybrid gel might have potential applications in the photoinduced purification of water by scavenging organic dyes and bacteria in the aqueous phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the prognostic value of elevated urinary albumin concentration (UAC) in hospitalized acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) patients. Methods: We measured UAC at baseline in 1818 hospitalized ADHF patients who were admitted to our Heart Failure Center. All patients were followed up for a median period of 937.5 days. The primary endpoint was a composite of all‐cause death or heart transplantation (HTx) or left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. Results: In total, 41.5% of ADHF patients had albuminuria (UAC ≥ 20 mg/L). The median value of UAC was 15.5 mg/L. A total of 679 patients died or underwent HTx/LVAD during follow‐up. The median UAC was significantly lower in non‐HTx/LVAD survivors (14.3 mg/L) than in those who died or underwent HTx/LVAD (18.0 mg/L, P < 0.001). Compared with patients without albuminuria (reference, n = 1064), those with albuminuria had a 1.47‐fold higher risk of all‐cause death or HTx/LVAD (95% confidence interval [CI]:1.26–1.71, P < 0.001), with hazard ratios (HRs) of 1.42 (95% CI: 1.21–1.66) and 1.74 (95% CI: 1.33–2.26) in patients with microalbuminuria (20 mg/L ≤ UAC < 200 mg/L, n = 617) and macroalbuminuria (UAC ≥ 200 mg/L, n = 137), respectively (both P < 0.001). After adjustment for significant clinical risk factors, the albuminuria group had a higher risk of primary adverse events than the non‐albuminuria group (HR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.09–1.50, P = 0.003), with HRs of 1.27 [95% CI: 1.07–1.49] and 1.36 [95% CI: 1.01–1.84] in patients with microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria, respectively (P = 0.006 and P = 0.041). The adjusted risk of primary adverse events also increased with the degree of albuminuria in the test for trend (HR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.06–1.37, P for trend = 0.004). In the subgroup analysis, albuminuria had a significantly greater prognostic value for patients with left ventricular ejection fraction ≥ 40%, eGFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, BUN/creatinine ratio ≥ 20 or NT‐proBNP < 2098 pg/mL. Conclusion: The presence of albuminuria evaluated by UAC predicts adverse clinical outcomes in hospitalized ADHF patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporating acid proton carriers into a polymer matrix is an effective way to improve proton conductivity, but the immobilization of acids is a problem. In this work, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) incorporating phosphotungstic acid (HPW) into sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) improved the conductivity of the proton exchange membrane. Meanwhile, the surface of the MSNs was aminated, and the ion interaction with SPEEK was established to increase the dispersion of MSNs. Composite membranes doped with surface‐modified silica (K‐MSNs) have excellent proton conductivity and conductivity stability. When the K‐MSNs content was 1 wt%, the proton conductivity of the composite membrane reached 243 mS/cm at 60°C. After 240 hr of immersion at 60°C, proton conductivity was retained at 210 mS/cm. Compared with MSNs, K‐MSNs has a large number of amino groups on its surface, which can effectively reduce the loss of HPW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amnion‐derived prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and cortisol are key to labor onset. Identification of a common transcription factor driving the expression of both cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) and 11β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (11β‐HSD1), the key enzymes in their production, may hold the key to the treatment of pre‐term labor. Here, we have found that the CCAAT enhancer binding protein δ (C/EBPδ) is such a transcription factor which underlies the feed‐forward induction of COX‐2 and 11β‐HSD1 expression by their own products PGE2 and cortisol in human amnion fibroblasts so that their production would be ensured in the amnion for the onset of labor. Moreover, the abundance of C/EBPδ in the amnion increases along with COX‐2 and 11β‐HSD1 at term and further increases at parturition. Knockout of C/EBPδ in mice delays the onset of labor further supporting the concept. In conclusion, C/EBPδ pathway may be speculated to serve as a potential pharmaceutical target in the amnion for treatment of pre‐term labor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macroinvertebrates have been recognized as key ecological indicators of aquatic environment and are the most commonly used approaches for water quality assessment. However, species identification of macroinvertebrates (especially of aquatic insects) proves to be very difficult due to the lack of taxonomic expertise in some regions and can become time‐consuming. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of DNA barcoding for the classification of benthic macroinvertebrates and investigated the genetic differentiation in seven orders (Insecta: Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Coleoptera, and Odonata) from four large transboundary rivers of northwest China and further explored its potential application to biodiversity assessment. A total of 1,144 COI sequences, belonging to 176 species, 112 genera, and 53 families were obtained and analyzed. The barcoding gap analysis showed that COI gene fragment yielded significant intra‐ and interspecific divergences and obvious barcoding gaps. NJ phylogenetic trees showed that all species group into monophyletic species clusters whether from the same population or not, except two species (Polypedilum. laetum and Polypedilum. bullum). The distance‐based (ABGD) and tree‐based (PTP and MPTP) methods were utilized for grouping specimens into Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) and delimiting species. The ABGD, PTP, and MPTP analysis were divided into 177 (p =.0599), 197, and 195 OTUs, respectively. The BIN analysis generated 186 different BINs. Overall, our study showed that DNA barcoding offers an effective framework for macroinvertebrate species identification and sheds new light on the biodiversity assessment of local macroinvertebrates. Also, the construction of DNA barcode reference library of benthic macroinvertebrates in Eurasian transboundary rivers provides a solid backup for bioassessment studies of freshwater habitats using modern high‐throughput technologies in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNA‐3175 (miR‐3175) expression is upregulated in prostate cancer, but its roles and the underlying mechanisms in prostate cancer cell growth and invasion need to be elucidated. This study aimed to uncover the roles of miR‐3175 in regulating cell growth and migration, as well as the expression of its predicted target gene cardiac sodium channel β4‐subunit gene (SCN4B). Real‐time quantitative PCR (RT‐qPCR) and/or western blotting techniques were used to measure miR‐3175 and SCN4B expression levels in prostate cancer cells. Inhibitor or mimics transfections were used to overexpress or silence miR‐3175 in prostate cancer cells. MTT and Edu assays were applied to assess cell viability. Scratch assay and transwell chambers were used to examine cell migration and invasion abilities. The interaction between miR‐3175 and SCN4B was determined by means of luciferase gene reporter, RT‐qPCR, and western blotting assays. The results showed that miR‐3175 expression was increased and SCN4B expression was decreased in prostate cancer cell lines as compared with normal human prostatic epithelial cells. Compared with the control group, knockdown of miR‐3175 resulted in strong inhibitions of cell growth, migration, invasion, and N‐cadherin expression, together with an increase in E‐cadherin expression. In addition, knockdown of miR‐3175 dramatically increased the luciferase activity of the luciferase vector of SCN4B, and increased SCN4B expression. Together, this study illustrated that downregulation of miR‐3175 repressed the proliferation and invasion of prostate cancer cells, which might be induced by SCN4B downregulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ethylenediamine‐modified graphite oxide (EGO)‐doped sulfonated poly (arylene ether ketone) (SPEEK) composite membranes have been prepared and developed for fuel cell applications in the present work. The base‐modified EGO improves the dispersion of inorganic nanosheet in the polymer matrix and enhances proton conductivity by creating continuous conduction pathways. Furthermore, the methanol barrier property also be enhanced due to the nanosheet block the methanol‐transport channels. EGO‐filled membranes display improved dimensional stability, proton conductivity, and ethanol permeability than those using SPEEK control and graphite oxide (GO)‐filled membranes. In the direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), the SPEEK/EGO‐1.5 membrane displays the highest current density of 395.9 mA/cm2 at 60°C, which is 1.6‐ and 1.4‐fold higher than that of SPEEK (254.0 mA/cm2) and SPEEK/GO membrane (292.6 mA/cm2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) can affect the haematopoietic system. Thrombocytopenia at admission was prevalent, while late‐phase or delayed‐phase thrombocytopenia (occurred 14 days after symptom onset) is rare. This retrospective, single‐centre study screened 450 COVID‐19 patients and enrolled 271 patients at the Union Hospital, Wuhan, China, from January 25 to March 9, 2020. COVID‐19‐associated delayed‐phase thrombocytopenia occurred in 11·8% of enrolling patients. The delayed‐phase thrombocytopenia in COVID‐19 is prone to develop in elderly patients or patients with low lymphocyte count on admission. The delayed‐phase thrombocytopenia is significantly associated with increased length of hospital stay and higher mortality rate. Delayed‐phase nadir platelet counts demonstrated a significantly negative correlation with B cell percentages. We also provided and described bone marrow aspiration pathology of three patients with delayed‐phase thrombocytopenia, showing impaired maturation of megakaryocytes. We speculated that immune‐mediated platelet destruction might account for the delayed‐phase thrombocytopenia in a group of patients. In addition, clinicians need to pay attention to the delayed‐phase thrombocytopenia especially at 3–4 weeks after symptom onset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater capture fisheries are globally essential for food security and aquatic biodiversity conservation. The Yangtze River Basin is the third longest and one of the most human‐influenced drainage basins worldwide. Since the founding of P. R. China in 1949, this large river system has suffered increasing human perturbation and its sustainable development is now severely challenged. Meta‐analysis showed that Yangtze River fisheries have experienced an extraordinary process of utilization–over‐exploitation–protection during the past 70 years, to an extent that other globally important rivers may never have encountered. Its fisheries appear to have collapsed over the past four decades, with yield decreasing to only 25% of an historical peak of 400,000 metric tonnes in the late 1950s. Endemic, migratory and rare fishes have been highly threatened with obvious changes in fish community structure and aquatic biodiversity. Anthropogenic activities, including impoundment of water in dams, discharge of pollutants and riverine modification for vessel navigation, have caused large decreases in fisheries yields. Projections from surplus production modelling showed potential for improvement under fishing ban scenarios, but without any prospect for full recovery to historical stock status. This study revealed that the change in fisheries resources was dominated by the social–ecological watershed system, and an integrated approach to river basin management is warranted. Better management of freshwater ecosystems to integrate food security with biodiversity conservation is urgently needed throughout the world, and the changes evident in the Yangtze River fish populations can serve as an informative global reference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a widely distributed species along the Irtysh River, Phoxinus phoxinus ujmonensis (Kaschtschenko, 1899) was used as a model to investigate genetic diversity and population structure as well as the influence of environmental factors on population genetics. In this study, we specifically developed 12 polymorphic microsatellite loci. The analysis of microsatellite and mtDNA markers revealed a high and a moderate genetic diversity across seven populations, respectively. Moderate differentiation was also detected among several populations, indicating the impact of habitat fragmentation and divergence. The absence of isolation by distance implied an extensive gene flow, while the presence of isolation by adaptation implied that these populations might be in the process of adapting to divergent habitats. Correlation analysis showed that abiotic factors like dissolved oxygen, pH, total dissolved solids, and conductivity in water as well as biotic factors like plankton diversity and fish species diversity had impact on genetic diversity and divergence in P. phoxinus ujmonensis populations. The results of this study will provide an insight into the effect of environmental factors on genetic diversity and contribute to the study of population genetics of sympatric species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal‐organic gels showing potential application in catalysis have received much concern. In this work, we designed and synthesized two metal‐organic gels based on coordination between FeIII and pyridine ligands at room temperature. The gels were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to reveal their assembly structures and morphologies, and it was found the metal‐organic gel derived from di‐topic ligand was composed of three‐dimensional network of nanofibers, while the gel derived from tri‐topic ligand was constituted of sponge‐like structure with amorphous phase. Rheological analysis showed the gel consisting of nanofiber networks displayed self‐healing property. The gels were used as catalysts for selective ethylene dimerization, and the optimum catalysis results of the gel with nanofibers reached the maximal catalytic activity of 1.48×105 g/(mol Fe⋅h) with C4 yield more than 90 %, whereas the sponge‐like gel only gave 38 % C4 products at the same condition. The higher dimerization selectivity of the former FeIII gel was attributed to its regular assembly structure and lower steric hindrance of the surface metal sites. Due to its catalytic activity, high selectivity and preparation simplicity, the FeIII gel might be potentially applicable for the preparation of C4 α‐olefins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In biological system, early detection and treatment at the same moment is highly required. For synthetic materials, it is demanding to develop materials that possess self‐reporting of early damage and self‐healing simultaneously. This dual function is achieved in this work by introducing an intelligent pH‐responsive coatings based on poly(divinylbenzene)‐graft‐poly(divinylbenzene‐co‐methacrylic acid) (PDVB‐graft‐P(DVB‐co‐AA)) core–shell microspheres as smart components of the polymer coatings for corrosion protection. The key component, synthesized PDVB‐graft‐P(DVB‐co‐AA) core–shell microspheres are porous and pH responsive. The porosity allows for encapsulation of the corrosion inhibitor of benzotriazole and the fluorescent probe, coumarin. Both loading capacities can be up to about 15 wt%. The polymeric coatings doped with the synthesized microspheres can adapt immediately to the varied variation in pH value from the electrochemical corrosion reaction and release active molecules on demand onto the damaged cracks of the coatings on metal surfaces. It leads simultaneously to the dual functions of self‐healing and self‐reporting. The corrosion area can be self‐reported in 6 h, while the substrate can be protected at least for 1 month in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. These pH‐responsive materials with self‐reporting and self‐healing dual functions are highly expected to have a bright future due to their smart, long‐lasting, recyclable, and multifunctional properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many systems benefit from the ability to autonomously signal the occurrence of damage. The development of smart polymer coatings on metals can address scientific challenges such as nondestructive detection of early corrosion to avoid further destruction of materials. Here, pH-responsive polymer coatings on metals such as steel, aluminum, magnesium, and copper alloys are reported. The defect areas of coatings can gradually exhibit strong fluorescence as the corrosion starts. Based on the fundamental understanding of electrochemical mechanisms in metal corrosion, the designed pH-responsive polymer coating is dormant before crack occurrence. However, the on-demand release of fluorescent molecules from nanocontainers in coatings occurs as corrosion proceeds with increasing pH value by transformation into highly active fluorescence indication from the dormant state at the stage of corrosion commencement. The developed smart polymer coatings can report the corrosion caused by a coating failure which provides a new strategy for nondestructive corrosion detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is involved in multiple malignancies; however, the role of TLR4 in the pathogenesis of malignant pleural effusion (MPE) remains unknown. The objectives of this study were to explore the impact of TLR4 signaling on the development of MPE in a murine model and to define the underline mechanisms by which TLR works. Development of MPE as well as proliferation and angiogenesis of pleural tumor were determined in TLR4-/- and wild type mice. Differentiation of Th1 and Th17 cells as well as their signal transductions was explored. The effects of TLR4 signaling on survival of mice bearing MPE were also investigated. Compared with wild type mice, Th1 cells were augmented, and Th17 cells were suppressed in MPE from TLR4-/- mice. The in vitro experiments showed that TLR4 deficiency promoted Th1 cell differentiation via enhancing STAT1 pathway and inhibited Th17 cell differentiation via suppressing STAT3 pathway. TLR4 deficiency promoted MPE formation and, thus, accelerated the death of mice bearing MPE, whereas intraperitoneal injection of anti-IFN-γ mAb or recombinant mouse IL-17 protein into TLR4-/- mice was associated with improved survival. Our data provides the first definitive evidence of a role for TLR4 signaling in protective immunity in the development of MPE. Our findings also demonstrate that TLR4 deficiency promotes MPE formation and accelerates mouse death by enhancing Th1 and suppressing Th17 response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Growing evidence indicates that the activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) is implicated in the multiple major pathological features of Alzheimer disease (AD). However, whether specific inhibition of JNK activation could prevent disease progression in adult transgenic AD models at moderate stage remains unknown. Here we first investigated the potential disease-modifying therapeutic effect of systemic administration of SP600125, a small-molecule JNK-specific inhibitor, in middle-aged APPswe/PS1dE9 mice.Methods: Using behavioral, histological, and biochemical methods, outcomes of SP600125 treatment on neuropathology and cognitive deficits were studied in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice.Results: Compared with vehicle-treated APPswe/PS1dE9 mice, chronic treatment of SP600125 for 12 weeks potently inhibited JNK activation, which resulted in a marked improvement of behavioral measures of cognitive deficits and a dramatic reduction in amyloid plaque burden, β-amyloid production, tau hyperphosphorylation, inflammatory responses, and synaptic loss in these transgenic animals. In particular, we found that SP600125 treatment strongly promoted nonamyloidogenic amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing and inhibited amyloidogenic APP processing via regulating APP-cleavage secretase expression (ie, ADAM10, BACE1, and PS1) in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice.Interpretation: Our findings demonstrate that chronic SP600125 treatment is powerfully effective in slowing down disease progression by markedly reducing multiple pathological features and ameliorating cognitive deficits associated with AD. This study highlights the concept that active JNK actually contributes to the development of the disease, and provides critical preclinical evidence that specific inhibition of JNK activation by SP600125 treatment may be a novel promising disease-modifying therapeutic strategy for the treatment of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Growing evidence indicates that the activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) is implicated in the multiple major pathological features of Alzheimer disease (AD). However, whether specific inhibition of JNK activation could prevent disease progression in adult transgenic AD models at moderate stage remains unknown. Here we first investigated the potential disease-modifying therapeutic effect of systemic administration of SP600125, a small-molecule JNK-specific inhibitor, in middle-aged APPswe/PS1dE9 mice. Methods Using behavioral, histological, and biochemical methods, outcomes of SP600125 treatment on neuropathology and cognitive deficits were studied in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice. Results Compared with vehicle-treated APPswe/PS1dE9 mice, chronic treatment of SP600125 for 12 weeks potently inhibited JNK activation, which resulted in a marked improvement of behavioral measures of cognitive deficits and a dramatic reduction in amyloid plaque burden, β-amyloid production, tau hyperphosphorylation, inflammatory responses, and synaptic loss in these transgenic animals. In particular, we found that SP600125 treatment strongly promoted nonamyloidogenic amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing and inhibited amyloidogenic APP processing via regulating APP-cleavage secretase expression (ie, ADAM10, BACE1, and PS1) in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice. Interpretation Our findings demonstrate that chronic SP600125 treatment is powerfully effective in slowing down disease progression by markedly reducing multiple pathological features and ameliorating cognitive deficits associated with AD. This study highlights the concept that active JNK actually contributes to the development of the disease, and provides critical preclinical evidence that specific inhibition of JNK activation by SP600125 treatment may be a novel promising disease-modifying therapeutic strategy for the treatment of AD. Ann Neurol 2015;77:637-654 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In this study, the effects of carbon nanofiber (CNF) surface modification on mechanical properties of polyamide 1212 (PA1212)/CNFs composites were investigated. CNFs grafted with ethylenediamine (CNF- g-EDA), and CNFs grafted with polyethyleneimine (CNF- g-PEI) were prepared and characterized. The mechanical properties of the PA1212/CNFs composites were reinforced efficiently with addition of 0.3 wt % modified CNFs after drawing. The reinforcing effect of the drawn composites was investigated in terms of interfacial interaction, crystal orientation, crystallization properties and so on. After the surface modification of CNFs, the interfacial adhesion and dispersion of CNFs in PA1212 matrix were improved, especially for CNF- g-PEI. The improved interfacial adhesion and dispersion of CNFs in PA1212 matrix was beneficial to reinforcement of the composites. Compared with pure PA1212, improved degree of crystal orientation in the PA1212/CNF- g-PEI (CNF- g-EDA) composites was responsible for reinforcement of mechanical properties after drawing. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41424. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The detail information of both α and β form poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) crystal effect on the crystallization behavior of poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) were systematically studied. The results show that β form PVDF can obviously improve the melt-crystallization temperature of PBS during the nonisothermal crystallization process. Both crystallization time span and spherulitic size of PBS decrease with the increasing amount of β form PVDF, which enhances the primary nucleation of PBS. But α form PVDF shows no nucleating effect on PBS crystallization, exhibiting as almost unchanged Tc values for α form PVDF-blended PBS samples. The intrinsic mechanism for the nucleating effect of β form PVDF on PBS was proposed to be the epitaxial crystallization. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40991. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion is a critical causative factor for the development of cognitive decline and dementia in the elderly, which involves many pathophysiological processes. Consequently, inhibition of several pathophysiological pathways is an attractive therapeutic strategy for this disorder. Rutin, a biologically active flavonoid, protects the brain against several insults through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, but its effect on cognitive deficits and brain damage caused by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion remains unknown. Here, we investigated the neuroprotective effect of rutin on cognitive impairments and the potential mechanisms underlying its action in rats with chronic cerebral hypoperfusion. Experimental Approach We used Sprague-Dawley rats with permanent bilateral common carotid artery occlusion ( BCCAO), a well-established model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion. After rutin treatment for 12 weeks, the neuroprotective effect of rutin in rats was evaluated by behavioural tests, biochemical and histopathological analyses. Key Results BCCAO rats showed marked cognitive deficits, which were improved by rutin treatment. Moreover, BCCAO rats exhibited central cholinergic dysfunction, oxidative damage, inflammatory responses and neuronal damage in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, compared with sham-operated rats. All these effects were significantly alleviated by treatment with rutin. Conclusion and Implications Our results provide new insights into the pharmacological actions of rutin and suggest that rutin has multi-targeted therapeutical potential on cognitive deficits associated with conditions with chronic cerebral hypoperfusion such as vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]