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We synthesized on cellulose membranes 4942 ten-amino-acid peptides which included all of the sequences predicted for the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) corona virus. We probed these membranes with four pairs of acute and convalescent sera from recovered SARS cases. We correlated positively reacting peptides with the in vitro SARS-CoV neutralizing activity of the samples. We found that convalescent sera with high neutralizing activity recognized exclusively only a limited number of peptides on the membranes. This suggests that antibodies against the epitopes represented by these peptides could be responsible for much of the SARS-CoV neutralizing activity. The findings have implications for monitoring humoral responses to SARS-CoV as well as for developing a successful SARS vaccine. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Integrated Battery Recycling (BATINTREC) process is an innovative technology for the recycling of used batteries and electronic waste, which combines vacuum metallurgical reprocessing and a ferrite synthesis process. Vacuum metallurgical reprocessing can be used to reclaim the mercury (Hg) in the dry batteries and the cadmium (Cd) in the Ni–Cd batteries. The ferrite synthesis process reclaims the other heavy metals by synthesizing ferrite in a liquid phase. Mixtures of manganese oxide and carbon black are also produced in the ferrite synthesis process. The effluent from the process is recycled, thus significantly minimizing its discharge. The heavy metal contents of the effluent could meet the Integrated Wastewater Discharge Standard of China if the ratio of the crushed battery scrap and powder to FeSO4·7H2O is set at 1:6. This process could not only stabilize the heavy metals, but also recover useful resource from the waste. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In greenhouse experiments, three strains of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), Serratia sp. J2, fluorescent pseudomonad J3, and Bacillus sp. BB11, were evaluated for biological control of bacterial wilt of tomato caused by Ralstonia solanacearum. A total of four field trials were conducted, each in a different location in Jiangsu and the Hebei provinces. Strains J2, J3, and BB11 provided disease control and increased yield. In trial one in Qixia (1999), disease was reduced 66.1, 73.6, and 68.4% by J2, J3, and BB11, respectively, compared to the control. Yield increases with bacteria in this trial ranged from 49.5 to 70.8%. In trial two in Huaian (2000), disease was reduced 78.1, 94.1, and 86.9% by J2, J3, and BB11, respectively. Yield increases ranged from 180 to 237%. In trial three in Handan (1999), biocontrol efficiencies of 71.3, 63.6, and 78.2% were achieved by J2, J3, and BB11, respectively. Yield increases ranged from 53.5 to 76.2%. In trial 4 in Handan (2000), disease was reduced 74.4, 75.1, and 81.9% by J2, J3, and BB11, respectively, compared to the control. Yield increases with these bacteria ranged from 46.3 to 78.5%. Additional tests were conducted with 1-year-old and 2-year-old formulations of each PGPR strain. Populations of PGPR in the 1-year-old formulations were nearly identical to freshly prepared PGPR formulations. Biological control efficacy was retained by the stored formulations of all three PGPR strains, with 1-year-old formulations providing 68.4–99.5% control and 2-year-old formulations providing 63.4–78.5% control. Yield increases with stored formulations ranged from 35.4 to 67.0%. We conclude that our method of formulating PGPR products provides stable formulations that retain biological control and plant growth-promoting activities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

As a well-known numerical approximation method, the least squares fitting method is widely applied in surveying engineering. The most important and difficult problem in this method is to determine the type of base function to be used, and polynomial is the most frequently used type. But if the degree of polynomial is too high (>=7), the normal equations are usually ill-conditioned. When we choose the uniform B-spline as the basis, there are two problems: (1) if we require the known data points to be an equidistant grid, it can only be applied in limited field; and (2) if the known data points are scattered, it is very difficult to obtain satisfactory results by using the uniform B-spline method. The purpose of this paper is to present the least squares fitting method based on a bivariate nonuniform B-spline. The principles and algorithms of this least squares fitting method are developed. Based on this method, two numerical simulations and one application in regional gravity field approximation are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In terms of Lie theory the evolution of a time-dependent quantum system can be described by the dynamics of its generalized coherent state and its phase properties can be investigated by an Hermitian phase operator constructed from a generalized phase state we introduced. Two illustrative examples of SU(1,1) and SU(2) groups are presented. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

SRA is a steroid receptor co-activator which acts as a functional RNA and is classified as belonging to the growing family of functional non-coding RNAs. None of the different SRA transcripts described to date encode a detectable SRA protein following in vitro and in vivo translation experiments. We have identified three new SRA-RNA isoforms differing mainly from the originally cloned SRA by an extended 5′ extremity. These long SRA isoforms, able to encode a stable protein in vitro, led to the production in vivo of a nuclear protein when transfected into the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis of RNA and protein extracts from different breast cancer cell lines confirmed the presence of endogenous coding SRA isoforms and their corresponding proteins. Our results demonstrate that full-length SRA-RNAs likely to encode stable proteins are widely expressed in breast cancer cell lines. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Discusses a study on the geochemical features of the two Early Paleozoic ophiolite zones in the central-southern Tianshan region in China and the central Tianshan igneous rock belt between them. Relics distributed along the Aqqikkudug-Weiya zone; Units in which the Tianshan belt can be divided; Composition of ophiolite sequence.

We cloned in silico a novel human UDP-GalNAc:polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (pp-GalNAc-T), pp-GalNAc-T12. The deduced amino acid sequence of pp-GalNAc-T12 contains all conserved motifs in pp-GalNAc-T family proteins. Quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that the pp-GalNAc-T12 transcript was expressed mainly in digestive organs such as stomach, small intestine and colon. The recombinant pp-GalNAc-T12 transferred GalNAc to the mucin-derived peptides such as the Muc1a, Muc5AC, EA2 peptides and the GalNAc-Muc5AC glycopeptide. Since mucins are glycoproteins mainly produced in the digestive organs, our results suggest that pp-GalNAc-T12 plays an important role in the initial step of mucin-type oligosaccharide biosynthesis in digestive organs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

T cell receptor (TCR) a alleles undergo primary and secondary rearrangement in double-positive (DP) thymocytes. By analyzing TCRa rearrangement in orphan nuclear receptor ROR?-deficient mice, in which the DP lifespan is shorter, and in Bcl-xL-transgenic mice, in which the DP lifespan is extended, we show that the progression of secondary Va to Ja rearrangements is controlled by DP thymocyte survival. In addition, because Bcl-xL induces a bias towards 3' Ja usage in peripheral T cells, we conclude that the programmed cell death of DP thymocytes is not simply a consequence of failed positive selection. Rather, it limits the progression of rearrangement along the Ja locus and the opportunities for positive selection, thereby regulating the TCRa repertoire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the role of Rpm2 protein subunit of mitochondrial RNase P in Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the translation of mitochondrially-encoded subunits of cytochrome c oxidase. Spectra of mitochondrial cytochromes and protein levels of cytochrome c oxidase in wild type and rpm2-100 mutant; Activities of cytochrome c oxidase and NADH-cytochrome c reductase.

Limbal stem cells (LSCs) are crucial for corneal transparency and vision. Any damages to LSCs might lead to limbal stem cell deficiency resulting in corneal opacification and even blindness. Here, we investigated the cytotoxicity of timolol and its underlying mechanisms in rabbit LSCs (rLSCs) in vitro. High concentrations of 0.5% and 0.25% timolol induced necroptosis in rLSCs to upregulate receptor interacting protein kinase (RIPK)1, RIPK3, mixed lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL) and phosphorylated MLKL along with downregulation of caspase-8 and caspase-2 within 4 h. While, median concentrations of 0.125% to 0.0625% timolol induced apoptosis in the rLSCs within 28 h. The apoptotic mechanism in the median-concentration timolol-treated rLSCs is probably via extrinsic apoptosis pathway by activating caspase-2, caspase-8 and caspase-3 and intrinsic apoptosis pathway triggered by excessive generation of ROS and subsequent DNA damage to upregulate Bax and Bad, downregulate Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, subsequently disrupt mitochondrial membrane potential, cytosolically translocate cytochrome c and apoptosis-inducing factor, and activate caspase-9. In addition, low concentration of 0.03125% timolol induced senescence in the rLSCs by elevating ROS level and increasing number of senescence associated β-galactosidase positive cells at 28 h. Our findings reveal that timolol induces necroptosis, apoptosis and senescence concentration-dependently in rLSCs in vitro. [Display omitted] • 0.25% and 0.5% timolol induce necroptosis in rLSCs via RIPK1, RIPK3 and MLKL pathway in vitro. • 0.0625%-0.125% timolol induce apoptosis in rLSCs through caspase- and mitochondria-dependent pathway in vitro. • 0.03125% timolol induced senescence in rLSCs in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical activation in mechanical removal of GaN using diamond tip and mechanochemical removal using Al 2 O 3 tip are described by the Archard equation and mechanically assisted Arrhenius-type kinetic model, respectively. Evident material-removal under elastic contact occurs with the assistance of interfacial mechanochemical reactions. By analyzing the mechanochemical reactions with Arrhenius-type kinetic model and Hertzian contact mechanics, the critical activation volume and activation barrier are determined semiquantitatively. The mechanical activation originating from the chemically active counter-surface facilitates the mechanochemical atomic attrition by altering the energy barrier of the reaction kinetics. This work can provide deep insights into the mechanochemical-removal mechanism of GaN. • Linear dependence between load and GaN removal against diamond obeys Archard's equation. • Evident mechanochemical removal of GaN against Al 2 O 3 occurs under purely elastic contact. • Mechanochemical removal of GaN using Al 2 O 3 is described by the modified Arrhenius-type model. • Mechanical activation reduces the energy barrier of mechanochemical reaction kinetics. • Synergic effect of counter-surface chemistry and mechanical energy is elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a malignant disease with high morbidity and mortality rates in children and adolescents. Evidence has indicated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) may serve important roles in human cancer progression, including OS. In the present study, the role of lnc-double homeobox A pseudogene 8 (DUXAP8) in the development of OS was identified. The expression of lncRNA-DUXAP8 was determined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction in OS tissues. Cell proliferation was evaluated using Cell Counting kit-8 and colony formation assays, and Transwell assays were conducted to measure cell invasion. Cell migration was evaluated using a wound healing assay. The binding site between lnc-DUXAP8 and miR-635 RNAs was investigated using a luciferase reporter assay. The expression of lnc-DUXAP8 was significantly upregulated in OS samples and OS cell lines compared with normal tissues. High expression of lncRNA DUXAP8 was associated with shorter overall survival times. Knockdown of lncRNA DUXAP8 inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion in OS cells. Notably, mechanistic investigation revealed that lncRNA DUXAP8 predominantly acted as a competing endogenous RNA in OS by regulating the miR-635/topoisomerase alpha 2 (TOP2A) axis. lncRNA DUXAP8 is upregulated in OS, and lncRNA DUXAP8-knockdown serves a vital antitumor role in OS cell progression through the miR-635/TOP2A axis. The results of the present study suggested that lncRNA DUXAP8 may be a novel, promising biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing production of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) causing animal and human health issues is found in eutrophic water bodies, marine habitats and desert environments. The health threat posed by MC-LR has led to the establishment of World Health Organization's water guideline value of 1 μg/mL. Combating this has increased the search for cost-effective approach to degrade MC-LR. The study aimed to optimize the MC-degrading environmental factors of bacterial community YFMCD4. Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to evaluate the influence of varying temperatures, pH and initial MC-LR concentration on the biodegradation efficiency of MC-LR by bacterial community YFMCD4. The optimal MC-LR biodegradation environmental factors were found to be 30 °C, pH 7 and 2 μg/mL initial MC-LR. The biodegradation rate reached 100% after 10 h. YFMCD4 mainly consisted of genera Alacligenes , Sphingobacterium and Pseudomonas using High-throughput pyrosequencing technology. The mlrA gene encoding MlrA enzyme considered most important for MC-LR biodegradation was obtained from YFMCD4. Data demonstrated that the bacterial structure and biodegradation efficiency of YFMCD4 varied with the change of environmental factors including temperature, pH and MC-LR concentrations. RSM is considered a good method to examine the optimal biodegradation environmental conditions for MC-LR. To date, RSM and High-throughput pyrosequencing technology are employed to optimize the biodegradation conditions (30 °C, pH 7 and 2 μg/mL initial MC-LR) and analyze the structure of bacterial community for the first time. • RSM was used to optimize MC-LR biodegradation conditions by YFMCD4 for the first time. • Varying temperatures, pH and MC-LR concentrations influenced MC-LR biodegradation. • Structure of YFMCD4 was analyzed by high-throughput pyrosequencing technology. • mlrA and mlrD homologues genes were amplified from YFMCD4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cover image is based on the Research Article I Structural damage identification with limited modal measurements and ultra-sparse Bayesian regression i by Mingqiang Xu et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/stc.2729. GLO:VUV/01jun21:stc2778-toc-0001.jpg PHOTO (COLOR): . gl. [Extracted from the article]

• Adjusting the cooling temperatures for the batteries and cabin independently. • Researching the backpressure control method to differentiate the evaporation. • Realizing the di-function of battery cooling or heating directly by refrigerant. • Investigating the refrigerant-based cabin-and-battery mixed heating management. A refrigerant-based thermal management system (TMS) for electric vehicles (EVs) is proposed and analyzed, aiming to tackle the conflict between the cabin thermal comfort and the battery thermal safety, and to realize the battery heating or cooling directly by the refrigerant without supplementary devices. Compared with the traditional EV TMSs, an electronic expansion valve (EEV) is equipped after the battery cooling/heating device in the refrigerant branch circuit. The performance of the proposed new TMS is investigated by mathematical simulations in conditions of the standardized New European Driving Cycles (NEDC) and different climates. The simulation results indicate that both the temperatures of the cabin air and the battery pack can be well controlled by the proposed TMS. In the cabin-and-battery mixed cooling mode for summer, the cooling temperatures for the cabin and the battery can be adjusted independently, and the cabin air can be cooled to the target temperature effectively as well as the battery thermal safety is guaranteed. In the cabin-and-battery mixed heating mode for winter, the high temperature refrigerant flows through the battery cooling plate and heats the batteries with the latent heat of condensation, and the battery preheating can be completed within 15 min and 9 min in the condition of 0 °C and 7 °C ambient temperature, respectively. Besides the thermal behaviors of the cabin and the battery, the controls of the compressor and the valves are also investigated to verify the practical feasibility of the proposed TMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Currently, the chemotherapy drugs-loaded thermosensitive liposomes have not shown an over standard of clinical effects compared to preclinical trials. In addition to the limiting factors of clinical trial design and heating device, abnormal angiogenesis in desmoplastic tumor is a key factor for unexpected clinical efficacy. Malformed tumor vasculature may result in reduced vascular transport and the heterogeneous distribution of thermosensitive liposomes in tumor. Here, we report an anti-angiogenesis strategy through hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF)-1α-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) axis based on icaritin and coix seed oil dual loaded multicomponent thermosensitive lipid complexes (IC-ML). IC-ML could downregulate the HIF-1α expression in HepG2 cells with a synergetic antitumor effect. In addition, HepG2 + LX-2 cells co-cultured 3D tumor spheres administered IC-ML showed the strongest penetration and inhibition of growth. Accordingly, IC-ML displayed improved tumor penetration and superior synergistic antitumor efficacy with HIF-1α-VEGF downregulation in vivo under mild hyperthermia. The improvement of antitumor efficacy of IC-ML comes from the anti-angiogenesis strategy and comprehensive tumor microenvironment remodeling, including depletion of cancer-associated fibroblasts as well as inhibition of M2-type tumor associated macrophage infiltration in desmoplastic tumor. This study proposes a novel multicomponent synergistic antitumor strategy to improve the therapeutic potential of thermosensitive lipid complexes for hepatocellular carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The weakly bound nucleus 29F locates near the neutron drip line. Experiments have confirmed that it is the heaviest two-neutron halo nucleus discovered up to now. To understand the halo structure in 29F, we explore the weakly bound and resonant levels close to the Fermi surface with the complex momentum representation method. Not only the narrow resonances and the broad resonances. Since the broad resonance 2 p 3/2 is disclosed, the p âˆ' f inversion and N = 20 shell gap quenching are found. The last valence neutron can occupy the weakly bound level 1/2[310], composed mainly of p 3/2â€"component, or the 1/2[211], composed mainly of s 1/2â€"component. Since the wavefunctions of p and s â€"components extend to a large range in the coordinate space, which results in the density distributions of the levels 1/2[310] and 1/2[211] being considerably diffuse. This is the most likely cause of halo formation in 29F and the halo may be formed by the p â€"component, s â€"component, or their mixtures by pairing correlations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The drive‐by bridge health monitoring is to assess the bridge condition using the acceleration responses measured on the body or axle of instrumented vehicles. The vehicle responses are greatly affected by the road surface roughness that makes the bridge dynamic information blurred. Instead of direct using vehicle responses for the bridge monitoring, the dynamic response of contact point (CP) between the vehicle and bridge is further explored to enhance the drive‐by bridge modal identification. A novel three‐step framework is proposed to extract the components related to the bridge vibration from vehicle responses. The first step is to identify the input forces of two successive vehicles by solving the combined state‐input estimation problem using dual Kalman filter. The CP responses of two contact points are calculated using the input forces and vehicle parameters. In the second step, the subtraction technique is applied to the identified CP responses of the two instrumented vehicles and the effect of the road surface roughness can be significantly reduced. Finally, an automatic singular spectrum analysis technique (auto SSA) is incorporated to decompose the response residual. Then the mono‐component modes related to the bridge response are extracted from the response residual for drive‐by bridge modal identification and/or the nonstationary characteristic identification of vehicle–bridge interaction (VBI) system. Results of numerical and experimental study demonstrate that the method can significantly suppress the vehicle response component and reduce the effect of road surface roughness to enhance the bridge modal identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal high-fat diet (HFD) is a detrimental factor in developing glucose intolerance, obesity, and islet dysfunction. However, the effect of artemisinin on maternal HFD and whether it is related to the alterations of islet function is seldom studied since artemisinin treatments not only attenuate insulin resistance (IR) and restore islet ß cell function in Diabetes mellitus type 2. Female rats were randomly fed a HFD (45% kcal from fat), HFD + artemisinin, or a regular chow diet (RCD) before pregnancy and during gestation. Glucose metabolism and the β cell phenotypes were assessed. Maternal HFD increased islet load in female rats, proliferation of pancreatic β cells, increased insulinogen, and decreased insulin secretion response to high glucose stimulation with delayed insulin release, increased fasting glucose, and glucose area under the curve compared with the general diet group. HFD inhibited expression of Foxo1 and PAX6 in female rats. Under the effect of both HFD and pregnancy, islet load was further increased, insulinogen was further increased, and fasting insulin level and fasting glucose were higher than RCD fed general-pregnancy group. ALDH1a3 transdifferentiation and PAX6, Foxo1, and PDX1 expression were increased in islets of high-fat pregnant rats. When adding artemisinin in HFD treated pregnant rats, islet function was significantly improved. Intervention with artemisinin in maternal HFD resulted in reduced islet size, decreased number of β-cells and improved islet microcirculation, insulin processing shear process, decreased insulinogen/insulin ratio, and restored islet function through increased expression of PC1/3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports two new species of genus Neoscirula, namely, N. bambus Chen & Jin sp. nov. from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and N. pananensis Chen & Jin sp. nov. from Zhejiang province, which are described and illustrated. A key to adult females of Neoscirula species of the China is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochemical studies of Rubus chingii Hu afforded a new chromone ( 1), identified as rubusin B, along with six known compounds, kaempferol ( 2), rubusin A ( 3), quercetin ( 4), β-sitosterol ( 5), oleanolic acid ( 6), and liballinol ( 7). All the chemical structures were identified using 1D and 2D NMR data and MS data. It was found that compounds 1- 4 displayed anti-osteoporotic activities to different degrees, quercetin and kaempferol significantly increased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and can stimulate osteoblastic activity, and rubusin A and B strongly inhibit osteoclastic cell and bone resorption even at a concentration of 0.01 ppm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma-activated water (PAW) has good liquidity and uniformity and may be a promising candidate to inactivate Penicillium italicum and maintain the quality attributes of kumquat. In this study, the effect of plasma-activated water (PAW) on the viability of Penicillium italicum on kumquat and quality attributes of PAW-treated kumquats were then systematically investigated to elucidate the correlation between PAW and kumquat quality attributes. The effects of PAW on fruit decay, microbial loads, and firmness of postharvest kumquats during the 6-week storage were also investigated. The results showed that the viability of Penicillium italicum was notably inhibited by PAW on kumquats. Moreover, PAW did not significantly change the surface color of kumquats. No significant reductions in ascorbic acid, total flavonoid, and carotenoids were observed in kumquats after the PAW treatment. Results from nitrate and nitrite residue analyses showed that PAW did not leave serious nitrate and nitrite residues after treatment. The decay analysis results demonstrated that PAW has the potential to control kumquat decay and fungal contamination as well as maintain the firmness of postharvest kumquats throughout 6-week storage. Transmit electron microscope observation confirmed that PAW could cause the surface sculpturing in the skin cell wall of kumquat. The information obtained from this research may provide insight into the utilization of PAW to fight against fungal infection during the storage of citrus fruit. • The viability of Penicillium italicum is notably inhibited by PAW on kumquats. • PAW does not significantly change the quality attributes of kumquats. • PAW does not leave serious nitrate and nitrite residues after treatment. • PAW could cause the surface sculpturing in the skin cell wall of kumquat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel strategy was developed to prepare nitrogen rich biochar. • APBC has high affinity and strong sorption ability towards Pb(II). • APBC contains abundant nitrogen and oxygen-containing groups. • Sorption of Pb(II) is mainly dominant by inner–sphere surface complexation. Biochar was prepared by torrefaction of ammonium persulphate pretreated bamboo (labeled as APBC) and applied into elimination of Pb(II) from water solutions. APBC was characterized by N 2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, elemental and Zeta potential analyses, SEM-EDS, XPS, and FTIR. Abundant N- and O-containing groups appeared atop APBC. Batch sorption assays revealed that APBC had high affinity and strong sorption ability towards Pb(II). The high Pb(II) adsorbing ability was attributed to the high contents of N- and O-containing functional groups of APBC. The adsorption mechanism mainly occurred by inner–sphere surface complexation. Hence, torrefaction of ammonium persulphate pretreated bamboo is a promising strategy for producing efficient biochar that is applicable for industrial wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accumulation of heat and moderate precipitation are the primary factors that are used by grasslands to trigger a green-up date. The accumulated growing degree-days (AGDD) requirement over the preseason is an important indicator of the response of grassland spring phenology to climate change. This study adopted the Normalized Difference Phenology Index (NDPI), which derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), to extract annual green-up dates in the Hulun Buir grassland in China between 2001–2015. Our analysis indicated that the range (standard deviation) and trend for the green-up date were DOY (day of year) 104 to DOY 144 (10.6 days) and −2.0 days per decade. Nine point two percent of the study area had significant (p < 0.05) changes in AGDD requirements. The partial correlations between the AGDD requirements and chilling days (67.04%, pixels proportion) were negative and significant (p < 0.05). The partial correlations between the AGDD requirement and precipitation (28.87%) were positive and significant (p < 0.05). Finally, the partial correlation between the AGDD requirement and insolation (97.65%) were positive and significant (p < 0.05). The results of this study could reveal the response of vegetation to climate warming and contribute to improving the phenological mechanism model of different grassland types in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The static and dynamic mechanical behaviors of atoms/ions migrating on graphene surface are investigated via theoretical and numerical calculations, and a design idea of nano-scale device that can be used for atoms/ions screening is proposed on this basis. By using the Fourier expansion of the interaction potential between atoms, the analytical expression of the interaction force between an atom/ion and infinitely large graphene is derived. The dependence of the interaction force on the vertical distance from the atom/ion to graphene surface and the atomic/ionic types are analyzed. Based on the interaction force, a dynamics governing equation for the migration of atoms/ions on graphene surface is established, and the dynamics behaviors of atoms/ions when they migrate on the graphene surface at different initial velocities are studied. Taking lithium-ion as an example, it is found that there are three migration states along the armchair direction of graphene. No matter which migration state, the lithium-ion will eventually be stably adsorbed above the center of a hexagonal carbon ring (the hollow site). By adjusting the initial velocity, the lithium-ion can be steadily adsorbed at the specified sites, so as to control the migration distance of lithium-ion. What's more, the functional relationship between the critical initial velocity of the lithium-ion and the stable adsorption sites on graphene surface is given, and the influence of the vertical distance from the lithium-ion to graphene surface on the migration process is analyzed. In addition, the dynamics behaviors of the migration of different atoms/ions on graphene surface are studied, and it is found that the migration of alkali metal particles is more free with the increase of atomic number, and the stable site is further away from the initial position, which is in good agreement with the results of molecular dynamics simulation in the literature. Besides, the effects of initial position, damping and migration path on the dynamics behaviors of atoms/ions migrating on graphene surface are also studied. Finally, on the basis of theoretical results, a design idea of graphene-based nano-scale device is proposed, which can be used to screen specified atoms/ions and control their in and out positions. Image 1 • The mechanical behaviors of atoms/ions migrating on graphene are investigated. • The dependence of dynamics behavior of atoms/ions on initial velocity is studied. • The influence of atomic/ionic types on the dynamics behavior is described. • The effects of initial position, damping and migration path are considered. • A design idea of graphene-based nanodevice for atoms/ions screening is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Texturing effects on nanotribological properties and subsurface damage are studied. • Nanoscale friction and wear behaviour of GaN can be regulated by texture parameter. • Nano-texture can alleviate dislocation development and reduce subsurface damage. • The m -GaN exhibits lower wear and thicker damage layer compared with the c -GaN. Surface nanotribological properties and subsurface damage of flat and textured gallium nitride (GaN) substrates during both linear and circular nanoscratching processes are investigated using molecular dynamics simulation. Results show that the surface texture can remarkably reduce not only the surface friction and wear but also the scratching-induced subsurface damage regardless of the tip radius and penetration depth. Tangential force and friction coefficient decreased with an increase in groove width or depth primarily due to the reduced contact area. The effect of texturing on stress distribution can affect the development of dislocation to alleviate the nanoscale material deformation and removal and thereby reduce surface wear and subsurface damage. Increasing tip radius can reduce the friction coefficient and surface wear, but it promotes subsurface damage. By contrast, increasing tip penetration depth can increase the friction, wear, and subsurface damage for flat and textured GaN substrates. Compared with the c -plane, the m -plane GaN substrate exhibits higher friction but lower material wear, and it has a considerably thicker subsurface damage layer due to the difference in their dislocation networks. This work can provide useful insights into the design of GaN-based material with antifriction and wear properties through the surface texturing treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tumor cells tend to utilize glycolysis rather than aerobic respiration even under aerobic conditions. OVOL2, an inhibitory C2H2 zinc finger transcription factor, is a potential tumor suppressor in cancers. However, the association between OVOL2 and tumor energy metabolism is unknown. Methods: Western blotting was used to determine the expression of OVOL2 in different non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines and mouse models. The metabolic parameters in NSCLC cells following overexpression or knockdown OVOL2 were examined. To define the mechanism by which OVOL2 regulates aerobic glycolysis, interacting protein of OVOl2 and downstream molecular events were identified by luciferase assay and co-immunoprecipitation. We documented the regulatory mechanism in mouse xenograft models. Finally, clinical relevance of OVOL2, NF-κB signaling and GLUT1 was measured by immunostaining. Results: OVOL2 is downregulated in NSCLC and overexpression of OVOL2 inhibits the survival of cancer cells. Moreover, OVOL2 directly binds to P65 and inhibits the recruitment of P300 but facilitates the binding of HDAC1 to P65, which in turn negatively regulates NF-κB signaling to suppress GLUT1 translocation and glucose import. In contrast, OVOL2 expression is negatively regulated by NF-κB signaling in NSCLC cells via the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway. Re-expression of OVOL2 significantly compromise NF-κB signaling-induced GLUT1 translocation, aerobic glycolysis in NSCLC cells and mouse models. Immunostaining revealed inverse correlations between the OVOL2 and phosphorylated P65 levels and between the OVOL2 and membrane GLUT1 levels, and a strong correlation between the phosphorylated P65 and membrane GLUT1 levels. Conclusions: These results suggest a regulatory circuit linking NF-κB and OVOL2, which highlights the role of NF-κB signaling and OVOL2 in the modulation of glucose metabolism in NSCLC. 5S647uSA4FfDHArbVFhiZ4 Video Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was to investigate the effect of phytosterol formula on growth performance, immune function, nutrient apparent digestibility and intestinal microflora of piglets. The results showed that the feeding phytosterol formula increased the average daily gain of piglets by 14.73%, and reduced diarrhea rate by 62.21%. The serum test found that growth hormone in serum increased by 18.59%, total protein increased by 13.07%, immunoglobulin G increased by 42.70%, and TNF-α decreased by 24.49%. The apparent digestibility rate of dry matter, crude fat and crude protein was improved and the intestinal microbes was significantly boosted. The experiment indicates that the phytosterol formula significantly improves the immune function of piglets and growth performance, which can be potentially used as an antibiotics replacement products in feed industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A modified drag correlation considering wall-retardation effect is proposed based LBM. • The wall-retardation effect only works when h / d ≤ 2 (h is the particle-to-wall distance and d is the particle size). • In 140 s, the proppant pack height calculated by the newly proposed correlation is 0.0375m lower than that of Gidaspow model, proving that the wall-retardation effect exists and hindered the settlement of particles. • The newly proposed correlation is more advanced than the original Gidaspow model on simulation of two-phase flow in narrow-width channel. Proppant transport is crucial in hydraulic fracturing, which determines fracture conductivity and well productivity. Proppant transport in hydraulic fractures is essentially the dense solid−liquid flow. Unlike the widely studied fluid-solid flow in chemical engineering and fluvial sediment transport, the motion of proppants (particles) will be significantly affected by walls of narrow channels such as fractures and slots, because the drag force is changed. This paper studies the wall-retardation effect on particle movement, and modified the drag coefficient for simulating liquid−solid flow in narrow-width fractures. Both experiments and simulations on proppant transport are conducted. The drag coefficient considering wall-retardation effect is modified by the Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), and is integrated into OpenFOAM for two fluid method (TFM) numerical simulation. Experiment and simulation results show a good agreement, and the improved drag model is more advanced than the Gidaspow model in reproducing the movement characteristics of suspended particles in narrow channels. Compared to previous research outcomes about this topic, this work can efficiently improve the accuracy on proppant transport simulation and be widely applied in industrial numerical simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disruption of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) is an important hallmark of sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE). Selegiline, a selective and irreversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase type B, has been applied for the treatment of nervous disorders. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether selegiline has a protective capacity in the impairment of the BBB in both in vivo and in vitro experiments. In a sepsis mouse model, administration of selegiline ameliorated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)–induced impairment of BBB integrity. Additionally, treatment with selegiline increased the expression of the tight junction protein junctional adhesion molecule A (JAM-A) against LPS. Also, we found that selegiline inhibited the production of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1β. In an in vitro experimental model, bEnd.3 brain endothelial cells were exposed to LPS. Results indicate that stimulation with LPS significantly increased the permeability of bEnd.3 cells and reduced the expression of JAM-A, both of which were rescued by treatment with selegiline. Additionally, selegiline prevented the activation of the NF-κB/MLCK/p-MLC signaling pathway in LPS-challenged bEnd.3 cells. These results indicate that selegiline exerted a protective effect on BBB dysfunction, which might be attributed to the inhibition of the NF-κB/MLCK/p-MLC signaling pathway. These findings provide a basis for further research into the neuroprotective mechanism of selegiline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unexpected bursty traffic brought by certain sudden events, such as news in the spotlight on a social network or discounted items on sale, can cause severe load imbalance in backend services. Migrating hot data—the standard approach to achieve load balance—meets a challenge when handling such unexpected load imbalance, because migrating data will slow down the server that is already under heavy pressure. This article proposes PostMan, an alternative approach to rapidly mitigate load imbalance for services processing small requests. Motivated by the observation that processing large packets incurs far less CPU overhead than processing small ones, PostMan deploys a number of middleboxes called helpers to assemble small packets into large ones for the heavily-loaded server. This approach essentially offloads the overhead of packet processing from the heavily-loaded server to helpers. To minimize the overhead, PostMan activates helpers on demand, only when bursty traffic is detected. The heavily-loaded server determines when clients connect/disconnect to/from helpers based on the real-time load statistics. To tolerate helper failures, PostMan can migrate connections across helpers and can ensure packet ordering despite such migration. Driven by real-world workloads, our evaluation shows that, with the help of PostMan, a Memcached server can mitigate bursty traffic within hundreds of milliseconds, while migrating data takes tens of seconds and increases the latency during migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the reduction reactions of 8-B-4 borate complexes. Use of fragmentation probes; Detection of electron-transfer hydrogen atom abstraction mechanism; Initiated reduction reactions of alkyl halides with tetra-n-butylammonium borohydride; Qualitative differentiation of the mechanism on the basis of the products formed; Involvement of homolytic reduction reactions.

Glycerol oxidation reaction (GOR) is an attractive alternative reaction for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in the electrochemical water splitting and can be used to generate high-value products. However, the development of GOR electrocatalysts with high catalytic activity and low cost is challenging. In this research, a self-supported copper-manganese electrode (MnO 2 -CuO/CF) was developed, which attains a current density of 10.7 mA cm−2 at a low potential of 1.3 V, while yielding 1,3-dihydroxyacetone (DHA), with a selectivity of 60%. DFT calculations reveal the synergistic effect between CuO and MnO 2 , enhancing glycerol adsorption. Additionally, the overlap configuration of CuO and MnO 2 results in a lower electron density on MnO 2 , preventing further oxidation and increasing DHA selectivity. By coupling GOR and water electrolysis, the dual output of high value-added organic products and high-purity hydrogen can be realized, which provides a new idea for green hydrogen production and electrochemical synthesis of high value-added chemicals. [Display omitted] • The copper-manganese self-supported electrodes(MnO 2 -CuO/CF) was constructed. • MnO 2 -CuO/CF attains 10 mA cm−2 at 1.3 V with a selectivity of 60% for 1,3-dihydroxyacetone. • The DFT calculations revealed the mechanism of GOR on MnO 2 -CuO/CF electrode. • Overlap configuration regulates the electron density of MnO 2 , promoting the desorption of DHA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryospheric responses to climate warming include glacier retreat, altitude‐dependent thermal instability, and abundant meltwater, which increase the frequency of catastrophic glacier hazard chain (CGHC) events. Here we investigated the formation mechanism of a special CGHC event in 2018, in the Sedongpu Glacier, Eastern Himalayas, China. Based on the multi‐source remote sensing, seismic signal analysis, and numerical simulation, we conducted long‐term retrospective analysis and co‐event process reconstruction. The results show that the event could be divided into two phases. First, the hanging glacier with a volume of 8.5 × 106 m3 collapsed onto the downstream trunk glacier. Next, ∼1.17 × 108 m3 eroded materials from the impacted glacier transformed into debris flow and traveled downstream 8 km. During the cascading process, ice‐rock avalanche momentum and glacier velocity are key factors in determining CGHC formation and eventual volume. Our study helps better understand the domino effects of the CGHC disaster. Plain Language Summary: Glacier instability in cryosphere is significantly influenced by global warming. The glacial lake outburst floods are the most widely studied and catastrophic events resulting from this instability, but they are not the only ones. In recent years, increasing catastrophic glacier hazard chain (CGHC) events have reminded us of disasters during climate warming, especially in the Himalayas region. Here, we report a typical CGHC event in the Eastern Himalayas, where the retreated glaciers are widely distributed. Based on our observations and simulations, we completed the retrospective analysis of CGHC through its formation conditions, evolution process, and specific kinematic process. These analyses help us understand the driving mechanism, the volume‐increasing effect, and the super‐fluidity of CGHC. Our findings help improve such hazard chain identification and mitigation in the Eastern Himalayas and glacierized environments elsewhere in the world. Key Points: New insights of Ice‐rock avalanche hazard chain on retreated hanging glacier in Eastern HimalayaErosion process on the trunk glacier led to a volume‐increasing and super‐fluidity of catastrophic glacier hazard chain (CGHC)The pre‐evolution and formation of CGHC were closely related to climate warming [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manufacturing process parameters play a critical role in determining the quality of resin‐matrix composite structures. This study aims to investigate the impact of process parameters on void content and identify the stable and minimal void content of nano‐reinforced filament‐wound risers. Fourteen process parameters were initially designed, taking into account winding tension, speed, and curing time, based on the Box–Behnken design method. Subsequently, a void content model was developed using the response surface method, utilizing experimental data. The study further explores the effects of individual and combined process parameters on void content and establishes a stable process window through sensitivity analysis. Finally, the PSO‐GWO algorithm is employed to optimize winding tension, speed, and curing time with the objective of reducing void content. The results of the numerical analysis highlight the significant influence of curing time on void content, and the optimal parametric combination is determined to be 48.4 N winding tension, 12.6 m/min winding speed, and 6.7 h of curing time. Highlights: Winding tension and rate have a similar impact on porosity content.Void content sensitivity to tension is affected by feed rate and curing time.The stable process windows are winding tension [28 N, 53 N], feed rate [30%, 78%], and curing time [5.1 h, 8.4 h].The optimal parameters combination is 48.4 N, 63%, and 6.7 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible organic light-emitting diode display devices fabricated on polyimide (PI) substrates have more obvious residual image problems due to the abnormal threshold-voltage (Vth) shifts of a thin film transistor (TFT). In this paper, the Vth shift of TFT fabricated on a PI substrate was analyzed. We explained the worse bias stability and worse recovery of TFT with a PI substrate compared with TFT with a glass substrate, by an interlayer charging effect (Maxwell–Wagner effect) and a technology computer-aided design (Silvaco). When bias stress was applied for a long time, the interface between the PI substrate and the buffer layer will have a charging effect under the action of an electric field, and the charging charge will react on the channel and hinder the formation of the channel. We found that there are differences in the scale of charge under different voltage stress conditions, and this will result in different Vth shifts of driving TFTs for displays units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve predefined‐time trajectory tracking control of a flexible‐joint space robot(FJSR) with actuator constraints, a nonsingular predefined‐time dynamic surface control scheme is developed. The input saturation caused by actuator constraints is addressed via the designed predefined‐time anti‐saturation compensator. On this basis, two different control laws are designed for such high‐order nonlinear systems by utilizing the backstepping technique, and a novel nonlinear filter is constructed to filter the virtual control signals, thus avoiding the "differential expansion" phenomenon. Moreover, a singularity‐free auxiliary function is designed to solve the singularity issue generated by the derivative of fractional power terms in the predefined‐time control algorithm framework. The closed‐loop system is proven to be semi‐globally predefined‐timely uniformly ultimately bounded (SGPTUUB) via constructing the suitable Lyapunov function. The difference and effectiveness of the two designed control laws are illustrated by the conducted simulations. Both of them allow the FJSR system to track the desired trajectory in a reasonably predefined time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent identification of superconductive effects in multilayer graphene systems exhibiting coexistence of rhombohedral and Bernal structural phases has attracted great attention. Complex effects have been reported in the presence of dislocations and/or solitons between graphene layers. Local magnetic fields and percolative effects have also been identified in the presence of wrinkling and disclinations. Interestingly, a recent report has also demonstrated the local stabilization of disorder-rich rhombohedral phases in low dimensional systems comprising of multiwalled carbon nanotubes modified with sulfur. In this work we identify a variation in the predicted ABA Bernal graphitic ordering of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) fabricated in the presence of dichlorobenzene as a growth-promoter. The presented results highlight the stabilization of a high density of dislocations in samples produced by pyrolysis of low concentrations of ferrocene. We present an in-depth investigation of the dislocation-rich interfaces, especially by employing HRTEM analyses, evidencing a spontaneous local-insertion of low-dimensional atomic-lines (or solitons) into neighbouring atomic layers of curved graphene. Furthermore, by employing a methodology involving highly controllable cooling-rates and subsequential characterization through X-ray diffraction (XRD), we demonstrate a rapid migration of interstitial carbon, with relaxation of Fe3C into α-Fe and stabilization of local body centred tetragonal phases within the body centred cubic lattice of the nanowires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES DOMAIN/ASYMMETRIC LEAVES2-LIKEs (LBDs/ASLs) are plant-specific transcription factors that function downstream of auxin-regulated lateral root (LR) formation. Our previous research found that PpLBD16 positively regulates peach (Prunus persica) LR formation. However, the downstream regulatory network and target genes of PpLBD16 are still largely unknown. Here, we constructed a PpLBD16 homologous overexpression line and a PpLBD16 silenced line. We found that overexpressing PpLBD16 promoted peach root initiation, while silencing PpLBD16 inhibited peach root formation. Through RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis of roots from PpLBD16 overexpression and silenced lines, we discovered that genes positively regulated by PpLBD16 were closely related to cell wall synthesis and degradation, ion/substance transport, and ion binding and homeostasis. To further detect the binding motifs and potential target genes of PpLBD16, we performed DNA-affinity purification sequencing (DAP-seq) analysis in vitro. PpLBD16 preferentially bound to CCNGAAANNNNGG (MEME-1), [C/T]TTCT[C/T][T/C] (MEME-2), and GCGGCGG (ABR1) motifs. By combined analysis of RNA-seq and DAP-seq data, we screened candidate target genes for PpLBD16. We demonstrated that PpLBD16 bound and activated the cell wall modification-related genes EXPANSIN-B2 (PpEXPB2) and SUBTILISIN-LIKE PROTEASE 1.7 (PpSBT1.7), the ion transport-related gene CYCLIC NUCLEOTIDE-GATED ION CHANNEL 1 (PpCNGC1) and the polyphenol oxidase (PPO)-encoding gene PpPPO, thereby controlling peach root organogenesis and promoting LR formation. Moreover, our results displayed that PpLBD16 and its target genes are involved in peach LR primordia development. Overall, this work reveals the downstream regulatory network and target genes of PpLBD16, providing insights into the molecular network of LBD16-mediated LR development. A plant-specific transcription factor controls root organogenesis, promotes lateral root formation, and participates in lateral root primordia development in peach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal upwelling currents such as the California Current System (CCS) comprise some of the most productive biological systems on the planet. Diatoms dominate these upwelling events in part due to their rapid response to nutrient entrainment. In this region, they may also be limited by the micronutrient iron (Fe), an important trace element primarily involved in photosynthesis and nitrogen assimilation. The mechanisms behind how diatoms physiologically acclimate to the different stages of the upwelling conveyor belt cycle remain largely uncharacterized. Here, we explore their physiological and metatranscriptomic response to the upwelling cycle with respect to the Fe limitation mosaic that exists in the CCS. Subsurface, natural plankton assemblages that would potentially seed surface blooms were examined over wide and narrow shelf regions. The initial biomass and physiological state of the phytoplankton community had a large impact on the overall response to simulated upwelling. Following on‐deck incubations under varying Fe physiological states, our results suggest that diatoms quickly dominated the blooms by "frontloading" nitrogen assimilation genes prior to upwelling. However, diatoms subjected to induced Fe limitation exhibited reductions in carbon and nitrogen uptake and decreasing biomass accumulation. Simultaneously, they exhibited a distinct gene expression response which included increased expression of Fe‐starvation induced proteins and decreased expression of nitrogen assimilation and photosynthesis genes. These findings may have significant implications for upwelling events in future oceans, where changes in ocean conditions are projected to amplify the gradient of Fe limitation in coastal upwelling regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diplogyniopsis fluctuosumsp. nov. associated with passalid beetles is described based on females from China on undermined passalid beetles, as well as on females and males from Thailand on Aceraius helferi (Coleoptera: Passalidae). The species represents the second known species of Diplogyniopsis Trägårdh, prompting us to redefine the genus diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the complex aerodynamic effects, the reentry trajectory optimization problem is highly nonlinear. When using sequential convex programming (SCP) methods to solve it, the iteration solution is difficult to converge. To improve this, we propose a hybrid-order soft trust region-based SCP method. We analyze the penalty effect of typical trust regions. Based on the analysis, we develop a hybrid-order soft trust region combining a small-weight first-order component and a higher-order components. To solve the subproblem reliably and effectively, we equivalently reformulate it as a second-order cone programming (SOCP) form through the relaxation technique. Combined with the line search method, we further design an SCP algorithm with guaranteed convergence under some assumptions. In the numerical simulations, the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method have been verified using a nominal case and 200 Monte Carlo cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new spleenwort species, Asplenium guodanum, was found and described from Danxia landform region in Guangdong, China. The new species has close resemblance to A. subcrenatum Ching ex S.H.Wu in morphology, but can be distinguished by having plants small, stipes and rachises not covered with fibrous scales, relatively fewer pairs of pinnae, pinnae short, pinna margin weakly biserrate, pinna apex acute and lower pinnae obviously reduced. Phylogenetic analyses, based on six plastid markers (atpB, rbcL, rps4 & rps4-trnS and trnL & trnL-F) of the new species and its relatives, support a close relationship between A. guodanum and A. subcrenatum. Only one population with no more than 50 individuals were found and, therefore, it is recommended to be classified as Critically Endangered (CR) following IUCN Red List Criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study was to establish a methodology for determining carboxymethyl lysine (CML) and carboxyethyl lysine (CEL) concentrations in human plasma using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The test results were also used for clinical aging research. Methods: Human plasma samples were incubated with aqueous perfluorovaleric acid (NFPA), succeeded by precipitation utilizing trichloroacetic acid, hydrolysis facilitated by hydrochloric acid, nitrogen drying, and ultimate re-dissolution utilizing NFPA, followed by filtration. Cotinine-D3 was added as an internal standard. The separation was performed on an Agela Venusil ASB C18 column (50 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) with a 5 mmol/L NFPA and acetonitrile/water of 60:40 (v/v) containing 0.15% formic acid. The multiple reaction monitoring mode was used for detecting CML, CEL, and cotinine-D3, with ion pairs m/z 205.2 > 84.1 (for quantitative) and m/z 205.2 > m/z 130.0 for CML, m/z 219.1 > 84.1 (for quantitative) and m/z 219.1 > m/z 130.1 for CEL, and m/z 180.1 > 80.1 for cotinine-D3, respectively. Results: The separation of CML and CEL was accomplished within a total analysis time of 6 minutes. The retention times of CML, CEL, and cotinine-D3 were 3.43 minutes, 3.46 minutes, and 4.50 minutes, respectively. The assay exhibited linearity in the concentration range of 0.025–1.500 μmol/L, with a lower limit of quantification of 0.025 μmol/L for both compounds. The relative standard deviations of intra-day and inter-day were both below 9%, and the relative errors were both within the range of ±4%. The average recoveries were 94.24% for CML and 97.89% for CEL. Conclusion: The results indicate that the developed methodology is fast, highly sensitive, highly specific, reproducible, and suitable for the rapid detection of CML and CEL in clinical human plasma samples. The outcomes of the clinical research project on aging underscored the important indicative significance of these two indicators for research on human aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A brief introduction of Chinese Limnesiidae taxonomy is provided. Adults of two new species, Limnesia (Limnesia) lupingae Li & Guo sp. nov. and Limnesia (Limnesia) macrophthalma Li & Guo sp. nov., from Heilongjiang and Hubei provinces respectively, are described in detail. Subtle structures are recorded with scanning electron micrographs. In addition, deutonymphs of two new species are also described in detail and compared with the adults in discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species, Momonides neolandbergi Li & Guo sp. nov. is described in detail, which is the fifth species all over the world in Momonidinae Lundblad, 1941, Momoniidae K. Viets, 1926. The family and subfamily are newly recorded for Chinese fauna. The new species are recorded by camera, optical microscope, and scanning electron microscope. Publication:New species: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health effects of urbanization are controversial. The association between urbanization and reversible subclinical risks of cardiovascular diseases (e.g., electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities) has rarely been studied. This study aimed to assess the association between urbanization and ECG abnormalities in China based on the China National Stroke Screening Survey (CNSSS). We used changes in the satellite-measured impervious surfaces rate and nighttime light data to assess the level of urbanization. Every interquartile increment in the impervious surfaces rate or nighttime light was related to a decreased risk of ECG abnormalities, with odds ratios of 0.894 (95% CI, 0.869–0.920) or 0.809 (95% CI, 0.772–0.847), respectively. And we observed a U-shaped nonlinear exposure–response relationship curve between the impervious surfaces rate and ECG abnormalities. In conclusion, the current average level of urbanization among the studied Chinese adults remains a beneficial factor for reducing cardiovascular risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]