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Rumen cannulation is a widely employed technique in ruminant nutrition research. However, the gap between skin and rumen cannula can cause leakage of fermentation gases and influx of atmospheric air, which may adversely affect the anaerobic environment in the rumen. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of rumen cannulation on headspace gases, dissolved gases, fermentation end products, and methanogen community in the rumen of dairy cows. Eight Holstein cows were used in the experiment. Four cows were surgically fitted with rumen cannulas, whereas the other 4 intact cows were used as control. Rumen cannulation decreased gaseous hydrogen and methane concentrations, dissolved carbon dioxide concentration, and relative abundances of Methanosphaera, and increased the saturation factor of dissolved hydrogen and dissolved methane, dissolved methane concentration, volatile fatty acid concentration, 16S ribosomal RNA gene copies of methanogens, and Simpson index of methanogen community. In summary, rumen cannulation causes a reduction in headspace gaseous hydrogen and gaseous methane, which may not decrease dissolved gas concentrations due to an increase in saturation factors. Furthermore, rumen cannulation alters methanogen community with increased methanogen population and decreased relative abundances of Methanosphaera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • This is the first report of using a multifunctional antibacterial nanocomposite for both photocatalytic and photothermal sterilization. • The nanocomposite exhibited greatly enhanced broad-spectrum antibacterial activity compared with previous antimicrobials. • Biocompatibility experiments showed that our composites are safe therapeutic materials for the treatment of bacterial infections. Abstract Despite the development of various drugs and materials, bacterial infections remain a serious problem for wound healing. Most current materials cannot simultaneously provide antibacterial effects, reusability, and biocompatibility, and participate in stimulating cellular behaviour to promote bacterial wound healing. Herein, multifunctional nitrogen-rich carbon-coated bismuth/cobalt nanoparticles (Bi@Co@CN) with foam-like structures synthesised by a simple two-step method showed remarkably improved magnetic and photoconversion effects. These are promising candidates as photodynamic inactivation materials. Within 20 min, >99.999% Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) were killed by the composite due to its strong ability to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and thermal energy under simulated visible light. Additionally, Bi@Co@CN also displayed high stability: its antibacterial efficiency underwent rapid photodynamic inactivation over five cycles. In vitro results revealed that ROS and photothermal conversion of materials can seriously damage bacterial cell membranes and inhibit the virulence factors produced by bacteria, which ultimately leads to the death of S. aureus. Moreover, in vivo assessment of wound healing showed that the material was very effective for bacteria-accompanied wound healing and did not cause detectable damage to the major organs. Therefore, the Bi@Co@CN composite has great potential as a safe multimodal treatment system for active photodynamic inactivation and wound healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Cyclization of the furfural and secondary amines to generate trans-4,5-diaminocyclopentanes is a significant reaction in pharmaceutical industry. Herein, MIL-series MOF are synthesized to catalyze the cyclization with a higher activity over 99.9% and selectivity above 98.2% than homogeneous metal chloride (82.4%, 84.3%) because of its large surface area and suitable shape selectivity. The adjustable pore size of MOF shows a universal applicability for different molecular size secondary amines (pyrrolidine, piperidine, indoline and tetrahydroquinoline). Moreover, the catalyst is stable after 5 runs. This study provides a promising route for pharmaceutical chemisty involving macromolecular reaction by MOF-based heterogeneous catalysts. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Trans-4,5-diaminocyclopent-2-enones are synthesized from furfural and secondary amines. • Fe-based MOF show a higher activity than Cr-based. • Fe-MIL-100 is highly active and selective for morpholine. • Fe-MIL-101 is highly efficient for other secondary amines. • MOF behave as true heterogeneous catalysts and performs stabley in recycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofilms are surface-attached microbial communities with distinct properties, which have a tremendous impact on public health and food safety. In the meat industry, biofilms remain a serious concern because many foodborne pathogens can form biofilms in areas at meat plants that are difficult to sanitize properly, and biofilm cells are more tolerant to sanitization than their planktonic counterparts. Furthermore, nearly all biofilms in commercial environments consist of multiple species of microorganisms, and the complex interactions within the community significantly influence the architecture, activity, and sanitizer tolerance of the biofilm society. This review focuses on the effect of microbial coexistence on mixed biofilm formation with foodborne pathogens of major concern in the fresh meat industry and their resultant sanitizer tolerance. The factors that would affect biofilm cell transfer from contact surfaces to meat products, one of the most common transmission routes that could lead to product contamination, are discussed as well. Available results from recent studies relevant to the meat industry, implying the potential role of bacterial persistence and biofilm formation in meat contamination, are reviewed in response to the pressing need to understand the mechanisms that cause "high event period" contamination at commercial meat processing plants. A better understanding of these events would help the industry to enhance strategies to prevent contamination and improve meat safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spontaneous electromagnetic induction originating from neuronal electrical activity is believed to reflect the memory ability in the neural system and significantly modulates neural information transmission, but its fundamental effect on the neuronal dynamic properties is still not well understood. In this paper, we use a memristor to couple neuronal electrical activity and magnetic fields and study how the spontaneous electromagnetic induction modulates the neuronal dynamical response to external stimulation. It is found that the negative feedback of electromagnetic induction on the neuron significantly reduces the dynamical response range, decreases the oscillation amplitude and induces a higher firing frequency. Meanwhile, the memory effect on electromagnetic induction can induce two kinds of bistability, including the coexistence of a stable limit cycle and a fixed point, and the coexistence of two stable limit cycles. Furthermore, high electric driving for electromagnetic induction produces complex firing patterns with single, double and multiple frequencies. Our results not only further confirm the efficacy of spontaneous electromagnetic induction in modulating the neuronal dynamical properties but also provide insights into the possibilities of choosing suitable parameter spaces in studying the effects of external magnetic induction on brain functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract By employing the solvothermal in situ N -alkylation of organic bases with alcohol molecules, four new organically templated iodometallates as [L1][Ag 2 I 4 ] (L12+ = 1,1,4,4-tetramethyl-1λ4,4λ4-piperazinium) 1 , [L2] 1.5 [AgI 4 ] (L22+ = 1,4-dibenzyl-1λ4,4λ4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octanium) 2 , [L2] 1.5 [CuI 4 ] 3 and [L3][CuI 3 ] (L32+ = 4,4′-bis(3-methyl-1H-3λ4-imidazol-1-yl)-1,1′-biphenylium) 4 were obtained. In 1 , the in situ substitution and N-alkylation of 1,4-bis(pyridin-4-ylmethyl)piperazine (L1') with CH 3 OH has occurred, producing L12+. Templated by L12+, Ag+ and I- aggregate into a chained iodoargentate, which can be described as a linear arrangement of AgI 4 tedrahedra by sharing the edges. 2 and 3 are isostructural. In 2 and 3 , the in situ N -alkylation of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2,2,2]octane (L2') with phenylmethanol has occurred, generating L22+. Templated by L22+, Ag+ (or Cu+) and I- aggregate into a mononuclear iodometallate with a tetrahedral structure. In 4 , the in situ N -alkylation of 4,4′-di(1H-imidazol-1-yl)-1,1′-biphenyl (L3') with CH 3 OH has occurred, creating L32+. Templating by L32+, Cu+ and I- aggregate into a mononuclear iodocuprate(I) with a planar trigonal structure. The photoluminescence analysis reveals that (i) at the room temperature, only 1 emits light (λ em = 550 nm); (ii) at the low temperature, 4 is found to possess the photoluminescence property (λ em = 546 nm at 77 K) with a ms-grade lifetime (τ = 4.915 ms). Graphical abstract By employing solvothermal in situ N -alkylation of organic bases with alcohol molecules, four new organically templated iodometallate(I) were obtained, and their photoluminescence properties were investigated. fx1 Highlights • Four new organically templated iodometallates(I) (M+ = Ag+, Cu+) are reported; • In situ N -alkylation of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2,2,2]octane with phenylmethanol is investigated for the first time; • In situ N -alkylation of 4,4′-di(1H-imidazol-1-yl)-1,1′-biphenyl with alcohol molecules is investigated for the first time; • Their photoluminescence properties at different temperature are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The purpose of this work is to develop a single-phase phosphor emitting white light under the excitation of near UV light, targeted at the possible application in white light emitting diodes. Our rationale is to employ a host containing noncentrosymmetric coordination sites for rare earth, therefore the f - f absorptions in the near UV range could be enhanced. Indeed, YGa 3 (BO 3) 4 is such a host where Y3+ is in a twisted triangular prism and could be substituted by various rare earth elements. The photoluminescence of Dy3+ and Tm3+ were investigated in Y 1- x Dy x Ga 3 (BO 3) 4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.10) and Y 1- y Tm y Ga 3 (BO 3) 4 (0.01 ≤ y ≤ 0.10), whose phase purity was confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction. Dy3+ emits yellowish white light and Tm3+ emits blue light under their respective f - f excitations (350 and 358 nm). The optimal concentrations in the singly-doped phosphors are 7 and 3 atom%, respectively. When co-doping Dy3+ and Tm3+ in YGa 3 (BO 3) 4 , there was no energy transfer between them. Eventually, a white light emission could be obtained with the CIE coordinates of (0.325, 0.329) in Y 0.91 Dy 0.07 Tm 0.02 Ga 3 (BO 3) 4 under the excitation of 364 nm. Graphical abstract Dy3+ and Tm3+ singly and co-doped YGa 3 (BO 3) 4 were synthesized by solid state reactions. Rietveld refinements confirmed that Dy3+ and Tm3+ replace Y3+ and locate in a triangular prism environment, which is beneficial for their f - f absorptions in near UV range. Since there is no energy transfer, tuning the content of Dy3+ and Tm3+ leads to the white emission with the CIE coordinate of (0.325, 0.329). fx1 Highlights • Structural refinements confirmed Dy3+/Tm3+ locates at the Y3+ site in YGa 3 (BO 3) 4. • Dy3+ and Tm3+ emit yellowish white and blue light in YGa 3 (BO 3) 4 , respectively. • The optimal concentration for Dy3+ is 7 atom% in Y 1- x Dy x Ga 3 (BO 3) 4. • The optimal concentration for Tm3+ is 3 atom% in Y 1- y Tm y Ga 3 (BO 3) 4. • Near UV excited white emission can be obtained in Y 0.91 Dy 0.07 Tm 0.02 Ga 3 (BO 3) 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analysis the Central Weighted Essentially Non-Oscillatory (CWENO) scheme for hyperbolic conservation laws (Qiu and Shu, 2002). The CWENO procedure contains three major steps: the reconstruction of u ̄ i + 1 ∕ 2 n from u ̄ i n , the reconstruction of u i n from u ̄ i n , and the approximation of ∫ t n t n + 1 f ( u ( x i , t ) ) d t using the Natural Continuous Extension (NCE) of Runge–Kutta method. We found that both reconstructions lost the designed optimal order of accuracy near critical points. This loss of accuracy can be recovered by using a proper mapping function. Furthermore, numerical tests demonstrate that, in practice, it is enough for the mapping technique to be implemented only in the first reconstruction. This new mapped central WENO method is not only more accurate than the one in Qiu and Shu (2002), but also more efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was undertaken to investigate the association of 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78) gene promoter polymorphisms with risk of asthenozoospermia (AZS) men. In addition, we performed association analysis between GRP78 promoter mutations and serum GRP78 level in asthenozoospermia.Methods: The study population comprised 400 subjects with AZS patients and 400 healthy controls. We assessed GRP78 rs3216733, rs17840761, and rs17840762 polymorphisms by using Snapshot SNP genotyping assays; serum GRP78 level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Semen quality was assessed by computer-assisted semen analysis.Results: We found that rs3216733 was associated with increased risk of AZS (Gd vs. dd: adjusted OR = 1.42, 95% CI, 1.06-1.93, P = 0.020; Gd/GG vs. dd: adjusted OR = 1.43, 95% CI, 1.08-1.91, P = 0.013; G vs. d adjusted OR = 1.26, 95% CI, 1.03-1.56, P = 0.027). The haplotype analyses showed the frequency of G-C-C haplotype was significantly higher in AZS (P = 0.026). The percentage of progressive motility sperm was lower in the asthenozoospermic men with Gd and Gd/GG genotypes than dd genotype (P = 0.003). Moreover, the serum GRP78 levels were significantly lower in rs3216733 Gd/GG genotypes compared with the dd genotype (P < 0.001).Conclusion: Our findings suggest that rs3216733 Gd/GG genotypes contribute to poor sperm motility, probably by decreasing the level of GRP78. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Danshen tablets (DST), an effective traditional Chinese multi-herbal formula, are often combined with atorvastatin calcium (AC) for treating coronary heart disease in the clinic. Objective: This study investigated the effects of DST on the pharmacokinetics of AC and the potential mechanism. Materials and methods: The pharmacokinetics of AC (1 mg/kg) with or without pretreatment of DST (100 mg/kg) were investigated using LC-MS/MS. The effects of DST (50 μg/mL) on the metabolic stability of AC were also investigated using rat liver microsome incubation systems. Results: The results indicated that Cmax (23.87 ± 4.27 vs. 38.94 ± 5.32 ng/mL), AUC(0-t) (41.01 ± 11.32 vs. 77.28 ± 12.92 ng h/mL), and t1/2 (1.91 ± 0.18 vs. 2.74 ± 0.23 h) decreased significantly (p < 0.05) when DST and AC were co-administered, which suggested that DST might influence the pharmacokinetic behavior of AC when they are co-administered. The metabolic stability (t1/2) of AC was also decreased (25.7 ± 5.2 vs. 42.5 ± 6.1) with the pretreatment of DST. Discussion and conclusions: This study indicated that the main components in DST could accelerate the metabolism of AC in rat liver microsomes and change the pharmacokinetic behaviors of AC. So these results showed that the herb-drug interaction between DST and AC might occur when they were co-administered. Therefore, the clinical dose of AC should be adjusted when DST and AC are co-administered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with nonlinear free vibration of reticulated shallow spherical shells taking into account the effect of transverse shear deformation. The shell is formed by beam members placed in two orthogonal directions. The nondimensional fundamental governing equations in terms of the deflection, rotational angle, and force function are presented, and the solution for the nonlinear free frequency is derived by using the asymptotic iteration method. The asymptotic solution can be used readily to perform the parameter analysis of such space structures with numerous geometrical and material parameters. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the characteristic amplitude-frequency relation and softening and hardening nonlinear behaviors as well as the effect of transverse shear on the linear and nonlinear frequencies of reticulated shells and plates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract It has been several years that a soft transparent polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic sheet, commonly known as “soft glass”, or “crystal plate” in China and other developing countries, has quietly and gradually found extensive applications. This material has widely replaced cloth and glass as table cover in household and office, and replaced cloth as door drape in public place in China. In this study, the concentration of plasticizer used in soft glass and the migration of the plasticizer from soft glass to olive oil and porcine skin during contact were determined. The oral exposure of young children to the plasticizer from soft glass was estimated for the first time. Two exposure routes, one via ingestion of contaminated food, the other via mouthing of contaminated hand, were considered. It is found that Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is the major plasticizer used in soft glass, which could leach out of the material and migrate easily to the olive oil and porcine skin during contact. A rough estimation of oral exposure for young children to DEHP from soft glass was 126 μg/person/d, which would be converted to 12.6 μg/kg bw/d and 7.9 μg/kg bw/d, for body weight of 10 kg and 16 kg, respectively. The estimated exposure dosages would not pose immediate health hazard to the children. The implications of these dosages were also discussed. Highlights • DEHP is the main plasticizer in soft glass (or crystal plate), a soft PVC sheet. • DEHP accounts for more than 50% by weight of the transparent soft glass. • DEHP could leach out of soft glass to the olive oil and pork skin during contact. • Estimated DEHP exposure dosages would not pose immediate health hazard to children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The population transfer of stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) is investigated using a time-dependent quantum wave packet method. The population is transferred from an initial state to a target state through the interaction of the external laser field with the permanent dipole moment and the transition dipole moment. The laser field is composed of an infrared pulse and a near ultraviolet pulse. The two pulses with small detunings are more efficient to achieve the STIRAP transition. The process of STIRAP is sensitive to the detunings of the two pulses. When the two detunings are the same in a Λ transition or the positive detuning of the pump pulse is equal to the negative detuning of the Stokes pulse in a ladder transition, the final population in the intermediate state can be eliminated and the target population is increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generation of ammonia from nitrate reduction is slower compared with urea hydrolysis and may be more efficiently incorporated into ruminal microbial protein. We hypothesized that nitrate supplementation could increase ammonia incorporation into microbial protein in the rumen compared with urea supplementation of a low-protein diet fed to lactating dairy cows. Eight multiparous Chinese Holstein dairy cows were used in a crossover design to investigate the effect of nitrate or an isonitrogenous urea inclusion in the basal lowprotein diet on rumen fermentation, milk yield, and ruminal microbial community in dairy cows fed a low-protein diet in comparison with an isonitrogenous urea control. Eight lactating cows were blocked in 4 pairs according to days in milk, parity, and milk yield and allocated to urea (7.0 g urea/kg of dry matter of basal diet) or nitrate (14.6 g of NO3 -/kg of dry matter of basal diet, supplemented as sodium nitrate) treatments, which were formulated on 75% of metabolizable protein requirements. Nitrate supplementation decreased ammonia concentration in the rumen liquids (-33.1%) and plasma (-30.6%) as well as methane emissions (-15.0%) and increased dissolved hydrogen concentration (102%), microbial N (22.8%), propionate molar percentage, milk yield, and 16S rRNA gene copies of Selenomonas ruminantium. Ruminal dissolved hydrogen was positively correlated with the molar proportion of propionate (r = 0.57), and negatively correlated with acetate-to-propionate ratio (r = -0.57) and estimated net metabolic hydrogen production relative to total VFA produced (r = -0.58). Nitrate reduction to ammonia redirected metabolic hydrogen away from methanogenesis, enhanced ammonia incorporation into rumen microbial protein, and shifted fermentation from acetate to propionate, along with increasing S. ruminantium 16S rRNA gene copies, likely leading to the increased milk yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defect WO 3 -carbon hybrid nanosheets (D-WO 3 @C), synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method, is utilized as an effective visible-light driven photocatalyst for sustainable inactivation of bacteria . Detailed characterization through SEM-EDS, XRD, FT-IR, HRTEM, and XPS confirmed the formation of the nanohybrids. As a result, the as-synthesized D-WO 3 @C exhibited the best sterilization efficiency among all of the WO 3 photocatalysts, and 7 log inactivation of E. coli or S. aureus was obtained after treating samples for 45 min with 1000 μg/mL D-WO 3 @C. It was found that D-WO 3 @C exhibited enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic sterilization in killing bacteria compared with D-WO 3 and P-WO 3 . The results show that the oxygen vacancies and carbon matrix were able to promote photocatalytic performance by triggering a faster interfacial transfer and a higher efficient separation of electron-hole pairs, which most likely is the reason behind the improved bactericidal effect. Furthermore, fluorescent-based cell viability/death tests and SEM technology were employed to demonstrate the lethal effect as well as the integrity of bacterial membranes during photocatalytic process. Photoelectrochemical techniques and UV–visible diffuse reflectance revealed the efficient separation of electron-hole pairs between D-WO 3 and carbon matrix. More importantly, after being tested in four cycles, D-WO 3 @C showed good photocatalytic performance due to its chemical stability. The excellent properties associated with the novel D-WO 3 /C indicated that they could be considered as a promising light-visible driven photocatalyst to remove, in practice, microbial contamination of water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the use of the Taguchi method for the design of line-start permanent magnet synchronous motors (LS-PMSMs). To address the inherent limitation of the Taguchi method in solving multiresponse optimization problems, an improved regression rate methodology and a weighted factor multiobjective technique are incorporated to form a Taguchi method based multiobjective design framework. To validate the proposed method, a prototype machine has been designed, constructed, and experimentally evaluated. It shows that the proposed method can effectively take into account both steady-state and transient synchronization performances in the design of LS-PMSMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loess-covered areas are susceptible to a variety of geohazards, among which toppling is one of the typical slope failures causing deadly and destructive threat on human life and properties. Loess toppling usually involves slab-like or columnar blocks being detached from the loess mass by vertical or sub-vertical cracks that develop in the manner of Mode I fracturing. Thus, understanding the static fracture behavior of loess is the key to deciphering the mechanism of such failures. This study carried out Mode I fracturing tests on pre-cracked specimens of undisturbed Malan loess following the semi-circular bend test method suggested by ISRM. Through digital image correlation and numerical simulation, the fracturing process (including development of surficial strain and internal stress) was examined, and it is found Malan loess experiences a four-stage fracturing, i.e., compaction, linear deformation, yield and post-failure. The fracturing exhibits fragile or ductile behavior depending on the physical properties and loading conditions. Low water content, high dry density, and/or fast loading rate favor the absorption of elastic strain energy, which tends to lead a fragile failure and a relatively high fracture toughness. The opposite conditions induce gradual consumption of plasto-damage strain energy, promoting a progressive propagation of crack and, therefore a ductile failure and a relatively low fracture toughness. Among these three factors, water content was found to have the first priority when influencing the fracture behavior of Malan loess. These findings depict the development of vertical cracks and toppling failure in loess area, and have practical implication in designing disaster risk management plan. [Display omitted] • Loess fractures in compaction, linear deformation, yield and post-failure stages. • Low w , high ρd and/or fast loading rate favor fragile fracturing of Malan loess. • Increase of w remarkably lows fracture toughness of loess, causing toppling failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the reaction mechanism is critical for efficient electroreduction from NO 3 − into NH 3. Here, a novel sequential active-site-switching (SASS) mechanism is proposed according to the thermodynamic nature of bonding, which involves two key site switches on different active species in an integrated electrocatalyst. We implement this concept by employing Cu/Fe hetero-phase-interface nanoparticles anchored in TiO 2 substrate (Cu/Fe-TiO 2) as a model platform. Theoretical calculations coupled with in situ infrared spectra confirm the SASS mechanism: the *NO 3 , preferentially adsorbed on the in-plane Fe phase, switches towards the Cu/Fe hetero-phase interface to reduce into *NH 3 , and a further switch related to the *NH 3 occurs towards the in-plane Cu phase, notably facilitating the NO 3 −-into-NH 3 conversion. Such a SASS pathway endows Cu/Fe-TiO 2 with excellent intrinsic activity, 4.68- and 2.82-fold higher than that of Cu-TiO 2 and Fe-TiO 2 , respectively. [Display omitted] • A novel concept of sequential active-site-switching pathway is proposed. • This new concept is implemented by employing Cu/Fe-TiO 2 as a model system. • Cu/Fe-TiO 2 exhibits excellent intrinsic NO 3 −RR performance. • Such site switches can observably reduce the energy barrier of NO 3 −-into-NH 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peritoneal fibrosis caused by long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD) is the main reason why patients withdraw from PD treatment. Lipid accumulation in the peritoneum was shown to participate in fibrosis, and klotho is a molecule involved in lipid metabolism. GSK343 (enhancer of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit (EZH2) inhibitor) has been verified to inhibit epithelial mesenchymal transdifferentiation (EMT) and peritoneal fibrosis, but its related mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether lipid accumulation was involved in the effect of GSK343 and its related mechanism. First, the expression of EZH2, klotho and EMT indices in human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HMrSV5) incubated with high glucose (HG) levels was detected. After EZH2 was inhibited by GSK343, Western blot (WB), wound healing and Transwell assays were used to explore the effect of GSK343. EZH2 and klotho expression was also detected. Oil red O and Nile red staining and triglyceride (TG) detection kits were used to detect lipid accumulation. A rescue experiment with small interfering RNA specific for klotho (si-klotho) on the basis of GSK343 was also conducted to verify that GSK343 exerted its effect via klotho. In in vivo experiments, rats were administered GSK343, and the related index was assessed. In our study, we revealed that the expression of EZH2 was significantly upregulated and klotho was significantly downregulated in HMrSV5 cells induced by high glucose. With the aid of GSK343, we found that lipid deposition caused by HG was significantly decreased. In addition, EMT and fibrosis were also significantly alleviated. Moreover, GSK343 could also restore the downregulation of klotho. To further verify whether klotho mediated the effect of EZH2, a rescue experiment with si-klotho was also conducted. The results showed that si-klotho could counteract the protective effect of GSK343 on high glucose-induced lipid accumulation and fibrosis. In vivo experiments also revealed that GSK343 could relieve peritoneal fibrosis, lipid deposition and EMT by mitigating EZH2 and restoring klotho expression. Combining these findings, we found that EZH2 regulated lipid deposition, peritoneal fibrosis, and EMT mediated by klotho. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the effect of the EZH2-klotho interaction on peritoneal fibrosis. Hence, EZH2 and klotho could act as potential targets for the treatment of peritoneal fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavior is one of the important factors reflecting the health status of dairy cows, and when dairy cows encounter health problems, they exhibit different behavioral characteristics. Therefore, identifying dairy cow behavior not only helps in assessing their physiological health and disease treatment but also improves cow welfare, which is very important for the development of animal husbandry. The method of relying on human eyes to observe the behavior of dairy cows has problems such as high labor costs, high labor intensity, and high fatigue rates. Therefore, it is necessary to explore more effective technical means to identify cow behaviors more quickly and accurately and improve the intelligence level of dairy cow farming. Automatic recognition of dairy cow behavior has become a key technology for diagnosing dairy cow diseases, improving farm economic benefits and reducing animal elimination rates. Recently, deep learning for automated dairy cow behavior identification has become a research focus. However, in complex farming environments, dairy cow behaviors are characterized by multiscale features due to large scenes and long data collection distances. Traditional behavior recognition models cannot accurately recognize similar behavior features of dairy cows, such as those with similar visual characteristics, i.e., standing and walking. The behavior recognition method based on 3D convolution solves the problem of small visual feature differences in behavior recognition. However, due to the large number of model parameters, long inference time, and simple data background, it cannot meet the demand for real-time recognition of dairy cow behaviors in complex breeding environments. To address this, we developed an effective yet lightweight model for fast and accurate dairy cow behavior feature learning from video data. We focused on four common behaviors: standing, walking, lying, and mounting. We recorded videos of dairy cow behaviors at a dairy farm containing over one hundred cows using surveillance cameras. A robust model was built using a complex background dataset. We proposed a two-pathway X3DFast model based on spatiotemporal behavior features. The X3D and fast pathways were laterally connected to integrate spatial and temporal features. The X3D pathway extracted spatial features. The fast pathway with R(2 + 1)D convolution decomposed spatiotemporal features and transferred effective spatial features to the X3D pathway. An action model further enhanced X3D spatial modeling. Experiments showed that X3DFast achieved 98.49% top-1 accuracy, outperforming similar methods in identifying the four behaviors. The method we proposed can effectively identify similar dairy cow behaviors while improving inference speed, providing technical support for subsequent dairy cow behavior recognition and daily behavior statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Normal tension glaucoma (NTG) is considered a neurodegenerative disease with glaucomatous damage extending to diffuse brain areas. Therefore, this study aims to explore the abnormalities in the NTG structural network to help in the early diagnosis and course evaluation of NTG. Methods: The structural networks of 46 NTG patients and 19 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were constructed using diffusion tensor imaging, followed by graph theory analysis and correlation analysis of small-world properties with glaucoma clinical indicators. In addition, the network-based statistical analysis (NBS) method was used to compare structural network connectivity differences between NTG patients and healthy controls. Results: Structural brain networks in both NTG and NC groups exhibited small-world properties. However, the small-world index in the severe NTG group was reduced and correlated with a mean deviation of the visual field (MDVF) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness. When compared to healthy controls, degree centrality and nodal efficiency in visual brain areas were significantly decreased, and betweenness centrality and nodal local efficiency in both visual and nonvisual brain areas were also significantly altered in NTG patients (all p < 0.05, FDR corrected). Furthermore, NTG patients exhibited increased structural connectivity in the occipitotemporal area, with the left fusiform gyrus (FFG.L) as the hub (p < 0.05). Conclusions: NTG exhibited altered global properties and local properties of visual and cognitive-emotional brain areas, with enhanced structural connections within the occipitotemporal area. Moreover, the disrupted small-world properties of white matter might be imaging biomarkers for assessing NTG progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Surgery, as one of the main diagnostic and treatment methods, is a routine work in medical settings. Patients undergoing surgery often experience acute procedure anxiety due to uncertainty. There is ample evidence showing that uncertainty is a risk factor for the acute procedure anxiety in surgical patients. However, little is known about the psychological processes mediating this relationship. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate resilience as a mediator of the association between uncertainty and anxiety. Methods: A population-based cross-sectional survey with a convenience sampling method was conducted, involving 243 surgical patients in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province of China was carried out. Relevant data were collected by self-reporting questionnaires, including demographic characteristics questionnaire, Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS-C), Mishel's Illness Uncertainty Scale (MUIS), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Pearson correlation analysis was employed to examine correlations between various variables. A path model was used to assess the mediation effect of resilience with respect to uncertainty and acute procedure anxiety. Results: In the path model, uncertainty have an indirect effect on acute procedure anxiety through resilience. The results suggest that resilience has a mediating role in uncertainty and acute procedure anxiety among surgical patients. Conclusions: These findings call for the development of interventions targeting the role of resilience in effectively predicting and preventing acute procedure anxiety and uncertainty among surgical patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic disinfection, which is a readily reliable method in most climates, holds great promise to significantly reduce the microbial contamination in modern industry. Here we report that vanadate quantum dots-interspersed graphitic carbon nitride (vanadate QDs/g-C 3 N 4 ) can achieve efficient inactivation of Salmonella by harvesting a substantial visible light. Detailed characterization through SEM-EDS, TEM, XRD, FT-IR, and XPS confirmed the formation of the composites. Owing to the efficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) production between vanadate QDs and g-C 3 N 4 , the bactericidal efficiency of AgVO 3 QDs/g-C 3 N 4 could reach 96.4% toward Salmonella in a concentration of 0.75 mg/mL after 10 min visible-light illumination. More importantly, scavenger experiments of different reactive species proved that the photoinduced electron generated at the oxidation site of AgVO 3 /g-C 3 N 4 play a major role as oxidative species. Fluorescent-based cell live/dead test and membrane potentials were applied to demonstrate the integrity of cell membranes. Furthermore, the SEM technology, PCR and BCA protein assay were employed to verify the bacterial decomposition as well as leakage of bacterial cell contents toward Salmonella . Sterilization experiments of Staphylococcus aureus revealed that our composites have broad spectrum antimicrobial activity for both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria under visible light. The results showed that the generation of high ROS could attack the bacterial cells membrane, and ultimately disrupt the cell metabolism through bacterial contents, which provided a feasible method for eliminating the microbial contaminated water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate differences in fermentation and methanogen communities in samples collected from 3 sites in the rumen of dairy cows. The study involved 3 ruminally cannulated nonlactating Chinese Holstein dairy cows fed a diet of 40% forage and 60% concentrate feeds. Four handfuls of whole ruminal contents were collected from the cranial sac, middle of the ventral sac, and caudodorsal blind sac of the rumen of the cows at 0, 2.5, and 6 h after the morning feeding. Concentrations of VFA, ammonia, and dissolved methane and hydrogen were analyzed. Methanogen populations and communities were analyzed targeting 16s rRNA genes. Dissolved methane concentration and pH were highest in samples from the cranial rumen. Ruminal fluid from the cranial rumen also had greater copy numbers of the Methanobrevibacter and higher Simpson indexes compared with samples from middle of the ventral rumen. In summary, cranial rumen had higher dissolved CH4 concentration than middle and hind rumen, which might be caused by the greater population of Methanobrevibacter with higher ruminal pH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to achieve better motion accuracy and higher robustness of the shipborne rocket launcher position servo system driven by a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM), a passivity-based controller based on active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) optimized by improved particle swarm optimization-back propagation (IPSO-BP) algorithm is proposed in this paper. The convenient method of interconnection and damping assignment and passivity-based control (IDA-PBC) is adopted to establish the port controlled Hamiltonian system with dissipation (PCHD) model of PMSM. To further enhance the robustness and adaptability of traditional ADRC, an BP algorithm is introduced to on-line update the proportional, integral, and derivative gains of ADRC. Furthermore, to improve the learning capability, the improved PSO algorithm is adopted to optimize the learning rates of the back propagation neural networks. The results of numerical simulation and prototype test indicate that the proposed IPSO-BP-ADRC-PBC controller has better static and dynamic performance than the ADRC-PBC and BP-ADRC-PBC controller with fixed learning rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In high‐power industrial applications such as air‐cooled condenser fans, excessive mechanical gear failures highlight a need to investigate possible alternatives. In this study, the concentric magnetic gear (CMG) is evaluated as a potential replacement for traditional mechanical gear. For a more objective comparison between the CMG and mechanical gear, a CMG is optimally designed in accordance with the performance specifications of an existing mechanical gear. The design is further refined for performance improvements taking into account mechanical strength requirements. Based on the design a CMG prototype is manufactured and experimentally evaluated against its mechanical counterpart under the same operating conditions. The performance of both gears achieved efficiency in the mid 90% range. The mechanical gear slightly outperformed the CMG under rated operating conditions. The large unbalanced magnetic forces within the CMG are likely responsible for the larger than expected no‐load losses. With the advantage of overload protection, reduced maintenance requirements, the CMG could be a valid replacement for the mechanical gear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Three‐dimensional TiO2 woodpile terahertz photonic crystals with feature size less than 100 μm were created by the direct writing technique with a TiO2 sol‐gel ink. With proper heat treatment, the rheological properties of the TiO2 sol‐gel ink were modulated to meet the requirement to construct 3D‐TPCs with feature size less than 100 μm by the direct writing technique. Well‐crystallized rutile TiO2 3D‐TPCs were obtained by the calcination process to provide the required high refractive indices, while the lattice periods of these TiO2 3D‐TPCs could be changed to tune their terahertz properties. With the increase of the lattice period, a shift of their THz photonic band gap peaks toward the lower frequency was observed in both the simulated and experimental investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) causes inflammatory injuries in infected pigs. PRRSV induces secretion of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) that enhances inflammatory response. However, the mechanism of PRRSV-induced HMGB1 secretion is unknown. Here, we discovered PRRSV induced HMGB1 secretion via activating protein kinase C-delta (PKCδ). HMGB1 secretion was positively correlated with PKCδ activation in PRRSV-infected cells in a dose and time-dependent manner. Suppression of PKCδ with inhibitor and siRNA significantly blocked PRRSV-induced HMGB1 translocation and secretion, which indicates PKCδ activation is essential for the PRRSV-mediated HMGB1 secretion. In addition, PKCδ knockdown in PRRSV-infected cells led to downregulation of inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1beta and IL-6. Moreover, PRRSV E and pORF5a proteins were found to activate PKCδ and consequent HMGB1 secretion. These results demonstrate PRRSV activates PKCδ to induce HMGB1 secretion via E and pORF5a. This finding provides insights on the inflammatory response and pathogenesis of PRRSV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukin (IL) 13 plays a critical role in inflammatory diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study aims to explore the potential association of IL-13 polymorphisms with the risk of SLE. We genotyped IL-13 rs20541, rs848 and rs1295686 using Snapshot SNP genotyping assays. Plasma IL-13 level was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We found that rs20541 was associated with increased risk of SLE (CT vs. CC: adjusted OR = 1.43, 95%CI, 1.04–1.99, P = .030; TT vs. CC: adjusted OR = 1.73, 95%CI, 1.10–2.73, P = .018; CT/TT vs. CC: adjusted OR = 1.50, 95%CI, 1.10–2.04, P = .010; T vs. C adjusted OR = 1.34, 95%CI, 1.08–1.93, P = .031). CT and TT genotypes in rs20541 were associated with increased risk of renal disorder in SLE (CT vs. CC: adjusted OR = 1.97, 95%CI, 1.18–3.28, P = .009; TT vs. CC: adjusted OR=2.42, 95%CI, 1.22–4.77, P = .011). Moreover, The concentration of IL-13 was significantly elevated in rs20541 CT/TT genotypes compared with CC genotype ( P < .001). These results suggest that rs20541 CT/TT genotypes may be a risk factor for SLE, probably by increasing the level of IL-13. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although cogging torque in magnetic gears (MGs) has been studied, the additional degree of freedom inherent to MGs makes it unclear exactly what is defined as the cogging torque of a MG. Although MGs generally have relatively smooth torque transfer characteristics, this paper reveals that when the gear is used in an up-speed configuration, cogging effects may be amplified under startup conditions. This paper distinguishes between two kinds of cogging torque in MGs, termed the synchronous cogging torque and the true cogging torque. Calculation of the true cogging torque is more difficult than the synchronous cogging torque, but an approximation to the true cogging torque can be obtained using the synchronous cogging torque. The theory is verified experimentally and supported further by results from dynamic simulations. The impact on magnetically geared machines is also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antennal sensory units in nymphs and adults of the spotted Lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (White) (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Fulgoridae), an economically important plant pest, are studied with scanning electron microscopy. Sensilla trichodea / chaetica type recognition is based on their external morphology and ratio of their size to diameter. The flagellum Bourgoin’s organ is a complex sensory unit with 2–3 internal sensilla coeloconica. During nymphal stages, the sensory surface available for a chemoreceptive function particularly increases with the number and size of sensilla placodea on the antennal pedicel. From first to fourth instar and to adult males and females, plate organ sensory surface is estimated to increase respectively by 33x, 68x and 125x (= 2.72 mm2 and 5.02 mm2 respectively for males and females). The most important increase (5x) occurs between second and third instar. In parallel, a distinctive pair of plate organs on the flagellum decreases in size from first to third instar, and disappears. Sexual dimorphism occurs in sensilla placodea in adults. Diversity, disparity and evolution of nymphal sensilla, and their sexual dimorphism in adults are discussed in the context of the species and planthopper behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Part ofgroundwater circulating in the well conduct mass exchange with the aquifer. This part of exchange (the raw water exchange) is indicated the groundwater flow and heat transfer in a typical standing column well. In order to study the water exchange between the standing column well and the aquifer quantitatively, a mathematic model of flow in a standing column well and coupled heat transfer of well pipe, well hole and aquifer was developed. The model was verified by the field test of a standing column well, and results show that the simulated temperature values of drawing water were in good agreement with the measured values both in the cooling and heating condition with the deviation less than 10% and the correlation coefficient up to 0.998. The raw water exchange of a standing column well was studied quantitatively by defining the raw water exchange ratio and the raw water exchange load ratio. For the typical example, the exchange ratio of raw water and the load ratio by raw water exchange were almost constant with the data of 29.6% and 23.4%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant primary tumor of the central nervous system and is associated with a very poor prognosis. No further improvements in outcomes have been reported since radiotherapy-temozolomide therapy was introduced. Therefore, developing new agents to treat GBM is important. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the anti-tumor effect of evodiamine (Evo) on GBM cells, and to determine the underlying mechanisms involved. Results: According to MTT assay results, Evo significantly inhibited the cell proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry analyses revealed that Evo induced cell apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, Evo induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) disruption. Finally, Evo induced apoptosis in cancer cells by suppressing PI3K/AKT signaling and inducing MAPK phosphorylation (p38 and JNK, but not ERK) to regulate apoptotic proteins (Bax, Bcl-2, Cytochrome c, Caspase-3, and PARP). Conclusion: In summary, Evo inhibits cell proliferation by inducing cellular apoptosis via suppressing PI3K/AKT and activating MAPK in GBM; these results indicate that Evo may be regarded as a new approach for GBM treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There is high uncertainty in the direct radiative forcing of black carbon (BC), an aerosol that strongly absorbs solar radiation. The observation‐constrained estimate, which is several times larger than the bottom‐up estimate, is influenced by the spatial representativeness error due to the mesoscale inhomogeneity of the aerosol fields and the relatively low resolution of global chemistry‐transport models. Here we evaluated the spatial representativeness error for two widely used observational networks (AErosol RObotic NETwork and Global Atmosphere Watch) by downscaling the geospatial grid in a global model of BC aerosol absorption optical depth to 0.1° × 0.1°. Comparing the models at a spatial resolution of 2° × 2° with BC aerosol absorption at AErosol RObotic NETwork sites (which are commonly located near emission hot spots) tends to cause a global spatial representativeness error of 30%, as a positive bias for the current top‐down estimate of global BC direct radiative forcing. By contrast, the global spatial representativeness error will be 7% for the Global Atmosphere Watch network, because the sites are located in such a way that there are almost an equal number of sites with positive or negative representativeness error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Podocyte injury, especially podocyte apoptosis, plays a major role in early-stage diabetic nephropathy (DN). Swiprosin-1, also known as EF hand domain containing 2 (EFhd2), is a Ca2+-binding protein in different cell types. However, the function of swiprosin-1 in podocytes remains unknown. Methods: The expression and distribution of swiprosin-1 were investigated in the mouse renal glomerulus and conditionally immortalized mouse podocyte cell line MPC-5. The expression of swiprosin-1 was also detected in streptozotocin (STZ)-treated mice and MPC-5 cells treated with high glucose (HG). Nephrin and podocin were detected by immunohistochemistry and immunofluroscence. Collagen IV, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and fibronectin mRNA expressions were assayed by real-time PCR. Apoptotic proteins and phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were detected by immunoblotting. Results: Swiprosin-1 was found to be expressed in podocytes of the mouse glomerulus and MPC-5 cells. Swiprosin-1 expression was increased in STZ-treated mice and MPC-5 cells treated with HG. In Swiprosin-1-/- diabetic mice, kidney/ body weight, urinary albumin, podocyte foot process effacement and glomerular basement membrane thickening were attenuated; the downregulation of nephrin and podocin expression in the glomerulus was inhibited; and the upregulation of collagen IV, TGF-β and fibronectin mRNA expression in the renal cortex was ameliorated as compared with those in diabetic swiprosin-1+/+ mice. In addition, the increased apoptosis of podocytes, proapoptotic protein expression and p38 phosphorylation in Swiprosin-1-/- diabetic mice were inhibited as compared with those in diabetic swiprosin-1+/+ mice. Knockdown of swiprosin-1 in MPC-5 cells reduced the apoptosis of podocytes, proapoptotic protein expression and p38 phosphorylation induced by HG. Targeted knockdown of p38 attenuated the increased apoptosis of MPC-5 cells over-expressing swiprosin-1. Conclusion: Swiprosin-1 expression in podocytes of the mouse glomerulus played a critical role in early-stage DN. Swiprosin-1 deficiency in early DN attenuated mitochondria-dependent podocyte apoptosis induced by hyperglycemia or HG via p38 MAPK signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The binary nanocomposite of silver nanoparticles/graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (AgNPs/g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets) has been prepared through polymerization-photodeposition method. The UV–vis absorption spectra show that the composite material has a significant absorption in the visible region, and indirectly demonstrates the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of Ag nanoparticles in composites. The as-prepared AgNPs/g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets photocatalysts exhibit distinctly enhanced photocatalytic activities toward the degradation of Methyl orange (more than 95% after 60 min) under visible light irradiation, which is about 20 and 3 times higher than that of bulk g-C 3 N 4 and g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets. The cyclic stability test proves that hybrid photocatalyst has a strong stability in the degradation of organic dyes. The improved visible-light-driven photocatalytic activities of AgNPs/g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets can be attributed to the SPR of Ag nanoparticles as well as generation, separation and transportation of the photogenerated carriers, and the higher specific surface area for improved visible-light utilization efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrodynamic performance of a fixed Oscillating Water Column (OWC) device is experimentally and numerically investigated. Based on the time-domain higher-order boundary element method (HOBEM), by introducing an artificial viscosity term in the dynamic free surface boundary condition, a fully nonlinear numerical wave model is used to simulate the hydrodynamic performance of an OWC device. A set of comprehensive experiments for regular waves is carried out to validate the numerical results as well as to investigate the nonlinear effects on the hydrodynamic performance of OWC. The mechanism of the nonlinear phenomenon is investigated based on the analysis of the experimental and numerical results. The influence of the wave nonlinearity and the viscosity on the hydrodynamic efficiency is quantified by comparing the linear and nonlinear numerical results. It was found that the hydrodynamic efficiency increases with the nonlinearity and viscosity when the incident wave amplitude is small. When the incident wave amplitude is large, the hydrodynamic efficiency is reduced by the weakened transmission of the second-order harmonic wave component due to the strong wave nonlinearity. However, when the wave amplitude is between these two regimes, the wave is weakly nonlinear, the efficiency decreases with the wave amplitude due to the combined effect of the nonlinearity and viscosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we examined U.S and China’s participation in the global climate governance networks and the structure and evolution of these networks evolved around the two nations between 2008 and 2014. The study yielded a number of significant findings. First, the U.S-China climate governance network has a centralized structure. Second, the Chinese and U.S governments were able to build public diplomatic relationships with a diverse group of organizations. Tightly connected communities have emerged in this network. Third, the driving force behind the U.S-China climate governance network gradually shifted from a government-driven network to a business/NGO-driven network. Theoretical and practical implications for public diplomacy were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The astro-inertial integrated navigation system has the characteristic of anti-electromagnetic interference but suffers from aero-optical starlight perturbation when applied to hypersonic cruise vehicles (HCVs). Because there is no strategy in the traditional loosely coupled astro-inertial integration framework for recognising and evaluating skew in star observation, this system cannot adapt to perturbations, and the navigation accuracy tends to degrade. In this study, a strongly coupled framework for an astro-inertial integrated system is designed, and a robust astro-inertial fusion algorithm based on star-coordinate matching is proposed; the skew degree of each observed star is quantified by matching with the virtual star image re-established from INS measurements. Based on star-coordinate matching, a robust weight-tuning rule is designed according to the maximum-likelihood estimation theory, including a method to determine the star-coordinate confidence scope by statistically analysing the astronomical-observation perturbation rate. Compared with the traditional loosely coupled astro-inertial integration framework, the proposed strongly coupled framework and robust astro-inertial integrated navigation algorithm based on star-coordinate matching can significantly improve robustness against perturbations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the successful construction of a novel AgVO 3 /BiVO 4 heterojunction photocatalyst via a facile two-step method was reported. The organic dye Rhodamine B (RhB) was chosen as a simulative pollutant to investigate the photocatalytic performances of the samples. The results showed that the AgVO 3 /BiVO 4 heterojunction possessed remarkably enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible-light irradiation compared with individual components. The AgVO 3 /BiVO 4 heterojunction possessed the highest rate constant, which was about 17.2 and 3.1 times higher than those of pure BiVO 4 and AgVO 3 , respectively. Such an enhancement was mainly ascribed to the formation of suitable heterojunction structure with intimate interfacial contact between AgVO 3 and BiVO 4 , resulting in the effective separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. The possible photocatalytic mechanism was also proposed based on the trapping experiments of active species, indicating that h + and OH played a key role in the photocatalytic degradation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, we evaluate the equivalent stiffness of peritubular reinforcement effect (PRE) of porous dentine optimized by the thickness of peritubular dentine (PTD). Few studies to date have evaluated or quantitated the effect of PRE on composite dentine. The miscrostructure of porous dentine is captured by scanning electron microscope images, and then finite element modeling is used to quantitate the deformation and stiffness of the porous dentine structure. By optimizing the radius of PTD and dentine tubule (DT), the proposed FE model is able to demonstrate the effect of peritubular reinforcement on porous dentine stiffness. It is concluded that the dentinal equivalent stiffness is reduced and degraded with the increase of the radius of DT (i.e., porosity) in the certain ratio value of Ep/Ei and certain radius of PTD, where Ep is the PTD modulus and Ei is the intertubular dentine modulus. So in order to ensure the whole dentinal equivalent stiffness is not loss, the porosity should get some value while the Ep/Ei is certain. Thus, PTD prevents the stress concentration around DTs and reduces the risk of DTs failure. Mechanically, the overall role of PTD appears to enhance the stiffness of the dentine composite structure. These results provide some new and significant insights into the biological evolution of the optimal design for the porous dentine microstructure. These findings on the biological microstructure design of dentine materials are applicable to other engineering structural designs aimed at increasing the overall structural strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clostridium tetani and Clostridium botulinum produce two of the most potent neurotoxins known, tetanus neurotoxin and botulinum neurotoxin, respectively. Extensive biochemical and genetic investigation has been devoted to identifying and characterizing various C. botulinum strains. Less effort has been focused on studying C. tetani likely because recently sequenced strains of C. tetani show much less genetic diversity than C. botulinum strains and because widespread vaccination efforts have reduced the public health threat from tetanus. Our aim was to acquire genomic data on the U.S. vaccine strain of C. tetani to better understand its genetic relationship to previously published genomic data from European vaccine strains. We performed high throughput genomic sequence analysis on two wild-type and two vaccine C. tetani strains. Comparative genomic analysis was performed using these and previously published genomic data for seven other C. tetani strains. Our analysis focused on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and four distinct constituents of the mobile genome (mobilome): a hypervariable flagellar glycosylation island region, five conserved bacteriophage insertion regions, variations in three CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-Cas (CRISPR-associated) systems, and a single plasmid. Intact type IA and IB CRISPR/Cas systems were within 10 of 11 strains. A type IIIA CRISPR/Cas system was present in two strains. Phage infection histories derived from CRISPR-Cas sequences indicate C. tetani encounters phages common among commensal gut bacteria and soil-borne organisms consistent with C. tetani distribution in nature. All vaccine strains form a clade distinct from currently sequenced wild type strains when considering variations in these mobile elements. SNP, flagellar glycosylation island, prophage content and CRISPR/Cas phylogenic histories provide tentative evidence suggesting vaccine and wild type strains share a common ancestor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent research shows that tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are the primary consumers of glucose in tumor tissue, surpassing that of tumor cells. Our previous studies revealed that inhibiting glucose uptake impairs the survival and tumor-promoting function of hypoxic TAMs, suggesting that glucose reduction by energy restriction (calorie restriction or short-term fasting) may has a significant impact on TAMs. The purpose of this study is to verify the effect of fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) on TAMs, and to determine whether FMD synergizes with anti-angiogenic drug apatinib via TAMs. Methods: The effect of FMD on TAMs and its synergistic effects with apatinib were observed using an orthotopic mouse breast cancer model. An in vitro cell model, utilizing M2 macrophages derived from THP-1 cell line, was intended to assess the effects of low glucose on TAMs under hypoxic and normoxic conditions. Bioinformatics was used to screen for potential mechanisms of action, which were then validated both in vivo and in vitro. Results: FMD significantly inhibit the pro-tumor function of TAMs in vivo and in vitro, with the inhibitory effect being more pronounced under hypoxic conditions. Additionally, the combination of FMD-mediated TAMs inhibition with apatinib results in synergistic anti-tumor activity. This effect is partially mediated by the downregulation of CCL8 expression and secretion by the mTOR-HIF-1α signaling pathway. Conclusions: These results support further clinical combination studies of FMD and anti-angiogenic therapy as potential anti-tumor strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil moisture (SM) is a vital climate variable in the interaction process between the Earth's atmosphere and land. However, global soil moisture products from various satellite missions and land surface models are affected by inherently discontinuous observations and coarse spatial resolution, which limits their application at fine spatial scales. To address this problem, this paper integrates three diverse types of datasets from in situ, satellites, and models through Spherical cap harmonic analysis (SCHA) and Helmert variance component estimation (HVCE) to produce 1 km of spatio-temporally continuous SM products with high accuracy. First, this paper eliminates the bias between different datasets and in situ sites and resamples the datasets before data fusion. Then, multi-source SM data fusion is performed based on the SCHA and HVCE methods. Finally, this paper evaluates the fused products from three aspects, including the performance of representative sites under different climate types, the overall performance of validation sites, and the comparison with other products. The results show that the fused products have better performance than other SM products. In the representative sites, the minimal correlation coefficient (R) of the fused products is above 0.85, and the largest root mean square error (RMSE) is below 0.040 m3 m−3. For all validation sites, the R and RMSE of the fused products are 0.889 and 0.036 m3 m−3, respectively, while the R for other products is below 0.75 and the RMSE is above 0.06 m3 m−3. In comparison to other SM products, the fused products exhibit superior performance, generally align more closely with in situ measurements, and possess the ability to accurately and finely capture the spatial and temporal variability of surface SM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Sound, natural dentin collagen can be stabilized against enzymatic degradation through exogenous crosslinking treatment for durable bonding; however, the effect on denatured dentin (DD) collagen is unknown. Hence, the ability of different crosslinkers to enhance/restore the properties of DD collagen was assessed. Methods: Demineralized natural and DD collagen films (7 mm × 7 mm × 7 µm) and beams (0.8 mm × 0.8 mm × 7 mm) were prepared. DD collagen was experimentally produced by heat or acid exposure, which was then assessed by various techniques. All specimens were then treated with 1 wt% of chemical crosslinker 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide/n-hydroxysuccinimide (EDC/NHS) and two structurally different flavonoids—theaflavins (TF) from black tea and type-A proanthocyanidins from cranberry juice (CR) for either 30 s or 1 h. The controls were untreated. Dentin films were assessed for chemical interaction and cross-linking effect by FTIR, biostability against exogenous collagenase by weight loss (WL) and hydroxyproline release (HYP), and endogenous matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) activity by confocal laser microscopy. Dentin beams were evaluated for tensile properties. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey's test (α = 0.05). Results: Compared with natural collagen, DD collagen showed pronounced structural changes, altered biostability and decreased mechanical properties, which were then improved to various degrees that were dependent on the crosslinkers used, with EDC/NHS being the least effective. Surprisingly, the well-known MMP inhibitor EDC/NHS showed negligible effect on or even increased MMP activity in DD collagen. As compared with control, cross-linking induced by TF and CR significantly increased collagen biostability (reduced WL and HYP release, p < 0.05), MMP inhibition (p < 0.001) and mechanical properties (p < 0.05), regardless of denaturation. Conclusions: DD collagen cannot or can only minimally be stabilized via EDC/NHS crosslinking; however, the challenging substrate of DD collagen can be enhanced or restored using the promising flavonoids TF and CR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) used for backlighting display applications require innovative and thermally stable narrow-band emission phosphors, particularly non-rare-earth Bi3+-activated phosphors. In this study, we demonstrate a defect-engineering strategy to create novel anti-thermal quenching phosphors Ca 3 Sc 2 Si 3 O 12 : x Bi3+ (CSSO: x Bi3+). Through structure refinement of CSSO: 0.06Bi3+ phosphor, we found that Bi occupies both Ca and Sc sites in the CSSO lattice. Direct visualization of atomic-resolution TEM and thermoluminescence spectra confirmed the formation of point defects due to the non-equivalent substitution of Ca2+ for Bi3+. Fluorescent-decay analysis revealed that two luminescence sites contribute to the blue-emitting of CSSO:Bi3+ phosphors. CSSO: 0.06Bi3+ phosphor exhibits outstanding thermal stability, with an integrated emission intensity of 103.6% at 423 K compared to that at 298 K. However, the addition of Li or Na as charge compensators reduced cationic defects, leading to a decrease in thermal stability. We believe that V C a ″ defects are primarily responsible for the anti-thermal quenching behavior of CSSO: x Bi3+ phosphors. An optimized CSSO: 0.06Bi3+ phosphor-based WLED displays a high color rendering index (CRI) of 90 and a wide color gamut (90% National Television System Committee (NTSC) standard), indicating its potential for use in industrial applications as a backlighting display. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultivated land is the basis of food security and an important component of the construction of ecological civilization. The sustainable use of cultivated land is an important issue in land resource management, and it is also an inevitable factor when addressing the contradiction between food demands and resource and environmental constraints. Cultivated land use is both a food production process and a water- and energy-intensive process. Therefore, sustainable use of cultivated land is important not only for cultivated land itself but also for the associated social, economic, and ecological impacts of water and energy input. Therefore, based on the water–land–energy–food nexus, this paper carries out a theoretical analysis of cultivated land use following the element–structure–function framework and builds an evaluation framework of the sustainable use of cultivated land. Finally, this paper selects appropriate evaluation indicators to evaluate the changes in element coordination and function trade-offs of cultivated land use in Quzhou County from 2000 to 2020; analyzes the key influencing factors in detail; and proposes future development directions. The results reflect the fact that the element coordination degree showed obvious continuous decline three times in a row, then a brief rise, and it finally stabilized at a high level, whereas the synergies between the functions decreased and then increased. This means that the sustainable use level of cultivated land in Quzhou County basically presents a good trend. At present, the obstacle that is restricting the efficient use of cultivated land and sustainable development is water, which should be improved by some measures in the future. The results of this evaluation have important theoretical and practical significance for identifying the characteristics of changes in cultivated land use and for guiding future sustainable use in Quzhou County and other regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, peer-to-peer (P2P) as a means of content distribution and sharing service are receiving extensive attention. In this paper, the hybrid P2P network structure model is combined with the knowledge of queueing theory. In order to address the problem generated by unnecessary online behavior of nodes, the working sleep mechanism for the serving nodes is introduced, and the synchronous multiple working vacation strategy is also adopted to decrease the system energy consumption. Then a queueing model with working vacation and repairable fault is built, which used to simulate the resource transmission process of P2P network and to study the performance of P2P sharing system. The steady-state probability vector is derived by employing quasi-birth-and-death process and matrix-geometric solution method. And the expressions for system performance indicators, such as the average delay, are obtained by employing Gauss–Seidel iteration method. Through numerical experiments, the performance indicators of the P2P resource sharing system are studied, which provides a theoretical basis to decrease online energy consumption of nodes in the hybrid P2P network. And through employing Nash equilibrium and social optimal strategy, the value of the social maximum benefit under the social optimization is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wrinkles exist widely in nature and our life. In this paper, wrinkles on polydopamine (PDA)/polystyrene (PS) bilayer films were formed by thermal annealing due to the different thermal coefficients of expansion of each layer. The factors that influenced the dimensions of wrinkles were studied. We found that oriented wrinkles could be formed if the bilayer films were patterned with micro-grooves, and the degree of the orientation depended on the thickness of the PDA and the dimensions of the grooves. Combined with the strong adhesion, biocompatibility and reactivity of PDA, the oriented wrinkles on PDA/PS patterned bilayers may find potential application in diffraction gratings, optical sensors and microfluidic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Augmented reality (AR) has received increasing attention in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) applications. The goal of applying AR techniques to MIS is to enhance a surgeon's perception of the spatial relationship by overlaying invisible structures (e.g. tumor or vessels) onto the in vivo endoscopic video acquired during the surgery. One of primary issues of AR visualization is to provide correct depth perception for visible and invisible structures. In this paper, we present a video-based AR system consisting of functional modules for real-time 3D surface capture, reconstruction, and registration with pre-operative segmented CT model. The real-time 3D registration allows precise overlay of invisible structures onto 2D video for AR visualization. The AR overlay result is displayed on a multi-view autostereoscopic lenticular LCD. To study and compare the efficacy of AR visualization techniques, we investigated five different AR visualization modes. Both simulated and in vivo experiments were carried out and autostereoscopic AR visualization results were given. Evaluation and comparison for depth perception between five AR visualization modes are presented. Finally, we conclude the characteristics of these visualization modes. The novelty of our work lies in successful implementation of an end-to-end 3D autostereoscopic AR system from real-time reconstruction and registration with our multi-channel 3D endoscope, and systematic evaluation and comparison of five different visualization modes for depth perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]