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The role of soil organic C (SOC) quality affecting microbial community composition and function under biochar application is poorly understood. We investigated the relationship between the pool size and chemical composition of SOC; composition of main microbial groups; enzyme activities involved in C, N, and P cycling; and soil respiration in a rice paddy amended with biochar for 20 months in a laboratory experiment at 15, 25, and 35 °C. Soil labile and recalcitrant organic C pools were determined by a two-step sulfuric acid (H2SO4) hydrolysis method. The chemical composition of SOC was determined with 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The biochar amendment at 20 and 40 t ha−1 significantly decreased the soil labile C pool I (extracted by 5 N H2SO4), alkyl, and carbonyl C contents and increased the recalcitrant C pool (acid-resistant) and aromatic C contents and the aromatic C to O-alkyl C ratio. The phospholipid-fatty acid concentrations and soil enzyme activities were unchanged by biochar application at 10 and 20 t ha−1, but both were increased at 40 t ha−1. Biochar increased the ratio of gram-positive (G+) to gram-negative (G−) bacteria and decreased that of fungi to bacteria. The recalcitrant C pool and aromatic C contents were positively correlated to the G+ bacteria abundance and were important factors in shaping composition of the main microbial groups and improving enzyme activities. Biochar application at 40 t ha−1 lowered soil respiration rates at 15 and 25 °C by decreasing labile C pool and increasing C recalcitrancy while increased temperature sensitivities of soil respiration at 25/15 °C and 35/25 °C by stimulating microbial abundance and enzyme activities. Together, our results suggest that biochar soil amendment shifted microbial community composition and function through influencing the composition of SOC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) has been widely used in information retrieval, computer vision, and face recognition because it captures the underlying intrinsic structure of data by using its parts-based representations in the low dimensional space. In this paper, we first propose a novel semi-supervised least squares NMF (SLSNMF) method. This SLSNMF uses hyperplanes to separate the labelled points from different classes and minimizes the least squares loss. By considering the maximum margin principle, the discriminative abilities of clustering representations are greatly enhanced. We further present a graph-based least squares NMF (GLSNMF) method by incorporating the local manifold regularization into SLSNMF. Clustering experiments on five popular databases verify the effectiveness of our proposed SLSNMF and GLSNMF compared to the other state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • A phylogenetic analysis of the galliform genus Tropicoperdix is presented. • Two Tropicoperdix species from approximately 100-year-old museum specimens. • Various data types extracted from mapping from low coverage shotgun sequencing. • Tropicoperdix located in peacock pheasant clade with confidence. Abstract Next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) offers a promising way to obtain massive numbers of orthologous loci to understand phylogenetic relationships among organisms. Of particular interest are old museum specimens and other samples with degraded DNA, where traditional sequencing methods have proven to be challenging. Low coverage shotgun sequencing and sequence capture are two widely used NGS approaches for degraded DNA. Sequence capture can yield sequence data for large numbers of orthologous loci, but it can only be used to sequence genomic regions near conserved sequences that can be used as probes. Low coverage shotgun sequencing has the potential to yield different data types throughout the genome. However, many studies using this method have often generated mitochondrial sequences, and few nuclear sequences, suggesting orthologous nuclear sequences are likely harder to recover. To determine the phylogenetic position of the galliform genus Tropicoperdix , whose phylogenetic position is currently uncertain, we explored two strategies to maximize data extraction from low coverage shotgun sequencing from approximately 100-year-old museum specimens from two species of Tropicoperdix. One approach, a simple read mapping strategy, outperformed the other (a reduced complexity assembly approach), and allowed us to obtain a large number of ultraconserved element (UCE) loci, relatively conserved exons, more variable introns, as well as mitochondrial genomes. Additionally, we demonstrated some simple approaches to explore possible artifacts that may result from the use of degraded DNA. Our data placed Tropicoperdix within a clade that includes many taxa characterized with ornamental eyespots (peafowl, argus pheasants, and peacock pheasants), and established relationships among species within the genus. Therefore, our study demonstrated that low coverage shotgun sequencing can easily be leveraged to yield substantial amounts and varying types of data, which opens the door for many research questions that might require information from different data types from museum specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is concerned with a mathematical study of ill-posed backward evolution equations associated with densely defined linear differential operators in Banach spaces. A general approach is presented to investigate the convergence and stability of a class of regularized solutions for ill-posed backward evolution equations associated with sectorial or half-strip operators. Generalized concepts of qualification pairs and index functions are introduced to characterize the explicit convergence rates of the concerned regularized solutions. Applications of our results to general backward evolution equations are also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar can be an effective amendment for immobilizing heavy metals in contaminated soils but has variable effects depending on its chemical and physical properties and those of the treated soil. To investigate the range of biochar's effects on heavy metal accumulation in plants in responses to the variation of soil, biochar and plant, we carried out a meta-analysis of the literature that was published before March 2016. A total of 1298 independent observations were collected from 74 published papers. Results showed that across all studies, biochar addition to soils resulted in average decreases of 38, 39, 25 and 17%, respectively, in the accumulation of Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn in plant tissues. The effect of biochar on heavy metal concentrations in plants varied depending on soil properties, biochar type, plant species, and metal contaminants. The largest decreases in plant heavy metal concentrations occurred in coarse-textured soils amended with biochar. Biochar had a relatively small effect on plant tissue Pb concentrations, but a large effect on plant Cu concentrations when applied to alkaline soils. Plant uptake of Pb, Cu and Zn was less in soils with higher organic carbon contents. Manure-derived biochar was the most effective for reducing Cd and Pb concentrations in plants as compared to biochars derived from other feedstock. Biochar having a high pH and used at high application rates resulted in greater decreases in plant heavy metal uptake. The meta-analysis provides useful guidelines on the range of effects that can be anticipated for different biochar materials in different plant-soil systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel copper-catalyzed cross-dehydrogenative coupling reaction of α -amino carbonyl compounds with nitromethane to synthesis of ( Z )-nitroalkene derivatives has been established. ( Z )-Nitroalkene derivatives are achieved through the cleavage of sp 3 CsbndH bonds and formation of CsbndC double bond, with mild reaction conditions and excellent stereoselectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines whether the utilization of sputtering guns and gas injection is adequate for obtaining high-quality films. Use of magnetron cosputtering to produce YBa[sub2]Cu[sub3]O[sub7] films on cubic zirconia which have sharp resistivity transitions; Importance of adding oxygen to the argon during the sputtering cycle; Characterization of the measurement of the films exhibiting semiconducting behavior.

• PC is the most abundant class in egg yolk PLs, and it is very efficient in generating odorants. • Linoleic acid is the predominant PUFA in egg yolk PLs, and its corresponding predominant hydroperoxide is 9-HPOD. • 9-HPOD is the precursor of 2,4-decadienals, the key odorants of chicken meat and fried foods. • Egg yolk PLs are an ideal precursor of lipid-derived odorants, especially for chicken meat and fried foods. Egg yolk phospholipids (PLs) have been demonstrated to generate large quantities of lipid-derived odorants, especially the fatty note odorants. Recently, egg yolk PLs have been successfully used in chicken meat and fried foods to improve aroma. This review comprehensively summarizes the properties of egg yolk PLs as precursors of fatty note odorants, including their classes, extraction, identification, oxidation, decomposition and odorant formation, applications, considerations and future prospects in the food industry. Most likely, phosphatidylcholine (PC) is the most abundant class in egg yolk PLs, and PC is more efficient than phosphatidylethanolamine in generating fatty note odorants; moreover, the predominant polyunsaturated fatty acid is linoleic acid, and its corresponding predominant hydroperoxide is 9-hydroperoxy-10,12-octadecadienoic acid during autoxidation, which is the precursor of 2,4-decadienals and 2,4-nonadienals, the key fatty note odorants. Therefore, egg yolk PLs could be an ideal precursor of fatty note odorants for chicken meat and fried foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The specific pathophysiological pathways through which diabetes exacerbates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury remain unclear; however, dysregulation of immune and inflammatory cells, potentially driven by abnormalities in their number and function due to diabetes, may play a significant role. In the present investigation, we simulated myocardial I/R injury by inducing ischemia through ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery in mice for 40 min, followed by reperfusion for 24 h. Previous studies have indicated that protein kinase Cβ (PKCβ) is upregulated under hyperglycemic conditions and is implicated in the development of various diabetic complications. The Y4 RNA fragment is identified as the predominant small RNA component present in the extracellular vesicles of cardio sphere-derived cells (CDCs), exhibiting notable anti-inflammatory properties in the contexts of myocardial infarction and cardiac hypertrophy. Our investigation revealed that the administration of Y4 RNA into the ventricular cavity of db/db mice following myocardial I/R injury markedly enhanced cardiac function. Furthermore, Y4 RNA was observed to facilitate M2 macrophage polarization and interleukin-10 secretion through the suppression of PKCβ activation. The mechanism by which Y4 RNA affects PKCβ by regulating macrophage activation within the inflammatory environment involves the inhibition of ERK1/2 phosphorylation In our study, the role of PKCβ in regulating macrophage polarization during myocardial I/R injury was investigated through the use of PKCβ knockout mice. Our findings indicate that PKCβ plays a crucial role in modulating the inflammatory response associated with macrophage activation in db/db mice experiencing myocardial I/R, with a notable exacerbation of this response observed upon significant upregulation of PKCβ expression. In vitro studies further elucidated the protective mechanism by which Y4 RNA modulates the PKCβ/ERK1/2 signaling pathway to induce M2 macrophage activation. Overall, our findings suggest that Y4 RNA plays an anti-inflammatory role in diabetic I/R injury, suggesting a novel therapeutic approach for managing myocardial I/R injury in diabetic individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parents confront multiple aspects of offspring demands and need to coordinate different parental care tasks. Biparental care is considered to evolve under circumstances where one parent is not competent for all tasks and cannot efficiently raise offspring. However, this hypothesis is difficult to test, as uniparental and biparental care rarely coexist. Chinese penduline tits (Remiz consobrinus) provide such a system where both parental care types occur. Here, we experimentally investigated whether parents in biparental nests are less capable of caring than parents in uniparental nests. We monitored parenting efforts at (1) naturally uniparental and biparental nests and (2) biparental nests before and during the temporary removal of a parent. Given the relatively small sample sizes, we have employed various statistical analyses confirming the robustness of our results. We found that total feeding frequency and brooding duration were similar for natural uniparental and biparental nests. Feeding frequency, but not brooding duration, contributed significantly to nestling mass. In line with this, a temporary parental removal revealed that the remaining parents at biparental nests fully compensated for the partner's feeding absence but not for brooding duration. This reflects that the manipulated parents are confronted with a trade‐off between feeding and brooding and were selected to invest in the more influential one. However, such a trade‐off may not occur in parents of natural uniparental care nests. The different capabilities of a parent independently coordinating feeding and brooding tasks suggest that parents from biparental and uniparental nests were exposed to different resource conditions, thereby foraging efficiency may differ between care types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study performed quasi-static and dynamic compressive and splitting tensile tests on unsaturated polyester polymer concrete (UPPC) at four different curing ages (6 h, 3 days, 7 days, and 28 days). We examined a total of 136 specimens, specifically 24 cubic specimens and 12 cylindrical specimens for quasi-static tests and 45 cylinders and 55 FBD specimens for dynamic compressive and tensile tests, respectively. The experimental results indicated that UPPC exhibited rapid strength enhancement in the early stages of curing, and the natural curing condition-treated cubic specimens exhibited 6-h compressive and splitting tensile strengths of 40 MPa and 6.5 MPa, respectively, which was almost the 50–60% of the 28-day strengths. The UPPC is also sensitive to the strain rate, such that both the compressive and splitting tensile strengths exhibited significant increases following an increase in the strain rate. Conversely, the strain rate sensitivity decreased with the curing age. We deemed the CEB-FIP equation for normal cement concrete to be inadequate for estimating the strain rate sensitivity of UPPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An accurate tire-pavement noise prediction model is highly needed by transportation agencies and pavement designers during the porous asphalt mixture design to reduce the tire-pavement noise which has been recognized as a dominant contributor to the overall traffic noise. In this paper, the surface texture level and distributions of porous asphalt mixture are acquired by a recently developed program named as 2-Dimensional Image Texture Analysis Method (2D-ITAM). The acoustic absorption coefficient of porous asphalt mixture is calculated using a proposed sound absorption model based on the micro-structure of porous asphalt mixture. Also, a prediction model correlating the tire-pavement noise level with macro-texture and short wavelength of mega-texture of pavement is established using a multivariate non-linear regression analysis. This prediction model is validated through laboratory experiment demonstrating its effectiveness of predicting the tire-pavement noise level. The model is anticipated to serve as an improved tool which could be considered by practitioners in an optimized porous asphalt mixture design incorporating the evaluation of noise produced by asphalt pavement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

S100A16 is a conserved member of the S100 protein family in mammals. Its upregulation was observed in many tumors and is related to malignant transformation. In this study, we explored the independent prognostic value of S100A16 in terms of overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) by performing a retrospective study, using data in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Besides, by using deep sequencing data in TCGA-LUAD, we also explored the association between S100A16 expression and its DNA methylation and copy number alterations (CNAs). Results showed that the primary LUAD tissues (N = 514) had significantly elevated S100A16 expression compared with the normal lung tissues (N = 59). Based on OS data of 502 primary LUAD cases, we found that high S100A16 expression was correlated with inferior OS. The following univariate and multivariate analysis confirmed that increased S100A16 expression was an independent prognostic indicator of unfavorable OS (HR: 1.197, 95%CI: 1.050–1.364, p = 0.007) and RFS (HR: 1.206, 95%CI: 1.045–1.393, p = 0.011). By examining the DNA methylation data in TCGA-LUAD, we found that some S100A16 DNA CpG sites were generally hypermethylated in normal tissues, but not in LUAD tissues. Regression analysis identified a moderately negative correlation between S100A16 expression and its DNA methylation. In comparison, although DNA amplification (+1/+2) was frequent (378/511, 74%) in LUAD patients, it was not associated with increased S100A16 expression. Based on findings above, we infer that aberrant S100A16 expression might be modulated by its DNA hypomethylation and serves as an independent prognostic indicator of unfavorable OS and RFS in LUAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human coronaviruses (HCoV) OC43, 229E, NL63, and HKU1 are common respiratory viruses which cause various respiratory diseases, including pneumonia. There is a paucity of evidence on the epidemiology and clinical manifestations of these four HCoV strains worldwide. We collected 11,399 throat swabs from hospitalized children with acute respiratory tract infection from July 2009 to June 2016 in Guangzhou, China. These were tested for four strains of HCoV infection using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). HCoV-positive patients were then tested for 11 other respiratory pathogens. 4.3% (489/11399) of patients were positive for HCoV, of which 3.0% were positive for OC43 (346/11399), 0.6% for 229E (65/11399), 0.5% for NL63 (60/11399), and 0.3% for HKU1 (38/11399). Patients aged 7-12 months had the highest prevalence of HCoV and OC43 when compared with other age groups ( p < 0.001). The peak seasons of infection varied depending on the HCoV strain. Patients infected with a single strain of HCoV infection were less likely to present fever (≥ 38 °C) ( p = 0.014) and more likely to present pulmonary rales ( p = 0.043) than those co-infected with more than one HCoV strain or other respiratory pathogens. There were also significant differences in the prevalence of certain symptoms, including coughing ( p = 0.032), pneumonia ( p = 0.026), and abnormal pulmonary rales ( p = 0.002) according to the strain of HCoV detected. This retrospective study of the prevalence of four HCoV strains and clinical signs among a large population of pediatric patients in a subtropical region of China provides further insight into the epidemiology and clinical features of HCoV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary non-neoplastic polyps originating from the nasopharynx have not been reported in the English language literature. We present the clinical and histopathological features of three primary nasopharyngeal polyps. Clinical data of three patients with primary nasopharyngeal polyps treated at the Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between 2005 and 2015 were analyzed and presented. Three male patients from 45 to 63 years presented with nasopharyngeal masses. CT or MRI examination showed nasopharyngeal space-occupying lesions. Two patients were initially diagnosed with nasopharyngeal angiofibroma and one patient with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. After surgical excision, based on the histological examination, the tissue masses were all diagnosed as inflammatory polyps. Histologically, the polyps demonstrated significant oedema, collagen deposition, leukocytic infiltration, and epithelial remodelling. Primary nasopharyngeal polyps represent a distinct clinical entity and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of nasopharyngeal masses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a major clinical problem associated with high morbidity and mortality. Esculentoside A (EsA), a kind of saponin isolated from the root of the Chinese herb Phytolaca esculenta , has been reported to have anti-inflammatory effect. In this study, we aimed to investigate the protective effects of EsA on LPS-induced AKI in mice. The protective effects of EsA was evaluated by detecting kidney histological change, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine levels, and inflammatory cytokines production. The results showed that EsA significantly attenuated LPS-induced kidney histological change, as well as BUN and creatinine levels. EsA also inhibited LPS-induced TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 production. LPS-induced NF-κB activation was significantly suppressed by treatment of EsA. In addition, EsA up-regulated the expression of PPAR-γ in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, EsA protected mice effectively from LPS-induced AKI by PPAR-γ, which subsequently inhibited LPS-induced inflammatory response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report an in - situ electrochemical surface enhanced IR reflection absorption spectroscopic (SEIRAS) study of carbon monoxide electro-oxidation reaction (COR) of CO dissolved in alkaline supporting electrolyte (CO sol ). With judiciously chosen concentration of OH − , we were able to observe for the first time the vibrational band of the weakly adsorbed CO w in an alkaline solution and identify it as the active reaction intermediate for the COR of CO sol , as in the acidic media. With the help of deuterium labeling, we were also able to confirm spectroscopically, again for the first time, the previously proposed CO-adsorption-promoted-OH-adsorption hypothesis. We proposed a reaction mechanism accordingly that consists of (1) CO-adsorption-promoted OH adsorption, (2) formation of weakly-bound CO w from CO sol , and (3) the oxidation of CO w by a surface-anchored weakly-hydrogen-bound species. We believe that the synergistic actions of these elemental chemical processes are the reasons for the observed unusually high activity of COR of CO sol in an alkaline solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Couchsurfing is a social-networking site for hospitality exchange. To promote the site, the organizer, Couchsurfing.org, creates the discourse of Couchsurfing cosmopolitanism to emphasize the value of sharing with strangers and tolerance of cultural difference in Couchsurfing practice. This study argues that the discourse production is under a patriarchal system, in which the experience about women’s fear of men’s harassment and according practice are concealed. By conceptualizing the sexed-and-gendered body in Couchsurfing, this study exposes the power, knowledge and social relation in the cross-cultural context of Couchsurfing, represented not only in women’s feeling, performance and interaction but also in their embodied cosmopolitanism. The comparison between with Western-European and East-Asian women’s experience is also included in the analysis. It highlights the effects of the gender role inscribed on women’s body which makes a difference in women’s cross-cultural interaction as well as their embodied cosmopolitanism. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Bioproducts are chemicals derived from renewable biological resources and have the potential to replace petrochemicals in the future to tackle the arising environmental problems. Among them, lactic acid (LaA) is attracting significant focus from both academia and industry due to its wide application in our daily life. In this study, lactic acid is produced from the chemo-catalytic converting the glucose over the homogeneous ErCl 3 catalyst in an aqueous solution. The highest LaA yield of 97% was obtained at a full glucose conversion on this homogeneous catalyst at 260 °C through process optimization. Furthermore, the techno-economic analysis (TEA) was leveraged for the concept design of LaA biorefineries. Three parameters, namely the selling price of LaA, the price of glucose, and the catalyst recyclability were identified for the overall profit. Therefore, this work highlights the notable ability of TEA for the concept design or simulation to screen the promising biorefinery industrial process, and intuitively provide us with the internal rate of return of a certain chemical process. Thus, this work is supposed to provide the feasibility of LaA acid production from a chemo-catalytic process from both the technical and scientific points of view. [Display omitted] • A high lactic acid yield was obtained on the ErCl 3 homogeneous catalyst. • The potential of using converting glucose to lactic acid was analyzed. • Concept design and tech-economic analysis were performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic converting the lignin-derived bio-oil to liquid fuel is one promising methodology to reduce the dependence on petroleum-based fuel while easing the atmospheric carbon dioxide burden. Hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) is one commonly used method to convert and upgrade bio-oil from biomass. In the present work, a Ru-promoted MoFeP/Al 2 O 3 catalyst was prepared and evaluated the HDO performance by converting two model compounds, guaiacol and anisole with a batch reactor at 250 °C. This catalyst shows a quite good HDO performance over the two model compounds, in which, oxygen was removed from the phenolic and hydrocarbons were produced as the product. Kinetic studies were also performed to build the reaction network and elucidate the reaction pathway of guaiacol and anisole HDO reactions. The primary, secondary, and tertiary products can be identified for the HDO reactions. A better understanding of HDO chemistry from the fundamental study can lead to more efficient catalysts for the target products. [Display omitted] • A highly active Ru-MoFeP/Al 2 O 3 was proposed in HDO reaction. • Reaction network of guaiacol and anisole HDO reaction were proposed. • Primary product, secondary or tertiary products can be identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A theoretical research of structural evolution, electronic properties, and photoelectron spectra of selenium-doped boron clusters SeBn0/− (n = 3–16) is performed using particle swarm optimization (CALYPSO) software in combination with density functional theory calculations. The lowest energy structures of SeBn0/− (n = 3–16) clusters tend to form quasi-planar or planar structures. Some selenium-doped boron clusters keep a skeleton of the corresponding pure boron clusters; however, the addition of a Se atom modified and improved some of the pure boron cluster structures. In particular, the Se atoms of SeB7−, SeB8−, SeB10−, and SeB12− are connected to the pure quasi-planar B7−, B8−, B10−, and B12− clusters, which leads to planar SeB7−, SeB8−, SeB10−, and SeB12−, respectively. Interestingly, the lowest energy structure of SeB9− is a three-dimensional mushroom-shaped structure, and the SeB9− cluster displays the largest HOMO–LUMO gap of 5.08 eV, which shows the superior chemical stability. Adaptive natural density partitioning (AdNDP) bonding analysis reveals that SeB8 is doubly aromatic, with 6 delocalized π electrons and 6 delocalized σ electrons, whereas SeB9− is doubly antiaromatic, with 4 delocalized π electrons and 12 delocalized σ electrons. Similarly, quasi-planar SeB12 is doubly aromatic, with 6 delocalized π electrons and 14 delocalized σ electrons. The electron localization function (ELF) analysis shows that SeBn0/− (n = 3–16) clusters have different local electron delocalization and whole electron delocalization effects. The simulated photoelectron spectra of SeBn− (n = 3–16) have different characteristic bands that can identify and confirm SeBn− (n = 3–16) combined with future experimental photoelectron spectra. Our research enriches the geometrical structures of small doped boron clusters and can offer insight for boron-based nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refractory high-entropy alloys are considered as potential structural materials for elevated temperature applications. To obtain refractory high-entropy alloys with high strength, different amounts of Si were added into the NbMoTiVW refractory high-entropy alloys. The effects of Si on the phase constitution, microstructure characteristics and mechanical properties of NbMoTiVWSix alloys were investigated. Results show that when the addition of Si is 0, 0.025 and 0.05 (molar ratio), the alloys are consisted of primary BCC and secondary BCC in the intergranular area. When the addition of Si is increased to 0.075 and 0.1, eutectic structure including silicide phase and secondary BCC phase is formed. The primary BCC phase shows dendritic morphology, and is refined by adding Si. The volume fraction of intergranular area is increased from 12.22% to 18.13% when the addition of Si increases from 0 to 0.1. The ultimate compressive strength of the NbMoTiVW alloy is improved from 2,242 MPa to 2,532 MPa. Its yield strength is also improved by the addition of Si, and the yield strength of NbMoTiVWSi0.1 reaches maximum of 2,298 MPa. However, the fracture strain of the alloy is decreased from 15.31% to 12.02%. The fracture mechanism of the alloys is changed from mixed fracture of ductile and quasi-cleavage to cleavage fracture with increasing of Si. The strengthening of alloys is attributed to the refinement of primary BCC phase, volume fraction increment of secondary BCC phase, and formation of eutectic structure by addition of Si. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly (d,l-lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) based microspheres have been extensively used as controlled drug release systems. However, the burst effect has been a persistent issue associated with such systems, especially for those prepared by the double emulsion technique. An effective approach to preventing the burst effect and achieving a more ideal drug release profile is to improve the drug distribution within the polymeric matrix. Therefore, it is of great importance to establish a rapid and robust tool for screening and optimizing the drug distribution during pre-formulation. Transition Temperature Microscopy (TTM), a novel nano-thermal and imaging technique, is an extension of nano-thermal analysis (nano-TA) whereby a transition temperature is detected at a localized region of a sample and then designated a color based on a particular temperature/color palette, finally resulting in a coded map based on transition temperatures detected by carrying out a series of nanoTA measurements across the surface of the sample. In this study, we investigate the feasibility of applying the aforementioned technique combined with other thermal, imaging and structural techniques for monitoring the drug microstructure and spatial distribution within bovine serum albumin (BSA) loaded and nimodipine loaded PLGA microspheres, with a view to better predicting the in vitro drug release performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new variable weight method, called the singular value decomposition (SVD) approach, for Kohonen competitive learning (KCL) algorithms based on the concept of Varshavskyet al.[18]. Integrating the weighted fuzzyc-means (FCM) algorithm with KCL, in this paper, we propose a weighted fuzzy KCL (WFKCL) algorithm. The goal of the proposed WFKCL algorithm is to reduce the clustering error rate when data contain some noise variables. Compared with thek-means, FCM and KCL with existing variable-weight methods, the proposed WFKCL algorithm with the proposed SVD's weight method provides a better clustering performance based on the error rate criterion. Furthermore, the complexity of the proposed SVD's approach is less than Palet al.[17], Wanget al.[19] and Hunget al.[9]. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Polycarbonate (PC) has been widely applied in aerospace and railway industries, and it is imperative to improve its fire safety related properties, especially heat release properties. Particularly, the MARHE value (maximum average rate of heat emission) directly obtained from the cone calorimeter (CONE) test is a comprehensive property that is presented in the EN45545-2 standard developed by the EU. In order to study the effect of flame retardants on the MARHE of polycarbonate, four flame retardants with different flame retardant mechanisms were used to prepare low heat release PC. CONE was used to characterize the heat release performance of PC, focusing on exploring the factors affecting MARHE and the method of preparing low heat release materials. The flame-retardant mechanism of PC was studied by SEM and TG/DTG. Meanwhile, the flame retardant index (FRI) is calculated as a reference for the flame retardant performance of PC. Results show the MARHE of HPCTP/PC is reduced by 31.12%, and it is confirmed that MARHE is influenced by time to ignition (TTI), peak heat release rate (PHRR), total heat release rate (THR), and the shape of the peak. Mica-RDP/PC materials were prepared based on the conclusions of MARHE derivation. RDP and Mica play a typical synergistic flame-retardant mechanism, with MARHE reductions from 20.31% to 20.00% of the single-component systems to 31.39%. All FRI values of PC materials are in the range of Good flame retardancy. This study provides a feasible way for the deep understanding and wide application of MARHE and the improvement of the fire safety performance of PC. • Analyzing influencing behavior to MARHE, studying flame-retardant mechanism via CONE and carbon residue. • Mathematical derivation for MARHE to further guide experiment, MARHE drops by 31% via synergistic effect, and all FRI values are in good. • To meet the requirements of EN45545-2 for MARHE on low heat release PC material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantitative precipitation forecast (QPF) in very-short range (0-12 hours) has been investigated in this paper by using a convective-scale (3km) GRAPES_Meso model. At first, a latent heat nudging (LHN) scheme to assimilate the hourly intensified surface precipitation data was set up to enhance the initialization of GRAPES_Meso integration. And then based on the LHN scheme, a convective-scale prediction system was built up in considering the initial "triggering" uncertainties by means of multi-scale initial analysis (MSIA), such as the three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVAR), the traditional LHN method (VAR0LHN3), the cycling LHN method (CYCLING), the spatial filtering (SS) and the temporal filtering (DFI) LHN methods. Furthermore, the probability matching (PM) method was used to generate the QPF in very-short range by combining the precipitation forecasts of the five runs. The experiments for one month were carried out to validate the MSIA and PM method for QPF in very-short range. The numerical simulation results showed that: (1) in comparison with the control run, the CYCLING run could generate the smaller-scale initial moist increments and was better for reducing the spin-up time and triggering the convection in a very-short time; (2) the DFI runs could generate the initial analysis fields with relatively larger-scale initial increments and trigger the weaker convections at the beginning time (0-3h) of integration, but enhance them at latter time (6-12h); (3) by combining the five runs with different convection triggering features, the PM method could significantly improve the QPF in very-short range in comparison to any single run. Therefore, the QPF with a small size of combining members proposed here is quite prospective in operation for its lower computation cost and better performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasonic leaky Lamb waves are sensitive to defects and debonding in multilayer media. In this study, we use the finite-difference method to simulate the response of flexural waves in the presence of defects owing to casing corrosion and rough fluctuations at the cement-formation interface. The ultrasonic obliquely incidence could effectively stimulate the flexural waves. The defects owing to casing corrosion change the amplitude of the earlyarrival flexural wave, which gradually decrease with increasing defect thickness on the exterior walls and is the lowest when the defect length and wavelength were comparable. The scattering at the defects decreases the energy of flexural waves in the casing that leaks directly to fluids. For rough cement-formation interface, the early-arrival flexural waves do not change, whereas the late-arrival flexural waves have reduced amplitude owing to the scattering at rough interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new indole alkaloid derivatives ( 1, 2), together with six known indole alkaloids ( 3 - 8) were isolated from the 70% EtOH/H2O extract of the stem of Nauclea officinalis. Their structures were determined on the basis of extensive analyses of spectroscopic data ( IR, MS, 1D- and 2D-NMR). All the isolates were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activities on lipopolysaccharide ( LPS)-induced nitric oxide ( NO) production in RAW 264.7, and all the compounds showed significant inhibitory activities with the IC50 values of 0.82, 6.45, 9.75, 1.34, 3.40, 2.69, 1.58, and 1.96 μ m, compared to the positive drug control group aminoguanidine with an IC50 value of 1.80 μ m, especially compound 1 had the most significant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green tea and its food-grade extracts are widely used in food technology because of their rich chemical composition. Our previous study found that dynamic extraction tea extract exhibited higher quality than conventional extraction methods. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop a high-efficiency, dynamic extraction method to improve extraction efficiency and the sensory quality of green tea. The effects of dynamic extraction conditions on the chemical composition and sensory quality of green tea extract were investigated with sensory and physicochemical analysis. Extraction temperature and flow rate strongly affected the taste of green tea extract. The tea extracts were obtained with high-umami or high yield by optimized extraction conditions. The triphasic dynamic (column) extraction yield was improved by 11.22% compared with the static extraction. The results can help to understand the influences of dynamic extraction conditions on the quality of tea extract and to optimize the extraction method of tea extract. • A dynamic extraction to improve extraction efficiency and the sensory quality. • Smaller particle-size leaves increased concentrations of the chemical components. • Suitable conditions were found to produce high-umami extract with good quality. • Yield of dynamic extraction was improved 11.22% compared with static extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The proximal femoral nail anti-rotation (PFNA) with cement enhancement enhances the anchorage ability of internal fixation in elderly with osteoporotic intertrochanteric fracture. However, whether it is superior to hemiarthroplasty is still controversial. The present study aimed to determine which treatment has better clinical outcomes among older patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 102 elderly patients with osteoporosis who developed intertrochanteric fractures and underwent PFNA combined with cement-enhanced internal fixation (n = 52, CE group), and hemiarthroplasty (n = 50, HA group) from September 2012 to October 2018. All the intertrochanteric fractures were classified according to the AO/OTA classification. Additionally, the operative time, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative and postoperative blood transfusion rates, postoperative weight-bearing time, hospitalization time, Barthel Index of Activities Daily Living, Harris score of hip function, visual analog (VAS) pain score, and postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. Results: The CE group had significantly shorter operative time, lesser intraoperative blood loss, lower blood transfusion rate, and longer postoperative weight-bearing time than the HA group. The CE group had lower Barthel's Index of Activities of Daily Living, lower Harris' score, and higher VAS scores in the first and third months after surgery than the HA group, but no difference was observed between the two groups from 6 months to 12 months. There was no significant difference in the total post-operative complications between the two groups. Conclusion: The use of PFNA combined with a cement-enhanced internal fixation technique led to shorter operative time and lesser intraoperative blood loss and trauma in elderly patients as compared to HA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Computed tomography (CT) image integration is of limited use in left ventricular (LV) ablation due to inadequate accuracy of registration. The current study aimed to investigate the accuracy and feasibility of extra-cavity LV image registration via the coronary cusp. Methods: Consecutive patients were enrolled as the validation group (n = 41) and feasibility group (n = 48). After extra-cavity registration via the aortic root, the LV anatomy derived from CT image was activated and moved into real space. Accuracy of LV anatomy via this registration method was verified by intracardiac echocardiography reconstruction in the validation group and tested further in the feasibility group via measuring the location differences (<3 mm) and volume difference (<8 mL). Results: In validation group, the LV volume of CT image and ICE map were comparable (113.6 ± 15.5 mL vs. 109.0 ± 15.3 mL, P = .27), and the location difference was 3.1 ± 1.1 mm at LV summit, 1.8 ± 0.9 mm at the free wall, and 1.8 ± 0.7 mm at the LV apex. There was a mean of 2.9 ± 1.2 mm and 3.0 ± 1.0 mm length difference in anterior PM and posterior PM, the position difference of the PM's base was 2.8 ± 0.9 mm for anterior PM and 2.2 ± 0.9 mm for posterior PM. In feasibility group, the distance differences of LV summit, LV septum, LV apex, and LV free averaged 1.8 ± 0.8 mm, 1.5 ± 0.7 mm, 1.4 ± 0.6 mm, 1.3 ± 0.7 mm, respectively. Compared with validation group, acute success (100% vs. 96.5%, P = .51), complications rate (4.9% vs. 2.0%, P = 0.59) and fluoroscopic time (1.6 ± 1.1 vs. 1.9 ± 1.6 minutes, P = .30) exhibited no significant difference, but was significantly reduced with procedure time (74.5 ± 8.1 vs. 61.2 ± 9.5 minutes, P < .001) with CT image registration only. Conclusion: LV mapping and ablation could be successfully achieved by extra-cavity registration via coronary cusp without needing positions within LV beforehand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the mechanism of varietal differences in cadmium (Cd) accumulation in rice is not well understood. Two rice cultivars, ZZY (high translocation-high grain Cd) and SJ18 (low translocation-low grain Cd), were used to analyze transcriptome differences in the spike-neck tissue in field trials. The results showed that, compared with ZZY, 22,367 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in SJ18, including 2941 upregulated and 19,426 downregulated genes. GO analysis enriched 59 downregulated terms, concerning 24 terms enriched for more than 1000 DEGs, including cellular and metabolic processes, biological regulation, localization, catalytic activity, transporter activity, signaling, etc. KEGG enrichment identified 21 significant downregulated pathways, regarding the ribosome, metabolic pathways, biosynthesis of secondary metabolism, signaling transduction, cell membrane and cytoskeleton synthesis, genetic information transfer, amino acid synthesis, etc. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed that these DEGs could be clustered into five modules. Among them, the yellow module was significantly related to SJ18 with hub genes related to OsHMA and OsActin, whereas the brown module was significantly related to ZZY with hub genes related to mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), CBS, and glutaredoxin. This suggests that different mechanisms are involved in the process of spike-neck–grain Cd translocation among varieties. This study provides new insights into the mechanisms underlying differences in Cd transport among rice varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective hydrogenation of functionalized nitroarenes to anilines employed with heterogeneous catalysts is a significant process and widely applied in chemical industry. However, designing high‐performance catalysts for these processes remains challenging. Recently, notable advancements have been achieved in synthesis methodologies, characterization techniques, and theoretical calculations, offering opportunities to gain insights into mechanisms. This review summarizes the recent progress in understanding the mechanistic aspects of selective hydrogenation catalysis for functionalized nitroarenes. We initiate by delving into the structure‐performance relationship, with the aim of providing a comprehensive understanding of mechanistic and kinetic details in the selective hydrogenation of functionalized nitroarenes. Subsequently, we introduce various strategies for designing high‐performance catalysts, categorizing them into three key aspects: isolating active sites, synergizing active sites and regulating local environments of active sites. Finally, we conclude with a concise overview of the current state of this field and provide a forward‐looking perspective for future studies, emphasizing the high‐performance design and manipulation of catalysts to achieve precise control over selectivity towards target products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oncogene RAS, extensively studied for decades, presents persistent gaps in understanding, hindering the development of effective therapeutic strategies due to a lack of precise details on how RAS initiates MAPK signaling with RAF effector proteins at the plasma membrane. Recent advances in X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM, and super-resolution fluorescence microscopy offer structural and spatial insights, yet the molecular mechanisms involving protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions in RAS-mediated signaling require further characterization. This study utilizes single-molecule experimental techniques, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and the computational Machine-Learned Modeling Infrastructure (MuMMI) to examine KRAS4b and RAF1 on a biologically relevant lipid bilayer. MuMMI captures long-timescale events while preserving detailed atomic descriptions, providing testable models for experimental validation. Both in vitro and computational studies reveal that RBDCRD binding alters KRAS lateral diffusion on the lipid bilayer, increasing cluster size and decreasing diffusion. RAS and membrane binding cause hydrophobic residues in the CRD region to penetrate the bilayer, stabilizing complexes through β-strand elongation. These cooperative interactions among lipids, KRAS4b, and RAF1 are proposed as essential for forming nanoclusters, potentially a critical step in MAP kinase signal activation.RAS binding to RAF’s RBDCRD domain on lipid bilayers cooperatively induces nanoclustering, slowing complex diffusion—an essential mechanism in initial signal activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium–rich cathodes have excess lithium in the transition metal layer and exhibit an extremely high specific capacity and good energy density. However, they still have some disadvantages. Here, we propose LiCoMnO4, a new nanolayer coating material with a spinel structure, to modify the surface of lithium cathode oxide (Li7/6Mn1/2Ni1/6Co1/6O2) with a layered structure. The designed cathode with nanolayer spinel coating delivers an excellent reversible capacity, outstanding rate capability, and superior cycling ability whilst exhibiting discharge capacities of 300, 275, 220, and 166 mAh g−1 at rates of 0.1 C at 2.0−4.8 V formation and 0.1, 1, and 5 C, respectively, between 2.0 and 4.6 V. The cycling ability and voltage fading at a high operational voltage of 4.9 V were also investigated, with results showing that the nanolayer spinel coating can depress the surface of the lithium cathode oxide layer, leading to phase transformation that enhances the electrochemical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneous transformation of CO2 and H2O into syngas (CO and H2) using solar power is desirable for industrial applications. Herein, an efficient photocatalyst based on double‐shelled nanoboxes, with an outer shell of hydroxy‐rich nickel cobaltite nanosheets and an inner shell of Cu2S (Cu2S@ROH‐NiCo2O3), is prepared via a multistep templating strategy. The high performance of Cu2S@ROH‐NiCo2O3 (7.1 mmol g−1 h−1 for CO; 2.8 mmol g−1 h−1 for H2) is attributed to the hierarchical hollow geometry and p–n heterojunction to promote light absorption and charge separation. Spectroscopic and theoretical analyses elucidate that the ROH‐NiCo2O3 surface enhances *CO2 adsorption and lowers energy barriers for CO2‐to‐CO. Therefore, modulating the hydroxy contents of ROH‐NiCo2O3 can achieve broad CO/H2 ratios from 0.51 to 1.24. This work offers in‐depth insights into adjustable syngas photosynthesis and generalized concepts of selective heterogeneous CO2 photoreduction beyond cobalt‐based oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneous transformation of CO2 and H2O into syngas (CO and H2) using solar power is desirable for industrial applications. Herein, an efficient photocatalyst based on double‐shelled nanoboxes, with an outer shell of hydroxy‐rich nickel cobaltite nanosheets and an inner shell of Cu2S (Cu2S@ROH‐NiCo2O3), is prepared via a multistep templating strategy. The high performance of Cu2S@ROH‐NiCo2O3 (7.1 mmol g−1 h−1 for CO; 2.8 mmol g−1 h−1 for H2) is attributed to the hierarchical hollow geometry and p–n heterojunction to promote light absorption and charge separation. Spectroscopic and theoretical analyses elucidate that the ROH‐NiCo2O3 surface enhances *CO2 adsorption and lowers energy barriers for CO2‐to‐CO. Therefore, modulating the hydroxy contents of ROH‐NiCo2O3 can achieve broad CO/H2 ratios from 0.51 to 1.24. This work offers in‐depth insights into adjustable syngas photosynthesis and generalized concepts of selective heterogeneous CO2 photoreduction beyond cobalt‐based oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Three new cadinene-type sesquiterpene dimers, named hibisceusones A-C, were isolated from H. tiliaceus. • Dimeric skeletons were formed from a unique 1,4-dioxane ring for the first time in natural products. • Compound 2 exhibited promising anti-TNBC activities by inducing the apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells by inhibiting the PI3Kα pathway. Three new cadinane-type sesquiterpenoid dimeric diastereomers (1 – 3) named hibisceusones A-C were obtained from the infected stems of Hibiscus tiliaceus. The structures were determined by NMR spectroscopy and MS techniques, and the absolute configurations were assigned by ECD and single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. Compounds 1 – 3 are diastereomers, and contain a 1,4-dioxane ring linearly fused to different cadinane-type polycyclic skeletons. This is the first time that such a structure has been identified in natural products. Compounds 1 – 3 exhibited cytotoxic activities, and 2 showed a significantly high anti-triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) effect. The anti-cancer effect of compound 2 was 3–4 fold higher than that of 1 and 3. The anti-cancer effect was generated via the induction of the apoptosis of the MDA-MB-231 cells by inhibiting the PI3Kα pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the effect of the blending ratio on the capacity, energy density, and cycling performance of Ni-rich (LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2) (NCM) and Li-rich (Li 7/6 Mn 1/2 Ni 1/6 Co 1/6 O 2) (LR) cathode materials was investigated. The optimally blended cathode exhibited capacity retentions of 80.7% and 76.9% after 200 cycles at 25 °C within 2–4.6 V and 100 cycles at 55 °C within 2–4.5 V, respectively, showing higher cycling stability and flatter voltage decline than pure NCM and pure LR cathodes. Additionally, the optimized cathode exhibited the smallest increase in charge-transfer resistance (R ct) and highest Li-ion diffusion coefficient (D Li +) among all tested samples after high-temperature cycling. This study highlights the unique electrochemical properties of blended cathode materials and demonstrates their high structural stability in Li-ion batteries (LIBs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a green and efficient enrichment method for the four majors active diterpenoid components: pimelotide C, pimelotide A, simplexin, and 6α,7α-epoxy-5β-hydroxy-12-deoxyphorbol-13-decanoate in the buds of Wikstroemia chamaedaphne was established using macroporous resin chromatography. The adsorption and desorption rates of seven macroporous resins were compared using static tests. The D101 macroporous resin exhibited the best performance. Static and dynamic adsorption tests were performed to determine the enrichment and purification of important bioactive diterpenoids in the buds of W. chamaedaphne. Diterpenoid extracts were obtained by using D101 macroporous resin from the crude extracts of W. chamaedaphne. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis demonstrated that most of the diterpenoids were enriched in diterpenoid extracts. These results confirmed that diterpenoids in the buds of W. chamaedaphne could be enriched using macroporous resin technology, and the enriched diterpenoid extracts showed more efficient activation of the latent human immunodeficiency virus. This study provides a novel strategy for discovering efficient and low-toxicity latency-reversing agents and a potential basis for the comprehensive development and clinical application of the buds of W. chamaedaphne. [Display omitted] • A green and simple method for enrichment of daphnane-type and tigliane-type diterpenoids from Wikstroemia chamaedaphne was determined by a macroporous resin chromatography technology. • The content of four main diterpenoids was increased to 21.45 % from 9.35 % in the diterpenoid extract. • Twenty-five diterpenoids were identified qualitatively in diterpenoids extracts by LC-MS/MS. • The fold of change of activating latent HIV of diterpenoids extracts were enhanced to 21.13 from 10.41 at 0.1 μg/mL compared with crude extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar is becoming an environmentally friendly material for remediation of heavy metal contaminated soils and improving food safety. A field trial over four rice seasons was conducted to investigate the use of biochar and low Cd accumulating cultivars on Cd uptake in a heavy metal contaminated soil. Wheat straw derived biochar was applied at 0, 20 and 40 t ha − 1 . Two rice cultivars with differing Cd accumulation abilities were selected in each season. The results showed that both biochar and low Cd affinity cultivars significantly reduced rice grain Cd accumulation. Biochar had no significant effect the first season but thereafter consistently reduced rice grain Cd by a maximum of 61, 86 and 57% over the next three seasons. Zn accumulation in the rice grains was not decreased by biochar application, although available soil Zn was sharply reduced (35–91%). Indica conventional rice cultivars had much lower Cd, but higher Zn and lower Cd/Zn ratios in the grain than indica hybrid cultivars. Biochar was more effective for mitigating grain Cd accumulation in low Cd affinity cultivars than in high affinity cultivars. Soil pH was sustainably increased (up to nearly 1 unit) while available Cd significantly decreased by a maximum of 85% after biochar addition. The translocation of Cd from rice roots to shoots was reduced from 20 to 80% by biochar. Low uptake affinity cultivars combined with biochar reduced late rice grain Cd concentration and Cd/Zn ratios by 69–80% and 72–80%, respectively. It indicated that the management of combining biochar and low Cd affinity cultivars should be an efficient way to remediate Cd contaminated rice paddies and reduce health risk associated with consuming rice from these soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Contactin-1 (CNTN-1) has been shown to promote cancer metastasis. Previously, we have reported that the expression of CNTN-1 was upregulated in gastric cancer tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. Here, we investigated the significance of CNTN-1 expression and its underlying mechanism of metastasis mediated by epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in gastric cancer. Methods: The expressions of CNTN-1 and EMT-related proteins were assayed through immunohistochemical staining of pathological specimens from patients with gastric cancer. Other methods including reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, stably transfected against CNTN-1 into MKN45 cells, migration and invasion assays in vitro and nude mouse tumorigenicity in vivo were also utilized. Results: The results revealed that CNTN-1 expression was elevated and positively correlated with metastasis, EMT-related markers and poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer. Moreover, CNTN-1 expression might associate with invasive ability to some extent in gastric cancer cell lines KATO-Ш, SGC7901 and MKN45. Knockdown of CNTN-1 expression in MKN45 cells using short hairpin RNA (shRNA) had notable effects on cell migration and invasion, rather than proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, suppression of CNTN-1 expression altered EMT through inhibition of transcription factor Slug, rather than Snail. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that the elevated CNTN-1 expression closely correlated with cancer metastasis and patient survival, and its functions seemed to be important in migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells via EMT alteration probably mediated by inhibition of Slug. CNTN-1 may be a potential therapeutic target for gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Tropicoperdix has been considered to be either a full genus or a species complex within the Phasianid genus Arborophila (hill partridges), there is long-standing uncertainty regarding the degree of difference that warrants generic separation, including reported anatomical cranial differences. In addition, the intra-generic taxonomy remains under dispute. Most studies hypothesize that Tropicoperdix comprises three species, while others postulate from one to four species. However, no molecular study has been performed to clarify the systematic and taxonomic uncertainties surrounding Tropicoperdix. In the present study, we performed a series of molecular phylogenetic analyses of Tropicoperdix and Arborophila taxa based on two mitochondrial genes and five nuclear introns. All the results are consistent with the finding that Tropicoperdix and Arborophila are phylogenetically distinct and distant genera, although the precise phylogenetic position of Tropicoperdix remains undetermined. Retrospective examination of external characteristics also supports the generic separation, as well as providing evidence of remarkable multiple character convergence. We propose that Tropicoperdix comprises at least two full species based on mitochondrial data obtained from museum specimens by using a next-generation sequencing method. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on detailed in situ attenuated total-reflection-surface-enhanced IR reflection absorption spectroscopy (ATR-SEIRAS) studies of the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) on Ru/Pt thin film and commercial Johnson-Matthey PtRu/C, a revised MOR enhancement mechanism is proposed in which CO on Pt sites is irrelevant but instead Pt-Ru boundary sites catalyze the oxygen insertion reaction that leads to the formation of formate and enhances the direct reaction pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on detailed in situ attenuated total-reflection-surface-enhanced IR reflection absorption spectroscopy (ATR-SEIRAS) studies of the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) on Ru/Pt thin film and commercial Johnson-Matthey PtRu/C, a revised MOR enhancement mechanism is proposed in which CO on Pt sites is irrelevant but instead Pt-Ru boundary sites catalyze the oxygen insertion reaction that leads to the formation of formate and enhances the direct reaction pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a simple, rapid and facile one-pot wet-chemical co-reduction method is developed for synthesis of bimetallic Au–Pt alloyed nanochains supported on reduced graphene oxide (Au–Pt NCs/RGO), in which caffeine is acted as a capping agent and a structure-directing agent, while no any seed, template, surfactant or polymer involved. The as-prepared nanocomposites display enlarged electrochemical active surface area, significantly enhanced catalytic activity and better stability for methanol and ethylene glycol oxidation, compared with commercial Pt–C (Pt 50 wt%), PtRu–C (Pt 30 wt% and Ru 15 wt%) and Pt black. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of all-solid heterogeneous catalysts with frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) has attracted much attention recently because of their appealing low dissociation energy for H2 molecules due to which a promotion of hydrogenation reaction is expected. The sterically encumbered Lewis acid (metal site) and base (nitrogen site) in the cavity of single transition metal atom-doped M/C2N sheets make them potential candidates for the design of catalysts with FLPs, while a comprehensive understanding of their intrinsic property and reactivity is still lacking. Calculations show that the complete dissociation of the H2 molecule into two H* states at the N sites requires two steps: heterolytic cleavage of the H2 molecule and the transfer of H* from the metal site to the N site, which are strongly related to the acidity of the metal site. Ni/C2N and Pd/C2N, which outperform the other eight transition metal atom (M) anchored M/C2N candidates, possess low energy barriers for the complete dissociation of H2 molecules, with values of only 0.30 and 0.20 eV, respectively. Furthermore, both Ni/C2N and Pd/C2N catalysts can achieve semi-hydrogenation of C2H2 into C2H4, with overall barriers of 0.81 and 0.75 eV, respectively, which are lower than those reported for many other catalysts. It is speculated that M/C2N catalysts with intrinsic FLPs may also find applications in other important hydrogenation reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]