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Improving the selectivity in the oxidative coupling of methane to ethane/ethylene poses a significant challenge for commercialization. The required improvements are hampered by the uncertainties associated with the reaction mechanism due to its complexity. Herein, we report about 90 % selectivity to the target products at 11 % methane conversion over Gd2O3‐based catalysts at 700 °C using N2O as the oxidant. Sophisticated kinetic studies have suggested the nature of adsorbed oxygen species and their binding strength as key parameters for undesired methane oxidation to carbon oxides. These descriptors can be controlled by a metal oxide promoter for Gd2O3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the selectivity in the oxidative coupling of methane to ethane/ethylene poses a significant challenge for commercialization. The required improvements are hampered by the uncertainties associated with the reaction mechanism due to its complexity. Herein, we report about 90 % selectivity to the target products at 11 % methane conversion over Gd2O3‐based catalysts at 700 °C using N2O as the oxidant. Sophisticated kinetic studies have suggested the nature of adsorbed oxygen species and their binding strength as key parameters for undesired methane oxidation to carbon oxides. These descriptors can be controlled by a metal oxide promoter for Gd2O3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterogeneous thermal-catalytic CO2 hydrogenation to alcohols using renewable energy is a highly attractive approach for recycling greenhouse gases into high-value chemicals and fuels, thereby reducing the dependence on fossil fuels, while simultaneously mitigating the CO2 emission and environmental problems. Currently, great advances have been made on the heterogeneous catalysts, but an in-depth and more comprehensive understanding to further promote this reaction process is still lacking. Herein, we highlight the thermodynamic and kinetic analysis of CO2 hydrogenation reaction firstly. Then, various reaction pathways for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol and higher alcohols (C2+ alcohols) have been discussed in detail, respectively, by combining the experimental studies and density functional theory calculations. On this basis, the key factors influencing the reaction performance, such as metal dispersion, support modification, promoter addition and their structural optimization, are summarized on the metal-based and metal-oxide-based catalysts. In addition, the catalytic performance of CO2 hydrogenation to alcohols and the relationship between structure and properties are mainly summarized and analyzed in the past five years. To conclude, the current challenges and potential strategies in catalyst design, structural characterization and reaction mechanisms are presented for CO2 hydrogenation to alcohols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Huang-Huai-Hai Plain in China relies heavily on the winter wheat-summer maize rotation for grain production. However, this cropping system faces challenges regarding its sustainability due to significant environmental costs. This study aims to evaluate the nitrogen footprint of different cropping systems, compare their economic benefits, and identify alternative summer crops that can optimize system yield, economic advantages, and environmental impact. A three-year field experiment was conducted to compare the economic and environmental impacts of three cropping systems: winter wheat-summer maize (W-M), winter wheat-summer soybean (W-S), and winter wheat-sweet potato (W-SP). The experiment involved assessing yield, inputs, and outputs, and conducting a comprehensive nitrogen footprint analysis for each system. Over the three experimental years, the W-S system showed the highest yield improvement for winter wheat. The W-SP system had the highest annual maize equivalent yield and total income but incurred the highest total annual cost compared to the other two systems. However, the W-SP system demonstrated the highest annual average economic profit performance, nearly double that of the other two systems. The nitrogen footprint analysis revealed that both the W-S and W-SP systems reduced reactive nitrogen emissions compared to the W-M system. Notably, the W-S system managed to reduce the nitrogen footprint by 34%. The average nitrogen footprint emissions scores for W-M, W-S, and W-SP systems were 2.1, 2.3, and 3.5, respectively. Among the three systems, the W-SP system achieved the highest economic benefits but also had the greatest negative environmental impact. The W-S system demonstrated a significant reduction in reactive nitrogen loss while maintaining productivity, indicating its potential for mitigating negative environmental impacts. Our three-year field study highlights the advantages of the W-S system in reducing the nitrogen footprint and its potential contribution to sustainable agricultural development in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain. [Display omitted] • Nitrogen footprints (NF) in different cropping systems were evaluated. • Shifting summer maize to soybean obtained higher yields and economic benefits. • Introducing sweet potato got the highest income but paid environmental cost most. • The soybean-based system could maintain system yield and reduce NF by 34.06%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inefficient irrigation practices have hindered crop yields, wasted irrigation water resources, and posed threats to groundwater levels and agricultural sustainability. This study evaluated different irrigation strategies for a winter wheat-summer maize rotation system to identify sustainable practices for maintaining yields while reducing groundwater depletion. A two-year field experiment was conducted, implementing three optimized irrigation strategies during the winter wheat season: I-4 (irrigated until the soil water content (SWC) of the 40 cm soil layer reaches 60% of field capacity (FC), I-6 (irrigated until the SWC of the 60 cm soil layer reaches 80% FC), and a rainfed (R) as control. Irrigation was repeated when the SWC dropped to the specified level. No irrigation level was used during the summer maize season, except for irrigation after sowing that ensuring the normal emergence of maize. WHCNS (Water Heat Carbon Nitrogen Simulator) model was developed to simulate soil water dynamics, field water consumption, and yield of both crops. The result indicated WHCNS model accurately simulated water dynamics, consumption, and grain yield. Compared to R treatment, the I-4 treatment significantly increased annual crop yield by 19.83%–28.65% (p < 0.05), while maintaining similar crop water productivity. Furthermore, the I-4 treatment achieved comparable yields to the I-6 treatment, but with a 33.91% reduction in irrigation water use, resulting in a 33.46% increase in crop water productivity and a 90.53% increase in irrigation water productivity. From a sustainable perspective, the I-4 treatment effectively reduced field water losses and maintained relatively high soil water storage, particularly in the topsoil, which was beneficial for the early growth of subsequent crops. The R treatment greatly contributed to groundwater recharge when precipitation was sufficient, while it led to severe yield losses. Overall, under the condition of annual rotation planting systems, the I-4 treatment sustainably maintained yields with less irrigation, decreasing groundwater consumption. This approach could conserve regional water resources and groundwater table while upholding agricultural productivity and achieving system sustainable water use. [Display omitted] • WHCNS model simulated soil water dynamics, field water consumption, and yield well. • I-4 reduced irrigation water by 33.91% and increased water productivity by 33.46%. • I-4 maintained topsoil moisture, beneficial for subsequent crops. • Water-saving irrigation use less groundwater, achieving sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study of oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) over MnOx−Na2WO4/support catalysts demonstrated that the selectivity to C2H6 and C2H4 (C2‐hydrocarbons) is affected by the kind of support, co‐fed water, and the kind of oxidant (O2 vs. N2O). In addition to previous studies with MnOx−Na2WO4/SiO2, an enhancing water effect was obtained using catalysts based on TiO2‐ or ZrO2‐containing supports. However, a negative effect on methane conversion was established for SiO2−Al2O3‐supported catalysts. Temporal analysis of products with isotopic tracers suggests that the ability of MnOx−Na2WO4 to generate diatomic adsorbed oxygen species depends on the kind of support and is the key property for the water effect. The strength of the water effect on the activity decreases with an increase in the surface area of working catalysts. The kind of support also affects products selectivity due to its influence on the mobility/releasability of lattice oxygen in supported MnOx−Na2WO4. Among the prepared catalysts, MnOx−Na2WO4/TiO2 was found to be promising for H2O‐assisted OCM. The use of N2O instead of O2 further increases the selectivity to C2‐hydrocarbons to 84 % at 6.8 % CH4 conversion due to the formation of predominantly monoatomic oxygen species from N2O that selectively convert CH4 into C2H6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nocturnal hypertension is highly prevalent among Chinese and Asian populations, which is mainly attributed to high salt intake and high salt sensitivity. Nocturnal hypertension increases the risk of cardiovascular and all‐cause mortality, independent of daytime blood pressure (BP). However, it can usually be detected by 24‐h ambulatory BP monitoring, rather than routine office or home BP measurement, thus is often underdiagnosed in clinical practice. Currently, no specific guidance is available for the management of nocturnal hypertension in China or worldwide. Experts from the Chinese Hypertension League summarized the epidemiologic and pathophysiologic characteristics and clinical phenotype of nocturnal hypertension and provided consensus recommendations on optimal management of nocturnal hypertension, with the goal of maximally reducing the cardiovascular disease risks. In this consensus document, 24‐h ABPM is recommended for screening and diagnosis of nocturnal hypertension, especially in the elderly, patients with diabetes, chronic kidney diseases, obstructive sleep apnea and other conditions prone to high nocturnal BP. Lifestyle modifications including salt intake restriction, exercise, weight loss, sleep improvement, and mental stress relief are recommended. Long‐acting antihypertensive medications are preferred for nocturnal and 24‐h BP control. Some newly developed agents, renal denervation, and other device‐based therapy on nocturnal BP reduction are evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anoikis resistance, a notable factor in osteosarcoma, plays a significant role in tumor invasion and metastasis. This study seeks to identify a distinct gene signature that is specifically associated with the anoikis subcluster in osteosarcoma. Clinical, single-cell, and transcriptional data from TARGET and GEO datasets were used to develop a gene signature for osteosarcoma based on the anoikis subcluster. Univariate Cox and LASSO regression analyses were employed. The signature's predictive value was evaluated using time-dependent ROC and Kaplan–Meier analyses. Functional enrichment analyses and drug sensitivity analyses were conducted. Validation of three modular genes was performed using RT-qPCR and Western blotting. Signature (ZNF583, CGNL1, CXCL13) was developed to predict overall survival in osteosarcoma patients, targeting the anoikis subcluster. The signature demonstrated good performance in external validation. Stratification based on the signature revealed significantly different prognoses. The signature was an independent prognostic factor. The low-risk group showed enhanced immune cell infiltration and improved immune function. Drug sensitivity analysis indicated efficacy of chemotherapy agents. Prognostic nomograms incorporating the signature provided greater predictive accuracy and clinical utility. Signatures related to the anoikis subcluster play a significant role in osteosarcoma progression. Incorporating these findings into clinical decision-making can improve osteosarcoma treatment and patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tumor suppressor p53 as an innate antiviral regulator contributes to restricting Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) replication, but the mechanism is still unclear. The interferon-induced transmembrane protein 3 (IFITM3) is an intrinsic barrier to a range of virus infection, whether IFITM3 is responsible for the p53-mediated anti-JEV response remains elusive. Here, we found that IFITM3 significantly inhibited JEV replication in a protein-palmitoylation-dependent manner and incorporated into JEV virions to diminish the infectivity of progeny viruses. Palmitoylation was also indispensible for keeping IFITM3 from lysosomal degradation to maintain its protein stability. p53 up-regulated IFITM3 expression at the protein level via enhancing IFITM3 palmitoylation. Screening of palmitoyltransferases revealed that zinc finger DHHC domain-containing protein 1 (ZDHHC1) was transcriptionally up-regulated by p53, and consequently ZDHHC1 interacted with IFITM3 to promote its palmitoylation and stability. Knockdown of IFITM3 significantly impaired the inhibitory role of ZDHHC1 on JEV replication. Meanwhile, knockdown of either ZDHHC1 or IFITM3 expression also compromised the p53-mediated anti-JEV effect. Interestingly, JEV reduced p53 expression to impair ZDHHC1 mediated IFITM3 palmitoylation for viral evasion. Our data suggest the existence of a previously unrecognized p53-ZDHHC1-IFITM3 regulatory pathway with an essential role in restricting JEV infection and provide a novel insight into JEV-host interaction. Author summary: The tumor suppressor p53 contributes to the host antiviral response against Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). We explored the downstream molecules responsible for the p53-mediated anti-JEV response. p53 transcriptionally up-regulated the expression of the palmitoyltransferase zinc finger DHHC domain-containing protein 1 (ZDHHC1) to enhance stability of the antiviral restriction factor interferon-induced transmembrane protein 3 (IFITM3) by regulating its palmitoylation. Knockdown of either ZDHHC1 or IFITM3 expression compromised the anti-JEV effect of p53. These observations suggest the existence of a previously unrecognized crosstalk between p53 and IFITM3, mediated by ZDHHC1, thus revealing a novel regulatory pathway p53-ZDHHC1-IFITM3 with an essential role in the p53-mediated anti-JEV response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical equations are presented for article "Regioselective BF3.Et2O-Catalyzed C-H Functionalization of Indoles and Pyrrole with Reaction of α-Diazophosphonates. " by Y. Cai and colleagues which was published in periodical "Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Advances."

The occurrence of hypertension is influenced by combined actions of genetic and environmental factors. Among environmental factors, high salt intake is considered as one of the most important and critical dietary factors. High salt intake is closely related to the incidence and mortality of cardiac and cerebrovascular events, as well as ventricular hypertrophy, renal damage, and other target organ damages. The existing data show that the daily sodium salt intake of Chinese population is significantly higher than that of European and American populations, and it generally exceeds the standard. Therefore, sodium and potassium intake in patients with hypertension should be actively assessed to carry out targeted treatment, which is an important strategy in blood pressure management. According to the characteristics of high prevalence of hypertension, high sodium salt intake, and low blood pressure control rate in China, Chinese Medical Association Hypertension Professional Committee believes that it is necessary to promote salt restriction and formulate the assessment of salt intake and clinical process of blood pressure management according to the current status of sodium intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is a complex disease that affects billions of people worldwide. Currently, effective etiological treatment of COVID-19 is still lacking; COVID-19 also causes damages to various organs that affects therapeutics and mortality of the patients. Surveillance of the treatment responses and organ injury assessment of COVID-19 patients are of high clinical value. In this study, we investigated the characteristic fragmentation patterns and explored the potential in tissue injury assessment of plasma cell-free DNA in COVID-19 patients. Through recruitment of 37 COVID-19 patients, 32 controls and analysis of 208 blood samples upon diagnosis and during treatment, we report gross abnormalities in cfDNA of COVID-19 patients, including elevated GC content, altered molecule size and end motif patterns. More importantly, such cfDNA fragmentation characteristics reflect patient-specific physiological changes during treatment. Further analysis on cfDNA tissue-of-origin tracing reveals frequent tissue injuries in COVID-19 patients, which is supported by clinical diagnoses. Hence, our work demonstrates and extends the translational merit of cfDNA fragmentation pattern as valuable analyte for effective treatment monitoring, as well as tissue injury assessment in COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serum amyloid A (SAA) is an acute phase protein that is expressed rapidly in response to infection and inflammation in vertebrates. Here, we detected the expression of porcine SAA3, an isoform of porcine SAA, during porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection, which is a major threat to the pig industry. In response to PRRSV infection, porcine SAA3 expression was upregulated significantly in porcine pulmonary alveolar macrophages and in extrahepatic tissues, including the lungs and inguinal, mandibular, and hilar lymph nodes, which were affected mainly by PRRSV infection, demonstrating that porcine SAA3 is a tissue-derived isoform that is induced in extrahepatic tissues during the acute phase response. Overexpression of porcine SAA3 increased PRRSV titers in cultured cells, and the exogenous administration of porcine SAA3 facilitated PRRSV adsorption to cells, suggesting that porcine SAA3 assists PRRSV replication. Our data provide insights into the role of porcine SAA3 during PRRSV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Alkali metal in MnO x -M 2 WO 4 /SiO 2 affects activity under anaerobic conditions. • Lattice oxygen of MnO x -M 2 WO 4 /SiO 2 can convert CH 4 to hydrocarbons. • OCM over MnO x -M 2 WO 4 /SiO 2 and M 2 WO 4 /SiO 2 proceeds via adsorbed oxygen species. • Presence of MnO x does not create more active sites but changes their reactivity. This work unveils the fundamentals relevant for activity and product selectivity in the oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) over the (MnO x)-M 2 WO 4 /SiO 2 (M = Na, K, Rb, or Cs) catalysts. The presence of the molten phase of Na 2 WO 4 and the ability of the catalysts to release lattice oxygen were not found to be the performance-governing factors. As proven by oxygen isotopic exchange experiments combined with thorough catalytic tests, the performance of both tri- and bimetallic catalysts is defined by the involvement of adsorbed oxygen species formed from gas-phase O 2. Lattice oxygen of M 2 WO 4 /SiO 2 is not capable of converting CH 4 to C 2 H 6 , while that of MnO x -M 2 WO 4 /SiO 2 is active for this reaction. The OCM activity of M 2 WO 4 /SiO 2 decreases with the atomic weight of alkali metal, whereas there is no such effect in the presence of MnO x , which, however, increases the activity. The enhancing effect was explained by improving the active site turnover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preeclampsia (PE) mainly occurs in pregnant women and is hereditary. Several genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on Caucasian samples have reported some gene loci that are associated with preeclampsia. However, these studies have not reached consistent conclusions. No previous GWAS has examined preeclampsia in the Chinese Han population. This study aimed to identify common genetic variations associated with preeclampsia in the Chinese Han population through two-stage case‒control studies. The discovery cohort included 92 patients with severe preeclampsia and 187 healthy controls. The validation cohort included 52 patients with preeclampsia and 104 controls. A genome-wide association study was performed to identify putative preeclampsia genes in the discovery cohort, with validation in the validation cohort. In the discovery cohort, GWAS demonstrated that 19 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were associated with preeclampsia (P < 10−5). The pathway analysis revealed that these 19 SNP representative genes were mainly enriched in the adenylyl cyclase-inhibiting G-protein coupled receptor signaling pathway. After validation in the validation cohort, rs13176432 and rs13210237 remained closely related to preeclampsia (P<0.05). In the combined data set, the frequency of the G allele in rs13176432 was significantly higher in cases with preeclampsia than in controls (P = 5 × 10−6). The frequency of the A allele in rs13210237 was higher in the preeclampsia group (P = 8 × 10−6). The rs13210237 representative genes include HSF2 and GJA1, while the rs13176432 representative gene is TRIM36. There were no differences in genotype distribution between the early-onset and late-onset preeclampsia groups (P > 0.05). Furthermore, rs13210237 and rs13176432 were related to preeclampsia in the adjusted regression model (P < 0.000). In this study of two independent cohorts, we found that rs13210237 and rs13176432 might be novel preeclampsia-susceptible genetic factors in the Han population in China. However, there was no association between the onset of preeclampsia and these genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Face recognition is a widely used biometric technology due to its convenience but it is vulnerable to spoofing attacks made by nonreal faces such as photographs or videos of valid users. The antispoof problem must be well resolved before widely applying face recognition in our daily life. Face liveness detection is a core technology to make sure that the input face is a live person. However, this is still very challenging using conventional liveness detection approaches of texture analysis and motion detection. The aim of this paper is to propose a feature descriptor and an efficient framework that can be used to effectively deal with the face liveness detection problem. In this framework, new feature descriptors are defined using a multiscale directional transform (shearlet transform). Then, stacked autoencoders and a softmax classifier are concatenated to detect face liveness. We evaluated this approach using the CASIA Face antispoofing database and replay-attack database. The experimental results show that our approach performs better than the state-of-the-art techniques following the provided protocols of these databases, and it is possible to significantly enhance the security of the face recognition biometric system. In addition, the experimental results also demonstrate that this framework can be easily extended to classify different spoofing attacks. ©2016 SPIE and IS&T[DO!: 10.1117/1.JEI.25.4.043014] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

P123 (PEG-PPG-PEG triblock copolymer) was employed as a modifying agent to prepare highly-dispersed Ni/SBA-15 via a simple wetness impregnation method. A detailed molecular-level pathway had been illuminated to interpret the role of P123 during the catalyst preparation process with Raman, 1 H-NMR, UV–Vis, DLS, FTIR, and TPO measurements. There existed no interaction between Ni(NO 3 ) 2 ·6H 2 O and P123 during impregnation and evaporation steps with the existence of H 2 O in the media. The oxygen atoms of PEO blocks would coordinate with Ni 2+ , NO 3 − and H 2 O to form crown-ether-type complexes when the water was evaporated out from the solution during the drying step, which improved the dispersion and stabilization of the precursor. And the complexes ultimately inhibited the redistribution and affected the decomposition of Ni(NO 3 ) 2 ·6H 2 O precursor during calcination. All in all, the above specific interaction between Ni(NO 3 ) 2 ·6H 2 O and P123 would lead to a critical influence of P123 addition on the NiO dispersion on the support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many trait-specific countermeasures to face spoofing attacks have been developed for security of face authentication. However, there is no superior face anti-spoofing technique to deal with every kind of spoofing attack in varying scenarios. In order to improve the generalization ability of face anti-spoofing approaches, an extendable multi-cues integration framework for face anti-spoofing using a hierarchical neural network is proposed, which can fuse image quality cues and motion cues for liveness detection. Shearlet is utilized to develop an image quality-based liveness feature. Dense optical flow is utilized to extract motion-based liveness features. A bottleneck feature fusion strategy can integrate different liveness features effectively. The proposed approach was evaluated on three public face anti-spoofing databases. A half total error rate (HTER) of 0% and an equal error rate (EER) of 0% were achieved on both REPLAY-ATTACK database and 3D-MAD database. An EER of 5.83% was achieved on CASIA-FASD database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ni/SBA15-P123 (1/X) catalysts were prepared via a simple and novel P123 (PEG-PPG-PEG triblock copolymer)-assisted wet impregnation method, in which 1/X indicates the molar ratio of P123 to Ni. Various techniques including N 2 physisorption, ICP, XRD, TEM, XPS, TGA-DSC and Raman were employed to characterize the physicochemical properties of the catalysts. The catalytic performances of Ni/SBA15-P123 (1/X) catalysts in carbon dioxide reforming of methane to syngas were evaluated with a vertical fixed-bed quartz tube reactor. XRD and TEM characterization results of as-prepared samples revealed that the Ni dispersions of Ni/SBA15-P123 (1/X) catalysts were dramatically improved with n P123 /n Ni ratios in the range of 1/500- 1/50. Significant improvement of the catalytic performances for the above optimum catalysts can be clearly explicated by comparing with those catalysts prepared with no P123, insufficient P123 (1/X = 1/750) or superabundant P123 (1/X = 1/5). That is, Ni/SBA15-P123 (1/500), Ni/SBA15-P123 (1/100) and Ni/SBA15-P123 (1/50) catalysts exhibited better stability, higher activity and less carbon deposition during the 50 h CRM reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ni@SiO 2 -yolk–shell catalyst was prepared by the method of etching Ni@SiO 2 -core–shell with hydrochloric acid, while the core–shell catalyst was prepared by the stöber method. In comparison, Ni–SiO 2 –AE (without yolk–shell structure) was used to denote the catalyst prepared by the similar method as Ni@SiO 2 -yolk–shell but without fully encapsulation of Ni particles by SiO 2 . The catalytic performances of these three catalysts were investigated in carbon dioxide reforming of methane to syngas (CRM). The reaction was conducted under different conditions by varying GHSVs of reactants and reaction temperatures to further test the stability of the catalysts. The properties of the as-prepared and spent Ni@SiO 2 -yolk–shell, Ni@SiO 2 -core–shell and Ni–SiO 2 –AE catalysts were characterized by TEM/HRTEM, XRD, TG-DSC to measure the morphology, crystallinity and carbon deposition, etc. It was found that compared to Ni@SiO 2 -core–shell and Ni–SiO 2 –AE catalysts, Ni@SiO 2 -yolk–shell catalyst behaved remarkably stable performance at the temperature up to 1073 K, and the specific structure and carbon deposition-resisted behavior of the Ni@SiO 2 -yolk–shell catalyst may help to maintain the stability during the reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The differentiation of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) plays a pivotal role in endothelial repair and re-endothelialization after vascular injury. However, the underlying mechanisms still remain largely elusive. Here, we investigated the role of the novel C2H2 zinc finger transcription factor ZFP580 in EPC differentiation and the molecular mechanisms behind EPC-mediated endothelial repair. Methods Bone marrow-derived EPCs were isolated, cultured, and identified. EPCs were infected with an adenovirus encoding ZFP580 or Ad-siRNA to silence ZFP580. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis was performed to analyze EPC surface makers. The expression of ZFP580, eNOS, VEGFR-2, CD31, CD34, CD45 and vWF was performed by Q-PCR, Western blot and immunostaining. NO donor SNAP or NOS inhibitor L-NAME was used to elucidate the possible molecular mechanism. Tube formation in vitro and angiogenesis assay in vivo were also used in this study. Results Both ZFP580 and eNOS were displayed dynamic expression during EPC differentiation. Overexpression of ZFP580 enhanced EPC differentiation, while knockdown suppressed it. ZFP580 also enhanced eNOS expression, and eNOS inhibition suppressed differentiation. Upregulation/knockdown of ZFP580 also enhanced/reduced endothelial tube formation from EPC in vitro, and angiogenesis in vivo in response to Matrigel plugs containing EPC. Conclusions ZFP580 promotes not only the differentiation of EPCs into ECs by increasing the expression of eNOS and the availability of nitric oxide, but also the vessel formation in vitro and in vivo. This might represent a novel mechanism of ZFP580 in EPC differentiation and its therapeutic value in the treatment of vascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Doxycycline inhibits the replication of neurotropic enteroviruses in vitro. • Treatment one hour post-infection inhibited viral replication. • The inhibitory mechanism is at the post-viral entry stage. Human enteroviruses (EVs) represent a global public health concern due to their association with a range of serious pediatric illnesses. Despite the high morbidity and mortality exerted by EVs, no broad-spectrum antivirals are currently available. Herein, we presented evidence that doxycycline can inhibit in vitro replication of various neurotropic EVs, including enterovirus A71 (EV-A71), enterovirus D68 (EV-D68), and coxsackievirus (CV)-A6, in a dose-dependent manner. Further investigations indicated that the drug primarily acted at the post-entry stage of virus infection in vitro, with inhibitory effects reaching up to 89 % for EV-A71 when administered two hours post-infection. These findings provide valuable insights for the development of antiviral drugs against EV infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a corrigendum for an article titled "Aloperine activates the Nrf2-ARE pathway when ameliorating early brain injury in a subarachnoid hemorrhage model." The corrigendum addresses an error in Figure 3 of the original article, where data panels for the SAH and SAH + vehicle groups appeared to be overlapping. The authors have re-examined their data and have now revised Figure 3 to incorporate data from one of the alternative experiments. The error in Figure 3 does not impact the results or conclusions of the original article. The authors apologize for any inconvenience caused. [Extracted from the article]

It is common for the working conditions to change with time in actual industrial processes. However, the transition modes of complex industrial processes under different working conditions often have various degrees of dynamic nonstationarity, which makes the traditional process monitoring model based on the stationarity assumption ineffective. In this paper, a Recursive Slow Feature Analysis method based on Stability Factor Partitioning (SFP-RSFA) is proposed for fine process monitoring of transition modes under dynamic nonstationarity characteristics. First, we calculate the stability factor according to the different stationarity characteristics of the production process variables. Then, K-means clustering is carried out according to the stability factor of each variable, and the stability factor of the cluster center is mapped to the interval [0,1] as the smoothing coefficient of the exponential weighted moving average (EWMA), which is applied to each data subblock respectively to highlight the steady-state and dynamic characteristics of the monitoring data subblock. In the online monitoring stage, the monitored data are fed into the subblock recursive slow feature analysis (RSFA) monitoring model. Finally, a comprehensive statistic method is proposed to integrate the subblock monitoring statistics. The Tennessee Eastman (TE) process and actual cement clinker production process were tested and compared with existing RPCA, RCA and RSFA methods. The effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method in the problem of nonstationary transition mode process monitoring are verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) oxidation is an advanced technology that combines photocatalytic oxidation (PC) and electrolytic oxidation (EC). PEC activity can be greatly enhanced by the PC and EC synergy effect. In this work, novel copolymerized g-C3N4 (denoted as CNx)/TiO2 core-shell nanowire arrays were prepared by chemical vapor deposition. CNx were deposited on the surface of TiO2 nanowire arrays using organic monomer 4,5-dicyanidazole and dicyandiamide as copolymerization precursor. TiO2 nanowire arrays provide a direct and fast electron transfer path, while CNx is a visible light responsive material. After CNx deposition, the light response range of TiO2 is broadened to 600 nm. The deposition of CNx shell effectively improves the PC efficiency and PEC efficiency of TiO2. Under visible light irradiation and 1 V bias potential, the rate constant k of PEC degradation of CNx/TiO2 core-shell nanowire arrays is 0.0069 min−1, which is 72% higher than that of pure TiO2 nanowires. The built-in electric field formed in the interface between TiO2 core and CNx shell would effectively promote photogenerated charge separation and PEC activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, in order to make the statistical information of the scoring system more reasonable, a new questionnaire weighting algorithm is proposed to intelligently identify the credibility of survey in this paper. Based on the core idea of the Isolation Forest (iForest), the weights of questionnaire are computationally identified by considering depth of nodes and relative mass between nodes. Using Swee Chuan Tan's approach of constructing Half-Space Trees, the problem of non-unique weights with repeated calculations is solved and the lower randomness of the result is obtained. In addition, the impact of multiplicity of point on weight is considered by introducing a tiny deviation, and a weight updating method is proposed to deal with the dynamic change of data. The final simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method is defective and accurate, and that the reliability of the questionnaire can be more intelligently recognized in the scoring and evaluation system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of an effective strategy for synthesizing two-dimensional MFI zeolites has attracted more and more attention. Herein, nanosheet-stacked hierarchical ZSM-5 zeolite was obtained by a seed-assisted hydrothermal synthesis route using a small amount of [C18H37-N+(CH3)2-C6H12-N+(CH3)2-C6H12]Br2 (C18-6-6Br2) as a zeolite structure-directing agent and triethylamine (TEA) as a zeolite growth modifier. By varying the molar ratio of C18-6-6Br2/TEA from 2.5/0 to 2.5/40, the morphologies and textural properties of the resultant HZ5-2.5/x catalysts were finely modulated. By increasing x from 5 to 40, the morphology of the HZ5-2.5/x changed from unilamellar assembly with narrow a–c plane to intertwined nanosheets with wide a–c plane and multilamellar nanosheets with house-of-cards morphology. The thickness of these nanosheets was almost 8–10 nm. In addition, selectivity to light olefins reached 70.7% for the HZ5-2.5/10 catalyst, which was 6.6% higher than that for CZSM-5 (64.1%). Furthermore, the MFI zeolite nanosheets exhibited better anticoking stability within the 60 h reaction time compared to conventional ZSM-5 zeolite, which could be attributed to the short diffusion path and hierarchical porosity. This work will provide valuable insights into the rational design of novel zeolite catalysts for the efficient cracking of hydrocarbons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cope with the challenging issue of pedestrian detection at nighttime. • Introduce a dual attention module to acquire more semantic information. • A new loss function is developed for adapting the small objects detection. • MAF-YOLO achieves the state-of-the-art performance on object detection tasks. Achieving the rapid and precise detection of pedestrians in natural environments is crucial for many applications of artificial intelligence systems. However, accurate pedestrian detection at nighttime is challenging due to the low-luminous density and low-resolution of infrared images, and the detection speed is required. In this paper, a real-time pedestrian detection method using a novel multi-modal attention fusion YOLO (MAF-YOLO) was proposed. Firstly, a multi-modal feature extraction module based on the compressed Darknet53 framework was built to adapt the nighttime pedestrian detection and ensure efficiency. The features were extracted from both modalities and then fused by a modal weighted fusion module. Secondly, we defined a loss function and regenerated the size of the anchor box based on the K-means clustering algorithm to improve the detection speed and the robustness of small objects. Finally, a dual attention module was applied to acquire more semantic features from small objects with low-resolution. The experimental results on KAIST and OSU Color-Thermal datasets corroborated the effectiveness of the proposed MAF-YOLO. The proposed methods could also be utilized to facilitate the performance of other pedestrian detection algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a summary of an article titled "Titelbild: Fundamentals of Unanticipated Efficiency of Gd2O3-based Catalysts in Oxidative Coupling of Methane (Angew. Chem. 14/2024)" published in the journal Angewandte Chemie. The article discusses the role of adsorbed oxygen species in determining the product selectivity in the oxidative coupling of methane. The authors, Guiyuan Jiang, Evgenii V. Kondratenko, and others, describe how the binding strength of selective mono-atomic oxygen species affects the formation of carbon oxides and ethane, which in turn affects the recombination probability of diatomic oxygen species. The article also briefly mentions other research topics such as the utilization of nanographenes as carriers of fluorophores, site-selective photocrosslinking of DNA duplex, and a rapid functional group transformation method using a reagent called 4-nitrophenyl-2H-azirine. [Extracted from the article]

This document is a summary of an article titled "Cover Picture: Fundamentals of Unanticipated Efficiency of Gd2O3-based Catalysts in Oxidative Coupling of Methane" published in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition. The article discusses how the selectivity of products in the oxidative coupling of methane is determined by the nature of adsorbed oxygen species. The authors describe how the binding strength of selective mono-atomic oxygen species affects the formation of carbon oxides and ethane, which in turn affects the probability of their recombination to diatomic oxygen species that oxidize methane to carbon oxides. The article also briefly mentions other research topics such as the utilization of nanographenes as carriers of fluorophores, site-selective photocrosslinking of DNA duplex, and a rapid functional group transformation method using a specific reagent. [Extracted from the article]

Traditional agricultural practices in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain have led to a decrease in groundwater level, coupled with frequent extreme rainfall in recent years, has seriously threatened grain production and sustainability. The objective of this study is to evaluate water footprint, groundwater table, and system productivity through a three-year field experiment that focuses on transitioning from the conventional winter wheat-maize (WM) to winter wheat-soybean (WS) system, while integrating suitable irrigation strategies. Micro-sprinkling irrigation strategies were applied during the winter wheat season, when the soil water content (SWC) of the 40 cm soil layer dropped to 40% of its field capacity (FC). Specifically, W4 treatment irrigated until SWC reached 60% FC at a depth of 40 cm, while the W6 treatment irrigated to SWC reaching 80% FC at a 60 cm depth. In contrast, a rain-fed (W0) treatment served as the control. Field water consumption was simulated using the Water Heat Carbon Nitrogen Simulator (WHCNS) model. The results revealed that the WS system exhibited less variability in evapotranspiration (ETc) compared to WM system, with reductions ranging from 23.6% to 29.1%. Furthermore, the WS system contributed substantially to elevating the groundwater table by 58.4–146.4% while maintaining a higher and more stable annual wheat equivalent yield (WEY) compared to the WM system. The W4 treatment saved 97.9–98.2 mm of irrigation water compared to the W6 treatment, improved water productivity by 10.7–32.1%, and reduced the water footprint by 14.3–25.1%. Transitioning from the traditional WM cropping system to the WS system, and adapting an appropriate irrigation regime (W4) can counterbalance extreme weather impacts on crop yields. This study provides valuable insights into sustainable farming practices, and it may provide a practical framework for striking a balance between groundwater conservation and food security. [Display omitted] • Traditional farming practices declining groundwater, challenges for food production. • Winter wheat-soybean (WS) pattern increase system yield and water productivity. • WS pattern reduced water consumption and water footprint by 27.97% and 41.58%. • WS pattern with W4 irrigation gradient can relieve groundwater depletion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Detect early faults and use unified contribution to fault diagnosis techniques. • Multi-scale sign transfer entropy detects the time delay of different time series. • A time-delay causality analysis was performed to eliminate some indirect causality. • Cement pre-decomposition system applied to actual production. The industrial production process is complex, and when a fault occurs, multiple variables deviate from their normal state. In this paper, a solution is proposed which utilizes correlation and causality analysis to identify the root cause of failure at an early stage. Kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) demonstrates excellent monitoring performance in nonlinear systems. By applying the unified contribution graph method to KPCA, the main fault variables can be identified. Additionally, the Multi-Scale Symbolic Transfer Entropy (MSTE) method is employed to construct a delay causality diagram, addressing non-stationarity and lack of time-lag analysis. It considers time delays between variables while excluding indirect causality to diagnose the root failure point. The effectiveness of KPCA-MSTE is further validated by analyzing the failure process of a cement predecomposition system in actual production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological scaffold implants loaded with exosomes were acknowledged as a promising strategy for the treatment of spinal cord injury. In this study, we constructed an individualized biomimetic scaffold based on combination of multimodal imaging and 3D printing technology, featuring sustained release, biodegradability, and strongly biocompatibility. The scaffold incorporated mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes to alleviate inflammatory response in microenvironment and reduce scar formation of ECM molecule deposition. Furthermore, to effectively enhance neuronal repair and regeneration, siRNAs targeting PTEN were introduced into exosomes. The engineered exosomes within scaffold induced endogenous neuronal regeneration and enhanced axonal growth through PTEN/PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Additionally, implantation of scaffold could bridge the severed ends, thus providing spatial signals to modulate the organization of neural cells, facilitating the reconstruction of complex neural networks, and restoring nerve conduction. Collectively, the individualized 3D printed bio-scaffold encapsulated siPTEN-loaded exosomes could offer great promise for the prospective clinical translation in spinal cord injury therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To understand the prevalence of hypertension in the population without awareness of hypertension in a rural area, a cross-sectional study was carried out. Methods. Blood pressures were measured in residents over 60 years during the National Basic Public Health Service project carrying on in a rural town of Shandong province. Combined with detail information of the hypertension disease history, the status of prevalence of hypertension was calculated. Basic information and clinical laboratory examinations were analyzed with Student' t or t' or chi-square test for univariate analysis. Multinomial logistic analysis was used in exploring multiple variables. Results. According to the individual history and blood pressure levels, the awareness rate of hypertension in the population over 60 years old was 50.3% (1285/2554, 95% CI: 48.3–52.3%). The prevalence of hypertension was 55.1% (1270/2304, 95% CI: 53.1–57.2%) in the population without awareness of hypertension, in which the proportion of stage 1 hypertension was 58.8% (747/1270), stage 2 hypertension was 28.9% (367/1270), and stage 3 hypertension was 12.3% (156/1270). The prevalence of hypertension in men was 54.4% (611/1124, 95% CI: 51.4–57.3%), which was almost the same as that in women (55.8%, 659/1180, 95% CI: 53.0–58.7%) (X2 = 0.515, P = 0.473). The prevalence of hypertension increased with age (X2trend = 11.848, P = 0.001). Age, BMI, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and drinking rate were positively correlated with the prevalence of hypertension, that is, the higher the level of these factors, the higher the prevalence of hypertension; on the contrary, LDL and smoking rate might be negatively correlated with the prevalence of hypertension, which means, the higher the prevalence of hypertension, the lower the level of these two indicators. Binary and multinominal logistic results showed that age, BMI, and drinking had stronger effects on the higher blood pressure level. Conclusions. The awareness rate of hypertension among the elderly in a rural area needs to be further improved. In the prevention and control of hypertension, close attention should be paid to the group of elder, high BMI index, high levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride, and drinking habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the problem of investment of capital in risky assets in a dynamic capital market in continuous time. The model controls risk, and in particular the risk associated with errors in the estimation of asset returns. The framework for investment risk is a geometric Brownian motion model for asset prices, with random rates of return. The information filtration process and the capital allocation decisions are considered separately. The filtration is based on a Bayesian model for asset prices, and an (empirical) Bayes estimator for current price dynamics is developed from the price history. Given the conditional price dynamics, investors allocate wealth to achieve their financial goals efficiently over time. The price updating and wealth reallocations occur when control limits on the wealth process are attained. A Bayesian fractional Kelly strategy is optimal at each rebalancing, assuming that the risky assets are jointly lognormal distributed. The strategy minimizes the expected time to the upper wealth limit while maintaining a high probability of reaching that goal before falling to a lower wealth limit. The fractional Kelly strategy is a blend of the log-optimal portfolio and cash and is equivalently represented by a negative power utility function, under the multivariate lognormal distribution assumption. By rebalancing when control limits are reached, the wealth goals approach provides greater control over downside risk and upside growth. The wealth goals approach with random rebalancing times is compared to the expected utility approach with fixed rebalancing times in an asset allocation problem involving stocks, bonds, and cash. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reconstituted skim milk was adjusted to pH values between 6.5 and 6.7 and heated (90°C) for up to 30 min. The change in the viscosity, as well as the casein micelle size and the level of whey protein association with the micelles, was monitored for each milk sample. The change in the viscosity was dependent on the pH of the milk at heating. At pH 6.5, the viscosity increased markedly during the early stages of heating, and plateaued on prolonged heating. The magnitude of the change in viscosity decreased as the pH of the milk was increased, so that only small changes in viscosity were observed on heating at pH 6.7. The change in viscosity was linearly correlated with the change in particle volume (calculated from the particle size). This indicates that the viscosity changes were related to a change in the volume fraction of the casein micelles as a consequence of heating. The level of denatured whey proteins associating with the micelles was also markedly dependent on the pH at heating. High levels associated at pH 6.5, and the level associated was lower as the pH was increased to pH 6.7. The changes in viscosity and casein micelle volume were correlated with the levels of denatured whey proteins that were associated with the casein micelles, although there was some deviation from linearity at low levels of association (<15%). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: Direct energy deposition (DED) is an additive manufacturing process that allows to produce metal parts with complex shapes. DED process depends on several parameters, including laser power, deposition rate and powder feeding rate. It is important to control the manufacturing process to study the influence of the operating parameters on the final characteristics of these parts and to optimize them. Computational modeling helps engineers to address these challenges. This paper aims to establish a framework for the development, verification and application of meshless methods and surrogate models to the DED process. Design/methodology/approach: Finite pointset method (FPM) is used to solve conservation equations involved in the DED process. A surrogate model is then established for the DED process using design of experiments with powder feeding rate, laser power and scanning speed as input parameters. The surrogate model is constructed using neutral networks (NN) approximations for the prediction of maximum temperature, clad angle and dilution. Findings: The simulations of thin wall built of Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy clearly demonstrated that FPM simulation is successful in predicting temperature distribution for different process conditions and compare favorably with experimental results from the literature. A methodology has been developed for obtaining a surrogate model for DED process. Originality/value: This methodology shows how to achieve realistic simulations of DED process and how to construct a surrogate model for further use in optimization loop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article titled "Elucidating the Role of Oxygen Species in Oxidative Coupling of Methane over Supported MnOx-Na2WO4-containing Catalysts" in the journal ChemCatChem explores the main products of the oxidative coupling of methane reaction over different catalysts. The researchers found that a low catalyst surface area and low reactivity of support lattice oxygen are beneficial for achieving high selectivity to C2H6 and C2H4. The TiO2 support meets these requirements, while Al2O3 and ZrO2 supports predominantly produce CO or CO2. The selectivity to desired products over TiO2-supported catalysts can be improved by replacing O2 with N2O and/or co-feeding H2O to reduce the concentration of adsorbed diatomic oxygen species. [Extracted from the article]

The Front Cover depicts the main products of the oxidative coupling of methane reaction over MnOx‐Na2WO4/support catalysts. In their Research Article, G. Jian, E. V. Kondratenko and co‐workers established that low catalyst surface area and low reactivity of support lattice oxygen are advantageous for achieving high selectivity to C2H6 and C2H4. The TiO2 support fulfills these requirements, whereas the use of Al2O3‐ or ZrO2‐containing supports leads to the predominant formation of CO or CO2. In addition, the selectivity to the desired products over TiO2‐supported catalysts can be improved by replacing O2 with N2O and/or through co‐fed H2O due to reducing the concentration of adsorbed diatomic oxygen species. More information can be found in the Research Article by G. Jian, E. V. Kondratenko and co‐workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Having a tiny scale and few identifiable features, small objects are particularly difficult to detect, especially when the image resolution is not high. Further, large-scale variation across object instances places a burden on small object detection. In view of the insufficient detection ability of YOLOF (You Only Look One-level Feature) detector for small objects at low resolution, we propose an effective method, named YOLOFs, to boost small object detection precision in the case of object instances scale variation. The proposed three key modules (feature fusion module, visual perception module and feature encoding module) expand the receptive field of the network and greatly improve small object detection precision. Extensive experiments on the COCO, VOC, and Fire datasets prove the effectiveness of our method while keeping the detector simple and accurate. Without bells and whistles, our method outperforms YOLOF 5.1 AP (average precision), 6.2 AP, and 4.9 AP on small object detection at 704 × 704 , 608 × 608, and 512 × 512 resolutions, respectively, and it also achieves better performance on the VOC and Fire datasets. Our code will be made publicly available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N 6 -methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent chemical modifications of intracellular RNA, which recently emerging as a multifaceted effector of viral genomic RNA. As a dynamic process, three groups of biological proteins control the levels of m6A modification in eukaryocyte, designed as m6A writers, erasers, and readers. The m6A writers comprising of methyltransferases complex initiate the modification process. On the contrary, the m6A erasers ALKBH5 or FTO abolish the modification through three-step demethylation: m6A to N 6 -hydroxymethyl adenosine (hm6A), then hm6A to N 6 -methyladenosine (f6A), and finally f6A to adenosine. The known m6A readers include the YTH family and the hnRNP family. As m6A modification regulates RNA nuclear exportation, stability, and translation, m6A proteins commonly participate in virus infection by regulating viral genomic RNA synthesis. Moreover, m6A proteins establish molecular linkages between virus genome/viral encode proteins and host cells proteins via their multifunctional roles in cellular RNA metabolism. The m6A writers and erasers directly impact interferon expression and macrophage innate immune responses, facilitating them to act as anti−/pro-viral factors. The m6A readers enable to alter cell metabolism and stress granules (SGs) production to regulate virus-host interactions. Here, the latest progress of m6A proteins in regulating viral infection is reviewed. Demonstrating the roles of m6A proteins will enhance the understanding of epigenetic regulation of virus infection and stimulate the development of novel antiviral strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The dependence of the rate of propene formation on Ga/Zr ratio over Ga 2 O 3 /ZrO 2 was determined for PDH. • The reaction intermediates and mechanism were studied by in-situ DRIFTS and DFT calculations. • GaⅡ–O 3c Ⅱ structure was determined as the active site with enhanced C–H bond activation ability over Ga 2 O 3 /ZrO 2. • Ga 2 O 3 /ZrO 2 catalyst showed a good reaction-regeneration stability. ZrO 2 -based catalysts have attracted extensive attention in propane dehydrogenation (PDH) owing to their environmental compatibility, low costs, and superior catalytic performance. However, the structure–activity relationship and mechanistic analysis of Ga 2 O 3 /ZrO 2 in PDH are rarely studied where GaO x either acts as an active site or a promoter. Here, Ga 2 O 3 /ZrO 2 catalysts with different Ga/Zr ratios were synthesized by the impregnation technique, and the structure–activity relationship was revealed by combining complementary in/ex-situ characterization methods with catalytic tests. It is found the rate of propene formation first increases linearly and then reaches a plateau with the increase of Ga 2 O 3 loading, such activity-loading dependence is related to the evolution of Ga 2 O 3 species varying from monodisperse to single-layer and then multilayer states. Activation energy and C 3 H 8 -TPSR results suggest the formation of a new active site with high intrinsic activity over Ga 2 O 3 /ZrO 2. Furthermore, the molecular level reaction mechanism of Ga 2 O 3 /ZrO 2 in PDH was studied by DFT calculations, which pointed out the active site structure was GaⅡ–O 3c Ⅱ site exhibiting enhanced activation ability toward C–H bond and lower reaction barrier compared with bare ZrO 2. This work is expected to offer new insights into understanding the structure–activity relationships over ZrO 2 -based catalysts for PDH reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The performance of Mn-Na 2 WO 4 /SiO 2 catalysts in CL-OCM can be significantly improved by cofed water. • Water does not alter the scheme of product formation but influences their kinetics. • Water facilitates the releasability of lattice oxygen. • The role of MnO x and Na 2 WO 4 is shown by in situ XRD and UV–vis spectroscopy. The oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) to C 2 H 6 and C 2 H 4 (C 2 -hydrocarbons) is an industrially attractive reaction, which has not yet been commercialized. Apart from the low selectivity to C 2 -hydrocarbons at high degrees of CH 4 conversion, another substantial drawback is the necessity to use pure O 2 when this oxidant and methane are cofed. Original OCM studies used an approach called chemical looping OCM (CL-OCM) that consists of alternating feeding of methane and air for product formation and catalyst reoxidation, respectively. The developed catalysts, however, suffer from their low ability to provide lattice oxygen for the desired reaction. Herein, we demonstrate that this catalyst property can be significantly improved when performing CL-OCM over Mn-Na 2 WO 4 /SiO 2 catalysts in the presence of water. In comparison to water-free CL-OCM, both methane conversion and C 2 -hydrocarbons selectivity increase resulting in at least doubling of the yield of these products. The selectivity to ethylene of about 53 % was obtained at about 24 % CH 4 conversion. The total selectivity to C 2 -hydrocarbons was about 76 %. The analysis of selectivity-conversion relationships for C 2 H 4 , C 2 H 6 , CO and CO 2 proved that water does not alter their general formation pathways but influences the kinetics of their formation. In situ X-ray diffraction, in situ UV–vis spectroscopic, and temperature-programmed tests (H 2 -TPR and O 2 -TPD with or without cofed H 2 O) showed that Mn 2 O 3 acts as the oxygen carrier in CL-OCM. In-situ DRIFTS proved the presence of O 2 – and O 2 2–. They can interact with water yielding OH radicals that accelerate CH 4 conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing a material with the advantage of adsorption–enrichment and photocatalysis degradation has great practical significance in water treatment. BiPO4, as a promising photocatalyst for environmental purification, still suffers from small specific surface area and relative low photocatalytic activity. Herein, BiPO4–SiO2 hybrid hydrogels were successfully fabricated by facile two-step methods. BiPO4 nanorods are uniformly compounded with SiO2 spheres, and the specific surface area of BiPO4 is enhanced by 2.3 times after forming a network structure. 90% BiPO4–SiO2 hybrid hydrogel presents the highest photocatalytic degradation activities, which is 3.4 times that of pure BiPO4. The total organic carbon removal ability of BiPO4 is also enhanced by 1.1 times after constructing a hybrid hydrogel. The pollutant removal enhancement of BiPO4–SiO2 hybrid hydrogel can be attributed to the synergistic effect of adsorption–enrichment and photocatalytic degradation. Our results may provide a promising way to greatly enhance the pollutant removal performance of BiPO4, which may promote the industrial application of BiPO4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Emerging evidence shows that high blood pressure (BP) level even below 140/90 mmHg during pregnancy is associated with increased risk for maternal and infant complications. The meta-analysis evaluated the associations between prehypertension (BP 120-139/80-89 mmHg) during pregnancy and the risk of small for gestational age (SGA), as well as the impact of prehypertension on birth weight (BW).Methods: Databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library) were searched for cohort studies with data on prehypertension in pregnancy and adverse obstetrical outcomes, including SGA and/or BW. The relative risks (RRs) of SGA and weighted mean differences (WMD) in BW were calculated and reported with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). We calculated pooled RRs using fixed- and random-effects models.Results: A total of 143,835 participants from five cohort studies were included. Prehypertension in pregnancy increased the risk of SGA (RR 1.59, 95%CI 1.44 to 1.76, p < .00001) and lowered BW (WMD -13.71, 95% CI -83.28 to 55.87, p = .70) compared with optimal BP (<120/80 mmHg). In subgroup analyses, for prehypertension in late pregnancy, the risk of SGA was significantly higher than for optimal BP (RR 1.60, 95% CI 1.44 to 1.78).Conclusion: BP within the range of 120-139/80-89 mmHg during pregnancy, as previously defined as prehypertension, particularly in late pregnancy, was associated with a 59% increase in the risk of having an SGA birth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increasing numbers of studies have demonstrated that circulating tumor cells (CTCs) undergo a phenotypic change termed epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT), and researchers have proposed that EMT might provide CTCs with increased potential to survive in the different microenvironments encountered during metastasis through various ways, such as by increasing cell survival and early colonization. However, the exact role of EMT in CTCs remains unclear. Methods: In this study, we identified CTCs of 41 patients with gastric cancer using Cyttel‐CTC and im‐FISH (immune‐fluorescence in situ hybridization) methods, and tested the expression of EMT markers and ULBP1 (a major member of the NKG2D—natural killer [NK] group 2 member D—ligand family) on CTCs. Moreover, we investigated the relationship between the expression of EMT markers and ULBP1 on CTCs and gastric cancer cell lines. Results: Our results showed that the CTCs of gastric cancer patients exhibited three EMT marker subtypes, and that the expression of ULBP1 was significantly lower on mesenchymal phenotypic CTCs (M+CTCs) than on epithelial phenotypic CTCs (E+CTCs). EMT induced by TGF‐β in vitro produced a similar phenomenon, and we therefore proposed that EMT might be involved in the immune evasion of CTCs from NK cells by altering the expression of ULBP1. Conclusions: Our study indicated that EMT might play a vital role in the immune invasion of CTCs by regulating the expression of ULBP1 on CTCs. These findings could provide potential strategies for targeting the immune evasion capacity of CTCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the dominant member of the gastric microbiota and has infected more than half of the human population, of whom 5–15% develop gastric diseases ranging from gastritis and metaplasia to gastric cancer. These diseases always follow inflammation induced by cell surface and intracellular receptors and subsequent signaling, such as the NF-κB pathway and inflammasomes. Some types of immune cells are recruited to enforce an antibacterial response, which could be impeded by H. pylori virulence factors with or without a specific immune cell. Following decreased inflammation, neoplasm may appear with a little immune surveillance and may inhibit antitumor immunity. Therefore, the balance between H. pylori-associated inflammation and anti-inflammation is crucial for human health and remains to be determined. Here, we discuss multiple inflammation and immunoregulatory cells in gastritis and summarize the main immune evasion strategies employed by gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study was performed to investigate the combination of admission serum procalcitonin (PCT) and albumin (alb) concentrations as a diagnostic predictor for discriminating patients with nosocomial blood stream infection (BSI) among those with spontaneous intra-cerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on patients with ICH and hospital-acquired BSI. Clinical and microbiological data were compared in patients who experienced nosocomial BSI during a hospital stay and those who did not. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent risk factors for nosocomial BSI. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to compare the predictive accuracy of the albumin:PCT ratio. Results: Patients with nosocomial BSI had lower albumin:PCT ratios than those without BSI (11.739 [3.192-38.452] versus 200.000 [40.634-417.500]; p < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that the albumin:PCT ratio (odds ratio [OR] 1.006; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.002-1.011; p = 0.001], white blood cell count (OR 1.129; 95% CI 1.044-1.220; p = 0.002), and shock (OR 4.504; 95% CI 1.774-11.435; p = 0.002) were independent predictors of nosocomial BSI, allowing distinction of patients with the infection from those without. The area under the ROC curve for the albumin:PCT ratio was 0.830 (95% CI 0.768-0.892; p < 0.001). The cut-off value of the albumin:PCT ratio was <1.087 with a sensitivity of 90.6% and a specificity of 98.8%. In the subgroup of 85 patients with nosocomial BSI, the albumin:PCT ratio in patients with shock was lower than that in those without shock (7.154 [2.975-26.267] vs 28.000 [3.818-57.812]; p = 0.027). Conclusion: The albumin:PCT ratio can be used as an early diagnostic predictor for nosocomial BSI in patients with ICH. Additionally, BSI patients with lower albumin:PCT ratios are more likely to experience shock. The albumin:PCT ratio is expected to be a rapid and low-cost tool for clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]