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Abstract Increased GP73 expression in hepatocytes from patients with acute hepatitis, through disease progression to cirrhosis and chronic liver disease suggests that progressive tissue remodeling and fibrogenesis are driving forces for GP73 upregulation. Nevertheless, details about regulation of GP73 expression and its biological functions remain elusive and await further characterization. In this study, we demonstrate that GP73 is a direct target of TGF-β1 transcriptional regulation. Its induced expression inhibits TGF-β-Smad mediated growth suppression. On the other hand, elevated GP73 results in upregulation of ERK/Akt signaling induced by TGF-β1. Mechanistically, upregulation of lipid raft and caveolae-1 induced by GP73 overexpression mediates its regulatory effect on TGF-β1 signaling. Notably, lipid raft expression is elevated in HCC tumors and tissues with higher GP73 expression yield more intensive Flotillin staining. Our results establish the linkage between GP73 and TGF-β signaling, indicating that GP73 may promote HCC tumorigenesis by selectively regulating TGF-β signaling through lipid raft modulation. Highlights • GP73 expression induced by TGF-β1 transcriptional regulation inhibits TGF-β-Smad mediated growth suppression. • Elevated GP73 results in upregulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) signaling. • Lipid raft and caveolae upregulation induced by GP73 overexpression mediates its regulatory effect on TGF-β signaling. • Lipid raft expression is elevated in HCC tumors, tissues with higher GP73 expression yield more intensive Flotillin staining. • GP73 may selectively regulate TGF-β signaling via lipid raft modulation and probably promotes HCC tumorigenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) represents a chronic liver disorder caused by alcohol abuse. Numerous studies have demonstrated that gut microbiota dysbiosis plays a critical role in ALD pathogenesis. Application of prebiotic, probiotic, and dietary supplementation to the modulation of gut microbiota contributes to a novel approach to the management of ALD. Inulin, a natural prebiotic found in plants, can restore gut dysbiosis in ALD. However, the exact mechanism of dietary inulin in ALD remains largely unknown. Methods: Sixty female C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: pair‐fed (PF) group (PF/CON); alcohol‐fed (AF) group (AF/CON); PF with inulin (INU) group (PF/INU); and AF with INU group (AF/INU). All mice were fed with isocaloric modified Lieber‐DeCarli liquid diets with or without alcohol. Results: After 6 weeks of feeding, mice were euthanized and associated indications were investigated. The results showed that chronic ethanol (EtOH) intake led to the loss of body weights, abnormal levels of transaminases, and inflammatory indicators (lipopolysaccharide [LPS], interleukin [IL]‐6, IL‐10, tumor necrosis factor‐α, IL‐17A), while inulin administration ameliorated these effects. To further understand the underlying mechanism, we investigated macrophages (Mψs) and gut microbiota in diverse groups. The number of Mψs was reduced after dietary inulin treatment in chronic EtOH exposure. Hepatic Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4+) Mψs in AF/INU group were lower than AF/CON group. 16S rRNA sequencing and analysis of gut microbiota indicated the reduction of Allobaculum, Lactobacillus, and Lactococcus, as well as the increase of Parasutterella in AF group compared with PF control. Increased Allobaculum, Lactobacillus, and Lactococcus but reduced Parasutterella in AF/INU group were confirmed that dietary inulin rectified gut dysbiosis to attenuate ALD. Conclusions: Dietary inulin ameliorates ALD via suppressing LPS‐TLR4‐Mψ axis and modulating gut microbiota in mice, thus potentially provides theoretical foundation for inulin intervention in the prevention and treatment of ALD. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) represents a chronic liver disorder caused by alcohol abuse. Studies have demonstrated that inflammation and microbiota dysbiosis play critical roles in ALD pathogenesis. We tested a prebiotic as a novel approach to the management of ALD. In this study, inulin was selected for management of ALD. We found that inulin ameliorated ALD via suppressing LPS‐TLR4‐Mψ axis and modulating gut microbiota in mice. This provides support for use of inulin in the prevention and treatment of ALD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many current sorbents are limited for U(VI) concentration from aqueous solutions due to their inappropriate structures and surface chemistry. Herein, we report the rapid sorption of U(VI) with high capacities and selectivity by amidoxime modified ordered mesoporous SBA-15 with two typical morphologies (i.e., rods and plates) via a post-grafting method. Variables of the geochemical conditions (contact time, pH value, initial concentration, temperature and coexisting metal ions) are investigated. The results show that the mesostructures including morphologies and pore length of SBA-15 perform the dominant function for the fast sorption kinetics (10 min for plates, 20 min for rods), while the modified amidoxime groups make the excellent U(VI) sorption capacities (646.2 mg ⋅ g − 1 for plates, 499.8 mg ⋅ g − 1 for rods at pH 5.0 and T 298.15 K) and high selectivity possible. U(VI) adsorbed amidoxime-functionalized SBA can also be effectively regenerated by HCl solutions and reused well after six cycles. Two typical morphologies (i.e., rods and plates) of SBA-15 are prepared via a post-grafting method. The mesostructures including morphologies and pore length of SBA-15 perform the dominant function for the fast kinetics of U(VI) sorption, while the modified amidoxime groups make the excellent U(VI) sorption capacities and high selectivity possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change directly impacts the hydrological cycle via increasing temperatures and seasonal precipitation shifts, which are variable at local scales. The water resources of the Upper Yangtze River Basin (UYRB) account for almost 40% and 15% of all water resources used in the Yangtze Basin and China, respectively. Future climate change and the possible responses of surface runoff in this region are urgent issues for China's water security and sustainable socioeconomic development. This study evaluated the potential impacts of future climate change on the hydrological regimes (high flow (Q5), low flow (Q95), and mean annual runoff (MAR)) of the UYRB using global climate models (GCMs) and a variable infiltration capacity (VIC) model. We used the eight bias-corrected GCM outputs from Phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) to examine the effects of climate change under two future representative concentration pathways (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). The direct variance method was adopted to analyze the contributions of precipitation and temperature to future Q5, Q95, and MAR. The results showed that the equidistant cumulative distribution function (EDCDF) can considerably reduce biases in the temperature and precipitation fields of CMIP5 models and that the EDCDF captured the extreme values and spatial pattern of the climate fields. Relative to the baseline period (1961–1990), precipitation is projected to slightly increase in the future, while temperature is projected to considerably increase. Furthermore, Q5, Q95, and MAR are projected to decrease. The projected decreases in the median value of Q95 were 21.08% to 24.88% and 16.05% to 26.70% under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, respectively; these decreases were larger than those of MAR and Q5. Temperature increases accounted for more than 99% of the projected changes, whereas precipitation had limited projected effects on Q95 and MAR. These results indicate the drought risk over the UYRB will increase considerably in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to identify potential novel biomarkers in synovial tissue obtained from patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Osteoarthritis (OA) for differential diagnosis. The genome-wide expression profiling datasets of synovial tissues from RA and OA cohorts, including GSE55235, GSE55457 and GSE55584 datasets, were retrieved and used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs; P<0.05; false discovery rate <0.05 and Fold Change >2) between RA and OA using R software. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses of DEGs were performed to determine molecular and biochemical pathways associated with the identified DEGs, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of the DEGs was constructed using Cytoscape software. Significant modules in the PPI network and candidate driver genes were screened using the Molecular Complex Detection Algorithm. Potential biomarkers were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic and logistic regression analyses. Large numbers of DEGs were detected, including 273, 205 and 179 DEGs in the GSE55235, GSE55457 and GSE55584 datasets, respectively. Among them, 80 DEGs exhibited identical expression trends in all the three datasets, including 49 upregulated and 31 downregulated genes in patients with RA. DEGs in patients suffering from RA compared with patients suffering from OA were predominantly associated with the primary immunodeficiency pathway, including interleukin 7 receptor (IL7R) and signal transducer activator of transcription 1 (STAT1). The sensitivity of IL7R + STAT1 to differentiate RA from OA was 93.94% with a specificity of 80.77%. The results generated from analyses of the GSE36700 dataset were closely associated with results generated from analyses of GSE55235, GSE55457 and GSE55584 datasets, which further verified the reliability of the aforementioned results. The results of the present study suggested that increased expression of IL7R and STAT1 in synovial tissue as well as in the primary immunodeficiency may be associated with RA occurrence. These identified novel biomarkers may be used to predict disease occurrence and clinically differentiate RA from OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How is the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit working through contemplative aspects of Pentecostal spirituality in Asia where Christianity thrives in a hostile environment today? Are there any insights that Pentecostal churches of the Global North can learn and experience deeper transformation through the Holy Spirit in a post-Christian world? This article shares a recent experience of a retreat with a group of Asian Pentecostal pastors. It describes how they, both individually and as a group, encountered God through contemplative practice within the praxis of their spiritual tradition. Drawing from their experiences grounded in Scripture, the article explores the key theological issues of silence, body, and response. Pentecostal churches are therefore encouraged to be eager to learn from the lived experiences of pastors in Asia and receptive to contemplative aspects of Pentecostal spirituality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influences of phase noise together with autapse on the resonance dynamics in a modified FitzHugh–Nagumo (FHN) neuron are investigated by numerical simulation, where the neuronal model is in the environment of electromagnetic induction. First, it is found that phase noise can induce double coherence resonances, which is further confirmed to be robust to the feedback gain of induction current. Surprisingly, by individually changing the period of phase noise and the feedback gain, a resonance-like behavior also appears. Subsequently, the significant phenomenon of autapse-induced multiple coherence resonances is discovered. Moreover, the phenomenon of multiple coherence resonances can emerge at a broad parameter range of autaptic strength and autaptic delay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Earthquakes act as a dominant trigger for failure of slopes in seismic active regions. In this study, a seismic stability analysis of a three-dimensional (3D) rock slope in Hoek–Brown media is conducted based on the limit analysis method. The energy balance equation is derived by equating the external work rate by rock mass weight and seismic forces to the internal energy dissipation rate, and an optimization code is then programmed to capture the optimized factor of safety (FoS) of a 3D rock slope based on the strength reduction technique. The validity of the equivalent Mohr–Coulomb parameters method and generalized tangent technique in conjunction with the limit analysis method to estimate FoS of a 3D rock slope is investigated. Subsequently, a quasi-static method is used to explore the effect of seismic forces on stability of a 3D rock slope. The results of the parametric analysis indicate that the seismic force exhibits significant negative effects on the stability of a 3D slope and that a significant difference exists between a 3D FoS solution and a solution obtained under two-dimensional (2D) plane strain. A stability chart analysis is performed to produce a set of seismic stability charts for preliminary design purposes. Finally, a case study is performed to apply stability charts in practical situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective Selenium deficiency is a risk factor for Kashin-Beck Disease (KBD), an endemic osteoarthropathy. Although promoter hypermethylation of glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPX3) (a selenoprotein) has been identified in several cancers, little is known about promoter methylation and expression of GPX3 and their relation to selenium in KBD. The present study was thus conducted to investigate this research question. Methods Methylation and expressions of GPX3 in whole blood drawn from 288 KBD patients and 362 healthy controls and in chondrocyte cell line were evaluated using methylation-specific PCR and qRT-PCR, respectively. The protein levels of PI3K/Akt/c-fos signaling in the whole blood and chondrocyte cell line were determined with Western blotting. Chondrocytes apoptosis were detected by Hoechst 33342 and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining. Results GPX3 methylation was increased, GPX3 mRNA was decreased, and protein levels in the PI3K/Akt/c-fos signaling pathway were up-regulated in the whole blood collected from KBD patients as compared with healthy controls. Similar results were obtained for chondrocytes injured by oxidative stress. There was a significant, decreasing trend in GPX3 expression across groups of unmethylation, partial methylation, and complete methylation for GPX3 , in sequence. Compared with unmethylation group, protein levels in PI3K/Akt/c-fos pathway were enhanced in partial and complete methylation groups. Treatment of chondrocytes with sodium selenite resulted in reduced methylation and increased expression of GPX3 as well as down-regulated level of PI3K/Akt/c-fos proteins. Conclusions The methylation and expression of GPX3 and expression of PI3K/Akt/c-fos pathway are altered in KBD and these changes are reversible by selenium supplementation. Highlights • GPX3 DNA hypermethylation and low expression of gene existed in KBD patients. • Up-regulation of PI3K/Akt/c-fos in KBD patients and oxidative damage chondrocytes. • Hypermethylation and low gene expression of GPX3 found in apoptotic chondrocyte. • GPX3 hypermethylation related to changes in gene expression and PI3K/Akt/c-fos. • Methylation, gene expression of GPX3 and PI3K/Akt/c-fos improved by Se supplement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of great importance to develop a convenient, portable and rapid detection method for volatile acid vapors because exposure to them could harm the human body. Hence, an organogelator PFAP based on multi self-assembly driving forces and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics was designed and synthesized. The self-assembly behavior and photophysical properties of PFAP were also studied. Gelator PFAP can form a stable organogel in selected solvents. The results of 1H NMR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis reveal that hydrogen bonds and π–π interactions play important roles in the gelation process. PFAP exhibits remarkable AIE behavior originated from restricted intramolecular motion (RIM). Furthermore, the xerogel-based PFAP film emits strong cyan fluorescence and could be used as a chemosensor to detect volatile acid vapors with excellent performance owing to its large surface area, AIE properties and amplified fluorescence quenching. The above-mentioned results suggest that the organogelation of AIE materials is of assistance in the rational design of efficient chemosensors for gas detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a cost function approach to predict the passenger distribution at the platform, which is contributed to provide services to the passenger safety and convenience and also an efficient use of the subway platform. According to the limited observation and field data collection of Beijing Xuanwumen subway station, passenger behaviors and basic attributes at the platform are analyzed. Based on the analysis and investigation, factors including the distance to the waiting area, the passenger density in the visual field, and the length of the waiting area occupied by passengers are put forward as important factors to affect the choice of the waiting area. The determination of the real-time choice defined by these factors is applied to model the passengers’ waiting area choice behaviors. Simulation experiments are run for the model calibration and validation combining with the collected field data. The results show that the passenger distribution which arises from the model is capable of keeping consistent with the actual distribution in the rough. The model is helpful for controlling how heavy carriages are congested and providing suggestions to optimize the layout of platform facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key challenge for osmotic membrane bioreactors (OMBRs) application is reverse solute flux and consequent salt accumulation in the feed side. Herein, a bioelectrochemical system (BES) was employed to drive reverse-fluxed solutes from the feed of an OMBR into a cathode compartment for recovery and subsequent reuse as a draw solute (DS). Compared to an OMBR without BES function, the present OMBR system enhanced water recovery from 925 to 1688 mL and increased the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency from 40.2 ± 8.1 to 75.2 ± 3.3%, benefited from its lower anolyte conductivity of 9.0 mS cm −1 than that of the control system (24.1 mS cm −1 ). The CO 2 addition significantly improved the ammonia recovery rate to 93.3–116.7 g N m −3 h −1 (or 248.0–307.4 g N m −2 d −1 ), 12.1–14.5 times higher than that without CO 2 addition. The recovered DS was successfully applied to accomplish water extraction in the reuse test, and such a recovery/reuse process could result in a normalized water recovery of 3870 mL mol DS −1 or a DS usage of 0.26 mol L −1 (of the recovered water). The energy consumption of the system might be compensated by the production of bioenergy, and the net specific energy consumption was estimated to be 0.004–0.112 kWh m −3 wastewater, 0.007–0.179 kWh kg −1 removed COD, or 0.001–0.020 kWh kg −1 recovered NH 4 + -N. Those results have demonstrated that bioelectrochemical processes can be an effective approach for in situ mitigation of reverse-fluxed solute in OMBR and recovering “the lost DS” towards both reuse and reduced operational expense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is evidence that synaptic plasticity is a vital feature of realistic neuronal systems. This study, describing synaptic plasticity by a modified Oja learning rule, focuses on the effect of synapse learning rate on spike synchronization and its relative transitions in a Newman-Watts small-world neuronal network. The individual dynamics of each neuron is modeled by a simple Rulkov map that produces spiking behavior. Numerical results have indicated that large coupling can lead to a spatiotemporally synchronous pattern of spiking neurons; in addition, this kind of spike synchronization can emerge intermittently by turning information transmission delay between coupled neurons. Interestingly, with the advent of synaptic plasticity, spike synchronization is gradually destroyed by increasing synapse learning rate; moreover, the phenomenon of intermittent synchronization transitions becomes less and less obvious and it even disappears for relative larger learning rate. Further simulations confirm that spike synchronization as well as synchronization transitions is largely independent of network size. Meanwhile, we detect that large shortcuts probability can facilitate spike synchronization, but it is disadvantageous for delay-induced synchronization transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five previously undescribed specialized metabolites, including three 9,11- seco -pimarane diterpenoids, nodulisporenones A–C, and two androstane steroids, nodulisporisterones A and B, together with previously described ergosterol derivatives, dankasterone A and demethylincisterol A 3 , were isolated from solid cultures of the endophytic fungus Nodulisporium sp. SC-J597. Their structures including absolute configurations were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and theoretical calculations of electronic circular dichroism spectra. Among them, nodulisporenones A and B are the first examples of seco -pimarane diterpenoids that is cyclized to form an unprecedented diterpenoid lactone scaffold and nodulisporisterones A and B represent the first normal C 19 androstane steroids of fungal origin. Nodulisporisterone B exhibited potent inhibitory effect on the production of NO in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages (IC 50 = 2.95 μM). This compound, together with the two known ergosterol derivatives, also displayed cytotoxicity against A549, HeLa, HepG2 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines with IC 50 values of 5.2–16.9 μM. Seco-pimarane diterpenoids, nodulisporenones A–C, and androstane steroids, nodulisporisterones A and B, were isolated from a Cyclosorus parasiticus leaf-derived Nodulisporium fungus. Nodulisporisterone B was active against the tested cancer cells and inhibited NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. [Display omitted] • Five seco-pimarane diterpenes and androstane steroids were isolated from Nodulisporium sp. • Two seco-pimarane diterpenes had an unprecedented diterpenoid lactone scaffold. • Normal androstane steroids were isolated from a fungal source for the first time. • One of the steroids was active against cancer cells and inhibited NO production in RAW264.7 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A high total diols selectivity of 83.9% was obtained, in which EG selectivity was 58.9%. • The NiCu-WO x-1 -O(H) interfaces facilitated the transformation of glucose into glycolaldehyde. • The appropriate amount of NiCu alloy and WO 3 ensured an excellent synergistic effect for C C cleavage and hydrogenation. • The structure of WO 3 -wrapped metals enabled the reaction to proceed in a well-defined sequence. One-pot catalytic conversion of cellulose to ethylene glycol (EG) provides an efficient way toward the production of high value-added chemicals from the abundant biomass resource. However, control of product selectivity is a challenge due to the thermal instabilities of cellulose derived sugars. Here, a series of multifunctional NiCu/WO 3 catalysts were prepared and applied to this process. By tuning the metal ratio and WO 3 content, a high EG selectivity of 58.9% was obtained. The selectivity of total diols even reached 83.9%. Besides, the catalyst revealed excellent performance in the conversion of raw biomass. Characterization results showed that the special catalyst structure of WO 3 -wrapped metal particles enabled the reaction to proceed in a well-defined sequence and also facilitated the formation of NiCu-WO x-1 -O(H) interfacial sites. These interfacial sites offered high activity for the C C bond cleavage to produce glycolaldehyde from glucose. An appropriate amount of each active site ensured a well-synergistic effect of C C cleavage and hydrogenation capabilities, thus resulting in the highly selective formation of EG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), an intrinsic disorder of the brain's perforating arterioles, which could cause serious cognitive decreasing and trigger dementia. In this study, we present a multi-step computational approach to construct a functional SVD long non-coding RNA (lncRNA)-mediated ceRNA network (LMCN) by integrating genome-wide lncRNA and mRNA expression profiles, miRNA-target interactions, and functional analyses. We used hypergeometric test to evaluate enrichment significance of miRNAs and we obtained the LMCN, which contained 27 lncRNAs, 7,229 mRNA, and 28,871 lncRNAs-mRNA interrelationship pairs. What's more, co-expression analysis was utilized to constructe a competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) interaction network which comprised of 21 lncRNAs, 129 mRNAs and 141 interaction pairs. We determined that metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 and MIR155 host gene acted synergistically to regulate mRNAs in a network module of the competitive LMCN. Moreover, 7 genes were obtained through Gene Ontology enrichment. In addition, 29 mRNA enriched pathways significantly associated with lncRNAs was obtained via Fisher test. In conclusion, we identified 7 potential lncRNAs and 29 possible lncRNA-mediated pathways associated with SVD. Thus, ceRNAs could accelerate biomarker discovery and therapeutic development in SVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well established that aboveground-belowground interactions moderate ecosystem functioning. The direct and indirect effects of plants on belowground communities have been explored by many studies; however, few studies have considered how grazing moderate the direction and intensity of these effects. In this study, we explored how grazing by yak moderates the effect of the shrub Dasiphora fruticosa on nematode communities through a short-term shrub removal experiment in a grazed and ungrazed alpine meadow on the Tibetan plateau. We used structural equation modelling (SEM) to assess both the direct effects of D. fruticosa and indirect effects mediated by changes in understorey vegetation composition and edaphic properties, on nematode communities. The presence of D. fruticosa had no significant impact on the abundance of nematodes in the ungrazed meadow. By contrast, D. fruticosa had a strong negative direct effect on nematode abundance, but also a positive indirect effect due to greater grass biomass, in the grazed meadow. The effect of D. fruticosa on nematode community composition was limited, with only a marginally significant direct effect on nematode community composition in the grazed meadow. Instead, nematode community composition was strongly related to soil water content and organic matter content in both grazing treatments, and soil pH in the grazed meadow. Our results indicate that grazing moderate aboveground-belowground linkages through direct and indirect shrub effects on nematode abundance, but have limited effects on nematode community composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Conventional methods for calculation of passive earth pressure were mainly based on the assumptions of the linear Mohr‐Coulomb yield condition and plane strain failure mechanism. However, both theoretical and experimental studies have shown that such assumptions are not satisfied in some geotechnical projects. Herein, a novel method incorporating a kinematically admissible 3‐dimensional (3D) rotational failure mechanism and the nonlinear power‐law yield criterion is proposed to compute the passive earth pressure acting on the inclined retaining walls. Instead of using the nonlinear yield criterion directly, a straight line tangential to the nonlinear yield curve is employed to represent the strength of soils, and therefore, the nonlinear problem is transformed into the traditional linear problem. The 3D failure mechanism is generated through rotating a circle defined by 2 log‐spirals, and a plane strain block is inserted into the mechanism to consider the retaining walls with different widths. Earthquake effects are taken into account by using quasi‐static representation, and the horizontal seismic coefficient concept is adopted for the estimation of passive earth pressure under seismic conditions. An analytical expression about the 3D passive earth pressure is educed by means of the upper bound theorem of limit analysis. Numerical results for different practical parameters are obtained from an optimization scheme where the minimum of passive earth pressure is sought. Compared with available 2‐dimensional and 3D solutions, the proposed method is validated. A parametric study is conducted to investigate the effects of different parameters on the 3D static and seismic passive earth pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Asbestos exposure may cause asbestos‐related lung diseases including asbestosis, pleural abnormalities and malignancies. The role of asbestos exposure in the development of small airway obstruction remains controversial. Anatomic and physiologic small airway abnormalities may develop as part of the pathophysiologic process of asbestosis. We hypothesized that inhalation of asbestos may induce small airway defects in addition to asbestosis and pleural abnormalities. Methods: In total, 281 patients with newly diagnosed asbestosis were evaluated. Clinical data were collected from the patients' medical charts. The patients were classified into various stages according to their chest X‐ray findings using the International Labour Organization classification. Pulmonary function was evaluated by plethysmography and the forced oscillation technique. Results: Expiratory flow, including the predicted values of the maximum expiratory flow between 25% and 50% of the forced vital capacity (MEF25‐50), was significantly lower in the different stages of asbestosis. Accordingly, the predicted percentage of R5–R20 was significantly higher with increasing stages of asbestosis. Furthermore, the duration of exposure to asbestos was significantly associated with the forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio and the predicted percentage of MEF25 or MEF50 according to the regression analysis in non‐smoking patients with asbestosis. The predicted percentage of FEV1 or the FEV1/FVC ratio was significantly lower and the predicted percentage of R5–R20 was significantly higher in smokers than non‐smokers. Conclusions: The patients with asbestosis have small airway obstructive defects that are significantly associated with asbestos exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of well-ordered hierarchical metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in an efficient manner is a great challenge. Here, a 3D regular ordered meso-/macroporous MOF of Cu-TATAB (referred to as MM-MOF) was synthesized through a facile template-free self-assembly process with pore sizes of 31 nm and 119 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to CO by reverse water gas shift reaction plays a vital role in the recycling of the abundant carbon source. Here, the reaction over a series of zeolite L-supported platinum catalysts was systematically investigated to study the promoting role of potassium. The results of activity tests showed that controlled addition of potassium promoter to Pt/L catalyst was beneficial for the catalytic activity and selectivity. It was observed that cage encapsulation by zeolite pores could stabilize Pt nano-particles even at severe reaction conditions. Furthermore, X-ray absorption near edge structure and X-ray photoelectron spectra results demonstrated that the chemical state of platinum was altered by the additional potassium promoter, providing evidence for the formation of Pt-O(OH)-K interfacial sites. Thereafter, the Pt-O(OH)-K interfaces, acting as main active sites to adsorb CO 2 and produce bridge-bonded formate intermediates, were identified by a set of in-situ diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and microcalorimetry measurements. This finding provides new insights into the use of a variety of zeolite as carriers for highly dispersed noble metal in catalytic CO 2 reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new Schiff-base derivatives with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics have been designed and successfully synthesized. Their photophysical properties in solution, aqueous suspension and the solid state were investigated systematically. The three compounds showed an obvious 1π–π* transition mixed with intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) properties in the UV-vis spectra, which were evidenced by spectral analysis and theoretical calculations. The compounds exhibited evident AIE characteristics with a relatively high fluorescence quantum yield in the solid state (ΦF = 15–21%). Moreover, the morphologies and sizes of the particles in water/CH3CN solutions were studied using a transmission scanning electron microscope (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The crystallographic data for A3 suggest that the existence of intramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions restricted intramolecular rotation. Interestingly, A3 showed fluorescence turn-on sensing towards Cu2+via chelation enhanced fluorescence in a CH3CN–H2O (4 : 1, v/v) solution. It has a fast response time and a linear range of 0–20 μM for Cu2+ ions with a detection limit of 2.3 × 10−7 mol L−1. In addition, A3 also exhibits a piezofluorochromic response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitosan, as a bio-friendly and abundant biochar precursor, was employed to prepare cobalt-based catalyst (Co 3 O 4 @BCC) by calcination for activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to degrade phenacetin (PNT). Various characterization technologies and experimental designs were performed to investigate the physicochemical properties and catalytic performance of Co 3 O 4 @BCC. Approximately 99.0% of phenacetin (10 mg/L) was degraded in the system of Co 3 O 4 @BCC (0.05 g/L)/PMS (1.0 mM) within 15 min and the rate constant was 6 times higher than that in the system of Co 3 O 4 (0.05 g/L)/PMS (1.0 mM). The results demonstrated that BCC as a carrier not only dispersed Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles and improved the stability of catalyst, but also provided abundant electron-rich groups to facilitate the activation of PMS and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Co 3 O 4 @BCC composite also exhibited good universality and reusability. More than 90% of BPA, SIZ and CAP was degraded by Co 3 O 4 @BCC activated PMS within 15 min at pH 7. The degradation rate of PNT was recovered from 90% to 98.0% via the regeneration of the used catalyst after the third run (calcination at 400 °C for 5 min). SO 4 •−, •OH and 1O 2 were identified to be responsible for PNT degradation. Furthermore, the activation mechanism of PMS and the possible pathways of PNT degradation were reasonably speculated according to the results of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), quenching experiments and HPLC-TOF-MS2. This study explored the application of chitosan as a recycled material and provides a feasible strategy for designing and fabricating environmentally friendly and efficient catalysts for PMS activation to degrade organic pollutants. [Display omitted] • CBC@Co 3 O 4 was prepared by calcining chitosan as a biochar precursor. • Pseudo first order rate constant (k CBC@Co3O4) was 6 times higher than k Co3O4. • CBC@Co 3 O 4 also exhibited excellent reusability and universality. • SO 4.•−, •OH and 1O 2 were main ROS responsible for PNT degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing evidence that metabolic dysregulation contributes to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). It is however difficult to detect multiple metabolites simultaneously in the different areas of the entire AD brain. Our research used a modified mass spectrometry imaging technique based on desorption electrospray ionization to visualize the spatial distributions of more than 300 compounds, including 119 putative metabolite candidates, in the whole brain slices from AD mice. Through such imaging measurements, we had quantified the level changes of more than 70 metabolites in 12 brain regions of AD mice. We had also evaluated metabolic pathway alterations in AD mice of various ages. In AD mice, we found a dysfunctional glutamine-glutamate/GABA cycle with deficient production and release of glutamate in glutamatergic neurons and aberrant increase of GABA. Disordered metabolism of excitatory glutamate and inhibitory GABA might contribute to the abnormal neural activity. The untargeted mapping of metabolic dysregulations during pathological progression in the AD model might provide implications for the pathogenesis and treatment of AD. [Display omitted] • Mass spectrometry imaging allowed simultaneous mapping of over 300 compounds. • The level changes of 71 metabolites were investigated in 12 brain regions in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. • About 20 metabolic pathways were examined in the mouse brains of Alzheimer's disease at different ages. • Dysregulated metabolism of neurotransmitters led to impaired neuronal firing in Alzheimer's disease mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of partial coupling delay on the spatiotemporal spiking dynamics is explored in a modular neuronal network. The modular neuronal network is composed of two subnetworks which present the small-world property and scale-free property, respectively. Numerical results show that spatiotemporal order that the modular network is most coherent in time and nearly synchronized in space can emerge intermittently when the coupling delays among neurons are appropriately tuned. The appropriately tuned delays are further detected to be integer multiples of the intrinsic spiking period of the modular neuronal network, which implies that the phenomenon of multiple spatiotemporal orders could be the result of a locking between the length of coupling delay and the intrinsic spiking period of the modular neuronal network. Moreover, the multiple spatiotemporal orders are verified to be robust against variations of the fraction of delayed connection as well as the key parameters of network architecture such as the rewiring probability, the average degree of small-world subnetwork, the initial nodes of scale-free subnetwork and the total size of the modular network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand how root growth responds to temperature, we used kinematic analysis to quantify division and expansion parameters in the root of Arabidopsis thaliana. Plants were grown at temperatures from 15 to 30 °C, given continuously from germination. Over these temperatures, root length varies more than threefold in the wild type but by only twofold in a double mutant for phytochrome-interacting factor 4 and 5. For kinematics, the spatial profile of velocity was obtained with new software, Stripflow. We find that 30 °C truncates the elongation zone and curtails cell production, responses that probably reflect the elicitation of a common pathway for handling severe stresses. Curiously, rates of cell division at all temperatures are closely correlated with rates of radial expansion. Between 15 to 25 °C, root growth rate, maximal elemental elongation rate, and final cell length scale positively with temperature whereas the length of the meristem scales negatively. Non-linear temperature scaling characterizes meristem cell number, time to transit through either meristem or elongation zone, and average cell division rate. Surprisingly, the length of the elongation zone and the total rate of cell production are temperature invariant, constancies that have implications for our understanding of how the underlying cellular processes are integrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A newly assay, up-converting phosphor technology-based lateral flow (UPT-LF) assay, was developed for rapid and quantitative detection of N-terminal fragment of B-type natriuretic peptide precursor (NT-proBNP), one of the most important serum molecular maker of heat failure, in plasma samples as a point of care testing (POCT) method for diagnosis of acute heart failure. Human plasma from 197 patients with acute heart failure and 200 healthy controls was assessed using the UPT-LF assay, in a comparison with a Roche Elecsys assay. The limit of detection of the UPT-LF assay, with a coefficient of variation (CV) of less than 15%, was 116 ng/L, which is lower than the clinical diagnosis cutoff (150 ng/mL). The linear range was 50–35,000 ng/L. The CVs were less than 10% for both UPT-LF and Roche Elecsys assays for plasma samples under different storages, demonstrating the good stability and reproducibility. There are certain linear correlations between the results of UPT-LF and Roche Elecsys assay for EDTA-K2 and heparin-anticoagulated plasma, as well as for serum samples. For UPT-LF assay, there is a significant correlation between the values derived from analysis of EDTA-K2 and heparin-anticoagulated plasma samples (R = 0.995). No statistically significant difference was found between serum and plasma samples for UPT-LF assay. Our results demonstrate that NT-proBNP levels in healthy adults are elevated with age and had a relationship with sex, and with the age increase the NT-proBNP levels of females are significantly higher than those of males (p<0.01). The UPT-LF assay has a high reproducibility, stability, sensitivity, specificity, and is consistent with Roche Elecsys assay, and therefore it could be used as a POCT method for the quantitative detection of NT-proBNP in blood for clinical diagnosis and research of acute heart failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A very low content of oleosome-associated proteins (OAPs) allows for long-term stability of oleosomes in mature seeds, but there is limited knowledge on these interfacial behaviors. Here, the effect of extraction solvents on the composition, structure, and interfacial properties of OAPs from Camellia oleifera were investigated. After lipid removal by cold acetone/ether (AE) and chloroform/methanol (CM), the OAPs-AE exhibited a white lumpy morphology, but the OAPs-CM was a transparent film. The major components of OAPs-AE and OAPs-CM were similar, including oleosin, Ole Ⅰ, Ole Ⅱ, Ole Ⅳ, and Ole Ⅴ. The OAPs-CM had more α-helix (∼60%) and β-sheet (∼15%) structures than that of OAPs-AE, while the OAPs-AE had a higher denaturation temperature (∼90.9 °C). The residual phospholipid content in OAPs-AE was 21.5 times that of OAPs-CM. The OAPs-AE displayed an impressive ability to increase surface pressure at the air–water interface (∼32 mN/m at 4000 s) and oil–water interface (∼12 mN/m at 4000 s), even at a very low concentration (0.04 mg/mL). For the air–water interface, the diffusion rate of OAPs-AE was faster than that of OAPs-CM at all of the investigated pH values. These results provide a better understanding of OAPs as novel natural surface-active agents. [Display omitted] • Assembly behavior of oleosome associated proteins (OAPs) was diverse by different solvents. • Major component of OAPs extracted from Camellia oleifera was oleosin. • OAPs extracted using chloroform/methanol had more α-helix and β-sheet structures. • OAPs obtained by acetone/ether possessed an impressive ability to increase surface pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multi-stimuli-responsive poly(NIPA-co-HEMA-co-NVP) with spironaphthoxazine hydrogel (poly(NIPA-co-HEMA-co-NVP-co-SPO)) was prepared by radical polymerization. The structure of this hydrogel was characterized by FTIR, C NMR spectra, and SEM. Equilibrium swelling measurement and UV-vis spectra were applied into evaluating thermo-responsive, pH-responsive and light-responsive properties. These results exhibited poly(NIPA-co-HEMA-co-NVP-co-SPO) hydrogel with excellent stimuli-responsive characteristics including thermal, pH, and light stimulation. Meanwhile, the obvious change for internal microstructure of hydrogel was observed by SEM after UV irradiation and in acidic condition. In addition, the poly(NIPA-co-HEMA-co-NVP-co-SPO) hydrogel with good mechanical property can be utilized in erasable and rewritable photoimaging based on the photochromic effect, which makes it a potential application in rewritable optical memory media or imaging processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HY zeolites are widely used as adsorbent for volatile organic compounds removal due to their acceptable stability and high specific surface area. However, low adsorption capacity of toluene over HY zeolites at humid conditions limits their industrial application. In present work, the hydrophobicity of HY zeolite modified by CeO 2 was enhanced successfully via a two-step process of high-temperature hydrothermal treatment and then acid treatment. It can be found that CeO 2 introduction can significantly increase the adsorption capacity of toluene over HY zeolites. Typically, HY with 2 wt% CeO 2 (2CeO 2 /HY-del) presented a remarkable adsorption amount of toluene (166.3 mg/g cat) and a satisfied regeneration performance at humid environment, which was higher than those of most reported modified Y zeolites (about 148.5 mg/g cat). The suppression of dealumination and maintaining of specific surface area during the harsh two-step treatment could be mainly responsible for the appropriate toluene adsorption capacity over the HY zeolites. Additionally, dynamic adsorption analysis revealed that the adsorption process belonged to the first-order adsorption kinetics, indicating that the adsorption process was mainly defined as a physical process. This work would guide the development of high toluene adsorption capacity at humid conditions. [Display omitted] • The hydrophobicity of HY zeolite was successfully tuned by a two-step treatment. • CeO 2 introduction can significantly increase the hydrophobicity. • The enhanced hydrophobicity led to an increased adsorption capacity. • The adsorption process belonged to the first-order adsorption kinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) has appeared as a popular candidate in photocatalysis field but is plagued by its poor visible light harvesting and low carriers-flow steering inherited from wide band gap. Integration of doping and heterojunction engineering into the bulk has proven to be an optimal and generally applied method for enabling excellent photocatalytic activity. Nevertheless, the previous reported BiOCl-based photocatalysts fabricated by the above strategies are still suffered from harsh synthesis process, poor interface stability and narrow application area. Here, we introduce a facile one-pot hydrothermal strategy to achieve in-situ growth of TaON as a medium on the surface of Bi 2 O 3 and S-doped BiOCl (denoted as S–BiOCl) for constructing ternary TaON/Bi 2 O 3 /S–BiOCl heterostructures, which were obtained by the simultaneous coprecipitation and ripening process. Current investigation suggests that such a unique TaON/Bi 2 O 3 /S–BiOCl exhibits a relatively much higher photocatalytic activity for visible light-driven removal of rhodamine B (RhB), tetracycline (TC) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TC-HCl) than those of hybrid Bi 2 O 3 /S–BiOCl and pristine S–BiOCl. It is ascribed to the synergetic effect on the introduction of S dopant level in BiOCl lattice as well as the construction of intimate double heterointerfaces among Bi 2 O 3 , TaON and S–BiOCl, which endows the TaON/Bi 2 O 3 /S–BiOCl photocatalysts with considerable advantages for highly elevating photocatalytic performances, such as the intensive optical absorption, high redox potential as well as high-efficient photocharge separation originated from type-I and Z-scheme pathways. This work delivers novel insights for design and one-pot preparation of high-active BiOX (X = Cl, Br and I)-based photocatalysts towards organic dye and antibiotic removal in the future research. Simultaneously integration of type-Ⅰ and Z-scheme junctions into ternary photocatalysts was achieved in TaON/Bi 2 O 3 /S–BiOCl system. It displayed intensive visible light absorption, high redox potentials as well as high-efficient photocharge separation for enhanced photodegradation of antibiotic and organic dye. [Display omitted] • One-pot construction of highly efficient TaON/Bi 2 O 3 /S-doped BiOCl integrated type-Ⅰ with Z-scheme junctions was achieved. • The TaON/Bi 2 O 3 /S-doped BiOCl displays a remarkably improved visible light-driven photoactivity. • The enhanced photocatalytic principles for organic dye and antibiotic removal were discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• One-pot integration of S-doped BiOCl and ZnO into a type-II photocatalyst was achieved. • The ZnO/S-doped BiOCl composite displays a remarkably improved visible light-driven photocatalytic activity. • The enhanced photocatalytic principle for antibiotic removal was discussed in detail. Ameliorating the charge separation behavior of photocatalysts is urgent and promising in current investigation of solar light-driven antibiotic removal. Herein, we introduce a facile hydrothermal approach for one-pot integration of sulfur-doped BiOCl (denoted as S-BiOCl) and ZnO into type-II photocatalysts (denoted as ZnO/S-BiOCl). The as-prepared ZnO/S-BiOCl exhibits an appealing removal rate for antibiotic (including tetracycline (TC) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TC-HCl)) in comparison with ZnO/BiOCl composites, individual S-BiOCl and ZnO. This satisfactory performance could be ascribed to the synergic effect of S dopant level in band gap of BiOCl and type-II heterojunctions between S-BiOCl and ZnO for simultaneously boosting charge separation in both bulk and surface. This work can afford an ingenious strategy in constructing high-performance BiOCl-based photocatalysts coupled heterojunction engineering with element doping engineering for antibiotic removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A linear relationship for the activation energies and activation entropies existed over these catalysts. • Promoters altered the CO conversion rate by changing the surface CH x concentration. • The essence of change in product distribution is the alteration of carbon chain growth rate constant. The fundamentals of promoter effects in the Fischer − Tropsch synthesis over Co-based catalysts were systematically investigated by employing the Rh, Ir, Sb and Ga as promoters of Co/Al 2 O 3. Various characterizations showed the higher dispersion and reducibility over Rh- and Ir- promoted catalysts would cause a promoted adsorption property, while the Sb- and Ga- promoted catalysts showed a contrary result because the formation of alloy suppressed the accessibility of Co species. Based on the experimental results and kinetic calculations, a linear relationship for the activation energies of these catalysts as a function of activation entropies was proposed. Besides, steady state isotopic transient kinetic analysis (SSITKA) revealed that promoters mainly affected the surface CH x concentration to alter the CO reaction rate, and the chain growth rate constants would affect the product distribution. Since CoRhA and CoIrA greatly enhanced the CH x concentration and inhibited the chain growth ability, they owned a higher CO reaction rate and CH 4 selectivity. While the CoSbA and CoGaA suppressed the CH x concentration and intrinsic activity, but enhanced the chain growth ability, thereby revealing a lower CO reaction rate and CH 4 selectivity. Furthermore, the reactivity and selectivity difference were attributed to the modification of adsorption strength dictated by the enthalpy of activation on cobalt catalysts with different promoters. These findings provide kinetic insights into the promoter effects and pave the way for optimizing catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigated the development of global burst synchronization in a modular neuronal network at the mesoscale level. The modular network consists of some subnetworks, each of them presenting a scale-free property. Numerical results have demonstrated that, upon increasing the coupling strength, all neurons in the modular network initially burst in a desynchronous pattern; then the burst synchronization within each subnetwork is followed at the mesoscale; finally, the global burst synchronization at the macroscale is formed by the bursting activities on each subnetwork moving forward in harmony. This implies the network behavior possesses two distinct mesoscopic and macroscopic properties for some coupling strengths, i.e. the mesoscopic dynamics of burst synchronization on subnetworks is different from the macroscopic property of desynchronous activity on the whole network. It is also found that global burst synchronization can be promoted by large interconnection probability and hindered by small interconnection probability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 0.1 mol · L−1hydrochloric acid solution, oxymatrine reacted with tungstosilicic acid to form a 2:1 ion-association complexes. This results in a great enhancement of resonance Rayleigh scattering. The maximum resonance Rayleigh scattering wavelength was located at 393 nm. Resonance Rayleigh scattering intensity was proportional to the concentration of oxymatrine in the range of 1.5–26.4 µg · mL−1, and the detection limit (3σ) was 0.23 µg · mL−1. The optimum conditions and the effects of coexisting substances on the reaction were investigated. The method shows a wide linear range and high sensitivity, and was applied to the determination of oxymatrine in marine capsules and human urine samples with satisfactory results. Therefore, a highly sensitive, simple, and quick method has been developed for the determination of oxymatrine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Longing for good social relations is an eternal pursuit of individuals, but the occurrence of social exclusion destroys this pursuit. Research has shown that sometimes there is no difference between the emotional state of individuals after exclusion and the acceptance, but they engage in automatic emotional regulation. We are interested in whether all individuals experiencing exclusion have the same level of automatic emotion regulation. Scholars point out that the attachment system can be regarded as an emotional regulation device, in social interaction , when individuals feel threat and pressure, they would automatically stimulate the attachment system, so that individuals with different attachment types could express different emotion regulation patterns, but few studies have examined the relationship between social rejection and attachment. Therefore, this study examined the differences in automatic emotion regulation after social exclusion in individuals with different attachment types. Individuals' attachment types were classified by questionnaire measures, the lonely end-of-life paradigm was used for the manipulation of social exclusion, and the free recall task and the visual search task were used to measure individuals' levels of automatic emotion regulation, respectively. This study indicated that individuals in the exclusion group produced significant automatic emotion regulation compared to the acceptance group, and that secure attachment individuals had more significant automatic emotion regulation than insecure attachment individuals in the exclusion group. The information gained by the current study could improve the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of personality traits and emotion regulation, and could provide methods for individuals to deal with negative events such as social exclusion. • Severe experience of exclusion can increase the thresholds of social pain perception. • Social exclusion can activate automatic reverse regulation mechanisms of emotion. • Attachment type can affect the level of automatic emotion regulation. • Secure attachment individuals have higher ability of automatic emotion regulation. • The modified lonely end-of-life paradigm using the E-prime procedure can improves the authenticity of exclusion experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epilepsy is believed to be associated with the abnormal synchronous neuronal activity in the brain, which results from large groups or circuits of neurons. In this paper, we choose to focus on the temporal lobe epilepsy, and establish a cortex network of multiple coupled neural populations to explore the epileptic activities under electromagnetic induction. We demonstrate that the epileptic activities can be controlled and modulated by electromagnetic induction and coupling among regions. In certain regions, these two types of control are observed to show exactly reverse effects. The results show that the strong electromagnetic induction is conducive to eliminating the epileptic seizures. The coupling among regions has a conduction effect that the previous normal background activity of the region gives way to the epileptic discharge, owing to coupling with spike wave discharge regions. Overall, these results highlight the role of electromagnetic induction and coupling among the regions in controlling and modulating epileptic activities, and might provide novel insights into the treatments of epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the molecular mechanism underlying of diapause in Antheraea pernyi (A.pernyi), we cloned a novel diapause-associated protein 3 (DAP3) gene from A.pernyi by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and studied the biological functions. Sequence analysis revealed that this gene encodes 171 amino acids and has a conserved domain of Copper/Zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD). Western blot and qRT-PCR results showed that DAP3 was mainly expressed in the pupal stage, and gradually decreased as diapause development. DAP3 was also expressed in 1st and 5th instar larvae of A.pernyi. In tissues of 5th instar larvae of A.pernyi, DAP3 was mainly expressed in the epidermis, followed by the head, hemolymph and fat body. To identify the SOD activity of DAP3, we constructed a prokaryotic expression vector by inserting the coding region sequence into plasmid pET-28a (+) and obtained the purified rHIS-DAP3 fusion protein by Ni-NTA affinitive column. Importantly, we found the SOD activity of DAP3 fusion protein was approximately 0.6674 U/µg. To further confirm the SOD activity of DAP3 in vivo, we induced the oxidative stress model of pupae by UV irradiation. The results showed that both the mRNA and protein level of DAP3 significantly increased by UV irradiation. Furthermore, the SOD activity of the total lysate of pupae increased significantly at 10 min post UV irradiation and transiently returned to normal level afterwards. These results suggested that DAP3 might be a novel protein with SOD activity getting involved in regulation of diapause in A.pernyi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The calcification of blood vessels correlates with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with atherosclerosis, diabetes, and end-stage kidney disease. Increased inflammasome activation has been shown to play an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. However, the contribution of inflammasome activation on the development of vascular calcification has not been investigated. Methods: β-Glycerophosphate (β-GP) was used as a procedure to induce extensive artery calcification in primary vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Analysis of the levels of Nalp3 inflammasome complex was performed by quantitative real-time PCR and western blotting. The effect of Nalp3 deficiency on VSMC calcification was examined after transfecting Nalp3 siRNA into cultured VSMCs. Results: We demonstrated for the first time that the mRNA levels of Nalp3 inflammasome complex including Nalp3, ASC and caspase1 were upregulated in calcifying VSMCs, resulting in increased IL-1β secretion. Inhibition of inflammasome activation by Nalp3 RNA interference reduced IL-1β secretion and inhibited VSMC calcification. Further analysis of clinical popliteal artery specimens showed an upregulation of inflammasome complex mRNA levels (4/5) and caspase1 activity (5/5) compared with their non-calcified adjacent tissues, indicating that Nalp3 inflammasome was tightly correlated with arterial calcification disease. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that activation of the Nalp3-mediated inflammatory response pathway is an important venue associated with host response and pathogenesis of VSMC calcification. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To investigate cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene in Chinese men with congenital bilateral absence of vas deferens (CBAVD) and other obstructive azoospermia. Materials and Methods: Four hundred one patients with obstructive azoospermia were included. Patients were grouped as 158 with CBAVD and 243 with other acquired obstructive azoospermia. Another 200 fertile men were used as controls. Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid was isolated from peripheral blood lymphocytes for all men. The exon 10 and 11 CFTR genes were amplified and sequenced. The frequency of CFTR gene mutations was compared among 3 groups. Results: Six heterozygous mutations (+/−), I556V, M469V, E527N, F508del, S485C, and I558S, were found in 30 patients, and 1 homozygous mutation (+/+), I556V, was found in 1 patient. The overall frequency of CFTR mutations was 31 of 401 (7.7%). Of these mutations, I556V was the most common type with 24 of 31 (77.4%). In CBAVD group, 20 of 158 patients were identified with 6 different heterozygous mutations (I556V, M469V, E527N, F508del, S485C, and I558S) and 1 homozygous mutation (I556V). The rate of CFTR mutations was 12.7%. In acquired obstructive group, 11 of 243 patients were identified with 2 different heterozygous mutations, I556V and M469V; the rate of mutations was 4.5%. No CFTR mutations were identified in controls. There was significant difference among 3 groups (P = .000). The frequency of CFTR mutations in CBAVD is 2-fold higher than in other acquired obstructive group. Conclusion: Different CFTR mutations are observed in Chinese patients with CBAVD. I556V is the major common type of CFTR mutations in Chinese patients with CBAVD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Fischer–Tropsch synthesis of light olefins plays a vital role in the production of major chemical building blocks from non-petroleum resources, having great academic and commercial importance. Herein, Na and S modulated FeMnO x catalysts were employed to systematically investigate the influence of additives, which not only enhanced the CO conversion but also facilitated the olefin formation and suppressed the undesired methane formation. Multiple characterizations confirmed that the existence of promoters would enhance the formation of active species of Fe 5 C 2 at FTO conditions because of the promoted carbon insertion into the iron species from the intermediates dissociation. Combined the steady-state isotopic transient kinetic analysis with dynamic calculation, it confirmed that the promoters indeed had the ability to lower CO activation energy, as well as increase the carbon chain growth activity and the energy barrier to hydrogenation. This study provides a practical strategy for exploring the highly active and stable FTO catalysts. [Display omitted] • Na and S additives over FeMnO x catalyst promoted both the CO conversion and the olefin formation. • Pomotes facilitated the Fe5C2 formation by suppressing the oxidation cycle of iron and enhancing the insertion of carbon. • The presence of promoters reduced the charge of iron and caused more compact bonds of Fe-C, lowing the CO activation energy. • Promoters indeed increased the carbon chain growth activity and the energy barrier to hydrogenation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obstacle avoidance behavior, as an important part of pedestrian evacuation, is of great significance to the study of evacuation efficiency. This paper investigates the definitions of desired direction in the social force model for obstacle avoidance of two types of pedestrians, including pedestrians with and without complete evacuation information. Ant colony optimization algorithm is adopted to navigate pedestrians with complete information. Herding behavior, individual preference affected by obstacles and walls are taken into consideration when defining the desired direction of pedestrians with local information. Simulation experiments are carried out to explore obstacle avoidance dynamics, the effects of herding behavior and visibility. Results indicate that pedestrians with complete information can not only avoid obstacles better, but also have the ability to choose the shorter route to the exit which could improve the leaving efficiency. Meanwhile, the trajectories of pedestrians with local information are always accompanied by some twists and turns, which could obviously lead to a waste of time. No matter whether the proportion of pedestrians with complete information is large or not, herding behavior can make the trajectories of pedestrians with local information smoother, and the individual behavior can make their trajectories more curved. Moreover, the larger the visibility radius is, the smoother trajectories become and the greater effective displacements for pedestrians with local information are. • The desired direction in the social force model for obstacle avoidance of pedestrian is defined. • Ant colony optimization algorithm is introduced to navigate pedestrians with complete information. • Obstacle avoidance dynamics, the effects of herding behavior and visibility are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The whole process: 2 PhNO 2 * → 2 PhNO* → Ph(O)N═N(O)Ph* → Ph(O)N═NPh* → PhN═NPh*. • PhNO* is the most important intermediate. • The N-N coupling step is realized by the self-coupling of PhNO*. • Ph(O)N═N(OH)Ph* → Ph(O)N═NPh* + OH* is the rate-determining step of overall reaction. Azobenzene is very crucial in both academic and industrial research, and can be prepared through the catalytic transfer hydrogenation of nitrobenzene with gold catalyst; however systematic and detailed reaction mechanism has not been reported. In this work, the whole process of catalytic transfer hydrogenation of nitrobenzene on Au (1 0 0) surface under alkaline condition was systematically simulated using CP2K. The research results show that PhNO* is the most important intermediate, and the N-N coupling step is realized by the self-coupling of PhNO*. The whole reaction process and the intermediates have been identified as: 2 PhNO 2 * → 2 PhNO* → Ph(O)N═N(O)Ph* → Ph(O)N═NPh* → PhN═NPh*. The breaking of the first N-O bond of Ph(O)N═N(O)Ph* with H-assistance yielding Ph(O)N═NPh* has the greatest activation energy (0.57 eV), showing that it is the rate-determining step of overall reaction. Our findings provide theoretical support for the catalytic transfer hydrogenation of nitrobenzene to azobenzene at the atomic and molecular levels, which will provide rational strategies for further design of catalysts with high activity and selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochars treated with acids always presented enhanced sorption capacities for heavy metals. Biochars pyrolyzed at various temperatures have different compositions and present different oxidation states for the acid treatment. To optimize the surface oxidation of biochars, an appropriate pyrolysis temperature of biomass is of great importance. In this work, raw biochars prepared from Typha angustifolia at 300, 400, 450, 500 and 600 °C were oxidized by HNO 3. The function of HNO 3 mainly focused on the surface oxidation of biochars rather than the creation of micropores in matrixes. Biochars pyrolyzed at the higher temperature were more difficult to be oxidized by the acid. The HNO 3 -activated biochars (NABCs) enriched Pb(II) and Cd(II) under various geochemical conditions including contact time, pH, ionic strengths, coexisting HA, initial heavy metal concentrations and temperatures. NABCs exhibited excellent sorption capacities (i.e., 232.6 mg/g for Pb(II), 88.9 mg/g for Cd(II) at pH 5.0 and 298 K) which were 6.9 and 5.5 times higher than these of untreated biochars. The maximum uptake capacities toward Pb(II) and Cd(II) showed an excellent linearity with the values of [O C O content × Surface area], demonstrating the essential role of the surface O C O species to coordinate heavy metals. NABCs could be well reused for six cycles through desorption using the acid pickling. [Display omitted] • Optimal oxidation of biochars pyrolyzed at series of temperatures was achieved. • HNO 3 oxidized the biochar surfaces rather than created micropores in matrixes. • 6.9 and 5.5 times higher uptake capacities for Pb(II) and Cd(II) were achieved. • Maximum capacities of Pb(II), Cd(II) were well in linear with the O C O content. • HNO 3 -activated biochars were well reused for six cycles through the acid pickling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The injury of endothelial cells is one of the initiating factors in restenosis after endovascular treatment. Human urinary kallidinogenase (HUK) is a tissue kallikrein which is used for ischemia-reperfusion injury treatment. Studies have shown that HUK may be a potential therapeutic agent to prevent stenosis after vascular injury, however, the precise mechanisms have not been fully established. This study is to investigate whether HUK can protect endothelial cells after balloon injury or H 2 O 2 -induced endothelial cell damage through the proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2)/mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) pathway. Intimal hyperplasia, a decrease of pinocytotic vesicles and cell apoptosis were found in the common carotid artery balloon injury and H 2 O 2 -induced endothelial cell damage, Pyk2/MCU was also up-regulated in such pathological process. HUK could prevent these injuries partially via the bradykinin B2 receptor by inhibiting Pyk2/MCU pathway, which prevented the mitochondrial damage, maintained calcium balance, and eventually inhibited cell apoptosis. Furthermore, MCU expression was not markedly increased if Pyk2 was suppressed by shRNA technique in the H 2 O 2 treatment group, and cell viability was significantly better than H 2 O 2 -treated only. In short, our results indicate that the Pyk2/MCU pathway is involved in endothelial injury induced by balloon injury or H 2 O 2 -induced endothelial cell damage. HUK plays an protective role by inhibiting the Pyk2/MCU pathway in the endothelial injury. [Display omitted] • Pyk2/MCU pathway was upregulated in rat common carotid artery balloon injury. • Pyk2/MCU pathway was activated in H 2 O 2 -induced endothelial cell damage. • Pyk2 suppression could protect endothelial cells from H 2 O 2 injury. • HUK protected endothelial cells by inhibiting Pyk2/MCU pathway partially through B2R. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Human cytogenetics is the study of chromosomes (typically at mitotic metaphase). The study of chromosomes has recently become integrated with molecular biology and genomics. Thus, it is an important part of genetics education. However, it is time consuming to train students and clinical technologists to recognize patterns of G-banded human chromosomes because of the dynamic nature of G-band resolutions in different metaphase spreads. Moreover, there are limited resources to obtain the images of abnormal chromosomes. We present in this paper an advanced version of computer based interactive tutorial program capable of simulating chromosome abnormalities, altering chromosome shapes, and manipulating G-band resolutions for human cytogenetic seduction. By simulating chromosomes using digital image processing and pattern recognition, the versatile software, together with various strategies such as website links and dialogs, will provide students with a virtual learning environment for self-practicing and testing, thus transforming the traditionally dry and ineffective approach into an exciting and efficient learning process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Dynamical robustness of multilayer neuronal network with inter-layer ephaptic coupling is investigated at different scales. • Strong inter-layer ephaptic coupling is capable of suppressing the resonance like phenomena at mesoscale and macroscale. • The inter-layer ephaptic coupling could enhance dynamical robustness of each layer and the entire multilayer network. • The dynamics of multilayer neuronal network with inter-layer ephaptic coupling is verified in circuits built on Multisim. In nervous system, a non-synaptic communication between neurons, known as the ephaptic coupling, emerges depending on electromagnetic induction which is induced by extracellular electric fields. In this paper, a multilayer neuronal network is constructed by adopting ephaptic coupling between layers, and dynamical robustness of multilayer neuronal networks with inter-layer ephaptic coupling is analyzed at different scales. The macroscopic oscillation of the whole network occupies the middle ground between mesoscopic oscillation of intermediate layer and that of the top (or bottom) layer. Strong inter-layer ephaptic coupling is capable of suppressing the resonance like phenomena of oscillation at mesoscale and macroscale. At weak electrical coupling, dynamical robustness of intermediate layer is stronger than that of top and bottom layers, and is even stronger than that of the whole network. While at strong electrical coupling, dynamical robustness of each layer is comparable to that of the whole network. The inter-layer ephaptic coupling could enhance dynamical robustness of each layer and the entire multilayer neuronal network, which is in stark contrast to electrical coupling with the tendency to spoil the dynamical robustness. Dynamical robustness of the whole network is always weaker than that of intermediate layer, but is stronger than that of top and bottom layers with increasing inter-layer ephaptic coupling. The firing modes of neurons before the critical ratio is analyzed at microscale. The ratio of inactive neurons switches the firing patterns of the active neuron among different firing patterns in multilayer neuronal network. The dynamics of multilayer neuronal network with inter-layer ephaptic coupling is verified in the analog circuit built on Multisim. This study provides new clues to understand mechanism of collective phenomenon in realistic neuronal systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the crucial impact of white noise on lag synchronous regime in a pair of time-delay unidirectionally coupled systems. Our result demonstrates that merely via white-noise-based coupling lag synchronization could be achieved between the coupled systems (chaotic or not). And it is also demonstrated that a conventional lag synchronous regime can be enhanced by white noise. Sufficient conditions are further proved mathematically for noise-inducing and noise-enhancing lag synchronization, respectively. Additionally, the influence of parameter mismatch on the proposed lag synchronous regime is studied, by which we announce the robustness and validity of the new strategy. Two numerical examples are provided to illustrate the validity and some possible applications of the theoretical result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]