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The front cover artwork for Issue 16/2016 is provided by researchers from Qiuyu Zhang's group, Northwestern Polytechnical University (P. R. China). The image shows raspberry-shaped microparticles with adjustable protrusions are designed and synthetized for lipase immobilization to catalyze esterification of oleic acid for biodiesel under mild condition. See the Full Paper itself at . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Front Cover shows raspberry ‐ shaped microparticles with adjustable protrusions, designed and synthetized for lipase immobilization. In their Full Paper, Lei Tian et   al. demonstrate the advantages and the originality of their approach: (1)   protrusion structure played the role of spacer arm; (2)   carboxyl activation is more bENeficial to improvemENt of immobilized lipase; (3)   eco ‐ friENdly and high ‐ efficiENcy biocatalyst for catalyzing esterification of oleic acid for biodiesel under mild condition. More information can be found in the Full Paper by Lei Tian et   al. on page   2634 in Issue 16, 2016 (DOI: 10.1002/cctc.201600413). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Front Cover: Polymer microcavities with adjustable openings and surface roughness were fabricated on a large scale via modified seeded emulsion polymerization. Surprisingly the opening size of these microcavities can be adjusted by changing the amount of hydrophilic monomer, and the degree of surface roughness is easily regulated by the adjustment of the monomer polarity. Further details can be found in the article by L. Tian, P. Zhao, X. Li, S. Wang, Z. Ali, B. Zhang, H. Zhang, and Q. Zhang* on page 47. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasma gondii can infect a wide range of warm-blooded animals, causing a global toxoplasmosis zoonotic epidemic. Surface antigen 1 (SAG1) protein is expressed at the proliferative tachyzoite stage, whereas matrix antigen 1 (MAG1) is expressed at the bradyzoite and tachyzoite stages. These two proteins were found to perform protective roles in previous studies; however, their synergetic protective efficacy as a DNA vaccine against toxoplasmosis has not been clarified. In this study, we constructed recombinant pcDNA3.1(+)-TgMAG1 (pMAG1), pcDNA3.1(+)-TgSAG1 (pSAG1), and pcDNA3.1(+)-TgMAG1-TgSAG1 (pMAG1-SAG1) plasmids and administered them intramuscularly to immunize mice. The levels of anti-T. gondii IgG in serum and cytokines, such as Interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, and Interferon (IFN)-γ, in splenocytes were measured using ELISA and the respective culture supernatants. Lethal doses of T. gondii (type I) RH strain tachyzoites were administered to immunized mice, and mortality was assessed. Conversely, mice infected with low doses of tachyzoites were monitored to determine their survival rates, and parasite burden analyses of the brains and livers were conducted. The bivalent TgMAG1 and TgSAG1 DNA vaccines exhibited excellent protective immunity against toxoplasmosis in mice, with higher serum IgG and splenocyte IFN-γ release levels, longer survival days, and reduced parasite burden in the brain and liver tissues (p < 0.05). These findings provide a new perspective for the development of T. gondii vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in the context of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) has a high incidence owing to undefined pathogenesis. Identifying key genes and exploring the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in the conversion of OSF into OSCC are in urgent need. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between OSCC and OSF were dug from GEO databases and a total of 170 DEGs were acquired. Functional association of DEGs were analyzed by GO and KEGG. Protein–protein interactions (PPIs) analysis was carried out and candidate biomarkers were identified by Gene co-expression analysis and Cox analyses. Hub genes were confirmed by qRT-PCR in tissues and cell lines, of which we found that IRF4 mRNA was successively up-regulated from Normal to OSF and then to OSCC and associated with immune infiltrating levels. In addition, Immunohistochemical (IHC) and Immunofluorescence (IF) assays were conducted to validate the consistent upregulation of IRF4 and the oncogene role of IRF4 in OSF and OSCC at translation level. IRF4 may be indicative biomarker in transformation of OSF into OSCC. High IRF4 expression contribute to increased immune infiltration of OSCC and may provide a novel diagnostic marker for OSCC patients translated from OSF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Co-free B x (CrFeNi) 100-x (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, 4.5, and 6 at%, denoted as Bx alloys hereafter) medium-entropy alloys (MEAs) system was designed to investigate the effect of boron (B) content on the microstructure and mechanical properties of as-cast and annealed CrFeNi MEA. The as-cast B x (CrFeNi) 100-x MEAs exhibited an FCC + Cr 2 B dual-phase structure and dendritic morphology, whose volume fraction gradually increased with an increase in B content. The addition of B element promoted the improvement of yield strength due to the synergistic effect of solution strengthening and precipitation strengthening, but caused an obvious reduction in elongation. Then B0 and B0.25 alloys experienced the subsequent cold rolling and recrystallization annealing process. Compared with B0 alloy, B0.25 alloy in all states exhibited a considerable improvement in yield strength but only a slight decline in elongation. Thereinto, B0.25 alloy annealed at 800 °C presented a favorable strength-plasticity configuration with a yield strength of 745 MPa and an elongation of 24.32%, which profited from the refinement strengthening caused by the inhibition of B element on recrystallization and the precipitation strengthening caused by the formation of BCC-structured precipitates and Cr 2 B borides. These findings provide a deep insight into the design and optimization of MEAs as structural applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipase from Candida Ragusa (CRL) was successfully covalently immobilized on fibrous silica nanoparticles KCC-1, and the properties of immobilized enzyme were investigated. Mesoporous fibrous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs) were synthesized with particles size 200 nm pore size 15–30 nm; followed by amino-functionalization. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmittance Electronic microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and N 2 adsorption were used for the characterization of nanoparticles. Further SiO 2 @NH 2 nanoparticles were activated by glutaraldehyde as a bifunctional cross linker, and were used for lipase immobilization. The applied approach for support preparation, activation, and optimization of immobilization conditions, led to better resistance to temperature and pH inactivation in comparison to the free lipase, and hence widened the reaction pH and temperature regions, with the optimum pH and temperature of 7.5 and 40 °C, respectively. The immobilized Lipase Candida Ragusa (ICRL) maintained above 81% of the initial activity after 28 days and 80% activity after 8 repeated cycles. Thus ICRL showed improved storage stability reusability and 700 U/g of protein as immobilization efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Infection with Trichomonas vaginalis can lead to cervicitis, urethritis, pelvic inflammatory disease, prostatitis and perinatal complications and increased risk of HIV transmission. Here, we used an RPA-based CRISPR-Cas12a assay system in combination with a lateral flow strip (LFS) (referred to as RPA-CRISPR-Cas12a) to establish a highly sensitive and field-ready assay and evaluated its ability to detect clinical samples. Methods: We developed a one-pot CRISPR-Cas12a combined with RPA-based field detection technology for T. vaginalis, chose actin as the target gene to design crRNA and designed RPA primers based on the crRNA binding site. The specificity of the method was demonstrated by detecting genomes from nine pathogens. To improve the usability and visualize the RPA-CRISPR-Cas12a assay results, both fluorescence detection and LFS readouts were devised. Results: The RPA-CRISPR-Cas12a assay platform was completed within 60 min and had a maximum detection limit of 1 copy/µl and no cross-reactivity with Candida albicans, Mycoplasma hominis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Escherichia coli, Cryptosporidium parvum, G. duodenalis or Toxoplasma gondii after specificity validation. Thirty human vaginal secretions were tested by RPA-CRISPR-Cas12a assays, and the results were read by a fluorescent reporter and LFS biosensors and then compared to the results from nested PCR detection of these samples. Both RPA-CRISPR-Cas12a assays showed 26.7% (8/30) T. vaginalis-positive samples and a consistency of 100% (8/8). The RPA-CRISPR-Cas12a assays had a higher sensitivity than nested PCR (only seven T. vaginalis-positive samples were detected). Conclusions: The T. vaginalis RPA-CRISPR-Cas12a assay platform in this study can be used for large-scale field testing and on-site tests without the need for trained technicians or costly ancillary equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Infection with Trichomonas vaginalis can lead to cervicitis, urethritis, pelvic inflammatory disease, prostatitis and perinatal complications and increased risk of HIV transmission. Here, we used an RPA-based CRISPR-Cas12a assay system in combination with a lateral flow strip (LFS) (referred to as RPA-CRISPR-Cas12a) to establish a highly sensitive and field-ready assay and evaluated its ability to detect clinical samples. Methods: We developed a one-pot CRISPR-Cas12a combined with RPA-based field detection technology for T. vaginalis, chose actin as the target gene to design crRNA and designed RPA primers based on the crRNA binding site. The specificity of the method was demonstrated by detecting genomes from nine pathogens. To improve the usability and visualize the RPA-CRISPR-Cas12a assay results, both fluorescence detection and LFS readouts were devised. Results: The RPA-CRISPR-Cas12a assay platform was completed within 60 min and had a maximum detection limit of 1 copy/µl and no cross-reactivity with Candida albicans, Mycoplasma hominis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Escherichia coli, Cryptosporidium parvum, G. duodenalis or Toxoplasma gondii after specificity validation. Thirty human vaginal secretions were tested by RPA-CRISPR-Cas12a assays, and the results were read by a fluorescent reporter and LFS biosensors and then compared to the results from nested PCR detection of these samples. Both RPA-CRISPR-Cas12a assays showed 26.7% (8/30) T. vaginalis-positive samples and a consistency of 100% (8/8). The RPA-CRISPR-Cas12a assays had a higher sensitivity than nested PCR (only seven T. vaginalis-positive samples were detected). Conclusions: The T. vaginalis RPA-CRISPR-Cas12a assay platform in this study can be used for large-scale field testing and on-site tests without the need for trained technicians or costly ancillary equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Receiver function (RF) analysis is an indispensable method that is widely utilized to image the deep structure of the crust and upper mantle. Although the P -wave receiver function (PRF) has the advantages of a higher signal-to-noise ratio and higher resolution than S -wave receiver function, the information about P -to- S converted (Ps) phases from velocity discontinuities of the crust and upper mantle is usually obstructed by multiples from shallower crustal interfaces. Sometimes it is difficult to identify useful information about lithospheric discontinuities. In this paper, we propose a method for suppressing multiples and isolating the Ps phases of RFs. This task is accomplished by exploiting the differences in arrival times resulting from the slowness between the conversion and the multiples that occur at the same interface in the PRFs and by separating them in the Radon domain, which enables removal of crustal and sedimentary multiples. This method can effectively remove multiples and isolate the useful signals of Ps phases contained in the PRFs. We test the method on synthetic PRFs and demonstrate that crustal multiples can be effectively eliminated or suppressed and that the Ps phase of lithospheric discontinuities can be coherently traced. Next, we apply the method to real PRF data collected from the seismic station of the China Array seismic experiment (Phase II and Phase III) in the Ordos block and its adjacent area, and successfully obtain an improved common conversion point stacking image of lithospheric discontinuity structures in the depth domain, particularly for detecting the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, deep learning approaches have shown remarkable advancements in Multivariate Time Series Classification (MTSC) tasks. However, the existing approaches primarily focus on capturing the long-term correlations of time series or identifying local key sequence fragments, inevitably neglecting the synergistic properties between global and local components. Additionally, most representation learning methods for MTSC rely on self-supervised learning, which limits their ability to fully exploit label information. Hence, this paper proposes a novel approach termed Dual-Stream Encoder and Dual-Level Contrastive Learning Network (DSDCLNet), which integrates a Dual-Stream Encoder (DSE) and Dual-level Contrastive Learning (DCL). First, to extract multiscale local-global features from multivariate time series data, we employ a DSE architecture comprising an Attention-Gated Recurrent Unit (AGRU) and a Dual-layer Multiscale Convolutional Neural Network (DMSCNN). Specifically, DMSCNN consists of a series of multi-scale convolutional layers and a max pooling layer. Second, to maximize the utilization of label information, a new loss function is designed, which combines classification loss, instance-level contrastive loss, and temporal-level contrastive loss. Finally, experiments are conducted on the UEA datasets and the results demonstrate that DSDCLNet achieves the highest average accuracy of 0.77, outperforming traditional approaches, deep learning approaches, and self-supervised approaches on 30, 23, and 27 datasets, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biocompatible and water-dispersible electrochemiluminescence (ECL) phosphors with potential/spectrum-resolved ECL emission are highly desired to underpin ECL-based multiplex detection in a spot-free format. In this work, we develop a band structure engineered graphitic carbon nitride, CN 425 -PDI 0.5 , to achieve potential-resolved wavelength tunable ECL emission. The covalent incorporation of pyromellitic diimide (PDI) with high electron affinity and mobility endows CN 425 -PDI 0.5 with the coexistence of polymeric melem motifs and melem-PDI motifs. The melem-PDI motifs show lower lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy level and narrower bandgap, as compared to polymeric melem motifs. By pulsing the CN 425 -PDI 0.5 nanosheets modified glassy carbon electrode at the increasing reduction potential in phosphate buffer solution containing S 2 O 8 2‒ as coreactant, the cathode ECL gradually tunes the maximum emission wavelength from 540 nm to 440 nm. The CN 425 -PDI 0.5 nanosheets with potential-resolved wavelength tunable ECL emission may provide a promising prospect for promoting solid-state ECL-based multiple detection and extending CN application in the sensing fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of ultrasound (US) pretreatment (0, 200, 400, 600, and 800 W) on the physicochemical, emulsification, and gelatinization characteristics of citric acid (CA)-treated whey protein isolate (WPI) was investigated. Size exclusion chromatography demonstrated that when compared with untreated WPI, US pretreatment promoted production of more molecular polymers in the CA-treated WPI. There was a reduction in particle size of CA-treated WPI with the increase of US power (0–800 W), whereas its free sulfhydryl content, surface hydrophobicity, and intrinsic fluorescence strength increased. Furthermore, compared with untreated WPI, emulsifying ability index and emulsifying stability index of CA-treated WPI were increased by 14.04% and 10.10%, respectively, at 800 W. Accordingly, US pretreatment promoted the gel formation of CA-treated WPI, and its gel hardness was increased by 28.0% with US power ranging from 0 to 800 W. Therefore, US and CA treatment can be considered as an effective way to improve the emulsifying and gelatinization characteristics of WPI. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neospora caninum , an obligate intracellular parasite of the phylum Apicomplexa , is a major cause of abortion in cattle. After invasion, tachyzoites can reside in the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) and ingest nutrition through the intravacuolar network (IVN). Secreted dense granule proteins of N. caninum (NcGRAs) may play important roles in maintaining the structures of the PV and IVN. In this study, we predicted a NcGRA12 gene; aligned it with Toxoplasma gondii GRA12 for homology analysis; and analyzed the ORF, signal peptide and transmembrane domain. Then, we cloned the NcGRA12 gene, expressed the NcGRA12 protein, prepared polyclonal antibodies, and carried out colocalization analysis of NcGRA12 with NcGRA6 in extracellular tachyzoites and intracellular PVs using an immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Finally, we determined the solubility of the NcGRA12 protein. The results showed that NcGRA12 shared 59.13% nucleotide homology and 44.9% amino acid homology with TgGRA12. There was no predicted signal peptide or transmembrane domain. IFA data of extracellular tachyzoites showed that the NcGRA12 protein was secreted by the apical organ and located at the posterior end of tachyzoites, which was consistent with TgGRA12. IFA data of intracellular PVs identified NcGRA12 in the IVN membranes. Moreover, NcGRA12 could colocalize with NcGRA6 in intracellular PVs but not extracellular tachyzoites. Solubility analysis showed that NcGRA12 existed in soluble and membrane-related forms in the PV. Overall, we provide the first report of the novel NcGRA12 protein and verify that it is associated with the IVN membranes of PVs in N. caninum. These data lay a foundation for further research into the function of NcGRA12. Unlabelled Image • NcGRA12 protein is secreted by the apical organ and located at the posterior end of tachyzoites. • NcGRA12 protein is associated with the IVN membranes of PV in N. caninum. • NcGRA12 protein exists in soluble and membrane-associated forms in the PV and IVN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the mechanical and magnetic properties of FeCoNiAl 0.25 Mn 0.25 high-entropy alloy (HEA) were investigated by subjecting as-cast samples to cold rolling and annealing at different temperatures for 1 h. The as-cast and cold rolled HEAs show a single-phase face-centered cubic (FCC) structure. The annealing temperature has a noteworthy influence on the phase composition and microstructure of the cold rolled HEA, and the microstructural evolution is described as follows: heterogeneous microstructure with a FCC matrix and body-centered cubic (BCC) precipitates (750 ℃ and 850 ℃) → recrystallized microstructure with FCC matrix and BCC precipitates (950 ℃) → coarse grains with a single FCC phase (1050 ℃). Though the HEA annealed at 1050 ℃ has the best ductility and lowest coercivity, the yield strength is very low. A good combination of ductility and strength is found in the sample annealed at 850 ℃ (CR+HEA-850), whose microstructure is comprised of BCC precipitates, recrystallized FCC equiaxed grains and a few FCC hard-deformed lamellae. The heterogeneous structure of the CR+HEA-850 resulted in a strong back stress, which contributes to its good mechanical properties. The high yield strength came from the grain refinement, dislocation strengthening, Orowan effect, and twin boundaries. Additionally, its soft magnetic properties are also appealing, showing high saturated magnetization (112.4 emu/g) and good coercivity (8.7 Oe). Compared with the HEAs on other conditions in this study and those previously reported, the CR+HEA-850 displays an interesting combination of magnetic and mechanical performance, which offers a strategy towards a new generation of multifunctional high-entropy alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute kidney injury (AKI) in sepsis is a vital and dangerous organ failure caused by an infection-induced dysregulation of the host reaction. Malvidin possesses significant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant bioactivities. This study explored the critical roles of malvidin in sepsis AKI and the crosstalk among mitochondrial function, nucleotide-binding oligomerization-like receptor 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and nuclear factor erythroid 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway. First, C57BL/6 mice were administered lipopolysaccharide intraperitoneally for 6 h to create an AKI model of sepsis. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and serum biomarker assays showed that malvidin protected from AKI in sepsis. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that malvidin was able to inhibit inflammatory cytokines and mediators. Western blot assays indicated that malvidin suppressed NLRP3 inflammasome activation and enhanced antioxidant properties. Additionally, human renal tubular epithelial cells were stimulated by lipopolysaccharide/adenosine triphosphate to establish an NLRP3 inflammasome activation model in vitro , and in line with findings in vivo , malvidin significantly inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Furthermore, our data indicate that malvidin restored mitochondrial quality and function, reduced reactive oxygen species production, increased mitochondrial membrane potential, enhanced mitochondrial DNA copy number, and promoted peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α) nuclear translocation. Moreover, inhibitor blockade assays indicated that both PGC-1α and Nrf2 affected the inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome by malvidin. Finally, immunoprecipitation assays showed that malvidin promoted PGC-1α and Nrf2 interactions. Overall, malvidin alleviated lipopolysaccharide-induced sepsis AKI, improved mitochondrial function and mitochondrial biogenesis, and inhibited the NLRP3 inflammasome through the PGC-1α/Nrf2 signaling pathway, suggesting that malvidin might translate into clinical applications for sepsis AKI therapy. • Mv inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome and oxidative stress both in vitro and in vivo. • Mv reduced mitochondrial dysfunction and promoted mitochondrial biogenesis. • Mv's inhibitory impact on NLRP3 inflammasome activation was regulated by the PGC-1/Nrf2 signaling pathway. • Mv can facilitate the interaction between PGC-1α and Nrf2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the problems of yield reduction and low water-use efficiency (WUE) of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) caused by winter and spring drought, a 2-year field experiment (2017–2019) was performed under movable shelter conditions with the large- and multispike cultivars Shannong 23 and 29, respectively, to explore the optimal supplemental irrigation regime. Three wetting layers were used for irrigation at the jointing stage: 0–10 cm (T2), 0–20 cm (T3) and 0–30 cm (T4). No irrigation at the jointing stage (T1) served as the control. Within a given cultivar, the soil water content in the 0–80 cm soil layers increased after irrigation, and the rate of tiller mortality decreased with increasing depth of the wetting layer used for irrigation at jointing. No significant differences were found between the T3 and T4 treatments in the photosynthetic rate (Pn) of the apical leaf of the main stem (O), the first primary tiller (I) and the fourth tiller (IV) after jointing. However, compared with the T3 treatment, the T4 treatment had a significantly higher transpiration rate (Tr) and lower instantaneous water-use efficiency (WUEleaf) of the apical leaf of the O and tillers I and IV. This eventually led to a decreasing WUE, although there was no significant change in the spike number or grain yield. These results indicated that moderate irrigation at jointing can effectively reduce the tiller mortality, improve the leaf Pn of the tillers, and increase the spike number and grain yield. However, excessive irrigation can significantly increase the leaf Tr of the tillers, lead to inefficient water consumption and significantly reduce the WUEleaf of the tillers and the WUE. Irrigation at the jointing stage brought the soil water content in the 0–20 cm profile to 100% of field capacity, making it the most suitable supplemental irrigation regime for both the large- and multispike cultivars in the North China Plain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maternal nucleolus plays an indispensable role in zygotic genome activation (ZGA) and early embryonic development in mice. During oocyte‐to‐embryo transition, the nucleolus is subject to substantial transformation. Despite the primary role of the nucleolus is ribosome biogenesis, accumulating evidence has uncovered its functions in various other cell processes. However, the regulation of nucleolar maturation and ribosome biogenesis and the molecules involved remain unclear during early embryonic development. In this study, we observed that nucleolar protein 2 (NOP2) is restrictedly localized within the nucleolus, first detected in the late two‐cell embryos, and increases to a peak level at the eight‐cell stage in mice. RNAi‐mediated NOP2 depletion leads to a developmental arrest during the morula‐to‐blastocyst transition. RNA‐seq analyses reveal that 208 genes are differentially expressed, including multiple lineage‐specific genes and several genes encoding ribosome proteins. Indeed, we observe a failure of the first lineage specification with reduced TEA domain transcription factor 4(TEAD4) (trophectoderm‐specific), tir na nog (NANOG), and kruppel‐like factor 4 (KLF4) (inner cell mass‐specific). Importantly, by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), we noted a decrease in the ratio of the nucleolus size and an increase in the ratio of the size of the nucleolus precursor body, suggesting the nucleolar maturation is disrupted. Moreover, both qPCR and Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) data showcase a significant decrease in the abundance of ribosome RNAs. Similarly, NOP2 depletion causes reduced developmental potential and decreased rRNA level in bovine early embryos, suggesting a functional conservation of NOP2 in mammals. Taken together, these results suggest that NOP2 is required for mammalian preimplantation development, presumably by regulating nucleolar maturation and ribosome biogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate estimation of the agricultural drought trend and frequency is important to water resources planning and management. In this study, an effective analysis tool, the Hilbert–Huang Transform (HHT) method, was introduced to estimate the agricultural drought trend and frequency based on modified soil water deficit index (MSWDI). The results indicate that (1) based on HHT multiscale decomposition, the MSWDI of four stations has two intra-annual fluctuations, three intra-decadal fluctuations with periodicities between 1 and 6 years, and two inter-decadal fluctuations; (2) the main periodicities obtained from wavelet analysis can also be detected by HHT analysis. Furthermore, the HHT analysis decomposed more time scale patterns than wavelets; (3) the residue of HHT showed a decreasing trend during the 1960s–1980s but an increasing one since the 1980s for the drought index MSWDI series at most of the stations in the Songnen Plain (SNP). It is consistent with the result of Mann–Kendall and Spearman's Rho; (4) the drought temporal distribution analysis showed that the relative high drought probability was identified during the initial stage of crop growth. It can be concluded that the HHT analysis is an effective approach to examine multiple time scales of frequencies and trend of agricultural drought from its multiscale decomposition and time–frequency characterization, which can not only be applied for other time series but also have the functions combining the wavelet analysis and non-parameter trend tests. The results of this study could also help and be used to improve the drought prediction and expand the application of HHT method in climatology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Crop yield loss under drought stress is revealed with MSWDI and crop model. • Mutation points of drought and crop yield occurred at multiple stations in 1983. • Mutation occurred in periods with high correlation between drought and crop yield. • Highest correlation between integrated drought and crop yield loss, reaching 0.80. • Cubic function performed best in fitting drought vulnerability curve, with R2 of 0.65. It is of practical significance to reveal the long-term characteristics of drought and its impacts on crop yield in Songnen Plain, an important commodity grain base in Northeast China. This study firstly explored the long time-series variation of Modified Soil Water Deficit Index (MSWDI) and crop yield at multiple sites in Songnen Plain during 1960–2014 based on numerical simulation with the World Food Studies (WOFOST) model. This study then revealed the mutation of the drought and crop yield with three mutation point test methods, and thereafter explored their relationship between the drought and crop yield with the cross wavelet transform (XWT) and drought vulnerability curve. Results suggested the precipitation was at the lowest level in the 1970 s, which significantly increased in the 1980 s and thereafter exhibited a slow declining trend. Mutation points of drought conditions occurred at multiple stations in 1983, and the crop yields also showed obvious mutation in 1983 or 1984 at two stations. Besides, the drought and crop yield had significant 2–4 year resonance cycles during 1978–1980 at four stations. In particular, periods with high correlation between these two variables were generally years prone to abrupt changes. In addition, determination coefficients of the drought vulnerability curves based on the linear function, cubic curve function and hyperbolic tangent function reached 0.55, 0.65, and 0.64, respectively, suggesting the cubic curve function performed best. The drought vulnerability curve based on the cubic curve function suggested the crop yield loss showed a firstly decreasing and then increasing trend, which may be related to the compensation mechanism of crops. Overall, combination of the mechanistic drought index and crop models provides an effective way to reveal impacts of drought stress on crop yield and offer support information for coping with drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Baseflow is the portion of streamflow that originates from groundwater. It is pivotal to groundwater supply as well as the interactions between groundwater and surface water. In the Loess Plateau of China, the baseflow plays a fundamental role in sustaining the aquatic ecosystem. Rational estimation of baseflow is of critical importance for understanding the functioning of the groundwater system and informing management of regional water resources. In this study, a two-well parameterised digital filter was used to separate baseflow from observed daily total streamflow on the Weihe River Basin. Two parameters (maximum baseflow index (BFI max) and the recession constant) of this filter were estimated using UKIH and a recession analysis with physical meaning, respectively. The results show that the baseflow index increased from the upstream to downstream (0.27–0.32) of the Weihe River, and the baseflow of the river is summer dominant. In general, the baseflow has been increasing gradually owing to the implementation of soil conservation measures. This study provides an understanding of baseflow response to seasonal variability and water environmental management in basin scale. Highlights • The baseflow in the loess regional catchment with the spatial attributes. • Baseflow shows a gradually increasing trend from upstream to downstream in the Weihe River Basin. • The baseflow of this river is dominated by summer baseflow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to investigate the role of liensinine in life-threatened sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) mice and the underlying mechanism. Here, seventy-two mice were divided into six groups, including the control group, SAE group, liensinine-treated group, and three doses of liensinine-treated SAE groups. Lipopolysaccharide triggered cerebrum necrosis and disrupted the integrity and permeability of blood-brain barrier (BBB). While liensinine restored cerebrum structure and improved BBB integrity with upregulated tight junction proteins, decreased evans blue leakage and fibrinogen expression with decreased matrix metalloproteinases 2/9 in serum, thereby reducing BBB permeability. Moreover, lipopolysaccharide triggered cerebrum oxidative stress and inflammation, whereas liensinine enhanced antioxidant enzymes activities and weakened malondialdehyde through nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor. Meanwhile, liensinine inhibited inflammation by activating inducible nitric oxide synthase. Tunel staining combined with transmission electron microscope indicated that lipopolysaccharide induced cerebrum apoptosis, whereas liensinine blocked apoptosis through decreasing B-cell lymphoma-2 associated X (Bax) expression and cytochrome C (Cyto-c) release, increasing B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) expression, blocking apoptosome assembly, inhibiting caspase-3 activation, thereby suppressing intrinsic mitochondria apoptosis. Recovering of inflammatory homeostasis and inhibition of mitochondria apoptosis by liensinine ultimately restored cognitive function in SAE mice. Altogether, liensinine attenuated lipopolysaccharide-induced SAE via modulation of Nrf2-mediated inflammatory biomarkers and mitochondria apoptosis. • Liensinine improves cerebrum morphology and BBB integrity by increasing TJ proteins. • Liensinine reduces SAE mice BBB permeability by decreasing MMP2 and MMP9 activities. • Liensinine restores SAE mice cerebrum redox balance by activating Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. • Liensinine alleviates SAE mice cerebrum inflammation by inhibiting mediator iNOS. • Liensinine alleviates excessive apoptosis and resists cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterization of binding interactions, gas-water interface properties and bioactivities in α-lactalbumin (αLa) with tea saponin (Ts), gynostemma saponin (Gyp) and tribulus saponin (Tr) were elucidated by using molecular docking, multi-spectroscopic techniques, polarization biomicroscopic and cryo-electron microscopic analysis. Specifically, the static quenching ability to intrinsic fluorescence of αLa decreased according to the order of Ts, Gyp and Tr. Among them, αLa interacted with Ts and Gyp through hydrogen bond and van der Waals force, while it combined with Tr via hydrophobic interaction force. Furthermore, Ts, Gyp and Tr made foaming ability of αLa increased by 164.54%, 136.73% and 63.95%, respectively. Under cryo-electron microscope, the descending order of foam integrity and liquid film thickness was αLa-Gyp, αLa-Tr, αLa-Ts. Moreover, the DPPH scavenging ability, ferrous reducing power, and α-glucosidase inhibition of αLa-saponins were higher than those of αLa, and αLa-Ts showed the maximum. Meanwhile, molecular docking indicated that there were different binding sites and numbers between αLa and three saponins. And αLa-Ts, αLa-Gyp and αLa-Tr had 12, 3 and 6 hydrogen bonds, respectively. Moreover, Ts did not significantly affect secondary structure of αLa, whereas Gyp and Tr decreased its α-helix and increased its random coil. The obtained results provided basic data supports for interaction mechanism between natural saponins and proteins, being beneficial to develop efficient and natural protein-saponin foaming agents for food industry. [Display omitted] • αLa-Ts was the most stable and the least stable was αLa-Tr. • The addition of Ts had no significant effect on the secondary structure of αLa. • The addition of Gyp/Tr decreased the α-helix and increased the random curl of αLa. • The descending order to improve the foaming ability of αLa was Ts, Gyp, Tr. • αLa-Ts exhibited the best antioxidant activity and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by the phenomenon of sponges soaking up water, a novel syringe-like adsorption device used diglycolamic-acid modified chitosan sponges (CSs-DGAA) as adsorbents is reported for recycling of rare-earth elements (REEs) by Squeezing & Soaking (S&S) operation. Integrating the elasticity of sponges and selective extraction ability of diglycolamic acid groups, the new device can efficiently recycle REEs from aqueous solutions. This device only needs 10 min to achieve adsorption equilibrium; squeezing the water from the sponges achieves solid-liquid separation. This syringe-like adsorption method not only solves the pollution problem caused by the organic solvents used during liquidliquid extractions, but also improves the time needed to achieve adsorption equilibrium and uses significantly less energy than energy intensive solid-phase extractions of solid-liquid separations. Moreover, the environment-friendly adsorbents effectively recycle yttrium and europium from waste phosphor powders. These experimental results demonstrated that the S&S method based on polymeric sponges has potential application in hydrometallurgy and environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Available soil water in the root zone is an essential component of the water balance process since it greatly affects the crop water uptake and crop growth. In this study, a modified soil water deficit index (MSWDI) was established on the basis of the concept of readily available water (RAW), with the accumulated effect considered. This modified index was applied in six agro-meteorological stations in Songnen Plain of China to monitor the agricultural drought. The results showed that: 1) The MSWDI showed similar spatial and temporal agricultural drought patterns as its inherent indices, such as the soil water deficit (SWD), soil moisture deficit index (SMDI) and atmospheric water deficit (AWD), but exhibited a delay between atmospheric and soil water processes; 2) The MSWDI has a better correlation with the crop yield than its inherent indices. For example, its overall correlation coefficient is about 0.6 with the crop yields among six study stations and −0.7 for the number of droughts, while their corresponding values are 0.5 and −0.6, 0.5 and −0.6, and 0.3 and −0.4 for SMDI, SWD and AWD, respectively; 3) The MSWDI could also identify a slightly higher number of reported drought events during the 2000–2012 in comparison with SMDI, SWD and AWD, although it also over-predicts the number of drought events same as other indices. It mainly comes from the uncertainty of reported drought events. The proposed index can be used for agricultural drought monitoring and provides a useful tool for agricultural meteorology and water resource management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Fe-free Al 56- x Co 24 Cr 20 Ni x (x = 34, 36, 38, 40, and42, denoted as Ni x alloys hereafter) eutectic high-entropy alloys were designed and prepared to investigate the effect of Al and Ni content on the microstructure and mechanical property. It was found that all five alloys exhibited a typical eutectic microstructure and an ordered FCC/BCT phase structure, and the volume fraction of BCT phase reduced with an increase in Ni content. The FCC and BCT phases were enriched in Cr-Co and Al-Ni elements respectively, and the nano-scale precipitates forming in BCT phase also exhibited a BCT phase structure but enriched in Cr element. The Ni38 alloy displayed an entire eutectic microstructure with two types of eutectic lamellas, the long and straight one, and the short and curve one. The irregular lamellas resulted in an unsatisfactory tensile property in Ni38 alloy with a yield strength of 543 MPa and a fracture strain of 8.1 %. To optimize the strength-plasticity configuration, the Ni content was further fine-turned. The Ni38.5 alloy, exhibiting a regularly and fine lamellar hypereutectic microstructure with bits of primary FCC phase, was found presenting an improved fracture strain of 14.5 % and without any reduction in yield strength compared with Ni38 alloy. • A series of Al 56- x Co 24 Cr 20 Ni x eutectic high-entropy alloys was designed. • Microstructure and property variations with the increasing Ni content were studied. • Ni38 alloy exhibited an ordered FCC/BCT mixed phase structure. • Irregularly lamellar eutectic morphology of Ni38 resulted unsatisfactory plasticity. • Adjusted Ni38.5 alloy exhibited an improved plasticity without strength losing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reference 1 Li S, Wang X, Yu Y, Cao S, Liu J, Zhao P, Li J, Zhang X, Li X, Zhang N, Sun M, Cao L, Gong P. Establishment and application of a CRISPR-Cas12a-based RPA-LFS and fluorescence for the detection of Trichomonas vaginalis. Shan Li, Xiaocen Wang and Yanhui Yu contributed equally to this work Correction: Parasites & Vectors (2022) 15:350 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-022-05475-5 Following publication of the original article [[1]], the authors have updated the Results of the article with the following Genbank numbers: OP557698 and 4 OP557697. [Extracted from the article]

Difenoconazole, a commonly used broad-spectrum triazole fungicide, is widely applied to fish culture in paddy fields. Due to its high chemical stability, low biodegradability, and easy transfer, difenoconazole persists in aquatic systems, raising public awareness of environmental threats. Difenoconazole causes cardiotoxicity in carp, however, the potential mechanisms of difenoconazole-induced cardiotoxicity remain unclear. Here, common carp were exposed to difenoconazole, and cardiotoxicity was evaluated by measuring the creatine kinase (CK) and the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the serum. Cardiac pathological injury was determined by HE staining. The content and expression of oxidative stress indicators were detected using biochemical kits and qPCR analysis. Changes in inflammation-related cytokines were examined by qPCR. Apoptosis levels were assessed by TUNEL assay and qPCR. The occurrence of autophagy was measured by western blotting detection of autophagy flux LC3II/LC3I, and autophagy regulatory pathways were detected using qPCR. The results showed that difenoconazole exposure induced cardiotoxicity accompanied by obviously elevated LDH and CK levels and caused myocardial fibers to swell and inflammatory cells to increase. Elevated peroxide MDA and reduced transcriptional and activity levels of the antioxidant enzymes CAT, SOD and GSH-Px were dependent on the Nrf2/Keap-1 pathway. Moreover, the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were upregulated, iNOS activity was enhanced, whereas the anti-inflammatory cytokines TGF-β1 and IL-10 were downregulated after exposure to difenoconazole. Moreover, apoptosis was observed in the TUNEL assay and mediated through the p53/Bcl-2/Bax-Caspase-9 mitochondrial pathway. Furthermore, difenoconazole increased the autophagy markers LC3II, ATG5 and p62 and regulated them through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Altogether, this study demonstrated that difenoconazole exposure caused common carp cardiotoxicity, which is regulated by oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis and autophagy, providing central data for toxicological risk assessment of difenoconazole in the ecological environment. [Display omitted] • Difenoconazole exposure causes elevated CK and LDH in the serum of common carp. • Difenoconazole triggers swollen myocardial fibers and increases inflammatory cells. • Difenoconazole induces cardiac damage via oxidative stress and inflammation. • Difenoconazole induces cardiac apoptosis by activating the Bcl-2/Bax pathway. • Difenoconazole induces cardiac autophagy by regulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yinchuan-Hetao (YC-HT) graben is the boundary zone between the Ordos and the Alax blocks in NW China, which shows tectonic patterns distinct from the Haiyuan arcuate and Liupanshan thrust belts to the south. As a Cenozoic rift, the YC-HT graben originated from back-arc spreading related to westward subduction of the western Pacific, but its deformation and development may have been more influenced by the extension of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau (NETP) since the Quaternary. To investigate the dynamics of deep deformation of the YC-HT graben and adjacent regions, we apply the receiver function method to obtain the seismic structure in this area. Our results show that the depth of the Moho beneath the YC-HT graben is ∼50 km and significantly greater than that beneath the Alxa and Ordos blocks. The crust of the Ordos block is characterized by a layered structure, and the intracrustal structure below the YC-HT graben has undergone significant deformation. The Vp/Vs ratio in a local area of the western Hetao graben is as high as ∼1.9. By combining our observations with previous geophysical and geological studies, we speculate that the influence of NETP expansion has reached the YC-HT graben at depth. Meanwhile, the upper and lower crust experienced different deformation modes in this area, which manifested as elastic deformation in the upper crust and plastic deformation in the lower crust. [Display omitted] • Crustal velocity discontinuity structure and Vp/Vs ratios are obtained in the northwestern border of the Ordos, NW China. • Thickened crust and high Vp/Vs anomalies in the crust dominate the Yinchuan-Hetao graben. • Upper and lower crust beneath the Yinchuan-Hetao graben have undergone extensional and thickening deformation respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work systematically researched the binding behavior mechanism and foaming properties of bovine α-lactalbumin (α-La) and glycyrrhizic acid (GA) or ginsenosides (GR) in bulk at pH 7.0 by using the methods of multi-spectroscopic, molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The intrinsic fluorescence results showed that binding behavior mechanism of GA and GR bounded onto α-La was static quenching. Moreover, the K a of α-La/GA (3.44 × 104) was larger than that of α-La/GR complex (9.57 × 102) at 298 K. The main driven forces of α-La/GA were hydrogen bonds, van der Waals and hydrophobic interaction forces, while only hydrophobic interaction force was involved in α-La/GR complex. Meanwhile, molecular docking result showed that the docking site of α-La/GA and α-La/GR was mainly located in sheet with S1, S2 or S3 and helix with H4 or h1. There were six hydrogen bonds in α-La/GA, whereas no hydrogen bond was present in α-La/GR. The MD results presented that the electrostatic interaction energy, the Van der Waals interaction energy and the nonpolar solvent energy were favorable for binding between α-La and GA or GR. Among them, the main contributed amino acid residues of α-La/GA complex were Thr33, Gln54, Tyr103, Trp104 and Leu110, while the main interacted residues of α-La/GR system were Trp60, Val99, Tyr103 and Trp104. Furthermore, GA and GR bonded onto α-La had insignificant impact on the secondary structure of α-La. Finally, the addition of GA and GR (1.0 mg/mL) induced a 155.57% and 111.11% increase in the foaming property of α-La. The obtained results provide some new insights to the interaction mechanism of α-La bounded with GA and GR. Additionally, it also indicates that α-La/saponin complex has the ability to apply in the protein-based foaming foods. [Display omitted] • The binding behavior mechanism of GA and GR bounded onto α-La was static quenching. • The non-radiative energy transfer occurred in the α-La/GA and α-La/GR. • The binding affinity of α-La/GA was larger than that of α-La/GR complex at 298 K. • The foaming properties of α-La was increased in the presence of GA and GR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The MnFe 2 O 4 /g-C 3 N 4 composites with promising photocatalytic activity were successfully prepared in this study. The structure and morphology of the as-prepared composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–Vis DRS), and the photocatalytic activity was evaluated through the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB). It was found that the composites with 30 wt% MnFe 2 O 4 possessed 2.64 times higher photocatalytic activity than that of pure g-C 3 N 4 , and the degradation rate of 30 mg/L RhB solution could reach 97.2% in 90 min under 1 sun irradiation. The promising photocatalytic activity of the composites was mainly attributed to excellent adsorption performance and light absorption capacity of the sample. Simultaneously, the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs was delayed due to the formation of heterojunction between MnFe 2 O 4 and g-C 3 N 4 , and MnFe 2 O 4 /g-C 3 N 4 showed almost no decrease in photocatalytic activity after recycling for five times. [Display omitted] • MnFe 2 O 4 /g-C 3 N 4 led to 97.2% degradation of 30 mg/L RhB solution in 90 min. • Catalytic activity of MnFe 2 O 4 /g-C 3 N 4 had almost no decrease after five recycles. • MnFe 2 O 4 /g-C 3 N 4 exhibited high photoactivity due to heterojunction formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibrio harveyi is a zoonotic pathogen that can infect humans through wounds and cause severe inflammatory responses. Previous studies have reported that the Toll like receptors (TLR) mediated MAPK, AKT and NF-κB signaling pathways are involved in innate immune system resistance to pathogen invasion. However, the molecular mechanism of these pathways, as well as their involvement in V. harveyi infection remains elusive. This study established a V. harveyi infection model using murine peritoneal macrophages (PMs). Various techniques, including western blotting, ELISA, RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence, inhibition assays, were used to explore the roles of TLRs, MAPK, AKT and NF-κB signaling pathways in V. harveyi -induced inflammatory responses. ELISA assays showed that V. harveyi infection triggered proinflammatory cytokines secretion in PMs. RT-qPCR and inhibition assays showed that TLR2 participated in V. harveyi infection and up-regulated the proinflammatory cytokines secretion in murine PMs. Western blotting data showed that the phosphorylation of p38, JNK, AKT, and NF-κB p65 were significantly increased partly mediated by TLR2. In addition, immunofluorescence assays revealed that the NF-κB p65 translocated into nucleus in response to V. harveyi infection. The secretion of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, and TNF-α were considerably reduced when the p38 MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways were blocked, whereas blocking of AKT significantly increased the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, and TNF-α. These findings indicate that V. harveyi infection induces inflammatory responses in murine PMs via activation of p38 MAPK and NF-κB pathways, which are partly mediated by TLR2, but are inhibited by PI3K/AKT pathways. • V. harveyi induces inflammatory responses in murine PMs. • The MAPK, AKT and NF-κB pathways were activated against V. harveyi infection in PMs. • V. harveyi induce inflammation in PMs via p38 MAPK and NF-κB pathways. • Activation of AKT pathway relieve V. harveyi induced inflammatory responses in PMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we report the genome sequence of a feral pigeon alphaherpesvirus (columbid herpesvirus type 1, CoHV-1), strain HLJ, and compare it with other avian alphaherpesviruses. The CoHV-1 strain HLJ genome is 204,237 bp in length and encodes approximately 130 putative protein-coding genes. Phylogenetically, CoHV-1 complete genome resides in a monophyletic group with the falconid herpesvirus type 1 (FaHV-1) genome, distant from other alphaherpesviruses. Interestingly, the evolutionary analysis of partial genes of CoHV-1 isolated from different organisms and areas (currently accessible on GenBank) indicates that the CoHV-1 HLJ strain isolated from pigeon ( Columba livia) is closely related to the strains isolated from peregrine falcon ( Falco peregrinus) in Poland and owl ( Bubo virginianus) in USA. These results may suggest possible transmission of the virus between different organisms and different geographic areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibrio alginolyticus is an important zoonotic marine pathogenic bacterium. Previous studies on the mechanism of innate immune against V. alginolyticus infection have been limited to aquatic animals, however, how V. alginolyticus activates mammalian immune cells has not been fully clarified. Here, ELISA combined RT-qPCR assays were used to detect the secretion and transcription level of pro-inflammatory cytokines and TLRs during V. alginolyticus infection of mice peritoneal macrophages (PMϕs). Western blotting was used to explore the phosphorylation levels of p38, JNK, ERK, AKT and NF-κB protein. Immunofluorescence assay was used to determine the location of NF-κB protein. Inhibition assay was used to study the role of up-regulated TLR in activated signaling pathways and the role of these pathways in the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Our data showed that V. alginolyticus can up-regulate the expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-α in PMϕs. In addition, V. alginolyticus stimulation activated the phosphorylation of p38, JNK and ERK were TLR2 heterodimers-dependent, whereas inhibitors of SB203580 (p38), SCH772984 (ERK) and SP600125 (JNK) significantly reduced IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-α production. We further revealed that V. alginolyticus activated the signaling pathways of AKT via TLR2 heterodimers. The inhibitor of MK-2206 2HCl (AKT) negatively regulated the IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α release levels. Moreover, V. alginolyticus infection of PMϕs resulted in TLR2 heterodimers-mediated activation of NF-κB and induced translocation of phosphorylated NF-κB protein from the cytoplasm into the nucleus via IκBα degradation. V. alginolyticus induced IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-α release were blocked by the specific NF-κB inhibitor, BAY 11–7082. Taken together, our results suggested that activation of the TLR2 heterodimers-mediated downstream signaling pathways NF-κB, MAPK and AKT is responsible for inflammatory response during Vibrio alginolyticus infection in vitro. • V. alginolyticus activate TLR2-mediated MAPK, AKT and NF-κB pathways in mouse PMϕs. • V. alginolyticus activate MAPK and NF-κB pathways to enhance inflammatory response. • Cytokines levels are negatively regulated by AKT pathway in infected PMϕs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• SIN protects from alcohol-induced ALI. • SIN reduced oxidative stress by enhancing antioxidant enzyme levels and Nrf2/HO-1. • SIN decreased inflammation by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome and Akt/NF-κB pathway. • SIN inhibited apoptotic protein levels and down-regulated MAPK expressions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hydrolysis enhanced DPPH scavenge ability of glycosylated whey protein. • Glycosylated whey protein showed best stability of emulsion in 120 min hydrolysis. • Hydrolysis of glycosylated protein made emulsion show better oxidative stability. Conjugated linoleic acid contains unsaturated fatty acids with multiple bioactivities, but it has poor oxidative and physical stabilities. Its emulsion was fabricated with glycosylated whey protein isolate and hydrolysates of glycosylated whey protein isolate to enhance its stability. An obvious decrease in peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, particle size and creaming index of emulsion loaded by hydrolysates of glycosylated protein isolate with the increase of hydrolysis time. However, the absolute value of zeta-potential and interfacial adsorption rate of emulsion stabilized by hydrolysates of glycosylated whey protein isolate, were increased by 10.99 and 16.94% at hydrolysis time of 120 min, compared with emulsion loaded by glycosylated whey protein isolate. Thus, limited hydrolysis of glycosylated whey protein isolate as an effective method, remarkably improved the oxidative and physical stability of emulsion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-protein nutrition bars (HPNBs) contain 20–50% protein and can effectively and quickly provide the energy needed by the body for performance. They are widely used as sustenance in sports, fitness, and the military as a means of replenishing vital nutrients after physical endurance. However, the hardening of HPNBs occurs quickly during storage due to the interaction of ingredients in the bar's matrix and effects of the external environment. This will lead to deleterious changes in the qualities of the HPNBs, such as taste, and it can seriously affect their market value. This review expounds the factors affecting the hardening of HPNBs during storage, such as sugar crystallization, water migration, protein self-aggregation, phase separation, and Maillard reactions. Research advances in the current anti-hardening methods are summarized, and the characteristics, advantages, and mechanisms of various methods employed in anti-hardening strategies are also expounded. The hardening of HPNBs is a complicated process involving physical changes during the early stage and chemical reactions during the middle and late stages of the storage period. Measures such as the selection of raw materials, substitution of protein with hydrolyzed protein, protein modification, addition of polyphenols, storage conditions, and other methods have achieved promising preliminary anti-hardening results. However, the development of anti-hardening HPNB methods that enable prolonged shelf lives and maintain or enhance taste and nutritional benefits represents a crucial focus for improving the processing and storage of HPNBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ERA5 reanalysis dataset of the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) in the summers from 2015 to 2020 was used to compare and analyze the features of the precipitable water vapor (PWV) observed by six ground-based Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) meteorology (GNSS/MET) stations in the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau. The correlation coefficients of the two datasets ranged between 0.804 and 0.878, the standard deviations ranged between 4.686 and 7.338 mm, and the monthly average deviations ranged between −4.153 and 9.459 mm, which increased with the altitude of the station. Matching the quality-controlled ground precipitation data with the PWV in time and space revealed that most precipitation occurred when the PWV was between 30 and 65 mm and roughly met the normal distribution. We used the vertical integral of divergence of moisture flux (∇p) and S-band Doppler radar networking products combined with the PWV to study the convergence and divergence process and the water vapor delivery conditions during the deep convective weather process from August 24 to 26, 2020, which can be used to analyze the real-time observation capability and continuity of PWV in small-scale and mesoscale weather processes. Furthermore, the 1 h precipitation and the cloud top temperature (ctt) data at the same site were used to demonstrate the effect of PWV on the transit of convective weather systems from different time–space scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crabs are among the most important benthos in intertidal marshes. Numerous studies have shown that they can influence soil properties and soil-surface water exchange through bioturbation. However, little is still known about the effects of crab burrows on sediment microbes. In this study, we examined the effects of crab burrows on the community structure and interaction pattern of soil microbes in sediments in an intertidal marsh of the Yellow River Delta, north China using high-throughput sequencing and co-occurrence network analyses. Results showed that crab bioturbations altered soil microbial community composition both within the fungal and bacterial communities. Network analyses results indicated that the modularity of fungal networks decreased after crab bioturbation. Further, bacterial and fungal functional predictions indicated the relative abundances were significantly lower for fungal saprotrophs and saprotroph-pathotrophs in the soil mound sediment, while significantly higher for bacterial chemoheterotrophs and aerobic chemoheterotrophic in the burrow wall sediment. Our results demonstrate that crab bioturbation can modify the microbial community structure and function, and thus nutrient cycling through degradation of organic matter, a key ecosystem processes in intertidal marsh. • Crab bioturbations altered soil fungal and bacterial communities. • The modularity of soil fungal networks decreased after crab bioturbations. • Crab bioturbations changed abundance of soil bacterial and fungal functional group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrafine-grained Al 90.4 Y 4.4 Ni 4.3 Co 0.9 was synthesized by powder metallurgy from partially-amorphous powder precursors. A good combination of mechanical properties was obtained by optimizing size and density of second phases. The resultant alloy shows high specific strength and specific modulus as well as a tensile ductility of ∼5% at room temperature. Particularly, this alloy exhibits good mechanical stability at elevated temperature, which is superior to most high-temperature aluminum alloys. These results provide evidence for the effectiveness of Al-based metallic glasses as precursors for the development of high-temperature aluminum alloys. Image 1 • Ultrafine-grained Al alloy synthesized from Al-based metallic glass precursors. • Al alloy with high strength and ∼5% tensile ductility at room temperature. • Tensile strength at elevated temperature superior to most Al alloys. • High phase stability and sluggish coarsening of Al 19 (Ni, Co) 5 Y 3 phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Multilevel regression approach is introduced for predicting baseflow index. • Hydrological modelling approach overestimates baseflow in Australia. • Multilevel regression approach is best in arid, tropics, and equiseasonal regions. • Two regression approaches perform similarly in winter rainfall regions. Baseflow is critical for water balance budget, water resources management, and environmental evaluation. Prediction of baseflow index (BFI), the ratio of baseflow to total streamflow, has a great significance in unravelling the baseflow characteristics for large scale trajectory. Therefore, this study compares BFI predictive performance derived from a new multilevel regression approach along with two other commonly used approaches: hydrological modelling (SIMHYD, a simplified version of the HYDROLOG model, and Xinanjiang model), and linear regression (traditional linear regression, and alternative traditional regression considers the second-order interaction). The multilevel regression approach does not only group the catchments into the four climate zones (arid, tropics, equiseasonal and winter rainfall), but also considers inter-catchment and inter-climate zone variances. Likewise, calibration and two regionalisation techniques namely spatial proximity and integrated similarity are used to obtain the BFI from hydrological modelling approach. Correspondingly, the traditional linear regression technique estimates BFI establishing linear regressions between catchment attributes and four climate zones. Then, all the three approaches are evaluated against combined average estimation from four well-parameterised baseflow separation methods (Lyne-Hollick (LH), United Kingdom Institute of Hydrology (UKIH), Chapman-Maxwell (CM) and Eckhardt (ECK)) at 596 catchments across Australia for 1980–2012. The findings show that the multilevel regression has greatly improved the performance of BFI prediction in comparison to other methods. In particular, the two calibrated and regionalised hydrological models perform worst in predicting BFI with a Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) of −8.44 and −2.58 along with an absolute percent bias (PBIAS) of 81% and 146% (overestimation of baseflow), respectively. However, the traditional linear regression remains in intermediate position with the NSE of 0.57 and bias of 25. In addition, alternative traditional regression also shows very close proximity. In contrast, the multilevel regression approach shows the best performance with the NSE of 0.75 and bias of 19%. The study also demonstrates that the multilevel regression approach can improve BFI prediction, and shows potential for being used in the prediction of other hydrological signatures in large-scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• D 2 EHDGAA was synthesized which had high extractability for metals. • D 2 EHDGAA exhibited high selectivity to Au from Pd, Pt, Rh, and Cu in a short time. • The extraction mechanism of Au and Pt were two and one extractants, respectively. • The Stripping of Au was completely with low concentration of thiourea. • The extraction could be recycled for 5 times with efficiency decreased less than 4%. The type of diglycolamic acid extractant N , N -di-2-ethylhexyldiglycolamic acid (D2EHDGAA) was examined for selective extraction and separation of Au(III) in acidic chloride solutions containing Pd(II), Pt(IV), Rh(III), and Cu(II). The separation factor β Au/Pt = 959.3 was observed in 7 M hydrochloric acid. The extraction of Au(III) was quick, and extraction equilibrium was reached in less than 5 min. The n -dodecane and kerosene diluents had a notable effect on the extraction of Au(III) with the D2EHDGAA, and the D2EHDGAA had excellent capacity in n -dodecane and kerosene. However, the selectivity coefficient of Au(III) and Pd(II) was better in n -dodecane (β Au/Pd = 1070) than in kerosene (β Au / Pd < 0.1) of 4 M hydrochloric acid. The extraction mechanisms of the Au(III) and Pt(IV) were investigated, and the results suggest that one metals ion is extracted with two and one extractants in 1 M HCl concentration. The D2EHDGAA-based n -dodecane extracting phase was easily activated using a low-concentration thiourea aqueous solution (0.01 M). The recyclability of D2EHDGAA for five cycles was investigated, and its efficiency decreased less than 4%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Swine enteric diseases have caused significant economic loss and have been considered as the major threat to the global swine industry. Several coronaviruses, including transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), have been identified as the causative agents of these diseases. Effective measures to control these diseases are lacking. The major host cells of transmissible gastroenteritis virus and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus have thought to be epithelial cells on small intestine villi. Aminopeptidase-N (APN) has been described as the putative receptor for entry of transmissible gastroenteritis virus and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus into cells in vitro. Recently, Whitworth et al. have reported that APN knockout pigs are resistant to TGEV but not PEDV after weaning. However, it remains unclear if APN-null neonatal pigs are protected from TGEV. Here we report the generation of APN-null pigs by using CRISPR/Cas9 technology followed by somatic cell nuclear transfer. APN-null pigs are produced with normal pregnancy rate and viability, indicating lack of APN is not embryonic lethal. After viral challenge, APN-null neonatal piglets are resistant to highly virulent transmissible gastroenteritis virus. Histopathological analyses indicate APN-null pigs exhibit normal small intestine villi, while wildtype pigs show typical lesions in small intestines. Immunochemistry analyses confirm that no transmissible gastroenteritis virus antigen is detected in target tissues in APN-null piglets. However, upon porcine epidemic diarrhea virus challenge, APN-null pigs are still susceptible with 100% mortality. Collectively, this report provides a viable tool for producing animals with enhanced resistance to TGEV and clarifies that APN is dispensable for the PEDV infection in pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inducing degradation of oncoproteins by small molecule compounds has the potential to avoid drug resistance and therefore deserves to be exploited for new therapies. Oridonin is a natural compound with promising antitumor efficacy that can trigger the degradation of oncoproteins; however, the direct cellular targets and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here we report that oridonin depletes BCR-ABL through chaperon-mediated proteasomal degradation in leukemia. Mechanistically, oridonin poses oxidative stress in cancer cells and directly binds to cysteines of HSF1, leading to the activation of this master regulator of the chaperone system. The resulting induction of HSP70 and ubiquitin proteins and the enhanced binding to CHIP E3 ligase hence target BCR-ABL for ubiquitin-proteasome degradation. Both wild-type and mutant forms of BCR-ABL can be efficiently degraded by oridonin, supporting its efficacy observed in cultured cells as well as mouse tumor xenograft assays with either imatinib-sensitive or -resistant cells. Collectively, our results identify a novel mechanism by which oridonin induces rapid degradation of BCR-ABL as well as a novel pharmaceutical activator of HSF1 that represents a promising treatment for leukemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]