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Scylla paramamosain is a kind of large euryhaline marine crab. As an important physicochemical parameter of seawater, salinity has a great impact on the survival, growth and quality of Scylla paramamosain. This research tested the content of non-volatile flavor substance, lactic acid and taurine on the 0, 1st, 3rd, 7th and 15th day in three salinity gradients (3, 13, 23) with HPLC (High-performance Liquid Chromatography) technology. Results have shown that in low salinity stress, the cumulative amount of free amino acids in muscle of Scylla paramamosain is more than that in hepatopancreas, while the cumulative amount of essential amino acids in hepatopancreas is more than that in muscle. In muscle, contents of three flavor amino acids are ranked as follows: sweet, bitter and delicious amino acid, and in hepatopancreas, it is bitter, sweet and delicious amino acid. The fluctuation rule of free amino acid, essential amino acid and lactic acid in Scylla paramamosain in the low salinity group is similar to that of other salinity control group, while the content of sweet amino acid, bitter amino acid, nucleotide, EUC, taurine is different from that of other salinity control groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a global focus on illness diagnosis in smear-negative and latent tuberculosis infectious populations (SN-TB and LTBI). CD27 has been suggested to play a direct role in active TB. Little is known about smear-negative individuals. Here, we tried to investigate whether it has a role in smear-negative populations. The expression of CD27 and MTB-specific CD27 in CD4+ T cells ("CD27−CD4+" and "CD27−IFN-γ+CD4+") was evaluated in MTB-unexposed controls (HC), TB contacts (TB-C) and SN-TB individuals by flow cytometry. The sensitivity, specificity and AUC (area under curve) of "CD27−IFN-γ+CD4+" cells to distinguish SN-TBs from HCs and TB-Cs were determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The clinical index was selected from the clinical laboratory and evaluated for correlation with "CD27−IFN-γ+CD4+" cells by Spearman statistical analysis. Results: We observed that the percentages of "CD27−IFN-γ+CD4+" cells were significantly increased in the SN-TB group compared with the HC and TB-C groups (AUC was 0.88, sensitivity was 82.14%, specificity was 80.00%, and P < 0.0001). The percentage of "CD27−IFN-γ+CD4+" cells was negatively correlated with WBC (white blood cell count) (r = − 0.3019, P = 0.0182) and positively correlated with IgE (immunoglobulin E) (r = 0.2805, P = 0.0362). Furthermore, "CD27−IFN-γ+CD4+" cells were significantly decreased, especially in the > 50 years group, after clinical treatment. Conclusion: The present results demonstrated that the percentage of "CD27−IFN-γ+CD4+" cells might be a conceivable molecular indicator in the diagnosis of SN-TB and was influenced by its outcome of therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stearic acid (C18:0, SA) is a saturated long-chain fatty acid (LCFA) that has a prominent function in lactating dairy cows. It is obtained primarily from the diet and is stored in the form of triacylglycerol (TAG) molecules. The transmembrane glycoprotein cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) is also known as fatty acid translocase, but whether SA promotes lipid synthesis through CD36 and FAK/mTORC1 signaling is unknown. In this study, we examined the function and mechanism of CD36-mediated SA-induced lipid synthesis in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs). SA-enriched supplements enhanced lipid synthesis and the FAK/mTORC1 pathway in BMECs. SA-induced lipid synthesis, FAK/mTORC1 signaling, and the expression of lipogenic genes were impaired by anti-CD36 and the CD36-specific inhibitor SSO, whereas overexpression of CD36 effected the opposite results. Inhibition of FAK/mTORC1 by TAE226/Rapamycin attenuated SA-induced TAG synthesis, inactivated FAK/mTORC1 signaling, and downregulated the lipogenic genes PPARG , CD36 , ACSL1 , SCD , GPAT4 , LIPIN1, and DGAT 1 at the mRNA and protein levels in BMECs. By coimmunoprecipitation and yeast two-hybrid screen, CD36 interacted directly with Fyn but not Lyn, and Fyn bound directly to FAK; FAK also interacted directly with TSC2. CD36 linked FAK through Fyn, and FAK coupled mTORC1 through TSC2 to form the CD36/Fyn/FAK/mTORC1 signaling axis. Thus, stearic acid promotes lipogenesis through CD36 and Fyn/FAK/mTORC1 signaling in BMECs. Our findings provide novel insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms by which LCFA supplements promote lipid synthesis in BMECs. • SA promotes lipid synthesis, FAK/mTORC1 signaling, and the expression of lipogenic genes in BMECs. • CD36, as a potential receptor, mediates and senses exogenous SA signaling to regulate the lipid synthesis. • CD36 couples FAK through Fyn to form the CD36/Fyn/FAK/mTORC1 signaling axis to mediate SA-induced lipid synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quasi-one-dimensional antimony chalcogenide Sb 2 (S, Se) 3 semiconductor is regarded as one of the most promising photovoltaic materials due to their high optical absorbance coefficient and tunable band gaps. However, current researchers rarely optimize experimental conditions based on characteristics of the Se/S ratio in Sb 2 (S, Se) 3 material and ignore the experimental optimization based on material characteristics. Herein, Sb 2 (S, Se) 3 thin films with three different Se/(Se + S) ratios (Se = 0.2, 0.5, 0.8) are prepared by vapor transport deposition (VTD) based on the temperature sensitivity of the evaporator source. The influence of VTD conditions of Sb 2 (S, Se) 3 on optical properties, electrical properties, film quality, and defect characteristics are investigated through UV absorbance spectra, current density versus voltage (J-V) measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS), respectively. It is concluded that the deposition temperature is closely associated with the shift of the band gap. Moreover, different original Se/(Se + S) ratios yield different optimum temperatures (Se = 0.2, 480 °C; Se = 0.5, 500 °C; Se = 0.8, 520 °C), and optimum temperature increase with Se atom ratios. With optimization of the Se/(Se + S) ratio and deposition temperature, a Sb 2 (S, Se) 3 solar cell (Se = 0.8) prepared under 520 °C has optimal light absorbance, longer carrier lifetime, and better film quality, displaying a high efficiency of 6.78%. • 6.78%-efficient the Sb 2 (S, Se) 3 solar cells was achieve using Sb 2 Se 3 and Sb 2 S 3 mixed powders. • The highest efficiency was achieved with Sb 2 Se 3 mass ratio of 0.8 under deposition temperature of 520 °C. • Varied powders yielded different optimum temperatures, and the optimum temperature increased with increasing Sb 2 Se 3 ratios. • Shallower-level defect reduces carrier loss in the carrier transport process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovarian cancer stem cells (OCSCs) that are a subpopulation within bulk tumor survive chemotherapy and conduce to chemo-resistance and tumor relapse. However, conventional gene delivery is unsuitable for the on-demand content release, which limits OCSCs therapeutic utility. Here, we reported ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD)-triggerable poly(ethylene glycol)-disulfide bond-polyethylenimine loaded microbubble (PSP@MB). Taking advantage of glutathione (GSH) responsiveness, ultrasound triggering and spatiotemporally controlled release manner, PSP@MB is expected to realize local gene delivery for OCSCs treatment. But the biophysical mechanisms of gene delivery via PSP@MB and ultrasound remain unknown. The aim of this study is to determine the potential of gene delivery to OCSCs via ultrasonic synergistic biophysical effects and GSH-sensitive PSP@MB. The GSH-sensitive disulfide bond cleavable properties of PSP@MB were confirmed by 1H NMR spectra and infrared spectroscopy. The biophysical mechanisms between PSP@MB and cells were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) to optimize the ultrasonic gene delivery system. The gene transfection via ultrasound and PSP@MB was closely related to the biophysical mechanisms (sonoporation, enhanced-endocytosis, sonoprinting, and endosomal escape). Ultrasound combined with PSP@MB successfully delivered aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) short hairpin RNA (shRNA) plasmid to OCSCs and promoted apoptosis of OCSCs. The gene transfection rate and apoptosis rate were (18.41 ± 2.41)% and (32.62 ± 2.36)% analyzed by flow cytometry separately. This study showed that ultrasound triggering and GSH responsive PSP@MB might provide a novel strategy for OCSCs treatment via sonoporation and enhanced-endocytosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the core of deep learning methodologies, convolutional neural network (CNN) has received wide attention in the area of image recognition. In particular, it requires very precise, accurate and fine recognition power for medical imaging processing. Numerous promising prospects of CNN applications with medical prognosis and diagnosis have been reported in the related works, and the common goal among the literature is mainly to analyze the insights from the finest details of medical images and build a more suitable model with maximum accuracy and minimum error. Thus, a novel CNN model is proposed with the characteristics of multi-view feature preprocessing and swarm-based parameter optimization. Additional information of extra features from multi-view is discovered potentially for training, and simultaneously, the most optimal set of CNN parameters are provided by our proposed leader and long-tail-based particle swarm optimization. The purpose of such a hybrid method is to achieve the highest possibility of target recognition in medical images. Preliminary experiments over cardiovascular and mammogram datasets related to heart disease prediction and breast cancer classification, respectively, are designed and conducted, and the results indicate encouraging performance compared to other existing CNN model optimization methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore a novel colorimetric biosensor with high sensibility and selectivity, a new Wells–Dawson-type polyoxometalate (POM)-based metal–organic framework (MOF) with an eightfold helix, [Cu9(FKZ)12(H2O)8][H3P2W18O62]2·4H2O (CuFKZP2W18) (HFKZ = 1-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-1,1-bis[(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)methyl] ethanol), was successfully synthesized; then, polypyrrole (PPy) was introduced to fabricate CuFKZP2W18/PPy(n) nanocomposites (n = 7%, 15%, 30%) via a facile in situ oxidation polymerization process. All the results indicate that CuFKZP2W18/PPy(15%) as a colorimetric biosensor exhibits lower limits of detection (0.07 μM towards H2O2 and 0.627 μM towards ascorbic acid), smaller Km values (0.106 mM for H2O2 and 0.042 mM for o-phenylenediamine) and higher sensitivity (0.0227 1 μM−1 towards H2O2 and 0.0025 1 μM−1 to ascorbic acid) than most reported enzyme mimetics to the best of our knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, with the development of wireless communication, people are relying on mobile devices heavily due to various application deployment and plentiful service experience of customers in wireless metropolitan area network (WMAN). The computing resources of the mobile devices are limited as they are restricted with physical size, battery capacity, etc. In order to release the resource limitation, cloudlet, an effective paradigm, is introduced to host the computing tasks offloaded from the mobile devices. Compared with the cloud computing, the cloudlets are deployed closer to provide customers with fewer task offloading delay. Currently, the offloaded task scale is increasing, which generates large quantities of energy exposure for task implementation among cloudlets. Taking advantage of live virtual machine (VM) migration technology, the energy consumption of cloudlets could be definitely reduced. But such migration across cloudlets also decreases the implementation performance of the tasks. Therefore, it is still a challenge to jointly optimize the execution performance and the energy consumption for cloudlet management in WMAN. In this paper, a novel virtual machine (VM) scheduling method is proposed to balance the implantation time and the energy consumption to cope with the above challenge. Specifically, a collection of available migration polices are obtained through heuristically searching of destination cloudlets for the running computing tasks. Then, simple additive weighting (SAW) and multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) techniques are leveraged to select the optimal VM scheduling strategy across cloudlets in WMAN. Finally, experimental results and evaluations validate our proposed method is both effective and feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lane detection is an essential part of safety assurance in intelligent vehicle and advanced driver assistance systems. Despite many methods having been proposed, there still remain challenges such as complex road surface and large curvature. In this paper, we present a robust lane detection method under structured roads to solve these issues. The method contains two parts: straight line detection in near field and curve matching in far field. Instead of generating top-view image by inverse perspective mapping (IPM), we propose a new form of IPM application to reduce noise that we only take advantage of sub-pixel-level spatial relations and project line segments obtained by line segments detector to top-view image. Then, we apply density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise to clustering segments and design a fusion method to extract the optimal lines combination from clusters. Finally, a weighted hyperbolic model is proposed to finish curve fitting. The results of experiment indicate that the method has robust performance in complex environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Developed a FEA model for six-phase MRCAC. • Studied the influence of MRCA replacement rate and residual mortar thickness on compressive performance of recycled concrete. • Clarified coverage and adhesion amount of old cement mortar by statistical methods and analysis results. Based on the typical morphology of recycled coarse aggregate in reality and the ontological relationship of the existing recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) mesoscopic constituent materials, a finite element analysis model of recycled coarse aggregate that can take into account the factors of the amount and location of attachment of the residual mortar was developed to establish the Modeled Recycled Coarse Aggregate Concrete (MRCAC). Combined with the mesoscopic mechanical properties of MRCAC, a plastic damage intrinsic model was used in the numerical analysis of MRCAC under uniaxial compressive loading to study the damage characteristics and stress–strain relationships of MRCAC. In this paper, the Modeled Recycled Coarse Aggregate (MRCA) is established in the ABAQUS numerical analysis software by self-compiled Python script, and the uniaxial compression simulation of MRCAC is carried out. Compared with the existing idealized model recycled concrete and other forms of digital recycled concrete model, The results show that, on the premise of meeting the general law of existing research results, the development of cracks in MRCAC under load is directly related to the shape of residual mortar wrapping. The strength of MRCAC is minimally influenced by residual mortar adhesion amount; however, the coverage of residual mortar has a significant impact on its strength. The arrangement of MRCA may also play a role in the stress–strain relationship of MRCAC. Additionally, it should be noted that residual mortar adhesion amount and coverage are distinct concepts that affect the strength and strain of MRCAC independently. These findings highlight the need to differentiate between these two factors in further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant adhesives have great potential as substitutes for formaldehyde-based adhesives due to their environmental friendliness, low cost, and nontoxicity. However, the application of this type of adhesive is challenged by its water resistance. Herein, an environmentally friendly bioadhesive was prepared from biomaterials, including waste cottonseed protein and sawdust. Isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) and oxidized cellulose (OC) were used as double crosslinking modifiers. A protein-based bioadhesive with excellent adhesive properties and stable hydrothermal resistance was produced. The impact of IPDI and OC on the crosslinking network was evaluated by detailed Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectrometry analysis. It was found that IPDI and OC, as crosslinking agents, synergistically improved the dry and wet bonding strength of the adhesive. At the optimal loadings of 10% OC and 20% IPDI, the wet bonding strength of the adhesive reached 1.55 MPa on average, which is more than twice that of the Chinese Type II plywood adhesive standard (0.7 MPa). The dry bonding strength also increased to 2.67 MPa with this addition. The improvements in bonding strength as well as the water-resistance of the bioadhesive were ascribed to the formation of a dual-crosslinking network between the IPDI, OC, and cottonseed protein. Both protein-oxidized cellulose and protein-isophorone diisocyanate crosslinking networks were formed in the adhesive system, tightly combining the adhesive components. Thus, the biodegradable adhesive developed in this work provides an effective and convenient approach for the development of all-biomass-derived adhesives, and the constructed high-performance adhesive presents potential application for sustainable wood products. [Display omitted] • Protein-based bioadhesive with excellent adhesive properties and stable hydrothermal resistance. • A dual-crosslinking network contributing to outstanding adhesion performance. • Cheap, easily-made, and environmentally friendly bioadhesive for plywood board applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2) primarily functions as an effector of insulin/PI3K signaling to regulate cell proliferation and is associated with cell metabolism. However, the function of mTORC2 in lipid metabolism is not well understood. In the present study, mTORC2 was inactivated by the ATP-competitive mTOR inhibitor AZD8055 or shRNA targeting RICTOR in primary bovine mammary epithelial cells (pBMECs). MTT assay was performed to examine the effect of AZD8055 on cell proliferation. ELISA assay and GC-MS analysis were used to determine the content of lipid. The mRNA and protein expression levels were investigated by RT/real-time PCR and western blot analysis, respectively. We found that cell proliferation, mTORC2 activation, and lipid secretion were inhibited by AZD8055. RICTOR was knocked down and mTORC2 activation was specifically attenuated by the shRNA. Compared to control cells, the expression of the transcription factor gene PPARG and the lipogenic genes LPIN1, DGAT1, ACACA, and FASN was downregulated in RICTOR silencing cells. As a result, the content of intracellular triacylglycerol (TAG), palmitic acid (PA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and other 16 types of fatty acid was decreased in the treated cells; the accumulation of TAG, PA, and DHA in cell culture medium was also reduced. Overall, mTORC2 plays a critical role in regulating lipogenic gene expression, lipid synthesis, and secretion in pBMECs, and this process probably is through PPARγ. This finding provides a model by which lipogenesis is regulated in pBMECs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first polyoxometalate (POM)-containing nanocage based metal–organic framework (Zn-POMCF) was synthesized by a surfactant-assisted method. In contrast to the Zn-based metal–organic framework (Zn-MOF), the cooperative assembly of POM and a Zn/trz macrocycle gave rise to high stability and good electrochemical ability of the Zn-POMCF in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gene therapy is a promising strategy for treatments of various diseases. Efficient and safe introduction of therapeutic genes into targeted cells is essential to realize functions of the genes. High-molecular-weight polyethylenimines (HMW PEIs) including 25 kDa branched PEI and 22 kDa linear PEI are widely used for in vitro gene transfection. However, high-gene transfection efficiency is usually accompanied with high cytotoxicity, which hampers their further clinical study. On the contrary, low-molecular-weight polyethylenimines (LMW PEIs) such as 1.8 kDa PEI and 800 Da PEI show good biocompatibility but their applications are limited by the poor DNA condensation capability. In this study, we find that 1.8 kDa PEI, but not 800 Da PEI combined with low-dose 25 kDa PEI could significantly promote gene transfection with low cytotoxicity. Plasmids encoding enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) were delivered by the combined PEI and gene transfection efficiency was evaluated by microscopic observation and flow cytometry. Parameters including concentrations of 25 kDa PEI and 1.8 kDa PEI and preparation ways were further optimized. This study presents an efficient and safe combined PEI-based non-viral gene delivery strategy with potential for in vivo applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we have considered a methodical approach to forecast the consequences of the influence of pulsed electromagnetic fields on electronic devices based on three defined conditions of the disruption of device functioning. The approach is based on the use of key parameters of pulse disturbances in critical circuits of electronic devices. Depending on the problem being solved and features of the object being tested, the key parameters can be: the amplitude of a voltage pulse in a critical circuit of an object; the Joule integral; the energy; the frequency of repetition of influencing pulses; the probability of a bit error; the number of errors in a transferred data packet; the data rate, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membrane based on polyamide (PA) chemistry was widely applied for water purification and desalination process due to the improved water permeance. It remains a great challenge to significantly enhance rejection because of the non-selective defects caused by the aggregation of nanomaterials in the PA layer. Novel interlayer-based TFN (iTFN) membrane containing nanomaterial interlayer between the porous substrate and PA layer is the promising candidate to improve PA integrity and thus overcome the ubiquitous trade-off between permeability and selectivity. The nanomaterial interlayer not only promotes the subsequent interfacial polymerization (IP) but also provides improved pathways for water transport, which leads to simultaneous improvement in membrane permeability and selectivity. This review systematically categorizes nanomaterial interlayers into three types according to construction methods, namely, direct deposition, in situ growth and functional group-anchored in situ assembly (FAISA). The mechanism of interlayer modulating IP process and PA structure, as well as the effects on water transport, are comprehensively analyzed. Encouraging results reveal that using MOFs interlayer prepared by FAISA is the most promising way to break the trade-off in manufacturing reverse osmosis membranes. Finally, challenges and future efforts are presented for advancing iTFN membranes. [Display omitted] • Recent advances in the porous nanomaterial interlayer enhanced iTFN membranes have been summarized. • Nanomaterial interlayers are categorized into three types according to the construction methods. • The effects of nanomaterial interlayer on interfacial polymerization and separation performance have been explored. • Functional group-anchored in situ assembly MOFs interlayer is a promising candidate to overcome the trade-off between membrane permeability and selectivity. • Challenges and future efforts of promoting nanomaterial interlayer-based iTFN membranes are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gene therapy is a promising strategy for treatments of various diseases. Efficient and safe introduction of therapeutic genes into targeted cells is essential to realize functions of the genes. High-molecular-weight polyethylenimines (HMW PEIs) including 25 kDa branched PEI and 22 kDa linear PEI are widely used for in vitro gene transfection. However, high-gene transfection efficiency is usually accompanied with high cytotoxicity, which hampers their further clinical study. On the contrary, low-molecular-weight polyethylenimines (LMW PEIs) such as 1.8 kDa PEI and 800 Da PEI show good biocompatibility but their applications are limited by the poor DNA condensation capability. In this study, we find that 1.8 kDa PEI, but not 800 Da PEI combined with low-dose 25 kDa PEI could significantly promote gene transfection with low cytotoxicity. Plasmids encoding enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) were delivered by the combined PEI and gene transfection efficiency was evaluated by microscopic observation and flow cytometry. Parameters including concentrations of 25 kDa PEI and 1.8 kDa PEI and preparation ways were further optimized. This study presents an efficient and safe combined PEI-based non-viral gene delivery strategy with potential for in vivo applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional interfacial polymerization (IP) requires excessive amounts of reactive monomers and solvents due to the dip-coating method. Herein, we report a rod-coating assisted IP process to prepare nanofiltration (NF) membranes. The results demonstrate that a perfect PA layer can be fabricated by using low monomer dosages of PIP (0.08 g/m2) and TMC (0.016 g/m2). This can significantly reduce the consumption of monomers and organic solvents, and effectively avoid the waste of hazardous and expensive chemicals. Thanks to the fewer monomer dosages, the prepared NF membranes were much thinner and looser, which significantly improved the membrane permeability. The highest permeance of the rod-coated membranes reached 204.0 L/(m2 h MPa), which was increased by ∼251% compared to the dip-coated NF membrane. More importantly, the rod-coated membranes possessed excellent Na 2 SO 4 rejections (>99.0%) and ultralow NaCl rejections (<14.4%). And the maximum NaCl/Na 2 SO 4 selective efficiency reached 125.7, which was about 7 folds to that of the dip-coated NF membrane. This study suggests that the rod-coating method is highly feasible for the preparation of polyamide NF membranes with high performance. It is reasonable to expect that this rod-coating assisted IP process offers a new approach to fabricating NF membranes. [Display omitted] • High performance PA-NF membranes fabricated by rod-coated assisted IP process. • The rod-coating method significantly reduce the consumption of the monomers. • The rod-coated membrane possesses an excellent permeate flux of 204.0 L/(m2 h MPa). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

K 2 Fe[Fe(CN) 6 ] (KFHCF) is promising cathode material for potassium-ion batteries (PIBs). However, it suffers from limited capacity, poor cycling, and rate capability during cycling. Here, the low-spin Fe species coordinated with carbon atoms from cyanogen ligands (FeLS-C) are regulated and activated by manganese (Mn) substitution. The regulation is systematically investigated through theoretical simulation and experiments. The original electron configuration (t 2g 6e g 0) of FeLS-C is changed with appropriate Mn-substitution (t 2g 3e g 2), which improves the utilization of FeLS-C, accelerates the redox charge transfer and enhances the electrical conductivity of the material. The resultant K 2 Mn 0.1 Fe 0.9 [Fe(CN) 6 ] (KMFHCF-0.1) delivers an improved reversible capacity of 135 mAh·g−1 at 100 mA g−1 while the capacity of pure KFHCF is only 118 mAh·g−1. It also demonstrates excellent rate performance (76 mAh·g−1 at 800 mA·g−1) and long cycling stability (0.3% capacity degradation per cycle over 200 cycles). Ex-situ measurements verify that the cathode undergoes a highly reversible solid solution process during K-ions insertion/extraction. The full cells with hard carbon anodes demonstrate a high reversible capacity of 110 mAh·g−1 and considerable energy density of 275 Wh·kg−1 as well as excellent cyclability and favorable rate performance. This work expands the design pathways for Prussian blue analogs cathode materials. [Display omitted] • The low-spin Fe in Mn–Fe hexacyanoferrate is activated by Mn substitution. • The Mn regulated Mn–Fe hexacyanoferrate delivers superior potassium ion storage performance. • A facile solid solution process during the redox process is investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the global demand for lithium resources has grown substantially due to the rapid development of the new energy industry. The nanofiltration (NF) technique is a feasible method to extract lithium from salt-lake brine, and the high Mg2+/Li+ separation selectivity of the NF membrane is the crucial factor in the NF separation process. In this work, the polyamide (PA) layer was prepared on the polyphenol/PEI interlayer-modified polysulfone (PSF) substrate to endow the NF membrane with decreased pore size and weakened electronegativity. Enhanced steric hindrance effect and reduced electrostatic attraction between Mg2+ and PA layer increased the Mg2+ rejection, thereby improving the Mg2+/Li+ separation factor of the NF membrane. Furthermore, the positively charged polyphenol/PEI interlayer hindered the permeation of Mg2+ through the Donnan effect, further enhancing the Mg2+/Li + separation factor. A separation factor up to 50.7 for Mg2+/Li+ was achieved by extracting lithium from simulated brine using the obtained NF membrane. In addition, the NF membrane exhibited a permeability of 18.6 L m−2 h−1·bar−1 and excellent long-term stability, which greatly improved the Mg2+/Li+ separation efficiency and reduced energy consumption. Therefore, this work provides a simple strategy for preparing NF membranes with high Mg2+/Li+ separation factor and permeability. [Display omitted] • Dual-electric layer NF membranes with positively charged interlayer and negatively charged separation layer. • The high Mg2+/Li+ separation selectivity is attributed to the synergy between the steric hindrance effect and Donnan exclusion. • The Mg2+/Li+ selectivity of NF membranes can be adjusted by changing the preparation conditions of the interlayer. • Permeability - selectivity trade-off was well addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Nanofiltration membranes with strong negative charge were prepared by a new aqueous monomer 2,4,6-trimethyl-3,5-diaminobenzenesulfonamide (TMDBSA) through the traditional interfacial polymerization process without any post-treatment. • The membrane has high water permeability (19.6 L m−2 h−1 bar−1) and >98.3% methyl blue rejection. • It owns separation stability for the removal of MB in a harsh acid environment. • It has excellent antifouling performance and long-term stability during the filtration tests. • It demonstrates great practical application potential for treating acidic anionic dyes solutions. Nanofiltration (NF) membranes with negative surface charge are of critical significance for the efficient removal of anionic dyes from wastewater. In this work, a novel negatively charged NF membrane was prepared from a new sulfonamide monomer, 2,4,6-trimethyl-3,5-diaminobenzenesulfonamide (TMDBSA) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) via interfacial polymerization. The unique diamino-sulfonamide structure of TMDBSA would be conducive to the formation of a poly (amide-sulfonamide) (PASA) layer with enhanced negative charge while maintaining the appropriate degree of crosslinking. The TMDBSA-TMC membrane prepared at optimized condition exhibits both high water permeability (19.6 L m−2h−1 bar−1) and superior rejections of anionic dyes with different molecular weights (e.g. 98.3% rejection for methyl blue), reveals that Donnan exclusion dominates the rejection mechanism. More importantly, benefiting from the strong negatively charged surface and PASA structure, the TMDBSA-TMC membrane shows separation stability for the removal of methyl blue in a broad pH range, even under a harsh acid environment. Meanwhile, the membrane has excellent antifouling performance and long-term stability during the filtration tests. The newly developed negatively charged NF membrane demonstrates great practical application potential for the removal of anionic dyes with small molecular weights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a major mastitis-causing pathogen in dairy cows. Dairy cows with mastitis suffer from a decrease in milk yield and protein content. Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is a natural product with anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we examined the function and mechanism of CGA with regard to its anti-inflammatory effects and evaluated its protective function in milk protein synthesis in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs). BMECs were cultured with and without infection by S. aureus and CGA, and extracellular inflammatory cytokines and amino acids in the medium and milk proteins were determined by ELISA. The function of IL- 10RA in anti-inflammatory processes and of SF-1 in milk protein synthesis was assessed by gene silencing. The activity of mTORC1, NF-κB, and STAT5 was examined by western blot. S. aureus caused intracellular infection and upregulated TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8, whereas uptake of amino acids and milk protein synthesis were suppressed. CGA mitigated the S. aureus- induced inflammatory response and milk protein synthesis in vitro and in vivo. CGA alleviated S. aureus- induced inhibition of mTORC1 and STAT5 and upregulated IL-10 and IL- 10RA. In addition, SF-1 was predicted to be a transcription factor of the milk protein-encoding genes α-LA , β-LG , and CSN2. S. aureus downregulated SF-1 and CGA reversed the decline in milk protein synthesis due to SF-1 knockdown. Thus, CGA mitigates the inflammatory response that is induced by S. aureus and protects the uptake of amino acids and milk protein synthesis in BMECs. • S. aureus stimulates inflammatory response and decreases milk protein synthesis in bovine mammary epithelial cells. • Chlorogenic acid mitigates S. aureus -induced inflammatory response and the decline of milk protein synthesis. • CGA enhances mTORC1 signaling and the expression of IL-10 and IL-10RA [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mono/multivalent cation separation techniques have shown increasing importance in diverse environmental and energy applications. The separation performance of emerging monovalent cation exchange membranes (MCEMs) is greatly determined by the architecture and charge property of MCEMs, which should be finely tuned for the energy efficiency applications. Herein, a series of mussel-inspired polyphenol/polyethyleneimine assembled membranes (PPAMs) with highly positively-charged surfaces were elegantly constructed through a facile layer-by-layer assembly method. Based on the synergetic reactions between polyphenols with multiple reactive groups and PEI with abundant amino groups, the denser membrane surfaces with a higher crosslinking degree and more positive charges were readily formed. As a result, the Na+/Mg2+ and Li+/Mg2+ perm-selectivities of PPAMs with such surface architecture and charge property followed the same order as gallic acid/polyethyleneimine membrane (M-GA/PEI) > pyrogallic/polyethyleneimine membrane (M-Pyrogallic/PEI) > protocatechuic acid/polyethyleneimine membrane (M-PA/PEI) > caffeic acid/polyethyleneimine membrane (M-CA/PEI). Most interestingly, the M-GA/PEI fabricated exhibited the unprecedented perm-selectivity (Na+/Mg2+) up to 180.4 with Na+ flux of 6.01 × 10−8 mol cm−2 s−1, which exceeded the current "Upper Bound" plot of MCEMs. The low membrane resistance and excellent separation performance of PPAMs brought great potential for resource recovery and environmental remediation. [Display omitted] • Mussel-inspired PPAMs are fabricated through a facile layer-by-layer assembly method. • M-GA/PEI exhibits the unprecedented perm-selectivity (Na+/Mg2+) of 180.4. • PPAMs can be deployed to extract monovalent cations in Na+/Mg2+ and Li+/Mg2+ systems. • The superior separation performance of PPAMs exceeds the current "Upper Bound" plot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Derived from Y6, BTSi-4F has a novel bulky siloxane-terminated group as side-chains. • BTSi-4F exhibits a better solubility and up-shifted LUMO energy level. • BTSi-4F shows a more ordered molecular packing, and higher electron-mobility. • The PM6:BTSi-4F film shows a better blend miscibility than PM6:Y6 film. • The PCE of the OSCs was improved from 13.0% to 16.6% upon modification. As one of the simple but most effective molecular design strategies, side-chain engineering has been widely employed to modify the photoelectric properties of active layer materials for boosting the photovoltaic performance of organic solar cells (OSCs). Herein, a functionalized small molecule acceptor (SMA) named BTSi-4F with a bulky siloxane-terminated solubilizing group as side-chains, derived from a classical SMA of Y6, was designed and synthesized. The results demonstrate that the introduction of siloxane-functional terminated groups into SMA not only affects the optical absorption and molecular energy levels, but also regulates the miscibility between the polymer donor and SMA. Compared to the original Y6, BTSi-4F exhibits a better solubility, upshifted lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy level, more ordered molecular packing, and higher electron-mobility. Matched with a wide bandgap polymer donor PM6, the chlorobenzene-processed OSCs based on PM6:BTSi-4F achieved a superior power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 16.6% with both high open-circuit voltage (V oc) of 0.90 V and high fill factor (FF) of 0.77, while the devices based on PM6:Y6 obtained a much lower PCE of 13.0% with a V oc of 0.81 V and FF of 0.69 under the same conditions. This work offers a promising molecular design strategy of siloxane-terminated side chain engineering to develop high-performance SMAs for efficient OSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway regulates the development of ovaries and synthesis of vitellogenin (Vg) in the swimming crab Portunus trituberculatus , but the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we cloned the essential c-fos gene of the JNK signaling pathway using the rapid amplification of complementary DNA end method. The full-length cDNA of c-fos was 2829 bp long and had a 1497 bp open reading frame encoding a 498 amino acid protein and containing a basic leucine zipper domain. After injecting c-jun-double stranded (ds) RNA to silence the JNK signaling pathway target gene c-jun, the expression levels of key JNK signaling pathway genes (c-jun, JNK, Vg, and c-fos) in the hepatopancreas were significantly down-regulated (P < 0.05). In ovarian tissue, the expression levels of c-jun, c-fos, and Vg genes were significantly down-regulated (P < 0.05), but no significant change was detected for JNK gene expression. Hematoxylin-eosin staining indicated that the oocytes in the c-jun-dsRNA group and the Vg-dsRNA group developed slowly, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay confirmed that the accumulation of vitellin in the ovary was significantly reduced by 56% and 52% in the two groups, respectively. Co-immunoprecipitation results showed that c-Jun and c-fos proteins play a regulatory role by forming a heterodimeric transcription factor activator protein 1. These results indicated that the JNK signaling pathway of P. trituberculatus regulated the synthesis of Vg through the transcription factor activator protein 1, thereby regulating the accumulation of yolk. The results of this study provided a theoretical basis and technical guidance for P. trituberculatus production. • Obtain the full-length cDNA and molecular characteristics of the c-fos gene of Portunus trituberculatus. • The interaction between Jun protein and Fos protein of Portunus trituberculatus was identified. • Explored the regulatory effect of JNK protein target gene c-jun/Vg gene silencing on yolk accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ribosomal protein (rp) S6 is the substrate of ribosomal protein S6K (S6 kinase) and is involved in protein synthesis by mTOR/S6K/S6 signaling pathway. Some S6 cDNA have been cloned in mammals in recent years but has not been identified in the goat. To facilitate such studies, we cloned the cDNA encoding Cashmere goat (Capra hircus) S6 (GenBank accession GU131122) and then detected mRNA expression in seven tissues by real time PCR and protein expression in testis tissue by immunohistochemisty. Sequence analysis indicated that the obtained goat S6 was a 808 bp product, including a 3' untranslated region of 58 bp and an open reading frame of 750 bp which predicted a protein of 249 amino acids. The predicted amino acid sequence was highly homologous to cattle, human, mouse and rat S6. Expression analysis indicated S6 mRNA was expressed extensively in detected tissues and S6 protein was expressed in testis tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing number of rodent model systems use injection of DNA or viral constructs in the neonatal brain. However, approaches for reliable positioning and stereotaxic injection at this developmental stage are limited, typically relying on handheld positioning or molds that must be re-aligned for use in a given laboratory. A complete protocol and open-source software pipeline for generating 3D-printed head molds derived from a CT scan of a neonatal mouse head cast, together with a universal adapter that can be placed on a standard stereotaxic stage. A series of test injections with adenovirus encoding red fluorescent protein, or Fluorogold, were conducted using original clay molds and newly generated 3D printed molds. Several metrics were used to compare spread and localization of targeted injections. The new method of head mold generation gave comparable results to the field standard, but also allowed the rapid generation of additional copies of each head mold with standardized positioning of the head each time. This 3D printing pipeline can be used to efficiently develop a series of head molds with standardized injection coordinates across multiple laboratories. More broadly, this pipeline can easily be adapted to other perinatal ages or species. • Head molds for stereotaxic injection of neonatal mouse brains can be 3D printed. • 3D-printed head molds standardize head orientation and stereotaxic coordinates. • 3D-printed head mold injections are as precise and consistent as the clay standard. • 3D printing decreases the amount of time required to generate a new head mold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • κ-Carrageenan, a widely used polysaccharide interferes with the binding of insulin to receptor. • κ-Carrageenan causes non-diabetic less weight gain by impairing glucose metabolism in mice. • κ-Carrageenan inhibits the insulin PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Carrageenan (CGN) is a common food additive, and questions have been raised regarding its safety for human consumption. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of κ-CGN on glucose intolerance and insulin resistance from the perspective that κ-CGN may interfere with insulin receptor function and affect insulin sensitivity and signaling, thereby leading to body weight loss. The health effects of κ-CGN on C57BL/6 mice were assessed over a 90-d period by monitoring changes in body weight, glucose tolerance, insulin tolerance, fasting glucose and insulin levels, and expression of insulin-pathway-related proteins. Furthermore, HepG2 cells were used to detect the binding of κ-CGN on insulin receptor and measure its effect on downstream signal transduction. In mice, κ-CGN treatment reduced weight gain without affecting food intake. Glucose and insulin tolerance tests revealed that κ-CGN treatment increased blood glucose levels and glycosylated hemoglobin levels, while hepatic and muscle glycogen levels were decreased, suggesting that κ-CGN affected glucose metabolism in mice. Interestingly, κ-CGN treatment did not cause typical diabetic symptoms in mice, as indicated by low levels of fasting and postprandial blood glucose, in addition to normal pancreatic tissue and insulin secretion. The binding studies revealed that κ-CGN could competitively bind to the insulin receptor with FITC-insulin and thereby disrupt PI3K and Akt activation, thus suppressing expression of glucose transporters and glycogen synthase. In summary, this study revealed that κ-CGN reduced weight gain without affecting food intake, but impaired glucose metabolism in mice by interfering with insulin binding to receptors, thereby affecting the sensitivity of insulin and inhibiting the insulin PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, causing non-diabetic weight gain reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Special circular microporous polyarylate membrane was prepared by interfacial polymerization. • Three kinds of CD (α-, β- and γ-CD) presented different polycondensation reactivity. • The types and content of alkali in the aqueous solution affected the membrane structure and gas permeation properties. • β-CD/TMC polyacrylate membranes showed high CO 2 /N 2 separation performance. Microporous polymer membranes have received extensive attention in the membrane separation field based on the advantage of high gas permeance and low cost. However, there are a few reports of microporous polyacrylate membranes fabricated by interfacial polymerization (IP), and the formation mechanism and influence factor of the microporous structure is rarely illuminated. In this work, thin-film polyacrylate membrane with circular microporous morphology were prepared by IP method with cyclodextrin and acyl chloride as the aqueous and oil phase monomer respectively for effective gas separation. The effects of the aqueous and organic phase monomer structure and concentration, the concentration and type of alkali in the aqueous solution on the membrane morphology and gas separation performance were investigated in detail. As a result, the polyacrylate membrane fabricated by β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) with optimal content of NaOH in the aqueous phase formed the special circular microporous structure by the scanning electronic microscope (SEM) characterization. The resulting membrane showed CO 2 permeance of 200 GPU with CO 2 /N 2 ideal separation selectivity of 10.53. This work provides an effective strategy to fabricate high performance polyacrylate membrane by regulating the monomer structure and the alkali concentration in the aqueous phenol solution with IP method, which would inspire the exploration of other phenolic monomer for the assembly of microporous polymer membranes for gas separation or seawater desalination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanofiltration (NF) membrane is of great significance for desalination of light brine and purification of drinking water. Although the development of novel preparation methods and membrane materials has improved the separation performance, it is still a major challenge to promote NF membrane toward industrial production with simpler and more controllable process. Herein, the polyphenol intermediate layer was designed by 5,5′,6,6′-tetrahydroxy-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethyl-1,1′-spirobisindane (TTSBI) with twist structure and polyethyleneimine (PEI) co-deposition to increase the surface hydrophilicity and electropositivity of the polysulfone ultrafiltration substrate. Subsequently interfacial polymerization (IP) was carried out on the polyphenol intermediate layer to assemble a polyamide ultrathin selective layer using trimesoyl chloride and piperazine monomer. Through adjusting the co-deposition time of TTSB and PEI, a unique nano-pleated structure was successfully formed on the thin-film composite membrane surface. The water permeance of the membrane was determined as 23.7 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 with 99.4% Na 2 SO 4 rejection, which was almost triple fold of the flux of the controller membrane without the intermediate layer. Our results provide an efficient and convenient way to fabricate the advanced NF membrane with higher divalent/monovalent ion selectivity and water permeance simultaneously, which will provide advices for the gas separation and pervaporation membranes with the IP method. • Novel TTSBI-PEI interlayer-based polyamide membrane was fabricated by interfacial polymerization. • The nano-pleated structure on the selective layer improved the water flux without deterioration of Na 2 SO 4 rejection. • The novel nanofiltration membrane exhibited excellent long-term stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome the poor conductivities and promote the application in the biosensors of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a simple approach was employed to improve their overall conductivity by adjusting the metal centers of MOFs and coating conductive polypyrrole (PPy) in the work. An unprecedented molybdenum oxide-based three-dimensional MOFs with helical channels (CuTRZMoO 4) was synthesized based on MoO 4 −, Cu2+ ions and 1,2,3-trz for the first time, then combined with PPy to fabricate hybrid composites (CuTRZMoO 4 @PPy-n) with both advantages. The CuTRZMoO 4 modified glassy carbon electrode show high sensitivity for detecting the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA), and the CuTRZMoO 4 @PPy-2 modified glassy carbon electrode has the highest catalytical activity to DA with the linear detection range from 1 μM to 100 μM and the detection limit of 80 nM (S/N = 3) by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Moreover, the developed biosensor has good selectivity, reproducibility and stability. The concept behinds the new architecture to modify electrodes should promote the further development of MOF-based biosensors. A high active, non-noble MOF based biosensing platform by adjusting the metal centers of MOFs and employing conductive polypyrrole (PPy) for enhancing detection of dopamine (DA) was developed for the first time. Image 1 • Molybdenum oxide-based metal-organic framework ([Cu 3 (trz) 2 (MoO 4) 2 ]·H 2 O) were synthesized. • Adjusting the metal centers of Mo based MOFs and employing conductive PPy to dopamine (DA) detection is discussed. • The CuTRZMoO 4 @PPy exhibit the excellent detection of DA with wide linear detection range and very low limit of detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]