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As increasing numbers of electric vehicles (EVs) enter into the society, the charging behavior of EVs has got lots of attention due to its economical difference within the electricity market. The charging cost for EVs generally differ from each other in choosing the charging time interval (hourly), since the hourly electricity prices are different in the market. In this paper, the problem is formulated into an optimal control one and solved by dynamic programming. Optimization aims to find the economically optimal charging solution for each vehicle. In this paper, a nonlinear battery model is characterized and presented, and a given future electricity prices is assumed and utilized. Simulation results indicate that daily charing cost is reduced by smart charing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research focused on the inhibition effect and mechanism of a selective depressant PBTCA (2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid) on flotation separation of magnesite from calcite. The inhibition effect of PBTCA was investigated through micro-flotation tests, and the results showed that PBTCA presented selective inhibition effect on calcite in sodium oleate (NaOL) system. The inhibition mechanism of PBTCA was analyzed by contact angle measurements, zeta potential analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The results of contact angle measurements indicated that PBTCA could increase the hydrophilicity of calcite surface while magnesite surface still maintained hydrophobicity with PBTCA and NaOL. Zeta potential measurements results indicated that the adsorption of PBTCA on calcite surface was stronger than magnesite, and NaOL could further adsorb on magnesite surface even PBTCA existed. Furthermore, XPS results confirmed the stronger adsorption between PBTCA and calcite, which could be attributed to the interaction between phosphonyl (–PO 3 H 2) structure of PBTCA and calcium ions on calcite surface. [Display omitted] • PBTCA was firstly used as a depressant in magnesite/calcite flotation. • PBTCA could selectively inhibit calcite but not magnesite. • The inhibition mechanism of PBTCA was studied. • The stronger interaction of –PO 3 H 2 and Ca2+ was the main cause of inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noble metal nanoparticles could provide a significant gain in sensitivity of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor by electromagnetic field coupling between the localized plasmon resonance of nanoparticles and gold film. A facile and cost-effective SPR sensor based on magnetic field-aligned Fe 3 O 4 -coated silver magnetoplasmonic nanoparticles (Ag@MNPs) nanochain (M-Ag@MNPs) was proposed to improve the sensitivity of the sensor, which gave access to detect clinical targets at low concentration. Optimization experiments proved that 80 ng mL−1 M-Ag@MNPs-based SPR sensor showed high refractive index sensitivity and increased detection accuracy and quality factor when comparing with those of bare gold. Sialic acid binding Ig like lectins-15 (Siglec-15) was used as proof of concept to verify the sensitivity enhancement performance of M-Ag@MNPs in the actual detection process. SPR angle shifts of M-Ag@MNPs/gold sensor were significantly higher than those of traditional gold sensor under the same concentration of Siglec-15, which was consistent with previous performance analysis. Also, the detection limit of M-Ag@MNPs/gold sensor was calculated to be 1.36 pg mL−1. All these results had proved that aligning M-Ag@MNPs onto the gold chip could improve the performance of the SPR sensor and achieve sensitive detection of small amounts of clinical biomarkers. • A novel and facile biosensor based on M-Ag@MNPs was fabricated to detect Siglec-15 with low detection limit. • M-Ag@MNPs with enhanced electrochemical activities and SPR sensitivity was utilized. • The M-Ag@MNPs-based sensor provide a significant gain in RI S due to enhanced LSPR and high refractive index of Ag@MNPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Destruxin A (DA) is a microbial insecticide with potent bioactivity against Spodoptera litura larvae. A previous proteomic analysis of S. litura (SL-1) cells exposed to DA showed the abnormal expression of wing disc-like protein of S. litura (SLAWD). To further understand the effect of DA on SLAWD expression, a functional study was carried out. Principal Findings: The SLAWD gene (SLAWD) was cloned and an open reading frame of 537 bp encoding a polypeptide of 178 amino acids was detected. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) suggested that SLAWD is expressed in all developmental stages of S. litura, but expression was highest during the pupal and adult stages. RNAi knockdown of SLAWD expression in 6th-stage larvae was achieved by the microinjection of a specific double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). The results showed a significant decrease in SLAWD mRNA expression levels between the prepupal and adult stages. Interestingly, SLAWD expression was similarly down-regulated by treating 6th-stage larvae with DA. Growth- and development-related statistics confirmed the observed abnormalities in S. litura development after either RNAi or DA treatment. Conclusions: SLAWD appears to have a biosynthetic function in the pupal and adult stages of S. litura. The toxic effect of DA on S. litura development is due the negative effect of DA on SLAWD gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, a sensitive and simple method for the determination of melamine (MA) was developed based on the fluorescence changes of the water-soluble CuInS2 quantum dots (QDs). The water-soluble CuInS2 QDs capped by mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) was directly synthesized by hydrothermal method based on our previous report. The fluorescence emission of CuInS2 QDs was quenched by the oxidation of the surface of the QDs with H2O2, and the quenched fluorescence of CuInS2 QDs could be recovered upon the addition of small amounts of MA, which might be due to the surface passivation of the CuInS2 QDs by MA. The other amino acids such as glycine and lysine had no effect on the quenched fluorescence of CuInS2 QDs. Under optimum conditions, there was a good linear relationship between the fluorescence intensity of CuInS2 QDs and the concentration range of MA from 1.0×10−8 to 1.0×10−5 mol/L with a detection limit as low as 5nM. The proposed method was successfully applied to detect trace MA in raw milk with satisfactory results. Compared with previous reports, the proposed method manifested several advantages such as high sensitivity, short analysis time, low cost and ease of operation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, the flame merging and burning characteristics of two ultra-long thin line fires (length 1000 mm, width 3 mm) with aspect ratio of 333:1 are studied at different spacing distances (S = 2, 4, 6, 10, 12, 18, 20, 26, 30, 36, 40 and 50 cm) and heat release rates ( Q ˙ = 19.4, 25.7, 32.7, 38.9 and 43.6 kW). The two parallel burners are fueled by propane. The values of S / L fs , S = 0 = 0.8 for the critical merging position and S / W = 1000 for the critical interaction position are both correspondingly larger. It can be considered as that, the larger aspect ratio will promote the flame merging interaction and increase flame merging probability P m .The flame structure shows the "U" shape on the lengthwise direction, and the side flame height L fs and the middle flame height L fm are firstly introduced in order to reveal the three-dimensional effect. A segmental correlation of dimensionless flame height L fs / L fm with S / Z c is well developed, with the critical value S / Z c = 4 . A side flame height L fs prediction model is also derived theoretically, which shows a good agreement with the experiments value. Meanwhile, it is found that, the flame inclination angle θ increases with S ,due to the competition of air entrainment in the additional region. A side flame length Z fs model based on θ and L fs is proposed, which will extend the flame height model. This work provides the essential knowledge on the side detailed flame structure including the important parameters of L fs , θ and Z fs related with S and Q ˙ . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The functionalization of polyoxometalates (POMs), especially with an amino group to yield organonitrogenous derivatives of POMs, is an efficient approach to the enrichment of their structures and the diversification of their properties for various applications. The mechanism for the formation of organonitrogenous-derivatized hexamolybdates was explored by investigating the monofunctionalization of the [Mo6O19]2− ion with methylamine using the density functional theory (DFT) method. The calculations show that the direct imidoylization of hexamolybdate with methylamine is both kinetically and thermodynamically unfavorable. However, this imidoylization was found to take place readily in the presence of dimethylcarbodiimide (DMC), for which the free-energy barrier was calculated to be +32.5 kcal mol−1 in acetonitrile. Moreover, various factors controlling the efficiency of the imidoylization were examined. The calculations show that [W5MoO19]2− has a relatively lower reactivity than [Mo6O19]2−, and that the imidoylization of [W6O19]2− is an unfavorable process. With respect to the effect of carbodiimides, it is found that the catalytic activity is directly proportional to the electron-withdrawing effects of the substituents. As to the reactivity of RNH2, the computation results indicate that the free-energy barriers of the substitution reactions are linearly correlated with the basicity constants (p Kb) of the amino groups. It is noteworthy that the introduction of the proton dramatically decreases the free-energy barrier of the imidoylization of [Mo6O19]2− catalyzed by DMC to 24.3 kcal mol−1 in acetonitrile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How is the characteristic shape of an organelle generated? Recent work has provided insight into how the tubular network of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is formed. The tubules themselves are shaped by the reticulons and DP1/Yop1p, whereas their fusion into a network is brought about by membrane-bound GTPases that include the atlastins, Sey1p, and RHD3. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: 8-Hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and 5-methyl-2′-deoxycytidine (5-mdC) are utilized as useful biomarkers not only for early diagnosis but also for the detection and assessment of high-risk individuals. In the present study, a sensitive and specific method was developed for simultaneous determination of 8-OHdG and 5-mdC in DNA by high performance liquid chromatography/positive electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. The limits of quantification for 8-OHdG and 5-mdC were 80 and 40pg/ml, respectively. The calibration curves of 8-OHdG and 5-mdC were linear over the concentration range of 0.02–100ng/ml and the correlation coefficients were higher than 0.9990. The intra-day and inter-day relative standard derivative values were in the range of 0.70–7.47% for 8-OHdG and 1.07–7.06% for 5-mdC, respectively. The recoveries were 93.4–108.5% for 8-OHdG and 87.4–104.9% for 5-mdC, respectively. This method was validated by determination of the background levels of 8-OHdG and 5-mdC in calf thymus DNA, and satisfactory results were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) consists of tubules that are shaped by the reticulons and DP1/Yop1p, but how the tubules form an interconnected network is unknown. Here, we show that mammalian atlastins, which are dynamin-like, integral membrane GTPases, interact with the tubule-shaping proteins. The atlastins localize to the tubular ER and are required for proper network formation in vivo and in vitro. Depletion of the atlastins or overexpression of dominant-negative forms inhibits tubule interconnections. The Sey1p GTPase in S. cerevisiae is likely a functional ortholog of the atlastins; it shares the same signature motifs and membrane topology and interacts genetically and physically with the tubule-shaping proteins. Cells simultaneously lacking Sey1p and a tubule-shaping protein have ER morphology defects. These results indicate that formation of the tubular ER network depends on conserved dynamin-like GTPases. Since atlastin-1 mutations cause a common form of hereditary spastic paraplegia, we suggest ER-shaping defects as a neuropathogenic mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), one of the most common flame retardants, affects neurodevelopment, disrupts the endocrine system, and increases the possibility of tumorigenesis. This study investigates the cytotoxic effects, genetic effects, and metabolic effects from exposure to low concentration TBBPA. The cell exposure was measured by mimicking the residual TBBPA concentrations in human plasma, specifically in occupational populations. Our results revealed that long-term TBBPA exposure, especially at 1 nM concentration, significantly promoted the proliferation of HepG2 cells. Furthermore, long-term TBBPA exposure can double the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) released from mitochondria, thereby increasing Adenosine Monophosphate activated Protein kinase (AMPK) gene expression level to promote cellular proliferation. However, ROS can also mediate the apoptosis process through the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). The RNA-seq analysis confirmed that the Ras signaling pathway was activated by the growth factor to mediate cell detoxification mechanism, increasing lipid and vitamin metabolic rate. Our work uncovers a cellular mechanism by which long-term exposure to low concentration TBBPA can induce the activation of the Ras signaling pathway and demonstrates potential metabolic disorder in the human hepatic cells upon plasma TBBPA exposure. [Display omitted] • A nM level was established to examine TBBPA toxicity on the population exposed. • Low concentration TBBPA can accelerate the proliferation of HepG2 cells. • ROS generation in mitochondria was mildly increased to mediate resistance to TBBPA. • Chronic TBBPA exposure promoted mitochondrial membrane potential and cell apoptosis. • TBBPA up-regulated metabolism related genes and activated Ras signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) immune checkpoint has been regarded as a new target for predicting cancer immunotherapy. As a transmembrane protein, PD-L1 has very low blood concentration and is likely to deplete their native activity when separated from the membrane environment due to significant hydrophobic domains, which make it difficult to measure sensitively. The reported PD-L1 aptamers and antibodies are both extracellular region binding molecules with the overlapping binding sites, which seriously limit with the construction of biosensor. Specific intracellular binding peptide (SIBP) as a unique PD-L1 intracellular region homing probe molecule is utilized for specifically capture targets. A simple and sensitive surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sandwich assay was constructed to detect serum soluble PD-L1 (sPD-L1) based on the unique and strong binding ability of SIBP to the intracellular region of sPD-L1. The designed SPR sensor showed great selectivity and wide dynamic response range of sPD-L1 concentration from 10 ng/mL to 2000 ng/mL. The limit of detection was calculated to be 1.749 ng/mL (S/N = 3). Owing to the SIBP's strong and specific binding ability with sPD-L1, the sensitive sensor can successfully detect sPD-L1 in serum samples, paving the way for the development of efficient test tools for clinical diagnosis and analysis. • A serum sensor was constructed based on the PD-L1 specific intracellular binding peptide (SIBP) which was proposed. • SIBP eliminates the steric interference of most PD-L1 immune binding molecules during sandwich sensor assembly. • The SPR sensor based on SIBP's robust binding force has excellent clinical detection capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Precise self-assembly of 3D network structure (3D NS) were achieved by controlling the host-guest interaction. • The SPR angle shift caused by Gold/3D NS based sensor was up to about twice that of Gold/pSC 4. • Sensitivity enhancement of 3D NS was attributed to their high refractive index, high surface coverage, and enhanced LSPR. Nanoparticle gap, degree of order, and the structure of the nanocomposite functionalized interface have a significant impact on sensing properties. Orderly arranged gold nanoparticles enhance the local surface plasmon resonance and the surface plasmon wave coupling on the surface of the gold film, thereby effectively improving the SPR sensitivity. The orderly adjustment of AuNPs spacing can be achieved by changing the concentration of guest, and a precise self-assembled three-dimensional network structure (3D NS) can be successfully constructed. A simple and feasible sensor based on the 3D NS formed by the self-assembly of pSC4-AuNPs was proposed. SPR refractive index change experiment was performed to value the sensitivity performance of the sensor, and the three main parameters were improved. Multiple optimization experiments proved that 3D NS mediated by 1 mM paraquat showed the highest SPR sensitization effect. Bovine serum albumin antibody immune experiment was performed as a model to verify the SPR performance of 3D NS, which was identical to the performance analysis experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: SH2-B, APS, and Lnk constitute a family of adapter proteins that modulate signaling by protein tyrosine kinases. These adapters contain an N-terminal dimerization region, a pleckstrin homology domain, and a C-terminal Src homology-2 (SH2) domain. SH2-B is recruited via its SH2 domain to various protein tyrosine kinases, including Janus kinase-2 (Jak2) and the insulin receptor. Here, we present the crystal structure at 2.35 Å resolution of the SH2 domain of SH2-B in complex with a phosphopeptide representing the SH2-B recruitment site in Jak2 (pTyr813). The structure reveals a canonical SH2 domain-phosphopeptide binding mode, but with specific recognition of a glutamate at the +1 position relative to phosphotyrosine, in addition to recognition of a hydrophobic residue at the +3 position. Biochemical studies of SH2-B and APS demonstrate that, although the SH2 domains of these two adapter proteins share 79% sequence identity, the SH2-B SH2 domain binds preferentially to Jak2, whereas the APS SH2 domain has higher affinity for the insulin receptor. This differential specificity is attributable to the difference in the oligomeric states of the two SH2 domains: monomeric for SH2-B and dimeric for APS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Grb14, a member of the Grb7 adaptor protein family, possesses a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain, a C-terminal Src homology-2 (SH2) domain, and an intervening stretch of ∼45 residues known as the BPS region, which is unique to this adaptor family. Previous studies have demonstrated that Grb14 is a tissue-specific negative regulator of insulin receptor signaling and that inhibition is mediated by the BPS region. We have determined the crystal structure of the Grb14 BPS region in complex with the tyrosine kinase domain of the insulin receptor. The structure reveals that the N-terminal portion of the BPS region binds as a pseudosubstrate inhibitor in the substrate peptide binding groove of the kinase. Together with the crystal structure of the SH2 domain, we present a model for the interaction of Grb14 with the insulin receptor, which indicates how Grb14 functions as a selective protein inhibitor of insulin signaling. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The adaptor protein APS is a substrate of the insulin receptor and couples receptor activation with phosphorylation of Cbl to facilitate glucose uptake. The interaction with the activated insulin receptor is mediated by the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain of APS. Here, we present the crystal structure of the APS SH2 domain in complex with the phosphorylated tyrosine kinase domain of the insulin receptor. The structure reveals a novel dimeric configuration of the APS SH2 domain, wherein the C-terminal half of each protomer is structurally divergent from conventional, monomeric SH2 domains. The APS SH2 dimer engages two kinase molecules, with pTyr-1158 of the kinase activation loop bound in the canonical phosphotyrosine binding pocket of the SH2 domain and a second phosphotyrosine, pTyr-1162, coordinated by two lysine residues in β strand D. This structure provides a molecular visualization of one of the initial downstream recruitment events following insulin activation of its dimeric receptor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Progesterone (P4) is secreted in sheep epididymis. • P4 moderately inhibits dihydrotestosterone secretion through its nuclear receptor. • P4 is involved in sperm maturation and functionality in sheep. Progesterone (P4) is an anti-androgen compound whose role in sperm maturation and functionality remains unclear in sheep. Here, we aimed to investigate the regulation mechanism of P4 on the epididymal secretion of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). To this end, we performed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, immunohistochemical staining, western blotting, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to detect P4 concentration as well as StAR, P450scc, and 3β-HSD expression in sheep epididymis. Besides, cauda epithelial cells were cultured at different concentrations of P4 (10-9–10-5 g ml−1) as well as with or without the P4 receptor (PGR) inhibitor RU486 (10-7 M) or the PI3K-AKT inhibitor LY294006 (10-7 M) to explore the effect of P4 on DHT secretion and the underlying regulatory mechanism. The results showed that the caput, corpus, and cauda of sheep epididymis could synthesize P4 but had different synthesis ability. The PGR expression levels were the highest in the cauda, followed by the corpus. In vitro cell culture showed that P4 inhibition of DHT secretion and 5α-reductase 1 and 2 expression in epididymal epithelial cells could be moderately mitigated by RU486 but not by LY294002. Our results indicated that the paracrine and autocrine P4 could affect the secretion of DHT in epididymal cells through PGR. Overall, this study provides new data regarding the involvement of P4 in sperm maturation and functionality in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A data-driven prediction method of EVs' charging behavior is developed. • Uncertainties are analyzed to estimate the performance-based payment of providing ancillary service. • In optimization model, the non-parametric distribution function is converted to a solvable multivariable polynomial function. Electric vehicle batteries can be a flexible resource for providing regulation reserves in ancillary service markets. But uncertainty exists both in EVs' charging behavior and system's real-time regulation demand, which may cause the deficiency of regulation power of EVs, thus lowering the performance in ancillary service provision. Based on historical data of EVs' charging behavior and system's regulation signal, this paper proposes data-driven approaches to optimize EVs participation in ancillary service market. Firstly, the EV charging behavior uncertainty is described using a probability prediction model, and the uncertainty of regulation signal is analyzed as well. Secondly, based on the uncertainty description, a day-ahead schedule model is proposed to maximize the income, in which the estimated performance-based payment of providing ancillary service is considered. The model is tested with three EV aggregators, and the results are compared to analyze the ability and characteristics of the EV aggregators when providing ancillary service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Missed diagnosis has been a serious public health issue in clinical diagnosis and treatment, it may cause disease deterioration and reduce cure rate. In recent years, many deep learning approaches have been proposed for automated medical image classification. In this study, we propose a new methodology to detect the images missed diagnosed by deep learning classifiers. Based on the intermediate feature maps of deep learning classifiers, the proposed model can detect missed diagnosed sample and reduce the missed diagnoses rate, with no obvious decrease in the accuracy. The proposed model is constructed using generative adversarial networks and autoencoders to learn consistent mapping from data space to latent space, and is trained with adversarial examples. After training, the output of the discriminator is used to recognize missed diagnosed samples. The method is evaluated on different network architectures and various types of medical image datasets and achieves promising results. Compared with other state-of-the-art approaches, the proposed method shows superior performance on most datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The diversity of histologic composition reflects the inter- and intra-tumor heterogeneity of lung adenocarcinomas (LUADs) macroscopically. Insights into the oncological characteristics and tumor microenvironment (TME) of different histologic subtypes of LUAD at the single-cell level can help identify potential therapeutic vulnerabilities and combinational approaches to improve the survival of LUAD patients.Methods: Through comparative profiling of cell communities defined by scRNA-seq data, we characterized the TME of LUAD samples of distinct histologic subtypes, with relevant results further confirmed in multiple bulk transcriptomic, proteomic datasets and an independent immunohistochemical validation cohort.Results: We find that the hypoxic and acidic situation is the worst in the TME of solid LUADs compared to other histologic subtypes. Besides, the tumor metabolic preferences vary across histologic subtypes and may correspondingly impinge on the metabolism and function of immune cells. Remarkably, tumor cells from solid LUADs upregulate energy and substance metabolic activities, particularly the folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism and the key gene MTHFD2, which could serve as a potential therapeutic target. Additionally, ubiquitination modifications may also be involved in the progression of histologic patterns. Immunologically, solid LUADs are characterized by a predominance of exhausted T cells and immunosuppressive myeloid cells, where the hypoxic, acidified and nutrient-deprived TME has a non-negligible impact. Discrepancies in stromal cell function, evidenced by varying degrees of stromal remodeling and fibrosis, may also contribute to the specific immune phenotype of solid LUADs.Conclusions: Overall, our research proposes several potential entry points to improve the immunosuppressive TME of solid LUADs, thereby synergistically potentiating their immunotherapeutic efficacy, and may provide precise therapeutic strategies for LUAD patients of distinct histologic subtype constitution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stool DNA (sDNA) tests and fecal immunochemical test (FIT) are used for the detection of colorectal cancer (CRC). Here we performed a novel evaluation using sDNA and FIT to assess their performance in CRC screening and monitoring in Hubei, China.Methods: Stool samples were collected from a high-risk population in Hubei, China (n = 359). sDNA tests and FIT were performed to test for KRAS mutations, NDRG4 and BMP3 methylation, and check hemoglobin levels. The methylation in BMP3 and NDRG4 genes was detected by TaqMan PCR method from human fecal samples. KRAS gene mutation in human fecal DNA was tested using TaqMan probe and amplification-refractory mutation system method. The colloid gold method was used for detection of hemoglobin in fecal samples. Finally, a novel evaluation by software was used to calculate the comprehensive value of the combined results for CRC detection and monitoring.Results: The sensitivity and specificity of the novel evaluation for early CRC (stage I and II), advanced adenoma (AA), and non-colon cancer neoplasm (NA) detection were 95.45% and 81.6%, 29.63% and 75.9%, and 23.08% and 75.17%, respectively. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of the combined value for the above diseases were 0.945 ± 0.015, 0.543 ± 0.055, and 0.547 ± 0.038, respectively. The levels of the novel evaluation were not significantly associated with the pathology and stage (P > 0.05). In 20 out of 22 CRC patients, the novel evaluation of sDNA and FIT had decreased below threshold (< 165) at after surgery.Discussion: The novel evaluation with sDNA test and FIT has increased sensitivity for screening of CRC and AA. The novel evaluation may have potential importance as an indicator of early CRC. Additionally, the dynamic changes of the comprehensive value after surgery were correlated with CRC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underwater wet welding processes with minimal energy consumption and high efficiency is the future goal for researchers in the field. Al/CuO exothermic mixtures in consumables for land welding process can improve welding process stability and decrease the electrical dependence of the welding process. To confirm the beneficial effects of Al/CuO thermite and gain a better understanding of metallurgical properties of the thermite welds in underwater environment, this study investigated underwater wet self-shielded flux-cored arc welding (FCAW-S) of high-strength low-alloy steel with highly exothermic Al/CuO mixture. The effects of Al/CuO thermite on arc stability, weld metallurgical behavior and melting characteristics of flux-cored wire were clarified. The ratio of chemical heat in the flux to the heat required to melt welding wire increased from 4.7 % to 38.4 % with the addition of Al/CuO, potentially accelerating the melting of flux-cored wires. The arc stability with thermite addition was superior to that without the addition of thermite. The presence of copper as a result of metallurgical reactions had a substantial impact on metallurgical behavior of underwater wet welds. The ferrite weld was a non-equilibrium Cu supersaturated solid solution, which increased the microhardness and tensile strength of wet welds. The measured cooling time proved that the incorporation of Al/CuO had the capacity to reduce cooling rate. The incorporation of 50 wt% thermite yielded a 7.8 % increase in welding process efficiency compared to the base formulation. Current work provided an important direction for the development of a chemically self-heating flux-cored wire. [Display omitted] • High-strength low-alloy steel was welded using flux-cored wire with Al/CuO mixture. • The Al/CuO mixture changed metallurgical behavior of underwater wet welds. • The incorporation of Al/CuO had the capacity to reduce the cooling rate. • The Al/CuO addition to the flux-cored wire increased arc process efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mn and Mg were recovered from EMR as MgMn 2 O 4 (MMO) through Na 2 CO 3 hydrothermal-roasting process. • Synthesis conditions significantly affect the morphology and structure of MMO. • Flower-like f-MMO and hollow h-MMO were synthesized. • The as-synthesized MMO showed superior electrochemical performances as cathode material of magnesium-ion batteries. Recovering high-value-added Mn products from electrolytic manganese residue (EMR) is prominent due to the scarcity of Mn resource and its increasing importance in various industries. In this study, we explored Mn and Mg recovery from EMR for the synthesis of cathode material MgMn 2 O 4 for the first time through Na 2 CO 3 hydrothermal-roasting method. Na 2 CO 3 concentration and roasting temperature were found to significantly affect the morphology and structure of MgMn 2 O 4. Both flower-like MgMn 2 O 4 (f-MMO) and hollow MgMn 2 O 4 (h-MMO) were synthesized under optimized conditions. Additionally, the electrochemical performances of MgMn 2 O 4 as cathode material of magnesium-ion batteries were evaluated. Both f-MMO and h-MMO showed superior rate performance. High initial reversible capacity can be achieved (237.5 mAh/g), and still retain 157.7 mAh/g after 40 cycles at 100 mA/g and 76 mAh/g after 500 cycles at 500 mA/g. This work inspires the way for recovering Mn from EMR as energy storage material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand, predict and control the motion of the solid particles, the motion of a neutrally buoyant circular particle with thermal convection in a square cavity is studied with the lattice Boltzmann method, where the effects of the initial position of the circular particle, Rayleigh number and particle size are investigated. Under the effect of thermal convection, the obvious feature of the motion of the circular particle in the square cavity is the existence of the limit cycle, which is created by the inertia of the circular particle, confinement of the boundaries of the square cavity and centrifugal force. Interestingly, the limit cycle is insensitive to the initial position of the circular particle. The effect of the Rayleigh number on the motion of the circular particle is obvious, with the increase of the Rayleigh number, the limit cycle expands toward the boundaries of the square cavity first, then shrinks and migrates toward the bottom left corner, which is caused by the combined effects of the centrifugal force and vortex behavior. The effect of the particle size on the motion of the circular particle is significant, with the increase of the particle size, the inertia of the circular particle becomes larger, which is more difficultly dragged by the fluid, thus, the limit cycle shrinks toward the bottom left corner of the square cavity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detection probability of underwater weak targets using active sonar is low, and inter-pulse coherent integration can improve the signal-to-noise ratio of echoes. When a target executes a maneuvering turn, complex range and Doppler frequency migrations occur during the coherent integration time that decrease the coherent integration gain. Most existing integration methods simplify the target motion to a finite-order polynomial model but fail to integrate a maneuvering turning target (MTT) due to model mismatch. Hence, this study proposes an underwater MTT integration method based on the modified Radon-Fourier transform. The proposed method constructs a theoretically accurate motion model for the MTT and a phase compensation function to compensate for the Doppler frequency migration. Furthermore, it yields a well-focused integration peak in the range-velocity and offset angle-turn rate dimensions and accurately estimates the target motion parameters. Moreover, the proposed method is suitable for targets with radial and oblique uniform motions. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated through simulations and a lake test. The proposed method demonstrates good integration performance, with an integration gain approximately 4–7 dB higher than that of traditional methods when using 30 integration pulses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The northeastern periphery of the Qaidam Basin is a crucial region for comprehending the northeastward growth of the Tibetan Plateau, as it documents Late Cenozoic crustal deformation that elucidates the plateau's growth process. In this study, we reconstruct three stages of crustal deformation in the northeastern periphery of the Qaidam Basin during the Late Cenozoic based on interpretation of growth strata from five seismic profiles, structural mapping of the typical superimposed folds and detailed detrital zircon analysis within the study area. (1) During the Early Miocene to Late Miocene period (23–8.6 Ma), there was NW–SE extensional deformation in the northeast margin of the Qaidam Basin, which exerted control over the deposition of the Youshashan Formation. (2) The NW–SE shortening occurred during the Late Miocene period (8.6–8.1 Ma), subsequent to the deposition of the Youshashan Formation and preceding the deposition of the Shizigou Formation, resulting in a parallel unconformity between these two geological units. (3) The intense shortening of the NE–SW direction occurred during the Late Miocene and Pliocene epochs (8.1–2.5 Ma). The timing of this deformation aligns with the sedimentary age of the Shizigou Formation, suggesting that the initial deformation age may represent the onset of NE extrusion from the Tibetan Plateau towards the northeast margin of the Qaidam Basin. The present study not only delineates a Late Cenozoic structural dome resulting from two‐stage crustal shortening in the northeastern periphery of the Tibetan Plateau, but also provides a crucial evidence for reconstructing the Late Cenozoic intracontinental deformation process in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vine tea (Ampelopsis grossedentata), a traditional Chinese tea, is rich in flavonoids with various biological activities. Our study found that Vine tea total flavonoids (TFs) treatment reduced the body mass and blood lipid levels and improved the hepatic tissue morphology in mice fed the high‐fat diet (HFD). In vivo, TF treatment activated the hepatic adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, initiated autophagy, and regulated the expression levels of proteins for lipid metabolism in those HFD‐fed mice. In vitro, TF treatment dramatically reduced the lipid droplets and triacylglycerol content in HepG2 and L02 cells treated with oleic acid (OA). These were associated with the activation of the AMPK/mTOR pathway and autophagy initiation in OA‐treated hepatocytes. This phenotype was abolished in the presence of 3‐methyladenine, an autophagy inhibitor. Our results indicated that the TF activation of AMPK/mTOR leads to the stimulation of autophagy and a decrease in the buildup of intracellular lipids in hepatocytes, showing the potential of TF as a therapeutic agent for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Practical Application: Vine tea, a tea drink, has been consumed by Chinese folk for over a thousand years. The result of this study will provide evidence that vine tea total flavonoids have potential use as a functional material for the prevention and amelioration of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epigenetic mechanisms are important for gene expression regulation, which is closely related to human health, and epigenetic effects of polluted water bodies have gained increasing research attention. Le'an River suffers from severe trace metal pollution owing to mining activities. In this study, zebrafish was used as a biological model to study pollution of Le'an River after seven consecutive days of exposure. The results showed that midstream and downstream sections of the river were seriously polluted by trace metals. The liver and gill of zebrafish were enriched with trace metals, and cadmium had the highest bioaccumulation factor. Trace metals caused oxidative stress in zebrafish cells, with increases in reactive oxygen species levels. Significant increase of global DNA methylation in liver of middle and downstream section were observed, with values from 125.67% to 165.45% compared with control. Changes in DNA methylation in the promoter region cause significant increase or decrease of the expression of repair genes and apoptosis genes in liver and gill. In summary, Le'an River water exhibited significant epigenetic effects, and it is necessary to consider epigenetic effects in the evaluation of pollution and health risks of river water. ga1 • Surface water from Le'an river were polluted heavily with trace metals. • Cadmium was bioaccumulated in liver and gill of zebrafish. • Elevation of activities of ROS, GSH-Px, and CAT were observed. • Abnormalities in global and gene-specific methylation status occur. • Dysregulated expression of gadd, c-jun, bax, p53 and rad51 genes in liver and gill were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The specific objective of this study was to use a logistic regression model for determining the degree to which egg laying patterns of individual females at the end of life (i.e., terminal segments) in each of three different fruit fly species could be distinguished from the egg-laying patterns over a similar period in midlife (i.e., non-terminal segments). Extracting data from large-scale databases for 11-day terminal and 11-day non-terminal segments in the vinegar fly (Drosophila melanogaster), the Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens) and the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) and organizing the model's results in a 2 × 2 contingency table, we found that: (1) daily egg-laying patterns in fruit flies can be used to distinguish terminal from non-terminal periods; (2) the overall performance metrics such as precision, accuracy, false positives and true negatives depended heavily on species; (3) differentiating between terminal and non-terminal segments is more difficult when flies die at younger ages; and (4) among the three species the best performing metrics including accuracy and precision were those produced using data on D. melanogaster. We conclude that, although the reliability of the prediction of whether a segment occurred at the end of life is relatively high for most species, it does not follow precisely predicting remaining life will also be highly reliable since classifying an end of life period is a fundamentally different challenge than is predicting an exact day of death. • Egg-laying patterns in three fruit fly species revealed impending death. • Precision, specificity and accuracy were highly species-specific. • Accuracy in Drosophila melanogaster exceeded 0.96. • Egg laying variability in two tephritids substantially reduced predictability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The structure of EHGHS is established, and a two-stage P2G technology is proposed. • An improved spectral clustering scenario reduction method is presented to describe the uncertainties. • The EHGHS stochastic optimal dispatching model is more effective in terms of cost saving and renewable utilization. The couplings and interactions among the multi-energy resources in the integrated energy system (IES) significantly improve the utilization of renewables and reduce carbon emissions. Hydrogen is considered to be one of the most potential energy carriers due to its excellent characteristics. Therefore, the use of hydrogen has become a hot spot in the energy field. Most researches on power to gas (P2G) technology do not use the potential advantages of hydrogen but only analyze the coupling relationship between electricity and natural gas, so the efficiency is low. Moreover, the uncertainties of renewable energy and load bring challenges to the power system dispatching. To solve these problems, an electricity-hydrogen-gas-heat integrated energy system (EHGHS) stochastic optimal dispatching strategy based on improved spectral clustering method is presented in this paper. First, the structure of EHGHS and the energy conversion unit in the EHGHS is modeled. A two-stage P2G technology is proposed which exploits the hydrogen utilization process and the combined heat and power generation process. Then a scenario reduction method based on improved spectral clustering is presented to describe the uncertain characteristics of renewable energy and load. The curve distance and cosine similarity are developed to represent the similarity between scenarios. Finally, the effectiveness, economics, and sensitivity of the stochastic optimal dispatching model are verified by case studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flow in the square cavity with internal obstacles exists widely; thus, investigating the effect of the existence of the obstacles on the flow and the motion of the solid particles is important. To understand, predict, and control the motion of the solid particles, the motion of a neutrally buoyant circular particle in a lid-driven square cavity with an internal circular obstacle is studied with the lattice Boltzmann method, where the effects of the obstacle size, obstacle location, initial position of the circular particle, and Reynolds number are investigated. Under the effect of the obstacle, the flow and the motion of the particle are quite different. Especially, under some cases, no limit cycle is observed, and the particle is captured by the secondary vortex at the lower layer of the square cavity, which is insensitive to the initial position of the circular particle. The effect of the Reynolds number on the motion of the particle is significant, with the increase in the Reynolds number, and the motion of the particle is different obviously. At low Reynolds numbers, the motion of the particle is confined by the primary vortex, which moves along the limit cycle at the upper layer of the square cavity. With the increase in the Reynolds number, the effect of the inertia of the particle becomes stronger, and the particle moves from the primary vortex to the secondary vortex until it is captured by the secondary vortex. At relatively high Reynolds numbers, the primary vortex develops, and the particle is confined by the primary vortex again, forming another limit cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Sarcocystis spp. are cyst-forming intracellular protozoan parasites characterized by a two-host prey–predator life cycle. The alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is one of the South American camelids (SACs), and in recent years, this animal was introduced to China to be raised for its meat, skin, and wool and to be kept as tourist attractions and as pets. There is considerable confusion regarding the classification and nomenclature of the species of Sarcocystis in SACs. Two Sarcocystis species, named S. auchenia and S. masoni, are currently regarded as valid in SACs based on sarcocyst morphology and 18S rDNA sequences. However, the definitive host of S. masoni remains unknown. Here, S. masoni sarcocysts in an alpaca were morphologically described and molecularly characterized. Furthermore, the life cycle of S. masoni was completed via experimental animal infection. The present analysis showed that S. masoni has a close relationship with S. cameli in the dromedary camel (Camelus dromedaries), and the relationship between the two parasites needs to be clarified in the future. Only 18S rDNA sequences of Sarcocystis spp. in South American camelids (SACs) are deposited in GenBank as references, and the definitive host of S. masoni in SACs is still unclear. Here, S. masoni sarcocysts detected in an alpaca (Vicugna pacos) in China were investigated with the aid of light (LM) and transmission electron (TEM) microscopy, and characterized using four genetic markers, i.e., 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA and ITS, and the mitochondrial cox1. Additionally, the life cycle of the parasite was completed via experimental animal infection. Under LM, S. masoni sarcocysts exhibited numerous 1.3–2.1 μm conical protrusions. Under TEM, the sarcocyst wall contained conical, cylindrical, or irregular-shaped villar protrusions, similar to type 9j. Two dogs (Canis familiaris) fed S. masoni sarcocysts shed sporocysts with a prepatent period of 8–9 days. The newly obtained 18S rDNA sequences showed 98.4–100% identity with those of S. masoni in SACs previously deposited in GenBank. Interestingly, the newly obtained sequences of 18S rDNA and mitochondrial cox1 shared 99.6–100% and 98.2–98.5% identity, respectively, with those of S. cameli in dromedary camels (Camelus dromedaries). Phylogenetic analysis based on sequences of 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, or mitochondrial cox1 revealed that S. masoni has a close relationship with Sarcocystis spp. in ruminants. The relationship between S. masoni and S. cameli deserves to be further clarified in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The non-modulated dose distribution, which is the initial quantity of the inverse optimization phase in radiotherapy, is used as part of the input to aid the training of the segmentation-based network. • A novel ensemble method that takes advantages of the sub-optimal models during the historical training phase is used to improve the predictions on test data. • Empirical experiments demonstrate that the non-modulated dose distribution provides effective auxiliary information which facilitates the convergence of the network during the training phase. Moreover, the dose distribution predictions can be further improved by employing the HSE method. As the main treatment for cancer patients, radiotherapy has achieved enormous advancement over recent decades. However, these achievements have come at the cost of increased treatment plan complexity, necessitating high levels of expertise experience and effort. The accurate prediction of dose distribution would alleviate the above issues. Deep convolutional neural networks are known to be effective models for such prediction tasks. Most studies on dose prediction have attempted to modify the network architecture to accommodate the requirement of different diseases. In this paper, we focus on the input and output of dose prediction model, rather than the network architecture. Regarding the input, the non-modulated dose distribution, which is the initial quantity in the inverse optimization of the treatment plan, is used to provide auxiliary information for the prediction task. Regarding the output, a historical sub-optimal ensemble (HSE) method is proposed, which leverages the sub-optimal models during the training phase to improve the prediction results. The proposed HSE is a general method that does not require any modification of the learning algorithm and does not incur additional computational cost during the training phase. Multiple experiments, including the dose prediction, segmentation, and classification tasks, demonstrate the effectiveness of the strategies applied to the input and output parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most mainstream research on assessing building damage using satellite imagery is based on scattered datasets and lacks unified standards and methods to quantify and compare the performance of different models. To mitigate these problems, the present study develops a novel end-to-end benchmark model, termed the pyramid pooling module semi-Siamese network (PPM-SSNet), based on a large-scale xBD satellite imagery dataset. The high precision of the proposed model is achieved by adding residual blocks with dilated convolution and squeeze-and-excitation blocks into the network. Simultaneously, the highly automated process of satellite imagery input and damage classification result output is reached by employing concurrent learned attention mechanisms through a semi-Siamese network for end-to-end input and output purposes. Our proposed method achieves F1 scores of 0.90, 0.41, 0.65, and 0.70 for the undamaged, minor-damaged, major-damaged, and destroyed building classes, respectively. From the perspective of end-to-end methods, the ablation experiments and comparative analysis confirm the effectiveness and originality of the proposed method. Finally, the consistent prediction results of our model for data from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake verify the high performance of our model in terms of the domain shift problem, which implies that it is effective for evaluating future disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dropout is commonly used in deep neural networks to alleviate the problem of overfitting. Conventionally, the neurons in a layer indiscriminately share a fixed drop probability, which results in difficulty in determining the appropriate value for different tasks. Moreover, this static strategy will also incur serious degradation on performance when the conventional dropout is extensively applied to both shallow and deep layers. A question is whether selectively dropping the neurons would realize a better regularization effect. This paper proposes a simple and effective surrogate dropout method whereby neurons are dropped according to their importance. The proposed method has two main stages. The first stage trains a surrogate module that can be jointly optimized along with the neural network to evaluate the importance of each neuron. In the second stage, the output of the surrogate module is regarded as a guidance signal for dropping certain neurons, approximating the optimal per-neuron drop rate when the network converges. Various convolutional neural network architectures and multiple datasets, including CIFAR-10, CIFAR-100, SVHN, Tiny ImageNet, and two medical image datasets are used to evaluate the surrogate dropout method. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves a better regularization effect than the baseline methods. • A simple and effective regularization method called surrogate dropout is proposed, which regards the surrogate module as a proxy for approximating the optimal drop rate of each neuron. • Compared with conventional dropout, the surrogate dropout method has fewer restrictions. Both the shallow and deep layers in CNNs can benefit from the usage of surrogate dropout. • The superior regularization effect of surrogate dropout has been empirically verified using multiple datasets and networks with various depths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher suicide rates were observed in patients diagnosed with lymphoma. In this study, we accurately identified patients with high-risk lymphoma for suicide by constructing a nomogram with a view to effective interventions and reducing the risk of suicide. 235,806 patients diagnosed with lymphoma between 2000 and 2020 were picked from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database and randomly divided into training (N = 165,064) and validation set (N = 70,742). A combination of the Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and Cox proportional hazards regression identified the predictors that constructed the nomogram. To assess the discrimination, calibration, clinical applicability, and generalization of this nomogram, we implemented receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC), calibration curves, decision curve analysis (DCA), and internal validation. The robustness of the results was assessed by the competing risks regression model. Age at diagnosis, gender, ethnicity, marital status, stage, surgery, radiotherapy, and annual household income were key predictors of suicide in lymphoma patients. A nomogram was created to visualize the risk of suicide after a lymphoma diagnosis. The c-index for the training set was 0.773, and the validation set was 0.777. The calibration curve for the nomogram fitted well with the diagonal and the clinical decision curve indicated its clinical benefit. The effects of unmeasured and unnoticed biases and confounders were difficult to eliminate due to retrospective studies. A convenient and reliable model has been constructed that will help to individualize and accurately quantify the risk of suicide in patients diagnosed with lymphoma. • Combining the results of lasso regression and Cox proportional hazards regression to filter predictors. • A suicide nomogram was developed with good performance by utilizing common but significant indictors. • The Fine and Gray competing risks model validated the robustness of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a concept of "mass spectrometric biosensing" by using a chip to recognize the targets and mass spectrometry to detect the signals switched by the recognition. The chip is prepared on an ITO slide with a hydrophobic fluorous-tag monolayer to self-assemble the mixture of mass probe and fluorous-tagged cysteine as a spacer through fluorous affinity interaction. The presence of spacer provides suitable conditions for recognition reactions on the chip. By designing a single mass probe as the peptide substrates of corresponding target enzymes, a novel quantitative strategy based on the ratio of signal intensities of different species on the chip is developed for MALDI-MS assay of multiplex enzyme activities. Using caspase-3 and protein kinase A as targets, the reactions with designed mass probe produce three mass shifts to act as two "fingerprint" patterns for obtaining the dual enzyme activities. The proposed biosensing method shows the detectable ranges from 0.05 to 50 μU μL−1 and 0.4–40 μU μL−1 with correlation coefficients of 0.990 and 0.989 for PKA and caspase-3, respectively. The biosensing application has been demonstrated by monitoring these enzymes in cell lysates upon anti-cancer drug treatment, indicating the prospect of the novel biosensing protocol in biomedical study. • A concept of "mass spectrometric biosensing" is presented. • A chip is prepared with the designed single mass probe through fluorine-fluorine interaction. • A novel quantitative biosensing strategy based on the found "fingerprint" of MALDI mass spectrum is proposed. • A novel protocol for monitoring of multiplex enzyme activities in cell lysates is developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multi-time scale energy management for virtual battery-based prosumer was presented. • Proposal of a virtual battery model to describe aggregated electric vehicles flexibilities. • Combination of MPC and virtual battery model to determine prosumers' real-time power. • Comparison of the different models in terms of modelling accuracy and cost variation. The increasing number of small and medium-sized prosumers with distributed energy resources (DERs) has led to the need for innovative operational strategies at the distribution system level. Among them, microgrid (MG) energy management for peer-to-peer power sharing between prosumers is a promising approach. In this study, we develop a multi-time scale optimization method for virtual battery model-based prosumer energy management. First, a day-ahead optimal scheduling model is established based on an integrated virtual battery model that aims to minimize the total dispatching cost of a prosumer-oriented MG without impacting the privacy of individual end-prosumers. Then, close to real-time operation, model predictive control is applied to minimize the deviation between the real-time power and the day-ahead optimal schedule over the control horizon for prosumers with energy storage resources. The simulation results show that the proposed approach employing the integrated virtual battery model to quantitatively characterize the resource flexibility of prosumers yields a good optimization performance and high computing efficiency, compared to those of the approaches modelling traditional DER flexibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The geographic distribution and host-parasite interaction networks of Sarcocystis spp. in small mammals in eastern Asia remain incompletely known. Methods: Experimental infections, morphological and molecular characterizations were used for discrimination of a new Sarcocystis species isolated from colubrid snakes and small mammals collected in Thailand, Borneo and China. Results: We identified a new species, Sarcocystis muricoelognathis sp. nov., that features a relatively wide geographic distribution and infects both commensal and forest-inhabiting intermediate hosts. Sarcocystis sporocysts collected from rat snakes (Coelognathus radiatus, C. flavolineatus) in Thailand induced development of sarcocysts in experimental SD rats showing a type 10a cyst wall ultrastructure that was identical with those found in Rattus norvegicus from China and the forest rat Maxomys whiteheadi in Borneo. Its cystozoites had equal sizes in all intermediate hosts and locations, while sporocysts and cystozoites were distinct from other Sarcocystis species. Partial 28S rRNA sequences of S. muricoelognathis from M. whiteheadi were largely identical to those from R. norvegicus in China but distinct from newly sequenced Sarcocystiszuoi. The phylogeny of the nuclear 18S rRNA gene placed S. muricoelognathis within the so-called S. zuoi complex, including Sarcocystisattenuati, S. kani, S. scandentiborneensis and S. zuoi, while the latter clustered with the new species. However, the phylogeny of the ITS1-region confirmed the distinction between S. muricoelognathis and S. zuoi. Moreover, all three gene trees suggested that an isolate previously addressed as S. zuoi from Thailand (KU341120) is conspecific with S. muricoelognathis. Partial mitochondrial cox1 sequences of S. muricoelognathis were almost identical with those from other members of the group suggesting a shared, recent ancestry. Additionally, we isolated two partial 28S rRNA Sarcocystis sequences from Low's squirrel Sundasciurus lowii that clustered with those of S. scandentiborneensis from treeshews. Conclusions: Our results provide strong evidence of broad geographic distributions of rodent-associated Sarcocystis and host shifts between commensal and forest small mammal species, even if the known host associations remain likely only snapshots of the true associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polygonum cuspidatum (PC) extract has been listed in the "Catalog of Used Cosmetic Ingredients (2021 Edition)", which can inhibit melanogenesis, thus exerting a whitening effect, and has been widely used in cosmetics. However, there are currently no quality standards for PC extract used in cosmetics, and the bioactive components associated with anti-melanogenesis remain unclear. In view of this, the present study was the first to investigate the spectrum-effect relationship between fingerprints of PC extract and melanogenesis inhibition. Ten batches of PC extract fingerprints were established by HPLC. Pearson's correlation analysis, gray correlation analysis (GRA) and orthogonal partial least squares regression analysis (OPLSR) were used to screen out resveratrol, emodin and physcion as the main whitening active ingredients using the inhibition of tyrosinase in B16F10 cells as the pharmacological index. Then, the melanogenesis inhibitory effects of the above three components were verified by tyrosinase inhibition and a melanin content assay in B16F10 cells. The interaction between small molecules and proteins was investigated by the molecular docking method, and it was confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) that resveratrol, emodin and physcion significantly down-regulated the transcript levels of melanogenesis-related factors. In conclusion, this study established a general model combining HPLC fingerprinting and melanogenesis inhibition and also analyzed the spectrum–effect relationship of PC extract, which provided theoretical support for the quality control of PC extract in whitening cosmetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reduced graphene oxide encapsulating Fe6Ni20Co2Mn2Cu1.5@rGO catalyst is prepared using a Joule heating strategy. The graphene-coated layer with high crystallinity enhances the stability of the crystal structure, resulting in superior OER activity. Rechargeable zinc-air batteries with Fe6Ni20Co2Mn2Cu1.5@rGO demonstrate remarkable performance, boasting a high specific capacity of 800 mA h gZn−1, an impressive peak power density of 154.612 mW cm−2, and a cycle life of 300 hours at a current density of 10 mA cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Velocity of the acoustic signal generated by partial discharge (PD) in the transformer is considerably affected by temperature. Because of thermosiphon effect, the internal temperature of the transformer gradually decreases from the top to the bottom, which leads the acoustic signal to propagate faster in the upper part of the transformer. Besides, due to the complex internal structure of the transformer, it is difficult for the acoustic signal to propagate from the PD source to the sensor along a straight line. In order to further enhance the accuracy of PD localization results, this paper proposes a correction-iteration method with considering the influence of the insulation oil temperature rise and the internal structure of the transformer. Based on the coordinate of the PD source calculated in the last iteration, more accurate results of the next iteration can be estimated. Effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by simulations and experiments, and the obtained results indicate that the localization error is positively correlated with temperature rise. Compared with other present localization methods, such as the Newton's method, the genetic algorithm and the imperial competitive algorithm, the PD localization results estimated by the proposed correction-iteration method are more accurate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer histotype, characterized by high biological aggressiveness and scarce treatment options. Recently, we have established a clinically relevant murine HCC model by co-expressing activated forms of v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog (AKT) and oncogene c-mesenchymal-epithelial transition (c-Met) proto-oncogenes in the mouse liver via hydrodynamic tail vein injection (AKT/c-MET mice). Tumor cells from these mice demonstrated high activity of the AKT/ mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and Ras/ Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascades, two pathways frequently co-induced in human HCC. Methods: Here, we investigated the therapeutic efficacy of sorafenib, regorafenib, the MEK inhibitor PD901 as well as the pan-mTOR inhibitor MLN0128 in the AKT/c-Met preclinical HCC model. Results: In these mice, neither sorafenib nor regorafenib demonstrated any efficacy. In contrast, administration of PD901 inhibited cell cycle progression of HCC cells in vitro. Combined PD901 and MLN0128 administration resulted in a pronounced growth constraint of HCC cell lines. In vivo, treatment with PD901 or MLN0128 alone moderately slowed HCC growth in AKT/c-MET mice. Importantly, the simultaneous administration of the two drugs led to a stable disease with limited tumor progression in mice. Mechanistically, combined mitogen-activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MEK) and mTOR inhibition resulted in a stronger cell cycle inhibition and growth arrest both in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions: Our study indicates that combination of MEK and mTOR inhibitors might represent an effective therapeutic approach against human HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's complete late Mesozoic continental sedimentary records are advantaged condition for related land-based climatic history research. Qaidam Basin located at the northern margin of Tibetan Plateau, its late Mesozoic strata provides important information about palaeoenvironment change. Several significant geologic events such as the collision of Bangong-Nujiang Suture and the interior aridification appearance at NW China are likely recorded in the succession, which makes it an ideal window of palaeoclimate investigation. Through the recent study, the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous eolian deposits have been discovered from the overlying strata of Hongshuigou Formation in Wanggaxiu area, Qaidam Basin. The typical eolian evidences can be identified in both rock micro-structure and depositional features: the strata mainly consist of brown medium pure sandstone with well sorting-good round quartz. Obvious eolian grain surface textures such as dish-shaped impact crater, crescent-shaped impact scars can be observed through SEM. Well-developed thick, large scale and high dip tabular cross-bedding characterized by eolian dune foresets. The synsedimentary deformation structures are common in eolian strata, such as drag folds and overturned folds. According to lithology and sedimentary structure characteristics, 4 subfacies were recognized in the Wanggaxiu eolian deposits. The dune subfacies was characterized by large-scale cross bedding. Waddy, inter dunes and desert lake were feat ure as aqueous deposit. The discovery of Wanggaxiu eolian strata has enriched sedimentary types in the Mesozoic Qaidam Basin. and is of certain significances for the study of regional sequncces, Late Mesozoic paleoclimatic and paleogeographic evolution of the northwest China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Melatonin is an amine hormone that plays an important role in regulating mammalian reproduction. This study aimed to investigate the expression pattern of melatonin synthesis enzymes AANAT and HIOMT and melatonin receptors MT1 and MT2 in sheep cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) as well as the change of melatonin level in follicular fluid (FF) during antral follicle development. In this research, we also study the effect of β-estradiol (E2) on MT1 and MT2 expression as well as melatonin synthesis in COCs so as to lay the foundation for further exploration of the regulation mechanism of melatonin synthesis in the ovary. Methods: COCs and FF were collected from different size (large follicles (diameter ≥ 5 mm), medium follicles (diameter 2–5 mm), and small follicles (diameter ≤ 2 mm)) of antral follicles in sheep ovaries. To assess whether E2 regulates melatonin synthase and its receptors expression in sheep COCs and whether it is mediated through estrogen receptor (ER) pathway. The collected COCs were cultured in vitro for 24 h and then treat with 1 μM E2 and/or 1 μM ICI182780 (non-selective ER antagonist). The expression of AANAT, HIOMT, MT1 and MT2 mRNA and protein were determined by qRT-PCR and western blot. The melatonin level was determined by ELISA. Results: The expression of AANAT, HIOMT, MT1 and MT2 were significantly higher expression in the COCs of small follicles than in those of large follicles (P < 0.05). However, the melatonin level was significantly higher in large follicle FF than in small follicle FF (P < 0.05). Further, the expression of AANAT, HIOMT, MT1, and MT2 and melatonin production were decreased by E2 treatment (P < 0.05), but when ICI182780 was added, the expression of AANAT, HIOMT, MT1, and MT2 and melatonin production recovered (P < 0.05). Conclusions: We suggest that sheep COCs can synthesize melatonin, but this ability is decreased with increasing follicle diameter. Furthermore, E2 play an important role in regulated the expression of MT1 and MT2 as well as melatonin synthesis in sheep COCs through the ER pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, Fabry-Perot (F-P) cavity-type electrochromic devices composed of more stable inorganic materials have been extensively investigated for achieving colorful reflective displays and military camouflage functions. However, the majority of reported substrates for colorful F-P cavity electrochromic devices are rigid conductive glasses, which hinders their practical application in flexible reflective displays and camouflage. Herein, we construct a WO 3 /W/Au bilayer F-P cavity multicolor tunable electrochromic device based on a flexible porous filter membrane, in which WO 3 , an inorganic electrochromic material, is used as the electrochromic layer, metallic W as the partial reflective layer, and metallic Au as the total reflective and conductive layer. Highly flexible bilayer F-P cavity multicolor electrochromic devices have been prepared by combining UV-curable electrolytes and thermoplastic sealing procedures. By adjusting the thickness of the WO 3 layer, a wide spectrum of colors including yellow, purplish red, violet, blue, green, olivine, peach, etc. can be obtained. In addition, by adjusting the driving voltage of the electrochromic device, more precise color adjustment can be achieved. The electrochromic device has a fast coloring (2.06 s) and bleaching (2.70 s) response time, providing a new solution for future flexible colorful reflective display devices. • WO 3 /W/Au Fabry-Perot cavity electrochromic devices based on porous filter membranes made of inorganic materials with excellent mechanical flexibility and color angle insensitivity (bending radius:4 mm). • The thickness of the WO 3 layer and the applied voltage can be adjusted to enable precise control of a wide range of vibrant structural colors in the electrochromic device. • The electrochromic device exhibits a rapid response time for both coloring (2.06 s) and bleaching (2.70 s). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Municipal waste incineration bottom ash (MSWIBA) was transformed into artificial light coarse aggregate (AAAs) via cold bonding with alkali activation technology. • The influence of various NaOH concentrations on the mechanical strength and physical properties of AAAs was explored. • The effect of different NaOH concentrations on the anti-carbonation performance of AAAs was investigated to elucidate the underlying mechanism. • The environmental stability of AAAs under different NaOH concentrations was also studied. • The reaction mechanism of the above phenomenon was analyzed by SEM, XRD, FTIR, TGA, MIP. In order to reduce the negative environmental impact of municipal domestic waste incineration bottom ash (MSWIBA), it is converted into lightweight aggregates by cold bonding technology. To enhance the utilization of waste materials, minimize cement consumption, and fabricate artificial aggregates with superior comprehensive performance, we designed and synthesized alkali-activated aggregates (AAAs) in this study. This study used MSWIBA and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) as precursors for alkali-activated aggregates (AAAs), activated by a mixture of sodium hydroxide solutions and sodium silicate. The physical and mechanical properties of AAAs, including water absorption, apparent density, crushing strength and carbon-resistance, were investigated at different NaOH concentrations. In addition, the microstructure, mineral composition, aggregation, porosity and heavy metal leaching behavior of AAAs were analyzed by SEM, XRD, FTIR, TGA, MIP and ICP techniques. All AAAs exhibited a consistent particle size distribution, characterized by apparent densities spanning the range of 1633–1940 kg/m3. The leaching levels of heavy metals align with the standards established by Chinese regulations. Among the different activator concentrations tested, aggregate (M4) displayed superior single-particle crushing strength (3.90 MPa) and better carbonization resistance. It also used a lower concentration of NaOH, which enabled more cost-effective and eco-friendly production. Overall, the findings suggest that MSWIBA can be a viable precursor for producing sustainable lightweight concrete, with 4 M NaOH being the optimal activator concentration for achieving the best performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The corpus luteum is primarily responsible for the production and secretion of progesterone. Melatonin has been established to regulate autophagy and induce progesterone secretion in luteal cell. However, whether melatonin affects progesterone secretion by interfering with autophagy is yet to be reported. In the present study, the expression levels of melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2), autophagy-related protein Beclin1 (Bec1), microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 B (LC3B), progesterone and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), and cytochrome P450scc (CYP11A1) were analyzed in the corpus luteum of sheep at different stages (early, middle, and late); specifically, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, immunohistochemical staining, and western blotting were utilized for this expression analysis. In addition, to determine whether melatonin regulated progesterone secretion via the regulation of autophagy, luteal cells were cultured before being exposed to different concentrations of melatonin (0.01–100 nM) and the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine (50 μM). Next, luteal cells were treated with the melatonin receptor inhibitors 4-phenyl-2-propionamidotetralin (1 μM) and luzindole (1 μM) before detecting Bec1, LC3B2, AMPK/mTOR, and progesterone secretion levels to ascertain whether the effect of melatonin on autophagy and progesterone secretion is mediated by its corresponding receptors in luteal cells. Finally, to determine the significance of the AMPK/mTOR pathway in this process, an AMPK inhibitor, Compound C (10 μM), was added to luteal cells. Overall, the highest expression of melatonin receptors, autophagy and progesterone secretion was observed in the middle-phase corpus luteum; additionally, melatonin promoted autophagy, at least partially, through its receptor-mediated AMPK/mTOR pathway, which thereby promoting progesterone secretion in luteal cells in vitro. Ultimately, this study is the first to clarify the important role of autophagy in the melatonin-mediated regulation of progesterone secretion in the corpus luteum of sheep; it also lays a foundation for further exploration into the role of melatonin in regulating sheep's ovarian function. • The high level of melatonin receptors, autophagy and progesterone secretion were in the middle-phase corpus luteum. • Melatonin promoted luteal cell autophagy in sheep luteal cells. • Melatonin promoted sheep luteal cell progesterone secretion through its receptor-mediated autophagy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]