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Abstract Damage-associated molecular pattern molecules (DAMPs) are endogenous danger signals that alert the innate immune system and shape the inflammation response to cell death. However, the release and activity of DAMPs in ferroptosis, a recently identified form of regulated necrosis characterized by iron overload and lipid peroxidation, still remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that HMGB1 is a DAMP released by ferroptotic cells in an autophagy-dependent manner. Both type I and II ferroptosis activators, including erastin, sorafenib, RSL3, and FIN56, induce HMGB1 release in cancer and noncancer cells. In contrast, genetic ablation (using ATG5−/− or ATG7−/− cells) or pharmacologic inhibition (the administration of bafilomycin A1 or chloroquine) of autophagy was found to block ferroptosis activator-induced HMGB1 release. Mechanically, autophagy-mediated HDAC inhibition promotes HMGB1 acetylation, resulting in HMGB1 release in ferroptosis. Moreover, AGER, but not TLR4, is required for HMGB1-mediated inflammation in macrophages in response to ferroptotic cells. These studies suggest that HMGB1 inhibition might have some potential therapeutic effects in ferroptosis-associated human disease. Highlights • Ferroptosis activators induce HMGB1 release. • Autophagy promotes HMGB1 release in ferroptosis. • Autophagy promotes HMGB1 acetylation in ferroptosis. • HMGB1-AGER pathway mediates inflammation response in ferroptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of experiments have been performed to investigate the influence of reaction temperature, the equivalence ratio (ER), and blending ratio on the gas composition, tar content and higher heating value (HHV) of synthesis gas. H2 content decreased from 10.7 to 8.2% in the range of BR while CO and CH4 increased from 17.4 to 23.1% and 3.4 to 6.3%, respectively. HHV increased with BR and H2/CO showed an opposite trend. The highest HHV and H2/CO were obtained at 100%PW and 100%OS, respectively. Tar content increased from 4.8 to 9.5 g/Nm3 with BR increasing in the range because of a reduction in the endothermic nature of volatile combustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Propose an approach combining monitoring, remote sensing and buffer analysis. • Assess floodplain ecosystem response and hydrologic alteration. • Use normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI) to explore ecosystem response. • Examine river embankment impact on floodplain ecosystem. Abstract For watersheds in arid regions, floodplain vegetation is critically important to maintain the ecosystem health and integrity of the watersheds. Hydrological conditions control the development and evolution of floodplain vegetation and ecosystems in these watersheds. River embankment will alter hydrology of the watersheds and result in floodplain vegetation and ecosystem changes. The present study proposes an approach combining onsite hydrologic monitoring, normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI) remote sensing imagery and GIS buffer analysis to assess river embankment impact on hydrologic alterations and floodplain vegetation. The approach is applied to the Tarim River watershed in China where a recently constructed embankment along both banks of the river provides an ideal study site for assess the impact of river embankment. The changes of shallow groundwater level, NDVI, and land use before and after constructing the embankment are analyzed. The results demonstrate the shallow groundwater levels decrease and groundwater salinity has been greatly increased. With reduced flood risk, more arable land has been established in the floodplain. Thus, natural vegetation generally decreases within 20 km from the embankment, impacted by both human activities and hydrologic alterations. A comprehensive study of floodplain ecosystem composition and structure change will improve our understanding of the impact of the embankment and hydrologic alterations and is warranted in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The default mode network (DMN) plays an important role in age-related cognitive decline. This study aims to explore the modulation effect of two mind–body interventions (Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin) on DMN in elderly individuals. Participants between 50 and 70 years old were recruited and randomized into a Tai Chi Chuan, Baduanjin or control group. The Wechsler Memory Scale-Chinese Revision and resting-state fMRI scans were administered at baseline and following 12 weeks of exercise. Seed-based resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) was calculated. We found that (i) compared to the Baduanjin group, Tai Chi Chuan was significantly associated with increased rsFC between the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and right putamen/caudate and (ii) compared to the control group, Tai Chi Chuan increased posterior cingulate cortex rsFC with the right putamen/caudate, while Baduanjin decreased rsFC between the mPFC and orbital prefrontal gyrus/putamen. Baseline mPFC rsFC with orbital prefrontal gyrus was negatively correlated with visual reproduction subscore. These results suggest that both Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin can modulate the DMN, but through different pathways. Elucidating the mechanisms underlying different mind–body interventions may shed light on the development of new methods to prevent age-related diseases as well as other disorders associated with disrupted DMN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design: To evaluate the effect of Dexmedetomidine (Dex) on the inflammatory response and the integrity of blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) after spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury (SCIRI).Objective: To investigate the role of Dex in spinal cord I/R, particularly in the high mobility group box 1-toll-like receptor 4-nuclear factor κB (HMGB1-TLR4-NF-κB) pathway and the integrity of BSCB.Summary Of Background Data: High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) has been identified as a key mediator for the inflammatory response after spinal cord injury. Toll-like receptor 4-nuclear factor κB (TLR4-NF-κB) signaling pathway is the downstream of HMGB1. Dex preconditioning could protect the spinal cord from I/R injury by inhibiting HMGB1 and stabilizing the integrity of BSCB. But its underlying mechanism is not fully understood.Methods: Forty-eight male Japanese white rabbits were randomly assigned to three groups (16 rabbits/group): sham, I/R, and Dex + I/R. The hind-limb motor function was assessed at 12 hours intervals for 48 hours after reperfusion using the modified Tarlov scale score. The expression of HMGB1, TLR4, NF-κB, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) was evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot. The permeability of BSCB was examined via Evans blue (EB) extravasation.Results: Compared with sham group, spinal cord I/R increased the expression of HMGB1, TLR4, NF-κB, and TNF-α as well as the permeability of BSCB (P < 0.05). Spinal cord I/R induced the decline of the score of hind-limb motor function (P < 0.01). Preconditioning with Dex attenuated the up-regulation of the express of HMGB1, TLR4, NF-κB, TNF-α, and stabilized the permeability of BSCB (P < 0.05). Dex preconditioning also improved the hiatopathological outcome and the motor function (P < 0.01).Conclusion: Dex preconditioning may inhibit the inflammatory response and stabilize the integrity of BSCB at least partially by inhibiting the HMGB1-TLR4-NF-κB signaling pathway to protect spinal cord from ischemia/reperfusion injury.Level Of Evidence: 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syngas methanation in a laboratory transport‐bed reactor has been performed. It was found that the CO conversion over the granular Ni/Al2O3 catalyst only slightly increased with the rise of aeration gas velocity for the recycling valve but severely decreased due to decreased gas residence time in the reactor. The effect of increasing the temperature of the recycled catalyst on the CO conversion at atmospheric pressure was also studied. Both the experimental temperature rise along the transport‐bed reactor and the estimated heat balance involving reactions verified the high heat‐transfer efficiency and its technical superiority for syngas methanation. The CO conversion in a laboratory transport‐bed reactor was tested to experimentally characterize syngas methanation to verify the feasibility of transport‐bed methanation. The CO conversion was found to be very high. The results of this study indicate the high heat‐transfer efficiency of particle recycling and the superiority of transport‐bed methanation over other techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Powdery mildew caused by Blumeria graminis f.sp. tritici (Bgt) seriously threatens the production of common wheat (Triticum aestivum). In eukaryotes, WD40-repeat (WDR) proteins usually participate in assembling protein complexes involved in a wide range of cellular processes, including defense responses. However, the potential function of WDR proteins in regulating crop resistance to biotrophic fungal pathogens, such as Bgt, remains unclear. In this study, we isolated TaHOS15, encoding a WDR protein, from the Bgt -susceptible wheat cultivar Jing411 and demonstrated that knockdown of TaHOS15 expression using virus- or transient-induced gene-silencing attenuated wheat susceptibility to Bgt. Biochemical and molecular-biological assays revealed that TaHOS15 interacts with TaHDA6, a wheat homolog of Arabidopsis histone deacetylase AtHDA6, to constitute a transcriptional repressor complex. We determined the role of TaHOS15, which might act as an adaptor protein recruiting TaHDA6 to the chromatin of wheat defense-related genes including TaPR1, TaPR2, TaPR5, and TaWRKY45, where they repress histone acetylation. Reduced TaHOS15 or TaHDA6 transcript levels led to decreased susceptibility to Bgt together with enhanced defense-related transcription under Bgt infection. Collectively, these results demonstrate that TaHOS15 functions in a histone deacetylase complex with TaHDA6 to fine-tune the defense response to Bgt in common wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) caused by ultraviolet A (UVA) can be reduced by treating with antioxidants and photoprotective reagents. Here we reported a real-time chemiluminescence (CL) imaging method which was simple, non-invasive and sensitive to evaluate UVA-induced ROS generation and the efficacy of sunscreens and antioxidants in vivo. The in vitro experiments indicated that L-ascorbic acid, live SPSC01 yeast, and its intracellular metabolites can suppress the intensity of CL signals in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, which proved the good antioxidant ability of them. Meanwhile, we used 8-amino-5-chloro-7-phenylpyrido[3,4-d] pyridazine-1,4(2H,3H) dione (L-012) as a high sensitive CL probe for in vivo imaging of ROS generated by UVA irradiation. The CL intensity was reduced after treated with L-ascorbic acid and SPSC01 yeast intracellular metabolites, consistent with the in vitro results. Additionally, the in vivo protective capability of two azobenzene compounds as sunscreens was confirmed further through the suppression of CL signals of UVA-induced ROS in mouse skin by this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

trans -4-Hydroxy- l -proline (trans -4Hyp) is widely used as a valuable building block for the organic synthesis of many pharmaceuticals such as carbapenem antibiotics. The major limitation for industrial bioproduction of trans -4Hyp is the low titer and productivity by using the existing trans -proline 4-hydroxylases (trans -P4Hs). Herein, three new trans -P4Hs from Alteromonas mediterranea (AlP4H), Micromonospora sp. CNB394 (MiP4H) and Sorangium cellulosum (ScP4H) were discovered through genome mining and enzymatic determination. These trans -P4Hs were introduced into an l -proline-producing chassis cell, and the recombinant strain overexpressing AlP4H produced the highest concentration of trans -4Hyp (3.57 g/L) from glucose in a shake flask. In a fed-batch fermentation with a 5 L bioreactor, the best strain SEcH (pTc- B74A - alp4h) accumulated 45.83 g/L of trans -4Hyp within 36 h, with the highest productivity (1.27 g/L/h) in trans -4Hyp fermentation from glucose, to the best of our knowledge. This study provides a promising hydroxylase candidate for efficient industrial production of trans -4Hyp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) are important enzymes for biotransformations of various endogenous and xenobiotic substances in various organisms. In this study, we examined microsomal P450 protein content and enzymatic activity in four major detoxification tissues dissected from fifth-instar nymphs of the migratory locust ( Locusta migratoria ). The highest microsomal P450 protein content was found in the gastric caeca (a part of the midgut), followed by the midgut, Malpighian tubules and fat bodies. Microsomal P450s showed the highest aromatic hydroxylation, O -dealkylation and O -dearylation activities towards six of the seven model substrates examined in the fat bodies. Although the gastric caeca showed the highest P450 protein content, the enzymatic activities towards six of the seven model substrates were the lowest in this tissue. Further, the midgut, gastric caeca and fat bodies showed significant metabolic activities towards two pyrethroid insecticides (deltamethrin and fluvalinate), but no significant activities towards the other four insecticides (malathion, chlorpyrifos, carbaryl and methoprene). These results support our conclusions: 1) total P450 protein content alone cannot be reliably used to predict its enzymatic activity, and 2) insect P450 enzymatic activity is both tissue and substrate dependent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• HVEF treatment improved the quality of frozen shrimp meat. • 367 metabolites were identified in HVEF group, and 108 metabolites had KEGG ID. • Purine metabolism and pyrimidine metabolism were the most enriched pathways. • PCs, HxR and l -valine were important metabolites of shrimp during storage. Shrimp meat is prone to autolysis and decay due to the abundance of endogenous enzymes and contamination from microorganisms. HVEF freezing can slow the spoilage of shrimp, producing small and uniform ice crystals, resulting in less damage to muscle tissue. In this study, HVEF technique was used to freeze the shrimp (Solenocera melantho), and the UPLC-MS metabolic technique was used to investigate the metabolites of frozen shrimp meat. Compared with the control group, 367 differential metabolites were identified in the HVEF group. Mapping them to the KEGG database, there were 108 with KEGG ID. Purine metabolism and pyrimidine metabolism were the most enriched pathways. In addition, phosphatidylcholines (PCs), inosine (HxR), and l -valine were identified as potential biomarkers associated with lipid, nucleotide, and organic acid metabolism, respectively. Overall, HVEF can improve freezing quality of shrimp meat by slowing down the metabolism of substances in the muscle of S. melantho. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of rigor cross-bridge attachment on water holding in PSE-like conditions were investigated. A new model using permeabilised/skinned porcine longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle fibres was established to study effects of varied pH, temperature and the presence of rigor bonds on the muscle fibre structure. Preparations were exposed during 30 min to different temperatures (22 and 38 °C) and pH (7.0 and 5.5) in relaxed and rigor states, followed by evaluation of active force and filament lattice spacing (using small angle X-ray scattering) at standard pH (7.0) and temperature (22 °C) conditions. A significant reduction of active force and filament spacing was observed after treatment in rigor at denaturing (38 °C, pH 5.5) conditions. The present study show that rigor bond attachment under denaturing conditions leads to a compressed interfilamental space, loss of sarcomeric water and affected contractile function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, novel and stable core-shell silver-carbon nanocomposites (Ag@CSs) were obtained using glucose as the carbon source and stabilizer, silver nitrate as the silver source, and trioctylamine (TOA) as the soft template and extractant. It is worth mentioning that the shape of the silver core shows the hexagon shape, and we consider that TOA and glucose selectively adsorb the Ag (111) crystal face resulting in this growth pattern of the silver core. Owing to the enhanced local field effect around their sharp corners and edges, such structure exhibits superior properties for the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) enhancement. The hydrothermal carbon shell not only effectively avoids the agglomeration of Ag nanoparticles core, but also serves as a protective layer of the SERS active nanostructure during the whole course of the experiment. In addition, the thickness of the loose shell was significantly reduced after the product was stored in ethanol solution for a period of time. It is found that dropped cast probe molecules onto Ag@CSs have a lower SERS activity, while that immersed in the probe molecular solution for a period of time have a higher SERS activity, indicating that the detection of the probe molecules using this Ag@CSs substrate may require an interactive process. The results show that the as-obtained Ag@CSs hold tremendous potential for SERS applications for its long-term stability and superior SERS performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, three new luminescent metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), namely {[Cd4(H3L)4(H2O)12]·2.5H2O}n (1), {[Cd(L)]·2.5H2O·3[H2N(Me)2]}n (2), and {[Cd2(L)(DMA)]·[H2N(Me)2]}n (3), were designed and successfully prepared via a solvothermal reaction using V-shaped rigid multicarboxylate 2,4-di(3′,5′-dicarboxylphenyl)benzoic acid (H5L) and Cd(II) salts in various solvent systems. The structural analyses indicated that the H3L2−/L5− ligands took three different coordination fashions in 1–3; this resulted in a diversity of targeted MOFs. The solid-state luminescence properties of three MOFs were studied under ultraviolet light irradiation at ambient temperature, and 3 showed a high selectivity and sensitivity for nitrobenzene and Fe3+ because of the quenching effect. Thus, it could be a potential crystalline material for detecting these substances. The mechanisms of the quenching effect and sensing properties of 3 have been discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality of life and positive psychological variables has become a focus of concern in patients with renal carcinoma. However, the integrative effects of positive psychological variables on the illness have seldom been reported. The aims of this study were to evaluate the quality of life and the integrative effects of hope, resilience and optimism on the quality of life among Chinese renal carcinoma patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the First Hospital of China Medical University. 284 participants completed questionnaires consisting of demographic and clinical characteristics, EORTC QLQ-C30, Adult Hope Scale, Resilience Scale-14 and Life Orientation Scale-Revised from July 2013 to July 2014. Pearson's correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were performed to explore the effects of related factors. Hope, resilience and optimism were significantly associated with quality of life. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that hope, resilience and optimism as a whole accounted for 9.8, 24.4 and 21.9% of the variance in the global health status, functioning status and symptom status, respectively. The low level of quality of life for Chinese renal carcinoma patients should receive more attention from Chinese medical institutions. Psychological interventions to increase hope, resilience and optimism may be essential to enhancing the quality of life of Chinese cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing evidence suggests that hepatic macrophages play an important role in tissue repair after liver injury by coordinating the induction and resolution of inflammation, removing apoptotic cells, and promoting hepatocyte proliferation. Understanding the role of macrophages in the pathogenesis of liver injury will help pave the way to future therapeutics. Here, we investigated whether macrophage p38α plays a regulatory role in the tissue repair following d-galactosamine (GalN)/tumor necrosis factor-α ( TNF-α)-induced acute liver injury. We found that macrophage p38α-deficient mice displayed decreased mortality and relieved liver injury as evident from less apoptosis, accelerated regeneration, decreased granulocytes recruitment, monocytes infiltration, and cytokine production after GalN/ TNF-α treatment. Mechanistically, we found that p38 signaling was activated by lipopolysaccharide/interferon-γ treatment but not by inteleukin-4 stimulation, while pharmaceutical inhibition of p38α induced a shift in polarization from M1 macrophages to M2 macrophages. Together, our results indicated that macrophage p38α signaling is involved in the pathogenesis of liver injury induced by GalN/ TNF-α, and inhibition of p38α signaling in macrophage could ameliorate liver injury and accelerate regeneration, probably by promoting the polarization of macrophages from the M1 phenotype to the M2 phenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To obtain a superhydrophobic surface with hierarchical micro/nanostructures, two kinds of SiO 2 nanoparticles with different sizes were embedded into crosslinked silanized polyacrylate (CPSA). The silanized polyacrylate (PSA) was first synthesized via free radical copolymerization of acrylate monomers and vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS). Then, the silicone methoxyls of the VTMS units were subsequently crosslinked by a condensation reaction with hydroxy terminated polydimethylsiloxane (HTPDMS) to form CPSA. The structure of PSA and CPSA were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The surface wetting property, surface morphology, mechanical robustness and anticorrosion performance of the CPSA/SiO 2 coatings were systematically studied. The results demonstrated that the obtained coatings could be expediently sprayed onto substrates to create a water-repellent surface, and possessed good mechanical robustness and high corrosion resistance against NaCl solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxysterol 27-hydroxycholesterol (27HC) is a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERMs), which like endogenous estrogen 17β-estradiol (E 2 ) induces the proliferation of ER-positive breast cancer cells in vitro. Interestingly, the observation that 27HC induces adverse effects in neural system, distinguishing it from E 2 . It has been suggested that high levels of circulating cholesterol increase the entry of 27HC into the brain, which may induce learning and memory impairment. Based on this evidence, 27HC may be associated with neurodegenerative processes and interrupted cholesterol homeostasis in the brain. However, the biological events that participate in this process remain largely elusive. In the present study, we demonstrated that 27HC induced apparent cellular senescence in nerve cells. Senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) assay revealed that 27HC induced senescence in both BV2 cells and PC12 cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that 27HC promoted the accumulation of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in nerve cells and subsequently activation of IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway. Notably, treatment with the ROS scavenger N -acetylcysteine (NAC) markedly blocked 27HC-induced ROS production and activation of IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway. Either blocking the generation of ROS or inhibition of IL-6/STAT3 both attenuated 27HC-induced cellular senescence. In sum, these findings not only suggested a mechanism whereby 27HC induced cellular senescence in nerve cells, but also helped to recognize the 27HC as a novel harmful factor in neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High mortality rate of critically-ill patients could be induced by sepsis and septic shock, which is the extremely life threatening. The purpose of this work is to identify and evaluate the potential regulatory mechanism of LPS-induced inflammation associated with miR-6835 and lipid rafts in HUVECs. Methods: The 3’ UTR luciferase activity of AdipoR1 was detected, which was predicted the potential target gene of miR-6835. Moreover, the treated HUVECs with or without inhibitors or mimics of miR-6835 were used. Furthermore, the bio-functions of HUVECs were explored. The protein expression levels of SIRT-1, AMPK, and AdipoR1 were assessed, which were involved in the AdipoR1 signaling pathway. Then, the interaction between TLR-4 and AdipoR1 in lipid rafts and its mediation role on LPS-induced inflammation was investigated in HUVECs. Results: MiR-6835 targeted directly on AdipoR1, and suppressed its expression in mRNA (mimics of miR-6835: 0.731±0.016 vs control: 1.527±0.015, P<0.001) and proteins levels, then regulated protein expression of SIRT-1 and AMPK, which were the downstream target genes of AdipoR1 signaling pathway. MiR-6835 enhanced LPS-induced inflammation process in HUVECs (TNF-α: LPS+mimics of miR-6835: 1638.51±78.43 vs LPS: 918.73±39.73, P<0.001; IL-6: LPS+mimics of miR-6835: 1249.35±69.51 vs LPS: 687.52±43.64, P<0.001), which was associated with the interaction between TLR-4 and AdipoR1 in lipid rafts. Conclusions: MiR-6835 is the key regulator of LPS-induced inflammation process in HUVECs. The interaction between TLR-4 and AdipoR1 mediated by lipid rafts at membrane of HUVECs with inflammation process induced by miR-6835. Our results demonstrated a hopeful strategy for treatment on sepsis by aiming at lipid rafts and miR-6835. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tacrolimus is widely used as an immunosuppressant in the treatment of various autoimmune diseases. However, the low fermentation yield of tacrolimus has thus far restricted its industrial applications. To solve this problem, the time-series response mechanisms of the intracellular metabolism that were highly correlated with tacrolimus biosynthesis were investigated using different exogenous feeding strategies in S. tsukubaensis. The metabolomic datasets, which contained 93 metabolites, were subjected to weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA), and eight distinct metabolic modules and seven hub metabolites were identified to be specifically associated with tacrolimus biosynthesis. The analysis of metabolites within each metabolic module suggested that the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), shikimate and aspartate pathway might be the main limiting factors in the rapid synthesis phase of tacrolimus accumulation. Subsequently, all possible key-limiting steps in the above metabolic pathways were further screened using a genome-scale metabolic network model (GSMM) of S. tsukubaensis. Based on the prediction results, two newly identified targets ( aroC and dapA) were overexpressed experimentally, and both of the engineered strains showed higher tacrolimus production. Moreover, the best strain, HT- aroC/dapA, that was engineered to simultaneously enhanced chorismate and lysine biosynthesis was able to produce 128.19 mg/L tacrolimus, 1.64-fold higher than control (78.26 mg/L). These findings represent a valuable addition to our understanding of tacrolimus accumulation in S. tsukubaensis, and pave the way to further production improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ghrelin has exhibited potent anti-inflammatory effects on various inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential effects of ghrelin on a model of ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) established in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: low volume ventilation (LV, Vt = 8 ml/kg) group, a VILI group (Vt = 30 ml/kg), and a VILI group pretreated with ghrelin (GH + VILI). For the LV group, for the VILI and GH + VILI groups, the same parameters were applied except the tidal volume was increased to 40 ml/kg. After 4 h of MV, blood gas, lung elastance, and levels of inflammatory mediators, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and (MIP)-2 and total protein in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were analyzed. Myeloperoxidase (MPO), (TLR)-4, and NF-κB, were detected in lung tissues. Water content (wet-to-dry ratio) and lung morphology were also evaluated. The VILI group had a higher acute lung injury (ALI) score, wet weight to dry ratio, MPO activity, and concentrations of inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and MIP-2) in BALF, as well as higher levels of TLR4 and NF-κB expression than the LV group (P < 0.05). All histopathologic ALI, the inflammatory profile, and pulmonary dynamics have been improved by ghrelin pretreatment (P < 0.05). Ghrelin pretreatment also decreased TLR4 expression and NF-κB activity compared with the VILI group (P < 0.05). Ghrelin pretreatment attenuated VILI in rats by reducing MV-induced pulmonary inflammation and might represent a novel therapeutic candidate for protection against VILI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3D hierarchically porous Cu@Cu 2 O films supported Pd nanoparticles with excellent electrocatalytic activity are synthesized through electrochemical deposition, anodic oxidation and redox growth. Enzyme-free glucose biosensors based on the porous Cu@Cu 2 O-Pd electrodes exhibit higher sensitivity (1.157 mA cm −2 mM −1 ) than those of the porous Cu@Cu 2 O films (0.607 mA cm −2 mM −1 ), porous Cu films (0.507 mA cm −2 mM −1 ) and Pd nanoparticles (0.107 mA cm −2 mM −1 ). The enhanced activity of the porous Cu@Cu 2 O-Pd nanostructures might be attributed to the unique hierarchical porous structures with highly exposed active sites and synergetic effect from metal oxide semiconductor Cu 2 O and noble metal Pd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous studies on the use of a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon as the central block of an organic photosensitizer have brought forth a new opportunity toward efficiency enhancement of dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSCs). In this paper, a nonacyclic aromatic hydrocarbon 9,19‐dihydrodinaphtho[3,2,1‐de:3′,2′,1′‐op]pentacene, tethered with four 4‐hexylphenyl solubilizing groups is reported. The novel chromophore 9,9‐19‐19‐tetrakis(4‐hexylphenyl)‐9,19‐dihydrodinaphtho[3,2,1‐de:3′,2′,1′‐op]pentacene is further functionalized with diarylamines and 4‐(7‐ethynylbenzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazol‐4‐yl)benzoic acid to produce two donor–acceptor (D–A) organic photosensitizers, achieving good power conversion efficiencies up to 10.2% in DSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erxian Decoction (EXD) has been used empirically for more than 70 years to treat premature ovarian failure (POF), but more research is needed to understand how it works. The study aims to ascertain both in vivo and in vitro rewards of EXD. EXD is composed of Curculiginis Rhizoma, Epimedii Folium, Morindae Officinalis, Angelicae Sinensis, Anemarrhenae Rhizoma, and Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex. UPLC/MS analysis was used to investigate the components of EXD. Using a POF model created by administering cisplatin to rats intraperitoneally, the pharmacodynamic effects of EXD were investigated. Three dose groups of EXD were garaged into rats: high (15.6 g/kg), medium (7.8 g/kg), and low (3.9 g/kg). By using a vaginal smear, the impact of EXD on the rat estrous cycle was evaluated. An ELISA test was used to measure the anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), estradiol (E2), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels in the serum of rats. By using HE stains, pathological alterations in the ovaries may be seen. MDA and SOD levels in ovarian samples were used to measure the degree of ovarian oxidation. TUNEL labeling of ovarian sections was used to find apoptosis levels. By using ATP, energy production was evaluated. The relative expression of proteins connected to aging and the RAGE pathway was assessed using Western blot. Then, using H 2 O 2 , a model of senescent human ovarian granulosa cells (KGN) was created in vitro. The impact of EXD and H 2 O 2 on cellular senescence was discovered using-galactosidase staining. Cell apoptosis levels were found using PI/Hoechest33342. By using DCFH-DA, intracellular ROS was examined. MDA and SOD concentrations were used to measure the degree of cellular oxidation. RAGE-related mRNA and protein expression were evaluated using RT-qPCR and western blotting. Using UPLC/MS analysis, 39 chemicals in EXD were found. Rats' estrous cycles were enhanced by EXD, which increased ovarian index and follicle count and reduced the proportion of atretic follicles in the rats. EXD reduced LH and FSH output while restoring AMH and E2 secretion. In ovarian tissues, EXD reduced the amount of apoptosis and MDA while raising SOD activity and ATP levels. The protein levels of p16, p21, p53, and Lamin A/C were among the senescence-related proteins that EXD lowered, along with the levels of RAGE, PI3K, BAX, and CASPASE 3. Anti-apoptotic protein BCL-2 was also raised in the RAGE pathway. Senescence, apoptosis, ROS, and MDA levels in the KGN cells were lowered in vitro by EXD. Additionally, EXD increased the anti-apoptotic potential by changing the expression of CAT, SOD2, and SIRT1. RAGE, BAX, BCL-2, CASPASE 3, and p38 expression levels were altered by EXD, enhancing its anti-apoptotic capability. EXD boosted the ovary's antioxidant and anti-apoptotic capabilities while enhancing the estrous cycle and hormone output. These findings strongly suggested that EXD may contribute to the alleviation of POF and ovarian granulosa cells senescence. [Display omitted] • This study verified the protective effect of Erxian decoction on premature ovarian failure in vivo and in vitro. • Erxian decoction could protect senescent ovarian granulosa cells. Erxian decoction could regulate the RAGE pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A controllable Cobalt-doping can effectively tune the electronic structure of ZnO and then improve its electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). • The precise Co concentrations control from 0% to 100% can be achieved by cation exchange reaction. • The introduction of Co not only enhanced the electric conductivity but also improved the bindings between the oxygen-containing intermediate and the surface, therefore, the OER potential decreases. • These interesting findings may simulate experimental validations and facilitate the development of more efficient OER catalysts. To design highly efficient, low-cost, and good stable electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) which is the key to the water-splitting, we doped ZnO with different concentrations of Co based on density functional theory calculations. The precise Co concentrations control from 0 % to 100 % can be achieved by cation exchange reaction in the experiment. The introduction of Co can modulate the electronic structure of ZnO, as the concentration of Co increases, the band gap greatly decreases, the system tunes from the semiconductor to the metal, and the electric conductivity is significantly improved, favoring the OER. The introduction of Co induces charge arrangement, the electrons gradually concentrate on the active site, and the bindings between the oxygen-containing intermediate and the surface are greatly improved, therefore, the potential of the OER decreases, the rate-determining step changes from the first step in pure ZnO to the third step in Co exchanged ZnO. Additionally, Co 0.5 Zn 0.5 O exhibits the favorite OER activity with the overpotential of 0.4 V. These interesting findings may simulate experimental validations and facilitate the development of more efficient OER catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CH 4 flux in silty rivers was 13–14 times that in sandy or gravel rivers. • Sediment silt% and bed sediment properties explained 76% of the CH 4 flux. • Fine sediments promote benthic OC availability and reducing redox conditions. • Fine sediments allow for a denser colonization of CH 4 -producing microbes. • Grain size serves as an integral proxy for favorable conditions of CH 4 production. Fluvial systems evade massive amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere where stream hydrology and riverbed biogeochemistry imposes important in situ controls. Current paradigm however lacks an effective framework to account for this effect. Here, we investigated CH 4 and CO 2 emissions from 28 rivers on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, an area of strong fluvial emissions and high climate sensitivity. We found two orders of magnitude higher CH 4 fluxes in silt-dominated (the finest riverbed sediment type) than in sand- or gravel-dominated rivers (1,200 ± 1,290 vs 88 ± 83 and 93 ± 77 μmol m−2 d−1; p < 0.05). Importantly, sediment silt% scaled closely with CH 4 concentration and flux across the rivers (R2 = 0.16–0.30). Bed sediment properties (i.e., organic substrate contents, redox conditions and methanogen abundance) together explained 76 % of CH 4 emission from the rivers and a higher percentage of porewater (87 %) than of surface CH 4 concentration (69 %), suggesting a direct control of fluvial CH 4 emission by hydrology and sediment properties in these rivers. We propose particle size served as an integral proxy for favorable conditions of fluvial CH 4 production, due to strong dependence of benthic substrates, anaerobic conditions and microbial colonization on fine particles. The dependence of fluvial CO 2 emission on riverbed sediment properties was however weak due to multiple production pathways not controlled by sediment anaerobic metabolisms. These findings extended our understandings on the important in situ controls of fluvial CH 4 and CO 2 emissions and suggest the possibility of improving the estimates by referring to riverbed sediment properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new cembranoids (1–3) and a new casbanoid (4), along with three known analogues (5–7), have been isolated from the soft coral Sinularia nanolobata collected off Ximao Island. The structures, including the absolute configurations of new compounds, were established using extensive spectroscopic data analysis, time-dependent density functional theory/electronic circular dichroism (TDDFT-ECD) calculations, and the comparison with spectroscopic data of known compounds. In the in vitro bioassay, compounds 1 and 5 exhibited moderate cytotoxic activities against human erythroleukemia (HEL) cell lines, with IC50 values of 37.1 and 42.4 μM, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep insight into electrochemical reconstruction aids in the decoding of electrocatalytic mechanisms and the development of design principles for advanced catalysts. Despite recent achievements, research concerning cathodic reconstruction is still lacking compared to the anodic variety. This work captures the electroreductive reconstruction dynamics over bimetal Ni–Mo sulfide by various in/ex situ techniques, and whereby cathodic reconstruction is steered with ion regulation to achieve a heterogeneous Ni–Mo–Fe ternary metal hydroxysulfide (NMFSOH) as a robust hydrogen‐evolving catalyst that is competent in industrial‐level water electrolysis. The thermodynamically adaptive heterosynergism in the resultant NMFSOH catalyst can coordinate water dissociation and hydrogenation for the alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction even at high current densities. A flow‐type alkaline water electrolyzer with dual NMFSOH electrodes affords an electricity consumption of 3.99 kW h Nm−3 and an electricity‐to‐hydrogen efficiency of 88.7%, manifesting its competitive cost‐effectiveness toward practical applications. This study showcases ion‐regulatory reconstruction as an effective strategy to construct high‐performance electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sexually dimorphic mating behaviors differ between sexes and involve gonadal hormones and possibly sexually dimorphic gene expression in the brain. However, the associations among the brain, gonad, and sexual behavior in teleosts are still unclear. Here, we utilized germ cells-free tdrd12 knockout (KO) zebrafish, and steroid synthesis enzyme cyp17a1-deficient zebrafish to investigate the differences and interplays in the brain–gonad–behavior axis, and the molecular control of brain dimorphism and male mating behaviors. Methods: Tdrd12+/−; cyp17a1+/− double heterozygous parents were crossed to obtain tdrd12−/−; cyp17a1+/+ (tdrd12 KO), tdrd12+/+; cyp17a1−/− (cyp17a1 KO), and tdrd12−/−; cyp17a1−/− (double KO) homozygous progenies. Comparative analysis of mating behaviors were evaluated using Viewpoint zebrafish tracking software and sexual traits were thoroughly characterized based on anatomical and histological experiments in these KOs and wild types. The steroid hormone levels (testosterone, 11-ketotestosterone and 17β-estradiol) in the brains, gonads, and serum were measured using ELISA kits. To achieve a higher resolution view of the differences in region-specific expression patterns of the brain, the brains of these KOs, and control male and female fish were dissected into three regions: the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain for transcriptomic analysis. Results: Qualitative analysis of mating behaviors demonstrated that tdrd12−/− fish behaved in the same manner as wild-type males to trigger oviposition behavior, while cyp17a1−/− and double knockout (KO) fish did not exhibit these behaviors. Based on the observation of sex characteristics, mating behaviors and hormone levels in these mutants, we found that the maintenance of secondary sex characteristics and male mating behavior did not depend on the presence of germ cells; rather, they depended mainly on the 11-ketotestosterone and testosterone levels secreted into the brain–gonad regulatory axis. RNA-seq analysis of different brain regions revealed that the brain transcript profile of tdrd12−/− fish was similar to that of wild-type males, especially in the forebrain and midbrain. However, the brain transcript profiles of cyp17a1−/− and double KO fish were distinct from those of wild-type males and were partially biased towards the expression pattern of the female brain. Our results revealed important candidate genes and signaling pathways, such as synaptic signaling/neurotransmission, MAPK signaling, and steroid hormone pathways, that shape brain dimorphism and modulate male mating behavior in zebrafish. Conclusions: Our results provide comprehensive analyses and new insights regarding the endogenous interactions in the brain–gonad–behavior axis. Moreover, this study revealed the crucial candidate genes and neural signaling pathways of different brain regions that are involved in modulating brain dimorphism and male mating behavior in zebrafish, which would significantly light up the understanding the neuroendocrine and molecular mechanisms modulating brain dimorphism and male mating behavior in zebrafish and other teleost fish. Highlights: Germ cells disruption does not change androgen levels and male mating behavior. The maintenance of SSCs and male mating behavior are depended mainly on the concentrations of 11-KT and T secreted into the brain–gonad regulatory axis. Germ cells loss does not have severe effects on brain functions, but disruption of homeostasis in gonadal somatic cells can have a more significant impact. Moreover, a proper interaction between germ cells and gonadal somatic cells is not only crucial for gonads but also for gene regulation in the brain. This study revealed the crucial candidate genes and neural signaling pathways of different brain regions that are involved in modulating brain dimorphism and male mating behavior in zebrafish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dihydromyricetin (DMY) is a natural flavonoid with anti-nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) activity. However, the effects of DMY on the composition of lipids and bile acids (BAs) in serum, and gut microbiota (GM) in ileum of mice with NASH are not clear. Methods: After male C57BL/6 mice was fed with methionine and choline deficiency (MCD) diet and simultaneously administered with DMY (300 mg/kg/day) by gavage for 8 weeks, the pathological changes of liver tissue were observed by Oil Red O, hematoxylin eosin and Masson staining, the levels of serum alaninea minotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and liver triglyceride, malonic dialdehyde were detected by the detection kits, the composition and contents of serum lipids and BAs were detected by Liquid Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometry, the mRNA levels of hepatic BAs homeostasis-related genes were detected by RT-qPCR, and microbiological diversity in ileum was analyzed by 16S rDNA sequencing. Results: The results showed that the significant changes including 29 lipids, 4 BAs (23-nor-deoxycholic acid, ursodeoxycholic acid, 7-ketodeoxycholic acid and cholic acid), 2 BA transporters (Mrp2 and Oatp1b2) and 8 GMs between MCD and DMY groups. Among them, DMY treatment significantly down-regulated 21 lipids, 4 BAs mentioned above, the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidota and the abundance of Erysipelotrichaceae, Faecalibacuium, significantly up-regulated 8 lipids and 5 GMs (Verrucomicrobiota, Bacteroidota, Actinobacteria, Akkermansiaceae and Akkermansia). Conclusions: The results suggested that DMY may alleviate MCD diet-induced NASH through decreasing the serum levels of toxic BAs which regulated by liver Oatp1b2 and Mrp2, regulating the metabolism of related lipids, and up-regulating intestinal probiotics (Actinobacteria and Verrucomicrobiota at the phylum level; Akkermansiaceae at the family level; Akkermansiaat at the genus level) and inhibiting intestinal harmful bacteria (Firmicutes at the phylum level; Erysipelotrichaceae at the family level; Faecalibaculum at the genus level). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SMMC-7721 cells were infected with AdGFP (panels A to C), AdCore (panels D to F) or AdWnt3A (panels G to I) for 24 h. Correction to: Hepatitis C virus core protein activates Wnt/ -catenin signaling through multiple regulation of upstream molecules in the SMMC-7721 cell line Cells were fixed and stained with an anti- -catenin antibody and a fluorescence labeled secondary antibody. [Extracted from the article]

FK506 is a 23-membered polyketide macrolide with a good immunosuppressant activity for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. However, the low fermentation yield is a bottleneck to limit its further industrialization and clinical applications. To address this issue, a genome-scale dynamic flux balance analysis (GS-DFBA) model was developed to seek for the bottlenecks of FK506 biosynthesis. After validating under different cultural conditions, lots of targets were predicted successfully with help of Minimization of Metabolic Adjustment (MOMA). Specifically, many uncover targets that heretofore had remained hidden in the complex interconnectedness of central metabolism had also shown significant effects on FK506 accumulation. To validate the model predictions, four identified targets ( gcdh , tktB , msdh and ask gene) were engineered in Streptomyces tsukubaensis NRRL18488. All of the engineered strains showed a higher FK506 production, compared with the parent strain. Finally, the best strain HT-△ gcdh-tktB/msdh/ask with gcdh -deletion and tktB -, msdh - and ask -overexpression could produce 126.61 ± 4.66 mg/L FK506, 129.8% higher than that of the wild-type strain (55.1 ± 3.83 mg/L). Results demonstrated that the GS-DFBA model could provide an effective approach in engineering S. tsukubaensis NRRL18488 for FK506 overproduction. This strategy developed here could also be extended to titer improvement of other products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel expression based on conventional Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines surfaces is proposed to model a scatterer, which can be used to overcome the deficiencies of conventional modeling method and can also be combined perfectly with the stationary phase method (SPM). Furthermore, we propose a fast and accurate algorithm to locate inner critical points and boundary critical points of physical optics (PO) integrals, as well as to locate stationary points of edge-diffracted integrals. The terahertz (THz) scattering field from an electrically large scatterer is evaluated by the physical theory of diffraction and SPM (PTD-SPM), which consists of four parts, including the PO scattering field from inner critical points, boundary critical points, corner points of PO integrals, and edge-diffracted field from the stationary points of edge-diffracted integral. Moreover, the order of magnitude of each part contribution is derived. Numerical results demonstrate that PTD-SPM is a valid and efficient algorithm for analyzing THz scattering from an electrically large scatterer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate and compare how 12-weeks of Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin exercise can modulate brain structure and memory function in older adults. Magnetic resonance imaging and memory function measurements (Wechsler Memory Scale-Chinese revised, WMS-CR) were applied at both the beginning and end of the study. Results showed that both Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin could significantly increase grey matter volume (GMV) in the insula, medial temporal lobe, and putamen after 12-weeks of exercise. No significant differences were observed in GMV between the Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin groups. We also found that compared to healthy controls, Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin significantly improved visual reproduction subscores on the WMS-CR. Baduanjin also improved mental control, recognition, touch, and comprehension memory subscores of the WMS-CR compared to the control group. Memory quotient and visual reproduction subscores were both associated with GMV increases in the putamen and hippocampus. Our results demonstrate the potential of Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin exercise for the prevention of memory deficits in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community detection is an important methodology for understanding the intrinsic structure and function of complex networks. Because overlapping community is one of the characteristics of real-world networks and should be considered for community detection, in this article, we propose an algorithm, called link-based label propagation algorithm (LinkLPA), to detect overlapping communities. Because the link partition is conceptually natural for the problem of overlapping community detection, LinkLPA first transforms node partition problem into link partition problem and employs a new label propagation algorithm with preference on links instead of nodes to detect communities due to the simplicity and efficiency of label propagation algorithm. Then the proposed LinkLPA performs a postprocessing to refine the detected overlapping communities by avoiding over-overlapping and incorrect partition of weak ties. Experimental results on a large number of real-world and synthetic networks show that the proposed method achieves high accuracy on detecting overlapping communities in networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is a well-known swarm intelligence algorithm inspired by the foraging behavior of bird flocking. PSO has been widely used in many optimization and engineering problems due to its simplicity and efficiency, even though there still exist some disadvantages. The standard PSO often suffers with premature convergence or slow convergence when the optimization problem is multimodal or high-dimensional. To overcome these drawbacks, an ecosystem PSO (ESPSO) inspired by the characteristic that a natural ecosystem can excellently keep the biological diversity and make the whole ecosystem be in a dynamic balance is presented in this paper. ESPSO not only prevents the algorithm trapping into local optima but also balances the exploration and exploitation in both unimodal and multimodal problems as compared to other PSO variants. Twenty benchmark functions including unimodal functions and multimodal nonlinear functions are used to test the searching ability of ESPSO. Experimental results show that ESPSO considerably improves the searching accuracy, the algorithm reliability and the searching efficiency in comparison with other six well-known PSO variants and four evolutionary algorithms. Moreover, ESPSO was successfully applied to the antenna array pattern synthesis design and gained satisfactory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel modeling method based on the parametric domain decomposition is proposed for the B-spline surfaces. This method combines the advantages of conventional B-spline and Bezier surfaces. Moreover, a fast algorithm based on the new modeling method is presented to locate the stationary points, including inner and boundary stationary points, of physical optics (PO) integrals from targets modeled with double-quadratic B-spline surfaces. In this algorithm, the locating problem is reduced to a numerical or analytical solution. No approximation is involved in the proposed modeling method and locating algorithm. The stationary phase method by means of the fast locating algorithm is employed to evaluate PO integrals. The CPU time is independent of the incident frequency and physical dimension of scattered surfaces. The accuracy and performance of the presented methods are validated by comparing them with those of the brute force method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attrition-resistant Ni Mg/SiO 2 Al 2 O 3 catalysts for fluidized bed syngas methanation were prepared by combining co-precipitation and spray granulation using different silica sources including acidic silica sol (SS), sodium silicate (NS) and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS). Air-jet attrition tests showed that the attrition strength of the resulting catalysts followed an order of C-10TEOS > C-33SS > C-10NS > C-10SS, where C-10TEOS, as an example, refers to the catalyst with 10 wt.% silica using TEOS as its silica source. Characterizations show that the porosity and skeletal structure have strong correlation with catalyst attrition strength. Simultaneous hydrolysis of TEOS and co-precipitation caused C-10TEOS to have dense and continuous skeletal structure to have the high strength of its Ni Mg/SiO 2 Al 2 O 3 precursor particles and thus the improved attrition resistance of sprayed catalyst. Silica sol filled in the voids among precursor particles resulted in a compact framework in C-33SS but its Ni Mg/Al 2 O 3 precursor had weak attrition resistance. Atmospheric syngas methanation over these catalysts at an SV of 600 NL g −1 h −1 in a fixed bed reactor clarified an activity order of C-10TEOS > C-10NS ≈ C-33SS. The TEOS also enabled highly dispersed metallic Ni and many surface active sites to facilitate the methanation activity and stability of this catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The working environment of hot components is the most adverse of all gas turbine components. Malfunction of hot components is often followed by catastrophic consequences. Early fault detection plays a significant role in detecting performance deterioration immediately and reducing unscheduled maintenance. In this paper, an early fault detection method is introduced to detect early fault symptoms of hot components in gas turbines. The exhaust gas temperature (EGT) is usually used to monitor the performance of the hot components. The EGT is measured by several thermocouples distributed equally at the outlet of the gas turbine. EGT profile is symmetrical when the unit is in normal operation. And the faults of hot components lead to large temperature differences between different thermocouple readings. However, interferences can potentially affect temperature differences, and sometimes, especially in the early stages of the fault, its influence can be even higher than that of the faults. To improve the detection sensitivity, the influence of interferences must be eliminated. The two main interferences investigated in this study are associated with the operating and ambient conditions, and the structure deviation of different combustion chambers caused by processing and installation errors. Based on the basic principles of gas turbines and Fisher discriminant analysis (FDA), a new detection indicator is presented that characterizes the intrinsic structure information of the hot components. Using this new indicator, the interferences involving the certainty and the uncertainty are suppressed and the sensitivity of early fault detection in gas turbine hot components is improved. The robustness and the sensitivity of the proposed method are verified by actual data from a Taurus 70 gas turbine produced by Solar Turbines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapamycin, as a macrocyclic polyketide with immunosuppressive, antifungal, and anti-tumor activity produced by Streptomyces hygroscopicus, is receiving considerable attention for its significant contribution in medical field. However, the production capacity of the wild strain is very low. Hereby, a computational guided engineering approach was proposed to improve the capability of rapamycin production. First, a genome-scale metabolic model of Streptomyces hygroscopicus ATCC 29253 was constructed based on its annotated genome and biochemical information. The model consists of 1003 reactions, 711 metabolites after manual refinement. Subsequently, several potential genetic targets that likely guaranteed an improved yield of rapamycin were identified by flux balance analysis and minimization of metabolic adjustment algorithm. Furthermore, according to the results of model prediction, target gene pfk (encoding 6-phosphofructokinase) was knocked out, and target genes dahP (encoding 3-deoxy- d-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase) and rapK (encoding chorismatase) were overexpressed in the parent strain ATCC 29253. The yield of rapamycin increased by 30.8% by knocking out gene pfk and increased by 36.2 and 44.8% by overexpression of rapK and dahP, respectively, compared with parent strain. Finally, the combined effect of the genetic modifications was evaluated. The titer of rapamycin reached 250.8 mg/l by knockout of pfk and co-expression of genes dahP and rapK, corresponding to a 142.3% increase relative to that of the parent strain. The relationship between model prediction and experimental results demonstrates the validity and rationality of this approach for target identification and rapamycin production improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Branched TiO 2 nanorod arrays (TiO 2 BNRs) owning the surface anatase/rutile junctions on FTO substrates were synthesized and applied in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) comparing with the TiO 2 nanorod arrays (TiO 2 NRs) owning one single crystalline phase and the TiO 2 nanoparticles (TiO 2 NPs) owning irregular surface morphology. The branched morphology owning the surface anatase/rutile junctions was revealed by field emission scanning and transmission electron microscopy, Raman, and X-ray diffraction. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of DSCs fabricated using TiO 2 BNRs is improved to 6.5% with both enhancement of photovoltages and photocurrent densities, better than DSCs fabricated using the corresponding TiO 2 NRs and DSCs fabricated using the TiO 2 NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much attention has been focused on treatment of sepsis which leads to high mortality all over the world in every year. Antioxidant activity seems to play a prominent role in the treatment of sepsis exhibited by Xuebijing injection. The aim of the present research was to develop an on-line 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl- (DPPH-) capillary electrophoresis-diode array detector (on-line DPPH-CE-DAD) method for rapidly assessing antioxidant properties and efficacious material basis of antioxidant activity as a way of quality control of Xuebijing injection. Several parameters affecting the separation were investigated, including the pH and concentrations of buffer, SDS, β-CD, and organic modifier as well as voltage and cassette temperature. Compared to previous traditional method, this improved method shortened the experimental cycle and became more efficient because it was successfully applied to analyze total antioxidant activity and contents of twelve antioxidants of Xuebijing injection under the same condition. The results revealed that the on-line DPPH-CE-DAD method was a reagent-saving, rapid, feasible, and green technique for quality control of Xuebijing injection in terms of pharmacological activity and contents of active ingredients. It also offered new opportunities for the analysis of antioxidant activity of complex matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kringle 5, the fifth fragment of plasminogen, is known to be important for inhibiting the proliferation and migration of vascular endothelial cell (VEC), while not having any effects on normal endothelial cells. Therefore, it may be a potential tumor therapy candidate. However, the ligand of the Kringle 5 in VEC has not yet been identified. In this study, the possible ligand of Kringle 5 in vitro was screened and validated using Ph.D.-7 phage display peptide library with molecular docking, along with surface plasma resonance (SPR). After four rounds of panning, the specific clones of Kringle 5 were confirmed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The gene sequence analysis showed that they expressed the common amino sequence IGNSNTL. Then, using a NCBI BLAST, 103 matching sequences were found. Following the molecular docking evaluation and considering the acting function and pathway of the plasminogen Kringle 5 in the human body, the most promising candidate was determined to be voltage-dependent anion channel-1 (VDAC-1), which was able to bind to Kringle 5 at -822.65 J·mol-1 of the binding energy at the residues of Lys12, Thr19, Ser57, Thr188, Arg139, Asn214, Ser240 and Lys274. A strong dose-dependent interaction occurred between the VDAC-1 and Kringle 5 (binding constant 2.43 × 103 L·mol-1) in SPR observation. Therefore, this study proposed that VDAC-1 was a potential ligand of plasminogen Kringle 5, and also demonstrated that the screening and validation of protein ligand using phage display peptide library with the molecular docking, along with SPR, was a practicable application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of heat-denatured sarcoplasmic proteins in water-holding is not well understood. Here we propose a new hypothesis that in PSE-like conditions denatured sarcoplasmic proteins aggregate within and outside myofilaments, improving the water-holding of denatured myofibrils. The process is compartmentalized: 1) within the filaments the denatured sarcoplasmic proteins shrink the lattice space and water is expelled; and 2) between the myofibrils and in the extracellular space, the coagulated sarcoplasmic proteins trap the expelled water from interfilamental space. The effect of sarcoplasmic proteins on the water-holding of myofibrils following incubation for 1 h at 21 to 44 °C was investigated. Our results were consistent with the new hypothesis. Myofibrils without sarcoplasm had the poorest water-holding. With increasing amount of denatured sarcoplasmic proteins, the water-holding of heat-denatured myofibrils improved proportionally. X-ray diffraction was used to measure the lattice space between the filaments. Precipitated sarcoplasmic proteins shrank ( P < 0.001) the lattice spacing by 6.3% at 44 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibroblasts are rich in the surrounding microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) because most HCCs occur in fibrotic or cirrhotic livers. However, the role of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in HCC metastasis remains obscure. Here, we reported that CAFs promote the migration and invasion of HCC cells in vitro and facilitate the HCC metastasis to the bone, brain and lung in NOD/SCID mice. The RayBio human chemokine antibody array revealed that CAFs secret higher levels of CCL2, CCL5, CCL7 and CXCL16 than peri-tumor fibroblasts. CCL2 and CCL5 increase the migration but not the invasion of HCC cells, while CCL7 and CXCL16 promote both migration and invasion of HCC cells. Moreover, CCL2 and CCL5 stimulate the activation of the hedgehog (Hh) pathway, while CCL7 and CXCL16 enhance the activity of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway in HCC cells. The neutralizing antibodies of chemokines notably attenuate the effect of CAFs on HCC metastasis and compromised the activation of Hh and TGF-β pathways in HCC cells. In summary, CAF-secreted CCL2, CCL5, CCL7 and CXCL16 promote HCC metastasis through the coordinate activation of Hh and TGF-β pathways in HCC cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monascus pigments (Mps) are a group of azaphilonic secondary metabolites produced by Monascus spp. via a polyketide pathway. A mutant deleted an about 30 kb region of Mps gene cluster from Monascus ruber M7 was isolated previously, which produces a high amount of a light yellow pigment. The current study revealed that the mutant named ΔMpigJ-R lost proximate eight genes of the Mps gene cluster in M. ruber M7 through genetic analysis at DNA and RNA levels. The produced light yellow material was identified as a benzaldehyde derivative named as 6-(4-hydroxy-2-oxopentyl)-3-methyl-2, 4-dioxocyclohexane carb-aldehyde (M7PKS-1) by FT-IR, NMR, and MS. The sodium acetate-1-C feeding experiment indicated that M7PKS-1 was a product produced from polyketide pathway. Finally, the feeding of M7PKS-1 helped to induce and regain Mps production of the mutants ( ΔMpigA and ΔMpigE) which were previously unable to biosynthesize Mps and proved that M7PKS-1 was an initial intermediate of Mps. The results in this study provide a line of action to unveil Monascus pigments biosynthesis pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-voltage electrostatic field (HVEF) can affect the formation of ice crystals and improve food quality by inhibiting the growth of some bacteria. In this study, different intensities of HVEF were used to assist in the shrimp (Solenocera melantho) freezing process, and the effects of the HVEF were explored using the ice crystal structure, physicochemical indexes, and bacterial communities. The results showed that the HVEF effectively improved the freezing quality of S. melantho. The freezing speed was improved, especially in the zone of maximum crystallization. Small and uniform ice crystals were generated at 15 kV/m and 20 kV/m. The texture of the shrimp muscle improved, and the degeneration of myofibrillar protein isolates decreased. Blackening of the shrimp head and polyphenol oxidase activity were inhibited. High-throughput sequencing analysis showed that the bacterial community structure changed significantly at 15 and 20 kV/m, which was lower than that in the other groups. The HVEF exerted an inhibitory effect on most bacteria, and this effect was related to the intensity of the HVEF. Based on these results and energy consumption considerations, the HVEF at 15 kV/m is more suitable for the auxiliary freezing of S. melantho. • High-voltage electrostatic field (HVEF) was used to treat the S. melantho. • The optimal electric field intensity of HVEF on freezing S. melantho was determined. • Ice crystal structure was investigated to study the change of freezing quality of S. melantho. • The effects of HVEF on the bacterial communities of S. melantho were studied by 16S rRNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blumeria graminis forma specialis tritici (B.g. tritici) is the airborne fungal pathogen that causes powdery mildew disease on hexaploid bread wheat. Calmodulin-binding transcription activators (CAMTAs) regulate plant responses to environments, but their potential functions in the regulation of wheat–B.g. tritici interaction remain unknown. In this study, the wheat CAMTA transcription factors TaCAMTA2 and TaCAMTA3 were identified as suppressors of wheat post-penetration resistance against powdery mildew. Transient overexpression of TaCAMTA2 and TaCAMTA3 enhanced the post-penetration susceptibility of wheat to B.g. tritici, while knockdown of TaCAMTA2 and TaCAMTA3 expression using transient- or virus-induced gene silencing compromised wheat post-penetration susceptibility to B.g. tritici. In addition, TaSARD1 and TaEDS1 were characterized as positive regulators of wheat post-penetration resistance against powdery mildew. Overexpressing TaSARD1 and TaEDS1 confers wheat post-penetration resistance against B.g. tritici, while silencing TaSARD1 and TaEDS1 enhances wheat post-penetration susceptibility to B.g. tritici. Importantly, we showed that expressions of TaSARD1 and TaEDS1 were potentiated by silencing of TaCAMTA2 and TaCAMTA3. Collectively, these results implicated that the Susceptibility genes TaCAMTA2 and TaCAMTA3 contribute to the wheat–B.g. tritici compatibility might via negative regulation of TaSARD1 and TaEDS1 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]