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BackgroundGift giving, which has been a heavily debated topic in health care for many years, is considered as a way of expressing gratitude and to be beneficial for the physician-patient relationship within a reasonable range. However, not much work has been done to examine the influence of gift giving on physicians’ service quality, especially in the online health care environment. ObjectiveThis study addressed the consequences of gift giving by mining and analyzing the dynamic physician-patient interaction processes in an online health community. Specifically, gift types (affective or instrumental) based on the motivations and physician-patient tie strength were carefully considered to account for differences in physicians’ service quality. MethodsThe dynamic interaction processes (involving 3154 gifts) between 267 physicians and 14,187 patients from a well-known online health community in China (haodf.com) were analyzed to obtain empirical results. ResultsOur results reveal that patient gift giving inspires physicians to improve their service quality as measured by physicians’ more detailed responses and improved bedside manner, and the degree of influence varied according to the strength of the physician-patient tie. Moreover, affective gifts and instrumental gifts had different effects in improving physicians’ service quality online. ConclusionsThis study is among the first to explore gift giving in online health communities providing both important theoretical and practical contributions. All of our results suggest that gift giving online is of great significance to promoting effective physician-patient communication and is conducive to the relief of physician-patient conflicts.

BackgroundGift giving from patients to physicians, which is prohibited in traditional clinical settings in China, has been found to occur in online health communities. However, there is debate on the validity of online gifts since physicians gain an economic benefit. Moreover, the potential impact of these gifts, particularly with respect to the financial value of the gift, on the online consultation service quality remains unexplored. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to explore the impact of gift price on the quality of physicians’ online consultation service. Insight into this impact is expected to help resolve existing debate on the appropriateness of the gift-giving practice in online consultations. MethodsA dataset of 141 physicians and 4249 physician-patient interactions was collected from the Good Physician Online website, which is the largest online consultation platform in China. Based on social exchange theory, we investigated how gift price affects the quality of physicians’ online consultation service and how this impact changes according to the physician’s service price and number of all gifts received. Manual annotation was used to identify the information support paragraphs and emotional support paragraphs in the answers of physicians. The quality of the information support paragraphs, rather than the complete answer, was used to test the robustness of our model. ResultsGift price had a positive impact on the quality of physicians’ online consultation service (β=4.941, P

Thesolubility data of benzyl disulfide were measured using thesynthetic method and laser monitoring technique under atmosphericpressure in five solvents (ethanol, n-hexane, ethylacetate, toluene, and chloroform), with the temperature ranging from(283.45 to 333.15) K. The experimental data in each solvent were fittedby the modified Apelblat equation with good agreement. For all ofthe experimental solubility data in five solvents, the root-mean-squarewas less than 0.52 %, whereasthe average absolute relative error was less than 2.0 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In this study, we report the analysis of INHA and INHβA gene polymorphisms in 786 goats of three breeds: Xinong Saanen (SN), Guanzhong (GZ) and Boer (BG). We identified three new allelic variants: P1-C80G and/126G (GenBank accession no. HQ202573) in the three goat breeds and P2-C936T (GenBank accession no. HQ202572) in SN and GZ goat breeds. At P1 locus, AA, AB and BB genotypes were found in the three goat breeds. At P2 locus, CC and CT genotypes were found in SN and GZ goat breeds. After comparing genotype distribution within the three goat breeds, BG had conspicuous differences from SN and GZ ( P < 0.001) at P2 locus. The SNP locus was in Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium at P1 locus in the three goat breeds ( P < 0.05). At P2 locus, the SNP locus was in Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium in SN and GZ goat breeds ( P < 0.05). Association of polymorphisms with litter size was done at P1 locus in the three goat breeds. The result showed that AA genotype had remarkable litter size at P1 locus in the three goat breeds ( P < 0.05). Therefore, these results suggest that INHA gene is a strong candidate gene that affects litter size in goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2.5D woven composite material has good resistance to delamination and impact load. However, its fatigue behavior is lack of investigation. In this work, first-order bending vibration fatigue tests were conducted on cantilever beam specimens made of 2.5D woven composites under different nominal stress levels. Test results showed that rapid damage evolution and accumulation occurred in the woven composites under a high stress level. However, under a low stress level, crack growth showed arrest behavior. The square root of residual stiffness showed a linear relation with resonance frequency, so the normalized full-time domain curves can be used to characterize the residual stiffness. On that basis, a residual stiffness model for the studied vibration fatigue specimens under other stress levels was proposed. Besides, a formula of ɛ - N curve was established for guiding the design and analysis of the 2.5D woven composite. To further reveal the failure mechanism, a multi-scale model of the woven composite was proposed. Numerical results showed that the high interlaminar shear stress between the yarn and the matrix near the compressed surface of the specimen caused material damage. This was consistent with the observed fracture topography, which verified the applicability of the multi-scale model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing prevalence of drug-resistant bacteria has prompted the search for alternative approaches to address bacterial infections. Lanthipeptides, which are small molecule peptides, are biosynthesized and post-translationally modified by ribosomes in gram-positive bacteria. These compounds possess distinctive target recognition properties, making them highly potential candidates for combating antimicrobial resistance. Consequently, they hold promising potential as innovative substitutes for traditional antibiotics. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of 65 publicly available Bacillus amyloliquefaciens genomes' data to explore the potential for lanthipeptide synthesis in this species. We annotated 21 putative precursor peptide genes for these novel lanthipeptides. Through heterologous expression experiments, we successfully obtained a novel lanthipeptide named amyA3. We accomplished a novel co-transformation strategy by introducing the synthetic enzyme obtained from B. amyloliquefaciens WS-8 into the E. coli BL21 (DE3) strain along with the heterologous precursor peptide amyA3. Through mass spectrometry analysis, we confirmed the successful modification of amyA3 by the synthetic enzyme derived from B. amyloliquefaciens WS-8, which represents a significant breakthrough in this research field. The identification and characterization of the lanthipeptide amyA3 along with the elucidation of its biosynthetic pathway provide novel perspectives into the discovery of naturally derived products and the intricate processes of translation and post-translational modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short beam shear tests conbined with digital image correlation were carried out for thick-section glass fiber reinforced resin matrix composites，and the variation of interlaminar shear behavior of unidirectional composites with different thicknesses with thickness was obtained. In order to explore the size effect mechanism of interlaminar shear mechanical behavior of materials，the microscopic characteristics of pores of samples with different thicknesses were observed through scanning electron microscope photos of sample slices. Image processing was used to obtain the contours of irregular pores，and parameters for quantitative characterization of microscopic characteristics were proposed. A three-dimensional representative volume element（RVE）model containing fibers，matrix，fiber/matrix interface and pores was randomly generated，and the effect of irregular pores of different sizes and distributions on the interlaminar shear strength of composites was studied by numerical analysis. The results of short beam shear tests showed that the interlaminar shear mechanical behavior of unidirectional composites was independent of the thickness of the specimens，but the shear strength decreased with the increase of the thickness of the specimens. The image analysis results showed that the distribution law，size，concentration and irregularity of the pores in samples of different thicknesses were significantly different. The numerical analysis results of RVE showed that the damage was caused by the destruction of the fiber-matrix interface close to the pores，and the interlaminar shear strength of thick-section composites decreased with the increase of the maximum pore size under the same porosity. At the same time，pore concentration and porosity also have a significant effect on the interlaminar shear strength of the material. The above experimental and analytical results show that the size effect of the interlaminar shear strength of thick-section composite materials is related to the microscopic characteristic parameters of the material pores. As the thickness of the composite material increases，the porosity，maximum pore size and concentration increase，and the shear strength decreases. Therefore，the difference in the microscopic characteristics of pores in materials of different thicknesses is one of the important mechanisms that lead to the decrease in the interlaminar shear strength of the material.

The horns of male bovines often show excellent mechanical properties due to the hierarchical microstructures. In this paper, the mechanical properties of white yak horn sheaths were studied by tensile and compressive tests, the moisture effect on the fracture toughness of the yak horn sheaths was explored through the three-point bending test. Meanwhile, in order to reveal the relation between the microstructure damages and the macroscopic mechanical properties of yak horn sheaths, the fracture surface of the tensile specimens was observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). From the experimental results, it follows that the yak horn sheath was found to have a multiscale damage mode, including delamination of lamellae (macroscale), shear deformation of the scales and distortion of the hollow cavities (mesoscale), and matrix cracking and fiber filaments pull-out (microcosmic). Besides, the horn sheath was observed to have a typical laminated structure with interlaminar cavities extending along the growth direction of the horn. The laminated structures and cavities have the potential of energy absorption and can lead to higher energy dissipation, which helps toughen the horn sheath. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) stands as a significant concern in public health, frequently leading to enduring neurological deficits. Long non‐coding RNA H19 (lncRNA H19) exerts a potential regulator role in the pathology of brain injury. This study investigates the effects of lncRNA H19 knockdown (H19‐KD) on the pathophysiology of TBI and its potential neuroprotective mechanisms. Methods: Controlled cortical impact was employed to establish a stable TBI mouse model. The expression levels of various genes in perilesional cortex and striatum tissue after TBI was detected by RT‐qPCR. AAV9‐shRNA‐H19 was injected into the lateral ventricle of mice to knockdown the expression of lncRNA H19. Various behavioral tests were performed to evaluate sensorimotor and cognitive functions after TBI. Immunofluorescence and Nissl staining were performed to assess brain tissue damage and neuroinflammation. The Nrf2 and HO‐1 expression was performed by Western blot. Results: After TBI, the expression of lncRNA H19 was elevated in perilesional tissue and gradually reverted to baseline. Behavioral tests demonstrated that H19‐KD significantly promoted the recovery of sensorimotor and cognitive functions after TBI. Besides, H19‐KD reduced brain tissue loss, preserved neuronal integrity, and ameliorated white matter damage at the histological level. In addition, H19‐KD restrained the pro‐inflammatory and facilitated anti‐inflammatory phenotypes of microglia/macrophages, attenuating the neuroinflammatory response after TBI. Furthermore, H19‐KD promoted activation of the Nrf2/HO‐1 axis after TBI, while suppression of Nrf2 partially abolished the neuroprotective effect. Conclusion: H19‐KD exerts neuroprotective effects after TBI in mice, partially mediated by the activation of the Nrf2/HO‐1 axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Natural products are important sources for the discovery of new biopesticides to control the worldwide destructive pests Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris. Here, insecticidal substances were discovered and characterized from the secondary metabolites of the bio-control microorganism Bacillus velezensis strain ZLP-101, as informed by whole-genome sequencing and analysis. Results: The genome was annotated, revealing the presence of four potentially novel gene clusters and eight known secondary metabolite synthetic gene clusters. Crude extracts, prepared through ammonium sulfate precipitation, were used to evaluate the effects of strain ZLP-101 on Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris aphid pests via exposure experiments. The half lethal concentration (LC50) of the crude extract from strain ZLP-101 against aphids was 411.535 mg/L. Preliminary exploration of the insecticidal mechanism revealed that the crude extract affected aphids to a greater extent through gastric poisoning than through contact. Further, the extracts affected enzymatic activities, causing holes to form in internal organs along with deformation, such that normal physiological activities could not be maintained, eventually leading to death. Isolation and purification of extracellular secondary metabolites were conducted in combination with mass spectrometry analysis to further identify the insecticidal components of the crude extracts. A total of 15 insecticidal active compounds were identified including iturins, fengycins, surfactins, and spergualins. Further insecticidal experimentation revealed that surfactin, iturin, and fengycin all exhibited certain aphidicidal activities, and the three exerted synergistic lethal effects. Conclusions: This study improved the available genomic resources for B. velezensis and serves as a foundation for comprehensive studies of the insecticidal mechanism by Bacillus velezensis ZLP-101 in addition to the active components within biological control strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: HSPA12B is a newly discovered member of HSP70 family and plays a role in angiogenesis. Increased expression of endothelial HSPA12B preserved cardiac function following myocardial infarction (MI). Tissue resident and infiltrated macrophages play an important role in cardiac remodeling after MI. Hypothesis: Endothelial HSPA12B regulates innate immune cell infiltration into the myocardium following MI. Methods: Wild type (WT, n=25) and endothelial specific HSPA12B deficient (HSPA12B-/-) mice (n=28) were subjected to MI. Cardiac function was measured by echocardiography and the survival outcome was monitored for up to 7 days after MI. Cardiac resident and infiltrated macrophages were examined with flow cytometry. Results: The values of ejection fraction (EF%) and fractional shortening (FS%) in HSPA12B-/- MI mice were significantly lower by 23.2%, and 25.8% on day 1, by 30.9% and 27.4% on day 3, and by 29.7% and 35.8% on day 7, respectively, than that in WT MI mice. Six of 25 WT mice (24%) and 12 of 28 HSPA12B-/- mice (43%) died 7 days after MI due to cardiac rupture. Immunohistochemistry staining using specific antibodies against neutrophils and macrophages showed that there were more infiltrated neutrophils and macrophages in HSPA12B-/- MI hearts than in WT MI hearts. Splenectomy significantly reduced numbers of neutrophils but did not alter macrophage accumulation in the heart tissues. Flow cytometry analysis showed that there were more infiltrated macrophage (63%, Ly6C+CCR2+) and less resident macrophages (73%, CD64+CD14+MerTK+) in HSPA12B-/- MI hearts, when compared with WT MI hearts. Depletion of macrophages by liposoma improved survival outcome in both WT and HSPA12B-/- MI mice. Liposoma treatment also reduced the number of infiltrated macrophages and restored resident macrophages in HSPA12B-/- MI hearts. The data suggests that endothelial specific HSPA12B-/- results in more infiltrated neutrophils and macrophages and reduced numbers of resident macrophages in the myocardium, when compared with WT MI mice. Conclusions: Endothelial HSPA12B could play an important role in the regulation of function of resident and infiltrated macrophages following MI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Herein, a novel quinoline-based fluorescent probe DQPH has been developed for ratiometric detection of subtle pH fluctuation in biosystem. Upon altering the pH from 4.50 to 9.00, the emission spectra exhibit a large hypsochromic shift (57 nm) and the ratio of fluorescence intensity (F 531 nm /F 588 nm) changes from 0.30 to 1.36 with an ideal p K a value of 7.18 and a linear pH variation range of 6.35–8.00. The ratiometric response is attributed to the protonation-activable resonance charge transfer (PARCT) process, which has been proved by 1H NMR and NOESY experiment. This probe displayed good solubility, low cytotoxicity, anti-interference capability and reversible pH sensing. Furthermore, DQPH was successfully applied for monitoring pH changes in living cells. Graphical abstract A novel quinoline-based probe DQPH has been developed for ratiometric detection of pH fluctuation in living cells. fx1 Highlights • A novel ratiometric pH probe suitable for physiological pH changes has been developed. • The probe displayed good solubility, high sensitivity, anti-interference capability, reversible and real time pH detection. • The protonation-activable resonance charge transfer process has been confirmed by 1H NMR and NOESY experiment. • The probe can be used in cell imaging with low cytotoxicity showing its potential application in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant worldwide public health concern that necessitates attention. Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1), a key player in various central nervous system (CNS) diseases, has garnered interest for its potential neuroprotective effects against ischemic stroke and epilepsy when deleted. Nonetheless, the specific impact of ASK1 on TBI and its underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Notably, mutation of ATP-binding sites, such as lysine residues, can lead to catalytic inactivation of ASK1. To address these knowledge gaps, we generated transgenic mice harboring a site-specific mutant ASK1 Map3k5-e (K716R), enabling us to assess its effects and elucidate potential underlying mechanisms following TBI. Methods: We employed the CRIPR/Cas9 system to generate a transgenic mouse model carrying the ASK1-K716R mutation, aming to investigate the functional implications of this specific mutant. The controlled cortical impact method was utilized to induce TBI. Expression and distribution of ASK1 were detected through Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining, respectively. The ASK1 kinase activity after TBI was detected by a specific ASK1 kinase activity kit. Cerebral microvessels were isolated by gradient centrifugation using dextran. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to evaluate blood–brain barrier (BBB) damage. BBB ultrastructure was visualized using transmission electron microscopy, while the expression levels of endothelial tight junction proteins and ASK1 signaling pathway proteins was detected by Western blotting. To investigate TBI-induced neuroinflammation, we conducted immunofluorescence staining, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and flow cytometry analyses. Additionally, immunofluorescence staining and electrophysiological compound action potentials were conducted to evaluate gray and white matter injury. Finally, sensorimotor function and cognitive function were assessed by a battery of behavioral tests. Results: The activity of ASK1-K716R was significantly decreased following TBI. Western blotting confirmed that ASK1-K716R effectively inhibited the phosphorylation of ASK1, JNKs, and p38 in response to TBI. Additionally, ASK1-K716R demonstrated a protective function in maintaining BBB integrity by suppressing ASK1/JNKs activity in endothelial cells, thereby reducing the degradation of tight junction proteins following TBI. Besides, ASK1-K716R effectively suppressed the infiltration of peripheral immune cells into the brain parenchyma, decreased the number of proinflammatory-like microglia/macrophages, increased the number of anti-inflammatory-like microglia/macrophages, and downregulated expression of several proinflammatory factors. Furthermore, ASK1-K716R attenuated white matter injury and improved the nerve conduction function of both myelinated and unmyelinated fibers after TBI. Finally, our findings demonstrated that ASK1-K716R exhibited favorable long-term functional and histological outcomes in the aftermath of TBI. Conclusion: ASK1-K716R preserves BBB integrity by inhibiting ASK1/JNKs pathway in endothelial cells, consequently reducing the degradation of tight junction proteins. Additionally, it alleviates early neuroinflammation by inhibiting the infiltration of peripheral immune cells into the brain parenchyma and modulating the polarization of microglia/macrophages. These beneficial effects of ASK1-K716R subsequently result in a reduction in white matter injury and promote the long-term recovery of neurological function following TBI. Highlights: This study highlights the critical role of ASK1-K716's site in regulating ASK1 activity during TBI. ASK1-K716R enhances BBB integrity by inhibiting ASK1/JNKs activity in endothelial cells, thereby reducing the degradation of tight junction proteins following TBI. ASK1-K716R suppresses the infiltration of peripheral immune cells and attenuates microglia-mediated neuroinflammation following TBI. ASK1-K716R mitigates white matter injury and facilitates the long-term recovery of neurological function following TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of regular waves on three-dimensional scalar structures of a vertical round jet in the wave-following-current environment is investigated. The wave effect is represented by two dimensionless parameters, i.e. the wave-to-current velocity ratio R wc and Strouhal number St . The jet concentration distribution, including 13 cases in the wave-following-current environment and 1 case in the current-only environment, is obtained using the large eddy simulation method and validated by experimental data. The results show that the characteristics of the distinctive ‘effluent clouds’ phenomenon, namely the effluent cloud size and the distance between adjacent effluent clouds, are strongly dependent on R wc and St . As a result, different structures of the time-averaged concentration distribution are found in the transverse planes, and they are classified into three types: one-peak type, two-peak type, and three-peak type. The area of the concentration contour of C =0.25 C m , where C m is the time-averaged cross-sectional maximum concentration, is defined as the jet visual area that represents the jet dilution characteristic. It highlights the existence of an optimal wave-to-current velocity ratio (approximately 0.6 here) for the highest dilution of a jet in the wave-following-current environment, which provides useful guidelines for selecting the sites of wastewater or brine discharge projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]