Search

Based on the inheriting modern humanistic tradition of philosophy, Herder founds systematic culture philosophy by comparison, which consists of the principle of humanity, historicity and sympathy. It not only establishes thinking basis for spirit science, but aslo provives one of the most important thinking resources for the reviviscence of contemporary praxis philosophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulating the crystal morphology of low aspect ratio, short columnar α‐hemihydrate gypsum (α‐HH) is crucial due to its distinctive physical and chemical properties, which make it widely applicable. In this work, succinic acid, malic acid, and maleic acid were selected as the research objects, among which the number and spacing of carboxyl groups were the same, while the auxiliary functional groups were different. The adsorption energy, Mulliken charge population, electronic state density, and charge density difference of the three organic acids on the surfaces of α‐HH were calculated by well‐defined ab initio calculations. The results showed that the synergistic effect of ‐COOH groups is necessary for the effective crystallization of α‐HH. Organic acids interact with the Ca atoms on the crystal surface, as evidenced by their preferential adsorption on the top surface of α‐HH crystals (002). This interaction occurs through a double‐dentate chelation between the carboxyl oxygen atoms at both ends of the organic acid and the Ca atoms on the crystal surface, resulting in the formation of a six‐membered cyclic organic acid calcium complex. This complex hinders ion diffusion and the stacking of crystal surfaces, leading to a decrease in the growth rate along the c‐axis and promoting more extensive crystal development and larger crystal sizes. The work provides insight into the preparation of short prismatic α‐HH using organic acid crystallizing agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A MCTS-based method for online deciding the generator startup sequence is proposed. • A constraint about the robustness of restoration scheme is proposed. • The restoration scheme can be adjusted online according to the unexpected faults. Generator startup is a critical step for the power system restoration following blackouts. Most strategies for the startup sequence of generators are obtained by offline methods, which probably are ineffective in the real situation: some devices unexpectedly fail to be restarted. To deal with the uncertainties, this paper proposed a novel method for online decision-making of the startup sequence of generators. First, the framework of online decision making is presented. The principles of online decision-making of the generator startup sequence are analyzed. Second, an optimization model for determining the generator startup sequence is developed to maximize the generating capacity. Then, the Monte Carlo tree search algorithm (MCTS) is applied to online decide the generator to be restored in the next step according to the real-time situation. To make it more suitable for system restoration, MCTS is modified: the upper confidence bounds for trees, the default policy, backpropagation, and the final decision making are improved. The restoration paths related to the selected generator are obtained by a graphic theoretic algorithm. Except commonly used constraints on generator startup and the path restoration, this paper considers the hot start of generators to propose a constraint about the robustness of the restoration scheme. Finally, the feasible strategy with the maximum generating capacity is selected online for application. Case studies on the IEEE 39-bus test system and an actual power system in Hebei, China, demonstrated the effectiveness of this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MucA and MucB are critical negative modulators of sigma factor AlgU and regulate the mucoid conversion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Previous studies have revealed that lipid signals antagonize MucA-MucB binding. Here we report the crystal structure of MucB in complex with the periplasmic domain of MucA and polyethylene glycol (PEG), which unveiled an intermediate state preceding the MucA-MucB dissociation. Based on the biochemical experiments, the aliphatic side chain with a polar group was found to be of primary importance for inducing MucA cleavage. These results provide evidence that the hydrophobic cavity of MucB is a primary site for sensing lipid molecules and illustrates the detailed control of conformational switching within MucA-MucB in response to lipophilic effectors. Tao Li et al. report crystal structure of MucA-MucB complex and identify a cavity region of MucB that binds PEG molecule. They further show that this hydrophobic cavity of MucB is a primary site for sensing lipid molecules and that lipid A stimulates MucB to release MucA for AlgW cleavage, helping to understand the regulation mechanism of alginate biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are works have reported the crystal structures and mechanical properties of ferrite cement (C4AF) at the atomic scale with deviation owing to the omission of the Coulomb interaction effect (Ueff) between 3d electrons of Fe in C4AF. In this work, the DFT+U method was used to evaluate its effect on their electronic structures and mechanical properties of C4AF with two different phases I2mb (C4AF‐I) and Pnma (C4AF‐P). The FeO bonds of the two phases are all weaker and display Ueff due to the presence of Fe ions. The mechanical properties of C4AF calculated using DFT+U method significantly differ from those obtained without considering Ueff, in which the former shows lower inferior mechanical properties than the latter. This work presents a comparative study the effect of Coulomb interaction to the internal electronic structures and mechanical properties, which will pave the way for designing high hydration reaction cement and high toughness materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The critical role of the G protein-coupled receptor 1 (GPER1), a member of the seven-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor family, in the functional regulation of oocytes accumulated abundant theories in the early research on model animals. However, the full-length cDNA encoding GPER1 and its role in the folliculogenesis has not been illustrated in crocodilians. 0.5, 3, and 12 months old Alligator sinensis cDNA samples were used to clone the full-length cDNA encoding GPER1. Immunolocalization and quantitative analysis were performed using Immunofluorescence technique, RT-PCR and Western blot. Simultaneously, studies on GPER1 's promoter deletion and cis-acting transcriptional regulation mechanism were conducted. Immunolocalization staining for the germline marker DDX4 and GPER1 demonstrated that DDX4-positive oocytes were clustered tightly together within the nests, whereas scarcely any detectable GPER1 was present in the oocytes nest in Stage I. After that, occasionally GPER1-positive immunosignal was observed in oocytes and somatic cells additional with the primordial follicles, and it was mainly located at the granulosa cells or thecal cells within the early PFs in the Stage III. The single mutation of the putative SP1 motif, double mutating of Ets / SP1 and SP1 / CRE binding sites all depressed promoter activities. This result will help to investigate the role of GPER1 in the early folliculogenesis of A. sinensis. • The full-length cDNA encoding G protein-coupled receptor 1 has been cloned in Alligator sinensis. • The folliculogenesis of Alligator sinensis might be related to estrogen signaling via G protein-coupled receptor 1. • The up-regulation of G protein-coupled receptor 1 expression might be mediated by the SP1 cis-acting elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus aureus is a food‐borne pathogen that quickly forms biofilm on meat contact surfaces and thus poses a serious threat to the safety of the meat industry. This study evaluated the attachment, survival, and growth of S. aureus biofilm with exposure to environmental factors in the meat industry by simulated ready‐to‐eat (RTE) cooked beef product contamination scenarios. The results indicated that the meat‐borne S. aureus biofilm formation dynamic could be divided into four different phases: initial adhesion (4–12 h), exponential (12–24 h), slow growth (1–3 days), and stationary (3–7 days). Meat‐borne S. aureus has strong adhesion and biofilm formation ability, and its biofilm exhibits persistence, high‐intensity metabolic activity, aerotaxis, and strain heterogeneity. This study has also demonstrated that in the long‐term existence of meat‐borne S. aureus biofilm on stainless steel and plexiglass surfaces (>7 days, 7.2–8.8 log CFU/cm2), expose to RTE cooked beef products, may cause it to become high‐risk contaminated food. Meat‐borne S. aureus that forms a dense and rough concave‐convex in the shape of biofilm architecture was observed by scanning electron microscopy, consisting of complex components and adhesion of living and dead cells. This was further confirmed by the meat‐borne S. aureus biofilm on the stainless steel surface by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, and the dominant peaks in biofilm spectra were mainly associated with proteins, polysaccharides, amino acid residues, and phospholipids (>50%). These findings may help in the identification of the main sources of contamination within the meat industry and the subsequent establishment of strategies for biofilm prevention and removal. Practical Application: This study revealed the meat‐borne S. aureus biofilm formation mechanism and found that it exhibited strong colonization and biofilm‐forming ability, which can persist on the contact surfaces of ready‐to‐eat beef products. These initial findings could provide information on the behavior of meat‐borne S. aureus biofilm attached to meat contact surfaces under conditions commonly encountered in meat environments, which help to support the determination of the main sources of contamination within the meat industry and the subsequent establishment of strategies for biofilm prevention and removal. It was also helpful in controlling biofilm contamination and improving meat safety to minimize it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a novel total non-ionic polystyrene-polyurethane (PS-PU) composite latex was synthesized with polymerizable polyethylene glycol ether. Contrary to traditional styrene-butyl acrylate latex (St-BA), PS-PU has a smaller size and superior dispersion stability, and it is stable in saturated Ca(OH)2 even after 72 h. In fresh-mixed mortars, PS-PU showed a little adverse effect on workability and insignificant air entrainment, with little defoamer consumption. The retardation effect of PS-PU is also much milder than traditional St-BA. As for strength, PS-PU showed a less adverse effect on early and late age compressive strength, but its effect on flexural strength is not as pronounced as St-BA at high dosages (4% and 6%). The different behavior in cementitious materials between PS-PU and St-BA can be reasoned from their different adsorption behavior and surface charge properties, as the results from characterizations suggest. The non-ionic nature of PS-PU made it less prone to destabilization and adsorption, which turned out as the aforementioned behavior in cementitious systems. The difference can further be ascribed to the difference in their polymeric structure and properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During preparation stages of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods, they can be cross-contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes which could result to outbreaks of foodborne listeriosis. In this study, the effects of gloves, cutting boards and cleaning methods on the transmission of L. monocytogenes during the processing of salmon sashimi were investigated. Subsequently, an improved particle swarm algorithm optimized BP neural network prediction model (CLPSO-BP) was developed based on Lévy flight and chaotic mapping. After processing contaminated salmons with gloves, we found that the surfaces of the gloves contained a significant amount of L. monocytogenes (5.24 log CFU/g), and 10.69% of the bacteria were subsequently transferred to uninfected salmon after being processed with the same gloves. Contamination of the processing tools with L. monocytogenes was reduced by up to 3 log CFU/g and the transfer rate was reduced by up to 50% after cleaning with room temperature water and detergent. In contrast, no bacteria were found after wiping the surfaces of the tools 70 °C hot water and detergent. The mean squared error (MSE) for the CLPSO-BP modeling tests was 0.1003, indicating accurate predictions. Overall, choosing an appropriate cleaning method and changing gloves regularly can help to avoid cross-contamination when processing RTE foods. • Sufficient independent tests were conducted to determine the range of transfer rates. • CLPSO-BP model has been developed to predict cross-contamination scenarios. • The improved PSO algorithm yields accurate results with small sample sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the abundant and low-cost zinc-based acrylate resins, C/ZnO composites were fabricated via one-step carbonization at 700 °C in a N 2 atmosphere for 2 h. Zinc-based acrylate resins, which were synthesized by free-radical polymerization of butyl acrylate (BA), acrylic acid (AA) and vinyl acetate (VAc) and dehydration condensation of Zn(OH) 2 , provided a common source for carbon and ZnO. These materials demonstrate enhanced electromagnetic wave absorption (EMWA) behavior with tunable microwave absorption bands at 2–18 GHz, which is related to the molar ratio (mol%) of Zn(OH) 2 to acrylate monomers in zinc-based acrylate resins. Remarkably, the 0.11 mol% C/ZnO composite exhibits outstanding absorption properties: the minimum reflection loss (RL min) at 16.7 wt% loading of −34.66 dB is observed at 3.0 mm and 10.32 GHz, and an RL min of −24.83 dB is observed at a small thickness of 1.5 mm with an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 3.61 GHz. Moreover, the EAB (RL ≤ −10 dB) from the C band to Ku band is achieved by simply adjusting the thickness of the absorbers, which are superior to the other hybrids of organic carbon and ZnO. These results provide a new strategy for the preparation of carbon-based composites containing metal oxides and their application in high-performance microwave absorption. [Display omitted] • Zinc-based acrylate resins were first applied as precursors to prepare C/ZnO composites for electromagnetic absorption. • Effective adsorption of C/ZnO composites could be tuned by adjusting the molar ratio of Zn(OH) 2 to acrylate monomers. • An RL min value at 16.7 wt% loading of -34.66 dB (10.32 GHz) at 3.0 mm and EAB of 3.61 GHz at 1.5 mm were achieved. • The EMWA mechanism of the C/ZnO composites was investigated in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of non-destructive testing (NDT), the detection of surface cracks using permanent magnetic field perturbation (PMFP) testing has emerged as a novel approach. It is particularly well-suited for detecting ferromagnetic materials due to its capability to identify open cracks, facilitated by a compact and straightforward probe structure. However, the existing rigid PMFP probes pose challenges in terms of shape-conforming, resulting in large lift-off fluctuations during sweeping, and are prone to wear and tear. Furthermore, their suitability is limited when inspecting specimens with various specifications and irregular shapes. To address these issues, this paper proposes a novel PMFP detection method based on the magnetization of a Flexible Magnetic Sheet (FMS). For further optimization, the machining of a through-slot in the FMS, with the magnetic sensor embedded within, serves to capture the magnetic field perturbation. This configuration is employed for the detection of surface defects. Compared to the conventional PMFP method that relies on rigid permanent magnetization, its flexibility makes the proposed method offer notable advantages such as streamlined processing, lightweight construction, and inherent adaptability to various shapes. Moreover, compared to the traditional PMFP structure where the sensor is placed beneath the permanent magnet, the through-plot FMS design exhibits a larger and more uniform magnetic field. Consequently, this feature significantly improves the signal-to-noise ratio by approximately 30%. The flexible testing method has a high application value and can effectively detect rectangular slots of size 1 mm * 1 mm* 12.5 mm and flat-bottom holes of size Φ2mm* 0.5 mm in pipeline testing. [Display omitted] • Based on FMS magnetization, a flexible probe is proposed to optimize the adaptability of conventional PMFP testing. • Enhanced magnetization field and signal-to-noise ratio by machining through-slots in the FMS. • The proposed flexible probe structure effectively addresses the issues of fit and array scanning in pipeline testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Square billet is an important industrial raw material. Due to the large amount of oxidation skin on the surface after continuous casting process, it needs surface grinding treatment. Meanwhile, the billet surface is prone to stress concentrations and cracks in the crystallization zone, so it is easy to break and cause accidents in the subsequent process. However, the poor surface condition of the reground billet, such as the large roughness and fluctuations in the shape, makes it difficult to be tested by traditional methods. In this paper, the relationship between the excitation frequency of alternative current magnetic flux leakage (AC-MFL) and the fluctuation of magnetic field generated by uneven surface is studied, and the high-frequency AC leakage field formation is restated. Furthermore, a flexible probe integrating parallel cables (PC) magnetizer and receiving coils is proposed, which can realize the profiling testing and reduce the influence of the undulating surface. Finally, the wavelet transform is used to reconstruct signals, which increases the average signal-to noise ratio (SNR) from 7.25 dB to 11.89 dB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel dimeric gadolinium(III) complex, bis(4-Gd-DTPA-aminophenyl)adamantane ( 5 ), was successfully synthesized using bis(4-aminophenyl)adamantane to link two Gd-DTPA units. All the intermediates and bis(4-Gd-DTPA-aminophenyl)adamantane ( 5 ) have been characterized by 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, ES-API-MS, HR-ESI-MS, FT-IR and elemental analysis (EA). The longitudinal relaxivity of bis(4-Gd-DTPA-aminophenyl)adamantane is 8.43 mM −1  Gd −1  s −1 at 0.43 T (32 °C, pH 7.0), and 4.89 mM −1  Gd −1  s −1 at 3.0 T (32 °C, pH 7.4). The T 1 -weighted imaging in vitro showed that bis(4-Gd-DTPA-acetylaminophenyl)adamantane can enhance the contrast of images distinctly. But most of all, the kinetic inertness of bis(4-Gd-DTPA-aminophenyl)adamantane ( 5 ) was comparable to that of [Gd(DTPA)(H 2 O)] 2− (Magnetvist®). Moreover, cytotoxicity tests indicated that the bis(4-Gd-DTPA-acetylaminophenyl)adamantane exhibited low toxicity to healthy liver cells (L-02 cells). These results demonstrate that the Gd(III) complex 5 may be a promising MRI contrast agent candidate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the growth kinetics of S. aureus and different concentrations of background microbiota in Chinese-style braised beef (CBB). A one-step analysis method was applied to develop predictive model to describe the simultaneous growth and interaction of S. aureus with different concentrations of background microbiota in CBB. The results show that a one-step method successfully models the growth of S. aureus and background microbiota in CBB and the competing interactions between the two. In sterile CBB, the estimated minimum growth temperatures (T min,S) and the maximum growth concentrations (Y max,S) were 8.76 °C and 9.58 log CFU/g for S. aureus. Under competition, the growth of background microbiota was not affected by S. aureus , the estimated T min,B and Y max,B was 4.46 °C and 9.94 log CFU/g. The background microbiota in CBB did not affect the growth rate of S. aureus (α 1 = 1.04), but had an inhibitory effect on the number of S. aureus (α 2 = 0.69) at the later growth stage. The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of the modeling data was 0.34 log CFU/g, with 85.5% of the residual errors within ±0.5 log CFU/g of experimental observations. The one-step analysis and dynamic temperatures (8 °C–32 °C) verification indicated that the RMSE of prediction was <0.5 log CFU/g for both S. aureus and background microbiota. This study demonstrates that microbial interaction models are a useful and promising tool for predicting and evaluating the spatiotemporal population dynamics of S. aureus and background microbiota in CBB products. • A growth prediction model for S. aureus in sterile CBB was developed. • Interaction models of S. aureus and background microbiota in CBB were developed. • A one-step analysis method was used to estimate kinetic parameters. • The applicability and accuracy of the model were verified under dynamic temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message : Using bulk segregant analysis (BSA) coupling with RNA-seq and DNA markers identified a potentially novel nitrogen-dependent lesion mimic gene Ndhrl1 on 2BS in wheat. Abstract: Lesion mimic (LM) refers to hypersensitive reaction-like (HRL) traits that appear on leaf tissue in the absence of plant pathogens. In a wheat line P7001, LM showed up on the leaves under the 0 g nitrogen (N) treatment, but disappeared when sufficient N was supplied, suggesting that LM is N-responsive and N dosage dependent. Using BSA strategy together with RNA-seq and DNA markers, we identified an N-dependent LM gene ( Ndhrl1) and mapped it to the short arm of chromosome 2B using an F recombinant inbred population developed from the cross of P7001 × P216. The putative gene was delimited into an interval of 8.1 cM flanked by the CAPS/dCAPS markers 7hrC9 and 7hr2dc14, and co-segregated with the dCAPS marker 7hrdc2. This gene is most likely a novel gene for LM in wheat based on its chromosomal location. Further analysis of RNA-seq data showed that plant-pathogen interaction, nitrogen metabolism, zeatin biosynthesis and plant hormone signal transduction pathways were significantly differentially expressed between LM and non-LM lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on the development of a gaseous ClO 2 treatment system that contained dry ice that was used to form carbon dioxide (CO 2) and an absorbent pad with sodium chlorite (NaClO 2) solution for ClO 2 gas generation. Furthermore, the effects of ClO 2 gas on the populations of Listeria monocytogenes and the quality properties of table grapes during cold storage were evaluated. The system continuously released the sufficient concentrations of ClO 2 gas to treat berries during 30 d of cold storage. After 20 h of ClO 2 gas treatment, the populations of Listeria monocytogenes decreased from 5.88 log CFU/g to a non-detectable (ND) level. There were no significant (p > 0.05) changes in the color parameters (L*, a*, and b*) of table grapes treated with ClO 2 gas. The firmness, weight, total soluble solids (TSS), and titratable acid (TA) losses of table grapes were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced by ClO 2 gas, while Vitamin C was unaffected. Additionally, the residual ClO 2 of table grapes were <0.5 mg/kg, which is considered a safe level. Overall, the novel gaseous ClO 2 treatment system may be used as an effective intervention technology to improve the safety and quality of table grapes during cold storage. • The gaseous ClO 2 treatment system was developed by reacting CO 2 with NaClO 2. • The system released sufficient ClO 2 gas to treat grape samples during cold storage. • The ClO 2 gas effectively killed L. monocytogenes on samples. • The ClO 2 gas also maintained the quality of samples. • The ClO 2 residues of samples reached a safe level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

● Multifunctional zinc-based acrylate resins for marine antifouling and EM wave absorption were prepared and researched. ● The resins effectively inhibited the growth and adhesion of bacteria (>90%) and algae (optimal: 92.5%). ● The ARZn-x without antifoulants can maintain their antifouling properties for more than 4 months in marine. ● RL min was -40.18 dB at 1.5 mm and 30.55 GHz, and full absorption was achieved in the range of 1.0 ~ 5.5 mm at 18-40 GHz. [Display omitted] Here, we report on the marine antifouling performance and electromagnetic wave absorption (EMWA) properties of multifunctional zinc-based acrylate resins (ARZn-x). Their controlled hydrolysis with varying contents of carboxylic acid groups and ZnO led to formation of new surfaces that contributed to excellent antibacterial activity (>90%) and reductions in algal adhesion (optimal: 92.5%). Marine field tests demonstrated ideal antifouling performance during immersion in seawater for 4 months, and the coatings inhibited the adhesion and growth of biofouling species in marine. Furthermore, the ARZn-x resin coatings exhibited remarkable EMWA performance, with an RL min of − 40.18 dB at 1.5 mm and 30.55 GHz, and full absorption of frequencies ranging from 18 to 40 GHz was achieved with thicknesses ranging from 1.0 to 5.5 mm. These resins provide new approaches to the development of multifunctional materials demonstrating marine antifouling performance and EMWA properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Soil erosion intensity increased from North to South in the Wangdonggou watershed. • The soil erosion intensity varied with land use, vegetation coverage and slope. • Woodland and grassland in the study area caused more than 50% soil erosion. • Converting sloping woodland and grassland to terraces effectively control soil erosion. Soil is an essentially limited natural resource that natural and human-induced processes have both generated and damaged. Soil degradation has become one of the most crucial socio-economic and environmental problems since it produces deterioration in productivity and quality of soil resources. Soil erosion, a natural phenomenon that causes degradation of soil and, curves the soil surface away from natural physical forces. To reveal the main factors influencing the spatial distribution of soil erosion in the small watershed of the Loess Plateau, the present study has investigated the synergistic as well as the independent influence of land use, vegetation coverage, and slope on the spatial distribution characteristics of soil erosion in the Wangdonggou watershed in 2015. Soil samples have been collected and analyzed in the laboratory together with high-resolution satellite imagery and meteorological data and derived data from digital elevation model (DEM). The results have shown that soil erosion in Wangdonggou watershed in 2015 has been characterized by a slight erosion, highlighting a gradually increased intensity from North to South. Among different land-uses, woodland and grassland have caused more than 50% soil erosion in the study area, and the areas with vegetation coverage of ≥ 50% have been the main source of soil erosion, and they have been all affected by slope. Furthermore, the practice of expanding vegetation presence on the lower coverage of woodland and grassland, particularly where the slope is between 15°∼45°, and converting sloping woodland and grassland to the terrace have seemed to be effective strategies for controlling soil erosion in the Wangdonggou watershed. Finally, the current study has revealed that the RUSLE-GIS integrated model could be a useful tool to quantitatively and spatially map soil erosion at the watershed scale in the Loess Plateau, taking into account the provision of landscape services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• N-doped C/ZnOx composites (CN/ZnO x -Ts) were prepared using acrylate resin as the precursor for EMWA. • The acrylate resins used enable large-scale and stable production. • The EMWA properties of CN/ZnO x -Ts can be tuned by controlling the resin composition and calcination temperature. • An RL min value of -43.15 dB and EAB ranging from 5.1 to 18 GHz can be achieved by adjusting the thickness of the absorber. • The EMWA mechanism for CN/ZnO x -Ts was investigated in detail. The chemical doping of carbon and heteroatoms is expected to be a promising strategy for enhancing the absorption properties of electromagnetic waves. In this work, N-doped C/ZnO composites (CN/ZnO x -Ts) were originally designed and synthesized by using temperature-controllable calcination engineering with zinc-based acrylate resins containing N atoms as precursors. The best electromagnetic wave absorption (EMWA) performance for the composites was obtained by changing the composition and calcination temperature of the acrylate resin precursor. A CN/ZnO 0.064 -900 composite prepared using a precursor containing acrylonitrile (0.4 mol) and ZnO (0.064 mol) calcined at 900 °C showed a minimum reflection loss (RL min) of − 43.15 dB at 3.0 mm and 9.68 GHz, with an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) ranging from 5.1 GHz to 18 GHz achieved by adjusting the thickness of the absorber. This method for preparing novel N-doped carbon-based materials provides the possibility for the mass production of highly efficient absorbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: NE-trending, sinistral ductile shear belts in the southern part of the Tan–Lu fault zone, East China are exposed along the eastern edge of the northern Dabie belt and southern Zhangbaling belt. Three hornblende, three phengite and 12 biotite separates from greenschist facies mylonites in the shear belts were dated by the 40Ar/39Ar method in this study. A hornblende plateau age of 143.3Ma is interpreted as representing the time of sinistral motion on the Zhangbaling part of the Tan–Lu fault zone. Seven biotite samples from the same part yield 40Ar/39Ar cooling ages from 137 to 125Ma. A phengite plateau age of 138.8Ma from the eastern edge of the Dabie belt is considered as being close to the time of deformation in the Tan–Lu strike-slip zone. Five biotite 40Ar/39Ar ages from 120 to 110Ma and one phengite age of 121Ma from the same area represent cooling ages after the sinistral faulting. It is concluded on the basis of these 40Ar/39Ar ages that the sinistral ductile shear belts in the southern part of the Tan–Lu fault zone were produced in earliest Early Cretaceous. This sinistral motion on the Tan–Lu fault zone is considered to be related to high-speed, highly oblique subduction of the Pacific plate at this time. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Qianlishan Complex is a multiply deformed granulite terrane of the Khondalite Belt that represents a Paleoproterozoic continent-continent collisional orogen in the Western Block of the North China Craton. Two major stages of deformation (D 1 and D 2) were identified in the Qianlishan Complex. D 1 mainly produced NWW-trending overturned to recumbent intrafolial isoclinal folds F 1 , sub-horizontal penetrative foliations S 1 , NNE-SSW mineral lineations L 1 associated with top-to-the-SSW thrust shear, reflecting crustal thickening due to the NNE-SSW compression. D 1 was developed with the prograde (M 1) and peak (M 2) granulite-facies metamorphism. D 2 successively superposed the D 1 structures and was characterized by NWW-SEE-trending doubly plunging open to tight upright folds F 2 and minor sub-vertical axial planar foliations/cleavages S 2. D 2 was accompanied by post-peak near-isothermal decompression (M 3), probably related to exhumation following the crustal thickening. SIMS U–Pb zircon ages of deformation-related leucocratic dykes demonstrate that D 1 broadly occurred at 1976–1936 Ma and D 2 subsequently happened at 1936–1854 Ma. These results indicate that the Khondalite Belt underwent long-term (~100 Myr) polyphase deformation and high-grade metamorphism associated with magmatism. Timing constraints and kinematic compatibility suggest that the deformation sequence resulted from the NNE-SSW collision between the Yinshan and Ordos Blocks to form the Western Block at ~1.95 Ga. fx1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epimedium is a Chinese herb known as "yin and yang fire," first mentioned in the Compendium of Materia Medica. Many of the proprietary Chinese medicines used in clinical practice contain Epimedium as an ingredient, and its main active constituents include icariin, icaritin, and icariside II, among others. In addition to its traditional use in treating fatigue and sexual problems, modern research has confirmed that the main bioactive compounds in Epimedium have pharmacological effects such as antidepressant, antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as inhibiting bone destruction, promoting bone growth, improving immune regulation and protecting the cardio-cerebral vascular system. With the continuous development of extraction and purification techniques, the development and use of bioactive compounds in Epimedium have significantly progressed, and the anticancer effect has received widespread attention. Since natural herbs have few side effects on the human body and do not easily develop drug resistance, they have long been the direction of research in cancer treatment. This review summarizes the latest research on the anticancer effects of Epimedium and its extracts, describes the bioactive compounds, pharmacological efficacy, and antitumor mechanism of Epimedium , and gives a new view on the administration and development of Epimedium .

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common, multicause clinical condition that, if ignored, often progresses to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage kidney disease, with a mortality rate of 40-50%. However, there is a lack of universal treatment for AKI. Inflammation is the basic pathological change of early kidney injury, and inflammation can exacerbate AKI. Macrophages are the primary immune cells involved in the inflammatory microenvironment of kidney disease. Therefore, regulating the function of macrophages is a crucial breakthrough for the AKI intervention. Our team chemically modified pyxinol, an ocotillol-type ginsenoside, to prepare PJ16 with higher solubility and bioavailability. In vitro, using a model of macrophages stimulated by LPS, it was found that PJ16 could regulate macrophage function, including inhibiting the secretion of inflammatory factors, promoting phagocytosis, inhibiting M1 macrophages, and promoting M1 transition to the M2c macrophage. Further investigation revealed that PJ16 may shield renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) damaged by LPS in vitro. Based on this, PJ16 was validated in the animal model of unilateral ureteral obstruction, which showed that it improves renal function and inhibits renal tissue fibrosis by decreasing inflammatory responses, reducing macrophage inflammatory infiltration, and preferentially upregulating M2c macrophages. In conclusion, our study is the first to show that PJ16 resists AKI and fibrosis by mechanistically regulating macrophage function by modulating the phenotypic transition from M1 to M2 macrophages, mainly M2c macrophages.

Consumer acceptance of Keitt mangoes ( Mangifera indica L.) is significantly affected by their slow postharvest ripening. This work used gaseous chlorine dioxide (ClO 2 (g)) to prepare the ready-to-eat Keitt mango and explored the potential mechanisms for the mango ripening. Harvested mangoes were treated with 20 mg·L -1 of ClO 2 (g) or ethephon for 3 h (25 °C) and left in a climatic chamber with a temperature of 25 ± 1 °C and a relative humidity of 85 ± 5% for 4 d. The results showed that ClO 2 (g) treatment significantly promoted the orange coloration of mango flesh compared to the untreated control group. Moreover, ClO 2 (g) treatment significantly elevated the total soluble solids, total soluble sugar, and total carotenoids content of mangoes, whereas the firmness and titratable acidity were reduced. ClO 2 (g)-treated mangoes reached the edible window on day 2, as did mangoes treated with ethephon at the same concentration, except that the sweetness was prominent. The residual ClO 2 level of the mangoes was <0.3 mg/kg during the whole storage time, which is a safe level for fruit. In addition, ClO 2 (g) significantly advanced the onset of ethylene peaks by 0.5 days and increased its production between days 0.5 and 2 compared to the control group. Consistently, the genes involved in ethylene biosynthesis including miACS6 , miACO1 , and miACO were upregulated. In sum, ClO 2 (g) can be a potential technique to reduce the time for harvested mango to reach the edible window, and it functions in modulating postharvest ripening by inducing ethylene biosynthesis.

We demonstrate a robust single-photon Ramsey interferometer based on a single Rydberg excitation, where the photon is stored as a Rydberg polariton in an ensemble of atoms. This coherent conversion of the photon to Rydberg polariton enables to split an incoming photon into a superposition state of two Rydberg states by applying microwave fields, which constructs two paths of interferometer. Ramsey interference fringes are demonstrated when we scan either the detuning of the microwave or the free evolution time, from which we can obtain the resonant transition frequency of two Rydberg states. We use the Ramsey-like sequence to demonstrate coherent manipulation of the stored single-photon to construct different interference patterns. In addition, the robustness of the Ramsey interferometer to the fluctuation of incoming photon numbers and optical depth (OD) of the atomic ensemble is tested, showing that the coherent of Ramsey interferometer is preserved for input photon number in a range of R in  < 15 and for OD varying from 1.0 to 4.0. The robust interferometer will find its applications in quantum precision measurement.

The study explored the biofilm (BF) formation capacity, BF-related gene profiles, and the trends in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of Salmonella pullorum (SP) strains over several years. A total of 627 SP strains were isolated from 4,540 samples collected from chicken farms in Guangxi, China during 2018-2022. The BF-forming capacity of these isolates was assessed using crystal violet staining, and the presence of eight BF-related genes ( csgA, csgB, csgD, ompR, bapA, pfs, luxS , and rpoS ) in BF formation-positive strains was determined through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) analysis. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was conducted to investigate the AMR of the isolates. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimal Biofilm Eradication Concentration (MBEC) of nine SP-BF strains were determined using the broth microdilution method to assess the impact of BF formation on AMR. Additionally, the Optimal Biofilm Formation Conditions (OBFC) were investigated. The results indicated that 36.8% (231/627) of the strains exhibited a positive BF-formation capacity. Among these, 24.7% (57/231) were strong BF producers, 23.4% (54/231) were moderate BF producers, and 51.9% (120/231) were weak BF producers. Analysis of the eight BF-related genes in SP-BF strains revealed that over 90% of them were positive for all the genes. Antimicrobial susceptibility test conducted on the isolates showed that 100% (231/231) of them exhibited resistance to at least one antibiotic, with 98.3% (227/231) demonstrating multidrug resistance (MDR). Both MIC and MBEC measurements indicated varying degrees of increased AMR after BF formation of the bacteria. The optimal conditions for BF formation were observed at 37°C after 48 h of incubation, with an initial bacterial concentration of 1.2 × 10 6 CFU/mL. Notably, NaCl had a significant inhibitory effect on BF formation, while glucose and Trypticase Soy Broth (TSB) positively influenced BF formation. The results of the study emphasized the need for effective preventive and control strategies to address the challenges posed by the BF formation and MDR of SP in the field., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Chen, Xu, Li, Wang, Wang, Liang and Wei.)

We demonstrate a coherent microwave manipulation of a single optical photon based on a single Rydberg excitation in an atomic ensemble. Due to the strong nonlinearities in a Rydberg blockade region, a single photon can be stored in the formation of Rydberg polariton using electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). The manipulation of the stored single photon is performed by applying a microwave field that resonantly couples the nS 1/2 and nP 3/2 , while the coherent readout is performed by mapping the excitation into a single photon. We achieve a single photon source with g (2) (0) = 0.29 ± 0.08 at 80S 1/2 without applying microwave fields. By implementing the microwave field during the storage time and retrieval process, we show the Rabi oscillation and modulation of stored photons that can be controlled to retrieve early or late. Rapid modulation frequencies up to 50 MHz can be obtained. Our experimental observations can be well explained via numerical simulations based on an improved superatom model accounting for the dipole-dipole interactions in a Rydberg EIT medium. Our work provides a way to manipulate the stored photons by employing the microwave field, which is significant for developing quantum technologies.

Accurate HIV incidence estimation based on individual recent infection status (recent vs long-term infection) is important for monitoring the epidemic, targeting interventions to those at greatest risk of new infection, and evaluating existing programs of prevention and treatment. Starting from 2015, the Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (PHIA) individual-level surveys are implemented in the most-affected countries in sub-Saharan Africa. PHIA is a nationally-representative HIV-focused survey that combines household visits with key questions and cutting-edge technologies such as biomarker tests for HIV antibody and HIV viral load which offer the unique opportunity of distinguishing between recent infection and long-term infection, and providing relevant HIV information by age, gender, and location. In this article, we propose a semi-supervised logistic regression model for estimating individual level HIV recency status. It incorporates information from multiple data sources - the PHIA survey where the true HIV recency status is unknown, and the cohort studies provided in the literature where the relationship between HIV recency status and the covariates are presented in the form of a contingency table. It also utilizes the national level HIV incidence estimates from the epidemiology model. Applying the proposed model to Malawi PHIA data, we demonstrate that our approach is more accurate for the individual level estimation and more appropriate for estimating HIV recency rates at aggregated levels than the current practice - the binary classification tree (BCT).

Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C3 (AKR1C3) plays an important role in prostate cancer (PCa) progression, particularly in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). It is necessary to establish a genetic signature associated with AKR1C3 that can be used to predict the prognosis of PCa patients and provide important information for clinical treatment decisions. AKR1C3-related genes were identified via label-free quantitative proteomics of the AKR1C3-overexpressing LNCaP cell line. A risk model was constructed through the analysis of clinical data, PPI, and Cox-selected risk genes. Cox regression analysis, Kaplan-Meier (K-M) curves, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to verify the accuracy of the model, and two external datasets were used to verify the reliability of the results. Subsequently, the tumor microenvironment and drug sensitivity were explored. Moreover, the roles of AKR1C3 in the progression of PCa were verified in LNCaP cells. MTT, colony formation, and EdU assays were conducted to explore cell proliferation and drug sensitivity to enzalutamide. Migration and invasion abilities were measured using wound-healing and transwell assays, and qPCR was used to assess the expression levels of AR target genes and EMT genes. CDC20, SRSF3, UQCRH, INCENP, TIMM10, TIMM13, POLR2L, and NDUFAB1 were identified as AKR1C3-associated risk genes. These risk genes, established using the prognostic model, can effectively predict the recurrence status, immune microenvironment, and drug sensitivity of PCa. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and several immune checkpoints that promote cancer progression were higher in high-risk groups. Furthermore, there was a close correlation between the sensitivity of PCa patients to bicalutamide and docetaxel and the expression levels of the eight risk genes. Moreover, through in vitro experiments, Western blotting confirmed that AKR1C3 enhanced SRSF3, CDC20, and INCENP expression. We found that PCa cells with a high expression of AKR1C3 have high proliferation ability and high migration ability and were insensitive to enzalutamide. AKR1C3-associated genes had a significant role in the process of PCa, immune responses, and drug sensitivity and offer the potential for a novel model for prognostic prediction in PCa.

In order to prevent pullorum disease and fowl typhoid in breeders, the use of oregano essential oil (OEO) was tested for the prevention and treatment of infections of multidrug-resistant Salmonella pullorum (SP) and Salmonella gallinarum (SG) in commercial Yellow-chicken breeders. In the challenge-protection experiment, commercial Hongguang-Black 1-day-old breeder chicks were randomly divided into four groups, including A (challenged, preventive dose), B (challenged, treatment dose), C (challenged, untreated), and D (unchallenged, untreated). Group A was supplemented with 200 μL/L OEO in the drinking water during the whole trial (1-35 days of age) and group B was supplemented with 400 μL/L OEO during 8-12 days of age, while groups C and D were kept as untreated controls. At 7 days of age, birds of groups A, B, and C were divided into two subgroups with equal number of birds (A 1 -A 2 , B 1 -B 2 , and C 1 -C 2 ), and then subgroups A 1 , B 1 , and C 1 were challenged with SP, while subgroups A 2 , B 2 , and C 2 were challenged with SG. Clinical symptoms and death were observed and recorded daily. Every week during the experiment, serum antibodies against SP and SG of all the groups were detected by the plate agglutinate test (PAT). At the age of 35 days, all birds were weighed and necropsied, lesions were recorded and the challenging pathogens were isolated. The results showed that the positive rates of SP and SG isolation in groups A 1 , A 2 and B 1 , B 2 were significantly lower ( P < 0.05) than those of groups C 1 and C 2 , respectively, while groups A 1 and A 2 were slightly lower ( P > 0.05) than those of groups B 1 and B 2 . The average body weight (BW) of groups A 1 and A 2 were significantly higher ( P < 0.05) than those of groups B 1 , B 2 and C 1 , C 2 , respectively, but there was no significant difference ( P > 0.05) with that of group D. The r -value between PAT positive and the recovery rates of Salmonella was 0.99, which means they are highly positively correlated. The results of this study demonstrated that the prevention dose (200μL/L) and the treatment dose (400 μL/L) of OEO supplemented in the drinking water could all effectively decrease infections of SP and SG and that the effect of the prevention was greater than that of the treatment and finally that the prevention could also significantly reduce the BW decline of birds challenged with SP and SG., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Xu, Wang, Li, Wang, Chen, Zhou and Wei.)

Salmonella is capable of harming human and animal health, and its multidrug resistance (MDR) has always been a public health problem. In addition, antibiotic-free or antibiotic-reduced policies have been implemented in poultry production. Therefore, the search for antibiotic alternatives is more urgent than ever before. The aim of this study was to assess the antibacterial activity of star anise-cinnamon essential oil (SCEO) in vitro and its prophylactic effect against the infections of Salmonella pullorum , Salmonella give , and Salmonella kentucky in vivo. The results demonstrated that SCEO is effective against Salmonella pullorum , Salmonella give , and Salmonella kentucky in vitro. Supplementation with SCEO could significantly decrease the infections of Salmonella pullorum and Salmonella give , whereas it could slightly but not significantly decrease the infection of Salmonella kentucky , while also significantly alleviating the body weight (BW) loss caused by the infections of Salmonella pullorum , Salmonella give , and Salmonella kentucky in Yellow chickens. The SCEO had the best prophylactic effect against the infection of Salmonella give in Yellow chickens, followed by the infection of Salmonella pullorum and the infection of Salmonella kentucky . The SCEO, used as an antibiotic alternative, could be an effective prevention strategy against the infections of Salmonella pullorum , Salmonella give , and Salmonella kentucky in Yellow chickens.

Cronobacter sakazakii is a common foodborne pathogen, and the mortality rate of its infection is as high as 40-80%. SdiA acts as a quorum sensing regulator in many foodborne pathogens, but its role in C. sakazakii remains unclear. Here, we further determined the effect of the sdiA gene in C. sakazakii pathogenicity. The SdiA gene in C. sakazakii was knocked out by gene editing technology, and the biological characteristics of the Δ sdiA mutant of C. sakazakii were studied, followed by transcriptome analysis to elucidate its effects. The results suggested that SdiA gene enhanced the drug resistance of C. sakazakii but diminished its motility, adhesion and biofilm formation ability and had no effect on its growth. Transcriptome analysis showed that the Δ sdiA upregulated the expression levels of D-galactose operon genes (including dgoR , dgoK , dgoA , dgoD and dgoT ) and flagella-related genes ( FliA and FliC ) in C. sakazakii and downregulated the expression levels of related genes in the type VI secretion system ( VasK gene was downregulated by 1.53-fold) and ABC transport system (downregulated by 1.5-fold), indicating that SdiA gene was related to the physiological metabolism of C. sakazakii . The results were useful for clarifying the pathogenic mechanism of C. sakazakii and provide a theoretical basis for controlling bacterial infection., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Cheng, Yan, Liu, Jiang, Zhou, Guo, Zhang, Li and Fang.)

In the research on energy-efficient networking methods for precision agriculture, a hot topic is the energy issue of sensing nodes for individual wireless sensor networks. The sensing nodes of the wireless sensor network should be enabled to provide better services with limited energy to support wide-range and multi-scenario acquisition and transmission of three-dimensional crop information. Further, the life cycle of the sensing nodes should be maximized under limited energy. The transmission direction and node power consumption are considered, and the forward and high-energy nodes are selected as the preferred cluster heads or data-forwarding nodes. Taking the cropland cultivation of ginseng as the background, we put forward a particle swarm optimization-based networking algorithm for wireless sensor networks with excellent performance. This algorithm can be used for precision agriculture and achieve optimal equipment configuration in a network under limited energy, while ensuring reliable communication in the network. The node scale is configured as 50 to 300 nodes in the range of 500 × 500 m2, and simulated testing is conducted with the LEACH, BCDCP, and ECHERP routing protocols. Compared with the existing LEACH, BCDCP, and ECHERP routing protocols, the proposed networking method can achieve the network lifetime prolongation and mitigate the decreased degree and decreasing trend of the distance between the sensing nodes and center nodes of the sensor network, which results in a longer network life cycle and stronger environment suitability. It is an effective method that improves the sensing node lifetime for a wireless sensor network applied to cropland cultivation of ginseng., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Objective: ARID1A has been discovered as a potential cancer biomarker. But its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is subject to considerable dispute., Methods: The relationship between ARID1A and clinical factors was investigated. Clinicopathological variables related to overall survival in HCC subjects were identified using Cox and Kaplan-Meier studies. The connection between immune infiltrating cells and ARID1A expression was investigated using the tumor Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset for gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Finally, a cell experiment was used to confirm it., Results: The gender and cancer topography (T) categorization of HCC were linked to increased ARID1A expression. Participants with advanced levels of ARID1A expression had a worse prognosis than someone with lower levels. ARID1A was shown to be a risk indicator of overall survival on its own. ARID1A expression is inversely proportional to immune cell infiltration. In vitro, decreasing ARID1A expression substantially slowed the cell cycle and decreased HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion., Conclusion: The expression of ARID1A could be used to predict the outcome of HCC. It is closely related to tumor immune cell infiltration., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Yuanyuan Feng et al.)

In this paper, we propose a new projection test for linear hypotheses on regression coefficient matrices in linear models with high dimensional responses. We systematically study the theoretical properties of the proposed test. We first derive the optimal projection matrix for any given projection dimension to achieve the best power and provide an upper bound for the optimal dimension of projection matrix. We further provide insights into how to construct the optimal projection matrix. One- and two-sample mean problems can be formulated as special cases of linear hypotheses studied in this paper. We both theoretically and empirically demonstrate that the proposed test can outperform the existing ones for one- and two-sample mean problems. We conduct Monte Carlo simulation to examine the finite sample performance and illustrate the proposed test by a real data example.

The Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (PHIA) is an ongoing project that conducts nationally representative HIV-focused surveys for measuring national and regional progress toward UNAIDS' 90-90-90 targets, the primary strategy to end the HIV epidemic. We believe the PHIA survey offers a unique opportunity to better understand the key factors that drive the HIV epidemics in the most affected countries in sub-Saharan Africa. In this article, we propose a novel causal structural learning algorithm to discover important covariates and potential causal pathways for 90-90-90 targets. Existing constrained-based causal structural learning algorithms are quite aggressive in edge removal. The proposed algorithm preserves more information about important features and potential causal pathways. It is applied to the Malawi PHIA (MPHIA) data set and leads to interesting results. For example, it discovers age and condom usage to be important for female HIV awareness; the number of sexual partners to be important for male HIV awareness; and knowing the travel time to HIV care facilities leads to a higher chance of being treated for both females and males. We further compare and validate the proposed algorithm using BIC and using Monte Carlo simulations, and show that the proposed algorithm achieves improvement in true positive rates in important feature discovery over existing algorithms.

Bacterial type II toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are abundant genetic elements and are involved in a diverse array of physiological processes. These systems encode an antitoxin protein that directly binds and effectively neutralizes the protein toxin. Recent studies have highlighted the key roles of type II TA modules in bacterial virulence and pathogenesis, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we investigated the antitoxin HigA in Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. Proteomic analysis of the higA deletion strain revealed an enhanced expression of pathogenic proteins. We further verified that HigA negatively controlled T3SS and T6SS expression by directly interacting with the promoter regions of the regulators amrZ and exsA , respectively. In other words, the reversal of HigA-mediated transcriptional inhibition on stress stimulation could induce virulence genes. These findings confirm the crucial roles of the type II antitoxin in bacterial infection, which highlights the potential of the HigBA TA system as an antibacterial treatment target.

Bacterial Mip-like FK506-binding proteins (FKBPs) mostly exhibit peptidyl-prolyl-cis/ trans -isomerase (PPIase) and chaperone activities. These activities are associated with various intracellular functions with diverse molecular mechanisms. Herein, we report the PA3262 gene-encoded crystal structure of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1's Mip-like protein PaFkbA. Biochemical characterization of PaFkbA demonstrated PaFkbA's chaperone activity for periplasmic protein MucD, a negative regulator of alginate biosynthesis. Furthermore, structural analysis of PaFkbA was used to describe the key features of PaFkbA chaperone activity. The outcomes of this analysis showed that the hinge region in the connecting helix of PaFbkA leads to the crucial conformational state transition for PaFkbA activity. Besides, the N-terminal domains participated in dimerization, and revealed its potential connection with FKBP domain and substrate binding. Mutagenesis and chaperone activity assay supported the theory that inter-domain motions are essential for PaFkbA function. These results provide biochemical and structural insights into the mechanism for FKBP's chaperone activity and establish a plausible correlation between PaFkbA and P. aeruginosa MucD., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2021 The Authors.)