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In recent years, the continuous expansion of Spartina alterniflora (S. alterniflora) has caused serious damage to coastal wetland ecosystem. Mapping the coverage of S. alterniflora by remote sensing and analyzing its growth pattern pose great importance in controlling the expansion and maintaining the biodiversity of coastal wetlands in Guangxi. This study aimed to use harmonic regression to fit time series data of vegetation indices based on Landsat images, and the phenological features were extracted as the input of random forest model to distinguish S. alterniflora in coastal zone of Guangxi from 2009 to 2020. The influence of natural environmental factors on the distribution of S. alterniflora was evaluated by Maxent model, and the potential distribution was analyzed. The results showed that: (1) Based on the time series data of characteristic indices fitted by harmonic regression, the extraction of phenological features of S. alterniflora identification effect exhibited high accuracy (in the result of 2009, Overall Accuracy [OA] = 97.33%, Kappa = 0.95). (2) During 2009–2020, the S. alterniflora in coastal zone of Guangxi kept proliferating and expanding from east to west. The total area of S. alterniflora continued to increase while the growth rate showed a trend that increased first and then decreased. (3) The Maxent model shows good accuracy in simulating the habitat of S. alterniflora, with a potential distribution area of 14,303.39 hm2. The findings will be beneficial to the understanding of dynamic changes of S. alterniflora in coastal zone of Guangxi and provide a scientific reference for other coastal wetland studies on S. alterniflora expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND RESULTS CONCLUSION Peach brown rot, caused by the pathogen Monilinia fructicola, represents a significant postharvest infectious disease affecting peach fruit. This disease is responsible for a substantial increase in fruit decay rates, leading to significant economic losses, often exceeding 50%. Currently, there is a growing interest in identifying biocontrol agents to mitigate peach brown rot, with a predominant interest in Bacillus species.In this investigation, we isolated 410 isolates of actinomycetes from non‐farmland ecosystem soil samples. Subsequently, 27 isolates exhibiting superior inhibitory capabilities were selected. Among these, strain XDS1‐5 demonstrated the most robust fungistatic effect against brown rot disease, achieving an 80% inhibition rate in vitro and a 66% inhibition rate in vivo. XDS1‐5 was identified as belonging to the Streptomyces virginiae species. Furthermore, a fermentation filtrate of XDS1‐5 exhibited the ability to metabolize 34.21% of the tested carbon sources and 7.37% of the tested nitrogen sources. Particularly noteworthy was its capacity to disrupt the cell membrane structure directly, leading to increased cell membrane permeability and cytoplasmic leakage. Additionally, our investigation indicated that indoline, a metabolite produced by XDS1‐5, played a pivotal role in inhibiting the growth of M. fructicola.In summary, our study has identified a biocontrol actinomycete, XDS1‐5, with the potential to effectively inhibit postharvest brown rot disease in peaches. This finding holds great significance for the biological control of peach brown rot, offering promising prospects for mitigating the economic losses associated with this devastating disease. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young adults in a transitional period may experience more stress and, hence, suffer from an increased risk of unhealthy eating. Executive function (EF) involves not only inhibitory control and mental flexibility (the ‘cool’ facet) to facilitate resistance to immediate temptations, but also affective decision making (the ‘hot’ facet) that helps to regulate emotional eating. The effects of different facets of EF and their interactions with perceived stress on eating behaviours remained underexplored. In this study, 594 young adults in their graduation year of post‐secondary education were included. We used latent profile analysis to identify major patterns of eating behaviours and analysed their associations with perceived stress, and both the ‘cool’ and ‘hot’ facets of EF using multinominal logistic regression models. Latent profile analysis identified three clusters of eating patterns: non‐approaching moderate eaters (N = 312, 52.5%), approaching eaters (N = 229, 38.6%), and approaching‐and‐avoidant eaters (N = 53, 8.9%). Logistic regression models found that the approaching‐and‐avoidant eating pattern was associated with higher perceived stress (OR = 3.16, p value = 0.007) and poorer affective decision‐making (OR = 0.97, p value = 0.006). Stratified analysis further revealed that higher perceived stress was significantly associated with approaching‐and‐avoidant eating only among individuals with poorer affective decision‐making. These findings suggest that individuals with poorer emotional regulation may face greater difficulties in regulating eating behaviours when experiencing higher stress. Interventions for people with a mixed pattern of approaching‐and‐avoidance eating should focus on providing support to regulate emotion‐related eating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogels have been widely explored to adapt to different application circumstances. As typical wet‐soft materials, the high‐water content of hydrogels is beneficial to their wide biomedical applications. Moreover, hydrogels have been displaying considerable application potential in some high‐tech areas, like brain‐computer interface, intelligent actuator, flexible sensor, etc. However, traditional hydrogel is susceptive to freezing below zero, dehydration, performance swelling‐induced deformation, and suffers from mechanical damage in extremely mechanical environments, which result in the loss of wet‐soft peculiarities (e.g., flexibility, structure integrity, transparency), greatly limiting their applications. Therefore, reducing the freezing point, improving the dehydration/solution resistance, and designing mechanical adaptability are effective strategies to endow hydrogels with the extreme environmental adaptability, thus broadening their application fields. This review systematically summarizes research advances of environmentally adaptive hydrogels (EAHs), comprising anti‐freezing, dehydration‐resistant, acid/base/swelling deformation‐resistant, and mechanical environment adaptive hydrogels (MEAHs). Firstly, fabrication methods are presented, including the deep eutectic solvent/ionic liquid substituent, the addition of salts, organogel, polymer network modification, and double network (DN) complex/nanocomposite strategy, etc. Meanwhile, the features of different approaches are overviewed. The mechanisms, properties, and applications (e.g., intelligent actuator, wound dressing, flexible sensor) of EAHs are demonstrated. Finally, the issues and future perspectives for EAHs' researches are demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: African swine fever (ASF) has a significant impact on the pig industry, leading to drastic fluctuations in the supply and price of live pigs on the market, leading to substantial economic losses for farmers. As China enters the 'post-ASF' era of regular epidemic prevention and control, the behavior of farmers becomes crucial for effectively preventing and controlling major animal epidemics. To analyze the current situation and factors influencing farmers' epidemic prevention and control behaviors, survey data were empirically analyzed. The findings indicate that the overall level of biosecurity in pig farms is low. Additionally, factors such as technical training, farm size, income share, production organization, and government inspection significantly influence farmers' adoption of biosecurity measures. Effective biosecurity measures are crucial in controlling and preventing major pig diseases, ultimately ensuring farm income and social stability. This study extracted data from 205 farmer surveys in Sichuan Province, China, to construct a biosecurity index system for pig farms. The biosecurity levels of pig farms were evaluated using a projection pursuit method to identify weak areas. The Tobit model was then utilized to determine the factors that influenced the biosecurity levels. The results indicated that the overall biosecurity levels of the pig farms were low. The study found that the average biosecurity score among farms was 0.61, with a minimum score of 0.37 and a maximum score of 0.89 (on a scale of 0 to 1). These results suggest that there are significant differences in biosecurity levels among the farms. The study also found that the scores for first-level indicators related to breeding environment management, as well as second-level indicators related to personnel management and awareness of African swine fever prevention and control, were significantly lower than scores for other indicators in the farmers' biosecurity systems. This study investigated the factors influencing biosecurity on farms and found that technical training, farm size, income share, production organization, and government inspections had a significant impact on the level of biosecurity implemented. This study emphasizes the significance of biosecurity in enhancing pig farm biosecurity and its role in improving farm resilience to major animal diseases like African swine fever. It also provides valuable insights for policymakers to make informed decisions regarding related policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiO 2 /CuO composites in different ratios were prepared via a two-step method. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy results indicated that part of Cu2+ substituted Ti4+ in the TiO 2 lattice in the composite, leading to Cu2+-substituted sites in the TiO 2 lattice as well as Cu2+ species located in the CuO lattice. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a morphology change in the sample from a three-dimensional structure to a two-dimensional structure while forming an interface between TiO 2 and CuO. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectra showed that there are oxygen vacancies (V O) and Ti3+ in the lattice. UV–vis absorption spectra exhibited a widening of the absorption range and a decrease in the bandgap with increasing amount of CuO in the TiO 2 /CuO composites. Additionally, the composites exhibited room-temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM), as can be explained by the indirect double-exchange model, which is related to V O and the exchange interaction between the 3 d orbitals of Ti3+ and Ti4+ at the interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Although many smoking cessation strategies have been implemented, only a few strategies at the population level are grounded in theory. Even in those interventions based on specific theories, most studies have focused only on the outcome. The main objective of this study was to demonstrate the utility of protection motivation theory (PMT) in explaining smoking quitting behaviour among adults, with the goal of providing valuable evidence for further intervention strategies.Method: This was a cross-sectional study. Participants were randomly selected on the street from 26 provinces in mainland China. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews. Cronbach's alpha coefficient and the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used to assess the reliability of the individual PMT constructs. We applied structural equation modelling (SEM) to test how well the PMT constructs predicted intention. A bootstrap test was performed to test the potential mediators.Results: The Cronbach's alpha coefficients of all the subscales ranged from 0.71 to 0.74. Greater intentions were significantly associated with higher threat appraisal (Coef. = 0.18, P < 0.01) and coping appraisal (Coef. = 0.24, P < 0.01). Threat appraisal was significantly associated with higher perceived severity and vulnerability but inversely associated with extrinsic rewards and intrinsic rewards. Coping appraisal was significantly associated with higher self-efficacy and response efficacy but inversely associated with response cost. The R2 of quitting intention was 0.12, which means that 12% of quitting intention was predicted by PMT constructs. For threat appraisal, approximately 19.8% of the effects on lower threat appraisal were mediated by higher extrinsic rewards. For coping appraisal, approximately 42.8% of the effects on higher coping appraisal were mediated by higher response efficacy.Conclusion: This study finds that PMT is a sound theoretical framework for predicting smoking quitting intention among adults. Coping appraisal has a stronger effect than threat appraisal for predicting quitting intention. Mediation analyses confirmed that extrinsic rewards and response efficacy mediated the relationship between PMT constructs and quitting intention. Our findings are essential for understanding quitting behaviour among adults and support more effective smoking cessation activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Self-management behavior (SMB) plays a significant role in glycemic control. This study aimed to explore the factors related to SMB among patients with type 2 diabetes and how these factors interacted with each other. Patients and Methods: Patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were recruited from 18 community healthcare stations (CHSs) from six community healthcare centers (CHCs) in Beijing, China from April to May in 2017. Motivation, competence, autonomy support, social support, self-management skills, adherence to self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) measurement were tested by questionnaire. Correlation analysis and path analysis were performed so as to identify the factors associated with patients' SMB. Results: A total of 532 participants completed this study. Participants who have good compliance to SMBG got higher scores in social support (F = 7.68, p = 0.01), competence (F = 10.47, p = 0.01), and skills (F = 12.34, p < 0.01). Higher competence (β = 0.03, P < 0.001), higher social support (β = 0.01, P < 0.001), better skills(β = 0.01, P < 0.001) directly led to better adherence to SMBG. Social support had a positive effect on autonomy support (β = 0.69, P < 0.001), motivation (β = 0.45, P < 0.001), competence (β = 0.28, P < 0.001), skills (β = 0.14, P < 0.001), which was also indirectly linked to better adherence to SMBG. Better self-management skills directly led to better adherence to HbA1c measurement (β = 0.03, P < 0.001). Social support had a positive effect on autonomy support (β = 0.69, P < 0.001), motivation (β = 0.45, P < 0.001), competence (β = 0.28, P < 0.001), skills (β = 0.14, P < 0.001), which was also indirectly linked to better adherence to HbA1c measurement. Conclusion: Self-determination theory and social support theory were practical in explaining SMB in Chinese population. Competence, motivation and social support played an important role in diabetic self-management. Paying attention to the promotion of individual's intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy may be able to help patients maintain self-management behavior in the long-term routine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ocean is the common home of a large number of marine organisms, including plants, animals, and microorganisms. Researchers can extract thousands of important bioactive components from the oceans and use them extensively to treat and prevent diseases. In contrast, marine polysaccharide macromolecules such as alginate, carrageenan, Laminarin, fucoidan, chitosan, and hyaluronic acid have excellent physicochemical properties, good biocompatibility, and high bioactivity, which ensures their wide applications and strong therapeutic potentials in drug delivery. Drug delivery systems (DDS) based on marine polysaccharides and modified marine polysaccharide molecules have emerged as an innovative technology for controlling drug distribution on temporal, spatial, and dosage scales. They can detect and respond to external stimuli such as pH, temperature, and electric fields. These properties have led to their wide application in the design of novel drug delivery systems such as hydrogels, polymeric micelles, liposomes, microneedles, microspheres, etc. In addition, marine polysaccharide-based DDS not only have smart response properties but also can combine with the unique biological properties of the marine polysaccharide base to exert synergistic therapeutic effects. The biological activities of marine polysaccharides and the design of marine polysaccharide-based DDS are reviewed. Marine polysaccharide-based responsive DDS are expected to provide new strategies and solutions for disease treatment. Marine-derived polysaccharides including alginate, carrageenan, kelp polysaccharides, fucoidan, chitosan, and hyaluronic acid have good biological properties (biocompatibility, degradability, etc.) and a wide range of biological activities (anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, wound-healing, antiviral, anti-tumor, and immunomodulatory, etc.). Marine polysaccharide-based smart response DDS can sensitively capture pH, ROS (OH−, H 2 O 2 ·O 2 −, etc.), and GSH changes in the environment. In addition, it can detect signals such as light, heat, and magnetic effects, thus responding specifically to the pathological microenvironment and releasing the loaded drugs. Therefore, marine polysaccharide-based drug delivery systems (DDS) have emerged as an innovative technology for controlling the distribution of drugs over time, space, and dose ranges. Marine polysaccharide-based DDS include nano-DDS, hydrogels, microneedles, and microparticles. They not only have the pharmacological activity of polysaccharides but also have the advantage of precisely targeted drug delivery. The delivery modes include oral delivery, injection delivery, microneedle localized delivery, and targeted delivery. The six marine polysaccharide sources, DDS categories, and delivery modes are shown in Fig. 1. [Display omitted] • Origin, structure,and biological activities of six marine polysaccharides. • Environment-specific response delivery strategies of marine polysaccharide-based DDS. • Revealing the potential correlation between marine polysaccharide activities and marine polysaccharide-based DDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Streptomyces rapamycinicus HCD1–10 effectively combats Monilinia fructicola infection. • HCD1–10 disrupts Monilinia fructicola mycelium and releases cellular contents. • HCD1–10 triggers the auxin signaling pathway to suppress peach brown rot. Monilinia spp. causing brown rot are fungal pathogens producing severe losses in worldwide stone fruit production, with high economic relevance (M€ 1.7/year). There are three main fungal species: Monilinia laxa, M. fructigena and M. fructicola. The pathogen infects aerial parts of host plants with a variety of symptoms, including blighting of blossoms, cankers on woody tissues and rotting of fruits, although the prevalent fruit losses are in the postharvest phase. Fungicide sprays in pre- and postharvest periods are usually used to control Monilinia spp. but, in Europe, no fungicide fruit treatments are allowed after harvest. Many studies conducted in recent years have defined three main research fields within the alternative methods for postharvest brown rot control: (1) biological control sensu strictum with microbial antagonists; (2) use of natural bioactive compounds; and (3) use of physicochemical methods. Although the reviewed results have reported a significant reduction of pesticide use, a multidisciplinary approach is recommended in the future, where biological products will be combined with low-risk chemical fungicides, natural antimicrobial substances and other physical means for an integrated strategy to control brown rot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work further investigates the heterogeneous alloyed PdPtCu nanoflower clusters (PdPtCu NVFs) mediated photo-Fenton and photothermal synergistic catalysis for dye elimination. [Display omitted] • Synthesized heterogeneous alloyed PdPtCu nanoflower clusters (PdPtCu NVFs) mediated photothermal and photo-Fenton synergistic catalysis for dye elimination. • Increased dye degradation by PdPtCu NVFs under NIR laser irradiation. • Reusable nano-catalyst has great potential for organic sewage treatment. This study primarily employed a one-step reduction method to synthesize palladium-platinum-copper nanovelvet flowers (PdPtCu NVFs). PdPtCu NVFs are multi-branched nanomaterials composed of nanosynapses that radiate in different directions. Their unique structure and incorporation of three metallic elements contribute to their outstanding Fenton catalytic vitality and photothermal performance. Characterizations for PdPtCu NVFs were conducted by using transmission electron microscope (TEM), electron paramagnetic resonance (ESR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. Under near-infrared light, PdPtCu NVFs rapidly reached a temperature of 50 °C. In comparison with conventional photocatalysts, PdPtCu NVFs demonstrated significantly enhanced degradation of organic dyes (methylene blue, MB) degrading due to their superior Fenton catalytic activity. Even after multiple reuse, PdPtCu NVFs still exhibited distinct nanosynapses, along with excellent photothermal stability and Fenton catalytic activity. These results indicate that PdPtCu NVFs possess excellent purifying capabilities for organic wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in various biological regulatory processes, and are closely related to the occurrence and development of diseases. Identifying lncRNA-disease associations is valuable for revealing the molecular mechanism of diseases and exploring treatment strategies. Thus, it is necessary to computationally predict lncRNA-disease associations as a complementary method for biological experiments. In this study, we proposed a novel prediction method GCRFLDA based on the graph convolutional matrix completion. GCRFLDA first constructed a graph using the available lncRNA-disease association information. Then, it constructed an encoder consisting of conditional random field and attention mechanism to learn efficient embeddings of nodes, and a decoder layer to score lncRNA-disease associations. In GCRFLDA, the Gaussian interaction profile kernels similarity and cosine similarity were fused as side information of lncRNA and disease nodes. Experimental results on four benchmark datasets show that GCRFLDA is superior to other existing methods. Moreover, we conducted case studies on four diseases and observed that 70 of 80 predicted associated lncRNAs were confirmed by the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses protection motivation theory (PMT) to examine the quitting intentions and behaviours of smokers who have varying levels of nicotine dependence. Our goals are to identify the psychological factors that influence smoking cessation and to provide valuable evidence to promote theory-guided interventions. This is a cross-sectional study that was conducted from July to August 2020. Participants were randomly selected on the streets of 26 provinces on mainland China. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews. Our analysis was conducted in three steps. First, we employed descriptive statistics to present the overall characteristics of our sample. Second, we analysed the association between PMT constructs and quitting intentions stratified by nicotine dependence. Third, we tested how quitting intentions were associated with quitting behaviours in each subgroup using logistic regression models. For intention, almost all the PMT constructs were significantly associated with quitting intention in the low-dependence group. For the moderate- and high-dependence groups, only perceived vulnerability (coefficient = 0.35, P = 0.04) was positively associated with quitting intention. For behaviour, we found a stronger association between quitting intention and behaviour in the low-dependence group (Coef. = 1.67, P = 0.00) than for the other groups. We found a significant association between e-cigarette use and quitting behaviour only in the low-dependence group (Coef. = 1.34, P = 0.00). Coefficients for the moderate- and high-dependence groups were not statistically significant. Smokers at various levels of nicotine dependence have different psychological factors that influence their intentions to stop smoking. Quitting intention was more significantly associated with quitting behaviour for the low nicotine-dependence group than for the other groups. More convincing research is necessary to determine how e-cigarette use affects quitting behaviour in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although the Chinese government has introduced a series of regulations to promote tobacco-related health education in workplaces, their implementation has been far from satisfactory. The aim of the present study was to explore the association of company-level tobacco-related health education and employee smoking behaviour.Methods: Data from the 2018 Asia Best Workplace Mainland China programme were used to address these aims. This was a cross-sectional study that included 14,195 employees from 79 companies in mainland China. Spearman correlation tests were used to examine unadjusted correlations between the study variables, and binary logistic regression was used for multivariable analysis. The dependent variables included smoking-related variables or health information-seeking behaviour. The explanatory variable was the company-level tobacco-related health education.Results: Tobacco-related health education was associated with better smoking harm awareness (OR = 2.23; 95% CI = 1.94-2.56), lower second-hand smoke exposure (OR = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.66-0.81), better perception of the workplace environment (OR = 2.04; 95% CI = 1.84-2.26) and positive health information-seeking behaviour (OR = 2.07; 95% CI = 1.86-2.30). Job position interacted with health education, suggesting that the positive association of health education was lower for general employees than employees who held an administrative position.Conclusions: Tobacco-related health education is not only associated with lower SHS exposure but also related to more positive environmental perceptions and health attitudes, and these effects are significant for higher-ranking employees. Policy makers should recognize and reduce these potential health disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a predator–prey model with prey-stage structure and prey-taxis is proposed and studied. Firstly, the local stability of non-negative constant equilibria is analyzed. It is shown that non-negative equilibria have the same stability between ODE system and self-diffusion system, and self-diffusion does not have a destabilization effect. We find that there exists a threshold value ξ 0 such that the positive equilibrium point of the model becomes unstable when the prey-taxis rate ξ < ξ 0 , hence the taxis-driven Turing instability occurs. Furthermore, by applying Crandall–Rabinowitz bifurcation theory, the existence, the stability and instability, and the turning direction of bifurcating steady state are investigated in detail. Finally, numerical simulations are provided to support the mathematical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A multifunctional hydrogel sensor was constructed by the multi-reversible molecular interactions (MRMIs) including borate ester bonds, hydrogen bonds, and electrostatic interactions. • This report provides a new strategy for integrating excellent stretchability, adhesiveness, and sensing abilities into dynamically cross-linked hydrogels. • Integrating multi-functionalities of hydrogels into a sensing system opens a novel way for flexible sensors in multifunctional sensing applications. Construction of highly stretchable and sensitive flexible strain sensors is of great significance for wide applications in human–computer interaction, wearable devices, and electronic skins. However, it turned out to be not effortless to integrate the two seemingly contrary features of high stretchability and sensitivity into a system. Herein, we designed a nanocomposite conductive hydrogel (NCCH) composed of zwitterionic poly(HEAA-co-SBMA) polymers and lithium magnesium silicate (XLG) by means of multi-reversible molecular interactions (MRMIs) including borate ester bonds between polyHEAA and borax, hydrogen bonds, and polySBMA-XLG-based electrostatic interaction, endowing the NCCH with enhanced mechanical, self-healing, adhesive, biocompatible, and sensing performances. The MRMI method enabled NCCHs to obtain an excellent stretchability (∼1080 %)/compressibility (∼98.5 %), a tensile strength of ∼ 0.06 MPa, a good self-healing with a fracture strain recovery of 90.5 %, and a strong adhesion on various hard and soft substrates (e.g. a adhesive shear force of 60 kPa to pigskin tissues). Besides, the integration of zwitterionic polySBMA and conductive XLG promoted charge transfer. by optimal ioinic channels. Based on these outstanding strengths, the NCCHs were farther rationally fabricated as multifunctional strain sensors with remarkable sensing stability for fast and accurately detecting strain/pressure-induced deformation, joint motions, and animal heartbeats. Notably, the excellent self-healing property of NCCH sensors can facilitate their long-period usage and complete recyclability for avoiding wastes. The new MRMI-based NCCH sensor without any conductive additives is deemed to provide a new strategy for broadening their multifunctional strain sensor and healthcare monitoring applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with spatial patterns of a predator-prey crossdiffusion model with cannibalism. By applying the asymptotic analysis and Rabinowitz bifurcation theorem, we consider the local structure of steady state to the model and determine an explicit formula of the nonconstant steady state. Furthermore, the criteria of the stability/instability for the steady state with small amplitude are established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Supramolecular deep eutectic solvents based on CQDs were prepared. • The β-CD-CA/CQDs had highly stable hydrogen bonds. • The β-CD-CA/CQDs had controlled viscosity without changing its eutectic nature. • The prepared green β-CD-CA/CQDs had excellent desulfurization performance and recoverability. • The mechanism of deep desulfurization of β-CD-CA/CQDs was revealed. Supramolecular deep eutectic solvent (SUPRADES) was a promising green solvent with physicochemical properties that was similar to those of conventional deep eutectic solvent (DES). The supramolecular deep eutectic solvent-based nanofluidic system (β-CD-CA/CQDs) was constructed by using β-cyclodextrin as the hydrogen bond acceptor and citric acid as the hydrogen bond donor with the addition of carbon quantum dots (CQDs). The addition of CQDs enhanced the desulfurization ability and hydrogen bonding stability of SUPRADES. By controlling the content of CQDs solution, the viscosity of β-CD-CA/CQDs can be easily changed without altering its eutectic nature. The effects of temperature, O/S, sulfur content, oil content and different sulfides on the sulfur removal of β-CD-CA/CQDs were investigated. The sulfur removal of β-CD-CA/CQDs was up to 99.32% at 50 °C. The cyclic voltammetric tests, recovery experiments, and characterization all showed that β-CD-CA/CQDs had excellent recoverability and stability in desulfurization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polysaccharide hydrogels are one of the most promising hydrogel materials due to their inherent characteristics, including biocompatibility, biodegradability, renewability, and easy modification, and their structure and functional designs have been widely researched to adapt to different application scenarios as well as to broaden their application fields. As typical wet-soft materials, the high water content and water-absorbing ability of polysaccharide-based hydrogels (PHs) are conducive to their wide biomedical applications, such as wound healing, tissue repair, and drug delivery. In addition, along with technological progress, PHs have shown potential application prospects in some high-tech fields, including human-computer interaction, intelligent driving, smart dressing, flexible sensors, etc. However, in practical applications, due to the poor ability of PHs to resist freezing below zero, dehydration at high temperature, and acid-base/swelling-induced deformation in a solution environment, they are prone to lose their wet-soft peculiarities, including structural integrity, injectability, flexibility, transparency, conductivity and other inherent characteristics, which greatly limit their high-tech applications. Hence, reducing their freezing point, enhancing their high-temperature dehydration resistance, and improving their extreme solution tolerance are powerful approaches to endow PHs with multienvironmental adaptability, broadening their application areas. This report systematically reviews the study advances of environmentally adaptive polysaccharide-based hydrogels (EAPHs), comprising anti-icing hydrogels, high temperature/dehydration resistant hydrogels, and acid/base/swelling deformation resistant hydrogels in recent years. First, the construction methods of EAPHs are presented, and the mechanisms and properties of freeze-resistant, high temperature/dehydration-resistant, and acid/base/swelling deformation-resistant adaptations are simply demonstrated. Meanwhile, the features of different strategies to prepare EAPHs as well as the strategies of simultaneously attaining multienvironmental adaptability are reviewed. Then, the applications of extreme EAPHs are summarized, and some meaningful works are well introduced. Finally, the issues and future outlooks of PH environment adaptation research are elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory disease, and its incidence is gradually increasing. Thus, the use of a simple and convenient examination method to detect CD in the natural population as early as possible is crucial. This study is aimed at using the colloidal gold semiquantitative assay to detect fecal calprotectin (FCP) and determine whether it is helpful in screening or diagnosing CD. Methods. Using a prospectively maintained database, 59 patients with CD were analyzed using FCP measurement. Subsequently, 76 patients and 89 healthy individuals were assigned to the gastrointestinal dysfunction and control groups, respectively. To aid in the screening or diagnosis of CD, the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine the diagnostic efficacy of FCP thresholds. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were presented with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results. Patients with CD showed significantly higher FCP levels. Compared with the healthy population, when the FCP level cut-off was 15 μg/g and 60 μg/g, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV for CD diagnosis were 98.3% (CI, 95.0%–100%) and 78.0% (CI, 67.4–88.6%), 84.3% (CI, 76.7%–91.8%) and 98.9% (CI, 96.7%–100%), 80.6% (CI, 71.5%–89.7%) and 97.9% (CI, 93.7%–100%), and 98.7% (CI, 96.2%–100%) and 87.1% (CI, 80.6%–93.6%), respectively. The AUCs were 0.969 (CI, 0.941–0.997). Compared with the gastrointestinal dysfunction group, using the same FCP level cut-off, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV for CD diagnosis were 98.3% (CI, 95.0%–100%) and 78.0% (CI, 67.4%–88.6%), 71.1% (CI, 60.9%–81.3%) and 89.5% (CI, 82.3%–96.7%), 72.5% (CI, 62.7%–82.3%) and 85.2% (CI, 75.7%–94.7%), and 98.1% (CI, 94.5%–100%) and 84.0% (CI, 76.0%–92.0%), respectively. The AUCs were 0.908 (CI, 0.856–0.960). Conclusion. Detecting FCP by using the colloidal gold semiquantitative assay can be effective in screening and adjunct diagnosing of CD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Folate metabolism pathway is mainly associated with syntheses of nucleic acids and proteins as well as DNA methylation and repair. Cytoplasmic C 1 tetrahydrofolate (C 1 -THF) synthase is a central enzyme in folate metabolism and plays an important role in C 1 -THF conversion. The full-length sequence of silkworm ( Bombyx mori ) cytoplasmic C 1 -THF synthase ( Bm C 1 -THF synthase) gene including an open reading frame (ORF) of 932 amino acid residues was cloned. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Bm C 1 -THF synthase shares 84% and 81% identity with C 1 -THF synthase of Papilio Xuthus and Danaus plexippus , respectively. Conserved sequence analysis showed that the 330 to 710 amino acid residues of Bm C 1 -THF synthase were highly conserved among various organisms. Recombinant Bm C 1 -THF synthase protein with a molecular weight of about 105.5 kDa was expressed in E. coli cells and identified using SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis. The expression of Bm C 1 -THF synthase gene in eight silkworm tissues revealed that Bm C 1 -THF synthase gene is widely expressed in various tissues of silkworm and highly expressed in the fat body. The expression characteristics of Bm C 1 -THF synthase gene in response to oxidative stress were conducted under phoxim and high temperature (30 °C) exposure. The results showed that the transcriptional level of Bm C 1 -THF synthase gene was upregulated by 3.435-fold and 6.845-fold after phoxim and high temperature (30 °C) exposure, respectively, indicating that Bm C 1 -THF synthase gene may play a significant role in response of silkworm to oxidative stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suspended solids (SS) resulting from sediment resuspension (SR) can impact ecosystems through direct and indirect effects on freshwater organisms and their interactions. This study was conducted to determine whether the SS can affect the interaction between filter-feeding fish (Aristichthys nobilis) and zooplankton using a mesocosm experiment with sediments from Lake Taihu, a large shallow lake in China. SR using pump was divided into three intensities: strong, weak and no SR representing different concentrations of SS. Zooplankton abundance was significantly higher in the no-fish treatments than in the fish treatments under all three SR conditions. SR intensity had significantly negative effect on zooplankton abundance. There were interactions between fish and SR intensity on abundances of copepod, rotifer, total zooplankton and dominant zooplankton species except cladoceran abundance. The results indicate that SS had a lesser effect on zooplankton predation by filter-feeding fish, which suggests that zooplankton communities in shallow lakes can be affected by the filter-feeding fish even under high level of SS condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controlling non-point source pollution is often difficult and costly. Therefore, focusing on areas that contribute the most, so-called critical source areas (CSAs), can have economic and ecological benefits. CSAs are often determined using a modelling approach, yet it has proved difficult to calibrate the models in regions with limited data availability. Since identifying CSAs is based on the relative contributions of sub-basins to the total load, it has been suggested that uncalibrated models could be used to identify CSAs to overcome data scarcity issues. Here, we use the SWAT model to study the extent to which an uncalibrated model can be applied to determine CSAs. We classify and rank sub-basins to identify CSAs for sediment, total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) in the Fengyu River Watershed (China) with and without model calibration. The results show high similarity (81%–93%) between the identified sediment and TP CSA number and locations before and after calibration both on the yearly and seasonal scale. For TN alone, the results show moderate similarity on the yearly scale (73%). This may be because, in our study area, TN is determined more by groundwater flow after calibration than by surface water flow. We conclude that CSA identification with the uncalibrated model for TP is always good because its CSA number and locations changed least, and for sediment, it is generally satisfactory. The use of the uncalibrated model for TN is acceptable, as its CSA locations did not change after calibration; however, the TN CSA number changed by over 60% compared to the figures before calibration on both yearly and seasonal scales. Therefore, we advise using an uncalibrated model to identify CSAs for TN only if water yield composition changes are expected to be limited. This study shows that CSAs can be identified based on relative loading estimates with uncalibrated models in data-deficient regions. [Display omitted] • We identified critical source areas (CSAs) for nutrients with the SWAT model. • We compared CSA identification with and without model calibration. • The CSAs locations showed high similarity (81–93%) with and without calibration. • The CSA similarity was higher for phosphorus and sediments than for nitrogen. • Uncalibrated models can be useful for CSA identification in data-poor regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal performance of the internal heat transfer fluid was an important factor affecting the heat transfer efficiency of the exchanger system. This study reports a nanofluid that achieves long-term stability without any additives. The synthesized environmentally friendly N-doped carbon quantum dots nanoparticles (N-CQDs) had a uniform particle size distribution, with particle sizes concentrated between 2 and 2.5 nm. The stability, thermophysical properties and rheological characteristics of N-CQDs nanofluids were investigated. The results showed that the Turbiscan stability index of N-CQDs nanofluid was about 1.5 and the ΔT value fluctuated within 0.5 %, showing excellent stability. The thermal conductivity of 0.1 vol% of N-CQDs nanofluid increased by 43.21 % at 50 °C compared to the base fluid. The specific heat capacity decreases with increasing nanofluid loading. The viscosity of N-CQDs nanofluid behaves as a Newtonian fluid. In addition, the models for estimating the viscosity and thermal conductivity of N-CQDs nanofluids are proposed, respectively. Due to the different particle sizes and shapes of nanoparticles, the proposed model can better predict the thermal conductivity and viscosity of N-CQDs nanofluids compared with other empirical models. [Display omitted] • The prepared N-CQDs nanofluids have excellent long-term stability. • The thermal properties of N-CQDs nanofluids have been enhanced. • The viscosity of N-CQDs nanofluids with different concentrations was measured. • The new models are proposed for estimating the thermal conductivity and viscosity of N-CQDs nanofluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microchannel technology is an effective method to solve the heat transfer of microelectronics. Nanofluids are considered to have great application potential in microchannel heat exchangers. In this experiment, β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) was used to modify ZrO 2 nanoparticles. The morphology, functional group, and crystal structure of the nanoparticles before and after modification were studied. Ethylene glycol aqueous solution-based nanofluids were prepared using a two-step method. Its physical properties were studied. The modified nanofluid has better stability. The thermal conductivity of the nanofluid was measured and the mathematical model was analyzed. The results showed that the nanofluid with a concentration of 0.10 vol% was 37.82% higher than the base fluid at 60 °C. The results of the mathematical analysis indicate that the fabrication of nanofluids using β-cyclodextrin-modified ZrO 2 has great potential for application in heat transfer in microelectronic microchannels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

n experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of phosphorus concentration (1, 4 and 10 mg l) and temperature (15 and 25°C) on chlorophyll a (chl a) contents and cell size/volume of green alga Scenedesmus obliquus and blue green alga Microcystis aeruginosa. Long-term field data from Lake Taihu, a large, shallow eutrophic lake between Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces, China, was also used to evaluate the effect of temperature on the model between chl a and total phosphorus (TP). The chl a content of both algae increased with an increase in phosphorus concentration and temperature. Temperatures showed a significantly different effect on chl a content of S. obliquus at a phosphorus concentration of 10 mg l, whereas there was no significant difference at the two lower phosphorus levels. For M. aeruginosa, temperatures presented significantly different effects on the chl a contents at three phosphorus concentrations. Chl a content of neither alga presented an interaction between the nutrient and the temperature. Long-term field data from Lake Taihu also indicated that the addition of temperature to the model increased predictability of chl a by TP. The length/diameter and volume of both algae were greater at the lower temperature and phosphorus concentration. Moderate negative correlations were observed between algal size, volume, and chl a content. Our results suggest that phosphorus concentration and temperature could change chl a contents and size in species-specific algal cells and that temperature should be considered when building the model of TP and chl a concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic diversity of picoeukaryotes (0.2-5.0 µm) was investigated in 8 lakes differing in trophic status in Nanjing, China. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and cloning and sequencing of 18S rRNA genes were applied to analyze the picoeukaryotic communities. DGGE analysis showed that among the 8 lakes, the diversity of picoeukaryotes was greatest in the mesotrophic Lake Nan (24 bands) and least in the oligotrophic Lake Qian (12 bands). Cluster analysis of DGGE profiles revealed that the 8 lakes were grouped into 2 distinct clusters. Cluster 1 contained lakes Mochou, Zixia, Huashen, Nan, Pipa, and Qian, while cluster 2 contained lakes Xuanwu and Baijia. Clone libraries were constructed from the mesotrophic Lake Xuanwu and the oligotrophic Lake Zixia, and the 2 libraries were compared using the program LIBSHUFF. This analysis indicated that the picoeukaryotic community composition differed significantly between the 2 lakes (p = 0.001). A total of 25 operational taxonomic units were detected; 18 (62 clones) were related to known eukaryotic groups, while 7 (30 clones) were not affiliated with any known eukaryotic group. Alveolates and stramenopiles were the dominant groups in Lake Xuanwu, while alveolates and chlorophyta predominated in Lake Zixia. Multivariate statistical analysis indicated that the differences in the picoeukaryotic community composition of the 8 lakes might be related to trophic status and top-down regulation by metazooplankton. La diversité génétique des picoeucaryotes (0,2-5,0 µm) a été évaluée dans 8 lacs de statuts trophiques différents à Nanjing, Chine. Une électrophorèse sur gel en gradient dénaturant (DGGE), et le clonage et le séquençage des gènes d'ARNr 18S ont été utilisés pour analyser les communautés picoeucaryotes. La DGGE a montré que parmi les 8 lacs, la diversité des picoeucaryotes était plus grande dans le Lac Nan mésotrophe (24 bandes) et moindre dans le Lac Qian oligotrophe (12 bandes). L'analyse de grappes de profils en DGGE a révélé que les 8 lacs étaient groupés en 2 grappes distinctes. La grappe 1 comprenait les lacs Mochou, Zixia, Huashen, Nan, Pipa et Qian, alors que la grappe 2 comprenait les lacs Xuanwu et Baijia. Des banques de clones ont été construites à partir des échantillons du Lac Xuanwu mésotrophe et du Lac Zixia oligotrophe, et les 2 banques ont été comparées à l'aide du programme LIBSHUFF. Cette analyse a indiqué que la composition des communautés picoeucaryotes des 2 lacs différait significativement (p = 0,001). Un total de 25 unités taxonomiques opérationelles a été détecté; 18 (62 clones) étaient reliées à des groupes eucaryotes connus alors que 7 (30 clones) n'étaient affiliées à aucun groupe eucaryote connu. Les alvéolés et la straménopiles constituaient les groupes dominants du Lac Xuanwu, alors que les alvéolés et les chlorophytes étaient prédominants dans le Lac Zixia. Une analyse statistique multivariée a indiqué que les différences dans la composition des communautés picoeucaryotes des 8 lacs pourraient être reliées au statut trophique et à la régulation descendante par le métazooplancton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid nanofluids have research potential and value in heat exchange. In this study, the stability, thermal conductivity and viscosity of thermally conductive oil-based silicon carbide-multi-walled carbon nanotube (SiC-MWCNT/Oil) hybrid nanofluids were investigated under different conditions. It was observed that the SiC-MWCNT/Oil hybrid nanofluid with a dispersant content of 3.0 wt% had the best stability. Both temperature and concentration were important factors that affect thermal conductivity. The thermal conductivity increased more significantly with the temperature increasing. At the same time, nanoparticles would not only increase the thermal conductivity of the fluid but also greatly increase the viscosity of the heat transfer oil. Through data analysis, a certain amount of SiC and MWCNT nanoparticles could make the heat transfer oil have better thermophysical properties. The thermal conductivity of the SiC-MWCNT/Oil hybrid nanofluid with a concentration of 1.00 vol% was increased by 22.58% at 80 °C. SiC-MWCNT/Oil hybrid nanofluids have great application potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erythroleukemia is a rare form of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Its molecular pathogenesis remains vague, and this disease has no specific therapeutic treatments. Previously, our group isolated a series of Carbon 21 (C-21) steroidal glycosides with pregnane skeleton from the root of Cynanchum atratum Bunge. Among them, we found that a compound, named BW18, can induce S-phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis via the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in human chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cells. However, its anti-tumor activity against erythroleukemia remains largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the anti-erythroleukemia activity of BW18 and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Our results demonstrated that BW18 exhibited a good anti-erythroleukemia activity in the human erythroleukemia cell line HEL and an in vivo xenograft mouse model. In addition, BW18 induced cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and promoted megakaryocytic and erythroid differentiation in HEL cells. Furthermore, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and rescue assay demonstrated that overexpression of platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFRB) reversed BW18-induced megakaryocytic differentiation in HEL cells, but not erythroid differentiation. In addition, the network pharmacology analysis, the molecular docking and cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) revealed that BW18 could inactivate Janus tyrosine kinase 2 (JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway, which might mediate BW18-induced erythroid differentiation. Taken together, our findings elucidated a novel role of PDGFRB in regulating erythroleukemia differentiation and highlighted BW18 as an attractive lead compound for erythroleukemia treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Our study aims to provide information about workplace smoke-free (SF) policy coverage in mainland China and to assess the relationship between workplace SF policies and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure, current smoking, smoking harm awareness and quitting intention among smokers.Method: Data from the 2018 Asia Best Workplace Mainland China programme were used to address these aims. This cross-sectional study included 14,195 employees from the 2018 survey and 14,953 employees from the 2019 survey. Logistic regression with year-fixed effects was applied to these data. The dependent variables were SHS exposure, smoking or smoking harm awareness. The explanatory variable was the SF workplace policy.Results: A total of 21,275 participants (73.0%) reported working under SF policies. The overall prevalence of smoking and SHS exposure were 20.3% and 52.5%, respectively. The workplace SF policy was significantly associated with lower SHS exposure (OR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.45-0.51), lower current smoking employees (OR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.76-0.87) and higher awareness of smoking harm (OR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.61-1.91). However, workplace SF policy was not significantly associated with quitting intention (OR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.84-1.16).Conclusion: Our study identified that although most companies had established workplace SF policies, the overall prevalence of SHS exposure remained very high. Workplace SF policy is associated with lower SHS exposure, lower overall current smoking and higher awareness of smoking harm. These findings provide valuable evidence to promote such policies in all workplaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High mechanical strength, excellent toughness, low hysteresis, and robust resilience are of great importance for stretchable conductive hydrogels (CHs) to heighten their reliabilities for self‐powered sensing applications. However, it still remains challenging to simultaneously obtain the mutually exclusive performances. Herein, an intrinsically conductive and adhesive hydrogel is fabricated by one‐step radical polymerization of acrylamide (AAm), three hydroxy groups together clustered‐N‐[tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl]acrylamide (THMA), and cationic 1‐Butyl‐3‐Vinylimidazolium Bromide (ILs) dissolved in core‐shell structurally dispersed PEDOT:PSS (PP) solution. Owing to abundant clustered hydrogen bonds, electrostatic interactions between PILs chains and anionic PSS shells, and polymer chain entanglements, the CHs feature superior mechanical properties with a high tensile strength (0.25 MPa), fracture strain (1015%), fracture toughness (1.22 MJ m‐3), fracture energy of 36.5 kJ m‐2 and extremely low hysteresis (5%), and display excellent resilience and fatigue resistance. As a result, the CHs indicate excellent sensing properties with a gauge factor up to 10.46, a broad sensing range of strain (1‐900%) and pressure (0.05‐100 kPa), and fast responsive rate, thus qualifying for monitoring reliably and accurately large and tiny human movements in daily life. Moreover, the hydrogel‐assembled triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) exhibit excellent and stable electrical output performances, which are greatly promising in self‐powered flexible wearable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the distribution characteristics of soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil organic carbon storage (SOCS) among different wetland types in Dandou Sea tidal wetland in Guangxi, firstly, based on Sentinel–2 imaging and random forest algorithm, combined with the existing tidal wetland data, a 10 m resolution tidal wetland dataset in Guangxi from 2019 to 2023 was generated, covering mangroves, salt marshes and tidal flats. The results show that the overall accuracy of the recognition results is higher than 96%, and the Kappa coefficient is higher than 0.95, which indicates high accuracy. Subsequently, the distribution characteristics and influencing factors of SOC and SOCS in different habitats were analyzed. The results showed that the SOC content of mangroves and salt marshes was higher than that of tidal flats. The SOC content of mangrove, salt marshes and tidal flats in 0–60 cm soil layer was 5.30–10.42 g/kg, 7.60–9.84 g/kg, and 1.29–2.25 g/kg, respectively. The changes of SOCS were 12.41–26.48 t/ha, 19.58–24.15 t/ha, and 3.61–6.86 t/ha, respectively. With the increase of soil depth, the SOC and SOCS of mangroves decreased gradually, and the SOC and SOCS of salt marshes increased gradually, and SOC and SOCS were mainly affected by soil bulk density (BD), soil moisture content (MC) and pH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxoisoaporphine (OA) is a plant phototoxin isolated from Menispermaceae, however, its weak fluorescence and low water solubility impede it for theranostics. We developed here 4-hydroxyl-oxoisoaporphine (OHOA), which has good singlet oxygen-generating ability (0.06), strong fluorescence (0.72) and improved water solubility. OHOA displays excellent fluorescence for cell imaging and exhibits light-induced cytotoxicity against cancer cell. In vitro model of human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cell proved that singlet oxygen generated by OHOA triggered photosensitized oxidation reactions and exert toxic effect on tumor cells. The MTT assay using HeLa cells verified the low cytotoxicity of OHOA in the dark and high phototoxicity. Confocal experiment indicates that OHOA mainly distributes in mitochondria and western blotting demonstrated that OHOA induces cell apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway in the presence of light. Our molecule provides an alternative choice as a theranostic agent against cancer cells which usually are in conflict with each other for most traditional theranostic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enantioseparation has always been one of the research hotspots and difficulties in the field of modern separation science. In this work, a binary chiral electrophoretic separation system was constructed using deep eutectic solvents (DESs) coupled with beta-cyclodextrin derivatives based on capillary electrophoresis with amperometric detection system, and five groups of typical adrenergic receptor agonists (adrenaline, salbutamol, isoproterenol, norepinephrine and terbutaline) were selected as the model enantiomers. The effects of additive types and contents of DESs and cyclodextrins, and the pH value and concentration of the running buffer on the resolution of the selected chiral compounds were investigated in detail. The mechanism of DESs improving separation was explored preliminarily by means of UV spectrophotometry, which was further verified based on the comparison of single and mixed components of choline chlorine-urea DES. Under the optimum conditions, the relative standard deviations for inter-day and intra-day repeatability of the migration time, peak area and resolution for adrenaline and salbutamol were within 8.7%, and the limits of detection reached 0.030 μg mL−1 (S/N = 3). The recovery data were in the range of 96.3–118.7%. The developed methods have been applied for the analyses of (+)-adrenaline hydrochloride injection and (±)-salbutamol aerosol. This binary chiral electrophoretic separation system by CE-AD has high detection sensitivity and low analytical cost, providing an alternative for the separation and analysis of chiral drugs. [Display omitted] • DESs and cyclodextrin derivatives were first used for enantioseparation by CE-AD. • Squeezing effect of DESs was verified by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. • This method was applied for actual drug analyses of adrenergic receptor agonists. • CE-AD provides an alternative for sensitive determination of chiral components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Culture-negative urine specimens can be rapidly screened by urine flow cytometry (UFC), while low positive predictive value (PPV) limits the clinical application. We explored the factors associated with a low PPV. Methods: A total of 5095 urine specimens were analyzed with UFC and culture. Diagnostic performance of leukocytes, bacteria, and BACT-info flags was evaluated by sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and negative predictive value (NPV). The association of contaminated culture and squamous epithelial cell count and BACT-info flag was performed by logistic regression analysis. Results: The NPVs of parallel combination of bacteria and leucocytes were 98.9% in males and 97.9% in females, and PPVs of serial combination were 86.6% and 77.8% in men and women, respectively. The PPV of Gram-negative flag was higher than that of Gram-positive flag. The proportions of contamination in the urine culture results of false positive specimens were 86.9% in males and 98.5% in females at the cutoff points of the serial combination, and these parameters were 53.2% in males and 85.6% in females for the Gram-positive flag. There was a statistically significant association between contaminated cultures and squamous epithelial cells count in females, but not in males. Associations between contaminated cultures and Gram-positive flags or Gram-pos/-neg flags were statistically significant, but there was no association between contaminated cultures and Gram-negative flags. Conclusions: A serial combination of leukocytes and bacteria may maximize PPV in the diagnosis of bacterial urinary tract infection by urine flow cytometry, and contamination is the main reason for a low PPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel phenalenone-based photosensitizer was synthesized and characterized. • The mechanism of bifunctional compound PPN-PYR which can generate and release singlet oxygen was well investigated. • A good cytotoxicity performance of PPN-PYR and PPN-EPO was verified on cancer cell in vitro. Photosensitizer attracts great attentions and has potential applications in cancer treatment. We developed here a novel pyridone-containing phenalenone-based (PPN-PYR) photosensitizer with excellent singlet oxygen generating ability. Upon light irradiation, PPN-PYR can produce singlet oxygen and transform to its endoperoxide form which in turn release singlet oxygen via thermal cycloreversion at dark. The ability of PPN-PYR to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cell culture and induce corresponding apoptosis both at dark and under light was demonstrated. The efficient PDT performance of PPN-PYR was further verified on cancer cell in vitro. Our study indicate that PPN-PYR can alleviate tumor hypoxia problem and enhance the availability of intermittent photodynamic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive molecular subtype of breast cancer. Curcumol, as a natural small molecule compound, has potential anti-breast cancer activity. In this study, we chemically synthesized a derivative of curcumol, named HCL-23, by structural modification and explored its effect on and underlying mechanism regarding TNBC progression. MTT and colony formation assays demonstrated that HCL-23 significantly inhibited TNBC cells proliferation. HCL-23 induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest and repressed the capability of migration, invasion, and adhesion in MDA-MB-231 cells. RNA-seq results identified 990 differentially expressed genes including 366 upregulated and 624 downregulated genes. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) revealed that these differentially expressed genes were obviously enriched in adhesion, cell migration, apoptosis, and ferroptosis. Furthermore, HCL-23 induced apoptosis via the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and the activation of the caspase family in TNBC cells. In addition, HCL-23 was verified to trigger ferroptosis through increasing cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), labile iron pool (LIP), and lipid peroxidation levels. Mechanistically, HCL-23 markedly upregulated the expression of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), and the knockdown of HO-1 could attenuate ferroptosis induced by HCL-23. In animal experiments, we found that HCL-23 inhibited tumor growth and weight. Consistently, the upregulation of Cleaved Caspase-3, Cleaved PARP, and HO-1 expression was also observed in tumor tissues treated with HCL-23. In summary, the above results suggest that HCL-23 can promote cell death through activating caspases-mediated apoptosis and HO-1-dependent ferroptosis in TNBC. Therefore, our findings provide a new potential agent against TNBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the influencing factors of delayed clearance of Talaromyces marneffei (T. marneffei) in blood culture of patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) complicated with talaromycosis after antifungal therapy. Methods: The patients with AIDS complicated with talaromycosis were retrospectively enrolled, and divided into two groups according to the blood T. marneffei culture results in two weeks after antifungal therapy. The baseline clinical data were collected and the antifungal susceptibility of T. marneffei was tested. Results: A total of 190 patients with AIDS and talaromycosis were enrolled, of whom 101 cases remained positive for T. marneffei (Pos-group) while the other 89 cases were negative in blood culture (Neg-group) after two weeks' antifungal treatment. The Pos-group had a higher baseline Aspartate aminotransferase (AST, 78.5 vs. 105 U/L; P = 0.073) and lower CD4+ T cells level (11 vs. 7 cells/μl; P = 0.061). The percentage of isolates with higher MICs of voriconazole (VOR) and fluconazole (FLU) in the Pos-group were significantly higher than those in the Neg-group (χ2 = 12.623, P < 0.001 and χ2 = 9.356, P = 0.002, respectively). By multivariate logistic regression, the MIC value for VOR was identified as the prognostic variable that may influence the clearance of T. marneffei in blood culture after antifungal therapy among AIDS patients with talaromycosis. Conclusions: The delayed negative conversion of blood T. marneffei-culture may be associated with some factors especially higher MIC of VOR, indicatingthe possibility of drug resistance of T. marneffei. Author summary: Slow fungal clearance after antifungal therapy was observed in a few talaromycosis Marneffei (TSM) patients, leading to a significant prolongation of hospital day and increasing adverse drug reaction. The reasons of delayed clearance of Talaromyces Marneffei(T. marneffei) is still unclear. Although no standard cutoff value about minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), the drug sensitivity results are still used to guide the clinical practice. Several studies had reported the MIC value of T. marneffei isolates against echinocandin, amphotericin B, and azoles in vitro in the past decade. Patients who infected with azole-resistant strains had a higher mortality risk than those infected with susceptible strains. To response to this phenomenon, the authors hypothesized that the susceptibility of T. marneffei strains to antifungal agents could affect its clearance in blood, and verifications were performed in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonwoven-based separators have aroused widespread interest in the development of high-power lithium-ion battery (LIB). However, their commonly used coating, gel polymer electrolyte, is easily to shed off from the substrate during long-term swollen by electrolyte, thus further leading to micro-short circuit phenomenon and poor cycling performance. In this study, strengthened three-dimensional (3D) crosslinked coatings with different ratios of silica-based nanofluid were constructed on polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) nonwoven to give composite separators 3D. Compared with traditional nanoparticle, silica-based nanofluid has liquid-like property and is less prone to aggregation in polymer matrix. Importantly, amine terminal groups can be introduced when preparing fluid molecules, which will react with fluorinated polymer matrix to give strengthened 3D crosslinked coating. When the ratio of PVDF-HFP: fluid is fixed at 10:1, the porosity, electrolyte uptake and wettability, electrochemical performance of separator are found to display the optimum value, which finally endow battery with better discharge capacity (160.3 mAh g−1, 0.2 C). In addition, this composite separator is discovered to own superior tensile strength and Young's modulus. This strengthened structure also makes separator withstand the oxidative decomposition potential up to 5.32 V and provides battery with excellent discharge performance retention (98.5%) even after 100 cycles. Therefore, this study will pioneer a new avenue for separator to realize higher mechanical and cycling performance. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Short-term bacterial community composition (BCC) dynamics in response to accumulation and breakdown of Microcystis blooms were examined by conducting in situ mesocosm experiments with varying levels of Microcystis sp. biomass, ranging from 15 to 3217 μg/L as measured by chlorophyll-a concentration in the freshwater water column. The BCC was assessed by means of terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) of 16S ribosomal RNA genes followed by cloning and sequencing of selected samples. The results showed that the composition of both free-living and particle-attached bacterial communities changed during the accumulation and breakdown phases of a Microcystis bloom, and differences were also evident with different levels of Microcystis biomass. The relative abundance of bacteria affiliated with Micrococcineae and Legionellales increased in general after amendment with Microcystis. Significant correlation between the relative abundance of Micrococcineae and breakdown of Microcystis biomass was also observed. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that the changes in the free-living and particle-attached bacterial community were mostly related to the changes in the concentrations of chlorophyll-a, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH, which were mainly induced by the breakdown of Microcystis biomass. Overall, our study revealed the following: i) accumulation of Microcystis blooms and their breakdown have strong impacts on bacterial community composition; ii) there might be saprophytic association between Micrococcineae and decomposition of Microcystis biomass; iii) it is necessary to reveal potential associations between Legionellales organisms and Microcystis blooms in eutrophic freshwater lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health is a crucial aspect of overall wellbeing, and anxiety and depression among graduate students have become grave concerns. This study aimed to determine whether listening to music can help graduate students to reduce their depression levels. For the experiment, 1,007 participants were selected from several universities in Guangxi, of which 56 completed the experiment. The participants were divided into a music group (n = 28) that listened to music of their choice for 30 min per week for 13 weeks and a non-music group (n = 28) that did not. After music intervention, the depression levels of the music group participants were significantly lower than that of the non-music group participants. This indicates that music has a significant effect on the depression levels of graduate students and that music could serve as an effective intervention to alleviate their depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper straws with environmental friendliness have been widely used to replace plastic straws, but their poor mechanical properties and uncontrollable deformation bring an unsatisfactory experience for users. Herein, we developed a polylactic acid/cellulose fiber (PLA/CF) ultrafine-fiber paper with a sandwich‐like structure via wet papermaking and laminated hot pressing, employing PLA ultrafine fiber and CF as raw materials. The PLA/CF ultrafine fiber paper has remarkable mechanical properties due to the tangling of the fibers and the strong hydrogen bonding that occurs between the PLA and CF during hot pressing. The test results demonstrate that the tensile strength of PLA/CFs ultrafine fiber paper can reach 60.32 N/cm, and it still retains great wet strength (27 N/cm) and stiffness (117.7 mN·cm) after long-time service in various clod and hot liquids. Besides, PLA/CF ultrafine fiber paper also displays high biodegradability, with a degradation rate of 70% after being buried in soil for 120 days. We believe that PLA/CF ultra-fine fiber paper with excellent comprehensive performance can be expected to completely replace plastic straws. [Display omitted] • The method of using environment-friendly degradable materials as raw materials. • Adopt self-assembly melt-blowing machine to raw material PLA superfine fiber. • A design combining PLA microfiber with cellulose was proposed and studied. • The straw has superior mechanical properties and thermal stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical detection of specific nucleic acid sequence remains a hot topic in current bioanalytical research. Here, a novel ratiometric electrochemical biosensor based on Exo III-assisted recycling amplification and graphene-modified electrode was fabricated for quantitative detection of trinucleotide repeat sequence d(CAG) n. The double-signals used are the hairpin DNAs labeled with ferrocene and methylene blue respectively as report DNAs, which can hybridize to target DNA. The hybridized DNA was digested by Exo III, resulting in the release of target and report fragments. The graphene-modified electrode can selectively adsorb the released report fragments to generate double electrochemical signals. The signal ratio (F/M) of ferrocene and methylene blue was used to determine the repeat length accurately: a linear relationship was found between F/M and numbers of repeats (n), F/M = 0.061 n + 1.97, with a correlation coefficient of 0.992. Moreover, any electrochemical signal can be used to test repeat concentration with detection limit of 0.22 pM. Therefore, this novel ratiometric electrochemical biosensor provided a reliable and efficient method for the analysis of d(CAG) n trinucleotide repeat and a potential simplified clinical tool for neurodegenerative diseases. Image 1 • The biosensor realized simultaneous detection of d(CAG)n quantification repeat length. • Ratiometric technique provided a feasible strategy to determine the sequence and length of d(CAG)n in clinical applications. • Exo III-Assisted target recycling and graphene amplification strategy improved the sensitivity of biosensor. • The adsorption selectivity of graphene to single-stranded DNA simplified the modification of the electrode. • Combining the interface with the solution reaction can simplify the operation of biosensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new way to detect GAA trinucleotide repeats (TNRs) based on a solution-gated graphene transistor (SGGT) with high performance was developed. Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is a neurodegenerative disease where the first intron of the frataxin (FXN) gene exhibits an extended GAA repeat region. Herein, a SGGT biosensor was constructed based on G-quadruplex DNAzymes and graphene channels. The DNAzymes quantify the captured target DNA by producing a strong catalytic current signal depending on the peroxidase-like activity. The higher the target DNA quantity captured on the gate electrode is, the higher is the concentration of DNAzymes on the surface of the gate electrode, which generates a high catalytic current. Due to the excellent self-amplifying performance of the transistor, the current signal of the SGGT is several hundreds of times larger than in conventional electrochemistry under identical detection conditions. Moreover, a large current signal can be obtained in the case of a low concentration of H2O2 when compared to the case of an enzyme-catalyzed transistor. The SGGT biosensor also exhibits an ultra-low detection limit (32.25 fM), a wide linear range (100 fM–100 nM), and excellent selectivity. The results show that the SGGT biosensor has great potential in the early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (Y-STRs) have been widely used in forensic analysis and population genetics. With low to moderate mutation rates, conventional Y-STR panels, including commercially available Y-STR kits, enable the identification of male pedigrees but typically fail to differentiate related male individuals. The introduction of rapidly mutating Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (RM Y-STRs) with higher mutation rates (μ > 10−2) has been demonstrated to increase the discrimination capacity of unrelated men and the differentiation rate of related men compared with standard Y-STRs. To date, several studies have been performed worldwide. Here, 260 father-son pairs from Chinese Yi population were investigated, and 18.8% of them were differentiated with the 13 RM Y-STR markers, which was close to the theoretical estimate of 19.5% based on the mutation rates of these markers. Among the 57 mutations observed, repeat gains were more common than repeat losses (1.48:1), and one-step mutations were more common than two-step mutations (27.5:1). Locus-specific mutation rates ranged from < 3.85 × 10−3 (95% CI 0.00-1.41 × 10−2) to 3.85 × 10−2 (95% CI 1.86 × 10−2-6.96 × 10−2), with an average mutation rate of 1.46 × 10−2 (95% CI 1.11 × 10−2-1.89 × 10−2). Furthermore, we combined the father-son pair data from the present study with the data from the previous studies, generating an overall mutation rate of 1.70 × 10−2. The high differentiation rate obtained in the present study indicates the suitability of RM Y-STRs to distinguish paternal lineages in Chinese Yi population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Photochromic spiropyran and azobenzene were linked together by covalent bond. • Spiropyran-azobenzene can be induced to different forms in different solvents. • Different spiropyran-azobenzene form gave different color output as a solvent indicator. Abstract A dyad bearing azobenzene and spiropyran units was synthesized and its applications in indicating the polarity and protic or aprotic properties of a solvent were explored. The spiropyran-azobenzene derivative (SPAB) can be induced to different forms in different miscellaneous solvents accompanied with different color changes and spectral characteristics at the presence of organic base DBU. In a nonpolar or low-polar solvent, SPAB exists in thermostable spiropyran form with yellow color output. While in an aprotic polar solvent, the spiropyran part isomerized to merocyanine form giving a blue color. When SPAB is subjected to a protic solvent, the alkylation reaction occurs at the oxygen generating the alkylated-SPAB with red color. This solvent-dependent property can be used for discriminating solvent type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar-driven photothermal interface evaporation is considered one of the most promising strategies for dealing with seawater desalination for the scarcity of freshwater resources. However, it still faces the challenges of achieving superior optical absorption combined with outstanding evaporation performance. So as to improve the utilization of solar energy and reduce the loss of heat transfer. We designed a unique three-dimensional self-floating gradient composite membrane via the method of spray, speed shear, and sinking. In this research, a self-floating Polyvinylidene fluoride/Multi-walled carbon nanotubes@polydopamine‑carbon fiber/Polyphenylene sulfide (PVDF/MWCNTs@PDA-CF/PPS) solar evaporation film composed of a hydrophobic PVDF/MWCNTs layer and a PDA-modified CF/PPS fiber substrate with a hydrophilic three-dimensional gradient structure was investigated. The upper is coated with a hydrophobic solar-absorbing coating to ensure that the heat is concentrated in the photothermal layer. The lower is a unique three-dimensional gradient water delivery structure, which not only has an insulated water channel but also can continuously supply water, which will also limit the large volume of water contacting the photothermal layer, reducing the heat loss. PVDF/MWCNTs@PDA-CF/PPS exhibits high evaporation efficiency (1.24 kg m−2 h−1). This structural design will provide a promising solution to the global shortage of fresh water for desalination. [Display omitted] • The rough surface allows multiple diffuse reflections of light to enhance light absorption. • PVDF/MWCNTs@PDA-CF/PPS composite membrane with 3D gradient water channel can bring strong water supply capacity. • PVDF/MWCNTs@PDA-CF/PPS composite membrane has excellent thermal stability which can not be damaged in high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study successfully synthesized ternary composite photocatalysts g-C 3 N 4 /BiOI/Bi 2 MoO 6 (CN/BI/MO) via dispersion modification of BiOI and perovskite-like materials Bi 2 MoO 6 on graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4), for effective degradation of glyphosate in pesticide wastewater. Electrochemical measurements showed that the CN/BI/MO ternary composite catalyst presented extremely high photogenerated electron-hole (e--h+) separation efficiency and low e- transfer resistance, which was favorable for prolonging the lifetime of photogenerated charges. In addition, the results of photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS) showed that CN/BI/MO had a broad response range of visible light and vital light absorption ability. Therefore, the composites exhibited more vigorous photocatalytic activity than the monomers. Among them, 30% CN/BI/MO catalyst had the highest photocatalytic activity, and the photodegradation rate of glyphosate was up to 94% under limited 30 min visible light irradiation. The total organic carbon (TOC) assay results indicated that the ternary photocatalytic system improved the mineralization efficiency of glyphosate. This work provides a potential solution for effectively treating pesticide wastewater under visible light. [Display omitted] • A ternary heterojunction materials composite photocatalyst was synthesized. • g-C 3 N 4 /BiOI/Bi 2 MoO 6 possesses higher catalytic activity than g-C 3 N 4 and g-C 3 N 4 /BiOI • Modulation of charge migration behavior to promote photocatalytic-redox reactions • Z-scheme internal electric field can accelerate the electron transport • The degradation time of glyphosate on g-C 3 N 4 /BiOI/Bi 2 MoO 6 is shortened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common type of thyroid cancer, and its incidence rate is rapidly growing. It is necessary to understand the pathogenesis of PTC to develop effective diagnosis methods. Promoter methylation has been recognized to contribute to the alterations in gene expression observed in tumorigenesis. Our RNA-seq data identified 1191 differentially expressed mRNAs and 147 differentially expressed lncRNAs in PTC. Next, promoter methylation of these genes was detected by reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) technology and comprehensively analyzed to identify differential methylation. In total, 14 genes (13 mRNAs and 1 lncRNA), in which methylation was intimately involved in regulating gene expression, were proposed as novel diagnostic biomarkers. To gain insights into the relationships among these 14 genes, a core co-function network was constructed based on co-expression, co-function and co-methylation data. Notably, CXCL12 was identified as an essential gene in the network that was closely connected with the other genes. These data suggested that CXCL12 down-regulation in PTC may be caused by promoter hypermethylation. Our study was the first to perform an RRBS analysis for PTC and suggested that CXCL12 may contribute to PTC development by methylation-mediated epigenetic regulation of gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imatinib (IM) has been applied to the chronic phase of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and has great benefit on the prognosis of patients with CML. The function of drug efflux mediated by multidrug resistance protein-1 (MDR1) is considered as a main reason for IM drug resistance in CML cells. However, the exact mechanisms of MDR1 modulation in IM resistance of CML cells remain unclear. In the present study, long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) UCA1 was identified as an important modulator of MDR1 by a model system of leukemia cell lines with a gradual increase of MDR1 expression and IM resistance. Overexpression of UCA1 increased MDR1 expression to promote IM resistance of CML cells. Furthermore, for the first time, we demonstrated that UCA1 functions as a competitive endogenous (ceRNA) of MDR1 through completely binding the common miR-16. UCA1-MDR1 might be a novel target for enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of CML patients with IM resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]