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In this article, we study dynamic risk measures by means of backward doubly stochastic Volterra integral equations (BDSVIEs, for short) with jumps. We establish the well-posedness of BDSVIEs with jumps in the sense of M-solution and prove a comparison theorem of BDSVIEs with jumps. Finally, we study properties of dynamic risk measures induced by BDSVIEs with jumps. Our results extend the well-posedness and the comparison theorem of BDSVIEs without jumps to the setting with jumps, and extend dynamic risk measures induced by BSDEs, BDSDEs, and BSVIEs to the case of BDSVIEs with jumps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short Message Service (SMS) marketing, as one of mobile marketing, has been a prominent marketing approach in the service business, particularly in airlines. However, for member groups with a social identity, how to send SMS to promote repurchase behaviour of members? This question is what current research tries to explore. A large field experiment involving 200,000 active members of an airlines was conducted to validate the message framing proposed in this study. Specifically, based on the message framing, we applied 2 promotional SMS (With identity vs. Without identity) x 2 Purchase intention (High vs. Low) and 2 promotional SMS (Feasibility vs. Desirability) x 2 Purchase intention (High vs. Low) between-subjects experimental design and a control group with general reminder messages in a ‘Member Day’ promotion. By analyzing 188,627 respondent’s actual repurchase data, the result shows that the framing effect between with-identity or feasibility messages and high purchase intention significantly positively impacts members repurchase behaviour. In contrast, the effect between without-identity or desirability messages and low purchase intention has no influence. Furthermore, the moderation effect of members’ features on the framing effect has also been discussed. This study has theoretical and practical guidance for the research on relationship marketing, membership management, and loyalty programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modular spacecraft offer promising prospects in the aerospace industry due to their ability to adapt to complex missions and diverse space environments. Nevertheless, such spacecraft may face load‐bearing structure adaptation issues caused by the changes in load demand when replacing sub‐modules for various missions. This necessitates the re‐design and manufacturing of load‐bearing structures, resulting in significant increases in product cycles and costs. To overcome this challenge, innovative composite hierarchical orthogrid stiffened cylinders (CHOSCs) which offer adjustable stiffness and strength to suit various mission requirements are proposed. To investigate the stiffness and strength adjustability, high‐precision composite orthogrid stiffened cylinder (COSC), CHOSC with three primary ribs (T‐CHOSC), and CHOSC with four primary ribs (F‐CHOSC) were manufactured and tested. The results demonstrate that CHOSCs exhibit stiffness and strength adjustability and significantly improve the cylinder's load‐bearing efficiency. Furthermore, a finite element model based on the Hashin damage criterion was employed to capture the end failure of the primary ribs and the local basic rib fractures near the cylinder end. CHOSCs present a feasible solution to the load‐bearing structure adaptation issues caused by the changes in load demand when replacing sub‐modules for various missions and hold significant potential for advancing the aerospace industry. Highlights: Composite hierarchical orthogrid stiffened cylinders (CHOSCs) are proposed.High‐precision CHOSCs are manufactured by combined metal molds.Load‐bearing capacity and failure behavior are investigated.CHOSCs exhibit stiffness adjustability and load‐bearing efficiency.CHOSCs could solve the structure adaptation issues in modular spacecraft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global sensitivity analysis of complex moduli of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) is performed by using variance‐based sensitivity analysis. Twelve material properties of matrix and fiber are selected as input arguments, including fiber volume fraction, three matrix properties, and eight carbon fiber properties. Ten thousand samples are generated with Sobol sequence. Based on the correspondence principle, six complex moduli of unidirectional CFRP, and two complex moduli of quasi‐isotropic laminate, orthogonal laminate, and symmetric laminate with different fiber angles are predicted using the generalized method of cells and classical laminate theory. The sensitivity indexes of all input arguments are calculated. The results show that the loss factors of CFRP are mainly affected by the matrix loss factor and fiber axial loss factor, and slightly affected by the fiber transverse loss factor. Highlights: Sensitivity analysis reveals key factors influencing CFRP complex moduli.Impact of fiber and matrix properties on CFRP damping revealed.Insights for high‐damping and high‐stiffness CFRP development.Enhanced understanding of energy absorption mechanisms.Uncovering the dominant role of matrix and fiber axial properties in damping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eco-friendly lead-free energy-storage ceramics featuring high energy storage properties and ultra-high stability have been regarded to be one of the most potential materials in the field of energy storage. In this work, a new element system, (1-x)(0.6Bi 0.5 Na 0.5 TiO 3 -0.4SrTiO 3)-xBi[Zn 2/3 (Nb 0.5 Ta 0.5) 1/3 ]O 3 ((1-x)BNST-xBZNT) lead-free ceramics, were synthesized via a conventional solid-state sintering technology. And the phase structure, microstructure and energy storage properties of the (1-x)BNST-xBZNT ceramics were comprehensively studied. After the introduction of BZNT, the average grain size of the materials is greatly decreased, thereby enhancing the dielectric breakdown strength (DBS). Additionally, the thermal stability of the ceramics is significantly improved via regulating the doping content and sintering temperature. Furthermore, the ferroelectric long-range order of the ceramics is decomposed into randomly-oriented polar nano-domains (PNRs) after introducing BZNT, leading to strong relaxor behavior and significantly reducing remanent polarization (P r). As a result, even under a relatively low electric field of 139 kV/cm, the 0.98BNST-0.02BZNT ceramic sintered at 1150 °C possesses high values of energy storage efficiency (η) value of 92.78% and total energy storage density (W tot) of 1.67 J/cm3 as well as remarkable thermal stability (25–175 °C), frequency stability (20–70 Hz) and fatigue resistant stability (100-105 cycles). This investigation provides a useful reference for developing advanced energy storage ceramics by regulating the doping content and sintering temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In recent years, affected by the international trade situation, China's corn import volume and import price have risen sharply, which has increased the production cost of poultry farming. Poultry nutritionists have been encouraged to use different grains instead of corn. However, it is unclear whether feeding broiler chickens with different starch sources affects the utilization of digestible lysine (dLys) in their body due to differences in digestion rate, thereby affecting broiler breast muscle protein and liver lipid metabolism. Therefore, this study aims at the above-mentioned problems. Here, we found that the waxy corn starch diet resulted in significantly higher expression levels of fat-synthesis-related genes than lipolysis-related genes, leading to abdominal fat deposition in broilers. Increasing the level of dLys in the diet increased the protein content in muscle by promoting protein synthesis and inhibiting protein degradation and also promoted the expression of lipolysis-related genes, thereby degrading the generation of abdominal fat in broilers. In conclusion, our findings signify that increasing the dLys level to 1.32% when using the waxy corn starch diet could improve carcass traits. This study investigated the effects of digestible lysine (dLys) in different dietary starch sources on liver lipid metabolism and breast muscle protein metabolism in broiler chickens. The experimental design was a 3 × 3 two-factor completely randomized design. A total of 702 one-day-old male Arbor Acres Plus broilers were randomly divided into nine treatments of six replicate cages with thirteen birds each. The treatments consisted of three different starch sources (corn, cassava and waxy corn) with three different dLys levels (1.08%, 1.20% and 1.32%). The trial lasted from 1 to 21 days. Carcass traits, serum metabolites, breast muscle protein and liver lipid metabolism were evaluated. A significant interaction effect (p < 0.05) for dietary starch sources and dLys levels was noted in the percentage of abdominal fat and gene expression related to breast muscle protein metabolism throughout the experimental period. The waxy corn starch diet and a 1.08% dLys level in the diet increased both the percentage of abdominal fat (p < 0.01) and blood total cholesterol (p < 0.05) in the broilers. The waxy corn starch diet significantly upregulated the mRNA expressions of Eif4E, AMPK, FABP1, ACC and CPT1 (p < 0.05). The 1.32% dLys level significantly upregulated the mRNA expressions of mTOR, S6K1, Eif4E, AMPK and PPARα (p < 0.05) and significantly downregulated the mRNA expressions of MuRF and Atrogin-1 (p < 0.05). In summary, the waxy corn starch diet resulted in significantly higher expression levels of fat-synthesis-related genes than lipolysis-related genes, leading to abdominal fat deposition in broilers. Increasing the level of dLys in the diet increased the protein content in muscle by promoting protein synthesis and inhibiting protein degradation and also promoted the expression of lipolysis-related genes, thereby degrading the generation of abdominal fat in broilers. Our findings signify that increasing the dLys level to 1.32% when using the waxy corn starch diet could improve carcass traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Various features extracted from breast MRI have the potential to serve as noninvasive biomarkers for the prediction of the biologic behavior of breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the value of focal breast edema and breast edema score (BES) on T2-weighted images in providing valuable biological information for breast cancer patients' personalized treatment. Method: Two hundred and five lesions in 201 patients with invasive breast cancer confirmed by surgery or biopsy in Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine from November 2018 to October 2019 were retrospectively recruited and analyzed in this study. Focal edema and BES were evaluated at fat-suppressed T2 weighted imaging. All the lesions were divided into two groups according to the presence of focal edema. The differences in clinicopathological characteristics between the two groups and between different BES were compared. Results: Two hundred and five lesions in 201 patients with invasive breast cancer were retrospectively recruited and analyzed in this study. On the fat-suppressed T2WI, focal edema was detected in 102 of 205 lesions (49.8%). BES was positively correlated with tumor size (p < 0.001), histologic grade (p = 0.006), Ki-67 index (p < 0.001), and N stage (p = 0.007), and was negatively correlated with expression of ER and PR (p < 0.001). Higher BES was more likely to present in patients with non-luminal breast cancer (p < 0.001) and suggested the possibility of a higher N stage. Conclusions: Focal edema on T2WI of breast MRI indicates stronger tumor invasiveness, in which non-luminal breast cancer is more inclined to present focal edema. Breast edema score, a novel and practical tool, helps guide the individualized treatment of patients with invasive breast cancer. Critical relevance statement: Focal edema on T2WI of breast MRI indicates stronger tumor invasiveness. Breast edema score helps guide the individualized treatment of patients with invasive breast cancer. Key points: Focal edema on T2WI of breast MRI indicates stronger tumor invasiveness. Non-luminal breast cancer is more inclined to present focal edema. Breast edema score is a novel and practical tool to guide therapy decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lateral roots play essential roles in drought tolerance in maize (Zea mays L.). However, the genetic basis for the variation in the number of lateral roots in maize remains elusive. Here, we identified a major quantitative trait locus (QTL), qLRT5‐1, controlling lateral root number using a recombinant inbred population from a cross between the maize lines Zong3 (with many lateral roots) and 87‐1 (with few lateral roots). Fine‐mapping and functional analysis determined that the candidate gene for qLRT5‐1, ZmLRT, expresses the primary transcript for the microRNA miR166a. ZmLRT was highly expressed in root tips and lateral root primordia, and knockout and overexpression of ZmLRT increased and decreased lateral root number, respectively. Compared with 87‐1, the ZmLRT gene model of Zong3 lacked the second and third exons and contained a 14 bp deletion at the junction between the first exon and intron, which altered the splicing site. In addition, ZmLRT expression was significantly lower in Zong3 than in 87‐1, which might be attributed to the insertions of a transposon and over large DNA fragments in the Zong3 ZmLRT promoter region. These mutations decreased the abundance of mature miR166a in Zong3, resulting in increased lateral roots at the seedling stage. Furthermore, miR166a post‐transcriptionally repressed five development‐related class‐III homeodomain‐leucine zipper genes. Moreover, knockout of ZmLRT enhanced drought tolerance of maize seedlings. Our study furthers our understanding of the genetic basis of lateral root number variation in maize and highlights ZmLRT as a target for improving drought tolerance in maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, fish marine bioactive peptides (FMBP) from gill waste obtained from Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) and bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) were explored to provide a green preservation method to maintain the taste and flavor of Chinese moon cake. FMBP were hydrolyzed using a mixture of protease (neutral protease: alkaline protease = 1:1). The enzymatic reaction conditions were researched by single‐factor experiments with antibacterial activity as the evaluation index. Moon cakes were treated with FMBP coating (2.0%, 2.5%, 3.0% or 3.5%) and stored for 25 days at 28°C without packaging. The effect of FMBP on the quality of moon cakes was investigated considering microbiological, physicochemical and sensory properties. Research showed that FMBP significantly inhibited the growth of microorganisms during storage while maintaining the taste of moon cake. The 3% FMBP had the best effect on the coating treatment, which the PV and AV values reduced most significantly (p < 0.05), and especially the total number of colonies (p < 0.05) and the number of coliforms (p < 0.01) was significantly inhibited. The shelf‐life of moon cakes treated with FMBP coating was extended, 2% FMBP by 10 days and 3% or 3.5% FMBP by 20 days, compared with the control group without FMBP treatment by 5 days (when the total number of molds was more than 150 CFU/g, the moon cake was spoiled). These results indicate that FMBP can be used as a food additive antimicrobial agent and preservative. Novelty Impact Statement: The optimal FMBP enzymatic hydrolysis conditions were obtained, which could be used in the field of food additive antimicrobial or preservative agent. FMBP significantly inhibited the growth of microorganisms during storage while maintaining the quality of moon cakes. The 3% FMBP had the best effect on the coating treatment, which the shelf‐life of moon cakes was extended by 20 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and life-threatening complication in hospitalized and critically ill patients and has unacceptable morbidity and mortality rates. However, effective approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of septic AKI are still lacking. Here, we demonstrated significant increases in the miR-26a-5p levels in renal tubular cells of LPS-induced septic AKI models both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, we provided evidence of the involvement of NF-κB in miR-26a-5p induction. LPS treatment of renal tubular cells led to the activation of NF-κB, and inhibition of NF-κB by TPCA-1 prevented the induction of miR-26a-5p. These results indicated that NF-κB was a key upstream factor for the induction of miR-26a-5p in septic AKI. Anti-miR-26a-5p enhanced the expression of IL-6 at both the protein and mRNA levels following LPS treatment. Furthermore, our luciferase microRNA target reporter assay verified that IL-6 is a direct target of miR-26a-5p. Blocking miR-26a-5p promoted renal inflammation and worsened kidney injury. Thus, our study indicated that the miR-26a-5p/IL-6 axis can alleviate sepsis-induced acute kidney injury by inhibiting renal inflammation. This mechanism may represent a therapeutic target for septic AKI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Although type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and coronary artery disease (CAD) share many common pathological and physiological characteristics, there are few studies assessing the predictive capacity of novel biomarkers in occurrence and development of CAD in T2DM patients aged ≥ 65 years. In addition, T2DM patients aged ≥ 65 years are prone to CAD. Therefore, it is of great significance to find novel biomarkers for the development CAD in T2DM. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, 579 T2DM patients aged ≥ 65 years were consecutively enrolled in this work, and 177 of whom had major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE: cardiovascular or cerebrovascular death, acute coronary syndrome, coronary stent implantation, and stroke) during the follow up. Univariate and multivariate factors were employed to analyze the correlation between each variable and the occurrence of MACCE, and the Spearman's rank correlation analysis was performed to assess the relationships between Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and small dense low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) (sdLDL-C). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was adopted to determine the predictive value of NGAL and sdLDL-C elevation for MACCE in T2DM patients aged ≥ 65 years. Results: After a median 48 months follow-up [19, (10 ~ 32) ], the levels of NGAL, sdLDL-C, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), LDL-C, and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) were significantly higher while those of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and apolipoprotein A I (ApoA–I) were lower in MACCE positive group. NGAL correlated to body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.391, P = 0.001) and triglyceride (TG) (r = 0.228, P = 0.032), and high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) (r = 0.251, P = 0.007), and neutrophils (r = 0.454, P = 0.001), sdlDL–C level was found to be positively correlated with LDL-C (r = 0.413, P = 0.001), TG (r = 0.432, P = 0.001), and ApoB (r = 0.232, P = 0.002); and it was negatively correlated with HDL-C (r = -0.362, P = 0.031) and ApoA–I (r = -0.402, P = 0.001). Age-adjusted Cox regression analysis showed that NGAL (HR = 1.006, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.005–1.008, P < 0.001) and sdLDL–C (HR = 1.052, 95% CI: 1.037–1.066, P < 0.001) were independently associated with occurrence of MACCE. ROC curve analysis showed that NGAL (area under ROC (AUC) = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.75–0.84, P < 0.001) and sdlDL–C (AUC = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.72–0.80, P < 0.001) could predict the occurrence of MACCE (area under ROC. NGAL combined with sdlDL–C could predict the occurrence of MACCE well (AUC = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.84–0.90, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The higher NGAL and sdLDL-C in T2DM patients aged ≥ 65 years were significantly and independently associated with the risk of MACCE, and showed higher clinical values than other lipid biomarkers or other chronic inflammation, so they were expected to be the most effective predictors of MACCE assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate the effect of plasma-to-red blood cell transfusion ratio on clinical prognosis of patients undergoing blood transfusion during cardiac surgery. Methods Clinical data of 723 patients receiving blood transfusion during cardiac surgery were collected. According to the amount of blood transfusion, they were divided into the massive transfusion group (blood transfusion ≥ 8 U, n = 282) and non-massive transfusion group (blood transfusion < 8 U, n = 441). Two groups were further divided into 2 subgroups according to the plasma-to-red blood cell transfusion ratio (high ratio subgroup : plasma-to-red blood cell ratio>1 ; low ratio subgroup : plasma-to-red blood cell transfusion ratio > 1), the influence of plasma-to-red blood cell transfusion ratio on clinical prognosis of patients was evaluated. Results In the massive transfusion group, the amount of postoperative plasma transfusion was significantly increased, postoperative hemoglobin level was significantly lower, postoperative activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) was prolonged, postoperative international normalized ratio (INR) was lower, the length of postoperative hospital stay, postoperative ICU stay and postoperative mechanical ventilation time were significantly longer in the low ratio subgroup compared with those in the high ratio subgroup (all P < 0.05). In the non-massive transfusion group, postoperative hemoglobin level and hematocrit in the low ratio subgroup were significantly higher than those in the high ratio subgroup (both P < 0.05), but there were no significant difference between two subgroups about the length of postoperative hospital stay, postoperative ICU stay, postoperative mechanical ventilation time and in-hospital mortality rate (all P > 0.05). Conclusions For patients receiving massive blood transfusion during cardiac surgery, high plasma-to-red blood cell transfusion ratio is more conducive to clinical prognosis. For those with non-massive transfusion, there is no need for excessive plasma transfusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, Bi 0.5 Na 0.5 TiO 3 -based lead-free ferroelectrics have attracted considerable attention as one of the promising candidates for dielectric materials due to their large spontaneous polarization, environmental friendliness and low cost. However, their poor energy density hinder the practical application of the materials. Herein, a novel ceramic of (1-x) (0.94Bi 0.5 Na 0.5 TiO 3 -0.06BaTiO 3)-x(0.96NaNbO 3 -0.04CaSnO 3) (BNBT-xNNCS) has been developed by the solid solution of antiferroelectric NaNbO 3 –CaSnO 3 into ferroelectric Bi 0.5 Na 0.5 TiO 3 –BaTiO 3 and the microstructure and electrical properties of the material have been systematically investigated. All the ceramics are lied within the coexistence zone of tetragonal (T) and rhombohedral (R) phases, ensuring to the large polarizations of the materials. Importantly, the introduction of NaNbO 3 –CaSnO 3 shifts dielectric peaks at T s towards room temperature and simultaneously broadens and flattens the dielectric peaks, destroying the ferroelectric long-range order of ferroelectric domains and inducing the generation of polar nanoregions (PNRs) to reduce the remanent polarization. As a result, the prominent energy storage properties with the charge energy storage density (W tot) of 1.86 J/cm3, recoverable energy density (W rec) of 1.64 J/cm3 and energy storage efficiency (η) of 88.23% are obtained in the BNBT-xNNCS ceramics with x = 0.20 (BNBT-20NNCS) under a comparatively low electric field strength of 149 kV/cm, accompanying with superior frequency (Δ W rec ≤ 3%, Δ η ≤ 3%, 30–90 Hz) and thermal stability (Δ W rec ≤ 10%, Δ η ≤ 10%, 25–175 °C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in diesel consumption has led to the proliferation of soot particles from diesel exhaust, resulting in pollution in the form of smog. To solve this problem, a series of Ag-doped Mn1−xAgxCo2O4 spinel catalysts were successfully prepared using an auto-combustion synthesis method that uses glucose as a fuel. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis were used to analyse the phase structure of the as-prepared samples. The results reveal that the selected catalysts featured a spinel-type structure. Moreover, the catalytic activity of the catalysts for soot combustion was evaluated by temperature-programmed reaction analysis. The temperature required for soot combustion depended heavily on the Ag concentration in the Mn1−xAgxCo2O4 catalyst. The Mn0.8Ag0.2Co2O4 catalyst had a superior catalytic activity with a T90 of 399 °C and CO2 selectivity of 99.3%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy storage ceramics are widely favored for their rapid charging/discharging speed, good temperature stability and large power density. Nevertheless, most lead-free energy storage ceramics can achieve excellent energy storage density (Wt) only under extremely high breakdown electric field and usually possess inferior efficiency (η). In this research, neoteric (1 − x)(Na0.5Bi0.5)0.7Sr0.3TiO3-xLa1/3(Ta0.5Nb0.5)O3 (NBST-xLTN) ceramics were designed by grain inhibition and dielectric peak flattening engineering to enhance Wt and η simultaneously under a low electric field (≤150 kV cm−1). In particular, in one aspect, multiple co-doping of the elements La3+, Ta5+ and Nb5+ as excellent grain growth inhibitors reduces the concentration of oxygen vacancies and refines the grain size to increase the breakdown strength. In another aspect, partial ion substitution in the A/B sites of BNST ceramics breaks the ferroelectric long-range order to generate polar nanoregions, resulting in a remarkable decrease in remanent polarization. Moreover, the incorporation of LTN distorts the lattice, causing a shift towards room temperature and flattening of dielectric peaks to promote the temperature/frequency stabilities significantly. Ultimately, the ultrahigh η of 92.49%, promising Wt of 2.09 J cm−3 and large Wrec of 1.94 J cm−3 under 148 kV cm−1 are achieved concurrently accompanied by the optimistic temperature, frequency and cyclic stabilities in the BNST-0.025LTN ceramic. Besides, outstanding power and current densities (PD and CD) of 67.86 MW cm−3 and 848.29 A cm−2 are procured in the BNST-0.025LTZ ceramic under a low electric field of 160 kV cm−1. The present strategies of grain inhibition and dielectric peak flattening engineering provide an effective approach to exploit novel lead-free ceramics with excellent energy storage properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Songbirds adjust their song traits to adapt to urban environments from rural ones. However, the effects of the intraurban environmental variation on resident birds have received little attention. Here, we assessed the distribution and song differences of a common songbird—the oriental magpie-robin—between three urban habitat types. Population density and song diversity were higher in low-rise residential areas than in urban parks, while high-rise residences were rejected by birds. Overall, these results suggest that low-rise residential areas may provide preferred song post sites for this urban resident bird. Urbanization is expanding rapidly worldwide, and brings additional selection pressure on animals. The song differences between urban and rural songbirds have been widely verified, but the effects of urban morphological variation on long-settled urban birds have been poorly explored. Here, we investigated the distribution and song differences of a common resident songbird—the oriental magpie-robin (Copsychus saularis) between three urban morphology types (i.e., urban park, low-rise residential area, and high-rise residential area). The results indicated that the population density in low-rise residential areas was significantly higher than in urban parks, while it was the lowest in high-rise residential areas. Males in low-rise residential areas had greater song length, syllable numbers, frequency bandwidth, and song diversity than those in urban parks. The song differences were mainly related to habitat types, independent of singing height and perch type. Our findings suggest that low-rise residential areas may provide preferred song post sites for the oriental magpie-robin, which is well-adapted to the low-rise building morphology, but rejects the emerging high-rise buildings. Future studies are needed to assess the effects of urban morphological variation on more resident animals to determine which urban morphologies are conducive to enhancing biodiversity and encouraging animals to settle in urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we explore the optimal insurance problem where the exclusion clause is taken into account. Assume that the insurable loss is mutually exclusive from another loss that is denied in the insurance coverage. Our objective is to characterize the optimal insurance strategy by minimizing the risk-adjusted value of a policyholder's liability, where the unexpected loss is calculated by either the value at risk (VaR) or the tail value at risk (TVaR). To prevent moral hazard and to reflect the spirit of insurance, we analyze the optimal solutions over the class of ceded loss functions such that the policyholder's retained loss and the proportion paid by an insurer are both increasing. We show that every admissible insurance contract is suboptimal to a ceded loss function composed of three interconnected line segments if the insurance premium principles satisfy risk loading and convex order preserving. The form of optimal insurance can be further simplified if the premium principles satisfies an additional weak property. Finally, we derive the optimal insurance explicitly for the expected value principle and Wang's principle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to promote air traveler repurchasing has become an important marketing strategy in airlines. However, because of the growing concern over user privacy, effectively and accurately delivering advertising to promote repurchasing has become more difficult. Here, we propose an effective framework based on machine learning to model the air traveler repurchasing and furthermore employ a field experiment to test the utility of a model framework. Specifically, we collected that this model framework is based on the random forest algorithm and compared with the conclusions of the other four algorithms, K-nearest neighbor, decision tree, support vector machine, and ExtraTree algorithms. The results show that the proposed model framework is better than the prediction results of the other algorithms. In addition, the proposed model framework was verified through a real case of an airline in China. This study will serve as a guide to analyze the repurchase behaviors of an air traveler and help airlines build a loyal air traveler base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an enzyme, β-mannanase (BM) can be widely used as feed additive to improve the growth performance of animals. This experiment aimed to determine the effect of the addition of BM to low-energy diet on the immune function and intestinal microflora of broiler chickens. In this study, 384 one-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into 3 groups (8 replicates per group): positive control (PC , received a corn-soybean meal basal diet), negative control (NC , received a low-energy diet with Metabolizable Energy (ME) reduced by 50 kcal/kg) and NC + BM group (NC birds + 100 mg/kg BM). All birds were raised for 42 d. The results showed that BM mitigated the damage of immune function in peripheral blood of broilers caused by the decrease of dietary energy level by increasing the Concanavalin A (Con A) index of stimulation (SI) and macrophages phagocytic activity in the peripheral blood of broilers at 42 d (P < 0.05). The analysis of cecum flora showed that the low-energy diet significantly reduced the observed_species index (P < 0.01), Chao1 index and ACE index (P < 0.05), which reduced the abundance and evenness of species in the cecum of broilers at 21 d. It also significantly reduced the relative abundance of Candidatus_Arthromitus and significantly increased the relative abundance of Pseudomonas in the cecum of broilers at 21 d, while also significantly increasing the relative abundance of Monoglobus at 42 d. BM significantly increased the relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae_UCG-001 and Lachnospiraceae_bacterium_615 in the cecum of broilers at 21 d. In addition, BM inhibited microbial Fatty acid degradation by decreasing the activity of glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase. Collectively, BM could improve intestinal health by enhancing the immune function of broilers, promoting the proliferation of beneficial bacteria and reducing the number of harmful bacteria, regulating intestinal flora, thereby alleviating the adverse effects of lower dietary energy levels. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain number per panicle (GNPP) is a major factor influencing rice yield (Oryza sativa L.). However, the molecular mechanisms of GNPP determination are not well understood. A rice GNPP mutant, ngp4a, was isolated from an ethyl methanesulfonate-mutagenized rice library of japonica Nipponbare. ngp4a produced fewer grains than wild-type plants at maturity as the number of secondary branches decreased significantly. The mutant phenotype of ngp4a was controlled by a recessive nuclear gene, which was fine-mapped into a 155.2 kb region on chromosome 4. One GNPP-related gene, Gnp4/LAX2 (LOC_Os04g32510), was found in the mapped region. The deletion of 3-bp nucleotides in the first exon of NGP4A resulted in a threonine residue loss. The mutation in NGP4A was responsible for the mutant phenotype of ngp4a. These results suggest that NGP4A is a new allele for Gnp4 and LAX2, while the mutant phenotype and underlying causation differed. Notably, transcriptome analysis revealed that NGP4A could regulate GNPP determination through the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. Our results further elucidated the vital roles of Gnp4/LAX2 in GNPP determination, providing a new genetic resource and theoretical basis to further explore the molecular mechanisms of GNPP in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead‐based halide perovskites APbX3 are likely to become competitive candidates in applications of photodetectors and X/γ‐ray detectors owing to their excellent optical and electrical characteristics, such as high and balanced carrier mobility, long carrier diffusion length, and adjustable bandgap. Based on this system, the article summarizes the performance parameters, such as responsivity, detectivity, external quantum efficiency, and response time of photodetector, and generalizes the research status of its application in near‐infrared light, visible light, and ultraviolet light photodetectors. In addition to that, it also summarizes the recent progress of X/γ‐ray detectors. What is more, the influence of radii of A‐site cations on the photoelectric performance are discussed. Finally, based on these summary and discussion, a research trend could be raised that more and more researchers tend to fabricate APbX3 perovskite with single‐crystalline thin‐film for high‐performance photodetectors in the future. It is proposed that if the A‐site ion is an organic group with a larger radius than the formamidinium (FA+), it may have better photoelectric properties than FAPbX3. Inorganic lead‐based perovskite single crystals with few defects, fast carrier mobility, and good stability are beneficial for attaining low dose rate and high‐energy resolution X/γ‐ray detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Salix matsudana (Koidz.) is a widely planted ornamental allotetraploid tree species. Genetic engineering can be used to enhance the tolerance of this species to soil salinization, endowing varieties with the ability to grow along coastlines, thereby mitigating afforestation and protecting the environment. The AP2/ERF family of transcription factors (TFs) plays multidimensional roles in plant biotic/abiotic stress tolerance and plant development. In this study, we cloned the SmAP2-17 gene and performed functional analysis of its role in salt tolerance. This study aims to identify key genes for future breeding of stress-resistant varieties of Salix matsudana. Results: SmAP2-17 was predicted to be a homolog of AP2-like ethylene-responsive transcription factor ANT isoform X2 from Arabidopsis, with a predicted ORF of 2058 bp encoding an estimated protein of 685 amino acids containing two conserved AP2 domains (PF00847.20). SmAP2-17 had a constitutive expression pattern and was localized to the nucleus. The overexpression of the native SmAP2-17 CDS sequence in Arabidopsis did not increase salt tolerance because of the reduced expression level of ectopic SmAP2-17, potentially caused by salt-induced RNAi. Transgenic lines with high expression of optimized SmAP2-17 CDS under salt stress showed enhanced tolerance to salt. Moreover, the expression of general stress marker genes and important salt stress signaling genes, including RD29A, ABI5, SOS3, AtHKT1, and RBohF, were upregulated in SmAP2-17-overexpressed lines, with expression levels consistent with that of SmAP2-17 or optimized SmAP2-17. Promoter activity analysis using dual luciferase analysis showed that SmAP2-17 could bind the promoters of SOS3 and ABI5 to activate their expression, which plays a key role in regulating salt tolerance. Conclusions: The SmAP2-17 gene isolated from Salix matsudana (Koidz.) is a positive regulator that improves the resistance of transgenic plants to salt stress by upregulating SOS3 and ABI5 genes. This study provides a potential functional gene resource for future generation of salt-resistant Salix lines by genetic engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in many cancer progression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression level and clinical significance of the lncRNA, proliferating cell nuclear antigen pseudogene 1 (PCNAP1), in cancer tissue and the plasma of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression of PCNAP1 in HCC tissue, adjacent tissue, and plasma. Spearman's rank correlation analysis was performed to assess relationships among cancer tissue, plasma PCNAP1, and plasma AFP. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to assess survival of HCC patient with high and low expression of PCNAP1. The survival difference was compared by the log-rank test. The use of plasma levels PCNAP1 for diagnosing HCC was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.Results: The expression of PCNAP1 in HCC tissue was significantly higher than in adjacent tissue (P < 0.01). The PCNAP1 levels were related to the TNM stage, lymph node metastasis, and tumor maximum diameter (P < 0.05) but were not related to gender and age (P = 0.459 and 0.656). Patients with greater levels of PCNAP1 had poorer survival than patients with lower levels of expression (P < 0.01). Compared to the healthy control group, a gastric cancer group, and a colorectal cancer group, HCC patient plasma levels of PCNAP1 were significantly greater (P < 0.01). The area under the curve (AUC) of plasma PCNAP1 in HCC patients was 0.83 (95% CI: 0.78-0.88). With a cut-off value of plasma PCNAP1 at 1.27, an HCC diagnostic sensitivity of 70.08%, and a specificity of 85.04%, was the maximum diagnostic efficiency achieved.Conclusion: This study demonstrates PCNAP1 levels to be increased in HCC patients. As such, PCNAP1 may be a new tool useful in disease diagnosis and prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective oxidation of substituted phenols is an ideal method for preparing functionalized p-benzoquinones (p-BQs), which serve as versatile raw materials for the synthesis of a variety of biologically active compounds. Herein, two new polyoxometalate-based supramolecular porous frameworks, K3(H2O)4[Cu(tza)2(H2O)]2[Cu(Htza)2(H2O)2][BW12O40]·6H2O (1) and H3K3(H2O)3[Cu(Htza)2(H2O)]3[SiW12O44]·14H2O (2) (Htza = tetrazol-1-ylacetic acid), were synthesized and structurally characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray and powder diffraction. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis indicates that both compounds possess unique petal-like twelve-nucleated Cu-organic units composed of triangular and hexagonal metal–organic loops. In 1, the Cu-organic units are isolated and [BW12O40]5− polyoxoanions are sandwiched between staggered adjacent triangular channels in the structure. However in 2, the Cu-organic units extend into a two-dimensional layered structure, and the [SiW12O44]12− polyoxoanions occupy the larger hexagonal channels in the stacked structure. Both compounds as heterogeneous catalysts can catalyze the selective oxidation of substituted phenols to high value-added p-BQs under mild conditions (60 °C) with TBHP as the oxidant, particularly in the oxidation of 2,3,6-trimethylphenol to 2,3,5-trimethyl-p-benzoquinone (TMBQ, key intermediate in vitamin E production). Within 8–10 min, the yield of TMBQ is close to 100%, and oxidant utilization efficiency is up to 94.2% for 1 and 90.9% for 2. The turnover frequencies of 1 and 2 are as high as 5000 and 4000 h−1, respectively. No obvious decrease in the yield of TMBQ was observed after five cycles, which indicates the excellent sustainability of both compounds. Our study of the catalytic mechanism suggests that there is a two-site synergetic effect: (i) the copper ion acts as the catalytic site of the homolytic radical pathway; and (ii) the polyoxoanion acts as the active center of the heterolytic oxygen atom transfer pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we revisit the optimal reinsurance problem by minimizing the convex combination of the VaRs of the insurer's loss and the reinsurer's loss. To prevent moral hazard and to reflect the spirit of reinsurance, we assume that the set of admissible ceded loss function is the class of ceded loss functions such that the retained loss functions are increasing and the ceded loss functions satisfy Vajda condition. We analyze the optimal solutions for a wide class of reinsurance premium principles that satisfy the following three properties: law invariance, risk loading property and stop-loss ordering preserving. Meanwhile, we use the expected value premium principle to derive the explicit expressions for the optimal reinsurance treaties. Finally, we construct a numerical example to illustrate our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the value of full-field digital mammography-based deep learning (DL) in predicting malignancy of Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) 4 microcalcifications. Methods: A total of 384 patients with 414 pathologically confirmed microcalcifications (221 malignant and 193 benign) were randomly allocated into the training, validation, and testing datasets (272/71/71 lesions) in this retrospective study. A combined DL model was developed incorporating mammography and clinical variables. Model performance was evaluated by using areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and compared with the clinical model, stand-alone DL image model, and BI-RADS approach. The predictive performance for malignancy was also compared between the combined model and human readers (2 juniors and 2 seniors). Results: The combined DL model demonstrated favorable AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.910, 85.3%, and 91.9% in predicting BI-RADS 4 malignant microcalcifications in the testing dataset, which outperformed the clinical model, DL image model, and BI-RADS with AUCs of 0.799, 0.841, and 0.804, respectively. The combined model achieved non-inferior performance as senior radiologists (p = 0.860, p = 0.800) and outperformed junior radiologists (p = 0.155, p = 0.029). The diagnostic performance of two junior radiologists was improved after artificial intelligence assistance with AUCs increased to 0.854 and 0.901 from 0.816 (p = 0.556) and 0.773 (p = 0.046), while the interobserver agreement was improved with a kappa value increased to 0.843 from 0.331. Conclusions: The combined deep learning model can improve the malignancy prediction of BI-RADS 4 microcalcifications in screening mammography and assist junior radiologists to achieve better performance, which can facilitate clinical decision-making. Key Points: • The combined deep learning model demonstrated high diagnostic power, sensitivity, and specificity for predicting malignant BI-RADS 4 mammographic microcalcifications. • The combined model achieved similar performance with senior breast radiologists, while it outperformed junior breast radiologists. • Deep learning could improve the diagnostic performance of junior radiologists and facilitate clinical decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IGF-1 plays important roles in mammalian fertility by promoting cell growth and increasing steroid hormone secretion. Although IGF-1 significantly upregulated luteinizing hormone/choriogonadotropin receptor (LHCGR) gene expression in granulosa cells in a previous study, the mechanism was unclear. The present experiment was designed to primarily explore the regulation of LHCGR expression by IGF-1. First, based on a porcine LHCGR double-luciferase reporter experiment, c-Fos significantly inhibited the activity of the LHCGR promoter. Second, porcine granulosa cells were cultured in vitro with IGF-1, and we observed that the expression of LHCGR was significantly increased and the expression of c-Fos mRNA significantly reduced. After c-Fos overexpression in granulosa cells, IGF-1 attenuated the inhibitory effect of c-Fos on LHCGR. Furthermore, the level of LHCGR mRNA stimulated by IGF-1 in the presence of SB203580 was markedly lower than that of IGF-1 alone action. In conclusion, IGF-1 enhanced the expression of LHCGR by regulating c-Fos in granulosa cells, which may be mediated by the p38MAPK-signaling pathway. • c-Fos significantly inhibited the activity of the LHCGR promoter. • IGF-1 promoted the expression of LHCGR gene by suppressing c-Fos. • IGF-1 may regulate c-Fos through the p38MAPK-signaling pathway, consequently influencing the expression of LHCGR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stimulant laxatives were recently found to be abused in slimming foods, resulting in harmful effects on consumers. To ensure the safety of relative products, sensitive yet multiplex immunoassays are crucial in rapid screening of stimulant laxatives. However, there are few immunoassays for these substances, and even less for broad-specific recognition. Thus, in this work, four theoretically promising haptens of emerging stimulant laxative bisacodyl were rationally designed using molecular modeling and synthesized to immune animals, whose feasibility was confirmed by the obtained broad-specific antibody. Based on this unique antibody, a highly sensitive multiplex competitive indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ciELISA) was established with low limits of detection for bisacodyl, sodium picosulfate, and BHPM (0.23, 13.68, and 0.11 ng/mL). In spiked sample recovery test and real sample detection, this ciELISA exhibited acceptable consistency with the validation method, demonstrating high accuracy and applicability of our method. This reliable multiplex ciELISA proceeds the rapid screening of stimulant laxatives in slimming foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To deeply explore the intervention effects of ischelium on the cognitive memory decline in naturally aging mice and its potential mechanisms, we randomly divided mice into four groups: young control group (C), elderly group (M), ischelium low-dose group (L), and ischelium high-dose group (H). The experiment lasted for 12 weeks. We employed the Y-maze test, open field test, and conditioned fear test to evaluate the memory functions of each group. Through HE staining and electron microscopy, we observed morphological changes in the mouse hippocampus. RT-PCR was used to detect changes in the expression of factors related to cognitive function in the hippocampus of elderly mice. We analyzed the changes in the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and the inflammatory factors IL-1β and TNF-α using elisa. Additionally, we examined the enzymatic activities of SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, and MDA in the hippocampus and analyzed the compositional changes of gut microbiota in mice using 16S technology. Our results indicate that ischelium effectively ameliorates cognitive impairments in elderly mice. • Ischelium can alleviate age-related cognitive decline. • This article reveals the multiple modes of action of ischelium. • Ischelium may alter the composition of gut microbiota in elderly mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The surface-preferred crystal plane of the CsPbBr 3 single crystal would be (2 0 0) in HBr solution, while would be (1 0 1) from DMSO solution. • Growth mechanism can be explained effectively by the principle of opposite charges attraction. • Regulation of the surface-preferred crystal plane of perovskite single crystal fabricated by solution method. CsPbBr 3 single crystals have been grown by using solution method with hydrobromic acid (HBr) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), respectively. The same orthorhombic phase of crystals grown in these two solvents was confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). A very interesting phenomenon is that the surface-preferred crystal plane of the CsPbBr 3 single crystal would be (2 0 0) in HBr solution, while that would be (1 0 1) in DMSO solution. Remarkably, this growth mechanism can be explained effectively by the principle of opposite charges attraction, which would be likely to provide an approach to be extended to the regulation of surface-preferred crystal plane of other perovskite single crystals grown in different solvents, especially using solvent with original perovskite solute ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 35S:EGFP-SmAP2-17 fusion construct and the nucleus localization marker 35S:H2B-RFP construct were co-transformed into tobacco epidermal leaves. *P < 0.05 and **P < 0.01 by Student's t-test Reference 1 Chen Y, Dai Y, Li Y. Overexpression of the Salix matsudana SmAP2-17 gene improves Arabidopsis salinity tolerance by enhancing the expression of SOS3 and ABI5. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: To evaluate the plasma levels of lnc-DC in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) patients and investigate the potential associations between lnc-DC and disease activity.Methods: In this study, we recruited 358 enrollments, including 127 pSS patients without immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), 22 pSS patients with ITP, 50 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, and 50 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 109 healthy individuals, from Xuzhou Central Hospital. The expression of anti-SSA and anti-SSB was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Spearman rank correlation test was used to analyze the relationship between lnc-DC and pSS activity. pSS activity was measured by anti-SSA, anti-SSB antibody, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and β2-microglobulin levels. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the diagnostic performance of plasma lnc-DC for pSS.Results: Compared with healthy controls, SLE and RA patients, the lnc-DC expression levels were significantly elevated in pSS patients (P < 0.001), especially in pSS patients with ITP (P < 0.001). As expected, we also found that the lnc-DC expression positively correlated with anti-SSA (R2 = 0.290, P < 0.001), anti-SSB (R2 = 0.172, P < 0.001), ESR level (R2 = 0.076, P = 0.002), and β2-microglobulin level (R2 = 0.070, P = 0.003) in pSS patients. ROC curves showed that plasma lnc-DC in pSS patients had an AUC 0.80 with a sensitivity of 0.75 and specificity of 0.85 at the optimum cutoff 1.06 in discriminating SLE and RA patients. In addition, the combination of lnc-DC and anti-SSA/SSB (AUC: 0.84, sensitivity: 0.79, specificity: 0.90) improved significantly the diagnostic ability of pSS patients from SLE and RA patients. In the efficacy monitoring study, levels of plasma lnc-DC were dramatically decreased after treatment (P < 0.001).Conclusion: These findings highlight that plasma lnc-DC as a novel biomarker for the diagnosis of pSS and can be used to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of pSS underwent interventional therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salix matsudana, a member of Salicaceae, is an important ornamental tree in China. Because of its capability to tolerate high salt conditions, S. matsudana also plays an important ecological role when grown along Chinese coastal beaches, where the salinity content is high. Here, we aimed to elucidate the mechanism of higher salt tolerance in S. matsudana variety '9901' by identifying the associated genes through RNA sequencing and comparing differential gene expression between the S. matsudana salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive samples treated with 150 mM NaCl. Transcriptomic comparison of the roots of the two samples revealed 2174 and 3159 genes responsive to salt stress in salt-sensitive and salt-tolerant sample, respectively. Real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of 9 of the responsive genes revealed a strong, positive correlation with RNA sequencing data. The genes were enriched in several pathways, including carbon metabolism pathway, plant-pathogen interaction pathway, and plant hormone signal transduction pathway. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) encoding transcription factors associated with abiotic stress responses and salt stress response network were identified; their expression levels differed between the two samples in response to salt stress. Hub genes were also revealed by weighted gene co-expression network (WGCNA) analysis. For functional analysis of the DEG encoding sedoheptulose-1,7-bisphosphatase (SBPase), the gene was overexpressed in transgenic Arabidopsis, resulting in increased photosynthetic rates, sucrose and starch accumulation, and enhanced salt tolerance. Further functional characterization of other hub DEGs will reveal the molecular mechanism of salt tolerance in S. matsudana and allow the application of S. matsudana in coastal afforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a low-molecular-weight saccharide fragment (LMWAs-L) was prepared from alginate lyase (EC 4.2.2.3) hydrolyzed ascophyllan by ultra-filtration separation method. LMWAs-L was a homogeneous saccharide fraction with an average molecular weight of 6.96 kDa. Enzymolysis process optimization experiments revealed that the optimum process parameters for preparing LMWAs-L were the enzyme concentration 0.02 U/mL, initial pH 6.8, and enzymolysis temperature 43 °C. After optimization, the yield of LMWAs-L was increased to 9.74% higher than that without optimization. Interestingly, LMWAs-L exhibited stronger enhancing activities on the proliferation and migration of human skin fibroblasts cells in vitro and better antibacterial activities as compared to native ascophyllan at the same mass concentration. Our study establishes a simple way to prepare low-molecular-weight saccharide with beneficial bioactivities from ascophyllan efficiently. This is the first report to reveal that ascophyllan and its low-molecular-weight saccharide have the potentials to be developed as natural biological dressing and antibacterial agents. • Alginate lyase degrades ascophyllan to produce low-molecular-weight hydrolysates. • A low-molecular-weight saccharide fraction (LMWAs-L) is purified from hydrolysates. • A simple and efficient preparation method for LMWAs-L is established. • LMWAs-L exhibits stronger migration enhancing effect on HSF cells than ascophyllan. • LMWAs-L shows better antibacterial activities as compared to native ascophyllan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we have developed a general, simple and template-free solvothermal strategy to prepare Yb3+ and Er3+ codoped Gd-based coordination polymer (GdCP) hollow spheres with glycylglycine as a ligand. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, infrared and thermogravimetric analysis were used to characterize the hollow spheres. The GdCP hollow spheres are with a size of about 200 nm and the thickness of the shell was about 30 nm. Upconversion emission with 832 nm being the strongest was realized in the hollow spheres when excited with 980 nm laser. Magnetic measurement reveals that the GdCP hollow sphere is paramagnetic. The relaxation information was measured and the product is subjected to T1 weighted imaging. These prepared GdCP hollow spheres may be applied to multimodal imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single factor experiment was used to analyze the effects of the addition of superfine coix rice powder, superfine red bean powder, sucrose and yeast on bread quality. The bread specific volume and sensory score were used as evaluation indexes,and the processing formula of superfine coix rice and red bean powder bread was optimized by response surface analysis. The results showed that the optimum technological formula of superfine coix rice and red bean powder bread was as follows: the weight of mixed powder as base, the addition amount of superfine coix rice powder was 15%,the addition amount of superfine red bean powder was 15%, the addition amount of sucrose was 16%,and the addition amount of yeast was 1.4%. Under this condition, the specific volume of superfine coix rice and red bean powder bread made by secondary fermentation was 5. 4 mL/g, the comprehensive score was 85. 85, the nutrition, color and taste of the bread were good, which met the health needs of modern people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce two new classes of acceptability indexes, named quasi-concave acceptability indexes and coherent acceptability indexes, for portfolio vectors. We establish the one-to-one correspondence between quasi-concave (coherent, resp.) acceptability indexes and convex (coherent, resp.) risk measures for portfolio vectors. We derive the representation results for coherent and convex risk measures. Finally, based on these results, we derive the representation results for quasi-concave acceptability indexes and coherent acceptability indexes for portfolio vectors. These new acceptability indexes can be considered as a kind of multivariate extension of univariate coherent and quasi-concave acceptability indexes introduced by Cherny and Madan (2009) and Rosazza Gianin and Sgarra (2013), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CBFs (C-repeat binding factors) have multiple functions in abiotic stress adaption; functional research of these genes will provide precious gene resources for plant genetic improvement. In this study, a homolog of AtCBFs, SmDREB A1-4 was cloned and its role in salt tolerance was explored. SmDREB A1-4 is a member of DREB A1 subgroup with 10 members. SmDREB A1-4 localized in nuclei and cytoplasm and expressed ubiquitously in different tissue and organs. The expression level of SmDREB A1-4 could be induced by NaCl treatment and the TC-rich repeat and DREB motif on the SmDREB A1-4 gene promoter may mediate the NaCl-induced expression pattern. Overexpression of the SmDREB A1-4 gene in Arabidopsis enhanced the salt tolerance of transgenic Arabidopsis lines, while down-regulated the expression level in Salix plantlets by Virus induce gene silencing decreased the salt tolerance capacity in VIGS Salix plantlets. Experiments data from both sides confirmed that SmDREB A1-4 is a positive regulatory factor in salt stress tolerance. qRT-PCR and luciferase reporter assays revealed that SOS1 and DREB2A are downstream genes of SmDREB A1-4. Through upregulating the expression of SOS1 and DREB2A , SmDREB A1-4 enhanced plant tolerance to salinity by regulating ion homeostasis, reduction of Na+/K+ ratio, and improvement of proline biosynthesis. This research offers a potentially valuable gene resource for the stress-resistant varieties breeding of Salix matsudana in the future. • SmDREB A1-4 is the first CBF gene functional identified in Salix matsudana. • Overexpression of SmDREB A1-4 improved salt stress tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis. • Knockdown of SmDREB A1-4 by VIGS decreased salt stress tolerance in Salix plantlets. • SmDREB A1-4 directly regulates the expression of SOS1 and DREB2A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce two new classes of risk statistics, named convex and positively homogeneous systemic risk statistics, respectively. Structural decomposition results and representation results for them are provided. These new risk statistics can be considered as a kind of systemic risk extension of risk statistics introduced by Kou, Peng, and Heyde, and also empirical versions of system risk measures introduced by Cehn, Iyengar, and Mollemi and Kromer, Overbeck, and Zich. Finally, some examples are also given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the Mg-xAl-2Ca-2Sm (x = 3, 5, 9 and 15) alloys were fabricated in sand mold with stepped type, and the cooling rates varied from 0.3 to 3.5 °C s−1. The solidification behavior and microstructure evolution of Mg-xAl-2Ca-2Sm alloys were carried out by computer-aided cooling curve thermal analysis method, optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction analysis and transmission electron microscope, respectively. The experimental results showed that the nucleation temperature and grain size of α-Mg phase decreased with increasing the cooling rate and Al content. However, the volume fraction of precipitated phase increases with cooling rate and Al content. In the Mg-3Al-2Ca-2Sm alloy cooled at 3.5 °C s−1, there were Al2Sm (rod and particle structures), Al11Sm3 (acicular structure) and (Mg, Al)2Ca (lamella structure) phases. But the Al11Sm3 phase and (Mg, Al)2Ca phase will gradually transform to the Al2Sm phase and Al2Ca phase, respectively. In addition, there were both Al2Sm (particle structures), Al2Ca (fish-bone structure) and β-Mg17Al12 (reticular structure) phases in Mg-15Al-2Ca-2Sm alloy cooled ranging from 3.5 to 0.3 °C s−1. In the Mg-xAl-2Ca-2Sm alloys, the Al2Sm phase mainly distribute in the grains, but all the Al11Sm3, (Mg, Al)2Ca, Al2Ca and β-Mg17Al12 phases distributed in the boundary of grains. The solidification sequence of precipitated phase in Mg-xAl-2Ca-2Sm alloys can be obtained: Al2Sm → α-Mg → Al2Ca → β-Mg17Al12. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphic abstract Highlights • A series of non-peptide inhibitors targeting the Plk1 PBD was identified. • Optimized compound showed moderate Plk1 PBD binding affinity and high selectivity. • Molecular docking study was performed and possible binding mode was proposed. Abstract A series of non-peptide inhibitors targeting the polo-box domain (PBD) of polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) was designed based on the potent and selective minimal tripeptide Plk1 PBD inhibitor. Seven compounds were designed, synthesized and evaluated for fluorescence polarization (FP) assay. The most promising compound 10 bound to Plk1 PBD with IC 50 of 3.37 μM and had no binding to Plk2 PBD or Plk3 PBD at 100 μM. Molecular docking study was performed and possible binding mode was proposed. MM/GBSA binding free energy calculation were in agreement with the observed experimental results. These novel non-peptide selective Plk1 PBD inhibitors provided new lead compounds for further optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peridotites from the Myitkyina ophiolite are mainly composed of lherzolite and harzburgite. The lherzolites have relatively fertile compositions, with 39.40–43.40 wt% MgO, 1.90–3.17 wt% Al 2 O 3 and 1.75–2.84 wt% CaO. They contain spinel and olivine with lower Cr# (12.6–18.2) and Fo values (88.7–91.6) than those of the harzburgites (24.5–59.7 and 89.6–91.6 respectively). The harzburgites have more refractory compositions, containing 42.40–46.23 wt% MgO, 0.50–1.64 wt% Al 2 O 3 and 0.40–1.92 wt% CaO. PGE contents of the peridotites show an affinity to the residual mantle. Evaluation of petrological and geochemical characteristics of these peridotites suggests that the lherzolites and harzburgites represent residual mantle after low to moderate degrees of partial melting, respectively, in the spinel stability field. The U-shaped, primitive mantle-normalized REE patterns and strong positive Ta and Pb anomalies of the harzburgites suggest melt/fluid refertilization in either a MOR or SSZ setting after their formation at a MOR. Mineral separation of the peridotites has yield a range of exotic minerals, including diamond, moissanite, native Si, rutile and zircon, a collection similar to that reported for ophiolites of Tibet and the Polar Urals. The discovery of these exotic minerals in the Myitkyina ophiolite supports the view that they occur widely in the upper oceanic mantle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extractive distillation using low transition temperature mixtures (LTTMs) is a promising technology to separate ethanol and water azeotrope. In this work, the separation of water and ethanol by extractive distillation using LTTMs (choline chloride/urea 1:2) as entrainer was designed and simulated in Aspen Plus. Firstly, database of ChCl/urea = 1:2 (Reline) was established in Aspen Plus. Secondly, the simulation and optimization of the conventional extractive distillation process for ethanol dehydration with Reline or ethylene glycol as entrainer were worked out. The results showed that the TAC (total annual cost) of the process with Reline as entrainer was reduce by 14.61% than that of the process with EG as entrainer. In addition, in order to reduce energy consumption in distillation, an energy-efficient extractive distillation process which combining the preconcentration section and entrainer recovery section in one column was developed. The results showed that the proposed process with Reline as entrainer could save 29.48% and 17.42% of TAC compared with the conventional extractive distillation with EG and Reline as entrainer, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a systematic experimental study of the interlaminar delamination behaviour of a carbon composite subjected to Mode I, Mode II and Mixed-mode delamination at both quasi-static (QS) and high-rate (HR) conditions, which were conducted on a screw-driven test machine and in-house Hopkinson bar systems, respectively. A methodology integrating digital image correlation and the compliance-based beam theory was employed to circumvent the challenges in measuring the loads at HR tests and maintain good consistency during the data analysis of all delamination tests. The results demonstrated a positive rate-dependent delamination behaviour, with the HR Mode I, Mode II and Mixed-mode fracture toughness properties being 1.56, 1.66 and 1.60 times their QS counterparts, respectively. The cause of such a dependency was revealed following a detailed fractographic analysis, which highlighted that the observed dependency was associated with the transition of the predominant failure mechanisms in the QS and HR conditions. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence has indicated that circulating placental RNAs may reflect the pathophysiology of the placenta. In the current study, circulating placenta-related long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) were evaluated as potential biomarkers for preeclampsia (PE). Two parts of the case-control study were simultaneously executed, including the following sets: 52 patients with late-onset PE (LOPE) (diagnosed after 34 weeks) and 52 gestational age (GA)-matched controls; 58 patients with early-onset PE (EOPE) (diagnosed before 34 weeks) and 58 GA-matched controls. LncRNA expression was detected in the placenta analysis part, and the participants were delivered by caesarean sections. The levels of circulating placenta-associated lncRNAs were measured in the plasma analysis part and all pregnant women were included. Using microarray analysis, 163 differentially expressed lncRNAs were identified in placental samples from patients with LOPE, some of which were also detected in plasma samples from pregnant women. There were significant positive correlations between plasma, and placental expression levels of NONHSAT116812 and NONHSAT145880, which in plasma provided high diagnostic efficiencies for LOPE and EOPE. The present study demonstrated that circulating placenta-associated lncRNAs, paticularly NONHSAT116812 and NONHSAT145880 have potential as biomarkers for PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel organic–inorganic hybrid tetra-Fe III incorporated Krebs-sandwich-type tungstoantimonate decorated by pyridine carboxylic ligand Na 2 H 4 [Fe 4 (H 2 O) 8 (3, 4-pdc) 2 (B- β -SbW 9 O 33 ) 2 ]·40H 2 O (1) (3, 4-pdc = pyridine-3, 4-dicarboxylic acid) has been hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectrum, thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, power X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The structural characteristic of 1 is that it consists of a tetra-Fe III incorporated Krebs-sandwich-type tungstoantimonate [Fe 4 (H 2 O) 8 (3, 4-pdc) 2 (B- β -SbW 9 O 33 ) 2 ] 6− subunit decorated by pyridine carboxylic ligand, in which the [Fe 4 (H 2 O) 8 (3, 4-pdc) 2 (B- β -SbW 9 O 33 ) 2 ] 6− subunit could be regarded that two water molecules in the classical Krebs-sandwich-type [Fe 4 (H 2 O) 10 (B- β -SbW 9 O 33 ) 2 ] 10– polyoxoanion are substituted by two pyridine carboxylic ligands. The electrochemical and electrocatalytic properties of 1 have been investigated in detail. Moreover, variable-temperature magnetic susceptibilities indicate that 1 exhibits the dominant antiferromagnetic behavior. Additionally, the field-dependent magnetization measurement suggests that 1 possesses an S = 7 ground state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Rare earth doped upconversion coordination polymer nanospheres was prepared by a solvothermal method. • Folic acid as ligand could endow the CP nanospheres good biocompatibility in the aqueous media. • The prepared nanospheres could concurrently load the doxorubicin into their hollow structure. Rare earth doped upconversion nanoparticles have been widely studied for their applications in bioanalysis and medical imaging. In this work, rare earth doped coordination polymer nanospheres with folic acid as ligand were prepared via a general and simple solvothermal method. A series of characterization results showed that the nanoparticles were an amorphous hollow nanosphere structure with diameter of ca.150 nm. Under NIR irradiation at 980 nm, the upconversion emission around 663 nm originated from 4F 9/2 →4I 15/2 of Er3+ was successfully realized. In addition, the nanospheres was proved to have good biocompatibility and high loading efficiency for doxorubicin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with increased stroke risk resulting from cardiac embolism of the left atrial appendage (LAA). Stroke tends to recur in NVAF patients. Yet safety and feasibility of secondary stroke preventions with LAA closure (LAAC) have not been assessed in detail. This retrospective study was designed to compare the feasibility and safety of LAAC in primary and secondary stroke preventions, in a real-world setting of Chinese patients. Methods From 2014 to 2015, non-valvular AF patients with CHA2DS2-VASc ≥1 were selected for percutaneous LAAC operations. Outcome observations of primary and secondary stroke preventions with Watchman devices were analyzed and compared. Results Overall, 122 patients were included. LAAC with Watchman devices were attempted in 115 patients, of whom 68 were for primary stroke prevention and 47 were for secondary prevention. Both the CHA2DS2-VASc score and the HASBLED score were significantly higher in the secondary prevention group (4.09 ± 1.06 vs. 1.93 ± 1.09 for CHA2DS2-VASc and 1.83 ± 1.03 vs. 1.26 ± 0.87 for HASBLED, P < 0.01). In both groups LAAC were achieved with high successful rate (98.53% in the primary prevention group and 100% in the secondary prevention group, P > 0.05) and low complication rates. The stroke rates were at a low level in both groups (1.47% in primary prevention group vs. 2.13% in secondary prevention group, P > 0.05). Conclusions In our initial single-center experience, percutaneous LAA closure was a feasible and safe procedure for both primary and secondary stroke preventions in Chinese patients with nonvalvular AF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the relatively lower potential health risks as well as the good affinity for fluoride anion, calcium-based minerals have been widely carried out for the adsorption of fluoride. The improvement of adsorption capacity can be accomplished by regulation of particle size, shape and structure. Thus, here we report the controllable synthesis of petal-like nanosheets of brushite by using chitosan as a regulator. The addition of chitosan polymer in calcium precursor not only could serve ideal nucleation sites but also could play a vital role in confining the calcium phosphate aggregates and thus controlling the size of the brushite flakes. When the concentration of chitosan was 0.01 wt%, the as-synthesized brushite showed nanosheet-structured with the dimensions ranged from 100 to 200 nm and displayed outstanding fluoride adsorption capacity of 231.5 mg/g according to the fitted Langmuir model, which was comparatively higher than that of the previously reported calcium-based adsorbents. Moreover, the pH change and common co-existing anions in solution almost presented less negative effect on the F − adsorption onto petal-like brushite nanosheets. We hope that these petal-like nanosheets based on green nanotechnology can help to achieve the intention of safe drinking water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vultures are the only obligate scavengers among extant vertebrates. They provide valuable ecological services in ecosystems through removing carcasses, thus preventing the growth of other scavenger populations and the spread of pathogens. Moreover, their specific diets expose them to various deadly pathogens, which makes them potential candidates for studying molecular adaptations required to survive this extremely specialized scavenging habit. In this review, we summarize the morphological characteristics and behavioral habits, origin and phylogeny, and molecular adaptations to scavenging in both Old and New World vultures. The two groups of vultures share a similar appearance, indicative of convergent evolution. Vultures have experienced different degrees of specialization in their sensory organs; Old World vultures depend on sight, while New World ones depend on both smell and sight. Combined fossil records and molecular data suggest that vultures evolved independently, with distinct phylogenetic positions. We also explored their adaptation to scavenging in facial and intestinal microbiomes, gastric acid secretion and immunity. Compared with the facial microbiome, the intestinal microbiome had a lower diversity, dominated by Fusobacteria and Clostridia. The phages and single invertebrate species Adineta vaga , which feeds on dead bacteria and protozoa, present in the gut suggest a possible alternative defense mechanism. Several genes involved in gastric acidic secretion (including ATP4B , SLC26A7 and SST) and immunity (including BCL6 , STING , and TLRs) undergoing positive selection likely have essential roles in eliminating invasive pathogens and initiating an innate immune response. Taken together, this review presents the current research status of vultures and highlights the use of vultures as a model for exploring molecular adaptations of dietary specialization in birds. It also provides a theoretical basis for the study of the genetic mechanisms of vultures to scavenging, and contributes to the formulation of vulture conservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]