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Designing innovative anode materials that exhibit excellent ion diffusion kinetics, enhanced structural stability, and superior electrical conductivity is imperative for advancing the rapid charge–discharge performance and widespread application of sodium-ion batteries. Hollow-structured materials have received significant attention in electrode design due to their rapid ion diffusion kinetics. Building upon this, we present a high-performance, free-standing MoO2@hollow carbon nanofiber (MoO2@HCNF) electrode, fabricated through facile coaxial electrospinning and subsequent heat treatment. In comparison to MoO2@carbon nanofibers (MoO2@CNFs), the MoO2@HCNF electrode demonstrates superior rate capability, attributed to its larger specific surface area, its higher pseudocapacitance contribution, and the enhanced diffusion kinetics of sodium ions. The discharge capacities of the MoO2@HCNF (MoO2@CNF) electrode at current densities of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 5.0 A g−1 are 195.55 (155.49), 180.98 (135.20), 163.81 (109.71), 144.05 (90.46), 121.16 (71.21) and 88.90 (44.68) mAh g−1, respectively. Additionally, the diffusion coefficients of sodium ions in the MoO2@HCNFs are 8.74 × 10−12 to 1.37 × 10−12 cm2 s−1, which surpass those of the MoO2@CNFs (6.49 × 10−12 to 9.30 × 10−13 cm2 s−1) during the discharging process. In addition, these prepared electrode materials exhibit outstanding flexibility, which is crucial to the power storage industry and smart wearable devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent trend in action recognition involves aggregating local features into a more compact representation to eliminate redundancy in video features while retaining essential components for recognition. An exemplary approach is NetVLAD and its variations, which learn cluster centers for local features and represent them as VLAD descriptors. However, these methods process multi-frame features in a generic and straightforward manner, while overlooking the intricate semantic shifts within consecutive frames. More specifically, they fail to acknowledge that a pivotal aspect of events/actions is the local dynamics of semantic entities. In this paper, we propose Multi-head Attention Modularized VLAD (MA-VLAD) for fine-grained semantic-inclination clustering of features, enhancing VLAD descriptors with a strong local focusing capability. Specifically, we utilize a multi-head mechanism to partition the input features along the channel dimension, and integrate it with the attention mechanism to conduct fine-grained clustering. Additionally, to consolidate temporal information for enhanced recognition, we utilize temporal position embeddings to address order-sensitive events/actions. Our MA-VLAD delivers more dependable video representations than some of the most widely used and potent methods. Extensive experiments on UCF101, HMDB51, and SoccerNet-v2 datasets demonstrate that our MA-VLAD achieves state-of-the-art performance, underscoring its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainwater is the main water source in arid and semiarid areas of the Loess Plateau, where rainfall is generally insufficient, ineffective and underutilized during the growing season. Thus, improving rainwater utilization efficiency is essential for sustainable agricultural development. A new system composed of rainwater harvesting, an infiltrator bucket with multiple holes and mulching (RHM), was designed to maintain soil moisture at a proper level in rain-fed orchards in arid and semiarid areas of the Loess Region of China. However, there is a lack of clarity on the effectiveness of RHM. In this study, changes in the soil environment and the growth and physiology of apricot trees were monitored via two treatments: (1) Rain-harvesting irrigation system (RHM) treatment and (2) traditional orchard treatment (CK) as a baseline. The results showed that (1) RHM could effectively improve soil water storage at depths of 0–45 cm and at a horizontal distance of 40 cm from the trunk. For the 1.4 mm light rain event, the soil water content increased by 6.3–12%, and for the two moderate rains, the soil water content increased by 12–25%. The change in the soil relative water content predicted by the LSTM model is consistent with the overall trend of the measured value and gradually decreases, and the prediction accuracy is high, with an error of 0.65. (2) The average soil temperatures at 5 cm, 20 cm and 40 cm under RHM were 17.0% (2.4 °C), 13.6% (1.9 °C) and 7.5% (1 °C) greater than those under CK, respectively. (3) Compared with the control treatment, RHM improved the growth and WUEL of apricot trees. The results highlighted the efficiency of the RHM system in enhancing the soil environment and regulating the growth and physiology of apricot trees, which has greater popularization value in arid and semiarid areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To develop and validate a radiomics nomogram based on computed tomography (CT) to distinguish appendiceal mucinous neoplasms (AMNs) from appendicitis with intraluminal fluid (AWIF). Method: A total of 211 patients from two medical institutions were retrospectively analysed, of which 109 were pathologically confirmed as having appendicitis with concomitant CT signs of intraluminal fluid and 102 as having AMN. All patients were randomly assigned to a training (147 patients) or validation cohort (64 patients) at a 7:3 ratio. Radiomics features of the cystic fluid area of the appendiceal lesions were extracted from nonenhanced CT images using 3D Slicer software. Minimum redundancy maximum relevance and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression methods were employed to screen the radiomics features and develop a radiomics model. Combined radiomics nomogram and clinical-CT models were further developed based on the corresponding features selected after multivariate analysis. Lastly, receiver operating characteristic curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to assess the models’ performances in the training and validation cohorts. Results: A total of 851 radiomics features were acquired from the nonenhanced CT images. Subsequently, a radiomics model consisting of eight selected features was developed. The combined radiomics nomogram model comprised rad-score, age, and mural calcification, while the clinical-CT model contained age and mural calcification. The combined model achieved area under the curves (AUCs) of 0.945 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.895, 0.976) and 0.933 (95% CI: 0.841, 0.980) in the training and validation cohorts, respectively, which were larger than those obtained by the radiomics (training cohort: AUC, 0.915 [95% CI: 0.865, 0.964]; validation cohort: AUC, 0.912 [95% CI: 0.843, 0.981]) and clinical-CT models (training cohort: AUC, 0.884 [95% CI: 0.820, 0.931]; validation cohort: AUC, 0.767 [95% CI: 0.644, 0.863]). Finally, DCA showed that the clinical utility of the combined model was superior to that of the clinical CT and radiomics models. Conclusion: Our combined radiomics nomogram model constituting radiomics, clinical, and CT features exhibited good performance for differentiating AMN from AWIF, indicating its potential application in clinical decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Tuber indicum Cook&Massee (T. indicum) is mainly distributed in China, and it is also the truffle species with the largest yield China. Investigation and utilisation of its volatile components is still limited. By using headspace solid‐phase microextraction (HS‐SPME) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), the volatile components of fresh and dried T. indicum were compared in this study. It was found that after hot‐air drying of T. indicum, 73 components were retained in the truffles, and the remaining components changed during the drying process. The relative contents of alcohols and aldehydes in the dried truffles decreased by approximately 40% and 83%, respectively, while the relative contents of acids and esters increased by approximately 14 times and 5.5 times respectively. The drying process severely disrupts the flavour of the truffles. In advance, three extraction methods (steam distillation, Soxhlet extraction and supercritical CO2 fluid extraction [CO2‐SFE]) were performed on dried and fresh T. indicum, and their volatile components were compared. The results indicated that the alkanes extracted from fresh and dried truffles by steam distillation and Soxhlet extraction accounted for 30%–48%, while a richer variety of compounds were extracted from the two truffles by CO2‐SFE, with acids, esters and alcohols together amounting to approximately 70% in quantity, and they exceeded 95% in relative content. A richer variety of volatile compounds was extracted, and more fatty acids which yielded greasy, creamy, sweet and mushroomy aromas were enriched by CO2‐SFE compared to steam distillation and Soxhlet extraction. Therefore, CO2‐SFE extraction is a suitable method for extracting volatile components from T. indicum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify CT features and establish a diagnostic model for distinguishing non-ampullary duodenal neuroendocrine neoplasms (dNENs) from non-ampullary duodenal gastrointestinal stromal tumors (dGISTs) and to analyze overall survival outcomes of all dNENs patients. Materials and methods: This retrospective study included 98 patients with pathologically confirmed dNENs (n = 44) and dGISTs (n = 54). Clinical data and CT characteristics were collected. Univariate analyses and binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent factors and establish a diagnostic model between non-ampullary dNENs (n = 22) and dGISTs (n = 54). The ROC curve was created to determine diagnostic ability. Cox proportional hazards models were created and Kaplan–Meier survival analyses were performed for survival analysis of dNENs (n = 44). Results: Three CT features were identified as independent predictors of non-ampullary dNENs, including intraluminal growth pattern (OR 0.450; 95% CI 0.206–0.983), absence of intratumoral vessels (OR 0.207; 95% CI 0.053–0.807) and unenhanced lesion > 40.76 HU (OR 5.720; 95% CI 1.575–20.774). The AUC was 0.866 (95% CI 0.765–0.968), with a sensitivity of 90.91% (95% CI 70.8–98.9%), specificity of 77.78% (95% CI 64.4–88.0%), and total accuracy rate of 81.58%. Lymph node metastases (HR: 21.60), obstructive biliary and/or pancreatic duct dilation (HR: 5.82) and portal lesion enhancement ≤ 99.79 HU (HR: 3.02) were independent prognostic factors related to poor outcomes. Conclusion: We established a diagnostic model to differentiate non-ampullary dNENs from dGISTs. Besides, we found that imaging features on enhanced CT can predict OS of patients with dNENs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new phlegmaciod species of Thaxterogaster, T. borealicremeolinus, T. rufopurpureus, and T. sinopurpurascens spp. nov., from subtropical China were described based on their morphological characteristics and molecular data. Thaxterogaster borealicremeolinus belongs to the sect. Cremeolinae and differs from the other species in this section in its larger basidiospores and its habitat in the Northern Hemisphere associated with Quercus sp. trees. Thaxterogaster rufopurpureus and T. sinopurpurascens belong to sect. Purpurascentes, in which T. rufopurpureus is characterized by a pileus with a reddish-brown coloration when mature and a clavate stipe, while T. sinopurpurascens is characterized by a violet basidiomata, except for a greyish orange to brown pileus, the distinctly marginate bulb of its stipe, and its distribution in subtropical China. The phylogenetic analyses were performed based on nrITS, and detailed descriptions of the new species are provided herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excitation–emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy has been applied to many fields. In this study, a simple method was proposed to obtain the new constructed three-dimensional (3D) EEM spectra based on the original EEM spectra. Then, the application of the N-PLS method to the new constructed 3D EEM spectra was proposed to quantify target compounds in two complex data sets. The quantitative models were established on external sample sets and validated using statistical parameters. For validation purposes, the obtained results were compared with those obtained by applying the N-PLS method to the original EEM spectra and applying the PLS method to the extracted maximum spectra in the concatenated mode. The comparison of the results demonstrated that, given the advantages of less useless information and a high calculating speed of the new constructed 3D EEM spectra, N-PLS on the new constructed 3D EEM spectra obtained better quantitative analysis results with a correlation coefficient of prediction above 0.9906 and recovery values in the range of 85.6–95.6%. Therefore, one can conclude that the N-PLS method combined with the new constructed 3D EEM spectra is expected to be broadened as an alternative strategy for the simultaneous determination of multiple target compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the corona discharge process of the bar-plate gap at −1 kV DC voltage is simulated using a two-dimensional axisymmetric plasma module. We analyze the variation of air negative corona discharge current, and the distribution morphology of microparticles in different discharge stages in detail. The significance of plasma chemical reactions at some typical time and the distribution characteristics of heavy particles are investigated according to reaction rates. Results show that, in the current rising stage, the collision ionization reactions (e.g., R1 and R2) and electron adsorption reaction (e.g., R3) play a major role, which lead to the increase in charged particles and the formation of an electron avalanche. In the current drop stage, all reaction rates decreased, except for collision ionization and electron attachment, partial charge transfer reactions (e.g., R8, R10, R11, and R14), and composite reactions (e.g., R16, R17, and R18), which come into play and gradually reduce the number of charged ions in the gap. In the current stabilizing stage, the main chemical reactions are composite reactions (e.g., R16 and R17), then the corona discharge ends. For the heavy particle distribution, O2+ and O4+ are the main positive ions, O2− is the most abundant negative ions, and the neutral particles are mainly O. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still a main health concern around the world, with a rising incidence and high mortality rate. The tumor-promoting components of the tumor microenvironment (TME) play a vital role in the development and metastasis of HCC. TME-targeted therapies have recently drawn increasing interest in the treatment of HCC. However, the short medication retention time in TME limits the efficiency of TME modulating strategies. The nanoparticles can be elaborately designed as needed to specifically target the tumor-promoting components in TME. In this regard, the use of nanomedicine to modulate TME components by delivering drugs with protection and prolonged circulation time in a spatiotemporal manner has shown promising potential. In this review, we briefly introduce the obstacles of TME and highlight the updated information on nanoparticles that modulate these obstacles. Furthermore, the present challenges and future prospects of TME modulating nanomedicines will be briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The established Au-FeSAzyme nanosystem enabled us to administer a simultaneous high-efficiency photothermal, photodynamic and chemodynamic tumour therapy in the near-infrared light. The photothermal treatment effect of the Au-FeSAzyme was pronounced. Remarkably, the glucose metabolism in the tumour site significantly blocked and down-regulated the HSP expression due to the GOD-like ability of the Au-FeSAzyme nanosystem, and the ROS production area was greatly increased, thus enhancing the photothermal, chemodynamic and photodynamic therapeutic effects. In the mouse oesophagus cancer model, the Au-FeSAzyme + laser group showed significantly lower tumour growth without apparent systemic toxicity as compared with the FeSAzyme + laser group. These results were obtained thanks to the immobilisation of Au nanozymes into the FeSAzyme through the use of this nanosystem for the first time as a new type of photothermal reagent that overcomes severe limitations of traditional photosensitisers. FeSAzyme provided new ideas for other types of photothermal therapy in the near-infrared region and to overcome the photothermal treatment defects. [Display omitted] Near-infrared light-induced photothermal therapy (PTT) can achieve effective tumor ablation, but the associated hyperthermic temperatures result in off-target inflammatory damage to proximal tissues. Therefore, killing the tumor at a lower temperature is vital to improving the clinical effect of PTT. In this study, an Au-integrated Fe single-atom nanozyme (FeSAzyme) was developed through the immobilization of an ultrasmall Au nanozyme within a metal–organic framework via an in situ reduction approach. The nanozyme was found to exhibit favorable glucose oxidase- (GOD) like activity and photosensitizing properties to better achieve low-temperature PTT. The Au-carbon nanozyme was able to markedly inhibit tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo due to its GOD-like activity and enhanced photodynamic and photothermal properties. In addition, the integration of the Au nanozyme enhanced the FeSAzyme's peroxidase activity and catalyzed endogenous H 2 O 2 species to generate reactive oxide species, thereby facilitating chemodynamic therapy. Furthermore, its integration markedly enhanced the PTT performance of the FeSAzyme, which achieved pronounced synergistic anti-tumor efficacy. The enzymatic activity and photothermal/photosensitive properties of the Au-FeSAzyme may help to overcome traditional therapeutic limitations, indicating its potential for catalytic cascade nanozymes in biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas foil bearings have been utilized in high-speed rotational machinery due to their superiority of load capacity and stability, which are closely associated with the shearing flow induced by variable sections in multiwedge clearance. This study focuses on the evolution pattern of vortices in Taylor–Couette flow with three-lobe multiwedge clearance using large-eddy simulation. As the Taylor number (Ta) increases, the shearing flow transitions from separation flow to Taylor vortex flow, followed by secondary transitions leading to wavy vortex flow. Separation vortices occur around the joint between two lobes, significantly delaying the first transition. Subsequently, Taylor vortices emerge and interact with the separation vortices, resulting in a complex evolution pattern of vortex series with increasing Ta. The presence of separation vortices promotes the formation of angular periodicity in Taylor vortices, accelerating the occurrence of angular periodicity stall and enhancing energy exchange between adjacent Taylor vortices. Taylor vortices are prone to breaking and merging. Additionally, Taylor vortices disrupt the shear layer of separation vortices between the stall region and the mid-radius separation region, leading to the migration of the shear layer and the singularity toward the mid-radius. Consequently, separation vortices move toward the mid-radius and transform from a one main vortex structure to two main vortex structures. Furthermore, spectral analysis of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) reveals an inverse energy cascade characteristic with a slope of −7/3 at high frequencies, attributed to the TKE transmission between Taylor vortices and separation vortices. Both types of vortices exhibit intermittent and periodic behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, α-glucosidase inhibitors (AGIs) have played a significant role in the treatment of type II diabetes (T2D), so it is necessary to develop a reliable and sensitive method to find new AGIs. Herein, we establish a novel method based on fluorescent carbon nitride nanoparticles (CNNPs) for the sensitive detection of the activity of α-glucosidase (α-glu) and the screening of its inhibitors. A CNNP-based fluorescent probe is synthesized from green raw materials, urea and lysine, by a one-pot method. In the presence of α-glu, the substrate 4-nitrophenyl-α- D -glucopyranoside (pNPG) is hydrolyzed to generate 4-nitrophenol (pNP), leading to the fluorescence (FL) quenching of CNNPs due to the inner filter effect (IFE). On the other hand, the activity of α-glu is inhibited after the addition of AGIs, which turns on the FL of CNNPs. In this way, the detection of α-glu activity and the screening of AGIs are achieved. The linear range is 1.25–10.00 U L−1 with a limit of detection as low as 0.17 U L−1 and the IC50 values of two typical inhibitors (gallic acid and acarbose) are 813 μM and 465 μM, respectively. The CNNP probe is further applied for the determination of α-glu activity in human serum samples with satisfactory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wound age estimation is a complex, multifactorial issue. It is considered to have great practical significance that combining multi-biomarkers and multi-methods for injury time estimation. We optimized our earlier "up, no change, or down" model by adding data on the expression levels of mRNAs encoding ABHD2, MAD2L2, and ARID5A, and we converted the relative quantitative expression levels of seven genes into a vector rather than a color model. We used Python to derive the cosine similarity (CS) between a test set and the vector matrix; the highest similarity most accurately reflected the injury time. For the optimized model, the internal and external verifications were approximately 0.71 and 0.66, respectively. The good double-blinded results indicated that the model was stable and reliable. In summary, we used a vector matrix and cosine similarities derived by Python to mine the levels of genes expressed in contused skeletal muscle. We are the first to combine several biomarkers and methods for wound age estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detection has been extensively applied in many fields and the peaks among the analyzed samples can be shifted due to the variations of instrumental and experimental conditions. In multivariate analysis, retention time alignment is an important pretreatment step. Hence, the shifted peaks in high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detection three‐dimensional spectra should be aligned for further analysis. Being motivated by this purpose, the interval correlated shifting method combined with the proposed data arrangement methods are recommended and employed on high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detection data as a demonstration. We validate the alignment performance of the proposed method through comparison the consistency of the retention time before and after alignment. The obtained results demonstrated that the proposed method is capable of successful aligning the employed data. Additionally, the interval correlated shifting method combined with the data arrangement modes is implemented in an easy‐to‐use graphical user interface environment and so can be operated easily by users not familiar with programming languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one major diabetic complication, diabetic nephropathy (DN) has been reported to be associated with various kinds of microRNA (miRNA). Thus, we conducted this study to explore the potential of miR‐370 in a rat model of DN through investigation of mesangial cell proliferation and extracellular matrix (ECM). A total of 40 healthy adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were enrolled and assigned into normal (n = 10) and DN (n = 30, DN rat model) groups. Dual‐luciferase reporter assay was performed for the targeting relationship between miR‐370 and canopy 1 (CNPY1). Mesangial cells were collected and transfected with prepared mimic, inhibitor or small interfering RNA (siRNA) for analyzing the effect of miR‐370 on DN mice with the help of expression and cell biological processes detection. CNPY1 was confirmed as a target gene of miR‐370. DN mice had increased expression of miR‐370, fibronectin, type I collagen (Col I), type IV collagen (Col IV), and plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 (PAI‐1) but reduced CNPY1 expression. Cells transfected with miR‐370 mimic and siRNA–CNPY1 had increased expression of fibronectin, Col I, Col IV, and PAI‐1 but decreased CNPY1 expression. The miR‐370 mimic and siRNA–CNPY1 groups showed increased cell proliferation, as well as elevated ECM accumulation and declined cell apoptosis rate as compared with the blank and negative control groups, with reverse trends observed in the miR‐370 inhibitor group. Our study concludes that overexpression of miR‐370 promotes mesangial cell proliferation and ECM accumulation by suppressing CNPY1 in a rat model of DN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Elemental phosphorus, one of the most promising high-capacity anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIB), suffers from the low practical capacity and severe cycling degradation, due to its low conductivity and significant volume change (>300%) upon electrochemical sodiation/desodiation. Here, we report a ball-milled phosphorus/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposite for high-performance anode in SIBs. The reduction level of the rGO is tuned to simultaneously achieve highly conductive pathways and tight chemical bonding between P and rGO in the composite electrode. Allotrope transformation from red to black phosphorus nanocrystalline is observed in the milled nanocomposites. The optimized P/rGO1000 composite, containing rGO reduced by hydrothermal reaction and heat-treatment, achieves high specific capacity (2032.4 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1), excellent rate capability (1306.6 mAh g−1 at 1C rate), and stable cyclability (98.7% capacity retention after 300 cycles at 780 mA g−1). These excellent electrochemical performances are ascribed to the synergistic effects of nanostructuring by ball milling, existence of black phosphorus nanocrystallines, and tight chemical bonding at interfaces between P and rGO. Considering the facile synthesis of ball milling process, our approach can be highly promising for high-capacity anode in practical SIB. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Red phosphorus/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposite are prepared for stable anode in sodium ion batteries. • Robust chemical bonding between P and rGO is tuned. • Black phosphorus nanocrystallines are found in the ball-milled nanocomposite. • Stable cycling performances (98.7% capacity retention) are achieved by the optimum nanocomposite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • This paper reported the association between dietary patterns and cognitive function in a middle and elderly Chinese population. • The Western-style pattern is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. • The grains-fruits-vegetables pattern is associated with a reduced risk of cognitive impairment. • Our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of dietary patterns in the prevention of cognitive function. Abstract The aim of this study was to assess the association of empirically derived dietary patterns with cognitive function among a middle-aged and elder Chinese population. This study comprised 1676 Chinese adults ≥45 years of age, who participated in a Health Survey and completed semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and cognitive screening test in the city of Linyi.We performed factor analysis using the principal component analysis method to identify the major dietary patterns. Binary logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratio(OR) and 95% confidence interval(CI) for cognitive impairment according to quartiles of each dietary pattern score. Three dietary patterns were identified, namely traditional Chinese, Western-style and grains-fruits-vegetable patterns. A total of 362 participants (101 men and 261 women) were classified as cognitive impaired. After controlling for potential confounders, participants in the highest quartile of the Western-style pattern had a greater OR for incident cognitive impairment, compared to participants in the lowest quartile. Compared with the lowest quartile of grains-fruits-vegetable pattern, the highest quartile had a lower OR for incident cognitive impairment. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that the Western-style pattern is associated with an elevated risk and the grains-fruits-vegetables pattern is associated with a decreased risk of cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Myocardial contractile dysfunction is associated with an increase in mitochondrial fission in patients with diabetes. However, whether mitochondrial fission directly promotes diabetes‐induced cardiac dysfunction is still unknown. Melatonin exerts a substantial influence on the regulation of mitochondrial fission/fusion. This study investigated whether melatonin protects against diabetes‐induced cardiac dysfunction via regulation of mitochondrial fission/fusion and explored its underlying mechanisms. Here, we show that melatonin prevented diabetes‐induced cardiac dysfunction by inhibiting dynamin‐related protein 1 (Drp1)‐mediated mitochondrial fission. Melatonin treatment decreased Drp1 expression, inhibited mitochondrial fragmentation, suppressed oxidative stress, reduced cardiomyocyte apoptosis, improved mitochondrial function and cardiac function in streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced diabetic mice, but not in SIRT1−/− diabetic mice. In high glucose‐exposed H9c2 cells, melatonin treatment increased the expression of SIRT1 and PGC‐1α and inhibited Drp1‐mediated mitochondrial fission and mitochondria‐derived superoxide production. In contrast, SIRT1 or PGC‐1α siRNA knockdown blunted the inhibitory effects of melatonin on Drp1 expression and mitochondrial fission. These data indicated that melatonin exerted its cardioprotective effects by reducing Drp1‐mediated mitochondrial fission in a SIRT1/PGC‐1α‐dependent manner. Moreover, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that PGC‐1α directly regulated the expression of Drp1 by binding to its promoter. Inhibition of mitochondrial fission with Drp1 inhibitor mdivi‐1 suppressed oxidative stress, alleviated mitochondrial dysfunction and cardiac dysfunction in diabetic mice. These findings show that melatonin attenuates the development of diabetes‐induced cardiac dysfunction by preventing mitochondrial fission through SIRT1‐PGC1α pathway, which negatively regulates the expression of Drp1 directly. Inhibition of mitochondrial fission may be a potential target for delaying cardiac complications in patients with diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract Red phosphorus has received remarkable attention as a promising anode material for sodium ion batteries (NIBs) due to its high theoretical capacity. However, its practical application has been impeded by its intrinsic low electronic conductivity and large volume variations during sodiation/desodiation process. Here, we design a composite to confine nanosized red phosphorus into the hierarchically porous carbon (HPC) walls by a vaporization-condensation strategy. The mass loading of P in the HPC/P composite is optimized to deliver a reversible specific capacity of 2,202 mAh/g p based on the mass of red P (836 mAh/g composite based on the total composite mass), a high capacity retention over 77% after 100 cycles, and excellent rate performance of 929 mAh/g p at 2 C. The hierarchical porous carbon serves as the conductive networks, downsize the red phosphorus to nanoscale, and provide free space to accommodate the large volume expansions. The suppressed mechanical failure of the red phosphorus also enhances the stability of solid-electrolyte interface (SEI) layer, which is confirmed by the microscopy and impedance spectroscopy after the cycling tests. Our studies provide a feasible approach for potentially viable high-capacity NIB anode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The equilibrium between C2′- and C3′-endo conformations of nucleotides in solution, as well as their polymers DNA and RNA, has been well studied in previous work. However, this equilibrium of nucleotides in their binding state remains unclear. We observed two AMP molecules, in C3′- and C2′-endo conformations respectively, simultaneously bound to a cystathionine-beta-synthase (CBS) domain dimer of the magnesium and cobalt efflux protein CorC in the crystallographic study. The C2′-endo AMP molecule assumes the higher sugar pucker energy and one more hydrogen bond with the protein than the C3′-endo molecule does. The balance between the high sugar pucker energy and the low binding energy suggests an equilibrium or switch between C2′- and C3′-endo conformations of the bound nucleotides. Our work challenge the previous hypothesis that the ribose of the bound nucleotides would be locked in a fixed conformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A facile synthesis of γ,δ‐unsaturated ketones via palladium‐catalyzed ring‐opening of 2‐alkylidenecyclobutanols with organic halides is described. The key step involves C s p 3 − C s p 2 bond cleavage via palladium‐catalyzed β‐carbon elimination. The desired γ,δ‐unsaturated ketones are obtained in good to excellent yields and broad functional group tolerability. Aryl, heteroaryl, benzyl, and alkynyl halides all readily participate to forge tri‐substituted carbon‐carbon double bond in a stereoselective manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental investigation is performed to study the effect of film-hole configurations on the blade tip film cooling performance in a five-blade linear cascade. Six film-hole configurations are taken into consideration under four typical blowing ratios. In Type-A, Type-B and Type-C, the film holes are arranged in a single row along the middle-camber line with different hole-to-hole pitches. Type-D, Type-E and Type-F have the same film-hole number of 13 as Type-B. For Type-D, the film holes are also arranged in a row, but they are located close to the suction-side squealer. For Type-E, the film holes are arranged in two rows. For Type-F, two rows of 8 holes are concentrated at the leading edge, and the rest 5 holes are arranged in a line at the middle chord region of the blade tip. Besides, some numerical simulations are conducted to provide detailed coolant jet trajectory. The results show that film-hole arrangement has a great impact on the tip film-cooling effectiveness. The coolant issuing from middle-camber holes are suctioned by the vortex structures inside squealer cavity to flow towards the pressure side, producing good film coverage at the local zone between the middle-camber line and pressure-side squealer for Type-A, Type-B and Type-C. For Type-F, as more film holes are concentrated at the leading edge, the film coverage on the front tip surface is well improved compared to the other film-hole arrangements. Under the same coolant usage, Type-F obtains the most favorable film cooling performance except for the trailing edge, and Type-C produces wider film coverage extending to trailing edge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNase J, a prokaryotic 5′-3′ exo/endoribonuclease, contributes to mRNA decay, rRNA maturation and post-transcriptional regulation. Yet the processive-exoribonucleolysis mechanism remains obscure. Here, we solved the first RNA-free and RNA-bound structures of an archaeal RNase J, and through intensive biochemical studies provided detailed mechanistic insights into the catalysis and processivity. Distinct dimerization/tetramerization patterns were observed for archaeal and bacterial RNase Js, and unique archaeal Loops I and II were found involved in RNA interaction. A hydrogen-bond-network was identified for the first time that assists catalysis by facilitating efficient proton transfer in the catalytic center. A conserved 5′-monophosphate-binding pocket that coordinates the RNA 5′-end ensures the 5′-monophosphate preferential exoribonucleolysis. To achieve exoribonucleolytic processivity, the 5′-monophosphate-binding pocket and nucleotide +4 binding site anchor RNA within the catalytic track; the 5′-capping residue Leu37 of the sandwich pocket coupled with the 5′-monophosphate-binding pocket are dedicated to translocating and controlling the RNA orientation for each exoribonucleolytic cycle. The processive-exoribonucleolysis mechanism was verified as conserved in bacterial RNase J and also exposes striking parallels with the non-homologous eukaryotic 5′-3′ exoribonuclease, Xrn1. The findings in this work shed light on not only the molecular mechanism of the RNase J family, but also the evolutionary convergence of divergent exoribonucleases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterovirus71(EV71), the etiological agent of hand-foot-and-mouth disease, has increasingly become a public health challenge around the world. Type I interferons (IFNs) are an important family of cytokines that regulate innate and adaptive immune responses to pathogens.These pathways are tightly regulated by the host to prevent an inappropriate cellular response, but viruses can modulate these pathways to proliferate and spread. In this study, we demonstrated that EV71 evades the immune surveillance system to proliferate by activating microRNA-21. We demonstrated that EV71 infection upregulates miR-21, which in turn suppresses EV71-triggered type I IFN production, thus promoting EV71 replication. Furthermore, we demonstrated that miR-21 targets the myeloid differentiation factor 88(MyD88) and interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 1(IRAK1), which are involved in EV71-induced type I IFN production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is an economically destructive disease for global pig industry. Although its invasion mechanism is clear, the knowledge of pathogen and host interaction is less known. Here, we found that PPRSV infection led to induction of 2′, 5′-oligoadenylate synthetase gene 1(OAS1), an important interferon-stimulated gene. More importantly, ectopic overexpression of OAS1 significantly restricted the replication of PRRSV in 24 and 36 h post-infection in Marc-145 cells, and indirect immunofluorescence assay with antibody against PRRSV N protein displayed significantly lower frequency of fluorescence stained cells and reduced cytopathogenic effects of PRRSV on OAS1-transfected Marc-145 cells. Meanwhile, knockdown of endogenous OAS1 increased the PRRSV ORF7 mRNA level to 1.6 and 1.7 times of that in control in 24 and 36 h post-infection of PRRSV, and led to approximate 5.5 times increase of the frequency of fluorescence positive cells compared to negative control (p < 0.01). The obtained results strongly support a direct restriction function of OAS1 to PRRSV replication, which may contribute to the antiviral effect of the interferon system on PRRSV replication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trajectory tracking problem of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) with external disturbances and input constraints, under denial of service (DoS) is addressed in this paper. We propose a predictive compensator based event-triggered model predictive control with nonlinear disturbance observer (PC-ETMPC with NDO) strategy. A model predictive controller (MPC) based on a nominal USV model is combined with a nonlinear disturbance observer (NDO) to estimate and compensate external disturbances. A predictive compensator (PC) is used to compensate network attack signals, which reduces the adverse impact of cyber-attack on the system, and an event-triggered mechanism is used to save computational resources of the calculation of the MPC. The proposed strategy is feasible for implementation, and its stability is proved to ensure the stable operation of the system. Numerical simulations and comparison are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed control strategy. • The trajectory tracking problem of USV is addressed, which fully considers time-varying external disturbances, actuator input constraints and cyber-attacks in practical applications. • A constrained MPC is adopted to ensure that the control inputs can meet the prescribed constraint, and a PC is used to compensate network attack signals, which reduces the adverse impact of cyber-attack on the system. • Compared to the conventional event-triggered MPC, the proposed strategy can mitigate the adverse effect of control input chatter and decrease the number of triggering events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the solid state ionic field, lattice strain is ubiquitous at heterostructural crystal interfaces and can lead to enormous variation in the transport efficiency of ions along the as-formed strained interfaces. In particular, substantial experimental work has been focused on Y-doped ZrO 2 (YSZ), the O 2 − ionic conductivity of which can be enhanced ~ 10 4 times under a 4% lattice strain. Despite the consistence that theoretical modeling and computing finds with such an experimental enhancement, a fundamental investigation into the isotropicity dependence of ionic conduction in strained crystal interfaces is still lacking. In this report, we investigate the isotropicity dependence of ionic conduction in arbitrary orthorhombic crystals and reveal the intrinsic conduction enhancement upon applying strain at any designated crystal orientation. Our work provides fundamental basis for rational strain engineering of a crystal in general, the ionic conduction of which is subject to enhancement for energy applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral immunization in free-roaming dogs is one of the most practical approaches to prevent rabies for developing countries. The safe, efficient and long-lasting protective oral rabies vaccine for dogs is highly sought. In this study, rabies virus (RABV) Evelyn-Rokitnicki-Abelseth (ERA) strain wild-type (rERA) and a genetically modified type (rERAG 333E ) containing a mutation from arginine to glutamic acid at residue 333 of glycoprotein (G 333E ) were generated by reverse genetic. The recombinant virus rERAG 333E retained growth properties of similar to the parent strain rERA in BHK-21 cell culture. The G 333E mutation showed genetic stability during passage into neuroblastoma cells and in the brains of suckling mice and was significantly reduced the virulence of rERA in mice. rERAG 333E was immunogenic in dogs by intramuscular inoculation. Mice orally vaccinated with rERAG 333E induced strong and one year longer virus neutralizing antibodies (VNA) to RABV, and were completely protected from challenge with lethal street virus at 12 months after immunization. Dogs received oral vaccination with rERAG 333E induced strong protective RABV VNA response, which lasted for over 3 years, and moderate saliva RABV-specific IgA. Moreover, sizeable booster responses to RABV VNA were induced by a second oral dose 1 year after the first dose. These results demonstrated that the genetically modified ERA vaccine strain has the potential to serve as a safe and efficient oral live vaccine against rabies in dogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rv0880 from the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis is classified as a MarR family protein in the Pfam database. It consists of 143 amino acids and has an isoelectric point of 10.9. Crystals of Rv0880 belonged to space group P1, with unit-cell parameters a = 54.97, b = 69.60, c = 70.32 Å, α = 103.71, β = 111.06, γ = 105.83°. The structure of the MarR family transcription regulator Rv0880 was solved at a resolution of 2.0 Å with an Rcryst and Rfree of 21.2 and 24.9%, respectively. The dimeric structure resembles that of other MarR proteins, with each subunit comprising a winged helix-turn-helix domain connected to an α-helical dimerization domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both mutation and knockdown in mev-1 gene render Caenorhabditis elegans susceptibility to Enterococcus faecalis infection. However, the mechanisms by which of MEV-1 defects pathogen resistance remain unclear. Here we show that mev-1 RNAi causes a dramatic decrease in oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme expressions, thereby leading to increased E. faecalis accumulation in nematode intestine. Mitochondrial superoxide change after infection induced these oxidative responses through DAF-16 activity. All together, this highlights MEV-1 as a key regulatory component for determining genetic responsiveness to oxidant/antioxidant imbalance that is associated with innate immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper studies the existence of global attractor for the generalized double dispersion equation arising in elastic waveguide model u t t − Δ u − Δ u t t + Δ 2 u − Δ u t − Δ g ( u ) = f ( x ) . The main result is concerned with nonlinearities g ( u ) with supercritical growth. In that case we construct a subclass G of the limit solutions and show that it has a weak global attractor. Especially, in non-supercritical case, the weak topology becomes strong, the further regularity of the global attractor is obtained and the exponential attractor is established in natural energy space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rabies is a fatal neurological zoonotic disease caused by the rabies virus (RABV), and the approved post‐exposure prophylaxis (PEP) procedure remains unavailable in areas with inadequate medical systems. Although strategies have been proposed for PEP and postinfection treatment (PIT), because of the complexity of the treatment procedures and the limited curative outcome, developing an effective treatment strategy remains a holy grail in rabies research. Herein, a facile approach is proposed involving photothermal therapy (PTT) and photothermally triggered immunological effects to realize effective PEP and PIT simultaneously. The designed photothermal agent (N+TT‐mCB nanoparticles) featured positively charged functional groups and high photo‐to‐heat efficiency, which are favorable for virus targeting and inactivation. The level of the virus at the site of infection in mice is significantly decreased upon treatment with orthotopic PTT, and the transfer of the virus to the brain is significantly inhibited. Furthermore, the survival ratio of the mice three days postinfection is increased by intracranial injection of N+TT‐mCB and laser irradiation. Overall, this work provides a platform for the effective treatment of RABV and opens a new avenue for future antiviral studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose Experimental Approach Key Results Conclusion and Implications Triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a poor prognosis due to limited therapeutic options. Recent studies have shown that TNBC is highly dependent on mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of coptisine, a novel compound that inhibits the complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC), as a treatment for TNBC.In this study, mitochondrial metabolism in TNBC was analysed by bioinformatics. In vitro and in vivo experiments (in mice) were conducted to evaluate the potential of coptisine as an ETC complex I‐targeting therapeutic agent and to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying coptisine‐induced mitochondrial dysfunction. The therapeutic effect of coptisine was assessed in TNBC cells and xenograft mouse model.We demonstrated that mitochondrial ETC I was responsible for this metabolic vulnerability in TNBC. Furthermore, a naturally occurring compound, coptisine, exhibited specific inhibitory activity against this complex I. Treatment with coptisine significantly inhibited mitochondrial functions, reprogrammed cellular metabolism, induced apoptosis and ultimately inhibited the proliferation of TNBC cells. Additionally, coptisine administration induced prominent growth inhibition that was dependent on the presence of a functional complex I in xenograft mouse models.Altogether, these findings suggest the promising potential of coptisine as a potent ETC complex I inhibitor to target the metabolic vulnerability of TNBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ternary composites of 1,4-cis polybutadiene rubbers (BR), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), and natural rubber (NR) foams containing chemical blowing agents Oxybis (benzene sulfonyl) hydrazide (OBSH) were prepared by two-stage compression molding technique with various precured degrees. Foam force rheometer indicated that the cure rate was match with foaming rate at precured degree of 30%, which the time of the maximum foaming rate was earlier only 14 s than that of the maximum cure rate. SEM presented that the number of cell was denser at precured degree of 30% than those with other precured degrees. The average cell size declined, cell wall thickness became thicker, and cell distribution became narrower just as precured degree was increasing. The results of crosslinking density was measured by equilibrium swelling technique in good agreement with that of magnetism resonance crosslinking density spectrometer measurement, which crosslinking density was increased as precured degrees increased. Differential scanning calorimeter showed that each curve exhibits two steps in heat capacity for BR/SBR/NR foams. With further increase of precured degrees, the two groups of Tgs were all shift to the higher temperature, and the area of the melting peak decreased gradually between −20°C and −40°C. TGA results demonstrated that BR/SBR/NR foams with various precured degrees obtained better thermal stability than those of non-precured foams. The high density of polymeric foams exhibits the high mechanical properties such as tensile strength, tear strength, and elongation at break. The inflection points of density, cell density, and hardness were all appeared at precured degree of 30%. POLYM. COMPOS., 34:849-859, 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Intrinsic and doped polycrystalline silicon thin films were grown by the Ni silicide seeds induced crystallization. The Ni first reacted to Si forming a silicide seeds, then these seeds act as nuclei, from which the grains start to grow laterally. Compared with traditional Ni induced lateral crystallization, polycrystalline silicon thin film was grown by Ni silicide induced crystallization with low Ni contamination and large grain sizes. It can be found that the Ni silicide induced crystallization rate is accelerated by p-type doping and is decelerated by n-type doping. And the slightly and strongly phosphorous-doped polycrystalline silicon can be obtained with different grain shapes. Also, the sheet resistance of doped polycrystalline silicon decreases with the increasing of the doping atoms. A reasonable explanation is presented for the dopant effects on the growth rate, microstructure and electronic properties of the samples. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Effective, safe, and affordable rabies vaccines are still being sought. Attenuated live vaccine has been widely used to protect carnivores from canine distemper. In this study, we generated a recombinant canine distemper virus (CDV) vaccine strain, rCDV-RVG, expressing the rabies virus glycoprotein (RVG) by using reverse genetics. The recombinant virus rCDV-RVG retained growth properties similar to those of vector CDV in Vero cell culture. Animal studies demonstrated that rCDV-RVG was safe in mice and dogs. Mice inoculated intracerebrally or intramuscularly with rCDV-RVG showed no apparent signs of disease and developed a strong rabies virus (RABV) neutralizing antibody response, which completely protected mice from challenge with a lethal dose of street virus. Canine studies showed that vaccination with rCDV-RVG induced strong and long-lasting virus neutralizing antibody responses to RABV and CDV. This is the first study demonstrating that recombinant CDV has the potential to serve as bivalent live vaccine against rabies and canine distemper in animals. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In order to improve the compatibility of magnesium hydroxide particles [Mg(OH)2] and polymer matrix, poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) grafted from magnesium hydroxide particles were synthesized via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP). In this work, two approaches for the immobilization of ATRP initiator on the magnesium hydroxide particles surface were compared and selected. The density of initiator was significantly increased by the method of introducing more hydroxyl groups via ATRP of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) on the surface. The percentage of bromine atom for the initiator-functionalized magnesium hydroxide particles [Mg(OH)2-g-PHEMA–Br] reached to 1.75%, compared to 0.48% for Mg(OH)2–Br determined by XPS analysis. The surface-initiated ATRP of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) can be conducted in a controlled manner, as revealed by the linear kinetic plot, linear increase of number average molecular weight (M n) with monomer conversions, and the relatively narrow molecular weight distributions (M w/M n ∼1.4) of PGMA chains. The percentage of grafting PG (%) and the thickness of the grafted polymer layer increased with the increasing of polymerization time and reached to 116.6% and 197.6nm after 300min respectively. As for the polymerization with different initial monomer concentration, the number average molecular weights (M n) and weight average molecular weights (M w) of PGMA increased with the increasing of initial monomer concentration. TGA indicated that the initial decomposition temperature of Mg(OH)2-g-PHEMA–PGMA composite particles (253°C) was much lower than that of unmodified magnesium hydroxide particles (337°C). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An immunochromatographic test strip (ICTS) for detecting antibodies to rabies virus was developed, using colloidal gold particles labeled with rabies virus glycoprotein as the tracer. The assay was evaluated using sera from dogs immunized with various commercial rabies vaccines, or from dogs in the clinics and sera from dogs immunized with vaccines against pathogens other than rabies virus, and negative sera from a wide variety of animal sources, including dogs, mice, and cats which had never been vaccinated. The ICTS was found to be highly specific for antibodies against rabies virus, with a detection limit of 0.5IU/ml as measured by the fluorescent antibody virus neutralization (FAVN) test. Compared with the FAVN test, the specificity and sensitivity of ICTS were 98.2% and 90.4%, respectively. There was an excellent agreement between results obtained by the ICTS and FAVN tests (kappa=0.888). Strips stored at 4°C in a plastic bag with a desiccant retained their specificity and sensitivity for at least 15 months, and strips stored at ambient temperature remained stable for 12 months. The immunochromatographic test strip may therefore be useful for clinical laboratories lacking specialized equipment and for diagnosis in the field for rapid detection of rabies virus-specific antibodies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), an important active compound, is uniquely present in florets of Carthamus tinctorius. In current study, we applied cDNA amplified fragment length polymorphism (cDNA-AFLP) to screen genes expressed differently between plants with and without HSYA. One hundred and thirty-two primer combinations produced 6751 fragments, seven transcript-derived fragments (TDFs) showed consistent difference between two gene pools. An independent RT-PCR expression analysis validated the expression pattern for 3 TDFs (TDF-8, TDF-9 and TDF-27). The 3 TDFs were only transcripted in plants that contained HSYA, implying that they were associated with the formation of HSYA. In addition, a full length of TDF-8 was achieved, which termed as WV-prl. Bioinformatics analysis showed that it carried a sequence highly homologous to the Broad bean wilt virus. Our study revealed that the three genes are involved in the process of response to some virus infection and functioning in HSYA production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) has been implicated in the coordination of stress responses. Restraint stress or systemic corticosterone (CORT) treatment induces a rapid increase in tissue concentrations of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) in the DMH. Although the mechanism for rapid changes in 5-HT concentrations in the DMH is not clear, earlier results suggest that stress-induced increases in CORT may inhibit 5-HT transport from the extracellular fluid by acting on corticosterone-sensitive organic cation transporters (OCTs). We tested the hypothesis that perfusion of the medial hypothalamus (MH), which includes the DMH, with the OCT blocker decynium 22 (D-22) would potentiate the effects of mild restraint on extracellular 5-HT. Male Sprague–Dawley rats, implanted with a microdialysis probe into the MH, were treated with reverse-dialysis of D-22 (20µM; 40min) or vehicle and subjected to either 40min mild restraint or undisturbed control conditions. Perfusates collected from a separate group of rats were evaluated for the effect of restraint on extracellular CORT concentrations in the MH. Reverse-dialysis of D-22 induced an increase (200%) in extracellular 5-HT concentrations in the MH in undisturbed control rats. Restraint in the absence of D-22 did not significantly affect MH CORT or 5-HT concentrations. However, perfusion of the MH with D-22 during restraint led to an increased magnitude and duration of extracellular 5-HT concentrations, relative to D-22 by itself. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that OCTs in the DMH contribute to the clearance of 5-HT from the extracellular fluid under both baseline conditions and mild restraint. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) plays an important role in coordinating physiological and behavioral responses to stress-related stimuli. In vertebrates, DMH serotonin (5-HT) concentrations increase rapidly in response to acute stressors or corticosterone (CORT). Recent studies suggest that CORT inhibits postsynaptic clearance of 5-HT from the extracellular fluid in the DMH by blocking organic cation transporter 3 (OCT3), a polyspecific CORT-sensitive transport protein. Because OCTs are low-affinity, high-capacity transporters, we hypothesized that CORT effects on extracellular 5-HT are most pronounced in the presence of elevated 5-HT release. We predicted that local application of CORT into the DMH would potentiate the effects of d-fenfluramine, a 5-HT-releasing agent, on extracellular 5-HT. These experiments were conducted using in vivo microdialysis in freely-moving male Sprague–Dawley rats implanted with a microdialysis probe into the medial hypothalamus (MH), which includes the DMH. In Experiment 1, rats simultaneously received intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of 1 mg/kg d-fenfluramine or saline and either 200 ng/mL CORT or dilute ethanol (EtOH) vehicle delivered to the MH by reverse-dialysis for 40 min. In Experiment 2, 5 μM d-fenfluramine and either 200 ng/mL CORT or EtOH vehicle were concurrently delivered to the MH for 40 min using reverse-dialysis. CORT potentiated the increases in extracellular 5-HT concentrations induced by either i.p. or intra-MH administration of d-fenfluramine. Furthermore, CORT and d-fenfluramine interacted to alter home cage behaviors. Our results support the hypothesis that CORT inhibition of OCT3-mediated 5-HT clearance from the extracellular fluid contributes to stress-induced increases in extracellular 5-HT and 5-HT signaling. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Repeated amphetamine treatment results in behavioral sensitization in a high percentage of rats. Alterations to plasma corticosterone, neural monoamines and stress behavior can accompany amphetamine sensitization. Whether these changes occur following repeated amphetamine treatment in the absence of behavioral sensitization is not known. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were treated with amphetamine (2.5 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline once daily for 6 days. Amphetamine-induced locomotion and stereotypy, open-field anxiety behavior, plasma corticosterone and limbic monoamines were measured during withdrawal. Sixty-two percent of amphetamine-treated rats showed behavioral sensitization over the test periods. Only amphetamine-sensitized rats showed increased latency to enter the center of the open-field, as well as increased plasma corticosterone when compared to saline-treated controls. Amphetamine-sensitized rats showed increased dopamine concentrations in the shell of the nucleus accumbens and increased serotonin concentrations in the dorsal hippocampus, which were not observed in amphetamine-treated non-sensitized rats. These findings suggest that anxiety behavior, plasma corticosterone and limbic monoamines concentrations are altered by repeated amphetamine (2.5 mg/kg) treatment, and that these neuroendocrine and behavioral changes are often associated with sensitization to the psychostimulant effects of amphetamine. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Decreases in serotonergic activity in the central nucleus of the amygdala reduce responses to stressors, suggesting an important role for serotonin in this region of the amygdala in stress reactivity. However, it is not known whether exposure to stressors actually increases serotonin release in the central nucleus of the amygdala. The current experiment tested the hypothesis that restraint stress increases extracellular serotonin within the central nucleus of the amygdala and adjacent medial amygdala using in vivo microdialysis in awake male rats during the dark phase of the light–dark cycle. Serotonin release in the central nucleus increased immediately in response to restraint stress. In contrast, there was no change in serotonin release within the adjacent medial amygdala during or following restraint. Since corticotropin-releasing factor is an important mediator of both responses to stressors and serotonergic activity, subsequent experiments tested the hypothesis that central nucleus serotonergic response to restraint stress is mediated by central corticotropin-releasing factor receptors. Administration of the corticotropin-releasing factor type 1 and 2 receptor antagonist d-Phe-CRF (icv, 10μg/5μl) prior to restraint stress suppressed restraint-induced serotonin release in the central nucleus. The results suggest that restraint stress rapidly and selectively increases serotonin release in the central nucleus of the amygdala by the activation of central corticotropin-releasing factor receptors. Furthermore, the results imply that corticotropin-releasing factor mediated serotonergic activity in central nucleus of the amygdala may be an important component of a stress response. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Genetic diversity of 23 populations of Carthamus tinctorius L. and two populations of Carthamus lanatus L. in China was investigated using Sequence-related Amplified Polymorphism (SRAP). All populations could be uniquely distinguished by 30 primer combinations with 483 bands and 274 polymorphic bands which generated 57% of polymorphic ratio. Unweighed pair-group method of with arithmetical averages (UPGMA) cluster analysis enabled construction of a dendrogram for estimating genetic distances among different populations. The extreme variation was observed when No. 4 cultivated and No. 13 wild population of C. lanatus were grouped at GS=0.58, and separated from 23 populations of C. tinctorius at GS=0.10. The result suggested that the cultivated and wild populations of C. lanatus had close relationship with each other and far relationship with C. tinctorius. Dendrogram also revealed a large genetic variation in 23 C. tinctorius populations; different primer combinations allowed them distinctly distinguished one from others with relatively low genetic similarity. Furthermore, five typical representative fragments in C. lanatus were obtained by four most informative primer combinations, which provided a possibility to distinguish C. lanatus from the C. tinctorius evidently. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the rat dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH), serotonin (5-HT) concentrations are altered rapidly in response to acute stressors. The mechanism for rapid changes in 5-HT concentrations in the DMH is not clear. We hypothesize that the mechanism involves corticosteroid-induced alterations in the uptake of 5-HT from extracellular fluid through the action of corticosterone-sensitive organic cation transporters (OCTs). To determine if OCTs affect the clearance of 5-HT from the extracellular fluid compartment within the medial hypothalamus (MH), the OCT blocker, decynium 22 (0, 10, 30, or 100 μM), was perfused into the MH via a microdialysis probe, and dialysate 5-HT concentrations were measured at 20 min intervals. In addition, home cage behavior was measured both before and after drug administration. Inhibition of OCTs in the MH resulted in a reversible dose-dependent increase in extracellular 5-HT concentration. Increases in extracellular 5-HT concentrations were associated with increases in grooming behavior in rats treated with the highest concentration of decynium 22. No other behavioral responses were observed following administration of any concentration of decynium 22. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that OCTs in the MH play an important role in the regulation of serotonergic neurotransmission and specific behavioral responses. Because the MH plays an important role in the neuroendocrine, autonomic, and behavioral responses to stress-related stimuli, these data lead to new questions regarding the role of interactions between corticosterone and corticosterone-sensitive OCTs in stress-induced 5-HT accumulation within the MH as well as the physiological and behavioral consequences of these interactions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Canine distemper virus (CDV) can cause fatal infections in giant pandas. Vaccination is crucial to prevent CDV infection in giant pandas. In this study, two bacterium-like particle vaccines F3-GEM and H4-GEM displaying the trimeric F protein or tetrameric H protein of CDV were constructed based on the Gram-positive enhanced-matrix protein anchor (GEM-PA) surface display system. Electron microscopy and Western blot results revealed that the F or H protein was successfully anchored on the surface of GEM particles. Furthermore, one more bacterium-like particle vaccine F3 and H4-GEM was also designed, a mixture consisting of F3-GEM and H4-GEM at a ratio of 1:1. To evaluate the effect of the three vaccines, mice were immunized with F3-GEM, H4-GEM or F3 and H4-GEM. It was found that the level of IgG-specific antibodies and neutralizing antibodies in the F3 and H4-GEM group was higher than the other two groups. Additionally, F3 and H4-GEM also increased the secretion of Th1-related and Th2-related cytokines. Moreover, F3 and H4-GEM induce IgG and neutralizing antibodies' response in dogs. Conclusions: In summary, F3 and H4-GEM can provoke better immune responses to CDV in mice and dogs. The bacterium-like particle vaccine F3 and H4-GEM might be a potential vaccine candidate for giant pandas against CDV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abri Herba (Jigucao) and Abri mollis Herba (Maojigucao) are derived from dried plants of Abrus cantoniensis Hance (Leguminosae) and Abrus mollis without pods. Abri Herba is commonly used in Jigucao tablets; Abri mollis Herba is usually used in Jigucao capsules and FufangJigucao capsules. Surprising, there are few reports focused on the quantitative control of these mentioned Jigucao related pharmaceuticals. This research endeavour has harnessed the formidable power of cutting‐edge ACQUITY UPLC technology to formulate a groundbreaking methodology for the simultaneous quantification of 10 target compounds in Jigucao capsules, Jigucao tablets and FufangJigucao capsules. The primary aim is to bolster quality control and precise identification within the realm of these pharmaceutical products. Separation was performed on an ACQUITY UPLC HSS T3 Column (2.1 × 100 mm, 1.8 μm), gradient elution was performed with 0.1% formic acid in water and acetonitrile. A column temperature of 40°C acts as our guiding compass, and DAD detection scans the spectral landscape in the wavelength range of 210–400 nm. The concentrations of the 10 target components can be used to identify Jigucao tablets, Jigucao capsules and FufangJigucao capsules through the art of chemometrics. The results showed that the established method for determination of 10 target compounds was accurate and reliable with good linearity (r ≥.9948) and satisfactory recoveries (82.91%–108.6%). The identification of the three Jigucao related pharmaceuticals can be performed using chemometrics based on the 10 target compounds. Thus, our study not only showcases a pioneering analytical approach but also unveils a new dimension in the identification of these pharmaceutical treasures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]