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Selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol under atmospheric oxygen is a sustainable route for the synthesis of benzaldehyde. The development of low-cost metal catalysts is a challenging research topic. Herein, supported vanadia catalysts on carbon nitride were prepared using vanadyl acetylacetonate as a precursor through a wet-impregnation method. The synthesized VO/eg-C3N4 were characterized by N2 adsorption–desorption, TG, XRD, FT-IR, XPS, UV–Vis, SEM, and O2-TPD. The eg-C3N4 material could disperse the vanadia species, and the distributions of vanadium cations (V5+/V4+) were largely dependent on the preparation temperature. In the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol under atmospheric oxygen, the catalysts showed moderate catalytic activity. Under identical reaction conditions, the activity of VO/eg-C3N4 was higher than vanadia catalysts supported on SBA-15 and CNTs materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on a human motion image detection and tracking method that utilizes a Gaussian mixture model and light sensor. The objective is to develop an accurate and efficient approach for detecting and tracking human motion images in various applications such as human behavior analysis and intelligent monitoring. To achieve this, the method utilizes a Gaussian mixture model to establish a background model of the scene. The background model is used to estimate the static elements in the scene. By computing the background difference of the current image, a binary image of the foreground region is obtained. Additionally, data from the light sensor is incorporated to further segment and filter the foreground area, removing noise and irrelevant motion. The detection and tracking of human motion is realized through trajectory analysis and matching techniques. Experimental evaluation confirms the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method. The results demonstrate that the method achieves high accuracy and robustness in human motion image detection and tracking. Compared to traditional methods, this approach significantly improves the accuracy of recognizing human body boundaries and tracking motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solvent‐free atmospheric selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol (BZA) by molecular oxygen is a promising and green process for the synthesis of benzaldehyde (BZL). Supported Pd nanoparticles have been widely reported in the catalytic selective oxidation of BZA where the activity depends on the chemical valence and dispersion of the Pd nanoparticles. Herein, a series of thermally exfoliated g‐C3N4 (eg‐C3N4) have been synthesized under various gas conditions (air/N2) and then applied as catalyst supports to load Pd nanoparticles. The physicochemical properties of the prepared Pd/eg‐C3N4 materials have been characterized by N2 adsorption–desorption, XRD, FT‐IR, UV‐vis, XPS, and TEM. Pd nanoparticles dispersed well on the supports, and the distributions of Pd and nitrogen species of the catalysts were related to the gas conditions of the supports. In the selective oxidation of BZA, 2.5Pd/eg‐C3N4‐AN catalyst afforded conversion of BZA and the selectivity to BZL of 88 % and 92 %, respectively. The metallic Pd0 species are considered the catalytic sites of Pd/eg‐C3N4 in the catalytic reaction and meanwhile, the basic Nb species of eg‐C3N4 were beneficial to the overall activity of the catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soluble CD83 (sCD83) exerts immunosuppressive functions in many autoimmune diseases, including experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU), but the cells and mechanisms involved are unclear. This study showed that CD83+ B cells were the main sources of sCD83. They alleviated the symptoms of EAU and decreased the percentage of T cells and DCs in the eyes and lymph nodes. These CD83+ B cells decreased IL‐1β, IL‐18 and IFN‐γ secretion by DCs through sCD83. sCD83 interacted with GTPase Ras‐related protein (Rab1a) in DCs to promote Rab1a accumulation in autolysosomes and inhibit mTORC1 phosphorylation and NLRP3 expression. Hence, CD83+ B cells play a regulatory role in EAU by secreting sCD83. The lack of regulation of CD83+ B cells might be an important factor leading to hyperimmune activation in patients with autoimmune uveitis. CD83+ B cells suppress activated DCs in uveitis, indicating the potential therapeutic role of CD83+ B cells in uveitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Continuous cropping is known to have profound effects on the soil microbial community in different planting systems. However, we lack an understanding of how different years of continuous cropping affects rhizosphere soil bacterial community co-occurrence pattern and assembly processes in the cut chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.) field. Methods and results: We collected the soils from cut chrysanthemum rhizospheres with planting for 1 year (PY1) and continuous cropping for 6 years (CY6) and 12 years (CY12). Real-time quantitative PCR and flow cytometry (FCM) techniques were used to test the 16S rRNA gene copy number and bacterial cell count, respectively. The bacterial community structure was analysed by using high-throughput sequencing technology. The CY12 had a significantly decreased soil fertility index and rhizosphere bacterial living cell counts and gene copy numbers compared to CY6 and PY1 (P < 0.05). The rhizosphere bacterial community dissimilarity increased as the continuous cropping years increased. Three main ecological clusters (modules #1, #2, and #3) were observed in the bacterial co-occurrence network across all samples, and only the relative abundance of module #1 (enriched in the CY12) was significantly correlated with soil fertility (P < 0.05). Moreover, the rhizosphere bacterial community assembly was primarily governed by the deterministic process under 12 years of continuous cropping. Conclusions: Soil fertility decline correlates with ecological network modularization and the deterministic assembly process of the rhizosphere bacterial community of cut chrysanthemum during continuous cropping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Therapeutic options are limited for severe lung injury and disease as the spontaneous regeneration of functional alveolar is terminated owing to the weakness of the inherent stem cells and the dyscrasia of the niche. Umbilical cord mesenchymal‐derived stem cells (UC‐MSCs) have been applied to clinical trials to promote lung repair through stem cell niche restruction. However, the application of UC‐MSCs is hampered by the effectiveness of cell transplantation with few cells homing to the injury sites and poor retention, survival, and proliferation in vivo. In this study, we constructed an artificial three‐dimensional (3D) biomimetic scaffold‐based MSCs implant to establish a beneficial regeneration niche for endogenous stem cells in situ lung regeneration. The therapeutic potential of 3D biomimetic scaffold‐based MSCs implants was evaluated by 3D culture in vitro. And RNA sequencing (RNA‐Seq) was mapped to explore the gene expression involved in the niche improvement. Next, a model of partial lung resection was established in rats, and the implants were implanted into the operative region. Effects of the implants on rat resected lung injury repair were detected. The results revealed that UC‐MSCs loaded on biomimetic scaffolds exerted strong paracrine effects and some UC‐MSCs migrated to the lung from scaffolds and had long‐term retention to suppress inflammation and fibrosis in residual lungs and promoted vascular endothelial cells and alveolar type II epithelial cells to enter the scaffolds. Then, under the guidance of the ECM‐mimicking structures of scaffolds and the stimulation of the remaining UC‐MSCs, vascular and alveolar‐like structures were formed in the scaffold region. Moreover, the general morphology of the operative lung was also restored. Taken together, the artificial 3D biomimetic scaffold‐based MSCs implants induce in situ lung regeneration and recovery after lung destruction, providing a promising direction for tissue engineering and stem cell strategies in lung regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study found that individuals aged 50+ who have physically stressful jobs or low job reward, especially women, those with low/high levels of education or low levels of mental activity are at high-risk of CVD. The knowledge can help clinicians in counselling people seeking help for CVD prevention. Objective: The aim of the study is to investigate the influence of work-related psychological and physical stresses on risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods: A total of 5651 CVD-free participants older than 50 years from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe were followed up for 13 years to detect incident CVD. Work-related stress was assessed using job strain and job reward questionnaire. Cox regression model was used to estimate the association. Results: High physical demands (hazard ratio [HR], 1.30) and low reward (HR, 1.19) compared with their counterparts, as well as active physical jobs (HR, 1.41) and high physical strain (HR, 1.45) in comparison with low physical strain were associated with higher risk of incident CVD after adjusting for confounders. However, combining physically stressful jobs with low reward did not further increase the CVD risk. Conclusions: Avoiding physically stressful jobs or providing appropriate reward may reduce the occurrence of CVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is a major regeneration approach for in vitro cultured tissues of plants, including citrus. However, SE capability is difficult to maintain, and recalcitrance to SE has become a major obstacle to plant biotechnology. We previously reported that miR156- SPL modules regulate SE in citrus callus. However, the downstream regulatory pathway of the miR156- SPL module in SE remains unclear. In this study, we found that transcription factors CsAGL15 and CsFUS3 bind to the CsMIR156A promoter and activate its expression. Suppression of csi-miR156a function leads to up-regulation of four target genes, SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE (CsSPL) genes, and reduction of SE efficiency. In the short tandem target mimic (STTM)-miR156a overexpression callus (MIM156), the number of amyloplasts and starch content were significantly reduced, and genes involved in starch synthesis and transport were down-regulated. csi-miR172d was down-regulated, whereas the target genes, CsTOE1.1 and CsTOE1.2 , which inhibit the expression of starch biosynthesis genes, were up-regulated. In our working model, CsAGL15 and CsFUS3 activate csi-miR156a, which represses CsSPLs and further regulates csi-miR172d and CsTOEs , thus altering starch accumulation in callus cells and regulating SE in citrus. This study elucidates the pathway of miR156- SPLs and miR172- TOEs -mediated regulation of SE, and provides new insights into enhancing SE capability in citrus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Timosaponin BⅡ (TBⅡ) is one of the main active components of the traditional Chinese medicine Anemarrhena asphodeloides , and it is a steroidal saponin with various pharmacological activities such as anti-oxidation, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis. However, its role in acute ulcerative colitis remains unexplored thus far. This study aims to investigate the protective effect of TBⅡ against dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis in mice and elucidate its underlying mechanisms. Wild-type (WT) and NLRP3 knockout (NLRP3−/−) mice were applied to evaluate the protective effect of TBⅡ in DSS-induced mice colitis. Pharmacological inhibition of NLRP3 or adenovirus-mediated NLRP3 overexpression in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) from WT mice and colonic epithelial HCoEpiC cells was used to assess the role of TBⅡ in LPS + ATP-induced cell model. RNA-seq, ELISA, western blots, immunofluorescence staining, and expression analysis by qPCR were performed to examine the alterations of colonic NLRP3 expression in DSS-induced colon tissues and LPS + ATP-induced cells, respectively. In mice with DSS-induced ulcerative colitis, TBⅡ treatment attenuated clinical symptoms, repaired the intestinal mucosal barrier, reduced inflammatory infiltration, and alleviated colonic inflammation. RNA-seq analysis and protein expression levels demonstrated that TBⅡ could prominently inhibit NLRP3 signaling. TBⅡ-mediated NLRP3 inhibition was associated with alleviating intestinal permeability and inflammatory response via the blockage of communication between epithelial cells and macrophages, probably in an NLRP3 inhibition mechanism. However, pharmacological inhibition of NLRP3 by MCC950 or Ad-NLRP3 mediated NLRP3 overexpression significantly impaired the TBⅡ-mediated anti-inflammatory effect. Mechanistically, TBⅡ-mediated NLRP3 inhibition may be partly associated with the suppression of NF-κB, a master pro-inflammatory factor for transcriptional regulation of NLRP3 expression in the priming step. Moreover, co-treatment TBⅡ with NF-κB inhibitor BAY11-7082 partly impaired TBⅡ-mediated NLRP3 inhibition, and consequently affected the IL-1β mature and secretion. Importantly, TBⅡ-mediated amelioration was not further enhanced in NLPR3−/− mice. TBⅡ exerted a prominent protective effect against DSS-induced colitis via regulation of alleviation of intestinal permeability and inflammatory response via the blockage of crosstalk between epithelial cells and macrophages in an NLRP3-mediated inhibitory mechanism. These beneficial effects could make TBⅡ a promising drug for relieving colitis. [Display omitted] • TBⅡ alleviated DSS-induced colitis by alleviating the damaged intestinal barrier and inflammatory response. • TBII inhibits NLRP3 inflammasoma-mediated inflammatory responses in intestinal epithelial cells and macrophages. • The mechanism may be through the inhibition of the communication between cells mediated by NLRP3 inflammasomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable and consistent measurement of various gas molecules at low parts per million (low-ppm) concentration is an essential intermediary step towards low-cost versatile gas analysers. Here we demonstrate physical measurements of various low-ppm molecules by means of an acoustic standing wave-based resonating device with a speaker and a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphone, using either the sound pressure level (SPL) at a fixed frequency, or alternatively, tracking the resonance frequency as gas molecules enter the acoustic device. Low-ppm gas molecules are measurable at frequencies near standing wave resonances, as slight shifts in the speed of sound result in a shift of the acoustic frequency response function. Since a chemical receptor layer on the sensing component is not required for the measurements, absolute physical quantities of the molecules are measurable, which coincide well theoretically with expected values for pure chemicals. Various conditions are tested using different low-ppm molecules to demonstrate the limit of detection (LOD), using a low-cost and portable acoustic setup. An LOD is determined to be in the order of several ppm for most molecules. Gas analysers based on a physical approach present new opportunities for mobile gas sensing in practical applications. [Display omitted] • A physical approach for measuring low-ppm molecules using audible range acoustics is proposed. • A variety of different low-ppm molecules can be detected in either the frequency or time domains. • Acoustic amplitude and frequency are investigated in the time domain, revealing unique signal attributes. • A limit of detection in the order of 5−10 ppm is observed for most molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, highly effective and rapid removal of cationic carcinogenic organic dye molecules is achieved through the implementation of a novel anionic metal–organic framework (MOF). Benefit from reticular chemistry, an anionic pts topology‐directed MOF [CH3NH3][In (TPTAB)4]·solvents (In‐TPTAB, H4TPTAB = [1,1′:3′,1″‐terphenyl]‐4,4′,4″,6′‐tetracarboxylic acid) has been solvothermally synthesized. The structural characteristics of high porosity and the large size 1D channel modified by uncoordinated O sites promote In‐TPTAB to be a promising adsorbent material. By ion exchange, In/Cu‐TPTAB exhibits obviously increased BET surface area (248 m2 g−1) compared with In‐TPTAB (55 m2 g−1). More importantly, In‐TPTAB presents commendable performances with the maximum adsorption capacities for toxic dye BR9 and MLB are up to 368 and 304 mg g−1, and the adsorption rates are 10.9 and 6.7 mg g−1 min−1, respectively. It is noteworthy that the high‐efficiency capacity of In‐TPTAB in capturing dyes surpasses many reported adsorbent materials. The mechanism of physical adsorption can be ascribed to the synergistic effect of multiple host‐guest interactions. Coupled with the good recyclable, push In‐TPTAB to be potential used for the removal of cationic organic pollutants [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solvent-free and liquid-phase selective oxidation of aromatic alcohols using O 2 as an oxidant is a green strategy for the synthesis of aromatic aldehydes and other carbonyl compounds. Wherein, the design and preparation of heterogeneous catalysts with high activity and selectivity is a hot topic in this process. Herein, a series of manganese oxide-silica (MnSiO x) composites were synthesized using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as a soft template. During the preparation process, the amounts of tetraethyl orthosilicate and ammonia and the calcination temperature significantly affected the textural properties and Mn cation distributions of MnSiO x. The MnSiO x composites were then employed as catalysts for Pd nanoparticles. In the solvent-free and atmospheric conditions, Pd/MnSiO x materials showed high catalytic conversions of benzyl alcohol (BZA), and the catalytic activity thereof is related to the fractions of Pd0 and Mn3+. As the reaction time and temperature are 4 h and 90 °C, the conversion of BZA (feeding dosage: 4 mL) and the selectivity of benzaldehyde are 64.8 % and 94.9 %, respectively. The catalyst can be reused at least five times without any significant loss of activity. Furthermore, the correlation between physiochemical properties and catalytic activity of Pd/MnSiO x was analyzed. [Display omitted] • Manganese oxide-silica composites synthesized via a soft templating method. • Pd nanoparticles well dispersed on MnSiO x materials. • High activity in solvent-free oxidation of benzyl alcohol by atmospheric O 2. • Pd0 and Mn3+ are responsible for the catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the prediction inaccuracy and poor adaptability of conventional temperature prediction models for ladle furnace refining. The historical production data of a steel plant were used to establish a hybrid prediction model based on mathematical mechanisms and a backpropagation neural network optimized using a genetic algorithm. The coefficient of determination (R 2 ) of the hybrid model was 0.98, and the hit ratio of temperature prediction within ±5°C was 99.3%. The ladle's thermal status affected the model prediction accuracy. A steel plant with a compact production rhythm and good baking state was less affected by the ladle's thermal status. The model input variables exhibited varying degrees of influence on the end temperature of molten steel in two steel plants with the starting temperature of the molten steel entering the station having the greatest influence. For accurate temperature control and prediction in actual production, high-influence variables must be given focus to ensure their stable control and process interference must be mitigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To further improve the thermal efficiency of gas turbine, the turbine inlet temperature (TIT) increases up to 2000 K, leading to an extremely high heat load on the first-stage vane. Taking into consideration that there are complex endwall secondary flow and the passage vortices which have significant effect on the flow field and thermal behavior near the endwall, it is essential to study the aero-thermal characteristics of endwall and develop efficient endwall cooling approach. In this work, two novel upstream slot structures, referred to as the vane-type slot and cascade-type slot, are proposed, and a comprehensive numerical analysis is conducted to reveal their mechanism and superiority in improving the film cooling and aerodynamic performance of first-stage vane compared with the conventional slot structure. The results indicate that compared with the conventional rectangular straight slot, the coolant jets from two novel slots have a more significant inhibition effect on the development of the endwall secondary flow due to their lower outflow angle and thus higher momentum in streamwise direction, which contributes to reducing the strength of the endwall secondary flow. This is beneficial to provide a lower cascade aerodynamic loss and a higher film cooling effectiveness of the endwall near the suction side leading edge and the higher film cooling effectiveness along the trajectory of the horseshoe vortex on the more downstream region. Moreover, the vane-type slot provides the largest coolant coverage and cooling effectiveness of endwall and the lowest total pressure loss within slot and cascade aerodynamic loss, followed by the cascade-type slot and conventional slot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater shrimp are a rich species group, with a long and problematic taxonomic history attributed to their wide distribution and similar morphological characteristics. Shrimp diversity and species identification are important cornerstones for fisheries management. However, identification based on morphological characteristics is a difficult task for a nonspecialist. Abundant freshwater shrimp species are distributed in the waters of Henan Province, but investigations of freshwater shrimp are limited in this region, especially concerning molecular features. Here, we combined morphology and DNA barcodes to reveal the species diversity of freshwater shrimp in Henan province. A total of 1,200 freshwater shrimp samples were collected from 46 sampling sites, and 222 samples were chosen for further microscopic examination and molecular delimitation. We used tree‐based methods (NJ, ML, and bPTP) and distance‐based methods (estimation of the paired genetic distances and ABGD) to delimit species. The results showed that there were nine morphospecies based on morphological characteristics; all could effectively be defined by molecular methods, among which bPTP and ABGD defined 13 and 8 MOTUs, respectively. The estimation of the paired genetic distances of K2P and the p‐distances had similar results. Mean K2P distances and p‐distances within species were both equal to 1.2%. The maximum intraspecific genetic distances of all species were less than 2%, with the exception of Palaemon modestus and M. maculatum. Various analyses have shown that P. modestus and M. maculatum have a large genetic differentiation, which may indicate the existence of cryptic species. By contrast, DNA barcoding could unambiguously discriminate 13 species and detect cryptic diversity. Our results demonstrate the high efficiency of DNA barcoding to delimit freshwater shrimp diversity and detect the presence of cryptic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reaction of tetraphosphine (P4) ligand dppbpda with Ag(I) oxylates yielded new coordination polymers (CPs) of formula [(dppbpda)Ag4(Ox)4]n (Ox=Bz (1), Sal (2), LA (3), Bz=benzoate, Sal=salicylate, LA=lactate). The solid‐state structures of 1–3 consist of one dimensional (1D) chains constructed from tetranuclear μ‐η2,η2‐ connected Ag4(Ox)4 cluster cores and dppbpda bridging ligands. Compounds 1–3 absorbed Congo Red in two distinct steps, with maximum uptake quantities of 1438 (1), 1417 (2) and 1656 (3) mg/g, inversely correlating with the size of the anions in the CPs. These CPs had band gaps in the semiconducting region (Eg) 3.05–3.15 eV and all three showed enhanced two‐peak photocurrent responses during the stepwise adsorption of CR, with maximum photocurrent densities of 227 (1), 163 (2) and 386 (3) μA cm−2 for composites with optimized dye coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-dimensional synthetic aperture microwave radiometers have higher spatial resolution and record measurements at multiple incidence angles. In this paper, we propose a multiple linear regression method to retrieve sea surface wind speed at an incidence angle between 0° ~65°. We assume that a one-dimensional synthetic aperture microwave radiometer operates at frequencies of 6.9, 10.65, 18.7, 23.8 and 36.5 GHz. Then, the microwave radiative transfer forward model is used to simulate the measured brightness temperatures. The sensitivity of the brightness temperatures at 0°~65° to the sea surface wind speed is calculated. Then, vertical polarization channels (VR), horizontal polarization channels (HR) and all channels (AR) are used to retrieve the sea surface wind speed via a multiple linear regression algorithm at 0° ~65°, and the relationship between the retrieval error and incidence angle is obtained. The results are as follows: (1) The sensitivity of the vertical polarization brightness temperature to the sea surface wind speed is smaller than that of the horizontal polarization. (2) The retrieval error increases with Gaussian noise. The retrieval error of VR first increases and then decreases with increasing incidence angle, the retrieval error of HR gradually decreases with increasing incidence angle, and the retrieval error of AR first decreases and then increases with increasing incidence angle. (3) The retrieval error of AR is the lowest and it is necessary to retrieve the sea surface wind speed at a larger incidence angle for AR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human osteoarthritis cartilage contains chondrocytes (OAC) and mesenchymal stromal cells (OA‐MSC). Here, we found that TGF‐β had different effects on OA‐MSC and OAC, and revealed its lateral signaling mechanism in OA. RNAseq analysis indicated that OA‐MSC expressed the same level of Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) Receptor‐1A as OAC but only 1/12 of Transforming Growth Factor beta (TGF‐β) Receptor‐1. While TGF‐β specifically activated SMAD2 in OAC, it also activated BMP signaling‐associated SMAD1 in OA‐MSC. While TGF‐β stimulated chondrogenesis in OAC, it induced hypertrophy, mineralization, and MMP‐13 in OA‐MSC. Inhibiting TGF‐βR1 suppressed MMP‐13 in OA‐MSC but stimulated it in OAC. In contrast, by specifically targeting BMPR1A/ACVR1 in both cell types, LDN193189 inhibits cartilage degeneration through suppressing hypertrophy and MMP‐13 in a mouse osteoarthritis model. Thus, LDN193189, a drug under development to inhibit constitutive BMP signaling during heterotopic ossification, may be re‐purposed for OA treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sirt1 involved in cellular aging and aging-related diseases, including osteoarthritis (OA). Our previous study showed Sirt1 played a role in the pathogenesis of OA, however, the underlying mechanisms are still poorly elicited. In this study, we investigated the role of Sirt1 in epigenetically regulating P53/P21 pathway in a Sirt1 loss model. Sirt1 deletion male mice (n = 10) with destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) were used to observe its role on OA development. Then, the relationships between SIRT1 and P53 were detected by Coimmunoprecipitation (CoIP), and the gain-off function of P53 gene was indicated by P53 activators and inhibitors in vitro. Finally, human cartilage samples from patients with OA were collected. Sirt1 deletion mice displayed a spontaneous OA development, manifesting severe chondrocytes hypertrophy markers MMP13 and ADAMTS5, highly expressed P53 and P21. Strikingly, surgery-induced meniscus injury promoted the OA pathogenesis and apoptosis in Sirt1 deficient mice. Ultimately, our CoIP data demonstrated that Sirt1 directly interacted with P53 in vitro. However inhibition of P53 alleviated OA progression. We also observed that chondrocyte apoptosis and P53 increased in osteoarthritis (OA) progression with a declining expression of Sirt1 in human cartilage. Loss of Sirt1 in cartilage led to accelerated OA pathogenesis via aberrant activation of p53/p21 mediated senescence associated secretory phenotype, hypertrophy and apoptosis. • Sirt1 deletion in cartilage aggravated age-related osteoarthritis in mice. • Disruption of Sirt1 in cartilage exacerbated post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) in mice by activating P53/P21. • Inhibition of P53 either in chondrocytes or femoral heads improved the OA-like changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we report an all-room-temperature approach to prepare carbon-coated MoS 2 /graphene hybrids by combining the exfoliation of bulk MoS 2 and simultaneously generation of amorphous carbon coverage using CO 2 as carbon source. As the anode material for sodium ion battery, the carbon-coated MoS 2 /graphene hybrids exhibit high rate capability (316 mA h g−1 at 2 A g−1) and superior cycling stability (415 mA h g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 after 150 cycles) than the uncoated one (180 mA h g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 after 150 cycles). The excellent electrochemical performance should be attributed to the synergistic combination of electrical conductivity of graphene and surface protection of carbon coating. This method is facile, efficient and believable to be widely used in making other 2D carbon-coated heterostructure materials with many functional applications. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective oxidation alcohol under solvent-free and atmosphere-pressure oxygen is a green and promising strategy for the synthesis of aldehydes and other carboxylic compounds. The design and preparation of efficient heterogeneous catalysts is a hot topic for the process. In this work, CeO 2 materials were prepared through a convenient decomposition of Ce(NO 3) 3 ·6 H 2 O precursor, and then employed as supports to load Pd nanoparticles. The decomposition temperature had an important effect on the distributions of Pd0/Pd2+ and Ce3+/Ce4+ species, as well as the oxygen vacancy of Pd/CeO 2 materials. In solvent-free and atmosphere-pressure conditions, Pd/CeO 2 could smoothly convert benzyl alcohol (BZA) to benzaldehyde (BZL) with oxygen, and the catalytic activity was correlated with the percentage of Pd2+ and oxygen vacancy fractions. Under the reaction time of 4 h, temperature of 90 °C and 4 mL of benzyl alcohol, the conversion of BZA and selectivity to BZL were 72.6% and 96.3%, respectively. The catalyst could be reused at least five times without any significant loss in activity and had no leaching problem of catalytic sites. [Display omitted] • Oxygen gas was used as an oxidant under atmospheric pressure. • The yield of benzaldehyde was 70% at a reaction temperature of 90 °C. • More practical for catalytic solvent-free oxidation of benzyl alcohol. • Ce3+ and Pd2+ regarded as catalytic active species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring vapour-phase properties including pressure, density, concentration and molecular weight is an important step towards integrating mobile olfactory devices into smart societies for monitoring chemical processes. However, there are few portable and low-cost devices for realising dynamic headspace vapour-phase measurements, which work for various molecules. Herein, the concept of utilising audible-range sound waves, in the form of an acoustic resonator, is introduced for extracting vapour-phase properties. As different headspace molecules enter the acoustic resonator, the weight and number of molecules change, and molecular vibrations are perturbed, manifesting in modified local acoustic waves due to changing vapour density and specific heat ratio. Physical waves enable the accurate determination of vapour properties for different molecules, agreeing well with reference values. A minimum vapour pressure down to n -decane of 0.2 kPa is detectable using an audible-range acoustical approach, either by flowing N 2 to force molecules into the headspace; or using a simple cap-based design, which securely fastens onto a vial without any external flow. Low-cost speaker and microphone technologies are an innovative physical approach for determining vapour characteristics, whilst simultaneously demonstrating the inherently complex dynamic fluid space over time. Audible-range acoustical techniques can easily integrate into sensor networks and may yield new alternatives in mobile olfactory technology, due to its physical nature and irrelevance to chemical affinity, which may be useful for portable devices in various applications. [Display omitted] • An acoustic-olfactory sensor accurately determines vapour-phase densities in the range of 1.1–1.7 kg/m3. • Vapour pressure is accurately determined for a wide set of chemicals, including, alcohols, alkanes, ketones and acetates. • The fluid space of vapours enclosed in vials exhibits a first order response and take 15 min to reach steady state. • The vapour pressures of different chemicals agree well with different reference values at various conditions. • Audio-visual spectrograms are generated, displaying an interactive odour display. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Participants with chronic diseases were at higher risk of new onset depression than those without any chronic disease. • The risk of new onset depression increased with increasing number of chronic diseases. • Heart attack, stroke, diabetes, chronic lung disease and arthritis were significantly related to increased risks of new onset depression among both younger (aged 50–64) and older (aged >= 65) participants. • Cancer was significantly related to increased risks of new onset depression among younger individuals, while peptic ulcer, parkinson's disease and cataracts were significantly associated with an increased risk of new onset depression among older participants. The causal association between chronic diseases and depression remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the effects of types and number of chronic diseases on the risk of depression using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). A self-admitted questionnaire was used to obtain data on 14 predefined chronic diseases and the European-Depression Scale (EURO-D) was used to assess depression. Among the 16,080 baseline depression-free participants aged 50+, 31.29% (5032) developed depression over 13 years. Multivariate Cox regression models showed that individuals with any chronic diseases were at higher risk of new onset depression compared to disease-free participants. The risk of new onset depression increased with an increasing number of diseases among both younger (50–64) and older (65+) adults. Individuals with heart attack, stroke, diabetes, chronic lung disease, and arthritis were at increased risk of depression across age groups. However, some age-specific associations were observed, with cancer increasing depression risk among younger- and peptic ulcer, Parkinson's disease and cataracts increasing depression risk among older adults. These findings highlight the importance of managing chronic diseases, especially among those with more than two diseases, to prevent the development of depression among middle-aged and older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two Gd 2 compounds exhibit magnetic refrigeration properties with −Δ S m = 18.59 J kg−1 K−1 for 2 (Δ H = 7 T and T = 2.0 K) and −Δ S m = 18.75 J kg−1 K−1 for 4 (Δ H = 7 T and T = 2.0 K). Two series of LnIII 2 compounds, [Ln 2 (L1) 2 (tmhd) 2 (CH 3 O) 2 ] (Ln = Eu (1), Gd (2), Tb (3)) and [Ln 2 (dbm) 5 L2](Ln = Gd (4), Tb (5), Ho (6)), based on two Schiff base ligands have been synthesized and structurally and magnetically characterized. The structural analysis indicate that these compounds are μ 2 -O bridged dinuclear complexes and each center Ln(III) ion of them is eight-coordinated with a biaugmented trigonal prism geometries. Magnetic properties measurement exhibit that the two Gd 2 compounds 2 and 4 display magnetic refrigeration with −Δ S m = 18.59 J kg−1 K−1 for 2 (Δ H = 7 T and T = 2.0 K) and −Δ S m = 18.75 J kg−1 K−1 for 4 (Δ H = 7 T and T = 2.0 K). Moreover, complexes 1 , 3 and 5 show the characteristic lanthanum luminescence at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Entamoeba nuttalli found in non-human primates is the phylogenetically closest species to Entamoeba histolytica and is potentially pathogenic. However, infection of wild long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) with E. nuttalli has not been found. In this study, the prevalence of Entamoeba infections in wild long-tailed macaques was examined in seven locations in six provinces of Thailand. The positive rate for E. nuttalli in 214 fecal samples was 43.9% using PCR, but no infection with E. histolytica or Entamoeba dispar was found, demonstrating that long-tailed macaque is one of the natural hosts for E. nuttalli. Twenty-four E. nuttalli isolates were successfully cultured and four of them were axenized. The sequences of the 18S ribosomal RNA genes of E. nuttalli from long-tailed macaques differed from those of E. nuttalli isolates from other species of wild macaques. Eleven types of sequences in serine-rich protein genes were identified in the 24 isolates and these were specific for each location in Thailand. By analysis of six tRNA-linked short tandem repeat loci, these isolates were divided into 14 types, and each type was also location-specific. Phylogenetic analysis revealed correlation between genotypes of the parasite and the geographic distribution of the host macaques. Genetic distance and geographic distance correlated significantly in a Mantel test, with r values of 0.888 based on the tRNA-linked short tandem repeat loci and 0.815 based on the serine-rich protein genes. These results suggest that genetic divergence and co-evolution of the parasite occurred during dispersion and colonization of the host macaque, and that genotypic analysis of the parasite may enable identification of the geographic localization of the host. Highlights • Entamoeba nuttalli was prevalent in wild long-tailed macaques in Central Thailand. • Twenty-four isolates of E. nuttalli were obtained from seven locations. • Sequences of 18S rDNA of the amebae differed from those of other species of wild macaques. • The 24 E. nuttalli isolates could be divided into 17 genotypes. • Genotypes of E. nuttalli isolates reflected the difference in geographic distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we demonstrate the design and synthesis of a composite electrode material consisting of MoS2 nanosheets anchored on nitrogen‐doped (N‐doped) carbon microtubes (NCMT) for anode applications in sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). The NCMT skeleton was derived from the common melamine sponges, which was used not only as a template but also as the source of nitrogen and carbon. This smart design can effectively shorten the diffusion length of Na+ ions, increase electric conductivity of the electrode, and provide more active sites for electrochemical reactions. When evaluated as anode for sodium‐ion batteries, the MoS2@NCMT composites exhibited a larger initial coulombic efficiency (67.9%), high rate capability (196 mA h g−1 at 10 A g−1 and 118 mA h g−1 at 30 A g−1) and better cycling stability (289 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles at 80 mA g−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Report two new U-Pb zircon ages for the Paoshuiling and Yucai granites. • Report five new 40Ar-39Ar muscovite ages for the quartz-vein-type deposits. • Establish a geochronological framework of granitic emplacement and mineralization. The Limu mining district is located in the Nanling Polymetallic Belt in South China. The district contains a number of W-Sn-Nb-Ta deposits and a number of exposed and unexposed granitic stocks that are connected as a single pluton at depth, referred to as Limu composite pluton. The deposits occur either within or above the stocks of the pluton, bearing a close mutual spatial relationship. Two types of W-Sn-Nb-Ta mineralization or ores exist in the district: the predominant quartz-vein type and the lesser albite-granite type. Extensive high-precision U-Pb zircon (SHRIMP and LA-ICP-MS) and Ar-Ar muscovite geochronological analyses on the granite stocks and the ores were performed in recent years, with exception only for the quartz-vein-type ores. This study applied Ar-Ar muscovite dating method for the quartz-vein-type ores at five quartz-vein-type deposits and obtained five new 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages ranging from 210 ± 1.5 Ma to 205.5 ± 1.6 Ma. New U-Pb zircon dating with LA-ICP-MS method was also performed for the non-mineralized Paoshuiling and mineralized Yucai stocks, which yielded weighted mean ages of 230.8 ± 0.63 Ma and 222.7 ± 1.2 Ma, respectively. With reliable geochronological data available for all the granites and mineralization types, combining field and petrographic observations, this study attempts to establish a high-resolution geochronological framework for three episodic granitic stocks and two mineralization types of the Limu district. The first episode is represented by Paoshuiling annite-lepidolite granite aged at 230.8 ± 0.63 Ma; the second-episode granite was emplaced at 224.8 ± 1.6–222.7 ± 1.2 Ma; and the third at 218.3 ± 2.4–212.3 ± 1.8 Ma. The high-temperature albite-granite-type mineralization began in the second episode of granitic emplacement and lasted into the third episode. The quartz-vein-type mineralization was subsequent to the albite-granite-type mineralization and immediately dominated the post-third-episode hydrothermal ore-forming process at 210 ± 1.5–205.5 ± 1.6 Ma as revealed by new muscovite Ar-Ar ages obtained in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Nepal, gastrointestinal infections due to parasites including Entamoeba species are common. The main aim of this study was to identify species of Entamoeba using genotypic analysis. The prevalence of Entamoeba infections was examined by PCR in fecal samples from 143 inhabitants living close to wild rhesus macaques in Kathmandu, Nepal. The numbers of positive cases were one (0.7%) for E. histolytica, eight (5.6%) for E. dispar, seven (4.9%) for E. coli, and two (1.4%) for E. chattoni (E. polecki ST2). No infections with E. nuttalli, E. moshkovskii, and E. polecki ST1 were found. In E. dispar, at least seven different genotypes were detected from the eight samples by sequence analysis of tRNA-linked short tandem repeats. Different genotypes were found even in a couple from the same family. This is the first report demonstrating that E. dispar with high genotypic diversity is prevalent, rather than E. histolytica, in Kathmandu, and that zoonotic transmission of E. chattoni from rhesus macaques might occur in the inhabitants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (TRAP) is a prime candidate for a malaria vaccine. Antibodies to Plasmodium vivax TRAP (PvTRAP) occur upon natural infection while specific antigenic domains remain to be addressed.Methods: The PvTRAP sequences were determined from 73 P. vivax isolates from Tak and Ubon Ratchathani provinces collected in 2013. The recombinant proteins representing four variants each for domain II (A domain) and domain IV (thrombospondin repeat region) of PvTRAP circulating in these areas were used as antigens in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay against 246 serum samples from P. vivax-infected patients in both provinces collected during 2013 and 2014.Results: The prevalence of total IgG antibodies to at least one variant antigen of domain II and domain IV was 63.8% and 71.5%, respectively. Differential IgG antibody responses to these variant antigens of each domain were observed. Total IgG antibody responses to the variant antigens of each domain upon pairwise comparisons were highly correlated, suggesting immunological cross-reactivity in the majority of serum samples. A smaller proportion of serum samples contained non-cross-reactive antibodies to variants of each domain; particularly domain II in which amino acid differences significantly influenced antibody recognition. Previous malaria exposure positively affected antibody responses to domain IV. Positive seroconversion and rising antibody titres occurred within a few weeks after resolution of infections.Conclusions: Both domains II and IV are targets of naturally acquired IgG antibodies. Despite sequence variation in these domains, most antibody responses were cross-reactive. A cross-sectional evaluation of antibodies to PvTRAP during acute infection could underestimate the seroprevalence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Entamoeba nuttalli is an intestinal protozoan with pathogenic potential that can cause amoebic liver abscess. It is highly prevalent in wild and captive macaques. Recently, cysts were detected in a caretaker of nonhuman primates in a zoo, indicating that E. nuttalli may be a zoonotic pathogen. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the pathogenicity of E. nuttalli in detail and in comparison with that of E. histolytica. Methodology/Principal findings: Trophozoites of E. nuttalli GY4 and E. histolytica SAW755 strains were inoculated into liver of hamsters. Expression levels of proinflammatory factors of hamsters and virulence factors from E. histolytica and E. nuttalli were compared between the two parasites. Inoculations with trophozoites of E. nuttalli resulted in an average necrotic area of 24% in liver tissue in 7 days, whereas this area produced by E. histolytica was nearly 50%. Along with the mild liver tissue damage induced by E. nuttalli, expression levels of proinflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β) and amebic virulence protein genes (lectins, cysteine proteases and amoeba pores) in local tissues were lower with E. nuttalli in comparison with E. histolytica. In addition, M2 type macrophages were increased in E. nuttalli-induced amebic liver abscesses in the late stage of disease progression and lysate of E. nuttalli trophozoites induced higher arginase expression than E. histolytica in vitro. Conclusions/Significance: The results show that differential secretion of amebic virulence proteins during E. nuttalli infection triggered lower levels of secretion of various cytokines and had an impact on polarization of macrophages towards a M1/M2 balance. However, regardless of the degree of macrophage polarization, there is unambiguous evidence of an intense acute inflammatory reaction in liver of hamsters after infection by both Entamoeba species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acoustic transduction combining a quarter wavelength resonator, a speaker and a microphone is used for the detection and identification of gas properties such as n -hexane, acetone and ethanol. As a target gas flows into the resonator, the density and the speed of sound of the gas in the resonator change, causing a shift in the acoustic pressure waves manifesting from the speaker. Resonance frequency curves of each gas were experimentally obtained using a standard 1/ f equal octave pink noise test over the audible frequency range. The speed of sound of each gas was analytically determined from the obtained resonance frequency. As the flow concentration of a target gas increases, the speed of sound decreases as the gas density increases. Time series signals at a fixed frequency exhibit unique profiles for each gas and concentration. The theoretical limit of detection for n -hexane in the time domain was calculated to be in the order of several tens of ppm. Whilst the frequency domain data obtains a direct physical parameter, time domain data enables multi-dimensional data analysis, relaying decisive data for artificial olfaction. Principal component analysis (PCA) reveals unique attributes and discrimination per gas species and concentration based on multi-dimensional data obtained through the dual domain measurements. This study demonstrates that the device can adequately identify gases at concentrations of at least several thousand ppm. This approach may provide a new platform as a mobile gas discriminator coupled to artificial olfaction with the added benefit of audio capabilities and signal processing techniques. [Display omitted] • A dual domain acoustic olfactory sensor detection mechanism is fabricated. • The speed of sound of different headspace gases are measured during dynamic sampling. • Time domain testing at a fixed frequency revealed repeatable and distinct signals per gas species. • Principal component analysis is conducted using multi-dimensional data from the time domain and the speed of sound. • A linear relationship between output voltage and n -hexane concentration is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A series of novel MOFs (ZnTPTA-1/2/3) are modified based on pore environment engineering strategy. • ZnTPTA-2/3 demonstrates high C 2 H 2 capacity and high selectivity over CO 2 , C 2 H 4 , C 2 H 6 and CH 4. • ZnTPTA-3 has favorable adsorption orientation and multiple effective affinity sites for strong C 2 H 2 capture. • The reusability and chemical stability make ZnTPTA-3 a promising candidate for C 2 H 2 separation in practical application. Pore environment engineering endows metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) excellent candidates in the industry gas separation, even for the challenging separation of C 2 H 2 /CO 2. Here, we present two promising strategies in one MOF system by employed organic ligand [1,1′:3′,1″-terphenyl]-4,4′,4″,6′-tetracarboxylic acid (H 4 TPTA) and Zinc ions for efficiently separating C 2 H 2 from mixed gases. Clipping the pore size through removement of bi-py, the ZnTPTA-2 possesses improved C 2 H 2 capture capacity of 68.5 cm3 g−1. Furthermore, the ZnTPTA-3 with integrated O/N binding sites and size-adapted aperture is obtained by introducing a pore partition agent 1,2,4-triazole. Therefore, the sharply enhanced C 2 H 2 uptake (35.1 cm3 g−1) at 0.1 bar and a higher IAST selectivity of 19.7 for C 2 H 2 /CO 2 at 1 bar is further realized due to the multiple host–guest interactions for C 2 H 2 over CO 2 with ZnTPTA-3 cage structure, which has been verified by a density functional theory (DFT). Meanwhile, cycling dynamic breakthrough experiments show high-purity C 2 H 2 (>99.8 %) capture capacities of ZnTPTA-3 maintains over 1.89 mmol g−1 from a binary mixture of C 2 H 2 /CO 2. This work exhibits high-efficient C 2 H 2 separation achieved by an optimal pore environment engineering of MOF adsorbents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonatites are characterized by the highest concentration of rare earth elements (REEs) of any igneous rock and are therefore good targets for REE exploration. Supergene, hydrothermal, and magmatic REE deposits associated with carbonatites have been widely studied. REE enrichment related to fluorapatite metasomatism in Fengzhen carbonatites in the North China block is reported in this study. REE minerals (monazite, britholite, and Ca-REE-fluorocarbonates) associated with barite and quartz formed as inclusions within the fluorapatite and externally on its surface. Monazite, allanite, barite, and quartz occur as rim grains on the edges of the fluorapatite. Zoned fluorapatite was observed and showed varying chemical composition. Based on back-scattered electron imaging, the dark domains with mineral inclusions contain lower Si (0.3–0.6 wt.% SiO2) and light REE (LREE) [0.36–1.54 wt.% (Y+LREE)2O3] contents than inclusion-poor areas [0.7–1 wt.% SiO2; 2.16–4.51 wt.% (Y + LREE)2O3]. This indicates a dissolution–re-precipitation texture. Different types of monazites were distinguished by their chemical compositions. Monazite inclusions have lower La2O3contents (~13 wt.%) and La/Ndcn (~3) ratios than those (18–26 wt.% and 10–14 for La2O3 and La/Ndcn, respectively) growing externally on the fluorapatite. REE enrichment in the metasomatic fluorapatites is related to different stages of carbonatitic liquids. The early carbonatite-exsolved fluids metasomatized the fluorapatites to form REE mineral inclusions. The late carbonatitic fluids from carbonatite magmas that underwent strong fractional crystallization were enriched in REEs, Al, and Fe and metasomatized the fluorapatites to produce allanite and monazite rim grains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a molecularly imprinted polymer solid phase extraction method combining high performance liquid chromatography was developed to determine the residues of tetracycline drugs in animal derived foods. The polymer was synthesized with chlortetracycline as template molecule, methacrylic acid as functional monomer at template/monomer ratio of 1:4. The prepared solid phase extraction column was able to capture four tetracyclines simultaneously with high adsorption capacities (3560–4700 ng) and high recoveries (>87%), and was able to be reused for at least thirty times. The limits of detection were in a range of 20–40 ng/g, and the recoveries from fortified blank samples (milk, egg and pork) were in a range of 74%–93%. Furthermore, the polymer-based column achieved better purification effect than three commercial solid phase extraction columns. This is the first study reporting the use of chlortetracycline based molecularly imprinted polymer for determination of tetracyclines in animal derived foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unique species of macaques are distributed across Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, and the details of Entamoeba infections in these macaques are unknown. A total of 77 stool samples from Celebes crested macaques ( Macaca nigra) and 14 stool samples from pigs were collected in Tangkoko Nature Reserve, North Sulawesi, and the prevalence of Entamoeba infection was examined by PCR. Entamoeba polecki was detected in 97% of the macaques and all of the pigs, but no other Entamoeba species were found. The nucleotide sequence of the 18S rRNA gene in E. polecki from M. nigra was unique and showed highest similarity with E. polecki subtype ( ST) 4. This is the first case of identification of E. polecki ST4 from wild nonhuman primates. The sequence of the 18S rRNA gene in E. polecki from pigs was also unique and showed highest similarity with E. polecki ST1. These results suggest that the diversity of the 18S rRNA gene in E. polecki is associated with differences in host species and geographic localization, and that there has been no transmission of E. polecki between macaques and pigs in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have recently demonstrated the potentially virulent species Entamoeba nuttalli as one of the highly prevalent parasites in rhesus macaques ( Macaca mulatta ) in Mount Long-hu and Gui-yang in China. Tibetan macaque ( Macaca thibetana ) is a unique species living in China. To evaluate the prevalence of Entamoeba species in wild Tibetan macaques, we obtained 89 stool samples in Mount E-mei of Si-chuan Province in China. PCR analysis detected E. nuttalli , Entamoeba coli , and Entamoeba polecki ST2 in 17%, 42%, and 66% of the samples, respectively, whereas Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba dispar were undetected. This study is the first to report on the detection of E. nuttalli from Tibetan macaques. Six E. nuttalli isolates were obtained, 18S rRNA gene and six tRNA-linked short tandem repeat (STR) loci of the isolates were sequenced. The Mantel test results gave an r value of 0.97 of relationships between geographical distance and genetic diversity of Chinese E. nuttalli populations, indicating a significant isolation-by-distance effect in Chinese E. nuttalli according to the tRNA-STR loci sequences. Structural analysis of E. nuttalli isolates based on tRNA-linked STR loci demonstrated three Chinese E. nuttalli populations with their respective features, but the Gui-yang population was located in the middle. In the distance-based NJ tree, E. nuttalli isolates were divided into five different branches, and E-mei isolates were attributed to an independent branch to distinguish them from Gui-yang and Long-hu isolates. Genetic analysis in this study provided clues of the genetic differences between E. nuttalli isolates from Tibetan macaques and rhesus macaques in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Entamoeba histolytica is an intestinal protozoan parasite that causes amoebiasis, including amebic dysentery and liver abscesses. E. histolytica invades host tissues by adhering onto cells and phagocytosing them depending on the adaptation and expression of pathogenic factors, including Gal/GalNAc lectin. We have previously reported that E. histolytica possesses multiple CXXC sequence motifs, with the intermediate subunit of Gal/GalNAc lectin (i.e., Igl) as a key factor affecting the amoeba's pathogenicity. The present work showed the effect of immunization with recombinant Igl on amebic liver abscess formation and the corresponding immunological properties. Methodology/Principal Findings: A prokaryotic expression system was used to prepare the full-length Igl and the N-terminal, middle, and C-terminal fragments (C-Igl) of Igl. Vaccine efficacy was assessed by challenging hamsters with an intrahepatic injection of E. histolytica trophozoites. Hamsters intramuscularly immunized with full-length Igl and C-Igl were found to be 92% and 96% immune to liver abscess formation, respectively. Immune-response evaluation revealed that C-Igl can generate significant humoral immune responses, with high levels of antibodies in sera from immunized hamsters inhibiting 80% of trophozoites adherence to mammalian cells and inducing 80% more complement-mediated lysis of trophozoites compared with the control. C-Igl was further assessed for its cellular response by cytokine-gene qPCR analysis. The productions of IL-4 (8.4-fold) and IL-10 (2-fold) in the spleen cells of immunized hamsters were enhanced after in vitro stimulation. IL-4 expression was also supported by increased programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 gene. Conclusions/Significance: Immunobiochemical characterization strongly suggests the potential of recombinant Igl, especially the C-terminal fragment, as a vaccine candidate against amoebiasis. Moreover, protection through Th2-cell participation enabled effective humoral immunity against amebic liver abscesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the front of a working coalface, the stress state can differ significantly across different zones. This seriously affects the permeability of the coal seam. In this study, we adopt a discrete element method to study the coal permeability under different stress states. The results indicate that an increase in stress (when sx = sy) causes the permeability to decrease significantly according to an exponential attenuation model. As the stress ratio (sx/sy) increases, the change in x-direction permeability is initially small. However, when the stress ratio reaches a certain value, the permeability starts to increase significantly. This is because of cracks that open under shear dilation. The change in coal permeability is examined in terms of the stress state at the front of the workface in three typical mining layouts. Our results show that the x direction permeability to the left of the peak stress increases slightly, but the y-direction permeability increases significantly. The unloading of x- and y-direction stress to the right of the peak stress causes cleats to open, resulting in a significant increase in both x and y-direction permeability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of graphene as a solid-phase extraction adsorbent for the separation and preconcentration of mercury (Hg) was investigated. Hg2+ was found to be quantitatively adsorbed onto graphene within pH 6.0-8.0, and then completely eluted with 4.0 mL of nitric acid/methanol (1:1, v/v) solution at a flow rate of 2.0 mL min-1. A new method using a microcolumn packed with graphene as a sorbent was developed for the preconcentration of trace amount of Hg2+ prior to its determination by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry. Under the optimum experimental conditions, the detection limit of this method for Hg2+ was 5.0 ng L-1, with an enrichment factor of 15.0, and the relative standard deviation was 3.5% at the 1.0 μg L-1 Hg2+ level. The method was then applied for the determination of trace amount of Hg2+ in water samples with satisfactory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In gas horizontal drilling, the gas with cuttings will go through the annulus at high speed which will lead strong erosion to the drill tools. This paper proposes a cuttings-carried theory and modified the critical cuttings-carried model for the gas-solid flow. Meanwhile, the erosive energy is obtained through simulating the gas-solid mixture in different conditions. The study result has positive significance on the determination of reasonable injection volume by optimizing construction parameters of horizontal well in gas drilling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A set of surface equipment for monitoring the parameters of fluid and pressure while drilling was developed, and mathematical models for gas reservoir seepage and wellbore two-phase flow were established. Based on drilling operation parameters, well structure and monitored parameters, the wellbore pressure and the gas reservoir permeability could be predicted theoretically for underbalanced horizontal drilling. Based on the monitored gas production along the well depth, the gas reservoir type could be identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Toxoplasmosis, caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, is one of the most common zoonosis worldwide, affecting a wide range of warm-blooded mammals and birds worldwide. However, no information on T. gondii infection in pet birds in China is available. Therefore, this study was performed to determine the prevalence of T. gondii infection in pet birds in Gansu province, China. Methods: A total of 687 blood samples were collected from pet birds (Carduelis spinus, Alauda gulgula, Cocothraustes migratorlus) in three representative administrative regions in Gansu province, northwest China between August 2011 and September 2012 T. gondii antibodies were determined using the modified agglutination test (MAT). Genomic DNA was extracted from the brain tissues of seropositive pet birds and T. gondii B1 gene was amplified using a semi-nested PCR.DNA samples giving positive B1 amplification were then genetically characterized using multi-locus PCR-RFLP. Results: The overall T. gondii seroprevalence was 11.21% (77/687). C. spinus had the highest T. gondii seroprevalence (11.65%), followed by A. arvensis (11.39%) and C. migratorlus (5.26%), these differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Of 77 DNA samples, 8 were positive for the T. gondii B1 gene, four showed complete genotyping results. Only one genotype (the Type II variant: ToxoDB genotype #3) was identified. Conclusions: The results of the present survey indicated the presence of T. gondii infection in pet birds in Gansu province, China. These data provide base-line information for the execution of control strategies against T. gondii infection in pet birds. To our knowledge, this is the first report documenting the occurrence of T. gondii prevalence and genotype in pet birds in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several polymorphic markers, including serine-rich protein genes, have been used for the genotyping of isolates from the morphologically indistinguishable protozoan parasites Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba dispar, and Entamoeba nuttalli. Genotypes of tRNA-linked short tandem repeats (STRs) are highly polymorphic, but the correlation with geographical distribution is unknown. We have recently isolated 15 E. nuttalli strains from wild rhesus macaques in four locations in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. The sequences of the serine-rich protein genes of the E. nuttalli strains differed among the four locations. In this study, we analyzed tRNA-linked STRs in six loci of the 15 strains. Two genotypes were found in loci N-K2, R-R, and S-D, three in locus S-Q, and five in locus D-A. In locus A-L, one major genotype and ten minor genotypes were found, resulting in mixtures of two to six genotypes in eight strains. By combination of the main genotypes in the six loci, the 15 strains were divided into nine genotypes. The genotypes observed in E. nuttalli strains were quite different from those in E. histolytica and E. dispar. A phylogenetic tree constructed from tRNA-linked STRs in the six loci reflected the different places of isolation. These results suggest that sequence diversity of tRNA-linked STRs in E. nuttalli occurs with relatively high frequency and might be a marker of geographical distribution of host rhesus macaques, even in limited areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective: Insomnia is one of the common problems encountered in the hemodialysis (HD) population, but the mechanisms remain unclear. we aimed to (1) detect the spontaneous brain activity pattern in HD patients with insomnia (HDWI) by using fractional fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (fALFF) method and (2) further identify brain regions showing altered fALFF as neural markers to discriminate HDWI patients from those on hemodialysis but without insomnia (HDWoI) and healthy controls (HCs). Method: We compared fALFF differences among HDWI subjects (28), HDWoI subjects (28) and HCs (28), and extracted altered fALFF features for the subsequent discriminative analysis. Then, we constructed a support vector machine (SVM) classifier to identify distinct neuroimaging markers for HDWI. Results: Compared with HCs, both HDWI and HDWoI patients exhibited significantly decreased fALFF in the bilateral calcarine (CAL), right middle occipital gyrus (MOG), left precentral gyrus (PreCG), bilateral postcentral gyrus (PoCG) and bilateral temporal middle gyrus (TMG), whereas increased fALFF in the bilateral cerebellum and right insula. Conversely, increased fALFF in the bilateral CAL/right MOG and decreased fALFF in the right cerebellum was observed in HDWI patients when compared with HDWoI patients. Moreover, the SVM classification achieved a good performance [accuracy = 82.14%, area under the curve (AUC) = 0.8202], and the consensus brain regions with the highest contributions to classification were located in the right MOG and right cerebellum. Conclusion: Our result highlights that HDWI patients had abnormal neural activities in the right MOG and right cerebellum, which might be potential neural markers for distinguishing HDWI patients from non-insomniacs, providing further support for the pathological mechanism of HDWI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ulgii Khiid carbonatites show recycled C-O isotopic compositions (Fig. a), suggesting the incorporation of the subducted sedimentary carbonates into their mantle source. The Ulgii Khiid complex has relatively lower (87Sr/86Sr) i and higher ε Nd(t) values than the other carbonatite-alkaline complexes (e.g., Lugiin Gol, Mushgai Khudag, and Bayan Khoshuu) within the Southern Mongolian Alkaline Province. It is proposed that these rocks were derived from the underlying lithospheric mantle sources, which were heterogeneously metasomatized by the subducted materials due to the closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean. [Display omitted] • Carbonatite is a product of liquid immiscibility from a carbonated silicate melt. • Subducted sedimentary carbonates incorporated into the carbonatite mantle source. • Southern Mongolian Alkaline Province source was modified by subducted materials. The Ulgii Khiid carbonatite-alkaline rock complex is located within the well-known Alkaline Province of Southern Mongolia, Central Asia. However, the complex's origin is poorly constrained, and its tectonic environment remains controversial (i.e., mantle plume vs. subduction-related post-collision). Here, we report apatite U-Pb dating, major and trace elements, and C-O-Sr-Nd isotopic data to constrain the origin and mantle source of the carbonatite and associated alkaline syenite rocks. The apatites yield an age of 166 ± 25 Ma, coeval to the related alkaline syenite's age reported previously. The carbonatite show higher P 2 O 5 , Sr, and REE but lower alkalis and HFSE (Nb, Ta, Zr, and Hf) contents. The carbonatite and alkaline syenite show restricted and similar Sr [(87Sr/86Sr) i : 0.7041–0.7049 and 0.7044–0.7048] and Nd [εNd(t): 4.1–4.8 and 4.2–4.7, respectively] isotopic compositions, indicating a common mantle source. Combined with the previous melt inclusion data, it is, therefore, suggested that the Ulgii Khiid carbonatite was formed by carbonate–silicate liquid immiscibility from a carbonated mantle source. The δ13C VPDB and δ18O VSMOW values of the carbonatites vary from −2.6 to −9.4‰ and 10.6 to 23.2‰, respectively and show a positive C-O linear correlation between the mantle and sedimentary carbonates, which imply the incorporation of the subducted sedimentary carbonates into the mantle source. We, therefore, propose that the Ulgii Khiid, and other carbonatite complexes in the Alkaline Province of Southern Mongolia, were produced via low-degree melting of the underlying carbonated lithospheric mantle, which is heterogeneously modified by the subducted Paleo-Asian Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many colonies of macaques ( Macaca fascicularis and Macaca mulatta) are maintained in China, especially in Guangxi and Guizhou. A total of 803 fresh stool samples infected with Entamoeba were obtained from three big colonies of macaques located in southwest China. The samples were examined for the presence of five Entamoeba species using PCR. Entamoeba nuttalli, Entamoeba dispar, Entamoeba coli, and Entamoeba chattoni infections were detected, but Entamoeba histolytica infection was not. This study is the first to report on the prevalence of E. nuttalli in wild macaques from China. Eighteen E. nuttalli isolates and five E. dispar isolates were obtained by culturing the samples in Tanabe-Chiba medium. The serine-rich protein (SRP), ribosomal RNA (rRNA), hexokinase (HXK), glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (GPI), and phosphoglucomutase (PGM) genes of E. nuttalli isolates were compared with other reported isolates. The results showed clear differences among the Chinese E. nuttalli isolates and other isolates based on the SRP gene sequences. However, HXK, GPI, and PGM genes of these strains were similar to those of other isolates. The rRNA genes of E. coli and E. chattoni were also amplified and analyzed from these samples. The results suggested that host species might be a more important factor than geographic location in amebic genetic diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lanthanum(III) complexes tris(3,5-diphenylpyrazolato-κ2 N, N′)tris(tetrahydrofuran-κ O)lanthanum(III) tetrahydrofuran monosolvate, [La(C15H11N2)3(C4H8O)3]·C4H8O, (I), and tris(3,5-diphenyl-1,2,4-triazolato-κ2 N1, N2)tris(tetrahydrofuran-κ O)lanthanum(III), [La(C14H10N3)3(C4H8O)3], (II), both contain LaIII atoms coordinated by three heterocyclic ligands and three tetrahydrofuran ligands, but their coordination geometries differ. Complex (I) has a mer-distorted octahedral geometry, while complex (II) has a fac-distorted configuration. The difference in the coordination geometries and the existence of asymmetric La-N bonding in the two complexes is associated with intramolecular C-H...N/O interactions between the ligands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A few PCR-based DNA typing methods using repetitive elements contained within both protein-coding genes and noncoding DNAs have been reported for Entamoeba histolytica over the years. The serine-rich E. histolytica protein and tRNA-linked short tandem repeats (STRs) are most commonly used to investigate the relationship between parasite genotype and E. histolytica infection outcome. Many E. histolytica infections in China have been reported; however, little genome information has been provided. In the current paper, five Chinese E. histolytica samples were reported: three amoebic liver abscess cases, one combined case and one asymptomatic case. Our study is the first to report on the DNA typing information of E. histolytica in China. We included two city, one imported, and two country cases. Sequence analysis of serine-rich protein genes confirmed the presence of seven sequence types in five isolates. The STRs amplified from the samples revealed five STR variations in the A-L, four in the N-K2, and R-R loci, three in D-A, S-D and S-Q loci. Two country patients were found to have a different outcome of infection with the same genotypes of E. histolytica, whereas in a city case, one E. histolytica strain had led to different outcome of the infection in one patient. Analyses of the results suggest that more genome information of E. histolytica strains from China through accurate methods is needed to interpret how the parasite genome plays a role in determining the outcome of E. histolytica infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: CD4+ T lymphocytes can be primarily polarized to differentiate into Th2 cells, and are heavily involved in the Th2 inflammation of asthma. Little is known about the correlation between microRNAs and Th2 inflammation in asthma, therefore we explore the roles of five microRNAs (microRNA-181a, -155, -150, -146a and -146b) in Th2 inflammation of asthma by tracking their expression levels in splenic CD4+ T lymphocytes under different conditions. Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), the dynamic changes of these microRNAs in murine models of acute asthma (i.e. the OVA group) were analyzed, in comparison to a control group. The effects of dexamethasone on the miRNA expression levels were also investigated. The results showed that the expression levels of microRNA-181a, -150, -146a and -146b were higher in the OVA group compared to the control group in the beginning of the disease, and after 5days dropped to control group levels because there was no new airway challenge. Moreover, the miRNA-146a expression was down-regulated by treatment with dexamethasone. MicroRNA-181a had a positive linear correlation with the numbers of inflammatory cells (i.e. the numbers of total cells or of the eosinophils in the BALF) by Spearman correlation analysis, so did miRNA-146a and miRNA-146b. These observations suggest that microRNA-181a, -146a and -146b are proinflammatory factors in asthma, and that down-regulation of miRNA-146a may partially account for the anti-inflammatory effect of dexamethasone. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In vitro maturation (IVM) and cryopreservation of goat oocytes are important for establishing a valuable genetic bank for domesticated female animals and improving livestock reproductive efficiency. C-Phycocyanin (PC) is a Spirulina extract with antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and radical scavenging properties. However, whether PC has positive effect on goat oocytes IVM or developmental competence after vitrification is still unknown. In this study, we found that first polar body extrusion (n = 293), cumulus expansion index (n = 269), and parthenogenetic blastocyst formation (n = 281) were facilitated by adding 30 μg/mL PC to the oocyte maturation medium when compared with the control groups and that supplemented with 3, 10, 100 or 300 μg/mL PC (P < 0.05). Although PC supplementation did not affect spindle formation or chromosome alignment (n = 115), it facilitated or improved cortical granules migration (n = 46, P < 0.05), mitochondria distribution (n = 39, P < 0.05), and mitochondrial membrane potential (n = 46, P < 10−4). Meanwhile, supplementation with 30 μg/mL PC in the maturation medium could significantly inhibit the reactive oxygen species accumulation (n = 65, P < 10−4), and cell apoptosis (n = 42, P < 0.05). In addition, PC increased the oocyte mRNA levels of GPX4 (P < 0.01), and decreased the mRNA and protein levels of BAX (P < 0.01). Next, we investigated the effect of PC supplementation in the vitrification solution on oocyte cryopreservation. When compared with the those equilibrate in the vitrification solution without PC, recovered oocytes in the 30 μg/mL PC group showed higher ratios of normal morphology (n = 85, P < 0.05), survival (n = 85, P < 0.05), first polar body extrusion (n = 62, P < 0.05), and parthenogenetic blastocyst formation (n = 107, P < 0.05). Meanwhile, PC supplementation of the vitrification solution increased oocyte mitochondrial membrane potential (n = 53, P < 0.05), decreased the reactive oxygen species accumulation (n = 73, P < 0.05), promoted mitochondria distribution (n = 58, P < 0.05), and inhibited apoptosis (n = 46, P < 10−3). Collectively, our findings suggest that PC improves goat oocyte IVM and vitrification by reducing oxidative stress and early apoptosis, which providing a novel strategy for livestock gamete preservation and utilization. • PC promoted oocytes in vitro maturation and embryo development. • PC improved mitochondrial function after oocytes IVM and vitrification. • PC reduced oxidative stress and apoptosis levels after oocytes IVM and vitrification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]