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Background and purpose intracranial hemorrhage risk in patients with cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) after mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) was investigated. We searched PubMed and Embase from inception to 29 August 2023 for relevant studies, calculated pooled odds ratio (ORs) of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) subtypes in AIS patients with CMB presence, 1–4 or ≥ 5 CMBs versus CMB absence, and with different CMB locations after mechanical thrombectomy. ICH subtypes included any ICH, symptomatic and asymptomatic ICH, hemorrhage outside infarct (including subarachnoid hemorrhage), hemorrhagic infarction, and parenchymal hemorrhage after mechanical thrombectomy. Five eligible studies enrolling 2051 patients were included. No significant association was shown between CMB locations (lobar, deep, infratentorial or mixed) and ICH risk. CMB presence or 1–4 CMBs did not significantly increase the risk of any ICH, symptomatic or asymptomatic ICH, ICH outside infarct, subarachnoid hemorrhage, hemorrhagic infarction, or parenchymal hemorrhage. CMBs ≥ 5 increased the risk of any ICH (OR 2.58, 95% CI 1.16–5.72), parenchymal hemorrhage (OR 3.38, 95% CI 1.43–7.97) and parenchymal hemorrhage-2 (OR 5.33, 2.05–13.86), without increasing hemorrhagic infarction or parenchymal haemorrhage-1 risk. After adjusted for possible confounding factors, increases in CMB burden were associated with hemorrhagic complications but not with symptomatic ICH. In AIS patients who received mechanical thrombectomy, no association was shown between CMB location and ICH risk. ICH risk was not significantly increased by CMB presence or 1–4 CMBs. ICH risk in patients with ≥ 5 CMBs requires further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canine health is consistently affected by the circulation of the H3N2 strain of canine influenza virus (CIV). Prior research has indicated that the isolation rate of H3N2 CIVs in dogs has gradually increased in China, and these viruses have progressively adapted to humans over the course of their evolution within canine hosts, posing a significant public health threat. However, the key factors influencing the spread of CIVs remain elusive. From January 2020 to December 2022, during the COVID-19 pandemic, strict epidemic prevention policies were implemented in China. Thus, this measure provides an ideal model for studying factors influencing the prevalence of CIVs. In this study, we continuously monitored the prevalence of CIVs in China before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that the pathogen detection rate and seropositivity rate of domestic CIVs significantly declined after the implementation of epidemic control measures. However, after restrictions on human movement were lifted in 2023, the circulation of CIVs gradually increased. Our results demonstrate that restricting human activity directly impacts the epidemic caused by CIVs and provide a theoretical basis for the implementation of control measures during outbreaks of zoonotic diseases in human companion animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the value of imaging parameters derived from T1 relaxation times in the rotating frame (T1ρ or T1rho), diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) and intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) in assessment of liver fibrosis in rats and propose an optimal diagnostic model based on multiparametric MRI. Methods: Thirty rats were divided into one control group and four fibrosis experimental groups (n = 6 for each group). Liver fibrosis was induced by administering thioacetamide (TAA) for 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks. T1ρ, mean kurtosis (MK), mean diffusivity (MD), perfusion fraction (f), true diffusion coefficient (D), and pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*) were measured and compared among different fibrosis stages. An optimal diagnostic model was established and the diagnostic efficiency was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: The mean AUC values, sensitivity, and specificity of T1ρ and MD derived from DKI across all liver fibrosis stages were comparable but much higher than those of other imaging parameters (0.954, 92.46, 91.85 for T1ρ; 0.949, 92.52, 91.24 for MD). The model combining T1ρ and MD exhibited better diagnostic performance with higher AUC values than any individual method for staging liver fibrosis (≥ F1: 1.000 (0.884–1.000); ≥ F2: 0.935 (0.782–0.992); ≥ F3: 0.982 (0.852–1.000); F4: 0.986 (0.859–1.000)). Conclusion: Among the evaluated imaging parameters, T1ρ and MD were superior for differentiating varying liver fibrosis stages. The model combining T1ρ and MD was promising to be a credible diagnostic biomarker to detect and accurately stage liver fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenotypic plasticity is an important topic in biology and evolution. However, how to generate broadly applicable insights from individual studies remains a challenge. Here, with flowering time observed from a large geographical region for sorghum and rice genetic populations, we examine the consistency of parameter estimation for reaction norms of genotypes across different subsets of environments and searched for potential strategies to inform the study design. Both sample size and environmental mean range of the subset affected the consistency. The subset with either a large range of environmental mean or a large sample size resulted in genetic parameters consistent with the overall pattern. Furthermore, high accuracy through genomic prediction was obtained for reaction norm parameters of untested genotypes using models built from tested genotypes under the subsets of environments with either a large range or a large sample size. With 1428 and 1674 simulated settings, our analyses suggested that the distribution of environmental index values of a site should be considered in designing experiments. Overall, we showed that environmental context was critical, and considerations should be given to better cover the intended range of the environmental variable. Our findings have implications for the genetic architecture of complex traits, plant–environment interaction, and climate adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been associated with poor HIV testing in adulthood yet, they have not been extensively described in those at increased risk for HIV. Cross‐sectional analysis data (n = 204,231) on ACEs and HIV testing were obtained from the 2019–2020 Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance Survey. Weighted logistic regression models were used to access the association of ACEs exposure, ACEs score, and ACEs type with HIV testing among adults with HIV risk behaviours, and stratified analysis was also performed to examine gender differences. The results indicated the overall rate of HIV testing was 38.8% and was higher among those with HIV risk behaviours (64.6%) than those without (37.2%). In populations with HIV risk behaviours, the negative association of HIV testing with ACEs exposure, ACEs score, and ACEs type was identified. Relative to those without ACEs, adults who were exposed to ACEs might decrease the rate of HIV testing, participants with ≥4 ACEs scores were less likely to have HIV testing, and childhood exposure to sexual abuse had the greatest impact on HIV testing. For both males and females, childhood exposure to ACEs was associated with lower odds of HIV testing and ACEs score ≥4 had the most robust associations with HIV testing. For males, those who experienced witnessed domestic violence had the lowest odds of HIV testing but the odds of engaging in HIV testing for females were the lowest among those who experienced childhood sexual abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate changes in retinal and choroidal vascularity using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods: In this prospective, cross-sectional study, 48 SLE patients and 40 healthy control (group HC) participants were included. The SLE patients were divided into two subgroups: patients with SLE with no ocular disease (group I) and patients with SLE with signs of retinopathy (group II). The superficial vessel density (SVD), deep vessel density (DVD), peripapillary retinal vessel densities (pRVD), choroidal thickness (ChT), and choroidal vascularity including total choroidal area (TCA), luminal area (LA), stromal area (SA), and choroidal vascularity index (CVI) were measured using SS-OCT/OCTA. Physical and ophthalmic examinations as well as the assessments of immunological markers were performed. The results of SS-OCT/OCTA were compared between group I, group II, and group HC, while the correlations among the parameters were analyzed. Results: The SVD, DVD, and pRVD were found to be significantly lower in SLE patients than group HC, especially in SLE patients with signs of retinopathy. ChT were found to be significantly higher in group II. CVI was positively correlated with SVD and DVD in the fovea, as well as the foveal and parafoveal thickness. A significant decrease in SVD and DVD in the fovea among subjects positive for anti-dsDNA antibodies was noted. Conclusions: The application of OCTA in the evaluation of microvasculature may be useful in subclinical changes. Retinal microvascular density decreased in patients with SLE with greater severity of SLE. Disturbed retinal circulation was related to SLE disease activity, disease duration, CVI, and being positive for anti-dsDNA antibodies. The study results also suggest that SLE with signs of retinopathy may affect the choroid with increases in LA, SA, TCA, and ChT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study uses functional magnetic resonance image (fMRI) to examine the overlapping and specific neural correlates of contextualized emotional conflict control and domain‐general conflict control. During a performance on emotional and domain‐general conflict tasks, conjunction analyses showed that neural areas distributed in the frontoparietal network were engaged in both processes, supporting the notion that similar neural mechanisms are implemented in these two types of control. Importantly, disjunction analyses revealed a broader neural recruitment of emotional conflict control compared to domain‐general conflict control as shown by the possible lateralization of the lateral prefrontal cortex (lPFC), such that emotional conflict control significantly involved the left lPFC while domain‐general conflict control seemly involved the right lPFC. Results of generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI) analyses further demonstrated that emotional conflict control, compared to domain‐general conflict control, elicited broader synergistic activities in individuals' brain networks. Together, these findings offer novel and compelling neural evidence that furthers our understanding of the complex relationship between domain‐general and emotional conflict control. The present study examined the overlapping neural correlates of contextualized emotional conflict control and domain‐general conflict control, as evidenced by the involvement of distributed frontoparietal network in both processes, as well as the neural separation of the two such as the lateralization for the two control types in the lateral prefrontal cortex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low‐temperature storage is a widely used method for peach fruit storage. However, the impact of PpCBFs on pectin degradation during low‐temperature storage is unclear. As such, in this study, we stored the melting‐flesh peach cultivar "Fuli" at low temperature (LT, 6°C) and room temperature (RT, 25°C) to determine the effect of different temperatures on its physiological and biochemical changes. Low‐temperature storage can inhibit the softening of "Fuli" peaches by maintaining the stability of the cell wall. It was found that the contents of water‐soluble pectin and ionic‐soluble pectin in peach fruit stored at RT were higher than those stored at LT. The enzyme activities of polygalacturonase (PG), pectate lyase (PL), and pectin methylesterase (PME) were all inhibited by LT. The expressions of PpPME3, PpPL2, and PpPG were closely related to fruit firmness, but PpCBF2 and PpCBF3 showed higher expression levels at LT than RT. The promoters of PpPL2 and PpPG contain the DER motif, which suggested that PpCBF2 and PpCBF3 might negatively regulate their expression by directly binding to their promoters. These results indicated that LT may maintain firmness by activating PpCBFs to repress pectin‐degradation‐related enzyme genes during storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whether it is possible to create suitable plants for cadmium phytoremediation by introducing Datura stramonium L. genes into tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) remains unclear. Hydroponic experiments were performed on N. tabacum L. var. MTLY, a newly developed hybrid variety, and the parents. Seedlings at the six-leaf stage were treated with 0 (control), 10 µM, 180 µM and 360 µM CdCl2 for 7 days, and their differences in Cd tolerance and accumulation and physiological and metabolic responses were evaluated. When subjected to 360 µM Cd, the growth of "MTLY", in terms of the dry weight, plant height and root length, was obviously better than N. tabacum L. var. LY2 (female parent). In contrast to D. stramonium (male parent) and "LY2", "MTLY" accumulated more Cd in shoots (127.6–3837.1 mg kg−1) and roots (121.6–1167.7 mg kg−1). Moreover, unlike "LY2", "MTLY" could accumulate more Cd in its shoots than roots. Its bioconcentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor (TF) values reached 95.9–149.7 and 1.0–3.5, respectively, which were far greater than those of "LY2". High-dose Cd stress significantly increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and decreased chlorophyll contents in tobacco seedlings, especially in "LY2". Various enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants in the three materials showed different responses to Cd stress. The change of the phenolic compounds and alkaloids in "MTLY" was basically similar to that in D. stramonium, but their levels were apparently higher than those in "LY2". Results indicated that distant hybridization could be one of the effective methods for introducing metal-hyperaccumulator genes into a high biomass species, which contributed to enhancing the Cd tolerance, accumulation and detoxification in tobacco. This study has great significance in obtaining elite germplasm for phytoremediation. The exact mechanisms in molecules and genetics and the practical effectiveness in cadmium-contaminated soil remain to be further elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensifer alkalisoli YIC4027T is a dominant rhizobium that has been isolated from the root nodules of Sesbania cannabina. Motility and chemotaxis are critical to maintaining competitiveness in establishing the symbiotic relationship. E. alkalisoli carries two gene clusters, che1 and che2, containing chemotaxis-related gene homologues. To determine the respective role of each gene cluster, we constructed mutants and compared them with the wild type in a free-living state and in symbiosis with the host plant. A swimming analysis revealed that the che1 cluster was the major pathway controlling the chemotaxis and swimming bias, while the che2 cluster had a minor role in these behaviors. However, the Δche2 mutant was impaired in exopolysaccharide (EPS) production. During symbiosis, the Δche1 mutant was more severely impaired in its competitive root colonization and nodulation ability than the Δche2 mutant. Taken together, our data strongly suggested that both of the che clusters contribute to the competitive symbiotic association, the che1-like homologue being the main regulator of the chemotactic response and the che2 cluster regulating EPS production. These data illustrated a novel strategy of motile rhizobia bacteria to utilize the two pathways containing the homologous genes to enhance the efficiency of nodule formation by regulating distinct motility parameters or other cellular functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resultant microstructures of Mg-xBi (x = 3, 6 and 9 wt. %) extruded at 380 °C are studied to reveal the effect of increasing Bi content and possible dynamic recrystallization mechanisms. It was observed that a homogenous grain size microstructure (an average grain size of ~ 30 µm) was attained in Mg-3Bi alloy. Then, a microstructure of gradient grain size (~ 18 µm near the center and ~ 8 µm near the surface, of the extruded bar) was seen in the Mg-6Bi sample. With further increasing Bi, the microstructure becomes homogenized again but with a much finer grain size (~ 7 µm). We attribute this change in grain size microstructure homogeneity mainly to the effect of different levels of undissolved constituent Mg3Bi2 phase in Mg-xBi before extrusion and possibly also the effect of plastic strain along the radial direction of the extruded bar based on finite element modelling results. These two factors, which we propose, impact the particle-stimulated-nucleation-driven dynamic recrystallization mechanisms and finally lead to the observed change of microstructure homogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We acquire tantalum thin film in its α phase (α-Ta) using direct-current magnetron sputtering. According to x-ray diffraction results, 110-Ta is dominant. Quarter-wavelength coplanar waveguide resonators are fabricated with the α-Ta film and characterized at millikelvin in a dilution refrigerator. In the single photon regime, an intrinsic quality factor (Qi) up to 3 × 10 6 is obtained in these resonators. At high power, Qi rises to 6 × 10 6 . Moreover, we also fabricate an array with 7 × 7 lumped element resonators using the α-Ta film. The array shows excellent uniformity. At high power, Qis of all pixels exceed 1 × 10 6 . In the single photon regime, Qis of over 90% pixels exceed 1 × 10 6 . Superconducting quantum computing and ultrasensitive electromagnetic wave detectors will benefit a lot from devices based on the α-Ta film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the prognostic value of the peripheral neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in patients with chronic internal carotid artery occlusion (CICAO) complicated by cerebral infarction. Patients and Methods: The clinical data of 99 CICAO patients complicated by cerebral infarction were retrospectively analyzed. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was used to assess their 3-month prognosis, and a multivariate logistic regression model was established to explore risk factors for poor prognosis. Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that NLR (OR=2.114; 95% CI: 1.129– 3.959) and baseline National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS; OR=1.288, 95% CI: 1.053– 1.574) score were risk factors of poor prognosis. The area under the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve of NLR in predicting the 3-month outcome after onset was 0.717 (95% CI: 0.606– 0.828, P< 0.000). The optimal cut-off value was 3.22, with a sensitivity of 0.743 and a specificity of 0.791. Conclusion: NLR is an independent risk factor for the poor prognosis of CICAO patients complicated by cerebral infarction and can serve as an indicator for clinical prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. By conducting a systematic review of the efficacy of acupoint application on children with asthma. Methods. We searched Chinese databases (CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang) and English databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library) for studies from the establishment of the database to October 2021. The included literature studies were randomized control studies investigating the treatment of asthma in children by acupoint application. The primary outcomes included the cure rate, the resolution time of cough, and the resolution time of wheezing. The secondary outcomes included pulmonary function and interleukins. Stata 15 and RevMan 5.4 were used to analyze the extracted data. Results. A total of 24 related studies were included containing 2716 cases. The meta-analysis showed that TCM group was superior to control group in terms of cure rate, pulmonary function (FEV1), and resolution time of wheezing in children with asthma [RR = 1.26,95% (1.21,1.31), P < 0.05 ; SMD = 0.81, 95%CI (0.05,1.56), P < 0.05 ; WMD = −1.40, 95%CI (−1.75, −1.05), P < 0.05 ]. Conclusions. The present study shows that acupoint application is an effective treatment for children with asthma in China, especially in alleviating wheezing and improving quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is an opportunistic pathogen and has emerged as one of the most troublesome pathogens. Drug resistance in A. baumannii has been reported on a global scale. Minocycline was found to be active against multi-drug resistant A. baumannii and was approved by the FDA for the infections caused by sensitive strains of A. baumannii. However, the emergence of minocycline resistance and its toxic effects still need to be addressed. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the synergistic effects of metformin combined with minocycline on minocycline-resistant A. baumannii. Results: The effect of metformin on the antibacterial activity of minocycline was determined by checkerboard and time-killing assay. Further, it was observed by biofilm formation assay that metformin combination with minocycline can inhibit the formation of biofilm. Outer membrane integrity, membrane permeability, membrane potential and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were monitored to explore the underlying synergistic mechanisms of metformin on minocycline. And the results shown that metformin can destroy the outer membrane of A. baumannii, enhance its membrane potential, but does not affect the membrane permeability and ROS. Conclusion: These findings suggested that the combination of metformin and minocycline has the potential for rejuvenating the activity of minocycline against minocycline-resistant A. baumannii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CRISPR-Cas system is a bacterial and archaea adaptive immune system and is a newly recognized mechanism for controlling antibiotic resistance gene transfer. Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is an important organism responsible for a variety of nosocomial infections. A. baumannii infections have become problematic worldwide because of the resistance of A. baumannii to multiple antibiotics. Thus, it is clinically significant to explore the relationship between the CRISPR-Cas system and drug resistance in A. baumannii. This study aimed to analyze the genomic characteristics of the A. baumannii strain AB3 containing the type I-Fb CRISPR-Cas system, which was isolated from a tertiary care hospital in China, and to investigate the relationship between the CRISPR-Cas system and antibiotic resistance in this strain. The whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of the AB43 strain was performed using Illumina and PacBio sequencing. The complete genome of AB43 consisted of a 3,854,806 bp chromosome and a 104,309 bp plasmid. The specific characteristics of the CRISPR-Cas system in AB43 are described as follows: (1) The strain AB43 carries a complete type I-Fb CRISPR-Cas system; (2) Homology analysis confirmed that the cas genes in AB43 share high sequence similarity with the same subtype cas genes; (3) A total of 28 of 105 A. baumannii AB43 CRISPR spacers matched genes in the bacteriophage genome database and the plasmid database, implying that the CRISPR-Cas system in AB43 provides immunity against invasive bacteriophage and plasmids; (4) None of the CRISPR spacers in A. baumannii AB43 were matched with antimicrobial resistance genes in the NCBI database. In addition, we analyzed the presence of antibiotic resistance genes and insertion sequences in the AB43 strain and found that the number of antibiotic resistance genes was not lower than in the "no CRISPR-Cas system" strain. This study supports the idea that the CRISPR-Cas system may inhibit drug-resistance gene expression via endogenous gene regulation, except to the published mechanism that the CRISPR-Cas system efficiently limits the acquisition of antibiotic resistance genes that make bacteria sensitive to antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sequential process, CO 2 osmotic treatment combined with subcritical fluid defatting was developed to prepare low-fat walnut kernel preserving shape integrity. The influence of operating parameters involving osmotic pressure and subcritical butane defatting repeats on the defatting effect has been investigated. CO 2 osmotic at 25 MPa resulted in defatting rate as 37.12% and minimum perfect kernel rate (81.48%). Increase of defatting repeats from one to three times led to exploding quantities of defatting rate (from 9.98% to 40.61%) but no significant varies of perfect kernel rate (p > 0.5). With the increase of defatting rate, the amount of oil bodies in walnut cells decreased, and defatting rate presented negative correlated with hardness and chewiness of products. Hexanal, nonanal and heptaldehyde were the predominant volatile compounds. After defatting, they may be removed as accompanying components and showed a slight downward trend. However, results of electronic nose revealed that there was no significant difference among flavor of walnut with different defatting rate (p > 0.5). Slight defatting caused significant variations in the taste of walnuts. As the defatting rate exceeded 18.65%, products expressed similar taste. Overall, coupling CO 2 osmotic treatment with subcritical fluid defatting proved to be great potential for application in shape-preserving defatting. • CO 2 osmotic pressure combined with subcritical butane defatting was developed to prepare low-fat and shape-preserving walnut. • Walnuts with different defatting rates revealed no significance overall flavor. • Products with higher defatting rates (above 18.65%) presented similar taste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angelica sinensis polysaccharide (ASP) has presented increasingly recognized lipid regulation and antioxidant abilities. However, there is little direct evidence to explain why ASP possesses the observed lipid-lowering and anti-oxidation effects. In vivo and in vitro models of alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) were established to examine the direct effect of ASP on hepatic fat accumulation. Our results showed that the lipid-lowering effect of ASP might result from the dual inhibition of lipid synthesis and CD36-mediated lipid uptake. The antioxidation of ASP might be attributed to the reversal of alcohol metabolic pathways from CYP2E1 catalysis to ADH catalysis. Taken together, the study demonstrated the direct role of ASP in lipid metabolism for the first time and revealed the underlying mechanism of reducing ROS, providing an available strategy for ASP as a potential agent to treat AFLD. [Display omitted] • The improvement effect of ASP on AFLD was confirmed for the first time. • ASP could reduce the hepatic levels of ACC and FAS to suppress lipid synthesis. • ASP could return hepatic CD36 content to normal levels to inhibit lipid uptake. • ASP could promote alcohol metabolism by enhancing ADH pathway in AFLD mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the blood flow in retrobulbar vessels in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) by color Doppler imaging (CDI) and to investigate the associations between immunological markers, retinal abnormalities, disease activity, and vascular parameters. Methods: We examined 30 patients with SLE who were aged 32.1 ± 11.6 years with a disease duration of 68.0 ± 55.6 months and 30 participants in a control group. The peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV), pulsatility index (PI), and resistive index (RI) of the ophthalmic artery (OA), central retinal artery (CRA), and posterior ciliary arteries (PCAs) were determined. Physical and ophthalmic examinations with assessments of immunological markers were performed. All parameters were compared between SLE patients and normal controls while the correlations among parameters were analyzed. Results: In the SLE group, CDI confirmed blood flow abnormalities in the CRA and PCAs, with significantly lower blood flow velocities and increased RI and PI (p < 0.05). There was a significantly negative correlation between disease duration and EDV in the CRA, PCA, and OA (p = 0.0423, 0.0453, 0.0448). There was also a significant relationship between the SLE Disease Activity Index and the PI of the OA (p = 0.0367). The patients who had received biological agents (Rituximab) had lower EDV in the CRA and PCA (p = 0.0026, 0.028). SLE patients with kidney or CNS involvement had a significant increase in the PI in the OA (p = 0.0287). The PSV and EDV in the CRA were significantly related to creatinine (p = 0.0007 and 0.0418). We also noted a significant decreased EDV in the CRA and an increased RI in the OA among participants positive for anti-dsDNA antibodies (p = 0.0331 and 0.0228). Conclusions: Retrobulbar circulatory disturbances were detected in SLE patients by CDI. These findings seem likely to affect smaller vessels like the CRA and PCA. However, the presence of measurable changes in the OA is generally indicative of a coexistent nephropathy or central nervous system (CNS) vasculitis. Creatinine, the disease activity index, being positive for anti-dsDNA, and receiving biological agents were associated with measurable changes on the retrobulbar blood flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Phenotypic plasticity is observed widely in plants and often studied with reaction norms for adult plant or end‐of‐season traits. Uncovering genetic, environmental and developmental patterns behind the observed phenotypic variation under natural field conditions is needed.Using a sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) genetic population evaluated for plant height in seven natural field conditions, we investigated the major pattern that differentiated these environments. We then examined the physiological relevance of the identified environmental index by investigating the developmental trajectory of the population with multistage height measurements in four additional environments and conducting crop growth modelling.We found that diurnal temperature range (DTR) during the rapid growth period of sorghum development was an effective environmental index. Three genetic loci (Dw1, Dw3 and qHT7.1) were consistently detected for individual environments, reaction‐norm parameters across environments and growth‐curve parameters through the season. Their genetic effects changed dynamically along the environmental gradient and the developmental stage. A conceptual model with three‐dimensional reaction norms was proposed to showcase the interconnecting components: genotype, environment and development.Beyond genomic and environmental analyses, further integration of development and physiology at the whole‐plant and molecular levels into complex trait dissection would enhance our understanding of mechanisms underlying phenotypic variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unicystic ameloblastoma (UAM) in the pediatric population is a rare clinical entity that has not been well addressed in the literature. Radical approaches affect a growing young patient's physical and psychological development, so conservative approaches are widely used for management in children. This report describes the case of a 9‐year‐old girl with UAM of the mandible, which also involved the impaction of the first and second premolars. Marsupialization with orthodontic treatment was performed to shrink the lesion and upright the first premolar involved in the tumor. Ten months after marsupialization, the lesion had healed entirely. The combination of conservative surgery and orthodontic treatment effectively shrank the lesion, preserving mandibular growth, preserving the involved first and second premolars, and promoting the eruption of the teeth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional underwater climbing robots that use vacuum, thrusters, or magnetism as adsorption sources have many drawbacks, such as the inability to move on coarse surfaces and overcome obstacles and poor adsorption forces. In this paper, a new sliding negative pressure adsorption mechanism (SNPAM) is proposed and applied to the design of an underwater climbing adsorption robot. First, this paper theoretically analyzes the pressure and force characteristics of noncontact SNPAMs based on the Bernoulli theorem. Then, factors that influence the adsorption force—such as the outer radius, flow rate, and gap height—and their cause are calculated, simulated, and verified experimentally, and discussed from the application perspective. Finally, the SNPAM was finally applied to an underwater climbing robot. The results show that the robot can generate a maximum adsorption force of 600 kgf at a gap height of 12 mm in adsorption mode, and can maintain a maximum force of 363 kgf at a gap height of 28 mm in locomotion mode. The mathematical model allows the robot to adjust both the gap height and adsorption force according to various adsorbate surface conditions. Application experiments confirm the SNPAM's ability to help an underwater climbing robot to perform adsorption and locomotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we fabricated amphiphilic polysaccharide micelles for synergistic cancer immunotherapy targeting tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Lepidium meyenii Walp. (maca) polysaccharide (MP), a naturally derived macromolecule with a strong TAM-remodeling effect, was grafted on a hydrophobic poly(lactic- co -glycolic acid) (PLGA) segment, with a disulfide bond for redox-sensitive linkage. The amphiphilic polysaccharide derivatives could self-assemble into core (PLGA)–shell (MP)-structured micelles and encapsulate chloroquine (CQ) into the hydrophobic core. By using a 4T1-M2 macrophage co-culture model and a 4T1 tumor xenograft mouse model, we showed that the prepared micelles could co-deliver MP and CQ to the tumor sites and selectively accumulate at TAMs because of the specific properties of MP. Furthermore, the nanoparticles exerted synergistic tumor immunotherapeutic and antimetastatic effects, which might be attributable to the enhanced cell internalization of the micelles and the multiple regulatory mechanisms of MP and CQ. Thus, immunomodulatory MP may be a promising biomaterial for cancer immunotherapy. • Lepidium meyenii Walp. (maca) polysaccharides (MP) serve as a kind of biomaterials. • The grafted amphiphilic MP derivatives can self-assembled into micelles. • The MP micelles can target to M2 tumor associated macrophages. • The chloroquine (CQ) loaded MP micelles show synergetic tumor immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying mechanisms and pathways involved in gene–environment interplay and phenotypic plasticity is a long-standing challenge. It is highly desirable to establish an integrated framework with an environmental dimension for complex trait dissection and prediction. A critical step is to identify an environmental index that is both biologically relevant and estimable for new environments. With extensive field-observed complex traits, environmental profiles, and genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms for three major crops (maize, wheat, and oat), we demonstrated that identifying such an environmental index (i.e., a combination of environmental parameter and growth window) enables genome-wide association studies and genomic selection of complex traits to be conducted with an explicit environmental dimension. Interestingly, genes identified for two reaction-norm parameters (i.e. , intercept and slope) derived from flowering time values along the environmental index were less colocalized for a diverse maize panel than for wheat and oat breeding panels, agreeing with the different diversity levels and genetic constitutions of the panels. In addition, we showcased the usefulness of this framework for systematically forecasting the performance of diverse germplasm panels in new environments. This general framework and the companion CERIS-JGRA analytical package should facilitate biologically informed dissection of complex traits, enhanced performance prediction in breeding for future climates, and coordinated efforts to enrich our understanding of mechanisms underlying phenotypic variation. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and genomic selection have been extensively used for the analysis of complex traits, but the lack of an environmental dimension when using phenotypes summarized across environments impedes our understanding of gene–environment interplay and phenotypic plasticity. This study presents an integrated framework that not only reveals the genetic effect dynamics along an identified environmental index but also enables accurate performance prediction and forecasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genomic structural variants (SVs) constitute a significant proportion of genetic variation in the genome. The rapid development of long‐reads sequencing has facilitated the detection of long‐fragment SVs. There is no published study to detect SVs using long‐read data from sheep. We applied a long‐read mapping approach to detect SVs and characterized a total of 30,771 insertions, deletions, inversions and translocations. We identified 716, 916, 842 and 303 specific SVs in Southdown sheep, Alpine merino sheep, Qilian White Tibetan sheep and Oula sheep, respectively. We annotated these SVs and found that these SV‐related genes were primarily enriched in the well‐established pathways involved in the regulation of the immune system, growth and development and environmental adaptability. We detected and annotated SVs based on NGS resequencing data to validate the accuracy based on third‐generation detection. Moreover, five candidate SVs were verified using the PCR method in 50 sheep. Our study is the first to use a long‐reads sequencing approach to construct a novel structural variation map in sheep. We have completed a preliminary exploration of the potential effects of SVs on sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Alpine Merino is a new breed of fine-wool sheep adapted to the cold and arid climate of the plateau in the world. It has been popularized in Northwest China due to its superior adaptability as well as excellent production performance. Those traits related to body weight, wool yield, and wool fiber characteristics, which are economically essential traits in Alpine Merino sheep, are controlled by QTL (Quantitative Trait Loci). Therefore, the identification of QTL and genetic markers for these key economic traits is a critical step in establishing a MAS (Marker-Assisted Selection) breeding program. Results: In this study, we constructed the high-density genetic linkage map of Alpine Merino sheep by sequencing 110 F1 generation individuals using WGR (Whole Genome Resequencing) technology. 14,942 SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) were identified and genotyped. The map spanned 2,697.86 cM, with an average genetic marker interval of 1.44 cM. A total of 1,871 high-quality SNP markers were distributed across 27 linkage groups, with an average of 69 markers per LG (Linkage Group). Among them, the smallest genetic distance is 19.62 cM for LG2, while the largest is 237.19 cM for LG19. The average genetic distance between markers in LGs ranged from 0.24 cM (LG2) to 3.57 cM (LG17). The marker density in the LGs ranged from LG14 (39 markers) to LG1 (150 markers). Conclusions: The first genetic map of Alpine Merino sheep we constructed included 14,942 SNPs, while 46 QTLs associated with body weight, wool yield and wool fiber traits were identified, laying the foundation for genetic studies and molecular marker-assisted breeding. Notably, there were QTL intervals for overlapping traits on LG4 and LG8, providing potential opportunities for multi-trait co-breeding and further theoretical support for selection and breeding of ultra-fine and meaty Alpine Merino sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the world is facing two significant challenges: low-carbon development and overcapacity. Government departments must reexamine their development strategy of energy industry. Implementing environmental regulatory policies and technological innovation can help alleviate coal industry's overcapacity, while sustainable development requires joint actions of governments, enterprises, and the market. Based on the evolutionary game theory, this study constructs a tripartite evolutionary game model of local government, power industry, and coal enterprise. Under the premise of bounded rationality, the evolution path of each player in the game under the market incentive environmental regulation is analyzed, and the influence of the change of parameters of each player on the result is numerically simulated. The study found that strengthening environmental regulation by local governments is an inevitable choice to promote the transformation and upgrading of coal industry and power industry. In addition, reducing law enforcement costs and technological innovation costs are the fundamental point of the coordinated development of the three parties. Technological innovation in the power industry will reduce the probability of coal companies' choosing clean production strategies, while seeking low-cost clean production technology and financial support is the key to coal companies' optimization of production capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The quality and yield of wool determine the economic value of the fine-wool sheep. Therefore, discovering markers or genes relevant to wool traits is the cornerstone for the breeding of fine-wool sheep. In this study, we used the Illumina HiSeq X Ten platform to re-sequence 460 sheep belonging to four different fine-wool sheep breeds, namely, Alpine Merino sheep (AMS), Chinese Merino sheep (CMS), Aohan fine-wool sheep (AHS) and Qinghai fine-wool sheep (QHS). Eight wool traits, including fiber diameter (FD), fiber diameter coefficient of variance (FDCV), fiber diameter standard deviation (FDSD), staple length (SL), greasy fleece weight (GFW), clean wool rate (CWR), staple strength (SS) and staple elongation (SE) were examined. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed to detect the candidate genes for the eight wool traits. Results: A total of 8.222 Tb of raw data was generated, with an average of approximately 8.59X sequencing depth. After quality control, 12,561,225 SNPs were available for analysis. And a total of 57 genome-wide significant SNPs and 30 candidate genes were detected for the desired wool traits. Among them, 7 SNPs and 6 genes are related to wool fineness indicators (FD, FDCV and FDSD), 10 SNPs and 7 genes are related to staple length, 13 SNPs and 7 genes are related to wool production indicators (GFW and CWR), 27 SNPs and 10 genes associated with staple elongation. Among these candidate genes, UBE2E3 and RHPN2 associated with fiber diameter, were found to play an important role in keratinocyte differentiation and cell proliferation. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment results, revealed that multitude significant pathways are related to keratin and cell proliferation and differentiation, such as positive regulation of canonical Wnt signaling pathway (GO:0090263). Conclusion: This is the first GWAS on the wool traits by using re-sequencing data in Chinese fine-wool sheep. The newly detected significant SNPs in this study can be used in genome-selective breeding for the fine-wool sheep. And the new candidate genes would provide a good theoretical basis for the fine-wool sheep breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tail adipose as one of the important functional tissues can enhance hazardous environments tolerance for sheep. The objective of this study was to gain insight into the underlying development mechanisms of this trait. A quantitative analysis of protein abundance in ovine tail/rump adipose tissue was performed between Chinese local fat- (Kazakh, Hu and Lanzhou) and thin-tailed (Alpine Merino, Tibetan) sheep in the present study by using lable-free approach. Results showed that 3400 proteins were identified in the five breeds, and 804 were differentially expressed proteins, including 638 up regulated proteins and 83 down regulated proteins in the tail adipose tissues between fat- and thin-tailed sheep, and 8 clusters were distinguished for all the DEPs' expression patterns. The differentially expressed proteins are mainly associated with metabolism pathways and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor signaling pathway. Furthermore, the proteomics results were validated by quantitative real-time PCR and Western Blot. Our research has also suggested that the up-regulated proteins ACSL1, HSD17β4, FABP4 in the tail adipose tissue might contribute to tail fat deposition by facilitating the proliferation of adipocytes and fat accumulation in tail/rump of sheep. Particularly, FABP4 highly expressed in the fat-tail will play an important role for tail fat deposition. Our study might provide a novel view to understanding fat accumulation in special parts of the body in sheep and other animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a common micronutrient deficiency among pregnant women with deleterious maternal and fetal outcomes. Angelica sinensis polysaccharide (ASP) has been shown to reduce hepcidin expression in IDA rats. However, the role of ASP in the treatment of IDA during pregnancy and its potential mechanisms have not been investigated. Moreover, the effect of ASP on duodenal iron absorption is not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the preventive efficacy of ASP against IDA during pregnancy and clarify the underlying mechanisms. Our results showed that ASP improved maternal hematological parameters, increased serum iron, maternal tissue iron, and fetal liver iron content, and improved pregnancy outcomes. Additionally, ASP combated oxidative stress caused by iron deficiency by improving the body's antioxidant capacity. Western blot results demonstrated that ASP downregulated hepcidin expression by blocking the BMP6/SMAD4, JAK2/STAT3 and TfR2/HFE signaling pathways, which in turn increased the expression of FPN1 in the liver, spleen, and duodenum and promoted iron cycling in the body. Furthermore, ASP increased the expression of DMT1 and Dcytb in the duodenum, thereby facilitating duodenal iron uptake. Our results suggest that ASP is a potential agent for the prevention and treatment of IDA during pregnancy. [Display omitted] • ASP improved anemia symptoms and adverse pregnancy outcomes in IDA pregnant rats. • ASP regulated iron homeostasis in IDA pregnant rats via the hepcidin-FPN1 axis. • ASP enhanced the absorption of dietary iron by increasing DMT1 and Dcytb levels. • ASP facilitated iron recycling in senescent erythrocytes by increasing HO-1 levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a common micronutrient deficiency among pregnant women with deleterious maternal and fetal outcomes. Angelica sinensis polysaccharide (ASP) has been shown to reduce hepcidin expression in IDA rats. However, the role of ASP in the treatment of IDA during pregnancy and its potential mechanisms have not been investigated. Moreover, the effect of ASP on duodenal iron absorption is not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the preventive efficacy of ASP against IDA during pregnancy and clarify the underlying mechanisms. Our results showed that ASP improved maternal hematological parameters, increased serum iron, maternal tissue iron, and fetal liver iron content, and improved pregnancy outcomes. Additionally, ASP combated oxidative stress caused by iron deficiency by improving the body's antioxidant capacity. Western blot results demonstrated that ASP downregulated hepcidin expression by blocking the BMP6/SMAD4, JAK2/STAT3 and TfR2/HFE signaling pathways, which in turn increased the expression of FPN1 in the liver, spleen, and duodenum and promoted iron cycling in the body. Furthermore, ASP increased the expression of DMT1 and Dcytb in the duodenum, thereby facilitating duodenal iron uptake. Our results suggest that ASP is a potential agent for the prevention and treatment of IDA during pregnancy. [Display omitted] • ASP improved anemia symptoms and adverse pregnancy outcomes in IDA pregnant rats. • ASP regulated iron homeostasis in IDA pregnant rats via the hepcidin-FPN1 axis. • ASP enhanced the absorption of dietary iron by increasing DMT1 and Dcytb levels. • ASP facilitated iron recycling in senescent erythrocytes by increasing HO-1 levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The ASL:Eu3+ phosphor shows sharp and intense linear emission of 5D 0 →7F 4 transition at 707 nm. • The La, Mg substitution of 1/3 ratio provides the most polarized and distorted crystal filed for Eu3+. • The ASL:0.04Eu2+ phosphor shows broad emission and fluorescence lifetime as short as 248 ns. The partially and equivalent substitution of La + Mg → Sr + Al in SrAl 12 O 19 lattice is an effective strategy to provide trivalent sites, reduce the site occupation splitting of Al and stabilize the entire lattice. When excited by 397 nm, the Eu3+ activated La, Mg:SrAl 12 O 19 (ASL) phosphor shows intense linear emission through the 5D 0 →7F 4 transition at 707 nm when compared with SrAl 12 O 19 :Eu3+. Especially, the Eu, Mg co-doped Sr 1-x La x Mg x Al 12-x O 19 with certain amount of x = 1/3 exhibits the significant intense photoluminescence, which was demonstrated through a lattice evolutional model. Eu2+ in the host with 1/3 ratio of (La, Mg) substitution shows broad blue emission and as short fluorescence lifetime as 248 ns. The temperature-depended fluorescence quenching behavior confirms the essence of strong electric-phonon coupling originated from distorted and polarized crystal field around Eu2+/Sr2+ site. Basing on site regulation of SrAl 12 O 19 matrix, our study provides a reference for exploration on efficient rare earth ions activated luminescent laser or scintillation materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lutein is a strong antioxidant with anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and cardioprotective effects and could be a promising candidate for the treatment of hypertensive heart disease (HHD), but is not clinically appealing because of its low oral bioavailability and main distribution in the eyes. To address this, a biomimetic drug delivery system-MMLNPs was established by coating macrophage membranes (MMs) onto lutein-loaded poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (LNPs). This study characterized the physical properties of biomimetic nanoparticles and examined the targeting capability, therapeutic effects and mechanism, and biosecurity of administering them for cardiac fibrosis therapy in the transverse aortic constriction (TAC) model and in vitro. Transmission electron microscope mapping and dynamic light scattering analysis proved that MMLNPs were spherical nanoparticles camouflaged by a layer of cell membrane and had negative zeta potential. Confocal laser scanning microscopy and flow cytometry analysis showed that MMs on the biomimetic nanoparticles hindered the phagocytosis of macrophages and facilitated the targeting of activated endothelial cells. Ex vivo fluorescence imaging experiments demonstrated the targeting of biomimetic nanoparticles to the injured heart. EdU assay indicated that MMLNPs have the same potential to inhibit angiotensin (Ang) II-induced cardiac fibroblast proliferation as free lutein. Furthermore, echocardiography showed that MMLNPs improved cardiac function and structure, and Masson staining and western blotting showed that MMLNPs ameliorated cardiac fibrosis. We found MMLNPs inhibited the interleukin (IL)-11/ERK signaling pathway which was up-regulated in the TAC model compared to the sham-operated mouse. Biochemical testing and hematoxylin and eosin staining proved that the long-term use of MMLNPs lacked biological toxicity. Collectively, MMLNPs might be a promising nanodrug delivery approach to attenuate pressure overload (PO)-induced cardiac fibrosis. Schematic illustration of the synthetic process for MMLNPs nanoplatform and the targeted therapy for pressure overload-induced cardiac fibrosis. [Display omitted] • A drug-loaded biomimetic nano-delivery system for hypertensive cardiac fibrosis was developed. • Lutein-loaded biomimetic nano-delivery system significantly ameliorated cardiac fibrosis in vitro and in vivo. • Lutein-loaded biomimetic nano-delivery system might improve cardiac fibrosis by inhibiting IL-11/ERK signaling pathway. • The system has high potential for clinical translation in the future because of its high biosafety and anti-fibrotic efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The novel IS0FAS-SBR system achieved excellent nitrogen removal performance. • Microbial response characteristics to in-situ addition sulfur was revealed. • The addition of sulfur carrier affected the microbial metabolic activity. • S, N conversion and functional microbes in the IS0FAS-SBR system was revealed. • Mixotrophic niche equilibrium was formed in the IS0FAS-SBR system. A novel integrated sulfur fixed-film activated sludge in SBR system (IS0FAS-SBR) was proposed to treat the low C/N ratio municipal wastewater. The effluent total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) and PO 4 3−-P decreased from 17 mg/L and 3.5 mg/L to 8.5 mg/L and 0.5 mg/L, and higher nitrogen removal efficiency was contributed by the autotrophic denitrification. Microbial response characteristics showed that catalase (CAT), reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) alleviated the oxidative stress of sulfur carrier to maintain cell activity, while metabolic activity analysis indicated that the electron transfer rate was enhanced to improve mixotrophic denitrification efficiency. Meanwhile, the increased key enzyme activities further facilitated nitrogen removal and sulfur oxidation process. Additionally, the microbial community, functional proteins and genes revealed a niche equilibrium of C, N, S metabolic bacteria. Sulfur autotrophic in-situ coupled SBR system enlarged a promising strategy for treatment of low C/N ratio municipal wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving nutrient absorption in pepper has become a vital prerequisite for growth to produce a sustainable yield. In this study, transcriptome gene expression in pepper inoculated with two types of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) and grown under low and high nutrient levels (LN and HN) was analyzed. Results showed that the root length increased when pepper was grown under LN; however, the root structure was intensively tight under HN. Our data revealed that the roots preferred horizontal growth than longitudinal growth under HN. PSB strains 'M01' and 'N3' significantly (P < 0.01) increased the P uptake by 70.44% and 98.20%, respectively, but decreased the Ca2+ content by 8.96% and 9.13%, respectively, compared with the control (L1). Although no remarkable difference was detected in the chlorophyll content, inoculation with the two PSB strains decreased the Fe3+ content in pepper under HN. The total clean sequenced data from samples ranged between 5,923,659,118 and 9,955,045,953 bp. Transcriptome profiling revealed 320 upregulated and 449 downregulated genes in L3 versus L1 and 468 upregulated and 532 downregulated genes in L4 versus L1. Gene ontology analysis revealed that the biological processes, including response to stress and secondary metabolic process, were involved. Several pathways were subordinate to glycosphingolipid biosynthesis and linoleic acid and nitrogen metabolisms. Analysis of the eukaryotic orthologous group function revealed that most differential genes were attributed to RNA processing and modification, transcription, and signal transduction. Our results provided new insights into the molecular mechanism related to nutrient uptake in pepper inoculated with PSBs. Image 1 • Pepper root preferred horizontal growth rather than longitudinal growth under HN. • PSB strains 'M01' and 'N3' significantly improved the P uptake in pepper seedlings. • Inoculation with the selected PSBs decreased the Fe3+ content in pepper under HN. • The pathways of glycosphingolipid biosynthesis and nitrogen metabolism were involved. • PSBs affected gene expression related to nutrient uptake in pepper seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different chain lengths diacylglycerols (DAG) (long‐ and medium‐chain) were synthesized from peanut and coconut oils. The effects of DAG with different chain lengths on body fat, blood lipids, and lipid metabolism‐related enzymes in the liver and adipose tissue of C57BL/6J mice were investigated. Compared to peanut and coconut oils containing triacylglycerol (TAG), DAG‐rich oils can significantly reduce the body weight, kidney weight, serum triglyceride (TG) content, hepatic fatty acid synthase (FAS), and Acetyl‐CoA carboxylase (ACC) enzyme levels (p < 0.05) in C57BL/6J mice. Therefore, the effect of coconut oil DAG on improving body fat metabolism was probably due to the impact of DAG. Meanwhile, the body weight and serum TG content in coconut oil DAG group were lower than those in peanut oil DAG group. In addition, the spleen weight, hepatic ACC, and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) enzymes in coconut oil DAG group (0.07 ± 0.01 g, 2.08 ± 0.42 ng/mg pro, and 18.44 ± 5.23 ng/mg pro, respectively) were significantly lower than those in peanut oil DAG group. Although coconut oil DAG and peanut oil DAG have different fatty acid compositions, their effects on lipid metabolism showed no significant changes. Coconut oil DAG (peanut oil DAG) showed the improved lipid metabolism than that of coconut oil (peanut oil), which was probably due to the effect of DAG. Practical Application: Peanut and coconut oils are common edible oils. The oil containing DAG synthesized decreased the body weight and lipid accumulation in mice. Coconut oil is rich in medium‐chain fatty acids, while peanut oil mainly consists of long‐chain fatty acids. Due to the different contents of fatty acids, the synthesized structural lipids have different effects on lipid metabolism. Medium‐chain triglycerides were considered as agents to alleviate obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, rapeseed was pretreated by steam explosion pretreatment technology and subsequently pressed to prepare rapeseed oil. GC, UPLC, and HPLC techniques were employed to analyze the quality characteristics of the rapeseed oil, including the canolol content and other quality characteristics. Additionally, the effect of steam explosion pretreatment technology on the canolol content of rapeseed oil was studied and the formation mechanism of canolol elucidated. The results revealed that when the steam explosion pressure reached 1.0 MPa, the canolol content of the tested oil increased from 41.21 to 2,168.69 mg/kg (52.63‐fold increase) and that sinapic acid played a significant role in the conversion of canolol. Thus, the sinapine was converted into the intermediate (sinapic acid) by hydrolysis, which in turn was transformed into canolol through decarboxylation. The instantaneous high‐energy environment generated by steam explosion pretreatment could intensify the hydrolysis and decarboxylation reactions of sinapine and sinapinic acid, thereby significantly increasing the canolol content of the oil. To prove the superiority of steam explosion pretreatment, we compared it with other pretreatment technologies, including traditional high‐temperature roasting and popular microwave pretreatment. The results revealed that rapeseed oil prepared by steam explosion pretreatment displayed the best quality characteristics. This study can be a reference for the preparation process of rapeseed oil with superhigh canolol content and superior quality characteristics using steam explosion pretreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, flaxseed was pretreated by steam explosion technology and subsequently pressed to prepare flaxseed oil. GC, UPLC, HPLC, and GC‐MS techniques were used to analyze the quality characteristics of the prepared flaxseed oil. These included the food safety risk indices, micronutrient components, and oxidative stability. The effects of different steam explosion pressures on the quality characteristics and relative volatile components of flaxseed oil were also investigated. The results revealed that steam explosion pretreatment technology could significantly increase the oil yield, improve micronutrient content, and strengthen the oxidation stability of the product. Moreover, the food safety risk indices (e.g., benzopyrene) were controlled within a reasonable range, while the fatty acid content remained almost unchanged. Notably, the relative pyrazine content in the total volatile components of flaxseed oil was 68.25% when the steam explosion pressure reached 1.2 MPa. This was considered as the main factor that contributed to the unique concentrated fragrance of the produced flaxseed oil. To prove the superiority of the steam explosion pretreatment, we compared this technique with traditional high‐temperature roasting and popular microwave pretreatment techniques. The results revealed that flaxseed oil prepared by steam explosion pretreatment displayed the best quality characteristics and most concentrated fragrance. Thus, steam explosion technology shows great potential for application to produce high‐quality concentrated fragrance flaxseed oil. This study provides significant reference and guidance for the preparation process of flaxseed oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reduce the peak power of traction substation as much as possible and make better use of the configu-ration capacity of battery energy storage system (BESS) in urban rail transit, a BESS control strategy based on energy transfer is proposed. Based on the actual subway line data, the load characteristics of urban rail transit with different departure intervals are analyzed by using the simulation platform of urban rail transit traction power supply system. Then, based on the characteristics of urban rail traffic load and the high energy density of the battery, the SOC dynamic adjustment module and discharge threshold dynamic adjustment module were added. The discharge threshold is dynamically adjusted according to the SOC of the battery, and part of regenerative braking energy absorbed by the energy storage device is transferred from off-peak/flat peak period to peak period for release. The simulation model and 90 kW physical platform are used to verify the proposed control strategy, and the results show that the control strategy can effectively realize energy transfer. Not only can achieve energy saving and voltage stability, but also can effectively reduce the peak power of traction substation, bring more economic benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal extraction conditions of rapeseed cake oil using subcritical R134a/butane were established by response surface methodology. The quality of subcritical R134a/butane extraction oil (SRBEO) was compared with supercritical CO2 extraction oil (SCO2EO) and hexane extraction oil (HXEO). The results showed the highest extraction yield obtained by subcritical R134a/butane in the condition of R134a‐butane ratio of 1.5 kg/kg, at 45°C for 50 min. Compared with SCO2EO and HXEO, the extraction yield and β‐carotene content of SRBEO (87.76%, 357.21 μg/100g) were the highest. The content of phospholipids and canolol in SRBEO (3.01 mg/g, 118.51 mg/100 g) was higher than SCO2EO (not detected, 95.82 mg/100 g) and less than HXEO (25.78 mg/g, 131.85 mg/100 g). The tocopherols in SRBEO were equivalent to SCO2EO but phytosterol content of SRBEO (560.19 mg/100 g) was less than SCO2EO (591.40 mg/100 g). For fatty acids, the three extraction oils had slight difference. Thus, subcritical R134a/butane extraction appeared to be feasible for rapeseed cake oil extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of hydrophilic carbon dots (HCDs) with imidazolium dicyanamide ionic liquids (ILs) as precursor revealed a unique structure-activity relationship for the IL-HCDs. Their hydrophilicity, fluorescence nature and cytotoxicity are closely correlated to the alkyl side chain length of the imidazolium cationic moiety. (1) The hydrophilicity of the precursor ILs decreases with the alkyl chain length of their imidazolium cations (from ethyl, butyl, hexyl, octyl to decyl). On the contrary, that of the IL-HCDs increases with the alkyl chain length due to the emergence of C O C, NH 2 moiety. (2) The passivation effect of alkyl chain plays a dominative role in the enhancement of quantum yield (QY, from 4.6% to 48.0%) of IL-HCDs. The doping of nitrogen-containing moieties contributes marginally. (3) The increase of alkyl chain length leads to the weakening of IL-HCDs/bovine serum albumin (BSA) affinity with a decrease on the quenching constants from 12.59 × 104 to 1.779 × 104 L mol−1. (4) The cytotoxicity of IL-HCDs increases with the length of alkyl chain in the imidazolium cation, though the hydrophilicity of IL-HCDs is increased. In addition, the cytotoxicity of IL-HCDs/BSA is lower than that of IL-HCDs. The protective effect of BSA in the IL-HCDs/BSA 'protein corona' could be utilized to improve the biocompatibility of IL-HCDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the effects of cognitive reappraisal in regulating negative emotion are generally well documented, its regulatory effects are usually not very strong because the ordinary reappraisals employed in previous studies were insufficient to overcome the mental set or response bias toward negative situations. In this study, we developed a new strategy employing creative reappraisals that provides an insightful reinterpretation of the negative stimulus. We believe this approach, through adopting a guided (creative) reappraisal rather than self-generation strategy, will greatly improve the emotion regulation effect of reappraisal through activating the neural networks representing the process of deep and structural mental representational change accompanied by the feeling of positive emotion and mental reward. The behavioral results suggested that 1) regarding the transient regulatory effect, creative reappraisal resulted in a positive rating for standardized negative pictures; 2) creative reappraisal had a long-lasting effect in reducing negative affect. In parallel with these behavioral results, the imaging data indicated that 1) creative reappraisal was specifically associated with greater engagement of the amygdala and hippocampus as well as regions in the ventral striatum, and 2) the engagement of the amygdala predicted the transient regulatory effect of creative reappraisal, while the involvement of the hippocampus and the ventral striatum predicted long-term regulatory effects. These findings suggest that the superior regulatory effect of creative reappraisal could be mediated by amygdala-based salient emotional arousal, hippocampus-based new association formation, and striatum-based mental rewarding to lead to a novel and positive experience that could be kept in long-term memory. This research indicates the key role of creative insight in reappraisal and presents a novel and highly efficient reappraisal strategy. • Creative reappraisal can temporally result in a positive rating for negative pictures. • Creative reappraisal has a long-lasting regulatory effect in reducing negative affect. • Creative reappraisal involves activation of the amygdala, hippocampus and striatum. • Amygdala activation predicts the transient regulatory effect of creative reappraisal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A β-galactosidase (β-GalINF) was directly isolated from feces of an 8-month-old infant. Mass spectrum analysis showed β-GalINF with coverage over 50% to the β-galactosidase from Bifidobacterium longum EK3. Accordingly, the β-galINF was amplified from the feces metagenomic DNA by degenerate primers. After overexpressed in Escherichia coli, the β-GalINF was purified and biochemical characterized. β-GalINF existed as homotetramer and homodimer, whose activity (optimal at 50 °C, pH 6.5) was exhilaratingly increased to 484% by artificial intestinal juice. The Km and Vmax values for oNPG and lactose were 20.95 ± 2.76 mM, 5004.50 ± 318.8 μmol min−1 mg−1 and 140.2 ± 17.7 mM, 293.1 ± 14.7 μmol min−1 mg−1, respectively. The production rate of galacto-oligosaccharides by β-GalINF from 20% lactose at 50 °C was 33.4 ± 0.67%. These results suggested the β-GalINF with high hydrolytic and transgalactosylation activity from the infant intestinal has great potential as infant lactase preparation. Moreover, this study provided a new way for exploring undetected enzymes by uncultured-dependent methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, polypyrrole (PPY) was first used to the bioreduction of toxic selenite, while the acceleration effect and mechanism were explored. Experiment results suggested that PPY could enhance the selenite bioreduction from 0.42 to 1.04 mg/(L·h). The tests of electrochemical analysis and cytochrome c (cyt- c) content confirmed that PPY promoted the intracellular/intracellular electron transfer of Shewanella oneidensis·MR-1 in selenite bioreduction process. The enhancement of metabolic activity by PPY contributed to biological detoxification, which was manifested in the increased extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), electron transfer system activity (ETSA), membrane permeability and enzyme activity. Transcriptome analysis of DEGs, KEGG pathway enrichment and GO functional classification verified that the environmental adaptability of Shewanella oneidensis·MR-1 was enhanced with the addition of PPY. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images indicated that PPY promoted the biosynthesis of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), which was beneficial to reduce cell damage. Combined with the above results, a multifaceted synergistic facilitation mechanism based on "conductive cross-linking network" was elaborated from electron transfer, microbial metabolism and environmental adaptability. This study shed light the effect of conductive polymers (CPs) on selenite bioreduction and provided new insights into the bioremediation of toxic pollutants. [Display omitted] • PPY had a positive effect on selenite bioreduction and biological detoxification. • PPY embedded in "house of cells" to form "conductive cross-linking network". • PPY promoted the electron transfer and metabolic activity of microorganisms. • The environmental adaptability was promoted with the addition of PPY. • The multifaceted synergistic facilitation mechanism was established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostaglandin (PG) D 2 , a commonly considered vasodilator through D prostanoid receptor-1 (DP1), might also evoke vasoconstriction via acting on the thromboxane (Tx)-prostanoid receptor (the original receptor of TxA 2 ; TP) and/or E prostanoid receptor-3 (one of the vasoconstrictor receptors of PGE 2 ; EP3). This study aimed to test the above hypothesis in the mouse renal vascular bed (main renal arteries and perfused kidneys) and/or mesenteric resistance arteries and determine how the vasoconstrictor mechanism influences the overall PGD 2 effect on systemic blood pressure under in vivo conditions. Experiments were performed on control wild-type (WT) mice and mice with deficiencies in TP (TP−/−) and/or EP3 (EP3−/−). Here we show that PGD 2 indeed evoked vasoconstrictor responses in the above-mentioned tissues of WT mice, which were however not only reduced by TP−/− or EP3−/−, but also reversed by TP−/−/EP3−/− in some of the above tissues (mesenteric resistance arteries or perfused kidneys) to dilator reactions that were reduced by non-selective DP antagonism. A slight or mild pressor response was also observed with PGD 2 under in vivo conditions, and this was again reversed to a depressor response in TP−/− or TP−/−/EP3−/− mice. Non-selective DP antagonism reduced the PGD 2 -evoked depressor response in TP−/−/EP3−/− mice as well. These results thus demonstrate that like other PGs, PGD 2 activates TP and/or EP3 to evoke vasoconstrictor activities, which can outweigh its concurrent vasodepressor activity mediated mainly through DP1, and hence result in a pressor response, although the response might only be of a slight or mild extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to digestion complex environments, protein's ability to bind bile salts (BS) will be altered. This study aimed to assess the different effects of in vitro digestion on the BS-binding capacity of fermentation-organic acid compound-modified and unmodified WPI. According to the results, modified WPI can increase the degree of hydrolysis, reduce the sulfhydryl group content, and expose aromatic amino acids during digestion, indicating that the BS-binding ability of WPI is dependent on the hydrogen bond content. The more residual of surface hydrophobicity and β-sheet and β-turn contents suggested that exposure of hydrophobic groups of modification would promote BS-binding with hydrophobic of modified WPI in simulated digestion, consistent with the change in sulfhydryl content and surface hydrophobicity. This further confirms the higher binding ability of WPI for BS through hydrophobic interactions. In addition, the apparent viscosity and viscoelasticity of modified WPI were increased, which contributed to improved BS binding. Further, the modification enhanced the content of fragmented polymers with a molecular weight less than or equal to 3.3 kDa after digestion. Based on peptidomics, it was concluded that FLPYPYYAKP and ALKALPMHIRL were polypeptides with strong cholesterol-lowering effects, with a significant difference between modified and unmodified WPI. • Residual tyrosine and tryptophan side chains of modified WPI promoted BS binding. • Viscosity and viscoelasticity of the modified WPI was beneficial to BS binding. • Modification enriched the content of fragmented polymers (≤3.3 kDa MW) and hydrophobic amino acids after digestion. • Cholesterol-lowering peptides of FLPYPYYAKP and ALKALPMHIRL were improved by modification after in vitro digestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]