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Chinese governments at all levels have been using various policies to encourage innovation by firms. However, few studies considered the superimposed effects of multilevel innovation policies. Based on the panel data of 443 Chinese innovation–oriented firms from 2008 to 2011, this study investigates the complementarities between national and local science and technology programmes. The heterogeneous effects across stages of the innovation process are also considered. Results show that the national science and technology (S&T) programmes significantly increase firms' external research and development (R&D) expenditure but inhibit the commercialisation. In addition, the national and local S&T programmes complement each other in promoting external R&D expenditure while presenting substitutive in increasing patent outputs. This paper further finds that national and local programmes are more likely to be complementary at high subsidy intensity. This study contributes to the development of policy mix theory and has manifold implications for designing pertinent innovation policy systems [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Bensulfuron‐methyl (BSM) is a widely used herbicide in rice cultivation, but the mechanisms underlying its efficient uptake in rice are poorly understood. In this study, a yeast library expressing 1385 rice transporters was employed to screen proteins sensitive to BSM. As a result, a cyclic nucleotide‐gated channel (CNGC) protein, OsCNGC12, was identified. By inactivating the OsCNGC12 function via gene editing, we developed BSM‐tolerant rice lines. Our results showed that the OsCNGC12 mutant rice not only reduced BSM uptake but also promoted Ca2+ influx in the roots, leading to enhanced non‐target‐site tolerance to BSM. OsCNGC12 is localized in the plasma membrane and is abundantly expressed in the root caps, root vascular bundles, stems, and leaves, indicating its vital role in the distribution of BSM in rice. The indispensability of His‐236, Gln‐240, and Arg‐268 in BSM perception in yeast was demonstrated through targeted mutagenesis of OsCNGC12. Furthermore, we developed a BSM seed coating agent for OsCNGC12 mutant rice, providing a simplified and cost‐effective means of weed control in direct‐seeded rice. Inclusion, this study showed that disruption of OsCNGC12 confers non‐target‐site tolerance to BSM in rice and has the potential for developing BSM‐resistant rice varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of electron shuttle (ES) concentration on biofilm formation and redox activity and the molecular mechanism of inducing biofilm formation remain underexplored. Here, we examine the impacts of 2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-benzoquinone (2,6-DTBBQ) on the initial formation and redox activity of biofilms in bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) with Klebsiella quasipneumoniae SP203. The BES with 5-mM 2,6-DTBBQ has higher voltage output (increased approx. 103.53%) than control group, owing to the stimulation of redox reaction and reduction of the internal resistance of BESs. The 10-mM 2,6-DTBBQ enhances biofilm formation but inhibited redox activity of biofilm. Five-millimolar 2,6-DTBBQ promotes the extracellular electron transfer (EET) process with accumulated polysaccharides and high-density protein. CLSM results demonstrates high-density protein catalyze redox activity of biofilm by live/dead cell ratio though no thick biofilm obtained. Moreover, the redox activity and C4-HSL of K. quasipneumoniae SP203 can be stimulated by 2,6-DTBBQ; this strain can respond to 2,6-DTBBQ levels to improve Fe-S clusters/NADH dehydrogenase assembly and the synthesis of NAD and ubiquinone. Based on these results, an EET mechanism of K. quasipneumoniae SP203 is proposed. Collectively, 2,6-DTBBQ can strengthen K. quasipneumoniae SP203 biofilm redox activity and EET, which may contribute to the provision of green energy in the field of low-power supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice dwarf virus (RDV) is transmitted by insect vectors Nephotettix virescens and Nephotettix cincticeps (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) that threatens rice yield and results in substantial economic losses. RDV induces two volatiles ((E)-β-caryophyllene (EBC) and 2-heptanol) to emit from RDV-infected rice plants. However, the effects of the two volatiles on the olfactory behavior of both non-viruliferous and viruliferous N. virescens are unknown, and whether the two volatiles could facilitate the spread and dispersal of RDV remains elusive. Combining the methods of insect behavior, chemical ecology, and molecular biology, we found that EBC and 2-heptanol influenced the olfactory behavior of non-viruliferous and viruliferous N. virescens, independently. EBC attracted non-viruliferous N. virescens towards RDV-infected rice plants, promoting virus acquisition by non-viruliferous vectors. The effect was confirmed by using oscas1 mutant rice plants (repressed EBC synthesis), but EBC had no effects on viruliferous N. virescens. 2-heptanol did not attract or repel non-viruliferous N. virescens. However, spraying experiments showed that 2-heptanol repelled viruliferous N. virescens to prefer RDV-free rice plants, which would be conducive to the transmission of the virus. These novel results reveal that rice plant volatiles modify the behavior of N. virescens vectors to promote RDV acquisition and transmission. They will provide new insights into virus–vector–plant interactions, and promote the development of new prevention and control strategies for disease management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cluster of differentiation 31 (CD31), phalloidin and alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) have been widely applied to label the cerebral blood vessels in the past years. Although CD31 is mainly used as endothelial marker in determining the cerebral capillaries, it seems likely that its labeling efficiency is closely correlated with the antibodies from the polyclonal or monoclonal one, as well as the conditions of blood vessels. In order to test this phenomenon, we compared the labeling characteristics of goat polyclonal anti-CD31 (gP-CD31) and mouse monoclonal anti-CD31 (mM-CD31) with those of phalloidin and α-SMA on the rat brain in health and ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) with the middle cerebral artery occlusion. By multiple immunofluorescence staining, it was found that gP-CD31 labeling expressed extensively on the cerebral capillaries forming the vascular networks on the normal and ischemic regions, but mM-CD31 labeling mainly presented on the capillaries in the ischemic region. In contrast to the vascular labeling with gP-CD31, phalloidin and α-SMA were mainly expressed on the wall of cortical penetrating arteries, and less on that of capillaries. By three-dimensional reconstruction analysis, it was clearly shown that gP-CD31 labeling was mainly located on the lumen side of vascular wall and was surrounded by phalloidin labeling and α-SMA labeling. These results indicate that gP-CD31 is more sensitive than mM-CD31 for labeling the cerebral vasculature, and is highly compatible with phalloidin and α-SMA for evaluating the cerebral vascular networks under the physiological and pathological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, manganese tellurite (MnTeO3) nanoparticles are developed as theranostic agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐guided photothermal therapy of tumor. MnTeO3 nanoparticles are synthesized via a simple one‐step method. The as‐synthesized MnTeO3 nanoparticles with uniform size show good biocompatibility. In particular, MnTeO3 nanoparticles exhibit a high photothermal conversion efficiency (η = 26.3%), which is higher than that of gold nanorods. Moreover, MnTeO3 nanoparticles also have high MRI performance. The longitudinal relaxivity (r1) value of MnTeO3 nanoparticles is determined to be 8.08 ± 0.2 mm−1 s−1, which is higher than that of clinically approved T1‐contrast agents Gd‐DTPA (4.49 ± 0.1 mm−1 s−1). The subsequent MnTeO3 nanoparticles‐mediated photothermal therapy displays a highly efficient ablation of tumor cells both in vitro and in vivo with negligible toxicity. It is demonstrated that MnTeO3 nanoparticles can serve as promising theranostic agents with great potentials for MRI‐guided photothermal therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along with the gradually increasing incidence, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has already been influencing the health of more and more people in the world. Corydalis saxicola Bunting (CSB), a valuable folk medicine, is the dried whole grass of a perennial herb, Yanhuanglian (Papaveraceae), which has significant effects on various hepatitis, liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and other liver diseases. Corydalis saxicola Bunting total alkaloids (CSBTA), a mixture of alkaloids extracted from CSB, exhibit widely-accepted hepatoprotective effects. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic potential of CSBTA on NAFLD and the underlying mechanism. A mice model was established by high fat and high cholesterol diet (HFHCD) to study the benefits of CSBTA on the progression of NAFLD. The efficacy of CSBTA on NAFLD was revealed systematically via RNA-sequencing analysis. Further efficacy and molecular mechanism study were explored in mouse primary hepatocytes and HepG2 cells stimulated with high energy with or without pharmacological inhibition or gene silencing. CSBTA effectively improved the major hallmarks of NAFLD including liver lipid accumulation, liver injury, inflammation and fibrosis in HFHCD-fed mice. RNA sequencing and targeted qPCR analysis jointly evidenced CSBTA significantly suppressed the expression of Srebf1 , Acc1 and Fasn which are the genes responsible for fatty acid biosynthesis. Moreover, stable isotope tracer test denoted CSBTA reduced lipid accumulation via interrupting fatty acid biosynthesis in hepatocytes or the liver. Mechanistically, CSBTA could impede SREBP1 maturation via AMPK activation, thereby reducing DNL-derived lipid accumulation in hepatocytes. CSBTA protected against hepatic steatosis and other hallmarks of NAFLD induced by HFHCD via suppressing DNL, through modulating the AMPK-SREBP1 axis. CSBTA may therefore have a therapeutic potential for NAFLD treatment. [Display omitted] • CSBTA ameliorated high energy diet induced NAFLD in mice. • CSBTA reduced DNL-derived lipid accumulation via regulating hepatic AMPK-SREBP1 pathway. • CSBTA may be a therapeutic candidate for the treatment of NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to systematically assess the risk factors, the overall strength of association, and evidence quality related to delirium among adults hospitalized with COVID-19. A comprehensive search was conducted in thirteen databases from inception to February 10, 2023. The included databases were thoroughly searched, including PubMed, Web of Science, Proquest, Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, FMRS, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM), China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database (CNKI), Weipu Database (VIP), and Embase. The search was limited to articles published in English and Chinese. The selected studies were screened, data were extracted, and the quality was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software. The certainty of the evidence was assessed using the GRADE criteria. A total of 22 cohort studies with a sample size of 11,957 individuals were included in the analysis. Among these studies, 20 were of high quality, while the remaining 2 were of moderate quality. The risk factors that showed the strongest association with delirium were prior cognitive impairment (including dementia), mechanical ventilation, and ICU admission. Age, frailty (Clinical Frailty Scale score > 5), antipsychotic use, benzodiazepine use, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and vasopressor use were identified as moderate risk factors for delirium. According to the GRADE evaluation, ICU admission, benzodiazepine use, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and vasopressor use had a high-quality body of evidence, while antipsychotic usage had an intermediate-quality body of evidence. All other risk factors had a low-quality body of evidence. This systematic review and meta-analysis identified several medium- to high-intensity risk factors for delirium in hospitalized adults with COVID-19. ICU admission, benzodiazepine usage, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, antipsychotic use, and vasopressor use were associated with delirium and were supported by medium- to high-quality evidence. These findings provide healthcare professionals with an evidence-based basis for managing and treating delirium in hospitalized adults with COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the variable-order fractional Laplacian equations with variable exponents and the Kirchhoff-type problem driven by p · -fractional Laplace with variable exponents were studied. By using variational method, the authors obtain the existence and uniqueness results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 82004299); and the CACMS Innovation Fund (No. CI2021A03407); and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Public Welfare Research Institutes (No. ZZ14-YQ-032; ZZ14-YQ-034; ZZ13-YQ-068)." now reads: "This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 82004492); and the CACMS Innovation Fund (No. CI2021A03407); and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Public Welfare Research Institutes (No. ZZ14-YQ-032; ZZ14-YQ-034; ZZ13-YQ-068)." Correction to: I Scientific Reports i https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26831-6, published online 24 December 2022 The original version of this Article contained an error in the Funding section. [Extracted from the article]

This paper is devoted to derive optimality conditions and duality theorems for interval-valued optimization problems based on gH-symmetrically derivative. Further, the concepts of symmetric pseudo-convexity and symmetric quasi-convexity for interval-valued functions are proposed to extend above optimization conditions. Examples are also presented to illustrate corresponding results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • We isolated a novel phage LPSTLL with broadest lytic range infecting Salmonella among the reported phages. • A new genus of Siphoviridae family, LPSTLLvirus , with LPSTLL as the type phage, was proposed. • LPSTLL has ability as a candidate for Salmonella biocontrol agent in the food matrices without impact on the sensory quality. Salmonella is one of the most common foodborne pathogens around the world. Phages are envisioned as a new strategy to control foodborne pathogenic bacteria and food safety. A Salmonella specific lytic phage vB_SalS-LPSTLL (LPSTLL) was selected for food applications on the basis of lytic range, lytic efficiency, functional stability and characteristics. Phage LPSTLL was able to lyse 11 Salmonella serotypes, which represents the broadest range reported Salmonella phages, and was able to suppress the growth of Salmonella enterica in liquid culture over nine hours. LPSTLL exhibited rapid reproductive activity with a short latent period and a large burst size in one-step growth experiment. LPSTLL remained active over a pH range of 3.0 to 12.0, and at incubation temperatures up to 60 °C for 60 min, indicating wide applicability for food processing and storage. Significant reductions of viable Salmonella were observed in diverse foods (milk, apple juice, chicken and lettuce) with reductions up to 2.8 log CFU/mL recorded for milk. Sensory evaluation indicated that treatment with phage LPSTLL did not alter the visual or tactile quality of food matrices. Genome analysis of LPSTLL indicated the absence of any virulence or antimicrobial resistance genes. Genomic comparisons suggest phage LPSTLL constitutes a novel member of a new genus, the LPSTLLvirus with the potential for Salmonella biocontrol in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the removal performance and mechanisms of dexamethasone (DEX), a representative fluoroglucocorticoid (FGC), from micro-polluted oligotrophic groundwater in a bio-electrochemical system amended with polyaniline-loaded activated carbon (PANI@AC) as three-dimensional particle electrodes (BES-3D). The BES-3D achieved a DEX removal efficiency of 95.7%, which was 39.0% and 14.1% higher than that of a single biological system (SBIO) and two-dimensional bio-electrochemical system (BES-2D), respectively. The preliminary metabolic mechanism of defluorination accounted for 53.5%, 41.1%, and 16.3% in BES-3D, BES-2D, and SBIO, respectively, which was accompanied by demethylation, side-chain fracture, and hydroxyl oxidation for ketone formation and final-ring opening. The main mechanism by which removal was improved in BES-3D was the enrichment of functional microbes and enhancement of the expression of dehalogenation genes. The relative abundance of functional microbes with electron transfer ability and reductive dehalogenating genera, i.e., Pseudomonas , Methylotenera, Desulfuromonas, Sphingomonas, and Microbacterium , in BES-3D was 3.7–6.1 times higher and the copy number of functional genes was 1.9 times higher than those of SBIO, which contributed to the high DEX removal. [Display omitted] • DEX removal efficiency from groundwater reached 95.7% in BES-3D. • PANI@AC amendment enhanced reductive defluorination and electron transfer. • Primary metabolic pathways included defluorination and side-chain rupture. • Defluorination accounted for 53.5% of metabolic removal in BES-3D. • Functional microbes with reductive dehalogenation contributed to DEX removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Staled Longjing tea contains more acids, alcohols, aldehydes, and ketones. • Hexanoic acid and trans -2-nonenal are stale odor contributors in Longjing tea. • The stale odor contributors in Longjing tea exhibit a fatty odor. • The stale odor intensity can be predicted by the hexanoic acid concentration. • Hexanoic acid and trans -2-nonenal are degraded from linoleic acid. Longjing tea is renowned for its fresh aroma and high value. However, during storage, the emergence of an off-flavor known as "stale odor" can significantly impact the flavor quality and economic benefits of Longjing tea. Yet, the specific volatiles responsible for this stale odor in Longjing tea remain unknown. In this study, Longjing tea samples with varying degrees of stale odor intensity were analyzed using simultaneous distillation extraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SDE-GC–MS). Through odor activity value (OAV) and fractional omission testing, hexanoic acid and trans -2-nonenal were identified as the primary contributors to the stale odor. Moreover, the concentration of hexanoic acid was found to be valuable in predicting the intensity of the stale odor in Longjing tea. The oxidative degradation of linoleic acid was proved as the generation pathway of stale odor in Longjing tea. These findings provide essential theoretical principles for Longjing tea production and preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: An increasing number of studies have shown that the PCV3 virus causes signs and symptoms similar to PDNS in pigs, and since first being identified in the United States, it has caused reproductive failure in pigs. Studies have shown that it has spread worldwide, especially in China. However, to date, there are only a few reports of PCV3 detection and sequence variation, and limited information is known about its distribution in China's major swine-producing regions. This study examined the prevalence of PCV3 in China and its evolutionary relationship. A high level of PCV3 infection has been found in serum samples, and it has been found that PCV3 infection has a widespread distribution among Chinese pig herds. The ORF2 genes of the strains were analyzed and compared with other PCV3 strains, which were downloaded from the NCBI. Our phylogenetic analysis indicated a close relationship with the strains previously described in pigs, and additional analysis revealed that all isolates obtained in this study could be divided into two sub-clades: 3a and 3b. Overall, this study showed that PCV3 prevalence in China is high and there is a lot of genetic divergence among the strains, which may pose a threat to the porcine industry. Porcine circovirus 3 (PCV3) is an emerging virus, causing substantial economic losses in pig populations, that was first detected in 2016. Furthermore, the virus has already been reported in Europe, the Americas, and Asia, including China, indicating that the virus has spread worldwide. However, the molecular epidemiology of PCV3 still needs further study. To investigate PCV3 epidemiological characteristics in China, 2707 serum samples of pigs were randomly collected from 17 provinces in China between September 2018 and March 2022 and analyzed via PCR assays. The study showed that PCV3 infection was prevalent in the overall population with 31.07% (841/2707) and 100.0% (17/17) at sample and province levels, respectively, though the positivity rate of PCV3 varied from 7.41 to 70.0% in different provinces, suggesting that PCV3 infection has a widespread distribution in China. We selected 22 serum samples from different regions that had high levels of viral DNA for amplification and sequenced their ORF2 (Cap) gene. According to the phylogenetic analysis, all isolates in the current study could be grouped into two separate subclades, with 15 strains belonging to clade 3a and 7 strains belonging to clade 3b, indicating that PCV3a and PCV3b were the predominant subtypes in the regions of China studied. Meanwhile, additional analysis revealed that the capsid gene sequences identified in this study displayed 97.46~99.8% nucleotide (nt) and 97.06~100% amino acid (aa) sequence similarity with other PCV3 available reference strains, respectively. In general, our studies provide important insights for understanding the prevalence and evolution of PCV3 in China and will guide future efforts to develop measures for preventing and controlling the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Extracellular electron transfer (EET) is essential in improving the power generation performance of electrochemically active bacteria (EAB) in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Currently, the EET mechanisms of dissimilatory metal-reducing (DMR) model bacteria Shewanella oneidensis and Geobacter sulfurreducens have been thoroughly studied. Klebsiella has also been proved to be an EAB capable of EET, but the EET mechanism has not been perfected. This study investigated the effects of biofilm transfer and electron mediators transfer on Klebsiella quasipneumoniae sp. 203 electricity generation performance in MFCs. Results: Herein, we covered the anode of MFC with a layer of microfiltration membrane to block the effect of the biofilm mechanism, and then explore the EET of the electron mediator mechanism of K. quasipneumoniae sp. 203 and electricity generation performance. In the absence of short-range electron transfer, we found that K. quasipneumoniae sp. 203 can still produce a certain power generation performance, and coated-MFC reached 40.26 mW/m2 at a current density of 770.9 mA/m2, whereas the uncoated-MFC reached 90.69 mW/m2 at a current density of 1224.49 mA/m2. The difference in the electricity generation performance between coated-MFC and uncoated-MFC was probably due to the microfiltration membrane covered in anode, which inhibited the growth of EAB on the anode. Therefore, we speculated that K. quasipneumoniae sp. 203 can also perform EET through the biofilm mechanism. The protein content, the integrity of biofilm and the biofilm activity all proved that the difference in the electricity generation performance between coated-MFC and uncoated-MFC was due to the extremely little biomass of the anode biofilm. To further verify the effect of electron mediators on electricity generation performance of MFCs, 10 µM 2,6-DTBBQ, 2,6-DTBHQ and DHNA were added to coated-MFC and uncoated-MFC. Combining the time–voltage curve and CV curve, we found that 2,6-DTBBQ and 2,6-DTBHQ had high electrocatalytic activity toward the redox reaction of K. quasipneumoniae sp. 203-inoculated MFCs. It was also speculated that K. quasipneumoniae sp. 203 produced 2,6-DTBHQ and 2,6-DTBBQ. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, the three modes of EET did not exist separately. K. quasipneumoniae sp.203 will adopt the corresponding electron transfer mode or multiple ways to realize EET according to the living environment to improve electricity generation performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sewage sludge (SS) co-composting with green forest waste (GFW) improved products quality. • Co-composting of SS and GFW with ratio of 3:2 led to 75% biodegradation of PAHs. • Bacillus , Pseudomonas and Methylotenera facilitated sludge maturation and PAHs degradation. • PAHs biodegradation was positively correlated with temperature, pH, TOC, C/N and TN. The main aim of this research was to study the biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the influence of environmental factors during composting in order to realize the utilization of PAHs contaminated sewage sludge. A production scale compost experiment was conducted with three mixtures of sewage sludge (SS): green forest waste (GFW) at quality ratios of 3:1 (T1), 3:2 (T2) and 3:3 (T3). The residual concentration of PAHs in the three treatments met the permissible limit prescribed by the Agricultural Sludge Pollutant Control Standard (GB 4284-2018). The biodegradation rates of PAHs were 0.0280, 0.0281 and 0.0218 mg/d, and removal efficiencies were 70.7%, 75.2% and 62.4% in T1, T2, T3, respectively, which followed the first-order rate kinetics. The residual concentration of PAHs in T2 was the lowest (1.81 mg/kg), while the germination index (GI) of Tall Fescues (~0.9) was the highest during 50 days of co-composting. The bacterial diversity negatively correlated with the residual PAHs content. The main genus, Bacillus, Pseudomonas and Methylotenera, with cellulose-degrading and PAHs co-metabolizing functions contributed significantly to sludge maturation and PAHs degradation. The dominant microorganisms, Pseudomonas , Sphingobacterium and Chitinophagaceae_uncultured, could support the high removal rate of PAHs in T2. Temperature, pH, total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN) and carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio had significant positive effect on the compost maturity and quality, and these parameters correlated with the PAHs biodegradation efficiency during composting, especially in T2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present the gH-symmetrical derivative of interval-valued functions and its properties. In application, we apply this new derivative to investigate the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker (KKT) conditions of interval-valued optimization problems. Meanwhile, some examples are worked out to illuminate the obtained results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The chlorination and bromination kinetics of CCBs were evaluated and modeled. • CCBs have distinct reactivity with halogen oxidants and photochemical transients. • Modeling showed that both CCBs were stable in natural waters (from days to months). • Free chlorine dominated the CCB degradation in the solar/chlorine system. • CCB transformation from disinfection to natural photolysis produced higher risks. Organic micropollutants present in disinfected wastewater and discharged to sunlit surface waters may be transformed by multiple processes, such as chlorination due to the presence of chlorine residuals, solar irradiation as well as solar-irradiated chlorine residues. This study reports, for the first time, the multi-scenario degradation kinetics, transformation products, and risk evolution of calcium channel blockers (CCBs), a class of emerging pharmaceutical contaminants with worldwide prevalence in natural waters and wastewater. It was found that the chlorination of the studied CCBs (amlodipine (AML) and verapamil (VER)) was dominated by the reaction of HOCl with their neutral species, with second-order rate constants of 6.15×104 M−1 s−1 (AML) and 7.93×103 M−1 s−1 (VER) at pH 5.0–11.0. Bromination is much faster than chlorination, with the measured k app,HOBr values of 2.94×105 M−1 s−1 and 6.58×103 M−1 s−1 for AML and VER, respectively, at pH 7.0. Furthermore, both CCBs would undergo photolytic attenuations with hydroxyl and carbonate radicals as the dominant reactive species in water. Notably, free chlorine mainly contributed to their abatement during the solar/chlorine treatment. Additionally, the halogen addition on the aromatic ring was observed during chlorination and bromination of the two CCBs. Cyclization was observed under solar irradiation only, while the aromatic ring was opened in the solar/chlorine system. Some products generated by the three transformation processes exhibited non-negligible risks of high biodegradation recalcitrance and toxicity, potentially threatening the aquatic environment and public health. Overall, this study elucidated the environmental fate of typical CCBs under different transformation processes to better understand the resulting ecological risks in these environmental scenarios. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the synthesis of TaN nanosheets and their application in theranostic agents is reported. After coating polyethylene glycol (PEG) on the TaN nanosheets, the as‐synthesized PEG‐modified TaN nanosheets (TaN‐PEG) show good stability and biocompatibility. Because of their high absorbance in the near‐IR region, TaN‐PEG can be utilized as photoacoustic imaging contrast agents for tumor imaging. Moreover, TaN‐PEG has significant photothermal conversion performance, exhibiting effective laser‐induced tumor ablation capability. The TaN‐PEG possessing excellent photoacoustic contrast effect and photothermal properties thus have great promise in theranostic applications, especially imaging‐guided cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interval rough number rough sets model is the generalization of the classical rough sets. Since the lower approximation condition of interval rough number rough sets model is a full inclusion relation which is too strict to tolerate noisy data, strict conditions increase the possibility of a sample classified into a wrong class. To overcome the above shortcomings, an interval rough number variable precision rough sets model is proposed in this paper, which is combined with interval rough number similarity and the concept of variable precision rough sets. The model introduces the error parameter and can improve the tolerance of noise data. Then the related properties of the model are also proved. Moreover, we construct a maximal positive domain attribute reduction method based on the proposed model, which can process the data type of interval rough number without discretization. Finally, numerical examples are given to verify the rationality of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light‐emitting devices based on alloyed quantum dots have reached external quantum efficiencies above 20% in red, green, and blue emission devices. Their outstanding performances including high efficiency, long‐term device stability, and suppressed efficiency roll‐off identify alloyed‐quantum‐dot based light‐emitting devices as good candidates for next generation solid‐state lightings and displays. All these advantages stem from the chemical composition gradient of alloyed quantum dots in radial direction. The chemical composition gradient enables the lattice strain to be released gradually, eventually decreasing interface defects and suppressing Auger recombination. Carrier dynamics play a crucial role in the fundamental properties and functionalities of quantum dots for solid‐state devices and light‐emitting devices. A more in‐depth understanding of carrier dynamics in quantum dots is therefore of both fundamental and technological significance. This review article provides an overview on recent advances in the study and understanding of carrier dynamics of alloyed quantum dots and alloyed‐quantum‐dot based light‐emitting devices. Particular emphasis is placed on the relationship between Auger recombination and optical properties and optoelectronic properties. This review is expected to encourage further research in alloyed quantum dots and related devices and to stimulate new synthesis efforts to produce stable alloyed quantum dots with further improved control of carrier dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Six ion channel genes were continuous differentially expressed in the tumorigenesis and progression of LUAD. • LUAD patients with overexpression of GJB2 or underexpression of SCNN1B had shorter overall survival. • Hypomethylation of GJB2 and hypermethylation of SCNN1B in the promoter region may contribute to the aberrant expressions. • The prognostic model with GJB2 and SCNN1B could stratify all LUAD patients into two groups with significantly different overall survival. • GJB2 and SCNN1B might have potential indicative therapeutic value for LUAD patients. Abnormal expressions of ion channel genes are associated with the occurrence and progression of tumors. At present, their roles in the carcinogenesis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) are not clear. Differentially expressed (DE) genes in the tumorigenesis were identified from 328 ion channel genes in 102 LUAD and paired adjacent normal samples. Similar analyses were performed between 177 metastatic and 286 non-metastatic LUAD samples to identify DE ion channel genes in the progression of LUAD. Independent prognostic factors selected from DE ion channel genes were used to construct a prognostic model. Correlation analysis and drugs-drug targets interaction network were used to screen the potential drugs for LUAD patients stratified by GJB2 or SCNN1B. Six ion channel genes (GJB2 , CACNA1D , KCNQ1 , SCNN1B , SCNN1G and TRPV6) were continuous differentially expressed in the tumorigenesis and progression of LUAD. The survival analysis in four datasets with 522 LUAD samples showed that GJB2 and SCNN1B were independent prognostic biomarkers. Patients with overexpression of GJB2 or underexpression of SCNN1B had shorter overall survival. Moreover, multi-omics analysis showed that hypomethylation of GJB2 and hypermethylation of SCNN1B in the promoter region may contribute to their aberrant expressions. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the overexpressed genes in the group with high GJB2 or low SCNN1B were enriched in cancer-related pathways, while the underexpressed genes were enriched in metabolism-related pathways. The prognostic model with GJB2 and SCNN1B can stratify all LUAD patients into two groups with significantly different survival. Correlation analysis and drugs-drug targets interaction network suggested that GJB2 and SCNN1B expression might have indicative therapeutic values for LUAD patients. Finally, pan-cancer analysis in other eight cancer types showed that GJB2 and SCNN1B might be also potential prognostic factors for KIRC. GJB2 and SCNN1B were identified as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for LUAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant viruses have been engineered to express proteins and induce gene silencing for decades. Recently, plant viruses have also been used to deliver components into plant cells for genome editing, a technique called virus-induced genome editing (VIGE). Although more than a dozen plant viruses have been engineered into VIGE vectors and VIGE has been successfully accomplished in some plant species, application of VIGE to crops that are difficult to tissue culture and/or have low regeneration efficiency is still tough. This paper discusses factors to consider for an ideal VIGE vector, including insertion capacity for foreign DNA, vertical transmission ability, expression level of the target gene, stability of foreign DNA insertion, and biosafety. We also proposed a step-by-step schedule for excavating the suitable viral vector for VIGE. • Factors to considerate when designing a virus vector are discussed. • The biosafety issue of virus-induced genome editing (VIGE) was proposed. • A procedure is proposed to select the right virus for VIGE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black phosphorus (BP) has emerged as a rapidly rising star in the field of biomedical science. In this work, BP nanosheets (BPNSs) are synthesized and their potential as a nano‐antibacterial agent is investigated. The concentration and time‐dependent antibacterial activities are evaluated by cell viability assays together with scanning electron microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscope, and the measurement of efflux of RNA release assay. The experimental results show that BPNSs have a strong killing effect on both representatives of gram‐negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) and gram‐positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus), and exhibit concentration and time‐dependent antibacterial activity. The sharp edges of BPNSs in the interaction with bacteria can cause physical damage to the bacterial membrane and RNA leakage, resulting in bacterial death. The results demonstrate that the BPNSs show great promise as new nano‐antibacterial materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract 3D structured flower-like bismuth tungstate/magnetic-graphene nanoplates (Bi 2 WO 6 /mag-GNPs) composite was first synthetised for degradation of ciprofloxacin (CIP). The morphological properties of Bi 2 WO 6 /mag-GNPs were characterized by SEM, XRD and DRS. The results revealed the synthesized Bi 2 WO 6 /mag-GNPs had the enhanced photocatalytic activity because of the synergistic effects of Bi 2 WO 6 , graphene and Fe 3 O 4. The photocatalytic degradation rate of Bi 2 WO 6 /mag-GNPs toward CIP was almost 6.0 times of mag-GNPs, 2.0 times and 1.7 times of Bi 2 WO 6 and Bi 2 WO 6 /GNPs, respectively. Moreover, the Bi 2 WO 6 /mag-GNPs particles could be easily separated and recycled. The construction of Bi 2 WO 6 /mag-GNPs effectively resolved the separation of photocatalyst and improved the photocatalysis activity of Bi 2 WO 6. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • A novel visible-light 3D structured flower-like Bi 2 WO 6 /mag-GNPs was synthesized. • The synergistic effect of Bi 2 WO 6 and mag-GNPs enhanced the photocatalyst activity. • Bi 2 WO 6 /mag-GNPs can use sunlight to effectively degrade ciprofloxacin. • Bi 2 WO 6 /mag-GNPs showed good reusability and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background & Aims: Currently, using biopsy specimens to confirm suspicious liver lesions of early hepatocellular carcinoma are not entirely reliable because of insufficient sampling amount and inaccurate sampling location. It is necessary to develop a signature to aid early hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis using biopsy specimens even when the sampling location is inaccurate. Methods: Based on the within‐sample relative expression orderings of gene pairs, we identified a simple qualitative signature to distinguish both hepatocellular carcinoma and adjacent non‐tumour tissues from cirrhosis tissues of non‐hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Results: A signature consisting of 19 gene pairs was identified in the training data sets and validated in 2 large collections of samples from biopsy and surgical resection specimens. For biopsy specimens, 95.7% of 141 hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and all (100%) of 108 cirrhosis tissues of non‐hepatocellular carcinoma patients were correctly classified. Especially, all (100%) of 60 hepatocellular carcinoma adjacent normal tissues and 77.5% of 80 hepatocellular carcinoma adjacent cirrhosis tissues were classified to hepatocellular carcinoma. For surgical resection specimens, 99.7% of 733 hepatocellular carcinoma specimens were correctly classified to hepatocellular carcinoma, while 96.1% of 254 hepatocellular carcinoma adjacent cirrhosis tissues and 95.9% of 538 hepatocellular carcinoma adjacent normal tissues were classified to hepatocellular carcinoma. In contrast, 17.0% of 47 cirrhosis from non‐hepatocellular carcinoma patients waiting for liver transplantation were classified to hepatocellular carcinoma, indicating that some patients with long‐lasting cirrhosis could have already gained hepatocellular carcinoma characteristics. Conclusions: The signature can distinguish both hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and tumour‐adjacent tissues from cirrhosis tissues of non‐hepatocellular carcinoma patients even using inaccurately sampled biopsy specimens, which can aid early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on relative-distance-measure fuzzy interval arithmetic (RDM-FIA), this paper presents several new concepts for fuzzy functions in fractional granular calculus with Mittag-Leffler (ML) kernels, such as Atangana–Baleanu (AB) fractional granular integrals, AB fractional granular derivatives, and AB Caputo fractional granular derivatives. Then, we present formulas for the fuzzy granular Laplace transform on Caputo fractional granular derivatives, AB fractional granular derivatives, and AB Caputo fractional granular derivatives. In addition to the relationship between AB fractional granular derivatives and AB Caputo fractional granular derivatives established using the granular Laplace transform, new fractional Newton–Leibniz-type formulas for both derivatives and integrals are proved. As applications, we obtain the fundamental solutions for the fuzzy economic models in the framework of Caputo fractional granular derivatives and AB Caputo fractional granular derivatives by utilizing the fuzzy granular Laplace transform. Several graphical explanations are given to show the dynamic behavior of the fundamental solutions. Moreover, we illustrate the advantages of using RDM-FIA to study the mathematical models of uncertain dynamical systems. The results of this study are illustrated using several numerical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PRRSV and CSFV are both the main pathogens of pigs and pose great threats to the pig industry. Previous studies have shown that PRRSV infection or attenuated virus vaccination can reduce the antibody level of attenuated CSFV vaccine and even cause immune failure. The higher pro-inflammatory cytokines induced by PRRSV might play a significant role in inhibiting the proliferation of CSFV-C. However, the molecular mechanism has not been elucidated yet. Here, the effect of IL-1β, a central mediator of immune-regulating inflammatory responses, on CSFV-C proliferation was investigated, as well as the mechanisms responsible for the production of IL-1β in the PRRSV and CSFV-C co-infection systems. The results showed that co-infection could significantly increase IL-1β production both at mRNA and protein levels with the infection progressing, and the IL-1β upregulation was mainly triggered by PRRSV infection. Additional experiments indicated that IL-1β inhibited the proliferation of CSFV-C in a cell-type independent manner at the replication and release stages. Furthermore, the IL-1β production induced via the TLR4/MyD88 pathway and the downstream signaling pathways NF- κ B, ERK1/2, P38, and JNK were involved by treatment with specific inhibitors or siRNA knockdown assays. Finally, we clarified that the NLRP3 inflammasome played a meaningful role in the maturation and release of IL-1β. Together, the accumulated results provided a deeper understanding of the vaccination failure of CSFV caused by PRRSV co-infection as well as targets for the development of novel approaches for the vaccination and control of CSF. • PRRSV infection significantly increased IL-1β expression with the infection progressing in PAMs. • IL-1β inhibited the proliferation of CSFV-C at the replication and release stages. • The TLR4/MyD88/NF- κ B/MAPK signaling pathways, as well as the NLRP3 inflammasome were required for IL-1β production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Ester and non-ester catechins appear various precipitate mechanisms with caffeine. • GH can weaken the intermolecular interaction between catechins and caffeine. • The 1:1 stereochemical structure of epigallocatechin-caffeine was first found. Green tea cream, the precipitate formed in cooled green tea infusion, appears a negative effect on flavor. To explain the mechanism of green tea cream, complexations between four catechins (CATs) and caffeine (CAF) were engineered and characterized. Dynamic light scattering, high performance liquid chromatography, scanning electron microscopy, fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–visible absorption spectrum, and x-ray diffraction were used to reveal the differences between ester catechins and non-ester catechins in the dynamic complexation process, particle shape, and precipitate mechanism with caffeine. The results indicated that CATs and CAF affected each other's microenvironment in aqueous solution and Guanidine hydrochloride (GH) weakened the effect both in solution and precipitate. In addition, the 1:1 complex structure of EGC-CAF was first proved, the hydrogen bond, CH...π and π...π interaction were the forces of CAT-CAF complexes by XRD. These results provided a new perspective to the mechanism analysis of green tea cream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cholestasis has limited therapeutic options and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The A1 adenosine receptor (A1AR) was postulated to participate in the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis induced by experimental extrahepatic cholestasis; however, the contribution of A1AR to intrahepatic cholestatic liver injury remains unknown. Here, we found that mice lacking A1AR were resistant to alpha-naphthyl isothiocyanate (ANIT)–induced liver injury, as evidenced by lower serum liver enzyme levels and reduced extent of histological necrosis. Bile acid accumulation in liver and serum was markedly diminished in A1AR−/− mice compared with wild-type (WT) mice. However, biliary and urinary outputs of bile acids were significantly enhanced in A1AR−/− mice. In the liver, mRNA expression of genes related to bile acid transport (Bsep and Mdr2) and hydroxylation (Cyp3a11) was increased in A1AR−/− mice. In the kidney, A1AR deficiency prevented the decrease of glomerular filtration rate caused by ANIT. Treatment of WT mice with A1AR antagonist DPCPX also protected against ANIT hepatotoxicity. Our results indicated that lack of A1AR gene protects mice from ANIT-induced cholestasis by enhancing toxic biliary constituents efflux through biliary excretory route and renal elimination system and suggested a potential role of A1AR as therapeutic target for the treatment of intrahepatic cholestasis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]