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Simple Summary: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is often diagnosed at advanced stages, resulting in limited treatment options and poor survival rates. To address this challenge, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of pyroptosis-related genes using advanced algorithms. Our study, involving 1273 PDAC cases, identified 357 pyroptosis-related genes. Notably, BHLHE40, IL18, BIRC3, and APOL1 were found to be related to unfavourable PDAC outcomes and were validated through experiments and multiple datasets. We developed a novel model and an accessible nomogram to predict PDAC prognosis. Our research enhances our understanding of PDAC and has significant implications for both research and clinical practice. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is often diagnosed at late stages, limiting treatment options and survival rates. Pyroptosis-related gene signatures hold promise as PDAC prognostic markers, but limited gene pools and small sample sizes hinder their utility. We aimed to enhance PDAC prognosis with a comprehensive multi-algorithm analysis. Using R, we employed natural language processing and latent Dirichlet allocation on PubMed publications to identify pyroptosis-related genes. We collected PDAC transcriptome data (n = 1273) from various databases, conducted a meta-analysis, and performed differential gene expression analysis on tumour and non-cancerous tissues. Cox and LASSO algorithms were used for survival modelling, resulting in a pyroptosis-related gene expression-based prognostic index. Laboratory and external validations were conducted. Bibliometric analysis revealed that pyroptosis publications focus on signalling pathways, disease correlation, and prognosis. We identified 357 pyroptosis-related genes, validating the significance of BHLHE40, IL18, BIRC3, and APOL1. Elevated expression of these genes strongly correlated with poor PDAC prognosis and guided treatment strategies. Our accessible nomogram model aids in PDAC prognosis and treatment decisions. We established an improved gene signature for pyroptosis-related genes, offering a novel model and nomogram for enhanced PDAC prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) in children is an immune disorder disease characterized by skin purpura accompanied by hematuria with or without proteinuria. Because of an increasing incidence rate, its treatment and prevention are gradually attracting greater attention. According to its clinical symptoms, the disease is classified as "purpura wind" "edema" and "cloudy urine", and it is believed that collaterals are involved in the occurrence of the disease. As a microstructure that cooperates with the collaterals to perform the functions of kidney filtration and circulation of qi, blood, and body fluids, the kidney xuanfu also plays an important role in the pathological process of HSPN. If the opening and closing of the kidney xuanfu are orderly, and the collaterals are circulating smoothly, the kidney function is normal, the renal collaterals are not disturbed by evil factors, and the disease only manifests as skin purpura. If the opening and closing of the kidney xuanfu are not controlled properly, and the collaterals are blocked, the renal collaterals will be damaged, which will lead to the occurrence of HSPN. In view of this, this article proposes that the occurrence and development of HSPN can be divided into three stages: (i) the collaterals are disturbed by pathogenic factors, and the kidney xuanfu is open; (ii) the collaterals are empty, and the kidney xuanfu is not controlled; and (iii) the xuanfu is closed, the collaterals and blood exhibit stasis, and fire generates and phlegm retention appears. In addition, our team initially explored the treatment principles and method of HSPN based on the principle of "calming the collaterals and clearing the xuanfu", "nourishing the collaterals and regulating the xuanfu", and "opening the xuanfu and dredging the collaterals" from the perspective of "the opening and closing of the kidney xuanfu, and the dredging and blocking of collaterals", with a view to providing new ideas for clinical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), an important postoperative neurological complication, is very common and has an elevated incidence in elderly patients. Sevoflurane, an inhaled anesthetic, has been demonstrated to be associated with POCD in both clinical and animal studies. However, how to prevent POCD remains unclear. Minocycline, a commonly used antibiotic can cross the blood-brain barrier and exert an inhibitory effect on inflammation in the central nervous system. The present work aimed to examine the protective effect and mechanism of minocycline on sevoflurane-induced POCD in aged mice. We found that 3% sevoflurane administered 2 h a day for 3 consecutive days led to cognitive impairment in aged animals. Further investigation revealed that sevoflurane impaired synapse plasticity by causing apoptosis and neuroinflammation and thus induced cognitive dysfunction. However, minocycline pretreatment (50 mg/kg, i.p, 1 h prior to sevoflurane exposure) significantly attenuated learning and memory impairments associated with sevoflurane in aged animals by suppressing apoptosis and neuroinflammation. Moreover, a mechanistic analysis showed that minocycline suppressed sevoflurane-triggered neuroinflammation by inhibiting Notch signaling. Similar results were also obtained in vitro. Collectively, these findings suggested minocycline may be an effective drug for the prevention of sevoflurane-induced POCD in elderly patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ablation of ift27 in zebrafish leads to progressive late-onset photoreceptor degeneration. • Rods degenerate before cones in ift27-/- zebrafish. • IFT27 is involved in the long-term maintenance of cilia morphology. • Loss of IFT27 causes defects in the Hedgehog signaling pathway. • Abnormal distribution of GLI2 in cilia of IFT27 -deficient cells. Approximately a quarter of Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is caused by mutations in transport-related genes in cilia. IFT27 (Intraflagellar Transport 27), a core component of the ciliary intraflagellar transport (IFT) system, has been implicated as a significant pathogenic gene in RP. The pathogenic mechanisms and subsequent pathology related to IFT27 mutations in RP are largely obscure. Here, we utilized TALEN technology to create an ift27 knockout (ift27-/-) zebrafish model. Electroretinography (ERG) detection showed impaired vision in this model. Histopathological examinations disclosed that ift27 mutations cause progressive degeneration of photoreceptors in zebrafish, and this degeneration was late-onset. Immunofluorescence labeling of outer segments showed that rods degenerated before cones, aligning with the conventional characterization of RP. In cultured human retinal pigment epithelial cells, we found that IFT27 was involved in maintaining ciliary morphology. Furthermore, decreased IFT27 expression resulted in the inhibition of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway, including decreased expression of key factors in the Hh pathway and abnormal localization of the ciliary mediator Gli2. In summary, we generated an ift27-/- zebrafish line with retinal degeneration which mimicked the symptoms of RP patients, highlighting IFT27 ′s integral role in the long-term maintenance of cilia via the Hh signaling pathway. This work may furnish new insights into the treatment or delay of RP caused by IFT27 mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study prepared ginsenoside microcapsules with different wall materials (maltodextrin, inulin, lactose) by spray drying based on ginsenoside emulsions, and evaluated the influence of maltodextrin-inulin/lactose ratios on the physicochemical characteristics of ginsenoside microcapsules and its reconstituted emulsions. For ginsenoside microcapsules with composite wall materials, the incorporation of inulin/lactose not only improved the wettability of microcapsules from 409 s to 54 s/103 s but also increased the solubility from 83.10% to 88.58%/92.10%, indicating a better reconstitution performance. Compared with fresh ginsenoside emulsions, the droplet size distribution of reconstituted emulsions increased, and the accelerated stability decreased accordingly. However, with the incorporation of inulin/lactose from 0% to 15%, the physicochemical properties of reconstituted emulsions were enhanced surprisingly. Generally, the addition of inulin/lactose not only improves the rehydration performance of microcapsules but also the stability of reconstituted emulsions, which achieved a stable emulsion system and could improve the biologic activity of ginsenosides. [Display omitted] • The incorporation of IN/LT improved the physicochemical properties of microcapsule. • Microcapsules prepared with 5%MD + 15%IN/LT exhibited good rehydration performance. • IN/LT enhanced the wettability of microcapsules due to stronger hydrophilicity. • IN/LT improved the stability of reconstituted ginsenoside emulsions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrospun nanofibers have been frequently used for tissue engineering due to their morphological similarities with the extracellular matrix (ECM) and tunable chemical and physical properties for regulating cell behaviors and functions. However, most of the existing electrospun nanofibers have a closely packed two-dimensional (2D) membrane with the intrinsic shortcomings of limited cellular infiltration, restricted nutrition diffusion, and unsatisfied thickness. Three-dimensional (3D) electrospun nanofiber-based scaffolds can provide stem cells with 3D microenvironments and biomimetic fibrous structures. Thus, they have been demonstrated to be good candidates for in vivo repair of different tissues. This review summarizes the recent developments in 3D electrospun nanofiber-based scaffolds (ENF-S) for tissue engineering. Three types of 3D ENF-S fabricated using different approaches classified into electrospun nanofiber 3D scaffolds, electrospun nanofiber/hydrogel composite 3D scaffolds, and electrospun nanofiber/porous matrix composite 3D scaffolds are discussed. New functions for these 3D ENF-S and properties, such as facilitated cell infiltration, 3D fibrous architecture, enhanced mechanical properties, and tunable degradability, meeting the requirements of tissue engineering scaffolds were discovered. The applications of 3D ENF-S in cartilage, bone, tendon, ligament, skeletal muscle, nerve, and cardiac tissue regeneration are then presented with a discussion of current challenges and future directions. Finally, we give summaries and future perspectives of 3D ENF-S in tissue engineering and clinical transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• ush2a gene knockout caused abnormal accumulation of vesicles in zebrafish photoreceptors. • ush2a gene defects affected the expression and localization of Rab8 protein in the retina of zebrafish, and USH2A may interact with Rab8. • USH2A mutations might cause vesicle transport defects by causing functional abnormalities of Rab8 and other vesicle transport-related factors, which could not maintain the survival of photoreceptors, and ultimately lead to RP. USH2A (Usher syndrome type 2A) gene mutations are the predominant cause of Usher syndrome type 2, characterized by sensorineural hearing loss and retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and also significant contributors to non-syndromic RP. To date, there is a lack of definitive therapeutic interventions to mitigate the associated disorders caused by USH2A mutations, and the precise pathogenic mechanisms underlying their onset remain unclear. In the present study, we utilized the ush2a knockout zebrafish model to investigate the pathological mechanisms of RP. In late-stage ush2a-/- zebrafish, the outer segments of rods displayed shortened length and decreased number. Anomalous vesicle accumulation was observed at the junction between the inner and outer segments, accompanied by reduced expression and structural damage of actin filaments in the photoreceptor cells. Furthermore, we discovered that Rab8 expression was downregulated and exhibited aberrant localization in ush2a-/- zebrafish. Additionally, we identified an interaction between USH2A and Rab8. Therefore, the knockout of ush2a may potentially affect vesicle transport through the regulation of Rab8, providing a novel target for maintaining the survival of photoreceptor cells. These findings also contribute to our understanding of the potential molecular pathogenesis underlying RP caused by USH2A gene mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cascade reactions catalyzed by two or more enzymes have been widely used in industrial production and exhibited many advantages over the single-enzyme catalytic system. In this study, two components of hydroxylase monooxygenase (HpaBC) were first co-immobilized by Ni2+-nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni-NTA) functionalized magnetic silica nanoparticles (Ni-NTA/H 2 N-SiO 2 @Fe 3 O 4) for enhancing the stability and activity of biocatalysts with multi-components. These two components, HpaB and HpaC, were modified with histidine-tag and employed to construct a bi-enzyme catalytic system. After co-immobilization, the activity of the bi-enzyme system was 2.6 times of free enzymes. Meanwhile, the co-immobilized system was more stable against high temperature and alkaline condition, and maintained 76.6% of the initial activity for storage 12 days. Moreover, the co-immobilized HpaBC remained more than 60% catalytic activity after 7 cycles. These results showed that co-immobilized multi-component enzymes based on functionalized magnetic nanoparticles without purification would play a great potential role in the field of industrial biocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aging is regulated by complex signaling networks, the details of which remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that VPS-22/SNF8, a component of endosomal sorting complex required for transport-II (ESCRT-II), regulates the lifespan of C. elegans. In this study we show that worms with vps-22 / snf8 gene knockdown had a shorter lifespan than wild-type worms. The expression pattern of VPS-22/SNF8 in C. elegans was highly similar to that of DAF-16. Knockout of daf-16 in C. elegans shortened the worms' lifespan; however, reducing the expression of vps-22 / snf8 in daf-16 null worms did not further shorten their lifespan, indicating that vps-22 / snf8 and daf-16 may act in the same signaling pathway to regulate longevity. Over-expression of daf-16 rescued the short-lived phenotype of vps-22/snf8 knockdown worms. Moreover, down-regulation of vps-22 / snf8 decreased the nuclear localization of DAF-16 and modulated the expression of daf-16 downstream genes that regulate longevity in C. elegans. In summary, our results indicate that vps-22 / snf8 can regulate the longevity of C. elegans by partially modulating the activity of daf-16. These findings may help us to better understand the mechanisms of aging. • v ps-22/snf8 can significantly affect the lifespan of wild-type C. elegans. • The histological localization pattern of VPS-22/SNF8 in C. elegans was highly similar to that of DAF-16. • DAF-16 may be necessary for the function of VPS-22/SNF8 in lifespan extension. • v ps-22/snf8 could regulate the nuclear localization of DAF-16 and the expression level of daf-16 target genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A digital background calibration technique for pipelined successive approximation register (SAR) analogue‐to‐digital converters (ADCs) with detect‐and‐switching (DAS) algorithm is proposed. The DAS algorithm exploits basic combinational logic to detect the first‐stage conversion results, thereby determining whether to inject a random dithering signal. So as to reduce the amplifier's output swing and avoid the saturation of the second stage, the amplitude of the injected dithering signal is reduced by only injecting the capacitor mismatch into first‐stage residue voltage. By executing the DAS‐based calibration in the background, capacitor mismatch and inter‐stage gain are obtained. Simulation results show that the signal to noise and distortion ratio is improved from 42.4 to 59.3 dB and spurious‐free dynamic range is increased from 50.6 to 79.1 dB with calibration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate crop mapping is crucial for ensuring food security. Recently, many studies have developed diverse crop mapping models based on deep learning. However, these models generally rely on a large amount of labeled crop samples to investigate the intricate relationship between the crop types of the samples and the corresponding remote sensing features. Moreover, their efficacy is often compromised when applied to other areas owing to the disparities between source and target data. To address this issue, a new multi-modal deep adaptation crop classification network (MDACCN) was proposed in this study. Specifically, MDACCN synergistically exploits time series optical and SAR images using a middle fusion strategy to achieve good classification capacity. Additionally, local maximum mean discrepancy (LMMD) is embedded into the model to measure and decrease domain discrepancies between source and target domains. As a result, a well-trained model in a source domain can still maintain satisfactory accuracy when applied to a target domain. In the training process, MDACCN incorporates the labeled samples from a source domain and unlabeled samples from a target domain. When it comes to the inference process, only unlabeled samples of the target domain are required. To assess the validity of the proposed model, Arkansas State in the United States was chosen as the source domain, and Heilongjiang Province in China was selected as the target domain. Supervised deep learning and traditional machine learning models were chosen as comparison models. The results indicated that the MDACCN achieved inspiring performance in the target domain, surpassing other models with overall accuracy, Kappa, and a macro-averaged F1 score of 0.878, 0.810, and 0.746, respectively. In addition, the crop-type maps produced by the MDACCN exhibited greater consistency with the reference maps. Moreover, the integration of optical and SAR features exhibited a substantial improvement of the model in the target domain compared with using single-modal features. This study indicated the considerable potential of combining multi-modal remote sensing data and an unsupervised domain adaptive approach to provide reliable crop distribution information in areas where labeled samples are missing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations in the photoreceptor cell-specific nuclear receptor gene Nr2e3 increased the number of S-cone photoreceptors in human and murine retinas and led to retinal degeneration that involved photoreceptor and non-photoreceptor cells. The mechanisms underlying these complex phenotypes remain unclear. In the hope of understanding the precise role of Nr2e3 in photoreceptor cell fate determination and differentiation, we generated a line of Nr2e3 knockout zebrafish using CRISPR technology. In these Nr2e3-null animals, rod precursors undergo terminal mitoses but fail to differentiate as rods. Rod-specific genes are not expressed and the outer segment (OS) fails to form. Formation and differentiation of cone photoreceptors is normal. Specifically, there is no increase in the number of UV-cone or S-cone photoreceptors. Laminated retinal structure is maintained. After normal development, L-/M-cones selectively degenerate, with progressive shortening of OS that starts at age 1 month. The amount of cone phototransduction proteins is concomitantly reduced, whereas UV- and S-cones have normal OS lengths even at age 10 months. In vitro studies show Nr2e3 synergizes with Crx and Nrl to enhance rhodopsin gene expression. Nr2e3 does not affect cone opsin expression. Our results extend the knowledge of Nr2e3's roles and have specific implications for the interpretation of the phenotypes observed in human and murine retinas. Furthermore, our model may offer new opportunities in finding treatments for enhanced S-cone syndrome (ESCS) and other retinal degenerative diseases. • Nr2e3 is required for rod differentiation. • Nr2e3 is not involved in photoreceptor fate determination. • L-/M-cones were selectively degenerated in Nr2e3-null zebrafish. • Nr2e3 does not repress UV or S opsin expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is resistant to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and is associated with cognitive impairment. The modern Chinese medicine, compound Danshen dripping pills (CDDP), is clinically effective in treating epilepsy and improving cognitive impairment. Objective: This study evaluated the protective effects of CDDP alone and in combination with carbamazepine (CBZ) on kainic acid-induced TLE and cognitive impairment in rats. Materials and methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: control (sham operated), model, CDDP, CBZ and combined. A TLE model was then created via bilateral intrahippocampal injection of 0.35 μg kainic acid (KA). Rats received CDDP (85 mg/kg), CBZ (100 mg/kg) or combined (85 mg/kg CDDP +100 mg/kg CBZ) via intragastric administration for 90 d, respectively. Seizure intensity, apoptosis and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) were measured. Furthermore, the improvement in cognitive impairment and hippocampal neuronal damage was evaluated. Results: CDDP combined with CBZ significantly decreased seizure severity and frequency (p < 0.05) and ameliorated cognitive impairment (p < 0.05). The model group showed a significant reduction of neurons and Bcl-2/Bax expression in the hippocampus CA3 area (p < 0.01), the combined groups significantly reversed these change (p < 0.01). GDNF expression in the combined groups showed a clear increase over the model group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These findings support the use of CDDP as an adjuvant drug for the treatment of TLE and cognitive deficit. Its mechanism might be related to an anti-apoptosis effect and up-regulation of GDNF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most cases of Usher syndrome type II (USH2) are due to mutations in the USH2A gene. There are no effective treatments or ideal animal models for this disease, and the pathological mechanisms of USH2 caused by USH2A mutations are still unknown. Here, we constructed a ush2a knockout (ush2a−/−) zebrafish model using TALEN technology to investigate the molecular pathology of USH2. An early onset auditory disorder and abnormal morphology of inner ear stereocilia were identified in the ush2a−/− zebrafish. Consequently, the disruption of Ush2a in zebrafish led to a hearing impairment, like that in mammals. Electroretinography (ERG) test indicated that deletion of Ush2a affected visual function at an early stage, and histological analysis revealed that the photoreceptors progressively degenerated. Rod degeneration occurred prior to cone degeneration in ush2a−/− zebrafish, which is consistent with the classical description of the progression of retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Destruction of the outer segments (OSs) of rods led to the down-regulation of phototransduction cascade proteins at late stage. The expression of Ush1b and Ush1c was up-regulated when Ush2a was null. We also found that disruption of fibronectin assembly at the retinal basement membrane weakened cell adhesion in ush2a−/− mutants. In summary, for the first time, we generated a ush2a knockout zebrafish line with auditory disorder and retinal degeneration which mimicked the symptoms of patients, and revealed that disruption of fibronectin assembly may be one of the factors underlying RP. This model may help us to better understand the pathogenic mechanism and find treatment for USH2 in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious serositis is a common disease caused by Riemerella anatipestifer ( R. anatipestifer ) in ducks, characterized by respiratory distress, septicemia, and neurological symptoms. In this study, 1,020 samples (brain and liver) were collected from ducks with suspected R. anatipestifer infection from March 2020 to March 2022 in Shandong Province, of which 171 R. anatipestifer strains were identified by PCR and isolation culture. The serotype of all strains was analyzed, and 74 strains were subjected to drug sensitivity tests and drug resistance genes detection. The results showed that the overall prevalence rate of R. anatipestifer in Shandong Province was 16.7% (171/1,020), with most strains coming from brain samples of ducklings under 3-mo old collected from September to December each year. Histopathological examination showed that heart vessels of the diseased duck were highly dilated and filled with red blood cells, with obvious fibrin exudates outside the pericardium, and fatty degeneration of liver cells. There were 45 strains of serotype 1, 45 strains of serotype 2, 2 strains of serotype 4, 33 strains of serotype 6, 44 strains of serotype 7, and 2 strains of serotype 10. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 10 common antibiotics against 74 representative strains was determined by the agar dilution method. It was found that 74 strains had the most severe resistance to gentamicin (77%) and fully susceptible to ceftriaxone, but the 81.1% isolated strains were multidrug resistant. Resistance genes testing of 74 R. anatipestifers showed that tetracycline resistance gene tet X had the highest detection rate of 95.9%, followed by macrolide resistance gene ermF with 77%, and the rate of β-lactam resistance gene bla TEM is the lowest (10.8%). The animal experiment of 4 R. anatipestifer strains with different serotypes showed that they had strong pathogenicity to 7-day-old ducklings, which could cause nervous symptoms, and the mortality rate was 58% to 70%. The autopsy showed obvious pathological changes. These findings of this study on R. anatipestifer will help us to understand the latest prevalence, drug resistance characteristics, and pathogenicity of R. anatipestifer in Shandong, China, and provide a scientific guide for the treatment and control of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Little is known about women’s views relating to a diagnosis of borderline gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and the subsequent management. This study aimed to explore women’s experiences after being diagnosed with borderline GDM, their attitudes about treatment, and factors important to them for achieving any lifestyle changes. Methods. We conducted face-to-face, semistructured interviews with women diagnosed with borderline GDM. Results. A total of 22 women were interviewed. After a diagnosis of borderline GDM, 14 (64%) women reported not being concerned or worried. Management of borderline GDM was thought by 21 (95%) women to be very important or important. Eighteen (82%) women planned to improve their diet and/or exercise to manage their borderline GDM. The most frequently mentioned enabler for achieving intended lifestyle change was being more motivated to improve the health of their baby and/or themselves (15 women). The most frequent barrier was tiredness and/or being physically unwell (11 women). Conclusions. A diagnosis of borderline GDM caused some concern to one-third of women interviewed. The majority of women believed managing their borderline GDM was important and they planned to improve their lifestyle. Women’s own and their babies’ future health were powerful motivators for lifestyle change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The AMF with different densities was prepared by liquid-liquid interface self-assembly method. • A series of AMF@SiO 2 @NaYbF 4 : 2%Er3+ composite structures were constructed to enhance UC emission intensity of Er3+ ions. • The UC emission intensity of the single NaYbF 4 : 2%Er3+ microdisk was enhanced by 6.98 time. • The physics mechanism of the plasmon-enhanced UC luminescence is carefully studied. [Display omitted] Harnessing the precious metal plasmon effect is a powerful way to enhance the upconversion luminescence of rare-earth materials, so it has received extensive attention from researchers. In this study, a series of AMF@SiO 2 @NaYbF 4 : Er3+ composite structures were constructed with an Au mono-layer film (AMF) as the substrates and SiO 2 as the isolation layer to enhance the upconversion emission intensity of a single NaYbF 4 : 2%Er3+ microdisk. When the size of Au nanoparticles was 72 nm and the thickness of the SiO 2 isolation layer was 24 nm, the upconversion emission enhancement factor of the single NaYbF 4 : 2%Er3+ microdisk reached 6.98 under 980 nm laser excitation, due mainly to the enhancement of the local electromagnetic field. The upconversion luminescence properties of a single NaYbF 4 : 2%Er3+ microdisk were significantly affected by the size of Au nanoparticles, the density of the AMF substrate, and the thickness of the SiO 2 isolation layer. The plasmon-enhanced upconversion luminescence mechanism was studied according to its luminescence properties, dynamic tests, and theoretical simulation. The synergistic effects in the local electromagnetic field, luminescence quenching, and local surface plasmon resonance effect are also discussed. The results of this research provide an invaluable theoretical basis for enhancing the upconversion luminescence of rare-earth materials with the help of AMF substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, there has been an increase in the incidence of health problems among college students in China, the lack of adequate physical exercise is the major reason. This study aimed to investigate methods to promote exercise behavior and cardiovascular fitness among college students based on the motivation theory.Methods: Cardiovascular fitness levels of 641 college students (20.72 ± 1.41 years old) were measured. Exercise motivation was assessed using the physical exercise motivation scale and physical exercise rating scale. Correlation analysis, regression analysis, and structural equation models were used to assess exercise motivation, exercise behavior, and cardiovascular fitness. Energy relationships were determined to develop a path model that promotes exercise behavior and aerobic fitness among college students.Results: The exercise motivation of college students was directly related to cardiovascular fitness (effect value: 0.577) or indirectly related through the mediating effect of exercise behavior (effect value: 0.215). The influence of health motivation on exercise behavior (β = 0.132, p = 0.001) and cardiovascular fitness (β = 0.251, p < 0.001) was greater than that of other factors of motivation.Conclusions: The physical exercise behavior of college students partially mediates the relationship between exercise motivation and cardiovascular fitness. Therefore, the educational concept of "Health First" should be promoted in college sports. Internal motivation of exercise can be transformed into external motivation to improve students' exercise behavior and cardiovascular fitness through enhancing their cardiopulmonary capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Microbial cell population heterogeneity is now recognized as a major source of issues in the development and optimization of bioprocesses. Even if single cell technologies are available for the study of microbial population heterogeneity, only a few of these methods are available in order to study the dynamics of segregation directly in bioreactors. In this context, specific interfaces have been developed in order to connect a flow cytometer directly to a bioreactor for automated analyses. In this work, we propose a simplified version of such an interface and demonstrate its usefulness for multiplexed experiments. Results A low-cost automated flow cytometer has been used in order to monitor the synthesis of a destabilized Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) under the regulation of the fis promoter and propidium iodide (PI) uptake. The results obtained showed that the dynamics of GFP synthesis are complex and can be attributed to a complex set of biological parameters, i.e. on the one hand the release of protein into the extracellular medium and its uptake modifying the activity of the fis promoter, and on the other hand the stability of the GFP molecule itself, which can be attributed to the protease content and energy status of the cells. In this respect, multiplexed experiments have shown a correlation between heat shock and ATP content and the stability of the reporter molecule. Conclusion This work demonstrates that a simplified version of on-line FC can be used at the process level or in a multiplexed version to investigate the dynamics of complex physiological mechanisms. In this respect, the determination of new on-line parameters derived from automated FC is of primary importance in order to fully integrate the power of FC in dedicated feedback control loops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of social media data, including geotagged photos, has benefited the research of tourism geography; additionally, tourists' increasing demand for personalized travel has encouraged more researchers to pay attention to tourism recommendation models. However, few studies have comprehensively considered the content and contextual information that may influence the recommendation accuracy, especially tourist attractions' visual content due to redundant and noisy geotagged photos; therefore, we propose a tourist attraction recommendation model for Flickr-geotagged photos which fuses spatial, temporal, and visual embeddings (STVE). After spatial clustering and extracting visual embeddings of tourist attractions' representative images, the spatial and temporal embeddings are modeled with the Word2Vec negative sampling strategy, and the visual embeddings are fused with Matrix Factorization and Bayesian Personalized Ranking. The combination of these two parts comprises our proposed STVE model. The experimental results demonstrate that our STVE model outperforms other baseline models. We also analyzed the parameter sensitivity and component performance to prove the performance superiority of our model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft tissue engineering has been seeking ways to mimic the natural extracellular microenvironment that allows cells to migrate and proliferate to regenerate new tissue. Therefore, the reconstruction of soft tissue requires a scaffold possessing the extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimicking fibrous structure and elastic property, which affect the cell functions and tissue regeneration. Herein, an effective method for fabricating nanofibrous hydrogel for soft tissue engineering is demonstrated using gelatin–hydroxyphenylpropionic acid (Gel–HPA) by electrospinning and enzymatic crosslinking. Gel–HPA fibrous hydrogel was prepared by crosslinking the electrospun fibers in ethanol-water solution with an optimized concentration of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and H2O2. The prepared fibrous hydrogel held the soft and elastic mechanical property of hydrogels and the three-dimensional (3D) fibrous structure of electrospun fibers. It was proven that the hydrogel scaffolds were biocompatible, improving the cellular adhesion, spreading, and proliferation. Moreover, the fibrous hydrogel showed rapid biodegradability and promoted angiogenesis in vivo. Overall, this study represents a novel biomimetic approach to generate Gel–HPA fibrous hydrogel scaffolds which have excellent potential in soft tissue regeneration applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracting representative images of tourist attractions from geotagged photos is beneficial to many fields in tourist management, such as applications in touristic information systems. This task usually begins with clustering to extract tourist attractions from raw coordinates in geotagged photos. However, most existing cluster methods are limited in the accuracy and granularity of the places of interest, as well as in detecting distinct tags, due to its primary consideration of spatial relationships. After clustering, the challenge still exists for the task of extracting representative images within the geotagged base image data, because of the existence of noisy photos occupied by a large area proportion of humans and unrelated objects. In this paper, we propose a framework containing an improved cluster method and multiple neural network models to extract representative images of tourist attractions. We first propose a novel time- and user-constrained density-joinable cluster method (TU-DJ-Cluster), specific to photos with similar geotags to detect place-relevant tags. Then we merge and extend the clusters according to the similarity between pairs of tag embeddings, as trained from Word2Vec. Based on the clustering result, we filter noise images with Multilayer Perceptron and a single-shot multibox detector model, and further select representative images with the deep ranking model. We select Beijing as the study area. The quantitative and qualitative analysis, as well as the questionnaire results obtained from real-life tourists, demonstrate the effectiveness of this framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and extensive vaccination, it is important to explore the immune response of elderly adults to homologous and heterologous booster vaccines of COVID-19. At this point, we detected serum IgG antibodies and PBMC sample transcriptome profiles in 46 participants under 70 years old and 25 participants over 70 years old who received the third dose of the BBIBP-CorV and ZF2001 vaccines. Results: On day 7, the antibody levels of people over 70 years old after the third dose of booster vaccine were lower than those of young people, and the transcriptional responses of innate and adaptive immunity were also weak. The age of the participants showed a significant negative correlation with functions related to T-cell differentiation and costimulation. Nevertheless, 28 days after the third dose, the IgG antibodies of elderly adults reached equivalence to those of younger adults, and immune-related transcriptional regulation was significantly improved. The age showed a significant positive correlation with functions related to "chemokine receptor binding", "chemokine activity", and "chemokine-mediated signaling pathway". Conclusions: Our results document that the response of elderly adults to the third dose of the vaccine was delayed, but still able to achieve comparable immune effects compared to younger adults, in regard to antibody responses as well as at the transcript level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractDrug-induced liver injury (DILI) is characterized by hepatocyte injury, cholestasis injury, and mixed injury. The liver transplantation is required for serious clinical outcomes such as acute liver failure. Current studies have found that many mechanisms were involved in DILI, such as mitochondrial oxidative stress, apoptosis, necroptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis, etc. Ferroptosis occurs when hepatocytes die from iron-dependent lipid peroxidation and plays a key role in DILI. After entry into the liver, where some drugs or chemicals are metabolized, they convert into hepatotoxic substances, consume reduced glutathione (GSH), and decrease the reductive capacity of GSH-dependent GPX4, leading to redox imbalance in hepatocytes and increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation level, leading to the undermining of hepatocytes; some drugs facilitated the autophagy of ferritin, orchestrating the increased ion level and ferroptosis. The purpose of this review is to summarize the role of ferroptosis in chemical- or drug-induced liver injury (chemical/DILI) and how natural products inhibit ferroptosis to prevent chemical/DILI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The effectiveness of iodine-131(131I) therapy in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) of various stage is controversial. This study aimed to use prognostic risk groups to guide 131I therapy in patients with PTC after radical thyroidectomy. Methods: Data of 53,484 patients with PTC after radical thyroidectomy were collected from the Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. Patients were divided into subgroups according to MACIS system and regional lymph node involvement. The prognostic role of 131I therapy was investigated by comparing Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazard models in different subgroups. Results: Sex, age, tumor size, invasion, regional lymph node involvement, and distant metastasis was related to the survival of patients with PTC. If MACIS < 7, 131I treatment didn't affect the cancer-specific survival (CSS) rate. If MACIS ≥ 7, 131I therapy didn't work on CSS rate for patients with N0 or N1a < 5 status; 131I therapy had improved CSS rate for patients in the N1a ≥ 5 or N1b status. If patients with distant metastasis, invasion, or large tumor, 131I therapy didn't improve CSS rate for patients in N0 or N1a < 5 stage. Conclusion: After radical thyroidectomy, if MACIS < 7, patients with PTC could avoid 131I therapy. If MACIS ≥ 7, patients in the N0 or N1a < 5 could avoid 131I therapy; those in the N1a ≥ 5 or N1b stage should be given 131I therapy. Among them, all patients with distant metastasis should be given 131I therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, big data, including Global Positioning System (GPS) data, mobile phone tracking data and social media check-in data, have been widely used to analyse human movements and behaviours. Tourism management researchers have noted the potential of applying these data to study tourist behaviours, and many studies have shown that social media check-in data can provide new opportunities for extracting tourism activities and tourist behaviours. However, traditional methods may not be suitable for extracting comprehensive tourist behaviours due to the complexity and diversity of human behaviours. Studies have shown that deep neural networks have outpaced the abilities of human beings in many fields and that deep neural networks can be explained in a psychological manner. Thus, deep neural network methods can potentially be used to understand human behaviours. In this paper, a deep learning neural network constructed in TensorFlow is applied to classify Mainland China visitor behaviours in Hong Kong, and the characteristics of these visitors are analysed to verify the classification results. For the social science classification problem investigated in this study, the deep neural network classifier in TensorFlow provides better accuracy and more lucid visualisation than do traditional neural network methods, even for erratic classification rules. Furthermore, the results of this study reveal that TensorFlow has considerable potential for application in the human geography field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the energy transfer process and upconversion luminescence properties of NaYF 4 : Ln3+@NaYF 4 : Ln3+ (Ln = Yb3+, Er3+, Tm3+) core-shell microcrystals were studied through introducing different Yb3+ ions in core and shell. Compared with Yb3+/Tm3+/Er3+ co-doped NaYF 4 microcrystals, the NaYF 4 :Yb3+/Tm3+@NaYF 4 : Yb3+/Er3+ core-shell microcrystals displays greater stability spectral characteristics under NIR 980 nm excitation. This is because the core-shell structures can control the excitation energy acquisition channel and avoid interactions between Er3+ and Tm3+ ions. Meanwhile, the luminescence properties of NaYF 4 @NaYF 4 core-shell microcrystals can also be precisely controlled by changing concentrations of Yb3+ ions in the core and shell, respectively. The experimental results further indicate that upconversion emission of microcrystals can also be precisely controlled by constructing core-shell structures. The multicolor emission core-shell microcrystals may have great potential in display, anti-counterfeiting and micro-photoelectric technology applications. [Display omitted] • The core-shell microrods with doping different ions were successfully built by epitaxial growth technology. • The upconversion emission properties of doping ions can be accurately regulated in the NaYF 4 @NaYF 4 core-shell microrods. • The regulation mechanism was carefully discussed by spectral characteristics. • This study provides important experimental support for precise regulation of upconversion luminescence of microcrystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. As current evidence of the effectiveness on acupuncture for primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is inconsistent, we aimed to critically appraise the evidence from relevant systematic reviews (SRs). Methods. SRs of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) concerning acupuncture and PD were searched in four databases. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and latest Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR2) checklists were used to assess reporting characteristics and methodological quality, respectively. Results. The literature search yielded 38 potential records, of which five met the inclusion criteria. The total average (SD) for PRISMA was 20.60 (1.14) out of 27. All five SRs have more than one critical weakness in AMSTAR2, so their methodological qualities were considered as critically low. The most frequent problems included nonregistration of study protocol, absence of a list of excluded studies, and unclear acknowledgment of conflicts of interests. The three studies of higher methodological quality reported positive results in pain relief. Conclusion. The reporting and methodological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analysis studies were suboptimal, which demands further improvement. More efforts are needed to improve validity of systematic reviews and RCTs in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common and lethal malignancies which including colon and rectum cancer. Tripartite motif containing 55 (TRIM55) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase belonging to the TRIM family. Although the aberrant TRIM55 expression has been implicated in several tumors, its functional role, and molecular mechanisms in CRC remain unknown. Methods: Immunohistochemical studies, qRT‐PCR, and Western blot were performed to analyze the expression of TRIM55 in CRC patients and cell lines. TRIM55 expression and its relevance to clinical traits and prognosis were further explored in the TCGA database, and in our 87 clinical samples. Subsequently, we performed a series of functional assays to explore the effect of TRIM55 on CRC progression. Finally, the molecular mechanism of TRIM55 was investigated by immunoprecipitation and ubiquitination analyses. Results: Here, we demonstrated that TRIM55 was markedly downregulated in CRC cell lines and tumors from CRC patients. Moreover, overexpression of TRIM55 could suppress CRC cell growth in vitro and inhibit CRC xenograft tumor development in vivo. Additionally, TRIM55 overexpression dampened CRC cell migration and invasion. Further bioinformatics analysis indicated that TRIM55 suppressed cyclin D1 and c‐Myc expression. Mechanistically, co‐immunoprecipitation assay revealed that TRIM55 directly interacted with c‐Myc and down‐regulated its protein expression level via protein ubiquitination. Intriguingly, c‐Myc overexpression partially antagonized the function of TRIM55 overexpression. Conclusions: Taken together, our findings suggest that TRIM55 inhibits CRC tumor development via, at least in part, enhancing protein degradation of c‐Myc. Targeting TRIM55 could provide a new therapeutic approach for CRC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to study the energy usage pattern of office building all year round using time-series energy consumption data. This investigated pattern could uncover the energy utilization issue availing building energy efficiency implementation. Past researches principally focused on the total energy condition instead of time-series in terms of time cycle. This paper implements the innovative artificial intelligent algorithms to perform the data mining target via cluster analysis and association rule discovery between different types of energy. Official energy building models provide the studied database. The result shows that k-shape and apriori algorithm could successfully obtain the energy using pattern hidden dataset. There is significant dispensable energy wastage after working time with office building since the long leave course happening after 18:00. The main subentry energy determining total energy is different in disparate stages. Moreover, cooling energy primarily manipulates the total energy in most of time indicating more than 80% degree in terms of confidence level. Conclusion illustrates that this workflow could successfully detect power load profile features and find the unreasonable issues with energy using. Combining above cluster and association analysis outcome contributes to the energy adjustment in each period more precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to conduct data mining research on the time series energy consumption dataset of a small hotel. Earlier studies on data mining have demonstrated that cluster and association analysis had been commonly used methods today, while this has not yet been investigated under time series dimension. For that consequence, this article utilizes K-shape and Apriori algorithm coded by Python language to explore the time series energy consumption data of the small hotel in terms of the subentry and total energy consumption. Final results reveal that the energy consumption curve and association rules can effectively reflect the working characteristics of the small hotel. From the clustering results, the small hotel working feature and weather condition determine the time series energy consumption curve shape. As for association rules, there is a different chain relationship between the energy consumption of each subentry and total energy consumption of the small hotel, especially the consumption of heating gas and cooling, which mainly determines the changes in other energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AgS nanoparticle nanowires were prepared in a porous anodic aluminum oxide template by a simple paired cell method, and were characterized by XRD, FESEM, HRTEM and EDS. The results showed that the as-prepared nanowires were composed of monoclinic AgS nanoparticles. The nanowire diameters ranged from 165 to 270 nm, and AgS nanoparticles were nearly spherical with diameters of 40 to 60 nm. The paired cell method is simple, low cost and easy to control for the fabrication of high density and high aspect ratio AgS nanoparticle nanowires. A formation mechanism for the nanoparticle nanowires was suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidation of a commonly-used β-lactam pharmaceutical, cefoperazone (CFPZ), was systematically investigated by anodic oxidation (AO), AO in presence of H 2 O 2 electro-generation (AO-H 2 O 2) and electro-Fenton (EF) processes with an activated carbon fiber cathode from the biodegradability viewpoint. The degradation and mineralization rates increased in a sequence of AO < AO-H 2 O 2 < EF. Even CPFZ could be efficiently degraded in EF process, achieving complete CFPZ mineralization was rather difficult. Thereby, the biodegradability of the effluent after electrochemical pretreatment was examined to test the feasibility of the combination of electrochemical and biological processes. The results suggested that compared with AO and AO-H 2 O 2 , EF process could effectively transform the non-biodegradable CFPZ into biocompatible materials with a high BOD 5 /COD value (0.33 after 720 min), allowing the possible biotreatment for further remediation. This behavior was relatively accorded with the average oxidation state (AOS) results, evidencing the potential of EF process in enhancing the biodegradability of CFPZ. The determination of inorganic ions revealed that N in CFPZ molecular was oxidized into NH 4 + and NO 3 − ions in EF process. Oxalic, succinic, oxamic, fumaric and formic acids were also formed. Besides, six aromatic by-products were qualified and a possible pathway involving hydrolysis, hydroxylation and decarboxylation during CFPZ mineralization was proposed. Image 1 • CFPZ underwent complete degradation but partial mineralization in EF condition. • Obvious biodegradability improvement was obtained during EF process. • The feasibility of combing EF with biological treatment was demonstrated. • Aromatic intermediates, carboxylic acids and inorganic ions were determined. • A comprehensive CFPZ degradation pathway involving.•OH was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, according to the parameters of the dry type air core smoothing reactor, the stress‐sound field and fluid‐temperature field coupling simulation model is established, the detailed temperature field and sound field distribution are obtained, and the influence law of sound arrester on the sound pressure level and temperature rise are analyzed. It can be found that the temperature rise of encapsulation coils are significantly increased when adding the sound arrester, and the reasons are given by analyzing the fluid velocity in the air ducts. Meanwhile, the optimization design method about sound arrester is proposed based on the orthogonal experiment design and finite element method. The influence curve and contribution rate of sound arrester on the pressure level and temperature rise are analyzed, and the optimal structural parameters of the sound arrester are obtained. The results show that the optimization method can significantly reduce the temperature rise and sound pressure level simultaneously, and improving the operational reliability of the smoothing reactor. © 2021 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a fluid‐thermal coupled finite element model is established based on the design parameters of dry‐type core reactor, the detailed temperature distribution results are given, and the heat transfer process of the layer coils was analyzed. Meanwhile, the electromagnetic characteristics of core reactor have been analyzed, it shows that the structure parameters adjustment of layer coils have little effect on the inductance of reactor. Taking the metal conductor usage of coils as the optimization object, the heat dissipation process between the layer coils and air ducts is equivalent to the vertical pipe, the calculation method of temperature rise is given, and the thermal efficiency optimization method of dry‐type core reactor is proposed based on the particle swarm optimization algorithm, which can obtain the optimal structure parameters of coils. According to the optimization design results, the metal conductor usage of coils is only 80% compared with the initial parameters, and the correctness is verified by the simulation results. Thus, the optimization method can significantly improve the thermal efficiency and reduce the metal conductor usage of core reactor. © 2021 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The net carbon emissions of land-use in Guangdong rose significantly from 6179.229 × 104 tons to 20765.723 × 104 tons from 2000 to 2020, and were spatially clustered. • The spatio-temporal pattern of carbon emissions exhibited an evident path dependence and relatively consistent spatial features. • The carbon emissions were spatially distributed in a stable "northeast-southwest" pattern with a slight tendency to shift towards the northeast. Global warming caused by massive carbon emissions poses a serious threat to the environment and human beings. Dynamic monitoring of the spatio-temporal evolution of carbon emissions is an essential way to achieve carbon reduction goals, especially in coastal areas like Guangdong Province faced with dual challenges of massive carbon emissions and rigorous reduction targets. To reveal the spatio-temporal characteristics of carbon emissions and provide a basis for further fine-grained carbon emission reduction strategies, we analyzed spatio-temporal distribution characteristics of carbon emissions in Guangdong Province at the county-level scale from 2000 to 2020. Based on the land-use data obtained from the Data Center for Resources and Environmental Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and energy consumption data from the Statistical Yearbook, the carbon emission of each county is estimated, and the spatio-temporal evolutionary features of them are explored by a series of methods of the exploratory spatio-temporal data analysis (ESTDA). The shift of spatial distribution characteristics and gravity center is further revealed with the standard deviational ellipse and gravity center migration analysis.The results reveal that the net carbon emissions increased from 6179.229 × 104 tons to 20765.723 × 104 tons during 2000–2020. The net carbon emissions of county-level administrative regions show a significant positive spatial correlation, and the spatial convergence shows a trend of first decreasing and then increasing. The spatio-temporal pattern of carbon emissions has an obvious path dependence and locked spatial features, and shows a gradually strengthening trend. The spatial distribution of carbon emissions formed a stable "northeast-southwest" pattern, and the gravity center of carbon emissions in the past 20 years has been distributed between 113.208°–113.357°E and 22.760°–22.878°N, tending slightly shifting to the northeast. The results of the study can help understand the spatio-temporal evolution of carbon emissions in Guangdong, and provide a reference for formulating effective carbon reduction policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is the most serious form of inherited retinal dystrophy that leads to blindness or severe visual impairment within a few months after birth. Approximately 1–2% of the reported cases are caused by mutations in the LCA5 gene. This gene encodes a ciliary protein called LCA5 that is localized to the connecting cilium of photoreceptors. The retinal phenotypes caused by LCA5 mutations and the underlying pathological mechanisms are still not well understood. In this study, we knocked out the lca5 gene in zebrafish using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. An early onset visual defect is detected by the ERG in 7 dpf lca5 − / − zebrafish. Histological analysis by HE staining and immunofluorescence reveal progressive degeneration of rod and cone photoreceptors, with a pattern that cones are more severely affected than rods. In addition, ultrastructural analysis by transmission electron microscopy shows disordered and broken membrane discs in rods' and cones' outer segments, respectively. In our lca5 − / − zebrafish, the red-cone opsin and cone α-transducin are selectively mislocalized to the inner segment and synaptic terminal. Moreover, we found that Ift88, a key component of the intraflagellar transport complex, is retained in the outer segments. These data suggest that the intraflagellar transport complex-mediated outer segment protein trafficking might be impaired due to lca5 deletion, which finally leads to a type of retinal degeneration mimicking the phenotype of cone-rod dystrophy in human. Our work provides a novel animal model to study the physiological function of LCA5 and develop potential treatments of LCA. • The deletion of zebrafish lca5 leads to progressive photoreceptor degeneration. • Cones degenerate more severely and earlier than rods in lca5 − / − zebrafish. • Red-cone opsin mislocates to inner segment and synaptic terminal. • Lca5 selectively transports of photoreceptor outer segment proteins. • The abnormal distribution of Ift88 may be a reason for the trafficking defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study is to assess use of a booklet by pregnant women to record and assist dietary and lifestyle changes; to describe diet and exercise goals set during the initial lifestyle discussions; and to assess achievement of goals.Methods: Participants were women with borderline gestational diabetes who received a printed pregnancy record booklet, as part of a randomised trial, to record and set monthly goals for diet and exercise. Outcomes included women's use of the booklets and their achievement of dietary and exercise goals after 1 month.Results: Fifty-six women returned their used pregnancy record booklets and were included in this study. These women set a total of 197 dietary goals and 65 exercise goals. In the first month, over 80% of dietary goals that targeted grains, dairy and overall diet were achieved, but only 20-30% of goals about vegetables, and foods high in fat, sugar and/or salt were achieved. After 1 month, women had achieved 86.4% of their exercise goals to maintain their current level of activity, but only 25.0 % exercise goals to increase walking during pregnancy.Conclusions: Women who used pregnancy record booklets reported good achievement rates for goals related to grains, fruits, dairy and overall diet, but they were less likely to be successful in achieving goals to increase intake of vegetables, and limit foods that high in fat, sugar and/or salt. Maintaining an active lifestyle during pregnancy was feasible for women although increases in physical activity were less often achieved. Using a pregnancy record booklet may be helpful in assisting and encouraging behavioural changes, although further investigations of long-term effects and in different populations are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Hollow cuprous oxide (Cu2O) microspheres with a diameter of ca. 1.8μm are prepared by using yeast as template. The possible mechanism for the formation of the hollow Cu2O spheres is revealed. The biotemplated sample is investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption spectra. The sample consists of the crystalline Cu2O microspheres with diameters of about 59.5 nm and lattice parameter of 4.264 Å. The observed optical band gap of the product indicates that the blue–shift effect occurs, which is attributed to the hollow Cu2O microspheres. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Mesoporous zirconium phosphate has attracted increasing interest due to its extraordinary functionalities. In particular, great progress has been made in the synthesis of mesoporous zirconium phosphate using traditional approaches. However, synthesis of mesoporous zirconium phosphate using yeast as biotemplate has not been well studied so far. Here, we show that zirconium phosphate with a mesoporous structure has been synthesized under ambient conditions using yeast as biotemplate. The derived samples were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetry/differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms. A biotemplated mesoporous zirconium phosphate, possessing a specific surface area (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, BET) of 217.64m2 g−1, a narrow pore distribution centered at 2.7nm, and pore volume of 0.24cm3 g−1, was obtained. We discover that amide carboxyl groups of yeast play an important role in the chemical interaction between protein molecules and zirconium phosphate nanoparticles. Interestingly, an air electrode fabricated using mesoporous zirconium phosphate exhibits remarkable electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), compared to that of the electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD) air electrode employed commercially, which has important applications in fuel cell technologies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Face aging (FA) for young faces refers to rendering the aging faces at target age for an individual, generally under 20s, which is an important topic of facial age analysis. Unlike traditional FA for adults, it is challenging to age children with one deep learning-based FA network, since there are deformations of facial shapes and variations of textural details. To alleviate the deficiency, a unified FA framework for young faces is proposed, which consists of two decoupled networks to apply aging image translation. It explicitly models transformations of geometry and appearance using two components: GD-GAN , which simulates the Geometric Deformation using Generative Adversarial Network; TV-GAN , which simulates the Textural Variations guided by the age-related saliency map. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our method has advantages over the state-of-the-art methods in terms of synthesizing visually plausible images for young faces, as well as preserving the personalized features. • Face aging for young faces refers to rendering the aging faces at target age for an individual, generally under 20s. • Realistic generated face portrayals are helpful for finding missing children by offering probable aging appearances. • Both facial shapes deform and textures vary in face aging for young child. • During facial image synthesizing, personal identity should be preserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of core-shell structure helps in enhancing upconversion luminescence in lanthanide-doped micro/nanomaterials. This study aimed to synthesize a series of NaYF 4 and NaErF 4 core-shell microrods based on epitaxial growth technology so as to enhance the upconversion emission. The upconversion luminescence properties of single NaYF 4 :Yb3+/Er3+ and NaErF 4 microrods with different core-shell structures were carefully studied using a confocal microscope spectroscopy test system under 980-nm near-infrared excitation. The upconversion emission intensity and red-to-green emission intensity ratio of Er3+ ions were remarkably enhanced in different single microrods by building different inert and active core-shell structures. The higher red-to-green ratio was mainly due to the cross-relaxation between Er3+ ions and the energy back-transfer process from Er3+ to Yb3+ ions, which were explained on the basis of spectral characteristics and rate equations. These tunable NaYF 4 and NaErF 4 core-shell microrods had the potential to be applied to displays, micro-lasers, and anti-counterfeiting. Image 1 • A series of NaY/ErF 4 core-shell microrods have been successfully synthesized via hydrothermal method. • The upconversion luminescence properties of single NaY/ErF 4 microrod with different core-shell structures are investigated. • The stronger upconversion emission and higher R/G ratio were obtained in NaErF 4 core-shell microrods. • The luminescence mechanisms of Er3+ ions in different core-shell structures have been carefully discussed. • The construction of micron core-shell can not only enhance the luminescence, but also provide a new way to construct new micro-materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) is the most common secondary glomerular disease in children. Currently, the treatment for HSPN is always selected based on the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes guidelines; however, this approach may lead to undertreatment, especially in patients with persistent proteinuria that does not reach nephrotic levels and/or hematuria and those with a pathological classification between grades 1 and 3 according to the International Study of Kidney Disease in Children. This study was performed to evaluate the curative effect and safety of a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) integrated treatment program in this type of HSPN.Methods: This multicenter, open-label, large-sample, randomized controlled trial was performed in China and included 500 children with HSPN exhibiting mild pathological patterns. The treatment group to control group ratio was 2:1, and each group was further stratified into two types, light and heavy, according to urinary protein quantification and pathological type. The treatment group received tripterygium glycosides (TGs), tanshinone IIa sodium sulfonate injection, and Chinese herbs selected based on syndrome differentiation in TCM. The heavy and light subgroups received treatment courses and dosages of TG. In the control groups, the light group received benazepril hydrochloride tablets, low molecular weight heparin calcium injection, dipyridamole tablets, and a Chinese medicine placebo, while the heavy group received the same treatment plus prednisone. All groups were treated for 3 months and then followed up for 9 months. The efficacy and safety of the treatments were then evaluated among the groups.Discussion: Currently, few treatments are available for HSPN patients with mild pathological patterns indicating light to moderate proteinuria and/or hematuresis. In this large-sample study, we provide a new approach for HSPN that includes an integrated treatment program that incorporates TCM.Trial Registration: Clinical Trials.gov, NCT03591471 . Re-registered on 19 July 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations in EYS are associated with autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (arRP) and autosomal recessive cone-rod dystrophy (arCRD) however, the function of EYS and the molecular mechanisms of how these mutations cause retinal degeneration are still unclear. Because EYS is absent in mouse and rat, and the structure of the retina differs substantially between humans and Drosophila, we utilised zebrafish as a model organism to study the function of EYS in the retina. We constructed an EYS-knockout zebrafish-line by TALEN technology which showed visual impairment at an early age, while the histological and immunofluorescence assays indicated the presence of progressive retinal degeneration with a cone predominately affected pattern. These phenotypes recapitulate the clinical manifestations of arCRD patients. Furthermore, the EYS−/− zebrafish also showed mislocalisation of certain outer segment proteins (rhodopsin, opn1lw, opn1sw1, GNB3 and PRPH2), and disruption of actin filaments in photoreceptors. Protein mislocalisation may, therefore, disrupt the function of cones and rods in these zebrafish and cause photoreceptor death. Collectively, these results point to a novel role for EYS in maintaining the morphological structure of F-actin and in protein transport, loss of this function might be the trigger for the resultant cellular events that ultimately lead to photoreceptor death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]