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In density-functional theory, the exchange–correlation (XC) energy can be defined exactly through the coupling-constant (λ) averaged XC hole n ̄ xc (r , r ′ ) , representing the probability depletion of finding an electron at r′ due to an electron at r. Accurate knowledge of n ̄ xc (r , r ′ ) has been crucial for developing XC energy density-functional approximations and understanding their performance for molecules and materials. However, there are very few systems for which accurate XC holes have been calculated since this requires evaluating the one- and two-particle reduced density matrices for a reference wave function over a range of λ while the electron density remains fixed at the physical (λ = 1) density. Although the coupled-cluster singles and doubles (CCSD) method can yield exact results for a two-electron system in the complete basis set limit, it cannot capture the electron–electron cusp using finite basis sets. Focusing on Hooke's atom as a two-electron model system for which certain analytic solutions are known, we examine the effect of this cusp error on the XC hole calculated using CCSD. The Lieb functional is calculated at a range of coupling constants to determine the λ-integrated XC hole. Our results indicate that, for Hooke's atoms, the error introduced by the description of the electron–electron cusp using Gaussian basis sets at the CCSD level is negligible compared to the basis set incompleteness error. The system-, angle-, and coupling-constant-averaged XC holes are also calculated and provide a benchmark against which the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof and local density approximation XC hole models are assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repair and reconstruction of the myopectineal orifice area using meshes is the mainstay of surgical treatment of inguinal hernias. However, the limitations of existing meshes are becoming increasingly evident in clinical applications; thus, the idea of using three-dimensionally (3D)-printed biological meshes was put forward. According to the current level of the 3D printing technology and the inherent characteristics of biological materials, the direct use of the 3D printing technology for making biological materials into finished products suitable for clinical applications is not yet supported, but synthetic materials can be first printed into 3D form carriers, compounded with biological materials, and finally made into finished products. The purpose of this study was to develop a technical protocol for making 3D-printed biomesh carriers using polyurethane as a raw material. In our study: raw material, polyurethane; weight, 20–30 g/m2; weaving method, hexagonal mesh; elastic tension aspect ratio, 2:1; diameters of pores, 0.1–1 mm; surface area, 8 × 12 cm2; the optimal printing layer height, temperature and velocity were 0.1 mm, 210–220 °C and 60 mm/s. Its clinical significance lies in: (1) applied to preoperative planning and design a detailed surgical plan; (2) applied to special types of surgery including patients in puberty, recurrent and compound inguinal hernias; (3) significantly improve the efficiency of doctor-patient communication; (4) it can shorten the operation and recovery period by about 1/3 and can save about 1/4 of the cost for patients; (5) the learning curve is significantly shortened, which is conducive to the cultivation of reserve talents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The properties of ancient magmatic arcs are crucial for understanding the tectonic evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. The Middle Devonian Kulumudi Formation in the Laofengkou area of West Junggar lacks accurate chronological data constraints, which hampers the knowledge of the nature of the Late Paleozoic magmatic arcs in the West Junggar and circum-Balkhash areas. In this contribution, samples of pyroclastic rocks and sedimentary rocks were collected from the volcano–sedimentary strata of the Kulumudi Formation. Petrography, zircon U-Pb-Hf isotopic analysis and whole-rock geochemistry were carried out to constrain the age and the tectonic setting of the Kulumudi Formation. The zircon U-Pb age of the lithic crystal tuff from the Kulumudi Formation on the northeast side of the Alemale Mountains was 386 ± 2 Ma, accurately indicating that this rock unit formed during the Middle Devonian. However, the fine sandstone near the Huojierte Mongolian Township, originally assigned as the "Kulumudi Formation", yielded a maximum depositional age of 341 ± 3 Ma. Combined with the stratigraphic contact, this rock unit was redefined to belong to the Lower Carboniferous Jiangbasitao Formation. According to the whole-rock geochemistry study, the lithic crystal tuff of the Kulumudi Formation was characterized as medium potassium–calc–alkaline series rock, which is relatively enriched in light rare earth elements and large ion lithophile elements (i.e., Rb, Ba, K) and depleted in high-field-strength elements (i.e., Nb, Ta, Ti), showing similar geochemical characteristics to the volcanic arc rocks. By contrast, the fine sandstone from the Jiangbasitao Formation had Al2O3/SiO2 (0.25–0.29) and K2O/Na2O (1.29–1.72) ratios close to those derived from the continental arc and active continental margin and was characterized as part of the continental arc field in the La-Th-Sc and Th-Sc-Zr/10 tectonic discrimination diagrams. Zircon Hf isotope analysis showed that the εHf(t) values of the Kulumudi Formation were +5.6–+12.8, and those of the Jiangbasitao Formation were +11.43–+15.48, both of which show highly positive juvenile characteristics. The above data indicate that the Kulumudi Formation and Jiangbasitao Formation both formed in a juvenile arc setting with ocean–continent subduction. Combined with the previous work, it was concluded that the southward subduction of the ocean basin represented by the Darbut–Karamay ophiolitic mélanges beneath the newly accreted arc crustal segments produced a juvenile arc with positive Hf isotope characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Radial artery cannulation in young children is challenging. A single-operator laser-assisted ultrasound-guidance system was invented to project the path of the target artery on the skin surface. The hypothesis was that this system would improve the first-attempt success rate of radial arterial cannulation in young pediatric patients relative to traditional ultrasound guidance. Methods: This single-center, prospective, parallel-group, randomized controlled study enrolled pediatric patients (n = 80, age less than 2 yr) requiring radial artery cannulation during general anesthesia. The participants were randomized into the traditional ultrasound-guidance group or the single-operator laser-assisted ultrasound-guidance group. After inducing general anesthesia, ultrasound-guided radial artery cannulation was performed by two experienced operators. The primary outcome was the first-attempt success rate. The secondary outcomes included the procedure time to success within the first attempt, midmost rate of first attempt, first needle-tip position, and average number of adjustments. Results: In total, 80 children were included in the analysis. The first-attempt success rate in the single-operator laser-assisted ultrasound-guidance group (36 of 40 [90%]) was significantly greater than that in the traditional ultrasound-guidance group (28 of 40 [70%]; absolute difference, 20% [95% CI, 2.3% to 36.6%]; P = 0.025). The median procedure time to success within the first attempt was shorter in the single-operator laser-assisted ultrasound-guidance group compared with the traditional ultrasound-guidance group (31 s [27, 36 s] vs. 46 s [39, 52 s]; P < 0.001). The incidence of hematoma in the single-operator laser-assisted ultrasound-guidance group (1 of 40, 3%) was significantly lower than that in the traditional ultrasound-guidance group (11 of 40, 28%; P = 0.002). Regarding the initial needle-tip position after skin puncture, the median score (4 [3,4] vs. 2 [2,3]; P < 0.001); position 3, 4, or 5 (38 [95%] vs. 13 [33%]; P < 0.001); and position 4 or 5 (26 [65%] vs. 5 [13%]; P < 0.001) were all in favor of single-operator laser-assisted ultrasound guidance. Conclusions: Compared with traditional ultrasound guidance, the single-operator laser-assisted ultrasound-guided system is a useful add-on to the ultrasound dynamic needle-tip puncture technique. It improves the first-attempt success rate of radial artery cannulation in children younger than 2 yr by projecting the path of the artery on the skin and provides better procedural conditions (stable ultrasound probe). In this prospective randomized study, laser-assisted ultrasound guidance, projecting the path of the target artery onto the skin surface, improved the speed and the success rate of radial artery cannulation in young children when compared to traditional ultrasound-guided cannulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On a global scale, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the second most common form of cancer and the 10th leading cause of cancer-related deaths. There are about 70% of cases of RCC that are clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCCs). This study explores possible targets for immune therapy in patients with RCC. In the recent years, immunotherapy has been applied to RCC patients. In order to identify genes that are closely associated with immune cells, a weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was conducted. A close association was found between genes involved in MEred and M0 macrophages, M1 macrophages, and M2 macrophages. A prognostic prediction model is subsequently developed by incorporating the OS and the expression level of key genes from the RCC cohort into a univariate COX regression analysis, a multivariate COX regression analysis, and a combined COX regression analysis. We finally discovered that 6 genes are closely associated with the prognosis of RCC patients, including SLC16A12, SLC2A9, IGF2BP2, EMX2, ANK3, and METTL7A. The survival analysis proved the prognostic prediction value of the model. The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year AUC of ROC curves are 0.759, 0.723, and 0.733, respectively. For clinical ROC curves, the AUC score for risk score, stage, grade, and T stage is 0.759, 0.824, 0722, and 0.736, respectively. The nomogram was constructed for better prognosis prediction of RCC patients. In addition, GSVA and GO enrichment analysis was performed to explore the potential pathways that are closely associated with genes involved in the prognostic prediction model. Accordingly, our study demonstrates that immune cells play a crucial role in RCC infiltration. The development of a prognostic prediction model is a potential new prognostic biomarker and potential immunotherapy target for tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation Polygenic risk score (PRS) has been widely exploited for genetic risk prediction due to its accuracy and conceptual simplicity. We introduce a unified Bayesian regression framework, NeuPred, for PRS construction, which accommodates varying genetic architectures and improves overall prediction accuracy for complex diseases by allowing for a wide class of prior choices. To take full advantage of the framework, we propose a summary-statistics-based cross-validation strategy to automatically select suitable chromosome-level priors, which demonstrates a striking variability of the prior preference of each chromosome, for the same complex disease, and further significantly improves the prediction accuracy. Results Simulation studies and real data applications with seven disease datasets from the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium cohort and eight groups of large-scale genome-wide association studies demonstrate that NeuPred achieves substantial and consistent improvements in terms of predictive r 2 over existing methods. In addition, NeuPred has similar or advantageous computational efficiency compared with the state-of-the-art Bayesian methods. Availability and implementation The R package implementing NeuPred is available at https://github.com/shuangsong0110/NeuPred. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irisin is protective in the cardiac microenvironment and can resist doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the connection between Irisin, endothelial cell integrity, and mitochondrial dynamics. Primary cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (CMECs) were used to explore the regulatory effects of Irisin on tight junction proteins, mitochondrial dynamics, β-catenin expression, and transcriptional activity. Results showed that Irisin can suppress doxorubicin-induced upregulation of MMP2 and MMP9, thereby reducing the degradation of tight junction proteins (ZO-1 and Claudin-5) and VE-cadherin. The preservation of Claudin-5 contributes to maintaining Mfn2 expression, which in turn supports mitochondrial fusion. Although Irisin restores doxorubicin-induced downregulation of β-catenin, it concurrently limits β-catenin transcriptional activity via Mfn2-mediated sulfenylation. Therefore, this study revealed a novel mechanism linking the protective effects of Irisin on the tight junction proteins and mitochondrial dynamics upon doxorubicin exposure. • Irisin alleviates Claudin-5 degradation by suppressing doxorubicin-induced MMP-2/9. • Irisin reverses doxorubicin-induced downregulation of Mfn2 via Cluadin-5. • Irisin restores β-catenin expression via Mfn2 upon doxorubicin exposure. • Irisin restricts β-catenin transcriptional activity via Mfn2-mediated sulfenylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dicer is an RNaseIII in microRNA processing that modulates multiple biological processes including tumorigenesis. We have shown that Dicer could inhibit the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) previously [Zhang L, Wang C, Liu S, Zhao Y, et al. Oncol Lett 2016;11:3961-3966]. Here, we evaluated the relationships between Dicer and reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well as their modulation for HCC. We found Dicer expression was positively associated with ROS generation in HCC tissue at borderline statistical levels (p =.065); functional analysis showed Dicer could both induce the ROS generation (p <.01) and reduce the activity of Cytochrome c Oxidase (COX) (p <.05) by comparing the Dicer transfected and control HCC cells. The COX inhibitor ADDA-5 hydrochloride could increase the ROS generation, whereas the ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine (NAC) could decrease the COX activity. Further analysis also demonstrated that one kind of ROS, H2O2, could repress the proliferation and migration as well as increase the apoptosis of HCC cells. Our data indicated that Dicer could inhibit the HCC growth by promoting ROS generation; ROS and COX interacted with each other to modify this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the guidance of the ESI-MS result for [TeO6@Ag36(C≡CtBu)18(tfa)12] (1, tfa = trifluoroacetate), a new 36-nucleus silver-alkynyl cluster substituted by four pentafluorobenzoates, named as [TeO6@Ag36(C≡CtBu)18(tfa)8(F5PhCO2)4] (2), has been fabricated. After shell ligand substitution, cluster 2 emits green yellow light in the solid state and shows a remarkable change in the near-infrared luminescence emission compared to cluster 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pha Lek Fe-polymetallic deposit in the southwest of the Truong Son orogenic belt records the evolution and metallogenesis of the southeastern Asia Tethys. Debates remain on the roles the Late Triassic volcanism played in the formation of the iron oxides of the deposit. Petrographic and SEM studies led to the recognition of two dominant iron oxides (magnetite and hematite) and three stages of mineralization (pre-ore, syn-ore, and post-ore stages). In situ LA–ICP–MS analyses for trace elements and Fe and O isotopic analyses were applied to understand the origin of the iron oxides. Generally, iron oxide of the syn-ore stage has higher total trace elements than post-ore stage, and magnetite has higher lithophile elements, whereas hematite has higher chalocophile elements. The trace-element abundance in magnetite is most comparable to porphyry-skarn-hydrothermal magnetite, and hematite is more comparable to supergene and secondary, non-magmatic hydrothermal chemistry. All δ56Fe values of the iron-oxide separates are above 0‰ and have an igneous signature, and syn-ore stage magnetite has relatively higher δ56Fe values than the post-ore stage hematite. All δ18O values of the iron-oxide separates are below 1‰ and plot within the non-igneous field, and show a similar decreasing trend from syn-ore stage magnetite to post-ore stage hematite. We propose that the Triassic volcanic activities played a limited role during the mineralization process; the deposit was formed because of the Late Carboniferous–Early Permian, porphyry-skarn-related, magmatic hydrothermal alteration; and the mixing of non-magmatic fluid and/or the supergene weathering caused the wide reprecipitation of Fe oxides. An evolutionary mineralization model related to the low-angle subduction for the deposit is also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of argon plasma coagulation (APC) therapy and interferon therapy in patients with grade I and II vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VaIN). Methods: A total of 112 patients with VaIN were diagnosed via colposcopy-induced biopsy and classified into the APC group (n = 77) and interferon group (n = 35). Clinical data including age, grade, symptoms, historical or concomitant neoplasia of the lower genital tract, indications for hysterectomy, pregnancy history, cytology, human papillomavirus (HPV) subtype, treatment modalities, and clinical outcomes were analyzed, retrospectively. Complications and clinical outcomes were assessed at 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Results: There was no significant difference in the HPV clearance rate between the APC (53.42%) and interferon (33.33%) groups at 6 months after treatment. However, the 12-month follow-up of the APC group showed a significantly higher HPV clearance rate as compared to the interferon group (87.67% vs. 51.52%, P < 0.05). The APC group exhibited a significantly higher cure rate (79.22% vs. 40.0%) and lower persistence rate (12.99% vs. 37.14%) than the interferon group (P < 0.05). Adverse reaction analysis revealed that the primary reaction in the APC group was vaginal drainage, in contrast to the increased vaginal discharge in the interferon group; though the difference was significant (68.83% vs. 28.57%, P < 0.05), no serious complications were observed. Conclusions: Treatment with APC is a safe and more effective procedure against VaIN I and II, compared to interferon. APC may serve as a viable alternative to other physiotherapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visible‐light‐driven photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction is a promising pathway to moderate environmental pollution, in which the development of photocatalysts is pivotal. Herein, three hourglass‐type phosphomolybdate‐based hybrids with the formula of: (H2bpe)3[Zn(H2PO4)][Zn(bpe)(H2O)2]H{Zn[P4Mo6O31H6]2} ⋅ 6H2O (1) Na6[H2bz]2[ZnNa4(H2O)5]{Zn [P4Mo6O31H3]2} ⋅ 2H2O (2) and (H2mbpy) {[Zn(mbpy)(H2O)]2[Zn(H2O)]2}{Zn[P4Mo6O31H6]2} ⋅ 10H2O (3) (bpe=trans‐1,2‐bi(4‐pyridyl)‐ethylene; bz=4,4′‐diaminobiphenyl; mbpy=4,4'‐dimethyl‐2,2'bipyridine) were synthesized under the guidance of the functional organic moiety modification strategy. Structural analysis showed that hybrids 1–3 have similar 2D layer‐like spatial arrangements constructed by {Zn[P4Mo6]2} clusters and organic components with different conjugated degree. With excellent redox properties and wide visible‐light absorption capacities, hybrids 1–3 display favourable photocatalytic activity for Cr(VI) reduction with 79%, 70% and 64% reduction rates, which are superior to that of only inorganic {Zn[P4Mo6]2} itself (21%). The investigation of organic components on photocatalytic performance of hybrids 1–3 suggested that the organic counter cations (bpe, bz and mbpy) can effectively affect the visible‐light absorption, as well as the recombination of photogenerated carriers stemmed from {Zn[P4Mo6]2} clusters, further promoting their photocatalytic performances towards Cr(VI) reduction. This work provides an experimental basis for the design of functionalized photocatalysts via the modification of organic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor fibrotic stroma forms complex barriers for therapeutic nanomedicine. Although nanoparticle vehicles are promising in overcoming biological barriers for drug delivery, fibrosis causes hypoxia, immunosuppression and limited immunocytes infiltration, and thus reduces antitumor efficacy of nanosystems. Herein, we report the development of cancer‐associated fibroblasts (CAFs) responsive honeycomb‐like nanoassemblies of carbon dots (CDs) to spatially program the delivery of multiple therapeutics for enhanced antitumor chemoimmunotherapy. Doxorubicin (DOX) and immunotherapeutic enhancer (Fe ions) are immobilized on the surface of CDs, whereas tumor microenvironment modifier (losartan, LOS) is encapsulated within the mesopores. The drugs‐loaded nanoassemblies disassociate into individual CDs to release LOS to mitigate stroma and hypoxia in response to CAFs. The individual CDs carrying DOX and Fe ion efficiently penetrate deep into tumor to trigger intensified immune responses. Our in vitro and in vivo studies show that the nanoassemblies exhibit effective T cells infiltration, tumor growth inhibition and lung metastasis prevention, thereby providing a therapeutic platform for desmoplasia solid tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor fibrotic stroma forms complex barriers for therapeutic nanomedicine. Although nanoparticle vehicles are promising in overcoming biological barriers for drug delivery, fibrosis causes hypoxia, immunosuppression and limited immunocytes infiltration, and thus reduces antitumor efficacy of nanosystems. Herein, we report the development of cancer‐associated fibroblasts (CAFs) responsive honeycomb‐like nanoassemblies of carbon dots (CDs) to spatially program the delivery of multiple therapeutics for enhanced antitumor chemoimmunotherapy. Doxorubicin (DOX) and immunotherapeutic enhancer (Fe ions) are immobilized on the surface of CDs, whereas tumor microenvironment modifier (losartan, LOS) is encapsulated within the mesopores. The drugs‐loaded nanoassemblies disassociate into individual CDs to release LOS to mitigate stroma and hypoxia in response to CAFs. The individual CDs carrying DOX and Fe ion efficiently penetrate deep into tumor to trigger intensified immune responses. Our in vitro and in vivo studies show that the nanoassemblies exhibit effective T cells infiltration, tumor growth inhibition and lung metastasis prevention, thereby providing a therapeutic platform for desmoplasia solid tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The collision performance of crashworthy structures can be improved using the optimization design. However, conflicting objective functions and the non-uniqueness of solutions hinder the Pareto optimum selection. This study constructs a hybrid optimization approach (TA-FBGV) integrating the multi-objective optimization and the multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM). TA-FBGV combines the two-phase differential evolution (ToPDE) method, indicator-based multi-objective evolutionary algorithm (AR-MOEA), fuzzy best worst (F-BW) strategy, grey relational analysis (GRA), and VIsekriterijumsko KOmpromisno Rangiranje (VIKOR) integrating method (G-VIKOR) to address difficulties of the Pareto optimum selection. The ToPDE method is employed to generate uniform samples. AR-MOEA is used to produce Pareto optimal solutions. Weighting values of competing objectives are calculated through the F-BW strategy. G-VIKOR is applied to choose the final Pareto optimum from the Pareto front. Subsequently, the multi-objective optimization of the train underframe structure is performed using TA-FBGV. The results show that the Pareto optimum obtained by G-VIKOR is a good compromising solution which locates near the knee point provided by the minimum distance selection method (TMDSM). This implies that the G-VIKOR approach can achieve a good trade-off among conflictive objectives. Compared with the initial model, although the energy absorption of the Pareto optimum is decreased, the initial peak crushing force and structural mass are reduced. Optimization results indicate that the TA-FBGV approach is efficient to select the Pareto optimum for the structure optimization design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been appreciated as a valuable analytical tool in the cultural heritage field owing to its unique technological superiority, particularly in combination with chemometric methods. Feature selection (FS) as an indispensable pre-processing step in data optimization, for eliminating the redundant or irrelevant features from high-dimensional data to enhance the predictive capacity and result comprehensibility of multivariate classification based on LIBS technology. In this paper, a novel hybrid filter/wrapper method based on the MI-DBS algorithm was proposed to enhance the qualitative analysis performance of the LIBS technique. The proposed method combines the advantages of the mutual information (MI) algorithm based filter method and bi-directional selection (DBS) algorithm based wrapper method. The MI algorithm is the first to remove the redundant or uncorrelated features so that a simplified input subset can be established. Then, the DBS algorithm is used to further select the retained features and hence to seek an optimal feature subset with good predictive performance. To benefit the above feature selection process, the wavelet transform denoising (WTD) method was used to reduce the noise from LIBS spectra. LIBS experiments were performed using 35 archaeological ceramic samples. Besides, the proposed hybrid filter/wrapper method was implemented through a random forest (RF) based nonlinear multivariate classification method. Through a comparison between several other feature selection methods and the proposed method, it has been seen that the proposed method is the best regarding the predictive performance and number of the selected features. Finally, the MI-DBS algorithm is used to seek the optimal features from the full spectrum (220–720 nm); the corresponding sensitivity, specificity and accuracy acquired through the RF classifier for the test set were 0.9722, 0.9956 and 0.9850. It is shown from the general results that the MI-DBS algorithm is more effective in terms of improving the model performance and decreasing the redundant or uncorrelated features and computational time and serves as a good alternative for FS in multivariate classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For improving the stability of heterogeneous traffic flow in smart grids, the Multi-Lane Multi-Vehicle State Information Index Smoothing Fusion Car following model in the context of heterogeneous traffic flow (MLMVISF model) is proposed for CAVs (connected and autonomous vehicles) and HDVs (human driving vehicles). The model takes into account the combined effects of rearview effects, state information (e.g., velocity and acceleration) of multiple preceding vehicles, average velocity information of adjacent lanes, and the perception error headway. Through linear stability analysis, the model's stability criteria were investigated, and the optimal parameters were determined. MLMVISF model improves heterogeneous traffic flow stability based on linear stability and numerical simulation analysis. MLMVISF improves stability by 15.34 % over the FVD model (Full velocity difference) and 10.43 % over the MVISF model (Multi Vehicle Information Smooth Fusion). The study contributes to the design of automated driving strategies for smart grids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low infrared emissivity in 3–5 μm or 8–14 μm band has been realized in different host materials. Realizing the low infrared emissivity in single material covering the entire band is rarely achieved. This research explores a binary system of ultra-high temperature ceramic ZrB 2 –CeO 2 composites prepared by solid state sintering. their phase composition, microstructure evolution, reaction mechanism and infrared emissivity performance were discussed in detail. It was found that CeO 2 , ZrB 2 , ZrO 2 , and Zr n Ce 1-n O 2 existed in the sample in addition to the coated glass phase of CeO 2 on the surface of the sample. In-situ HRTEM results clearly revealed a series of reaction mechanism of CeO 2 and ZrB 2. With the increase of sintering temperature, the CeO 2 particles gradually transformed into a glass phase, and were distributed on the surface of ZrB 2 particles, and ZrO 2 was formed on the surface of ZrB 2 , simultaneously. Consequently, Zr n Ce 1-n O 2 is formed as the reaction of ZrO 2 and CeO 2. Compared with the infrared emissivity spectra of pure CeO 2 and ZrB 2 , a low infrared emissivity less than 0.2 in a wider coverage band of 3–5 and 8–14 μm in ZrB 2 –CeO 2 compounds was achieved as a result of synergistic interaction between CeO 2 and ZrB 2. The obtained information about the phase composition and microstructure evolution helps to realize low infrared emissivity in a wider coverage band in compounds via composition and microstructure modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With rapid advances in high-throughput sequencing technology, millions of single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) can be simultaneously genotyped in a sequencing study. These SNVs residing in functional genomic regions such as exons may play a crucial role in biological process of the body. In particular, non-synonymous SNVs are closely related to the protein sequence and its function, which are important in understanding the biological mechanism of sequence evolution. Although statistically challenging, models incorporating such SNV annotation information can improve the estimation of genetic effects, and multiple responses may further strengthen the signals of these variants on the assessment of disease risk. In this work, we develop a new weighted empirical Bayes method to integrate SNV annotation information in a multi-trait design. The performance of this proposed model is evaluated in simulation as well as a real sequencing data; thus, the proposed method shows improved prediction accuracy compared to other approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a novel 3-D die-to-wafer (D2W) bonding method using intermetallic compound (IMC) layer insertion into a soft Sn bump to generate mechanical connection of two dies, called insertion bonding. A 50% decrease in stacking time can be obtained. Using this process close to a 100% electrical yield of daisy chains containing 800 fine pitch bumps (20 $\mu \text{m}$) is achieved. Various challenges for insertion bonding, such as material selection, surface properties of microbumps, bonding optimization, and compatibility with underfill materials, are discussed in this article. In addition, the potential application of IMC insertion bonding to prevent oxide formation for Co-based under bump metallization and as protection layer is explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metronomic cancer chemotherapy has displayed the potential to ameliorate immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and facilitate antitumor immunotherapy, but this strategy requires uninterrupted administration of low-dose chemotherapeutic agents and suffers from rapid drug clearance. Here, we developed a single-dose in situ immune stimulator storage to achieve prolonged retention and sustained release of drugs in tumor parenchyma. Importantly, this storage could initiate immune responses through photothermal therapy (PTT) and simultaneously remodel TME. In detail, the storage framework (NGOPC) with size of ~60 nm, was composed of Ala-Ala-Asn-Cys-Lys modified nano graphene oxide (NGO-PEG-pep) and 2-cyano-6-aminobenzothiazole modified NGO (NGO-PEG-CABT), and could sufficiently penetrate into deep tumor region. Once NGOPC arrived at the core field, legumain overexpressing in TME could trigger click cycloaddition reaction of NGO-PEG-pep with NGO-PEG-CABT to form network, leading to aggregation and augmented retention in tumor. Additionally, paclitaxel (PTX) that can block immunologic escape was loaded in NGOPC (NGOPC@PTX), which synergistically worked with PTT-generated antitumor immunity. We found that NGOPC@PTX possessed the superior ability to accumulate in tumor and generate antitumor immunological efficacy by improving immune factors: induction of HSP70-mediated immunogenic cell death, reduction of regulatory T cells, and activation of cytotoxic T lymphocyte. This in situ storage, which exhibited excellent tumor growth inhibition effect and prolonged lifespan in combination with PTT, displays the potential for intensified cancer immunotherapy. A single-dose in situ immune stimulator storage, which can achieve prolonged retention and sustained release of drugs in tumor parenchyma, initiates immune responses through PTT and simultaneously remodels TME. Unlabelled Image • Metronomic cancer chemotherapy may ameliorate immunosuppressive TME. • PTT combined with metronomic chemotherapy facilitate antitumor immunotherapy. • Single-dose in situ immune stimulator storage can achieve the combinatorial strategy. • This system displays the potential for intensified cancer immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A modified backward elimination approach was proposed for feature selection (FS) to eliminate the redundant and irrelevant features from laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) spectra for the rapid classification of Chinese archaeological ceramics. The major elements (Fe, Ca, Si, Al and Mg) were identified in the LIBS spectra of the ancient ceramics using the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) database. Six different pre-processing methods were used to reduce the errors caused by random factors and the influence of various non-target factors on the classification results, which could increase the comparability among the Chinese archaeological ceramics from different dynasties. The input features for the random forest (RF) model were selected by a modified backward elimination approach and three assessment criteria, namely sensitivity, specificity and accuracy, from full spectra. LIBS spectra pre-processed by mean centering with the optimal input feature were used to construct an RF classification model for different dynasty ceramics. As indicated by the research results, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the RF model for the ceramic samples in the test set are 0.9526, 0.9910 and 0.9782, respectively. In this sense, available statistics proved the excellent performance of Chinese archaeological ceramic classification. Compared with the predictive result using RF, VI-RF and SBS-RF models, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the modified SBS-RF model are higher than the results by other models. The results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is more efficient in reducing the redundant features and computational time and improve the model performance. In addition, it is a good alternative for rapid analyses in multivariate classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a methodology to investigate, in situ, the interfacial solid-state reaction of alternative metallurgical systems, such as Cu/Ni/Sn and Ni/Cu/Sn bumps. The methodology is based on continuous in situ resistance measurements as a function of time and temperature. It allows to extract solid-state interfacial kinetic reaction parameters, such as activation energy and power factor, in a much more precise and faster way than the conventionally used methods. Moreover, the continuous recording of resistance change makes comparing different metallurgical systems easier. This article shows the results obtained using this method for Cu/Ni/Sn and Ni/Cu/Sn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A three–dimensional (3D) model is proposed to predict the interface structures and characteristics of gas–liquid stratified flow. • Phase distribution and interface fluctuation are measured using Electrical Resistance Tomography (ERT) and visual recording equipment, respectively. • The interface function and acceleration pressure drop are considered to modify the two-fluid model. • The transition of the interface shape and critical conditions are quantitatively described. • The results obtained should be beneficial for improving the safety monitoring and calibration of multi-phase metering for mixture transportation in the petroleum industry. In this study, the air–water flow in a pipe with a diameter of 100 mm was tested to investigate the three-dimensional (3D) interfacial characteristics of gas–liquid stratified flow in horizontal and slightly inclined pipes. The gas–liquid stratified flow interface exhibited a nonflat phenomenon (concave or convex). In particular, this phenomenon was verified by the transformation of the interface shape when the gas–liquid ratio exceeded 200 and 5 in the horizontal and inclined pipes, respectively. Compared with the flow in the horizontal pipe, the liquid holdup gradually decreased with an increase in the inclination angle in the downward stratified flow, and liquid height changes at the center was slight; however, the convex interface shape was obvious. In addition, the interface exhibited regular fluctuations in the flow direction under fixed operating conditions. Therefore, the hypothesis of a nonflat interface for stratified flow was proposed based on the experimental phenomena, and the interface shape function and flow equations were constructed to predict the degree of interface bending and critical conditions for gas–liquid stratified flow by analyzing the theoretical and influencing factors. The acceleration pressure drop was introduced to quantitatively characterize interfacial fluctuations in the flow direction; therefore, a modified model for nonflat stratified flow was developed. The proposed model could characterize the interface features in both the cross-sectional and flow directions of the pipe and provided a solution for the 3D interface of stratified flow. A comparison with the experimental results revealed that the proposed model performed the prediction satisfactorily. By solving the proposed model, the interfacial information in the pipe cross section and flow direction can be effectively predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triadimefon is ubiquitous in various environmental media. Although toxicity of triadimefon to individual of aquatic organisms has been confirmed, its effect on organisms at population level remain poorly understood. In this study the long-term effect of triadimefon on individual and population of Daphnia magna were studied using multi-generational experiments and matrix model. Development and reproduction of three generations of F1 and F2 were significantly inhibited with the triadimefon concentration of 0.1 mg/L (p < 0.01). Toxicity of triadimefon to the offspring was stronger than to the parent (p < 0.05). When triadimefon concentration was higher than 0.1 mg/L, both population number and intrinsic rate of increase showed a decreasing trend with the increasing exposure concentration. Age structure of the population also tended to decline. Toxicity threshold derived on population-level was between mortality-based LC 50 and reproduction-based NOEC of Daphnia magna , and also between acute toxicity and chronic toxicity derived from species sensitivity distribution (SSD). The risk of population level derived from risk quotient was low for most areas, and the results derived from probability risk showed that the expected loss of intrinsic rate of increase of population was 0.0039 without considering other factors. Compared to the individual-level, the ecological risks at the population level were closer to the actual situation of the ecosystem response to the chemical pollution. • Multi-generational and population-level effect of triadimefon were quantified in Daphnia magna. • Offspring was more susceptible to triadimefon than parent. • Safe threshold based on population level was closer to the actual situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multi-objective robust design optimization of a front-end underframe structure for application in high-speed trains is proposed and the structural parameter uncertainty is considered. A finite element model of the structure is developed and verified by dynamic impact experiments. The sensitivity analysis demonstrates that the thicknesses of the centre sill have significant influences on structural crushing behaviours. The specific energy absorption and the initial peak crushing force (Fp) are taken as optimization objectives. Compared with the baseline structure, the 6-sigma robust design shows that the Fp and the structural mass are reduced by 54.86% and 13.06%, respectively, and the robust optimum is more reliable. The 6-sigma robust optimal solution has an efficient energy-absorbing capacity while satisfying the design constraint. Thus, 6-sigma robust optimization can be applied for high-speed trains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the prophylactic efficacy of short-term intensive preoperative inspiratory muscle training on the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications in patients scheduled for cardiac surgery. Design: Single-blind, randomized controlled pilot study. Setting: TEDA International Cardiovascular Hospital, China. Subjects: In total, 197 subjects aged ⩾50 years scheduled for cardiac surgery were selected. Intervention: The intervention group (n = 98) received five days of preoperative inspiratory muscle training on top of the usual care received by the patients in the control group (n = 99). Main measures: The primary outcome variable was the occurrence of postoperative pulmonary complications. The secondary outcome variables were inspiratory muscle strength, lung function and length of hospitalization. Results: After cardiac surgery, a total of 10 (10.2%) of the 98 patients in the intervention group and 27 (27.3%) of 99 patients in the control group had postoperative pulmonary complications (risk ratio, 0.23; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.09–0.58, P = 0.002). The study revealed that, compared with the control group, the intervention group had a significant increase in inspiratory muscle strength (by 10.48 cm H2O, P < 0.001), forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration (FEV1) %predicted (by 3.75%, P = 0.030), forced vital capacity (FVC) %predicted (by 4.15%, P = 0.008) and maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) %predicted (by 6.44%, P = 0.034). Length of hospital stay was 7.51 (2.83) days in the intervention group and 9.38 (3.10) days in the control group (P = 0.039). Conclusion: A five-day intensive pattern of preoperative inspiratory muscle training reduced the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications and duration of postoperative hospitalization in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mapping expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) has provided insight into gene regulation. Compared to cis-eQTLs, the regulatory mechanisms of trans-eQTLs are less known. Previous studies suggest that trans-eQTLs may regulate expression of remote genes by altering the expression of nearby genes. Trans-association has been studied in the mediation analysis with a single mediator. However, prior applications with one mediator are prone to model misspecification due to correlations between genes. Motivated from the observation that trans-eQTLs are more likely to associate with more than one cis-gene than randomly selected SNPs in the GTEx dataset, we developed a computational method to identify trans-eQTLs that are mediated by multiple mediators. Results: We proposed two hypothesis tests for testing the total mediation effect (TME) and the component-wise mediation effects (CME), respectively. We demonstrated in simulation studies that the type I error rates were controlled in both tests despite model misspecification. The TME test was more powerful than the CME test when the two mediation effects are in the same direction, while the CME test was more powerful than the TME test when the two mediation effects are in opposite direction. Multiple mediator analysis had increased power to detect mediated trans-eQTLs, especially in large samples. In the HapMap3 data, we identified 11 mediated trans-eQTLs that were not detected by the single mediator analysis in the combined samples of African populations. Moreover, the mediated trans-eQTLs in the HapMap3 samples are more likely to be trait-associated SNPs. In terms of computation, although there is no limit in the number of mediators in our model, analysis takes more time when adding additional mediators. In the analysis of the HapMap3 samples, we included at most 5 cis-gene mediators. Majority of the trios we considered have one or two mediators. Conclusions: Trans-eQTLs are more likely to associate with multiple cis-genes than randomly selected SNPs. Mediation analysis with multiple mediators improves power of identification of mediated trans-eQTLs, especially in large samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Truong Son metallogenic belt in central Laos and Vietnam is an important Fe-Cu-Sn-Au polymetallic ore district. The Pha Lek Fe deposit is closely related to Late Carboniferous- Early Permian I-type granitic magmatism, and contains >50 Mt @ 45% to 50% of Fe ore. Ore minerals occur mainly as magnetite and hematite in the skarn alteration zone between a granitic pluton and metamorphosed Middle-Upper Devonian carbonates. The granitic pluton comprises granodiorite and granite, with zircon U-Pb dating indicating synchronous emplacement at 288.2±1.3 and 284.9±1.2 Ma, respectively. Zircons from these granitoids have εHf(t) values of 2.9-11.2 and relatively young TDM2 ages (<1.0 Ga), indicating an origin by partial melting of depleted mafic crust or magma mixing. Previous studies have shown that these granitoids have high Y, Yb, and K2O contents, and low Sr and Na2O contents, which are interpreted as the melting of mafic continental crust. Pyrite of the main mineralization stage yields an 187Re/188Os-187Os/188Os isochron age of 287±17 Ma, indicating that mineralization is associated with Pha Lek granitic magmatism. A Late Carboniferous-Early Permian subduction-related skarn-type Fe mineralization model is proposed for the Pha Lek deposit. More evidence is needed to verify a hypothesis of volcanic overprinting during Late Triassic post-collisional extension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Na-bridged phosphomolybdates (H2en)12[{Na0.8K0.2(H2O)}2{Na[Mo6O12(OH)3(HPO4)2(PO4)2]2}2]·7H2O (1), (H2bpp)2[{Sr2(H2O)4}{Na3(H2O)10}{Na[Mo6O12(OH)3(HPO4)3(PO4)]2}]·2H2O (2), and (H2bpp)6 [{Ca2(H2O)4}{Na2(H2O)4}{Na[Mo6O12(OH)3(HPO4)3(PO4)]2}2] (3) (en = ethylenediamine, bpp = 1,3-bi(4-pyridyl)propane), were synthesized by a hydrothermal method and characterized. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the three hybrids were composed of fully reduced ‘hourglass-shaped’ {Na[PV4MoV6X31]2}n− (X = O/OH) clusters and N-containing organic cations. The electrochemical measurements showed that this kind of highly negatively charged metal–oxygen cluster in crystals 1–3 has the ideal behaviour of reversible electron gain or loss, which is related to the function of electron transfer catalysts in oxidation reduction reactions. Experimental results indicated that they were active as heterogeneous crystal catalysts in the catalytic reduction of inorganic hexavalent chromium with formic acid as reductant, and also had a significant catalytic effect on the photodegradation of the organic dye methylene blue under mild conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal oxide nanomaterials have been widely applied in the high-performance gas sensors. For metal oxide semiconductors, high surface-to-volume ratio and the exposed crystal facets are the two key factors for determining their gas sensing performances. In order to study the effect of surface structure on the gas sensing properties, in this work, two types of copper oxide (CuO) nanostructures, CuO nanotubes (CuO NTs) with exposed surface plane of (111) and CuO nanocubes (CuO NCs) with exposed surface plane of (110), were obtained from Cu nanowires (Cu NWs) and Cu 2 O nanocubes (Cu 2 O NCs), respectively. The morphologies, crystal and surface structures were characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The gas-sensing performances of CuO NTs and CuO NCs for CO gas detection were then studied. The results demonstrated that compared to CuO NCs, the CuO NTs exhibited lower optimum working temperature and higher sensitivity for CO gas detection. At the operating temperature of 175 °C, the prepared CuO NTs exhibited high sensitivity, good selectivity, fast response and recovery times to CO gas. The present study indicates that for the same semiconductor sensing material, the surface crystal structure has significant influence on the sensing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apoptosis plays a vital role in the developmental process of the mammalian reproduction system, such as during folliculogenesis or spermatogenesis. Kinesin superfamily (Kif) proteins are responsible for intercellular transportation, and their malfunction can induce cell apoptosis. Oocyte-G1 is a new Kif member. Our previous study suggested that abnormal expression of Oocyte-G1 induced abnormal development of ovarian follicle and testes, but the underlying mechanism was not fully discovered. Therefore, in this study, the cellular role and mechanism of Oocyte-G1 were investigated. Transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) result showed that overexpression of Oocyte-G1 increased apoptosis in cultured cells. Oocyte-G1 transgenic mice also showed an increased apoptotic rate in male germ cells compared with controls. Immunoprecipitation and co-localization experiments revealed an interaction between Oocyte-G1 and Caspase-3. Expression levels of Caspase-3 were upregulated in cells overexpressing Oocyte-G1 and downregulated in Oocyte-G1 knockdown cells. These results suggest that Oocyte-G1 may promote male germ cell apoptosis through activating Caspase-3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corncob-β-cyclodextrin composites(CB-β-CD) were synthesized in one-pot using corncob and P-cyclodextrin as raw materials. CB-β-CD Were characterized by FTIR, SEM, BET and thermogravimetry. The adsorption performance of CB-β-CD was tested by adsorbing dye molecules(AF) and MG under different conditions. The results showed that the initial mass concentration of 20 mL dye was 30 mg/L and add long adsorbent the adsorption time was 3 h, the maximum adsorption amounts of CB-β-CD for MG and AF were 52.16 mg/g and 58.04 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption of MG was better under alkaline conditions, while AF was adsorbed better under acidic conditions. The adsorption of AF and MG is more in line with the quasi second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm adsorption type, and the adsorption process is mainly single-molecule layer and chemical adsorption. After five cycles of reuse, the adsorption performance of the material can still reach above 90%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

VO2 is renowned for its electric transition from an insulating monoclinic (M1) phase, characterized by V–V dimerized structures, to a metallic rutile (R) phase above 340 K. This transition is accompanied by a magnetic change: the M1 phase exhibits a non-magnetic spin-singlet state, while the R phase exhibits a state with local magnetic moments. Simultaneous simulation of the structural, electric, and magnetic properties of this compound is of fundamental importance, but the M1 phase alone has posed a significant challenge to the density functional theory (DFT). In this study, we show none of the commonly used DFT functionals, including those combined with on-site Hubbard U to treat 3d electrons better, can accurately predict the V–V dimer length. The spin-restricted method tends to overestimate the strength of the V–V bonds, resulting in a small V–V bond length. Conversely, the spin-symmetry-breaking method exhibits the opposite trends. Each of these two bond-calculation methods underscores one of the two contentious mechanisms, i.e., Peierls lattice distortion or Mott localization due to electron–electron repulsion, involved in the metal–insulator transition in VO2. To elucidate the challenges encountered in DFT, we also employ an effective Hamiltonian that integrates one-dimensional magnetic sites, thereby revealing the inherent difficulties linked with the DFT computations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The southwestern South China Block, composed of southwestern China and northeastern Vietnam, is one of the most important Sn-polymetallic ore districts in the world. The Dulong skarn Sn-polymetallic deposit, which is closely related to Late Cretaceous granitic magmatism, contains 5.0 mt Zn, 0.4 mt Sn, 0.2 mt Pb, and 7 kt In, and is one of the largest Sn-polymetallic deposits in the region. Sn mineralization occurs mainly as cassiterite at the contact zone between the Laojunshan granitic pluton and carbonates of the Cambrian Tianpeng Formation. The Laojunshan granitic pluton consists of three: medium- to coarse-grained two-mica monzonitic granite, medium- to fine-grained two-mica monzonitic granite, and granite porphyry, with zircon U–Pb ages of 87.5 ± 0.6 Ma, 85.3 ± 1.1 Ma, and 82.8 ± 1.6 Ma, respectively. Zircon grains from these three phases show ε Hf (t) values from −9.5 to −2.5, typical of a mantle origin. All samples exhibit strongly peraluminous and high-K calc-alkaline affinities, and show trace element patterns characterized by enrichment in Rb, Ta, La, Zr, and Hf, and depletion in Ba, Nb, and Ti, typical of S-type granites. Three main alteration/mineralization stages are recognized within the mineralized contact zones: (1) skarn stage; (2) sulfide mineralization stage; and (3) supergene stage. Cassiterite grains from the skarn alteration stage yield a 207 Pb/ 206 Pb– 238 U/ 206 Pb concordia age of 89.4 ± 1.4 Ma, suggesting that mineralization was associated with the Laojunshan granitic pluton. Regionally, the Sn-polymetallic mineralization in the southwestern South China Block took place within a narrow time span from 97 to 79 Ma. The causative granitic magmas can be produced by partial melting of the Paleoproterozoic–Mesoproterozoic pelitic basement rocks during large-scale lithospheric thinning and asthenospheric upwelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pigs share many anatomical and physiological features with humans, offering a unique and viable model for biomedical research. Tandem mass tag method followed by mass spectrometry analysis was utilized to identify peptides (47,405), proteins (14,701), and protein groups (7634) in ovaries of 8‐ and 32‐week‐old postnatal Banna miniature pigs. After annotation and analysis by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway and Gene Ontology, the proteins were identified as being involved in hormone metabolic pathways and maintenance, proliferation, and regulation of stem cells. In addition, we found 638 differentially expressed proteins between ovaries of 8‐ and 32‐week‐old postnatal Banna miniature pigs. We used Interactive Pathway Explorer to produce an overview of pig ovarian proteomics. Compared with those of the 8‐week‐old group, the proteins enriched in metabolism of steroid hormones, metabolism of lipids, and energy metabolism pathway were upregulated in the 32‐week‐old group, indicating physiological characteristics of sexual maturity. These findings have implications in applications of biomedicine. Significance of the study: Pigs share many anatomical and physiological features with humans, offering a unique and viable model for biomedical research. In this study, we used tandem mass tag quantitative proteomics to describe, for the first time, protein expression patterns of postnatal pig ovaries. Proteins involved in hormone metabolic pathways and maintenance, proliferation, and regulation of stem cells were identified. With further analysis by Interactive Pathway Explorer, proteins enriched in metabolism of steroid hormones, metabolism of lipids, and energy metabolism pathway were upregulated in the 32‐week‐old group, indicating physiological characteristics of sexual maturity. These findings have implications in applications of biomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent an efficient part of innate immunity and are found in a variety of life. Among them Histone 2A (H2A), as a promising class of AMPs, attracts great attention, but the in vivo mechanism of H2A derived AMP is still less known. Based on the acquisition of Sphistin, a synthetic 38-amino acid H2A derived peptide from Scylla paramamosain , as reported in our previous study, was truncated into three short fragments (Sph 12-38 , Sph 20-38 and Sph 30-38 ) and further investigated for its possible functional domains. The antimicrobial activities of these analogs against different Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria and fungi were illustrated. Among the analogs, Sph 12-38 showed a stronger activity with a much lower minimum inhibitory concentration (3 μM) against Staphylococcus aureus, Corynebacterium glutamicum, Micrococcus lysodeikticus Fleming, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Aeromonas hydrophila and A. sobria in comparison with the reported Sphistin. A leakage of intracellular content was described in E. coli treated with Sph 12-38 . Unlike Sphistin which mainly disrupts the membrane integrity, Sph 12-38 could also combine the A. sobria genomic DNA with a minimum concentration of 6 μM and was located intracellularly in cells observed under confocal laser scanning microscope imaging. In comparison with the control group of Oryzias melastigma injected with A. sobria alone, the group treated with a mixture of Sph 12-38 and A. sobria showed a higher survival rate 7 days post-injection. Furthermore, in a pretreatment assay at 6 h, a higher survival rate was observed in the group injected with the mixture of Sph 12-38 and A. sobria . Taken together, the synthetic peptide of Sph 12-38 had a potent antimicrobial activity against bacteria. However, Sph 12-38 had no cytotoxicity towards the hemolymph of S. paramamosain . Our study suggested that, as with Sph 12-38 , the H2A derived peptides were more likely prone to exert their activities in vivo through the truncated fragments while defending against different species of pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, carbon nanomaterials, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT), graphene oxide (GO), and fullerene (C60) were modified by hyaluronic acid (HA) to obtain water-soluble and biocompatible nanomaterials with high tumor-targeting capacity and then the comparative study of these hyaluronic acid-modified carbon nanomaterials was made in vitro and in vivo. The conjugates of hyaluronic acid and carbon nanomaterials, namely, HA-SWNT, HA-GO, HA-C60, were confirmed by UV/Vis spectrum, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and a transmission electron microscope (TEM). After HA modification, the sizes of HA-SWNT, HA-GO, and HA-C60 were in a range of 70 to 300 nm, and all the three HA-modified materials were at negative potential, demonstrating that HA modification was in favor of extravasation of carbon materials into a tumor site due to enhanced permeability and retention effect of tumor. Photothermal conversion in vitro test demonstrated excellent photothermal sensitivity of HA-SWNT and HA-GO. But the reactive oxygen yield of HA-C60 was the highest compared with the others under visible light irradiation, which proved the good photodynamic therapy effect of HA-C60. In addition, cytotoxicity experiments exhibited that the inhibitory efficacy of HA-SWNT was the lowest, the second was HA-C60, and the highest was HA-GO, which was consistent with the uptake degree of them. While under the laser irradiation, the cell inhibition of the HA-SWNT was the highest, the second was HA-GO, and the last was HA-C60. In vivo evaluation of the three targeting carbon nanomaterials was consistent with the cytotoxicity assay results. Taken together, the results demonstrated that HA-SWNT and HA-GO were suited for photothermal therapy (PTT) agents for their good photothermal property, while HA-C60 was used as a kind of photodynamic therapy (PDT) agent for its photodynamic effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress is associated with obesity and may be accompanied by liver insulin resistance and mitochondrial dysfunction. Decreased mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymatic activities and decreased insulin metabolic signaling may promote these maladaptive changes. In this context, exenatide has been reported to reduce hepatic lipid deposition, improve insulin sensitivity and improve mitochondrial dysfunction. We hypothesized that exenatide would attenuate mitochondrial dysfunction by reducing hepatic lipid deposition, blunting oxidant stress and promoting insulin metabolic signaling in a high fat diet-induced model of obesity and insulin resistance. Sixteen-week-old male C57BL/6 diet-induced obese (DIO) mices and age-matched standard diet (STD) mices were treated with exenatide (10 μg/kg twice a day) for 28 days. Compared with untreated STD mice, untreated DIO mice exhibited deposited excessive lipid in liver and produced the oxidative stress in conjunction with insulin resistance, abnormal hepatic cells and mitochondrial histoarchitecture, mitochondrial dysfunction and reduced organism metabolism. Exenatide reduced hepatic steatosis, decreased oxidative stress, and improved insulin resistance in DIO mice, in concert with improvements in the insulin metabolic signaling, mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymatic activation, adenine nucleotide production, organism metabolism and weight gain. Results support the hypothesis that exenatide reduces hepatic cells and mitochondrial structural anomaly and improves insulin resistance in concert with improvements in insulin sensitivity and mitochondrial function activation, concomitantly with reductions in oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an ecological unit, coarse woody debris (CWD) plays an essential role in productivity, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, community regeneration and biodiversity. However, thus far, the information on quantification the decomposition and nutrient content of CWD in forest ecosystems remains considerably limited. In this study, we conducted a long-term (1996–2013) study on decay and nutrient dynamics of CWD for evaluating accurately the ecological value of CWD on the Huoditang Experimental Forest Farm in the Qinling Mountains, China. The results demonstrated that there was a strong correlation between forest biomass and CWD mass. The single exponential decay model well fit the CWD density loss at this site, and as the CWD decomposed, the CWD density decreased significantly. Annual temperature and precipitation were all significantly correlated with the annual mass decay rate. The K contents and the C/N ratio of the CWD decreased as the CWD decayed, but the C, N, P, Ca and Mg contents increased. We observed a significant CWD decay effect on the soil C, N and Mg contents, especially the soil C content. The soil N, P, K, Ca and Mg contents exhibited large fluctuations, but the variation had no obvious regularity and changed with different decay times. The results showed that CWD was a critical component of nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. Further research is needed to determine the effect of diameter, plant tissue components, secondary wood compounds, and decomposer organisms on the CWD decay rates in the Qinling Mountains, which will be beneficial to clarifying the role of CWD in carbon cycles of forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid growth of passenger vehicles considerably increases greenhouse gas emission and fuel consumption in China. This paper thereby intends to analyze the potentials of the mitigation of energy use and environmental emission in China’s road passenger transportation sector by assessing two available approaches, i.e. biofuel and hybrid vehicle strategies. It was found that biofuel is effective for emission reduction in only three subsubsectors. A synthesis strategy is thereby proposed to meet the state policy goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garnet is an important metasomatic mineral in iron oxide-copper–gold (IOCG) ore systems, but its crystallization mechanisms and relationship to fluid evolution in IOCG are poorly understood. The Yinachang deposit is a typical IOCG deposit in the Kangdian region, southwest China. Zoning of the deposit include a breccia zone, a K-Fe alteration zone which can be subdivided into proximal and intermediate zones, and distal Na alteration zone. Iron ore bodies occur both in the breccias and in the meta -clastic rocks of the Yinmin Formation, and are replaced or cut by later Cu-Au-bearing layers and veins. The sequence of events include pre-ore Na±Fe alteration (stage 1), K-Fe±REE mineralization (stage 2), Cu±Au mineralization (stage 3), and barren veins (stage 4). Electron Probe Micro Analyzer (EPMA) and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analyses for garnets from the deposit were done to investigate the incorporation of trace elements into garnet, and to evaluate the potential of garnet mineralogy and geochemistry for understanding the ore-forming process of the IOCG ore systems. Garnets of the Yinachang deposit are hosted in the Fe-Cu ore bodies, proximal silicate alteration zones, and intermediate garnet-biotite-quartz zones. They are almandine-rich with lesser grossular and spessartine contents (Alm 65-78 Gro 5-17 Sp 5-17) and can be divided into three types. Type 1 garnets in the ore bodies (Grt 1) and type 2 garnets in the proximal silicate alteration zones (Grt 2) are pink to purple, euhedral to subhedral coarse grains. Grt 1 have core-rim texture, and Grt 2 have alteration of chlorite and are mainly crosscut by ore-bearing veins. They are both extremely large ion lithophile elements (LILEs)-depleted and enriched in high field strength elements (HFSEs), and have low total rare earth element (∑ REE) contents, but variable light (L) REE vs heavy (H) REE ratios (Grt 1: LREE-enriched and variable Eu anomalies; Grt 2: HREE-enriched and irregular REE patterns with positive Eu anomalies). Type 3 garnets in the intermediate garnet-biotite-quartz zones are purple-brown, inclusion bearing, relatively small anhedral grains that have higher LILE, HFSE, and ∑REE contents, and exhibit LREE-depleted and HREE-enriched patterns, with marked positive Eu anomalies. Based on geological and mineralogical obervation, we interpret that these three types of garnets are hydrothermal in origin and were formed during alteration and mineralization, but were controlled by different mechanisms due to different growth environment. Formation of Grt 1 and Grt 2 were mainly related to a substitution mechanism controlled by the crystal chemistry, physicochemical conditions of the closed hydrothermal system, and buffering effects of carbonate wall rocks during slow infiltration metasomatism, whereas formation of Grt 3 appears to be controlled mainly by surface adsorption and related to the composition of external fluid such as meteoric water during later rapid garnet growth. A decrease in temperature, pressure, and f O2 triggered by mixing of two fluids, as inferred from previous fluid inclusion studies, might have been responsible for the distinct mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of the three types of garnets. Garnets from IOCG deposits around the world showed various textual and geochemical characteristics. Generally, almandine and andradite are dominating end members for IOCGs. Andradite is typical for metasomatic origin, but the origin of almandine is still controversial. Although almandine garnet is generally considered to form during metamorphism, the occurrence of hydrothermal almandine in the alteration zones of IOCG deposit could reveal the metasomatism between Fe-bearing fluid and Al-enriched pelite protolith in a sufficiently reduced environment. It could also be possible that the metasomatism during mineralization has enriched the protolith with Fe, and the post-ore metamorphism formed almandine by providing high temperature and pressure. Additional mineralogical and geochemical studies of the garnets in IOCG deposits are needed to determine the relationship between garnet crystallization and specific episodes of ore-forming process or post-ore metamorphism. [Display omitted] • Three types of garnets with varied mineralogical and geochemical characteristics are identified from different mineralization and alteration zones in the Yinachang deposit. • Garnet growth in the Yinachang deposit was controlled partly by crystal chemistry and growth kinetics, but largely by external factors (i.e., fluid and host rock composition, T, P, and f O 2 , and diffusive versus advective metasomatism). • Almandine could be of metasomatic origin if a Fe-bearing hydrothermal intensively react with Al-enriched pelite protolith in a sufficiently reduced environment. Garnet is an important metasomatic mineral in iron oxide-copper–gold (IOCG) ore systems, but its crystallization mechanisms and relationship to fluid evolution in IOCG are poorly understood. In this study, major and trace element analyses were conducted on garnets from the Yinachang IOCG deposit in the Kangdian region, southwest China, in order to reveal their characteristics and forming process. Garnet commonly occurs in the K-Fe ± REE mineralization stage and Cu ± Au mineralization stage of the Yinachang deposit. Three types of garnets are identified from this deposit, which generally have high almandine but low grossular and spessartine contents (Alm 65-78 Gro 5-17 Sp 5-17). The type 1 garnet (Grt 1) in the ore bodies and the type 2 garnet (Grt 2) in the proximal silicate alteration zones are pink to purple, euhedral to subhedral grains. Grt 1 exhibit zoning pattern, and Grt 2 were altered into chlorite and was mainly crosscut by ore-bearing veins. They are both extremely depleted in LILEs and enriched in HFSEs, with low total rare earth element ∑ REE contents but variable LREE vs HREE ratios. The type 3 garnets (Grt 3) in the intermediate garnet-biotite-quartz zones are purple-brown, anhedral grains with high LILE, HFSE, and ∑ REE contents, and exhibit LREE-depleted and HREE-enriched patterns, with marked positive Eu anomalies. All three types garnets that formed during alteration and mineralization are hydrothermal, but their composition is controlled by different mechanisms due to different environments. Compositions of Grt 1 and Grt 2 are mainly related to substitution mechanism controlled by crystal chemistry, physicochemical conditions of the closed hydrothermal system, and buffering effects of carbonate wall rocks during slow infiltration metasomatism, whereas the composition of Grt 3 is mainly controlled by surface adsorption and related to the composition of external fluid during later rapid garnet growth. Decreases in temperature, pressure, and f O 2 triggered by mixing of fluids could be responsible for the distinct mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of the three types of garnets. Garnets from IOCG deposits show various textual and geochemical characteristics worldwide. Generally, almandine and andradite are dominating end members for IOCGs. Andradite is typical for metasomatic origin. Although almandine garnet is generally considered to form during metamorphism, the occurrence of hydrothermal almandine in the alteration zones of IOCG deposits reveal a metasomatism between Fe-bearing fluid and Al-enriched pelite protolith in a sufficiently reduced environment. Also, it is possible that the metasomatism during mineralization has enriched the protolith with Fe, and the post-ore metamorphism formed almandine by providing high temperature and pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil spills can cause severe harm and environmental pollution. Among the various treatment methods available, those that utilize hydrodynamic properties are more environmentally friendly and efficient. In this study, a free-surface vortex method was used to recover crude oil, and the flow process of crude oil with a high viscosity and density in a vortex was studied by conducting scale–scale laboratory experiments. The motion of the oil phase in the same-scale flow field was simulated using a commercial simulation software (ANSYS Fluent), and the tangential velocity distribution in the cylindrical coordinate system was used to reflect the motion of the oil phase. The experimental and simulation results demonstrate that a vortex can be used for oil recovery. The flow and recovery efficiency of crude oil were simulated and compared with the flow properties of a white oil with a low viscosity and density. Crude oil existed more in the form of large droplets in the flow, and the oil core was denser after forming a vortex. The experimental results revealed that the flow performance of crude oil was worse than that of white oil. The recovery efficiency of crude oil after passing through the vortex was lower than that of white oil. In addition, the recovery system was connected to a cyclone separation device. The feasibility of cyclone separation in offshore oil–water separation was verified by comparing the separation efficiency of the crude and white oils. The separation efficiency of crude oil was related to the split ratio. Within a certain range, the separation efficiency increases linearly with the split ratio. Combined with the principle model and numerical simulation results, the vortex motion was described in a three-dimensional space. The generalization of the application range of the recovery and separation method was summarized. • The movement of crude oil in a vortex with three-dimensional tangential velocity was described. • The cumulative oil recovery efficiency quantitatively reflects the treatment effect. • The effects of factors such as viscosity during the separation process were discussed. • These results may be beneficial for broadening the range of recovery and separation technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entropy-driven circuits (EDC) provides one isothermal and non-enzymatic signal amplification strategy. But the efficiency of EDC signal amplification is not enough high because only one single strand can be produced in each cycle of the typical EDC system. In this work, we proposed one strategy to improve the amplification efficiency of EDC-based biosensing. In this strategy, two signal strands were produced in one cycle. The G-triplex (G3)-forming sequence was used as signal strand, and the G3/thioflavin T (G3/ThT) was used as label-free fluorescence reporter in this EDC-based biosensing. The detection limit of this method was estimated to be 3.4 pM for target DNA, which was about 10 times lower than that of the conventional EDC method. Furthermore, the response time was shortened from more than 1 h–0.5 h. In a word, one enzyme-free and label-free EDC strategy was proposed to construct an efficient nucleic acid biosensing platform. Two label-free signal probes are produced in one cycle to significantly improve the efficiency of entropy-driven DNA amplification biosensing. [Display omitted] • A simple strategy was proposed to improve the efficiency of entropy-driven DNA amplification biosensing. • The fluorescence strategy shows high sensitivity. • This method is enzyme-free and label-free. • This detection procedure can be finished within 30 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new polyketides, pholiotones B and C (1 and 2), and four known compounds, trichodermatide D (3), vermistatin (4), dehydroaltenuene A (5) and terpestacin (6) were isolated from the crude extract of Pholiota sp. Their structures were identified by NMR and MS spectroscopic data. The absolute configurations of compounds 1 and 2 were elucidated by modified Mosher's method, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations and 13C NMR calculations as well as DP4+ probability analyses. All the compounds were evaluated for their antifungal and cytotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a binary porous catalyst consisting of a reduced graphene oxide (rGO) support decorated with mixed Cu-Co oxides. It was synthesized electrochemically and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The nanocomposite was deposited on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) where it exhibits better electrocatalytic activities for glucose oxidation compared to GCEs modified with CuO or CoO only on an rGO support. The improved electrocatalytic activities are believed to result from the synergistic effect of CuO-CoO binary catalyst, the high conductivity of rGO support, and the porous scaffold. The amperometric sensor, operated in 0.1 M NaOH at a working potential of +0.5 V (vs. SCE), displays a calibration plot for glucose that is linear in the 5 to 570 μM concentration range, and the detection limit is 0.5 μM. The performance of the sensor was evaluated by determination of glucose in (spiked) human urine. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal and cell experiments showed that inositol hexaphosphate (IP 6 ) was protective on neurons in parkinson׳s disease (PD) model, but the underlying mechanism of this action was not extensively elucidated. To address this question, we established 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) induced human dopaminergic cell line SH-SY5Y as PD cell model and testified the neuroprotection of IP 6 . Through hoechst nuclear stain method and flow cytometric analysis, apoptosis induced by 6-OHDA was blocked by IP 6 pretreatment. Significant protection against reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA) was observed in 6-OHDA induced cells pretreated with IP 6 . To further investigate the mechanism of anti-apoptotic effect of IP 6 , expression of mediators in mitochondrion dependent apoptotic pathway was detected. Results indicated that loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, cytochrome c releasing, upregulation of Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), downregulation of B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and caspases activation were reversed by IP 6 . In addition, using flow cytometric method and western blot approach, our data showed that IP 6 attenuated the rise of calcium and α-synuclein aggregation in cytosol. Collectively, IP 6 exerted its neuroprotection on dopaminergic cells in PD cell model and the mechanism may be associated with changes of mitochondrion mediated apoptotic pathway and α-synuclein aggregation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using both cross-sectional and panel data, this article revisits the evolution of the financial premium between 1970 and 2011 with a distributional approach. I report that above-market compensation was present in the finance sector in the 1970s, but concentrated mostly at the bottom of the earnings distribution. The financial premium observed since the 1980s, however, is largely driven by excessive compensation at the top, a development that increasingly contributes to the national concentration of earnings. Furthermore, the analysis suggests that the financial premium for top earners remained robust in the early 2000s, when deregulation slowed down, and in the aftermath of the recent financial meltdown. These findings are inconsistent with the account that the earnings differential is driven by unobserved skill difference and demand shocks but supportive of the institutional account of rising inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]