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Intimal hyperplasia is a complicated pathophysiological phenomenon attributable to in-stent restenosis, and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Interleukin enhancer-binding factor 3 (ILF3), a double-stranded RNA-binding protein involved in regulating mRNA stability, has been recently demonstrated to assume a crucial role in cardiovascular disease; nevertheless, its impact on intimal hyperplasia remains unknown. In current study, we used samples of human restenotic arteries and rodent models of intimal hyperplasia, we found that vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) ILF3 expression was markedly elevated in human restenotic arteries and murine ligated carotid arteries. SMC-specific ILF3 knockout mice significantly suppressed injury induced neointimal formation. In vitro, platelet-derived growth factor type BB (PDGF-BB) treatment elevated the level of VSMC ILF3 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. ILF3 silencing markedly inhibited PDGF-BB-induced phenotype switching, proliferation, and migration in VSMCs. Transcriptome sequencing and RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing depicted that ILF3 maintained its stability upon binding to the mRNA of the high-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1), thereby exerting an inhibitory effect on the transcription of dual specificity phosphatase 16 (DUSP16) through enhanced phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). Therefore, the results both in vitro and in vivo indicated that the loss of ILF3 in VSMC ameliorated neointimal hyperplasia by regulating the STAT3/DUSP16 axis through the degradation of HMGB1 mRNA. Our findings revealed that vascular injury activates VSMC ILF3, which in turn promotes intima formation. Consequently, targeting specific VSMC ILF3 may present a potential therapeutic strategy for ameliorating cardiovascular restenosis. [Display omitted] • ILF3 promotes injury-induced VSMC phenotype switching by lowering DUSP16 expression • ILF3 suppresses DUSP16 expression by enhancing HMGB1 mRNA stability • ILF3 aids VSMC proliferation and migration via HMGB1/STAT3/DUSP16 axis regulation • Post-vascular injury genetic inhibition of ILF3 alleviated neointimal hyperplasia [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pyroptosis of the renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs) and interstitial inflammation are central pathological characteristics of acute kidney injury (AKI). Pyroptosis acts as a pro-inflammatory form of programmed cell death and is mainly dependent on activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Previous studies revealed that acetyl-CoA synthetase 2 (ACSS2) promotes inflammation during metabolic stress suggesting that ACSS2 might regulate pyroptosis and inflammatory responses of RTECs in AKI. Methods and results: The expression of ACSS2 was found to be significantly increased in the renal epithelial cells of mice with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced AKI. Pharmacological and genetic strategies demonstrated that ACSS2 regulated NLRP3-mediated caspase-1 activation and pyroptosis through the stimulation of the KLF5/NF-κB pathway in RTECs. The deletion of ACSS2 attenuated renal tubular pathological injury and inflammatory cell infiltration in an LPS-induced mouse model, and ACSS2-deficient mice displayed impaired NLRP3 activation-mediated pyroptosis and decreased IL-1β production in response to the LPS challenge. In HK-2 cells, ACSS2 deficiency suppressed NLRP3-mediated caspase-1 activation and pyroptosis through the downregulation of the KLF5/NF-κB pathway. The KLF5 inhibitor ML264 suppressed NF-κB activity and NLRP3-mediated caspase-1 activation, thus protecting HK-2 cells from LPS-induced pyroptosis. Conclusion: Our results suggested that ACSS2 regulates activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and pyroptosis by inducing the KLF5/NF-κB pathway in RTECs. These results identified ACSS2 as a potential therapeutic target in AKI. We found that the expression of ACSS2 was significantly increased in RTECs in septic AKI. ACSS2-deficient mice displayed resistance to renal damage in this model. ACSS2 regulated NLRP3-mediated caspase-1 activation and pyroptosis through the KLF5/NF-κB pathway in RTECs. Pharmacological inhibition of KLF5 suppressed NLRP3 activation and caspase-1 cleavage by downregulating of NF-κB. Our results suggest that ACSS2 is a pro-pathogenic mediator of cell pyroptosis of RTECs and renal inflammation in sepsis-induced AKI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive and fatal disease caused by a subset of cancer stem cells (CSCs). It is estimated that there are approximately 100 000 long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in humans. However, the mechanisms by which lncRNAs affect tumor stemness remain poorly understood. In the present study, it is found that DIO3OS is a conserved lncRNA that is generally downregulated in multiple cancers, including HCC, and its low expression correlates with poor clinical outcomes in HCC. In in vitro cancer cell lines and an in vivo spontaneous HCC mouse model, DIO3OS markedly represses tumor development via its suppressive role in CSCs through downregulation of zinc finger E‐box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1). Interestingly, DIO3OS represses ZEB1 post‐transcriptionally without affecting its mRNA levels. Subsequent experiments show that DIO3OS interacts with the NONO protein and restricts NONO‐mediated nuclear export of ZEB1 mRNA. Overall, these findings demonstrate that the DIO3OS‐NONO‐ZEB1 axis restricts HCC development and offers a valuable candidate for CSC‐targeted therapeutics for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cilia are microtubule‐based, hair‐like organelles involved in sensory function or motility, playing critical roles in many physiological processes such as reproduction, organ development, and sensory perception. In insects, cilia are restricted to certain sensory neurons and sperms, being important for chemical and mechanical sensing, and fertility. Although great progress has been made regarding the mechanism of cilia assembly, the formation of insect cilia remains poorly understand, even in the insect model organism Drosophila. Intraflagellar transport (IFT) is a cilia‐specific complex that traffics protein cargos bidirectionally along the ciliary axoneme and is essential for most cilia. Here we investigated the role of IFT52, a core component of IFT‐B, in cilia/flagellar formation in Drosophila. We show that Drosophila IFT52 is distributed along the sensory neuronal cilia, and is essential for sensory cilia formation. Deletion of Ift52 results in severe defects in cilia‐related sensory behaviors. It should be noted that IFT52 is not detected in spermatocyte cilia or sperm flagella of Drosophila. Accordingly, ift52 mutants can produce sperms with normal motility, supporting a dispensable role of IFT in Drosophila sperm flagella formation. Altogether, IFT52 is a conserved protein essential for sensory cilia formation and sensory neuronal function in insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While facing complex surroundings, robots need to identify the same intention which is expressed in different ways. In order to solve the problem of assisting robots to get a better intention understanding, a self-tuning multimodal fusion algorithm is put forward in this paper, which is not restricted by the expressions of interacting participants and environment. The multimodal fusion algorithm can be transferred to different application platforms. Robots can own the understanding competence and adapt new tasks by changing the content of the robot knowledge base. Compared with other multimodal fusion algorithms, this paper attempts to transfer the basic structure of feed-forward neural networks on discrete sets, which has strengthened the consistency and perfect the complementary relations between multiple mode, and has realized the simultaneous operation of fusion operator's self-tuning and intention search. There are three kinds of modes selected in the paper: speech, gesture, and scene objects, where the single modal classifiers are trained separately. This method conducted a human-computer interaction experiment on the bionic robot Pepper platform, which proved that the method can effectively improve the accuracy and robustness of robots in aspects of understanding human intentions, and reduce the uncertainty about intention judgment in a single modal interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most lethal malignancies across the world. More than 80% patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage with limited treatment options. PC has the highest frequency of developing cancer cachexia (CC)–sarcopenia (SC) syndrome, but there is no optimal efficient intervention for CC or SC targeting their complicated biological and irreversible processes. As a result, identifying the clinicopathological features and patient characteristics in each advanced PC patient with CC and/or SC is urgently needed to distinguish different wasting phenotypes or body composition and thus support precision medicine and achieve optimal outcomes. We performed a retrospective cohort study of 232 advanced PC patients to determine the differential clinical characteristics of CC and SC and the overlap of CC- or SC-related factors in each patient. The impacts of CC, SC, and their relevant factors on the outcomes of PC patients were also evaluated. Pancreatic cancer (PC) has the highest frequency of developing cancer cachexia (CC)–sarcopenia (SC) syndrome, which negatively influences patients' outcome, quality of life, and tolerance/response to treatments. However, the clinical impacts of CC, SC, and their associated factors on outcomes for advanced PC has yet to be fully investigated. A total of 232 patients were enrolled in this study for the retrospective review of their clinical information and the measurement of skeletal muscle areas at the third lumber vertebra by computed tomography scan to identify CC or SC. The association and concurrent occurrence of clinicopathological features in each patient, prevalence rates, and prognosis with the CC or SC were calculated. CC and SC were observed in 83.6% (n = 194) and 49.1% (n = 114) of PC patients, respectively. Low hemoglobin levels more often occurred in CC patients than in non-CC patients (p = 0.014). Older age (p = 0.000), female gender (p = 0.024), low body mass index (BMI) values (p = 0.004), low hemoglobin levels (p = 0.036), and low albumin levels (p = 0.001) were more often found in SC patients than in non-SC patients. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that CC was an independent poor prognostic factor of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival for all patients, the chemotherapy (C/T) subgroup, and the high BMI subgroup. Meanwhile, SC was an independent predictor of poor OS for the subgroups of C/T or high BMI but not for all patients. These findings reveal the clinical differences for CC and SC and provide useful information for predicting the prognosis of advanced PC patients and conducting personalized medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given widespread presence of polystyrene (PS) microplastics/nanoplastics (MPs/NPs), the electroactive responses and adaptation mechanisms of electroactive biofilms (EABs) exposed long-term to PS-containing aquatic environments remain unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the impacts of PS MPs/NPs on electroactivity of EABs. Results found that EABs exhibited delayed formation upon initially exposure but displayed an increased maximum current density (I max) after subsequent exposure for up to 55 days. Notably, EABs exposure to NH 2 PS NPs (EAB-NH 2 PSNPs) demonstrated a 50% higher I max than the control, along with a 17.84% increase in viability and a 58.10% increase in biomass. The cytochrome c (c -Cyts) content in EAB-NH 2 PSNPs rose by 178.35%, benefiting the extracellular electron transfer (EET) of EABs. Moreover, bacterial community assembly indicated the relative abundance of electroactive bacteria increased to 87.56% in EAB-NH 2 PSNPs. The adaptability mechanisms of EABs under prolonged exposure to PS MPs/NPs predominantly operate by adjusting viability, EET, and bacterial community assembly, which were further confirmed a positive correlation with I max through structural equation model. These findings provide deeper insights into long-term effects and mechanisms of MPs/NPs on the electroactive properties of EABs and even functional microorganisms in aquatic ecosystems. [Display omitted] • Electroactivity of EABs was enhanced obviously in prolonged NH 2 PS NPs exposure. • Biomass and c -Cyts content of EABs increased after long-term NH 2 PS NPs exposure. • MPs tolerated electroactive bacteria was enriched in EABs in prolonged PS exposure. • EABs' electroactivity was mainly regulated by viability, EET and bacterial community. • Electroactivity adaptive mechanism of EABs respond to PS exposure was revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The highlands evoke both fascination and awe. Regardless of the reason to live in the highlands, symptoms related to altitude sickness are unbearable because of low atmospheric pressure, low oxygen concentration, strong ultraviolet radiation, cold, and psychological factors. Food and herbal medicines and/or health-care foods have protected highland dwellers owing to their multisystem regulation. These versatile products combine health-care properties with medical values by enhancing immunity, relieving physical fatigue, improving sleep, and augmenting hypoxia tolerance, with rare side effects. We therefore aimed to provide a more comprehensive analysis of these nutraceuticals, which can be used to prevent and treat symptoms of altitude hypoxia in the Chinese market. Finally, we dissect a new perspective for their promotion and development from molecular aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To get the spatio-temporal distribution of the syphilis epidemic in 31 provinces, municipalities directly under the Central Government and autonomous regions of the mainland of China in 2017. Methods. The data of syphilis incidence in 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions of the mainland of China in 2017 were obtained from the China Public Health Science Data Center, and the time distrbution characteristics of the incidence rates were described. The global Moran's I index and Anselin local Moran's I index were used to analyze the spatial cluster characteristics of the syphilis cases, and then space-time scan analysis based on Poisson distribution was used to explore the spatio-temporal distribution characteristics. Results. In 2017, the number of syphilis cases in the 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions of the mainland of China was 475 860, and the incidence rate was 34.49/100 000. Latent syphilis accounted for most of the cases, reaching 76.78% (365 353/475 860). August had the highest incidence rate. For the spatial distribution, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region was the provincial-level unit with the highest incidence rate of syphilis, reaching 91.80/100 000. The incidence rates of latent, secondary, tertiary, and congenital syphilis appeared with positive spatial autocorrelation (all P<0.05). The high-high clusters of secondary and tertiary syphilis appeared in Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang (all P<0.05), respectively, while the high-high clusters of congenital syphilis appeared in Xinjiang and Tibet (P=0.000). The results of space-time scan analysis showed that the main cluster appeared from April to September in Fujian, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Hunan, Anhui, and Guangdong (P=0.000). Compared with the outside area, the relative risk of syphilis in this cluster was 1.59 times. Conclusion. The incidence rate of syphilis in China is relatively high. There are differences in the types and periods of syphilis prevention and control among provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions. From April to September, Fujian, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Hunan, Anhui and Guangdong are the key areas for syphilis prevention and control in the mainland of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of present study was to evaluate the potential effects of Rhodiola crenulata oral liquid (RCOL) on exhaustive exercise (EE)-induced fatigue in mice. Male Institute of Cancer Research mice from five treatment groups (n=10 per group) were orally administered with sterilized water for the Control and EE groups and/or RCOL at doses of 1.02, 3.03 and 6.06 ml/kg/day, once daily for 2 weeks. Anti-fatigue activity was subsequently evaluated by measuring the levels of creatine kinase (CK), lactic acid (LA), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and total anti-oxidative capability (T-AOC). Histopathology was assessed using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Ultrastructures of mitochondria were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Energy supply capacity was assessed using citrate synthase (CS), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), Na+-K+-ATPase, and liver and quadriceps glycogen content assays. Expression levels of mRNA and protein associated with mitophagy in the skeletal muscle were measured by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting, respectively. RCOL was observed to markedly inhibit fatigue-induced oxidative stress by increasing the activities of SOD, CAT and T-AOC, whilst reducing the accumulation of LA, CK, LDH and MDA. Histological analysis of the quadriceps femoris tissue suggested increased numbers of muscle fibers in the RCOL groups compared with those in the EE group. RCOL administration was found to reverse EE-induced mitochondrial structural damage and alleviated defects inflicted onto the energy supply mechanism by increasing CS, SDH, Na+-K+-ATPase and glycogen levels. Additionally, RCOL reduced the protein expression of PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1), Parkin, microtubule-associated proteins 1A/1B light chain 3, sequestosome 1 and ubiquitin, whilst lowering the gene expression of PINK1 and Parkin. Taken together, results from the present study clarified the anti-fatigue effect of RCOL, where the underlying mechanism may be associated with increased antioxidant activity, enhanced energy production and the inhibition of mitophagy by suppressing the PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer subtype switching, which involves unclear cancer cell origin, cell fate decision, and transdifferentiation of cells within a confined tumor microenvironment, remains a major problem in pancreatic cancer (PDA). Results: By analyzing PDA subtypes in The Cancer Genome Atlas, we identified that epigenetic silencing of apoptosis-associated tyrosine kinase (AATK) inversely was correlated with mRNA expression and was enriched in the quasi-mesenchymal cancer subtype. By comparing early mouse pancreatic lesions, the non-invasive regions showed AATK co-expression in cells with acinar-to-ductal metaplasia, nuclear VAV1 localization, and cell cycle suppression; but the invasive lesions conversely revealed diminished AATK expression in those with poorly differentiated histology, cytosolic VAV1 localization, and co-expression of p63 and HNF1α. Transiently activated AATK initiates acinar differentiation into a ductal cell fate to establish apical-basal polarization in acinar-to-ductal metaplasia. Silenced AATK and ectopically expressed p63 and HNF1α allow the proliferation of ductal PanINs in mice. Conclusion: Epigenetic silencing of AATK regulates the cellular transdifferentiation, proliferation, and cell cycle progression in converting PDA-subtypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The evidence for different frequencies of acupuncture treatment in postprandial distress syndrome (PDS) is insufficient. This study determined whether 3 sessions per week of acupuncture treatment are superior to 1 session per week for symptomatic outcomes in PDS. Methods: This 16‐week randomized clinical pilot trial was conducted in an outpatient setting in China. Patients with PDS were randomly assigned to receive 3 sessions per week of acupuncture (group H) or 1 session per week of acupuncture (group L) for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was the complete elimination of core symptoms at week 4. Secondary outcomes included overall treatment efficacy, dyspepsia symptoms, quality of life, anxiety, and depression. Key Results: Sixty patients were randomized of whom 53 (88.3%) completed this trial. The complete elimination rate of core symptoms was 26.7% (95% CI 12.3%‐45.9%) in group H and 10.0% (95% CI 2.1%‐26.5%) in group L at week 4 (P =.095). There was a significant difference between H and group L at weeks 8, 12, and 16 (P =.038,.02, and.02). All secondary outcomes were better in group H at all time points. No serious adverse events occurred in either groups. Conclusions: This trial showed that acupuncture, at 3 sessions per week, tended to improve symptoms and the quality of life among patients with PDS as compared to once a week. Acupuncture treatment for 4 weeks was feasible and safe. A larger sample, multicenter, randomized controlled trial of acupuncture for PDS appears to be justified in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biotransformation has the advantages of low cost and environmental protection and is a preferred method for production of compounds. At present, most 2,5-dihydroxymethylfuran (DHMF) is synthesized by chemical methods. In this study, 12.008 μg/mL DHMF was produced from 9.045 μg/mL 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) with a yield of 1.33 g/g using the crude enzymes from fungus Ganoderma sessile. To elucidate the toxic potential for both compounds, cytotoxicity tests and acute toxicity were evaluated respectively. 5-HMF induced weak cytotoxicity in HCT-8, A549 and SGC-7901 cells and DHMF exerted no cytotoxicity on HCT-8 while induced inhibition proliferation of A549 and SGC-7901 cells. The acute toxicity study showed no mortality happened in any group even at the single dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight. These results suggest it is feasible to convert 5-HMF to DHMF via crude enzymes from fungus G. sessile under mild condition, and that DHMF displays a potential effect of antitumor in vitro with little acute toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile health (mHealth) application, based on self‐regulation theory, on patients' knowledge of wound care, skills in changing dressings and anxiety. Design: A prospective randomized controlled trial. Methods: Seventy patients (or family members) at a 1,500‐bed university hospital in Taiwan were randomized into an experimental (N = 35) or control group (N = 35) from March to December 2016. The experimental group used a mHealth application for wound care; the control group received verbal instructions and a booklet. Instruments to collect data were a wound care knowledge scale, wound care skills scale, State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory, and a digital heart variability device. Data were collected at baseline, after three additional demonstrations and before discharge. The generalized estimating equation was used for statistical analysis. Results: The experimental group showed significantly higher levels of wound care knowledge, improved wound care skills, lower levels of state anxiety, and lower heart rate variability than the control group after baseline data collection. Conclusions: Results support hat a mHealth application may be effective in health education. Clinicians can use the results to promote patients' wound care knowledge, enhance their wound care skills, and reduce anxiety related to dressing changes. Impact: Lack of wound care knowledge and skills can affect the willingness and ability to perform effective wound dressing changes, producing anxiety and having an impact on a patient's self‐care after hospital discharge. mHealth applications (apps) have the potential to deliver health information in targeted and tailored ways that strengthen the self‐management of diseases. mHealth app can increase wound care knowledge, improve care skills, and reduce anxiety related to wound care. mHealth app effectively supports self‐monitoring of the wound healing process, self‐judgement of the wound condition, and self‐reaction of wound care accuracy. mHealth app provides step‐by‐step visual tutorials on wound care that allow patients and family caregivers to take pictures of the wounds and monitor the wound healing process. mHealth app for wound care knowledge is an effective and individualized method for learning. Clinical Trial: This study was registered by U.S. National Library of Medicine, ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT03683303). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel biphenyl-furocoumarin derivatives were synthesized based on the nuclear structure of imperatorin and identified by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and MS, and evaluated for their ability to relax vessel on isolated rat mesenteric artery, basilar artery and renal artery, respectively. The majority of compounds demonstrated potent vasodilatation, and compound 8e expressed the highest activity (EC50 = 0.56 μM) in MA. Compounds with fluorine at 2-position of 5-phenyl get better activity than others with chlorine or bromine, and the compounds containing a bulky structure had relatively low activity, such as 8c (EC50 = 22.39 μM) in MA. As a follow-up, 8e, 10e, and 8c were docked into L-calcium channel (PDB code: 3G43) to explain the difference in the activity of the compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular or supramolecular level photoluminescence (PL) modulation combining chemical and photonic input/output signals together in an integrated system can provide potential high‐density data memorizing and process functions intended for miniaturized devices and machines. Herein, a PL‐responsive supramolecular coordination cage has been demonstrated for complex interactions with redox‐active guests. PL signals of the cage can be switched and modulated by adding or retracting Fc derivatives or converting TTF into different oxidation states through chemical or photochemical pathways. As a result, reversible or stepwise PL responses are displayed by these host–guest systems because of the occurrence of photoinduced electron‐transfer (PET) or fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FREnT) processes, providing unique nanodevice models bearing off/on logic gates or memristor‐like sequential memory and Boolean operation functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] To provide guiding information for developing efficient catalysts for CO 2 carboxylation, we investigated the mechanism of asymmetric reductive carboxylation of N-(2-bromophenyl)- N -methylmethacrylamide with CO 2 catalyzed by a nickel complex using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The reaction was found to proceed via a multistep and elaborate mechanism. Additionally, CO 2 exhibits a preference for inserting into the Ni(I) intermediate rather than Ni(II) intermediate. The noncovalent interaction (NCI) analysis reveals that the π-π stacking interactions and hydrogen bonding interactions lead to the stereoselectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electroactive biofilms (EABs) play a crucial role in environmental bioremediation due to their excellent extracellular electron transfer (EET) capabilities. However, Cd2+ can have toxic effects on the electrochemical performance of EABs, and the comprehensive inhibition mechanism of EABs in response to Cd2+ shock remains elusive. This study indicated that Cd2+ shock significantly reduced biomass and increased oxidative stress in EABs at the cellular level. The bacterial viability of EABs in phase III under 0.5 mM Cd2+ shock (EAB Cd 2+-III 0.5) decreased by 16.31% compared to EAB CK -III. Moreover, intracellular NADH, c -Cyts, and the abundance of electroactive species were essential indicators to evaluate EET behavior of EABs. In EAB Cd 2+-III 0.5 , these indicators decreased by 26.32%, 33.40%, and 20.65%, respectively. Structural equation modeling analysis established quantitative correlations between core components and electrochemical activity at cellular and community levels. The correlation analysis revealed that the growth and electron transfer functions of EABs were predictive indicators for their electrochemical performance, with standardized path coefficients of 0.407 and 0.358, respectively. These findings enhance our understanding of EABs' response to Cd2+ shock and provide insights for improving their performance in heavy metal wastewater. [Display omitted] • Mechanistic insight into the response of EABs to Cd2+ shock was proposed. • Viability and EET behavior of EABs were analyzed at cellular and community levels. • Correlations between core components and electrochemical activity were established. • Growth and electron transfer functions can predict electrochemical activity in EABs. • ROS and electroactive species are critical for EABs' performance under Cd2+ shock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to establish a stable hypobaric hypoxia brain injury model. SD rats were randomly separated into control and model groups, and placed outside or inside of a hypobaric chamber, respectively. Subsequent to 24 h anoxic exposure, plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured using commercial biochemical kits. Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E), Nissl's and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining were used to observe the morphology of neurons in the hippocampus. The protein expression levels of apoptotic protease activating factor-1 (Apaf-1), hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3, Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) and cytochrome c (cyto-c) were detected using western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses. Hypoxic substantially induced morphological lesions in the hippocampus concomitant with the physical behavioral performance deficit. Furthermore, hypoxia markedly exacerbated the levels of MDA, LDH and GSSG, and restrained GSH (P<0.01) and SOD (P<0.05) levels compared with the control group. In addition, hypoxia significantly induced the protein expression of Apaf-1, HIF-1α, caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3, Bax and Cyto-c (P<0.01) compared with the control group. Finally, a lower number and volume of Nissl bodies were verified in the hypoxic group. TUNEL results demonstrated a greater number of apoptotic cells in the hypoxic group. The present study demonstrates a model of rat hypoxic brain injuries induced by a hypobaric chamber at 9,000 m for 24 h. Furthermore, the redox enzyme, HIF-1α and mitochondrial apoptosis-associated protein, along with H&E and Nissl's staining, may be applied to evaluate the degree of injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are fundamental for many renewable energy conversion and storage technologies. Developing economic and durable bifunctional ORR and OER electrocatalysts as substitute for noble-metal based catalysts, are urgently expected to reduce the industrial cost. Herein, a strategy towards synthesizing cobalt nanoparticles embedded N-doped carbon hollow nanocages (Co@NPC-H) by ion exchanging is reported. The Co@NPC-H nanocage structures integrate the high activity of heteroatoms doped catalytic active sites with the hollow structure for high exposure ratio of the active sites, exhibiting superior electroctalytic performance to noble-metal catalyst for both ORR and OER with the application potential of 860 mV when used as bifunctional catalyst, much smaller than other reported electrocatalysts, making Co@NPC-H a promising candidate as efficient air electrode in Zn-air batteries. Graphical abstract Cobalt nanoparticles embedded carbon nanocages synthesized by the introduction of n -butylamine were applied as efficient electrocatalysts both for OER and ORR. The combination between Co bifunctional active sites and the hollow structure enables the increase of the oxygen electrode activity and demonstrates the superiority as cathode catalysts for Zn-air batteries. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The cobalt nanoparticles (10 nm) were homogeneously embedded in the porous carbon dodecahedra (about 1 μm in size) through thermal pyrolysis of the ZIF-67 (zeolitic imidazolate framework-67) dodecahedra under an inert atmosphere. The pore sizes of the carbon dodecahedra were found to disperse in three ranges of micropores, small, and large mesopores. Cyclic voltammetry measurements indicated that the porous carbon-cobalt electrode with small particle size (SPC-Co) exhibited better electrocatalytic performance than that with large particle size (LPC-Co), primarily owing to its larger electrocatalytic surface for boosting the redox reaction between iodide and triiodide ions. Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) using the SPC-Co counter electrode (CE) showed a superior photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 10.6%, which was better than those achieved by means of Pt (9.8%) and LPC-Co (9.0%) CEs. The improved photovoltaic behavior of DSSC employing the SPC-Co CE could be attributed to its lower internal resistance than the other CEs. The porous carbon rhombic dodecahedra with embedded cobalt nanoparticles could achieve fast kinetics and high electroactivity in catalyzing the iodide/triiodide redox couple. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Cobalt nanoparticles are well-distributed in the porous carbon rhombic dodecahedra. • The carbon dodecahedra with different pore sizes provide high electroactivity. • Caron dodecahedron catalyst boosts redox reaction between iodide and triiodide ions. • Dye-sensitized solar cell shows a high photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 10.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Biliproteins have extended the spectral range of fluorescent proteins into the near-infrared region (NIR, 700–770 nm) of maximal transmission of most tissues and are also favorable for multiplex labeling. Their application, however, presents considerable challenges to increase their stability under physiological conditions and, in particular, to increase their brightness while maintaining the emission in near-infrared regions: their fluorescence yield generally decreases with increasing wavelengths, and their effective brightness depends strongly on the environmental conditions. We report a fluorescent biliprotein triad, termed BDFP1.1:3.1:1.1, that combines a large red-shift (722 nm) with high brightness in mammalian cells and high stability under changing environmental conditions. It is fused from derivatives of the phycobilisome core subunits, ApcE2 and ApcF2. These two subunits are induced by far-red light (FR, 650–700 nm) in FR acclimated cyanobacteria. Two BDFP1.1 domains engineered from ApcF2 covalently bind biliverdin that is accessible in most cells. The soluble BDFP3 domain, engineered from ApcE2, binds phytochromobilin non-covalently, generating BDFP3.1. This phytochromobilin chromophore was added externally; it is readily generated by an improved synthesis in E. coli and subsequent extraction. Excitation energy absorbed in the FR by covalently bound biliverdins in the two BDFP1.1 domains is transferred via fluorescence resonance energy transfer to the non-covalently bound phytochromobilin in the BDFP3.1 domain fluorescing in the NIR around 720 nm. Labeling of a variety of proteins by fusion to the biliprotein triad is demonstrated in prokaryotic and mammalian cells, including human cell lines. Highlights • A near-infrared fluorescent biliprotein triad (BDFP1.1:3.1:1.1, λ Fmax ~ 722 nm) is reported. • The triad is 2.7-fold brighter than the known brightest near-infrared fluorescent biliprotein, iRFP720. • Labeling using the triad is demonstrated in prokaryotic and mammalian cells. • A method for conveniently isolating phytochromobilin for the labeling is established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two series of imperatorin analogs were synthesized based on our previous research and evaluated for their vasodilatation activities on in vitro rat mesenteric artery, basilar artery, and renal artery ring models. Target compounds were characterized by infrared, 1H NMR, and mass spectra. Most derivatives possessed significant vasodilatory activity on the mesenteric artery, and compound 3a exhibited favorable and broad vasodilatation activities on three kinds of rat artery ring models. The pharmacological results indicated that introducing nitrogen-contained ring in side chain or large steric hindrance at the distal end could increase the vasodilatory activity. Further, replacement of oxygen atom (–O–) in the skeleton of furocoumarin derivatives with nitrogen (–NH–) could cause the decrease of vasodilatory activity. The molecular docking also indicated that compound 3a showed a best affinity with α-1C receptor (PDB ID: 3G43). All these results suggested compound 3a would be a potential vasodilatory agent for hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Far-red and near-infrared emitting chromophores extend applications of fluorescent proteins to regions of maximal transmission of most tissues, but present considerable engineering challenges. Far-red adapting cyanobacteria generate a novel set of biliproteins. One of them, ApcF2, from a thermophilic cyanobacterium was subjected to structure-guided, site-directed random and specific mutagenesis, and was screened for bright far-red emission. We report the generation of chromoproteins, termed BDFPs, that are small, bind auto-catalytically the ubiquitous biliverdin as chromophore, express well, and retain their fluorescence in mammalian cells and in the nematode, C. elegans. They are, moreover, photostable and tolerate high temperature, low pH and chemical denaturation. Homo-bichromophoric tandems of these proteins improve labeling, while hetero-bichromophoric systems with large Stokes shifts are suitable for applications like FRET, multi-channel or super-resolution microscopy. The BDFPs compare favorably to other biliproteins and provide a novel, extremely versatile labeling tool-box. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Three far-red fluorescent phycobiliproteins (λ Fmax ~670 nm), BDFPs, are reported. • Effective brightness of BDFPs is greatly improved by molecular design. • BDFPs of large Stokes shifts between far-red and near-infrared regions are generated. • Far-red BDFPs and near-infrared BDFPs can be applied in dual-color bioimaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Extensively evaluate pixel-level image fusion based on CNN pedestrian detectors. • Study effective methods to combine pixel-level fusion and CNN-fusion architectures. • Three state-of-the-art CNN-based object detectors are evaluated. Abstract Vision-based pedestrian detection that can last all day is crucial in advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), autonomous vehicles and video surveillance. Based on the fact that the wavelength of human body radiation falls around 9.3 μm, thermal images have distinctive advantages for pedestrian detection in the nighttime. With the recent success of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) in the vision community, how to properly explore information in color and thermal images using CNNs-based methods attracts the attention of researchers. Previous CNN-based multispectral pedestrian detectors focus on the design of network architectures. The main contributions of this paper are as follows. First, pixel-level image fusion are also extensively evaluated based on a state-of-the-art CNNs-based framework in the daytime and nighttime for pedestrian detection. Second, the effective strategies to combine pixel-level fusion methods and CNN-fusion architectures are studied based on extensive experimental results. Two combination strategies are designed and an exhaustive experimental analysis is performed to evaluate different combinations for all-day pedestrian detection. Extensive results based on a multispectral pedestrian benchmark show that some pixel-level image fusion methods can achieve similar or even better performance than CNN-fusion architectures, which emphasizes the importance of pixel-level fusion in CNN-based pedestrian detectors. The combination of both can usually more properly exploit multispectral information and further boost detection performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Nitrogen‐doped mesoporous carbon nanosheets (NMCS) have been fabricated from zinc‐based microporous metal–organic frameworks (ZIF‐8) by pyrolysis in a molten salt medium. The as‐prepared NMCS exhibit significantly improved specific capacitance (NMCS‐8: 232 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1) and capacitance retention ratio (75.9 % at 50 A g−1) compared with the micropore‐dominant nitrogen‐doped porous carbon polyhedrons (NPCP‐5: 178 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1, 15.9 % at 20 A g−1) obtained by direct pyrolysis of nanocrystalline ZIF‐8. The excellent capacitive performance and high rate performance of the NMCS can be attributed to their unique combination of structure and composition, that is, the two‐dimensional and hierarchically porous structure provides a short ion‐transport pathway and facilitates the supply of electrolyte ions, and the nitrogen‐doped polar surface improves the interface wettability when used as an electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming to strengthen the performance of waste activated sludge digestion, pretreatment is a prerequisite for keeping operations within an industrially acceptable time- frame. In this study, the performance of microaeration coupled with thermophilic (MT) pretreatment on waste activated sludge solubilization and acidification was investigated. The results showed that the maximum soluble organics concentrations, including soluble proteins and carbohydrates, reached 2290 mg COD/L in 24 h when the ventilation rate and temperature were 0.05 vvm and 70 °C. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) test on pure-culture ( E.coli ) and scanning electron microscopy analysis indicated that MT pretreatment effectively destroyed microbial cell wall and resulted in an increase in soluble proteins. Polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) analysis revealed that MT pretreatment reduced the diversity of the bacterial community during pretreatment. Along with the dissolution of a large quantity of organic matter, microbial species such as Lactococcus and Methyloversatilis bloomed at the end of acidification period, which contributed to SCFAs production. This study revealed that MT pretreatment facilitated the WAS hydrolysis efficiency and enhanced SCFAs (3149 mg COD/L with fermentation for 96 h) production, especially for acetic acid (50%) accumulation, which provides a new perspective for the application and recovery of sludge resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The palladized cell (Pd-cell) could be used as an efficient catalyst in catalyzing the degradations of a wide variety of environmental contaminants. Nevertheless, when the Pd NPs associate with the bacteria, the catalytic activity likely significantly affected by the biomass. Quantitative indicators that characterize of Pd-cell are necessary and little attention has been paid to investigate how the catalytic efficiency of Pd-cell is affected by the size and distribution of Pd NPs. To fill this gap, we explored the roles of the above-mentioned key factors on the performance of Pd-cell in catalyzing the degradations of two aromatic contaminants (nitrobenzene and p -chlorophenol) in two commonly used scenarios: (1) using Pd-cell as suspended catalyst in solution and (2) using Pd-cell as electrocatalyst directly coated on electrode. In scenario (1), the relationship of exposing area to Pd particle size and distribution factors was established. Based on theoretical estimation and catalytic performance analysis, the results indicated that adjusting the exposing area to a large value (9.3 ± 0.1 × 10 5 nm 2 mg −1 Pd) was extremely effective for improving the catalytic activity of Pd-cell used as a suspension catalyst. In scenario (2), our results showed that the best electrocatalytic performances were achieved on the electrode decorated with Pd-cells with the largest NP size (54.3 ± 16.4 nm), which exerted maximum electrochemical active surface area (10.6 m 2 g −1 ) as well as favorable conductivity. The coverage of deposited Pd NPs (>95%) on the cell surface played a crucial role in boosting the conductivity of biocatalyst, thus determining the possibility of Pd-cell as an efficient electrocatalyst. The findings of this study provide a guidance for the synthesis and application of Pd-cell, which enables the design of Pd-cell to be suitable for different catalysis systems with high catalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the gut microbiota differences of obese children compared with the control healthy cohort to result in further understanding of the mechanism of obesity development. Methods. We evaluated the 16S rRNA gene, the enterotypes, and quantity of the gut microbiota among obese children and the control cohort and learned the differences of the gut microbiota during the process of weight reduction in obese children. Results. In the present study, we learned that the gut microbiota composition was significantly different between obese children and the healthy cohort. Next we found that functional changes, including the phosphotransferase system, ATP-binding cassette transporters, flagellar assembly, and bacterial chemotaxis were overrepresented, while glycan biosynthesis and metabolism were underrepresented in case samples. Moreover, we learned that the amount of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus increased among the obese children during the process of weight reduction. Conclusion. Our results might enrich the research between gut microbiota and obesity and further provide a clinical basis for therapy for obesity. We recommend that Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus might be used as indicators of healthy conditions among obese children, as well as a kind of prebiotic and probiotic supplement in the diet to be an auxiliary treatment for obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Denitrification is significantly inhibited as CLP concentrations increased. • Zero-order kinetic and noncompetitive inhibition model are applicable for NO 3 − reduction. • Short-term exposure to CLP can inhibit microbial metabolism and ETS by inducing ROS. • ETS activity and NAR are the major factors in predicting nitrate reduction rate (DNR). • The nitrite accumulation (NIA) can be mainly predicted by the changes in NADH and NIR. The mass production and extensive application of clopyralid (CLP) have attracted much attention regarding its environmental effect in recent decades. However, studies on the acute responses and the underlying inhibition mechanisms of denitrifiers to CLP exposure are scarce. Herein, the crucial factors in denitrification were quantified through kinetics, metabolic activity analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM). The acute response mechanisms of denitrifiers under short-term CLP exposure were further proposed according to the quantitative correlation of denitrification performance with C and N metabolism, ETS activity, and oxidative stress. The modified non-competitive inhibition model fitted well to describe the inhibitory characteristics of CLP on the nitrate reduction (R2 = 0.99), which was significantly inhibited with increasing CLP exposure concentrations. Short-term exposure to CLP could inhibit C and N metabolism and electron transport by inducing oxidative stress during denitrification. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis demonstrated that CLP restrained the abundance of nar G and nir S, suggesting that down-regulation of denitrification enzyme expression was highly related to the reduction in nitrogen conversion. Moreover, SEM indicated that ETS activity and NAR were the major factors in predicting NO 3 − reduction rate (DNR) and were mainly influenced by NADH and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Consistently, NADH and NIR were closely correlated with total nitrite accumulation (NIA). Short-term CLP exposure could affect denitrification performance by directly affecting microbial physicochemical properties or indirectly interfering with the abundance of denitrifying functional genes and metabolic activity through oxidative stress. This study provided new insights into acute responses of denitrifiers to short-term CLP exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional graphene-like N, Co-codoped carbon nanosheets (N, Co-CNSs), which exhibit excellent stability, competitive catalytic activity and superior methanol tolerance compared to the commercial Pt/C catalyst, have been successfully fabricated using Co-based zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-67) polyhedrons as precursors in a molten salt medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classification of traffic signs with partial occlusions is important for traffic sign maintenance and inventory systems. It is also important to help drivers identify possible traffic signs in time. Motivated by human cognitive processes in identifying an occluded sign, a novel structure is designed to explicitly handle occluded samples in this paper. Occlusion maps are analyzed for possible occluded signs, and a new occlusion descriptor is proposed to distinguish occluded signs from negative samples. A series of tests shows that the developed method could effectively handle samples with partial occlusions and thus reduce the missed detections caused by occlusions. The developed method could also be easily used for any other object detection. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Six undescribed stilbene derivatives Reflexanbene D H (1–4 , 6) and Reflexanbene J (5), as well as one known stilbene 3,5-dimethoxystilbene (7), were isolated from the dried roots of Lindera reflexa Hemsl. Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated using spectroscopy and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) analysis. In cytotoxic assays, moderately inhibitory activities of Reflexanbene F (3) against MGC80–3 and A549 cell lines were observed, with IC 50 values of 15.42 and 5.09 μM, respectively. The IC 50 value of Reflexanbene E (2) on A549 cell lines was 19.78 μM. The isolated compounds were also tested for their inhibitory effect against LPS-induced NO and IL-6 production in RAW 264.7 cells. In particular, Reflexanbene J (5) and Reflexanbene H (6) showed significant inhibition of NO production in LPS-stimulated macrophage RAW 264.7 cells at the concentration of 20 μM. Furthermore, the expression of IL-6 protein in the LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells can also be significantly inhibited by different concentrations (5, 10 and 20 μM, p < 0.05 or p < 0.01) of compounds 1–7. [Display omitted] • Six unreported and one known stilbenes were isolated from Lindera reflexa Hemsl. • All absolute configurations were established by ECD claculations. • Reflexanbene F exhibited cytotoxicity against MGC80–3 and A549 cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To contain coal fires, three green antioxidants of plant extract which cover resveratrol (Res), tea polyphenols (TP), and β -carotene (β -car) are investigated in this paper, and their inhibitory effects on surface groups and structure are revealed. X-ray diffraction test tells that antioxidants exert a slight augment of d 100 and L c and are able to destroy the unstable side chains to some extent. Though coal samples are affected by antioxidants, minimal differences of aromatic structure have been proved. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy technique is employed and a new concept of influence sensitivity value is introduced. The results indicate that antioxidants and addition amounts have an impact on various groups, and the majority of groups tend to be inhibited within 3 wt% addition. Further, the optimal inhibitory concentration of Res, TP, and β -car is 1 wt%, 3 wt%, and 1 wt%, respectively. Combined with gaseous indexes, CO 2 emissions of Res and TP exhibit a wave variation under 100 °C, and exponential growths of others occurred twice is acquired. Antioxidants can bring out the decline of apparent activation energy (E a), and TP worked most brilliantly and it increases E a by 7.503 kJ/mol. In summary, the order of inhibitory effect is TP > Res > β -car. • Antioxidants have a slight effect on microcrystalline structure. • A new definition is introduced to explain the groups' variation. • The best inhibitory effect of antioxidants is addition of 1 wt% or 3 wt%. • Inhibitory effect contains a complex action of physics and chemistry probably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NT157, a small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor, exhibits broad-spectrum anti-tumor activity. However, NT157-mediated inhibition against glioma has not been explored yet. Herein, the anticancer effects and underlying mechanism of NT157 against human giloma growth were evaluated. The results showed that NT157 alone significantly inhibited glioma cells growth in vitro by lunching cell cycle arrest through up-regulating p21 and p27, and down-regulating cell cycle-related factors. NT157 alone also induced significant glioma cells apoptosis, followed by PARP cleavage and caspase-3 activation. Our findings further revealed that NT157 triggered significant DNA damage and dysfunction of PI3K/AKT, MAPKs and EGFR-STAT3 signaling pathways. Addition of several kinases inhibitors effectively abrogated NT157-induced DR5 up-regulation, which further confirmed the significant role of DR5 pathway. Moreover, combined treatment of NT157 and TRAIL showed enhanced apoptosis against U251 and U87 cells. However, Knockdown of DR5 expression significantly attenuated combined treatment-induced PARP cleavage and caspase-3 activation. Importantly, combined administration of NT157 and TRAIL in vivo effectively inhibited glioma xenograft growth of nude mice by inhibiting cell proliferation and angiogenesis, and inducing DNA damage and apoptosis. Taken together, our findings validated the rational design that combined strategy of NT157 and TRAIL to trigger DNA damage and apoptosis by up-regulating DR5 could be a high efficient way to combat human glioma. [Display omitted] • NT157 induced glioma cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. • NT157 enhanced TRAIL's anticancer effect by activating ROS and DR5 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species of Cystolepiota are known as diminutive lepiotaceous fungi with a worldwide distribution. Previous studies revealed that Cystolepiota is not monophyletic and preliminary DNA sequence data from recent collections suggested that several new species exist. Based on multi-locus DNA sequence data (the nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer region ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, ITS; the D1–D2 domains of nuc 28S rDNA, LSU; the most variable region of the second-largest subunit of RNA polymerase II, rpb2 and a portion of the translation–elongation factor 1-α. tef1), C. sect. Pulverolepiota forms a distinct clade separating from Cystolepiota. Therefore, the genus Pulverolepiota was resurrected and two combinations, P. oliveirae and P. petasiformis were proposed. With the integration of morphological characteristics, multi-locus phylogeny, and information on geography and habitat, two new species, viz. C. pseudoseminuda and C. pyramidosquamulosa, are described and C. seminuda was revealed to be a species complex containing at least three species, viz. C. seminuda, C. pseudoseminuda, and Melanophyllum eryei. In addition, C. seminuda was re-circumscribed and neo-typified based on recent collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xiaochangliang (XCL), located in the Nihewan Basin of North China, is a key archaeological locality for understanding the behavioural evolution of early humans. XCL dates to ca. 1.36 Ma, making it one of the earliest sites in Northeast Asia. Although XCL represents the first excavation of an Early Pleistocene site in the Nihewan Basin, identified and excavated in the 1970’s, the lithic assemblages have never been published in full detail. Here we describe the lithic assemblages from XCL, providing information on stone tool reduction techniques and the influence of raw materials on artefact manufacture. The XCL hominins used both bipolar and freehand reduction techniques to manufacture small flakes, some of which show retouch. Bipolar reduction methods at XCL were used more frequently than previously recognized. Comparison of XCL with other Early Pleistocene sites in the Nihewan Basin indicates the variable use of bipolar and freehand reduction methods, thereby indicating a flexible approach in the utilization of raw materials. The stone tools from XCL and the Nihewan sites are classifiable as Mode I lithic assemblages, readily distinguished from bifacial industries manufactured by hominins in Eastern Asia by ca. 800 ka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese Loess Plateau is the largest loess area in the world, and covers ∼400,000 km 2 , with a loess–palaeosol sequence that is comparable with Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) as a Quaternary terrestrial timescale of climatostratigraphy and chronology. The Dingcun lithic industry was recovered in 1954 in the Loess Plateau, and has been known for its Large Flake Acheulean tools. Technological analysis based on the concept of chaîne opératoire was applied in this paper to update our knowledge of the techno-economic behaviours at this site and in the Loess Plateau area. The results show that there are two chaîne opératoires: 1) one focused on the production of large flake blanks (façonnage) for making Large Cutting Tools (LCTs); and 2) a small to medium débitage to obtain flakes for light duty tools. Experiments were applied to check the knapping technique. The results confirmed the probability that hard hammers were used to produce large flakes on hornfels blanks, and soft-hammer techniques were not used. When compared with the Acheulian LCTs of other sites in China, Dingcun is different from the Acheulian culture of south China (Danjiangkou Reservoir Region [DRR] and the Bose Basin), and more similar to the Luonan Acheulian industry. Therefore, it seems that a Large Flake Acheulean was developed the Loess Plateau area in the Late Middle Pleistocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two complexes {[Cd 3 (1,10-phen) 3 (HL) 3 ]·4.5H 2 O ( 1 ) and Co(1,10-phen) 2 (H 2 L) 2 ( 2 ) {H 3 L = 5-((4-carboxybenzyl)oxy)isophthalic acid, 1,10-phen = phenanthroline)} based on the rigid–flexible mixed tripodal ligand 5-((4-carboxybenzyl)oxy)isophthalic acid were synthesized in the presence of auxiliary ligands under hydrothermal condition. The single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that complexes 1 and 2 exhibited a one-dimensional framework and a clustered structure, respectively, while both the complexes presented three-dimensional supermolecular network structures at last by the interaction of the hydrogen bonds. Both of complexes 1 and 2 were characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, the single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis. In addition, the surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPS) and electric-field-induced surface photovoltage spectroscopy (EFISPS) showed that complexes 1 and 2 could behave as p -type semiconductors. The photoluminescent (PL) results showed that complex 1 displayed high-sensitivity luminescent sensing function for nitrobenzene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four Ru(ii)/Ir(iii) metalloligands have been designed and synthesized from polypyridine and bibenzimidazole (BiBzIm) organic ligands, which show strong visible light absorption via metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) transitions. Nd/Yb(iii) complexes were further assembled from these Ru(ii)/Ir(iii) metalloligands, and Ln(iii)-centered NIR emissions can be efficiently sensitized by 3MLCT states of the metalloligands in the visible-light region. The energy transfer rates for the complexes are generally in the order Nd ＞ Yb, which is due to the better matching between 3MLCT states of Ru(ii)/Ir(iii) metalloligands and densely distributed excited states of Nd(iii) ions. Long decayed lifetimes on a μs scale and high quantum yields up to 1% are obtained in these lanthanide complexes, suggesting that the Ru(ii)/Ir(iii) metalloligands can serve as a good visible light harvesting antenna to efficiently sensitize Ln(iii)-based NIR luminescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 8 compounds isolated from LR were used to form the active ingredients group of LR. • LRG has excellent gastroprotective effect on ethanol-induced gastric ulcers in rats. • LRG can modulate VEGFR2/ERK and TLR-2/MyD88 signaling pathways. Lindera reflexa Hemsl. (LR) has been used for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. The present study was carried out to investigate the gastroprotective effect of an active ingredients group of Lindera reflexa Hemsl. (LRG) on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in rats and its possible mechanisms. The ulcer area was measured, and samples of gastric tissue were taken for histochemical, pathological, and biochemical analyses. Pretreatment with LRG protected the gastric mucosa as seen by reduction the GUI and gastric juice volume, regulated gastric acid secretion. LRG counteracted the ethanol-induced oxidative stress by increasing the levels of depleted SOD and CAT as well as significantly attenuating the lipid peroxidation by reducing the levels of MDA and MPO. LRG also reduced release of inflammatory mediator TNF-α, increased the content of PGE 2 and inhibited MTL secretion. Immunofluorescence and Western blot analyses confirmed that the co-localization of TLR-2 and MyD88 protein in the gastric mucosa of LRG-treated rats was significantly lower than that of rats with gastric ulcers. Furthermore, LRG also modulated the expression of Ki-67 antigens. LRG markedly increased the expression of phosphorylated form of extracellular signal-regulated kinaseVEGFR2, ERK1/2, AKT and p38, thereby protecting the gastric mucosa. These findings indicated that the gastroprotective effect of LRG is attributable to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antisecretory properties. In addition, LRG can ameliorate ethanol-induced gastric ulcers in rats by regulating the VEGFR2/ERK and TLR-2/MyD88 signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Walnut proteins were hydrolyzed with pepsin, alcalase, and papain. A peptide that strongly inhibits angiotensin I–converting enzyme was isolated and purified from walnut protein hydrolyzates via ultrafiltration, Sephadex G-25, Superdex™ Peptide 10/300 GL, and reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Thein vitroinhibition of angiotensin I–converting enzyme was used as an indicator. The molecular structure and sequences of the angiotensin I–converting enzyme inhibitory peptides were identified through mass spectrometry and amino acid sequencing. The angiotensin I–converting enzyme inhibitory peptide from the walnut hydrolyzate was identified as Tyr-Glu-Pro (YEP) and its median inhibitory concentration was 0.29μmol/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wulanmulun site, located in southwestern Inner Mongolia (China), is an important Paleolithic discovery in the Ordos Plateau in addition to the sites of Salawusu and Shuidonggou. About 4200 stone artifacts, 3400 fossils, and abundant hunting evidence of hominid were uncovered in 2010. In order to explore stone tool function and human behavior at Wulanmulun during the Middle to Late Pleistocene, we have selected 140 specimens excavated from Locality 1 of Wulanmulun in 2010 for use-wear analysis. The results suggest that 58 specimens retain evidence of use-wear, accounting for 41.4% of the observed samples. Many stone artifacts display use wear, and several show wear from hafting. The working motion was dominated by defleshing and slicing, and the main contact materials were animal substances. Animal processing might have been one of the main working tasks at Locality 1 of Wulanmulun, as numerous animal bone fragments with obvious cut marks and burnt bones were also found in situ . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discovered in 2010 with the construction of Landscape Park on the left bank of Wulanmulun River in Kangbashi District of Nei Mongol, Wulanmulun Paleolithic Site yielded large quantities of mammalian specimens during 2010–2012 rescue excavations. Identified fossil materials include Myospalax sp., Cricetulus sp., Microtus sp., Apodemus sp., Arvicola sp.?, Dipodidae gen. et sp. indet., Lepus sp., Mustelidae gen. et sp. indet., Coelodonta antiquitatis , Equus przewalskii , Camelus cf. C. knoblochi Megaloceros ordosianus and Gazella sp. The fauna analyses show that the paleoenvironment in Wulanmulun Site area might have been a mixture or mosaic of grassland and forest with some small streams and swamps. The fluctuation of annual temperature might have been high, with the winter very cold and the summer relatively warm. The Wulanmulun fauna is in the same paleozoogeographic sub-province as Baotou, Shiyu, Salawusu and Loufangzi faunas, different from that of the Xiaogushan and Yanjiagang faunas of Northeast China, and more different from that of the Dantu fauna of East China. The Wulanmulun area was suitable for the habitation of the late Paleolithic humans, and Wulanmulun fauna were their main hunting prey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposed a small current to ground fault line selection method with time-frequency atom and grey correlation analysis. Firstly, it calculated the base values of fault line and non-fault line based on the number of branch line of small current to ground system. Secondly, it used the matching pursuit method to decompose the transient zero-sequence current of the first 1/4 cycle indexed by Gabor atom, and calculated the damped sinusoidal atoms of every branch line which expressed the characteristic of fault state. Thirdly, it used the theory of grey relational analysis to compute the correlation degree of every damped sinusoidal atom, and got the characteristic value of every branch line. Finally, it calculated the Euclidean distance value between the characteristic values and the base values of fault line and non-fault line, and compared the size of Euclidean distance values to achieve the fault line selection accurately. The method has a lower computational complexity, an accurate fault selection proved by a large number of simulations. It is especially suitable for the multi-branch lines of small current to ground system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of 4f-5f heteronuclear metallic complexes were synthesized by a hydrothermal route from mixtures of uranyl acetate, lanthanide nitrate, and 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic acid (H4BTA) in an aqueous system. Single-crystal X-ray analysis revealed that the thirteen UO2-Ln-BTA complexes ([(UO2)1.5Ln(C10O8H2)1.5(H2O) x]⋅ y H2O; Ln=La ( 1), Ce ( 2), Pr ( 3), Nd ( 4), Sm ( 5), Eu ( 6), Gd ( 7), Tb ( 8), Dy ( 9), Ho ( 10), Er ( 11), Tm ( 12), Yb ( 13); x=6 for 1- 4, x=5 for 5- 13; y=0 for 4, y=1 for 3, y=2 for 2, y=3 for 5, 9, 10, 12, 13, y=4 for 1, 6, 7, 8, 11) are isomorphous with three-dimensional structures. For the purpose of developing potential applications of the UO2-Ln-BTA complexes, we investigated their surface photovoltage and photocatalytic properties. In addition, the thermogravimetric analysis and photoluminescent properties of these complexes were also studied in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND The interactions between cancer stem cells (CSCs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) can promote tumor progression, maintain the CSCs population, and reduce therapeutic effects. The objective of this study was to investigate the coexpression of CSCs and TAMs and its clinical significance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). METHODS Ninety-six patients with PDAC were included in this study. Tissue microarrays were constructed for immunostaining of the CSCs markers CD44 and CD133 and the TAMs marker CD204. Correlations between the expression of CSCs and TAMs markers and clinicopathologic characteristics or disease progression were analyzed. RESULTS Expression levels of CD44/CD133 and CD204 were significantly higher in tumor tissues than in normal tissues ( P < .0001). The variables associated with survival were high coexpression of CD44/CD133 ( P = .000), high expression of CD204 ( P = .011), and tumor grade ( P = .014). There was a positive correlation between CD44/CD133 and CD204 expression ( r = 0.294; P = .004). Survival analysis indicated that high coexpression of CD44/CD133 and CD204 was associated significantly with shorter overall survival ( P = .000) and disease-free survival ( P = .003). Multivariate analysis revealed that high CD44/CD133 expression was an independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival, whereas high CD204 expression was an independent predictor for both overall and disease-free survival. CONCLUSIONS Coexpression of CD44/CD133 and CD204 is a useful survival prediction marker for patients with PDAC. Cancer 2014;120:2766-2777. © The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Cancer Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The green biogenic PdAu nanoparticles (bio-PdAu NPs) exhibits remarkable catalytic performance in hydrogenation, which is highly desired. However, the catalytic principles and effectiveness of bio-PdxAuy NPs in response to various catalytic systems (electrocatalysis and suspension-catalysis) are unclear. Herein, a facile synthetic strategy for bio-PdxAuy NPs synthesis with controlled size and the catalytic principles for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and azo dye degradation is reported. In the biosynthetic process, the size and composition of the bio-PdxAuy NPs could be precisely controlled by predesigning the precursor mass ratio of Pd/Au, and the Au proportion showed a linear relationship with the size of NPs (R2 = 0.92). The obtained bio-PdxAuy NPs exhibit variable activity in electrocatalysis (HER) and suspension-catalysis (azo dye degradation). For electrocatalysis, the formation of conductive networks that facilitates the extracellular electron transfer is crucial. It was revealed that the bio-Pd2Au8 exhibited superior electrocatalytic performance in HER/toward hydrogen evolution, with a maximum current density of 1.65 mA cm−2, which was 1.54 times higher than that commercial Pd/C (1.07 mA cm−2). The high electrocatalytic activity was attributed to its appropriate size (81.38 ± 6.14 nm) and uniform distribution on the cell surface, which promoted the extracellular electron transfer by constructing a conductive network between catalyst and electrode. However, for suspension-catalysis, the size effect and synergistic effect of bimetallic NPs have a more prominent effect on the degradation of azo dyes. As the increase of Au proportion the particle size decreases, and the catalytic activity of bio-PdxAuy improved significantly. The response principles of bio-PdxAuy proposed in this study provide a reliable reference for the rational design of bio-based bimetallic catalysts with enhanced catalytic performance. [Display omitted] • Series of bio-PdxAuy NPs synthesize by S. oneidensis MR-1. • The mass ratio of Pd(II)/Au(III) is proportional to the particle size. • The conductive network constructed by bio-Pd2Au8 enhances electrocatalytic activity. • The increase of Au content in bio-PdAu improves the degradation activity of azo dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Uranyl complexes constructed by 1, 2, 4, 5-benzenetetracarboxylic acid. [•] Disscussing the surface photovoltage spertra. [•] Disscussing the photocatalytic property and the impact factors of the property. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]