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Promoting policies that facilitate urban adaptation to climate extremes is of global concern. Globally, cities have attempted to adjust to climate change in various ways. Using data from a panel of Chinese cities that have engaged in preliminary climate adaptation, this empirical study is based on an analysis of the effectiveness, heterogeneity and mechanisms of urban climate adaptive policy, mainly using the difference-in-difference (DID) method. The findings show that the preliminary policy significantly improves urban climate adaptation and enhanced climate resilience through pathways such as enhanced technological innovation, increased public participation in environmental issues, appropriate penalties for damage to the environment and lenient environmental regulation. The study also provides multiple tests to confirm whether, and at what level, the experimental policy has indeed been effective. The results show that parallel trend tests, counterfactual tests and random experiments all indicate that the climate adaptive urban project has been effective and robust. Further evidence that there are notable differences in the policy’s effects across eastern, central, and western China comes from the heterogeneity test results. The interaction effect based on the economic growth level demonstrates that the impact of policy execution varies significantly with economic development level. The findings provide useful policy insights into ways to leverage the effects of policies in the face of extreme climate events and to enhance global resilience to extreme climate risks across the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oyster peptide (OP) and Pfaffia glomerata extract (PGE) were used as raw materials. The optimal formulation of the pressed candy (PC) was optimized by one‐way experiment and D‐optimal mixture experiment design, and animal experiment was used to evaluate the effect of PC on male sexual dysfunction. The results showed that PC intervention significantly improved the sexual behavior of male mice with sexual dysfunction, including a significant shortening of the mount latency (ML) and intromission latency, and a significant increase in the mount frequency (MF) and intromission frequency (IF). At the same time, the concentrations of serum testosterone (T) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in mice were restored, and the erectile parameters and pathological changes of penile tissue were improved. Further studies found that PC intervention increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) and reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in testicular tissue. In addition, PC intervention improved testicular tissue morphology. In conclusion, the obtained PC has good taste quality, and the relevant quality indicators are qualified. It has a good ameliorative effect on male sexual dysfunction and may be a potential dietary supplement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zero‐dimensional lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) exhibit size‐dependent bandgap and carrier confinement compared to bulk counterparts due to the quantum confinement effect, making them essential for achieving wide‐color‐gamut displays, studying excitonic spin relaxation, and constructing superlattices. Despite their promising potential, they face a variety of technical bottlenecks, such as insufficient color reproducibility, limited large‐scale production, low stability, and toxicity. An outline of a research roadmap is provided in the review, which highlights key challenges in developing perovskite NCs for commercial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Few effective treatments improve upper extremity (UE) function after stroke. Immersive virtual reality (imVR) is a novel and promising strategy for stroke UE recovery. We assessed the extent to which imVR-based UE rehabilitation can augment conventional treatment and explored changes in brain functional connectivity (FC) that were related to the rehabilitation. Methods: An assessor-blinded, parallel-group randomized controlled trial was performed with 40 subjects randomly assigned to either imVR or Control group (1:1 allocation), each receiving rehabilitation 5 times per week for 3 weeks. Subjects in the imVR received both imVR and conventional rehabilitation, while those in the Control received conventional rehabilitation only. Our primary and secondary outcomes were the Fugl-Meyer assessment's upper extremity subscale (FMA-UE) and the Barthel Index (BI), respectively. Both intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses were performed to assess the effectiveness of the trial. For both the FMA-UE/BI, a one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) model was used, with the FMA-UE/BI at post-intervention or at follow-up, respectively, as the dependent variable, the two groups as the independent variable, baseline FMA-UE/BI, age, sex, site, time since onset, hypertension and diabetes as covariates. Results: Both ITT and PP analyses demonstrated the effectiveness of imVR-based rehabilitation. The FMA-UE score was greater in the imVR compared with the Control at the post-intervention (mean difference: 9.1 (95% CI 1.6, 16.6); P = 0.019) and follow-up (mean difference:11.5 (95% CI 1.9, 21.0); P = 0.020). The results were consistent for BI scores. Moreover, brain FC analysis found that the motor function improvements were associated with a change in degree in ipsilesional premotor cortex and ipsilesional dorsolateral prefrontal cortex immediately following the intervention and in ipsilesional visual region and ipsilesional middle frontal gyrus after the 12-week follow-up. Conclusions: ImVR-based rehabilitation is an effective tool that can improve the recovery of UE functional capabilities of subacute stroke patients when added to standard care. These improvements were associated with distinctive brain changes at two post-stroke timepoints. The study results will benefit future patients with stroke and provide evidence for a promising new method of stroke rehabilitation. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03086889. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the increasing global incidence of brain disorders, achieving sufficient delivery towards the central nervous system (CNS) remains a formidable challenge in terms of translating into improved clinical outcomes. The brain is highly safeguarded by physiological barriers, primarily the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which routinely excludes most therapeutics from entering the brain following systemic administration. Among various strategies investigated to circumvent this challenge, intranasal administration, a noninvasive method that bypasses the BBB to allow direct access of drugs to the CNS, has been showing promising results. Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems, in particular, have demonstrated remarkable capacities in overcoming the challenges posed by nose-to-brain drug delivery and facilitating targeted drug accumulation within the brain while minimizing side effects of systemic distribution. This review comprehensively summarizes the barriers of nose-to-brain drug delivery, aiming to enhance our understanding of potential physiological obstacles and improve the efficacy of nasal delivery in future trials. We then highlight cutting-edge nanotechnology-based studies that enhance nose-to-brain drug delivery in three key aspects, demonstrating substantial potential for improved treatment of brain diseases. Furthermore, the attention towards clinical studies will ease the regulatory approval process for nasal administration of nanomedicines targeting brain disease. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seven graded levels of sodium propionate (SP) diets with 0 (SP1), 0.2% (SP2), 0.4% (SP3), 0.6% (SP4), 0.8% (SP5), 1.0% (SP6), and 1.2% (SP7) were prepared to feed Trachinotus ovatus (initial body weight: 8.64 ± 0.08 g) for 56 days. The results showed that increasing dietary SP levels quadratically increased significantly final body weight (FBW), weight gain rate (WGR), and specific growth rate (SGR) of T. ovatus but linearly and quadratically decreased significantly viscerosomatic index (VSI) and hepatosomatic index (HSI) of T. ovatus (P < 0.05). In the SP4 treatment, FBW, WGR, and SGR presented the highest values. Both positive linear and quadratic trends were detected between crude lipid content of whole fish, adhesiveness of dorsal muscle, white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin (HGB), blood performance, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), intestinal villus height, and dietary SP level, while negative linear and quadratic trends were found between firmness of dorsal muscle, triglyceride (TG), glucose (GLU), and dietary SP level (P < 0.05). The increasing SP led to quadratic increases in lymphocyte (Lym), complement 3 (C3), chymotrypsin, villus number, and muscle layer thickness, and a quadratic decrease in hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA P < 0.05). A significant negative linear trend was found between the content of glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) and dietary SP level, while significant positive linear trends were presented between C4, immunoglobulin M (IgM), α-amylase and dietary SP level (P < 0.05). The increasing SP resulted in linear and quadratic increases in superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) of livers and C3, C4, IgM of head kidney (P < 0.05). The expression levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) were linearly and quadratically decreased, while the mRNA levels of growth factor beta (TGF-β) were linearly and quadratically increased with the increasing SP level (P < 0.05). In conclusion, SP could be considered as a beneficial feed additive for enhancing growth and immunity of fish. And dietary SP level at 0.6% is optimal for the growth of Trachinotus ovatus based on a quadratic regression model of WGR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathways through which mature blood cells in the bone marrow (BM) enter the blood stream and exit the BM, hematopoietic stem cells in the peripheral blood return to the BM, and other substances exit the BM are referred to as the marrow–blood barrier (MBB). This barrier plays an important role in the restrictive sequestration of blood cells, the release of mature blood cells, and the entry and exit of particulate matter. In some blood diseases and tumors, the presence of immature cells in the blood suggests that the MBB is damaged, mainly manifesting as increased permeability, especially in angiogenesis. Some imaging methods have been used to monitor the integrity and permeability of the MBB, such as DCE-MRI, IVIM, ASL, BOLD-MRI, and microfluidic devices, which contribute to understanding the process of related diseases and developing appropriate treatment options. In this review, we briefly introduce the theory of MBB imaging modalities along with their clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence has demonstrated that oxidative stress plays a crucial role in regulating cellular glucose metabolism. In previous studies, wheat germ peptide (WGP) was found to effectively mitigate oxidative stress induced by high glucose. Based on the information provided, we hypothesized that WGP could exhibit antihyperglycemic and anti–insulin-resistant effects in cells. The insulin-resistant cell model was established by insulin stimulation. The glucose consumption, glycogen content, and the activities of hexokinase and pyruvate kinase following WGP treatment were measured. The protein expression of SOCS3, phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate-1 (p-IRS1), IRS1, phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt), Akt, glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2), phosphorylated GSK 3β, GSK 3β, FOXO1, G6P, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase were assessed by western blot analysis. Our results demonstrated that WGP treatment increased cellular glucose consumption and glycogen synthesis and enhanced hexokinase and pyruvate kinase activities. Additionally, WGP treatment was observed to cause a significant reduction in the expression of SOCS3, FOXO1, G6P, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, as well as in the ratio of p-IRS1/IRS1. Conversely, the expression of GLUT2 and the ratios of p-Akt/Akt and p-GSK3β/GSK3β were upregulated by WGP. These findings suggested that WGP can activate the SOCS3/IRS1/Akt signaling pathway, thus promoting the phosphorylation of GSK-3β and increasing the expression of FOXO1 and GLUT2, which contribute to enhancing glycogen synthesis, inhibiting gluconeogenesis, and promoting glucose transport in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells. In HepG2 cells, the wheat germ peptide ADWGGPLPH reduces SOCS3 expression, inhibiting phosphorylation at IRS1 serine 307 and activating Akt phosphorylation. This enhances insulin signal transduction, improving insulin sensitivity and alleviating insulin resistance. Additionally, ADWGGPLPH promotes GSK3β phosphorylation, increases GLUT2 expression, and reduces FOXO1 expression as well as its downstream targets G6P and PEPCK. Abbreviations: Akt, protein kinase B; FOXO1, forkhead box O1; GLUT2, glucose transporter 2; GSK 3β, glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta; G6P, glucose-6-phosphatase; IRS1, insulin receptor substrate-1; PEPCK, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase; SOCS3, suppressor of cytokine signaling-3. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, multiple interface design strategies were proposed to achieve excellent electromagnetic wave absorption and low Infrared emissivity. In addition, the obtained composite aerogel maintains great thermal stealth capability. Hence, this work provides directions for the design of carbon-based radar-infrared compatible stealth materials. [Display omitted] • Multiple interface design strategies are proposed for the preparation of radar-infrared compatible stealth materials. • The prepared aerogel obtains an effective absorption bandwidth of 6.62 GHz with a filling ratio of 20 wt%. • The as-prepared aerogel achieves 41 % reduction of IR emissivity in the 8–14 μm band compared to the carbon materials. • The composite aerogel maintains excellent thermal stealth capability. Radar-infrared (IR) compatible stealth can satisfy the characteristics of excellent electromagnetic wave attenuation property and low infrared emissivity. However, concurrently satisfying these demands is still a great challenge at present. Herein, multi-interfacial engineering strategy was proposed for the preparation of radar-IR compatible stealth materials. ZnO has a high electron binding energy and a large band gap at room temperature, and doping with sulphide can increase the concentration of unconstrained carriers. Therefore, bimetallic sulphide aerogels loaded with ZnO were prepared by means of carbonization and vulcanization, combined with freeze-drying method. When the filling ratio is 20 %, an absorption bandwidth (f e) of 6.62 GHz at a matching thickness of 2.0 mm and a reduction in IR emissivity from 0.920 to 0.539 in the 8–14 μm band are achieved. This work provides a guidance to design and synthesize high-performance absorbers by multi-interfacial engineering for IR-radar compatible stealth application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The use of plant bioactive compounds like tannins to modulate ruminal biohydrogenation is a good strategy to optimize the fatty acid composition of ruminant-derived products, which are closely associated with human health. Differently from terrestrial tannins, there is little information on the effect of phlorotannins (PTs) from brown seaweeds on ruminal biohydrogenation. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of PT extract from Sargassum on in vitro rumen fermentation, fatty acid composition and bacterial community. The inclusion of PT extract had a positive effect on rumen fermentation by increasing dry matter digestibility and gas production and reducing ammonia-N concentration. Rumen biohydrogenation was profoundly inhibited by PTs as reflected in an increased unsaturated fatty acid and reduced saturated fatty acid production. The addition of PTs also changed the rumen bacterial community significantly with elevated carbohydrate-mediated bacteria. Correlation analysis found that Prevotellaceae_UCG-001, Anaerovorax, Ruminococcus, Ruminobacter, Fibrobacter, Lachnospiraceae_AC2044_group and Clostridia_UCG-014 might be involved in the biohydrogenation process. The results suggest that the inclusion of PTs in the diet improved rumen fermentation and fatty acid composition through modulating rumen microbiota. The fatty acid profiles of ruminant-derived products are closely associated with human health. Ruminal microbiota play a vital role in modulating rumen biohydrogenation (BH). The aim of this study was to assess the influence of dietary supplementation with phlorotannins (PTs) extracted from Sargassum on rumen fermentation, fatty acid composition and bacterial communities by an in vitro culture study. The inclusion of PTs in the diet increased dry matter digestibility and gas production, and reduced ammonia-N concentration and pH. PT extract inhibited rumen BH, increasing the content of trans-9 C18:1, cis-9 C18:1, trans-9 and trans-12 C18:2 and reducing C18:0 concentration. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that PTs caused an obvious change in rumen bacterial communities. The presence of Prevotella decreased while carbohydrate-utilizing bacteria such as Prevotellaceae_UCG-001, Ruminococcus, Selenomonas, Ruminobacter and Fibrobacter increased. Correlation analysis between rumen FA composition and the bacterial microbiome revealed that Prevotellaceae_UCG-001, Anaerovorax, Ruminococcus, Ruminobacter, Fibrobacter, Lachnospiraceae_AC2044_group and Clostridia_UCG-014 might have been involved in the BH process. In conclusion, the results suggest that the inclusion of PTs in the diet improved rumen fermentation and FA composition through modulating the rumen bacterial community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular endothelium dysfunction caused by endothelium inflammation is a trigger of numerous cardiovascular diseases. Vascular endothelium inflammation often occurs in patients with obesity. Asprosin (ASP) derived from white adipose tissue plays important roles in maintaining glucose homeostasis. However, effect of ASP on the vascular endothelium inflammation induced by hyperlipidemia and its underlying mechanism remains largely unclear. In this study, models of vascular endothelium inflammation were established to investigate the effect of ASP on the endothelium inflammation both in vivo and in vitro. Our data in vivo showed that recombinant ASP or high-fat diet (HFD) significantly increased the circulating levels of IL-6 and TNF-α and enhanced the adhesion of macrophages to endothelia characterized by the expression increase of CD68, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 in rats. However, neutralization of ASP with an ASP specific antibody (AASP) significantly antagonized the changes induced by HFD. Similarly, our data in vitro also showed that ASP treatment elevated the expressions of IL-6, TNF-α, and ICAM-1 as well as VCAM-1. More important, our data revealed that the pro-inflammation effect of ASP was achieved by activating the IKKβ-NF-κBp65 pathway other than the oxidative stress pathway both in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that ASP is a pro-inflammation player in the obesity-associated endothelium dysfunction. The findings would provide a novel target for the prevention and treatment of obesity-related cardiovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferrous and sulfur ions are essential elements for the human body, which play an active role in maintaining the body's normal physiology. Meanwhile, mussel-inspired polydopamine (PDA) possesses good hydrophilicity and biocompatibility. In the present work, ferrous sulfide embedded into polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA@FeS NPs) was designed and synthesized via a simple predoping polymerization–coprecipitation strategy and the intelligent PDA matrix successfully prevented the oxidation and agglomeration of FeS nanoparticles. Importantly, there was an obvious synergistic enhancement of the photothermal effect between polydopamine and ferrous sulfide. The PDA@FeS NPs exhibited excellent photothermal antibacterial effects against both E. coli and S. aureus. The near-infrared (NIR) light-mediated release of ferrous ions could reach about 26.5% under weakly acidic conditions, further triggering the Fenton reaction to produce toxic hydroxyl radicals (·OH) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. The antibacterial mechanism could be attributed to cell membrane damage and cellular content leakage with the synergistic effect of PTT and CDT. This study highlighted the germicidal efficacy of PDA@FeS NPs and provided a new strategy for designing and developing next-generation antibacterial platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Taxillus chinensis (DC.) Danser (T. chinensis), known as "Sangjisheng" in Chinese, is a member of the family Loranthaceae, with the traditional functions of "dispelling wind dampness, strengthening bones and muscles, and preventing miscarriage". Since Eastern Han dynasty, it has been used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, arthralgia, threatened abortion, and hypertension. Nowadays, T. chinensis is included in the 2020 Edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia as Taxilli Herba. The purpose of this review is to summarize the latest research on T. chinensis in recent years, and make critical comments, so as to provide reference for the clinical application and modern research of T. chinensis. Main body: In this review, we summarize the botany, traditional uses, and research advances in the phytochemistry and pharmacological effects of T. chinensis. Its toxicity has also been discussed. The published literature on current pharmacological and toxicological data has also been assessed. To date, approximately 110 compounds, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, phenylpropanoids, tannins, glycosides, amino acids, and nucleosides, have been identified in T. chinensis. Flavonoids are considered the most vital bioactive ingredients in T. chinensis. Pharmacological studies have demonstrated that T. chinensis possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, antiviral, diuretic, antihypertensive, antihyperglycemic, and other properties. Conclusion: Currently, research on T. chinensis is in the preliminary stages, and further research is required to understand the active compounds present and mechanisms of action. We hope that this comprehensive review of T. chinensis will serve as a background for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the impacts of read operation under transient gate voltage sweep on the memory window (MW) of ferroelectric field-effect transistor (FeFET) are systematically investigated. By taking into consideration the polarization switching dynamics, it reveals a significant dependence on the sweep range and rate of gate voltage. With increasing sweep range, the increase of polarization switching leads to the monotonically increasing MW. However, different from sweep range, the MW of FeFET nonmonotonically varies with the increasing sweep rate, which is caused by the competition between decreased polarization switching and increased voltage drop on ferroelectric (FE) layer during forward sweep. Besides, compared with the MW obtained by pulsed gate voltage, it is found that the MW obtained by swept gate voltage can be the smaller one even without the consideration of charge trapping contribution. Furthermore, the impacts of FE switching time on MW are also discussed, indicating that the MW may not always be a constant even under quasi-static sweeping with low sweep rate, and the relationship between sweep rate of gate voltage and switching speed of FE plays a critical role in MW evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a serious neurodegenerative disease and there is currently no effective treatment for AD progression. The use of TCM as a potential treatment strategy for AD is an evolving field of investigation. Asafoetida (ASF), an oleo-gum-resin isolated from Ferula assa-foetida root, has been proven to possess antioxidative potential and neuroprotective effects, which is closely associated with the neurological disorders. However, the efficacy and further mechanisms of ASF in AD experimental models are still unclear. Methods: A cognitive impairment of mouse model induced by scopolamine was established to determine the neuroprotective effects of ASF in vivo, as shown by behavioral tests, biochemical assays, Nissl staining, TUNEL staining, Immunohistochemistry, western blot and qPCR. Furthermore, the PC12 cells stimulated by H2O2 were applied to explore the underlying mechanisms of ASF-mediated efficacy. Then, the UPLCM analysis and integrated network pharmacology approach was utilized to identified the main constitutes of ASF and the potential target of ASF against AD, respectively. And the main identified targets were validated in vitro by western blot, qPCR and immunofluorescence staining. Results: In vivo, ASF treatment significantly ameliorated cognitive impairment induced by scopolamine, as evidenced by improving learning and memory abilities, and reducing neuronal injury, cholinergic system impairment, oxidative stress and apoptosis in the hippocampus of mice. In vitro, our results validated that ASF can dose-dependently attenuated H2O2-induced pathological oxidative stress in PC12 cells by inhibiting ROS and MDA production, as well as promoting the activities of SOD, CAT, GSH. We also found that ASF can significantly suppressed the apoptosis rate of PC12 cells increased by H2O2 exposure, which was confirmed by flow cytometry analysis. Moreover, treatment with ASF obviously attenuated H2O2-induced increase in caspase-3 and Bax expression levels, as well as decrease in Bcl-2 protein expression. KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that the PI3K/Akt/GSK3β/Nrf2 /HO-1pathway may be involved in the regulation of cognitive impairment by ASF. The results of western blot, qPCR and immunofluorescence staining of vitro assay proved it. Conclusions: Collectively, our work first uncovered the significant neuroprotective effect of ASF in treating AD in vivo. Then, we processed a series of vitro experiments to clarify the biological mechanism action. These data demonstrate that ASF can inhibit oxidative stress induced neuronal apoptosis to foster the prevention of AD both in vivo and in vitro, and it may exert the function of inhibiting AD through PI3K/Akt/GSK3β/Nrf2/HO-1pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stochastic two-dimensional Cahn–Hilliard–Navier–Stokes equations under non-Lipschitz conditions are considered. This model consists of the Navier–Stokes equations controlling the velocity and the Cahn–Hilliard model controlling the phase parameters. By iterative techniques, a priori estimates and weak convergence method, the existence and uniqueness of an energy weak solution to the equations under non-Lipschitz conditions have been obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preeclampsia (PE) is one of the major contributors to maternal and fetal mortality worldwide. Many host-related biomolecules regulate the pathophysiology of PE. The current study aims to examine the role of the renalase in PE manifestations. A total of 384 Chinese women consisting of subjects with normotensive pregnancy (n = 105), women with PE (n = 121), and healthy women (n = 158) were included in the study. Serum renalase level was measured in all subjects by ELISA. Renalase gene polymorphisms (rs10887800, rs2576178, and rs2296545) were genotyped by PCR-RFLP. The pregnant women had elevated renalase levels compared to healthy controls and subjects with PE. Renalase level was negatively correlated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Interestingly, renalase was positively correlated with the glomerular filtration rate. Prevalence of homozygous mutant (GG) and minor allele (G) for rs10887800 and rs2576178 renalase gene polymorphisms were significantly higher in PE patients compared to normotensive pregnant women and healthy controls. Furthermore, an association of G-G-C haplotype with susceptibility to PE was also noticed. A low level of renalase may be associated with an increased risk of PE during pregnancy. Renalase gene polymorphisms (rs10887800 and rs2576178) are correlated with serum renalase and are associated with predisposition to PE development in the Chinese cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a high-selectivity double-mode substrate integration waveguide bandpass filter utilizing modified parallel coupled microstrip lines (MPCML) is presented. The designed method is analyzed in detail. Six metal vias are designed to perturb TE-101 mode and TE-103 mode. The resonant frequency of the perturbed TE-101 mode is shifted to high frequency, close to that of TE-102 mode, which caused the formation of passband. The resonant frequency of the perturbed TE-103 mode is shifted to high frequency, improving out-of-band performance. Simultaneously, the coplanar waveguide structure is used to adjust the external quality factor. Two rectangular slotlines are introduced to adjust center frequency and bandwidth slightly. Two rectangular stubs are designed for better source and load matching. Three transmission zeros (TZs) are obtained to improve the selectivity. The designed MPCML promotes the generation of TZs. Another TZ is obtained by the coupling between TE-102 mode and TE-103 mode. The designed filter operates at 14.4 GHz with bandwidth of 800 MHz. The measured return loss is better than 15 dB, and the minimum insertion loss is 1.60 dB. The measurement is agreed with the simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-level temperature inversions play crucial roles in inhibiting vertical exchange of energy and mass, and may lead to air pollutants accumulation. The climatological study of them provides a fundamental overview of the static stability of atmosphere and is indispensable for air pollution controls. Based on high-vertical-resolution radiosondes at 00 and 12 UTC during 2011–2018, this work comprehensively examined the spatial and temporal variability of three characteristics (occurrences, strengths, and depths) of low-level inversions in China. Results revealed that inversions are prevalent (more than 80% of the observation records) over Eastern China. The northern part of Eastern China is dominated by the thick strong surface-based inversions with median thickness and strength of 200 m and 3 K, while the southern part by thin weak elevated ones of 80 m and 0.8 K. Tibetan Plateau experiences rare inversions (less than 50% of the time) which tend to be strong thick surface-based inversions with median depth and intensity of 170 m and 4 K. Inversion depths and strengths are positively correlated. The three properties of inversions present remarkable seasonal variations. Generally, inversions are strongest, thickest, and most frequent in winter and least so in summer, with median intensity and depth ranging from 0.3 K and 80 m to 5 K and 220 m. This paper also analyzed the monthly variations of inversions of four representative stations (Harbin, Urumqi, Beijing, and Chongqing) in details. These four cities are known for frequent severe air pollution events. The quantitative investigations of inversions may play a significant role in atmospheric environmental management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we focus on studying picture fuzzy reasoning full implication methods. First, picture associated t -norm and its residuated implication operator are given. Then, picture fuzzy reasoning full implication principles and the solutions of picture fuzzy reasoning full implication methods based on picture associated t -norm are given. Moreover, the reducibility and robustness of picture fuzzy reasoning full implication methods based on picture associated t -norm are proved. Finally, pattern recognition problems can be successfully solved by the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW) bandpass filter using the modified complementary spilt-ring resonators (MCSRRs) and the Z-shaped slot is presented. Based on the combination of MCSRRs and the Z-shaped slot, four layouts with MCSRRs in different directions are designed and their distributions of electromagnetic fields are analyzed in some detail. Simultaneously, the causes of the passband generation and change are explained. By comparing the performance of the four layouts, a bandpass filter with the advantages of compact structure, easy integration, and low insertion loss is designed on the basis of face-to-face layout. An additional transmission zero is obtained by introducing the Z-shaped slot. The selectivity is improved duo to two transmission zeros. The proposed filter allows the electromagnetic wave to be propagated in the passband below the cutoff frequency of the waveguide characteristic. To validate the design, the filter is fabricated and tested, and the tested results are consistent with the simulated results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An Ni–Zn battery is a distinguished member in the family of closed Zn-based batteries due to its ideal power density and voltage. However, when it is employed as a power supply for electric vehicles, its defects in terms of specific capacitance and energy density become obvious. Herein, to resolve this problem, a hybrid battery system was created through a combination of Ni–Zn and Zn–air batteries at the cell level. In a hybrid battery system, oxygen vacancy rich NiO with S,N co-modified mesoporous carbon as a matrix was used as the cathode material. This cathode material showed a high specific capacitance of 202.1 mA h g−1 at 1.0 A g−1. When the current density reduces to 20 A g−1, this value decreases to 130.2 mA h g−1, which implies that 64.4% of specific capacitance was retained. It also exhibits excellent OER and ORR activities. For the hybrid battery system, when the discharge process was carried out at 1 mA cm−2, there were two voltage plateaus at 1.72 and 1.12 V, which originated from Ni–Zn and Zn–air, respectively. In this case, its specific capacitance and energy density reaches 800.3 mA h g−1 and 961 W h kg−1, respectively. The hybrid battery also possesses perfect stability during multi-cycle charge–discharge tests. The construction of this hybrid battery system develops a new road to prepare a power supply device with high performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the dietary vitamin B6 (VB6) requirement for juvenile golden pompano, an experiment of six different diets with six dietary VB6 levels (0, 3.75, 7.47, 10.6, 13.7 and 18.5 mg/kg) was conducted. The results indicated that the content of dietary VB6 significantly increased weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR) and feed conversion ratio (FCR; p < 0.05). Golden pompano fed diet containing 7.47 mg/kg VB6 achieved the maximum ALT, AST, GPx, hepatic VB6 concentrations as well as the minimum MDA, however, the ALT, AST, GPx and hepatic VB6 concentrations decreased while MDA increased with a further increase in dieatry VB6. The highest values of GR and POD occurred at the 10.6 and 13.7 mg/kg dietary VB6 (p < 0.05) respectively. A diet supplemented with 7.47 mg/kg VB6 increased intestinal Na+, K+‐ATPase, Chymotrypsin, γ‐glutamyl transpeptidase, creatine kinase and amylase activities (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of Tenericutes and Bacteroidetes decreased while Proteobacteria and Firmicutes improved with an increase in dietary VB6 levels up to 7.47 mg/kg. Quadratic regression analysis on WGR, hepatic VB6 concentrations, AST and ALT indicated that the optimum dietary VB6 levels for juvenile golden pompano were 8.84–9.28 mg/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is compelling evidence of beneficial effects of non-immersive virtual reality (VR)-based intervention in the rehabilitation of patients with stroke, whereby patients experience both the real world and the virtual environment. However, to date, research on immersive VR-based rehabilitation is minimal. This study aims to design a randomized controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of immersive VR-based upper extremity rehabilitation in patients with subacute stroke and explore the underlying brain mechanisms of immersive VR-based rehabilitation.Methods: Subjects (n = 60) with subacute stroke (defined as more than 1 week and less than 12 weeks after stroke onset) will be recruited to participate in a single-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Subjects will be randomized 1:1 to either (1) an experimental intervention group, or (2) a conventional group (control). Over a 3-week time period immediately following baseline assessments and randomization, subjects in the experimental group will receive both immersive VR and conventional rehabilitation, while those in the control group will receive conventional rehabilitation only. During the rehabilitation period and over the following 12 weeks, upper extremity function, cognitive function, mental status, and daily living activity performance will be evaluated in the form of questionnaires. To trace brain reorganization in which upper extremity functions previously performed by ischemic-related brain areas are assumed by other brain areas, subjects will have brain scans immediately following enrollment but before randomization, immediately following the conclusion of rehabilitation, and 12 weeks after rehabilitation has concluded.Discussion: Effectiveness is assessed by evaluating motor improvement using the arm motor section of the Fugl-Meyer assessment. The study utilizes a cutting-edge brain neuroimaging approach to longitudinally trace the effectiveness of both VR-based and conventional training on stroke rehabilitation, which will hopefully describe the effects of the brain mechanisms of the intervention on recovery from stroke. Findings from the trial will greatly contribute to evidence on the use of immersive-VR-based training for stroke rehabilitation.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03086889 . Registered on March 22, 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Ru NPs embedded in carbon shell coated on silica nanospheres were fabricated via one-pot co-synthesis strategy combined with carbothermal reduction, and performed high activity and stability in the hydrogenation of itaconic acid to methyl butyrolactone. Highlights • Small metal NPs with uniform dispersion stabilized in coated carbon shell were fabricated via one-pot co-synthesis strategy. • It had uniform dispersion of small Ru NPs about 1 nm embedded in core-shell structure of RF resin coated silica nanospheres. • It exhibited good hydrogenation activity and stability with no obvious loss of yield for methyl butyrolactone. Abstract Metal nanoparticles catalysts are widely used in hydrogenation of carboxylic acids and their derivatives, which are significant reactions to produce high-value compounds such as alcohols and lactones. These reactions were usually carried out in liquid phase at harsh conditions with high temperature and pressure, however, catalysts deactivation frequently occurred since small metal NPs were inclined to migrate and aggregate as well as dissolve and leach in such acid systems. Thus, it's a great challenge to prepare catalysts with highly dispersed small metal NPs with good stability and durability. Herein we propose a novel one-pot co-synthesis method to prepare highly dispersed and stabilized nanometal catalysts that small Ru NPs embedded in carbon species coated on silica nanospheres. Ru precursors were doped directly in the synthesis of RF coated silica spheres along with the polymerization of resorcinol–formaldehyde, and following the process of carbothermal reduction. Aqueous hydrogenation of itaconic acid was used as a probe reaction, which could produce high-value products such as methylsuccinic acid and methyl butyrolactone. The as-prepared catalysts had uniform dispersion of small Ru NPs with core-shell structure of resin coated silica nanospheres, exhibited good hydrogenation activity and stability with no obvious loss of yield for methyl butyrolactone and less sintering in recycling tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Seed germination is a critical trait for the success of direct seeding in rice cultivation. However, the underlying mechanism determining seed germination is largely unknown in rice.Here, we report that NAC transcription factor OsNAC3 positively regulates seed germination of rice. OsNAC3 regulates seed germination involving abscisic acid (ABA) pathway and cell elongation. OsNAC3 can directly bind to the promoter of ABA catabolic gene OsABA8ox1 and cell expansion gene OsEXP4, which consequently activates their expressions during seed germination.We also find that the expression of OsEXP4 is reduced by ABA during seed germination in rice. OsNAC3 regulates seed germination by influencing cell elongation of the embryo through directly affecting OsEXP4 expression and indirectly ABA‐medicated OsEXP4 expression. The OsNAC3 elite haplotype is useful for genetic improvement of seed germination, and overexpression of OsNAC3 can significantly increase seed germination.We therefore propose that OsNAC3 is a potential target in breeding of rice varieties with high seed germination for direct seeding cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy efficiency has become the main concern of IC technology. Tunnel FET (TFET) is recognized to possess the superiority of energy efficiency over MOSFET at ultralow voltage, while variability might limit the voltage reduction and thus the energy saving. Recently, device source doping gradient (SDG) is found to be the dominant variation source in TFET. In this paper, for the first time, with the awareness of SDG variation, the energy efficiency of TFET-based circuits with different activity factors ( $\alpha $ ) is comprehensively reassessed and the device optimization strategy is provided. It is found that the superiority of energy efficiency of TFET will significantly decrease especially for the more active circuit due to the inherent tradeoff between SDG variation and nominal SDG. Based on the quantitative relationship between SDG variation and nominal SDG extracted from the experimental devices, the optimal design of tunnel junction abruptness to maximize the circuit energy efficiency is obtained, leading to significant energy efficiency improvements of TFET-based circuit over MOSFET even for circuit with high $\alpha $. This paper provides helpful device design guidelines for TFET with device variability awareness from the perspective of circuit energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study assessed the effect of purple prairie clover (PPC) and PPC condensed tannins (CT) on the fecal microbiota of lambs using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing. A total of 18 individual lambs were randomly divided into three groups and fed either green chop alfalfa (Alf), a 40:60 (DM basis; Mix) mixture of Alf and PPC, or Mix supplemented with polyethylene glycol (Mix-P) for 18 days. Fecal samples were collected on days 13 through 18 using digital rectal retrieval. The DNA of fecal samples was extracted and the microbial 16S rRNA gene amplicons were sequenced using 454 pyrosequencing. Regardless of diet, the bacterial community was dominated by Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes with many sequences unclassified at the genus level. Forage type and CT had no effect on the fecal microbial composition at the phylum level or on α-diversity. Compared to the Alf diet, the Mix diet reduced the relative abundance of Akkermansia ( P = 0.03) and Asteroleplasma ( P = 0.05). Fecal microbial populations in Alf and Mix-P clustered separately from each other when assessed using unweighted UniFrac ( P < 0.05). These results indicate that PPC CT up to 36 g/kg DM in the diet had no major effect on fecal microbial flora at the phyla level and exerted only minor effects on the genera composition of fecal microbiota in lambs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The alteration of DNA methylation landscape is a key epigenetic event in cancer. As the accumulation of large-scale genome-wide DNA methylation data from clinical samples, we are able to characterize the patterns of DNA methylation alterations for identifying candidate epigenetic markers and drivers. In this survey, we take hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as an example to show the basic steps of analyzing the DNA methylation patterns in cancer across multiple data sets. We collected three genome-wide DNA methylation data sets with 800 clinical samples and the corresponding gene expression data sets. First, by quantitatively analyzing two global methylation alterations, it is found that about 90% tumors acquire either genome-wide DNA hypo-methylation or CpG island methylator phenotype. Second, probe-level analysis identified 267, 228 and 197 hyper-methylated sites in promoter regions for the three data sets, respectively. These local hyper-methylated patterns are highly consistent: 84 sites (from 61 promoters) are hyper-methylated in all the three studied data sets, including many previously reported genes, such as CDKL2, TBX15 and NKX6-2. Then, these hyper-methylated sites were used as candidate markers to classify tumor and non-tumor samples. The classifiers based on only 10 selected probes can achieve high discriminative ability across different data sets. Finally, by integrative analyzing DNA methylation and gene expression data, we identified 222 candidate epigenetic drivers, which are enriched in inflammatory response and multiple metabolic pathways. A set of high-confidence candidates, including SFN, SPP1 and TKT, are significantly associated with patients' overall survivals. In summary, this study systematically characterized the DNA methylation alterations and their impacts on gene expressions in HCCs based on multiple data sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the important sources of low-frequency noise, random telegraph noise (RTN) in tunnel FET (TFET) has attracted growing attention recently. However, there is still lack of explanation for the high-amplitude RTN, which may cause serious variability and reliability problems to TFET-based ultralow-power circuits. In this paper, we experimentally investigate the RTN amplitude characteristics in TFETs, revealing the mechanism of high-amplitude RTN. It is found that the nonuniform distribution of band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) generation rate along device width direction is responsible for the high-amplitude RTN. Locations with relatively higher BTBT generation rate may act as critical paths dominating the device current. “Lucky” trap located at a critical path can induce the high-amplitude RTN. With device width shrinking, the number of critical paths may be reduced, resulting in much higher maximum RTN amplitude. In addition, the impacts of process parameters on RTN amplitude are discussed. Both higher source doping concentration ( \textN\text {S}) and higher thermal budget can effectively mitigate the nonuniformity of BTBT generation rate along device width direction, causing suppressed RTN amplitudes. Considering that the higher thermal budget may lead to degraded device performance, the annealing process should compromisingly be designed in terms of both variation and device performance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

BACKGROUND: Hyperlipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and hyperglycemia are common metabolic complications of obesity. The objective of the present study is to investigate the in vivo protective effect of Averrhoa carambola L. fruit polyphenols (ACFP) on hyperlipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and hyperglycemia in mice with high‐fat diet (HFD)‐induced obesity and elucidate the mechanisms of action underlying the beneficial effects of ACFP. Thirty‐six specific pathogen‐free male C57BL/6J mice (4 weeks old, weighing 17.1–19.9 g) were randomly divided into three groups and fed with a low‐fat diet (LFD, 10% fat energy), HFD (45% fat energy), or HFD supplemented with ACFP by intragastric administration for 14 weeks. Obesity‐related biochemical indexes and hepatic gene expression levels were determined. The statistical analyses were conducted using one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Duncan's multiple range test. RESULTS: The results showed that the body weight gain, serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, glucose, insulin resistance index, and steatosis grade in the ACFP group decreased by 29.57%, 26.25%, 27.4%, 19.6%, 40.32%, and 40%, respectively, compared to the HFD group. Gene expression analysis indicated that ACFP treatment improved the gene expression profiles involved in lipid and glucose metabolism compared to the HFD group. CONCLUSION: ACFP protected from HFD‐induced obesity and obesity‐associated hyperlipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and hyperglycemia by improving lipid and glucose metabolism in mice. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and hypothesis: The goal of this meta-analysis was to determine the efficacy and safety of medication for treating overactive bladder (OAB) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods: Papers containing predefined key terms were searched in the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases up to December 2021 to collect randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials (RCTs). The review process followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statements. Two reviewers independently assessed the risk of bias using the modified Jadad scale and Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. The GRADEpro GDT was employed to evaluate the strength of evidence based on the findings of this meta-analysis. Results: We eventually included four RCTs involving 313 patients (163 patients in the medication group and 150 patients in the placebo group). Of these, the therapeutic agent in two RCTs was mirabegron (121 and 106 patients and controls, respectively, representing 3/4 -2/3 of the patients). The results showed that the number of micturition episodes per 24 h (MD −1.33; 95% CI −2.30 to −0.36; p = 0.007), the number of nocturia episodes per 24 h (MD −0.33; 95% CI −0.58 to −0.08; p = 0.009) and the number of urinary incontinence episodes per 24 h (MD −0.72; 95% CI −1.32 to −0.12; p = 0.02) were significantly lower in the medication group than in the placebo group. The OAB symptom score (MD −2.84; 95% CI −4.67 to −1.00; p = 0.002) and quality of life score (MD 15.15; 95% CI 12.33 to 17.96; p < 0.0001) of the medication group were significantly improved compared with those of the placebo group. However, no significant difference in the daily frequency of urinary urgency episodes was identified between the medication group and the placebo group (MD −0.79; 95% CI −1.71 to 0.14; p = 0.09). There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of drug-related adverse events (OR 1.69; 95% CI 0.41 to 6.99; p = 0.47), especially in PD patients receiving mirabegron therapy. Conclusions: Medication was effective for OAB symptoms in patients with PD, and patients tolerated adverse events well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-doped carbon materials have great potential as functional materials for water pollution control. However, the synthesis of green and sustainable N-doped carbon catalysts face numerous challenges. This study uses a thermal treatment by directly heating a homogeneous mixture of cobalt acetate and dimethylglyoxime to synthesize lamellar ordering Co 3 O 4 /N/C compounds. Dimethylglyoxime was chosen to play duple roles as both nitrogen and carbon source. The obtained N-doped carbon material was used as a catalyst for effective aniline degradation by activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS). In this approach, nanomaterials with good catalytic performance, high stability, and magnetic property can be obtained, which facilitate recycle convenience. In this study, graphitic N is found to improve electron mobility, and the lone pair of pyrrolic-like N electrons tends to form effective Co-N 4 moieties with Co species, which can increase the catalyst activity. Therefore, the prepared catalyst has higher activity than individual Co 3 O 4 . Furthermore, the effects of N-doped carbon materials on aniline degradation by activated PMS and the proposed reaction pathways for the mineralization of aniline were explain in detailed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum are very well known phytopathogens with worldwide spread that cause one of the most destructive diseases, resulting significant yield losses in crop production. In order to find effective fungicides for controlling phytopathogen, the structure-activity relationships of cinnamaldehyde and eugenol derivatives against R. solani and F. oxysporum were evaluated. Additionally, the composition and fungicidal activity of Cinnamomum cassia and Syzygium aromatica essential oils was assessed. Cinnamaldehyde (49.75%) is the major compound in cinnamon bark oil, and eugenol (89.17%) is most abundant in clove bud oil. The clove bud oil exhibited good antifungal activities against R. solani and F. oxysporum (IC 50 = 106.5 and 149.9 μg/mL, respectively). Cinnamon bark oil showed a lower activity than clove bud oil. The fungicidal activity of cinnamaldehyde (IC 50 = 75.4 and 156.9 μg/mL, respectively) and eugenol (IC 50 = 58.9 and 52.9 μg/mL, respectively) against R. solani and F. oxysporum was also evalutated. Comparisons of the antifungal activities of cinnamaldehyde and eugenol derivatives revealed that α-methylcinnamaldehyde, α-methylcinnamic acid, methyleugenol, acetyleugenol, isoeugenol, methylisoeugenol, and acetylisoeugenol showed good antifungal activities against R. solani and F. oxysporum . In structure-activity relationships, the fungicidal activity of cinnamaldehyde derivatives could be related to conjugated double bond and the length of CH chain outside the ring. In addition, the presence of the lipophilicity may have a considerable influence on the toxicity of phenylpropenes. The present approach may help future work in the search for fungicidal compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel heterostacked tunnel FET (HS-TFET) is proposed for steeper average subthreshold swing (SS). Different from conventional TFETs, HS-TFETs owns a stacked source configuration consisting of an upper source layer with a relatively larger bandgap material and an underlying source layer with smaller bandgap materials. Since smaller bandgap materials exhibit much higher band-to-band tunneling efficiency, the underlying layer of HS-TFET could provide extra drain current increment with increasing gate voltage, and thus effectively improve the subthreshold characteristics for steeper average SS. The simulation results show that the proposed Si–Ge-based HS-TFET can achieve much steeper average SS (25 mV/decade) than conventional Si TFET (42 mV/decade), exhibiting more than one decade higher I60 without leakage current degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

[Display omitted] • CuPc derivatives decorated with aminophenoxy groups were designed and synthesized for strong acid detection. • CuPc 5 exhibited low limit of detection (240 ppb), rapid (<2s), naked-eye-discernible (ΔE ab = 10.03), and selectivity for strong acid (pK a < −2.0). • CuPc 5 performed excellent detection under versatile conditions including solution, solid-state, and dyed fabric. A series of novel peripherally tetra- and octa-substituted copper phthalocyanines (CuPcs) bearing various aminophenoxy groups was designed and synthesized for detecting strong Brønsted acids. Octa-(diethyl-aminophenoxy)-substituted CuPc 5 exhibited excellent HCl detection capability with high sensitivity (limit of detection: 240 ppb), rapid (<2s), and selectivity for strong acids in versatile conditions including solution, solid, and dyed fabric. Furthermore, CuPc 5 noted reusability in recyclable tests with HCl and NH 3 , demonstrating its great potential for practical detection of HCl and ammonia gas leak under various environments. Based on systemic characterizations based on UV–Vis absorption spectra and NMR, we suggest that the proton of HCl associated with the N atom of CuPc 5 , and the proton sensing abilities are directly related to the dissociation constants of the amine groups. The steric hindrance of alkyl chains and molar absorption coefficient of the CuPc species in THF solvent, as well as the H 2 O content of the solvent system, also affected the sensing performance. Due to less bulky nature of diethyl-amino groups having higher pK a and stronger basicity, CuPc 5 featured effective recognition of strong acids with pK a value less than −2.0 (K a > 100). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of pKa-sensitive colorimetric chemosensor using CuPc backbone, in particular for distinguishing strong Brønsted acids such as HCl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new type of sustainable absorber was prepared by reduced graphene oxide as framework. • The broad bandwidth of 5.75 GHz at thickness of 2 mm was obtained and RL min could reach −52.4 dB. • The infrared emissivity of 8–14 μm (the band of atmospheric window) was reduced to 0.59 from 0.82. • The thermal insulation performance of aerogels is improved after loading phase change material. • The significant reduction of radar cross section under the condition of real far field is calculated by simulation. Electromagnetic wave absorbers with low infrared emissivity and excellent thermal insulation properties are attractive for multi-spectrum bands compatibility applications, but simultaneously meeting these requirements remains a great challenge. In this work, reduced graphene oxide/copper sulfide/stearic acid (rGO/CuS@SA) aerogels loaded with phase change materials were prepared by facile solvothermal and freeze-drying technique. Due to the existence of CuS nanoparticles, the multiple reflection and scattering of incident electromagnetic waves are enhanced, so the microwave absorption performance is improved. As a result, the reflection loss (RL) of the sample reach −52.4 dB with an effective absorption bandwidth of 5.75 GHz at 2 mm. It has certain infrared stealth function at critical moment, compared with rGO, the infrared emissivity decreased from 0.89 to 0.59. And the phase change material (stearic acid) has a large latent heat of phase change, which is available to improve the thermal insulation performance of the material. When the detection angle θ is 0°, the maximum radar cross-section (RCS) reduction value of the sample reaches 23.85 dB m2. This work provides directions for designing light-weight absorbers with low infrared emissivity and thermal insulation performance for dual-spectrum bands compatibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of dietary inulin supplementation on growth performance and intestinal immune parameters of broilers. A total of 280 one-day-old Cobb 500 male broilers were randomly allocated into four groups of seven replicate pens and given a maize-soybean basal diet supplemented with 0, 5, 10 and 15 g/kg of inulin during the 42 days of the experiment. Feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were determined from d 1 to 21 (starter), and from d 22 to 42 (grower). Intestinal T lymphocyte subpopulations, the production of immunoglobulin A (IgA) and cytokines as well as mucin mRNA expression were measured at 21 d and 42 d. Feed intake was increased quadratically ( P =0.001) as the dietary inulin level increasing during starter period only. However BWG and FCR of broilers were not affected by inulin supplementation in either period. At d 21 and as the dietary inulin concentration increasing, proportion of T CD4 + T lymphocyte and CD4 + /CD8 + ratio in ileum tissue tended ( P =0.05–0.087) to be linearly increased, IgA concentration in cecal content and mucin mRNA expression in jejunum tissue were linearly increased ( P =0.006–0.01), whereas concentrations of interleuk-6 and interferon-γ in ileum tissue quadratically ( P <0.05) decreased. The effects of dietary inulin on these intestinal immunological parameters were minimal at the 42-d age of broilers. These results indicated that dietary inulin at the levels of 5–10 g/kg may have the beneficial effects on enhancing intestinal immune function of broiler chicken at younger age when the intestinal function is not fully developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trametes hirsuta is able to secrete laccase isoenzymes including constitutive and inducible forms, and has potential application for bioremediation of environmental pollutants. Here, an inducible group B laccase from T. hirsuta MX2 was heterologously expressed in Pichia pastoris, and its yield reached 2.59 U/mL after 5 days of methanol inducing culture. The optimal pH and temperature of recombinant laccase (rLac1) to 2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) were 2.5 and 60 °C, respectively. Metal ions showed different effect on rLac1 which Mg2+, Cu2+, and K+ increased enzyme activity as their concentration increased, whereas Zn2+, Na+, and Fe2+ inhibited enzyme activity as their concentration increased. rLac1 showed good tolerance to organic solvents, and more than 42% of its initial activity remained in 10% organic solvents. Additionally, rLac1 exhibited a more efficient decolorization ability for remazol brilliant blue R (RBBR) than for acid red 1 (AR1), crystal violet (CV), and neutral red (NR). Molecular docking results showed RBBR has a stronger binding affinity with laccase than other dyes by interacting with substrate binding cavity of enzyme. The results indicated rLac1 may be a potential candidate for dye removal from textile wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on a green, dual emissive quantum-dot light-emitting diode (QLED) using alumina (Al)-doped ZnO (AZO) to adjust the band offset between the cathode and QD-emitting layers. The dual emissive QLED structure was designed by enhancing the efficient hole injection/transfer and slowing down the electron injection/transfer from AZO to the QD. The QLEDs presented a maximum luminance of 9450 cd/m2, corresponding to a power efficiency of 15.7 lm/W, a current efficiency of 25.5 cd/A, as well as a turn-on voltage of 2.3 V. It is worth noting that the performance of the dual emissive QLED is comparable to that of a single emissive QLED. Therefore, there is a 1.3-fold enhancement in the performance of the QLED based on the AZO cathode due to the balanced charge injection/transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary work on the planetary boundary layer (PBL) climatic features and associated air pollution in Beijing was carried out based on a 40-year dataset. The main results are identified as follows. The annual mean PBL height was 906 m (1455 m in daytime and 357 m in nighttime). Within the PBL, the average potential temperature, specific humidity, and wind speed were 287.3 K, 5.1 g kg−1, and 6.5 m s−1. Significant seasonal variations were observed in the PBL variables, leading to distinct pollutant diffusion conditions. The PM2.5 concentrations varied seasonally, with a high value in winter (97 µg m−3) and a low value in summer (74 µg m−3). The summertime PM2.5 was closely related to the local emission intensity (R = 0.79) and declined with a reduction in the emission intensity, while the winter PM2.5 showed large interannual variabilities and trends, relying more on the PBL conditions. A comparison of polluted and clean winters was performed, revealing that polluted winters were associated with a warmer layer above the PBL that inhibited the development of the PBL (933 m vs. 1283 m, daily maximum height for polluted vs. clean winters) and led to a humid (1.4 g kg−1 vs. 0.8 g kg−1) and weak wind (5.8 m s−1 vs. 8.2 m s−1) layer within the PBL. In terms of synoptic impacts, the warm advection above the PBL (0.07 K h−1) and subsidence heating (0.21 K h−1) near the top of the PBL contributed to the occurrence of a stable and polluted PBL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Femtosecond laser direct-writing inscription of a 45° tilted fiber grating (TFG). • Such a 45° TFG as a polarizer for a net-normal-dispersion fiber laser was studied. • Various types of dissipative soliton outputs. • The results indicate that the feasibility and versatility of such a 45° TFG. The application of a femtosecond laser direct inscribed 45° tilted fiber grating (TFG) in a net-normal-dispersion mode-locked Er-doped fiber laser, as an in-fiber polarizer, has been systematically studied. The 45° TFG with a grating length of ~ 12.6 mm and a grating period of ~ 2.2 μm has a polarization dependent loss of ~ 9.8 dB and supports various types of dissipative soliton (DS) outputs. The achieved single DS mode-locked pulse centered at 1570.55 nm has a 3 dB bandwidth of 15.64 nm and a pulse duration of ~ 4.68 ps. By simply employing a section of single-mode fiber, the output pulse duration can be dechirped to ~ 250 fs. The fundamental repetition rate is 25.47 MHz and the maximum pulse output power is 24.04 mW. By appropriately adjusting the intra-cavity polarization states and increasing the pump power, the bound-state DS, as well as a harmonic mode-locked DS, can be generated. The bound-state pulse is composed of two identical DS pulses with a temporal interval of ~ 26.27 ps. The second- and third-order harmonic mode-locked DS pulses with repetition rates of 50.93 MHz and 76.40 MHz are obtained for pump powers of 298 mW and 528 mW, respectively. Our results indicate that the feasibility and versatility of the femtosecond laser inscribed 45° TFG to realize nonlinear polarization evolution mode-locking in various operation regimes. Combined with the flexibility of the femtosecond laser direct inscription technique, such a 45° TFG paves a promising route for the development of robust, compact and high-energy ultrafast all-fiber lasers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wavelength-tunable high repetition rate (HRR) erbium-doped fiber laser in L-band based on dissipative four-wave mixing (DFWM) mechanism is demonstrated. The cavity can generate a single-soliton train and bound-soliton train with a fixed repetition rate of ~126 GHz, which is determined by the free spectral range of the intra-cavity Lyot filter. A wide wavelength-tuning operation can also be obtained by rotating the polarization controllers. The wavelength-tuning ranges of the HRR single-soliton state and HRR bound-soliton state are ~38.3 nm and ~22.6 nm, respectively. This laser provides useful references for the area of a wavelength-tunable fiber laser with high repetition rate. The laser may also find useful applications in high-speed communication, sensing, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this present study was to understand the distribution patterns of various forms of soil phosphorus (P) and the biotic and abiotic factors affecting the soil P fractions under long-term cover crops. Here, we investigated the characteristics of soil P forms, community structure of P-solubilizing bacteria (using 16S rRNA) and the related enzyme activity under clean tillage (CT), 14 years of white clover (WC, Trifolium repens L.) and orchard grass (OG, Dactylis glomerata L.) cover crops in a rain-fed apple orchard on the Weibei Loess Plateau, China. Relative to CT treatment, long-term cover crops enhanced the bioavailability of soil P by increasing the contents of total phosphorus (TP), microbial phosphorus (MBP), organic phosphorus (Po) and certain forms of inorganic phosphorus (e.g. Al-P, Ca 2 -P, Ca 8 -P and Fe-P) in the surface soil, in addition, WC treatment also increase the available P (AP) contents in the topsoil. A redundant analysis (RDA) showed that soil organic matter (SOM), NH 4 +-N and pH were the key environmental factors affecting the morphological changes of soil P. In addition, the effects of long-term cover crops on soil P forms were mainly concentrated in the topsoil, and the WC treatment had a greater impact on soil P composition than the OG treatment. Interestingly, long-term cover crops effectively increased the abundances of P-solubilizing bacteria, such as Streptomyces , Sphingomonas , Nocardioides and Haliangium , and enhanced the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. Overall, long-term cover crops were an effective strategy to activate soil P as they improve the soil environment. [Display omitted] • Long-term cover crops increased topsoil TP, MBP, Po, IP, and P bioavailability. • The SOM, NH 4 +-N and pH were key factors affecting the morphological changes of soil P. • Long-term cover crops increased ALP activity and P-solubilizing bacterial abundance. • The effect of legume mulching on soil P forms was greater than that of gramineae mulching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermo-physiological human simulator has been used in many regions for estimating thermal behavior of the locals. The applicability of the human simulator to populations from different regions is, however, questioned due to its lack of consideration for the ethnic diversities in thermoregulation. This study checked the potential of improving the applicability of the Newton human simulator, one of the most popular simulators, by correcting its local set point skin temperatures according to the target population (Chinese as an example). First, new set point skin temperatures were obtained by conducting tests with 101 Chinese under a thermal neutral condition. Then, simulator tests using the original and new set point skin temperatures were conducted separately for evaluating thermal responses of the Chinese under non-neutral conditions. The evaluated skin and core temperatures by the simulators were compared with those measured from the real human tests. It demonstrated that the evaluated skin temperatures are positively related with the set point skin temperatures of the simulator. Adjusting set point skin temperatures according to the Chinese improved the prediction performance of the local skin temperatures, with the root-mean-square-deviation being reduced for over 50% of the body segments. The proposed idea of correcting local set point skin temperatures would contribute to evaluating the thermal interaction between human body and its surroundings with a higher accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]