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Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) can cause a highly contagious immunosuppressive disease in young chickens. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial regulators of gene expression and are involved in the pathogenesis of IBDV infection. To investigate the roles of miRNA in chicken bursae of Fabricius in response to very virulent IBDV (vvIBDV) infection, RNA sequencing was performed to compare the small RNA libraries from uninfected and vvIBDV-infected group which was infected for 3 days. A total of 77 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs were identified in BF, of which 42 DE miRNAs were upregulated and 35 DE miRNAs were downregulated. A gene ontology analysis showed that genes associated with cellular processes, cells, and binding were enriched. Moreover, pathway analyses suggested that apoptosis, T cell receptor signaling pathways, and chemokine signaling pathways may be activated following vvIBDV infection. In addition, we predicted the target genes of DE miRNAs and constructed an miRNA-mRNA regulatory network. In total, 189 pairs of miRNA-target genes were identified, comprising 67 DE miRNAs and 73 mRNAs. In this network, gga-miR-1684b-3p was identified with the highest fold change, as well as gga-miR-1788-3p and gga-miR-3530-5p showed a high degree of change. The above three miRNAs were considered to play vital roles in vvIBDV-host interactions. This study was the first to perform a comprehensive analysis of DE miRNAs in the bursa of Fabricius in response to vvIBDV infection, and it provided new insights into molecular mechanisms underlying vvIBDV infection and pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the association between lipid profiles and left ventricular hypertrophy in a Chinese general population. We conducted a retrospective observational study to investigate the relationship between lipid markers [including triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol, apolipoprotein A-I, apolipoprotein B, lipoprotein[a], and composite lipid profiles] and left ventricular hypertrophy. A total of 309,400 participants of two populations (one from Beijing and another from nationwide) who underwent physical examinations at different health management centers between 2009 and 2018 in China were included in the cross-sectional study. 7,475 participants who had multiple physical examinations and initially did not have left ventricular hypertrophy constituted a longitudinal cohort to analyze the association between lipid markers and the new-onset of left ventricular hypertrophy. Left ventricular hypertrophy was measured by echocardiography and defined as an end-diastolic thickness of the interventricular septum or left ventricle posterior wall > 11 mm. The Logistic regression model was used in the cross-sectional study. Cox model and Cox model with restricted cubic splines were used in the longitudinal cohort. In the cross-sectional study, for participants in the highest tertile of each lipid marker compared to the respective lowest, triglycerides [odds ratio (OR): 1.250, 95% CI : 1.060 to 1.474], HDL-cholesterol (OR: 0.780, 95% CI : 0.662 to 0.918), and lipoprotein(a) (OR : 1.311, 95% CI : 1.115 to 1.541) had an association with left ventricular hypertrophy. In the longitudinal cohort, for participants in the highest tertile of each lipid marker at the baseline compared to the respective lowest, triglycerides [hazard ratio (HR): 3.277, 95% CI : 1.720 to 6.244], HDL-cholesterol (HR : 0.516, 95% CI : 0.283 to 0.940), non-HDL-cholesterol (HR : 2.309, 95% CI : 1.296 to 4.112), apolipoprotein B (HR : 2.244, 95% CI : 1.251 to 4.032) showed an association with new-onset left ventricular hypertrophy. In the Cox model with forward stepwise selection, triglycerides were the only lipid markers entered into the final model. Lipids levels, especially triglycerides, are associated with left ventricular hypertrophy. Controlling triglycerides level potentiate to be a strategy in harnessing cardiac remodeling but deserve to be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the fracture problem of structural steel under strong earthquakes, a continuous damage model which comprehensively considers the influence of stress triaxiality and Lode parameter was proposed in this paper. According to the variation law of Mises stress under cyclic loading, this model decomposes the effective cumulative plastic strain into isotropic hardening and kinematic hardening components, assuming a linear proportional relationship between the fatigue damage induced by these two components. The basic mechanical properties and constitutive relationships of five common Chinese structural steels and four corresponding weld metals were investigated. The fracture failure tests for both notched round bar specimens and pure shear specimens subjected to monotonic tensile and ultra-low-cyclic loading were thoroughly examined on these materials. The continuous damage model parameters were calibrated by means of test results and complementary finite element simulations. Experimental and numerical simulation results indicate that Q690 high strength steel exhibits cyclic softening behavior, whereas the other steels show cyclic hardening characteristics. For pure shear specimens, plane strain specimens and shear energy dissipation cover plates, the continuous damage model was adopted to simulate and analyze the damage development and fracture failure process of the specimens. The predictions for crack initiation, crack propagation and fatigue life are consistent with experimental results, lending further credibility to the model. The calibrated continuous damage model of various steels provides an effective means for analyzing the ULCF fracture failure of structural steel under intense earthquakes. • A continuous damage model was presented to analyze ULCF failure of metallic materials. • The mechanical properties and constitutive models of steels and weld metals were obtained. • The CLCDM parameters of a series of structural steels and weld metals were calibrated. • The validity of the CLCDM was verified through experimental results of steel components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) causes immunosuppression and high mortality in young chickens. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators during viral infection. However, detailed the regulatory mechanisms of lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA have not yet been described in IBDV infection. Here, we analysed the role of lncRNA53557/gga-miR-3530-5p/STAT1 axis in very virulent IBDV (vvIBDV) infection. Evidently upregulated expression of lncRNA53557 was observed in bursa of Fabricius and DT40 cells. Meanwhile, overexpression of lncRNA53557 promoted STAT1 expression and inhibited vvIBDV replication and vice versa, indicating that the upregulation of lncRNA53557 was part of the host antiviral defence. The subcellular fractionation assay confirmed that lncRNA53557 can be localized in the cytoplasm. Further, dual-luciferase reporter, RNA pulldown, FISH and RT-qPCR assays revealed that lncRNA53557 were directly bound to gga-miR-3530-5p and had a negative regulatory relationship between them. Subsequent mechanistic analysis showed that lncRNA53557 acted as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) of gga-miR-3530-5p to relieve the repressive effect of gga-miR-3530-5p on its target STAT1, as well as Mx1, OASL, and ISG15, thereby suppressing vvIBDV replication. The study reveals that a network of enriched lncRNAs and lncRNA-associated ceRNA is involved in the regulation of IBDV infection, offering new insight into the mechanisms underlying IBDV-host interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was a randomised controlled study on the effects of the individual computer magnanimous therapy and group computer magnanimous therapy on emotional, psychosomatic and immune function among advanced lung cancer patients. Patients were examined at baseline and 2 weeks later using the Psychosomatic Status Scale for Cancer Patients, Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale and IgA, IgG, IgM and natural killer cell functions. The results showed that individual computer magnanimous therapy and group computer magnanimous therapy were beneficial for advanced lung cancer patients in improving depression, anxiety, psychosomatic status and immune functions. The improvements of immune functions may be related to the improvements of the participants' emotional and psychosocial status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) causes acute, highly contagious, immunosuppressive, and lethal infectious disease in young chickens and mainly infects the bursa of Fabricius (BF). To investigate interactions between IBDV and its host, RNA sequencing was applied to analyze the responses of the differentially expressed transcriptional profiles of BF infected by very virulent IBDV (vvIBDV). Results: In total, 317 upregulated and 94 downregulated mRNAs were found to be significantly differentially expressed in infected chickens, compared to controls. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and circular RNA (circRNA) alterations were identified in IBDV-infected chickens, and significantly different expression was observed in 272 lncRNAs and 143 circRNAs. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were performed to assess the functions of significantly dysregulated genes, which showed that the JAK-STAT signaling pathway, the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, and apoptosis may be activated by IBDV infection. We predicted interactions between differentially expressed genes and produced lncRNA-mRNA and circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulator network. Conclusions: The present study identified the expression profiles of mRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs during vvIBDV infection and provides new insights into the pathogenesis of IBDV and antiviral immunity of the host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black soldier fly larvae protein (BLP) was hydrolyzed using alcalase, neutrase, trypsin, and papain. The BLP hydrolysates (BLPHs) were fractionated by ultrafiltration into three peptide fractions of molecular weight (<3 kDa, 3–10 kDa and >10 kDa). Their antioxidant activities in vitro and the amino acid composition were determined. Results showed that the alcalase was more efficient in hydrolyzing the BLP into oligopeptides. BLPHs‐I presented the best scavenging activity to superoxide radicals, hydroxyl radicals, DPPH, and ABTS radicals. The best scavenging activities were found in BLPHs‐I containing high levels of aromatic and hydrophobic amino acids. Seventeen novel sequences with typical features of well‐known antioxidant proteins were identified by LC‐MS/MS. Results demonstrated that BLPHs‐I possesses a great capacity as antioxidant peptides applied in functional foods. Practical applications: Black soldier fly larvae protein (BLP) can also be hydrolyzed to produce antioxidant peptides and their sequences were identified. It can be used in pharmaceutical products and functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Monotonic tensile and ULCF performance of post-fire Q690D steel is presented. • Microscopic fracture mechanism of post-fire Q690D steel specimens is investigated. • Formulas are posed to assess residual strength and ductility under various stress states. • The post-fire LCVGM of Q690D steel is proposed to facilitate the fracture evaluation. • The LCVGM can well predict the post-fire ULCF failure of notched plane strain specimen. In order to investigate the fracture behavior of Q690D steel high-strength steel after exposure to elevated temperature due to the fire, standard coupon specimen, notched coupon specimen and pure shear specimen representing various stress states were tested under monotonic loading and ultra low cycle fatigue loading. For air cooling condition, the tensile test results of Q690D steel show that when exposed to the temperature above 500 °C (up to 800 °C), the strength decreases while the elongation increases. These variation trends are basically the same under different stress states, and the predictive equations are proposed to determine the residual strength and ductility after exposure to high temperature. The effect of exposed temperature on the ductility under monotonic loading is significantly greater than that on the ultra low cycle fatigue life. In addition, as compared with air cooling, water cooling can significantly reduce the deformation capacity and fatigue life of the specimens, and even lead to a failure mode close to brittle fracture. The Lode parameter enhanced cyclic void growth model (LCVGM) parameters of Q690D steel after being exposed to various temperatures and air cooling were calibrated based on the fracture failure test results, and the post-fire LCVGM of Q690D high-strength steel was established to facilitate the fracture evaluation. Finally, the LCVGM was employed to predict the post-fire ultra low cycle fatigue life of Q690D steel notched plane strain specimen, and its estimation accuracy was verified by the comparison between tests and simulations. This fracture prediction model LCVGM can be recommended to evaluate the post-fire seismic performance of Q690 high-strength steel members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presented an experimental and numerical investigation of the ultra low cycle fatigue behavior of high-strength steel welded T-stub joints. The normal and funnel T-stub joints in Q690 high-strength steel were tested under monotonic tensile loading and ultra low cyclic loading. The cyclic response of normal T-stub joints varying from bolt diameter, flange size and weld form were studied. It is found that fracture mode of the T-stub joints is basically the same under tensile loading and cyclic loading, i.e., cracking behavior occurs at the weld toe of the flange and tensile-shear failure is observed. The different configuration parameters of normal T-stub joints in the study show no significant influence on the fatigue life of the joints. Comparing the ultra low cycle fatigue results between normal and funnel T-stub joints indicates that the funnel T-stub joints have better energy dissipation capacity. In addition, the ultra low cycle fatigue performance of Q690 steel and ER80-G weld metal under various stress states were analyzed and discussed. In order to numerically generate the overall fracture behavior of the T-stub joins, the Lode parameter enhanced cyclic void growth model was adopted in the numerical simulation and the model parameters were calibrated according to the test results of Q690 steel and weld metal. Comparison with the experimental monotonic and cyclic tests of welded T-stub joints shows that the Lode parameter enhanced cyclic void growth model can provide accurate predictions of the ultra low cycle fatigue of the joints. • ULCF tests were conducted on the normal and funnel Q690 steel welded T-stub joints. • The bearing capacity and ULCF properties of T-stub joints were compared in the tests. • The ULCF behavior of Q690 steel and ER80-G weld metal was experimental studied. • The LCVGM parameters of Q690 steel and weld metal were calibrated by the test data. • The LCVGM can well reproduce the ULCF failure process of Q690 steel T-stub joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunotherapy, especially anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 antibodies, have observably improved the overall survival of patients with advanced solid tumors following the unavoidable immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Camrelizumab is a novel anti-PD-1 agent with the reported most common irAEs of reactive cutaneous capillary endothelial proliferation (RCCEP). Despite it is widely occurred in the skin, oral RCCEP is rarely reported. A 59-year-old man complained about a painless nodule on left mandibular gingiva for two weeks. He started to inject Camrelizumab because of the recurrence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma two month ago. An 8 mm lesion was observed on his mucosa. Several disseminated bright purple red papules were then found on his skins. The oral lesion and one lesion on his face was removed by surgery. After the final diagnosis of reactive cutaneous capillary endothelial proliferation was confirmed by histological examination. Other operable lesions on his face were removed by ligation. All the removed lesions had a good prognosis without recurrence within the follow-up visit. With the widespread use of Camrelizumab in other solid tumors, the occurrence of oral RCCEP will increase. Surgery and ligation are both effective treatment for RCCEP with a good prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel and easily synthesized compound, N-(2-(2-benzothiazol-2-yl)vinyl-4-methyl-1,8- naphthyrine-7-yl)acetamide (1) based on naphthyridine and benzothiazole group, has been developed as a turn-on fluorescent chemosensor for Al 3+ and Fe 3+ simultaneously. The absorbance and fluorescent intensities of 1 increased linearly in aqueous solution upon the interaction of 1 with Al 3+ or Fe 3+ . The other co-existing metal ions have no obvious effect on the detection. The Job’s plot and the ESI mass spectra indicated the formation of 1:1 complex between 1 and Al 3+ or Fe 3+ . The sensing mechanism was proposed according to the Job’s plot, ESI mass spectra, 1 H NMR spectra，and density functional theory (DFT) calculation. The properties of the model compound N-(2-((2-methylbenzothiazol-6-ylimino)methyl)-4-methyl-1,8-naphthyridin-7-yl)acetamide (2), which was designed and synthesized in order to prove the sensing mechanism, also verified the proposed sensing mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this study were: (1) To investigate the effects of conditioning temperature (70, 80, 90°C), time (30, 60 sec), and interaction (temperature × time) during the pelleting process on internal protein molecular structure changes of the co-products; (2) To identify differences in protein molecular structures among pellets that were processed under different conditions, and between unprocessed mash and pellets; 3) To quantify protein molecular structure changes in relation to predicted energy and protein utilization in dairy cows. The final goal of this program was to show how processing conditions changed internal feed structure on a molecular basis and how molecular structure changes induced by feed processing affected feed milk value in dairy cows. The hypothesis in this study was that processing-induced protein inherent structure changes affected energy and protein availability in dairy cattle and the sensitivity and response of protein internal structure to the different pelleting process conditions could be detected by advanced molecular spectroscopy. The protein molecular structures, amides I and II, amide I to II ratios, α-helix structure, β-sheet structure, and α to β structure ratios, were determined using the advanced vibrational molecular spectroscopy (ATR-FT/IR). The energy values were determined using NRC2001 summary approach in terms of total digestible nutrients, metabolizable and net energy for lactation. The protein and carbohydrate subfactions that are related to rumen degradation characteristics and rumen undegraded protein supply were determined using updated CNCPS system. The experiment design was a RCBD and the treatment design was a 3x2 factorial design. The results showed that pelleting induced changes in protein molecular structure. The sensitivity and response of protein inherent structure to the pelleting depended on the conditioning temperature and time. The protein molecular structure changes were correlated (P < 0.05) with energy values and protein subfractions of the pelleted co-product. The results indicated that the protein internal molecular structure had significant roles in determining energy and protein nutritive values in dairy cows. Multi-regression study with model variables selection showed that the energy and protein profiles in pelleted co-products could be predicted with the protein molecular structure profiles. This approach provides us a relatively new way to estimate protein value in dairy cows based on internal protein molecular structure profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Monotonic tensile and ELCF tests were conducted for LY225 low yield point steel. • ELCF fracture behavior between LY225 steel and Q235 steel was compared. • The LCVGM parameters of LY225 steel were calibrated based on the experimental results. • Buckling and ELCF behavior of LY225 steel dog bone specimen were experimental studied. • The LCVGM can well simulate the post buckling ELCF fracture of dog bone specimen. Low yield point steel is frequently utilized in the energy dissipation components of structures because of its good seismic performance. A low yield point steel LY225 subjected to different stress states is experimental investigated in the study by the monotonic tensile tests and extremely low cycle fatigue tests. The test results demonstrate that LY225 steel shows cyclic hardening characteristic as well as dimple fracture failure mode. In addition, LY225 steel exhibits higher deformability and energy dissipation capacity than Q235 low carbon steel, especially in pure shear stress state, the deformation capacity and extremely low cycle fatigue life of LY225 steel are more than twice that of Q235 steel. The Lode parameter enhanced cyclic void growth model (LCVGM) comprehensively considering the influence of stress triaxiality and Lode parameter can be employed to predict the extremely low cycle fatigue fracture. The LCVGM parameters of LY225 steel were determined based on the experimental results. It indicates that the fracture failure of LY225 steel is free from the influence of Lode parameter due to its good shear performance. The monotonic tensile test and extremely low cycle fatigue test were carried out on the LY225 dog bone specimens, and the fracture failure phenomenon after buckling occurred in the test. The post buckling crack initiation and growth process were numerically simulated by the LCVGM of LY225 steel. The prediction accuracy of the LCVGM was verified by comparing the test results and simulations. This study may provide valuable information about the fracture behavior of LY225 steel under various stress conditions, as well as an effective approach to analyze the post buckling fracture process on the member level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular infrared (micro)spectroscopy, developed as a rapid, non-destructive and non-invasive analytical technique, is able to reveal structure features at a molecular level and provide tissue structure and chemistry information simultaneously. However, to date, this analytical technique is seldomly used in study processing induced structure change in relation to nutrient properties, utilization, and delivery in livestock. The objective of this article was to review the inter-relationship between molecular structures with nutritive properties and nutrient delivery in co-products from bioenergy production after pelleted processing using vibrational molecular spectroscopy. First, this article reviews recent progress in pelleting process research, related to physical quality of pellets, utilization for animals, processing quality, and current nutrition evaluation methodologies for pelleting. The emphasis of this study focused on the effect of conditioning temperature and time of the pellet processing on molecular structure changes and nutrient properties and nutrient delivery. The methods for nutritive properties and nutrient delivery were reviewed, which included variousin vitro, in situ, in vivo, and nutrient modeling techniques. The molecular spectroscopic techniques included globar-sourced and synchrotron-sourced molecular spectroscopic techniques. The molecular spectra analysis included univariate and multivariate molecular spectral analyses. The relationship between molecular structural changes and truly absorbed nutrient supply was quantified. The research provides an insight how inherent structure changes induced by pellet processing on a molecular basis affected nutrient properties, utilization, and availability. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Beam-to-column welded joints in moment-resisting steel frames may undergo extremely low cycle fatigue in earthquake action. The aim of this paper is to investigate the fatigue failure behavior by means of experimental study and finite element analysis. Experiments were conducted on the six full scale beam-to-column welded joints. The seismic performance of welded joints with different weld access hole geometries was compared among them and the effect of crack initiation and growth on the load carrying capacity of welded joints was discussed. In addition, a continuum damage mechanics model used previously for monotonic loading was reformulated in order to account for the extremely low cycle loading condition. The model was implemented in a commercial nonlinear finite element software of ABAQUS, which was adopted to predict the fracture of beam-to-column welded joints subjected to monotonic loading and extremely low cycle loading. The predicted load displacement response agrees well with the test results. The distribution and evolution of damage in the welded joints were calculated during crack initiation and propagation. It is found that the methodology based on continuum damage mechanics proposed in the paper can successfully predict fracture behavior of beam-to-column welded joint with reasonable accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, monotonic tensile and ultra-low-cycle-fatigue tests were conducted on Q235 normal steel and Q690 high-strength steel to investigate their fracture behavior under various stress states. The experimental results indicate that the deformability of Q690 steel under monotonic loading and its fatigue life under ultra-low cyclic loading were significantly lower than those of Q235 steel. Moreover, the ductility and fatigue resistance of Q690 steel were also much lower, in particular, under plane strain condition. However, the difference in energy dissipation capacity between the two types of steels was small due to the higher strength of Q690 steel. A continuous damage mechanics (LCDM) model used under monotonic loading was extended to the case of ultra-low-cycle-fatigue loading; however, the experimental results reveal that the LCDM model overestimated the damage accumulation rate of the two steels. Based on the concept of different dislocation structure movements, a new continuous damage mechanics model named as CLCDM was proposed to predict ultra-low-cycle-fatigue failure. In this model, the damage was divided into isotropic hardening part and kinematic hardening part, and the relationship between the two parts was described by a parameter considering the influence of cyclic loading. The CLCDM model was applied to investigate ultra-low-cycle-fatigue behavior of a connection tensile specimen with initial gap. The results demonstrate that the fracture process and fatigue life of the specimen obtained by numerical simulation are in good agreement with experimental observations, and the prediction accuracy of the CLCDM model is significantly higher than that of the LCDM model. • Monotonic and ULCF tests were conducted for Q235 normal steel and Q690 high strength steel. • ULCF fracture behavior of Q235 steel and Q690 steel under various stress states was compared. • The ULCF damage was divided into isotropic hardening part and kinematic hardening part. • A new continuous damage mechanics model was proposed to predict ULCF failure of steels. • The CLCDM reveals higher accuracy than the LCDM in predicting ULCF of the joint specimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A micromechanics damage model which replaces a traditional method for fracture problem is used in this paper to investigate the crack initiation and propagation of welded beam-to-column joints subjected to monotonic loading. Firstly, parameters used in the micromechanics damage model for the area at steel base metal, heat affected zone and weld metal were calibrated respectively through uniaxial tension tests of notched specimens. Next, the position of a crack initiation and its growth in the welded joint were predicted by means of finite element numerical simulation. Compared with the available test results and numerical results based on a void growth model and a stress-modified critical strain model, the numerical results from the micromechanics damage model had better prediction accuracy. Finally, the effect of different shapes of welding access hole on fracture behavior of welded joints was studied numerically. It is concluded that the shape of a hole plays an important role in fracture mode. An oblong hole has better ductility and slower cracking than a round hole, but both shapes of holes show nothing different in load carring capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sub-processes of DOM evolution for TCs transport in struvite recovery were examined. • DOM underwent processes of hydrolysis, crystal adsorption and aggregation. • Hydrolysis promoted TCs re-distributing among FDOM with various molecular weights. • A distribution model was developed to describe TCs transport in struvite recovery. Struvite (MgNH 4 PO 4 ·6H 2 O) recovered from livestock wastewater may impose a pharmacological threat to the environment, due to the extensive existence of antibiotics in the wastewater. In this study, tetracyclines (TCs) were selected as the typical antibiotics, and the individual processes of dissolved organic matters (DOM) evolution and their effects on TCs migration in struvite recovery from swine wastewater were discriminated and quantified. Results revealed that TCs transport was contributed by the adsorption of pure struvite crystals, struvite adsorbing DOM-TCs complex and DOM aggregation, which occupied 2.29–6.53%, 23.53–34.66%, and 59.09–74.19% of the total TCs migration amounts, respectively. A tangential flow filtration system was employed to divide DOM into five fractional parts on the basis of molecular weight cut-offs. Experimental results indicated that under alkaline conditions of struvite crystallization, DOMs with larger molecular weights, hydrolyzed to DOMs with smaller molecular weights, which consequently promoted TCs re-distribution in DOMs from higher molecular weights to those with lower molecular weights. Furthermore, a distribution model was developed to characterize TCs transport in struvite recovery by describing TCs distribution among various phases, including struvite adsorption, DOM-TCs complexing, DOM aggregation, and free state in the solution, respectively. These outcomes provided new understanding on DOM evolution and effects on antibiotics transport in phosphate recovery from wastewater. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Moment-resisting steel frames often fail by fracture failure of beam-to-column welded joints during a strong earthquake. This paper provides a numerical methodology based on micromechanics damage model instead of traditional fracture analytical methods to investigate the crack initiation and propagation of welded beam-to-column joints subjected to monotonic loading and ultra low cycle loading conditions. Firstly, parameters used in the micromechanics damage model for steel base metal, heat affected zone and weld metal were calibrated, respectively, against uniaxial tension test results and cycle test results of notched specimens. The evolution of void growth in the notched specimens under different loading conditions was compared. Secondly, fracture process of the welded joints subjected to tensile loading was simulated based on the micromechanics damage model. The predicted load displacement response agrees well with the other researcher's test results. Finally, the micromechanics damage model was applied numerically to investigate the ultra low cycle fatigue fracture behavior of the welded joints under constant amplitude as well as variable amplitude inelastic cyclic loading. According to the distribution and evolution of void in the welded joints obtained from finite element analysis, crack initiation and propagation were presented and the number of cycles to fracture was predicted. It is shown that the fatigue life predicted from finite element analysis based on micromechanics damage model agrees well with the other's test results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A Lode parameter enhanced cyclic void growth model was proposed. • Monotonic and ELCF loading tests were conducted on various stress state of steel. • The mechanical properties of X-joints under different loading histories were compared. • Fracture failure of X-joints under monotonic loading and ELCF loading was simulated. • The LCVGM shows better performance than the CVGM in fracture prediction of X-joints. The extremely low cycle fatigue failure of steel tubular joints under strong seismic action may lead to progressive collapse of the structures. The prediction models of extremely low cycle fatigue fracture focused on the tensile fracture models and often ignored the influence of shear effect. Within the scope of fracture model based on microscopic mechanism, a Lode parameter enhanced cyclic void growth model (LCVGM) was proposed by improving the cyclic void growth model (CVGM) in the study. The LCVGM can comprehensively consider stress triaxiality sensitivity and Lode parameter dependence in extremely low cycle fatigue fracture prediction. The monotonic tensile and extremely low cycle fatigue tests were conducted on the different types of base metal and weld metal specimens in circular steel tubular joints. The micro fracture morphology of the specimens was observed by scanning electron microscope, and the fracture properties of both materials were compared. Moreover, LCVGM parameters of base metal and weld metal were calibrated, and the model was validated against extremely low cycle fatigue tests results of plate specimens. The fracture failure tests of circular steel tubular X-joints under monotonic loading and extremely low cyclic loading were completed. The joints exhibit chord punching failure mode. Finally, the numerical simulations of fracture tests of the joints were performed by means of the LCVGM and CVGM. The analysis results demonstrate that the fatigue life predicted by LCVGM is consistent with the test results, while the predicted life obtained from CVGM is significantly longer than the test result due to neglecting the influence of shear effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steel tubular joints in steel structures may suffer from ultra low cycle fatigue fracture under strong seismic action. This paper aims to investigate the ultra low cycle fatigue behavior of X steel tubular joints with CHS braces to SHS chord by means of experiments and numerical simulation. Firstly, three X-joints with different constructions were tested. The experimental results indicate that the X-joint with fillet weld or penetration weld exhibits punching failure mode, and the weld forms have no obvious effect on the deformation ability and fatigue life of the joint. As for the X-joint with internal stiffener in the chord, it shows tensile fracture failure characteristic and has low deformation capacity, and there is no obvious surface crack before sudden fracture failure. Afterwards, the fracture failure of the X-joints were numerically simulated by using the cyclic void growth model. It shows that the crack growth rate is greatly underestimated by the model, and the predicted fatigue life of the X-joints was obviously longer than that of the tests, thus the evaluation on fatigue life of X-joints tended to be unsafe. A Lode parameter enhanced cyclic void growth model (referred to as LCVGM) was thus developed to consider shear effect on the fracture prediction, and the LCVGM parameters of base metal and weld metal were determined based on the experimental results of the pure shear specimens. Finally, the LCVGM was applied to simulate the ultra low cycle fatigue fracture of the X-joints, and it is shown that the model can well predict the whole fracture process and fatigue life of the joints. • ULCF loading tests were conducted on three X-joints with different welding construction. • The loading and deformation capacity of the X-joints were compared in the test. • A Lode parameter enhanced cyclic void growth model was presented. • Fracture process of steel tubular joints under ultra low cyclic loading was simulated. • The LCVGM shows better accuracy in fracture prediction of the X-joints than the CVGM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High fasting plasma glucose (HFPG) is the leading risk factor contributing to the increase of stroke burden in the past three decades. However, the global distribution of stroke burden specifically attributable to HFPG was not studied in depth. Therefore, we analyzed the HFPG‐attributable burden in stroke and its subtypes in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019. Methods: Detailed data on stroke burden attributable to HFPG were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. The numbers and age‐standardized rates of stroke disability‐adjusted life years (DALYs), deaths, years lived with disability, and years of life lost between 1990 and 2019 were estimated by age, sex, and region. Results: In 2019, the age‐standardized rate of DALYs (ASDR) of HFPG‐attributable stroke was 354.95 per 100 000 population, among which 49.0% was from ischemic stroke, 44.3% from intracerebral hemorrhage, and 6.6% from subarachnoid hemorrhage. The ASDRs of HFPG‐attributable stroke in lower sociodemographic index (SDI) regions surpassed those in higher SDI regions in the past three decades. Generally, the population aged over 50 years old accounted for 92% of stroke DALYs attributable to HFPG, and males are more susceptible to HFPG‐attributable stroke than females across their lifetime. Conclusions: Successful key population initiatives targeting HFPG may mitigate the stroke disease burden. Given the soaring population‐attributable fractions of HFPG for stroke burden worldwide, each country should assess its disease burden and determine targeted prevention and control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Previous studies focused on the benefits of adequate prosthodontic treatment, while few studies have investigated the prosthodontic‐related risks to health. As a modifiable oral health indicator, the association of ill‐fitting prosthesis (IFP) with hypertension has not been fully explored. Methods: This cross‐sectional study involved 158,659 adults in Beijing (2009–2017) receiving intra‐oral examinations and blood pressure measurements. Logistic regression models were applied to assess the association of IFP with the prevalence of hypertension, systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≧ 140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≧ 90 mmHg, as well as subgroup analyses by different fixed IFP subgroups (according to involved teeth number) and removable IFP subgroup. We further investigated effect modifications among stratified populations. Results: 158,659 individuals were included for analysis, 346 (26.86%) in IFP group and 27,380 (17.40%) in non‐IFP group (p < 0.001) were hypertensive. After adjustment of sex, age, obesity, dyslipidaemia, diabetes, hsCRP, family history of CVD, self‐reported smoking, self‐reported drinking and WC, ORs of hypertension, SBP ≧ 140 mmHg and DBP ≧ 90 mmHg were 1.330 (95% CI: 1.162–1.522), 1.277 (95% CI: 1.098–1.486) and 1.376 (95% CI: 1.186–1.596), respectively (p < 0.05). Furthermore, after full adjustment, the number of involved teeth showed a significant incremental trend with hypertension risk in the population with and without IFP (p for trend <0.001). The IFP–blood pressure associations were more pronounced in females, 18–60 years, non‐obese and diabetic participants. Conclusion: As a modifiable oral indicator, IFP was significantly associated with a higher risk of hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous development and progress of wireless self-organizing network communication technology, how to carry out long-distance cooperative control of multiple intelligences under the framework of an air–ground integrated wireless high-mobility self-organizing network has become a hot and difficult topic that needs to be solved urgently. This paper takes the air–ground integrated wireless high-mobility self-organizing network system as the basic framework and focuses on solving the long-distance cooperative fault-tolerant control of multi-intelligent bodies and the topological stability of a wireless mobile self-organizing network. To solve the above problems, a direct neural network with a robust adaptive fault-tolerant controller is designed in this paper. By constructing a symmetric population neural network model and combining it with the Lyapunov stabilization criterion, the system feedback matrix K has the ability of autonomous adaptive learning, and symmetrically distorts, rotates, or scales the training data to instantly adjust the system's fault-tolerant corrections and adaptive adjusting factors to resist the unknown disturbances and faults, to achieve the goals of multi-intelligent body stable control and the stable operation of a wireless high-mobility self-organizing network topology. Simulation results show that with the feedback adjustment of the multi-system under the designed controller, the multi-system as a whole has good fault-tolerant performance and autonomous learning approximation performance, and the tracking error asymptotically converges to zero. The experimental results show that the multi-flight subsystems fly stably, the air–ground integrated wireless high-mobility self-organizing network topology has good stability performance, and the maximum relative improvement of the topology stability performance is 50%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) can cause a highly contagious disease in young chickens, resulting in bursal necrosis that causes severe damage to the immune system. The effects of various IBDV strains on the bursa of Fabricius (BF) have been extensively studied; however, few studies have investigated the effects of IBDV strain LJ-5, a newly discovered very virulent IBDV (vvIBDV), infection on young chicken BF. In this study, three-week-old specific pathogen-free (SPF) chickens were infected with vvIBDV for one to five days. LJ-5 decreased the bursa index, B lymphocyte viability and immunoglobulin (Ig) levels, including IgM and IgA in the bursa and IgY in the sera. Histopathological analysis revealed necrosis and depletion of the lymphoid cells and complete loss of bursal architecture in the BF, and transmission electron microscopy revealed mitochondrial vacuoles, cristae breaks, and nuclear damage in vvIBDV-infected bursa tissue. The number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling-positive nuclei significantly increased following IBDV infection. Cytokine levels increased in the bursa after IBDV infection, promoting inflammation and causing an inflammatory imbalance. Apoptotic gene expression confirmed that vvIBDV infection promotes the apoptosis of bursal cells. These results suggest that vvIBDV infection attenuate immune responses by reducing B lymphocyte activity of secretion Ig in the bursa or sera and triggers inflammation, apoptosis, and an imbalance of inflammatory cytokines in the BF, resulting in immune injury in SPF chickens, which offered basic data for further study of vvIBDV pathogenesis. Image 1 • vvIBDV infection affects bursa of Fabricius growth, B lymphocyte viability, and immunoglobulin production. • vvIBDV infection induces cytokine expression and inflammatory cytokine imbalance. • Apoptosis is an injury mechanism to the bursa of Fabricius caused by vvIBDV. • Inflammation is involved in vvIBDV-induced immune injury in SPF chickens. • Apoptosis is involved in vvIBDV-induced immune injury in SPF chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• L. johnsonii -activated chBM-DCs (L A-DCs) displayed a mature phenotype and functions. • L A-DCs up-regulated IL-12, IFN-γ, TNF-α , IL-1β, IL-6, CXCLi1 and CXCLi2 expression. • A significant increase of IL-10 was observed in high doses of L A-DCs. • Modulation of Th1/Th2 type cytokines balance by high doses of L A-DCs in vitro. Lactobacillus species are typical members of gut microflora that immunomodulatory effects and can regulate a variety of immune cells, such as dendritic cells (DCs). Notably, DCs possess the unique ability to initiate primary immune responses. Notably, DCs possess the unique ability to initiate primary immune responses. In this study, we investigated the effects of Lactobacillus johnsonii (L. johnsonii) on the maturation and activation of chicken bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (chBM-DCs). The chBM-DCs generated from chicken bone marrow monocytes were stimulated using lethally irradiated L. johnsonii. L. johnsonii -stimulated chBM-DCs upregulated the expression of major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II), CD40, and CD86, decreased phagocytosis, and increased the ability to induce the proliferation of allogeneic T cells, which displayed a mature phenotype and function. Upon maturation with L. johnsonii , the expression of Th1-type cytokines [interleukin (IL)-12, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)], a Th2-type cytokine (IL-10), pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and IL-6), and chemokines (CXCLi1 and CXCLi2) greatly increased; however, a high expression of IL-10 was only observed at mid-late time points for chBM-DCs stimulated with high doses of L. johnsonii. Moreover, L. johnsonii upregulated the mRNA levels of TLR2 and TLR5. These results reveal that L. johnsonii plays a potentially important role in modulating the immunological functions of chBM-DCs, suggesting that it influences and mediates immune responses in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A continuum damage model considering the effect of lode parameter was presented. • Monotonic loading tests were conducted on different state conditions of Q690D high strength steel. • Constitutive model of Q690D steel considering the influence of lode parameter were determined. • Damage parameters of Q690D steel were calibrated according to experimental and numerical results. • Fracture behavior of specimen with initial flaw was predicted. Chinese Q690D high strength steel has begun to be applied in building structures in recent years, but researches on ductile fracture behavior of Q690D steel are still insufficient, and most of the mechanical fracture models based on micro fracture mechanics mechanism ignore shear effect. In this paper, the yield surface size of materials considered the shear effect through Lode parameter, and a continuous damage model (LCDM) was also provided to consider the effect of Lode parameter. A batch of Chinese Q690D high strength steel round rods and plate shaped specimens were designed to reflect different stress states, which were submitted to monotonic tensile loading. The micro fracture mechanism under different stress states was revealed by scanning electron microscopy tests. According to experimental results and finite element simulation results, LCDM parameters of Q690D steel were calibrated and crack initiation positions of various specimens were analyzed. Finally, the LCDM was used to predict crack initiation and fracture failure process of the cruciform joint specimen with initial gap. It is found that the load displacement curve, crack initiation and evolution law obtained from finite element simulation are in good agreement with the test, and the prediction accuracy based on LCDM is higher than that based on the model without considering the effect of Lode parameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five ferrocene-containing metallo-porphyrins containing different metal ions were synthesized. The nonlinear optical properties of these materials for 7 ns laser have been reported in this paper. The detailed relationship between structure and the nonlinear optical properties of the title complexes will be discussed after the nonlinear optical properties of them for picosecond laser have been measured. • Five ferrocene-containing metallo-porphyrins were synthesized. • The nonlinear optical properties for 7 ns laser have been reported in this paper. • The relationship between the structure and the properties has been discussed. Five ferrocene-containing metalloporphyrins (Pd-P-Fc, Co-P-Fc, Cu-P-Fc, Zn-P-Fc and Ni-P-Fc) were synthesized and characterized. The crystal structure of Zn-P-Fc determined by using the single crystal diffraction technique belongs to the triclinic system. A typical aggregation of Zn-P-Fc occurs when the concentration of Zn-P-Fc is greater than 2.0 × 10−6 mol/L in solution. The strong interaction between the metalloporphyrin and the ferrocene group was inferred by the absorption spectra, fluorescence spectra and the DFT calculation. Good nonlinear optical properties of these materials were inferred from the low fluorescence quantum yields and the short fluorescence lifetimes. Zn-P-Fc and Pd-P-Fc exhibit great reverse saturable absorption properties for 7 ns laser with 532 nm wavelength, and the β values are 13.36 and 13.41 cm/GW, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonlinear optical properties of eight platinum acetylides with donor-acceptor structures were investigated via computational and experimental methods, and the relationship between the structures and the properties was discussed deeply based on the computational and experimental results. The contributions of all the atoms to the electronic density of HOMO and LUMO of the platinum acetylide complexes were calculated using the time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) with exchange correlation function B3LYP, and the first-order hyperpolarizabilities of them were also calculated in the same conditions. Z-scan results indicated that the electronic asymmetric property is an important factor affected the nonlinear optical properties, and the nonlinear absorption properties of a molecule can be enhanced by enlarging the conjugate length of the molecule. The nonlinear optical property of the molecules with two electron donor groups at both sides of their skeletons are better than that of the molecules with two electron withdrawing groups. Enlarging the conjugated area in the center of the molecule was disadvantageous to the nonlinear absorption property of the molecule, and the large contribution of the heavy-atom to the electronic density of HOMO of a molecule doesn't mean the better nonlinear absorption property. The large values of σ e /σ g and the short fluorescence lifetimes of the complexes infer that the nonlinear absorption behavior of the titles complexes should be originated reverse saturable absorption. Image 1 • The time-dependent functional theory (TD-DFT) method was used to calculate the first-order hyperpolarize-abilities of eight platinum acetylides. • When the molecules of the title compounds were excited to excited states, strong intramolecular charge transfer from electron-rich donor moiety to the electron-poor acceptor part occurred, which was verified by the charge density difference maps corresponding to the electronic transitions and the electronic density distribution of HOMO and LUMO. • The effectively nonlinear absorption coefficients (β) and the ratios of σ e /σ g were obtained using the open aperture Z-scan technology. • The relationship between the structure and the nonlinear optical properties was discussed deeply based on the computational and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Random Fourier mapping (RFM) in kernel adaptive filters (KAFs) provides an efficient method to curb the linear growth of the dictionary by projecting the original input data into a finite-dimensional space. The commonly used measure in RFM-based KAFs is the minimum mean square error (MMSE), which causes performance deterioration in the presence of non-Gaussian noises. To address this issue, the minimum Cauchy loss (MCL) criterion has been successfully applied for combating non-Gaussian noises in KAFs. However, these KAFs using the well-known stochastic gradient descent (SGD) optimization method may suffer from slow convergence rate and low filtering accuracy. To this end, we propose a novel robust random Fourier features Cauchy conjugate gradient (RFFCCG) algorithm using the conjugate gradient (CG) optimization method in this paper. The proposed RFFCCG algorithm with low complexity can achieve better filtering performance than the KAFs with sparsification, such as the kernel recursive maximum correntropy algorithm with novelty criterion (KRMC-NC), in stationary and non-stationary environments. Monte Carlo simulations conducted in the time-series prediction and nonlinear system identification confirm the superiorities of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoelectrochemistry is becoming an innovative approach to organic synthesis. Generally, the current photoelectrocatalytic organic transformations suffer from limited reaction type, low conversion efficiency and poor stability. Herein, we develop efficient and stable photoelectrode materials using metal oxide protective layer, with a focus on achieving regioselective activation of amine compounds. Notably, our photoelectrochemistry process is implemented under mild reaction conditions and does not involve any directing groups, transition metals or oxidants. The results demonstrate that beyond photocatalysis and electrocatalysis, photoelectrocatalysis exhibits high efficiency, remarkable repeatability and good functional group tolerance, highlighting its great potential for applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoelectrochemistry is becoming an innovative approach to organic synthesis. Generally, the current photoelectrocatalytic organic transformations suffer from limited reaction type, low conversion efficiency and poor stability. Herein, we develop efficient and stable photoelectrode materials using metal oxide protective layer, with a focus on achieving regioselective activation of amine compounds. Notably, our photoelectrochemistry process is implemented under mild reaction conditions and does not involve any directing groups, transition metals or oxidants. The results demonstrate that beyond photocatalysis and electrocatalysis, photoelectrocatalysis exhibits high efficiency, remarkable repeatability and good functional group tolerance, highlighting its great potential for applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Interaction mechanics between antibiotics and struvite precipitation are reviewed. • Antibiotics in real streams are more sensitive to pH change than in synthetic wastewater. • DOM and ionic composition show larger influence on antibiotics' transportation. Struvite precipitation and reuse from phosphorus-rich wastewater are cost-effective measures to improve phosphorus utilization efficiency and decrease its negative environmental impact. However, the presence of antibiotics may accumulate in recovered struvite, making it ecologically unsafe by spreading antibiotic resistance genes. In this review, the effects of antibiotics on struvite precipitation, and their participating mechanisms were investigated. The effects of pH, dissolved organic matter, and suspended solids were discussed and possible antibiotics minimization solutions were critically analyzed. It is concluded that antibiotic residue in struvite from real streams is more sensitive to pH change than synthetic wastewater, while dissolved organic matter promotes its accumulation. Among these influencing factors analyzed, dissolved organic matter and ionic composition show a larger influence on the transport of antibiotics into struvite, followed by pH and initial concentration of antibiotics. It is also highlighted that more efficient technology for antibiotics minimization during struvite formation should be developed to make the recovered struvite commercially available from the ecological safety perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] has not been well-studied in a large population in China. The relationship between Lp(a) and carotid atherosclerosis remains undefined. In this study, we aimed to investigate the distribution of Lp(a) levels and to assess their association with carotid arteriopathy in China. In this cross-sectional study, 411,634 adults with Lp(a) measurements from 22 health check-up centers were used to investigate Lp(a) distribution in China. Among participants with Lp(a) data, carotid ultrasound was performed routinely at seven health check-up centers covering 75,305 subjects. Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and carotid plaque were used as surrogate biomarkers of carotid arteriopathy. The multivariate logistic regression model was applied to evaluate the association of increased Lp(a) levels with carotid arteriopathy. The distribution of Lp(a) concentrations was right-skewed, with a median concentration of 10.60 mg/dL. The proportions of Lp(a) levels ≥30 mg/dL and ≥50 mg/dL were 16.75% and 7.10%, respectively. The median Lp(a) level was higher in females individuals in northern China, and increased with age. Spearman's analysis revealed weak correlations between the Lp(a) concentration as a continuous variable and other lipid profiles. The multiple logistic regression analysis showed that participants with Lp(a) levels ≥50 mg/dL had an increased risk of cIMT ≥1.0 mm (OR = 1.138, 95% CI, 1.071–1.208) and carotid plaque (OR = 1.296, 95% CI, 1.219–1.377) compared with those with Lp(a) levels <50 mg/dL. This is the first study of the Lp(a) distribution in a large population in China. Our findings revealed a positive association between elevated Lp(a) levels (≥50 mg/dL) and increased prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis, which implies an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in the future. [Display omitted] • Lp(a) distribution is evaluated for the first time in large-scale Chinese adults. • Lp(a) ≥ 50 mg/dL is associated with carotid arteriopathy in a health check-up population. • The association between Lp(a) and arteriopathy is independent of LDL-C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new near-infrared fluorescent “turn-on” chemodosimeter (probe 1) based on dicyanomethylene-4H-chromene fluorophore for sulfide was developed. Probe 1 showed good fluorescence selectivity to sulfide over other anions and thiol-containing compounds. The discrimination of sulfide from disulfide could be achieved by comparison of the spectral difference of probe 1 after interaction with them. The absorption of probe 1 at 437 nm decreased, accompanied by red-shifting to 470 nm as a shoulder, and a strong peak at 610 nm appeared in the presence of sulfide. The absorption of 1 was slightly red-shifted to 452 nm with increased absorbance in the presence of disulfide. Probe 1 showed more than 1000-fold fluorescence enhancement at 712 nm with a Stokes shift of 102 nm in the presence of sulfide. The probe exhibited a good sensitivity in detection of sulfide with a wide pH span (4.0-11.0). The absorption change and fluorescence enhancement could be attributed to thiolysis of the dinitrophenyl ether group in probe 1 by the sulfide. The proposed mechanism was proved by 1H NMR spectra and EI-MS explorations. The probe was successfully applied for the detection of sulfide anions in real water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The overtopping failure that occurred to the reinforced tailings dam has led to devastating catastrophes, including severe environmental disasters as well as tragedy in terms of any loss of properties and life. To study the feature of overtopping erosion for the reinforced fine-grained tailings dam induced by mud-water mixture overflow, the red mud concentration of overflow, the erosion depths and erosion rate have been consistently detected and recorded by a series of physical model tests. This investigation conclusively showed that the red mud concentration for flooding over the dam slope had a nonlinear trend of first becoming larger, subsequently decreasing with the time going on in the process of tailing dam overtopping; the maximum red mud concentration achieved 19.0%. The erosion on the dam slope was shaped like a trumpet. The red mud concentration of the mud-water mixture flow affected the erosion depth significantly. The hydraulic tests simulating erosion behaviour in the reinforced fine-grained tailings were carried out with different red mud concentrations (0%, 10%, and 20%). For the mud-water mixture flow in a red mud concentration of 20%, the final erosion depth exhibited a ladder shape from the front to the trailing end (dam toe) of the tailings sample. The final erosion depths were 1.56 cm, 0.9 cm, and 0.55 cm at the front, middle, and trailing end, respectively. With the red mud concentration decreasing, the final erosion depth at the front of the tailings sample reduced significantly while increasing at the trailing end. This study brought more scientific insights into the overtopping erosion process to the reinforced fine-grained tailings dam triggered by the mud-water mixture flow at multiscale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 (CO2RR) to high‐energy‐density C3 fuels like n‐propanol has been widely recognized as one of the core technologies for both renewable energy storage and carbon neutrality. Unfortunately, exceptional catalytic sites that are able to simultaneously implement efficient conversion to C1 and C2 products are difficult to design for single electrolyzers, leading to poor activity and selectivity toward n‐propanol. Alternatively, electroreduction of CO (CORR) has shown good performance toward C3 fuels, but the cost and safety of gas storage hinder its industrialization. Herein, a system consisting of two tandem electrolyzers for converting CO2 to CO and CO to n‐propanol, respectively, is constructed. Beyond the reported tandem electrodes and one‐pot tandem catalysts, precise voltage control over tandem electrolyzers enables optimizing the conversion of both CO2RR to CO and CORR to n‐propanol. Significantly, an unprecedented Faradaic efficiency of 15.9% for n‐propanol along with corresponding half‐cell power conversion efficiency of 19.3% is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To forecast the future burden and its attributable risk factors of infective endocarditis (IE). We analyzed the disease burden of IE and its risk factors from 1990 to 2019 using the Global Burden of Disease 2019 database and projected the disease burden from 2020 to 2030 using a Bayesian age-period-cohort model. By 2030, the incidence of IE will increase uncontrollably on a global scale, with developed countries having the largest number of cases and developing countries experiencing the fastest growth. The affected population will be predominantly males, but the gender gap will narrow. The elderly in high-income countries will bear the greatest burden, with a gradual shift to middle-income countries. The incidence of IE in countries with middle/high-middle social-demographic indicators (SDI) will surpass that of high SDI countries. In China, the incidence rate and the number of IE will reach 18.07 per 100,000 and 451,596 in 2030, respectively. IE-associated deaths and heart failure will continue to impose a significant burden on society, the burden on women will increase and surpass that on men, and the elderly in high-SDI countries will bear the heaviest burden. High systolic blood pressure has become the primary risk factor for IE-related death. This study provides comprehensive analyses of the disease burden and risk factors of IE worldwide over the next decade. The IE-associated incidence will increase in the future and the death and heart failure burden will not be appropriately controlled. Gender, age, regional, and country heterogeneity should be taken seriously to facilitate in making effective strategies for lowering the IE disease burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel probe based on rhodamine 101 spirolactam and 2-(2′-hydroxy-5′-methylphenyl)benzothiazole moieties (probe 1) was developed as a three-in-one platform for detection of paramagnetic Cu2+, Co2+ and Ni2+ through different processes. Ratiometric changes in emission intensities at 565 nm and 460 nm for 1 (λ ex = 350 nm) were observed in presence of Co2+, Cu2+ and Ni2+ respectively. This probe displayed ratiometric colorimetric responses and 'turn-on' fluorescence responses (λ ex = 540 nm) toward Cu2+ and Co2+. Whereas probe 1 exhibited very weak absorption around 480 nm, no 'turn-on' emission (λ ex = 540 nm) in presence of Ni2+. The detection limits were 0.11 μM and 0.17 μM for Cu2+ and Co2+ ions respectively from ratiometric colorimetric measurements and 26 nM, 54 nM and 101 nM for Cu2+, Co2+ and Ni2+ respectively from ratiometric fluorometric measurements. The excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT)-prohibited coupled ring-open process for 1 –Cu2+ (1 –Co2+) and ESIPT-prohibited irreversible process for 1 –Ni2+ were proposed according to the spectral results. Furthermore, probe 1 was utilized to determine Cu2+ and Co2+ in real-life samples with good recoveries. Unlabelled Image • A three-in-one probe was synthesized for detection of paramagnetic Cu2+, Co2+ and Ni2+. • This probe displayed ratiometric colorimetric responses toward Cu2+ and Co2+. • The probe exhibits ratiometric shifts in emission intensities in presence of Co2+, Cu2+ and Ni2+ respectively. • The probe shows different coordination mechanisms with Cu2+, Co2+ and Ni2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has implicated PM 2.5 as a potential environmental risk factor for CKD, but little is known about the associations between its components and CKD. We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional study using the updated air pollution data in the nationwide population (N = 2,938,653). Using generalized additive models, we assessed the association between long-term exposure to PM 2.5 and its components (i.e., black carbon [BC], organic matter [OM], nitrate [NO 3 −], ammonium [NH 4 +], sulfate [SO 4 2−]), and CKD prevalence. The air pollution data was estimated using high-resolution and high-quality spatiotemporal datasets of ground-level air pollutants in China. Besides, we adopted a novel quantile-based g-computation approach to assess the effect of a mixture of PM 2.5 constituents on CKD prevalence. The average concentration of PM 2.5 was 78.67 ± 22.5 μg/m3, which far exceeded WHO AQG. In the fully adjusted generalized additive model, at a 10 km × 10 km spatial resolution, the ORs per IQR increase in previous 1-year average PM 2.5 exposures was 1.380 (95%CI: 1.345–1.415), for NH 4 + was 1.094 (95%CI: 1.062–1.126), for BC was 1.604 (95%CI: 1.563–1.646), for NO 3 − was 1.094 (95%CI: 1.060–1.130), for SO 4 2− was 1.239 (95%CI: 1.208–1.272), and for the OM was 1.387 (95%CI: 1.354–1.421), respectively. Subgroup analysis showed females, younger, and healthier were more vulnerable to this effect. In the further exploration of the joint effect of PM 2.5 compositions (OR 1.234 [95%CI 1.222–1.246]) per quartile increase in all 5 PM 2.5 components, we found that PM 2.5 SO 4 2− contributed the most. These findings provide important evidence for the positive relationship between long-term exposure to PM 2.5 and its chemical constituents and CKD prevalence in a Chinese health check-up population, and identified PM 2.5 SO 4 2− has the highest contribution to this relationship. This study provides clinical and public health guidance for reducing specific air particle exposure for those at risk of CKD. • Long-term exposure to PM 2.5 and its components is significantly associated with CKD prevalence. • Sulfate is the strongest contributor to the CKD prevalence among PM 2.5 components. • Our research provids updated evidence for clinical and public health guidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Porcine epidemic diarrhea caused by porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) has led to serious economic losses to the swine industry worldwide. In this study, an oral recombinant Lactobacillus casei vaccine against PEDV infection targeting the intestinal microfold (M) cells and dendritic cells (DCs) for delivering the core neutralizing epitope (COE) of PEDV spike protein was developed with M cell-targeting peptide (Col) and dendritic cell-targeting peptide (DCpep). The immunogenicity of the orally administered recombinant strains was evaluated. Results: After immunization, significantly higher levels of anti-PEDV specific IgG antibodies with PEDV neutralizing activity in the sera and mucosal sIgA antibodies in the tractus genitalis, intestinal mucus, and stools were detected in mice orally administered with the recombinant strain pPG-COE-Col-DCpep/L393, which expressed DCpep and Col targeting ligands fused with the PEDV COE antigen, compared to mice orally immunized with the recombinant strain pPG-COE/L393 without the DCpep and Col targeting ligands. Moreover, in response to restimulation with the PEDV COE antigen in vitro, a significant difference in splenocyte proliferation response and Th2-associated cytokine IL-4 level was observed in the group of mice orally immunized with pPG-COE-Col-DCpep/L393 (p < 0.05) compared to the groups of mice that received pPG-COE-Col/L393 and pPG-COE-DCpep/L393, respectively. Conclusions: The intestinal M cells- and DCs-targeting oral delivery of genetically engineered Lactobacillus expressing the COE antigen of PEDV can efficiently induce anti-PEDV mucosal, humoral, and cellular immune responses via oral administration, suggesting a promising vaccine strategy against PEDV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type I co-activator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 (CARM1) and type II protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) are highly expressed in multiple cancers including liver cancer and their overexpression contributes to poor prognosis, thus making them promising therapeutic targets. Here, we evaluated anti-tumor activity of ribavirin in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We found that ribavirin significantly inhibited the proliferation of HCC cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, ribavirin suppressed the growth of subcutaneous and orthotopic xenograft of HCC in mice, decreased vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and peritoneal permeability to reduce ascites production, and prolonged the survival of mice in HCC ascites tumor models. Mechanistically, ribavirin potently down-regulated global protein expression of CARM1 and PRMT5, and concurrently decreased accumulation of H3R17me2a and H3R8me2s/H4R3me2s. However, ribavirin did not affect the activity and mRNA levels of both CARM1 and PRMT5 in vivo and in vitro HCC cells. In addition, our ChIP results shown that ribavirin inhibited CARM1 which in turn decreased the H3R17me2a, binds to the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) and VEGF promoter region, and reduced the relative mRNA expression level of eIF4E and VEGF in HCC cells. Our findings suggested a potential therapeutic strategy for patients with HCC through inhibition of the abnormal activation/expression of both CARM1 and PRMT5. [Display omitted] • Ribavirin inhibited the growth and ascites formation of hepatocellular carcinoma. • Ribavirin decreased the protein expression of CARM1 and PRMT5 in HCC. • Ribavirin attenuated the accumulation of ADMA and SDMA in HCC cells and tissues. • Ribavirin decreased enrichment of CARM1 but increased PRMT5 at VEGF promoter region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The phenolic profile of COE and CIE before and after digestion were studied. • The antioxidant activity of COE and CIE in vitro digestion were detected. • Widely targeted metabolomics was used to study the biotransformation of polyphenols. • The relationship between biotransformation and antioxidant activity are clarified. Chestnut skin is rich in polyphenols that have been linked to health for their antioxidant activity. However, chestnut outer-skin extract (COE), chestnut inner-skin extract (CIE), and their digested products have different compositions of polyphenols, and therefore their antioxidant activities might differ as well. Here, we study the effect of in vitro digestion on their total phenol content, antioxidant capacity, and individual phenolic profile to clarify the relationship between biotransformation and antioxidant activity. Compared to undigested samples, total phenol content and antioxidant activity of digested chestnut outer-skin extract (DCOE) and digested chestnut inner-skin extract (DCIE) had significantly higher values. The changes of phenolic composition and antioxidant activity after digestion were mainly due to the anthocyanin biosynthesis involving glycosylation, acylation, methoxylation and their reverse processes. All these data suggest that as chestnut processing by-products, COE and CIE are raw material sources of antioxidant-rich active substances and need more sufficient utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

K. Peppel, L. Zhang, T. T. T. Huynh, X. Huang, A. Jacobson, L. Brian, S. T. Exum, P.-O. Hagen and N. J. Freedman. Overexpression of G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase-2 in Smooth Muscle Cells Reduces Neointimal Hyperplasia. Journal of Molecular Cellular Cardiology (2002) 34, 1399–1409. The activation of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in neointimal hyperplasia involves signaling through receptor tyrosine kinases as well as G protein-coupled receptors. Overexpression of G protein-coupled receptor kinase-2 (GRK2) in SMCs can attenuate mitogenic signaling and proliferation in response to not only several G protein-coupled receptor agonists, but also platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). To test whether overexpression of GRK2 could inhibit other SMC responses implicated in neointimal hyperplasia, we assessed SMC chemotaxis and mitogenic signaling evoked by PDGF and Gq-coupled receptor agonists. To test the effects of GRK2 overexpression on neointimal hyperplasia in vivo, we employed a rabbit autologous vein graft model system. GRK2 overexpression reduced PDGF-promoted SMC chemotaxis by 85% (P<0.01), but had no effect on chemotaxis promoted by epidermal growth factor (EGF). Congruently, GRK2 overexpression reduced by ∼50% (P<0.05) the [3H]thymidine incorporation induced by combinations of PDGF and Gq-coupled receptor agonists, but had no effect on that induced by PDGF plus EGF. PDGF-, but not EGF-promoted phosphoinositide 3-kinase activity in SMCs was also inhibited by GRK2 overexpression. In rabbit vein grafts, we achieved GRK2 overexpression in medial SMCs, reduced cell proliferation during the first week after graft implantation, and reduced steady state neointimal thickness by 29% (P<0.01), without affecting medial thickness or potentiating SMC apoptosis. Because of its ability to dampen chemotactic and mitogenic signaling through PDGF and Gq-coupled receptors, GRK2 overexpression in SMCs may be a useful therapeutic approach for neointimal hyperplasia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]