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Power information data transmission is prone to packet loss rate, and communication protocol is required to improve the transmission capacity of power information data. Therefore, a low delay transmission scheme of power communication information based on 5G networking is proposed and constructed, the power communication information data through 5G networking technology is processed and is sent to the corresponding data application module for data classification and mining, and then the information data is converted in different formats to the same data transmission format. TCP communication protocol as the communication protocol is selected for data online transmission to describe the low delay transmission of power communication information. The chaotic sequence is set based on 5G networking, and the connection weight matrix is calculated. Then the power communication information sequence is encrypted in real time according to the row column substitution rule. On this basis, the data encryption module, dynamic key generation module and shared key update module are combined to realize the low delay transmission of power communication information. The experimental results show that with the increase of the network area and the number of nodes, the data transmission volume can be gradually increased. The change range of this method is relatively small, which can effectively improve the feasibility of the low delay transmission scheme of power communication information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the monotonicity of the functions t \mapsto \frac {\sum _{k=0}^\infty a_k w_k(t)}{\sum _{k=0}^\infty b_k w_k(t)} and x \mapsto \frac {\int _\alpha ^\beta f(t) w(t,x) \mathrm {d} t}{\int _\alpha ^\beta g(t) w(t,x) \mathrm {d} t}, focusing on case where the monotonicity of a_k/b_k and f(t)/g(t) change once. The results presented also provide insights into the monotonicity of the ratios of two power series, two \mathcal {Z}-transforms, two discrete Laplace transforms, two discrete Mellin transforms, two Laplace transforms, and two Mellin transforms. Finally, we employ these monotonicity rules to present several applications in the realm of special functions and stochastic orders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While strategies to enhance the quantum coherence of plasmonic resonances have attracted a lot of attention in the past, the advent of non-Hermitian optics carries promising possibilities in this direction, mostly of which are still unexplored. In this work, we show that the quantum coherence of plasmonic resonances can be enhanced by integrating a plasmonic antenna in a photonic cavity operated at a chiral exceptional point (CEP), where the phase of light offers an additional degree of freedom for flexibly manipulating the quantum dynamics. The few-mode quantization theory is employed to demonstrate the advantages and related quantum-optics applications of the proposed hybrid cavity in both off- and on-resonance plasmon-photon coupling. For the former case, the local density of states evolves into sub-Lorentzian lineshape, resulting in reduced dissipation of polaritonic states. On resonance, we identify two mechanisms improving the quantum yield by two orders of magnitude at room temperature: the reduction of plasmonic absorption through Fano interference and the enhancement of cavity radiation through superscattering. Our results establish CEP-engineered plasmonic resonances as a promising platform for controlling quantum states and building high-performance quantum devices. The advent of non-Hermitian optics carries new possibilities in manipulating optical response, offering alternative ways to enhance the quantum coherence of plasmonic resonances. Based on a theoretical model, the authors calculate a quantum yield enhanced by two orders of magnitude at room temperature, achieved by integration of a plasmonic antenna in a photonic cavity operated at a chiral exceptional point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wallis power function is defined on \left (-\min \left \{ p,q\right \},\infty \right) by \begin{equation*} W_{p,q}\left (x\right) =\left (\dfrac {\Gamma \left (x+p\right) }{\Gamma \left (x+q\right) }\right) ^{1/\left (p-q\right) }\text { if }p\neq q\text { and }W_{p,p}\left (x\right) =e^{\psi \left (x+p\right) }. \end{equation*} Let p_{i},q_{i}\in \mathbb {R} with 0<\delta _{i}=p_{i}-q_{i}\leq 1, \theta _{i}=\left (1-\delta _{i}\right) /2 for i=1,2 and p_{1}+q_{1}=p_{2}+q_{2}=2\sigma +1. We prove that, if q_{1}>q_{2} then for any integer m\in \mathbb {N}, the function \begin{equation*} x\mapsto \left (-1\right) ^{m}\left [ \ln \frac {W_{p_{1},q_{1}}\left (x\right) }{W_{p_{2},q_{2}}\left (x\right) }-\sum _{k=1}^{m}\frac {a_{2k}\left (\theta _{1},\theta _{2}\right) }{\left (2k+1\right) \left (2k\right) \left (x+\sigma \right) ^{2k}}\right ] \end{equation*} is completely monotonic on \left (-\sigma,\infty \right), where \begin{equation*} a_{2k}\left (\theta _{1},\theta _{2}\right) =\frac {B_{2k+1}\left (\theta _{2}\right) }{\theta _{2}-1/2}-\frac {B_{2k+1}\left (\theta _{1}\right) }{\theta _{1}-1/2}. \end{equation*} This extends and generalizes some known results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To understand the characteristics of patients in the emergency observation room, analyze the factors influencing death, and provide orientation for improving the level of emergency treatment in the hospital. Methods The data of all patients discharged from the emergency observation room in a tertiary hospital in Shanghai from January 1 to December 31, 2019 were collected. The patients were divided into the death group and the survival group based on their outcome. The clinical data of two groups were compared, and the characteristics of death cases were analyzed. Results In 2019, there were 2 211 patients discharged from the emergency observation room, including 125 deaths and 2 086 survivors. Among the surviving patients, 1 183 were discharged (accounting for 56.71%), and 903 were admitted to specialized departments for further treatment (accounting for 43.28%). The median (25th, 75th percentile) observation time was 2.50 (1.00, 9.00) days, and 1 076 patients (accounting for 48.67%) had an observation time longer than 72 h. The average age was (67.81 ± 18.87) years, and males accounted for 57.98% (1 282 cases). The death group had a higher incidence of respiratory system diseases and malignant tumors than the survival group, while the survival group had a higher incidence of nervous system diseases (P < 0.01). The frequencies of using non-invasive ventilators and electrocardiogram monitoring in the death group were higher than those in the survival group (P < 0.01). The peak period of death occurrence was mainly in the winter. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of death increased to 1 . 057 and 1 . 013 times for every 1 year increment of age and every 1 day increment of staying in observation time, respectively (P < 0.001); the risk of death for patients with two or more diagnosed diseases was 3.873 times that of patients with one diagnosis (P < 0.001); compared with patients from the clinic, the risk of death for patients from the rescue room increased to 2.877 times (P < 0.001). Conclusions The hospital should standardize the triage and treatment of critically ill and complicated patients, allocate and distribute emergency resources reasonably, and strengthen the observation of the condition. Effective prevention and treatment strategies should be formulated based on high-risk factors such as old age, respiratory system diseases, tumors, and seasonal variations to improve the efficiency and quality of emergency treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monotonicity rules for the quotient of two functions play foundational roles in the fields of mathematics and applied mathematics. In this paper, we establish monotonicity rules for the L'Hospital type, the quotient of two Laplace transforms, and the quotient of two variable limit integrals with delta derivatives and delta integrals on time scales. Some generalized forms for these monotonicity rules are also considered in detail. As an application, we utilize monotonicity rules to demonstrate that a function is strictly decreasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variance of quantum channels involving a mixed state gives a hybrid of classical and quantum uncertainties. We seek certain decomposition of variance into classical and quantum parts in terms of the Wigner–Yanase skew information. Generalizing the uncertainty relations for quantum observables to quantum channels, we introduce a new quantity with better quantum mechanical nature to describe the uncertainty relations for quantum channels. We derive several uncertainty relations for quantum channels via variances and the Wigner–Yanase skew information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atg2 is a key gene in autophagy formation and plays an important role in regulating aging progress. Exercise is an important tool to resist oxidative stress in cells and delay muscle aging. However, the relationship between exercise and the muscle Atg2 gene in regulating skeletal muscle aging remains unclear. Here, overexpression or knockdown of muscle Atg2 gene was achieved by constructing the AtgUAS/MhcGal4 system in Drosophila, and these flies were also subjected to an exercise intervention for 2 weeks. The results showed that both overexpression of Atg2 and exercise significantly increased the climbing speed, climbing endurance, cardiac function, and lifespan of aging flies. They also significantly up‐regulated the expression of muscle Atg2, AMPK, Sirt1, and PGC‐1α genes, and they significantly reduced muscle malondialdehyde and triglyceride. These positive benefits were even more pronounced when the two were combined. However, the effects of Atg2 knockdown on skeletal muscle, heart, and lifespan were reversed compared to its overexpression. Importantly, exercise ameliorated age‐related changes induced by Atg2 knockdown. Therefore, current results confirmed that both overexpression of muscle Atg2 and exercise delayed age‐related deteriorations of skeletal muscle, the heart function, and lifespan, and exercise could also reverse age‐related changes induced by Atg2 knockdown. The molecular mechanism is related to the overexpression of the Atg2 gene and exercise, which increase the activity of the AMPK/Sirt1/PGC‐1α pathway, oxidation and antioxidant balance, and lipid metabolism in aging muscle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we determine the monotonicity of three classes of functions involving modified Bessel functions of the second kind. We also presented some inequalities and bounds for modified Bessel functions of the second kind. In particular, our results derive bounds for the Airy function and its derivative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Extensive subcutaneous emphysema may lead to a significantly prolonged hospital stay, cosmetic problems, and even death without timely treatment. However, the risk factors for it have been poorly studied. Aim: To clarify the prevalence and risk factors of extensive subcutaneous emphysema after pulmonary resection by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Material and methods: This is a retrospective matched case-control study. A sample of 86 cases and 258 matched controls was recruited from among 4339 patients admitted to the thoracic surgery department from October 2018 to October 2020 in a tertiary teaching hospital in China. Cases were patients who were diagnosed with extensive subcutaneous emphysema after pulmonary resection through video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Controls were matched in a ratio of 3: 1 to the cases based on age and sex. Results: In this study, the incidence rate of extensive subcutaneous emphysema was 2.05%, and approximately 75.58% of the cases occurred within 1 to 4 days postoperatively. In univariate analysis, patients with extensive subcutaneous emphysema were also likely to have a significant lower body mass index, worse pulmonary function, greater intraoperative blood loss, longer time of operation, history of lung surgery, wider scope of surgery, and more extensive pleural adhesion. The results of multivariate logistic regression showed that segmentectomy (OR = 3.130, 95% CI: 1.055-9.283, p = 0.040), lobectomy (OR = 4.487, 95% CI: 1.704-11.812, p = 0.002), and extensive pleural adhesion (OR = 4.514, 95% CI: 1.763-11.556, p = 0.002) were independent risk factors. Conclusions: Segmentectomy, lobectomy, and extensive pleural adhesions were identified as independent risk factors for extensive subcutaneous emphysema after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Since a reliable model for predicting infliximab (IFX) benefits in bio-naïve Crohn's disease (CD) is still lacking, we constructed a magnetic resonance enterography (MRE)-based model to predict the risk of loss of response to IFX in bio-naïve patients with CD. Methods: This retrospective multicenter study enrolled 188 bio-naïve patients with CD who underwent MRE before IFX therapy. Therapeutic outcomes were determined based on clinical symptoms and endoscopic findings within 52 weeks. The areas of bowel wall segmentation were decided by two experienced radiologists in consensus. Texture features were extracted using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, and a radiomic model was built using multivariate logistic regression. The model performance was validated by receiver operating characteristic, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis. Results: The area under the curve of radiomic model was 0.88 (95% confidence interval: 0.82–0.95), and the model provided clinical net benefit in identifying the loss of response to IFX and exhibited remarkable robustness among centers, scanners, and disease characteristics. The high-risk patients defined by the radiomic model were more likely to develop IFX nonresponse than low-risk patients (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: This novel pretreatment MRE-based model could act as an effective tool for the early estimation of loss of response to IFX in bio-naïve patients with CD. Key Points: • Magnetic resonance enterography model guides infliximab therapy in Crohn's disease. • The model presented significant discrimination and provided net clinical benefit. • Model divided patients into low- and high-risk groups for infliximab failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theory of time scale was proposed to unite continuous and discrete statements. In this paper, we introduce the concepts of complete monotonicity, logarithmic complete monotonicity, and absolute monotonicity of multivariate functions on time scales utilizing the delta derivative. Following that, we investigate the properties of delta complete monotonicity on time scales and present some judgment rules. Using judgment rules, three functions are shown to be delta complete monotonicity on time scales. And then, in order to quantitatively measure two delta completely monotonic functions on time scales, we present the concept of completely monotonic degree of univariate and multivariate functions on time scales and explore some properties of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For r, s ∈ R and ρ = min {r, s}, let D [x + r, x + s; ψn-1] ≡ -φn (x) be the divided difference of the functions ψn-1 = (-1)n ψ(n-1) (n ∈ N) on (-ρ, ∞), where ψ(n) stands for the polygamma functions. In this paper, we present the necessary and sufficient conditions for the functions... to be completely monotonic on (-ρ, ∞), where mi, ni ∈ N for i = 1, ..., k with k ≥ 2 and .... These generalize known results and gives an answer to a problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the incidence of falls in elderly in nursing homes and to determine the differences in confidence indexes of daily living in the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) in elderly fallers or nonfallers. Methods: We conducted a perspective study with elderly (ages >75 years old) from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2020, living in community nursing homes in Tongzhou district, Beijing. All the participants were able to walk independently, had not experienced any fall episodes, were capable of following commands, and they sufficiently cooperated with the process of the examination. A face-to-face visit or telephone interview was conducted with participants on a regular basis for 12 months. The falling incidence and the differences of ABC scale confidence indexes between fallers and nonfallers were investigated. Results: This study included 87 older adults (67 nonfall participants and 20 fall participants). Falls occurred at a rate of 23 per 100 people per year. The ABC scale index of the faller group was 37%, which indicated very low balance confidence and a high risk of falling. The ABC scale index of the nonfaller group was 80%, which indicated normal balance confidence and no risk of falling. There were significant differences in ABC scale indexes between the faller and nonfaller groups (37% vs. 80%, P = 0.005). There were significant differences in activities such as walking around the house, climbing up and down stairs, picking up slippers from floor, reaching on tiptoes, standing on a chair to reach, walking outside to a nearby car, getting in/out of a car, walking across a parking lot, walking up and down a ramp, walking in a crowded mall between two groups of people, walking in a crowd (risk of bumping into other people), going up an escalator without rail assistance, and walking on an icy sidewalk between the two groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Nursing homes have a high rate of falls among older adults. The ABC scale can assess balance confidence and the risk of falling in older adults. To reduce or prevent falls, health-care professionals should screen those who are at high risk of falling and enroll them in a fall prevention program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving deep blue thermally activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) materials with narrow emission still remains a challenge. Herein, two deep blue TADF emitters DCBTRZ and PPCTRZ were designed and synthesized by directly using host materials, 1,4-di(carbazol-9-yl)benzene (DCB) and 2-[4-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl]-1-phenyl-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazole (PPC) as donors, and 2,4,6-triphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (TRZ) as an acceptor. The two emitters have typical TADF properties. Both of them can emit deep blue fluorescence with a very narrow full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 42 nm in toluene. The photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs) of DCBTRZ and PPCTRZ are 39.6% and 38.2% in doped films, respectively. Devices based on DCBTRZ and PPCTRZ achieve deep blue emission (440 and 442 nm) with maximum external quantum efficiencies (EQEmax) of 6.68% and 6.55%, respectively. Meanwhile, they exhibit very high color purity. The CIEy and FWHM of devices employing DCBTRZ and PPCTRZ are 0.059/0.063 and 56/54 nm, respectively, meeting the standard of NTSC for deep-blue emitters, which indicates excellent application prospects in displays. The results suggest that this strategy for developing deep blue TADF materials with narrow emission and CIEy < 0.06 directly employing host materials as donors is feasible and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mounting evidence indicates that gastrointestinal (GI) homeostasis hinges on communications among many cellular networks including the intestinal epithelium, the immune system, and both intrinsic and extrinsic nerves innervating the gut. The GI tract, especially the colon, is the home base for gut microbiome which dynamically regulates immune function. The gut's immune system also provides an effective defense against harmful pathogens entering the GI tract while maintaining immune homeostasis to avoid exaggerated immune reaction to innocuous food and commensal antigens which are important causes of inflammatory disorders such as coeliac disease and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Various ion channels have been detected in multiple cell types throughout the GI tract. By regulating membrane properties and intracellular biochemical signaling, ion channels play a critical role in synchronized signaling among diverse cellular components in the gut that orchestrates the GI immune response. This work focuses on the role of ion channels in immune cells, non-immune resident cells, and neuroimmune interactions in the gut at the steady state and pathological conditions. Understanding the cellular and molecular basis of ion channel signaling in these immune-related pathways and initial testing of pharmacological intervention will facilitate the development of ion channel-based therapeutic approaches for the treatment of intestinal inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uncertainty principle is one of the fundamental features of quantum mechanics and plays a vital role in quantum information processing. We study uncertainty relations based on metric-adjusted skew information for finite quantum observables. Motivated by the paper [Physical Review A 104, 052414 (2021)], we establish tighter uncertainty relations in terms of different norm inequalities. Naturally, we generalize the method to uncertainty relations of metric-adjusted skew information for quantum channels and unitary operators. As both the Wigner–Yanase–Dyson skew information and the quantum Fisher information are the special cases of the metric-adjusted skew information corresponding to different Morozova–Chentsov functions, our results generalize some existing uncertainty relations. Detailed examples are given to illustrate the advantages of our methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking Lingxin Coal Mine as the research object, the combination of physical experiment and numerical simulation analysis was used to study the mining failure of overlying strata and the development of surrounding rock cracks in goaf. The results show that when the underground coal seam mining is not sufficient, the overburden separation is developed, the connected pore area of the overburden failure accounts for about 20% of the total mining area. When the underground coal seam is fully mined, the overburden failure is severe, the overburden failure cracks are interconnected, and the connected pore area increases significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce some monotonicity rules for the ratio of integrals. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the function -- Tν, α β(s) is completely monotonic in s and absolutely monotonic in ν if and only if β 1, where Tν, α β(s) = Kν²(s) -- βKν-α(s)Kν+α(s) defined on s > 0 and Kν(s) is the modified Bessel function of the second kind of order ν. Finally, we determine the necessary and sufficient conditions for the functions s → Tµ,α1(s)/Tν, α,1(s), s → (Tν, α,1(s))/(2T(µ+ν)/2,α,1(s)), and ... Tν, α,1(s)/... ν, α,1 (s) to be monotonic in s ∈ (0, ∞) by employing the monotonicity rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Signal detection is one of the most critical and challenging issues in ambient backscatter communication (AmBC) systems. In this paper, a multi-antenna AmBC signal detection method is proposed based on reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) and deep reinforcement learning. Firstly, an efficient multi-antenna AmBC system is developed based on RIS, which can achieve information transmission and energy collection simultaneously. Secondly, a smart twin delayed deep deterministic (TD3) AmBC signal detection method is presented, based on deep reinforcement learning. Extensive quantitative and qualitative experiments are performed, which show that the proposed method is more compelling than the outstanding comparison methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Aims: Lambert‐Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) is an autoimmune neuromuscular junction disorder. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) can regulate the expression of mRNA and is involved in the development of autoimmune diseases, but few genetic studies are available. In this study we aimed to explore the lncRNA and mRNA changes of LEMS. Methods: Plasma lncRNA and mRNA expression profiles of three LEMS patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and three matched healthy controls were analyzed by microarray. Differentially expressed lncRNAs and adjacent mRNAs were jointly analyzed, and candidates were verified by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). The identified genes were subsequently evaluated in 9, 8, and 4 patients with paraneoplastic LEMS, nontumor LEMS, and SCLC, respectively. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were performed to determine possible functions. Results: A total of 320 lncRNA and 168 mRNAs were differentially expressed in the three LEMS with SCLC and compared with healthy controls. Among these, lncRNA LOC338963 and its neighboring mRNA AP3B2 were upregulated jointly, which was confirmed by qRT‐PCR. qRT‐PCR revealed significant upregulation of the two genes in patients with paraneoplastic LEMS compared with nontumor LEMS or SCLC. GO analysis of AP3B2 identified the enrichment terms anterograde synaptic vesicle transport and establishment of synaptic vesicle localization. KEEG analysis showed that AP3B2 was enriched in lysosomal pathways. Discussion: LOC338963 and AP3B2 were upregulated in patients with paraneoplastic LEMS, suggesting their involvement in pathogenesis. These genes could be targets for exploring the pathomechanism of paraneoplastic LEMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The NbB is synthesized via a simple and facile molten salt method. • The NbB nanoparticles are first reported as anode for Lithium-ion capacitors. • The NbB electrodes are intercalation-type anode materials. • The surface capacitance dominates the NbB electrode kinetics process. Lithium-ion capacitors (LICs), despite having great energy density and power density, possess many practical challenges, including matching optimization of kinetic imbalance. To address the issues, here, niobium monoboride (NbB) nanoparticles are presented as an anode material for LICs. The abundant pore size distribution and intercalation-type Li+ storage mechanism of NbB nanoparticles allow for fast redox kinetics in charge and discharge process. Therefore, the half-cells with NbB achieve excellent electrochemical performance, including a great capacity (197 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g−1 for 1000 cycles) and superior cycle life (118 mAh g-1 at 1 A g−1 for 5000 cycles). Also, NbB//AC LIC-1 device fabricated with the NbB as anode and commercial activated carbon (AC) as cathode reveals a great specific capacitance of 28.1 F g−1 at 0.05 A/g, and remains over 70 % initial capacitance after 12,000 cycles. In this work, nanoscale NbB presents excellent lithium storage performance and matches well with carbon cathodes, indicating that transition metal borides (TMBs) have huge potential in the energy storage field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a major regulator of non-climacteric fruit ripening; however, the role of ABA in the ripening of climacteric fruit is not clear. Here, as a typical climacteric fruit, apricots were used to investigate the role of ABA in fruit ripening. Based on weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) of our previous transcriptome data, we treated 'Danxing' fruit with exogenous ABA and obtained ABA receptor genes, genes related to ABA biosynthesis and signal transduction, and analyzed the response of these candidate genes to exogenous ABA during fruit ripening. Subsequently, the full length of candidate PYLs genes were cloned, and their putative function were analyzed by phylogenetic analysis and protein structure domain analysis. And then the function of one candidate gene PaPYL9 was verified by using transgenic tomato. Furthermore, the response genes in transgenic tomato were screened by transcriptome sequencing, and ultimately the related regulatory network was proposed. The results showed that the injection of exogenous 1.89 mmol·L-1 ABA remarkably promoted fruit coloration, and increased the color index for red grapes (CIRG) and the total soluble solids (TSS) content, but significantly decreased the firmness and titratable acid (TA) content (p < 0.01). Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), the inhibitor of ABA, appeared to have the converse role in TA, TSS, CIRG and firmness, during the ripening process. One NCED (9-cis-epoxycarotenoiddioxygenase) and five ABA receptor genes related to signal transduction were mined from the transcriptome data of apricot fruit through WGCNA. Compared with the control, the expression levels of NCED1, PYL9 (PYR/PYL/RCAR), SnRK2 (SUCROSE NON-FERMENTING1 (SNF1)-RELATED PROTEIN KINASE 2S), and ABF2 (ABRE-binding bZIP transcription) were induced dramatically by ABA treatment (p < 0.01), while NDGA treatment significantly inhibited their expression. Based on gene expression and protein domain analysis, we inferred that PaPYL9 is putatively involved in apricot fruit ripening. Overexpression of PaPYL9 in Micro-TOM tomatoes resulted in the promotion of early ripening. Simultaneously, the expression levels of genes related ethylene biosynthesis, chlorophyll degradation, fruit softening, flavor formation, pigment synthesis, and metabolism were all significantly induced in overexpression of PaPYL9 tomatoes. This indicates the central role of ABA in climacteric fruit ripening. A regulatory network was tentatively proposed, laying the foundation to unveil the molecular mechanism of the regulatory role of PaPYL9 in fruit ripening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let K_{\nu } be the modified Bessel functions of the second kind of order \nu. The ratio Q_{\nu }\left (x\right) =xK_{\nu -1}\left (x\right) /K_{\nu }\left (x\right) appeared in physics and probability. In this paper, we collate properties of this ratio, and prove the conjecture that \left (-1\right) ^{n}Q_{\nu }^{\left (n\right) }\left (x\right) >\left (<\right) 0 for x>0 and n=2,3 if \left \vert \nu \right \vert >\left (<\right) 1/2 holds for n=2. This yields several new consequences and improves some known results. Finally, two conjectures are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal variations in surface and atmosphere observed from multiple satellites prior to strong earthquakes have been widely reported ever since seismic thermal anomalies were discovered three decades ago. These thermal changes are related to stress accumulation caused by the tectonic activities in the final stage of earthquake preparation. In the present paper, we focused on the thermal changes associated with the 2021 Madoi M 7.3 earthquake in China and analyzed the temporal and spatial evolution of the Index of Microwave Radiation Anomaly (IMRA) and the Index of Longwave Radiation Anomaly (ILRA) based on 8-year microwave brightness temperature (MWBT) and 14-year outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) data collected by satellites. We also explored their responses in different tectonic units (seismogenic fault zone and active tectonic block). Our results indicated that the enhanced IMRA was distributed along the seismogenic fault since mid-February and reappeared for a longer time and with stronger intensity in March and April 2021. The pronounced enhancement in the ILRA was observed within one month over Bayan Har tectonic and adjacent blocks. The higher ILRA over the tectonic blocks in the southern Tibet Plateau at the beginning of 2021 could be associated with the regional stress accumulation, as proven by the occurrences of two moderate earthquakes during this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi‐antenna signal detection is one of the most critical and challenging issues for ambient backscatter communication (AmBC) systems. This paper proposes an efficient multi‐antenna AmBC signal detection method, called Bayesian‐MLE (maximum likelihood estimation). It shows good performance on high transmission rate, detection accuracy and low energy consumption. Particularly, a practical multi‐antenna AmBC system model is developed to offer transmit‐receive diversity, and then an efficient multi‐antenna AmBC signal detection method is presented using Bayesian optimization and MLE theory. Furthermore, to maximize the detection performance, an optimal detection threshold selection scheme is developed. Particularly, a non‐central chi‐square distribution conditional probability density function (PDF) is considered instead of the conventional Gaussian PDF. Extensive qualitative and quantitative experiments are performed, showing that the proposed Bayesian‐MLE detector achieves the state‐of‐the‐art signal detection performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-ion capacitors (LICs), which combine great power and energy density, have become promising energy storage and have been well studied recently. Developing novel battery-type anode materials is the key to mitigating the kinetic mismatch between the anode and cathode electrodes. In this paper, niobium diboride (NbB 2) nanoparticles are synthesized via a salt-templated method and proposed for the first time as the anodes for LICs. NbB 2 is a layered two-dimensional material similar to graphite, which is favorable to the intercalation and deintercalation of Li+. The NbB 2 with high conductivity delivers outstanding long cycling stability (254.1 mAh g−1 after 800 cycles at 0.1 A g−1) and great rate capability. Moreover, a high-performance LIC is assembled employing the prepared NbB 2 as anode and commercialized activated carbon (AC) as cathode, which can display an energy density of 68.76 Wh kg−1, a power density of 7.02 kW kg−1, and a capacity retention ratio of 98% after 10,000 cycles. The work presents the great potential of transition metal borides as electrode materials and accelerates the development of LICs. [Display omitted] • Niobium diboride are synthesized via a simple and facile molten salt method. • The NbB 2 nanoparticles are first reported as anodes for Lithium-ion capacitors. • The optimized NbB 2 electrode shows superior specific capacity and rate capability. • The surface capacitance dominates the NbB 2 electrode kinetics process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we report a two‐phase crystalline NiWO4/amorphous Co−B nanocomposite as an electrode material for supercapacitors, which is effectively synthesized via a simple hydrothermal method and chemical precipitation method. The obtained NiWO4/Co−B exhibits crystal‐amorphous contact, which makes it have more active sites than other crystalline‐crystalline phase boundaries, thereby enhancing electron transport. The NiWO4/Co−B electrode with the best mass ratio of crystalline and amorphous exhibits a great specific capacitance and excellent cycle durability. Compared to individual Co−B and NiWO4, it also shows enhanced rate capability Besides, NiWO4/Co−B/activated carbon supercapacitor device can provide a good specific capacitance and a maximum energy density of 10.92 Wh kg−1 at 200 W kg−1. This work provides new insights to develop novel electrode materials for energy storage and conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present study compared the effectiveness and toxicity of two treatment modalities, namely radiotherapy combined with nimotuzumab (N) and chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in patients with locally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LR-NPC).Methods: Patients with LR-NPC who were treated with radiotherapy were retrospectively enrolled from January 2015 to December 2018. The treatment included radiotherapy combined with N or platinum-based induction chemotherapy and/or concurrent chemotherapy. The comparison of survival and toxicity between the two treatment modalities was evaluated using the log-rank and chi-squared tests. Overall survival (OS) was the primary endpoint.Results: A total of 87 patients were included, of whom 32 and 55 were divided into the N group and the CRT group, respectively. No significant differences were noted in the survival rate between the N and the CRT groups (4-year OS rates, 37.1% vs. 40.7%, respectively; P = 0.735). Mild to moderate acute complications were common during the radiation period and mainly included mucositis and xerostomia. The majority of the acute toxic reactions were tolerated well. A total of 48 patients (55.2%) demonstrated late radiation injuries of grade ≥ 3, including 12 patients (37.5%) in the N group and 36 patients (66.5%) in the CRT group. The CRT group exhibited significantly higher incidence of severe late radiation injuries compared with that of the N group (P = 0.011).Conclusion: Radiotherapy combined with N did not appear to enhance treatment efficacy compared with CRT in patients with LR-NPC. However, radiotherapy combined with N may be superior to CRT due to its lower incidence of acute and late toxicities. Further studies are required to confirm the current findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we establish an interesting chain of sharp inequalities involving Toader-Qi mean, exponential mean, logarithmic mean, arithmetic mean and geometric mean. This greatly improves some existing results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe the design, fabrication, and testing of a spectroscopic refractometer that employs plasmonic interferometry to measure the optical dielectric functions of materials in the visible range. The proposed device, dubbed a plasmonic refractometer, consists of an array of slit-groove plasmonic interferometers etched in a ~300 nm-thick metal film (silver or gold) with arm lengths varying in steps of 25 nm up to ~8 lm. The nano-groove in each interferometer is able to generate propagating surface plasmon polaritons efficiently in a broad wavelength range, without requiring prism- or grating-coupling configurations. An integrated microfluidic channel ensures uniform delivery of dielectric materials in liquid phase. Spectrally resolved plasmonic interferograms are generated by measuring light transmission spectra through the slit of each slit-groove plasmonic interferometer and plotting the normalized intensity as a function of arm length (0.26-8.16 μm) and incident wavelength (400-800 nm) for various combinations of metal/dielectric materials. Fits of the plasmonic interferograms with a surface plasmon interference model allow determination of the refractive index dispersion of a broad class of dielectric materials, over a wide range of wavelengths and dielectric constants. As proof of concept, we extract and report the dielectric functions of representative materials, such as silver, gold, water, methanol, and ethanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Central sensitization is considered a critical pathogenic mechanism of chronic migraine (CM). Activation of microglia in the trigeminal nucleus caudalis (TNC) contributes to this progression. Microglial glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) activation can alleviate pain; however, whether it is involved in the mechanism of CM has not been determined. Thus, this study aims to investigate the precise role of GLP-1R in the central sensitization of CM. Methods: Repeated nitroglycerin injection-treated mice were used as a CM animal model in the experiment. To identify the distribution and cell localization of GLP-1R in the TNC, we performed immunofluorescence staining. Changes in the expression of GLP-1R, Iba-1, PI3K and p-Akt in the TNC were examined by western blotting. To confirm the effect of GLP-1R and PI3K/Akt in CM, a GLP-1R selective agonist (liraglutide) and antagonist (exendin(9–39)) and a PI3K selective antagonist (LY294002) were administered. Mechanical hypersensitivity was measured through von Frey filaments. To investigate the role of GLP-1R in central sensitization, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and c-fos were determined using western blotting and immunofluorescence. To determine the changes in microglial activation, IL-1β and TNF-α were examined by western blotting, and the number and morphology of microglia were measured by immunofluorescence. We also confirmed the effect of GLP-1R on microglial activation in lipopolysaccharide-treated BV-2 microglia. Results: The protein expression of GLP-1R was increased in the TNC after nitroglycerin injection. GLP-1R was colocalized with microglia and astrocytes in the TNC and was fully expressed in BV-2 microglia. The GLP-1R agonist liraglutide alleviated basal allodynia and suppressed the upregulation of CGRP, c-fos and PI3K/p-Akt in the TNC. Similarly, the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 prevented nitroglycerin-induced hyperalgesia. In addition, activating GLP-1R reduced Iba-1, IL-1β and TNF-α release and inhibited TNC microglial number and morphological changes (process retraction) following nitroglycerin administration. In vitro, the protein levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated BV-2 microglia were also decreased by liraglutide. Conclusions: These findings suggest that microglial GLP-1R activation in the TNC may suppress the central sensitization of CM by regulating TNC microglial activation via the PI3K/Akt pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An improved method to synthesize 1-glycosyl thioacetates was developed, where per-O-acetylated glycoses were allowed to directly react with potassium thioacetate (KSAc) in the presence of BFrEt2O in ethyl acetate under mild conditions. This method not only overcomes the disadvantage of the traditional onestep method, which is that the odorous and toxic thioacetic acid has to be used, but also overcomes the disadvantage of the traditional two-step method, which is that the unstable intermediate, glycosyl halide, has to be synthesized from the per-O-acetylated glycose in advance. Based on this, the per-Oacetylated glucosyl disulfide and the per-O-acetylated glucosyl 1-thiol were efficiently synthesized in high yields (91% and 90% respectively) starting from per-O-acetylated glycoses in two-step without the need to isolate intermediate products. Through metal-catalyzed cross-coupling of per-O-acetylated glucosyl 1-thiol with aryl-iodide under very mild conditions, two thioglucoside gliflozin analogues were efficiently synthesized in high yields for the first time. These two thioglucoside gliflozin analogues were further confirmed to be stable to hydrolysis of ß-glucosidase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An amorphous cobalt boride alloy with high electronic conductivity is fabricated through the liquid‐phase reduction method. Benefiting from large specific surface area and hierarchical pore structure, the as‐synthesized Co‐B nanoflakes expose substantial electrochemical active sites, promote the transfer of electrons and ions, and accelerate the redox kinetic process. The as‐obtained amorphous Co‐B alloy sample displays a specific capacitance of 411 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1, and with the current density increased to 10 A g−1, it maintains 69% of the initial capacitance. The as‐assembled asymmetric supercapacitor device reveals electrochemical properties comprising an excellent specific capacitance of 64.3 F g−1 at 0.25 A g−1, superior cyclical stability of 105% after 20,000 cycles at 3 A g−1, and maximum energy density of 22.9 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 200.3 W kg−1. This study demonstrates great potential in developing high‐conductivity materials for an asymmetric supercapacitor through utilizing an amorphous cobalt boride alloy as a promising electrode material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The complex interrelationships between professional identity, job satisfaction, burnout, and turnover intention among general practitioners (GPs) are insufficiently understood in China. This study aimed to investigate the interrelationships between professional identity, job satisfaction, burnout, and turnover intention in China, and to examine whether job satisfaction and burnout played mediating roles between professional identity and turnover intention.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between October, 2017 and February, 2018 in China. The participants were selected using a multistage stratified random sampling method. Data were collected with a self-administered questionnaire from 3236 GPs (response rate, 99.8%) working in community health institutions in China. Professional identity was measured by the 13 items scale, and job satisfaction scale with an 11-item designed by Shi et al. was employed. Burnout was measured using a 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey, and turnover intention was measured with a 6 items scale. Descriptive statistics were calculated and groups' differences were estimated Student's t-test and analyses of variance. Pearson's correlation analysis was used to assess the degree of correlation among different dimensions of professional identity, job satisfaction, burnout, and turnover intention. Structural equation modeling analysis was applied to examine the interrelationships among these study variables based on the hypothesized model.Results: The proposed model achieved a good model fit. Job satisfaction had a direct negative effect on turnover intention (β = - 0.38, P < 0.001), burnout had a direct positive effect on turnover intention (β = 0.37, P < 0.001), and professional identity had an indirect negative effect on turnover intention through the mediating effect of job satisfaction and burnout.Conclusions: Our study elucidated the pathways linking professional identity, job satisfaction, and burnout to turnover intention of GPs. This revealed that turnover intention was significantly affected by job satisfaction and burnout, and the effects of professional identity on turnover intention can be mediated by job satisfaction and burnout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring atmospheric conditions above convective storms is challenging. This study finds that the uncertainties in cloud properties near the top of deep convective clouds have a non-negligible impact on the TOA infrared radiances which cannot be fully eliminated by adopting a slab-cloud assumption. To overcome this issue, a synergetic retrieval method is developed. This method integrates the infrared hyperspectral observations with cloud measurements from active sensors to retrieve atmospheric temperature, water vapor, and cloud properties simultaneously. Using an observation system simulation experiment (OSSE), we found that the retrieval method is capable of detecting the spatial distribution of temperature and humidity anomalies above convective storms and reducing the root-mean-square-errors in temperature and column integrated water vapor by more than half. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opisthorchiasis is an overlooked danger to Southeast Asia. High-resolution disease risk maps are critical but have not been available for Southeast Asia. Georeferenced disease data and potential influencing factor data were collected through a systematic review of literatures and open-access databases, respectively. Bayesian spatial-temporal joint models were developed to analyze both point- and area-level disease data, within a logit regression in combination of potential influencing factors and spatial-temporal random effects. The model-based risk mapping identified areas of low, moderate, and high prevalence across the study region. Even though the overall population-adjusted estimated prevalence presented a trend down, a total of 12.39 million (95% Bayesian credible intervals [BCI]: 10.10-15.06) people were estimated to be infected with O. viverrini in 2018 in four major endemic countries (i.e., Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam), highlighting the public health importance of the disease in the study region. The high-resolution risk maps provide valuable information for spatial targeting of opisthorchiasis control interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals (EPFRs) are usually generated by the electron transfer of a certain radical precursor on the surface of a carrier. They are characterized with high activity, wide migration range, and relatively long half-life period. In this review, we summarized the literature on EPFRs published since 2010, including their environmental occurrence and potential cytotoxicity and biotoxicity. The EPFRs in the atmosphere are the most abundant in the environment, mainly generated from the combustion of raw materials or biochar, and the C-center types (quinones, semiquinones radicals, etc.) may exist for a relatively long time. These EPFRs can transform into other substances (such as reactive oxygen species, ROS) under the influence of environmental factors, and partly enter soil and water by wet and dry deposition of particulate matter, which may promote the generation of EPFRs in those media. The wide distribution of EPFRs in the environment may lead to their exposure to biota including humans, resulting in cytotoxicity and biotoxicity. The EPFRs can influence the normal redox process of the biota, and generate a large number of free radicals like ROS. Exposure to EPFRs may change the expression of gene and activity of metabolic enzymes, and damage the cells, as well as some organs such as the lung, trachea, and heart. However, due to the difficulty in sample extraction, identification, and quantification of the specific EPFR individuals, the toxicity and exposure evaluation of biota are still limited which merits study in the future. [Display omitted] • The occurrence of EPFRs in the environment is influenced by temperature, humidity, light, etc. • Indirect and combined toxicity are the characteristics of EPFR hazards to biota • Oxidative stress is one of the main harms caused by EPFRs to biota. • The risk from EPFR exposure to humans cannot be ignored, especially those from atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and rapid pipette-tip solid-phase extraction (PT-SPE) procedure with derivatization prior to gas chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry analysis is developed for the simultaneous determination of amphetamine (AMP), methamphetamine (MA), 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in urine samples. The PT-SPE procedure using self-made sorbent could extract drugs within 6 min from 100-μL urine samples, requiring low solvent-consumption (<2.0 mL). Besides, the self-made pipette tip could be reused at least five times. Under optimized conditions, the recoveries of four amphetamines at spiked levels (low, medium and high) ranged from 87.7 to 110.4%, with relative standard deviations < 9.5%. The limit of detections and limit of quantifications for AMP, MA, MDA and MDMA were in the range of 2.52–8.25 ng⋅mL−1 and 8.4–27.5 ng⋅mL−1, respectively. Validation results show that the proposed method is suitable for the quantitation of amphetamines and has been successfully applied in the urine samples of suspected drug abusers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Recent studies showed that snRNPs were implicated in human cancer development. The role of SNRPA1, which is a member of U2 snRNPs, in HCC, remains undocumented. Here, we found that SNRPA1 was highly expressed in HCC tissue compared with normal adjacent liver tissues. Up-regulation of SNRPA1 was correlated with the clinical stage of HCC and the overall survival of HCC patients. In vitro and in vivo results showed that knockdown of SNPRA1 inhibited the cell proliferation, colony formation and xenografted tumorigenesis of HCC cells. Apoptosis was induced by SNPRA1 down-regulation. Mechanistically, SNPRA1 was stimulated by mTOR activation. In addition, whole-genome microarray analysis identified that 262 genes were up-regulated and 462 genes were down-regulated by SNPRA1 knockdown in HCC cells. qPCR analysis suggested that the fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2), Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), β-catenin, Ki-67 and cyclin B1 were down-regulated and caspase 3, p53 as well as p21 were up-regulated after SNRPA1 knockdown. Taken together, our findings implicate that SNPRA1 functions as an oncogene in HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we establish a new asymptotic expansion of a ratio of two gamma functions, that is, as x → ∞, [Γ(x + u)/Γ(x + v)]1/(u − v) ~ (x + σ)exp [∑mk−1 B2m+1σ/wn(2n + 1) (x + σ)−2k + Rm (x; u, v)], where u,v ∈ with w = u−v ≠ 0 and ρ = (1−w) /2, σ = (u + v − 1) /2, B2n+1 (ρ) are the Bernoulli polynomials. We also prove that the function x → (−1)mRm (x;u,v) for m ∈ N is completely monotonic on \left (−\σ,∞) if |u−v| <1, which yields an explicit bound for |Rm (x;u,v)| and some new inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CoMoO 4 /Co-B heterostructure was synthesized via the water bath deposition and liquid-phase reduction method and its electrochemical properties was investigated. Binary transition metal oxides have received extensive attention because of their multiple oxidation states. However, due to the inherent vices of poor electronic/ionic conductivities, their practical performance as supercapacitor material is limited. Herein, a cobalt molybdate/cobalt boride (CoMoO 4 /Co-B) composite is constructed with cobalt boride nanoflake-like as a conductive additive in CoMoO 4 nanorods using a facile water bath deposition process and liquid-phase reduction method. The effects of CoMoO 4 /Co-B mass ratios on its electrochemical performance are investigated. Remarkably, the CoMoO 4 /Co-B composite obtained at a mass ratio of 2:1 shows highly enhanced electrochemical performance relative to those obtained at other ratios and exhibits an optimum specific capacity of 436 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1. This kind of composite could also display great rate capacity (294 F g−1 at 10 A g−1) and outstanding long cycle performance (90.5% capacitance retention over 10 000 cycles at 5 A g−1). Also, the asymmetric supercapacitor device is prepared by using CoMoO 4 /Co-B composite as the anode with the active carbon as the cathode. Such a device demonstrates an outstanding energy density of 23.18 Wh kg−1 and superior long-term stability with 100% initial specific capacity retained after 10,000 cycles. The superior electrochemical properties show that the CoMoO 4 /Co-B electrode material has tremendous potential in energy storage equipment applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present some new Cauchy–Schwarz inequalities for N-tuple diamond-alpha integral on time scales. The obtained results improve and generalize some Cauchy–Schwarz type inequalities given by many authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The spherical hybrid sliding bearings (SHSBs) can be used in ultra-precision and heavy-duty machine tools. However, there is little related research for these bearings. The purpose of this study is to investigate the static characteristics and effect factors affecting SHSBs by fluid lubrication. Design/methodology/approach: Based on the theories of fluid lubrication, the Reynolds equation of general Newtonian fluid is derived to obtain the steady-state lubrication equation. The system is solved by the finite difference method and the relaxation iterative method on the staggered grid to obtain the thickness and the pressure distribution of the oil film. The radial and axial load capacities of SHSBs are determined by the pressure field integration over the spherical surface. Findings: The results show that the parameters such as oil supply pressure, bearing clearance, eccentricity ratio, rotating speed and orifices' number affecting the static characteristics of bearings are significant and the cross-coupling effect exists. Originality/value: The lubrication model of SHSB is established to analyze the pressure distribution with a variety of oil film thickness. The laws of oil supply pressure, bearing clearance, eccentricity ratio, rotating speed and orifices' number on the load capacities are researched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have indicated that the chronic intake of an excessive dose of fluoride has harmful physiological effects and fluorosis has been confirmed in some models. However, the mechanism underlying fluorosis has not been elucidated. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of fluoride-induced yeast cell death. For this, cultured yeast cells were treated with sodium fluoride (NaF) at concentrations of 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 mM NaF for up to 24 hr. The results showed that NaF inhibits yeast cell growth, reduces cell viability, inhibits cell division, and increases the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), and intracellular Ca2+ in yeast cells. The inhibitory effect of NaF on yeast cells is blocked by antioxidants (ascorbic acid), Ca2+ antagonists (EGTA), and NO scavengers (hemoglobin). Taken together, these results indicate that intracellular ROS, NO, and Ca2+ participate in NaF-induced yeast cell death. Our findings elucidate the signal transduction pathways mediating the toxicity of fluoride, a common drinking water contaminant, and provides strong evidence that is relevant tor the study of the effects of fluoride on humans and the protection of humans from fluoride damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple parameters (brightness temperature, soil moisture, surface latent heat flux, surface air temperature and carbon monoxide) before and after the 2015 Nepal M7.8 Gorkha main earthquake and M7.3 Dolakha aftershock were analysed using satellite observation data. The thermal anomalies from optical and microwave data appear about two months prior to the 2015 Gorkha earthquake. Some of the parameters show anomalous changes at different altitudes about 20 days prior to the main earthquake event and 10 days prior to the strong aftershock. Our results show that pre-earthquake anomalous signals propagate from the in situ to the top of atmosphere, and the anomalies in the atmosphere often observed prior to an impending earthquake. The changes on the land surface and corresponding changes in meteorological and atmospheric parameters show existence of strong coupling during the seismogenic period, although the transfer mechanism of seismic/electromagnetic is still has to be investigated and understood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To study the protective effects of furofuranone on oxygen and glucose-deprived damage to brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) in vitro, and in vivo in cerebral ischemic stroke rat model. Methods: BMECs were isolated from the Sprague Dawley rats and deprived of oxygen and glucose. The effect of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 100 µM furofuranone on the oxygen/glucose-deprived BMECs was studied using Transwell chamber method. A rat cerebral ischemic stroke model was established using middle cerebral arterial occlusion method. Caspase-3 and other proteins, inflammatory cytokines, and other parameters of the brain tissue were evaluated by enzyme-linked assay (ELISA), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blot as appropriate. Further studies on the brain tissues was carried out by immunochemical analysis and hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results: Furofuranone decreased caspase 3 levels in a dose-based manner in rat BMECs, and significantly reduced the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in ischemic stroke rat model (p < 0.05). It also led to marked increases in the levels of p PI3k, p Akt and p GSK3β in cerebral ischemic stroke rats. Growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) and microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2) levels increased in the cerebral ischemic stroke rat brain tissues, in addition to marked increase in ionized calcium-binding adaptor protein (IBA-1) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) (p < 0.05). Furofuranone treatment reduced the population of microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (MAP1LC3A) and Beclin 1-positive cells, and significantly downregulated L selectin, leptin, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (p < 0.05). The release of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1) was enhanced in the cerebral ischemic stroke rats by furofuranone treatment. Conclusion: Furofuranone treatment prevents cerebral ischemic stroke-induced damage in rats via phosphorylation of PI3k, Akt and GSK3β proteins, and reduction of inflammatory cytokine levels. Therefore, furofuranone may be useful as chemotherapeutic agent for cerebral ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast recombination of photo-generated carriers and limited photo-response have greatly hindered the development of TiO 2 -based photocatalysts. Herein, we present a ternary three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) carbon dots (CDs)/Bi:TiO 2 photocatalyst, which affords well-designed charge transmission and allows broad-spectrum absorption, thus delivering enhanced photocatalytic performance. The carbon dots act as effective electron extractors to accelerate the separation of electron-hole pairs, and pore engineering of the 3DOM Bi:TiO 2 skeleton greatly promotes the response of light in the whole solar spectrum range. Impressively, the 3DOM CDs/Bi:TiO 2 catalyst exhibits a greatly enhanced photocatalytic degradation performance toward phenol (92.7% in 2 h), and RhB (96.4% in 40 min) under full-spectra illumination, compared to the pristine 3DOM TiO 2. This work provides a new design strategy for the optimization of carriers transmission pathway in high-quality and low-cost photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]