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The airport line plays an important role in the airport landside traffic connection, which greatly relieves the urban road pressure. Studying the characteristics and laws of the time and space distribution of the airport line passenger flow will provide basic support for the airport line's capacity configuration, passenger flow control, and air‐track coordinated operation, and will also provide quantitative basis for the layout of urban terminal buildings. This paper proposes a method to analyse the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of airport line passenger flow based on AFC card swiping data. By mining and extracting the travel behaviour data of subway airport line air passengers, the distribution characteristics of airport line passenger flow are analysed and visualized from two aspects of passenger travel time and space. Finally, a case study is carried out based on the actual data of Daxing airport express. The results show that: (1) the travel time of departure and return passengers is concentrated in 60–90 min; (2) The departure and arrival points of passengers are concentrated within the Fourth Ring Road, and a large number of air passenger flows are gathered and evacuated at hubs such as Beijing South Railway Station and Beijing West Railway Station. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viruses are genetic elements that parasitize self-replicating cells. Therefore, organisms parasitized by viruses are not limited to animals and plants but also include microorganisms. Among these, viruses that parasitize fungi are known as mycoviruses. Mycoviruses with an RNA genome persistently replicate inside fungal cells and coevolve with their host cells, similar to a cellular organelle. Within host cells, mycoviruses can modulate various fungal characteristics and activities, including pathogenicity and the production of enzymes and secondary metabolites. In this review, we provide an overview of the mycovirus research field as introduction to fungal researchers. Recognition of all genetic elements in fungi aids towards better understanding and control of fungi, and makes fungi a significant model system for studying microorganisms containing multiple genetic elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an autoimmune disease of the colon, the incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC) remains high. Carbon dots (CDs), a new type of nanomaterials, display excellent biological activity and are expected to inspire a new treatment for UC. A green method was used to carbonise rhei radix rhizoma (RRR) and extract CDs to study their anti-ulcer activity. The RRR-based carbon dots (RRR-CDs) were characterised by electron microscopy, optical techniques, and other techniques. The results indicated RRR-CDs have abundant chemical groups, excellent solubility and tiny size (1.374nm-4.533nm), which may be conducive to the exertion of inherent activity. Using a classic dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced UC mouse model, for the first time, it was demonstrated RRR-CDs have significant anti-ulcerative activity in improving DAI score (from 2.8 to 1.6), colon length (4.15 to 6.08), and histopathology in mice. The underlying mechanisms of anti-ulcerative activity may be related to haemostatic, antioxidant, and antiinflammatory activities to protect the mucosal barrier. RRR-CDs have symptomatic and potential mechanisms of treatment and are expected to become a candidate drug for the treatment of UC. This not only further expands the basis for the biological activity of CDs, but provides a potential treatment plan for solving thorny diseases in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last years, shale gas has gradually substituted oil and coal as the main sources of energy in the world. Compared with shallow shale gas reservoirs, deep shale is characterized by low permeability, low porosity, strong heterogeneity, and strong anisotropy. In the process of multi-cluster fracturing of horizontal wells, the whole deformation process and destruction modes are significantly influenced by loading rates. In this investigation, the servo press was used to carry out semi-circular bend (SCB) mixed-mode fracture experiments in deep shales (130, 160, 190 °C) with prefabricated fractures under different loading rates (0.02, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 mm/min). The fracture propagation process was monitored using acoustic emission. The deformation characteristics, displacement–load curve, and acoustic emission parameters of shale under different loading rates were studied during the mixed-mode fracture propagation. Our results showed that during the deformation and fracture of the specimen, the acoustic emission energy and charge significantly increased near the stress peak, showing at this point the most intense acoustic emission activity. With the increase in loading rate, the fracture peak load of the deep shale specimen also increased. However, the maximum displacement decreased to different extents. With the increase in temperature, the effective fracture toughness of the deep shale gradually decreased. Also, the maximum displacement decreased. Under different loading rates, the deformation of the prefabricated cracks showed a nonlinear slow growth–linear growth trend. The slope of the linear growth stage increased with the increase in loading rate. In addition, as the loading rate increased, an increase in tension failure and a decrease in shear failure were observed. Moreover, the control chart showing the relationship between tension and the shear failure under different temperatures and loading rates was determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increasing childhood obesity is a global issue requiring potentially local solutions to ensure it does not continue into adulthood. We systematically identified potentially modifiable targets of obesity at the onset and end of puberty in Hong Kong, the most economically developed major Chinese city. Methods: We conducted an environment-wide association study (EWAS) and an epigenome-wide association study of obesity to systematically assess associations with body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio (WHR) in Hong Kong's population-representative 'Children of 1997' birth cohort. Univariable linear regression was used to select exposures related to obesity at ~11.5 years (BMI and obesity risk n = 7119, WHR n = 5691) and ~17.6 years (n = 3618) at Bonferroni-corrected significance, and multivariable regression to adjust for potential confounders followed by replicated multivariable regression (n = 308) and CpG by CpG analysis (n = 286) at ~23 years. Findings were compared with evidence from published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and Mendelian randomization (MR) studies. Results: At ~11.5 and~17.6 years the EWAS identified 14 and 37 exposures associated with BMI, as well as 7 and 12 associated with WHR, respectively. Most exposures had directionally consistent associations at ~23 years. Maternal second-hand smoking, maternal weight, and birth weight were consistently associated with obesity. Diet (including dairy intake and artificially sweetened beverages), physical activity, snoring, binge eating, and earlier puberty were positively associated with BMI at ~17.6 years, while eating before sleep was inversely associated with BMI at ~17.6 years. Findings for birth weight, dairy intake, and binge eating are consistent with available evidence from RCTs or MR studies. We found 17 CpGs related to BMI and 17 to WHR. Conclusions: These novel insights into potentially modifiable factors associated with obesity at the outset and the end of puberty could, if causal, inform future interventions to improve population health in Hong Kong and similar Chinese settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor in adults. It is crucial to elucidate the mechanism underlying ferroptosis resistance in GBM. We used qRT-PCR to detect the level of DLEU1 and mRNAs of indicated genes, whereas protein levels were determined by Western blots. Fluorescence in situ hybridization assay (FISH) was applied to validate the sublocation of DLEU1 in GBM cells. Gene knockdown or overexpression was achieved by transient transfection. Ferroptosis markers were detected by indicated kits and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), chromatin immunoprecipitation (CHIP)-qPCR, and dual-luciferase assay were used to validate the direct interaction between indicated key molecules in the current study. We validated that the expression of DLEU1 was upregulated in GBM samples. DLEU1 knockdown exacerbated erastin-induced ferroptosis in LN229 and U251MG cells, as well as in the xenograft model. Mechanistically, we found that DLEU1 bound with ZFP36 and facilitated ZFP36 to degrade ATF3 mRNA, thus upregulating the expression of SLC7A11 to attenuate erastin-induced ferroptosis. Importantly, our results confirmed that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) conferred ferroptosis resistance in GBM. The stimulation of CAF-conditioned medium enhanced the activation of HSF1, and HSF1 transcriptionally increased the level of DLEU1 to regulate erastin-induced ferroptosis. This study identified DLEU1 as an oncogenic lncRNA that epigenetically downregulates ATF3 expression via binding with ZFP36 to facilitate ferroptosis resistance in GBM. The upregulation of DLEU1 in GBM might be attributed to CAF-induced HSF1 activation. Our study might provide a research basis for understanding CAF-induced ferroptosis resistance in GBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allium senescens, is an important economic and ecological grassland plant with drought-resistant characteristics. A TCP protein transcription factor is important in the regulation of plant development and adverse responses. However, the mechanism by which TCP transcription functions in drought resistance in Allium senescens is still not clear. Here, we obtained a total of 190,305 transcripts with 115,562 single gene clusters based on RNA-Seq sequencing of Allium senescens under drought stress. The total number of bases was 97,195,096 bp, and the average length was 841.06 bp. Furthermore, we found that there were eight genes of the TCP family that showed an upregulated expression trend under drought stress in Allium senescens. We carried out an investigation to determine the evolution and function of the AsTCP family and how they produce an effect in drought resistance. The 14 AsTCP genes were confirmed and divided into class I and class II containing CIN and CYC/TBI subfamilies, respectively. We also found that the expression of AsTCP17 was remarkably upregulated with drought treatment. Besides, the transformation of AsTCP17 in Arabidopsis revealed that the protective enzymes, namely polyphenol oxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), were increased by 0.4 and 0.8 times, respectively. Chlorophyll content was also increased, while the H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were decreased. Staining assays with 3,3'-diaminobenzidine (DAB) also suggested that the AsTCP17 downregulates reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. In addition, overexpression of the AsTCP17 affected the accumulation of drought-related hormones in plants, and the synthesis of ABA. The expression of AtSVP and AtNCED3, related ABA synthesis pathway genes, indicated that the level of expression of AtSVP and AtNCED3 was obviously enhanced, with the overexpression of line 6 showing a 20.6-fold and 7.0-fold increase, respectively. Taken together, our findings systematically analyze the AsTCPs family at the transcriptome expression level in Allium senescens, and we also demonstrated that AsTCP17 protein, as a positive regulator, was involved in drought resistance of Allium senescens. In addition, our research contributes to the comprehensive understanding of the drought stress defense mechanism in herbaceous plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bolt-loosening detection method using vision-based technique is summarized and a new gray gradient enhancement method is proposed to improve the stability of the nut edge detection and bolt-loosening detection. The Influence of the thresholds in Canny edge detector is studied and a new gray gradient enhancement method is proposed to enhance the gray gradient at the pixels on the outer boundary of the nut. Meanwhile, the suggestion on the high threshold value in Canny edge detector is given and can be used to reduce the subjectivity of parameter determination in Canny detector and the interference of uninterested edge lines. The proposed method is verified using a bolt connection in laboratory. The results show that the proposed method can effectively highlight the outer boundary of the nut and improve the stability of the nut edge detection and bolt-loosening detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The influence of epiphytic microbiota and chemical composition on fermentation quality and microbial community of Italian ryegrass silage was evaluated. Italian ryegrass harvested at the filling stage (FS) and the dough stage (DS) was sterilized by gamma-ray irradiation and inoculated as follows: (I) FS epiphytic microbiota + irradiated FS (F F); (II) FS epiphytic microbiota + irradiated DS (F D); (III) DS epiphytic microbiota + irradiated DS (D D); (IV) DS epiphytic microbiota + irradiated FS (D F). RESULTS: After 60 days of ensiling, silage made from irradiated FS had a lower pH and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) content and a higher lactic acid (LA) content than that made from irradiated DS. Similarly, silage inoculated with the epiphytic microbiota of DS had a lower pH and NH3-N content and a higher LA content than that inoculated with the epiphytic microbiota of FS. However, LA-type fermentation (lactic acid:acetic acid > 2:1) was presented at D F and D D. The principal coordinates analysis showed that the distance between F F and D F and F D and D D was closer than other treatments, suggesting that the microbial community of silages made from irradiated FS (or DS) was more similar. CONCLUSION: The epiphytic microbiota played a more important role in the fermentation type, whereas the chemical composition had a great influence on the contents of fermentation end-products. However, chemical composition had a stronger effect on the microbial community of silage than the epiphytic microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The web crossed truss boom is one of the commonly used truss boom structures of crawler cranes. However, the existing calculations fail to consider the limiting effect of the web members' bending resistance on the chord members, and cannot give full play to the load-bearing capacity of the existing structure. This paper takes the top section of the Crawler crane truss boom as the research object. The single-span truss theoretical model is established according to Timoshenko's elastic stability theory. And the theoretical critical load of the variable cross-section boom is obtained with full consideration of the limitation of the web member's bending resistance on the chord members. The finite element method simulation model is compared and verified. Compared with a large number of simulation experiments and theoretical calculations, it can be concluded that the theoretical calculations in this article are highly consistent with the simulation results, verified the assumptions that the web members' bending resistance help to improve the bending resistance of the chord members, and this will provide certain reference to the engineering designers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rhg1-α GmSNAPIS (an α-SNAP) and Rhg4 GmSHMT08 are two major cloned genes conferring soybean cyst nematode resistance in Pekingtype soybeans, but the application of α-SNAPs and SHMTs in cyst nematode management remains elusive. In this study, GmSNAPIS and GmSHMTOS. together with their orthologs in Arabidopsis, AlSNAP2 (an α-SNAP) and AtSHMT4, were individually transformed into Arabidopsis Col-0 to generate the transgenic lines, and the growth of transgenic plants, beet cyst nematode (BCN) infection phenotypes, and AtSNAP2, AtSHMT4, and AtPR1 expression patterns were analyzed using Arabidopsis-BCN compatible interaction system, in addition with protein--protein interaction assay. Pulldown and BiFC assays revealed that GmSNAPI8 and GmSHMT08 interacted with AtSHMT4 and AtSNAP2, respectively. Plant root growth was not impacted by overexpression of GmSNAPIS and AtSNAP2. However, overexpression of GmSHMT08 and AtSHMT4 both increased plant height, additionally, overexpression of GmSHMT08 decreased rosette leaf size. Overexpression of GmSNAP 18 and GmSHMTOS both suppressed AtPR1 expression and significantly enhanced BCN susceptibility, while overexpression of AlSNAP2 and AtSHMT4 both substantially boosted AtPR1 expression and remarkably enhanced BCN resistance, in transgenic Arabidopsis. Overexpression of GmSNAP18 reduced, while overexpression oiAtSNAP2 unaltered AtSHMT4 expression. Overexpression of GmSHMT08 and AtSHMT4 both suppressed AtSNAP2 expression in transgenic Arabidopsis. Thus, different expression patterns of AtPR1 and AtSHMT4 are likely associated with opposite BCN infection phenotypes of Arabidopsis between overexpressing GmSNAP18 and AtSNAP2, and between overexpressing GmSHMT08 and AtSHMT4: and boosted AtPR1 expression are required for enhanced BCN resistance in Arabidopsis. All these results establish a basis for extension of α-SNAPs and SHMTs in cyst nematode management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stripe (yellow) rust caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici occurs in almost all wheat-producing regions of the world. Severe countrywide epidemics in China have caused substantial yield losses. Growing resistant cultivars is the best strategy to control this disease but the pathogen can overcome resistance in wheat cultivars. The high variation in the virulence of the pathogen combined with the large areas of susceptible wheat cultivars enables the pathogen population to increase rapidly and disperse over long distances under favorable environmental conditions, resulting in severe pandemics within cropping seasons. Current stripe rust control measures are based on many years of research including the underlying epidemiology regarding year-to-year survival of the pathogen, pathways of pathogen dispersal within seasons and years, the role of P. striiformis sexual hybridization, the use of resistance sources in breeding programs, and year-round surveillance of national wheat crops that are present in different parts of the country throughout the year. All these strategies depend on accurate prediction of epidemics, more precise use of fungicides to meet national requirements and better deployment of resistance genes. New ideas with potential application in sustainable protection of stripe rust include negative regulatory gene editing, resistance gene overexpression and biological control based on microbiomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Curcumin, a polyphenolic constituent from Curcuma longa, possesses antioxidant, hypolipidemic, and antidiabetic properties and has been reported to protect against diabetic kidney disease (DKD); however, the effect is inconsistent. Objective. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effect of curcumin supplementation on renal function, lipid profile, blood pressure, and glycemic control in DKD. Methods. A systematic and comprehensive literature search of interrelated randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to July 30, 2021. Two investigators independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to describe the effect sizes using a fixed-effect model. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA 14.0 and RevMan 5.3. Results. Five RCTs involving 290 participants with DKD were included. Curcumin supplementation significantly improved the serum creatinine (WMD: −0.16 mg/dL, 95% CI: −0.3 to −0.02, P = 0.029, I2 = 0%, moderate certainty), total cholesterol (WMD: −10.13 mg/dL, 95% CI: −17.84 to −2.14, P = 0.01, I2 = 0%, moderate certainty), systolic blood pressure (WMD: 3.94 mmHg, 95% CI: 1.86 to 6.01, P < 0.01, I2 = 33.5%, moderate certainty), and fasting blood glucose (WMD: −8.29 mg/dL, 95% CI: −15.19 to −1.39, P = 0.019, I2 = 43.7%, moderate certainty) levels; however, it had no significant effects on blood urea nitrogen, proteinuria, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and diastolic blood pressure levels. Conclusions. Curcumin may provide great potential effects against DKD. More large-scale and high-quality RCTs are required to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the effect of storage time and formic acid (FA) on fermentation characteristics, epiphytic microflora, carbohydrate components and in vitro digestibility of rice straw silage. Methods: Fresh rice straw was ensiled with four levels of FA (0%, 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6% of fresh weight) for 3, 6, 9, 15, 30, and 60 d. At each time point, the silos were opened and sampled for chemical and microbial analyses. Meanwhile, the fresh and 60-d ensiled rice straw were further subjected to in vitro analyses. Results: The results showed that 0.2% and 0.6% FA both produced well-preserved silages with low pH value and undetected butyric acid, whereas it was converse for 0.4% FA. The populations of enterobacteria, yeasts, moulds and aerobic bacteria were suppressed by 0.2% and 0.6% FA, resulting in lower dry matter loss, ammonia nitrogen and ethanol content (p<0.05). The increase of FA linearly (p<0.001) decreased neutral detergent fibre and hemicellulose, linearly (p<0.001) increased residual water soluble carbohydrate, glucose, fructose and xylose. The in vitro gas production of rice straw was decreased by ensilage but the initial gas production rate was increased, and further improved by FA application (p<0.05). No obvious difference of FA application on in vitro digestibility of dry matter, neutral detergent fibre, and acid detergent fibre was observed (p>0.05). Conclusion: The 0.2% FA application level promoted lactic acid fermentation while 0.6% FA restricted all microbial fermentation of rice straw silages. Rice straw ensiled with 0.2% FA or 0.6% FA improved its nutrient preservation without affecting digestion, with the 0.6% FA level best. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sufficient heat storage and proper flue-gas outlet temperature were prerequisites for selective non-catalytic reduction denitrification in coke oven regenerators. This work performed an energy balance analysis on the established regenerator model to obtain a new thermal storage evaluation index - total thermal storage temperature. Furthermore, ten cases of thermal storage parameters were set to analyze the effects of thermal effusivity and thermal diffusivity on heat storage and transfer. The transient simulation results shown that the channel shape of the lattice brick limited the uniformity of fluid-solid heat transfer and temperature distribution during the 30 minutes commutation period, and the temperature window (1100~1300 K) suitable for selective non-catalytic reduction denitration slowly moved down. The increase of thermal effusivity led to the rise of heat storage and reduction of flue-gas outlet temperature. However, the transform in thermal diffusivity did not contribute substantially to the heat storage performance. Besides, the temperature-time-height equation obtained by fitting was used for predicting the suitable location of selective non-catalytic reduction denitration temperature. The total thermal storage temperature was positively correlated with the flue-gas outlet temperature and negatively correlated with the heat storage capacity. The total thermal storage temperature evaluated the effects of material properties on heat storage and flue gas outlet temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute lung injury (ALI), is a rapidly progressing heterogenous pulmonary disorder that possesses a high risk of mortality. Accumulating evidence has implicated the activation of the p65 subunit of NF-kB [NF-kB(p65)] activation in the pathological process of ALI. microRNAs (miRNAs), a group of small RNA molecules, have emerged as major governors due to their posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression in a wide array of pathological processes, including ALI. The dysregulation of miRNAs and NF-kB activation has been implicated in human diseases. In the current study, we set out to decipher the convergence of miR-99b and p65 NF-kB activation in ALI pathology. We measured the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1b, IL-6, and TNFa) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid using ELISA. MH-S cells were cultured and their viability were detected with cell counting kit 8 (CCK8) assays. The results showed that miR- 99b was up-regulated, while PRDM1was down-regulated in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced murine model of ALI. Mechanistic investigations showed that NF-kB(p65) was enriched at the miR-99b promoter region, and further promoted its transcriptional activity. Furthermore, miR-99b targeted PRDM1 by binding to its 3'UTR, causing its down-regulation. This increased lung injury, as evidenced by increased wet/dry ratio of mouse lung, myeloperoxidase activity and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, and enhanced infiltration of inflammatory cells in lung tissues. Together, our findings indicate that NF-kB (p65) promotion of miR-99b can aggravate ALI in mice by down-regulating the expression of PRDM1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clavariadelphus species (Clavariadelphaceae, Gomphales) in China were examined using morphology, molecular phylogenetic analyses of ITS data and chemical reactions. Eleven taxa were identified in China, including four species known previously to occur in China (C. griseoclavus, C. ligula, C. sachalinensis and C. yunnanensis), two new record species from China (C. elongatus and C. himalayensis), four novel species (C. alpinus, C. amplus, C. gansuensis and C. khinganensis) and one species that could not be described due to the paucity of material. Finally, we also provided a taxonomic key for the identification of Clavariadelphus species in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) is a key regulator of hepatic immune responses. Recently, we reported that PRMT1regulates the tumor immune response in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here we found that PRMT1 expression in human HCC correlates with that of programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1), PD-L2, and other checkpoint genes. PRMT1 deletion in mice reduced PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression in tumors and reduced the efficiency of PD-1 antibody treatment in a diethylnitrosamine-induced HCC mouse model, suggesting that PRMT1 regulates the hepatic immune checkpoint. Mice had reduced PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression when PRMT1 was specifically deleted in tumor cells or macrophages, but PRMT1 deletion in dendritic cells did not alter PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression. rs975484 is a common polymorphism in the human PRMT1 gene promoter, and we found that it alters PRMT1 expression in blood monocytes and tumor-associated macrophages in human HCC. PRMT1 expression was higher in individuals with a GG genotype than in individuals with a CC genotype, and heterozygous carriers had intermediate expression. Luciferase reporter assays indicated that this differential expression is due to an extra C/EBPβ-binding site in thePRMT1 promoter of individuals carrying the minor G allele. The rs975484 genotype also correlated with PRMT1 target expression in HCC. Individuals with theGGgenotype had significantly higher levels of the PRMT1 targets PD-L1, PD-L2, and VISTA than those with the CC genotype. We conclude that PRMT1 critically controls immune checkpoints in mice and humans and that the PRMT1 polymorphism rs975484 affects checkpoint gene expression in HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA) is always of vital importance for clinical diagnosis and healthcare. Hereby, a gold nanoparticle decorated polypyrrole/graphene oxide composite on carbon fiber paper (AuNPs@GO/PPy/CFP) was facilely prepared via a two-step method. Instead of reducing GO to rGO for better conductivity, GO was combined with PPy retaining its abundant oxygen containing functional groups, which is in favor of electrochemical sensing. The as-prepared electrode was evaluated in the simultaneous determination of AA, DA and UA. During the electro-oxidation of these analytes, three well-defined peaks with low overpotentials at -0.02 V, +0.16 V and +0.28 V were observed on the modified electrode. The linear response ranges obtained were 10-1600 μM, 0.2-60 μM and 2-360 μM with the corresponding detection limits of 2.43 μM, 0.115 μM and 1.68 μM (signal/noise = 3), respectively, for AA, DA and UA. This indicates that the as-prepared electrode has an excellent catalytic capability and high selectivity for the simultaneous determination of AA, DA and UA. In addition, the modified electrode showed satisfactory results when applied in real samples, suggesting the promising potential of AuNPs@GO/PPy/CFP for practical application in complex biological systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the utilization efficiency of total mixed ration (TMR) on Tibetan plateau, the effects of different additives on fermentation quality and aerobic stability of the ensiled TMR prepared with local feed resources were studied. A total of 150 experimental silos were prepared in a completely randomized design to evaluate the following treatments: (a) control; (b) Lactobacillus buchneri; (c) acetic acid; (d) propionic acid; (e) 1,2-propanediol; and (f) 1-propanol. After 90 days of ensiling, silos were opened for fermentation quality and in vitro parameters analysis, and then subjected to an aerobic stability test for 14 days. The acetic acid, 1,2-propanediol and 1-propanol treatments increased (p < .05) pH and acetic acid content, and lowered (p < .05) the lactic acid production in comparison to control. There were no statistically significant differences in in vitro digestibility parameters among the treatments. Treatments of acetic acid, 1,2-propanediol and 1-propanol substantially improved the aerobic stability of the ensiled TMR, as indicated by almost unchanged pH and lactic acid contents throughout the aerobic exposure test. These results indicated that acetic acid, 1,2-propanediol and 1-propanol had no adverse effect on in vitro digestibility and could be effective additives for enhancing the aerobic stability of ensiled TMR prepared on Tibetan plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study was to evaluate the fermentation dynamics, structural and nonstructural carbohydrate composition and in vitro gas production of rice straw ensiled with lactic acid bacteria and molasses. Methods: Fresh rice straw was ensiled in 1-L laboratory silos with no additive control (C), Lactobacillus plantarum (L), molasses (M) and molasses+Lactobacillus plantarum (ML) for 6, 15, 30, and 60 days. After storage, the silages were subjected to microbial and chemical analyses as well as the further in vitro fermentation trial. Results: All additives increased lactic acid concentration, and reduced pH, dry matter (DM) loss and structural carbohydrate content relative to the control (p<0.05). The highest organic acid and residual sugar contents and lignocellulose reduction were observed in ML silage. L silage had the highest V-score with 88.10 followed by ML silage. L and ML silage improved in vitro DM digestibility as compared with other treatments, while in vitro neutral detergent fibre degradability (IVNDFD) was increased in M and ML silage (p<0.05). M silage significantly (p<0.05) increased propionic acid (PA) content and decreased butyric acid content and acetic acid/PA as well as 72-h cumulative gas production. Conclusion: The application of ML was effective for improving both the fermentation quality and in vitro digestibility of rice straw silage. Inclusion with molasses to rice straw could reduce in vitro ruminal gas production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fogging/frosting can significantly reduce clarity of a transparent substrate, resulting in not only inconvenience but also potential danger in daily life. There has therefore been great demand for effective antifogging/frost-resisting surfaces to maintain visibility and transparency in high-humidity environments in a variety of applications. Although tremendous efforts have been made to prepare inorganic antifogging surfaces, the primary focus of this review is on polymeric antifogging/frost-resisting surfaces, as polymer-based antifogging/frost-resisting surfaces hold great promise for large-scale preparation via easily implementable techniques and, subsequently, find more practical applications. In this chapter, recent progress is reviewed in the design, preparation, and typical properties of various antifogging/frost-resisting polymeric surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Willows are widely distributed in the northern hemisphere and have good adaptability to different living environment. The increasing of genome and transcriptome data provides a chance for comparative analysis to study the evolution patterns with the different origin and geographical distributions in the Salix phylogeny. Results: Transcript sequences of 10 Salicaceae species were downloaded from public databases. All pairwise of orthologues were identified by comparative analysis in these species, from which we constructed a phylogenetic tree and estimated the rate of diverse. Divergence times were estimated in the 10 Salicaceae using comparative transcriptomic analysis. All of the fast-evolving positive selection sequences were identified, and some cold-, drought-, light-, universal-, and heat- resistance genes were discovered. Conclusions: The divergence time of subgenus Vetrix and Salix was about 17.6–16.0 Mya during the period of Middle Miocene Climate Transition (21–14 Mya). Subgenus Vetrix diverged to migratory and resident groups when the climate changed to the cool and dry trend by 14 Mya. Cold- and light- stress genes were involved in positive selection among the resident Vetrix, and which would help them to adapt the cooling stage. Universal- stress genes exhibited positive selection among the migratory group and subgenus Salix. These data are useful for comprehending the adaptive evolution and speciation in the Salix lineage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vascular calcification is one of the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). Whether higher levels of serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), a predictor of vascular calcification, are independently associated with CSVD remains inconclusive. Purpose: The present study explored the link between levels of circulating ALP and CSVD in a Chinese population. Methods: A total of 568 participants were recruited from the healthcare center at the affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University and the Fifth People Hospital of Dalian between January 2010 and December 2016. The subjects were divided into three groups based on the infarct and severity of white matter hyper-intensities (WMH) as categorized by brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis and Fazekas rating scales: no/mild cerebral WMH (nm-WMH); moderate-to-severe WMH (MS-WMH); and silent lacunar infarct (SLI). The subjects were also divided into three tertiles based on circulating levels of ALP: =64, 65-105 and =106 (IU/L). Information regarding the risk factors, such as coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and serum ALP level, C-reactive protein, homocysteine (HCY), and other laboratory results, were collected. The associations of ALP with WMH and SLI were evaluated using logistic regression analysis. Results: After adjustment for vascular risk factors, subjects with MS-WMH and SLI were more likely to have ALP levels =106 IU/L than =64 IU/L. The mean circulating level of ALP was substantially increased in patients with MS-WMH or SLI compared with patients with nm-WMH. The multivariate model revealed that this significant difference remained when MS-WMH or SLI was added to the model, after adjustment for confounding factors. Conclusion: The circulating level of ALP was positively correlated with a high risk of silent lacunar infarct and white matter hyperintensity; important indicators of small vessel disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the research papers on people with chronic infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) worldwide having higher risks of developing terminal liver diseases. Reactivation of virus replication has been reported in patients receiving imatinib (an Abl kinase inhibitor) or bortezomib (a proteasome inhibitor) to treat concurrent diseases.

Using a CIRAS-2 portable photosynthesis system, the photosynthesis, transpiration, and light responses of Aralia elata were studied under different soil moisture values with the aim of understanding the adaptability of this species to different light and soil water conditions. The results showed that the net photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr), and water use efficiency (WUE) of A. elata varied in response to different levels of photon flux density (PFD). When PFD was between 800 and 1,800 μmol m-2 s-1, Pn changed little in response to the increasing light intensity, whereas Tr decreased gradually and WUE increased significantly. Light saturation point (LSP) and light compensation point (LCP) were approximately 800 and 30 μmol m-2 s-1, respectively. The soil water content had little effect on LSP and LCP, but significantly affected photosynthetic quantum efficiency (Φ) and dark respiratory rate (Rd). By defining the Pn and WUE as the indexes of plant productivity and soil water efficiency, respectively, the soil moisture availability and productivity of A. elata were graded and evaluated, and six types of soil water grading were established. Thus, at RWC values between 44.5% and 79.2% in which both Pn and WUE were maintained at a high level, the results can provide theoretical support for highly productive and efficienct water management in A. elata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the fact that an InGaN/GaN superlattice (SL) is useful for enhancing the performance of a GaN-based light-emitting diode (LED), its role in improving the efficiency of green LEDs remains an open question. Here, we investigate the influence of a V-pits-embedded InGaN/GaN SL on optical and electrical properties of GaN-based green LEDs. We recorded a sequence of light emission properties of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) grown on a 0- and 24-pair InGaN/GaN SL by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in combination with a room temperature cathodoluminescence (CL) measurement, which demonstrated the presence of a potential barrier formed by the V-pits around threading dislocations (TDs). We find that an increase in V-pit diameter would lead to the increase of V-pit potential barrier height. Our experimental data suggest that a V-pits-embedded, 24-pair InGaN/GaN SL can effectively suppress the lateral diffusion of carriers into non-recombination centers. As a result, the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of green LEDs is improved by 29.6% at an injection current of 20 mA after implementing the V-pits-embedded InGaN/GaN SL layer. In addition, a lower reverse leakage current was achieved with larger V-pits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a fast, sensitive, label-free method for the detection of Betaxolol hydrochloride (BH) based on fluorescent dye/graphene oxide (FD/GO) fluorescence sensor. Three fluorescent dyes (rhodamine 6G, rhodamine B and fluorescein) were chosen for BH detection, where it has been found that the fluorescence recovery ratio of R6G was higher than the fluorescence recovery ratio of rhodamine B and fluorescein. Concentration, mixing order, detection time and some interferents were also considered in the optimisation. The R6G/GO fluorescent sensor has been successfully applied to the determination of BH in fetal bovine serum (FBS). The fluorescence intensity ratio (I-I0)/I0 and concentrations of BH ranging from 0.0050 to 10.0 ìmol/L. The linear regression equation obtained was as follows: (I-I0)/I0 = 0.980 + 1.480 × CBH with the correlation coefficient of 0.991. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High sensitive immunoassay platforms have gained intense attention due to their vital roles in early-stage disease diagnosis and therapeutic information feedback. Although random covalent-binding of antibody has been widely adopted in immunoassays due to its simplicity and effectiveness, it readily loses its activity and fails to exhibit high antigen-binding capacity. In this work, copolymer of zwitterionic sulfobetaine methacrylate (SBMA) and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) brushes were immobilized onto inert polypropylene (PP) via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) based on biomimetic dopamine pretreatment. Subsequently, boronic acid (BA) groups were covalently bonded via active GMA units, followed by the introduction of oriented immobilization of antibody. Owing to the oriented immobilization of antibody facilitated by BA groups in polymer brush, the bioactivity of antibody is well preserved, which endows the surface with significantly enhanced antigen-binding capacity. Moreover, the existence of SBMA segments in polymer brushes renders the surface high resistance to nonspecific protein adsorption, significantly alleviating the signal interference of antigen recognition. This strategy could find potential applications in developing high sensitive immunoassay platforms based on the different substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing allows a direct fabrication of any sophisticated mechanism when the clearance of each joint is sufficiently large to compensate the fabrication error, which frees the designers of cumbersome assembly jobs. Clearance design for assembly mechanism whose parts are fabricated by subtractive manufacturing has been well defined. However, the related standard for parts fabricated by additive manufacturing is still under exploration due to the fabrication error and the diversity of printing materials. For saving time and materials in a design process, a designer may fabricate a series of small mechanisms to examine their functionality before the final fabrication of a large mechanism. As a mechanism is scaled, its joint clearances may be reduced, which affects the kinematics of the mechanisms. Maintaining certain clearance for the joints during the scaling process, especially for gear mechanisms, is an intricate problem involving the analysis of nonlinear systems. In this paper, we focus on the parametric design problem for the major types of joints, which allows the mechanisms to be scaled to an arbitrary level while maintaining their kinematics. Simulation and experimental results are present to validate our designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An integrated study using cathodoluminescence (CL) images, U-Pb geochronology, and Hf-O isotopic compositions of zircons, and whole-rock geochemistry was carried out on migmatites from the North Dabie terrane in order to constrain the sources and processes of the melt during partial melting and implications for tectonics in the northern Yangtze block. CL imaging revealed that zircon grains in the migmatites occur as either new crystals or overgrowth rims around older inherited cores. The zircons display euhedral in shape with oscillatory or weak zoning and variable Th/U ratios, suggesting that they are of metamorphic origin and grew during partial melting. These zircons have concordia U-Pb ages from 129 ± 2 Ma to 140 ± 4 Ma, indicating partial melting of the North Dabie terrane due to the extension and collapse of the thickened orogenic root in the Early Cretaceous. The metamorphic zircons in two leucosome samples show higher δ18O but lower εHf(t) values than the inherited zircons in the same sample or adjacent melanosome samples, suggesting that the leucosomes were derived from external melt. The large variation of zircon εHf(t) values (-17.9 ± 0.5 to -4.6 ± 0.6) in one leucosome sample implies mixing between outside Hf from external melt and internal Hf from the dissolution-reprecipitation of the inherited zircons. The metamorphic zircons in one melanosome sample have higher 176Hf/177Hf ratios than, but similar δ18O values to those of the inherited zircons in the same sample, providing strong evidence for the generation of the metamorphic zircons by breakdown of a zirconium-bearing phase other than zircon in a closed system. The inherited zircon cores show oscillatory or weak zoning, resorption textures, and overprinting by overgrowth rims, suggesting that they are magmatic zircons inherited from the protoliths. Their U-Pb ages are ca. 450 Ma, providing unambiguous evidence for the presence of early Paleozoic magmatism in the Dabie-Sulu orogen. The inherited zircon cores have εHf(t) values of 8.6-14.0 and depleted mantle model (TDM2) ages of ca. 880-540 Ma, indicating prompt reworking of juvenile crust during their formation. Inherited zircons in two samples (a melanosome and a leucosome) show δ18O values of ~5.3‰, suggesting no involvement of hydrothermal materials. In contrast, inherited zircons in a melanosome sample show δ18O values from 3.22‰ ± 0.24‰ to 5.00‰ ± 0.29‰, with a weighted average of 4.28‰ ± 0.23‰. These values are distinctly lower than the normal mantle zircon values, suggesting the occurrence of Paleozoic low-δ18O magma in the northern part of the Yangtze block. The Paleozoic low-δ18O magma is inferred to have been generated by remelting of preexisting 18O-depleted rocks in a rift setting. Combined with previous geological observation, we proposed a rift setting for the northern Yangtze block during the early Paleozoic, which might have resulted in the final opening of the Paleotethys Ocean along the Qinling-Tongbai-Hong'an orogenic belt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an artificial island construction project based on the large-scale marine reclamation land, the soil settlement is a key to affect the late safe operation of the whole field. To analyze the factors of the soil settlement in a marine reclamation project, the SEM method in the soil micro-structural analysis method is used to test and study six soil samples such as the representative silt, mucky silty clay, silty clay and clay in the area. The structural characteristics that affect the soil settlement are obtained by observing the SEM charts at different depths. By combining numerical calculation method of Terzaghi's one-dimensional and Biot's two-dimensional consolidation theory, the one-dimensional and two-dimensional creep models are established and the numerical calculation results of two consolidation theories are compared in order to predict the maximum settlement of the soils 100 years after completion. The analysis results indicate that the micro-structural characteristics are the essential factor to affect the settlement in this area. Based on numerical analysis of one-dimensional and two-dimensional settlement, the settlement law and trend obtained by two numerical analysis method is similar. The analysis of this paper can provide reference and guidance to the project related to the marine reclamation land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Asini Corii Colla (ACC) (namely donkey hide gelatin, E'jiao in Chinese) was one of the most valuable tonic traditional Chinese medicines which is an infallible remedy to promote hematopoiesis. It should be produced by fresh or dried donkey hide according to Chinese Pharmacopeia (2015 edition) with a long-time decoction, while as donkey and horse (or mule) all belong to equids so their hides or their hide gelatins are share much in common, that cause the difficult in distinguishing raw materials donkey hide from horse/mule hide for manufacturer, and the challenge in the quality evaluation of ACC for regulatory authority to identify the adulterated with horse hide. Objective: To establish an effective quality evaluation methods for ACC focused on the qualitative-based identification of the raw material's authenticity, mainly to identify the species origin of the gelatins. Materials and Methods: DNA extracted from (1) Raw materials (hides of donkey, horse, mule, bovine and pig); (2) Five hide-glues (bovine, pig, donkey, horse and mule hide-glue); (3) 11 batches of ACC commercial products made by different manufactures from local drug stores. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method with newly designed horse-specific primers I and primer pair II. Results: Use the primer pair I, a 234 bp target product could be amplified sensitively from the DNA sample of horse/mule adulterated commercial ACC products, though the DNA in commercial products is severely degraded. A 219 bp product could be amplified specifically from the DNA sample of horse/mule hide, while the results were all negative for the DNA templates of donkey hide, its gelatin and ACC products without adulteration. Conclusion: The developed PCR method based on primer I and II provide an effective approach to identify the species origin of highly processed product ACC (primer pair I) as well as to distinguish the raw material donkey hide (primer pair II), which might enlighten a new strategy to the Quality Evaluation of ACC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deposition of human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) within β-cells is implicated in the etiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2Dm). It was reported that heme could bind to hIAPP. We speculate that binding may affect the aggregation of hIAPP. In this study, UV-vis spectroscopy was used to detect the interaction pattern between the heme and hIAPP. ThT and Bis-ANS fluorescence assay, circular dichroism spectroscopy, gel electrophoresis assay, and transmission electron microscopy were employed to study the effect of heme on the aggregation of hIAPP. We found that heme dramatically inhibited hIAPP aggregation, even partially dismantled hIAPP aggregates by preventing its conformational changes. Moreover, a similar inhibitory effect was also observed on mutant hIAPP. In the compared group, the inhibitory effects of protoporphyrin on hIAPP and its mutants aggregation were weaker. Similarly, its effect on the dismantlement of the aggregates was also weaker. On the basis of these results, we revealed that the heme iron center was not required for the inhibitory effect on hIAPP but affected the binding affinity of heme to hIAPP. Besides Arg11 and His18, other hydrophobic residues of hIAPP may also play important roles in heme binding. Our results may help to develop an in-depth understanding of the interaction between heme and hIAPP, which would be helpful in designing new therapeutic strategies against T2Dm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel strategy to construct complex polycyclic nitrogen-containing heterocycles from aliphatic amines via picolinamide-assisted palladium-catalyzed C-H bond activation reaction was reported. The reaction exhibits broad substrate scope for the synthesis of various azabicyclic scaffolds, including azetidines and tropane-class alkaloids. Application of this method to naturally occurring (-)-cis-myrtanylamine, an unprecedented type of carbon-carbon bond activation, in which the electron-pair involved initiates an intramolecular "SN2-like" displacement of a cyclopalladium-fragment from a tertiary center, is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant increases in the energy density of batteries must be achieved by exploring new materials, cell configurations. Lithium metal, lithiated silicon are two promising high-capacity anode materials. Unfortunately, both of these anodes require a reliable passivating layer to survive the serious environmental corrosion during handling, cycling. Here we developed a surface fluorination process to form a homogeneous, dense LiF coating on reactive anode materials, with in situ generated fluorine gas, by using a fluoropolymer, CYTOP, as the precursor. The process is effectively a “reaction in the beaker”, avoiding direct handling of highly toxic fluorine gas. For lithium metal, this LiF coating serves as a chemically stable, mechanically strong interphase, which minimizes the corrosion reaction with carbonate electrolytes, suppresses dendrite formation, enabling dendrite-free, stable cycling over 300 cycles with current densities up to 5 mA/cm2. Lithiated silicon can serve as either a pre-lithiation additive for existing lithium-ion batteries or a replacement for lithium metal in Li–O2, Li–S batteries. However, lithiated silicon reacts vigorously with the standard slurry solvent N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP), indicating it is not compatible with the real battery fabrication process. With the protection of crystalline, dense LiF coating, LixSi can be processed in anhydrous NMP with a high capacity of 2504 mAh/g. With low solubility of LiF in water, this protection layer also allows LixSi to be stable in humid air (∼40% relative humidity). Therefore, this facile surface fluorination process brings huge benefit to both the existing lithium-ion batteries, next-generation lithium metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) is an essential enzyme controlling about 85% of the total cellular arginine methylation in proteins. We have shown previously that PRMT1 is an important regulator of innate immune responses and that it is required for M2 macrophage differentiation. c-Myc is a transcription factor that is critical in regulating cell proliferation and also regulates the M2 transcriptional program in macrophages. Here, we sought to determine whether c-Myc in myeloid cells is regulated by PRMTl-dependent arginine methylation. We found that PRMT1 activity was necessary for c-Myc binding to the acetyltransferase p300. PRMT1 inhibition decreased p300 recruitment to c-Myc target promoters and increased histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) recruitment, thereby decreasing transcription at these sites. Moreover, PRMT1 inhibition blocked c-Myc-mediated induction of several of its target genes, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARG) and mannose receptor C-type 1 (MRC1), suggesting that PRMT1 is necessary for c-Myc function in M2 macrophage differentiation. Of note, in primary human blood monocytes, p300-c-Myc binding was strongly correlated with PRMT1 expression, and in liver sections, PRMT1, c-Myc, and M2 macrophage levels were strongly correlated with each other. Both PRMT1 levels and M2 macrophage numbers were significantly lower in livers from individuals with a history of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, known to have defective cellular immunity. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that PRMT1 is an important regulator of c-Myc function in myeloid cells. PRMT1 loss in individuals with cirrhosis may contribute to their immune defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transfer RNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) are fragments that originate from mature or precursor tRNAs and are a subclass of sRNAs. With the development of high-throughput sequencing techniques, the real feature of tsRNAs has gradually been revealed. tsRNAs are functional fragments of distinct lengths produced by the cleavage of mature or precursor tRNAs by different ribonuclease enzymes. tsRNAs exert extensive functions, including gene silencing, translational regulation, and reverse transcriptional regulation, affecting cell viability and differentiation and participating in pathological processes of various diseases, including central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Emerging sequencing evidence indicates that tsRNAs are expressed differently in various CNS diseases, preliminary suggesting that tsRNAs are involved in the occurrence and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, glioma, epilepsy, and other CNS diseases. In addition, significant differences expression of extracellular tsRNAs in circulating or cerebrospinal fluid between patients and normal individuals have demonstrated the diagnostic and prognostic value of tsRNAs as biomarkers for liquid biopsy. In this review,we provide a detailed summary of the biogenesis, function, and chemical modification of tsRNAs, focusing on the current status and prospects of research on tsRNAs in neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, glioma, epilepsy, and others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable batteries based on lithium (Li) metal chemistry are attractive for next-generation electrochemical energy storage. Nevertheless, excessive dendrite growth, infinite relative dimension change, severe side reactions, and limited power output severely impede their practical applications. Although exciting progress has been made to solve parts of the above issues, a versatile solution is still absent. Here, a Li-ion conductive framework was developed as a stable "host" and efficient surface protection to address the multifaceted problems, which is a significant step forward compared with previous host concepts. This was fulfilled by reacting overstoichiometry of Li with SiO. The as-formed LixSi-Li2O matrix would not only enable constant electrode-level volume, but also protect the embedded Li from direct exposure to electrolyte. Because uniform Li nucleation and deposition can be fulfilled owing to the high-density active Li domains, the as-obtained nanocomposite electrode exhibits low polarization, stable cycling, and high-power output (up to 10 mA/cm²) even in carbonate electrolytes. The Li-S prototype cells further exhibited highly improved capacity retention under high-power operation (~600 mAh/g at 6.69 mA/cm²). The all-around improvement on electrochemical performance sheds light on the effectiveness of the design principle for developing safe and stable Li metal anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The novel compound XH601 is a synthesized derivative of formononetin. The present study was to investigate the hypolipidemia effect and potential mechanism of XH601. Methods: Male Golden Syrian hamsters were induced by high-fat diet (HFD) for eight weeks and the hyperlipidemic model was established successfully. After XH601 treatment, serum and hepatic biochemistry parameters of hamsters were detected and the effect of XH601 on adipose tissue was also analyzed. Furthermore, 3 T3-L1 cell differentiation by Oil-Red-O staining was observed and the mRNA and protein expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) were measured by qRT-PCR and Western-blot in mature adipocytes. Results: The in vivo results suggest that XH601 significantly decreased the adipose weight and levels of serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), apolipoprotein B (Apo-B), apolipoprotein E (Apo-E), while increased serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C). The in vitro results implied that XH601 up-regulated the mRNA and protein expression of both PPARα and PPARβ/δ in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions: The study suggests that XH601 exhibited strong ability to improve the dyslipidemia in hamsters fed with high-fat diet. The potential mechanism of XH601 was associated with the up-regulation of PPARα and PPARβ/δ mRNA and protein expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arginine methylation is a common posttranslational modification that has been shown to regulate both gene expression and extranuclear signaling events. We recently reported defects in protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) activity and arginine methylation in the livers of cirrhosis patients with a history of recurrent infections. To examine the role of PRMT1 in innate immune responses in vivo, we created a cell type-specific knockout mouse model. We showed that myeloid-specific PRMT1 knock-out mice demonstrate higher proinflammatory cytokine production and a lower survival rate after cecal ligation and puncture. We found that this defect is because of defective peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor Iγ (PPARIγ)-dependent M2 macrophage differentiation. PPARIγ is one of the key transcription factors regulating macrophage polarization toward a more anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving phenotype. We found that PRMT1 knock-out macrophages failed to up-regulate PPARIγ expression in response to IL4 treatment resulting in 4-fold lower PPARIγ expression in knock-out cells than in wild-type cells. Detailed study of the mechanism revealed that PRMT1 regulates PPARIγ gene expression through histone H4R3me2a methylation at the PPARIγ promoter. Supplementing with PPARIγ agonists rosiglitazone and GW1929 was sufficient to restore M2 differentiation in vivo and in vitro and abrogated the difference in survival between wild-type and PRMT1 knock-out mice. Taken together these data suggest that PRMT1-dependent regulation of macrophage PPARIγ expression contributes to the infection susceptibility in PRMT1 knock-out mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast to the stable dinitrogen molecule, white phosphorus (P4) and yellow arsenic (As4) are very reactive allotropic modifications of these two heavier pnictogen elements, which has greatly hampered the study of their properties and applications. Thus, the safe storage and transport of them is imperative. Supramolecular caged structures are one of the most efficient approaches for the encapsulation and stabilization of reactive species; however, their use in the P4 and As4 chemistry is very rare. In the current work, we demonstrate a new design strategy for constructing finite cages and including guests based on anion coordination chemistry. The phosphate-coordination-based tetrahedral cages can readily accommodate the tetrahedral guests P4 and As4, which is facilitated by the shape and size complementarity as well as favorable σ-π and lone-pair-π interactions. Moreover, the latter case represents the first example of As4 inclusion in a well-defined tetrahedral cage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a two-dimensional material with high charge carrier mobility, graphene may offer ultrahigh sensitivity in biosensing. To realize this, the first step is to functionalize the graphene. This is commonly done by using 1-pyrenebutyric acid (PBA) as a linker for biomolecules. However, the adsorption of PBA on graphene remains poorly understood despite reports of successful biosensors functionalized via this route. Here, the PBA adsorption on graphene is characterized through a combination of Raman spectroscopy, ab initio calculations, and spectroscopic ellipsometry. The PBA molecules are found to form a self-assembled monolayer on graphene, the formation of which is self-limiting and Langmuirian. Intriguingly, in concentrated solutions, the PBA molecules are found to stand up and stack horizontally with their edges contacting the graphene surface. This morphology could facilitate a surface densely populated with carboxylic functional groups. Spectroscopic analyses show that the monolayer saturates at 5.3 PBA molecules per nm2 and measures 0.7 nm in thickness. The morphology study of this PBA monolayer sheds light on the π-π stacking of small-molecule systems on graphene and provides an excellent base for optimizing functionalization procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amyloid-β plaques and oxidative stress are the major hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. Our previous study found that the heme-Aβ complex enhanced the catalytic effect of free heme on protein tyrosine nitration in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and nitrite (NO2 -). Y10 in Aβ could be the first target to be nitrated. We also found that nitration of Aβ1-40 significantly decreased its aggregation. However, a contrary report showed that nitration of Aβ1-42 by peroxynitrite enhanced its aggregation. To rule out the interference of peroxynitrite caused Aβ oxidation, we used synthetic Y10 nitrated Aβ1-42 to study the influence of Y10 nitration on Aβ1-42's aggregation and cytotoxicity in this study. We confirmed that Aβ1-42 could be nitrated in the presence of H2O2, NO2 -, and heme by dot blotting. CD spectroscopy showed an increase of β-sheet structure of Aβ1-42 and its mutants. The thioflavin T (ThT) flourescence assay revealed that both nitration and chlorination significantly inhibited Aβ1-42 fibril formation. TEM and AFM observations of Aβ peptide aggregates further confirmed that Y10 modification inhibited Aβ1-42 fibril formation. The cytotoxicity study of native and modified Aβ peptides on SH-SY5Y cells revealed that nitration of Aβ1-42 remarkably decreased the neurotoxicity of Aβ1-42. On the basis of these results, we hypothesized that nitration of Y10 may block the π-π stacking interactions of Aβ1-42 so that it inhibit its aggregation and neurotoxicity. More importantly, considerable evidence suggested that the levels of nitrite plus nitrate significantly decreased in the brain of AD patients. Thus, we believe that these findings would be helpful for further understanding the function of Aβ in AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The open reading frame (ORF) of hAPOA1 was inserted into the prokaryotic expression vector pGEX-T-1 to construct the recombinant plasmid pGEX-4T-1-hAPOA1, which was then transformed into Escherichia coli strain BL21. The expression of target fusion protein was induced with isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). The purified fusion protein in inclusion bodies was used to immunize New Zealand white rabbits to prepare hAPOA1 antiserum and the antibody titer was detected with indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ID-ELISA). ID-ELISA and Western Blot proved that rabbit polyclonal antibody with a high titer of 1:40 000 was produced, which may bring considerable economic benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to obtain appropriate parameters for an advanced pressurized water reactor (PWR) unit model is of great significance for power system analysis. The attributes of that ability include the following: nonlinear relationships, long transition time, intercoupled parameters and difficult obtainment from practical test, posed complexity and difficult parameter identification. In this paper, a model and a parameter identification method for the PWR primary loop system were investigated. A parameter identification process was proposed, using a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm that is based on random perturbation (RP-PSO). The identification process included model variable initialization based on the differential equations of each sub-module and program setting method, parameter obtainment through sub-module identification in the Matlab/Simulink Software (Math Works Inc., Natick, MA, USA) as well as adaptation analysis for an integrated model. A lot of parameter identification work was carried out, the results of which verified the effectiveness of the method. It was found that the change of some parameters, like the fuel temperature and coolant temperature feedback coefficients, changed the model gain, of which the trajectory sensitivities were not zero. Thus, obtaining their appropriate values had significant effects on the simulation results. The trajectory sensitivities of some parameters in the core neutron dynamic module were interrelated, causing the parameters to be difficult to identify. The model parameter sensitivity could be different, which would be influenced by the model input conditions, reflecting the parameter identifiability difficulty degree for various input conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]