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Reprograming of chromatin structures and changes in gene expression are critical for plant male gamete development, and epigenetic marks play an important role in these processes. Histone variant H3.3 is abundant in euchromatin and is largely associated with transcriptional activation. The precise function of H3.3 in gamete development remains unclear in plants. Here, we report that H3.3 is abundantly expressed in Arabidopsis anthers and its knockout mutant h3.3–1 is sterile due to male sterility. Transcriptome analysis of young inflorescence has identified 2348 genes downregulated in h3.3–1 mutant, among which 1087 target genes are directly bound by H3.3, especially at their 3ʹ ends. As a group, this set of H3.3 targets is enriched in the reproduction-associated processes including male gamete generation, pollen sperm cell differentiation and pollen tube growth. The function of H3.3 in male gamete development is dependent on the Anti-Silencing Factor 1A/1B (ASF1A/1B)-Histone regulator A (HIRA)-mediated pathway. Our results suggest that ASF1A/1B-HIRA-mediated H3.3 deposition at its direct targets for transcription activation forms the regulatory networks responsible for male gamete development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FOXO1 (FKHR) gene, as a transcription factor, plays a vital role in animal growth and development, participating in many biological processes. The aim of this study was to ascertain Insertion/deletions (Indels) polymorphism within bovine FoxO1 gene in 679 Chinese adult cows and associate them with stature traits. Two Indels (named as Indel-3 and Indel-4, recorded as rs383545622 and rs525318770 in NCBI, respectively) were successfully genotyped by the Once PCR method, which was reliable, rapid and cost effective for simultaneous detection of two or more Indels. Indel-3 and Indel-4 were located at the second intron. All four different haplotypes (H1: D3D4, H2: I3D4, H3: D3I4, H4: I3I4) could be identified, and the D (del-) allele, DD (del-/del-) genotype and D3D4 haplotype retained the highest frequency. However, individuals with DI (D3I3, D4I4 or H1H4/H2H3 genotype) showed significantly better phenotypic traits than those with the other genotypes in Nanyang cattle, showing a hybrid vigor. The results implied that this DI genotype can be applied to early selective breeding to improve the productivity of Nanyang cattle. Our results suggested that these two Indels within the bovine FoxO1 gene might be used as genetic markers for marker-assisted selection (MAS) in cattle breeding and genetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, conditioned particle image velocimetry (CPIV) has attracted much attention for flame front extraction. It is an economical and straightforward technique because the flame front can be obtained simply from Mie-scattering images. In the current work, Mie-scattering and hydroxyl planar laser-induced fluorescence (OH-PLIF) measurements were taken simultaneously to study the applicability of CPIV under conditions with varying equivalence ratios, and the reliable working range of the CPIV method and the source of bias were clarified quantitatively. The premixed dimethyl ether (DME)/air flames stabilized on a two-dimensional bluff body were tested. It is found that the accuracy of the CPIV method worsens as the equivalence ratio decreases. The bias of CPIV is supposed to be related to the flame structure and aerodynamics. The extraction deviation in the upstream region for the stable flames is more significant than that in the downstream area due to the intensified interaction between the shear layer and flame near the bluff body. However, for the flames approaching the lean blow-off (LBO), the bias in the upstream part is smaller than that in the downstream area, which is related to the "back-support" of the hot recirculation zone (RZ). In addition, the difference between the results obtained by CPIV and OH-PLIF is usually the preheat layer of flame and concave-wrinkled location of OH-PLIF filled with CH2O radicals, especially under conditions close to the LBO, which can be used to estimate the spatial distribution of CH2O. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In this work, we identified that the miR-183/96/182 cluster was highly expressed in bovine embryonic muscle; meanwhile, it widely existed in other organizations. Functional assays indicated that the miR-183/96/182 cluster targets the FoxO1 gene to regulate the proliferation and differentiation of bovine myoblasts. Muscle development is an important factor affecting meat yield and quality and is coordinated by a variety of the myogenic genes and signaling pathways. Recent studies reported that miRNA, a class of highly conserved small noncoding RNA, is actively involved in regulating muscle development, but many miRNAs still need to be further explored. Here, we identified that the miR-183/96/182 cluster exhibited higher expression in bovine embryonic muscle; meanwhile, it widely existed in other organizations. Functionally, the results of the RT-qPCR, EdU, CCK8 and immunofluorescence assays demonstrated that the miR-183/96/182 cluster promoted proliferation and differentiation of bovine myoblast. Next, we found that the miR-183/96/182 cluster targeted FoxO1 and restrained its expression. Meanwhile, the expression of FoxO1 had a negative correlation with the expression of the miR-183/96/182 cluster during myoblast differentiation. In a word, our findings indicated that the miR-183/96/182 cluster serves as a positive regulator in the proliferation and differentiation of bovine myoblasts through suppressing the expression of FoxO1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hospitalization-associated acute kidney injury (AKI), affecting one-in-five inpatients, is associated with increased mortality and major adverse cardiac/kidney endpoints. Early AKI risk stratification may enable closer monitoring and prevention. Given the complexity and resource utilization of existing machine learning models, we aimed to develop a simpler prediction model. Methods: Models were trained and validated to predict risk of AKI using electronic health record (EHR) data available at 24 h of inpatient admission. Input variables included demographics, laboratory values, medications, and comorbidities. Missing values were imputed using multiple imputation by chained equations. Results: 26,410 of 209,300 (12.6%) inpatients developed AKI during admission between 13 July 2012 and 11 July 2018. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was 0.86 for Random Forest and 0.85 for LASSO. Based on Youden's Index, a probability cutoff of >0.15 provided sensitivity and specificity of 0.80 and 0.79, respectively. AKI risk could be successfully predicted in 91% patients who required dialysis. The model predicted AKI an average of 2.3 days before it developed. Conclusions: The proposed simpler machine learning model utilizing data available at 24 h of admission is promising for early AKI risk stratification. It requires external validation and evaluation of effects of risk prediction on clinician behavior and patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive investigation was conducted to explore the adsorption behaviors of CH 4 over N 2 on ultra-microporous Al/Zr-FDCA frameworks, which were synthesized specifically using the eco-friendly and bio-sourced 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). Characterization results revealed that both Al-FDCA and Zr-FDCA exhibited similar specific surface area and surface groups, leading to comparable methane uptake per-unit mass at atmospheric pressure. However, the presence of Zr nodes generated ultra-micropores around 0.43 nm in size, leading to a pronounced affinity for CH 4. Zr-FDCA demonstrated a higher CH 4 /N 2 selectivity (8.90) calculated from the isotherms compared to Al-FDCA (3.86). Furthermore, breakthrough experiments indicated that under the same dynamic conditions, Zr-FDCA exhibited 1.5 times higher CH 4 uptake per unit volume and 2.5 times higher CH 4 /N 2 selectivity when compared to Al-FDCA. Initially, a four-step VPSA process was simulated to investigate the separation of CH 4 /N 2 mixture, in which the effects of feed-gas flow rate, adsorption time, adsorption pressure, and desorption pressure in VPSA cycle were extensively evaluated to enhance the purity and recovery of methane. Subsequently, a six-step process was employed for further optimization, achieving a purity of 95.9 % and a recovery of 99.1 %. The obtained results demonstrated the reliability of the established model and highlighted the significant potential of Zr-FDCA for CH 4 /N 2 separation. [Display omitted] • Ultra-microporous Al/Zr-FDCA MOFs with bio-sourced ligand synthesized for nature gas upgrading. • Zr-FDCA exhibits an excellent CH 4 /N 2 selectivity of 9.0, as 2.3 times as that of Al-FDCA at 298 K and 1 bar. • Dynamic CH 4 uptake and selectivity of per unit volume Zr-FDCA are 1.5 and 2.5 times as those of Al-FDCA. • Zr nodes had a significant impact on the pore size distribution and adsorption strength with methane. • CH 4 recovery and purity of the optimized six-step VPSA cycle reach 95.9 % and 99.1 % for Zr-FDCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A comprehensive stiffness model of intermediate bearing is presented. • A reduced model of dual rotor-bearing-casing coupling system is developed. • The effects of typical parameters on the vibration of the system are discussed. • The mechanism of the comprehensive stiffness and system vibration is revealed. This paper focuses on the vibrational properties of a dual rotor-casing coupled system with nonlinear clearance in the intermediate bearing, considering both the oil film stiffness and Hertzian contact stiffness between rolling elements and raceways. A comprehensive stiffness model for the intermediate bearing has been developed based on elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) and Hertz contact theory. Subsequently, a dynamical model of the dual rotor-bearing-casing system is established using the finite element method, thereby verifying the feasibility of simulating the casing with beam elements. The dimensionality of the system equation is reduced using the fixed-interface component mode synthesis (CMS) method, and the resulting reduced-dimensionality equation is solved using the improved Newmark- β method. The effects of casing support, rotational speed, and radial clearance on the vibration characteristics of the system are investigated. Then, the comprehensive stiffness and coupled vibration characteristics of the system are analyzed to elucidate its intrinsic mechanism. Finally, the contact characteristics within the intermediate bearing under dynamic load are also studied. The results indicate that the support stiffness of the casing has a more significant impact on the second resonance caused by both the inner and outer rotors. The system is prone to experiencing varying compliance (VC) resonance at low rotational speeds. The excessive bearing clearance leads to complex vibrational characteristics of the system, making it challenging to predict its motion. The impact of minor changes in stiffness on system vibration is small when the comprehensive stiffness is large. At this time, the limited effect of oil film stiffness allows it to be disregarded in terms of comprehensive stiffness. Furthermore, the speed significantly influences the contact characteristics within the intermediate bearing under the unbalanced force of the rotor and gravity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, clinical intravesical instillation chemotherapy has been greatly compromised by the toxicological and physiological factors. New formulations that can specifically and efficiently kill bladder cancer cells are in urgent need to overcome the low residence efficiency and dose limiting toxicity of current ones. The combination of mucoadhesive nanocarriers and cancer cell selective prodrugs can to great extent address these limitations. However, the insignificant endogenous stimulus difference between cancer cells and normal cells in most cases and the high local drug concentration make it essential to develop new drugs with broader selectivity-window. Herein, based on the statistically different NQO1 expression between cancerous and normal bladder tissues, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) activatable epirubicin prodrug and highly potent NQO1 substrate, KP372–1, was co-delivered using a GSH-responsive mucoadhesive nanocarrier. After endocytosis, epirubicin could be promptly activated by the NQO1-dependent ROS production caused by KP372–1, thus specifically inhibiting the proliferation of bladder cancer cells. Since KP372–1 is much more potent than some commonly used NQO1 substrates, for example, β-lapachone, the cascade drug activation could occur under much lower drug concentration, thus greatly lowering the toxicity in normal cells and broadening the selectivity-window during intravesical bladder cancer chemotherapy. [Display omitted] • Mucoadhesive nanoparticles enhanced the adhesion and penetration of drugs in bladder; • KP372–1 activated epirubicin prodrug in cancer cells through NQO1-dependent way; • Dual-drug loaded nanoparticles selectively killed cancer cells and exempted normal cells; • Prodrug nanoparticles caused significant tumor inhibition and negligible side effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Increasing the bluff-body temperature by 200 K can extend the lean blowoff (LBO) limit by up to 6.5 %. • The higher bluff-body temperature has limited effects on the velocity field. However, the flame brush thickness, the flame wrinkling ratio, and turbulent flame speed will be changed, leading to a more stable flame. • Based on the probability density functions (PDFs) of the vorticity and strain rate on the flame front, the flame front in the case of higher bluff-body temperature can survive with larger flame strain rates, and the occurrence of the local extinctions can be reduced. In flames stabilized by a two-dimensional (2D) bluff body, the lean blowoff (LBO) limit can be extended by increasing the bluff-body temperature, which is verified experimentally in premixed dimethyl ether (DME)/air flames in this work. Two bluff-body temperatures of 573 K and 773 K are tested, respectively. High-speed OH* chemiluminescence (CL) imaging is applied to record the spatial distribution of the heat release. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) and OH planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) are performed simultaneously to explore the flow field and the combustion characteristics. Based on the results of OH*-CL, the heat release of the area near the bluff body is strengthened in the case of higher bluff-body temperature, and the enhanced chemical reactivity will further influence the downstream area. The turbulent flame speed obtained by OH-PLIF is increased in the entire area of interest. Due to the higher velocity gradient adjacent to the bluff body in the upstream region (y < 35 mm), the flame surface density (FSD), brush thickness, and flame wrinkling ratio are not sensitive to the bluff-body temperature. However, in the downstream region (y > 35 mm), a noticeable change can be found in these three parameters due to a higher turbulent flame speed and a much lower velocity gradient. Based on the PIV results, a limited effect on the velocity field by increasing the bluff-body temperature by 200 K. Furthermore, the probability density functions (PDF) of the vorticity and strain rate on the flame front are computed. The results indicate that the enhanced flame stability leads to a more pronounced overlapping between the flame front and the high-vorticity region, further increasing the values of these two parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eukaryotic genomes are transcribed by at least three RNA polymerases, RNAPI, II, and III. Co-transcriptional R-loops play diverse roles in genome regulation and maintenance. However, little is known about how R-loops regulate transcription interference, the transcriptional event that is caused by different RNA polymerases transcribing the same genomic templates. Here, we established that the intragenic transfer RNA (tRNA) genes can promote sense R-loop enrichment (named intra-tR-loops) in Arabidopsis thaliana , and found that intra-tR-loops are decreased in an RNAPIII mutant, N UCLEAR R NA P OLYMERASE C , SUBUNIT 7 (nrpc7-1). NRPC7 is co-localized with RNAPIIS2P at intragenic tRNA genes and interferes with RNAPIIS2P elongation. Conversely, the binding of NRPC7 at intragenic tRNA genes is increased following inhibition of RNAPII elongation. The transcription of specific tRNA host genes is inhibited by RNAPIII, and the inhibition of tRNA host genes is intra-tR-loop dependent. Moreover, alleviating the inhibition of tRNAPro-induced intra-tR-loops on its host gene AtNUDX1 promotes oxidative stress tolerance in A. thaliana. Our work suggests intra-tR-loops regulate host gene expression by modulating RNA polymerases interference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) has developed into the third leading cause of cancer-associated death worldwide. Studies have confirmed that circular RNAs (circRNAs) absorb microRNAs (miRNAs) to regulate the function of downstream genes. This study aimed to explore the underlying mechanism of circRNA 100146 in CRC. The expression of circRNA 100146, miRNA 149 (miR-149), and high mobility group AT-Hook 2 (HMGA2) was detected by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). A series of biofunctional effects (cell viability, apoptosis, migration/invasion) were evaluated by the use of methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT), flow cytometry, and transwell assays. Protein levels were measured by Western blot assay. A xenograft model was established for in vivo experiments. The interactions among circRNA 100146, miR-149, and HMGA2 were evaluated by dual-luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation assays, or RNA pulldown assay. circRNA 100146 was upregulated in CRC tissues and cells. circRNA 100146 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, promoted apoptosis, and suppressed migration and invasion in vitro and impeded tumor growth in vivo. Also, miR-149 was negatively regulated by circRNA 100146 and was targeted to HMGA2 and mediated its expression. Moreover, miR-149 interference abrogated the activities of silenced circRNA 100146 in proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, HMGA2 overexpression abated the effects described above caused by circRNA 100146 silencing, while the mutations on miR-149 binding sites in the 3′ untranslated region (3′-UTR) of HMGA2 led to its loss of this ability. circRNA 100146 knockdown repressed proliferation, enhanced apoptosis, and hindered migration and invasion in SW620 and SW480 cells through targeting the miR-149/HMGA2 axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• G5 (DUB inhibitor) affected Type I IFNs and NF-□B signaling induced by poly(I:C). • G5 (DUB inhibitor) affected NEMO ubiquitination induced by poly(I:C). • DUB gene differential expression induced poly(I:C) was analyzed in THP-1 cell. • New DUBs were screened as regulators in antiviral signaling. Type I interferons (IFNs) play a central role in host defense against viral infection. Multiple posttranslational modifications including ubiquitination and deubiquitination regulate the function of diverse molecules in type I IFN signaling. Many ubiquitin ligase enzymes, such as those of the TRAF and TRIM families, have been shown to participate in the production of type I IFNs and inflammatory cytokines. However, the function of deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs), a protein family that counteracts the action of protein ubiquitination, on the regulation of antiviral immune responses is not well understood. In this study, we used the broad-spectrum DUB inhibitor G5 to reveal their function in antiviral signaling, and then systematically analyzed mRNA expression of the DUB genes upon poly (I:C) treatment in THP-1 cells. Based on this analysis, we cloned some DUB genes whose expression changed and determined their function in antiviral signaling. Taken together, we present a comprehensive DUB gene expression analysis in THP-1 cells, and suggest the involvement of this family of proteins in the regulation of host antiviral activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A MAPbI 3 layer was deposited on a mesoporous TiO 2 layer via electrochemical deposition. • These perovskite layers were made into mesoporous PSCs without annealing. • No high voltage pulse was needed. A uniform CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 layer was successfully deposited on a mesoporous TiO 2 layer (mp-TiO 2) via a two-step low-voltage room-temperature electrochemical deposition method without annealing. The deposited perovskite crystals were applied to cover a surface mp-TiO 2 electron transport material and fill the nanoscale blank of mp-TiO 2. A mesoporous electron transport material and a platinum sheet were used as working and counter electrodes, respectively. The obtained film was then utilized to fabricate a mesoporous hybrid perovskite solar cell (PSC) with the configuration of a fluorine-doped tin oxide/compact TiO 2 /mp-TiO 2 /perovskite/Spiro-OMeTAD/Au electrode. An efficiency of 15% was achieved by adjusting Pb and MAI deposition and by using champion cells with an active area of 2 mm × 2 mm at 1 sun under an AM 1.5 condition. The perovskite layers and PSCs were analyzed through several characterization methods. Results demonstrated that this deposition technology could be applied to easily control the morphological characteristics of perovskite layers. Thus, a high power conversion efficiency was obtained. This study proposed a possible perovskite deposition process and demonstrated that electrochemical deposition could have potential for application in PSC fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemotherapy is the standard of care for bladder cancer after transurethral resection of the tumor. However, the rapid excretion of clinically used formulations of anticancer drugs make the common intravesical instillation chemotherapy far from efficient. Therefore, improving the muco-adhesion and penetrability of chemotherapeutic drugs became the key factors in the post-surgery treatment of superficial bladder cancers. Here, a reduction sensitive vehicle was developed to deliver the reactive oxygen species activated prodrug of gambogic acid for treatment of orthotopic bladder cancer. The positively charged chitosan can significantly enhance the adhesion and permeability of prodrug within the bladder wall. Moreover, by utilizing the different glutathione and ROS level between cancer cells and normal cells, the dual responsive nanoparticle can selectively and rapidly deliver drug in bladder cancer cells, and thus can significantly inhibit the proliferation of bladder cancer cells in an orthotopic superficial bladder cancer model without causing damage to normal cells. This work demonstrates that the smart prodrug nanomedicine may act as a promising drug-delivery system for local chemotherapy of bladder cancer with unprecedented clinical benefits. Unlabelled Image • Mucoadhesive nanoparticles enhanced the retention of drugs in bladder. • The positive nature improved the penetration of nanoparticles inside urothelium. • ROS- and redox- dual responsive nanoparticles selectively killed cancer cells. • Prodrug nanoparticles caused significant tumor inhibition and negligible side effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whether continuous intraoperative nerve monitoring (C-IONM) can further reduce the incidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury compared with intermittent intraoperative nerve monitoring (I-IONM) in high-risk thyroid surgery is still controversial. This observational study aimed to evaluate the incidence of vocal cord paralysis (VCP) in high-risk thyroid surgeries performed with I-IONM and C-IONM. High-risk thyroid surgical patients operated with I-IONM or C-IONM by the same group of surgeons in the thyroid surgery department of our institution between January 2014 and February 2018 were analyzed. Differences in the incidence rates of temporary and permanent VCP between the two groups were compared. A P -value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 344 patients who underwent high-risk thyroid surgery (550 nerves at risk [NARs]) were observed, with 238 patients (374 NARs) operated with I-IONM and 106 patients (173 NARs) operated with C-IONM. The incidence of temporary and permanent VCP was 1.9% (7/374) and 0.8% (3/374) in the I-IONM group and 1.2% (2/173) and 0% (0/173) in the C-IONM group, respectively, showing no statistical difference (P = 0.726 and P = 0.555). The incidence rate of impending recurrent laryngeal nerve injuries successfully prevented in the C-IONM group was 5.2% (9/173). Both I-IONM and C-IONM are equally safe and effective in high-risk thyroid surgery. C-IONM can help predict impending recurrent laryngeal nerve injury in real time and has a good warning feature, thereby minimizing critical maneuvers in high-risk thyroid surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The low pre‐ and intraoperative diagnostic rates in follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) often lead to inadequate surgical resection and necessitate further completion surgery. Therefore, the preoperative prediction of FTC in thyroid nodules is essential. Design and Patient: Patients were categorized into two data sets: the modelling data set, which included 3649 patients admitted to our centre between January 2014 and December 2016, and the validation data set, which included 1253 patients admitted between January and December 2017. Patient data from the FTC and non‐FTC groups were initially included in a modelling data set to establish a preoperative prediction model. This model was subsequently employed in a validation data set for external validation of the predictive value. The positivity rate for FTC predicted by the model was compared with that of the intraoperative frozen sections. Results: The preoperative serum thyroglobulin level, nodule diameter, calcification status, solidity and blood supply were selected as predictors for the model. The regression equation was as follows: Y = 0.010 × (thyroglobulin level) + 0.556 × (nodule diameter) + 0.675 × (calcification status) + 2.355 × (nodule component) + 1.072*(blood flow) − 9.787. The model positively predicted FTC at values of Y ≥ −4.11. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratio of the prediction model were 89.2%, 90.2%, 87.7%, 39.2 and 0.11, respectively. External validation of the model demonstrated acceptable results. The positive prediction rate of the model was 90.7% (78/86), which was significantly higher than that of the intraoperative frozen sections (10.5% [9/86]; P < 0.0001). Conclusions: We successfully established and validated a simple and reliable preoperative prediction model for FTC using the preoperative thyroglobulin level and ultrasonographic features of the thyroid nodules. This model may improve the preoperative evaluation of FTC in clinical settings and facilitate the development of a reasonable surgical programme for FTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference in surgical outcomes between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) and between patients with high serum calcium and those with normal blood calcium, as well as to explore the epidemiological trend of PHPT in northern China. Methods. Clinicopathologic data of 197 patients (50 men and 147 women) with PHPT who underwent surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from 2008 to 2017 were analyzed. Changes in clinicopathology were compared among different subgroups of patients. Patients were categorized into subgroups based on serum calcium levels, whether or not they presented with symptoms, and admission time. Results. Of the total patients, 82.23% had hypercalcemic primary hyperparathyroidism (HCPHPT), 17.77% had normocalcemic primary hyperparathyroidism (NCPHPT), 45.18% had symptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism (SPHPT), and 54.82% had asymptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism (ASPHPT). Seventy-seven cases of PHPT involved thyroid nodules, with 22 confirmed as papillary thyroid carcinoma, and 29 confirmed as nodular goiter. There was no significant difference in the success rate of surgery, postoperative recurrence rate, and the symptoms of temporary hypocalcemia between the HCPHPT and NCPHPT groups, and between the SPHPT and ASPHPT groups. The incidence of PHPT has increased threefold since 2013. Conclusions. Symptoms and serum calcium levels did not affect the results of surgical treatment for PHPT. The incidence of PHPT in northern China is increasing. Moreover, PHPT manifestation has shifted from the symptomatic to the asymptomatic form. Thyroid surgery should be performed in PHPT patients with thyroid nodules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Associations between leisure sedentary behavior (especially leisure screen time, LST) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have been reported, but causality is unclear. Here, the two-sample Mendelian randomization was performed to investigate the causal association between LST and IBS. Two recently published genome-wide association studies (GWASs) including a total of 1,190,502 people from Europe were used as our data source. Inverse variance weighting (OR = 1.120, 95% CI 1.029–1.219) and weighted median (OR = 1.112, 95% CI 1.000–1.236) analyses revealed a causal effect between LST and IBS. There was no evidence of pleiotropy in the sensitive analysis (MR-Egger, p = 0.139). After removing potentially confounding single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), similar results were found using inverse variance weighting (OR = 1.131, 95% CI 1.025–1.248) and weighted median (OR = 1.151, 95% CI 1.020–1.299), as well as in the validation analyses using inverse variance weighting (OR = 1.287, 95% CI 0.996–1.662). This study provided support for a possible causal relationship between leisure screen time and IBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intron retention (IR), the most prevalent alternative splicing form in plants, plays a critical role in gene expression during plant development and stress response. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying IR regulation remain largely unknown. Results: Knockdown of SDG725, a histone H3 lysine 36 (H3K36)-specific methyltransferase in rice, leads to alterations of IR in more than 4700 genes. Surprisingly, IR events are globally increased at the 5′ region but decreased at the 3′ region of the gene body in the SDG725-knockdown mutant. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing analyses reveal that SDG725 depletion results in a genome-wide increase of the H3K36 mono-methylation (H3K36me1) but, unexpectedly, promoter-proximal shifts of H3K36 di- and tri-methylation (H3K36me2 and H3K36me3). Consistent with the results in animals, the levels of H3K36me1/me2/me3 in rice positively correlate with gene expression levels, whereas shifts of H3K36me2/me3 coincide with position-specific alterations of IR. We find that either H3K36me2 or H3K36me3 alone contributes to the positional change of IR caused by SDG725 knockdown, although IR shift is more significant when both H3K36me2 and H3K36me3 modifications are simultaneously shifted. Conclusions: Our results revealed that SDG725 modulates IR in a position-specific manner, indicating that H3K36 methylation plays a role in RNA splicing, probably by marking the retained introns in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumor and has high mortality worldwide. microRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in carcinogenesis. Previous studied showed that miR-215 was involved in tumorigenesis and progression. This study was designed to clarify the biological function of miR-215 in GC. Methods qRT-PCR was used to detect the miR-215 expression in GC tissues and 6 human GC cell lines (AGS, SGC-7901, NCI-N87, GES-1, MKN-45 and BGC-823) as well. Transwell assay was used to investigate the biological function of miR-215 in GC. Luciferase reporter assay was used to confirm its effect on the regulation of the target gene Retinoblastoma tumor suppressor gene 1 ( RB1 ). Results miR-215 was frequently up-regulated in GC tissues compared to adjacent non-tumor tissues and GC cell lines. miR-215 expression level was correlated with the progression of tumor invasion and tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage. Over-expression miR-215 in GC cell lines promoted cell migration and invasion. Besides, miR-215 could down-regulate the expression of RB1 in vitro via directly binding to its 3′-untranslated region (UTR), while the expression of RB1 would suppress the miR-215-indueced GC cell migration and invasion. Conclusions miR-215 promoted cell migration and invasion of gastric cancer by directly targeting RB1 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Associations between leisure sedentary behavior (especially leisure screen time, LST) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have been reported, but causality is unclear. Here, the two-sample Mendelian randomization was performed to investigate the causal association between LST and IBS. Two recently published genome-wide association studies (GWASs) including a total of 1,190,502 people from Europe were used as our data source. Inverse variance weighting (OR = 1.120, 95% CI 1.029–1.219) and weighted median (OR = 1.112, 95% CI 1.000–1.236) analyses revealed a causal effect between LST and IBS. There was no evidence of pleiotropy in the sensitive analysis (MR-Egger, p = 0.139). After removing potentially confounding single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), similar results were found using inverse variance weighting (OR = 1.131, 95% CI 1.025–1.248) and weighted median (OR = 1.151, 95% CI 1.020–1.299), as well as in the validation analyses using inverse variance weighting (OR = 1.287, 95% CI 0.996–1.662). This study provided support for a possible causal relationship between leisure screen time and IBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromatin-based epigenetic information plays an important role in developmental gene regulation, in response to environment, and in natural variation of gene expression levels. Histone H3 lysine 4 di/trimethylation (H3K4me2/3) is abundant in euchromatin and is generally associated with transcriptional activation. Strikingly, however, enzymes catalyzing H3K4me2/3 remain poorly characterized in crops so far., Here, we investigated the function of the rice SET DOMAIN GROUP 701 ( SDG701) gene by molecular and biochemical characterization of the gene product, and by studying effects of its loss or gain of function on plant growth and development., We demonstrated that SDG701 encodes a methytransferase specifically catalyzing H3K4 methylation. Overexpression and knockdown experiments showed that SDG701 is crucial for proper sporophytic plant development as well as for gametophytic transmission that directly impacts rice grain production. In-depth analysis of plant flowering time revealed that SDG701 promotes rice flowering under either long-day or short-day photoperiods. Consistently, the SDG701 protein was found to bind chromatin to promote H3K4me3 and to enhance expression of the rice Hd3a and RFT1 florigens., Collectively, our results establish SDG701 as a major rice H3K4-specific methyltransferase and provide important insights into function of H3K4me3 deposition in transcription activation of florigens in promoting plant flowering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The superhydrophobic coating directed by Fenton reaction and silane coupling, which are endowed with antithrombotic and anti-bacterial adhesion properties. [Display omitted] • A anti-fouling coating directed by Fenton activation and siloxane coupling. • The method was facile and applicable to a variety of substrates. • The superhydrophobic surface exhibited excellent anticoagulation, anti-bacterial adhesion and long-term stability. Blood-contacting devices, including vascular stents, catheters and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), often lead to complications such as thrombosis, inflammation and infections, resulting in implantation failure and adverse events in clinical applications. In this study, a facile and universal antifouling coating with superhydrophobic properties was proposed to improve the contacting interface for combating thrombosis and bacterial infections. The fabrication of the coating was based on Fenton reaction and silane coupling. Oxidative groups were introduced after Fenton activation and topological structure was constructed on the surface by silane coupling agents, and fluoride was used for modification. The obtained superhydrophobic coatings appeared as compact and uniform nanofibers that possessed good resistance to protein adsorption and platelet adhesion, while the thrombus formation was inhibited. In addition, the adhesion of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was effectively prevented, which potentially delayed the formation of biofilm and reduced the risk of infections. The coating was applicable to a variety of substrates (polymer, non-metallic inorganic and metallic) and the superhydrophobic properties were preserved after immersion in PBS for 28 days, indicating that it was a promising antithrombotic and antibacterial candidate for modification of medical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at alleviating the difficulties of extracting vanadium from high-carbon stone coal and solving the relevant pollution problem, a new synergetic and cleaner method combining concentration of vanadium with clean utilization of carbon was proposed and corroborated. Firstly, Fe 2 O 3 , acting as the source for the catalytic of carbon gasification and the capturer of vanadium, was added to the raw ore. Then, the carbon within the raw ore was gasified by water vapor at 800–900 °C under the catalysis of reducing product of Fe 2 O 3 (Fe 3 O 4) to generate synthesis gas (CO + H 2), and subsequently the vanadium dispersive occurred in the ore was captured by Fe 3 O 4 at 1100–1200 °C under Ar atmosphere to form Fe x V 3-x O 4. Finally, the Fe x V 3-x O 4 phase was separated magnetically, and a high-grade vanadium concentrate was obtained. The experimental results show that the Fe 3 O 4 effectively promoted the gasification rate and ratio of carbon. When 10 mass% Fe 2 O 3 relative to raw ore was added and roasted at 850 °C for 2 h, the gasification ratio of carbon increased by 26%. The gasification ratio of carbon could reach up to 90.2%. Besides, the Fe 3 O 4 could react with the V3+ components to form magnetic V-rich phase, Fe x V 3-x O 4 , and the vanadium concentrate was obtained by magnetic separation. Under the optimal conditions, the vanadium concentrate with a metallic vanadium content of 6.35 mass% was obtained by magnetic separation, which was 23.5 times higher than the raw ore. The recovery ratio of vanadium reached 85.6%. • A synergetic method for cleaner utilization of high-carbon stone coal is proposed. • Fe 2 O 3 acts as the source for the catalytic of C gasification and the capturer of V. • Water vapor is used to gasify carbon, and CO and H 2 can be formed at 800–900 °C. • Magnetic V-rich phase can be formed at 1200 °C and extracted by magnetic separation. • C/V in the raw ore can be cleanly and synergistically utilized by one-step roasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Iron existed in the form of excluded minerals in Zhundong coal was found. • The spherical particles in the raw coal were the main source of the coal ash. • The slagging mechanism of high iron Zhundong coal on water-wall was proposed. Due to the wide region of Zhundong mining area, the coal properties of different mines are quite different. In this paper, a Zhundong coal containing red and cyan spherical particles (named as RP and CP) which can be observed by naked eye was studied. To better understand the characteristics of coal and spherical particles, the raw coal with spherical particles was directly ground for density classification, and then ashed. Besides, the raw coal was also separated according to the macroscopic appearance, and then the separated samples were ground and then burned at different temperature. The results showed that 91.57% of the coal mass was contained in classes with density less than 1.50 g/cm3, but the ash mass only occupied 46.74% of the total ash mass. On the contrary, the mass ratio of pulverized coal which density greater than 1.50 g/cm3 was occupied 8.43%, but its ash content was more than half of the total ash content. Iron was the main element in CP and RP ashes, but there was still a high iron content (reached 6.58%) in the ash of the coal without CP and RP. Finally, the slagging mechanism of high iron Zhundong coal on water-wall during combustion process was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Post-crosslinking of BHVs was done by aminated zwitterionic copolymers (PM(PCLA)). • The anticoagulation of BHVs can be mediated by PM(PCLA) with different Mw. • Modified BHVs presented enhanced anticoagulation, anti-calcification, and stability. • Modified BHVs could be stored in glutaraldehyde solution like commercial valves. Glutaraldehyde cross-linked pericardium (GLUT), mostly used in Bioprosthetic heart valves (BHVs) clinically, still has problems of valve thrombus, cytotoxicity, and calcification. Although many new crosslinking approaches have been explored to obtain certain biological achievements, their clinical applications are still some way off, which might be ascribed to the limitations of preservation and sterilization. In this study, a novel post-crosslinking of GLUT was developed using a zwitterionic copolymer. The copolymer imitating the molecular structure of phospholipids was composed of the copolymerization of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC), N-(3-Aminopropyl) methacrylamide hydrochloride (APMA), and Lauryl methacrylate (LMA). With the introduction of primary amines, the zwitterionic copolymer could be effectively utilized in the post-crosslinking of GLUT. Meanwhile, the anticoagulation properties of valve leaflets could be adjusted by combining aminated zwitterionic copolymers with different molecular weights. The valve leaflets modified with aminated zwitterionic copolymer not only maintained original mechanical property and structural integrity, but also significantly improved the long-term anti-coagulation and stability in vitro and ex vivo. The subcutaneous implantation confirmed that the modified leaflets possessed great resistance to calcification along with reduced inflammatory response. Besides, the modified leaflets could be further stored in glutaraldehyde solution (a storage formula for commercial valves) and still retained great anti-coagulant and anti-calcification properties. The study demonstrated a better clinical potential of the modified leaflets via the post-crosslinking of glutaraldehyde treated leaflets with the aminated zwitterionic copolymer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the combustion process of Zhundong coal, many factors had obvious influence on slagging process. In this paper, the influence of particle system on slag formation and shedding process was evaluated. Two slags were sampled at two CFBBs super heaters which temperatures were similar and the ash particles size and concentration were different. The collected slags were separated, and the inner layer was analyzed by XRF, XRD, and Nano-CT. The results suggested that the area ratio of particles smaller than 2 μm to the region area was above 80% in each region, indicating that the inner layer was dominated by fine particles. Furthermore, the proportion of particles decreased in each region of two slags with the increase of particle size. The influence of particle system on the slag formation and shedding process was proposed. The accumulation of small particles was the cause of slag formation, while large particles had great influence on slag shedding. The presence of large particles increased the porosity and reduced the contact area between particles, the binding force between the particles was weaker than that between particles and tubes. Therefore, the fracture location of two slags was different, which made the internal surface presented different appearances. • The effect of ash particle size in gas on slagging and shedding was studied in CFBB. • The 3D structure of the slag was reconstructed by the Nano-CT technology firstly. • The large particles in slag weakened the binging force between ash particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gasification and combustion are two common methods for Zhundong (ZD) coal utilization. In the present study, it was intended to investigate the thermal transformation of Na in ZD coal at the Lurgi fixed bed gasifier (Lurgi) and circulating fluidized bed boiler (CFBB). To this end, raw coal samples before gasification and gasified slags were gathered from Lurgi, and the raw coal before combustion, burned slag, and fly ash were collected from CFBB. The occurrence form of Na was analyzed by extraction experiments, and the samples were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma‐optical emission spectrometry (ICP‐OES), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The obtained results revealed that insoluble Na in Lurgi slag exceeded 90% under the high‐pressure gasification process. It was found that the high temperatures and high in Lurgi intensify the conversion of sodium to Na2Ca3Si2O8 and NaAlSiO4. The performed analyses revealed that the insoluble Na content in CFBB slag and fly ash was above 92%, and Na2SiO3 and NaAlSi3O8 were the main sodium minerals in CFBB solid residue. It was found that 76.64% of the initial Na content of raw coal in Lurgi migrated into slag after the gasification process, which was 7.05% higher than the sum of slag and fly ash in CFBB after combustion. During the sodium thermal transformation in Lurgi and CFBB, high pressures significantly reduce the release of gaseous Na from coal ash so more Na was retained in slag. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective separation of inert gas such as Xe and Kr from used nuclear fuel is significant for maintaining ecological environment safety and recycling nuclear fuel. In this study, Al-CDC and Al-BDC with similar linear ligands were synthesized to reveal the influence of ligand regulation on Xe separation under different pressure conditions. The results displayed that the adsorption capacity of Al-BDC for Xe could reach 2.66 mmol g-1 under normal pressure, which is 1.11 times higher than that of Al-CDC, depending on its higher specific surface area and bigger pore volume. On the contrary, the Xe adsorption capacity of Al-CDC with the feature of narrow micropore structure and saturated C-H or oxygen-containing functional groups reached 1.44 mmol g−1 at 0.1 bar, which was 2.82 times higher than that of Al-BDC, resulting in a remarkable difference in Xe working capacity between Al-CDC (0.43 mmol g−1) and Al-BDC (0.073 mmol g−1) through dynamic breakthrough experiments. Meanwhile, the Henry's selectivity of Al-CDC for Xe/Kr and Xe/N 2 was up to 13.97 and 110.31, Compared with most porous adsorbents in previous reports, Al-CDC exhibits both high adsorption capacity and high selectivity. Innovatively, we analyzed the advantage in capacity and selectivity by the perspective of ligands, and the calculation results of the complete cell also proved that the saturated C-H group and benzene ring center on cyclohexane are the main adsorption sites of Al-CDC and Al-BDC for Xe, respectively. Therefore, a higher polar ligand in Al-CDC could lead to strong static binding energy and single cell binding energy which attribute to a high selective Xe adsorption. These results revealed the key structural characteristics for selective Xe adsorption under different pressure conditions, providing valuable suggestions for the design of separation materials from spent fuel. [Display omitted] ● Xe selective adsorption mechanism is proposed via experimental and quantum analyses. ● Higher specific surface area promotes Xe adsorption at normal pressure. ● Narrow channel is crucial to improve the London force effect on Xe at low pressure. ● Saturated C-H groups and high polarity profitably enhance Debye interactions for Xe. ● Carboxyl group and aromatic ring are attractive to Xe for CDC and BDC, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Remimazolam is a novel ultrashort-acting intravenous benzodiazepine sedative-hypnotic. The combination of remimazolam and sevoflurane does not increase respiratory sensitivity, produce bronchospasm, or cause other adverse conditions. We aimed to observe the effects of different remimazolam doses on the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of sevoflurane at end-expiration during laryngeal mask insertion and evaluate the effect of sex on the efficacy of the combination of remimazolam on the suppression of laryngeal mask insertion in adult patients. Methods: We included 240 patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia with elective placement of a laryngeal mask (120 males and 120 females). The patients were randomly divided into four groups according to sex: a control group (randomization for female patients, RF0; randomization for male patients, RM0) and three remimazolam groups (RF1, RM1 / RM2, RF2 / RM3, RF3), with 30 patients in each group. Induction was established by vital capacity rapid inhalation induction (VCRII), using 8% sevoflurane and 100% oxygen (6 L/min) in all patients. The (RF1, RM1), (RM2, RF2), and (RM3, RF3) groups were continuously injected with remimazolam at doses of 1, 1.5, and 2.0 mg/kg/h, respectively, while the (RM0, RF0) group was injected with an equal volume of normal saline. The end-expiratory concentration of sevoflurane was adjusted to a preset value after the patient's eyelash reflex disappeared. After the end-expiratory concentration of sevoflurane was kept stable for at least 15 min, the laryngeal mask was placed, and the patient's physical response to the mask placement was observed immediately and within 30 s of placement. The MAC of sevoflurane was measured using the up-and-down sequential method of Dixon. Results: The calculated MAC of end-expiratory sevoflurane during laryngeal mask insertion in adult females was (2.94 ± 0.18)%, (2.69 ± 0.16)%, (2.32 ± 0.16)% and (1.83 ± 0.15)% in groups RF0, RF1, RF2 and RF3; (2.98 ± 0.18)%, (2.80 ± 0.19)%, (2.54 ± 0.15)% and (2.15 ± 0.15)% in male groups RM0, RM1, RM2 and RM3, respectively. The MAC values were significantly lower in the (RF1-RF3, RM1-RM3) group when compared to the (RF0, RM0) group. There was no significant difference between (RF0, RF1) and (RM0, RM1), but the MAC value of the RF2-RF3 group was significantly lower than that of the RM2-RM3 group. Conclusions: Remimazolam can effectively reduce end-expiratory sevoflurane MAC values during laryngeal mask placement in adults. When remimazolam was measured above 1.5 mg/kg/h, the effect of inhibiting laryngeal mask implantation in female patients was stronger than that in male patients. Remimazolam at a dose of 1–2 mg/kg/h combined with sevoflurane induction can be safely and effectively used in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a long and narrow corridor, the installation of roof smoke blocking structures is a measure to slow down the spread of fire smoke. When employing multiple smoke blocking structures, the spacing between these structures is a critical parameter that needs to be considered for optimal effectiveness. This paper analyzes the smoke blocking performance of double structures at different spacing and measures the smoke flow velocity both upstream and downstream of the double structures. According to the analysis of the smoke velocity vector obtained from numerical simulation, the smoke can be divided into three zones based on the flow state of the smoke after passing through the front smoke screen structure, namely the vortex zone, surge wave zone, and steady flow zone. When the rear smoke screen is located in the surge zone, the smoke blocking effect is optimal. Analysis of the morphology of the smoke layer indicates that the length of the vortex region is directly proportional to the upstream smoke flow velocity. The numerical and experimental results both indicate that an excessively large or small spacing between the structures fails to achieve optimal smoke control effectiveness. When the spacing is within an optimal range, the smoke velocity is the lowest. Finally, using a real architectural corridor as a case background, this paper presents a design example of roof smoke blocking structures. In order to arrange as many smoke blocking structures as possible, an appropriate spacing between the structures should be slightly larger than the vortex region. The smoke control effectiveness of multiple roof structures was validated through numerical simulation. As a result, the time required for smoke to pass through the corridor increases by 110 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A detailed experimental study of ethanol spray swirling flames was performed in an axial bluff body stabilized burner. The characteristics of the non-reacting and reacting sprays were recorded by particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) and planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) of the OH radical. A few typical flames with different structures (outer-side-flame-lifting, stable, and near-blow-off) were compared and analyzed. The parameters of the spray, including the spray half-angle (α) and droplet number density (nd), are quantified, and it has been found the flame structure and stability were strongly correlated with the droplet distribution. Several parameters of the flow field, such as velocity magnitude ( | U | vorticity (ωz), and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), are quantitively analyzed, and it is observed that the local strain rate rose as the air flow rate increased, which is not conducive to local flame stability. Regarding the flame, quantities such as progress variable (), flame height (Lf), lift–off height (hlf), and symmetry factor (Snd and S) are calculated, and it can be observed that the flame symmetry keeps worsening when approaching blow–off, and the inner flame branch exhibits a worse stabilization than the outer one. Our comprehensive investigations offer a deeper understanding of stable combustion in such two–phase flames. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In animals, H3K4me2 and H3K4me3 are enriched at the transcription start site (TSS) and function as epigenetic marks that regulate gene transcription, but their functions in plants have not been fully characterized. Results: We used chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing to analyze the rice genome-wide changes to H3K4me1/H3K4me2/H3K4me3 following the loss of an H3K4-specific methyltransferase, SDG701. The knockdown of SDG701 resulted in a global decrease in H3K4me2/H3K4me3 levels throughout the rice genome. An RNA-sequencing analysis revealed that many genes related to diverse developmental processes were misregulated in the SDG701 knockdown mutant. In rice, H3K4me3 and H3K36me3 are positively correlated with gene transcription; however, surprisingly, the H3K4me2 level was negatively associated with gene transcription levels. Furthermore, the H3K4me3 level at the TSS region decreased significantly in the genes that exhibited down-regulated expression in the SDG701 knockdown mutant. In contrast, the genes with up-regulated expression in the mutant were associated with a considerable decrease in H3K4me2 levels over the gene body region. Conclusion: A comparison of the genome-wide distributions of H3K4me2 in eukaryotes indicated that the H3K4me2 level is not correlated with the gene transcription level in yeast, but is positively and negatively correlated with gene expression in animals and plants, respectively. Our results uncovered H3K4me2 as a novel repressive mark in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme environmental changes threaten plant survival and worldwide food production. In response to osmotic stress, the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) activates stress responses and restricts plant growth. However, the epigenetic regulation of ABA signaling and crosstalk between ABA and auxin are not well known. Here, we report that the histone variant H2A.Z -knockdown mutant in Arabidopsis Col-0, h2a.z-kd , has altered ABA signaling and stress responses. RNA-sequencing data showed that a majority of stress-related genes are activated in h2a.z-kd. In addition, we found that ABA directly promotes the deposition of H2A.Z on SMALL AUXIN UP RNA s (SAUR s), and that this is involved in ABA-repression of SAUR expression. Moreover, we found that ABA represses the transcription of H2A.Z genes through suppressing the ARF7/19–HB22/25 module. Our results shed light on a dynamic and reciprocal regulation hub through H2A.Z deposition on SAUR s and ARF7/19–HB22/25-mediated H2A.Z transcription to integrate ABA/auxin signaling and regulate stress responses in Arabidopsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The non-noble metal-based catalysts has been widely studied for two-electron (2e-) oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and exhibited the excellent 2e- ORR performance in alkaline condition, especially. However, these catalysts are rarely studied at neutral chloride medium. Herein, we synthesized metal oxide nanoparticles supported reduced graphene oxide composites (M x O y /rGO) by adding the precursors of metal salts (Zn, Mn, Co and Fe) and graphene oxide (GO) through a facile lyophilization-pyrolysis strategy. ZnO/rGO exhibits a well 2e- ORR catalytic activity, corresponding to a high 80% H 2 O 2 selectivity and preferable stability in 0.5 M NaCl solution, whereas the M x O y /rGO (M= Mn, Co and Fe) presents even lower selectivity than reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The results suggest that ZnO promotes the 2e- ORR, and the metal oxide (M= Mn, Co and Fe) conducive to 4e- ORR. Interesting finding, the results of rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) show that chloride ion in the electrolyte promote the H 2 O 2 selectivity of 2e- ORR. These findings provide a promising candidate material for 2e- ORR in neutral chloride environment and valuable insights for future research on seawater-based H 2 O 2 electrosynthesis. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The surface hydroxyl groups play an important role on enhancing silicone rubber. • The dispersion of silica in composites increases as the hydroxyl number decreases. • More water is absorbed when the hydroxyl number increases. • More hydroxyl can improve the interactions between silica and rubber. Silica is one of the best reinforcing fillers for silicone rubber due to its similar structure to the main chain of silicone rubber and abundant surface hydroxyl groups. However, for the role of surface hydroxyl groups in reinforcement, there are many conflicting conclusions. This paper combines experiments and molecular dynamics calculations to illustrate that the reinforcing mechanism of the hydroxyl group is two-sided. Firstly, at 30 phr, the tensile strength increases from 6.34 ± 0.47 MPa to 8.40 ± 0.37 MPa as the number of hydroxyl groups decreases; the Payne effect decreases, and the bound rubber content increases from 25.7% to 34.0%, and the filler-rubber interfacial interaction increases; molecular dynamics calculations show that as the number of hydroxyl groups increases, (I) the interaction forces between the silica particles increase, inhibiting their dispersion in the silicone rubber; (II) physical-adsorption water increases and the strength of the rubber-filler interfacial interaction decreases, reducing the reinforcing effect. Secondly, as the amount of silica added gradually reduces, the difference in tensile strength between Silica (13.1 OH/nm2) /SR composites and A200 (4.5 OH/nm2) /SR composites decreases. At 5 phr, the tensile strength of Silica-5 phr is 0.95 ± 0.07 MPa, which is higher than that of A200-5 phr, 0.87 ± 0.19 MPa; the bound rubber content and the filler-rubber interfacial interaction of Silica-5 phr are higher than A200-5 phr; molecular dynamics calculations show that the strength of the filler-rubber interfacial interaction increases gradually with increasing hydroxyl groups for similar dispersion states. This paper would help design more desirable silica structures with a highly branched structure and multiple hydroxyl groups as an ideal reinforcing agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accumulation of lipid droplets (LDs) in hepatocytes is the main pathogenesis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is also the key risk factor for the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). LDs behaviors are demonstrated to be associated with HCC advancement, and are tightly regulated by a subset protein localized on the surface of LDs. However, the role of LDs-localized protein in HCC has been rarely investigated. This study is focused on the transcriptional dynamic and prognostic value of LDs-localized protein in HCC. Firstly, we summarized the known LDs-localized proteins, which are demonstrated by immunofluorescence according to previous studies. Next, by the use of GEPIA/UALCAN/The Human Protein Atlas databases, we screened the transcriptional change in tumor and normal liver tissues, and found that 13 LDs-localized proteins may involve in the progression of HCC. Then we verified the transcriptional changes of 13 LDs-localized proteins by the use of HCC samples. Moreover, based on the assays of fatty liver of mice and human NAFLD liver samples, we found that the hepatic steatosis mainly contributed to the transcriptional change of selected LDs-localized proteins, indicating the involvement of these LDs-localized proteins in the negative role of NAFLD in HCC progression. Finally, we focused on the role of PLIN3 in HCC, and revealed that NAFLD status significantly promoted PLIN3 transcription in HCC tissue. Functional studies revealed that PLIN3 knockdown significantly limited the migration and chemosensitivity of hepatoma cells, suggesting the positive role of PLIN3 in HCC progression. Our study not only revealed the transcriptional change and prognostic value of lipid droplet-localized proteins in HCC, but also built the correlation between HCC and hepatic steatosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Associations have been demonstrated between fertility drugs and a variety of hormone-sensitive carcinomas. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between fertility drugs used in the treatment of female infertility and the risk of thyroid cancer. To investigate the clinical significance of fertility drugs used for the treatment of female infertility and the risk associated with thyroid cancer, we performed a literature search using PubMed, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, the Web of Science, and EBSCOHOST for comparative studies published any time prior to July 21, 2017. The studies included women who were treated for infertility with fertility drugs, such as clomiphene citrate, gonadotropins, or other unspecified fertility agents, which reported the incidence of thyroid cancer as the main outcome. Eight studies were included in the meta-analyses. Among women with infertility, there was a significant positive association between thyroid cancer risk and the use of fertility drugs (relative risk [RR] = 1.35; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12–1.64; P=0.002). Additionally, among women with infertility, the use of clomiphene citrate was associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer compared to women who did not use fertility drugs (RR = 1.45; 95% CI 1.12–1.88; P=0.005). After pooling results, we found that the parity status of infertile women using fertility drugs was not associated with thyroid cancer risk (RR = 0.99; 95% CI 0.61–1.58, P=0.95). In summary, clomiphene citrate (the most commonly used fertility drug) and other fertility drugs are associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metamaterials usually require that the unit size a should be comparable to the wavelength λ . Although the λ / a relationship could tell us what size of unit we need and which method we should choose for the fabrication, it limits the application of metamaterials in the kHz and MHz frequency range, as the unit size would be on the order of 10 2 m, making the overall size of the metamaterial too large for practical application. In this paper, we firstly demonstrate that the λ / a relationship limitation could be overcome by a new kind of composite, which we have called carbon-based ‘meta-composite’. A SiO 2 matrix with periodic microstructure is fabricated by using self-assembly of SiO 2 microspheres, and amorphous carbon fills in the gaps to form a three-dimensional periodic carbon network. The experimental results indicate that the carbon network will introduce tunable electromagnetic properties, which could be precisely tailored by controlling the geometric size of the carbon network. It is worth pointing out that the unit size of the periodic carbon network is on the sub-micrometre level, but the wavelength is on the order of 10 2 m. This means that the meta-composite overcomes the λ / a relationship limitation in the kHz and MHz frequency range, which shows great potential for the miniaturization of electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Rice whole-genome duplication leads to alterations of phenotypes, gene transcriptions, 3D chromatin structures and DNA methylation. • Three-dimensional (3D) chromatin architectures including chromatin compartments and topologically associating domains (TADs) are uncorrelated with gene transcription upon rice genome duplication. • The first study to reveal the mechanism regarding the disconnection between 3D genome architecture and gene transcription. • Hypermethylated transposable elements (TEs) suppress the role of 3D chromatin structure in modulating gene transcription upon rice genome duplication. Polyploidy is a major force in plant evolution and the domestication of cultivated crops. The study aimed to explore the relationship and underlying mechanism between three-dimensional (3D) chromatin organization and gene transcription upon rice genome duplication. The 3D chromatin structures between diploid (2C) and autotetraploid (4C) rice were compared using high-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) analysis. The study combined genetics, transcriptomics, whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS-seq) and 3D genomics approaches to uncover the mechanism for DNA methylation in modulating gene transcription through 3D chromatin architectures upon rice genome duplication. We found that 4C rice presents weakened intra-chromosomal interactions compared to its 2C progenitor in some chromosomes. In addition, we found that changes of 3D chromatin organizations including chromatin compartments, topologically associating domains (TADs), and loops, are uncorrelated with gene transcription. Moreover, DNA methylations in the regulatory sequences of genes in compartment A/B switched regions and TAD boundaries are unrelated to their expression. Importantly, although there was no significant difference in the methylation levels in transposable elements (TEs) in differentially expressed gene (DEG) and non-DEG promoters between 2C and 4C rice, we found that the hypermethylated TEs across genes in compartment A/B switched regions and TAD boundaries may suppress the expression of these genes. The study proposed that the rice genome doubling might modulate TE methylation to buffer the effects of chromatin architecture on gene transcription in compartment A/B switched regions and TAD boundaries, resulting in the disconnection between 3D chromatin structure alteration and gene transcription upon rice genome duplication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As for studying the sub-harmonic and super-harmonic periodic motions, eigenvalue dynamics and period-doubling bifurcation tree of the nonlinear rotor system, an implicit discrete mapping method is applied to a nonlinear sliding bearing–rotor system. The nonlinear term of the rotor system is triggered by the oil film forces of the sliding bearing at both ends. In order to accurately reveal the dynamic characteristics of the system, in this paper, a thirteen-parameter polynomial oil film force model is proposed. It considers the effects of displacement and velocity on the oil film force. And, the discrete mapping method used in this paper is a semi-analytical tool for solving equations with high precision. Consequently, continuous eigenvalue diagrams and bifurcation trees of periodic solutions from Period-1 to Period-4 motions of the nonlinear rotor system are obtained. For verification, numerical simulations are completed. Numerical and semi-analytical results are compared in time–history displacement, velocity and trajectories. Furthermore, the active feedback controller is carried out to improve the stability of the system. • An implicit discrete mapping method is applied to a nonlinear sliding bearing–rotor system. • The nonlinear term of the rotor system is triggered by the oil film forces of the sliding bearing at both ends. And, the oil film force model is proposed as a thirteen-parameter polynomial in this paper. • Continuous eigenvalue diagrams and bifurcation trees of periodic solutions from Period-1 to Period-4 motions of the nonlinear rotor system are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type I interferon pathway is a crucial component of innate immune signaling upon pathogen infection or endogenous instability. An imbalance of type I interferon can lead to many diseases, such as autoimmune diseases and inflammatory diseases. Meanwhile, the side effects of clinical drugs on type I interferon signaling may result in impaired outcomes in clinical treatment, especially in cancer immunotherapy which is associated with type I interferon signaling. Here, we found that sorafenib, an FDA-approved drug for HCC chemotherapy, suppresses both DNA- and RNA-sensing mediated type I interferon pathway. Mechanistically, sorafenib treatment induces the autophagic degradation of MAVS, cGAS, TBK1, and IRF3, and attenuates the signaling transduction. In addition, sorafenib also inhibits the recruiting of STING or MAVS with TBK1 and IRF3. This work reveals the negative role of sorafenib in the regulation of type I interferon pathway. Sorafenib treatment is not only a potential drug for autoimmune disease and inflammation diseases, but also needs to be noticed in HCC chemotherapy. • Sorafenib suppresses DNA-sensing mediated type I interferon pathway. • Sorafenib suppresses RLR mediated type I interferon pathway. • Sorafenib induces the autophagic degradation of MAVS, cGAS, TBK1 and IRF3. • Sorafenib blocks the recruiting of STING or MAVS with TBK1 and IRF3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel performance-enhancement strategy for SLGHP geothermal system is proposed. • It relies on arousing inter-layer groundwater crossflow in reservoirs of multi-aquifers. • A numerical model is developed to describe and study the enhanced SLGHP system. • Effects of related parameters are comprehensively studied. The super-long gravity heat pipe (SLGHP) is a novel down-hole heat exchanger (DHE), which is in fast-developing and extremely suitable for deep-earth geothermal energy exploitation. The SLGHP itself has very high heat transfer coefficient, making the poor heat transfer capability of the surrounding geothermal formulations become the bottleneck constraining the overall performance of the SLGHP geothermal system. Inspired by the enhancing effect of the flowing groundwater in the aquifers on the thermal performance of the traditional DHE system, the present work proposes a heat transfer enhancement strategy based on arousing inter-layer crossflow in wellbore-connected multi-aquifers for the SLGHP geothermal system. A detailed numerical study is conducted to examine the effects of key parameters like the permeability and thickness of aquifers, the distance and pressure difference between aquifers. It is found that: i) a larger aquifer permeability leads to larger heat extraction rate of the SLGHP, but the heat extraction rate increment decreases due to the marginal effect when the aquifer permeability is larger than 10−12 m2; ii) a larger pressure difference improves the heat extraction of the SLGHP, the groundwater flow pattern from the deep to the shallow aquifers rather than the reversed pattern is found to be more beneficial due to the geothermal gradient; iii) the distance between aquifers shows a composite impact on the heat extraction performance of the SLGHP. A larger distance not only enlarges the heat transfer area between the SLGHP and the groundwater, but also creates an impeding effect on the heat uptake of SLGHP from the geothermal formation owing to the presentence of temperature-lowered groundwater in the flow path ending-part in the wellbore. In addition, the aquifer's thickness is found to have great impacts on the SLGHP heat extraction rate, and the "cask" effect may be encountered when the thickness difference between the connected aquifers is considerably large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large number of blood contacting implantable devices are used worldwide annually. Acellular matrix (AM), as one of the blood-contacting materials, has achieved a great success, since it remains the structures, components and certain functions of extracellular matrix. However, AM often fails during the period of service owing to non-ideal anticoagulation, severe inflammatory responses and poor mechanical properties. Herein, we specially prepared a newly designed tailored recombinant humanized collagen type III (rhCOLIII) that effectively removed the binding site to platelets while retaining cytocompatibility. In this study, a radical-polymerization-crosslinked decellularized porcine pericardium (DPP) with rhCOLIII and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) through one-pot method was designed as artificial heart valves. Due to the introduction of rhCOLIII, the anticoagulation properties were dramatically improved with fewer platelets adhesion and less thrombogenesis. The mechanical properties of the novel heart valve (rhCOLIII/GMA-DPP) were significantly enhanced through radical polymerization crosslinking. Furthermore, experiments in vivo and vitro showed the inflammatory responses were moderately reduced. In conclusion, this study provides a simple strategy for functional crosslinking AM in blood-contacting implantable devices and shows possibilities for real application. [Display omitted] • rhCOLIII possess both affinity for endothelial cells and anticoagulation property. • A simply radical polymerization crosslinking method for acellular matrix. • Functional crosslinked acellular matrix with rhCOLIII performs well as heart valves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ischemia‐reperfusion injury (IRI) is considered an inherent component of organ transplantation that compromises transplant outcomes and organ availability. The ischemia‐free liver transplantation (IFLT) procedure has been developed to avoid interruption of blood supply to liver grafts. It is unknown how IFLT might change the characteristics of graft IRI. Methods: Serum and liver biopsy samples were collected from IFLT and conventional liver transplantation (CLT) recipients. Pathological, metabolomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics analyses were performed to identify the characteristic changes in graft IRI in IFLT. Results: Peak aspartate aminotransferase (539.59 ± 661.76 U/L versus 2622.28 ± 3291.57 U/L) and alanine aminotransferase (297.64 ± 549.50 U/L versus 1184.16 ± 1502.76 U/L) levels within the first 7 days and total bilirubin levels by day 7 (3.27 ± 2.82 mg/dl versus 8.33 ± 8.76 mg/dl) were lower in the IFLT versus CLT group (all p values < 0.001). The pathological characteristics of IRI were more obvious in CLT grafts. The antioxidant pentose phosphate pathway remained active throughout the procedure in IFLT grafts and was suppressed during preservation and overactivated postrevascularization in CLT grafts. Gene transcriptional reprogramming was almost absent during IFLT but was profound during CLT. Proteomics analysis showed that "metabolism of RNA" was the major differentially expressed process between the two groups. Several proinflammatory pathways were not activated post‐IFLT as they were post‐CLT. The activities of natural killer cells, macrophages, and neutrophils were lower in IFLT grafts than in CLT grafts. The serum levels of 14 cytokines were increased in CLT versus IFLT recipients. Conclusions: IFLT can largely avoid the biological consequences of graft IRI, thus has the potential to improve transplant outcome while increasing organ utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical device infections have now become the major burden of healthcare, and particular administration of combating bacterial infections is of significance. In this work, robust nanoparticles-stacked superhydrophilic coatings were established through the rapid oxidation, cross-linking and aggregation of dopamine in the presence of sodium periodate. The robust superhydrophilicity was achieved and maintained due to the hydrophilic chemical components together with the micro/nano topological structure stacked by nanoparticles, resulting in an impressive nonfouling performance for proteins adsorption. Moreover, due to the presence of aromatic catechol moieties, antibiotics (e.g. norfloxacin and cephalexin) were deposited into the superhydrophilic coating in situ, by π-π stacking/hydrophobic interactions, endowing the surface with antibacterial ability. Interestingly, the superhydrophilic coatings showed a safe and effective antibacterial ability in a low dose-dependent manner because of the nonfouling platform supported killing and releasing of bacteria. The in vivo cutaneous wound healing evaluation in rats further demonstrated the synchronous effect of anti-infection and promoting wound healing. Such superhydrophilicity supported nonfouling platform was believed to open a new window to modify biomedical devices combined with wound healing and antibacterial properties. A robust mussel-inspired superhydrophilic coating was constructed due to the contribution of hydrophilic surface groups and nanoparticles-stacked rough surface topography. The water shield layer of superhydrophilic coating could effectively prevent the contact between protein and coating resulting in impedance protein. With the construction of antifouling platform in advance, along with the embedding of antibacterial agents, the synergistic enhanced antibacterial ability was also obtained with the 'release killing' model. Meanwhile, due to excellent antibacteria, anti-inflammatory ability, and cytocompatibility, the superhydrophilic coating modified wound dressing further demonstrated the ability of promoting tissue healing and regeneration on the bacterial-infected wound area. [Display omitted] • The stepwise deposition of PDA induced a robust superhydrophilic coating. • The superhydrophilic PDA/antibiotic coating was assembled with hydrophilic nanoparticles. • Suppressed protein adhesion/activation contributed to the anti-inflammatory property. • PDA/NOR and PDA/CEP coatings had an effective antibacterial ability in a low dosage-dependent manner. • A synergistic anti-bacterial and enhanced wound healing function was obtained on PDA/NOR and PDA/CEP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioprosthetic heart valves are commonly applied in heart valve replacement, while the effectiveness is limited by inflammation, calcification and especially thrombosis. Surface modification is expected to endow the biological valves with versatility. Herein, a multi-in-one strategy was established to modify biological valves with long-term antithrombogenicity and sequentially enhanced endothelialization triggered by glucose, in which the direct thrombin inhibitor rivaroxaban (RIVA)-loaded nanogels were embedded and the detachable polyethylene glycol (PEG) was grafted. These two anticoagulant strategies were connected by glucose oxidase (GOx), which catalyzed the oxidation of glucose to produce hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) and local acidic environment. The generated H 2 O 2 stimulated H 2 O 2 -responsive nanogels release RIVA to obtain continuous antithrombogenicity. Meanwhile, PEG was attached to the surface via pH-sensitive bonds, which prevented thrombus formation by resisting the serum proteins and platelets adhesion at the initial stage of material/blood contact. Sequentially, PEG gradually peeled off under the local weak acidic environment, which ultimately resulted in the endothelialization enhancement. Within such multi-in-one strategy, the biological valve leaflets induced long-term anticoagulant performance, gradually enhanced endothelialization and improved tissue affinity, including anti-calcification and anti-inflammation, indicating the potential of the response sequence matching between materials and tissues after implantation, which might improve performance of biological heart valves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A series of octahedral Pt x Cu 1-x nanocrystals were successfully prepared. • Pt 40 Cu 60 shows excellent sensitization properties compared to Pt. • Pt 40 Cu 60 -SnO 2 can distinguish the breath of healthy people and diabetic ketosis patients. The alloying of Pt with a cheap metal, tailoring structures and compositions are significantly important to boost the utilization and catalytic performance of Pt catalysts in catalytic reactions. Here, small-size monodispersed octahedral Pt x Cu 1-x nanocrystals (NCs) with adjustable components were successfully prepared by a simple solvothermal method and the reaction mechanism was analyzed. The alloying of Pt and Cu not only reduces the loading of Pt, but also obtains better catalytic activity due to the synergy between heterogeneous atoms. Pt x Cu 1-x NCs are loaded on SnO 2 nanoclusters by rapid thermal annealing (RTA), which were first applied to semiconductor metal oxide (SMO) -based gas sensors. By adjusting the composition of the nanocrystals, the sensing material Pt 40 Cu 60 -SnO 2 with the best gas sensing performance is obtained. More importantly, Pt 40 Cu 60 -SnO 2 can significantly distinguish the exhaled breath of healthy people and diabetic ketosis (DK) patients, and achieve effective auxiliary detection of DK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Synergistic path planning of multi-UAVs among sailing vessels for the air pollution inspection. • Develop a dynamic multi-objective TSP model. • A heuristic algorithm based on improved PSO is proposed to determine the path reprogramming time in dynamic environment by judging and cutting the "minimal loop". • Experimental results show that our proposed method can efficiently solve the problem. The phenomena of the COVID-19 outbreak and the Arctic Iceberg melting over the past two years make us reconsider the impact our way of life has on the environment and the responsibility of business toward minimizing and potentially eliminating emissions. Increasing ship traffic in ports leads to the growing emission of air pollutants, which influences the air quality and public health in the surrounding areas. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted relevant regulations (e.g., Annex VI of IMO's pollution prevention treaty (MARPOL) and mandatory energy-efficiency measures) to address ship emissions. To ensure the effective implementation of such regulations and measures, air emission detection and monitoring has become crucial. In this paper, a dynamic multitarget path planning model is developed to realize multi-UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) performing synergistic detection of ship emissions in ports. A path planning algorithm under a dynamic environment is developed to establish the model. This algorithm incorporates a Tabu table into particle swarm optimization (PSO) to improve its optimization ability, and it obtains the initial detection route of each UAV based on a "minimum ring" method. This paper describes a multi-UAVs synergistic algorithm to formulate the path reprogramming time in a dynamic environment by judging and cutting the "minimum ring". This finding proves the improved efficiency of air pollution detection by UAVs. It provides useful insights for maritime and port authorities to detect ship emissions in practice and to ensure ship emission reduction for better air quality in the postpandemic era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]