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This paper proposes the double-endplates replaceable beam-column joint (DEBJ) based on the seismic design concept of replaceable beam. Compared to the common extended endplate bolted joint (CEBJ), the DEBJ is easy to be connected and replaced after earthquakes, and it can achieve plastic hinge outward movement in steel frame. Due to double endplates and different failure modes, the current moment-rotation models for CEBJ cannot be used for DEBJ. Therefore, based on the classical model used for traditional endplate joints, a theoretical moment-rotation model for DEBJ is developed, and the calculation methods on ultimate bending moment and initial rotational stiffness are deduced. A parametric study is performed for DEBJ based on a test-validated finite element (FE) model developed in this paper. The predicted moment-rotation curves calculated from proposed theoretical model is validated by the experimental results on endplate joints and FE results on DEBJ. The results show that the established theoretical model proposed in this paper can predict the moment-rotation relation curves of DEBJ and the common extended endplate bolted joint (CEBJ) accurately, the predicted results by established theoretical model are in good agreement with experimental and FE results according to the comparison. It is revealed that the established model has universality to some extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radical reactions are powerful in the synthesis of diverse molecular scaffolds bearing functional groups. In previous review articles, we have presented 1,2-difunctionalizations, remote 1,3-, 1,4-, 1,5-, 1,6- and 1,7-difunctionalizations, and addition followed by cyclization reactions. Presented in this paper is radical cyclization followed by the second functionalization reaction. The second functionalization could be realized by atom transfer reactions, radical or transition metal-assisted coupling reactions, and reactions with neutral molecules, cationic and anionic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Quantifying the impact of peer pressure on environmental improvements among local governments in China. • Investigating cities ' reaction to declining air quality rankings through regression discontinuity design. • Demonstrating the efficacy of political incentives in combating pollution and the catalytic effect of rankings on policy action. • Assessing the benefits resulting from air pollution reductions using an exposure response function. This paper estimates the impact of peer governmental pressure on air quality using a regression discontinuity design inherent in China's air quality ranking system. Because air quality rankings are important for political evaluations, local officials who witnessed a decline in air quality ranking are motivated to enforce more stringent environmental standards compared to their counterparts with increased rankings. By exploiting this regulatory discontinuity with monthly air quality ranking data from 2012 to 2020 of 169 cities, we find that cities experiencing a lower air quality ranking in the current month compared to the previous month exhibit a subsequent improvement in air quality during the following month, as evidenced by decreased pollutant concentrations. Furthermore, our analysis reveals that in cities where pollutant rankings decline more sharply, officials are less likely to encounter fewer promotion opportunities. Importantly, we observe that the discontinuity in individual pollutant concentrations is not solely influenced by their respective rankings but is also impacted by the overall A ir Q uality I ndex (AQI) ranking. Linking the reduction in air pollutants concentration with the economic benefits, a back-of-the-envelope calculation indicates the decrease in premature deaths due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases amounts to approximately 200 thousand, resulting in an associated economic saving of more than 600 billion Chinese yuan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Malignant cerebral edema (MCE) is a serious complication and the main cause of poor prognosis in patients with large-hemisphere infarction (LHI). Therefore, the rapid and accurate identification of potential patients with MCE is essential for timely therapy. This study utilized an artificial intelligence-based machine learning approach to establish an interpretable model for predicting MCE in patients with LHI. Methods: This study included 314 patients with LHI not undergoing recanalization therapy. The patients were divided into MCE and non-MCE groups, and the eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model was developed. A confusion matrix was used to measure the prediction performance of the XGBoost model. We also utilized the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method to explain the XGBoost model. Decision curve and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were performed to evaluate the net benefits of the model. Results: MCE was observed in 121 (38.5%) of the 314 patients with LHI. The model showed excellent predictive performance, with an area under the curve of 0.916. The SHAP method revealed the top 10 predictive variables of the MCE such as ASPECTS score, NIHSS score, CS score, APACHE II score, HbA1c, AF, NLR, PLT, GCS, and age based on their importance ranking. Conclusion: An interpretable predictive model can increase transparency and help doctors accurately predict the occurrence of MCE in LHI patients not undergoing recanalization therapy within 48 h of onset, providing patients with better treatment strategies and enabling optimal resource allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Yaks (Bos grunniens), prized for their ability to thrive in high-altitude environments, are indispensable livestock in the plateau region. Modifying their feeding systems holds significant promise for improving their growth and meat quality. Tenderness, a key determinant of yak meat quality and consumer appeal, is demonstrably influenced by dietary regimen. Indoor feeding regimes have been shown to enhance tenderness by lowering shear stress and optimizing pH values. CircRNAs, well-known modulators of circulatory function, also play a crucial role in skeletal muscle development across various animal species. However, their functional significance in yak skeletal muscle remains largely unexplored. Results: In this study, we identified a total of 5,534 circRNAs within the longissimus dorsi muscle, and we found 51 differentially expressed circRNAs (20 up-regulated and 31 down-regulated) between the two feeding groups. Constructing a comprehensive ceRNA network illuminated intricate regulatory mechanisms, with PGP and circRNA_0617 converging on bta-miR-2285q, mirrored by KLF15/circRNA_0345/bta-miR-20b and CTSF/circRNA_0348/bta-miR-146a. These findings shed light on the potential of circRNAs to influence yak muscle development and meat quality, offering valuable insights for future research. Conclusions: This investigation unraveled a complex interaction network between circRNAs、mRNAs and miRNAs in yak skeletal muscle. We further elucidated the target genes regulated by these target genes within the network, offering valuable insights into the potential regulatory mechanisms governing muscle development and meat quality-related traits in yaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractYak is an important dominant livestock species at high altitude, and the growth performance of yak has obvious differences under different feeding methods. This experiment was conducted to compare the effects of different feeding practices on growth performance and meat quality of yaks through combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. In terms of yak growth performance, compared with traditional grazing, in-house feeding can significantly improve the average daily weight gain, carcass weight and net meat weight of yaks; in terms of yak meat quality, in-house feeding can effectively improve the quality of yak meat. A combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis revealed 31 co-enriched pathways, among which arginine metabolism, proline metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism may be involved in the development of the longissimus dorsi muscle of yak and the regulation of meat quality-related traits. The experimental results increased our understanding of yak meat quality and provided data materials for subsequent deep excavation of the mechanism of yak meat quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deployment of new energy trucks is a crucial national strategy in China to achieve deep decarbonization in road transport. Although fuel cell trucks and electric tucks are regarded as alternatives to conventional fuel trucks due to the advantage of zero usage emissions, their applicability for each truck type has not been determined. By developing a total cost of ownership analysis, this study dynamically determines the most economical alternative fuel type for each truck type and identifies when the large-scale deployment of new energy trucks is economically achievable. Then, by conducting a life cycle analysis with a localized database, this study quantitively evaluates the green gashouse emission intensities and their possible changes of different types of trucks. Finally, the emission reduction potential in the truck fleet by applying fuel cell and alternative fuel during 2020–2050 is comprehensively evaluated. The main results suggest that electric trucks are economically suitable for mini and light-duty trucks by 2031 and 2026, while fuel cell trucks suit medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks by 2027 and 2032. The application of alternative fuels in the truck fleet could achieve 28% carbon emissions in 2030 and up to 80% in 2050. • Analyzes TCO and GHG for Chinese trucks, identifies new energy types for different trucks. • Electric trucks viable for mini and light-duty by 2031 and 2026, fuel cell for medium and heavy-duty by 2027 and 2032. • Electric trucks emit 11.9–61.4% less GHG than diesel in 2020, expected to exceed 90% by 2050. • Hydrogen costs to decrease, making fuel cell trucks economically viable for heavy-duty transportation. • Study recommends policy measures for new energy trucks, including incentives, infrastructure, and regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radical transformations are powerful in organic synthesis for the construction of molecular scaffolds and introduction of functional groups. In radical difunctionalization reactions, the radicals in the first functionalized intermediates can be relocated through resonance, hydrogen atom or group transfer, and ring opening. The resulting radical intermediates can undertake the following paths for the second functionalization: (1) couple with other radical groups, (2) oxidize to cations and then react with nucleophiles, (3) reduce to anions and then react with electrophiles, (4) couple with metal-complexes. The rearrangements of radicals provide the opportunity for the synthesis of 1,3-, 1,4-, 1,5-, 1,6-, and 1,7-difunctionalization products. Multiple ways to initiate the radical reaction coupling with intermediate radical rearrangements make the radical reactions good for difunctionalization at the remote positions. These reactions offer the advantages of synthetic efficiency, operation simplicity, and product diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Testicular development is a tightly regulated process in mammals. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of yak testicular development will benefit the yak breeding industry. However, the roles of different RNAs, such as mRNA, lncRNA, and circRNA in the testicular development of yak, are still largely unclear. In this study, transcriptome analyses were performed on the expression profiles of mRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs in testis tissues of Ashidan yak at different developmental stages, including 6-months-old (M6), 18-months-old (M18), and 30-months-old (M30). A total of 30, 23, and 277 common differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs were identified in M6, M18, and M30, respectively. Furthermore, functional enrichment analysis showed that the common DE mRNAs during the entire developmental process were mainly involved in gonadal mesoderm development, cell differentiation, and spermatogenesis processes. Additionally, co-expression network analysis identified the potential lncRNAs related to spermatogenesis, e.g., TCONS_00087394 and TCONS_00012202. Our study provides new information about changes in RNA expression during yak testicular development, which greatly improves our understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating testicular development in yaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Nb 2 O 5 nanorods are synthesized with a specific surface area of 166 m2/g. • The dissociative adsorption of amine on Nb 2 O 5 affords a surface complex. • The surface complex can facilitate selective oxidation of amine to imine. • TEMPO+PF 6 − acts as an electron–proton transfer mediator. • Superoxide is the dominant reactive oxygen species. Cooperative photocatalysis has gained increasing interest to better an existing redox reaction with a mediator. Herein, an ingenious system is constructed for the visible light-driven selective oxidation of a variety of amines by merging niobium oxide (Nb 2 O 5) photocatalysis with an electron–proton transfer mediator, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxoammonium hexafluorophosphate (TEMPO+PF 6 −). The visible light-driven dissociative adsorption of amine over Nb 2 O 5 nanorods gives rise to an amine–Nb 2 O 5 complex with a weak response to visible light (λ < 460 nm). With adding 4 mol% of TEMPO+PF 6 −, the conversion of benzylamine over Nb 2 O 5 is approximately 2.5 times that without TEMPO+PF 6 −. The proton and electron transfer between the amine–Nb 2 O 5 complex and TEMPO+PF 6 − is the key to assuring cooperative photocatalysis. Besides, the oxidant dioxygen is predominantly reduced to superoxide anion in affording the imine products. This work highlights it is feasible to ameliorate selective organic conversions over metal oxide photocatalysts with a suited mediator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Normal testicular development is highly crucial for male reproduction and is a precondition for spermatogenesis that is the production of spermatozoa in the testes. MiRNAs have been implicated in several testicular biological processes, including cell proliferation, spermatogenesis, hormone secretion, metabolism and reproductive regulation. In the present study, we used deep sequencing data to study the functions of miRNAs during testicular development and spermatogenesis, by analyzing the expression patterns of small RNAs in 6-, 18- and 30-month-old yak testis tissues. Results: A total of 737 known and 359 novel miRNAs were obtained from 6-, 18- and 30-month-old yak testes. In all, we obtained 12, 142 and 139 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs in 30- vs. 18-, 18- vs. 6-, and 30- vs. 6-month-old testes, respectively. Gene Ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis of all DE miRNA target genes revealed BMP2, TGFB2, GDF6, SMAD6, TGFBR2 and other target genes as participants in different biological processes, including TGF-β, GnRH, Wnt, PI3K–Akt, MAPK signaling pathways and several other reproductive pathways. In addition, quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of seven randomly selected miRNAs in 6-, 18- and 30-month-old testes, and the results were consistent with the sequencing data. Conclusions: The differential expression of miRNAs in yak testes at different development stages was characterized and investigated using deep sequencing technology. We believe that the results will contribute to further understanding the functions of miRNAs in regulating the development of yak testes and improving the reproductive performance of male yaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Normal testicular development plays a crucial role in male reproduction and is the precondition for spermatogenesis. PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are novel noncoding RNAs expressed in animal germ cells that form complexes with PIWI family proteins and are involved in germ cell development, differentiation, and spermatogenesis. However, changes in piRNA expression profiles during early testicular development in yak have not been investigated. In this study, we used small RNA sequencing to evaluate the differences and potential functions of piRNA expression profiles in 6-, 18-, and 30-month-old yak testis tissues. Differential expression analysis found 109, 293, and 336 differentially expressed piRNAs in M30 vs. M18, M18 vs. M6, and M30 vs. M6, respectively, and found 30 common differentially expressed piRNAs in the three groups of M6, M18, and M30. In addition, the functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed piRNAs target genes indicated that they were related to testicular development and spermatogenesis. Finally, we detected the expression of the PIWI protein family in the yak testis at different developmental stages and found that PIWIL1, PIWIL2, PIWIL3, and PIWIL4 were highly expressed in 18- and 30-month-old yak testis and almost not expressed in 6-month-old yak testis. In conclusion, this study summarizes the changes of piRNA expression patterns during the early development of yak testis and provides new clues for the regulatory role of piRNA in yak testis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A portable nanozyme catalysis-powered air-controlled micro-drainage device has been developed. • This device enables sensitive, real-time, and quantitative weighing analysis of H 2 S to assess the freshness of fish. • Based on this device, the detection limit of H 2 S is 0.43 μM. • The reliability and accuracy are comparable with the commercially available H 2 S assay kits. Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), a potential indicator of fish freshness, necessitates the development of rapid quantitative detection methods for ensuring food safety. Nevertheless, most of the current methods for H 2 S detection cannot simultaneously meet the requirements of ease-of-use and quantifiability. In this study, we introduce an innovative quantitative detection method of H 2 S that employs a gas-controlled micro-drainage device with an electronic balance as readout. When H 2 S, a product of fish spoilage, is present, it interacts with Platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs)-catalase nanozyme, affecting their catalytic activity and, subsequently, the weight of overflowed water. This allows for the conversion of H 2 S concentration into a measurable weight change signal. The sensor demonstrates an inverse correlation between the mass of overflowed water and H 2 S concentration (0–50 μM) with a detection limit of 0.43 μM. This device enables sensitive, real-time, and quantitative weighing analysis of H 2 S to assess fish freshness during storage, offering an effective solution to traditional limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corrugated steel plate shear walls (CSPWs) with three different stiffening methods are proposed in this paper, including unstiffened CSPWs (USWs), cross stiffened CSPWs (CSWs) and asymmetric diagonal-stiffened CSPWs (ASWs). A numerical model was established by ABAQUS 6.13 based on the validation of an existing cyclic test on a CSPW. This paper presents an investigation of the lateral performance under monotonic loading, seismic performance under cyclic loading and seismic performance under atmospheric corrosion of USW, CSW and ASW. The results show that (1) Stiffeners can improve the elastic critical buckling load, the initial stiffness and the ultimate shear resistance of CSPWs, and the effect of asymmetric diagonal stiffeners is more significant than that of cross stiffeners; (2) Stiffeners can improve the energy dissipation capacity and ductility, delay stiffness degradation and reduce the out-of-plane deformation of CSPWs, and the hysteretic performance of ASWs is obviously better than that of CSWs; and (3) Under atmospheric corrosion, stiffeners are conducive to inhibiting buckling and improving the seismic performance of CSPWs, while the seismic performance of CSWs is significantly affected by corrosion, so asymmetric diagonal stiffeners are better than cross stiffeners in improving the seismic performance of CSPWs. Meanwhile, the formula of ultimate shear resistance of corroded specimens is also fitted in this paper, which can provide design suggestions for practical engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooperative photocatalysis of 2H1NA-TiO 2 with TEMPO enables the highly selective aerobic oxidation of benzylamines. [Display omitted] Solar photocatalysis is the key to resolve many environmental challenges but is usually hard to achieve over a metal oxide semiconductor. Therefore, assembling π-conjugated molecules onto semiconductors becomes an efficient approach to solar conversion via ligand-to-metal charge transfer. Here, a rational design of ligands for titanium dioxide (TiO 2) is presented to produce robust visible light photocatalysts. Three hydroxynaphthoic acids (HNAs) were selected as ligands by extending an extra benzene ring of salicylic acid (SA) at 3,4 or 4,5 or 5,6 positions. These ligands could regulate the performance of TiO 2 in which 2-hydroxy-1-naphthoic acid (2H1NA) endows the best outcome. In detail, blue light-powered cooperative photocatalysis of 2H1NA-TiO 2 with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO, 5 mol%) inaugurates the expeditious formation of imines by oxidation of amines with atmospheric oxygen (O 2). Interestingly, the increase of the O 2 pressure from 1 atm to 0.4 MPa promoted the selective oxidation of benzylamine but thereafter declined with a further boost to 0.6 MPa. Notably, an electron transfer between the oxidatively quenched 2H1NA-TiO 2 and TEMPO is established, offering a new pathway for environmental applications. This work presents a strategy in designing cutting-edge visible light photocatalysts via altering semiconductors with surface ligands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Liver expressed antimicrobial peptide 2 (LEAP2) is recently identified as a regulator in energy metabolism. This study aims to 1) investigate the role of leap2 in hepatic steatosis in C57BL/6 mice; 2) evaluate the association between circulating LEAP2 levels and liver fat contents in a hospital based case-control study. Methods The rodent experiment: western blotting and qPCR were performed to evaluate leap2 levels, lipid metabolism pathways and insulin signaling. shRNA was used to knockdown leap2. The clinical study: commercial ELISA kits were used to measure circulating LEAP2 levels (validated by western blotting). Liver fat content was estimated using MRI-derived proton density fat fraction and FibroScan-derived controlled attenuation parameter. Results The rodent experiment found the hepatic expression and secreted levels of leap2 were increased in mice with diet-induced steatosis. Leap2 knockdown ameliorated steatosis via lipolytic/lipogenic pathway and improved insulin sensitivity via IRS/AKT signaling. The clinical study reported increased circulating levels of LEAP2 in the subjects with steatosis. Moreover, LEAP2 correlated positively with age, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, liver fat content, fasting insulin and HOMA-IR, whereas inversely with acyl-ghrelin. Furthermore, the circulating levels of LEAP2 are dependent on liver fat content, acyl-ghrelin and fasting glucose. Lastly, circulating LEAP2 is an independent predictor of NAFLD. Conclusions The study suggests LEAP2 is associated with hepatic steatosis, which may involve lipolytic/lipogenic pathway and insulin signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe Meiren yak is an important genetic resource in Gansu Province, China. In this study, we aimed to explore the evolutionary history and population structure of the genetic resource of Meiren yak and to mine the characteristic genes of Meiren yak. We analysed a total of 93 yaks of eight yak breeds based on whole genome resequencing combined with population genomics and used θπ ratio and Fst method to screen the selected sites in the genome region. The results proved that Meiren yak can be used as a potential genetic resource in Gansu Province. The genes in Meiren yak with positive selection in selection signal analysis were subjected to the Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional enrichment analyses, which indicated that the genes were related to the adaptability to high altitude and hypoxic environment. By analysing the genetic variation of Meiren yak at the genome-wide level, this study provided a theoretical basis for genetic improvement of Meiren yak and for the development of high-quality yak resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal ion pollution is a pressing global concern with detrimental effects on the environment and human health. To address this issue, we have developed an ultrahigh-resolution multicolor sensing platform for the specific detection of silver ions (Ag(I)). The method employs the nanozyme of platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) as a link to control the etching of gold nanorods (AuNRs). Through specific binding with Ag(I), the PtNPs hinder the catalase-like activity responsible for hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) decomposition. This inhibition enables the Fenton reaction between H 2 O 2 and ferrous ions, generating highly oxidizing hydroxyl free radicals (·OH). The resulting etching of AuNRs induces a blue-shift in their local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) absorption spectra. The degree of blue-shift is directly proportional to the Ag(I) concentration, facilitating trace-level detection. Furthermore, the aspect ratio change of the AuNRs yields distinguishable colors. In contrast to common multicolor sensors relying on nanozyme horseradish peroxidase (HRP) activity, which exhibits an inverse relationship between AuNR etching and target concentration, our approach demonstrates a proportional response. This unique characteristic enables ultrahigh-resolution multicolor detection of Ag(I) visible to the naked eye. We anticipate that this innovative sensing platform will pave the way for nanosensor development in environmental monitoring and food safety detection. • An ultrahigh-resolution multicolor detector via reverse etching of AuNRs was developed. • The multicolor assay displays a multi-color change for analysis of trace silver ions. • The reverse etching of AuNRs exhibits a proportional response to the silver ion concentration. • The platform was demonstrated with high assay ability and practicability for Ag(I) analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One‐pot synthesis of 2,3‐disubstituted 4‐aminoquinolines is developed through a three‐component reaction of 2‐azidobenzaldehydes, α‐fluoro‐β‐ketoesters and amines involving cascade Mannich, aza‐Wittig and dehydrofluorinative aromatization. The method is applicable to other functionalized quinolines. It is a pot, atom and step economy (PASE) synthesis of biologically interesting 4‐aminoquinolines relevant to hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the absorption and scattering of light caused by particles suspended in water and the variable attenuation of light with different wavelengths, underwater images are typically characterized by low contrast, blurred features, and severe color bias. To improve the quality of underwater images, an underwater image restoration method is proposed. First, based on similarities between the underwater optical imaging model and the atmosphere model, an improved dark channel prior algorithm is used to enhance the original underwater image and an improved gray world algorithm is used to calibrate the image. Then, an improved wavelet fusion algorithm is adopted to combine the results produced by the two algorithms. The experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively improve feature clarity and color accuracy in underwater images with low quality and illumination, resulting in a better visual effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new synthetic method for diastereoselective synthesis of tetrahydro-pyrrolo[1,2-d][1,4]benzodiazepines and tetrahydro-pyrrolo[1,2-d][1,4]diazepinones is developed which involves 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition, N-alkylation or N-acylation and Staudinger/aza-Wittig reactions. This one-pot and three-step synthesis of four components gave two different heterocyclic scaffolds. Green chemistry metrics analysis of the reaction process provided favorable results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A few studies conducted over the past few decades have demonstrated the health benefits of a diet rich in marine products, but limited studies have investigated the effects of different krill products on the nitrogen balance and their potential health benefits. In our study, after a 14‐day acclimation period, 50 female Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly assigned to five groups, each of which was fed a different diet, for 28 days. We then evaluated the effect of krill protein complex (KPC), krill powder, and defatted krill powder on the nitrogen balance, growth, and antioxidant activity through analyses of MDA, CAT, GSH‐Px, and T‐SOD. An in vivo analysis suggested that the nitrogen retention rate, protein digestibility, and bioutilization of krill products were equal to those of casein. Moreover, the KPC diet resulted in the highest nitrogen intake and retention among the groups, and the biological value and net protein utilization obtained with KPC were higher than those obtained with defatted krill powder, which was consistent with the weight gains observed for these two groups. The hematological test also showed that KPC contributed to the production of functional proteins in the body. The antioxidant activity analysis indicated that higher GSH‐Px and T‐SOD activities were obtained with krill products and KPC, respectively, compared with casein. The results from this study suggested that krill proteins could promote growth and improve the antioxidant status of an organism. Although further studies on the safety of krill products for human consumption are needed, this work provides insights into the use of krill proteins as a potential substitute for other proteins and restructured foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Yaks are a major economic source for people in the Tibetan Plateau region. Yaks are rich in nutrients, but their low fat content is not conducive to the large-scale promotion of yak meat, so the study of the mechanism of yak lipid deposition is beneficial to the marketing of yak meat. In this paper, the results of transcriptome sequencing analysis of yak liver showed that it could be determined that the expression levels of genes associated with partial lipid deposition were significantly up-regulated during yak fattening. In addition, this study found that the tenderness of yak meat improved during this process. Fattening significantly affects fat deposition in yaks, which may be realized through its effects on lipid metabolic pathways. Therefore, studying the mechanism of lipid deposition in yaks and fattening yaks will improve the quality of yak meat. Yak meat is nutritionally superior to beef cattle but has a low fat content and is slow-growing. The liver plays a crucial role in lipid metabolism, and in order to determine whether different feeding modes affect lipid metabolism in yaks and how it is regulated, we employed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) technology to analyze the genome-wide differential gene expression in the liver of yaks maintained under different raising systems. A total of 1663 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified (|log2FC| ≥ 0 and p-value ≤ 0.05), including 698 down-regulated and 965 up-regulated genes. According to gene ontology (GO) and KEGG enrichment analyses, these DEGs were significantly enriched in 13 GO terms and 26 pathways (p < 0.05). Some DEGs were enriched in fatty acid degradation, PPAR, PI3K-Akt, and ECM receptor pathways, which are associated with lipid metabolism. A total of 16 genes are well known to be related to lipid metabolism (e.g., APOA1, FABP1, EHHADH, FADS2, SLC27A5, ACADM, CPT1B, ACOX2, HMGCS2, PLIN5, ACAA1, IGF1, FGFR4, ALDH9A1, ECHS1, LAMA2). A total of 11 of the above genes were significantly enriched in the PPAR signaling pathway. The reliability of the transcriptomic data was verified using qRT-PCR. Our findings provide new insights into the mechanisms regulating yak meat quality. It shows that fattening improves the expression of genes that regulate lipid deposition in yaks and enhances meat quality. This finding will contribute to a better understanding of the various factors that determine yak meat quality and help develop strategies to improve yield and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with different protein levels after grazing on growth performance as well as on the proteomics of the LL muscle of Jersey-yak. The results showed that a certain amount of crude protein supplementation to Jersey-yak at the end of grazing significantly improved growth performance and increased their economic efficiency. In addition, we analyzed the proteomic differences in the longest dorsal muscle of Jersey-yak. From our analyses, we identified differences in the abundance of 434 proteins involved in pathways related to muscle growth and development and energy metabolism, among others. Several of the proteins enriched in these pathways, such as MYH8, are associated with myoblast development and differentiation as well as muscle development. In conclusion, the results of this study provide proteomic insights into the different feeding patterns of yak crossbred progeny, suggesting that a greater economic income can be achieved by improving their feeding conditions. Jersey-yak is a hybrid offspring of Jersey cattle and yak (Bos grunniens). Changing the feeding system of Jersey-yak can significantly improve its growth performance. In this study, tandem mass tag (TMT) proteomics technology was used to determine the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) of the longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle of Jersey-yak fed different protein levels of diet. The results showed that compared with the traditional grazing feeding, the growth performance of Jersey-yaks was significantly improved by crude protein supplementation after grazing. A total of 3368 proteins were detected in these muscle samples, of which 3365 were quantified. A total of 434 DEPs were identified. Through analyses, it was found that some pathways related to muscle growth and development were significantly enriched, such as Rap1 signaling pathway, mTOR signaling pathway, and TGF-beta signaling pathway. A number of DEPs enriched in these pathways are related to muscle cell development, differentiation, and muscle development, including integrin subunit alpha 7 (ITGA7), myosin heavy chain 8 (MYH8), and collagen type XII alpha 1 chain (COL12A1). In conclusion, the results of this study provide insights into the proteomics of different feeding patterns of Jersey-yak, providing a stronger basis for further understanding the biological mechanism of hybrid varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate the expression of methionine sulfoxide reductases B3 (MSRB3) in gastric cancer (GC) and its clinical significance. A total of 90 specimens from patients with GC were collected to evaluate MSRB3 protein expression by immunohistochemical staining. The associations between MSRB3 protein expression, clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of patients with GC were subsequently investigated. The results demonstrated that MSRB3 protein expression in GC tissues samples was significantly higher compared with that in paired adjacent normal tissues (P=0.017). Among the 90 GC cases, 64 (71.1%) exhibited higher MSRB3 expression. In addition, the diagnostic value of MSRB3 for patients with GC was estimated with a sensitivity of 71.1% and a specificity of 46.7%. However, MSRB3 expression was not associated with clinicopathological characteristics of patients with GC. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that patients with high MSRB3 expression had significantly shorter overall survival (OS) times compared with those with low expression (P=0.040). Univariate Cox regression analysis indicated that maximum tumor diameter, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) stage and MSRB3 expression were significantly associated with OS time. Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that MSRB3 was an independent predicting factor for the OS time of patients with GC (P=0.049). In addition, analysis using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database validated these results. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that higher MSRB3 mRNA expression was associated with poorer OS time in 442 patients with GC (P=0.004). Univariate analysis of the TCGA data indicated that age, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, TNM stage and MSRB3 expression were significantly associated with OS time; however, sex and histological differentiation were not associated with OS time. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that MSRB3 was an independent prognostic factor in patients with GC (P=0.001). In conclusion, these results demonstrated that MSRB3 expression was upregulated in patients GC, which suggests that MSBR3 may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Regional disparity in terms of industrial energy efficiency is noticeable in China due to the unbalanced economic progress in past decades. Analyzing the provincial industrial energy efficiency and its influencing factors is of great significance to formulate differentiated policies. To date, the influence of many social-economic factors on the industrial energy efficiency have been examined but the impact of the inter-industry structure has almost been ignored. In this paper, the slacks-based measure model incorporating undesirable output is applied to evaluate the industrial energy efficiency both at the provincial level and the sectoral level in China for the period 2010 to 2016. Then, industrial structure efficiency is introduced, which reflects the inter-industry structure and takes the sectoral-level energy efficiency into consideration. And the impact of the industrial structure efficiency on provincial industrial energy efficiency is tested by Tobit regression model. The results show that huge discrepancies of provincial industrial energy efficiency exist and the industrial structure efficiency is confirmed to be a determinative factor to the provincial industrial energy efficiency, with the coefficient of 0.525. Policy recommendations are provided for adjusting the provincial inter-industry structure and improving the industrial energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The application of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) for the degradation of contaminants has been extensively investigated, however, few studies have focused on degradation in high salinity environments. In this study, the ability of bare and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-coated bimetallic Pd-nZVI particles to degrade 33′44′-tetrachlorobiphenyl in high saline water (SW) is examined with particular attention given to the effects of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) on the rate of degradation. EDTA enhances the reactivity of Pd-nZVI in SW, with evidence provided to link this to the removal of the passivating layer. Additionally, a conceptual model is proposed which provides a quantitative description of the removal of these iron oxide layers in the presence of EDTA. An optimum EDTA to bare Pd-nZVI molar ratio of 0.1 exists, with insufficient EDTA unable to remove the passivating layer whilst excess EDTA results in Fe loss and enhanced agglomeration due to magnetic attraction of the bare Fe(0) particles. In contrast, CMC-coating of Pd-nZVI assemblages actually impedes degradation, despite the coated particles displaying a smaller average size compared to uncoated particles, with even the presence of EDTA in this case not significantly improving degradation. The reduced reactivity in the presence of CMC is primarily attributed to the effect of CMC on the association of Pd with nZVI particles. In particular, the presence of CMC reduced the total amount of Pd incorporated with the stabilized particles compared to the non-stabilized particles. Additionally, the presence of CMC results in less Pd present in its reactive zero-valent oxidation state. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A [4 + 2] annulation involving cascade Knoevenagel, aza-Wittig and dehydrofluorination reactions is developed for the synthesis of substituted quinolin-4-ols including analogs bearing CF2H, CF3, and C2F5 groups. This simple and highly efficient method is also applicable for the synthesis of substituted quinolines. A number of reported biologically active compounds can be readily prepared by this one-pot synthesis. Green chemistry metrics analysis of the new reaction processes provided favorable results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioma tumor suppressor candidate region gene 1 (GLTSCR1) is associated with the progression of oligodendroglioma. However, there has been little study of GLTSCR1 in prostate cancer. In the present study, the association between the expression of GLTSCR1, and the progression and prognosis of tumors in patients with prostate cancer was assessed. An immunohistochemical analysis was performed using a human tissue microarray for GLTSCR1 at the protein expression level and the immunostaining results were evaluated against clinical variables of patients with prostate cancer. Subsequently, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was used to validate the analysis results at the mRNA level and to study the prognostic value of GLTSCR1 in prostate cancer. Immunohistochemistry and TCGA data analysis revealed that GLTSCR1 expression in the prostate cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in the benign prostate tissues (immunoreactivity score, P=0.015; mRNA levels: cancer, 447.7±6.45 vs. benign, 343.5±4.21; P<0.001). Additionally, the increased GLTSCR1 protein expression was associated with certain clinical variables in the prostate cancer tissues, including advanced clinical stage (P<0.001), enhanced tumor invasion (P=0.003), lymph node metastasis (P=0.003) and distant metastasis (P=0.001). TCGA data revealed similar results, demonstrating that the upregulation of GLTSCR1 mRNA expression was associated with the Gleason score (P<0.001), enhanced tumor invasion (P=0.011), lymph node metastasis (P=0.001) and distant metastasis (P=0.002). Furthermore, Kaplan-Meier analysis suggested that among all patients, high GLTSCR1 expression indicated a decreased overall survival (P=0.028) and biochemical recurrence (BCR)-free survival (P=0.004), compared with patients with low GLTSCR1 expression. Finally, multivariate analysis revealed that the expression of GLTSCR1 was an independent predictor of poor BCR-free survival (P=0.049). The present study suggested that the increased expression of GLTSCR1 was associated with the progression of prostate cancer. Furthermore, GLTSCR1 may be a novel biomarker that is able to predict the clinical outcome in prostate cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish product is one of the main seafood with the disadvantage of easy to perish. Various indexes and diverse methods have been developed to evaluate the fish freshness, but most of them are complex and cannot be applied for on-field detection. In this study, we reported a simple, visual and economical multicolor biosensor based on the etching of gold nanorods (GNRs) to evaluate the fish freshness with the naked eye. Hypoxanthine (Hx) is chosen as the index of fish freshness and it react with the dissolved oxygen to produce H 2 O 2 at the presence of xanthine oxidase (XOD). Then GNRs are etched quickly by the H 2 O 2 in the presence of Fe 2+ . Correspondingly, the GNRs surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is regulated and results in a distinctly color change of the system, which can be easily distinguished with the naked eye. Therefore, the concentration of Hx in the fish samples can be semi-quantitatively analyzed with the naked eye. The proposed multicolor Hx sensor has been successfully applied to the detection of Hx in fish samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silica is one of the most abundant materials on the earth, and promises a high potential application in lithium ion battery (LIB). The crucial challenge for SiO 2 materials is the huge volume change and poor electrical conductivity during the lithiation and delithiation process which result into the rapid capacity fading and bad cyclability. Herein, we successfully synthesized the multi-shell hollow silica microspheres (MHSM) with hierarchically porous structure via a simple sacrificial template method. The numbers of shell could be simply controlled by the precursor (Na 2 SiO 3 ) loading. The multi-shell and hierarchically porous structure could endow SiO 2 with large volume, good porosity and permeability. These advantages could offer not only the plentiful electrode-electrolyte reaction sites but also a “buffer” to hinder the volume expansion of silica in the Li + charge-discharge process. The research results showed that LIB assembled with the MHSM exhibited high capacity and long cycle life. The multi-shell and hierarchically porous structures provide a novel morphology of anode materials to enhance rate capability and structural stability of high-capacity electrode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chloronitrobenzenes are typical refractory aromatic halogenated nitroaromatic and high-toxic contaminants. The reduction process of chloronitrobenzenes cannot realize their mineralization, and the existence of chlorine group is detrimental to degradation through single chemical oxidation technology. Herein, the Au nanoparticles and graphitic carbon nitride co-modified TiO 2 nanotube arrays (Au/g-C 3 N 4 /TNAs) photoanodes were fabricated to degrade o -chloronitrobenzene (o -CNB) target pollutant in photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) system. The Au/g-C 3 N 4 /TNAs fabricated with 0.20 mM HAuCl 4 0.4 H 2 O (Au/g-C 3 N 4 /TNAs-0.20) had more superior optical and photoelectrochemical properties than other fabricated photoanodes. Au/g-C 3 N 4 /TNAs-0.20 photoanode increased dechlorination efficiency through reduction process, which was beneficial to o -CNB degradation and TOC removal. The coexistence of anions and humic acid inhibited the PEC degradation of o -CNB. The photogenerated electron, •O 2 −, hole and •OH participated in o -CNB degradation in PEC system. The degradation pathway of o -CNB was inferred through GC-MS spectra and DFT calculation. The acute toxicity and bioaccumulation factor of o -CNB were effectively reduced by PEC degradation. [Display omitted] • Au/g-C 3 N 4 /TNAs photoanodes were fabricated for PEC degradation of o -CNB. • The g-C 3 N 4 and Au nanoparticles improved photoelectrochemical properties of TNAs. • Au/g-C 3 N 4 /TNAs photoanode increased dechlorination and TOC removal rate of o -CNB. • Degradation pathways of o -CNB were proposed by GC-MS analysis and DFT calculation. • Overall toxicity of o -CNB was reduced after PEC degradation by Au/g-C 3 N 4 /TNA-0.20. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3, 3′, 5, 5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) has been widely used as a chromogenic substrate for colorimetric immunoassays. Normally, the colorless TMB is oxidized into yellow TMB 2+ (in acidic solution) to indicate the presence of the target molecules. However, this kind of monochromic intensity changes seriously confine the accuracy of visual inspection. Herein, we demonstrate for the first time that TMB 2+ can quantitatively and efficiently etch gold nanorods (AuNRs). The addition of AuNRs into a solution containing different amount of TMB 2+ generates vivid color responses as colorful as a rainbow, and the etching process can be finished within 90 s. As a result, the exact concentration of TMB 2+ can be easily distinguished with the naked eyes by the corresponding solution color. Based on this finding, we incorporate AuNRs into the well-developed, commercially available horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-TMB immunoassay system, so that it can be utilized for semiquantitative detection of a broad range of disease biomarkers with the naked eyes (termed ‘NEQ-IA’). Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and Prostate specific antigen (PSA) had been chosen as example targets to test the feasibility of the proposed biosensor. The results showed good accordance with the conventional methods. Because no sophisticated apparatus but human eyes are used as the readout, the proposed NEQ-IA could be a good supplementary to current state-of-the-art immunoassay methods for those applications that require the use of portable and affordable devices, for example, for the detection of disease biomarkers at home and in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • TBPA-COF is constructed by inserting acetylene into the olefin-linked TBP-COF. • Both TBP-COF and TBPA-COF are observed microspheres. • TBPA-COF is superior to TBP-COF for blue light photocatalysis. • Selective photocatalytic oxidation of sulfides over TBPA-COF is achieved. • Both electron and energy transfer contribute to the formation of sulfoxides. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with superior semiconducting properties imparted by sufficient π-conjugations and ordered structures have great potential in visible light photocatalysis. Thus, introducing extra π-conjugated rigid units into the olefin-linked COFs is effective to promote charge transfer and performance. Here, two olefin-linked COFs, TBP-COF and TBPA-COF, were synthesized by reacting 2,4,6-trimethyl-1,3,5-triazine (TMT) with 4,4′-bis(formyl)biphenyl (BFP) and bis(4-formylphenyl)acetylene (BFPA) through organic acid-induced solvothermal condensation. Both TBP-COF and TBPA-COF microspheres were with high crystallinity and uniform micropores. Owing to the insertion of acetylene, TBPA-COF possessed an extended π-conjugated structure that is conducive to smooth charge transfer. Compared to TBP-COF, TBPA-COF delivered superior photocatalytic performance on the selective aerobic oxidation of organic sulfides. Besides, both electron and energy transfer pathways contributed to the formation of sulfoxides over TBPA-COF. This work presents the ascendancy of inserting acetylene into olefin-linked COFs in building efficient visible light photocatalysts for organic oxidations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and bio-inspired strategy is reported for the first time to fabricate sea urchin-shaped hollow CaCO3 nanospheres (HCNSs) with a hierarchically porous hollow structure under the mediation of soybean trypsin inhibitor (STI). The hierarchically porous structure makes the HCNSs exhibit not only a high loading capacity but also a prolonged release time by the stepwise release of DOX from the mesoporous structure. Through in vitro experiments, we found that the entry of the hierarchical HCNSs into HeLa cells possibly involved an extracellular decomposition, due to the extracellular and intracellular acid microenvironment of solid tumor tissues, and a subsequent endocytosis pathway. In view of the pH-sensitive property as well as the hierarchically porous hollow structure, as well as the excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability of the as-prepared HCNSs, the hierarchically porous hollow CaCO3 could be a promising candidate as an anticancer drug carrier, and would be of great importance in practical and clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 remains as a major threat to human society. A reliable, sensitive, rapid, and low requirement assay for serum neutralizing antibodies is needed as a pandemic management tool for estimation of revaccination time and implementation of "immune passport". Using gold nanoparticle (AuNR) as an immunosensor, we have established a semi-quantitative, instrument-free assay for measuring antibody level against SRAS-CoV-2 spike1 (S1) receptor binding domain (RBD) from fingertip blood samples. The testing results by the developed method correlated well with those obtained from conventional ELISA assay, indicating reliable quantitation could be achieved without use of plate reader. A declined of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody associated with vaccination time was observed, which agreed well with the data from other reports. The developed method provides a potentially complementary strategy for on-site measurement of COVID-19 antibodies. [Display omitted] • A gold nanoparticle based semiquantitative method in equipment-free manner for wider practice use. • Anti-SARS-CoV-2-S1RBD IgG could be quantitated from fingertip blood of vaccinated volunteers. • Quantitation results obtained by naked eye is comparable with conventional ELISA method. • A dropping trend of IgG concentration correlating to vaccinated time was found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed-mediated synthesis of gold nanorods (AuNRs) has been widely used for diverse applications in the past decade. In this work, this synthetic process is demonstrated for multicolor biosensing for the first time. Our investigation reveals that ascorbic acid acts as a key factor to mediate the growth of AuNRs. This phenomenon is incorporated into the alkaline phosphatase (ALP)-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system based on the fact that ALP can catalyze the conversion of ascorbic acid–phosphate into ascorbic acid with high efficiency. This allows us to develop a multicolor ELISA approach for sensitive detection of disease biomarkers with the naked eye. We show the proof-of-concept multicolor ELISA for the detection of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in human serum. The results show that different colors are presented in response to different concentrations of PSA, and a detection limit of 3 × 10−15 g mL−1 in human serum was achieved. The proposed multicolor ELISA could be a good supplement to conventional ELISA for POC diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of convenient but sensitive method for influenza detection is highly important in immediate and effective clinical treatment. In this study, an ultrasensitive colorimetric approach combining the advantages of the convenience of the enzyme-induced metallization and the high specificity of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of influenza virus A (H7N9 as model) has been developed. Two rounds of amplification are utilized to enhance the detection sensitivity. The amplification of enzymatic reaction combines with the specific optical properties of gold nanoparticles causing the enhancing of the optical signal immensely. In addition, the increased surface area and the magnetic enrichment effect also enable the magnetic bead (MB) to catch a large number of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and detection antibody (Ab 2 ), thus very small amounts of the virus can be easily detected. Compared with conventional method, this approach exhibits outstanding sensitivity for ALP detection, 0.2 U/L of ALP can be distinguished with a spectrometer and 2 U/L with the naked eye. And as low as 25 pg/mL of H7N9 can be detected by the naked eye. This approach shows an extensive horizon for bioassays and is available in clinical diagnosis with the advances of simplification, effectiveness, low cost and sensitive readout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study sodium dithionite (NaS 2 O 4 ) and sodium borohydride (NaBH 4 ) were employed as reducing agents for the synthesis of nanosized iron-based particles. The particles formed using NaBH 4 (denoted nFe(BH 4 )) principally contained (as expected) Fe(0) according to XAS and XRD analyses while the particles synthesized using NaS 2 O 4 , (denoted nFe(S 2 O 4 )) were dominated by the mixed Fe(II)/Fe(III) mineral magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) though with possible presence of Fe(0). The ability of both particles to reduce trichloroethylene (TCE) under analogous conditions demonstrated remarkable differences with nFe(BH 4 ) resulting in complete reduction of 1.5 mM of TCE in 2 h while nFe(S 2 O 4 ) were unable to effect complete reduction of TCE in 120 h. Moreover, acetylene was the major reaction product formed in the presence of nFe(S 2 O 4 ) while the major reaction product formed following reaction with nFe(BH 4 ) was ethylene, which was further reduced to ethane as the reaction proceeded. Considering that effective Pd reduction to Pd(0) requires the presence of Fe(0), this is consistent with our finding that Fe(0) is not the dominant phase formed when employing dithionite as a reducing agent under the conditions employed in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

57 Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy was used to perform a microscopic study on the extremely pressure and strain sensitive compound, CaFe 2 As 2 , with different degrees of strain introduced by grinding and annealing. At the base temperature, in the antiferromagnetic/orthorhombic phase, compared to a sharp sextet Mössbauer spectrum of single crystal CaFe 2 As 2 , which is taken as an un-strained sample, an obviously broadened sextet and an extra doublet were observed for ground CaFe 2 As 2 powders with different degrees of strain. The Mössbauer results suggest that the magnetic phase transition of CaFe 2 As 2 can be inhomogeneously suppressed by the grinding induced strain to such an extent that the antiferromagnetic order in parts of the grains forming the powdered sample remain absent all the way down to 4.6 K. However, strain has almost no effect on the temperature dependent hyperfine magnetic field in the grains with magnetic order. Additional electronic and asymmetry information was obtained from the isomer shift and quadrupole splitting. Similar isomer shift values in the magnetic phase for samples with different degrees of strain, indicate that the stain does not bring any significant variation of the electronic density at 57 Fe nucleus position. The absolute values of quadrupole shift in the magnetic phase decrease and approach zero with increasing degrees of strain, indicating that the strain reduces the average lattice asymmetry at Fe atom position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the primary malignancy of the liver and is the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Despite its severity, the treatment methods for hepatocellular carcinoma are limited due to poor prognosis. This study identified the short hairpin RNA-mediated silencing of myosin VI as a potential approach for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Firstly, the expression of myosin VI was analyzed in 57 hepatocellular carcinoma samples and 10 non-neoplastic samples by immunohistochemistry. The results demonstrated that myosin VI expression was much stronger in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues than in adjacent normal tissues. Myosin VI short hairpin RNA was then transduced into HepG2 and SMMC-7721 hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines, respectively, using a lentivirus delivery system. Knockdown of myosin VI led to a significant reduction in cell proliferation and colony-forming capacity, as well as a blockade of cell cycle progression. Moreover, an obvious decrease in PRAS40 phosphorylation and a concomitant increase in p38 phosphorylation were observed in myosin VI knockdown cells, which suggest that myosin VI silencing inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma cell growth in vitro probably via inactivation of PRAS40 and activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent signaling pathway. This study highlights the potential of myosin VI to be developed as a target for hepatocellular carcinoma therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advent of Fe–As based superconductivity it has become important to study how superconductivity manifests itself in details of 57 Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy of conventional, Fe-bearing superconductors. To this end, the iron-based superconductor Lu 2 Fe 3 Si 5 has been studied by 57 Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy over the temperature range from 4.4 K to room temperature with particular attention to the region close to the superconducting transition temperature ( T c =6.1 K). Consistent with the two crystallographic sites for Fe in this structure, the observed spectra appear to have a pattern consisting of two doublets over the whole temperature range. The value of Debye temperature was estimated from temperature dependence of the isomer shift and the total spectral area and compared with the specific heat capacity data. Neither abnormal behavior of the hyperfine parameters at or near T c , nor phonon softening were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The functionalized Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell with biogenic intracellular CaCO 3 mineral scaffold, synthesized via a simple and environmentally friendly approach, was efficient for removing lead (II) and cadmium (II) ions from aqueous solutions. The CaCO 3 mineral scaffold could promote the uptake of the heavy metal ions and increase the biosorption capabilities of the adsorbent. Compared with the Freundlich isotherm, Langmuir model more fitted the equilibrium data. The maximum removal capacity of functionalized cells for Pb(II) and Cd(II) was 116.69 and 42.63 mg g −1 , respectively. Further investigation showed that the adsorbent had high removal efficiency for trace amount of heavy metal ions. Adsorption data were modeled using the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intra-particle diffusion kinetics equations. The results indicated that pseudo-second-order kinetic equation and intra-particle diffusion model could better describe the adsorption kinetics. The heavy metal ions might be removed by functionalized cells via membrane transport of metal ions and precipitation transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Yak is the dominant animal species in China's plateau regions. The development of the yak industry is conducive to protecting the ecosystem of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and promoting local economic development. However, the slow growth and development of yak have seriously affected the development of the yak industry. Structural variation (SV) has been widely applied in livestock breeding for growth traits. Therefore, it is of great significance to use SV to improve yak growth traits in yak breeding. Meanwhile, the GHR gene plays an important role in the formation and normal development of bones. This study associated the correlation between the yak GHR SV gene and growth traits and confirmed that GHR-SV can be used as a molecular marker for the early reproduction of yaks. This study provides a theoretical basis for the early growth and development of yaks. The growth hormone receptor (GHR) is a member of the cytokine/hematopoietic factor receptor superfamily, which plays an important role in the growth and development, immunity, and metabolism of animals. This study identified a 246 bp deletion variant in the intronic region of the GHR gene, and three genotypes, including type II, type ID, and type DD, were observed. Genotype analysis of structural variation (SV) was performed on 585 individuals from 14 yak breeds, and it was found that 246 bp deletion was present in each breed. The II genotype was dominant in all yak breeds except for SB yak. The association analysis of gene polymorphisms and growth traits in the ASD yak population showed that the 246 bp SV was significantly associated with body length at 6 months (p < 0.05). GHR messenger RNA (mRNA) was expressed in all the tested tissues, with significantly higher levels in the liver, muscle, and fat than in other organs. The results of transcription activity showed that the luciferase activity of the pGL4.10-DD vector was significantly higher than that of the pGL4.10-II vector (p < 0.05). Additionally, the transcription-factor binding prediction results showed that the SV in the runt-related transcription factor 1 (Runx1) transcription-factor binding site may affect the transcriptional activity of the GHR gene, regulating yak growth and development. This study showed that the novel SV of the GHR gene could be used as a candidate molecular marker for the selection of the early growth trait in ASD yak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel portable biosensor for sensitive and selective detection of platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) had been developed based on the specific recognition between aptamer and protein using a personal glucose meter (PGM) as readout. In the presence of PDGF-BB, the primary aptamer of PDGF-BB which is bound to the surface of streptavidin magnespheres paramagnetic particles (SA-PMPs) reacts quantitatively with invertase-functionalized secondary aptamer of PDGF-BB to form a stable complex, resulting in the attachment of invertase on the SA-PMPs. Subsequently, the invertase catalyzes the hydrolysis of sucrose to produce a large amount of glucose and quantitative readout by the PGM. The enhanced signal of the PGM has a relationship with the concentration of PDGF-BB in the range of 1.0×10–14 M~3.16×10−12 M, and the detection limit is 2.9fM. The proposed portable biosensor had been successfully applied to assay the PDGF-BB in saliva samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemically designed, hierarchical composite pore materials, with two or more different sized pores arranged regularly and high specific surface area, have attracted considerable attention because of possessing improved functions and applications in chemistry, pharmaceutics, environmental protection and so on. In this study, two biogenic materials, calcium carbonate (CaCO3), the most widely studied biomineral, and lentinan, showing prominent antitumor activity, are incorporated into the biomineralization process to produce CaCO3–lentinan microspheres with hierarchical composite pore structure by the hierarchical assembly of nanoparticles. The pore structure analysis indicated that a wormhole mesoporous structure was present in the framework of the CaCO3–lentinan microspheres and a microporous structure was present in the core part of the mesoporous walls, rendering an unusual hierarchical composite pore structure of CaCO3. The results revealed that the hierarchical composite pore structure could obviously reduce the release rate and prolong the release time of the anticancer drug, which led to minimization of poisonous side effects and decreased bodily injuries due to the stepwise release of the drug from mesoporous pores to micropores. The component CaCO3 with pH-sensitivity could controllably release DOX at the acidic tumour site, which minimizes the spread of toxic drugs around the normal tissues while maximizing tumor-directed drug delivery. In particular, the CaCO3–lentinan microspheres have ideal biocompatibility and biodegradability which are of critical importance for the clinical application. Further investigation also revealed the desirable properties of the CaCO3–lentinan microspheres for the removal of Congo red (CR) pollutant from waste water, with the maximum removal capacity of 213.2 mg g−1, which will be a great potential material in real applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Semiconductor materials are the key to anchor visible light-active dye molecules. • 1D Nb 2 O 5 nanorods with a specific surface area of 264.3 m2•g−1 are synthesized. • Dye-Nb 2 O 5 nanorods can facilitate the green light-driven selective oxidation of amines in air. • TEMPO enhances photocatalytic efficiency. • Superoxide (O 2 •−) is the central reactive oxygen species. Visible light-driven photocatalysis over semiconductors has emerged as one of the most desired strategies for animating diverse selective chemical transformations. Herein, one-dimensional (1D) Nb 2 O 5 nanorods with a specific surface area of 264 m2•g−1 were synthesized via a straightforward hydrothermal method. Thereafter, an efficient visible light photocatalyst was constructed by in-situ anchoring of alizarin red S (ARS) onto the Nb 2 O 5 nanorods to afford ARS-Nb 2 O 5. Resultantly, the ARS-Nb 2 O 5 nanorods can facilitate the selective aerobic oxidation of amines into imines, affording about twice of the result over 3D hierarchical Nb 2 O 5. Notably, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine- N -oxyl (TEMPO) could synchronize the intricate electron and proton transfers between ARS-Nb 2 O 5 nanorods, amines, and superoxide (O 2 •−). In most cases, the green light-driven primary and secondary amines into imines could be completed with about 95% selectivity within 2 h. This work highlights the dimension of designing semiconductor materials to anchor visible light-active molecules for selective oxidation reactions under benign conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Thiazolo[5,4- d ]thiazole (TzTz) is employed as the linkage to synthesize CMPs. • The TzTz-linked CMPs are thoroughly characterized. • TzTz-CMP-3 displays excellent photocatalytic activity for selective aerobic oxidation. • The photocatalytic properties of TzTz-linked CMPs could be tailored by molecular symmetry. • TzTz-CMP-3 with unprecedent activity is uncovered for the formation of sulfoxides. Developing selective formation of sulfoxides by aerobic oxidation of sulfides over highly efficient visible-light photocatalysts is an essential but challenging task. Herein, a conjugated microporous polymer (CMP) photocatalyst with the desired linkage thiazolo[5,4‑ d ]thiazole (TzTz) is presented to undertake this task. Remarkably, a catalyst-free solvothermal process afforded TzTz-CMP-3 from tetra(4-formylphenyl)-benzene and dithiooxamide. The photocatalytic activity of TzTz-CMP-3 is demonstrated with the blue light-powered selective formation of sulfoxides by aerobic oxidation of sulfides. A wide range of sulfoxides can be effectively formed by oxidation of sulfides with excellent product selectivities (up to 99 %) over the TzTz-CMP-3 photocatalyst. The more symmetric π-conjugated aromatic ring of TzTz-CMP-3 endows it with more favorable activity than the less symmetric ones. This work underscores the symmetry of building blocks for CMPs for selective photocatalytic formation of valuable organic molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: China''s floating population is one of the largest migrations in the world. In recent years, great efforts have been made to identify their socio-demographic characteristics. However, the extent of their concern about the local environment has had less attention in the research. In the major migration cities of China, large numbers of migrants have a serious environmental impact on the ecological environment. Their environmental concerns could influence local environment policy design and environment protection implementation. The role that the temporary nature of the floating population plays in their environmental perception is now attracting the attention of local administrations. Based on an investigation conducted in the Shawan River Basin of Shenzhen City, China, this paper studies the floating population''s environmental concerns and possible movement choices, as well as some socio-demographic features. The results show that the percentage of migrants intending to settle in Shenzhen is much larger than previous studies indicated. As concerns local pollution problems, most respondents seem unconcerned and show indifferent attitudes. In particular, migrants ignore the heavy water pollution, which is the most serious pollution in the Basin. People who intend to settle down have more positive opinions on the local environment. The results also indicate that the migrants do not have enough knowledge or environmental awareness and they lack a sense of belonging, which should concern local supervisors and administration. Better education and social activities should be conducted to improve the situation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Long-haired individuals in the Tianzhu white yak population are a unique genetic resource, and have important landscape value. Copy number variation (CNV) is an important source of phenotypic variation in mammals. In this study, we used resequencing technology to detect the whole genome of 10 long-haired Tianzhu white yaks (LTWY) and 10 normal-haired Tianzhu white yaks (NTWY), and analyzed the differences of CNV in the genome of LTWYs and NTWYs. A total of 110268 CNVs were identified, 2006 CNVRs were defined, and the distribution map of these CNVRs on chromosomes was constructed. The comparison of LTWYs and NTWYs identified 80 differential CNVR-harbored genes, which were enriched in lipid metabolism, cell migration and other functions. Notably, some differential genes were identified as associated with hair growth and hair-follicle development (e.g., ASTN2, ATM, COL22A1, GK5, SLIT3, PM20D1, and SGCZ). In general, we present the first genome-wide analysis of CNV in LTWYs and NTWYs. Our results can provide new insights into the phenotypic variation of different hair lengths in Tianzhu white yaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]