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Abstract Background Previous researches found that maternal adverse childhood experiences not only affect the psychological behavior of preschool children, but also have direct or indirect negative effects on the executive functions and cognition of offspring. And, the possible social psychological mechanism between maternal adverse childhood experiences and preschool children’s executive functions is still not clear. Objectives This study mainly tries to understand the association between parenting stress and child maltreatment in maternal adverse childhood experiences and children’s executive functions through longitudinal cohort. Participants and setting Participants were 2160 preschool children and their mothers who finally completed baseline and 3 waves of follow-up. Methods Using a cohort study, a baseline survey of junior kindergartens was carried out in June 2021 and followed up every six months, with a total of 3 follow-ups. Results We found that executive functions in preschoolers were significantly positively correlated with maternal adverse childhood experiences, parenting stress, physical assault, psychological aggression, neglect and nonviolent discipline (r = 0.180, 0.386, 0.274, 0.302, 0.189, 0.148, respectively, P

IntroductionChildren of whose mothers exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are at increased risk for developmental problems. This study aims to investigate the relationship between types and patterns of maternal ACEs and preschool children’s emotional and behavioral problems (EBPs) in China, and to explore gender differences associated with these problems.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we selected 9,647 children from 36 preschools in three cities of Anhui province, China. Questionnaires were used to report the details of maternal ACEs and children’s EBPs. We used the latent class analysis (LCA) to identify “patterns” in the types of maternal ACEs. Binomial logistic regressions was performed to examine the relationship between types and patterns of maternal ACEs and preschoolers’ EBPs.ResultsLatent class analysis (LCA) revealed four different classes of maternal ACEs. Logistic regression analysis showed that compared with the low ACEs class, children of mothers in the high abuse and neglect class had the highest risk of developing EBPs (OR = 5.93, 95%CI: 4.70-7.49), followed by moderate ACEs class (OR = 2.44, 95%CI: 1.98-3.00), and high household dysfunction class (OR = 2.16, 95%CI: 1.19-3.90). We found gender differences in the effects of high abuse and neglect/moderate ACEs class and maternal childhood physical abuse/neglect on children’s EBPs, which had a stronger impact on EBPs in boys than girls (P

Objective: To investigate the differences in volatile odor substances of Cyclocarya paliurus tea from different origins. Methods: Taking Cyclocarya paliurus tea from Changde, Zhangjiajie, Shaoyang in Hunan, Xiushui in Jiangxi, Qiandongnan in Guizhou, and Enshi in Hubei as the research subjects, the gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) coupled with partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was used to investigate the characteristics of different volatiles and their similarities in green strychnine teas from different origins. Results: A total of 120 VOCs, including monomers of some substances and their polymers, were detected in Cyclocarya paliurus tea from different origins, which were 34 aldehydes, 21 olefins, 19 alcohols, 16 ketones, 10 esters, 8 carboxylic acids, 5 furans, 4 pyrazines, 2 ethers, and 1 benzene species, respectively. Among them, γ-pinene, styrene, 4-methyl-1-pentanol, and n-octanal were the main characteristic difference volatiles. Conclusion: There were some differences in the volatile organic compounds of Cyclocarya paliurus tea among different origins(P＜0.05). It is possible to distinguish between different origins of cymbopogon tea based on the characteristic volatile substances. GC-IMS technology can effectively realize the origin identification and quality control of GC tea.

AimTo investigate the efficacy and safety of combining Recombinant Human Endostatin Injection (marketed as Endo) with anti-PD-1 in elderly patients aged 80 and above with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).MethodsRetrospective analysis of 181 patients with NSCLC aged 80 and above treated in the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine at Chaohu Hospital, affiliated with Anhui Medical University, from June 2019 to January 2024. Patients who received at least one cycle of combined Endo with anti-PD-1 were included based on inclusion criteria. Clinical and pathological data were collected, including complete blood count, liver and kidney function, electrocardiogram, coagulation function, thyroid function, cardiac enzymes, and whole-body imaging. Adverse events were recorded with a final follow-up on January 25, 2024. The primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), with safety as a secondary endpoint.ResultsThis study involved 14 elderly patients with NSCLC aged over 80. Median progression-free survival (mPFS) was 102 days, and median overall survival (mOS) was 311 days. Subgroup analyses based on treatment cycles showed a non-significant 441-day mPFS increase in the long-term group (≥6 cycles, 5 patients) compared to the short-term group (

Background: An evident association between mood disorders and TMJ dysfunction has been demonstrated in previous studies. This study observed both the behavioral changes and the pathological changes in hippocampal tissue of rats in an animal model of TMJ-OA by injecting MIA into TMJ. Methods: Eighteen SD rats were randomly assigned to the NC group and the MIA groups. A TMJ-OA model was established to assess the HWT in the TMJ region, and the rats were subjected to the OFT and EPM. HE, O-fast green staining, qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence were used to detect condylar damage. Serum and hippocampal oxidative stress levels were detected. Functions of genes obtained by RNA-Seq were investigated using H2O2, ZnCl2 and transfection of siRNA on HT22 cells. Results: Injection of MIA resulted in disorganization of the chondrocyte layer on the condylar surface of rats, with reduced synthesis and increased degradation of the condylar cartilage matrix and reduced HWT. The results of the OFT and EPM showed that the rats in the MIA group developed anxiety-like behavior during the sixth week of MIA injection. Increased Nox4 expression, decreased SOD2 expression, elevated MDA level, and reduced GSH level were detected in serum and hippocampal neurons in the MIA group, with nuclear pyknosis and reduced Nissl bodies observed in neurons. The expression of Slc39a12 in hippocampal neurons of rats in the MIA group decreased. Slc39a12 knockdown in HT22 cells induced increased Nox4 expression, decreased SOD2 expression, increased MDA level, and reduced GSH and intracellular Zn2+. Oxidative stress in HT22 cells after transfection and H2O2 stimulation was reversed when ZnCl2 was added. Conclusion: Loss of Slc39a12 in hippocampal neurons results in cellular oxidative stress, further leading to neuronal damage. This may potentially explain how TMJ-OA triggers anxiety-like behavior in rats.

The performance of on-orbit GaAs-based solar cells is susceptible to the displacement damage effect. The proton-induced primary displacement damage in GaAs on a geosynchronous equatorial orbit (GEO) was simulated and analyzed by combining the Monte Carlo (MC) and molecular dynamics (MD) methods. The MC simulation provided the distribution of primary knock-on atoms (PKAs) in GaAs induced by GEO-related protons to the MD simulation. In MD simulations, the effects of radiation fluence and ambient temperature on the displacement damage were considered. The simulation results showed that GEO-related protons generated a significant number of PKAs within an energy range of below 10 keV in GaAs. The high-fluence radiation emulated by the binary PKA could generate more point defects and cluster defects in GaAs than the low-fluence radiation emulated by single PKAs. As compared to room temperature (300 K), both a low (100 K) and high (500 K) ambient temperature could deteriorate the displacement damage. In addition, a high ambient temperature of 500 K could induce widespread thermal spikes in GaAs as compared to 100 and 300 K. This work can provide useful insight into the proton-induced displacement damage in GaAs and the radiation hardening of GaAs-based photoelectric devices in space.

A series of TiN/ITO composite films with various thickness of ITO buffer layer were fabricated in this study. The enhancement of optical properties was realized in the composite thin films. The absorption spectra showed that absorption intensity in the near-infrared region was obviously enhanced with the increase of ITO thickness due to the coupling of surface plasma between TiN and ITO. The epsilon-near-zero wavelength of this composite can be tuned from 935 nm to 1895 nm by varying the thickness of ITO thin films. The nonlinear optical property investigated by Z-scan technique showed that the nonlinear absorption coefficient (β = 3.03 × 10−4 cm/W) for the composite was about 14.02 times greater than that of single-layer TiN films. The theoretical calculations performed by finite difference time domain were in good agreement with those of the experiments.

Objective: To understand the difference of cumulative content and species of volatile organic compounds （VOCs） in five different species of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.. Methods: In this study, five different species of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat., namely, Jinsihuangju, Huangju, Hangbaiju, Boju, and Gongju. The differences and variations of the fingerprints of volatile organic compounds （VOCs） in different species of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. were studied by headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectroscopy （HS-GC-IMS）, combined with cluster analysis and relationship matrix in the form of data visualization. Results: There were significant differences in VOCs among different varieties of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. （P＜0.05）, and the similarity between them was less than 70%, and all of them had their own unique volatile organic components; the five kinds of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. in the order of high to low VOCs content were: Gonju, Jinshi Huangju, Huangju, Boju, and Hangbaiju. Conclusion: HS-GC-IMS can make up for the shortcomings of conventional VOCs detection, making detection more data basis and support, and providing theoretical basis and data support for the differentiation and identification of different varieties of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat..

Summary: Honeycomb is a distributed smart building system that is robust, flexible, and portable. Here, we present a protocol that uses semi-physical simulation to construct a Honeycomb prototype. We describe steps for software and hardware preparation, as well as the implementation of a video-based occupancy detection algorithm. Besides, we provide examples and scenarios of distributed applications, including node failure and recovery. We further provide guidance on data visualization and analysis to facilitate the design of distributed applications for smart buildings.For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Xing et al.1 : Publisher’s note: Undertaking any experimental protocol requires adherence to local institutional guidelines for laboratory safety and ethics.

Investigating the mechanism and measures of controlling rockburst in deeply buried underground caverns is a prerequisite for ensuring the safety of personnel, reducing the damage to construction equipment caused by the rockburst, and making the project economical and efficient. Efficient analysis methods for evaluating rockburst control in underground caverns are crucial for qualitatively selecting rockburst control methods and quantifying the effectiveness of rockburst measures. Based on the mechanism of energy accumulation in rock mass and the occurrence of rockburst as well as the active methods for controlling rockburst, we propose a mathematical model for simulating borehole stress relief using implicit borehole elements. In this modeling approach, we combine vector superposition in different borehole directions to analyze the effect of borehole stress relief on improving the external environment of the rock mass. Based on the interaction between the anchor support and the surrounding rock as well as the implementation of passive rockburst control measures, we propose a mathematical model that utilizes the implicit anchor column elements to simulate the reinforcement of the surrounding rock with anchors. By combining system anchors into arches and suspending anchors to reinforce the caverns, the overall stiffness of the surrounding rock can be improved and the stress accumulation can be alleviated. The coordinated deformation between the surrounding rock and the anchor provides support to prevent the rockburst. The effects of two rockburst control measures, borehole releasement and anchor reinforcement, are analyzed using both the strength theory and the energy theory. Engineering examples are provided to illustrate that the use of borehole elements to simulate local stress relief can effectively improve the external environment of the rock mass to control the occurrence of rockburst. Additionally, the mechanism of using anchor column elements in combination with the surrounding rock elements to enhance the overall stiffness of the rock mass and prevent rockburst is explored.

Buildings are responsible for approximately 40% of the world’s energy consumption and 36% of the total carbon dioxide emissions. Building occupancy is essential, enabling occupant-centric control for zero emissions and decarbonization. Although existing machine learning and deep learning methods for building occupancy prediction have made notable progress, their analyses remain limited when applied to complex real-world scenarios. Moreover, there is a high expectation for Transformer algorithms to predict building occupancy accurately. Therefore, this paper presents an occupancy prediction Transformer network (OPTnet). We fused and fed multi-sensor data (building occupancy, indoor environmental conditions, HVAC operations) into a Transformer model to forecast the future occupancy presence in multiple zones. We performed experimental analyses and compared it to different occupancy prediction methods (e.g., decision tree, long short-term memory networks, multi-layer perceptron) and diverse time horizons (1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 20, 30 min). Performance metrics (e.g., accuracy and mean squared error) were employed to evaluate the effectiveness of the prediction algorithms. Our OPTnet method achieved superior performance on our experimental two-week data compared to existing methods. The improved performance indicates its potential to enhance HVAC control systems and energy optimization strategies.

Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis plays critical roles in stress responses under challenging conditions such as hypoxia, via regulating gene expression and integrating activities of hypothalamus-pituitary-targets cells. However, the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms and signaling pathways of hypoxic stress in the pituitary remain to be defined. Here, we report that hypoxia induced dynamic changes in the transcription factors, hormones, and their receptors in the adult rat pituitary. Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), oxidative phosphorylation, and cAMP signaling pathways were all differentially enriched in genes induced by hypoxic stress. In the pituitary gene network, hypoxia activated c-Fos and HIFs with specific pituitary transcription factors (Prop1), targeting the promoters of hormones and their receptors. HIF and its related signaling pathways can be a promising biomarker during acute or constant hypoxia. Hypoxia stimulated the transcription of marker genes for microglia, chemokines, and cytokine receptors of the inflammatory response. Corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRHR1) mediated the transcription of Pomc, Sstr2, and Hif2a, and regulated the function of HPA axis. Together with HIF, c-Fos initiated and modulated dynamic changes in the transcription of hormones and their receptors. The receptors were also implicated in the regulation of functions of target cells in the pituitary network under hypoxic stress. CRHR1 played an integrative role in the hypothalamus-pituitary-target axes. This study provides new evidence for CRHR1 involved changes of hormones, receptors, signaling molecules and pathways in the pituitary induced by hypoxia.

Objective: This study aimed to understand the astringency perception difference and formation mechanism of different varieties of Chrysanthemum tea during drinking, and provide new research ideas and theoretical basis for the astringency perception and sensory research of edible flowers. Methods: 5 different varieties of Chrysanthemum were selected to determined the main astringent chemical constituents by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The perceiving intensity of the astringency of five different varieties of Chrysanthemum was measured and evaluated by using the intelligent taste analysis system of electronic tongue and the traditional sensory evaluation method. The interaction between the main astringent chemical constituents in Chrysanthemum and saliva BCA method was analyzed by SDS-PAGE method, Coomassie bright blue method and fluorescence spectrophotometer method. Results: Among the five kinds of Chrysanthemum, emperor Chrysanthemum and Bozhou Chrysanthemum had the highest content of polyphenols and flavonoids, and the corresponding characteristic value of astringency was also the strongest. The content of polyphenols and flavonoids was positively correlated with the astringency intensity of the Chrysanthemum tea. Conclusion: As the main astringent substance, the difference of polyphenols and flavonoids in different varieties of Chrysanthemum tea significantly affects the astringent taste, and the astringent substance in Chrysanthemum tea combines with proteins in saliva and precipitates, which is one of the main reasons for astringent.

This study aims to address the multi-beam transmission problem of optical wireless coherent communication systems under the influence of non-Kolmogorov turbulence. This paper establishes the mathematical model for mixing efficiency and BER of non-Kolmogorov turbulence wavefront distortion and multi-beam transmission coherent detection systems. The influence of factors such as spectral power-law index, zenith angle, and transmission distance on the communication performance of the system is analyzed, and an experimental system is built using adaptive optics equipment to test the proposed theory. Numerical analyses show that in a non-Kolmogorov turbulence environment, as the spectral power-law index, zenith angle, transmission distance, Fresnel zone, and pointing error attenuation increase, the mixing efficiency of the coherent detection system decreases and the BER increases; under the same conditions, the mixing efficiency and BER of the system are improved after increasing the number of transmission beams at the transmitting end. Experimental research shows that, for the coherent detection system after wavefront correction using adaptive optics, the wavefront PV and RMS variances are 1.68 μm2 and 0.05 μm2 when a single beam of light is transmitted at the transmitting end, and the wavefront PV and RMS variances are 0.23 μm2 and 0.01 μm2 when two beams are transmitted. It is verified that using multi-beam transmission wavefront superposition to suppress wavefront distortion and wavefront jitter can effectively improve the mixing efficiency and BER of the coherent detection system at the receiving end.

Atmospheric turbulence causes signal beam wavefront distortion at the receiving end of a coherent detection system, which decreases the system mixing efficiency. Based on the coherent detection theory, this study establishes a mathematical model of wavefront distortion with mixing efficiency and mixing gain. It also analyzes the improvement limits of wavefront correction on mixing efficiency and mixing gain under different atmospheric turbulence intensities and experimentally measures them. Simulation results show that the mixing efficiency can be improved to 51%, 55%, and 60% after correcting for tilt, defocus, and astigmatism terms, respectively, when turbulence intensity D/r0 is 2. The mixing gain with homodyne detection is 3 dB higher than heterodyne detection. Meanwhile, the wavefront correction orders required for optimal mixing efficiency are higher than the heterodyne correction order. In the experiment, Haso4 NIR + DM 40 was used, and the turbulence intensity D/r0 was 2. After the closed-loop control algorithm corrects the tilt, defocus, and astigmatism terms, the indoor experimental results showed that the mixing efficiency is improved to 36%, 47%, and 62%, respectively. The outdoor experimental results showed that the mixing efficiency improved to 36%, 51%, and 68%, respectively.

The chemical vapor deposition technique was used to prepare the Ag doped ZnO microrods, which were located on Si substrates at two different positions. The scanning electron microscopy revealed that the samples have a clear hexagonal shape. X-ray diffraction provided information about the preferential orientation along the c-axis. The Raman analysis revealed that a new Raman mode appears at 492 cm-1 due to Ag doping. As this mode has not been reported early, it could be used as a characteristic mode of Ag doping in Raman spectrum. The red shift of the E2 (high) mode proves the existence of tensile stress in the samples. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.25.3.19130

Periodontitis is a type of systemic immune inflammation that is caused by the complex infection of a variety of microorganisms in the subgingival plaque and the imbalance of the microbial ecological environment in the mouth. Periodontitis and chronic kidney disease (CKD) share many risk factors, such as obesity, smoking, and age. A growing body of data supports a strong correlation between periodontitis and kidney disease. Evidence supports the role of periodontal inflammation and elevated serum inflammatory mediators in renal atherosclerosis, renal deterioration, and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) development. Periodontitis is a risk factor for kidney disease. However, to our knowledge, there are few studies detailing the possible link between periodontitis and CKD. This review summarizes the possible mechanisms underlying periodontitis and CKD. More importantly, it highlights novel and potential pathogenic factors for CKD, including bacteria, pro-inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress. However, most research on the relationship between periodontitis and systemic disease has not determined causality, and these diseases are largely linked by bidirectional associations. Future research will focus on exploring these links to contribute to new treatments for CKD.

The incidence and severity of acute kidney injury (AKI) is increased yearly in diabetic patients. Although the mechanisms for this remain unclear, the prevention of AKI in diabetic nephropathy is feasible and of value. As we detected highly activation of TGF-β/Smad3 signaling in both human biopsy and mouse model of diabetic nephropathy, we hypothesized that Smad3 activation in diabetic kidneys may increase AKI sensitivity. We tested our hypothesis in vitro using TGF-β type II receptor (TGF-βRII) disrupted tubular epithelial cells (TECs) and in vivo in mice with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic nephropathy before the induction of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. We found that high glucose (HG)-cultured TECs showed increased inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress following hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury. Disruption of TGF-βRII attenuated cell injury induced by H/R in HG-treated TECs. Consistently, Smad3 knockdown in diabetic kidney attenuated I/R-induced AKI. Mechanistically, Smad3 binds to p53 and enhances p53 activity in cells treated with HG and H/R, which may lead to TECs apoptosis. Additionally, ChIP assay showed that Smad3 bound with the promoter region of NOX4 and induced ROS production and inflammation. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that Smad3 promotes AKI susceptibility in diabetic mice by interacting with p53 and NOX4.

With the rapid development of the mobile device and Internet usage, the mobile banking has seen remarkable growth across the world, especially in the past few years, as one of the emerging financial innovations. This paper attempts to explore the mobile banking services offered by selected commercial Chinese banks. The main data of this study were obtained through the comprehensive evaluation of mobile banking services. The DEMATEL-ANP method was used to evaluate the main factors influencing the adoption of mobile banking. The results show that there is still big space for the improvement of the mobile banking services for the selected Chinese banks. The management significance and suggestions for these banks are also discussed.

Imbalance of Th1 and Th2 response at the maternal–fetal interface is considered as a radical event in the pathogenesis of immunity-related pregnant diseases. It has been demonstrated that the ROP16I, a rhoptry protein of Toxoplasma gondii, and the viable parasite with ROP16I may induce M2 macrophage polarization in host innate immunity and may be involved in the adverse pregnant outcomes. However, the mechanisms by which T. gondii-derived effectors subvert the immune tolerance in the pathology of pregnancy remain unclear. Here, we constructed the RH strain with ROP16I deletion (RHΔrop16) to explore the pathogenesis of abnormal pregnancy. We found that C57BL/6 mice infected with RHΔrop16 exhibited the increased resorption of fetuses and more severe adverse pathology of placentae at the early phase of gestation, as compared to the mice infected with RH wild type (RH WT) parasite. Additionally, RHΔrop16 strain infection significantly promoted M1 macrophage phenotypes of CD80 and CD86, and decreased CD206 expression of M2 macrophages, with upregulation of the iNOS and downregulation of the Arg-1 expression in placental homogenates. Simultaneously, the pro-inflammatory cytokines of IL-12 and TNF-α were elevated whereas the anti-inflammatory cytokine of TGF-β1 was dampened. Moreover, the p38α mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38α MAPK) was notably phosphorylated in placental macrophages infected with both RHΔrop16 and RH WT strains compared with the control. Taken together, our findings indicated that ROP16I deletion of type I RH strain may cause exacerbated adverse pregnant outcomes, which is attributable to subversion of the maternal immune tolerance due to the increased pro-inflammatory cytokines in the pregnant animals. The results also suggest that ROP16I might be a protective factor and other T. gondii-derived molecules might be involved in the M1–Th1 biased pathological process in aberrant pregnancy at the early phase of gestation.

Confined spaces are extremely common in industrial production and emergency rescue situations, and are also widely found in the fields of mining, chemistry, metallurgy, construction, aviation, submarines, emergency hedging, and others. Confined space operations and living environments are characterized by small spaces, poor ventilation, lack of oxygen, high temperatures and humidity, and poor lighting and communication. Exposure to this operating environment over even short periods of time causes thermal stress and changes in the oxygen content of the human body, which lead to physical discomforts such as increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and body temperature changes. As exposure time increases, the human body experiences fatigue, confusion, and other symptoms. The physical fatigue caused by the human body being exposed to confined space environments is the main causal factor in safety accidents. Therefore, a method must be developed to enable objective measurement and rapid determination of physiological fatigue. A 100-min-limit manned experiment was conducted in a confined space to test an objective fatigue measurement method based on the photoplethysmography pulse wave (PPG). An algorithm was then developed to extract PPG signal feature parameters to determine the hemodynamics and circulatory system changes that characterize physiological fatigue. As the most basic physiological signal of the human body, the PPG contains abundant information about hemodynamics and autonomic nervous system circulation. This information is reflected in parameters such as the wave shape, speed, and rhythm. The results indicate that when the human body experiences physiological fatigue, the average period of the PPG signal is significantly greater than that when it is non-fatigued (p

The safety situation in the construction industry across the world has been complicated for a long time, and the high incidence of accidents poses great challenges to this situation. Research on occupational safety and health indicates that people are prone to misconduct or unsafe behavior when they are tired. A large number of accident analyses show that fatigue is one of the most important reasons for accidents. When the human body enters into a fatigue state, the physiological parameters change accordingly. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) on physiological fatigue in a sustained bricklaying task. A mathematical model was proposed for evaluating physiological fatigue. Five male healthy participants were selected to imitate construction by engaging in bricklaying on an 86 cm platform. HRV data were collected every 30 min during the sustained task, and heart rate was measured every minute. Analysis of variance, one-sample t-test, and nonlinear curve fitting were adopted in this study. Physiological fatigue shows a significant change with heart rate fluctuation (significant level α=0.05, Pα=0.05, P>0.05). The trend of the physiological fatigue curve follows a cubic function. The nonlinear curve fitting results (R2=0.8892) show that the development trend of physiological fatigue shows an "S" trend, which can be divided into the following three stages:fatigue adjustment period, fatigue stability period, and fatigue instability period. Proper rest in the fatigue failure period (In this experiment, it was about 90 min.) can slow or delay physiological fatigue.

Abstract Background Toxoplasma gondii, a single-celled parasite commonly found in mammals, has been shown to induce trophoblast cell apoptosis and subsequently cause fetal damage and abortion. Although dense granule protein 15 (GRA15) has been identified as a key component in innate immunity to T. gondii infection and its pathogenesis, its role in host cell apoptosis remains unclarified. Methods Type II GRA15 (GRA15II) cDNA was inserted into a plasmid encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (pEGFP). Choriocarcinoma JEG-3 cells were transfected with either pEGFP or pEGFP-GRA15II and cultured for 24 h. Cell apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) responses were assessed. Inhibitors targeting inositol-requiring kinase 1α (IRE1α; 4μ8C, 100 nM) or c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK; SP6000125, 20 μM) were added 12 h after plasmid transfection, followed by testing the effect of GRA15II on ERS. Results When compared to pEGFP, pEGFP-GRA15II transfection facilitated cell apoptosis (P < 0.05), increased mRNA expression of caspase-3, caspase-4, 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78), C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and X-box binding protein-1 (XBP1) (all P < 0.05), and promoted protein expression of cleaved caspase-3, cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, Bax, CHOP, GRP78, phospho-JNK, and phospho-IRE1α (all P < 0.05). The 4μ8C and SP6000125 decreased apoptosis and protein expression of XBP1s, CHOP, TNF receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2), phosphorylated apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1), cleaved caspase-3, phospho-JNK, and Bax (all P < 0.05) in pEGFP-GRA15II transfected cells. Conclusions Toxoplasma GRA15II induced ERS and subsequently caused apoptosis of choriocarcinoma JEG-3 cells.

To improve the proinsecticidal activity and phloem mobility of amino acid–tralopyril conjugates further, nine conjugates were designed and synthesized by introducing glutamic acid to tralopyril, and the length of the linker between glutamic acid and tralopyril ranged from 2 atoms to 10 atoms. The results of insecticidal activity against the third-instar larvae of P. xylostella showed that conjugates 42, 43, 44,and 45 (straight-chain containing 2–5 atoms) exhibited good insecticidal activity, and their LC50 values were 0.2397 ± 0.0366, 0.4413 ± 0.0647, 0.4400 ± 0.0624, and 0.4602 ± 0.0655 mM, respectively. The concentrations of conjugates 43–45 were higher than that of conjugate 42 in the phloem sap at 2 h, and conjugate 43 showed the highest concentration. The introduction of glutamic acid can improve phloem mobility. The in vivo metabolism of conjugates 42 and 43 was investigated in P. xylostella, and the parent compound tralopyril was detected at concentrations of 0.5950 and 0.3172 nmol/kg, respectively. According to the above results, conjugates 42 and 43 were potential phloem mobile pro-insecticide candidates.

A kind of novel modified organobentonite composite owning good adsorption effect and high recovery efficiency was made to improve the adsorption property of organobentonite. Graphene was chosen to modify organobentonite. The modifying process was conducted by microwave irradiation. The structure and adsorption properties of the adsorption material were studied and the mechanism of action was discussed. Organobentonite and the modified organobentonite were used to adsorb humic acid from water after being characterized by scanning electron microscopy,Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and X-ray diffraction analysis. It is found that graphene and organobentonite composite uniformly and the basal spacing increases from 1.37 to 2.68 nm. The humic acid removal rate reaches 95.52% under the conditions of the temperature of 25℃,the p H value of 6,the composite dosage of 5 g·L-1and the adsorption time of 1 h. The adsorption data fits well the Langmuir isotherm model and the pseudo-second-order model,the maximum theoretical adsorption capacity of the composite is 52.08 mg·g-1,and the adsorption is an exothermic process. The graphene modified organobentonite can be regenerated with Na OH,and the regeneration efficiency reaches 86% after the fifth regeneration when the Na OH concentration is 0.1 mol·L-1.

Psocids are a new risk for global food security and safety because they are significant worldwide pests of stored products. Among these psocids, Liposcelis bostrychophila has developed high levels of resistance or tolerance to heat treatment in grain storage systems, and thus has led to investigation of molecular mechanisms underlying heat tolerance in this pest. In this study, the time-related effects of thermal stress treatments at relatively high temperatures on the activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidases (POD), glutathione-S-transferases (GST) and malondialdehyde (MDA), of L. bostrychophila were determined. Thermal stress resulted that L. bostrychophila had a significantly higher MDA concentration at 42.5 °C, which indicated that the heat stress increased lipid peroxidation (LPO) contents and oxidative stress in this psocid pest. Heat stress also resulted in significant elevation of SOD, CAT and GST activities but decreased POD activity. Our data indicates that different antioxidant enzymes contribute to defense mechanisms, counteracting oxidative damage in varying levels. POD play minor roles in scavenging deleterious LPO, while enhanced SOD, CAT and GST activities in response to thermal stress likely play a more important role against oxidative damage. Here, we firstly identified five LbHsps (four LbHsp70s and one LbHsp110) from psocids, and most of these LbHsps (except LbHsp70-1) are highly expressed at fourth instar nymph and adults, and LbHsp70-1 likely presents as a cognate form of HSP due to its non-significant changes of expression. Most LbHsp70s (except LbHsp70-4) are significantly induced at moderate high temperatures (LbHsp110-1 can be significantly induced at all high temperatures. Results of this study suggest that the LbHsp70s and LbHsp110 genes are involved in tolerance to thermal stress in L. bostrychophila, and antioxidant enzymes and heat shock proteins may be coordinately involved in the tolerance to thermal stress in psocids.

Our previous investigations indicated that in vitro polarization of mouse macrophages by Toxoplasma gondii type II strain dense granule protein 15 (GRA15II), one of the genotype-associated effectors of T. gondii, induced the phenotypes of classically activated macrophage (M1). Transfusion of the cells to mice may effectively alleviated hepatic fibrosis caused by schistosomiasis. The purpose of the study was to identify whether liver macrophages can be in vivo driven to M1 macrophages by lentiviral vector (LV) carrying GRA15II gene (LV-gra15II) and to explore the potential mechanism by which the LV-gra15II-activated liver macrophage (LV-gra15II-M) ameliorates the hepatic fibrosis in schistosomiasis. The mice were treated with LV-gra15II by hydrodynamic injection via the tail vein followed by challenge of Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum). Our experiments showed that LV-gra15II was successfully delivered to liver macrophages and GRA15II was persistently expressed in the macrophages of mice for at least 2 months. Furthermore, the LV-gra15II infected macrophages were polarized to M1 macrophages in vivo. Consequently, mice with schistosomiasis receiving LV-gra15II injection displayed a remarkable amelioration of liver granuloma formation and collagen deposition in association with downregulated expression of transforming growth factor-beta1, arginase 1 (Arg-1), α-smooth muscle actin, and an increased expression of matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13). Simultaneously, no negative effects of liver function and vitality of mice were noted. The in vitro experiments indicated that the C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 and nitric oxide level were elevated in LV-gra15II-M cultural supernatants; hepatocyte growth factor expression was enhanced in LV-gra15II-M. In addition, LV-gra15II-M not only secreted MMP13, which greatly degraded type I collagen, but also induced murine hepatic stellate cell (HSC) line (JS1) apoptosis in the co-culture system. Taken together, we identified for the first time that LV-gra15II may in vivo drive liver macrophages to M1 macrophage phenotypes, which helps for alteration of the liver fibrotic microenvironment with collagen dissolution, HSC deactivation, apoptosis and hepatocyte protection. Our study gives an insight into the use of gene delivery with parasite-derived immunomodulatory factor as a potential immune cell activating agent to re-equilibrate the other pathogen-induced immune response in some chronic diseases.

Toxoplasma gondii infection evokes a strong Th1-type response with interleukin (IL)-12 and interferon (IFN)-γ secretion. Recent studies suggest that the infection of pregnant mice with T. gondii may lead to adverse pregnancy results caused by subversion of physiological immune tolerance at maternofetal interface rather than direct invasion of the parasite. Genotype-associated dense granule protein GRA15II tends to induce classically activated macrophage (M1) differentiation and subsequently activating NK, Th1, and Th17 cells whereas rhoptry protein ROP16I/III drives macrophages to alternatively activated macrophage (M2) polarization and elicits Th2 immune response. Unlike the archetypal strains of types I, II, and III, type Chinese 1 strains possess both GRA15II and ROP16I/III, suggesting a distinct pathogenesis of Toxoplasma-involved adverse pregnancies. We constructed T. gondii type Chinese 1 strain of WH3Δrop16 based on CRISPR/Cas9 technology to explore the ROP16I/III-deficient/GRA15II-dominant parasites in induction of trophoblast apoptosis in vitro and abnormal pregnant outcomes of mice in vivo. Our study showed that Toxoplasma WH3Δrop16 remarkably induced apoptosis of trophoblasts. C57BL/6 pregnant mice injected with the tachyzoites of WH3Δrop16 presented increased absorptivity of fetuses in comparison with the mice infected with WH3 wild type (WH3 WT) parasites although no remarkable difference of virulence to mice was seen between the two strains. Additionally, the mice inoculated with WH3Δrop16 tachyzoites exhibited a notable expression of both IL-17A and IFN-γ, while the percentage of CD4+CD25+FoxP3 [T regulatory cells (Tregs)] were diminished in splenocytes and placenta tissues compared to those infected with WH3 WT parasites. Accordingly, expressions of IL-4, IL-10, and transforming growth factor beta 1, the pivotal cytokines of Th2 and Tregs response, were significantly dampened whereas IFN-γ and IL-12 expressions were upregulated in WH3Δrop16-infected mice, which gave rise to more prominent outcomes of abnormal pregnancies. Our results indicated that the WH3Δrop16 parasites with gra15II background of T. gondii type Chinese 1 strains may cause miscarriage and stillbirth due to subversion of the maternal immune tolerance and system immunity of the animals and the GRA15II effector contributes to the process of adverse pregnant consequences.

The changes of sludge dewaterability and bound water content at various pH values were investigated in this study. The protein and polysaccharide contents in each layer of extracellular polymeric substances(S-EPS、LB-EPS and TB-EPS) and the organic acid and organic functional group contents in S-EPS were determined in an attempt to explain the influence of EPS on the sludge dewaterability and bound water content. The results indicate that the sludge dewaterability under acidic conditions is obviously better than that under neutral conditions,and the water content of dewatered sludge(WC) and the capillary suction time(CST) can be decreased to 60.8% and 25.4 s at pH 3.03,respectively. Under alkaline conditions,the bound water content in dewatered sludge,the WC and CST significantly increase,and the sludge dewaterability deteriorates. The addition of acid or alkali reduces TB-EPS,on the contrary,increases LB-EPS and S-EPS. Each layer of extracellular polymeric substances has significant correlation with the WC,CST and the bound water content,and S-EPS has most significant correlation with the sludge dewaterability and bound water content. In the process of acid-alkali conditioning,the amount and type of organic-functional groups improve obviously and hydrolysis of partly EPS generates organic acids and other small molecules.

Optical microscopy, electron microscopy and physic-chemical phase analysis, in combination with thermodynamic calculations, were used to study precipitates and their precipitation regularity in Ti-microalloyed high-strength steel produced by CSP process. It is found that lots of spherical TiC and Ti(C,N) nanoparticles with a few of irregular shaped Ti4C2S2 above 100 nm in size exist in the steel with a yield strength of 700 MPa. TiN is completely precipitated from the steel before tandem rolling, but TiC mainly precipitates during coiling and cooling. The mass fractions of MC phases in the steel without Mo and the steel containing Mo are 0.049% and 0.043%, respectively. Owing to the addition of molybdenum, the amount of Ti precipitates in the steel containing Mo decreases while the precipitate size becomes smaller. The precipitation strengthening effects of the steel without Mo and the steel containing Mo are 126 MPa and 128 MPa, respectively.

The phase and proportion of nano-oxides in oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels are determined by the formation energy and the content of oxide-forming elements, particularly minor reactive elements, which in turn influence the macroscopic properties of the ODS steels. To study the phase, morphology, and interfaces of oxides in six ODS steels, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) techniques were employed. Subsequently, machine learning (ML) methods were used to predict the formation energies of the oxides in the ODS steels. Among six ML models employed, the light gradient boosting machine (LGBM) model shows the highest accuracy in predicting the formation energy of the oxides, with root mean square error (RMSE) values of 0.18 eV/atom and 0.27 eV/atom, mean absolute error (MAE) values of 0.11 eV/atom and 0.18 eV/atom, and coefficient of determination (R2) values of 0.96 and 0.92 for the training and testing sets, respectively. For Magpie descriptors, the most essential feature is “dev_Electronegativity” with an importance score of 444. The method developed in this study can establish an accurate prediction model for the formation energy of oxides. The knowledge obtained in this work guides the future development of high-performance ODS alloys.