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Objective(s): To investigate the protective effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on septic acute kidney injury (SAKI) via regulating Sirtuin3 (SIRT3)-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis. Materials and Methods: By constructing SIRT3 knockout mice and culturing kidney tubular epithelial cells (KTECs), we assessed the changes of renal function and detected the protein expression of adenine nucleotide translocator (ANT), cyclophilin (CypD) and voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) using western-blotting, and simultaneously detected toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), inhibitor of kappa B kinase (IKKβ), inhibitor of Kappa Bα (IκBα), and p65 protein expression. We observed mitochondrial damage of KTECs using a transmission electron microscope and assessed apoptosis by TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling and flow cytometry. Results: SIRT3 deficiency led to the deterioration of renal function, and caused a significant increase in inducible nitric oxide synthase production, a decrease in mitochondrial volume, up-regulation of TLR4, IκBα, IKKβ, and p65 proteins, and up-regulation of ANT, CypD and VDAC proteins. However, NAC significantly improved renal function and down-regulated the expression of TLR4, IκBα, IKKβ, and p65 proteins. Furthermore, SIRT3 deficiency led to a significant increase in KTEC apoptosis, while NAC up-regulated the expression of SIRT3 and inhibited apoptosis. Conclusion: NAC has a significant protective effect on SAKI by inhibiting SIRT3-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis of KTECs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the systematic GMM and intermediation model, the impact of China's direct investment on the green total factor productivity (GTFP) of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries are examined from the data of 48 countries during the period of 2008-2019. The results show that China's direct investment can significantly contribute to GTFP in BRI countries through the mediating mechanisms of scale, structural and human capital effects. Of these, the main one is the scale effect. In addition, the scale, structural and human capital effects all positively moderate the green driving effect of China's direct investment in BRI countries, while the technology effect weakens the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Federated learning possesses a distributed learning framework for protecting privacy where local clients need to collaboratively train a shared model via a central server. Many existing methods in the literature of federated learning are analyzed under some smoothness conditions of loss functions and need access to gradient information to perform local optimization algorithms such as stochastic gradient descent or dual average. Some methods even need a strong convexity of the loss function. However, in many situations of real world applications such as readability of texts, first-order gradient information is difficult to obtain, and the strong smoothness and strong convexity of loss functions are not satisfied. We consider methods to overcome such situations. This paper aims at providing an understanding of federated learning in the situation that the loss functions are nonsmooth and gradient information is unavailable, also a strong convexity condition is not needed. Based on Nesterov's zeroth-order (gradient-free) techniques, we propose a zeroth-order stochastic federated learning method. Constant and decreasing step size strategies are considered. Moreover, a new type of approximating sequence is proposed in federated learning for strictly decreasing step sizes. Expected error bounds for the proposed approximating sequence and learning rates of the proposed method are derived under some selection rules of the step sizes and smoothing parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direct current (DC)‐link voltage control of the flywheel energy storage system plays an important role in realizing high‐quality grid connection. With the traditional proportional‐integral control, the DC‐link voltage cannot track its reference value quickly and smoothly when the flywheel energy storage system switches from the charging stage to other working stages. Therefore, a DC‐link voltage control strategy for the flywheel energy storage system based on active disturbance rejection control is proposed in this paper to deal with this issue. The DC‐link voltage and its differential value are considered as the state variables in this strategy. The internal and external disturbances, such as load power, switching loss, and parameter uncertainty, are regarded as an expanded state. By inputting the voltage error and the observed disturbance into the nonlinear state feedback control law, the rapidity and anti‐interference of the DC‐link voltage control are ensured under different States of Charge of the flywheel energy storage system. Then, the coefficient freezing method is used to analyze the effects of the disturbance observation bandwidth by nonlinear gain and pole position changes. The DC‐link voltage can track the reference value over a wider frequency range of disturbances. By configuring the appropriate observer structure parameters, the disturbance observation bandwidth under the nonlinear function gain variation is always higher than the expected bandwidth. The effectiveness of the proposed control strategy is verified by simulation results at last. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The associations between different types and contexts of stepping behaviors and cardiometabolic (CM) health markers are unclear. This study aimed to examine the associations of daily total, walking, stair, incidental and purposeful steps with cardiometabolic risk. A total of 943 women (mean age ± SD = 44.1 ± 1.6 years) from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH) were included in this cross‐sectional study. Daily total, walking, stair, incidental, and purposeful steps were measured using thigh‐worn accelerometry. Outcomes comprised of CM markers of adiposity, blood pressure, resting heart rate, lipids, glycaemia, and the composite CM score. We used generalized linear modeling and multiple linear regression to assess the associations. We observed that all stepping behaviors were beneficial to CM health, for example, compared to the lowest quartile (Q1), the change of the composite CM score across low to high quartile of purposeful steps was −0.12 (Q2, 95% CI: −0.41, 0.17), −0.16 (Q3, −0.46, 0.14), and −0.36 (Q4, −0.66, −0.05). Stair steps showed linear associations with blood pressure and adiposity biomarkers, for example, the change of quartile of waist circumference was −1.45 cm (Q2, −4.35, 1.44), −3.56 cm (Q3, −6.52, −0.60), and −7.08 cm (Q4, −10.31, −3.86). Peak 30‐min walking intensity showed independent association with adiposity biomarkers (p linear < 0.001 and p = 0.002 for waist circumference and BMI, respectively). Our study showed that all stepping forms were beneficial to CM health. Higher stair steps and peak 30‐min walking cadence were associated with a steep decline of adiposity biomarkers. Purposeful steps showed more consistent associations with CM biomarkers than incidental steps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Propose a fault analysis method of valve-side winding fault of converter transformer. • Fault analysis by classified time-period is closer to LCC-HVDC system actual situation. • Study the fault characteristics of the valve-side winding fault. • Point out the fault characteristics differences with ordinary transformer. This paper studies the fault analysis method and fault characteristics of valve-side winding fault of converter transformer in line-commutated-converter high-voltage direct-current (LCC-HVDC) system. The time periods are divided according to the valve conduction state within one power frequency cycle, and these time periods are classified based on the common features. For each type of time period, the flow path of the fault current is analyzed, the circuit equation is established, and the current on both sides of the transformer is solved. By combining the various time periods together, the expressions of the currents on both sides of converter transformer in one power frequency cycle after fault are obtained. The fault characteristics of the valve-side winding fault are studied based on the expressions, and the differences between them and ordinary transformer are pointed out. The research results show that when a single-phase grounding fault occurs in the valve-side winding of the low-voltage (LV) bridge converter transformer in LCC-HVDC system, both the grid-side current and the valve-side measured current contain a lot of harmonics, which will affect the operating characteristics of differential protection. Finally, a simulation model is built using PSCAD to verify the fault characteristics obtained from analysis. These works provide a theoretical basis for analyzing the action characteristics of converter transformer protection when the valve-side winding fault occurs and studying the new protection principle. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historical marquisette curtains were composed of lightweight fabrics, woven in an open-mesh and leno-type weave, usually made of silk, and found in Qing imperial buildings. As panel curtains, they were exposed to light, and so underwent fading. This study investigated the manufacturing technology and fading mechanism of dyed marquisette fabric from the Studio of Cleansing Fragrance, the Palace Museum (Beijing). The technological aspects were identified. The types of weave, fiber, and adhesive used to fix the curtain to the wooden frame were identified through microscopic observation and infrared spectroscopy. A color change characterization was performed based on UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra. The textile colorant was identified as malachite green (MG), and its degradation by light was subsequently studied by dynamic photolysis experiments in a kinetic solution for the rapid exploration of by-products. The main degradation pathways were thus identified and the factors responsible for the induced color changes were discussed. A comparison of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC–MS) results of the products derived from the photolysis method as well as of the samples extracted from the object allowed for the identification of the presence of different degradation pathways in the faded and unfaded parts of the textile. A metabolomics analysis was applied to account for the differences in the degradation pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): Acute lung injury (ALI) is a common comorbidity in patients with sepsis, and finding drugs that can effectively reduce its mortality is a hot spot in current research. The purpose of this study is to explore the protective mechanism of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on ALI in septic rats. Materials and Methods: We used NAC to intervene in septic rats to evaluate the plasma inflammatory factors and lung tissue pathological damage. Biochemical methods were used to determine the levels of oxidases in lung tissue, the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) proteins, and observed lung tissue cell apoptosis. Results: NAC pretreatment decreased the mortality of septic rats, improved lung tissue pathological damage, reduced the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and malondialdehyde, and increased activity of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase. Moreover, NAC pretreatment significantly decreased iNOS protein expression and increased eNOS protein expression in lung tissue. Meanwhile, NAC significantly decreased the number of apoptosis and the levels of Bax and Caspase-3 mRNA and increased the level of Bcl-2 mRNA in the lung tissue of septic rats. Conclusion: NAC protects ALI in septic rats by inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C-type lectin domain family 4, member a4 (Clec4a4) is a C-type lectin inhibitory receptor specific for glycans thought to be exclusively expressed on murine CD8α- conventional dendritic cells. Using newly generated Clec4a4-mCherry knock-in mice, we identify a subset of Clec4a4- expressing eosinophils uniquely localized in the small intestine lamina propria. Clec4a4+ eosinophils evinced an immunomodulatory signature, whereas Clec4a4- eosinophils manifested a proinflammatory profile. Clec4a4+ eosinophils expressed high levels of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr), which drove the expression of Clec4a4 as well as other immunomodulatory features, such as PD-L1. The abundance of Clec4a4+ eosinophils was dependent on dietary AHR ligands, increased with aging, and declined in inflammatory conditions. Mice lacking AHR in eosinophils expanded innate lymphoid cells of type 2 and cleared Nippostrongylus brasiliensis infection more effectively than did wild-type mice. These results highlight the heterogeneity of eosinophils in response to tissue cues and identify a unique AHR-dependent subset of eosinophils in the small intestine with an immunomodulatory profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of lithium‐metal batteries is severely hampered by uncontrollable dendrite growth and volume expansion on the metal anodes. Inspired by the "blockchain" concept in data mining, here we utilize a conductive polymer‐filled metal–organic framework (MOF) as the lithium host, in which polypyrrole (PPy) serves as the "chain" to interlink Li "blocks" stored in the MOF pores. While the N‐rich PPy guides fast Li+ infiltration/extrusion and serves as the nucleation sites for isotropic Li growth, the MOF pores compartmentalize bulk Li deposition for 3D matrix Li storage, leading to low‐barrier and dendrite‐free Li plating/stripping with superb Coulombic efficiency. The as‐fabricated lithium‐metal anodes operate over 700 cycles at 5 mA cm−2 in symmetric cells, and 800 cycles at 1 C in full cells with a per‐cycle capacity loss of only 0.017 %. This work might open a new chapter for Li‐metal anode construction by introducing the concept of "blockchain" management of Li plating/stripping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of lithium‐metal batteries is severely hampered by uncontrollable dendrite growth and volume expansion on the metal anodes. Inspired by the "blockchain" concept in data mining, here we utilize a conductive polymer‐filled metal–organic framework (MOF) as the lithium host, in which polypyrrole (PPy) serves as the "chain" to interlink Li "blocks" stored in the MOF pores. While the N‐rich PPy guides fast Li+ infiltration/extrusion and serves as the nucleation sites for isotropic Li growth, the MOF pores compartmentalize bulk Li deposition for 3D matrix Li storage, leading to low‐barrier and dendrite‐free Li plating/stripping with superb Coulombic efficiency. The as‐fabricated lithium‐metal anodes operate over 700 cycles at 5 mA cm−2 in symmetric cells, and 800 cycles at 1 C in full cells with a per‐cycle capacity loss of only 0.017 %. This work might open a new chapter for Li‐metal anode construction by introducing the concept of "blockchain" management of Li plating/stripping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulatory T (Treg) cells are critical in preventing aberrant immune responses. Posttranscriptional control of gene expression by microRNA (miRNA) has recently emerged as an essential genetic element for Treg cell function. Here, we report that mice with Treg cell–specific ablation of miR-142 (hereafter Foxp3CremiR-142fl/fl mice) developed a fatal systemic autoimmune disorder due to a breakdown in peripheral T-cell tolerance. Foxp3CremiR-142fl/fl mice displayed a significant decrease in the abundance and suppressive capacity of Treg cells. Expression profiling of miR-142–deficient Treg cells revealed an up-regulation of multiple genes in the interferon gamma (IFNγ) signaling network. We identified several of these IFNγ-associated genes as direct miR-142-3p targets and observed excessive IFNγ production and signaling in miR-142–deficient Treg cells. Ifng ablation rescued the Treg cell homeostatic defect and alleviated development of autoimmunity in Foxp3CremiR-142fl/fl mice. Thus, our findings implicate miR-142 as an indispensable regulator of Treg cell homeostasis that exerts its function by attenuating IFNγ responses. This study identifies microRNA-142 as a central regulator of the development, homeostasis and function of regulatory T cells. Mechanistically, the miR-142-3p isoform controls regulatory T cell homeostasis and immune tolerance by attenuating IFNγ responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] A new microwave-promoted Sc(OTf) 3 -catalyzed alkyne-carbonyl metathesis-initiated cyclization of 1-alkynylnaphthalen-2-ols with ninhydrin is reported, furnishing a wide range of naphtho[2,1- b ]furan-1-ones with a quaternary center in good yields. Exchang ninhydrin for 5,5-dihydroxypyrimidine-2,4,6(1 H ,3 H ,5 H)-trione resulted in functionalized pyrimidine-2,4,6-trione-containing naphtho[2,1-b]furan-1-ones. The catalytic cyclization protocol has attractive characteristics of high atom utilization, good compatibility with different types of substituents, and the efficient control of regiochemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyroelectric detectors are often broadband and require external filters for wavelength‐specific applications. This paper reports a tunable, narrowband, and lightweight pyroelectric infrared detector built upon a flexible membrane of As2S3−Ag−P(VDF‐TrFE) with subwavelength grating, which is capable of both on‐chip filtering and photopyroelectric energy conversion. The top surface of this hybrid membrane is a corrugated As2S3−Ag film contributing to narrowband light absorption in the near‐infrared (NIR) regime, and the bottom part is a polyvinylidene fluoride‐trifluoroethylene (PVDF‐TrFE) membrane for the conversion of the absorbed light to an electrical signal. Uniquely, applying a bias voltage to the PVDF‐TrFE membrane enables the tuning of the device's absorption and pyroelectric characteristics owing to the piezoelectrically induced mechanical bending. The resonator exhibited a resonant absorption coefficient of 80% and a full‐width‐half‐maximum of 15 nm within the NIR, a responsivity of 1.4 mV mW−1, and an equivalent noise power of 13 µW Hz−1/2 at 1560 nm. By applying a 15‐V bias to the PVDF‐TrFE membrane, the absorption coefficient decreased to 18% due to the change in the grating period and incident angle. The narrowband and tunable features of the As2S3−Ag−P(VDF‐TrFE) pyroelectric detector will benefit a variety of potential applications in sensors, optical spectroscopy, and imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): To explore the regulation mechanism of Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) on the mitochondrial function and apoptosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) in septic mice. Materials and Methods: The sepsis-induced AKI model was constructed in the wild-type and SIRT3 knockout (KO) mice, and the levels of serum creatinine (Scr) and plasma kidney injury molecule 1 (pKIM-1) in mice were detected by ELISA. The mitochondrial damage of kidney tubular epithelial cells (KTEC) was observed by electron microscopy, the apoptosis of KTEC was detected by TUNEL assay, and the mRNA levels of SIRT3, Bax, Caspase-3, and Bcl-2 were detected by RT-qPCR. Results: SIRT3 KO caused increased expression of Scr, pKIM-1, and inducible nitric oxide synthase protein in the kidneys of septic mice, and decreased the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and mitochondrial complex enzymes I/II/III/IV. SIRT3 deficiency exacerbated histopathological and mitochondrial damage to the proximal tubules of the kidney. In addition, SIRT3 KO resulted in a significantly increased apoptosis of KTEC, increased the mRNA levels of Bax and Caspase-3, and decreased the mRNA levels of Bcl-2. Conclusion: Our study suggests that SIRT3 deficiency promotes sepsis-induced AKI via increasing oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inducing apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Icariin has shown the potential to treat osteoarthritis (OA), but the specific mechanism still needs further exploration. Therefore, this study attempted to reveal the effect and mechanism of icariin on OA based on in vitro and in vivo experiments. In vivo, a mouse model of OA was established by cutting the anterior cruciate ligament, and 10 mg/kg icariin was given to mice orally. Then, the OA injury and pathological changes of cartilage tissue in mice were identified by OA index and hematoxylin and eosin staining. In vitro, the viability of C28/I2 cells incubated with different concentrations of icariin was detected by 3‐(4,5)‐dimethylthiahiazo (‐z‐y1)‐3,5‐di‐ phenytetrazoliumromide assay. Subsequently, C28/I2 cells induced by IL‐1β were used as the cell model of OA, the expression of Sirtuin (SIRT)‐1 in cells was knocked down, and icariin was added for intervention. Next, western blot was used to observe the expression level of sirtuin 1 (SIRT‐1)‐Nrf2‐heme oxygenase 1 (HO‐1) signaling pathway‐related proteins in cells of each group. Besides, cell viability and apoptosis were detected by MTT and apoptosis assay, and DNA damage was observed by comet assay. In vivo experiments, intragastric administration of icariin could effectively reduce the OA index of mice, improve the pathological changes of cartilage tissue, and obviously activated the SIRT‐1‐Nrf2‐HO‐1 signaling pathway. In vitro experiments, icariin did not exhibit toxic effect on C28/I2 cells, but could activate the SIRT‐1‐Nrf2‐HO‐1 signaling pathway, improve the viability, reduce the level of apoptosis and relieve the DNA damage in OA cells; however, these effects were inhibited by si‐ SIRT‐1. Icariin can improve the symptoms of OA by activating the SIRT‐1‐Nrf2‐HO‐1 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological fragmentation and environmental degradation are the main problems faced by urban fringe areas (UFA). The urban sprawl of UFA is the most complex, varied, and sensitive area for urbanization. However, the research on spatial governance in the UFA of megacities is still in the early. Therefore, this paper takes Xi'an as an example, using nighttime light (NTL) data as the basic data. ArcGIS software is used to generate contour lines and filter the boundary of UFA. We explored the characteristics and fragmentation of uneven expansion of the UFA and carried out spatial governance of the landscape fragmentation problem. Results show that: The UFA has been experiencing dynamic changes for a long time and the area reached 720.57 km2 in 2020. The landscape of the UFA is significantly fragmented. The dominant landscape changed from a single land use to a more mixed. Factors such as traffic networks and heritage sites are the main influencing factors for the fragmentation of UFA. To improve the landscape fragmentation of UFA, focusing on bottom-line control, ecological restoration and other aspects of governance may be effective ways. In addition, connecting urban areas with rural hinterlands, and carrying out targeted planning play an important part in the sustainable development of regional landscapes. • Identify and extract the extent of Xi'an urban fringe areas (UFA), which have been in dynamic changes for a long time. • Explore the irregular expansion and landscape fragmentation characteristics of the urban fringe areas of Xi'an. • Analyze the impact of Xi'an's urban layout on the fragmented spatial governance of the urban fringe areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we have investigated the Cabibbo-suppressed process Λ c → π 0 η p , by taking into account the intermediate scalar state a 0 (980) , which could be dynamically generated from the S -wave pseudoscalar-pseudoscalar interaction within the chiral unitary approach. We have calculated the π 0 η invariant mass distribution, and found that there is a significant structure associated to the a 0 (980). We have also roughly estimated the branching fraction B (Λ c → π 0 η p) ∼ 10 − 4. We encourage our experimental colleagues to measure the process Λ c → π 0 η p for searching for the state a 0 (980) in this reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Li–O2 battery is one of the most captivating energy storage forms due to its extraordinarily high energy density and the readily its the ready availability of oxygen. However, significant challenges lie ahead on both the anode and cathode sides before the technology can be finally deployed to benefit human life. Herein, a two‐birds‐one‐stone tactic is implemented to fabricate high‐performance and flexible Li–O2 batteries utilizing only one structural backbone composed of graphene oxide aerogel embedding hollow NiCo2O4 microspheres for both the anode and cathode. While the composite Li anode fabricated through lithium infusion exhibits an ultrahigh capacity of 3398.4 mAh g−1 and significantly inhibits dendrite growth and volume expansion, the freestanding oxygen cathode demonstrates great capability in promoting energy efficiency by catalyzing reversible Li2O2 formation. When coupled together, the resultant Li–O2 batteries manifest a superb long‐term cycling stability with highly reversible discharge/charge for more than 400 cycles, apart from the remarkable mechanical deformability demonstrated by flexible pouch cells. By employing a full spectrum of ex situ and operando spectroscopic and microscopic tools, mechanistic insights into the remarkable Li–O2 performance are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper demonstrates the use of a smartphone-based sensor for fluorescence polarization (FP) analysis of biomolecules. The FP detection can rapidly sense ligand-analyte bindings by measuring molecule mobility, and thus, FP-based assays have been widely used for rapid diagnostics in clinics. Here, we implemented the FP detection apparatus using a 3D-printed compact holder and the built-in camera of a smartphone. The system offers accurate measurements of the degree of polarization by simultaneously detecting the fluorescence intensities parallel and perpendicular to the polarization of the excitation. The fluorescence signal of the sample is excited by a laser or light-emitting diode and separated by a polarization beam cube depending on the polarization. Parallel and perpendicular polarized emissions are projected onto two different regions of the sensor chip in the smartphone camera. A custom software app was developed to count the average intensity in the areas of interest and compute the degree of polarization. We validated the system by measuring the polarization of dye molecules dissolved in solutions with different viscosities. As an example of biomolecule sensing, a competitive FP immunoassay of Prostaglandin E 2 was demonstrated using the developed system and exhibited the limit of detection of 1.57 ng/mL. The smartphone-based FP assay platform can also be implemented for the detection of toxins, disease biomarkers, and pathogens in resource-limited settings. Highlights • A smartphone-based detector is designed for fluorescence polarization immunoassays. • A rapid and wash-free assay is developed for biomolecule analysis using smartphone. • The smartphone detector can quantify dinoprostone in 30 minutes. • The system has the potential for disease diagnosis in resource-limited settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The newly discovered giant Dahutang W–Cu–Mo deposit in the central part of the Jiangnan Orogen hosts an estimated resource of 1.1 million tons (Mt) of WO 3 , plus a proven resource of 0.65 Mt Cu and 0.08 Mt Mo. The Dahutang deposit is temporally and spatially associated with the Late Mesozoic S-type granites emplaced into the Neoproterozoic Jiuling granodiorite batholith and the Shuangqiaoshan Group. Based on petrographic observations, eight hydrothermal alteration/mineralization stages have been recognized, comprising pegmatitic (Stage I), potassic alteration (Stage II), albite alteration (Stage III), greisenization and main mineralization (Stage IV), polymetallic sulfide mineralization (Stage V), late scheelite mineralization (Stage VI), carbonate alteration (Stage VII) and supergene alteration (Stage VIII). Stage IV can be further divided into the early greisenization (Stage IV-A), the main wolframite mineralization (Stage IV-B) and the main scheelite mineralization (Stage IV-C). Fluid inclusion and H–O isotope analyses on nine Stage IV to VII ore/gangue minerals (wolframite, cassiterite, scheelite, sphalerite, fluorapatite, fluorite, quartz, calcite and chlorite) suggest the presence of an early W and a late Cu–Mo ore-forming fluid system. The early ore-forming fluids belong to a medium to high temperature (200°–420 °C), low salinity H 2 O–NaCl–CaCl 2 system. This primary magmatic-hydrothermal fluid (δ 18 O fluid  = 5.4 to 8.8‰ and δD = −102 to −75‰) was likely exsolved from the Late Jurassic granites at Dahutang. Wolframite and scheelite coexist closely with fluorapatite and fluorite, respectively, indicating that the volatile-rich fluids at Dahutang were also rich in tungsten, fluorine and phosphorous. Tungsten was likely transported as tungstate species (e.g., WO 4 2− and HWO 4 − ), oxygen fluorine complexes (e.g., [WO 2 F 4 ] 2− , [WO 3 F 2 ] 2− ) and phosphorous heteropolytungstate (e.g., [P(W 12 O 40 )] 3− ) in the fluids. Fluorapatite and wolframite may have precipitated first when the temperature dropped from 400° to 320 °C (along with pH increase) at an estimated depth of 7.8 km. This was likely followed by the extensive scheelite mineralization (with fluorite precipitation) that formed huge disseminated/veinlet-type W orebodies when the temperature further dropped to 200 °C (along with pH increase). After the W mineralization, extensive Cu–Mo polymetallic mineralization and the associated sericite-chlorite alterations may have formed by the granite porphyry and/or muscovite granite emplacement. The late ore-forming fluids belong to a medium to high temperature (200°–360 °C), low salinity H 2 O–NaCl–CaCl 2 system. Molybdenum was likely transported mainly as Mo complexes (e.g., H 2 MoO 4 /MoO 4 2− ), and copper as Cu–Cl complexes. Molybdenite and chalcopyrite may have begun to precipitate when the fluids ascended and the temperature dropped to 330 °C. Meteoric water incursion may have then occurred (δ 18 O fluid  = 1.9–6.9‰ and δD = −99 to −68‰) and further cooled the fluid system to 250 °C, forming large Cu–Mo orebodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological pathways play important roles in the development of complex diseases, such as cancers, which are multifactorial complex diseases that are usually caused by multiple disorders gene mutations or pathway. It has become one of the most important issues to analyze pathways combining multiple types of high-throughput data, such as genomics and proteomics, to understand the mechanisms of complex diseases. In this paper, we propose a method for constructing the pathway network of gene phenotype and find out disease pathogenesis pathways through the analysis of the constructed network. The specific process of constructing the network includes, firstly, similarity calculation between genes expressing data combined with phenotypic mutual information and GO ontology information, secondly, calculating the correlation between pathways based on the similarity between differential genes and constructing the pathway network, and, finally, mining critical pathways to identify diseases. Experimental results on Breast Cancer Dataset using this method show that our method is better. In addition, testing on an alternative dataset proved that the key pathways we found were more accurate and reliable as biological markers of disease. These results show that our proposed method is effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): We aimed to study the effect of S-nitroso glutathione (SNG) on acute kidney injury (AKI) in septic rats by regulating nucleotide oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3). Materials and Methods: Sprague Dawley rats were used to construct the AKI model, and biochemical methods were used to detect the levels of inflammatory factors and anti-oxidant enzymes in renal tissue. We observed the ultrastructural changes of renal tissue by transmission electron microscopy and detected the protein and mRNA levels of NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain foci (ASC) and caspase-1 by western-blotting and RT-qPCR. Results: Cecal ligation and puncture induced renal tubular epithelial tissue damage in septic rats, resulting in decreased renal function, increased levels of inflammation and decreased levels of antioxidant enzymes in renal tissue, and aggravated mitochondrial damage, significantly decreased mitochondrial density and enzyme complex I/II/III/IV levels (all P<0.001), and increased the protein and mRNA expression of NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1 (all P<0.001). However, after pretreatment with SNG, the pathological damage of renal tubular epithelial tissue was reduced, the renal function was improved, the level of inflammation in renal tissue decreased and the level of anti-oxidant enzymes increased, the density of mitochondria and the level of enzyme complex I/II/III/IV were significantly increased (all P<0.001), meanwhile the protein and mRNA levels of NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1 were all decreased significantly (all P<0.05). Conclusion:: SNG protects AKI in septic rats by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of adding the biosurfactant rhamnolipid, the lignolytic and cellulolytic fungus Phanerochete chrysosporium, and the free-living nitrogen-fixing bacterium Azotobacter chrococcum on vermicomposting of green waste with Eisenia fetida was investigated. The addition of rhamnolipid and/or either microorganism alone or in all combinations significantly increased E. fetida growth rate, the number of E. fetida juveniles and cocoons, the population densities of cellulolytic fungi and Azotobacter bacteria, and cellulase and urease activities in the vermicomposts. The quality of the final vermicompost (in terms of electrical conductivity, nutrient content, C/N ratio, humic acid content, lignin and cellulose contents, and phytotoxicity to germinating seeds) was enhanced by addition of rhamnolipid and/or microorganisms. The physical characteristics of vermicomposts produced with rhamnolipid and/or microorganisms were acceptable for agricultural application. The best quality vermicompost was obtained with the combined addition of P. chrysosporium, A. chrococcum, and rhamnolipid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of communication networks brings benefits to frequency support strategies for multi-terminal high voltage direct current (MTDC) systems, yet leads to the systems facing cyber security risks. In particular, the denial of service (DoS) attacks will cause loss of measured signals and make the MTDC system unstable. This paper is concerned with the secondary frequency control problem defending DoS attacks in MTDC systems. Focusing on energy-limited and periodic DoS attacks, a Bernoulli process model is firstly adopted, and the control objective considering DoS attacks is built. Thereafter a switching scheme of the attacked station from droop control to secondary frequency regulation is devised for frequency support of MTDC systems. Two strategies respectively using the reference value and the data of the previous time interval are then proposed to compensate for the lost data due to DoS attacks. Four scenarios are simulated on a four-terminal MTDC system to verify the effectiveness of the two proposed solutions. The results show that, if the system is in equilibrium states during DoS attacks, both of the two proposed strategies are effective. Whereas the solution using the data of the previous time interval has better performances in the subsequent regulation process after load disturbance. • A switching control mechanism is devised for restoring the frequency of MTDC systems. • DoS attack will seriously affect the control process of MTDC systems. • Strategy(1) can be utilized when the system is in operating phase of steady state. • Strategy(2) has a better performance in the operating state when the system changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructure and deformation behavior of Ti-23Nb-2Zr-0.7Ta-(0.3–1.8)O (at.%) alloys were investigated in order to elucidate deformation mechanism of Gum metal in relation to the martensitic transformation. The long range stress induced martensitic transformation was suppressed with increasing oxygen concentration, resulting in a higher apparent yield stress and narrower stress hysteresis. The increase in the oxygen concentration facilitated the formation of nano-domain structures and suppressed the formation of athermal ω phase. The unique temperature dependence of the deformation behavior was discussed on the basis of the stability of β phase and athermal ω phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High habitat quality was used as "sources" to construct ecological corridors. • The impact of urban expansion on habitat quality is heterogeneous. • Proposing ecological pattern of "two barriers, three corridors, and seven zones" in Jiziwan. Rapid urbanization has tremendously changed the urban ecological spaces and function of regional habitats, threatening regional ecological security and landscape sustainability. Understanding the impact of urban expansion on habitat quality is significant to ecological security. However, research on habitat quality and ecological security patterns in arid desert regions is limited. Given the research gap, this study constructed and optimized the ecological security pattern of Jiziwan (which refers to areas similar to the shape of the Chinese character "几") in the Yellow River Basin. To achieve the aim, high habitat quality areas obtained from the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model were used as "sources", and ecological corridors were identified from the Minimal Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model. Simultaneously, this study integrated land use, natural, social, and economic factors to monitor and assess the impact of urban expansion on habitat quality in Jiziwan. The results showed that: (1) urban expansion and ecological land have become more fragmented in Jiziwan and the urban expansion has changed from the edge-expansion type to the outlying type; (2) from 2000 to 2020, the urban expansion rate increased from 25.95% to 97.58%, which was negatively correlated with the rate of change in good habitat quality; (3) we finally identified 45 important ecological corridors, 140 secondary ecological corridors, and 44 ecological nodes that form an ecological spatial pattern of "two barriers, three corridors, and seven zones". Our analytical framework offers a valuable tool for constructing ecological security patterns in Jiziwan and selecting "sources" at the regional scale. It can be applied to other landscapes and geographical contexts for sustainable development in arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Photocatalytic WSe 2 nanofibers were fabricated by combining multivariate electrospinning and chemical vapor deposition. • The photocathode under illumination enables to lower the polarization, enhance the capacity and extend the stability concertedly. • Flexible Li-O 2 pouch cells with transparent casing are demonstrated. • The enhanced performance is attributed to light-ameliorated electrochemical microenvironment on both the cathode and anode. Solar-assisted Li-O 2 battery has elicited tremendous interests owing to its greatly elevated round-trip energy efficiency, but challenges remain to synergize the photovoltaic effect with catalytic activity of the active material. Herein, through a novel synthetic tactic of combining multivariate electrospinning with chemical vapor deposition, we fabricate a freestanding and photoluminescent oxygen cathode comprising WSe 2 embedded into CNT-reinforced carbon nanofibers for the first time. The optimal photocathode delivers an ultrahigh discharge capacity of 57.17 mAh cm−2 in dark, and triples the capacity under illumination with a narrowed discharge/charge voltage gap as low as 0.49 V. Comprehensive mechanistic investigations attribute the superb battery performance to the reversible Li 2 O 2 conversion catalyzed by WSe 2 and the photo-ameliorated electrochemical microenvironment on both the cathode and anode. By demonstrating pouch cells with transparent casing, this study paves the way for the real-world application of solar-assisted Li-O 2 batteries in flexible electronics and wearable gadgets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing nerve conduits with biological cues is a promising approach for repairing peripheral nerve injuries. Although most biological cues incorporated into conduits generally exert their biological functions at the surface, they could not be released into the on-demand regeneration sites under physiological conditions. Herein, we firstly report a bio-orthogonally functionalized chitosan scaffold with esterase-activatable release for peripheral nerve regeneration. In this study, biological cues are not only selectively conjugated into nerve conduits by bio-orthogonal reaction, but also precisely released in on-demand regeneration sites via esterase-activatable cleavage for peripheral nerve repair. Moreover, this nerve scaffold with esterase-activatable release could promote Schwann cells proliferation. In a rat sciatic nerve defect model, the bio-orthogonally functionalized scaffold with esterase-activatable release significantly increased sciatic nerve function recovery and improved target muscles weight. This strategy of incorporating esterase-activatable bioactive cues into peripheral nerve conduits offers great potential in preclinical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, in order to fully elucidate the origin of nano-domain structure and abnormal thermal expansion behavior of Gum metals, the effects of oxygen concentration, β phase stability and cold rolling on the microstructure and thermal expansion properties were investigated in (Ti– x Nb–2Zr–0.7Ta)– y O (at.%) ( x = 21–25; y = 0.3–1.8) alloys. Normal thermal expansion behaviors with positive linear thermal expansion coefficients were observed in all the annealed alloys irrespective of oxygen and Nb concentrations. The thermal expansion behavior of as-rolled alloys was strongly affected by the concentration of oxygen and Nb. A negative thermal expansion coefficient was observed in the as-rolled alloys with lower oxygen and Nb concentrations. The thermal expansion coefficient increased with increasing oxygen and Nb concentrations. The amount of nano-domains increased with increasing oxygen concentration while decreased with increasing Nb concentration. The growth of a preferential nano-domain variant was observed in as-rolled alloys and became more prominent with decreasing oxygen and Nb concentrations. The reverse transformation from the nano-domain structure to the β phase occurred with increasing temperature. Thermal expansion behavior of as-rolled alloys resulted from a competing relationship between the contribution of lattice distortion of nano-domain structure and the contribution of lattice vibration of the β phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premature ovarian failure (POF) is characterized by hormonal disorders, amenorrhea, and premature loss of fertility potential in women of reproductive age. Several studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in treating POF. TCM relied primarily on apoptosis, immunity, and aging to treat POF based on the studies of domestic and foreign literature. Zuogui pills inhibited mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis in the treatment of POF. Huyang Yangkun formula regulated the downstream of the Bcl-2 family to resist apoptosis through the aquaporin-1 protein. Modified Bazhen decoction regulated apoptosis in POF by regulating X-linked inhibitors of apoptosis protein. Bushen Tianjing recipe was effective in treating POF by promoting angiogenesis and preventing apoptosis. As for immunity, Bushen Jianpi prescription and Er-Xian decoction cured autoimmunity POF models and increased follicular development-related protein expression. Bushen Huoxue Tang improved ovarian function and reduced ovarian inflammation by regulating the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway and T lymphocytes. Taohong Siwu decoction promoted the proliferation and differentiation of granulosa cells of POF mice by regulating the TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway. In addition, ginsenoside Rg1 and Jiajian Guisheng formula treated POF by regulating cell aging-related mechanisms. Si Wu Tang treated POF by activating the angiogenesis-related proteins. The goal of this review is to serve as a reference for in-depth research into the treatment of POF with TCM and provide inspiration for new diagnostic methods and treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of powerful posttranscriptional regulators implicated in the control of diverse biological processes, including regulation of hematopoiesis and the immune response. To define the biological functions of miR-142, which is preferentially and abundantly expressed in immune cells, we created a mouse line with a targeted deletion of this gene. Our analysis of miR-142-/- mice revealed a critical role for this miRNA in the development and homeostasis of lymphocytes. Marginal zone B cells expand in the knockout spleen, whereas the number of T and B1 B cells in the periphery is reduced. Abnormal development of hematopoietic lineages in miR-142-/- animals is accompanied by a profound immunodeficiency, manifested by hypoimmunoglobulinemia and failure to mount a productive immune response to soluble antigens and virus. miR-142-/- B cells express elevated levels of B-cell-activating factor (BAFF) receptor (BAFF-R) and as a result proliferate more robustly in response to BAFF stimulation. Lowering the BAFF-R gene dose in miR-142-/- mice rescues the B-cell expansion defect, suggesting that BAFF-R is a bona fide miR-142 target through which it controls B-cell homeostasis. Collectively, our results uncover miR-142 as an essential regulator of lymphopoiesis, and suggest that lesions in this miRNA gene may lead to primary immunodeficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degradation behaviors of four different proanthocyanidins dimers including B-type (e)picatechin (E)C dimer and A-type (epi)catechin (E)C dimer, A-type (epi)catechin-3- O-gallate (E)CG dimer and A-type (epi)gallocatechin-3- O-gallate (E)GCG dimer as affected by pH and temperature were compared in this study. The results showed that the stability of proanthocyanidins dimers was not only temperature and pH dependent, but also structure dependent. Proanthocyanidins dimers were found to be unstable at pH as low as 1.5 and physiological pH conditions, and they were rather unstable at alkaline conditions and temperature above 25 °C. Among the four dimers tested, B-type (E)C dimer was the least stable, while A-type (E)C dimer was the most stable. In general, B-type dimers showed less stability than A-type ones. The higher the degree of galloylation and the more the hydroxyl groups in the molecular, the less stable the proanthocyanidins dimers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reduced Schiff base ligand by condensation of phenylalanine analogue containing 2,3-diaminopropionic acid (DAP) with salicylaldehyde and its oxovanadium(IV) complex have been prepared. Chemical and structural properties were fully characterized. Density functional theory was used to pin down the structure combined with IR. The natural bond orbital analysis and energy calculations indicate that tetracoordinated complex of R-type is the most probable structure where vanadium atom is coordinated to 2 × Ophenolateand 2 × Nimineof the ligand. By biological evaluation, the metal complex exhibits antibacterial activity against four bacterial strains and antitumor activity against two tumor cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The relational expression between the moisture content and the permeability of coal containing gas was obtained through measuring the gas seepage flux under the combination of moisture, confining pressure and gas pressure by using a self-developed triaxial gas seepage testing system. Based on the experimental data of coal containing gas, some novel interaction results of seepage property influenced by moisture are obtained as follows : ➀ Eor coal samples of different moisture content, the permeability of coal containing gas decreases with increasing of confining pressure under the fixed gas pressure condition; and the decreasing rule obeys an exponential law. ➁ With the increasing in gas pressure, the permeability of coal samples decreases first and then increases,presenting a "V" style change trend and obvious Klinkenberg effect. ➂ The influence of gas pressure on the permeability of coal containing gas is greater than the effect of confining pressure. ➀ Moisture content has a significant effect on the permeability of coal containing gas under the constant temperature condition; and the permeability of coal containing gas slowly decreases with the increase in moisture content, following a negative exponential function law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The electricity to thermal energy output ratio is an important impact factor for the operating modes and performances of combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) systems. If the energy requirements of users are managed to just match this ration, the system efficiency would reach the maximum. However, due to the randomness of load demands, this situation is rare to be achieved in practice. To solve this problem, a complementary CCHP-ORC system is configured in this paper. The salient feature of this system is that its electricity to thermal energy output ratio can be adjusted by changing the loads of electric chiller and organic Rankine cycle (ORC) dynamically. For this system, an optimal operation strategy and a corresponding implemented decision making process are presented within a wide load range. Case studies based on a hypothetical CCHP-ORC system for a hotel in Beijing are implemented. The results show that the primary energy consumption, the carbon dioxide emissions and the operation cost of the proposed CCHP-ORC system are all better than those of the conventional CCHP system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The control system of boiler–turbine unit plays an important role in improving efficiency and reducing emissions of power generation unit. The nonlinear, coupling and uncertainty of the unit caused by varying working conditions should be fully considered during the control system design. This paper presents an efficient control scheme based on backstepping theory for improving load adaptability of boiler–turbines in wide operation range. The design process of the scheme includes model preprocessing, control Lyapunov functions selection, interlaced computation of adaptive control laws, etc. For simplification and accuracy, differential of steam pipe inlet pressure and integral terms of target errors are adopted. Also, to enhance practicality, implementation steps of the scheme are proposed. A practical nonlinear model of a 500MW coal-fired boiler–turbine unit is used to test the efficiency of the proposed scheme in different conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study focused on the preparation method of antioxidant peptides by enzymatic hydrolysis of bone collagen after microwave assisted acid pre-treatment and nitrogen protection. Phosphoric acid showed the highest ability of hydrolysis among the four other acids tested (hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and/or citric acid). The highest degree of hydrolysis (DH) was 9.5% using 4 mol/L phosphoric acid with a ratio of 1:6 under a microwave intensity of 510 W for 240 s. Neutral proteinase gave higher DH among the four protease tested (Acid protease, neutral protease, Alcalase and papain), with an optimum condition of: (1) ratio of enzyme and substrate, 4760 U/g; (2) concentration of substrate, 4%; (3) reaction temperature, 55 °C and (4) pH 7.0. At 4 h, DH increased significantly (P < 0.01) under nitrogen protection compared with normal microwave assisted acid pre-treatment hydrolysis conditions. The antioxidant ability of the hydrolysate increased and reached its maximum value at 3 h; however DH decreased dramatically after 3 h. Microwave assisted acid pre-treatment and nitrogen protection could be a quick preparatory method for hydrolyzing bone collagen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ingestion of lactobacilli is of great importance for the probiotic effect of host gut Peyer's patches (PPs) macrophages. The present study is in time focus on the investigation of the factors determining the ingestion of lactobacilli by PPs macrophages. Physicochemical properties of cell surface and adhesive property of nine Lactobacillus strains were examined in the present work. The association of the bacteria with PPs macrophage was checked with macrophage monolayers on coverslips. The influence of lactobacilli on macrophages phagocytic capacity was also investigated with a neutral red uptake assay in vitro. The results show that the macrophages could ingest lactobacilli in a strain dependent manner, and the most ingested strain is L. plantarum Lp6 compared to other tested strains, which displayed strain specific enhancement on the phagocytic activity of PPs macrophages. And there is no correlation between the physicochemical or adhesive properties of the cell surface and the ingestion. The association of L. plantarum Lp6 with PPs macrophage could be decreased by Protease K treatment. Surface proteins of L. plantarum Lp6 could promote the ingestion of fluorescent latex beads by PPs macrophages. In conclusion, the hydrophobicity of the cell surface might not be the key factor determining the association of lactobacilli with PPs macrophages. Cell surface proteins are the media for the binding L. plantarum Lp6 to macrophages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mung-bean protein isolates were hydrolysed by two proteases alcalase and neutrase commercially available for food industry use, and the angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities of the enzymatic hydrolysates were measured at different hydrolysis times. The non-hydrolysed protein showed no inhibitory activity. Hydrolysates generated with neutrase displayed very low ACE inhibitory activity, while those obtained with alcalase exhibited high inhibitory activity. The highest ACE inhibitory activity with the IC50 value of 0.64 mg protein/mL was found in the hydrolysate obtained with alcalase at 2h of hydrolysis time. These results indicated that mung-bean protein is a good protein source of ACE inhibitory peptides when hydrolysed with the protease alcalase. The mung-bean protein hydrolysates prepared with alcalase might be utilised for physiologically functional foods with antihypertensive activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on investigating the origin and dynamics of meningeal myeloid cells, a three-layer membrane covering the central nervous system (CNS) corroborated the finding by flow cytometry and confocal imaging.

Pests can seriously threaten the safety of organic relics and historic buildings. Every year, the Palace Museum spends a large of money and time preventing and controlling pests, but there is still no a better systematic and targeted method. The Hall of Mental Cultivation is a representative and essential building in the Forbidden City. Through three years of pest monitoring, the species, quantity, and occurrence regularity of the major pests were investigated. During this time, more than ten species of insects were trapped. These included carpet beetles (Anthrenus picturatus hintoni Mroczkowski, 1952 and Thylodrias contractus Motschulsky, 1839), silverfish (Ctenolepisma longicaudata Escherich, 1905), powder-post beetles (Lyctus brunneus Stephens, 1830), booklice (Liposcelis bostrychophila Badonnel, 1931), spider beetles (Ptinus japonicus Reitter, 1877 and Gibbium aequinoctiale Boieldieu, 1865) and the case bearing clothes moths (Tinea pellionella Linnaeus, 1758), among which the Anthrenus picturatus was the primary pests. Abundant resources of organic relics, suitable temperature, humidity, and light environment, and cypress existence are favorable factors for the occurrence of pests, and analysis of these factors is helpful for further integrated pest management (IPM). The period with the most significant number of active pests in the Hall of Mental Cultivation is July and August, and April and May are the rapid growth period. Carpet beetles are the key pests that can affect the overall change trend significantly. It should combine with their living habits, the ideal treatment time and methods, to give them a better control. Fumigation should be done in July and August, while chemical spray should be done referring to the florescence of outdoor trees (March to June), and used of pheromone is reasonable preventative measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red-fleshed pummelo (Citrus grandis), a mutant of 'Guanxi', is an important economic plant rich in carotenoids. The transcriptome of 'Guanxi' pummelo was compared with red-fleshed pummelo, with the aim of identifying the key genes responsible for red flesh through RNA sequencing. In total, 44.11 and 47.71 Gb clean reads were respectively obtained after filtering in red and white flesh. Altogether 46,425 unigenes, with an average length of 1208 bp, were assembled. Compared with that of white flesh, 3722 genes were up-regulated, whereas 1421 genes appeared down-regulated in the red-fleshed pummelo. A GO analysis assigned 11,983 differentially expressed genes to 53 subcategories, and 3582, 4722 and 3679 differentially expressed genes were involved in biological processes, cellular components and molecular functions, respectively. The mevalonate pathway involved in terpenoid backbone biosynthesis was significantly different between 'Guanxi' pummelo and its red-fleshed mutant, and the differences were closely associated with carotenoid biosynthesis. The expression levels of the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway genes were different between 'Guanxi' pummelo and its red-fleshed mutant, with the upstream genes having higher expression levels in red-fleshed pummelo than in 'Guanxi' pummelo, whereas the downstream gene β-CHX was downregulated. Two bHLH transcription factors (CL4778.Contig1 and CL4778.Contig2) were of the same branch as CubHLH1, regulating carotenoid biosynthesis in Citrus unshiu Marc., and Unigene CL4778.Contig2 had expression differences in two kinds of pummelo, which suggested CL4778.Contig2 should be a candidate gene controlling carotenoid accumulation in red pummelo. The study would be beneficial to identify the major gene regulating the red flesh trait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carbonation rate of reinforced concrete is influenced by three parameters, namely temperature, relative humidity, and concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the surroundings. As knowledge of the service lifespan of reinforced concrete is crucial in terms of corrosion, the carbonation process is important to study, and high-performance durable reinforced concretes can be produced to prolong the effects of corrosion. To examine carbonation resistance, accelerated carbonation testing was conducted in accordance with the standards of BS 1881-210:2013. In this study, 10–30% of micro palm oil fuel ash (mPOFA) and 0.5–1.5% of nano-POFA (nPOFA) were incorporated into concrete mixtures to determine the optimum amount for achieving the highest carbonation resistance after 28 days water curing and accelerated CO2 conditions up to 70 days of exposure. The effect of carbonation on concrete specimens with the inclusion of mPOFA and nPOFA was investigated. The carbonation depth was identified by phenolphthalein solution. The highest carbonation resistance of concrete was found after the inclusion of 10% mPOFA and 0.5% nPOFA, while the lowest carbonation resistance was found after the inclusion of 30% mPOFA and 1.5% nPOFA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tie luo (affixed hanging) was an expressive form of traditional Chinese calligraphy or paintings, and popular in the imperial palaces for interior decorations in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 C.E.). A piece of calligraphic tie luo, written by an eminent calligrapher Gu Gao (1763-1832 C.E.), was restored recently in the Palace Museum, Beijing, China. The paper with pigment coating specially made for this calligraphic piece was named as fenjian. This article presented results from materials identification prior to the restoration. Multianalysis with scientific approaches revealed how tie luo was manufactured. It could be concluded that the investigated tie luo used a paper made from bast fibers of mulberry trees. And the decorative ground layer for the piece was also studied, which indicated that a type of organic red pigments were used for the masterpiece. White lead was considered as the main pigment, mixed with a red dye extracted from sappanwood. Meanwhile, animal glue, drying oils and beeswax were confirmed as the organic binding media. In dye analysis, protosappanin B and brazilin as well as brazilein were identified, which implied that sappanwood was used for the organic manufacture of pigments. In addition, both Nowik type A and C were found in the research, which were characteristic of sappanwood for identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accelerometer measures of physical behaviours (physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep) in observational studies offer detailed insight into associations with health and disease. Maximising recruitment and accelerometer wear, and minimising data loss remain key challenges. How varying methods used to collect accelerometer data influence data collection outcomes is poorly understood. We examined the influence of accelerometer placement and other methodological factors on participant recruitment, adherence and data loss in observational studies of adult physical behaviours. Methods: The review was in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA). Observational studies of adults including accelerometer measurement of physical behaviours were identified using database (MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase, PsychINFO, Health Management Information Consortium, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus and Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature) and supplementary searches to May 2022. Information regarding study design, accelerometer data collection methods and outcomes were extracted for each accelerometer measurement (study wave). Random effects meta-analyses and narrative syntheses were used to examine associations of methodological factors with participant recruitment, adherence and data loss. Results: 123 accelerometer data collection waves were identified from 95 studies (92.5% from high-income countries). In-person distribution of accelerometers was associated with a greater proportion of invited participants consenting to wear an accelerometer (+ 30% [95% CI 18%, 42%] compared to postal distribution), and adhering to minimum wear criteria (+ 15% [4%, 25%]). The proportion of participants meeting minimum wear criteria was higher when accelerometers were worn at the wrist (+ 14% [ 5%, 23%]) compared to waist. Daily wear-time tended to be higher in studies using wrist-worn accelerometers compared to other wear locations. Reporting of information regarding data collection was inconsistent. Conclusion: Methodological decisions including accelerometer wear-location and method of distribution may influence important data collection outcomes including recruitment and accelerometer wear-time. Consistent and comprehensive reporting of accelerometer data collection methods and outcomes is needed to support development of future studies and international consortia. Review supported by the British Heart Foundation (SP/F/20/150002) and registered (Prospero CRD42020213465). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

microRNA-146a (miR-146a) has been previously implicated as an essential molecular brake, preventing immune overreaction and malignant transformation by attenuating NF-κB signaling, putatively via repression of the Traf6 and Irak1 genes. The exact contribution of miR-146a–mediated silencing of these genes to the control of immune activation is currently unknown. Therefore, we defined the role of the miR-146a–Traf6 signaling axis in the regulation of immune homeostasis using a genetic epistasis analysis in miR-146a−/− mice. We have uncovered a surprising separation of functions at the level of miR-146a targets. Lowering the Traf6 gene dose and consequent attenuation of NF-κB activation rescued several significant miR-146a−/− phenotypes, such as splenomegaly, aberrant myeloproliferation, and excessive inflammatory responses. In contrast, decreasing Traf6 expression had no effect on the development of the progressive bone marrow failure phenotype, as well as lymphomagenesis in miR-146a−/− mice, indicating that miR-146a controls these biological processes through different molecular mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyse the active groups in long-flame coal and its heat transport characteristics under oxygen-limited, the Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and laser flash apparatus were selected, and active groups and thermosphysical parameters of coal were received during 30–300 °C at 5, 7, 10, 13, 17, and 21 vol%, the correlation among them under oxygen-limited were obtained by grey correlation method. The results showed that the contents of –COOH, aromatics –CH, and –CH 2 structures were larger than other functional groups at 13 vol%. With rising temperature, an increase in oxygen concentration promoted the reduction of intermolecular hydrogen bonding, –CH 3 , and –CH 2. Compared with content of intermolecular hydrogen bonding at 30 °C, its maximum reduction at 5, 7, 10, 13, 17, and 21 vol% reached 15.75%, 20.56%, 24.37%, 23.02%, 25.73%, and 30.39% at 300 °C. Meanwhile, with elevating oxygen concentration after 210 °C, thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity gradually enlarged, which was mainly influenced by –C C– and –COOH. The specific heat capacity at 13 vol% was larger than that under other oxygen concentrations, which was mainly influenced by C–O, –COOH, and –C C–. Those findings can provide a theoretical basis for the control of underground coal spontaneous combustion. • Content of –CH, –COOH, C–O, –CH 3 , and –CH 2 structures increased at 13 vol%. • Trend of thermal conduction under oxygen-limited was same with that under air. • Higher oxygen concentration had larger thermal diffusivity after 210 °C. • Change of thermal diffusivity depended on –COOH and –C C- structures after 210 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]