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Although several previous studies have reported on the relationship between vision impairment and caregiver mental health, mixed results were obtained, and only one study reported the association between spousal vision impairment and partner depression. Therefore, our study aimed to examine the association between spousal vision impairment and the partner's depressive symptoms and cognitive decline. This cross-sectional study gathered baseline data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in 2011. A total of 10,956 couples were included in the study. Vision impairment was assessed by respondents' self-reported distance or near vision. Multivariate logistic and linear regression were conducted to evaluate the association between the spouse's vision impairment and the partner's depressive symptoms and cognitive function. The prevalence of partners with depressive symptoms was significantly higher among spouses with vision impairment than among those without (43.3 % vs. 32.5 %; P < 0.001), and cognitive function was significantly lower (spousal vision impairment 14.4 ± 4.5 vs. no spousal vision impairment 15.5 ± 4.6; P < 0.001). After fully adjusting for potential confounders, the partner had greater odds of depressive symptoms for spouses with vision impairment than for those without (odds ratio: 1.525; 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.387 to 1.677). Furthermore, spousal vision impairment was negatively associated with the partner's cognitive function (β = −0.640; 95 % CI: −0.840 to −0.440). Sensitivity analysis was performed, and consistent results were obtained (all P < 0.05). Visual function was assessed by self-reporting. A spouse's vision impairment is associated with depressive symptoms and cognitive decline in the partner. The findings imply the importance of considering the partner's mental health when managing their spouse's vision impairment. • Few studies reported the association between spousal vision impairment and partner depression • No studies have explored the relationship between spouses with vision impairment and partners' cognitive function • A spouse's vision impairment is associated with depressive symptoms and cognitive decline in the partner [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple TonB dependent transporters (TBDTs) contribute to bacterial virulence due to the importance roles that their substrates play in bacterial growth, and possess vaccine potential. A putative TBDT, YncD, had been identified as one of in vivo induced antigens during human infection of typhoid fever, and is required for the pathogenicity of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhi. The present study was aimed to determine the function and immunogenicity of YncD. Homologous recombination method was used to construct an yncD-deletion mutant and cirA-iroN-fepA-deletion mutant from the wild-type S. Typhi Ty2. The growth of mutants and the wild-type strain were assessed in iron-deficient medium, as well as in human macrophage cells. Recombinant YncD protein was expressed and purified using Ni-NTA affinity chromatography and anion exchange. A mouse model was then used to evaluate the immunogenicity and protection efficacy of the recombinant YncD. Antibody levels, serum bactericidal efficiency, passive immune protection, opsonophagocysis were assayed to analyse the immunoprotection mechanism of the recombinant YncD. Our results showed that YncD is associated with the iron-uptake of S. Typhi. The yncD-deletion mutant displayed impaired growth in iron-deficient medium, comparable to that the cirA-iroN-fepA-deletion mutant did. The mutation of yncD markedly decreased bacterial growth within human macrophage cells. Moreover, subcutaneous immunization of mice with recombinant YncD elicited high levels of specific anti-YncD IgG, IgG1 and IgG2a, which protected the immunized mice against the intraperitoneal challenge of S. Typhi, and decreased bacterial burdens in the livers and spleens of the infected mice. Passive immunization using the immunized sera also efficiently protected the mice from the challenge of S. Typhi. Moreover, the immunized sera enhanced in vitro bactericidal activity of complement, and opsonophagocytosis. Our results showed that YncD displays a role in the iron-uptake of S. Typhi and possesses immunogenicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient and fast technique was proposed to graft carbon nanotube (CNT) on carbon fiber (CF) using hyperbranched poly(thioether‐yne) (HPTEY) as bridging agent through thiol‐alkyne click chemistry reaction. The successful synthesis of CNT/HPTEY grafted CF (CF‐HPTEY‐CNT) was verified with Fourier transform infrared, x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analyzer, and scanning electron microscopy. The simultaneous introduction of CNTs and HPTEY could significantly improve the wettability and surface energy of CF, leading to that the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of CF‐HPTEY‐CNT/epoxy composite evaluated using the microdroplet test was remarkably enhanced by 106.4% than pristine CF/epoxy composite. The bending strength for CF‐HPTEY‐CNT/epoxy composite was also significantly increased by 40.4% because of the effective stress transfer at interface. Furthermore, the monofilament tensile strength of CF‐HPTEY‐CNT showed an increase (by 3.3%) as compared with pristine CF, attributed to that the grafting CNTs and HPTEY remedied the CF surface defects. Therefore, this work is expected to offer a promising technique for developing advanced structural composite with outstanding interface and mechanical properties. Highlights: An efficient and fast technique to modify CF via click chemistry was proposed.The grafting of HPTEY‐CNT increased the surface roughness and wettability of CF.IFSS of CF‐HPTEY‐CNT/epoxy composite was significantly increased by 106.4%.The CF‐HPTEY‐CNT/epoxy composite had superior mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substituting slow oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with thermodynamically favorable urea oxidation reaction (UOR) is considered as one of the feasible strategies for achieving energy-saving hydrogen production. Herein, a uniform layer of NiMoO4 nanorods was grown on nickel foam by a hydrothermal method. Then, a series of Ni-MoOx/NF-X nanorod catalysts comprising Ni/NiO and MoOx (MoO2/MoO3) were prepared through regulating annealing atmosphere and reduction temperature. The optimized Ni-MoOx/NF-3 with a large accessible specific area can act as a bifunctional catalyst for electrocatalytic anodic UOR and cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). At a current density of 100 mA cm−2, the introduction of urea can significantly reduce the overpotential of Ni-MoOx/NF-3 by 210 mV compared to OER. In addition, Ni-MoOx/NF-3 has a higher intrinsic activity than other catalysts. It only requires −0.21 and 1.38 V to reach 100 mA cm−2 in HER and UOR, respectively. Such an excellent performance can be attributed to the synergistic function between Ni and MoOx. The presence of metallic Ni and reduced MoOx in pairs is beneficial for improving the electrical conductivity and modulating the electronic structure, resulting in enhancing the electrocatalytic performance. When assembling Ni-MoOx/NF-3 into an overall urea–water splitting system, it can achieve energy-saving hydrogen production and effective removal of urea-rich wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As a result of aging, skeletal muscle undergoes atrophy and a decrease in function. This age-related skeletal muscle weakness is known as "sarcopenia". Sarcopenia is part of the frailty observed in humans. In order to discover treatments for sarcopenia, it is necessary to determine appropriate preclinical models and the genes and signaling pathways that change with age in these models. Methods and results: To understand the changes in gene expression that occur as a result of aging in skeletal muscles, we generated a multi-time-point gene expression signature throughout the lifespan of mice and rats, as these are the most commonly used species in preclinical research and intervention testing. Gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior, soleus, and diaphragm muscles from male and female C57Bl/6J mice and male Sprague Dawley rats were analyzed at ages 6, 12, 18, 21, 24, and 27 months, plus an additional 9-month group was used for rats. More age-related genes were identified in rat skeletal muscles compared with mice; this was consistent with the finding that rat muscles undergo more robust age-related decline in mass. In both species, pathways associated with innate immunity and inflammation linearly increased with age. Pathways linked with extracellular matrix remodeling were also universally downregulated. Interestingly, late downregulated pathways were exclusively found in the rat limb muscles and these were linked to metabolism and mitochondrial respiration; this was not seen in the mouse. Conclusions: This extensive, side-by-side transcriptomic profiling shows that the skeletal muscle in rats is impacted more by aging compared with mice, and the pattern of decline in the rat may be more representative of the human. The observed changes point to potential therapeutic interventions to avoid age-related decline in skeletal muscle function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal conductivity is a basic parameter of soil heat transferring, playing an important role in many fields including groundwater withdrawal, ground source heat pump, and heat storage in soils. However, it usually requires a lot of time and efforts to obtain soil thermal conductivity. To conveniently obtain accurate soil thermal conductivity, a new model describes the relationship between soil thermal conductivity (λ) and degree of saturation (Sr) was proposed in this study. Dry soil thermal conductivity (λdry) and saturated soil thermal conductivity (λsat) were described using a linear expression and a geometric mean model, respectively. A quadratic function with one constant was added to calculate λ beyond the lower λdry and upper λsat limit conditions. The proposed model is compared with five other frequently used models and measured data for 51 soil samples ranging from sand to silty clay loam. Results show that the proposed model match the measured data well. The proposed model can be used to determine soil thermal conductivity of a variety of soil textures over a wide range of water content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO2 reduction to CO as raw material for conversion to chemicals and gasoline fuels via the reverse water–gas shift (RWGS) reaction is generally acknowledged to be a promising strategy that makes the CO2 utilization process more economical and efficient. Cu-based catalysts are low-cost and have high catalytic performance but have insufficient stability due to hardening at high temperatures. In this work, a series of Cu-based catalysts supported by MoOx were synthesized for noble metal-free RWGS reactions, and the effects of MoOx support on catalyst performance were investigated. The results show that the introduction of MoOx can effectively improve the catalytic performance of RWGS reactions. The obtained Cu/MoOx (1:1) catalyst displays excellent activity with 35.85% CO2 conversion and 99% selectivity for CO at 400 °C. A combination of XRD, XPS, and HRTEM characterization results demonstrate that MoOx support enhances the metal-oxide interactions with Cu through electronic modification and geometric coverage, thus obtaining highly dispersed copper and more Cu-MoOx interfaces as well as more corresponding oxygen vacancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarizes the important research results of self-healing technology of asphalt materials, analyzes the healing mechanism of self-healing technology, and emphatically introduces the research status, advantages and disadvantages of five advanced self-healing technologies: Electromagnetic induction heating (EIH) technology, Microwave induction heating (MIH) technology, Photorepair method, Microcapsule method, and Hollow fiber (HF) method. The results showed that the existing self-healing mechanism is mainly based on surface energy theory, molecular diffusion theory and capillary flow theory, which explains the self-healing phenomenon of asphalt from different scales. The existing self-healing technology has developed rapidly, and the indoor research proves that the potential of MIH technology is higher than that of EIH technology. The repair potential of HF method is higher than that of microcapsule technology, but its material synthesis is more complicated. Photorepair technology has the potential to cooperate with other technologies, and it needs to be reasonably matched and selected. At the same time, the progress of related self-healing construction machinery and technology may require the continuous efforts of researchers. In addition, the organic synergy between different self-healing technologies may be a feasible way for self-healing technology to move from experimental section to practical application. In the future, a set of self-healing system with strong repair effect, environmental friendliness and reasonable cost can be established from the organic synergy of various self-healing technologies, combined with life cycle cost and intelligent sensors. • The existing mechanism explains the self-healing of asphalt from different angles. • The uneven heating of the induction heating technology still exists. • Photorepair method has the potential to combine with other technologies. • Relevant standards of self-healing technology need to be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal growth oxide (TGO) layer formed by oxidation of the bond coat (BC) layer is an important factor affecting the durability of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). In this study, a series of isothermal oxidation and thermal cycling experiments were performed on samples containing TBCs at different temperatures. The initiation, propagation and connection process of cracks in the cross-section of the samples were studied, and the oxidation failure mechanism of the samples was analyzed. The results demonstrate that the diffusion of the Al element in NiCoCrAlYHf coating to the top coat (TC) layer promotes the formation and rapid thickening of TGO at TC/BC interface. With the consumption of Al, two sublayers of mixed oxide layer and Al 2 O 3 layer are gradually formed in the TGO layer. The TC/TGO interface is the main initiation location of interface crack. In addition, the types and initiation locations of cracks caused by isothermal oxidation are different from those caused by thermal cycling. Under isothermal oxidation, the TC layer near the TC/TGO interface and the TC/TGO interface are prone to induce horizontal cracks, which finally lead to the delamination and spalling of TBCs. Under the thermal cycling, vertical cracks occur in the TC layer, extend towards the TC/TGO interface, and merge with the interface cracks, eventually resulting in the delamination failure of the TBCs. • The isothermal oxidation and thermal cycling tests are conducted to study oxidation failure behaviors of TBCs. • The TGO layer composed of mixed oxide and Al 2 O 3 layer is formed due to elements diffusion in NiCoCrAlYHf coating. • Horizontal cracks initiated at TC layer and TC/TGO interface finally lead to TBCs failure under isothermal oxidation. • Vertical cracks occur in TC layer and merge with TC/TGO interface cracks, inducing TBCs failure under thermal cycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To establish normative data for macular thickness in Chinese aged 30 to 80 years using the swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) device. Methods: The study included 290 normal eyes, 430 NDR eyes and 150 DR eyes of community residents aged 30 to 80 years in Guangzhou, China. Mean macular thicknesses in Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) subfields, central point thicknesses (CPT), and macular volume was measured by SS-OCT (Triton DRI OCT, Topcon, Tokyo, Japan) and Spectral-Domain OCT (SD-OCT; Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). We assessed agreement between SS-OCT and SD-OCT measurements by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Bland-Altman plots. We established a conversion equation relating central subfield (CSF), CPT and macular volume between the two OCT devices. Results: Macular thickness measurements in SS-OCT were significantly thinner than in SD-OCT. The mean CSF thickness in normal eyes measured by SS-OCT and SD-OCT were 227.8 ± 19.4 μm and 260.0 ± 19.7 μm (p <.0001). CSF thickness was a significantly difference between genders (SS-OCT: male 237.2 ± 18.8 μm vs female 222.0 ± 17.5 μm, p <.0001). In all three groups, the agreement between SS-OCT and SD-OCT was excellent (all ICC > 0.9). The conversion equations for CSF, CPT and macular volume from SS-OCT to SD-OCT were derived, with over 95% of the predicted values fell within 10% of the actual measurements in DR and NDR eyes. Conclusion: We propose SS-OCT CSF thicknesses of 275 μm for males and 260 μm for females as the minimum criteria for macular edema in Chinese aged 30 to 80 years based on 2 SDs above the mean CSF. SS-OCT measurements were significantly thinner than SD-OCT. We derived equations from converting SS-OCT measurements to SD-OCT equivalents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high cost and high dosage of polyurethane (PU) used in asphalt modification limit its application in asphalt pavement construction. To address these problems, two novel PUs were synthesized by the reaction of low-cost polypropylene glycol (PPG-2000) separately with 4,4 - diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) and with toluene diisocyanate (TDI). This study has further optimized the preparation process and analyzed the influence of the PU synthesis materials on the modified asphalt. Dynamic shear rheology, multiple-stress creep recovery, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and fluorescence microscopy were used to evaluate the rheological properties and aging resistance of modified asphalt. Results show that the PUs synthesized by MDI and TDI significantly improved the high-temperature performance, low-temperature performance, and aging resistance of modified asphalt compared to unmodified asphalt. Asphalt modified with the PU synthesized by MDI had better high-temperature performance, but the low-temperature performance and aging resistance were worse than those for asphalt modified with the PU synthesized by TDI. The results of rheological aging and chemical aging evaluation showed that the PU synthesized by TDI provided better anti-aging performance. The optimum dosages of both PUs were not more than 6%. These PUs reduce the cost of construction engineering and show excellent application prospects in pavement construction. These two PU-modified asphalts can be applied to pavement construction in different regions based on the properties required. • Low-cost and environmental TPU and MPU modified asphalt are prepared. • Optimal dosages of MPU and TPU for asphalt modification are lower than 6%. • The types of polyurethane have a significant impact on the performance of PUMA. • MPUMA and TPUMA are suitable for road in hot and cold region, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute extreme cold exposure impairs human health and even causes hypothermia which threatens human life. Liver, as a hub in metabolism and thermogenesis, is vital for cold acclimatization. Although accumulating evidence has suggested that cold exposure can cause liver damage, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study investigated the role and underlying mechanisms of ferroptosis in cold stress-induced liver damage. To evaluate the role of ferroptosis in cold stress-induced liver damage, rats were pretreated with ferroptosis inhibitor liproxstatin-1 (Lip-1) before exposed to −10 °C for 8 h. Core body temperature was recorded. The levels of ferroptosis-related indicators were examined with the corresponding assay kits or by western blotting. Hepatic pathological changes were analyzed by hematoxylin-eosin staining and ultrastructural observation. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were measured to assess liver function. Rats were also pretreated with p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor SB203580 or Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) inhibitor Mdivi-1 to determine the underlying mechanisms. We found that Lip-1 inhibited ferroptosis, attenuated hepatic pathological damages and blocked the increased ALT and AST levels in cold-exposed rats. Moreover, Mdivi-1 inhibited mitochondrial fission and suppressed ferroptosis. Furthermore, SB203580 and Mdivi-1 administration alleviated cold stress-induced liver injury. Our results suggested that cold stress caused liver damage partially by inducing ferroptosis through the p38 MAPK/Drp1 pathway. These findings might provide an effective preventive and therapeutic target for cold stress-induced liver injury. • Ferroptosis had an important role in cold stress-induced liver damage. • Drp1-dependent mitochondrial fission was involved in cold stress-induced ferroptosis. • Cold stress caused liver damage partially by inducing ferroptosis through the p38 MAPK/Drp1 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constand-round secure multi-party computation enables a group of mutually distrustful parties to jointly compute a function of their inputs in a constant-round of communication. In recent years, the constant-round secure multi-party computation protocol has improved the efficiency of the online phase by completing the multiplication computation in advance of the online phase through the Beaver triples generated in the preprocessing phase. However, the preprocessing phase of these protocols is extremely overhead-intensive and there is room for improvement. In this paper, we propose an active, constant-round secure multi-party computation (MPC) protocol which can tolerate arbitrary n − 1 corruptions. At the high level, we follow the Tiny-OT protocol and the unauthenticated garbling for garbled circuits in the preprocessing phase presented by Carmit Hazay and Peter Scholl (ASIACRYPT 2017). Particularly, we first present a new optimized Tiny-OT protocol for generating Beaver (AND) triples which is more efficient than the previous protocol, and then combine the information generated by Tiny-OT to construct an unauthenticated garbled circuit. To be precise, we also reduce the number of commitments and hash function calls in the correctness check of AND triples, and avoid using additional OT operations to compute the circuit, thus further improving communication efficiency. Our new constant-round MPC protocol has a communication complexity O (| C | Bnk) per party. Moreover, we further provide solutions to the open problem of introducing the half-gate technique into multi-party distributed garbled, which will reduce half size of the garbled table per gate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the magnetization and magnetoelastic behaviors of superconducting film in perpendicular external magnetic field with viscous flux flow are studied. The distribution of magnetic flux density, current density, physical strength and normal stress in the film is calculated during the increase of external magnetic field. Among others, the variations in shielding region and mechanical response with viscous magnetic flux flow are analyzed. The results indicate that the magnetization and magnetoelastic behavior in the film with viscous flu flow are different from the quasistatic critical state model, such as the origin Bean model. With the obtained results, since the film is in an external field, we can even predict the maximum probability of cracking. Similarly, it is valuable to derive the theory of magnetostriction of thin films to further popularize the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Long noncoding RNAs play a role in transcription and post-transcriptional levels, participate in the regulation of bone regeneration, and are closely related to osteoarthritis as well. OBJECTIVE: To review the research progress of long noncoding RNAs in bone regeneration and osteoarthritis. METHODS: A computer-based search of CNKI, PubMed, and Elsevier was performed for relevant articles regarding long noncoding RNAs in bone regeneration and osteoarthritis published from January 2000 to June 2019, including review, basic research and clinical research. The search terms were "LncRNA; bone; bone regeneration; osteoarthritis" in Chinese and English. After preliminarily reading titles and abstracts, irrelevant articles were excluded. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 64 articles were finally included in result analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Bone regeneration is a complex process involving the interaction of osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Long noncoding RNAs are involved in the differentiation of osteoblasts and the production of osteoclasts, which play an important role in the balance of osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Therefore, it is a key molecule of bone regeneration. Long noncoding RNAs are involved in the occurrence and development of osteoarthritis and differentially expressed in osteoarthritis patients and healthy people, some of which are elevated and some are decreased in osteoarthritis patients. Thus, defining their respective expression differences and functions is of great significance for the prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical-phosphorization as a cost-effective and ecofriendly approach is proposed to fabricate an amorphous Ni–P shell partially covering the surface of ordered porous Ni (p-Ni) for the first time. The obtained Ni–P/p-Ni shows superior catalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), compared with the Ni2P/p-Ni prepared by a traditional solid-phosphorization process at high temperature. Such enhanced catalytic activity for the Ni–P/p-Ni is contributed to by the high intrinsic activity from a synergistic effect of amorphous Ni–P and the neighbouring nickel containing hydroxides/oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The suspended bed hydrotreating is considered as an advanced technology for high-efficiency conversion of inferior oil and waste oil with its unique advantages. Since the technology is not yet mature, some research efforts have been devoted to solving the coking problems, developing high activity and high dispersion catalysts. Among them, oil-soluble catalysts exhibit excellent catalytic activity due to their high dispersibility and low coking characteristics. Moreover, it is not necessary for these catalysts to be separated from the oil, avoiding secondary pollutants. However, the cost of catalyst is too high to realize large-scale application. Therefore, developing high-efficiency catalysts with low-cost has become the focus of research. In this paper, the current status of oil-soluble catalysts in recent years was described, focusing on the preparation, catalytic performance and active sites of different oil-soluble catalysts. Finally, the prospects for the challenges and research directions were proposed to shed light on future development of oil-soluble catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using urea oxidation reaction (UOR) instead of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is one of promising strategies for significantly diminish power consumption for hydrogen production from electrochemical water splitting. The electrocatalysts with cost-effective, multifunctional and high-performance are urgently required for enhancing UOR and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), but this remains a challenge. Herein, we designed a bifunctional Ni(OH) x /p-Ni catalyst by electrochemical oxidation of Ni(OH) 2 in-situ grown on the surface of porous Ni membrane (p-Ni) to generate more abundant high-valence Ni3+ active species, which is favorable for reducing the energy barrier of electrochemical reaction. At the same time, a large number of metallic oxygen bonds (Ni–O) were formed to optimize the reaction kinetics of the electrochemical process, thus promoting the overall urea electrolysis efficiency. In 1.0 M KOH with 0.3 M urea, the optimized Ni(OH) x /p-Ni only requires potentials of 1.38 V and 0.22 V to obtain a current density of 100 mA cm−2 for UOR and HER, respectively. Notably, by assembling the Ni(OH) x /p-Ni as the cathode and anode for hydrogen production from urea-assisted water splitting, it can drive a current density of 100 mA cm−2 at a low voltage of 1.52 V and has excellent stability. This work provides a feasible strategy for design efficiently non-noble metal electrocatalysts for energy-saving hydrogen production and purifying urea-rich wastewater. [Display omitted] • Nanoflowers Ni(OH) 2 /p-Ni was grown on porous Ni membrane by solvthremal oxidation. • Electrochemical oxidation in-situ generates abundant Ni3+ active species. • The Ni(OH) x /p-Ni exhibited excellent bifunctional performance for HER/UOR. • Replacing OER with UOR can significantly save energy for hydrogen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have attempted to study how viscous flux flow affects the crack–inclusion interaction in a long rectangular slab of superconductor during the decreasing field stage under zero-field cooling (ZFC) magnetization process systematically. After some manipulation, the effect of viscous flux flow on the crack–inclusion problem within the superconductor is discussed base on J-integral theory. The simulated results indicate that with the increase of viscous flux flow, the stress intensity factor will increase correspondingly, but the trend of the curve with the elastic modulus, crack length and inclusion radius does not change, associated with the distance between the left crack tip and the inclusion. Compared with viscous flux flow, the effect of the crack length on crack propagation may be more significant under a lower viscous flux flow rate. However, at the higher viscous flux flow, the opposite is true. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thin-layer of Ni(OH) 2 was in situ formed on the surface of Ni 2 P nanopillars (Ni(OH) 2 @Ni 2 P/E-NF) via a facile hydrothermal treatment in H 2 O. Ni(OH) 2 @Ni 2 P/E-NF exhibits superior activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction with an overpotential of only 43 mV to achieve 10 mA cm −2 and a good durability during the long-term operation in an alkaline medium. The excellent performance of Ni(OH) 2 @Ni 2 P/E-NF is likely ascribed to the strong interfacial coupling of Ni(OH) 2 and Ni 2 P, which promotes the dissociation of water and concomitantly converts hydrogen intermediates (H ad ) to H 2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) display multiple functions including regulation of neuronal injury. However, their impact in methamphetamine (METH)-induced neurotoxicity has rarely been reported. Here, using microarray analysis, we investigated the expression profiling of lncRNAs and mRNAs in primary cultured prefrontal cortical neurons after METH treatment. We observed a difference in lncRNA and mRNA expression between the experimental and sham control groups. Using bioinformatics, we analyzed the highest enriched gene ontology (GO) terms of biological process, cellular component, and molecular function, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway and pathway network analysis. Furthermore, an lncRNA-mRNA co-expression sub-network for aberrantly expressed terms revealed possible interactions of lncRNA NR _ 110713 and NR _ 027943 with their related genes. Afterwards, three lncRNAs ( NR _ 110713 , NR _ 027943 , GAS5 ) and two mRNAs ( Ddit3 , Casp12 ) were targeted to validate the microarray data by qRT-PCR. This presented an overview of lncRNA and mRNA expression profiling and indicated that lncRNA might participate in METH-induced neuronal apoptosis by regulating the coding genes of neurons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the purpose of improving the interface and mechanical properties of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites, a new strategy was proposed to graft the graphene oxide (GO) onto carbon fiber (CF) surface fast and effectively via thiol‐ene click chemistry reaction using vinyl‐terminated hyperbranched polyester (VHBP) as bridging agent. The successful synthesis of the CF‐VHBP‐GO hybrid reinforcement was verified through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), x‐ray photoelectron spectroscope, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The simultaneous introduction of GO and hyperbranched polymers changed the fiber surface morphology and improved the wettability and surface energy of CF. Judging from the results of the micro‐droplet test, the interfacial shear strength for epoxy (EP) based composite reinforced with CF‐VHBP‐GO was significantly increased by 137.8% compared to untreated CF/EP composite owing to the synergistic effect of VHBP and GO. In addition, the tensile and flexural strength for CF‐VHBP‐GO/EP composite were improved by 47.6% and 65.8%, respectively, compared to untreated CF/EP composite, respectively. This work offers a promising technique for developing high‐performance CF composites with excellent interface properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Necroptosis, a programmed necrosis, is involved in various types of neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we investigated whether necroptosis contributed to neuronal damage in a methamphetamine injury model. Methods : Primary cultures of embryonic cortical neurons from Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to different doses of methamphetamine with/without pre-treatment with a specific necroptosis inhibitor, Necrostatin-1. Necrosis was assessed by determining lactate dehydrogenase release and by Annexin V/propidium iodide double staining, while the neuronal ultra-structure was examined by electron microscopy. Tumor necrosis factor-α protein levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results : At early stages (12 h) of post-treatment with methamphetamine, significant necrosis occurred and the viability of neurons decreased in a dose- and time-dependent manner in this model of acute neuronal injury. Pretreatment with Necrostatin-1 led to significant neuronal preservation compared with the methamphetamine-treated groups. Furthermore, tumor necrosis factor-α expression increased in a dose-dependent manner following methamphetamine exposure. Conclusion : Methamphetamine induced necrosis in rat cortical neurons in vitro , both time and dose dependently, and necroptosis may be an important newly identified mode of cortical neuronal death caused by single high-dose methamphetamine administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a facile and controllable approach to design anodic catalysts with different surface morphologies. The RuO-TiO anodes are directly grown in situ on the surface of Ti substrate under certain hydrothermal conditions. X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectra, cyclic voltammetry, and linear scanning voltammetry (LSV) were used to scrutinize the electrodes and the electrochemical activity. The experimental results indicate that solvothermal crystallization in the presence of hydrochloric acid plays a critical role in regulating the catalyst size and microstructure during the nucleation and growth process of RuO-TiO. The designed RuO-TiO/Ti anode with a nano-flowerlike structure displays significantly enhanced activity toward anodic chlorine evolution reaction (CER) compared to the other two morphology anodes. Such excellent performance of RuO-TiO/Ti is explained in terms of the small charge transfer resistance and the unique surface structure with more active sites to be utilized during CER. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacopaside I is one of the main pseudojujubogenin glycosides isolated from Bacopa monniera. In the present study, a rapid and robust LC-ESI–MS/MS method was developed and validated to quantify bacopaside I in rat plasma. After plasma samples were deproteinized by methanol, the post-treatment samples were analyzed on a Zorbax Eclipse Plus C 18 (2.1 × 50 mm, 1.8 μm) column using a mobile phase of acetonitrile and water (65:35, v/v). Detection was performed on a triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer with selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode via electrospray ionization source. This method covered a linearity range of 10–2000 ng/mL with the lower limit of quantification of 10 ng/mL. The intra- and inter-day precisions of analysis were less than 10.2%, and the accuracies were between −11.1% and 8.4% at the concentrations of 25, 150 and 1800 ng/mL. The total run time was 6.0 min. This method was successfully applied to the preclinical pharmacokinetic study of bacopaside I following intravenous or oral administration to rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen production from water splitting is a green and efficient technology for storing clean energy. Herein, cerium-incorporated Ni 2 P nanosheets are designed as trifunctional electrocatalysts to generate hydrogen by hydrothermal self-oxidation of surface nickel foam (NF) in pure water to in-situ form Ni(OH) 2 nanosheets, followed by incorporation of Ce and phosphorization. The prepared material exhibits excellent electrocatalytic performance in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and urea oxidation reaction (UOR). When the current density is 100 mA cm−2, the UOR potential of Ce-Ni 2 P is 1.473 V lower than that in the OER (1.731 V), suggesting a great potential to replace the sluggish OER for overall water splitting. Moreover, the Ce-Ni 2 P/NF can be applied to the electrochemical treatment of real urine electrolysis with similar performance to the urea electrolysis. Such remarkable performance is attributed to the incroporation of Ce with "Ce3+/Ce4+ redox pairs", which can not only provide abundant reactive sites by the charge transfer appearance of defect sites, but also offer an effective buffering space for the pre-oxidation process from Ni2+ to Ni3+. It is thus beneficial for overall water splitting and coupled urea electrolysis, providing a promising candidate for urine wastewater treatment and clean energy production. • Nanosheets are prepared by hydrothermal self-oxidation of NF in pure water. • Ce leads to the lattice distortion of Ce-Ni2P and generates abundant defects. • Such interactions between Ce and Ni2P promote HER and OER/UOR performance. • Ce-Ni2P/NF can be applied for urine wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We recently found lytic action of the truncated yncE gene. When the truncated yncE gene of Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi A was expressed in Escherichia coli DH5α under the control of the Ara promoter, bacterial growth was markedly inhibited. In the present study, we characterized this lytic action. The N-terminal 103 aa of YncE, containing a signal peptide, was demonstrated to be essential for inhibition. Microscopic observation showed that the bacterial envelope of E. coli was damaged by the expression of truncated yncE, resulting in the release of cytoplasmic content and the formation of bacterial ghosts. The addition of MgSO or spermine, which is the stabilizer of bacterial membrane structure, dramatically reversed the cell lysis induced by the toxic truncated YncE. In contrast, the lytic action was significantly enhanced by the addition of SDS or EDTA. Our data indicated that the toxic truncated YncE could cause cell lysis by the disruption of the bacterial membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a novel fabrication of nickel-molybdenum alloy nanorods catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), which is prepared by co-deposition of pure nickel and molybdenum in a multisource sputtering system on the surface of Ni foam substrate. The Ni–Mo alloy film exhibits favorable vertical nanorods structure and presents the most efficient activity for HER compared to the film only including one metal element. The remarkably enhanced catalytic activity is attributed to its ordered array geometry as well as the synergistic interaction between Ni and Mo. Meanwhile, the open space within nanorod arrays facilitates the electrolyte penetration and diffusion of ionic species, allowing high utilization efficiency of active species as well as rapidly release of evolved hydrogen gas from the electrode surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to achieve a broader absorption bandwidth with smaller reflection loss (RL) in electromagnetic absorber, nickel ions (Ni 2+ ) were employed to partially occupy the sites of cobalt ions (Co 2+ ) in BaCoTiFe 10 O 19 . Ni-doped barium hexaferrite (BaNi x Co 1 − x TiFe 10 O 19 ) powders were synthesized via the sol–gel combustion method. Subsequently, the microwave absorbing composites were prepared by mixing the BaNi x Co 1 − x TiFe 10 O 19 powders with the paraffin. As the doped Ni 2+ ions were in augment, the grain size of BaNi x Co 1 − x TiFe 10 O 19 decreased from 400 nm to 50 nm. Based on the electromagnetic parameters measured by the vector net-analyzer in the frequency of 0.5–18 GHz, it was found that the peaks of the complex permeability shifted to the high frequency region with the increase of the doped Ni. Moreover, the composite ( x = 0.4) possessed a maximum reflection loss (RL) of −47.49 dB at 13.28 GHz with a matching thickness of 2.0 mm. It also had a bandwidth below −20 dB ranging from 12.36 GHz to 18 GHz, which has great potentials applications in the high frequency fields of the microwave absorbing materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we describe a novel catalyst based on RuO 2 –NiO nanorod arrays constructed in situ on a Ni foam substrate by a hydrothermal process for catalyzing the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear scanning voltammetry (LSV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) are used to systematically investigate the microstructure, composition, and electrochemical performance of the catalyst. The prepared electrode exhibits excellent HER performance and long-term stability. This impressive electrochemical performance is largely attributed to the material's unique nanostructure. Noticeable the presence of nickel oxide/hydroxide on the surface of the catalyst promotes the dissociation of water and the formation of hydrogen intermediates that can then adsorb onto the nearby ruthenium species and recombine into molecular hydrogen at a very rapid rate. The hydrothermal method for directly growing electroactive nanostructured arrays on a conductive substrate offers a promising route for developing a new class of Ni-based high performance electrodes for the HER in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The co-doping of Co and Ti in the ZFO leads to its lattice expansion. • LB-CoTiZFO film shows higher PEC activities than LB-ZFO film in TC degradation. • Surface rearrangement occurs in the LB-CoTiZFO film under the PEC circumstances. • Fe-O bond breakage caused by the covalency competition leads to boosted PEC activity. For efficient removal of the residual tetracycline (TC) in the aquatic environment, a novel cobalt (Co) and titanium (Ti) co-doped zinc ferrite (CoTiZFO) film was prepared via the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) method in this study. With the co-doping of Co and Ti, the interfacial photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) activities for degradation of TC by the LB-assembled CoTiZFO (LB-CoTiZFO) films were significantly improved. As the applied voltage was 0.6 V in a two-electrode system, the five-layered LB-CoTiZFO (LB-CoTiZFO-5) films exhibited the optimal TC degradation rate and mineralization rate, which were accordingly 92.85% ± 1.45% and 81.92% ± 0.26%. In the same case, the kinetic rate constant (k) for PEC degradation of TC by the LB-CoTiZFO-5 films is equivalent to 3.3-fold of that by the films without the co-doping of Co and Ti. Under the PEC circumstances, the Co3+ and Ti4+ in the LB-CoTiZFO-5 film would be reduced to Co2+ and Ti3+, while the Fe2+ was oxidized to Fe3+, which results in the surface rearrangement of the LB-CoTiZFO-5 film. In addition, the Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculation results manifest the covalency competition in the Zn-O-Fe backbone can lead to the Fe-O bond breakage, the bare Fe metals with unpaired valence electrons will diffuse to the Helmholtz layer and serve as active sites, which endows the LB-CoTiZFO-5 films with boosted interfacial PEC activities. Therefore, the LB-CoTiZFO-5 film photoanode shows great prospective in efficient PEC degradation of TC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To study the neural mechanism for the impact of negative emotional distraction on working memory in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) resulting from exposure to motor vehicle accidents. Methods: Twenty PTSD patients and 20 healthy subjects were recruited. Event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to investigate the effects of negative and neutral distractors on a delayed-response working memory task. All experiments were performed on a 3.0T MRI scanner, and the functional imaging data were analyzed using SPM8 software. Results: The PTSD group showed poorer performance than the control group when the negative distractors were presented during the delay phase of working memory. The functional imaging indicated that, in the presence of negative relative to neutral distractors, the PTSD group showed higher activation in the emotion processing regions, including amygdala, precuneus and fusiform gyrus, but lower activation in the inferior frontal cortex, insula and left supramarginal gyrus than the control group. Conclusion: Based on the results that activation in the PTSD patients in the presence of negative distractors increased in the emotion-related brain regions but decreased in the working memory-related brain regions, we may conclude that the neural basis of working memory is impaired by negative emotion in PTSD patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The (RuTiSnSb)O-TiO nanotubes (TNTs) anode has been prepared via anodization, deposition, and annealing. X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and linear scanning voltammetry were used to scrutinize the electrodes and the electrochemical activity. The results indicate that highly ordered TNTs with large specific surface area could be implanted with active metal oxides. The catalyst firmly binds with the TNTs and enhances the electrochemical stability of the electrode. It displays high over-potential for oxygen evolution reaction. Accordingly, the constructed (RuTiSnSb)O-TNTs anode exhibits a greater potential difference (Δ E) between the evolutions of oxygen and chlorine than that exhibited by the traditional dimensionally stable anode, which is beneficial for improving the selectivity toward chlorine evolution reaction. This superior performance is explained in terms of the surface properties and geometric structure of coated catalyst, as well as the electrochemical selectivity ascribed by the addition of tin and antimony species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 2D interconnected NiTe/NF nanosheets was prepared by one-step hydrothermal method. • Annealing temperatures have an effect on crystal phase change and HER performance. • It leads to a positive shift of the d-band center on non-stoichiometric Ni 2.86 Te 2. • The Ni 2.86 Te 2 /NF exhibits superior HER performance compared to NiTe/NF. The non-stoichiometric Ni 2.86 Te 2 /NF was prepared by hydrothermal method combined with annealing process. Experimental and theoretical results demonstrate that the transition of crystal phase structure from NiTe to Ni 2.86 Te 2 leads to a strong electronic interaction between tellurium and nickel accompanying with the positive shift of the d-band center, resulting in improving the HER activity compared to the NiTe/NF. [Display omitted] It is of great significance to develop low cost, high-efficiency and environment-friendly electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) from water splitting. Herein, nickel telluride nanosheets grown on Ni Foam (NF) with three different crystal phases (NiTe, Ni 2.6 Te 2 and Ni 2.86 Te 2) are fabricated by one-step hydrothermal tellurization followed annealing process. The non-stoichiometric Ni 2.86 Te 2 /NF exhibits superior electrocatalytic HER performance compared to the NiTe/NF and Ni 2.6 Te 2 /NF, which is comparable to the state-of-the-art 20 wt% Pt/C catalyst at high current density. The Ni 2.86 Te 2 /NF only requires an overpotential of 348 mV to drive the current density of 200 mA cm−2 in a 1.0 M KOH electrolyte. Similarly, The Ni 2.86 Te 2 /NF delivered current densities of 200 mA cm−2 at the overpotential of 279 mV in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4. Such excellent performance could be ascribed to the fast electron transfer and positive shift of d d-band center from its rich defective effect of crystal phase transition, as well as to the exposure of active sites provided by the two-dimensional nanosheets with large specific surface area. This work provides valuable insights for the rational modulation of the crystal phase on the nickel telluride for catalyzing HER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium (Li)-bearing clays have become new types of Li resources, and it is found that the evolution of the mineral structure in Li-bearing clay greatly restricts the extraction of Li. Herein, a Li-bearing clay from Guizhou Province, China, was studied using in situ thermogravimetry–differential scanning calorimetry–mass spectrometry–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG–DSC–MS–FTIR) (evolved gases), 27Al and 1H magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results showed that the Li-bearing clay contained illite, chlorite, kaolinite, pyrite, and anatase. The dehydroxylation reaction of the clay minerals occurred at 450 °C. CH2, CH4, C3H4, C6H5, and C8H9 evolved during the roasting process. The AlO4(OH)2 octahedra transformed to AlO4 tetrahedra due to the reaction between the reductive gases and the residual O in AlO5. The effect of dehydroxylation on the structural stability of different clay minerals differed. After dehydroxylation, kaolinite became amorphous, chlorite reacted with 20% H2SO4, and illite remained stable during the roasting-H2SO4 leaching process. The Li-leaching efficiency increased significantly after dehydroxylation and decreased sharply with the formation of mullite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to their good osseointegration property, calcium silicate ( CS) bioceramics have been extensively studied in recent years. Nevertheless, the excessively high environmental pH value of CS bioceramics will limit their clinical application. The purpose of this work is to reduce the dissolution of Ca and Si ions from the pure CS bioceramics by modifying its surface structure and chemical composition with Zn2 SiO4 nanoparticles ( Zn- CS bioceramic). The results indicated that the dissolution of Ca and Si ions from the CS substrate obviously decreased by the surface modification, and the pH value of the soaking liquid was also effectively controlled. SEM observation and EDS analysis showed that apatite mainly formed on the wall of the internal pores under the Zn-containing porous surface layer when the Zn- CS bioceramic was soaked in the simulated body fluids ( SBF). Moreover, cell adhesion assay proved that mouse osteoblast cells (MC3T3) well adhered and spread on the Zn-containing porous surface layer, and the apatite formed on the surface of the Zn-containing porous layer during the incubation process. Better bioactivity and the osseointegration property can be expected for Zn- CS bioceramic. The surface modification with Zn2 SiO4 nanoparticles is a promising route to control the dissolution and environmental pH value of CS bioceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important trace element in human bone, zinc ( Zn) has a great influence on bone metabolism. The aim of this work was to prepare a Zn-containing material that can release Zn ions. For this purpose, submicrometer willemite phase zinc silicate ( Zn2 SiO4, ZS) with poor crystallinity was synthesized at 110°C via the microwave-assisted hydrothermal ( MH) method. Under the MH condition, the growth of ZS was consistent with 'multi-core growth' mechanism. Moreover, the influences of the reaction temperature and the reactant concentration on the final products were investigated in detail. The inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy ( ICP) data indicated that the poor crystallinity ZS could successfully release Zn for at least 28 d as soaking in the simulated body fluid ( SBF). Without the replenishment of SBF, ~333 μ M Zn was released from ZS synthesized at 110°C ( ZS-110). If SBF was periodically replenished once a day, more Zn was released from ZS-110, and the parascholzite phase calcium zinc phosphate hydrate ( CaZn2( PO4)2·2 H2 O) formed during the soaking process of ZS-110. Under the concentration of 6.25 mg/mL, the extract of ZS-110 was proved to be nontoxic by assessing with mouse osteoblast cells ( MC3T3). Therefore, the poor crystallinity ZS has potential to be incorporated into the orthopedic reconstructive materials as a source of Zn ions, which can improve the bioactivity of the materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TonB-dependent transporters ( TBDTs) are bacterial outer membrane proteins that are usually involved in the uptake of certain key nutrients, for example iron. In the genome of Salmonella enterica ssp. enterica serovar Typhi, the yncD gene encodes a putative TBDT and was identified recently as an in vivo-induced antigen. In the present study, a yncD-deleted mutant was constructed to evaluate the role of the yncD gene in virulence. Our results showed that the mutant is attenuated in a mouse model by intraperitoneal injection and its virulence is restored by the transformation of a complement plasmid. The competition experiments showed that the survival ability of the yncD-deleted mutant decreases significantly in vivo. To evaluate its vaccine potential, the yncD-deleted mutant was inoculated intranasally in the mouse model. The findings demonstrated a significant immunoprotection against the lethal wild-type challenge. The regulation analysis showed that yncD gene promoter is upregulated under acidic condition. The present study demonstrates that the yncD gene plays an important role in bacterial survival inside the host and is suitable for the construction of attenuated vaccine strains as a candidate target gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel Ru–OMC catalyst was prepared by autoreduction reaction between a ruthenium precursor and a carbon source at 1123K. Ruthenium nanoparticles were embedded on the carbon walls of the ordered mesoporous carbon material. Characterization tools including power X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption–desorption, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to scrutinize the catalysts. The catalyst activity for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS) was carried out in a fixed bed reactor. For comparison, Ru catalysts supported on ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC), active carbon (AC), and carbon nanotubes (CNT) were prepared using conventional impregnation method and evaluated at the same FTS reaction conditions. The Ru–OMC catalyst exhibited highly ordered mesoporous structure and large surface area, indistinguishable with those of the OMC material. On this catalyst, Ru nanoparticles were actually embedded on the carbon walls, forming an intimate contact with the carbon supports. It is proposed that this feature might create certain electron-deficient sheets on the interfacial contact, which facilitates the transfer of spilled-over hydrogen and improves hydrogen disassociation on the catalyst surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common dementia-causing disorder in the elderly; it may be related to multiple risk factors, and is characterized pathologically by cerebral hypometabolism, paravascular β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) plaques, neuritic dystrophy, and intra-neuronal aggregation of phosphorylated tau. To explore potential pathogenic links among some of these lesions, we examined β-secretase-1 (BACE1) alterations relative to Aβ deposition, neuritic pathology and vascular organization in aged monkey and AD human cerebral cortex. Western blot analyses detected increased levels of BACE1 protein and β-site-cleavage amyloid precursor protein C-terminal fragments in plaque-bearing human and monkey cortex relative to controls. In immunohistochemistry, locally elevated BACE1 immunoreactivity (IR) occurred in AD but not in control human cortex, with a trend for increased overall density among cases with greater plaque pathology. In double-labeling preparations, BACE1 IR colocalized with immunolabeling for Aβ but not for phosphorylated tau. In perfusion-fixed monkey cortex, locally increased BACE1 IR co-existed with intra-axonal and extracellular Aβ IR among virtually all neuritic plaques, ranging from primitive to typical cored forms. This BACE1 labeling localized to swollen/sprouting axon terminals that might co-express one or another neuronal phenotype markers (GABAergic, glutamatergic, cholinergic, or catecholaminergic). Importantly, these BACE1-labeled dystrophic axons resided near to or in direct contact with blood vessels. These findings suggest that plaque formation in AD or normal aged primates relates to a multisystem axonal pathogenesis that occurs in partnership with a potential vascular or metabolic deficit. The data provide a mechanistic explanation for why senile plaques are present preferentially near the cerebral vasculature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A considerable number of cells expressing typical immature neuronal markers including doublecortin (DCX+) are present around layer II in the cerebral cortex of young and adult guinea pigs and other larger mammals, and their origin and biological implication await further characterization. We show here in young adult guinea pigs that these DCX+ cells are accompanied by in situ cell division around the superficial cortical layers mostly in layer I, but they co-express proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and an early neuronal fate determining factor, PAX6. A small number of these DCX+ cells also colocalize with BrdU following administration of this mitotic indicator. Cranial X-ray irradiation causes a decline of DCX+ cells around layer II, and novel environmental exploration induces c-Fos expression among these cells in several neocortical areas. Together, these data are compatible with a notion that DCX+ cortical neurons around layer II might derive from proliferable neuronal precursors around layer I in young adult guinea pig cerebrum, and that these cells might be modulated by experience under physiological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, the effects of mechanical activation and roasting on treating titania slag process were systematically investigated. Several operating parameters as independent variables, namely activation time, temperature and roasting time, and synthetic rutile content as dependent variable, were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) with a central composite design (CCD). A second-degree equation for independent and dependent variables was computed and used to create the response surface and contours. It showed that linear effect of activation time, temperature and roasting time, interaction effect between activation time and temperature, square effect of activation time showed influence on synthetic rutile content. According to results from analysis of variance (ANOVA), the value of the determination coefficient (R 2 =0.9767) indicates that the model was a good fit that 97.67% of the variation could be explained well by the model. The value of the adjusted determination coefficient (adj.R 2 =0.9558) was also very high to advocate for a high significance of the model. The predicted synthetic rutile content after process optimization was found to agree satisfactory with the experimental values. The optimum experiment parameters were found as follows: activation time of 170.42min, temperature of 1149.28°C, and roasting time of 20.79min. The specific polymorphic phase transition of titania slag before and after combination mechanical activation and roasting process were obtained and characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cerebral hypometabolism and amyloid accumulation are principal neuropathological manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Whether and how brain/neuronal activity might modulate certain pathological processes of AD are interesting topics of recent clinical and basic research in the field, and may be of potential medical relevance in regard to both the disease etiology and intervention. Using the Tg2576 transgenic mouse model of AD, this study characterized a promotive effect of neuronal hypoactivity associated with functional deprivation on amyloid plaque pathogenesis in the olfactory pathway. Unilateral naris-occlusion caused β-secretase-1 (BACE1) elevation in neuronal terminals in the deprived relative to the non-deprived bulb and piriform cortex in young adult mice. In parallel with the overall age-related plaque development in the forebrain, locally increased BACE1 immunoreactivity co-occurred with amyloid deposition first in the piriform cortex then within the bulb, more prominent on the deprived relative to the non-deprived side. Biochemical analyses confirmed elevated BACE1 protein levels, enzymatic activity and products in the deprived relative to non-deprived bulbs. Plaque-associated BACE1 immunoreactivity in the bulb and piriform cortex was localized preferentially to swollen/sprouting glutamatergic axonal terminals, with Aβ immunoreactivity occurring inside as well as around these terminals. Together, these findings suggest that functional deprivation or neuronal hypoactivity facilitates amyloid plaque formation in the forebrain in a transgenic model of AD, which operates synergistically with age effect. The data also implicate an intrinsic association of amyloid accumulation and plaque formation with progressive axonal pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: DCX-immunoreactive (DCX+) cells occur in the piriform cortex in adult mice and rats, but also in the neocortex in adult guinea pigs and rabbits. Here we describe these cells in adult domestic cats and primates. In cats and rhesus monkeys, DCX+ cells existed across the allo- and neocortex, with an overall ventrodorsal high to low gradient at a given frontal plane. Labeled cells formed a cellular band in layers II and upper III, exhibiting dramatic differences in somal size (5–20 μm), shape (unipolar, bipolar, multipolar and irregular), neuritic complexity and labeling intensity. Cell clusters were also seen in this band, and those in the entorhinal cortex extended into deeper layers as chain-like structures. Densitometry revealed a parallel decline of the cells across regions with age in cats. Besides the cellular band, medium-sized cells with weak DCX reactivity resided sparsely in other layers. Throughout the cortex, virtually all DCX+ cells co-expressed polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecule. Medium to large mature-looking DCX+ cells frequently colocalized with neuron-specific nuclear protein and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and those with a reduced DCX expression also partially co-labeled for glutamic acid decarboxylase, parvalbumin, calbindin, β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase and neuronal nitric oxide synthase. Similar to cats and monkeys, small and larger DCX+ cells were detected in surgically removed human frontal and temporal cortices. These data suggest that immature neurons persist into adulthood in many cortical areas in cats and primates, and that these cells appear to undergo development and differentiation to become functional subgroups of GABAergic interneurons. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Doublecortin-immunoreactive (DCX+) cells were detected across the allo- and neo-cortical regions in the adult guinea pig cerebrum, localized to layer II specifically at its border with layer I. The density of labeled cells declined with age, whereas no apparent apoptotic activity was detectable over the cortex including layer II. DCX+ cells varied in somal size, labeling intensity, nuclear appearance, and complexity of processes. These cells were often arranged in clusters with cells of similar morphology sometimes packed tightly together. They exhibited complete colocalization with polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) and neuron-specific type III β-tubulin (TuJ1). Medium to large-sized DCX+ cells had well-developed neuritic processes, and expressed neuron-specific nuclear protein (NeuN). Large mature-looking cells with weak DCX reactivity invariably displayed heavy NeuN reactivity, implicating a transitional stage of these labeled cells. These “transitional” cells also consistently exhibited weak reactivity for γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate decarboxylase (GAD67), β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPH-d) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), suggestive of them being young GABAergic/nitrinergic interneurons. Our data indicate that DCX+ cells exist widely in the adult guinea pig cerebral cortex, with a predominant localization in upper layer II. The morphological variation and differential expression of neuronal markers in these cells implicate that they might be developing neurons, and that they are probably differentiating into GABAergic interneurons. This population of cells might be involved in interneuron plasticity in the adult mammalian cerebral cortex. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: γ-Secretase is a multimeric enzyme important for normal cell/neuronal proliferation, differentiation and plasticity. Determining in vivo γ-secretase expression and activity remains a challenge because its subunit proteins can exist in immature and preassembled forms, but may execute cellular roles irrelevant to γ-site cleavage. In this study, we characterized [3H]-L-685,458 as a radiotracer for the detection of active γ-secretase in adult rat brain. In vitro autoradiography indicated that [3H]-L-685,458 binding was saturatable, displaceable by peptidomimetic and small molecule γ-secretase inhibitors, and exhibited rapid association and dissociation kinetics. In cultured hippocampal slices, [3H]-L-685,458 binding density correlated with Aβ reduction following in-dish dosing of this radioligand or a non-radioactive γ-secretase inhibitor. [3H]-L-685,458 binding sites in the adult brain were differentially distributed across regions and laminas, with heavy binding localized to the olfactory glomeruli, hippocampal CA3 and cerebellar molecular layer, and moderate binding in the cerebral cortex, amygdala and selected subcortical regions. All of these regions showed labeling for presenilin-1 N-terminal fragments (PS1-NTFs). A distinct correlation of dense binding sites with abundant presence of PS1-NTFs was verified in hippocampal mossy fiber terminals and olfactory bulb glomeruli, suggestive of a rich expression of γ-secretase in the synapses at these locations that are characteristic of dynamic plasticity. Together, [3H]-L-685,458 is an excellent radiotracer for mapping active γ-secretase complex, and may serve as a useful tool for studying the enzyme in vivo and in vitro. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A comprehensive overview of crop row detection method in crop management and canopy phenotyping. • Focus on visual perception methods for seedling stage crop row in field ground operation scenarios. • Representative devices, models, and algorithms for the crop row detection process are analyzed. • Discussed challenges and possible solutions to crop row detection. Crop row detection technology is widely used in field management operations, crop phenotyping, and other fields. The crop row detection method obtains guidance information from field roads through relative positioning. This approach can effectively mitigate the constraints associated with absolute positioning methods, such as GNSS guidance, and ultimately improve the autonomous positioning ability and navigation accuracy of agricultural equipment. Researchers have extensively explored methods for quickly, accurately, and robustly identifying the orientation features of crop rows within field environments. As a result, many algorithms and models have been established based on vision technology. The primary aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of the status of crop row detection methods, with a specific emphasis on visual perception techniques for seedling crops utilized in field ground autonomous navigation operations. The typical process of the crop row detection method is summarized in detail, including crop image data acquisition, crop canopy feature extraction, and crop row centerline detection. The representative devices, models and algorithms involved in each process are analyzed. The challenge of crop row detection and the restrictive issues of current research methods are discussed. The future research direction and potential solutions are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient hydrogen production by water electrolysis is primarily restrained by imperfect over-potential and poor reaction dynamics on oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Thermodynamically favourable urea oxidation reaction (UOR) is a class of promising routes for substituting sluggish OER and for coupling with cathodic hydrogen production because of smaller equilibrium potential (0.37 V) than that of OER (1.23 V). Herein, a versatile Ru-NiO/p-Ni catalyst was prepared through in-situ generating nickel hydroxide nanosheets on the surface of ordered porous Ni, then doping low Ru and annealing treatment. The optimized Ru-NiO/p-Ni displayed outstanding activity and stability towards hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), OER and UOR with potentials of −0.13 V, 1.57 V, and 1.39 V at 100 mA cm−2, respectively. Ru-NiO/p-Ni‖Ru-NiO/p-Ni can achieve 100 mA cm−2 in urea-aided water splitting at a voltage of only 1.58 V, which is prominently 170 mV smaller than the voltage of water electrolysis (1.75 V). The excellent electrocatalytic performance is owing to the outstanding inherent activity generated by cooperative effect of Ru and NiO, along with rich defect and active centre of Ru-NiO/p-Ni supplied by the large surface area of 3D porous structure. The formation of more rich Ni active species with a high valence through transport of electrons between Ru and Ni is favourable to promoting the dissociation of urea molecules, eventually improving UOR. Therefore, it can facilitate urea-aided water splitting, which provides a valuable strategy for constructing versatile catalysts for a cathodic energy-efficient hydrogen production coupled with other anodic oxidation reactions. [Display omitted] • Replacing OER with UOR is apparently energy-saving for hydrogen production. • Ru activates NiO nanosheets grown in-situ on porous Ni to obtain more active sites. • Electron transfers of Ru and Ni species significantly promotes HER/OER/UOR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Green Fenton-like selective oxidation of alcohol driven by the active oxygen species from air. • Highly efficient selective oxidation with low-cost and super-facile reaction operation. • Highly efficient MnCoOx catalysts characterized by uniform MnCo 2 O 4 -Co 3 O 4 oxide pair for selective oxidation of alcohol using air as oxidant. • A facile method with an in - situ heating enhancement for the formation of spinel MnCo 2 O 4 mixed oxide. Mn reinforced Co 3 O 4 catalysts (MnCoOx) were prepared by a facile solid phase mixed foaming method with an in-situ heating enhancement for the formation of spinel phase mixed oxide species, and studied in the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol just the air in reactor as oxygen donor. It was found that the MnCoOx catalysts are composed of relatively minimal spinel MnCo 2 O 4 mixed oxide and massive Co 3 O 4 to form MnCo 2 O 4 -Co 3 O 4 oxide pair. The micro-domains of MnCo 2 O 4 -Co 3 O 4 oxide pair present two redox couples of Mn3+/Mn2+ and Co3+/Co2+ instead of the single one of Co3+/Co2+ in Co 3 O 4 , and then dramatically enhance the formation of superoxide radicals (•O2–) species from the O 2 in air, which can efficiently initiate the conversion of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde in a Fenton-like processes. With no oxidant other than air in reactor, the interaction between MnCo 2 O 4 and Co 3 O 4 in MnCoOx catalysts leads to a benzyl alcohol conversion up to 98 % with a 100 % benzaldehyde selectivity at atmospheric pressure while single component Co 3 O 4 can only present a benzyl alcohol conversion at 37 %. This embodiment of highly efficient heterogeneous selective oxidation just with air as oxidant provides a probability for developing a low-cost and super-facile radical-induced selective oxidation process for alcohols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), a severe subtype of stroke, is characterized by notably high mortality and morbidity, largely due to the lack of effective therapeutic options. Although the neuroprotective potential of PPARg and Nrf2 has been recognized, investigative efforts into oroxin A (OA), remain limited in preclinical studies. Methods: SAH was modeled in vivo through filament perforation in male C57BL/6 mice and in vitro by exposing HT22 cells to hemin to induce neuronal damage. Following the administration of OA, a series of methods were employed to assess neurological behaviors, brain water content, neuronal damage, cell ferroptosis, and the extent of neuroinflammation. Results: The findings indicated that OA treatment markedly improved survival rates, enhanced neurological functions, mitigated neuronal death and brain edema, and attenuated the inflammatory response. These effects of OA were linked to the suppression of microglial activation. Moreover, OA administration was found to diminish ferroptosis in neuronal cells, a critical factor in early brain injury (EBI) following SAH. Further mechanistic investigations uncovered that OA facilitated the translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2) from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, thereby activating the Nrf2/GPX4 pathway. Importantly, OA also upregulated the expression of FSP1, suggesting a significant and parallel protective effect against ferroptosis in EBI following SAH in synergy with GPX4. Conclusion: In summary, this research indicated that the PPARg activator OA augmented the neurological results in rodent models and diminished neuronal death. This neuroprotection was achieved primarily by suppressing neuronal ferroptosis. The underlying mechanism was associated with the alleviation of cellular death through the Nrf2/GPX4 and FSP1/CoQ10 pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]