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We used social cognitive career theory to investigate the influence of college students' entrepreneurship curriculum experience on their entrepreneurial intention, and constructed a theoretical model to explain its mechanism. We collected data from 293 Chinese college students by distributing questionnaires. Results of structural equation modeling demonstrated that entrepreneurship curriculum experience was positively related to entrepreneurial intention, with entrepreneurial self-efficacy and outcome expectation entrepreneurship acting as mediators. Entrepreneurial self-efficacy played the more significant mediating role of the two. In addition, we demonstrated through an exploratory factor analysis that gender had a close correlation with the influence of entrepreneurship curriculum experience on entrepreneurial intention, such that men scored significantly higher than women did on the dimensions of outcome expectation entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial intention. Implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) is a rare bone marrow disorder characterized by a severe reduction or absence of erythroid precursor cells, without affecting granulocytes and megakaryocytes. Immunosuppressive therapies, particularly cyclosporine, have demonstrated efficacy as a primary treatment. This study aims to develop a predictive model for assessing the efficacy of cyclosporine in acquired PRCA (aPRCA). This retrospective study encompasses newly treated aPRCA patients at the General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University. Diagnosis criteria include severe anemia, and absolute reticulocyte count below 10 × 109/L, with normal white blood cell and platelet counts, and a severe reduction in bone marrow erythroblasts. Cyclosporine therapy was administered, with dose adjustments based on blood concentration. Response to cyclosporine was evaluated according to established criteria. Statistical analysis involved logistic multi-factor regression, generating a predictive model. The study included 112 aPRCA patients with a median age of 63.5 years. Patients presented with severe anemia (median Hb, 56 g/L) and reduced reticulocyte levels. Eighty-six patients had no bone marrow nucleated erythroblasts. Primary PRCA accounted for 62 cases (55.4%), and secondary PRCA accounted for 50 cases (44.6%). Univariate analysis revealed that ferritin, platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and CD4/CD8 ratio influenced treatment response. Multivariate analysis further supported the predictive value of these factors. A prediction model was constructed using ferritin, PLR, and CD4/CD8 ratio, demonstrating high sensitivity and specificity. The ferritin, PLR, and CD4/CD8-based nomogram showed good predictive ability for aPRCA response to cyclosporine. This model has potential clinical value for individualized diagnosis and treatment of aPRCA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is associated with malignant disorders. DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) is a DNA methylesterase reported to be upregulated in multiple organs and shown to inhibit fibrosis. However, the detailed effect of DNMT3A on OSF remains unclear. Methods: To mimic OSF in vitro, oral fibroblasts were exposed to arecoline and molecular biological experiments were performed to detect the function of DNMT3A in OSF. Results: We found that von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) was downregulated and highly methylated in OSF. Arecoline remarkably increased the viability, invasiveness, and migration of oral fibroblasts, but upregulation of VHL partially reversed these effects. DNMT3A induces DNA hypermethylation in the VHL promoter, and VHL markedly inhibits the level of tenascin‐C (TNC) by inducing the ubiquitination of TNC. TNC reversed the inhibitory effect of VHL upregulation on the differentiation of oral fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. Conclusion: DNMT3A induces OSF by promoting methylation of the VHL promoter. Hence, our study provides novel insights into the discovery of novel strategies that can be employed against OSF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a chronic disorder with a high malignant transformation rate. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and angiogenesis are key events in OSF. The Notch signaling plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of various fibrotic diseases, including OSF. Our study aimed to explore the effects of Notch on the EMT and angiogenesis processes during the development of OSF. The expression of Notch in OSF tissues versus normal buccal mucosa samples was compared. Arecoline was used to induce myofibroblast transdifferentiation of buccal mucosal fibroblasts (BMFs). Short hairpin RNA technique was used to knockdown Notch in BMFs. Pirfenidone and SRI-011381 were used to inhibit and activate the TGF-β1 signaling pathway in BMFs, respectively. The expression of Notch was markedly upregulated in OSF tissues and fibrotic BMFs. Knockdown of Notch significantly decreased the viability and promoted apoptosis in BMFs subjected to arecoline stimulation. Downregulation of Notch also significantly suppressed the EMT process, as shown by the reduction of N-cadherin and vimentin with concomitant upregulation of E-cadherin. In addition, knockdown of Notch upregulated VEGF and enhanced the angiogenic activity of fBMFs. Moreover, inhibition of TGF-β1 suppressed viability and EMT, promoted apoptosis, and induced angiogenesis of fBMFs, while activation of TGF-β1 significantly diminished the effects of Notch knockdown on fBMFs. Knockdown of Notch suppressed EMT and induced angiogenesis in OSF by regulating TGF-β1, suggesting that the Notch-TGF-β1 pathway may serve as a therapeutic intervention target for OSF. Highlights: Notch is upregulated in oral submucous fibrosis tissues and fibrotic buccal mucosal fibroblasts (fBMFs). Knockdown of Notch suppresses the viability and epithelial-mesenchymal transition, promotes apoptosis, and induces angiogenesis in fBMFs. Activation of the transforming growth factor beta 1 signaling diminished the effects of Notch knockdown on fBMFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to clone S‐adenosylmethionine synthase (BtSAMS) from Balsas teosinte (Zea mays ssp. parviglumis) and investigate its function via heterologous expression in Arabidopsis plants. The BtSAMS coding sequence was cloned and its length is 1185 bp. The expression of BtSAMS in Z. mays ssp. parviglumis was a 12.2‐fold increase after aphid infestation. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants heterologously expressing BtSAMS were generated and their morphological characters were observed. A prolonged vegetative growth period was displayed by BtSAMS‐OX plants. The more and longer trichomes were observed on the upper surface of BtSAMS seedlings. The ethylene content in BtSAMS‐OX plants was not significantly different compared with the untransformed controls. These BtSAMS‐OX transgenic plants showed greater resistance to peach aphids compared with the untransformed control plants. Peach aphids appeared to prefer the untransformed controls in that aphids number reduced by more than 50% on BtSAMS plants compared to controls. When sprayed with the insecticide avi‐imidacloprid, the number of peach aphids decreased on BtSAMS‐OX plants and untransformed controls by 91.6% and 80.5%, respectively. Peach aphids also showed lower reproduction ability when forced to feed on the transgenic plants. The number of newly born nymphs on BtSAMS plants was less than 50% of that on the untransformed control. We therefore propose that BtSAMS may be a suitable candidate gene to confer resistance to peach aphids in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yangtze River Basin (YRB) is the birthplace of Chinese civilization and is rich in traditional village resources. Studying their spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors can guide the protection, inheritance, and development of traditional villages in YRB. This study takes 5 batches of 3346 traditional villages in YRB since 2012 as the research object. Using the nearest neighbor index, kernel density analysis, standard deviation ellipse, and Geodetector model, we analyzed the spatial distribution characteristics of traditional villages in YRB and detected their influencing factors. The results show that the distribution of traditional villages in YRB exhibited a spatial pattern of cohesive clusters, forming a high-density area and development center in the junction zone between Guizhou and Hunan provinces and southeast of Anhui Province, and secondary-density areas in Northeast Yunnan Province and east Jiangxi Province. The results of the Geodetector show that the formation of the spatial distribution pattern of traditional villages in YRB is affected by the combined effects of natural and socio-economic factors, among which elevation and NDVI were the main factors, and the interaction of multiple factors showed an enhanced trend. The findings of this study can provide scientific decision-making support for the development and protection of traditional villages in YRB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemolytic transfusion reaction (HTR) is an important type of transfusion-associated reaction and usually occurs after alloimmunization to red blood cell antigens. The HTRs caused by passively transferred Kidd blood group antibodies are not well documented. Here, we report about a premature infant who developed HTR owing to a passive anti-Jka antibody transfer following fresh frozen plasma transfusion. Anti-Jka antibody was detected in the infant's plasma and was also found in the donor plasma with a titer of 1:128. We reported this case to the local blood center, and they subsequently began testing for irregular antibodies of donor plasma, which is recommended but not mandated in China. This case reveals an unusual cause of HTR and emphasizes a possible need to screen donor plasma for antibodies to minimize risks to recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly permeable targeted chemotherapy is highly desired for treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, a novel stimulus-responsive, carrier-free, and triple-combination nano-system (identified as UA@CA4-SS-Cer nanoparticles [NPs]) is developed for the systemic treatment of ALK/EGFR dual-mutant NSCLC. This nanomedicine addresses concerns related to low drug loading and inefficient drug permeability and it provides the foundation for developing GSH-sensitive nanoparticles for improved drug delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An imbalance in the coordinated development of population urbanization and land urbanization (CDPULU) significantly impacts residents' living standards (RSLS); however, studies on this matter remain scarce. This study addresses the gap by analyzing panel data from 284 prefecture-level cities in China to examine the spatiotemporal patterns of CDPULU and RSLS, alongside exploring the mechanisms through which CDPULU affects RSLS. Results indicate a 10.647 % increase in CDPULU and a 39.844 % increase in RSLS from 2011 to 2019, with concurrent decreases in their Gini coefficients by 6.699 % and 2.502 %, respectively. The regression results of the spatial Durbin panel model reveals that while CDPULU has a promoting effect on RSLS, negative spatial spillover effects also exist, with regression coefficients of 0.535 and 0.360 for direct and indirect effects, respectively. The coefficient of the total effects of CDPULU on RSLS varies across regions, being highest in Eastern China (0.934) and lowest in Central China (0.083). These findings offer new insights into the dynamics of urbanization in China, providing valuable guidance for decision-makers. • Both coordination degree of population urbanization and land urbanization (CDPULU) and residents' living standards (RSLS) increased during 2011–2019. • CDPULU had significant promoting effects and negative spatial spillover effects on RSLS. • The promotion of CDPULU on RSLS were stronger in Eastern China. • The promotion of CDPULU on RSLS was stronger during 2014–2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer, with its diversity, heterogeneity, and complexity, is a significant contributor to global morbidity, disability, and mortality, highlighting the necessity for transformative treatment approaches. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has aroused continuous interest as a viable alternative to conventional cancer treatments that encounter drug resistance. Nanotechnology has brought new advances in medicine and has shown great potential in drug delivery and cancer treatment. For precise and efficient therapeutic utilization of such a tumor therapeutic approach with high spatiotemporal selectivity and minimal invasiveness, the carrier-free noncovalent nanoparticles (NPs) based on chemo-photodynamic combination therapy is essential. Utilizing natural products as the foundation for nanodrug development offers unparalleled advantages, including exceptional pharmacological activity, easy functionalization/modification, and well biocompatibility. The natural-product-based, carrier-free, noncovalent NPs revealed excellent synergistic anticancer activity in comparison with free photosensitizers and free bioactive natural products, representing an alternative and favorable combination therapeutic avenue to improve therapeutic efficacy. Herein, a comprehensive summary of current strategies and representative application examples of carrier-free noncovalent NPs in the past decade based on natural products (such as paclitaxel, 10-hydroxycamptothecin, doxorubicin, etoposide, combretastatin A4, epigallocatechin gallate, and curcumin) for tumor chemo-photodynamic combination therapy. We highlight the insightful design and synthesis of the smart carrier-free NPs that aim to enhance PDT efficacy. Meanwhile, we discuss the future challenges and potential opportunities associated with these NPs to provide new enlightenment, spur innovative ideas, and facilitate PDT-mediated clinical transformation. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. This study is aimed at assessing the subsets of bone marrow macrophages in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and exploring the role of macrophages in the pathogenesis of MDS. Methods. Thirty-eight newly diagnosed MDS patients were enrolled in the Department of Hematology of General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University from June 2015 to June 2016. Bone marrow monocytes and macrophage subsets (M1/M2) were detected in patients with MDS and normal controls by flow cytometry. M1 macrophages were cultured in vitro, and the expression of IL-1β and TNF-α mRNA was measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results. Compared with the normal control group, the proportion of bone marrow monocytes was higher (2.11 ± 0.93 % vs. 3.66 ± 3.38 %), and the mean fluorescence intensity of surface molecule CD14 was lower in the higher-risk (HR) MDS group (639.05 ± 359.78 vs. 458.26 ± 306.72 , p < 0.05). The ratio of M2 macrophages to monocytes was higher in patients with HR-MDS (1.82 ± 2.47 % vs. 3.93 ± 3.81 % , p < 0.05). The ratio of M1 to M2 macrophages was lower in the HR-MDS group (3.50 ± 3.22 vs. 1.80 ± 0.88 , p < 0.05). The expression of IL-1β and TNF-α mRNA in M1 macrophages was significantly lower in the MDS group (p < 0.05). Conclusions. Patients with MDS had abnormal macrophage polarization, which may be involved in the alteration of bone marrow microenvironments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secretory phospholipase A2 group IB (sPLA2‐IB) and M‐type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) are closely associated with proteinuria in idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). Podocytes constitute an important component of glomerular filtration, and high basal autophagy is indispensable for podocyte function. The current study aimed to analyze the relationship between sPLA2‐IB and podocyte autophagy in IMN and determine whether sPLA2‐IB mediates abnormal autophagy regulation in podocytes. The serum sPLA2‐IB level and podocyte autophagy were detected, and clinical data were collected from IMN patients with different proteinuria levels. Then, the effects of sPLA2‐IB on autophagy signaling pathways were evaluated in cultured human podocytes treated with sPLA2‐IB, rapamycin, p38 inhibition, and PLA2R‐siRNA in vitro. We found that IMN patients with nephrotic‐range proteinuria have a significantly higher level of sPLA2‐IB and fewer autophagosomes than those with non‐nephrotic‐range proteinuria. In vitro sPLA2‐IB–induced insufficient autophagy in podocytes and promoted podocyte injury via activation of the mTOR/ULK1ser757 signaling pathway. Moreover, inhibition of p38 MAPK evidently abrogated sPLA2‐IB–induced autophagy and the activation of mTOR/ULK1ser757. Additionally, PLA2R silencing demonstrated that sPLA2‐IB–induced abnormal autophagy was also PLA2R‐dependent. In conclusion, the results revealed that sPLA2‐IB downregulated autophagy and contributed to podocyte injury via PLA2R though activation of the p38MAPK/mTOR/ULK1ser757 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human activities expansion globally has exerted tremendous pressure on natural habitats and threatens the conservation of global biodiversity. Studying the impact of human activities expansion on natural habitats globally and in various biomes can provide scientific reference for differentiated approaches to global habitat restoration. However, previous studies still lack identification of the impact of global human activities expansion on natural habitats, especially in different biomes. Here we used the InVEST model to assess the changes in habitat quality globally and across biomes over the past 20 years and analyzed the impact of human activities expansion on them using Spearman correlation coefficients. The results showed an overall global degradation of natural habitats of 0.537% during 2000–2020, while human activities increased by 10.990%. Mangroves were the biomes with the most severe habitat degradation, while deserts and xeric shrublands were the biomes with the most significant habitat restoration. At the global scale, human activities had caused significant and growing negative impact on natural habitats, while in terms of different biomes, human activities may bring about habitat restoration. The findings of this study recommend the implementation of differentiated human activities regulation measures in different biomes to promote global habitat restoration. • Analyzed the degradation of natural habitats globally and in different biomes. • Habitat restoration tends to occur in areas of poor habitat such as deserts and tundra. • Human activities expansion has shown negative impacts on natural habitats globally. • Human activities can also contribute to habitat restoration in some biomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The World's protected areas (WDPA) have been established for more than 100 years and serve an essential role in global biodiversity conservation. Assessing the conservation effectiveness of the WDPA is important for understanding the current status of global biodiversity conservation and formulating corresponding improvement measures. However, previous studies still lack to assess the conservation effectiveness of the WDPA at a global scale with a human activities and habitat quality perspective. Here, we construct a framework for evaluating conservation effectiveness from the perspective of human activities and habitat quality, and attempt to assess the conservation effectiveness of the WDPA. The study results found that habitat quality in the WDPA has not degraded over the past two decades and that human-land relationship have been further harmonized. However, trends in the impact of human activities on habitat quality varied across analytical models. The findings of this study affirm the conservation effectiveness of the WDPA but also raise some vigilance, which can provide scientific advice for policymakers further to improve the differentiated protective measures of the WDPA. [Display omitted] • Habitat quality in the World's protected areas remained largely unchanged during 2000–2020. • Tundra and bare land were the main area where habitat restoration has occurred. • Human-land relationship in the World's protected areas is improving, but remains generally uncoordinated. • Human activities have often caused habitat degradation in World's protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to verify and extend the application of the policy acceptance model (PAM) in the field of green behavior. Under the PAM framework, the authors develop and empirically examine on how employee perception of corporate green policy (perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness) increases the acceptance of corporate green policy, which further leads to two types of employee green behavior. The authors also test the moderating roles of moral reflectiveness and performance orientation on these relationships. Design/methodology/approach: The authors collected complete survey data from 223 work professionals in this study. Multiple regression method was used to test the hypotheses. Findings: The results showed that there were significant positive impacts of two types of employee perceptions of corporate green policy (perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness) on their attitudes toward corporate green policy. Second, this study reported positive relationships between employees' attitudes toward corporate green policy and their two types of green behavior. Finally, supplemental analyses supported moderated mediation models, that is, moral reflectiveness and performance orientation, respectively, and moderated indirect effects of employee perceptions on green behaviors through attitude toward corporate green policy. Research limitations/implications: The data came from a narrow demographic population, which restricts the generalizability of the findings and also raises questions about the specificity of green behaviors manifest in different industries. Besides, this study used cross-sectional, self-reported data, which limits our ability to draw causal conclusions. Practical implications: Companies can shape employee perceptions regarding the usefulness and ease of corporate green policy to induce and consolidate employees' task-related and proactive green behaviors. Social implications: This research will help companies to pay more attention to employees' reflections and attitudes toward green policies, thus effectively promoting employees' green behavior in the workplace. These actions will further promote the green development of the economy and society. Originality/value: The authors extend the PAM framework to the area of green behavior. The PAM is applied to a more micro level of corporate green policy. Further, this paper points out that employees' instrumental value (performance orientation) and moral trait (moral reflectiveness) moderate the impact of employees' policy perceptions on their green behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. COVID-19 is an ongoing global health crisis. Efficacious drugs against COVID-19 are not yet available. Therefore, rapid discovery of safe and efficacious agents against SARS-CoV-2 are needed urgently. Nucleoside analogs have an integral role in the treatment of viral infections. Owing to their broad-spectrum antiviral activities, C-nucleoside analogs have become key components of COVID-19 treatment regimens. Here, we review the state-of-the-art C-nucleoside GS-5734 (remdesivir) that is in preclinical research for COVID-19 treatment. As a potentially approved drug by the FDA against SARS-Cov-2 infection, the efficacy and safety of GS-5734 have been documented repeatedly in vitro, in animal models, and in humans. To better understand the drug-development process, this review focused on the discovery process, preparation methods, broad-spectrum activities, and antiviral mechanism of GS-5734. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use activities play an essential role in habitat degradation and restoration. As priority zones for global habitat conservation, studying the impact of land use activities on habitat quality (HQ) in the World Protected Areas (WDPA) has great importance. However, insights into land use activities and HQ in the WDPA remain scarce and their relationship is still unclear. Here, we assessed land use activities and HQ in the WDPA over the past 20 years and analyzed the impact of land use activities on HQ. The results showed that forestland was the dominant land use type in the WDPA and that the area of forestland, bare land, and water area decreased while the area of other land use types increased during the study period. Land use change in protected areas in different continents shows great differences. Land use intensity (LUI) in the WDPA increased over the 20 years, but HQ remained largely unchanged. LUI increased but HQ decreased was the main change type of grid cells in the WDPA. The bivariate spatial autocorrelation results showed that High-Low (high HQ and low LUI) clusters were the dominant clustering type in the WDPA, while Low-High (low HQ and high LUI) clusters were the least represented clustering type. The regression results showed that LUI tended to have a negative effect on HQ in forested areas and a positive effect on HQ in desert, permafrost areas. These findings can provide a reference for effective land use differentiation control measures and biodiversity conservation measures in the WDPA. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in millions of deaths globally, highlighting the need to develop potent prophylactic and therapeutic strategies against SARS-CoV-2. Small molecule inhibitors (remdesivir, Paxlovid, and molnupiravir) are essential complements to vaccines and play important roles in clinical treatment of SARS-CoV-2. Many advances have been made in development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors in China, but progress in discovery and characterization of pharmacological activity, antiviral mechanisms, and clinical efficacy are limited. We review development of small molecule anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs (azvudine [approved by the NMPA of China on July 25, 2022], VV116 [approved by the NMPA of China on January 29, 2023], FB2001, WPV01, pentarlandir, and cepharanthine) in China and summarize their pharmacological activity, potential mechanisms of action, clinical trials and use, and important milestones in their discovery. The role of structural biology in drug development is also reviewed. Future studies should focus on development of diverse second-generation inhibitors with excellent oral bioavailability, superior plasma half-life, increased antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, high target specificity, minimal side effects, reduced drug-drug interactions, and improved lung histopathology. [Display omitted] • Azvudine—The first Chinese oral SARS-CoV-2 RdRp inhibitor. • VV116—China's first up-and-coming deuterated oral SARS-CoV-2 RdRp candidate. • FB2001—China's first inhaled aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 Mpro candidate drug. • Cepharanthine—Natural product-derived SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding inhibitor. • Summarize pharmacological activity, potential mechanisms of action, clinical trials, and important milestones in drug discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The flash drought events in the Pearl river basin are analyzed by a new method. • The flash drought event has developed more rapidly. • Except in summer, flash droughts in spring and autumn should be taken seriously. • Response time of crops to flash drought is the fast compared to other vegetations. Flash drought events pose serious threats to terrestrial ecosystems due to their rapid intensification. However, the comprehensive assessment of recovery stage in flash drought is hindered by the insufficient consideration of reduplicative decline in soil moisture. Besides, how the vegetation photosynthesis respond to flash drought remains unknown. Here, a new method for explicitly characterizing flash drought events was proposed, incorporating both development rate and duration, with particular emphasis on the process of soil moisture change during the recovery stage. Then the temporal and spatial evolutions of the flash drought over the Pearl River Basin were analyzed. Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) was used to explore the responses of different vegetation types to flash drought. The results indicated that the onset speed may be increasing, and the flash drought in 2007 was quite serious. Most flash drought events lasted 32 to 48 days. Besides, this study focused on the response of forests, grasslands and crops to flash drought, and the forestlands were less sensitive to flash droughts, while croplands experienced the most flash drought events, and the time of photosynthesis loss of croplands was the shortest. Moreover, precipitation deficit, high temperature, high evapotranspiration (ET) and high potential evapotranspiration (PET) were the main driving factors triggering flash drought. The soil moisture was above 40th percentile after the end of a flash drought, which demonstrate the accuracy of the framework in identifying the development of flash drought in the concern area. Our findings also demonstrated the great effectiveness of SIF in monitoring the resistance of ecosystems, deepening our understanding of the response of vegetation photosynthetic capacity to flash drought events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's rapid urbanization over the past decades triggered a growing structural conflict in regional land use, and this conflict is particularly evident in urban-rural land systems. By analyzing the evolution pattern of urban-rural land transition and its drivers, thus revealing the structural conflicts status of urban-rural land at different phases, which can provide scientific reference for decision-making to realize deep urban-rural land integration. Therefore, this study constructs a theoretical framework for urban-rural land structural conflict and uses spatial analysis and dynamic distribution methods to test the hypothesis of differences in urban-rural land evolution patterns and driver characteristics under different conflict phases in China during 2000–2020. The results of spatiotemporal characteristics showed that urban-rural land expansion (URLE) showed an inverted U-shaped curve trend over time. The regional differences in urban land expansion (ULE) kept decreasing, while the regional differences in rural land expansion (RLE) in developed areas showed an inverted N -shaped trend. The URLE converged to low values with increasing probability of negative expansion over time. Furthermore, RLE has a greater probability of negative expansion than ULE. The results of the driving factor analysis showed that the impact of socioeconomic factors on the URLE decayed over time, and the decay of the impact on the RLE preceded that of the ULE. All the above results prove the original hypothesis. This study can provide new decision-making ideas for achieving deep regional urban-rural land integration and promoting high-quality urban-rural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The π-conjugated organic small molecule 4,4′-cyclohexylidenebis[ N, N-bis(4-methylphenyl) benzenamine] (TAPC) has been explored as an efficient hole transport material to replace poly(3,4-ethylenedio-xythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) in the preparation of p-i-n type CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite solar cells. Smooth, uniform, and hydrophobic TAPC hole transport layers can be facilely deposited through solution casting without the need for any dopants. The power conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells shows very weak TAPC layer thickness dependence across the range from 5 to 90 nm. Thermal annealing enables improved hole conductivity and efficient charge transport through an increase in TAPC crystallinity. The perovskite photoactive layer cast onto thermally annealed TAPC displays large grains and low residual PbI2, leading to a high charge recombination resistance. After optimization, a stabilized power conversion efficiency of 18.80% is achieved with marginal hysteresis, much higher than the value of 12.90% achieved using PEDOT:PSS. The TAPC-based devices also demonstrate superior stability compared with the PEDOT:PSS-based devices when stored in ambient circumstances, with a relatively high humidity ranging from 50 to 85%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new organic small molecule, DRTB-T, that incorporates a two-dimensional trialkylthienyl-substituted benzodithiophene core building block was designed and synthesized. DRTB-T has a band gap (E g opt) of 2.0 eV with a low-lying highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level of -5.51 eV. Nonfullerene small-molecule solar cells consisting of DRTB-T and a nonfullerene acceptor (IC-C6IDT-IC) were constructed, and the morphology of the active layer was fine-tuned by solvent vapor annealing (SVA). The device showed a record 9.08% power conversion efficiency (PCE) with a high open-circuit voltage (V oc = 0.98 V). This is the highest PCE for a nonfullerene small-molecule organic solar cell (NFSM-OSC) reported to date. Our notable results demonstrate that the molecular design of a wide band gap (WBG) donor to create a well-matched donor-acceptor pair with a low band gap (LBG) nonfullerene small-molecule acceptor, as well as subtle morphological control, provides great potential to realize high-performance NFSM-OSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypericin is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-located photosensitizer, which causes oxidative damage to ER during photodynamic therapy (PDT). Hypericin-mediated PDT (HY-PDT) has been confirmed to enhance chemo-sensitivity of oxaliplatin (L-OHP) in colon cancer cells. The present study reveals that autophagy plays a key role in chemosensitization during HY-PDT. We proved pro-death autophagy was required for sensitization and HY-PDT/L-OHP antitumor synergism. High dosage of HY-PDT induced autophagic cell death; while low dose of HY-PDT predominantly triggered protective autophagy and promoted cell proliferation. Low dose of HY-PDT reduced the cytotoxicity of L-OHP in oxaliplatin-resistant colon cancer cells. Different level of autophagy therefore contributed to the opposite effect of HY-PDT on cell fate and chemo-sensitivity. Furthermore, we revealed the role of CHOP as a regulator connecting pro-survival and pro-death autophagy under ER damage. High dose of HY-PDT induced massive ROS generation and severe ER stress, which then led to induction of CHOP. CHOP thereby activated CHOP/TRIB3/Akt/mTOR cascade and triggered autophagic cell death. Additionally, when apoptotic pathway was blocked, cells treated with high dose of HY-PDT preferentially underwent death through autophagic pathway. On the other hand, suppression of autophagy made cells more vulnerable to apoptosis under low dose of HY-PDT. These results provided new evidences for the clinical application of ER-targeting PDT in modifying chemosensitivity of colorectal cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conjugated polymer poly(9-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) has been explored as an efficient hole transport material (HTM) to replace poly(3,4-ethylenedio-xythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) for the preparation of p-i-n type, inverted planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells. The PVK film can be facilely deposited by room-temperature solution-casting without any doping or post treatments. Using MAPbI 3 as the photoactive layer, a 15.8% stabilized power conversion efficiency was achieved in ITO/PVK/MAPbI 3 /PCBM/Ag devices, which is a significant improvement compared with 12.1% from devices using PEDOT:PSS as the HTM. The perovskite photoactive layer cast on PVK HTM has higher crystallinity and less PbI 2 residues, leading to a higher charge recombination resistance of the device. After a storage of 1000 h, the PCE of PVK- and PEDOT:PSS- based devices dropped to 82.5% and 56% respectively, and demonstrated that the PVK-based perovskite devices is more stable compared with the PEDOT:PSS-based devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microparts of isotactic polypropylene (iPP)/polyamide 6 (PA6) blends were prepared with a particular injection molding method known as microinjection molding (MIM). Continuous and strong shear action exerted on the melts of iPP/PA6 directly promoted the formation of in situ PA6 microfibril in MIM. Moreover, hierarchical structures, namely, spherulite, cylindrites, and transcrystallization, were observed in the microparts. The synergetic effect of PA6 in situ microfibrils, β-nucleating agent (β-NA), and strong shear action even induced more oriented β-crystals around the surface of PA6 microfibrils in the core layer and markedly increased the β-crystal content. Results showed that adding PA6 and β-NA markedly raised the crystallization temperature of iPP, and the effect of PA6 microfibrils was evidently more pronounced than that of PA6 spherical particles in conventional blends which implies more nucleation sites on the microfibrils. Moreover, strong orientation of iPP molecular chain was also confirmed by 2D-WAXD. It is well worth mentioning that the mechanical property was remarkably improved by these special morphology and crystalline structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's agricultural civilization had left numerous traditional villages (TVs) containing rich historical information and cultural landscape. Exploration the spatial agglomeration characteristics of TVs and their influencing factors is essential for the sustainable development, utilization, and protection of TVs in China. However, previous studies lacked a comprehensive analysis of the spatial distribution of TVs and their driving factors, especially at the national scale. To fill this gap, this study analyzed the spatial agglomeration characteristics and influencing factors of five batches of TVs in China during 2012–2019. The results show that TVs in China were mainly located east of the Hu Line, that is, in the southern and eastern regions of China. The spatial distribution of TVs had significant clustering characteristics, and the gravity center was mainly distributed in central China, and the compactness of the spatial distribution of TVs increased from the first to the fifth batches. The TVs were mainly located at low elevations, northern slope aspect, warm and humid areas. Ferralisol and cultivated vegetation were the main soil and vegetation types in most TVs. TVs tended to be more numerous in the vicinity of low economic development levels, low population density, and rivers. In addition, TVs had a significant correlation with intangible cultural heritage. The results of this study could provide scientific guidance for heritage protection and sustainable development of TVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epigenetic mutations are closely associated with human diseases, especially cancers. Among them, dysregulations of histone deacetylases (HDACs) are commonly observed in human cancers. Recent years, HDAC inhibitors have been identified as promising anticancer agents; several HDAC inhibitors have been applied in clinical practice. In this study, we synthesized a novel N-hydroxyacrylamide-derived HDAC inhibitor, I-7ab, and examined its antitumor activity. Our investigations demonstrated that I-7ab exerted cytotoxicity toward and inhibited the growth of human cancer cell lines at micromolar concentrations. Among tested cells, HCT116 was the most sensitive one to the treatment of I-7ab. However, I-7ab displayed far less cytotoxicity in human normal cells. In HCT116 cells, I-7ab inhibited the expression of class I HDACs, especially that of HDAC3, and suppressed EGFR signaling pathway. With respect to the cytotoxic effect of I-7ab, it induced apoptosis via increasing the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and suppressing the translocation of NF-κB. Other than inducing apoptosis, I-7ab inhibited the expression of cyclin B1 and thereby arrests cell cycle progression at G2/M phase. Further analyses revealed potential role of p53 and p21 in I-7ab-induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. According to our findings, I-7ab may serve as a lead compound for potential antitumor drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polystyrene (PS) nanolatexes were successfully prepared via emulsion polymerization using sodium dodecyl sulfonate as the emulsifier. The effects of emulsifier concentration, initiator concentration, polymerization reaction time, and polymerization reaction temperature on particle size and size distribution of PS colloidal spheres were investigated, respectively. The particle size of the diluted polymer emulsion was about 20 nm, as determined by laser scattering. These obtained PS particles were also characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modulation of the interfacial molecular orientation and molecular packing behaviour is essential for fine-tuning the nanoscale morphology toward efficient non-fullerene all-small-molecule organic solar cells (NFSM-OSCs) due to the anisotropic molecular structure of electron donors (D) and acceptors (A). Currently, the design of active-layer material to obtain favourable nanoscale morphology is still quite challenging. This work developed four new small molecular donors, TBCA-CX (X = 2, 4, 6, and 8), with the same conjugated skeleton but different terminal alkyl chains. The GIWAXS measurement results reveal that the predominant molecular orientation of pristine TBCA-CX films began to change from edge-on to face-on with the increased terminal alkyl chains length. Furthermore, the non-fullerene acceptor IT-4F was used to fabricate NFSM-OSCs with the new donor compounds. Finally, the TBCA-C4: IT-4F blend formed a more favourable face-to-face orientation at the D/A interface and a more compact molecular stacking as proved from GIWAXS characterization, which is beneficial for charge transfer and charge carrier transport. As a result, the TBCA-C4-based device exhibited a higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 9.21%, while its analogs showed PCEs less than 8%. These results provide an insight to understand the impact of molecular design of interfacial molecular orientation and molecular packing behaviour on photovoltaic performance in NFSM-OSCs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artemisinin, existing in the Chinese medicinal plantArtemisia annuaL., is a kind of sesquiterpenoid lactone endoperoxide. It has received extensive attention from all over the world owing to its unusual trioxane structure and potent antimalarial properties. Here we demonstrate the complete chemical synthetic pathway of artemisinin, investigated the past three decades, including the total and partial syntheses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Various studies have been conducted to evaluate the effect of Bt crops on animals. Insect-resistant bioassays have revealed that the chitinase- BmkIT combination could be used as a new pest-resistant gene source and might be a complementary alien gene source to the Bt toxin gene. So it is necessary to assay the effects of chitinase- BmkIT plants on animals. RESULTS Forty 40-day old New Zealand White Rabbits ( Oryctolagus cuniculus) were fed for 60 consecutive days with formulated feed containing dehydrated poplar ( Populus cathayana Rehd) leaves harbouring chitinase- BmkIT gene combination or untransformed counterparts, and the potential toxicological effects of transgenic leaves on rabbits were explored. The results of the growth study revealed no significant differences for daily weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio where they were 101.6%, 99.2% and 97.8% of the treatment compared to the control, respectively. No obvious pathological change was observed in the small intestine, stomach, spleen, kidney, lung, heart, bladder, pancreas, prostate and ovary. Electron microscopy observations of liver cells and renal cells showed they were both normal in the two groups. No feed-derived chitinase, BmkIT and NPTII genes were found in small intestine, blood, or leg muscle samples although they were detected in the formulated feed. CONCLUSION We conclude that the processed poplar leaves with foreign chitinase- BmkIT genes had no obviously harmful effects on rabbits. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavonoids, composai of a C6-C3-C6, backbone, are a kind of secondary metabo-lites of natural medicine, which widely exist in the higher plant. They have received exten-sive attention from all over the world and obtained rapid development owing to widespread distribution, structural complexity, active diversity, and molecular plasticity. Total syn-thesis of natural products is not only one of the most driving forces in organic chemistry but also the embodiment of the development level of organic synthesis chemistry. Total syn-thesis research possesses not only important theoretical significance to the development of organic chemistry but also potential marketing prospects to clinical medicine and significant practical value to the development of natural medicine. Flavonoids contain fiuvun, chalcone, fiavone, bifiavone, isofiavone. xantlwne, pterocarpin, homoisoflavone, fluvonol, fuvono-lignan, anil some other main structure types. This article summarizes the latest research on first total synthesis, including the plant sources and biological activities, of these main structure types, so as to provide some reference j'or both the research of first total synthesis of natural fiavonoids and the development and utilization of their medicinal value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly sensitive dynamic light scattering (DLS) assay for glucose detection without interference from ascorbic acid was demonstrated based on mercaptophenylboronic acid functionalized gold nanoparticles (MPBA–AuNPs). The stable, water-solubility MPBA–AuNPs were synthesized using facile and mild method. In the presence of glucose, specific binding between glucose and boronic acids resulted in the aggregation of MPBA–AuNPs. Thus, glucose could be detected by monitoring the average particle size change of the assay solution using DLS analysis. The detection limit was estimated to be around 10 nM. This assay also showed good selectivity, and glucose could be detected without interference even if 1 mM ascorbic acid was present. Furthermore, glucose in human serum was successfully detected here. Therefore, this sensitive and selective approach has the potential to become a new key for glucose detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We explored the use of He–Ne laser on alleviating the effects of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) light on winter wheat development. Triticum aestivum L. cv. Linyuan 077038 seeds were irradiated with either UV-B (10.08 kJ m−2 d−1) (enhanced UV-B) or a combination of UV-B light and the He–Ne laser (5.43 mW mm−2). Plants also were exposed to the He–Ne laser alone. Our results showed that enhanced UV-B produced negative effects on seed germination and seedling development. Germination rate and shoot growth decreased compared with the control. Root development was inhibited, and root length was decreased. Chlorophyll content and expression of peroxidase (POD) isozymes and their activity decreased. Seedling height and shoot biomass dropped significantly compared to the control. Implementing the He–Ne laser partially alleviated the injury of enhanced UV-B radiation, because germination rate and shoot growth were enhanced together with root development. Chlorophyll content and POD expression and activity increased. Seedling height and shoot biomass were increased. Furthermore, the use of the He–Ne laser alone showed a favorable effect on seedling growth compared with the control. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Despite numerous evidence for the leader's role in facilitating employees' green behavior, few studies have delved into the intervening mechanisms of the trickle‐down effect transmitting green behavior from leaders to their subordinates. Drawing on social learning theory, we explicate a trickle‐down process for voluntary green behavior from leaders to subordinates through leaders' green role model influence and employees' green self‐efficacy, with leader gender as a moderator. Analysis of 70 leaders and 190 employees revealed that leaders' green role model influence and employees' green self‐efficacy sequentially mediated the relationship between voluntary green behavior of leaders and that of employees. Moreover, both the direct and indirect effects were moderated by leader gender: While the direct effect was stronger for male leaders, the sequential mediating effect was stronger for female leaders. Overall, our study confirms the utility of social learning theory in explaining the trickle‐down effect of voluntary green behavior at work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Battery storage is widely regarded as an indispensable solution to the large-scale integration of intermittent renewable energy into the power grid. Being still too expensive by itself, battery storage is currently promoted in China for utility-scale grid-parity wind/solar projects with compulsive technical standards or voluntary allocation requirements for those additional renewable projects beyond grid integration capacity. Under mandatory policies, part of the revenue from renewable energy is used to pay for battery storage. Without a mature electricity market, the development of battery storage co-located with renewable energy would be largely dependent on policy design. This paper conducts a policy-driven system dynamics simulation on the development mechanism of battery storage co-located with renewable energy in China. The results show that the installed capacity growth of battery storage will mainly be driven by mandatory policies before 2024 and mandatory policies will become almost ineffective after 2028. However, mandatory policies may still dominate the development of battery storage after 2030 if the cost reduction is restrained. The conclusions provide theoretical support for the development of battery storage co-located with renewable energy in China. To minimize the adverse effect of mandatory policy, policymakers should keep close eyes on the advance in technology and power market and adjust the policy accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new dichlorvos molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor was prepared. The sensitive membrane sensor was fabricated by electro-polymerizing on an Au electrode surface using o-aminophenol as a monomer and dichlorvos as a template. The 5 mmol/L K3[Fe(CN)6] containing 0.1 mol/L KCl was used as the test background solution, while cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) were used to study the properties of the senor. The changes of oxidation peak current versus dichlorvos concentration showed linearity in the range of 0.12–0.42 µmol/L (R 2 = 0.9432) and 0.45–15 µmol/L (R 2 = 0.9516) with a detection limit of 0.06 µmol/L (S/N = 3). Moreover, the selectivity and repeatability properties of the dichlorvos electrochemical sensor were examined. Results showed that the senor had excellent repeatability (RSD = 3.92%, n = 5), good selectivity to the dichlorvos in detection, and only a ten minute response time. Organophosphorus insecticides have some response signals in the detections. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: A water-soluble polysaccharide, FCAP1, was isolated from an alkaline extract from the fruits of Cornus officinalis. Its molecular weight was 34.5kDa. Monosaccharide composition analysis revealed that it was composed of fucose, arabinose, xylose, mannose, glucose, and galactose in a molar ratio of 0.29:0.19:1.74:1:3.30:1.10. On the basis of partial acid hydrolysis and methylation analysis, FCAP1 was shown to be a highly branched polysaccharide with a backbone of β-(1→4)-linked-glucose partially substituted at the O-6 position with xylopyranose residues. The branches were composed of (1→3)-linked-Ara, (1→4)-linked-Man, (1→4,6)-linked-Man, (1→4)-linked-Glc, and (1→2)-linked-Gal. Arabinose, fucose, and galactose were located at the terminal of the branches. The structure was further elucidated by a specific enzymatic degradation with an endo-β-(1→4)-glucanase and MALDI-TOF-MS analysis. Oligosaccharides generated from FCAP1 indicated that FCAP1 contained XXXG-type and XXG-type xyloglucan fragments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transgenic poplar shoots were obtained using Agrobacterium-mediated in situ bud transformation. The method is demonstrated for the first time for poplar. Buds of Populus cathayana Rehd were co-cultivated with an Agrobacterium strain LBA4404 harbouring the binary vector pBI101-Bmk-chi. With the procedure described here, transformation efficiencies of 1% and 2.24% were achieved in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Stable integration of the transgene sequence was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction and Southern hybridization. The transgenes could be inherited by vegetative propagation. The novel approach circumvented tedious tissue culture procedures and was simple and versatile; hence, it could be readily integrated into conventional tree breeding, especially for species or cultivars not responding to tissue culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SARS-CoV-2 infection affects and modulates serum as well as hematological parameters. However, whether it modifies these parameters in the existing disease conditions, which help in the erection of specific treatments for the disease, is under investigation. Here, we aimed to determine whether serum and hematological parameters alteration in various diseases, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), ischemic heart disease (IHD) and myocardial infarction (MI) conditions correlate and signal SARS-CoV-2 infection, which could be used as a rapid diagnosis tool for SARS-CoV-2 infection in disease conditions. To assess the projected goals, we collected blood samples of 1,113 male and female patients with solo and multiple disease conditions of DM/HTN/IHD/MI with severe COVID-19, followed by biochemical analysis, including COVID-19 virus detection by RT-qPCR. Furthermore, blood was collected from age-matched disease and healthy individuals 502 and 660 and considered as negative control. In our results, we examined higher levels of serum parameters, including D-dimer, ferritin, hs-CRP, and LDH, as well as hematological parameters, including TLC in sole and multiple diseases (DM/HTN/IHD/MI) conditions compared to the control subjects. Besides, the hematological parameters, including Hb, RBC, and platelet levels, decreased in the patients. In addition, we found declined levels of leukocyte count (%), lymphocyte (%), monocyte (%), and eosinophil (%), and elevated level of neutrophil levels (%) in all the disease patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. Besides, NLR and NMR ratios were also statistically significantly (p < 0.05) high in the patients with solo and multiple disease conditions of DM/HTN/IHD/MI infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In conclusion, rapid alteration of sera and hematological parameters are associated with SARS-CoV-2 infections, which could help signal COVID-19 in respective disease patients. Moreover, our results may help to improve the clinical management for the rapid diagnosis of COVID-19 concurrent with respective diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tubulointerstitial injury plays a pivotal role in the progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD), yet the link between neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and diabetic tubulointerstitial injury is still unclear. Methods: We analyzed microarray data (GSE30122) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with DKD's tubulointerstitial injury. Functional and pathway enrichment analyses were conducted to elucidate the involved biological processes (BP) and pathways. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) identified modules associated with DKD. LASSO regression and random forest selected NET-related characteristic genes (NRGs) related to DKD tubulointerstitial injury. Results: Eight hundred ninety-eight DEGs were identified from the GSE30122 dataset. A significant module associated with diabetic tubulointerstitial injury overlapped with 15 NRGs. The hub genes, CASP1 and LYZ, were identified as potential biomarkers. Functional enrichment linked these genes with immune cell trafficking, metabolic alterations, and inflammatory responses. NRGs negatively correlated with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in the Neph v5 database. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) validated increased NRGs in DKD tubulointerstitial injury. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the CASP1 and LYZ genes may serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers for diabetic tubulointerstitial injury. Furthermore, NRGs involved in diabetic tubulointerstitial injury could emerge as prospective targets for the diagnosis and treatment of DKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a highly pathogenic virus that has spread rapidly across the entire world. There is a critical need to develop safe and effective drugs, especially broad-spectrum antiviral and organ protection agents in order to treat and prevent this dangerous disease. It is possible that Chinese herbal medicine may play an essential role in the treatment of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Aim of the review : We aim to review the use of Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of COVID-19 both in vitro and in clinical practice. Our goal was to provide a better understanding of the potential therapeutic effects of Chinese herbal medicine and to establish a "Chinese protocol" for the treatment of COVID-19. We systematically reviewed published research relating to traditional Chinese herbal medicines and the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 from inception to the 6th January 2021 by screening a range of digital databases (Web of Science, bioRxiv, medRxiv, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, X-MOL, Wanfang Data, Google Scholar, PubMed, Elsevier, and other resources) and public platforms relating to the management of clinical trials. We included the active ingredients of Chinese herbal medicines, monomer preparations, crude extracts, and formulas for the treatment of COVID-19. In mainland China, a range of Chinese herbal medicines have been recognized as very promising anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents, including active ingredients (quercetagetin, osajin, tetrandrine, proscillaridin A, and dihydromyricetin), monomer preparations (xiyanping injection, matrine-sodium chloride injection, diammonium glycyrrhizinate enteric-coated capsules, and sodium aescinate injection), crude extracts (Scutellariae Radix extract and garlic essential oil), and formulas (Qingfei Paidu decoction, Lianhuaqingwen capsules, and Pudilan Xiaoyan oral liquid). All these agents have potential activity against SARS-CoV-2 and have attracted significant attention due to their activities both in vitro and in clinical practice. As a key component of the COVID-19 treatment regimen, Chinese herbal medicines have played an irreplaceable role in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The "Chinese protocol" has already demonstrated clear clinical importance. The use of Chinese herbal medicines that are capable of inhibiting SARS-Cov-2 infection may help to address this immediate unmet clinical need and may be attractive to other countries that are also seeking new options for effective COVID-19 treatment. Our analyses suggest that countries outside of China should also consider protocols involving Chinese herbal medicines combat this fast-spreading viral infection. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have shown that serum secretory phospholipase A2 group IB (sPLA2-IB) is associated with proteinuric kidney diseases and plays a pivotal role in podocyte injury via its natural receptor. Arachidonic acid (AA), as a major metabolite of sPLA2-IB, regulates the actin bungling remodeling and contributes to the podocyte injury. However, the underlying mechanism of AA in the regulation of podocyte actin remodeling and human podocyte injury is unclear. Here, we reported that AA induced F-actin cytoskeletal ring formation and promoted protein kinase A (PKA), nephrin and c-Abl phosphorylation. Moreover, AA promoted c-Abl translocation from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and increased the recruitment of c-Abl to p-nephrin by the interaction between them. H89 (PKA inhibitor) provided protection against AA-induced F-actin bunching remodeling, down-regulated nephrin phosphorylation, and suppressed the c-Abl translocation and activation. STI571 (c-Abl inhibitor) also improved the AA associated F-actin bunching remodeling. In addition, H89 and STI571 both alleviated apoptosis and adhesion damage of podocyte. These results indicate that an excess of AA treatment is detrimental to the podocyte actin cytoskeleton and promotes podocyte injury due to the activation of PKA-c-Abl signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence on associations between outdoor air pollution and the risk of digestive diseases, especially seasonal disparity, is scarce. We aimed to compare the acute effects of air pollution on outpatient visits for gastritis between warm and cold seasons in China. We collected data on six criteria air pollutants [fine particulate matter (PM 2.5), inhalable particulate matter (PM 10), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2), sulfur dioxide (SO 2), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O 3)], daily counts of gastritis outpatient visits, and meteorological variables during 2014–2020 (2536 days) in Hefei, China. A time-series analysis with generalized additive model was used, and potential effect modifiers were explored. Totally, 106,429 outpatient visits were recorded. The average concentrations of PM 2.5 , PM 10 , CO, NO 2 , SO 2 , and O 3 were 54.82, 81.95, 886.75, 39.51, 11.81, and 84.75 μg/m3, respectively, exceeding the updated WHO Air Quality Guidelines values. Short-term PM 2.5 , CO, and NO 2 exposures significantly increased the risk of gastritis outpatient visits and the lag response effects varied at different lag days. Each 10 μg/m3 increment of PM 2.5 , CO, and NO 2 at lag 0 day, the excess risks of gastritis outpatient visits increased by 0.50% (95% CI: 0.04%, 0.95%), 0.05% (0%, 0.10%), and 1.50% (0.54%, 2.47%), respectively. We found insignificant differences in age-, sex- or insurance-strata but significant differences in seasonal strata with stronger effects in cold seasons. Null association of exposure to O 3 , SO 2 , or PM 10 was observed. This study provided first-hand data that short-term exposure to PM 2.5 , CO, and NO 2 but not O 3 , SO 2 , or PM 10 was positively associated with gastritis outpatient visits, and such association was more evident in cold seasons, further suggesting the need for underscoring the continued efforts for public health intervention and air pollution control, especially in winter. [Display omitted] • This is the first larger-scale hospital-based study on examining air pollution and gastritis outpatient visits. • PM 2.5 , NO 2 and CO contributed more outpatient visits for gastritis. • For low exposures of O 3 , the risk significantly increased. • Cold seasons posed more outpatient visits for gastritis than warm seasons. • The associations occurred immediately at the current exposure day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microwave and infrared–thermal radiation-compatible shielding fabrics represent an important direction in the development of wearable protective fabrics. Nevertheless, effectively and conveniently integrating compatible shielding functions into fabrics while maintaining breathability and moisture permeability remains a significant challenge. Here, we take hydrophilic PVA-co-PE nanofibrous film-coated PET fabric (NFs/PET) as a flexible substrate and deposit a dielectric/conductive (SiO2/Al) bilayer film via magnetron sputtering. This strategy endows the fabric surface with high electrical conductivity, nanoscale roughness comparable to visible and infrared waves, and a dielectric–metal contact interface possessing localized plasmon resonance and Mie scattering effects. The results demonstrate that the optimized SiO2/Al/NFs/PET composite conductive fabric (referred to as S4-1) possesses favorable X-band electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (50 dB) as well as excellent long-wave infrared (LWIR) shielding or IR stealth performance (IR emissivity of 0.60). Notably, the S4-1 fabric has a cooling effect of about 12.4 °C for a heat source (80 °C) and an insulating effect of about 17.2 °C for a cold source (−20 °C), showing excellent shielding capability for heat conduction and heat radiations. Moreover, the moisture permeability of the S4-1 fabric is about 300 g/(m2·h), which is better than the requirement concerning moisture permeability for wearable fabrics (≥2500–5000 g/(m2·24 h)), indicating excellent heat and moisture comfort. In short, our fabrics have lightweight, thin, moisture-permeable and excellent shielding performance, which provides novel ideas for the development of wearable multi-band shielding fabrics applied to complex electromagnetic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Complement component 3a and its receptor (C3a/C3aR) and the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome contribute to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the relationship between C3a/C3aR and the NLRP3 inflammasome in EMT remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the roles of C3a/C3aR and the NLRP3 inflammasome involved in TGF-β-induced EMT. Method: Mouse renal tubular epithelial cells (TCMK-1) were exposed to C3a and TGF-β for 48 h. C3aR antagonist, MCC950, an inhibitor of the NLRP3 inflammasome and PD98059, an inhibitor of ERK signaling, were respectively applied to pretreat the cells at 30 min before C3a and TGF-β administration.The cells were collected for western blot, immunofluorescence staining and ELISA. Unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) models were established using male C57BL/6 wild-type (WT) mice and age-matched C3aR-deficient mice. MCC950 was intraperitoneally injected in UUO mice. Kidney samples were collected for immunohistochemistry staining. Results: In vitro, C3a synergized with TGF-β to promote EMT and the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Inhibition of C3aR attenuated EMT and the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome alleviated EMT but didn't affect the expression of C3aR. Inhibition of ERK signaling inhibited the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. In vivo, the expression of IL-1β was significantly higher in UUO mice compared to the sham-operated mice. C3aR deficiency and inhibition of the NLRP3 Inflammasome contributed to decreased IL-1β in UUO mice. Conclusion: Our data revealed that C3a/C3aR synergies with TGF-β to activate the NLRP3 inflammasome to promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition of renal tubular epithelial cells through ERK signaling, and the way in which C3aR activates the inflammasome is to promote the assembly of the NLRP3 inflammasome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) and regional respiratory tract depositions on blood pressure (BP), anxiety, depression, health risk and the underlying mechanisms need further investigations. A repeated-measures panel investigation among 40 healthy young adults in Hefei, China was performed to explore the acute impacts of PM 2.5 exposure and its deposition doses in 3 regions of respiratory tract over diverse lag times on BP, anxiety, depression, health risk, and the potential mechanisms. We collected PM 2.5 concentrations, its deposition doses, BP, the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) score and the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) score. An untargeted metabolomics approach was used to detect significant urine metabolites, and the health risk assessment model was used to evaluate the non-carcinogenic risks associated with PM 2.5. We applied linear mixed-effects models to assess the relationships of PM 2.5 with the aforementioned health indicators We further evaluate the non-carcinogenic risks associated with PM 2.5. We found deposited PM 2.5 dose in the head accounted for a large proportion. PM 2.5 and its three depositions exposures at a specific lag day was significantly related to increased BP levels and higher SAS and SDS scores. Metabolomics analysis showed significant alterations in urinary metabolites (i.e., glucoses, lipids and amino acids) after PM 2.5 exposure, simultaneously accompanied by activation of the cAMP signaling pathway. Health risk assessment presented that the risk values for the residents in Hefei were greater than the lower limits of non-cancer risk guidelines. This real-world investigation suggested that acute PM 2.5 and its depositions exposures may increase health risks by elevating BP, inducing anxiety and depression, and altering urinary metabolomic profile via activating the cAMP signaling pathway. And the further health risk assessment indicated that there are potential non-carcinogenic risks of PM 2.5 via the inhalation route in this area. [Display omitted] • Acute PM 2.5 and its deposition exposures could increase BP, anxiety and depression. • Significant changes in some urinary metabolites after PM 2.5 exposure were observed. • cAMP signaling pathway played a key role in the above effects of PM 2.5 exposure. • There were potentially non-carcinogenic risks caused by PM 2.5 exposure for the residents in Hefei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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