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In mammals, many organs lack robust regenerative abilities. Lost cells in impaired tissue could potentially be compensated by converting nearby cells in situ through in vivo reprogramming. Small molecule-induced cell reprogramming offers a temporally flexible and non-integrative strategy for altering cell fate, which is, in principle, favorable for in vivo reprogramming in organs with notoriously poor regenerative abilities, such as the brain. Here, we demonstrate that in the adult mouse brain, small molecules can reprogram astrocytes into neurons. The in situ chemically induced neurons resemble endogenous neurons in terms of neuron-specific marker expression, electrophysiological properties, and synaptic connectivity. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of in vivo chemical reprogramming in the adult mouse brain and provides a potential approach for developing neuronal replacement therapies.

With the increasing proportion of low-carbon power in electricity generation mix, power generation will be transformed from carbon-intensive to metal-intensive. In this context, metal and GHG transfers embodied in electricity transmission of China from 2015 to 2019 are quantified by the Quasi-Input-Output model. Combined with complex network theory, we have distinguished whether metal and GHG transfers show different trends as electricity trade changes. Driving factors contributing to forming the metal and GHG transfers are also explored based on the Quadratic Assignment Procedure. The results show that the electricity trade change has strengthened the metal transfer network significantly, while several key links in the GHG transfer network have weakened. Moreover, we find provincial differences in low-carbon electricity investment contributing to the metal transfer while affecting the GHG transfer little. The above facts imply an expanding embodied metal transfer in the future and shed light on policy making for power system decarbonization.

Water temperature has a major influence on the host innate immune defence and the infectivity of pathogens in ectothermic teleosts. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are the first and well-characterized innate immune receptors that are conserved in vertebrates. However, little is known about the effect of temperature variation on TLRs in fish species. In this study, we used adult zebrafish as a research model to investigate the effect of water temperature on TLRs. Whole genome searches identified 20 TLR homologue genes in zebrafish. Multiple sequence alignment and protein structure analysis revealed the conserved domains for these TLR proteins. To identify TLR genes related to temperature variation, TLR family genes from 12 species with different body temperatures were assigned to conduct phylogenetic analyses. Based on the phylogenetic relationships, TLR3, TLR4, TLR5 and TLR20~21 were selected as candidate genes. Immunostimulation data indicated that TLR3, TLR5, and TLR21 were more sensitive to temperature variation and their expression levels were affected in response to pathogen stimulation. Taken together, our results provide a new opportunity to understand the roles of temperature on host innate immune response in fishes and have broader implications for disease prevention in aquaculture.

This article examines the connections between educational language policy for Uyghur youth and the language ideologies among Uyghur families. Chinese language policy has historically accommodated m...

Tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR)-associated factors (TRAFs) are a family of crucial signaling molecules that mediate the signal transduction of various immune signaling pathways. Extensive studies have demonstrated that TRAFs play vital roles in regulating cellular immune responses. However, the biological functions and expression profiling of TRAFs in Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) remain unclear. In this study, the genes of the PsTRAF family at the genome-wide level were identified in P. sinensis, revealing six PsTRAF members that contained the conserved TRAF domain in the C-terminal regions. Molecular evolutionary analysis showed that PsTRAFs shared close evolutionary relationships and similar protein crystal structures with the TRAF homologs from other turtles, indicating the evolutionary conservation of PsTRAFs. Further expression analysis revealed the tissue-specific expression of PsTRAF genes. Obvious variations in the expression of PsTRAF genes were observed in the spleen in response to Aeromonas hydrophila infection. Three PsTRAF genes, PsTRAF2, PsTRAF3, and PsTRAF6, were significantly upregulated at the mRNA and protein levels post-infection, indicating their potential function in the immune response. Moreover, the protein-protein associations of PsTRAFs with several signaling receptors were predicted in P. sinensis. These results provide a basis for the investigation of the functional roles of PsTRAFs in immune defense against bacterial infection.

This study calculates the green investment level of each province in China and objectively estimates the provincial environmental regulation level from the perspective of the government to examine the effectiveness and impact of the government's environmental protection policy on the environmental regulation level. The carbon emission trading pilot policy is determined through a quasi-natural experiment difference in difference model to examine the impact and assess the effectiveness of green environmental protection policies on the environmental regulation level empirically. Results show that (i) the green investment level of the carbon emission trading pilot provinces is significantly lower than that of other nonpilot provinces after 2013, and (ii) the introduction of environmental protection policies has reduced the government's green investment level by approximately 8%. These findings confirm that environmental regulation policies play a significant role in promoting the environmental regulation level. Further mechanism analysis shows that environmental regulation policies influence this level through carbon dioxide emissions. This study provides a reference for environmental regulation policy making.

The current phase of the technological revolution and the accelerated rate of industrial change have encouraged the structural transformation of global infrastructure investment. This study aims to identify and evaluate the impact of new infrastructure investment on economic growth quality. This paper explains the theoretical mechanisms in terms of their effects on technological innovation, industrial structure, and productivity, using the three-dimensional analysis framework of economic growth conditions, process, and results. We then carry out an empirical examination based on provincial panel data for China from 2004 to 2019. The findings demonstrate that new infrastructure investment can significantly improve economic growth quality, and this conclusion still seems valid after conducting endogeneity treatments and robustness tests. Further mechanism evaluations indicate that new infrastructure investments contribute to boosting economic growth quality in terms of the condition, process, and results of economic growth by promoting technological innovation, improving industrial structure, and enhancing production efficiency. Moreover, the magnitude and mechanism of the positive effects differ depending on the heterogeneity of the region examined. In terms of the nonlinear change characteristics, the significant dual-threshold effect reveals that the marginal effects of new infrastructure investment on economic growth quality tend to be incremental under the threshold condition. This study provides a theoretical and factual basis for governments to enforce new infrastructure investments in the digital economy era, and it also has some value as a reference regarding the economic sustainability of developing countries.

Interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) were originally identified as transcriptional regulators of type I interferon (IFN) expression. Recent studies have widely identified the roles of IRFs as central mediators in immune defence against pathogen infection. However, the functional roles and expression profiles of IRFs are still unclear in Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis). In this study, eight members of the PsIRF family were identified in P. sinensis through a genome-wide search. These PsIRF genes contained the conserved domains of this group of proteins, including the N-terminal DNA-binding domain and C-terminal IRF-associated domain. Phylogenetic analyses among IRF homologs showed that the PsIRFs shared the closest phylogenetic relationships with IRFs of other turtle species. Further molecular evolutionary analyses revealed evolutionary conservation of the PsIRF genes. Moreover, expression profiling demonstrated that eight PsIRF genes exhibited constitutive expression in different tissues of P. sinensis. Several genes, such as PsIRF1, PsIRF2 and PsIRF4, showed predominant expression in the spleen and were significantly upregulated upon Aeromonas hydrophila infection. Remarkably, PsIRF1, PsIRF2 and PsIRF4 exhibited rapid increases in their protein expression levels post-infection and were mainly expressed in the splenic red pulp according to immunohistochemistry analysis. These results provide rich resources for further exploration of the roles of PsIRFs in immune regulation in P. sinensis and other turtles.

Liquid storage of spermatozoa is important for artificial insemination and herd genetic breeding. However, the extended time of storage inducing the rapid decline in spermatozoa quality limits the development of this technology. The molecular mechanisms underlying liquid storage of spermatozoa remain largely unexplored. In this study, the effects of liquid storage on functional quality of spermatozoa were assessed in goat (Capra hircus). The time-dependent decline in spermatozoa motility showed a strong correlation with the significant increase in apoptosis. Moreover, apoptosis-related ultrastructural changes were observed, especially the defects in mitochondria. A significant decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and changes in the expression of mitochondrial apoptosis-related proteins indicated mitochondrial dysfunction and mitochondrial apoptotic pathway activation. Notably, the abnormally high level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) caused by liquid storage resulted in oxidative damage to mitochondria and accelerated mitochondria-dependent apoptosis, as demonstrated by the addition of ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine. Furthermore, critical differentially expressed proteins involved in mitochondria-dependent apoptosis and antioxidant defense were identified and profiled by quantitative proteomic analysis, facilitating the understanding of molecular regulation of ROS-induced mitochondria-dependent apoptosis. These outcomes provide insights into the mechanisms underlying liquid storage of goat spermatozoa and enhance the progress of semen storage technology.

Heat‐shock proteins 70/110 (Hsp70/110) are vital molecular chaperones and stress proteins whose expression and production are generally induced by extreme temperatures or external stresses. The Hsp70/110 family is largely conserved in diverse animals. Although many reports have studied and elaborated on the characteristics of Hsp70/110 in various species, the systematic identification and analysis of Hsp70/110 are still poor in turtles. In this study, a genomewide search was performed, and 18 candidate PsHSP70/110 family genes were identified in Chinese soft‐shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis. These PsHSP70/110 proteins contained the conserved “heat shock protein 70” domain. Phylogenetic analysis of PsHSP70/110 and their homologs revealed evolutionary conservation of Hsp70/110 across different species. Tissue‐specific expression analysis showed that these PsHSP70/110 genes were differentially expressed in different tissues of P. sinensis. Furthermore, to examine the putative biological functions of PsHSP70/110, the dynamic expression of PsHSP70/110 genes was analyzed in the testis of P. sinensis during seasonal spermatogenesis following germ cell apoptosis. Notably, genes such as PsHSPA1B‐L, PsHSPA2, and PsHSPA8 were significantly upregulated in P. sinensis testes along with a seasonal decrease in apoptosis. Protein interaction prediction revealed that PsHSPA1B‐L, PsHSPA2, and PsHSPA8 may interact with each other and participate in the MAPK signaling pathway. Moreover, immunohistochemical analysis showed that PsHSPA1B‐L, PsHSPA2, and PsHSPA8 protein expression was associated with seasonal temperature variation. The expression profiling and interaction relationships of the PsHSPA1B‐L, PsHSPA2, and PsHSPA8 proteins implied their potential roles in inhibiting the apoptosis of germ cells in P. sinensis. These results provide insights into PsHSP70/110 functions and will serve as a rich resource for further investigation of HSP70/110 family genes in P. sinensis and other turtles.

Sustainable consumption has become an important issue when the world has limited resources and deteriorating environment. Given the context, this study first examines the influence of income disparities on different environmental footprints of Chinese households. We combine the input-output model with Chinese household survey data from the China family panel studies. The results show that, on an average, the carbon dioxide (CO2), pollutants, water and energy footprints of richest families are about 4.5-5.9 times larger than that of poorest households. Furthermore, the richest families even have 9.2-11.5 times larger metal and non-metal footprints. The consumption structure change can act as a driving factor to offset the increase in CO2, pollutants, water and energy footprints brought about by income rise, since it has reduced the household footprints per unit expenditure. However, the consumption structure change may increase the metal and non-metal footprints per unit expenditure simultaneously, making the metal and non-metal footprints increase faster than the other footprints as income increases. Since environment awareness is expected as a factor to further restrain household environment footprints on the demand side, we also examine how one important component of environmental awareness-perceived seriousness of environmental problems-influences household footprints based on the Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology (STIRPAT) model. While emphasizing seriousness of environmental issues can cause a slight decline in the metal and non-metal footprints, it surprisingly increases the CO2, energy, and pollutants footprints; it does not influence the water footprint. In addition, perception of the seriousness of environmental problems impacts the environmental behaviors of wealthy families more than poor families. These findings demonstrate the need to formulate policies to overcome the demand-side challenge of achieving sustainability.

In light of China’s ‘Belt and Road’ initiative, many mainland Chinese universities have been promoting non-English foreign language degree programs at the undergraduate level. This study examines t...

Building on recent calls to examine the material realities of people’s lives, our paper explores how developments in ecological approaches to second language acquisition (SLA) and recent SLA identity work can help advance the language policy and planning (LPP) research agenda. To this end, we draw on (1) the multi-level transdisciplinary framework for SLA in a multilingual world put forward by the Douglas Fir Group (Mod Lang J 100(S1):19–47, 2016), which examines how language learning and teaching are influenced by micro-, meso-, and macro-level forces, and (2) Darvin and Norton’s (Annu Rev Appl Linguist 35:36–56, 2015) model of investment, which looks at the intersection of identity, capital and ideology. By combining these two frameworks, we explain how an ecologically-oriented LPP research agenda can be advanced by taking into consideration key social actors who exist in the complex material realities within which learners are embedded. We anchor our arguments in a case study of a Uyghur youth, Alim, in China whose Putonghua learning trajectory is traced as he moves across several cities over the span of 16 years. Alim’s lived experience illustrates how a SLA and LPP interface can be realized in research.

We focus on the learning of English in a Chinese university in Jiangsu and the university’s preferential language policy, which allowed Uyghur minority students from Xinjiang to be enrolled despite their lower scores in the entrance examination. Guided by the constructs of language ideologies [Kroskrity, P. V. (2000). Regimes of language: Ideologies, politics, identities. Santa Fe, NM: School of American Research Press] and language regimes [Sonntag, S. K., & Cardinal, L. (2015). Introduction. In L. Cardinal & S. K. Sonntag (Eds.), State traditions and language regimes (pp. 3–26). Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press], we adopted an ethnographic approach [McCarty, T. L. (2015). Ethnography in language planning and policy research. In F. M. Hult & D. C. Johnson (Eds.), Research methods in language policy and planning: A practical guide (pp. 81–93). Malden, MA: Wiley Blackwell] to investigate how Uyghur students viewed their English learning and how the university responded to macro-level natio...

In recent years, as a response to the internationalization of higher education worldwide, China has begun to enroll international students to study at the tertiary level on an increasingly large scale. While the majority of the programs and courses are open to international students via Chinese as Chinese-medium instruction (CMI), there are also an increasing number of programs and courses delivered through English-medium instruction (EMI). In order to understand higher education multilingual contexts, this qualitative study examines how local students and faculty members make sense of their engagement with international students in three Chinese universities. In the study, we conducted in-depth interviews with 11 academics who worked with international students as project supervisors and 25 Chinese university students regarding their experiences of working with international students. The findings that emerged from the thematic analysis revealed that international students&rsquo, learning engagement was profoundly mediated by language barriers, cultural assumptions and the academic conventions in host institutions. The study revealed that Chinese academics are concerned about international students&rsquo, learning attitudes, their academic progress and a lack of participation due to their language ability. Local Chinese students also reported a lack of satisfaction in working with international students. Some of the local students felt that some international students may have been enabled to enroll in the academic programs as a result of national and university policies, which has led to a &lsquo, dumbing down&rsquo, of the curriculum offered in English. The findings indicate that more needs to be done to promote mutual exchanges and better understanding among international students, Chinese faculty members and local students.

Technology improvement related to energy conservation and energy mix low-carbonization is a critical approach for tackling global warming in China. Therefore, we attempt to identify the technology factors of China’s energy consumption change between 2007 and 2012, when China’s economy started slowing. This study proposes a new refined structural decomposition analysis (SDA) based on a hybrid multi-regional input–output (MRIO) model. The technology factors are expressed through the energy input level effect, energy composition effect, and non-energy input effect. We find that the energy level effect was the primary driver for energy reduction, saving 1205 million tonnes of standard coal equivalent (Mtce) of energy, while 520 Mtce was offset by energy composition and non-energy input effects. The sector analysis shows that the energy input level, energy composition, and non-energy input effects of electricity, the chemical industry, and metallurgy are noteworthy. In addition, the sector contribution to energy-use change, by province, related to the three effects, is also studied. From these results, we propose policy suggestions for further energy saving, in order to achieve China’s energy target through technology improvements by the higher priority contributors identified.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) recognizing specific pathogen-associated molecular patterns play crucial roles in immune defence against pathogen invasion. Although recent advances in many species have reported the characterization and functional roles of TLRs in innate immunity, systematic knowledge of TLRs is still lacking in the Chinese soft-shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis. In this study, a genome-wide search was performed and identified 15 candidate PsTLR family genes in P. sinensis. Protein structure analysis revealed the conserved domain arrangements for these PsTLR proteins. Phylogenetic analysis indicated the evolutionary conservation of TLRs among various species. Additionally, a putative interaction network among PsTLR proteins was proposed and several functional partner proteins involved in TLR signalling pathway were predicted in P. sinensis. Expression profiling showed that these PsTLRs exhibited constitutive expression patterns in different tissues of P. sinensis. Moreover, several genes were highly expressed in the major immune organ spleen. Remarkably, the mRNA levels of PsTLR2-1, PsTLR4 and several TLR signalling molecules were significantly up-regulated in the spleen after Aeromonas hydrophila infection, indicating that PsTLRs and these genes responded to bacterial stress. These results provide rich information for the functional exploration of PsTLRs and will facilitate uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying immune regulation in P. sinensis.

Mammals lack robust regenerative abilities. Lost cells in impaired tissue could potentially be compensated by converting nearby cells in situ through in vivo reprogramming. Small molecule-induced reprogramming is a spatiotemporally flexible and non-integrative strategy for altering cell fate, which is, in principle, favorable for the in vivo reprogramming in organs with poor regenerative abilities, such as the brain. Here, we demonstrate that in the adult mouse brain, small molecules can reprogram resident astrocytes into functional neurons. The in situ chemically induced neurons (CiNs) resemble endogenous neurons in terms of neuron-specific marker expression and electrophysiological properties. Importantly, these CiNs can integrate into the mouse brain. Our study, for the first time, demonstrates in vivo chemical reprogramming in the adult brain, which could be a novel path for generating desired cells in situ for regenerative medicine.

A new ladder structure of [(n-BuSn(O)O2CC6HF3OCH3)2-n-BuSn(O2CC6HF3OCH3)3]2 (1) has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, 1H, 13C, 119Sn NMR spectra and X-ray crystallography. All the tin atoms are six-coordinate and display distorted octahedral geometry. A series of C–H ;··· ;F and π–π stacking interactions play an important function in the supramolecular aggregation.

Four triorganotin(IV) complexes constructed from tetrafluorophthalic acid (H2tfp) with a 1 : 1 : 1 molar ratio of H2tfp: Et3N: R3SnCl gave two of type {[R3Sn (tfp)].Et3NH}4 (R = Me 1, R = n-Bu 2), and two of type [R3Sn (tfp).Et3NH] n (R = PhCH2 3, Ph 4). All the complexes are characterized by elemental, IR, 1H, 13C and 119Sn NMR analyses. Complexes 1 and 4 were also confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Complex 1 is tetranuclear with a 28-membered C16O8Sn4 macrocyclic ring system with a cavity. The supramolecular structure of 1 has been found to consist of a three-dimensional network built up by intermolecular N–H ··· O, C–H ··· O hydrogen bonds and C–F ··· F weak interactions. Complex 4 is an infinite polymeric structure. The salient feature of the supramolecular structure of 4 is that of a two-dimensional plane, in which intermolecular N–H ··· O and C–H ··· π hydrogen bonds are important.

Four new triorganotin complexes of 3-amino-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole with the type of R3Sn(SC2N3HNH2-3) (R = Me, 1; n-Bu, 2; Ph, 3; PhCH2, 4) have been synthesized. All the complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectra. Complexes 1, 3 and 4 have been characterized by X-ray crystallography analyses too. The geometry about Sn of complex 1 is distorted trigonal bipyramidal and the supramolecular structures of complex 1 has been found consist of channels built up by intermolecular N–H⋯N hydrogen bonding. The geometry of tin atoms in complexes 3 and 4 are distorted tetrahedron and 1D polymers connected by intermolecular N–H⋯N hydrogen bonding or N–H⋯N and N–H⋯S hydrogen bonding. Additionally, 1D polymer of complex 3 aggregated in 2D layer by intermolecular N–H⋯S hydrogen bonding.

A new organotin(IV) Schiff base complex 4 containing a novel Sn5O5 hydrolysis ladder and a disulfide group has been synthesized through a self-assembly reaction. The complex 4 has been characterized by elemental analysis, IR, 1H-, 13C-, and 119Sn-NMR spectra and X-ray crystallography diffraction analyses. The study of the supramolecular structure of complex 4 found that there exist two kinds of C–H···S and C–H···O intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The two kinds of intermolecular hydrogen bonds force the complex 4 into a 2-dimensional “wave” network. The geometry about each tin atom involved is distorted trigonal bipyramid.

Nine triorganotin(IV) complexes of the type R3SnL (L = L1 R = Me 1, Ph 2, PhCH2 3; L = L2 R = Me 4, Ph 5, PhCH2 6; L = L2 R = Me 7, Ph 8, PhCH2 9) have been obtained by reaction of new Schiff base HL1, HL2 or HL3 with triorganotin(IV) chloride in the presence of sodium ethoxide. All the complexes 1–9 were characterized by elemental, IR and NMR spectra analyses. Except for complexes 3, 4, 6, 9, the others were also characterized by X-ray crystallography diffraction analyses, which revealed that complexes 1, 2, 5, 7, 8 were four coordinated and displayed a capped tetrahedron.

Four new complexes have been synthesized based on the 2,4,5-trifluoro-3-methoxybenzoic acid and 4,4′-bipy of the type [R3Sn(OOCC6HF3OCH3)]2·(4,4′-bpy). All complexes were characterized by elemental, IR, 1H, 13C and 119Sn NMR spectra analyses. Complexes 1 and 4 were also characterized by X-ray crystallography. Crystal structures of 1 and 4 show that the coordination number of tin atom is five and the 2D network is connected by intermolecular C–H···O interactions.

Eight new organotin(IV) complexes with 2,4,5-trifluoro-3-methoxybenzoic acid R n Sn(O 2 CC 6 HF 3 OCH 3 ) 4− n ( n = 3: R = Ph ( 1 ), PhCH 2 ( 2 ), Me ( 3 ), n -Bu ( 4 ); n = 2: R = Ph ( 5 ), PhCH 2 ( 6 ), Me ( 7 ), n -Bu ( 8 )) have been synthesized. All complexes were characterized by elemental, IR, 1 H and 13 C NMR spectra analyses, and the structures of complexes 1 , 3 , 7 and 8 were also determined by X-ray crystallography. The geometries at the tin atoms of 1 and 3 are five-coordinated and those of complexes 7 and 8 are six-coordinated. The structures of complexes 1 , 3 , 7 and 8 have been found to consist of 1D chains built up by intermolecular C–H⋯F weak hydrogen bonding. Intermolecular C–F⋯F weak non-hydrogen interactions in the crystal lattice of 3 link the molecules into a 2D network.