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[Display omitted] • Interfacial complexation of Fe3+ and Bi 2 MoO 6 is established in the presence of PDS. • The complexation between Fe3+ and Bi 2 MoO 6 accelerates the Fe3+/Fe2+ cycle. • Efficient organic contaminants degradation is achieved by Bi 2 MoO 6 /Fe3+/PDS/Vis system. • The Fe3+/Fe2+ redox cycle is employed to promote the continuous activation of PDS. To address the observed decrease in efficiency during Fe2+-mediated persulfate (PDS) activation caused by slow electron transfer rates and challenges in cycling between Fe3+/Fe2+ states, we devised a strategy to establish interfacial complexation between Fe3+ and Bi 2 MoO 6 in the presence of PDS. The proposed approach facilitates more efficient capture of photogenerated electrons, thereby accelerating the rate-limiting reduction process of the Fe3+/Fe2+ cycle under visible light irradiation and promoting PDS activation. The Bi 2 MoO 6 /Fe3+/PDS/Vis system demonstrates complete degradation of organic pollutants, including Atrazine (ATZ), carbamazepine (CBZ), bisphenol A (BPA), and 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) at a concentration of 10 mg/L within a rapid reaction time of 30 min. Radical scavenging experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance spectra (EPR) confirm that the sulfate radical (•SO 4 −) is the dominant species responsible for organic contaminant degradation. The real-time conversion process between Fe3+ and Fe2+ was monitored by observing changes in iron species forms and concentrations within the reaction system. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy verify the formation of a complexation between Fe3+ and Bi 2 MoO 6 , facilitating anchoring of Fe3+ onto material surface. Based on these findings, we propose a reliable mechanism for the activation reaction. This work presents a promising heterogeneous PDS activation method based on Fe3+/Fe2+ cycle for water treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights Nature has evolved a myriad of dedicate‐designed structures that assist in prey capture. Spiders employ their web structures for vibrational sensing and prey capture, analogous to a component of a neurosensory system. Here, we propose a spider web‐inspired sensor with integrated energy‐absorption and force perception capabilities by 3D printing. The conductive carbon black/TPU composite made from TPU granules and carbon black particles are employed for 3D printing. We analyze the underlying sensing mechanism of conductive CB/TPU composites stemming from the enhanced dispersion of the CB particles. Through 3D printing method, we are allowed to regulate the structure's form, filling density, arrangement, and printing path to tailor the static mechanical properties, initial resistance, and force sensitivity of the spider‐web inspired structure. The static mechanical model for single silk of the spider‐web inspired structure is constructed. We explore the energy absorption capability of spider‐web inspired structures with different structural parameters, and demonstrate its impact perceiving characteristics at different falling height. Additionally, we assembled a circuit to visually reflect the falling height of the impacting ball through the brightness of the LED light. This study provides insights to endowing structural materials with intelligent characteristics, contributing to their practical applications in the fields of biomedical, soft robotics, and artificial skin, etc. A spider web‐inspired sensor is 3D printed with CB/TPU composites. The sensor has integrated force perception and energy‐absorption capabilities. The sensitivity capabilities can be regulated by parameter design. The mechanical model of the bioinspired structure is constructed. Its impact perceiving characteristics are demonstrated by two applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface functionalization has been considered as an effective strategy to manipulate charge separation of carbon nitride and therefore to largely improve the photocatalytic H 2 evolution efficiency. Poly heptazine imide (PHI) is a new class of crystalline carbon nitride frameworks that exhibits remarkable photocatalytic performance for hydrogen evolution. To further improve the H 2 evolution performance of PHI and explore the reaction mechanism, ammonium thiocyanate was used as a precursor for the synthesis of poly heptazine imide at elevated temperatures under molten salt conditions. The optimized PHI with an abundance of surface cyano groups shows a significantly enhanced photocatalytic performance for H 2 evolution, which is 4.3 times that on pristine PCN. Most importantly, the surface cyano group adjusts the electron intensity of the polymeric framework, enhances the light absorbance, reduces the bandgap, and improves the charge separation efficiency. The synthetic technique also could be applied to other sulfur-containing precursors for the synthesis of PHI frameworks with excellent hydrogen evolution production performance. • Polymerization of sulfur-containing based precursors in the presence of NaCl/KCl generates poly heptazine imide. • The newly generated PHI(AT) bears an abundance of terminal cyano groups. • The terminal cyano groups promote the charge separation efficiency and enhance photocatalytic activities. • PHI(AT) showed 4.3 times higher HER than pristine PCN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Background Design Data Sources Method Results Conclusions Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care This article appraises models and theories related to advanced nursing practice. It argues that while the role of the advanced nurse practitioner builds on and extends beyond traditional nursing, it remains firmly grounded in ‘caring’.The stereotype that nurses ‘care’ and doctors ‘cure’ is fading. Increasingly, nurses have crossed boundaries and conducted independent assessment, diagnosis, prescribing and consultation, which used to be the doctor's role. Confusion and argument have arisen due to the higher‐level practice of the advanced nurse practitioner, as many questions where these ‘doctor nurses’ stand.A literature review.Databases, including CINAHL, Medline and Google Scholar, were searched.Databases were searched, and relevant studies and review articles from 1970 to 2023 were identified using the following keywords: ‘advanced nurse practitioner’, ‘nurse practitioner’, ‘advanced nursing’, ‘advance practice’, ‘nurse practitioner’, ‘nursing theory’ and ‘nursing model’.Although advanced nurse practitioners identify themselves as nurses, there is limited use of nursing theory to conceptualize this new level of practice and to define their contribution to the multi‐disciplinary team. It is noted that a holistic approach to personalized patient care, based on therapeutic relationships and effective communication, may help us identify the unique contribution of the advanced nurse practitioner.The development of advanced nursing theory needs to capture this holistic approach and its caring element to recognize the value and strengthen the identity allegiance of this hybrid role.Holistic approach and patient‐centred care, effective communication and the therapeutic relationship are strong characteristics relating to ANP practice, the latter of which is yet to be clearly defined and captured in nursing theories. Conceptualizing ANP practice and capturing their valuable nursing care will enable better understanding and clarity for the role to realize its full potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camellia sinensis is an important economic plant grown in southern subtropical hilly areas, especially in China, mainly for the production of tea. Soil acidification is a significant cause of the reduction of yield and quality and continuous cropping obstacles in tea plants. Therefore, chemical and microbial properties of tea growing soils were investigated and phenolic acid-degrading bacteria were isolated from a tea plantation. Chemical and ICP-AES investigations showed that the soils tested were acidic, with pH values of 4.05–5.08, and the pH negatively correlated with K (p < 0.01), Al (p < 0.05), Fe and P. Aluminum was the highest (47–584 mg/kg) nonessential element. Based on high-throughput sequencing, a total of 34 phyla and 583 genera were identified in tea plantation soils. Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria were the main dominant phyla and the highest abundance of Acidobacteria was found in three soils, with nearly 22% for the genus Gp2. Based on the functional abundance values, general function predicts the highest abundance, while the abundance of amino acids and carbon transport and metabolism were higher in soils with pH less than 5. According to Biolog Eco Plate™ assay, the soil microorganisms utilized amino acids well, followed by polymers and phenolic acids. Three strains with good phenolic acid degradation rates were obtained, and they were identified as Bacillus thuringiensis B1, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens B2 and Bacillus subtilis B3, respectively. The three strains significantly relieved the inhibition of peanut germination and growth by ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, cinnamic acid, and mixed acids. Combination of the three isolates showed reduced relief of the four phenolic acids due to the antagonist of B2 against B1 and B3. The three phenolic acid degradation strains isolated from acidic soils display potential in improving the acidification and imbalance in soils of C. sinensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Jasmonate (JA) is the important phytohormone to regulate plant growth and adaption to stress signals. MYC2, an bHLH transcription factor, is the master regulator of JA signaling. Although MYC2 in maize has been identified, its function remains to be clarified. Results: To understand the function and regulatory mechanism of MYC2 in maize, the joint analysis of DAP-seq and RNA-seq is conducted to identify the binding sites and target genes of ZmMYC2. A total of 3183 genes are detected both in DAP-seq and RNA-seq data, potentially as the directly regulating genes of ZmMYC2. These genes are involved in various biological processes including plant growth and stress response. Besides the classic cis-elements like the G-box and E-box that are bound by MYC2, some new motifs are also revealed to be recognized by ZmMYC2, such as nGCATGCAnn, AAAAAAAA, CACGTGCGTGCG. The binding sites of many ZmMYC2 regulating genes are identified by IGV-sRNA. Conclusions: All together, abundant target genes of ZmMYC2 are characterized with their binding sites, providing the basis to construct the regulatory network of ZmMYC2 and better understanding for JA signaling in maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to the filter coefficients, the location of the microphone array is a crucial factor in improving the overall performance of a beamformer. The optimal microphone array placement can considerably enhance speech quality. However, the optimization problem with microphone configuration variables is non-convex and highly non-linear. Heuristic algorithms that are frequently employed take a long time and have a chance of missing the optimal microphone array placement design. We extend the Bayesian optimization method to solve the microphone array configuration design problem. The proposed Bayesian optimization method does not depend on gradient and Hessian approximations and makes use of all the information available from prior evaluations. Furthermore, Gaussian process regression and acquisition functions make up the Bayesian optimization method. The objective function is given a prior probabilistic model through Gaussian process regression, which exploits this model while integrating out uncertainty. The acquisition function is adopted to decide the next placement point based upon the incumbent optimum with the posterior distribution. Numerical experiments have demonstrated that the Bayesian optimization method could find a similar or better microphone array placement compared with the hybrid descent method and computational time is significantly reduced. Our proposed method is at least four times faster than the hybrid descent method to find the optimal microphone array configuration from the numerical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Background Design Data Sources Review Methods Results Conclusions Impact Patient or Public Contribution This systematic integrative literature review explores how clinicians make decisions for patient management plans in telehealth.Telehealth is a modality of care that has gained popularity due to the development of digital technology and the COVID‐19 pandemic. It is recognized that telehealth, compared to traditional clinical settings, carries a higher risk to patients due to its virtual characteristics. Even though the landscape of healthcare service is increasingly moving towards virtual systems, the decision‐making process in telehealth remains not fully understood.A systematic integrative review.Databases include CINAHL, APA PsycInfo, Academic Search Complete, PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar.This systematic integrative review method was informed by Whittemore and Knafl (2005). The databases were initially searched with keywords in November 2022 and then repeated in October 2023. Thematic synthesis was conducted to analyse and synthesize the data.The search identified 382 articles. After screening, only 10 articles met the eligibility criteria and were included. Five studies were qualitative, one quantitative and four were mixed methods. Five main themes relevant to decision‐making processes in telehealth were identified: characteristics of decision‐making in telehealth, patient factor, clinician factor, CDSS factor and external influencing factor.The decision‐making process in telehealth is a complicated cognitive process influenced by multi‐faceted components, including patient factors, clinician factors, external influencing factors and technological factors.Telehealth carries higher risk and uncertainty than face‐to‐face encounters. CDSS, rather than bringing unification and clarity, seems to bring more divergence and ambiguity. Some of the clinical reasoning processes in telehealth remain unknown and need to be verbalized and made transparent, to prepare junior clinicians with skills to minimize risks associated with telehealth.Not applicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen and phosphorus resorption (NRE and PRE) is a critical nutrient conservation mechanism maintaining plant growth in already disturbed barren ecosystems. The complexity of plant nutrient resorption variations in long-term grazing regions is regulated by plant traits, nutritional utilization strategies, and soil conditions following changes in grazing patterns. Therefore, a detailed investigation into their underlying mechanism is still required. Here we investigated leaf nutrient concentration and resorption in dominant species Cleistogenes songorica (C. squarrosa) and Stipa breviflora (S. breviflora) response to 15-years continuous grazing (moderate and heavy grazing) in desert steppe. Moderate grazing enhanced green leaf N and P content in C. songorica and partially increased N content in S. breviflora. Heavy grazing consistently increased N content in C. songorica, but its P content as well as N and P content in S. breviflora were largely stable. Moderate grazing enhanced NRE but unaffected PRE in both S. breviflora and C. songorica. Heavy grazing reduced NRE and PRE in C. songorica. Although soil variables (nutrients and moisture) did not affect foliar nutrients, it’s a key driver of nutrient resorption efficiency. Of all measured influence factors, soil moisture is the one most important and negatively correlated with NRE and PRE in S. breviflora. While it was not observed in C. songorica. In S. breviflora, its NRE was adversely linked with soil N, in addition, both NRE and PRE were positively associated with green leaf nutrients. Senesced leaf nutrients are the predominant factor influencing nutrient resorption efficiency in C. songorica, which were adversely associated. Overall, our results indicate significant variations in nutrient resorption efficiency patterns between the two dominant species due to divergent plant adaptation strategies to grazing and the local environment. The foliar nutritional status and soil conditions may play significant roles in regulating nutrient resorption in arid long-term grazing desert steppe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Proximal tubular cells (PTCs) play a critical role in the progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). As one of important progenitor markers, CD133 was reported to indicate the regeneration of dedifferentiated PTCs in acute kidney disease. However, its role in chronic DKD is unclear. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the expression patterns and elucidate its functional significance of CD133 in DKD. Methods: Data mining was employed to illustrate the expression and molecular function of CD133 in PTCs in human DKD. Subsequently, rat models representing various stages of DKD progression were established. The expression of CD133 was confirmed in DKD rats, as well as in human PTCs (HK-2 cells) and rat PTCs (NRK-52E cells) exposed to high glucose. The immunofluorescence and flow cytometry techniques were utilized to determine the expression patterns of CD133, utilizing proliferative and injury indicators. After overexpression or knockdown of CD133 in HK-2 cells, the cell proliferation and apoptosis were detected by EdU assay, real-time cell analysis and flow analysis. Additionally, the evaluation of epithelial, progenitor cell, and apoptotic indices was performed through western blot and quantitative RT-PCR analyses. Results: The expression of CD133 was notably elevated in both human and rat PTCs in DKD, and this expression increased as DKD progressed. CD133 was found to be co-expressed with CD24, KIM-1, SOX9, and PCNA, suggesting that CD133+ cells were damaged and associated with proliferation. In terms of functionality, the knockdown of CD133 resulted in a significant reduction in proliferation and an increase in apoptosis in HK-2 cells compared to the high glucose stimulus group. Conversely, the overexpression of CD133 significantly mitigated high glucose-induced cell apoptosis, but had no impact on cellular proliferation. Furthermore, the Nephroseq database provided additional evidence to support the correlation between CD133 expression and the progression of DKD. Analysis of single-cell RNA-sequencing data revealed that CD133+ PTCs potentially play a role in the advancement of DKD through multiple mechanisms, including heat damage, cell microtubule stabilization, cell growth inhibition and tumor necrosis factor-mediated signaling pathway. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that the upregulation of CD133 is linked to cellular proliferation and protects PTC from apoptosis in DKD and high glucose induced PTC injury. We propose that heightened CD133 expression may facilitate cellular self-protective responses during the initial stages of high glucose exposure. However, its sustained increase is associated with the pathological progression of DKD. In conclusion, CD133 exhibits dual roles in the advancement of DKD, necessitating further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare the therapeutic effect of less invasive surfactant administration (LISA) followed by synchronized nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (SNIPPV) and traditional intubate-Surfactant-Extubate (InSurE) strategy for the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS). A single-center, non-randomized and single- blinded study Tertiary neonatal intensive care unit 89 infants enrolled were preterm with gestational age < 366/7 weeks and clinically diagnosed with neonatal RDS (NRDS) Interventions: 32 infants were assigned to the LISA + SNIPPV group and 57 infants to the InSurE + nCPAP group. No statistically significant differences were noted in the baseline characteristics of the enrolled infants. A lower proportion of infants developed BPD in the LISA + SNIPPV group compared to the InSurE + CPAP group [10 (31.25%) vs. 21 (36.84%), P > 0.05]; however, there was no statistically significant difference. The number needed to treat (NNT) with LISA + SNIPPV to prevent BPD development is 18. The mortality rate was not significant between our study arms [1 (3.13%) vs 2 (3.51%), P > 0.05]. There were no statistically significant differences in the durations (days) of MV [(12.18 ± 13.89) vs. (11.35 ± 11.61), P > 0.05], oxygen therapy [(35.03 ± 19.13) vs. (39.75 ± 17.91), P > 0.05] and re-intubation rates [(0.19 ± 0.40) vs. (0.21 ± 0.45), P > 0.05] between the two study groups. In terms of complications, the incidence of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) [24 (75.00%) vs. 27 (47.37%), P < 0.05] was higher and a lower rate of disturbed liver function [1 (3.23%) vs. 19 (33.33%), P < 0.05] were observed in the LISA + SNIPPV group. Acid–base imbalances were reportedly significantly higher in the InSurE group (P < 0.05). No significant differences in other complications were noted. In the interventional group, FiO2 requirements were significantly lower up until the 3rd week of treatment [FiO2 at day 0, (30.75 ± 4.78) vs. (34.66 ± 9.83), P < 0.05; FiO2 at day 21, (25.32 ± 3.74) vs. (29.11 ± 8.17), P < 0.05], as was RSS on days 2 [(0.77 ± 0.38) vs. (1.94 ± 0.75), P < 0.05] and 3 [(0.66 ± 0.33) vs. (1.89 ± 0.82), P < 0.05] after treatment. Additionally, infants in the standard group had a significantly prolonged hospital stay (days) [(45.97 ± 16.93) vs. (54.40 ± 16.26), P < 0.05]. The combination of LISA and SNIPPV for NRDS can potentially lower the rate of BPD, FiO2 demand and shorten the length of hospitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of sensors for rapid nitrite detection in water is of great significance to human health and environmental protection. In this study, carboxylated cellulose nanocrystals were prepared by oxidizing microcrystalline cellulose with ammonium persulfate. Subsequently, a composite film was successfully prepared by depositing carboxylated nanocrystalline cellulose and poly(diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride) onto a glass carbon electrode using the layer-by-layer assembly method. After electrodepositing poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), the resulting electrode was utilized as an electrochemical sensor for nitrite detection. The effect of the number of layers of the composite film on electrocatalytic performance towards nitrite was investigated. Under optimal conditions, the sensor exhibited an ultrafast response to nitrite within 0.5 s, which was better than that of most similar sensors reported. Additionally, it had a wide linear range of 0.5–3000 µM and a low detection limit of 0.26 µM. Furthermore, this sensor showed satisfactory recovery between 98.78 and 103.29% for nitrite in real water samples. Our study presents a significant approach towards the development of an environmentally friendly nitrite sensor with an ultrafast response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic properties of oil derived from Agrius convolvuli (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) in KKAy mice, a cross between diabetic (KK) and lethal yellow (Ay) mice. A group of 12 KKAy mice were fed with AIN‐76 feed containing oil derived from A. convolvuli pupae (ACPO) while another group of 12 KKAy mice were fed with AIN‐76 feed without ACPO, for 6 weeks. Compared with the control group, the KKAy mice fed with the ACPO diet had decreased serum insulin, glycogen, fasting blood glucose, triacylglycerol, total cholesterol and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol level, but had increased serum high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol level, linolenic acid content and total polyunsaturated fatty acid content. The results indicate that ACPO has hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic properties and may be a suitable alternative food supplement for humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Cytokines that mediate the immune responses are important in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. The genetic polymorphisms of IL-10, TNFAIP3 (A20), and NF-κB1 (p105/p50) and their association with the risk of periodontitis were investigated. Method: Venous blood from 102 clinical periodontal healthy participants and 100 patients with periodontitis was collected to genotype the IL-10 (rs1800872), A20 (rs2230926, rs5029937, rs6927127), and NF-κB1 (rs28362491) SNP loci by Sanger technology. Univariable and multivariable logic regression and path analysis model was used to analyze the genotypes and alleles. Result: Single-gene mutations in the A20 (rs2230926, rs5029937, rs6927127) and IL-10 (rs1800872) genes were not associated with the risk of periodontitis. NF-κΒ1 (rs28362491) gene influenced periodontitis susceptibility by affecting CAL. The combined effect of A20 and IL-10 was related to the risk of periodontitis (ORa = 0.123-0.151). One site mutated in the A20 (rs2230926, rs5029937, rs6927127) gene or IL-10 (rs1800872) gene reduced the risk of periodontitis. Conclusion: Single gene polymorphisms in A20 and IL-10 genes were not associated with the risk of periodontitis. NF-κB1 gene polymorphism indirectly affects susceptibility to periodontitis. The combined effect of anti-inflammatory gene polymorphisms (A20 and IL-10) correlated with the decreased risk of periodontitis. Clinical Relevance: This study helps to explore the potential mechanisms underlying the role of anti-inflammatory genes in the progression of periodontal disease and provides a basis for the selection and development of appropriate periodontal treatment strategies based on the genetic profile of the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mucin glycans are an important component of the mucus barrier and a vital defence against physical and chemical damage as well as pathogens. There are 20 mucins in the human body, which can be classified into secreted mucins and transmembrane mucins according to their distributions. The major difference between them is that secreted mucins do not have transmembrane structural domains, and the expression of each mucin is organ and cell-specific. Under physiological conditions, mucin glycans are involved in the composition of the mucus barrier and thus protect the body from infection and injury. However, abnormal expression of mucin glycans can lead to the occurrence of diseases, especially cancer, through various mechanisms. Therefore, targeting mucin glycans for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer has always been a promising research direction. Here, we first summarize the main types of glycosylation (O-GalNAc glycosylation and N-glycosylation) on mucins and the mechanisms by which abnormal mucin glycans occur. Next, how abnormal mucin glycans contribute to cancer development is described. Finally, we summarize MUC1-based antibodies, vaccines, radio-pharmaceuticals, and CAR-T therapies using the best characterized MUC1 as an example. In this section, we specifically elaborate on the recent new cancer therapy CAR-M, which may bring new hope to cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparative studies of egg recognition and rejection between various sympatric hosts provide insight into the coevolutionary history of the hosts and parasites, as well as the degree of antagonism between the species. Although buntings are widely considered to be a suitable host taxon for cuckoos, there has been relatively little research on this example of parasitism and host antiparasitic behaviour. Here we provided the first report on brood parasitism and egg recognition in three sympatric ground‐nesting bunting hosts of the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), namely the yellow‐throated bunting (Emberiza elegans), south rock bunting (E. yunnanensis), and crested bunting (E. lathami). The results show that for the five breeding seasons during 2018–2022, the parasitism rate by common cuckoos was 0.87% and 0.45% in yellow‐throated buntings and south rock buntings, respectively, whereas the parasitism rate by an unidentified parasite was 4% during 2018–2023 in the crested bunting. The rejection rates of the three bunting hosts for blue non‐mimetic eggs were 89.3%, 88.9%, and 100% for yellow‐throated buntings, south rock buntings, and crested buntings, respectively. The rejection rates for red non‐mimetic eggs by yellow‐throated buntings and south rock buntings were lower at 76.9% and 82.4%, respectively. All three sympatric bunting hosts examined had high levels of egg recognition and egg rejection, suggesting that it may have been subjected to high parasitic history and that egg recognition ability was retained after the loss of parasitism, which needs to be further verified by future experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the rapid development of today's industry, it not only greatly accelerates the consumption of energy, but also causes serious pollution to the environment. Therefore, reducing energy waste and recovering energy has become an important research direction today. This paper introduces the future development trend of renewable energy, discusses the progress of recovery of nonpolluting energy such as marine, bioenergy and thermal energy, and analyzes the efficiency and social benefits of various types of energy recovery. Energy recovery methods for natural gas pipelines are briefly analyzed, and current research advances in energy pressure recovery devices are provided, leading to a summary of methods to improve the efficiency of fluid energy recovery. Finally, it is concluded that although the current energy sources are diversified, the most valued energy sources at present and in the future should be solar energy and ocean, which are infinitely recyclable. This paper will benefit researchers to further understand and study the various aspects of energy recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common clinical complication in elderly patients, but its underlying mechanism remains unclear. Receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1), a key molecule mediating necroptosis and regulated by transforming growth factor β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), was reported to be associated with cognitive impairment in several neurodegenerative diseases. This study was conducted to investigate the possible role of TAK1/RIPK1 signalling in POCD development following surgery in rats. Methods: Young (2-month-old) and old (24-month-old) Sprague–Dawley rats were subjected to splenectomy under isoflurane anaesthesia. The young rats were treated with the TAK1 inhibitor takinib or the RIPK1 inhibitor necrostatin-1 (Nec-1) before surgery, and old rats received adeno-associated virus (AAV)-TAK1 before surgery. The open field test and contextual fear conditioning test were conducted on postoperative day 3. The changes in TNF-α, pro-IL-1β, AP-1, NF-κB p65, pRIPK1, pTAK1 and TAK1 expression and astrocyte and microglia activation in the hippocampus were assessed. Results: Old rats had low TAK1 expression and were more susceptible to surgery-induced POCD and neuroinflammation than young rats. TAK1 inhibition exacerbated surgery-induced pRIPK1 expression, neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction in young rats, and this effect was reversed by a RIPK1 inhibitor. Conversely, genetic TAK1 overexpression attenuated surgery-induced pRIPK1 expression, neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction in old rats. Conclusion: Ageing-related decreases in TAK1 expression may contribute to surgery-induced RIPK1 overactivation, resulting in neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment in old rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct synthesis of CH3COOH from CH4 and CO2 is an appealing approach for the utilization of two potent greenhouse gases that are notoriously difficult to activate. In this Communication, we report an integrated route to enable this reaction. Recognizing the thermodynamic stability of CO2, our strategy sought to first activate CO2 to produce CO (through electrochemical CO2 reduction) and O2 (through water oxidation), followed by oxidative CH4 carbonylation catalyzed by Rh single atom catalysts supported on zeolite. The net result was CH4 carboxylation with 100 % atom economy. CH3COOH was obtained at a high selectivity (>80 %) and good yield (ca. 3.2 mmol g−1cat in 3 h). Isotope labelling experiments confirmed that CH3COOH is produced through the coupling of CH4 and CO2. This work represents the first successful integration of CO/O2 production with oxidative carbonylation reaction. The result is expected to inspire more carboxylation reactions utilizing preactivated CO2 that take advantage of both products from the reduction and oxidation processes, thus achieving high atom efficiency in the synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct synthesis of CH3COOH from CH4 and CO2 is an appealing approach for the utilization of two potent greenhouse gases that are notoriously difficult to activate. In this Communication, we report an integrated route to enable this reaction. Recognizing the thermodynamic stability of CO2, our strategy sought to first activate CO2 to produce CO (through electrochemical CO2 reduction) and O2 (through water oxidation), followed by oxidative CH4 carbonylation catalyzed by Rh single atom catalysts supported on zeolite. The net result was CH4 carboxylation with 100 % atom economy. CH3COOH was obtained at a high selectivity (>80 %) and good yield (ca. 3.2 mmol g−1cat in 3 h). Isotope labelling experiments confirmed that CH3COOH is produced through the coupling of CH4 and CO2. This work represents the first successful integration of CO/O2 production with oxidative carbonylation reaction. The result is expected to inspire more carboxylation reactions utilizing preactivated CO2 that take advantage of both products from the reduction and oxidation processes, thus achieving high atom efficiency in the synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinear dynamics is frequently encountered in practical applications. Adaptive dynamic programming (ADP), which is implemented via actor/critic neural networks with excellent approximation capabilities, is appropriate to be used in finding the solution for the control problem in the presence of known/unknown nonlinear dynamics. The objective of this paper is to introduce state-of-the-art ADP-based algorithms and survey the recent advances in the ADP-based control strategies for nonlinear systems with various engineering-oriented complexities. Firstly, the main motivation of the ADP-based algorithms is thoroughly discussed, and the way of implementing the ADP-based algorithms is highlighted. Then, the latest research results concerning ADP-based control policy design for nonlinear systems are reviewed in detail, Finally, we conclude the survey by outlining the challenges and possible research topics in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-head dams are becoming a ubiquitous feature of the landscape of headwater streams. The ecological effects of low-head dams have long been studied; however, most studies have ignored the invasion of native-invasive species commonly occurring in large streams. Based on fish data from 25 first-order streams within an important tributary of the Yangtze River, we investigated whether and how low-head dams facilitate the invasion of native-invasive fish to headwater streams in regions where native fish species are completely dominant. We found that the ratio of native-invasive species (Ratio) was significantly higher in impoundments than in free-flowing segments, suggesting that low-head dams facilitate the invasion of native-invasive fish. We demonstrated that the niche and dispersal processes affected the seasonal variation in Ratio differently. In addition, changes in the Ratio using abundance data were significantly related to landscape conditions and dam size in the dry season and only to landscape conditions in the wet season, suggesting that the latter greatly underestimated the blocking effect of low-head dams on fish dispersal. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that increasing anthropogenic landscape disturbances in catchments where low-head dams were located exacerbated the invasion of native-invasive species are commonly found in large streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of central genes governing plant drought tolerance is fundamental to molecular breeding and crop improvement. Here, maize transcription factor ZmHsf28 is identified as a positive regulator of plant drought responses. ZmHsf28 exhibited inducible gene expression in response to drought and other abiotic stresses. Overexpression of ZmHsf28 diminished drought effects in Arabidopsis and maize. Gene silencing of ZmHsf28 via the technology of virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) impaired maize drought tolerance. Overexpression of ZmHsf28 increased jasmonate (JA) and abscisic acid (ABA) production in transgenic maize and Arabidopsis by more than two times compared to wild-type plants under drought conditions, while it decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and elevated stomatal sensitivity significantly. Transcriptomic analysis revealed extensive gene regulation by ZmHsf28 with upregulation of JA and ABA biosynthesis genes, ROS scavenging genes, and other drought related genes. ABA treatment promoted ZmHsf28 regulation of downstream target genes. Specifically, electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) and yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) assay indicated that ZmHsf28 directly bound to the target gene promoters to regulate their gene expression. Taken together, our work provided new and solid evidence that ZmHsf28 improves drought tolerance both in the monocot maize and the dicot Arabidopsis through the implication of JA and ABA signaling and other signaling pathways, shedding light on molecular breeding for drought tolerance in maize and other crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel Fe-Al-SiO2 (FAS) poly-coagulants were prepared by the ball milling method using ferrous sulfate, aluminum sulfate, hydrophobic silica, and sodium carbonate as raw materials. The optimal preparation conditions and effects of preparation parameters on removal efficiencies were obtained by Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Removal efficiencies were investigated by employing FAS as the poly-coagulant for algae-laden water. Furthermore, obtained FAS samples were characterized by SEM, FTIR, XRD, and TGA. Results showed that the optimal preparation conditions were n(Fe):n(Al) of 2:1, m(Si):m(Fe+Al) of 1:2, and n(CO32−):n(Fe+Al) of 1.75:1, and the most significant influencing factor was n(CO32−):n(Fe+Al). FAS13 prepared under the above condition had the highest coagulation efficiency for simulated algae-laden water. Removal efficiencies for OD680, TP, and residual Al and Fe concentrations were 92.86%, 90.55%, 0.142 mg/L, and 0.074 mg/L, respectively. Nano-sized spherical particles, excellent thermal stability, and functional groups such as Al–O–Si, Fe–O–Si, and Fe–OH, corresponding to Al2Si2O5(OH)4, Fe7Si8O22(OH)2, and Fe2(OH)2CO3, were observed in FAS13. The coagulation performance of FAS13 was splendid when applied in real algae-laden water. The removal rates of TP, OD680, turbidity, and Chl-α were above 93.87%. The residual Al concentration was at the range of 0.057–0.128 mg/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs), especially liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) can generate ultrahigh shape change amplitude but has lower mechanical strength. Although some attempts have been tried to improve the mechanical performance of LCE, there are still limitations including complicated fabrication and high actuation temperature. Here, a versatile method is reported to fabricate light‐driven actuator by covalently cross‐linking polyurethane (PU) into LCP networks (PULCN). This new scheme is distinct from the previous interpenetrating network strategy, the hydrogen bonds and covalent bonds are used in this study to improve the miscibility of non‐liquid‐crystalline PU and LCP materials and enhance the stability of the composite system. This material not only possesses the shape memory properties of PU but shows shape‐changing behavior of LCPs. With a shrinkage ratio of 20% at the phase transition temperature, the prepared materials reached a maximum mechanical strength of 20 MPa, higher than conventional LCP. Meanwhile, the resulting film shows diverse and programmable initial shapes by constructing crosslinking density gradient across the thickness of the film. By integration of PULCN with near‐infrared light‐responsive polydopamine, local and sequential light control is achieved. This study may provide a new route for the fabrication of programmable and mechanically robust light‐driven soft actuator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Fatty liver hemorrhage syndrome is one of the main metabolic diseases in laying hens, which leads to lipid accumulation, fragile liver, rupture bleeding, and sudden death. Osteocalcin, a kind of noncollagenous protein, has recently been found to protect chickens from the disease. However, the most studies have focused on the use of osteocalcin in mammals. In this review, we try to outline the functions of osteocalcin in fatty liver hemorrhage syndrome in poultry based on the recent outcomes. Osteocalcin (OCN) is synthesized and secreted by differentiating osteoblasts. In addition to its role in bone, OCN acts as a hormone in the pancreas, liver, muscle, fat, and other organs to regulate multiple pathophysiological processes including glucose homeostasis and adipic acid metabolism. Fat metabolic disorder, such as excessive fat buildup, is related to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in humans. Similarly, fatty liver hemorrhage syndrome (FLHS) is a metabolic disease in laying hens, resulting from lipid accumulation in hepatocytes. FLHS affects hen health with significant impact on poultry egg production. Many studies have proposed that OCN has protective function in mammalian NAFLD, but its function in chicken FLHS and related mechanism have not been completely clarified. Recently, we have revealed that OCN prevents laying hens from FLHS through regulating the JNK pathway, and some pathways related to the disease progression have been identified through both in vivo and vitro investigations. In this view, we discussed the current findings for predicting the strategy for using OCN to prevent or reduce FLHS impact on poultry production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nest defense behavior helps ground‐nesting birds improve their breeding success. Among such behaviors, injury feigning behavior (IFB) is one of the better ways to attract predators and protect birds' nests. IFB is generally associated with shorebirds in general and plovers in particular, however, through field observation, it has been found this behavior is also exhibited in bunting species when they facing the risk of predation. We attempt to explore the detailed description of this behavior in buntings and the factors that affect this behavior. Based on video‐recordings of the nest defense behavior by the ground‐nesting bird Godlewski's bunting (Emberiza godlewskii) against nest invaders, we explored the characteristic of IFB and differences in nest defense behavior during their brooding seasons. The results showed that female buntings had a distinct IFB: the wings of buntings incited within 60°–90° of the body, ran and called rapidly, pretending to be injured and unable to fly. The nest stage had significant and extremely significant effects on IFB and movement distance (MD), respectively. And IFB was more likely to occur in brooding (34.62%) than incubation period (16.42%). This indicates that there are significant differences in the IFB of buntings at different breeding stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To establish a simple-to-use nomogram based on quantification of color Doppler sonography data from a region of interest (ROI) to diagnose minimal change disease (MCD) promptly and non-invasively, and to evaluate the prediction capability of the nomogram. Methods: We recruited 564 patients with pathology-proven renal disease who were admitted to our hospital from July 2020 to July 2021 (388 patients in the training dataset and 176 patients in the validation dataset), and their color Doppler sonography data were acquired from a ROI and underwent ipsilateral renal biopsy. The collected clinical features and ultrasonic features were imported into Rstuido and statistically significant features were selected by stepwise regression using the forward–backward method. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was combined with clinical analysis to obtain the final modeling features. General and dynamic nomogram models were constructed with the selected features, depending on whether they were MCD or not. Bootstrapping and internal validation were used for internal and external validation of the nomogram, respectively. The performance of the nomogram was assessed by C-index, calibration curve, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: Age and VI were independent factors in predicting MCD. The value of Age (Best cut-off value: 33.5 years) combined with VI (Best cut-off value: 40.50 points) in the diagnosis of MCD was significantly higher than that of single diagnosis (AUC 0.901, 95% CI 0.863–0.938). The C-index of the nomogram constructed with age and VI in the training and validation datasets was 0.915 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.874–0.956 and 0.875 95% CI 0.783–0.967], respectively. Calibration curves were fitted well. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 76.1%, 95.6%, and 78.3%, respectively, in the training dataset, and 74.1%, 94.4%, and 76.1% in the validation dataset, respectively. Conclusion: The nomogram constructed with age and VI showed a satisfactory degree of differentiation and accuracy, which is of great significance for early, non-invasively, and individually analysis of the risk of MCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric cancer (GC) is often diagnosed at an advanced stage and thus patients have a poor prognosis. This implies that early detection of this cancer will improve patient prognosis and survival. This systematic review explored the association of circulating protein and metabolite biomarkers with GC development. A literature search was conducted until November 2021 on Medline, Embase, Cochrane library, and Web of Science databases. Studies were included if they assessed circulating proteins and metabolites in blood, urine, or saliva and determined their association with GC risk. Quality of identified studies was determined using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for cohort studies. Random and fixed effects meta-analyses were performed to calculate pooled odds ratio. A total of 53 studies were included. High levels of anti-Helicobacter pylORi IgG levels, pepsinogen I (PGI) <30 µg/L and serum pepsinogen I/ pepsinogen II (PGI/II) ratio<3 were positively associated with risk of developing GC (pooled odds ratio (OR): 2.70; 95% CI: 1.44–5.04, 5.96, 95% CI: 2.65–13.42 and 4.43; 95% CI: 3.04–6.47). In addition, an inverse relationship was found between ferritin, iron and transferrin levels and risk of developing GC (OR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.38–1,0.97; 95% CI: 0.94–1 and 0.85; 95% CI: 0.76–0.94). However, there was no association between levels of glucose, cholesterol, vitamin C, vitamin B12, vitamin A, α-Carotene, β-Carotene, α-Tocopherol, γ-Tocopherol, and GC risk. The pooled analysis demonstrated that high levels of anti-Helicobacter pylORi IgG, PGI<30µg/L and serum PGI/II ratio <3 and low levels of ferritin, iron and transferrin were associated with risk of GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Risk factors like female sex, fistula location, hypertension, albumin, diabetes, arteriovenous graft (AVG), age, and other factors are related to arteriovenous fistula thrombus (AVFT), but the consistency and magnitude of their associations have not been confirmed by meta-analysis. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date synthesis of evidence on the association between potential risk factors and AVFT. Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched for articles published up to April 20th, 2022, and cohort, cross-sectional, and case-control studies examining the association (odds ratio [OR]) between potential risk factors and AVFT were identified. The other inclusion criteria were sufficient data for analysis and nonoverlapping datasets, excluding reviews, meta-analyses, and articles with overlapping datasets. Extracted variables included first author, publication year, study type, sample size, percentage of women, vascular access type, risk or protective factors, and measure of association (adjusted estimates of effect of all risk factors). The study protocol is registered at PROSPERO (CRD42020201884) and followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Results: Among the 27 identified studies, data from 24 cohort, 2 case-control, and 1 cross-sectional study were included in this review. When compared to non-AVFT, our data showed that the significant risk factors were AVG (pooled OR = 6.28, 95% CI = 1.79–22.02, p = 0.004, I2 = 87%), age (pooled OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.00–1.13, p = 0.05, I2 = 98%), female sex (pooled OR = 2.62, 95% CI = 2.56–2.69, p < 0.00001, I2 = 0%), C-reactive protein (pooled OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.08–1.30, p = 0.0005, I2 = 90%), fistula site (distal) (pooled OR = 3.64, 95% CI = 1.74–7.62, p = 0.0006, I2 = 47%), hypertension (pooled OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.00–1.47, p = 0.05, I2 = 46%), CD34+KDR+ cell (pooled OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.33–2.57, p = 0.0002, I2 = 0%), and eprex use (pooled OR = 5.36, 95% CI = 1.82–15.77, p = 0.002, I2 = 0%). Conclusions: The meta-analysis suggests that AVG, age, female sex, CRP level, fistula site (distal), hypertension, CD34+KDR+ cell, and the use of eprex are independent risk factors for AVFT. Therefore, clinical medical staff should treat these risk factors carefully, identify them early, and prevent them early to reduce the occurrence of AVFT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Currently, the interaction between proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and their effects on hemodialysis (HD) patients has not been clarified. Objectives: Here, we aimed to explore the association between PPIs and adverse outcomes in HD patients. Methods: A search was performed on the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases for relevant articles published up to April 10, 2022. Studies examining the association (odds ratio [OR]) between PPIs and side effects were identified. The study followed guidelines prescribed in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA), and was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021291177). Results: A total of 12 studies comprising 4,227,497 HD patients with PPIs were identified. Results showed that PPI use was associated with an increased risk of bone fracture and hip fracture in the HD patients (pooled OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.21–1.37, p < 0.00001, I2 = 0%; pooled OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.12–1.67, p = 0.002, I2 = 82%). Besides, HD patients who received PPIs were more likely to develop hypomagnesemia compared with those who did not receive PPIs (pooled OR = 2.79, 95% CI = 1.95–4.00, p < 0.00001, I2 = 0%). In addition, PPIs use was linked to abdominal aortic calcification and all-cause mortality (pooled OR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.28–3.24, p = 0.003, I2 = 0%) (pooled OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.17–1.78, p = 0.0006, I2 = 0%). Conclusions: Taken together, the present results demonstrate that PPIs use in HD patients is independently associated with adverse reactions such as hip fracture, hypomagnesemia, abdominal aortic calcification, and all-cause mortality. Thus, the use of PPIs in HD patients should be carefully evaluated and optimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycosylation is a common post-translational modification process of proteins. Mucin-type O-glycosylation is an O-glycosylation that starts from protein serine/threonine residues. Normally, it is involved in the normal development and differentiation of cells and tissues, abnormal glycosylation can lead to a variety of diseases, especially cancer. This paper reviews the normal biosynthesis of mucin-type O-glycans and their role in the maintenance of body health, followed by the mechanisms of abnormal mucin-type O-glycosylation in the development of diseases, especially tumors, including the effects of Tn, STn, T antigen, and different glycosyltransferases, with special emphasis on their role in the development of gastric cancer. Finally, tumor immunotherapy targeting mucin-type O-glycans was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A room-temperature ionic liquid-based polymer electrolyte (RTIL-PE) was developed by mixing 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([BMPy][TFSI]), lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulphonyl)imide salt (LiTFSI), lithium bis(oxalate)borate (LiBOB) and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA). Quasi-solid, free-standing electrolyte membranes can be fabricated by photo-initiated cross-linking. The RTIL-PE exhibits outstanding thermal stability up to 270 °C and high ionic conductivity of 3.4 mS/cm at 80 °C. The ionic liquid [BMPy][TFSI] and the additive salt LiBOB significantly improved the electrochemical stability of the electrolyte at high temperature, achieving long-cycle stability in plating/stripping experiments. Half cells of lithium-ion batteries with RTIL-PE and lithium iron phosphate cathode were also investigated. The reversible capacity of the cell reaches 137 mAh/g at 0.2 C. After 500 cycles, the cell exhibited a capacity retention rate of 52.2% and an average Coulombic efficiency of 99.4%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Comparing to anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions (ACLR) with free hamstring tendon (FHT), ACLR with preserved tibial-insertion hamstring tendon (HT-PTI) could ensure the blood supply of the graft and avoid graft necrosis. Yet, whether HT-PTI could protect the cartilage and clinical outcomes in mid-long period after ACLR was still unclear. Purpose: To compare the cartilage change and clinical results between the HT-PTI and FHT in 5 years after ACLR. Study design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: A total of 45 patients who underwent isolated ACLR with the autograft of hamstring tendons were enrolled and randomized into 2 groups. The study group undertook ACLR with HT-PTI, whereas the control group had FHT. At pre-operation, and 6, 12, 24, and 60 months post-operation, all cases underwent evaluation with Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and MR examination. The knee cartilage was divided into 8 sub-regions of which the T2 value and cartilage volume on MRI were measured and documented. The data of two groups were compared and their correlations were analyzed. Results: A total of 18 patients in the HT-PTI group and 19 patients in the FHT group completed the follow-up. The KOOS scores were improved at each follow-up time point (p < 0.001), reached the most superior at 12 months and maintained until 60 months but had no significant difference between the two groups. At 60 months, the cartilage in most subregions in FHT group had higher T2 values than those of pre-operation (p < 0.05) and also higher than HT-PTI group; The cartilage volume changes (CV%) are positive at 6 months and negative from 12 to 60 months in the FHT group, while being negative at all time points in the HT-PTI group. The values of absolute CV% in most subregions in FHT group were significantly higher than those in the HT-PTI group at 6 and 60 months (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The improvement of KOOS score peaked at 12 months in all cases and had no difference between the two groups. The cartilage in the FHT group had more volume loss, earlier and wider damage than that in the HT-PTI group within 5 years. No significant correlation was found among KOOS score, CV%, and T2 value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To elucidate the puffing characteristics of the berry slice under continuous microwave conditions, heat and mass transfer and deformation of slices were investigated based on the models of coupled multi‐physics fields involving electromagnetic heating, heat and mass transfer and solid mechanics. The results indicated that transmission mode of microwaves in a microwave cavity determined the electric field distribution inside slices with interior focusing phenomenon described by higher temperature and lower moisture content at the central region of slices than that of edge. The berry slice volume showed a "invisible‐rapid‐maintained" deformation under the synergistic effects of temperature, moisture and internal pressure with sample movement. This study may provide guidance for the elucidation of microwave puffing process of the moving slice and the underlying applications such as technology optimization and quality control of slices like berry. Novelty impact statement: This work investigates the puffing characteristics of the moving berry slices under a continuous microwave dryer, and elucidates the heat and mass transfer and deformation process of berry slices by means of experiment and simulation. The distribution of alternating electric field profiles with high and low levels determine the absorption of microwave energy, heat and mass transfer in berry slices to induce the volume deformation and uneven distribution. The volume of berry slices laid on moving conveyor belt under continuous microwave puffing undergoes three deformation trends as invisible change followed by rapid expansion till desired shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the elastoplastic deformation of a single-crystal copper substrate, based on the atomic scale, a mixed potential function (EAM and Morse) and the Verlet algorithm were used to simulate the adhesion contact and separation process between a hemispherical diamond indenter and a single-crystal copper substrate at low temperatures. The influences of the temperature on the micro/nanomechanical properties of the material surface and on the mechanism of the subsurface deformation process were analysed. The results show that as the simulated temperature decreases, the time for adhesion to occur is delayed, and the adhesion forces increase slightly. While the indenter is being pressed, the temperature affects the generation and interaction of the dislocations in the substrate. As the temperature decreases, a large number of dislocations in the substrate are generated and then relatively reduced, and the load on the indenter fluctuates. A calculation of the mechanical properties of the material found that the contact stiffness was related to the elastic recovery energy. A smaller elastic recovery energy leads to a greater contact stiffness; thus, the indentation hardness is related to the plastic deformation energy. An increased plastic deformation energy results in a decreased indentation hardness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a theoretical study on the super thin and conductive thermal absorber with built-in corrugated channels on the basis of previous field experiments. The flow and heat transfer characteristics of the corrugated channels are simulated to identify the factors affecting photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) system efficiency. The influences of the structural parameters such as the corrugation number, the corrugation area, and the flow channel width on the water outlet temperature and heat collection are discussed in order to support the structural optimization design of the hybrid PV/T system. The simulation results were validated to be in good agreement with experimental results. The results indicate that increasing inlet water velocity leads to a decrease in the outlet temperature. It was found that the corrugation area and the flow channel width have impacts on the outlet temperature of the hybrid PV/T collector panel. When the flow channel width of the absorber plate is reduced from 4 mm to 3 mm, the outlet temperature attained is between 298 and 302 K, and the heat collection is in the range of 16.2–51.4 MJ/h. This led to an increase in the amount of heat collected by 18.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by the fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum, is a destructive disease worldwide. Ascospores are the primary inoculum of F. graminearum, and sexual reproduction is a critical step in its infection cycle. In this study, we characterized the functions of FgCsn12. Although the ortholog of FgCsn12 in budding yeast was reported to have a direct interaction with Csn5, which served as the core subunit of the COP9 signalosome, the interaction between FgCsn12 and FgCsn5 was not detected through the yeast two-hybrid assay. The deletion of FgCSN12 resulted in slight defects in the growth rate, conidial morphology, and pathogenicity. Instead of forming four-celled, uninucleate ascospores, the Fgcsn12 deletion mutant produced oval ascospores with only one or two cells and was significantly defective in ascospore discharge. The 3′UTR of FgCsn12 was dispensable for vegetative growth but essential for sexual reproductive functions. Compared with those of the wild type, 1204 genes and 2240 genes were up- and downregulated over twofold, respectively, in the Fgcsn12 mutant. Taken together, FgCsn12 demonstrated an important function in the regulation of ascosporogenesis in F. graminearum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Carbon fiber tensile strength was enhanced using silane coupling agent. • Non-destructive binding of fibers to sulfonated graphene was achieved by electrostatic self-assembly. • Sulfonated graphene improves fiber dispersion in composites. • Cross-linking of sulfonic acid groups with CTP inhibited crack formation. • Incorporation of assemblies improved mechanical properties and oxidation resistance of carbon/carbon composites. The application prospects of carbon/carbon composites are greatly limited by interfacial cracks and pores caused by binder pitch displacement and cracking during high-temperature carbonization. In this study, silane coupling agent was coated on the surface of oxygen plasma-treated carbon fibers (CFs) and subsequently electrostatically self-assembled with sulfonated graphene (SG) to improve the interfacial bonding between filler and CTP. The results indicate that the tensile strength of carbon fiber treated with silane coupling agent increased by 19 % compared to untreated CF. This increase in strength may be related to the layer of silane coupling agent that repaired the grooves and imperfections on the CF surface. The addition of SG not only improves the distribution characteristics of the fibers, allowing the silane-treated CF to play a greater role in the matrix, but also creates a three-dimensional hydrogen-bonded cross-linking between the SG and the coal tar pitch (CTP) on the surface of the fibers. This inhibits CTP displacement and pyrolysis, achieving a tight bonding of the fiber to the matrix. The composites' structural integrity and mechanical properties were significantly improved due to the synergistic effect of silane-treated CF and SG. The compressive strength was 216.98 MPa, with a flexural strength of 54.78 MPa, 250 % higher than the untreated carbon fiber-reinforced composites. Additionally, the porosity decreased by 31.5 %, and the antioxidant properties increased. The study presents a potential solution to improve the performance of carbon/carbon composites by using the silane-treated CF-SG multiscale reinforced phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive macroautophagy/autophagy leads to pancreatic β-cell failure that contributes to the development of diabetes. Our previous study proved that the occurrence of deleterious hyperactive autophagy attributes to glucolipotoxicity-induced NR3C1 activation. Here, we explored the potential protective effects of (-)-epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG) on β-cell-specific NR3C1 overexpression mice in vivo and NR3C1-enhanced β cells in vitro. We showed that EGCG protects pancreatic β cells against NR3C1 enhancement-induced failure through inhibiting excessive autophagy. RNA demethylase FTO (FTO alpha-ketoglutarate dependent dioxygenase) caused diminished m6A modifications on mRNAs of three pro-oxidant genes (Tlr4, Rela, Src) and, hence, oxidative stress occurs; by contrast, EGCG promotes FTO degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome system in NR3C1-enhanced β cells, which alleviates oxidative stress, and thereby prevents excessive autophagy. Moreover, FTO overexpression abolishes the beneficial effects of EGCG on β cells against NR3C1 enhancement-induced damage. Collectively, our results demonstrate that EGCG protects pancreatic β cells against NR3C1 enhancement-induced excessive autophagy through suppressing FTO-stimulated oxidative stress, which provides novel insights into the mechanisms for the anti-diabetic effect of EGCG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Straw addition markedly affects the soil aggregates and microbial community structure. However, its influence on the profile of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which are likely associated with changes in bacterial life strategies, remains unclear. To clarify this issue, a soil microcosm experiment was incubated under aerobic (WS) or anaerobic (AnWS) conditions after straw addition, and metagenomic sequencing was used to characterise ARGs and bacterial communities in soil aggregates. The results showed that straw addition shifted the bacterial life strategies from K- to r-strategists in all aggregates, and the aerobic and anaerobic conditions stimulated the growth of aerobic and anaerobic r-strategist bacteria, respectively. The WS decreased the relative abundances of dominant ARGs such as QnrS5 , whereas the AnWS increased their abundance. After straw addition, the macroaggregates consistently exhibited a higher number of significantly altered bacteria and ARGs than the silt+clay fractions. Network analysis revealed that the WS increased the number of aerobic r-strategist bacterial nodes and fostered more interactions between r-and K-strategist bacteria, thus promoting ARGs prevalence, whereas AnWS exhibited an opposite trend. These findings provide a new perspective for understanding the fate of ARGs and their controlling factors in soil ecosystems after straw addition. Straw soil amendment has been recommended to mitigate soil fertility degradation, improve soil structure, and ultimately increase crop yields. However, our findings highlight the importance of the elevated prevalence of ARGs associated with r-strategist bacteria in macroaggregates following the addition of organic matter, particularly fresh substrates. In addition, when assessing the environmental risk posed by ARGs in soil that receives crop straw, it is essential to account for the soil moisture content. This is because the species of r-strategist bacteria that thrive under aerobic and anaerobic conditions play a dominant role in the dissemination and accumulation of ARG. [Display omitted] • The bacterial life strategies and ARGs in aggregates were investigated after straw addition. • r- more than K-strategist bacteria community were closely related to ARGs profiles. • The aerobic/anaerobic r-strategist bacteria were dominant factors controlling the fate of ARGs. • Macroaggregates were hotspots for connections between ARGs and bacteria after straw addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four new monomeric sorbicillinoids, trichillinoids A − D (1 – 4), along with two known dimeric sorbicillinoids (5 and 6), and five known monomeric sorbicillinoids (7 – 11), were obtained from the marine-fish-derived fungus Trichoderma sp. G13. They were structurally characterized on the basis of comprehensive spectroscopic investigations (NMR, HRESIMS, and ECD). Compounds 1 – 4 displayed moderate anti-inflammatory activities, according to inhibiting the production of NO in RAW264.7 cells activated with IC 50 values ranging from 14 to 20 μM. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While childhood maltreatment is understood to be a significant risk factor for adolescent internalizing problems (depression and anxiety), underlying mechanisms linking each type of maltreatment to internalizing problems in adolescents remain unclear. Moreover, the current state of knowledge regarding the associations between maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies and each type of maltreatment, as well as their impact on adolescent internalizing problems, is limited. Additionally, it remains unclear whether these maladaptive strategies mediate this relationship. This study sought to investigate the effects of childhood maltreatment types on adolescent internalizing problems and to explore whether the overall and specific types of maladaptive strategies mediate these associations. Using a cross-sectional design, adolescents (N = 7071, M age = 14.05 years, SD age = 1.54) completed online questionnaires assessing childhood maltreatment, maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies (including rumination, catastrophizing, self-blame, and other-blame), anxiety, and depression. The hypothesized mediating effects were tested using the Lavaan package in R software (4.1.2). Different maltreatment types had varying effects on adolescent internalizing problems. Emotional neglect, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse significantly affected anxiety and depression, whereas physical neglect and physical abuse did not. Other than physical neglect and physical abuse, overall maladaptive strategies mediated the relationship between the other three types of maltreatment (emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and sexual abuse) and internalizing problems (anxiety and depression). For specific maladaptive strategies, rumination mediated the effects of physical abuse, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, and sexual abuse on internalizing problems (anxiety and depression). In contrast, catastrophizing mediated the relationship between physical neglect, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, sexual abuse and internalizing problems (anxiety and depression). These results suggest that the effects of maltreatment types on internalizing problems are different and that maladaptive strategies, particularly rumination and catastrophizing, are important mechanisms through which childhood maltreatment affects internalizing problems. This is a reminder that mental health workers need to consider the different effects of maltreatment types when intervening and recognize the importance of prioritizing interventions for rumination and catastrophizing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a correction notice for an article titled "Genome-wide identification of ZmMYC2 binding sites and target genes in maize" published in BMC Genomics. The correction addresses an error in the original article where the y-axis labels in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 8 were mirrored and made unreadable. The correction has been made to the original article. The authors are affiliated with the State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University. The article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. [Extracted from the article]

Background and Aim: The risk‐adapted screening strategy showed satisfying colorectal cancer (CRC) screening yield and efficiency. We therefore further explored the diagnostic performance variation of this strategy using different risk prediction models. Methods: A literature search was conducted to identify studies evaluating risk models for advanced colorectal neoplasm (ACN). The included models were retrospectively validated in a subset sample (N = 3219) from a population‐based CRC screening trial in China. Diagnosis‐related indictors were compared between the risk‐adapted screening strategy using different models and the fecal immunochemical test (FIT)‐only strategy. For simulated populations with ACN prevalence of 3% to 12%, the trade‐off of additional false positives for each additional true positive were calculated. Results: We included 14 eligible risk models with the area under the curves ranging 0.570 to 0.652 in the validation set. The overall sensitivities of the risk‐adapted screening strategy using different risk models for ACN varied from 46.0% to 69.8%, higher than FIT (21.9%), but at the expense of specificities (51.6% to 78.3% vs 97.1%). For population having ACN prevalence of 3%, risk‐adapted screening strategies needed 20.5 to 31.1 additional false positives for each additional true positive compared with FIT, and respective number would substantially reduce (4.7 to 7.1) as the ACN prevalence increased to 12%. Conclusions: Risk‐adapted screening strategy using the current risk models showed improved sensitivity for ACN compared with FIT, at the cost of increased colonoscopy workload. The optimal strategy for screening practice should be tailored considering the disease burden and availability of healthcare resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a novel modeling method for the stochastic nonlinear degradation process by using the relevance vector machine (RVM), which can describe the nonlinearity of degradation process more flexibly and accurately. Compared with the existing methods, where degradation processes are modeled as the Wiener process with a nonlinear drift function formulized as the power law or exponential law, this kind of modeling method can characterize degradation processes with more nonlinear behavior. Instead of modeling the drift coefficient of the Wiener process directly, the weighted combination of basis functions is utilized to express the increment of the Wiener process and the parameters are calculated by a sparse Bayesian learning algorithm. Based on the proposed model, a numerical approximation formula for the probability density function (PDF) of the remaining useful life (RUL) is derived. Finally, comparison studies, including a numerical simulation and a practical case, are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness and the accuracy of the proposed methods for RUL estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antibiotic resistance rates of Klebsiella pneumoniae have been steadily increasing in recent years. Nevertheless, the metabolic features of the drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and its associated benefits for bacterial pathogenicity are far from expounded. This study aims to unravel the unique physiological and metabolic properties specific to drug-resistant K. pneumoniae. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), we observed a thicker extracellular mucus layer around a drug-resistant K. pneumonia strain (Kp-R) than a drug-sensitive K. pneumonia strain (Kp-S). Kp-R also produced more capsular polysaccharide (CPS) and biofilm, and appeared to have a significant competitive advantage when co-cultured with Kp-S. Moreover, Kp-R was easier to adhere to and invade A549 epithelial cells than Kp-S but caused less cell-viability damage according to cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) tests. Immunofluorescence revealed that both Kp-R and Kp-S infection destroyed the tight junctions and F-actin of epithelial cells, while the damage caused by Kp-S was more severe than Kp-R. We detected the extracellular metabolites secreted by the two strains with UHPLC-Q-TOF MS to explore the critical secretion products. We identified 16 predominant compounds that were differentially expressed. Among them, inosine increased the viability of epithelial cells in a dose-dependent manner, and an A2AR antagonist can abolish such enhancement. D-mannose, which was secreted less in Kp-R, inhibited the viability of A549 cells in the range of low doses. These findings provide potential targets and research strategies for preventing and treating drug-resistant K. pneumoniae infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a typical and broad-spectrum benzimidazole, mebendazole (MBZ) has long been used in human and veterinary medicine to treat parasitic infestations, and is widely employed in the aquaculture of Japanese pufferfish (Takifugu rubripes). However, there have been no studies examining the pharmacokinetic characteristics of MBZ in Japanese pufferfish. Furthermore, the presence of MBZ and its metabolites in animal-derived raw food represents a notable safety concern. Here, we investigated the metabolism of MBZ using a UPLC-Q-TOF system. Additionally, we evaluated the pharmacokinetics of MBZ and two metabolites, 2-amino-5(6)-benzoylbenzimidazole (MBZ-NH2) and 5-hydroxymebendazole (MBZ-OH), in Japanese pufferfish following intramuscular injection of 20 mg/kg MBZ. We detected three metabolites of MBZ (M1–M3), among which, 2-amino-5(6)-(a-hydroxybenzyl) benzimidazole (M3) was detected in an aquatic animal for the first time. The plasma dispositions of MBZ, MBZ-NH2, and MBZ-OH were characterized by low plasma clearance, medium distribution volume, and long terminal half-life. Moreover, these compounds were widely distributed in the muscle, from which they were rapidly cleared. The pharmacokinetics and metabolism of mebendazole in Japanese pufferfish are described for the first time in this study. Our findings provide a basis for the rational application of MBZ in Japanese pufferfish farming and contribute to our understanding of the metabolism of MBZ in cultured fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]