Search

Improving green innovation efficiency (GIE) is the key to achieve high-quality economic development in China, and the introduction of foreign direct investment (FDI) has become an important path choice to promote the GIE. Based on the data of 30 provinces in China, this paper explores the linear and nonlinear effects of FDI on GIE from both quantity and quality perspectives, and further analyzes the mediating role of environmental regulation level. The results show that: (1) From 2011 to 2020, the GIE of all provinces in China generally shows an upward trend. (2) The quantity and quality of FDI have a significant positive impact on the improvement of GIE in China's provinces, and this impact has regional heterogeneity. (3) The quantity and quality of FDI can promote the improvement of GIE in China through the level of environmental regulation (ER). (4) With the level of knowledge accumulation and GIE as the threshold variables, the quantity and quality of FDI have a single threshold effect on the GIE of China's provinces. The conclusions of this study provide some policy implications for local governments to make full use of FDI to perform green innovation activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemokine receptor CXCR4 and its ligand CXCL12 regulate leukocyte trafficking, homeostasis and functions and are potential therapeutic targets in many diseases such as HIV-1 infection and cancers. Here, we identified new CXCR4 ligands in the CERMN chemical library using a FRET-based high-throughput screening assay. These are bis-imidazoline compounds comprising two imidazole rings linked by an alkyl chain. The molecules displace CXCL12 binding with submicromolar potencies, similarly to AMD3100, the only marketed CXCR4 ligand. They also inhibit anti-CXCR4 mAb 12G5 binding, CXCL12-mediated chemotaxis and HIV-1 infection. Further studies with newly synthesized derivatives pointed out to a role of alkyl chain length on the bis-imidazoline properties, with molecules with an even number of carbons equal to 8, 10 or 12 being the most potent. Interestingly, these differ in the functions of CXCR4 that they influence. Site-directed mutagenesis and molecular docking predict that the alkyl chain folds in such a way that the two imidazole groups become lodged in the transmembrane binding cavity of CXCR4. Results also suggest that the alkyl chain length influences how the imidazole rings positions in the cavity. These results may provide a basis for the design of new CXCR4 antagonists targeting specific functions of the receptor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of topographic loading on the thrust kinematics of fold-and-thrust belts has long been poorly understood. The current Longmen Shan thrust belt (LSTB) in the eastern Tibetan Plateau has experienced progressive deformation, which might be influenced by preexisting topographic loading. Sandbox modeling was conducted herein to investigate the deformation of the LSTB. A reference model without topographic slope and five models with slopes of 6°, 14°, 17°, 19°, and 22°, each with two décollements, were evaluated using a sandbox instrument and particle image velocimetry. The critical slope angle for the experimental materials was determined to be 15°–17°. Subcritical wedges facilitated the formation of imbricate forethrusts and triangle zones with large-displacement backthrusts at the shallow level and active roof duplexes at the deep level. Furthermore, critical-supercritical wedges promoted the nucleation of imbricate forethrusts and rudimentary triangle zones with small-displacement backthrusts at the shallow level and passive roof duplexes at the deep level. The different kinematic assemblages were dominated by the localization of back-thrusting as topographic loading varied. The preferred deep backthrusts were likely associated with a brittle-ductile shear stress ratio exceeding 13.5 and with rotation of the stress σ 1 axis towards hinterland. However, the shallow backthrusts tended to vanish due to increased ductile layer strength as initial backthrust tips showed increased horizontal velocity differences. Therefore, this study suggests that the Mesozoic topography probably created critical-supercritical to subcritical wedges from northern to southern segments, dominating the along-strike differential evolution of triangle zones and duplexes in the LSTB during the Cenozoic. • Kinematic assemblages are dominated by topographic loading in fold-and-thrust belts. • Critical wedges are revealed by localization of backthrusts and transition from active to passive duplexes. • Mesozoic topography is characterized by critical-supercritical to subcritical wedges from north to south in the LSTB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cold is one of the main abiotic stresses that severely affect plant growth and development, and crop productivity as well. Transcriptional changes during cold stress have already been intensively studied in various plant species. However, the gene networks involved in the regulation of differential cold tolerance between tobacco varieties with contrasting cold resistance are quite limited. Results: Here, we conducted multiple time-point transcriptomic analyses using Tai tobacco (TT, cold susceptibility) and Yan tobacco (YT, cold resistance) with contrasting cold responses. We identified similar DEGs in both cultivars after comparing with the corresponding control (without cold treatment), which were mainly involved in response to abiotic stimuli, metabolic processes, kinase activities. Through comparison of the two cultivars at each time point, in contrast to TT, YT had higher expression levels of the genes responsible for environmental stresses. By applying Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA), we identified two main modules: the pink module was similar while the brown module was distinct between the two cultivars. Moreover, we obtained 100 hub genes, including 11 important transcription factors (TFs) potentially involved in cold stress, 3 key TFs in the brown module and 8 key TFs in the pink module. More importantly, according to the genetic regulatory networks (GRNs) between TFs and other genes or TFs by using GENIE3, we identified 3 TFs (ABI3/VP1, ARR-B and WRKY) mainly functioning in differential cold responses between two cultivars, and 3 key TFs (GRAS, AP2-EREBP and C2H2) primarily involved in cold responses. Conclusion: Collectively, our study provides valuable resources for transcriptome- based gene network studies of cold responses in tobacco. It helps to reveal how key cold responsive TFs or other genes are regulated through network. It also helps to identify the potential key cold responsive genes for the genetic manipulation of tobacco cultivars with enhanced cold tolerance in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Eastern Depression in the Bayanhaote Basin in western Inner Mongolia has experienced multi-stage Meso-Cenozoic tectonic events and possesses considerable exploration potential. However, structural deformation patterns, sequences and the genesis of oil-bearing structures in the basin are still poorly understood. In this study, based on high-quality 2D seismic data and drilling and well-logging data, we elucidate the activities and structural styles of faults, the tectonic evolution and the distribution characteristics of styles, as well as assessing potential petroleum traps in the Eastern Depression. Five types of faults that were active at different stages of the Meso-Cenozoic faults have been recognized: long-lived normal faults active since the late Middle Jurassic; reverse faults and strike-slip faults active in the late Late Jurassic; normal faults active in the Early Cretaceous; normal faults active in the Oligocene; and negative inverted faults active in the Early Cretaceous and Oligocene. These faults constituted 12 geometric styles in NE-trending belts at various stratigraphic levels, and were formed by compression, strike-slip, extension and inversion. The temporal development of structural styles promoted the formation and reconstruction and finalization of structural traps, while regional unconformities and open reverse and strike-slip faults provided migration pathways for petroleum to fill the traps. In general, potential traps that formed by compressional movement and strike-slip movement in the late Late Jurassic are primarily faulted anticlines. Those traps developed in Carboniferous rocks and are located in the southwestern region of the Eastern Depression, being controlled by NNE-NE-striking reverse and transpressive faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, caffeic acid-graft-chitosan/polylactic acid (CA-g-CS/PLA) packaging was shown to be effective in enhancing the storage stability of postharvest Agaricus bisporus, and its regulatory pathway was further elucidated. Results showed that expression levels of essential genes in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway such as Sho1 , Ssk2 , Pbs2 , and Hog1 were upregulated in CA-g-CS/PLA packaging group. Furthermore, the accumulation of stress-resistant compounds was promoted by the packaging. Glycerol, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), proline, and glutamate were 2.6, 2, 1.4, and 2.3 times higher respectively than the PE group at the end of storage and their associated metabolic enzyme activities were promoted, similarly. Moreover, through correlation analysis, the pathway was shown to be related to the synthesis of stress-resistant compounds. These findings indicated that CA-g-CS/PLA packaging acted synergistically through both the synthesis of stress-resistant compounds and regulation of the MAPK signaling pathway to delay quality deterioration of postharvest A. bisporus. [Display omitted] • Caffeic acid grafted chitosan/polylactic acid (CA-g-CS/PLA) is applied for packaging. • CA-g-CS/PLA regulates the MAPK signaling pathway in A. bisporus. • CA-g-CS/PLA promotes the synthesis of stress-resistant compounds in A. bisporus. • CA-g-CS/PLA maintains the storage stability of postharvest A. bisporus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitochondrial genome sequences of Denierella emmerichi , Epicauta curvispina , and Meloe poggii were determined. Their mitochondrial genomes were found to contain 37 genes (13 protein-coding genes [PCGs], 22 tRNA genes, and 2 rRNAs), of which 4 PCGs, 8 tRNA genes, and 2 rRNAs are encoded by the N-strand, and the remaining genes are encoded by the J-strand. The mitochondrial genomes of D. emmerichi , E. curvispina , and M. poggii are 15,702 bp, 15,813 bp, and 15,626 bp in length, respectively, and their guanine–cytosine contents are 28%, 33%, and 36%, respectively. The 13 PCGs of D. emmerichi , E. curvispina , and M. poggii use ATN as the standard start codon and TAA, TAG, and T as the stop codons. The Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis results based on the 13 PCGs and 13 PCGs + 2rRNAs datasets of the mitochondrial genomes of the Meloidae support Epicauta (Coleoptera: Meloidae) ([ D. emmerichi , E. curvispina , E. ruficeps , E. aptera ] + [ E. chinensis , E. impressicornis , E. gorhami , E. tibialis ]). We believe that this research enriches the literature on the mitochondrial genomics of Meloidae and serves as a foundation for the further study of the phylogenetic relationships and characterization of Meloidae and Coleoptera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent breakthroughs in petroleum exploration suggest that the Linhe depression in the Hetao Basin in central and western Inner Mongolia has undergone multi-stage Meso-Cenozoic tectonic events and possesses considerable exploration potential. However, structural deformation sequences and the genesis of oil-bearing structures in the basin are still poorly understood. Analyzing the deformation sequences of structural styles can improve the understanding of the basin history and regional tectonic evolution, and is essential for targeting potential traps. In this study, we interpreted 2D seismic profiles, drilling, and well-logging data, and outcrops to elucidate structural styles, tectonic evolution, and temporal distribution characteristics of styles with the assessment of potential petroleum traps in the Linhe Depression, Hetao Basin. We identified four structural styles and sequences with fault associations in the Linhe Depression, namely, NE-striking normal faults (D1), inversion fault-folds (D2), NE-NNE-striking dextral strike-slip faults and normal faults (D3), and near-E-W-striking sinistral strike-slip faults (D4). Analysis of syn-sedimentary normal faults and the cross-cutting relationship of faults and sedimentary strata indicate that D1, D2, D3, and D4 occurred during the Early Cretaceous, Late Cretaceous to Early Eocene, Middle Eocene to Neogene, and Quaternary, respectively. The temporal development of structural styles promoted the formation, re-construction, and finalization of structural traps, while fault geometry and fluid potential influenced the dominant petroleum migration directions. It is shown that the hydrocarbon generally migrated from the northwestern sag to the southeastern slope during the peak hydrocarbon expulsion period in the Neogene. Traps of inversion anticlines and numerous fault blocks developed in the Cretaceous and Paleogene strata are identified as the most favorable trap types. The traps on the slope were produced by numerous NNE-NE-striking faults, and the dominant migration direction implies that hydrocarbons were available to fill the traps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIV-1 infects CD4 T lymphocytes (CD4TL) through binding the chemokine receptors CCR5 or CXCR4. CXCR4-using viruses are considered more pathogenic, linked to accelerated depletion of CD4TL and progression to AIDS. However, counterexamples to this paradigm are common, suggesting heterogeneity in the virulence of CXCR4-using viruses. Here, we investigated the role of the CXCR4 chemokine CXCL12 as a driving force behind virus virulence. In vitro, CXCL12 prevents HIV-1 from binding CXCR4 and entering CD4TL, but its role in HIV-1 transmission and propagation remains speculative. Through analysis of thirty envelope glycoproteins (Envs) from patients at different stages of infection, mostly treatment-naïve, we first interrogated whether sensitivity of viruses to inhibition by CXCL12 varies over time in infection. Results show that Envs resistant (RES) to CXCL12 are frequent in patients experiencing low CD4TL levels, most often late in infection, only rarely at the time of primary infection. Sensitivity assays to soluble CD4 or broadly neutralizing antibodies further showed that RES Envs adopt a more closed conformation with distinct antigenicity, compared to CXCL12-sensitive (SENS) Envs. At the level of the host cell, our results suggest that resistance is not due to improved fusion or binding to CD4, but owes to viruses using particular CXCR4 molecules weakly accessible to CXCL12. We finally asked whether the low CD4TL levels in patients are related to increased pathogenicity of RES viruses. Resistance actually provides viruses with an enhanced capacity to enter naive CD4TL when surrounded by CXCL12, which mirrors their situation in lymphoid organs, and to deplete bystander activated effector memory cells. Therefore, RES viruses seem more likely to deregulate CD4TL homeostasis. This work improves our understanding of the pathophysiology and the transmission of HIV-1 and suggests that RES viruses' receptors could represent new therapeutic targets to help prevent CD4TL depletion in HIV+ patients on cART. Author summary: HIV-1 infects immune cells by binding CD4 and a coreceptor, CCR5 or CXCR4. CXCR4-using viruses are thought to accelerate depletion of CD4 T lymphocytes (CD4TL) and AIDS development. This paradigm, while often true, is however not seen in all patients, suggesting heterogeneity in the virulence of viruses. Here, we show that CXCR4-using viruses can be discriminated on the basis of their resistance to the anti-HIV-1 effect of the CXCR4 chemokine CXCL12. Resistant (RES) viruses are found in patients with low CD4TL levels. They are featured by unique properties of their envelope glycoprotein and the way they use CXCR4. Our data also indicate that RES viruses could contribute to CD4TL depletion. They more effectively kill bystander activated effector memory CD4TL, a subset of CD4TL enriched in HIV+ patients, and enter CD4TL subsets surrounded by CXCL12. Resistance could therefore enhance the ability of viruses to target naive cells and their precursors in lymphoid organs where CXCL12 is present, further hindering CD4TL renewal. Beyond presenting a novel view of CXCR4-using HIV-1 pathogenesis, this work also opens new therapeutic perspectives and increases our knowledge of the still debated role of CXCL12 in HIV-1 transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic is a common contaminant found in natural waters, and has raised significant environmental concerns due to its toxicity and carcinogenicity. In this study, we investigated the mediated photo-oxidation of arsenite (As(III)) under simulated sunlight by dissolved black carbon (DBC), an important dissolved organic matter (DOM) constituent released from black carbon. Five DBC were collected from the water extracts of black carbons that were derived by pyrolyzing different biomass (i.e., bamboo, rice, peanuts, corn, and sorghum stalks), and four well-studied dissolved humic substances (DHS) were selected for benchmarking. The presence of DBC (i.e., 5 mg C−1) significantly accelerated the photo-oxidation of As(III) to arsenate (As(V)), with the observed pseudo-first-order rate constant of reaction increased by 5∼11 times. Quenching experiments of photochemically produced reactive intermediates suggested that As(III) was mainly oxidized by triplet-excited DBC (3DBC*, contribution of 48%), singlet oxygen (1O 2 , 18%) and superoxide anions (O 2 •-, 28%) in sunlight-irradiated DBC solutions. The average apparent quantum yield of As(III) photo-oxidation for DBC was found to be more than 4 times higher in comparison with DHS. Such a strong mediation efficiency of DBC was due to its smaller molecular size and higher aromaticity than DHS, which facilitated the non-charge-transfer process to produce triplet-excited states and their sensitized 1O 2. Consistently, DBC exhibited a higher apparent quantum yield and a longer lifetime of triplet states as compared with DHS. The results imply that DBC may play a previously unrecognized important role in the fate of arsenic in aquatic environments. [Display omitted] • Dissolved black carbon (DBC) could mediate the photo-oxidation of As(III) to As(V). • The mediation efficiency of DBC was markedly higher than previously well-studied DOM. • DBC had a high quantum yield for triplet generation and a long triplet lifetime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A contact detumbling strategy is developed with a spring contactor as the effector. • Contact position is optimally calculated to reduce the three-axis angular velocities. • Transverse impulse moment is taken as the objective function to damp the nutation. • Control method has certain robustness to the measurement and identification errors. Space debris detumbling technology can be an effective supplement to the direct capture capability of space robot for simplifying and completing the active debris removal mission. This paper focuses on the optimal contact control for space debris rotation eliminating and nutation damping. Firstly, the space debris attitude motion is analyzed. The space debris detumbling strategy is presented with a designed spring contactor as the detumbling tool. Then, the contact detumbling dynamic models are established, including the spacecraft dynamic models, the contact detection method and the contact force model. Furthermore, an optimal contact control method is developed in order to reduce the three-axis angular velocities of space debris and suppress the nutation at the same time. The stability of the control method is proved by using the Lyapunov argument and the condition for nutation convergence is analyzed. Finally, numerical simulations are carried out to verify the optimal contact control method proposed in this paper. The results illustrate that the control method is effective for space debris detumbling and has certain robustness to the measurement and identification errors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) control method for a micro-vibration exciting system is proposed in this paper. The controlled system is designed as Hexapod configuration to provide six-degree-of freedom (6DOF) micro-vibration excitation under the power input through 6 leg actuators. Aiming at the typical MIMO problem, a decoupling approach is introduced by using the frequency response matrix and its inverse, which can transfer the coupled MIMO system into 6 independent single-input single-output (SISO) systems in wide frequency band. For each of the decoupled SISO system, the adaptive disturbance cancellation (ADC) method with the least mean square algorithm is used to control the sinusoidal excitation output in time domain. Furthermore, the decoupling approach and ADC method are extended to meet the requirement on simultaneous multi-frequency excitations. Experiments show that high control precision can be reached in the frequency band of 300 Hz with the micro-vibration exciting system. And finally the excitation outputs including the multiple frequencies in same degree of freedom (DOF) and different frequencies in different DOFs are realized by the system. • A decoupling method for a 6 degree-of-freedom (DOF) micro-vibration exciting system is developed. • The decoupling method can transfer the coupled system into 6 SISO systems and compensate the phase delay simultaneously. • A MIMO controller is designed for sinusoidal vibration excitation in time domain. • The controller is extended for sinusoidal vibration excitation of multiple frequencies in different DOFs. • The proposed method is validated by experiments up to 300 Hz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, the application of CT scanning technology is still limited. Therefore, an image observation method based on image recognition technology is proposed in this paper to study the impact of nutritional intervention on the rehabilitation level and quality of life of diabetic foot patients. Firstly, in view of the noise problems existing in CT images, this paper adopts the denoising technology, in which Gaussian noise and salt and pepper noise denoising algorithms are mainly used. Noise interference in the image can be removed by denoising processing, and the clarity and quality of the image can be improved. Subsequently, in order to improve the recognition and classification accuracy of the image, data enhancement and data standardization techniques are adopted to normalize the pixel values of the image, so as to make different images comparable, so as to improve the stability and classification accuracy of the model. Finally, CNN model is used to study image classification. The effects of nutritional intervention on the rehabilitation level and quality of life of patients with diabetic foot were investigated by setting up a comparative experiment. The results showed that nutrition intervention nursing can effectively improve the rehabilitation level of diabetic foot patients, improve the quality of life, improve nursing satisfaction. • Study the impact of nutritional intervention on the rehabilitation level of diabetic foot patients. • Gaussian noise and salt and pepper noise denoising algorithms are mainly used. • Data enhancement and data standardization techniques are adopted to normalize the pixel values of the image. • Nutrition intervention nursing can effectively improve the rehabilitation level of diabetic foot patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CCR5 plays immune functions and is the coreceptor for R5 HIV-1 strains. It exists in diverse conformations and oligomerization states. We interrogated the significance of the CCR5 structural diversity on HIV-1 infection. We show that envelope glycoproteins (gp120s) from different HIV-1 strains exhibit divergent binding levels to CCR5 on cell lines and primary cells, but not to CD4 or the CD4i monoclonal antibody E51. This owed to differential binding of the gp120s to different CCR5 populations, which exist in varying quantities at the cell surface and are differentially expressed between different cell types. Some, but not all, of these populations are antigenically distinct conformations of the coreceptor. The different binding levels of gp120s also correspond to differences in their capacity to bind CCR5 dimers/oligomers. Mutating the CCR5 dimerization interface changed conformation of the CCR5 homodimers and modulated differentially the binding of distinct gp120s. Env-pseudotyped viruses also use particular CCR5 conformations for entry, which may differ between different viruses and represent a subset of those binding gp120s. In particular, even if gp120s can bind both CCR5 monomers and oligomers, impairment of CCR5 oligomerization improved viral entry, suggesting that HIV-1 prefers monomers for entry. From a functional standpoint, we illustrate that the nature of the CCR5 molecules to which gp120/HIV-1 binds shapes sensitivity to inhibition by CCR5 ligands and cellular tropism. Differences exist in the CCR5 populations between T-cells and macrophages, and this is associated with differential capacity to bind gp120s and to support viral entry. In macrophages, CCR5 structural plasticity is critical for entry of blood-derived R5 isolates, which, in contrast to prototypical M-tropic strains from brain tissues, cannot benefit from enhanced affinity for CD4. Collectively, our results support a role for CCR5 heterogeneity in diversifying the phenotypic properties of HIV-1 isolates and provide new clues for development of CCR5-targeting drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CA-g-CS/PLA regulates essential genes to maintain the quality of A. bisporus. • CA-g-CS/PLA retards cell membrane damage and elongation in A. bisporus. • CA-g-CS/PLA promotes the activation of MAPK signalling pathway in A. bisporus. In this study, the self-developed caffeic acid-grafted-chitosan/polylactic acid (CA-g-CS/PLA) film was applied to the preservation of Agaricus bisporus , and the potential mechanism of retarding its quality loss through regulation of essential genes was further explored. The results of transcriptome analysis showed that CA-g-CS/PLA packaging could regulate essential genes involved in membrane lipid metabolism and energy metabolism to delay the decrease in unsaturated fatty acids, energy loss and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation by decreasing the respiration rate of A. bisporus. In addition, the expression of SHO1 and wis1 related to mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling in the CA-g-CS/PLA group of A. bisporus was increased, which indicated that the osmotic balance could be better maintained. Therefore, CA-g-CS/PLA packaging could improve the quality of postharvest A. bisporus by regulating the essential genes related to the pathway of membrane lipid metabolism, energy and ROS metabolism, and MAPK signalling transduction. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endoscopic images of oesophageal cancer have the characteristics of rich colours; furthermore, the small lesions are similar to the oesophageal wall tissue, and the pathological images have the characteristics of various staining methods, different shapes, and rich texture details. Aiming at the above characteristics and combining the unique advantages of convolutional architectures and the development of vision transformers in computer vision tasks, in this paper, for the stage I multimodality oesophageal cancer image classification task, we design an efficient hybrid architecture that leverages the local modelling capabilities and powerful semantic feature extraction capabilities of convolutional neural networks and the ability of transformers to extract global information. And combined with the structural reparameterization strategy to further improve the model expression. Specifically, our architecture consists of a feature extraction module and a feature enhancement module. In the feature enhancement module, we supplement the semantic information of each branch by continuously exchanging information between the two branches, which further improves the performance of the network. Furthermore, we propose an asymmetric fusion module that allows features to further enhance the feature relationships between different branches through spatial translation and channel swapping. Compared with networks such as ResNet-18, our proposed method achieves the best results for oesophageal cancer image classification on both tasks on the XJMU-XJU stage I multimodal oesophageal cancer dataset. The proposed method achieved an AUC of 0.9973 and an ACC of 0.9902 on the staging task and achieved a recall of 0.9742 and an ACC of 0.9750 on the differentiation task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Checkpoint inhibition immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, but many patients show resistance. Here we perform integrative transcriptomic and proteomic analyses on emerging immuno-oncology targets across multiple clinical cohorts of melanoma under anti-PD-1 treatment, on both bulk and single-cell levels. We reveal a surprising role of tumor-intrinsic SIRPA in enhancing antitumor immunity, in contrast to its well-established role as a major inhibitory immune modulator in macrophages. The loss of SIRPA expression is a marker of melanoma dedifferentiation, a key phenotype linked to immunotherapy efficacy. Inhibition of SIRPA in melanoma cells abrogates tumor killing by activated CD8+ T cells in a co-culture system. Mice bearing SIRPA -deficient melanoma tumors show no response to anti-PD-L1 treatment, whereas melanoma-specific SIRPA overexpression significantly enhances immunotherapy response. Mechanistically, SIRPA is regulated by its pseudogene, SIRPAP1. Our results suggest a complicated role of SIRPA in the tumor ecosystem, highlighting cell-type-dependent antagonistic effects of the same target on immunotherapy. [Display omitted] • High SIRPA expression correlates with response to anti-PD-1 treatment in melanoma • The loss of SIRPA expression is a key marker of melanoma dedifferentiation • Tumor-specific SIRPA overexpression enhances anti-PD-L1 response • Multiple mechanisms affect SIRPA heterogeneity, including SIRPAP1 co-regulation Zhou et al. reveal that tumor-intrinsic SIRPA can enhance the sensitivity to anti-PD-1 treatment in melanoma patients, whereas macrophage SIRPA has a well-established role as a major inhibitory modulator in antitumor immunity. This study highlights that the same target in different cell types can have antagonistic effects on immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Caffeic acid grafted chitosan/polylactic acid (CA-g-CS/PLA) was used for packaging. • The Agaricus bisporus packaged by CA-g-CS/PLA showed more complete cell morphology. • CA-g-CS/PLA slowed the decline in lipid unsaturation and phospholipids. • The activities and expression of phospholipid degrading enzymes were inhibited. In this study, the film assembled by caffeic acid-grafted-chitosan/polylactic acid (CA-g-CS/PLA) was used for packaging postharvest Agaricus bisporus , and its effects on postharvest quality of Agaricus bisporus by regulating membrane lipid metabolism were investigated. The results showed that compared to traditional polyethylene packaging, the cell morphology of Agaricus bisporus packaged by CA-g-CS/PLA demonstrated a more complete structure due to its lower permeability, higher fluidity and stronger ability to maintain free water. Meanwhile, CA-g-CS/PLA packaging could effectively delay the decrease rate of unsaturation value and phospholipids of Agaricus bisporus during storage. In addition, the activities and expression levels of lipoxygenase (LOX), phospholipase C (PLC) and phospholipase D (PLD) in Agaricus bisporus packaged with CA-g-CS/PLA were inhibited, while those of glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) and sphingomyelin synthase (SMS) were promoted. Therefore, CA-g-CS/PLA packaging could enhance the postharvest quality of Agaricus bisporus by regulating membrane lipid metabolism, which has great application potential in the field of new intelligent packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large amplitude sloshing problem of a spacecraft with multiple tanks is studied by using a three-dimensional constraint surface model. The mechanical model portrays the liquid as a point mass moving inside the constraint surface, which is the locus of liquid center of mass locations prescribed by slowly rotating the tank in one- g field. Sloshing forces of liquid in propellant tank are calculated with different actuated accelerations and different filling ratios. The simulation results are in good agreement with the computational fluid dynamics simulation results, which confirm the accuracy of the three-dimensional constraint surface model for solving large amplitude sloshing problems. The coupled problem between liquid sloshing and spacecraft body motion is also calculated using the mechanical model, and the comparison between simulation results and the in-orbit experimental results of the Sloshsat FLEVO satellite is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male circumcision reduces acquisition of HIV-1 by 60%. Hence, the foreskin is an HIV-1 entry portal during sexual transmission. We recently reported that efficient HIV-1 transmission occurs following 1 h of polarized exposure of the inner, but not outer, foreskin to HIV-1-infected cells, but not to cell-free virus. At this early time point, Langerhans cells (LCs) and T-cells within the inner foreskin epidermis are the first cells targeted by the virus. To gain in-depth insight into the molecular mechanisms governing inner foreskin HIV-1 entry, foreskin explants were inoculated with HIV-1-infeceted cells for 4 h. The chemokine/ cytokinemilieu secreted by the foreskin tissue, and resulting modifications in density and spatial distribution of T-cells and LCs, were then investigated. Our studies show that in the inner foreskin, inoculation with HIV-1-infected cells induces increased CCL5/RANTES (1.63-fold) and decreased CCL20/MIP-3-alpha (0.62-fold) secretion. Elevated CCL5/RANTESmediates recruitment of T-cells from the dermis into the epidermis, which is blocked by a neutralizing CCL5/RANTES Ab. In parallel, HIV-1-infected cells mediate a bi-phasic modification in the spatial distribution of epidermal LCs: attraction to the apical surface at 1 h, followed by migration back towards the basement membrane later on at 4 h, in correlation with reduced CCL20/MIP-3-alpha at this time point. T-cell recruitment fuels the continuous formation of LC-T-cell conjugates, permitting the transfer of HIV-1 captured by LCs. Together, these results reveal that HIV-1 induces a dynamic process of immune cells relocation in the inner foreskin that is associated with specific chemokines secretion, which favors efficient HIV-1 entry at this site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification and expression of germ cells are important for studying sex-related mechanisms in fish. The vasa gene, encoding an ATP-dependent RNA helicase, is recognized as a molecular marker of germ cells and plays a crucial role in germ cell development. Silurus asotus, an important freshwater economic fish species in China, shows significant sex dimorphism with the female growing faster than the male. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these sex differences especially involving in the vasa gene in this fish remain poorly understood. In this work, the vasa gene sequence of S. asotus (named as Savasa) was obtained through RT-PCR and rapid amplification of cDNA end (RACE), and its expression in embryos and tissues was analyzed using qRT-PCR and an in situ hybridization method. Letrozole (LT) treatment on the larvae fish was also conducted to investigate its influence on the gene. The results revealed that the open reading frame (ORF) of Savasa was 1989 bp, encoding 662 amino acids. The SaVasa protein contains 10 conserved domains unique to the DEAD-box protein family, showing the highest sequence identity of 95.92% with that of Silurus meridionalis. In embryos, Savasa is highly expressed from the two-cell stage to the blastula stage in early embryos, with a gradually decreasing trend from the gastrula stage to the heart-beating stage. Furthermore, Savasa was initially detected at the end of the cleavage furrow during the two-cell stage, later condensing into four symmetrical cell clusters with embryonic development. At the gastrula stage, Savasa-positive cells increased and began to migrate towards the dorsal side of the embryo. In tissues, Savasa is predominantly expressed in the ovaries, with almost no or lower expression in other detected tissues. Moreover, Savasa was expressed in phase I–V oocytes in the ovaries, as well as in spermatogonia and spermatocytes in the testis, implying a specific expression pattern of germ cells. In addition, LT significantly upregulated the expression of Savasa in a concentration-dependent manner during the key gonadal differentiation period of the fish. Notably, at 120 dph after LT treatment, Savasa expression was the lowest in the testis and ovary of the high concentration group. Collectively, findings from gene structure, protein sequence, phylogenetic analysis, RNA expression patterns, and response to LT suggest that Savasa is maternally inherited with conserved features, serving as a potential marker gene for germ cells in S.asotus, and might participate in LT-induced early embryonic development and gonadal development processes of the fish. This would provide a basis for further research on the application of germ cell markers and the molecular mechanisms of sex differences in S. asotus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis study focuses on investigating the flow and heat transfer characteristics of Copper-water nanofluids (Cu-H2O) and water in microchannels with varying curvatures. The results reveal that Cu-H2O nanofluids demonstrate superior heat transfer performance compared to pure water in all four microchannels. Moreover, curved microchannels exhibit higher heat transfer performance than straight microchannels, regardless of whether the flow is laminar or turbulent. The heat transfer performance improves with increasing channel curvature, volume fraction of nanoparticles, and decreasing particle size. During laminar flow, the impact of curvature on heat transfer performance is more significant. However, during turbulent flow, variations in volume fraction have a greater influence on heat transfer performance compared to changes in curvature and particle size reduction. While larger volume fractions and higher curvatures increase flow resistance, this relationship is less pronounced for turbulent flow as Reynolds number and volume fraction increase. It is worth noting that the comprehensive heat transfer performance index does not consistently improve with increasing curvature, and sometimes straight microchannels outperform curved microchannels with specific curvatures. Additionally, curved microchannels exhibit a smaller average field synergy angle (FSA) compared to straight microchannels, indicating better synergy between the flow field and temperature field. The FSA also shows a relatively uniform distribution of local field synergy angles throughout the flow region in curved microchannels. Furthermore, the FSA decreases as the curvature increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Alicyclobacillus species inhabit diverse environments and have adapted to broad ranges of pH and temperature. However, their adaptive evolutions remain elusive, especially regarding the role of mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Here, we characterized the distributions and functions of MGEs in Alicyclobacillus species across five environments, including acid mine drainage (AMD), beverages, hot springs, sediments, and soils. Nine Alicyclobacillus strains were isolated from AMD and possessed larger genome sizes and more genes than those from other environments. Four AMD strains evolved to be mixotrophic and fell into distinctive clusters in phylogenetic tree. Four types of MGEs including genomic island (GI), insertion sequence (IS), prophage, and integrative and conjugative element (ICE) were widely distributed in Alicyclobacillus species. Further, AMD strains did not possess CRISPR‐Cas systems, but had more GI, IS, and ICE, as well as more MGE‐associated genes involved in the oxidation of iron and sulfide and the resistance of heavy metal and low temperature. These findings highlight the differences in phenotypes and genotypes between strains isolated from AMD and other environments and the important role of MGEs in rapid environment niche expansions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To clarify the effect of caffeic acid-grafted-chitosan/polylactic acid (CA-g-CS/PLA) packaging on the bacterial infestation and volatile flavor of postharvest Agaricus bisporus , electronic nose (E-nose) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis was utilized to detect the volatile flavor. 16s rDNA sequencing technology was used to determine the species and changes of bacterial flora on the surface of Agaricus bisporus. The correlation between volatile flavor substances and bacterial communities was analyzed. The results showed that compared with polyethylene (PE) packaging, CA-g-CS/PLA packaging significantly delayed the loss of characteristic volatiles such as 1-octene-3-ol, 3-octanol, 3-octone and the ability to inhibit the growth of total bacteria count (TBC) was elevated by 12.6 % at 15 d of storage. Moreover, CA-g-CS/PLA packaging significantly reduced the abundance of spoilage bacteria such as Flavobacterium , Pedobacter and Pseudomonas compared to PE packaging and the sum of the three fell from 38 % to around 8 %. The correlation analysis showed that spoilage bacteria were significantly negatively correlated with 1-octene-3-ol and 3-octone and significantly positively correlated with spoil flavors such as benzaldehyde, indole and naphthalene. These results indicated that CA-g-CS/PLA packaging could delay the deterioration of the postharvest volatile flavor of Agaricus bisporus by inhibiting the abundance of specific spoilage bacteria. • CA-g-CS/PLA packaging could delay the loss of characteristic volatiles. • The abundance of Flavobacterium, Pedobacter and Pseudomonas was reduced. • The spoilage bacteria were negatively correlated with 1-octene-3-ol and 3-octone. • The undesirable flavors were positively correlated with main spoilage bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research on semi-supervised learning (SSL) is mainly based on the method of consistency regularization, which relies on domain-specific data augmentation. Pseudo-labeling is a more general method that has no such restrictions but performs limited by noisy training. We combine both approaches and focus on generating pseudo-labels using domain-independent weak augmentation. In this article, we propose ReFixMatch-LS and apply it to the classification of medical images. First, we reduce the impact of noisy artificial labels by label smoothing and consistent regularization. Then, by recording high-confidence pseudo-labels generated from each epoch during training, we reuse the generated pseudo-labels to train the model in the subsequent epochs. ReFixMatch-LS effectively increases the number of pseudo-labels and improves the model performance. We validate the effectiveness of ReFixMatch-LS on skin lesion diagnosis in the ISIC 2018 and ISIC 2019 challenge datasets, obtaining AUCs of 91.54%, 93.68%, 94.55%, and 95.47% on the four proportions of labeled data from ISIC 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In this paper, we used scanning electron microscopy to describe the morphological types, number of sensilla, and their distributions on the antennae of each nymphal instar and adult of Notobitus meleagris (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Coreidae). The results show that there were eight subtypes of sensilla on the antennae of the nymphs and 11 subtypes of sensilla on the antennae of the adults. With the growth of instars, the type, quantity, and size of the sensilla gradually increased. Sexual dimorphism did not appear in the type of sensilla but existed in the length and diameter of some sensilla. In addition, we also discussed the functions of different types of sensilla through previous published studies, which will be helpful for further research on the behavioral and biological control of N. meleagris. The bamboo bug Notobitus meleagris (Fabricius, 1787) is a serious pest of bamboo shoots in China, India, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Singapore. The antennae of the nymphal instars and adults of N.meleagris are involved in communication among individuals and finding the host plants. In order to understand the morphology of antennal sensilla, their types, and the distribution of sensilla on the antennae of nymphal instars and adults in N. meleagris, we studied the morphology of antennal sensilla with a scanning electron microscope. The antennae of the nymphs and adults comprised the scape, pedicel, and two flagellomeres. Four types and eight subtypes of sensilla were identified in the nymphal instars (sensilla trichodea [St].1, St.2, St.3, sensilla basiconica [Sb].1, Sb.2, sensilla chaetica [Sc].1, Sc.2, sensilla coeloconica [Sco].1), whereas those of the adults had five types and eleven subtypes of sensilla (St.1, St.2, St.3, Sb.1, Sb.2, Sb.3, Sc.1, Sc.2, Sco.1, Sco.2, and sensilla campaniformia [Sca]). There are significant differences in the number, type, and size of the sensilla in different nymphal instars, which increases with the increase in nymphal instars. There was no sexual dimorphism observed in the adult sensilla; however, the length and diameter of St.3, Sb.2, and Sb.3 were sexually dimorphic. The potential functions of each sensillum were discussed based on the morphology and distribution of the antennal sensilla and were compared with similar published studies. Our results provide primary data for further research on the behavioral mechanism, green prevention, and control of N. meleagris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel phase-shift dual full-bridge converter with shared leading leg and dual outputs in series. Full soft-switching range of the active switches can be achieved based on the parallel full-bridge configuration of the converter, and the dual outputs of the proposed converter are connected in series. The output voltage can be regulated by primary-side phase-shift and secondary-side phase–shift dual-mode control scheme, and a wide conversion range can be achieved. Furthermore, the circulating current in the primary-side full-bridge circuits can be extinguished. Therefore, the proposed converter would be useful for constant peak power and wide output voltage range applications. Steady-state operation and relevant analysis results of the proposed converter are presented and verified on a 1.5-kW hardware prototype. The experimental results show that the proposed converter can achieve a peak efficiency of 95.3%. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive type of cancer. Its current first‐line postsurgery regimens are radiotherapy and temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy, both of which are DNA damage‐inducing therapies but show very limited efficacy and a high risk of resistance. There is an urgent need to develop novel agents to sensitize GBM to DNA‐damaging treatments. Here it is found that the triterpene compound stellettin B (STELB) greatly enhances the sensitivity of GBM to ionizing radiation and TMZ in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, STELB inhibits the expression of homologous recombination repair (HR) factors BRCA1/2 and RAD51 by promoting the degradation of PI3Kα through the ubiquitin‐proteasome pathway; and the induced HR deficiency then leads to augmented DNA damage and cell death. It is further demonstrated that STELB has the potential to rapidly penetrate the blood‐brain barrier to exert anti‐GBM effects in the brain, based on zebrafish and nude mouse orthotopic xenograft tumor models. The study provides strong evidence that STELB represents a promising drug candidate to improve GBM therapy in combination with DNA‐damaging treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Recent advances have highlighted the relationships between gut dysbiosis and Parkinson's disease (PD). Microbiota transplantation from PD patients to mice can induce increased alpha‐synuclein‐mediated motor deficits. Human studies have identified differences in the gut microbiota of PD patients compared to healthy controls. We undertook a systematic review to evaluate the available evidence for the involvement of gut bacteria in the etiology of PD. Methods: The PubMed databank, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure databank, and Wanfang Data were searched from inception until June 2021 to identify human case–control studies that investigated relationships between PD and microbiota quantified from feces. We evaluated the resulting studies focusing on bacterial taxa that were different between PD patients and healthy controls. Results: Twenty‐six studies were found in which 53 microbial families and 98 genera exhibited differences between patients with PD and healthy controls. The genera identified by more than two studies as increased in PD were Bifidobacterium, Alistipes, Christensenella, Enterococcus, Oscillospira, Bilophila, Desulfovibrio, Escherichia/Shigella, and Akkermansia, while Prevotella, Blautia, Faecalibacterium, Fusicatenibacter, and Haemophilus had three or more reports of being lower in PD patients. More than one report demonstrated that Bacteroides, Odoribacter, Parabacteroides, Butyricicoccus, Butyrivibrio, Clostridium, Coprococcus, Lachnospira, Lactobacillus, Megasphaera, Phascolarctobacterium, Roseburia, Ruminococcus, Streptococcus, and Klebsiella were altered in both directions. Conclusion: Our review shows that the involvement of the gut microbiome in the etiology of PD may involve alterations of short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs)‐producing bacteria and an increase in putative gut pathobionts. SCFAs‐producing bacteria may vary above or below an "optimal range," causing imbalances. Considering that Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Akkermansia are beneficial for human health, increased Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus in the PD gut microbiome may be associated with PD medications, especially COMT inhibitors, while a high level of Akkermansia may be associated with aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reconstructing the process of plate subduction is challenging, but clues can be found in sedimentary basins and the nature of deformation of the overriding plate. Here we analyse a seismic‐reflection dataset that indicates tectonic inversion in the southwestern Songliao basin, NE China, to construct the geodynamics of Palaeo‐Pacific plate. The study area consists of Lower Cretaceous rift sediments that were cut by normal faults, folded, and subsequently overlain by undeformed Upper Cretaceous strata, revealing a process of basin inversion. The timing of inversion is constrained to the interval between deposition of the Lower and Upper Cretaceous sediments (i.e. 87–71 Ma). Mud volcanoes and similar structures associated with inversion are observed in basins throughout the region. The change from tectonic extension to shortening in the overriding plate is recorded by sedimentation and inversion of the basins, and was triggered by an increase in the rate of motion of the subducting Palaeo‐Pacific plate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterizing the microbial communities associated with soil-borne disease incidence is a key approach in understanding the potential role of microbes in protecting crops from pathogens. In this study, we compared the soil properties and microbial composition of the rhizosphere soil and roots of healthy and bacterial wilt-infected tobacco plants to assess their potential influence on plant health. Our results revealed that the relative abundance of pathogens was higher in diseased plants than in healthy plants. Moreover, compared with healthy plants, there was a significantly higher microbial alpha diversity in the roots and rhizosphere soil of diseased plants. In addition, we detected a lower abundance of certain plant microbiota, including species in the genera Penicillium, Trichoderma, and Burkholderia in the rhizosphere of diseased plants, which were found to be significantly negatively associated with the relative abundance of Ralstonia. Indeed, compared with healthy plants, the co-occurrence networks of diseased plants included a larger number of associations linked to plant health. Furthermore, structural equation modeling revealed that these specific microbes were correlated with disease suppression, thereby implying that they may play important roles in maintaining plant health. In conclusion, our findings provide important insights into the relationships between soil-borne disease incidence and changes in the belowground microbial community. These findings will serve as a basis for further research investigating the use of specific plant-associated genera to inhibit soil-borne diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactions between commensal fungi and gut immune system are critical for establishing colonic homeostasis. Here we found that mice deficient in Dectin-3 (Clec4d-/-), a C-type lectin receptor that senses fungal infection, were more susceptible to dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis compared with wild-type mice. The specific fungal burden of Candida (C.) tropicalis was markedly increased in the gut after DSS treatment in Clec4d-/- mice, and supplementation with C. tropicalis aggravated colitis only in Clec4d-/- mice, but not in wild-type controls. Mechanistically, Dectin-3 deficiency impairs phagocytic and fungicidal abilities of macrophages, and C. tropicalis-induced NF-κB activation and cytokine production. The conditioned media derived from Dectin-3-deficient macrophages were defective in promoting tissue repairing in colonic epithelial cells. Finally, anti-fungal therapy was effective in treating colitis in Clec4d-/- mice. These studies identified the role of Dectin-3 and its functional interaction with commensal fungi in intestinal immune system and regulation of colonic homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Envelope elimination and restoration technique and envelope tracking technique are proposed to enhance efficiency of radio frequency power amplifier (RFPA), and both of them take envelope amplifier (EA) as a high slew-rate variable voltage source. Serial linear-assisted switching converter, one of the solutions of EA, has benefits in high tracking bandwidth, high tracking accuracy, and relatively low switching losses. Among those many types of linear-assisted switching converter, the design of a linear regulator is rarely mentioned. This paper proposes a new design of linear regulator to supply a higher voltage and maintain high tracking bandwidth by dividing a linear regulator into four different parts. Beyond that, an input filter is recommended to increase the power supply rejection ratio (PSRR) of a linear regulator in high frequency, which is able to reduce the glitch caused by multilevel voltage power supply. An EA prototype is composed of the proposed linear regulator, the PSRR improvement filter, and the multilevel voltage power supply. To align signals, circular convolution is suggested as a modified algorithm. Experiments show that this prototype has a maximum output of 40 V, a tracking bandwidth of about 2 MHz for a full-range sinusoidal signal, and a tracking ability for OFDM envelope signal with a subcarrier up to 5 MHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 330-kV Dogbone aeolian vibration damper has two dumbbell-shaped weights, the end of which has high electric-field strengths on its surface where corona discharges may occur in the operation at high altitudes above 1000 m. The corona discharge results in power loss, audible noise, and radio interference, which affect the lives of the surrounding residents. To prevent the corona, the electric-field intensities on the dampers should be reduced by optimizing their structures. In this study, 3-D computational models of Dogbone dampers have been constructed to calculate the electric-field distributions on their weights. The curvature radius of the small end was increased to reduce the electric-field intensities on its surface. When the radius increased from 25 to 35 mm, the maximum electric-field intensity could decrease from 2987 to 2390 V/mm. According to the optimization results, new dampers were manufactured, and their corona and power dissipation characteristics were tested. The test results show that the optimized dampers can prevent corona discharge at altitudes below 3500 m. In addition, the resonant frequency and power consumption of the new dampers greatly changed, but their power dissipation characteristics were better than the original ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Specialty maize is widely used for human and animal consumption. It is therefore important to conduct a genome-wide comparison of regular and specialty maize. In the present study, a total of 20,000 SNP markers were generated using genotyping by target sequencing (GBTS) approach, of which 18,497 high-quality SNPs were used to explore the population structure and genetic diversity of both regular (163) and specialty (124) maize resources. Neighbor-joining clustering analysis classified the 287 tested maize inbred lines into three major groups, in which popcorn and other types of maize clustered into separate groups. The regular temperate maize was further divided into five heterotic subgroups, while the waxy maize and regular tropical maize were divided into two separate subgroups. However, the quality protein maize (QPM) could not be distinguished from regular tropical maize. The highest difference in allele frequency (P < 0.05) was observed between popcorn and waxy maize (28.2%), while 26.0% SNPs between popcorn and regular tropical maize, and 25.4% SNPs between popcorn and regular temperate maize. The information generated in this study is helpful for incorporating identified genetic variation into hybrid breeding programs for specialty maize improvement and also for genome-wide association mapping in specialty maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serious corona discharges occur on some grading rings of 500-kV compact transmission lines in China owing to defects in the structural design. The noise of the corona is heard clearly even 50 m away from the tower. In order to solve this problem, we have optimized the structure of the grading rings to suppress the corona. In this study, the grading rings that had serious corona discharges were identified and observed with an ultraviolet imager (UVI), and the electric field (E-field) distributions of the grading rings were calculated by means of the three-dimensional finite element method. Based on an analysis of the areas on the grading ring where excessive high E-field magnitudes were observed, we optimized the structures of the grading rings to improve the field distributions on their surfaces. Based on the optimization suggestions, new grading rings were manufactured to replace the old ones. UVI observations showed that the new grading rings could effectively prevent the occurrence of corona discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semi-supervised learning (SSL) provides methods to improve model performance through unlabeled samples. In medical image analysis, the challenges of multi-category classification and imbalance learning must be addressed effectively. Pseudo labeling is not specifically designed for multi-category and category imbalance problems. In this paper, we propose the Growth Threshold for Pseudo Labeling (GTPL) and Pseudo Label Dropout (PLD), which can be used separately or in combination. GTPL changes the threshold value of each category by combining the confidence of labeled and unlabeled samples. PLD alleviates the category imbalance by randomly discarding some of the pseudo labels. We apply GTPL and PLD to FixMatch and CoMatch and effectively improve their semi-supervised classification performance. We validate the effectiveness of our approach in skin lesion diagnosis on two long-tailed distributions of public medical images on the ISIC 2018 and ISIC 2019 challenge datasets, obtaining AUCs of 89.19%, 92.71%, 94.71%, and 94.76%, respectively, on four scales of labeled data from ISIC 2018. • Novel semi-supervised medical image classification framework with three loss functions proposed. • Growth Threshold for Pseudo Labeling introduced, improving utilization of unlabeled samples. • Pseudo Label Dropout proposed to alleviate category imbalance. • GTPL & PLD evaluated on ISIC 2018 & 2019, showing improved performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In type 1 diabetes, autoimmune β-cell destruction may be favored by neoantigens harboring posttranslational modifications (PTMs) such as citrullination. We studied the recognition of native and citrullinated glucose-regulated protein (GRP)78 peptides by CD8+ T cells. Citrullination modulated T-cell recognition and, to a lesser extent, HLA-A2 binding. GRP78-reactive CD8+ T cells circulated at similar frequencies in healthy donors and donors with type 1 diabetes and preferentially recognized either native or citrullinated versions, without cross-reactivity. Rather, the preference for native GRP78 epitopes was associated with CD8+ T cells cross-reactive with bacterial mimotopes. In the pancreas, a dominant GRP78 peptide was instead preferentially recognized when citrullinated. To further clarify these recognition patterns, we considered the possibility of citrullination in the thymus. Citrullinating peptidylarginine deiminase (Padi) enzymes were expressed in murine and human medullary epithelial cells (mTECs), with citrullinated proteins detected in murine mTECs. However, Padi2 and Padi4 expression was diminished in mature mTECs from NOD mice versus C57BL/6 mice. We conclude that, on one hand, the CD8+ T cell preference for native GRP78 peptides may be shaped by cross-reactivity with bacterial mimotopes. On the other hand, PTMs may not invariably favor loss of tolerance because thymic citrullination, although impaired in NOD mice, may drive deletion of citrulline-reactive T cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DC/DC converters are connected in series at the input so that low power devices can be used in high-voltage conversion applications. This article proposes a building block method for constructing an input-series-connected dc/dc converter, which combines voltage sharing modules (VSM) with voltage source modules or current source modules. A VSM consists of two MOSFETs, an inductor, and an open-loop driver. The input voltage sharing between the individual modules is achieved by connecting one VSM to the inputs of the two power modules. The proposed method makes the standardized functional modules can be combined together like building blocks, which greatly simplifies the converter complexity and shortens the system development cycle without sacrificing the high dynamic response performance and excellent sharing effect. This article first analyzes the working principle of the converter. Second, the stability constraints of the proposed method are revealed, and the effects of various parameters on the performance are discussed. Furthermore, the theoretical analysis results are verified by simulation. Finally, taking the voltage source module as an example, a prototype is built to test its steady-state and dynamic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since both the input-series–output-series system and the input-series–output-parallel system have a circuit configuration in which the input sides are in series, it is very suitable for applications with high input voltages. This article proposes a simple active voltage sharing module (AVSM) that allows two closed-loop dc/dc converters to be combined directly into an input-series system as power devices to meet various voltage requirements. An AVSM, consisting of one coupled inductor and two metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistors, is connected on the input side of the two submodules. By adopting a control method with fixed frequency and duty cycle, accurate input voltage sharing can be achieved, enabling voltage isolation sampling of the submodules and the voltage sharing regulators of the system to be eliminated, thus greatly simplifying the design process of the input-series system. This article introduces the AVSM working principle and discusses the stability of the proposed input-series system. It then describes a simulation performed to verify the theoretical analysis results and addresses the influences of the AVSM parameters on the system performance. Finally, the use of a prototype to test the steady-state and dynamic performances of the proposed scheme is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both miRNAs and A-to-I RNA editing, a widespread nucleotide modification mechanism, have recently emerged as key players in cancer pathophysiology. However, the functional impact of RNA editing of miRNAs in cancer remains largely unexplored. Here, we focused on an ADAR2-catalyzed RNA editing site within the miR-379-5p seed region. This site was under-edited in tumors relative to normal tissues, with a high editing level being correlated with better patient survival times across cancer types. We demonstrated that in contrast to wild-type miRNA, edited miR-379-5p inhibited cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis in diverse tumor contexts in vitro, which was due to the ability of edited but not wild-type miR-379-5p to target CD97. Importantly, through nanoliposomal delivery, edited miR-379-5p mimics significantly inhibited tumor growth and extended survival of mice. Our study indicates a role of RNA editing in diversifying miRNA function during cancer progression and highlights the translational potential of edited miRNAs as a new class of cancer therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the seismic data analysis, source rock geochemistry and reservoir physical properties, the source reservoir allocation and reservoir forming conditions in the Linhe-Jilantai area in Hetao Basin were studied. The results show that the source rocks of the Lower Cretaceous and the Oligocene in the study area reach the standard of fair-good source rocks, and the lithology of reservoirs is mainly feldspar sandstone and lithic feldspathic sandstone with good physical properties. Combined with vertical and lateral migration pathways, three hydrocarbon accumulation models of near source, far source and inside source are proposed. The research results can provide reference and guidance for the further hydrocarbon exploration in Hetao Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative degradation can effectively degrade aromatic emerging contaminants (ECs). However, the degradability of lone inorganic/biogenic oxides or oxidases is typically limited when treating polycyclic ECs. Herein, we report a dual-dynamic oxidative system comprising engineered Pseudomonas and biogenic Mn oxides (BMO), which completely degrades diclofenac (DCF), a representative halogen-containing polycyclic EC. Correspondingly, recombinant Pseudomonas sp. MB04R-2 was constructed via gene deletion and chromosomal insertion of a heterologous multicopper oxidase cotA , allowing for enhanced Mn(II)-oxidizing activity and rapid formation of the BMO aggregate complex. Additionally, we characterized it as a micro/nanostructured ramsdellite (MnO 2) composite using multiple-phase composition and fine structure analyses. Furthermore, using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, gene knockout, and expression complementation of oxygenase genes, we demonstrated the central and associative roles of intracellular oxygenases and cytogenic/BMO-derived free radicals (FRs) in degrading DCF and determined the effects of FR excitation and quenching on the DCF degradation efficiency. Finally, after identifying the degraded intermediates of 2H-labeled DCF, we constructed the DCF metabolic pathway. In addition, we evaluated the degradation and detoxification effects of the BMO composite on DCF-containing urban lake water and on biotoxicity in zebrafish embryos. Based on our findings, we proposed a mechanism for oxidative degradation of DCF by associative oxygenases and FRs. [Display omitted] • A dual-dynamic oxidative system with engineered Pseudomonas and biogenic Mn oxides. • Complete degradation of diclofenac and elimination of toxicity to zebrafish embryos. • Engineered MB04R-2 significantly improved Mn oxidation and diclofenac degradation. • Oxygenases and free radicals play central and associative roles during degradation. • Degradation is applicable for diclofenac-containing natural lake water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • We demonstrated the use of LAMP for the amplification of genomic MDV DNA for the first time. • The LAMP method for the detection of MDV is cost-effective, rapid, and easy to perform. • We obtained the optimal reaction conditions. • The LAMP method is suitable for detecting MDV not only in laboratory but also in the field. Abstract Milk vetch dwarf virus (MDV) is a member of the genus Nanovirus , and its genome is composed of multiple circular 1-kb ssDNA components. In this study, we first determined that the diseased tobacco samples obtained in Zhucheng, Shandong Province were naturally infected with MDV using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Subsequently, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) was developed for the detection of MDV for the first time. The Mg2+ and dNTP concentrations and the reaction temperature and time of the LAMP were optimized to 8 mM, 1.8 mM, 65 °C, and 60 min, respectively. The best ratio of the inner primers (FIP and BIP) to the outer primers (F3 and B3) was 2:1. The LAMP detection limit was 100 times greater than that of PCR. The nucleotide amplification could be clearly observed by adding SYBR Green I. The positive and negative reactions exhibit distinctly different colors in daylight; however, the positive reactions exhibit green fluorescence under a UV lamp. Therefore, the method is stable, sensitive and specific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, a novel, floral-like, magnetic sodalite microsphere (SODM) was synthesized in situ by using fly ash (FA) and metakaolin (MK) as raw materials and was used to remove Cd(II) from water. Its magnetism can solve the problems of adsorbent recovery and possible secondary pollution. During the static adsorption, SODM shows a maximum adsorption capacity of 245.17 mg/g. The adsorption of Cd(II) on the SODM surface is spontaneous, exothermic, and physicochemical adsorption, which was evaluated by thermodynamics, kinetics, and isotherm studies. During dynamic adsorption, SODM shows a maximum adsorption capacity of 342.74 mg/g in the simulated solution prepared by the deionized water, compared to 215.88 mg/g in the simulated solution prepared using Xiangsi Lake water from Guangxi Minzu University. At 0.5 g SODM dosage in the dynamic adsorption, the adsorption capacity could rise to 632.81 mg/g. These results demonstrated the excellent Cd (II) adsorption performance of the SODM. The adsorption of cadmium on the SODM surface includes the synergistic effects of electrostatic attraction, ion exchange, and surface coordination reaction. Besides, the SODM shows good regeneration performance in both the deionized water and Xiangsi Lake water. The present study explores SODM as an adsorbent for the Cd (II) removal from wastewater and unbolts the industrial applicability of the SODM in the field of wastewater purification. [Display omitted] • The sodalite zeolite synthesized in situ by adjusting the content ratio of fly ash to metakaolin. • The SODM which contained low-cost raw materials exhibits magnetism and a flower-like morphology. • The adsorption capacities were 245.17 and 342.72～632.81 mg/g in the static, dynamic adsorption respectively. • The adsorption mechanisms included ion exchange, electrostatic interaction and surface coordination. • After 5 cycles, SODM has good regeneration performance in both lake water and deionized water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]