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Background: In recent years, innovative approaches utilizing Internet data have emerged in the field of syndromic surveillance. These novel methods aim to aid in the early prediction of epidemics across various scenarios and diseases. It has been observed that these systems demonstrate remarkable accuracy in monitoring outbreaks even before they become apparent in the general population. Therefore, they serve as valuable complementary tools to augment existing methodologies. In this study, we aimed to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of migraine in China by leveraging Baidu Index (BI) data. Methods: Migraine-related BI data from January 2014 to December 2022 were leveraged, covering 301 city-level areas from 31 provincial-level regions by using the keyword "migraine (偏头痛)". Prevalence data from the Global Burden of Disease study (GBD) were attracted to ensure the reliability of utilizing migraine-related BI data for research. Comprehensive analytical methods were then followed to investigate migraine's spatiotemporal distribution. The Seasonal-Trend decomposition procedure based on Loess (STL) was used to identify the temporal distribution. Spatial distribution was explored using the Getis-Ord Gi* statistic, standard deviation ellipse analysis, Moran's Index, and Ordinary Kriging. The top eight migraine-related search terms were analyzed through the Demand Graph feature in the Baidu Index platform to understand the public's concerns related to migraine. Results: A strong association was observed between migraine-related BI and the prevalence data of migraine from GBD with a Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.983 (P = 4.96 × 10− 5). The overall trend of migraine-related BI showed a gradual upward trend over the years with a sharp increase from 2017 to 2019. Seasonality was observed and the peak period occurred in spring nationwide. The middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River were found to be hotspots, while the eastern coastal areas had the highest concentration of migraine-related BI, with a gradual decrease towards the west. The most common search term related to migraine was "How to treat migraine quickly and effectively (偏头痛怎么办最快最有效的方法)". Conclusions: This study reveals important findings on migraine distribution in China, underscoring the urgent need for effective prevention and management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CircRNAs are a class of endogenous long non-coding RNAs with a single-stranded circular structure. Most circRNAs are relatively stable, highly conserved, and specifically expressed in tissue during the cell and developmental stages. Many circRNAs have been discovered in OSCC. OSCC is one of the most severe and frequent forms of head and neck cancer today, with a poor prognosis and low overall survival rate. Due to its prevalence, OSCC is a global health concern, characterized by genetic and epigenomic changes. However, the mechanism remains vague. With the advancement of biotechnology, a large number of circRNAs have been discovered in mammalian cells. CircRNAs are dysregulated in OSCC tissues and thus associated with the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of OSCC patients. Research studies have demonstrated that circRNAs can serve as biomarkers for OSCC diagnosis and treatment. Here, we summarized the properties, functions, and biogenesis of circRNAs, focusing on the progress of current research on circRNAs in OSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The high mobility group box1 (HMGB1) protein operates as an alarm for danger. We explore the correlation between HMGB1 expression and the clinical survival status of patients receiving antitumor immunotherapy toward assessing the prognostic value in a multicancer context. We further conducted screening and identified four interacting genes that are targeted for binding by HMGB1-proteins and validate and contextualize the results in vitro. Additionally, HMGB1 function is also remarkably related to the tumor immune microenvironment and immune infiltration, especially regarding the high purity of stromal and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). In multicancer analysis, HMGB1 is also found linked with frequently genetic mutations and deletions, including in TMB and MSI which lead to resistance against antitumor immunotherapy and worse clinical prognosis among patients. The combination of HMGB1 expression with immune checkpoint molecules (ICPs), such as PD-L1, might present a novel immunology-based antitumor immunotherapy strategy. Objective: To assess the correlation between HMGB1 expression and the patient prognosis in a multicancer context. Methods: The potential oncogenic role of HMGB1 was explored in forty tumors through the TCGA, GEO, and Oncomine datasets. We analyzed the clinical prognostic value and antitumor immunotherapy of HMGB1 in a multicancer context using GEO (GSE111636). Results: High expression of HMGB1 is present in multicancer cases, and its low expression is closely associated with the prognostic survival of patients, in terms of both overall and disease-free survival in ACC and LUAD. Further investigation revealed that the high expression of gastric and lung cancer is closely associated with low risk and better prognosis of patients based on COX and Kaplan–Meier analysis of OS, FP and PPS. HMGB1 expression was found to be significantly correlated with cancer-associated fibroblast and CD8+ T cell infiltration in the TME. The analysis of GO functional annotation/KEGG pathways indicates that HMGB1 may regulate tumor immunity-related pathways, such as the tumor immunotherapy response in colorectal cancer. The function of four genes as hubs are confirmed by in vitro HMGB1 knockdown which led to inhibition of cell proliferation and metastasis in SW620 and SW480 cells. Conclusion: HMGB1 is a potential novel biomarker for improving clinical prognosis and antitumor immunotherapy efficacy. CDK1, HMGB2, SSRP1, and H2AFV may serve as key nodes for HMGB1 in colorectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • K 2 O-CaO-SiO 2 slag system studied for silicon purification and Si-kerf recycling. • Mass transfer mechanism established in the refining system. • K and Ca cations behave and distribute differently: K modifies more bridging oxygen; Ca creates more non-bridging oxygen. • B removal through gasification mechanism confirmed in K 2 O-containing slags. • Successful Si-kerf recycling was achieved in combination with slag refining. It is crucial for the photovoltaic (PV) industry to establish a circular materials flow for more sustainable solar silicon production. In the present work, a series of K 2 O-SiO 2 and K 2 O-CaO-SiO 2 slags were examined for the combination of silicon purification and Si-kerf waste recycling. The study revealed that the predominant mass transfer mechanism and the variation in slag composition during refining are due to the silicothermic reduction of K 2 O. The boron removal degree reached levels above 80% in most of tests, with boron gasification as potassium metaborate confirmed as an important mechanism for boron removal, especially in slags with high K 2 O content. In the case of ternary slags, the results indicated that an increase in CaO enhances boron partitioning in slag phase and a high K 2 O content also led to boron accumulation in the slag phase due to rapid reaction kinetics in the early stage of refining. The distinct behaviours of calcium and postassium ions in the slag phase were revealed by molecular dynamics simulations. It was found that potassium ions preferentially modify bridging oxygen, while calcium ions contribute more to depolymerizing the tectosilicate network and generating more non-bridging oxygens, which may further aid in the boron stabilization in slag phase. The oxidation layer of Si-kerf was removed successfully and enabled the coalescence of the silicon nanoparticles into the Si melt. Additionally, the presence of SiC clusters in the slag phase was also observed, indicating effective removal of SiC and the feasibility of Si-kerf waste recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Translational control is a fundamental mechanism regulating animal germ cell development. Gonadal somatic cells provide support and microenvironment for germ cell development to ensure fertility, yet the roles of translational control in gonadal somatic compartment remain largely undefined. We found that mouse homolog of conserved fly germline stem cell factor Pumilio, PUM1, is absent in oocytes of all growing follicles after the primordial follicle stage, instead, it is highly expressed in somatic compartments of ovaries. Global loss of Pum1, not oocyte-specific loss of Pum1, led to a significant reduction in follicular number and size as well as fertility. Whole-genome identification of PUM1 targets in ovarian somatic cells revealed an enrichment of cell proliferation pathway, including 48 key regulators of cell phase transition. Consistently granulosa cells proliferation is reduced and the protein expression of the PUM-bound Cell Cycle Regulators (PCCR) were altered accordingly in mutant ovaries, and specifically in granulosa cells. Increase in negative regulator expression and decrease in positive regulators in the mutant ovaries support a coordinated translational control of somatic cell cycle program via PUM proteins. Furthermore, postnatal knockdown, but not postnatal oocyte-specific loss, of Pum1 in Pum2 knockout mice reduced follicular growth and led to similar expression alteration of PCCR genes, supporting a critical role of PUM-mediated translational control in ovarian somatic cells for mammalian female fertility. Finally, expression of human PUM protein and its regulated cell cycle targets exhibited significant correlation with ovarian cancer and prognosis for cancer survival. Hence, PUMILIO-mediated cell cycle regulation represents an important mechanism in mammalian female reproduction and human cancer biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to explore whether and how task characteristics affect employee agility in the context of enterprise social media (ESM). Design/methodology/approach: Adopting the social network ties perspective, this study examines how task characteristics (i.e. task complexity, task interdependence and task non-routineness) affect employee agility by promoting their social network ties (i.e. instrumental ties and expressive ties) and how ESM visibility moderates their relationships. Data gathered from 341 ESM users in workplaces were analyzed using Smart-PLS 3.2. Findings: First, task complexity, task interdependence and task non-routineness have positive effects on instrumental and expressive ties, which in turn influences agility; Second, instrumental ties have a stronger effect on employee agility relative to expressive ties; Finally, ESM visibility positively moderates the effects of task complexity and task non-routineness on social network ties. Practical implications: The findings provide guidance for organizational managers on how to use task characteristics and ESM to improve employee agility, as well as insights for social media designers to optimize ESM functions to improve agility. Originality/value: This study provides empirical evidence to explain the roles of task characteristics and social network ties in influencing employee agility, thus clarifying the inconsistent findings in extant research. The moderating effects of ESM visibility on the relationships between task characteristics and social network ties are also examined, thus providing further insights on the positive role of ESM in organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genome mining of microbial natural products enables chemists not only to discover the bioactive molecules with novel skeletons, but also to identify the enzymes that catalyze diverse chemical reactions. Exploring the substrate promiscuity and catalytic mechanism of those biosynthetic enzymes facilitates the development of potential biocatalysts. SfaB is an acyl adenylate‐forming enzyme that adenylates a unique building block, 3‐isocyanobutanoic acid, in the biosynthetic pathway of the diisonitrile natural product SF2768 produced by Streptomyces thioluteus, and this AMP‐ligase was demonstrated to accept a broad range of short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Herein, we repurpose SfaB to catalyze amidation or thioesterification between those SCFAs and various amine or thiol nucleophiles, thereby providing an alternative enzymatic approach to prepare the corresponding amides and thioesters in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genome mining of microbial natural products enables chemists not only to discover the bioactive molecules with novel skeletons, but also to identify the enzymes that catalyze diverse chemical reactions. Exploring the substrate promiscuity and catalytic mechanism of those biosynthetic enzymes facilitates the development of potential biocatalysts. SfaB is an acyl adenylate‐forming enzyme that adenylates a unique building block, 3‐isocyanobutanoic acid, in the biosynthetic pathway of the diisonitrile natural product SF2768 produced by Streptomyces thioluteus, and this AMP‐ligase was demonstrated to accept a broad range of short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Herein, we repurpose SfaB to catalyze amidation or thioesterification between those SCFAs and various amine or thiol nucleophiles, thereby providing an alternative enzymatic approach to prepare the corresponding amides and thioesters in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • For the first time, a novel biosensor based on ErPO 4 nanoparticles was established. • The biosensor revealed lower detection limits and wider linear range toward DA and UA. • The biosensor exhibitd excellent selectivity toward simultaneous determination of DA and UA. • This work extended a catalytic mechanism of the biosensing performance to biomolecules. Abstract ErPO 4 nanoparticles were synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method and the corresponding morphological feature, elemental compositions and crystalline configurations were characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). A novel electroactive interface for dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA) had been fabricated based on the erbium(III) phosphate (ErPO 4) nanoparticles loaded carbon paste electrode (CPE). The electrochemical characterization of ErPO 4 nanoparticles, as conductive carriers which enhanced the electron transport at the electrode/electrolyte interface, showed surprising electrocatalytic activity to the oxidation of DA and UA. Low detection limits (LOD) of 0.02 μM and 0.004 μM for DA and UA were proposed, with a proportional linear relationship in the concentration range of 0.07–78 μM and 0.01–66 μM, respectively. Furthermore, the interface exhibited excellent selectivity in the simultaneous determination of DA and UA. The interface had been successfully applied to determine the analytes in real human urine samples with satisfactory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the largest civil engineering systems in China, the network of high-speed railway expanded fast in the last decade. The safety of railway operation is of great concern for the whole country. Railway track irregularity is a potential threat to safety of operation and comfort of passengers, and remains a challenging issue for researchers and engineers. Currently, track irregularity data are recorded by various sensors in the comprehensive inspection cars in China. To reveal relations between the operation of high-speed trains and the track geometry, the data mining and random modeling of track irregularity are needed. In this paper, different methods to evaluate the track irregularities are presented at first. A case study of a section in Beijing-Guangzhou high-speed railway is studied using the Karhunen-Loève expansion. Track geometries that are a representation of this railway network are generated along with statistical and frequency validations. As an application based on generated random track geometries, accelerations of train body under different traveling velocities are calculated and analyzed using a simulation model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Al 2 O 3 crucible led to P removal degradation for Ca-containing Si alloys. • Increasing Ca/Al ratio and total alloying amount (Ca + Al) promote P removal. • A model for P removal prediction was obtained for Si-Ca-Al alloy system. • Ca concentration in liquid phase found as the essential driving force for P segregation. • CaAl 2 Si 2 exhibits higher P solubility than CaSi 2 but not decisive for P segregation. Phosphorus (P) is a critical impurity in metallurgical-grade Si that needed to be removed for solar-grade Si production. The Si-Ca-Al-P system is one of the most crucial alloy systems for Si refining, where P can be separated by either the Si-Al solvent refining or the Si-Ca alloying-leaching process. In this work, a series of Si-Ca-Al alloys were obtained to investigate the role of alloy composition and the CaAl 2 Si 2 phase in P segregation and separation. The used alumina crucible led to heavy Al contamination and resulted in unexpected Si-Ca-Al alloy compositions. CaAl 2 Si 2 and CaSi 2 were found as the main precipitates, and relatively higher P content was detected in the CaAl 2 Si 2 phase. Leaching experiments indicate that P removal degree increases with increasing Ca/Al ratio and increasing total alloying amount (Ca + Al). Effects of alloy composition were further analyzed by statistical methods, which indicates Ca firmly plays a strong, positive, and monotonic role in P removal while no strong attraction between Al and P. Theoretical P removal model for the Si-Ca-Al system was established and in good agreement with measured results. Interaction coefficients of Ca and Al to P were fitted as ε Ca P = - 19.2 and ε Al P = - 1.8 , which further confirms Ca is the essential driving force for P segregation. Finally, the possibility of P solid solution formation was verified by first-principle simulations that both CaAl 2 Si 2 and CaSi 2 are able to dissolve P, especially through the Si site, but the CaAl 2 Si 2 phase is more favourable for P dissolution than CaSi 2 , which explains the reason of the often detected high P content in CaAl 2 Si 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, Si-Ca-Mg alloys were made with different compositions and solidification conditions to investigate the impurity segregation and separation performance from Si, especially for the crucial P impurity at several ppmw levels. Varying acid leaching parameters were also employed to investigate the optimized process window. Results indicate that the novel Si-Ca-Mg alloying-leaching system is valid for high P extraction. The ternary intermetallic phase Ca 7 Mg 7.5±δ Si 14 appears as the main precipitate in all alloys to gather other minor impurities. Rapid cooling significantly reduced the size of precipitates and Si grain, the impurity segregation was also limited. In the acid leaching experiments, HCl is found as the most economical leaching agents among the studied combinations. Smaller particle size promotes the leaching efficiency, but the increment narrows with increasing Ca/Mg ratio. Leaching kinetics of the studied alloys was found following the modified Kröger-Ziegler model based on a cracking-shrinking mechanism. The impurity purification efficiency increases with increasing Ca/Mg mixing ratio, but significantly reduced by rapid cooling. An analytical model was developed for ternary alloy system to predict the P segregation and its removal with varying alloy concentration through the thermodynamic approach, which shows good agreements of the experimental results. Unlabelled Image • Parametric study on the Si-Ca-Mg alloying-leaching system was carried out. • Ca/Mg ratio and solidification conditions significantly affect microstructure. • Leaching kinetics of Si-Ca-Mg alloy follows a modified Kröger-Ziegler model. • Increasing Ca/Mg ratio promotes impurity removal. • A model for P removal prediction was obtained for ternary Si alloy system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mg was employed as a novel impurity getter for MG-Si purification. • 98.7% P removal was achieved by Mg-based alloying-leaching process. • Ppmw level P segregation in Si-Mg alloy was detected by SIMS mapping. • A P removal degree model was obtained for arbitrary binary Si alloy system. • ε M g i n S i P was estimated as −10.8 via the developed hydrometallurgical method. • Effect of alloying-leaching operation times was mathematically modelled. In this paper, the separation of phosphorus from metallurgical-grade silicon was investigated based on an Mg alloying and HCl leaching approach. Experimental results show that P concentration was reduced from initial 15.1 ppmw to 0.2 ppmw with also large extent removal of metallic impurities by two times Mg alloying-leaching purification. The mechanism of enhanced P separation is clarified owing to the strong affinity between Mg and P, which is validated by SIMS elemental mapping. A two-parameter analytical model was developed to predict the P removal degree based on the variables of alloying metal concentration and interaction coefficient between alloying metal and P. The model is validated with experimental results and the interaction coefficient ε M g i n S i P was obtained as −10.8. This approach can be applied to model the removal of impurity which follows Gulliver-Scheil solidification from other binary alloying systems. Furthermore, in order to study the effect of applied alloying-leaching operation times, a model was proposed which establishes the mathematical relationships among key processing variables like initial and target P concentrations, the amount of the alloying metal, and the process operation times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual hormone binding globulin (SHBG) is associated with the endocrine and reproductive systems. We aimed to investigate the role of SHBG in the reproductive process. Therefore, we conducted a secondary analysis of the PCOSAct (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Acupuncture Clinical Trial) study, which involved 21 sites in China and a total of 1000 women with PCOS. Out of these, 954 women with SHBG were included in the analysis. Through multivariate analysis of ovulation predictors, we found that age, BMI, estradiol, testosterone, and SHBG all showed a positive predictive value for ovulation (p = 0.0211, 0.0011, 0.0211, 0.0029, 0.0434, respectively). However, the LH to FSH ratio had a negative predictive value (p = 0.0539). Higher quartiles of SHBG were associated with a higher rate of ovulation, and per quartile increased was statistically significant (HR = 1.138, 95%CI [1.054,1.229]). The association remained significant even after adjusting for testosterone (HR = 1.263, 95%CI [1.059, 1.507]). On the other hand, quartiles of testosterone and estradiol did not exhibit any significant tendency toward ovulation. SHBG demonstrated predictive ability for ovulation, conception, pregnancy, and live birth (p < 0.05), and this correlation remained significant after adjusting intervention. Kaplan-Meier curves illustrated that increased levels of SHBG were a factor in high rates of ovulation, conception, and pregnancy. In comparison to other sexual hormones, a higher baseline level of SHBG was related to increased ovulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Our aim was to investigate the effect of age on the outcome of IVF-ET and ICSI in infertile PCOS patients under the guidance of Tiangui theory in traditional Chinese medicine. Method. This was a retrospective analysis of 532 infertile women with PCOS and 1,392 women with infertility due to tubal factors as the controls. All of the participants were divided into different age groups-aged 20–28 years, 29–35 years, and ≥36 years-according to the stages of female reproductive development in Tiangui theory as described in the Canon of Internal Medicine-Treatise of Ancient Natural Truth. We explored the effect of age on controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (including the initial dosage and duration of Gn and the estradiol level on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin administration); the numbers of retrieved oocytes, 2PN zygotes, and embryos; and the rates of fertilization, clinical pregnancy, abortion, live birth, and OHSS incidence. Results. Compared to controls, the maximum follicular diameter and the numbers of follicles with d ≥ 20 mm, retrieved oocytes, and 2PN zygotes were greater in the PCOS group with age >28 years (p < 0.05). The abortion rate of PCOS patients with age ≤28 years was higher than that of the controls. All PCOS groups and the control group showed reduced numbers of retrieved oocytes and live births with age. The difference in age was not significant in the PCOS groups but was significant in the control group (p < 0.05), and the trend in the PCOS groups was more gradual. Conclusion. The fertility of all subjects decreased with age, but PCOS patients decreased more slowly than in controls at the same age, which verified the applicability of the guiding principles of Tiangui theory in the clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global change in organismal stoichiometry and biodiversity is often correlated with energy dynamics in ecological networks that underpin the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems and services. However, we know little about which facets of biodiversity, such as taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity, account for most of the variation in the energy dynamics of ecological networks along litter stoichiometry gradients. Here, we quantified how multiple facets of biodiversity impact energy fluxes of soil food webs through time in agricultural fields incorporating litter from six plant species of varying C:N stoichiometry. We found that community biomass and energy flux in soil food webs decreased while community maintenance cost (i.e. energy flux to biomass ratio) increased with increasing litter C:N ratio. Taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity of soil nematodes declined along increasing litter C:N stoichiometry, and together explained 73 % and 51.3 % of variation in community biomass, 71.6 % and 49.2 % of variation in energy flux, and 59.8 % and 37.4 % of variation in community maintenance cost in early and later decomposition stages, respectively. Functional and taxonomic diversity were highly associated with energy dynamics in early decomposition stages, while phylogenetic diversity emerged as the central predictor in later decomposition stages. By identifying the crucial role of multi-faceted biodiversity conservation facilitated by low C:N litter in driving the energy dynamics of food webs, these findings shed new light on the applicability of energy dynamics for linking biodiversity and ecosystem functioning under global change scenarios. • Energy storage, flux and use efficiency decrease with increasing litter C:N ratio. • Multi-faceted biodiversity correlates with energy storage, flux and use efficiency. • The importance of biodiversity facets to energy dynamics differs over time. • Energy dynamics underpins biodiversity-ecosystem functional relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• miR-23a expression is increased in the hippocampus of KA-induced TLE mice. • Oxidative stress is triggered in the hippocampus of TLE mice. • Neuronal injuries are induced in the hippocampus of TLE mice. • miR-23a contributes to spatial memory impairment in TLE mice. • miR-23a contributes to hippocampal oxidative stress and neuronal injuries in the hippocampus of TLE mice. Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common form of epilepsy characterized by spontaneous recurrent seizures. It has been widely accepted that individuals with TLE tend to have neuronal injuries and memory impairment. However, little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate the expression of target genes at the posttranscriptional level. An increasing body of evidence suggests that miRNAs play pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of epilepsy. Here, we sought to determine the role of miR-23a, one of the most common miRNAs involved in various cancer types, in hippocampal neuronal injuries and spatial memory impairment in an experimental model of TLE. We found that miR-23a is upregulated in the hippocampus after status epilepticus (SE) in kanic acid (KA)-induced TLE mice. Furthermore, the upregulation of miR-23a is accompanied by hippocampal oxidative damage, neuronal injuries and spatial memory impairment in TLE mice. Inhibition of miR-23a expression by miR-23a antagomirs reduced hippocampal oxidative stress, neuronal injuries and improved spatial memory, while an increase in miR-23a expression by miR-23a agomir exacerbated hippocampal oxidative stress, neuronal injuries and spatial memory impairment in TLE mice. Our findings suggest that miR-23a contributes to hippocampal oxidative damage and neuronal injuries, which may consequently contribute to spatial memory impairment in TLE mice. Thus, targeting miR-23a in the epileptic brain may provide a novel strategy for protecting against hippocampal neuronal injuries and improving spatial memory in TLE patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reasonable design and synthesis of high-efficiency nanocatalysts are of great significance for the electrocatalytic analysis of fungicides. In this paper, La-doped Nd2O3 (La-Nd2O3) nanomaterials are synthesized by a hydrothermal method and characterized via SEM, TEM, EDS, XPS and XRD. The results confirm that the trigonal Nd2O3 and La-Nd2O3 are successfully synthesized, and La is localized on the surface of the Nd2O3 lattice. Compared with Nd2O3, La-Nd2O3 nanomaterials have a larger surface area. In addition, the prepared Nd2O3 and La-Nd2O3 catalysts coated on a carbon paste electrode (CPE) are used as working electrodes to investigate their electrochemical performance for carbendazim (CBZ). Probably due to the synergistic electronic transfer process and dual-function effects of La-Nd2O3, the La-Nd2O3 modified electrode exhibits a stronger redox signal and faster electron transfer rate, thus resulting in superior electrocatalytic activity against CBZ. The proposed CBZ sensor produces a wide linear range of 0.08 to 50 μM and a low detection limit (0.027 μM, S/N = 3) by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Moreover, the La-doped catalyst has a long-term electrochemical activity and catalytic stability under steady state conditions, which indicates that La-Nd2O3 is a promising catalyst in electrocatalysis and sensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mice with pilocarpine-induced temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) are characterized by intense hippocampal neuroinflammation, a prominent pathological hallmark of TLE that is known to contribute to neuronal hyperexcitability. Recent studies indicate that Adam10, a member of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain-containing protein (Adam) family, has been involved in the neuroinflammation response. However, it remains unclear whether and how Adam10 modulates neuroinflammation responses in the context of an epileptic brain or whether Adam10 affects epileptogenesis via the neuroinflammation pathway.Methods: Adult male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to intraperitoneal injection of pilocarpine to induce TLE. Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors carrying Adam10 (AAV-Adam10) or lentiviral vectors carrying short hairpin RNA, which is specific to the mouse Adam10 mRNA (shRNA-Adam10), were bilaterally injected into the hippocampus to induce overexpression or knockdown of Adam10, respectively. The specific anti-inflammatory agent minocycline was administered following status epilepticus (SE) to block hippocampal neuroinflammation. Continuous video EEG recording was performed to analyze epileptic behavior. Western blot, immunofluorescence staining, and ELISA were performed to determine Adam10 expression as well as hippocampal neuroinflammation.Results: In this study, we demonstrate that overexpression of Adam10 in the hippocampus suppresses neuroinflammation and reduces seizure activity in TLE mice, whereas knockdown of Adam10 exacerbates hippocampal neuroinflammation and increases seizure activity. Furthermore, increased seizure activity in Adam10 knockdown TLE mice is dependent on hippocampal neuroinflammation.Conclusion: These results suggest that Adam10 suppresses epilepsy through repression of hippocampal neuroinflammation. Our findings provide new insights into the Adam10 regulation of development of epilepsy via the neuroinflammation pathway and identify a potential therapeutic target for epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expression of DAZ-like (DAZL) is a hallmark of vertebrate germ cells, and is essential for embryonic germ cell development and differentiation, yet the gametogenic function of DAZL has not been fully characterized and most of its in vivo direct targets remain unknown. We showed that postnatal stage-specific deletion of Dazl in mouse germ cells did not affect female fertility, but caused complete male sterility with gradual loss of spermatogonial stem cells, meiotic arrest and spermatid arrest. Using the genome-wide high-throughput sequencing of RNAs isolated by cross-linking immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry approach, we found that DAZL bound to a large number of testicular mRNA transcripts (at least 3008) at the 3′-untranslated region and interacted with translation proteins including poly(A) binding protein. In the absence of DAZL, polysome-associated target transcripts, but not their total transcripts, were significantly decreased, resulting in a drastic reduction of an array of spermatogenic proteins and thus developmental arrest. Thus, DAZL is a master translational regulator essential for spermatogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) increases morbidity and mortality after surgery. But the underlying mechanism is not clear yet. While age is now accepted as the top one risk factor for POCD, results from studies investigating postoperative cognitive functions in adults have been controversial, and data about the very young adult individuals are lacking. The present study investigated the spatial reference memory, IL-1β, IL-6, and microglia activation changes in the hippocampus in 2-month-old mice after anesthesia and surgery. We found that hippocampal IL-1β and IL-6 increased at 6 hours after surgery. Microglia were profoundly activated in the hippocampus 6 to 24 hours after surgery. However, no significant behavior changes were found in these mice. These results indicate that although anesthesia and surgery led to neuroinflammation, the latter was insufficient to impair the spatial reference memory of young adult mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Effect of the doping amount of Er on the properties of CdWO 4 was studied. • Moderate doping of Er optimized the physico-chemical properties of CdWO 4. • CdWO 4 with the optimal content of Er showed highest electrocatalytic capacity to BPA. • An efficient electrochemical sensor based on Er-CdWO 4 for BPA was established. Rare earth elements Er doped CdWO 4 (Er-CdWO 4) nanorods were successfully prepared. The morphology, crystal structure, chemical environments and electrochemical properties of Er-CdWO 4 nanomaterials were regulated by changing the doping amount of Er. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have shown that the introduction of moderate content of Er could optimize the morphology of CdWO 4. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results suggested that the larger Er ions partially replaced the Cd ions in CdWO 4 nanocrystals and produced favorable lattice gaps and defects around the unit cell. The high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of O 1 s and the enhanced peak intensity in electron spin resonance (EPR) declared that the doping of Er generated more oxygen vacancies in Er-CdWO 4. Based on the physico-chemical characterizations, 0.5 wt% Er-CdWO 4 was confirmed to be the best electrocatalyst within the tested samples, which exhibited the fastest electron transfer performance and the strongest electrocatalytic capacity to BPA. Taking the low-cost and simply prepared Er-CdWO 4 with the optimal content of Er as the electrode modifier, a novel electrochemical sensor (Er-CdWO 4 /CPE) for BPA has been constructed for the first time, which exhibited the wide linear range from 0.01 to 6 μM and the limited detection of 0.003 μM, respectively. Moreover, satisfactory reproducibility, stability and anti-interference performance were also achieved on Er-CdWO 4 /CPE. Meanwhile, the proposed sensor successfully realized the determination of BPA spiked in local tap water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streptomyces sahachiroi ATCC 33158 produces the potent antitumor antibiotic azinomycin B, which is featured with a set of unusual functionalized moieties. However, the genetic analyses of azinomycin B biosynthetic pathway are hampered by the low efficiency of S. sahachiroi genetic manipulation. In this study, we developed two efficient DNA transfer systems for S. sahachiroi ATCC 33158 by optimizing a variety of parameters known to affect intergeneric conjugation and protoplast transformation. High efficiencies of 4 × 102 transformants per μg DNA and 2.47 × 10−4 conjugants per recipient were achieved when using the integrative vector pJTU2554. With the use of these improved genetic manipulation systems, aziU3 was discovered to play a key role in the biosynthesis of azinomycin B. In-frame deletion and complementation experiments demonstrated clearly that aziU3 is essential for azinomycin B biosynthesis. Changing the native promoter and insertion of an additional aziU3 gene copy resulted in two mutant strains over-producing azinomycin B. Real-time PCR verified that overexpression of aziU3 significantly improved the azinomycin B production in these mutant strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Windshield is one of the most important components in automobile to protect pedestrian and passenger, as well as enhance vehicle crashworthiness. The most widely used material for windshield is polyvinyl butyral (PVB) laminated glass. This paper uses both quasi-static compression and dynamic Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) compression experiments under different strain/loading rates to investigate the mechanical behavior of PVB laminated glass. Experimental results show that PVB laminated glass is a strong rate-dependent material with nonlinearity in its constitutive behavior under both quasi-static and dynamic loading circumstances. In quasi-static cases, major failure onset (MFO) strain increases with the loading rate while MFO stress remains the same; however MFO strain and stress will both increase in higher strain rates in dynamic loading. A constitutive model covering all strain/loading rates is then established based on Johnson–Cook model mathematically. Further, crack branching based on crack fractal theory is investigated and an explicit expression describing the crack velocity and number of crack branching is proposed. In addition, dynamic stress intensify factor is calculated to be and an “impact caused brittleness” effect in PVB laminated material is discussed. Results can provide important experiment data and useful model to further research on vehicle crash safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: During automotive related accidents, PVB plays an important role in both pedestrian and passenger protection as an interlayer of automotive windshield. In this paper, dynamic constitutive behavior of PVB material is thoroughly studied. Firstly, a set of dynamic compression impact experiments on PVB specimens using SHPB (Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar) method are conducted at strain rates from 700/s to 4500/s. Details of the constitutive response is analyzed based on the validation of experiment data. Stress-strain curve of PVB is then divided into two parts, i.e., “Compaction Stage” and “Hardening Stage”. Dislocations and entanglements among molecules are major reasons for the two-stage phenomena. Constitutive behaviors are different in low and high speed impacts, leading to three times more energy absorption ability of PVB in high speed impact scenario. Further, data fitting models based on both Mooney–Rivlin and Ogden Model are studied and then compared. Mooney–Rivlin Model is found to be more appropriate to describe PVB material. Moreover, PVB is proved to be a rate-dependent material with the failure strength intensify factor β ≈ 4. PVB material shows little viscoelasticity after comparison of the both models with and without the viscoelasticity part. Results offer critical experimental data, constitutive models and analysis of PVB material to further study of automotive crashworthiness and pedestrian/passenger protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Windshield glass crack characteristics are of great interest to vehicle manufacturers, safety engineers, and accident investigators, because they contain important information on energy mitigation, pedestrian protection, and accident reconstruction. We use the extended finite element method (XFEM) to analyze the model problem of low-speed head impact on a windshield plate. Both the radial crack and circumferential crack propagations are characterized. A parametric study is carried out to investigate the effects of impact speed, head mass, initial material flaw, material fracture criterion, etc., and correlate them with the crack direction and length. It is found that the critical accident information, such as the impact speed or damage stress, can be deduced from the crack pattern characteristics. A qualitative bridge can be established between numerical simulation result and real-world accident via the crack growth mechanism. Our study shows that XFEM is a useful tool for simulating several types of cracks that appear during quasi-static indentation or low-speed impact of foreign objects on windshield materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) represent an innovative source for the standardized in vitro generation of macrophages (Mφ). Mφ show great promise in disease pathogenesis, particularly tuberculosis. However, there is no information about human iPS-derived (hiPS) macrophages (hiPS-Mφ) in response to tuberculosis infection. Methods: In the present study, macrophages derived from hiPS were established via embryoid body (EB) formation by using feeder-free culture conditions, and the human monocyte cell line THP-1 (THP-1-Mφ) was used as control. iPS-Mφ were characterized by using morphology, Giemsa staining, nonspecific esterase staining (α-NAE), phagocytosis, and surface phenotype. Additionally, after treatment with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) for 24 h, cell apoptosis was detected by using an Annexin V-FITC Apoptosis Detection assay. The production of nitric oxide (NO), expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), activity of apoptosis-related protein cysteine-3 (Caspase-3) and expression of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) were analyzed. Results: With respect to morphology, surface phenotype, and function, the iPS-Mφ closely resembled their counterparts generated in vitro from a human monocyte cell line. iPS-Mφ exhibited the typically morphological characteristics of macrophages, such as round, oval, fusiform and irregular characteristics. The cells were Giemsa-stained-positive, α-NAE-positive, and possessed phagocytic ability. iPS-Mφ express high levels of CD14, CD11b, CD40, CD68, and major histocompatibility complex II (MHC-II). Moreover, with regard to the apoptotic rate, the production of NO, expression of TNF-α, and activity of Caspase-3 and Bcl-2, iPS-Mφ closely resemble that of their counterparts generated in vitro from human monocyte cell line in response to BCG infection. The rate of apoptosis of BCG-treated iPS-Mφ was 37.77 ± 7.94% compared to that of the untreated group at 4.97 ± 1.60% (P < 0.01) by using Annexin V-FITC Apoptosis Detection. Additionally, the rate of apoptosis of BCG-treated THP-1-Mφ was 37.1 ± 2.84% compared to that of the untreated group at 6.19 ± 1.68% (P < 0.001). The expression of TNF-α and the production of NO were significantly increased (P < 0.001), and the activity of Caspase-3 was increased. However, the expression of Bcl-2 was inhibited (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that Mφ derived from hiPS perform the immunological function in response to Bacillus Calmette-Guérin infection by undergoing apoptosis, increasing the production of NO and expression of TNF-α. Thus, our study may help to overcome the limitations of research into certain rare diseases due to the lack of adequate supply of disease-specific primary cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]