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Objective Subject and Methods Results Conclusions To analyze trends of antibiotic consumption and expenditure in Chinese stomatology hospitals between 2014 and 2018 with a longitudinal study design, and show the impacts of the comprehensive policy on dental antibiotic use in China.Consumption was quantified as the number of daily defined doses (DDDs) and expenditure as the procurement costs, using medical institutions' drug procurement data from the Chinese Monitoring Network for Rational Use of Drugs. Descriptive statistics was employed and the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) was calculated to show the average annual growth rate.Between 2014 and 2018, overall antibiotic consumption increased from 842.6 thousand DDDs to 1376.7 thousand DDDs (p < 0.001) and expenditure increased from 11.6 million RMB to 20.9 million RMB (p < 0.001), where other β‐lactam antibacterials accounted for the largest proportion of total consumption (37.1%–50.1%) and expenditure (52.9%–66.6%), and also increase the largest (CAGR = 18.4%, p < 0.001). The proportion of oral antibiotics was nearly 9 times of parenteral antibiotics in consumption (CAGR = 0.3%, p = 0.023) and only 2 times in expenditure (CAGR = −1.7%, p = 0.112). The non‐restricted group accounted for more than 90% of consumption (CAGR = 0.6%, p < 0.001). In 2018, oral first‐generation cephalosporins (22.8%), oral imidazole derivatives (22.3%), and oral second‐generation cephalosporins (19.2%) were the most frequently used antibiotic classification, while parenteral second‐generation cephalosporins were top one (19.8%) for expenditure. At chemical substance levels, the consumption of oral cefradine ranked top one (21.4%) and parenteral cefuroxime accounted for the largest proportion of expenditure (14.5%) in 2018. Oral cefradine, oral metronidazole, and oral cefaclor were the top three frequently consumed antibiotics throughout the five years.Despite the potential antibiotic overuse, the comprehensive antibiotic stewardship regulations of China got a satisfactory and better performance in dental practices. More effort is needed to establish more explicit guidelines to improve antibiotic stewardship, such as priority recommending amoxicillin and its derivatives for endodontic infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherosclerosis is a complex metabolic disease characterized by the dysfunction of lipid metabolism and chronic inflammation in the intimal space of the vessel. As the most abundant innate immune cells, monocyte-derived macrophages play a pivotal role in the inflammatory response, cholesterol metabolism, and foam cell formation. In recent decades, it has been demonstrated that monocytes and macrophages can establish innate immune memory (also termed trained immunity) via endogenous and exogenous atherogenic stimuli and exhibit a long-lasting proinflammatory phenotype. The important cellular metabolism processes, including glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, fatty acid synthesis, and cholesterol synthesis, are reprogrammed. Trained monocytes/macrophages with innate immune memory can be persistently hyperactivated and can undergo extensive epigenetic rewiring, which contributes to the pathophysiological development of atherosclerosis via increased proinflammatory cytokine production and lipid accumulation. Here, we provide an overview of the regulation of cellular metabolic processes and epigenetic modifications of innate immune memory in monocytes/macrophages as well as the potential endogenous and exogenous stimulations involved in the progression of atherosclerosis that have been reported recently. These elucidations might be beneficial for further understanding innate immune memory and the development of therapeutic strategies for inflammatory diseases and atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A prediction model is developed for shell-and-plate moving bed heat exchangers. • The penetration thermal resistance plays vital roles on the overall heat transfer. • The equivalent heat diffusion should be improved for heat transfer enhancement. • The velocity control with relaxation coefficients has good dynamic performances. To realize the heat transfer between granular flow and sCO 2 cycle, moving bed heat exchangers have been widely applied in Concentrating Solar Power systems. This work developed a prediction model for heat transfer enhancements and dynamic control strategies in a shell-and-plate moving bed heat exchanger. For fast evaluation of heat transfer performances in granular flow, the continuum model was adopted with different thermal resistances. The wall effect of near-wall region was modified by contact thermal resistance, and the equivalent heat diffusion in bulk region was reflected by penetration thermal resistance. The results showed that, the decrement of penetration thermal resistance can improve heat transfer effectively. To weaken the penetration thermal resistance, the thinner thermal boundary layer and the higher effective thermal conductivity are urgently required. The staggered arrangement is a valid way to limit the development of thermal boundary layer. The bank of heat exchanger plates offset horizontally from the previous bank, and the re-evolution of temperature distributions is equal to the equivalent thermal mixing between different banks. Meanwhile, the effective thermal conductivity can be improved by particle self-diffusions perpendicular to the major flow direction. For the particle migrations, the local disturbances can be applied. The relatively decrement of penetration thermal resistance can achieve 45.7% at a disturbance intensity of 5 × 10−7 m2/s. The outlet temperature of sCO 2 can be well controlled by the transient temperature–velocity feedback method with relaxation coefficients. The relatively decrement of temperature fluctuation is larger than 80% with a relaxation coefficient of 40. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An elliptical-like combined tube (ELCT) is proposed for the shell-and-tube moving packed bed heat exchanger. The heat transfer of particle flow around the ELCT is numerical studied. The kinetic energy ratio, contact number, contact time and heat transfer coefficient are analyzed. It is found that, the heat transfer performance of the ELCT is similar to that of the elliptical tube (ET) and better than the circular tube (CT). Compared with the CT, the ELCT significantly reduces the stagnation zone and the cavity zone, and improves the heat transfer at the top and the bottom of the tube (average increase of 42% and 53%). Furthermore, compared with the ET and the CT, the ELCT has better inside-tube heat transfer performance (average increase of 5% and 29%), various inside-tube heat transfer enhancement techniques (same with the CT) and better flexural capacity (average increase of 8% and 36% under same mass). [Display omitted] • A new tube is proposed for the shell-and-tube moving packed bed heat exchanger. • The outside tube heat transfer of the new tube is simlar to the elliptical tube. • The new tube improves the heat transfer at the top and bottom of the tube. • The new tube has better inside tube heat transfer and flexural capacity. • The new tube includes some advantages of the circular tube and the elliptical tube. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moving bed heat exchangers have been the economic alternatives for the granular flow in industries. To predict the heat transfer coefficients, a better understanding is required of the contact resistance (1/ h ws) and the penetration resistance (1/ h so). In this work, the heat transfer coefficients were simulated using the finite volume method to investigate these resistances in both ordered and random packing sphere particles. It was found that, the 1/ h ws is determined by the effective thermal conductivity in the wall region, of which the thickness is around 3/22 particle diameters. Moreover, the 1/ h so is affected by the heat capacity, thermal conductivities and particulate structures. The effect is reflected by two modified equivalent heat absorption coefficients (1/ p 1 and 1/ p 3) in granular flows. Generally, p 1 is smaller in the ordered structure because the peak local solid fraction is higher, while p 3 is smaller in the random structure due to the lower average porosity. [Display omitted] • Heat resistances are numerically studied in the uniform granular flow. • Contact heat resistance is decided by a thin film near the wall. • Penetration heat resistance is significantly affected by particulate structures. • Nu = f (Pe) is significantly affected by the coupling of different phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discrete element method (DEM) is a powerful tool for solid granular, while the related heat transfer model requires more calibrations due to the over-simplified heat transfer path. In the present study, the calibration of overall thermal resistances (R p) was conducted between a particle and the wall, where heat conduction in the particle interior and gap is more remarkable. It was found that, the existing DEM models should be improved in a wide range of the solid-to-gas ratio of thermal conductivity (k s / k g) and the dimensionless body distance (S x / d p). The ideal heat transfer path may result in larger deviations as k s / k g > 250 or S x / d p > 0, which can be only mathematically modified by the empirical factor. The general descriptions for modification are still required. To overcome the limit, an effective thermal conductivity model is proposed with certain formulas, where R p is divided into two parts in the mixing phase zone and the gas zone. [Display omitted] • The numerical calibration for DEM is conducted in the transient heat transfer. • The numerical resistance is obtained by finite volume method. • The existing DEM models are analyzed. • An effective thermal conductivity model is proposed to explain the resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simplified finite volume method (SFVM) was developed for effective thermal conductivity in discrete particles. The solid granular was simplified as equivalent porous medium in control volumes, and local effective thermal conductivities were calculated to establish thermal resistance network. Finally, the overall effective thermal conductivity was obtained by the Kirchhoff's law. In SFVM, the heavy mesh work can be avoided, and particles are easily divided by regular grids, of which mesh size should go down to 1/11 of particle diameter. The local thermal resistance can be built based on the existing equivalent models, which are determined by the solid-to-gas ratio of thermal conductivity (k s / k g). As k s / k g < 157.69, the perpendicular model is approprariate. Otherwise, the Maxwell model is more proper. To improve the accuracy, The modification of particle shrinking is neccesary for these equivalent models. The work proves that the partial simplification is allowed for solid granualr in heat conduction problems. Unlabelled Image • A simplified FVM (SFVM) is developed for heat conduction problems in particles. • Coarse cubic structured grids are used in SFVM. • Particles are regarded as equivalent porous mediums in control volumes. • Particles shrinking mathematically modifies the role of gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Patients with trigeminal neuralgia who are refractory to medical therapy may choose to undergo Gasserian ganglion percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation. However, in cases where the foramen ovale is difficult to access due to various anatomical anomalies, the typical estimation of the facial entry point is suboptimal. Methods Three-dimensional computed tomography reconstruction imaging performed before surgery revealed anatomical variations in each of the four adult patient cases that made it more difficult to successfully access the foramen ovale (FO) for percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation. Using measurements collected from preoperative imaging that showed each specific anatomical variation in the FO, researchers marked alternate facial entry points that would allow successful probe placement into the FO and recorded the arc angle data in the stereotactic instrument. Results Patients were evaluated during follow-up visits ranging from seven to 26 months after surgery and asked to rate postoperative pain using a visual analog scale. These scores decreased from 10 to 3 in all four patients by the third day after the procedure. There were no permanent complications or morbidities from the surgery. One patient experienced mild facial numbness; however, this side effect subsided within three months after surgery. During the follow-up period, no patient reported pain recurrence. Conclusions The expectation for clinicians approaching trigeminal nerve block using a peri-oral approach should be to expect a great degree of potential variability in terms of both distances from the corner of the mouth and needle angle taken to successfully navigate the anatomy and access the foramen ovale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Surface sediment samples were collected from the Yangtze River Estuary (YRE) to the inner-shelf mud area of the East China Sea (ECS) for a comprehensive study of the sources and fates of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) based on their spatial distribution, deposition flux, and mass inventory. The total concentrations of 32 PCBs (Σ 32 PCBs) varied from 0.3 to 11.9 ng/g dry weight. Under strong hydrodynamic conditions, the weak correlations between TOC or MD and Σ 32 PCB concentrations were observed in the YRE. In contrast, there were relatively well relationships of PCBs with TOC content and sediment grain size in the inner shelf of the ECS due to the influence of hydrological sorting from the YRE to the inner shelf of the ECS. This suggests that the Yangtze River input plays a considerable role in controlling the distribution of PCBs in the coastal ECS. Compared with the annual discharge of Σ 32 PCBs from the Yangtze River to the sea (3.21 t/yr), the deposition flux was estimated to be ~2.63 t/yr. Furthermore, a total mass inventory of 50 tons in the sediments suggests that the YRE and inner shelf mud of the ECS represents an important global sink of PCBs. Estimated 21–39% of sedimentary PCBs were derived from local emissions (mainly dismantling of electronic waste) aside from Yangtze River input. Higher proportions of penta-CBs were also observed near the central Zhejiang Coast, providing further evidence that the local emission from e-waste dismantling near the coast is a significant contributor to sedimentary PCBs in the coastal ECS. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • PCBs exhibited a spatial inconsistence with TOC or grain size in the two mud areas. • Yangtze River input plays a considerable role in controlling the distribution of PCBs. • The mass inventory of determined PCBs was estimated to be 50 tons in the sediment. • Emission from e-waste dismantling is a significant source of PCBs in the coastal ECS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerosol deposition is an important mechanism for the delivery of terrestrial organic carbon (OC) to marginal seas, but OC age characteristics of aerosols are not well constrained and their contributions to sediment OC burial have not been quantified. Total suspended particle samples were collected along the east coast of China at Changdao (CD), Qingdao (QD) and Huaniao Island (HNI), and were analyzed for total organic carbon (TOC) isotopes ( 13 C and 14 C) in order to bridge this information gap. TOC δ 13 C and Δ 14 C values ranged from − 23.6 to − 30.5‰, and − 153 to − 687‰, respectively, with the latter corresponding to 14 C ages ranging from 1280 to 9260 yr. Estimated contributions of fossil carbon to TOC based on 14 C mass balance approach ranged from 26 to 73%, with strong seasonal variations in fossil carbon observed at CD. Fossil carbon at CD showed the highest proportion (73%) in winter, reflecting anthropogenic emissions and the lowest proportion (26%) in summer, caused by biomass contribution (annual ave., 52% ± 17%). In contrast, the fossil carbon at both QD (57–64%) and HNI (57–67%) dominated throughout the year, reflecting local anthropogenic influences and long-range transport. Mass balance estimates indicate that atmospheric deposition and riverine export accounted for 31% and 69% of fossil carbon inputs to the China marginal seas (CMS) respectively, with fossil carbon burial efficiencies approaching 100% in the CMS. On a global scale, an atmospheric fossil carbon deposition flux of 17.2 Tg C yr − 1 was estimated, equivalent to 40% of the estimated fluvial flux to the ocean, and potentially accounting for 24–41% of fossil OC burial in marine sediments. Therefore, the atmospheric deposition constitutes an important source of fossil carbon to marine sediments, and could play a key role in regional and global scale OC budgets and biogeochemical cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen is one of the essential clean energy sources and methane steam reforming in a packed bed reactor is the primary method of hydrogen production. The internal helical heat fins are used extensively for enhancing the performance in different industrial devices. To improve the methane steam reforming, the packed bed reactors installed with the different internal helical heat fins have been investigated and the effects of different pitch have been compared. When the pitch become larger, the outlet mass flow and the velocity disturbance are increased by 9.5% and 382.3% respectively, however, too larger pitch brings the higher flow resistance. The internal helical heat fins improve the fluid temperature and reduce the thermal resistance. The temperature is increased by 19.2 K and the thermal resistance is decreased by 43.1% at maximum compared with the normal packed bed. While the pitch equals 120 mm, the efficiency is the highest, which is increased by 42.3%. Although the internal helical heat fins increase the cost of reactor due to the structure complexity, the total cost decreases. As the pitch equals 120 mm, the total cost is the lowest, which is about 1.6 USD/kg and decreased by 24.6%. • Methane steam reforming in reactors with internal helical heat fins are studied. • The internal helical heat fins increase mass flow and velocity disturbance. • The internal helical heat fins decrease the thermal resistance by 43.1%. • While the pitch is 120 mm, the overall efficiency is increased by 41.7%. • While the pitch is 120 mm, the investment cost is decreased by 24.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Methane steam reforming in a packed bed with diverging tube were studied. • The novel reactor reduces the pressure drop and increases the flow disturbance. • The novel reactor leads to the increment of thermal resistance. • The overall heat transfer coefficient of novel reactor is increased by 9%. • As the inclination angle is 3°, the efficiency is increased by 34%. Hydrogen is one of essential renewable energy sources to effectively solve the climate challenge and methane steam reforming accounts for 60.0% of global hydrogen supply. In this study, to improve the efficiency, the methane steam reforming in a packed bed reactor integrated with diverging tube was investigated via numerical method. To quantify the performance of flow and heat transfer, the flow disturbance analysis and the thermal resistance analysis of different inclination angle diverging tube were conducted. The results showed that, the integration of diverging tube lead to the reduction of average temperature, the decreasing of pressure drop and the increment of outlet mass flow. The flow disturbance and the thermal resistance increase with the inclination angle rising. As for the overall efficiency of flow and heat transfer, the improvement of flow has more effects than the weakness of heat transfer. As the inclination angle is 3°, there is the highest overall heat transfer coefficient, which is increased by 9.0 % compared with the normal packed bed reactor. Since hydrogen production mainly depends on the flow and heat transfer, the integration of diverging tube improves the hydrogen yield and the hydrogen yield become larger with the inclination angle rising. Considering the usage of catalyst, the flow loss and outlet hydrogen mass flow, the efficiency of hydrogen production is the highest as the inclination angle is 3°, which is increased by 34.0%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By accounting for many traits, phenotyping sweet corn is a costly practice, making complementary strategies necessary. Thus, predictive methods present as an excellent alternative for the prediction and selection of the traits. The accuracy of the prediction is highly influenced by characteristics such as phenotypic data quality and marker density, which impact on project costs. Several studies have been carried out to verify minimum densities without the significant loss in prediction accuracies, but none with sweet corn. In this study, the objectives were to test, assess and validate different strategies to pre-select markers for genomic selection and to find the minimum density in a prediction of yield traits in sweet corn. Initially, the prediction was performed with a high-density chip and then, using a pre-selection strategy of clustering markers into haplotype blocks. Furthermore, a third strategy was tested, where markers were selected evenly across the genome. In general, all traits showed a significant reduction in accuracy as the number of markers decreased. However, the relationship between marker’s increment and accuracy did not remain constant and reached a plateau after a certain point. Applying marker pre-selection can be a good option for a cost-efficient implementation of genomic selection in sweet corn for yield traits, as they can be predicted with a significant accuracy using a panel of ~ 8k quality markers that are evenly across the genome. Furthermore, using one marker per haplotype block appears to be a better cost-effective strategy for carrying out genomic selection in sweet corn, for yield traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to identify the role of the inter-protofilament ( PF ) sliding in the bending of microtubules (MTs). A molecular structural model (MSM) was employed to study the dependence of bending on the inter- PF bonds. It was found that the inter- PF bonds serve as an angle spring that controls the inter- PF sliding during the bending. When the angle spring is soft inter- PF sliding occurs leading to the length-dependent bending stiffness of MTs. Such a size dependent bending stiffness may also affect the vibration and buckling behavior of MTs where bending deformation is predominant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Message : Predictive ability derived from gene expression and metabolic information was evaluated using genomic prediction methods based on datasets from a public maize panel. Abstract: With the rapid development of high throughput biological technologies, information from gene expression and metabolites has received growing attention in plant genetics and breeding. In this study, we evaluated the utility of gene expression and metabolic information for genomic prediction using data obtained from a maize diversity panel. Our results show that, when used as predictor variables, gene expression levels and metabolite abundances provided reasonable predictive abilities relative to those based on genetic markers, although these values were not as large as those with genetic markers. Integrating gene expression levels and metabolite abundances with genetic markers significantly improved predictive abilities in comparison to the benchmark genomic best linear unbiased prediction model using genome-wide markers only. Predictive abilities based on gene expression and metabolites were trait-specific and were affected by the time of measurement and tissue samples as well as the number of genes and metabolites included in the model. In general, our results suggest that, rather than being conventionally used as intermediate phenotypes, gene expression and metabolic information can be used as predictors for genomic prediction and help improve genetic gains for complex traits in breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple PM 2.5 samples collected through different seasons from October 2011 to August 2012 at an urban site in Shanghai, China were analyzed for carbonaceous pollutants. Data from this site, a ‘super’ air quality monitoring station at Fudan University, has been used by researchers to investigate the formation mechanism of haze episodes. The characteristics and concentrations of organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), n -alkanes, as well as relative abundances of hopanes, in these samples were determined. The concentrations showed a pronounced annual cycle with higher values in cold seasons (spring and winter, mean: 8.6 μg/m 3 , 3.3 μg/m 3 and 136.4 ng/m 3 for OC, EC and n -alkanes, respectively) and lower values in warm seasons (fall and summer, mean: 6.6 μg/m 3 , 2.6 μg/m 3 and 73.8 ng/m 3 for OC, EC and n -alkanes, respectively). EC generally displayed a common source with that of OC in all seasons. Petroleum residue was the major source of n -alkanes, contributing 71.4% to the targeted C 14 –C 33 n -alkanes over four seasons. Principal components analysis and the composition of hopanes showed that emissions from vehicle exhaust contributed more carbonaceous aerosols than coal combustion. These data could provide important information for measures to reduce carbonaceous pollutant emissions and improve air quality in Shanghai, and other urban centers across China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bud sport is a kind of somatic mutation that usually occurred in apple. 'Red Delicious' is considered to be a special plant material of bud sport, whereas the genetic basis of plant mutants is still unknown. In this study, we used whole-genome resequencing and transcriptome sequencing to identify genes related to spur-type and skin-color in the 'Red Delicious' (G0) and its four generation mutants including 'Starking Red' (G1), 'Starkrimson' (G2), 'Campbell Redchief' (G3) and 'Vallee Spur' (G4). Results: The number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), insertions and deletions (InDels) and structural variations (SVs) were decreased in four generation mutants compared to G0, and the number of unique SNPs and InDels were over 9-fold and 4-fold higher in G1 versus (vs.) G2 and G2 vs. G3, respectively. Chromosomes 2, 5, 11 and 15 carried the most SNPs, InDels and SVs, while chromosomes 1 and 6 carried the least. Meanwhile, we identified 4,356 variation genes by whole-genome resequencing and transcriptome, and obtained 13 and 16 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to spur-type and skin-color by gene expression levels. Among them, DELLA and 4CL7 were the potential genes that regulate the difference of spur-type and skin-color characters, respectively. Conclusions: Our study identified potential genes associated with spur-type and skin-color differences in 'Red Delicious' and its four generation mutants, which provides a theoretical foundation for the mechanism of the apple bud sport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to meet the requirements of compatibility and timeliness of repair materials for asphalt pavement, a rapid-hardening magnesia-based cement emulsified asphalt mortar (MCAM) is prepared. The results show that high temperature or high-temperature water bath treatment reduces the stability of MCAM, and MCAM prepared from emulsified asphalt with high softening point and low water content has better high-temperature stability. Increasing the asphalt-cement (A/C) ratio decreases the dynamic stability and stiffness modulus of the MCAM-repaired asphalt mixture, but increases its failure strain, which is determined by the material properties of the asphalt and cement phases. The splitting tensile strength of MCAM-asphalt mixture specimens are all above 0.8 MPa, and the strength ratio before and after freezing and thawing is above 90%, which is significantly higher than that of traditional asphalt-based, epoxy-based and polyurethane-based pavement repair materials. When MCAM is used to repair dried surface of asphalt mixtures, its pull-out bonded strength is significantly higher than that after wet and aged treatments. In addition, the microstructure of MCAM also shows that the asphalt phase and the cement phase are mixed together, and the microstructure becomes loose as the A/C ratio increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to meet the requirements of compatibility and timeliness of repair materials for asphalt pavement, a rapid-hardening magnesia-based cement emulsified asphalt mortar (MCAM) is prepared. The results show that high temperature or high-temperature water bath treatment reduces the stability of MCAM, and MCAM prepared from emulsified asphalt with high softening point and low water content has better high-temperature stability. Increasing the asphalt-cement (A/C) ratio decreases the dynamic stability and stiffness modulus of the MCAM-repaired asphalt mixture, but increases its failure strain, which is determined by the material properties of the asphalt and cement phases. The splitting tensile strength of MCAM-asphalt mixture specimens are all above 0.8 MPa, and the strength ratio before and after freezing and thawing is above 90%, which is significantly higher than that of traditional asphalt-based, epoxy-based and polyurethane-based pavement repair materials. When MCAM is used to repair dried surface of asphalt mixtures, its pull-out bonded strength is significantly higher than that after wet and aged treatments. In addition, the microstructure of MCAM also shows that the asphalt phase and the cement phase are mixed together, and the microstructure becomes loose as the A/C ratio increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seventy-five paired PM2.5 (aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm) and TSP (total suspended particle) samples collected from a pristine island in the East China Sea (ECS) between October 2011 and August 2012 were analyzed for organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), and n -alkanes. The island lies in the pathway of continental outflow from Mainland China to the northwest Pacific Ocean driven by the East Asian Monsoon. The concentrations of OC, EC (in μg/m 3 ), and n -alkanes (in ng/m 3 ) were highest in winter (means: 4.7, 1.3, 140.1, respectively) and lowest in summer (means: 1.1, 0.3, 17.0, respectively). PM2.5 contained approximately 88% of the OC, 80% of the EC, and 61% of the n -alkanes in TSP. Petroleum residue was the dominant contributor to the n -alkanes. C 12 –C 22 n -alkanes with strong even-to-odd predominance observed in winter were attributed to the microbial contribution from sea spray aerosol (SSA) driven by the higher wind speed. There was a higher secondary organic carbon (SOC)/OC ratio in warm seasons (summer and fall) than that in cold seasons (spring and winter). The dominance of primary organic carbon (POC) and EC in cold seasons was possibly mainly due to the influence of the East Asian continental outflow. Three episodes of high concentrations of carbonaceous aerosols were observed, and we focused on the impact of these pollutants from East Asia on the air quality over the ECS. Carbonaceous pollutants were more concentrated in PM2.5 during the fall episode triggered by biomass burning in East China. The winter haze associated with intensive indoor heating in North China brought substantial carbonaceous pollutants, with a minor influence on their size distribution. The dust episode in spring was related to coarse particles (i.e., TSP–PM2.5), yielding a distinctly different size distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Methane steam reforming in grille-sphere composite packed bed was studied. • Hydrogen mass flow rate was related to overall heat transfer coefficient. • Axial and radial diameter distributions of variable particles were studied. • The guidance of diameter distribution of variable particles was proposed. Methane steam reforming with using packed bed reactor is one of vital alternatives to produce the hydrogen in industry. The diameter distribution of particles in packed bed reactor greatly affects the efficiency of packed bed reactor, however, there are few studies in this field. In this paper, the equivalent medium method was used to study the effect of different diameter distribution of particles on methane steam reforming in multi-channel grille-sphere composite packed bed. It was found that, the hydrogen mass flow rate is related to the overall heat transfer coefficient and represents efficiency of methane steam reforming. To weaken uneven velocity and temperature distributions in multi-channels grille-sphere composited packed bed, the heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop per unit length are optimized in the local region by optimized diameter distribution of variable particles in radial and axial direction. As a result, by utilizing specific diameter of particles in different assigned regions, the efficiency of diameter distribution of variable particles can be increased by about 5% compared with that in traditional structure with uniform diameter particles. The optimization guidance of diameter distribution of variable particles in multi-channel grille-sphere composite packed bed is summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumour immunotherapy has achieved good therapeutic effects in clinical practice and has received increased attention. Cytotoxic T cells undoubtedly play an important role in tumour immunotherapy. As a revolutionary tumour immunotherapy approach, chimeric antigen receptor T‐cell (CAR‐T‐cell) therapy has made breakthroughs in the treatment of haematological cancers. However, T cells are easily exhausted in vivo, especially after they enter solid tumours. The exhaustion of T cells can lead to poor results of CAR‐T‐cell therapy in the treatment of solid tumours. Here, we review the reasons for T‐cell exhaustion and how T‐cell exhaustion develops. We also review and discuss ways to improve CAR‐T‐cell therapy effects by regulating T‐cell exhaustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Impacts of population structure on the evaluation of genomic heritability and prediction were investigated and quantified using high-density markers in diverse panels in rice and maize. Abstract: Population structure is an important factor affecting estimation of genomic heritability and assessment of genomic prediction in stratified populations. In this study, our first objective was to assess effects of population structure on estimations of genomic heritability using the diversity panels in rice and maize. Results indicate population structure explained 33 and 7.5 % of genomic heritability for rice and maize, respectively, depending on traits, with the remaining heritability explained by within-subpopulation variation. Estimates of within-subpopulation heritability were higher than that derived from quantitative trait loci identified in genome-wide association studies, suggesting 65 % improvement in genetic gains. The second objective was to evaluate effects of population structure on genomic prediction using cross-validation experiments. When population structure exists in both training and validation sets, correcting for population structure led to a significant decrease in accuracy with genomic prediction. In contrast, when prediction was limited to a specific subpopulation, population structure showed little effect on accuracy and within-subpopulation genetic variance dominated predictions. Finally, effects of genomic heritability on genomic prediction were investigated. Accuracies with genomic prediction increased with genomic heritability in both training and validation sets, with the former showing a slightly greater impact. In summary, our results suggest that the population structure contribution to genomic prediction varies based on prediction strategies, and is also affected by the genetic architectures of traits and populations. In practical breeding, these conclusions may be helpful to better understand and utilize the different genetic resources in genomic prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: We propose that cell-cycle-dependent timing of FEN1 nuclease activity is essential for cell-cycle progression and the maintenance of genome stability. After DNA replication is complete at the exit point of the S phase, removal of excess FEN1 may be crucial. Here, we report a mechanism that controls the programmed degradation of FEN1 via a sequential cascade of posttranslational modifications. We found that FEN1 phosphorylation stimulated its SUMOylation, which in turn stimulated its ubiquitination and ultimately led to its degradation via the proteasome pathway. Mutations or inhibitors that blocked the modification at any step in this pathway suppressed FEN1 degradation. Critically, the presence of SUMOylation- or ubiquitination-defective, nondegradable FEN1 mutant protein caused accumulation of Cyclin B, delays in the G1 and G2/M phases, and polyploidy. These findings may represent a newly identified regulatory mechanism used by cells to ensure precise cell-cycle progression and to prevent transformation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In comparison to conventional marker-assisted selection (MAS), which utilizes only a subset of genetic markers associated with a trait to predict breeding values (BVs), genome-wide selection (GWS) improves prediction accuracies by incorporating all markers into a model simultaneously. This strategy avoids risks of missing quantitative trait loci (QTL) with small effects. Here, we evaluated the accuracy of prediction for three corn flowering traits days to silking, days to anthesis, and anthesis-silking interval with GWS based on cross-validation experiments using a large data set of 25 nested association mapping populations in maize ( Zea mays). We found that GWS via ridge regression-best linear unbiased prediction (RR-BLUP) gave significantly higher predictions compared to MAS utilizing composite interval mapping (CIM). The CIM method may be selected over multiple linear regression to decrease over-estimations of the efficiency of GWS over a MAS strategy. The RR-BLUP method was the preferred method for estimating marker effects in GWS with prediction accuracies comparable to or greater than BayesA and BayesB. The accuracy with RR-BLUP increased with training sample proportion, marker density, and heritability until it reached a plateau. In general, gains in accuracy with RR-BLUP over CIM increased with decreases of these factors. Compared to training sample proportion, the accuracy of prediction with RR-BLUP was relatively insensitive to marker density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This work reports the historical trends and sources of aliphatic hydrocarbons (AHs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in two 210Pb dated sediment cores extracted from the central mud areas of Bohai Sea (Bohai). The TOC/TN ratio of the bulk organic matter (OM) and the composition of the n-alkanes suggest that the sedimentary organic matter was of mixed marine and terrigenous sources. The coarser sediment grain size and decreasing C/N ratios since ∼1976 could be attributed to the relocation of the Yellow River mouth causing a decreased influence of Yellow River derived sediments and associated OM into the central Bohai. The concentration of total 16 PAHs in the two cores ranged from 34.2–202ng/g (mean, 91.5) for BC1, and from 53.3–186ng/g (mean, 103) for BC2, with a high abundance of 2–3 ring PAHs. Perylene in the two cores mainly originated from terrigenous sources via riverine discharge and thus could be potentially related to changes in the sediment load from the Yellow River into the Bohai over time. Petroleum inputs could be revealed by ratios of methylphenanthrenes to phenanthrene (MP/P) and the patterns of more stable geochemical biomarkers (hopanes and steranes) along the two cores, in addition to the presence of unresolved complex mixtures (UCM) in the surface layers. Source diagnostic ratios of PAHs indicated a pyrogenic origin from biomass and coal combustion with a minor petroleum contribution. Downcore trends of compositional PAHs profiles were in agreement with the socio-economic development in China in the past decades. This temporal variation of sedimentary PAHs can also reflect a different evolution stage of energy structure in China as compared with those of the western developed countries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Thirty six PM2.5 samples were collected at a roadside site of the heaviest traffic road in Qingdao, a coastal mega city in North China, from March 2004 to January 2005 to perform a detailed characterization of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) proposed by the USEPA and n-alkanes. For PAHs, the significant increase in winter was observed with average PAH level of 32.3, 11.5, 48.9 and 263ngm−3 for spring, summer, autumn and winter, respectively. The average concentrations of n-alkane in PM2.5 at ground level were 232, 121, 309 and 369ngm−3 in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, respectively. The pyrogenic PAHs were mainly from the coal burning, and the liquid fossil fuel combustion was their second contribution even at the roadside of a busy street with heavy traffic in Qingdao. Petroleum residues were the dominant source for the n-alkanes. Principal component analysis results indicated that all the measured PAHs but naphthalene and those C17–C26 n-alkanes could be attributed to the fossil fuel burning while long-chain n-alkanes (C27–C35) were mainly derived from higher plant waxes. Good correlations between PAHs and n-alkanes in summer, autumn and winter suggested that they were mainly from local sources. The poor correlation of n-alkanes and PAHs in spring could be mainly due to the shift from the space heating season to non-heating season during the sampling period. This work indicated that the roadside environment in Qingdao was more deteriorated compared with non-roadside environment in other mega cities in China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Surface sediment samples from a matrix of fifty-five sites covering virtually the entire Bohai Sea (Bohai), China were analyzed for total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), n-alkanes, unresolved complex mixture (UCM), biomarkers and stable carbon isotopic composition (δ 13C), and principal component analysis was performed for source identification of organic matter (OM). The distribution of organic carbon correlated well with sediment grain size with the finest sediments having the highest concentration, suggesting the influence of hydrodynamics on the accumulation of sedimentary organic matter (SOM). The corrected TOC/ON (organic nitrogen) ratios and δ 13C indicated mixed marine and terrestrial sources of SOM. Results suggested that δ 13C could be used as a potential indicator to observe the dispersion of Huanghe-derived sediments in Bohai. Total n-alkane concentrations varied over 10-fold from 0.39 to 4.94 μg g−1 (dry weight) with the maximum terrigenous/aquatic alkane ratio observed at the Huanghe River Estuary (HRE) due to more higher plant OM from riverine inputs. C12–C22 n-alkanes with even-to-odd predominance were observed in several central-eastern Bohai sites. The HRE and its adjacent area is the main sink for the Huanghe river-derived OC. The ubiquitous presence of UCM, biomarkers (hopanes and steranes) and PCA results indicated the presence of petroleum contamination in Bohai, mainly from offshore oil exploration, discharge of pollutants from rivers, shipping activities and atmospheric deposition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Flap endonuclease-1 (FEN-1) is a multifunctional and structure-specific nuclease that plays a critical role in maintaining human genome stability through RNA primer removal, long-patch base excision repair, resolution of DNA secondary structures and stalled DNA replication forks, and apoptotic DNA fragmentation. How FEN-1 is involved in multiple pathways, of which some are seemingly contradictory, is of considerable interest. To date, at least 20 proteins are known to interact with FEN-1; some form distinct complexes that affect one or more FEN-1 activities presumably to direct FEN-1 to a particular DNA metabolic pathway. FEN-1 consists of a nuclease core domain and a C-terminal extension. While the core domain harbors the nuclease activity, the C-terminal extension may be important for protein–protein interactions. Here, we have truncated or mutated the C-terminus of FEN-1 to identify amino acid residues that are critical for interaction with five proteins representing roles in different DNA replication and repair pathways. We found with all five proteins that the C-terminus is important for binding and that each protein uses a subset of amino acid residues. Replacement of one or more residues with an alanine in many cases leads to the complete loss of interaction, which may consequently lead to severe biological defects in mammals. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in two 210Pb dated sediment cores from the coastal East China Sea, strongly influenced by the discharge from the Yangtze River, were determined to help to reconstruct the economic development over the past century in East China. The variations in PAH concentrations and fluxes in the sediment cores were primarily due to energy structure change, severe floods and dam construction activities. The impact on PAHs by the river discharge overwhelmed the atmospheric depositions. The profiles of PAH fluxes and concentrations as well as compositions in the cores revealed the transformation from an agricultural economy to an industrial one especially after the 1990s'' in the region. PAHs in the study area were dominated by pyrolytic sources. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) is a cell surface receptor that has been reported to mediate the metastasis of many solid tumors including ovarian, breast, lung and prostate. The over-expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is associated with the majority of ovarian cancer and has been implicated in the process of malignant transformation by promoting cell proliferation, survival, and motility. In this research, the result first showed that epidermis growth factor (EGF) enhanced the expression of CXCR4 and the migration of ovarian cancer cells, moreover, both stromal cell derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) and EGF-induced high matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9) expressions. Molecular analysis indicated that augmented CXCR4 and MMP9 expression was regulated by phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase(PI3K)/Akt signal transduction pathway. These results suggested a possible important “cross-talk” between CXCR4 and EGFR intracellular pathways that might link signals of tumor deteriorated and provided a plausible explanation for the poor overall survival rate of patients whose co-expression of CXCR4 and EGFR was detected in their tissue sections. It enlightened that, compared to the respective inhibition of the EGFR or CXCR4 signaling, the simultaneous inhibition of them might be a more useful therapeutic strategy of cancer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Seasonal variations and sources of various elements in the atmospheric aerosols of the North China coast were investigated by analyzing aerosol samples collected in Qingdao, China. 23 total suspended particulate (TSP) samples were collected from June 2001 to May 2002, including three samples gathered during Asian dust episodes (20 March and 7–8 April 2002). The concentrations of ten elements including iron (Fe), titanium (Ti), manganese (Mn), vanadium (V), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd) and sulfur (S) were measured by 3000 ICP-OES. All elements measured in the aerosols of Qingdao displayed a strong seasonal variation: the concentrations of Fe, Ti, Mn, V, Ni, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd were the lowest in summer, and the highest in winter. During the Asian dust episodes, the concentrations of Fe, Ti, Mn, V, Ni, Cu increased remarkably. The concentrations of Pb, Zn, Cu, S also increased greatly during the Asian dust episodes, but they were still lower than those in winter. The enrichment factors (EFs) of all elements (with reference to crustal Fe) indicate that Ti and Mn are mainly from soil sources. V in the Qingdao aerosols is mainly derived from the soil, with a minor contribution from ship emissions. The anthropogenic sources have a relatively higher contribution to Ni and Cu compared with Fe, Ti, and Mn. The S, Pb, Zn and Cd are mainly from anthropogenic sources even during Asian dust episodes. Principal component analysis (PCA), and cluster analysis (CA) indicated that the natural sources contributed about 60% to the sum of measured elements in all samples and anthropogenic sources contributed about 30%, and these elements can be classified into three categories as follow: Fe, Ti, Mn, V, and Ni represent the soil source factor; Cu represents the factor of mixed sources of soil and pollution; and Pb, Zn, Cd and S represents the pollution factor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The organic and inorganic species in total suspended particulates (TSP) collected from June to December in 1998 in Hong Kong were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to investigate the sources of Hong Kong aerosols and the mechanisms that control the chemical compositions and variations in the atmosphere. These samples were classified according to the climate: wet, dry under the influence of southerly winds from the sea (Dry-S) and dry under the influence of northerly winds from the continent (Dry-N). There were significant increases of materials from crustal, biogenic and pollution sources in the Dry-N period by a factor of 5, 4, and 2, respectively. Since the crustal tracers (e.g., Al, Fe) could be from coal flyash, the estimate of crustal material in the Dry-N period may include some materials from pollution source. Therefore, a positive correlation between crustal and pollution elements was observed. From the analysis of solvent-extractable organics (SEOC), microbial and meat cooking sources showed slight increase (1.2-fold). Higher levels of plant wax materials in the Dry-N period were probably due to the higher wind speed during the winter monsoon. The percentage of crustal material in TSP was 47% in the Dry-N period, and only 22% in the wet season and the Dry-S period. Plant wax materials (biogenic source) had a higher percentage in the Dry-N period (39% of SEOC) while microbial and meat cooking sources accounted for 49% of SEOC in the wet season. This study revealed that wind direction and precipitation had a significant influence not only on the concentrations but also on the chemical compositions and sources of Hong Kong aerosols. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Fifty-five seasonal PM2. 5 samples were collected March 2003–January 2004 at Changdao, a resort island located at the demarcation line between Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea in Northern China. Changdao is in the transport path of the continental aerosols heading toward the Pacific Ocean in winter and spring due to the East Asia Monsoon. Solvent-extractable organic compounds (SEOC), organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC) and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) were analyzed for source identification based on molecular markers. This data set provides useful information for the downstream site researchers of the Asian continental outflow. Total carbon (TC, OC+EC) was ∼18μgm−3 in winter, ∼9μgm−3 in spring and autumn and a large part of the TC was WSOC (33% in winter, >45% in the other seasons). Winter and spring were the high SEOC seasons with n-fatty acids the highest at ∼290 and ∼170ngm−3, respectively, followed by n-alkanes at ∼210 and ∼90ngm−3, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were also at high at ∼120 and ∼30ngm−3. High WSOC/TC, low C18:1/C18 of fatty acids, and low concentrations of labile PAHs such as benzo(a)pyrene, together with back trajectory analysis suggested that the aerosols were aged and transported. PAHs, triterpane and sterane distributions provided evidence that coal burning was the main source of the continental outflow. The detection of levoglucosan and β-sitosterol in nearly all the samples showed the impact of biomass burning. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The work was to explore the feasibility of protein affinity purification using ligand isolated from phage library. Reteplase was used as the model protein and a humanized semi-synthetic single chain fragment variable phage library as the source of ligand. After four rounds of biopanning, reteplase-specific phage clones were greatly enriched. The scFv gene from the best phage clone was inserted to pET-29a and expressed in E. coli Rosseta. After purification by nickel-affinity and refolding, this scFv protein was proven to recognize reteplase specifically and sensitively in ELISA and dot-blotting. Its binding constant to reteplase was 1.84×10−8 M, measured by surface plasmon resonance. After immobilized on Sepharose 4B, the scFv was used for the affinity purification of reteplase from milk. It was found that reteplase was highly purified from the starting material. In conclusion, it has been demonstrated that humanized scFv prepared with this approach could be used as a practical affinity ligand for efficient and cost-effective purification of reteplase, as well as other therapeutic proteins. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to characterize fourteen major and trace elements including Al, Fe, Na, K, Mg, Ti, Ba, Cu, Mn, Pb, Sb, Sr, V, and Zn, in dry and wet deposition samples collected in Hong Kong. Calculated model deposition velocities for various elements showed that marine elements such as Na, Mg, and Sr exhibited the highest deposition velocities (from 1.0 cm s− 1 to 1.2 cm s− 1), while pollution elements including V, Sb, and Pb had the lowest deposition velocities (0.2 cm s− 1). The positive correlation of deposition velocities between crustal and marine elements suggests that the deposition velocities were influenced by the particle size in addition to other factors such as wind speed and humidity. A comparison between modeled dry fluxes (the indirect method) and measured dry fluxes (the direct method) showed that modeled dry fluxes were slightly higher for marine and crustal elements while measured dry fluxes were higher for the pollution elements. Comparisons of measured dry and wet deposition fluxes for various elements in Hong Kong indicated that dry and wet removal processes were of similar significance for crustal and marine elements. However, wet removal was dominant for the pollution elements (93% V, 86% K, 81% Sb, and 75% Pb). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The partial replacement of a hydrogen-based gaseous fuel for solid fossil fuel plays a key role in increasing the sustainable energy share in sinter plants. The imbalanced heat distribution is a long-standing problem that can adversely affect the energy efficiency of sintering process, especially in the near-inlet region. In the present study, the impacts of methane and oxygen injection concentrations on sintering performance were numerically examined. Compared with previous studies, the maximum methane concentration examined was extended significantly from 1.0% to 5.5%, which is very close to the lean flammable limit (5.3%). Computations demonstrated that methane concentration had considerable effects on the methane combustion dynamics and solid fuel oxidation. In the near-inlet region, injecting methane at a high concentration (3.5%) remarkably expanded the melting zone and increased the melting quantity index. In addition, the results indicated that reacting flow with a low oxygen concentration could decrease the melting zone propagation speed in the near-inlet region, thereby improving the local sintering performance. However, the reacting flow with high methane concentration and low oxygen concentration had negative impacts on the sintering speed. The recommended operating conditions were determined based on parametric studies to achieve a tradeoff between the sinter quality and productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Metabolic reprogramming enhances the efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy in solid tumors. • Evaluation and mechanisms of metabolism-related drugs in improving CAR-T cell function. • Targeting metabolic pathways overcomes the immunosuppressive tumor environment, boosting CAR-T persistence and activity. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have great potential in cancer therapy, particularly in treating hematologic malignancies. However, their efficacy in solid tumors remains limited, with a significant proportion of patients failing to achieve long-term complete remission. One major challenge is the premature exhaustion of CAR-T cells, often due to insufficient metabolic energy. The survival, function and metabolic adaptation of CAR-T cells are key determinants of their therapeutic efficacy. We explore how targeting metabolic pathways in the tumor microenvironment can enhance CAR-T cell therapy by addressing metabolic competition and immunosuppression that impair CAR-T cell function. Tumors undergo metabolically reprogrammed to meet their rapid proliferation, thereby modulating metabolic pathways in immune cells to promote immunosuppression. The distinct metabolic requirements of tumors and T cells create a competitive environment, affecting the efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy. Recent research on glucose, lipid and amino acid metabolism, along with the interactions between tumor and immune cell metabolism, has revealed that targeting these metabolic processes can enhance antitumor immune responses. Combining metabolic interventions with existing antitumor therapies can fulfill the metabolic demands of immune cells, providing new ideas for tumor immunometabolic therapies. This review discusses the latest advances in the immunometabolic mechanisms underlying tumor immunosuppression, their implications for immunotherapy, and summarizes potential metabolic targets to improve the efficacy of CAR-T therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine herpesvirus type‐4 (BHV‐4) belongs to the gamma‐herpesvirus subfamily, and its association with reproductive disorders in dairy cows is controversial. In this study, 386 whole blood and reproductive swab samples from dairy cows across eight provinces in China were collected. BHV‐4 antibody levels in the serum were determined via ELISA, while real‐time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qPCR) was employed to detect the DNA of BHV‐4, BHV‐1, bovine viral diarrhea virus type‐I (BVDV‐1), and bovine viral diarrhea virus type‐II (BVDV‐2) in the samples. Additionally, the DNA content of BHV‐4 in various tissues of cows and stillborn fetuses was assessed via qPCR. Breeding information for the participating cows was gathered through farmer interviews, and correlation analyses were conducted between the detection results and breeding information. The findings revealed a BHV‐4 antibody positive rate of 57.8% and a nucleic acid positive rate of 36.3%. Chi‐square analysis revealed a correlation between BHV‐4 and BHV‐1 infections. Among several pathogens associated with reproductive disorders, only BHV‐4 was significantly correlated, whereas BHV‐1, BVDV‐1, and BVDV‐2 were not correlated. Furthermore, the study revealed elevated BHV‐4 DNA in the reproductive tracts of cows and stillborn fetuses. Histopathological sections revealed mucosal damage in the vaginal and uterine tissues of stillborn fetuses, a phenomenon not previously reported. In summary, our study provides novel insight into the correlation between BHV‐4 and reproductive disorders and presents new evidence that supports the vertical transmission of BHV‐4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherosclerosis (AS) is an inflammatory disease characterized by arterial inflammation. One important trigger for AS development is the excessive migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs); however, the mechanism underlying this phenomenon remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the role of DNA polymerase β (Pol β), a crucial enzyme involved in base excision repair, VSMC migration, and subsequent AS development. In this study, we revealed a significant increase in Pol β content within AS plaques in ApoE−/−Pol β+/+ mice. In vitro experiments demonstrated a significant decrease in hCASMC viability and migration ability upon Pol β knockdown, whereas the subsequent recovery of Pol β expression reversed this effect. Moreover, our investigations revealed that Pol β knockdown leads to the inhibition of the POSTN gene transcription by suppressing the YY1/TGF-β1 pathway, resulting in the decreased expression of the protein periostin during VSMC migration. Collectively, our findings provide insights into the role of Pol β in AS development, offering a novel approach for the clinical treatment of cardiovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The granular flow around inclined tube is studied by discrete element method. • Tube inclination can improve particle contact and mixing. • Tube inclination may worsen the local particle update. • The inclination angle is suggested between 15° and 37.5°. Heat recovery from granular flow in moving bed heat exchangers has wide industrial applications. However, more knowledge is still necessary for the heat transfer enhancement. For the slow descending of random particles, the flow structure has crucial roles on the heat transfer by conduction and radiation. In this paper, the effect of tube inclination was studied by discrete element method. Influences of particle update, contact and radial migration were carefully discussed. Moreover, heat resistance analysis was conducted to explore the clear law. It was found that, the heat is obviously improved by tube inclination due to the increasing area, but there are uncertainties for the local heat transfer coefficients. At the tube bottom, particles become denser with tube inclination, which is beneficial to increase the heat transfer coefficient. But for the top or middle area, there are two opposite effects. Tube inclination enhances radial migration around tube wall, while simultaneously weakens local particle update. Finally, contact resistance firstly increases and then decreases with inclination angle, but there is a reversal tendency for the sensitivity of penetration resistance to the flow rate. In actual applications, penetration resistance is the major resistance, and the inclination angle is therefore suggested between 15° and 37.5°. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aldosterone is synthesized in extra-adrenal tissues such as blood vessels and brain. Damage to blood vessels could play a crucial role in perpetuating hypertension. In this study, we determined both aldosterone production and aldosterone synthase gene-CYP11B2 mRNA expression in vessels of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The results showed that aldosterone was overproduced in the vasculature of SHR, by means of ex vivo mesenteric artery perfusion, HPLC, and RIA, and that CYP11B2 mRNA expression was upregulated in aortas of SHR, confirmed by RT-PCR and Southern blot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radical changes in fertility, economic structure, and level of development occurred in China between 1982 and 1987. Nonetheless, during this period family size remained relatively stable because the decline in household size due to lower fertility was offset by an increase in the number of adults. A major explanatory factor has been the government's changing migration policies which led first to family fission and then to fusion. Migration and household composition data from the 1982 census of China and the 1987 National Sample Survey show that during spousal separation women often assumed the headship of their household, and in many instances retained it after the return of spouse. Since this pattern is most pronounced in cities, we suggest that women's headship is related to changing norms that engender greater acceptance of equality between the sexes. It also reflects pragmatic recognition that these women have developed their own important networks for the efficient operation of their household. With the dramatic rise in migration in China resulting from the economic reforms, household size and headship patterns are likely to continue to be affected by spousal separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPis) belong to a class of targeted drugs developed for the treatment of homologous recombination repair (HRR)-defective tumors. Preclinical and limited clinical data suggest that PARP inhibition is effective against prostate cancer (PC) in patients with HRR-deficient tumors and that PARPis can improve the mortality rate of PC in patients with BRCA1/2 mutations through a synthetic lethality. Olaparib has been approved by the FDA for advanced ovarian and breast cancer with BRCA mutations, and as a maintenance therapy for ovarian cancer after platinum chemotherapy. PARPis are also a new and emerging clinical treatment for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Although PARPis have shown great efficacy, their widespread use is restricted by various factors, including drug resistance and the limited population who benefit from treatment. It is necessary to study the combination of PARPis and other therapeutic agents such as anti-hormone drugs, USP7 inhibitors, BET inhibitors, and immunotherapy. This article reviews the mechanism of PARP inhibition in the treatment of PC, the progress of clinical research, the mechanisms of drug resistance, and the strategies of combination treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Biomass wastes are used as carbon source to prepare 3D vertical graphene (VG). • A hydrothermal/K 2 CO 3 -assisted pyrolysis method is developed for the synthesis of VG. • VG achieves high adsorption capacity (556 mg/g) towards PNP in short time (10 min). • The adsorption of PNP on VG involves pore filling and surface adsorption. Vertical graphene (VG) is an emerging three-dimensional graphene with unique structure and properties, which is expected to possess outstanding adsorption performance. Nevertheless, the utilization of VG as an adsorbent has not been investigated, and its conventional preparation methods are complex and expensive. Herein, we utilize a facile hydrothermal/ molten K 2 CO 3 -assisted pyrolysis method for preparing VG from cost-effective and renewable fir bark. The optimized VG-1.0 achieved a high adsorption capacity (556 mg/g) for p-nitrophenol (PNP) within 10 min, far superior to commercial activated carbon (360 mg/g) and previously reported graphene-based materials. Its excellent performance can be ascribed to high specific surface area (1423 m2/g), open & vertical channels, rich oxygen-containing groups and high graphitization degree, providing sufficient adsorption sites and unhindered mass transfer pathways. VG-1.0 was easily regenerated by rinsing with NaOH solution and showed good reusability, maintaining > 80 % of its original adsorption capacity after 5 cycles of reuse. The adsorption isotherm and kinetic data of PNP over VG were fitted well with Freundlich/Temkin model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model, respectively. Various characterizations and density functional theory (DFT) simulations have confirmed that the adsorption of PNP on VG is a spontaneous and endothermic process, involving pore filling and surface adsorption such as hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Seasonal OC sources at coastal city of Qingdao quantified with lipid biomarkers. • Season and air mass trajectory determine aerosol load and OC composition. • OC from coal-burning and continental dust 7-fold higher in cold than warm season. • Marine-derived OC contribution is 1.4-fold higher in warm than cold season. Aerosols represent a significant source of organic carbon (OC) to China's marginal seas, but their provenance and chemical composition remain understudied. At the boundary of the East Asian continent and China's marginal seas, the coastal city of Qingdao is well-situated to study the sources and seasonal variations of organic aerosols and their contribution to marginal seas. Twenty-nine aerosol samples collected in 2015–2016 were analyzed for total OC (TOC), n -alkanes (C 17 –C 33), n -alkanols (C 20 –C 32) and n -fatty acids (n -FAs, C 14 –C 32). Concentrations of TOC (5.7–18 μg/m3), n -alkanes (17.5–143 ng/m3), n -alkanols (18–41 ng/m3) and n -FAs (99.3–160 ng/m3) were highest in winter when total aerosol concentrations were highest. Organic carbon-normalized (OC-normalized) biomarker concentrations were used to apportion different sources of aerosol OC: short- and mid-chain n -alkanes (

In this paper, the gravity-driven granular flow was investigated by discrete element method (DEM) in the moving bed heat exchanger with tube oscillation. The particle update, the particle contact and the heat transfer were all discussed around tube out-wall. Moreover, the heat resistance analysis was developed to reveal the heat transfer mechanisms. It was found that, tube oscillation can significantly improve heat transfer coefficients (h). The relative growth of locally optimal h varies from 59.2% to 22.6%, when the outlet velocity (u) ranges from 0.65 mm/s to 6 mm/s. In details, the heat transfer can be enhanced by tube oscillation due to the smoother flow in the upstream, the denser contact in the downstream and the more particle mixing inside the flow. However, the particle separation aside the tube has a negative effect simultaneously. Therefore, there is a best frequency (f) to optimize h. The frequency is inversely proportional to the amplitude (D A) and decreases with u. Furthermore, the larger D A can increase the best h. In the present study, the optimal h was obtained as f locates between 3 and 5 Hz at D A > 1 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA damage repair plays a key role in maintaining genomic stability and integrity. Flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) is a core protein in the base excision repair (BER) pathway and participates in Okazaki fragment maturation during DNA replication. Several studies have implicated FEN1 in the regulation of other DNA repair pathways, including homologous recombination repair (HRR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). Abnormal expression or mutation of FEN1 in cells can cause a series of pathological responses, leading to various diseases, including cancers. Moreover, overexpression of FEN1 contributes to drug resistance in several types of cancers. All this supports the hypothesis that FEN1 could be a therapeutic target for cancer treatment. Targeting FEN1 has been verified as an effective strategy in mono or combined treatment of cancer. Small-molecule compounds targeting FEN1 have also been developed and detected in cancer regression. In this review, we summarize the recent development of small-molecule inhibitors targeting FEN1 in recent years, thereby expanding their therapeutic potential and application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)‐induced oxidative DNA damages have been considered the main cause of mutations in genes, which are highly related to carcinogenesis and tumour progression. Extracellular vesicles play an important role in cancer metastasis. However, the precise role of DNA oxidative damage in extracellular vesicles (EVs)‐mediated cancer cell migration and invasion remains unclear. Here, we reveal that ROS‐mediated DNA oxidative damage signalling promotes tumour metastasis through increasing EVs release. Mechanistically, 8‐oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) recognises and binds to its substrate 8‐oxo‐7,8‐dihydroguanine (8‐oxoG), recruiting NF‐κB to the synaptotagmin 7 (SYT7) promoter and thereby triggering SYT7 transcription. The upregulation of SYT7 expression leads to increased release of E‐cadherin‐loaded EVs, which depletes intracellular E‐cadherin, thereby inducing epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT). Notably, Th5487, the inhibitor of DNA binding activity of OGG1, blocks the recognition and transmission of oxidative signals, alleviates SYT7 expression and suppresses EVs release, thereby preventing tumour progression in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, our study illuminates the significance of 8‐oxoG/OGG1/SYT7 axis‐driven EVs release in oxidative stress‐induced tumour metastasis. These findings provide a deeper understanding of the molecular basis of cancer progression and offer potential avenues for therapeutic intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]