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The spin Hamiltonian parameters and defect structures are theoretically studied for the substitutional Mn2+ at the core of CdSe nanocrystals and in the bulk materials from the perturbation calculations of spin Hamiltonian parameters for trigonal tetrahedral 3d5 clusters. Both the crystal‐field and charge transfer contributions are taken into account in the calculations from the cluster approach. The impurity‐ligand bond angles are found to be about 1.84° larger and 0.10° smaller in the CdSe:Mn2+ nanocrystals and bulk materials, respectively, than those (≈109.37°) of the host Cd2+ sites. The quantitative criterion of occupation (at the core or surface) for Mn2+ in CdX (X = S, Se, Te) nanocrystals is presented for the first time based on the inequations of hyperfine structure constants (HSCs). This criterion is well supported by the experimental HSCs data of Mn2+ in CdX nanocrystals. The previous assignments of signals SI as Mn2+ at the core of CdS nanocrystals are renewed as Mn2+ at the surface based on the above criterion. The present studies would be helpful to achieve convenient determination of occupation for Mn2+ impurities in CdX semiconductor nanocrystals by means of spectral (e.g., HSCs) analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical effect of laparoscopic right hepatectomy (LRH) and open right hepatectomy (ORH) in the treatment of liver tumor. Patients and Methods We systematically searched PubMed, web of science, EMBASE, clinicaltrials.gov, and Cochrane Central Register for studies (study published August 1947 to December 2019). In this study, the perioperative data of laparoscopic right hepatectomy and open right hepatectomy were analyzed. Our meta-analysis included 7 studies involving 633 patients who underwent two types of surgery, laparoscopic right hepatectomy and open right hepatectomy. This study showed that compared with open right hepatectomy, there was no significant difference in operative time (weighted mean difference (WMD): 35.28, 95% confidence interval (CI): − 9.04–79.60, P = 0.12), but the result of laparoscopic right hepatectomy's R0 resections (odd ratio (OR): 2.34, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.60–9.11, P = 0.22), transfusion (odd ratio (OR): 0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.34–1.20, P = 0.17), mortality (odd ratio (OR): 0.44, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.14–1.45, P = 0.18) was similar to that of open right hepatectomy. Laparoscopic right hepatectomy resulted in shorter hospital stay (weighted mean difference (WMD): − 4.75, 95% confidence interval (CI): − 5.96–3.55, P<0.00001) and less estimated blood loss (EBL) (weighted mean difference (WMD): − 161.97, 95% confidence interval (CI): − 257.47–66.46, P = 0.0009). The clinical effect of laparoscopic right hepatectomy in the treatment of liver tumor was similar to that of open right hepatectomy, which was safe, feasible, and has a good prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The sequence of maize ZmHsf05 was highly conserved compared to its homologs in other plants. • ZmHsf05 from maize rescued thermotolerant defects of athsfa2 mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana. • Constitutive expression of ZmHsf05 in Arabidopsis thaliana increased thermotolerance to heat stress as compared to WT. High temperature directly affects the yield and quality of crops. Plant Hsfs play vital roles in plant response to heat shock. In the present study, ZmHsf05 was isolated from maize (Zea mays L.) using homologous cloning methods. The sequencing analysis demonstrated that CDS of ZmHsf05 was 1080 bp length and encoded a protein containing 359 amino acids. The putative amino acid sequence of ZmHsf05 contained typical Hsf domains, such as DBD, OD, NLS and AHA motif. Subcellular localization assays displayed that the ZmHsf05 is localized to the nucleus. ZmHsf05 was expressed in many maize tissues and its expression level was increased by heat stress treatment. ZmHsf05 rescued the reduced thermotolerance of the athsfa2 mutant in Arabidopsis seedlings. Arabidopsis seedlings of ZmHsf05 -overexpressing increased both the basal and acquired thermotolerances. After heat stress, the ZmHsf05 -overexpressing lines showed enhanced survival rate and chlorophyll content compared with WT seedlings. The expression of Hsps was up-regulated in the ZmHsf05 -overexpressing Arabidopsis lines after heat stress treatment. These results suggested that ZmHsf05 plays an important role in both basal and acquired thermotolerance in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Depolarization abnormalities are hardly detectable by standard 12‐lead electrocardiogram (ECG) in some patients. Objective: To evaluate the value of the 16‐lead High‐Definition (HD)‐ECG machine to record conduction abnormalities including Epsilon waves in patients with structural heart disease. Methods: Tracings with 12‐lead ECG, 16‐lead HD‐ECG, and signal‐averaged ECG were studied. Results: (1) Case of severe coronary artery disease (CAD): On 16‐lead HD‐ECG, a tiny intra‐QRS signal was noted in lead III, a prolonged P wave in lead II, and fragmentation on top of lead aVL and lead aVF. Proper automatic measurement of the prolonged P wave measuring 190 ms was noted. Signal‐averaging by 16‐lead HD‐ECG in lead III showed the intra‐QRS fragmentation and P wave prolongation of 180 ms. (2) First patient with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD): Standard 12‐lead ECG indicated Epsilon waves in lead III, V2, V3, and inverted T waves in V1–V3. 16‐lead HD‐ECG indicated QRS prolongation in lead II, III, aVL, aVF, V2, V3 as opposed to V6, and low amplitudes of QRS complexes in V4R and V3R as a new possible sign of ARVD. Notches in lead V2, widening of QRS complexes in all precordial leads, but shorter QRS in V8‐V9 are also considered as a potential new diagnostic sign of ARVD. (3) Second ARVD patient: Notches at the end of the QRS in lead III and a negative initial deflection of the QRS in V1 and V2 were detected by standard 12‐lead ECG. On 16‐lead HD‐ECG, a more pronounced QRS fragmentation was visible. Conclusion: 16‐lead HD‐ECG in both CAD and ARVD seems to be more sensitive than 12‐lead ECG to record electrocardiographic abnormalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Palmar hyperhidrosis involves excessive sweating of the palms, with no known etiology. Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) is a safe and effective treatment for palmar hyperhidrosis, but compensatory hyperhidrosis is a common complication after ETS, leading to reduced patient satisfaction and postoperative quality of life. However, the appropriate level of the sympathetic chain to target with ETS to achieve maximum efficacy and reduce the risk of compensatory hyperhidrosis (CH) is controversial. In this systemic review, we investigated the appropriate level of sympathectomy for palmar hyperhidrosis.Methods: PRISMA guidelines were implemented to complete a systematic review. We performed a computerized systematic literature search using PubMed and EMBASE from January 1990 to July 2016. We chose the Cochrane Collaboration's tool and the methodological index for non-randomized studies tool for examining study bias.Results: A total of 4075 citations were identified, of which 91 were eligible for inclusion, including 68 observational studies and 23 comparative trials. In observational studies, sympathectomies showed similar efficacies for curing PH at different levels. However, T2-free groups (i.e., at levels T3, T4, or T3-T4 combined) could render a lower risk of Horner's syndrome (0 vs. 1.21 ± 0.49%, p = 0.036) and CH (28.75 ± 7.25 vs. 57.46 ± 3.86, p = 0.002) compared with T2 involved. In comparative trials, there were 12 studies describing the comparison between T2-free ETS and T2 involved, and 9 of 12 (75%) showed T2-free ETS could reduce the incidence of CH. Overall, lowering the level and limiting the extent of sympathectomy could reduce the incidence of complications.Conclusions: Cumulative data from more than 13,000 patients suggest that ETS is a safe, effective, and reproducible procedure with a high degree of patient satisfaction. Currently available evidence suggests that T2-free ETS may reduce the incidence of compensatory hyperhidrosis without compromising success rates and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on amphiphilic diblock copolymer-decorated anisotropic silica nanotubes with well-defined dual functions of shape and surface properties in one nanocontainer. Amphiphilic poly(lactic acid)- block -poly(ethylene glycol) (PLA- b -PEG) diblock copolymers are covalently grafted to the surface of mesoporous silica nanotubes via silane chemistry and esterification. The released percentage of probe molecules from the resultant silica- g -(PLA- b -PEG) hybrid nanocontainer is around 40% over a release time of 48 h, in contrast to 90% from bare silica nanotubes prior to surface modification. The diblock copolymer-decorated anisotropic nanocontainers with large aspect ratio lead to enhanced viability of NIH 3T3 fibroblast cells. A theoretical model based on the free energy cost for cell membranes to encapsulate nanocontainers is utilized to understand the cytotoxicity. This work demonstrates that the release dynamics of the active molecules and the interaction of hybrid nanocontainers with cell membranes can be regulated by the synergistic effect of nanocontainer shape and surface properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turnip mosaic virus (Tu MV) is responsible for a serious disease that affects the production of Chinese cabbage. Previous studies have cloned a series of Tu MV resistance genes and developed molecular markers. In this study, a derived cleaved amplified polymorphism sequence ( dCAPS) marker and a Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR ( KASP) marker were developed based on a single recessive gene, retr02, which confers broad-spectrum Tu MV resistance in Chinese cabbage by means of an additional G at the junction of exon 1 and intron 1. The two markers were able to detect the retr02 allele in Chinese cabbage accessions used in breeding programmes. Compared with the dCAPS marker, the KASP marker was flexible, cost-effective and quick to process, which is likely to be beneficial in establishing high-throughput assays for marker-assisted selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spin Hamiltonian parameters ( g factors and hyperfine structure constants) are theoretically studied for the two interstitial Cu 2+ centers I and II in the ZnO nanocrystals from the perturbation formulas of these parameters for a tetragonally elongated octahedral 3d 9 cluster. The ligand spin–orbit coupling and orbital contributions are involved from the cluster approach in view of moderate covalency. The two Cu 2+ centers demonstrate slight tetragonal elongation distortions (denoted by the relative elongation parameters ρ ≈ 3.4% and 3.2% for centers I and II, respectively) due to the Jahn–Teller effect. The calculated spin Hamiltonian parameters and three optical transition bands are in good agreement with the observed values. The differences in EPR and optical spectra for both centers can be ascribed to the weaker covalency (higher N ), stronger tetragonal elongation distortion (larger ρ ) and slightly larger core polarization constant κ as well as almost identical crystal-fields (nearly the same Dq ) for center I as compared to center II. The above delicate discrepancies in spectroscopic behaviors may be attributed to the tiny differences in local structures and electronic states for Cu 2+ at dissimilar parts of the ZnO nanocrystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thegfactors and local structures for Cu2+in the ZnX (X = O, S and Se) nanocrystals at room temperature are theoretically investigated by the perturbation calculations for a tetragonally distorted tetrahedral 3d9cluster in a consistent way, and the isotropicgfactor is predicted for the ZnS:Cu2+nanocrystals at room temperature. The bond angles θ between the four equivalent Cu2+−X2−bonds and the C4axis are found to be about 1.26°, 1.24° and 1.07°, respectively, larger in the ZnO, ZnS and ZnSe nanocrystals than that (θ0≈ 54.74°) for an ideal tetrahedron, inducing tetragonally compressed tetrahedra. The declining tendency (ZnO > ZnS > ZnSe) of the tetragonal angular distortion Δθ (= θ − θ0) can be ascribed to the decreasing strength of the dynamic Jahn–Teller effect via the vibration interactions of the [CuX4]6−groups due to the weakening Cu2+−X2−bonding. The isotropicgfactors are attributable to the appropriate Δθ due to the dynamic Jahn–Teller effect and the internal stress. The slightly increasing (ZnO < ZnS < ZnSe)gfactors can be illustrated by the declining cubic field parameterDq, angular distortion Δθ and covalency factorNof the systems. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Knight shifts for the tetragonal site in are theoretically studied from the high order perturbation formulas of the Knight shifts for a tetragonally elongated octahedral cluster. The significant anisotropy of the Knight shifts is attributable to the obvious tetragonal elongation distortion of the site. The anisotropic factors of this system are uniformly analyzed, and the calculation results and the local structure of the copper site are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By employing the perturbation calculations, the spin Hamiltonian parameters (SHPs) and local structures are uniformly explored for Mn 2+ in the ZnO nanocrystal and bulk. The EPR spectra are satisfactorily explained for both the systems, and the defect structure information is obtained, i.e., the substitutional impurity Mn 2+ may undergo the axial displacements of 0.036 and 0.042 Å away from the oxygen triangles along the C 3 axis in the ZnO nanocrystal and bulk, respectively. The similar SHPs for Mn 2+ in the nanocrystal and bulk can be illustrated as the approximately identical covalency (equal covalency factor N ) as well as the smaller axial displacement, the stronger crystal–field (CF) interactions (larger cubic CF parameter Dq) and Mn 2+ 3d–3s orbital admixture (larger core polarization constant κ ) in the former. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface soils were collected from Liaohe delta, China, the largest reed wetland in the world dominated by common reed ( Phragmites australis ). Samples were analyzed for sixteen priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by GC/MS. The potential source patterns and source contributions to seven carcinogenic PAH congeners were performed by combining of Unmix and positive matrix factorization (PMF) model with the formula of toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ BaP ) and mutagenic equivalent quantity (MEQ BaP ), respectively. Four source categories, including petrogenic source, biomass burning, diesel emission and coal combustion, were identified by Unmix and PMF models. For both Unmix and PMF model, the mixed sources (gasoline and diesel engine emission) contributed the most to the TEQ BaP and MEQ BaP , while petrogenic source, the largest contributor for PAHs, made lower contribution to TEQ BaP and MEQ BaP . Minor source contribution difference was found between two models, which might be attributed to uncertainties model parameters and species variables. Hence, it is very essential to use combined source apportionment techniques for quantitatively identifying PAHs sources and estimated their carcinogenicity and mutagenicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spin Hamiltonian parameters ( g factors and hyperfine structure constants) and local structures are theoretically studied for the tetragonal Cu 2+ centers in the ZnX (X=O and S) nanocrystals from the perturbation formulas of these parameters for a 3d 9 ion in tetragonally distorted tetrahedra. The ligand orbital and spin–orbit coupling contributions are considered in view of strong covalency. Due to the Jahn–Teller effect, the local Cu 2+ ‒X 2− bond angles between the four equivalent impurity-ligand bonds and the four-fold axis are found to be about 2.47° and 1.68° larger than that (≈54.74°) for an ideal tetrahedron. This induces tetragonally compressed [CuX 4 ] 6− clusters on tetrahedral substitutional Zn 2+ sites, different from the assignments (i.e., Cu 2+ on tetragonally elongated octahedral and tetrahedral substitutional sites in the ZnO and ZnS nanocrystals, respectively) in the previous works. The calculated g factors for both systems and the parallel component of the hyperfine structure constants for the ZnS:Cu 2+ nanocrystals based on the above local angular distortions are in good agreement with the observed values. The validity of the present assignments for the local structures of the Cu 2+ centers is analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spin Hamiltonian parameters (zero-field splittingD,gfactors and hyperfine structure constants) are theoretically studied for Mn2+in the ZnS nanocrystals and bulks from the perturbation formulae of these quantities for trigonal and cubic tetrahedral 3d5clusters, respectively. The trigonal Mn2+centre in the ZnS nanocrystals is attributed to the impurity–ligand bond angle related to the C3axis about 0.39° larger than that (≈109.47°) of an ideal tetrahedron. Almost the samegfactors and hyperfine structure constants for the nanocrystals and bulks can be ascribed to similar crystal-field environments (i.e. comparable cubic field parametersDq), nearly the same covalency (i.e. the equal covalency factorsN) and the Mn2+3d–3s orbital admixture (i.e. the identical core polarisation constants κ) in both systems. The ligand orbital and spin–orbit coupling contributions are found to be important and should be included in the electron paramagnetic resonance analysis in view of significant covalency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrophobic antifouling polymers capable of self‐healing performance are highly desirable for industrial applications. However, the construction of self‐healing, hydrophobic antifouling polymers is challenging considering their complex fouling environments, which are humid in aqueous environment. In this work, a self‐healing hydrophobic polymer containing Fe3+‐catechol coordination applicable to antifouling is synthesized. The hydrophobic fluoroalkyl segments in the polymers formed unique domains dispersed in a polydimethylsiloxane matrix. The as‐synthesized polymers can completely restore their tensile strength, and their self‐healing efficiency is above 90% in both artificial seawater and pure water because of the dynamic Fe3+‐catechol coordination interactions. The as‐synthesized polymer exhibited self‐healing and antifouling properties against common marine bacteria. The colony adhesion and self‐healing processes of the damaged coating in artificial seawater containing marine bacteria are characterized by laser confocal microscopy. This strategy may be useful for the development of future polymeric antifouling materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forty one soil samples were collected from Liaohe estuarine wetland in May 2009 for assessing the distribution, ecological risk, and health risk of dioxin-like PCBs (dl-PCBs). The total concentrations of 12 dl-PCBs ranged from 0.36–1.36 ng/g, with a mean value of 0.77 ng/g. The dominant dl-PCBs were Tetra-CBs, which contributed to 43.9% of the total. The ecological risk of dl-PCBs was analyzed based on the toxic equivalent (TEQ) approach. In this study, the TEQ concentrations of dl-PCBs in soils varied from 0.06–22.55 pg/g, with a mean value of 8.18 pg/g. Human health risk was evaluated based on the non carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk method. Non carcinogenic risk was measured using a hazard quotient (HQ) values for 95% upper control limit (UCL) and maximum concentrations of dl-PCBs. HQ values were lower than 1 under both exposure scenarios, which indicated that the non carcinogenic risk of dl-PCBs was negligible. Carcinogenic risk was estimated based on the criteria of ingestion, dermal contact and inhalation of soils. Carcinogenic risk values were less than 10−6, which exhibited negligible cancer risk for infant, child and adult, respectively, through ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A sensitive and selective method using 2-(7H-dibenzo[a,g]carbazol-7-yl)ethyl 4-methylbenzenesulfonate (DBCETS) as a new fluorescent labeling reagent has been proposed for simultaneously detecting BA and FFA by HPLC with fluorescence detector. The developed method offered the low detection limits of 0.42–0.70 and 0.28–0.57ng/mL for BA and FFA, respectively. Compared with the reported methods, the proposed method here is capable of offering higher detection sensitivity and selectivity, with less cost and lower volume of sample preparation. This method was validated to ensure high accuracy and precision, and the reliability of its results. When applied to the serum samples of healthy volunteers and patients with hepatic carcinoma, it showed excellent applicability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The development of reliable synthetic routes to polymeric nanostructures of well-defined composition, morphology and function is of scientific importance and technological interest. The generation of functional hollow polymeric nanostructures, hollow nanospheres and nanotubes in particular, can be achieved through direct and template-directed synthesis, core–shell precursors, and self-assembly of copolymers and polymer conjugates, as well as from dendrimers. The ability to prepare precursor macromolecules of well-defined structure and architecture has been substantially enhanced by recent advances in controlled radical polymerizations. The application and potential application of the hollow polymeric nanospheres and nanotubes as nanoreactors, and in diagnostics, encapsulation, controlled release, and other stimuli-responsive systems are also described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: “Comb-like” graft copolymers, consisting of a poly((N-vinylcarbazole)-co-(4-vinylbenzyl chloride)) (P(NVK-co-VBC)) copolymer backbone from free radical polymerization and poly(((2-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-co-(tert-butyl acrylate)) (P(DMAEMA-co-tBA)) side chains from atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), were hydrolyzed to produce the acrylic acid (AAc)-containing “comb-like” graft copolymers of P(NVK-co-VBC)-comb-P(DMAEMA-co-AAc). The amphiphilic copolymers possess a fluorescent hydrophobic P(NVK-co-VBC) backbone and pH-sensitive hydrophilic P(DMAEMA-co-AAc) side chains. Arising from acid–base interaction of the hydrophilic side chains, the copolymers can self-assemble into pH-responsive fluorescent and multi-walled hollow vesicles of well-defined morphology in aqueous media. The size and layered wall thickness of the vesicles are also dependent on the length of the copolymer side chains, while the number of wall layers is dependent on the concentration of the vesicles in the aqueous media. In comparison, a N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm)-containing comb-like amphiphilic copolymer (P(NVK-co-VBC)-comb-P(NIPAAm-co-DMAEMA)) of similar structure, albeit with non-interacting hydropholic side chains, self-assembles only into temperature and pH-responsive single-shelled hollow nanoparticles in aqueous media. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Organoarsenicals are widely used as growth promoters in animal feed, resulting in unabsorbed arsenic (As) left in animal manures. A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the growth and As uptake of amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor Linn, a crop with an axial root system) and water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forsk, a crop with a fibrous root system) grown in a paddy soil (PS) and a lateritic red soil (LRS) amended with 2% and 4% (w/w) As-bearing chicken manure and pig manure, respectively. Soils without any fertilizers were the controls. The biomass, As contents and total As uptake of the shoots, As transfer factors (TFs) from roots to shoots and the root/shoot (R/S) ratios of water spinach were significantly higher than those of amaranth (p <0.0015). The biomass, total As uptake and R/S ratios showed significant difference for soil types (p <0.0031). Manure amendments increased the biomass of both vegetables, reduced the As contents in amaranth but increased those in water spinach. The As contents were negatively correlated with the biomass in amaranth, but positive correlation was observed for water spinach. The total As uptake by amaranth was decreased in PS and insignificantly affected in LRS by manure application, but that by water spinach was significantly increased in both soils. We suggest that the higher As uptake by water spinach might be related to its root structure and R/S ratio. Heavy application of As-bearing animal manures should be avoided in water spinach. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: AtDjA2 and atDjA3 are members of J-domain molecular chaperone family of Arabidopsis thaliana. Analysis of the spatial expression of promoter:GUS fusions showed that both genes are expressed in young roots and leaves of seedlings, as well as in flowers and young siliques. The results from quantitative real-time PCR analyses indicate that the expression of both genes increased rapidly after a 37°C heat shock. Similar results were seen when the promoter:GUS fusion plants were exposed to heat shock conditions. The heat shock-induced increase in atDjA3 gene expression was more rapid and to a greater extent than seen with the atDjA2 gene. Both T-DNA insertional KO lines and ectopic 35S-driven overexpressing lines of both genes were employed in an attempt to specific roles for the two genes. The individual T-DNA insertional mutants had no obvious physical phenotype, however, seedlings of double-KO lines had impaired thermotolerance. Conversely, ectopic overexpression of both genes resulted in plants with increased thermotolerance. These results suggest a conserved function for both genes, and a dose-dependent effect on seedling thermotolerance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

PP7 is the first protein Ser/Thr phosphatase to be found to interact with calmodulin (CaM) in plants. The T-DNA insertion AtPP7 knockout line and AtPP7 overexpression lines were employed to study the specific function of AtPP7. The AtPP7 knockout impaired the thermotolerance of Arabidopsis seedlings while the overexpression of AtPP7 resulted in plants with increased thermotolerance. Results from real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) showed that the expression of AtHSP70 and AtHSP101 genes was up-regulated in AtPP7 overexpression lines after heat shock (HS) at 37 °C for 1 h. Protein gel blot analysis showed that HSP70 protein levels increased in AtPP7 overexpression lines after HS at 37 °C for 2 h. The expression of the AtPP7 gene was also induced by HS at 37 °C in wild-type Arabidopsis. Using a yeast two-hybrid screen, we showed an interaction between AtPP7 and CaM. In addition, we found that AtPP7 interacts with an HS transcription factor (HSF), suggesting a possible role for AtPP7 in regulating the expression of heat shock protein (HSP) genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction of self‐healing materials with improved mechanical performance is a great challenge. A strong and tough self‐healing composite is fabricated via in situ growth of zeolitic imidazole framework‐8 (ZIF‐8) nanocrystals in imidazole‐containing polymer networks. By adjusting the stoichiometric ratio of the zinc salt to 2‐methylimidazole, composites with various mechanical performances are obtained. The existence of ZIF‐8 nanocrystals via in situ growth in the polymer networks is confirmed by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The zinc–imidazole interactions between the ZIF‐8 nanocrystals and the polymer are confirmed by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR‐FTIR) spectroscopy. The composites can repair themselves under mild conditions owing to dynamic zinc–imidazole interactions. The self‐healing efficiency of composites can reach up to 91% under the condition of 60 °C for 48 h. In contrast to the pure zinc cation crosslinking system, the composite containing ZIF‐8 nanocrystals prepared via in situ growth exhibited enhanced tensile strength and toughness by 43% and 100%, respectively. This study proves that incorporating the metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) materials into a self‐healing system via an in situ growth strategy is highly promising for designing self‐healing materials with improved mechanical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We provide a measurement of the deficit in the Sunyaev–Zel'dovich Compton- y signal towards cosmic voids, by stacking a catalogue of 97 090 voids constructed with BOSS-DR12 data, on the y -maps built on data from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) DR4 and the Planck satellite. We detect the void signal with a significance of |$7.3 \sigma$| with ACT and |$9.7\sigma$| with Planck , obtaining agreements in the associated void radial y -profiles extracted from both maps. The inner-void profile (for angular separations within the void angular radius) is reconstructed with significances of 4.7σ and 6.1σ with ACT and Planck , respectively; we model such profile using a simple model that assumes uniform gas (under)density and temperature, which enables us to place constraints on the product (−δv T e) of the void density contrast (negative) and the electron temperature. The best-fitting values from the two data sets are |$(-\delta _{\rm v}T_{\rm e})=(6.5\pm 2.3)\times 10^{5}\, \text{K}$| for ACT and |$(8.6 \pm 2.1)\times 10^{5}\, \text{K}$| for Planck [68 per cent confidence level (CL)], which are in good agreement under uncertainty. The data allow us to place lower limits on the expected void electron temperature at |$2.7\times 10^5\, \text{K}$| with ACT and |$5.1\times 10^5\, \text{K}$| with Planck (95 per cent CL); these results can transform into upper limits for the ratio between the void electron density and the cosmic mean as |$n^{\rm v}_{\rm e}/\bar{n}_{\rm e}\leqslant 0.73$| and 0.49 (95 per cent CL), respectively. Our findings prove the feasibility of using thermal Sunyaev–Zel'dovich observations to constrain the gas properties inside cosmic voids, and confirm that voids are under-pressured regions compared to their surroundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mineral and bone disorder (MBD) in hemodialysis patients is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Studies on the MBD status of hemodialysis patients at high altitudes are extremely limited. Methods: A total of 146 hemodialysis patients from 5 local hospitals across all districts with hemodialysis centers in the Tibetan Plateau were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Parameters related to MBD, including serum phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels, were measured. The achievement of MBD goals was compared with the achievement in the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Study (DOPPS) 3, DOPPS 4 and a multicenter study of MBD in China. Factors associated with hyperphosphatemia were examined. Results: Altogether, 146 hemodialysis patients were recruited from the Tibetan Plateau. According to the K/DIGO guidelines, there were low achievement rates for serum Ca (40.4%), P (29.7%), and iPTH (47.1%). As for the (KDOQI) guidelines, the rates of achievement of defined targets were 38.4%, 33.7% and 16.4% for serum Ca, P and iPTH, respectively. The percentages of patients reaching the KDOQI targets for corrected Ca, P, and iPTH were significantly lower for Tibetan patients than the percentages found in DOPPS 3 (38.4% vs. 50.4%, 33.7% vs. 49.8%, and 16.4% vs. 31.4%, respectively, all p <.001) and DOPPS 4 (38.4% vs. 56.0%, 33.7% vs. 54.5%, and 16.4% vs. 35.3%, respectively, all p <.001). The percentage of patients reaching the KDOQI targets for iPTH was significantly lower in Tibet than in the plain areas of China (16.4% vs. 26.5%, p <.001). The proportion of patients with hypocalcemia was higher in Tibet than in the plain areas (44.5% vs. 19.4%, p <.001). The percentage of local patients with optimal P was significantly higher for patients with an activated vitamin D prescription than for patients without an activated vitamin D prescription (45.3% vs. 19.3%, p <.001). Age and the activated vitamin D prescription were independently associated with hyperphosphatemia. Conclusion: The MBD status of hemodialysis patients in Tibet is far from the ideal level. High altitude is one of the possible causes of the differences found, but not the principal one. It is necessary for medical staff in Tibet to improve the detection and treatment of MBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naxos disease, first described by Dr. Nikos Protonotarios and colleagues on the island of Naxos, Greece, is a special form of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD). It is an inherited condition with a recessive form of transmission and a familial penetrance of 90%. It is associated with thickening of the skin of the hands and sole, and a propensity to woolly hair. The cardiac anomalies characterized by ventricular arrhythmias with ventricular extrasystoles and tachycardia and histologic features of the myocardium are consistent with ARVD, but in a more severe form of dysplasia with major dilatation of the right ventricle. The identification of the responsible first gene on chromosome 17, and its product plakoglobin as the responsible protein for Naxos disease proved to be a milestone in the study of ARVD, which opened a new field of research. Thanks to those with the determination to discover Naxos disease, there is and will be more clarity in understanding the mechanisms of juvenile sudden death in the young who have an apparently otherwise normal heart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TMEM151A, located at 11q13.2 and encoding transmembrane protein 151A, was recently reported as causative for autosomal dominant paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD). Here, through comprehensive analysis of sporadic and familial cases, we expand the clinical and mutation spectrum of PKD. In doing so, we clarify the clinical and genetic features of Chinese PKD patients harboring TMEM151A variants and further explore the relationship between TMEM151A mutations and PKD. Whole exome sequencing was performed on 26 sporadic PKD patients and nine familial PKD pedigrees without PRRT2 variants. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to assess the gene expression of frameshift mutant TMEM151A in a PKD patient. TMEM151A variants reported to date were reviewed. Four TMEM151A variants were detected in four unrelated families with 12 individuals, including a frameshift mutation [c.606_607insA (p.Val203fs)], two missense mutations [c.166G > A (p.Gly56Arg) and c.791T > C (p.Val264Ala)], and a non-pathogenic variant [c.994G > A (p.Gly332Arg)]. The monoallelic frameshift mutation [c.606_607insA (p.Val203fs)] may cause TMEM151A mRNA decay, suggesting a potential pathogenic mechanism of haploinsufficiency. Patients with TMEM151A variants had short-duration attacks and presented with dystonia. Our study provides a detailed clinical description of PKD patients with TMEM151A mutations and reports a new disease-causing mutation, expanding the known phenotypes caused by TMEM151A mutations and providing further detail about the pathoetiology of PKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intelligent polymer composite with self-lubricating and self-healing functionalities is reported. The high strength intrinsic self-healing material that integrated hydrogen bond interactions into covalently linked networks was used as the matrix and the surface functionalized poly-alpha-olefin oil-containing microcapsules acted as lubricant fillers, which integrated the advantages of intrinsic self-healing and external self-lubricating strategies to realize organic combination of lubrication and healing functions in one system. The tensile and compressive strengths of the bifunctional composite can reach 59 MPa and 104 MPa, while the coefficient of friction (COF) and wear rate can reduce to 0.032 and 10−8 mm3/Nm. Besides, the bifunctional composite exhibited an excellent self-healing ability of scratch and the volume self-healing efficiency of 78% was achieved at 100 °C for 3 h. The developed high strength polymer material with self-lubricating and self-healing functionalities is highly expected for engineering applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spin Hamiltonian parameters (SHPs) (i.e., g factors, hyperfine structure constants and superhyperfine parameters) are theoretically investigated for the irradiation induced Rh 2+ and Rh 0 centres in NH 4 Cl by use of the perturbation calculations. The tetragonally compressed Rh 2+ centre in the form of [RhCl 4 (H 2 O) 2 ] 2 ‾ group originates from interstitial Rh 2+ (reduced from original Rh 3+ of doped RhCl 3 by capturing one electron during gamma irradiation) associated with two adjacent axial NH 4 + cations substituted by two H 2 O molecules due to charge compensation. The orthorhombically compressed Rh 0 centre in the form of [RhCl 4 (H 2 O) 2 ] 4 ‾ group arises from interstitial Rh 0 (reduced from Rh 3+ by capturing three electrons during gamma irradiation) with two adjacent axial NH 4 + replaced by two H 2 O molecules as charge compensators and the planar Rh 0 -Cl‾ bond length variation of about 0.042 Ǻ along [011] and [ 0 1 ¯ 1 ] axes due to the Jahn-Teller effect. The calculated SHPs are in good agreement with the observed values. The EPR spectra and local structures are discussed for both centres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For mechanized maize production, a low grain water content (GWC) at harvest is necessary. However, as a complex quantitative trait, understand the genetic mechanism of GWC remains a large gap, especially in hybrids. In this study, a hybrid population through two environments including 442 F1 was used for genome-wide association analysis of GWC and the grain dehydration rate (GDR), using the area under the dry down curve (AUDDC) as the index. Then, we identified 19 and 17 associated SNPs for GWC and AUDDC, including 10 co-localized SNPs, along with 64 and 77 pairs of epistatic SNPs for GWC and AUDDC, respectively. These loci could explain 11.39–68.2% of the total phenotypic variation for GWC and 41.07–67.02% for AUDDC at different stages, whose major effect was the additive and epistatic effect. By exploring the candidate genes around the significant sites, a total of 398 and 457 possible protein-coding genes were screened, including autophagy pathway and auxin regulation-related genes, and five inbred lines with the potential to reduce GWC in the combined F1 hybrid were identified. Our research not only provides a certain reference for the genetic mechanism analysis of GWC in hybrids but also provides an added reference for breeding low-GWC materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Review: 197 refs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The local lattice distortions of the various rhombic Ru 3+ centres ( A , A ′, B , B ′, X and X ′) in AgX (X = Cl and Br) are quantitatively investigated from the perturbation calculations of the anisotropic g factors and hyperfine structure constants for a 4d 5 ion in rhombically distorted octahedra. Centre A or A ′ is assigned to the substitutional Ru 3+ on Ag + site associated with one nearest neighbor silver vacancy V Ag in the [1 1 0] axis and one next nearest neighbor V Ag in the [ 1 ¯ 0 0] axis due to charge compensation. Ru 3+ is found to undergo the off-centre displacement 0.022 or 0.017 Å along the [1 1 0] axis, while the halide ligands closest to the V Ag move away from the vacancies by 0.030 or 0.005 Å in AgBr or AgCl, respectively, due to the electrostatic interactions of the V Ag . Centre B or B ′ is ascribed to Ru 3+ associated with each nearest neighbor V Ag in the [1 1 0] and [ 1 ¯ 1 ¯ 0] axes. The two axial ligands experience the displacement 0.036 or 0.015 Å along the Z (or [0 0 1]) axis, and the four planar ligands shift away from the vacancies by about 0.006 or 0.001 Å, respectively. Centre X or X ′ can be described as Ru 3+ associated with one nearest neighbor V Ag and one next nearest neighbor V Ag in the [1 1 0] and [0 0 1] axes, respectively. Ru 3+ may undergo the off-centre displacement 0.019 or 0.015 Å along the [1 1 0] axis, while the ligands closest to the V Ag move away from the V Ag by 0.022 or 0.006 Å. The present studies would be helpful to the investigations on the structures and properties for Ru 3+ in AgX and similar halides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Cryptococcosis is a devastating opportunistic disease commonly encountered in organ transplant recipients and patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Few studies have profiled the disease in immunocompetent patients. We sought to characterize the neuroimaging findings of cryptococcal meningitis among immunocompetent patients in China. Materials and methods Retrospective review of all patients diagnosed with cryptococcal meningitis at our institute, on the basis of CSF culture or India Ink test, between November 2011 and February 2016, was performed. Only apparently immunocompetent patients, for whom at least one brain MRI examination was performed, were included in the analysis. The MRI results were available for all these patients before CSF diagnosis. Data related to variables such as patient demographics, clinical features, neuroimaging characteristics and CSF findings were analyzed. Results Eighteen apparently immunocompetent patients, for whom brain MRI radiographs were available, were included in the analysis. Abnormal MRI findings were observed in 16 patients. These included multiple intraparenchymal lesions with or without enhancement, prominent basal ganglia involvement, miliary distribution of parenchymal nodules, multiple dilated Virchow-Robin spaces and leptomeningeal enhancement. Six patients had ventriculomegaly. Conclusion In our study, intraparenchymal findings were more common than leptomeningeal enhancement and perivascular lesions. Cryptococcal meningitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of immunocompetent patients with brain MRI findings of prominent parenchymal involvement such as bilateral patchy lesions in basal ganglia or miliary distribution of parenchymal nodules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The local structures and spin Hamiltonian parameters (SHPs, g factors, hyperfine structure constants and superhyperfine parameters) are theoretically investigated for the two orthorhombic Rh 2+ centers R4 and R5 in AgCl microcrystals. Center R4 is ascribed to the impurity Rh 2+ substituted for Ag + with two H 2 O molecules substituted for the nearest neighbor ligands Cl − along the [100] and [010] axes, each with one next nearest neighbor Ag + vacancy ( V Ag ) due to charge compensation. The impurity Rh 2+ is found to experience a small off-center displacement 0.006 Å along the [ 1 ¯ 1 ¯ 0 ] axis because of the electrostatic interactions of the substitutes and the V Ag . Center R5 is attributed to the impurity Rh 2+ substituted for Ag + associated with one H 2 O molecule substituted for the nearest neighbor ligand Cl − along the [100] axis and one next nearest V Ag along the [010] axis. Due to the effective positive charge of the substitute, Rh 2+ is repulsed away from the substitute by about 0.008 Å along the [ 1 ¯ 00 ] axis, while the intervening ligand Cl − in Rh 2+ and V Ag suffers a small inward displacement 0.010 Å towards the center of octahedron. The calculated SHPs based on the above local structures show good agreement with the experimental data for both centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by the destruction of insulin-secreting β cells upon autoreactive T cell attack. Oral administration of autoantigens is an attractive approach to treating T1DM, but an effective carrier should be used in order to protect antigens. Lactococcus lactis , a safe engineering strain, was used for this task in the present study. Two recombinant L. lactis expressing protein HSP65-6IA2P2 were used and be investigated the effects and mechanisms against T1DM in NOD mice. Our findings demonstrate that recombinant L. lactis strains can successfully both deliver antigens to intestinal mucosa and maintain the epitopes for a long time in NOD mice. Oral administration of recombinant L. lactis could prevent hyperglycemia, improve glucose tolerance, and reduce insulitis by inhibiting antigen-specific proliferation of T cells, augmenting regulatory immune reactions, and balancing ratios of Th17/Tregs and Th1/Th2. These results prove that orally administrated L. lactis expressing HSP65-6IA2P2 is an effective approach for the prevention of T1DM in NOD mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perturbation formulas of the spin Hamiltonian parameters (zero-field splitting andgfactorg//andg⊥) are established for a 3d8ion in trigonally distorted tetrahedra for the first time. In the theoretical treatments, the contributions from the Jahn–Teller effect, the ligand orbital and spin–orbit coupling interactions and configuration interactions are taken into account from the cluster approach in a uniform way. The above formulas are applied to the studies of the spin Hamiltonian parameters for the three CoCl(PPh3)3molecules, and the experimental electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of all the molecules are satisfactorily explained. The significant compressions of the ligand tetrahedra with mixed chlorine and PPh3groups around Co+are analysed for three distinct CoCl(PPh3)3compounds, characterised by the Cl–Co–P bond angles θ larger than the tetrahedral angle of 109.47°. The local trigonal distortions are discussed in view of the Jahn–Teller effect. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The electron paramagnetic resonance parameters (gfactors and hyperfine structure constants) and local structures are theoretically investigated for Cu2+in alkali lead tetraborate 90R2B4O7·9PbO·CuO (R = Li, Na and K) glasses based on the high-order perturbation calculations for a tetragonally elongated octahedral 3d9complex. The [CuO6]10−complexes are found to experience the relative tetragonal elongation ratios 18%, 23% and 30% for R = Li, Na and K, respectively, due to the Jahn–Teller effect, much larger than those for similar ARbB4O7(A = Li, Na and K) glasses. This point is attributed to the lattice expansion (longer A–O bond lengths) with doped PbO, yielding lower force constants and more intense Jahn–Teller elongations in the 90R2B4O7·9PbO·CuO glasses. The increasing tendency (Li > Na > K) of the relative elongation ratio λ, covalency and the ratio Δg///Δg⊥forg-shifts are systematically analysed in a uniform way. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The defect structure and the spin Hamiltonian parameters ( g factors g || , g ⊥ , the hyperfine structure constants A || and A ⊥ of Cu 2+ and the superhyperfine parameters A || ′ and A ⊥ ′ of Ga 3+ ) for LaSrGa 0.995 Cu 0.005 O 4 crystal are systematically investigated on the basis of the perturbation calculations for these quantities of a tetragonally elongated octahedral 3d 9 complex. Arising from the Jahn–Teller effect, the impurity Cu 2+ center indicates the slightly larger relative tetragonal elongation ratio (≈4.0(1)%) than that (≈3.40(4)%) of the host Ga 3+ site. The computed values of the spin Hamiltonian parameters agree well with the measured results. To the best of our knowledge, the superhyperfine parameters of Ga 3+ are theoretically studied for the first time. The unusual superhyperfine anisotropy ( A || ′< A ⊥ ′) for the present Ga 3+ ligand with respect to the conventional rule ( A || ′> A ⊥ ′) for the common anion ligands is ascribed to the opposite signs of the anisotropic terms for the [CuGa 4 ] 14+ cluster. The present studies reveal significant Cu 2+ –O 2− orbital hybridization and local tetragonal elongation around Cu 2+ , reflecting, to a certain extent, similar behaviors of the CuO 2 planes in oxide cuprates high T c superconductors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The failure mechanism of the Xiaba tunnel collapse was successfully revealed. • A series of effective stabilization measures have been successfully proposed. • The process of prevention and treatment of tunnel collapse has been proposed through field investigation of the Xiaba tunnel. With the increasingly complex environment faced by tunnel construction, the occurrence of collapse accidents has become more frequent. Nevertheless, there still needs to be a deeper realization of its mechanism and prevention measures. Based on this, this paper made a real-time tracking of the Xiaba tunnel collapse through field investigation and monitoring. Then, the specific failure mechanism was analyzed, and a series of comprehensive treatment measures were proposed. The findings indicated that the intricate geological conditions and continuous rainfall contributed to the occurrence of the disaster. To prevent further deformation of the surrounding rock, numerous stability countermeasures were implemented, such as pipe shed, small pipe grouting, temporary arch protection, peripheral radial grouting, and double-layer primary lining support structures. In addition, on-site monitoring data confirmed the effectiveness of these treatment measures. This case has important reference for preventing and treating tunnel collapse accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal stability and iron saturation of lactoferrin (LF) are of great significance not only for the evaluation of the biological activities of LF but also for the optimization of the isolation and drying process parameters. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is a well-established and efficient method for thermal stability and iron saturation detection in LF. However, multiple DSC measurements are typically performed sequentially, thus time-consuming and low throughput. Herein, we introduced the differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) approach to overcome such limitations. The DSF can monitor LF thermal unfolding with a commonly available real-time PCR instrument and a fluorescent dye (SYPRO orange or Glomelt), and the measured melting temperature of LF is consistent with that determined by DSC. On the basis of that, a new quantification method was established for determination of iron saturation levels using the linear correlation of the degree of ion saturation of LF with DSF measurements. Such DSF method is simple, inexpensive, rapid (<15 min), and high throughput (>96 samples per experiment), and provides a valuable alternative tool for thermal stability detection of LF and other whey proteins. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spin Hamiltonian parameters (i.e., anisotropicgfactors and hyperfine structure constants) and local tetragonal distortions for Cu2+in crystalline and amorphous TeO2and GeO2are theoretically investigated using the high-order perturbation formulas of these parameters for a tetragonally elongated octahedral 3d9cluster. The impurity Cu2+occupying the octahedral sites are found to experience the relative tetragonal elongation ratios of about 11.4% and 9.5% for crystalline TeO2and GeO2and 10.8% and 6.6% for amorphous TeO2and GeO2, respectively, along the C4axis due to the Jahn–Teller effect. This reveals the larger tetragonal elongation distortions for the Cu2+centres in crystalline than amorphous systems (especially TeO2). The theoretical spin Hamiltonian parameters show good agreement with the experimental data. The results are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

16 surface soil samples were collected from Jiaozhou Bay wetland. The concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured by gas chromatography-mass selective detector (GC/MS). The total concentration of PAHs ranged from 176.1–563.3 ng/g dry weight, with a mean of 345.3 ng/g dry weight. Factor analysis was calculated to apportion sources of PAHs. It was found that the PAHs mainly from coal burning, traffic sources, diesel leakage, coke production, oil exploitation and petroleum leakage. Seven carcinogenic PAHs classified by the IARC were calculated for the health risk assessment. Two groups of people (children and adults) were selected to estimate the carcinogenic risk via ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. As a result, the total carcinogenic risks for children and adults were 4.8 × 10−7and 8.8 × 10−7, respectively, and the carcinogenic risks were at acceptable range. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the parameters which contributed most to the carcinogenic risk assessment. As as a result, the average lifespan (AT), body weight (BW), BaPeq concentrations (CS), exposure frequency (EF), and exposure duration (ED) contribute most to the carcinogenic risk assessment, and these should be acquired on a site-specific basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is known that hypoxia influences many of the biologic processes involved in erythropoiesis; therefore, the high-altitude hypoxia may affect erythropoietin (EPO) responsiveness in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of altitude on EPO responsiveness in MHD patients. Methods: In this retrospective study, MHD patients from Tibet Autonomous Region People's Hospital (3,650 m above sea level) and Peking University People's Hospital (43.5 m above sea level) were recruited between May 2016 and December 2018. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to altitude. Variables including age, sex, dialysis vintage, dialysis modality, duration of EPO use, EPO doses, and laboratory tests were collected and analyzed. EPO responsiveness was measured in terms of the EPO resistance index (ERI). ERI was defined as the weekly weight-adjusted dose of EPO (IU/kg/week) divided by hemoglobin concentration (g/dL). The association between ERI and altitude was estimated using a multivariable linear regression model. Results: Sixty-two patients from Tibet Autonomous Region People's Hospital (high-altitude [HA] group) and 102 patients from Peking University People's Hospital (low-altitude [LA] group) were recruited. The ERI for HA group and LA group was 6.9 ± 5.1 IU w−1 kg−1 (g/dL)−1 and 11.5 ± 6.4 IU w−1 kg−1 (g/dL)−1, respectively. After adjusting for covariates by multivariable regression, altitude was independently associated with ERI (R2 = 0.245, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Altitude had an independent negative correlation with ERI. This result supported the hypothesis that altitude-associated hypoxia improved EPO responsiveness in MHD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Heat shock transcription factors (Hsfs) are present in majority of plants and play central roles in thermotolerance, transgenerational thermomemory, and many other stress responses. Our previous paper identified at least 82 Hsf members in a genome-wide study on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). In this study, we analyzed the Hsf expression profiles in the advanced development stages of wheat, isolated the markedly heat-responsive gene TaHsfA2–10 (GenBank accession number MK922287), and characterized this gene and its role in thermotolerance regulation in seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana (L. Heynh.). Results: In the advanced development stages, wheat Hsf family transcription profiles exhibit different expression patterns and varying heat-responses in leaves and roots, and Hsfs are constitutively expressed to different degrees under the normal growth conditions. Overall, the majority of group A and B Hsfs are expressed in leaves while group C Hsfs are expressed at higher levels in roots. The expression of a few Hsf genes could not be detected. Heat shock (HS) caused upregulation about a quarter of genes in leaves and roots, while a number of genes were downregulated in response to HS. The highly heat-responsive gene TaHsfA2–10 was isolated through homeologous cloning. qRT-PCR revealed that TaHsfA2–10 is expressed in a wide range of tissues and organs of different development stages of wheat under the normal growth conditions. Compared to non-stress treatment, TaHsfA2–10 was highly upregulated in response to HS, H2O2, and salicylic acid (SA), and was downregulated by abscisic acid (ABA) treatment in two-leaf-old seedlings. Transient transfection of tobacco epidermal cells revealed subcellular localization of TaHsfA2–10 in the nucleus under the normal growth conditions. Phenotypic observation indicated that TaHsfA2–10 could improve both basal thermotolerance and acquired thermotolerance of transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings and rescue the thermotolerance defect of the T-DNA insertion mutant athsfa2 during HS. Compared to wild type (WT) seedlings, the TaHsfA2–10-overexpressing lines displayed both higher chlorophyll contents and higher survival rates. Yeast one-hybrid assay results revealed that TaHsfA2–10 had transactivation activity. The expression levels of thermotolerance-related AtHsps in the TaHsfA2–10 transgeinc Arabidopsis thaliana were higher than those in WT after HS. Conclusions: Wheat Hsf family members exhibit diversification and specificity of transcription expression patterns in advanced development stages under the normal conditions and after HS. As a markedly responsive transcriptional factor to HS, SA and H2O2, TaHsfA2–10 involves in thermotolerance regulation of plants through binding to the HS responsive element in promoter domain of relative Hsps and upregulating the expression of Hsp genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-component, catalyst-free self-healing coatings with double-shelled polymer microcapsules have drawn considerable attention due to wide applications. In this work, the synthesis parameters of double-shelled polymer microcapsules and the mechanism of the self-healing process were systematically investigated. Apart from the chemical structure of the microcapsule shell, the shell thickness, the microcapsule size, and the core fraction could affect the self-healing anticorrosion properties. The synthesis parameters were further optimized in terms of the agitation rate, pH, weight ratio of core to shell, and temperature. Under these conditions, the microcapsule shell consisting of a rough surface formed by poly(urea-formaldehyde) and a smooth inner wall by polyurethane was prepared. The size of the microcapsules and core fraction were calculated to be approximately 30 μm and 75%, respectively. The self-healing anticorrosion coating incorporating as-synthesized microcapsules exhibited corrosion resistance in artificially scratched areas, which was further characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A resin nanocomposite embedded by encapsulated nanoparticles with exceptional mechanical and lubrication properties is reported. The functional encapsulated nanoparticles, synthesized by miniemulsion co -polymerization of methyl methacrylate with n -butyl acrylate, styrene and glycidyl methacrylate, had tunable glass transition temperatures and surface reactive glycidyl groups. The as-synthesized nanoparticles with controlled size, shell component and surface function, impacted a nanocomposite with the high toughness and strength as well as ultralow friction properties by their covalent crosslinking with the matrix and the formation of thin boundary lubricant film. Remarkably, the optimal toughness and strength of the nanocomposite with encapsulated nanoparticles achieved 3.8 and 1.5 times those of the counterpart with encapsulated microparticles, respectively. The nanocomposite incorporated with as-synthesized nanoparticles exhibited an ultralow coefficient of friction (COF) and a wear rate of 0.027 and 8.0 × 10−7 mm3/Nm, which were only 3.9% and 0.6% those of the matrix, respectively. The developed robust mechanical and ultralow friction resin nanocomposite from crosslinkable and flexible polymer-encapsulated nanoparticles is highly expected for engineering applications. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of self-healing polymers with tunable mechanical performances is an enormous challenge. Herein, self-healing polymers with tunable mechanical strengths via combined hydrogen bonding and Zn(II)-imidazole interactions were successfully synthesized. This synthesis was accomplished by introducing urea hydrogen bonding and Zn(II)-imidazole interactions into self-healing polymers polymerized from a new bifunctional monomer of 2-(3-(3-imidazolylpropyl)ureido)ethyl acrylate (IUA). The dual dynamic effects of urea hydrogen bonding and Zn(II)-imidazole interactions can simultaneously endow polymers with better self-healing capacities and mechanical properties. The synthesized polymers with urea hydrogen bonding and Zn(II)-imidazole interactions motifs exhibited over 90% self-healing efficiency under mild conditions. The mechanical strengths of the polymers can be flexibly tuned from 35.0 kPa to 4.41 MPa by varying the molar ratio of imidazole/Zn(II). When the polymers are damaged, the urea hydrogen bonds and Zn(II)-imidazole coordination can contribute to the reconstruction of the broken polymer networks and thus provide self-healing abilities. The interactions of hydrogen bonding and Zn(II)-imidazole coordination were confirmed by in-situ FT-IR spectra of the self-healing polymers at different temperatures. Image 1 • The synthesis of self-healing polymers from a new monomer with urea and imidazole bifunctional groups has been demonstrated. • The dual dynamic effects of hydrogen bonding and Zn(II)-imidazole interactions can endow copolymers with self-healing properties and tunable mechanical properties. • The interaction of the dual dynamic effects of self-healing polymers was characterized by in-situ FT-IR spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]