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Optimal dosing in pregnant and lactating women requires an understanding of the pharmacokinetics in the mother, fetus, and breastfed infant. Physiologically‐based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling can be used to simulate untested scenarios and hence supplement clinical data to support dosing decisions. A PBPK model for the antiretroviral dolutegravir (mainly metabolized by UGT1A1) was verified using reported exposures in non‐pregnant healthy volunteers, pregnant women, and the umbilical cord, lactating mothers, and breastfed neonates. The model was then applied to predict the impact of UGT1A1 phenotypes in extensive (EM), poor (PM), and ultra‐rapid metabolizers (UM). The predicted dolutegravir maternal plasma and umbilical cord AUC in UGT1A1 PMs was 1.6‐fold higher than in EMs. The predicted dolutegravir maternal plasma and umbilical cord AUC in UGT1A1 UMs mothers was 1.3‐fold lower than in EMs. The predicted mean systemic and umbilical vein concentrations were in excess of the dolutegravir IC90 at 17, 28, and 40 gestational weeks, regardless of UGT1A1 phenotype, indicating that the standard dose of dolutegravir (50 mg q.d., fed state) is generally appropriate in late pregnancy, across UGT1A1 phenotypes. Applying the model in breastfed infants, a 1.5‐, 1.7‐, and 2.2‐fold higher exposure in 2‐day‐old neonates, 10‐day‐old neonates, and infants who were UGT1A1 PMs, respectively, compared with EMs of the same age. However, it should be noted that the exposure in breastfed infants who were UGT1A1 PMs was still an order of magnitude lower than maternal exposure with a relative infant daily dose of <2%, suggesting safe use of dolutegravir in breastfeeding women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccination plays a crucial role in preventing and controlling SARS-CoV-2 infections as well as their associated adverse outcomes. But there is a notable lack of research on the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination in children, particularly those young preterm-born children, who are more vulnerable to severe outcomes from SARS-CoV-2 infection. We aimed to determine the effect of vaccination with inactivated vaccines BBIBP-CorV and CoronaVac on symptomatic COVID-19 infection and related symptoms in preterm-born children aged 3–7 years after relaxation of the COVID-19 prevention and control measures in December 2022 in China. We performed a retrospective cohort study involving 242 preterm-born children aged 3–7 years and the data were collected in March 2023. Logistic regression models and modified Poisson regression models combined with entropy balancing were used to explore the associations of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 with symptomatic COVID-19, specific symptoms, and persistent symptoms one month after recovery from COVID-19. Of the 242 recruited preterm-born children, 156 (64.5%) were vaccinated with inactivated vaccines BBIBP‐CorV and CoronaVac. After entropy balancing, the covariates were balanced between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated groups, with standardized mean difference < 0.001. Vaccination with the said SARS-CoV-2 vaccines lowered the risk of developing symptomatic COVID-19 in preterm-born children (risk ratio [RR] = 0.783; 95% confidence interval [CI]: (0.711, 0.861). Likewise, COVID-19 vaccination was associated with a decline in the risk of pneumonia (odds ratio [OR] = 0.318; 95% CI 0.110, 0.913), fever (RR = 0.710; 95% CI 0.635, 0.794), high fever (RR = 0.542; 95% CI 0.297, 0.988), sore throat (OR = 0.304; 95% CI 0.139, 0.664), and persistent symptoms (RR = 0.425; 95% CI 0.182, 0.993). Immunization with inactivated vaccines BBIBP‐CorV and CoronaVac provides protection against symptomatic COVID-19 for preterm-born children 3–7 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphohistidine (pHis) is a reversible protein post-translational modification (PTM) that is currently poorly understood. The P-N bond in pHis is heat and acid-sensitive, making it more challenging to study than the canonical phosphoamino acids pSer, pThr, and pTyr. As advancements in the development of tools to study pHis have been made, the roles of pHis in cells are slowly being revealed. To date, a handful of enzymes responsible for controlling this modification have been identified, including the histidine kinases NME1 and NME2, as well as the phosphohistidine phosphatases PHPT1, LHPP, and PGAM5. These tools have also identified the substrates of these enzymes, granting new insights into previously unknown regulatory mechanisms. Here, we discuss the cellular function of pHis and how it is regulated on known pHis-containing proteins, as well as cellular mechanisms that regulate the activity of the pHis kinases and phosphatases themselves. We further discuss the role of the pHis kinases and phosphatases as potential tumor promoters or suppressors. Finally, we give an overview of various tools and methods currently used to study pHis biology. Given their breadth of functions, unraveling the role of pHis in mammalian systems promises radical new insights into existing and unexplored areas of cell biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of microfluidics has significantly highlighted the role of surface acoustic waves (SAWs) in microfluidic actuation. SAW influences droplet manipulation, inducing interface instability and processes such as droplet splitting, jetting, and atomization, which have been key research focal points. Previous studies have identified a close correlation between these instability mechanisms and three critical parameters: the Marangoni number (M a), associated with piezoelectric substrate thermal effects; the slip coefficient ( β 0 ), related to piezoelectric substrate slip; and the acoustic capillary number (C). Given the intimate link between the aspect ratio (H / L , where H is the characteristic height, and L is the characteristic width of droplets) and atomization size, this study comprehensively investigates the combined effects of these factors on the droplet aspect ratio H / L. Specifically, increases in the acoustic capillary number C and slip coefficient β 0 promote reductions in droplet height (H) and outward expansion (L), while the Marangoni number M a counteracts this expansion, maintaining larger H / L values. This inhibitory effect is particularly pronounced when C and β 0 are small but diminishes as their values increase. Additionally, higher values of C and β 0 accelerate the convergence of the H / L ratio, whereas M a decreases the rate of this convergence. Through the coordinated interplay of M a , β 0 , and C , multidimensional and fine-tuned adjustments of the droplet aspect ratio H / L over a wide range can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic oral ulcers, arising from local physicochemical or mechanical stimuli, exhibit considerable discomfort, an extended healing period, and a potential for malignant transformation. Existing etiological treatments mainly include antibacterial therapy and promoting ulcer healing. Nevertheless, antibacterial therapy using antibiotics may cause unexpected side effects and drug resistance. Additionally, commonly used wound-healing drugs, such as growth factors and glucocorticoids, have drawbacks including instability, high cost, and systemic adverse reactions. To address these issues, a magnesium-incorporated photosensitive metal-organic framework (MOF) derivant, denoted as MgO/C, was developed by pyrolysis of Mg-MOF74. The MgO/C was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The established MgO/C showed an excellent photothermal antibacterial performance upon prevalent oral ulcer pathogens under near-infrared light irradiation, featured by antibacterial rates of 97.8 % and 96.5 % against Streptococcus mutans and Staphylococcus aureus , respectively. Moreover, the MgO/C exhibited controlled release of magnesium ions for up to four days and effectively enhanced fibroblast proliferation, migration and adhesion, at an optimal concentration of 200 ppm. A rat traumatic oral ulcer model demonstrated that the MgO/C+NIR group could facilitate ulcer healing in vivo , resulting in an increase of wound healing rate by 23.4 %, in comparison to the control on day 3. Our study revealed that MgO/C had great potential for the treatment of traumatic oral ulcers. [Display omitted] • Mg-MOF74 derivant with photothermal antibacterial activity and enhanced pro-healing function was successfully synthesized. • MgO/C efficiently eradicated prevalent oral ulcer pathogens S. mutans and S. aureus under near-infrared light irradiation. • MgO/C promoted fibroblast activity at an optimal concentration of 200 ppm, by sustained release of Mg2+. • A rat traumatic oral ulcer model verified the ideal in vivo therapeutic effects of MgO/C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is a well known risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. Mitochondria are the center of intracellular energy metabolism and the main source of reactive oxygen species. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been identified as a key factor in diabetes-associated brain alterations contributing to neurodegenerative events. Defective insulin signaling may act in concert with neurodegenerative mechanisms leading to abnormalities in mitochondrial structure and function. Mitochondrial dysfunction triggers neuronal energy exhaustion and oxidative stress, leading to brain neuronal damage and cognitive impairment. The normality of mitochondrial function is basically maintained by mitochondrial quality control mechanisms. In T2DM, defects in the mitochondrial quality control pathway in the brain have been found to lead to mitochondrial dysfunction and cognitive impairment. Here, we discuss the association of mitochondrial dysfunction with T2DM and cognitive impairment. We also review the molecular mechanisms of mitochondrial quality control and impacts of mitochondrial quality control on the progression of cognitive impairment in T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a spatially and temporally linked arc magmatic association of 2.55-2.50 Ga mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB)-affinity gabbros, arc-affinity basalts, high-Mg basalts/basaltic andesites (HMBA), Nb-enriched basalts (NEB), and a tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG)-like granodiorite from the Dengfeng greenstone belt (DFGB), North China Craton. These are identical to arc magmatic rock suites from hot subduction in the present plate mosaic, and resemble suites formed during subduction initiation. Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry zircon U-Pb dating indicates that gabbros and granodiorites intruded at ca. 2.55 Ga and the HMBAs formed at ca. 2.50 Ga, indicating a long duration of subduction zone magmatic activity of at least 50 m.y. in the DFGB. The gabbros are characterized by flat light-rare earth element (LREE) patterns without negative Nb and Zr anomalies, showing a MORB-like geochemical affinity. Combined with previously reported normal-MORB-type basalts, we suggest that they may represent magmatic products during intraoceanic subduction initiation where their mantle source was slightly metasomatized by subduction-derived fluids during the initiation stage. The arc-affinity basalts are characterized by slightly enriched LREE patterns with negative Nb and Zr anomalies. The HMBAs have higher contents of MgO, Ni, and Cr and display more fractionated rare earth element (REE) patterns and large negative Nb and Zr anomalies than the arc-affinity basalts. The NEBs are characterized by high absolute contents of Nb (9.9-14 ppm) and high ratios of Nb/Laprimitive mantle (pm) (0.40-0.46) and Nb/Thpm (0.44-0.54), and moderately fractionated REE and minor negative Nb anomalies with no Zr anomalies. One granodiorite sample is characterized by a highly fractionated REE pattern and negative Nb and Zr anomalies. Geochemical modeling suggests that the association of the normal arc-affinity basalt (NAB)-HMBA-NEB can be interpreted to be generated by hybridization of mantle wedge peridotites by slab-derived TTG-like melts. Positive values of whole-rock εNd (t) and zircon εHf (t) of the 2.55-2.50 Ga magmatic associations are consistent with a long-term depleted mantle source for the mafic assemblage. The 2.55-2.50 Ga magmatic association from MORB-affinity gabbros and basalts to arc-affinity NAB-HMBA-NEB may record a continuous Neoarchean geodynamic process from intraoceanic subduction initiation to mature arc magmatism. The NAB-HMBA-NEB association with regional sanukitoids and high-Al TTGs indicates that hot subduction may have played an important role in the production of arc-related magmatism during the Archean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly efficient surface acoustic wave (SAW) transducers offer significant advantages for microfluidic atomization. Aiming at highly efficient atomization, we innovatively accomplish dual-surface simultaneous atomization by strategically positioning the liquid supply outside the IDT aperture edge. Initially, we optimize Lamb wave transducers and specifically investigate their performance based on the ratio of substrate thickness to acoustic wavelength. When this ratio h / λ is approximately 1.25, the electromechanical coupling coefficient of A0-mode Lamb waves can reach around 5.5% for 128° Y-X LiNbO3. We then study the mechanism of droplet atomization with the liquid supply positioned outside the IDT aperture edge. Experimental results demonstrate that optimized Lamb wave transducers exhibit clear dual-surface simultaneous atomization. These transducers provide equivalent amplitude acoustic wave vibrations on both surfaces, causing the liquid thin film to accumulate at the edges of the dual-surface and form a continuous mist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking a total of 903 apple futures data from Zhengzhou Futures Exchange as research samples, and through unit root test, cointegration test, error correction, Granger causality test and variance decomposition with the aid of Eviews 8.0, this paper made an empirical analysis on the relationship between Zhengzhou apple futures market and Chinese apple website（pingguo7.cn） spot market price. It concluded that the main continuity of apple futures has an absolute advantage over the reference value of the futures index, and apple market participants can achieve hedging through the futures and spot market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the large-scale integration of distributed photovoltaic (DPV) power plants, the uncertainty of photovoltaic generation is intensively influencing the secure operation of power systems. Improving the forecast capability of DPV plants has become an urgent problem to solve. However, most of the DPV plants are not able to make generation forecast on their own due to the constraints of the investment cost, data storage condition, and the influence of microscope environment. Therefore, this paper proposes a master-slave forecast method to predict the power of target plants without forecast ability based on the power of DPV plants with comprehensive forecast system and the spatial correlation between these two kinds of plants. First, a characteristics pattern library of DPV plants is established with K-means clustering algorithm considering the time difference. Next, the pattern most spatially correlated to the target plant is determined through online matching. The corresponding spatial correlation mapping relationship is obtained by numerical fitting using least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM), and the short-term generation forecast for target plants is achieved with the forecast of reference plants and mapping relationship. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method could improve the overall forecast accuracy by more than 52% for univariate prediction and by more than 22% for multivariate prediction and obtain short-term generation forecast for DPV or newly built DPV plants with low investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scattering of elastic waves in nanoporous materials is inevitably influenced by the surface effect of nanopores. In order to investigate such a dynamic problem with surface effect of nanomaterials, a new theory of nanoelastic dynamics is proposed, in which both the effect of surface free energy and the effect of surface inertia force are included. With the new theory, a scattering of plane compressional waves (P-wave) by a cylindrical nanocavity is analyzed, and the corresponding dynamic stress concentration factor (DSCF) around the nanocavity is analytically solved. It is found that, when the size of cavity is at a nanoscale, the surface energy effect leads to a reduction of the maximum DSCF comparing with the classical counterpart without surface effect, while the surface inertial effect enlarges the maximum DSCF. The surface inertial effect gradually becomes dominant over the surface energy effect with an increasing incident wave frequency. Although both kinds of surface effects tend to vanish with an increasing cavity radius, the surface inertial effect can exist in a submicron-sized cavity if the wave frequency is sufficiently high. All these results should be of guiding value not only for an optimal design of porous structure possessing a better dynamic load bearing capacity but also for the non-destructive detection of nano-defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let Gi be closed Lie groups of U(n), Ωi be bounded Gi-invariant domains in ℂn which contains 0, and O(ℂn)Gi = ℂ, for i = 1, 2. It is known that if f: Ω1 →} Ω2 is a proper holomorphic mapping, and f−1{0} = {0}, then f is a polynomial mapping. In this paper, we provide an upper bound for the degree of such a polynomial mapping using the multiplicity of f. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycobacterial AdnAB is a heterodimeric helicase–nuclease that initiates homologous recombination by resecting DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). The AdnA and AdnB subunits are each composed of an N-terminal motor domain and a C-terminal nuclease domain. Here we report cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of AdnAB in three functional states: in the absence of DNA and in complex with forked duplex DNAs before and after cleavage of the 5′ single-strand DNA (ssDNA) tail by the AdnA nuclease. The structures reveal the path of the 5′ ssDNA through the AdnA nuclease domain and the mechanism of 5′ strand cleavage; the path of the 3′ tracking strand through the AdnB motor and the DNA contacts that couple ATP hydrolysis to mechanical work; the position of the AdnA iron–sulfur cluster subdomain at the Y junction and its likely role in maintaining the split trajectories of the unwound 5′ and 3′ strands. Single-molecule DNA curtain analysis of DSB resection reveals that AdnAB is highly processive but prone to spontaneous pausing at random sites on duplex DNA. A striking property of AdnAB is that the velocity of DSB resection slows after the enzyme experiences a spontaneous pause. Our results highlight shared as well as distinctive properties of AdnAB vis-à-vis the RecBCD and AddAB clades of bacterial DSB-resecting motor nucleases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since urban rail transit (URT) service is normally not running on 24-hour operation in most cities, last-train timetabling is a prominent problem and challenges URT managers constantly. The rise of app-based ride-hailing (ARH) service opens up new opportunities and challenges for last-train operators to better serve late-night passengers. Specifically, when passengers cannot reach their destinations only through URT services during the last-train operation period, passengers could make good use of feasible train-to-train transfers to reach stations closer to their destinations, and transfer to flexible ARH services to reach their final destinations. However, uncertain road conditions and varying passenger travel preferences complicate the coordination of URT services with ARH services. By considering different passengers' traveling preferences, various travel path choices, and uncertain ARH travel times, we formulate a two-stage mixed-integer stochastic optimization model to achieve an optimal last-train timetable design for getting more passengers to their destinations in a cost-effective and efficient way. In addition, we propose a genetic algorithm-based solution strategy which outperforms commercial solvers with its computational performance and has its practicability assured. Through our numerical experiments, we reveal insights about how different customers' preferences and cost components affect the optimal results and provide operational suggestions accordingly for achieving better timetable performance. • A two-stage stochastic optimization model for last train timetabling considering the coordination with ARH services under uncertain road conditions. • A genetic algorithm-based solution strategy to effectively and efficiently solve the problem. • Managerial insights for the last train operation based on numerical experiments of a real URT network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to predict the effect of inter-individual and inter-ethnic human kinetic variation on the sensitivity towards acute liver toxicity of lasiocarpine in the Chinese and the Caucasian population, and to derive chemical specific adjustment factors (CSAFs) by integrating variation in the in vitro kinetic constants Vmax and Km, physiologically based kinetic (PBK) modelling and Monte Carlo simulation. CSAFs were derived covering the 90th and 99th percentile of the population distribution of pyrrole glutathione adduct (7-GS-DHP) formation, reflecting bioactivation. The results revealed that in the Chinese population, as compared to the Caucasian population, the predicted 7-GS-DHP formation at the geometric mean, the 90th and the 99th percentile were 2.1-, 3.3- and 4.3-fold lower respectively. The CSAFs obtained using the 99th percentile values were 8.3, 17.0 and 19.5 in the Chinese, the Caucasian population and the two populations combined, respectively, while the CSAFs were generally 3.0-fold lower at the 90th percentile. These results indicate that when considering the formation of 7-GS-DHP the Caucasian population may be more sensitive towards acute liver toxicity of lasiocarpine, and further point out that the default safety factor of 3.16 for inter-individual human kinetic differences may not be sufficiently protective. Altogether, the results obtained demonstrate that integrating PBK modelling with Monte Carlo simulations using human in vitro data is a powerful strategy to quantify inter-individual variations in kinetics, and can be used to refine the human risk assessment of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lasiocarpine and riddelliine are pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) known to cause liver toxicity. The aim of this study was to predict the inter-species and inter-ethnic human differences in acute liver toxicity of lasiocarpine and riddelliine using physiologically based kinetic (PBK) modelling based reverse dosimetry of in vitro toxicity data. The concentration–response curves of in vitro cytotoxicity of lasiocarpine and riddelliine defined in pooled human hepatocytes were translated to in vivo dose–response curves by PBK models developed using kinetic data obtained from incubations with pooled tissue fractions from Chinese and Caucasian individuals, providing PBK models for the average Chinese and average Caucasian, respectively. From the predicted in vivo dose–response curves, the benchmark dose lower and upper confidence limits for 5% effect (BMDL5 and BMDU5) were derived and subsequently compared to those previously obtained in rat to evaluate inter-species differences. The inter-species differences amounted to 2.0-fold for lasiocarpine and 8.2-fold for riddelliine with humans being more sensitive than rats. The inter-ethnic human differences varied 2.0-fold for lasiocarpine and 5.0-fold for riddelliine with the average Caucasian being more sensitive than the average Chinese. In conclusion, the present study provides the proof-of-principle to predict inter-species and inter-ethnic differences in in vivo liver toxicity for PAs by an alternative testing strategy integrating in vitro cytotoxicity data with PBK modelling-based reverse dosimetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Interleukin 17 expression is increased in children with Hirschsprung disease, which is characterized by intestinal inflammation. This study designed to exploit the characteristics of intestinal inflammation and examine the correlation of interleukin 17 in this process of hypoganglionosis model established by benzalkonium chloride treatment. Colon sections from female rats were treated with benzalkonium chloride to induce hypoganglionosis or with saline alone as a sham control. C-reactive protein and tumor necrosis factor-ɑ were used as markers of inflammation. Expression of C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-ɑ, and interleukin 17 was assessed in colon tissue and blood serum on days 7, 14 and 21 after treatment. The correlation between C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-ɑ, and interleukin 17 expression was estimated using the Spearman's rank-correlation coefficient. C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-ɑ, and interleukin 17 were strongly expressed in submucosa and mucosa layers and serum from treated animals. The expression of C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-ɑ, and interleukin 17 maintained the highest level at Day 21. Only C-reactive protein and tumor necrosis factor-ɑ expression was increased in control animals and only on day 7. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was significant in C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-ɑ, and interleukin 17 at Day 7, 14 and 21. Concomitant upregulation of C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-ɑ, and interleukin 17 and significant positive correlations between C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-ɑ, and interleukin 17 may imply that interleukin 17 is involved in spatio-temporal inflammation induced by benzalkonium chloride. Highlights • Concomitant expression of C-RP, TNF-ɑ, and IL-17 in HD-like animal model induced by benzalkonium chloride. • Their expression maintained the highest level at Day 21. • IL-17 may be involved in spatio-temporal inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When urban rail transit (URT) does not provide 24-hour services, passengers who travel at late night may not be able to reach their destinations with only URT trains. As a result, passengers have to find alternative transport means, or combine URT trains with other transport services to fulfill their journeys. This paper investigates the integrated optimization of last train timetabling and bridging service design with consideration of passenger path choices. Two bridging services are considered: taxis and buses. Based on pre-constructed path sets, a bi-objective mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) model is developed, aiming at minimizing total passenger travel time and total passenger travel cost. To reduce the model scale and improve solution efficiency, three path dominance principles are proposed to remove redundant passenger paths without loss of optimality. An adaptive iterative algorithm is designed to obtain the Pareto frontier curve. The proposed model and solution methods are demonstrated on the Chengdu URT network. Results indicate that passenger travel costs and travel times can be significantly reduced by the integrated optimization. It also provides passengers with a safer night travel environment due to the reduction in passenger travel times in taxis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "Yangtze River Economic Belt Development Strategy" is one of China's three major national development strategies. Enhancing the protection and quality of arable land in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YEB) is pivotal for fostering regional growth. In this study, land use data spanning the years 1980 to 2020 in the YEB were extracted from the national land use database maintained by the Resource and Environment Data Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Employing Geographic Information System (GIS) spatial analysis techniques and arable land change metrics, the study delineated the spatiotemporal characteristics of arable land alterations across the YEB for the period. Additionally, using grain output data at the prefecture level from 2011 to 2020, the paper calculated provincial grain output to analyze the impact of arable land changes over the last four decades on grain output. The findings revealed that: (1) From 1980 to 2020, the total arable land area in the YEB decreased by approximately 41,775 square kilometers, with the most significant decrease occurring in the downstream region. (2) From 1980 to 1990, the primary factor contributing to the decrease in arable land area was the expansion of water bodies, while from 1990 to 2020, the principal reason for the reduction in arable land area was the expansion of construction land. (3) From 1980 to 2020, the decrease in arable land area resulted in a net reduction of approximately 25.12 million tons in total grain output, with the largest decline observed in the downstream regions and the smallest decline in the upstream regions. (4) Consistent with the trends in arable land area reduction, the main reason for the decline in grain output from 1980 to 1990 was the expansion of water bodies encroaching upon arable land, whereas from 2000 to 2010, the primary cause of arable land reduction was the expansion of construction land areas. In conclusion, the research suggested that over the past four decades, the primary driver behind the reduction in arable land within the YEB has been the expansion of construction land areas. Particularly noteworthy was the period from 2000 to 2010, during which the impact of arable land reduction on grain output was most pronounced. This period coincided with the rapid economic development and accelerated urbanization process within the YEB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately estimated quarry blast equivalents can be compared with the quantity of initiated explosives to detect misfires or undetonated explosive remnants, thereby ensuring safe mining operations. Seismic waves are commonly used to estimate the equivalent; however, the ability of permanent seismic networks to detect low-magnitude events is limited. Therefore, we conducted experiments in the Minglongshan–Shangyao fault segment of the Tan–Lu fault zone in the Chuzhou area of Anhui Province in China, deploying six shallow-borehole short-period seismometers at a burial depth of 1 m for continuous monitoring for 20 days. Forty-two earthquakes were detected using a convolutional neural network, and the detected earthquakes were processed based on the source location, frequency spectrum analysis, time of occurrence, equivalent, and magnitude statistics. Through comparison, we found that one of the earthquakes was the M3.1 Suqian earthquake on March 19, 2022. Unlike this natural earthquake, the remaining 41 earthquakes have not been reported by any seismic network. The source location is concentrated, the frequency spectrum is simple, and the time of occurrence is concentrated in the daytime. Based on these results and the widespread quarries in this area, we speculate that these 41 earthquakes were caused by artificial blasting. Through seismic array monitoring, the precise locations of quarry blasts can be determined. Furthermore, the seismic wave energy-blast equivalent algorithm can be used to accurately estimate the quarry blast equivalent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lasiocarpine and riddelliine are pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) present in food and able to cause liver toxicity. The aim of this study was to investigate whether physiologically based kinetic (PBK) modelling-facilitated reverse dosimetry can adequately translate in vitro concentration-response curves for toxicity of lasiocarpine and riddelliine to in vivo liver toxicity data for the rat. To this purpose, PBK models were developed for lasiocarpine and riddelliine, and predicted blood concentrations were compared to available literature data to evaluate the models. Concentration-response curves obtained from in vitro cytotoxicity assays in primary rat hepatocytes were converted to in vivo dose-response curves from which points of departure (PODs) were derived and that were compared to available literature data on in vivo liver toxicity. The results showed that the predicted PODs fall well within the range of PODs derived from available in vivo toxicity data. To conclude, this study shows the proof-of-principle for a method to predict in vivo liver toxicity for PAs by an alternative testing strategy integrating in vitro cytotoxicity assays with in silico PBK modelling-facilitated reverse dosimetry. The approach may facilitate prediction of acute liver toxicity for the large number of PAs for which in vivo toxicity data are lacking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, a risk assessment of plant food supplements (PFS), traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) and herbal teas containing alkenylbenzenes was performed using the Margin of Exposure (MOE) approach. The levels of alkenylbenzenes in botanical preparations collected on the Chinese market were quantified and the combined estimated daily intake (EDI) was determined using dose additivity. The combined EDI values obtained assuming equal potency of all alkenylbenzenes detected in the PFS, TCM and herbal teas were 0.3 to 14.3, 0.05 to 539.4 and 0.04 to 42.5 μg/kg bw/day, respectively. Calculating combined EDI values taking into account the toxic equivalency (TEQ) approach, the values for PFS, TCM and herbal teas were 0.3 to 7.7, 0.05 to 278.0 and 0.02 to 16.5 μg estragole equivalents/kg bw/day, respectively. The MOE values resulting from consumption of these PFS, TCM and one cup of herbal tea per day during life-time were generally lower than 10 000, suggesting a potential priority for risk management. For short-term exposure such as two weeks consumption, applying Haber's rule, only one TCM 6 (四神丸) still had an MOE value below 10 000. It is concluded that selected consumption of Chinese botanical preparations raise a concern because of exposure to alkenylbenzenes, especially when exposure is for longer periods of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single crystals of an environmental friendly material LiInSe2 (LISe) with dimensions up to Φ16 mm × 55 mm were grown successfully through a modified vertical Bridgman technique. The quality of the crystal was measured by a high resolution X-ray diffraction rocking curve, and a full width at half-maximum (fwhm) for a, b, and c faces are 47", 46", 36", respectively. It indicates that the as-grown crystal is high quality. The complete sets of dielectric, elastic, and piezoelectric constants of LISe crystals at room temperature were obtained by the resonant technique and impedance analysis for the first time. The piezoelectric constants d24 and d33 reached -13.6 pC/N and 8.5 pC/N, respectively. The corresponding electromechanical coupling coefficient k33 is 21%. In addition, the structural distortions and dipole moments of LISe were analyzed in detail. Our results show that LISe is a promising candidate as an environmental friendly piezoelectric material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the rapid developments in food safety in the past decade in China, it is of importance to obtain insight into what extent safety and risk assessments of chemicals performed for the Caucasian population apply to the Chinese population. The aim of the present study was to determine physiologically based kinetic (PBK) modeling-based predictions for differences between Chinese and Caucasians in terms of metabolic bioactivation and detoxification of the food-borne genotoxic carcinogen estragole. The PBK models were defined based on kinetic constants for hepatic metabolism derived from in vitro incubations using liver fractions of the two ethnic groups, and used to evaluate the inter-ethnic differences in metabolic activation and detoxification of estragole. The models predicted that at realistic dietary intake levels, only 0.02% of the dose was converted to the ultimate carcinogenic metabolite 1′-sulfooxyestragole in Chinese subjects, whereas this amounted to 0.09% of the dose in Caucasian subjects. Detoxification of 1′-hydroxyestragole, mainly via conversion to 1′-oxoestragole, was similar within the two ethnic groups. The 4.5-fold variation in formation of the ultimate carcinogenic metabolite of estragole accompanied by similar rates of detoxification may indicate a lower risk of estragole for the Chinese population at similar levels of exposure. The study provides a proof of principle for how PBK modeling can identify differences in ethnic sensitivity and provide a more refined risk assessment for a specific ethnic group for a compound of concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the increasingly severe energy shortage and climate change problems, developing wind power has become a key energy development strategy and an inevitable choice to protect the ecological environment worldwide. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) and analyze its risk factors among operation and maintenance personnel in wind farms (OMPWF).Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 151 OMPWF was performed, and a comprehensive questionnaire, which was modified and combined from Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaires (NMQ), Washington State Ergonomics Tool (WSET) and Syndrome Checklist-90(SCL-90) was used to assess the prevalence and risk factors of LBP among OMPWF.Results: The prevalence of LBP was 88.74 % (134/151) among OMPWF. The multivariable model highlighted four related factors: backrest, somatization, squatting and lifting objects weighing more than 10 lb more than twice per minute.Conclusions: The prevalence of LBP among OMPWF appears to be high and highlights a major occupational health concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AtDjB1 is a mitochondria-located J-protein in Arabidopsis thaliana. It is involved in the regulation of plant growth and development; however, the exact mechanisms remain to be determined. We performed comparison analyses of phenotypes, auxin signalling, redox status, mitochondrial structure and function using wild-type plants, AtDjB1 mutants, rescued AtDjB1 mutants by AtDjB1 or YUCCA2 (an auxin synthesis gene), and AtDjB1 overexpression plants. AtDjB1 mutants (atj1-1 or atj1-4) exhibited inhibition of growth and development and reductions in the level of IAA and the expression of YUCCA genes compared to wild-type plants. The introduction of AtDjB1 or YUCCA2 into atj1-1 largely rescued phenotypic defects and the IAA level, indicating that AtDjB1 probably regulates growth and development via auxin. Furthermore, atj1-1 plants displayed a significant reduction in amount/activity of mitochondrial complex I compared to wild-type plants; this resulted in the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Moreover, exogenous H2O2 markedly inhibited the expression of YUCCA genes in wild-type plants. In contrast, the reducing agent ascorbate increased the expression of YUCCA genes and IAA level in atj1-1 plants, indicating that the low auxin level observed in atj1-1 was probably due to the high oxidation status. Overall, the data presented here suggest that AtDjB1 is required for mitochondrial complex I activity and regulates growth and development through ROS-mediated auxin signalling in Arabidopsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant meristem cells divide and differentiate in a spatially and temporally regulated manner, ultimately giving rise to organs. In this study, we isolated the Arabidopsis jing he sheng 1 (jhs1) mutant, which exhibited retarded growth, an abnormal pattern of meristem cell division and differentiation, and morphological defects such as fasciation, an irregular arrangement of siliques, and short roots. We identified JHS1 as a homolog of human and yeast DNA Replication Helicase/Nuclease2, which is known to be involved in DNA replication and damage repair. JHS1 is strongly expressed in the meristem of Arabidopsis. The jhs1 mutant was sensitive to DNA damage stress and had an increased DNA damage response, including increased expression of genes involved in DNA damage repair and cell cycle regulation, and a higher frequency of homologous recombination. In the meristem of the mutant plants, cell cycle progression was delayed at the G2 or late S phase and genes essential for meristem maintenance were misregulated. These results suggest that JHS1 plays an important role in DNA replication and damage repair, meristem maintenance, and development in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workshops and seminars are widely-used forms of doctoral training. However, research with a particular focus on these forms of doctoral training is sporadic in the literature. There is little, if any, such research concerning the international context and participants' own voices. Mindful of these lacunae in the literature, we write the current paper as a group of participants in one of a series of doctoral forums co-organised annually by Beijing Normal University, China and Queensland University of Technology, Australia. The paper voices our own experiences of participation in the doctoral forum. Data were drawn from reflections, journals, and group discussions of all 12 student and academic participants. These qualitative data were organised and analysed through Bourdieu's notions of capital and field. Findings indicate that the doctoral forum created enabling and challenging social fields where participants accrued and exchanged various forms of capital and negotiated transient and complex power relations. In this respect, the sociological framework used provides a distinctive theoretical tool to conceptualise and analyse the benefits and tensions of participation in the doctoral forum. Knowledge built and lessons learned through our paper will provide implications and recommendations for future planning of, and participation in, the doctoral forum series and similar activities elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, because of increasing human activities, ecosystems have been substantially disturbed and their service functions have been greatly compromised. Based on the effect of land use changes on the major ecosystem services, we estimated the ecosystem comprehensive anthropogenic disturbance index (ECADI) and analyzed the spatio-temporal characteristics of changes in the ECADI in China from 1990 to 2010. The average ECADI of the major ecosystem function zones in China in 2010 is approximately 0.382. The ECADI of Northeast China and North China is slightly higher than that of Northwest China and Southwest China. Most zones have slight changes in the ECADI. The average increases of ECADI in the major ecosystem function zones in China from 1990 to 2000 and from 2000 to 2010 are 0.0024 and 0.0002, respectively. The increase is mainly due to reclamation and urbanization, whereas the decrease is due to the implementation of ecosystem protection policies. During the last 20 years, the ECADI of water resources conservation zones increased first, and then stopped. The ECADI of soil conservation zones increased first, and then declined. The ECADI of sandstorm prevention zones, biodiversity conservation zones and flooding mitigation zones increased continuously. Our results may provide proposals to the government regarding land use planning and ecosystem protection plans in the major ecosystem zones. The major ecosystem function zones in the western part of China have been protected effectively. However, the major ecosystem function zones in the eastern part of China require more protection in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Renal toxicity has been reported with bisphosphonates such as pamidronate and zolidronate but not with ibandronate, in the treatment of breast cancer patients with bone metastasis. One of the patterns of bisphosphonate-induced nephrotoxicity is focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) or its morphological variant, collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (CFSGS). Case presentation: We describe a breast cancer patient who developed heavy proteinuria (protein/creatinine ratio 9.1) and nephrotic syndrome following treatment with oral ibandronate for 29 months. CFSGS was proven by biopsy. There was no improvement 1 month after ibandronate was discontinued. Prednisone and tacrolimus were started and she experienced a decreased in proteinuria. Conclusion: In patient who develops ibandronate-associated CFSGS, proteinuria appears to be at least partially reversible with the treatment of prednisone and/or tacrolimus if the syndrome is recognized early and ibandronate is stopped. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Renal toxicity has been reported with bisphosphonates such as pamidronate and zolidronate but not with ibandronate, in the treatment of breast cancer patients with bone metastasis. One of the patterns of bisphosphonate-induced nephrotoxicity is focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) or its morphological variant, collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (CFSGS). Case presentation: We describe a breast cancer patient who developed heavy proteinuria (protein/creatinine ratio 9.1) and nephrotic syndrome following treatment with oral ibandronate for 29 months. CFSGS was proven by biopsy. There was no improvement 1 month after ibandronate was discontinued. Prednisone and tacrolimus were started and she experienced a decreased in proteinuria. Conclusion: In patient who develops ibandronate-associated CFSGS, proteinuria appears to be at least partially reversible with the treatment of prednisone and/or tacrolimus if the syndrome is recognized early and ibandronate is stopped [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four new compounds swertiachiralatone A (1), swertiachoside A (2), swertiachirdiol A (3) and swertiachoside B (4), together with twenty-six known ones were isolated from the ethanol extract of Swertia chirayita . Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses (1D- and 2D-NMR, HRESIMS, UV, IR and [ α ] D ). All compounds were evaluated for anti-hepatitis B virus (anti-HBV) activities on HepG 2.2.15 cells line in vitro , of which compounds 14 and 19 showed inhibitory activity on hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) secretion with IC 50 values of 0.31 ± 0.045 and 1.49 ± 0.033 mM; compounds 14 and 28 exhibited activity against hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) secretion with IC 50 values of 0.77 ± 0.076 and 5.92 ± 1.02 mM; and eight compounds (8,9,13,14,24–26,29) possessed activity against HBV DNA replication with IC 50 values of 0.07–0.33 mM. In particular (+)-cycloolivil-4′- O - β - d -glucopyranoside (14) exhibited inhibition not only on the secretions of HBsAg and HBeAg with IC 50 values of 0.31 ± 0.045 mM (SI = 4.29) and 0.77 ± 0.076 mM (SI = 1.75), respectively, but also on HBV DNA replication with an IC 50 value of 0.29 ± 0.034 mM (SI = 4.66). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To study the influence of different kinds of disinfection methods on antibacterial activity of TiO2 nanotubes. Methods TiO2 nanotubes were fabricated with 0.5%wt HF on pure titanium to acid-etching combined with anodization as experimental group. The pure Ti was control group. They were disinfected by three kinds of disinfection methods, which were alcohol immersion, autoclaving and UV irradiation. The bacterial adhesion ability was evaluated by observing the morphology of samples, measuring the roughness and contracting angle. The film contact method was used to evaluate the antibacterial activity of samples with Staphylococcus aureus (Sa) after different infection treatment. The bacterial morphology was observed by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). Results The treatment group has higher surface roughness. The bacterial adhesion ability of experimental group was stronger compared with that of control group. The contracting angle of samples exposed to UV irradiation was smaller than that of alcohol immersion and autoclaving treatment group. The viable count and FE- SEM showed that there were more bacteria and more complete morphology on the sample surface after alcohol immersion. The viable count was less and bacterial morphology suffered some damage on the sample surface after high pressure steam sterilization. The least viable count and the most complete destruction of bacterial morphology were found after ultraviolet (UV) germicidal irradiation. Conclusion UV irradiation shows the best antibacterial activity, the second is autoclaving and the worst is alcohol immersion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AtDjB1 is a member of the Arabidopsis thaliana J-protein family. AtDjB1 is targeted to the mitochondria and plays a crucial role in A. thaliana heat and oxidative stress resistance. Herein, the role of AtDjB1 in adapting to saline and drought stress was studied in A. thaliana. AtDjB1 expression was induced through salinity, dehydration and abscisic acid ( ABA) in young seedlings. Reverse genetic analyses indicate that AtDjB1 is a negative regulator in plant osmotic stress tolerance. Further, AtDjB1 knockout mutant plants ( atj1-1) exhibited greater ABA sensitivity compared with the wild-type (WT) plants and the mutant lines with a rescued AtDjB1 gene. AtDjB1 gene knockout also altered the expression of several ABA-responsive genes, which suggests that AtDjB1 is involved in osmotic stress tolerance through its effects on ABA signaling pathways. Moreover, atj1-1 plants exhibited higher glucose levels and greater glucose sensitivity in the post-germination development stage. Applying glucose promoted an ABA response in seedlings, and the promotion was more evident in atj1-1 than WT seedlings. Taken together, higher glucose levels in atj1-1 plants are likely responsible for the greater ABA sensitivity and increased osmotic stress tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To improve the microbiological security of food products, 285 lactic acid bacteria were isolated from koumiss and pickles, and their antimicrobial properties were characterised. Among the strains, Pediococcus acidilactici P9, a strain isolated from a local pickled vegetable, produced an antagonistic substance that inhibited Listeria monocytogenes and Shigella. The substance was heat (121 °C for 20 min) and pH (2.0–10.0) stable, but sensitive to proteolytic enzymes. The production of bacteriocins started at the exponential phase and reached its maximum at the stationary phase, indicating that it was growth related. P. acidilactici P9 also showed an ability to protect HT-29 from invasion by L. monocytogenes and the inhibition rate reached 35.89%. P. acidilactici P9 showed a potential for application in food products as a biopreservative. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper proposes a route-based model for the Train Platforming and Rescheduling Problem (TPRP). Built on the concept of Degree of Conflict (DOC), the proposed model can accommodate various interlocking mechanisms with an aggregate railway yard representation. Thanks to the topology of a typical yard, such an aggregate representation promises to reduce the size of the optimization problems concerning yard operations. The TPRP model is formulated as a mixed integer linear program, and solved using both a commercial solver and two heuristic algorithms developed based on the idea of rolling horizon. The proposed model and algorithms are validated using several case studies constructed using data collected at a large high-speed railway station in China. We find the proposed TPRP model can produce, with reasonable computation resources, high quality platform/schedule decisions for real-world applications. In addition, the heuristic algorithms consistently offer high quality approximate solutions at a computational cost considerably lower than what is demanded by a benchmark commercial solver. The results from a simulation model show the differences between various interlocking mechanisms are well captured using a unified aggregate yard representation based on DOC. As expected, more flexible interlocking mechanisms can achieve greater operational efficiency at the expense of looser safety standards. • An aggregate, route-based model for Train Platforming and Rescheduling Problem is proposed. • A novel concept, Degree of conflict (DOC), is introduced to quantify inter-route conflicts. • The model can accommodate flexible interlocking mechanisms through DOC. • Two rolling horizon algorithms are proposed to solve the mixed integer linear model. • The proposed model and algorithm are validated using numerical experiments based on real-world data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycotoxins such as aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) are secondary fungal metabolites present in food commodities and part of one's daily exposure, especially in certain regions, e.g., sub-Saharan Africa. AFB1 is mostly metabolised by cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, namely, CYP1A2 and CYP3A4. As a consequence of chronic exposure, it is interesting to check for interactions with drugs taken concomitantly. A physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was developed based on the literature and in-house-generated in vitro data to characterise the pharmacokinetics (PK) of AFB1. The substrate file was used in different populations (Chinese, North European Caucasian and Black South African), provided by SimCYP® software (v21), to evaluate the impact of populations on AFB1 PK. The model's performance was verified against published human in vivo PK parameters, with AUC ratios and Cmax ratios being within the 0.5–2.0-fold range. Effects on AFB1 PK were observed with commonly prescribed drugs in South Africa, leading to clearance ratios of 0.54 to 4.13. The simulations revealed that CYP3A4/CYP1A2 inducer/inhibitor drugs might have an impact on AFB1 metabolism, altering exposure to carcinogenic metabolites. AFB1 did not have effects on the PK of drugs at representative exposure concentrations. Therefore, chronic AFB1 exposure is unlikely to impact the PK of drugs taken concomitantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the relationship between stability, adiabaticity and transfer efficiency in a type atom-molecule coupling system via a nonlinear stimulated Raman adiabatic passage. We find that only when the pump and control lasers overlap in time domain, the coherent population trapping (CPT) state could become unstable. If the overlapping time of the two lasers is short so that unstable growth of the deviation from the CPT state is negligible, then good adiabaticity of the CPT state could be maintained even in the unstable region. In this case, a high atom-molecule transfer efficiency could be obtained by chirping applied laser pulses to elegantly compensate the frequency shift induced by intra-atomic collision. Our results could be useful for efficiently photoassociating ground-state molecules from a cold atomic gas with strong atom-atom collisional interaction [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of the deterministic Nagel-Schreckenberg model with traffic-light boundary conditions are investigated and elucidated in a mostly theoretically way. First, precise analytical results of the outflow are obtained for cases in which the duration of the red phase is longer than one step. Then, some results are found and studied for cases in which the red phase equals one step. The main findings include the following. The maximum outflow is "road-length related" if the inflow is saturated; otherwise, if the inbound cars are generated stochastically, multiple theoretical outflow volumes may exist. The findings indicate that although the traffic-light boundary can be implemented in a simple and deterministic manner, the deterministic Nagel-Schreckenberg model with such a boundary has some unique and interesting behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have provided evidence of the existence of a pain modulatory feedback pathway consisting of thalamic nucleus submedius (Sm)–ventrolateral orbital cortex–periaqueductal grey pathway, which is activated during acute pain and leads to depression of transmission of nociceptive information in the spinal dorsal horn. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that morphine microinjection into the Sm decreased spontaneous pain and bilateral thermal hyperalgesia, as well as ipsilateral mechanical allodynia, induced by subcutaneous injections of bee venom into the rat hind paw. Morphine (1.0, 2.5 or 5.0 μg in 0.5 μL) injected into the Sm, contralateral to the bee venom-injected paw, depressed spontaneous nociceptive behaviour in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, morphine significantly decreased bilateral thermal hyperalgesia and ipsilateral mechanical allodynia 2 h after bee venom injection. These morphine-induced effects were antagonized by 1.0 μg naloxone (an opioid antagonist) microinjected into the Sm 5 min before morphine administration. The results provided further support for the important role of the Sm and Sm-opioid receptors in inhibiting nociceptive behaviour and indicated for the first time that Sm opioid receptors were also effective in inhibiting the hypersensitivity provoked by bee venom-induced inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was designed to investigate whether nuclear factor of kappa B (NF -κB) plays regulating role in prenatal stress-induced cognitive impairment and oxidative damage in offspring rats. The authors used a rat model to study plasma levels of corticosterone and oxidative DNA damage (8-OH-dG), protein expression of P65/p50 NF-κB, and cognitive function in female and male offspring rats in middle pregnant stage and later pregnant stage. Prenatal stress affected the capability of learning and memory in the offspring, especially in later stage stressed female offspring. The levels of corticosterone and 8-OH-dG were enhanced in response to stress. Both middle and later stage stresses induced a significant decrease in P65 expression and a significant increase in P50 expression in female offspring. In addition, later stage stress induced a significant decrease in P50 expression in male offspring. These results suggest that NF --κB complex may be acting in a positive regulatory fashion in prenatal stress--induced cognitive impairment and that oxidative DNA damage may exacerbate the activation of NF --κKB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A bioactive borate glass was synthesized through normal melting-derived route in this letter. The degradation and bioactivity of the glass were studied by the immersion of glass microspheres in a dilute K2HPO4 solution. The cell growth inhibition rate of the borate glass was examined by MTT assay. The conversion product of the borate glass was identified by XRD, SEM. It was confirmed that the borate glass had a rapid degradation rate, comparing with the silicate-based bioglass, 45S5 glass. HA formed from the borate glass, that is an indication of bioactive potential in vivo. MTT assay results demonstrate that the inhibition effect of B ions released from the borate glass on cell proliferation can be alleviated by diluting extract solution to a certain concentration (v/v ratio: 1:4, [B] < 1.792 mM). It is believed that the borate glass could be a desirable biomaterial for preparing scaffold of tissue engineering. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Representation of uncertain knowledge by using a Bayesian network requires the acquisition of a conditional probability table (CPT) for each variable. The CPT can be acquired by data mining or elicitation. When data are insufficient for supporting mining, causal modeling such as the noisy-OR aids elicitation by reducing the number of probability parameters to be acquired from human experts. Multiple causes can reinforce each other in producing the effect or can undermine the impact of each other. Most existing causal models do not consider causal interactions from the perspective of reinforcement or undermining. Our analysis shows that none can represent both interactions. Except for the RNOR, other models also limit parameters to probabilities of single-cause events. We present the first general causal model, that is, the nonimpeding noisy-AND tree, that allows encoding of both reinforcement and undermining. It supports efficient CPT acquisition by elicitating a partial ordering of causes in terms of a tree topology, plus the necessary numerical parameters. It also allows the incorporation of probabilities for multicause events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) represents the most widespread neurodegenerative disorder, distinguished by a gradual onset and slow progression, presenting a substantial challenge to global public health. The mitochondrial-associated membrane (MAMs) functions as a crucial center for signal transduction and material transport between mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum, playing a pivotal role in various pathological mechanisms of AD. The dysregulation of mitochondrial quality control systems is considered a fundamental factor in the development of AD, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and subsequent neurodegenerative events. Recent studies have emphasized the role of MAMs in regulating mitochondrial quality control. This review will delve into the molecular mechanisms underlying the imbalance in mitochondrial quality control in AD and provide a comprehensive overview of the role of MAMs in regulating mitochondrial quality control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Upper Yellow River is the most important area for water retention and flow production in the Yellow River basin, and the statuses of the ecosystems in this region are related to the ecological stability of the whole Yellow River basin. In this paper, the fractional vegetation cover (FVC), net primary productivity (NPP) of vegetation and water retention, soil retention, and windbreak and sand fixation services of the Upper Yellow River ecosystems were analysed from 2000 to 2019 with the trend analysis method. Ecological restoration degree evaluation indices were constructed to comprehensively assess the ecological restoration situation and restoration potential of the ecosystems in the Upper Yellow River region over the past 20 years and to quantitatively determine the contribution rates of climate factors and human activities to these ecosystem changes. The results showed that the settlement ecosystem area exhibited the greatest increase, while the grassland ecosystem area decreased significantly over the study period. In the Upper Yellow River region, the ecosystem quality and ecosystem services generally remained stable or improved. Areas with moderately, strongly and extremely improved ecological restoration degrees accounted for 32.9%, 21.0% and 2.8% of the entire Upper Yellow River region, respectively. Areas with strongly improved and extremely improved ecological restoration degrees were mainly distributed in the Loess Plateau gully areas and on the eastern Hetao Plain. The contribution rates of climatic factors and human activities to the NPP changes measured in the Upper Yellow River were 81.6% and 18.4%, respectively, while the contribution rates of these processes to soil erosion modulus changes were 77.6% and 22.4%, respectively. The restoration potential index of the FVC in the Upper Yellow River was 22.7%; that of the forest vegetation coverage was 14.4%; and that of the grassland vegetation coverage was 23.0%. Over the past 20 years, the ecosystems in the Upper Yellow River region have improved and recovered significantly. This study can provide scientific support for the next stage of ecological projects in the Upper Yellow River region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root caries is a subtype of dental caries that predominantly impacts older adults. The occurrence and progression of root caries are associated with the homeostasis of dental plaque biofilm, and microbial synergistic and antagonistic interactions in the biofilm play a significant role in maintaining the oral microecological balance. The objective of the current study was to investigate the role of Veillonella parvula in the microbial interactions and the pathogenesis of root caries. The analysis of clinical samples from patients with/without root caries revealed that Veillonella and V. parvula were abundant in the saliva of patients with root caries. More importantly, a significantly increased colonization of V. parvula was observed in root carious lesions. Further in vitro biofilm and animal study showed that V. parvula colonization increased the abundance and virulence of Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans, leading to the formation of a polymicrobial biofilm with enhanced anti‐stress capacity and cariogenicity, consequently exacerbating the severity of carious lesions. Our results indicate the critical role of V. parvula infection in the occurrence of root caries, providing a new insight for the etiological investigation and prevention of root caries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Concerns over maternal and fetal drug exposure during pregnancy highlight the need for improved understanding of drug distribution to the fetus through the placental barrier.Objective: Our objective was to predict maternal and fetal drug disposition using a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling approach.Methods: We used the detailed maternal-placental-fetal PBPK model within the Simcyp Simulator V20 to predict the maternal and fetal drug exposure of acyclovir, emtricitabine, lamivudine, and metformin during pregnancy and at delivery. The dynamic model includes gestational changes to the maternal, fetal, and placental physiological parameters. Placental kinetics were parameterized using published ex vivo data for these four compounds. Amniotic data were included where available. PBPK predictions were compared with the observed data using twofold criteria.Results: Maternal-fetal PBPK models were developed completely from the bottom up without any parameter adjustments. The PBPK model-predicted exposures matched the observed maternal and umbilical exposure for acyclovir (six maternal studies, all of which all reported umbilical exposure), emtricitabine (six maternal studies, of which four reported umbilical exposure), lamivudine, (five maternal studies, of which four reported umbilical exposure), and metformin (seven studies, of which six reported umbilical exposure). Predicted pharmacokinetic parameters were within twofold of the observed values.Conclusion: Integration of fetal and maternal system parameters within PBPK models, together with experimental data from ex vivo placental perfusion studies, facilitated and extended the application of the pregnancy PBPK model. Such models can also be used inform clinical trials and maternal/fetal risk assessment following maternally administered drugs or unintended exposure to environmental toxicants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hyperiid aggregation zones chang with the surface currents in the central SCS. • The species composition of hyperiids changed with water masses in the central SCS. • The hyperiid community usually remains relatively constant in the tropical SCS. • The temperature and salinity anomalies lead to the hyperiid community changing. Significant seasonal variations in surface circulation are driven by the East Asian Monsoon in the South China Sea (SCS). Seasonal variations in copepod and hyperiid communities following the monsoon have been reported. The mechanisms controlling these monsoon-driven seasonal variations in hyperiid communities were analyzed using data from the central SCS (CSCS) during 2014–2015. Hyperiids mainly aggregated at the transitional water zones driven by the interactions of the cyclonic gyre and anti-cyclonic gyre or the western boundary current (WBC) in the CSCS. The total hyperiid abundance was related to the Northwest Luzon Cyclonic Gyre during the northeast monsoon and the East Vietnam Cyclonic Gyre during the southwest monsoon. The hyperiid community structure was significantly affected by the temperature of the upper 100-m water layer and gelatinous plankton in the CSCS from summer to fall. Different hyperiid ecological groups occurred in different water masses in the CSCS. The areas of interaction between cyclonic and anti-cyclonic gyres or the WBC and the distributions of water masses changed following seasonal variations in surface currents. The seasonal change in transitional water zones and water masses caused the seasonal variations of hyperiid community to track the monsoon reversal. Comparison of our data with previous data for the tropical SCS and other tropical oceanic areas confirms that the species composition of hyperiids is similar to that of the tropical Pacific, and that the most abundant species of hyperiid communities are very much more abundant than other species in subtropical–tropical oceans. Confirmation of symbiosis between three abundant hyperiid species (Lestrigonus bengalensis , Primno latreillei and Phronima sedentaria) and some abundant species of gelatinous zooplankton in CSCS suggests that the symbiosis helps the most abundant species to dominate significantly. The seasonal species diversity and total abundance of hyperiids usually remain relatively constant, the occurrence of strong El Niño events leads to the abnormal low total hyperiid abundance in fall, and the weak Kuroshio intrusion causes the abnormally low hyperiid species diversity in fall in the CSCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]