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Ceramic fibers are an important thermal insulation material that are not only widely used in extreme conditions, but also play an important role in energy conservation and energy efficiency for sustainable development. However, the practical application of conventional ceramic fibers has a high thermal conductivity in high-temperature environments, which hinders their widespread application. Here, a novel lamellar structured porous SiTiOC/C composite ceramic materials was designed and prepared with excellent thermal insulating properties. The unique microstructure endowed the porous SiTiOC/C composite ceramic materials with a high IR refractive index (93.81%) and an ultra-low thermal conductivity (0.0562 W·m−1 K−1 at 600 ℃). In addition, the porous SiTiOC/C composite ceramic materials not only exhibited excellent mechanical properties (4.46 MPa at 800 ℃), but also demonstrated impressive oxidation resistance and thermal stability. In summary, the proposed porous SiTiOC/C composite ceramic materials provide a reference for the development of high-temperature insulation with good mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of Bisphenol A Glutaraldehyde Phenolic Resin (BPA-GA PF) was carried out under alkaline conditions using Bisphenol, A (BPA) and Glutaraldehyde (GA) as raw materials, with n-butanol serving as the solvent. Based on the aforementioned information, the researchers prepared modified BPA-GA PF resins by incorporating titanium (Ti), silicon (Si), and boron (B) through a polymer derivative method. This process led to the formation of Ti/Si/B-modified PF resins. By manipulating the proportion of elements in the BPA-GA PF, the modified phenolic resin demonstrated improved capacity for design and processing. The characterization of the modified BPA-GA PF involved the analysis of its transformation process and thermal behavior through the utilization of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). The presence of B, Ti, and Si elements in the system resulted in the formation of Si–O-B and B-O bonds, as determined. The Ti/Si/B -modified PF exhibited a significant increase in yield. Analysis employing X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that, following high-temperature annealing, the materials underwent a transformation into Ti/Si/B-modified PF with a highly cross-linked network structure. Oxidation experiments conducted under static conditions demonstrated that the Ti/Si/B-modified BPA-GA PF exhibited significantly greater high-temperature resistance compared to the BPA-GA PF. Among the various options, the Ti/Si/B-modified PF material with a Ti/Si ratio of 1:2 exhibited the most superior resistance to high-temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants regulate root exudates to form the composition of rhizosphere microbial community and resist disease stress. Many studies advocate intervention with biochar (BC) and exogenous microbe to enhance this process and improve plant defenses. However, the mechanism by which BC mediates exogenous microorganisms to enhance root exudate-soil microbial defensive feedback remains unclear. Here, a BC-based Bacillus subtilis SL-44 inoculant (BC@SL) was prepared to investigate the defensive feedback mechanism for plants, which enhanced plant growth and defense more than BC or SL-44 alone. BC@SL not only strengthened the direct inhibition of Rhizoctonia solani Rs by solving the problem of reduced viability of a single SL-44 inoculant but also indirectly alleviated the Rs stress by strengthening plant defensive feedback, which was specifically manifested by the following: (1) increasing the root resistance enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase up to 3.5 FC); (2) increasing the abundance of beneficial microbe in soil (0.38–16.31% Bacillus); and (3) remodeling the composition of root exudates (palmitic acid 3.95–6.96%, stearic acid 3.56–5.93%, 2,4 tert-butylphenol 1.23–2.62%, increasing citric acid 0.94–1.81%, and benzoic acid 0.97–2.13%). The mechanism reveals that BC@SL can enhance the positive regulatory effect between root exudates and microorganisms by optimizing their composition. Overall, BC@SL is a stable and efficient new solid exogenous soil auxiliary, and this study lays the foundation for the generalization and application of green pesticides. Highlights: The problems of effective viable bacteria easy loss were solved by BC@SL. Rs stress was relieved by BC@SL through direct inhibition and defensive feedback. BC@SL optimized defensive feedback by reshaping root exudates and microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a therapeutic tool inherited for thousands of years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) exhibits superiority in tumor therapy. The antitumor active components of TCM not only have multi-target treatment modes but can also synergistically interfere with tumor growth compared to traditional chemotherapeutics. However, most antitumor active components of TCM have the characteristics of poor solubility, high toxicity, and side effects, which are often limited in clinical application. In recent years, delivering the antitumor active components of TCM by nanosystems has been a promising field. The advantages of nano-delivery systems include improved water solubility, targeting efficiency, enhanced stability in vivo, and controlled release drugs, which can achieve higher drug-delivery efficiency and bioavailability. According to the method of drug loading on nanocarriers, nano-delivery systems can be categorized into two types, including physically encapsulated nanoplatforms and chemically coupled drug-delivery platforms. In this review, two nano-delivery approaches are considered, namely physical encapsulation and chemical coupling, both commonly used to deliver antitumor active components of TCM, and we summarized the advantages and limitations of different types of nano-delivery systems. Meanwhile, the clinical applications and potential toxicity of nano-delivery systems and the future development and challenges of these nano-delivery systems are also discussed, aiming to lay the foundation for the development and practical application of nano-delivery systems of TCM in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rosa rugosa L. was a famous aromatic plant whose cultivars (Rosa × rugosa) have been widely used in the perfume industry in Asia. The perfume market looks for rose cultivars bearing higher essential oil, while the oil yields of most R. × rugosa have not been evaluated due to limiting conditions, such as insufficient cultivation areas. Here, we tested the yield and the aroma components of essential oil of 19 R. × rugosa. The results indicated that the yields of nerol, citronellol, and geraniol could represent an alternative index of the total yield of essential oil. Sequence syntenic analysis indicated that the Rosa genus specific cis-element Box38 was highly polymorphic. The Box38 region isolation of Rosa × rugosa by flanked primers proved that Box38 repeat number was significantly positively correlated with the essential oil yield of the corresponding cultivar. In the breeding of Rosa × rugosa, six-Box38-repeat could be a robust threshold for selection of high-essential-oil roses. Together, we found that Box38 was a DNA marker for essential oil yield and that it would be helpful in the early selection and breeding of essential oil roses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Salt stress produced ion toxicity on plant cells and limited the of culture of cultivated Rosa rugosa. GT genes in salt stresses responses have been emerging. From the GT gene family of the salt-tolerant wild Rosa rugosa, four NaCl stress responsive genes (RrGT-1, RrSIP1, RrSIP2, RrGTγ-4) were identified. RrSIP1 and RrGTγ-4, RrGT-1 and RrSIP2 located on chloroplasts and cell nucleus, respectively. RrSIP1, RrSIP2 and RrGTγ-4 could play roles in regulation of sodion and potassium transport. And RrGT-1 expressed higher specifically in wild Rosa rugosa than in the salt-sensitive cultivated Rosa rugosa. These four genes would be candidates for further study of regulation mechanism of salt-tolerance of wild Rosa rugosa and would supply gene resources for tolerance improvement of cultivated Rosa rugosa.Rosa rugosa was a famous aromatic plant while poor salt tolerance of commercial cultivars has hindered its culture in saline-alkali soil. In many plants, the roles of GT (or trihelix) genes in salt stresses responses have been emerging. In the wild R. rugosa, a total of 37 GTs (RrGTs) were grouped into GT-1, GT-2, GTγ, SH4, and SIP1 lineages. SIP1 lineage expanded by transposition. The motifs involved in the binding of GT cis-elements were conserved. Four RrGTs (RrGT11/14/16/18) significantly differentially expressed in roots or leaves under salt stress. The responsive patterns within 8 h NaCl treatment indicated that RrGTγ-4 (RrGT18) and RrGT-1 (RrGT16) were significantly induced by salt in roots of R. rugosa. Subcellular localizations of RrSIP1 (RrGT11) and RrGTγ-4 were on chloroplasts while RrGT-1 and RrSIP2 (RrGT14) located on cell nucleus. Regulation of ion transport could be the most important role of RrSIPs and RrGTγ-4. And RrGT-1 could be a halophytic gene with higher transcription abundance than glycophytic GT-1. These results provide key clue for further investigations of roles of RrGTs in salt stress response and would be helpful in the understanding the salt tolerance regulation mechanism of R. rugosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultivated strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) is an important horticultural crop. The economic values of strawberry cultivars are decided by their fruit qualities including taste, color and aroma. The important role of MYB transcription factors in fruit quality regulation is recognized increasingly with the identification of MYB genes involved in metabolism. A total of 407 MYB genes of F. × ananassa (FaMYBs) were identified in the genome-wide scale and named according to subgenome locations. The 407 FaMYBs were clustered into 36 groups based on phylogenetic analysis. According to synteny analysis, whole genome duplication and segmental duplication contributed over 90% of the expansion of the FaMYBs family. A total of 101 FaMYB loci with 1–6 alleles were identified by the homologous gene groups on homologous chromosomes. The differentially expressed FaMYB profiles of three cultivars with different fruit quality and fruit ripe processes provided the 8 candidate loci involved in fruit quality regulation. In this experiment, 7, 5, and 4 FaMYBs were screeded as candidate genes involved in the regulation of metabolism/transportation of anthocyanins, sugars or organic acids and 4-hydroxy-2, 5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone, respectively. These results pointed out the key FaMYBs for further functional analysis of gene regulation of strawberry fruit quality and would be helpful in the clarification on ofe roles of MYBs in the metabolism of fruit crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxidosqualene cyclase family of Rosa rugosa (RrOSC) provides a starting point for the triterpenoid pathway, which contributes to the medicinal value of the extraction of tissues of Rosa rugosa. However, the structure and function of key RrOSCs of active triterpenoids remain ambiguous. In this study, a total of 18 RrOSC members with conservative gene structures and motifs were identified based on the genome of Rosa rugosa. The RrOSCs were located on three chromosomes including two gene clusters that derived from gene replication. The phylogenetic relationship divided RrOSCs into six groups, and the RrOSCs of GI and GIV that were represented by lupeol or α-amyrin were identified as likely to include candidate genes for producing active triterpenoids. Considering the high expression or specific-tissue expression of the candidates, RrOSC1, RrOSC10, RrOSC12, and RrOSC18 were considered the key genes. RrOSC12 was identified in vitro as lupeol synthase. The results provided fundamental information and candidate genes for further illustration of the triterpenoid pathway involved in the pharmacological activities of Rosa rugosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study conducted a thorough analysis of the myofiber type composition in the extensor digitorum longus muscle (EDL) and soleus muscle (SOL) of Kazakh horses, across different genders (male and female). The results showed significant differences in myofiber type composition between EDL and SOL, with a higher proportion of Type I fibers in SOL muscles and a greater prevalence of Type II fibers in EDL muscles. Additionally, the myofiber diameter in Kazakh horses was relatively small, potentially related to the tenderness and edible quality of their muscles. Using high-throughput sequencing technology, we constructed 32 cDNA sequencing libraries and obtained high-quality read data. Gene expression analysis revealed 278 and 372 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in EDL and SOL muscles, respectively, including genes related to muscle contraction, metabolism, and development. Intersection analysis of DEGs between genders showed that 60 DEGs were significantly different in both male and female horses. GO annotation and KEGG analysis further elucidated the roles of these DEGs in muscle structure, function, and cellular signaling. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and identification of hub genes provided new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying muscle growth and development. Finally, the reliability of the DEGs data was validated through quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). This study not only enhances our understanding of the biological characteristics of horse muscles but also provides potential molecular targets for improving horse muscle performance and health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Kazakh horse skeletal muscle development. • Difference of skeletal muscle in three parts of Kazakh horses at different ages. • Developmental characteristics of skeletal muscle of Kazakh horses at different ages. • Identification of mRNAs in skeletal muscle of Kazakh horses at different ages. • Enrichment analysis of mRNAs pathway differentially expressed in skeletal muscle. This study conducted transcriptome sequencing on the skeletal muscles of three different anatomical locations across various growth stages to investigate the impact of ages on crucial candidate genes and molecular mechanisms associated with muscle development in Kazakh horses. Sixteen Kazakh horses were selected, and they were divided into four age groups, each with four biological replicates. Tissue samples from the longest dorsal muscle, abdominal muscle, and diaphragm muscle were collected for analysis. The results revealed differential mRNA expression in the longest dorsal muscle between the eight-month group (Group O) and the 10-year group (Group F), with 434 up-regulated and 322 down-regulated genes. In the abdominal muscle, there were 125 up-regulated and 127 down-regulated genes, while in the diaphragm muscle, there were 73 up-regulated and 70 down-regulated genes. In this study, GO enrichment analysis focused on biological processes. KEGG pathway analysis highlighted the Oxidative Phosphorylation pathway for the longest dorsal muscle, annotating 37 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including ATP5PF, NDUFB8, and ATP5MG, all of which were down-regulated. For the abdominal muscle, the ECM-receptor interaction pathway was enriched, annotating 7 DEGs such as COL4A2, COL4A1, and ITGA5. In the diaphragm muscle, the Hippo signaling pathway was enriched, annotating 6 DEGs, including SERPINE1, RASSF1, and FZD10. This study provides robust data support and a theoretical foundation for a comprehensive understanding of the influence of age on skeletal muscle development in horses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenolic resin (PF) is thermosetting resin with excellent overall performance, including good mechanical properties, high heat resistance, good carbon retention ability, excellent electrical insulation, and high mechanical strength. Compared to tar and asphalt, PF (phenolic resin) binders offer several advantages, including superior bonding properties, excellent wetting capabilities, high thermal hardness, high curing strength, high carbon yield, and environmental friendliness. PF is important binder for refractory ceramics. In this work, new PF, namely Si/B-modified PF, was prepared through in situ polymerization of boric acid using 25% glutaraldehyde (GA) aqueous solution, n-butanol, and bisphenol A (BPA) as raw materials to synthesize BPA–GA PF. Furthermore, when dimethyldiethoxysilane is introduced into BPA-GA, the modified PF exhibits excellent yield and thermal resistance when an appropriate amount of the modifying element is added. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis indicate that the novel Si/B-modified PF possesses superior antioxidant properties and higher yields compared to the original PF. This modified PF has promising applications in bioengineering, aerospace industry, energy storage devices, and other fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A time-resolved particle image velocity (TR-PIV) system was used to test the wake flow of a small horizontal-axis wind turbine at tip speed ratios (TSRs) in the range of 4–6 under uniform inflow and turbulent inflow in order to study the impact of turbulence intensity on wind turbine wake characteristics. The impact of incoming turbulence on the wake structure of a wind turbine and its mechanism was examined by comparing and analyzing the turbulence properties of the wake flow, including velocity field, vortex structure, additional turbulence intensity, and energy distribution coefficient. It was found that tip vortex structure remained intact in the range of 9 R under uniform inflow, and the longitudinal distribution of turbulent intensity had double peaks, indicating that it was in the near wake zone. Under turbulent inflow, the three vortex systems could not be distinguished at the position of 5 R, and the longitudinal distribution of turbulent intensity did not have peaks, the wake vortex system was broken and the wake transitioned to the far wake zone. With the increase in the turbulence intensity and tip speed ratio, the contribution of the longitudinal component of turbulence intensity to the turbulent kinetic energy increases, which is also the reason for the rapid wake recovery. Additionally, the recovery of the wake velocity was sped up in the range of 3 R and gradually decreased after 3 R. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hybrid spectral-element spectral-integral (SESI) method is developed for the electromagnetic (EM) scattering in 1-D Bloch (Floquet) periodic problems with scatterers embedded in multiple regions of 2-D layered media. The periodic layered medium Green’s function (PLMGF) is derived for the SESI method so that it can simulate EM scattering by horizontally periodic scatterers placed in an arbitrary number of layers. The SESI method is a combination of the spectral-element method (SEM) and the spectral-integral method (SIM). The SEM is applied only in regions with scatterers and has the merits of exponential convergence at a low spatial sampling density, while the SIM serves as an exact radiation boundary condition for the bottom and top boundaries of each SEM region. Therefore, there is no need to discretize the regions with pure layered media; furthermore, the inverses of these SIM matrices are given exactly and explicitly with only $O(N\log N)$ CPU time. Three numerical experiments are performed to show the accuracy and efficiency of the SESI method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peripheral nerve injury often leads to the loss of neurological functions due to the slow regeneration rate and inefficient functional reconstruction. Current clinical treatments using nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) still face challenges in providing a biomimetic microenvironment to promote nerve repair. Herein, decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) is obtained from porcine Achilles tendon and crosslinked with 3‐amino‐4‐methoxybenzoic acid grafted gelatin (PAMB‐G) to obtain conductive hydrogels. Then, a novel nerve guidance conduit is developed by assembling poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) conduit and conductive ECM@PAMB‐G hydrogel. This bioengineered ECM@PAMB‐G/PVA conduit demonstrated excellent cytocompatibility, electrical conductivity, mechanical properties, and biodegradability. In vitro experiments confirmed that the ECM@PAMB‐G hydrogel significantly promotes the proliferation and migration of PC12 cells and primary Schwann cells, as well as the growth of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) axons. Furthermore, in vivo studies in a rat sciatic nerve model exhibited improvements in axonal regeneration, Schwann cell migration, myelin sheath formation, and functional recovery mediated by the ECM@PAMB‐G/PVA conduit. This work demonstrates the synergistic effects of extracellular matrix and electrical cues in enhancing peripheral nerve regeneration. The ECM@PAMB‐G/PVA nerve guidance conduit shows potential as an alternative to autografts for supporting peripheral nerve reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Golgi protein 73 (GP73) is a transmembrane protein that can promote the proliferation of cancer cells. However, the roles of GP73 in the proliferation of non‐malignant hepatocytes have rarely been investigated. Methods: The wild‐type (GP73+/+) and GP73 gene knockout mice (GP73−/−) were subject to 70% partial hepatectomy (PHx) to explore the involvement of GP73 in liver regeneration. Results: After PHx, a significant increase of GP73 expression was observed in GP73+/+ mouse liver. Noticeably, promoted recovery of liver mass was observed in GP73−/− mouse at Day 1 after PHx, as showed by the liver/body weight ratio. RNA sequencing revealed that genes relevant to cell cycle and inflammation response in the residual liver tissues were severely suppressed with the deletion of GP73, particularly the inactivation of NF‐κB signal pathway in early phase of liver regeneration. In line with this, we do see the downregulation of cell cycle‐related protein including cyclin D1, p‐cyclin D1, β‐catenin, as well as interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor‐α, CCl2, and CXCl10. In contrast, activation of mTOR signaling pathway was documented, accompanied with the histological hypertrophy of hepatocytes in GP73−/− mouse. Conclusions: Golgi protein 73 deletion leads to delayed response of liver regeneration and inflammation in the early stages of liver regeneration after PHx. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the effects of lipid microspheres coated with prostaglandin E1 (lipo‐PGE1) on peritoneal transport function and inflammation in patients with end‐stage renal disease undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Methods: In total, 89 patients were randomly allocated to the lipo‐PGE1 and control groups. All the patients received conventional treatment, and those in the lipo‐PGE1 group received lipo‐PGE1 intravenously for 2 weeks. The levels of β2‐microglobulin (β2‐MG), cystatin C, albumin, urea, creatinine, interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), matrix metalloproteinase‐2 (MMP‐2), and high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) were measured before and at 1 and 2 weeks after treatment. Results: In the lipo‐PGE1 group, the peritoneal clearance rates of β2‐MG, cystatin C, and albumin were significantly increased comparing with pre‐treatment values, and the IL‐6 appearance rate (AR) in the peritoneal dialysate and the serum levels of IL‐6 and hs‐CRP were markedly decreased (p < 0.05). The lipo‐PGE1 group had significantly higher peritoneal clearance rates of β2‐MG and cystatin C and lower IL‐6 AR in the peritoneal dialysate than the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Lipid microspheres coated with prostaglandin E1 may increase the peritoneal clearance of moderately sized molecules and macromolecules with insignificant effect on the clearance of small molecules. The reduction in IL‐6 level following treatment with lipo‐PGE1 may alleviate inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Identification of mammary gland molecular mechanism in mares during early pregnancy. • Rich regulation of differential mRNA and LncRNA target gene signaling pathways. • MAPK pathway and NF-kappa B signaling pathway mediate the initiation of lactation. • VNT4, DPP4, and NFKBIA are the key nodes of ceRNA. Kazakh mares have attracted widespread attention with their outstanding lactation traits. Lactation is a complex dynamic process regulated by multiple factors. The extensive application of transcriptome sequencing technology enables researchers to further explore this biological issue. This study selected three pregnant and three non-pregnant Kazakh mares as the research subject. Their mammary glands were taken for transcriptome sequencing. The results show that there are 9 lncRNAs and 122 mRNAs differentially expressed between the two groups. GO enrichment analysis shows that there are 175 molecular functions, 59 cellular components, and 555 biological processes, including cellular hormone metabolic process, hormone catabolic process, and I-kappaB kinase/NF-kappaB signaling. KEGG enrichment analysis exhibits that these differential genes are mainly enriched in the NF-kappa B signaling pathway, steroid hormone biosynthesis, breast cancer, ECM-receptor interaction, and MAPK signaling pathway. WNT4, DPP4, and NFKBIA are key nodes regulating breast activation. Conclusions: Through the comparative analysis of the transcriptome data of mammary tissues of pregnant and non-pregnant mares, relevant differentially expressed genes are screened and analyzed. This study provides valuable fundamental data for investigating candidate genes related to the lactation regulation and mammogenesis of Kazakh horses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flavor attribute of Fragaria × ananassa Duch. would decide consumers' selection of preferred strawberry commercial cultivars. The roles of volatile compounds in strawberry aroma have been well-studied while knowledge regarding the non-volatile compounds is limited. Some non-volatile compounds which are involved in consumers preference of strawberry have been reported, contributions of non-volatile compounds for strawberry flavor remain ambiguous. This study explored the strawberry flavor influences of essential non-volatile compounds by comparing biosynthesis pathways of cultivars exhibiting distinct flavor characteristics. The widely targeted metabolome generated global profiles of three cultivars including 521 known non-volatile compounds. The differential accumulation analysis and precise quantification of soluble sugars, organic acids, polyphenols and free amino acids (FAAs) predicted fructose, citric acid, kaempferol and pelargonin-3-glucoside were key compounds involved in the sweetness, acidity and astringency of strawberries. Further, the conjoint analysis of metabolites and 824 differentially expressed genes revealed that flavonoid biosynthesis, phenylpropanoid metabolism and citrate cycle pathways decided the content difference of key flavor compounds. Within these pathways, several structure genes were predicted as potential regulators of organic acids, flavonoids and umami-taste FAAs. These findings would be helpful in identification of non-volatile compounds and genes responsible for strawberry flavor. • A comprehensive map of genes and flavor compounds of strawberry. • Key non-volatile compound candidates responsible for strawberry flavor. • Several structure genes regulating flavor compounds biosynthesizing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 catalysts have been widely applied as industrial catalysts for methanol synthesis from syngas, but suffers low activity for CO 2 hydrogenation to methanol. This study establishes highly active Cu catalysts through modulation of the composite of Al 2 O 3 and ZrO 2 in Cu/ZnO-based catalysts. The composition of Al 2 O 3 and ZrO 2 impacts the Cu dispersion, exposed surface area of Cu, the Cu0/(Cu0+Cu+) ratio and surface basicity. An appropriate content of Al 2 O 3 and ZrO 2 presents the higher Cu surface area, desirable ratio of Cu0/(Cu0+Cu+) and moderate-strong basic sites for effective CO 2 adsorption/activation, giving rise to higher space-time yield of methanol (up to 648 g CH3OH ·kg cat −1·h−1) than the commercial Cu catalyst. STY of methanol can be correlated with Cu surface area and Cu0/(Cu0+Cu+) ratio under the investigated conditions. The mechanistic analysis demonstrates that surface formate and methoxy species are the major intermediates. The methanol formation principally follows the formate-methoxy intermediate pathway. [Display omitted] • An appropriate amount of Al 2 O 3 and ZrO 2 favors the production of methanol. • The conversion rate of CO 2 is positively correlated with S Cu. • The relatively high content of Cu0 showed higher activity. • The increase of the number of moderate basic sites contributes to the improvement of CO 2 conversion rate. • The CO 2 hydrogenation to methanol followed the formate intermediate pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abundant reserves of potassium in the earth's crust and its low K/K+ redox potential (−2.93 V) make potassium ion batteries (PIBs) a potential candidate for next-generation ion batteries. Antimony (Sb) has a high theoretical specific capacity for PIBs, but the pulverization of Sb-based electrodes severely shortens their cycle lifetimes and hinders their use in PIBs. Here, a cage compound precursor-derived Sb/Sb2O4/Fe3C nanocomposite anchored on reduced graphene oxide with uniform distribution is fabricated and used as an anode for PIBs. Benefitting from the high capacity of Sb/Sb2O4 and the catalyst Fe3C that can promote the reversible dissolution of SEI film, the anode delivers a reversible specific capacity of 234 mA h g−1 at 500 mA g−1 over 280 cycles and a long-term cycling performance of 108 mA h g−1 at 2000 mA g−1 over 1244 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of intelligent transportation, background complexity, lighting changes, occlusion, and scale transformation affect the tracking results of moving vehicles in the video. We propose an improved vehicle object tracking algorithm based on Multi-Domain Convolutional Neural Networks (MDNet), combining the instance segmentation method with the MDNet algorithm, adding two attention mechanisms to the algorithm. The module extracts better features, ensures that the vehicle object adapts to changes in appearance, and greatly improves tracking performance. Our improved algorithm has a tracking precision rate of 91.8% and a success rate of 67.8%. The Vehicle Tracking algorithm is evaluated on the Object Tracking Benchmark (OTB) data set. The tracking results are compared with eight mainstream object tracking algorithms, and the results show that our improved algorithm has excellent performance. The object tracking precision rate and tracking success rate of this algorithm have achieved excellent results in many cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) tends to affect multiple organs and induce abnormal laboratory parameters. We designed this study to investigate the association between carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) elevation and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 177 patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection who received plasma CEA assays during hospitalization. Patients with other causes of CEA elevation were excluded. Data regarding epidemiological and demographical characteristics, clinical symptoms, laboratory tests, and outcomes were analyzed. Linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between CEA levels and inflammation severity. Results: 171 patients were included in the final study and 32 patients (18.7%) had raised serum of CEA (> 5 ng/ml), with a median (range) age of 66 (53–86). The median [interquartile range (IQR)] CEA level was 11.4 ng/ml (8.1–21.6), which was significantly higher than the upper limit of reference range. CEA level between 5–10 ng/ml was in 11 patients, 10–15 ng/ml in 10 patients, and > 15 ng/ml in 11 patients. No correlation was found between CEA levels and lymphocyte (R2 = 0.055; P = 0.10) nor CRP (R2 = 0.026; P = 0.38). The median levels of CEA were 20.0 ng/ml (IQR, 14.7–23.0) in non-survivors and 10.9 ng/ml (IQR 7.5–16.1) in survivors, and the difference between two groups was statistically significant (P = 0.048). Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 infection might be another cause of CEA elevation, with nearly 20% of patients experienced transient and marked CEA increment during COVID-19 pneumonia. The false-positive results of CEA elevation might have clinical significance for patients with colorectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Radiotherapy is one of the most important methods in the treatment of patients with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC). However, radioresistance will be developed after repeated irradiation. Among many key factors contributing to radioresistance, enhanced autophagy is recognized as one of the most important. The ultraviolent irradiation resistance-associated gene (UVRAG) is reported to be a crucial gene involved in the process of autophagy. Here, we test whether UVRAG has effect on the radioresistance of HSCC. Methods: HSCC cell line Fadu cells were treated with irradiation to test levels of autophagy. Tumor tissues from primary and recurrent HSCC patients were tested by immunohistochemistry. Then, we knocked down UVRAG to test its role in cell growth and the malignant behaviors. Response of cells to treatment was examined using LDH release assay, immunofluorescence, Western blot analysis and colony formation. Results: We found that irradiation induced autophagy in Fadu cells. Immunohistochemistry of primary and irradiated HSCC tumor tissues showed that UVRAG was upregulated after irradiation treatment. Inhibiting UVRAG with siRNA interfered cell growth, cell cycle, malignant behaviors and autophagic flux in Fadu cells. Knocking down UVRAG increased DNA damage and cell death induced by irradiation. Finally, we found that inhibiting UVRAG induced lysosomal membrane permeabilization, which contributed to radiosensitization of Fadu cells. Conclusion: Our findings supported the oncogenic properties of UVRAG in HSCC and inhibiting UVRAG increased radiosensitivity in HSCC by triggering lysosomal membrane permeabilization. Therefore, UVRAG might be a promising target in the treatment of HSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study examined whether overall sleep quality and the sleep components comprising the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) have a bi-directional relationship with resilience among adolescents, after adjusting for sex, age, depression, and socioeconomic status, and investigated which sleep components have a stronger effect on resilience.Methods: A total of 1299 students (58% females; mean age, 15.79 years) participated at baseline, with 840 finishing all four study waves over the course of 24 months. Data were collected through questionnaires, including socio-demographics, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item, and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. Cross-lagged models were used to analyze the relationships between sleep and resilience.Results: Both daytime dysfunction and sleep disturbance had an independent bi-directional relationship with resilience. Higher resilience scores predicted overall better sleep quality and shorter sleep latency, but not vice versa. Sleep disturbance and daytime dysfunction had stronger effects on resilience.Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of future school interventions for sleep to improve students' resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This communication studies 3-D electromagnetic (EM) scattering and inverse scattering of arbitrary anisotropic dielectric objects embedded in multilayered media. Different from previous work, the scatterer is not only arbitrary anisotropic, but also the arbitrary anisotropy of the layered background media is formed by rotation of the principal axes of uniaxial media. In addition, the scatterers are allowed to be placed across layer boundaries. The forward model is formulated by the electric field integral equation (EFIE), solved by the biconjugate gradient stabilized (BCGS) method, and accelerated by the fast Fourier transform (FFT). The time complexity is analyzed for the BCGS-FFT applied to layered arbitrary anisotropic media. In the inversion model, the variational Born iterative method (VBIM) is employed to reconstruct the arbitrary anisotropic profiles of both the permittivity and conductivity. Numerical simulations are performed to verify the feasibility and antinoise ability of the forward and inverse solvers in the circumstance of layered arbitrary anisotropic background media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the characteristics of phosphorus ore body fracture and joint fracture development in Yichang area, triaxial compression tests are carried out under different confining pressures, and the equivalent coupling damage variable model of triaxial compression is established to study the deformation characteristics and damage laws of fractured rock mass under different confining pressures, and to reveal the mutual influence of joint fracture, confining pressure size, damage characteristics and mechanical strength of fractured rock mass. The results show that the increase of confining pressure can effectively improve the mechanical strength of broken rock mass and reduce the valley value of rock damage variable. Under the action of high confining pressure, the peak value of stress-strain curve of fractured rock mass is approximately "fold line", the peak value is brittle failure, and its strength decays rapidly after failure. Under the action of low confining pressure, the rock sample at the peak presents elastic-plastic failure, and its strength decays slowly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is commonly complicated by renal impairment. Polyethylene glycol loxenatide (PEX168) is a novel long‐acting glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist for T2DM. PEX168 pharmacokinetics was studied to identify requirements for dose‐modification in T2DM complicated by renal impairment. Methods: This was a single‐centre, open‐labelled, parallel‐group, single‐dose, phase I clinical trial of patients with mild and moderate renal impairment, and with or without T2DM. Age‐, sex‐ and body mass index‐matched subjects with normal renal function, and with or without T2DM were recruited as controls. Subjects received a single abdominal subcutaneous injection of PEX168 200 μg. Pharmacokinetic samples were taken at 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, 216, 312, 480, 648 and 720 hours. Results: Twenty‐three patients were included in the pharmacokinetics analysis. Vz/F and CL/F were lower in the moderate impairment group than in the other groups. The mean t1/2 (163 hours) in the moderate impairment group was prolonged compared to the mild impairment (117 hours) and normal (121 hours) groups. AUC0–inf increased by 13 and 100.7% in patients with mild and moderate renal impairment, respectively. Most adverse events were mild gastrointestinal disorders, with only 1 serious adverse event observed. Conclusion: A single dose of 200 μg of PEX168 was in general well tolerated in patients with renal impairment. The in vivo clearance rate of PEX168 in patients with moderate renal impairment is slower than in patients with mild renal impairment and normal renal function and dose adjustment might be required (ClinicalTrials.org #NCT02467790). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate whether Niban protein plays a role in renal interstitial fibrosis by regulating renal tubular epithelial cell apoptosis and explore the underlying mechanism. Methods: Unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) model was performed in C57B/6J mice, and divided into sham operation group and groups of days 3, days 7, and days 14. Niban expression was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. TUNEL assays were used to detected apoptosis. Niban siRNA and overexpression Niban plasmid were transfected in HK-2 cells respectively to explore apoptosis related mechanisms of Niban during angiotensin II (AngII) – and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced injury. Results: With the development of obstruction, Niban's expression decreased gradually while apoptosis increased. Silencing of Niban not only increased the AngII- and ER stress-induced apoptosis, but also promoted the expression of caspase 8, caspase 9, Bip, and Chop. Overexpression of Niban reduced AngII-induced apoptosis and the expression of caspase 8 and caspase 9. Conclusions: Niban protein is involved in apoptosis regulation in HK-2 cells, and most likely via caspase-dependent pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The structures and low temperature behaviors of confined water in AlPO 4 -11 are studied. • Ice-like tetrahedral configuration, liquid-like structures, coordinated and relatively free water are found. • Small oligomers and low-density water with stronger hydrogen bonds appear at low temperatures. • Both the interface interaction and nanoconfinement effects play important roles. The interfacial and confined water have long been attractive objects due to their crucial roles in biological, geological processes, etc. In this paper, we investigate the hydrogen-bonded structures of water and their low temperature transitions in the subnano channels of AlPO 4 -11 for the first time on the basis of infrared spectroscopy. The number of the adsorbed water molecules is estimated to be 8.45 per channel in one unit cell by thermogravimetric analysis. It is found that the confined water molecules are involved in saturated and unsaturated coordination with different hydrogen bond strengths at ambient temperature. The former refers to ice-like four-coordinated water and the latter includes liquid-like structures, Al-coordinated and relatively free water molecules. Unique coordination between water molecules and framework Al sites is responsible for the ice-like structures in the channels above the ice melting point. The appearance of liquid-like structures is closely related to the strong channel confinement, which does not allow the formation of extensive tetrahedral hydrogen-bonded configuration. As temperature decreases, a structural transformation of confined water happens in the channels of AlPO 4 -11. Isolated small water oligomers and two new components with stronger hydrogen bonds, such as low-density amorphous ice-like structures and a kind of low-density liquid-like structures are preferred. Our results provide important insights into the structural organizations and thermal-dynamic behaviors of confined water in extreme narrow channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Time-dependent infrared spectra of hydrated AlPO 4 –5 are studied. • Low, intermediate and strong hydrogen-bonded water structures are present in the channels. • The hydrogen bonds of unsaturated coordinated water strengthen upon water adsorption. • Water molecules in intermediate coordination transform to tetrahedral structures. • The water-framework interaction facilitates the closure of Al-O-P angles and framework contraction. The structures of the adsorbed water molecules in AlPO 4 –5, their structural evolutions and changes of Al-O-P angles between tetrahedra upon water adsorption were investigated by infrared spectroscopy. The results indicate that Al-H 2 O coordination is present in the channels and the adsorbed water molecules are in low, intermediate and strong hydrogen-bonded environments. The population of the water species varies with a sudden enhancement from 70–140 min, showing similarity to the reported abnormal isotherm due to the increase of host-guest interaction sites. This large-scale uptake of water accelerates structural transformations of water from intermediate to strong hydrogen-bonded structures. Moreover, the water-framework interaction facilitates the closure of Al-O-P angles and thus results in the framework contraction. This study opens the door to a good knowledge of the hydrogen-bonded structures of H 2 O and framework deformation in hydrated AlPO 4 –5 from the viewpoint of infrared spectroscopy. Water molecules in AlPO 4 –5 are in low, intermediate and tetrahedrally coordinated hydrogen-bonded structures. The population of the latter increases at the expense of the intermediate coordinated water and subsequent adsorbed water molecules. The Al-O-P angles in the framework close upon water adsorption. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the problem of observer-based reliable passive control for uncertain Takagi–Sugeno (T–S) fuzzy systems with time-delay and actuator faults. By employing Lyapunov stability theory, fault treatment method and linear matrix inequalities (LMIs), a sufficient condition on the existence of an observer-based reliable passive controller is given. Further, the LMI conditions are proposed for the observer-based reliable passive controller design. The gain of reliable controller and observer can be obtained by solving the proposed LMIs. Using the reliable passive controller, the closed-loop system is not only internally stable but also strictly passive even though some actuator components fail and system state fails to be measured completely. Finally, a truck-trailer system example is given to verify the effectiveness and advantages of the designed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, porous ZrO 2 /SiZrBOC and SiZrBOC ceramic matrix composites were produced via vacuum impregnation method, using SiZrBOC ceramic precursor as a matrix, ZrO 2 fiber prepared via electrospinning as the reinforcing agent and polyurethane foam as a skeleton. Polyurethane foam with open porosity is rather a substrate for the creation of a skeletal 3D structure. The preparation process and pyrolysis mechanism of ZrO 2 /SiZrBOC polyurethane foam impregnated with a precursor solution were expounded. The thermal conductivity tests and mechanical property measurements show that the lowest thermal conductivity (0.0378 W m−1 K−1) was achieved in the ZrO 2 /SiZrBOC ceramic matrix composite at the pyrolysis temperature of 800 ℃, being much inferior to that of the SiZrBOC composite (0.0861 W m−1 K−1). At 1400 ℃, the maximum compressive strength of the porous ZrO 2 /SiZrBOC ceramic matrix composites reached a value of 1.37 MPa, while that of the SiZrBOC composites was 0.22 MPa only. Therefore, the addition of ZrO 2 fibers improved the compressive strength and thermal insulation properties of the composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a peripheral synapse between motor neurons and skeletal muscle fibers that controls muscle contraction. The NMJ is the target of various disorders including myasthenia gravis (MG), an autoimmune disease in which auto-antibodies (auto-Abs) attack the synapse, and thus cause muscle weakness in patients. There are multiple auto-Abs in the MG patient sera, but not all the Abs are proven to be pathogenic, which increases the difficulties in clinical diagnoses and treatments. To establish the causative roles of auto-Abs in MG pathogenesis, the experimental autoimmune MG (EAMG) induced by the active immunization of auto-antigens (auto-Ags) or the passive transfer of auto-Abs is required. These models simulate many features of the human disease. To date, there are three kinds of EAMG models reported, of which AChR-EAMG and MuSK-EAMG are well characterized, while the recent LRP4-EAMG is much less studied. Here, we report a current summary of LRP4-EAMG and its pathogenic mechanisms. The features of LRP4-EAMG are more similar to those of AChR-EAMG, indicating a similar clinical treatment for LRP4- and AChR-positive MG patients, compared to MuSK-positive MG patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roof mounting wind turbine (RMWT) is a promising form of wind energy utilization in urban environment. According to the International Energy Agency wind task 27, a recommended practice on micrositing of small wind turbines in the areas of high turbulence needs to be formulated. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study on the wind turbulence characteristics over the Engineering and Technology Building (ETB) on campus based on the urban atmospheric boundary layer (UABL) inflow condition is conducted, and the results are validated by wind lidar measurements. The micrositing method of RMWT is developed based on the CFD simulations, which contains preliminary and accurate micrositings. Results from this investigation suggest that the optimum installation height ranges from 1.51 to 1.79 times the height of building and the best locations are at the forefront where the wind acceleration reaches the maximum, as the wind direction varies. The methods developed in this paper can provide a feasible scheme for micrositing of RMWTs in urban environment and the results can also serve as a recommendation to this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel Si3N4/PAN/SiZrOCN ceramic aerogel composites, which have excellent wave transmission functions, were prepared through electrospinning, freeze-drying, and high-temperature pyrolysis. Polyvinyl alcohol was used as the aerogel carbon skeleton, polystyrene served as the pore-forming substance, Si3N4/PAN fiber was used as the reinforcement material. The pore size distribution and dielectric properties of the composites were systematically studied at different pyrolysis temperatures. An increase in pyrolysis temperatures led to a decrease in the specific surface area and dielectric constant. Fourier infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction were employed to investigate the polymerization mechanism and ceramic process of the precursor. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller test revealed that the maximum specific surface area of Si3N4/PAN/SiZrOCN ceramic aerogel composites was 109.261 m2/g, and the average pore size was 4.56 nm when sintered at 600 °C. The dielectric properties test results showed a dielectric constant ranging between 3.1 and 3.7 and a dielectric loss tangent value between 2.6 × 10–3 and 1.6 × 10–2 for the sample. Si3N4/PAN/SiZrOCN ceramic aerogel composites exhibited excellent dielectric properties at room temperature and demonstrated exceptional dielectric stability across different frequency bands (1.8–18.0 GHz), making them a potential high-temperature wave-transmittance material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hollow-structured ceramic fibers with multiple components are ideal as lightweight insulation materials. In this study, tetraethyl orthosilicate, boric acid, and zirconia octahydrate were used as raw materials for fabricating SiZrBOC hollow ceramic fibers through coaxial electrospinning. These ceramic fibers exhibit a low thermal conductivity and an excellent temperature resistance. The electrospun SiZrBOC hollow ceramic fibers display a clean and compact morphology with internal folds. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to assess the transformation process and thermal behavior of the hollow ceramic fibers. The results suggest that the incorporation of B promotes the formation of Si–O–B bonds within the system, leading to a maximum yield of 75.49 wt% for the production of the SiZrBOC hollow ceramic fibers. The phase composition and microstructure of the SiZrBOC hollow ceramic fibers were analyzed via X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. The pyrolysis at 1000 °C resulted in the appearance of diffraction peaks corresponding to SiO 2 and SiC in the XRD patterns of the SiZrBOC hollow ceramic fibers. Laser thermal conductivity measurements reveal that the SiZrBOC hollow ceramic fibers exhibit a thermal conductivity of only 0.06 W‧m−1K−1 at 25 °C and 0.124 W‧m−1K−1 at 500 °C, indicating a significantly superior thermal insulation performance compared with conventional solid SiZrBOC ceramic fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rosa rugosa is a spice plant with important economic value in the world. Its stem is densely covered with thorns. Its anatomical structure, as a special form of epidermal hair with developed secondary structure, has always gained attention. However, the molecular mechanism of its developmental regulation remains to be studied. In this research, rose prickle types were first investigated and classified, and R. rugosa 'Zizhi' with only non-glandular prickles excavated. The number of prickles on the primary, secondary, and tertiary branches of R. rugosa 'Zizhi' were gradually decreased and corresponding tissues were used for transcriptome sequencing. 4588 differentially expressed genes were identified and GO enriched terms of 'highly intensified response to stimulus', 'cell periphery', and 'nucleic acid binding transcription factor activity', as well as KEGG enriched pathway of 'plant hormone signal transduction', were closely related to the development of rose prickles. CAPRICE (RrCPC) gene which upregulated with the decreasing prickle number was decided as a candidate gene involved in the prickle development of R. rugosa. RrCPC ectopic expression significantly inhibited trichomes in different organs of Arabidopsis by down-regulation of GL2 and other endogenous genes. It indicated that overexpression of RrCPC posed a significant competitive inhibition on the MBW complex. Meanwhile, consistent enrichment GO terms shared by rose and Arabidopsis suggested that regulation genes involved in prickle development may be overlapped with that of trichome. These results revealed that RrCPC was a negative regulator of the trichomes but its correlation with number of R. rugosa prickle was ambiguous. This study proved the wide difference in physiological structure of prickles and trichomes, and provided a potential gene for further genetic analysis of R. rugosa prickle formation. • The prickles on Rosa rugosa 'Zizhi' were non-glandular. • RrCPC upregulated with the decreasing prickle number on the rose branches and inhibited trichomes in different organs of Arabidopsis. • Gene regulation map involved in formation of prickle could be overlapped with that of trichome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The kidney is a specialized low-regenerative organ with several different types of cellular lineages. The BrdU label-retaining cell (LRCs) approach has been used as part of a strategy to identify tissue-specific stem cells in the kidney; however, because the complementary base pairing in double-stranded DNA blocks the access of the anti-BrdU antibody to BrdU subunits, the stem cell marker expression in BrdU-labeled cells are often difficult to detect. In this study, we introduced a new cell labeling and detection method in which BrdU was replaced with 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine (EdU) and examined the time-dependent dynamic changes of EdU-labeled cells and potential stem/progenitor markers in the development of kidney. Methods: Newborn rats were intraperitoneally injected with EdU, and their kidneys were harvested respectively at different time points at 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks post-injection. The kidney tissues were processed for EdU and cellular markers by immunofluorescence staining. Results: At the early stage, LRCs labeled by EdU were 2176.0 ± 355.6 cells at day one in each renal tissue section, but dropped to 168 ± 48.4 cells by week 6. As time increased, the numbers of LRCs were differentially expressed in the renal cortex and papilla. At the postnatal day one, nearly twice as many cells in the cortex were EdU-labeled as compared to the papilla (28.6 ± 3.6% vs. 15.6 ± 3.4%, P<0.05), while there were more LRCs within the renal papilla since the postnatal week one, and at the postnatal week 6, one third as many cells in the cortex were EdU-labeled as compared to the papilla (2.5 ± 0.1% vs. 7.7 ± 2.7%, P<0.05). The long-term LRCs at 6-week time point were associated exclusively with the glomeruli in the cortex and the renal tubules in the papilla. At 6 weeks, the EdU-labeled LRCs combined with expression of CD34, RECA-1, Nestin, and Synaptopodin were discretely but widely distributed within the glomeruli; Stro-1 around the glomeruli; and α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) in arteries. Conversely, co-expression of CD34, RECA-1, and Nestin with the long term EdU-labeled LRCs was significantly lower in renal tubules (P<0.01), while Stro-1 and Synaptopodin were not detected. Conclusion: Our data found that at 6-week time point, EdU-labeled LRCs existing in the glomeruli expressed undifferentiated podocyte and endothelial markers at high rates, while those in the renal tubules expressed Nestin and vascular markers at low rates. To understand the characterization and localization of these EdU-LRCs, further studies will be needed to test cell lineage tracing, clonogenicity and differentiation potency, and the contributions to the regeneration of the kidney in response to renal injury/repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore the potential correlation and prognostic value of Livin, Survivin and Caspase 3 expression in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Methods: We prospectively examined the simultaneous expression of Livin, Survivin and Caspase 3 with immunohistochemistry in the paraffin blocks of 138 patients who underwent transurethral resection, and ten cases of normal bladder specimens were studied as the control group. During a 48-month follow-up, clinical pathologic factors including gender, age, pathology stage, histology grade, adjuvant therapy and recurrence time were recorded. The curves for recurrence-free survival (RFS) were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method, and the relationship between these proteins' expression and clinical pathologic factors was analyzed with the Cox regression model. Results: Livin and Survivin showed a high expression (H-exp) level of 65.22 and 71.01 % in NMIBC, respectively, whereas Caspase 3 expression level was 50.72 %, and H-exp level of Livin and Survivin were 72.7 and 80.0 % in pT1 stage, respectively, which were proved to be higher than that in pTa/Tis ratio ( P < 0.05). The relation between the H-exp and low-expression (L-exp) groups of Livin and Survivin and RFS were found statistically significant ( P < 0.05). Conversely, there was better RFS in H-exp Caspase 3 group than in L-exp group ( P < 0.05). A risk score was developed on the basis of all three biomarkers to estimate the prognosis of NMIBC patients, and those expressing high Survivin and Livin and low Caspase 3 had a significant shorter RFS time ( P < 0.05). Conclusions: Livin, Survivin and Caspase 3 may be valuable as promising indicators of early recurrence in NMIBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic yawing caused by wind direction variation is an important operating case for wind turbines. Because experimental data are lacking, existing studies assume that the rotor speed and pitch angle are constant, which cannot reflect the actual working states of wind turbines in the short-time variation of the wind direction. In this study, the rotor speed and power characteristics of wind turbine with the condition of variable wind direction were obtained through experiments. Using the experimental time-varying rotor speed curve, the aerodynamic characteristics were further studied using computational fluid dynamics method. The results showed that the rotor speed decreased due to the short-term wind direction variation. The final rotor speed and the stable time were related to the initial tip speed ratio and the wind direction variation rate, respectively. The dynamic yawing with the assumption of invariable rotor speed overestimated the average torque and underestimated the variation of torque. The continuous decreasing rotor speed made the angle of attack and its fluctuation degree larger. This caused a wide range of the flow separation for the whole blade and large fluctuation of the axial/tangential force load, and it doubled the fluctuation frequency of the aerodynamic load in the blade root region. • The short-term wind direction variation reduces the rotor speed of a wind turbine. • The constant rotor speed assumption causes the underestimated torque fluctuation. • The maximum fluctuation of the aerodynamic load appears in the root of the blade. • The large variation of AOA in the root doubles the fluctuating frequency of load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the causes of peritonitis in patients with peritoneal dialysis (PD) using continuous quality improvement (CQI) to develop effective interventions and reduce the occurrence of peritonitis. Methods: A quality control team consisting of 10 members, including the department head, four nephrologists and four nurses, all specialized in PD care, and the head nurse, was established at the Peritoneal Dialysis Center of the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. All patients with peritonitis occurring between 1 July 2010 and 31 December 2011 (pre-CQI period) were analyzed and compared with data obtained between January 2012 (implementation of CQI) and March 2013 to investigate possible causes of peritonitis and to develop corresponding interventions. Fishbone analysis, including laboratory parameters, was carried out monthly. Results: Gastrointestinal tract dysfunction, nonstandard procedures and malnutrition were found to be the top three risk factors for peritonitis. Gastrointestinal tract dysfunction was the likely cause of peritonitis in 42.8% of the subjects before CQI and 36.0% after CQI ( p < 0.05). Nonstandard procedures were the cause of peritonitis in 33.3% of the subjects before CQI and 24.0% after CQI ( p < 0.05). The overall incidence of peritonitis reduced from once every 40.1 patient months before the CQI to once every 70.8 patient months after CQI ( p < 0.05). The incidence of Gram-positive bacteria peritonitis reduced from once every 96.9 patients per month before CQI to once every 209.1 patient months after CQI ( p < 0.05), whereas the incidence of Gram-negative bacteria peritonitis reduced from once every 234.2 patient months before CQI to once every 292.8 patient months after CQI. Conclusion: CQI can effectively reduce the occurrence of PD-related peritonitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study demonstrates the downregulation of micro RNA-183 (mi R-183) in retinoblastoma ( RB) tissues and RB cell lines compared with normal retinal tissues. The ectopic expression of mi R-183 in the RB cell lines Y79, SO- RB50 and WERI- RB1 suppresses cell viability, migration and invasion. Furthermore, the Wnt co-receptor low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 ( LRP6) was identified as a new target of mi R-183, and restoration of the expression of LRP6 rescues the effects induced by mi R-183 in RB cells. These results indicate that miR-183 targets and downregulates LRP6 in the growth, migration and invasion of RB cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] MiR-365b-3p is downregulated in human retinoblastoma tissues. [•] MiR-365b-3p inhibits the expression of PAX6 by directly binding its 3′UTR. [•] MiR-365b-3p attenuates cell growth, induces G1 phase arrest and cell apoptosis. [•] MiR-365b-3p upregulates p21 and p27 but downregulates cdc2 and Cyclin D1 levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We investigated the relationship between BsmI/ApaI polymorphisms in vitamin D receptor gene and diabetic nephropathy in a Han Chinese population. PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to test the genotype and allele frequency of BsmI and ApaI polymorphisms in 304 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM group) and 100 control individuals (ND group). The DM group was further divided into DN0 (no diabetic nephropathy), DN1 (diabetes with small amount of albuminuria), DN2 (diabetes with large amount of albuminuria), L/NDN (late-onset DN after 5years/no DN over the whole follow-up period of 5years) and EDN (early-onset diabetic nephropathy occurring within first year) subgroup. We found that (1) genotype and allele frequency of BsmI polymorphism had significant difference between DM and ND group; BB+Bb genotype and B allele frequency were significantly higher in DN2 group than in ND and DN0 group; the ApaI polymorphism and allele frequency did not show any difference between DM and ND group; (2) BsmI BB+Bb genotype and B allele frequency were significantly higher in EDN group than in L/NDN group; (3) among patients with nephropathy, albumin excretion rate (AER) in 24-hour urine was significantly higher in those with BB+Bb phenotype than in those with bb phenotype (P<0.01), (4) unconditional logistic regression analysis showed that BsmI BB+Bb genotype was not only correlated with type 2 diabetic nephropathy, but also correlated with early-onset type 2 diabetic nephropathy. We conclude that the allele B (BB or Bb genotype) in vitamin D receptor gene is correlated with large amount albuminuria in the Han Chinese population with type 2 diabetes, and is probably a risk factor for early-onset diabetic nephropathy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Glucose oxidase (GOD) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP), entrapped alone and simultaneously in silica sol–gel (SG) network on gold nanoparticles (GNPs) modified indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode, were used to fabricate mono-enzyme GOD and bienzyme GOD–HRP glucose biosensors. The optimal conditions for the construction and the analytical performances of the biosensors were studied and compared. The optimal GOD concentration in mixed solution for the mono-enzyme and bienzyme glucose biosensors was about 250U/mL, and the optimal GOD/HRP ratio was approximately 2 for the bienzyme glucose biosensors. Amperometric response of glucose was evaluated by holding the biosensors at 0.1V (versus SCE). The linear ranges of detection for glucose were between 0.05–4.0mmol/L and 0.02–3.2mmol/L, respectively. The sensitivity of the bienzyme glucose biosensor was approximately 2.4-fold higher than that of mono-enzyme glucose biosensor. Both glucose biosensors showed rapid response, high selectivity and long-term stability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: We sought to determine the mechanisms linking dynamic obstruction and exercise tolerance in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). Background: Patients with HOCM have reduced exercise tolerance. However, the association between dynamic obstruction and peak oxygen consumption (Vo 2max) is weak. Methods: We enrolled 25 patients with HOCM, 20 with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and 20 normal control patients. Two-dimensional, Doppler, strain, and left ventricular (LV) twist mechanics by speckle tracking echocardiography were obtained. The 25 HOCM patients had left heart catheterization, and 16 were re-examined after septal reduction. Results: Deformation measurements were the lowest in HOCM patients and increased (p < 0.05) after septal reduction. Twist and untwisting rate were not different between patients with HCM and control patients, but untwisting was significantly delayed in HCM patients and longest in HOCM patients. The delay related well with LV end-diastolic pressure (r = 0.76) and volume (r = −0.73), and Vo 2max (r = −0.75, all p < 0.01). After septal reduction, untwisting occurred earlier and accounted for the increase in end-diastolic volume (r = 0.65), and Vo 2max (r = 0.74, both p < 0.05). Conclusions: Dynamic obstruction leads to delayed untwisting in HOCM, which accounts well for the increased LV filling pressures, the reduced LV volumes, and Vo 2max. After septal reduction, untwisting occurs earlier and leads to an improvement in LV filling and exercise tolerance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel disposable third-generation hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) biosensor based on horseradish peroxidase (HRP) immobilized on the gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) electrodeposited indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode is investigated. The AuNPs deposited on ITO electrode were characterized by UV–vis, SEM, and electrochemical methods. The AuNPs attached on the ITO electrode surface with quasi-spherical shape and the average size of diameters was about 25nm with a quite symmetric distribution. The direct electron chemistry of HRP was realized, and the biosensor exhibited excellent performances for the reduction of H2O2. The amperometric response to H2O2 shows a linear relation in the range from 8.0μmolL−1 to 3.0mmolL−1 and a detection limit of 2μmolL−1 (S/N=3). The value of HRP immobilized on the electrode surface was found to be 0.4mmolL−1. The biosensor indicates excellent reproducibility, high selectivity and long-term stability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]