Search

Metal‐halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have emerged as a promising photovoltaic technology. Fabricating PSCs in ambient air can accelerate their low‐cost commercialization, since it can remove the reliance on atmosphere‐controlled equipment. However, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of air‐fabricated PSCs still lags behind those fabricated in glovebox. Here, based on a technology to fabricate high‐quality perovskite film in ambient air, a compatible optimization is performed on electron transport layer (ETL) to further enhance the photovoltaic performance of PSCs. A soft‐templated deposition strategy is proposed that utilizes tetrasodium glutamate diacetate (GLDA) to finely regulate the chemical bath deposition process, leading to an ideal SnO2 ETL with no additive residual. Adopting this feature of no residual, a molecular bridge using β‐guanidinopropionic acid (βA) is constructed at the buried interface (SnO2/perovskite), which effectively enhances the electron extraction and decreases electron losses. The resulting PSCs (0.08 cm2) achieve an impressive PCE of 25.74% (certificated 25.43%), which is the highest among the air‐fabricated PSCs reported to date. A PCE of 24.61% in 1 cm2‐PSCs is also obtained, exhibiting the scalable potential of the technology. In addition, the excellent operational stability of these PSCs is also demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resistance of multidrug-resistant bacteria to existing antibiotics forces the continued development of new antibiotics and antibacterial agents, but the high costs and long timeframe involved in the development of new agents renders the hope that existing antibiotics may again play a part. The "antibiotic adjuvant" is an indirect antibacterial strategy, but its vague concept has, in the past, limited the development speed of related drugs. In this review article, we put forward an accurate concept of a "non-self-antimicrobial sensitisers (NSAS)", to distinguish it from an "antibiotic adjuvant", and then discuss several scientific methods to restore bacterial sensitivity to antibiotics, and the sources and action mechanism of existing NSAS, in order to guide the development and further research of NSAS. [Display omitted] • The concept of "non-self-antimicrobial sensitizers (NSAS)" was proposed for the first time. • Six antimicrobial sensitisation strategies were systematically summarised. • NSAS restores antibiotic susceptibility in drug-resistant bacteria (DRB). • There are 5 classes of drugs that are the greatest source of treasures for NSAS. • NSAS can buy time to develop new antibiotics and slow down the evolution of DRB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: The protein factors for the specific C‐to‐U RNA editing events in plant mitochondria and chloroplasts possess unique arrays of RNA‐binding pentatricopeptide repeats (PPRs) linked to carboxy‐terminal cytidine deaminase DYW domains via the extension motifs E1 and E2. The E1 and E2 motifs have distant similarities to tetratricopeptide repeats known to mediate protein–protein interactions but their precise function is unclear. Here, we investigate the tolerance of PPR56 and PPR65, two functionally characterized RNA editing factors of the moss Physcomitrium patens, for the creation of chimeras by variably replacing their C‐terminal protein regions. Making use of a heterologous RNA editing assay system in Escherichia coli we find that heterologous DYW domains can strongly restrict or widen the spectrum of off‐targets in the bacterial transcriptome for PPR56. Surprisingly, our data suggest that these changes are not only caused by the preference of a given heterologous DYW domain for the immediate sequence environment of the cytidine to be edited but also by a long‐range impact on the nucleotide selectivity of the upstream PPRs. Significance Statement: DYW domains affect upstream PPR arrays for RNA recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Navigation aids can help people conduct daily wayfinding activities. However, because of cognitive limitations that can emerge with age, it is not clear how different navigation aids impact wayfinding behaviors and spatial memory in older adults. In Experiment 1, 66 older adults and 65 younger adults participated. They were asked to make turn decisions when the navigation aid was a map, a map plus self-updating (Global Positioning System [GPS]), or a text. After the wayfinding task, they completed two spatial memory tasks recalling scenes and drawing the routes. Results showed that younger adults outperformed older adults on most outcome measures. The text and the GPS conditions benefited older adults' wayfinding behaviors more than the map condition, as indicated by route decision accuracies and reaction times. However, the map condition was associated with better route memory than the text condition. Experiment 2 aimed to replicate the results using more complex environments. Sixty-three older adults and 66 younger adults participated. The advantage of the text over the map conditions was again found in wayfinding behaviors for older adults. However, no difference was found between the map and the text conditions in route memory. No difference was found between the GPS and the map conditions in any outcome measures. Overall, our results showed the relative strengths and weaknesses of different navigation aids and the interactive effects between the type of navigation aid, age, outcome measure, and environmental complexity. Public Significance Statement: This study shows that spatial navigation is easier for older adults when the environment is presented via texts rather than maps. Knowing one's location in real time also benefits older adults' spatial navigation, but only when the environment is less complex. This study has practical implications for designing navigation aids for older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report the development of iron-catalyzed benzylic C–H oxidative amidation reactions via photoinduced ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT). These reactions exhibit a broad substrate scope (60 examples) and offer operationally simple, scalable procedures for accessing valuable products from methylarenes in a single step. Mechanistic studies and control experiments confirm the participation of a photogenerated chlorine radical in facilitating the hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) from the benzylic C–H bond to initiate the reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitochondrial C-to-U RNA editing factor PPR56 of the moss Physcomitrium patens is an RNA-binding pentatricopeptide repeat protein equipped with a terminal DYW-type cytidine deaminase domain. Transferred into Escherichia coli, PPR56 works faithfully on its two native RNA editing targets, nad3eU230SL and nad4eU272SL, and also converts cytidines into uridines at over 100 off-targets in the bacterial transcriptome. Accordingly, PPR56 is attractive for detailed mechanistic studies in the heterologous bacterial setup, allowing for scoring differential RNA editing activities of many target and protein variants in reasonable time. Here, we report (i) on the effects of numerous individual and combined PPR56 protein and target modifications, (ii) on the spectrum of off-target C-to-U editing in the bacterial background transcriptome for PPR56 and two variants engineered for target re-direction and (iii) on combinations of targets in tandem or separately at the 5'- and 3'-ends of large mRNAs. The latter experimentation finds enhancement of RNA editing at weak targets in many cases, including cox3eU290SF as a new candidate mitogenome target. We conclude that C-to-U RNA editing can be much enhanced by transcript features also outside the region ultimately targeted by PPRs of a plant editing factor, possibly facilitated by its enrichment or scanning along transcripts. Author summary: RNA-binding pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins convert specific cytidines to uridines in mitochondrial and plastid transcripts of land plants to correct genetic information. PPR protein PPR56 is assigned to two editing sites in nad3 and nad4 transcripts of the moss Physcomitrium patens. Transferred into Escherichia coli, PPR56 edits its co-delivered native targets, but also more than 100 specific cytidines in endogenous bacterial transcripts. We have used the E. coli editing system to intensively study the editing properties of PPR56 as a prime example of a plant-type C-to-U RNA editing factor. We confirm that the selection of editing sites depends on the PPR region of the editing factor, which recognizes the RNA target upstream of the C to be edited. Some single amino acid modifications within this region can re-direct the editing factor to new targets, but others reduce or prevent editing completely. Modifications on the target side even outside of the RNA region recognized by the editing factor also affect editing efficiencies significantly. The combination of targets, for example, enhances the editing of the weaker target in many cases. Thus, not only the direct target-protein interaction, but also other transcript features influence the final selection of editing sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Desvenlafaxine succinate is a selective serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor for the treatment of major depressive disorder. The pharmacokinetic profile of desvenlafaxine succinate at the clinically recommended dose of 50 mg in Chinese healthy subjects has been reported rarely. The objective of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence of desvenlafaxine succinate in Chinese healthy subjects. A single‐dose, open‐label, randomized, two‐way crossover study with a 7‐day washout period was conducted. A total of 88 individuals were incorporated to show bioequivalence of a generic and a reference drug, with 48 individuals in the fasting state and 40 receiving a high‐fat diet. Finally, 46 and 38 individuals completed the fasting and the fed study, respectively. The 90% confidence intervals of the adjusted geometric mean ratios for maximum plasma concentration, area under the concentration–time curve from time zero to the last measurable concentration, and area under the concentration–time curve from time zero to infinity all fell in the bioequivalent interval of 80%–125% in both the fasting and fed states. A total of 33 adverse events were reported, and all were mild or moderate in severity. In summary, the generic and reference formulations were bioequivalent, with no observable safety differences in the fasting/fed state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel binary solvent system consisting of alcohols (e.g., methanol, ethanol, isopropanol) and dichloromethane was developed as an efficient dissolution system for dissolving various types of lignin. It was found that in this dissolution system, adjusting the volume ratio of alcohol and dichloromethane will significantly affect the solubility of lignin. At the same time, this study proposed that the reason why the solvent can dissolve lignin was the hydrophobic skeleton and hydrophilic groups can be solvated by dichloromethane and alcohols respectively, which significantly promoted the dissolution of lignin. Furthermore, the solvent did not significantly alter the structure of the lignin. The proposed novel solvent is simple, efficient, versatile and flexible, can adapt to the high diversity of lignin, and has broad application prospects. [Display omitted] • A novel alcohol-dichoromethane binary mixture solvent was developed. • It can dissolve various lignins fast and efficiently. • It had good flowability and resistance to low temperature coagulation. • It can used be as a solvent for lignin NMR testing. • Especially that its dissolution mechanism was clearly elucidated [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, nitrogen (N) fertilizer is excessively used in sugarcane planting areas, while the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of sugarcane is relatively low. Mining and identifying the key genes in response to low N stress in sugarcane can provide useful gene elements and a theoretical basis for developing sugarcane varieties with high NUE. In our study, RNA-Seq combined with qRT-PCR analysis revealed that the ScAMT1.1 gene responded positively to low N stress, resulting in the stronger low N tolerance and high NUE ability of sugarcane cultivar ROC22. Then, ScAMT1.1 was cloned from sugarcane. The full-length cDNA of the ScAMT1.1 gene is 1868 bp, containing a 1491 bp open reading frame (ORF), and encoding 496 amino acids. ScAMT1.1 belongs to the AMT superfamily and shares 91.57% homologies with AMT1.1 from Oryza sativa. Furthermore, it was stably overexpressed in rice (O. sativa). Under low N treatment, the plant height and the fresh weight of the ScAMT1.1-overexpressed transgenic rice were 36.48% and 51.55% higher than that of the wild-type, respectively. Both the activity of ammonium assimilation key enzymes GS and GDH, and the expression level of ammonium assimilation key genes, including GS1.1, GS1.2, GDH, Fd-GOGAT, and NADH-GOGAT2 in the transgenic plants, were significantly higher than that of the wild-type. The grain number and grain yield per plant in the transgenic rice were 6.44% and 9.52% higher than that of the wild-type in the pot experiments, respectively. Taken together, the sugarcane ScAMT1.1 gene has the potential to improve ammonium assimilation ability and the yield of transgenic rice under low N fertilizer conditions. This study provided an important functional gene for improving sugarcane varieties with high NUE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wayfinding refers to the process of locating unseen destinations in the spatial environment and is an important spatial skill for children. Despite a growing interest in wayfinding development in children, less attention has been focused on documenting the vast methodological heterogeneity of the existing research body, which impacts the ability to synthesize results across different studies. This review aims to systematically catalog and examine the research methods of the wayfinding development literature. We identified a total of 96 studies that examined 4- to 16- year-old children's wayfinding of unfamiliar, large-scale environments and were published between 1965 and 2020. Based on the environments, we grouped these studies into virtual reality (VR) vs. real-life and indoor vs. outdoor. The review revealed a vast diversity in research methods regarding participants, environments, independent variables (IVs), environmental exposure, dependent variables (DVs), and cognitive/behavioral correlates. The field has seen growing research interests in VR environments and atypical development. The most common IVs focused on the environmental features of landmarks and turn information. Relatively less research considered how different cognitive processes such as attention, memory, and learning contribute to wayfinding. Various outcome measures have been used to investigate landmark, route, and survey knowledge regarding DVs. This review showed an imbalance of topic areas in the field, systematic differences between different types of studies, and the need for greater attention on a number of important topics. Finally, we provided targeted, detailed recommendations for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical nitrogen (N) fertilizer is widely used in sugarcane production, especially in China and India. Understanding the molecular mechanisms and mining miRNAs and their target genes associated with nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in sugarcane can aid in developing the N-efficient varieties, and thus is beneficial to reduce N fertilizer application. In this study, the root miRNA database of N-efficient sugarcane variety ROC22 under low N stress (0.3 mM NH4NO3) for 3 h was constructed, along with their transcriptome-rearranged data. KEGG analysis indicated that those candidate target genes, corresponding to differentially expressed miRNAs, were mainly enriched in N metabolism, amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, photosynthesis, and hormone signal transduction pathways. It was found that under low N stress for 0–24 h, there was a negative correlation between miR168 and SPX, along with miR396 and acnA. Furthermore, the expression of miR156 in the roots of ROC22 was significantly up-regulated under low N treatment. Compared with the wild-type, the Arabidopsis plants overexpressing sugarcane miR156 exhibited significantly improved length and surface area of roots, while the expression of one NO3− transporter gene NRT1.1, three N assimilation key genes (NR1, NIR1, and GS), and the activity of two N assimilation key enzymes (NR and GS) were up-regulated under low N treatment. It can be reasonably deduced that sugarcane miR156 can enhance the nitrogen assimilation ability of the overexpressed Arabidopsis plants under low N application, and thus has a potential ability for improving sugarcane NUE. The present study should be helpful for understanding the molecular regulatory network in the N-efficient sugarcane genotype responding to low N stress and could provide the candidate miRNAs with a potential function in improving sugarcane NUE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The prognostic role of CRP (C-reactive protein) in gynecological tumors has been previously reported in individual studies, but whether CRP can be used as a separate potential prognostic factor has not been systematically reviewed. The purpose of this research is to determine if there is a link between CRP levels and the prognosis of gynecological cancer patients. Methods. A systematic search was carried out to find the literature evaluating the predictive role of CRP in the prognosis of gynecological cancer patients. For the purpose of determining the relationship between CRP and clinicopathological characteristics, the pooled odds ratio (OR) was calculated. A hazard ratio (HR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to determine differences in overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), or progression-free survival (PFS) between patients with low and high CRP levels. Results. A total of 19 studies, including 4062 patients, were analyzed retrospectively. The FIGO stage was related to the CRP level (OR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.19–1.00). Age, lymph node metastasis, and histological grade were not associated with CRP level (OR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.69–1.25; OR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.65–1.28; OR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.52–1.05). Worse OS (HR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.23–1.57), DFS (HR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.12–1.28), and PFS (HR = 1.57, 95%CI: 1.23–1.91) were associated with elevated CRP levels, as shown by the pooled results. Subgroup analysis was performed according to cancer type (endometrial cancer: HR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.02–1.28; ovarian cancer: HR = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.03–2.31; cervical cancer: HR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.19–1.64), multivariate value (HR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.10–1.33), and age (HR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.28–1.72). Significant correlations were observed between CRP and OS. Conclusions. CRP may be utilized as a prognostic indicator for a variety of gynecologic malignancies, including cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, and vulvar cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The search for renewable energy sources to replace fossil fuel has made lignin a promising carbon-containing resource. In this paper, LaNiO 3 perovskite catalyst supported by mesoporous carrier with specific pore structure was prepared by the pore filling of MCM-41 with citrate complex precursors of nickel and lanthanum. Then the catalysts applied to maize straw lignin depolymerization. The results of low-angle XRD, N 2 adsorption-desorption, IR spectroscopy and SEM confirmed that the catalyst has been successfully manufactured. Based on the yield of phenolic monomer, low molecular weight lignin derived bio-oil and high molecular weight lignin derived bio-oil as standard, the catalyst showed best catalytic effect when the reaction temperature was 250 °C, the reaction time was 6 h, the ratio of lignin to catalyst mass was 5: 1 and with ultrasonic assist. The yield of phenolic monomer was 11.46 wt% and that of bio-oil was 68.0 wt%. In general, this method is an excellent embodiment of the principle of Lignin-first as well as an excellent strategy for the production of value-added phenolics and high-quality bio-oils from lignin. It plays an important role in promoting the high value utilization of lignin in the future. [Display omitted] • The MCM-41-based Perovskite catalyst is prepared for lignin depolymerization. • Ultrasonic assistance can enhance the catalytic performance of this catalyst. • Acquired Low Mw lignin-derived bio-oil has a distinct lignin structure. • This bio-oil has smaller Mw and higher calorific value than native lignin. • This bio-oil has more complex structure than native lignin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-based materials are attracting substantial attention for their eco-friendly attributes within the construction field, where they facilitate energy saving and emissions reduction. However, the performance of it, such as thermal properties, needs to be improved. Fully utilizing bio-based materials, we developed a novel composite phase change material (PCM), A-WF/CO/h-BN, with high thermal storage properties designed for application in building envelopes. It incorporates coconut oil (CO) as the PCM featuring an optimal phase change temperature. Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) was chosen to enhance the thermal conductivity. Acetylated wood fiber (A-WF) was employed as the supporting material. The prepared A-WF/CO/h-BN sample exhibits excellent and rapid heat storage and exothermic capabilities. In the experiment of thermal performance evaluation, the cold end of the A-WF/CO/h-BN sample is cooler than that of the A-WF when both hot ends are heated. Results indicate that the proposed A-WF/CO/h-BN sample can effectively delay the heat transfer and inhibit the temperature rise and fall. For these superior properties, when the A-WF/CO/h-BN sample is applied in building envelopes, it can minimize the heat transfer from the envelope to the interior and inhibit indoor temperature fluctuation. Thus, it can reduce building energy consumption and carbon emissions while achieving indoor thermal comfort. [Display omitted] • A bio-based composite PCM was prepared using Wood Fiber and Coconut Oil. • The adsorption and hydrophobicity of modified WFs were enhanced. • Thermal conductivity and subcooling of CO were improved by the addition of h-BN. • The prepared A-WF/CO/h-BN exhibits outstanding thermal storage capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignin is a renewable raw material with excellent adsorption, biodegradability, and non-toxicity. As a new, green nanomaterial, lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) have been explored as high-value renewable materials for applications in many fields. Herein, we provide a simple, rapid approach for the fabrication of size-controlled LNPs using a titrimetric nanoprecipitation method. The prepared LNPs were formed through a layer-by-layer self-assembly approach from inside to outside based on π-π interactions and had spherical shapes with porous surfaces and particle sizes from 272.0 to 915.4 nm. The average particle size of LNPs varied with stirring speed and decreased as the volume of deionized water increased. Compared with those of the original lignin, the chemical structural characteristics of LNPs did not change significantly. The proposed scheme for the preparation of LNPs is simple, inexpensive, and possesses the properties of both lignin and nanomaterials. The sizes of LNPs were controlled. Therefore, this is a good scheme for high-value applications of lignin. [Display omitted] • A rapid and direct preparation of lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) was carried out for the efficient utilization of lignin. • A novel alcohol-dichloromethane binary mixture solvent was used firstly in the preparation process. • Nanoparticles were porous spherical and size-controlled. • A possible formation mechanism of the LNPs was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stem diameter, an important agronomic trait, affects cucumber growth and yield. However, no genes responsible for cucumber stem diameter have been identified yet. In this study, the stem diameter of 88 cucumber core germplasms were measured in spring 2020, autumn 2020 and autumn 2021, and a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was carried out based on the gene sequence and stem diameter of core germplasms. A total of eight loci (gSD1.1, gSD2.1, gSD3.1, gSD3.2, gSD4.1, gSD5.1, gSD5.2, and gSD6.1) significantly associated with cucumber stem diameter were detected. Of these, five loci (gSD1.1, gSD2.1, gSD3.1, gSD5.2, and gSD6.1) were repeatedly detected in two or more seasons and were considered as robust and reliable loci. Based on the linkage disequilibrium sequences of the associated SNP loci, 37 genes were selected. By further investigating the five loci via analyzing Arabidopsis homologous genes and gene haplotypes, five genes (CsaV3_1G028310, CsaV3_2G006960, CsaV3_3G009560, CsaV3_5G031320, and CsaV3_6G031260) showed variations in amino acid sequence between thick stem lines and thin stem lines. Expression pattern analyses of these genes also showed a significant difference between thick stem and thin stem lines. This study laid the foundation for gene cloning and molecular mechanism study of cucumber stem development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) are a valuable animal model of essential hypertension. The increasing use of SHRs in neuroimaging has generated an urgent demand for a template set that provides a reference for advanced data analysis. Structural T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and functional MRI scans that were used to build the template set were obtained from 8 SHRs longitudinally scanned in vivo at 10, 24 and 52 weeks of age. These symmetric multi-contrast templates were constructed by iterative registration and averaging. The cortical atlas was derived from the Tohoku atlas, and the subcortical regions were manually delineated based on the templates. A set of SHR brain images named the Hebei Medical University rat brain template set (HRT) comprised 3D symmetric T2WI, raw T2-weighted signal with no added diffusion weighting (B0), fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD) and blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) templates; tissue probability maps (TPMs) of gray matter (GM), white matter (WM) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF); and a whole-brain atlas with 163 labels. We quantitatively validated the template and characterized the longitudinal changes in brain morphology in different brain tissues as SHRs aged. To our knowledge, the HRT is the first MRI template set for SHRs. We believe that the HRT can serve as a beneficial tool for precise analysis of the SHR brain using structural and functional MRI, which can promote neuroimaging studies on essential hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The activation of immune response driven by the eggs of Schistosoma japonicum and the subsequent secretions is the culprit behind granulomatous inflammation and liver fibrosis. Evidence suggests that PKCλ/ι participates in a variety of physiological and pathological processes, including the regulation of metabolism, growth, proliferation and differentiation of cells. However, the role of PKCλ/ι in liver disease caused by Schistosoma japonicum remains unclear. Methods: In the present study, we observe the pathological changes of egg-induced granulomatous inflammation and fibrosis in the liver of mice infected by Schistosoma japonicum by using conditional PKCλ/ι-knockout mice and wild-type control. Immune cytokines and fibrogenic factors were analyzed by performing flow cytometry and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. Results: The results of H&E and Masson staining show that the degree of granulomatous lesions and fibrosis in the liver of the infected PKCλ/ι-knockout mice was significantly reduced compared with those of the infected wild-type mice. The mean area of single granuloma and hepatic fibrosis in the PKCλ/ι-knockout mice was significantly lower than that of the wild-type mice (85,295.10 ± 5399.30 μm2 vs. 1,433,702.04 ± 16,294.01 μm2, P < 0.001; 93,778.20 ± 8949.05 μm2 vs. 163,103.01 ± 11,103.20 μm2, P < 0.001), respectively. Serological analysis showed that the ALT content was significantly reduced in the infected knockout mice compared with infected wild-type mice. RT-PCR analysis showed that IL-4 content in knockout mice was significantly increased after Schistosoma japonicum infection, yet the increase was less than that in infected wild-type mice (P < 0.05). PKCλ/ι deficiency led to reduced expression of fibrosis-related factors, including TGF-β1, Col-1, Col-3, α-SMA and liver DAMP factor HMGB1. Flow cytometry analysis showed that the increasing percentage of Th2 cells, which mainly secrete IL-4 cytokines in spleen cells, was significantly lower in PKCλ/ι-deficient mice compared with wild-type mice after infection (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that PKCλ/ι deficiency alleviating granulomatous inflammation and fibrosis in the liver of mice with S. japonicum infection by downregulating Th2 immune response is the potential molecular mechanism behind the role of PKCλ/ι in schistosomiasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relatively few studies have directly examined children's memory of object-based spatial structure of room-sized environments. The current study investigated how children remember the spatial structure of a room, and the role of pictorial working memory (WM) and different testing perspectives in this process. In Experiment 1, 80 children aged 5 to 7 years old participated in a memory of spatial structure task, a pictorial spatial WM task, and a verbal ability test. In the first task, participants explored a square-shaped virtual room where each wall was associated with different objects. The virtual room was viewed on a desktop monitor. Then they recalled wall scenes of different perspectives (0, 90, 180 degrees) relative to a reference wall. Results found that pictorial WM predicted memory of spatial structure after accounting for age and verbal ability. Different from perspective taking tasks, children rarely made egocentric errors. Moreover, the memory of spatial structure is perspective independent because there was no difference in performance between the 90 and 180 degrees conditions. We replicated the basic results in Experiment 2, where 77 children completed the same set of tasks except that the virtual room was round-shaped. Furthermore, the developmental trajectories of memory of spatial structure as a function of pictorial WM varied between different experiments and perspective conditions. Together, our study showed that children aged 5–7 years old could retrieve the spatial structure of a room-sized environment from diverse perspectives, which was also susceptible to pictorial WM capacity, perspectives, and geometric cues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A label‐free DNA‐based electrochemical biosensor owning high sensitivity and selectivity has been established for detecting bisphenol A in a wide range of applications. Coupling the high electrochemical performance of graphene oxide‐thionine‐Au nanomaterial with the specific binding capacity of the aptamers to BPA, the monitoring of trace amount of BPA was realized, the detection limit was 3.3 pg ⋅ mL−1 with strong anti‐interference. Besides, using molecular docking, it was found that BPA binds to the bases DC‐49, DC‐51, DG‐52, DG‐53 and DA‐63 on the aptamer via hydrogen bonding and π‐π stacking interactions. Finally, the biosensor had been successfully applied in different real samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation into viable but non-culturable (VBNC) bacteria through the implementation of resuscitation promoting factors (Rpfs) has broadened the potential sources for isolating strains capable of degrading polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Nonetheless, there has been limited research on the efficacy of resuscitated strains and the potential improvement of their performance through co-cultivation. In this work, the PCB degradation potential of resuscitated strains, specifically Pseudomonas sp. HR1 and Achromobacter sp. HR2, as well as their co-cultures, was investigated. Of particular importance was the comparative analysis between the optimal co-culture and individual strains regarding their ability to degrade PCB homologs and mineralize intermediate metabolites. The results suggested that the resuscitated strains HR1 and HR2 demonstrated robust growth and effective degradation of Aroclor 1242. The co-culture CO13, with an optimal HR1 to HR2 ratio of 1:3, exhibited a remarkable improvement in PCB degradation and intermediate metabolite mineralization compared to individual strains. Analysis of functional genes and degradation metabolites revealed that both the individual strains and co-culture CO13 degraded PCBs via the HOPDA-benzoate pathway, then mineralized through protocatechuate meta - and ortho -cleavage pathways, as well as the catechol ortho -cleavage pathway. This study represents the first documentation of the improved PCB degradation through the co-cultivation of resuscitated strains, which highlights the great promise of these resuscitated strains and their co-cultures as effective bio-inoculants for enhanced bioremediation. [Display omitted] • First report on co-culture of resuscitated Pseudomonas and Achromobacter strains. • Resuscitated strains HR1 and HR2 exhibited distinct PCB degradation advantages. • CO13 consisting of HR1 and HR2 in 1:3 ratio achieved highest PCB degradation. • Co-culture CO13 surpassed single strains in intermediate metabolite mineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To explore the dynamic changes recorded in pulse graph related to the changes in the severity of pain before and after electroacupuncture (EA) intervention among young women suffering from primary dysmenorrhea (PD). Methods. A total of 147 female college students were recruited in this study. Based on participants' symptoms associated with menstruation, they were divided into the PD group and the healthy control group. In addition, participants in the PD group were further sorted into the Cold Coagulation and Blood Stasis Pattern (CCBSP) and Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis Pattern (QSBSP) based on TCM diagnoses and their pulses differences. Participants in the PD group received EA at maximal pain during menstruation. The primary acupuncture points selected were SP 6 and RN 3, additional RN 4 for CCBSP, and LR 3 for QSBSP. Four observation time points were 7–10 days before menstruation (T0), maximal pain during menstruation (T1), immediately after EA (T2), and 30 mins after EA (T3). The severity of pain was assessed by a visual analog scale (VAS) along with a pulse analyzer to record the variations of the pulse graph throughout the changes of pain level. Results. (1) The average VAS score in the PD group decreased from 5.44 ± 1.46 at T1 to 1.72 ± 1.27 at T2 and 1.59 ± 1.30 at T3. The average VAS score in participants of CCBSP at T1, T2, and T3 was higher than that of QSBSP. (2) At T1, h2, h3, h4, and w 1 /t were all significantly increased, compared with those at T0. At T2, t and t5 were both significantly increased, and w 1 /t, t1, and t1/t were all significantly decreased, compared with those at T1. At T3, w 1 /t, t1, and t1/t were all significantly increased, and t and t5 were both significantly decreased, compared with those at T2. (3) Comparing the pulse graphs between the healthy control and the PD groups, h1 was significantly lower at T0; w 1 /t was significantly higher at T1; t was significantly higher at T2; and t1 and t1/t were both significantly higher at T3 in PD group. (4) When comparing the pulse graphs between QSBSP and CCBSP, t4/t5 was significantly higher at T0 and t1 was significantly higher at T1 in the CCBSP group. Conclusion. EA is effective in relieving primary dysmenorrhea. Our results showed the opposite changing of the pulse graph recorded before the onset of pain to the maximum pain and that from maximum pain to pain relief. Indeed, there were differences in the recorded pulse graphs between CCBSP and QSBSP (two patterns of PD) as described in traditional Chinese pulses diagnosis. The study has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registered number: ChiCTR2000040065; registered date: 2020/11/19). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In visual statistical learning, one can extract the statistical regularities of target locations in an incidental manner. The current study examined the impact of salient perceptual cues on one type of visual statistical learning: probability cueing effects. In a visual search task, the target appeared more often in one quadrant (i.e., rich) than the other quadrants (i.e., sparse). Then, the screen was rotated by 90° and the targets appeared in the four quadrants with equal probabilities. In Experiment 1 without the addition of salient perceptual cues, adults showed significant probability cueing effects, but did not show a persistent attentional bias in the testing phase. In Experiments 2, 3, and 4, salient perceptual cues were added to the rich or the sparse quadrants. Adults showed significant probability cueing effects but no persistent attentional bias. In Experiment 5, younger children, older children, and adults showed significant probability cueing effects. All three groups also showed an attentional gradient phenomenon: reaction times were slower when the targets were in the sparse quadrant diagonal to, rather than adjacent to, the rich quadrant. Furthermore, both children groups showed a persistent egocentric attentional bias in the testing phase. These findings indicated that salient perceptual cues enhanced but did not reduce probability cueing effects, children and adults shared similar basic attentional mechanisms in probability cueing effects, and children and adults showed differences in the persistence of attentional bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In visual statistical learning (VSL), one can extract and exhibit memory for the statistical regularities of target locations in an incidental manner. The current study examined the development of VSL using the probability cueing paradigm with salient perceptual cues. We also investigated the elicited attention gradient phenomenon in VSL. In a visual search task, the target first appeared more often in one quadrant (i.e., rich) than the other quadrants (i.e., sparse). Then, the participants rotated the screen by 90° and the targets appeared in the four quadrants with equal probabilities. Each quadrant had a unique background color and was, hence, associated with salient perceptual cues. 1st–4th graders and adults participated. All participants showed probability cueing effects to a similar extent. We observed an attention gradient phenomenon, as all participants responded slower to the sparse quadrant that was distant from, rather than the ones that were adjacent to the rich quadrant. In the testing phase, all age groups showed persistent attentional biases based on both egocentric and allocentric perspectives. These findings showed that probability cueing effects may develop early, that perceptual cues can bias attention guidance during VSL for both children and adults, and that VSL can elicit a spaced-based attention gradient phenomenon for children and adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultivation of Chlorella vulgaris in sludge extract (SE) from municipal excess sludge diluted with BG11 medium was investigated to achieve sludge reduction and microalgae cultivation. A maximum biomass of 1.404 ± 0.101 g/L was achieved at 15 days in a mixture of 25% BG11 and 75% sludge extract under 10,000-lx light. In early culture periods, heterotrophy dominated the process in the group with a high proportion of sludge extract of excess sludge extract containing relatively high amounts of organic material, which led to enhanced citrate synthase enzyme activities and reduced rubisco enzyme activities. Moreover, increasing the light intensity did not significantly improve biomass production due to its inhibitory effects on respiration in the early culture stages. The response surface model showed that organic matter was the main factor influencing biomass production from 0 to 2 days. The influence of light intensity on biomass production became more noticeable only after depleting the organic matter in sludge extract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to further optimize the solvothermal method for preparing Ti-doped CuGaS2 (CGS2:Ti) film, we have developed a simpler and rapider process of chemical synthesis for 30 min followed by annealing for 30 min. XRD, FESEM, EDAX, XPS, Raman spectra, UV–Vis–NIR absorption spectra and photoelectricity properties have been characterized. As a result, by partially replacing Ga atoms with Ti in the CGS2 chalcopyrite crystal, a narrow partially filled intermediate band (IB) was introduced, and two additional absorption bands were directly observed at 1.61 eV and 0.84 eV spectrum. A photoelectrochemical study of CGS2:Ti confirmed the broad-spectrum solar response produced by the IB effect. The present method is facile, does not need sulfuration process and large energy consumption, avoids the use of toxic substances and vacuum equipment, and may be a promising method for intermediate-band solar cells (IBSC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parent–adolescent emotion dynamics have attracted increasing attention in recent years because adolescence is a challenging period for both adolescents and parents. However, how emotions are coconstructed between parents and adolescents is less clear. This study examined whether mothers' and adolescents' emotion regulation strategy was linked with their own and each other's depression using the actor–partner interdependence model (APIM). The participants were 173 mother–adolescent pairs (Mother: Mage = 43.05 years old, SD = 3.78; Adolescent: Mage = 13.00 years old, SD = 0.90). The results showed that the more mothers used cognitive reappraisal, the lower their depression levels were; and the more mothers and adolescents used expressive suppression, the higher their levels of depression were. Additionally, maternal expressive suppression was associated with adolescent depressive symptoms. Moreover, the results revealed that for mothers with higher levels of expressive suppression, their adolescents' usage of expressive suppression was significantly positively related to adolescents' depression, while for those mothers with lower levels of expressive suppression, there was no significant correlation between adolescents' usage of expressive suppression and depression. The findings underscore the significance of recognising the interdependence and interconnected nature of emotions within parent–adolescent relationships for a comprehensive understanding of their emotional well‐being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chiral arginine was introduced by layer-by-layer assembly onto a calix[4]arene-diacid modified silica surface to control the adsorption of different kinds of ibuprofen droplets. The droplet of (S)-ibuprofen slid off rapidly, whereas the droplet of (R)-ibuprofen absorbed on the modified surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research has suggested that young children may have primitive knowledge of ratio and proportions. However, it is unclear how precisely young children represent ratio magnitudes and how well they apply their ratio knowledge across different contexts. The current study examined 4- to 6-year-olds' reasoning of ratio magnitudes. In the baseline task, children judged ratio relations between 2 D lengths. In the 3 D depth task, children judged ratio relations of two pictorial depths. In the 3 D cube task, children judged ratio relations of the volumes of two pictorially presented cubes. Linear regression models of estimated ratios on expected ratios were significant across all three tasks for all children groups. Children demonstrated a remarkable ability in understanding and expressing ratio magnitudes. However, relative to the baseline condition, the 3 D depth and cube tasks were associated with smaller explained variance and, hence, more noise. Children, particularly 4-year-olds, were unable to distinguish ratios of slightly different magnitudes in the 3 D cube task. Our study reveals both the potential and the limits of young children's ratio reasoning abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resuscitated strains achieved through the addition of resuscitation promoting factor (Rpf) hold significant promise as bio-inoculants for enhancing the bioremediation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Nevertheless, the potential of these resuscitated strains to transition into a viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state, along with the specific stressors that initiate this transformation, remains to be comprehensively elucidated. In this study, a resuscitated strain HR2, obtained through Rpf amendment, was employed to investigate its survival strategies under combined stress involving low temperature (LT), and PCBs, in the absence and presence of heavy metals (HMs). Whole-genome analysis demonstrated that HR2, affiliated with Achromobacter , possessed 107 genes associated with the degradation of polycyclic aromatic compounds. Remarkably, HR2 exhibited effective degradation of Aroclor 1242 and robust resistance to stress induced by LT and PCBs, while maintaining its culturability. However, when exposed to the combined stress of LT, PCBs, and HMs, HR2 entered the VBNC state. This state was characterized by significant decreases in enzyme activities and notable morphological, physiological, and molecular alterations compared to normal cells. These findings uncovered the survival status of resuscitated strains under stressful conditions, thereby offering valuable insights for the development of effective bioremediation strategies. [Display omitted] • New insights to survival strategy of resuscitated strain HR2 under combined stress. • HR2 harbor diverse xenobiotic-degrading genes, showing effective PCB degradation. • HR2 exhibit remarkable resistance to stresses induced by low temperature and PCBs. • HR2 enter VBNC state under combined stress of low temperature, PCBs, heavy metals. • Significant morphological, physiological and proteomic shift underlying VBNC state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial sludge is characterized by high moisture content, complex composition, and significant organic toxicity. This research aimed to improve the performance of Chlorococcum humicola in removing hydroquinone-domesticated sludge toxicity through the addition of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). The maximum cell density and dry weight of C. humicola were attained when the IAA concentration was 5.0 × 10−6 mol/L, at 6.79 × 107 cells/mL and 2.60 g/L, respectively. The toxicity of the sludge degradation rate reached its peak level of 59.70% on the 20th day. The toxicity reduction was consistent with the decrease of RNA degradation-related proteins such as A5FN12, which can be hydrolyzed and absorbed by C. humicola via active transport. In the presence of IAA, C. humicola increased its energy production processes, such as glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation, to facilitate active transport. Moreover, the efficiency of signal transduction was improved, leading to enhanced cellular metabolism. The suppression of biosynthesis of glutathione and arginine at the molecular level may contribute to this observed trend. Overall, this study provides new insights into the mechanism by which IAA promotes the degradation of sludge toxicity by C. humicola , offering a novel method and theoretical basis for the safe and resource-based utilization of industrial sludge. [Display omitted] • IAA can promote the growth of C. humicola. • Sludge toxicity correlates with RNA degradation proteins. • C. humicola enhanced ATP production processes with the addition of IAA. • Signaling pathway enhanced and the biosynthesis of glutathione and arginine declined. Minimal research exists on biological detoxifying treatment of industrial residual sludge. This research reveals the mechanism on the removal of sludge toxicity by algae with exogenous IAA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evergreen forest plays a particular role in biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and soil and water conservation, and the spatial and temporal evolutions of evergreen forest complexly interact with climate change. However, it is difficult for the existing remote sensed data to meet both demands of large scale and high accuracy. To solve this problem, we developed a time-series FEVC-CV method by combining the fractional evergreen forest cover model (FEVC) with the coefficient of variation (CV) at sub-pixel scales. This method using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) dataset from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) product to meet the needs of large-scale mapping. Considering the severe mixed-pixel problem and spatial heterogeneity of the study area, the improved dimidiate pixel model was used to extract the fractional evergreen forest cover at sub-pixel scales by introducing a new variable the intra-annual NDVI minimum value (NDVI ann-min) and dividing grid units. Meanwhile, the CV of the time-series NDVI highlighted the time series fluctuation stability of evergreen forest compared with other vegetation types, such as deciduous forest and continuous crop. Therefore, the intra-annual time-series CV (CV ai) and the CV of the continuous crop key phenology (CV kp) period were used to eliminate the interferences from other vegetation types, which were extremely admixed with low-coverage evergreen forest. We then verified the accuracy of the algorithm using 2-m resolution Gaofen-1 images. The results revealed that the overall accuracy of our algorithm exceeded 90%, with a root mean square error (RMSE) of cover fraction of around 10%. In addition, the mean relative error (MRE) indicated that the extraction accuracy of evergreen forest in non-urban areas was superior to the accuracy in urban areas. The results show that the algorithm achieved fairly high accuracy in detecting evergreen forest, including evergreen trees in urban areas, at a large scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is aiming at theoretically exploring the substrate and molecular density effects on molecular self-assembly. Density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to investigate the atomic arrangement of a sulfur-bridged annulene (i.e., DPTTA) on both Au and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) substrates. The critical molecular density of the DPTTA/Au self-assembled structure was determined to be 0.52 nm−2 by the construction and simulation of different DPTTA molecular density models. By extracting and optimizing the self-assembled unit, clear identification of the self-assembled atomic structure and the STM image were realized. It was found that DPTTA molecules cannot form 2D self-assembled structures on a HOPG substrate. The reason for the different configurations of DPTTA/Au and DPTTA/HOPG systems was successfully revealed by the calculations of adsorption energy, weak interaction energy and electron density differences. This study provides a reference for the quantitative prediction of the self-assembled critical molecular density and the accurate determination of self-assembled atomic structures by theoretical simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First-principles calculations were performed to investigate the catalytic activity of Li O 2 batteries based on TiC and X-doped TiC (X = B, N, Al, Si, and P) materials as potential cathode catalysts. Interfacial models of Li x O 2 (x = 4, 2, and 1) intermediates adsorbed on doped TiC surface were used to simulate the structural evolution during discharging/charging process. The catalytic activity was quantitatively assessed by specific ORR/OER overpotential, and some intrinsic factors affecting the catalytic activity of doped TiC were determined based on the structure-activity relationships established. The catalytic activity of doped TiC can be divided into two groups, wherein B-, N-, and P-doped TiC have better catalysis than Al- and Si-doped TiC. Among them, B-doped TiC displays the lowest ORR overpotential, suggesting that B-doped TiC has the best catalytic activity of ORR. The stronger (Li 2 O) 2 /Li 2 O 2 /LiO 2 adsorption energy induces lower ORR and OER overpotentials. The stronger Li+ desorption energy attracts lower ORR overpotential, while the weaker O 2 desorption energy induces lower OER overpotential. Consequently, adsorption energy of (Li 2 O) 2 /Li 2 O 2 /LiO 2 and desorption energy of Li+/O 2 are useful factors for characterizing the catalytic activity. These findings contribute to understand the doping effect on catalysis and provide insights into the screening and design of novel catalyst in Li O 2 batteries. • The calculated catalytic activities of doped TiC materials in Li O 2 batteries have been provided. • Intrinsic factors relative to adsorption/desorption behavior of active molecules are determined. • Strategies of cation doping or co-doping are suggested to improve the catalytic activity of TiC materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linoleic acid (LA; C18:2) and α-linolenic acid (ALA; C18:3) are two essential unsaturated fatty acids that play indispensable roles in maintaining membrane integrity in cold stress, and ω-3 fatty acid desaturases (FADs) are responsible for the transformation of LA into ALA. However, how this process is regulated at transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels remains largely unknown. In this study, an MYB transcription factor, MaMYB4, of a banana fruit was identified and found to target several ω-3 MaFADs , including MaFAD3-1 , MaFAD3-3 , MaFAD3-4 and MaFAD3-7 , and repress their transcription. Intriguingly, the acetylation levels of histones H3 and H4 in the promoters of ω-3 MaFADs were elevated in response to cold stress, which was correlated with the enhancement in the transcription levels of ω-3 MaFADs and the ratio of ALA/LA. Moreover, a histone deacetylase MaHDA2 physically interacted with MaMYB4, thereby leading to the enhanced MaMYB4-mediated transcriptional repression of ω-3 MaFADs. Collectively, these data demonstrate that MaMYB4 might recruit MaHDA2 to repress the transcription of ω-3 MaFADs by affecting their acetylation levels, thus modulating fatty acid biosynthesis. Our findings provided new molecular insights into the regulatory mechanisms of fatty acid biosynthesis in cold stress in fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of phase change thermal storage technology represents a high-potential strategy for mitigating energy consumption and reducing heating and cooling loads in buildings. However, the practical thermal storage effectiveness is affected significantly by the outdoor thermal conditions specific to each location. This work studied the thermal behaviors of a novel composite concrete containing phase change material (PCM concrete) when inserted into building envelopes. Numerical simulations have been conducted to assess the full-year impact of this PCM concrete on buildings with multi-layer walls, considering four cities with different climates. Results indicate that this novel PCM concrete demonstrates maximum effectiveness in Paris, effectively reducing indoor temperature fluctuations in summer. Conversely, in the other three cities with high solar-air temperatures in summer, the PCM concrete remains melting, reducing its thermal storage effectiveness. Instead, it performs better thermal behaviors during spring and autumn. In summary, the new PCM concrete demonstrates a good capacity to regulate indoor temperature, however, this effectiveness is primarily impacted by the outdoor solar-air temperature. Therefore, to maximize the latent heat storage potential of PCM, it is crucial to select an appropriate PCM with optimal phase change temperature zones, particularly when this technology is implemented in diverse climatic zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phase change problem in porous media has attracted extensive attention due to its complexity of both the heat transfer process and pore structure. This study investigates the mechanisms governing the freezing of water at the pore scale in a porous model, employing a combination of experimental and numerical approaches. Mathematical-physical model is used to simulate the phase change process in porous structures. Experiments are conducted on water freezing in porous resin and steel, with a pore distance of 500 μm. The evolutions of the phase interface and temperature field during the freezing process are analyzed. Results demonstrate good agreement between the simulations and experiments. Moreover, when the thermal conductivity of the solid skeleton is lower than that of the fluid (porous resin), the phase interface in the pore evolves from concave to convex, with a non-linear change in relative curvature. The temperature gradient of the fluid and skeleton within the pore channels first decreases and then increases. However, when solid skeletons have higher thermal conductivities than the fluid (porous steel), the evolution of the phase interface and its relative curvature, as well as the temperature gradient in the pore are different from the other case. • Pore-scale freezing in porous media: experiment and simulation. • Simulation results match well with the experimental observations. • Analyzed phase interface and temperature field evolutions. • Different thermal conductivities of skeletons cause varied freezing interface evolutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flow condensation heat transfer performances of R1234ze(E) and R32 in a horizontal single circular minitube with the inner diameter of 2 mm are investigated experimentally. Tests are carried out at saturation temperatures of 35, 40, and 45 °C, mass fluxes ranging from 100 to 400 kg/m2s, and heat fluxes ranging from 4 to 28 kW/m2. Flow patterns of R32 are observed by using a visualization approach. Plug, slug, annular-wavy, and annular flow patterns are presented in this research. The effects of the operating parameters (mass flux, heat flux, saturation temperature, and vapor quality) on the heat transfer characteristics of R1234ze(E) and R32 are discussed. A database involving R1234ze(E), R1234yf, R32, and R134a is built to make further analysis. Several typical correlation models are used to predict our measured data and the collected database. The Baird et al. model and the Müller-Heck model can well predict the heat transfer coefficients and frictional pressure drops, respectively. The flow pattern boundary between intermittent flow and annular wavy flow is depicted by three dimensionless numbers: the Lockhart-Martinelli parameter, the Bond number, and the Reynolds number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• NSIs of plant fresh weight and N accumulation in ROC22 was lower than that of Badila. • Total and upregulated DEGs in ROC22 were more than that in Badila under low N stress. • MYB was the largest differentially expressed TF gene family under low N stress. • Specific DEGs in ROC22 leaves mainly enriched in photosynthesis and N metabolism. • Specific DEGs in ROC22 roots mainly enriched in N metabolism and the hormone pathway. Understanding the molecular regulatory mechanism of physiological characteristics is essential to improve low nitrogen (N) tolerance in sugarcane. We selected sugarcane varieties ROC22 (low N-tolerant variety) and Badila (low N-sensitive variety) as experimental materials, and N sensitivity indexes (NSIs) of plant fresh weight and plant N accumulation in ROC22 was respectively 38.18% and 17.44% lower than that of Badila. Based on the morphological and physiological measurements and the expression of eight key genes in N metabolism, the leaves (6 h) and roots (3 h) of ROC22 and Badila under low N condition (0.6 mM N) were selected for RNA-Seq analysis. In the leaves and roots, the total and up-regulated numbers of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in ROC22 was significantly higher than that of Badila. The specific DEGs in the ROC22 leaves mainly enriched in photosynthesis and N metabolism, whereas those in the ROC22 roots mainly enriched in N metabolism and the hormone signal transduction pathway. MYB was the largest differentially expressed transcription factor (TF) gene family in both varieties, followed by AP2-EREBP. In the leaves and roots of ROC22, several genes related to IAA and ABA hormone pathways, N assimilation process, and PSI and PSII of the photosynthesis pathways modulated the physiological characteristics under low N stress, correspondingly, IAA concentration increased by 11.47% (leaves) and 9.24% (roots), and glutamine synthetase (GS) enzyme activities increased by 28.13% (leaves) and 36.97% (roots), which may explain the observed differences in low N tolerance between ROC22 and Badila. This study has provided a basis for improvement of sugarcane in adapting to low N conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Models of oxidized Si (111) surface under different C coverage were established to study the charge transfer ability of Si nanomaterial from strategy of C surface modification using first-principles calculation. The calculated formation energies show that structures of C surface-modified oxidized Si (111) surface are stable. The electronic properties present that the interaction between C and Si atoms is mainly contributed by the hybridization of C-2p and Si-3p states. And the interaction between C and Si atoms increases firstly and then decreases with the increasing C coverage rate. The transfer charge between C and Si reaches a maximum when C coverage rate is 0.5. We speculate that the conductivity of experimentally prepared Si nanomaterial does not monotonously enhance with the increasing C concentration, which would reach a maximum at a certain C concentration, and then decreases. • A strategy of C surface modification to improve the charge transfer performance of Si nanomaterial is proposed. • The conductivity of Si nanomaterial does not monotonously enhance with the increasing C concentration, which would reach a maximum at a certain C concentration, and then decreases. • The optimal C coverage for improving the conductivity of Si nanomaterial is determined to guide the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Acute kidney injury (AKI) caused by bee stings is common, with characteristics of acute onset, severe illness, and high mortality. Melittin, a major component of bee venom, has been considered to play a key role in bee sting related AKI. This study aims to illustrate whether melittin could lead to apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs) and to investigate its mechanism. Methods. In vivo, 45 mice were randomly divided into the melittin group (n=30, injected with melittin into the tail vein according to the total dose of 4.0 ug/g weight) and the control group (n=15, injected with the same volume of saline into the tail vein). In vitro, human RTECs (HK-2) were cultured and treated with melittin (2ug/ml or 4ug/ml) and TNF-α (10ng/ml). Biochemical analysis, HE stains, and electron microscope were performed to evaluate renal function and pathological changes. TUNEL stains and flow cytometry were performed to detect apoptosis. Real-time PCR was performed to detect mRNA levels of Bax, Bcl-2, and TNF-α. Simple western assay and immunohistochemical (IH) and immunofluorescent (IF) stains were performed for protein detection. Results. Melittin successfully induced AKI in mice. Compared with the control group, obvious injury and apoptosis of RTECs were observed in the melittin group; the mRNA and protein expressions of Bax were significantly increased, while the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly decreased. The serum TNF-αlevel in melittin group was significantly higher than that in control group. In vitro, the results confirmed that melittin can cause HK-2 cells apoptosis. The trends of expression of Bax and Bcl-2 were consistent with the results in vivo. The levels of TNF-α mRNA and protein by PCR and Western blot were significantly higher in melittin group than those in control group. Conclusion. Melittin can lead to the apoptosis of RTECs, which may be mediated by upregulating the expression of Bax/Bcl-2 and activating the TNF-α signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • 6–8 years old can use landmarks strategically to navigate. • Strategies using metric information are more difficult to use. • Effective use of metric information increases with age. Abstract When interacting with the environment, one can encode spatial information via egocentric or allocentric perspectives. Allocentric processing can include both landmark and geometric information. The current study examined egocentric response-focused, allocentric landmark-focused, and allocentric metric-focused processing strategies in large-scale spatial environments among 38 children aged 6–8 years, 31 children aged 9 and 10 years, and 53 young adults. The current study used a new testing paradigm that made it possible to investigate all three spatial strategies in the same setting. Participants completed a series of experiments in a modified radial arm maze. By systematically changing the starting locations and landmark arrangements, the current study gradually manipulated the reliability and availability of egocentric response and landmark information while maintaining valid metric information. Overall, adults performed better than younger children, with older children performing at an intermediate level. All three groups were able to abandon the egocentric strategy when it became ineffective (Experiment 2) and to apply a landmark strategy flexibly (Experiment 3). Children demonstrated better performance than previous research has indicated. Nevertheless, the adults were more effective in using metric strategies than the two child groups (Experiment 4 and supplemental experiments). Our study suggested that in complex problem-solving situations, metric strategies were more difficult to acquire than the other two strategies and had a longer period of development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Q-switched and mode-locked Tm-Ho laser with monolayer WS 2 SA by CVD method. • Mode-locked pulse-duration is up to 1.07 ns. • Q-switched pulse-duration is up to 6.2 μs. Abstract We demonstrate a passively Q-switched and mode-locked Tm-Ho co-doped fiber laser based on a WS 2 saturable absorber (SA) fabricated by chemical vapor deposition method. When the pump power increases from 0.32 W to 0.38 W, the repetition rate of the Q-switched laser pulse increases 47.1 kHz to 90.1 kHz and the pulse width decreases from 6.2 μs to 1.7 μs. In addition, the mode-locking operation can also be observed by adjusting the polarization controller (PC) and mode-locked laser pulses at 1883.2 nm can be achieved at a high pump power between 0.5 W and 0.64 W. The pulse duration is 1.07 ns and repetition rate is 23.8 MHz and the pulse is the longest mode-locked pulse with WS 2 -SA ever reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Thermal quadrupoles formalism is applied for modelling transient heat transfers in building walls with a semi-infinite assumption. • Front face response curves of multi-layered walls are analysed to estimate the thermal properties of the wall. • Experiments are carried out on two classical multi-layered building walls using artificial thermal excitations. • The proposed method reduces the evaluation time less than 10 hours. Abstract Thermal performances of building walls are significant for energy conservation. However, very few non-destructive evaluation methods exist to quantitatively diagnose the building walls in situ due to the walls' large thickness. Moreover, most of the existing methods are inconvenient to implement in situ and take a long characterization time. This paper studies transient heat transfer to estimate the wall's thermal properties based on the thermal quadrupoles modelling. Semi-infinite boundary condition is assumed at the rear face of the wall. With this assumption, only the front face response of the wall is considered. The evaluation time is then effectively reduced within a few hours, and the diagnosis in situ is simplified without the measurement on the rear face of the wall. Experiments are carried out on two traditional multi-layered building wall cases using heating lamps. With the measured surface temperatures and heat fluxes, the unit-pulse response and unit-step response at the front surface of the investigated wall are reconstructed through a deconvolution approach and a TSVD (Truncated Singular Value Decomposition) inversion. The unit-step response curve is directly characterized by the thermal resistance, thermal effusivity and heat capacity of the wall, thus allowing us to estimate the wall properties. The characterization time for the two cases is less than 10 hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Navigating the environment, or wayfinding, is integral to independent living. Laboratory studies have consistently indicated an impairment in wayfinding in people with Down syndrome (DS). However, very little is known regarding their real-life wayfinding abilities. Method: Eighty-six parents of children with DS completed an online survey on their children’s wayfinding behaviours and their own feelings and expectations about their children’s wayfinding. Results: Parents reported their children had few wayfinding skills, yet much confidence in their own abilities. Many parents had taught/planned to teach their children wayfinding skills. Parents also expressed concerns over their children’s independent wayfinding. Parents teaching wayfinding and parents’ concern predicted their assessment of their children’s wayfinding competence and knowledge. Children’s age and sex, as well as parents’ concerns predicted assessment of children’s confidence in wayfinding. Conclusions: Our results identified key factors related to wayfinding behaviours in people with DS. Parental factors are especially important in predicting their children’s wayfinding behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Herein, we report a photoredox-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of N -indolylacetic acids with nitrones to generate indole- N -ethylamines under mild reaction conditions. This reaction has the characteristics of simple operation, mild conditions, easy to obtain biologically relevant indole- N -ethylamines structural motifs not readily accessible by other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and genetic environment of the oxazolidinone resistance gene optrA in Streptococcus suis (S. suis) isolates from diseased pigs in China. A total of 178 S. suis isolates were screened for the optrA gene by PCR. The phenotypes and genotypes of optrA -positive isolates were investigated by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, core genome Multilocus Sequence Typing (cgMLST), capsular serotypes determination and whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Fifty-one (28.7%) S. suis isolates were positive for optrA. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the spread of the optrA among S. suis isolates was primarily due to horizontal transfer. Analysis of S. suis serotypes from diseased pigs revealed substantial diversity. The genetic environment of optrA was complex and diverse and could be divided into 12 different types. Interestingly, we identified a novel integrative and conjugative element ICE Ssu 988S, carrying optrA and erm (T) genes. This is to the best of our knowledge the first report of the optrA and erm (T) co-located on an ICE in S. suis. Our results showed a high prevalence of optrA gene in S. suis isolates in China. Further research is needed to evaluate the importance of ICEs, as they horizontally propagate important clinical resistance genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]