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The main aim of this paper is to study new features and specific properties of the Toeplitz operator with radial symbols in harmonic Fock spaces. A new spectral decomposition of a Toeplitz operator with Wick symbols is also established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea cucumber is a bioremediator as it can composite organic matter and excrete inorganic matter. Sea cucumber has the potential to serve as a bioindicator in marine habitat as they provide an integrated insight into the status of their environment over long periods. Sea cucumbers are sensitive to the organic concentration in the marine environment and can effectively provide an early warning system for any organic contamination that can negatively impact the ecosystem. The availability of a reference transcriptome for sea cucumber would constitute an essential tool for identifying genes involved in crucial steps of the defence pathway. De novo assembly of RNA-seq data enables researchers to study the transcriptomes without needing a genome sequence. In this study, sea cucumbers fed with Kappaphycus alvarezii powder were treated with 0.20 mg/L copper concentration comprehensive transcriptome data containing 75,149 Unigenes, with a total length of 20,460,032 bp. A total of 8820 genes were predicted from the unigenes, annotated, and functionally categorized into 25 functional groups with approximately 20% cluster in signal transduction mechanism. The reference transcriptome presented and validated in this study is meaningful for identifying a wide range of gene(s) related to the bioindication of sea cucumber in a high copper environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol-based hand sanitiser is introduced to replace hand washing when water is unavailable to decrease the rate of infectious diseases. Proper hand hygiene is essential during pandemics to transmit pathogens through contaminated surfaces. The efficacy of hand sanitisers is reviewed based on a quantitative suspension test according to European Standards against microorganisms Staphylococcus aureus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli. Five selected products, 96% (v/v) ethanol, 65% (v/v) ethanol, World Health Organization (WHO) formulated hand rub, Commercial oil-based and non-oil-based (Brand A and Brand B, respectively), are used as treatments against the microbes. The post-treatment results of hand sanitisers as colony-forming units on tryptone soya agar plates are counted. The inoculation of microbes using the spread plate technique can identify CFU units where the logarithmic reduction factor is determined. The minimum requirement of the log reduction factor is 2 logs to provide sufficient bactericidal activity. Based on the results, Brand A and B, 96% (v/v) and WHO-formulated products achieve the minimum standards with high efficacy against the test organisms. However, 65% ethanol (v/v) is less effective. The minimum amount of hand sanitiser doses is 3 mL of complete coverage on hand to ensure high inhibition percentages of microbes. Moreover, the WHO recommended that the application time requirement is 60 seconds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Though articular cartilage stem cell (ACSC)-based therapies have been demonstrated to be a promising option in the treatment of diseased joints, the wide variety of cell isolation, the unknown therapeutic targets, and the incomplete understanding of the interactions of ACSCs with diseased microenvironments have limited the applications of ACSCs. Methods: In this study, the human ACSCs have been isolated from osteoarthritic articular cartilage by advantage of selection of anatomical location, the migratory property of the cells, and the combination of traumatic injury, mechanical stimuli and enzymatic digestion. The protective effects of ACSC infusion into osteoarthritis (OA) rat knees on osteochondral tissues were evaluated using micro-CT and pathological analyses. Moreover, the regulation of ACSCs on osteoarthritic osteoclasts and the underlying mechanisms in vivo and in vitro were explored by RNA-sequencing, pathological analyses and functional gain and loss experiments. The one-way ANOVA was used in multiple group data analysis. Results: The ACSCs showed typical stem cell-like characteristics including colony formation and committed osteo-chondrogenic capacity. In addition, intra-articular injection into knee joints yielded significant improvement on the abnormal subchondral bone remodeling of osteoarthritic rats. Bioinformatic and functional analysis showed that ACSCs suppressed osteoarthritic osteoclasts formation, and inflammatory joint microenvironment augmented the inhibitory effects. Further explorations demonstrated that ACSC-derived tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3) remarkably contributed to the inhibition on osteoarhtritic osteoclasts and the improvement of abnormal subchondral bone remodeling. Conclusion: In summary, we have reported an easy and reproducible human ACSC isolation strategy and revealed their effects on subchondral bone remodeling in OA rats by releasing TNFAIP3 and suppressing osteoclasts in a diseased microenvironment responsive manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We revisit the generalized pseudospectral (GPS) method to investigate the physical properties of shell‐confined atoms. Based on a general mapping function, the GPS method is developed for obtaining highly accurate bound state energies, wave functions, and radial quantities for the shell‐confined hydrogen atom. Besides the incidental and simultaneous degeneracies in the energy spectrum, we find that energy degeneracy appears very commonly in the shell‐confined system. The contour maps of the eigenenergies for some low‐lying bound states are obtained and the corresponding wave functions are analyzed. Radial expectation values with both positive and negative powers are calculated with high accuracy. By analyzing the Schwarz‐like inequalities, we show that the ground state density function for the outer‐confined hydrogen atom is second‐order monotonic, while for the shell‐confined hydrogen atom the radial densities for all bound states are zeroth‐order monotonic. In the extreme situation when the inner radius coalesces with the outer radius, the electron becomes a classical particle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the perspective of forensic wound age estimation, experiments related to skeletal muscle regeneration after injury have rarely been reported. Here, we examined the time-dependent expression patterns of multiple biomarkers associated with satellite cell fate, including the transcription factor paired box 7 (Pax7), myoblast determination protein (MyoD), myogenin, and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), using immunohistochemistry, western blotting, and quantitative real-time PCR in contused skeletal muscle. An animal model of skeletal muscle contusion was established in 30 Sprague–Dawley male rats, and another five rats were employed as non-contused controls. Morphometrically, the data obtained from the numbers of Pax7 + , MyoD + , and myogenin + cells were highly correlated with the wound age. Pax7, MyoD, myogenin, and IGF-1 expression patterns were upregulated after injury at both the mRNA and protein levels. Pax7, MyoD, and myogenin protein expression levels confirmed the results of the morphometrical analysis. Additionally, the relative quantity of IGF-1 protein > 0.92 suggested a wound age of 3 to 7 days. The relative quantity of Pax7 mRNA > 2.44 also suggested a wound age of 3 to 7 days. Relative quantities of Myod1, Myog, and Igf1 mRNA expression > 2.78, > 7.80, or > 3.13, respectively, indicated a wound age of approximately 3 days. In conclusion, the expression levels of Pax7, MyoD, myogenin, and IGF-1 were upregulated in a time-dependent manner during skeletal muscle wound healing, suggesting the potential for using them as candidate biomarkers for wound age estimation in skeletal muscle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective pressures at the boundaries of the outer-, inner-, and shell-confined H atoms are investigated using the numerical differentiation technique in which the system energies are solved by employing the generalized pseudospectral method. High-precision inner and outer effective pressures are obtained, and the results are compared with previous predictions based on a formula from the virial equation of state. We find that although the virial-based formula is well-suited for estimating the pressure on outer-confined atoms, it is generally not applicable for the inner- and shell-confined situations. The asymptotic laws of effective pressures on the outer- and inner-confined H atoms as the confinement radius approaches zero and infinity, respectively, are analyzed. For the shell-confined H atom, the distinct behaviors of effective pressures at the inner and outer boundaries as well as for the s and non-s bound states are attributed to the different confinement effect of boundaries on both the system eigenenergies and wave functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Vacancy engineering is employed to effectively reduce the band gap of PrCrO 3 orthochromites and IR radiative performance. • The best-performing sample enables broadband infrared emissivity of 0.89 in the wavelengths of 0.78–16 μm. • Thermal shock experiments demonstrate remarkable thermal stability at 1500 ℃ for the developed orthochromites. • The optimized orthochromites can be deposited on varying substrates capturing high emissivity of 0.95 in the wavelengths of 0.78–16 μm and exhibit superior radiative heat transfer ability. The development of broadband, high-performance infrared radiation materials is crucial for energy conservation and applications in aerospace and industrial sectors. Rare earth orthochromites, such as PrCrO 3 , exhibit good thermal stability and high infrared emissivity beyond the 6 μm wavelength range. However, their large bandgap limits their infrared emissivity before 6 μm, significantly impacting their potential applications. Herein, we have successfully enhanced the thermal emissivity of PrCrO 3 by manipulating oxygen vacancies (O V) and accompanying impurity levels, leading to the synthesis of five rare earth orthochromites. Compared with pristine PrCrO 3 , co-doping of Ca, Co, and Mn introduced oxygen vacancies (O V) and impurity energy levels, effectively reducing the band gap and improving emissivity in the wavelengths below 6 μm. In particular, the infrared emissivity of (Pr 0.3 Y 0.3 Ca 0.4)CrO 3 in the wavelengths of 0.78–2.5 μm reaches 0.89, which is double than that of pristine PrCrO 3. Furthermore, its thermal stability is excellent, as demonstrated by thermal shock experiments at 1500 ℃ for five cycles. More importantly, the developed orthochromites can be applied as a coating on substrates such as alumina ceramic sheets, exhibiting an average infrared emissivity of 0.95 and remarkable radiative heat transfer capability. This research contributes to the advancement of high-performance infrared radiation materials by vacancy engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Vacancy engineering is employed to effectively reduce the band gap of PrCrO 3 orthochromites and IR radiative performance. • The best-performing sample enables broadband infrared emissivity of 0.89 in the wavelengths of 0.78–16 μm. • Thermal shock experiments demonstrate remarkable thermal stability at 1500 ℃ for the developed orthochromites. • The optimized orthochromites can be deposited on varying substrates capturing high emissivity of 0.95 in the wavelengths of 0.78–16 μm and exhibit superior radiative heat transfer ability. The development of broadband, high-performance infrared radiation materials is crucial for energy conservation and applications in aerospace and industrial sectors. Rare earth orthochromites, such as PrCrO 3 , exhibit good thermal stability and high infrared emissivity beyond the 6 μm wavelength range. However, their large bandgap limits their infrared emissivity before 6 μm, significantly impacting their potential applications. Herein, we have successfully enhanced the thermal emissivity of PrCrO 3 by manipulating oxygen vacancies (O V) and accompanying impurity levels, leading to the synthesis of five rare earth orthochromites. Compared with pristine PrCrO 3 , co-doping of Ca, Co, and Mn introduced oxygen vacancies (O V) and impurity energy levels, effectively reducing the band gap and improving emissivity in the wavelengths below 6 μm. In particular, the infrared emissivity of (Pr 0.3 Y 0.3 Ca 0.4)CrO 3 in the wavelengths of 0.78–2.5 μm reaches 0.89, which is double than that of pristine PrCrO 3. Furthermore, its thermal stability is excellent, as demonstrated by thermal shock experiments at 1500 ℃ for five cycles. More importantly, the developed orthochromites can be applied as a coating on substrates such as alumina ceramic sheets, exhibiting an average infrared emissivity of 0.95 and remarkable radiative heat transfer capability. This research contributes to the advancement of high-performance infrared radiation materials by vacancy engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chilo suppressalis , a critical rice stem borer pest, poses significant challenges to rice production due to its overlapping generations and irregular developmental duration. These characteristics complicate pest management strategies. According to the dynamic analysis of the overwintering adults of C. suppressalis in fields, it indicates that the phenomenon of irregular development of C. suppressalis exists widely and continuously. This study delves into the potential role of the Broad-Complex (Br-C) gene in the developmental duration of C. suppressalis. Four isoforms of Br-C , named CsBr-C Z1 , CsBr-C Z2 , CsBr-C Z4 , and CsBr-C Z7 , were identified. After CsBr-Cs RNAi, the duration of larva development spans extended obviously. And, the average developmental duration of ds CsBr-Cs feeding individuals increased obviously. Meanwhile, the average developmental duration of the ds CsBr-C Z2 feeding group was the longest among all the RNAi groups. After ds CsBr-Cs feeding continuously, individuals pupated at different instars changed obviously: the proportion of individuals pupated at the 5th instar decreased and pupated at the 7th instar or higher increased significantly. Moreover, the pupation rate of ds CsBr-Cs (except ds CsBr-C Z7) were significantly lower than that of ds GFP. The same results were obtained from the mutagenesis in CsBr-C genes mediated by CRISPR/Cas9. The average developmental duration of CsBr-Cs knockout individuals was significantly prolonged. And, the instar of pupation in knockout individuals was also delayed significantly. In conclusion, this work showed that CsBr-Cs played a crucial role in pupal commitment and affected the developmental duration of C. suppressalis significantly. When the 3rd instar larvae of Chilo suppressalis were continuously fed with artificial diet containing ds CsBr-C s, the developmental duration of CsBr-C s knockdown individuals was prolonged significantly. Meantime, the proportion of individuals pupated at the 5th instar decreased but pupated at the 7th instar increased. The same results were obtained from the mutagenesis in CsBr-C s mediated by CRISPR/Cas9. The developmental duration of mutant individuals was also prolonged obviously, and more individuals pupated at the 7th or higher instar. [Display omitted] • Four isoforms of the Broad-Complex gene (CsBr-C Z1 , CsBr-C Z2 , CsBr-C Z4 , and CsBr-C Z7) were identified in C. suppressalis (1). After CsBr-C s knockdown or knockout, the instar of pupation of C. suppressalis increased significantly (2). CsBr-C genes played important roles in the pupal commitment and affected the development duration of C. suppressalis significantly (3). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Back muscle injury is the most common illness involved in aged people. Muscular satellite cells, playing a key role in the muscle repairing process, are gradually losing their regenerative ability with aging, which attenuates the injured muscle repairing process. Electroacupuncture at Weizhong acupoint has been widely used in the treatment of young and aged patients with back muscle damage. Its efficacy has been proven by a randomized double-blind placebo clinical trial. However, the rehabilitation mechanisms are largely unknown. This study will explore the possible mechanisms associated with electroacupuncture at the Weizhong acupoint (BL 40) promoting muscle repairing ability. Method. A total of 58 male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a younger group (4-month-old) and an aged group (16-month-old), younger and aged rats were further divided as a sham, injured, injured rats treated with electroacupuncture at Weizhong point or treated with Non-Weizhong point groups. The back muscle injury model was produced in rats as a previously described method with modification. Furthermore, Weizhong acupoints underwent electroacupuncture treatment with 15 V magnitude, 2 Hz/10 Hz frequency density, 1.0 mA current intensity, and 10 min each day for 10 consecutive days using HANS's electroacupuncture apparatus. After the last treatment, the paravertebral muscles and serum of all animals were undergone histological, immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry analysis. Serum levels of Creatine Kinase (CK) and proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin 6 (IL-6), were measured separately by using ELISA kit. Results. Electroacupuncture of Weizhong (BL 40) acupoints significantly attenuated back muscle damage in both young and aged rats, increasing PAX7 (a marker of muscle satellite cells) and MYOD (major marker of myoblasts) cells, simultaneously, reducing serum proinflammatory cytokines, IL-6, and downregulation of p38 MAPK signaling in aged muscular satellite cells. Conclusion. Our studies suggest that electroacupuncture of Weizhong (BL 40) acupoints can restore aged back muscular satellite cells and their regeneration capacity. These suggested electroacupuncture may be a potential means of promoting rehabilitation for muscular injury in aged patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutrient recycling from biowaste is one of the sustainable approaches to managing waste. The aquaponic system is one of the nutrient recycling methods that can reduce water consumption and reuse the nutrient available in its ecosystem. The nutrient to fertilize the plant in aquaponic depends on the activities of microbes to convert the waste into the nutrient. To enhance the growth of the plants, some aquaponics systems still rely on chemical fertilizers. Kappaphycus alvarezii is one of the red seaweeds abundantly found in East Malaysia. After numerous processes such as carrageenan extraction, the biowaste derived from K. alvarezii still contains a nutrient that can be recycled. The present study explores the potential of K. alvarezii solid waste as fertilizer to grow Ocimum basilicum in an aquaponics system. In this study, the macro- and micronutrients in K. alvarezii solid waste were determined, and the prevalence of microbes in the aquaponics system was monitored using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) and 16S metagenomic sequencing method, respectively. Based on the findings, the growth of O. basilicum supplemented with K. alvarezii biofertilizer was significantly higher than the negative control. For genetic expression study in O. basilicum, cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), and cytochrome p450 reductase (CPR) genes were upregulated. The O. basilicum is free from mycotoxin and heavy metals. Since K. alvarezii solid waste is rich with macro- and micronutrients, which are essential for plant growth and can enhance the growth of O. basilicum, K. alvarezii solid waste produced from bioethanol production could be a potential fertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Repairing radiation-induced bone injuries remains a significant challenge in the clinic, and few effective medicines are currently available. Psoralen is a principal bioactive component of Cullen corylifolium (L.) Medik and has been reported to have antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and pro-osteogenesis activities. However, less information is available regarding the role of psoralen in the treatment of radiation-induced bone injury. In this study, we explored the modulatory effects of psoralen on skeletal stem cells and their protective effects on radiation-induced bone injuries. Methods: The protective effects of psoralen on radiation-induced osteoporosis and irradiated bone defects were evaluated by microCT and pathological analysis. In addition, the cell proliferation, osteogenesis, and self-renewal of SSCs were explored. Further, the underlying mechanisms of the protective of psoralen were investigated by using RNA sequencing and functional gain and loss experiments in vitro and in vivo. Statistical significance was analyzed using Student's t test. The one-way ANOVA was used in multiple group data analysis. Results: Here, we demonstrated that psoralen, a natural herbal extract, mitigated radiation-induced bone injury (irradiation-induced osteoporosis and irradiated bone defects) in mice partially by rescuing the stemness of irradiated skeletal stem cells. Mechanistically, psoralen restored the stemness of skeletal stem cells by alleviating the radiation-induced suppression of AKT/GSK-3β and elevating NRF2 expression in skeletal stem cells. Furthermore, the expression of KEAP1 in skeletal stem cells did not significantly change in the presence of psoralen. Moreover, blockade of NRF2 in vivo partially abolished the promising effects of psoralen in a murine model of irradiation-induced osteoporosis and irradiated bone regeneration. Conclusions: In summary, our findings identified psoralen as a potential medicine to mitigate bone radiation injury. In addition, skeletal stem cells and AKT-GSK-3β and NRF2 may thus represent therapeutic targets for treating radiation-induced bone injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bo-Feng Yin, Zhi-Ling Li, Zi-Qiao Yan, Zheng Guo, Jia-Wu Liang have contributed equally to this work Correction to: Stem Cell Research & Therapy (2022) 13:241 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13287-... Following publication of the original article [[1]], the authors have identified that the incorrect image of micro-CT scanning for normal group in Fig. Psoralen alleviates radiation-induced bone injury by rescuing skeletal stem cell stemness through AKT-mediated upregulation of GSK-3 and NRF2. Correction to: Psoralen alleviates radiation-induced bone injury by rescuing skeletal stem cell stemness through AKT mediated up-regulation of GSK-3 and NRF2. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Repairing radiation-induced bone injuries remains a significant challenge in the clinic, and few effective medicines are currently available. Psoralen is a principal bioactive component of Cullen corylifolium (L.) Medik and has been reported to have antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and pro-osteogenesis activities. However, less information is available regarding the role of psoralen in the treatment of radiation-induced bone injury. In this study, we explored the modulatory effects of psoralen on skeletal stem cells and their protective effects on radiation-induced bone injuries. Methods: The protective effects of psoralen on radiation-induced osteoporosis and irradiated bone defects were evaluated by microCT and pathological analysis. In addition, the cell proliferation, osteogenesis, and self-renewal of SSCs were explored. Further, the underlying mechanisms of the protective of psoralen were investigated by using RNA sequencing and functional gain and loss experiments in vitro and in vivo. Statistical significance was analyzed using Student's t test. The one-way ANOVA was used in multiple group data analysis. Results: Here, we demonstrated that psoralen, a natural herbal extract, mitigated radiation-induced bone injury (irradiation-induced osteoporosis and irradiated bone defects) in mice partially by rescuing the stemness of irradiated skeletal stem cells. Mechanistically, psoralen restored the stemness of skeletal stem cells by alleviating the radiation-induced suppression of AKT/GSK-3β and elevating NRF2 expression in skeletal stem cells. Furthermore, the expression of KEAP1 in skeletal stem cells did not significantly change in the presence of psoralen. Moreover, blockade of NRF2 in vivo partially abolished the promising effects of psoralen in a murine model of irradiation-induced osteoporosis and irradiated bone regeneration. Conclusions: In summary, our findings identified psoralen as a potential medicine to mitigate bone radiation injury. In addition, skeletal stem cells and AKT-GSK-3β and NRF2 may thus represent therapeutic targets for treating radiation-induced bone injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We explored the cross-reactivity among 19 common allergen sources and evaluated the influence of serum IgE concentrations and the number of sensitized allergens on the incidence of allergic symptoms. Methods: We conducted this cross-sectional analysis using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2006 which is a program of studies designed to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the USA. After excluding participants with missing data from the allergen IgE test, allergy questionnaire, and respiratory health questionnaire, a total of 7,224 participants aged 6 years and older were included, as children younger than 6 years old did not complete all 19 allergen-specific IgE tests. Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the cross-reactivity between allergen sources. An independent sample Kruskal-Wallis test was performed to investigate the relationship between the serum-specific IgE levels of 19 allergens and the incidence of allergic symptoms. Results: The cross-reactivity between D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus was the strongest (ρ = 0.88), and cross-reactivity of cross-species was universal. With the increase in serum-specific IgE levels of D. farinae, D. pteronyssinus, oak, and birch, the incidence of sneezing increased (p < 0.05). With the increase in serum-specific IgE levels of cats, dogs, peanuts, Aspergillus, and Alternaria, the incidence of wheezing increased (p < 0.05). The incidence of rash was positively correlated with serum-specific IgE levels of D. farinae, D. pteronyssinus, shrimp, and peanut (p < 0.05). The incidence of wheezing continued to increase with an increase in sensitized allergens. When participants were sensitized to <10 allergens, the incidence of sneezing continued to increase as the number of sensitized allergens increased, whereas the incidence of rash did not have a clear association with the number of sensitized allergens. Conclusion: Species that are biologically close are more likely to have antigen cross-reactivity, while cross-reactivity among different species is common. Different allergens tend to cause different allergic symptoms. Different allergic sites in the body have inconsistent responses to the number of sensitized allergens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Si@Cu composite anode material is prepared by magnetron sputtering method and applied for lithium-ion batteries. The Cu component with higher intrinsic conductivity can help to improve the conductivity of the Si particles effectively. The irregularly shaped micro-sized Si particles have reduced agglomeration effect compared with nano-sized particles. In order to further relieve the volume effect of the Si particles during charging and discharging processes, carbon layer is further introduced, which will further boost the conductivity and the cyclic performance. The Si@Cu@C composite electrode exhibits a remarkably improved electrochemical performance with reversible capacity of 1130 mAhg−1 after 100 cycles with coulombic efficiency of 99.3%. The methods used for the preparation of the Si@Cu and Si@Cu@C composite materials are both mass-productive, which is benefit for their practical applications. Moreover, magnetron sputtering method used for composite power preparation has broad application prospects in micro-sized composite material preparation. • Si@Cu composite material was prepared by magnetron sputtering method. • Cu component could enhance the conductivity of Si material effectively. • The Si@Cu@C composite electrode exhibits remarkably improved cyclic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the maximum fluorescence of an identical fluorophore as a reference, a DNAzyme-based normalized strategy is developed to unify the output signals under external interferences. This makes it possible to directly quantify endogenous zinc in living cells by in situ fluorescence imaging, implying promising potential in fundamental study and early disease diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we design a low-reflection coaxial tunable attenuator with a maximum attenuation of -50 dB by use of zero refractive index metamaterial. Almost no reflection is observed from input port of the proposed structure, due to the easily accessible impedance matching derived from the use of zero refractive index metamaterial. The relationship between attenuation and the air gap width can be well described by an equivalent circuit model. Interestingly, the ratio of input to output voltage is linearly related to the gap width due to the eliminated fringing capacitance by zero-refraction metamaterial, which makes it easy to achieve accurate calibration of the proposed attenuator. The low reflection and linear relationships enable the proposed attenuator to hold promising potential for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Functional divergence occurs widely among duplicated genes in plants. The divergence of functional genes may result from changes in gene regulation or protein-coding regions, or both. These changes contributing to the functional divergence of plants require further elucidation. Glutamine phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate amidotransferase (ASE) is a key enzyme in de novo purine biosynthesis and plays important roles in plant growth and development. Results: In our research, three ASE genes were identified in the Arabidopsis thaliana genome, and they were designated AtASE1, AtASE2 and AtASE3. Gene expression profiles revealed that the three genes exhibit very different expression, and gene regulation plays a pivotal role in the divergence of the ASE gene family. Subcellular localization analysis indicated that the three proteins were all localized in chloroplasts. Protein biochemical analysis revealed that the catalytic abilities of ASE proteins show differentiation, but further transgenic overexpression experiments proved that this was not the main reason for physiological functional divergence. Conclusions: Our results indicate that the functional divergence of the ASE gene family members might result from changes in their promoters, but not protein-coding region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To explore the safety and the analgesia effect of intravenous analgesia and epidural analgesia in the patients with colorectal cancer after surgery. Methods. The literature search was conducted in the Chinese databases, i.e. CNKI, WanFang, CBM, and VIP, and the abroad databases, i.e. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), controlled clinical trials (CCTs) and case-control studies (CCSs) about the effects of intravenous analgesia and epidural analgesia on the patients with colorectal cancer after surgery from January 2010 to November 2020, in the languages of Chinese and English. Three researchers independently conducted literature screening and quality evaluation in strict accordance with the standards, and extracted effective data such as study type, sample size, age, intraoperative anesthesia mode, postoperative analgesic drugs and outcome indicators, which were input into RevMan 5.4 software for meta-analysis. Results. A total of 20 literatures, including 13 RCTs, 6 CCTs and 1 CCS, involving 1 615 patients. There were 813 cases in the epidural analgesia group and 802 cases in the intravenous analgesia group. Compared with intravenous analgesia, postoperative epidural analgesia had significant lower visual analogue scores (VAS) of pain at 6 h, 24 h, and 48 h, shorter hospital stay and time to first feeding after operation, and lower incidences of ileus and nausea and vomiting (all P<0.05). Conclusion. Compared with intravenous analgesia, postoperative epidural analgesia for the colorectal neoplasms patients is better in the analgesic effect 6 h, 24 h, and 48 h after surgery, effectively shortens the hospital stay and time to first feeding after operation, and reduces the incidences of ileus and nausea and vomiting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper demonstrates a metamaterial capable of realizing a dual-band quasi-zero refractive index and a negative refractive index, which consists of a coin-shaped slice and two parallel planar wires. The zero refractive index is achieved over a very wide frequency range. The bandwidth of the first band of the quasi-zero index can reach up to 3 GHz, and the width of the second band exhibiting low loss is 0.4 GHz. Between these two bands, the negative refractive index band is 9.0-13.9 GHz. The corresponding formulas of electric plasma frequency and magnetic plasma frequency are established, and the theoretical results agree well with the simulated results. The proposed metamaterial may have potential applications in multiband or broadband devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) is an important technique to manipulate quantum states in quantum simulation and quantum computation. The transformation fidelity is limited in reality due to experimental imperfections. After systematically calculating the influence of dissipation caused by thermal fluctuations and instantaneous decay of the intermediate state, we find optimized control pulses of Rydberg atom in optical tweezer to increase the STIRAP fidelity via optimal control method. All constraints of currently available control lasers have been taken into account. The transition error can be further depressed when control lasers with shorter rise time and accordingly proper total evolution time are applied. Finally, the robustness of the control pulses with respect to random deviations between the theoretical pulse shape and the implemented ones is also enhanced by additional rounds of optimizations based on ensemble averaged fidelity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a promising green and sustainable coating material, gum was extracted from durian seed to produce eutectogel, which the properties were tunable using natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES). Ten different eutectogels were successfully synthesized using durian seed gum (DSG) and xanthan gum (XG) gelators at different composition (5, 10, 15 %) to gel choline chloride-glucose (1:1), choline chloride-fructose (1:2) and betaine-glucose-water (1:1:1) NADESs. Results revealed that eutectogel was non-Newtonian and weak gel material with excellent thermostability up to 200 °C. When the gum content increased, the resulted eutectogel showed higher viscosity, yield stress, hardness, gumminess, adhesiveness, and weight holding capacity. In overall, choline chloride-fructose (1:2) NADES and 10 % of DSG formed an excellent eutectogel which remained stable and compatible upon 12 weeks of storage. It displayed superior viscoelastic, texture, gases and moisture barrier properties which were beneficial for food coating application. This eutectogel was able to extend the shelf life of fresh-cut apples during storage with lower weight loss and higher total phenolic content (TPC). The potential future of this well-characterized tunable DSG-derived eutectogel includes, but not limited to, food and pharmaceutical industries, smart sensing, flexible wearable electronics, water purification, supercapacitors and batteries. [Display omitted] • Tunable eutectogel is formulated by durian seed gum and natural deep eutectic solvent. • Eutectogel is non-Newtonian and weak gel material with excellent thermostability. • Higher gum level increased the viscosity, hardness and adhesiveness of eutectogel. • Superior weight holding capacity of eutectogel shows good barrier to preserve food. • Eutectogel is a promising green and sustainable food coating material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broadband absorption is urgently desirable for microwave stealth or photothermal conversion, but is a significant challenge in thin layer applications. Impedance mismatch and undesired dielectric relaxation are the main obstacles to realizing simultaneous resonant absorption at multiple frequency bands. In this perspective, the key issues in broadband absorption are briefly reviewed, which must be addressed by the community to enable microwave absorption promoting and widening. Then, impedance matching coefficient used to identify microwave absorbing ability is highlighted. Finally, an ideal model of dielectric dispersion for carbon-based materials is proposed to be used to design broadband absorbing materials, after deducing the inner nature of the typical quarter-wave resonance absorption existing in absorbers. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The striped stem borer, Chilo suppressalis (Walker), a notorious pest infesting rice, has evolved a high level of resistance to many commonly used insecticides. In this study, we investigate whether tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), which is required for larval development and cuticle tanning in many insects, could be a potential target for the control of C. suppressalis. We identified and characterized the full-length cDNA (CsTH) of C. suppressalis. The complete open reading frame of CsTH (MW690914) was 1683 bp in length, encoding a protein of 560 amino acids. Within the first to the sixth larval instars, CsTH was high in the first day just after molting, and lower in the ensuing days. From the wandering stage to the adult stage, levels of CSTH began to rise and reached a peak at the pupal stage. These patterns suggested a role for the gene in larval development and larval-pupal cuticle tanning. When we injected ds CsTH or 3-iodotyrosine (3-IT) as a TH inhibitor or fed a larva diet supplemented with 3-IT, there were significant impairments in larval development and larval-pupal cuticle tanning. Adult emergence was severely impaired, and most adults died. These results suggest that CsTH might play a critical role in larval development as well as larval-pupal tanning and immunity in C. suppressalis , and this gene could form a potential novel target for pest control. CsTH might play a critical role in larval development as well as larval–pupal tanning in C. suppressalis. This study provides a reference point for the potential utilization of key genes in the larval-pupal process, which may lead to new effective control strategies against the pest. [Display omitted] • CsTH plays an important role in larval development of Chilo suppressalis. • CsTH regulates larval-pupal cuticle tanning and eclosion in Chilo suppressalis. • This work provides a reference for the potential utilization of CsTH in the larval-pupal process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forensic scholars are paying more attention to postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) and PMCT angiography (PMCTA), which are gradually becoming effective and practical methods in forensic practice. However, few studies have focused on the application of PMCTA to cardiac ventricular puncture—especially of the right ventricle. In this article, we introduce a pulmonary PMCTA approach by right ventricle cardiac puncture and its potential value in fatalities from pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE). The procedure was performed on 11 males and 6 females. PMCT was performed first; then a biopsy core needle was used for percutaneous puncture of the right ventricle under CT guidance. About 400 mL of contrast media was injected at a rate of 50 mL/8 s, followed by CT scanning. Visualization of the pulmonary artery contrast filling was complete in 9 cadavers, and the pulmonary arteries showed significant filling defects in 8 subjects. Unlike in clinical practice, the phenomenon of postmortem coagulation sometimes occurs in the vascular lumina after death. Therefore, the results of these 8 cases can only suggest or be highly suspicious of death from PTE. Then autopsy and histopathological examination confirmed that 4 of the above 8 patients were diagnosed with PTE; the remaining 4 had postmortem clot including chicken fat clot in the pulmonary artery. Pulmonary PMCTA approach is a simple, convenient, and effective method for the visualization of the pulmonary artery, which can be used as an effective auxiliary tool to identify PTE in forensic practice. It will also provide technical support to further investigate PTE imaging characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melamine is one of the most extensively applied flame retardants due to its virtue of high thermostability, weak hydrophilicity, and low pollution. For the time being, its efficiency is hardly to be ideal when it acts alone. In previous explorations, melamine could be compellingly modified on the flame retardancy when it was blended with ionic liquids or the compounds comprising cyano groups. With the aim to integrate the advantages of both the groups of substances together, the cyano ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide, was combined with melamine to improve the thermal stability of this widely used flame retardant in the research. The simultaneous thermogravimetric analyzer was applied to gain related parameters to determine whether the addition of the ionic liquid has the possibility to result in the increase in residue and the improvement in the thermal properties. Model-free and Coats-Redfern methods were related together to obtain the mechanism of decomposition. The experimental results demonstrate that the cyano ionic liquid possesses a promoting synergistic effect on the thermal behaviors of melamine, indicating its outstanding application prospect in practical utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A coronavirus pandemic caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has spread rapidly worldwide since December 2019. Improved understanding and new strategies to cope with novel coronaviruses are urgently needed. Viruses (especially RNA viruses) encode a limited number and size (length of polypeptide chain) of viral proteins and must interact with the host cell components to control (hijack) the host cell machinery. To achieve this goal, the extensive mimicry of SLiMs in host proteins provides an effective strategy. However, little is known regarding SLiMs in coronavirus proteins and their potential targets in host cells. The objective of this study is to uncover SLiMs in coronavirus proteins that are present within host cells. These SLiMs have a high possibility of interacting with host intracellular proteins and hijacking the host cell machinery for virus replication and dissemination. In total, 1,479 SLiM hits were identified in the 16 proteins of 590 coronaviruses infecting humans. Overall, 106 host proteins were identified that may interact with SLiMs in 16 coronavirus proteins. These SLiM-interacting proteins are composed of many intracellular key regulators, such as receptors, transcription factors and kinases, and may have important contributions to virus replication, immune evasion and viral pathogenesis. A total of 209 pathways containing proteins that may interact with SLiMs in coronavirus proteins were identified. This study uncovers potential mechanisms by which coronaviruses hijack the host cell machinery. These results provide potential therapeutic targets for viral infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiO 2 is not among the traditional electromagnetic (EM) absorbing material candidates owing to its poor response in the EM wave region. Although the EM wave absorption performance can be improved by hybrid and/or hydrogenated TiO 2 , the difficulty and risk of the experimental process are increased. Herein, rutile TiO 2 nanorod was successfully prepared by two-step method. The analysis of dielectric properties exhibits that rutile TiO 2 nanorod has excellent charge storage capacity. The results of EM wave absorbing performance show that impedance matching caused by anomalous resonance leads to frequency selective absorption. Such anomalous resonance is due to the resonant polarization of ionic clusters formed by oxygen ions and titanium ions. Moreover, metastructure design shows that the EM absorption frequency and the EM wave absorption bandwidth can be tuned through the design of metamaterial. Our founding will broaden the field of vision for the design of EM wave absorbing materials in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis is currently one of the leading causes of death in intensive care units (ICUs). Sesamin was previously reported to inhibit inflammation. However, no studies have revealed the impact of sesamin on sepsis. We studied the mechanism underlying the effect of sesamin on the pathophysiology of sepsis through the HMGB1/TLR4/IL-33 signalling pathway. Fifty male BALB/c mice (n = 10 per group) were used to establish a caecal ligation and puncture (CLP) mouse model, and given daily injections of sesamin at a low, middle, or high concentration (25, 50, or 100 μM) during the seven-day study period; survival curves were generated by the Kaplan–Meier method. H&E staining and TUNEL staining were performed to assess changes in intestinal morphology intestinal damage in the mouse intestinal epithelium. Molecules related to the HMGB1/TLR4/IL-33 pathway were assessed by RT-qPCR and Western blotting. We found mice in the sepsis group survived for only 4 days, while those treated with sesamin survived for 6–7 days. In addition, sesamin significantly relieved the increase in the levels of MPO (21%, 33.3%), MDA (40.5% and 31.6%), DAO (1.24-fold and 2.31-fold), and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α (75% and 79%) and IL-6 (1-fold and 1.67-fold) 24 and 48 h after sepsis induction and downregulated the expression of HMGB1, TLR4, and IL-33 while upregulating the expression of ZO-1 and occludin. Sesamin improved the 7-day survival rate of septic mice, suppressed the inflammatory response in sepsis through the HMGB-1/TLR4/IL-33 signalling pathway, and further alleviated intestinal injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal–organic framework (MOF) nanofillers have attracted significant attention recently for high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC) applications because of their excellent effectiveness for enhancing the performance of proton exchange membranes (PEMs) based on phosphoric acid–doped polybenzimidazole (PBI). Universitetet i Oslo-66 (UiO-66) is one of the most used zirconium-based MOFs. In this study, we synthesized amine-functionalized UiO-66, imidazole-functionalized UiO-66, and sulfonated UiO-66 as nanofillers for adjusting the interfacial compatibility of PBI-based nanocomposite membranes. The results demonstrated that incorporating functionalized UiO-66 nanocrystals simultaneously improved tensile strength, oxidative stability, and proton conductivity of the membranes. Moreover, the imidazole-functionalized UiO-66 nanofiller exhibited optimal interfacial compatibility with polybenzimidazole and more significantly improved membrane properties than the other nanofillers. The PEM containing 10 wt% imidazole-functionalized UiO-66 achieved a 113% increase in proton conductivity at 170°C (0.0418 S/cm) and a 249% increase in the maximum power density of the fuel cell (406.1 mW/cm2). [Display omitted] • Functionalization of zirconium-based metal-organic framework nanofillers. • Imidazole-functionalized nanofillers obtained better interfacial compatibility. • Imidazole-functionalized nanofillers enhanced membrane properties most. • A 113% increase in the proton conductivity of the proton exchange membrane. • A 249% increase in the maximum power density of fuel cell was demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile method for the synthesis of a series of novel β-acylamino furans stating from renewable monosaccharide was achieved. Glucosamine hydrochloride was selectively N-acylated with acyl chlorides in methanol/triethylamine to yield N-acyl-d-glucosamines, which were subsequently converted into β-acylamino furans through dehydration and cyclization under microwave irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Gesneriaceae, Oreocharis argentifolia Lei Cai & Z.L.Dao from Mengzi City, Yunnan Province, China, is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically most similar to O. panzhouensis Lei Cai, Y.Guo & F.Wen in plant habit, number of stigma lobes and stamens, and the shape of the calyx, but differs in the shape of the leaf blade, indumentum, shape and color of corolla and the adnate position of the filaments. A detailed description, color photographs, distribution and habitat, as well as its morphological relationship with relevant similar species are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive phenotypic profiling of heterogeneous circulating tumor cells (CTCs) at single‐cell resolution has great importance for cancer management. Herein, a novel spectrally combined encoding (SCE) strategy was proposed for multiplex biomarker profiling of single CTCs using a multifunctional nanosphere‐mediated microfluidic platform. Different cellular biomarkers uniquely labeled by multifunctional nanosphere barcodes, possessing identical magnetic tags and distinct optical signatures, enabled isolation of heterogeneous CTCs with over 91.6 % efficiency and in situ SCE of phenotypes. By further trapping individual CTCs in ordered microstructures on chip, composite single‐cell spectral signatures were conveniently and efficiently obtained, allowing reliable spectral‐readout for multiplex biomarker profiling. This SCE strategy exhibited great potential in multiplex profiling of heterogeneous CTC phenotypes, offering new avenues for cancer study and precise medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive phenotypic profiling of heterogeneous circulating tumor cells (CTCs) at single‐cell resolution has great importance for cancer management. Herein, a novel spectrally combined encoding (SCE) strategy was proposed for multiplex biomarker profiling of single CTCs using a multifunctional nanosphere‐mediated microfluidic platform. Different cellular biomarkers uniquely labeled by multifunctional nanosphere barcodes, possessing identical magnetic tags and distinct optical signatures, enabled isolation of heterogeneous CTCs with over 91.6 % efficiency and in situ SCE of phenotypes. By further trapping individual CTCs in ordered microstructures on chip, composite single‐cell spectral signatures were conveniently and efficiently obtained, allowing reliable spectral‐readout for multiplex biomarker profiling. This SCE strategy exhibited great potential in multiplex profiling of heterogeneous CTC phenotypes, offering new avenues for cancer study and precise medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular signal-regulated kinases are widely expressed protein kinases in neurons, which serve as important intracellular signaling molecules for central plasticity such as long-term potentiation. Recent studies demonstrate that there are two major forms of long-term potentiation in cortical areas related to pain: postsynaptic long-term potentiation and presynaptic long-term potentiation. In particular, presynaptic long-term potentiation in the anterior cingulate cortex has been shown to contribute to chronic pain-related anxiety. In this review, we briefly summarized the components and roles of extracellular signal-regulated kinases in neuronal signaling, especially in the presynaptic long-term potentiation of anterior cingulate cortex, and discuss the possible molecular mechanisms and functional implications in pain-related emotional disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isotrema hei Lei Cai & X.X. Zhu, a new species of Aristolochiaceae from Wenshan City, southeastern Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated. It resembles I. kunmingense and I. liangshanense in the shape and structure of the flower, but can be distinguished from both by the shape of leaf blade, bractlet and gynostemium; by the indumentum of petiole, leaf blade, bractlet and lower tube; and by the flower colour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The horseradish flea beetle Phyllotreta armoraciae exclusively feeds on Brassicaceae, which contain glucosinolates as characteristic defense compounds. Although glucosinolates are usually degraded by plant enzymes (myrosinases) to toxic isothiocyanates after ingestion, P. armoraciae beetles sequester glucosinolates. Between and within brassicaceous plants, the glucosinolate content and composition can differ drastically. But how do these factors influence sequestration in P. armoraciae? To address this question, we performed a five-day feeding experiment with three Arabidopsis thaliana lines that differ four-fold in glucosinolate content and the composition of aliphatic and indolic glucosinolates. We quantified the amounts of ingested, sequestered, and excreted glucosinolates, and analyzed the changes in glucosinolate levels and composition in beetles before and after feeding on Arabidopsis. P. armoraciae accumulated almost all ingested glucosinolate types. However, some glucosinolates were accumulated more efficiently than others, and selected glucosinolates were modified by the beetles. The uptake of new glucosinolates correlated with a decrease in the level of stored glucosinolates so that the total glucosinolate content remained stable at around 35 nmol/mg beetle fresh weight. Beetles excreted previously stored as well as ingested glucosinolates from Arabidopsis, which suggests that P. armoraciae regulate their endogenous glucosinolate level by excretion. The metabolic fate of ingested glucosinolates, i.e. the proportions of sequestered and excreted glucosinolates, depended on glucosinolate type, content, and composition in the food plant. Overall, P. armoraciae sequestered and excreted up to 41% and 31% of the total ingested aliphatic and indolic glucosinolates from Arabidopsis, respectively. In summary, we show that glucosinolate variability in Brassicaceae influences the composition but not the level of sequestered glucosinolates in P. armoraciae beetles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a crucial biomarker for clinical diagnosis, which is closely related to the physiological homeostasis regulation process of human body. And the abnormal level of ALP is associated with numerous diseases, such as liver dysfunction, bone diseases, diabetes, and so on. In order to meet the demand of personalized healthcare, it is particularly important to develop a miniaturized point-of-care testing (POCT) device for ALP detection. Herein, a portable solid-phase colorimetric sensor based on enzyme-induced metallization signal amplification strategy was constructed for ALP detection. The AuNPs modified on the glass slides acted as crystal seeds, allowing Ag+ in the solution to be reduced and deposited on the surface of AuNPs, which further formed the gold core and silver shell (Au@Ag) complex and generated visual signals. The visual signals were recorded by a smartphone and quantified using open-source ImageJ software. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed method exhibited a good linear relationship from 2.0 to 16.0 pM, and the detection limit was as low as 0.9 pM. In addition, it was further successfully applied for ALP detection in non-transparent and complex samples (milk, different types of cells). A sensitive, low cost, rapid and convenient solid-phase sensor was developed for ALP detection, which was expected to provide a promising strategy for POCT devices. [Display omitted] • A portable solid-phase colorimetric sensor was constructed for ALP visual detection. • Completion of the detection in 30 min without any equipment, which is beneficial for low-resource application. • The sensor avoids nanoparticles aggregation in complex environments by immobilizing them on the slide surface. • The sensor maintains good colorimetric effects in non-transparent samples detection with low color interference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial reductive dechlorination of chlorinated aromatics frequently suffers from the long dechlorination period and the generation of toxic metabolites. Biocathode bioelectrochemical systems were verified to be effective in the degradation of various refractory pollutants. However, the electrochemical and microbial related working mechanisms for bio-dechlorination by electro-stimulation remain poorly understood. In this study, we reported the significantly improved 2,4,6-trichlorophenol dechlorination activity through the weak electro-stimulation (cathode potential of −0.36 V vs. SHE), as evidenced by the 3.1 times higher dechlorination rate and the complete dechlorination ability with phenol as the end dechlorination product. The high reductive dechlorination rate (20.8 μM/d) could be maintained by utilizing electrode as an effective electron donor (coulombic efficiency of 82.3 ± 4.8%). Cyclic voltammetry analysis of the cathodic biofilm gave the direct evidences of the cathodic respiration with the improved and positive-shifted reduction peaks of 2,4,6-TCP, 2,4-DCP and 4-CP. The optimal 2,4,6-TCP reductive dechlorination rate (24.2 μM/d) was obtained when a small amount of lactate (2 mM) was added, and the generation of H 2 and CH 4 were accompanied due to the biological fermentation and methanogenesis. The electrical stimulation significantly altered the cathodic biofilm structure and composition with some potential dechlorinators (like Acetobacterium) predominated. The microbial interactions in the ecological network of cathodic biofilm were more simplified than the planktonic community. However, some potential dechlorinators (Acetobacterium , Desulfovibrio , etc.) shared more positive interactions. The co-existence and possible cooperative relationships between potential dechlorinators and fermenters (Sedimentibacter , etc.) were revealed. Meanwhile, the competitive interrelations between potential dechlorinators and methanogens (Methanomassiliicoccus) were found. In the network of plankton, the fermenters and methanogens possessed the more positive interrelations. Electro-stimulation at the cathodic potential of −0.36 V selectively enhanced the dechlorination function, while it showed little influence on either fermentation or methanogenesis process. The study gave suggestions for the enhanced bioremediation of chlorinated aromatics, in views of the electro-stimulation capacity, efficiency and microbial interrelations related microbial mechanism. Image 1 • Electro-stimulation significantly improved 2,4,6-TCP reductive dechlorination. • Electrode served as an effective electron donor for highly-efficient dechlorination. • Electro-stimulation distinctly altered the microbial community structure. • Cooperative and competitive interrelations of functional population were revealed. • Electro-stimulation optimized microbial interrelations for enhanced dechlorination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic stroke is a refractory disease caused by cerebral ischemic injury, which results in brain dysfunction. This study intends to investigate the effects of microRNA‐212 (miR‐212) on the recovery function and vascular regeneration of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) by inactivation of the Notch signaling pathway by binding to matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9) in mice with ischemic stroke. According to the results of database retrieval systems and data analysis, MMP9 was predicted as a gene related to ischemic stroke and miR‐212 is a potential regulating mRNA of MMP9. All 72 healthy adult C57BL6 mice were selected for middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) establishment. Cerebral infarction was observed under triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. A series of inhibitors, activators, and siRNAs were introduced to the verified regulatory functions for miR‐212 governing MMP9 in ischemic stroke. Cell proliferation was detected by 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and tube‐forming ability by tubule formation test. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis were used to detect the expressions of miR‐212, MMP9, Hes‐1, and Notch‐1. The corresponding results demonstrated that the area of cerebral infarction and the number of neuronal necrosis increased in the MCAO group in contrast to the sham group. Meanwhile, upregulation of miR‐212 or downregulation of MMP9 decreases the expressions of MMP9, Hes‐1 Notch‐1, increases cell proliferation and tube‐forming ability and improves the pathological conditions of EPCs. Our study suggests that miR‐212 promotes recovery function and vascular regeneration of EPCs through negative regulation of the Notch signaling pathway via downregulating expression of MMP9, thus provides a clinical theoretical basis for ischemic stroke therapy. Our study suggests that miR‐212 promotes recovery function and vascular regeneration of endothelial progenitor cells through negative regulation of the Notch signaling pathway via downregulating expression of matrix metallopeptidase 9, thus provides a clinical theoretical basis for ischemic stroke therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Electroacupuncture at the P5-6 acupoints induces c-Fos expression in the NTS. • NTS neurons are labeled with microsphere retrograde tracer originated from the rVLM. • The rVLM projecting NTS neurons express c-Fos following electroacupuncture at P5-6. Abstract Our previous studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) at the Jianshi-Neiguan acupoints (P5-6, overlying the median nerve) attenuates sympathoexcitatory responses through its influence on neuronal activity in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (rVLM). The nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) receives input from somatic nerve stimulation. Connections between the NTS and the rVLM during EA stimulation have not been investigated and thus were the focus of the present study. Seven to ten days after unilateral microinjection of a rhodamine-conjugated microsphere retrograde tracer (100 nl) into the rVLM, rats were subjected to EA or sham-EA without electrical stimulation. EA was performed for 30 min at the P5-6 acupoints bilaterally. Perikarya containing the microsphere tracer were found in the NTS of both groups. Compared to controls (needle placement without electrical stimulation, n = 7), c-Fos immunoreactivity and neurons double-labeled with c-Fos, an immediate early gene, and the tracer were significantly increased in the NTS of EA-treated rats (all P < 0.05; n = 8), particularly, in the medial and lateral subdivisions of NTS at subpostremal and obex levels. These results suggest that EA at the P5-6 acupoints activates NTS neurons. Furthermore, EA-activated NTS neurons directly project to the rVLM and likely influence the rVLM activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Microbial community structure and function varied with cathodic potentials. • Highest trichloroethylene dechlorination rate was observed at potential of −0.26 V. • Cis -1,2-dichloroethene and ethene were major and minor metabolites, respectively. • Dehalorespiring electroactive genera were highly enriched as potential decreasing. • Promoted expression of functional genes by suitable potential regulation. Abstract Bioelectrochemical system with biocatalyzed cathode is regarded as a promising approach for the enhanced bio-dechlorination of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs). However, the microbial community structure variation law and the corresponding function in the cathodic biofilm in response to the different cathode potentials remain poorly understood. In this study, biocathode systems were established for trichloroethene dechlorination under four cathode potentials (−0.06, −0.26, −0.46 and −0.66 V vs standard hydrogen electrode). About 2.6–4.3 times higher dechlorination rates were obtained in biocathodes than opened circuit, verifying the efficient electrostimulated bio-dechlorination. The highest trichloroethene dechlorination rate (1.01 mmol/L·d) was observed at −0.26 V, while higher (−0.06 V) or lower potentials (−0.46/−0.66 V) resulted in the 7.2–48.9% lower dechlorination rates. Under the different cathode potentials, the similar TCE dechlorination pathway was observed with cis -1,2-dichloroethene and ethene as the major and minor dechlorination products, respectively. The correlation and sharing network analysis of bacterial community illustrated that the negative potentials facilitated the enrichment of cathode-utilizing and dechlorination populations. The highest abundance of electroactive and dechlorinating bacteria (Lactococcus , Bacillus and Pseudomonas) and the highest expression of reductive dehalogenase (pceA and tceA) were observed at −0.26 V. The expression of extracellular electron transfer related gene omcX was promoted as the potential decreased. The decreased dechlorination capacity at potentials of −0.46 and −0.66 V could possibly be attributed to the lack of H 2 -utilizing dechlorinators and the low expressed pceA. This study offers insights into the molecular mechanism involved in the electrostimulated bio-dechlorination of CAHs by potential regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to identify differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) and mRNAs in hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A total of five HCC tissues and paired adjacent non-tumor tissues were screened to identify the differentially expressed miRNAs and target mRNAs using polymerase chain reaction microarrays. The interaction between differential miRNA and mRNA expression was concurrently analyzed using bioinformatics methods. A total of 32 differentially expressed miRNAs (four upregulated miRNAs and 28 downregulated miRNAs) and 16 differentially expressed mRNAs (11 upregulated mRNAs and five downregulated mRNAs) were identified. Among these, upregulated hsa-miRNA (miR)-96-5p and hsa-miR-18b-5p suppressed their target mRNAs forkhead box O1 and MET transcriptional regulator MACC1 (MACC1). Downregulation of hsa-miR-199a-5p led to upregulation of its target mRNAs, cyclin dependent kinase 4 and insulin like growth factor 2 (IGF2). The high-level expression of IGF2 mRNA and cyclin E1 mRNA was due to the low-level expression of hsa-miR-145-5p, hsa-miR-181a-5p, hsa-miR-199a-5p and hsa-miR-223a-3p, and hsa-miR-26a-5p and hsa-miR-26b-5p, respectively. The low-level expression of coronin 1A mRNA and MACC1 mRNA was due to overexpression of hsa-miR-517a-3p and hsa-miR-18a-5p, and hsa-miR-18b-5p, respectively. Numerous gene ontology terms were associated with oncogenesis. The most enriched pathways targeted by the dysregulated miRNAs and mRNAs were associated with cancer and oncogenesis pathways. The present data suggested that differential miRNA and mRNA expression is present in HCC. Thus, interactions between certain miRNAs and mRNAs may be involved in the pathogenesis of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuropathic pain (NP) is a prevalent clinical problem for which satisfactory treatment options are unavailable. Tetrandrine (TET), a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid extracted from Stephania tetrandra S. Moore , possesses anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory properties. Chemokine-like factor 1 (CKLF1) is known to play a crucial role in both peripheral and central inflammatory processes. This study aimed to investigate the potential anti-NP effects of TET and the involvement of CKLF1 in the action of TET. A male C57BL/6J mice model of NP caused by spared nerve injury (SNI) was established and mechanical withdrawal thresholds were measured using von Frey filaments. The results showed that TET improved mechanical allodynia in SNI mice and the propofol-induced sleep assay demonstrated that the TET group did not exhibit central inhibition, while the pregabalin (PGB) group showed significant central inhibition. Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining showed that TET significantly inhibited spinal protein expression levels of CKLF1, p-NF-κB/NF-κB, p-IKK/IKK, pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α, and increased protein expression levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, while inhibiting the expression levels of microglia and astrocyte markers IBA-1 and GFAP of SNI mice. Moreover, immunofluorescence double-labeling results revealed that CKLF1 was predominantly colocalized with microglia of the spinal cord (SC) in SNI mice. C19 (an antagonism peptide of CKLF1) alleviated SNI-induced mechanical pain hypersensitivity, while C27 (an analog peptide of CKLF1) induced mechanical allodynia in normal mice. TET significantly attenuated mechanical allodynia induced by C27 in mice. TET may effectively alleviate NP by reducing neuroinflammation and decreasing CKLF1. [Display omitted] • SNI upregulated microglia CKLF1protein in spinal. • TET alleviated SNI-induced mechanical allodynia. • TET decreased SNI spinal CKLF1 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bulk single-phase gamma-Y2Si2O7 ceramic has been synthesized from a mixture of Y2O3 powder and SiO2 nanopowder at 1400 °C. The dielectric properties are reported at the temperature ranging from room temperature to 1400 °C in X-band. The results show that gamma-Y2Si2O7 exhibits low dielectric loss and non-Debye relaxation behavior different from that of SiO2. The peculiar relaxation peak is attributed to the structural relaxation polarization caused by thermal-excitation structural defects, which implies that no ionic conductance exists in this material. Such low dielectric loss will draw much attention for potential dielectric applications at high temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dielectric properties of hexagonal boron nitride are investigated in detail. The permittivities hold extremely low values ranging from room temperature to 1500 °C, however, the dielectric loss tangents increase rapidly above 1000 °C. At 1500 °C, the dielectric loss tangent is 20 times more than that at room temperature. The first principles calculations show that the boron vacancy (VB) that gives an acceptor energy level near the valence band presents the lowest ionization energy in the investigated defects, and the calculated VB ionization energy agrees with the experimental value. It indicates that the rapid increase in dielectric loss tangents at high temperature is contributed by electrical conductivity produced by VB ionization under thermal excitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Biocathode dechlorination activity was glucose > acetate > sodium bicarbonate. • Cis -1,2-dichloroethene and ethene were major and minor metabolites, respectively. • Different carbon substrate types enriched distinct biofilm microbiome structure. • High proportions of dechlorinators and electroactive bacteria were enriched. • Heterotrophic systems enriched more dehalogenase and electroactive functional genes. Abstract Bioelectrochemical stimulation is regarded as a promising approach for enhanced dechlorination of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs). However, variation in microbiome structure and function corresponding to different carbon substrates remain poorly understood. In this study, tetrachloroethylene (PCE)-dechlorinating biocathode systems were established acclimating with glucose, sodium acetate (NaAc), or NaHCO 3 as the carbon substrates. The dechlorination rates achieved in the constructed biocathode were 4.1–26.5 times higher than those in sole electrochemical or microbial systems, verifying the outstanding dechlorination capacity by bioelectrochemical stimulation. Carbon substrate types markedly affected cathodic biofilm microbiome structure and function. Different PCE dechlorination rates were observed with first-order kinetic constants (k) of 0.110 ± 0.002, 0.056 ± 0.002, and 0.032 ± 0.001 h−1 for glucose, NaAc, and NaHCO 3 , respectively. Cis -1,2-dichloroethene and ethene were the major and minor dechlorination products for all systems. Microbiome structure and network analysis revealed that all three kinds of carbon substrate-fed systems enriched large proportions of dechlorinators and cathode-respiring bacteria but were significantly distinct in composition, such as Lactococcus and Anaeroarcus by glucose, Geobacter and Pseudomonas by NaAc, and Bacillus by NaHCO 3. However, several cathode-respiring dechlorinators shared the center of network, such as Desulfovibrio and Pseudomonas. Difference in microbiome function was further supported by the abundance of putative functional genes, and heterotrophic (glucose/NaAc) systems were more conducive to enrich reductive dehalogenase (pceA and tceA) and electroactive omcX genes than the autotrophic (NaHCO 3) system. This study provides insights into microbiome working mechanism for bioelectrochemical dechlorination of CAHs under different carbon substrate surroundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]