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The smart city, characterized by its complexity and expansiveness, entails intricate collaborative governance processes involving a multitude of elements. We have established a smart city collaborative governance system and formulated a system dynamics model based on the interaction dynamics among the internal elements of the collaborative governance subsystems: the subject, object, and environment. Policy adjustment variables were carefully selected to simulate six policy combination scenarios, illustrating the developmental trajectory of Dongguan City's smart city collaborative governance system from 2015 to 2030, within the context of various policy paradigms. Our findings emphasize that enhanced policy input from collaborative governance subjects and the governance environment can foster improvement in collaborative governance efficiency. The intensity of policy input in smart city collaborative governance significantly influences the system's operational effectiveness, with scenarios of rapid development, marked by higher policy investment, outperforming those of steady development. The input of policy adjustment variables induces synergy within the smart city collaborative governance system, and distinct governance models, such as technology-led, society-led, and government-led, exhibit unique focus in their influence on the smart city collaborative governance system. Together, these models play a crucial role in advancing the smart city collaborative governance system towards an effective and beneficial operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since July 2020, an infectious disease characterized by liver and spleen white focal necrosis has been spreading widely through geese farms in many regions of China. A novel goose orthoreovirus (GRV), designated GRV‐GD2020, was isolated from the liver and spleen of dead geese. Phylogenetic analysis and sequence comparison revealed that all the genes of GRV‐GD2020 clustered with other waterfowl‐origin orthoreovirus. However, the gene constellation of GRV‐GD2020 was not similar to that of any particular strain. Instead, the genomic segments of GRV‐GD2020 showed 27.5–97.3% similarities to that of other waterfowl‐origin orthoreovirus isolates. Waterfowl‐origin orthoreovirus infections characterized by liver and spleen focal necrosis had not emerged in recent years. The re‐emergence of the disease may be related to the recombination of the genome segments of Muscovy duck reovirus (MDRV), GRV, and new‐type duck orthoreovirus. In summary, we determined that the GRV‐GD2020 strain, causing goose liver and spleen focal necrosis, is a new variant of waterfowl‐origin orthoreovirus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to accelerate the construction of bridge substructure, a socket joint construction that does not require interfaces roughening between the precast columns and the reserved cavity of the precast foundation is raised in this paper. The seismic performance of such fabricated bridge piers was investigated by carrying quasistatic tests on socket circular pier specimens of different embedment depths with a compared cast-in-place pier specimen. The experimental results showed that the prefabricated piers with the embedment length larger than 1.0 times the column diameter, featuring smooth interfaces that was free of roughening, had a failure mode of bending damage as well as the cast-in-place component. As the embedment depth increases, the seismic performance indexes of the socket bridge pier, including bearing capacity, ductility, and energy dissipation capacity, are improved. The seismic performance indexes of a socket bridge pier specimen with an embedment depth of 1.5 times the column's diameter in the test are better than the cast-in-place one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

See Article on Page 540 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The gut hormone peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY) is critical for maintaining islet integrity and restoring islet function following Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass (RYGB). The expression of PYY and its receptors (NPYRs) in islets has been documented but not fully characterized. Modulation of islet PYY by the proteolytic enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP‐IV) has not been investigated and the impact of DPP‐IV inhibition on islet PYY function remains unexplored. Here we have addressed these gaps and their effects on glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). We have also investigated changes in pancreatic PYY in diabetes and following RYGB. Methods: Immunohistochemistry and gene expression analysis were used to assess PYY, NPYRs and DPP‐IV expression in rodent and human islets. DPP‐IV activity inhibition was achieved by sitagliptin. Secretion studies were used to test PYY and the effects of sitagliptin on insulin release, and the involvement of GLP‐1. Radioimmunoassays were used to measure hormone content in islets. Results: PYY and DPP‐IV localized in different cell types in islets while NPYR expression was confined to the beta‐cells. Chronic PYY application enhanced GSIS in rodent and diabetic human islets. DPP‐IV inhibition by sitagliptin potentiated GSIS; this was mediated by locally‐produced PYY, and not GLP‐1. Pancreatic PYY was markedly reduced in diabetes. RYGB strongly increased islet PYY content, but did not lead to full restoration of pancreatic GLP‐1 levels. Conclusion: Local regulation of pancreatic PYY, rather than GLP‐1, by DPP‐IV inhibition or RYGB can directly modulate the insulin secretory response to glucose, indicating a novel role of pancreatic PYY in diabetes and weight‐loss surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new family of IFNs called type III IFN or IFN-λ has been described, and shown to induce antiviral activity against several viruses in the cell culture. In this study, the molecular cloning, expression, and antiporcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) activity of porcine IFN-λ3 (poIFN-λ3) were reported. The full-length poIFN-λ3 cDNA sequence encoded 196 amino acids with a 23 amino acid signal peptide. Sequence alignments showed that poIFN-λ3 had an amino acid sequence similarity to Ovis aries (78.1 %), Bos taurus (76.0 %), Tupaia belangeri (71.3 %), Equus caballus (69.9 %), and Homo sapiens (69.9 %). The phylogenetic analysis based on the genomic sequences indicated that poIFN-λ3 is located in the same branch as B. taurus and O. aries IFN-λ3. The poIFN-λ3 without a signal anchor sequence was efficiently expressed in Escherichia coli, and the purified recombinant poIFN-λ3 exhibited significant antiviral effects against PEDV in a dose- and time-dependent manner. This inhibitory effect of poIFN-λ3 on PEDV was observed under three different treatment conditions. The highest inhibition of PEDV was observed in Vero E6 cell cultures pretreated with poIFN-λ3 (prior to PEDV infection). In addition, poIFN-λ3 was able to induce the expression of IFN-stimulated genes, including ISG15, OAS1, and Mx1 in Vero E6 cells. These data demonstrate that poIFN-λ3 has antiviral activity against PEDV and may serve as a useful biotherapeutic candidate to inhibit PEDV or other viruses in swine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egg-laying duck flocks in Guangdong province, southern China, have been suffering a widely spreading infectious disease with abrupt egg drops and death since the winter of 2010. However, the causative pathogen was not known. We obtained two independent virus isolates named FS and JM from the diseased layer duck flocks and identified them as duck-origin Tembusu virus by PCR detection, sequencing the entire length of the open reading frames (ORFs). The two isolates FS and JM shared high sequence similarity to the isolates of duck-origin Tembusu virus that was first emerged in eastern China in April 2010. Blast analysis shows that the whole ORF sequences of FS and JM have the highest similarity (>99 %) to BYD-1(the first reported duck-origin Tembusu virus) and JS804 (the first reported goose-origin Tembusu virus), indicating that the full-length genomes were highly conserved in waterfowl-origin Tembusu viruses. The present study suggests that duck-origin Tembusu viruses have spread fast from eastern China to southern China, causing widely spreading infections. The high conservation of duck-origin Tembusu virus strains provides the genomic basis for choosing the strains for vaccine preparation for better protection against this new virus infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The duck Tembusu virus (DTMUV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus. It causes severe symptoms of egg-drop, as well as neurological symptoms and brain damage in ducks. However, the specific molecular mechanisms of DTMUV-induced neurovirulence and host responses in the brain remain obscure. To better understand the host–pathogen and neuro-immune interactions of DTMUV infection, we conducted high-throughput RNA-sequencing to reveal the transcriptome profiles of DTMUV-infected duck brain. Totals of 117, 212, and 150 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified at 12, 24, and 48 h post infection (hpi). Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses uncovered genes and pathways related to the nervous system and immune responses in duck brain. Neuro-related genes, including WNT3A, GATA3, and CHRNA6, were found to be significantly downregulated. RIG-I-like receptors (DHX58, IFIH1) and Toll-like receptors (TLR2 and TLR3) were activated, inducing the expression of 22 interferon stimulated genes (ISGs) and antigen-processing and -presenting genes (TAP1 and TAP2) in the brain. Our research provides comprehensive information for the molecular mechanisms of neuro-immune and host–pathogen interactions of DTMUV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a non-steroidal estrogenic mycotoxin and constitutes a potential health threat to humans and livestock. This study aimed to explore the potential of albite modified by the cationic surfactant cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) as ZEN adsorbent. The organoalbite (OA) was characterized by SEM analysis, XRD analysis, FTIR spectroscopy, thermal analysis, and BET gas sorption measurement. In vitro adsorption of ZEN by OA was carried out by simulating the pH conditions of the gastrointestinal tract. The characterization results showed that the surface of OA changed from hydrophilic to hydrophobic after modification. Adsorption kinetic studies showed that ZEN adsorption behavior of OA occurred by chemisorption. The equilibrium adsorption data fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm, indicating that the adsorption process of ZEN by OA was monolayer. The maximum adsorption capacity (qm) values of OA for ZEN were 10.580 and 9.287 mg/g at pH 7 and pH 3, respectively. In addition, OA had a low desorption rate (about 2%), and co-existing amino acids (i.e., Lys and Met), vitamins (i.e., VB1 and VE), and minerals (i.e., Fe2+ and Ca2+) did not affect the removal of ZEN. These results demonstrate that OA could be a promising mycotoxin adsorbent for removing the hydrophobic, weakly polar ZEN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zearalenone (ZEN), a nonsteroidal estrogen mycotoxin, is widely found in feed and foodstuffs. Intestinal cells may become the primary target of toxin attack after ingesting food containing ZEN. Porcine small intestinal epithelial (SIEC02) cells were selected to assess the effect of ZEN exposure on the intestine. Cells were exposed to ZEN (20 µg/mL) or pretreated with (81, 162, and 324 µg/mL) N-acetylcysteine (NAC) prior to ZEN treatment. Results indicated that the activities of glutathione peroxidase (Gpx) and glutathione reductase (GR) were reduced by ZEN, which induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) production. Moreover, these activities increased apoptosis and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), and regulated the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, caspase-9, and cytochrome c (cyto c). Additionally, NAC pretreatment reduced the oxidative damage and inhibited the apoptosis induced by ZEN. It can be concluded that ZEN-induced oxidative stress and damage may further induce mitochondrial apoptosis, and pretreatment of NAC can degrade this damage to some extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]