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Numerous cross-sectional studies have indicated a significant association between fear of COVID-19 and mental health issues, such as depressive symptoms. However, limited research has explored the longitudinal relationship and underlying mechanisms between fear of COVID-19 and depressive symptoms. To address the research gap, we conducted a three-wave longitudinal study between October 2021 and September 2022, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and developed a moderated mediation model incorporating loneliness and hope. A total of 366 Chinese undergraduates participated in the study at Time 1, with 346 and 339 students completing subsequent surveys at Time 2 and Time 3 over the course of a year. All participants completed self-report surveys online. Results revealed a positive correlation between fear of COVID-19 and depressive symptoms, with loneliness partially mediating this relationship. Moreover, trait hope moderated the direct effect of fear of COVID-19 on depressive symptoms, with the direct effect being insignificant for individuals with high levels of hope. Thus, hope may serve as a protective factor for young adults to mitigate the impact of fear of COVID-19 on depressive symptoms. These findings provide insight into the underlying mechanisms linking fear of COVID-19 and depressive symptoms, and offer enlightening coping strategies (e.g., hope-based interventions) for depression resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Tribe Zyginelline leafhoppers can transmit plant viruses and are important pests that affect agriculture, forestry, and animal husbandry, causing serious economic losses. The potential distribution patterns of Zyginellini will change under climate change. Therefore, the best‐performing random forest and maximum entropy models among 12 commonly used ecological niche models, alongside an ensemble model, were selected to predict the changes in habitat suitability distribution of Zyginellini under current and future climate scenarios [represented by two shared socio‐economic pathways (SSPs), namely SSP126 and SSP585, for three periods (2050s, 2070s, and 2090s)] in China and the Indo‐China Peninsula for the first time. RESULTS: The results revealed that the distribution of Zyginellini was mainly dominated by minimum temperature of coldest month. Under current and future climate scenarios, Zyginellini was mostly distributed southeast of the 400 mm equivalent precipitation line in China, and Vietnam. Under the future SSP126 scenario, the alert areas will mainly be concentrated in Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Anhui, and Hebei in China, alongside Myanmar and Thailand in the Indo‐China Peninsula. Meanwhile, in the SSP585 scenario, the alert areas in China will increase, whereas there will be little change in the Indo‐China Peninsula. Interestingly, from the current to the future, the cores of Zyginelline distribution occurred around rivers and mountains, and shifted from Guizhou along the Yuanjiang River system to higher latitudes in Hunan. CONCLUSION: Zyginellini prefers higher latitude river‐mountain systems under climate change. Our results will contribute to effective pest control strategies and biogeographical research for Zyginellini alongside other Cicadellidae insects. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Online game addiction has become a prominent public concern, particularly among emerging adults, warranting in-depth investigation. Despite prior cross-sectional research indicating a negative correlation between gratitude and online gaming addiction, a dearth of longitudinal research exists in this area. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms that explain the link between gratitude and online gaming addiction remain poorly understood, highlighting a critical research gap in the field. Methods: To bridge this gap, our study adopted a three-wave longitudinal design and constructed a multiple mediation model. Over the course of one year, data was collected from a sample of Chinese undergraduates, with 319 students participating at Time 1, 305 at Time 2, and 292 at Time 3. Participants were administered online self-report surveys, enabling the acquisition of valuable data regarding their levels of gratitude, online game addiction, self-control, and loneliness. Results: The findings revealed a negative correlation between gratitude measured at Time 1 and online game addiction assessed at Time 3. Further analysis demonstrated that both self-control and loneliness played multiple mediating roles at Time 2 in the link between gratitude and online game addiction. Conclusion: These research findings shed light on the underlying mechanisms between gratitude and online game addiction, which provide implications for developing interventions (e.g., interventions based on gratitude) for reducing young adults' online game addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the popularity of mobile socialization, people have become more closely connected with their phones. While people enjoy the convenience that phones bring (e.g., accessing information and socializing), they also feel anxious about missing out on certain information. Previous researches have shown that fear of missing out (FoMO) can trigger depressive symptoms, however, the underlying psychological mechanisms are not yet clear. In addition, limited research has explored this issue in the context of mobile social media. Methods: To address this research gap, we surveyed 486 Chinese college students (278 males and 208 females, mean age = 19.95 years, SD = 1.14) and all participants completed a self-report questionnaire including mobile social media-related FoMO scale, phubbing scale, social exclusion scale, and the patient health questionnaire-9. The data were analyzed by SPSS24.0 and the Process macro and developed a mediating and moderating model incorporating phubbing and social exclusion. Results: The results showed that (1) mobile social media-related FoMO (MSM-related FoMO) can significantly and positively predict depressive symptoms among college students; (2) phubbing partially mediates the relationship between MSM-related FoMO and depressive symptoms; (3) the direct predictive effect of MSM-related FoMO on depressive symptoms is moderated by social exclusion. Conclusion: These findings are not only valuable for understanding the underlying mechanisms linking MSM-related FoMO and depressive symptoms, but also contribute to the development of psychological intervention programs (e.g., interventions based on social exclusion or phubbing) aiming at reducing college students' depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the value of plasmablasts in predicting disease relapse in IgG4-related diseases (IgG4-RD). Methods: Treatment-naïve IgG4-RD patients treated with glucocorticoid (GC) monotherapy or leflunomide (LEF) and GC combination therapy diagnosed at the Chinese PLA General Hospital during February 2017 and January 2018 were included in this study. The absolute plasmablast count was measured by using the absolute count tubes with flow cytometry. Patients were categorized into high and low plasmablast level groups by defining the median number of plasmablasts as the cut-off value. The characteristics of the clinical manifestations between the two groups were compared. In addition, the correlation of plasmablast count with other indicators and its clinical value in predicting disease relapse were evaluated. Results: Data of 37 treatment-naïve IgG4-RD patients were analyzed. The median (IQR) absolute count of plasmablasts was 4.0 (2.8–7.5)/μL, which was correlated with the lymphocyte percentage, serum IgG, IgG4, and IgG4/IgG. The baseline absolute count of plasmablasts was an independent risk factor for disease relapse in IgG4-RD patients (HR, 1.199; 95% CI, 1.030–1.396, P = 0.019), and the application of LEF was an independent protective factor (HR, 0.283; 95% CI, 0.106–0.759, p = 0.012). Conclusions: The present study preliminarily indicated that baseline absolute plasmablast count may independently predict disease relapse in patients with IgG4-RD treated with GC monotherapy or LEF and GC combination therapy. More efforts are still needed to be performed in the future. Key Points • The absolute count of plasmablasts is correlated with the lymphocyte percentage, serum IgG, IgG4 and IgG4/IgG. • The baseline absolute plasmablast count may predict disease relapse in patients with IgG4-RD treated with GC monotherapy or LEF and GC combination therapy. • The application of LEF is an independent protective factor for disease relapse in IgG4-RD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Infertility has adverse effects on the quality of life (QoL) of infertile couples. Previous studies found important associations between sexual function, self-esteem and QoL, but mainly focused on one individual's approach rather than both partners. This study adopted a dyadic approach to evaluate the relationship between sexual function and QoL in couples with infertility through mediation and improving self-esteem. Patients and Methods: Between October 2020 and January 2021, 428 couples with infertility (n=856) undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) at a tertiary hospital in Hefei, China, were registered for the current descriptive cross-sectional research. The dyads' sociodemographic and clinical features, as well as their sexual function, self-esteem, and QoL were evaluated. The Fertility quality of life scale (FertiQoL), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and International Index of Erectile Function-15 (IIEF-15) were used to evaluate the participants. The Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model (APIMeM) was utilized to examine data from the dyadic relationships. Results: According to the APIMeM analysis, sexual function of individuals with infertility was directly and indirectly connected with their QoL, mediated through their self-esteem. The women's sexual function was found to be positively associated with their partner's QoL, with the women's self-esteem acting as a complete mediator. The men's sexual function was found to be positively associated with partner's QoL, with the men's self-esteem acting as a complete mediator. Conclusion: The findings suggest that boosting participants' self-esteem can help them and their partners have a better QoL. Also, therapies aimed at improving and sustaining self-esteem of couples with infertility could help mitigate the negative influence of low sexual function on their QoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The washing process is an important working procedure for the industrial production of Ni-rich layered cathode materials. By washing, the most of residual lithium could be removed efficiently, but the surface corrosion of the cathode materials would be apparent. Therefore, coating is necessary to repair the surfaces of the cathode materials. In this study, we introduce a dry chemical process for LBO coating to improve the surface properties of Ni-rich materials (LiNi0.90Co0.06Mn0.04O2) after washing. Particularly, the effect of subsequent sintering temperature on the structure and uniformity of the coating layer as well as the electrochemical performance of as-prepared cathodes is investigated systematically. When the coating temperature is 300 °C, a uniform LBO coating layer is easily formed on the surface of the cathodes, helping to repair unstable surface of the washed LiNi0.90Co0.06Mn0.04O2 material. The coated LiNi0.90Co0.06Mn0.04O2 material shows a discharge capacity of 222.0 mAh g−1 with 88.1% of capacity retention after 100 cycles at 1C. The thermal stability can also be improved. The improved performance of LiNi0.90Co0.06Mn0.04O2 material should be ascribed to the LBO coating layer which can restrain the structure deterioration and surface impedance by diminishing the direct contact of the cathode materials and the electrolyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The original article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-022-06339-0. 1 Lymphocyte gate (A), CD19+B cell gate (B), CD19+CD27+CD38hi plasmablasts gate (C), fluorescent beads (D), CD19+CD27+CD38hi cell expressed low level of CD20 (E), while CD19+CD27-CD38- cell expressed high level of CD20 (F) The original article has been corrected. [Extracted from the article]

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Although researchers have previously examined whether graphene modified by sulfur can improve the electrochemical performance of LiFePO4/C composites, they have rarely examined whether it can do so during the synchronous synthesis of LiFePO4/C and sulfur-modified reduced graphene oxide (SG) via a one-step hydrothermal method. To answer this question, a series of olivine structure LiFePO4/C composites wrapped with SG were investigated. Subsequently, we found that SG can form a three-dimensional conductive network on the surface of the LiFePO4/C sample. In the process, XRD and HRTEM tests were undertaken as well. From the XRD test, the results show that SG does not affect the olivine structure of LiFePO4/C. In the HRTEM experiment, clear lattice fringes and a uniformly coated carbon layer on the sample surface were observed. Alongside these results, there were 4 others. First, the charge–discharge data showed that the electrochemical performance of the samples could be increased by SG modification. Second, sample S2 with a mass ratio of Na2S to rGO of 1:10 shows the best specific discharge capacity and stability. Third, the specific capacity of S2 is 163 mAhg−1 at 0.2 C, and the capacity retention is 108.23% even after 200 cycles at a magnification of 10 C. Fourth, according to EIS, the charge migrating resistance of S2 is 226.4 Ω, and the lithium-ion diffusion coefficient is 2.41 × 10−14 cm2·S−1. The significance of these results is that they indicate that wrapping LiFePO4/C with SG significantly contributed to the improvement of its electrochemical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to develop a method, followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, for detecting 37 pesticides in Chrysanthemum indicum (C. indicum) and investigating the decrease in the matrix-induced enhancement effect. The influence of QuEChERS extraction and matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) on the recovery and matrix effect (ME) was compared. extraction and matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) on the recovery and matrix effect (ME) was compared to decrease the ME. The cleanup sorbents, volume and type of solvent, and treatment time were optimized. The accuracy (as recovery), precision (as relative standard deviation, RSD), linearity, limit of quantitation, and limit of detection were determined. The recoveries at the three levels using mixed standard solution ranged between 76% and 120% with RSD ≤15%, and 76% and 120% with RSD ≤11% for MSPD and QuEChERS extraction, respectively. The results suggested that the ME for 21 pesticides was in the range of 80%–120% after MSPD and 15% after QuEChERS extraction. QuEChERS extraction was simpler and faster than MSPD. This methodology was applied in the analysis of 27 C. indicum samples; phorate was most frequently detected (63.0% of the sample). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Akkermansia muciniphila, an anaerobic Gram‐negative bacterium, is a major intestinal commensal bacterium that can modulate the host immune response. It colonizes the mucosal layer and produces nutrients for the gut mucosa and other commensal bacteria. It is believed that mucin desulfation is the rate‐limiting step in the mucin‐degradation process, and bacterial sulfatases that carry out mucin desulfation have been well studied. However, little is known about the structural characteristics of A. muciniphila sulfatases. Here, the crystal structure of the premature form of the A. muciniphila sulfatase AmAS was determined. Structural analysis combined with docking experiments defined the critical active‐site residues that are responsible for catalysis. The loop regions I–V were proposed to be essential for substrate binding. Structure‐based sequence alignment and structural superposition allow further elucidation of how different subclasses of formylglycine‐dependent sulfatases (FGly sulfatases) adopt the same catalytic mechanism but exhibit diverse substrate specificities. These results advance the understanding of the substrate‐recognition mechanisms of A. muciniphila FGly‐type sulfatases. Structural variations around the active sites account for the different substrate‐binding properties. These results will enhance the understanding of the roles of bacterial sulfatases in the metabolism of glycans and host–microbe interactions in the human gut environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vascular endothelium, which plays an essential role in maintaining the normal shape and function of blood vessels, is a natural barrier between the circulating blood and the vascular wall tissue. The endothelial damage can cause vascular lesions, such as atherosclerosis and restenosis. After the vascular intima injury, the body starts the endothelial repair (re-endothelialization) to inhibit the neointimal hyperplasia. Endothelial progenitor cell is the precursor of endothelial cells and plays an important role in the vascular re-endothelialization. However, re-endothelialization is inevitably affected in vivo and in vitro by factors, which can be divided into two types, namely, promotion and inhibition, and act on different links of the vascular re-endothelialization. This article reviews these factors and related mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the flight maneuvering of an aircraft, the maneuvering load on the rotor is generated, which may induce the change of dynamic behavior of aeroengine rotor system. To study the influence on the rotor dynamic behavior of constant maneuvering overload, a nonlinear dynamic model of bearing-rotor system under arbitrary maneuver flight conditions is presented by finite element method. The numerical integral method is used to investigate the dynamic characteristics of the rotor model under constant maneuvering overload, and the simulation results are verified by experimental works. Based on this, the dynamic characteristics of a complex intermediate bearing-squeeze film dampers- (SFD-) rotor system during maneuvering flight are analyzed. The simulation results indicate that the subharmonic components are amplified under constant maneuvering overload. The amplitude of the combined frequency components induced by the coupling of the inner and outer rotors is weakened. The static displacements of the rotor caused by the additional excitation force are observed. Besides, the period stability of the movement of the rotor deteriorates during maneuver flight. The design of counterrotation of the inner and outer rotors can effectively reduce the amplitude of subharmonic under constant maneuvering overload. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) is a rare connective tissue disease characterized by increased peripheral blood eosinophils and diffuse fasciitis, generalized morphea (GM) is a subtype of localized scleroderma, and IgA nephropathy is a chronic glomerulonephritis caused by abnormal deposition of IgA in the mesangial area of the glomeruli. We describe a 49‐year‐old male patient with hard skin, cutaneous hyperpigmentation, and proteinuria. The patient had suffered from a long disease course of hard skin, while urine protein was newly detected. Finally, the clinical presentation and physical examination, limb MRI, skin biopsy, and renal biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of eosinophilic fasciitis associated with generalized morphea and IgA nephropathy. This case is the first report of EF associated with GM and IgA nephropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Bone loss is common in AS, and miR-214 plays an important role in regulating bone formation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of miR-214, the production of which is stimulated by IL-17A, on bone loss in AS. Methods Peripheral blood was obtained from 32 patients with AS and 24 healthy controls. Levels of IL-17A, soluble RANK ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin in serum were evaluated by ELISA, and the relative level of miR-214 in serum was detected by real-time quantitative PCR. In addition, we assessed the relationship between levels of miR-214, IL-17A and bone loss in primary murine osteoblasts and mouse bone marrow cells. Results The expression of RANKL and miR-214 in osteoblasts was increased following stimulation by IL-17A, and osteoblasts stimulated by IL-17A promoted the expression of miR-214 in osteoclasts and the activity of osteoclasts. We showed that osteoblast-derived miR-214 could be transferred to osteoclasts and could then regulate their activity. The levels of IL-17A and miR-214 were much higher in the serum of patients with AS than in that of healthy controls, and the relative level of miR-214 was positively correlated with the level of IL-17A in the serum and synovial fluid of the patients with AS, not healthy controls. The level of miR-214 in the serum of AS patients has potential diagnostic value. Conclusion The production of miR-214 in osteoblasts is stimulated by IL-17A. It is an important inhibitor of bone formation in AS, and the serum level of miR-214 might be of potential diagnostic value for AS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of LiFe1−xMnxPO4/C composites were successfully synthesized through a simple hydrothermal method. The effects of doped Mn on their micro-structures and electrochemical performances were investigated. The XRD results indicate that Mn doping cannot change the olivine lattice type of LiFePO4. Appropriate Mn doping can reduce the particle size of LiFePO4. The electrochemical performance data show that the electrochemical performances of the composite materials are enhanced at first and then decrease as the doping amount of Mn increases. Both the CV and EIS results illustrate that a small amount of doped Mn will reduce the electrode polarization and electrochemical impedance of the samples and simultaneously improve the electrochemical performance. Among all the samples, the LiFe0.98Mn0.02PO4/C sample has a desirable electrochemical performance, with its specific discharge capacity reaching 156.0 mAh g−1 at a rate of 0.1 C. Even at a high rate of 5 C, it can still reach 110.0 mAh g−1. All the results indicate that an appropriate amount of doped Mn has an emphatic effect on the electrochemical performance of LiFePO4/C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To investigate the effect of dose maintenance, reduction, or discontinuation of the etanercept biosimilar Yisaipu (YSP) on early axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) patients in remission with YSP 50 mg once weekly (QW).Material and Methods: Patients were enrolled in three groups: full dose (YSP50), half dose (YSP25), and discontinuation (YSP0). Patients were assessed by the same rheumatologist every 8 weeks for 48 weeks. The primary endpoint was the proportion of non-failure patients in each group. If a flare occurred during the study period, the patient resumed YSP 50 mg QW or was switched to another tumor necrosis factor inhibitor.Results: A total of 144 patients were included and each group included 48 patients. The proportion of non-failure patients was significantly greater in the YSP50 group than in the YSP0 group at 48 weeks (91.7% vs. 72.9%, p = 0.032). The difference in the other two comparisons was not statistically significant (YSP50 vs. YSP25 group, p = 0.522; YSP25 vs. YSP0 group, p = 0.132). The median time to flare did not differ significantly between the three groups (p > 0.05). Most patients who flared regained remission rapidly after resuming YSP 50 mg QW or starting adalimumab 40 mg every other week.Conclusions: For patients with early axSpA in remission on YSP for more than 12 weeks, continuation of YSP at full dose was superior to discontinuation of YSP, but not superior to halving the dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Effectors, a group of small proteins secreted by pathogens, play a critical role in the antagonistic interaction between plant hosts and pathogens through their dual functions in regulating host immune systems and pathogen infection capability. In this study, evolution in effector genes was investigated through population genetic analysis of Avr3a sequences generated from 96 Phytophthora infestans isolates collected from six locations representing a range of thermal variation and cropping systems in China. We found high genetic variation in the Avr3a gene resulting from diverse mechanisms extending beyond point mutations, frameshift, and defeated start and stop codons to intragenic recombination. A total of 51 nucleotide haplotypes encoding 38 amino acid isoforms were detected in the 96 full sequences with nucleotide diversity in the pathogen populations ranging from 0.007 to 0.023 (mean = 0.017). Although haplotype and nucleotide diversity were high, the effector gene was dominated by only three haplotypes. Evidence for a selective sweep was provided by (i) the population genetic differentiation (GST) of haplotypes being lower than the population differentiation (FST) of SSR marker loci; and (ii) negative values of Tajima's D and Fu's FS. Annual mean temperature in the collection sites was negatively correlated with the frequency of the virulent form (Avr3aEM), indicating Avr3a may be regulated by temperature. These results suggest that elevated air temperature due to global warming may hamper the development of pathogenicity traits in P. infestans and further study under confined thermal regimes may be required to confirm the hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinear dynamic model of a coaxial rotor system was established with a method combining the finite element method and the fixed interface modal synthesis method. Then an implicit time domain method was presented to solve the nonlinear equations of motion; thus dynamic characteristics of the rotor system can be obtained. With nonlinear forces of squeeze film damper and intermediate bearing considered, nonlinear dynamic response characteristics of the co- and counterrotating coaxial rotor system under multiple unbalance forces were studied and compared in this work. It was found that the critical speeds of the corotating system were equal to or slightly higher than those of the counterrotating case due to the gyroscopic moments. The results showed that the unbalance excitation frequencies are dominant in the responses of the rotor system. Besides, due to coupling effect of the intermediate bearing some combinations of the unbalance excitation frequencies were also observed in the spectrogram but the combinations were different for co- and counterrotating cases. Stability and periodicity of the rotor system were investigated with bifurcation diagram, Poincare map, and phase diagram. It was found that the rotor system executes four-period quasi-periodic motion around critical speeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although glucocorticoids are effective in IgG4-related disease ( IgG4-RD), patients may relapse during or after glucocorticoid tapering. Immunosuppressive agents, including leflunomide ( LEF), are regarded as steroid-sparing agents in other autoimmune disorders and need to be discussed in the management of IgG4-RD. Aim To identify the efficacy and safety of combination therapy of LEF and glucocorticoids in IgG4-RD. Methods We retrospectively summarised data of patients diagnosed with IgG4-RD between November 2012 and November 2015. Only patients treated with LEF plus glucocorticoids and had been followed up for more than three visits and 6 months were analysed with clinical symptoms, laboratory and imaging findings, treatment protocol, LEF-related adverse events and disease activity reflected by IgG4-RD Responder Index ( IgG4-RD RI). Results A total of 18 patients, including 14 untreated patients and 4 relapsing patients, was included. The mean ( SD) onset age was 54.0 (9.6) years. The mean ( SD) follow-up period was 12.1 (7.4) months. All patients had active disease with mean ( SD) IgG4-RD RI of 15.0 (5.6) at baseline and experienced improvements at 1 month. At the last follow up, the mean ( SD) IgG4-RD Responder Index declined to 3.1 (1.7) in all patients and to 2.5 (1.2) in patients without relapse. The mean ( SD) dose of GC declined to 6.9 (2.7) mg/day. A total of 12 (66.7%) and 11 (61.1%) patients were in remission at 6 months and the last follow up respectively. Three (16.7%) patients relapsed in clinical course. Two reversible adverse events were observed. Conclusion The combination therapy of LEF and glucocoticoids is effective and safe in IgG4-RD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We first doped europium (Eu) ions into WO3 using a hydrothermal method. The effects of Eu ions on the structure, morphology, and electrochromic and photoluminescence performances of WO3 films have been systematically investigated. It is found that a WO3 film doped with Eu ions exhibits the bi-functionality of electrochromic switching and red emission. Compared with an undoped WO3 film, a WO3 film doped with 10%Eu ions shows a remarkably enhanced optical contrast of 80.7% at 680 nm, a faster coloration response of 7.2 s, and more than 3 times higher coloration efficiency of about 57.85 cm2 C−1. Moreover, a WO3 film doped with Eu ions could be excited by 260 nm ultraviolet light and exhibit a tunable red emission as a response to the applied electric field. This novel and bifunctional WO3 film shows potential in preparation of illuminable “smart windows”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We here present a new generation of high-performance photoelectrochromic device, which contains a photoanode of CdS quantum dot sensitized TiO2, an electrochromic electrode of WO3, and aqueous electrolyte containing [Fe(CN)6]4−/3− and Li+ ions. It is found that the CdS quantum dot sensitized TiO2 photoanode exhibits a tunable optical absorption edge through modulating the deposition cycles, which results in a controllable photovoltaic conversion. A maximum transparency of 81% and light modulation of about 70% in the visible light range is readily reached under optimized conditions, which is much improved from that of the conventional dye-based photoelectrochromic device. This study demonstrates the promising potential of the photoelectrochromic device in applications for energy-saving smart windows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we first studied the effects of CdS quantum dot modification on the electrochromic properties of TiO2 films in a Li ion containing organic electrolyte. Driven by an external potential, the CdS modified TiO2 (TiO2/CdS) film achieves reversible coloration and discoloration. In particular, the TiO2/CdS film exhibits multistage color switching from yellow (original state), to green (−1.5 V), to black (−2 V) in the coloration process, then to brown (−0.6 V) in the discoloration process. Besides, an improved optical contrast window of about 79.7% at 624 nm, an enhanced coloration efficiency of 70.8% and a half shortened coloration time of 12.7 s are achieved for the TiO2/CdS film, when compared with those of a pure TiO2 film. This work not only presents a novel electrochromic material with enhanced electrochromic properties, but also brings us a new insight into exploring the electrochromic functions of metal-chalcogenides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tungsten trioxide (WO3) is a promising electrochromic material for potential applications in architectural and automotive smart windows. Nanostructured WO3 has attracted particular attention over the past few years due to its potential advantages in electrochromic properties. Herein, Ni-doped WO3 nanostructured films were obtained by a seed-free hydrothermal method directly on transparent conducting substrates. The influences of Ni doping on the nanostructure and electrochromic properties of WO3 films were investigated. Compared to pure WO3 films, Ni doping can increase the crystal defects and induce significant changes in the nanostructure, thus affecting the electrochromic performance of WO3 films. Low concentration Ni-WO3 films exhibited a vertically aligned nanorods morphology, ultrahigh optical modulation (over 85% from 600 to 900 nm), high coloration efficiency (60.5 mc2 C−1 at 600 nm) and excellent cycling stability for about 5500 cycles. Finally, the complementary electrochromic device assembled with 1.5% Ni-WO3 and NiO-based films exhibited vivid color change from transparent to black (x = 0.326, y = 0.369, YL% = 3.29%) with maximum transmittance of about 3.5% in the dark state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The generation of harmful reactive oxygen species ( ROS) induced by UVB irradiation could induce cell apoptosis and change the cell cycle. 6A, 6A′-dicyclohexylamine- 6B, 6B′-diselenide-bis-β-cyclodextrin (6- Cy Se CD) is a novel glutathione peroxidase ( GPx; EC 1.11.1.9) mimic. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-oxidative effects of 6- Cy Se CD in cultured immortalised human keratinocyte cells ( Ha Ca T). Methods Ha Ca T cells were treated with 30 mJ/cm2 UVB to establish a damage model. The cultured Ha Ca T cells were randomly assigned to the control, UVB and treatment groups. The treatment group was incubated with 20 μmol/L of GPx mimics before UVB irradiation. Cell viability was detected by (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, the level of lipid peroxidation was determined by the formation of malondialdehyde ( MDA), DNA fragmentation was observed using agarose gel electrophoresis and the levels of intracellular ROS and cell cycle progression were measured by flow cytometry. Results The levels of cytotoxicity, intracellular ROS, lipid peroxidation and oxidative DNA damage significantly increased after UVB irradiation in the Ha Ca T cells. UVB irradiation caused pre- G1-phase arrest in Ha Ca T cells and significantly reduced the number of HaCaT cells in the S phase. The GPx mimics 6- Cy Se CD and 2-phenyl-l,2-benzisoselenazol-3( 2H)-one (ebselen) significantly blocked UVB-induced apoptosis and changed the cell cycle of the Ha Ca T cells. The blocked effect of pretreatment 6- Cy Se CD in UVB-irradiated Ha Ca T cells was better than that of pretreatment with ebselen. Conclusion 6- Cy Se CD can relieve the damage induced by UVB irradiation in Ha Ca T cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glutathione peroxidase (GPX) is one of the important members of the antioxidant enzyme family. It can catalyze the reduction of hydroperoxides with glutathione to protect cells against oxidative damage. Single-chain variable fragment (scFv) can be converted into seleniumcontaining single-chain variable fragment (Se-scFv) by chemical modification of the hydroxyl groups in scFv, thus Se-scFv possesses GPX activity and becomes a prodrug. To improve the expression of scFv and simplify its purification steps, Single-protein production (SPP) system was used to express scFv and chemical modification was used to synthesize Se-scFv. Therefore, we must construct a new scFv-WCD1-lessACA gene, which can express its mRNA not containing any ACA sequences and express its amino acid sequence of target protein (scFv) being same to scFv-WCD1. In this way, the scFv-WCD1-lessACA can be only expressed in SPP system and no other background proteins in the cells could be expressed. The expression results showed that high level of scFv-WCD1-lessACA synthesis was at least sustained for 96 h in the virtual absence of background protein synthesis. Then, selenocysteine (Sec) was incorporated into the scFv-WCD1-lessACA by chemical modification and resulted in Se-scFv-WCD1-lessACA. The enzymatic characteristics of Se-scFv-WCD1-lessACA were determined. GPX activity was 2,563 U/μmol, its binding constant for GSH was 0.687 ×10/mol. Moreover, Se-scFv-WCD1-lessACA was confirmed to have a strong antioxidant ability to protect mitochondria against oxidative damage induced by Vc/Fe (mitochondrial damage model), suggesting that Se-scFv-WCD1-lessACA has potential application for protection of mitochondrial damage induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

von Willebrand factor (vWF) was first identified as an adhesive glycoprotein involved in hemostasis by Zimmermann in 1971. Since then, vWF has been shown to play a vital role in platelet adhesion, platelet binding to collagen and factor VIII protection. Recent studies have implicated vWF as a regulator of angiogenesis, smooth muscle cell proliferation, tumor cell metastasis and crosstalk in the immune system. In this review, we will discuss the aspects of vWF structure that facilitate its biological effects and speculate on its newly discovered and hypothesized roles in the pathogenesis of several diseases. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rhizome of Acorus tatarinowii is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine. Our extensive investigation on this plant material afforded two new compounds, including a cadinane-type sesquiterpenoid and a pyrazine derivative, along with seven known compounds. The structures of the new compounds, tatarinowin B and tatarinine A, were elucidated as 2-oxocadinan-1(10),3-dien-5-ol (1) and 2-(3',4'-dihydroxy-1'-butylenyl)-5-(2'',3'',4''-trihydroxybutyl)-pyrazine (2), respectively, by means of spectral methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 6A,6A′-dicyclohexylamine-6B,6B′-diselenide-bis-β-cyclodextrin (6-CySeCD) was designed and synthesized to imitate the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GPX). In this novel GPX model, β-cyclodextrin provided a hydrophobic environment for substrate binding within its cavity, and a cyclohexylamine group was incorporated into cyclodextrin in proximity to the catalytic selenium in order to increase the stability of the nucleophilic intermediate selenolate. 6-CySeCD exhibits better GPX activity than 6,6′-diselenide-bis-cyclodextrin (6-SeCD) and 2-phenyl-1,2-benzoisoselenazol-3(2H)-one (Ebselen) in the reduction of H2O2, tert-butyl hydroperoxide and cumenyl hydroperoxide by glutathione, respectively. A ping-pong mechanism was observed in steady-state kinetic studies on 6-CySeCD-catalyzed reactions. The enzymatic properties showed that there are two major factors for improving the catalytic efficiency of GPX mimics. First, the substrate-binding site should match the size and shape of the substrate and second, incorporation of an imido-group increases the stability of selenolate in the catalytic cycle. More efficient antioxidant ability compared with 6-SeCD and Ebselen was also seen in the ferrous sulfate/ascorbate-induced mitochondria damage system, and this implies its prospective therapeutic application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodic spectral characteristics of earthquake activity in the seismic strengthening areas of 24 earthquakes with M≥6.0 are studied by the maximum entropy spectral method whose superiority is tested. Then the follow results have been obtained: (1) The periodic spectra of seismic activity in seismic strengthening areas are different in different stage in earthquake-generating processes. Long periodic spectra and short ones coexist in normal stage, while only short ones (on average, 43% of long ones) exist and long ones disappear prior to earthquakes. (2) The appearing time of short period before earthquakes has some relations with magnitude. The result shows that decades or even one hundred years is the common value for a great earthquake of M=8.0, 30 years for one with magnitude about 7 and 20–30 years for a strong quake of M=6.0. For the same magnitude earthquakes in different regions the appearing time is also different. For example, it is longer in North China than that in the western part of China. Then the characteristics are preliminarily explained applying the strong body earthquake-generating model. Applying the maximum entropy spectral method, the idea of tendency prediction for strong and great earthquakes is suggested and used into practice, for example, the tendency predictions of the Wuding earthquake with M=6.5 and the Lijiang earthquake of M=7.0 in Yunnan Province got some positive effects. So a new method of tendency prediction of M>-6.0 earthquakes is offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selenium-containing abzyme (m4G3) was prepared and its protection of myocardial mitochondria against oxidative damage was studied using the swelling of mitochondria, quantity of lipid peroxidation products, and change in cytochrome- c oxidase activity as a measure of mitochondrial damage. The results showed that m4G3 could inhibit mitochondrial damage caused by the hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase system in vitro. Electronic spin resonance (ESR) studies demonstrated that m4G3 could decrease the amount of free radicals generated in the damage system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A chemical derivative of trypsin, selenotrypsin, was prepared to imitate glutathione peroxidase (GPX) by converting active serine residues in the active site of trypsin into selenocysteines. The strategy for preparation of selenotrypsin contained selective sulfonation by phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride and nucleophilic substitution by NaHSe. Seleno-trypsin displayed enzyme activity of GPX, which is 150U/(mol. The kinetic properties of selenotrypsin was demonstrated to be similar to that of native GPX. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]