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With the vigorous development of building structures and important infrastructure, structural health monitoring is necessary. Because there is no need to establish structural finite element modeling and train for various structural conditions, the data-driven and unsupervised learning method is very popular. Principal component analysis is a powerful signal analysis tool, but its lack of physical significance and the loss of sensitive information have hindered its wider application. Therefore, the improved principal component analysis based narrowband filtering is proposed to extract mode shapes and construct the structural state vectors, so that the damage index is more sensitive to damage and robust to the environmental factors. After the vibration response of the long-term monitoring is analyzed by the principal component analysis, the Gaussian mixture model clustering analysis is used to classify the structural states. Finally, the proposed method is applied to the analysis of the simulation data of ASCE Benchmark structure and the measured data of steel beams in the lab. The results show that the structural state vector is sensitive to structural damage. The clustering analysis of Gaussian mixture model can distinguish the structural states. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of Sn-52In/Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu hybrid solder joints soldered at different reflow temperatures (150°C, 175°C, 200°C) were investigated. The mixed percentage of as-soldered hybrid solder joints increased with increasing reflow temperature. With increasing mixed percentage, finely dispersed Ag2In and Ag3Sn particles led to significant refinement of the size of β-Sn grains, and consequently, the combined effect of fine grain strengthening and second-phase dispersion strengthening improved the shear strength, ductility, and fracture energy of the hybrid solder joints. The fracture site of the hybrid solder joints shifted from the Cu6(Sn, In)5 intermetallic compound (IMC)/solder interface to the mixed zone of the solder, and the fine β-Sn grains attenuated crack propagation, enabling more fracture energy to be absorbed before fracture. The hybrid solder joint with 100% mixed percentage exhibited the highest shear strength of 87.8 MPa, highest displacement of 251 μm, and highest fracture energy of 1.4 J. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The radial propagation of the steady-state wave motion is studied for a pre-stressed cylindrical shell composed of the isotropic compressible neo-Hookean material. The radial static deformation of the cylindrical shell and radial wave motion of the pre-stressed cylindrical shell are investigated. The mathematical model is established as a class of boundary value problems of the second-order nonlinear ordinary differential equation (ODE). Based on the theory of the large elastic deformation superposed by the small harmonic deformation, a radial dynamic displacement is added to the pre-stressed cylindrical shell. The existence of the steady-state wave motion is conducted. Numerical solutions are obtained by using the multiple shooting method. In addition, the influences of the static load, material and structural parameters on the steady-state wave motion are discussed. Numerical results indicate that as the static load increases, the frequency of the steady-state wave motion increases and the amplitude decreases in the compressible hyperelastic cylindrical shell. The material parameter plays a significant role in the frequency and amplitude of the steady-state wave motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fe-(TiC, Mo) composite coating was laser clad onto the surface of Q235 steel, and the study delved into the impact of (TiC, Mo) content (x) on the coating’s microstructure, microhardness, wear resistance and corrosion resistance. The results revealed that as x varied from 0 to 10, 20 and 30 wt.%, the phase composition shifted from α-Fe to α-Fe+γ-Fe+TiC. This transition was accompanied by a constant variation in the proportion of different phases, with a continuous increase in in situ TiC particle content. The microhardness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance of the coating displayed an initial increase followed by a subsequent decrease with the increase in x, reaching their optimal values at 20 wt.%. This enhancement in microhardness and wear resistance, up by 4.34 and 8.27 times, respectively, can be attributed to fine crystal strengthening, dispersion strengthening, and solid solution strengthening. Furthermore, the incorporation of (TiC, Mo) in the coating facilitated the formation of a dense and uniform passivation film, while grain refinement mitigated the galvanic corrosion effect. As a result, the coating exhibited remarkable corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intermetallic alloys have traditionally been characterized by their inherent brittleness due to their lack of sufficient slip systems and absence of strain hardening. However, here we developed a single-phase B2 high-entropy intermetallic alloy that is both strong and plastic. Unlike conventional intermetallics, this high-entropy alloy features a highly distorted crystalline lattice with complex chemical order, leading to multiple slip systems and high flow stress. In addition, the alloy exhibits a dynamic hardening mechanism triggered by dislocation gliding that preserves its strength across a wide range of temperatures. As a result, this high-entropy intermetallic circumvents precipitous thermal softening, with extensive plastic flows even at high homologous temperatures, outperforming a variety of both body-centered cubic and B2 alloys. These findings reveal a promising direction for the development of intermetallic alloys with broad engineering applications. Intermetallics are traditionally characterised by their inherent brittleness due to a lack of sufficient slip systems and the absence of strain hardening. Here authors show that a single-phase distorted high entropy B2 intermetallic alloy displays notable strength and plasticity at room temperature, along with stable plastic flow at high homologous temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibrio species are recognized for their role in food- and water-borne diseases in humans, fish, and aquatic invertebrates. We screened bacterial strains isolated from raw food shrimp for those that are bactericidal to Vibrio strains. Here we identify and characterize Aeromonas dhakensis strain A603 which shows robust bactericidal activity specifically towards Vibrio and related taxa but less potency toward other Gram-negative species. Using the A603 genome and genetic analysis, we show that two antibacterial mechanisms account for its vibriocidal activity -- a highly potent Type Six Secretion System (T6SS) and biosynthesis of a vibriocidal phenazine-like small molecule, named here as Ad-Phen. Further analysis indicates coregulation between Ad-Phen and a pore-forming T6SS effector TseC, which potentiates V. cholerae to killing by Ad-Phen. Bacteria employ the Type 6 Secretion System (T6SS) to kill other bacteria using secreted protein effectors that target cell processes. We show an Aeromonad utilizes both T6SS and a small inhibitory molecule to target specific taxa [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. The accumulation of excessive fat plays a role in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and phytogenic feed additives have the potential to ameliorate this. This study involved the isolation and culture of primary hepatocytes from chicken embryos to establish a model of hepatic steatosis induced by oleic acid/dexamethasone (OA/DEX). Lipid accumulation and cell viability were assessed using Nile Red staining, Oil Red O staining and cell count Kit −8 (CCK8) following treatment with varying concentrations of quercetin (Que). The potential mechanism by which Que exerts its effects was preliminarily investigated. 2. The results indicated that OA effectively treated lipid accumulation in hepatocytes. There was no notable variance in cell proliferation between the normal and OA/DEX groups when subjected to Que treatment at concentrations of 1000 ng/ml and 10 000 ng/ml. Triglycerides and cholesterol (low and high density) decreased with Que treatment, with the most substantial reduction observed at 10 000 ng/ml. 3. Gene expression levels decreased to levels similar to those in the control groups. Western blot data demonstrated that sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP-1) protein expression correlated with its mRNA expression level. Que mitigated lipid accumulation through the alpha serine/threonine protein kinase (AKT) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathways. Expression levels of lipid-related genes (APOB, PPARα, CYP3A5 and SREBP-1) decreased to levels similar to the control groups. Western blot data demonstrated that the SREBP-1 protein expression correlated with its mRNA expression level. 4. Supplementation with Que ameliorated lipid accumulation through AKT and ERK signalling pathway in OA/DEX-induced high-fat hepatocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Candida is a polyphyletic genus of asexually reproducing yeasts in the Saccharomycotina with more than 400 species that occur in almost all families of the subclass and its name is strongly connected with the infectious disease candidiasis. During the last two decades, approximately half of the Candida species have been reassigned into more than 36 already existing genera and 14 newly proposed genera, but the polyphyletic feature of the genus largely remained. Candida auris is an important, globally emerging opportunistic pathogen that has caused life-threatening outbreaks in healthcare facilities worldwide. This species belongs to the Candida auris-Candida haemuli (CAH) clade in the Metschnikowiaceae, a clade that contains multidrug-resistant clinically relevant species, but also species isolated from natural environments. The clade is phylogenetically positioned remotely from the type species of the genus Candida that is Candida vulgaris (currently interpreted as a synonym of Candida tropicalis) and belongs to the family Debaryomycetaceae. Although previous phylogenetic and phylogenomic studies confirmed the position of C. auris in the Metschnikowiaceae, these analyses failed to resolve the position of the CAH clade within the family and its delimitation from the genera Clavispora and Metschnikowia. To resolve the position of the CAH clade, phylogenomic and comparative genomics analyses were carried out to address the phylogenetic position of C. auris and related species in the Metschnikowiaceae using several metrics, such as the average amino acid identity (AAI) values, the percentage of conserved proteins (POCP) and the presence-absence patterns of orthologs (PAPO). Based on those approaches, 13 new genera are proposed for various Candida and Hyphopichia species, including members of the CAH clade in the Metschnikowiaceae. As a result, C. auris and related species are reassigned to the genus Candidozyma. Fifty-five new combinations and nine new species are introduced and this will reduce the polyphyly of the genus Candida. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acorrect classification of fungi, including yeasts, is of prime importance to understand fungal biodiversity and to communicate about this diversity. Fungal genera are mainly defined based on phenotypic characteristics and the results of single or multigene-based phylogenetic analyses. However, because yeasts often have less phenotypic characters, their classification experienced a strong move towards DNA-based data, from short riboso)mal sequences to multigene phylogenies and more recently to phylogenomics. Here, we explore the usefulness of various genomics-based parameters to circumscribe fungal genera more correctly taking the yeast domain as an example. Therefore, we compared the results of a phylogenomic analysis, average amino acid identity (AAI) values, the presence of conserved signature indels (CSIs), the percentage of conserved proteins (POCP) and the presence-absence patterns of orthologs (PAPO). These genome-based metrics were used to investigate their usefulness in demarcating 13 hitherto relatively well accepted genera in Saccharomycetaceae, namely Eremothecium, Grigorovia, Kazachstania, Kluyveromyces, Lachancea, Nakaseomyces, Naumovozyma, Saccharomyces, Tetrapisispora, Torulaspora, Vanderwaltozyma, Zygosaccharomyces and Zygotorulaspora. As a result, most of these genera are supported by the genomics-based metrics, but the genera Kazachstania, Nakaseomyces and Tetrapisispora were shown to be genetically highly diverse based on the above listed analyses. Considering the results obtained for the presently recognized genera, a range of 80–92 % POCP values and a range of 60–70 % AAI values might be valuable thresholds to discriminate genera in Saccharomycetaceae. Furthermore, the genus-specific genes identified in the PAPO analysis and the CSIs were found to be useful as synapomorphies to characterize and define genera in Saccharomycetaceae. Our results indicate that the combined monophyly-based phylogenomic analysis together with genomic relatedness indices and synapomorphies provide promising approaches to delineating yeast genera and likely those of filamentous fungi as well. The genera Kazachstania, Nakaseomyces and Tetrapisispora are revised and we propose eight new genera and 41 new combinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we conducted field campaigns at two mountain‐top observatories on the Qilian Mountains (QLM) in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau of China, which plays a vital role in sustaining water resources for the downstream arid and semi‐arid regions. The two observatories, Waliguan Baseline Observatory (WLG) and Laohugou station (LHG), are situated on the eastern and western edge of the QLM, respectively. The objectives of this study were to examine the properties of atmospheric aerosols, CCN concentrations (NCCN) at varying supersaturation levels (SS = 0.2%–1.0%), and the hygroscopic nature of aerosols in the QLM, especially during the formation of orographic cloud. Notably, the average aerosol concentration and NCCN was approximately 2–3 factors higher at WLG compared to LHG. The chemical compositions of aerosols were primarily dominated by sulfate and organic aerosol (OA) at these two sites. A very high hygroscopicity parameter of aerosol calculated using chemical composition was observed at these two sites (0.37 ± 0.03 at LHG vs. 0.30 ± 0.04 at WLG). Enhanced aerosol loading episodes impacted by anthropogenic emission were observed at these two sites. Exploration on high‐loading cases at each site, we found that the CCN activity was dominated by aerosol size, but the chemical processes of aerosol during the formation of orographic cloud could also be important in CCN activity, especially for low SS conditions. These findings collectively underscore the significant impact of anthropogenic air plumes on CCN concentrations in the QLM and their potential influence on precipitation patterns. Plain Language Summary: The Qilian Mountains (QLM), situated in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau of China, have been constructed as a national park, dedicated to protecting its fragile ecological environment. Renowned for its "wet island" effect, the mountains serve as a crucial water resource for the downstream residents in northwest China. Orographic clouds, a primary source of precipitation in these mountains, heavily rely on the presence of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), typically dominated by natural mineral dust due to its arid and semi‐arid regions around. In recent years, rapid urbanization and heavy human activities around has introduced a significant influx of anthropogenic aerosols. However, the impact of anthropogenic aerosol on the orographic cloud is unclear, especially during summer season when natural mineral dust emissions are limited. To unravel this mystery, we conducted campaigns at two mountain‐top observatories to explore the impact of anthropogenic aerosol transport from low elevation regions during summer season to mountain areas. Our findings highlight the substantial impact of anthropogenic aerosols on CCN concentrations, which offer valuable insights into the understanding the interaction of aerosol and cloud, and potential impact on precipitation in this mountain region. Key Points: Two mountain‐top studies were explored to characterize aerosol and CCN on the QLM in the northeastern TP of ChinaAn overall low NCCN values were observed in these mountain areas, but the concentration at the east was 2–3 times higher than the westElevated NCCN occurred at these two sites when anthropogenic pollutants were transported upslope [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although it is a key soybean-producing region, northeast China frequently faces drought. Drought severely affects soybean growth, development and even leads to yield reduction. Methods: Sand cultivation method was employed to investigate the changes in malondialdehyde (MDA) content, nitric oxide (NO) content and individual leaf area of drought-tolerant soybean variety Heinong 44 (HN44) and drought-sensitive soybean variety Heinong 65 (HN65) under drought stress during the flowering stage, with different concentrations of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) used for irrigation. Result: The NO and MDA contents of HN44 and HN65 leaves rose in response to drought stress, MDA content in HN44 and HN65 leaves was noticeably elevated, the individual leaf area showed a downward trend. Irrigation with SNP further increased NO accumulation and reduced membrane lipid peroxidation in the leaves, with the best effect observed at a concentration of 1000 μmol·g-1. In practical production, SNP can be used to alleviate membrane lipid peroxidation damage in soybean leaves and improve soybean drought resistance when encountering drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the awareness of the impact of toxic chemicals on human health continues to grow, research on toxicity indicators has gained increasing significance in scientific discourse. The quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) method is utilized in this article to predict the toxicity indicators of emergency response planning guidelines (ERPG) for aliphatic compounds. A collection of 70 aliphatic compounds was gathered and organized from the database provided by the American industrial hygiene association (AIHA). The molecular structures of these compounds were depicted, and a genetic algorithm was employed to select 10 key molecular descriptors as input variables for the model. Subsequently, multiple linear regression (MLR), artificial neural network (ANN), and support vector machine (SVM) models were constructed to accurately predict ERPG. The MLR model demonstrated correlation coefficients (R2) of 0.723 and 0.748 for the training and test sets, respectively. In contrast, the ANN model exhibited R2 values of 0.812 and 0.831 for the training and test sets, while the SVM model showcased R2 values of 0.833 and 0.858. In terms of internal validation parameters (), the MLR model achieved a value of 0.723, while its external validation parameter () was measured at 0.733. Similarly, the ANN model yielded values of 0.812 and value of 0.715, whereas the SVM model attained and values of 0.833 and 0.836. The analysis of comprehensive performance parameters, including R2 values and validation parameters, demonstrates that the SVM model surpasses both the MLR and ANN models in terms of predictive performance. The application domain of the models was characterized using Williams plots, indicating that the majority of data fell within the specified range for application suitability. As a result, these well-established models can be effectively utilized to accurately predict samples within their specific application domain. This study employs QSAR method to establish MLR, ANN, and SVM models for predicting ERPG. Henceforth, this research offers substantial theoretical and technical backing in toxicity indicator systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Gregg‐Henyey‐Polzin (GHP) finescale parameterization is widely employed to infer turbulent mixing when microstructure measurements are unavailable. However, the strain‐only GHP scaling is the only option when shear information is lacking, in which case the shear‐to‐strain ratio (Rω) is commonly treated as a constant. Since Rω has been reported to vary spatiotemporally, using a fixed value of Rω might result in a significant bias in inferring turbulent mixing. In this study, we present a global map of Rω, based on the microstructure database contributed by the Climate Process Team on internal wave‐driven ocean mixing, which covers the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans across both high and low latitudes. Then, we propose a parameterization of Rω by considering buoyancy frequency, Coriolis frequency, and topographic features. Compared to the GHP scaling with constant Rω, the turbulent dissipation rate values inferred from the GHP scaling with parameterized Rω are more accurate. In this manner, this study provides a reference for choosing optimal Rω when using the strain‐only GHP scaling to explore turbulent mixing in the open ocean. Plain Language Summary: Although diapycnal mixing is the smallest‐scale motion in the ocean, understanding its global distribution is crucial because it can modulate large‐scale circulation and hence influence climate change. However, field observations of ocean mixing are costly and therefore limited in a global sense. Given that internal wave breaking is the dominant energy source for ocean mixing, estimating internal wave‐driven mixing using easily available temperature and salinity data becomes an effective way to understand its spatiotemporal variability. Here, we modify an essential parameter in such an estimation method by changing the constant to a variable that depends on stratification, latitude, and topography. This modification significantly improves the accuracy of the method for estimating internal wave‐driven mixing, making it more consistent with observations compared to using a constant. Key Points: Shear‐to‐strain ratio varies significantly with spaceA parameterization of shear‐to‐strain ratio is proposed based on buoyancy frequency, Coriolis frequency, and topographic featuresBy using a parameterized shear‐to‐strain ratio, instead of a fixed value, we show the finescale parameterization performs better [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study takes stock of business and economics research on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and provides a dynamic panorama of the overall knowledge structure of this ever-growing body of work ever since its inception in 1966. Our bibliometric analysis based on the full archive of 1024 studies identifies the main trends of and the major intellectual contributors to the extant knowledge of AI in business and economics research. Specifically, our results show that (1) AI-focused business and economics research wintnessed growth over three stages, particularly with a sharp increase after 2017. (2) While this body of research has gained tremendous momentum across the globe, the United States is by far the center of knowledge generation. (3) Research collaborations are still limited in this area. (4) Research topics flourished, ranging from early decision support systems, neural networks, and scheduling methods to more recent machine learning, automation, and big data. This study also identifies fruitful avenues for further business and economics research with an AI focus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. The bioflavonoid quercetin is a biologically active component, but its functional regulation of granulosa cells (GCs) during chicken follicular development is little studied. To investigate the effect of quercetin on follicular development in laying hens, an in vitro study was conducted on granulosa cells from hierarchical follicles treated with quercetin. 2. The effect of quercetin on cell activity, proliferation and apoptosis of granulosa cells was detected by CCK-8, EdU and apoptosis assays. The effect on progesterone secretion from granulosa cells was investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) mRNA and oestrogen receptors (ERs), as well as the expression of steroid acute regulatory protein (StAR), cytochrome P450 cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc) and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) mRNA during progesterone synthesis, were measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). PCNA, StAR and CYP11A1 protein expression levels were detected using Western blotting (WB). 3. The results showed that treatment with quercetin in granulosa cells significantly enhanced cell vitality and proliferation, reduced apoptosis and promoted the expression of gene and protein levels of PCNA. The levels of progesterone secretion increased significantly following quercetin treatment, as did the expression levels of StAR and CYP11A1 using the Western Blot (WB) method. 4. The mRNA expression levels of ERα were significantly upregulated in the 100 ng/ml and 1000 ng/ml quercetin-treated groups, while there was no significant difference in expression levels of ERβ mRNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to achieve a high-value use of fly ash, modified fly ash adsorbent was prepared using domestic waste incineration fly ash as raw material and Ca(OH)2 as modifier under the action of ultrasonic waves. The adsorption performance of modified fly ash on Pb2+ in solution was investigated and characterized using XRD, SEM and FTIR for virgin fly ash, modified fly ash and adsorbed fly ash. The results show that the amount of adsorbent added, reaction time, pH and the initial concentration of Pb2+ all affect the adsorption effect of modified fly ash on Pb2+..The Langmuir model and the secondary kinetic model can better simulate the adsorption behavior of modified fly ash on Pb2+ with a Gibbs free energy ΔG of − 10.39 kJ mol−1, indicating that the adsorption process is a preferential adsorption process belonging to a single molecular layer and proceeding spontaneously, and the maximum adsorption capacity can be reached 386 mg g−1. The adsorption process of modified fly ash on Pb2+ is a chemisorption process dominated by the presence of surface complexation of –OH groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hyperpigmented spots are common issues in all ethnicities with a hallmark characteristic of increased melanocyte dendricity. Objectives: To determine (1) potential receptors and/or cytokines that are involved in increased melanocyte dendricity in multiple facial spot types; (2) treatment effects of skin-lightening compounds on identified cytokine release from keratinocytes and on dendricity in melanocytes. Methods: Facial spots (melasma, solar lentigo, acne-induced post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) and adjacent non-spot skin biopsies were collected from Chinese women (age 20-70). The epidermal supra and basal layers were laser dissected to enrich keratinocyte or melanocyte biology respectively for transcriptome analysis. Melanocyte dendricity was assessed histologically by immunofluorescent staining. Effect of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) on melanocyte dendricity and melanosome transfer were assessed in human melanocytes or melanocyte-keratinocyte co-culture models. Treatment effects of skin-lightening compounds (niacinamide, tranexamic acid [TxA], sucrose laurate/dilaurate mixture [SDL]) were assessed on IL-6 or ET-1 release from keratinocytes and on dendricity in melanocytes. Results: Transcriptome analysis revealed IL-6 receptor and ET-1 receptor were significantly upregulated compared to the adjacent normal skin, visually confirmed at the protein level through immunostaining. Melanocytes in spot areas are more dendritic than melanocytes in adjacent non-spot skin. The addition of IL-6 and ET-1 to cell culture models increased melanocyte dendricity and melanosome transfer. IL-6 release was significantly suppressed by niacinamide and its combination, while ET-1 release was significantly reduced by both niacinamide and TxA. In contrast, SDL acted directly upon melanocytes to reduce dendricity. Conclusion: Interleukin-6 and ET-1 receptors are significantly upregulated in multiple facial spot types. The in vitro testing demonstrated their respective ligands increased melanocyte dendricity. Tested skin-lightening compounds showed reduction in release of IL-6/ET-1 from epidermal keratinocytes and/or inhibition of melanocyte dendricity. This work sheds light on pathophysiological mechanism of facial spots and potential new mechanisms of these skin-lightening compounds which warrant further human clinical validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hyperpigmented spots are common issues in all ethnicities with a hallmark characteristic of increased melanocyte dendricity. Objectives: To determine (1) potential receptors and/or cytokines that are involved in increased melanocyte dendricity in multiple facial spot types; (2) treatment effects of skin‐lightening compounds on identified cytokine release from keratinocytes and on dendricity in melanocytes. Methods: Facial spots (melasma, solar lentigo, acne‐induced post‐inflammatory hyperpigmentation) and adjacent non‐spot skin biopsies were collected from Chinese women (age 20–70). The epidermal supra and basal layers were laser dissected to enrich keratinocyte or melanocyte biology respectively for transcriptome analysis. Melanocyte dendricity was assessed histologically by immunofluorescent staining. Effect of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) on melanocyte dendricity and melanosome transfer were assessed in human melanocytes or melanocyte‐keratinocyte co‐culture models. Treatment effects of skin‐lightening compounds (niacinamide, tranexamic acid [TxA], sucrose laurate/dilaurate mixture [SDL]) were assessed on IL‐6 or ET‐1 release from keratinocytes and on dendricity in melanocytes. Results: Transcriptome analysis revealed IL‐6 receptor and ET‐1 receptor were significantly upregulated compared to the adjacent normal skin, visually confirmed at the protein level through immunostaining. Melanocytes in spot areas are more dendritic than melanocytes in adjacent non‐spot skin. The addition of IL‐6 and ET‐1 to cell culture models increased melanocyte dendricity and melanosome transfer. IL‐6 release was significantly suppressed by niacinamide and its combination, while ET‐1 release was significantly reduced by both niacinamide and TxA. In contrast, SDL acted directly upon melanocytes to reduce dendricity. Conclusion: Interleukin‐6 and ET‐1 receptors are significantly upregulated in multiple facial spot types. The in vitro testing demonstrated their respective ligands increased melanocyte dendricity. Tested skin‐lightening compounds showed reduction in release of IL‐6/ET‐1 from epidermal keratinocytes and/or inhibition of melanocyte dendricity. This work sheds light on pathophysiological mechanism of facial spots and potential new mechanisms of these skin‐lightening compounds which warrant further human clinical validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of Ni content on the microstructure and properties of an ultra- fine grained (UFG) Fe-based layer clad onto a Q235 steel with a fibre laser was examined. The results revealed that within the range of 0 to 6 wt.% Ni, each Fe-based UFG laser clad layer consisted of α-Fe, γ and in situ synthesized VC. As the Ni content increased so the grain size of the Fe-based UFG laser clad layer matrix and the amount of retained austenite also increased. The microhardness of the Fe-based UFG laser clad layers initially decreased and then increased with the addition of Ni. The corrosion resistance of the Fe-based UFG laser clad layers exhibited an increasing trend followed by a decreasing trend. Notably, when the Ni content ranged from 4.5 to 5.2%, the Fe-based UFG laser clad layer demonstrated excellent comprehensive performance, including outstanding corrosion resistance and microhardness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon has been co-implanted to phosphorus at low temperature (−100 °C) in silicon. As compared to a room temperature carbon implant, phosphorus activation is increased due to the suppression of extended defects. The unusual carbon depleted region observed in both secondary ion mass spectroscopy and atom probe tomography annealed profiles has been explained and modeled using an interstitialcy diffusion barrier of 0.6 eV. Carbon clusters have been interpreted as being composed of several immobile dimers carbon/self-interstitial, in agreement with the stoichiometry of the SiC phase. From the model presented here, an adequate temperature window (>750 °C) has been found regarding self-interstitials trapping by carbon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PrBi, a sister member of the rare-earth monopnictide family, is an excellent candidate for studying extreme magnetoresistance and nontrivial topological electronic states. In this study, we perform angular magnetoresistance measurements as well as bulk and surface band structure calculations on this compound. PrBi's magnetoresistance is revealed to be significantly angle-dependent and shows a fourfold symmetry as always observed in the nonmagnetic isostructural counterparts, including LaSb, LaBi, and LuBi. Its angular magnetoresistance can be reproduced well using the semiclassical two-band model. The deduced parameters suggest that PrBi hosts an elongated electron pocket with a mobility anisotropy of ∼3.13 and is slightly uncompensated in its carrier concentration. Our bulk and surface band structure calculations confirm the anisotropic electronic features. Moreover, we reveal that a nodal-line-shaped surface state appears at the X¯ point, and is associated with the quadratic dispersion along the Γ–X¯ direction, and the linear type-I Dirac dispersion along the X¯–M¯ direction. Owing to the type-I Dirac dispersion feature, PrBi could serve as a promising material platform for studying many unexpected physical properties, such as the highly anisotropic transport and valley polarization of electrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TaTe4, a metallic charge-density wave (CDW) material discovered decades ago, has attracted renewed attention due to its rich interesting properties, such as pressure-induced superconductivity and candidate nontrivial topological phase. Here, using high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and ab initio calculation, we systematically investigate the electronic structure of TaTe4. At 26 K, we observe a CDW gap as large as 290 meV, which persists up to 500 K. The CDW-modulated band structure shows a complex reconstruction that closely correlates with the lattice distortion. Inside the CDW gap, there exist highly dispersive energy bands contributing to the remnant Fermi surface and metallic behavior in the CDW state. Interestingly, our ab initio calculation reveals that the large CDW gap mainly opens in the electronic states with out-of-plane orbital components, while the in-gap metallic states originate from in-plane orbitals, suggesting an orbital texture that couples with the CDW order. Our results shed light on the interplay between electron, lattice, and orbital in quasi-one-dimensional CDW materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The boundary knot method (BKM) is a boundary meshless method for solving homogeneous boundary value problems. The fact that the BKM uses non-singular general solution without the need of source points outside the domain is at the expense of the accuracy when compared to the well-known method of fundamental solutions. In this paper, a new approach called the enhanced BKM (EBKM) is proposed to greatly improve the accuracy of the BKM by introducing fictitious sources which can be placed inside and/or outside the domain quite freely. We also adopt various techniques to place these fictitious sources in an optimal way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem of optimizing the firepower configuration for warships cooperating with strategic locations on the sea, the influence of air defense elements on firepower configuration is analyzed comprehensively, and the constraints of firepower configuration are put forward. Combined with factors such as the forward distance of the warship, the depth of the defense, the angle of the combat sector, and the direction of the enemy's attack, based on the coastal defense forces and the warship, the firepower configuration models of air defense at a strategic location on the sea for a single warship and two warships' coordinated air defense at important places are established, respectively. The forward range of a single warship and two warships' cooperative air defense at sea is determined, and the defense depth expectation calculation formula is given. And according to the configuration of air defense firepower of the warship cooperating with strategic locations on the sea, the warship cooperating with maritime key area defense effectiveness model is constructed by using the random service system theory. Finally, under the hypothetical conditions, the numerical simulation experiments show that the proposed model and calculation formula are reasonable and effective, which can provide a certain theoretical basis for the firepower configuration of warships cooperating with strategic locations on the sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Due to the increased morbidity, mortality, and cost of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in older people, strategies directed at improving disease evaluation and prevention are imperative. We independently compared the 30-day in-hospital mortality prediction ability of a frailty index based on laboratory data (FI-Lab) with that of the CURB-65 and the Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) and then proposed combining them to further improve prediction efficiency. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting and Participants: Patients aged ≥ 65 years (n = 2039) with CAP who were admitted to Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine from January 2019 to June 2022. Measures: The 29-item FI-Lab, PSI and, CURB-65 were administered at admission. We defined frailty by the cut-off value of the FI-Lab score (> 0.43). Multivariable logistic regression analysis, together with the calculation of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC-AUC), was conducted to identify stratified risks and relationships between the three indices and 30-day mortality. Participants were divided into the following three groups based on age: 65–74 years, 75–84 years, and ≥ 85 years. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for mortality due to frailty were calculated. Results: A total of 495 participants ranging from 65 to 100 years of age were ultimately included and divided into age groups (65–74 years, n = 190, 38.4%; 75–84 years, n = 183, 37.0%; ≥ 85 years, n = 122, 24.6%). A total of 142 (28.7%) of the 495 patients were defined as having frailty. All three scores tested in this study were significantly associated with 30-day mortality in the total sample. The ORs were as follows: 1.06 (95% CI: 1.03–1.09, P < 0.001) and 2.33 (95% CI: 1.26–4.31, P = 0.007) for the FI-Lab when the score was treated as a continuous and categorical variable, respectively; 1.04 (95% CI: 1.02–1.05, P < 0.001) for the PSI; and 3.70 (95% CI: 2.48–5.50, P < 0.001) for the CURB-65. In the total sample, the ROC-AUCs were 0.783 (95% CI: 0.744–0.819) for the FI-Lab, 0.812 (95% CI: 0.775–0.845) for the PSI, and 0.799 (95% CI: 0.761–0.834) for the CURB-65 (P < 0.001). The ROC-AUC slightly improved when the FI-Lab was added to the PSI (AUC 0.850, 95% CI: 0.809–0.892, P = 0.031) and to the CURB-65 (AUC 0.839, 95% CI: 0.794–0.885, P = 0.002). Older patients with frailty showed a higher risk of in-hospital mortality, with an HR of 2.25 (95% CI: 1.14–3.58, P < 0.001). Conclusion and Implications: The FI-Lab seems to generate simple and readily available data, suggesting that it could be a useful complement to the CURB-65 and the PSI as effective predictors of 30-day mortality due to CAP in older populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the gearbox fails, the impulsive fault feature is usually submerged in other frequency component. The recognition accuracy of the network model will be seriously affected when directly using the vibration signal as the sample input of Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). To solve this problem, a state recognition method based on vibration signal fusion feature convolutional learning network (FF-CNN) is proposed to conduct the gear fault diagnosis. This method uses the Resonance-based Sparse Signal Decomposition (RSSD) algorithm to separate the periodic and impulsive components that characterize different fault characteristics of the vibration signal. The impulsive feature is amplified by the Teager energy operator. And then the signal periodic and impulsive components are input into CNN to perform the targeted deep learning. Finally, the efficiency of this method is validated using the gear power transmission failure simulation experimental setup. The research in this paper improves the effectiveness of the feature learning, reduces the complexity of deep learning model, and ensures the accuracy of state recognition. Through experimental research, it is found that the recognition accuracy of the recognition model based on the method in this paper reaches more than 95.6%. Highlights: The experiments were carried out in the dynamic engineering laboratory. An FF-CNN method is proposed to conduct the fault diagnosis. T-SNE tool in the manifold learning method was used to visualize the results. FF-CNN can improve the accuracy of fault diagnosis by separating fault features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the demand for operation in non-laboratory environments, there has been a trend toward the development of compact, transportable ultra-stable lasers. This paper reports on this sort of laser system assembled in a cabinet. The whole optical part utilizes fiber-coupled devices to simplify the integration. In addition, spatial beam collimation and alignment into the high-finesse cavity are realized by a five-axis positioner and a focus-adjustable fiber collimator, which significantly relax the alignment and adjustment. A theoretical analysis is performed on how the collimator adjusts the beam profile and coupling efficiency. The support structure of the system is specially designed as well so that it features robustness and transportation without performance degradation. The observed linewidth is 1.4 Hz within a duration of 1 s. After subtracting the linear drift of 70 mHz/s, the fractional frequency instability is better than 4 × 10−15, for the averaging time ranging from 1 to 100 s, which is close to the thermal noise limit of the high-finesse cavity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with sub-micrometer spatial resolution (μ-ARPES), has become a powerful tool for studying quantum materials. To achieve sub-micrometer or even nanometer-scale spatial resolution, it is important to focus the incident light beam (usually from synchrotron radiation) using x-ray optics, such as the zone plate or ellipsoidal capillary mirrors. Recently, we developed a laser-based μ-ARPES with spin-resolution (LMS-ARPES). The 177 nm laser beam is achieved by frequency-doubling a 355 nm beam using a KBBF crystal and subsequently focused using an optical lens with a focal length of about 16 mm. By characterizing the focused spot size using different methods and performing spatial-scanning photoemission measurement, we confirm the sub-micron spatial resolution of the system. Compared with the μ-ARPES facilities based on the synchrotron radiation, our LMS-ARPES system is not only more economical and convenient, but also with higher photon flux (>5 × 1013 photons/s), thus enabling the high-resolution and high-statistics measurements. Moreover, the system is equipped with a two-dimensional spin detector based on exchange scattering at a surface-passivated iron film grown on a W(100) substrate. We investigate the spin structure of the prototype topological insulator Bi2Se3 and reveal a high spin-polarization rate, confirming its spin-momentum locking property. This lab-based LMS-ARPES will be a powerful research tool for studying the local fine electronic structures of different condensed matter systems, including topological quantum materials, mesoscopic materials and structures, and phase-separated materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify molecular markers for early diagnosis and new targets for treatment of cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Our study involved 52 carcinoma tissues that were confirmed pathologically as cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) at the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University in 2021. We obtained 36 control specimens from patients who had undergone hysterectomy for benign uterine diseases in 2021, with no cervical lesions as confirmed by pathology. Total RNA was extracted from all the samples. Reverse transcription and quantitative real-time PCR were performed. Immunohistochemical staining for interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) protein was performed. Descriptive analyses including mean and standard deviation were used to compare different groups. For data that do not conform to normal distribution, we use Wilcox rank sum test to make statistics to compare different groups with the median and interquartile. Mann Whitney U test was used to compare non-parametric continuous data, and categorical variables were analyzed using chi-square test. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the possibility of using ISG15 as a new biomarker for cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Compared with normal cervical tissues, mRNA expression of ISG15 in cervical cancer tissues was significantly lower (P<0.01); mRNA expression was significantly lower in patients with nerve invasion (P<0.05). Difference in ISG15 protein expression was statistically significant (no expression/low expression) in the cancer samples compared to normal tissues (P<0.01). The area under ROC curve was 0.810 (P<0.001) and the sensitivity and specificity were 75% and 54%, respectively. Spearman's correlation analysis showed that ISG15 mRNA was positively correlated with protein expression (r=0.358, P=0.001). Deficiency of ISG15 may be associated with the occurrence and progression of CSCC. It could be used as a potential tumor marker in research and treatment of CSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)-based method is suggested to measure the composition of SiGe in 3-D structures using Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS). The method accounts for the presence of films other than SiGe within the TEM lamella in the electron beam direction. The partial cross section of inelastic scattering of Ge was calibrated using a reference structure, which was earlier analyzed by Electron Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDX) and Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry. The composition of SiGe in the p-FET Fin Field Effect Transistor devices with the overlaying Si oxynitride films was measured as a demonstration of the method. We show that the application of EELS yields smaller measurement errors of the SiGe composition as compared to EDX. The effect of beam damage in thin SiGe films surrounded by Si oxynitride is evaluated and compared to the blanket Si/SiGe structures. The method can be applied to the development of novel devices and state-of-the-art processes where the composition of SiGe plays a critical role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ultrasonic guided wave testing method is very effective in monitoring the safety of complex structures. The fundamental shear horizontal (SH) wave mode has the advantage that the propagation velocity does not change with the frequency. However, accurately recognizing the ultrasonic signal is difficult due to the SH guided wave's bidirectional propagation characteristics generated by the Lorentz force mechanism. Therefore, it is necessary to achieve unidirectional focusing of Lorentz force-generated SH guided waves. A newly designed SH guided wave electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) is proposed with an interlaced periodic permanent magnet (PPM) and AC coils of different phases. A 3D model based on the electromagnetic mode and the solid mechanics mode using COMSOL software is calculated and compared with the bidirectional focusing EMATs. The results show that there are many influencing factors in the structural design of the transducers, and the focal radius and the angle of the individual PPMs are discussed in this work. The results indicate that the new unidirectional EMAT shows superiority in many cases, and the decrease of the focal radius with a suitable aperture angle will increase the focusing intensity of the signal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoluminescence from bulk HfS2 grown by the chemical vapor transport method is reported. A series of emission lines is apparent at low temperature in the energy range of 1.4–1.5 eV. Two groups of the observed excitonic transitions followed by their replicas involving acoustic and optical phonons are distinguished using classical intensity correlation analysis. The emission is attributed to the recombination of excitons bound to iodine (I2) molecules intercalated between layers of HfS2. The I2 molecules are introduced to the crystal during the growth as halogen transport agents in the growth process. Their presence in the crystal is confirmed by secondary ion mass spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study N = 2 supersymmetric Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) models with com- plex fermions at non-zero background charge. Motivated by multi-charge supersymmetric black holes, we propose a new N = 2 SYK model with multiple U(1) symmetries, integer charges, and a non-vanishing supersymmetric index, realizing features not present in known SYK models. In both models, a conformal solution with a super-Schwarzian mode emerges at low temperatures, signalling the appearance of nearly AdS2/BPS physics. However, in contrast to complex SYK, the fermion scaling dimension depends on the background charge in the conformal limit. For a critical charge, we find a high to low entropy phase transition in which the conformal solution ceases to be valid. This transition has a simple interpretation– the fermion scaling dimension violates the unitarity bound. We offer some comments on a holographic interpretation for supersymmetric black holes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of different proportions of Moringa oleifera leaf powder (MOLP) and mulberry leaf powder (MLP) on the performance of laying hens. The use of MOLP and MLP as animal feed can meet the nutritional requirements of livestock and improve antioxidant status. Combinations of different feeds could produce a synergistic effect in animals. Two hundred and ten birds were randomly divided into three groups. The control group was fed a basal diet and the treatment groups received a basal diet supplemented with 2.5% MOLP + 2.5% MLP and 5% MOLP + 2.5% MLP, respectively. The results showed that the supplementation of 5% MOLP + 2.5% MLP significantly decreased the laying rate, albumen height and Haugh unit. Yolk colours were significantly more intense after MOLP and MLP supplementation. Significant decreases in abdominal fat index were observed in the 5% MOLP + 2.5% MLP group. The levels of superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) mRNA expression were significantly increased, while those of apolipoprotein B (APOB) were significantly reduced, as determined by qRT-PCR analysis. The combined administration of MOLP and MLP could have regulated the antioxidant status and lipid metabolism by affecting SOD2 and APOB gene expression. A supplementation level of 2.5% MOLP + 2.5% MLP was recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberry seedlings are often subjected to strong light stress during breeding and strawberry production, leading to seedling death, sunburn and disease. We investigated the endogenous mechanism of strong light stress in strawberry by studying chlorophyll degradation. The activity of chlorophyll, intermediate products, chlorophyll degradation key enzymes and the expression of chlorophyll degradation related genes were measured in 'Xuelixiang' strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) under 12 hours of 30 000 xl and 100 000 xl light treatment respectively. It was found that the concentrations of chlorophyll, chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b in strawberry leaves decreased significantly and the ratio of chlorophyll a to b increased under strong light stress treatment; pheophytin pheophorbide hydrolase (PPH), pheophorbide a oxygenase (PAO) and red chlorophyll catabolite reductase (RCCR) activities were higher than those in the NL group; chlorophyll degradation-related genes (except FaMDCase) were all higher expressed than in the NL group. The degradation of strawberry chlorophyll was accelerated by strong light stress. In addition, showing that PPH and PAO are key factors in the chlorophyll degradation pathway of strawberry. This study lays the foundation for an in-depth study on chlorophyll degradation in strawberry under strong light stress and other related studies, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for light management during strawberry production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing prevalence of carbapenem‐resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) strains in the hospital setting represents an emerging challenge to clinical treatment for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infections, as the range of therapeutic agents active against these pathogens becomes increasingly constrained. This study demonstrated for the first time that fosfomycin (FOS) combined with rifampin (RIF) showed strong synergistic effects against CRPA and carbapenem‐susceptible PA, with 100% synergistic rates. Additionally, the time‐killing curve further proves the dynamic antibacterial activity of FOS + RIF against CRPA. Further experiments determined that antibacterial mechanisms of FOS + RIF might be inhibition of biofilm formation and eradication of preformed biofilm. The results of the inhibition biofilm formation assay demonstrated that RIF and FOS at 1/8MIC, 1/16MIC and 1/32MIC have better inhibitory effects on CRPA biofilm formation VS FOS alone (96, 90 and 78% vs 29, 24 and 22%) (P < 0·0001) or RIF alone (96, 90 and 78% vs 86, 67 and 29%) (P < 0·01). The rates of eradicating preformed biofilm with combination therapy at 1/2MIC, 1/4MIC and 1/8MIC of both antibiotics, increased 46, 61 and 55% compared with FOS alone (P < 0·001) and 37, 33 and 46% compared with RIF alone (P < 0·01). This finding will provide new insights into the treatment of bacterial infections caused by CRPA, which can be further explored in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To realize the fast and accurate counting of winter wheat at the seedling stage in fields, we propose a recognition method based on an improved YOLOv4 model. Firstly, we employed a simplified MobileNetv3 neural network instead of the standard CSPDarknet53 network structure. Besides, we added an adaptive image scaling layer in front of the MobileNetv3 network. Finally, we utilized the coyote optimization algorithm (COA) to optimize the learning rate and convolution kernel size. Results showed that the average precision (AP) values of the improved network model for 2-leaf and 3-leaf winter wheat were 96.46% and 93.87%, respectively. The mean average accuracy (mAP) was 95.15% and the average recognition speed was 0.07 s. These indicators were the best, compared with the YOLOv4, YOLOv3, and Faster-RCNN models. Also, the mAP was 12.28% higher than the standard YOLOv4 model, and the average recognition speed was 1.49 times faster. Therefore, this method can achieve the fast and accurate counting of winter wheat during the seedling stage in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erbium-doped gallium nitride (Er:GaN) is a promising gain material for solid-state high-energy lasers operating in the 1.5 μm wavelength window due to the superior optical properties and extremely high thermal conductivity of a GaN host crystal that permit high-power and high-temperature applications. We report the realization of all-crystalline GaN/Er:GaN/GaN embedded waveguide fiber structures using the hydride vapor phase epitaxy growth and re-growth technique, along with chemical–mechanical polishing processes. The Er:GaN core layer possesses an Er doping concentration of 1.7 × 10 20 atoms/cm3, confirmed by secondary ion mass spectrometry measurements. X-ray diffraction measurements confirm, respectively, c-, a-, and m-plane orientations for top/bottom, side, and front/back cross-sectional cladding layers of the fiber structure with good single-crystalline quality. The 1.5 μm Er3+ emission was detected from each surface of the fiber structures via 980 nm resonant excitation. The effect of 1.54 μm light guiding by the fiber structure has been demonstrated. This work laid the foundation toward achieving all-crystalline core-cladding fibers based on GaN wide bandgap semiconductor with potential applications in the harsh environments of high powers, power densities, and temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bimetallic based metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are one of the prominent candidates for technological important energy storage and conversion devices owing to their enhanced conductivity and stability. In this work, nickel-based bimetallic metal–organic frameworks were efficiently synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method, and cobalt metal ions were incorporated in different molar ratios into the frameworks. Influence of cobalt metal ion incorporation on the electrochemical performance was investigated. Significantly, partial substitution of cobalt metal ion into the framework favorably enhances the supercapacitor performance of the nickel-based bimetallic MOFs. The optimized nickel-based bimetallic MOFs with nickel and cobalt molar ratio of 1:1 exhibit a large specific capacitance of 3305 F/g at a current density of 2 A/g, with the lowest electrochemical internal resistance. Further studies disclose that the supercapacitor performance enhancement can be ascribed to the combined effect of synergistic interactions between two metal ions and the hierarchical microsphere structure in MOFs. This investigation result affords a better understanding in the fabrication of homogeneous bimetallic based MOFs electrode material for next-generation energy conversion and storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect and mechanism of Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycosides on rheumatoid arthritis rats by regulating the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 pathways. 45 specific-pathogen free male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal control group, model group and Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycosides group with 15 rats in each group. The histopathological changes of the synovium of the ankle joint of rats in each group, on the 12th, 20th and 28th d were compared. On the 12th d, the degree of tissue swelling in the model group was significantly higher than that in the normal control group (p<0.05); there was no significant difference in the degree of toe swelling between the Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycosides group and the model group (p>0.05). At 20 d and 28 d, the degree of toe swelling in the model group was significantly higher than that in the normal control group (p<0.05); the swelling degree of toes in Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycosides group was significantly lower than that in model group (p<0.05). The serum interleukin-6 level in model group was significantly higher than that in normal control group and interleukin-10 level was significantly lower than that in normal control group (p<0.05). The level of interleukin-6 in serum of rats in Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycosides group was significantly lower than that in model group and the level of interleukin-10 was significantly higher than that in model group (p<0.05). The expression levels of phosphorylated Janus kinase 2 and phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 protein in model group were significantly higher than those in normal control group; the expression levels of phosphorylated Janus kinase 2 and phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 protein in Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycosides group were significantly lower than those in the model group (p<0.05). Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycosides has the effect of anti-rheumatoid arthritis and its mechanism may be through regulating the Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signal pathways by reducing the expression level of phosphorylated Janus kinase 2 and phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Checkpoint homolog 1 (encoded by Chk1) plays an important role in the growth and development of water flea. In this study, the full-length cDNA of Chk1 encoding an aquaporin from Daphniopsis tibetana was isolated by rapid amplification of cDNA ends-PCR (GenBank ID. MW561428.1). The DtChk1 cDNA was 2025 bp long with a 318-bp 5'- untranslated region (UTR) and a 216-bp 3'-UTR’ containing a stop codon (TGA). DtChk1 cDNA was 1494 bp in open reading frame and encoded a 497-aa polypeptide. At the amino acid sequence level, DtChk1 showed high homology with homologs in Daphnia magna (78%), Daphnia carinata (77%), and Daphnia pulex (73%). Its homology with Chk1 sequences from other species ranged from 26% to 45%. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence of DtChk1 with homologs in other species revealed a high degree of conservation of the residues and domains that are essential for biological evolution. Using real-time quantitative PCR, we investigated DtChk1 gene transcript levels in male and female D. tibetana at different reproductive phases. The transcript levels of DtChk1 were significantly higher in sexual males than in parthenogenetic and sexual females (P<0.05), and significantly higher in sexual females than in parthenogenetic females (P<0.05). We will discuss the potential uses of DtChk1 in ecotoxicological studies in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]