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The massive volume dilation, unsteady solid electrolyte interphase, and weak conductivity about Si have failed to bring it to practical applications, although its potential capacity is up to 4200 mAh g−1. For solving these problems, novel binary regulated silicon–carbon materials (Si/BPC) were done by a sol–gel procedure combined with single carbonization. Analytical techniques were systematically utilized to examine the effects of element doping at several gradients on morphology, structure and electrochemical properties of composites, thus the optimal content was identified. Si/BPC preserves a discharge specific capacity of 1021.6 mAh g−1 with a coulomb efficiency of 99.27% after 180 cycles at 1000 mA g−1, within the upgrade than single-doped and undoped. In rate test, it has a specific capacity of 1003.2 mAh g−1 at a high current density of 5000 mA g−1, quickly back towards 2838.6 mAh g−1 at 200 mA g−1. The inclusion of B and P elements is linked to the electrochemical characteristics. In the co-doped carbon layers, the synergistic impact of doping B and P accelerates the diffusion kinetics of lithium ions, boosts diffusion rate of Li+, offers low electrochemical impedance (45.75 Ω). This brings more defects to provide transport carriers and induces a substantial amount of electrochemically active sites, which fosters the storage of Li+, thus making silicon material electrochemically more active and potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal is China's main resource, with open-pit mining accounting for a significant portion of global production. However, this activity, including mining and ecological restoration, can have a definite impact on ecosystem carbon storage and its distribution; its associated factors are also unclear. In this paper, we quantify the carbon storage changes in Haerwusu coal mine, a typical large-scale coal mine in China, based on land use/land cover (LULC) characteristics, and analyze the impact factors of carbon density from 2007 to 2022 by integrating the InVEST model with the landscape ecological function contribution ratio and multiple regression model. The results are as follows. (1) Carbon storage decreased from 159.95 x 104 to 147.51 x 104 from 2007 to 2017 and then increased to 151.91 x 104 to 2022. (2) The degree of coordination between carbon storage forest and grassland area landscape pattern coupling ranged from 0.887 to 0.867 from 2007 to 2022, with the lowest point at 0.720 in 2012. (3) Carbon storage was significantly related to vegetation indices, temperature, and elevation, and these factors can explain 37.5% of the carbon storage spatial variability; stepwise regression analysis showed that the integration of landscape patterns, such as Shannon's diversity index (SHEI) and the aggregation index (AI), could improve the explanation by 1.4%. (4) Based on the analysis of the landscape ecological function contribution ratio, the carbon storage-sensitive areas can be classified into three levels: extremely sensitive areas ranging 0 to 4 km from the mine, sensitive areas ranging 4 to 8 km, and insensitive areas ranging beyond 8 km. This study proposes a strategy for analyzing changes of carbon storage in coal mines, highlights the important role of landscape patterns in influencing carbon storage, and provides a reliable reference support for the ecological management of coal mines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) has long been an important fiber crop, but the narrow genetic diversity of modern G. hirsutum limits the potential for simultaneous improvement of yield and fiber quality. It is an effective approach to broaden the genetic base of G. hirsutum through introgression of novel alleles from G. barbadense with excellent fiber quality. In the present study, an interspecific chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) population was established using G. barbadense cultivar Pima S-7 as the donor parent and G. hirsutum cultivar CCRI35 as the recipient parent. A total of 105 quantitative trait loci (QTL), including 85 QTL for fiber quality and 20 QTL for lint percentage (LP), were identified based on phenotypic data collected from four environments. Among these QTL, 25 stable QTL were detected in two or more environments, including four for LP, eleven for fiber length (FL), three for fiber strength (FS), six for fiber micronaire (FM), and one for fiber elongation (FE). Eleven QTL clusters were observed on nine chromosomes, of which seven QTL clusters harbored stable QTL. Moreover, eleven major QTL for fiber quality were verified through analysis of introgressed segments of the eight superior lines with the best comprehensive phenotypes. A total of 586 putative candidate genes were identified for 25 stable QTL associated with lint percentage and fiber quality through transcriptome analysis. Furthermore, three candidate genes for FL, GH_A08G1681 (GhSCPL40), GH_A12G2328 (GhPBL19), and GH_D02G0370 (GhHSP22.7), and one candidate gene for FM, GH_D05G1346 (GhAPG), were identified through RNA-Seq and qRT-PCR analysis. These results lay the foundation for understanding the molecular regulatory mechanism of fiber development and provide valuable information for marker-assisted selection (MAS) in cotton breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the progressive accumulation of β‐amyloid (Aβ)‐containing amyloid plaques, and microglia play a critical role in mediating Aβ clearance. Mounting evidence has confirmed that the ability of microglia in clearing Aβ decreased with aging and AD progress, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Previously, we have demonstrated that Nogo receptor (NgR), a receptor for three axon growth inhibitors associated with myelin, can decrease adhesion and migration of microglia to fibrils Aβ with aging. However, whether NgR expressed on microglia affect microglia phagocytosis of fibrils Aβ with aging remains unclear. Here, we found that aged but not young microglia showed increased NgR expression and decreased Aβ phagocytosis in APP/PS1 transgenic mice. NgR knockdown APP/PS1 mice showed simultaneous reduced amyloid burden and improved spatial learning and memory, which were associated with increased Aβ clearance. Importantly, Nogo‐P4, an agonist of NgR, enhanced the protein level of p‐Smad2/3, leading to a significant transcriptional inhibition of CD36 gene expression, which in turn decreased the microglial phagocytosis of Aβ. Moreover, ROCK accounted for Nogo‐P4‐induced activation of Smad2/3 signaling. Finally, the decreasing effect of NgR on microglial Aβ uptake was confirmed in a mouse model of intra‐hippocampal fAβ injection. Our findings suggest that NgR may play an important role in the regulation of Aβ homeostasis, and has potential as a therapeutic target for AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the concept of cooperative learning and provides strategies for promoting cooperation among students. The author, a teacher with experience in student-centered learning, shares their experiences teaching a class of students from China and Vietnam who needed to improve their English proficiency. The article emphasizes the importance of positive interdependence, individual accountability, and peer interactions in cooperative learning. It also discusses the impact of environmental factors on cooperation and suggests various approaches, such as using students' names, promoting diversity, fostering student self-efficacy, integrating cooperative learning techniques with textbooks, displaying enthusiasm for learning, and promoting kindness. The author highlights the need for teachers to build positive relationships with students and emphasizes the benefits of highlighting students' abilities to overcome reluctance to interact with peers. Overall, the article suggests that cooperative learning not only enhances academic achievement but also promotes a more cooperative and harmonious society. [Extracted from the article]

As both social network structure and strength of influence between individuals evolve constantly, it requires tracking the influential nodes under a dynamic setting. To address this problem, we explore the Influential Node Tracking (INT) problem as an extension to the traditional Influence Maximization problem (IM) under dynamic social networks. While the Influence Maximization problem aims at identifying a set of $k$ nodes to maximize the joint influence under one static network, the INT problem focuses on tracking a set of influential nodes that keeps maximizing the influence as the network evolves. Utilizing the smoothness of the evolution of the network structure, we propose an efficient algorithm, Upper Bound Interchange Greedy (UBI) and a variant, UBI+. Instead of constructing the seed set from the ground, we start from the influential seed set we found previously and implement node replacement to improve the influence coverage. Furthermore, by using a fast update method by calculating the marginal gain of nodes, our algorithm can scale to dynamic social networks with millions of nodes. Empirical experiments on three real large-scale dynamic social networks show that our UBI and its variants, UBI+ achieves better performance in terms of both influence coverage and running time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Sedimentary PAHs in Guan River Estuary were investigated for the first time. [•] PAH concentrations were low in comparison with other estuaries around the world. [•] PAH concentrations appeared to be negatively correlated with sediment grain size. [•] Sedimentary PAHs in GRE mainly originated from pyrolytic sources. [•] Sedimentary PAHs in GRE indicated low negative effects except FLO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energetic electrons in the Earth's radiation belt, known as "killer electrons", are one of the crucial factors for the safety of geostationary satellites. Geostationary satellites at different longitudes encounter different energetic electron environments. However, organizations of space weather prediction usually only display the real-time ≥2 MeV electron fluxes and the predictions of ≥2 MeV electron fluxes or daily fluences within the next 1–3 days by models at one location in GEO orbit. In this study, the relationship of ≥2 MeV electron fluxes at different longitudes is investigated based on observations from GOES satellites, and the relevant models are developed. Based on the observations from GOES-10 and GOES-12 after calibration verification, the ratios of the ≥2 MeV electron daily fluences at 135° W to those at 75° W are mainly in the range from 1.0 to 4.0, with an average of 1.92. The models with various combinations of two or three input parameters are developed by the fully connected neural network for the relationship between ≥2 MeV electron fluxes at 135° W and 75° W in GEO orbit. According to the prediction efficiency (PE), the model only using log 10 (fluxes) and MLT from GOES-10 (135° W), whose PE can reach 0.920, has the best performance to predict ≥2 MeV electron fluxes at the locations of GOES-12 (75° W). Its PE is larger than that (0.882) of the linear model using log 10 (fluxes four hours ahead) from GOES-10 (135° W). We also develop models for the relationship between ≥2 MeV electron fluxes at 75° W and at variable longitudes between 95.8° W and 114.9° W in GEO orbit by the fully connected neural network. The PE values of these models are larger than 0.90. These models realize the predictions of ≥2 MeV electron fluxes at arbitrary longitude between 95.8° W and 114.9° W in GEO orbit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• DPP-4 inhibition reduced CD4+T cells infiltration and ameliorated insulitis. • DPP-4 inhibition downregulated serum IL-1β and IL-12. • LPS increased CD11b+ cells to infiltrate into islets. Dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitor (sitagliptin) is a novel anti-hyperglycemia drug in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. However, its potential in type 1 diabetes is still unclear. Recent studies show that increased infection, especially respiratory tract infection, is significantly associated with DPP-4 inhibitors. In this study, we aimed to explore the effects of long-term inhibition of DPP- 4 on innate immunity in type 1 diabetes. Forty mice were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 10 in each group): control group, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group, sitagliptin group and sitagliptin + LPS group. The concentrations of IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, TNF-α and IFN-γ were measured with Mesco Scale Discovery multiplexed-assay kit. Immunohistochemistry staining of pancreases was performed and insulitis scores for each islet were determined. The results showed that DPP-4 inhibition has no effect on incident rate of diabetes and metabolic parameters in NOD mice. Long-term inhibition of DPP-4 reduced CD4+T cells to infiltrate into islets and ameliorated insulitis in NOD mice. DPP-4 inhibition downregulated serum interleukin IL-1β and IL-12 in NOD mice. However, it had no significant effect on LPS-induced IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interferon (IFN)-γ in NOD mice. In conclusion, Long-term inhibition of DPP-4 exists anti-inflammatory effect in type 1 diabetes probably by reducing CD4+T cells to infiltrate into islets and downregulating L-1β and IL-12 in serum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine fisheries and aquaculture can match growing demand for marine protein from an increasing population. However, the microplastics (MPs) in marine environments may pose a threat to human health through food chains by seafood consumption. The MPs have been found lodged in the digestive tracts and other tissues of various sea animals, nevertheless, little is known in regard to the accumulation of MPs in fish from major fish farms and mariculture areas, especially in non-digestive tissues of fishes. This study investigated the accumulation of MPs in six major wild fish species (including Thryssa kammalensis , Amblychaeturichthys hexanema , Odontamblyopus rubicundus , Cynoglossus semilaevis , Chaeturichthys stigmatias and Collichthys lucidus), both in digestive and non-digestive tissues, from an important fish farm and mariculture area, Haizhou Bay, China. All fishes had items that were identified as MPs. The highest abundance of MPs was 22.21 ± 1.70 items/individual or 11.19 ± 1.28 items/g in T. kammalensis , which is filter-feeding and usually inhabits in estuary. The lowest abundance of MPs was observed in C. semilaevis (13.54 ± 2.09 items/individual) and C. stigmatias (1.61 ± 0.56 items/g). The abundance of MPs exponentially increased with the decrease of MPs size. The MPs were dominated by fiber in shape, black or grey in colour and cellophane in composition. As to different tissues, the total number of MPs on skin (800) or in gills (746) was higher than that in gut (514). In terms of skin, the abundances of MPs in three species of scaleless fish with mucus (A. hexanema , C. stigmatias and O. rubicundus) were generally higher than other three fishes with scales (C. lucidus , C. semilaevis and T. kammalensis), implying the potential high risk of scaleless fish consumption for human health in Haizhou Bay. More in-depth studies need to focus on the scaleless fish through mucus adsorbing enormous MPs. Unlabelled Image • All fish in the Haizhou Bay had high microplastic (MP) abundance. • The total number of MPs in skin or in gills was higher than in gut. • The abundance of MPs exponentially increased with the decrease of MPs size. • Scaleless fish had higher MPs abundance in skin than scaly fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal cut-off values of age for disability in order to predict the risk of disability for older adults in rural areas., Methods: WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 was used to assess disability. The cut-off values of age for disability were obtained by ROC curve analysis., Results: The cut-off points of age for cognition restriction, mobility restriction, self-care restriction, getting along with people restriction, life activities restriction, and social participation restriction for men were 70.5, 68.5, 72.5, 70.5, 71.5, and 68.5 years old, respectively. The cut-off points of age for cognition disability, mobility restriction, self-care disability, getting along with people disability, life activities disability, and social participation disability for women were 72.5, 71.5, 70.5, 70.5, 71.5, and 71.5 years old, respectively. Over the cut-off values of age was an independent risk factor for disability ( P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Presenting first disability symptoms were different between men and women. Preventive efforts to prevent future disability should be different for men and women., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 He, Wang, Zhang, Zhu, Liu, Sun, Chen, Li and Ding.)

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a prevalent vascular disease with high mortality rates upon rupture. Despite its prevalence in elderly populations, there remain limited treatment options; invasive surgical repair, while risky, is the only therapeutic intervention with proven clinical benefits. Dietary factors have long been suggested to be closely associated with AAA risks, and dietary therapies recently emerged as promising avenues to achieve non-invasive management of a wide spectrum of diseases. However, the role of dietary therapies in AAA remains elusive. In this article, we will summarize the recent clinical and pre-clinical efforts in understanding the therapeutic and mechanistic implications of various dietary patterns and therapeutic approaches in AAA., Competing Interests: Author BW is the corresponding author, the coordinator for this research topic, and has recused from the peer-review and editorial processes. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Yin, Gregg, Riccio, Hoyt, Islam, Ahn, Le, Patel, Zhang, He, McKinney, Kent and Wang.)

The disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays a critical role in the pathology of ischemic stroke. p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75 NTR ) contributes to the disruption of the blood-retinal barrier in retinal ischemia. However, whether p75 NTR influences the BBB permeability after acute cerebral ischemia remains unknown. The present study investigated the role and underlying mechanism of p75 NTR on BBB integrity in an ischemic stroke mouse model, middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). After 24 h of MCAO, astrocytes and endothelial cells in the infarct-affected brain area up-regulated p75 NTR . Genetic p75 NTR knockdown (p75 NTR+/- ) or pharmacological inhibition of p75 NTR using LM11A-31, a selective inhibitor of p75 NTR , both attenuated brain damage and BBB leakage in MCAO mice. Astrocyte-specific conditional knockdown of p75 NTR mediated with an adeno-associated virus significantly ameliorated BBB disruption and brain tissue damage, as well as the neurological functions after stroke. Further molecular biological examinations indicated that astrocytic p75 NTR activated NF-κB and HIF-1α signals, which upregulated the expression of MMP-9 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), subsequently leading to tight junction degradation after ischemia. As a result, increased leukocyte infiltration and microglia activation exacerbated brain injury after stroke. Overall, our results provide novel insight into the role of astrocytic p75 NTR in BBB disruption after acute cerebral ischemia. The p75 NTR may therefore be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of ischemic stroke., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

A method based on gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) coupled with accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) was developed for the determination of eight organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and five organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) in soils. The soil samples were grinded after freeze-drying. Particles with diameters lower than 250 μm were chosen by ion-sieving. After this, 10.0 g soil mixed with 2.0 g diaomite was extracted with hexane-acetone (1:1, v/v). The extracts were dehydrated with anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated with a termovap sample concentrator. The concentrated solutions were further cleaned up with Si SPE columns and eluted with hexane-acetone (1:1, v/v). The purified solutions were then isolated by HP-5MS column (30 m×0.25 mm×0.25 μm) and detected using the multiple reaction monitoring mode at the electron impact source. It is observed that this method has good linearities in the range of 1.00-100 μg/L for the 13 compounds, and the correlation coefficients ( R ) were greater than 0.995. The spiked recoveries of the 13 compounds were in the range of 66.8%-88.4%, and the relative standard deviations were less than 10%. With 10.0 g of sampling weight, the method detection limits ranged from 0.02 to 0.04 μg/kg for the eight OCPs and from 0.06 to 0.12 μg/kg for the five OPPs. This method is suitable for the determination of trace OCPs and OPPs in soils.