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[Display omitted] • A green and scalable emulsion spray-coating technique is developed to prepare foam composites. • The foam composite possesses exterior superhydrophobicity and interior hydrophilicity. • ACNTs are decorated onto the skeleton of the foam with strong interfacial adhesion. • The foam composite possesses excellent corrosion resistance and durability. • Photothermally induced crude oil cleanup with a high efficiency is achieved. Chemical spills, especially oil spills, are becoming an increasingly serious environmental issue. It remains a challenge to develop green techniques to prepare mechanically robust oil–water separation materials, especially those capable of separating high-viscosity crude oils. Herein, we propose an environmentally friendly emulsion spray-coating method to fabricate durable foam composites with asymmetric wettability for oil–water separation. After the emulsion, composed of acidified carbon nanotubes (ACNTs), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and its curing agent, is sprayed onto melamine foam (MF), water in the emulsion is first evaporated, while PDMS and ACNTs are finally deposited on the foam skeleton. The foam composite exhibits gradient wettability and turns from superhydrophobicity of the top surface (the water contact angle reaches as high as 155.2°) to hydrophilicity of the interior region. The foam composite can be used for the separation of oils with different densities and has a 97% separation efficiency for chloroform. In particular, the photothermal conversion-induced temperature rise can reduce the oil viscosity and complete the high-efficiency cleanup of crude oil. This emulsion spray-coating technique and asymmetric wettability show promise for the green and low-cost fabrication of high-performance oil/water separation materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Solar-based interface evaporation (SIE) is a green, efficient and cost-effective technique to harvest fresh water. 3D solar evaporators show their unique advantages in gaining energy from environment and hence possess a higher evaporation rate than 2D evaporators. However, much effort is still required to develop mechanically robust and superhydrophilic 3D evaporators with strong water transportation capability and salt-rejection performance, and at the same time reveal how they gain energy from environment via the natural evaporation. In this work, a novel carbon nanofiber reinforced carbon aerogel (CNFA) is prepared for the SIE. The CNFA has a high light absorption up to 97.2% and outstanding photothermal conversion performance. The heteroatom doping and hierarchically porous structure endow the CNFA with superhydrophilicity and thus powerful water transportation capability and salt rejection performance. Benefiting from synergy of the SIE and side wall induced natural evaporation, the CNFA evaporator exhibits a high evaporation rate and efficiency (as high as 3.82 kg m-2h−1 and 95.5%, respectively) with long-term stability and durability. The CNFA can also work normally in high-salinity and corrosive seawater. This study demonstrates a new method to fabricate all-carbon aerogel solar evaporators and provides insights for the effective thermal management during the interface evaporation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The one-way transportation of liquids plays an important role in smart and wearable electronics. Here, we report an asymmetric nanofibrous membrane (ANM) with unidirectional water transport (UWT) capability by integrating one superhydrophilic MXene/Chitosan/Polyurethane (PU) nanofiber membrane (MCPNM) and one ultrathin hydrophobic PU/Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) layer with a "bead-on-string" structure. The UWT performance shows long-term stability and can be well maintained during the cyclic stretching, abrasion and ultrasonic washing tests. The ANM exhibits negative temperature coefficient and is served as a temperature sensor to monitor the temperature variation of the environment, which can provide efficient alarm signals in a hot or cold condition. When attached on person's skin, the ANM displays a unique anti-gravity UWT behavior. The stretchable, wearable and multi-functional nanofibrous composite membrane with an asymmetric wettability shows potential applications in flexible and wearable electronics, health monitoring, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A hydrophobic macro/ meso porous carbon nanofiber (HPCNF) membrane is prepared. • The HPCNF exhibits a high sunlight absorption and a large contact angle. • A high interfacial solar evaporation rate is achieved. • The HPCNF has excellent salt-rejection and hence long-term evaporation stability. • Solar desalination can be conducted in high salinity and corrosive conditions. Interfacial evaporation has recently received great interest from both academia and industry to harvest fresh water from seawater, due to its low cost, sustainability and high efficiency. However, state-of-the-art solar absorbers usually face several issues such as weak corrosion resistance, salt accumulation and hence poor long-term evaporation stability. Herein, a hydrophobic and porous carbon nanofiber (HPCNF) is prepared by combination of the porogen sublimation and fluorination. The HPCNF possessing a macro/ meso porous structure exhibits large contact angles (as high as 145°), strong light absorption and outstanding photo-thermal conversion performance. When the HPCNF is used as the solar absorber, the evaporation rate and efficiency can reach up to 1.43 kg m−2h−1 and 87.5% under one sunlight irradiation, respectively. More importantly, the outstanding water proof endows the absorber with superior corrosion resistance and salt rejection performance, and hence the interfacial evaporation can maintain a long-term stability and proceed in a variety of complex conditions. The HPCNFs based interfacial evaporation provides a new avenue to the high efficiency solar steam generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that early-life exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is associated with an increasing risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), however, the specific sensitive period of ASD is unknown. Here, a model of dynamic whole-body concentrated PM2.5 exposure in pre- and early-postnatal male offspring rats (MORs) was established. And we found that early postnatal PM2.5 exposed rats showed more typical ASD behavioral characteristics than maternal pregnancy exposure rats, including poor social interaction, novelty avoidance and anxiety disorder. And more severe oxidative stress and inflammatory responses were observed in early postnatal PM2.5 exposed rats. Moreover, the expression level of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) was down-regulated and the ratios of p-PI3K/PI3K and p-AKT/AKT were up-regulated in early postnatal PM2.5 exposed rats. This study suggests that early postnatal exposure to PM2.5 is more susceptible to ASD-like phenotype in offspring than maternal pregnancy exposure and the activation of PI3K-AKT signaling pathway may represent underlying mechanisms. • Early postnatal PM2.5 exposure induced more pronounced ASD-like phenotype in male offspring rats than maternal exposure. • Early postnatal period may be a sensitive window for PM2.5 to trigger autism spectrum disorder development. • PM2.5 exposure caused neuroinflammation and reduced anti-inflammatory melatonin levels in offspring rat brains. • PI3K-AKT pathway activation may link developmental PM2.5 exposure and autism spectrum disorder pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• TGR5, p-PKA, and NLRP3-ASC inflammasome were increased and peaked at 24 h after SAH. • INT-777 administration reduced NLRP3-ASC inflammasome in activated microglia after SAH. • INT-777 alleviates delayed neuronal degeneration in the hippocampus after SAH. • INT-777 suppressed NLRP3‐ASC-mediated inflammation via TGR5/cAMP/PKA pathway after SAH. Inflammasome-mediated neuroinflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of early brain injury (EBI) following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The activation of the TGR5 receptor has been shown to be neuroprotective in a variety of neurological diseases. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the specific synthetic TGR5 agonist, INT-777, in attenuating NLRP3-ASC inflammasome activation and reducing neuroinflammation after SAH. One hundred and eighty-four male Sprague Dawley rats were used. SAH was induced by the endovascular perforation. INT-777 was administered intranasally at 1 h after SAH induction. To elucidate the signaling pathway involved in the effect of INT-777 on inflammasome activation during EBI, TGR5 knockout CRISPR and PKA inhibitor H89 were administered intracerebroventricularly and intraperitoneally at 48 h and 1 h before SAH. The SAH grade, short- and long-term neurobehavioral assessments, brain water content, western blot, immunofluorescence staining, and Nissl staining were performed. The expressions of endogenous TGR5, p-PKA, and NLRP3-ASC inflammasome were increased after SAH. INT-777 administration significantly decreased NLRP3-ASC inflammasome activation in microglia, reduced brain edema and neuroinflammation, leading to improved short-term neurobehavioral functions at 24 h after SAH. The administration of TGR5 CRISPR or PKA inhibitor (H89) abolished the anti-inflammation effects of INT-777, on NLRP3-ASC inflammasome, pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-a), and neutrophil infiltration at 24 h after SAH. Moreover, early administration of INT-777 attenuated neuronal degeneration in hippocampus on 28 d after SAH. INT-777 attenuated NLRP3-ASC inflammasome-dependent neuroinflammation in the EBI after SAH, partially via TGR5/cAMP/PKA signaling pathway. Early administration of INT-777 may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy for EBI management in the setting of SAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TRAFD1 negatively regulates TLR and RLR signaling in human and mammal; however, its role in teleost fish remains unknown. In this paper, the TRAFD1 homologue has been cloned and characterized from black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus). Black carp TRAFD1 (bcTRAFD1) consists of 567 amino acids and shows low similarity to that of mammalian TRAFD1, which has been identified as a cytosolic protein through immunofluorescence staining. When co-expressed with bcTRAFD1, the IFN promoter-inducing ability of black carp MAVS (bcMAVS) was obviously dampened in the luciferase reporter assay. Accordingly, bcMAVS-mediated antiviral activity against grass carp reovirus (GCRV) and spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV) was potently repressed by bcTRAFD1 in plaque assay. And the co-immunoprecipitation assay between bcTRAFD1 and bcMAVS has identified the association between these two molecules. Thus, our data supports the conclusion that bcTRAFD1 interacts with bcMAVS and negatively regulates bcMAVS-mediated antiviral signaling during the innate immune activation, which sheds a light on the regulation of MAVS in teleost. • bcTRAFD1 dampens the IFN promoter-inducing ability of bcMAVS. • bcMAVS-mediated antiviral activity was potently repressed by bcTRAFD1. • bcTRAFD1 interacts with bcMAVS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we generalize the implicit variational principle in [9] from autonomous contact Hamiltonian systems in T ⁎ M × R with M is a compact Riemannian manifold to the non-autonomous systems with M is a complete Riemannian manifold. We also give some important properties of action minimizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to explore the repair effect and mechanism of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) transplantation on injured kidneys caused by hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)). Wistar rats were intraperitoneally injected with 0.4 mg/kg•bw Cr (VI) ion solution. After 30 days, 1 × 107 BMSCs were transplanted into rats. After cell transplantation for 2 weeks, there was no significant difference in the chromium content between the model and BMSCs-therapy group by atomic absorption spectrometry. In BMSCs-therapy group, the renal organ index, the serum levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (CRE), malonaldehyde (MDA) content were significantly decreased, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was significantly elevated, and the pathological changes were improved compared with the model group. The results of immunohistochemical and western blot assays showed that the expressions of apoptosis-related proteins Bax, Cytochrome c, and Caspase-3, as well as autophagy-associated proteins Beclin 1, PINK1, Parkin, p-Parkin, LC3B, and the MAPK signaling pathway, including the ratio of p-p38 to p38 and p-JNK to JNK were all significantly decreased, Bcl-2 and p62 expressions, and the ratio of p-ERK to ERK were significantly elevated in BMSCs-therapy group compared with the model group. These results suggested that BMSCs repaired Cr (VI)-injured kidney through decreasing mitochondria-mediated apoptosis and mitophagy mediated by downregulating phosphorylation of p38 and JNK, upregulating phosphorylation of ERK. • The hexavalent chromium can accumulate in kidneys and result in kidneys injury in rats. • BMSCs transplantation can repair Cr (VI)-injured kidneys. • The possible mechanism is that BMSCs reduce mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis and mitophagy mediated by the MAPK pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Heavy metal soil contamination is a major environmental concern in China and has drawn significant public attention in recent years. The present study assessed the human health risk of four heavy metals (cadmium, lead, mercury, and zinc) through soil exposure and dietary intake in the watershed of Xi River, west of Shenyang, Liaoning Province, northeast China. Concentrations of Cd, Pb, Hg, and Zn were determined in 411 soil samples and 59 crop samples collected from this area. The health risks of heavy metal exposure via soil ingestion, inhalation, dermal contact, and dietary intake of crops were further estimated; total hazard index values were 1.15, 1.33, and 2.03 for the adult male, adult female, and children, respectively, and the total cancer risk was 3.7 × 10−3 for the local residents. Among the four investigated heavy metals, Cd was the primary pollutant posing health risks. The estimated non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks posed by the studied heavy metals were above the acceptable levels proposed by the U.S. EPA. Dietary intake of contaminated crops was identified as the predominant pathway for human heavy metal exposure in this area, suggesting that soil heavy metals can cause more harm when transported to the food chain. Overall, our findings suggest that the Xi River watershed is unsuitable for growing agricultural products, and more effective controls should be taken to curb future heavy metal pollution in the area. Graphical abstract fx1 Highlights • The Xi River located in Shenyang, Northeast China is severely polluted by industry. • Irrigation using Xi River as water source lead to heavy metal soil pollution. • Contamination of Cd, Pb, Hg, and Zn in soil and crops from the area were examined. • Cd was the primary pollutant and dietary intake contributed the most to health risk. • Health risks posed by the heavy metals were above acceptable levels set by U.S. EPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Britannin (Bri), isolated from Inula aucheriana, is a sesquiterpene lactone (SL), a class of secondary metabolites. Previous studies have suggested the anti-cancer potential of Bri; however, the molecular mechanism remains elusive. The present study investigated the effects of Bri on liver cancer progression. Our findings indicated that Bri significantly suppressed the growth of liver cancer cell lines. Mechanistic researches revealed that Bri induced apoptosis through the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways, as evidenced by the increase of Caspase-8, -9 and -3 cleavages. In addition, Bri-triggered autophagy in liver cancer cells, supported by the up-regulation of light chain 3 (LC3) II, p62, autophagy-related 5 (ATG5) and Beclin 1, as well as the occurrence of autophagic vacuoles. Importantly, Bri increased AMPK activation, while decreased the activity of its down-streaming signal, mTOR. Of note, suppression of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation using its inhibitor, Compound C, could inhibit both apoptosis and autophagy induced by Bri. Furthermore, Bri was found to induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in hepatic cancer cells. Notably, reducing ROS production by its scavenger, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), could down-regulate p-AMPK levels, while up-regulate the phosphorylated mechanistic target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) expressions, accompanied with the restored cell viability, as well as the reduced apoptosis and autophagy in Bri-treated liver cancer cells. Finally, Bri inhibited the tumor growth in vivo without side effects. In conclusion, our study illustrated that Bri could induce apoptosis and autophagy by activating AMPK regulated by ROS in liver cancer cells, supplying molecular bases for developing Bri into an effective candidate against liver cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel chymotrypsin inhibitor, which detected in the seed of wild emmer wheat ( Triticum dicoccoides ), was purified by ion-exchange chromatography, affinity chromatography and Ultracentrifugation. On the basis of its specificity, this inhibitor was named WeCI (wild emmer chymotrypsin inhibitor). SDS-PAGE analysis displayed that the purified WeCI is a single chain polypeptide with a molecular weight of approximately 13 kDa. The inhibition constants (K i ) for amylase and bovine pancreatic chymotrypsin were 1.12 × 10 − 9 M and 2.41 × 10 − 9 M, respectively. Automated sequencing and mass spectrometry analyses revealed that WeCI is a neutral monomeric protein consisting of 119 residues. In vitro, WeCI strongly suppressed bovine pancreatic chymotrypsin as well as chymotrypsin-like activities separated from the midgut of the beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua. No inhibitory activities were found against bovine pancreatic trypsin, bacterial subtilisin, or porcine pancreatic elastase. The primary structure of WeCI was markedly similar (46–95%) to those of several proteins belonging to the wheat crop chymotrypsin/α-amylase inhibitor superfamily and displayed the typical sequence motif of the α-amylase inhibitor–seed storage protein group. WeCI significantly inhibited the growth and development of Spodoptera exigua , dependent on inhibitor concentration. WeCI significantly increased the mortality rate of Spodoptera exigua and caused a significant decrease in its fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the acute (72 h and 14 d) and chronic (28 d and 8 weeks) effects of cyfluthrin on earthworms were evaluated across different endpoints, which are mortality, growth, reproduction and enzyme activities. Cyfluthrin was rated as moderately toxic in 72-h filter paper test and low toxic in 14-day soil test. The exposure of earthworms to cyfluthrin-polluted soil for 8 weeks showed that growth of earthworms was inhibited by cyfluthrin, cocoon production and hatching were inhibited by 20–60 mg/kg cyfluthrin. Moreover, 28-day soil test on the responses of enzymes associated with antioxidation and detoxification showed that the activities of catalase (CAT) and glutathione S- transferase (GST) were initially increased by cyfluthrin at 5–20 mg/kg, but reduced at 30–60 mg/kg, peroxidase (POD) was increased by 26–102% by cyfluthrin in the early period, except 5 mg/kg on day 7, and ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) was increased by 29–335% by cyfluthrin after 3 days. Cyfluthrin degraded with a half-life of 24.8–34.8 d, showing the inconsistency between the continuous toxic responses of earthworms and degradation of cyfluthrin in soil. The variable responses of these indexes indicated that different level endpoints should be jointly considered for better evaluation of the environmental risk of contaminants in soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sterile triploid hybrids (3n = 150) of gold fish ( Carassius auratus red var ., ♀, 2n = 100) and allotetroploid (♂, 2n = 100) display obviously improved disease resistance and much enhanced growth rate than their parents, which have been cultured widely in China. In this paper, one of the type I IFNs of triploid hybrid (3nIFNa2) has been cloned and characterized. The full-length cDNA of 3nIFNa2 gene consists of 715 nucleotides and the predicted 3nIFNa2 contains 183 amino acids. The transcription of 3nIFNa2 gene was detected in all the examined tissues of triploid hybrid and the mRNA level of 3nIFNa2 was obviously enhanced in response to SVCV and GCRV infection. 3nIFNa2 has been detected in the whole cell lysate of HEK293T cells transfected with plasmids expressing 3nIFNa2 but not in the supernatant media. EPC cells transfected with plasmid expressing 3nIFNa2 at 24 h before SVCV and GCRV infection showed obviously decreased cytopathic effect; and the virus titers in the supernatant media were much lower than those of the control cells. Glycosidase digestion analysis demonstrates that 3nIFNa2 is modified with N-linked glycosylation, which occurs on the asparagine (N) of residue 177 of this cytokine. The un-glycosylated mutant 3nIFNa2-N177Q shows the similar antiviral ability as that of 3nIFNa2, which suggests that the N-linked glycosylation does not contribute directly to its antiviral property. All the above data support the conclusion that 3nIFNa2 is an intracellular cytokine functioning importantly in host antiviral innate immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Down-regulation of intestinal P-glycoprotein (P-gp) by soybean oil-based lipid emulsion (SOLE) may cause elevated intestinal permeability of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in patients with total parenteral nutrition, but the appropriate preventative treatment is currently limited. Recently, sodium butyrate (NaBut) has been demonstrated to regulate the expression of P-gp. Therefore, this study aimed to address whether treatment with NaBut could attenuate SOLE-induced increase in intestinal permeability of LPS by modulation of P-gp in vitro . Caco-2 cells were exposed to SOLE with or without NaBut. SOLE-induced down-regulation of P-gp was significantly attenuated by co-incubation with NaBut. Nuclear recruitment of FOXO 3a in response to NaBut was involved in P-gp regulation. Transport studies revealed that SOLE-induced increase in permeability of LPS was significantly attenuated by co-incubation with NaBut. Collectively, our results suggested that NaBut may be a potentially useful medication to prevent SOLE-induced increase in intestinal permeability of LPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) is as an adaptor in RIG-I like receptor (RLR) signaling, which plays the key role in interferon (IFN) production during host antiviral innate immune activation. MAVS is fine tuned to avoid excess IFN production, which have been extensively studied in human and mammals. However, the regulation of MAVS in teleost still remains obscure. In this manuscript, we cloned ring finger protein 5 (bcRNF5) of black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) and characterized this teleost E3 ubiquitin ligase as a negative regulator of MAVS. The coding region of bcRNF5 consists of 615 nucleotides which encode 205 amino acids, containing two trans -membrane domain (TM) and a ring-finger domain (RING). The transcription regulation of bcRNF5 varies in host cells in response to stimulations of LPS, poly (I:C), grass carp reovirus (GCRV) and spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV). bcRNF5 migrates around 22 KDa in immunoblot (IB) assay and distributes mainly in cytoplasm by immunofluorescent (IF) staining test. Moreover, bcRNF5 significantly inhibits bcMAVS-mediated IFN promoter transcription. In addition, both IF and co-immunoprecipitation assay showed that bcRNF5 interacts with bcMAVS. Furthermore, bcMAVS-mediated antiviral ability is distinctly impaired by bcRNF5. Taken together, these results conclude that bcRNF5, as a negative regulator of the MAVS-mediated IFN signaling, may play a key role in host protection upon virus infection in black carp. • bcRNF5 interacts with bcMAVS. • bcRNF5 attenuates bcMAVS-mediated IFN production. • bcRNF5 dampens bcMAVS-mediated antiviral activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ambient ozone (O 3) pollution can induce respiratory and cardiovascular toxicity. However, its impact on the metabolome and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study first investigated the serum metabolite changes in rats exposed to 0.5 ppm O 3 for 3 months using untargeted metabolomic approach. Results showed chronic ozone exposure significantly altered the serum levels of 34 metabolites with potential increased risk of digestive, respiratory and cardiovascular disease. Moreover, bile acid synthesis and secretion, and arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism became the most prominent affected metabolic pathways after O 3 exposure. Further studies on the mechanisms found that the elevated serum toxic bile acid was not due to the increased biosynthesis in the liver, but the reduced reuptake from the portal vein to hepatocytes owing to repressed Ntcp and Oatp1a1 , and the decreased bile acid efflux in hepatocytes as a results of inhibited Bsep , Ostalpha and Ostbeta. Meanwhile, decreased expressions of detoxification enzyme of SULT2A1 and the important regulators of FXR, PXR and HNF4α also contributed to the abnormal bile acids. In addition, O 3 promoted the conversion of AA into thromboxane A2 (TXA2) and 20-hydroxyarachidonic acid (20-HETE) in the liver by up-regulation of Fads2 , Cyp4a and Tbxas1 which resulting in decreased AA and linoleic acid (LA), and increased thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and 20-HETE in the serum. Furthermore, apparent hepatic chronic inflammation, fibrosis and abnormal function were found in ozone-exposed rats. These results indicated chronic ozone exposure could alter serum metabolites by interfering their metabolism in the liver, and inducing liver injury to aggravate metabolic disorders. [Display omitted] • Subchronic O 3 induces characteristic changes in serum metabolites of rats especially bile acids and arachidonic acid. • O 3 reduces reuptake of bile acids from the portal vein to hepatocytes by repressing Ntcp and Oatp1a1. • O 3 decreases bile acid efflux in hepatocytes by inhibiting Bsep, Ostalpha and Ostbeta. • O 3 promotes the conversion of AA into TXA2 and 20-HETE by up-regulating Fads2 , Cyp4a and Tbxas1 in liver. • O 3 induces hepatic inflammation, fibrosis and function disturbance which may mutually reinforce with abnormal metabolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mx (myxovirus resistance) is an important antiviral protein in the innate immune responses of vertebrates to microbial pathogens. In this study, we cloned and characterized Mx1 of black carp ( Mylopharyngodon piceus ). The full-length cDNA of black carp Mx1 (bcMx1) consists of 2781 nucleotides and the predicted bcMx1 protein contains 631 amino acids. bcMx1 contains a GTPase domain at the N-terminnus, a “central interactive domain” in the middle and a GTPase effector domain at the C-terminus. bcMx1 mRNA was constitutively transcribed in all tissues tested, including the heart, liver, spleen, kidney, intestine, muscle, skin and gill; and bcMx1 mRNA levels increased in all but the gill after grass carp reovirus (GCRV) or viraemia of carp virus (SVCV) infection. Quantitative PCR analysis of Mylopharyngodon piceus fin (MPF) cells indicated that bcMx1 mRNA levels increased after GCRV or SVCV infection at different multiplicities of infection (MOI). Western blotting demonstrated that the molecular weight of bcMx1 is ∼75 kDa and immunofluorescent staining data of both HeLa cells and EPC cells showed that bcMx1 is a cytosolic protein. EPC cells transfected with plasmid expressing bcMx1 showed increased antiviral activity against SVCV and GCRV. All our data suggest that bcMx1 is an antiviral protein in the innate immune response of the black carp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RIG-I like receptors (RLRs) detect cytosolic RNA virus components and initiate antiviral innate immune response through downstream signaling in vertebrates. In this paper, LGP2 of black carp ( Mylopharyngodon piceus ) has been cloned and characterized, which is a key member of RLR family. The full-length cDNA of black carp LGP2 (bcLGP2) comprises 2941 nucleotides and the predicted bcLGP2 protein contains 682 amino acids. bcLGP2 shares core homologous structural domains of RLRs, including a N-terminnal DExD/H helicase domain, a helicase superfamily c-terminal domain, and a C-terminal regulatory domain (CTD). bcLGP2 mRNA was constitutively detected in all selected tissues including heart, liver, spleen, kidney, intestine, muscle, skin, gill; and bcLGP2 mRNA level was increased in all the tissues except gill in response to GCRV or SVCV infection. Q-PCR of Mylopharyngodon piceus fin (MPF) cells demonstrated that bcLGP2 transcription was up-regulated by Poly (I:C) treatment, GCRV or SVCV infection, but not by LPS or PMA treatment. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the molecular weight of bcLGP2 was around 80 KDa; and the immunofluorescence staining of both HeLa cells and EPC cells showed that bcLGP2 was a cytosolic protein. EPC cells transfected with plasmid expressing bcLGP2 showed obviously improved antiviral ability against SVCV and GCRV. In general, these data support the conclusion that bcLGP2 functions importantly in the host antiviral innate immune response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triploid hybrid of gold fish ( Carassius auratus red var ., ♀, 2n = 100) and allotetroploid (♂, 2n = 100) displays much improved disease resistance than its parents. In this paper, one of the type I IFNs of triploid hybrid (3nIFNa) has been cloned and characterized. The full-length cDNA of 3nIFNa consists of 740 nucleotides and the predicted 3nIFNa protein contains 183 amino acids. The mRNA transcription of 3nIFNa was detected in all the selected tissues of triploid hybrid and was obviously enhanced after SVCV or GCRV infection. bcIFNa was detected in both whole cell lysate and supernatant media of HEK293T cells transfected with plasmids expressing bcIFNa. It is interesting that the pre-matured 3nIFNa is modified with N-linked glycosylation, which is located within the N-terminal signal peptide. EPC cells showed much-decreased cytopathic effect when treated with 3nIFNa-containing media or transfected with plasmid expressing 3nIFNa at 24 h before SVCV or GCRV infection; and the virus titers in these cells were much lower than those of the control EPC cells. All the above data support the conclusion that 3nIFNa is a secreted cytokine functioning in host innate immune response against virus invasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to explore the pathogenesis of autoimmune myocarditis induced by PD-1 inhibitors and their potential therapeutic targets. Mouse models of autoimmune myocarditis induced by PD-1 inhibitor in mouse models of polymyositis were established. The expression level of PD-1 and regulatory T cells (Tregs), CD4, CD8 + T cells, inflammation, apoptosis and autophagy-related factors, including IL-6, TGF-β, AMA-M2, Fas/FasL, LC3 and p62 were detected in peripheral blood , muscle or myocardium of mice in each group, using ELISA, RT-PCR, Western Blot and immunofluorescence. In addition, HE and TUNEL staining and ultrastructural scanning were performed on the myocardium of mice in each group. Results showed that the expression level of PD-1 in the two myositis groups was significantly lower than that in the control group, and the level of PD-1 was lower in the myocarditis group than that in the polymyositis group. In the myocardium, TGF-β, p62, and Tregs proportion showed the same expression level trend as PD-1, while CD8, IL-6, IL-10 and LC3 showed the opposite trend. Levels of Fas/FasL were significantly higher in both myositis groups, but were slightly lower in the myocarditis group, as was AMA-M2. Inflammation, apoptosis, and autophagy were observed in both myositis groups, but were more severe in the myocarditis group. In summary, the decreased expression level of PD-1 leads to decreased Tregs level in the myocardium, aggravated inflammatory response, apoptosis and autophagy, which may be the pathological mechanism of myocarditis induced by PD-1 inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transcription factor forkhead box D3 (FOXD3), widely studied as a transcriptional repressor in embryogenesis, participates in the carcinogenesis of many cancers. However, the expression pattern and role of FOXD3 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have not been well characterized. We report that FOXD3 is significantly downregulated in NSCLC cell lines and clinical tissues. FOXD3 overexpression significantly inhibits cell growth and results in G1 cell cycle arrest in NSCLC A549 and H1299 cells. In a xenograft tumor model, FOXD3 overexpression inhibits tumor growth and angiogenesis. Remarkably, expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was reduced in FOXD3 overexpression models both in vitro and in vivo . These findings suggest that FOXD3 plays a potential tumor suppressor role in NSCLC progression and represents a promising clinical prognostic marker and therapeutic target for this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cement stabilization is used extensively to remediate soils contaminated with heavy metals. However, previous studies suggest that the elevated zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) concentrations in the contaminated soils would substantially retard the cement hydration, leading to the deterioration of the performance of cement stabilized soils. This study presents a new binder, KMP, composed of oxalic acid-activated phosphate rock, monopotassium phosphate and reactive magnesia. The effectiveness of stabilization using this binder is investigated on soils spiked with Zn and Pb, individually and together. Several series of tests are conducted including toxicity characteristic leaching (TCLP), ecotoxicity in terms of luminescent bacteria test and unconfined compressive strength. The leachability of a field Zn- and Pb- contaminated soil stabilized with KMP is also evaluated by TCLP leaching test. The results show that the leached Zn concentrations are lower than the China MEP regulatory limit except when Zn and Pb coexist and for the curing time of 7 days. On the other hand, the leached Pb concentrations for stabilized soils with Pb alone or mixed Zn and Pb contamination are much lower than the China MEP or USEPA regulatory limit, irrespective of the curing time. The luminescent bacteria test results show that the toxicity of the stabilized soils has been reduced considerably and is classified as slightly toxic class. The unconfined compressive strength of the soils decrease with the increase in the Zn concentration. The stabilized soils with mixed Zn and Pb contaminants exhibit notably higher leached Zn concentration, while there is lower unconfined compressive strength relative to the soils when contaminated with Zn alone. The X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope analyses reveal the presence of bobierrite (Mg3(PO4) 2·8H2O) and K-struvite (MgKPO4·6H2O) as the main products formed in the KMP stabilized uncontaminated soils; the formation of hopeite (Zn3(PO4) 2·4H2O), scholzite (CaZn2(PO4) 2·2H2O), zinc hydroxide (Zn(OH)2), and fluoropyromorphite (Pb5(PO4)3F) in the soils are the main mechanisms for immobilization of Zn and Pb with the KMP binder. The change in the relative quantities of the formed phosphate-based products, with respect to the Zn concentration and presence of mixed Zn and Pb contaminants, can well explain the measured impact of the Zn concentration levels and presence of both Zn and Pb contaminants on the unconfined compressive strength of the KMP stabilized soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced myocardial contractile dysfunction is associated with a prominent decrease in myofilament Ca 2 + sensitivity, the underlying mechanisms have not yet been fully clarified. Phosphorylation of ventricular myosin light chain 2 (MLC-2v) facilitates actin–myosin interactions and enhances contractility, however, its level and regulation by cardiac MLC kinase (cMLCK) and cMLC phosphatase (cMLCP) in I/R hearts are debatable. In this study, the levels and/or effects of MLC-2v phosphorylation, cMLCK, cMLCP, and proteases during I/R were determined. Global myocardial I/R-suppressed cardiac performance in isolated rat hearts was concomitant with decreases of MLC-2v phosphorylation, myofibrillar Ca 2 + -stimulated ATPase activity, and cMLCK content, but not cMLCP proteins. Consistently, simulated I/R in isolated cardiomyocytes inhibited cell shortening, Ca 2 + transients, MLC-2v phosphorylation, and myofilament sensitivity to Ca 2 + . These observations were reversed by cMLCK overexpression, while the specific cMLCK knockdown by short hairpin RNA (shRNA) had the opposite effect. Moreover, the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2, a zinc-dependent endopeptidase) reversed IR-decreased cMLCK, MLC-2v phosphorylation, myofibrillar Ca 2 + -stimulated ATPase activity, myocardial contractile function, and myofilament sensitivity to Ca 2 + , while the inhibition or knockdown of cMLCK by ML-9 or specific shRNA abolished MMP-2 inhibition-induced cardioprotection. Finally, the co-localization in cardiomyocytes and interaction in vivo of MMP-2 and cMLCK were observed. Purified recombinant rat cMLCK was concentration- and time-dependently degraded by rat MMP-2 in vitro, and this was prevented by the inhibition of MMP-2. These findings reveal that the I/R-activated MMP-2 leads to the degradation of cMLCK, resulting in a reduction of MLC-2v phosphorylation, and myofibrillar Ca 2 + -stimulated ATPase activity, which subsequently suppresses myocardial contractile function through a decrease of myofilament Ca 2 + sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the spectral properties of the Sturm–Liouville operators generated by the differential expression L ( y ) = 1 w ( − ( p ( x ) y ′ ) ′ + υ ( x ) y ) with singular coefficients υ ( x ) in the sense of distributions. In particular, we study the operators with δ -type point interactions at the centers x k on the positive half line in terms of energy forms. Necessary and sufficient conditions and also simple sufficient conditions are given for the spectrum of the operators to be discrete. We also prove sufficient conditions on the stability of the continuous spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: External knowledge, such as lexicon of words in Chinese and domain knowledge graph (KG) of concepts, has been recently adopted to improve the performance of machine learning methods for named entity recognition (NER) as it can provide additional information beyond context. However, most existing studies only consider knowledge from one source (i.e., either lexicon or knowledge graph) in different ways and consider lexicon words or KG concepts independently with their boundaries. In this paper, we focus on leveraging multi-source knowledge in a unified manner where lexicon words or KG concepts are well combined with their boundaries for Chinese Clinical NER (CNER).Material and Methods: We propose a novel method based on relational graph convolutional network (RGCN), called MKRGCN, to utilize multi-source knowledge in a unified manner for CNER. For any sentence, a relational graph based on words or concepts in each knowledge source is constructed, where lexicon words or KG concepts appearing in the sentence are linked to the containing tokens with the boundary information of the lexicon words or KG concepts. RGCN is used to model all relational graphs constructed from multi-source knowledge, and the representations of tokens from multi-source knowledge are integrated into the context representations of tokens via an attention mechanism. Based on the knowledge-enhanced representations of tokens, we deploy a conditional random field (CRF) layer for named entity label prediction. In this study, a lexicon of words and a medical knowledge graph are used as knowledge sources for Chinese CNER.Results: Our proposed method achieves the best performance on CCKS2017 and CCKS2018 in Chinese with F1-scores of 91.88% and 89.91%, respectively, significantly outperforming existing methods. The extended experiments on NCBI-Disease and BC2GM in English also prove the effectiveness of our method when only considering one knowledge source via RGCN.Conclusion: The MKRGCN model can integrate knowledge from the external lexicon and knowledge graph effectively for Chinese CNER and has the potential to be applied to English NER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lecanicillium attenuatum is an important nematophagous fungus with potential as a biopesticide against plant-parasitic nematodes. The Pr1A-like cuticle-degrading protease ( Cdep1 ) gene originating from the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana was transformed into the nematophagous fungus L. attenuatum using a polyethylene-glycol mediated protoplast-based transformation system. Protease activity was increased 0.64- to 1.63-fold 2–10 d after growth in the transformed L. attenuatum . Inhibition of egg-hatching and J2 motility of soybean cyst nematodes ( Heterodera glycines ) by cell-free fungal culture filtrates were enhanced by 17–76% 2–14 d and 43–152% 1–13 d after incubation, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shewanella putrefaciens is an important specific spoilage organism (SSO) in seafood under low-temperature storage and can form biofilms on seafood processing-related contact surfaces, which exacerbates seafood spoilage and causes food safety problems. The characterization of and dynamic change in biofilms formed by Shewanella putrefaciens on three seafood processing-related contact surfaces were investigated in this study. An effective strategy to eliminate mature biofilms by acidic electrolysis water (AEW) was provided. Shewanella putrefaciens can form biofilms on glass, stainless steel and polystyrene, which are closely connected with surface properties such as hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity and surface roughness. AEW can be an excellent choice to clean mature biofilms formed by S. putrefaciens. AEW at a concentration of 3 g/L can remove almost all biofilms on the three common food contact materials tested. There is a bactericidal effect on the biofilm, reducing the possibility of secondary contamination. This study will contribute to promoting the application of AEW for controlling biofilms during seafood processing. • Using AEW to remove biofilm of seafood spoilage organism on food contact surfaces. • The AEW (3 g/L) removes almost all biofilms on three common food contact materials. • The application of AEW in the bacterial contamination control of seafood processing was provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The biogeographic dispersal has affected current local species richness of sky islands in the Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains. • Gaultheria ser. Trichophyllae mostly evolved toward higher longitudes (eastward), with the eastward intra-regional dispersals and westward inter-regional dispersals frequently occurred. • Frequent eastward intra-regional dispersals may be facilitated by paleo-drainages reorganization and monsoon intensification. • The dispersal time and distance, rather than frequency significantly influence the pattern of species richness of Gaultheria ser. Trichophyllae. In addition to topography and climate, biogeographic dispersal has been considered to influence plant diversity in the Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains (HHM), yet, the mode and tempo of sky island dispersal and its influence on species richness has been little explored. Through phylogenetic analysis of Gaultheria ser. Trichophyllae , a sky island alpine clade within the HHM, we test the hypothesis that dispersal has affected current local species richness. We inferred the dynamics of biogeographic dispersal with correlation tests on direction, distance, occurrence time, and regional species richness. We found that G. ser. Trichophyllae originated at the end of the Miocene and mostly dispersed toward higher longitudes (eastward). In particular, shorter intra-regional eastward dispersals and longer inter-regional westward dispersals were most frequently observed. We detected a prevalence of eastward intra-region dispersals in both glacial periods and interglacials. These dispersals may have been facilitated by the reorganization of paleo-drainages and monsoon intensification through time. We suggest that the timing of dispersal corresponding to glacial periods and the prevalence of intra-region dispersal, rather than dispersal frequency, most influenced the pattern of species richness of G. ser. Trichophyllae. This study facilitates a more comprehensive understanding of biodiversity in the sky islands within the HHM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the ammonia treatment, the pores created by the folds allow for electrolyte storage and facilitate ion transport. The interlayer spacing between MXene nanosheets widens due to the volume increase when water freezes. The generous ion transport paths and redox-active ammonium ions offer higher specific capacity and faster reaction kinetics. [Display omitted] Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene demonstrates excellent potential as an anode material for sodium-ion capacitors. However, the narrow interlayer spacing and self-stacking phenomenon limit its applicability. In this study, we demonstrate an easy two-step method involving freezing and crumpling of MXene nanosheets to improve their Na-ion storage via the addition of ammonium ions (referred to as FCM nanosheets). Flat MXene particles aggregate and undergo folding in an alkaline solution. Ammonium ions can penetrate the gaps between MXene nanosheets, expanding interlayer spaces and inducing the formation of folds. Compared to MXene nanosheets, FCM nanosheets exhibit improved ion transfer kinetics and additional high capacity owing to the intercalated ammonium ions. The manufactured FCM anode exhibits remarkable electrochemical properties, including a high specific capacity of 313 mAh g−1 and stability over 15,000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tributyltin (TBT), a widely and persistently distributed organontin, has been well documented to disrupt reproduction and behaviors in animals due to its anti-aromatase activity. TBT has been also reported to enhance anxiety in several fish species, whereas the mechanism underlying remains largely unknown. To investigate the disruption of TBT on fish anxiety and the mechanisms possibly involved, adult male zebrafish (Danio rerio) were treated with TBT (100 and 500 ng/L) for 28 days and anxiety behavior was further investigated using a novel tank dive test. Result showed that TBT treatment significantly enhanced the total time of the fish spent in the lower half, delayed the onset time to the higher half of the tank and increased the total duration of freezing of the fish, indicating an enhanced anxiety in TBT-treated fish. Accordingly, TBT sharply elevated the cortisol levels in plasma in a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting that the elevated cortisol level might be involved in the enhanced anxiety. Although the expression of crha was significantly increased and crhbp was significantly decreased in the brain of TBT-treated fish which is consistent to the elevated cortisol level, the expressions of actha and acthb were sharply down-regulated. In contrast, the expressions of genes responsible for the synthesis and action of serotonin (5-HT) (pet1 , thp2 and htr1aa), dopamine (DA) (th1 , slc6a3 , drd2a and drd2b) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) (gad2 and gabrg2) were all significantly inhibited. The down-regulation of these pivotal genes acting in 5-HT, DA and GABA neurotransmitter systems in response to TBT corresponded well with the TBT-enhanced anxiety in fish. It was thus strongly suggested that these neurotransmitters might be also involved in TBT-enhanced anxiety in adult male zebrafish. The present study extended our understanding of the neurotoxicity of TBT on the anxiety control and behavioral modulation in fish. Image 1 • TBT enhanced the anxiety responses in zebrafish male. • TBT elevated the plasma levels of cortisol. • TBT altered the expressions of genes in anxiety responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important task in digital preventive healthcare management, especially in the secondary prevention stage, active medication stocking refers to the process of preparing necessary medications in advance according to the predicted disease progression of patients. However, predicting preventive or even life-saving medicine for each patient is a non-trivial task. Existing models usually overlook the implicit hierarchical relation between patient's predicted diseases and medications, and mainly focus on single tasks (medication recommendation or disease prediction). To tackle this limitation, we propose a relation augmented hierarchical multi-task learning framework, named RAHM. which is capable of learning multi-level relation-aware patient representation for reasonable medication stocking. Specifically, the framework first leverages the underlying structural relations of Electronic Health Record (EHR) data to learn the low-level patient visit representation. Then, it uses a regular LSTM to encode the historical temporal disease information for disease-level patient representation learning. Further, a relation-aware LSTM (R-LSTM) is proposed to handle the relations between diseases and medication in longitudinal patient records, which can better integrate the historical information into the medication-level patient representation. In the learning process, two pseudo residual structures are introduced to mitigate the error propagation and preserve the valuable relation information of EHRs. To validate our method, extensive experiments have been conducted based on the real-world clinical dataset. The results demonstrate a consistent superiority of our framework over several baselines in suggesting reasonable stock medication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] In this paper, we have developed a simple and efficient sulfur-amine chemistry strategy to prepare a three-dimensional (3D) porous Ti 3 C 2 T x composite with large amounts of N and S terminal groups. The well-designed 3D macroporous architecture presents enlarged interlayer spacing, large specific surface area, and unique porous structure, which successfully solves the re-stacking issue of MXene during storage and electrode fabrication. It is the amount of concentrated hydrochloric acid added to the S-EDA (ethylenediamine)/MXene colloidal suspension that is critical to the formation of 3D morphology. In addition, N and S terminals on MXene could improve the adsorption ability of K+. Owing to the synergistic effect of the structure design and terminal modification, the N, S codoped three-dimensional porous Ti 3 C 2 T x (3D-NSPM) material shows a high surface capacitive contribution and rapid diffusion kinetics for K+ and Na+. As a result, the as-prepared 3D-NSPM delivers high reversible capacity (237 and 273 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 for PIBs and SIBs, respectively), superb cycling stability (84.9% capacity retention after 10,000 cycles at 1 A g−1 in PIBs and 74.0% capacity retention after 2200 cycles at 1 A g−1 in SIBs), and excellent rate capability (111 and 196 mAh g−1 at 5 A g−1 for PIBs and SIBs, respectively), which are superior to other MXene-based anodes for PIBs and SIBs. Moreover, the described strategy provides a new insight for constructing the 3D porous structure from 2D building blocks beyond MXene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First, we provide a necessary and sufficient condition of the existence of viscosity solutions of the nonlinear first order PDE F (x , u , D u) = 0 , x ∈ M , under which we prove the compactness of the set of all viscosity solutions. Here, F (x , u , p) satisfies Tonelli conditions with respect to the argument p and − λ ≤ ∂ F ∂ u < 0 for some λ > 0 , and M is a compact manifold without boundary. Second, we study the long time behavior of viscosity solutions of the Cauchy problem for w t + F (x , w , w x) = 0 , (x , t) ∈ M × (0 , + ∞) , from the weak KAM point of view. The dynamical methods developed in [13–15] play an essential role in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) belongs to the Zingiberaceae family of flowering plants, which originated in South-East Asia and has long been a popular culinary ingredient. It has been demonstrated that ginger contains a variety of nutrients, such as carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, minerals and vitamins, as well as health-promoting phytochemicals, mainly phenolic compounds and ginger essential oil. In addition, ginger has excellent antioxidant, antibacterial, and many other biological activities. Therefore, ginger has potential applications in functional food development, aquatic products and meat preservation, and food packaging. However, the full utilization of ginger's benefits and its incorporation into food products remain largely unexplored. Therefore, this review provides a comprehensive summary of the nutritional components, phytochemical compositions, biological properties, and potential applications of ginger in the food industry. [Display omitted] • The nutritional and phytochemical profiles of ginger are systematized. • The bioactive properties of ginger are discussed. • Ginger is underutilized plant with great potential for value-added products. • Ginger has the potential to develop functional foods. • Ginger is promising in the field of food preservation and food packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-omics strategy contributes as an indispensable and efficient approach for the investigation of the innate immunity in vertebrates. To explore the crucial genes and pathways involved in the antiviral innate immunity of black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus), the comparative phosphoproteomics and transcriptomics of Mylopharyngodon piceus kidney (MPK) cells with/without GCRV infection were performed in this manuscript. In phosphoproteomics analysis, 2637 phosphosites corresponding to 1532 proteins were identified and quantified, in which 1372 proteins were identified as differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) with 683 upregulated and 689 downregulated in GCRV infected cells. Functional annotation, enrichment analysis and pathway analysis highlighted that a large number of DEPs were enriched in immune related pathways including TLR pathway and NLR pathway. In transcriptomics analysis, a total of 2936 genes were identified as differentially expressed genes (DEGs), in which 2290 and 646 genes were upregulated and downregulated respectively after GCRV infection. As expected, pathway analysis based on DEGs also showed that a large proportion of DEGs were enriched in immune related pathways including TLR and RLR pathway. A combined list of DEPs and DEGs that enriched in above pathways were imported in Cytoscape for network analysis, reconstruction and visualization. The integrative study suggested that several significant DEPs and DEGs, such as MAP3K7 (TAK1), JUN, MAP2K2, CASP8, IL8 and IRF7 might be functionally crucial in host antiviral innate immunity. Thus, this study contributes as an indispensable reference map for the further investigation of the innate immune system of black carp. • The phosphoproteomics and transcriptomics analysis of MPK cells highlighted that a large number of DEPs were enriched in immune related pathways. • The integrative study suggested that TAK1, JUN and MAP2K2 functioned crucially in host antiviral innate immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a fixed point argument, we give a dynamical representation of the viscosity solution to Cauchy problem of certain weakly coupled systems of Hamilton-Jacobi equations with continuous initial datum. Using this formula, we obtain some regularity results related to the viscosity solution, including a partial extension of Lions' regularizing effect [17] to the case of weakly coupled systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Solubility of Anthraquione Disperse Dyestuffs SC-CO 2 was measured. • Temperature ranges of (343.15–373.15) K and pressures of (14.0–22.0) MPa. • Correlated and predicted by neural network model with input, hidden, and output layers. • Akaike's Information Criteria (AIC) was used to determine a minimum number of parameters in the neural network model. • Good agreement between the experimental and calculated values was obtained by the neural network model. The solubility of Disperse Violet 4, Disperse Violet 27, and Disperse Blue 72 were measured in supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO 2) over the temperature ranges of 343.15 K to 373.15 K and pressures of 14 MPa to 22 MPa. Also, the solubility of Disperse Red 11 in SC-CO 2 was obtained at the temperature of 343.15 K and pressure ranges of 14 MPa to 22 MPa and at the pressure of 14 MPa and temperatures of 343.15 K to 373.15 K, for an extension of the solubility results previously published. The neural network ANN formulated the experimental data in terms of temperature and pressure as input layers, solubility as the output layer, and the number of neurons in the hidden layer. The calculation results show that five different kinds of dyestuff solubility data at the temperature ranges of 343.15 K to 373.15 K, pressures of 14 MPa to 22 MPa as well as the solubility data of Disperse Red 4 and Disperse Red 15 taken from the previous work could be estimated accurately by BP neural network with a fitting level of 0.999. Moreover, the solubility data were correlated with eight different kinds of empirical models proposed previously and compared with those calculated by the ANN. It was found that the ANN model could represent the solubility of anthraquinone dyestuffs in SC-CO 2 better than the empirical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The carbonized recycled melamine sponge obtained excellent low-cost porous matrix. • FeNi@NCS shows lower reaction potential and higher electron transfer ability on UOR. • Successfully assembled the DBHPFC using urine as fuel. • DUHPFC presents excellent open circuit voltage. The direct urea fuel cell (DUFC) is a power generation equipment with urea-rich wastewater or urine as fuel source. It has the unique ability to purify sewage while simultaneously generating electricity, making it a highly efficient and environmentally friendly option. In this paper, pomegranate seed-like Ni nano-blocks and Fe nanosheets were synthesized by electrodeposition and chemical reduction and attached to the carbonized melamine sponge matrix. The N -doped carbon sponge (NCS) provided a large number of polyhedral holes, which allowed for efficient gas escape through channels. The combination of Fe reduces the initial urea oxidation potential, reaction activation energy and reaction resistance. The synthesized FeNi supported on N -doped carbon sponge composite (FeNi@NCS) has a catalytic current density of 625 mA cm−2 and a Tafel slope of 42.51 mV dec−1 for urea electrooxidation reaction (UOR). Assembling the direct urine-hydrogen peroxide fuel cell (DUrHPFC) resulted in the highest performance output. The open circuit voltage (OCV) was 0.98 V, and the peak power density reached 9.61 mW cm−2. The results show that the prepared catalyst provides an opportunity to solve the problems that hinder the development of urea green cycle at present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The emerging aqueous Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) with their low price and inherent safety are showing strong competitiveness in the energy storage field. In this work, layer-by-layer stacked amorphous V 2 O 5 @Ti 3 C 2 T x heterostructures anchored on three-dimensional carbon cloth (3D CC), synthesized by annealing process and subsequent in-situ electrochemical induction, are reported as high capacity and stable cathode for ZIBs. In this composite cathode, amorphous V 2 O 5 @Ti 3 C 2 T x synergistic heterostructure provides isotropic Zn2+ migration channels and rapid electron transfer kinetics, while the 3D CC substrate can ensure that the bulk phase in the electrode material is also utilized to maximize the synergistic effect. As a result, the CC/a-V 2 O 5 @Ti 3 C 2 Ti x cathode achieves a high specific capacity of 567 mAh/g at 0.1 A/g, a satisfactory rate performance of 213 mAh/g at 10 A/g, together with a long cycle life of 96.2 % capacity retention after 2000 cycles. Ex-situ characterizations show that the CC/a-V 2 O 5 @Ti 3 C 2 T x cathode undergoes a highly reversible Zn2+/H+ co-intercalation/deintercalation mechanism during the discharge/charging process. In addition, based on the CC/a-V 2 O 5 @Ti 3 C 2 T x cathode, the assembled flexible ZIB can operate properly under different bending degrees, showing its practicality in flexible devices. This work provides insight into the rational design of cathode materials with high Zn-storage performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel chymotrypsin inhibitor, named ClCI, was purified from coix seed (Coix lacryma-jobi L.) by aqueous two-phase extraction, chymotrypsin–Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography and centrifugal ultrafiltration. ClCI was a 7.9 kDa competitive inhibitor with pI 6.54. The inhibition constants (K i) for bovine pancreatic chymotrypsin and bacterial subtilisin were 1.27 × 10−10 M and 1.57 × 10−9 M respectively. ClCI had no inhibitory activity against bovine trypsin and porcine elastase. ClCI had wide pH stability and good heat resistance. It can maintain >90% inhibition activity against chymotrypsin at 20–80 °C for 1 h. The primary structure of ClCI was highly similar (57%–92%) to those of several inhibitors belonging to the Gramineae crop potato protease inhibitor- I superfamily and showed the typical sequence motif of the protease inhibitor of the seed storage protein group. ClCI (12.5 mg) inhibited mycelial growth of the phytopathogenic fungi Mycosphaerella melonis, Helminthosporium turcicum , Alternaria solani , Phytophthora capsici, Isariopsis griseola, and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides , and caused 89% inhibition of the proteases from spore germination of plant-pathogenic fungi. The results of the present study indicate that ClCI had biotechnological potential as an alternative agent to combat the important phytopathogenic fungi. Unlabelled Image • A novel ClTI (Coix lacryma-jobi L. trypsin inhibitor) was identified and characterized. • ClTI is a member of the Gramineae crop potato inhibitor superfamily. • ClTI inhibited the mycelium growth and spore germination of the phytopatogenic fungus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is terrible damage leading to the deficiencies and results in infinite inconvenience to sufferers. The effective treatment for SCI still meets a larger number of problems. Herein, the underlying molecular mechanism and novel therapy of SCI are urgently to investigate. Arachidonate 12-lipoxygenase (ALOX12) is widely expressed in various cell types and plays important role in modulating different cellular processes, such as platelet aggregation, cell migration and cancer cell proliferation. Nevertheless, the effects of ALOX12 on SCI are unclear. In the study, SCI model was established in wild type (WT) mice and ALOX12 knockout mice. First, ALOX12 expression was up-regulated in spinal cord tissues of WT mice after SCI. ALOX12-knockout mice exhibited improved behavior after SCI operation. Glial activation triggered by SCI was also alleviated in mice with the loss of ALOX12, as evidenced by the down-regulated expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and Iba-1 in spinal cord samples. Further, SCI-induced inflammation was markedly prevented in ALOX12-knockout mice through blocking inhibitor of NF-κB α (IκBα)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway signaling. Additionally, reducing ALOX12 expression attenuated apoptosis in spinal cord tissues of SCI mice by decreasing Cyto-c, cleaved Caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARP) expression. The protective role of ALOX12-decrease against SCI was verified in LPS-incubated glial cells through repressing inflammatory response and apoptotic formation. Moreover, transgenic mice with ALOX12 over-expression showed accelerated SCI, associated with intensified inflammation and apoptosis. Based on these results, strategies for inhibiting ALOX12 could be used to prevent SCI development by repressing inflammation and apoptosis. • ALOX12 deletion attenuates locomotor function in SCI-induced mice. • ALOX12 down-regulation attenuates in SCI-induced apoptosis. • ALOX12 deficiency improves SCI-induced inflammatory response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The N, S dual-doped porous graphitic carbon materials with the high graphitization degree were synthesized from the light fraction of coal tar pitch and waste sponge through a facile "killing two birds with one stone" process. The suitable N and S doping not only can provide extra electroactive sites, but also can improve the storage capacity of Zn ions through the decrease in E a value for LC-750 cathode. [Display omitted] • The N, S dual-doped porous graphitic carbon is prepared via a "killing two birds with one stone" strategy. • The LC-750 exhibits superior pore structures and high graphitization degree. • The LC-750 cathode shows high capacity and excellent performance in AZICs. • The N and S incorporation enhances the Zn2+ adsorption ability and charge transfer behavior. Emerging aqueous zinc–ion hybrid capacitors (AZICs) are considered a promising energy storage because of their superior electrochemical performance. The pore structure, suitable heteroatom content, and graphitization degree (GD) of carbon-based cathodes significantly influence the electrochemical performance of AZICs. The N, S dual-doped porous graphitic carbon materials (LC-750) with the combined characteristics of high GD (1.11) and large specific surface area (1678.38 m2 g−1) are successfully developed by a facile "killing two birds with one stone" strategy using K 3 Fe(C 2 O 4) 3 ·3H 2 O as the activating and graphitizing agent, and waste sponge (WS) and coal tar pitch (CTP) as the heteroatom and carbon resource, respectively. Results show that the LC-750 cathode displays high capacities of 185.3 and 95.2 mAh g−1 at 0.2 and 10 A g−1. Specifically, the assembled LC-750//Zn capacitor can offer a maximal energy density of 119.5 Wh kg−1, a power density of 20.3 kW kg−1, and a capacity retention of 87.8% after 15,000 cycles at 10 A g−1. Density functional theory simulations demonstrate that N and S dual-doping can promote the adsorption kinetics of Zn ions. This design strategy is a feasible and cost-effective method for the preparation of dual heteroatom-doped graphitic carbon electrodes, which enables recycling of WS and CTP into high-valued products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A broad range of cytokines are secreted during the inflammatory response by the immune system. Some cytokines promote inflammation, while others inhibit inflammation. Inflammatory cytokines work in harmony when they encounter external pathogens or internal dangers. Inflammation is resolved after the cause is eliminated. However, if the cause persists, it can lead to significant diseases. The pro-inflammatory cytokine TNFα is a biomarker for the inflammatory response. The AO herbal mixture extracted from 10 medicinal herbs has been investigated for its ability to control the inflammatory process and to inhibit TNFα activity. To find the treatment for inflammation related diseases, we examined whether the AO herbal extract is able to affect the activities of other cytokines. Here we present that the AO herbal extract is able to inhibit pro-inflammatory factor activities including IL-1α. However, it does not affect the activities of IL-1β and IL-6. Interestingly, it promotes the activity of anti-inflammatory factors including IL-4 and IL-13. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Exploring capable and universal electrode materials could promote the development of alkalis (Li, Na, K) ion batteries. 2D MXene material is an ideal host for the alkalis (Li, Na, K) ion storage, but its electrochemical performance is limited by serious re-stacking and aggregation problems. Herein, we cleverly combined electrostatic self-assembly with gas-phase vulcanization method to successfully combine Ti 3 C 2 T x -MXene with ultra-long recyclability and high conductivity with MnS, which presents high specific capacity but poor conductivity. The as-prepared 3D hierarchical Ti 3 C 2 T x /MnS composites have an unique sandwich-like constituent units. The tiny MnS nanoparticles are restricted between the Ti 3 C 2 T x layers and play a key role in expanding the Ti 3 C 2 T x interlayer spacing. As a result, the 3D Ti 3 C 2 T x /MnS composites as the anode of LIBs exhibits a superior capacities of 826 and 634 mAh/g after 1000 and 3000 cycles at 0.5 and 1.0 A/g, respectively. More importantly, we reveal the reaction mechanism that the specific capacity first increases and then gradually stabilizes with the increase of charge and discharge cycle times when the as-prepared 3D Ti 3 C 2 T x /MnS was used as the anode of LIBs. In addition, we have also used this material in SIBs and PIBs and achieved remarkable electrochemical capability, with a specific capacity of 107 mAh/g after 2500 cycles at 0.5 A/g or 127 mAh/g after the 2000th cycle at 0.2 A/g, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple lines of evidences have unraveled the emerging role of ferroptosis in the pathophysiological process of acute lung injury (ALI). In this study, we aimed to decipher the role of BACH1 in the onset and progression of ALI with a focus on ferroptosis and elucidated potential molecular mechanism. We observed that BACH1 expression was drastically elevated in BEAS-2B cells upon exposure to LPS. In the functional aspect, BACH1 deletion exerted an anti-inflammatory property, featured by decreased the secretion of several cytokines including TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in the face of LPS challenge. What's more important, BACH1 knockout evidently repressed LPS-triggered oxidative stress damage, as evidenced by reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and malondialdehyde (MDA) generation, accompanied with the elevated the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), GSH-Px and CAT. Meanwhile, ablation of BACH1 restrained LPS-elicited ferroptosis, as characterized by decreased iron content and PTGS2 expression, accompanied with increased expression of SLC7A11 and GPX4. In terms of mechanism, Nrf2/HO-1 signaling inhibitor effectively abrogated the beneficial effects of BACH1 inhibition on LPS-stimulated inflammation, oxidative damage and ferroptosis. Taken together, these preceding outcomes strongly illuminated that BACH1 was a novel regulator of LPS-evoked injury through regulation of inflammation response, oxidative stress and ferroptosis via activation Nrf2/HO-1 signaling, indicating that BACH1 may represent as a promising novel therapeutic candidate for ALI treatment. • BACH1 was aberrantly expressed in LPS-induced bronchial epithelial cells. • Deficiency of BACH1 mitigated LPS-elicited inflammatory response, oxidative stress damage and ferroptosis of BEAS-2B cells. • Interference of BACH1 protected against LPS-evoked injury via the activation of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]