Search

Malachite is one of the most important copper-bearing oxide minerals; however, it shows poor floatability prior to sulfidization under the thiol collector system. This study investigated the reasons for the low recovery of malachite flotation without sulfidization. The results of adsorption capacity and contact angle test indicated that the malachite surface could adsorb a sufficient amount of the collector, obviously increasing the hydrophobicity of the malachite surface under static conditions. By measuring the amount of inorganic carbon in the flotation solution, it was found that the amount of inorganic carbon in the solution increased significantly when the thiol collectors were added into pulp, which could be attributed to the induced dissolution of the malachite surface by thiol collectors. Solubility tests further demonstrated that the copper ions released from the natural dissolution of malachite proved difficult in regard to reactions with thiol collector to form precipitates; however, the thiol collector induced the dissolution of malachite surface, and so the hydrophobic complexes' copper-collector could not firmly adsorb on the mineral surface. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis revealed that thiol collectors do not adsorb stably on malachite surfaces. This was considered to be a substantial reason for the poor performance of malachite flotation without sulfidization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest microclimates can contrast substantially from the macroclimate outside forests. These microclimates regulate understory biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Studies have quantified the global patterns and driving factors of forest understory temperature offsets, but data from China were almost missing, making the global assessment incomplete. To fill this knowledge gap, we quantitatively synthesized 494 paired observations from China extracted from 91 publications to quantify mean (Tmean), maximum (Tmax) and minimum temperature offsets (Tmin). Results showed that (1) forest canopies significantly buffered understory Tmean and Tmax against macroclimatic temperature, with average offsets of 1.0 and 1.5°C, respectively, while understory Tmin offsets were not significantly different from zero; (2) forest type (broadleaved, mixed, vs. coniferous) and forest location (rural vs. urban) did not affect Tmean, Tmax or Tmin offsets, but climate zone and season showed significant impacts; and (3) macroclimatic temperature, wind speed, tree height and canopy density also impacted temperature offsets, although their effects varied among Tmean, Tmax and Tmin. Our results complement the global assessment of forest buffering capacity, and reiterate the necessity for incorporating microclimatic variability into future bioclimatic modelling of species demography and distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systematically understanding the theoretical implications of the planetary boundaries (PB) framework and expanding its application in the theoretical system of sustainable development is strategic for tracking the frontiers of international sustainable development research and extending the paths of China's sustainable development practice. Based on the implications and characteristics of the planetary boundaries framework, this study explores its value contribution in the field of sustainable development research from three aspects: thinking paradigm, evaluation methodology, and global governance. This framework deepens the understanding of the shift of the relationships between economy, society, and the environment from a growth model to an inclusive one through the quantifica-tion of the ' safe operating space' for human activities, exhibiting the characteristic of ' strong constraints.' The integration of quantifi-able boundaries with environmental sustainability assessment methods such as life cycle assessment, footprint family, and input-output analysis further develops the toolkits for sustainable development assessment. Moreover, the integration and application of the framework with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) system enhances the global influence of this theory. The concept of ecological civilization is a new paradigm and manifestation based on the crystallization of local experience, containing solid theoretical and practical foundations. It is an important point of departure for the localization of the PB framework and practice to dialectically understand its logical relationship with the idea of ecological civilization from the concepts, such as only one earth and rational growth, and the differences in the logical action. Based on these, the study puts forward new thoughts to further promote the implementation of China's sustainable development strategy. With the help of the PB framework, we can explore the modernization direction of the harmo-nious coexistence of human beings and nature, improve the basic cognition of this coexistence, and deepen its beneficial collision with China's environmental governance capabilities and modernization of governance system. Multi-dimensional explorations, such as expanding the research scale of SDGs-PB, heterogeneity adjustments, and strengthening data support, are conducive to promoting the organic integration of the PB framework with China's SDGs. We can give full play to the function of this framework as a methodological tool to support the realization of China's 'dual carbon' goals, focusing on the boundary constraints in the economic system of green, low-carbon, and recycling development and the setting of thresholds in the tasks of achieving the ' dual carbon' goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotional eating has emerged as a significant disordered eating and public health concern among adolescents. Despite the widespread prevalence of social networking site (SNS) use among this population, research investigating the influence of SNS use on adolescent eating behaviors remains limited. This study is to examine the impact of SNS use on emotional eating among Chinese adolescents, with a specific focus on exploring the mediating role of negative social comparisons and the moderating effect of perspective-taking. Data were obtained through an online survey involving 778 middle school students in China. The findings indicate that SNS use exerts a positive influence on adolescents' engagement in emotional eating, with this association being mediated by the presence of negative social comparisons. Perspective-taking demonstrated a protective role in the context of adolescents' utilization of social media platforms. For individuals characterized by high levels of perspective-taking, the effects of SNS use on negative social comparisons are mitigated, subsequently reducing its impact on emotional eating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is ranked the top otorhinolaryngology malignant tumors in the world. However, the general prognosis of recurrent and metastatic (R/M) nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPCs) remains poor, and current surgery and chemoradiotherapy do not generate satisfactory outcomes. Methods: As a new therapeutic choice, immunotherapy, especially with regard to the development of checkpoint inhibitors including PD-1 and CTLA-4 inhibitors have made considerable progress in recent years. As Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is associated with increased risk of NPC, EBV-related immunotherapy may lead to a breakthrough in advanced NPCs. Results: In this review, we summarized the clinical characters of NPC, and several past and ongoing clinical trials of checkpoint inhibitors and EBV-CTLs (CTLs: cytotoxic T lymphocytes) in R/M NPC immunotherapy. Conclusion: We conclude that although the evaluated effects of new immunotherapy drugs have brought us hope on NPC treatment, further phase II-III trials with larger samples are still required to improve the proportion and scheme of drug collocation for better clinical outcomes and less drug-related safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To comprehensively analyze the current research status, hot trends, and influencing factors of tourism carbon footprint, this paper conducts a bibliometric analysis. We find that (1) tourism carbon footprint is the topic with the highest attention in the field of tourism footprint research; (2) economic effects, tourism carbon footprint accounting methods, and the consciousness drive of each subject in the tourism industry are still important research directions; (3) tourism activity items such as accommodation and transportation are the main influencing factors while the behavioral preferences and characteristics of tourists, government and tourism operators become important directions for future empirical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication and associated with a poor clinical outcome. In this study, we developed and validated a model for predicting the risk of AKI through machine learning methods in critical care patients with acute cerebrovascular disease. This study was a retrospective study based on two different cohorts. Five machine learning methods were used to develop AKI risk prediction models. We used six popular metrics (AUROC, F2-Score, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and precision) to evaluate the performance of these models. We identified 2935 patients in the MIMIC-III database and 499 patients in our local database to develop and validate the AKI risk prediction model. The incidence of AKI in these two different cohorts was 18.3% and 61.7%, respectively. Analysis showed that several laboratory parameters (serum creatinine, hemoglobin, white blood cell count, bicarbonate, blood urea nitrogen, sodium, albumin, and platelet count), age, and length of hospital stay, were the top ten important factors associated with AKI. The analysis demonstrated that the XGBoost had higher AUROC (0.880, 95%CI: 0.831–0.929), indicating that the XGBoost model was better at predicting AKI risk in patients with acute cerebrovascular disease than other models. This study developed machine learning methods to identify critically ill patients with acute cerebrovascular disease who are at a high risk of developing AKI. This result suggested that machine learning techniques had the potential to improve the prediction of AKI risk models in critical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A model comprising C/N/S-related bioprocesses was developed and evaluated. • Impact of H 2 S on MBfR/granular bioreactor performing anammox/n-DAMO was assessed. • H 2 S content in inflow gas (v/v: 0∼5%) did not significantly affect MBfR. • Influent H 2 S of granular bioreactor lowered TN removal or increased energy demand. The coupling between anammox and nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-DAMO) has been considered a sustainable technology for nitrogen removal from sidestream wastewater and can be implemented in both membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) and granular bioreactor. However, the potential influence of the accompanying hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) in the anaerobic digestion (AD)-related methane-containing mixture on anammox/n-DAMO remains unknown. To fill this gap, this work first constructed a model incorporating the C/N/S-related bioprocesses and evaluated/calibrated/validated the model using experimental data. The model was then used to explore the impact of H 2 S on the MBfR and granular bioreactor designed to perform anammox/n-DAMO at practical levels (i.e., 0∼5% (v/v) and 0∼40 g/S m3, respectively). The simulation results indicated that H 2 S in inflow gas did not significantly affect the total nitrogen (TN) removal of the MBfR under all operational conditions studied in this work, thus lifting the concern about applying AD-produced biogas to power up anammox/n-DAMO in the MBfR. However, the presence of H 2 S in the influent would either compromise the treatment performance of the granular bioreactor at a relatively high influent NH 4 +-N/NO 2 −-N ratio (e.g., >1.0) or lead to increased energy demand associated with TN removal at a relatively low influent NH 4 +-N/NO 2 −-N ratio (e.g., <0.7). Such a negative effect of the influent H 2 S could not be attenuated by regulating the hydraulic residence time and should therefore be avoided when applying the granular bioreactor to perform anammox/n-DAMO in practice. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steel structures often experience significant durability degradation over time due to extreme environments. To better understand the impact of chloride environments on the mechanical properties of steel compression members, accelerated corrosion tests were conducted on H-shaped steel short columns with applied current. Monotonic tensile tests were also performed on steel specimens, and axial compression tests were carried out on H-shaped steel short columns with varying degrees of corrosion. The results revealed that the corrosion rate increased with higher current intensity and longer electrification duration while changing with different chloride ion concentrations. As the corrosion rate increased, the steel material exhibited a linear decrease in yield strength, ultimate strength, and elastic modulus. Consequently, the mechanical properties of the H-shaped steel columns, such as stiffness, ductility coefficient, and load-bearing capacity, were adversely affected. Based on these findings, a predictive formula was proposed to estimate the ultimate load-bearing capacity of H-shaped steel columns with different degrees of corrosion in chloride salt environments. The experimental results were further validated through numerical simulations, and parameter analysis indicated a negative correlation between flange width-to-thickness ratio, web height-to-thickness ratio, and ultimate load-bearing capacity of H-shaped steel columns. Finally, a random corrosion pit generation algorithm is proposed, effectively simulating the actual corrosion pit distribution and calculating the ultimate bearing capacity of columns. • The deterioration model for mechanical properties with corrosion ratio and various parameters in accelerated corrosion tests, demonstrating a linear relationship. • Secondary development of Abaqus software using Python language to randomly generate corrosion pits on the surface of the model, making the numerical simulation results more accurate. • A random corrosion pit generation algorithm is proposed to simulate the actual corrosion pit distribution and obtain the ultimate bearing capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being a problem that has long plagued the field of electrochemical machining process, real-time and high precision monitoring of the interelectrode gap is a difficult task. In this research, we introduce a method for monitoring the interelectrode gap using a tool electrode equipped with an optical fiber sensor. This method does not require large numbers of parameters such as conductivity of the electrolyte, electric current density distribution, shape of the electrodes, etc. and therefore reduces the complexity of the monitoring system. The optical fiber, moving together with the tool, forms an open Fabry-Pérot interferometer consists of a reflection surface of the fiber end and a reflection surface of the workpiece. Additionally, we introduce a spectrum analysis method specifically designed for the Fabry-Pérot interferometer spectrum. This method provides the absolute distance between the optical fiber and the target, demonstrating robustness to noise and abrupt spectrum changes. Consequently, it can be utilized in harsh environments for high-precision distance monitoring, a task challenging for traditional methods using optical interferometers. With the proposed method, a difference of ±2.5 μm was achieved compared with demodulating the spectrum manually. The average process time of a spectrum with 16,001 sampling points and a distance resolution of 1 nm is 0.148 s. Real-time monitoring and control of an electrochemical machining process was also implemented. The interelectrode gap was successfully maintained at 200 ± 5 μm throughout the machining process and the final machining depth measured by the proposed method and an optical measurement system has a difference of 6 μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Investigated the impact of industrial robot adoption on GTFP in Chinese cities. • Employed the NDDF-GLPI and Bartik IV approach to estimate GTFP and the penetration of industrial robots. • Utilized a combination of two-way fixed effects models, mechanism analysis models, and quantile regression models for causal identification. • Industrial robot adoption enhances GTFP through energy saving, technological innovation, scale output, and industrial linkage. • The positive effect of industrial robots on GTFP is mitigated in areas with high pollution, while it is reinforced in regions with the development of green finance. This study investigates the impact of industrial robot adoption on Green Total Factor Productivity (GTFP) against the backdrop of increasing demand for both robot proliferation and green development utilizing urban panel data from Chinese cities spanning 2007–2019. Findings reveal that industrial robot adoption significantly improves GTFP, exerting its influence through mechanisms such as energy saving, technological innovation, scale output, and industrial linkages. Certain market factors moderate the influence of industrial robot on GTFP. Initially, regions reliant on high-pollution industries and resource-based cities experience minimal effects, which may diminish or even reverse as GTFP improves. Additionally, the positive influence of industrial robots on GTFP is particularly noticeable in regions with advanced development in green finance. This research is significant for understanding the connection between industrial robot adoption and green development at the urban level and for exploring pathways for green transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare earth elements (REEs) are exploited for global use in manufacturing. Such activities result in their release into the environment and the transformation into more stable phosphate deposition. The objective of this study was to evaluate molecular and behavioral changes of zebrafish exposed to the synthesized terbium phosphate (TbPO 4) at concentrations of 10, 20, and 50 mg/L and to determine its potential for neurotoxicity. Metabolomics related to neurotransmitters, and assessment of transcripts and proteins were conducted to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying TbPO 4 with emphasis on neurotransmitter systems. Exposure to 20 mg/L TbPO 4 induced larval hyperactivity and perturbed the cholinergic system in zebrafish. Based on metabolomics related to neurotransmitters, dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT), and many of their precursors and metabolites were decreased in abundance by TbPO 4. In addition, the expression levels of transcripts related to the synthesis, transport, receptor binding, and metabolism of DA and 5-HT were analyzed at the mRNA and protein levels. Transcript and protein levels for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme for DA synthesis, were down-regulated in larval fish. Monoamine oxidase (MAO), an enzyme that catabolizes monoamines DA and 5-HT, was also reduced in mRNA abundance. We hypothesize that DA synthesis and monoamine metabolism are associated with behavioral alterations. This study elucidates putative mechanisms and exposure risks to wildlife and humans by characterizing phosphatic REE-induced neurotoxicity in developing zebrafish. [Display omitted] • TbPO 4 (20 mg/L) was able to induce several sub-lethal effects in zebrafish larvae. • Induced hyperactivity and altered cholinergic system were observed in zebrafish. • Metabolomics suggested that both dopamine and serotonin were significantly reduced. • Tyrosine hydroxylase was down-regulated at both transcription and protein levels. • Mechanism for the disruption on neurotransmitter systems by TbPO 4 was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tall buildings can affect the seismic safety of shorter buildings in their vicinities. Majority of the studies have investigated such influences by analyzing the structure-soil-structure interactions in the local vicinity. Considering the large mass and long fundamental period of tall buildings, perturbations during earthquakes can affect a very broad area. Therefore, it is important to investigate the influence of tall buildings from a city-scale perspective. Using the Shanghai Central Business District (CBD) area as an example, this study quantified the influence of tall buildings on the seismic responses of sites and buildings using a nonlinear time history analysis. Different earthquake intensities and building configurations were analyzed, and the effects of tall buildings on the ground motion energies, building responses, and damage states were investigated. These findings indicate the need to consider the seismic safety of shorter buildings surrounded by taller ones. • Site-city interactions considering both building and site nonlinearity are analyzed. • Influence by existence of one tall building is analyzed on a city scale. • Ground velocity can increase by 30% at regions surrounded by tall buildings. • Existence of a tall building may increase responses of an 800-m-away building by 10%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic feasibility is important for the development of microalgae bioenergy industry. Dark fermentation of microalgal residue in a biorefinery context can improve the energy conversion efficiency of biomass and reduce the cost of microalgae industry. The present study proposes a promising dark fermentation model that combines thermophilic hydrogen-producing bacteria with algal residue substrates. Lipid-extracted Dunaliella residue can greatly improve hydrogen production by Thermococcus eurythermalis A501, the yields of which are more than four times higher than with algal cells as substrates. Under the optimal conditions of 2.5 g/L algal residue concentration and a 2:1 initial volume ratio of gas to liquid, the highest hydrogen yields of 192.35 and 183.02 mL/g volatile solid (VS) with algal residue of Dunaliella primolecta and D. tertiolecta are obtained, respectively, in less than 19 h without any pretreatment. This work may provide a biorefinery approach for comprehensive utilization of microalgae resources. • T. eurythermalis A501 with Dunaliella biomass is an efficient H 2 production mode. • Lipid-extracted Dunaliella algal residue can greatly improve the H 2 production. • Algal concentration at 2.5 g/L and gas-liquid ratio at 2:1 reached optimal H 2 yield. • 192.35 mL/g VS H 2 yield was obtained by T. eurythermalis A501 without pretreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holter usually monitors electrocardiogram (ECG) signals for more than 24 hours to capture short-lived cardiac abnormalities. In view of the large amount of Holter data and the fact that the normal part accounts for the majority, it is reasonable to design an algorithm that can automatically eliminate normal data segments as much as possible without missing any abnormal data segments, and then take the left segments to the doctors or the computer programs for further diagnosis. In this paper, we propose a preliminary abnormal segment screening method for Holter data. Based on long short-term memory (LSTM) networks, the prediction model is established and trained with the normal data of a monitored object. Then, on the basis of kernel density estimation, we learn the distribution law of prediction errors after applying the trained LSTM model to the regular data. Based on these, the preliminary abnormal ECG segment screening analysis is carried out without R wave detection. Experiments on the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database show that, under the condition of ensuring that no abnormal point is missed, 53.89% of normal segments can be effectively obviated. This work can greatly reduce the workload of subsequent further processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For pure rotational Raman temperature-measurement lidar, the suppression of elastic signals has always been a core technical issue. In practice, however, the surge of aerosol concentration, such as mist, haze, and short-time air pollution, tends to cause the intensity of the elastic scattering light to exceed the generally applicable suppression ratio of the lidar system, and the leaked elastic signal will result in some distortions of the Raman signals, especially in the near-field region. To solve this problem, here we propose to correct the signal distortion by forming a correction coefficient from the expression of the signal intensity ratio of the two Raman channels, which has been proven to be highly correlated with the intensity of the elastic signals. Simulated and experimental verification have been performed on the proposed method. The results demonstrated that using this coefficient to correct the Raman data will significantly improve the signal quality and the corresponding temperature inversion accuracy. Meanwhile, the correction coefficient can also be applied to modify the lidar returns in a similar atmospheric environment so as to enhance the detecting performance of the pure rotational Raman lidar in polluted air condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A fluorescence-Mie lidar for observing fluorescent aerosols was developed in Beijing. • The spatio-temporal variability of fluorescent aerosols in the lower atmosphere was investigated. • The LIF results was validated by backward trajectories and local pollutants emission data. • The mean ratio of LIF-to-Mie is good correlated with PM2.5 concentration. Abstract An integrated fluorescence-Mie lidar was built to observe fluorescent aerosol at the altitude below 1.5 km. It was constructed with the third harmonic of Nd:YAG laser (355 nm), a Newtonian telescope and two single-channel photomultiplier tubes. Based on the Mie scattering theory and laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) theory, the vertical distribution of fluorescent aerosol was retrieved by the LIF-to-Mie signal ratio. As a common factor, the geometric form factor of the system was cancelled out when dividing LIF signal by Mie signal, therefore the high-precision of the LIF-to-Mie signal ratio was obtained in the lower atmosphere. After continuous observations under different air quality conditions, the time-height indications of fluorescent aerosol were obtained. The fluorescence efficiency was preliminary estimated. By combining the backward trajectories analysis and the local emission data of SO 2 and NO 2 , the time-height indications were analyzed for investigating the sources of fluorescent aerosol. The correlation between PM2.5 concentration and the mean value of LIF-to-Mie signal ratio was also studied. The good agreement between the results indicate that the above mentioned method can be employed to analyze the spatio-temporal distribution of fluorescent aerosol and has a great potential in meteorological application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nucleophosmin is a non-ribosomal nucleolar phosphoprotein that is found primarily in the nucleolus region of cell nucleus, plays multiple important roles in tumor processes. Accumulated previous studies have reported a potential value of NPM acted as a biomarker for prognosis in various solid tumors, but the results were more inconsistency. We performed this meta-analysis to precisely evaluate the prognostic significance of NPM in solid tumors.Methods: Clinical data were collected from a comprehensive literature search in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases (up to October, 2017). A total of 11 studied with 997 patients were used to assess the association of NPM expression and patients' overall survival (OS). The hazard ratio (HR) or odds ratio (OR) with its 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to estimate the effect.Results: The pooled results indicated that higher expression of NPM was observably correlated with poor OS in solid tumor (HR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.44-2.38, P < 0.001). Furthermore, high expression of NPM was associated with some phenotypes of tumor aggressiveness, such as tumor stage (4 studies, III/IV vs. I/II, OR = 5.21, 95% CI: 2.72-9.56, P < 0.001), differentiation grade (poor vs. well/moderate, OR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.01-3.27, P = 0.046).Conclusion: This meta-analysis indicated that NPM may act as a valuable prognosis biomarker and a potential therapeutic target in human solid tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a serious obstacle in breast cancer patients which limits chemotherapeutic drugs application. Our previous study confirmed that overexpression of nucleophosmin (NPM) was closely related to MDR in methotrexate-resistant breast cancer cells (MCF-7/MTX), and NPM could be a potential therapeutic target for chemoresistance. In this work, we aim to investigate NPM-mediated resistance mechanism in breast carcinoma. The NPM level was strongly positive in breast carcinoma tissues compared with adjacent normal samples, which was associated with lymph node metastasis. We found abnormal expression of NPM activated PI3K/Akt pathway and affected downstream apoptosis factors. Then, NPM level was attenuated by RNA interfering technology, the sensitivity of MCF-7/MTX cells to methotrexate was obviously increased, factor level of mitochondria apoptosis pathway was significantly augmented, and Akt phosphorylation was inhibited. Furthermore, examination of Akt and NPM level demonstrated that Akt inhibitor MK-2206 sensitised resistant cells to methotrexate and induced MCF-7/MTX cell apoptosis by PI3K/Akt pathway and mitochondria apoptosis pathway. These suggested NPM-induced resistance and anti-apoptosis were required for Akt activity. NPM has a crucial function in MDR of breast cancer through influencing Akt activity and resistant cell apoptosis, and it could be expected to become a therapeutic target for chemoresistance in breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Understanding the complex interplay among protein coding genes and regulatory elements requires rigorous interrogation with analytic tools designed for discerning the relative contributions of overlapping genomic regions. To this aim, we offer a novel application of Bayesian variable selection (BVS) for classifying genomic class level associations using existing large meta-analysis summary level resources. This approach is applied using the expectation maximization variable selection (EMVS) algorithm to typed and imputed SNPs across 502 protein coding genes (PCGs) and 220 long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that overlap 45 known loci for coronary artery disease (CAD) using publicly available Global Lipids Gentics Consortium (GLGC) (Teslovich et al., 2010; Willer et al., 2013) meta-analysis summary statistics for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). The analysis reveals 33 PCGs and three lncRNAs across 11 loci with [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A calibration method is proposed to invert the extinction coefficient for Fernald and Klett inversion by using the particle backscattering coefficient inversed with Raman and Elastic return signals. The calibration method is analyzed theoretically and experimentally, the inversion accuracy can be improved by removing the dependence on reference altitudes and intervals in conventional calibration methods, which resulted from the introduction of backscattering coefficient with relatively higher accuracy obtained by Raman–Mie inversion method. The standard deviation of this new calibration method can be reduced by about 20×, compared to that of the conventional calibration methods of Fernald and Klett inversion. And, the more stable effective inversed range with this new calibration method can be obtained by removing the dimple phenomenon in clouds position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• ZnONPs induced metabolic and bioenergetic responses in female and male zebrafish. • The metabolic responses to the energetic stress in zebrafish livers were sex-specific. • Females compensated for the stress via increasing fatty acids metabolism. • Males compensated to ZnONPs exposure by adjusting amino acids metabolism in livers. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) are widespread pollutants that are present in diverse environmental samples. Here, we determined metabolomic and bioenergetic responses in the liver of female and male zebrafish exposed to a prolonged environmentally relevant concentration of ZnONPs. Metabolome analysis revealed that exposure to 500 μg/L ZnONPs reduced the abundance of metabolites in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle by modulating the activities of rate-limiting enzymes α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and isocitrate dehydrogenase. Moreover, oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) was negatively impacted in the liver based upon decreased activities of mitochondrial Complex I and V in both female and male livers. Our results revealed that bioenergetic responses were not attributed to dissolved Zn2+ and were not sex-specific. However, the metabolic responses in liver following exposure to ZnONPs did show sex-specific responses. Females exposed to ZnONPs compensated for the energetic stress via increasing fatty acids and amino acids metabolism, while males compensated to ZnONPs exposure by adjusting amino acids metabolism, based upon transcript profiles. This study demonstrates that zebrafish adjust the transcription of metabolic enzymes in the liver to compensate for metabolic disruption following ZnONPs exposure. Taken together, this study contributes to a comprehensive understanding of risks related to ZnONPs exposure in relation to metabolic activity in the liver. Environmental implication Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) are widely used in industry and are subsequently released into environments. However, biological responses between female and male following ZnONPs exposure has never been compared. Our data revealed for the first time that female and male zebrafish showed comparable bioenergetic responses, but different metabolic responses to ZnONPs at an environmentally relevant dose. Females compensated for the energetic stress via increasing fatty acids and amino acids metabolism, while males compensated to ZnONPs exposure by adjusting amino acids metabolism in livers. This study reveals that sex may be an important variable to consider in risk assessments of nanoparticles released into environments. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Laser-induced fluorescence spectra in Olive oil classifications. • Olive oil classification using 1-dimensional convolutional neural networks. • A dual-convolutional structure within one convolution-pooling process. • Classification comparison of deep learning method and support vector machine. Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectroscopy is widely used for the analysis and classification of olive oil. This paper proposes the classification of LIF data using a specific 1-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN) model, which does not require pre-processing steps such as normalisation or denoising and can be flexibly applied to massive data. However, by adding a dual convolution structure (Dual-conv) to the model, the features of the 1-dimensional spectra are more scattered within one convolution-pooling process; thus, the classification effects are improved. The models were validated through an olive oil classification experiment which contained a total of 72,000 sets of LIF spectra data, and the classification accuracy rate reached ∼99.69%. Additionally, a common classification approach, the support vector machine (SVM), was utilised for the comparison of the results. The results show that the neural networks perform better than the SVM. The Dual-conv model structure has a faster convergence speed and higher evaluation parameters than those of the 1D-CNN in the same period of iterations, without increasing the data dimension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The laying performance of geese is mainly determined by follicular development and atresia, while follicular status is regulated by photoperiod. To understand the effect of photoperiod on the development of goose follicles, artificial light was used to change the photoperiod. In this study, ten healthy 220-day-old Zhedong white geese (Anser Cygnoides) with similar body weights and similar reproductive start times were reared for 60 days under long photoperiod (15 L:9 D) and short photoperiod (9 L:15 D) artificial light with the intensity controlled at 30 lux, and follicles were collected. Follicle development was analyzed by observing the morphology of follicle tissue, the localization of autophagosomes and autolysosomes, and the expression levels of apoptosis-related protein factors. Small white follicles (SWFs) were selected for RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis of the transcriptome. Under a long photoperiod, microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) and Caspase-3 were expressed in the granulosa cell layer and oocytes, respectively. LC3 and Caspase-3 protein expression was increased in SWF and large white follicles (LWFs), and there were more autophagosomes and autolysosomes in granulosa cells. RNA-seq found 93 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the short-photoperiod group, including 55 upregulated DEGs and 38 downregulated DEGs, distributed in 37 gene ontology categories. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes-enriched signaling pathways revealed 5 pathways enriched in upregulated DEGs, including protein digestion and absorption, ECM-receptor interaction and regulation of lipolysis in adipocytes, and 4 pathways enriched in downregulated DEGs, such as fatty acid biosynthesis. Ten differentially expressed genes related to extracellular matrix and fatty acid metabolism (THBS2, COL12A1, MRC2, TUBA, COL1A1, COL11A1, HSPG2, FABP, MGLL , and OLAH) may be involved in the photoperiod regulation of follicle development in Zhedong white geese. The differentially expressed genes screened in this study will provide new ideas to further understand the molecular mechanism underlying photoperiod-mediated regulation of follicle development in Zhedong white geese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Dual-wavelength-excitation fluorescence spectra detection of aerosol stream. • Fluorescence signals from two bands received by bifurcated fiber bundle. • Self-developed combined spectrometer with time-sharing detection. • A 32-channel PMT as the detector, resolution of 6 nm/channel for both bands. • Detection of two band fluorescence spectra of six kinds of samples. We developed a dual-wavelength-excitation aerosol fluorescence spectra detection device prototype. In our system, the 263 nm and 355 nm lasers are used to sequentially excite the fluorescence of aerosol stream, which is located spatially and temporally by two crossed infrared lasers; a bifurcated fiber bundle is applied to receive the fluorescence spectra of 274–463 nm and 374–565 nm. Besides, with a 32-channel photomultiplier tube as detector, a self-developed combined spectrometer with Czerny-Turner design is employed to detect the two band spectra in a preset timing sequence. Experiments show that the system can detect the fluorescence spectra, after dual-wavelength-excitation, of three intrinsic fluorophore samples and three bioaerosol samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method for the rapid characterization of motor oil by laser-induced fluorescence and phosphorescence is reported using a fluorescence spectrometer and an intensified charge coupled device camera. The fluorescence and phosphorescence spectra were able to classify motor oil brands using 355-nm laser excitation with multivariate analysis methods. The recognition rate was up to 100%. This approach offers high sensitivity and accuracy for rapid quality characterization of motor oil. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A new laser-induced fluorescence method is presented to classify brands of motor oil. A 266-nanometer radiation was employed to collect sixty sets of fluorescence spectra for each brand. Cluster analysis and support vector machine were employed to distinguish motor oils with principal component analysis, which was applied to extract spectral characteristics. The recognition accuracy was up to 100 percent. The results demonstrate that laser-induced fluorescence offers rapid response, high recognition, and high sensitivity for the classification of motor oils. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the paper, a method to obtain a broadband, astigmatism-corrected spectrometer based on the existing Czerny–Turner spectrometer is proposed. The theories of astigmatism correction using a toroidal lens and a special filter are described in detail. Performance comparisons of the modified spectrometer and the traditional spectrometer are also presented. Results show that with the new design the RMS spot radius in sagittal view is one-eightieth of that in the traditional spectrometer over a broadband spectral range from 300 to 700 nm, without changing or moving any optical elements in the traditional spectrometer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A straightforward method is presented for the determination of the geometric form factor in Raman–Mie lidar by using elastic backscatter signal from different altitudes and derived particle backscatter coefficients. The theory is briefly described. The error of this method is discussed and a comparison with the method proposed by Wandinger and Ansmann indicates the improved accuracy of the new method. The effect of the determined geometric form factor error on aerosol extinction coefficient retrieval is further discussed. The results of the experiment show that the derived aerosol extinction coefficient profile is less affected by the geometric form factor error when the atmospheric aerosol concentration is higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simulation of the coherent Doppler LiDAR signal requires accurate computation of homogeneous random wind fields. Based on complex random processes with specified spatial statistics given by the covariance function, an improved real correlation random wind field algorithm is proposed for real random processes, the simulation results are compared with the given covariance function and the real correlation algorithm conforms to the given covariance function quite well. Moreover, to validate the accuracy of the real correlation algorithm, the estimation of the turbulence energy dissipation rate (TEDR) from the Doppler spectrum width is described. Using the generated real random wind field, the estimation relative bias of the TEDR is retrieved. The accuracy of the simulation is in accordance with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A time-resolved fluorescence (TRF) technique is presented for classifying motor oils. The system is constructed with a third harmonic Nd:YAG laser, a spectrometer, and an intensified charge coupled device (ICCD) camera. Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence (TRF) measurements are reported for several motor oils. It is found that steady-state fluorescence is insufficient to distinguish the motor oil samples. Then contour diagrams of TRF intensities (CDTRFIs) are acquired to serve as unique fingerprints to identify motor oils by using the distinct TRF of motor oils. CDTRFIs are preferable to steady-state fluorescence spectra for classifying different motor oils, making CDTRFIs a particularly choice for the development of fluorescence-based methods for the discrimination and characterization of motor oils. The two-dimensional fluorescence contour diagrams contain more information, not only the changing shapes of the LIF spectra but also the relative intensity. The results indicate that motor oils can be differentiated based on the new proposed method, which provides reliable methods for analyzing and classifying motor oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eimeria tenella is a protozoan parasite endemic in chickens and is one of the causative agents of avian coccidiosis. The aim of this research was to determine if poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles carrying recombinant TA4 protein of E. tenella (rEtTA4) could improve the level of protective immunity against E. tenella challenge. Recombinant TA4 protein was expressed and purified. Poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) loaded with rEtTA4 (PLGA-rEtTA4) nanoparticles was prepared and was delivered to 2-week-old layer chickens via intramuscular inoculation. Chickens injected with PBS and PLGA nanoparticles were served as control groups. The rEtTA4 and PLGA-rEtTA4 nanoparticles induced changes of serum cytokines, IgY levels, and T lymphocytes subpopulation, and the protective efficacy against E. tenella challenge was evaluated. Results showed that both rEtTA4 and PLGA-rEtTA4 vaccination groups induced significantly higher levels of specific EtTA4 IgY antibody and IL-17 and higher proportion of CD8+ T lymphocytes. However, no significant differences were observed in the proportion of CD4+ T lymphocytes compared with the PBS control. Chickens immunized with rEtTA4 and PLGA-rEtTA4 prominently increased the BW gains and decreased oocyst output compared with chickens immunized with PBS and PLGA after oral challenge with E. tenella. Poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) encapsulated rEtTA4 nanoparticles–immunized chickens significantly induced higher levels of interferon gamma, IL-6, and IL-17 and a little bit higher proportion of CD8+ T lymphocytes compared with rEtTA4 subunit vaccine–immunized chickens. Thus, PLGA encapsulated rEtTA4 nanoparticles appeared to have great potential to enhance the immune response and improved the protective efficacy against E. tenella infection. Our results provided available protective subunit vaccine rEtTA4 and PLGA loaded with rEtTA4 nanoparticles against coccidiosis and suggested that PLGA nanoparticles could be an effective adjuvant to enhance the protective efficacy of rEtTA4 subunit vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silent information regulator 2 (SIR2) in histone deacetylase (HDAC) is particularly conserved and widely expressed in all eukaryotic cells. HDAC is a crucial post-translational modification protein regulating gene expression. In the present study, a Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) silent information regulator 2 (TgSIR2) gene in HDAC was cloned and the modulation effects of recombinant TgSIR2 (rTgSIR2) on murine Ana-1 macrophages were characterized in vitro. The results indicated that rTgSIR2 had a good capacity to eliminate T. gondii by promoting proliferation, apoptosis, and phagocytosis, and modulating the secretion of nitric oxide (NO), pro-inflammatory cytokines, and anti-inflammatory cytokines. In in vivo experiments, animals were immunized with recombinant TgSIR2, followed by a lethal dose of T. gondii RH strain challenge 14 days after the second immunization. As compared to the blank and control group, the animals immunized with rTgSIR2 could generate specific humoral responses, as demonstrated by the significantly high titers of total IgG and subclasses IgG1 and IgG2a. Significant increases of IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-10 were seen, while no significant changes were detected in IL-17. The percentage of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in animals immunized with rTgSIR2 significantly increased. A significantly long survival time was also observed in animals vaccinated with rTgSIR2 14 days after the last immunization. All these results clearly indicate that rTgSIR2 played an essential role in modulating host macrophages and offered the potential to develop a therapeutic strategy against T. gondii. [Display omitted] • Recombinant TgSIR2 can modulate the functions of murine macrophages in vitro. • Recombinant TgSIR2 can induce the release of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines from macrophages in vitro. • Recombinant TgSIR2 can upregulate CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in vivo. • Recombinant TgSIR2 can provide immune protection against acute T. gondii infection in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although it is quite challenging to image and analyze the spatial distribution of bioaerosols in a confined space, a three-dimensional (3D) modeling system based on the planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) technique is proposed in this paper, which is designed to analyze the temporal and spatial variations of bioaerosol particles in a confined chamber. The system employs a continuous planar laser source to excite the fluoresce, and a scientific complementary metal oxide semiconductor (sCMOS) camera to capture images of 2048 × 2048 pixels at a frame rate of 12 Hz. While a sliding platform is moving back and forth on the track, a set of images are captured at different positions for 3D reconstruction. In this system, the 3D reconstruction is limited to a maximum measurement volume of about 50 cm × 29.7 cm × 42 cm, with a spatial resolution of about 0.58 mm × 0.82 mm × 8.33 mm, and a temporal resolution of 5 s. Experiments were carried out to detect the PLIF signals from fluorescein aerosols in the chamber, and then 3D reconstruction was used to visualize and analyze the diffusion of aerosol particles. The results prove that the system can be applied to clearly reconstruct the 3D distribution and record the diffusion process of aerosol particles in a confined space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laryngeal disease classification is a relatively hard task in medical image processing resulting from its complex structures and varying viewpoints in data collection. Some existing methods try to tackle this task via the convolutional neural network, but they more or less ignore the intrinsic difficulty differences among different input samples and suffer from high training complexity. In order to better resolve these problems, an end-to-end Hierarchical Dynamic Convolutional Network (HDCNet) is proposed, which can dynamically process the input samples based on their difficulty. For the easy-classified samples, the HDCNet processes them with a smaller resolution and a relatively small network, while the difficult samples are passed to a large network with a larger resolution for more accurate classification results. Furthermore, a Feature Reuse Module (FRM) is designed to transfer the features learned by the small network to the corresponding block in the deep network to enhance the overall performance of some rather complicated samples. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed HDCNet, comprehensive experiments are conducted on the public available laryngeal disease classification dataset and HDCNet provides superior performances compared with other current state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, for the first time, we have designed a fluorescent sensor based on tyrosine-Cu NCs for detection of rutin. • Tyrosine-capped copper nanoclusters (Tyr-Cu NCs) was synthesized for the first time. • Quenching of fluorescence was due to the IFE and static quenching in the presence of rutin. • High selectivity and sensitivity were achieved for sensing rutin. • The limit of detection of rutin was 0.016 μM. For the first time, we developed a facile, green and low-cost strategy to prepare blue-green emitting fluorescence copper nanoclusters (Cu NCs) by using tyrosine as a protecting agent and hydrazine hydrate as a reducing agent. The tyrosine-protected Cu NCs (Tyr-Cu NCs) were analyzed through fluorescence spectroscopy, UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The as-prepared Cu NCs was well dispersed and possessed good water solubility, excellent photostability and resistance to sodium chloride. The fluorescence intensity of Tyr-Cu NCs (around 480 nm under the excitation wavelength of 435 nm) was obviously quenched in the presence of rutin. According to this characteristic, a selective and sensitive fluorescence analytical method for the determination of rutin was established. The analytical method had a good linear relationship between F 0 /F and the concentrations of rutin (range from 0.1–60 μM) and the detection limit (LOD) was 0.016 μM. The possible mechanism of fluorescence quenching was caused by the IFE and static quenching. Meaningfully, the fluorescent probe was successfully employed to detect rutin in bovine serum samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a main pathological type of non-small cell lung cancer. It is common among elderly patients with poor prognosis. We aimed to establish an accurate nomogram to predict survival for elderly patients (≥ 60 years old) with SCC based on the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.Methods: The gerontal patients diagnosed with SCC from 2010 to 2015 were collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The independent prognostic factors were identified using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, which were utilized to conduct a nomogram for predicting survival. The novel nomogram was evaluated by Concordance index (C-index), calibration curves, net reclassification improvement (NRI), integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), and decision curve analysis (DCA).Results: 32,474 elderly SCC patients were included in the analysis, who were randomly assigned to training cohort (n = 22,732) and validation cohort (n = 9742). The following factors were contained in the final prognostic model: age, sex, race, marital status, tumor site, AJCC stage, surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Compared to AJCC stage, the novel nomogram exhibited better performance: C-index (training group: 0.789 vs. 0.730, validation group: 0.791 vs. 0.733), the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the training set (1-year AUC: 0.846 vs. 0.791, 3-year AUC: 0.860 vs. 0.801, 5-year AUC: 0.859 vs. 0.794) and the validation set (1-year AUC: 0.846 vs. 0.793, 3-year AUC: 0.863 vs. 0.806, 5-year AUC: 0.866 vs. 0.801), and the 1-, 3- and 5-year calibration plots. Additionally, the NRI and IDI and 1-, 3- and 5-year DCA curves all confirmed that the nomogram was a great prognosis tool.Conclusions: We constructed a novel nomogram that could be practical and helpful for precise evaluation of elderly SCC patient prognosis, thus helping clinicians in determining the appropriate therapy strategies for individual SCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Just 2% adulteration in olive oil can be found. • The spectroscopy used is laser-induced fluorescence. • The best chemometrics tool is KPCA-LDA. • The discrimination improves for the samples pre-heated at 80 °C. The fluorescence spectra of oil samples were obtained by laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy and thermal oxidation stoichiometry at room temperature and 80 °C respectively. The Support Vector Machine, combined with Principal Component Analysis-Linear Discriminant Analysis (PCA-LDA), could distinguish pure extra virgin olive oils (EVOO) from oils adulterated with 2% soybean oil, with a recognition rate of 100%. Besides, as the intensity of the fluorescence spectra and concentration of the adulterants showed a non-linear relationship, linear dimension reduction methods may lead to overlapping of the different adulterated concentrations features, resulting in large errors in quantifying adulteration. In this paper, Kernel Principal Component Analysis-Linear Discriminant Analysis (KPCA-LDA) was applied instead of PCA-LDA to extract fluorescence spectra features, and a Partial Least Squares Regression model was established, which could quantify adulterants such as low percentages of soybean oil in EVOO. The coefficient of determination and root mean squared error were 0.92 and 2.72%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defensin-like proteins are conserved in multicellular organisms and contribute to innate immune responses against fungal pathogens. In rice, defensins play a novel role in regulating cadmium (Cd) efflux from the cytosol. However, whether the antifungal activity of defensins correlates with Cd-efflux function remains unknown. In this study, we isolated an endophytic Fusarium , designed Fo 10, by a comparative microbiome analysis of rice plants grown in a paddy contaminated with Cd. Fo 10 is tolerant to high levels of Cd, but is sensitive to the defensin-like protein OsCAL1, which mediates Cd efflux to the apoplast. We found that Fo 10 symbiosis in rice is regulated by OsCAL1 dynamics, and Fo 10 coordinates multiple plant processes, including Cd uptake, vacuolar sequestration, efflux to the environment, and formation of Fe plaques in the rhizosphere. These processes are dependent on the salicylic acid signaling pathway to keep Cd levels low in the cytosol of rice cells and to decrease Cd levels in rice grains without any yield penalty. Fo 10 also plays a role in Cd tolerance in the poaceous crop maize and wheat, but has no observed effects in the eudicot plants Arabidopsis and tomato. Taken together, these findings provide insights into the mechanistic basis underlying how a fungal endophyte and host plant interact to control Cd accumulation in host plants by adapting defense responses to promote the establishment of a symbiosis that permits adaptation to high-Cd environments. This study identifies an endophytic Fusarium Fo 10 that interacts reciprocally with the defensin-like protein OsCAL1 to reduce cytosolic Cd levels in rice. Fo10 modulates iron plaque formation, vacuolar Cd sequestration, and rhizosphere Cd efflux likely by activating SA signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erigeron breviscapus, a traditional Chinese medicine, is clinically used for the treatment of occlusive cerebral vascular diseases. We developed a sensitive and reliable ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) method for simultaneous quantitation of chlorogenic acid, scutellarin, and scutellarein, the main active constituents in Erigeron breviscapus, and compared the pharmacokinetics of these active ingredients in sham-operated and middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rats orally administrated with Erigeron breviscapus extract. Plasma samples were collected at 15 time points after oral administration of the Erigeron breviscapus extract. The levels of chlorogenic acid, scutellarin, and scutellarein in rat plasma at various time points were determined by a UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method, and the drug concentration versus time plots were constructed to estimate pharmacokinetic parameters. The concentration of chlorogenic acid in the plasma reached the maximum plasma drug concentration in about 15 min and was below the limit of detection after 4 h. Scutellarin and scutellarein showed the phenomenon of multiple absorption peaks in sham-operated and MCAO rats, respectively. Compared with the sham-operated rats, the terminal elimination half-life of scutellarein in the MCAO rats was prolonged by more than two times and the area under the curve of each component in the MCAO rats was significantly increased. The results showed chlorogenic acid, scutellarin, and scutellarein in MCAO rats had higher drug exposure than that in sham-operated rats, which provided a reference for the development of innovative drugs, optimal dosing regimens, and clinical rational drug use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive form of primary brain cancer and the lack of viable treatment options has created an urgency to develop novel treatments. Personalized or predictive medicine is still in its infancy stage at present. This research aimed to discover biomarkers to inform disease progression and to develop personalized prophylactic and therapeutic strategies by combining state-of-the-art technologies such as single-cell RNA sequencing, systems pharmacology, and a polypharmacological approach. As predicted in the pyroptosis-related gene (PRG) transcription factor (TF) microRNA (miRNA) regulatory network, TP53 was the hub gene in the pyroptosis process in glioblastoma (GBM). A LASSO Cox regression model of pyroptosis-related genes was built to accurately and conveniently predict the one-, two-, and three-year overall survival rates of GBM patients. The top-scoring five natural compounds were parthenolide, rutin, baeomycesic acid, luteolin, and kaempferol, which have NFKB inhibition, antioxidant, lipoxygenase inhibition, glucosidase inhibition, and estrogen receptor agonism properties, respectively. In contrast, the analysis of the cell-type-specific differential expression-related targets of natural compounds showed that the top five subtype cells targeted by natural compounds were endothelial cells, microglia/macrophages, oligodendrocytes, dendritic cells, and neutrophil cells. The current approach—using the pharmacogenomic analysis of combined therapies—serves as a model for novel personalized therapeutic strategies for GBM treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The observation of the nocturnal boundary layer height (NBLH) plays an important role in air pollution and monitoring. Through 39 d of heavy pollution observation experiments in Beijing (China), as well as an exhaustive evaluation of the gradient, wavelet covariance transform, and cubic root gradient methods, a novel algorithm based on the cluster analysis of the gradient method (CA-GM) of lidar signals is developed to capture the multilayer structure and achieve night-time stability. The CA-GM highlights its performance compared with radiosonde data, and the best correlation (0.85), weakest root-mean-square error (203 m), and an improved 25 % correlation coefficient are achieved via the GM. Compared with the 39 d experiments using other algorithms, reasonable parameter selection can help in distinguishing between layers with different properties, such as the cloud layer, elevated aerosol layers, and random noise. Consequently, the CA-GM can automatically address the uncertainty with multiple structures and obtain a stable NBLH with a high temporal resolution, which is expected to contribute to air pollution monitoring and climatology, as well as model verification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this contribution, we established a simple, green, fast and cost‐effective strategy to prepare green‐emitting fluorescence copper nanoclusters (Cu NCs) by using histidine as a stabilizer and ascorbic acid as a reducing agent. A series of characterization methods including fluorescence spectroscopy, UV‐vis absorption spectroscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the Cu NCs. The histidine‐capped Cu NCs (His‐Cu NCs) was well dispersed and exhibited good water solubility, excellent photostability and salt resistance. Interestingly, it was discovered that tetracycline caused a sensitive and selective decline in the fluorescence intensity of His‐Cu NCs for the first time. The proposed analysis system showed a wide linear range from 0.1 to 110 μM, and the detection limit was 0.047 μM. After that, the fluorescent assay was successfully employed to analyze tetracycline in lake water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aptamers, single-stranded DNAs or RNAs, can be selected from a library containing random sequences using a method called Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential Enrichment (SELEX). In SELEX, monitoring the enriching statuses of aptamer candidates during the process is a key step until today. Conformational change of an aptamer caused by target-binding in gel can be used to indicate its statuses of binding. Results: In this study, an easy-to-implement gel-based diffusion method (GBDM) was developed to monitor the interaction between enriched aptamer candidates and their targets. In order to prove the concept, characterization of aptamers targeting their targets including protein (thrombin) and non-protein molecules (acetamiprid, ATP, atrazine, profenofos and roxithromycin), respectively, were performed using mini gels. Our method has advantages over the common methods including easy performed with labor- and time- saving in experimental operation. The concept has been proven by monitoring enrichment of dynamic aptamer candidate libraries targeting a small molecule 2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl) acetic acid (DDA) during SELEX process. A mini gel cassette was designed and fabricated by our laboratory to make mini agarose gels for diffusion with different directions. Conclusions: These results indicate that GBDM, in particular, chasing diffusion is suitable for monitoring the interaction between enriched aptamer candidates and their targets. These pioneering efforts are helpful for novel aptamer selection by breaking through the technical bottleneck of aptamer development and helpful for development of novel aptasensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains the most common malignant cancer. We identified 43140 advanced NSCLC patients from the SEER database to develop and validate a new prognostic model. The prognostic performance was evaluated by P value, concordance index, net reclassification index, integrated discrimination improvement, and decision curve analysis. The following variables were contained in the final prognostic model: age, sex, race, TNM stage, and grade and treatment options. Compared to the AJCC staging system, this prognostic model is conducive to the implementation of individualized clinical treatment schemes and can be an important part of the precise medical care of NSCLC tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban shrinkage has gradually become an issue of world-concerning social matter. As urbanization progresses, some Chinese cities are experiencing population loss and economic decline. Our study attempts to correct and integrate DMSP/OLS and NPP/VIIRS data to complete the identification and measurement of shrinking cities in China's Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB). We identified 36 shrinking cities and 644 shrinking counties on the municipal and county scales. Based on this approach, we established the average urban shrinkage intensity index and the urban shrinkage frequency index, attempting to find out the causes of shrinking cities for different shrinkage characteristics, city types and shrinkage frequencies. The results show that (1) the shrinking cities are mainly concentrated in the Yangtze River Delta city cluster, the midstream city cluster and the Chengdu–Chongqing economic circle. (2) Most shrinking cities have a moderate frequency of shrinking, dominated by low–low clusters. Resource-based, heavy industrial, small and medium-sized cities are more inclined to shrink. (3) The single economic structure, the difficulty of industrial transformation and the lack of linkage among county-level cities are possible reasons for the urban shrinkage in the YREB. Exploring the causes of urban shrinkage from a more micro perspective will be an inevitable task for sustainable development in YREB and even in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An iterative method, based on a derived inverse relationship between atmospheric backscatter coefficient and aerosol lidar ratio, is proposed to invert the lidar ratio profile and aerosol extinction coefficient. The feasibility of this method is investigated theoretically and experimentally. Simulation results show the inversion accuracy of aerosol optical properties for iterative method can be improved in the near-surface aerosol layer and the optical thick layer. Experimentally, as a result of the reduced insufficiency error and incoherence error, the aerosol optical properties with higher accuracy can be obtained in the near-surface region and the region of numerical derivative distortion. In addition, the particle component can be distinguished roughly based on this improved lidar ratio profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our previous studies, we have demonstrated that a novel water-soluble derivative of limonin, (12S,12aS,Z)-8-((2-(diethylamino)ethoxy)imino)-12-(furan-3-yl)-6,6,8a,12a-tetramethyldodecahydro-1H,3H-oxireno[2,3-d]pyrano[4′,3′:3,3a]isobenzofuro[5,4-f]isochromene-3,10(9aH)-dione (V-A-4), exhibited strong anti-inflammatory activity both in vitro and in vivo. The purpose of this study was to further explore the underlying mechanisms of such activity demonstrated by V-A-4. The protective effect of V-A-4 on the alleviation of xylene-induced ear swelling and carrageenan-induced subcutaneous air pouch model was detected in vivo. Furthermore, the in vitro effects of V-A-4 and its mechanisms of action were determined by colorimetric COX (ovine) inhibitor-screening assay and in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. This study showed that V-A-4 does not exert anti-inflammatory effect through the inhibition of COX-1 or COX-2. Rather, it is exerted through the suppression of the secretion of nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), as well as through the infiltration of inflammatory cells. V-A-4 demonstrated strong inhibition of NF-κB activation through repression of IKKα and IKKβ phosphorylations, which in turn leads to the phosphorylation and degradation of IκBα in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. Moreover, toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathway was involved in the anti-inflammatory effect of V-A-4, which also played an important role in the down-regulation of LPS-mediated miR-146a and miR-155 expressions. These results encourage further development of V-A-4 as a potential candidate for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proline plays a crucial role in the drought stress response in plants. However, there are still gaps in our knowledge about the molecular mechanisms that regulate proline metabolism under drought stress. Here, we report that the histone methylase encoded by CAU1, which is genetically upstream of P5CS1 (encoding the proline biosynthetic enzyme Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase 1), plays a crucial role in proline-mediated drought tolerance. We determined that the transcript level of CAU1 decreased while that of ANAC055 (encoding a transcription factor) increased in wild-type Arabidopsis under drought stress. Further analyses showed that CAU1 bound to the promoter of ANAC055 and suppressed its expression via H4R3sme2-type histone methylation in the promoter region. Thus, under drought stress, a decreased level of CAU1 led to an increased transcript level of ANAC055, which induced the expression of P5CS1 and increased proline level independently of CAS. Drought tolerance and the level of proline were found to be decreased in the cau1 anac055 double-mutant, while proline supplementation restored drought sensitivity in the anac055 mutant. Our results reveal the details of a novel pathway leading to drought tolerance mediated by CAU1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]