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In this paper, a cluster model in particle flow code was used to simulate granite specimens after heat treatment under uniaxial compression. The results demonstrated that micro-cracks are randomly distributed in the specimen when the temperature is below 300 ∘C, and have partial coalescence when the temperature is up to 450 ∘C, then form macro-cracks when the temperature is above 600 ∘C. There is more inter-granular cracking than intra-granular cracking, and their ratio increases with increasing temperature. The micro-cracks are almost constant when the temperature decreases from 900 ∘C to room temperature, except for quartz α-β phase transition temperature (573 ∘C). The fracture evolution process is obviously affected by these cracks, especially at 600-900 ∘C. Elevated temperature leads to easily developed displacement between the grains, and the capacity to store strain energy becomes weaker, corresponding to the plasticity of granite after heat treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deformation failure characteristics of marble subjected to triaxial cyclic loading are significant when evaluating the stability and safety of deep excavation damage zones. To date, however, there have been notably few triaxial experimental studies on marble under triaxial cyclic loading. Therefore, in this research, a series of triaxial cyclic tests was conducted to analyze the mechanical damage characteristics of a marble. The post-peak deformation of the marble changed gradually from strain softening to strain hardening as the confining pressure increased from 0 to 10 MPa. Under uniaxial compression, marble specimens showed brittle failure characteristics with a number axial splitting tensile cracks; in the range of σ = 2.5-7.5 MPa, the marble specimens assumed single shear fracture characteristics with larger fracture angles of about 65°. However, at σ = 10 MPa, the marble specimens showed no obvious shear fracture surfaces. The triaxial cyclic experimental results indicate that in the range of the tested confining pressures, the triaxial strengths of the marble specimens under cyclic loading were approximately equal to those under monotonic loading. With the increase in cycle number, the elastic strains of the marble specimens all increased at first and later decreased, achieving maximum values, but the plastic strains of the marble specimens increased nonlinearly. To evaluate quantitatively the damage extent of the marble under triaxial cyclic loading, a damage variable is defined according to the irreversible deformation for each cycle. The evolutions of the elastic modulus for the marble were characterized by four stages: material strengthening, material degradation, material failure and structure slippage. Based on the experimental results of the marble specimens under complex cyclic loading, the cohesion of the marble decreased linearly, but the internal friction angles did not depend on the damage extent. To describe the peak strength characteristics of the marble specimens under complex cyclic loadings with various deformation positions, a revised strength criterion for damaged rocks is offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article developed a method to detect two antioxidants (butylated hydroxyl anisole (BHA), butylated hydroxyl toluene (BHT)) and twelve pesticides (dichlorvos, pirimicarb, prothiofos, fenitrothion, ethoprophos, malathion, beta-Cypermethrin, profenofos, diazinon, propoxur, procymidon, captan) in blended oil samples after their extraction simultaneously. The establishment of the method was based on two-step process of screening and optimization experiment design. With a Plackett-Burman (PB) design, significant parameters were found by screening experiment and single factor experiment accompanied by a central composite design (CCD) experiment were used to make important parameters optimal. The coefficients of determination (r 2 ) was between 0.9931 and 0.9996 while the limits of quantification (LOQs) and limits of detection (LODs) were found in scope of 0.002–0.04 mg·kg −1 and 0.0006–0.0012 mg·kg −1 . Recovery values of analytes were above 74%, at the same time the relative standard deviations (RSDs) under 10% at the concentrations ranging from 0.05 mg·kg −1 to 0.20 mg·kg −1 . To sum up, this method with shorter time and fewer consumption of reagents could be employed in various occasions to detect antioxidants and pesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interpretation of the sedimentary paleogeographic environment of the Lower Permian Shanxi Formation (P1s) coal strata in the southeastern Ordos Basin remains a subject of significant debate. In this paper, based on detrital zircon U–Pb source analysis, paleosalinity assessment, the sandstone modal composition, and other methods, we analyzed the P1s source system and constructed a model of the sedimentary evolution. The findings reveal that the primary source of the clastic materials in the study area stems from a mixed-source within the recycling orogenic belt. During the deposition period, the Shanxi Formation developed two predominant material source systems: one in the north, primarily linked to the Paleo-Yinshan Fold Orogenic Belt (YFOB), and the other in the south, originating from the North Qinling Orogenic Belt (NQinOB). These two major source systems converged in the Yichuan–Fuxian area. From the early stages of the Shanxi Formation period (Shan1), there was a regional retreat of the sea in the area. The seawater receded in a southeastward direction, leading to a gradual reduction in the paleosalinity and Sr/Ba-ratio variability during the Shan1 period. The influence of the seawater diminished, transitioning into a deltaic depositional system. This shift towards a terrestrial lakeshore basin reached its full development during the Lower Xiashihezi period. This study concludes that the Shanxi Formation in this area represents the evolution of a deltaic depositional system originating from a shallow sea shelf. This evolution can be divided into three major stages: remnants of the shallow sea shelf, barrier island–lagoon–littoral, and deltaic deposition. Within this framework, the shoreline underwent frequent lateral migration, influencing a broad range of characteristics. In the vertical direction, numerous alternating sets of sandstone bodies and mudstone, shale, and coal beds formed, creating a significant relationship between coal hydrocarbon sources and reservoirs. This study also establishes the stratigraphic-sequence framework of the basin for this period. These results hold great importance for the expansion of natural gas exploration and development efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is a disease whose treatment is often limited due to the development of a phenomenon known as multidrug resistance (MDR). There is an immense demand for development of novel agents that can overcome the MDR in cancer. A group of transmembrane proteins called ATP-binding cassette transporters, present ubiquitously in the human body possesses a modular architecture, contributing immensely towards the development of MDR. An analysis of structural congeners among a group of compounds led to the discovery of CCTA-1523 that could selectively reverse ABCG2-mediated MDR in cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. CCTA-1523 (5 μM) sensitized the ABCG2 overexpressing cancer cells and ABCG2 transfected cells to the substrate chemotherapeutic drugs. The reversal ability of CCTA-1523 was primarily due to the inhibition of the efflux function of ABCG2; also there was no change in the protein expression or the localization of the ABCG2 in the presence of CCTA-1523. The reversal effect of CCTA-1523 was reversible. Importantly, co-administration of CCTA-1523 restored the in vivo antitumor activity of doxorubicin in ABCG2 overexpressing tumor xenografts. Taken together, our findings indicate that CCTA-1523 is a potent, selective and reversible modulator of ABCG2 that may offer therapeutic promise for multidrug- resistant malignancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asymmetric total synthesis of structurally intriguing and highly oxygenated lancifodilactone G acetate (7) has been achieved for the first time in 28 steps from a cheap commodity chemical, 2-(triisopropylsiloxy)-1,3-butadiene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Located in the east of Xi'an, Dongguan District is the area to the east of the Ming Qty wail. There is a great deal of precious architectural heritages in the area, including shrines such as the Wangji Temple, the Baxian Temple, the Catholic Church and the Laomu Temple, as well as protected dwellings such as the Xingqing Palace, the royal palace of the flouring period of the Tang Dynasty, and the Courtyard of Family Xi, etc.. Currently, securing Dongguan District protection and development has confronted with severe challenges. Based on the in-depth investigation of the status quo and objective analysis of pros and cons, this paper gives a clear definition for Dongguan District protection and development, and profoundly analyses courtyards, streets, landscape environment and human environment of the Dongguan District, so as to formulate protective methods as well as measures and explore development approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fla-CN (3-O-[(E)-4-(4-cyanophenyl)-2-oxobut-3-en-1-yl] kaempferol) is a semi-synthesized flavonoid derivative of tiliroside which exhibited anti-diabetic effect in vivo . Our previous study revealed the role of Fla-CN in anti-obesity and anti-diabetes in vivo , but the underlying mechanism remained to be addressed. The present study aimed to investigate the mechanism of anti-adipogenesis in vitro . Fla-CN markedly inhibited intracellular lipid accumulation in a dose-dependent manner, and the inhibitory effect was mainly limited to the early stage of adipocyte differentiation in vitro . Further investigations revealed that Fla-CN up-regulated the expression level of miR-27a/b and suppressed its target genes expression including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPα). Furthermore, the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) was also enhanced by Fla-CN in pre-adipocyte differentiation. These effects were abolished when cells were treated with miR-27a/b inhibitor and AMPK inhibitor Compound C. Additionally, Fla-CN reduced the expressions of adipocyte-specific genes such as sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor 1c (SREBP-1c), fatty acid synthase (FAS) and adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (aP2). In conclusion, these results suggested a mechanism of Fla-CN for adipocyte differentiation inhibition of 3T3-L1 cells through miR-27a/b induction and AMPK activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(±) Sampsonins A–B ( 1 – 2 ), two pairs of racemic polyprenylated benzophenones, were isolated from the aerial parts of Hypericum sampsonii and successfully separated by chiral HPLC column. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, X-ray diffraction analysis, and quantum chemical calculation of ECD method. Besides, the plausible biogenetic pathways of 1 – 2 were proposed, and all of them were evaluated for RXRα transcriptional-inhibitory activities and cytotoxicity against HeLa cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thermally triggered shape memory polymer composite was prepared by blending short carbon fiber (SCF) into a blend of poly(styrene- b-butadiene- b-styrene) triblock copolymer (SBS)/linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) prior to curing. These composites have excellent processability compared with other thermosets. The dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were investigated to assess the thermomechanical properties of the SCF/SBS/LLDPE composite. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging of the samples was performed to show the distribution of the SCF in the composite. The study specifically focused on the effect of SCF on the shape memory behavior of the SCF/SBS/LLDPE composite. The results indicated that the large amount of SCF significantly improved the mechanical property of the polymer composites while not damaging the shape memory performance. The SCF/SBS/LLDPE composites exhibited excellent shape memory behavior when the SCF content was less than 15.0 wt%. Moreover, the shape fixity ratio and shape recovery time of the SCF/SBS/LLDPE composites increased with the SCF content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pd(OAc)2-catalyzed regioselective C(5)–H arylation of 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles was achieved without ligand under microwave conditions in 1 h, generating 1,4,5-trisubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles with good to excellent yields. The obtained molecules can be easily converted into 4,5-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles through the debenzylation process with one-pot manipulation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a serious disease of the hematopoietic system characterized by de-differentiation and uncontrolled proliferation of immature hematopoietic precursor cells in the bone marrow. However, the underlying mechanism of AML development remains largely unknown. Here in this study, we report the function of IRF3, a member of the interferon-regulatory factor (IRF) family, in human AML. We first show that IRF3 mRNA and protein levels are significantly up-regulated in human AML compared with healthy donors. IRF3 knockdown inhibits cellular proliferation and colony formation in OCI/AML-2 and OCI/AML-3 cells. In addition, IRF3 knockdown induces apoptosis of OCI/AML-2 and OCI/AML-3 cells, whereas IRF3 overexpression promotes cell survival. Further mechanism study shows that IRF3 is positively correlated with miR-155, which is considered as an oncogenic microRNA in AML. We show that IRF3 binds to the promoter of miR-155 and promotes the expression of miR-155 in OCI/AML-2 and OCI/AML-3 cells. In conclusion, our evidence show that IRF3 overexpression in AML promotes cell growth and survival, and miR-155 is involved, indicating that IRF3 may be a potential new biomarker and therapeutic target for AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of the work described here was to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of 2-D shear wave elastography (2-D SWE) in differentiating malignancy from benign focal liver lesions (FLLs). The maxima, minima, means and the standard deviations of 2-D SWE measurements, expressed in kilopascals (Emax, Emin, Emean, ESD), were obtained for 221 patients with 229 FLLs. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of 2-D SWE. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to assess inter-group differences. Emax, Emin, Emean and ESD were significantly higher in the 164 malignant lesions than in the 65 benign lesions (p < 0.001). For identification of malignant FLLs, the areas under receiver operating characteristic curves for Emax, Emin, Emean and ESD were 0.920, 0.710, 0.879 and 0.915, respectively. Emax was 96.21 ± 35.40 for 19 intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas and 90.32 ± 54.71 for 35 liver metastatic lesions, which were significantly higher than 61.83 ± 28.87 for 103 hepatocellular carcinomas (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0237). Emax was 38.72 ± 18.65 for 15 focal nodular hyperplasias, which was significantly higher than 20.56 ± 10.74 for 37 hemangiomas (p = 0.0009). The Emax values for adjacent liver parenchyma of hepatocellular carcinomas and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas were significantly higher than those for the other three lesion types (p < 0.005). In conclusion, Emax values of FLLs and adjacent liver parenchyma could help in differentiating malignant from benign FLLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, Safe) method, for reliable semi-quantitative screening of 27 organic contaminants including phthalates (PAEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in edible oil, was developed. N-hexane saturated with acetonitrile and C 18 -Z-Sep+ was used for extraction and cleanup in liquid liquid extraction-dispersive solid phase extraction (LLE-dSPE) combined with freezing-lipid precipitation. Subsequently, NAGINATA2.0 software with a constructed calibration-locking database was used to detect the organic contaminants and validate the method. The calibration curves were observed to be linear in the range of 0.01–0.5 µg/mL for PAEs and PAHs, and 0.02–1 µg/mL for PCBs. The recoveries for most of the organic contaminants were in range of 70.9–110% with relative standard deviation less than 20%. The proposed method should provide an efficient tool for semi-quantitative screening of numerous organic contaminants in edible oil samples simultaneously. • A semi-quantitative screening of organic pollutants in edible oil was developed. • LLE-dSPE combined with freezing-lipid precipitation was used for the pretreatment. • The method possessed excellent accuracy, precision and repeatability. • The method contributes to the safety risk monitoring of edible oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A flexible air electrode with excellent activity and outstanding stability is highly desirable for metal-air batteries. Herein, the rational design of CoNi alloys derived intertwined N-doped carbon nanotube arrays onto carbon cloth (CoNi@NCNTs/CC) is reported, as self-supported air electrodes for flexible zinc-air and aluminum-air batteries. CoNi@NCNTs/CC exhibits a low potential of 1.56 V at 10 mA cm−2 in OER, along with a half-wave potential of 0.82 V in ORR, which is attributed to abundant active sites including CoNi alloys with optimized adsorption energy, Co/Ni-N x and N-doped CNTs. The well-designed nanotube array construction with substantial channels on carbon cloth facilitates the mass diffusion and electron delivery, and improves mechanical flexibility. Combining excellent activity and promising flexibility, CoNi@NCNTs/CC based liquid- and all-solid-state zinc-air batteries exhibit excellent charge/discharge capability and long-term stability. And the liquid- and all-solid-state aluminum-air batteries deliver promising discharge property with a high open circuit voltage as well as commendable flexibility. [Display omitted] • CoNi alloys derived N-doped carbon nanotube arrays on carbon cloth as freestanding flexible air electrodes. • The freestanding catalysts exhibit excellent bifunctional catalytic activity and stability for OER and ORR. • The air electrode enables excellent performance for liquid- and solid-state zinc-air and aluminum-air batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Four undescribed seco -polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols from H. elodeoides. • A possible biosynthetic pathway of 1 – 4 from normal PAPs was proposed. • Compound 1 induced MCF-7 cell apoptosis. • Compound 1 arrested cell cycle at S phase via inducing oxidative DNA damage. Four undescribed seco -polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols (seco -PAPs), elodeoidesones A-D (1 – 4), were characterized from Hypericum elodeoides. Compound 1 represents the 1,6- seco -PAPs with fascinating 5/5 fused ring, while 2 – 4 possess a 1,2- seco -PAPs skeleton with a five-membered lactone core. Their structures including absolute configurations were established by spectroscopic analyses and quantum chemical computations. A possible biosynthetic pathway of 1 – 4 from normal PAPs was proposed. All the isolates were investigated for their cytotoxicity against tumor cells. Notably, 1 inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cells with the IC 50 value of 7.34 μM. Mechanism investigation indicated that 1 induced MCF-7 cells apoptosis by blocking cell cycle at S phase via inducing oxidative DNA damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protons in acid soil are highly rhizotoxic to plants, but the mechanism of tolerance of plants to protons is largely unknown. Nitrate uptake by root cells is accompanied by the uptake of protons. Therefore, nitrate uptake transporters (NRTs) may be involved in plant tolerance to proton toxicity., We investigated the root nitrate uptake response to proton stress in Arabidopsis and its association with proton tolerance using NRT-related mutants and pharmacological methods., Lack of NRT1.1 in knockout nrt1.1 mutants led to impaired proton tolerance in nitrate-sufficient growth medium, whereas no difference was seen between wild-type plants and NRT1.2-, NRT2.1-, NRT2.2-, and NRT2.4-null mutants. Another nrt1.1 point mutant, which is defective in nitrate uptake but has a normal nitrate-sensing function, also had impaired proton tolerance compared with the wild-type plant. Furthermore, proton stress induced NRT1.1-mediated nitrate uptake. These results indicate that NRT1.1-conferred proton tolerance depends on nitrate uptake activity. In addition, the rooting medium was alkalified by wild-type plants, but not by knockout nrt1.1 mutants, and in pH-buffered medium, there were no differences in proton tolerance between wild-type plants and knockout nrt1.1 mutants., We conclude that NRT1.1-mediated nitrate uptake plays a crucial role in plant proton tolerance by alkalifying the rhizosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the fracture mechanism in all kinds of rock engineering, it is important to investigate the fracture evolution behavior of pre-fissured rock. In this research, we conducted uniaxial compression experiments to evaluate the influence of ligament angle on the strength, deformability, and fracture coalescence behavior of rectangular prismatic specimens (80 × 160 × 30 mm) of brittle sandstone containing two non-coplanar fissures. The experimental results show that the peak strength of sandstone containing two non-coplanar fissures depends on the ligament angle, but the elastic modulus is not closely related to the ligament angle. With the increase of ligament angle, the peak strength decreased at a ligament angle of 60°, before increasing up to our maximum ligament angle of 120°. Crack initiation, propagation, and coalescence were all observed and characterized from the inner and outer tips of pre-existing non-coplanar fissures using photographic monitoring. Based on the results, the sequence of crack evolution in sandstone containing two non-coplanar fissures was analyzed in detail. In order to fully understand the crack evolution mechanism of brittle sandstone, numerical simulations using PFC were performed for specimens containing two non-coplanar fissures under uniaxial compression. The results are in good agreement with the experimental results. By analyzing the stress field, the crack evolution mechanism in brittle sandstone containing two non-coplanar fissures under uniaxial compression is revealed. These experimental and numerical results are expected to improve the understanding of the unstable fracture mechanism of fissured rock engineering structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four water-soluble dia(m)mine platinum complexes with 3-oxo-cyclobutane- 1,1-dicarboxylate as the leaving group have been synthesized. These compounds were evaluated for their in vitro anticancer activity against three human A549, SK-OV-3, and HT-29 cancer cell lines. All the tested compounds showed potent activity in lung carcinoma (A549), ovarian carcinoma (SK-OV-3), and colon cancer cell (HT-29) lines. Complex 2(IC value = 1.57 µM for A549 and IC value = 0.88 µM for HT-29 cells) and Complex 4 (IC value = 15.3 µM for SK-OV-3 cells) displayed the most potent anticancer activity of the series. Also, preliminary acute toxicity of the platinum complexes derivatives has shown the same level as carboplatin and lower toxicity than cisplatin in vivo. All the complexes were characterized by elemental analysis as well as by ESI-MS, FT-IR, H- and C-NMR, and have shown a satisfactory water solubility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use the fidelity susceptibility to study the topological properties of multi-layer nanowire system, with intrinsic spin-orbit coupling and proximity induced superconductivity. We introduce a Hamiltonian of three layer lattice chain to model the system, and consider the effects of applied Zeeman field. In pure system, we find a peak in fidelity susceptibility, which signals the topological quantum phase transition (TQPT) in the system. We then study the disorder effects in our model and find more peaks in fidelity susceptibility. We reveal that these peaks provide information on the zero energy Majorana states of the system, which appear after the TQPT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new xanthone, 2,8-dihydroxy-9-oxo-9H-xanthene-6-carboxylic acid (1), together with six known compounds, 2,8-dihydroxy-1-methoxycarbonyl-9-oxo-9H-xanthene-6-carboxylic acid (2), 8-hydroxy-3-methyl-9-oxo-9Hxanthene-1-carboxylic acid methyl ether (3), 1,3,6-trihydroxy-8-methylxanthone (4), 1,6-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-8-methylxanthone (5), decarboxycitrinone (6), and formoic acid A (7), were isolated from an endophytic fungus Arthrinium arundinis of Anoectochilus roxburghii. Compounds 2, 3, 5-7 were also isolated from this genus for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac dysfunction is a vital complication of endotoxemia (ETM) with limited therapeutic options. Transient receptor potential canonical channel (TRPC)1 was involved in various heart diseases. While, the role of TRPC1 in ETM-induced cardiac dysfunction remains to be defined. In this study, we found that TRPC1 protein expression was significantly upregulated in hearts of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged mice. What's more, TRPC1 knockdown significantly alleviated LPS-induced cardiac dysfunction and injury. Further myocardial mRNA-sequencing analysis revealed that TRPC1 might participate in pathogenesis of ETM-induced cardiac dysfunction via mediating myocardial apoptosis and autophagy. Data showed that knockdown of TRPC1 significantly ameliorated LPS-induced myocardial apoptotic injury, cardiomyocytes autophagosome accumulation, and myocardial autophagic flux. Simultaneously, deletion of TRPC1 reversed LPS-induced molecular changes of apoptosis/autophagy signaling pathway in cardiomyocytes. Moreover, TRPC1 could promote LPS-triggered intracellular Ca2+ release, subsequent calpain activation and caveolin-1 degradation. Either blocking calpain by PD150606 or enhancing the amount of caveolin-1 scaffolding domain that interacts with TRPC1 by cell-permeable peptide cavtratin significantly alleviated the LPS-induced cardiac dysfunction and cardiomyocytes apoptosis/autophagy. Furthermore, cavtratin could inhibit LPS-induced calpain activation in cardiomyocytes. caveolin-1 could directly interact with calpain 2 both in vivo and in vitro. Importantly, cecal ligation and puncture-stimulated cardiac dysfunction and mortality were significantly alleviated in Trpc1 -/- and cavtratin-treated mice, which further validated the contribution of TRPC1-caveolin-1 signaling axis in sepsis-induced pathological process. Overall, this study indicated that TRPC1 could promote LPS-triggered intracellular Ca2+ release, mediate caveolin-1 reduction, and in turn activates calpain to regulate myocardial apoptosis and autophagy, contributing to ETM-induced cardiac dysfunction of mice. [Display omitted] • Deletion of TRPC1 alleviates LPS-induced cardiac dysfunction. • TRPC1 knockdown inhibits LPS-stimulated myocardial apoptosis and autophagy. • TRPC1 facilitates LPS-induced Ca2+ release and caveolin-1 degradation. • Direct protein interaction exists between caveolin-1 and calpain 2. • Targeting TRPC1-caveolin-1-calpain axis alleviates endotoxic cardiac dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The translocation of hexa-arginine peptides across the asymmetric lipid bilayer in both random and bundled state was studied by coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. It was found that the peptides pass through the membrane by a pore-mediated mechanism when their concentration exceeds a critical value. However, the translocation efficiency of the bundled peptides is much higher than that of the random case at the same concentration. The pore formation results from the cumulative effects of each peptide in random case, while the bundled ones disturb the membrane locally. Furthermore, we show that the role of the hydrophobic group of peptide amphiphiles is facilitating the formation of aggregation for improving their penetration efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We apply the fidelity approach to study the topological superconductivity in spin–orbit coupling nanowire system. The wire is modeled as a one layer lattice chain with Zeeman energy and spin–orbit coupling, which is in proximity to a multi-layer superconductor. In particular, we study the effects of disorders and find that the fidelity susceptibility has multiple peaks. It is revealed that one peak indicates the topological quantum phase transition, while other peaks are signaling the pinning of the Majorana bound states by disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To compare eye-related quality of life between Chinese children wearing orthokeratology (OK) contact lenses and single-vision spectacles (SVS) using the Pediatric Eye Questionnaire (PedEyeQ) and to evaluate the impact of different myopia correction methods on children and their parents. Methods. Children aged 12–17 years and their parents/legal guardians were recruited. The children's myopia ranged from −0.50 to −5.00 diopters (D), and their astigmatism was <1.50 D. They had all been wearing OK contact lenses or SVS for at least 12 months. The children completed the Child PedEyeQ. One of their parents (or a legal guardian) completed the Proxy PedEyeQ and the Parent PedEyeQ. Rasch-calibrated PedEyeQ scores were calculated for each domain and were converted to a scale from 0 to 100 for statistical analysis. Results. A total of 50 children wearing OK contact lenses, 43 children wearing SVS, and their parents/legal guardians completed the questionnaires. The scores of all Child, Proxy, and Parent PedEyeQ domains in the OK contact lens group were higher than those in the SVS group (all P < 0.05). In the mild and moderate myopia subgroups, the Child, Proxy, and Parent PedEyeQ scores in the mild myopia OK contact lens subgroup were higher than those in the mild myopia SVS group (all P < 0.05) except functional vision and bothered by eyes/vision domains for the proxy PedEyeQ. Similarly, the Child, Proxy, and Parent PedEyeQ scores in the moderate myopia OK contact lens subgroup were higher than those in the moderate myopia SVS subgroup (all P < 0.05) except impact on parent and family domain for the parent PedEyeQ. In the subgroup analysis of glasses type, no significant score difference of any Child, Proxy, and Parent PedEyeQ domain was detected between mild and moderate myopia in either the OK contact lens group or the SVS group (all P > 0.05). Conclusion. Compared with children wearing SVS, children wearing OK contact lenses have better functional vision and eye-related quality of life. Moreover, OK contact lens has a better correction effect, higher acceptance rates, and less impact on parents and families than SVS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive understanding of the mechanical behavior of thermally damaged rock is crucial for the design, prediction, and stability control of rock engineering. However, the strength and fracture characteristics of rock containing pre‐existing flaws have not been studied systematically. Therefore, in this study, uniaxial compression tests were conducted on preholed granite specimens using MTS816 rock mechanics testing and acoustic emission (AE) monitoring systems. The mechanical properties, AE characteristics, and failure patterns of thermally damaged granite specimens were analyzed, and the alteration of the mechanical behavior was explained by the P‐wave velocity, effective porosity, mineral components, and thermal cracking. The results show that the peak strength and elastic modulus of preholed granite specimens first increased and then decreased with the increasingly high temperature. Cracks were always initiated from the left and right perimeters of the pre‐existing hole, and the crack coalescence modes between the two pre‐existing holes were independent of the high temperature. After 150°C treatment, thermal cracks were observed, and the complexity and interconnectivity of the fracture surface increased with temperature. The variations of the mineral component and crystal structure induced by increasing the high temperature contributed to the thermal damage of the granite. The experimental results are expected to enhance the understanding of the macromechanical and mesomechanical behaviors of rock with respect to high temperature. Highlights: The effect of high temperature on the mechanical properties of granite specimens containing pre‐existing holes was investigated.The macro and meso failure characteristics of thermally damaged granite were explored.The mechanism of thermal treatment in changing mechanical behavior of granite was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symbiotic microbiomes of Sphagnum have been confirmed to play a fundamental role in carbon and nitrogen cycles, however, little is known about microbiomes associated with other bryophytes in subtropical peatland ecosystems. To explore the differences in community structure, metabolic potential and interaction relationship of bacterial microbiomes associated with different bryophytes species, the gametophytes of three bryophyte species (Sphagnum palustre, Aulacomnium androgynum, and Polytrichum commune) and their underlying peat sediments were collected from the subtropical Dajiuhu Peatland and subjected to Illumina high-throughout sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. Results showed that bacterial diversity was lowest in S. palustre, the dominant moss species, among the three moss species investigated in Dajiuhu Peatland. Bacterial communities from bryophytes clearly separated with those from sediments as indicated by both phylogenetic and taxonomical approaches. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) identified 30 and 36 indicator taxa in mosses and peat sediments. Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia and Thermoleophilia significantly enriched in S. palustre, A. androgynum and P. commune, Chloroflexi, Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria subgroup 6 was indicator taxa for corresponding underlying sediments, respectively. Despite of these differences in compositions, bacterial functional structures were similar among all bryophytes, such as abundant aerobic heterotrophs, rare nitrifiers and denitrifiers. This phenomenon was also observed among the underlying sediments. Network analysis indicated that Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria located in the center of network and exerted strong interactions to other taxa. The sub-network of bacterial communities in sediments was more connected and microbial groups were more competitive than those in bryophytes subnetwork. Our results offer new insight into the community structure, ecological function and interaction pattern of bacterial microbiomes in the Dajiuhu Peatland across different habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transport of chiral active particles is numerically investigated in a two-dimensional ring-shaped channel. The ring-shaped channel is transversal asymmetric and can induce the directed transport (rotation) of chiral active particles. For the particles with small chirality, they slide along the outer boundary of the channel. For the particles with large chirality, the particles move along some small local circular orbits and can also exhibit directed rotation. Moreover, the rotation effect can be strongly enhanced by modifying the inner boundary geometry. Based on the study of particle rotation, we further study the separation of active particles with different chiralities. It is found that the particles with different chiralities may be distributed in different regions of the ring-shaped channel. Interestingly, these particles can be completely separated by shifting the channel's inner boundary or adding a blocking plate in the channel. Our results may be useful for understanding relevant experimental phenomena and provide a scheme for the separation of binary mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A seriesof 6-methoxy-3,3,14-trimethyl-3,14-dihydro-7H-benzo[b]chromeno[6,5-g][1,8]naphthyridin-7-one(4), 13-aza derivatives of benzo[b]acronycine,the isomeric 5-methoxy-2,2,13-trimethyl-2,13-dihydro-6H-benzo[b]chromeno[7,6-g][1,8]naphthyridin-6-one(5), and related cis-diols mono- anddiesters were designed and synthesized. Their in vitroand in vivobiological activities were evaluated.As previously observed in the acronycine series, esters were the mostpotent derivatives exhibiting submicromolar activities; among themmonoesters are particularly active. Racemic diacetate 21showed a strong activity against KB-3-1 cell lines and was selectedfor in vivoevaluation and proved to be active, inhibitingtumor growth by more than 80%. After separation of the two enantiomers,compounds 21aand 21bwere also evaluatedagainst C38 colon adenocarcinoma; their activities were found to besignificantly different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dioxasampsones A and B (1and 2), twonew polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols with an unusualepoxy-ring-fused skeleton by new ways of cyclization, along with anew nor-PPAPs hypersampson R (3) with the loss of C-31–33in isopentenyl, were isolated from the aerial parts of Hypericum sampsonii. 1possessed anunexpected hexacyclic skeleton with a rare 2,7-dioxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptanemoiety, and 2featured a unique tetrahydrofuro[3,4-b]furan-fused tricycle[4.3.1.15,7]undecane skeleton.The gross structures of the new compounds were determined by extensiveNMR spectroscopic methods. Their absolute configurations were deducedby single-crystal X-ray diffraction and ECD calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hybrid S-matrix is proposed based on artificial neural network (ANN) and Baum-Liu-Tesche (BLT) equations to analyze the electromagnetic interference (EMI) effects on PCB with active and passive circuit components. Transmission line equations and Finite difference time domain (FDTD) method are employed to compute the excited fields and extract the port parameters for passive printed circuits. ANN method is used to predict the S-parameters for some active components. Then, the trained ANN model is combined with other S-parameters to compose a hybrid S-matrix for the characterization of the PCB. The resulting hybrid S-matrix and excited fields are subsequently exported to BLT equations to evaluate the responses. Examples are studied and the numerical results are compared with those obtained by experiment. The agreement is generally good that validates this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review assesses the state of the art concerning semicarbazide (SEM). Originally, SEM was primarily detected as a nitrofurazone veterinary metabolite, but over time scientists gradually found that azodicarbonamide in sealed cans and flour could also lead to the generation of SEM. This discovery makes the study of SEM particularly interesting. At present, an increasing number of researchers are investigating the toxicity of SEM and developing more and better analytical methods for the determination of SEM. In recent years, many researchers have focused on exposure from different foods, the public awareness of hazards and analytical detection methods for SEM in different foods. Although there have been significant achievements, these results have not been summarised in a review. The exposure from different foods, toxicity and methods of detection for SEM are comprehensively reviewed here. This review will provide not only others with a better understanding of SEM but also background information to facilitate future research. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, different types of noises, the sensing-noise and the acting-noise, are brought into the extended adaptive Attractive/Repulsive (A/R) swarming models to explore the role of noise in swarming formations. The difference between these two extended A/R models consists in the way in which the noise is introduced. The sensing-noise is added to the inputs of the swarming system which results in the uncertainty of the sensed information for agents, and it affects the whole processes of the swarming system. The acting-noise is added to the outputs of the swarming system, which does not affect the information-sensing and decision-making processes of the system, but it directly affects the action of swarms. With numerical simulations and analyses, the results show that the convergence of the expected swarming formation and the cohesiveness of the swarms may be affected to various degrees and suffered from certain negative impact due to the interference of different noises. We conclude that both the convergence and the cohesiveness are much more sensitive to the sensing-noise, and the model with acting-noise will be robust compared with the model with sensing-noise. Meanwhile we point out that, in the model with the interference of sensing-noise, too strong noises will lead to erroneous judgments of A/R function for agents. The sensed neighbor distance may fall into the zone of attraction, the zone of repulsion, or it may even fall into the zone of Non-A/R area. The original definite A/R function which is determined by the definite neighbor distance will evolve into the indefinite A/R function which is determined by the indefinite sensed neighbor distance. Along with the increase of the probability of such misjudgments, the effect of the A/R model will be progressively weakened. However, such phenomenon does not exist in the A/R model with the interference of acting-noise, in which the strong acting-noise leads the agents move randomly and spread apart gradually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is an inherited disorder, with phagocytes failing to produce antimicrobial superoxide due to deficient NADPH oxidase activity. Mutations in the gene encoding CYBB are responsible for the majority of the CGD cases. To date, there have been no reports on large samples of children with CGD in China. Therefore, in this study, we described the clinical and molecular features of 38 suspected CGD patients from 36 unrelated Chinese families. Methods: Clinical diagnosis was performed using dihydrorhodamine assays detected by flow cytometry. Molecular analysis was used to identify underlying CGD-causative genes. Results: The mean age of onset in our 38 patients was 3.4 months, while the mean age at diagnosis was 31.7 months. Apart from recurrent pneumonia and abscesses, tuberculosis (TB) and Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) infections were notable features in our cohort. Overall, 17 cases died and patient 1 did not participate in the follow-up period . In total, we identified 29 different CYBB gene mutations in 31 patients. We found NCF1 and CYBA mutations in 3 and 2 patients, respectively. In addition, we identified 31 carriers and prenatally diagnosed 4 CGD and 4 healthy fetuses. Conclusions: The results of our study demonstrate that children with BCG infections or recurrent TB infections should have immune function screening tests performed. Moreover, newborns with family histories of primary immunodeficiency diseases should avoid of BCG vaccination. Molecular analysis is an important tool for identifying patients, carriers, and high-risk CGD fetuses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A "gas-breathing" integrated air diffusion electrode based on BN-C catalysts was prepared with improved oxygen utilization and transfer efficiency, achieving high-performance for Zn-air batteries even without external O 2 -pumping equipment. [Display omitted] • A "gas-breathing" integrated air diffusion electrode is designed for rechargeable Zn-air batteries. • B,N-codoped carbon catalysts exhibit efficient ORR and OER bifunctional activity. • The hydrophobic diffusion layer in air diffusion electrode assists high oxygen transfer and utilization efficiency. • Air diffusion electrode endows the constructed ZABs with high-current and long-cycle battery applications. • All solid-state ZABs based on BN/C-ADE with commendable flexibility and efficient charge–discharge property. Rechargeable Zn-air batteries (ZABs) are promising candidates for next-generation sustainable energy storage due to high theoretical energy density and inherent safety. For further practical applications, in addition to developing bifunctional cathode catalysts, there is still a significant performance bottleneck of poor oxygen utilization efficiency in conventional air cathodes, which is often overlooked. To address this problem, a novel "gas-breathing" integrated air diffusion electrode based on B,N-codoped carbon (BN-C/ADE) is designed, which combines gas-diffusion layers and catalyst layers into a single architecture. The hydrophobic diffusion layer with substantial channels promotes active diffusion of oxygen from air atmosphere to reaction interface without the need for an air pump. Consequently, compared with the conventional cathode, a reduced overpotential, higher power density (118.5 mW cm−2) and long lifespan (over 170 h) are obtained for liquid ZABs based on BN-C/ADE, even without external oxygen-pumping equipment, profiting from higher oxygen utilization and transfer efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to test and compare the performance of algorithms in the project scheduling problems, test instances sets are required. Some literatures are reviewed and surveyed on the instances sets. As internationally and commonly used, two basic instances sets(Patterson sets and PSPLIB)and two instances sets generators(the single project generator RanGen and the multi-project generator RCMPSP)are introduced. Finally, the selection flow of test instances sets in project scheduling problems and the general method of constructing test instances sets are proposed. Two cases are used to illustrate the effectiveness and application prospects of these methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NorsampsonesA–D (1–4),four new decarbonyl polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols,together with a new biogenetically related compound hypersampsoneM (5), were isolated from the aerial parts of Hypericum sampsonii. Norsampsones A–D featured anunprecedented carbon skeleton with the loss of C-2 carbonyl in thephloroglucinol ring. All structures were determined by extensive NMRspectroscopic methods, ECD calculation, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Non-equilibrium molecular dynamics is performed for electrolyte solution. [•] The influence of external E/H field on microscopic properties is studied. [•] Hydrogen bonds and coordination number decrease with the increase of concentration. [•] The trend of conductivity variations proves the existence of non-thermal effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study investigated the expression of heat shock protein 90 alpha (Hsp90α) in acute leukemia cells. The expression of Hsp90α was investigated in leukemia cell lines and human bone marrow mononuclear cells derived from acute leukemia patients and from healthy individuals using polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Compared with cells from healthy individuals, the expression of Hsp90α in the untreated patients was higher. Similarly high levels were observed in remission patients. Significantly higher expression levels were observed in all the tested cell lines, and in cells from refractory and relapsed patients. No obvious relationship was observed between the occurrence of graft versus host disease and the expression of Hsp90α. The untreated patients showing higher expression levels of Hsp90α had lower complete remission rates. During remission of untreated patients, the expression of Hsp90α decreased and reached the lowest level after transplantation, but the expression increased again before relapse. Hsp90α was highly expressed in leukemia cells. The expression level of Hsp90α was associated with leukemia prognosis. However, no obvious relationship was observed between the occurrence of graft versus host disease and the expression of Hsp90α. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article focuses on the ban on listing dual-class stock companies on U.S. securities exchanges in 2014. Topics include why dual-class stock can be detrimental to stockholders, institutional investor monitoring, and dual-class capitalization structure. Information is provided on the use of dual-class stock frameworks to prevent against hostile takeovers.

As large-scale MapReduce clusters become widely adapted to process huge amount of data, one of critical challenges Is to improve the service quality of MapReduce clusters by minimizing their makespan. A scheduling model can be considered for multiple, MapReduce jobs. It Is observed that the order in which these jobs are executed can have a significant impact on t H r overall makespan. The goal of the paper Is to design a framework of automatic job scheduler and propose an analytical model for minimizing the makespan of such a set of MapReduce jobs. By considering a better strategy and implementation, we can meet the conditions of the classical Johnson algorithm and use it to find the optimal solution. Under our proposed new strategy, solving the balanced pools problem becomes exact in linear time, better than existing simulating approaches. Our proposed analyical results can be applied to improve system response time, energy-efficiency and load-balance in Hadoop cluster pools, while corresponding numerical examples validate our observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study investigates the safety and efficacy of anterolateral (AL) osteotomy for the treatment of lateral tibial plateau fractures merged with relatively simple and intact posterolateral (PL) corner displacement and screens applicable patients. Methods: Totally, 11 patients with lateral tibial plateau fractures involving the PL corner were included in this study. Of them, seven patients sustained their injuries from motor vehicle accidents (MVAs), three from sports and one from fall from height. All of them received open reduction and internal fixation through the AL approach. Operation time, incision length, range of motion (ROM), Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score, time of union and complications were retrospectively reviewed. Tibial plateau angle (TPA), lateral posterior slope angle (PSA) and articular step-off reduction after surgery were examined by a radiograph technique. Results: Statistically, the means of operation time, incision length, ROM and follow-up period were 82 min, 11 cm, 97° and 27 months, respectively. Three patients had slight complications: superficial infection, hardware irritation and secondary valgus deformity, without severe neural or vascular injuries, which revealed the safety and efficacy of the PL treatment. The average HSS knee score was 91.2 (range 86-96). Reduction (mean TPA 87.2° and mean PSA 8.3°) was satisfactory in 10 patients, except for one patient with a radiographic articular stepoff of 5 mm (case 10). Conclusions: The AL approach is safe and effective for lateral tibial plateau fractures involving the PL corner, especially for fractures merged with simple and intact PL corner displacement (depression and/or split). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded EB nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) protein is required for maintenance and transmission of the viral episome in EBV-infected cells. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of EBNA1 protein in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS Tissue samples from 48 patients with NPC and 12 patients with chronic nasopharyngitis were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis of EBNA1 expression. EBNA1 combinational DNA was used to overexpress EBNA1 protein in NPC cell lines to assess tumor cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), colony formation, migration and invasion, and gene expression. RESULTS EBNA1 protein was highly expressed in NPC tissue specimens, and its expression was associated with NPC lymph node metastasis. EBNA1 expression affected NPC cell morphology and the expression of EMT markers in vitro. Furthermore, overexpression of EBNA1 inhibited the expression of microRNA 200a (miR-200a) and miR-200b and, in turn, up-regulated expression of their target genes, zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 ( ZEB1) and ZEB2, which are well known mediators of EMT. In addition, EBNA1-regulated miR-200a and miR-200b expression was mediated by transforming growth factor-β1. CONCLUSIONS The current findings provided novel insight into the vital role of EBNA1 in manipulating a molecular switch of EMT in EBV-positive NPC cells. Cancer 2014;120:363-372. © 2013 American Cancer Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an adaptive attractive/repulsive (A/R) swarming model is proposed to explore the role of self-organized formation in swarming systems. By defining the adjustable A/R range γi, which is affected by the localized steady state of agents, the standard collective crystal-like swarming formations are straightforwardly unfolded in different scale. Meanwhile, with numerical simulations and analyses, the results show that the adaptive A/R swarming model provides an effective solution to the current existing dilemma of the collective liquid-like formation with unexpected neighbor distances and the split crystal-like formation. The actual neighbor distance of the adaptive A/R model could converge to the expected neighbor distance as planned, based on the different settings of the expected neighbor distance and the A/R range. Moreover, such adjustable A/R swarming formations may find their potential applications such as the formation of self-organized multi-robots and unmanned aerial vehicles, the automatic networking of sensors, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most stable mono-layer boron sheets were predicted to have both the isolated hexagonal hole and the twin-hexagonal hole. Previous investigations indicate that planar B 18H nq ( n = 3–6, q =  n − 4) are the building blocks of boron sheets with isolated hexagonal holes. Extensive DFT investigations performed in this work show that D2h B 26H 8, D2h B 26H 82+, and C2 B 26H 6, may serve as the building blocks of boron sheets with twin-hexagonal holes. These bicyclic clusters possess planar or quasi-planar geometries at B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level, with 16, 14, and 14 delocalized π electrons, respectively. Detailed analyses indicate that they are overall aromatic in nature, with the formation of islands of both σ and π aromaticity. They are analogous to D2h C 16H 14 and D2h C 16H 142+ in π bonding patterns, respectively, but fundamentally different from the latter in σ-bonding. Remarkably, all of them appear to be energetically the lowest-lying isomers obtained, which are promising targets for future gas phase syntheses. These hydroboron clusters, together with B 18H nq clusters, establish the molecular basis for modeling the short-range structures, nucleation, and growth processes of monolayer boron sheets. The results obtained in this work enrich the chemistry of boron hydride clusters and expand the analogy relationship between hydroborons and hydrocarbons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Sasakia funebris, a member of the lepidopteran family, Nymphalidae (superfamily Papilionoidea) is a rare species and is found only in some areas of South China. In this study, the 15,233bp long complete mitochondrial genome of S. funebris was determined, and harbors the gene arrangement identical to all other sequenced lepidopteran insects. The nucleotide composition of the genome is highly A+T biased, accounting for 81.2%. All protein-coding genes (PCGs) start with typical ATN codons, except for COI which begins with the CGA codon. All tRNAs have a typical clover-leaf secondary structure, except for tRNASer(AGN) , the dihydrouridine (DHU) arm of which forms a simple loop. The S. funebris A+T-rich region of 370bp contains several features common to the Lepidoptera insects, including the motif ATAGA followed by a 19bp poly-T stretch, and two tandem repeats consisting of 18bp repeat units and 14bp repeat units. The phylogenetic analyses of Apaturinae based on mitogenome sequences showed: (S. funebris + Sasakia charonda)+(Apatura metis + Apatura ilia). This result is consistent with the morphological classification. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] At 10°C and 6d net aerobic SRT, an enriched GAO culture shifted to PAO I. [•] PAO I did not switch to a GAO-like metabolism under P-limiting conditions at 10°C. [•] Low temperature can be used to enrich PAO I cultures for their metabolic research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of pulsed electric fields (PEF) on quality characteristics and microbial inactivation of soymilk were studied with different PEF parameters. PEF did not affect significantly the values of pH, 'a' (an indicator of redness ranging from '−a' to '+a', −a = green, +a = red) and electric conductivity. The values of 'L' (white if 'L' = 100, black if 'L' = 0) increased slightly, whereas values of viscosity and 'b' (an indicator of yellowness ranging from '−b' to '+b', −b = blue, +b = yellow) decreased slightly as PEF time increased from 0 to 547 μs. Cysteine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, and serine reduced with the increase of PEF time. The relative activities of soybean lipoxygenase (SLOX) decreased with PEF time increasing from 0 to 1,036 μs. When PEF time and strength increased, the inactivation of Escherichia coli and Staphylococus aureus increased significantly ( p < 0.05), achieving a maximum of 5.20 and 3.51 log cycles reduction at PEF time 547 μs and pulsed electric strength 40 kV/cm, respectively. The inactivation of E. coli, S. aureus, and SLOX as a function PEF time followed Weibull distribution. This study demonstrated that PEF could inactivate efficiently E. coli, S. aureus, and SLOX without affecting the quality characteristics of soymilk. Thus, this technique could be an advantageous alternative to heat treatment for pasteurization of soymilk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ADGRD1 (GPR133), an adhesion G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), has been linked to cancer. However, the prognostic value and regulatory function within non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still unclear. This work adopted various bioinformatics methods, including publicly available databases as well as real-time PCR (RT-PCR), for detecting ADGRD1 expression level and investigating the correlation between ADGRD1 expression level and prognosis, tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), immune infiltrating cells, immune-related genes, and targeted regulation mechanisms in NSCLC. According to the results, ADGRD1 expression decreased within NSCLC, which might be the factor predicting prognosis of NSCLC. Meanwhile, ADGRD1 showed significant correlation with TMB and MSI, respectively, as well as immune cell infiltrating levels in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), which were primarily linked to macrophage M1, mast cell resting, T cell CD4 memory activated, and T cell CD4 memory resting and were associated with mast cell activated and mast cell resting in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). The most promising upstream regulation pathways of ADGRD1 were likely miR-142-5p, miR-93-5p, and miR-17-5p, which were overexpressed and associated with poor prognosis in NSCLC. ADGRD1 and immune-related genes correlated with ADGRD1 were shown to be enriched in "positive regulation of leukocyte activation," "external side of plasma membrane," "receptor ligand activity," and "cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction" pathways. ADGRD1 expression and regulation may be critical in determining NSCLC prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]