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An exceptional cycle in a triangulated category with Serre functor is a generalization of a spherical object. Suppose that A and B are Gorenstein algebras, given a perfect exceptional n -cycle E ⁎ in K b (A - proj) and a perfect exceptional m -cycle F ⁎ in K b (B - proj) , we construct an A - B -bimodule N , and prove the product E ⁎ ⊠ F ⁎ is an exceptional (n + m − 1) -cycle in K b (Λ - proj) , where Λ = ( A N 0 B ). Using this construction, one gets many new exceptional cycles which is unknown before for certain class of algebras. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is a prevalent foodborne pathogen with a remarkable capacity to form biofilms on utensil surfaces. The Listeriolysin O (LLO) exhibits hemolytic activity, which is responsible for causing human infections. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect and mechanism of oregano essential oil (OEO) on L. monocytogenes , evaluated the effects on its biofilm removal and hemolytic activity. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of OEO against L. monocytogenes was 0.03 % (v / v). L. monocytogenes was treated with OEO at 3/2 MIC for 30 min the bacteria was decreased below the detection limit (10 CFU/mL) in PBS and TSB (the initial bacterial load was about 6.5 log CFU/mL). The level of L. monocytogenes in minced pork co-cultured with OEO (15 MIC) about 2.5 log CFU/g lower than that in the untreated group. The inhibitory mechanisms of OEO against planktonic L. monocytogenes encompassed perturbation of cellular morphology, elevation in reactive oxygen species levels, augmentation of lipid oxidation extent, hyperpolarization of membrane potential, and reduction in intracellular ATP concentration. In addition, OEO reduced biofilm coverage on the surface of glass slides by 62.03 % compared with the untreated group. Meanwhile, OEO (1/8 MIC) treatment reduced the hemolytic activity of L. monocytogenes to 24.6 % compared with the positive control. Molecular docking suggested carvacrol and thymol might reduce the hemolytic activity of L. monocytogenes. The results of this study demonstrate that OEO exhibits inhibitory effects against L. monocytogenes , biofilms and LLO, which had potential as natural antimicrobial for the inhibition of L. monocytogenes. [Display omitted] • Oregano essential oil (OEO) has antimicrobial activity in laboratory media and pork. • OEO caused oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in L. monocytogenes. • OEO disrupted cell membrane integrity and permeability. • OEO has biofilm scavenging activity at food contact surfaces. • OEO reduced the hemolytic activity of L. monocytogenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mass table in the deformed relativistic Hartree–Bogoliubov theory in continuum (DRHBc) with the PC-PK1 density functional has been established for even- Z nuclei with 8 ≤ Z ≤ 120 , extended from the previous work for even–even nuclei (Zhang et al. (DRHBc mass table collaboration), At. Data Nucl. Data Tables 144, 101488 (2022)). The calculated binding energies, two-nucleon and one-neutron separation energies, root-mean-square (rms) radii of neutron, proton, matter, and charge distributions, quadrupole deformations, and neutron and proton Fermi surfaces are tabulated and compared with available experimental data. A total of 4829 even- Z nuclei are predicted to be bound, with an rms deviation of 1.433 MeV from the 1244 mass data. Good agreement with the available experimental odd–even mass differences, α decay energies, and charge radii is also achieved. The description accuracy for nuclear masses and nucleon separation energies as well as the prediction for drip lines is compared with the results obtained from other relativistic and nonrelativistic density functional. The comparison shows that the DRHBc theory with PC-PK1 provides an excellent microscopic description for the masses of even- Z nuclei. The systematics of the nucleon separation energies, odd–even mass differences, pairing energies, two-nucleon gaps, α decay energies, rms radii, quadrupole deformations, potential energy curves, neutron density distributions, and neutron mean-field potentials are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional blood vessels are crucial to wound healing, and faster vascularization means faster tissue repair to some extent. Increasing numbers of pro-vascularization wound coverings are being developed and studied. Moreover, mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix can guide the behaviour of related cells to some degree. Studies have shown that the mechanical range of 1–7 kPa contributes to the differentiation of stem cells into endothelial cells and thus to the process of wound vascularization. Unfortunately, the regulatory mechanics of vascularizing wound coverings have been poorly studied. Silk fibroin (SF) has attracted much attention because of its good biocompatibility, degradability and adjustable mechanical properties. In this paper, silk scaffolds with mechanical properties of 2 kPa and 5.9 kPa were prepared by adjusting the mechanics of silk scaffolds in terms of freezing temperature and aligned structure. The mechanical properties of the 5.9 kPa aligned silk scaffold (ASS) showed good vascularization ability. By adjusting the intermediate conformation and physical structure of Silk fibroin (SF), the mechanical strength of the silk scaffold could be increased, enabling us to better understand the mechanical regulation mode. At the same time, the aligned structure of the aligned silk scaffold (ASS) promoted the migration and proliferation of cells related to wound repair to a certain extent. By adjusting the mechanical properties and physical structure of the material, an aligned silk scaffold with vascularization function was constructed, providing more possibilities for faster wound repair. • In this paper, silk scaffolds with mechanical properties of 2 kPa and 5.9 kPa were prepared by adjusting the mechanics of silk scaffolds in terms of freezing temperature and aligned structure. • By adjusting the intermediate conformation and physical structure of Silk fibroin (SF), the mechanical strength of the silk scaffold could be increased. • By adjusting the mechanical properties and physical structure of the material, an aligned silk scaffold with vascularization function was constructed, providing more possibilities for faster wound repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the incorporation of heteroatomic B into single-atom Fe catalyst (Fe SA -NC), a catalyst named Fe SA -BNC with a configuration of Fe-N 3 B 1 had been synthesized for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The low electronegativity of B induced charge redistribution around the active center Fe, thereby modulating the ORR activity. The Fe SA -BNC catalyst demonstrated an outstanding ORR performance in alkaline conditions, with a half-wave potential of 0.87 V. [Display omitted] • Coordination of low electronegativity B with Fe atom. • Regulating the charge states of the active site Fe. • The decrease of the d -band center of Fe promoting the desorption of ORR intermediates and enhancing the ORR performance. Despite extensive research has been conducted on atomic dispersion catalysts for various reactions, altering the electronic structure of the central metal to enhance electrochemical reactivity remains a challenging task. Herein, the electrochemical reactivity was considerably enhanced by introducing heteroatomic B to adjust the d -band of single Fe center. In specific, the obtained Fe SA -BNC catalyst demonstrated an outstanding ORR performance (E 1/2 = 0.87 V) and exhibited greater long-term durability in alkaline media compared to Pt/C. The performance of Fe SA -BNC in Zn–air battery was also higher than that of Pt/C. According to theoretical calculations, a downward shift in the d -band center of Fe was induced by introducing B, thereby improving the desorption of intermediates and facilitating the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Noble-metal-free catalyst obtained using MOFs precursors for highly efficient imine synthesis. • An excellent TOF value of 105 h−1 is superior to other non-noble-metal catalysts. • Imine synthesis is realized under mild reaction temperature at 40 °C. • CuInS 2 / C composite catalyst offers the promising practical application for imine synthesis. The self-coupling reaction of primary amines is an efficient method for obtaining imines, which are important components in the organic synthesis of medicines, pesticides, and fine chemical products. However, this reaction often requires the utilization of noble metals as catalysts to achieve high yields. Therefore, it is both desirable and challenging to explore efficient noble-metal-free catalysts. In this study, a composite catalyst of CuInS 2 / C with a regular octahedral shape and porous framework was synthesized using the HKUST-1 as precursor. The CuInS 2 / C catalyst exhibited effective catalytic activity in the self-coupling synthesis of imines under mild conditions, achieving a turnover frequency (TOF) of 105 h−1, which surpasses other non-noble metal catalysts. Mechanism investigations revealed that the excellent catalytic performance of CuInS 2 / C was attributed to its Cu(I) center and porous structure. The former generates radicals, while the latter enhances the transport of substrates and products, facilitating imine synthesis. Importantly, the CuInS 2 / C catalyst could be reused at least four times and applied in gram-scale experiments, demonstrating promising practical applications. This research presents a direct approach to developing noble-metal-free and highly efficient composite catalysts for imine synthesis using MOFs as precursors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exceptional cycles in a triangulated category T with Serre duality, introduced by N. Broomhead, D. Pauksztello, and D. Ploog, have a notable impact on the global structure of T. In this paper we show that if T is homotopy-like, then any exceptional 1-cycle is indecomposable and at the mouth (i.e., the middle term of the Auslander-Reiten triangle ending at it is indecomposable); and any object in an exceptional n -cycle with n ≥ 3 is at the mouth. Let A be an indecomposable gentle k -algebra with A ≠ k. The Hom spaces between string complexes at the mouth are explicitly determined. The main result classifies "almost all" the exceptional n -cycles in K b (A - proj) , using characteristic components and their AG-invariants, except those exceptional 1-cycles which are band complexes. Namely, the mouth of a characteristic component C of K b (A - proj) forms a unique exceptional cycle in C , up to an equivalent relation ≈; if the quiver of A is not of type A 3 , this gives all the exceptional n -cycle in K b (A - proj) with n ≥ 2 , up to ≈; and a string complex is an exceptional 1-cycle if and only if it is at the mouth of a characteristic component with AG-invariant (1 , m). However, a band complex at the mouth is possibly not an exceptional 1-cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given a selfinjective artin algebra Λ, we consider the category S inj (Λ) of all embeddings of a left Λ-module in a finitely generated injective left Λ-module. We show that S inj (Λ) is a Frobenius category with Auslander-Reiten sequences such that the categories Λ-mod and S inj (Λ) are stably equivalent and S inj (Λ) has twice as many indecomposable injective objects as Λ-mod. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Milk vetch (Astragalus sinicus L.) is leguminous green manure (GM) which produces organic nitrogen (N) for subsequent crops and is widely planted and utilized to simultaneously reduce the use of synthetic N fertilizer and its environmental costs in rice systems. Determination of an optimal N application rate specific to the GM-rice system is challenging because of the large temporal and spatial variations in soil, climate, and field management conditions. To solve this problem, we developed a framework to explore the site-specific N application rate for the low-N footprint rice production system in southern China based on multi-site field experiments, farmer field survey, and process-based model (WHCNS_Rice, soil water heat carbon nitrogen simulator for rice). The results showed that a process-based model can explain >83.3% (p < 0.01) of the variation in rice yield, aboveground biomass, crop N uptake, and soil mineral N. Based on the scenario analysis of the tested WHCNS_Rice model, the simple regression equation was developed to implement site-specific N application rates that considered variations in GM biomass, soil, and climatic conditions. Simulation evaluation on nine provinces in southern China showed that the site-specific N application rate reduced regional synthetic N fertilizer input by 29.6 ± 17.8% and 65.3 ± 23.0% for single and early rice, respectively; decreased their total N footprints (NFs) by 23.4% and 49.3%, respectively; and without reduction in rice yield, compared with traditional farming N practices. The reduction in total NF was attributed to the reduced emissions from ammonia volatilization by 35.2%, N leaching by 28.4%, and N runoff by 32.7%. In this study, we suggested a low NF rice production system that can be obtained by combining GM with site-specific N application rate in southern China. • Site-specific N management practices was developed to achieve the low-N footprint rice system • WHCNS_Rice model can explain >83.3% of the variation in crop and soil variables • Site-specific N management reduced regional synthetic N fertilizer input by 29.6–65.3% • Site-specific N management reduced regional N footprint by 23.4–49.3% [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Five matrilineal lineages were disclosed and all were divergent and allopatric. • The estimated date of the origin of the species was about 5.3 Ma. • A complex longitudinal and latitudinal diversification pattern was uncovered. • No cryptic taxon is detected within this widespread snake. Abstract Understanding the influence of geographical events and climate changes on genetic diversity is essential in explaining current patterns of genetic structure and geographic distribution of organisms. We inferred phylogenetic relationships, investigated historical demography, explored the evolutionary history, and clarified intraspecific taxonomy of Protobothrops mucrosquamatus , which is one of the commonest and most wide-ranging Asian pitvipers. A total of 184 samples from 54 localities were sequenced and analyzed for two mitochondrial gene fragments and two nuclear genes. Phylogenetic reconstruction based on mtDNA sequences revealed the existence of a minimum of five geographically structured and well-supported lineages within P. mucrosquamatus. Based on the mtDNA gene tree, and the geographic relationship between populations allied by matrilineal lineages, a complex longitudinal and latitudinal diversification pattern was uncovered in P. mucrosquamatus. The estimated date of the origin of the species (about 5.3 Ma) and divergence of the intraspecific lineages match the rapid uplifting of Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, and is also consistent with those of some other co-distributed Asian pitvipers. Formation of the two island lineages (Taiwan and Hainan) was generally congruent with the first isolation of the islands, but the two lineages showed different relationships with the continental Asian populations in comparison with some other pitvipers. Population historical demographic analyses, based on three methods, showed that all lineages have experienced slight population expansion in and around the Dali Glacial. Tests of intraspecific taxonomy indicated that no cryptic taxon is present within this widely distributed snake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peri-urban vegetable field plays an essential role in providing vegetables for local residents. Because of its particularity, it is affected by both industrial and agricultural activities which have led to the accumulations of heavy metal in soil. So far, information on heavy metal pollution status, spatial features, and human health risks in peri-urban vegetable areas across China is still scarce. To fill this gap, we systematically compiled soil and vegetable data collected from 123 articles published between 2010 and 2022 at a national level. The pollution status of heavy metals (i.e., cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn)) in peri-urban vegetable soils and vegetables were investigated. To evaluate the levels of heavy metal pollution in soil and human health risks, the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and target hazard quotient (HQ) were calculated. The results showed that mean concentrations of Cd, Hg, As, Pb, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn in peri-urban vegetable soils were 0.50, 0.53, 12.03, 41.97, 55.56, 37.69, 28.55, and 75.38 mg kg−1, respectively. The main pollutants in peri-urban vegetable soil were Cd and Hg, and 85.25% and 92.86% of the soil samples had I geo > 1, respectively. The mean I geo values of this regions followed the order of northwest > central > south > north > east > southwest > northeast for Cd and northeast > northwest > north > southwest > east > central > south for Hg. The mean Cd, Hg, As, Pb, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn concentrations in vegetables were 0.30, 0.26, 0.37, 0.54, 1.17, 6.17, 1.96, and 18.56 mg kg−1, respectively. Approximately 87.01% (Cd), 71.43% (Hg), 20% (As), 65.15% (Pb), 27.08% (Cr) of the vegetable samples exceeded the safety requirement values. The vegetables grown in central, northwest, and northern China accumulated much more heavy metals than those grown in other regions. As the HQ values for adults, 53.25% (Cd), 71.43% (Hg), 84.00% (As), and 58.33% (Cr) of the sampled vegetables were higher than 1. For children, the HQ values were higher than 1 for 66.23% (Cd), 73.81% (Hg), 86.00% (As), and 87.50% (Cr) of the sampled vegetables. The findings of this study demonstrate that the situation of heavy metal pollution in peri-urban vegetable areas across China are not optimistic and residents who consume the vegetables are at high risk of health issues. To ensure soil quality and human health, strategies should be taken to guide vegetable production and remedy soil pollution in peri-urban areas with the rapidly urbanizing China. • Cd and Hg were main pollutants were in peri-urban vegetable soils. • Cd and Hg levels in vegetables exceeded the limit values by the largest percentages. • Consumption of peri-urban vegetables leads to high health risks to local residents. • Cd, Hg, As, and Cr are the major pollutants causing health risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the physiological and molecular responses of leaves to aluminum (Al)-toxicity. Seedlings of Al-intolerant Citrus grandis and Al-tolerant Citrus sinensis were supplied daily with nutrient solution containing 0 mM (control) and 1.0 mM (Al-toxicity) AlCl 3 ·6H 2 O for 18 weeks. We found that Al-treatment only decreased CO 2 assimilation in C. grandis leaves, and that the Al-induced alterations of gene expression profiles were less in C. sinensis leaves than those in C. grandis leaves, indicating that C. sinensis seedlings were more tolerant to Al-toxicity than C. grandis ones. Al concentration was similar between Al-treated C. sinensis and C. grandis roots, but it was higher in Al-treated C. grandis stems and leaves than that in Al-treated C. sinensis stems and leaves. Al-treated C. sinensis seedlings accumulated relatively more Al in roots and transported relatively little Al to shoots. This might be responsible for the higher Al-tolerance of C. sinensis . Further analysis showed that the following several aspects might account for the higher Al-tolerance of C. sinensis , including: (a) Al-treated C. sinensis leaves had higher capacity to maintain the homeostasis of energy and phosphate, the stability of lipid composition and the integrity of cell wall than did Al-treated C. grandis leaves; (b) Al-triggered production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the other cytotoxic compounds was less in Al-treated C. sinensis leaves than that in Al-treated C. grandis leaves, because Al-toxicity decreased CO 2 assimilation only in C. grandis leaves; accordingly, more upregulated genes involved in the detoxifications of ROS, aldehydes and methylglyoxal were identified in Al-treated C. grandis leaves; in addition, flavonoid concentration was increased only in Al-treated C. grandis leaves; (c) Al-treated C. sinensis leaves could keep a better balance between protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation than did Al-treated C. grandis leaves; and (d) both the equilibrium of hormones and hormone-mediated signal transduction were greatly disrupted in Al-treated C. grandis leaves, but less altered in Al-treated C. sinensis leaves. Finally, we discussed the differences in Al-responsive genes between Citrus roots and leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In single channel systems, the nonlinear phase noise only comes from the channel itself through self-phase modulation (SPM). In this paper, a fast-nonlinear effect estimation method is proposed based on fractional Fourier transformation (FrFT). The nonlinear phase noise caused by Self-phase modulation effect is accurately estimated for single model 10Gbaud OOK and RZ-QPSK signals with the fiber length range of 0–200 km and the launch power range of 1–10 mW. The pulse windowing is adopted to search the optimum fractional order for the OOK and RZ-QPSK signals. Since the nonlinear phase shift caused by the SPM effect is very small, the accurate optimum fractional order of the signal cannot be found based on the traditional method. In this paper, a new method magnifying the phase shift is proposed to get the accurate optimum order and thus the nonlinear phase shift is calculated. The simulation results agree with the theoretical analysis and the method is applicable to signals whose pulse type has the similar characteristics with Gaussian pulse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little information is available on the molecular mechanisms of boron (B)-induced alleviation of aluminum (Al)-toxicity. ‘Sour pummelo’ ( Citrus grandis ) seedlings were irrigated for 18 weeks with nutrient solution containing different concentrations of B (2.5 or 20 μM H 3 BO 3 ) and Al (0 or 1.2 mM AlCl 3 ·6H 2 O). B alleviated Al-induced inhibition in plant growth accompanied by lower leaf Al. We used cDNA-AFLP to isolate 127 differentially expressed genes from leaves subjected to B and Al interactions. These genes were related to signal transduction, transport, cell wall modification, carbohydrate and energy metabolism, nucleic acid metabolism, amino acid and protein metabolism, lipid metabolism and stress responses. The ameliorative mechanisms of B on Al-toxicity might be related to: (a) triggering multiple signal transduction pathways; (b) improving the expression levels of genes related to transport; (c) activating genes involved in energy production; and (d) increasing amino acid accumulation and protein degradation. Also, genes involved in nucleic acid metabolism, cell wall modification and stress responses might play a role in B-induced alleviation of Al-toxicity. To conclude, our findings reveal some novel mechanisms on B-induced alleviation of Al-toxicity at the transcriptional level in C. grandis leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jindou kumquat (Fortunella hindsii var. chintou Swingle) with very small fruits belongs to genus Fortunella. However, there is a lack of relevant research on the characteristic secondary metabolites in Jindou compared with other Fortunella fruits. Here, non-targeted and targeted metabolomics based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS was performed to profile and quantitate the phytochemicals of 16 varieties including five species in the genus Fortunella. Results showed the types and contents of phytochemicals in different varieties were quite distinct from each other. Twenty four of the screened metabolites in Jindou different from the other varieties were undoubtedly or tentatively identified. Targeted quantitative analysis verified that coumarins and furanocoumarins could be considered to be the dominant characteristic metabolites in Jindou among other Fortunella fruits including auraptene, bergapten, imperatorin, xanthotoxin and umbelliferone. This study makes relatively comprehensive research into the secondary metabolites of Jindou and provides data as a basis for further evaluation and utilization of Fortunella germplasms. • Secondary metabolites in 16 Fortunella germplasms were profiled and quantitated. • Non-targeted and targeted metabolomics were simultaneously used. • The characteristic metabolites in Jindou were screened among Fortunella fruits. • Coumarins and furanocoumarins were the main characteristic metabolites of Jindou. • Auraptene, bergapten, imperatorin, xanthotoxin and umbelliferone enriched in Jindou. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serpins ( ser ine p roteinase in hibitor s ) are widely distributed in different species and are well known for their inhibitory activities towards serine proteinases. Here, we report the functional characterization of Bombyx mori serpin16. Expression analysis showed that serpin16 was specifically expressed at high levels in the silk gland at both the transcriptional and translational levels. Moreover, homology modeling and multi-sequence alignment suggested that serpin16 had a canonical serpin fold, but it contained a unique reactive center loop, which was obviously shorter than that of typical serpins. Inhibitory activity analyses revealed that the target proteinase of serpin18 is a cysteine proteinase, rather than a serine proteinase. Furthermore, a Michaelis complex model of serpin16 with its target proteinase was constructed to explain the structural basis of how serpin16 recognizes the cysteine proteinase and its target specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Our previous study has demonstrated that a plasmid-based short hairpin RNA (shRNA) against cyclin D1 could attenuate the pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC) proliferation and pulmonary vascular remodeling in smoking rats. In this report, we examined the efficiency of this shRNA plasmid in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary vascular remodeling. A single injection of monocrotaline induced pulmonary vascular remodeling and cyclin D1 over-expression in pulmonary vascular smooth muscle. The shRNA successfully suppressed the up-regulation of cyclin D1 in pulmonary vessels of monocrotaline-treated rats. Moreover, this shRNA decreased the percentage of muscularized vessels and the wall thickness of pulmonary vessels. So, we concluded that plasmid-based shRNA against cyclin D1 ameliorated pulmonary vascular remodeling in monocrotaline-treated rats. Cyclin D1 might be a potential target for the therapy of pulmonary vascular remodeling and pulmonary hypertension. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] ADEP1 and 2 potently inhibited the growth of three renal carcinoma cells. [•] ADEP1 and 2 inhibited renal carcinoma cell growth by G1 cell cycle arrest. [•] ADEP1 decreased the activity of MAPK–ERK and expression of cyclin D1 protein. [•] ADEP1 is a promising candidate for developing antitumor agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Lycodon and Dinodon were supported as sharing a most recent common ancestor. [•] Dinodon was paraphyletic and Lycodon was polyphyletic. [•] The arrangement of maxillary teeth was not usable to separate Dinodon and Lycodon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Based on a combination of six mitochondrial gene fragments (12S RNA, cyt b, ND1, ND2, ND4 and CO1) and one nuclear gene (c-mos) from 22 genera we infer phylogenetic relationships among natricine snakes and examine the date and area of origin of these snakes. Our phylogenetic results indicate: (1) the subfamily Natricinae is strongly supported as monophyletic including a majority of extant genera, and a poorly known and previously unassigned species Trachischium monticola, (2) two main clades are inferred within Natricinae, one containing solely taxa from the Old World (OW) and the other comprising taxa from a monophyletic New World (NW) group with a small number of OW relatives. Within the first clade, the genera Xenochrophis and Amphiesma are apparently not monophyletic. Divergence dating and ancestral area estimation indicate that the natricines originated in tropical Asia during the later Eocene or the Oligocene. We recover two major dispersals events out of Asia, the first to Africa in the Oligocene (28Ma) and the second to the Western Palearctic and the New World at 27Ma. This date is consistent with the dispersal of numerous other OW groups into the NW. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Quinone oxidoreductase (QOR EC1.6.5.5) catalyzes the reduction of quinone to hydroxyquinone using NADPH as a cofactor. Here we present the crystal structure of the ζ-crystallin-like QOR Zta1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae in apo-form at 2.00Å and complexed with NADPH at 1.59Å resolution. Zta1 forms a homodimer, with each subunit containing a catalytic and a cofactor-binding domain. Upon NADPH binding to the interdomain cleft, the two domains shift towards each other, producing a better fit for NADPH, and tightening substrate binding. Computational simulation combined with site-directed mutagenesis and enzymatic activity analysis defined a potential quinone-binding site that determines the stringent substrate specificity. Moreover, multiple-sequence alignment and kinetics assays implied that a single-residue change from Arg in lower organisms to Gly in vertebrates possibly resulted in elevation of enzymatic activity of ζ-crystallin-like QORs throughout evolution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, the experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of saturated hot air (SHA) pretreatment on the components in apricot kernels and skins compared with the traditional blanching (TB) method, so as to evaluate the feasibility of SHA for removing the skins. Furthermore, the heatmap was employed to correlate the phenolic components and the color values. The results indicate that the SHA temperature and time had a definite influence on some of the components including phenols, amygdalin, proteins and reducing sugars. Compared with the TB, not only the loss of amygdalin, proteins and reducing sugars in apricot kernels used in SHA pretreatment greatly decreased, but also the loss of the phenols, flavonoids, protocatechin, catechin, vanillic acid and chlorogenic acid in the skins decreased by 42.3%, 50.5%, 57.8%, 63.3%, 94.5% and 42.5%, respectively. The SHA pretreatment for removing skins could decrease the amount of wastewater discharge, and lower the loss of active substances in apricot kernels and its skins. In conclusion, the SHA might be as a novel green and efficient method for removing the apricot kernel skins. • The saturated hot air (SHA) was proposed and tried for removing the apricot kernels skins as a pretreatment. • The SHA temperature and time influence the components of apricot kernels and the skins. • Compared with traditional blanching, the SHA greatly reduced the components loss and water consumption. • SHA pretreatment can be as a novel green and efficient method for removing skins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cooperative unfolding of Escherichia coli ribosome recycling factor (RRF) and its implication for function were investigated by comparing the in vitro unfolding and the in vivo activity of wild-type E. coli RRF and its temperature-sensitive mutant RRFV117D. The experiments show that mutation V117D at domain I could perturb the domain II structure as evidenced in the near-UV CD and tyrosine fluorescence spectra though no significant globular conformation change occurred. Both equilibrium unfolding induced by heat or denaturant and kinetic unfolding induced by denaturant obey the two-state transition model, indicating V117D mutation does not perturb the efficient interdomain interaction, which results in cooperative unfolding of the RRF protein. However, the mutation significantly destabilizes the E. coli RRF protein, moving the thermal unfolding transition temperature range from 50–65 to 35–50°C, which spans the non-permissive temperature for the growth of E. coli LJ14 strain (frr ts). The in vivo activity assays showed that although V117D mutation results in a temperature sensitive phenotype of E. coli LJ14 strain (frr ts), over-expression of mutant RRFV117D can eliminate the temperature sensitive phenotype at the non-permissive temperature (42°C). Taking all the results into consideration, it can be suggested that the mechanism of the temperature sensitive phenotype of the E. coli LJ14 cells is due to inactivation of mutant RRFV117D caused by unfolding at the non-permissive temperatures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The expressions of integrin α5, β1, and α6 were studied in H7721 cells by means of flow cytometric and RT-PCR method after transfected with sense and antisense cDNA of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V (GnT-V). The transfected cells were characterized by Northern blot. It was found that the order of expression from high to low was β1>α5>α6. Transfection of sense GnT-V up-regulated α5 and α6, but not β1 subunit, while antisense GnT-V down-regulated α5 and β1, but not α6. The alterations of surface integrin subunits were quite compatible with the changes of their mRNAs. Using enzyme-labeled lectin analysis, it was shown that α5 subunit contained only C2C2 biantennary N-glycan, which was not regulated by sense and antisense GnT-V. In contrast, β1 subunit contained both biantennary and tri-/tetra-antennary N-glycans with GlcNAcβ1,6Manα1,6-branch, and the latter was up- and down-regulated by the sense and antisense GnT-V, respectively. Therefore, the amount of biantennary N-glycans on β1 subunit, but not the integrin protein, was correlated to the cell adhesion to fibronectin and laminin, which was reduced and elevated in the sense and antisense GnT-V-transfected cells, respectively, as we previously reported. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The monophyly of Trimerodytes is strongly supported, with T. yapingi as the basal to the remaining species. • Trimerodytes likely originated in Hengduan Mountains (eastern Tibetan Plateau) in western China at 23.93 Ma (17.09–31.30). • The validity of T. yunnanensis is supported. The Asian water snake genus Trimerodytes (formerly Sinonatrix) is endemic to East and Southeast Asia. Although several species have been included in various phylogenetic studies previously, the evolution and relationships among members of this genus as a whole remain unexplored. In this study, we report the sequencing two protein-coding mitochondrial gene fragments (MTCYB and ND2) and three nuclear genes (c-mos , NT3 , and Rag1), reconstruct interspecific phylogeny, and explore biogeography for the genus Trimerodytes. Both Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood analyses consistently recover the monophyly of Trimerodytes with strong support, with T. yapingi the sister-group to the remaining species. The divergence date and ancestral area estimation suggest that Trimerodytes likely originated in Hengduan Mountains (eastern Tibetan Plateau) in western China at 23.93 Ma (95% HPD: 17.09–31.30), and intraspecific divergence began at about 4.23 Ma (95% HPD: 2.74–6.10). Analyses support the validity of T. yunnanensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a third-order digital pre-distortion (DPD) scheme to pre-compensate for the third-order nonlinear impairment introduced by the Mach–Zehnder modulator (MZM) in intensity modulation and direct detection (IMDD) optical transmission systems. In our DPD scheme, the modulator driving signal is pre-distorted by the third power of the signal. The coefficient is computed based on the Taylor expression of the MZM power modulation transfer function. We conduct an experimental demonstration to assess the DPD scheme gain in C-band 50 Gb/s four-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM4) IMDD 20 km standard single-mode fiber (SSMF) systems with the utilization of a second-order Volterra series feed-forward equalizer-based decision feedback equalizer (VFE-DFE) at the receiver side to compensate for the distortion introduced by the chromatic dispersion of optical fiber and the square-law detection of a Photodetector. Compared to VFE-DFE, our DPD scheme combined with VFE-DFE achieves a 1.0 dB improvement of receiver sensitivity and improves the optimum operating voltage from 400 mV to 500 mV at a bit error ratio (BER) of 1 × 1 0 − 3 . • A third-order digital pre-distortion (DPD) scheme to pre-compensate for the third-order nonlinear impairment introduced by the Mach–Zehnder modulator (MZM). • In our DPD scheme, the modulator driving signal is pre-distorted by the third power of the signal. The coefficient is computed based on the Taylor expression of the MZM power modulation transfer function. • Compared to second-order VFE-DFE, our DPD scheme combined with second-order VFE-DFE achieves a 1.0 dB improvement of receiver sensitivity at a bit error ratio (BER) of 1 × 1 0 − 3 . • Compared to second-order VFE-DFE, our DPD scheme combined with second-order VFE-DFE improves the optimum operating voltage from 400 mV to 500 mV at a BER of 1 × 1 0 − 3 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat flour substituted with potato pulp was applied in steamed bread to improve nutrient value and reduce the energy consumption and the cost. The dough rheology, starch–gluten network, the quality and in vitro starch digestibility of steamed bread containing 0%–50% potato pulp were investigated. The dough sample with 10% potato pulp content exhibited the optimal elastic and viscous modulus values. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) revealed that dough samples with potato pulp contents of more than 30% weakened starch–gluten interaction and exhibited discontinuous network structures. Steamed bread with 30%–50% potato pulp contents showed reduced specific volumes and increased hardness. The rapidly digestible starch contents and expected glycaemic indices of steamed bread enriched with potato pulp decreased from 46.98% to 31.40% and from 87.81% to 72.79%, respectively. In conclusion, wheat flour substituted with potato pulp can be used in the energy-efficient and cost-effective production of steamed bread with improved nutritional value. Image 1 • Steamed bread was produced using wheat flour substituted with 0%–50% potato pulp. • Dough with 10% potato pulp content exhibited the optimal viscoelasticity values. • The starch–gluten network of dough was characterized by SEM and SDS-PAGE analyses. • High-levels potato pulp decreased steamed bread volume and increased crumb hardness. • Potato pulp made product exert lower hydrolysis index and estimated glycemic index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a fiber nonlinearity-tolerant optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) estimation method for high speed long haul coherent optical fiber transmission system. The correlation function of the amplitude noise and a calibration factor ξ are utilized to correct nonlinearity-induced distortions for the first time when the statistical moments-based method (SMB method) is applied. ξ depends on not only transmission distances but also launch powers. Besides, we put forward a fitting formula for optimal ξ and OSNR estimation results still keep valid regardless of transmission distances and launch powers. Compared with current existing OSNR estimation methods, the proposed method functions well in highly nonlinear systems and is demonstrated to be feasible and more accurate. OSNR estimation errors are below 0.94 dB after calibration over a wide OSNR range from 10 dB to 28 dB in a 112-Gb/s polarization-multiplexed quadrature phase shift keying (PM-QPSK) system when the launch power is up to 8 dBm and the transmission distance is as long as 2000 km. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) play essential roles in tumor metastasis and contribute to remarkably negative clinical outcomes. Recently, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and CD44 positivity (ALDH + /CD44 + ) was identified as a marker of BCSCs in vitro/in vivo studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of ALDH + /CD44 + cells in breast cancer and the association of these two markers with clinicopathological features and clinical outcomes. Materials and methods We investigated the prevalence of ALDH1A3 + /CD44 + cells in a cohort of 144 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) breast cancer tissues. The tissues were stained for ALDH1A3 and CD44 by single and dual immunohistochemistry (dIHC). The associations among the prevalence of ALDH1A3 + /CD44 + cells, the clinicopathological features and the clinical outcomes of the patients were also analyzed. Results ALDH1A3 + /CD44 + cells were present in 39 patients (27.1%). By the Mann–Whitney U test, the Pearson Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, it was demonstrated that the prevalence of ALDH1A3 + /CD44 + cells was closely correlated with larger tumor size ( p = 0.001), nodal metastasis status ( p = 0.043), more advanced clinical stage ( p = 0.021) and distant metastasis after initial surgery ( p = 0.001). In a univariate survival analysis, the presence of ALDH1A3 + /CD44 + tumor cells had a significant negative association with both disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) ( p DFS < 0.001; p OS < 0.001). The negative clinical outcomes in ALDH1A3 + /CD44 + tumors were further confirmed by a multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazard models ( p DFS < 0.001, HR = 3.155; p OS = 0.001, HR = 3.193). This was also true with respect to the clinical treatment regimens of chemotherapy ( p DFS < 0.001; p OS = 0.001), radiotherapy ( p DFS = 0.004; p OS = 0.004), and endocrine therapy ( p DFS < 0.001; p OS < 0.001). Conclusion In summary, our results indicate that the prevalence of ALDH1A3 + /CD44 + tumor cells in breast cancer is significantly associated with worse prognostic factors and favors a poor prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of wetland plants in the context of phytoremediation is effective in the removal of antibiotics from contaminated water. However, the effectiveness and efficiency of many of these plants in the removal of antibiotics remain undetermined. In this study, the effectiveness of two plants— Phragmites austr alis and Iris pseudacorus —in the removal of tetracycline (TC) in hydroponic systems was investigated. The uptake of TC at the roots of I. pseudacorus and P. australis occurred at concentrations of 588.78 and 106.70 μg/g, respectively, after 7-day exposure. The higher uptake of TC in the root of I. pseudacorus may be attributed to its higher secretion of root exudates, which facilitate conditions conducive to the reproduction of microorganisms. These rhizosphere-linked microorganisms then drove the TC uptake, which was higher than that in the roots of P. australis. By elucidating the mechanisms underlying these uptake-linked outcomes, we found that the uptake of TC for both plants was significantly suppressed by metabolic and aquaporin inhibition, suggesting uptake and transport of TC were active (energy-dependent) and passive (aquaporin-dominated) processes, respectively. The subcellular distribution patterns of I. pseudacorus and P. australis in the roots were different, as expressed by differences in organelles, cell wall concentration levels, and transport-related dynamics. Additionally, the microbe-driven enhancement of the remediation capacities of the plants was studied comprehensively via a combined microbial-phytoremediation hydroponic system. We confirmed that the microbial agents increased the secretion of root exudates, promoting the variation of TC chemical speciation and thus enhancing the active transport of TC. These results contribute toward the improved application of wetland plants in the context of antibiotic phytoremediation. [Display omitted] • Iris pseudacorus roots showed a higher uptake of TC. • Active and passive transport drove the uptake and transport of TC, respectively. • Microbial agent improved the uptake capacity of Iris pseudacorus the most. • Combined microbial-phytoremediation can enhance the active transport of targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD209 is a type II transmembrane protein in the C-type lectin family, which is involved in the regulation of innate and adaptive immune system. Although it has been widely studied in mammals, but little has been reported about fish CD209 genes. In the present study, Megalobrama amblycephala CD209 (MaCD209) gene was cloned and characterized, its expression patterns, evolutionary characteristics, agglutinative and bacteriostatic activities were analyzed. These results showed that the open reading frame (ORF) of MaCD209 gene was 795 bp, encoding 264 aa, and the calculated molecular weight of the encoded protein was 29.7 kDa. MaCD209 was predicted to contain 2 N-glycosylation sites, 1 functional domain (C-LECT-DC-SIGN-like) and 1 transmembrane domain. Multiple sequence alignment showed that the amino acid sequence of MaCD209 was highly homologous with that of partial fishes, especially the highly conserved C-LECT-DC-SIGN-like domain and functional sites of CD209. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the CD209 genes from M. amblycephala and other cypriniformes fishes were clustered into one group, which was reliable and could be used for evolutionary analysis. Then, adaptive evolutionary analysis of teleost CD209 was conducted, and several positively selected sites were identified using site and branch-site models. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that MaCD209 gene was highly expressed in the liver and heart. Moreover, the expression of MaCD209 was significantly induced upon Aeromonas hydrophila infection, with the peak levels at 4 h or 12 h post infection. The immunohistochemical analysis also revealed increased distribution of MaCD209 protein post bacterial infection. In addition, recombinant MaCD209 (rMaCD209) protein was prepared using a pET32a expression system, which showed excellent bacterial binding and agglutinative activities in a Ca2+-independent manner. However, rMaCD209 could only inhibit the proliferation of Escherichia coli rather than A. hydrophila. In conclusion, this study identified the MaCD209 gene, detected its expression and evolutionary characteristics, and evaluated the biological activities of rMaCD209 protein, which would provide a theoretical basis for understanding the evolution and functions of fish CD209 genes. •The C-LECT-DC-SIGN-like domain and functional sites of MaCD209 was highly conserved. •Several positively selected sites were identified from teleost CD209 genes. • MaCD209 gene was highly expressed in the liver, and notably induced upon infection. •rMaCD209 showed bacterial binding and agglutination activities in a Ca2+-independent manner. •rMaCD209 exhibited antimicrobial activity against E. coli instead of A. hydrophila. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diesel engine-radiated noise quality prediction is an important topic because engine noise has a significant impact on the overall vehicle noise. Sound quality prediction is based on subjective and objective evaluation of engine noise. The integrated satisfaction index (ISI) is proposed as a criterion for differentiate noise quality in the subjective evaluation, and five psychoacoustic parameters are selected for characterizing and analyzing the noise quality of the diesel engine objectively. The combination of support vector machines (SVM) and genetic algorithm (GA) is proposed in order to establish a model for predicting the diesel engine-radiated noise quality for all operation conditions. The performance of the GA-SVM model is compared with the BP neural network model, and the results show that the mean relative error of the GA-SVM model is smaller than the BP neural network model. The importance rank of the sound quality metrics to the ISI is indicated by the non-parametric correlation analysis. This study suggests that the GA-SVM model is very useful for accurately predicting the diesel engine-radiated noise quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Euprepiophis perlaceus is a valid species based on multi-locus markers. [•] Coalescent-based species delimitation methods support the validity of E. perlaceus. [•] Species trees show E. perlaceus is sister to E. mandarinus despite gene tree conflict. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Numerous taxa show ancient intertropical disjunct distributions. Many can be explained by well-known processes of historical vicariance, such as the breakup of Gondwanaland. Others, such as Asian–Neotropical divergences are not as well understood. To clarify the phylogenetic position and understand biogeographic and temporal origins of the geographically disjunct and morphologically unique genera of hinged-teeth snakes, Scaphiodontophis (n =1) and Sibynophis (n =9; Colubridae), we inferred a time-calibrated phylogeny with additional 107 taxa representing the superfamily Colubroidea using four genes (c-mos, cyt-b, ND2, RAG-1; 3085bp). We used this tree to estimate ancestral areas for the group. The results show that Scaphiodontophis is sister to Sibynophis, both originated in the late Eocene/Oligocene in Asia and likely dispersed through Beringia to the New World, but unlike other snake groups left no extant species in temperate North America. Current recognition of Scaphiodontophiinae renders Colubrinae paraphyletic, and we resurrect the previously named subfamily Sibynophiinae to encompass both genera and use the tribes Sibynophiini (Sibynophis) and Scaphiodontophiini (Scaphiodontophis) to highlight the geographically distinct areas occupied by these taxa. These results suggest that intercontinental dispersal with extinction in intermediate areas can explain puzzling patterns of ancient intertropical disjunct distributions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Glutathione transferases (GSTs) are ubiquitous detoxification enzymes that conjugate hydrophobic xenobiotics with reduced glutathione. The silkworm Bombyx mori encodes four isoforms of GST Omega (GSTO), featured with a catalytic cysteine, except that bmGSTO3-3 has an asparagine substitution of this catalytic residue. Here, we determined the 2.20-Å crystal structure of bmGSTO3-3, which shares a typical GST overall structure. However, the extended C-terminal segment that exists in all the four bmGSTOs occupies the G-site of bmGSTO3-3 and makes it unworkable, as shown by the activity assays. Upon mutation of Asn29 to Cys and truncation of the C-terminal segment, the in vitro GST activity of bmGSTO3-3 could be restored. These findings provided structural insights into the activity regulation of GSTOs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We investigated phylogenetic structure and morphological variation in Asian mountain pitvipers of the genus Ovophis (comprising 3–4 species some of which are considered polytypic) by sequencing four mitochondrial markers (cytochrome b, NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4, 12S and 16S rRNA) from 72 specimens, and analysed them in a Bayesian framework together with another 26 sequences from closely related genera. We reconstructed the region of origin and direction of dispersal of the major clades, and of Ovophis as a whole, using likelihood framework analysis. We also defined morphogroups from 280 specimens from across the range of Ovophis to allow the geographic extent of the major clades to be determined, as well as to allow inclusion of specimens lacking sequence data. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed the monophyly of Ovophis as currently defined, and revealed that it contains two major lineages, eastern (mainly Chinese) and western, with both occurring in southwestern China, central and northern Viet Nam. The most likely origin of the genus, and of individual lineages, coincides with the northeastern boundary of the Indomalayan hotspot. Major diversification in this species group likely corresponded to major climatic changes arising from the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau in the early to mid Miocene. With reference to the defined morphogroups, we suggest that at least five species are present and provide appropriate names. With a few exceptions, the newly defined species boundaries do not correspond to the existing taxonomy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We conducted phylogenetic analyses to identify the closest related living relatives of the Xizang and Sichuan hot-spring snakes (T. baileyi and T. zhaoermii) endemic to the Tibetan Plateau, using mitochondrial DNA sequences (cyt b, ND4) from eight specimens, together with sequences from 95 additional caenophidian and five henophidian genera that were downloaded from GenBank. Phylogenetic trees were obtained using Bayesian Inference and Maximum likelihood methods. Results suggest that hot-spring snakes, which are adapted to high and cold environments, were clustered in the monophyletic Xenodontinae. Xenodontinae is one of the largest subfamilies of colubrid snakes, with about 90 genera and more than 500 species known, and are primarily tropical snakes previously thought to be restricted to the New World. Our data failed to provide any evidence that the New World xenodontines diverged from Thermophis and dispersed into the New World, also failed to suggest a colonization of Asia by New World xenodontines by dispersal from the New World. An alternative plausible scenario may be that Thermophis and the New World xenodontines evolved independently in Asia and America, respectively, after the divergence of their common ancestor. The divergence of the two species in Thermophis was caused by the barrier of the Hengduan Mountains, and the speciation had almost occurred when Tibetan Plateau attained present elevation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The in vivo activities and conformational changes of ribosome recycling factor from Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis (TteRRF) with 12 successive C-terminal deletions were compared. The results showed that TteRRF mutants lacking one to four amino acid residues are inactive, those lacking five to nine are reactivated to a similar or a little higher level than wild-type TteRRF, and those lacking ten to twelve are inactivated again gradually. Conformational studies indicated that only the ANS binding fluorescence change is correlated well with the RRF in vivo activity change, while the secondary structure and local structure at the aromatic residues are not changed significantly. Trypsin cleavage site identification and protein stability measurement suggested that mutation only induced subtle conformation change and increased flexibility of the protein. Our results indicated that the ANS-detected local conformation changes of TteRRF and mutants are one verified direct reason of the in vivo inactivation and reactivation in Escherichia coli. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Recent studies indicate that the N138ND2–Q106O hydrogen bonding deletion in staphylococcal nuclease significantly alters the conformational integrity and stability of the nuclease. To find out the structural basis of the changes, mass spectrometry and limited proteolysis methods were combined to probe the subtle conformational changes in the SNaseN138D mutant and SNaseN138D–Ca2+–pdTp complex. The results reveal that the N138ND2–Q106O hydrogen bonding deletion makes the C-terminal part of α-helix 1 and α-helix 2 in the C-terminal subdomain of SNaseN138D unfold to some extent, but does not have much effect on the N-terminal part of α-helix 1, α-helix 3, and the N-terminal β-barrel subdomain of SNaseN138D. Binding of ligands makes the α-helices 1 and 2 more resistant to protease Glu-C attack and converts the partially unfolded state to a native-like state. This study also demonstrates how mass spectrometry can be combined with limited proteolysis to observe conformational changes induced by ligand binding. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease worldwide; however, disease-modifying treatments are lacking because of the complicated pathological mechanisms. As a breakthrough, aberrant activation of transforming growth factor-β 1 (TGF-β1)in subchondral bone has been confirmed as an essential pathomechanism for OA progression, and has become a potential therapeutic target. In addition to R&D on neutralizing antibodies, small-molecule antagonists and chemical medicines, native antagonists of TGF-β1 could be exploited as another promising approach. Noggin (NOG) is an antagonist of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and was reported to effectively attenuate OA by protecting cartilage and preventing pathological subchondral bone remodeling. However, the underlying mechanisms have not been fully clarified. We first detected the distribution of NOG in knee joints of an OA mouse model, which showed upregulation at early stage of OA but downregulation later in the subchondral bone and no significant change in the articular cartilage. Furthermore, the interaction between NOG and TGF-β1 was verified, which in turn suppressed the downstream SMAD2/3 activity of TGF-β1. Moreover, the proliferation and chondrogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were not significantly influenced by NOG. Taken together, the results showed that NOG antagonized TGF-β1 but did not repress MSC proliferation and chondrogenesis; thus, it seems promising for OA treatment. ∙ Noggin (NOG) is significantly upregulated in the subchondral bone at the early stage of osteoarthritis but downregulated in the late stage. ∙NOG is identified as a new antagonist of TGF-β1. ∙NOG does not affect the proliferation and chondrogenesis of MSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work examines the active control of vehicle buffeting noise using a dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator (DBD-PA). First, the buffeting noise characteristics of a cavity under different inflow wind speeds are established through a wind tunnel test, and the effectiveness of the buffeting noise measurement results is verified. Various types of actuator layouts are designed based on specific combinations of parameters, and the interval optimization algorithm is used to identify the layout type of actuators that have the best equalization control effect under different inflow wind speeds. The experimental results regarding buffeting noise characteristics show that the buffeting frequency and the peak value of the sound pressure level increase with the increasing of wind speed. The control results show that the overall control effect of the reverse layout of the span-wise DBD-PA (SDBD-PA) is better than that of the positive layout. Consequently, the control effects of the SDBD-PA layout decrease in the front, rear, and oblique directions. A DBD vortex generator (DBD-VG) has no control effect when it is arranged in the front but has a certain control effect when it is arranged in the rear. The control effect is better with longer DBD-VGs. The results of running the interval optimization algorithm at different incoming wind speeds are as follows: reverse-front-SDBD-PA and long-rear-DBD-VG can achieve the best equalization control effect of cavity buffeting noise. The average noise reduction values are 5.26 dB and 4.42 dB, respectively, and the maximum noise reduction values are 7.48 dB and 5.79 dB, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been well established that syntactic representation is independent of semantic representation in Indo-European languages, but it is unclear whether this is the case in Chinese. The present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study adopted a syntactic priming paradigm to investigate the neural basis of Chinese syntactic representation. A passive sentence was preceded by either a passive or an active sentence without repeating a verb or a pattern of agent-patient animacy, thus constructing primed and unprimed sentence pairs based on sentence structure. The fMRI data were collected from 22 native Chinese speakers while they were reading the sentences. Priming-related activation suppression was found in the left temporal pole, left inferior frontal gyrus and left precentral gyrus. The results are the strongest neuroimaging evidence to date that syntactic representation is independent of semantic representation in Chinese, in line with Indo-European languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• It is the first experimental demonstration of inter-channel NL estimation with DP. • This method has good practicability with 1.5-dB estimation error for experiment. • This method does not require dispersion compensation. • It is the first discussion of the critical launch power required by this method. In this paper, we present the first experimental demonstration of inter-channel nonlinearity (NL) estimation with differential pilot (DP). This method has a simplified encoding structure of transmitter and low complexity. The distribution of different components in the received signal spectrum can be differentiated with Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), and the inter-channel NL power can be obtained by power subtraction. To verify the practicability of this method, a 25-GBaud coherent quadrature-phase-shift-keying (QPSK) wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) experiment system is employed with the launch power of 0–10 dBm per channel over 900-km standard single-mode fiber (SSMF). The results demonstrate that the inter-channel NL power estimation error is less than 1.5 dB when launch power is larger than 4 dBm per channel. Therefore, this method has good practicability for the inter-channel NL power estimation of coherent WDM systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Three-dimensionally macroporous MnZrO x composite oxides were fabricated. • Remarkable activity improvement was obtained after the addtion of zircoinum. • Textural property, redox ability and oxygen vacancy took key roles in the reaction. • Adsorption/oxidation behaviors of reactant molecules were derived from in situ study. Three-dimensionally macroporous (3DM) MnZrO x catalysts were fabricated to reveal the structure and Zr-doping effects on both physicochemical properties and propane combustion behaviors. The increasing addition of zirconium is favorable for the formation of 3DM structure and amorphous Mn-Zr solid solution, leading to tunable physicochemical properties. The significant activity improvement after zirconium addition was originally attributable to the superior redox ability, higher oxygen mobility and more abundant oxygen vacancy. The excellent catalytic activity, cycling stability and water resistant ability over 3DM Mn 0.6 Zr 0.4 O x make it a promising material for hydrocarbons elimination. The comparative TPSR, in situ DRIFTs and kinetics study over 3DM and bulk catalysts emphasize the advantageous function of 3DM architecture on promoting propane adsorption, oxidation and lattice oxygen mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of studies have shown that prenatal exposure to chemical and non-chemical stressors has effects on fetal growth. The co-exposure of both better reflects real-life exposure patterns. However, no studies have included air pollutants and pregnancy-related anxiety (PrA) as mixtures in the analysis. Using the birth cohort study method, 576 mother-child pairs were included in the Ma'anshan Maternal and Child Health Hospital. Evaluate the exposure levels of six air pollutants during pregnancy using inverse distance weighting (IDW) based on the pregnant woman's residential address and air pollution data from monitoring stations. Prenatal anxiety levels were assessed using the PrA Questionnaire. Generalized linear regression (GLR), quantile g-computation (QgC) and bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were used to assess the independent or combined effects of air pollutants and PrA on birth weight for gestational age z-score (BWz). The results of GLR indicate that the correlation between the six air pollutants and PrA with BWz varies depending on the different stages of pregnancy and pollutants. The QgC shows that during trimester 1, when air pollutants and PrA are considered as a whole exposure, an increase of one quartile is significantly negatively correlated with BWz. The BKMR similarly indicates that during trimester 1, the combined exposure of air pollutants and PrA is moderately correlated with a decrease in BWz. Using the method of analyzing mixed exposures, we found that during pregnancy, the combined exposure of air pollutants and PrA, particularly during trimester 1, is associated with BWz decrease. This supports the view that prenatal exposure to chemical and non-chemical stressors has an impact on fetal growth. [Display omitted] • Three methods were used to analyze mixed exposures, with more accurate results. • In trimester 1, combined exposure to air pollution and PrA was moderately associated with BWz decrease. • The effects of air pollution on BWz vary depending on the timing of exposure and the specific pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • All species of Rhabdophis nuchalis (sensu lato) complex did not form a monophyly, but each species was highly supported. • Incongruence was detected between nuclear and mtDNA phylogeny. • A new taxa has been described from southwestern China. • Geographic distribution boundary for each species within this species complex has been redefined. Stable taxonomy and robust phylogeny are essential for the evolution and conservation of organisms. The Rhabdophis nuchalis (sensu lato) complex presently contains three species (R. nuchalis , R. chiwen , R. pentasupralabialis). Although several studies have explored the diversity and phylogeography of this group, certain issues related to systematics and taxonomy remain unresolved. Here, based on genome-wide data, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) generated from ddRAD-seq and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), we re-evaluated the phylogenetic relationships and cryptic diversity of this species group. Our results are generally consistent with previous studies but provide some new insights. Phylogenetic relationship reconstruction based on SNPs and mtDNA revealed that three species in the R. nuchalis (sensu lato) complex did not form a monophyly but each species is well supported as monophyletic lineage in SNP-based analyses. Population structure analyses showed genetic admixture between several species pairs. Additionally, the population in eastern Yunnan, China, was identified as a potential cryptic species and thus described as a new species based on morphological data. From our results and previous studies, we redefined the distribution boundary for each species in the R. nuchalis (sensu lato) species complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfonylurea herbicides have been widely used worldwide and play a significant role in modern agricultural production. However, these herbicides have adverse biological effects that can damage the ecosystems and harm human health. As such, rapid and effective techniques that remove sulfonylurea residues from the environment are urgently required. Attempts have been made to remove sulfonylurea residues from environment using various techniques such as incineration, adsorption, photolysis, ozonation, and microbial degradation. Among them, biodegradation is regarded as a practical and environmentally responsible way to eliminate pesticide residues. Microbial strains such as Talaromyces flavus LZM1, Methylopila sp. SD-1, Ochrobactrum sp. ZWS16, Staphylococcus cohnii ZWS13, Enterobacter ludwigii sp. CE-1, Phlebia sp. 606, and Bacillus subtilis LXL-7 can almost completely degrade sulfonylureas. The degradation mechanism of the strains is such that sulfonylureas can be catalyzed by bridge hydrolysis to produce sulfonamides and heterocyclic compounds, which deactivate sulfonylureas. The molecular mechanisms associated with microbial degradation of sulfonylureas are relatively poorly studied, with hydrolase, oxidase, dehydrogenase and esterase currently known to play a pivotal role in the catabolic pathways of sulfonylureas. Till date, there are no reports specifically on the microbial degrading species and biochemical mechanisms of sulfonylureas. Hence, in this article, the degradation strains, metabolic pathways, and biochemical mechanisms of sulfonylurea biodegradation, along with its toxic effects on aquatic and terrestrial animals, are discussed in depth in order to provide new ideas for remediation of soil and sediments polluted by sulfonylurea herbicides. • Extensive use of sulfonylureas has resulted in serious environmental contamination. • Biodegradation has emerged as a powerful tool for the removal of sulfonylureas. • The metabolic pathways and degradation mechanisms of sulfonylureas are described. • Hydrolase and oxidase play crucial roles in the degradation of sulfonylureas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with poor prognosis due to many unknowns about its inflammatory microenvironment. As a pivotal proinflammatory cytokine, IL-17A exerts a protective effect on the survival and function of HCC cells. It is widely accepted that IL-17A plays an important role in regulating autophagy. Bcl2, a key molecule promoting the survival of HCC cells, also plays an indispensable role as an autophagy regulator. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Bcl2 in IL-17A-regulated autophagy of HCC cells. The results showed that IL-17A not only inhibited autophagic activity, but also increased Bcl2 levels in HCC cells under starvation. Besides, IL-17A could prevent the dissociation of autophagy protein Beclin1 from Bcl2-Beclin1 complex upon starvation. Overexpression of Beclin1 rescued the autophagy deficiency of HCC cells in presence of IL-17A. Moreover, RNAi-induced Bcl2 silencing impaired the function of IL-17A in inhibiting the activation of autophagy, subsequently reducing the viability and migration of HCC cells, while the inhibition of Beclin1 by spautin-1 could reduce autophagic activity to a certain degree, thus restoring the viability and migration of HCC cells. In summary, it was suggested that the inhibition of Bcl2 degradation may be an important mechanism by which IL-17A inhibits autophagy response, subsequently maintaining the survival in HCC cells. Highlights • IL-17A-inhibited autophagy is related to Bcl2 degradation in HCC cells. • Bcl2 may be degraded via the autophagosome-lysosome pathway in HCC cells. • IL-17A-Bcl2-Beclin1-autophagy inactivation pathway maintains HCC cells' survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using full-potential local-orbital minimum-basis method within density functional theory (DFT), we study the electronic and magnetic properties of ideal and defective Ti 2 NiIn Heusler alloy. The ideal Ti 2 NiIn exhibits a half-metallic ferromagnetic behavior with a total magnetic moment of 3.000 μ B and a band gap 0.394 eV, which is promising for fabricating spin injection devices as the Fermi level is located in the middle of band gap. Among these studied defects, only Ni In antisite as well as Ti(A) and Ti(B) vacancies retain the half-metallicity. However, the remaining defects destroy the half-metallicity. The calculations of formation energy indicate that Ti(A) vacancy can be spontaneously formed during the fabrications of the alloy. In addition, we also discuss the electronic and magnetic properties under different defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]