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Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) refers to abnormal glucose tolerance that occurs or is firstly diagnosed during pregnancy. GDM is related to various adverse pregnancy outcomes, but GDM pathogeny has not been fully elucidated. Nevertheless, previous studies have observed that many proteins in the placentas of patients with GDM are dysregulated. The present study aimed to establish a novel differentially expressed protein (DEP) landscape of GDM and normal maternal placentas and to explore the possible connection between DEPs and GDM pathogenesis. This study provides new insights into the mechanism of GDM and should make an important contribution to the development of biomarkers. The morphological characteristics of the placenta were observed on 30 GDM and normal maternal placental tissues stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) was used in the proteomics screening of the DEPs of the normal and GDM maternal placentas. Bioinformatics analysis was performed on the DEPs, and parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) was performed to verify the DEPs. Finally, the quantitative analysis of iTRAQ and PRM was verified by immunohistochemical assay. A total of 68 DEPs in the GDM placenta were identified with iTRAQ proteomics experiment, comprising 21 up-regulated and 47 down-regulated DEPs. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the regulation of transport, catabolic process of non-coding RNA, cytoskeleton and cell binding were the most abundant Gene Ontology terms, and RNA degradation was an important pathway for significant enrichment. Protein–protein interaction network analysis showed that heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins A2/B1 (HNRNPA2B1), heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A/B (HNRNPAB), heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein L (HNRNPL) and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A3 (HNRNPA3) were the cores of the up-regulated proteins. Band 3 anion transport protein (SLC4A1), spectrin beta chain erythrocytic (SPTB), ankyrin-1 (ANK1), spectrin beta chain non-erythrocytic 2 (SPTBN2), D-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH) and exosome complex component RRP42 (EXOSC7) were the cores of the down-regulated proteins. These proteins are involved in the binding, splicing, processing, transport and degradation of RNA and in the formation and maintenance of the cytoskeleton. PRM verification results showed that seven proteins, namely, epiplakin (EPPK1), cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (CIRBP), HNRNPA2B1, HNRNPAB, HNRNPL, Ras-related protein Rab-21 (RAB21) and Ras-related protein Rab-3B (RAB3B), were up-regulated, whereas SPTB and SLC4A1 were down-regulated. The results of immunohistochemical assay also showed that the expression of five proteins, namely EPPK1, HNRNPA2B1, HNRNPAB, CIRBP and RAB21, were significantly higher in GDM placental tissues (P < 0.01). The GDM placentas showed changes in the morphological evaluation, including poor villous maturation, obvious increase in the number of syncytiotrophoblast nodules, thickening of the wall of dry villous arterioles with lumen stenosis, increased fibrinous exudation and excessive filling of villous interstitial vessels. Differentially expressed proteins related to a variety of biological processes in the GDM placenta were found. Fourteen proteins, namely, HNRNPA2B1, HNRNPAB, HNRNPL, HNRNPA3, EPPK1, CIRBP, RAB21, RAB3B, SLC4A1, SPTB, ANK1, SPTBN2, PHGDH and EXOSC7, which were differentially expressed in the placenta, may play an important role in regulating the occurrence and development of gestational diabetes through multi-channel and multi-link regulation. • The new DEPs landscape of GDM and normal maternal placentas was established by iTRAQ. • We identified 21 upregulated and 47 downregulated differentially abundant proteins. • Nine proteins were validated by the parallel reaction monitoring. • Discovered 14 proteins as candidate proteins for the study of pathogenesis in GDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Global warming drives microeukaryotes to move northward in the coastal sediments. • Microeukaryotic benthos stride over the ecological barrier of 32°N between the ECS and the YS under the global change. • Water depth restricts the connectivity between the continental slope community from the SCS and the continental shelf communities from the ECS and YS. • Higher phylogenetic diversity was detected in SCS than those in ECS and YS. • The depth, temperature and latitude significantly influence the microeukaryotes community in the coastal sediments. The marine flora and fauna along the China seas include the Indo-West Pacific warm-water fauna and the North Pacific temperate fauna. The latitude of 32°N is recognized as the ecological barrier for benthic fauna in the China Seas. However, the ecological barrier on macrobenthos community gradually weakened because of global warming. Microeukaryotes are major components of marine food webs and can quickly response to environmental changes. We hypothesis that microeukaryotic benthos can stride over the ecological barrier of 32°N from the East China Sea (ECS) to the Yellow Sea (YS) under the global change, but their distribution is still limited by depth gradients between the South China Sea (SCS) and the ESC. Therefore, we investigated the distribution of benthic microeukaryotes in the China Seas using RNA metabarcoding. Higher OTU richness and phylogenetic diversity were detected in the SCS than those in the YS and ECS. The YS and ECS communities clustered together firstly and then clustered with the SCS community. Unexpectedly, communities from the 33°N in the YS clustered with those from the ECS. Similar pattern was also detected for Cercozoa, Diatomea, Amoebozoa and Fungi. These findings indicated that microeukaryotic benthos strode over the ecological barrier of 32°N under the global change. Source-sink analyses indicated more than 50% sources of the 33°N community were attributed to the ECS community, while only 12.5% from the YS community. Depth, temperature and latitude showed significant influence on communities in the China Seas. This study highlights the response of active microeukaryotes to the global warming in the coastal sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To immobilize radionuclides in the soil of uranium mill tailing (UMT), the microwave vitrification method is considered as a promising alternative. In order to examine how changing microwave power and sample size affects microwave heating, a numerical model is constructed here that considers electromagnetic and heat transmission. The simulation findings demonstrate that a silicon carbide (SiC) susceptor and microwave aid can be used to treat the soil in UMT using microwave power. Due to the economic advantages, a 400 W microwave input power adds significantly to thermal heterogeneity. The size of the soil samples is also important since it affects how microwaves heat the soil and how the heat is distributed. The 20 mm in diameter, 10 mm thick soil sample performed the best under the 400 W input power. • A numerical model for microwave heating behavior is built. • Microwave behavior of covered soil from uranium mill tailings is researched. • The influence factors on microwave heating behavior are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global reconstructions of the Earth's Quaternary ice sheet history such as ICE-6G assume that mantle rheology is linear and Earth properties are laterally homogeneous. However, these assumptions are unrealistic because high temperature/pressure creep experiments show that both linear and non-linear creep laws operate simultaneously in the mantle. Also surface geology and seismic tomography show that mantle properties vary laterally. This study uses the Coupled Laplace-Finite Element Method to find an ice model that is consistent with an Earth model with composite rheology where both linear and non-linear creep laws operate simultaneously in the mantle, and the effective viscosity is laterally heterogeneous. We use the ICE-6G ice model as initial load on a composite rheology Earth model and iteratively improve both the ice and Earth model parameters until they fit observations of Glacial Isostatic Adjustment or GIA (relative sea level and land uplift rate) well simultaneously. We thereby focus on North America and northern Europe. Our best combination model, called ICE-C(M_C), also fits gravity rate-of-change data in both areas. This finding removes the obstacle in using composite rheology in GIA studies since previous work found it impossible for composite rheology to fit both relative sea level and land uplift rate data simultaneously. It shows that composite rheology is clearly an alternative to linear rheology in future GIA studies. The ICE-C model is at the last glacial maximum (LGM) position from 26 ka BP (thousand years before present) to 19 ka BP, which implies that composite rheology also supports the timing of LGM proposed by Clark et al. (2009). The model is found to be significantly thicker in the center of rebound in Fennoscandia than ICE-6G from the LGM to about 8 ka BP, but significantly thinner around the Fennoscandian coastline from LGM to about 12 ka BP. These changes in the lower boundary conditions in northern Europe may affect the reconstruction of past climate there. Regional differences in ice thickness between ICE-C and ICE-6G are also found in Laurentia. During LGM there are negligible differences in total ice volume between ICE-C and ICE-6G, thus it remains questionable if a composite rheology may help in solving the missing ice problem. ICE-C is also consistent with meltwater pulses 1A and 1B. Mantle viscosities and creep parameters of Earth model M_C are consistent with previous findings from GIA modeling and microphysics experiments. • ICE-C constructed with composite rheology model M_C fits different GIA data simultaneously. • Values of creep parameters in M_C are consistent with microphysics findings. • ICE-C is thicker in the centre of Fennoscandia than ICE-6G. • ICE-C supports the timing of the Last Glacial Maximum. • ICE-C can explain meltwater pulses 1A and 1B. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact and the role of textbooks in language learning and communication have not been paid enough attention. English textbooks have the potential to not just provide guidance for learning language but can be a platform for introducing cultural diversity and tolerance and as a medium for integrating cross-disciplinary knowledge. Building on a social learning and socio-cultural theory, this research considers whether English textbooks are contextualised enough to help with students' English learning and communication. This is achieved by analysing a set of secondary English textbooks Project English used in China and discovering textbook users' real experience of learning English and using English textbooks. The results show that topics, texts, and tasks of textbooks are decontextualised in terms of authenticity, levels of communication, diversity, and representation of cultures. Moreover, more attention is given to grammatical functions of English language rather than its communicative functions. Suggestions towards a more communicative and contextualised textbook content and pedagogy are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Conversation analysis facilitates an examination of the communicative function of emoji. • Emoji perform communicative work related to the textual context. • Gestures indexed by emoji are important referents in their analysis. • Research should focus on the process of emoji selection and technology interfaces. Abstract This paper uses conversation analysis to explore the communicative functions of one emoji in a mobile reading community in China. In contrast to semiotic approaches to emoji that focus on their cultural signification, or that treat them as reflections of users' inner intensions, we analyse emoji as communication phenomena by exploring their relation to other textual actions in the production of text-talk. The emoji analysed here functioned as a laughter token, and performed specific interactional work related to laughter. We conclude that conversation analysis offers an important corrective to abstracted semiotic analysis and a useful resource for exploring the demonstrable meaning of emoji for interlocutors. However, we also emphasise the importance of capturing the process of composing messages, the challenges of dealing with the variety of forms that emoji take and their relation to gestural and other actions in face to face communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: As the visual navigation of unmanned surface vehicle is often disturbed by water reflection, this paper focuses on the detection of water reflection. We segment the image under shoreline and study several water reflection detection methods such as brightness, saturation, texture, edge detection and region growing. Based on experimental results, the comparison of these methods detecting reflection region is given. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents a nonlinear model of a catamaran-style Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) thrust with twin fixed propellers, which are driven by DC electric motors. A total model including resistance of boat body, propulsion force and driving characteristics of motor is established. Response for a full range of the ASV motion is simulated according to the model, based on which the performance of the ASV is discussed. Experiment results from sea test are in accord with the ones from simulating, which validate the nonlinear model. Compared with the classical linearized models, the advantage of the nonlinear model lies in convenience for dealing with system response for the full range of ASV motion. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Both Doppler spectral aliasing and azimuth output time folding simultaneously exist in TOPSAR (Terrain Observation by Progressive Scans) raw data. Resampling in both Doppler frequency and azimuth time domain can resolve the azimuth aliasing problem but with the seriously increased computational complexity and memory consumption. According to the special characteristics of TOPSAR raw data support in the slow time/frequency domain (TFD), the presented azimuth scaling preprocessing step is introduced to not only resolve the Doppler spectral aliasing problem but also reduce the increased azimuth samples. Furthermore, the correction of sawtoothed azimuth antenna pattern (AAP) becomes easy to be implemented. The following conventional stripmap processor can be adopted to focus the residual TOPSAR raw data but with the result of azimuth aliased TOPSAR image. The mosaic approach, which has been presented to unfold azimuth aliased ScanSAR image, is exploited to resolve the problem of azimuth output folding in TOPSAR mode. Simulation results and pulse response parameters are given to validate the presented imaging approach. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass (YSCWM) is a unique hydrological phenomenon in the central Yellow Sea, resulting in different macrobenthos community compositions inside and outside the YSCWM. However, this pattern in benthic microeukaryotes has never been identified by morphological methods and DNA sequencing. To determine whether microeukaryotes differ from macrobenthos in terms of regional geographical distribution, we investigated the distribution of benthic microeukaryotes in the Yellow Sea using RNA metabarcoding. We identified a distinct distribution pattern of benthic microeukaryotes inside and outside the YSCWM, similar to that of macrobenthos. The community differentiation was likely attributable to the rare but unique OTUs, which accounted for approximately 31% of the total OTUs. Moreover, the sequence proportion of some abundant OTUs inside the YSCWM was also significantly different compared to that outside the YSCWM. Cluster analysis based on the microeukaryote communities clearly separated the Yellow Sea into different compartments. Similar pattern was also detected for the communities of abundant microeukaryotes, Diatomea, Fungi and Dinoflagellata. Variation partitioning analysis showed that spatial factors had stronger effects than environmental factors on shaping the distribution of the total, abundant and the top five dominant taxonomic groups, while environmental factors contributed more to regulating rare communities. This research indicates that the geographical distributions of marine benthic microeukaryotes and macrobenthos are similar, which can be shown by RNA sequencing. • The distribution of benthic microeukaryotes in the Yellow Sea was investigated by RNA metabarcoding. • A distinct distribution pattern of marine benthic microeukaryotes was observed, similar to that of macrobenthos. • Depth was the most important driver in shaping the total, abundant and rare communities of microeukaryotes. • Spatial factors had stronger effects on shaping the distribution of the total and abundant communities, while environmental factors contributed more to regulating rare communities. • Environmental factors contributed more to regulating rare communities compared to spatial factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple approach combining electrochemical reaction self-assembly and photolithography has been proposed for the controlled and reproducible fabricating the highly ordered Au-Ag alloy arrays for SERS. The nucleation and growth processes of the Au-Ag alloy are adjusted easily via changing the applied voltage and reaction time to obtain the flower-like hierarchy nanostructure, which show the strongest SERS properties due to the wealthy Raman “hot spots” provided by the corners and edges in much-branched flower structure. Moreover, the maximum SERS is observed for the Au-Ag alloy with a small amount of Au (12%), which can lead to a charge separation and favor the probe molecules adsorption to the silver domains. By using these flower-like Au-Ag alloy arrays, the Rhodamine 6G (R6G) with the concentration of as low as 10 −12 M can be detected easily in this study, which would be very promising for the applications in biosensors and nanodevices with molecule-level detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Outcomes of lymphoid blast phase chronic myeloid leukemia were still poor. • TKI-BCL-2 inhibitors-hypomethylating agents induced fast and deep response in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. • This protocols also had mild adverse events, including hematological toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low cost TiO 2 / Sb 2 (S, Se) 3 heterojunction thin film solar cell are prepared successfully by using sol-gel and chemical bath deposition. At first, TiO 2 thin film is prepared on the ITO-coated glass substrate by a simple sol-gel and dip-coating method. Subsequently, Sb 2 (S, Se) 3 film is fabricated on TiO 2 by selenizing the Sb 2 S 3 film prepared by chemical bath deposition (CBD). The heat-treated process of TiO 2 and Sb 2 (S, Se) 3 films has been discussed, respectively. After being heat-treated at 550 °C for TiO 2 and 290 °C for Sb 2 (S, Se) 3 films, the photovoltaic devices are completed with the conductive graphite as electrode. The J-V characteristics of TiO 2 / Sb 2 (S, Se) 3 solar cell are measured and the open circuit voltage ( V oc ) of this cell is about 350 mV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A low-cost and controllable fabrication method of flower-like Au arrays has been developed by using photosensitive sol–gel and electrochemical reaction self-assembly strategy on a TiO 2 patterned Si substrate. The effects of concentration of HAuCl 4 solution and applied voltage have been investigated to tailor the growth of Au nanoflowers. At a proper applied voltage (12 V) and concentration (0.005 mM), fractal flower-like Au arrays is prepared and shows strong SERS effect. The concentration of detectable Rhodamine 6G can be down to 10 −10 M using the short data integration time (5 s). These flower-like Au arrays with strong SERS effect could be used in biosensors and nanodevices with molecule-level detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat differentiation is the essential force for shaping animal and plant biogeography. Distribution patterns of microeukaryotes, which are an assemblage of highly diverse and phylogenetically distant groups, across multiple marine habitats remain largely unknown. We hypothesize that microeukaryote communities vary across different types of marine habitats at the regional scale similar as macroorganisms, and they are shaped by multiple factors. Herein, we evaluated the microeukaryotic diversity and connectivity in sediments from intertidal flat through continental shelf to deep-sea floor, including habitats of deep-sea plain, seamount, and hydrothermal vent, using high-throughput DNA sequencing. Microeukaryote communities were clustered into their own sub-groups according to the types of the habitats, where the communities of abundant taxa tended to gather with nearby habitats, while the rare taxa were mainly shaped by the types of the habitats. The SourceTracker analysis showed that the most probable sources for each community composition, particularly for those from seamounts and hydrothermal vent, were identified unknown. The continental shelf and deep-sea plain showed a relatively larger fraction of sources from each other, indicating a stronger source-sink dynamic than that among other habitats. The habitat differentiation contributed more to community variations than the spatial variables and water depth did. Co-occurrence network analysis indicated more complex bio-interactions in the neritic zone, where Cercozoa might play fundamental roles in the stability of the community than those in the deep sea, where ciliates were more connected with other taxa. Altogether, our findings highlight that the microeukaryotic communities are clearly shaped by the habitat differentiation, and this study also identifies the most probable source of dispersal for each community of different habitats. • The microeukaryotic communities were clearly shaped by the habitat differentiation. • The most probable source of dispersal for each community of different habitats was identified. • The continental shelf and deep-sea plain showed a relatively stronger source-sink dynamic. • More complex bio-interactions were observed in the neritic zone than those in the deep sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microeukaryotes are mainly composed of highly diverse and abundant protists, whose diversity and distribution in deep oceans have not been well studied. We investigated the vertical profiles of microeukaryotes throughout the water column down to abyssal sediments and their horizontal distribution over a distance of 1,300 km in the Western Pacific Ocean, using high throughput DNA sequencing. A distinct vertical distribution was detected for microeukaryote communities, which could be clustered into euphotic, aphotic and sediment groups. Nearly half of the operational taxonomic units detected in the sediment samples were also found in overlying water, indicating a frequent species exchange between seawater habitats and abyssal sediment habitats, which was similar to that observed for prokaryote communities. On the horizontal scaling side, a significant distance-decay relationship was found in the microeukaryote community. Furthermore, the major microeukaryotic groups revealed different distance-decay patterns which appeared to be significant for Dinoflagellata and Radiolaria, but insignificant for Ciliophora. Environmental selection contributed more to the variations in microeukaryote and Dinoflagellata communities than neutral processes, whereas neutral processes explained more variations in Radiolaria community. Generally, community variations explained by both processes were less than 30%, which was lower than that in coastal zones. These results imply that the complex distribution pattern within microeukaryote communities and more drivers, such as currents, water mass and biotic interactions, might contribute in shaping the distribution of microeukaryotes in the open ocean. • Microeukaryote communities throughout the water column down to the abyssal sediment were investigated. • Microeukaryote communities exhibited phyla-specific distance-decay patterns. • An intimate link between communities from seawater and abyssal sediment was detected. • Environmental selection contributed more to community variations than neutral processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]