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Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have potential carcinogenicity, immunotoxicity, and hepatotoxicity. Research has been conducted on PFAS exposure in people to discuss their potential health effects, excluding lung cancer. In this study, we recruited participants (n = 282) with lung cancer from Heilongjiang Province, northeast China. The PFAS concentrations were measured in their serum to fill the data gap of exposure, and relationships were explored in levels between PFASs and clinical indicators of tumor, immune and liver function. Ten PFASs were found in over 80 % of samples and their total concentrations were 5.27–152 ng/mL, with the highest level for perfluorooctanesulfonate (median: 12.4 ng/mL). Long-chain PFASs were the main congeners and their median concentration (20.5 ng/mL) was nearly three times to that of short-chain PFASs (7.61 ng/mL). Significantly higher concentrations of perfluorobutanoic acid, perfluorononanoic acid and perfluorohexanesulfonate were found in males than in females (p < 0.05). Serum levels of neuro-specific enolase were positively associated with perfluoropentanoic acid in all participants and were negatively associated with perfluorononanesulfonate in females (p < 0.05, multiple linear regression models). Exposure to PFAS mixture was significantly positively associated with the lymphocytic absolute value (difference: 0.224, 95% CI: 0.018, 0.470; p < 0.05, quantile g-computation models) and serum total bilirubin (difference: 2.177, 95% CI: 0.0335, 4.33; p < 0.05). Moreover, PFAS exposure can affect γ-glutamyl transpeptidase through several immune markers (p < 0.05, mediating test). Our results suggest that exposure to certain PFASs could interfere with clinical indicators in lung cancer patients. To our knowledge, this is the first study to detect serum PFAS occurrence and check their associations with clinical indicators in lung cancer patients. [Display omitted] • Occurrence of PFASs in serum of lung cancer patients was investigated. • PFAS concentration was significantly associated with clinical indicator levels. • PFAS mixture was positively associated with LYMF and TBIL in serum. • Mediating effects of immune cells on connection between PFAS and GGT was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fractional (strong) matching preclusion number of a graph G , denoted by f (s) m p (G) , is the minimum number of edges (and vertices) whose deletion results in a graph with no fractional perfect matching. Let G n 1 , n 2 , ... , n k be the complete k -partite graph, whose vertex set can be partitioned into k parts, each has n i (1 ≤ i ≤ k) vertices and whose edge set contains all edges between two distinct parts. In this paper, we determine f m p (G n 1 , n 2 , ... , n k ) and f s m p (G n 1 , n 2 , ... , n k ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the thermal decomposition mechanism of conventional nitrocellulose (NC) and ladder-structured nitrocellulose (LNC), and effectively improve their safety performance during storage and service, the NC and LNC samples were subjected to non-isothermal DSC experiments to analyze their thermal kinetics. The model-free methods and model-fitting methods were used to analyze the thermal decomposition process of NC and LNC. The reaction autocatalytic behavior is confirmed in the thermal decomposition process of NC and LNC by Friedman analysis. Considering the fitting degree and the degree of freedom of the methods and models, the composite autocatalysis reaction model is the most suitable method to describe the thermal decomposition process of NC and LNC. Furthermore, the prediction accuracy of the composite autocatalysis reaction model is validated by the Flash DSC experimental data. The error between the actual and predicted peak temperatures is only approximately 1.5 %. Based on the composite autocatalysis reaction model of NC and LNC, the process of the thermal decomposition reaction of NC and LNC is obtained with high precision for their Flash DSC experimental data. This study can provide theoretical guidance for the process control of the thermal decomposition of NC and LNC. The thermal decomposition mechanism of NC and LNC is studied. The kinetic model for the thermal decomposition of NC and LNC are deduced. The thermal decomposition kinetics equations for NC and LNC is obtained. The accuracy of the thermal decomposition kinetics equations of NC and LNC in predicting thermal decomposition behavior at extremely high heating rates is verified. This study can provide theoretical guidance for the process control of the thermal decomposition of NC and LNC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental problems caused by disposable plastic straws have been widely concerned around the world. Developing degradable straws made of eco-friendly materials is an effective solution. Nevertheless, the popular alternatives, for example, polylactic acid (PLA) straw and paper straw are far from satisfactory because of the restrictive degradation conditions, low mechanical performance, poor water stability, and the use of chemicals. As an abundant and sustainable natural resource, bamboo has been widely used in many fields. This study developed a mechanized and industrialized process with high efficiency and automation, including the preparation of bamboo sticks, hydrothermal treatment, and drilling holes in sticks to produce bamboo drinking straws. The production avoided chemicals and bamboo drinking straws retained the natural structure and degradability of bamboo. The performance evaluation shows that bamboo straws had superior mechanical properties (highest compressive strength of 71.65 MPa, bending strength of 123.90 MPa, and ring stiffness of 0.61 MPa), good wetting stability (high appearance quality and wet strength), reusability, high recovery value, and low manufacturing cost (around 17.5–35% of commercial degradable drinking straw costs). Bamboo drinking straws enrich the types of degradable straws and contribute to reducing plastic pollution. [Display omitted] • A novel bamboo drinking straw as alternative to plastic straw is proposed. • Bamboo straws are degradable, chemical-free, high-strength, low-cost, and reusable. • An automatic and high-accuracy drilling machine for bamboo straws is invented. • The strength, wetting stability, and reusability of bamboo straws are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of new methods to incorporate carbon dioxide into organic molecules is of special significance and interest as it is an abundantly available and recyclable C1 source. Catalytic hydrocarboxylation of readily available olefins with CO 2 represents a highly atom- and step-economic approach toward transformations of CO 2 into widely-used aliphatic acids. However, due to relatively lower reactivity of them, this goal has been always a formidable challenge. Herein we review relevant progress on transition metal-mediated or catalyzed methodologies toward the desired hydrocarboxylation, with an emphasis on the development of two main pathways, including transition-metal-catalyzed cyclometallation of olefin and CO 2 and direct addition of alkylmetal to CO 2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An integrated process combining bamboo flattening and densification is proposed. • Modified bamboo with a regular shape and high performance is fabricated. • The alternations in gradient structure and properties of bamboo are explored. • The mechanical properties and behavior of bamboo are evaluated and simulated. Bamboo is an appealing source of engineering materials due to its renewability and sustainability. However, the traditional method of processing bamboo splits using four-side planing leads to a very low utilization rate of bamboo materials. Additionally, the non-uniform structure of the bamboo culm wall results in a concentration of higher density towards the outer part and a gradual decrease towards the inner part. To address these issues, this study proposes an effective and environmentally friendly method that combines flattening and densification to modify the heterogenous structure and enhance the properties of natural bamboo. Natural bamboo splits with a moisture content of 70 % were compressed by 44 % along the radial direction of culm wall for 20 min at temperatures of 170 °C and 190 °C, respectively. The gradient characteristics of modified bamboo including microstructure, density, and mechanical properties were investigated for the first time to explore the effect of flattening and densification on the heterogenous bamboo material. After modification, the parenchyma tissues were collapsed, the fiber bundle fraction increased, and the differences in lumen size and fiber fraction between the outer and the inner parts of bamboo splits decreased. The density of the inner part of bamboo splits was tremendously increased to over 1.0 g/cm3 and was consistent with that of the outer part. The tensile and bending properties across the gradient were significantly improved, and the weaker section was reinforced and possessed a strength equivalent to the sturdy part of natural bamboo. Furthermore, the tensile and bending properties of full-thickness bamboo splits were improved, and the change in stress distribution led to a stable structure replacing the previously vulnerable structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new polyketides, wortmannilactones I1-I3, were purified from Talaromyces wortmannii using the One Strain Many Compounds (OSMAC) strategy. The polyketides’ structures were established using IR, 1D and 2D NMR, and HRESIMS analyses and the absolute configurations were identified by comparison of experimental and calculated ECDs. These polyketides exhibit selective inhibitory activity against NADH-fumarate reductase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An integrated process of bamboo flattening, densification, and drying is developed. • Flattened bamboo strips with high strength are produced. • The strengthening mechanisms from multiple perspectives are deeply analyzed. Bamboo is widely recognized as an engineering material with great potential. Conventional rectangular bamboo strip lumber has low utilization rate from milling arc-shaped strips flat and variable strength properties from natural bamboo's hierarchical tissue structure. In this work an energy-efficient hydrothermal compression process to flatten and densify arc-shaped bamboo is presented. The green (70 % moisture content) bamboo strips were hot compressed in the radial direction at 3.0 MPa pressure, and at 170 °C or 190 °C heat for 20 min. After compression, arcs became rectangular with low (<10 %) moisture content and significant enhancement of mechanical properties. The bending strength, bending modulus, compressive strength, and shear strength of bamboo were improved by 128.1 %, 91.6 %, 58.2 %, and 74.5 %, respectively. Increased density and fiber bundle fraction, altered failure modes and chemical characteristics, increased cellulose crystallinity and crystalline size, and increased nanoscale mechanical properties were observed as contributing factors to tissue strength enhancement. The process could potentially eliminate the conventional strip milling and lengthy drying processes currently used to produce laminate bamboo lumber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bamboo has attracted much attention and gained economic and environmental values for its excellent properties such as fast growth, short rotation, sustainability, and high strength. One of the bamboo engineering products most widely used in construction, furniture, etc. is the laminated bamboo board which is made of bamboo strips. However, the arc-shape makes bamboo strips must be planed on four sides to be rectangular before assembling and gluing. After the quadrilateral planning process, a large part (60–70%) is removed. On the other hand, due to the non-uniform distribution of vascular bundles, bamboo is characterized by heterogeneity confined to decreased density and mechanical strength from the outer to the inner part, which causes the difficulty of stable quality control of engineered bamboo products. To increase the rate of bamboo utilization and achieve the goal of homogenization, this study proposed an integrated thermo-hydro-mechanical treatment combining flattening and homogenization on arc-shaped bamboo strips. Fresh bamboo strips with 70% moisture content were compressed at 170 °C with customized vapor releasers for 20 min. After the integrated treatment, arc-shaped bamboo strips were flattened and densified with a compression set of around 44%. The average density reached up to 1.10 g/cm3 from 0.67 g/cm3. And treated bamboo exhibited a relatively uniform density throughout its thickness. The increases of fiber bundle fraction and the density of parenchyma tissues were basic reasons for the density homogenization. The longitudinal tensile tests showed that the treated bamboo had remarkable mechanical performances. After treatment, tensile strength and modulus of elasticity (MOE) of bamboo increased by 52.6% and 35.4%, respectively. • A treatment combining flattening and homogenization on bamboo strips is proposed. • After treatment, the arc-shape of bamboo strip is replaced by a flat shape. • The density homogenization along the radial direction of bamboo is achieved. • Treated bamboo with great mechanical strength is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Heat treatment is an effective method to improve bamboo dimensional stability. • Heat treatment can improve bamboo biological resistance. • Different bamboo heat treatment methods are reviewed. • The impacts of heat treatments on bamboo properties are discussed. Bamboo has been widely used in construction, furniture and other fields because of its fast growth, renewability and great mechanical performances. However, due to the hydrophilicity and nutrient richness, bamboo has poor dimensional stability and lower natural resistance to mold, fungi, and insects. Heat treatment can effectively improve the performance of bamboo and the quality of bamboo products. Different heat treatments have been reported and used in literature and industry. However, few summary reports on bamboo heat treatment were found. It is of great significance to summarize the bamboo heat treatment processes and analyze the impact of heat treatment on bamboo properties for inspiring researchers and entrepreneurs to develop the technologies. In this study, different bamboo heat treatments were summarized and classified according to the type of heat transfer media. And the properties of heat-treated bamboo including micro-structure, physical properties, mechanical properties, chemical properties, and the anti-mildew property were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A mesh grading approach based on investigated lump method has been presented for simulating wave propagation in high velocity-contrast media. Unstructured fine grids are used to discretize the low wave-velocity medium in order to ensure the accuracy of numerical computation, and unstructured coarse grids are used for the high wave-velocity medium in order to substantially reduce the computational cost. On the interface, one coarse grid can match the fine grids of arbitrary odd number. The key feature of the proposed method is the constructions of investigated lumps on the interfaces of media. The transition zone, which is commonly used in the discontinuous grid scheme based on the staggered-grid finite-difference method, will not be used any more. Moreover, the computational instability that the discontinuous grid schemes frequently encountered does not arise in the proposed method. The comparisons with the analytical solutions and the application in studying the effects of sedimentary basin demonstrated that the mesh grading approach is a valid, accurate, convenient and flexible algorithm in simulating wave propagations in high velocity-contrast media with irregular interfaces. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A numerical simulation method with structures, earth medium and finite-fault sources being considered together is presented for studying responses of building structures to the near-fault earthquake. The multi-degree-of-freedom models are adopted for the structures and the finite-fault model is applied for the causative fault. Investigated lumps of different type are considered to establish the dynamic equilibrium equations for the structures, the earth medium and the connections between them, respectively. The algorithms and the stability conditions have been derived for wave propagations in the structures and the earth medium, respectively. The investigated lumps considered for the connections are used to implement the two-way wave propagations between the structures and the earth medium. The earthquake responses of three clusters of 6-story frame structures, which respectively located on the hanging wall, rupture forward and footwall, are studied during the fault rupture. The inter-story drifts and dynamic deformations of frame structures, and the wave fields in earth medium excited by the vibrating structures show remarkably different characteristics for the structures located on different places. In addition, the structures of different type consisting of 24-story and 6-story frames are also studied. It shows that the high-rise structures influence greatly the neighboring multi-story structures located on the hanging wall and rupture forward of the fault. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An approach for simulating near-fault ground motion was presented by combining the finite fault model with a numerical algorithm, named investigated lump method presented in this paper for wave propagation. The investigated lumps are constructed from the auxiliary quadrilateral grids. The dynamic equilibrium equations of a typical investigated lump have been derived and obtained by integrating the stresses along the contour of the investigated lump. The stresses are calculated using the constitutive relations and the interpolation techniques. The investigated lump method is then implemented using the equilibrium equations of investigated lumps and the calculations of stresses alternately in time domain. The stability criterion of the algorithm has been given. Comparisons with the discrete wave-number method solutions for predicting the ground motions at the Pacoima Dam during the San Fernando earthquake show the validity of the method presented in this paper for simulating near-field ground motions. A finite fault source model has been implemented in the algorithm here. The source parameters given by Wald et al. (1996) are applied to synthesize the ground motions at three stations during the 1994 Northridge earthquake. The simulating results qualitatively match to the corresponding ground motion records. The studies demonstrated that the approach presented in this paper is an effective tool for the numerical simulation of near-fault ground motion. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aggregation behaviours of sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT) and sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate (NaDEHP) solutions are studied via the energy transfer of acridine orange (AO) and rhodamine B(RB) molecules. The approximate apparent energy transfer efficiency (ϕ a) of the dye molecules reaches its maximum value when the concentrations of AOT and NaDEHP are far lower than their cmc. This might be caused by the formation of surfactant–dye mixtures. The anionic surfactants (SDS, AS, AOT and NaDHEP), cationic surfactant (CTAB) and nonionic surfactant (Triton-X-100) are chosen to investigate the effect of the structure of surfactant on the ϕ a between AO and RB molecules. The results indicate that the effective energy transfer may occur in the anionic surfactant systems and it is not obvious in the nonionic and cationic surfactant systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Double hearing protectors (DHPs), earplugs and earmuffs worn in combination, may be needed in high level noise environments. The DHP sound attenuation is known to be less than the sum of each single protector attenuation. This effect, referred to as the DHP effect, is still not fully understood. A recent study has shown that it can be observed on an acoustic test fixture (ATF) and characterized by the decrease of the earplug noise reduction (NR) when the earmuff is added. In this paper, a measurement methodology is proposed to (i) identify the main sound paths related to the DHP effect on an ATF and (ii) explain the latter by the relative contributions of the air-borne and structure-borne transmissions in the system. The focus is put on the NR values of the earplug alone and in the DHP. Measurement results suggest that the DHP effect is related to the energy transmitted from the earcup, through the earmuff cushion and finally into the earcanal via the sound radiation of the earplug and/or earcanal lateral walls. This flanking structure-borne path is found to dominate over the "direct" air-borne path through the hearing protectors at frequencies above 300 Hz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As emerging contaminants, micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) can absorb and leach various toxic chemicals and ultimately endanger the health of the ecological environment and humans. With extensive research on MNPs, knowledge about MNPs in humans, especially their translocation of barriers and potential health effects, is of utmost importance. In this review, we collected literature published from 2000 to 2023, focusing on MNPs on their occurrence in humans, penetrating characteristics in the placental, blood-brain, and blood-testis barriers, and exposure effects on mammalian health. The characteristics and distributions of MNPs in human samples were analyzed, and the results demonstrated that MNPs were ubiquitous in most human samples, except for kidneys and cerebrospinal fluid. In addition, the phenomenon of MNPs crossing barriers and their underlying mechanisms were discussed. We also summarized the potential factors that may affect the barrier crossing and health effects of MNPs, including characteristics of MNPs, exposure doses, administration routes, exposure durations, co-exposure to other pollutants, and genetic predisposition. Exposure to MNPs may cause cytotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and developmental and reproductive toxicity in mammals. People are encouraged to reduce their exposure to MNPs to prevent these adverse health effects. Finally, we discussed the shortcomings of current research on MNPs in humans, providing a valuable reference for understanding and evaluating the potential health risks from MNP exposure in mammals, including humans. [Display omitted] • The occurrence and characteristics of MNPs in human samples were discussed. • MNPs can cross different barriers of mammals, including PB, BBB, and BTB. • Barrier transfer is affected by characteristics of MNPs, and exposure dose, route, and time. • MNPs crossing barriers may cause cytotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and reproductive developmental toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant miRNAs play critical roles in the response to abiotic and biotic stress. The advancement in the number of plant miRNA functions lags far behind that of plant miRNAs. In this paper, a method to predict the functions of plant miRNAs is proposed. The functional similarity between each pair of miRNAs is inferred based on a weighted protein–protein interaction network (WPPIN) and graph-theoretic properties. A miRNA functional similarity network (MFSN) is constructed by a simple but robust rank-based approach. Transductive multi-label classification (TRAM) is applied to the MFSN. The experimental results demonstrate that our prediction approach obtains high effectiveness in Arabidopsis thaliana . It can also be applied to other plant species when protein–protein interaction networks of various organisms are available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the environmental impacts of synthetic fiber production and disposal, coupled with limitations in the existing continuous processing methods for plant fibers, this study proposed a novel manufacturing approach for preparing wide and continuous bamboo winding belts. The current application scenarios of bamboo belt winding products are limited because the reinforcement orientation cannot be optimized due to the inherent stiffness of bamboo belts, and the variety of bamboo belt types is limited. This study employed two representative types of bamboo belts: bamboo slivers and thin bamboo veneers, which had varying cross-sectional aspect ratios. Verification demonstrated that this method enabled the production of bamboo winding products with any reinforcement orientations ranging from 0 radians to π radians. This addressed the challenge of optimizing reinforcement orientation in bamboo winding products and was anticipated to broaden the application of this method to other winding units with unidirectional reinforcement. Additionally, the performance feasibility of the two bamboo winding belts prepared using this method was evaluated in terms of microstructure, surface wettability, and mechanical properties. The bamboo slivers and thin bamboo veneers, with their rigid-flexible structure, hydrophilicity, and non-catastrophic fracture characteristics, enhanced their winding potential. These wide, continuous, and rigid-flexible features of the bamboo winding belts held promise for their expanded applications in bamboo winding products, thus promoting sustainable and environmentally friendly manufacturing practices. • A novel approach is developed to achieve any reinforcement orientation in winding products. • Wide, continuous, rigid-flexible bamboo belts with variable fiber cell angles are produced. • An alternative strategy for synthetic fibers in civilian winding field is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cationic amphiphilic antihistamines have been shown to improve patient outcomes in immunogenic tumours, but whether they can augment and improve response to immunotherapy is unknown. We aim to evaluate the effect of cationic amphiphilic antihistamines in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). We conducted a retrospective propensity score-matched cohort study at two tertiary referral centres in Taiwan between January 2015 and December 2021. Patients who received desloratadine, cyproheptadine, and ebastine were classified as cationic amphiphilic antihistamine users. The primary outcome was overall survival, and the secondary outcomes were progression-free survival and clinical benefit rate. Patients treated with cationic amphiphilic antihistamines were matched to patients who received non-cationic amphiphilic antihistamines based on variables including age, cancer type, stage, and history of allergic diseases. A total of 734 ICI-treated patients were included. After matching, 68 cationic amphiphilic antihistamine and non-cationic amphiphilic antihistamine users remained for analysis. Compared with non-cationic amphiphilic antihistamine users, patients who received cationic amphiphilic antihistamines had a significantly longer median overall survival (24.8 versus 10.4 months; Log-rank, p = 0.018) and progression-free survival (10.6 versus 4.93 months; Log-rank, p = 0.004). The use of cationic amphiphilic antihistamines was associated with an approximately 50% lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR, 0.55 [95% CI: 0.34–0.91]). Survival benefits were not seen in patients who received cationic amphiphilic antihistamines before immune checkpoint blockade. These survival benefits were observed regardless of the generation of cationic amphiphilic antihistamines. The use of cationic amphiphilic antihistamines was associated with improved survival among patients treated with immunotherapy. • Study evaluating the effects of cationic amphiphilic antihistamines on immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. • Cationic amphiphilic antihistamines were associated with survival benefits. • Effects not seen in patients who took cationic amphiphilic antihistamines before immune checkpoint inhibitor. • Benefits observed regardless of the generation of cationic amphiphilic antihistamines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dementia is a prevalent neurological condition, yet the relationship between dementia and general anesthesia remains uncertain. The study aimed to explore the association between general anesthesia and dementia using a nationwide population-based database. The study extracted data from Taiwan's national health insurance, which encompassed the records of one million insured residents. A total of 59,817 patients aged 65 years and above, diagnosed with osteoarthritis between 2002 and 2010, were included. Among these patients, 3277 individuals with an initial diagnosis of dementia between 2004 and 2013 were matched with non-dementia patients based on age, gender, and the date of osteoarthritis diagnosis. Following a 1:2 random matching, the case group included 2171 patients with dementia, while the control group consisted of 4342 patients without dementia. The data was analyzed using conditional and unconditional logistic regressions. No significant differences in the odds of dementia were found between individuals exposed to general and regional anesthesia during hip/knee replacement surgeries (OR = 1.11; 95%CI: 0.73–1.70), after adjusting for age, sex, and co-morbidities. Similarly, there were no significant differences in the odds of dementia based on different durations of anesthesia exposure (General: <2 h: OR = 0.91, 95%CI = 0.43–1.92; 2-4 h: OR = 1.21, 95%CI = 0.82–1.79; >4 h: OR = 0.39, 95%CI = 0.15–1.01; compared to no exposure. Regional: <2 h: OR = 1.18, 95%CI = 0.85–1.62; 2-4 h: OR = 0.9, 95%CI = 0.64–1.27; >4 h: OR = 0.55, 95%CI = 0.15–1.96; compared to no exposure). Likewise, no significant differences were observed in the odds of dementia based on the number of replacement surgeries (twice: OR = 0.74, 95%CI = 0.44–1.23, compared to once). Neither general anesthesia nor regional anesthesia in hip/knee surgery was associated with dementia. Different numbers and durations of anesthesia exposure showed no significant differences in the odds for dementia. • Data were from Taiwan's national health insurance, a nationwide population-based database. • No significant differences in dementia odds were found between general and regional anesthesia. • No significant differences in dementia odds were found between different durations and number of anesthesia. • Conditional and unconditional logistic regressions are used in this nested case control study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The function of the pith ring and cortex in biological and fluid exchanges with the surrounding environment implies a natural intelligence. Their ingenious structure enables bamboo to thrive and impacts its processing and utilization. As drying is an essential step in bamboo product manufacturing, in this study, the effects of the pith ring and cortex on the water loss, deformation, and cracking of bamboo at the macroscopic, tissue, and cellular levels were investigated. Our study revealed a previously unknown mechanism of bamboo drying deformation. The cortex significantly affected the rate of water loss, whereas the pith ring did not significantly reduce the drying rate. Three deformation mechanisms originating from the pith ring were identified: the cell structure and orientation, self-flattening during drying, and excellent bending performance in the chord direction. These pith ring characteristics led to a larger radius of the bamboo splits during drying. These findings expand our understanding of the natural intelligence of the inner and outer layers of bamboo and provide important insights into bamboo drying, deformation, cracking, bionics, and composite material manufacturing. [Display omitted] • The bamboo drying rate was studied in relation to the cortex and pith ring. • Impact of the cortex and pith ring on bamboo deformation was thoroughly investigated. • Three deformation mechanisms originating from the pith ring were identified. • The pith ring played a positive role in increasing bamboo radius during drying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the molecular imprinted polymers were synthesized with the low monomer concentrations for dibutyl phthalate (DBP). The polymers were prepared over carboxyl-modified silica nanoparticle, which used methacrylic acid as the functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the cross-linker agent and azoisobutyronitrile as the initiator in the process of preparation. Various measures were used to characterize the structure and morphology in order to get the optimal polymer. The characterization results show that the optimal polymer has suitable features for further adsorption process. And adsorption capacity experiments were evaluated to analyze its adsorption performance, through adsorption isotherms/kinetics, selectivity adsorption and desorption and regeneration experiments. These results showed that the molecular imprinted polymers had a short equilibrium time about 60 min and high stability with 88% after six cycles. Furthermore, the molecular imprinted polymers were successfully applied to remove dibutyl phthalate. The concentration range was 5.0–30.0 μmol L −1 , and the limit of detection was 0.06 μmol L −1 in tap water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aim of finding more potential inhibitors against NADH-fumarate reductase (specific target for treating helminthiasis and cancer) from natural resources, Talaromyces wortmannii was treated with the epigenome regulatory agent suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid, which resulted in the isolation of four new wortmannilactones derivatives (wortmannilactones I–L, 1 – 4 ). The structures of these new compounds were elucidated based on IR, HRESIMS and NMR spectroscopic data analyses. These four new compounds showed potent inhibitory activity against NADH-fumarate reductase with the IC 50 values ranging from 0.84 to 1.35 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A concept of hybrid-stiffness stiffened shell is proposed based on sub-panel elements to achieve a simultaneous buckling pattern, which can provide enhanced design flexibility to fully explore the load-carrying capacity of structures. Then, a novel hybrid model is established to improve the computational efficiency of post-buckling analysis for stiffened shells, where the Numerical Implementation of Asymptotic Homogenization Method is utilized to smear out the stiffeners. On this basis, an integrated optimization framework of sub-panel configurations and weld lands for stiffened shells is presented. Illustrative examples with single and multiple cutouts demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework based on the concept of hybrid-stiffness stiffened shell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effects of osmolytes on the unfolding and refolding process of recombinant human brain-type creatine kinase (rHBCK) were comparatively, quantitatively studied in dilute solutions and macromolecular crowding systems (simulated by 100g/L polyethylene glycol 2000), respectively. The results showed that the osmolytes, including glycerol, sucrose, dimethylsulfoxide, mannitol, inositol, and xylitol, could both protect the rHBCK from denaturation induced by 0.8M GdnHCl and aid in the refolding of denatured-rHBCK in macromolecular crowding systems. When we examined the effects of sucrose and xylitol on the parameters of residual activity, reaction kinetics and intrinsic fluorescence of rHBCK during unfolding, it was found that the protecting effects of osmolytes in a macromolecular crowding system were more significant compared with those in a dilute solution, which resulted in more residual activities, protected the conformational changes and greatly decreased the rates of both the fast and slow tracks. Regarding the effects of glycerol, sucrose and mannitol on the denatured-rHBCK refolding parameters of refolding yield, reaction kinetics and aggregation, the results indicated that the osmolytes could alleviate the aggregation of rHBCK during refolding in both dilute solutions and macromolecular crowding systems, and the refolding yields and reaction rates under macromolecular crowding environment could be increased by the addition of osmolytes, though higher yields were obtained in the dilute solution. For further insight, osmolyte docking simulations and rHBCK denaturation were conducted successfully and confirmed our experimental results. The predictions based on the docking simulations suggested that the deactivation of guanidine may be blocked by osmolytes because they share common binding sites on rHBCK, and the higher number of interactions with rHBCK by osmolytes than guanidine may be one of the causes of rHBCK refolding. In brief, the additive effects of the exclusive volume effect from the macromolecular crowding system and the osmophobic effects from the osmolytes resulted in better performance of the osmolytes in a macromolecular crowding system, which also led to a better understanding of protein folding in the intracellular environment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this study, we quantitatively measured the effects of the macromolecular crowding agents, polyethylene glycol 2000 (PEG 2000), dextran 70, and calf thymus DNA (CT DNA), on the refolding and aggregation of recombinant human brain-type creatine kinase (rHBCK) denatured by guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl). The results showed that there is more aggregation in the presence of either a single crowding agent or in a mixture of crowding agents than in the absence of crowding agents, especially in the presence of a mixture containing CT DNA and PEG 2000 (or dextran 70). In the presence of high concentrations of PEG 2000 (100g/L), dextran 70 (100g/L), and CT DNA (15g/L), the refolding yield remarkably decreased from 70% to 20%, 52% and 57%, respectively. A remarkable decrease in the refolding yield and rate with mixed crowding agent containing CT DNA and PEG 2000 (or dextran 70) was also observed. In comparison to refolding in the presence of 100g/L PEG 2000, the refolding yields and rates improved in the presence of a mixture of PEG 2000 and dextran 70. We speculate that the crowding agents can favor both correct folding and misfolding/aggregation of denatured-rHBCK. Though it is not known what combination of crowding agents most accurately reflects the physiological environment within a cell, we believe our study could contribute to the understanding of protein folding and the factors that contribute to proper conformation and function in the intracellular environment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A new resonance light scattering (RLS) assay of proteins is presented. In the citric acid–NaOH (pH 2.35) buffer, the RLS of Resorcinol yellow (RY)–protein system can be greatly enhanced by addition of nonionic surfactant OP, owing to the interaction between OP and RY–protein. The enhanced RLS is in proportion to the concentration of proteins in the range 0.02–4.0 μg ml−1 for both bovine serum albumin (BSA) and bovine hemoglobin (HEM), the detection limits were 10.4 ng ml−1 (S/N=3) for BSA and 11.4 ng ml−1 (S/N=3) for HEM. Samples were determined satisfactorily. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Our study firstly identified the circRNAs in tomato– P. infestans interaction. • Transiently overexpressing two circRNAs in tomato enhanced plant resistance. • CircRNA45 and circRNA47 acted as miR477-3p sponges to regulate tomato resistance. Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a novel branch of noncoding RNAs, are widespread in eukaryotic cells. Particularly, due to their abilities to bind microRNA (miRNA) and serve as "sponges", circRNAs can regulate gene expression and participate in multiple biological processes. To detect the function of the circRNAs in tomato resistance, in our study, high-throughput sequencing were used to detect the circRNAs in tomatoes before and after Phytophthora infestans (P. infestans) infection. A total of 68 circRNAs were identified, of them, 18 (26%) were termed as exonic circRNAs, 33 (49%) were termed as intergenic circRNAs, 17 (25%) were termed as intronic circRNAs. Thirty-six out of 68 circRNAs differentially expressed in tomatoes after infection, including 9 up- and 27 down-regulated. Among the up-regulated circRNAs, two exoinc circRNAs, circRNA45 and circRNA47 were annotated as whitefly-induced gp91-phox and ethylene-forming enzyme, respectively. Both of them could act as miR477-3p sponge. Transgenic plants transiently overexpressed circRNA45 and circRNA47 both displayed smaller lesion area than the control plants upon infection, accompanied by lower expression levels of miR477-3p. Furthermore, transiently overexpression of miR477-3p in tomatoes leading to a decline in their targeted disease related genes expression. Our results firstly identified circRNAs in tomato upon P. infestans infection and demonstrated that circRNA45 and circRNA47 may act as positive regulators in tomato resistance by regulating miRNA–mRNAs expression levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]