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The article discusses the treatment of purple bullae and nodules which an older male patient in China reported in his oral cavity, including the diagnosis and management of amyloidosis. An overview of the oral lesions of the older patient, including the possibility that they could be leukemia, is provided.

• Improvement of the onset of the nucleate pool boiling (ONB) was experimentally investigated by using the honeycomb porous plate (HPP). • Reducing Δ T ONB was observed on the HPP due to large amounts of nucleation cavities in the HPP. • The reducing Δ T ONB on the HPP was not stable after immersion, a heated fine wire was inserted between the HPP and the heater to overcome such deterioration performance. • By using the heated wire with the HPP, Δ T ONB was maintained at stable levels. Boiling is an efficient heat dissipation method implemented in microelectronic devices. However, given that microelectronic components have operating temperature limits (below 85 °C), suitable coolants and enhanced technology for the onset of nucleate pool boiling (ONB) are crucial for their further application. The hydrofluoroether fluid HFE-7100 possesses superior environmental properties and a low boiling point (T sat = 59.8 °C at 1 atm) that can satisfy the requirement for engineered surfaces in the nucleate boiling region. However, higher superheating at Δ T ONB is observed before nucleate boiling is triggered due to the high wettability of HFE-7100. In this study, pool boiling experiments were performed with a honeycomb porous plate (HPP) attached to an indium–tin oxide (ITO) heater to examine Δ T ONB. For saturated HFE-7100, boiling curves and visual bubble observations were obtained using an infrared camera and a high-speed video at atmospheric pressure. Δ T ONB on the HPP reduced by 20 K relative that on the plain surface (Δ T ONB = 35.6 K) due to nucleation cavities. Later, excessive superheating at Δ T ONB was observed to restart nucleate boiling after the HPP was immersed in the HFE-7100 liquid for 24 h (Δ T ONB = 32.5 K) and 96 h (Δ T ONB = 32.6 K). This finding indicated that large amounts of cavities were flooded by the highly wetting liquid during the immersion period. Therefore, a coupled section combining the HPP and a metal fine wire with a continuous small input power was developed to reactivate nucleate cavities. This section successfully maintained Δ T ONB at a desirable value (Δ T ONB = 18.3–20.4 K) after immersion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The optimized design of outdoor environment is of utmost importance due to its impact on human health, urban livability and energy consumption inside buildings. The outdoor thermal comfort and its spatiotemporal variations were assessed using Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). Annual and seasonal UTCI were calculated using the daily dataset collected from 591 stations in China between 1966 and 2016. A REOF-cluster-EOF hybrid model was developed to optimize regionalization and assess regional-scale variations for UTCI. The results showed the following: (1) UTCI values decreased due to the increase of the latitude in China except for the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. 69.5% of the total area of China experienced "no thermal stress" conditions in summer, whereas it was only 7.7% in winter. Additionally, the outdoor environment in summer had a wider "thermal comfort zone" than that in other seasons. (2) China was divided into a small number of regions with coherent UTCI changes using REOF analysis and K-means clustering algorithm. Eight homogeneous regions were obtained for annual UTCI. From spring to winter, the numbers of homogeneous regions were eight, nine, ten and seven, respectively. (3) Using EOF analysis, dominant patterns of UTCI in each region were extracted by the first two EOF modes, which accounted for >60% of the total variance. In the first mode, the significant upward trends of UTCI were detected in each region, suggesting the stronger outdoor heat stress. In the second mode, UTCI showed fluctuation between the cold and warm periods with different turning points between regions. Overall, the outdoor thermal comfort seemed to be improved more in high-latitude regions than that in low-latitude regions. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • A REOF-cluster-EOF hybrid model was proposed to examine regional-scale variations. • The thermal comfort zone was the largest in summer and the smallest in winter. • Annual and seasonal UTCI exhibited the significant warming trend in each region. • UTCI fluctuated between cold and warm periods with different turning points. • The outdoor thermal comfort seemed to be improved more in high-latitude regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature anomalies have received increasing attention due to their potentially severe impacts on ecosystems, economy and human health. To facilitate objective regionalization and examine regional temperature anomalies, a three-stage hybrid model with stages of regionalization, trends and sensitivity analyses was developed. Annual mean and extreme temperatures were analyzed using the daily data collected from 537 stations in China from 1966 to 2015, including the annual mean, minimum and maximum temperatures (Tm, TNm and TXm) as well as the extreme minimum and maximum temperatures (TNe and TXe). The results showed the following: (1) subregions with coherent temperature changes were identified using the rotated empirical orthogonal function analysis and K-means clustering algorithm. The numbers of subregions were 6, 7, 8, 9 and 8 for Tm, TNm, TXm, TNe and TXe, respectively. (2) Significant increases in temperature were observed in most regions of China from 1966 to 2015, although warming slowed down over the last decade. This warming primarily featured a remarkable increase in its minimum temperature. For Tm and TNm, 95% of the stations showed a significant upward trend at the 99% confidence level. TNe increased the fastest, at a rate of 0.56 °C/decade, whereas 21% of the stations in TXe showed a downward trend. (3) The mean temperatures (Tm, TNm and TXm) in the high-latitude regions increased more quickly than those in the low-latitude regions. The maximum temperature increased significantly at high elevations, whereas the minimum temperature increased greatly at middle-low elevations. The most pronounced warming occurred in eastern China in TNe and northwestern China in TXe, with mean elevations of 51 m and 2098 m, respectively. A cooling trend in TXe was observed at the northwestern end of China. The warming rate in TNe varied the most among the subregions (0.63 °C/decade). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that during nucleate boiling, a large amount of energy can be transferred under relatively small temperature difference between the heat transfer surface and fluid, indicating that high efficiency of heat transfer can be achieved. However, the mechanism of nucleate boiling is still not well elucidated owing to the complexity of the phenomenon. The thermal properties of heat transfer plate, which is directly in contact with the microlayer, may have a significant impact on heat transfer and evaporation characteristics of the microlayer. A volume of fluid (VOF) method based algorithm, in which the experimentally measured microlayer structure was taken into account, has been developed to simulate microlayer evaporation and single bubble behavior. The influence of thermal conductivity of heat transfer plates on the contribution of microlayer evaporation was examined. It was concluded that more efficient heat supply to the heat transfer surface can be achieved for the heat transfer plate with higher thermal conductivity. Microlayer evaporation occupied approximately 30–70% of the bubble volume, indicating that microlayer evaporation is a principal mechanism of boiling heat transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is predominantly expressed in hematopoietic cells and is a negative regulator of T cell receptor (TCR) signaling. Recent studies have demonstrated that HPK1 is a promising therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy. However, despite significant progress in the development of HPK1 inhibitors, none of them has been approved for cancer therapy. Development of HPK1 inhibitors with a structurally distinct scaffold is still needed. Herein, we describe the design and synthesis of a series of HPK1 inhibitors with a 7 H -pyrrolo[2,3- d ]pyrimidine scaffold, exemplified by 31. Compound 31 showed potent inhibitory activity against HPK1 with an IC 50 value of 3.5 nM and favorable selectivity within a panel of kinases. It also potently inhibited the phosphorylation level of SLP76, a substrate of HPK1, and enhanced the IL-2 secretion in Jurkat cells (human T cell leukemia). Our findings provide new clues for further optimization and development to generate HPK1 inhibitors for cancer immunotherapy. [Display omitted] • A potent inhibitor of HPK1 was designed, synthesized and evaluated. • Compound 31 showed an IC 50 value of 3.5 ± 0.7 nM against HPK1. • Compound 31 inhibited the phosphorylation of SLP76 in Jurkat cells. • Compound 31 significantly enhanced the secretion level of IL-2 in Jurkat cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt-catalyzed reactions of triazoles and dioxazol-5-one involving nitrene transfer were described. A number of amidated 1,2,3-trizole derivatives have been obtained in moderate to excellent yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the dewatering process of iron ore concentrates, the formation of shrinkage cracks severely interferes with the filtration process and causes high cake moisture. Until now, effective countermeasures and mechanism study about shrinkage cracks are still insufficient. In the previous researches, capillary forces have been considered to be the driving potential for the shrinkage cracks, which were related with liquid surface tension and particle contact angle. Thus, surface tension and contact angle were both changed in this paper by using a cationic surfactant, cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB). Moreover, the zeta potential, adsorbance and infrared spectra were respectively measured before and after CTAB coating to analyze the change of interfacial properties and the influence on the extent of shrinkage cracks. The results indicate that the tendency of filter cakes to form shrinkage cracks can be weakened with the decrease of capillary forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to prepare water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions encapsulating different concentrations of magnesium chloride (MgCl 2 ) and to investigate the effect of W/O emulsions on the physical properties and microstructure of tofu. The results showed that the stability of W/O emulsions improved as the concentrations of polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) and MgCl 2 increased. Dynamic viscoelastic measurements indicated that gelation time decreased with increasing MgCl 2 concentration in W/O emulsions, suggesting a more rapid reaction between magnesium ions and protein molecules. As the concentration of MgCl 2 in W/O emulsions increased, the yield and water content of tofu decreased, while the protein and crude fat contents and hardness values increased. At a concentration of 2.0 M MgCl 2 in W/O emulsion, the WHC and microstructure of the tofu samples were optimal. The variations in the physical properties of tofu were attributed to the concentration of magnesium ions and the coagulation rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precipitation anomalies have greatly affected eco-hydrological processes in the upper reach of the Mekong River. In this research, an integrated spatiotemporal decomposition analysis method was proposed for the identification of precipitation trends under climate change at the basin scale. This method was a comprehensive use of multiple environmental statistical analysis approaches, including the S-mode empirical orthogonal function analysis, the inverse distance weighted interpolation, the Mann-Kendall trend test, the linear regression and the weighted moving average. Results indicated that precipitation trends were mainly obtained by two spatial-temporal variation patterns resulting from the decomposition of the original precipitation field. The primary spatial pattern (more than 40% variances) indicated that the annual and seasonal precipitation in the entire basin had a common variation trend. Moreover, variability of precipitation increased to the largest in the central basin and gradually decreased from north to south. Accordingly, precipitation-sensitive areas were mainly located in the east-central basin. The associated temporal trends showed that annual precipitation increased slightly over 1960–2009, and decreased significantly at the 5% significance level since 2000. Spring precipitation increased significantly over the entire study period. The secondary spatial pattern extracted at least 15% of the variance and represented a north–south inverse-variation trend. The northern mountainous region was more sensitive to climate change. Temporal trend analysis showed that annual precipitation had an increasing trend in the northern region and a decreasing trend in the southern region. Precipitation in the northern region increased significantly at the 1% significance level in winter. The research results could form a basis for supporting basin-scale water resources management, especially in the mountainous basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ni–P–SiC nanocomposite coatings were successfully deposited onto mild steel substrates. The coating process was performed by sealing the specimens in an evacuated tempered glass tube and heated at various temperatures of 200°C for 2h, 400°C for 1h, and 600°C for 10min. The effect of heat treatment on the structures and corrosion characteristics of the electroless Ni–P–SiC nanocomposite coatings was investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Vickers hardness, cyclic polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analyses. AFM and XRD results indicate that the optimum grain diameters of Ni and SiC in the as-plated Ni–P–SiC nanocomposite coatings are approximately 96.8 and 49.1nm, respectively. The maximum microhardness for the as-plated Ni–P–SiC nanocomposite coatings is 968.3HV. The highest microhardness is achieved for the samples heat treated at 600°C for 10min because of the precipitation of Ni x P y phases and the formation of an inter-diffusional layer at the substrate-coating interface. The lowest corrosion current density value is obtained for the coatings heat treated at 400°C for 1h. EIS data confirm these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Acanthopanax senticosus, classified into the family of Araliaceae, has been known for thousands of years as a remedy and is used to treat various diseases in traditional Chinese medicine system including hypertension, ischemic heart disease and hepatitis. Aim of the study: This study aimed to examine the protective effects of aqueous extract from Acanthopanax senticosus (ASE) on corticosterone-induced neurotoxicity and its possible mechanisms, using PC12 cells as a suitable in vitro model of depression. Materials and methods: In this paper, PC12 cells were treated with 200μM of corticosterone in the absence or presence of ASE in varying concentrations for 24h. Then, cell viability was measured by MTT assay. The release amount of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was quantified using LDH assay kit. Apoptosis of PC12 cells was measured by Annexin V-FITC and PI labeling. The intracellular Ca2+ content was tested by fluorescent labeling. The mRNA level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was examined by real-time RT-PCR, and the expression of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) was determined by western blotting. Results: The results showed that treatment with 200μM of corticosterone could induce cytotoxicity in PC12 cells. However, different concentrations of ASE (50, 100, 200, and 400μg/mL) significantly increased the cell viability, decreased the LDH release, suppressed the apoptosis of PC12 cells, attenuated the intracellular Ca2+ overloading, up-regulated the BDNF mRNA level and CREB protein expression compared with the corresponding corticosterone-treated group. Conclusion: The present results suggest that ASE exerts a neuroprotective effect on corticosterone-induced neurotoxicity in PC12 cells, which may be one of the acting mechanisms that accounts for the in vivo antidepressant activity of ASE. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Deer antler base (Cervus, Lu Jiao Pan ▪) has been recorded in the Chinese medical classics Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (▪) 2000 years ago and is believed to nourish the Yin, tonify the kidney, invigorate the spleen, strengthen bones and muscles, and promote blood flow. In China, deer antler base has been extensively used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to treat a variety of diseases including mammary hyperplasia, mastitis, uterine fibroids, malignant sores and children''s mumps. Aim of the review: We provide an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of the traditional uses, chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and clinical trials of deer antler base in order to explore its therapeutic potentials and future research needs. Background and methods: The pharmacological value of deer antler base was ignored for many years while researchers concentrated on the pharmacological value of velvet antler. However, more recently, scientists have carried out a great number of chemical, pharmacological and clinical studies on deer antler base. The present review covers the literature available from 1980 to 2012. All relevant information on deer antler base was collected from ancient Chinese herbal classics, pharmacopoeias, formularies, scientific journals, books, theses and reports via a library and electronic search by using PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Science Direct, and CNKI (in Chinese). Key findings: Both in vitro and in vivo pharmacological studies have demonstrated that deer antler base possess immunomodulatory, anti-cancer, anti-fatigue, anti-osteoporosis, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-stress, anti-oxidant, hypoglycemic, hematopoietic modulatory activities and the therapeutic effect on mammary hyperplasia. Although the mechanism of actions is still not clear, the pharmacological activities could be mainly attributed to the major bioactive compounds amino acids, polypeptides and proteins. Based on animal studies and clinical trials, deer antler base causes no severe side effects. Conclusions: Deer antler base has emerged as a good source of traditional medicine. However, further investigations are needed to explore individual bioactive compounds responsible for these in vitro and in vivo pharmacological effects and its mechanism of actions. Further safety assessments and clinical trials in humans need to be performed before it can be integrated into medicinal practices. The present review has provided preliminary information for further studies and commercial exploitations of deer antler base. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Occurrence of temperature anomaly has greatly affected natural cycles of water resources in Lancang River basin in China, which is the upper reach of Mekong River. An integrated spatiotemporal decomposition and analysis method was proposed for the identification of temperature-variation patterns under changing climatic conditions in the basin. This method was based on the combination of S-mode empirical orthogonal function analysis, IDW interpolation, liner regression, weighted moving average and Mann Kendall methods. Results indicated that the first two modes extracted nearly 80% of spatiotemporal variations in temperature. Temperature in the whole basin followed the same variation trend through the first mode analysis. Sensitive areas were mainly located in the southwest of the basin, which occupied nearly half of the basin. The associated time series presented that the basin appeared transition from cold periods to warm periods. Temperature increased significantly over the period of 1960 to 2009 at annual and seasonal scales, particularly over 1990s. At the same time, the most significant rising occurred in winter and the least in summer. In the second mode, a west–east inverse phase pattern of temperature variations was a distinct feature in most of the basin. Temporal trend indicated that the increasing trend in the west region was slightly stronger than that in the east. This was particularly the case of edge areas almost vertical juncture with monsoons. This research is not only helpful in improving understanding of temperature response to global warming in the basin but also provides a basis for basin management. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Stichopus monotuberculatus is one of the most valuable tropical sea cucumbers, with high edible, medical and ecological values. In this study, the spawning of S. monotuberculatus was induced by a modified low-temperature stimulation method. Gonadal maturation, and embryonic, larval and juvenile development were described in detail, and larval breeding was improved by diets supplemented with multiple digestive enzymes. July-September resulted as the optimal breeding period of S. monotuberculatus in Hainan Province, China. Low-temperature stimulation was more suitable than traditional dry stimulation as a method for artificially inducing S. monotuberculatus spawning since its low mortality, whose fertilized eggs took approximately 21 days to develop into juveniles. Compared to the control group, the diets with 2 mg/L α-amylase, 2 mg/L cellulase and 5 μL/L trehalase added increased the larval survival rates at 6 days by 21.37 ± 0.054%, 22.57 ± 0.088% and 29.83 ± 0.105%, respectively, and at 10 days by 24.2 ± 0.094%, 30.02 ± 0.152% and 36.44 ± 0.052%, respectively. For the larval settlement rate, supplement of 1 mg/L α-amylase, 1 mg/L cellulase and 5 μL/L trehalase in the diet could cause 5.30 ± 0.521-fold, 2.86 ± 0.521-fold and 4.66 ± 0.656-fold improvements relative to the control group, respectively. This study may contribute an advanced method for the large-scale artificial breeding and sustainable artificial culture of S. monotuberculatus. • July-September is the optimal breeding period of S. monotuberculatus in China. • Embryonic and larval development was recorded in detail. • Low-temperature stimulation was better than dry stimulation in induced spawning. • Larvae survival and settlement rates were increased by adding digestive enzymes in diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainable utilization of natural capital and its decoupling from economic growth are of vital importance to sustainable development. To measure the pressure on local natural capital, we proposed local ecological footprint (EF) accounts, including production-based biological accounts and consumption-based energy and build-up land accounts. We also modified the yield factor to facilitate temporal and regional comparisons for footprint indicators, based on the inter-temporal yield factor (IYF) and net primary production. The sustainability and decoupling effects of natural capital utilization were evaluated in 30 provinces of China during 2000–2016 using a modified three-dimensional EF model, sustainability reclassification method and decoupling index. The results indicated that a growing footprint became more dependent on local natural capital than on embodied net imports. From 2000 to 2016, local EF and biocapacity in terms of per capita in China increased by 1.16 times and 10.4%, respectively. The ecological deficit reached its peak in 2015 (1.85 global hectares/capita). The ecological surplus occurred in 10 provinces in 2000, while all provinces were in a state of ecological deficit in 2016. Per capita EF size increased in 25 provinces, due to the increase in IYF of cropland and build-up land area. EF depth in all provinces exceeded the original value of 1 and increased with values ranging from 0.10 to 5.81. The dominant sustainability types changed from low size-low depth in 2000 to low size-high depth and high size-low depth in 2016. Sustainability in China decreased overall despite increasing in 6 provinces. The decoupling of gross domestic product from EF size and depth was dominated by weak decoupling, followed by strong decoupling. Strong decoupling in EF size and weak decoupling in EF depth during 2014–2015 resulted in a severe deficit in 2015. These findings can provide insights for improving resource use efficiency and pursuing sustainable development. [Display omitted] • We proposed local ecological footprint (EF) accounts to assess local pressure. • Yield factor was modified to facilitate temporal and regional comparisons. • EF depth in all provinces exceeded 1 and EF size in most provinces increased. • Sustainability in China decreased overall despite increasing in six provinces. • Weak decoupling of economic growth from EF size and depth was significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of type 1 diabetes is associated with inflammatory lesion of the pancreatic islets, known as insulitis. In this study, we focused on the protective effects of acarbose against insulitis in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice and the underlying mechanisms. The mouse models were established via intraperitoneal injection of multiple low-dose STZ. Blood glucose level and body weight were measured. The severity of insulitis and inflammatory parameters in pancreatic tissues were evaluated. Insulin levels in pancreas and serum were also assessed. In vitro , MIN6 β cells were exposed to pro-inflammatory cytokines to assess the protective effects of acarbose. Cell function and apoptosis were evaluated. We found that acarbose administration by gavage reduced the severity of insulitis and improved insulin levels in the experimental diabetic mice. ELISA revealed decreased levels of the inflammatory response markers IL-1β and TNF-α in mouse pancreatic tissues following acarbose treatment. In vitro , acarbose increased cell viability, decreased cell apoptosis, and improved GSIS in MIN6 β cells exposed to pro-inflammatory cytokines. In addition, caspase-3 level and p-p53/p53 ratio in β cells were reduced by acarbose treatment. Taken together, these results revealed a novel function of acarbose in attenuating insulitis. The protective effects of acarbose elicited in vitro and in vivo were shown to be mediated, at least in part, through its anti-inflammatory action. In addition to glucose-controlling effect, the anti-inflammatory action of oral hypoglycemic agent acarbose was found to exert potential beneficial effects on diabetes-related insulitis. In vivo experiments showed improved insulitis in mice with multiple low-dose streptozotocin (MLD-STZ)-induced diabetes. In vitro experiments further elicited the anti-inflammatory action involved in the beneficial effects of acarbose. Unlabelled Image • ACA alleviates insulitis in mice with multiple low-dose STZ-induced diabetes. • Anti-inflammatory action contributes to the beneficial effects of ACA on diabetes-related insulitis. • ACA improves β cell dysfunction induced by inflammatory cytokines. • ACA protects β cells against inflammatory cytokine-induced apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a fast hot press sintering technique, Cu/graphite composites doped with MoAlB ceramic particles were synthesized. The impact of varying sintering temperatures on the composites' mechanical, tribological, and microstructure characteristics were studied. The Al element diffused from the MoAlB particles into the copper matrix and produced the MoB phase when the sintering temperature rose over 850 °C. The formation of MoB phase, which was well bound to the matrix, and the formation of Cu(Al) solid solution could improve the plastic deformation resistance of the composites. This, along with the lubrication supplied by graphite, synergistically improved the mechanical and frictional properties of Cu/graphite composites. The composites exhibited remarkable wear resistance (the wear rate was reduced to 3.36 × 10−5 mm3·N−1·m−1) and high compressive strength (266.25 MPa) when the sintering temperature was set to 900 °C. In order to create high-performance copper-based self-lubricating composites, this effort may offer a new research direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of temperature on the component of oxide film on oxidized Al–Mg-Sc alloy surface and the microstructure of Al substrate near the interface were investigated and the relationship between composition change and microstructure evolution was discussed. Results suggested that the morphology of oxide scale evolved from the amorphous oxide layer with dense and uniform structure to the oxide layer with loose structure composed of MgO cluster particles. At 300 °C, the main components of oxide film were Al 2 O 3 and MgO. With the oxidation temperature increasing, MgO gradually made up a major part of the oxide film. When the oxidation temperature reached 500 °C, the major components of the oxide film were MgO and MgAl 2 O 4 and the generation of MgAl 2 O 4 dominated over MgO. With the temperature increasing, the crystal orientation of Al substrate near the interface changed from <101> to <111>, and the transformation of crystal orientation favoured the diffusion of Mg atoms. Meanwhile, the content of high angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) increased significantly, and there were many regions with poor atom matching at the HAGBs, where Mg atoms accelerated the migration to the oxidized Al–Mg-Sc alloy surface to participate in chemical reactions to finally form MgAl 2 O 4 at the interface. • The composition evolution with film depth on alloy surface were determined. • The microstructure evolution of the Al substrate near the interface was analyzed. • The relationship between crystal orientation and composition evolution was explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, droughts and upstream/downstream water conflicts (such as those between water supply and demand) have been occurring frequently in the Lancang River basin, threatening local food security. In this research, the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis and the rotated empirical orthogonal function (REOF) analysis were employed to investigate the temporal and spatial characteristics of precipitation variations during the crop growth period over 1960 to 2009. The results indicated the following: (1) annual precipitation increased slightly over the period of 1960–2009 but decreased significantly (at the 5% significance level) since 2001. An increasing trend was observed in the northern region, while a decreasing trend was observed in the southern region ; (2) five regions with different precipitation variation patterns were identified in the crop growth period, including the northern, the northeastern, the southwestern, the western, and the southernmost end patterns; (3) overall, a slightly increasing trend was identified in summer over the study period. Over the period of 2000–2009, precipitation in the summer and autumn decreased, (the strongest decreasing trend was observed in the autumn). Unlike that of the whole area, precipitation in the northern region decreased insignificantly in summer and increased slightly in autumn. Results of this study may facilitate the prevention of potential disasters (e.g., abnormal precipitation) and the reduction of the associated losses through early warning and forecasting of variation trends of regional precipitation. The approach could provide a support for decision-making related to international rivers and agricultural water resources management under global climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A total of 133 TrR2R3-MYB genes in white clover were identified. • TrR2R3-MYB genes responded significantly to low temperature in white clover. • The expression patterns of R2R3-MYB were different in three tissues of white clover TrMYB118 may be associated with anthocyanin pigmentation pattern in 'Purple' leaves. The R2R3-MYB family is one of largest transcription factor families in plants playing significant roles in regulating anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin biosynthesis. Proanthocyanidins are one of major objectives to improve the quality of white clover (Trifolium repens L.), which have a beneficial effect on ruminant to prevent the lethal pasture bloat. A total of 133 TrR2R3-MYB genes were identified and distributed on all 16 chromosomes based on the whole genome information of white clover. Also, by exploring the gene structure, motifs and duplication events of TrR2R3-MYBs, as well as the evolutionary relationship with TrR2R3-MYB genes of other species, 10 TrR2R3-MYB genes with the potential to regulate the anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins biosynthesis were screened. These TrR2R3-MYB genes responded significantly to low temperature in white clover. In addition, they have different expression patterns in leaves, petioles and inflorescences of white clover. Importantly, TrMYB116 and TrMYB118 may positively regulate anthocyanin accumulation and low temperature response in white clover. TrMYB118 may also be associated with anthocyanin pigmentation pattern in Purple leaves. This study provides a basis for verifying the function of TrR2R3-MYB and breeding white clover cultivars with high proanthocyanidins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural distributions of water resources and the spatial positions of the human activities that demand water for production and society are often different, which has globally restricted socioeconomic development, human survival, and ecosystem sustainability. The research significance of water resource spatial equilibrium (WRSE) is to break the limitation of water resources for economic, social and ecological environment development to the greatest extent. To objectively evaluate WRSE, a three-stage hybrid model based on the water-social-economic-natural compound ecosystem (W-SENCE) framework was established in this research. This model includes regional evaluation, pattern analysis and obstruction factor analysis to investigate WRSE quantitatively. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed three-stage hybrid model, empirical research on 31 provincial administrative regions in China was conducted. The results show that: 1) The overall state of water resource spatial equilibrium of China in 2019 is at a poor level with a value of 0.3432 (the result is within the range of 0–1); 2) To improve WRSE, these 8 provinces including Jilin, Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Chongqing, Qinghai and Yunnan need to formulate policies that focus on both water resource endowment and water resource matching; 3) Eco-environment water consumption in most surveyed provinces accounts for a very small proportion of total water consumption, and 24 out of the 31 provinces can improve WRSE efficiently by increasing eco-environment water consumption appropriately. The proposed three-stage hybrid model provides a novel perspective as well as an important reference for further research on WRSE. Furthermore, the results of this research are essential for decision makers to develop tailored strategies to improve WRSE of China. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper/graphite composites are widely used due to their excellent electrical, thermal, and self-lubricating properties. However, their mechanical and anti-wear properties are usually limited by brittle graphite and soft copper matrix. Enhancing the properties of composites by further introducing harder ceramic particles is an effective way. However, these particles are usually poorly wetted to metal and can easily separate from the matrix during friction, causing more severe abrasive wear. Herein, TiC x -reinforced Cu/graphite composites were prepared by rapid hot press sintering of a hybrid powder consisting of Ti 3 AlC 2 , Cu-plated graphite, and Cu powder. Al atoms diffused out of Ti 3 AlC 2 and solid-solved into the Cu matrix during the sintering process, forming TiC x and Cu(Al) alloys. Such in situ formed TiC x particles have good interfacial bonding with the matrix. With the increase of Ti 3 AlC 2 addition from 0 to 15 wt%, the average grain size of the composites decreased, the relative density increased, the hardness became larger, the electrical conductivity decreased, and the average coefficient of friction were all maintained at about 0.14, but the wear rate was reduced from 3.6569 × 10−4 mm3·N−1·m−1 to 9.35013 × 10−6 mm3·N−1·m−1. The in situ Ti 3 AlC 2 -derived TiC x particles improved the deformation resistance and shear resistance of the Cu/graphite composites, thus contributing to the wear resistance. This research may offer fresh perspectives on how to enhance the properties of copper/graphite composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The method of adding tannic acid is universal for material improvement to achieve chronological property. • Ti-SrR-CTS regulates multiple overlapping bone regeneration events through pre-antibacterial and post-osteogenesis. • Ti-SrR-CTS achieves an almost 100% antimicrobial effect and nearly twice the osteogenic effect than conventional implants. Numerous surface modification strategies for ordinary titanium (Ti) implant have been proposed since Ti lacks antibacterial and osteogenic characteristics. However, the majority of surface modifying materials currently do not consider the microenvironmental demands that are constantly changing ——Antibacterial is required at the early stage after implantation and osteogenesis becomes an intense appeal at the later stage. In the present study, strontium ranelate (SrR) and chitosan (CTS) were loaded onto the titanium surface via layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly based on tannic acid (TA) with separate antimicrobial and osteogenic layers. The obtained Titanium-Strontium Ranelate-Chitosan (Ti-SrR-CTS) implant achieved an outstanding early-stage antibacterial effect against S. aureus and E. coli and a more prominent late-stage osteogenic effect than ordinary titanium implant in vitro. In vivo results further verified that Ti-SrR-CTS implants had 97.68% antibacterial efficacy and 1.82 times the amount of new bone compared to ordinary titanium at different stages, respectively. This work has successfully designed a novel implant coating with both excellent antimicrobial and osteogenic properties, which provides a promising surface modification strategy for orthopedic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban human settlements have an important impact on human health, livability and economy. To facilitate objective regionalization and identify impact factors, we established a two-stage model with spatiotemporal analysis and factor analysis. The suitability of urban human settlements and temporal and spatial changes in their characteristics were analyzed using the urban real human settlements (RHS) index and pseudo human settlements (PHS) index. Annual RHS and PHS values were calculated using panel data for 31 Chinese provinces and cities and Baidu search query data covering 2557 days. The findings were as follows: (1) The urban RHS and PHS indexes decrease from the southeastern coastal area to the northwestern inland area (excluding Beijing City). (2) The urban RHS index is larger than the PHS index, and the two indexes have a positive correlation, with an average correlation coefficient of 0.7 over 7 years. (3) Population size, social development and environmental governance are the main factors affecting the urban RHS and PHS indexes. (4) The urban RHS and PHS indexes fluctuate, and the values vary unevenly across space. Our research results can help policymakers identify the key factors affecting urban human settlements so that they can make better decisions. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the molecular characteristics and rheological properties of arabinoxylans (AX) extracted from three different red sorghum brans from Shandong, Shanxi and Hebei Province in China. It was found that only the Shandong sorghum bran AX, with its high ferulic acid content and low Ara/Xyl ratio, could form a gel induced via peroxidase. Subsequently, this AX and soy protein isolate (SPI) were used to prepare the mixed gels using two crosslinking agents, namely peroxidase and calcium ions, which induced AX and SPI to form the gel networks, respectively. Dynamic rheological tests showed that the doubly induced AX-SPI mixed gel had higher storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″) than mixed gel by only peroxidase or AX gel induced by one or two crosslinking agents. Moreover, Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) confirmed that the doubly induced mixed gel was harder and more elastic than the other gels. Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) further confirmed that, in addition to the presence of AX intermolecular covalent cross-linked gel network by peroxidase and the connection of SPI intermolecular gel network via salt bridge (Ca2+), a partial covalent crosslinking network between AX and SPI existed in the doubly induced mixed gel. Microstructure observation of the gels revealed that the doubly induced AX-SPI mixed gel had a more regular, uniform and dense inner structure than the AX single network gel. Gels with different mechanical properties and network structures could be prepared by adjusting the order of addition of the crosslinking agents. Image 1 • Arabinoxylans (AX) were extracted from three red sorghum brans from SD, SX and HB provinces. • SD-AX with highest ferulic acid content had a better gelling ability than the other AXs. • Mixed gels were prepared with AX and SPI by duo-induction of peroxidase and Ca2+. • AX-SPI mixed gel improved strength and inner structure compared to AX gel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The concept of the land resources comprehensive supporting capacity is put forward. • A comprehensive evaluation of region LRSCSC is given by establishing a three-stage hybrid model. • The distribution of region LRCSC is characterized by spatial cluster. • The population density and per capita GDP affect region spatial distribution pattern in LRCSC. The Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration is an important region in China, but the limited space supports a large scale and high intensity of economic and social activities. To objectively evaluate the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration land resources comprehensive supporting capacity (LRCSC), the spatial distribution pattern and the factors affecting the comprehensive supporting capacity's spatial heterogeneity, this study established a three-stage hybrid model, and the model included regional assessment, spatial pattern analysis and source apportionment to quantitatively evaluate the integrated space based on the comprehensive supporting capacity for regional land resources. First, based on the data of 26 cities in the 2016 Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration and the data of 25 indicators, we calculated the LRCSC index for each city. Then, we visualized the supporting capacity based on the space distribution and used the Pearson correlation coefficient method to determine the factors influencing the comprehensive supporting capacity's spatial heterogeneity. Finally, we used the factor analysis method to further identify the key factors affecting LRCSC. The results show that (1) the horizontal spatial difference of the LRCSC in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration is large, the overall change in the LRCSC index shows the spatial differentiation feature of "gradually decreasing from the centre to the surrounding area", and the local spatial distribution shows the distribution feature of point dispersion and zonal aggregation. (2) The degree of correlation between the LRCSC and social development element is the strongest in the element layer and the correlation coefficient between them is 0.548803. Among them, social development is positively correlated with economic technology. (3) The population density and per capita gross domestic product (GDP) are two important factors affecting the spatial differences in LRCSC in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Leukemia is the most frequent malignancy in children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as the second commonest type. Long non-coding RNA zinc finger antisense 1 (ZFAS1) has been widely reported as an oncogenic factor in multiple malignancies including AML. However, the roles and molecular mechanisms of ZFAS1 in the tumorigenesis of AML are poor defined till now. In the present study, RT-qPCR assay showed that ZFAS1 was highly expressed in bone marrow of acute leukemia patients and AML cell lines. Loss-of-function analyses revealed that ZFAS1 knockdown inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis in AML cells and curbed AML xenograft growth in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assay unveiled that microRNA-150 (miR-150) could interact with ZFAS1, Myb 3′ UTR and Sp1 3′ UTR. Moreover, ZFAS1 acted as a molecular sponge of miR-150, giving rise to the downregulation of miR-150 level and upregulation of Myb and Sp1 levels. Moreover, miR-150 overexpression resulted in the reduction of AML cell proliferative ability and the increase of cell apoptotic rate. Additionally, the inhibition of miR-150 abrogated ZFAS1 loss-mediated anti-leukemia effects. In summary, our data demonstrated that ZFAS1 knockdown hampered AML progression by regulating miR-150/Myb and miR-150/Sp1 pathways, providing some potential biomarkers or targets for the diagnosis and treatment of leukemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of annealing treatment on the microstructure of micro arc oxidation (MAO) ceramic film prepared on Al-Mg-Sc alloy was studied. Results suggested that the difference of microstructure of Al-Mg-Sc alloy after various ageing treatment mainly focused on the evolution of dislocation density and the precipitation of β phase (Al 3 Mg 2), and this difference induced the component transformation of surface oxide film from Al 2 O 3 and MgO to MgO and MgAl 2 O 4.Meanwhile, when the other parameters were kept constant, the relevant relations between the microstructure evolution and precipitation phase and the substrate induced the changes of electrical conductivity, then determining the characteristics of MAO ceramic film. Without sacrificing any strength, the optimal MAO ceramic film owning the higher thickness and lower porosity was obtained on Al-Mg-Sc alloy after annealing treatment at room temperature, and tightly bonded to the substrate, which provided a theoretical basis for subsequent research to improve the corrosion resistance of Al-Mg-Sc alloy. • Annealing affect the microstructure of MAO ceramic film as the electrical conductivity of the alloy changed by annealing. • The MAO ceramic film combined with less Mg segregation at grain boundary after annealing at 200 °C showed poor microstructure. • The relationship between the composition of oxide film and microstructure evolution of the substrate was analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impaired motor function, due to the dysfunction of the basal ganglia, is the most common syndrome of hepatic encephalopathy (HE), and its etiology remains poorly understood. Neural oxidative stress is shown to be the major cellular defects contributing to HE pathogenesis. Mitochondrial uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) has been implicated in neuroprotection in several neurological disorders. We explored the neuroprotective role of UCP2 within the substantia nigra pars reticulate (SNr), the output structure of the basal ganglia, in HE. The toxin thioacetamide (TAA) induced HE mice showed hypolocomotion, which was associated with decreased ATP levels and loss of antioxidant substances SOD and GSH within the SNr. Stable overexpression of UCP2 via AAV-UCP2 under the control of the UCP2 promoter in bilateral SNr preserved local ATP level, increased antioxidant substances, and ameliorated locomotion defects after severe liver failure. Contrary to UCP2 overexpression, targeted knockdown of UCP2 within bilateral SNr via AAV-UCP2 shRNA exacerbated the impaired mitochondrial dysfunction and hypokinesia in HE mice. The modulatory effects of UCP2 was due to mediation of K + -Cl − cotransporter-2 (KCC2) expression on GABAergic neurons of SNr. Taken together, our results demonstrate that UCP2 exerts a neural protective role at the subcortical level by increasing the resistance of neurons to oxidative stress, which may offer a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of motor dysfunction diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid hot-press sintering was employed to prepare the self-lubricating composites using Cu-Sn alloy, Cu-coated graphite, and Cu-coated MoS 2 powder as raw materials. The effects of the sintering temperature on the microstructure, interfacial characteristics, and friction properties of the composites were primarily examined. The findings demonstrated that as the sintering temperature rose from 680 °C to 780 °C, the copper alloy matrix's grain size grew. The composites' density and hardness increased and subsequently declined as the sintering temperature rose. Moreover, the interfacial bonding between the copper-coating lubricant and the copper alloy matrix was improved by raising the sintering temperature. The average friction coefficient of the composite grew and then fell as the sintering temperature rose, and the wear initially increased, then decreased, and then increased again. The copper-tin composite had good frictional properties because a composite lubricating film made of graphite, MoS 2 , and metal oxides formed on the worn surface. Among them, the comprehensive friction performance was best at the sintering temperature of 760 °C, with an average friction coefficient of 0.11 and a wear rate of 2.332 × 10−6 mm3N−1·m−1. The wear mechanism was the combined coupling effect of abrasive wear, adhesive wear and oxidative wear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogel, as three-dimensional (3D) cell culture scaffold, is an effective strategy for tissue and organ regeneration due to their good biocompatibility, biodegradability and resemblance to body microenvironments in vivo. However, the inherent weak mechanical properties and strong shrinkage of hydrogels during cell culture hinder its application in clinical. In this study, a two-component thermo/photo dual-sensitive hydrogel (M/C) was prepared from methacrylated hydroxybutyl chitosan (MHBC) and chitin whisker (CHW) via physical and chemical cross-linking methods. M/C hydrogel showed a special internal structure with lamellar arrangement. The rheological properties of the hydrogels could be regulated with the change of M/C ratio. It is worth emphasizing that the mechanical properties, shrinkage resistance and cellular capacitances of the M/C hydrogel were improved with the addition of CHW. Moreover, the M/C hydrogel not only exhibited excellent degradability and antibacterial properties, but also significantly promoted the adhesion and proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells in vitro. Therefore, the M/C hydrogel showed a wide application potential in tissue regeneration as a 3D cell culture scaffold. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin (PA) are plant natural products beneficial to human and livestock health. In particular, the legume forage with proper PA contents can prevent lethal pasture bloat in ruminant animals. To study the mechanism underlying anthocyanin and PA biosynthesis in legume forages, comparative transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses were performed with 'Purple' and 'Haifa' white clovers. Metabolic analyses revealed that pelargonidin may be the most important source of color in 'Purple'. Cyanidin-3- O -(6''- O-p- coumaroyl)-glucoside, petunidin-3- O -(6''- O-p- coumaroyl)-rutinoside, and delphinidin-3- O -rutinoside-7- O -glucoside might contribute to PA biosynthesis. Additionally, 67 differentially expressed genes in anthocyanin and PA biosynthetic pathways were discovered between 'Purple' and 'Haifa'. Among them, DFR (dihydroflavonol-4-reductase), LDOX/ANS (leucoanthocyanidin oxygenase/anthocyanidin synthase), (leucoanthocyanidin reductase), ANR (anthocyanidin reductase), and UFGT (UDPglucose:flavonoid-3-O-glucosyltransferase) may be key determinants of the differences in anthocyanin and PA biosynthesis. Finally, A hypothetical model of gene expression regulating the synthesis of PAs and anthocyanins in white clover was proposed, which could provide a molecular genetic basis for future candidate genes validation and breeding high-PA white clover cultivars. • Purple white clover shows abundant pigment and a higher proanthocyanidin content. • Pelargonidin may be the most important source of color in Purple white clover. • A hypothetical model of proanthocyanidin and anthocyanin biosynthesis was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]