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This paper is concerned with self-representation subspace learning. It is one of the most representative subspace techniques, which has attracted considerable attention for clustering due to its good performance. Among these methods, low-rank representation (LRR) has achieved impressive results for subspace clustering. However, it only considers the similarity between the data itself, while neglecting the differences with other samples. Besides, it cannot well deal with noise and portray cluster-to-cluster relationships well. To solve these problems, we propose a Contrastive Self-representation model for Clustering (CSC). CSC simultaneously takes into account the similarity/dissimilarity between positive/negative pairs when learning the self-representation coefficient matrix of data while the form of the loss function can reduce the effect of noise on the results. Moreover, We use the ℓ 1 , 2 -norm regularizer on the coefficient matrix to achieve its sparsity to better characterize the cluster structure. Thus, the learned self-representation coefficient matrix well encodes both the discriminative information and cluster structure. Extensive experiments on seven benchmark databases indicate the superiority of our proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, there has been tremendous interest in developing graph-based subspace clustering in high-dimensional data, which does not require a priori knowledge of the number of dimensions and subspaces. The general steps of such algorithms are dictionary representation and spectral clustering. Traditional methods use the dataset itself as a dictionary when performing dictionary representation. There are some limitations that the redundant information present in the dictionary and features may make the constructed graph structure unclear and require post-processing to obtain labels. To address these problems, we propose a novel subspace clustering model that first introduces feature selection to process the input data, randomly selects some samples to construct a dictionary to remove redundant information and learns the optimal bipartite graph with K-connected components under the constraint of the (normalized) Laplacian rank. Finally, the labels are obtained directly from the graphs. The experimental results on motion segmentation and face recognition datasets demonstrate the superior effectiveness and stability of our algorithm. • We propose a new method based on dictionary representation for subspace clustering. • We utilize the bipartite graph and feature selection based on the ℓ 12 -norm. • We propose an efficient optimization method based on ALM method. • We conduct valid experiments to verify the effectiveness of our method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• It demonstrates water can be spontaneously drawn into the multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) capillaries and can be transformed into ice nanotubes (INTs) through first-order liquid–solid phase transition based on molecular dynamics simulations. • The INT structures formed in the gaps of MWCNT can be controlled by tuning the inter-wall spacings of the MWCNT, Flat-square-walled INTs and puckered-rhombic-walled INTs will separately be formed with the inter-wall spacings of 6.66 and 8.61 Å, respectively. • The freezing zones of water confined in MWCNTs are tunable, e.g. water confined in MWCNTs with the inter-wall spacings of 6.66 Å, the freezing will occur zone by zone and can be controlled by the temperature. One-dimensional nanoconfined water exhibits rich structure phases. The freezing behavior of water confined in single-walled carbon nanotubes has been studied by both experimental measurements and theoretical simulations, however, it lacks of studying the freezing behavior of water confined in multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Herein, we investigated the freezing behavior of water confined in MWCNTs using molecular dynamics simulations. Flat-square-walled ice nanotubes (FSW-INTs) were formed in the gaps with the inter-wall spacing of 6.66 Å, while, puckered-rhombic-walled ice nanotubes (PRW-INTs) were observed in the gaps with the inter-wall spacing of 8.61 Å. Then, the INT structures formed among the inter-wall gaps of MWCNTs can be controlled by tuning the inter-wall spacings of MWCNTs. Specifically, various groups of FSW-INTs and/or PRW-INTs were designed to form by using MWCNTs with the inter-wall spacing of 6.66 and/or 8.61 Å. In addition, it was found that water could be frozen in a simultaneous way or be frozen in a zone-by-zone form by tuning the inter-wall spacings of the MWCNTs due to the freezing temperatures of INTs are related with their diameters. The study will provide deep insights into the freezing behavior of water in MWCNTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Three double-chain imidazolium ionic liquids surfactants were synthesized via the one-step Debus-Radziszewski reaction and characterized for their chemical structure by FT-IR, 1H NMR, TGA and LC-MS. • The physicochemical properties of double-chain imidazolium ionic liquids surfactants are better than that of single-chain imidazolium surfactants. • [C14mimC14][OAc] had lowest surface tension and critical micelle concentration, which were 29.07 mN/m and 1.64 × 10-2 mmol/L, respectively. • Double-chain imidazolium ionic liquids surfactants have good interfacial activity and wettability. Three double-chain imidazolium ionic liquid surfactants (ILS) with varying alkyl lengths, namely [C10mimC10][OAc], [C12mimC12][OAc], and [C14mimC14][OAc], were synthesized via the one-step Debus-Radziszewskireaction. The chemical structures of these three ILS were confirmed through FT-IR, 1H NMR and ESI-MS analyses. Their surface/interface activity, wetting ability, thermal stability, and aggregation properties were investigated. The results indicated that the presence of double-chain hydrophobic groups in ILS exerted a significant influence on their surface/interface activity. Surface activity and micellization properties were assessed using surface tension measurements, revealing that the micellization process of double-chain ILS was more favorable compared to single-chain ILS. Among the three ILS examined, [C14mimC14][OAc] exhibited the lowest surface tension and critical micelle concentration (CMC) values, measuring 29.07 mN/m and 1.64 × 10-2 mmol/L, respectively. Solutions containing approximately 50 ppm of these ILS could reduce interfacial tension to below 1 mN/m. Additionally, the contact angle decreased to less than 90° within 90 s. The formation of aggregates in aqueous solutions was found to be influenced by the number of CH 2 units present in the different ILS molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LC–MS serves as a workhorse for chemical profile characterization of Chinese medicinal materials (CMMs) attributing to the ability of measuring fruitful MS/MS spectral information. However, it is laborious to extract the information belonging to the compounds-of-interest from the massive data matrixes even employing those well-defined post-acquisition data processing strategies. Here, efforts were devoted to propose an integrated strategy allowing rapid chemical homologs-focused data filtering through integrating the fit-for-purpose existing strategies, such as molecular weight imprinting (MWI), diagnostic fragment ion filtering (DFIF), neutral loss filtering (NLF), and isotope pattern filtering (IPF). Homologs-focused chemical characterization of a precious CMM namely Toad gall-bladder (Chinese name: Chandan) that is rich of diverse effective steroid sulfates, particularly bufogenin sulfates, bile acid sulfates and bilichol sulfates, was employed as a proof-of-concept. Recombinant human SULT2A1-catalyzed in vitro metabolism was undertaken to generate eight bufogenin sulfates to facilitate summarizing MS/MS spectral behaviors. After in-house data library construction and MS1 and MS2 spectral acquisition, data filtering was conducted as follows: 1) MWI and IPF was utilized in combination to capture deprotonated molecular ions and the 34S isotopic ions for the sulfates of those reported steroids; 2) m / z 79.9568 (SO 3 −·) and 96.9596 (HSO 4 −) were applied to DFIF; and 3) SO 3 (79.9568 Da) served as the feature to achieve NLF. Those captured MS/MS information subsequently participated in tentatively structural annotation through applying those empirical mass fragmentation rules. As a result, 71 compounds including 7 bufogenin sulfates, 17 bile acid sulfates, 13 bilichol sulfates and a C-23 steroid sulfate were detected from Toad gall-bladder and thereof, 39 ones received plausible identities assignment. Above all, the steroid sulfates in Toad gall-bladder were profiled in depth, and more importantly, the proposed strategy should be a meaningful option for, but not limited to, submetabolome characterization in CMMs. [Display omitted] • Integrated data mining strategy incorporating MWI, IPF, DFIF and NLF. • A convenient and visual tool for steroid sulfates-focused characterization. • Eight bufadienolide sulfates help to summarize MS/MS spectral behaviors. • 71 compounds were captured, and 39 ones were identified from Toad gall-bladder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Two kinds of phosphate amphoteric surfactants based on silicone were synthesized. • Phosphate Gemini surfactants ((C12P2)2Si2) with disiloxane as bridging group and trisiloxane surfactants (C12P2Si3) were prepared by hydrolysis reaction, Kabachnik-Fields reaction, and quaternization reaction in turn. • The physicochemical properties of trisiloxane surfactants are better than those of Gemini surfactants. • The results showed that the CMC value of (C12P2)2Si2 was 0.53 mmol/L, and the corresponding surface tension was 28.35 mN/m. The CMC value of C12P2Si3 is 0.78 mmol/L, and the corresponding surface tension is 27.42 mN/m. Two phosphate amphoteric surfactants based on silicone were synthesized. Phosphate Gemini surfactant ((C12P2)2Si2) with disiloxane as bridging group and double-chain surfactant (C12P2Si3) with hydrophobic hydrocarbon chain and trisiloxane were prepared by hydrolysis reaction, Kabachnik-Fields reaction, and quaternization reaction. FT-IR, 1H NMR and TGA confirmed the chemical structure and thermal stability of the synthesised (C12P2)2Si2 and C12P2Si3. The physicochemical behavior at the air–liquid interface was investigated. The results showed that the critical micelle concentration (CMC) values of (C12P2)2Si2 and C12P2Si3 are 0.53 and 0.78 mmol/L, respectively. The two new surfactants had surface tension at CMC equal to approximately 28 mN/m and their surface tension varied with temperature and electrolyte (NaCl, CaCl 2 , and MgCl 2) concentration. At high temperatures and with high concentration electrolytes, they exhibited good air–liquid interfacial activity. In addition, the size of the aggregates of the surfactants in aqueous solutions above CMC was determined by the dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Quantitative determination for SBS content of aged modified asphalt by FTIR and potentiometric titration tests. • The rheological properties were investigated after TFOT and long-term aging of modified asphalt. • The actual SBS content versus the rheological indexes of aged modified asphalt can be well-fitted. The content of styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS) modifier has a significant influence on the physical and chemical characteristics of asphalt. However, determining the SBS content in SBS modified asphalt (SBS MA) after aging remains a challenge. To facilitate the understanding of the relationship between physical properties and SBS content, the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and potentiometric titration test were utilized to detect SBS content of aged binders. In this paper, radial and linear SBS were incorporated into asphalt binders at three levels, and their rheological properties were investigated after thin film oven aging (TFOT) and long-term aging. Furthermore, the actual SBS content versus the rheological index at different aging stages was investigated. The results showed that both I C=C and Na 2 S 2 O 3 titration volume highly correlated with SBS content (R2 > 0.99), and there was only a slight difference between the actual content of SBS determined by the two methods. The fatigue resistance, high-temperature elastic, and low-temperature cracking characteristics of asphalt were weakened after aging, due to SBS degradation, especially in the early stage. In addition, the resistance to deformation, elastic recovery, anti-fatigue properties of radial SBS MA were superior to that of linear SBS MA at the same SBS content, while the low-temperature cracking performance demonstrated an opposite trend. The actual SBS content versus the rheological indexes after aging can be well-fitted by a nonlinear equation. Therefore, FTIR and potentiometric titration tests can effectively predict SBS content and analyze the aging degree of SBS MA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new organic cation ClC 6 H 4 C 2 H 4 NH 3 + was introduced into perovskite solar cells. • The grain size, crystallization and morphology of the thin films are discussed. • The 2D perovskite thin films are obtained by hot-casting method. • The PSC based on (CPEA) 2 (MA) n−1 Pb n I 3n+1 show a maximum efficiency of 11.86%. • The moisture-resistant of 2D PSCs and 3D PSCs are studied. Two-dimensional layered organic-inorganic perovskite hybrids have attracted increasing attention due to their outstanding moisture resistance and promising optoelectronic properties. However, the photovoltaic performance in solar cells is still a huge challenge for two-dimensional perovskite films. With the aim to improve the efficiency of 2D perovskite solar cells, the new (ClC 6 H 4 C 2 H 4 NH 3) 2 MA n−1 Pb n I 3n+1 perovskite family (abbreviated as (CPEA) 2 MA n−1 Pb n I 3n+1) are synthesized by a simple one-step hot-casting method in this study. It is found that the variation of n value (n = 3–6) has great influence on the microstructure, grain size, charge mobility, trap density and photovoltaic performance of the 2D (CPEA) 2 (MA) n−1 Pb n I 3n+1. Due to the best film quality and prolonged carrier lifetime, the (CPEA) 2 MA 4 Pb 5 I 16 (n = 5) perovskite solar cell exhibits a highest efficiency of 11.86%, with a V oc of 0.989 V, a J sc of 19.92 mA/cm2 and FF of 60%, respectively. It is anticipated that our approach to explore new organic spacer cations in 2D perovskites may pave the way for their application with high performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, series of Bi 24 O 31 Br 10 semiconductors were respectively synthesized by precipitation, solvothermal and calcination methods to explore the influence of preparation methods on the photocatalytic performances of photocatalysts. The refractory antibiotics (CIP and TC) and low concentration of continuous flowing NO gas were used as photocatalytic targets with the irradiation of visible or NIR lights. Interestingly, Bi 24 O 31 Br 10 fabricated by a simple room-temperature precipitation method (BOB-R) exhibited the best photocatalytic activity compared to the other two samples with high cost preparation. The characterizations and trapping experiments verified that the smaller nanoparticles, oxygen vacancy concentration, band structure and charge combination probability were contributed to the superior photocatalytic performance of Bi 24 O 31 Br 10 prepared by precipitation method. Besides, due to the generation of oxygen vacancies, BOB-R sample not only showed excellent removal efficiency of NO by UV and short-wavelength visible light, but also had considerable photocatalytic activity induced by long-wavelength visible light (λ > 510 nm). To further broaden the range of light response to near-infrared light, the up-conversion phosphors were used to couple with BOB-R sample at room temperature. The up-conversion phosphors/BOB-R composites exhibited good UV light, short-wavelength and long-wavelength visible lights caused photocatalytic removal of NO, meanwhile valuable NIR light driven performance was found. Unlabelled Image • Series of Bi 24 O 31 Br 10 was prepared by various methods for photocatalytic comparison. • Bi 24 O 31 Br 10 fabricated by precipitation exhibited the best photocatalytic activity. • Bi 24 O 31 Br 10 showed long visible light induced NO removal activity. • Up-conversion phosphors were coupled with Bi 24 O 31 Br 10 to fulfill NIR light response. • UV, visible and NIR lights induced NO removal activity were achieved by composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Few studies of policy mix concerning renewable portfolio standards (RPS) and emissions trading (ET) investigate a scenario in which the retailer is required to comply with quota obligations. This paper focuses on the impact of RPS, with an ET counterpart, on the electricity market when RPS are imposed on the state grid companies. The evolution game is employed to model transactions between multiple buyers and multiple sellers. The results show that ET enhances the price competitiveness of electricity from renewable energy source (RES-E) and reduces power generating companies' profit at the same time. On the other hand, when the RPS level goes up, the state grid companies gain a windfall created by the difference between the lower wholesale price of thermal power and the unchanging retail price. The windfall will be used to pay for the increasing cost of supporting RES-E. Thus, the thermal power generating companies are confronted with the double cost when introducing ET and RPS, but the state grid companies do not pay for the cost of supporting RES-E. This paper appeals to the Chinese government for the assessment of policy effects from a policy mix perspective. Highlights • The evolution game is employed to model transactions between multiple sellers and multiple buyers. • The quota obligation imposed on the state grid company is studied. • Emissions trading hurts the renewable power generating companies' profit and enhances the price competitiveness of RES-E. • The state grid companies do not pay for the cost of supporting RES-E. • The thermal power generating companies bear both the cost of emissions trading and the cost of supporting RES-E. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modifying the electronic structure of photocatalysts is an important approach for increasing the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers and activating molecular oxygen into superoxide radical ( O 2 − ) for contaminants removal. Herein, based on the density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we found that doping F − can not only narrow the bandgap of graphitic-phase carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ), but also decrease the electronic localization, extend the π conjugated system and increase the in-planar electron density, resulting in promoting the molecular oxygen activation of g-C 3 N 4 . The experiments indicated that the fluorinated ultrathin g-C 3 N 4 was favorable for activating molecular oxygen into O 2 − under visible light irradiation, which could be ascribed to the relatively higher conduction band position and more negative surface adsorption energy for O 2 as well as advantageous charge accumulation on adsorbed O 2 as compared to ultrathin g-C 3 N 4 . By virtue of the synergic effect of enhanced adsorption ability to O 2 , effective separation of photogenerated carriers and more reductive photoexcited electrons derived from the ultrathin structure and F − associates, the fluorinated ultrathin g-C 3 N 4 sheets revealed promoted solar driven photocatalytic activity for formaldehyde (HCHO) oxidation. This study could provide new insights into the mechanistic comprehension of molecular oxygen activation reaction and design of low cost noble metal-free modified ultrathin layered photocatalysts with for environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many female animals use different strategies to assess male quality to increase their own reproductive fitness. In moths, females usually use chemical signals (sex pheromones) to attract males from a distance. Once males approach a female, they release close range pheromones from hairpencils to facilitate female acceptance. However, detailed mechanisms involved in male sex pheromone biosynthesis and its action in promoting female acceptance have not yet been fully characterized. This study screened a series of candidate genes via a transcriptome analysis of the male hairpencil of Helicoverpa armigera . Using pharmacological inhibitor and RNAi-mediated knockdown assays, we demonstrated that Ca 2+ and cyclic-AMP were involved in pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN)-induced male sex pheromone biosynthesis. The functional analysis of candidate enzymes involved in the male sex pheromone biosynthesis pathway demonstrated that a decreased mRNA levels of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, Δ11-desaturase, and fatty-acyl reductase 2 by RNAi-mediated knockdown led to a significant decrease in the production of fatty acyl alcohols and the efficacy of female acceptance. Our results demonstrated the important role of the fatty acyl alcohol biosynthetic pathway in a PBAN-induced male sex pheromone biosynthesis and the importance of hairpencil compounds in female mating acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trace amounts of sulphion can threaten the performance and lifespan of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The fuel mainly originates from refinery hydrogen, in which methyl mercaptan (MeSH), ethyl mercaptan (EtSH), dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and ethyl sulfide (EMS) inevitably exist. Herein, their negative effects are investigated on PEMFC and rotating disk electrode (RDE) levels, and the poisoning mechanisms are revealed by structural characterizations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The result indicates that MeSH and EtSH are 1.6 times more threatening than H 2 S, therefore, it is essential to limit the content of MeSH and EtSH. Nevertheless, the poisoning effect of DMS and EMS is weak enough to be tolerated. Moreover, the findings that the occupation of top site on Pt (111) weakly affects the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) would contribute to the design of new catalysts with stronger toxicity resistance. This work is significant for the durability improvement of PEMFCs. [Display omitted] • MeSH and EtSH are 1.6 times more threatening than H 2 S on PEMFC. • The effect of occupation of top site on Pt (111) on the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) is very weakly. • The adsorption mechanisms of MeSH, EtSH, DMS and EMS on Pt/C catalysts are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

lncRNA ANRIL expression is dysregulated in many human cancers and is thus a useful prognostic marker for cancer patients. However, whether ANRIL is involved in drug resistance in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has not yet been investigated. A luciferase reporter assay was conducted to verify the binding between miR-125a and ANRIL. RT-PCR and western blotting were performed to detect the expression of miR-125a, ANRIL, and ENO1. Glycolysis stress was assessed using the Seahorse extracellular flux analyzer. Functional studies were performed using both in vitro and in vivo xenograft models. ANRIL was markedly upregulated in both patients with TNBC and TNBC cell lines. Knockdown of ANRIL increased the cytotoxic effect of ADR and repressed cellular glycolytic activity in TNBC cells. Mechanistic analysis showed that ANRIL may act as a competing endogenous RNA of miR-125a to relieve the repressive effect of miR-125a on its target glycolytic enzyme enolase (ENO1). Notably, 2-deoxy-glucose attenuated ANRIL-induced increase in drug resistance in TNBC cells. These results indicate that knockdown of ANRIL plays an active role in overcoming drug resistance in TNBC by inhibiting glycolysis through the miR-125a/ENO1 pathway, which may be useful for the development of novel therapeutic targets for treating patients with TNBC, especially those with drug resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Molecularly imprinted polymers for bisphenol A (BPA) were prepared by using surface molecular imprinting technique. Analogues of BPA, namely 4,4′-dihydroxybiphenyl and 3,3′,5,5′-tetrabromobisphenol A, were used as the dummy templates instead of BPA, to avoid the leakage of a trace amount of the target analyte (BPA). The resulting dummy molecularly imprinted polymers (DMIPs) showed the large sorption capacity, high recognition ability and fast binding kinetics for BPA. The maximal sorption capacity was up to 958μmolg−1, and it only took 40min for DMIPs to achieve the sorption equilibrium. The DMIPs were successfully applied to the solid-phase extraction coupled with HPLC/UV for the determination of BPA in water samples. The calibration graph of the analytical method was linear with a correlation coefficient more than 0.999 in the concentration range of 0.0760–0.912ngmL−1 of BPA. The limit of detection was 15.2pgmL−1 (S/N=3). Recoveries were in the range of 92.9–102% with relative standard deviation (RSD) less than 11%. The trace amounts of BPA in tap water, drinking water, rain and leachate of one-off tableware were determined by the method built, and the satisfactory results were obtained. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Highly selective molecularly imprinted layer-coated silica nanoparticles for bisphenol A (BPA) were synthesized by molecular imprinting technique with a sol–gel process on the supporter of silica nanoparticles. The BPA-imprinted silica nanoparticles were characterized by fourier transform infrared spectrometer, transmission electron microscope, dynamic adsorption and static adsorption tests. The equilibrium association constant, K a, and the apparent maximum number of binding sites, Q max, were estimated to be 1.25×105 mLμmol−1 and 16.4μmolg−1, respectively. The BPA-imprinted silica nanoparticles solid-phase extraction (SPE) column had higher selectivity for BPA than the commercial C18-SPE column. The results of the study indicated that the prepared BPA-imprinted silica nanoparticles exhibited high adsorption capacity and selectivity, and offered a fast kinetics for the rebinding of BPA. The BPA-imprinted silica nanoparticles were successfully used in SPE to selectively enrich and determine BPA from shampoo, bath lotion and cosmetic cream samples. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The hollow amorphous CoS x hexagonal cage was prepared by MOF derived method. • The elements in CoS x cage presented multivalence. • The CoS x cage was very efficiency for PMS activation towards TC degradation. • The synergetic effect of Co3+/Co2+ and S2−/S 2 2− was in favor of PMS activation. A catalyst with multivalent of elements and a hollow structure is very promising for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation. In this work, a novel, hollow, and amorphous CoS x hexagonal cage was prepared by an aqueous solution assisted solvothermal method for effective PMS activation towards antibiotics degradation via an advanced oxidation process. The detailed structure of CoS x was characterized by X-ray diffraction patterns, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. As expected, the as-prepared hollow, amorphous CoS x cages presented excellent tetracycline (TC) decomposing ability by PMS activation, which was much better than those of classic Co 3 O 4 and Fe 3 O 4 as well as the conventional Fenton reaction of Co 3 O 4. In addition, the effect of parameters (PMS dosage, pH, reaction temperature, TC concentration, and catalyst content) on catalytic activity was studied in detail. Meanwhile, the influence of co-existing anions (Cl−, NO 3 − and HCO 3 −) in aqueous solution on TC degradation was also investigated. A possible mechanism for PMS activation was proposed based on a quenching experiment and an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) test. The results confirmed that the superior catalytic performance of CoS x by PMS activation could be contributed to the hollow structure and the effective recycling of Co3+/Co2+ and S2−/S 2 2−. The as-prepared hollow amorphous CoS x cages could provide an effective catalyst for PMS activation towards wastewater/water treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathological aggregation of amyloid polypeptides is associated with numerous degenerative diseases. Preventing aggregation and clearing amyloid deposits are considered as promising strategies against amyloidosis. With the capacity of crossing the blood-brain barrier and good biocompatibility, the hydroxylated single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT-OH) has been shown with excellent anti-amyloid properties. Here, we systematically studied the SWCNT-OH effects on the fibrillization of the β2m 21 – 31 peptides utilizing all-atom discrete molecular dynamics (DMD) simulation. Our results demonstrated the isolated β2m 21 – 31 peptides first nucleated into unstructured oligomers followed by coil-to-sheet conformational conversions in oligomers with at least six peptides. The elongation and lateral surfaces of the preformed β-sheet could catalyze the other unstructured monomers and small oligomers converted into β-sheet formations via dock-lock fibril growth and secondary nucleation processes. Eventually, the β2m 21 – 31 peptides would self-assemble into well-ordered cross-β structures. Regardless of isolated monomers or well-defined cross-β assemblies, the β2m 21 – 31 would attach on the surfaces of SWCNT-OH adopting unstructured formations indicating the SWCNT-OH not only inhibited the fibrillization of β2m 21 – 31 but also destroyed pre-formed proto-fibrils. Overall, our study displays a complete picture of the fibrillization mechanism of β2m 21 – 31 and the amyloid inhibitory mechanism of SWCNT-OH, offering new insight into the de-novo design of anti-amyloid inhibitors. [Display omitted] • The fibrillization of β2m 21-31 involves the primary and secondary nucleations of β-sheet aggregates and β-sheet growth. • The conformational conversion of β2m 21-31 from unstructured to β-sheet starts from hexamers. • The SWCNT-OH not only inhibits the aggregation of β2m 21-31 but also destroys the pre-formed cross-β aggregates of β2m 21-31. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrophobic nature of dioxins is a major obstacle to their bioremediation. The present study attempted to improve the bioaccessibility of dioxins in two-phase partitioning bioreactors and activated sludge reactors. Dibenzofuran and n -hexadecane were used as model compounds for dioxins and non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs), respectively. First, biosurfactants produced by dioxin-degrading Rhodococcus sp. strain p52 were analyzed. Then, the role of n -hexadecane during the biodegradation of dibenzofuran was evaluated. The results showed that high NAPL ratios (n -hexadecane ≥40 g/L) in the two liquid-phase systems favored dibenzofuran removal, while the cell surface of strain p52 became extremely hydrophobic (>97%), which promoted its adhesion to NAPLs and subsequent transport of dibenzofuran from NAPL to the cells. In addition, a bioaugmented activated sludge reactor with n -hexadecane as the supplemented carbon source could not only facilitate the aerobic granular sludge formation but also improve dibenzofuran removal and the activated sludge settling properties. Simultaneously, conjugative transfer of catabolic plasmids was promoted. This study demonstrated the potential application of strain p52 with NAPLs for the bioremediation of dioxins. [Display omitted] • Strain p52 can produce biosurfactants containing trehalolipids and fatty acids. • n -hexadecane enhanced dibenzofuran removal by strain p52. • Aerobic granules formed in bioaugmented reactor supplemented with n -hexadecane. • n -hexadecane facilitated the transfer of catabolic plasmids in the reactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the adhesive hydrogels have gained progress and popularity, it is still an enormous challenge to develop a smart adhesion hydrogel for clinical medicine, which is an asymmetric adhesion hydrogel with on-demand detachment. Motivated by the thermal phase transition mechanism of gelatin, we have synthesized a Janus supramolecular hydrogel dressing with skin temperature-triggered adhesion by a simple one-pot process. This hydrogel has asymmetric and controllable adhesion, which not only can become the external objects barrier but also can achieve repeated adhesion and on-demand detachment triggered by temperature in tens of seconds. This hydrogel presents great mechanical performance (compressive strain of 65 %, 1.38 MPa) owing to the presence of supramolecular interactions in the hydrogel. Additionally, this hydrogel exhibits excellent antibacterial activity and biocompatibility. The synergistic effect of modified gelatin and ionic liquid greatly facilitates wound healing of full-thickness skin with high wound healing efficiency (98.45 %). Therefore, thanks to all these advantages, the Janus supramolecular hydrogel can be applied for wound management and treatment, which has huge potential in healing skin wounds. • A novel Janus supramolecular hydrogel for wound dressing is prepared by simple one-pot method. • The Janus supramolecular hydrogel has asymmetric adhesion property. • The Janus supramolecular hydrogel dressing can achieve painless separation at low temperature. • The synergistic effect of modified gelatin and ionic liquid endows the hydrogel with good wound healing efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract At present, perovskite solar cells using two-dimensional perovskite hybrids have been researching, for their good optical performance and humidity stability work. However, there is still a great obstacle obtaining two-dimensional perovskite films of high quality and high performances. In this work, we succeeded in fabricating dense and highly crystallized Q-2D (C 6 H 5 C 2 H 4 NH 3) 2 FA n-1 Pb n I 3n+1 by adopting a novel two-step solution deposition method, from which a stoichiometric precursor containing PEAI and PbI 2 was first spin-coated and FAI solution was then dropped and spin-coated on the substrate. It was found that the amount of FAI solution dropped onto the substrate during the second step had great influence on the microstructure and performance of the Q-2D (C 6 H 5 C 2 H 4 NH 3) 2 FA n-1 Pb n I 3n+1. Our first–generation Q-2D (C 6 H 5 C 2 H 4 NH 3) 2 FA n-1 Pb n I 3n+1 perovskite solar cells were higher than its 3D perovskite counterpart FAPbI 3 in moisture stability. We finally obtained Q-2D (C 6 H 5 C 2 H 4 NH 3) 2 FA n-1 Pb n I 3n+1 perovskite solar cells, showing an open-circuit voltage of 0.826 V and a power conversion efficiency of 11.46%. Highlights • The FA based Q-2D perovskite films was fabricated by a novel two-step method. • The amount of FAI had great influence on the performance of (PEA) 2 FA 2 Pb n I 3n+1. • The FA based Q-2D perovskite cells exhibit an efficiency of 11.46%. • The FA based Q-2D films exhibit a great moisture stability than FAPbI 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial interactions, particularly metabolic cross-feeding, play important roles in removing recalcitrant environmental pollutants; however, the underlying mechanisms involved in this process remain unclear. Thus, this study aimed to elucidate the mechanism by which metabolic cross-feeding occurs during synergistic dibenzofuran degradation between a highly efficient degrader, Rhodococcus sp. strain p52, and a partner incapable of utilizing dibenzofuran. A bottom-up approach combined with pairwise coculturing was used to examine metabolic cross-feeding between strain p52 and Arthrobacter sp. W06 or Achromobacter sp. D10. Pairwise coculture not only promoted bacterial pair growth but also facilitated dibenzofuran degradation. Specifically, strain p52, acting as a donor, released dibenzofuran metabolic intermediates, including salicylic acid and gentisic acid, for utilization and growth, respectively, by the partner strains W06 and D10. Both salicylic acid and gentisic acid exhibited biotoxicity, and their accumulation inhibited dibenzofuran degradation. The transcriptional activity of the genes responsible for the catabolism of dibenzofuran and its metabolic intermediates was coordinately regulated in strain p52 and its cocultivated partners, thus achieving synergistic dibenzofuran degradation. This study provides insights into microbial metabolic cross-feeding during recalcitrant environmental pollutant removal. [Display omitted] • Coculture promoted bacterial growth and enhanced dibenzofuran degradation. • Strain p52 released metabolic intermediates during dibenzofuran degradation. • The cocultivated partners could utilize dibenzofuran metabolic intermediates for growth. • The accumulation of salicylic acid and gentisic acid inhibited dibenzofuran degradation. • Catabolic gene expression was concertedly regulated in coculturing bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The real time pH monitoring is crucial for human body health and environmental protection. In this work, a triphenylamine-conjugated TPA-SA (triphenylamine (TPA) and salicylaldehyde (SA)) with ESIPT segment was successfully designed, synthesized and further applied in pH detection bearing larger Stoke shift. Optical properties indicated that the sensor TPA-SA displayed obvious AIE (aggregation induced emission) phenomenon in DMSO/H 2 O (1/1, v/v) mixed solution, nano-scaled granular-like aggregates of TPA-SA could be obtained through scanning electron microscope images (SEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). It was worth mentioning that TPA-SA showed excellent fluorescence reaction to changes in pH, and p K a was calculated to be 4.75. In addition, due to its special optical properties, the further practical application of sensor TPA-SA was successfully conducted in pH sensing strips, information storage and the fluorescence cell imaging in HeLa cells, which may be commercially used in near further. [Display omitted] • Synthesis of pH sensitive AIE chemo-sensor: TPA-SA. • TPA-SA presented the recyclable detecting ability for pH with high sensitivity and fast response time. • TPA-SA could be fabricated as portable pH test strip to achieve fast detection with pH range from 2.0 to 7.4. • The probe was successfully applied as recovered and reused information storage materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Proximity between metal and acid sites is key for isomerization. • Desilication-Recrystallization produces additional porous structure. • Isomerization yield is advanced via favored product diffusion. The hydrogenative isomerization of n -alkanes to their branched isomers over bifunctional catalysts, an effective approach for green gasoline and diesel production, has gained increasing interests in the petrochemical industry. A rational strategy for catalyst development has been proposed and demonstrated with a more favorable mass transfer of isomerization products. Such strategy comprises consecutive desilication/recrystallization upon the parent ZSM-5 zeolite, which generates a hierarchical porous structure. The following incorporation of Ni species ensures the proximity of the metallic and protic active sites, which catalyze the dehydrogenation/hydrogenation and skeletal isomerization steps, respectively. The above structural features of the new Ni/ZSM-5-DR catalyst have been evidenced by various characterization methods. Regarding the changes in the reaction network, the intrinsic rate constant and activation energy are not influenced by the new porous structure, but the mass transfer property of different reagents shows significant distinction. It is further supported by the overall apparent kinetic behavior that diffusion-limited region has been shifted towards higher temperatures after the introduction of the new porous structure. The results of individual diffusion coefficients and overall product distribution provide final evidence of the proposed scenario. As a result, the catalyst development leads to the preferred isomerization product distribution with high selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Making environmental impact assessment (EIA) is extremely vital to the green development of pumped hydro energy storage plants (PHESPs). But, three critical issues have not been addressed. First, some key environmental factors having big influences on PHESP have not been identified and evaluated. Second, massive of information loss and distortion exist in current research. Third, there is a lack of a systematic and clear framework for EIA of PHESP. To handle the above three problems and make EIA of PHESP more reasonable, innovations are made from the following aspects: first, to fully reflect environmental characteristics of PHESP, a comprehensive and rational EIA evaluation criteria system including four criteria is built. Second, a group decision-making model is proposed by combining uncertain linguistic variables (ULVs), triangular fuzzy number (TFN) and TODIM (an acronym in Portuguese of interactive and multiple attribute decision making), this model can effectively reduce information loss and distortion. Third, an integrated decision-making framework is constructed from the perspective of system science, this framework can make EIA easy and efficient. Besides, a case study is employed to validate the practicability and effectiveness of the improvements made above. The results show that the proposed framework is of great use for performing EIA of PHESP, and PHESP A 1 performs best among the four alternatives in the environmental aspect. Meanwhile, sensitivity analysis shows that the ranking of four alternatives is very stable; comparative analysis proves that the proposed model is more effective than fuzzy Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method in reflecting gaps among four alternatives, because its standard deviation 0.360 is bigger than the standard deviation 0.153 gotten by the fuzzy TOPSIS method. Finally, some valuable managerial implications are put forward to the project managers to guide the practical work. • An evaluation criteria system is established for EIA of PHESP. • The TODIM-based group decision model can reduce information loss and distortion. • The integrated framework proposed has good practicability and effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a well-established biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we investigated the acetylation state of AFP in vivo. AFP acetylation was regulated by the acetyltransferase CBP and the deacetylase SIRT1. Acetylation of AFP at lysines 194, 211, and 242 increased the stability of AFP protein by decreasing its ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. AFP acetylation promoted its oncogenic role by blocking binding to the phosphatase PTEN and the pro-apoptotic protein caspase-3, which increased signaling for proliferation, migration, and invasion and decreased apoptosis. High levels of acetylated AFP in HCC tissues were associated with HBV infection and correlated with poor prognosis and decreased patient survival. In HCC cells, hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) and palmitic acid (PA) increased the level of acetylated AFP by disrupting SIRT1-mediated deacetylation. AFP acetylation plays an important role in HCC progression and provides a new potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While high-speed railway (HSR) often brings regional prosperity and a boom in real estate, it is unclear how the housing vacancy rate (HVR) changes after the opening of HSR. We identify the HVR changes in response to HSR operation by employing smart meter data of approximately 10 million households in more than 80 counties in the middle and lower regions of the Yangtze River Basin. We find that HSR opening could reduce the urban HVR by 1.64% and its reducing effect is stronger in district-urban than in county-urban areas. The decreasing effect of HSR operation on urban HVR is more noticeable in areas with better air quality, lower living costs, and more service industries. The opposite effects are observed in rural areas, where the HSR operation has increased the rural HVR by 1.16%. Our findings indicate that the siphoning effect of HSR exists on HVR as the rural population along the HSR is attracted to central cities, and positive HSR promotion strategies contribute to reducing urban HVR. With the development of transportation infrastructure, the difference in HVR due to urban and rural population mobility should be taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In China, high-speed rails are often constructed over bridges in the region of soft soils. Differential settlement could occur in the foundation soils between bridge abutment and approach embankment that causes "bumps" to affect the smoothness at the end of a bridge. A three-dimensional finite element model is developed to investigate the use of fibre reinforced lightweight concrete in the transition zone of bridge approach for high-speed railways. Time-frequency analysis is performed using the method of Fast Fourier transform. The sensitivity analysis of rail speed, density of backfills, and the structural type of the trapezoidal shaped transition zone is conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • CRISPR/Cas9 induces random deletions in the target region of GABRR2 gene. • Both big and small indels can lead to unexpected high probability of exon truncation/skipping and exon recruitment. • It is the first observation of exon recruitment by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated GABRR2 gene editing. Abstract CRISPR/Cas9 and its variations provide an efficient tool for targeted genome editing. CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing can induce mutations in genome that has high probability to cause exon truncation or deletion. However, screening mutations in diploid cells is difficult because of two copies of chromosome. It is an important task for determining genotypes in diploid cells subjected to editing before using these cells in gene function study. In this study, we applied CRISPR/Cas9 to edit the GABRR2 gene in mouse retinal ganglion cells to study what exactly happened in two alleles and what real mRNA isoforms formed in diploid cells. A single sgRNA was employed to generate double-strand DNA breaks. PCR sequencing was used for single clone validation in diploid cells subjected to editing. The indels and the corresponding effects at the target locus were further studied at genomic and RNA levels. We observed that CRISPR/Cas9 induces random deletions in the target region of GABRR2 gene, and both big and small indels can lead to unexpected high probability of exon truncation/skipping. In addition, random deletions in genomic region recruited introns to generate new "exon". It is the first observation of exon recruitment by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated GABRR2 gene editing. The observations may offer a reference for the future gene splicing study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely recognized that vegetation restoration plays a key role in controlling soil erosion in China's Loess Plateau. However, the effects of vegetation types on soil erosion on steep slopes of the Loess Plateau are not yet fully understood. In this study, we carried out our experiments on surface runoff and soil loss monitoring at nine runoff plots with different vegetation types over a nine-year period from 2008 to 2016 to evaluate the effects of vegetation and rainfall on soil erosion. We classified forty-three rainfall events into three rainfall types based on a rainfall concentration index and further analyzed the sensitivities of the runoff and soil loss to these rainfall types. The results indicated that the grassland ( Bothriochloa ischaemum L.) and shrubland (Sea-buckthorn) with high ground cover had a lower runoff depth and soil loss compared to the forestlands with poor ground cover with an average reduction of 50% in annual runoff depth and 92% in annual soil loss. Comparison of the mean runoff coefficient and soil loss in the three rainfall types demonstrated that rainfall events with high intensity and short duration caused more surface runoff and soil loss under all vegetation types. A power function fitted well in the runoff-soil loss relationship and the result showed that the grassland and shrubland had a smaller magnitude term which reflects less soil susceptibility to erosion. The research implies that the ground cover is an important factor in controlling soil and water loss and vegetation measures with high ground cover should be strongly recommended for soil erosion control on the Loess Plateau. It is helpful for vegetation restoration strategy and conserving soil and water on steep slopes of this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel and simple sensing scheme based on the giant Goos-Hanchen shift enhanced by the excitation of the Bloch surface wave in a truncated one-dimensional photonic crystal structure is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The significantly enhanced Goos-Hanchen shift is directly measured by a position sensitive detector and the following amplifier. The bulk refractive index sensitivity of the sensor is investigated by utilizing sodium chloride solutions and glycerol solutions with different concentrations as test samples. The results show that the Goos-Hanchen shift sensor has a superior sensitivity of 2.0*10 −9 RIU/nm, which outperforms the SPR enhanced Goos-Hanchen shift sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In-vivo real-time dose rate measurement has attracted much attention in the tumour-treatment field because of the demand for precise delivery of radiotherapy. An optical fiber based dosimeter is presented, which is fabricated by embedding scintillator materials inside the fiber core. Five micron-scale powder based scintillator materials have been identified and their characteristics are compared in this investigation. The dosimeters have been fabricated separately but with exactly the same production process. Their emission spectra have been measured. Furthermore, an evaluation of the dosimeter’s performance has been made by analyzing the signal intensity emitted from the scintillation material following transmission through a 25 m length of plastic optical fiber (POF) to a distal MPPC (multi-pixel photon counter) detector. The excellent linearity of the relationship of the signal intensity and the dose rate has been established and simultaneously measured using an ionization chamber (IC) to ensure efficacy of the results. The dependence of the resulting fluorescence signal on water depth of two materials was also obtained and compared with the IC. The investigation clearly shows that currently Gd 2 O 2 S:Tb is the optimum choice of material for the X-ray optical fiber dosimeter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to develop a model for the decision-makers/stakeholders to design biofuel supply chain under uncertainties. Life cycle energy and CO 2 emission of biofuel supply chain are employed as the objective functions, multiple feedstocks, multiple transportation modes, multiple sites for building biofuel plants, multiple technologies for biofuel production, and multiple markets for biofuel distribution are considered, and the amount of feedstocks in agricultural system, transportation capacities, yields of crops, and market demands are considered as uncertainty variables in this study. A bi-objective interval mix integer programming model has been developed for biofuel supply chain design under uncertainties, and the bio-objective interval programming method has been developed to solve this model. An illustrative case of a multiple-feedstock-bioethanol system has been studied by the proposed method, and the results show that the proposed model can help decision-makers/stakeholders plan and design the biofuel supply chain by proposing feasible solutions to them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association of estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) with cardiovascular disease risk among patients with type 2 diabetes is unclear. Here we prospectively investigated the race-specific association of estimated GFR with the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke among 11,940 Caucasian and 16,451 African-American patients. During mean follow-up of 6.1-6.8 years, 6647 coronary heart disease and 2750 stroke incident cases were identified. Age- and sex-adjusted hazard ratios of coronary heart disease associated with baseline estimated GFR (90 or more, 75-89, 60-74, 30-59, and 15-29 ml/min per 1.73 m2) were 1.00, 1.04, 1.13, 1.37, and 2.07 (significant trend) for African Americans, and 1.00, 1.09, 1.10, 1.31, and 2.18 (significant trend) for Caucasians, respectively. A significantly increased stroke risk was observed among both African-American and Caucasian participants with an estimated GFR under 60 ml/min per 1.73 m2. When using the updated mean values of estimated GFR, these significant associations became stronger. Participants with mildly decreased estimated GFR (60-89 ml/min per 1.73 m2) during follow-up were also at a significantly higher risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. Thus, even mildly reduced estimated GFR at baseline (under 75 ml/min per 1.73 m2) and during follow-up (under 90 ml/min per 1.73 m2) increased the risk of incident coronary heart disease and stroke among both African-American and Caucasian type 2 diabetes patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been proved that top-down governance alone has limitations in the process of air pollution control, and public participation plays an important role in promoting air pollution governance. However, whether the public awareness of participating in haze governance can be guided by government and the guiding mechanism are still unclear. This paper is based on data from a leading Chinese social media—— Sina Weibo. Over 10.54 million haze-related blogs from 2013 to 2017 have been excavated. Based on the latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) topic model, the characteristics and evolutionary path of the government and public concern have been analyzed. Furthermore, the empirical results indicate the following. (1) The government has a significant role in promoting the public concern about participating in haze governance. (2) Regional heterogeneity, especially regions with underdeveloped economies, low levels of education and aging populations should receive special attention. (3) The effect of the government is not all-round, "haze governance" and "public participation" have significant impacts on the public concern regarding "participating in haze governance". (4) Media and government have a reciprocal relationship in terms of attracting public attention to haze governance. They are vying for people's limited attention. (5) There are spatial spillover effects of local government. Finally, policy implications and the fairness of online promotion and reflection on the public are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The PDD curves of capped and uncapped fiber X-ray sensors are almost opposite. • A theoretical model was established to explain the different trend of PDD curves. • The peak or valley of the curves of Cerenkov radiation are at a depth of 1.5 cm. The use of optical fiber X-ray sensors is of great significance in X-ray detection. To reduce the influence of background noise attributed to sources such as Cerenkov radiation, the response of a plain (no scintillator material added) optical fiber to the X-ray radiation is investigated. The percentage dose-depth (PDD) of plain optical fibers with and without visible light blocking end caps are calculated and are clearly different. The leakage of Cerenkov radiation and presence of Compton scattering from water into the sensing probe is considered as the reason for the difference. A theoretical model to explain the difference is proposed. The experimental results fit well to the theoretical expectation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic nephropathy (DN), a severe microvascular complication of diabetes, has complex pathogenesis. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) exert broad biological functions on human diseases. This study intended to explore the role and mechanism of circ_WBSCR17 in DN. DN mice models were constructed using streptozotocin injection, and DN cell models were assembled using high glucose (HG) treatment in human kidney 2 cells (HK-2). The expression of circ_WBSCR17, miR-185-5p and SRY-Box Transcription Factor 6 (SOX6) was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The protein levels of SOX6 and fibrosis markers were examined by western blot. The release of inflammatory cytokines, cell proliferation and apoptosis, were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and flow cytometry assay, respectively. The predicted interaction between miR-185-5p and circ_WBSCR17 or SOX6 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. Circ_WBSCR17 was highly expressed in DN mice models and HG-induced HK-2 cells. Circ_WBSCR17 knockdown or SOX6 knockdown promoted cell proliferation and blocked cell apoptosis, inflammatory responses and fibrosis, while circ_WBSCR17 overexpression or SOX6 overexpression conveyed the opposite effects. MiR-185-5p was a target of circ_WBSCR17 and directly bound to SOX6. MiR-185-5p could reverse the role of circ_WBSCR17 or SOX6. Moreover, the expression of SOX6 was modulated by circ_WBSCR17 through intermediating miR-185-5p. Circ_WBSCR17 triggered the dysfunction of HG-induced HK-2 cells, including inflammatory responses and fibrosis, which was accomplished via the miR-185-5p/SOX6 regulatory axis. • The expression of circ_WBSCR17 is aberrantly enhanced in DN mice model and HG-induced HK-2 cells. • Circ_WBSCR17 knockdown alleviates HG-induced inflammatory responses and fibrosis in HK-2 cells. • MiR-185-5p is targeted by circ_WBSCR17, and suppresses the function of circ_WBSCR17. • SOX6 is a target of miR-185-5p, and its function is also partly abolished by miR-185-5p. • Circ_WBSCR17 regulates the expression of SOX6 by adsorbing miR-185-5p. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colon cancer is one of the most common types of cancer and more than 80% of colon cancer cases are associated with Wnt-β-catenin signaling activation. Metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) is a multi-functional long non-coding RNA that is overexpressed in many types of cancers, including colon cancer. In this study, MALAT1 and β-catenin were found to be overexpressed in tumor samples from 62 patients with colon cancer. A positive correlation was identified between MALAT1 levels and β-catenin protein levels in tumors. MALAT1 was found to upregulate β-catenin protein levels in HCT116 and LOVO cells without changing the mRNA expression levels. β-catenin degradation was confirmed to be upregulated in MALAT1 -knockdown cells and inhibited in cells overexpressing MALAT1 overexpressing. MALAT1 was then identified as a negative regulator of GSK-3β; it did so via promotion of H3K27 trimethylation of the promoter region. In conclusion, MALAT1 is an oncogene in colon cancer, which inhibits β-catenin degradation by upregulating H3K27 trimethylation and repressing GSK-3β expression. • MALAT1 is overexpressed in colon cancer. • MALAT1 is positively correlated with β-catenin protein levels. • MALAT1 inhibits β-catenin protein degradation by repressing GSK-3β expression. • MALAT1 inhibits GSK-3β expression by upregulating H3K27 trimethylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) is a novel optical signal that has been successfully used to track plant dynamics with the influence of soil water deficit. However, the effect of atmospheric water deficit on SIF under the impact of soil water deficit still remains unclear. Here, continuous measurements of SIF (at 760 nm, F760) of winter wheat under different soil water deficit were collected with a self-developed system. Additionally, soil moisture and atmosphere parameters [including air temperature (Ta), relative air humidity (Rh), and photosynthetically active radiation at 400–700 nm (PAR)] were also synchronously collected by common commercial devices. Vapor pressure deficit (VPD) was calculated based on the measurements of Ta and Rh. The results showed that the driving effect of PAR on F760 was obvious as we expected. Additionally, such effects of PAR on AF760 (F760/PAR) and Fy760 (F760/L685, L685 was canopy radiance at 685 nm) still existed when the PAR influences were partially removed by the calculation of F760/PAR and F760/L685. Furthermore, the relationship of PAR with AF760 or Fy760 was observed to be strengthened under the situation of water deficit through the analysis of Pearson correlations. With the influence of PAR, the accelerative effect of VPD on SIF under soil water deficit was not always observed in our study. Nevertheless, when the effect of PAR was removed by using partial correlation, VPD showed much stronger correlation with SIF in soil water stressed plot than that in unstressed one both at diurnal and seasonal scales. These results revealed that soil water deficit might promote the effect of atmospheric water deficit on SIF. This study has great significance for the application of SIF in drought monitoring and health assessments in terrestrial ecosystem. Unlabelled Image • The relationship between SIF and PAR is affected by soil water deficit. • The relationship between VPD and SIF is affected by PAR. • Soil water deficit promotes the effect of VPD on SIF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A FRET-ON nanoprobe for cellular telomerase probing was developed based on a functionalized tetrahedral DNA structure. • The mechanism and reliable imaging of the proposed nanoprobe were systematically validated. • The telomerase primer integrated with the molecular beacon enhanced the telomerase recognition with high sensitivity. • The ratiometric nanoprobe could indicate telomerase activity changes and differentiate tumor cells from normal cells. Precise in situ monitoring of telomerase is highly informative in early cancer diagnosis. However, the complicated biological environment makes it difficult for conventional fluorescent probes to achieve effective cell penetration, stable delivery and accurate intracellular imaging. In this study, we design a functionalized tetrahedral DNA nanoprobe (TDNp) with fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) feature to image telomerase in living cells. The proposed TDNp is composed of a DNA tetrahedral structure to improve stability and cellular permeability, a telomerase primer and a FRET-based molecular beacon (MB) to report fluorescent signal. In the presence of telomerase, the primer is extended and a free MB is recovered to trigger FRET response. The " off-on " FRET signal benefits accurate telomerase sensing with low false-positive feedback. By orienting the primer at the vertices of TDNp, we can sensitively detect telomerase with a detection limit of 35 HeLa cells. Furthermore, the TDNp could effectively distinguish cancer cells from normal cells, and is successfully applied to monitor the changes of telomerase activity in living cells. As a summary, the TDNp provides stable and reliable imaging of intracellular telomerase for cancer diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Palbociclib, a cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitor, is approved in many countries for the treatment of ER-positive and HER2-negative advanced breast cancer in combination with endocrine therapy. We aimed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics, safety, and efficacy of palbociclib combined with letrozole as first-line treatment for ER-positive and HER2-negative advanced breast cancer. Methods This is a phase 1, open-label, single-arm study in Chinese women with ER-positive and HER2-negative advanced breast cancer. From cycle 1 day 1, patients received letrozole 2·5 mg orally once daily continuously plus palbociclib 125 mg orally once daily for 3 weeks followed by 1 week off treatment. Blood samples for pharmacokinetic evaluation of palbociclib were collected up to 120 h after a single dose of palbociclib in a lead-in phase and after palbociclib dose on cycle 1 day 21 for multiple dose pharmacokinetic evaluation. Predose blood samples for pharmacokinetic evaluation of palbociclib and letrozole were collected on days 19–21 of cycle 1 and cycle 2 day 1 (letrozole only). Disease assessments were done every 12 weeks from cycle 1 day 1. Safety was assessed per Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials, number NCT02499146 , and is ongoing but not recruiting. Findings As of March 16, 2016, the cutoff date, the study completed enrolment with 26 patients. All patients completed single dose pharmacokinetic evaluation and 13 completed multiple dose pharmacokinetic evaluation. After multiple doses, the steady-state palbociclib geometric mean area under the concentration–time curve from 0 to 24 h was 2005 ng × h/mL and maximum observed concentration was 112·3 ng/mL, similar to those obtained in Caucasian patients following the same dosing regimen. Comparisons of single dose and multiple dose pharmacokinetic data indicated linear pharmacokinetics of palbociclib. The geometric mean accumulation ratio of palbociclib exposure after multiple dose compared with single dose was 2·1, consistent with a terminal half-life of 23·4–27·5 h. Trough concentrations of letrozole were similar to concentrations obtained in Caucasian patients. No deaths or permanent discontinuations due to adverse events were reported. One serious adverse event occurred but was not considered to be treatment-related. The most common clustered adverse events were neutropaenia (n=20, 77%), leukopaenia (n=19, 73%), and anemia (n=11, 42%), with neutropaenia (n=15, 58%) and leukopaenia (n=8, 31%) the most common grade 3–4 adverse events. Interpretation No dose adjustment for palbociclib is needed based on the Chinese population. The toxicity of palbociclib in combination with letrozole treatment was tolerable and manageable. Funding Pfizer Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]