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Market liberalization reforms in China have led to greater domestic market integration. However, significant urban-rural price differences suggest that segregation between urban and rural markets persists in China. We study the evolution of price differences between urban and rural areas across 25 Chinese provinces over the period 1985-2020. Firstly, we record a substantial and persistent gap between urban and rural price levels within each province. Secondly, we find that this gap narrowed after China implemented the Price Law, which is suggestive of deeper urban-rural integration associated with policy changes. Additionally, we observe notable differences in urban-rural price gaps between provinces, however, using the log-t test, we find evidence of regional convergence in these price gaps. Finally, we investigate the impact of transport infrastructure development on urban-rural price differences. Using spatial econometric analysis and instrumental regressions, we find that road and railway construction has a significant negative effect on the urban-rural price divide, suggesting that infrastructure development facilitates market integration between urban and rural areas in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ramie is one of the most ancient cellulose fiber crops, having been used for at least 6000 years. It is also one of the strongest and longest natural fine textile fibers in the world and is principally used for fabric production. Although ramie is very important and has a high economic value, the genetic basis of its yield-related and fiber quality traits remains poorly understood and is insufficient owing to the lack of assessment in multiple environments. Here, we evaluated the population structure and genomic variation in ramie based on resequencing of 319 core accessions and detected several candidate genes associated with fiber yield and quality traits by combining them with linkage mapping. We obtained approximately 3.49 million high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 2,089,798 insertions and deletions (Indels), and 88,087 structure variations (SVs). The investigation of phenotypes for plant height (PL), stem diameter (SD), bark thickness (BT), fiber diameter (FD), fiber fineness (FF), and ramet number (RN) found these traits showed abundant variation and correlation. Several genetic loci and candidate genes were identified associated with three yield-related traits and fiber fineness. A gene within pleiotropic loci encoding NAC domain containing protein (BnNAC29) was found to be significantly correlated with stem diameter and bark thickness. Another variation of large fragment insertions and deletions in two candidate genes, BnVIT1 and BnAEP, may also be responsible for the increase of stem diameter and bark thickness, respectively. Favorable gene haplotypes were identified as having the same tendency in stem diameter and bark thickness. Moreover, we presumed that plant height-related genes had undergone selection from landraces to breeding cultivars, even though there was minor differentiation during domestication. Our study provides new insights into the genetic architecture of yield and fiber quality traits in ramie. Moreover, the identification of fiber yield-related genetic loci and large-scale genomic variation represent valuable resources for genomics-assisted breeding of this fiber crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores and explains how duality enables disruptive innovation to encroach on the market and redefine its boundaries under constraints of consumer preferences, purchasing power, technological performance, and complementary technologies. The findings indicate (1) disruptive innovation introduces a new value dimension into the market and enhances the heterogeneity of consumers' demand, which creates prerequisites for its market encroachment while avoiding competing directly with incumbent enterprises; (2) when considering purchasing power constraints, the disadvantage of disruptive innovation in the preexisting value dimension becomes a price advantage of encroaching on the low-end market; (3) under the constraint of complementary technologies, disruptive innovation can open up new markets that incumbent enterprises have not yet touched by virtue of its advantages in the new value dimension; (4) disruptive innovation does not rely on technological performance to encroach on the market, indicating technological performance is not a necessity for identifying disruptive innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anlotinib, as a promising oral small-molecule antitumor drug, its role in glioma has been only reported in a small number of case reports. Therefore, anlotinib has been considered as a promising candidate in glioma. The aim of this study was to investigate the metabolic network of C6 cells after exposure to anlotinib and to identify anti-glioma mechanism from the perspective of metabolic reprogramming. Firstly, CCK8 method was used to evaluate the effects of anlotinib on cell proliferation and apoptosis. Secondly, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS)-based metabolomic and lipidomic were developed to characterize the metabolite and lipid changes in cell and cell culture medium (CCM) caused by anlotinib in the treatment of glioma. As a result, anlotinib had concentration-dependent inhibitory effect with the concentration range. In total, twenty-four and twenty-three disturbed metabolites in cell and CCM responsible for the intervention effect of anlotinib were screened and annotated using UHPLC-HRMS. Altogether, seventeen differential lipids in cell were identified between anlotinib exposure and untreated groups. Metabolic pathways, including amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism, ceramide metabolism, and glycerophospholipid metabolism, were modulated by anlotinib in glioma cell. Overall, anlotinib has an effective treatment against the development and progression of glioma, and these remarkable pathways can generate the key molecular events in cells treated with anlotinib. Future research into the mechanisms underlying the metabolic changes is expected to provide new strategies for treating glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treatment of Staphylococcus aureus infections is a constant challenge due to emerging resistance to vancomycin, a last-resort drug. S-nitrosylation, the covalent attachment of a nitric oxide (NO) group to a cysteine thiol, mediates redox-based signaling for eukaryotic cellular functions. However, its role in bacteria is largely unknown. Here, proteomic analysis revealed that S-nitrosylation is a prominent growth feature of vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus. Deletion of NO synthase (NOS) or removal of S-nitrosylation from the redox-sensitive regulator MgrA or WalR resulted in thinner cell walls and increased vancomycin susceptibility, which was due to attenuated promoter binding and released repression of genes involved in cell wall metabolism. These genes failed to respond to H2O2-induced oxidation, suggesting distinct transcriptional responses to alternative modifications of the cysteine residue. Furthermore, treatment with a NOS inhibitor significantly decreased vancomycin resistance in S. aureus. This study reveals that transcriptional regulation via S-nitrosylation underlies a mechanism for NO-mediated bacterial antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus is increasingly emerging. Here, Shu et al demonstrate that transcriptional regulation by S-nitrosylation underlies vancomycin resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the molecular mechanism of γ-glutamylcysteine (γ-GC) in response to inflammation in vivo and in vitro on regulating the polarization of macrophages. Methods: The expressions of gene or protein were assessed by qPCR and Western blot assays, respectively. Cell viability was investigated by CCK-8 assay. Eight-week-old male BALB/c mice were established to examine the therapeutic effects of γ-GC in vivo. The release of TNF-α and IL-4 was determined by ELISA assay. Macrophages polarization was identified by flow cytometry assay. Results: Our data showed that γ-GC treatment significantly improved the survival, weight loss, and colon tissue damage of IBD mice. Furthermore, we established M1- and M2-polarized macrophages, respectively, and our findings provided evidence that γ-GC switched M1/M2-polarized macrophages through activating AMPK/SIRT1 axis and inhibiting inflammation-related signaling pathway. Conclusion: Collectively, both in vivo and in vitro experiments suggested that γ-GC has the potential to become a promising novel therapeutic dipeptide for the treatment of IBD, which provide new ideas for the treatment of inflammatory diseases in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common infectious disease in children. Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) is one of the main pathogens, and coxsackievirus A6 (CVA6) has gradually become the dominant pathogen of HFMD in recent years. This study was conducted mainly to assess the serological prevalence of EV-A71 and CVA6 antibodies in people of different ages, sexes, and regions through a systematic review and meta-analysis. A comprehensive study was performed based on the EV-A71 and CVA6 serological literature published before May 2022. Heterogeneity analysis (Cochrane's Q test and the I2 statistic) and random effect models were adopted. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses were used to identify potential sources of heterogeneity in the data, and all analysis was performed using STATA version 16.0. This study included 71 studies involving 55,176 people from 13 countries that met the inclusion criteria. The serological prevalence of EV-A71 antibody in different studies was 4.31-88.8%, and that of CVA6 antibody was 40.8-80.9%. Meta-analysis results showed that the serum positive rate for EV-A71 antibody was 45.9% (95% CI: 37.6-54.1%). The rate in the Chinese population was 47.8% (95% CI: 42.4-53.2%), and in the other countries, it was 38% (95% CI: 23-55%). The serum positive rate for CVA6 antibody was 58.3% (95% CI: 46.5-70.2%). The rate in the Chinese population was 49.1% (95% CI: 38.3-59.9%), and in the other countries, it was 68% (95% CI: 51-83%). Subgroup analysis was also conducted. The seroprevalence of EV-A71 and CVA6 antibodies is related to age rather than gender or region. The rates of EV-A71 and CVA6 seropositivity are considerably lower in children younger than five years of age. However, the rates gradually increase with age. The findings of this study suggest that children under five years of age may be susceptible to EV-A71 and CVA6. Thus, safety education and vaccination should be strengthened accordingly. This study provides a basis for understanding the risk factors for EV-A71 and CVA6 infection in China and for deciding how to formulate standard preventive measures to prevent the spread of the virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inflammation is involved in the healing process; however, when inflammation is overactivated, multiple diseases can occur. The continued discovery of new anti-inflammatory drugs is crucial in the treatment of inflammation-linked diseases. Objectives: Ferulic acid (FA), a precursor necessary for lignan synthesis, is widely distributed in plant-based whole foods and is a strong antioxidant. However, the effect of FA on the expression level of inflammatory factors in macrophages has not been fully clarified. The current study aimed to explore the anti-inflammatory effect and mechanism of ferulic acid. Results: The results showed that THP-1 cells were induced to differentiate into macrophages by Phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), and THP-1-derived macrophages were stimulated by LPS to establish an inflammatory cell model. Compared with the control group, low (5 μmol·mL−1), medium (10 μmol·mL−1), and high (20 μmol·mL−1) concentration ferulic acid groups have decreased cell viability and increased apoptosis rate in a dose-dependent manner. FA reduced the transcriptional levels of Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). Importantly, FA-induced autophagy and inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation. 3-MA (a widely used autophagy inhibitor) enhanced the secretion of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β. Moreover, autophagy inhibition by 3-MA resulted in increased proteins expression associated with NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway. Besides, the inhibition of inflammasome activation by MCC950 reduced the expression of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β. Conclusion: It is concluded that FA enhanced autophagy, inhibited the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and reduced the expression and release of inflammatory factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recombination plays important roles in the genetic diversity and evolution of Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71). The phylogenetics of EV-A71 in mainland China found that one strain DL71 formed a new subgenotype C6 with unknown origin. This study investigated the detailed genetic characteristics of the new variant. DL71 formed a distinct cluster within genotype C based on the genome and individual genes (5′UTR, VP4, VP1, 2A, 2B, 2C, 3D, and 3′UTR). The average genetic distances of the genome and individual genes (VP3, 2A, 2B, 2C, 3A, 3C, and 3D) between DL71 and reference strains were greater than 0.1. Nine recombination events involving smaller fragments along DL71 genome were detected. The strains Fuyang-0805a (C4) and Tainan/5746/98 (C2) were identified as the parental strains of DL71. In the non-recombination regions, DL71 had higher identities with Fuyang-0805a than Tainan/5746/98, and located in the cluster with C4 strains. However, in the recombination regions, DL71 had higher identities with Tainan/5746/98 than Fuyang-0805a, and located in the cluster with C2 strains. Thus, DL71 was a novel multiple inter-subgenotype recombinant derived from the dominant subgenotype C4 and the sporadic subgenotype C2 strains. Monitoring the emergence of new variants by the whole-genome sequencing remains essential for preventing disease outbreaks and developing new vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral autosomal recessive arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CARASIL) is caused by biallelic HTRA1 pathogenic variants. Recent studies have shown that heterozygous HTRA1 mutations are associated with autosomal dominant cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). However, large studies evaluating heterozygous HTRA1 carriers are lacking and the genotype–phenotype correlation is unknown. This study aimed to describe these mutations to clarify factors playing a role in the clinical phenotype amongst these patients. We reported two unrelated families and performed a systematic review of all published cases of heterozygous HTRA1-related CSVD. The clinical phenotype severity was independently related to the pathogenicity score (CADD score; p < 0.05) and mutation in the loop 3/loop D domains (p = 0.05); the pathogenicity score was also associated with exon distribution. More importantly, patients with mutations in exon 4 (p = 0.0001) or vascular risk factors (p < 0.05) presented with more severe clinical symptoms. Thus, clinical phenotype severity is influenced by the mutation domain and vascular risk factors. Applying the pathogenicity score to predict clinical outcomes and adopting preventive measures against cerebral vascular risk factors is advantageous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zeolites have extensively been applied in gas adsorption and separation, catalysis, and ion exchange thanks to their numerous interesting features. However, the synthesis of zeolites usually requires solvents, which often lead to water pollution, loss of silicon and aluminium components, and low synthesis efficiency. In this account, ZSM-5 zeolites were synthesized from natural clay palygorskite (PAL) by acid leaching, followed by thermal treatment under solvent-free conditions. The as-obtained ZSM-5 zeolites exhibited high crystallinity and mesoporous structure. The NMR spectra of ZSM-5 zeolites confirmed the presence of aluminium element derived from the acid-treated PAL (APAL) existed in zeolite framework. Thus, PAL was simultaneously employed as silica and aluminium sources for zeolite preparation. The Si/Al molar ratio of ZSM-5 zeolites could be adjusted by adding NaAlO2, but against growth of ZSM-5 zeolites, resulting in formation of analcime. On the other hand, long thermal treatment for 72 h caused the dissolution of ZSM-5 zeolite crystals and formation of analcime. Overall, calcination could enhance the activity of APAL and crystallinity of ZSM-5 zeolites, and solvent-free synthesis of zeolites from clay might efficiently reduce the cost of zeolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We depicted the epidemiological characteristics of infectious diarrhoea in Jiangsu Province, China. Generalized additive models were employed to evaluate the age-specific effects of etiological and meteorological factors on prevalence. A long-term increasing prevalence with strong seasonality was observed. In those aged 0–5 years, disease risk increased rapidly with the positive rate of virus (rotavirus, norovirus, sapovirus, astrovirus) in the 20–50% range. In those aged > 20 years, disease risk increased with the positive rate of adenovirus and bacteria (Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Campylobacter jejuni) until reaching 5%, and thereafter stayed stable. The mean temperature, relative humidity, temperature range, and rainfall were all related to two-month lag morbidity in the group aged 0–5 years. Disease risk increased with relative humidity between 67–78%. Synchronous climate affected the incidence in those aged >20 years. Mean temperature and rainfall showed U-shape associations with disease risk (with threshold 15 °C and 100 mm per month, respectively). Meanwhile, disease risk increased gradually with sunshine duration over 150 hours per month. However, no associations were found in the group aged 6–19 years. In brief, etiological and meteorological factors had age-specific effects on the prevalence of infectious diarrhoea in Jiangsu. Surveillance efforts are needed to prevent its spread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the pillar of national economy, manufacturing industry is the largest primary energy consumer and emitter of carbon dioxide (CO2) in China. Therefore, capturing the determinants of CO2 emissions in manufacturing industry is extremely important for national efforts to mitigate carbon emissions. This paper explores the major driving forces behind CO2 emission changes in China's manufacturing industry during 2000–2015 from perspectives of the whole sector and 28 subsectors, by applying the temporal logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) method. Moreover, an intersectoral LMDI model is built to uncover the intersectoral discrepancies of CO2 emissions among 28 subsectors. The temporal analysis indicates that industrial activity and energy intensity are crucial factors respectively contributing to the increase and mitigation of CO2 emissions. The intersectoral analysis reveals that energy intensity is the dominant factor responsible for the intersectoral discrepancies of CO2 emissions among 28 subsectors. The great mitigation towards CO2 emissions can be achieved if energy efficiency is largely improved in carbon-intensive subsectors. Priority should be given by governments to the industrial technology advancement, such as subsidies for energy-saving technological transformation and promotion of international advanced techniques and equipment, which can greatly improve production efficiency and mitigate emissions in manufacturing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) is a typical type of organic acidemia caused by defects in methylmalonyl-CoA mutase or adenosyl-cobalamin synthesis. Hydrocephalus (HC), results from an imbalance between production and absorption of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), causeing enlarged cerebral ventricles and increased intracranial pressure, is a condition that requires urgent clinical decision-making. MMA without treatment could result in brain damage. However, HC in MMA was rarely reported. In this study, 147 MMA were identified from 9117 high risk children by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for organic acidurias screening in urine samples and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for amino acids detection in blood samples. Totally 10 cases with MMA and HC were determined by brain MRI/CT, as well as gene mutation testing either by high throughput sequencing or Sanger sequencing. Besides, homocysteine was also analyzed for the 10 MMA with HC. Out of them, 9 cases carry out compound heterozygous mutations or homozygous mutation in MMACHC gene, and 1 case has MUTmutation. The mutation c.609G > A in MMACHC was the most common in the cbl type patients. Although MMA has a high incidence in Shandong province of China, especially cblC type. All of the 10 patients were not correctly diagnosed before developing HC. As a result, when a child develops progressive and refractory HC, the screening for inherited metabolic diseases should be immediately conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bi2O3/BiFeO3 composite was successfully fabricated by a conventional sol-gel method and structural properties were characterized based on X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray analyzer, nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurement, and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Bi2O3/BiFeO3 had a good absorption for visible light, which was benefit to photocatalytic activity. The highest degradation efficiency was obtained when the content of Bi2O3 in Bi2O3/BiFeO3 was 63.9%. Effect of experimental conditions was investigated, and the highest photocatalytic activity of Bi2O3/BiFeO3 was observed at photocatalyst dosage of 0.5 g/L, initial BPA concentration of 10 mg/L, and solution pH of 6.3. Bi2O3/BiFeO3 photocatalyst exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity for BPA, and the reaction rate constant over Bi2O3/BiFeO3 composite was 2.23, 3.65, and 8.71 times higher than that of BiFeO3, Bi2O3 and commercial TiO2 (P25), respectively. Bi2O3/BiFeO3 showed high photocatalytic activity after three cycles, suggesting that it was a stable photocatalyst. The possible photocatalytic mechanism has been discussed on the basis of the theoretical calculation and the experimental results. The hydroxyl and superoxide radicals together with photogenerated holes played significant roles in the photocatalytic reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The porous platelet-shaped α-BiO photocatalyst was successfully synthesized by a novel hydrothermal-calcination method assisted with ethylenediamine and polyvinylpyrrolidone. The physical and chemical properties of α-BiO photocatalyst were characterized based on XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM, EDS, UV-Vis DRS, and PL techniques. The influence of preparation conditions on the formation of α-BiO photocatalyst was investigated, and the effect of catalyst dosage and pH value on the EE2 removal rate was also investigated. The synthesized porous platelet-shaped α-BiO photocatalyst exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity for 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2), and 97.8% of EE2 was removed after 75 min of visible light irradiation using α-BiO as photocatalyst. The reaction rate constant over the porous platelet-shaped α-BiO photocatalyst was 11.6 and 11.4 times of that of traditional α-BiO and N-TiO, respectively. The possible photocatalytic mechanism has been discussed on the basis of the theoretical calculation and the experimental results. The porous platelet-shaped α-BiO was a stable and efficient photocatalyst, proving that it is a promising photocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China; 3. Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China. [Extracted from the article]

ParA1 is an elicitin secreted by pathogenic Phytophthora species, which can induce defense reactions in plants. In the present study, we report the identification and functional characterization of two mutant proteins generated from ParA1. Val13Ala (V13 A) and Asp25Ser (N25S) were obtained with site directed mutagenesis and recruited to determine their biological activities. Empirical data indicated that V13 A suffered significant loss of functions including elicitation of hypersensitive response (HR) and resistance to bacterial and TMV infections in plants; while N25S behaved the same as ParA1 proteins in all the biological activity tests. The results indicated that residue 13 (Val) was a novel activity-determining residue site in ParA1, whereas residue 25 (Asp) was not as essential as residue 13 (Val) in ParA1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first Enterovirus 71 (EV71) strain isolated in 1969 was classified as genotype A. It is interesting that the genotype A disappeared nearly 40 years until its re-emergence in mainland China in 2008-2010. Few studies on genetic characterization of the re-emerged genotype A viruses have been reported. In this study, a series of analyses were performed on molecular epidemiology and genome recombination of genotype A viruses in China. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that except for 17 reported genotype A strains and 3 orphan strains (C0, C3 and B5), almost all EV71 strains in mainland China were belonging to subgenotype C4 during 1987-2011. The subgenotype C4 was further divided into 3 clades C4a1, C4a2, and C4b. The genotype A viruses co-circulated with the predominant clade C4a2 and the re-emerged clade C4b both in eastern and central China in 2008-2009. Moreover, comprehensive recombination analysis showed that the genotype A viruses were 'triple-recombinant' by combination of intratypic and intertypic recombination. Intertypic recombination between the oldest C4b strain (SHZH98) and Coxsackievirus A5 (CVA5) and intratypic recombination between the SHZH98 and C1 strains both with one junction in 5′-UTR were observed for some specific C4a2 strains and the re-emerged C4b strain, respectively. And intratypic recombination between the re-emerged C4b strain and the specific C4a2 strains with one junction in 5′-UTR was observed for the Chinese genotype A viruses. Taken together, these results provided potential explanations for the genesis of Chinese genotype A viruses which were significant for preventing and controlling outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterovirus 71 (EV71), a major causative agent of hand, foot, and mouth disease, has broken out several times and was accompanied by neurological disease. microRNAs, a class of small non-coding RNAs that are approximately 20 nucleotides long, play important roles in the regulation of various biological processes, including antiviral defense. However, the roles of miRNAs in EV71 replication and pathogenesis are not well understood. In this study, we found that the expression of miR-27a was significantly decreased in EV71-infected cells. Interestingly, the over-expression of miR-27a could inhibit EV71 replication, as measured by virus titration, qPCR, and Western blotting. We identified EGFR mRNA is a bona fide target of miR-27a by computational analysis and luciferase reporter assays. Furthermore, miR-27a could decrease EGFR expression, as measured by qPCR and Western blotting. Moreover, the inhibition of EGFR expression by miR-27a decreased the phosphorylation of Akt and ERK, which facilitate EV71 replication. These results suggest that miR-27a may have antiviral activity against EV71 by inhibiting EGFR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CeSrCrCoO (CSCrCo) as an anode catalyst was studied in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), where hydrogen sulfide (HS) was used as fuel. The conductivities were evaluated with a four-probe DC technique in 3 % H-N and 5 % HS-N at 570-800 °C, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns show that CSCrCo powders are fluorite structure which is similar to that of CeO parent (JCPDS card no. 34-0394). Meanwhile, CSCrCo anode material has good chemical compatibility with electrolyte (CeSmO (SDC)) in N. Through the analysis of XRD and Fourier transform infrared patterns, no other new phase is detected after treatment in 5 % HS-N at 800 °C for 5 h, which indicate that the material has a good sulfur tolerance. H temperature-programmed reduction and Tafel curves indicate that the temperature of the best catalytic activity is 600 °C. The electrochemical properties of the cell comprising CSCrCo-SDC/SDC/Ag are measured in 5 % HS-N at low temperatures (500 and 600 °C). The maximal open circuit voltage is 1.04 V, the maximal power density is 12.55 mW cm, and the maximal current density is 40 mA cm at 500 °C. While at 600 °C, the corresponding values are 0.95 V, 14.21 mW cm, and 90.01 mA cm, respectively. After SOFC operating in 5 % HS, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is used to compare the fresh sample with the HS-treated one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using attapulgite (ATP) as matrix, chitosan (CS) as functional monomer, and introducing the surface ionimprinting concept, a new Cu(II)-IIP was prepared, and characterized by SEM, XRD and FT-IR. The adsorption of Cu(II) aqueous solution with Cu(II)-IIP was investigated by flame atomic adsorption spectroscopy (FAAS). The polymer has good selectivity for Cu(II) from competitive metal ions, and the selectivity coefficient of Cu(II) relation to Pb(II), Cd(II) was 78.45 and 82.44, respectively. Sorption equilibrium isotherms could be described by Langmuir and Freundlich models; the Freundlich isotherm has shown the best agreement with experimental data, and experimental value of maximum adsorption capacity for Cu(II) was 35.20 mg/g. The obtained thermodynamic parameter (ΔG, ΔH, ΔS) showed that the Cu(II) adsorption process is a spontaneous and endothermic process. The kinetic data showed that pseudo-second-order kinetic model agrees very well with the dynamic behavior for the sorption of Cu(II) onto Cu(II)-IIP. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is a neurotropic virus that causes various clinical manifestations in young children, ranging from asymptomatic to fatal. Different pathotypes of EV71 notably differ in virulence. Several virulence determinants of EV71 have been predicted. However, these reported virulence determinants could not be used to identify the EV71 strains of subgenotype C4, which mainly circulate in China. In this study, VP1 sequences of 37 EV71 strains from severe cases (SC-EV71) and 192 EV71 strains from mild cases (MC-EV71) in mainland China were analyzed to determine the potential virulence determinants in the capsid protein VP1 of EV71. Although most SC-EV71 strains belonged to subgenotype C4a, no specific genetic lineages in C4a were correlated with EV71 virulence. Interestingly, amino acid substitutions at nine positions (H22Q, P27S, N31S/D, E98K, E145G/Q, D164E, T240A/S, V249I, and A289T) were detected by aligning the VP1 sequences of the SC-EV71 and MC-EV71 strains. Moreover, both the constituent ratios of the conservative or mutated residues in the MC-EV71 and SC-EV71 strains and the changes in the VP1 3D structure resulting from these mutations confirmed that the conservative residues (22H, 249V, and 289A) and the mutated residues (27S, 31S/D, 98K, 145G/Q, 164E, and 240A/S) might be potential virulence determinants in VP1 of EV71. Furthermore, these results led to the hypothesis that VP1 acts as a sandwich switch for viral particle stabilization and cellular receptors attachment, and specific mutations in this protein can convert mild cases into severe cases. These findings highlight new opportunities for diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glutathione S-transferase pi (GSTpi) is an important phase II detoxifying enzyme that participates in various physiological processes, such as antioxidant, detoxification, and signal transduction. The high expression level of GSTpi has been reported to be related to drug-resistant and anti-inflammatory and it functioned via its non-catalytic ligandin. However, the previous protection mechanism of GSTpi in DNA damage has not been addressed so far. Nijmegen breakage syndrome 1 (NBS1) is one of the most important sensor proteins to detect damaged DNA. Here, we investigated the interaction between GSTpi and NBS1 in HEK-293 T cells and human breast adenocarcinoma cells during DNA damage. Our results showed that overexpression of GSTpi in cells by transfecting DNA vector decreased the DNA damage level after methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) or adriamycin (ADR) treatment. We found that cytosolic GSTpi could increase NBS1 ubiquitin-mediated degradation in unstimulated cells, which suggested that GSTpi could maintain the basal level of NBS1 during normal conditions. In response to DNA damage, GSTpi can be phosphorylated in Ser184 and inhibit the ubiquitination degradation of NBS1 mediated by Skp2 to recover NBS1 protein level. Phosphorylated GSTpi can further enhance NBS1 nuclear translocation to activate the ATM-Chk2-p53 signaling pathway. Finally, GSTpi blocked the cell cycle in the G2/M phase to allow more time for DNA damage repair. Thus, our finding revealed the novel mechanism of GSTpi via its Ser184 phosphorylation to protect cells from cell death during DNA damage and it enriches the function of GSTpi in drug resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human pluripotent stem cell-derived islets (hPSC islets) are a promising alternative to primary human islets for the treatment of insulin-deficient diabetes. We previously demonstrated the feasibility of this approach in nonhuman primates; however, the therapeutic effects of hPSC islets can be limited by the maladaptive processes at the transplantation site. Here, we demonstrate successful implantation of hPSC-derived islets in a new transplantation site in the abdomen, the subanterior rectus sheath, in eight nonhuman primates (five male and three female). In this proof-of-principle study, we find that hPSC islets survive and gradually mature after transplantation, leading to improved glycemic control in diabetic primates. Notably, C-peptide secretion responds to meal challenge from 6 weeks post-transplantation (wpt), with stimulation indices comparable to those of native islets. The average post-prandial C-peptide level reaches approximately 2.0 ng ml -1 from 8 wpt, which is five times higher than the peak value we previously obtained after portal vein infusion of hPSC islets and was associated with a decrease of glycated hemoglobin levels by 44% at 12 wpt. Although additional studies in larger cohorts involving long-term follow-up of transplants are needed, our results indicate that the subanterior rectus sheath supports functional maturation and maintenance of hPSC islets, suggesting that it warrants further exploration as a transplantation target site in the context of for hPSC-based cell-replacement therapies., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) is an important pathogen of severe hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) in young children. This study aimed to retrospectively analyze the molecular epidemiology and recombination of EV-A71 in mainland China during 1987-2017. Phylogenetic tree showed that besides the previously reported subgenotypes A, B5, C0, C2, C3, and C4, a new subgenotype C6 emerged in mainland China. Recombination analysis indicated that C4 EV-A71 was derived from a common ancestor as a "double-recombinant" virus by intertypic recombination between C EV-A71 and CVA4, CVA5, CVA14, and CVA16 strains in P3 region and intratypic recombination between C and B EV-A71 strains in P2 region. The B5 EV-A71 shared high similarity with C EV-A71 in P1 region while it contained an unidentified sequence in P2 and P3 regions with two possible recombination patterns: one occurred between C4 EV-A71 and CVA3, CVA5, CVA6, CVA10, and CVA12 stains with one breakpoint in 3C, and the other occurred between C1, C2, C3, and C5 EV-A71 and CVA4, CVA5, CVA14, and CVA16 strains with two breakpoints in the 2A/2B junction and 3C. The C2 EV-A71 was probably a recombinant virus between C4 EV-A71 and CVA8 strains with two breakpoints located in the 5'UTR and 2A/2B junction. Moreover, an incredible recombination of C6 EV-A71 occurred between C4 and C2 EV-A71 with multiple breakpoints. Thus, continuous studies on EV-A71 genome characteristics are still useful and essential for monitoring emergence of new viruses and preventing HFMD outbreaks., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG part of Springer Nature.)