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Chromatin remodeling is a critical step in the DNA damage response, and the ATP-dependent chromatin remodelers are a group of epigenetic regulators that alter nucleosome assembly and regulate transcription factor accessibility to DNA, preventing genomic instability and tumorigenesis caused by DNA damage. The SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex is one of them, and mutations in the gene encoding the SWI/SNF subunit are frequently found in digestive tumors. We review the most recent literature on the role of SWI/SNF complexes in digestive tumorigenesis, with different SWI/SNF subunits playing different roles. They regulate the biological behavior of tumor cells, participate in multiple signaling pathways, interact with multiple genes, and have some correlation with the prognosis of patients. Their carcinogenic properties may help discover new therapeutic targets. Understanding the mutations and defects of SWI/SNF complexes, as well as the underlying functional mechanisms, may lead to new strategies for treating the digestive system by targeting relevant genes or modulating the tumor microenvironment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most important disease vectors worldwide, ticks can transmit a number of pathogenic organisms to humans and domestic animals and cause a variety of important natural focal diseases and zoonoses. Domestic livestock play a vital role in the dispersal of ticks from the field environment to the human settlement, contributing to the prevalence of tick-borne diseases. Identification of the tick control region could contribute a vital role in strategic planning and cost-effective tick control measures. However, little is known about the spatial distribution characteristics of ticks around livestock sheds, which will lead to abusage and overuse of insecticides. Therefore, this study aimed to explore spatial distribution characteristics and correlation factors of ticks around goat sheds. A total of 3898 ticks were collected from eight goat sheds from April to June in Jinan city. All the sampled ticks belonged to the same species, namely Haemaphysalis longicornis, and 88.8% of them were nymphs. A significant positive correlation was noted between free-living ticks and parasitic ticks (r = 0.411, P < 0.001). However, there was a significant negative correlation between number of free-living ticks and distance from the goat sheds (r = -0.622, P < 0.001). Within 20 m from the goat sheds, 2211 ticks were collected respectively, representing 56.7% of the total free-living ticks. At a distance of 30 m, 57.6% decline in the tick density was found with a significant difference (q = 5.534, P < 0.001). In conclusion, focusing control efforts near the goat sheds should be recommend for tick prevention and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The atomic-thick anticorrosion coating for copper (Cu) electrodes is essential for the miniaturisation in the semiconductor industry. Graphene has long been expected to be the ultimate anticorrosion material, however, its real anticorrosion performance is still under great controversy. Specifically, strong electronic couplings can limit the interfacial diffusion of corrosive molecules, whereas they can also promote the surficial galvanic corrosion. Here, we report the enhanced anticorrosion for Cu simply via a bilayer graphene coating, which provides protection for more than 5 years at room temperature and 1000 h at 200 °C. Such excellent anticorrosion is attributed to a nontrivial Janus-doping effect in bilayer graphene, where the heavily doped bottom layer forms a strong interaction with Cu to limit the interfacial diffusion, while the nearly charge neutral top layer behaves inertly to alleviate the galvanic corrosion. Our study will likely expand the application scenarios of Cu under various extreme operating conditions. Atomically thick anticorrosion coatings on Cu are desired for future applications, but still at its infancy. Here, the authors report a Janus-doping mechanism in bilayer graphene on Cu substrate that results in an enhanced anticorrosion performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Path planning is an important task for robot motion, unmanned aerial vehicle obstacle avoidance, and smart cars. Sampling-based algorithms have achieved significant success in this task. The rapidly random-exploring tree (RRT) is one of the representative algorithms. However, it is exceedingly difficult to strike a balance between path quality and search efficiency. In this paper, we propose an enhanced RRT* with clustering and presearching (ERCP) algorithm to handle this issue. In the clustering phase, we construct an 8-degree undirected graph according to the neighborhood and obstacles. Then, we adopt the Markov clustering technique, which is appropriate for spatial data. The clustering process is efficient since the coarse-grained map considers only points at integer locations. In the presearching phase, we utilize the clustering results to abstract the intact state space as an undirected graph. We employ Dijkstra's algorithm to perform a presearch on the graph to determine the effective sampling area. In the path planning phase, we use RRT* to extend the space-filling tree within the effective sampling regions. Experiments were conducted on ten maps with different levels of obstacle complexity. The results reveal that ERCP can achieve a more convincing balance between path quality and search efficiency than the three state-of-the-art algorithms with little sacrifice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporating metal nanodots (NDs) into heterostructures for high charge separation and transfer capacities is one of the most effective strategies for improving their photocatalytic activities. However, controlling the space distribution of metal NDs for optimizing charge transport pathways remains a significant challenge, particularly in two-dimensional (2D) face-to-face heterostructures. Herein, we develop a simple targeted self-reduction strategy for selectively loading Ru NDs onto the Ti3−xC2Ty (TC) surface of 2D TC/g-C3N4 (CN) heterojunction based on the reductive Ti vacancy defects creatively increased during the preparation of TC/CN by reducing calcination. Notably, the optimized Ru/TC/CN photocatalyst exhibits an outstanding H2 evolution rate of 3.21 mmol·g−1h−1 and a high apparent quantum efficiency of 30.9% at 380 nm, which is contributed by the unidirectional transfer of the photogenerated electrons from CN to Ru active sites (CN → TC → Ru) and the suppressed backflow of electrons from Ru sites to CN, as revealed by comprehensive characterizations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This work provides a novel strategy for synthesizing the highly efficient photocatalysts with a controllable charge transfer paths, which will boost the development of photocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isotopic mixtures result in distinct properties of materials such as thermal conductivity and nuclear process. However, the knowledge of isotopic interface remains largely unexplored mainly due to the challenges in atomic-scale isotopic identification. Here, using electron energy-loss spectroscopy in a scanning transmission electron microscope, we reveal momentum-transfer-dependent phonon behavior at the h−10BN/h-11BN isotope heterostructure with sub-unit-cell resolution. We find the phonons' energy changes gradually across the interface, featuring a wide transition regime. Phonons near the Brillouin zone center have a transition regime of ~3.34 nm, whereas phonons at the Brillouin zone boundary have a transition regime of ~1.66 nm. We propose that the isotope-induced charge effect at the interface accounts for the distinct delocalization behavior. Moreover, the variation of phonon energy between atom layers near the interface depends on both of momentum transfer and mass change. This study provides new insights into the isotopic effects in natural materials. Here, the authors probe the phonon changes across an atomically sharp h-10BN/h-11BN isotope interface with sub-unit-cell spatial resolution and momentum resolution. The observed phonon delocalization suggests strong electron-phonon coupling at isotopic interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermodynamic conventions suffer from describing dynamical distinctions, especially when the structural and energetic changes induced by rare events are insignificant. By using the ensemble theory in the trajectory space, we present a statistical approach to address this problem. Rather than spatial particle-particle interaction which dominates thermodynamics, the temporal correlation of events dominates the dynamics. The zeros of dynamic partition function mark phase transitions in the space-time, i.e., dynamic phase transition (DPT), as Yang and Lee formulate traditional phase transitions, and hence determine dynamic phases on both sides of the zeros. Analogous to the role of temperature (pressure) as thermal (mechanical) potential, we interpret the controlling variable of DPT, i.e., dynamic field, as the dynamical potential. These findings offer possibility towards a unified picture of phase and phase transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the correlation between serum albumin levels and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk in adults aged over 45 years. This cross-sectional study used the non-institutionalized US population from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2011–2018) as the sample source. Multiple logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association between serum albumin levels and CHD risk. Smooth curve fitting was performed to explore potential nonlinear relationships. When nonlinear relationships were found, a recursive algorithm was used to calculate inflection points. Additionally, a piecewise logistic regression model was constructed. After adjusting for confounders, multiple logistic regression and smooth curve fitting indicated an inverse association between serum albumin levels and CHD risk [OR = 0.970, 95% CI = (0.948, 0.992)]. Subgroup analysis revealed that the negative correlation was statistically significant in the population of female patients, over 60 years, with hypertension, without diabetes. There was a correlation between serum albumin levels and CHD risk. Lower serum albumin levels were associated with a higher CHD risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The grey wolf has a broad range across Pakistan and is represented by two sub-species, known as the Indian wolf ( I Canis lupus pallipes i ) and the Himalayan or Tibetan wolf ( I Canis lupus chanco i ). One of the crucial reasons for the dwindling population of the grey wolf and concerns for its long-term survival is the negative public reaction to human-wolf conflict, which is poorly understood and under-researched (Ahmad et al., [2]; Khan et al. [10]; Rehman et al., [22]). In light of the two recent retaliatory kills of wolves by locals in one year and the habitat potential for wolf populations, we would assume that this area is home to a sizeable unresearched population of grey wolf. 2 Adult male grey wolf killed at Chapri, 23 October 2020 Field Report Both the sites where the dead wolves were reported have a semi-arid climate with an average annual rainfall of 530 mm. [Extracted from the article]

As a service sector, tourism played a significant role in changing the image of a country, improving and facilitating economic growth and development. The tourism sector in Ethiopia is at its early stage. It has become necessary to pay special attention and a thorough analysis of the number of local and international tourist arrival and revenue. Accordingly, the assessment of revenue and tourist flow is important to understand the trend in the tourism industry. Our study area is the Gondar city. We collected the data from 2003 to 2018 on local and international tourist arrival, and revenue generated from Gondar city administrative culture and tourism bureau. Customer satisfaction data on thirteen hotels located in Gondar city was collected from the available online database. We selected ms excel 2007 and SPSS 25 for descriptive statistical analysis and data preparation. Our result shows a relatively increasing trend in both local tourist arrival and revenue except in 2006 and from 2014 to2017. The increase in the number of local and International tourist arrival does not accompanied by simultaneously increase in the revenue. Rather it showed up and downtrends during the study period. Hotel satisfaction concerning cleanness ranked higher for all evaluated hotels. The availability of free internet access ranked low except for one hotel. Though the number of tourist flow to Gondar city seems high, the revenue generated was insignificant. For better competitiveness and to increase the income from tourism industry improvement of tourism service and facilities like transportation infrastructure is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexoelectricity is a type of ubiquitous and prominent electromechanical coupling, pertaining to the electrical polarization response to mechanical strain gradients that is not restricted by the symmetry of materials. However, large elastic deformation is usually difficult to achieve in most solids, and the strain gradient at minuscule is challenging to control. Here, we exploit the exotic structural inhomogeneity of grain boundary to achieve a huge strain gradient (~1.2 nm−1) within 3–4-unit cells, and thus obtain atomic-scale flexoelectric polarization of up to ~38 μC cm−2 at a 24° LaAlO3 grain boundary. Accompanied by the generation of the nanoscale flexoelectricity, the electronic structures of grain boundaries also become different. Hence, the flexoelectric effect at grain boundaries is essential to understand the electrical activities of oxide ceramics. We further demonstrate that for different materials, altering the misorientation angles of grain boundaries enables tunable strain gradients at the atomic scale. The engineering of grain boundaries thus provides a general and feasible pathway to achieve tunable flexoelectricity. Large strain gradient is crucial for flexoelectricity. Here, the authors reveal the generality and tunability of large strain gradients at grain boundaries in oxides, explaining the possible effects on the electrical activities of ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore the role of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence navigation in laparoscopic hepatectomy and investigate if the timing of its administration influences the intraoperative observation. Methods: The subjects of this retrospective study were 120 patients who underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy; divided into an ICG-FN group (n = 57) and a non-ICG-FN group (n = 63). We analyzed the baseline data and operative data. Results: There were no remarkable differences in baseline data such as demographic characteristics, lesion-related characteristics, and liver function parameters between the groups. Operative time and intraoperative blood loss were significantly lower in the ICG-FN group. The rate of R0 resection of malignant tumors was comparable in the ICG-FN and non-ICG-FN groups, but the wide surgical margin rate was significantly higher in the ICG-FN group. The administration of ICG 0–3 or 4–7 days preoperatively did not affect the intraoperative fluorescence imaging. Operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and a wide surgical margin correlated with ICG fluorescence navigation. ICG fluorescence navigation helped to minimize intraoperative blood loss and achieve a wide surgical margin. Conclusion: ICG fluorescence navigation is safe and efficient in laparoscopic hepatectomy. It helps to achieve a wide surgical margin, which could result in a better prognosis. The administration of ICG 0–3 days preoperatively is acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Powdery mildew (PM) is one of the most important fungal diseases in Cucurbita moschata (pumpkin) cultivation. This experiment was conducted to shed light on the physiological mechanisms of PM resistance in pumpkin cultivars. PM pathogen was inoculated on pumpkin seedlings, PM-susceptible genotype (JJJD) and PM-resistant genotype (inbred line 112–2) to study the PM-fungal growth, plant photosynthetic and biochemical parameters with different intervals of time. The disease index and pathogen growth observed for the PM-infected 112–2 seedlings were milder than those observed for the JJJD seedlings. The net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs) and transpiration rate (Tr) were reduced for both the PM-infected genotypes, while the internal CO2 concentration (Ci) increased in comparison with the non-infected controls. PM pathogen inoculation impaired the photosynthetic performance in seedlings of both genotypes and this was largely associated with stomatal closure. In comparison with the non-infected controls, the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and β-1,3-glucanase activities were reduced for both the PM-infected genotypes, while the peroxidase (POD) and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activities were increased. The catalase (CAT) activity was reduced in the 112–2 genotype and increased in the JJJD genotype after PM pathogen inoculation. Together, our data show that PM resistance in pumpkin seedlings is associated with the maintenance of photosynthetic performance and the regulation of defense-related enzyme activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diffusion of water molecules and clusters across the surfaces of materials is important to a wide range of processes. Interestingly, experiments have shown that on certain substrates, water dimers can diffuse more rapidly than water monomers. Whilst explanations for anomalously fast diffusion have been presented for specific systems, the general underlying physical principles are not yet established. We investigate this through a systematic ab initio study of water monomer and dimer diffusion on a range of surfaces. Calculations reveal different mechanisms for fast water dimer diffusion, which is found to be more widespread than previously anticipated. The key factors affecting diffusion are the balance of water-water versus water-surface bonding and the ease with which hydrogen-bond exchange can occur (either through a classical over-the-barrier process or through quantum-mechanical tunnelling). We anticipate that the insights gained will be useful for understanding future experiments on the diffusion and clustering of hydrogen-bonded adsorbates. The experimental observation that water dimers diffuse more rapidly than monomers across materials' surfaces is yet to be clarified. Here the authors show by ab initio calculations classical and quantum mechanical mechanisms for faster water dimer diffusion on a broad range of metal and non-metal surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA)-based composites exhibit wide applications in many fields. However, most of hydrophilic fillers usually accelerate the hydrolytic degradation of PLLA, which is unfavorable for the prolonging of the service life of the articles. In this work, a small quantity of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) (2 wt%–10 wt%) was incorporated into the PLLA/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) composites. The effects of PMMA content on the dispersion of CNTs as well as the microstructure and hydrolytic degradation behaviors of the composites were systematically investigated. The results showed that PMMA promoted the dispersion of CNTs in the composites. Amorphous PLLA was obtained in all the composites. Largely enhanced hydrolytic degradation resistance was achieved by incorporating PMMA, especially at relatively high PMMA content. Incorporating 10 wt% PMMA led to a dramatic decrease in the hydrolytic degradation rate from 0.19 %/h of the PLLA/CNT composite sample to 0.059 %/h of the PLLA/PMMA-10/CNT composite sample. The microstructure evolution of the composites was also detected, and the results showed that no crystallization occurred in the PLLA matrix. Further results based on the interfacial tension calculation showed that the enhanced hydrolytic degradation resistance of the PLLA matrix was mainly attributed to the relatively strong interfacial affinity between PMMA and CNTs, which prevented the occurrence of hydrolytic degradation at the interface between PLLA and CNTs. This work provides an alternative method for tailoring the hydrolytic degradation ability of the PLLA-based composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In this paper, vibration isolation and control for two types of representative engineering equipment are considered, i.e. sensitive equipment and machinery equipment.Design: Isolation designs for the two equipments are carried out, respectively, for the purpose of chasing an optimal strategy and in which latest swarm intelligence—particle swarm optimization (PSO)—technique is adopted.Methods: In the investigation of single-stage system for sensitive equipment, transmissibility of displacement of equipment and relative displacement between equipment and foundation show that this design cannot obtain a desired isolation effect, but an implementation using multi-objective PSO (MOPSO) technique can overcome this when both the objectives are balanced. Then a two-stage system is investigated, and the transmissibility indicates that the disadvantages can be effectively eliminated, and the obtained gbest solutions using MOPSO can prove this. Based on the two-stage passive isolation, active control is proposed for better vibration attenuation, which is focused on H∞ criterion, and the control outputs are consisted of multi-objective fitness functions, and the latter strategy can seize the control effect of the two objectives well compared with the single-objective PSO-based H∞ control. Following the strategies for the sensitive equipment, similar strategies for machinery equipment are performed promptly. In the single-stage system, transmissibility derivations of transmitted force to the foundation and inertial force of equipment are same with the ones of displacement and relative displacement of single-stage design of sensitive equipment; in addition, chunk foundation is often utilized for machinery equipment, and the vibration of which should be taken into consideration. In view of these, a two-stage system is proposed, and the transmissibility indicates a drift for entering into the desired isolation region is feasible and the MOPSO-based validation is presented. After this, active vibration control is also investigated, and a multi-objective control using H∞ method is also performed using MOPSO, and the validations further confirm the importance and necessity of a multi-objective control.Conclusion: Single-objective and multi-objective vibration controls should be taken into account for sensitive and machinery equipment, by which a balanced and optimized control can be performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ion hydration and transport at interfaces are relevant to a wide range of applied fields and natural processes [1]- [5]. Interfacial effects are particularly profound in confined geometries such as nanometre-sized channels [6]- [8], where the mechanisms of ion transport in bulk solutions may not apply [9], [10]. To correlate atomic structure with the transport properties of hydrated ions, both the interfacial inhomogeneity and the complex competing interactions among ions, water and surfaces require detailed molecular-level characterization. Here we constructed individual sodium ion (Na+) hydrates on a NaCl(001) surface by progressively attaching single water molecules (one to five) to the Na+ ion using a combined scanning tunnelling microscopy and noncontact atomic force microscopy system. We found that the Na+ ion hydrated with three water molecules diffuses orders of magnitude more quickly than other ion hydrates. Ab initio calculations revealed that such high ion mobility arises from the existence of a metastable state, in which the three water molecules around the Na+ ion can rotate collectively with a rather small energy barrier. This scenario would apply even at room temperature according to our classical molecular dynamics simulations. Our work suggests that anomalously high diffusion rates for specific hydration numbers of ions are generally determined by the degree of symmetry match between the hydrates and the surface lattice. A sodium ion hydrated with three (rather than one, two, four or five) water molecules diffuses orders of magnitude more quickly than the other ion hydrates owing to the interfacial symmetry mismatch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Zhejiang University: Science B is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Zhejiang University: Science B is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article presents a study that determined the relationship between cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) +49A/G gene polymorphism and the risk of having type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) using meta-analysis of 2238 Chinese participants from 7 individual studies. The result reveals that Chinese individuals with the G allele have a higher risk of T1DM.

Since 2011, 73 cases of the severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome, a novel tick-borne disease, have been reported in Jinan city through information system for disease control and prevention. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the species, distribution, host animals of ticks and tick-borne pathogens. A total of 722 ticks were collected from two types of natural environment and six kinds of domestic animal in Jinan city. All the sampled ticks belonged to the same species, namely Haemaphysalis longicornis, and 94.7 % of them were adult. The density of free-living ticks in grassland was nearly six times that in shrub. The prevalence of the goat (53.3 %) was highest among the domestic animals. The host body region most frequently parasitized by H. longicornis was the head (77.8 %), especially ears and periocular region. Novel bunyavirus was detected on the free-ranging goats in Jinan city. Acaricide treatment with a higher concentration on the ears, periocular region and the groin of domestic animals should be recommended to control the ticks effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute toxicity data of six heavy metals [Cu, Hg, Cd, Cr(VI), Pb, Zn] to aquatic organisms were collected and screened. Species sensitivity distributions (SSD) curves of vertebrate and invertebrate were constructed by log-logistic model separately. The comprehensive comparisons of the sensitivities of different trophic species to six typical heavy metals were performed. The results indicated invertebrate taxa to each heavy metal exhibited higher sensitivity than vertebrates. However, with respect to the same taxa species, Cu had the most adverse effect on vertebrate, followed by Hg, Cd, Zn and Cr. When datasets from all species were included, Cu and Hg were still more toxic than the others. In particular, the toxicities of Pb to vertebrate and fish were complicated as the SSD curves of Pb intersected with those of other heavy metals, while the SSD curves of Pb constructed by total species no longer crossed with others. The hazardous concentrations for 5 % of the species (HC) affected were derived to determine the concentration protecting 95 % of species. The HC values of the six heavy metals were in the descending order: Zn > Pb > Cr > Cd > Hg > Cu, indicating toxicities in opposite order. Moreover, potential affected fractions were calculated to assess the ecological risks of different heavy metals at certain concentrations of the selected heavy metals. Evaluations of sensitivities of the species at various trophic levels and toxicity analysis of heavy metals are necessary prior to derivation of water quality criteria and the further environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep sea ferromanganese (FeMn) nodules contain metallic mineral resources and have great economic potential. In this study, a combination of culture-dependent and culture-independent (16S rRNA genes clone library and pyrosequencing) methods was used to investigate the bacterial diversity in FeMn nodules from Jiaolong Seamount, the South China Sea. Eleven bacterial strains including some moderate thermophiles were isolated. The majority of strains belonged to the phylum Proteobacteria; one isolate belonged to the phylum Firmicutes. A total of 259 near full-length bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences in a clone library and 67,079 valid reads obtained using pyrosequencing indicated that members of the Gammaproteobacteria dominated, with the most abundant bacterial genera being Pseudomonas and Alteromonas. Sequence analysis indicated the presence of many organisms whose closest relatives are known manganese oxidizers, iron reducers, hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria and methylotrophs. This is the first reported investigation of bacterial diversity associated with deep sea FeMn nodules from the South China Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the most species-rich subfamily of Caridea, Pontoniinae Kingsley, 1878 is well-known for its great diversity in morphology, lifestyle and habitat. However, the phylogeny of Pontoniinae has been poorly studied since it was erected, and there are many taxonomic and evolutionary controversies remained unresolved. Among these controversies, the relationship between the commensal pontoniine shrimps and their hosts is the issue of most concern. Herein, a total of 26 Indo-Pacific pontoniine species from 23 genera, including both free-living and commensal taxa associated with different marine organisms from five phyla, are selected to preliminarily explore the differentiation process accompanied with the reciprocal natural selections between them and their hosts. Based on the molecular phylogenetic analyses, two major clades, representing the 'primitive groups' and 'derived groups', and several subgroups related to the hosts are well recovered, which are also supported in morphology. Additionally, several possible evolutionary pathways of those commensal pontoniine shrimps with similar hosts or niches are identified, with a host-shifting hypothesis proposed for cavity-inhabiting pontoniines based on molecular data in conjunction with morphological and ecological evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proton transfer through hydrogen bonds plays a fundamental role in many physical, chemical and biological processes. Proton dynamics is susceptible to quantum tunnelling, which typically involves many hydrogen bonds simultaneously, leading to correlated many-body tunnelling. In contrast to the well-studied incoherent single-particle tunnelling, our understanding of many-body tunnelling is still in its infancy. Here we report the real-space observation of concerted proton tunnelling in a cyclic water tetramer using a cryogenic scanning tunnelling microscope. This is achieved by monitoring the reversible interconversion of the hydrogen-bonding chirality of the water tetramer with a chlorine-terminated scanning tunnelling microscope tip. We found that the presence of the Cl anion at the tip apex may either enhance or suppress the concerted tunnelling process, depending on the details of the coupling symmetry between the Cl ion and the protons. Our work opens up the possibility of controlling the quantum states of protons with atomic-scale precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type-II band alignment structure is coveted in the design of photovoltaic devices and detectors, since it is beneficial for the transport of photogenerated carriers. Regrettably, for group-III-nitride wide bandgap semiconductors, all existing devices are limited to type-I heterostructures, owing to the unavailable of type-II ones. This seriously restricts the designing flexibility for optoelectronic devices and consequently the relevant performance of this material system. Here we show a brandnew type-II band alignment of the lattice-matched In0.17Al0.83N/GaN heterostructure from the perspective of both experimental observations and first-principle theoretical calculations. The band discontinuity is dominated by the conduction band offset ΔEC, with a small contribution from the valence band offset ΔEV which equals 0.1 eV (with EVBMAlInNbeing aboveEVBM GaN). Our work may open up new prospects to realize high-performance III-Nitrides optoelectronic devices based on type-II energy band engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIRA is one of the chaperones of histone H3.3. Mutation of Hira results in embryonic lethality in mice, suggesting a critical role in embryogenesis. However, Hira-mutated Drosophila may survive to adults, indicating that it is dispensable in Drosophila development. The role of Hira in fish development is unknown. In this study we first investigated the expression of Hira during embryogenesis of gibel carp ( Carassius auratus gibelio) by whole-mount in situ hybridization. We found that Hira signal appeared ubiquitously in the early embryos. After gastrulation, it appeared mainly along the anterior-posterior axis, including the tail bud. In hatching period, the signal was detected in head, heart, and the endoderm region on the back of yolk. Then by microinjection with morpholino-HIRA at the beginning of development, we observed delayed gastrulation and abnormal somitogenesis in gibel carp embryos. The HIRA morphants exhibited short trunk, limited yolk extension, and twisted tail. Most of the mutants died during embryogenesis or shortly after hatching. The rest of the HIRA morphants could survive to larvae but with severe defects in organogenesis. These data suggest that HIRA may be essential for the development of gibel carp, and this function is conserved in vertebrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water/solid interfaces are vital to our daily lives and are also a central theme across an incredibly wide range of scientific disciplines. Resolving the internal structure, that is, the O-H directionality, of water molecules adsorbed on solid surfaces has been one of the key issues of water science yet it remains challenging. Using a low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscope, we report submolecular-resolution imaging of individual water monomers and tetramers on NaCl(001) films supported by a Au(111) substrate at 5 K. The frontier molecular orbitals of adsorbed water were directly visualized, which allowed discrimination of the orientation of the monomers and the hydrogen-bond directionality of the tetramers in real space. Comparison with ab initio density functional theory calculations reveals that the ability to access the orbital structures of water stems from the electronic decoupling effect provided by the NaCl films and the precisely tunable tip-water coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TheCyclin-dependent kinase 5 regulatory subunit-associated protein 1-like (CDKAL1) gene rs7756992 A/G polymorphism has been suggested to be associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but the individual studies results are still controversial. To explore the association of CDKAL1 gene rs7756992 A/G polymorphism with T2DM, a meta-analysis involving 62,567 subjects from 21 separate studies was conducted. In the whole population, a significant association was found between CDKAL1 gene rs7756992 A/G polymorphism and T2DM under allelic (OR: 1.180, 95% CI: 1.130-1.230, P = 1.60 × 10-14), recessive (OR: 1.510, 95% CI: 1.380-1.660,P = 8.41×10-18), dominant (OR: 1.175, 95% CI: 1.109-1.246,P = 6.30 × 10-8), homozygous (OR: 1.400, 95% CI: 1.282-1.530, P = 8.02 × 10-14), and heterozygous genetic models (OR: 1.101, 95% CI: 1.040-1.166,P = 0.001).CDKAL1 gene rs7756992 A/G polymorphism was significantly associated with T2DM. The person with G allele of CDKAL1 gene rs7756992 A/G polymorphism might be predisposed to T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ATP- binding cassette transporter A1 ( ABCA1) R219K gene polymorphism has been suggested to lower the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). However, research results remain debatable. Meta-analysis involving 2,730 CAD patients and 2,658 controls was performed to investigate the relationship between ABCA1 R219K gene polymorphism and CAD in Chinese population. A total of 14 studies which were obtained from electronic databases were analyzed. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CIs) were estimated by a random effect model. A significant association between ABCA1 R219K gene polymorphism and CAD was found in the Chinese population under the following genetic models: an allelic genetic model (OR 0.70, 95 % CI 0.62-0.78, P < 0.00001), a recessive genetic model (OR 0.51, 95 % CI 0.41-0.64, P < 0.00001), an additive genetic model (OR 0.816, 95 % CI 0780-0.855, P = 0), a dominant genetic model (OR 1.326, 95 % CI 1.232-1.427, P = 0), a homozygote genetic model (OR 0.640, 95 % CI 0.575-0.712, P = 0), and a heterozygote genetic model (OR 0.640, 95 % CI 0.575-0.712, P = 0). The K allele of the ABCA1 R219K gene has a protective role for CAD risk in Chinese population and is possibly associated with decreased CAD susceptibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The toxic gas produced by the underground large-scale contained explosions have a great impact on the surrounding environment safety of the explosion project, so it is of great significance for the safety protection design to predict the leakage of the explosion gases to the environment. Based on the study of the one-dimensional spherically (axially) symmetric fluid dynamic model for seepage of the underground contained explosion gases, the qualitative and quantitative variables which impact the gas seepage, such as the explosion cavity, the gas pressure in the cavity and the rock mass permeability, among which the qualitative variables can describe the uncertainty of the geological mass, were analyzed. In accordance with the physical significance of variables and the quantification theory, the qualitative variables were quantified and such details as the principle for variable selection, significance assessment and recurrence test to establish a quantification prediction model, etc. were discussed. Based on 15 test samples on the hard rock conditions, we have established a quantification model for prediction of the contained explosion gases leakage at the specific site. The prediction accuracy of this model can meet the requirement of this project, and according to this model, it is known that such qualitative factors as groundwater status and rock properties have significant influence on the gas leakage. In this study, the prediction model is established based on physical analysis so that the quantitative prediction model could have its rationality and effectiveness well ensured, and the research methods and results in this paper could be promoted and applied in the similar engineering practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel method based on rough sets (RS) and the affinity propagation (AP) clustering algorithm is developed to optimize a radial basis function neural network (RBFNN). First, attribute reduction (AR) based on RS theory, as a preprocessor of RBFNN, is presented to eliminate noise and redundant attributes of datasets while determining the number of neurons in the input layer of RBFNN. Second, an AP clustering algorithm is proposed to search for the centers and their widths without a priori knowledge about the number of clusters. These parameters are transferred to the RBF units of RBFNN as the centers and widths of the RBF function. Then the weights connecting the hidden layer and output layer are evaluated and adjusted using the least square method (LSM) according to the output of the RBF units and desired output. Experimental results show that the proposed method has a more powerful generalization capability than conventional methods for an RBFNN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim:To investigate the possible effects of telmisartan and losartan on cardiac function in adriamycin (ADR)-induced heart failure in rats, and to explore the changes in plasma level of angiotensin-(1-7)[Ang-(1-7)] and myocardial expression of angiotensin II type 1/2 receptors (AT1R / AT2R) and Mas receptor caused by the two drugs.Methods:Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: the control group, ADR-treated heart failure group (ADR-HF), telmisartan plus ADR-treated group (Tel+ADR) and losartan plus ADR-treated group (Los+ADR). ADR was administrated (2.5 mg/kg, ip, 6 times in 2 weeks). The rats in the Tel+ADR and Los+ADR groups were treated orally with telmisartan (10 mg/kg daily po) and losartan (30 mg/kg daily), respectively, for 6 weeks. The plasma level of Ang-(1-7) was determined using ELISA. The mRNA and protein expression of myocardial Mas receptor, AT1R and AT2R were measured using RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively.Results:ADR significantly reduced the plasma level of Ang-(1-7) and the expression of myocardial Mas receptor and myocardial AT2R, while significantly increased the expression of myocardial AT1R. Treatment with telmisartan and losartan effectively increased the plasma level of Ang-(1-7) and suppressed myocardial AT1R expression, but did not influence the expression of Mas receptor and AT2R.Conclusion:The protective effects of telmisartan and losartan in ADR-induced heart failure may be partially due to regulation of circulating Ang-(1-7) and myocardial AT1R expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N/TiO, S/TiO, and N S/TiO nanocrystalline films anode were obtained by doping non-metallic element N and S which could change the LUMO of anode, leading to the easy injection of electron from the excited state of dye molecule to the conduction band of semiconductor, and thus improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency and reducing the impedance of solar cells. The anode films treated by titanium tetrachloride and co-sensitized by P3HT/N719 were also studied. The absorption region of P3HT/N719 covered the entire visible region in the solar cells. The solar cell based on N/TiO anode film treated by titanium tetrachloride and P3HT/N719 showed a short-circuit current density of 10.20 mA/cm, open-circuit voltage of 0.557 V, and photoelectric conversion efficiency of 2.55%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N/TiO nanocrystalline film anodes were obtained by doping nonmetallic element N which could change the LUMO of anode. This paper also studied the match between the LUMO energy lever of N/TiO anode and the dye, which led to the easy injection of electron from the excited state of dye molecule to the conduction band of semiconductor, and thus improved the photoelectric conversion efficiency and reduced the impedance of solar cells. The solar cell based on N/TiO anode film co-sensitized by P3HT (poly(3-hexylthiophene))/N719(RuL2(NCS)2:2TBA (L = 2,2′-bipyridyl-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid)), the absorption region of which covered the entire visible region in solar cells, showed a short-circuit current density of 6.88 mA cm, an open-circuit voltage of 0.616 V, and a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 2.34%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper mainly deals with the problem of detecting and identifying target in close range, the performance of which will be effected by the radiometer's parameters and target's characteristics. According to the relationship between the range equation of the Passive Millimeter Wave (PMMW) and these parameters, we present a convenient statistical method based on PMMW image detection to solve the inherent problem by statistical radiometer parameters, which can be achieved by the W band radiometer experimental data. Finally, we validate the method by simulation and experiment. The results show that the method is convenient for detecting and identifying target in close range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While Inonotus obliquus produces a diverse range of bioactive metabolites in its natural habitats, it accumulates less in its submerged cultures. We show here that coculture of I. obliquus with Phellinus punctatus resulted in less production of mycelial biomass but an increased accumulation of phenolic compounds, melanins, and lanostane-type triterpenoids. Metabolites increased in production by coculture include phelligridin C, phelligridin H, methyl inoscavin A, inoscavin C, inoscavin B, davallialactone, methyl davallialactone, foscoparianol D, 21,24-cyclopentalanosta-3β,21,25-triol-8-en, lanosta-7,9(11),23-triene-3β,22,25-triol, and inotodisaccharide and melanins. Metabolites from coculture also showed an increased potential for scavenging free radicals and inhibiting the proliferation of HeLa 229 cells. Davallialactone, methyl davallialactone, and minor phenolic components are the major contributors for scavenging DPPH and hydroxyl radical in monoculture, and phelligridin C, phelligridin H, methyl inoscavin A, inoscavin C, methyl davallialactone, foscoparianol D, and inotodisaccharide are those for scavenging the tested radicals in coculture. Lanostane-type triterpenoids indicated limited roles in scavenging free radicals. Nearly all the detected metabolites correlate positively with inhibiting proliferation of HeLa 229 cells. Thus, coculture of I. obliquus with other fungi seems to be a cost-effective strategy for upregulating biosynthesis of bioactive metabolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The use of percutaneous Kirschner wires for fixation of unstable fractures of the distal radius has been widely accepted as the least invasive procedure. However, the injury to the superficial branch of the radial nerve (SBRN) is common. Our purpose in this study was to develop a reliable technique to avoid damaging the SBRN. Methods: Twenty cadaver forearms were dissected to identify the SBRN distribution, and 18 forearms were used to undergo placement of three Kirschner wires (KW-A, KW-B, and KW-C). The KW-A, KW-B, and KW-C were driven in the frontal plane into the distal radius, and KW-A and KW-C through the tip of radial styloid process at different angles. The SBRN distribution and its relationship with the KW insertion were identified. Fifty-three patients with unstable distal radius fractures were fixed with external fixator and augmented with 1-3 KW, and the injury rates of SBRN were evaluated. Results: We found a blind region of the SBRN bound by its first bifurcations into radial and ulnar branches and the line crossing the tip of the styloid process. The mean distance of the three wires (KW-A, KW-C, and KW-B) to the closest nerve branch was 4.5, 4.4, and 3.4 mm, respectively. The injury of SBRN occurred in two of 53 patients. Conclusion: The injury rate of the SBRN can be effectively reduced when the Kirschner wire is placed along the curve AB and as in proximity to the TRSP as possible under fluoroscopic guidance. Our pinning technique is therefore reliable and practical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]