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To study a new method for establishing animal models of prenatal bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), we used lung ultrasound score (LUS) to semi-quantitatively assess the severity of lung lesions in model rats. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was injected into the right lung of the fetus of the rat under ultrasound-guided, and the right lung of the neonates were scanning for LUS. Specimens were collected for pathological scoring and detection of pulmonary surfactant-associated glycoprotein (SP)-C and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression quantity. The correlation between LUS and pathological scores was analyzed. (1) The animal models were consistent with the pathological manifestations of BPD. (2) It showed a strong positive correlation between LUS and pathological scores in animal models (r = 0.84, P < 0.005), and the expression quantity of SP-C and VEGF in lung tissue were decreased (both P < 0.05). Animal models established by ultrasound-guided puncture of the lung of rats and injection of LPS were consistent with the manifestation of BPD. This method could be used to establish animal models of BPD before birth, and the severity of BPD could be assessed by using LUS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small target detection tasks are the focus and difficulty of target detection tasks. Methods to improve detection accuracy are often accompanied by drawbacks, such as a high number of parameters, computational effort, and latency. Therefore, this paper proposes the LightYOLO-S target detection algorithm based on YOLOv8s, which achieves high accuracy in small target detection tasks. First, the proposed LightC2f module reduces the overall number of parameters, computation, and inference time of the model while maintaining the same plug-and-play characteristics as the C2f module. Second, the proposed Wise-DIoU loss function, which speeds up model convergence and improves accuracy without increasing the number of parameters or computation. Third, the proposed Dynamic Sampler counts the IoU scores and classification scores of the screened training samples to adjust the sample allocation function, so that the model can obtain the best training samples during training.The results of experimental studies on the VisDrone2019 UAV aerial photography dataset and the DOTA remote sensing dataset indicate that LightYOLO-S exhibits greater accuracy and faster operation speed than the current state-of-the-art detection algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The end-point determination of the slag- and copper-making periods in copper converting directly affects the quality of copper, stability of the furnace condition, and efficiency of converting. However, existing end-point determination methods such as manual experience, sampling analysis and detection, and flame image recognition have problems such as poor accuracy, high cost, and lagging judgment. In this paper, target detection is used to determine the end point of copper converting. By integrating the efficient-channel attention (ECA) mechanism and Res2Net module into the You-Only-Look-Once-v5s (YOLOv5s) target detection algorithm and using Alpha Intersection-Over-Union to replace the Intersection-Over-Union loss function, we constructed a copper-converting end-point determination model based on the YOLOv5s-Res2Net-ECA collaboration. The results show that the high-temperature melt cooling image data from 11 time points during the blowing process of ten copper-converting furnaces were used as samples for training. Then, end-point determination prediction was carried out. Compared with YOLOv5s, the average accuracy of the constructed model was improved by 4.94%, reaching 89.25%. The average accuracy of the end-point determination of the slag-making and copper-making periods was 97.4% and 98.4%, respectively. The results lay a foundation for the intelligent determination of the end point of copper converting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key summary points: Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the association between pulmonary function (PF) and cognitive function can be modified by energy and protein intakes in elderly Americans. Findings: Higher PF was independently associated with the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) score. The positive association between PF and the DSST score was stronger in individuals with lower energy and protein intakes. Message: Our findings underscore the importance of maintaining PF in preventing cognitive decline among older adults, particularly those with lower energy and protein intakes. Purpose: Nutrition intake is one of the modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline. Whether energy and protein intakes alter the association between pulmonary function (PF) and cognition has not been studied. Methods: We made use of information from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011–2012. PF measures, including forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and peak expiratory flow (PEF), were calculated, whereas cognitive function was assessed through four tests: the Immediate Recall test (IRT), the Delayed Recall test (DRT), the Animal Fluency test (AFT) and the Digit Symbol Substitution test (DSST). Energy and protein intakes were measured using the 24-h dietary recall method. Weighted generalized linear regression was performed upon adjustment for covariates. Further interaction analyses were conducted to investigate the effect of energy and protein intakes on the association between PF and cognition. Results: We finally included 803 participants aged ≥ 60 years (54.4% female, weighted value). After adjusting for covariates, multiple measures (including FEV1, FVC, PEF, and composite PF) were all positively associated with better global cognition and the DSST score (P < 0.05). A stronger positive association between the DSST score and FEV1 (P for interaction = 0.001), FVC (P for interaction = 0.004), PEF (P for interaction = 0.003), and composite PF (P for interaction = 0.001) in lower energy intake. Similar results were observed in lower protein intake (all P for interaction < 0.05). Conclusion: Higher PF was independently associated with improved specific components of cognitive function (i.e., the DSST score). The positive association between PF and the DSST score was stronger in individuals with lower energy and protein intakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of hemifacial spasm (HFS) after Bell's palsy and to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of microvascular decompression (MVD). Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 18 patients who underwent MVD for HFS after Bell's palsy at our institution between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2021. Clinical presentations, intraoperative findings, postoperative outcomes, and complications were comprehensively assessed. Results: Neurovascular compression (NVC) was identified in all the 18 patients. The offending vessels included anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) in 6 patients (33.3%), posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) in 7 patients (38.9%), vertebral artery (VA) combined with AICA in 3 patients (16.7%), and VA alongside PICA in 2 patients (11.1%). Notably, marked arachnoid membrane adhesion was evident in 11 patients (61.1%). 15(83.3%) patients were cured immediately after MVD, delayed relief was found in 3 (16.7%) patients. During the follow-up period, recurrence was not documented. Surgical complications were limited to facial paralysis in 3 patients and auditory impairment in 1 patient. No additional surgical complications were recorded. Conclusions: In patients manifesting HFS after Bell's palsy, NVC predominantly underlies the etiology. MVD is a reliably safe and efficacious therapeutic intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore the causes of primary young onset trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and the clinical outcomes of these patients. From May 2015 to December 2020, 19 primary TN patients with onset age under 30 years underwent microvascular decompression (MVD) in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital. In this study, the clinical characteristics, surgical outcomes, and postoperative complications of these patients were analyzed retrospectively. Of the 19 patients, 5 were males and 14 were females, and the pain was located on the right side in 10 cases (52.6%). Vascular compression was observed in 17 patients, including 14 cases of superior cerebellar artery (SCA) alone, 2 cases of superior petrosal vein (SPV) alone, and 1 case of SCA and SPV combined. Two patients had no neurovascular conflict, and nerve combing was performed. After surgery, 18 patients got immediate pain relief; 1 patient improved but still had occasional pain. With a mean follow-up of 42.7 ± 22.3 months, one patient was found to have a relapse 45 months after MVD. Surgical complications including mild facial numbness in two patients and hearing impairment in one patient. Neurovascular compression is the main cause of young onset primary TN, and the most commonly encountered vascular was SCA. MVD is a safe and effective treatment for these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytopenia due to the abnormal regulation of GATA1 could manifest as varying degrees of thrombocytopenia and/or anemia and more severely in male children than in female children. Here, we describe the case of pancytopenic and transfusion-dependent twin brothers at our center whose bone marrow puncture revealed low bone marrow hyperplasia. Whole-exome sequencing revealed that the twins had a new germline GATA1 mutation (nm_002049: exon 3:c.515 T >C:p.F172S), which confirmed the diagnosis of GATA1 mutation–related pancytopenia. The mutation was inherited from their mother, who was heterozygous for the mutation. Sanger sequencing verified the pathogenicity of the mutation. Further family morbidity survey confirmed that GATA1 mutation–related pancytopenia is an X-linked recessive genetic disorder. We developed haploid hematopoietic stem cell transplantation programs for twins, with the father as the only donor, and finally, the hematopoietic reconstruction was successful. Although they experienced acute graft-versus-host disease, hemorrhagic cystitis, and a viral infection in the early stage, no abnormal manifestations or transplant-related complications were observed 3 months after transplantation. Through hematopoietic stem cell transplantation technology for one donor and two receptors, we eventually cured the twins. The p.F172S variant in the new germline GATA1 mutation may play an essential role in the pathogenesis of GATA1 mutation–related cytopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dark scalar mediator can easily realize the self-interacting dark matter scenario and satisfy the constraint of the relic density of the dark matter. When the hidden sector is highly decoupled from the visible sector, the constraints from direct and indirect detections of dark matter are rather relaxed. The gravitational waves produced by the first-order phase transition resulted from this dark scalar mediator will be an important signature to probe such a dark sector. In this work, a generic quartic finite-temperature potential is used to induce a strong first-order phase transition. A joint analysis of the self-interacting dark matter, the relic density of the dark matter and the first-order phase transition show that the mass range of the dark scalar is about (4 × 10 - 4 ∼ 3) GeV . For the dark matter, when the temperature ratio ξ between the hidden sector and the visible sector is larger than 0.1, its mass range is found to be (10 MeV–10 GeV). The produced gravitational waves are found to have a peak frequency of (10 - 6 - 10 - 3) Hz for a temperature ratio 0.1 < ξ < 1 , which may be detectable in future measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a comprehensive study on the self-interaction cross-section of puffy dark matter (DM) particles, which have a significant intrinsic size compared to their Compton wavelength. For such puffy DM self-interaction cross-section in the resonant and classical regimes, our study demonstrates the significance of the Yukawa potential and the necessity of partial wave analysis: (i) Due to the finite-size effect of puffy DM particles, the new Yukawa potential of puffy DM is found to enlarge the Born-effective regime for the self-interaction cross-section, compared with the point-like DM; (ii) Our partial wave analysis shows that depending on the value of the ratio between Rχ (radius of a puffy DM particle) and 1/mϕ (force range), the three regimes (Born-effective, resonant and classical) for puffy DM self-interaction cross-section can be very different from the point-like DM; (iii) We find that to solve the small-scale anomalies via self-interacting puffy DM, the Born-effective and the resonant regimes exist for dwarf galaxies, while for the cluster and Milky Way galaxy the non-Born regime is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While human activities are known to elicit rapid turnover in species composition through time, the properties of the species that increase or decrease their spatial occupancy underlying this turnover are less clear. Here, we used an extensive dataset of 238 metacommunity time series of multiple taxa spread across the globe to evaluate whether species that are more widespread (large-ranged species) differed in how they changed their site occupancy over the 10–90 years the metacommunities were monitored relative to species that are more narrowly distributed (small-ranged species). We found that on average, large-ranged species tended to increase in occupancy through time, whereas small-ranged species tended to decrease. These relationships were stronger in marine than in terrestrial and freshwater realms. However, in terrestrial regions, the directional changes in occupancy were less extreme in protected areas. Our findings provide evidence for systematic decreases in occupancy of small-ranged species, and that habitat protection could mitigate these losses in the face of environmental change. Whether a species declines under the current biodiversity crisis could partly depend on its range size. Here, the authors use replicated metacommunity data to identify global patterns in the relationship between species' range size and changes in occupancy through time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) extended by a singlet superfield, when the coupling between the singlet sector and the MSSM sector is tiny, the singlet sector can be a quasi dark sector with supersymmetry (SUSY). We investigate the cosmological phenomena in this scenario and obtain the following observations: (i) In the parameter space solving the small cosmological scale anomalies via self-interacting singlino dark matter (SIDM), a first-order phase transition (FOPT) can readily happen but requires rather light dark matter below MeV; (ii) The corresponding parameter space indicated by FOPT and SIDM can be partially covered by detecting the phase-transition gravitational waves (GWs) at the near-future projects, such as LISA, TianQin and Taiji. Therefore, the recently developed GW astronomy could be a novel probe to such a SUSY scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The most common cause for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is vascular compression at the nerve root, and microvascular decompression (MVD) has been proven to be an effective surgical approach for this disease. For some patients, TN is secondary to the intracranial space-occupying lesion, and tumor resection is usually recommended. However, it is not easy to determine proper treatments when craniotomy is infeasible. In this study, we aim to explore the clinical outcomes of percutaneous balloon compression (PBC) for secondary TN caused by cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumors. Methods: From June 2016 to December 2019, 15 patients with TN caused by CPA tumors underwent PBC in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital. The clinical features, surgical outcomes, and complications of these patients were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Fourteen out of the 15 patients had immediate pain relief after successful PBC, while one showed occasional pain, without needing any medication. No patients had a relapse of facial pain within a mean follow-up of 32.5 months. As for surgical complications, 14 patients experienced facial numbness, and six had masseter muscle weakness. No patients experienced serious surgical morbidities. Conclusions: For the patients with TN caused by CPA tumors, PBC could be considered a useful technique, especially when craniotomy is infeasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high volatility of the price of cobalt and the geopolitical limitations of cobalt mining have made the elimination of Co a pressing need for the automotive industry1. Owing to their high energy density and low-cost advantages, high-Ni and low-Co or Co-free (zero-Co) layered cathodes have become the most promising cathodes for next-generation lithium-ion batteries2,3. However, current high-Ni cathode materials, without exception, suffer severely from their intrinsic thermal and chemo-mechanical instabilities and insufficient cycle life. Here, by using a new compositionally complex (high-entropy) doping strategy, we successfully fabricate a high-Ni, zero-Co layered cathode that has extremely high thermal and cycling stability. Combining X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and nanotomography, we find that the cathode exhibits nearly zero volumetric change over a wide electrochemical window, resulting in greatly reduced lattice defects and local strain-induced cracks. In-situ heating experiments reveal that the thermal stability of the new cathode is significantly improved, reaching the level of the ultra-stable NMC-532. Owing to the considerably increased thermal stability and the zero volumetric change, it exhibits greatly improved capacity retention. This work, by resolving the long-standing safety and stability concerns for high-Ni, zero-Co cathode materials, offers a commercially viable cathode for safe, long-life lithium-ion batteries and a universal strategy for suppressing strain and phase transformation in intercalation electrodes.A compositionally complex (high-entropy) doping strategy is proposed to fabricate zero-strain high-Ni and Co-free layered cathodes with superior structural and mechanical stabilities and long cycle life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the possible relationship between procalcitonin (PCT) and stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) as well as clinical outcomes after recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) treatment of AIS. From June 2015 to December 2019, 173 consecutive patients with AIS after IV rt-PA treatment were prospectively enrolled. Serum PCT concentrations were measured after admission. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine the potential risk factors of SAP, poor outcome and mortality. Of the 173 patients, 49 (28.3%) participants were identified with SAP, 87 (50.3%) with poor outcome, and 28 (16.2%) with mortality. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that patients with PCT in the second [odds ratio (OR) 4.413; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.331–14.634; P = 0.015] and third tertile (OR 10.958; 95% CI 3.524–34.071; P < 0.001) were more likely to have SAP compared with the first tertile. Besides, PCT was an independent predictor of 3-month poor outcome (OR 3.219, 95% CI 1.291–8.028, P = 0.007) and mortality (OR 7.538, 95% CI 2.061–27.564, P = 0.002). In receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, the diagnostic and prognostic accuracy of PCT was higher than hs-CRP. This study demonstrated that PCT was a reliable diagnostic and prognostic biomarker of SAP and poor clinical outcomes in Chinese AIS patients after IV rt-PA treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dirac-Born-Infeld (DBI) field theory in string theory is important and can provide the field of the universe's inflation. At the same time, it provides a causal mechanism for generating the original density perturbation, thereby providing the necessary density perturbation for existing the dense and sparse matter distributions of the universe. We deduce a symmetric DBI action, introduce it into inflationary cosmology to calculate various inflation parameters, further calculate the scalar perturbation spectrum and the tensor-scalar ratio, which are compared with Planck + WMAP9 + BAO data, the power spectrum predicted by the new general DBI inflation theory satisfies the CMB Experiment constraints, i.e., is consistent with the current theories and experimental observations. Consequently, the theory of this paper conforms to current experiments and is supplying the current theories, and also a new way of explaining the inflation of the universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Femtosecond absorption spectroscopy of Photosystem I (PS I) complexes from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 was carried out on three pairs of complementary amino acid substitutions located near the second pair of chlorophyll molecules Chl2A and Chl2B (also termed A-1A and A-1B). The absorption dynamics at delays of 0.1–500 ps were analyzed by decomposition into discrete decay-associated spectra and continuously distributed exponential components. The multi-exponential deconvolution of the absorption changes revealed that the electron transfer reactions in the PsaA-N600M, PsaA-N600H, and PsaA-N600L variants near the B-branch of cofactors are similar to those of the wild type, while the PsaB-N582M, PsaB-N582H, and PsaB-N582L variants near the A-branch of cofactors cause significant alterations of the photochemical processes, making them heterogeneous and poorly described by a discrete exponential kinetic model. A redistribution of the unpaired electron between the second and the third monomers Chl2A/Chl2B and Chl3A/Chl3B was identified in the time range of 9–20 ps, and the subsequent reduction of A1 was identified in the time range of 24–70 ps. In the PsaA-N600L and PsaB-N582H/L variants, the reduction of A1 occurred with a decreased quantum yield of charge separation. The decreased quantum yield correlates with a slowing of the phylloquinone A0 → A1 reduction, but not with the initial transient spectra measured at the shortest time delay. The results support a branch competition model, where the electron is sheared between Chl2A–Chl3A and Chl2B–Chl3B cofactors before its transfer to phylloquinone in either A1A or A1B sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous study showed that the lncRNA UBE2R2-AS1 inhibits the growth and invasion of glioma cells and promotes apoptosis through the miR-877-3p/TLR4 pathway. In this study, it was further found that the expression of UBE2R2-AS1 in glioma tissues was decreased significantly, and gradually decreased with increasing clinical stage. Chi-square analysis showed that the expression of UBE2R2-AS1 was significantly correlated with the WHO stage of tumor and epilepsy. Using Kaplan–Meier univariate survival analysis, it was found that the expression of UBE2R2-AS1 correlated positively with the overall survival of patients with glioma, while multiple Cox regression analysis showed that the expression of UBE2R2-AS1 correlated positively with the overall survival of patients with glioma as a protective factor for glioma prognosis. The analysis of data from TCGA also showed that patients with high UBE2R2-AS1 levels or low miR-877-3p expression were more likely to have good survival outcomes. Further construction of a glioma xenograft model in nude mice showed that UBE2R2-AS1 overexpression inhibited the growth of tumors, and the inhibition of miR-877-3p expression had a similar effect. Simultaneous UBE2R2-AS1 overexpression and miR-877-3p inhibition further decreased the growth rate of tumors in nude mice. Taken together, the results of our study suggest that UBE2R2-AS1 is an important tumor suppressor gene in glioma, which may be a good marker and treatment target for the clinical detection of glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the high level of symmetry between the PsaA and PsaB polypeptides in Photosystem I, some amino acids pairs are strikingly different, such as PsaA-Gly693 and PsaB-Trp673, which are located near a cluster of 11 water molecules between the A1A and A1B quinones and the FX iron-sulfur cluster. In this work, we changed PsaB-Trp673 to PsaB-Phe673 in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. The variant contains ~ 85% of wild-type (WT) levels of Photosystem I but is unable to grow photoautotrophically. Both time-resolved and steady-state optical measurements show that in the PsaB-W673F variant less than 50% of the electrons reach the terminal iron-sulfur clusters FA and FB; the majority of the electrons recombine from A1A− and A1B−. However, in those reaction centers which pass electrons forward the transfer is heterogeneous: a minor population shows electron transfer rates from A1A− and A1B− to FX slightly slower than that of the WT, whereas a major population shows forward electron transfer rates to FX slowed to the ~ 10 µs time range. Competition between relatively similar forward and backward rates of electron transfer from the quinones to the FX cluster account for the relatively low yield of long-lived charge separation in the PsaB-W673F variant. A higher water content and its increased mobility observed in MD simulations in the interquinone cavity of the PsaB-W673F variant shifts the pK of PsaB-Asp575 and allows its deprotonation in situ. The heterogeneity found may be rooted in protonation state of PsaB-Asp575, which controls whether electron transfer can proceed beyond the phylloquinone cofactors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, a popular model organism for researches in photosynthesis and biofuel production, contains plant-like photosynthetic machineries which significantly contribute to global carbon fixation. There are 12 eukaryotic-type Ser/Thr kinases (SpkA-L) and 49 His kinases (Hik1-49) of two-component systems in the genome of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. They are the key regulators in sensing and transmitting stimuli including light- and glucose-mediate signal transduction. Proteomic studies were able to identify all the kinases. The majority of kinases no matter whether they have a predicted transmembrane domain were identified in the membrane fractions. Six Ser/Thr kinases (SpkA-D, F and G) and ten His kinases (Hik4, 12, 14, 21, 26–27, 29, 36, 43, and 46) were identified to have one or more of the three types of post-translational modifications: phosphorylation, acetylation, and thiol oxidation. Interestingly, SpkG has the phosphorylatable threonine residue that was aligned with the phosphorylated threonine residue in the activation loop of human CDK7, demonstrating conserved phosphorylation between cyanobacterial and human kinases. Transcriptomics and proteomics revealed differential expression of the kinases in heterotrophic and photoheterotrophic compared with photoautotrophic conditions, indicating their roles in regulating the growth modes of cyanobacteria. In summary, this review focuses on the discussions on post-transcriptional modifications, transcriptomic, and proteomic studies of Ser/Thr and His kinases. This together with our published review in 2019 present a complete story of an overview of sequences, domain architectures, and biochemical and physiological functions of cyanobacterial kinases with adequate details in the context of high throughput systems. We also emphasize the importance of discovering upstream molecules and substrates to understand the exact functions of the kinases in vivo. As an attempt, a model is proposed in which Hik31, His33, Sll1334, and IcfG are hypothesized to be critical for switching between autotrophic and heterotrophic modes based on the results from the phenotypes of the gene knockout strains combined with their post-translational modifications, and gene expression profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents an instantaneous-baseline multi-indicial nonlinear ultrasonic resonance spectral correlation technique for fatigue crack detection and quantification. A reduced-order nonlinear oscillator model is tailored to illuminate the contact acoustic nonlinearity (CAN) and the nonlinear resonance phenomena. The analytical formulation considers the rough surface condition of the fatigue cracks, with a crack open–close transitional range for the effective modeling of the variable-stiffness nonlinear mechanism. Multiple damage indices (DIs) associated with the degree of nonlinearity of the interrogated structures are then proposed by correlating the ultrasonic resonance spectra. Three perspectives of the nonlinear resonance phenomena are investigated to detect and monitor the fatigue crack growth: (1) time-history dependence, which evolves different resonance states depending on the loading history; (2) amplitude dependence, which renders significantly different nonlinear responses under various levels of excitation amplitudes; (3) breakage of superposition, which effectively distinguishes nonlinear resonant responses from the linear counterparts. These DIs are established using instantaneous baselines, facilitating the fatigue damage monitoring without the prior knowledge of a pristine structure. Fatigue tests on a thin aluminum plate with a rivet hole are conducted to induce fatigue cracks in the specimen. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed technique shows remarkable sensitivity to the nucleation and growth of the fatigue cracks. This paper differs from the existing literature on nonlinear resonance-based techniques in that it focuses on the resonance phenomenon aroused by the contact acoustic nonlinearity from localized fatigue cracks, rather than the diffused material nonlinearity. The novelty of the paper resides in the establishment of an instantaneous baseline technique utilizing the nonlinear resonance features without the need of referring to a pristine baseline situation. The paper finishes with discussion, concluding remarks, and suggestions for future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: TaPSK5 is a less conserved target of miR164 in wheat encoding a positive regulator of root growth and yield traits that could be used for crop improvement. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play key roles in regulating plant growth and development by targeting the mRNAs of conserved genes. However, little is known about the roles of less conserved miRNA-targeted genes in plants. In the current study, we identified TaPSK5, encoding a phytosulfokine precursor, as a novel target of miR164. Compared with miR164-targeted NAC transcription factor genes, TaPSK5 is less conserved between monocots and dicots. Expression analysis indicated that TaPSK5 homoeologs were constitutively expressed in wheat tissues, especially young spikes. Overexpression of TaPSK5-D and miR164-resistant TaPSK5-D (r-TaPSK5-D) led to increased primary root growth and grain yield in rice, with the latter having more significant effects. Comparison of the transcriptome between wild-type and r-TaPSK5-D overexpression plants revealed multiple differentially expressed genes involved in hormone signaling, transcription regulation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis. Moreover, we identified three TaPSK5-A haplotypes (TaPSK5-A-Hap1/2/3) and two TaPSK5-B haplotypes (TaPSK5-B-Hap1/2) in core collections of Chinese wheat. Both TaPSK5-A-Hap1 and TaPSK5-B-Hap2 are favorable haplotypes associated with superior yield traits that were under positive selection during wheat breeding. Together, our findings identify miR164-targeted TaPSK5 as a regulator of root growth and yield traits in common wheat with potential applications for the genetic improvement of crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In sandwich structures, lightweight cellular materials as the core hold the face sheets far away from the neutral axis to maximize the bending performance of the structure. Honeycomb materials as a major type of lightweight cellular materials have been widely applied in various fields, including aerospace, vehicle, marine, architecture and mechanical engineering, due to reliable mechanical properties and excellent designability. Using fiber-reinforced composites is an efficient method to develop ultralight honeycomb materials with superior mechanical behaviors. In recent years, fiber-reinforced composite honeycomb materials possessing lightweight and excellent mechanical performances have attracted noticeable attention to replacing traditional aluminum honeycombs and Nomex honeycombs. Compared to metal, polymer and Nomex paper, fiber-reinforced composites possess various merits, such as high specific stiffness and specific strength, excellent fatigue property, corrosion resistance and high-temperature resistance. Thus, the applications of fiber-reinforced honeycomb material for sandwich core have unlimited potential in hypersonic vehicles, long-range rockets, cargo vessels and protective systems. Although the fact that attention has been rapidly increasing, there is a lack of comprehensive reviews of new advances in the field of fiber-reinforced composite honeycomb materials. In this review, new advances reported by different scientists in the field of fiber-reinforced honeycomb materials have been reviewed and analyzed to provide an in-depth overview and knowledge for beginners in the field of ultra-lightweight and high-performance composite sandwich architectures. The challenges and prospects for the development of fiber-reinforced honeycomb materials have also been presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In photosystem I (PSI) complexes at room temperature electron transfer from A1– to FX is an order of magnitude faster on the B-branch compared to the A-branch. One factor that might contribute to this branch asymmetry in time constants is TrpB673 (Thermosynechococcus elongatus numbering), which is located between A1B and FX. The corresponding residue on the A-branch, between A1A and FX, is GlyA693. Here, microsecond time-resolved step-scan FTIR difference spectroscopy at 77 K has been used to study isolated PSI complexes from wild type and TrpB673Phe mutant (WB673F mutant) cells from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. WB673F mutant cells require glucose for growth and are light sensitive. Photoaccumulated FTIR difference spectra indicate changes in amide I and II protein vibrations upon mutation of TrpB673 to Phe, indicating the protein environment near FX is altered upon mutation. In the WB673F mutant PSI samples, but not in WT PSI samples, the phylloquinone molecule that occupies the A1 binding site is likely doubly protonated following long periods of repetitive flash illumination at room temperature. PSI with (doubly) protonated quinone in the A1 binding site are not functional in electron transfer. However, electron transfer functionality can be restored by incubating the light-treated mutant PSI samples in the presence of added phylloquinone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was based on the specific binding ability of magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (MMIPs) combined with a high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD) for the rapid determination of zearalenone (ZEN) in cereals. A novel magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer was prepared by surface imprinting technology. Warfarin was used as a virtual template, 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES) was used as the functional monomer, and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) was used as the cross-linking agent. Analysis by a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that MMIPs were prepared with a particle size about 450 nm, the imprinted molecular layer accounting for 10.7% of the total mass, and saturation magnetization of about 34.54 emu/g. The maximum adsorption capacity (Qmax) of the thermodynamic and kinetic adsorption experiments were 13.90 mg/g and 8.71 mg/g, respectively. The Langmuir model showed that the binding sites were uniformly distributed on the surface of the MMIPs. The Scatchard analysis showed that MMIPs had two types of binding sites with Qmax of 8.22 mg/g and 15.37 mg/g, respectively. In actual sample detection, the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.4 ng/kg and 0.9 ng/kg, respectively. The sample recovery rate was 90.56–99.96%, the daytime stability was 1.35–2.87%. These results showed that MMIPs had good performance in selectively identifying ZEN and were suitable for determining ZEN in cereals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dense smoke released during the combustion of polystyrene (PS) potentially limits its applications in some fields. In this study, a Zr-based metal-organic framework (UiO-66) was prepared via the solvothermal method and added to PS to suppress its smoke emission. Well-defined UiO-66 particles showed an excellent dispersion state and good compatibility in the PS matrix. The introduction of UiO-66 improved the flame retardancy and smoke suppression of PS. The peak heat-release rate and total heat release were reduced by 26.8% and 14.7%, respectively, for PS/ UiO-66-5 wt%. Moreover, the smoke emissions of PS composites were evidently suppressed, and more than a 35% reduction in total smoke production was obtained with 5-wt% UiO-66. Through the analysis of the residues and pyrolysis products of PS composites, the mechanisms of enhanced flame retardancy and smoke suppression can being speculated as the promoted char-forming and heat barrier of UiO-66. This work offers a significant reference for the further study of UiO-66 and polymer materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ERK1 is an important kinase in Ras–Raf–MEK signaling. We have recently demonstrated by mass spectrometry that Tyr210 of ERK1 can be nitrated, and the nitration leads to a novel CHIP–dependent ERK1 degradation pathway. This motivated us to investigate the effect of this nitration on local and global structures of human ERK1 by Gaussian calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. Our study shows that the nitration at either the CE1 or the CE2 positions introduces an intra-hydrogen bond between the hydroxyl group and the nitro group of the nitrated Tyr210 of ERK1. Our data indicate that the hydrogen bond between Tyr210 and Glu237 is not stable and the nitration of Tyr210 facilitates its breakage. The previous studies demonstrated that ERK1 can be autophosphorylated at tyrosine residue 204. We next studied the effect of the phosphorylation in combination with the nitration. We found that the nitration of Tyr210 modestly decreases its inter-residue electrostatic interactions, and the phosphorylation of Tyr204 increases its inter-residue electrostatic interactions as expected. In the active state of ERK1, the conserved Lys71 forms a salt bridge with the conserved Glu88 and this salt bridge is essential for the activity of ERK1. Our data demonstrate an additional salt bridge for Glu88 with Arg84, and this salt bridge is unphosphorylation-dependent. The phosphorylation of ERK1 with the nitration at CE2, not at CE1, slightly enhances the K71–E88 salt bridge. Collectively, our simulations have demonstrated formation of a tyrosine nitration–dependent hydrogen bond. Our molecular dynamics simulations in combination with the experimental data on the nitration of Tyr210 of ERK1 indicate that a post-translational modification of a protein can specifically alter local structural environments, and a local structural change could lead to changes of protein functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (hereafter Synechocystis) is a photoautotrophic prokaryote with plant-like photosynthetic machineries which significantly contribute to global carbon fixation and atmospheric oxygen production. Because of the relatively short cell doubling time, small size of the genome, and the ease for genetic manipulation, Synechocystis is a popular model organism for studies including photosynthesis and biofuel production. The cyanobacterium contains 12 eukaryotic type Ser/Thr kinases (SpkA–L) and 49 histidine kinases (Hik1–47 and Sll1334 and Sll5060 are named as Hik48 and Hik49, respectively, in this review) of the two-component system. All SpkA–L kinases have a eukaryotic kinase DFG signature in their A-loops. Based on the types of the kinase domains, the Spks can be separated into three groups: one group contains SpkA and SpkG which are related to human kinases, while SpkH–L are in another group that is distinct from human kinases. The third group contains SpkB–F which are between the first two groups. Four histidine kinases (Hiks17, 36, 45, and 48) lack a clear histidine kinase domain, and the conserved phosphorylatable histidine residue could not be identified for six histidine kinases (Hiks11, 18, 29, 37, 39, and 43) even though they have clear histidine kinase domains. Each of the remaining 39 has a histidine kinase domain with the conserved histidine residue. Eight hybrid histidine kinases contain one or two receiver domains, and they all, except Hik25 (Slr0222), have the conserved phosphorylatable aspartate. The disruptants of all kinases except hik13 and hik15 have been generated, and the majority of them have modest or no obvious phenotypes, indicating other kinases could functionally compensate the loss of a particular kinase. This review presents a comprehensive discussion including a spectrum of sequence, domain architecture, in vivo function, and proteomics investigations of Ser/Thr and histidine kinases. Understanding the sequences, domain architectures, and biology of the kinases will help to integrate "omic" data to clarify their exact biochemical functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising demand for ruminant meat and dairy products in developing countries is expected to double anthropogenic greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions from livestock by 2050. Mitigation strategies are urgently needed to meet demand while minimizing environmental impacts. Here, we develop scenarios for mitigating emissions under local vs global supply policies using data from 308 livestock farms across mainland China, where emissions intensities are ~50% higher than those in developed nations. Intensification of domestic production and globalized expansion through increased trade result in reductions in global emissions by nearly 30% over a business-as-usual scenario, but at the expense of trading partners absorbing the associated negative externalities of environmental degradation. Only adoption of a mixed strategy combining global best-practice in sustainable intensification of domestic production, with increased green-source trading as a short-term coping strategy, can meet 2050 demand while minimizing the local and global environmental footprint of China’s ruminant consumption boom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a growing body of evidence suggests that abnormal iron metabolism plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD), few studies explored its role in non-motor symptoms (NMS) of PD. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between abnormal iron metabolism and NMS of PD. Seventy PD patients and 64 healthy controls were consecutively recruited to compare serum iron, ceruloplasmin, ferritin, and transferrin levels. We evaluated five classic NMS, including depression, anxiety, pain, sleep disorder, and autonomic dysfunction in PD patients using the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), the short form of the McGill Pain Questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Scale for Outcomes in Parkinson’s disease for Autonomic Symptoms, respectively. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the correlations between abnormal iron metabolism and NMS. No differences in serum ceruloplasmin and ferritin levels were examined between PD patients and healthy controls, but we observed significantly decreased serum iron levels and increased serum transferrin levels in PD patients in comparison with healthy controls. After eliminating confounding factors, HAMD scores and HAMA scores were both negatively correlated with serum iron levels and positively correlated with serum transferrin levels. In summary, abnormal iron metabolism might play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of depression and anxiety in PD. Serums levels of iron and transferrin could be peripheral markers for depression and anxiety in PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to explore the cause of early abnormal muscle response (AMR) disappearance during microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm and the clinical outcomes of these patients. Three hundred seventy-two patients received microvascular decompression (MVD) under intraoperative electrophysiological monitoring in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital in 2014; the characteristic AMR of HFS was observed in 359 patients during the operation. And the 359 patients were divided into two groups based on whether AMR had remained before the beginning of the decompression procedure for offending vessels. Thirty-three patients who showed a permanent disappearance of AMR before the beginning of decompression were regarded as group I. Dural opening and the succeeding CSF drainage produced a permanent disappearance of AMR in 13. During the dissection of lateral cerebellomedullary cistern, a permanent disappearance of AMR was found in 20 patients. Thirty-two patients were cured immediately; delayed resolution (7 days after surgery) was found in one patient. No complications were observed and no recurrence was found during the follow-up period in the 33 patients. In the other 326 patients (group II), AMR disappeared temporarily before the beginning of the decompression procedure for offending vessels in 42 patients. After decompression, AMR disappeared completely in 305 patients. Two hundred sixty-seven patients were cured immediately and 57 patients got a delayed resolution (2 days to 45 weeks after surgery). The two left did not get a complete abolition of spasm. Three cases of hearing loss, one hoarseness, and nine delayed facial paralysis were observed. The reason of early abnormal muscle response disappearance may be that the degree of neurovascular compression was not serious; these patients were more likely to get an immediate cure. Continuous intraoperative electrophysiological monitoring of AMR is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the repeat microvascular decompression on hemifacial spasm patients who failed the first MVD. Methods: Twenty-six patients underwent late redo MVD in our institution from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2015. The clinical features, surgical findings, outcomes, and complications of the repeat MVD were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Twenty-four (92.3 %) patients were cured immediately after the redo MVD. Delayed relief was found in two (7.7 %) patients; it took 6 days and 2 weeks for them to obtain complete relief. No recurrence was found during follow-up. Surgical complications including three (11.5 %) facial paralysis and one (3.8 %) hearing loss. Conclusions: We suggested that repeat MVD can be performed 2 years after the first MVD if the spasm was not resolved. Repeat MVD for HFS is effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To further understand the effects of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) with one-port versus three-port VATS for primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP).Methods: In this study, we searched information from the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang Data databases from inception to September 2015 to collect data of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies about one-port VATS versus three-port VATS for PSP. Two independent authors were committed to screen literature, extract data, and assess the risk of bias of related studies. Then, we used the RevMan 5.20 software for a meta-analysis of one-port VATS versus three-port VATS for PSP.Results: Six cohort studies involving 310 patients were finally selected in this meta-analysis. The results of our study indicate that one-port VATS had a shorter hospital stay (SMD = -0.39, 95 % CI -0.69 to 0.09, P = 0.01), lower VAS score of 24-h post-operative pain (SMD = -0.78, 95 % CI -1.40 to -0.52, P < 0.00001), shorter chest drainage time (SMD = -0.68, 95 % CI -1.15 to -0.22, P = 0.004), and lower incidence of post-operative paraesthesia (OR = 0.13, 95 % CI 0.06 to 0.29, P < 0.00001) compared with three-port VATS. However, one-port VATS had a lower patient satisfaction score at 24 h (SMD = -0.65, 95 % CI -0.95 to -0.35, P < 0.0001) and 48 h (SMD = -0.46, 95 % CI -0.71 to -0.21, P = 0.0002). No differences in the recurrence of pneumothorax (OR = 0.58, 95 % CI 0.20 to 1.67, P = 0.32), the operation time (SMD = 1.01, 95 % CI -4.63 to 2.60, P = 0.58), and the satisfaction score at 72 h (SMD = -0.11, 95 % CI -0.44 to 0.22, P < 0.00001) were noted between the groups.Conclusion: Current evidence suggests that one-port VATS may have certain advantages over three-port VATS for PSP. More large-scale and high-quality studies are needed for authentication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop chiral anticancer drug candidates for molecular target DNA, the synthesis and characterization of a novel enantiomerically pure copper(II) complex [Cu 1 Cl ] ( 2) of an optically pure ligand N-(pyridin-2-ylmethylene) dehydroabietylamine ( 1) was carried out. The coordination geometry of the copper center is a distorted square-planar arrangement. The interactions of 1 and 2 with salmon sperm DNA were investigated by viscosity measurements, UV, fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic techniques. All the results reveal that 1 and 2 interacted with DNA through intercalation and 2 exhibited a higher DNA binding ability. Further, 1 and 2 could cleave supercoiled pBR322 DNA by single strand and 2 displayed stronger cleavage ability in the presence of ascorbic acid. In vitro cytotoxicity of 1 and 2 against HeLa, SiHa, HepG-2 and A431 cancer cell lines was studied using CCK-8 assay. The results indicate that 2 had a superior cytotoxicity than 1 and the widely used drug cisplatin under identical conditions. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrates 2 produced death of HeLa cancer cells through an apoptotic pathway. Cell cycle analysis shows that 2 mainly arrested HeLa cells at the S phase. Graphical abstract: A novel enantiomerically pure copper(II) complex [Cu 1 Cl ] ( 2) of an optically pure ligand N-(pyridin-2-ylmethylene) dehydroabietylamine ( 1), based on natural product rosin has been synthesized. 2 has the potential to act as effective anticancer drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]