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Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) provides a novel idea to solve the problem of reduction and stabilization of Cr(VI) in contaminated soil. In this study, the remediation of Cr(VI) in severely polluted soil (total Cr = 5530.00 ± 120.21 mg/kg) by MICP technology combined with the Cr(VI)-reducing bacterium Sporosarcina saromensis W5 was systematically investigated. The results indicated that in W5 and CaCl2 treatment after 35 d of remediation, the Cr in exchangeable fraction could be converted into the oxidizable fraction (F3) and the proportion was 41.49%. Compared to original Cr(VI)-contaminated soil, the content of organic matter and soil urease were enhanced after remediation, indicating the improvement of soil quality. The increase in pH also facilitated the formation and stabilization of carbonate precipitation. In addition, the characterization results showed that Cr(VI) in soil was first reduced to Cr(III), and then formed Ca10Cr6O24(CO3) coprecipitation with CaCO3. The stabilization mechanism of Cr(VI) contained bioreduction, adsorption/complexation, and coprecipitation. The results of this study proposed an efficient and reliable strategy of Cr(VI)-reducing bacterium combined with MICP technology to reduce and stabilize Cr(VI) in high concentration Cr(VI) contaminated soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the recovery of rare earth elements from wastewater has attracted increasing attention. Compared with other methods, biosorption is a simple, efficient, and environmentally friendly method for rare earth wastewater treatment, which has greater prospects for development. The objective of this study was to investigate the biosorption behavior and mechanism of Yarrowia lipolytica for five rare earth ions (La3⁺, Nd3⁺, Er3⁺, Y3⁺, and Sm3⁺) with a particular focus on biosorption behavior, biosorption kinetics, and biosorption isotherm. It was demonstrated that the biosorption capacity of Y. lipolytica at optimal conditions was 76.80 mg/g. It was discovered that the biosorption process complied with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Langmuir biosorption isotherm, indicating that Y. lipolytica employed a monolayer chemical biosorption process to biosorb rare earth ions. Characterization analysis demonstrated that the primary functional groups involved in rare earth ion biosorption were amino, carboxyl, and hydroxyl groups. The cooperative biosorption of rare earth ions by Y. lipolytica was facilitated by means of surface complexation, ion exchange, and electrostatic interactions. These findings suggest that Y. lipolytica has the potential to be an effective biosorbent for the removal of rare earth elements from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: We identified seven OfNCEDs and analyzed the potential function of OfNCED4, which is involved in the biosynthesis of carotenoids and abscisic acid in Osmanthus fragrans. In plants, 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenases (NCEDs) can cleave carotenoids and are rate-limiting enzymes for the biosynthesis of abscisic acid (ABA). Sweet osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans Lour.), an important ornamental and fragrant tree, contains abundant carotenoids in its flowers. To examine the function of the 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenases (NCEDs) involved in ABA biosynthesis and floral coloration in O. fragrans, the sequences of seven OfNCEDs were isolated from the genomic DNA and cDNA of O. fragrans. A bioinformatics analysis showed that these OfNCEDs encode 422 ~ 591 amino acids, and they all contain the RPE65 domain. These OfNCEDs showed different patterns of expression, and that of OfNCED4 was most consistent to the patterns of ABA accumulation during the flowering process. Moreover, the levels of expression of seven OfNCEDs in the O. fragrans flowers were significantly induced by exogenous ABA. ABA-responsive elements were found in the promoters of OfNCEDs. The overexpression of OfNCED4 resulted in increased contents of chlorophylls, carotenoids and ABA, and up-regulation of NtCRTISO, NtLCYE, NtLCYB, and NtNXS, and down-regulation of NtCCD1 and NtCCD4 in tobacco leaves. It suggests that OfNCED4 probably mediates the biosynthesis of ABA. Taken together, this study systematically identified the bioinformatics, pattern of expression of OfNCED genes and the potential function of OfNCED4, which could provide molecular evidence for further research on the regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis and floral color of O. fragrans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on the creation of Ag-MnO2 nanosheet composites by combining Ag and MnO2 nanosheets with the use of surfactant and organic solvents. The as-prepared adsorbents were analyzed for their oxidation properties in removing ethyl mercaptan through various characterization techniques including x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, laser Raman spectroscopy, N2 adsorption–desorption isotherm analysis, and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy. The research findings revealed that Ag-MnO2-NS exhibits strong electromagnetic adsorption properties due to the robust interaction between silver and sulfur. The interaction between silver (Ag) and manganese dioxide (MnO2) was found to facilitate the oxidation of ethyl mercaptan (EM) into ethyl sulfonate and organosulfate. The combined effect of MnO2-NS and Ag was observed to enhance both the adsorption and catalytic oxidation of EM. This study delved into the adsorption and oxidation processes of EM using composite materials formed by combining silver nanoparticles and manganese dioxide nanosheets. The mechanism of oxidative adsorption was thoroughly analyzed through characterization, providing valuable insights for the efficient removal of EM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the chain mediating effect of mindfulness and meaning in life between physical exercise and depression, 954 college students were investigated by physical exercise rating scale, self-rating depression questionnaire, mindfulness scale and meaning in life questionnaire. The results show that: (1) Physical exercise can significantly positively predict mindfulness and meaning in life, and significantly negatively predict depression; (2) The direct effect of physical exercise on depression of college students is not significant, but the indirect effect is significant. It can significantly predict depression of college students through the independent mediating effect of mindfulness and meaning in life, and can also significantly predict depression of college students through the chain mediating effect of mindfulness and meaning in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indirect carbonation of steel slag is an effective method for CO2 storage, reducing emissions, and promoting cleaner production in the steel industry. However, challenges remain, such as low Ca2+ leaching rates and slag management complexities arising from variations in mineral compositions. To address this, a high-temperature modification process is proposed to alter the mineral composition and facilitate the synergistic utilization of calcium and iron. This study delves into the effects of various solid waste modifications on the leaching of Ca2+ and the total iron content within steel slag. Results show that high-basicity modified slag forms Ca2(Al, Fe)2O5, reducing calcium leaching. Low-alkalinity modified slag produces calcium-rich aluminum minerals and also reduces the leaching of Ca2+ ions. At a basicity of 2.5, coal gangue, fly ash, and blast slag achieve maximum Ca2+ leaching rates of 88.93%, 89.46%, and 90.17%, respectively, with corresponding total iron contents of 41.46%, 37.72%, and 35.29%. Upgraded coal gangue exhibits a 50.02% increase in calcium leaching and a 15.58% increase in total iron content compared to the original slag. This enhances CO2 fixation and iron resource utilization. Overall, the proposed indirect carbonation and iron enrichment modification offer a novel approach for the resource utilization and environmental stability of steel slag. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomineralization by phosphate minerals and phosphate solubilizing fungi (PSF) has attracted great interest as a novel remediation method for heavy metal(loid) co-contaminated soil. It was very essential to investigate the microenvironment response with the application of amendments. In this study, three grain sizes of hydroxyapatites (HAP) and Phanerochaete chrysosporium (P. chrysosporium) were used to investigate the change in heavy metal(loid) fractions, soil physicochemical properties, and bacterial community during the remediation of Mangchang and Dabaoshan acidic mine soils. The results showed that the residual fractions in the two soils increased significantly after 35 days of remediation, especially that of As and Zn in Dabaoshan soils were presented at over 87%. In addition, soil pH, organic matter (OM), and available phosphorous (AP) were almost improved. 16S rRNA sequencing analysis indicated that the introduction of culture medium and P. chrysosporium alone changed bacterial abundance, but the addition of HAP changed the bacterial diversity and community composition by altering environmental conditions. The amendments in the research showed good performance on immobilizing heavy metal(loid)s and reducing their bioavailability. Moreover, the research suggested that environmental factors and soil inherent properties could influence the microbial community structure and composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acanthopagrus latus is an essential aquaculture species on the south coast of China. However, there is a lack of systematic breeding of A. latus, which considerably limits the sustainable development of A. latus. As a result, genetic improvements are urgently needed to breed new strains of A. latus with rapid growth and strong resistance to disease. During selective breeding, it is necessary to estimate the genetic parameters of the target trait, which in turn depends on an accurate disentangled pedigree for the selective population. Therefore, it is necessary to establish the parentage assignment technique for A. latus. In this study, 95 individuals selected from their parents and their 14 families were used as experimental material. SNPs were developed by genome re-sequencing, and highly polymorphic SNPs were screened on the basis of optimized filtering parameters. A total of 14 392 738 SNPs were discovered and 205 SNPs were selected for parentage assignment using the CERVUS software. In the model where the gender of the parents is known, the assignment success rate is 98.61% for the male parent, 97.22% for the female parent, and 95.83% for the parent pair. In the model where the gender of the parents is unknown, the assignment success rate is 100% for a single parent and 90.28% for the parent pair. The results of this study were expected to serve as a reference for the breeding of new varieties of A.latus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In sensing applications, the preferential adsorption of molecules on selective Co3O4 facets has been explored, yielding high sensitivity and selectivity. This tendency of the molecules can be exploited to enhance methane decomposition efficiency in transition metal catalysts other than nickel, which is known to cause acute toxicity. This study fabricated Co3O4 catalysts with and without algal-resourced biogenic agents to calculate the preferential orientations or facets of the catalyst crystals. Henceforth, it evaluated their cytotoxicity and methane decomposition efficiency in a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition reactor from 750 to 850 °C using 0.04% (w/w) Co3O4/Al2O3-Si of nanocatalyst loaded on an Al2O3-coated p-type silicon support at different reaction conditions. Alg-Co3O4 (311) nanocatalysts (0.158 eV/Å2), derived from algal biomass containing catalytically active stepped sites and catering efficient chemisorption of carbon atoms, executed 43.4% methane decomposition as opposed to 34% by NaBH4-co-precipitated Ch-Co3O4 (111) nanocatalysts (0.132 eV/Å2). The Alg-Co3O4 (311) catalysts were nanometric in size; possessed higher ductility, per particle surface area; and were less cytotoxic for erythrocytes, leukocytes and U87 cells than the Ch-Co3O4 (111) nanocatalysts. This state of the art provides a new platform to resource algal metabolites for tailoring catalytic efficiency at the nanoscale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexibility has become increasingly important considering the intermittency of variable renewable energy in low-carbon energy systems. Electrified transportation exhibits great potential to provide flexibility. This article analyzed and compared the flexibility values of battery electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles for planning and operating interdependent electricity and hydrogen supply chains while considering battery degradation costs. A cross-scale framework involving both macro-level and micro-level models was proposed to compute the profits of flexible EV refueling/charging with battery degradation considered. Here we show that the flexibility reduction after considering battery degradation is quantified by at least 4.7% of the minimum system cost and enlarged under fast charging and low-temperature scenarios. Our findings imply that energy policies and relevant management technologies are crucial to shaping the comparative flexibility advantage of the two transportation electrification pathways. The proposed cross-scale methodology has broad implications for the assessment of emerging energy technologies with complex dynamics.Electrified transportation exhibits great potential to provide flexibility. This article analyzed and compared the flexibility values of battery electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles for planning and operating interdependent electricity and hydrogen supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reaction rates at spatially heterogeneous, unstable interfaces are notoriously difficult to quantify, yet are essential in engineering many chemical systems, such as batteries1 and electrocatalysts2. Experimental characterizations of such materials by operando microscopy produce rich image datasets3–6, but data-driven methods to learn physics from these images are still lacking because of the complex coupling of reaction kinetics, surface chemistry and phase separation7. Here we show that heterogeneous reaction kinetics can be learned from in situ scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) images of carbon-coated lithium iron phosphate (LFP) nanoparticles. Combining a large dataset of STXM images with a thermodynamically consistent electrochemical phase-field model, partial differential equation (PDE)-constrained optimization and uncertainty quantification, we extract the free-energy landscape and reaction kinetics and verify their consistency with theoretical models. We also simultaneously learn the spatial heterogeneity of the reaction rate, which closely matches the carbon-coating thickness profiles obtained through Auger electron microscopy (AEM). Across 180,000 image pixels, the mean discrepancy with the learned model is remarkably small (<7%) and comparable with experimental noise. Our results open the possibility of learning nonequilibrium material properties beyond the reach of traditional experimental methods and offer a new non-destructive technique for characterizing and optimizing heterogeneous reactive surfaces.Analysis of a large dataset of scanning transmission X-ray microscopy images of carbon-coated lithium iron phosphate nanoparticles shows that the heterogeneous reaction kinetics of battery materials can be learned from such videos pixel by pixel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: MIKC type MADS-box transcription factors are one of the largest gene families and play a pivotal role in flowering time and flower development. Chimonanthus salicifolius belongs to the family Calycanthaceae and has a unique flowering time and flowering morphology compared to other Chimonanthus species, but the research on MIKC type MADS-box gene family of C. salicifolius has not been reported. Objective: Identification, comprehensive bioinformatic analysis, the expression pattern of MIKC-type MADS-box gene family from different tissues of C. salicifolius. Methods: Genome-wide investigation and expression pattern under different tissues of the MIKC-type MADS-box gene family in C. salicifolius, and their phylogenetic relationships, evolutionary characteristics, gene structure, motif distribution, promoter cis-acting element were performed. Results: A total of 29 MIKC-type MADS-box genes were identified from the whole genome sequencing. Interspecies synteny analysis revealed more significant collinearity between C. salicifolius and the magnoliids species compared to eudicots and monocots. MIKC-type MADS-box genes from the same subfamily share similar distribution patterns, gene structure, and expression patterns. Compared with Arabidopsis thaliana, Nymphaea colorata, and Chimonanthus praecox, the FLC genes were absent in C. salicifolius, while the AGL6 subfamily was expanded in C. salicifolius. The selectively expanded promoter (AGL6) and lack of repressor (FLC) genes may explain the earlier flowering in C. salicifolius. The loss of the AP3 homologous gene in C. salicifolius is probably the primary cause of the morphological distinction between C. salicifolius and C. praecox. The csAGL6a gene is specifically expressed in the flowering process and indicates the potential function of promoting flowering. Conclusion: This study offers a genome-wide identification and expression profiling of the MIKC-types MADS-box genes in the C. salicifolius, and establishes the foundation for screening flowering development genes and understanding the potential function of the MIKC-types MADS-box genes in the C. salicifolius. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microbial reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) is widely applied, but most studies ignored the stability of reduction products. In this study, the Cr(VI)-reducing bacterium of Sporosarcina saromensis combined with microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) was used to explore the reduction and mineralization mechanisms of Cr(VI). The results indicated that the high concentration of Ca2+ could significantly enhance the reduction and mineralization of Cr(VI). The highest reduction and mineralization efficiencies of 99.5% and 55.9% were achieved at 4 g/L Ca2+. Moreover, the urease activity of S. saromensis in the experimental group was up to 13.28 U/mg NH3-N. Besides, the characteristic results revealed that Cr(VI) and reduced Cr(III) were absorbed on the surface or got into the interspace of CaCO3, which produced a new stable phase (Ca10Cr6O24(CO3)). Overall, the combination of S. saromensis and MICP technology might be a high-efficiency and environmentally friendly strategy for further application in the Cr(VI)-containing groundwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prunus mume, a woody perennial tree, is valued for its ornamental traits and has been cultivated for a long history. Low temperature is the main environmental factor restricting the distribution and affecting the growth of P. mume. In plants, some WRKY transcription factors have been reported to participate in regulating cold tolerance. However, there were few researches about functional characterization of WRKYs involving in P. mume cold response. Here, a cold-induced WRKY gene named as PmWRKY57 was cloned from a P. mume cultivar 'Guhong Zhusha.' PmWRKY57 protein harboring a WRKY domain and a C2H2 zinc finger motif belongs to Group IIc of WRKY family. The PmWRKY57 protein was located to the nucleus and has transcriptional activation activity. PmWRKY57-overexpresing Arabidopsis thaliana lines showed improved cold tolerance, compared to wild-type plants. Under cold treatment, the leaves of transgenic lines contained significantly lower malondialdehyde content, and higher levels of superoxide dismutase activity, peroxidase activity, and proline content than wild-type plants. Furthermore, the expression levels of cold-response genes such as AtCOR6.6, AtCOR47, AtKIN1, and AtRCI2A were up-regulated in leaves of transgenic A. thaliana compared to those in wild-type plants. This study characterized the function of PmWRKY57 in improving cold tolerance of plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indirect mineral carbonation is considered an ideal CO2 sequestration strategy because of its high carbonation rate and high value-added products. This research explores the carbonation ability of different carbon species—CO32– ions, HCO3– ions, and H2CO3—in their dominant region. When (NH4)2CO3 was used as the carbon source, the Ca2+ ions carbonation rate was hardly affected by pH, while NH4HCO3 was the opposite. When the pH of the leachate decreased from 8.67 to 6.20, the carbonation rate of (NH4)2CO3 decreased from 99.32% to 98.42%, while the carbonation rate of NH4HCO3 decreased from 96.28% to 37.71%. Meanwhile, this research also probed the influence of the nucleating agent on the carbonation rate and carbonation products. The addition of nucleating agent can increase the carbonation rate. For a CH3COOH concentration of 0.6 M for mixed leaching, the carbonation rate was increased by 26.81% with the addition of nucleating agent. Meanwhile, the nucleating agent can also induce the growth of CaCO3 toward the crystal form of the nucleating agent itself. When (NH4)2CO3 and NH4HCO3 were used as the carbon sources, CaCO3 mainly exists in the crystal form of vaterite, and after adding the nucleating agent, the crystal form changes to calcite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In pavement engineering, cement grouting material is widely used to pour into large void asphalt concrete to prepare semi-flexible composite mixtures. It plays an essential role in the performance of the semi-flexible composite mixture. To meet specific engineering requirements, various additives are mixed into the grouting material to improve the physical and mechanical properties. As a result, the uncertainty of the grouting material is also more significant as the complexity of material composition increases during the material design. It will bring some unknown risks for the engineering application. Hence, it is necessary to quantize the uncertainty during the material design of the grouting material and evaluate the reliability of the material formula. In this study, a novel framework of material design was developed by combing the Multioutput support vector machine (MSVM), Bayesian inference, and laboratory experiments. The MSVM was used to approximate and characterize the complex and nonlinear relationship between the grouting material formula and its properties based on laboratory experiments. The Bayesian inference was adopted to deal with the uncertainty of material design using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo. An optimized formula of the cement grouting material is obtained based on the developed framework. Experimental results show that the optimized formula improves engineering properties and performance stability, especially early strength. The developed framework provides a helpful, valuable, and promising tool for evaluating the reliability of the material design of the grouting material considering the uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncertainty is an intrinsic property of rock engineering because of the complicated geology conditions, rock failure mechanism ambiguity, and the nonlinear mechanical behavior of surrounding rock mass. We developed a novel framework to handle the uncertainty by combing the Sparse polynomial chaotic expansion (SPCE), numerical model, and reliability method. The SPCE model was used to map the complex relationship between the response of the surrounding rock mass and its uncertainty. The first-order reliability method (FORM) evaluated the reliability index and failure probability. Based on the SPCE model and FORM, a simple global optimization algorithm (SHGO) seeks design points and corresponding reliability indexes. A circular tunnel verified the developed framework with a close-form solution. The reliability index, design point, and failure probability were in excellent agreement with the FORM and Monte Carlo simulation. This indicated that the SPCE model could be used as a surrogate model for the analytical solution to approximate the tunnel response (including deformation and size of the plastic zone). Then, the developed framework was employed in a horseshoe tunnel by combing with the numerical model. The results further proved that the developed framework is feasible and effective for handling uncertainty in rock engineering. Furthermore, the developed framework is effective, efficient, and accurate for reliability analysis and provides a helpful tool to approximate the response of rock structure to avoid the time-consuming numerical model in practical rock engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planting trees along urban streets is one of the most important strategies to improve the urban thermal environment. However, the net impacts of urban street trees on human thermal comfort and physiological parameters are still less clear. On three similar east–west orientated streets with different degrees of tree cover—low (13%), medium (35%), and high (75%), urban microclimatic parameters and human physiological indices for six male students were simultaneously measured on three cloudless days in summer 2018. The results show that the differences in tree cover were predominant in influencing urban thermal environment and comfort. The street with the highest tree cover had significantly lower physiological equivalent temperature (PET) and more comfortable than the other two streets. The frequency of strong heat stress (PET > 35 °C) was 64%, 11%, and 0%, respectively, for streets with low, medium, and high tree cover. For the six male university students, human physiological indices varied greatly across the three streets with different tree cover. Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and pulse rate increased with decreasing tree cover. The results also suggest that urban thermal environment and comfort had considerable impact on human physiological parameters. Our study provides reasons for urban planners to plant trees along streets to improve the thermal environment and promote urban sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating evidence suggests that neuronal apoptosis plays a critical role in early brain injury (EBI) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), and the inhibition of apoptosis can induce neuroprotective effects in SAH animal models. c-Abl has been reported to promote neuronal apoptosis in Alzheimer's disease and cerebral ischemia, but its role in SAH had not been illuminated until now. In the present study, the effect of c-Abl on neuronal apoptosis induced by SAH was investigated. c-Abl protein levels and neuronal apoptosis were markedly increased 24 h after SAH, and the inhibition of endogenous c-Abl reduced neuronal apoptosis and mortality and ameliorated neurological deficits. Furthermore, c-Abl inhibition decreased the expression of cleaved caspase-3 (CC-3) after SAH. These results demonstrate the proapoptotic effect of c-Abl in EBI after SAH. Additionally, c-Abl inhibition further enhanced the SAH-induced phosphorylation of Akt and glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)3β. LY294002 abrogated the beneficial effects of targeting c-Abl and exacerbated neuronal apoptosis after SAH. SAH decreased LRP-1 levels and downregulated LRP-1 by RAP, and LRP-1 small interfering RNA (siRNA) induced a dramatic decrease in Akt/GSK3β activation in the presence of c-Abl siRNA. This is the first report showing that the c-Abl tyrosine kinase may play a key role in SAH-induced neuronal apoptosis by regulating the LRP-1-dependent Akt/GSK3β survival pathway. Thus, c-Abl has the potential to be a novel target for EBI therapy after SAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A ternary composite photocatalyst BiVO4/NiFe2O4/ATP with visible light response was prepared by ultrasound-assisted hydrothermal method. The results of characterization and photocatalytic experiments exhibit that BiVO4/NiFe2O4/ATP has been successfully prepared and shows enhanced capability of light absorption and electron transfer. The photocatalytic evaluation experiments using malachite green (MG) as the degradation object show that the best mass ratio of BiVO4, NiFe2O4 to ATP is 1 : 7.5 : 1.5, and the catalytic efficiency reaches the highest (99.25%) when the catalyst dosage is 1.00 g/L and the initial concentration of MG is 40 mg/L after reacting for 1 h under the condition of visible light. The reaction rate constants of BiVO4/NiFe2O4/ATP for the degradation of MG is 0.03329 min–1, 5.68 and 4.67 times higher than that of BiVO4 and NiFe2O4, respectively. After 3 times of reusing experiments, the degradation efficiency of MG by the catalyst can still reach 94%, proving the photocatalyst possesses good reusability. Moreover, NiFe2O4 has boosted the magnetism of BiVO4/NiFe2O4/ATP and make it convenient to recover. In addition, holes (h+) are confirmed to be the leading active species in the photocatalytic process, and as a result, a novel ternary composite photocatalyst is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately determining geomechanical parameters and rock mass deformation are key components of slope stability assessment as well as structural design and safe construction. Numerical models are therefore commonly applied to these issues as a component of back analysis, which provides a practical tool for determining geomechanical parameters in rock engineering. Although once quantified, rock mass deformation can also be calculated using an appropriate numerical model, the traditional approaches tend to be time-consuming and cannot be used to accurately determine deformation uncertainty in practical rock engineering. A relevance vector machine (RVM) was adopted in this study to build the complex mapping relationship between geomechanical parameters and slope deformation, while an artificial bee colony (ABC) was also utilized to search for optimal parameters based on the RVM model and displacement monitored in the field. On this basis, both deformation and associated uncertainty can be predicted using this model via the input of determined geomechanical parameters. The method advocated in this paper was then applied to a rock slope at the Longtan hydropower station, China; results demonstrate that the RVM model accurately describes the relationship between geomechanical parameters and displacement increments and can thus be used to predict both deformation and associated uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensemble learning has been widely used for improving the performance of base classifiers. Diversity among base classifiers is considered as a key issue in ensemble learning. Recently, to promote the diversity of base classifiers, ensemble methods through multi-modal perturbation have been proposed. These methods simultaneously use two or more perturbation techniques when generating base classifiers. In this paper, from the perspective of multi-modal perturbation, we propose an ensemble approach (called 'E _ RSRR') based on random super-reduct and resampling. To generate a set of accurate and diverse base classifiers, E _ RSRR adopts a new multi-modal perturbation strategy. This strategy combines two perturbation techniques together, that is, resampling and random super-reduct. First, it perturbs the sample space via the resampling technique; Second, it perturbs the feature space via the random super-reduct technique, which is a combination of RSS (random subspace selection) technique and ADEFS (approximate decision entropy-based feature selection) method in rough sets. Experimental results show that E _ RSRR can provide competitive solutions for ensemble learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand how Calycanthaceae species adapt to different light levels, we examined the responses of leaf structure, chlorophyll (Chl) content, and Chl fluorescence of five Calycanthaceae species to different light conditions. With the reduction of light irradiance, total leaf thickness of Sinocalycanthus chinensis significantly decreased, and that of Chimonanthus nitens was generally the same. The other three species, Ch. praecox, Ch. salicifolius, and Calycanthus floridus var. glaucus, showed moderate plasticity of leaf structure. With shade treatments, the Chl a content in the leaves of Ch. nitens increased, while that in Ch. salicifolius decreased. However, the Chl a content in Ch. praecox, Ca. floridus var. glaucus, and S. chinensis was not changed with decreased light levels. Leaves of four species (except Ch. salicifolius) showed higher Chl b content and total Chl content, and leaves of all five species showed a lower Chl a/b ratio in shade. The maximal quantum efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) (Fv/Fm) and the effective quantum yield of PSII (ΦPSII) in S. chinensis were the same regardless of the light regime, but those of the other four species were significantly lower in full sunlight. Another Chl fluorescence parameter, non-photochemical Chl fluorescence quenching, was significantly higher in full sunlight. Our results revealed that among the five Calycanthaceae species, S. chinensis exhibited the highest plasticity of leaf structure in response to different irradiances and Ch. nitens was considered to have the highest shade tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A moderate radiation dose, in vivo µCT scanning protocol was developed and validated for long-term monitoring of multiple skeletal sites (femur, tibia, vertebra) in mice. A customized, 3D printed mouse holder was designed and utilized to minimize error associated with animal repositioning, resulting in good to excellent reproducibility in most cortical and trabecular bone microarchitecture and density parameters except for connectivity density. Repeated in vivo µCT scans of mice were performed at the right distal femur and the 4th lumbar vertebra every 3 weeks until euthanized at 9 weeks after the baseline scan. Comparing to the non-radiated counterparts, no radiation effect was found on trabecular bone volume fraction, osteoblast and osteoblast number/surface, or bone formation rate at any skeletal site. However, trabecular number, thickness, and separation, and structure model index were sensitive to ionizing radiation associated with the µCT scans, resulting in subtle but significant changes over multiple scans. Although the extent of radiation damage on most trabecular bone microarchitecture measures are comparable or far less than the age-related changes during the monitoring period, additional considerations need to be taken to minimize the confounding radiation factors when designing experiments using in vivo µCT imaging for long-term monitoring of mouse bone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, proximity-based outlier detection methods receive much attention. For any given object x, a proximity-based method usually measures the degree of outlierness of x through examining the nearest neighbor structure of x, where the size of nearest neighborhood should be predetermined by the users. However, it is difficult for users to determine the size of nearest neighborhood. To solve the above problem, in this paper, we present an approximation accuracy entropy-based outlier detection algorithm, called ODAAE, within the framework of rough sets. Approximation accuracy entropy is an extension of Shannon information entropy in rough sets. To quantify the degree of outlierness of any given object, we develop a measure called the AAE(approximation accuracy entropy)-based outlier factor. Experimental results on real-world data sets show that the proposed algorithm is effective for outlier detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osmanthus fragrans Lour. is a popular aromatic ornamental plant and its flowers are used to enhance the color and fragrance of food. In this study, we analyzed the volatiles of 29 cultivars from all four groups of O. fragrans using a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) technique and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). We identified 41 volatile organic components that were distributed over five different compound classes, with the majority of the volatile components being dominated by alcohols, ketones, and terpenes, which accounted for 56.6–95.06% of the total volatiles in all tested materials except 'Zao Yingui'. In 'Zao Yingui', alcohols, ketones, and terpenes accounted for only 48.19% of the total volatiles. The diversity of the volatile compounds and their relative contents varied among the four groups and cultivars within each group. The major volatile compounds were α-ionone, β-ionone, 2H-β-ionone, linalool, trans-linalool oxide, cis-linalool oxide, epoxy linalool, geraniol (Z)-ocimene, and γ-decalactone in all tested cultivars, while nerol and (Z)-3-hexenyl butanoic acid ester were abundant in several cultivars. The 29 cultivars were classified into five clusters in a hierarchical cluster analysis based on their floral volatile compounds. The cultivars of different sexes (male vs. hermaphrodite) had no significant differences in the relative contents of the major volatile compounds. This study provides valuable information for understanding the chemical composition of the volatile compounds of O. fragrans flowers as well as a theoretical basis for the origin, development, and application of modern cultivars of O. fragrans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drilling rate index (DRI) is an important index for evaluating the drillability of rock in mining, tunneling, and underground excavation. Various studies have been implemented to predict DRI based on the relationship between DRI and its influence factors. Meanwhile, many uncertainties are associated with the evaluation of DRI because of the complexity and nonlinearity of rock mechanical and physical properties. But the uncertainty has not been considered in previous studies. In this study, a novel method was proposed to evaluate DRI considering the uncertainty through combining the least square support vector machine (LSSVM) and Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). The LSSVM was adopted to map the relationship between DRI and rock strength index. Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) was used to produce the sample sets based on the uncertainty distribution of rock strength index. MCS was utilized to simulate the uncertainty of DRI. The proposed method was verified by three testing examples with the uncertainties. Interaction effects of DRI's influence factors were analyzed and discussed. The results show the proposed method can evaluate the DRI reasonably. Compared with the determinate method, the proposed method is more rational and scientific and conforms to the rock engineering practice. Interaction effects should be considered while predicting or evaluating the DRI. LSSVM can not only present well the nonlinear relationship between DRI and its influence factors, but also deal with the interaction effects of the DRI's influence factors. The proposed method provides a scientific tool to predict and evaluate the DRI and its uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sal-like protein 4 (SALL4) has been proved to play a pivotal role in the development and progression of various cancers. Previous studies showed that SALL4 was highly expressed in human choriocarcinoma tissues. However, the role of SALL4 in the biological behavior of human choriocarcinoma cells remains largely unknown. In this study, we first elucidated that SALL4 was highly expressed in human choriocarcinoma cell line JEG-3 and JAR. Sal-like protein 4 knockdown by small interfering RNA (siRNA) decreased c-Myc expression, whereas SALL4 overexpression by transfection of human pLenti-SALL4 construct promoted c-Myc expression. Further data showed that SALL4 overexpression improved cell proliferation of JEG-3 cells, which can be abrogated by c-Myc siRNA. Moreover, our data showed that SALL4 interact with β-catenin and SALL4 overexpression promoted the localization of β-catenin in the nucleus and β-catenin siRNA abrogated SALL4-induced c-Myc expression in JEG-3 cells. These data indicate that aberrantly expressed SALL4 in human choriocarcinoma cells may promote cell proliferation via β-catenin/c-Myc pathway, indicating that SALL4 may be potential treatment targets of human choriocarcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sirtuin type 1 (SIRTl) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) play important roles in regulating energy metabolism, cell proliferation and differentiation, ageing, apoptosis, and metabolism. The effect of 100, 200, and 400 μm Resveratrol (RES), an activator of SIRT1, on apoptosis of bovine intramuscular adipocytes was investigated by nuclear staining, flow cytometry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and western blotting. Results show that RES inhibited adipogenesis, decreased cell viability, and increased apoptotic rates in a dose-dependent way. RES up-regulated SIRT1, AMPKα, forkhead box O1 (FOXO1), hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), caspase-3, and Bax; and down-regulated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and Bcl-2, at both mRNA and protein level. The effect of RES was abolished by addition of sirtinol (an inhibitor of SIRT1). This is the first study demonstrating a role for AMPK-SIRT1-FOXO1 signalling pathway in regulating apoptosis in bovine intramuscular adipocytes. Our findings provide important information on the mechanism by which RES controls deposition of cattle intramuscular fat via adipocyte apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) signal deformations could threaten the position accuracy and integrity of GNSS, especially for safety critical applications. Digital distortion is an important kind of deformations caused by failures inside the baseband generation unit onboard the GNSS satellites. Multi-correlator technique, as a prevalent signal quality monitoring (SQM) method, was developed to reliably detect the signal anomaly and therefore protect airborne users from this integrity threat. However, the conventional multi-correlator technique is unable to estimate the degree of distortion quantitatively, while another SQM method, the chip domain observable, has a poor real-time capability so that it could not meet the stringent time to alarm requirements. To solve the above problem, we derived the spectrum form of the conventional Threat Model A first and proposed a IFFT-based SQM algorithm. This new method can perform SQM easily by analyzing the impulses after PSD division and IFFT: Detect the presence of digital distortion by judging whether there is an impulse after IFFT and estimate the degree of distortion by computing the offset of the impulse. The results show that the IFFT-based method can not only detect digital distortion real-timely but also estimate the digital distortion degree quantitatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: This paper seeks to evaluate and compare recent advances in the clinical assessment of the changes in bone mechanical properties that take place as a result of osteoporosis and other metabolic bone diseases and their treatments. Recent Findings: In addition to the standard of DXA-based areal bone mineral density (aBMD), a variety of methods, including imaging-based structural measurements, finite element analysis (FEA)-based techniques, and alternate methods including ultrasound, bone biopsy, reference point indentation, and statistical shape and density modeling, have been developed which allow for reliable prediction of bone strength and fracture risk. These methods have also shown promise in the evaluation of treatment-induced changes in bone mechanical properties. Summary: Continued technological advances allowing for increasingly high-resolution imaging with low radiation dose, together with the expanding adoption of DXA-based predictions of bone structure and mechanics, as well as the increasing awareness of the importance of bone material properties in determining whole-bone mechanics, lead us to anticipate substantial future advances in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance and safety of a geotechnical engineering system are affected by uncertainties. The purpose of Reliability-Based Optimization (RBO) is to find a balanced design that is not only economical but also reliable in the presence of uncertainties. Numerous reliability optimization techniques have been proposed. In this study, the Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) algorithm is employed for reliable optimization of a geotechnical engineering system. The proposed ABC-RBO method combines ABC and First Order Reliability Methods (FORM). Optimization is performed with ABC, while the reliability analysis is performed with FORM, incorporating Excel solver. The proposed method is verified by two geotechnical engineering examples and compared with other methods, and shown to be robust, accurate, and feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical parameters of geomaterials are very important to slope stability assessment, design, and safety construction. Back analysis is a practical engineering tool which is commonly used to identify geomechanical parameters based on monitored displacement during slope excavation. The key problem is to establish the nonlinear relationship between geomechanical parameters and the monitored displacements at different excavation steps. This paper presents an improved multi-output support vector machine (MSVM) method which integrates the artificial bee colony algorithm (ABC), numerical analysis, and updated displacement monitoring. MSVM was used to map the complex relationship between geomechanical parameters and slope displacement increments. Training samples were chosen following a Latin hypercube model and their data were applied to numerical model. ABC formed the back analysis, searching for optimal geomechanical parameters based on the MSVM model and field-monitored displacement. The proposed method was applied to a high abutment steep rock slope of the Longtan hydropower station in China and successfully represented the relationship between geomechanical parameters and displacement increments. Updating the displacements at different excavation steps improved the precision of recognition. Reasonable mechanical parameters were identified and adopted in the slope stability analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In higher plants, cell wall invertase (CWI) and vacuolar invertase (VI) are recognized as essential players in sugar metabolism and sugar signaling, thereby affecting source-sink interactions, plant development and responses to environmental cues. CWI and VI expression levels are transcriptionally controlled; however, both enzymes are also subject to posttranslational control by invertase inhibitor proteins. The physiological significances of inhibitor proteins during seed germination and early seedling development are not yet fully understood. Here, we demonstrate that the inhibitor isoform AtCIF1 impacted on seed germination and early seedling growth in Arabidopsis. The primary target of AtCIF1 was shown to be localized to the apoplast after expressing an AtCIF1 YFP-fusion construct in tobacco epidermis and transgenic Arabidopsis root. The analysis of expression patterns showed that AtCWI1 was co-expressed spatiotemporally with AtCIF1 within the early germinating seeds. Seed germination was observed to be accelerated independently of exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) in the AtCIF1 loss-of-function mutant cif1- 1. This effect coincided with a drastic increase of CWI activity in cif1- 1 mutant seeds by 24 h after the onset of germination, both in vitro and in planta. Accordingly, quantification of sugar content showed that hexose levels were significantly boosted in germinating seeds of the cif1- 1 mutant. Further investigation of AtCIF1 overexpressors in Arabidopsis revealed a markedly suppressed CWI activity as well as delayed seed germination. Thus, we conclude that the posttranslational modulation of CWI activity by AtCIF1 helps to orchestrate seed germination and early seedling growth via fine-tuning sucrose hydrolysis and, possibly, sugar signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two α-MnO crystals with caddice-clew-like and urchin-like morphologies are prepared by the hydrothermal method, and their structure and electrochemical performance are characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), galvanostatic cell cycling, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The morphology of the MnO prepared under acidic condition is urchin-like, while the one prepared under neutral condition is caddice-clew-like. The identical crystalline phase of MnO crystals is essential to evaluate the relationship between electrochemical performances and morphologies for lithium-ion battery application. In this study, urchin-like α-MnO crystals with compact structure have better electrochemical performance due to the higher specific capacity and lower impedance. We find that the relationship between electrochemical performance and morphology is different when MnO material used as electrochemical supercapacitor or as anode of lithium-ion battery. For lithium-ion battery application, urchin-like MnO material has better electrochemical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A small-scale local chikungunya outbreak occurred in a Guangdong village of southern China in October 2010. The five chikungunya viruses (CHIKV) isolated from the epidemic and three other imported cases obtained from the same period were sequenced and analyzed for phylogenesis. The results demonstrated that all of the eight sequences were clustered in the Eastern, Central, Southern, and African group. However, the local strains and imported isolates showed different sequence variations. A226V in E1 gene and V264A in E2 gene were detected in all three imported isolates, the unique substitutions S250P in E1 gene and H313Y in E2 genes could be observed in four of the five local strains. These significant variations might be some of the causes for the outbreak. It would be an important event for CHIKV to have mutated adaption to the local mosquitoes in China, Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytoskeleton nanomechanics characterizes cancer cell's physical behaviors such as how it spread and invade. For anticancer drug, cytoskeleton nanomechanics may be a target to inhibit invasiveness and metastasis of cancer cells. Therefore, in vitro assay of cytoskeleton nanomechanics may be used to evaluate the effects of potential anticancer drug on various cancer types. Here, we investigated the effects of tubeimoside I (TBMS I) on human hepatoma (HepG2) cells by using optical magnetic twisting cytometry, a well-established technique for measuring nanomechanics of the F-actin cytoskeleton. TBMS I is a natural compound extracted from a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, and is reported with antitumor effect. In this study, we demonstrated that the cytoskeleton stiffness ( G′) of HepG2 cells was affected by TBMS I. G′ exhibited a typical power law with respect to the loading frequency ( f), i.e. g∼ f. The magnitude of G′ and the value of exponent ( α) of the HepG2 cells decreased consistently with the increase of concentration for TBMS I exposure. In addition, the HepG2 cells responded to TBMS I much faster than the normal liver (L-02) cells. Such alteration of cytoskeleton nanomechanics induced by TBMS I was reported for the first time, which was further corroborated by assays of F-actin cytoskeleton structure and cell migration. Taken together, these results suggest that in vitro assay of cytoskeleton nanomechanics may have a great potential as an additional tool in screening of anticancer drug candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methylation of cytosines is a major epigenetic modification in mammalian genomes. The levels and patterns of DNA methylation are the results of the opposing actions of methylating and demethylating machineries. Over the past two decades, great progress has been made in elucidating the methylating machinery including the identification and functional characterization of the DNA methyltransferases (Dnmts). However, the mechanisms of demethylation and the major players involved had been elusive. A major breakthrough came in 2009, when the ten-eleven translocation (Tet) family of proteins was discovered as 5-methylcytosine (5mC) dioxygenases that convert 5mC to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC). Studies in the past several years have established that 5hmC serves as an intermediate in DNA demethylation and that Tet proteins have important roles in epigenetic reprogramming in early embryos and primordial germ cells. In this review, we discuss recent advances in this exciting field, focusing on the role of Tet proteins in mammalian development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a previous mechanical model is extended to predict raceway penetration in a blast furnace (BF) and to dynamically illustrate how raceway penetration varies over time after the blast velocity varies based on Newton's second law. The model is validated by industrial measurements, and more precise predictions have been obtained using the present model. Moreover, the effects of combustion reactions on the raceway shape and size are taken into account in the present model. The mechanism for raceway formation and variation revealed by the present model is as follows: Fast movements of packed bed above a raceway roof due to blast blowing rate variation make raceway size vary rapidly and form its prototype; combustion reactions modify raceway size and shape, and they maintain its stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early brain injury (EBI) occurred after aneurismal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) strongly determined the patients' prognosis. Autophagy was activated in neurons in the acute phase after SAH, while its role in EBI has not been examined. This study was designed to explore the effects of autophagy on EBI post-SAH in rats. A modified endovascular perforating SAH model was established under monitoring of intracranial pressure. Extent of autophagy was regulated by injecting autophagy-regulating drugs (3-methyladenine, wortmannin and rapamycin) 30 min pre-SAH intraventricularly. Simvastatin (20 mg/kg) was prophylactically orally given 14 days before SAH induction. Mortality, neurological scores, brain water content and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability were evaluated at 24 h post-SAH. Microtubule-associated protein light chain-3 (LC3 II/I) and beclin-1 were detected for monitoring of autophagy flux. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated biotinylated UTP nick end labeling, expression of cleaved caspase-3 and cytoplasmic histone-associated DNA fragments were used to detect apoptosis. The results showed that mortality was reduced in rapamycin and simvastatin treated animals. When autophagy was inhibited by 3-methyladenine and wortmannin, the neurological scores were decreased, brain water content and BBB permeability were further aggravated and neuronal apoptosis was increased when compared with the SAH animals. Autophagy was further activated by rapamycin and simvastatin, and apoptosis was inhibited and EBI was ameliorated. The present results indicated that activation of autophagy decreased neuronal apoptosis and ameliorated EBI after SAH. Aiming at autophagy may be a potential effective target for preventing EBI after SAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional development of the mammary gland is an important physiological process. Several studies have used gene expression profiling of mammary gland development to identify the key genes in the process, but few focused on the involved pathways. And there is a lack of concordance between those observed pathways. In this article, we applied a standardized microarray preprocessing to four independent studies, and then used gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) to identify the key pathways. The result demonstrated an increased concordance between these expression profiling data sets. From the stage of puberty to pregnancy, we found 7 up-regulated and 6 down-regulated pathways in common. From the period of pregnancy to lactation, we found 7 up-regulated and 58 down-regulated pathways in common. And 10 up-regulated and 3 down-regulated pathways were found in common from lactation to the involution period. The main canonical pathways identified belong to immune system, cell communication, metabolism, and disease-related pathways. Pathway analysis is a more effective method than single gene analysis because the former one can able to detect genes weakly connected to the phenotype. As we applied GSEA to the study, our findings suggested a greater concordance in this physiological process. The critical pathways we find can provide some insight of functional development of the mammary gland and motivate other relative studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIF-α transcription factors, as key master regulators of oxygen homeostasis, constitute a subgroup of the large bHLH-PAS transcription factor family and have been identified in many vertebrates. Although the amino acid sequences of bHLH-PAS domain are conserved, the physiological and pathological roles of this family are variable. They also have different patterns of expression. It is possible that the HIF- α copies have been retained as a consequence of adaptive amino acid replacements or relaxed selective constraint which have conferred subtle changes in function after duplications. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that at least two major duplications had occurred early in the vertebrate lineages. Analyses of the ratios of nonsynonymous/synonymous substitution rates revealed that relaxation of selective constraints might play important roles over evolutionary time and shape variation in some members of the family. The coefficients of functional divergence ( θ) estimated between pairwise comparisons of gene groups from HIF- 1α, HIF- 2α, and HIF- 3α indicated statistically significant site-specific shift of evolutionary rates between them, suggesting that altered functional constraints may have taken place at some amino acid residues after their duplications. Moreover, we also mapped sites identified to have been relaxed from purifying selection onto the three-dimensional structure of human HIF-2α. Overall, our study demonstrated that the functional diversity of HIF- αs members may be caused by relaxed negative selection on the N-terminal transactivation domains after HIF- αs duplications, which recruited new partners leading to functional specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MTF-1 is a crucial transcription factor involved in the cellular response to heavy-metal load and other stresses by specifically binding to metal response elements (MREs). Thus far only a handful of direct target genes are known for this transcription factor, limiting our understanding of the biological network it governs. In this article we try to employ a computational strategy based on the generation of literature-based positional weight matrices (PWM) and log-likelihood scoring of the candidate binding sites (BSs) for identification of direct targets of the transcription factor MTF-1 in human and mouse. Through comparisons, we explore the conservation and unique characteristics between two species. Our results show that the numbers of MREs differ dramatically between species and their positions relative to their cognate promoter is also flexible. Importantly, we identify a set of target genes generally well conserved between human and mouse. Finally, by combining expression analysis we provide two putative targets ( HMGCR and CYP51A), which regulate lipid metabolism conserved in human and mouse. Overall, interspecies comparison from our study may provide some valuable information for further studying human Wilson disease (WD) using mouse model systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]